Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » Deadly Tension (Closed)

The following hour was slow but with purpose. Moving up what could be considered a mountain road the group noticed a building made of ice and wood. Wooden pillars and framing we're met with thick, dark blue ice that resembled the buildings in the capital. It formed an oddly quaint temple like structure with four ornately crafted ice pillars out front. Each one was covered in etchings of creatures and events with stylized carvings and designs. The main building was a domed roof above a large square shaped building with a large wood and ice door on the front. Jaqyl looked the building over.
"This would seem to be the place." He says as everyone looks on in awe at the rather mystical look of the building. Runes and symbols were etched into the ice all around it and on the door frame. In the sky above the Chimera flew by. Keeping an eye on them as they approached.

"So do we just go up and knock?" Jackie asked. Alrick walked forward and pushed the door open into the temple. He walked in and looked around hte very empty interior. "Hello?" Alrick called out.

The doors opened with a creak as the others looked inside. It was lit by a dozen brazers with light blue flames. The interior was oddly warm and and an open chamber with small benches around the side and a stone fountain in the center. It was oddly tranquil and basic.
"Seems rather quaint." Says Jaqyl as he enters with Alrick. Wilhelm and Motiib remained at the back following in cautiously.
"Strange to see ones of your kind come here." Says an elderly voice. It was male but the signs of age took away from the mighty bellows of the more prime Y'kish. Looking around the group notice an ancient looking Y'kish walk out from a side room. Hunched over he stood six feet tall and his skin was wrinkled and aged like that of an old Drake. His eyes were a dull green and horns curled around similar to a rams. He wore dark green robes with golden runes on them and in his hand held a staph. The staff was topped with an emblem of the Y'kish nation but with some extra ornate curves around the edges and ram like horns on top. Adorning his head was a silver circlet with a small red gem on the front. "Not often do I get visitors that are allowed to approach. Who're you exactly?"

"We are Paladins of the Empire, as well as two Y'kish High Guard." Alrick said, before giving a bow to the elderly mystic. "We have important matters to discuss, regarding your Philosopher's Stone." Alrick explained.

His eyes narrowed as he looked at them.
"The Empire? Last time they were here they slaughtered hundreds of thousands. I still remember seeing the smoke pillars from my mountain." His gaze was stern and cold. Eyes glassy yet they focused easily to Alrick. "Though the fact you're here alive means you have reason to be." He looks up an closes his eyes taking a deep breath. "I saw that creature which was below. My Chimera destroyed it and got rid of the Wight that seemed to be controlling it. But why do you seek my stone?" He asks looking them over curiously. Wilhelm wandered in and thought of replying but the Mystic's focus was clearly on Alrick. This caused him to stay back and keep Motiib in the best position he could

Motiib flinched as she reached into her bag and withdrew the Talisman. "councilman." She said, before tossing it to Alrick. "The High Chieftain told us to present you with this." She said through gritted teeth. Being stabbed by a zombie's sword wasn't fun.

Alrick held the talisman out to the Mystic. "I understand if you do not trust us, but we need that stone. That Wight your Guardian attacked. I doubt he's gone." Alrick said. "I can promise you, if you were to give us the stone it would be kept in the safest, most secure location the Paladin's have access to. The Emperor himself wouldn't be able to get to it if he wanted to." Alrick said.

Glancing over the talisman he gave a reassuring nod.
"I know of it, I could see through the eyes of my Chimera as it fought. Though I am not sure on why you feel such determination to come here to begin with? We're more than capable of fighting off a Wight and whatever monstrosities he creates." He stood easily eye to eye with Alrick as he looked to Jackie, Motiib and Jaqyl. He looks rather surprised when he sees Jackie's armour. "A Y'kish Paladin?" He says wandering up to her and looking her over. "She was accepted?" He says raising an eyebrow to Jaqyl. He nods.
"Jackie was trained after being taken in after the war. By that Paladin." Jaqyl points to Wilhelm. "For whatever ounce of mercy he had was enough to let them take her back from the ruins of the war and help her. She's a well trained warrior." Jaqyl's elderly eyes were no where near that of the Mystics as compared to him he was but a child.
"Child." The Mystic says looking to Jackie. He happily jumped between people as he spoke. "Why did you come? Why risk everything to come up here in search of legends?"

Jackie took a few steps back from the Mystic, nto comfortable with how close he was to her. "Uh.... Wilhelm told me I had to. He said we'd show off the Humans and Y'kish can work together, or something like that." Jackie said. "I also wanted to see what Kyldrii was like, since I hadn't been here since I was real little." she added. She wasn't exactly happy being put on the spot like this.

He passed a blank look to Wilhelm and Alrick.
"And what about when you went with them? Did you want to? Did you go against your will?" His questions were directed at Jackie like he used her as a crux to judge the intentions of the Paladins and their characters. Wilhelm and Jaqyl both picked up on this but for what was at stake remained silent. Both were in fact could learn something from this.

"Uh... I guess." Jackie said, before sighing. "But honestly right now I'd rather just we take the stone and get out of here, instead of playing twenty questions." Jackie said, rather bluntly. Motiib frowned, before lowering her head. "She always that inelegant with important figures?" She questioned quietly.

"Councilman Alrick doesn't think the Zombie died. And he's made things way way worse than the one your big fluffy dragon thing fought." Jackie said, obvious worry in her voice. "All he needs are the bodies, and he might be able to make osmething that can fight back against your Chimera. So I'd rather us take the stone and get it into the Paladin's vault so nothing can get to it." Jackie said.

He was silent for a moment as he stood back from the group.
"You may lack subtly, refinement and any form of respect for those of apparent high prestige than yourself." He glared down to Jackie and Wilhelm kept ready to move should things not go as planned. "But you're passion and inner fire is there." He smiles to them an his rather cold and stern expression lightens up to a friendly smile as he taps his staph and out of the ice and wood a chair forms and he sits. Everyone looks on in surprise. "Never in my lifetime would I have thought I'd see Paladins and Y'kish Royal Guard working together against a common foe. Truly for you two sides to have come together even temporarily and the fact you have that talisman proves it. It proves that there is a problem." He takes a long sigh. "And your timing couldn't be better." He looks to Jackie and smiles. "I'm dying." He says without losing his new grandfatherly smile he shifted to as he slumps back in the chair, relaxing into it.

Well, it was a good thing they showed up when they did then. Motiib frowned. She wasn't surprised at all. The Mystic had been living out in this temple for who knows how long, definitely long before she was even an adult. "So, the stone." Alrick said. "Are you needed to retrieve it? Or is it something we can collect on our own?" Alrick asked. If they couldn't just go grab the stones on their own, then they would need to grab the stone as soon as possible. Y'kis had long life spans, some having supposedly lived to five hundred or more years old, and the Mystic in specific was particularly ancient looking. It was anyone's guess how much longer he would have until he passed.

"You don't seem to pay too close attention do you." He says with a chuckle. "For around one thousand years I kept the stone safe. Using it's capabilities to extend my life when I created the Chimera. But now I grow tired. You see me and that Chimera are linked. Our life forces are tied but frankly we're just tired and want to rest. But I knew the stone would be vulnerable so I started to consider my options. I had no apprentice or follower to hand it off to but now." He smiles to them. "Now I can hand it off to those who won't misuse it." He smiles as he scans over the group. "My main plan honestly was to bury the stone and hope it's legend dies with me. Though that would be foolish." He takes off his circlet and in the palm of his hand presents it to Jackie. "Right there." He laughs. "Always keep it safe at hand."The small red stone gave off an ominous hue before the circlet glowed red and seemed to retract into the stone making it the size of roughly a golf ball just like the Arch Mages. "The stones can be manipulated to take another form. The stones can do so much. Which is the main reason they were kept separated." He nods. "Use caution if you intend to have multiple. The stones one their own can make a novice a master. Even I don't know what someone can do with two or more." With a warning given he waits for Jackie to take the stone.

Jackie took the stone and observed it. She didn't know hwy it was being given to her, considering the presence of two proper Paladins, one of whom was a councilman. "We'll be as careful as we can be with it." Alrick said. "Thank you for trusting us with this honor." He added, bowing to the elderly Mystic.

He gives a knowing nod and looks to Alrick with his thanks.
"Maybe this is a turning point. Either a great danger looms or a great hope for our nations. Maybe both." He gives a cunning smile. "Keep your wits about you." He then uses his finger in a 'come here' motion towards Motiib. Wilhelm looks to her and him as he moves over with her slowly. Seeing their struggle the Mystic waddles over. "Injured I assume?" He looks her over.

Motiib and Wilhelm tried to move, but quickly stopped, as Motiib flinched, with pain shooting through her. She nodded. "Yes. I was stabbed by that corpse." She said.

With his staph to steady himself he ran his free left hand down her side to feel the wounds. His hand glows a dim green light and beneath Motiib's armour glows as her wounds heal completely beyond what Wilhelm was capable of. He moves his hand down to her leg and the same glow occurs fixing the small dislocations.
"That should do it. Easier to travel down without a hole in your side."

Motiib gave off a relieved sigh as the pain in her abdomen went away. She moved her leg to see how well it moved, before bowing to the Mystic. "Thank you." She said.

With a hand moving down Wilhelm's chest and thigh his body felt refreshed as ribs resealed and muscles stitched back together. Bruises healed and new vigor filled him.
"Amazing. Is that cause of the stone?" Wilhelm asked able to move as if he had a good nights rest. The mystic nodded.
"More or less. The way it amplifies ones capabilities even in proximity to someone who has been tuned with it is incredible." He looks back to Jackie and then the others. "Careful though. Maybe it's the isolation talking but the stones seem to have a
mind of their own. Trying to tap into one and the power it gives can have an effect on ones mind." He taps his forehead. "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Especially for those not used to such magical items." Wilhelm nods.
"We shall make sure the stone is secure. I swear on my life it's power will not be abused." Wilhelm says giving a bow of respect and saluting the Mystic.
"I'd hope so." He replies. "Now then. My Chimera will let you leave but once gone he will be hostile again. I suggest you make your way down the mountain and finish your mission."

"How would we make it change its form?" Alrick asked. "It would probably be wise to disguise it, as our journey back will be just as long as our journey here, and there are no doubt many who would want to get their hands on the stone if they were aware of it." He said.