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--- Cliffside --- --- --- ---

"It is a complicated history Owle." Once again Omikron held his arm out to warn of a final drop before they were in the gardens, "The Tyr'Kana were both great warriors and great magi, there culture unfortunately leaned towards Athan's thinking. Ignoring the magi completely and glorifying the warriors, the kings were the greatest generals and even the high priests were only those that could fight as well as comprehend secrets."

Insuring that Owle had stopped Omikron bent at the knees and jumped off the edge of the cliff. He plummeted for a bit, but it was clear the shadelord was still in complete control. When he hit the ground with a resounding thump, he landed so that the impact would be dampened and was crouched right the the ground when he stopped moving. Calmly he arose and looked up towards Owle.

"Be very careful," It wasn't a yell persay but Omikron was speaking louder, "I will catch you."

--- Mana Forge --- --- --- ---

While Athan was looking for a stick there was work beginning in the background. The shades had mostly been making weapons to arm their current troops with weapons beyond what they could conjure at a moments notice. Items crafted from Forgotten Shadesteel had properties that regular Forgotten matter weapons did not have, plus it was less taxing on the shade to fight with. It was at The Strange Man's advice that they decided to create a small stockpile.

Thus from down the stairs came shades in three pairs carrying a rack of weapons or armour between the two of them. The strange man seemed pleased at both the shades and Athan.

"Well, if you can swing still... What do you use?"

--- Chasm --- --- --- ---

The walk continued as Valiant seemed surprisingly glad from Meri's words. Not from facial expression, as one eye doesn't covey emotion very well, but rather the way the shade moved.

"Thought you were doing good." Noel was a curious one and that love of research came out in his voice, "I don't mean to pry, but I thought you said you were a paladin. Now unless it was of some darker god... Which I'm assuming not since if you shunned their ways now you'd refer to them as dark or death or whatever silly word knights... I've digressed, I thought paladins did good in general?"

The makeshift staff was dropped as soon as Athan caught notice of the shades descending from the staircase. The weapons they brought were unexpected, but hardly unappreciated. After all, Athan had never expected to be thrown into a battle shortly after arriving in Syntaxis, nor did he expect to ever regain his lost forearm.

So when packing for the trip he had abandoned what little armor he wore and chose to invest in a smaller, lighter sword that could be wielded in one arm. It was still big by most standards, but uncomfortably small for Athan.

He took his time, perusing the various items.

"If Omikron did as much research on me as he led me to believe, I shouldn't have much trouble finding something..."

Athan would reach out, grabbing out for the tallest sword he could possibly find. Whether or not it was up to Athan's standards would be determined once it was removed from the rack.

"...like this."

The weapon was not as massive as most of Athan's weapons tended to be. It was an impressive feat that the shades were able to create weapons from such a metal, but the lack of size and bulk was a little disheartening to Athan, who had only chosen to wield a similar weapon out of necessity.

It wasn't like the weapon was tiny by any means. It stood just over five feet tall and was a hefty item, weighing close to fifteen pounds, but hardly the stone breaker that Athan had chosen to wield in past adventures.

After a cursory inspection, he frowned.

"You have anything bigger?"

--- Gardens --- --- --- ---

If Owle did trust Omikron would not fail.

There was no joking when it came to this part, from the moment she jumped a yellow eye was watching how she would fall. There would be a few steps, a quick glance, an adjustment of steps and then one last glance. This was to the shadelord's satisfaction, and as the jump was not ridiculously high Owle would be falling into his now outstretched arms at that moment. Knees would bend to ensure Owle had the softest landing possible, but the catch couldn't be all softness as Omikron had to ensure strength to support her. There was no doubt his large right arm could support as it reached behind her back and under an arm. He couldn't leave her like that, too much of a jerking motion, thus fluidly his free arm pushed up from behind her legs to scoop Owle up.

Omikron had only decided to catch her this way because it appeared most comfortable. The moment though lasted longer than a simple catch, shadelord cradling shifter.

A yellow eye blinked before the thought of what came next even came to mind. Realising not the moment, but the fear Owle may have been uncomfortable in his gauntlet like arms, crouched slightly and began to drop his left and therefore Owle's legs. It would be easy to get up once feet touched ground.

"Well..." The shadelord turned away to face the gardens as he attempted to remember his place, "It was the rift between the warriors and the magi that allowed The Forgotten in... The mages believed they were in an unfair situation, while the warriors were never prepared for such an opponent.

--- Mana Forge --- --- --- ---

The two shades that had brought down the sword just looked at each other, and then to Athan with a dumbfounded look in their eye. They had just brought down the weaponry suited for human and regular shade sized creatures. This man wanted something bigger? They looked to the man with no name in hopes of some sort of signal, and he just looked stern.

"Well, you have heard Athan." While this was the strongest sternest tone he had spoken in thus far there was no note of superiority to it, "You should get Athan one of the swords made for the Rooks. They won't miss it, they prefer beating things down with their bare hands anyway."

And the two nodded in unison and ran back upstairs to raid the weapons intended for shades and not storage.

"Is there any armour you usually use Athan?" Once again his tone was matter of fact but not condescending. The man was honestly worried about Athan going into battle unprotected, "If this doesn't suit we can have the shade try again. They're not exactly used to making armour that doesn't fuse to the body."

It was then one of the shades returned with a new - much bigger - sword. The small pawn type barely was able to keep it off the ground. As it pulled and stressed the second shade peaked down the stairs getting another look at it before returning to the forge. The sword carrier's eye was wide at the lack of help, but it somehow managed to present the sword to Athan.



--- Western Quarter --- --- --- ---

The group of three had wandered from the absolutely ruined chasm, into the shade repaired western quarter. The buildings here had been redesigned to provide "homes" for the shades, creatures that had never been used to such a concept. Thus the building often housed ten or fifteen shades with an amount of personal space most people would find appaling.

They didn't mind at all.

"No, no. Don't apologise, I've talked your ear off more than enough today, and will likely continue doing so once we get to my home." He smiled and Valiant nodded to back him up, "It's a very interesting story behind your personal philosophy. Myself, I've only met one follower of Falis... Shortly after I began to help Omikron prepare our first attempt at a home actually... But I've digressed now, continue if you'd like."

Meri smiled and shook her head. "No, it's fine. I know that Sey isn't completely blameless. I heard tales of what she did during the Grand Battle." She seemed to realize that she wasn't speaking to a fellow Falican who would know the girl who'd been seen as the Savior of the Falican Order. " Pardon. Seyumi was the name of the girl I mentioned. But she's been raised to believe in the power of Falis since she was a babe. Even the first time I met her as six, it was known that she would become a great one..."

Merielle laughed in memory. "Though I believe her father thought she would become a paladin or some sort. She was a bit like a hyperactive child on sugar. Never still for a moment. I think Georg understood that." That brought a bittersweet smile to Merielle's face to think that that wonderful man was gone. "I know he seemed to understand my own inner conflicts. He was the strongest mage I ever knew. Physically, mentally and otherwise...I still don't understand how he---" She paused, unable to for a moment hold back a sob for the man she loved like an uncle. She hadn't seen him in years, and yet, it hadn't mattered.

--- Gardens --- --- --- ---

"They had no reason to, Owle." The hulking figure spoke as he began down one of the stone paths, "The magi that summoned the Forgotten became the avatar of the Forgotten and was granted great power to accomplish his goals... Unfortunately, while the Magi was successful in starting a civil war, much like your friend Sey his goals were corrupted to align with The Forgottten's."

Omikron didn't say anything after he realised he had evoked young Seyumi. A girl who he had unwittingly assisted down a dark path, and who's failure had given him his freedom... A girl who would only later come to assist his people despite what they had did to her. Thus his armoured feet clicked along the hard ground unaccompanied by his words. He was still paying attention to the variety of colourful flowers and impressive trees, and was making an active effort to lead Owle down the most interesting path.

"It was... Unfortunate..."

--- Mana Forge --- --- --- ---

The injured man looked Athan over from head to toe, he certainly was a formable warrior now.

"I believe the best course of action may be to return to the palace's war room." The man had already begun to shamble up the steps, "I've told you all about the past, so I may as well catch up up on recent developments. Though, now that you're geared up you may just want to train with the shades up that way."

"That is unless you have something else you'd like to see around the city?"

--- Western Quarter --- --- --- ---

"Sey... Why do I remember that name?" In truth the girl had attempted to heal him when he specifically instructed her to stop, he had blotted out that memory.

"No matter, I'm sure I'm just over thinking." He smiled and shrugged, "So, I'm assuming that this Georg is the man lost at the temple?"

"I have a feeling I'll have plenty of time to tour the city once we tie up these loose ends."

With the Rook's Destroyer balanced on his shoulder, Athan would start to follow his companion back up the stairs. All the while making a mental note to himself that he needed to rig up a new strap the moment he had some free time on his hands.

"As for training, I'd like to have an idea as to what's going on before I start gearing myself up for a big fight. I'm sure the shades wouldn't mind me missing out on a few exercises anyway."

--- Some time after the attack --- --- ---

It was becoming abundantly clear that the man who had helped Athan was cursed with an interesting life.

Alpha had orchestrated quite of plan to have access to the Moam Gate, and with most injured either in the battle leading up to or the chaos caused by opening the gate... Well, the man had to revise a promise he made to himself a long time ago. There were humans at Syntaxis now, a small force gathered by two deceived men who now slept with what they came here to destroy. For the first time in many years the man had begun to practice healing magic to sooth the battered humans. Still, he maintained a part of his promise as he still refused to heal himself.

Thus he retreated to a quiet place in the gardens, to sit alone with his bruises and scars. The shades seemed to avoid this place, and it didn't take the humans long to begin to do the same thing. Hundreds of grave markers worn smooth with time and long overtaken by plant life.

The man felt clam here amongst the spirits. He savored that feeling, as he knew there was even more work to be done afterwards.