RP:Schezerade Core Creation

From HollowWiki

Part of the Building Schezerade Arc


Abandoned Wharf

The once fine large warehouse of the western harbor is now simply a burnt our hulk. The main framework of the storage building remains but that is all. You can look up through the scorched timbers into the pleasant blue skies, they contrast sharply with the devastation around you. This warehouse has obviously long been abandoned and fallen into disuse and disrepair before the fire tore out the guts of this once proud place. It is only possible to imagine now the fine produce and artifacts that were once stored here as now they are long gone.


Cerinii is pacing about the warehouse, penetrating eyes focusing upon the behemoth cage in the middle of the warehouse. Within the cage, is a saurian heart. Large, beastly and scaled. She had to kill the damn thing and tear it out. Her feathers, of an obsidian hue, lay about the floor. Clearly from when she struggled to set up this environment. Corpses of wolves, along with bits of fur are upon the floor. A small, wooden block is near the heart. A cone shaped, cage is at her feet. The indigo orb, wrapped in electric blue hovering with a malevolant presence. She whispers, hisses, "Isn't it? Isn't it?" Over and over, twitching to the side and glaring at the air. There is the sense of static electricity in the air. Strange tubes and platforms at the ready.

Zeneth appears, quite suddenly to be precise, her entire form shrouded in piercing white light and shimmering in an ethereal manner as she bounds into the building. Each step sends sparks of bright mana spiralling out across the warehouse floor, scorching the dirty stone beneath and sure to leave a lasting reminder of this woman’s presence in this forsaken place. Mismatched gaze of glittering amethyst and carmine hues falls upon the contraptions set up before her, and a slim silver brow raises curiously in silent question - which is then voiced in a tone rife with amusement and inquisitiveness. “Ne, mon ami, what exactly es all this, hm? Et, this is amazing…” A slim hand gestures to the dragon heart, the Avian having never seen such a thing before. “Never killed e dragon, myself…” As she speaks the light begins to fade, slowly revealing Zeneth’s graceful -- albeit rather odd -- visage.

Shaelus appeared rather suddenly near the top of the warehouse. His arrival was announced by a thunderous noise, accompanied by the warm glow of golden light that swam lazily around his entire body. White hair fell around the polished, gold mask he wore on his face as he looked down upon Cerinii. Slowly his body began to float to the ground, while he allowed his gaze to wander over the various odd sights. When his bare foot feet fell silently on the ground, his large wings closed themselves up and clung to his back, more out of habit than necessity. The ancient avian looked briefly toward Zeneth before turning his attention back to Cerinii and the odd contraption she stood beside. "Is it done?"

Cerinii shook her head, "Nein, nein, it's just beginning. Done, soon..Soon, I swear!" She grins, "Isn't it, isnt it?" Twitching again and glaring at the air. She then, motions to a platform, "Zeneth!! Stand there!" She then points to another, "Herr, stand there! Und watch the show." She winks, picking up the wooden block, and pocketing it. She then, stands still. Facing the large cage directly. Staring at it and inhaling, exhaling slowly.

Zeneth’s gaze flicks to the other as he descends from the ceiling, brow quirking once again. “Oh, und this es… hm, let me see. ‘Lord’ Shaelus, ja? Es nice to--” The time for pleasantries appears not to be at this moment, however, for a second later the Avian is being ordered to stand somewhere, her words interrupted. Eyeing the platform with a mixture of suspicion and excitement, Zeneth leaps onto the podium and glances about her surroundings. “’Watch the show’,” repeats the winged female with a cheerful hum, flickers of magic swirling and dancing about her form. “This should be fun…”

Shaelus looked back to Zeneth but was once again distracted by Cerinii. He stood where he was told, with the Dark Scythe floating next to him within arm's reach. As ever, the blade was surrounded by black flamed and shrouded in whispers. Fingers of the golden light surrounding Solaris stretched out and wrapped like tentacles around the iron handle, though the light never strayed near the blade. "I am eager to see the completion of the Schezerade core."

Cerinii inhales deeply, before a quiet whisper escapes her. A cross between a whimper, and a whisper. "I'm..." Just that one word, before her volume increases. Pupils dilating. "I'm disconnected! I'm uninspired!" Her hands flee to her head, gripping tightly at her scalp. "I'm burning in water! I'm drowning in fire!" Her volume, only increases. "I'm trapped inside mein mind, beneath these piles of stinking life! You're so absurdly common!" She twitches, body somewhat writhing. Flames, engulf the area. The woman, actually leaps forth. Ankles engulfed in flame, as she lifts a tube. Holding it before her face, "Sputtering, stuttering insect language - I'm the creature you created!" At those words, are eyes briefly moved to Shaelus. "Everyday I grow jaded, calloused and exasperated!" She halts, then stabs the tube with the needle into her fleshy arm. "I'm one of the freaks! The gays! The savages! Rogues, rebels, dissident devils, artists, martyrs - infidels!" She lifts another tube, cramming it into her arm again. "Prick the skin, push it in - nothing will be wasted! All mein hate und all mein fate!" Her sanguine fluid is being guzzled greedily by the tubes, flowing into the saurian heart. Her skin growing paler with every passing second. She lifts the wooden block from her pocket, flinging it forth with a shriek, "Schezerade!! Look at me! Look at me!" She cries, as if demanding her deceased lover to look down at her from the heavens. The block, hits the cone like cage - causing it to open in half. The orb, flits out. Taking the wooden block with it into the saurian heart. A loud beat occurs, the heart beating wildly, and the tubes guzzling more greedily. "I'm ein big mistake! Ein defect you can subjugate!" She shrieks, "Your ridicule is just typical antics! Spineless, mindless, tragic, fanatic!" She takes up a final tube, shoving it into her arm again. "Puritan! Bigot! Lunatic! Hypocrite! To save mein soul from disaster, self-destruction could be the answer!" The flames, grow and grow and grow. Circling the woman like mad. Her obsidian wings, flare out in a beautiful display - causing a blast of air. Thus, extinguishing the flames. The static electricity of the area had certainly increased, causing her left arm to crackle with electricity. Yet, Shaelus and Zeneth were not effected with anything. Or so they thought. In fact, their electric currents were being used to bring the heart into life. The tubes, guzzle nosily. Eventually, stopping with a loud 'sshhluuurrp!'. She wavers, falling back with a loud thud. Seven pints, drained for the sake of the Avian race. The tubes linger. Draining faint trickles by accident.

Zeneth glances in Shaelus’ direction once again, tilting her head questioningly to one side before mismatched eyes attentions fall upon the male’s blade. An appraising grin curls the corners of crimson lips upwards, before the Avian looks back to Cerinii. The voice -- the mantra -- then rings out loudly, flames spring out of the very air about them, and Zeneth shudders gently, eyes widening. An odd sensation begins to course throughout the building, melting into the surrounding stonework, becoming one with her body, and the others present. Magic fluxes and wanes, flickering out of being like a dying candle blown from existence; the Whistling Chaos writhes within, twisting and cursing and eliciting another anxious and elated shiver from Zeneth’s body. “All mein hate, und all mein fate…” whispers the winged female, repeating the words only just spoken, feeling something tug gently at ethereal skin. “Schezerade…” The needles tear free a cry of surprise from the woman, and she attempts to dash forward before stopping dead in her tracks, unsure of whether or not moving is permitted. “Mon ami, Cerinii…!” The beating of the dragon heart, held within its cage, seems to speed up Zeneth’s own heart, the red muscle thumping loudly within her chest and threatening to burst free. “Cerinii!” She hesitates but a moment as the Avian falls before darting from her platform to the scientist’s side. Ripping the tubes away from the woman, the spell blade emits a whimper of confusion and worry. “Are you all right, madam? That was…that was…” But words seem impossible at this time and all the female is able to utter afterwards is an incomprehensible string of mutters, clutching at Cerinii’s shoulder as she does so.

Shaelus stood and watched very silently. Even he could not fully understand what was happening in front of him. When the blast of air hit him, the light around his body flared so brightly he would have been hard to look at. He felt a small as some part of him was used to restart the heart. For one that was called a soulstealer, to feel something such as this which must have been so similar to what all the people he had consumed must have felt, was a very terrifying experience. He often chose not to remember the last time before this moment that he had felt such true fear, when he saw his city falling out of the sky, destroyed by Immortals. An instinctive reaction occurred. Normally he was so careful about not using his true voice that he kept himself from breathing. His chest swelled beneath his ceremonial breastplate and he screamed. The light around his body responded immediately, swelling dangerously. The ground shook and broke apart, tumbling what was left of the warehouse's roof to the ground. Any building even remotely close to the warehouse would have suffered the same fate. The scream lasted only an instant however, and Solaris jumped away from the place he had been told to stand. He held what small bit of air was left in his lungs and hurriedly moved to Cerinii, Dark Scythe following him in kind. The avian knelt beside her and reached out, taking her up and cradling her in his arms. With the last bit of breath, he used his voice again, although the tone this time was warm and steady. The ground still trembled, but only the slightest fraction as his voice echoed loudly into the distance. The light around his body brightened again and began to wrap around Cerinii. After only a few moments, the air in his lungs was entirely used up, and he took no more in. His voice stopped and healing light subsided. Shaelus-Khar stood there and held the female for a moment longer, waiting for her to wake up.

Cerinii 's penetrating eyes had dulled in colour, gazing up to Zeneth. Her throat is dry, lips dry and blue. Her eyes were losing their colour; their life. The vitality. The scream of Shaelus was dull in her head, a ringing in her ears from the mantra; the process of losing her life-force. The avian, is easily lifted. Majority of her body weight, gone. But, as the healing light engulfs her - she gains more weight. Blood beginning to flow once more and fill her. Lips returning to that peony colour. Eyes gradually gaining their vigour once more. The loud thrumming of the saurian heart can be heard. A gasp is emitted, body tensing and pain felt within her fleshy arm. She curls her digits briefly. She murmurs a quiet 'danke', eyes locked upon the thrumming heart.

It is a scream to shatter the soul which suddenly rents the air apart around Zeneth, and the Avian immediately throws herself away from the source of the sound, crashing back onto the ground in a heap nearby to Shaelus’ feet. “Oh, mein… Solaris be damned, that es -loud-, monsieur~!” squeaks the female upon registering what is actually going on - the suddenness of the piercing wail assaulting pointed ears temporarily confused her senses. But then it is gone as abruptly as it was uttered, and Zeneth looks up, wincing. She goes to pick herself up from the ground, but it is then that sensitive ears pick up the erratic beating of the saurian heart and all movement pauses, the Avian staring at the crimson muscle curiously. “Mm, so…what now, madam?” asks the woman, glancing to Cerinii and making no move to get up. “Though, if there es more work to be done, I think it should be after you have rested, non? If you strain your body too hard, eh, bad things will happen.”

Shaelus carefully set Cerinii down, seemingly more concerned with her safety than the beating heart. It was not a sight he hadn't seen before. He was one of the few avians left that remembered the terrible and ignorant war against the dragons. He turned his head as Zeneth spoke, and agreed with it, "Yes, you must rest. I can only heal your body, not your mind."

Cerinii was quick to rise, "Nein, I'm fine.." She stares at the heart. "It's..beautiful...Mein work is complete.." She grins widely, albeit she is very tired. She looks to Shaelus, "It must go into the core of the city, to work.." She smiles, "Are you happy with it?"

Zeneth shakes her head, eventually clambering to her feet and stepping a mite closer to the other two Avians. “Non, you can surely not be ‘fine’, madam~. You just lost e lot of blood, und even with monsieur here’s help to…eh, rejuvenate you -- or whatever he did -- the shock will likely have had some sort of effect upon your body. Ein rest, mon ami, would be good right now. Und see, even -he- agrees with et.” A slender, ethereal-hued hand waves idly in Shaelus’ direction before the winged woman turns away, allowing the two to converse on matters she has no part in. “Ah~. Tiervo, what are you doing all the way over there, cherie?” she calls after a moment, moving toward the tiny ebon kitten who is perched upon some boxes. “I thought you were in mein shirt. When did you get out, hm?”

Shaelus turned his head to look at the heart again. He smiled behind his mask as he replied, "It's beautiful. Schezerade will be the grandest achievement of our people in over one-hundred, thousand years."

Cerinii smiles, "I am glad." She sighs softly, grateful that the name she chose - would be applied to the city. "Well..it is yours now, Herr. Do with it, what you will." She looks to Zeneth, "You have been ein part of history, I suppose.." She chuckles faintly.

Zeneth, tucking Tiervo back into his place within her tattered black shirt, turns to meet Cerinii’s gaze with a wide grin. “I’m rather glad I gave you mein blood now, madam~” the Avian says with a nod, smile becoming a slight bit more mischievous. “So, Schezerade…will it be like Ardentor, or Armantium? Bardriel, perhaps? Et, maybe Ashtaeum? Erenstopolis!” As the names are called out enthusiastically, a wisp of magic flares up behind the woman, although she appears not to notice it or even be conscious of its presence. Sparks of illusionary magic spiral and twine together to form a semi-transparent screen of sorts, producing dancing images of each of the fallen cities to those present while the mecha-winged female continues speaking. She honestly seems rather excited about the new city, despite having never really lived in one for long before. “Perhaps it will be e place completely its own…that would be sehr good too, ja. Oh, but eh, where has it been all this time? Hidden deep beneath the earth or some such?” Zeneth’s head tilts curiously to one side as she finishes, eyeing both Cerinii and Shaelus questioningly. The illusionary wall begins to crack, shards of visions snapping free and falling silently to the floor of the warehouse as the pictures displayed upon the surface fade and die; Zeneth looks round, raising a brow inquisitively, but sees nothing.

Shaelus said to Zeneth, "Schezerade must still be completed. It's a brand new city."

Cerinii eyed the images with a quivering lip, before murmuring. "I do..I do believe, I shall go rest." She then looks to Shaelus, "You will let me know when it is completed, ja?"

Zeneth quirks an eyebrow at Cerinii’s antics, glancing over her shoulder once more with a confused frown quickly forming upon delicate features. “…Es there something there?” she asks, blinking. A shake of the head follows, the Avian uttering a sigh. “I would…um, like to know when it es completed too…if that es not too much trouble for du.” With that said the woman looks away again, glowering at the air behind her as if waiting for whatever Cerinii saw to show itself to her.

Shaelus said, "You'll both know when the city is ready to launch. Maybe the event will inspire the two of you to join the rest of your people."

Cerinii chuckles, "Perhaps. But, then again...You know not mein motives for helping you, Herr.." She says, before vanishing.

Zeneth hums almost thoughtfully to herself, voice echoing somewhat in the half-destroyed area. “I suppose we shall see what the future holds for mich. If mein dance es dancing past mein own people…perhaps not.” Spinning on the spot as Cerinii disappears, the Avian bows gracefully and fluidly to Shaelus, offering him a soft smile. “As I never managed to say it at the beginning, monsieur Shaelus, it es e pleasure meeting you. For now, it seems I must be off, though~. I look forward to hearing when the city es finished.” A flower is produced from the woman’s bag and held out for the other to take - when breathed upon it changes from a light, frosty-blue to a deep, fiery red. “It es e Frostmaw flower, monsieur. E Frost-Fire rose, und rightly named. I’m sure we shall meet again. For now, farewell.” And with that, Zeneth is gone, skipping out of the warehouse and into the sunlight.

Zeneth gave 1 Frost-Fire Rose to Shaelus.

Shaelus faced Zeneth and politely accepted the flower. He took a step back as the other walked out of the warehouse. Throwing the hand out which held the flower, he gives a graceful bow of his own. He could be heard to say , "Till we meet again..." just as the golden light surrounded him once more. The crack of thunder could be heard, and all once he was gone.

Zeneth calls back over her shoulder as she bounds away down the road, although she does not look back to see whether or not the other has already left. "Sounds like fun, monsieur~. Until then." And then she really is gone, speeding into the air and winging her way gracefully across the open ocean.