Astaroth blinked, straightening up in his high-backed chair as Danna knocked on his door. Pushing it away from his desk, the melancholy tilted it just enough to peer out the portal at his love. "Titan...?" Pursing his lip, Astaroth frowned and rolled his shoulders as he stood.
After a moment of tidying his desk - over the past months he acquired a variety of substituteable materials in order study them. Where and what was best for spell casting? Was there a way of blending spells? He knew the guilds only accepted you in if you intended to devote yourself to that school of magic but Astaroth rather enjoyed both Circle and Grimoire magic.
Thus, to a logical mind, the answer to the problem then lay in mastering and understanding the very components of the magic he used such that both guilds must recognize his knowledge.
However, Astaroth caught the twinkle in his lover's eye and could not help the smile that played upon his silver lips as he moved to catch her in a hug. Kissing the top of her head before he drew away, he arched a brow, "Have there been any solid reports on its location then? What about a place to check its original protocol - that might influence it even now, correct?" With arms still around her in a loose hug in an effort to calm the fear he also saw in her eyes, the melancholy paused as he thought over the various options they had.
Danna melted into the embrace in comfort and her wavering courage was swiftly bolstered. She looked up at him and gave a small smile. "No exact reports on its location. There seems to be some confusion on its whereabouts as its energy signature has been picked up in a number of different spots, though the vague territory is the grasslands past the Red Gate." Then she shifted slightly to draw a single sheaf of paper from her satchel and reread it. "However, in the records, I did manage to find this information on Titan: 'Owner: Greithos; Shard: Golden Age; Protocol: Defender; Statistics: Moderate Cognizance, Moderate Speed, Extremely High Durability, High Strength; Note: Titan's Height and Weight were volatile as he was an unprescendented creation combining Greithos's previous 12 attempted Golems with his thirteenth, and latest, called Dione. The result was the highly powerful Titan, able to change form in battle and split itself apart to form thirteen seperate working smaller Golems, each with independant skills and aptitudes. Titan is still considered one of the greatest achievements in Empyrean Magic to date. Unfortunately, the components of Titan's make-up disintigrated without its master's will to hold them cohesive, and their Shards began splitting off from the solid masses of the components. No more is known about the aftermath of this disintigration, as they all fell to the earth and scattered into the ground before a single piece could be collected.'" Danna looked up to him with wondering eyes. "Do you think it could be true? This Greithos was actually able to fuse his many golems into one? And if so, why is he not praised, at least in our circles - Magic and Incubating? Why has Euphrasia never mentioned him?" Danna's exuberance faltered and a shadow passed over her face. "I can't help but feeling there's something dark in all this, like some tragedy that cloaked the whole event an silenced Empyrean City's memory."
Astaroth listened carefully, eyes narrowed in his usual thoughtful expression. When she finished and asked her question he let his gaze drift back to hers, "If it could disassemble and reassemble itself as well as display a highly varied skill set wouldn't that suggest it was highly unstable?" He stepped out the door and moved to stand at the balcony that overlooked their common room, thinking over what he knew of Danna's profession.
"Is it even possible to merge two golems let alone thirteen? If it were, the sheer amount of essence needed to work that magic would be incredible..." He replied, turning back to face Danna, his eyes filled with curiosity. Magic was his passion and this Titan seemed to be some sort of masterpiece blending Golem Crafting and Magic.
As she continued, he sighed and nodded, "If the professors do not discuss it... it is likely something of sensitive nature... If there was a tragedy associated with it, would that not then be something recorded in the Library? It would also be prudent to interview Euphrasia - I do not think she would be evasive if asked a direct question."
Danna had already given the new concept a great deal of thought and had ready opinions to offer. "Either highly unstable or each component was mathematically balanced to support its individual components. The question I have is how can you synergize separate creations after they've finished incubation?" And then she nodded, hitting upon the same conclusion as Astaroth regarding the silence of the Professors. "Exactly! I almost get the sense of one of Bardane's Laws regarding the attempt. Perhaps it isn't permitted... I somehow get the feeling Euphrasia won't like us opening up this old can of worms, but we've got to at least try and ask her. If anyone would know about te process -even if not the specific instance - she would." Donna nodded resolutely and shifted her grip on her satchel. "Will you accompany me to the Apothecary?" She asked, a little sheepishly. It wasn't so much that she was afraid, but she'd like to have Astaroth there to help her decipher the answer with his own account of whatever answer they mgiht get. Still, she felt a little foolish asking for him to tag along.
"I hadn't considered that..." Astaroth replied thoughtfully, mind immediately turning to required mathematics for such an intricate device, "I had thought all golems were unique and separate once they've finished incubation - like individual seed pods from a plant." Astaroth laughed softly as he nodded his agreement, "It is likely one of Bardane's laws that imposes censorship. He hides many things and then we are left to wonder at our circumstance when the knowledge is lacking." Frowning, the melancholy shook his head - for him, the greatest offence and defense was knowledge and to come up against buried information was truly frustrating.
Turning, he reached out a hand to Danna and bowed at the waist in formal agreement, "Of course, my Love. I've questions of my own."
Danna nodded and squeezed his hand warmly in her own. "Let's to Euphrasia then." She moved to the stairs with her other hand tucked around the strap of her satchel and began the descent to the first floor. She made a quick mental check of her bubbling Crucibles and readied her keys.
Astaroth paused when she checked her things and continued onward. Behind him, the tails of his coat swished and occasionally clinked as the technorings hit one another while he walked. His gait had become smooth long ago, lending a sort of unconscious grace to his movements. Tall and slender, Astaroth had matured to a fine One.
As he walked alongside Danna, he tilted his head as if something had just occurred to him, "Do you know what the thirteen pieces are? Or if this Greithos kept notes, like an alchemist does? If Euphrasia prooves to be unhelpful perhaps digging up those note would be our next step... For all the hushing that's been done, the city could not have censored everything surrounding Titan and Greithos." As the approached Euphrasia's shop, Astaroth stepped ahead and opened the door, sweeping his arm inward as he offered a gentlemanly smile, "Ladies first."
Danna bowed playfully and then entered the shop. Euphrasia was behind the counter going through an old tattered manilla folder with a faint frown of conceptration on her face. "Hello Euphrasia!" Danna greeted cheerfully, always having like her mentor. Euphrasia darted a quick glance up, hastily closed the file with a slap of her hand on the cover. A single sheaf of paper drifted out of the folder and slid to rest on the floor in front of the counter, out of sight of Euphrasia's line of vision. Danna paused, contemplated saying something, selfishly silenced herself and walked forward intot he shop. Euphrasia hastily tried to smile, but she was quite clearly nervous.
"Danna, my dear, what can I do for you?" Euphrasia asked, darting a glance at Astaroth with some curiosity. "Hello, Astaroth." She added, again flickering a wavering smile.
Danna continued to smile, though with subdued force and learned over the counter a little, careful to keep her voice low so as not to be overheard in case it might cause a stir. "Euphrasia, surely you've heard of this buisness with Titan, and....Greithos." She couldn't say what had made her pause, made her reluctant to name the Empyrean responsible - however remotely - with the current situation. She got a sudden sharp wave of emotion from Euphrasia when she mentioned the name Titan, and something told her uttering the name Greithos would be even worse. Sure enough, Euphrasia's face paled and she looked quite miserable. Danna blinked, taken back. "Euphrasia? Is something the matter? Do you know something of all this?" She shot a concerned glance at Astaroth, her eyes wide and surprised at her mentor's reaction.
Astaroth nodded in greeting when Euphrasia spoke to him and remained a polite distance away - though he was close enough both to listen and gauge reactions. At the three's reaction to Greithos' name he arched a brow, "She does." He replied and stepped forward, standing behind Danna as he crossed his arms, blue eyes fixed on Euphrasia's.
"We aren't looking to cause trouble, only to learn and make use of that knowledge. If you know anything we would appreciate you telling us Euphrasia." To him it was quite obvious Danna's mentor knew something. Casually, he stepped over and lifted the sheaf of paper and cast his gaze over that. "This is yours, I believe."
Euphrasia took the page with trembling paws.
She stared at it for a while and then with tears in her eyes placed it down on the counter top. "He was so full of hope! He was brilliant and achieved so much! After he fell, when the Golem fell apart his jealous enemies were quick to point out the flaws of such ambition, of attempting such an unweildy creature, picking on flaws they could never even hope to equal as achievements! I hurt for his memory, the scandal and the silence that followed. He should have been praised. His achievments should be taught in Golem Crafting, not hushed up like some mistake." She gathered her wits about her and calmed her hysteria a tad. She looked at them with shining, convinced eyes and said with a dramatic air: "If you had seen Titan in full form, as I did, you would worship him! He was a god among magicians, asaviour among cowards..." But her fierce voice failed her and with quivering lip she lowered her face, a cascade of shining pink hair falling around her like curtains to shield her as she wept. "I...thought this pain was all behind me..." She forced out between sobs in a shallow whisper, not much more than a thought.
Danna merely stared at her, speechless and placed a warm, loving hand on Euphrasia's trembling arm.
Astaroth's gaze lifted from the paper to Euphrasia and he could not suppress the frown that turned the corner of his lips down. He had never been particularly fond or understanding of bursts of emotion and Euphrasia's hysteria was no exception. He assumed there was something more to this - for her to answer so strongly was proof enough for him. "Titan was banished to myth because of jealousy...? Tch. He certainly has my attention - I am curious to know how he managed such a thing. That looks like a plan or schematic to me..." he glanced to Danna for confirmation, "we at least, are willing to listen. Tell us what you know? How does Titan function - how is it even possible when there is not a whisper of it in classes?"
Danna peered at the drawing with much interest, though for sensitivity's sake she tried to hide her excitement. She nodded to Astaroth in confirmation. "This is an original concept sketch... Euphrasia, did you help Greithos make Titan, or at least its peices?"
Euphrasia looked from one to the other, not knowing what to say or how to react. "You must understand, Titan was not a danger to Empyrean City. When it fell apart at...at Greithos' death, it was simply considered a failure, an exagerrated response due to the manner of his creation. Normally, when a master dies, the Golem merely reverts to its Shard. Out of respect, we retire these Shards tot he Catacombs beneath the Temple. But we couldn't find the shards of Titan or its components. They never fully reverted, they just...melted, disappeared. All trace gone. The skeptics thought that because of the overtax of energy required to combine the pieces, the Shards were all used up. I believed that...until now. It seems there was more to Greithos' calculations than I understood." She took in a shuddering breath and fought off another wave of tears with all the dignity she could muster. "I gave him my advice, my professional opinion...and my personal oppinion of his concepts, but no...Greithos built them all himself." She waved a paw at the sketch on the counter top. "That was only his initial work for Phoebe...he made many more drawings...but usually he burned anything that could give too much information to his competition. He was much envied...in his day...he shone so bright..." And Euphrasia's eyes grew misty again and she grew silent trying to fight back the sobs.
Astaroth's eyes narrowed slightly as Euphrasia only half-answered his questions but wisely held his tongue. She was upset enough, he doubted making a sharp remark would help in their search for answers. "Phoebe? The pieces are named? To burn your schematics once they're done... is there really such petty competition and jealous running rife through the city?" Pursing his lips, the melancholy's expression turned disapproving. It seemed for all the good there was in this place, it was indeed tempered by equally strong faults - the world was not nearly so idyllic as the professors had insinuated.
After a moment, he asked one more question, "What do you think the pieces are doing then, now that they've apparently been detected?"
"Oh yes! They are named!" Euphrasia replied with emotional fire. "That was his genius, each a functioning Golem in its own right, combining to form a perfect, massive, end result! The combined Form was Titan, but each of the pieces had its own protocol, its own purpose that functioned without contradicting the roll of Titan... Brilliant work..." She paused again, lost in memory. Danna looked at Astaroth as the implications of what Euphrasia had said sunk in.
Danna tried a more direct question, hoping that the past might be easier to comprehend to the distraught Apothecarist than postulating about the future might be.
"Euphrasia, what was Phoebe's protocol? What was her purpose?"
Euphrasia looked up with shining eyes.
"On her own she was a Duellist, she was a quick-striker, she'd distract and attack the outsiders, hit them where a little attack would hurt most..." Danna nodded, smiling encouragingly.
"Alright, good... And what was her purpose with Titan?" She asked. Euphrasia blinked and looked down at the drawing, tracing the sketchy outline of the Golem's crown with own claw tip.
"She was the Crown, the shining Golden Crown, the birther of stars, the tactition for the giant..."
Astaroth too blinked, the enormity of Euphrasia's comment slowly sinking in as his mind began to race along the possibilities. "Each a functioning golem... They were made separately and yet still able to form together into Titan?" He shook his head, "Genius." Having no claim to any deep understanding of golem crafting, Astaroth could only imagine the degree of precision and planning required for such a thing when a single golem took so much effort...
Tactitian...? "So then Phoebe was the mind of the Titan. I assume her intelligence was particularly high for a golem?"
"Yes, Phoebe was the mind... On his initial concept sketch he had assign her only a High Cognizance, but in the finished creation he pushed it to Extremely High. It worked, admirably well... Phoebe was brilliant, full of drive and clever independant thought. She was beautiful..." Euphrasia replied, face shining with both tears and love. Danna lifted the paper again and looked at the monochromatic sketch. She could imagine how the Golden Crown shard would have looked, with Greithos coaxing life from it... She hoped she would get a chance to see Phoebe in the living form.
Astaroth shifted and rested a hand on Danna's shoulder before drawing him nearer to him, "Is that all you know? What about the other golems? What were they like?" Thought his voice hadn't softened, his gaze was more mild as he regarded the sketch as well. "What will happen with the other pieces now that they've been noticed?"
Danna looked up to Euphrasia with clear interest, after all her living and life were Golems...
Euphrasia sighed softly. "What will happen with them indeed. I honestly do not know of they are capable of reforming into Titan without Greithos' steering hand. I know that there are Codes for each Golem, though... They had to be given as commands to each Golem in a specific order. And when they were certain Golems would form up in such a way so as to remain stable and yet become Titan and function to the absolute limit of Golem potential. But can an Outsider break that code if they get their hands of Dione? Could the Golems be imprinted on new masters and still retain their cohesive action? I do not know... Perhaps even Greithos did not give consideration to these questions. We cannot ask him now... We can only hope to recover them and go from there, once the situation is again safe." Euphrasia shook her pink curls softly, determined to look on the bright side and hope.
Astaroth nodded thoughtfully, "The codes and the reformation of Titan can be worked out later then - the priority now is for the pieces of Titan to be reclaimed and possibly stabilized. Right? If they cannot form bonds with new masters then I assume they are to be terminated because they pose a threat and are a liability." He turned, as if satisfied at last with what Euphrasia had to say, though he paused and glanced over his shoulder first to Danna then to the three, "And how many Empyreans know the Codes?"
Danna winced at the mention of them being terminated, after all, she was determined to try to rewire them, or stabilize them, or subdue them for study if not use. What a terrible waste of brilliant craftsmanship! But she held her peace, she didn't want to voice her intent and be shot down as being a mere One, afterall.
Euphrasia lifted haggard eyes at Astaroth's last question. "Just one..." She whispered, looking into both of them with a bottomless depth of heartbreak. These were old wounds torn open, this was a personal side of their normally sunny Apoethcarist that no one was meant to see. Danna visibly flinched and pulled at Astaroth's arm gently. "Thank you, Euphrasia... You should rest now... and thank you..."
