Quest Manipulating Multitudes

[Ink]

The Gug Andjak teams split up quickly, their destinations fastly different. For Verin, Redd and Nal’Riem the first stop had to be the common labs as unpleasant as that would be. Sealed in at the arch way, a number of apprentices nuit and pulser alike stared back from behind the shield. Some had gone back to their research realizing the crisis would soon enough pass. A number though were attempting to breach the shield. A flare of fire rushed at the group, abated by the shielded into a brightly flickering wall before the shield absorbed the djed. Reimantic rocks and projectionists limbs tried to penetrate the barrier to avail.

Verin had the key, but the crux of the problem remained, how to determine if one individual was a wailer or not? How to stop the apprentices from rushing out of the opening as soon as they made it?

The group was beginning to get the notice of the occupants a number had come to gather a few paces beyond the shield. “How did you get out?” One voice yelled over the others. All eyes turned towards Nal’riem.

Darin and Kinapak hung back, keeping side guards on the group. IN effect they were corralling the other three, but more than that the Initiates were trusting the mages to handle the evident situation, they were prepared for surprise attacks.

[Nal'reim Qyan]

The small group of five made their way through the front doors of the Gug Andjak and into the common section of the laboratories. As the group walked, a natural separation happened. With Nal'reim, the only nuit within the group, took the lead and serving as the guide for the time being. The wolf and the Ravokian fell a couple steps behind the wizard, each keeping their eyes open for any signs of danger. And the last members of the group of five, were the two wardens escorting the group. These two humans served as protectors and aids for the group, should the group actually find one of the wailers roaming the halls of the mighty nuit stronghold. Then the wardens would lend their powerful magics to aid the other three and to due their duty and protect the citadel.

As the group made their way through the halls, the first of the trapped and sealed in mages were discovered. A barrier, a shield of some form, was in place were the door would normally be. As the band of searchers passed through the hallways, they passed first few rooms unnoticed by the occupants within. Within each of the rooms a different scene played out. Some of the rooms had wizards attempting to breach the barrier with their magic. Stones, flames, astral bodies, and even actual hands stuck the barrier that held them within their laboratories. Within other rooms, the wizards kept themselves and their apprentices working on the projects as if nothing was happening. As the group passed more and more of the research spaces and workshops, the mages within began to notice them. Stopping their attempts to break free, they watched the group with curiosity in their eyes. One of the nuits inside yelled “How did you get out?” A simple question that rang above the voices of the other trapped researchers. As the question was heard, the eyes of the nuits and pulsars insider feel on Nal’reim. “We were outside the Gug Andjak when the golems began sealing the laboratories.” The blonde nuit spoke as he gestured with his hands toward the group of four who stood beside him. “The council has instructed us, along with a few other groups, to assist them in discovering what has happened. I suggest you all return to your work and stop attempting to break out. The council has commanded the sealing of the Gug Andjak, therefore it is everyone best interest that the barriers remain in place.” The summoner continued speaking to those behind the barriers that were able to hear him. He spoke one last thing before he turned to walk away, “You will be released once the search is completed. Have any of you noticed anything in the halls besides this group or the golems the roam around? If so speak up, if not head back to your work.” The nuit waited for just a moment, as he turned, to see if anyone said thing. During the wait, the mage caught the eyes of the group, seeking their thoughts of his actions with the crowd of trapped wizards.

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[Verin Rush]

The group did not move with any particular speed, for the Nuit led them, and he was slowed by decay. There was urgency, nevertheless, in each footfall of the group. Still learning his way around the Citadel, Verin was more than content to follow behind, ring tucked into a tight fist in his hand. He understood the value of such a ring and, as they walked in silence and haste, the gravity of the situation was beginning to settle on his shoulders. He was keen to succeed, most to integrate himself into this strange society, and fulfil his promise to be worthy of serving Rhysol.

As the group approached the first seal, Verin motioned to the wolf Kelvic beside him that she should slow, as he did. The blast of every that seemed to be heading their way caused the inexperienced ex-bartender to duck as a reflex. But the bolt never reached them, ended as it was by the magical shield that sealed the Wizards in. Verin straightened, embarrassed. But the Nuit continued to walk, and Verin hastened to catch up as he passed the Wizards and their apprentices, some continuing to work, some using any techniques, arcane and otherwise, in their arsenal, to try to free themselves from their protective prisons.

More and more laboratories they passed, and each time similar scenes were visible. He understood why they passed quickly, without stopping, but Verin wondered if someone might be sent around to explain the situation to all those who remained clueless. "Surely they would have heard the screams?" He thought. Any who heard that would be able to reason out that something fell was afoot, at least? It wasn't long, however, until someone finally addressed the group. Nal'reim was the first to respond, so Verin remained silent.

When his companion asked a question of those locked behind the shields, the blond's eyes turned to each Wizard in turn, knowing that anything out of the ordinary would be visible in their gaze. He added, "other than the initial wailing, which I am sure was audible to most everyone within the Citadel." the pair waited. Out of the corner of his eye, Verin saw the Nuit's gaze fall on him, a gaze which allowed for his opinions. "It's possible that, had anything been seen, these Wizards might not be trapped, and too pursuing our quarry. If we are to find the cause of this commotion, haste might be our most useful ally."

[Redd]

Redd had briefly wondered just as to why they were moving at such a slow pace. Surely the clearly decaying man could move faster even though he limped? Thought the red wolf. However, her master, Verin was quite content to simply follow and her own steps fell into place by his side, although she made sure to keep a couple of steps behind his own. She matched him step for step, so when he slowed, so did she and she angled her head so then her single eye could view the shield that proved to be a wall of some kind. Magic perhaps? She wondered as she pressed her ears back against her head the moment that someone had thrown fire at them, only for it to be deflected by the shield. The wolf was curious about what the woman had said in the courtyard, about the wailers. They were shapeshifters that took over other people’s lives once the person had been eaten. She had said shapeshifters, so that had to mean that they changed their form right? Was it similar to how she changed hers? Or was it like Daegron’s shape changing? Although. Redd had to admit, the way that Daegron changed his shape… Looked painful.

Turning her attention away from her thoughts, she turned her attention back to the shield and slowly padded over to one that seemed to be locked into the archway. She lifted her nose to sniff at the shield, her single gaze sliding over the edge where the shield met the door. The young wolf never quite understood magic, for no one had told her much about it, she had just simply seen it shoot from people’s hands in different forms. This… Magical shield, was no different, although she didn’t exactly know how it got there or who put it there. She simply assumed that someone did, or was there something else to it? An ear flickered forwards as she watched someone hold something like a rock within their hands. If she stayed there, would this shield block it just like it had with the fire that had been thrown at them? She wondered as she simply watched the trapped person throw the rock. As the stone hit the wall, her head shot up and she took a couple of steps back as she watch the shield flickering with impact, both ears pressed back against her head. She lowered her head then and delivered a low growl of warning, although, if the trapped people couldn’t get anything to pass through this transparent wall, could the group even pass it themselves?

It was then that she remembered the ring and she lifted her single gaze to look back at Verin, an uneasy feeling slowly creeping in. Would she be able to follow if her master with the ring passed through the barrier? The wolf didn’t like this, not at all and she turned her gaze back at the barrier and she wondered if wailers had their own distinct scent. It was a thought, but everything about Sahova was unique on its own. Not to mention that she didn’t know anyone present within the secured labs, so their scents would also be unique and different to Redd. Which brought her back to the original thought, did wailers have their own unique scents? A questioning ear flickered towards Darin, which was soon followed by the turn of her head, her single golden hue wondering if he would even understand that she was asking a silent question. She was used to communicating with wolves while in wolf form, not humans and… Dogs.

Yes, Redd believed that dogs were very different to wolves, mostly because she saw dogs as human tools. They would do anything for food, even if their master would beat them up. It was then that another thought occurred to her. If a wailer killed their victim and ate it before taking on their form, did they also take on the person’s scent? Would someone familiar with the people locked up, know if one of them was acting strange? Did the wailer also take on the person’s memories? Her gaze would then shift to Nal'reim as she wondered if he knew the people locked up at all.

[Ink]

Darien gave Redd a long look before dropping his snout to the ground. He pushed passed Nal’riem and scented the floor around the door. The hound trotted back to his post and shook is jowls. At the end of the day, he wasn’t a wolf or a kelvic, Darien was a man who took the form of a hound. He couldn’t truly communicate with her but he understood a canine’s psyche to some degree.

Beyond the shield, where the animal’s antics had not be noticed, an assembly of sorts was forming. The apprentices and visitors were shuffling themselves, forming ranks. Status meant everything an umber of previously visible faces were sorted into the back. Finally the man who had inquired stepped forward, on his hand sat the ring of a fully ranked Master. “Surely there’s more information?” The strange nuit with purpled hair and equally odd markings across his face asked.

Upon his shoulder perched a little statuette of a girl, this too spoke. “We can just break the barrier, but we don’t want to.” Although her facial features remained unchanged a sneer permeated the Kirt’s inflection. “Tell us more of this threat.”

The master laughed, “Yes let us help you, please. There’s only so much to be learned from the uneducated. A good game of a hide and seek with knowledge as the stakes? How could we pass it up.”

The apprentices were beginning to look decidedly uncomfortable. Several had moved back into the far corners of the room when the mage and familiar duo mentioned breaking out. Surely a Master could smash the shields if they so chose, but the destruction it would require would necessitate collateral damage.

[Nal'reim Qyan]

“Surely there’s more information?” the master words rang out as he stepped forward from the small crowd behind the translucent shield. Stepping to the helm of the group, opposite of the searchers, the master and his small familiar, who standing proud atop the shoulders of the purple headed nuit. Bowing his head to the master, Nal’reim acknowledged him with a simple reply of his title “Master.” With a quick glace throughout the group, focusing on the wardens more so than his Ravokian companions. The wardens understood the basics of the society on the island. Even though the operate on a different circle than the Apprentices, Wizards, and Masters they understand that a Master’s word is almost a law to those below them in rank, more so to apprentices but it applies to wizards only slightly lesser than their own subordinates. Not finding any support for or against helping this master in the eyes of the wardens. ‘If they were any less helpful in matters of the beucratacry, they would be dead…’ The summoner chuckled inside at his own thought as he looked back to the crowd and their de facto purple haired leader. Before Nal could respond to the master, the small kirt familiar on his perch made a small input to the conversation “we can just break the barrier, but we don’t want to.” she said with a non changing silver face and followed up with a request of more information about the threat running free in the citadel. Rolling his eyes at the kirt for interrupting the conversation, Nal’reim began to speak again “Mast--” but was cut off again but this time by the kirt’s other half. Laughing at the small ones antics the master spoke, cutting off the wizard “Yes let us help you, please. There’s only so much to be learned from the uneducated. A good game of a hide and seek with knowledge as the stakes? How could we pass it up.” he asked as the group behind him slowly started to break up, with some of the mages going back to their work or retreating to a far corner.

Nal’reim took a moment to think, even though he had been about to help the master and let them know what was going on but with the antics of the kirt and the master that controlled him changed his mind. True an order, or in this case a request, from a master was to be fulfilled. But in this case, his mission was given by the council themselves and that overrode the request of this master. “Master, this order came from the council themselves. We were informed to keep the information to ourselves due to the nature of what we are searching for. This order was directly from Councilman Qiao and Farke. If you want to attempt to break out against the wishes of the council, which we have advised you of, be our guest. But if none of you have any useful information, we will continue our search.” The nuit spoke his mind and then turned to begin walking down the hall in the direction they were originally heading. Only time would tell, if this choice would come back to haunt him. Hopefully his companions would follow his lead and follow him without giving anything away.


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[Languish]

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