Retribution of a Fallen God

[SaigoKusunoki]

The spirit cocked it's head, amused.

"It is a possibility. If he has...he is certainly different, and is masking himself. But I would not mention his name out loud. There are forces at work more powerful than any of my kin could match...this world interests many higher beings...it would be wise to keep quiet about that issue. I would say the boy has made quite a show...is that all you require?"

*****

Enav had descended the walls and began making his way throughout the barracks, cheering up the superstitious and paranoid amongst the soldiers. He pulled a wooden stool next to a particular soldier, a man who seemed in his thirties.

"Garvi, lad, ya look troubled. What be on your mind?"

The man shrugged and fiddled with a dagger, cleaning and trimming his nails with it. "I feel weary. It has only been eight months since the last attack...where my company took a heavy loss. We are ready for anything...in body. In heart...Im not sure my men can stand up to another assault. That wind...it had to have been of demonic origin."

Enav shook his head and handed his still lit pipe to the man. "Nah lad you worry too much. Its probably one o' them elves screwin' with magic and such, you know how they do. Now, I wanna see smile from this here company or I'll kick all o' yer hides." He said with a smile. Garvi grinned after taking a long draw from the pipe and handing it back.

For all of their sakes, Enav hoped he was right.

[PhoenixFlame]

The sorceress nodded, cryptic... but direct. She would have expected nothing less. "I understand... Yes, that will be all." she bowed, "Many thanks, you are dismissed." With this, she snuffed the brazier, and quietly sat down.

Regardless if it were true, there could be no counting on good fortune. Morian's army would certainly know the barrier had broken, and was likely already marching his army down upon them, even more likely with greater number and superior troops. Even knowing this, Elvilad would never order or permit an evacuation, there would be too many to move with haste, and where would they go? Supplies would quickly run out, and the forces of darkness would undoubtely harry them at every turn.

No, there would be a seige, that was certain. The hour was less certain.

Though she would never admit it, Auvrea doubted just how prepared the academy was for such an event. Complacency was never a luxury, but with the ward...

Rising slowly, Auvrea recovered her staff from it's place beside her door, and took her place at the window, staring off toward the horizon. They, would be coming.

[SaigoKusunoki]

The next morning, Elivilad made it clear that all students must assemble in the courtyard quickly and quietly. Though the quick part was achieved, quiet was not; all of the students were gossiping and talking about that previous night. Whether they were awake or asleep, in tune with magic or not, every student felt that wind. Some were frightened, others were playing hero, but all had a feeling of uneasiness. All looked to Elvilad for support, for hope, for anything. He raised his arms and quieted all of the students.

"Though I assume you all know already, last night there was a strange magical wind. There are rumors about Morian's army marching to us, and there is even silly gossip about the Seal being broken. I want to assure all of you that last night was just a releasing of energy. For a while now, the Winds of Magic have been clouded by a Tempest, a surge of magical energy that distorts the flow of the winds. Well, last night, that Tempest flew over us. Do not be alarmed."

Elvilad sighed as he saw the relieved look on the faces of the students; he knew he was lying, and that the truth would now hit them even harder once he was forced to tell them. He had found those students who were awake, who had seen the Seal shatter with their own eyes, and sternly ordered them not to say anything to the rest, that he had a plan to keep them safe. Lies piled on top of lies, he realized, but he had to do something, anything, to keep the students calm.

He had not seen Sunev since last night. She had locked herself in her room, doing who knows what. Elvilad pitied the girl; she had lost so much, and now, she refused to accept that someone taken from her is returning to her; she refuses to accept it for the mere fact that she doesnt want it taken away again. Elvilad could read her like a book, he realized with a smile.

He wearily went back to his quarters, ready to finally get some shuteye. Like all buildings in the Academy, it was made of polished mahogany, and he had been fortunate enough to have enough polish to keep it looking new. He opened his bedroom door and was halfway pulling his coat off when he stopped abruptly. Someone was standing ten feet away from him, in his room. He was tall, about six foot one, and from the looks of his wolf and bear skin cloak, had come from the northern mountains. He carried an ornate spear of gold and silver. Emerald green eyes peered from the wolfskin headwrapping.

"Who...wha...?" stuttered Elvilad.

The figure chuckled and pulled off the head wrapping. Silvery white hair spilled out and hung to the man's waist. He was wearing a stupid grin.

"Do not alert the students of my presence. To you, and to all of them, I am known as Kauyon, a scout from the north who saw that Morian had sent a small force to attack the school, and came to inform you. By the way, Morian sent a small force of barbarians to attack you."

He spoke of business, but he was nothing but smiles. Elvilad did not know what to do, his heart racing, so he did the only thing he could do. He kneeled.

"Yes my liege."

((OOC: Gotta give this some sort of direction quick, all this multiple area stuff could make this overly complicated.))

[PhoenixFlame]

This was outrageous. Not a thousand years could it have been dreamt, or so thought the (albeit relatively) young sorceress.

It was all Auvrea could conjure within herself to maintain a straight face during Elivilad's courtyard address. Like all of the students and staff, she too looked to him for help, for a plan, for a strategy, but it was all met with nothing but lies and deceit. A fighter's guild in a backwater city surely might have fallen for such a ruse, but an academy? The Academy?

Anyone who had taken intermediate geomancy would have known, without a shadow of a doubt that this was more than just a "random" tempest. Still, she had been told to say nothing, and to act casual. Threatened, almost!

Still, there had to be a reason for it... They just weren't telling her what it was.

"Pah, they wouldn't bother telling an adept or the general staff anyway... If I were but a master, perhaps things would be different." she thought to herself, not daring to speak such a thought aloud. It was unlikely now that she'd ever live take the test, or, more likely in the wishful mind, if the test would live for her to take it.

And so, she remained in the courtyard after the adress, sitting near a small reflection pond, wondering and counter-wondering the need for such secrecy within the heirarchy. Certainly, not all of them were children? Little could the still waters reveal of million year old politics, despite their own formidible age.

[SaigoKusunoki]

Despite Elvilad's comments, rumors still spread like wildfire, albeit behind shut doors instead of out in the open. Amongst those who did not believe the Headmaster was Phoenix. He was always one to question authority, sometimes just for the sake of heated debate. Despite his overall calm and joyful nature, doubt pulled at his insides. He still tried to keep a smile on at all times, but he found it difficult. Something was amiss.

He was wandering the Courtyard when he happened upon the elf Auvrea. She seemed deep in thought, with probably ten times more troubles and doubts than he had. Quietly, he sat down a little ways from her.

"Heya, mind if I join you?"

*****

In Elvilad's room, the Headmaster paced back and forth in anxiety and frustration. What was he going to do? He had so many questions to ask, so much to do, and so little time. He made sure no one was eavesdropping outside his window or door, and then began asking questions.

"Where were you these past five hundred years?"

The Emperor laughed quietly. It was not the jolly laugh the man had so many years ago...more like the laugh of a man who had seen just too much.

"Well...some higher ups didnt like the fact that I died. Didnt like what Malak'har was doing, possessing Morian and all that. So, they put me to the test; I wandered the Nether, with a sort of hitlist. Each being on that list was a demon of immense power. Each kill brought me more power. It was hard at first...but it became a little easier. Met up with Shiro, and my brother Kyogi, at some point...they were doing the same thing, except they were killing demons who were sent by Morian to recruit new demons into his army."

Elvilad nodded, more to himself than to the Emperor.

"Im going to skip a bunch of questions and get straight to it. What are we going to do? Morian obviously knows you have returned...he will mass an army that could span the horizon twice over. There is no way we could defend from this school..."

"Ah. The fun part. Well as far as I know, the force approaching right now is a group of disorganized rabble. I could probably take them on myself. But, while they approach, I know Morian is raising his army. He plans to delay us with this small force, then descend like the executioner's axe...right at our necks. Now...before I can make a solid plan, I need to ask you a few questions."

"Ask away, my lord." Elvilad stopped pacing and sat down in a chair.

"Alright. What has become of my wife, my children, and my allies?"

Elvilad cast his eyes to the ground. A few issues he really wished he didnt have to talk about.

"Your wife is...how do I put this...alive. Alive bodily, broken in spirit. She's sewn her eyes shut, and I would guess she is sleeping right now or she'd be tearing through this building looking for you. Citan was killed in battle a few years after your death...and Uriko, the poor thing died in child birth." he sorrowfully replied.

Saigo's eyes widened, and for a moment, anger flashed across his face.

"Child birth? I take it she was married...was it at least a decent individual?"

"Hardly. After your death, she sought shelter with Kalaador. She eventually was wed to Maleus Pegasi. Whom is still alive, if I recall correctly."

He cringed at the name. Though surely not enemies, Saigo had never really taken a liking to Maleus; though he was loyal to his King, there was definitely something "off" about him. He stifled his anger as best he could, but small objects such as teacups and pens began rattling on their own. Elvilad paled with fear and awe.

"Continue. Did the child live?"

"Yes...in fact, the direct child, your grandson, was delivered here by Maleus himself. He said he would rather let myself raise the child. The descendant of the child still lives; in fact, he is a student here. I have kept watch over every generation of your family, though I have never told them who they are."

"Good. I would like to see the boy later. Now, what of our allies?"

"Well...Naorond is constantly keeping Morian on his heels. They like war a little too much...but their constant raiding has kept Morian from developing a way to destroy the seal prematurely. Ultherathor sits behind their wall of fire, complacent and without worry. I have not heard nor seen Neldor or any Sylvans since your death...but being as the Glade is still alive, I would figure so are they."

Saigo nodded as he absorbed all of the information, and began to formulate a plan.

"Elvilad, is my old dormatory in use?"

"No lord, the entire building has been abandoned and kept locked."

"Good. Give me one night to think things over...and have a talk with Sunev. Oh, and one more thing Elvilad...what happened to Geliath Jerramas, and the forces I led to the South?"

"They occupied the then-unfinished keep built into the Dragonspine mountains...it is called the Bastion of Dawn's Light. "

"What is the size of the army? And is it defensible?"

"It has been under near-constant siege for five hundred years and has not fallen...so I would say it is defensible. The army stationed there is hardly thirty thousand, but they are the finest the world can offer."

"Good good...this is good to know. I will see you tomorrow, old friend. Now, calm yourself, rest, relax. I have promises to keep, and I plan on keeping them. You will one day be at my side again, as the Prime Minister of Archanas, I promise it."

Elvilad was speechless. Saigo spoke with such confidence, such benign generosity and confidence...it kindled the fires of hope in his heart. He merely nodded and smiled, and shook his old friend's hand.

[PhoenixFlame]

Auvrea almost looked suprised at Phoenix's approach... Apparrently, she had fallen into deeper thought than she had origionally anticipated.

"Oh? Not at all. Please, what's on your mind?" she smiled, offering the young man a seat next to herself. It was easy to recognise one of the more prominent rising stars of the academy, especially since he was a little bit of a troublemaker. Still, Phoenix was talented, and not on Morian's side, which was enough to call him a close friend.

"I hear a tempest is responsible for interrupting my studies last night." She continued as the man took his seat. Her tone was one of... Suffice to say, the best veiled sarcasm she could muster.

[SaigoKusunoki]

"Haha, yeah. A tempest..." he lowered his voice "A tempest that could shatter the Seal?

He knew he shouldnt be talking about what he saw, thats what Elvilad said, but he knew Auvrea was no idiot, he knew she had felt something if not seen something last night.

"What did you feel, last night? I dunno...I felt like the Seal was almost a part of me...I'm certainly missing a certain something that Ive felt all my life."

Phoenix began idly picking at the ground. His typical joyous smile was replaced with a look of despair.

"I dont think we're going to be here at the Academy much longer..."

[PhoenixFlame]

She nodded grimly, "Indeed... The academy was never designed to be defensible. If it were, why build the bastion?"

Like Phoenix, Auvrea lowered her voice, and then again, so it were barely a whisper.

"I shouldn't speak of this, but last night, I saw the seal break while I was studying... In a frantic start, I summoned one of it's accompanying wind elementals, well, it was no tempest... I'll leave it at that." She sighed, inwardly cursing at herself for speaking too much. Still, Phoenix was a bright and courageous man, and he deserved to know.

"Elvilad is right, though." She started again, "A great many of the academy could not handle such news. It will fall to us to carry them through the coming storm."

[SaigoKusunoki]

"I see...that is definitely not good...I can see why the old elf is keeping it a secret...let kids know that their one and only defense is gone, and the panic will kill us before the demons do."

Phoenix began fingering the demon teeth at the end of his swords. Touching them brought back the painful memory of his first real combat. He could distinctly remember everything; the sound of the demon's warcry, the smell of it's breath and blood, and how effortlessly his blades had pierced it's stomach, spilling it's insides to the birds to feast on. He quickly shook the vision from his thoughts.

"Auvrea....have you ever had to kill?" He asked. He didnt even really know where the question came from, or why.

[Red Mage Black]

"No wonder there is no food tonight", Black said listening to the footsteps of barbaric soldiers. Something clicked in his mind, though it was something he thought of much when Morian sent out an army. "I will follow if only for a while. Then maybe I will not starve." 'Certainly they are heading for a human capital. The elves are too much trouble to bother.'

"Yes, now only to see where. Once they are done, surely there will be survivors for the taking." Black swept through the area and silently followed the amassed group Morian had sent out. 'With this many they must be heading towards a largely populated area. More for me to feed on.'

(My goodness this moved fast.)