Solo Missing Knight

[Kynier]

20th of Fall, 518 A.V.

With a few quick steps, Kynier entered the Majestic and stepped out of the rain. The door shut loudly and suddenly before too much water had the opportunity to get inside. While there was very little upkeep done for the interior of the abandoned shop, having water pooling on the floor was simply unpleasant. Kynier did not want to have to enter a wet shyke smelling place on nearly a daily basis. It had taken him long enough to grow accustomed to the shyke smell without having it change on him. With his hood still raised over his brow the spy walked over to the middle of the room, batting a few strands of webs from his face as he did.

When he stopped at the center of the shop Kynier closed his eyes and exhaled. Summoning his Djed, the mage infused the mystic energy to his left arm from the shoulder to the fingertips. With a small internal pop of magic, the astral form was desynchronized at the shoulder. Mentally Kynier repeated the process down the length of his arm. Removing the astral form all at once was a quick and painful experience as he learned very quickly. So, he took the chimes necessary to undo section by section of his arm until his fingers hung loose at his side. Kynier rotated and stretched the astral limb, as the left arm was used less frequently than the right. After a moment, he reached forward from his position towards the back wall.

It was a bit of an uncomfortable stretch, but the astral limb was able to reach the shelves that formed the secret door to his employer’s… residence? Workshop? Kynier had only ever been able to get glimpses inside the place and had never set foot inside. Doler obsessed over his privacy and reclusive tendencies. Kynier never pushed to see what the limits were in regard to how close he could be to the young wizard. Doler was significantly more talented than him with magic and seemed unstable. A dangerous combination that’s best to avoid annoying.

An astral fist was formed as Kynier set the knuckles against the wood. Knock knock… knock… knock knock knock. It was very soft and barely audible. Kynier still waited for a few chimes in case the wizard had managed to hear it. When it was obvious that it hadn’t worked, Kynier took a step forward and thrusted the astral fist against the back of the shelf as hard as he could. This time it was more audible, though less than when he usually knocked. With an exerted sigh he pulled his limb back to hang closer to his body. Less than a chime later, the shelves opened and a disheveled looking Doler stepped out of the passage.

The man’s hair was in a jumble and dark bags clung to the underside of his eyes. The wizard looked at Kynier with the gaze of a man that desired sleep but had too much on his mind. “You need to find someone,” he said as he held up an envelope. Kynier reached out with the astral hand and took it from the wizard. The envelop felt thick with several sheets of paper inside. “The details are in there, as well as where to send your report.” Then Doler turned around and all but slammed the shelving shut behind him.

“Where to send my report?” Kynier tore open the envelope and began reading the first of several pages. Niqolas Garret was written in larger letters than the rest. His Nightstalker vision made it so that he did not need to light a candle to read the dossier. This man, Niqolas, had not been heard from since the ninth of Fall. As for employment, the man’s a…

“A Dragoon?” Kynier exclaimed.


NaNo Post: 634

Boxcode credit goes to Gossamer!

[Kynier]

It was absurd! Doler wanted him to find a missing Dragoon? But Why? Kynier shifted through the pages to read more. Niqolas is a Guardian in the Sun’s Birth… he shares a room at the Barracks with a few others… Kynier could see nothing that explained why it was that he needed to find this man. Once he got to the last page, he did see something that could actually prove useful. His report was to be delivered to Max at the Aquillar Hot Springs. Kynier arched an eyebrow at that as his mind ran through the situation.

No report was necessary for Doler, meaning the wizard did not have an active interest in this situation. Which meant that he was providing someone, this Max most likely, a favor. Niqolas has been missing for eleven days. Kynier set the papers back inside the envelope before tucking them into his pack. Then he paced around the empty shop while thinking about what to do as well as reattaching his astral limb to his body in a safe manner. He would need to enter the Sun’s Refuge to ask around about Niqolas. But the Sun’s Birth were being a bit hostile as their patrols were pushing into the Western Heights. And they also did their best to keep regular people, and rival gangs, out of the Refuge. “Hmph.”

It was possible that he may not need to do that at all. If Kynier could talk to this Max person, he could gain some insights on where to look for this Dragoon. Also, some insights as to why this Dragoon was important enough to ask Doler for help in finding him. Which made that his first priority. Kynier looked at the door and groaned aloud. That meant a few more bells of walking through the rain. Once his astral limb was synchronized once more, Kynier stepped out of the Majestic and into the rain. Making his way south took him through the Sunset Quarters. Unlike other districts of the city, the Sunset Quarter streets were littered with trash that the rain was not able to wash away.

Kynier was a lone figure in the streets weaving through the city. Prostitutes and drug peddlers took shelter under awnings and called out their “services” to the few people that walked through the day’s downpour. Looking around at the state of the city, Kynier was more certain of his idea to provide some sort of service to dispense with all the waste was a good one. He couldn’t be the only one that tired of seeing, smelling, and sometimes tasting the trash that was constantly surrounding them. The only thing he questioned was weather it was a service that people were willing to pay for, or would they just expect someone to deal with it for them?

After a bell, Kynier was walking out the other side of the Sunset Quarter to the outlining territories of Sunberth. Tent City was to the southeast and the Aquillar Hot Springs were a little further to the southwest. The fields leading to the Hot Springs were soggy, making it feel more like he was crossing a marsh than a field. Though his cloak’s magic kept him comfortable, the idea of sitting in a hot spring was growing in appeal. Something to warm his feet and toes. Afterall, he couldn’t possibly get any more wet even by submerging himself in water.

A path that was barely visible in the rain led him to the Aquillar Hot Springs. The structure was fairly basic and did not appear that large initially. When Kynier got closer, he could see that there was another structure adjacent to it. One that looked more like a typical tavern. Kynier stuck to the path which led to the first structure’s doorway. He stepped inside and hastily shut the door behind him. The inside was noticeably warm and would have made Kynier want to remove his cloak. He lowered his hood as he noticed an older woman take a look at him from her chair further down by a indoor pond.

“Come on in dear!” she called pleasantly. “But remove your boots before you do!”




NaNo Post: 697
Tota Word Count: 1,331

Boxcode credit goes to Gossamer!

[Kynier]

When he took off his cloak Kynier really felt the warmth envelop his body. Though he couldn’t see it, there had to have been an immense fire going to get the place that warm. After hanging his cloak, he took off his boots as the older woman requested. Setting them aside, Kynier started walking towards the woman who stood up from her seat. As the room opened up Kynier was able to see the inside pond better. Some turtles floated over to the pools edge and were gazing up at him, rather intently. He did not give it much though as he walked across the warm floor with his cold feet. It was pleasant even if the rest of his body did not hold the same appreciation for the warmth at the moment.

“Welcome to the Aquillar Hot Springs dear. Would you be interested in a private bath? That would keep you out of the rain.” The woman, while older, had not appeared to reach a point where her body was beginning to turn frail. Her movements were still fluid, and her posture was firm. Kynier’s intuition when standing near her was that she was a woman not to be trifled with.

“No, thank you. I’m here to speak with a man by the name of Max.” The woman appeared surprised from the look in her eyes.

“Max is my husband. May I ask your name, and why you wish to speak with him?” Kynier gave the room a quick glance to see that no one else was around. When he was satisfied, he lowered his voice to be not much louder than a whisper.

“My name is Kynier, and I’m here to talk to him about Niqolas.” The woman’s eyes hardened, and her pleasant expression diminished.

“I see,” she said flatly. She stepped past Kynier and locked the front door. Kynier arched an eyebrow at her as she came back. “Follow me please.” The woman led the way into the tavern, which was empty except for one man. That man was sitting at a table and reading a book but looked up as the two of them approached. “Hon, this is Kynier,” she said indicating the spy. “He’s here to talk about Niq.”

The man, Max, was also older but looked to have many years left in him. He had a presence of strength and vitality similar to Kreig. The book in his hands snapped shut as he straightened in his seat. “About time,” he said with a tone of mild annoyance. “I was beginning to think that Bashful had chosen to ignore our request. Have a seat, good sir,” he indicated the chair across from him. Kynier took the seat and the woman sat by her husband. Max gave her a look and was about to speak when she beat him to it.

“I’ve already locked the door. No one’s been here all day for the hot springs. We’re quite alone.” Max nodded and turned his attention back to Kynier. While the room was not as warm as the main entrance, it was still comfortable. The couple interlaced the fingers of one hand with the other’s hand on the surface of the table. Kynier smiled a little at the sight of that. Seeing it made him long for her touch. Kynier mentally shook himself back to the present. The woman closed her eyes and bit her lip. Was she expecting bad news?

“Well sir, what have you learned about Niqolas? Don’t spare any details please. We need to know the truth.” The woman opened her eyes again and was looking at Kynier very intently. He sat up straight and rested his hands on his knees under the table.

“I’ve only just received his dossier from Bashful. And it…”

Max slammed his fist down on the surface of the table. “Damn the man! By now there’s no hope!” The woman did not take her gaze from Kynier but began to stroke her husband’s arm with her free hand. Kynier tilted his head down and closed his eyes. Reaching inward he called on his personal Djed to infuse his eyes with Auristics. When he opened his eyes again, they were filled with power which opened his Sight. Kynier set his eyes first on Max. His aura was strong for a man of his age. A vibrant white with only a little gray fading which reminded Kynier of a steel blade that glinted with Syna’s light. Kynier set his focus on the man and could begin to sense the rage welling up within himself in reflection.

Then Kynier turned his gaze on the woman. Her aura was more colorful. Splashes of blue and violet with the graying of age. But her aura was also a lot more active. Instead of a pulsing radiance it was flowing around her, and her eyes were… glowing white.

The woman straightened and squeezed Max’s hand enough to get him to look at her. “Doler sent a mage,” she said quietly. Max turned a hard gaze on Kynier. Across his skin he felt something crawl. A sense of distrust and suspicion. But Kynier did not turn his gaze away from the other mage but set his focus on her as well. From her, Kynier felt a sense of… calm. She was much more collected than her husband. While there was a feeling of suspicion, it was not as… uncomfortable as her husband’s. “If you have only just started, then why are you here, Kynier?” she asked.

“I’m here because I have questions that need answering before I can start looking for Niqolas.” Kynier held both of them in the focus of his Auristics, but his eyes never left the woman. “But the first question I need to ask is, who are you?”



NaNo Post: 966
Total Word Count: 2,297

Boxcode credit goes to Gossamer!

[Kynier]

The following silence could not be described as awkward. It was more uncomfortable than that. Sitting across from two strangers that knew his secret in mere moments, with nothing more than incomplete introductions to base any conversations on. Kynier felt the tensions grow along his back, though he was uncertain of whether it was really his or not. Max appeared less than pleased, while his wife was looking at him more like he was a piece of a puzzle. So many things could happen, and he had no idea which scenario was the most likely to unfold. Before it could take a direction he found unfavorable, Kynier spoke first to lead the conversation.

“I still have not heard your name,” he said as politely as he could to the woman, whose eyes still shined white in his Auristic enhanced vision. Her aura had a brief ripple of maroon radiate from her core. Kynier focused on what it was that he felt from her to try and understand that temperament of her aura. It seemed like surprise… no… uncertainty. The feeling was not a pleasant sensation, though he could not tell if it was neutral or negative either.

“My name is Natlana,” she said with a bit of a reserved tone. “I suppose we should not be surprised that Bashful sent… someone of your talents.” A fiery orange and yellow tint took hold of Max’s aura and finally pulled Kynier’s attention from Natlana. The sudden urge to hit something as hard as he could washed over Kynier. Max was furious… because Kynier was a mage?

“A lot of good that will do,” the older man said bitterly.

“Why do you say that, sir?” Kynier asked softly, a bit of his curiosity affecting his tone. Max locked his gaze on the younger mage and his aura dance, giving the impression of fire to Kynier’s sight.

“We had sent Bashful the request for assistance on the twelfth. And eight days later he sends you? Eight days is more than enough time to be sure that Niqolas will be dead before you find him.”

“That may very well be, yet it won’t stop me from at least looking.” Max’s aura grayed slightly to be closer to the base display of his aura. Natlana’s had changed very little during their conversation. “However, all I know about Niqolas so far, is that he’s a Dragoon. This gives me one avenue to explore, but I need more information. The next question that comes to mind is, why are you two interested in this Dragoon’s well-being?” The feeling of his heart rate becoming slightly erratic brushed over him twice. Hazel eyes darted back and forth between the two as the married couple gave each other a questioning look. “Is Niqolas a relative?” That was not the exact question he felt like asking, but it would still answer it.

Both their auras had a ripple of darkness pass through them. Natlana’s aura also had a tint of blood red form. “No,” she answered. “The only relatives we have are back in Syliras.” Kynier gave her a questioning look, one that must have affected his aura as well. She tsk and sighed while staring at him. “Niqolas Garret is a man that came from Syliras with an idea about changing Sunberth. We tried to convince him that his efforts were foolhardy. Failing to make him change his mind, Matt and I have been keeping a watchful eye on him.”

“What was this idea then?” A sense of guarding covered his skin in little bumps. After a moment’s silence he asked another question. “Was this idea dangerous?”

“Very,” Max stated quickly. “Niqolas came to…”

“Max, no!” She said abruptly as she turned to glare at the side profile of her husband.

“By now, it matters very little. And it would help the lad in his search.” Max’s tone was very matter-of-fact. Natlana did not provide any more objections. “Niqolas Garret is a full-fledged Knight of the Sylirian Knights.” Kynier sat up a little straighter and narrowed his gaze. Max’s aura had no strange fluctuations. The man believed the words he said, though Kynier questioned why a Knight would be in Sunberth. “When Niqolas came to us, he said that it was a quest he received from the Windoak. To come here and observe the Sun’s Birth for a time. Why he had to do that, he did not explain to us.”

“We did not grant him much opportunity. We immediately encouraged him to return to Syliras. There are a certain few in the Sun’s Birth that could immediately identify him for his allegiance. But, he chose to pretend to be a lesser man, and joined their ranks.” Kynier knew some of the history between the Sun’s Birth and the Sylirian Knights. Not a lot, just enough to know that the Sun’s Birth was formed from former Knights. The reason for the branch off was something that continued to allude him. Also, why would Niqolas reveal that information to these two?

“Why, would a Sylirian Knight come and speak with you two? The two of you operate a hot spring, it’s not as though…” Kynier’s words quickly ended as he began to suspect what was quite possibly their secret. “You two… are part of the Sylirian Knights! Aren’t you?” Both their auras flushed with indigo. Even without answering, Kynier had discovered a truth. One that the both of them must have kept secret from everybody.

Natlana sat up straighter and rose her chin in a proud way. “We are both retired, understand that Kynier. I was a Mage-Knight while my husband was a fierce field agent for the Knights. Both of us acquired the rank of Steward Knight. We both commanded a Wing and served with honor. While we may wish for the Sun’s Birth roster to come and understand all of that, it would require more force and time than what the rulers of Syliras were willing to dedicate.”



NaNo Post: 998
Total Word Count: 3,295

Boxcode credit goes to Gossamer!

[Kynier]

The headache began to form just behind the eyes. While his tolerance for the physical demand of Auristics had grown, Kynier had never attempted focusing on multiple auras at the same time. It did not seem to require only double the demand on his Djed. Once the ache began to form, he closed his eyes as well as his Sight. The familiar sensation of power to his eyes ceased and the glow of auras faded from the world. Kynier opened his eyes and noted the change in Natlana’s expression. If he were to hazard a guess, she was still using her Auristics and probably could for some time.

But Kynier was not discouraged by the inability to continue the use of that discipline. They knew his secret, and he had just learned one of theirs. For some reason, that lightened the mood for him and allowed him to relax a little. Kynier reminded himself that he was here to try and help them. Their goals were unknown to him, so he had no desire to interfere with their lives in anyway. He was here for more information in order to improve his chances of success. While he had heard of the Windoak, the full measure of its importance was unknown to him as well.

“Observing the Sun’s Birth? Did he ever mention specific individuals? Or a select group within the gang?” Max shook his head sadly.

“Niq had been in Sunberth for a few years,” Natlana said. “And his interactions with us were limited during that time. Usually he came by once a season. But there were times when he would only come every other season. He would leave a parcel with us each time.” Kynier raised his eyebrows at that.

“Do you still have those parcels?” Max stood up straighter and his expression hardened.

“We do, and before you ask, no. You may not see their contents.” Kynier opened his mouth to object when Max cut him off to continue. “Those papers are official documents for the Sylirian Knights and are not to be viewed by just anyone. Some might be of a more personal nature as well. Niq asked that we hold onto them until one of two things happened. That he sends us a message to have them delivered to the Lord Knight in Syliras. Or that we receive word that he’s dead. In which case, we have them delivered to the Lord Knight.”

Kynier rubbed at the underside of his jaw and the back of his neck in thought. Those parcels would have valuable insight to what the missing Knight was doing as well as where. Without those insights, Kynier had not much more actionable intelligence to work with than he did when he first walked in. Then he had a thought. “Have either of you two looked at anything that he left behind?” Max narrowed his eyes questioningly at Kynier, but it was Natlana who spoke first.

“What are you getting at, Kynier?” she said half venomously. Kynier rested his elbows on the table as he leaned forward and pointed at nothing in particular on the table.

“The answer to why he’s disappeared is probably in the last parcel that he left with you. I don’t know if either of you have been to the Sun’s Refuge recently, but the Sun’s Birth rarely allow anyone not branded into their order entry into their district. Before I came here, all I knew was that he’s a missing Guardian Dragoon. I need more to work with.” Kynier shared a looked of empathy between the two of them. “I understand that whatever Niqolas has observed is for the Sylirian Knights only. But you two are, or were, Sylirian Knights. So, you could read some of what he left behind. And then, you could mention to me a person, or a place, that may be significant to why Niqolas is missing. You don’t even need to tell me why. I just need something more specific to look for.”

Natlana’s brow furrowed in thought, but it was Max that spoke first and without much delay. “No. We can’t do that Kynier.” Kynier’s gaze turned to Natlana for confirmation. Now he wished that he still had been actively using Auristics to gage her reaction to her husband’s decision. From the look in her eyes, she did not entirely agree, but did not speak up after a moment. Kynier turned his attention back to Max.

“You can’t, or you won’t?” Kynier said with more of a challenge to his tone than he intended.

“Listen,” Max began with a tone to meet Kynier’s challenge. “As much as I worry about Niqolas’ well-being, he’s a Sylirian Knight. He knew what the risks were to the quest he was given. I do not believe him to be a coward. And I believe him to be a man that would sacrifice it all for his duty. Those parcels are the results of his sacred duties. To his fellow Knights, and to Sylir. And we have a duty as well. Even in retirement. No, we won’t. And no, we can’t.” Max’s words echoed in the silence. Natlana said nothing and did not move. Her eyes did not meet Kynier’s either.

Kynier did a cascading tap of his fingers on the table’s surface a few times in the following silence. That was that apparently. He lightly slapped his fingers on the table as he stood up from his seat. “I can’t promise anything. But whatever I might find I will let you now.” His tone was low and sounded discouraged. They had the ability to help but… a mixture of faith and duty prevented them from doing so. Kynier could understand the faith aspect with a little imagination. No such demands or requirements had been set on him to face that situation he had just placed them in.

He left the two of them in the tavern expansion as he went back to the lobby. He thought on what his options were in pursuing this missing Knight as he fastened his boots. Niqolas did not have his own residence and lived in the barracks inside the Sun’s Refuge. The only place he knew of to gain more information had provided some knowledge. Nothing that could truly help him though. At least, it didn’t seem that way. If the Sun’s Birth had discovered who really had Niqolas’ loyalty, then it could prove dangerous to Kynier to ask around about him. There was that bit of foreknowledge at least.

With his cloak draped over his shoulders, he reached for the door handle when he heard his name called. He stopped and looked over his shoulder. Natlana stood in the lobby by the pond with the turtles. “While I may not entirely agree with my husband, he’s not wrong.” She said. Was that supposed to be some sort of apology? Kynier just looked at her silently for a moment.

“I do not know the tenants of your organization. Yet I would think that coming to the aid of another Knight would be included in there somewhere.” Kynier did not know why their decision to not even provide a hint bothered him. He was of a similar mind to Max, that Niqolas was probably dead after eight days. Was his anger entirely selfish? That he was mad because they could save him time and effort? Or was it just because it seemed like he was set to fail in saving someone before he had the chance to begin?

“We sent the request to Bashful to look into his disappearance. That is providing aid.” While Natlana’s tone was defensive, she did not sound entirely convinced herself. Kynier shook his head.

“But is that the full extent of the aid you could provide?” Kynier asked in a rhetorical manner before opening the door and stepping out into the rain again.



Nano Post: 1,316
Total Word Count: 4,611

Boxcode credit goes to Gossamer!

[Kynier]

Grades!

Skill Rewards

• Auristics +2
• Deduction +2
• Intelligence +3
• Interrogation +3
• Investigation +3
• Logic +3
• Persuasion +1
• Planning +2
• Projection +1
• Socialization +2

Lores Learned

• Auristics: Focusing on two auras takes more than double the Djed
• Doler: Provides favors to others
• Location: Aquillar Hot Springs
• Max: A retired Steward Knight of the Sylirian Knights
• Max: Still hold to his duty to the Sylirian Knights
• Natlana: Is a Mage
• Natlana: A retired Steward Mage-Knight of the Sylirian Knights