Re: Zweirugi plies his trade
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2020 1:33 am
Draconics wrote: They continue.
Aeromage wrote: With more kids than can comfortably be carried and the Chancel being kept out of the equation, it's considerably slower going getting back to the city, especially across the rough, unpaved terrain that forms the top of the chasm's edge.
By the time the group reaches the wide, smooth white-stone road leading to the bridge, the sun has already sunk below the far horizon, wan streamers of red and gold light giving way to the deeper hues of late dusk. High above, the rippling surface of the green moon remains oddly bright, beginning to tint the land below with similar verdant hues.
The bridge is closed off from the outside world by a large, ornamental gatehouse, its doors firmly shut and green-armoured guards weilding spears standing alert before it.
"Halt! Identify yourseeaaaaiiii mean welcome, great and honoured Tamers of the Order!" The guard closest to the group, upon seeing them, goes through a complicated series of poses starting out as 'menacing' and ending in 'deferential'. "Please, allow us to open the gates for you-- the GATES, open the GATES you idiots, there are members of the Order here waiting!"
A hurried series of frantic hand-gestures is followed by the huge doors creaking open to allow access to the bridge.
"We'll send word to ensure the gates to the city are held wide open for you, honoured Tamers of the Order! Please, don't let us impede your passage!"
Lucern mutters to Zwei as they pass through to the wide bridge and out of earshot of the guards. "We should probably hurry. If they hear at the Academy that a group of us have come back, they'll put two and two together, and we might end up in something really complicated. Or you will, anyway. If you can get us as far as the Ascension Chambers at the base of the pillar, we can get to the Jade Gate easily from there. It's the big glass-roofed set of buildings at the end of the central road. You can't miss it."
Draconics wrote: "A-affirmative," Zweirugi works to balance the load. He is mentally itching for a drag.
He will nod approvingly and continue to accompany them to the Ascension Chambers as per the plan.
Aeromage wrote: The last dregs of sunlight continue to sink below the horizon, mostly blotted out by the huge central pillar and plethora of other supports holding up the vast structure that is the upper layer of the city. Tall, stone lamps lining the bridge flare to life, casting pools of white-green light across the well-worn flagstones. In the city beyond, similarly-hued light begins to fill the street and limn the rooftops as more of the same presumably activate, contrasting with the warmer tones of lamplight from the multitude of windows and the fading edges of sunset.
As promised, the far gates of the bridge are open and flanked by more guards standing to attention. Several pedestrians and citygoers with business at the city's edge are also present, standing around and staring at the odd parade making its way towards the city. Open staring quickly turns into deferentially-bowed heads as the onlookers realise the exact makeup of the group, but it certainly seems like Zwei's party is starting to garner some attention.
The kids have gotten into some sort of dual-line formation in front of the sword-man swordsman and are hurrying in a manner in which the hurrier is trying not to look like they're hurrying with some semblance of dignity. The long robes are somewhat helping to disguise the frantic legwork going on underneath, and the sudden spate of respectfully averted gazes is probably doing the rest of the work for them, but it still, to Zwei's eyes, looks awkward as all hell. They've probably got appearances to uphold, but still.
The group hurries down the main road beyond the entry bridge, passing important-looking businesses and hotels, across bridges that open out to views of the lamplit streets and rooftops of the layer below (with large patches of near pitch-black darkness intersperced between where the lower layer's bridges cross the void of the Clavia Chasm), and into a huge, open area as the buildings split off and give way to a huge piece of parkland split by a wide road bearing a cloud-and-tree pattern, the green space large enough to contain small woods and artificial hills, as well as lakes and streams. Emerald banners bearing a keyhole-and-crossed-keys motif flap fitfully in the evening breeze, hanging from poles affixed to tall, extravagant stone lamps that march along the roadside. Directly ahead lies an even wider and more extravagant avenue, lined with long rows of archways bearing similar green banners, bedecked with brilliant floral displays and wispy, flower-bearing trees in full blossom, and dotted with elaborate, gilded lamp-posts set with glittering green stones. The entire road is floodlit green, painting the opulently-set flagstones that spread their way further towards the centre of the city and a well-lit low, sprawling building crafted from green-tinted white marble, jade, glass and gold filigree. A great set of four square pillars erupt from the centre of the complex, interlaced with intricate designs in gold filigree on some form of glass or crystal enclosure, an extravagant array of green-and-gold galleried staircases and viewing pavilions climbing the structure's sides like extremely expensive ivy. The entire thing is lit up like Walrusfest night. This, presumably, is the Ascension Chambers mentioned.
Zwei hears distant shouts over the evening sounds of the city and the rushing and whistling of the gathering wind. Having been somewhat trained by his prior excursion below, he believes he can also hear the sound of a carriage rattling along in the distance at speed. It might be getting closer.
Draconics wrote: "All right, I think it be best I part ways as mentioned here. Lest I need to fight more of the school staff. Please give Tristan his charm back, here," He'll hand the thing, with whatever he managed to stick on it, to the nearest kid.
"I'll watch from the night sky for a bit in case, signal if you need me." The Swordsman, still awkwardly balancing the load with his three hands, will row his enraged wings and take off upward into the cover of night. He taps into this Lord Owl's Iron-Rimmed Glasses to help watch through the darkness to make sure they cross to the Jade Gate.
Aeromage wrote: One subtly-lucked-up talisman is deposited on Molen, who seems to be on board with giving it back to Tristan when he can.
"Thank you, Mister Zweirugi," Lucern offers by way of parting, "I'll... find some way to repay you for helping us!"
An almost-complete chorus of agreement and farewells follow (absent from the still-grumbling and presumably hurting Ferroc) before the children turn and hurry down the opulant road towards the Chambers.
Zwei, awkwardly balancing his box-stack and assorted other spoils, takes to the sky with the speed of rage! Tapping into his eyewear's greatly vision-enhancing abilities, he finds he has no trouble keeping watch on proceedings from the air.
The gaggle of mini-tamers hurry their way towards the extravagant structure, which appears to have a considerably large number of guards presently posted around it. They do nothing to impede the children, however, respectfully standing to attention at their approach and opening the heavy doors to the Ascension Chambers' interior to allow them entry.
A minute or two later, movement within the tall glass-and-gold tower catches the swordsman's attention. Ornate chains rise and fall, and a fancy padoga-style platform emerges from within the complex to ascend the tower- some sort of overly-fancy elevator contraption, by the looks of it. The children are all present, along with one or two guards that presumably double as lift attendants.
The sound of rattling wheels draws Zwei's attention back to the 'ground' of the layer below, an official-looking black carriage with white accents pulled by odd-looking horses hurrying up towards the complex proving to be the source.
An officious-looking woman in an elaborate black-and-white shrine maiden's robe steps out and hurries over to the guards, who are far less accomodating than they were with the mini-tamers. They seem to be having something of an argument.
Meanwhile, the pagoda-lift swiftly makes its way further up the tower, vanishing from sight for a moment as it passes through the thick base of the House Layer and into a delicate confection of a translucent, domed jade-and-crystal rotunda set amidst elaborate gardens, just before the huge walls marking off the main body of the layer. Set into them is a gigantic door, several stories in height and made of two solid slabs of shining green stone, depicting four great entities- a dragon, a robed woman, an armoured knight, and a hooded figure in a robe of stars- encircling the now-familiar and ever-present keyhole-and-keys symbol of House Clavis. That, given the sheer scale and apparant importance of it, must be the Jade Gate.
The mini-tamers, accompanied by the guards, make their way through the gardens along the white-dyed-green-by-moonlight path to the huge entrance, where a few words are exchanged with yet more guards at its base. A minute or so later, the enormous portal begins to ponderously open inwards.
The shrine maiden(?) below, now joined by others in shrine priest's robes in similar colour schemes, has finished arguing and has entered the complex. Given the pagoda-lift is still up at the House Layer, however, it seems unlikely she or her companions will be likely to interfere in any sort of fashion. If they're part of the Spiritual Defense Force Tristan mentioned, it's likely Zwei has succeeded in preventing things from getting too complicated by letting the children get taken to the Academy by them.
Draconics wrote: Zweirugi nods approvingly and will jostle the load to get himself a cigarette in triumph.
"Right, now just the last task of flying out of here, hopefully without too many more abomination maids and shit."
He will turn and start with a reasonable pace off into the distance, back towards the gate to Nexus at a pace much less breakneck but just as purposeful as his arrival.
Aeromage wrote: Job done to his satisfaction, Zwei turns and flies off into the viridian-hued night, leaving the lights of the city- and the events of the city beneath- behind him.
The night is peaceful, and his flight is swift, allowing him to reach the Gate Complex without hindrance. It would seem he's fortunate enough to arrive back during a shift change, too, allowing him to go straight through the portal without any inconvenient questions that might otherwise be asked about his precarious stack of questionably-healthily-gotten-gains.
Summary of items gained (and incoming items from certain involved parties via mail) to come!
Draconics wrote: BUT!
Is Zweirugi free?
Aeromage wrote: Unless he has more to do, yes.
Draconics wrote: FREEEEEEEEEEEEE
I have one follow-up lead, but I can do it later.