Certain types of Exploration

Elise

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The winking, chattering bauble that Elise had reverse engineered from the slain construct kept up its racket for almost another night of travel before fizzling and dying with little warning.

"Fuck!" Elise screeched, punting the brassy piece of scrap down the hill in a huff of blood-starved rage. Really, she wasn't trying to think of Izaneus as her walking rations; he had barely been able to recover from the first portion of blood she'd taken from him. Under these conditions, however, she was on the verge of calling this expedition a loss and just draining the poor fop. She let go of a disgusted sigh as she felt Greenstripes tug on her arm with a slippery tentacle.

"Yeah I know." she muttered as Rean and Izzy caught up to her. Izaneus glanced at the discarded machine with disdain.

"You didn't want to try and fix it again..." he ventured, but Elise was quick to cut him off.

"If I could I wouldn't have kicked the stupid junk-" she snapped, but Izaneus had reached the limits of his noble patience.

"You want to watch your damn tone with me, Elise?" Izaneus snapped back, causing Elise's eyes to immediately flare with rage. She stomped towards the morsel of a man with a fanged snarl on her face.

"You want to want me to teach Rean some real dangerous magic?!" she roared back. Angry red sparks crackled over her entire body as Izaneus leaned back into a defensive stance.

"Get a grip and calm down!" Izaneus countered, trying to regain his diplomatic footing. Unfortunately, his movements and posture betrayed his mistrust of Elise, and this was enough to provoke her under the circumstances.

"I'll grip you." the vampire screamed, pitching her hand back with a violent gesture. She began to chant her Arcane Lance spell, but a shower of moist, yellow flowers exploded out of her hand. Both wizards and their apprentice stared at the phenomenon, which momentarily defrayed the entire disagreement.

"The fuck was that?" Rean chirped, and Izaneus frowned at him. Apparently Elise's coarse manners were beginning to rub off on his young ward.

"Wild magic." Izaneus sighed. He snapped his fingers experimentally, and a small singing goldfish sprang out of his thumb. "It's means something-"

"-or someone." Elise interjected.

"...or someone is causing our normal connection to the arcane to be mistranslated by the aether." Master Phortea concluded. Rean giggled and held his hands up, but before a single spark could manifest, Elise rushed forwards and grasped his hands tightly. Rean was always surprised by how cold her hands were.

"Don't. Or else you might turn blue and dissolve into jello." Elise warned with a half-smile. Rean nodded softly and lowered his arms. Something occurred to him in that moment, though.

"So but...your familiars are magic, right? Why haven't they gone all funny?" the boy asked, pointing at Euphemia and Greenstripes. Izaneus nodded, smiling at the piercing insight.

"Ah...while our familiars are indeed magical spirits in physical form, they are not necessarily active spellwork. The magic used to create them has already come and gone, cemented into their current forms. You see..." Izaneus began enthusiastically as Elise rolled her eyes and walked off. She paced a short distance away to retrieve the malfunctioning homing beacon, and turned it over in her hands. The theory that Izaneus was explaining was valid, but not universally true. It was also possible for wild magic areas to parasitize sources of magical energy - like the battery in the construct beacon - to fuel the chaotic effects.

What they needed was a way to insulate the beacon from the distorted environment, but for that, she needed clues as to the source of the disruption. Elise looked around.

The glittering crystal formations in the native rocks had increased over the past few miles, to the point that small, green geodes bedazzled almost every solid, dusty rock face. Simmering volcanic pools hissed more violently here, indicating the presence of magma chambers deep beneath their feet. Giant desert lizards sat in large groups around the ponds, soaking up the geothermal energy to keep themselves energized. They were large monitor reptiles, but mostly harmless to humanoids unless truly desperate for food.

"Hey guys..." Elise said, turning around slowly. "...we've been in the Dragonspines for almost a week. You haven't seen any dragons during the day have you?"

Both Izaneus and Rean indicated they hadn't; they certainly would have mentioned something like that.

"...though, nobody has seen a dragon in these mountains for...like...years and years. At least that's what the rumors back in my hometown said." Rean shrugged. Elise blinked.

"Wut."

"Yeah, like...a really long time. Since before dad was a kid, I think." Rean nodded. Elise looked at Izaneus who also shrugged. The Phortea family wasn't exactly known for getting out and seeing the world. Elise rubbed her chin for a moment and considered the implications. That either meant that the local dragon population was gone, or was hiding.

"...gone or hiding..." she repeated out loud.

"Or perhaps both."

Elise looked up to look for the source of the unfamiliar voice.

"Which one of you said that?" she said slowly. Both boys looked at her with confused expression.

"Said what?" Rean asked.

Elise frowned, and looked around again. She slowly began to reach out with her magical awareness, scouring the local area for sources of arcane energy. Greenstripes and Euphemia resonated heavily, but she was familiar with their presence by now. Wild magic, of course, crowded her eldritch senses with a peal of clamoring white noise...but beneath it was the pervasive clammy-sweet indication of illusion.

"...ffffuckin' gnomes." Elise spat, raising her hands to try and deconstruct the mirage. "Izzy, I need you to try and help be dispel this mirage arcana. Can you help me keep my spellwork stable?"
 

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A nod was Iza's only response as he prepared himself to play a supporting role to the dispelling of arcana Elise detected. He stretched his awareness to her magic, allowing the two to tangle temporarily, before carefully empowering her own

"So... What's happening now..?" Rean asked, not fully understanding tbe processes of what's happening.

"Elise will be shattering a presence likely hindering us, and I'll be supporting her in this endeavor.." The wizard strained, pushing himself slightly, touching the magic of others was an interesting ordeal.

"How? " Rean asked inquisitively. Causing "Master" Phortea, to sigh.

"There's a plethora of explanations, but all require a certain amount of focus to explain. I'll tell you later. Alright?"

Rean puffed a bout of air, and sat down unsatisfied, and kinda bored, finding a sudden interest in a pebble.

A few moments passed, the magic stronger, and more subtle than either thought at first. It even seemed to fight back, once Elise locked the presence down, and slowly began the processing of destroying it, despite its active resistance

"Bit more Izzy.. Keep focused now." She chided

Silence came from Phortea, who focused solely on empowering her spellwork more so. Before a thought came to mind.

"...in regards to your statement during our argument-"

"Now? Really?" Elise asked, annoyed that he would bring up a discussion in the middle of something like this.

"I wouldn't mind you teaching Rean, at least he seems interested in you, and I figure it's better if he gets formal training before he starts playing with something dangerous..."

The Vampire stayed for a second in shock, before the arcana rightfully reminded her it wasn't something to leave unattended after an attempt at dismantling it.

"Can we talk about this later maybe? Kinda need to keep focused right now Izzy."

"Course, let's just focus on destroying the magic." Izaneus repeated, pushing his powers forth once more in order to support the dispelling.
 

Elise

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Sparks and frogs sizzled away from Elise's fingertips as she tried to focus the arcane algorithms flowing through her. The inherent wild magic in the area kept throwing random variables into her equations, but with Izaneus essentially functioning as an auxiliary calculator, it kept her own mysticism relatively rid of free radicals.

"Just a bit more..." Elise grunted. She took in a reflexive breath and allowed herself to link up with Greenstripes' own arcane knowledge. Bolstered by their two familiars, the wizards were slowly grinding through the metamagical fields supporting the illusion surrounding them. Rean stared on from an outsiders perspective, somewhat bored. As far as he could tell, all Elise and Izaneus were doing was standing around making some sparks in the middle of a rocky canyon.

"Should...something be happening?" he interrupted. Elise had just enough wherewithal to shoot the apprentice a withering glare before the entire landscape fractured like a broken mirror. There was a strange, warping sparkle as the horizon shifted and rearranged itself. The lumpy mounds of rock suddenly had small chimney stacks and windows carved into them. Small gardens of tough, dry desert vegetation decorated the pathways.

Most notably, a dozen gnomish hammerguards rippled into view around them with emerald-tipped crossbows at the ready.

"Fuckin' gnomes, eh?" one of them growled. "Big words from vampire scum. Get ready to die, again."

"Wait, what?!" Rean shouted, glancing at Elise. Izaneus, however, had no time for that drama.

"Wait! Wait. We come on peaceful terms. We are researchers, simply searching for information on Archivist Hammuzi. We will leave, and tell no one of your hidden village." the nobleman said, putting his hands up. Elise wheeled around with a furious expression.

"Hey!"

The gnomish foreman seemed to consider this answer for a moment and muttered something to his comrades in their native tongue.

"Sorry, not worth it. Ready!" he shouted. At this command, the company of guardgnomes renewed their grips on the crossbows, and Elise wasted no time.

"Fuck it. Get 'em Stripes!" the vampire shouted.

"Elise, wait-!" Izaneus objected, but it was too late. His undead compatriot had already hurled the terratopus at the foreman before flexing her hands at the right flank of the gnomish defenders, shouting an incantation. To their credit, the gnomes tried to dive clear as the ground beneath their feet began to glow white-hot, but it didn't quite save them from the ensuing explosion.

"Dammit. Get down Rean!" Izaneus grumbled as Euphemia began to screech loudly. He backed towards his young apprentice and raised his hands, summoning glowing shields just as several gleaming quarrels ricocheted into the darkness. Elise screamed in rage as two crossbow shots plugged into the flesh of her back.

The gnomish foreman stepped backwards as the vampire surged forwards, and barked an order in gnomish. Several of the gnomes retreated behind the hedgerow, and faded from sight.

"They can turn invisible?!" Rean gasped, hugging Izaneus' leg.

"Gnomes are highly adept illusionists, even under extreme conditions, they-" Izaneus began to explain before Rean interrupted again.

"Look out!" Rean shouted. Izaneus turned around to see a re-positioned gnome crouching on top of barrow. There was a torrent of flame as Rean screamed and threw his hands forward, and the gnome tumbled back off the hillock, screaming with flaming agony.

"Badass!" Elise shouted, giving the newly anointed murderer a thumbs-up. In her other hand, she was holding the foreman off the ground by the neck as he kicked and punched at her.

"Call your boys off." she hissed through bared teeth. The gnome spat in her face as her knees were taken out by an invisible hammerguard. She cursed loudly as she crumpled to the ground, and a pack of three guards began to bash her with their hammers. Izaneus frowned at stood up, leveling a magically charged hand at the assailants. Just before he committed to the attack, however, a voice seemed to shake the very air.

THAT IS QUITE ENOUGH, EVERYONE.

It was immediately apparent to the wizards that there was a vastly powerful psychic entity somewhere nearby. Their trained mental resistances had been no challenge for the telepathic intrusion, and as if on command, the tumult came to a halt. A sudden, breezy silence pervaded the village. The thrumming influence spoke again.

FOREMAN VLAKI...TEND TO YOUR WOUNDED AND ESCORT THE INTRUDERS TO MY DEN, PLEASE.

Elise rose from the dust and brushed herself off.

"Now we're getting somewhere..." she grinned, despite the pain and blood that wracked her body. Meanwhile, Rean was staring at his hands as small tears began to roll down his cheeks. Izaneus put a soft hand on the boy's shoulders, and tried to summon all the compassion he could.

"It's okay, Rean. Let's go..." the noble hummed with a sad smile.
 

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Rean stared at his palms, the scene vivid in his mind as he carefully conjured small bouts of flame, much to the chagrin of the gnomish leader escorting them.

"Cut it out kid!!!!" His small voice bellowed, his eyes clear with rage and regret. Though the apprentice bore no witness to this. Too enveloped in his own pain to even notice.

"Sorry...." He muttered numbly, his eyes brimming with tears. Sadly dragging his feet along the ground.

Izaneus stayed ignorant of the gnome's comments. Instead working towards easing the pain of the first kill.

The first is often never easy, especially for someone as wide eyed as his apprentice.

"You okay, Rean?" The wizard whispered carefully to his pupil.

"It's my fault..." The apprentice muttered repeatedly, causing Euphemia to nip gently at Iza's hair.

"A state of shock, Master, I recommend getting him to 'snap out of it' as they say."

She communicated, coldly. Though, with some hint of concern for the poor boy.

"I'm aware, Meli. Thank you for your guidance as always."

"I did it...."

Izaneus gently grabbed Rean's shoulder, and shook him slowly. Carefully. And the apprentice slowly came to his senses. Quickly grasping Iza for support. Bawling quietly into the hooded coat of the wizard.

The Gnome clicked his tongue in anger. Earning the Ire of the Vampire they'd attacked.

Playing nice was NOT on the forefront of her mind, Iza'd given them the peaceful solution, and they'd chosen to attack. She was quite aware of gnomish behaviors and the like. But still found them beyond aggravating, especially after a long day, with so little blood, AND the fact that they were hampering their progress toward the artificer.

If it weren't for those pesky illusions of theirs, they'd have already reached the vault.

Her eyes flicked to the apprentice who was currently grappling with his first kill, annoying to be sure, but at least kind of understandable, he'd done good though, much less of a nuisance than originally expected, though. The constant displays of ignorance were... Ugh. But, whatever. Now they were finally on their way to the vault, after constant hours of tinkering, yelling, frustration and overall tedious nothingness.

They would finally reach their original goal.

As they traveled through the mountain with the help of the escort, the surroundings slowly became much less... Mountain-like.

The ground slowly became clearly formed designs of runes and arcane technology set about in a way unfathomable to the majority of the most learned scholars, and finally, the scenery shifted completely into a cave like lair, with a door they never crossed closing behind them.

It was cold, there were no flames, as the light from devices new and old alike lined the walls, the ceiling, and even the floor, warding runes, and illusory incantations were woven across the entire length of... This... Area? Laboratory.

"WHY HAVE YOU COME" the voice boomed menacingly, once more showing its dominance in this domain.

To the untrained eye, it would feel as though a striking pressure found its way to the very depths of your soul. However, wizards such as Elise and Izaneus could see the outline of arcane formations slowly become more than just decoration.

This place was armed to the teeth, and both sensed nothing but the utmost truth would allow them to leave with their wishes.

Taking a deep breath. Izaneus spoke.
 

Elise

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"Forgive our intrusion oh...lord of this place." Izaneus said, straining to gain insight into who he was dealing with. He had been trained in all manner of diplomatic niceties and mannerisms, of course...but there was almost no context for this mysterious voice's station or status.

"I am Izaneus of House Phortea. This is my apprentice, Rean, and Elise; my peer within the arcane arts. We have come seeking information on Archivist Hammuzi, whom Elise believes to have worked or studied here some time long ago." Izaneus said in his smoothest, noble inflection. He bent forward in a bow with his hand folded over his chest. Rean falteringly followed suit, but Elise simply crossed her arms and stared at the surroundings.

It was an artificer's workshop, that was for sure. Small gadgets and clockwork gizmos tinkled and hissed away within the dark recesses of shelves and rafters. Tables scattered with crumbling parchment were stained with oil and several tinctures of alchemical suspensions, and the air was sharp with the tang of metallic smoke.

There was something else, though. A flickering of the facade...any number of these walls may have been fake...or perhaps the entire workshop was glamoured. If this unseen overlord could speak to them telepathically, perhaps he had weaved his mirage to deliberately meet the expectations swirling around in their heads.

BOLD OF THE PRODIGAL SON TO CLAIM HIS DISAVOWED BIRTHRIGHT SO CONVENIENTLY. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SPOKE TO YOUR MOTHER?

Izaneus visibly flinched, and Elise offered a low whistle.

"Oh snap, son. Anyway, yeah we're here for information on Hammuzi. That mess outside coulda been avoided if y'all didn't want to play these charades with us...so how 'bout you just let me look around and we just go our separate ways?" Elise sniffed. As she said this, a sigh of wind blew through the workshop, which stirred uncannily around her ankles and neck. There was something unpleasantly organic about it.

HMMM...SUCH SUBTLE THREATS. NORMALLY I WOULD DESTROY ANYONE SO DROLL, BUT YOU ARE IN LUCK. I HAPPEN TO BE IN NEED OF SOME AGENTS CAPABLE OF SUBTLETY AND VIOLENCE.

Elise sighed. Of course; they were about to get quested. She had no patience for this kind of bartering.

"I'm not here to cut deals! I'll start actin' up again if it suits me, so-"

"Let's...not be so hasty!" Izaneus interrupted. He craned his neck around and flared his eyes at Elise in an urgent plea of consternation. Honestly, he had no idea how she had managed to navigate vampire society with such a complete lack of tact.

"I think we can, of course, come to a reasonable exchange for access to the Archivist's notes...but I do agree with my compatriot on one note; perhaps more straightforward discussions, without the veil of illusion and deceit, would be in everyone's interest." Izaneus said patiently. There was a long, waiting pause before the floor in front of them suddenly yawned downwards to reveal a previously glamoured stone staircase. The air emanating from the opening was muggy, and carried the odor of wet earth.

No more telepathic instructions came. Elise uttered a short sigh and began to march towards the staircase. Izaneus began to follow suit, but a tug on his arm stopped him. Rean was looking up at the wizard with watery, fearful eyes that begged the teacher to stay put. He couldn't begrudge the boy; Rean had been through a lot over the past few days. At the same time...he feared that spurning this overture of diplomacy would be more dangerous than humoring the boy's understandable trepidation.

"Stay close. Euphemia and I will protect you. I promise." Izaneus smiled, taking hold of the boy's hand. Rean sniffled and nodded, and walked alongside Izaneus in a silent stupor as they descended the clammy, sandstone steps.

The stairway emptied out into a large, volcanic cavern which had been partially hollowed out by large, gouging slashes in the rock faces. More tools and machinery haunted the shadows cast by large, basalt columns. The fire in this place flickered with an eerie, sickly green color and the oppressive sensation of being watched grew nearly intolerable. Rean was practically gouging Izaneus's palms with his terrified grip.

All at once, the spell of anticipation was banished as a sweeping shadow descended down from the ceiling.

"Watch out-!" Elise yelped, diving to the side. She rolled behind one of the pillars, and her hands began to crackle with readied eldritch formulas. Another heaving gust of wind snuffed out the green candles in the chamber, and she prepared herself for the incoming trap.

Instead, a new emerald glow began to illuminate the chamber. Large clusters of emerald crystals began to glow in hidden recesses on the ceiling, throwing everything in the chamber into an alien wash of green light. Elise peaked her head around the corner as Rean uttered a suppressed scream, and had to stifle a gasp herself as she saw what had entered the chamber.

It was a dragon.

Lithe and snakelike, with gleaming, crystalline scales that nearly rendered his body translucent in some places. His eyes were like smoldering coals, and a whipping tail was decorated with an ornate series of carved scales. The dragon's long snout crested upwards along its head, ending in a pair of pointed horns...which appeared to float, separated, just inches from its actual head. By Elise's reckoning, he was also fully grown -- likely over a thousand years old -- and his immensity was accentuated by the otherwise cramped cavern.

The dragon sucked in a deep breath, and hissed luxuriously.

"Well...here I am. Let's talk." the wyrm breathed. Izaneus stuttered slightly, but blurted something out before Elise could damage this sensitive tension.

"By all means! B-but what shall I call you, magnificent one?" the nobleman said with a forced smile. Draconic studies may not have been his field of expertise, but he did know that flattery could credibly increase your lifespan when a dragon's motives were uncertain.

"Hmmm...later." the dragon rumbled. He picked up his bulk and began to pace between the columns like a prowling lion, keeping his eyes fixed on the three guests.

"For now, I must ask...what compelled two Arcadian wizards to drag a young humanling into such dangerous mountains, at such a dangerous time? You must forgive me if I find your...hmmmm...sense of morals to be questionable under the circumstances..."
 

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Well, At least they weren't dead yet. Draconic mood swings were not rare by any means, and often resulted in the immediate death of whomever had the misfortune of being there when such a catastrophe occurred. So, to be speaking with one, and NOT having it attack you outright was usually, nothing short of dumb luck. So, currently, very thin ice was being stomped on.

"As stated before, we're searching for-"

"Your goals are of no consequence to me, answer what I inquired." The beast snarled, clearly not in the mood for games, and clearly having experience with at least someone versed in social play. As he snuffed any mere inkling that it was going to be a roundabout answer the moment it reared it's head.

"He is my apprentice, and I am showing him the world, as well as the wonders of magic he's yet to explore." Izaneus replied once more, though this time. Much more tentatively. So as to not invoke the anger of a beast who could sigh flames that could melt the room.

"With everything as it is, you believe this to be wise?" The Dragon questioned suspiciously, it's eyes fixed on the Phortean Heir with the intensity of a brewing tempest.

"...Wise by no means, But life itself often throws illogical solutions at us." The Blonde haired wizard found himself answering, before realizing the folly of speaking without thought around a Dragon. Who eyed him once more, before a slight huff escaped it's maw.

" Very well, You've been... Forthcoming, for the most part. Though your ignorance speaks volumes. Your ancestors were much the same, and one of they even recently performed a service in my name."

It's words caused a flurry of thoughts In Izaneus, his ancestors had visited this Dragon before? How? When? One had visited recently? Wh-

His breath hitched in his throat, his eyes lost focus, as one thought came to mind.

"Father?"

"Ah... H-how-" Before he spoke, Elise grabbed his shoulder. Tightly, Shaking her head. She'd seen those signs before, and Iza was about to do something stupid. Even if it was just a question. Dragons, were more likely to have you barter for it than give it away, and they were already on the verge of performing some idiotic act for the research they should ALREADY have.

Izaneus turned back with a pleading stare, vulnerable. With a couple deep breaths, he steeled himself, and turned back to the dragon, who looked on as he ceased his pacing. The soft rumble of his footfalls ceasing as well.

" W-What task would you ask of us?" Izaneus asked, voice shaky, and unsure. Trying to mentally assure himself, it probably wasn't his father. "Recently" For a Draconic beast often entailed centuries, and asking something of a dragon just after asking for something else never spelled good tidings for those involved.

Well, there was always the odd legend that spoke of benevolent Dragons, who offered assistance to all who found them.

But legends were not reality, and one had to be careful, because if they weren't they could very easily just end up as a pile of ashes waiting to be swept aside.

This was certainly an exciting little adventure. That, at least, was for sure.
 

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"Hmmm...well in the matters of dragons, the fleeting lives of mortalkind mean very little..." the pacing wyrm hummed. Elise cleared her throat in a petulant cough, but if the dragon heard it, there was no acknowledgement.

"...But serendipity finds me in need of two magically adept...infiltrators." he grinned, seeming to relish the trailing syllables. The vampire rolled her eyes, keeping her senses peeled for any sign of something useful she could simply grab and run with. Unfortunately, the dragon's lair was filthy with enchantments and illusions; there was no telling whether something she touched was a rock or an artifact.

"And what would we be infiltrating, exactly?" Izaneus quipped, doing his best to appear calm. A shiver rippled down the dragon's crystalline hide, and his head snaked around to leer at the trespassers.

"Tyretlethen, the Azure Tyrant. A young upstart of a dragon who managed to...hmmmm...acquire something of mine without asking. I want it...back." the beast breathed. The green flames that danced between the basalt pillars pulsed with apparent anger as the dragon said Tyretlethen's name.

"...and what is the item? What can you tell us-" the prodigy pressed, but Elise cut him off.

"Hold up. Even assuming everything you say is true...what's the payoff? We get to leave here alive? More work?" Elise said, spreading her arms in challenge. The emerald wyrm breathed for a second, before lowering his face dangerously close to Elise's own.

"You seek the secrets of Archivist Hammuzi, yes? Hmmm...what if I could guarantee you access to that lost vault you found deep in the wastes of Mesa Roja?"

"I'd say bullshit. No one can make that kind of guarantee without showing the proof of it up front." Elise spat. The serpentine head recoiled slightly, rebuffed by the vampire's candor, and the dragon's chest filled with a shuddering breath. Izaneus prepared for the worst, in spite of himself; his lessons had always specified that a dragon could breath its weapon without a second's notice.

Instead, the monster released a depressed, weary sigh.

"I had thought you three to be sharper than this. Ah well. Perhaps I should be more...hmmmm...overt..." the dragon said, gathering itself up.

A sound suddenly came from behind them, and the three magicians turned to see the gnome guard captain squeezing and jabbing the buttons of a massive bellows accordion.

"Master...why is that little man playing that hand organ?" Rean murmured in a quivering voice.

"Ah shit." Elise whispered, but before she could explain, the emerald lights of the dragon's chamber all flared into brilliance, casting everything into a sheer, green radiance.

"I AM MASTER ARCHIVIST HAMMUZI...AND YOU THREE...ARE ALREADY HOPELESSLY UNDER MY SPELL." Hammuzi thundered in simultaneous telepathic and roaring finality. Stony trap doors suddenly sprang open along the galleries of the steaming cave, revealing an entire band of gnomish musicians, playing some sort of twisted polka music.

"Run." Elise blurted plainly. She grabbed Rean by the hand and turned on her heel to sprint, with the Phortean heir immediately following suit.

But then the dragon started singing.

I once went by Hammuzi
The whole story's
such a doozy
So I'll have to be more choosey
Oh la la ha ha haaa~


Suddenly the dragon was in front of them, along with a wall of spitting green flames. Izaneus glanced behind them. The dragon was there too.

I've lived on every crossroad
Every world and every zip code
Anywhere the wind blowed
Oh la la ha ha haaa~

What will you dooo~?
My spell's on youuu~
Now you're miinnee~


Elise flung her hands at the dragon behind them, sending a ray of scarlet death whistling towards Hammuzi. It was an illusion, and the dragon's image puffed into a swirl of smoke before reforming. Izaneus, seeing this, hurled a mote of ice at the wyrm in front of them. This, too, was a mere projection of Hammuzi.

My treasure is my writing
The research is exciting
I don't have time for fighting
So now you work for meee~


"Master!" came Rean's shout. Elise looked down to see the hand she was holding belonged to a lifeless mannequin. Rean had fallen behind, and was stuck behind a grinding stone platform that was moving away from them. Izaneus immediately began to spring towards the youth, but Hammuzi suddenly appeared from the whirling fog and clamped his jaws around the child.

"No!" Izaneus screamed, only to stumble as the draconic visage resolved into an iron cage, which began to winch upwards into the ceiling.

Something slammed into Elise - a massive green tail - which sent her crumbling into the stone staircase where the gnomish band continued to drum and honk on their horns.

The tempo increased, and Hammuzi appeared again from a sudden pit that ground open in front of them.

Hammuzi's just a cover name that hides my verdant crystal flame
Lesser dragons crave my fame
But now you work for meee~

So take me at my honest word, be brave and don't you be deterred
Or else I'll make your head injured
Oh la la ha ha haaa~


Elise tried in vain to see where the cage carrying Rean was cranking itself up to, but the ceiling of the cave was suddenly obscured by a tessellating fractal of Hammuzi's leering, grinning face.

Izzy use your mage craft, find the kid and run fast! she sang, much to her surprise. She hadn't expected to fall so easily into the dragon's charm spells, but here she was singing and dancing like a damn clown.

Watch out for the flame blast! Izaneus responded in kind.

But now you work for meee~ Hammuzi exalted, puffing a short burst of emerald flames which danced just above the two wizards' heads.

What will you dooo~?
My spell's on youuu~
Now you're miinnee~


The gnomish band slowed its tempo to a crawl, and began to kick their feet in time with the massive dragon's prancing.

Your choice was not in my cards

Kick.

My charms can beat your safeguards

Kick.

So go retrieve my Lore Shards

For now you work for meeeeeeeeeEEEEEeee~


With a final, spread-winged flourish, the room went dark.
 

Izaneus Phortea

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Izaneus found himself somewhere within the precipice of exhaustion and groggy alertness. He stood, his body shouting out in a chorus of pain that let him know something wasn't right. He turned his head in search for his apprentice, he looked and turned as many times as he could to find Rean.

And yet he wasn't there, his eyes found nothing But Elise laying next to he. Further observation showed him he was just outside the entrance to Hammuzi's cave.

That was when everything came flooding back to the poor Wizard, who's eyes widened in shock and desperation. Without hesitation he threw everything he had at the stone prison that held his student, magic, words, and his own body. Which was what Elise woke to not long after he did, seeing Izaneus rapidly throw his meek fist against the door in desperation, leaving a small imprint of his now bloody fist upon the wall, shouting profanities at the artificer who she'd been searching for all this time.

"I'll encase you in a prison which subjects you to your worst nightmares! I'll feed you to a pack of wolves piece by piece!!" He shouted furiously. His once casual and cool demeanor fallen at the behest of his apprentices kidnapping. Meanwhile, anger was not the only emotion which flooded the wizard, guilt also had it's due place in his heart as things were. Seeing as not only was Iza the one who brought Rean along, Iza was the one who showed Rean the wonders of magic, and showed him the beauty of being a Wizard. This, directly or otherwise, was the fault of one Izaneus Phortea, and he felt euphoria as he did this, savage, ruthless euphoria. Euphemia looked on from the distance, concerned.

As he repeatedly slammed his fist against the stone, damaging his hand more and more, these thoughts invaded his mind, until, as he reeled back his exhausted arm for one more go. His hand was stopped from launching against the door. Whipping his head around, He saw Elise, staring at him with her Vampiric eyes, from within his self-hatred and enraged state. " Just, calm down now Izzy, We'll get 'em back, and I'm definitely coming back for that bitch." She growled, but on that note, she didn't particularly expect herself to be the one calming him down. Especially with how irritating he'd been of late.

Izaneus nodded, looking down at his fist, and the blood dripping from his knuckles, his emotions were still high. But why had he suddenly had that rush of rage, fear and murderous intent? He'd never had an emotional outburst as violent as that. Even at home. Not only that, but it left as quickly as it came. Was something the matter with himself?

These thoughts were all too taxing to consider directly, and he couldn't fathom it's meanings, or cause's. So he simply didn't for the time being, instead, deciding to mentally call his familiar to him, which coo'd up to his touch, as if reassuring the wizard everything would be okay

Elise turned her head from the sight. Mostly due to the blood coating Iza's hand, this wasn't particularly the time to lose control, even if she just wanted to feast.

A sigh escaped her as she covered her mouth with her hand. This whole fucking trip was just one irritating mess after another. First, it was the hike itself, then it was that fucking core, now it was Rean's likely capture. She looked around, using her sights, and powers to scour the world for any signature of arcane presence the boy wouldn't understand how to hide.

There was a faint glimpse into Hammuzi's vault. But she suspected that was so they understood the gravity of the situation. This was no longer a simple deal. Sure enough, not long after she discovered the signature did it fade completely. He was playing them.

It was now very technically a hostage situation. Yet, as the deal terms stood. The favor was theirs. They would get access to the vault,and Rean back, meanwhile that sniveling draconic cunt, would only get his lore shards.

He was obviously willing to give his secrets in the vault for the artifacts, which led Elise to ponder the nature of the shards in question. Why did he want them back so badly?

Izaneus was getting done with his comfort session finally, which brought Elise to recall what Hammuzi said about her wizardly companion.

"On another note, we should prolly get movin', dunno 'bout you, but I wanna eviscerate that bastard as soon as possible." She stated calmly. Watching as Izaneus looked back toward the vault with disdain, and pure hatred in his eyes. Before nodding to her request, suddenly much more quiet, but following along nonetheless.

How did everything suddenly become so complicated?
 

Elise

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Two days later, Elise and Izaneus were out of the Dragonspine Mountains and sitting in a...rustic...tavern with two grim expressions and a single goblet of wine between them. The walnut table had been waxed over and varnished multiple times to try and ease out the splinters and weathering from countless asses and elbows. A large piece of plywood was stacked ontop of a couple milk crates to form the 'stage' where a single bard of middling skill was crooning away about...ladies and turnips or something. Who cared.

Izaneus had not suffered the hike back from Hammuzi's lair as well as the journey up to the gnomish village. He was sunburnt, weary, and generally grumpy about the past forty-eight hours of rough living. In true draconic fashion, Hammuzi hadn't just stolen his apprentice from him, he'd also taken the bulk of their camping gear and provisions 'on retainer' until they completed their task.

If that wasn't enough, the two wizards had also deduced that Hammuzi had placed them under a particularly compelling Geas spell to keep them driven on their task to take the Lore Shards back from the Archivist's draconic rival. The barkeep, a rusty-haired half-ogre who was desperate to keep the tab running, hollared from his place behind the bar.

"Y'sure youz don't want anyfin ta drink, lass?" he barked. Elise rolled her eyes and muttered with indolent venom.

"Not even your stupid neck, grimy."

"Wozzat?"

"Nothing. All good." she said over her shoulder. She ran her hand across Greenstripes' mantle as the terratopus lay dozing in her lap. Likewise, Euphemia was seated at the edge of their table, preening herself thoughtfully. The vampire glanced at her wizarding companion, who seemed to be lost in the divination of his wine cup.

"Looks like we're dragon hunters now." she said, glancing at her nails.

"That's the third time these past few days you've said that." Izaneus quipped back. Normally, she would have been quite eager to get into a hissy-fit with him over such catty behavior, but for all of her gothic leanings, Elise pitied the young Phortea. He had been so optimistic about getting a second chance at mentoring someone, only to march the poor kid into a dragon's lair and get him captured. She knew just how painful failure could be, and honestly, this one had to rank pretty high on the Fucked Charts.

Whatever. It was time to be action-oriented.

"...we're gonna need some help..." she said slowly, "...if you wanna get the kid back, that is. I can probably break the Geas with enough time."

Izaneus merely gave her a withering glare and drained his goblet.

"I want Rean back. I made him a promise." he spat. Elise put her hands up defensively, and straightened her posture.

"You got it man. We gonna need help then." she repeated. Izaneus sighed and placed his head down on folded arms.

"What, like an adventuring party?" he grumbled. Elise puffed out a short sigh. This was every wizard's worst nightmare, to be honest. Both of them would have much preferred to be sitting in a dusty tower, reading their tomes and pondering their orbs. The prospect of sharing the road, glory, and not to mention personal space, with two idiotic randos was tiresome to say the least.

But any dragon, even a 'young upstart' like Tyretlethen, was not to be underestimated.

"Yup." Elise sighed.

Izaneus simply let out a long, indulgent groan of self-pity in response. This was going to get very...

...silly.
 
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