Overdue observations for ixis

[heirtothearcane]

It's been far too long since his first consultation with Naugus. Viatorus should have gotten back to the mage long before now, but as with most things in the Nexus, it hadn't gone as smoothly as he'd hoped. Between personal interruptions, seasonal distractions, and wrestling with what to do with his knowledge, the few days he'd asked for had turned into months. Not how he'd hoped for it to go, but in this case Naugus' exceedingly low expectations of him work in his favour.

When he arrives at Naugus' door he's adjusted the strap of his leather satchel countless times, straightened his tweed jacket several more, and hesitated over whether or not he's forgotten something. Anything at all. The strict eye of his high heeled shadow keeps him in check. Isidor insisted on accompanying him in this case. Too much possibility of trouble, she'd said. Something she couldn't happily allow Lyall to take care of.

With the weight of the forthcoming debriefing doubled, Viatorus knocks on the door and shuffles on the spot. "Naugus? It's Viatorus."

Comments

[ixis]

The door doesn't respond as swiftly as it normally does. Has the magic to it changed? Or perhaps the pair is under scrutiny somehow before the way is opened? It's only a few moments of waiting (perhaps a little awkwardly, giving Viatorus plenty more time to fidget and fuss) before the slab of green splinters and retracts into the stone.

The mage himself is not readily visible, at least not right away. Naugus is in the doorway, but...upside down. Hanging from his tail, apparently, in a remarkably monkey-like fashion. He seems to find nothing unusual about this greeting, pushing his beard to one side so it doesn't hang in his face.

"Ah, the Durant children, here at last! Do make yourselves at home, I'd just been putting some finishing touches on some work here. It struck me after a conversation with a young man in the Nexus that there is never such thing as too much security." Once inside and if they look back at the entrance way, Isidor and Viatorus will see that Naugus has apparently been hard at work etching and chiselling runes above the door. Hence, the hanging. Though, couldn't he just levitate with wind for that...?

[heirtothearcane]

Isidor wrinkles up her nose at the greeting and eyes her brother to see how he'll protest to being called children. Much to her disappointment, he doesn't. Instead he swiftly becomes distracted with the rune work and trying to see how familiar it is.

"What a very Isidor-like thing to say," he comments cheerily. A remark that challenges his sister's blank expression, though he doesn't notice. "Can I ask what they do?"

[ixis]

The runes are given a final tap with the tip of his claw, the stone impressions filling with green crystal once having done so. A dull glow and they are apparently now operational! Naugus' tail uncurls and lets him drop to his feet where he soon dusts off his hand and claw and looks over his work.

"Just increased security at the door. From now on, simply stating yourself will not immediately open it up. You must either be known by me or gain my approval before the way is given. I've too much delicate work and a great appreciation for privacy to just let someone state their name and waltz in, after all."

He turns to look over the pair just as the door snaps shut once more, fusing into solid crystal again. "And what news do you have for me, I wonder?"

[heirtothearcane]

"That's a good idea," Viatorus agrees. He still tries to remember the shapes of the runes and where they were placed. Maybe later he can look them up...

Naugus's question pulls him from his thoughts and his anxiety returns. Throwing his sister a glance, he fidgets and then steadies himself as he looks back to Naugus. "Yes. I-I wanted to talk to you about your dreams. They've... proved more complicated than either of us initially thought. Um..." Isidor gets another brief look but he's all eyes on Naugus when he asks, "Would you prefer if I went through this with you privately?"

[ixis]

"Part of me assumes you've already discussed this matter with your sister. Perhaps consulted her on how to proceed with whatever you've interpreted or gleaned from it all. So she may stay."

With a tug of his cape, Naugus strides his way into the sitting room proper where his obnoxious stone throne awaits him, flopping down into it casually. A gesture of his hand and two more seats are conjured up from the floor in front of him, smaller and less imposing than his own, of course.

[heirtothearcane]

One more glance between the siblings and then they both follow him further into the sitting room. Isidor perches herself, straight backed, on the edge of the seat, folding into a patient, ladylike pose. Her brother, on the other hand, is more active. Fluttering in the attempt to refrain from fidgeting.

He sits down, unhooking his satchel from his shoulder and setting it by the foot of his chair before he sits. Then he rubs his thumb and takes a deep breath.

"You... don't remember what happens in your dreams, but what I saw revealed a situation which I wanted to deliberate on carefully before presenting to you." He hesitates, but only for a second. "I believe it relates to your past, so I would like to go through it slowly with you."

He leans forward ever so slightly. "Do you remember anything at all about your past? Maybe about other Ixian mages? Or anything about mages who were experts in the elements? Anything you'd read or seen or heard?"

[ixis]

He'd been smiling up to this point, the usual cocksure expression the mage wears. But the moment Viatorus mentions this pertaining to his past, it falters and then falls slowly. Somehow, his dreams having shreds of his forgotten yesteryears never occurred to him. And he has to make some very quick decisions here; Naugus has always been at peace with not knowing. But if this were to give him insight...

"No. Nothing. Decades past, I awoke in a stone cave in the side of a mountain and nothing prior to that has ever been recalled. As far as other Ixians, most of them were scattered, forced into hiding or hunted down after losing the war against the Templar Knights of Aurora. Albion has records of said Knights doing thorough work in wiping out any who remained, believing they had effectively ended the Order."

His expression knots up into something deeply hateful. "Except for the founder, of course. He lived and discarded the Order of Ixis as a failed venture once the Forgotten War's outcome resulted in our defeat."

[heirtothearcane]

Every twitch of Naugus' expression is noted under Viatorus' watchful, careful eye. This is too important to be treated lightly. The vanishing smile draws his eye and makes his brow hint at a frown.

His hand curls around the strap of his bag. "Your dream... I believe is to do with a repressed memory, and... more. But if I tell you, I can't take it back. I'll only share it with you if you're sure you want to know now."

[ixis]

There is it; the certainty that things will be changed if he knows. Naugus' disregard for his lost past butting right up against what this insight dares to give. One part of him thinks he shouldn't. He's lived this long unconcerned with the blank spot in his history. Why ruin it?

The other part of him feels like shying away now is cowardice and his ego can't stand it.

"Proceed. I wish to hear what you think you've seen."

[heirtothearcane]

The permission is not as reassuring as Viatorus had thought it would be. He takes a slow, deep breath and straightens out the fabric of his trousers. For months now he'd been wondering where to start with this tale. Wondering how best to deliver this news to Naugus if he were asked. In the end, it seemed best to begin at the start.

"When I went into your dream it began with you reaching for the sun. Something was holding you back, but you were determined. You fell when the sun burned you, and you crashed into a cave..." The memory of the story makes him pause briefly before pushing on. "We spoke. You told me that you needed to harness the sun's flame. That it was the only element you were missing..."

Here he stops again, frown becoming fully formed. He has to choose his words carefully. Take it slowly.

"You were... worried about a group of people... Who made themselves known shortly after you voiced your concerns. A being like a bat, a being like a rhino, and a being like a lobster..." He trails off, waiting to see Naugus' reaction.

[ixis]

He listens with a growing frown, trying to eke meaning from the description. "Harnessing flame? I've always been profoundly skilled with fire. It's one of my favoured elements! I've never been missing a single one of the four." But that doesn't account for what lies in the blank past, does it? The dream involved him arriving in a cave, after all. Was it the same one he awoke in?

And at the mention of these beings, clearly other Mobians, his ears lower a fraction. "A bat? I've known some in my time. I've never been on any particular terms with a rhino, however, and certainly no one from the aquatic realms. They tend to keep to themselves, after all. Or...used to." Ugh, lovely reminders as always that Mobius is no more.

[heirtothearcane]

"Maybe it was about how you gained your skill," he suggests meekly, trying to prompt something, any memory that would take this recollection out of his hands. The more Naugus speaks, the less likely that seems.

"Well... One of each certainly know you." He shuffles in his seat and his brow knots together. "These three beings entered your dream." His eyes flicker from side to side and his hands start to gesture as he explains. "Not dream beings. Not creatures of the dreamlands. Not that I've ever encountered. These were... spirits. They were trying to use your dreams to communicate with you. They had control of your dreams, which... shouldn't happen. These weren't mindless echoes, either. They were fully formed spirits that were- are attached to you."

[ixis]

"Spirits? Attached to me?" His eyes lower briefly, absorbing this and trying to make sense of it. It's not going any better than any of the previous facts and interpretations.

It's a long moment before he looks back up at Viatorus. "Did they speak of vengeance? Are they someone that I may have wronged in the past? I-..." A terrible, cold knot has formed in his stomach at the sudden concern that immediately arose. "Does this have something to do with the state of my own soul?" Naugus asks in a lowered voice, a worried whisper. "Did his actions leave it vulnerable to something like this?"

[heirtothearcane]

"I-I..." Viatorus' jaw drops and he stares, distracted by the unusual sight of Naugus shrinking away. Uncertain, he glances at his sister, but Isidor hasn't even flinched at the change in Naugus' demeanour. He takes a moment to gather himself, to try and project some quiet confidence, some professionalism.

"I don't know about your soul, or about your past. All I know is what I saw and heard." His frown deepens. "The spirits didn't seem benevolent, and they don't think well of you. They claim that you, at some point, trapped them where they are now. And they appear to cling to you. It would appear that what they want most is for you to know them, know their names. This... could break a spell of some kind, but I have no way to tell what the consequences might be."

[ixis]

Naugus, whether or not he heard Viatorus' addition, gets up from his seat and begins to furtively pace. Walking a few steps one direction, pausing, then turning and hurrying another. The grip on his ever-present staff has turned into a two-handed vice, hugging it close to his chest as if for some manner of security.

"It must have something to do with it. Spirits are drawn to matters of the soul, aren't they? And there's no telling the state of my own after what he'd done in those prisons! Fragments, fissures, something that would draw old enemies? Long dead and restless? From before..."

This is a door opened that can't be closed. At least not now. The ego still defies daring to be so cowardly. And if there are assailants trailing him unseen...

Naugus whirls on Viatorus once more, closing the space between them, reaching a claw to rest it on the boy's shoulder. "What were their names? Did they give them?"

[heirtothearcane]

The sudden movement towards Viatorus finally gets Isidor to stir, but she resists doing any more than turning to keep a closer eye on Naugus and unfolding her hands.

At least this is not the rash, angry arrogance Viatorus had been expecting, but the unexpected still forces him to adapt. He wants to hesitate, to reiterate that this could mean the breaking of a spell they don't understand. But it's clear that Naugus is in no mind to think about that, and Viatorus is only here as a messenger.

He's almost startled into explaining that Jim was the one who got their names, but his words catch in his throat before the words fall out. A second to ready himself for... whatever reaction they might get, and then he answers slowly, carefully. "Suguna, Nusgau, and Agunus."

[ixis]

One might have expected (hoped?) for some manner of dramatics; a audible or visible sign a spell has been broken or forged. A flash, a scream, the smell of ozone, a cracking of stone.

But there is nothing. Only Naugus' concerned face and his hand a little too tight on Viatorus' shoulder. Finally, after a long while of thoughts clearly racing, he lets the boy go.

"These names, they mean nothing to me. Nothing at all." The expression on his face slides into something a bit more doubtful, perhaps feeling more comfortable clinging to that feeling rather than this baseless fear. "How are you so certain these weren't just beings of dreams? Just figments?"

[heirtothearcane]

The lack of... anything happening confuses Viatorus but he's not going to let his guard down just yet. Isidor starts frowning at Naugus' firm grip but returns to her neutral expression when he retracts it.

It's Viatorus' turn to frown when Naugus asks his question. "Because I know the difference. I've seen and felt all kinds of things in dreams. Ghosts, spirits, entities, memories... I know what I saw." A touch of hesitation and he adds, "And I saw them out of your dream as well. Once... When I stepped out of my body to check if your world was through the portal. I cam back and I glimpsed one of them. Tried to talk to him, but he didn't want to talk to me."

[ixis]

"So this is becoming less a matter of dreams and more that of ghosts, you say? Hrmph." He scowls in deeper thought now, raking his fingers slowly through his beard and he ponders. The claw still has a vice's grip on his staff.

"If I am haunted, what then? Exorcism? I have nothing to say to these beings as I do not know them. I have no quarrel and no answers for-"

What causes Naugus to pause is so subtle, so benign. The chandelier overhead, forged of the usual pale green crystal the wizard works in, rocks just slightly, enough to make a light tinkling noise that carries on so long as it keeps in its minuscule motion.

"...No breeze to that, I'm afraid." Trust him, he knows wind and he would have felt or sensed it or magic being the culprit. Naugus narrows his eyes up at that crystalline fixture, wondering and suspicious.

[heirtothearcane]

Viatorus lets Naugus speak and wonder aloud. The information was as surprising to him as it seems to be to Naugus. Though he half wishes the Ixian mage knew more, could offer some answers, but they're both in the dark on this matter.

Then his gaze follows Naugus' and there's silence for a moment.

"Viatorus doesn't do exorcisms," Isidor says suddenly, firmly. The way she holds her eyes on the chandelier before she turns them on Naugus, it's almost like she's talking to whoever else might be in the room.

Her brother keeps his eyes on the chandelier, voice quiet. "... Maybe you should speak to them... To be sure. They might have answers for you."

[ixis]

Naugus lowers his chin to give Isidor a withering look, taking that statement to be aimed only at him. And then that same look is leveled at Viatorus.

"Answers? To what? A past I don't care about? I prefer to make a proclamation rather than ask questions. That being..." He takes a moment to clear his throat before speaking loudly and clearly.

"Whoever you think yourselves to be, I have no business with you or your anguish. Should you be latched onto me because I am the only remnant of Mobius Prime, you do so in vain. Disperse! I have no business with you or any matters pertaining to the afterlife."

There's nothing but silence in response, the chandelier's crystals finally gone still from their light manipulation. Naugus snorts and takes his seat once more.

"This has been thoroughly useless. You worried over nothing, Viat-"

The sentence is cut off, however, by a loud CRACK. Naugus jumps when it sounds off and suddenly springs back out of his chair, whirling around to face it, staff clutched in both hand and claw once more. The throne has been cracked on the backrest, a seam running down the middle of it.

[heirtothearcane]

The noise sends Isidor flying out of her seat, hands at the ready, light flickering across her fingers as she prepares her magic. She looks around, but sees nothing other than the damaged throne. "What was that?"

Viatorus stays seated, though his hands have gripped the chair underneath him in fear. He decides, hastily, to stand up. "I-It was them. I don't think they liked being ignored. W-We should contact them. Let them say their bit. I'm sure they'll calm down afterwards."

[ixis]

"What? Cave to their demands!? Don't be foolish!" Yeah, Viatorus, how dare you have a perfectly reasonable and peaceful solution. "No, this simply calls for intervention. Suppression. Perhaps..." Naugus looks to his staff now, gazing deeply into the purple gem affixed to it.

With no explanation or warning, he raises it in both hand and claw, then brings it down sharply onto the stone floor. A massive purple flash erupts from the chaos emerald, bleaching the colour from everything with such a blinding, bright display. It takes several seconds for the light to fade and probably much longer for vision to return properly had eyes been open or unshielded.

Naugus looks around suspiciously, eventually asking, "Anything left to say, ghosts?"

There is no response. The mage grins in satisfaction. "That settles that, then."

[heirtothearcane]

The sudden flash of magic startles both the mages. Isidor jumps over to Viatorus, throwing up a shield around the two of them. When the light fades and once she's certain Viatorus is alright, Isidor rounds on Naugus. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Viatorus, meanwhile, is more concerned about what they can't see. He's still blinking out the purple from his sight, but tries to look around, to sense the other beings. "I don't think that was a good idea..."

[ixis]

Naugus looks confused at both of the younger mages, as if his logic and actions were both completely reasonable or predictable. "I've simply unleashed a pulse of chaos energy; surely enough to chase away any malevolent forces compromised of a different sort of energy. And it worked! Nothing!"

Naugus turns to flop back into his now-cracked chair. "I'm sure they've floated off to latch onto some other fool. One not nearly as powerful and adept at chasing them off, hah."

[heirtothearcane]

Viatorus frowns and shakes his head slowly. "Don't underestimate them, Naugus. Quiet doesn't mean gone. And gone doesn't mean gone forever." He turns to the wizard again. "You should enforce protections in your home. Against otherworldly beings. Cleanse your tower."

[ixis]

Naugus is definitely not used to Viatorus sounding authoritative about anything, let alone stern or demanding. So it gives the mobian a considerable moment of pause, as if trying to parse this unexpected demeanor or unsure how to keep up his own bravado in the face of it. He's dealing with something he's never really understood or dabbled in before, after all...

But the bluster is soon firmly back in place and Naugus puffs out his chest. "If they dare to arise again, I'll simply perform the same blast as this time! It's no feat for someone as great as myself. Keeping it up isn't going to be an issue, assuming they're fool enough to try again."

[heirtothearcane]

"You don't understand." The smallest note of frustration slips into his voice. "Don't treat them lightly. Don't pass it off. They'll come back when you don't expect, in ways you don't expect, they'll..."

"Viatorus." Isidor watches him, a wariness in her eyes, which pairs well with the firmness of her tone. "We should go."

He looks from Naugus to the stern gaze of his sister and back again. "Please, Naugus. They're more dangerous than you think. What's the harm in protecting yourself?"

[ixis]

A suspicious eye is turned towards Isidor, sizing up the urgency in her voice and the look on her face. "What's the rush?" Perhaps intentionally ignoring Viatorus' continued warnings, now nearing the tone of command. Something that prickles at his pride most grievously.

[heirtothearcane]

From the way she rounds on Naugus, it's obvious that her wariness turns to aggression which she fully intends to share with the Ixian mage. Just before she does, however, she halts, narrowing her eyes and becoming steely, every word now barbed. "You don't want to listen to Viatorus' advice, or take what he's told you with the seriousness he's outlined. Do you have any more business with him?"

[ixis]

"Maybe some explanation as to the dire reaction? I don't see the concern. Dead is dead. They are confined to their realm and us to ours! The fact that these ones, if they even are the spirits of some foolish departed and not some manner of Nexus imps, are daft enough to stick to some pointless in-between and batter themselves against me with all the effectiveness of errant breezes? I'm not fully grasping the seriousness of the situation because there is none."

He continues at more of a grumble, perhaps more as an aside to himself, as he cards fingers through his beard, "Certainly, there's potency to remains from time to time. Any Ixian knows that. But those are...exceptional cases."

[heirtothearcane]

"Don't you have questions for them?" Viatorus pipes up again, though he's not sure anymore which course of action might be the right one, convincing Naugus not to ignore a possible threat seems best. "Don't you want to know how they clung to you? Why they clung to you? Or how they passed unnoticed for so long? What their agenda is? If they were sent by someone else?"

[ixis]

"Are you saying you can coax these answers from them? I'm not sure why it would matter, though. Whatever they want and whatever they say has no bearing on how I feel about them. I have no interest in aiding their plight, no matter the circumstances. I would sooner just consult someone who could remove them with extreme prejudice!"

It could just be a coincidence and fantastic timing, but a tiny rattle of a few loose pebbles and dust softly clatters from the crack that had been caused in Naugus' seat earlier.

[heirtothearcane]

"Maybe you could learn something from them that might help, inspire, your work?" Viatorus offers, but the attempt is a limp one.

Meanwhile, the pebbles catch Isidor's eye and she strides over to the throne. She runs a finger along the crack and shoots Naugus a sceptical look. "You're really not concerned by something that can do this to a chair of stone?"

[ixis]

"For all we know, that was the extent of what they could do! The bulk of their effort results in just that? Decades of stored energy just for a measly crack? I can do the very same with a twitch of my finger! With less than a thought! Far from impressive." Is he just trying to annoy the siblings now with being contradictory, or just downplay any possible concern he should be showing? And if the latter, is it for the sake of Naugus' ego or his safety?

He turns towards Viatorus now, though, pointing a finger. "However, that's an idea. I know what the harnessing of one's soul can do. And here are three ripe for the taking, aren't they? I like the way you think, boy!"

[heirtothearcane]

She narrows her eyes, just about to call him a fool when Viatorus' idea sparks Naugus' interest.

"That's not what I meant," he scrambles to say, but the idea is already in Naugus' mind. In future he will have to be more careful about what research he's suggesting Naugus work on. "You... won't hurt them, will you?"

[ixis]

Naugus looks at Viatorus like he just sprouted an extra head, his ears going flat and low in absolute grave offense. "Why would that matter? They're dead. At this point, they're just reagents. Energy. Better than floating about being completely useless and impotent as is, aren't they?"

Should Isidor still be near enough to the seat to notice, a trickle of water springs from the sundered crack. The dust it gathers in the process of flowing downward gives it an unsettling red tint.

[heirtothearcane]

Viatorus pulls back at the dismissive tone and the mildly aggressive mannerisms. Gently he insists, "They're still people. They should be at peace."

The water touches the hand Isidor had set on the throne, startling her at first, but when she sees the source she actually smirks. It's difficult to hide the scoff when she turns to coo at Naugus. "Maybe you should focus on stopping your furniture from leaking first."

[ixis]

"They had their chance at peace and instead they decided to follow ME around! Why are you so concerned for THEIR sake, honestly? You were the one who was saying they were potential threats, weren't you? Shouldn't they be treated like one and stamped out at the first opportunity?"

Isidor's addition gets Naugus to whirl on her in irritation, but once he spots what she's pointing out... There's a moment of confusion. Concern. More confusion. He reaches out his claw and touches the curved back of it to the liquid and pulls it away, looking at it with a frown. He seems at least slightly relieved that it's not anything as ghastly (or cliché) as blood and now is just properly irritated.

"Bah! Petty annoyances! Pests! Little else! Nothing more!" A forceful snap of his claw and the trickle of water flows back upwards like a zipper being drawn, the stone mending in its wake.

[heirtothearcane]

"Why can't dangerous people be treated as both dangerous and people?" Viatorus asks this with a little frustration (or is it desperation?) slipping into his voice.

Isidor's gaze lingers on the point where Naugus had done his little display of magic. Then, all hint of intrigue gone, she walks to her brother, setting her hand on his arm. "Come on. He's done listening to us. Let him deal with it whatever way he likes. I'm not having you risk yourself in any way."

[ixis]

"They're not PEOPLE, they're REMNANTS of people. Remains. Echoes. Hardly worthy of proper consideration." Well, that speaks a lot about his respect for the dead, doesn't it. That being there is very little.

Naugus clicks his tongue and waves his staff in an offhand gesture, the door splintering and spreading open. "See yourselves out. You've given me the information I needed, Viatorus, and for that I am thankful. But from here, it is a matter that is better dealt with by those with less, hrm. Sensitivity, shall we say."

[heirtothearcane]

The outburst shocks Viatorus, and it shows. He stares at Naugus with wide eyes and his mouth ajar. As soon as the door appears, Isidor gathers up Viatorus' things and ushers him towards it. She's eager to get out before they get involved in something they regret, and she's not waiting around to exchange more words with the Ixian mage.

Before she pulls him through the door, Viatorus pulls away from Isidor to turn to Naugus. Though he looks disapprovingly, his words are a gentle chiding. "Remember, you talk of your own dead too."

As long as he lets her, Isidor will take that as a good point to drag her brother the last bit of the way out of the tower. The last thing she needs is to deal with a wizard having a temper tantrum at her brother.

[ixis]

His expression at Viatorus' words is a perfect reflection of the younger mage's just moments before; wide-eyed shock. The pair of siblings only get a glimpse of it changing quickly to furious anger before Naugus swipes his arm sharply and the door snaps closed once more. Maybe shutting a little faster and a little louder than it usually does.

He fumes and he paces, muttering to himself, unable to get anything more than a few words formed. Audacity! The nerve! How dare-! The effort is soon abandoned as the Ixian tosses himself back into his stony throne like a child indeed having a tantrum, his tail lashing angrily in wide, quick sweeps across the floor. The fuming carries on for a good while longer, Naugus' face scrunched into a thunderous frown that leaves his lower fangs poking out of his mouth. Over time, however, the expression softens just slightly, slipping into something more...regretful? Certainly angry, yes. But...

His hand is held out, palm up, and a delicate crystal object begins to spin into being. Soon taking the form of a spider, its legs needle-thin. The mage watches it slowly rotate in the air, perhaps dwelling on something. Remembering something.

...But is startled when several of those slender legs break off and tinkle onto the stone floor. Ixis Naugus stares at them, at first confused how his crystal could break without his say-so...then that fury slowly returning when he realizes exactly six had been severed. The mage snaps his hand closed into a tight fist, shattering what is left of the spider he'd crafted before storming up to his study.