23th January,1012
Rogan smiles and goes to grab Reda's hand but stops a for a second and pulls away,without batting an eye power walking down the halls Reda left in the dust as he struggles to keep up with the speed of this man in green.
"Slow down your walking too fast." Reda's stab wound hindered him to a degree with picking up the pace with Rogan but he doesn't stop speaking his voice slightly with a lofty tone as he walked,"Dear boy,There's a saying from a normalite sage of Omigo 'If you can't walk for it then lose it forever'."
"I don't see how that is related?" Reda was a good two meters away trying to keep up Rogan.Rogan then takes a right and gestures to a flight of delicate marble stairs that reached up at least eight floors max."This is the master stairs.Most places in this building have this as the main way of getting up the place."
Rogan then turns his neck back at Reda."How's about you get floaty again it makes climbing this faster." Reda remembers when he was made weightless."Sure?" But at that moment Reda then realised,eyes widen."Wait where's my axe?I swear I had it on me until I went to that doctor lady."
"Well I yoinked it off yah,when you weren't looking." Rogan took out his shimmering axe from his wavy coat."I took it off you when you entered that medical room it goes to show how jazzy my han-" He gets interupted,"Give it back!"
Rogan then rolls his eyes as he tosses it to him catching it in his hands as he clasps his hands."Au ser fermi" A weightless feeling floods Reda's body the purple aura coating his body with a small humming sound ringing in his ears as Rogan grabs him by the collar gown and jumps floating atop the stairs with ease air rushing past their faces as Rogan scaled it in under five minutes reaching the 9th floor as he held Reda by the collar.
The aura fades as suddenly he drops him to the floor,Unexpectedly Reda grunts as he sat up on the ground."What the heck?" Rogan sighs,"We're here." two doors sat on either end of the halls were massive double doors.In front was the stairs that lead to the 8th floor but they were locked with an indoor gate.
As Reda looked to the left it showed a double door with a mural of a white rose stained in bits of red blood the level of detail was flawless and the painter clearly put more than just skill into that piece.Towards the right he sees doors with a mural of a crow a pair of double doors with a mural of a raven on the hilt of a sword in a worn torn battlefield its red eye beady and painted with pristine detail allowing for a breathtaking display.
"Beautiful ain't it?I always liked his better." Rogan walked towards the right.Reda got up and followed their footsteps echoing.As he opened the doors entering into the office.(Opening it slowly) the sun's rays hit from a window from the front;
A figure sat on a well cushioned chair with their hands on a very large wooden desk,on that desk many papers lie spread around messily,an smell of oak with a spirit of alcohol moves into Reda's nostrils.The room was massive with many shelves about 6 meters tall and had various ravens in cages hung from the ceiling but none of them screeched or moved almost like they were statues but they twitched slightly in an unnerving fashion.Two very specific ravens perch on either side of the head rest of the figure's chair,their eyes surveying the papers intently but due to the interruption of the two the one on the left looks up.
"Another catch?" The man's raspy voice echos out the size of the chair obscured his features under the shadow but,in Reda's view he thought he saw a demon."Oh you silly goose how did you know?" Rogan playful waddles over to him pushing Reda towards him."This kid is Reda Ermm...Last name?" Rogan the whispered."Tell your last name."
"N-norlings." Reda stumbled out."I see that's quite an interesting name,I am Ivory Crow.has he told you about me?Reda Norlings?" The man grew skeptical as he asked a series of questions in rapid succession "You wish to help us? If you substantiate why?What will you gain from working with us?" The man got up from his chair and walked in front of the wide desk and leaned against it.The shadow no longer obscuring his face.
The man held light shade of purple on his hair,and wore a thin black mask that went up from his chin to covering his eyes.He has a very fancy looking uniform on his back reminiscent of Rogan's. Reda gets a tad bit overwhelmed by the questions and asks."What does...Substantiate mean?" (Ivory nods in neutrality) The air gets denser.
"Do I look like an encyclopedia to you?Answer my main question then.Why do you want to do this?" Ivory gets increasing annoyed as Rogan watched calmly from the side."I-I-I want to find my sister!" Reda proclaims,"I have no other answer that is all."
Ivory momentarily stops and nods as one of the crows growl."That's reason enough I have a feeling you're genuine.Welcome to the family kid." Ivory approaches and lends a hand out to be shaken,but Reda looks oddly at his hand."What are you doing?"
"A shake hand? It's common courteous." Ivory locks his hand with Reda's in a firm grip."Shake...Hand..." he said.As he said this he whispers a chant,"Rui"
A bird had a bronze badge in its mouth as Ivory took it out of its mouth and placed it on the desk,"This badge is something for merely for confirmation amongst members of B.A.F don't ever forget this or misplace it got it?"
"Now then Reda I must ask where did you live before Rogan..." A pause ensues as Ivory's raven looks distastefully at him.Rogan responds to this silent attack with an equally disgusted stare with his tongue out before continuing."Took you under his wing."
"Oh yeah I lived in the forest.I dunno about its name but I call it forest." Rogan then chimes in,"This little brown owl came from the south Uthara forest." Ivory then scratches the desk as he nods."That's strange name.I didn't know that."
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Running his hand over the head of one the ravens on his desk"Very well I suggest you get a guide for him to know his ways around the towns and routes don't you think?Besides I've got a few letters to deliver to cridal valley."
"Welp I think we should entrust Cateye with him for a time being what do you think Row?" Rogan says as a book flings past his head at such speeds that it caused his white hair to wave a little scaring Reda by accident as it stuck against the wall."How.Many.Damn.Times do I need to tell you stop calling me that." A sigh escapes the man as he continues."You got a point.Go get that old geezer later.For now kid keep these letters with you." He takes three letters from his desk sliding it on the table."Take it to Cridal town." The raven still holding a judgement to Rogan as Reda takes the three letters.
"Ease up a little,I mean you have to a joke for what is." Rogan shrugs as he leaves Reda turns around to follow but then zips back to grab the badge and puts it into his breecher pocket.Moving out of the office closing the door behind them.
Ivory was able to steal one last glance at the boy's eyes noticing their red iris."Those...Red...Eyes that's a delight.It reminds me of Kaisa-" Reda was lead by Rogan down the stairs in the same way they got up jumping down it weightlessly effortlessly but they stop at the 6th floor
"Well we should get rid of that terrible looking blues shouldn't we?" Reda looks down at his gown."Okay but how?" Rogan points to the door at the end of the hall."That is how." A door with tapestry hand woven onto the door itself.
"That is Mrs.Kenita,she's a sweetheart just don't look at her face she doesn't like to show it off." Reda looks concerningly."Okay can you come with m-" Rogan interjects,"Shhh!Don't think about it just do go in there and ask for a uniform close your eyes whabam! Now don't get cold shoulder go,she takes only one person into her room at a time."
Rogan shoves him to the door with a needle like door handle.Opening a dimly lit room with a single source of light a wax candle on the wall,a woman sitting on a silk woven throne with tapestry of roses and flowers facing away from Reda,the room had mannequins lined up with various uniforms on them on their blank faces mirrors angled in a very specific way;papers pinned to the walls sketches of various uniform designs could be seen,as Reda admired the room's mistic atmosphere it was soon interrupted by a soft pleasant voice.
"Ah hello there." The softness of the voice contrasts the loud heart beats in Reda's heart as he takes a deep breath."Close the door behind you." Reda does as instructed as he enters."I-I came for a soldier u-uniform?"
"Close your eyes." She said slowly getting up from her chair.Reda reluctantly closed his eyes.then a chant is heard,"Metaroi" the uniform strings and belt buckles could be heard from the mannequins begin Reda,"Woah!" He jumps back as string wraps itself around his body his torso,legs and arms eyes tightly closed.
"You are quite a vibrant one aren't you?" She snaps her fingers and approached him he could hear her footsteps she was arm length with him as she asks,"Do you know my name?Perhaps the other recruiters told you.My name is Kenita Lordin it is an honour to seam your uniform."
"T-Thank you too." Reda backs up and does a small bow before feeling his way around to the needle door that pricks him."Ow..." Opening it and entering the other side he noticed a change in his attire."Woah.It's gone?"
"That's Kenita's magic for yee.She can whip up these gob uniforms in under 40 seconds of any size.For any gender pristine quality." Reda looks up to see a different face,a scarred normalite man in his late 60s leaning against a wall with a red eye patch over his left eye.Reda rubs his uniform to check its quality,it was indeed expertly stitched in a way that makes it thick enough to protect him from most attacks,with the trade that it was light enough to allow him to move."It is so good nothing like I've ever worn."
"Wait a minute where's Rogan?" Reda asks looking around,"Listen he said he had some official business to take care of and I'll be showing yee the ways around and such and such." The man took out a pipe before walking down the stairs Reda following suit
Reda comes down to the same landing area."You must be the guide right?" The man rolls his eyes,"Yes I am yee guide to help you deliver letters in the name of General Ivory.Name's Cateye." That was a familiar name that he heard earlier.
Elien was tucked away in the back compartment of a carriage gagged with a cloth on her mouth in with her hands and legs encased in a crystal with the 3 other figures in front of her, the route was winding over and over turns almost disorientating for Elien. Carin the teal haired woman asks staring outside her head held on her palm "Ugh...Its taking so long I think might be a little older by now.Edline do you think I got wrinkly yet?" She bats her eyelashes at him.
The tall figure leans closer and quietly whispers,"You were always quite wrinkly,raisin skin have you considered a skin transplant grandma?" This ticks her off and she slaps the back of his head,not even a reaction came from him as she gives a heated stare of silence before it was broken by the figure in the front most seat of the carriage.
Zerion the burned faced figure with a wheat in his mouth says,"Not yet Carin can you please stop asking so many questions.we'll get there soon till then sleep or interrogate the curse bearer or something.This is why I told you to bring a sketchbook or even a novel to pass the time."
"Boo hoo...A lady like me can't wait,we've been on the hunt for this annoying girl for 2 years can't wait to actually get back to base." Carin says boredly as Zerion looks towards the carriage driver.The driver doesn't make eye contact.
Elien wiggled around as she tried to scream to no avail,as Carin watches her trying to pass the time by watching her.A few hours of travel taking a road north leads eventually lead to a crossroad with a sign."Stop here thank you." Zerion politely requested as the driver stops as the three of them got off.
Carin gets out,alongside ediline holding Elien over his shoulder."We are close." The tall man said humorously to Elien as she struggled on his shoulder."Now then driver do you have a moment can you dismount your horse?" Asked Zerion in the same sincere tone.
"Umm sure?" The rotund man got off the rider's seat as he approached."Well I'd like to thank you for helping us as a reward I'd like to surprise you with a boon but you must first turn around." Zerion says smiling,but something was off?
"U-u-um okay." The man turns around.The burned-man then chants,"Ryo fu rubi" the bone sword came from his left hand as he approached and put his right hand on the man's mouth before stabbing him square through the heart.
"We wouldn't want you notifying the Ankhs' now would we?" This time he pulls out blood gushing out as he stabs him at least five times before letting the corpse of a man fall limp his body hitting the ground with a slight bump.Zerion bends down and rips a part of his shirt off to clean his sword any blood that spilled elsewhere on his body."I know this was a bit much...I can't shake the feeling that that kid with the curse bearer from earlier,might have survived."
"Most probably not.I mean you stabbed him through the hip there's no way he's alive." Carin says doting on him."Whatever let us continue our journey on foot." The three mages then walked down the rightward path.