The Age of Discovery

The Skyborn was quick to dig into the food; a voracious appetite suddenly possessed him. Despite his vigour and tenacity, he didn’t eat that much – in fact, he had only take a few handfuls of the Leaf and a haunch or two of meat. If he ate like that -- especially after such a time on the road with little nutrition -- how could he stay as physically active as he did? Must be something to do with his physique physiology; and yet, one could easily see that he wanted more in the way that his glance went from the few speakers of the room, to the food on the table. But alas, he refrained.
When probed, he only gave a short grunt and focused more on the conversation than eyeing the food gluttonously.

Eventually, the conversation grinded to a halt and he took over with a more serious topic.

“I am right to assume that none of you have been to The Eye, or even close to it. And there is a reason for that.”
All attention was on him now.
“The centre of the eye is not what you think it is. As you know, scattered around the world are mysterious ruins of incredulous origin. You all know of them, yes?” He didn’t wait for them to verify- “These mechanisms are of celestial origin; something related to the differences between you and I. I cannot tell you what I mean, as you are likely to dismiss it as mere conspiracies; only Qaliath would understand for that reason alone, so I shall talk in private with you at some stage-“ he nodded at her briefly- “but for now there is one thing you must know. These ruins are predatory, in the sense that as we speak, they are corrupting the world. They are intoxicating the air – just as the miasma surrounding the niches of wild growth on the plains – and this degradation of our wondrous world will catalyse our utter annihilation.”
He let that sink in for a moment – not something easily said to minds unlike his.
“Thus we must travel to the centre of the world and stop it. I have a key to do it, and you must assist. If we are successful, I can promise the reward of not only glory as the saviours of Mankind, but heavenly wisdom – that of my ancestors, that which is greater than all of Mankind.”
He flinched shortly, as if something pricked his cheek, but smiled grandly afterward.
“On the other hand, if we fail, our death will be quick and the rest of Naecai will spiral into entropy and ultimately- death.
Thus is our paradigm – we must accomplish this objective; you cannot leave now, you cannot return. This is your fate; you are the needle in the threads of time and it is your as well as my duty to weave the right pattern.”
He finished his small presentation, emptying the glass in front of him.

Qali listened to Za'den, nearly as hungrily, as Cay was looking at the food. Herself, she ate not much - just enough for a woman of her complexion, tried each of new to her elements of the meal, and obviously left more to have for men. Afterall, they would have to fight and such, not her, if something.
Through Cay's speech, she just slowly sipped her drink, wondering where exactly should she stop with it. By the time Skyborn finished talking, she was only halfway through, but already seemed quite sleepy. Tiny woman, quick effect.
" I like your optimism on the matter of 'if we fail'."
Phrase spoke with a short smirk, as woman ran her fingers through her hair, sighing tiredly.
" As long, as neither of you, apart from Cay, touch any flora around there without me approving, I can assure you, you won't die from the plant life."

Davon merely ate some bread and small amount of meat. He hardly listened to Za'den's speech and was more interested in the room itself.

Then, Cay started talking and Davon paid close attention.

" I like your optimism on the matter of 'if we fail'." she said.

Failure means apocalypse

" As long, as neither of you, apart from Cay, touch any flora around there without me approving, I can assure you, you won't die from the plant life." she finished.

Davon wiped his mouth with a cloth and said,
"Failure is not an option then, however, death is. The Eye is a dangerous place. I've heard stories of entire armies disapearing..."
He trailed off.
"In any case, we will all die."

I hope that gets them going

Cayrodyn interjected authoritatively after the Turaian spoke.
"Your faith in the lack of faith can surely make a hero of you, Davon.
No, if we succeed, we shan't die. That is the only matter on which I have steady footing. What we are to encounter in there, I don't know, but I do know that it will be no stroll in the park."

Za'den, unlike his followers, ate with good appetite. It was quite clear that he favored the food of his homeland over what they had been served on the journey. He stopped for a while listening to Cayrodyn. Once the Skyborn was Done he grabbed another leaf roll and ate as the others spoke. Once finished he looked to Cayrodyn.

"So Cay, you are taking us to the eye, a place very few ever got close to, to save the world with the cogs of reality? To be frank, that sounds sort of-"

He took a break, looking on Qali and Davon before continuing.

"-Amazing! I will see if I can't gather up some extra resources!"

He finished his glass of wine and place it down on a table, before slowly standing up. He turned to leaved but decided to leave a final comment to the other.

"I'll go get some rest, need to meet with the council tomorrow. Anyone of you willing to be there, just meet me here tomorrow. The council won't argue about it, so no worries. Your rooms are upstairs, Mide got the keys. Good night."

And with that, he turned around and walked to the stairs, going down a floor and out of their sight.

" Good night, Za'den."
Qali watched him leave, as she wished the Trikkr a good night, and when he was gone, woman turned her attention back to the remaining men. She remained silent, though, sipping her drink more, with even smaller portions.
However, when the silence was becoming too long, Qali sighed softly and looked up at Cay.
" Do you need me to do anything after I catch some rest? I would love to take a stroll around here, if any of you going with Za'den, but of course, I'll deal with whatever business you need me attend to."
Waiting for the Skyborn to reply, she glanced at Davon shortly, then back at the repairs in the ceiling, seemingly trying to stay awake to the best of her ability.

"I need an exchange with you at some stage, though that is all. For now, I would strongly advice that you both achieve rest before tomorrow."
He nodded once, smiling faintly.
After which, he got up himself and trailed off in silence, towards the steps to the rooms.

Davon nodded at Za'den as he left. He lifted his large body from the table.

Qali looked at him, she seemed tired. The journey was long and he too was weary.

The Skyborn said his piece and left, Davon looked at Qali.

"Im sure your talk will be full of excitement, but for now, miladay. Goodnight"

He picked his hammer from it's position (leaning on the table, next to him). And walked out.

At the morning Za'den walked up from the basement of the Tavern. Rested and in a good mood he ordered in breakfast and had a worker sent to wake the others. It was still early and no other guests was yet to be seen in the hall. The breakfast was a simple meal of bread and crystal-clear water. When the others had all arrived to the lower floor the Tinker looked up and greeted them.

"Morning!"

However, before anyone had a chance to reply, a loud crash was heard as the doors to the tavern were sent flying off their hinges and crashing to the floor. A division of ten armed Riflemen in shining brass armor and ceremonial Shoulder-guards marked with Green cogs walked in and spread out. In the middle a man in what either was a very elegant and important robe, or the world's most silly dress, walked in.

"Really?! You just smash the door in with no warning?! You better pay for that, Technomancer!"

Mide was screaming from behind the desk, glaring at the robed man with a stare that could freeze fire. The man inadvertently took a step back and looked startled as he replied.

"The door was locked a-"

"Then you knock, you do not use a darn grenade!"

Za'den stood up from his chair and took a step towards the Technomancer. Ten rifles unisonally were pointed at him, but he seemed to just ignore it as he frowned and intervened into the conversation.

"May I as why We have the... Pleasure of a council member grenading his way into this humble tavern?"

Both Mide and the Technomancer turned toward him. Mide with an annoyed frown, the man with rage in his eyes.

"Sinner! You were given a simple task, and you return with a party of a Turaian, some Elsta woman, and a stranger of unknown nationality, walkign in through the main gates at the light of dawn as if it was parade day! Your identity as a Red Cog is a secret, yet you make it the most obvious thing. Outlanders are not even ment to know of your existance!"

Za'den seemed paralysed for a moment, then took a step to a support beam and hit his head in, hard. Mide cried out something about not destorying any more of the tavern, but she was silenced as the Tinker turned to the Council member.

"First, You are a screaming idiot. Second, There is a reason to all this. Third, I never revealed I was from the Red Cog, or even mentioned the organization to those!"

He turned his hand and pointed. If some one really focused they would maybe notice that he was just pointing for Davon and Qaliath, but the technomancer was a bit shocked by now, and only Realize he himself had said too much.

"Let's... Just take this to the council. Let the others stay here, so we can have a free chat."

Za'den slowly nodded and turned towards the others.

"We meet up at this Tavern later. I will see if I can fix us a Zeppelin."

And with that the Technomancer, Za'den, and the soldiers, walked out from the inn.

The following day was spent in preparation -- nothing of interest happened, apart from Za'den's gathering at the council. The day after was the one on which they took off.

They agreed, on Za'den's suggestion, to take a zeppelin to Edge's Beacon - this would lessen their travel time significantly, and it would save the troubles of encountering more highwaymen. Unfortunately, Naecai didn't like that idea.

The dark blue sky of the evening was dotted with small splotches of dull grey clouds when the market began to close down for the short night. Something had riled up the captive asha's - they were wailing, screeching and rustling in the cages, and it could be heard everywhere in Terigan. Of course, it got most people on their nerves, but no afterthought was given.
The source of this uproar was discovered suddenly -- a watchman had spotted a massive entity riddled with small dots of blue light in the distance, it was coming this way. Tension crawled skyward, and soon the alarm bells began to sound - a complete chaos of sound and activity city-wide as they prepared for the mysterious entity. The ashas went rampant - some broke lose and spiralled away from the city, some died from hitting their heads on cage and pen walls. As if Terigan herself was panicking.

The entity was upon them an hour later, and it was now that the maelstrom of ataxia truly began.
The beast, gigantic in accordance to all scales, was nothing less than a treynos - but not just any treynos. While substantially smaller than 'wild' treynos, this was one was inhabited; not by ashas or other avians, but eglai. Eglai?
Sprawling across the back of them were huts and houses build from salvaged construction materials and wood from the jungles, the dwarvish, wild eglai were mounting ashas and other beasts, wielding anything from as simple as sticks, clubs and rocks, to stolen swords and guns.
Terigan was under attack - with violent roars, the eglai descended from the floating platform, now hovering above the central plaza of the city, on vines and robes, landing and searing chaos - they attacked everyone and everything with their weapons. Gunshots echoed everywhere, from the Trikkri peacekeepers and vigilante inventors, and the invading force.
Strange, though - why would the eglai suddenly go hostile, and where did they get the willpower, ressources and -intellect- from? And they seemed different, too: they were bulkier, somewhat 'greener' and the biolights were burning brightly as opposed to the dim fireflies on their bodies.
And they communicating constantly - loosely, gargled words and their native gurgles and splutters.

Inferno ensured; a depot somewhere had been set fire to, and soon a large portion of the city was engulfed in flames that lit up the night.
Chaos!

" Are we just going to stand here, or you have a plan?!"
To say the least, together with the city was panicking Qaliath too. Not that she knew what to do, waving her hands and yelling at men to do something instead. Though, when the first of their reks started panicking too, she seemed to gather up some senses and take care of the steeds. Surely, they would have to move their travel on another time.


(( *prods the thread* ))

At the morning Za'den walked up from the basement of the Tavern. Rested and in a good mood he ordered in breakfast and had a worker sent to wake the others. It was still early and no other guests was yet to be seen in the hall. The breakfast was a simple meal of bread and crystal-clear water. When the others had all arrived to the lower floor the Tinker looked up and greeted them.

"Morning!"

However, before anyone had a chance to reply, a loud crash was heard as the doors to the tavern were sent flying off their hinges and crashing to the floor. A division of ten armed Riflemen in shining brass armor and ceremonial Shoulder-guards marked with Green cogs walked in and spread out. In the middle a man in what either was a very elegant and important robe, or the world's most silly dress, walked in.

"Really?! You just smash the door in with no warning?! You better pay for that, Technomancer!"

Mide was screaming from behind the desk, glaring at the robed man with a stare that could freeze fire. The man inadvertently took a step back and looked startled as he replied.

"The door was locked a-"

"Then you knock, you do not use a darn grenade!"

Za'den stood up from his chair and took a step towards the Technomancer. Ten rifles unisonally were pointed at him, but he seemed to just ignore it as he frowned and intervened into the conversation.

"May I as why We have the... Pleasure of a council member grenading his way into this humble tavern?"

Both Mide and the Technomancer turned toward him. Mide with an annoyed frown, the man with rage in his eyes.

"Sinner! You were given a simple task, and you return with a party of a Turaian, some Elsta woman, and a stranger of unknown nationality, walkign in through the main gates at the light of dawn as if it was parade day! Your identity as a Red Cog is a secret, yet you make it the most obvious thing. Outlanders are not even ment to know of your existance!"

Za'den seemed paralysed for a moment, then took a step to a support beam and hit his head in, hard. Mide cried out something about not destorying any more of the tavern, but she was silenced as the Tinker turned to the Council member.

"First, You are a screaming idiot. Second, There is a reason to all this. Third, I never revealed I was from the Red Cog, or even mentioned the organization to those!"

He turned his hand and pointed. If some one really focused they would maybe notice that he was just pointing for Davon and Qaliath, but the technomancer was a bit shocked by now, and only Realize he himself had said too much.

"Let's... Just take this to the council. Let the others stay here, so we can have a free chat."

Za'den slowly nodded and turned towards the others.

"We meet up at this Tavern later. I will see if I can fix us a Zeppelin."

And with that the Technomancer, Za'den, and the soldiers, walked out from the inn.




(( Editted into my latest post. ~Marw

((Poke))

Za'den was draw out from his state of shock by Qailiath's words. He turned and started to run towards the railing. He slowed in just in time to not end up tripping over the edge. Revolvers drawn he souted out for the Captain.

"Turn the ship around! We need to get in range! Quickly! All men not needed, grab a rifle and get to firing positions, or something!"

Lenses clicked down on his goggles as he took aim and opened fire despite that they still were out of range for pistol weapons. Once he was out of bullets he started reloading at once. He turned towards the other three travelers.

"Don't just stand there! Grab rifles!"