RP:The Strength of Coral
Part of the You Must Have Been Human Arc
Part of the Lies Within Us Arc
This is a Mage's Guild RP.
Summary: Odhranos seeks out Karasu before the plans to retake Xalious are put in motion. She confides the true cause for her avoidance of the other mages, and enlists him to escort her to the Nameless Desert for a possible resolution.
Wherever it is that Karasu might be, above or below the earth, on the late evening of this spring day, a familiar skittering stone and bronze beetle finds its way to her. Once close enough to be spotted, the scarab chirps cheerily, clattering its bronze wings and shaking its hematite carapace, wiggling its little segmented legs until Karasu picks it up. Beneath the polished wing-casing, the corner of a note peeps out, signed on the front to “Little Cat of the Tower”
- Karasu
- Everything is moving so fast now that I scarcely have time to write this letter. I can only pray that it reaches you in time.
- I’ll be in Sage this fourth-day. Should I happen to meet a dear friend on my way, I would be eternally grateful.
- Go líonfaidh an ghaoth do sheolta''
- O-D
The fourth-day arrives with little fanfare, nor a reply from the once ever-present spell-blade in training. This does not mean that the letter was not received or read, however, as evidenced by her sentry at the edge of the forest where Sage met the Xalious Pass. Were the terramancer to appear, Karasu planned to trail behind him to see what it was he truly needed to be in the sleepy forest for. A sharp nail digs away at the skin on her knee, idly tracing runes. The letter was nothing more than a polite formality; someone who could not be of use to anyone, let alone the Mage’s Guild, surely could not be missed, she reasoned, though the origin of such thoughts may have originated in the parasite residing within her mind. The hematite scarab has taken its residence once again on the side of Karasu’s head just above her ear.
From where the Kelay Way breaks free of the Sage, a strip of open land runs north to south before the foothills begin their steady climb to the wind-bleached peaks of Xalious. Stepping out of the treeline, a lone cowled figure emerges, swaddled in a heavy cloak of loamy brown cloth. While the canopy of Sage shields the path from the worst of today’s harsh wind, out in this open no-mans land, there is little to break the gale from Gualon’s edge to the south and the Vibrance to the North. As the figure breaches the edge of the plain, his hood is torn back, baring him to the elements. Snapping in the wind like a pennant, two lengths of silk trail from the blindfold tied over his eyes, flashing violet in the fitful sunlight. Odhranos sets his shoulders to the storm as he stares westward, where the closest of Xalious’ new defences looms balefully over the lower peaks. This silent staring contest between the ominous ball of arcane fire and the blind mage that would see it torn down lasts for a few weighty moments, before Odhranos furrows his brows and turns back toward the forest, to the oasis of calm from the storm. He leaves the path, instead choosing to walk through the moss and undergrowth toward the deeper and quieter parts of the ancient forest.
On the draft of the harsh winds, a scent catches Karasu off guard, one of fresh sand, parchment, and tea leaves. It lasts only for a hair of a moment, but it has the demifeline on her feet immediately as she searches the edge of the plain. The terramancer comes into view, and the small spellblade immediately bites her tongue to keep silent. Having abandoned her jaguar cloak for the warm carmine shawl made for her by Iintahquohae, Karasu clutches at the pin clasping the garment closed as Odhranos approaches, then passes by the spell-blade to traverse the mossy path. The shawl is warm, but not quite warm enough to prevent a silent shiver as rhodolite eyes momentarily glance upward at the blindfold again. Quintessa had tried to tell her about what had happened in the time elapsed, but finding out that she had blacked out and missed the opportunity to see for herself had frustrated Karasu enough to walk away from any conversations the hexblade tried to have with her regarding the former Mage’s Guild. After Odhranos walks a few paces into the forest, Karasu begins to attempt her silent watch of him, traversing on the tops of gnarled tree roots and fallen logs to avoid making noises through the underbrush. As the pair make their way through, the spell-blade seems to recognize certain areas from her many walks. Suddenly a spark of recognition makes the woman gasp and call out, “Stop!” in warning, her espionage was forgotten. Karasu closes the gap and walks past the terramancer to where an old rope snare trap had laid in wait for some small game, or an unfortunate ankle. The trap is quickly dismantled, and Karasu’s face heats up as she realizes that she has yet to say anything else. “Why would you come out here alone in your condition?! Even in a place like this, hunters still set up traps off the main path!” She chastises the terramancer. “You should have…” Her face feels hot as tears prick at her eyes. “You should have someone from the Guild here to help you.”
Odhranos is abruptly shaken from his thoughts when a familiar voice cries out to him, halting him in his tracks. He turns with the beginnings of a half smile on his face, but is unexpectedly met with a bewildering fusilade of chastisements, the likes of which he hadn’t received since he first tried to sneak out of the Oohjmaeyik Tailors on his third day of freedom. He weathers the storm with an apologetic look on his face, waiting for Karasu’s words of frustration to ease before he speaks up. “I missed you too, Kara.” As simple as his words are, the way he holds his shoulders, the slight catch in his voice and the way that his bottom lip trembles slightly belays the depth of emotion behind that simple statement. “I’m sorry.” For what he is apologising, he doesn’t elaborate. An awkward pause follows, while Odh wrings his hands and shuffles his feet, grasping for words but finding none. “I… didn’t know how you would react if there were someone other than me. No one has seen you in weeks, and I didn’t want to risk not getting the chance to talk to you before…” Odh waves his hand as if to dispel the ending of that sentence. “It was short-sighted of me, I apologise.” Odhranos dips his head and folds his arms behind his back, the image of apologetic contrition.
Karasu clutches at her arms, trying to maintain the facade of being upset with his carelessness. The soft tone he speaks in as he explains his reasoning only furthers the sins crawling on her back. Taking a careful breath, the spellblade tries to keep her voice even as she says, “Please do not apologize to me. If anything, I should be the one asking for forgiveness. I’m not good for the Guild, Magister Kerrigan. The majority of the Spellblade Corps were killed because of my negligence, because I’m incapable of doing something as simple as removing my own plague...” Taking a step backwards, her voice wavers. “I promised that I’d come save you, and I couldn’t even do that. Administrator Brenwyn was right: The mark of Vakmatharas ensures that I will only cause misfortune to those around me.” It is clear that the demifeline is near her limit, trembling more than the lowest boughs shaking with the Gualonian winds. “It’s safer for everyone from the old Guild if I maintain my distance.”
Odhranos can hear the shake in Karasu’s voice and his face crumples with concern. “And you bore this weight on your own rather than to risk those close to you...Oh Kara…” A part of Odhranos wishes nothing more than to swaddle Karasu in a hug and tell her that everything will be alright, to hold the world at bay with nothing more than a pair of billowy sleeved arms. But even as his hands pluck at the hem of his sleeves, he is reminded of his predicament, barely able to avoid a bump in the path, much less manage to hug someone. He lets loose a quiet sigh, then turns his face in Karasu’s direction. “There’s a glade, east of here, do you know the one?” Odh rubs the side of his head, where the blindfold chafes a bit behind his ear. “I was planning on waiting for you there but… Sage is a bit more treacherous since my last visit.” Odh raises his arm and after ruffling back his sleeve, he offers his hand rather plainly to Karasu. “Could I trouble you to help an old man?” A slight wan smile graces the terramancer’s face. “I think having some sun on our backs as we talk would be nice.” If Karasu took him up on his request, she would find the terramancer’s hand large and spindly, but his grip is gentle and warm. A few moments of quiet would pass before Odhranos brings up a seemingly out of the blue question. “Have you ever studied coral, by any chance?”
There is a pause as the spellblade considers the offer. “I see, you came alone knowing that I wouldn’t allow you to go into the glade without assistance…” The realization lessens her mental spiral, and she obliges his request, placing her hand in his, her own small and calloused from constant training, but impossibly warm. “I suppose I would feel worse if I allowed you to walk into a bear trap.” This dismissive remark seems to be her way of accepting the request, though the color rising to her face gives away her indifference to anyone who may be looking. Some things just could not change. As the pair walk further into the forest, the demifeline considers Odhranos’ question. “Not in-depth, no. I know that it is a popular form of accessory in Cenril and Rynvale, and that early seaborns would cultivate reefs to grow into the shape of armor to be worn into battle. It is a cruel fashion trend; the coral itself is living, but it is torn apart by those looking to make use of it, without regard for its true purpose.” As they walk, Karasu’s ear twitches in response to something, and she looks out to a pair of elven children who quickly scamper off at the sight of the unusual pair, leaving behind the beginnings of a flower crown. “Have you seen real coral before?”
Though he makes no mention of it aloud, Odhranos can sense her change in demeanor and it brought a smile out in him. "Then I am in your capable hands." He replies, offering her small hand a gentle squeeze of encouragement as they set off into the forest. The terramancer is thankful that Karasu is still, even after all these years the same inquisitive talkative academic she was as a child; anytime she had been upset before, presenting her with a puzzling question took her mind off her worries, giving Odhranos a chance to try ease the wounding. "I have! There were spectacular reefs off the coast of my childhood home. I used to dive there when I was little, with my brothers. My grandmother used to collect the pieces that washed up on the shore; she had corals in shades you wouldn't believe could exist, from the four corners of the world she said." Odhranos' voice takes on a wistful tone as he speaks of his family before Lithrydel; a subject not often discussed between the pair. "Coral was always special to Oileanians, it was a gift often given to those venturing out beyond the islands on long journeys, to be returned to the giver upon the venturers return." As they reach the edge of the glade, Odhranos can feel the difference in the earth, where the warmth of the sun bleeds through the grass. "I hope we didn't interrupt anyone." He murmurs, looking out to where the footprints of the elven children pitter patter off between the trees, towards the elven camp. "Where was I… oh yes." Odh moves to sit down still holding Karasu's hand as he does so, crossing his legs as he turns his face up towards the sun. "Coral is a testament to the strength of the many. The little polyps that make it are so tiny and frail, one can hardly believe that they can survive the harsh world of the seas. But together, they make some of the greatest structures in nature, putting us land-dwellers to shame." Odh turns his face towards Karasu, the silk of his blindfold catching the sun and illuminating the silky fabric into a sea of iridescent indigo and blue. "That's why we gave it to loved ones when they left us on dangerous journeys. To remind them that wherever they were, they were one of the many and the many would never forgot, nor stop worrying about them." Odh picks at his robes with his free hand and offers Karasu a sheepish smile. "I hope the moral of my story isn't too transparent. I haven't had much chance to practice my storytelling lately."
As the pair draws further into the forest, the spell-blade manages the courage to look up at the terramancer’s face as he speaks of his childhood. Her mind’s eye attempts to conjure an image of Odhranos’ family, but is only greeted by images of identical faces with varying statures, including an elderly Odhranos in a dress and adorned with a crown of coral, something that makes the corner of her lip twitch upward in an attempt to not laugh. At his mention of the underwater treasures washing upon the shore, Karasu seems to perk up. It was not always forcibly broken off how she believed; then again, the demifeline would sooner swallow dragon scales than step onto a beach, so her frame of references were limited. Her demeanor quickly becomes serious again as the allegory of the coral becomes clearer to her. She allows him to pull her down onto the grass and tucks her legs underneath her knees. “I believe your moral is that even if I am diseased, I am still part of the structure of the coral no matter what.” A wry smile graces her lips as she reaches up to pick a ladybug off of his blindfold. As the tiny bug circles the woman’s fingers, the smile soon falls. “I read once that there is a phenomenon where coral turns stark white and stops breathing. If I were the first white polyp on our branch of coral, wouldn’t it make more sense to cut me away than to risk harming the rest?” The ladybug, seeming to be content with its travels of Karasu’s fingers, buzzes away onto a patch of wildflowers. She would have to pluck those for her sister’s collection at some point. “What I’m saying is, that this parasite inside me could very well take over and injure or kill more members when I least expect it. Even now, I feel it clawing away at the inside of my mind, telling me that you would make a good thrall when it rises to power again. Every time I tried to muster the courage to come find you, I could feel it scheming to force me to submit to Haldavar in an attempt to absorb whatever power he has.” Was it raining? Karasu quickly wipes at her eyes before continuing. “This thing is nothing like what you and S’erok have. I will cease to exist if this entity my father allowed to reside in my body takes hold again. I wanted to resolve it myself, but I am afraid that nothing short of an exorcism could save me now. What good could I be to the Guild in this state except to smuggle books out of the former library.” This seems to be a confession to the previously unexplained semi-frequent deliveries of books to the entrance of the hideout in Cenril. Feeling the mood turn dark, Karasu attempts to make light of the situation. “Shame that you have a girlfriend to get you all the coral you could want. Suppose I’m out of luck on that front.” She teases, wondering if her own girlfriend would laugh at the brazen comment or attempt to gift Karasu some coral despite also being afraid of the ocean.
"Aye, coral bleaching. It happens, often from environmental changes but sometimes from infections too..." Odh tugs at his chin, perhaps his metaphor is running somewhat thin. "I'm sure some marine biologists would argue that if the polyp is beyond saving, then excising the infection would be wise. Call me a sentimental polyp if you will - " Odh sticks out his tongue in jest " - but I refuse to accept that you are beyond saving. I refuse to believe that it is impossible." Odh give Karasu's hand a gentle squeeze. "Ever since I came to this continent, I have seen one impossible thing after another. People who can defy the laws of this world with nary a sweat broken. I've met people who've lived a thousand years and who will likely live a thousand more after I am only dust. I've met academics who can extole the mysteries of the universe like they're discussing evening tea. And I've met inquisitive little cats who can turn the most cynical and world-weary of exiles into the kindest and happiest of professors." As if to prove his point, Odh offers Karasu a genuine and honest smile. "You never gave up on that grumpy young man, with your constant questions and your stubborn curiosity. And how could I refuse such a persistent scholar?" Odhranos laughs brightly, even as he reaches to rub his eyes beneath his blindfold. "I never told you this, but those first few months were some of the hardest of my life. I considered quitting multiple times, I just couldn't find my place in the Guild. But you never gave up on me, badgering me day in, day out and eventually I found my walls had fallen and I had a new home and family to call my own." Odh tries to pull a brave face, even as he is brimming with tears. "So how could I ever give up on you? How could I give up on family?"
Karasu feels tears pricking at her eyes again. Gods damn, had she always been such a crybaby? Her mind recalls Odhranos’ apprentice days, the tiny demifeline usually hovering over the young terramancer in awe, or when he was away on an assignment, harassing one of the Magisters by taking up residence on their windowsills with a complex book in her quest to be the next Archmage, a dream that she had long realized only existed in another life. Odhranos was more of a family member than Kaaname had ever been, and her own sister could not compare to the bond that they shared since she was a mouthy pre-teen. “And we’re family.” She reaffirms quietly. Tears roll down her face freely as she adds quietly, “I can do anything.” A phrase of self-comfort not heard by the terramancer since the young student had barely escaped the claws of a creature intent on robbing the world of mages, and since her first application for apprenticeship had been denied without reason. With a sigh, the demifeline relents. “What is it that you think I can do, Odie? Aumaxra already told me that the remaining spell-blade students are afraid of me since I killed one of their own in front of them due to this--” She gestures vaguely to her neck despite his inability to see so. “--I’ve just been telling him what to relay during training sessions and letting others know when I see members of the Order heading in Cenril’s direction.”
It warms Odhranos’ heart when Karasu affirms his sentiment and throwing propriety to the wind, he sits up on his knees to reach across and wrap his arms around her. “You’re damn right you can do anything.” He laughs, his voice catching with emotion as he sits back on his haunches. To Karasu’s question, he pulls a serious face as he formulates a proposal. “Prove their fears wrong.” he puts, rather plainly. “Karasu, I know that it may seem like it is you that they fear, but do take into account that many of these apprentices have known you for a long time. They know as well as I do that you were not acting of your own free will. Sven, I’ve heard enough of them using your father’s name as an expletive to make me think that they have a feeling he had something to do with it.” Odh fixes the spellblade with a stern gaze as he continues. “They don’t fear you. What they fear is losing you to the thing that seeks to take your place. Anyone would, seeing a loved one becoming something else; someONE else. If you want to restore their trust in you…” He purses his lips with concern before concluding; “...then you need to prove that you are stronger than what they fear, by mastering and defeating it.” Odh raises his hands, immediately expecting protestation. “I know, that is no easy thing to ask. Which is why I want to help.” A gentle smile peeps through the serious facade. “Having the strength to overcome such a trial doesn’t always mean finding that strength from within. Sometimes, being strong is being willing to lean on others to help you when you stumble.”
A mewl of protest escapes the spellblade’s throat as she is hugged by the terramancer, though she does not push away. Her hand rises to her neck to feel the blackened skin, now raised and scarred from repeated blackouts that have allowed the creature to take control. Her top student was an avian of very few words; as such, when she met him to give direction, he would only give her head a singular pat at the end of their session. Had that been Aumaxra’s way of trying to comfort the feline and asking her to come back? A long sigh is given as she flexes her hand and the crackle of joints reverberates through the grove. “I know there is a shrine to the god of death somewhere in the desert, but I fear that if things go south, there will not be enough manpower to restrain me.” A quirk of the lip. “I suppose you know that place better than anyone else. Do you think you can spare a day to go out there with myself and Quintessa’s friend from the Necromancer’s Guild? I think my curriculum is too heavily fire and electricity based, we could discuss theoretical terramancy enchantments to use on weapons too. I’ve ah… been stumbling in researching that part.” She adds in a poorly-veiled fashion, idly scratching at the blackened fractals on her left cheek.
Odhranos only hugs Karasu briefly, sitting back a moment later so as not to make her uncomfortable. He nods gravely and chuckles when she mentions the Nameless Desert. “Aye, better than I’d like to. It’s a natural prison. Sandstorms to bewilder the senses, heat to addle the mind and endless tracts of shifting sand to sap the life from the muscles. There’s enough bones under the sand to testify to its efficacy” Odh grimaces at the thought, shuddering involuntarily before he nods. “I know of the temple. The nomadic elves sometimes travel there in pilgrimage, but it’s far enough into the wastes that only the very determined or the very foolish can make it there alive. I’m lucky enough to be both.” He smirks at his own joke before continuing. “I’ll see if The Guild has any contacts in Gualon that are familiar with the desert elves. They have these boats, sleds really, that are built to skim the sands. Getting our hands on one would significantly increase our chances of making it in and out quickly. And alive.” Odh smiles wryly at the spellblade. “I’ll spare as much time as you need of me and then some. It’s been too long since we’ve talked theory. I’ve missed it.”
Karasu mulls on this for a bit. The wind picks up again, bringing the darkening clouds with it above head and the rumblings of the storm soon to come. There is a whisper to the spellblade from a specter unseen, and likely unheard to the terramancer. Her face contorts with worry for a moment before her neutral demeanor masks in its place. “Aye. I miss it too.” She stands, offering Odhranos a hand as well should he need it. “We should get going. I guess our family is waiting for us.”