(Not sure if something like this exists beyond the History of the Tower made by Rachael viewtopic.php?t=35004 and the default description here. https://rhydin.org/dom/keepers.php?name=fire)
(I'd like this thread to just continue infinitely here so the entire history of the Tower could be contained in a singular place for future Keepers that want to really beef out stuff. By all mean disregard and make your own threads though. Just a pain in the ass to bring little bits here and there together.)
(Without further ado...)
Tower of Fire
Moderator: Staff
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Takai Masamune
- Adventurer
- Posts: 45
- Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2024 9:56 pm
- Location: Unknown
-
Takai Masamune
- Adventurer
- Posts: 45
- Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2024 9:56 pm
- Location: Unknown
Re: Tower of Fire
Takai had entered The Twilight Isles hours ago. Sharp golden hues had made their way through the forests of the Isle in a slow trek, in no hurry to reach their destination but never wavering from the dull glow in the distance over the tree tops but before the mountains at the northern coast. Moments turned to what seemed like hours in the slow trudge. A hand in his pocket must have flipped the thick brass key a thousand times along the journey.
The tree line eventually began to thin as the archaic structure finally broke into view. It hadn’t be in his sight since the very beginning of his time in the kingdom. Choosing to spend most of his time in the thick of the forest instead of investigating the outskirts of the Isles. “...” Vegetation and life decreased and decreased until it was discontinued altogether. A barren waste laid before the wolf.
With a gradual stop, moons clashed with the ever present wavering orbs in the sky. In the distance a small tower of burping flame and ruined rock. Sickly from the lack of presence of propper Keeper. It had been a few days since the key had changed hands at it seemed devoid of any sort of actual life at this point. Just a smoldering pile of something or other than might have once been.
Despite the man’s questions to some of the most knowing individuals he could think of despite his actual desire to do so. Very little information came to mind. Somewhere around that point is when the level of accomplishment he had achieved really came into being. This wasn’t a normal feat, it wasn’t something the average citizen ever achieved. It was a special thing. Something he had proven himself to be capable amongst the gods and trash ever present in the kingdom’s streets.
Why was he so damn nervous?
“It tends to take on the characteristics of the current Keeper.”
Shit.
It must have been the majority of his time but the most often bare-ass brute sat idly on a boulder gazing at the waning flicker and spurt of flame in the distance. At some point a rock had found its way into his digits as they fiddled with it, spinning it around and around so many times it almost felt smooth in his fingertips. Unwavering eyes locked on the end of the path in the distance.
“Tch…”
Takai had thought of bringing the pack with him, he knew where his weaknesses lay. He was strong, a brick shit house of fiery rage and instinct, a machine but… He wasn’t a thinker. Strategy and counters, sure. Often simple, he always had a mind for some sort of response. The long plan though… He’d never thought long, he was doomed to end before the long game started. It had been an undeniable truth, coming to acceptance with something that had happened long ago in this very Kingdom. “...”
He couldn’t put his new pack in harms way. Takai more than anyone knew what being him meant. What revealing his inside could actually mean for the tower as a whole. There was more than a chance that the group would have been wiped from the face of the planet if he’d brought them. This was something he had to do alone. He wasn’t about to lose… Whatever the hell he had gained.
A billowing breath filled his lungs before it quickly shot out from his lips in a sharp rolling sigh, a rumble in his chest in a makeshift growl. “Fuck it. Let’s take a look.” Takai leaned from the boulder and stuttered forward. His feet quickly moved to get under his frame as his broad powerful shoulders finally rose and took their confident posture once more. “Oi, you fuckin’ ready you stupid piece of rock!? Feel like it’s been a hot second since you’ve had a true gods damn fire in your belly.” The smooth pebble was chucked to the ground.
Takai hadn’t even made it half-way across the would-be desert of the Isle before he could feel his mana beginning to pour out from him. The tower knew one way or another, regardless of where the key was. “Ay… You’re hungry…” Takai’s voice moreso a coo than a rebuttal to the siphoned energy. He had more than enough to expend. He hated his magic to its core but he embraced it when it was time. He’d yet to ever actually release himself fully since he’d arrived on the Isle. At least not in terms of his magical abilities.
It wasn’t lost on him as flames flickered into being off into the distance on either side of him. Weak fires of nothing and no attention worthy flame. The closer he drew, his focus never failing to maintain the final goal. As he encroached, he could feel the flames to his sides begin to slowly take focus. An occasional lunge. A gate. A flash of jaw. A wild tuft of fiery fur. An explosion of excitement. A whip of tail. It wasn’t until Takai was near, a wild grin had encaptured his face.
At his back stood two massive wolves of twisting hell fire. They paced impatiently behind their new alpha, glaring eyes of flame and cinder locked on Takai’s exposed back. They were ready to pounce at the closest sign of weakness they could find. He was not safe but he was never exposed. “...Know your fuckin’ place…” A deep rumble left Takai’s throat as the wolf’s flashing ears flickered up above their ever rolling fiery skulls. In unison the wolves both sat to the barren landscape in respect for the man’s command.
The key twisted in Takai’s pocket for a long while as he stared at the decrepit door of the nearly extinguished tower door in front of him. His eyes had only grown fiercer as he faced the truly unknown of the dark landscape. It seemed the light didn’t hit here as much as the others spot on the isle. Apparently, the Tower of Fire was supposed to bring its own light to the region. His nostrils flared as a final breath of confidence boosting breath was pulled deeply into his lungs.
The key had barely touched the lock hole of the massive door before it began. An explosion of brutal flames erupted through Takai, consuming the entire desolate landscape within range. It didn’t budge him though, the key pressing forward as the flames swept along the areas grounds. Rocks and dirt ablaze with the hellish flames billowing along them. The key hit the back of a lock. The entire area rumbled under Takai’s feet. An explosion of fire consumed the ruined structure in front of him. He wasn’t sure what was about to happen, he just figured it was about to be violent.
He couldn't tell what the noise was, whether it be the howls of the wolves to gjs side or the horrendously loud whine of the flames ripping every ounce of moisture from around their surroundings in an instant. Everything was white, his golden hues no black in his skull blinded skull. The gold had vanished completely and yet he still couldn't see in the overpowering light of the almost holy flames. Pure heat.
Faint gold rims began to slowly fade back into existence as the man's body hung over in pain. Even he had felt those fires. His body bare in an instant, the clothes unable to maintain themselves from the immense onslaught of heat. Takai hunched over in the gusts of flame, slowly being pushed back further and further from their source, eyes blinking wildly to return their sight.
When the white finally began to fade from his vision and his golden orbs returned only a blur remained. The rumbling had seemingly quadrupled since it's start. Molten columns of burning slag rising into the air, forming jagged wicked peaks and steep descents. The once modest old tower had multiplied in height and thickness. Something to fit his ego it seemed. The fire continued its tirade of unforgiving fury.
Broken pillars of weakend glowing rock tumbled around the man as the structures took shape. It was deafening between the winds of heat and crashing structures. Takai roared back at the hostile noise. His body exploding with irritation. It was as if the fire was trying to over take his very being and he absolutely refused to be swallowed by it.
Powerful legs forged their path forward through the parting ground of melted rock. Soft steps gave way under his powerful feet as he moved up the makeshift staircase. His arm rising to shield his eyes from the blinding heart of light as he leaned into the tremendously powerful heart of the disaster. A hand reached out into the blinding light. A single finger touched the key where it sat waiting for its new master.
Like a switch, silence. The flames were gone. The storm passed for the time being. It was surreal to go from so many extremes so quickly. His hand shifted forward to finish unlocking the door and finally pulled it out. He staggered back, exhausted from everything the greedy tower had taken from him. Slowly turning he slammed down into the top step, sitting with a harsh hunch to his spine. “...”
As the minutes passed and the Isle sucked up the remnants of his rampaging mana he watched as the surrounding area finally began to cool. Shiny mirrors of obsidian covered the grounds, it was beautiful and a stark contrast to the forests off in the distance untouched. It almost looked like a black sea. Gold and black shining at one another. It wasn’t until his ears caught a rhythmic noise of shifting flame that he looked away.
His eyes shot above him the the top of the main tower. Flames dancing wildly along its sides. A crackle of explosive flame burst into existence as a wild beastly monstrosity formed from the wicked flame. It's massive hands wrapping around the tower, it's golden hellfire orbs piercing down at Takai. Before he could even react a howl was heard.
Two dashing streaks of unnatural fury burst in comets along the tower in a powerful twister. They both collided with the creatures sending it into a burst of scattered flame. Two streaks of fire danced on the invisible floors of the sky bounding through the air and around the towers in a playful never ending sprint of majesty. “...Good thing I didn't bring them.” He chuckled as he slowly looked to the other towers before walking into the newly formed Tower of Fire.
The tree line eventually began to thin as the archaic structure finally broke into view. It hadn’t be in his sight since the very beginning of his time in the kingdom. Choosing to spend most of his time in the thick of the forest instead of investigating the outskirts of the Isles. “...” Vegetation and life decreased and decreased until it was discontinued altogether. A barren waste laid before the wolf.
With a gradual stop, moons clashed with the ever present wavering orbs in the sky. In the distance a small tower of burping flame and ruined rock. Sickly from the lack of presence of propper Keeper. It had been a few days since the key had changed hands at it seemed devoid of any sort of actual life at this point. Just a smoldering pile of something or other than might have once been.
Despite the man’s questions to some of the most knowing individuals he could think of despite his actual desire to do so. Very little information came to mind. Somewhere around that point is when the level of accomplishment he had achieved really came into being. This wasn’t a normal feat, it wasn’t something the average citizen ever achieved. It was a special thing. Something he had proven himself to be capable amongst the gods and trash ever present in the kingdom’s streets.
Why was he so damn nervous?
“It tends to take on the characteristics of the current Keeper.”
Shit.
It must have been the majority of his time but the most often bare-ass brute sat idly on a boulder gazing at the waning flicker and spurt of flame in the distance. At some point a rock had found its way into his digits as they fiddled with it, spinning it around and around so many times it almost felt smooth in his fingertips. Unwavering eyes locked on the end of the path in the distance.
“Tch…”
Takai had thought of bringing the pack with him, he knew where his weaknesses lay. He was strong, a brick shit house of fiery rage and instinct, a machine but… He wasn’t a thinker. Strategy and counters, sure. Often simple, he always had a mind for some sort of response. The long plan though… He’d never thought long, he was doomed to end before the long game started. It had been an undeniable truth, coming to acceptance with something that had happened long ago in this very Kingdom. “...”
He couldn’t put his new pack in harms way. Takai more than anyone knew what being him meant. What revealing his inside could actually mean for the tower as a whole. There was more than a chance that the group would have been wiped from the face of the planet if he’d brought them. This was something he had to do alone. He wasn’t about to lose… Whatever the hell he had gained.
A billowing breath filled his lungs before it quickly shot out from his lips in a sharp rolling sigh, a rumble in his chest in a makeshift growl. “Fuck it. Let’s take a look.” Takai leaned from the boulder and stuttered forward. His feet quickly moved to get under his frame as his broad powerful shoulders finally rose and took their confident posture once more. “Oi, you fuckin’ ready you stupid piece of rock!? Feel like it’s been a hot second since you’ve had a true gods damn fire in your belly.” The smooth pebble was chucked to the ground.
Takai hadn’t even made it half-way across the would-be desert of the Isle before he could feel his mana beginning to pour out from him. The tower knew one way or another, regardless of where the key was. “Ay… You’re hungry…” Takai’s voice moreso a coo than a rebuttal to the siphoned energy. He had more than enough to expend. He hated his magic to its core but he embraced it when it was time. He’d yet to ever actually release himself fully since he’d arrived on the Isle. At least not in terms of his magical abilities.
It wasn’t lost on him as flames flickered into being off into the distance on either side of him. Weak fires of nothing and no attention worthy flame. The closer he drew, his focus never failing to maintain the final goal. As he encroached, he could feel the flames to his sides begin to slowly take focus. An occasional lunge. A gate. A flash of jaw. A wild tuft of fiery fur. An explosion of excitement. A whip of tail. It wasn’t until Takai was near, a wild grin had encaptured his face.
At his back stood two massive wolves of twisting hell fire. They paced impatiently behind their new alpha, glaring eyes of flame and cinder locked on Takai’s exposed back. They were ready to pounce at the closest sign of weakness they could find. He was not safe but he was never exposed. “...Know your fuckin’ place…” A deep rumble left Takai’s throat as the wolf’s flashing ears flickered up above their ever rolling fiery skulls. In unison the wolves both sat to the barren landscape in respect for the man’s command.
The key twisted in Takai’s pocket for a long while as he stared at the decrepit door of the nearly extinguished tower door in front of him. His eyes had only grown fiercer as he faced the truly unknown of the dark landscape. It seemed the light didn’t hit here as much as the others spot on the isle. Apparently, the Tower of Fire was supposed to bring its own light to the region. His nostrils flared as a final breath of confidence boosting breath was pulled deeply into his lungs.
The key had barely touched the lock hole of the massive door before it began. An explosion of brutal flames erupted through Takai, consuming the entire desolate landscape within range. It didn’t budge him though, the key pressing forward as the flames swept along the areas grounds. Rocks and dirt ablaze with the hellish flames billowing along them. The key hit the back of a lock. The entire area rumbled under Takai’s feet. An explosion of fire consumed the ruined structure in front of him. He wasn’t sure what was about to happen, he just figured it was about to be violent.
He couldn't tell what the noise was, whether it be the howls of the wolves to gjs side or the horrendously loud whine of the flames ripping every ounce of moisture from around their surroundings in an instant. Everything was white, his golden hues no black in his skull blinded skull. The gold had vanished completely and yet he still couldn't see in the overpowering light of the almost holy flames. Pure heat.
Faint gold rims began to slowly fade back into existence as the man's body hung over in pain. Even he had felt those fires. His body bare in an instant, the clothes unable to maintain themselves from the immense onslaught of heat. Takai hunched over in the gusts of flame, slowly being pushed back further and further from their source, eyes blinking wildly to return their sight.
When the white finally began to fade from his vision and his golden orbs returned only a blur remained. The rumbling had seemingly quadrupled since it's start. Molten columns of burning slag rising into the air, forming jagged wicked peaks and steep descents. The once modest old tower had multiplied in height and thickness. Something to fit his ego it seemed. The fire continued its tirade of unforgiving fury.
Broken pillars of weakend glowing rock tumbled around the man as the structures took shape. It was deafening between the winds of heat and crashing structures. Takai roared back at the hostile noise. His body exploding with irritation. It was as if the fire was trying to over take his very being and he absolutely refused to be swallowed by it.
Powerful legs forged their path forward through the parting ground of melted rock. Soft steps gave way under his powerful feet as he moved up the makeshift staircase. His arm rising to shield his eyes from the blinding heart of light as he leaned into the tremendously powerful heart of the disaster. A hand reached out into the blinding light. A single finger touched the key where it sat waiting for its new master.
Like a switch, silence. The flames were gone. The storm passed for the time being. It was surreal to go from so many extremes so quickly. His hand shifted forward to finish unlocking the door and finally pulled it out. He staggered back, exhausted from everything the greedy tower had taken from him. Slowly turning he slammed down into the top step, sitting with a harsh hunch to his spine. “...”
As the minutes passed and the Isle sucked up the remnants of his rampaging mana he watched as the surrounding area finally began to cool. Shiny mirrors of obsidian covered the grounds, it was beautiful and a stark contrast to the forests off in the distance untouched. It almost looked like a black sea. Gold and black shining at one another. It wasn’t until his ears caught a rhythmic noise of shifting flame that he looked away.
His eyes shot above him the the top of the main tower. Flames dancing wildly along its sides. A crackle of explosive flame burst into existence as a wild beastly monstrosity formed from the wicked flame. It's massive hands wrapping around the tower, it's golden hellfire orbs piercing down at Takai. Before he could even react a howl was heard.
Two dashing streaks of unnatural fury burst in comets along the tower in a powerful twister. They both collided with the creatures sending it into a burst of scattered flame. Two streaks of fire danced on the invisible floors of the sky bounding through the air and around the towers in a playful never ending sprint of majesty. “...Good thing I didn't bring them.” He chuckled as he slowly looked to the other towers before walking into the newly formed Tower of Fire.
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Takai Masamune
- Adventurer
- Posts: 45
- Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2024 9:56 pm
- Location: Unknown
Re: Tower of Fire
( Haru )
( Takai )
( Takai asked the previous keeper for assistance in helping him to free an elemental from a candle previously gained during a tournament.)
A massive breath of air filled his lungs as the man sat lazily on the steps of the new and improved tower. The grounds had long been cooled since their inception. The sea of black glass stretching nearly to the forest as his golden orbs pierced the ever growing darkness of the Isles. Seemed the Twilight was gone. The wolf could only ponder on it all. He had figured some sort of messenger would inform him of things or clue him in on something interesting but it had been a day and nothing followed. Not even a visit from the Archmage.
He had invited Haru a couple nights prior. The wolf didn't like asking for help but he wasn't above asking for it when it came down to it. "Where the fuck is that guy..." A deep groan let out the gush of air he had pulled in. At his side sat a thick majestic candle burning quietly. Any sound it might have made completely drowned out from the billowing circle of flames swirling at the peaks of the towers and across the walls all around him. Two fiery wolf spirits playing along the grounds in the distance, dancing through the air, leaping off invisible floors as they rose into the air. Each step a powerful burst of embers.
It had taken a lot to persuade Lani to let him out of the house, the small demon waiting for both twins and a toddler to be asleep before sneaking out, his father given strict instructions to not let the infants wake his wife.
His eyes were sunken in with exhaustion, white hair hanging loose and messy down his neck, flames nearly out from the fatigue, but he was here, he was up and out, and he was itching to do something other than changing diapers and warming bottles, “Takai!” He called out.
It wasn't Takai that had caught the approaching guest. The two wolves at play has already been making a dash as soon as Haru had gotten in distance. The man's eyes rose up in time to see the two assailants dive at Haru just in time. The wolves flames warm, cuddling almost as they washed over Haru and passed over him without damage. It almost would have felt solid, or plush. A kiss of thick air as they ran off to play once more around the grounds.
"Oi. The hell took you!?" He called out to Haru from the steps.
Haru fell when the wolves reached him, scritching and offering hugs before they ran off, for the first time in a while looking as young as he was, even if only for a moment.
His eyes were lit up, and he moved to stand, brushing off dirt and sand, “Newborn twin girls, a toddler and two boys, also the animals and a wife.” He smiled softly, “What’s up?”
His nose wrinkled at the man's rebuttal. That was all too much. For a brief moment he shrank into his mind, could Rhy'Din even handle his hell-spawn? "Ugh..." He groaned as he shook the thought from his mind. Despite asking him to come he was still hesitant to outwardly ask for help. Lazily swinging his arms he leaned off the step and stood. "I... Need your help." A look of dissatisfaction crossed his face as he continued. "Promised this stupid thing I'd get it out but... My sorta fire aint the right type of fire to get it out." He leaned down gripping the candle previously at his side, flipping it multiple times into the air with a flick of the wrist before catching it again. The flame of the candle flickered but still remained strong as it was caught again with a loud thwak of his hand.
Haru raised an eyebrow, it was too much for him too, he was overwhelmed with his life, and so he’d sunken almost entirely into it, Takai’s message bringing a much welcome reprieve to his stressed and frazzled self.
“My fire is likely not going to help either… However, we can probably talk to the elementals and scour the library for the information, my eldest has a different type of fire than us and the library held the answers.” He stepped in curiously, staying a respectful distance as he examined the candle.
"Aye." He nodded as he turned on the ball of his foot and went for the door cloaked in flames below the black pillar of the tower. "I got no clue how this shit works. Little lost here." He had never had a home let alone the massive structure he'd created. Everything that HAD existed STILL existed. Though it may have been altered or moved in some way or another, his own internal spin on it all. Takai was gone behind the wall of flame.
Haru stepped through after the wolf, his feet stumbling slightly at the changed landscape, the long familiarity gone with the changes, yet small things remained, “I specialize in magic, and held earth before fire, been in all the towers with various keepers letting me explore their libraries, perhaps I will target Air next…” he could help, he understood magic.
"There's that word again." Now safe behind his walls he looked at Haru. "I-" A long pause. "I'm not much of a reader. This thing got an elemental in it I want out of it." He held the candle up with pursed lips. "Figured maybe you knew something about extracting elementals from artifacts or something. Or..." He sighed as he made his way in further looking up the long set of winding stairs and the multiple pathways. "Or at least knew where the fuck to look..."
Haru smiled weakly, “My mentors when I first started dueling are the reasons I read, not well mind you, but enough to get context.” He bit his lip, “If it’s in an artifact there’s either a pact or a seal involved, likely a seal, as extraplanar beings-“ he didn’t mean to be obnoxious really, he was thinking aloud, “Tend not to like captivity, particularly those attuned to fire, it’s likely a matter of finding the lock and breaking it.”
"Extra..." His voice trailed off as he looked at Haru with a blank stare, completely lost already. "Never had much of a mentor comin' up. More of a dog eat dog world." The pun might have been intended. His hand raised the candle to Haru. "You need to look at it... Or do we need to go do find something to figure it out?"
Haru stopped, processing just how much of an ass he sounded like, he’d gotten so used to knowing terms he’d forgotten what it was like before, when he was just an assassin and a thief.
“It means from outside of RhyDin like you or I see it.” He explained, “I only got a mentor after I made a splash in a magic tournament when I was eighteen, before that it was me and my knives.”
Haru took a closer look at the candle, “I’m not familiar on seals, I can unlock most things with magic or lock picks but looking at the books may give us a better idea on how to go about this, that said, I can attempt to bust the seal with magic, or we can study a little, whichever you like.”
Takai really didn't want to chance ruining the candle or killing the elemental. It really wasn't up to him though as the candle protested in silent wisps of unspoken words. It was more of a feeling as it danced. It spoke to Takai. "Shut the fuck up... We're working on it." He growled seemingly at no one as he slowly walked away from Haru towards the steps leading up into the tower. A glance back to Haru. "Mind your step... it gets a bit messy a few floors higher." As Takai went up the steps, things began to shift inside. Any chance once could get would only show a wild amalgamation of steps and passages.
They all turned and twisted, going no where but everywhere all over the building. The higher they got in the tower, the worse it got. Walls cracked, entrances led to nothing, chains covered some doors, blazing infernos others. It had taken him some time to explore and many places he hadn't even thought of trying to. As time went on and the travels grew harder, stepping over a beam that crossed their path for seemingly no reason and ducking through another two crossed in their path he threw a thumb at the library. "Think it was in here..."
Somewhere high above the tower a ferocious roar could be heard, a hand of flame wrapping the tower and taking it to its core. Pillars of flame suddenly began to burst around the tower, snaking down random steps. A door exploded off of its hinges somewhere fall off before a howl was heard. The roaring stopped and the heat in the tower lowered for a brief moment. Takai's hand had been resting on a shining black doorknob during the moment before a deep breath was heard and the door was swung open.
Haru darted after the wolf, dancing over beams with a comfortable ease that spoke more to longer history than words ever could.
He peeked through the door behind Takai, horned head watching the various changes around the tower before looking up and studying the wolf, a curious glint in his eyes just below the surface, “The books on sealing fire elementals spoke of them being quick to both anger and reward those involved, so we may even be able to find something on this specific case.”
Takai had passed the threshold slowly making sure there wasn't any sort of random thing coming down on him. Despite Takai's lack of interest in books and even a drop of disdain, the library stood strong. Too powerful to be removed regardless of what his internals might have shown the spirits of the tower. "That's all you demon... Don't know nothin bout this all. I've broken seals but it wasn't like this and whatever might have been there wasn't there no more." His eyes carefully looked over the library. There were so many books.
“I have a name.” Haru corrected, “And if you gotta call me a descriptor literally anything but demon is better.” He slipped past Takai, moving towards a specific section of books, passing the ones he was obviously more familiar with, and grabbing at the ones with uncracked spines to begin flipping through.
"Hardo..." He grumbled to himself. He really wasn't good with names. "Arooo..." Takai placed the candle down on a small table next to him as he followed the man through the library, slowly looking at the insane amount of spines along the shelves. "Ha..." Takai sighed as his shoulders dropped, a muscular arm slowly rising up to greet Haru. He couldn't remember if they ever ACTUALLY officially met or not. "Takai. Probably know that though." Always cocky.
Haru laughed, “Haru, close though, a lot of kids drop the H so I’m used to it,” they’d met… maybe once or twice, outside the challenge, “And I am aware of you yes, both from the challenge and some videos circulating online.”
"Shut up..." Was all he offered about the videos. He's heard mention and seen some clips at random around the city. People here seemed to like the brutality in their simple easy lives, regardless if they wanted to admit it. "Haru." His arm dropped as Haru didn't return the gesture. His gaze shifted over to the Candle on the table for a moment, shaking his head. "He's trying his best, calm down you annoying little shit."
He hadn’t realized the hand was meant for him, reaching out to grab it before it dropped with an almost panicked expression. He grinned a little bit, before sending a mage hand to grab higher up books, while he grabbed ones lower in the shelf with his free hand.
His hand being caught before it dropped earned the man a side eye as he gripped the man's hand a bit tighter. After the release attention was returned to the books. A casual pull and the split of pages. Golden hues scanning across the thick passages. "What the hell even is this language...?" A quiet raspy whisper dripped with annoyance. His gaze shifted up as the book clapped shut in his hand before he haphazardly shoved it back in its original slot on the shelf. "The hell us Keepers even supposed to do? Not exactly any instruction laying around." Not that he'd pay them much mind even if there had been.
“Latin, Icelandic, infernal, primordial, depending on the books,” Haru spoke somewhat casually, “I learned comprehend languages as one of my first spells just so I could understand these, I can’t actually speak more than a handful of words outside of common that aren’t spells.”
He skimmed pages for another moment, “The elementals know a fair bit but they’re limited on languages, otherwise a lot of it is attuning to the tower and learning from it, which is unfortunate if you aren’t super magically inclined.”
Takai's arms crossed along his bare chest, listening to Haru for a quiet moment. "Always figured the Keepers were some kind of guards or enforcers or something. Sounds more like a bunch of old men in robes drooling on pages." He'd seen flickers of things moving about the tower as he'd explored. "There are other things in the tower besides the keeper? Swear I've seen some creatures floating through the hall."
Haru shrugged, “we’re basically just mages in robes looking for bragging rights,” a beat, “I wanted information on my heritage as well as Seo’s, I wanted to figure out what exactly we are so we can properly channel our abilities.”
He leaned back, “There are elementals all over the place, likely also in the candle.”
"Who the hell is Seo?" He glanced at the man for a moment longer before looking back at the candle. "There is. Won it back in the tournament awhile back. Thing is feisty as hell. Want it out so I can form a contract with it. Got a good feeling 'bout the little spit fire."
Haru nodded, “Eldest son.” He clarified, cracking another book, “He’s a kitsune and- oh shit I think I found it.” He grinned as he started flipping pages, the candle wasn’t identical, but close.
"Y'all some damn mutts..." He wasn’t one to talk. The sudden exclamation caught his attention as he stepped closer and stood shoulder to shoulder to look at the book as if he'd be able to confirm anything but the picture. "Does look close..."
Haru incanted a spell softly, fingers touching the words as he translated under his breath, “It sounds like there aren’t any extra defensive spells, but there is a likelihood of explosions when we break the seal, not that it’ll really affect us or the tower.”
Takai let off a short scoffing chuckle. "Aye, thing gonna burst out like a bat outta one of the hells." His thumb shot back to the wildly dancing flame of the candle which was obvious with excitement. A sigh caught the man as a wave of relief crossed over him briefly. "Need help? Or you got this?"
Haru cracked his knuckles, “I think I got it, just make sure you know what you want out of a deal, you get one shot at this.”
He set the book down and walked over to the candle, trailing fingers along the raised wax, “Aight, you know what I’m about to do, please don’t char me, I know most fire can’t but be nice.” Why he was asking this of a candle, was up for debate.
His voice was quiet as he spoke the simple spell he had so often before for crime purposes, it was so much faster than picking the lock… and more effective.
"Deal has already been decided..." His voice carried after Haru as he approached the candle. The elemental's flame was dancing in obvious excitement. A violent flicker of red and orange dancing along the wick far too high than any candle should be able to do. The man's words didn't seem to land on the ears of the candle if it even had any. It was ready.
As the words left Haru's mouth the flame only continued to grow. As if someone had been spraying an oxidizer on the flame it grew and grew. Fatter. The flam expanded, an entire fire on top of a tiny little speck of wick. Twirling and twisty, the fire warped and shifted. Loud harsh crackles of burning nothing. As the chant ended, almost exactly on queue, an explosive flame erupted from the top of the candle. It nearly reached the vaulted ceilings of the library. Twisting to and fro as it wildly thrashed and expanded over the two men.
As it began to take form, a vicious head of cackling flame and two burly never still arms of fire. Takai wasn't about to let this creature let loose. It would bend and submit or be perished to a cold unyielding death. "'Ey fucker. Remember the deal!" He slipped in front of Haru, his heavy bear paw of a hand planting against the man's chest to shove him away from what was now entirely his fight.
As Takai spoke, the elemental refused to stop stretching its recently released limbs. Cheerful and disdained eyes of golden hellfire leering down at the man. As the monster's red face parted, orange and white flames flickering out, a laugh in the airy sounds of combustion.
"'EY!"
Takai wasn't messing around. Fury genuinely filled the man as he bucked up to the imposing column of fire and brimstone. "I freed you, you son of a bitch, remember the deal." It wasn't a deal. The fire would feed from Takai forever and in equal trade the elemental would live to protect Takai when he was unable to do so. Regardless of his status as a keeper. "Quit fuckin' 'round." Slowly the muscular arm of the wolf rose towards the creature, an outreached palm. "Come eat you greedily son of a bitch."
The spirit of fire wrapped itself in a hellish way, dark voids surrounded by angry fire glaring at the wolf man. A knowing glance and in all honesty an anti-climactic finish. The deal had already been decided and while eager to stretch its fiery legs the elemental gave a flickered nod before slowly shrinking before Takai. A thick wispy flame wrapping around his body for a moment before ending at it his in a quickly condensing ring of fire. A crown was formed on the man's head, hovering just slightly above his heady of messy short black hair.
The crown drifted from one side to another, looking to find a comfortable spot. It began to spin in one direction slowly before halting its movement and spinning another. A violent twirl of fire and ember rose from his skull before the crown finally slowed and leaned off into the back corner of his head in a tilt. It oozed punky confidence.
With a sigh, Takai shook his head, the crown following its every movement before his hands reached down to candle and tossed it to Haru. "Don't know if it'll burn now but at least it don't smell like shit..." He paused for a moment before continuing. "Congrats on the runts." That was the end of his need for Haru. A quiet dialogue started with the new found crown.
Haru's hands snatched the candle from the air, a brief moment of wonder to the wolf as he watched the elemental succumb to his desires so quickly. With an impish smile he looked to the candle, a nod of contentment with the trade. "A perfect addition to the study." His grin continued up to Takai with a nod as he slid from the Library and headed on his way out of the Tower. "Good luck..." Haru paused before he was out of ear shot, "Thanks." Haru left.
( Takai )
( Takai asked the previous keeper for assistance in helping him to free an elemental from a candle previously gained during a tournament.)
A massive breath of air filled his lungs as the man sat lazily on the steps of the new and improved tower. The grounds had long been cooled since their inception. The sea of black glass stretching nearly to the forest as his golden orbs pierced the ever growing darkness of the Isles. Seemed the Twilight was gone. The wolf could only ponder on it all. He had figured some sort of messenger would inform him of things or clue him in on something interesting but it had been a day and nothing followed. Not even a visit from the Archmage.
He had invited Haru a couple nights prior. The wolf didn't like asking for help but he wasn't above asking for it when it came down to it. "Where the fuck is that guy..." A deep groan let out the gush of air he had pulled in. At his side sat a thick majestic candle burning quietly. Any sound it might have made completely drowned out from the billowing circle of flames swirling at the peaks of the towers and across the walls all around him. Two fiery wolf spirits playing along the grounds in the distance, dancing through the air, leaping off invisible floors as they rose into the air. Each step a powerful burst of embers.
It had taken a lot to persuade Lani to let him out of the house, the small demon waiting for both twins and a toddler to be asleep before sneaking out, his father given strict instructions to not let the infants wake his wife.
His eyes were sunken in with exhaustion, white hair hanging loose and messy down his neck, flames nearly out from the fatigue, but he was here, he was up and out, and he was itching to do something other than changing diapers and warming bottles, “Takai!” He called out.
It wasn't Takai that had caught the approaching guest. The two wolves at play has already been making a dash as soon as Haru had gotten in distance. The man's eyes rose up in time to see the two assailants dive at Haru just in time. The wolves flames warm, cuddling almost as they washed over Haru and passed over him without damage. It almost would have felt solid, or plush. A kiss of thick air as they ran off to play once more around the grounds.
"Oi. The hell took you!?" He called out to Haru from the steps.
Haru fell when the wolves reached him, scritching and offering hugs before they ran off, for the first time in a while looking as young as he was, even if only for a moment.
His eyes were lit up, and he moved to stand, brushing off dirt and sand, “Newborn twin girls, a toddler and two boys, also the animals and a wife.” He smiled softly, “What’s up?”
His nose wrinkled at the man's rebuttal. That was all too much. For a brief moment he shrank into his mind, could Rhy'Din even handle his hell-spawn? "Ugh..." He groaned as he shook the thought from his mind. Despite asking him to come he was still hesitant to outwardly ask for help. Lazily swinging his arms he leaned off the step and stood. "I... Need your help." A look of dissatisfaction crossed his face as he continued. "Promised this stupid thing I'd get it out but... My sorta fire aint the right type of fire to get it out." He leaned down gripping the candle previously at his side, flipping it multiple times into the air with a flick of the wrist before catching it again. The flame of the candle flickered but still remained strong as it was caught again with a loud thwak of his hand.
Haru raised an eyebrow, it was too much for him too, he was overwhelmed with his life, and so he’d sunken almost entirely into it, Takai’s message bringing a much welcome reprieve to his stressed and frazzled self.
“My fire is likely not going to help either… However, we can probably talk to the elementals and scour the library for the information, my eldest has a different type of fire than us and the library held the answers.” He stepped in curiously, staying a respectful distance as he examined the candle.
"Aye." He nodded as he turned on the ball of his foot and went for the door cloaked in flames below the black pillar of the tower. "I got no clue how this shit works. Little lost here." He had never had a home let alone the massive structure he'd created. Everything that HAD existed STILL existed. Though it may have been altered or moved in some way or another, his own internal spin on it all. Takai was gone behind the wall of flame.
Haru stepped through after the wolf, his feet stumbling slightly at the changed landscape, the long familiarity gone with the changes, yet small things remained, “I specialize in magic, and held earth before fire, been in all the towers with various keepers letting me explore their libraries, perhaps I will target Air next…” he could help, he understood magic.
"There's that word again." Now safe behind his walls he looked at Haru. "I-" A long pause. "I'm not much of a reader. This thing got an elemental in it I want out of it." He held the candle up with pursed lips. "Figured maybe you knew something about extracting elementals from artifacts or something. Or..." He sighed as he made his way in further looking up the long set of winding stairs and the multiple pathways. "Or at least knew where the fuck to look..."
Haru smiled weakly, “My mentors when I first started dueling are the reasons I read, not well mind you, but enough to get context.” He bit his lip, “If it’s in an artifact there’s either a pact or a seal involved, likely a seal, as extraplanar beings-“ he didn’t mean to be obnoxious really, he was thinking aloud, “Tend not to like captivity, particularly those attuned to fire, it’s likely a matter of finding the lock and breaking it.”
"Extra..." His voice trailed off as he looked at Haru with a blank stare, completely lost already. "Never had much of a mentor comin' up. More of a dog eat dog world." The pun might have been intended. His hand raised the candle to Haru. "You need to look at it... Or do we need to go do find something to figure it out?"
Haru stopped, processing just how much of an ass he sounded like, he’d gotten so used to knowing terms he’d forgotten what it was like before, when he was just an assassin and a thief.
“It means from outside of RhyDin like you or I see it.” He explained, “I only got a mentor after I made a splash in a magic tournament when I was eighteen, before that it was me and my knives.”
Haru took a closer look at the candle, “I’m not familiar on seals, I can unlock most things with magic or lock picks but looking at the books may give us a better idea on how to go about this, that said, I can attempt to bust the seal with magic, or we can study a little, whichever you like.”
Takai really didn't want to chance ruining the candle or killing the elemental. It really wasn't up to him though as the candle protested in silent wisps of unspoken words. It was more of a feeling as it danced. It spoke to Takai. "Shut the fuck up... We're working on it." He growled seemingly at no one as he slowly walked away from Haru towards the steps leading up into the tower. A glance back to Haru. "Mind your step... it gets a bit messy a few floors higher." As Takai went up the steps, things began to shift inside. Any chance once could get would only show a wild amalgamation of steps and passages.
They all turned and twisted, going no where but everywhere all over the building. The higher they got in the tower, the worse it got. Walls cracked, entrances led to nothing, chains covered some doors, blazing infernos others. It had taken him some time to explore and many places he hadn't even thought of trying to. As time went on and the travels grew harder, stepping over a beam that crossed their path for seemingly no reason and ducking through another two crossed in their path he threw a thumb at the library. "Think it was in here..."
Somewhere high above the tower a ferocious roar could be heard, a hand of flame wrapping the tower and taking it to its core. Pillars of flame suddenly began to burst around the tower, snaking down random steps. A door exploded off of its hinges somewhere fall off before a howl was heard. The roaring stopped and the heat in the tower lowered for a brief moment. Takai's hand had been resting on a shining black doorknob during the moment before a deep breath was heard and the door was swung open.
Haru darted after the wolf, dancing over beams with a comfortable ease that spoke more to longer history than words ever could.
He peeked through the door behind Takai, horned head watching the various changes around the tower before looking up and studying the wolf, a curious glint in his eyes just below the surface, “The books on sealing fire elementals spoke of them being quick to both anger and reward those involved, so we may even be able to find something on this specific case.”
Takai had passed the threshold slowly making sure there wasn't any sort of random thing coming down on him. Despite Takai's lack of interest in books and even a drop of disdain, the library stood strong. Too powerful to be removed regardless of what his internals might have shown the spirits of the tower. "That's all you demon... Don't know nothin bout this all. I've broken seals but it wasn't like this and whatever might have been there wasn't there no more." His eyes carefully looked over the library. There were so many books.
“I have a name.” Haru corrected, “And if you gotta call me a descriptor literally anything but demon is better.” He slipped past Takai, moving towards a specific section of books, passing the ones he was obviously more familiar with, and grabbing at the ones with uncracked spines to begin flipping through.
"Hardo..." He grumbled to himself. He really wasn't good with names. "Arooo..." Takai placed the candle down on a small table next to him as he followed the man through the library, slowly looking at the insane amount of spines along the shelves. "Ha..." Takai sighed as his shoulders dropped, a muscular arm slowly rising up to greet Haru. He couldn't remember if they ever ACTUALLY officially met or not. "Takai. Probably know that though." Always cocky.
Haru laughed, “Haru, close though, a lot of kids drop the H so I’m used to it,” they’d met… maybe once or twice, outside the challenge, “And I am aware of you yes, both from the challenge and some videos circulating online.”
"Shut up..." Was all he offered about the videos. He's heard mention and seen some clips at random around the city. People here seemed to like the brutality in their simple easy lives, regardless if they wanted to admit it. "Haru." His arm dropped as Haru didn't return the gesture. His gaze shifted over to the Candle on the table for a moment, shaking his head. "He's trying his best, calm down you annoying little shit."
He hadn’t realized the hand was meant for him, reaching out to grab it before it dropped with an almost panicked expression. He grinned a little bit, before sending a mage hand to grab higher up books, while he grabbed ones lower in the shelf with his free hand.
His hand being caught before it dropped earned the man a side eye as he gripped the man's hand a bit tighter. After the release attention was returned to the books. A casual pull and the split of pages. Golden hues scanning across the thick passages. "What the hell even is this language...?" A quiet raspy whisper dripped with annoyance. His gaze shifted up as the book clapped shut in his hand before he haphazardly shoved it back in its original slot on the shelf. "The hell us Keepers even supposed to do? Not exactly any instruction laying around." Not that he'd pay them much mind even if there had been.
“Latin, Icelandic, infernal, primordial, depending on the books,” Haru spoke somewhat casually, “I learned comprehend languages as one of my first spells just so I could understand these, I can’t actually speak more than a handful of words outside of common that aren’t spells.”
He skimmed pages for another moment, “The elementals know a fair bit but they’re limited on languages, otherwise a lot of it is attuning to the tower and learning from it, which is unfortunate if you aren’t super magically inclined.”
Takai's arms crossed along his bare chest, listening to Haru for a quiet moment. "Always figured the Keepers were some kind of guards or enforcers or something. Sounds more like a bunch of old men in robes drooling on pages." He'd seen flickers of things moving about the tower as he'd explored. "There are other things in the tower besides the keeper? Swear I've seen some creatures floating through the hall."
Haru shrugged, “we’re basically just mages in robes looking for bragging rights,” a beat, “I wanted information on my heritage as well as Seo’s, I wanted to figure out what exactly we are so we can properly channel our abilities.”
He leaned back, “There are elementals all over the place, likely also in the candle.”
"Who the hell is Seo?" He glanced at the man for a moment longer before looking back at the candle. "There is. Won it back in the tournament awhile back. Thing is feisty as hell. Want it out so I can form a contract with it. Got a good feeling 'bout the little spit fire."
Haru nodded, “Eldest son.” He clarified, cracking another book, “He’s a kitsune and- oh shit I think I found it.” He grinned as he started flipping pages, the candle wasn’t identical, but close.
"Y'all some damn mutts..." He wasn’t one to talk. The sudden exclamation caught his attention as he stepped closer and stood shoulder to shoulder to look at the book as if he'd be able to confirm anything but the picture. "Does look close..."
Haru incanted a spell softly, fingers touching the words as he translated under his breath, “It sounds like there aren’t any extra defensive spells, but there is a likelihood of explosions when we break the seal, not that it’ll really affect us or the tower.”
Takai let off a short scoffing chuckle. "Aye, thing gonna burst out like a bat outta one of the hells." His thumb shot back to the wildly dancing flame of the candle which was obvious with excitement. A sigh caught the man as a wave of relief crossed over him briefly. "Need help? Or you got this?"
Haru cracked his knuckles, “I think I got it, just make sure you know what you want out of a deal, you get one shot at this.”
He set the book down and walked over to the candle, trailing fingers along the raised wax, “Aight, you know what I’m about to do, please don’t char me, I know most fire can’t but be nice.” Why he was asking this of a candle, was up for debate.
His voice was quiet as he spoke the simple spell he had so often before for crime purposes, it was so much faster than picking the lock… and more effective.
"Deal has already been decided..." His voice carried after Haru as he approached the candle. The elemental's flame was dancing in obvious excitement. A violent flicker of red and orange dancing along the wick far too high than any candle should be able to do. The man's words didn't seem to land on the ears of the candle if it even had any. It was ready.
As the words left Haru's mouth the flame only continued to grow. As if someone had been spraying an oxidizer on the flame it grew and grew. Fatter. The flam expanded, an entire fire on top of a tiny little speck of wick. Twirling and twisty, the fire warped and shifted. Loud harsh crackles of burning nothing. As the chant ended, almost exactly on queue, an explosive flame erupted from the top of the candle. It nearly reached the vaulted ceilings of the library. Twisting to and fro as it wildly thrashed and expanded over the two men.
As it began to take form, a vicious head of cackling flame and two burly never still arms of fire. Takai wasn't about to let this creature let loose. It would bend and submit or be perished to a cold unyielding death. "'Ey fucker. Remember the deal!" He slipped in front of Haru, his heavy bear paw of a hand planting against the man's chest to shove him away from what was now entirely his fight.
As Takai spoke, the elemental refused to stop stretching its recently released limbs. Cheerful and disdained eyes of golden hellfire leering down at the man. As the monster's red face parted, orange and white flames flickering out, a laugh in the airy sounds of combustion.
"'EY!"
Takai wasn't messing around. Fury genuinely filled the man as he bucked up to the imposing column of fire and brimstone. "I freed you, you son of a bitch, remember the deal." It wasn't a deal. The fire would feed from Takai forever and in equal trade the elemental would live to protect Takai when he was unable to do so. Regardless of his status as a keeper. "Quit fuckin' 'round." Slowly the muscular arm of the wolf rose towards the creature, an outreached palm. "Come eat you greedily son of a bitch."
The spirit of fire wrapped itself in a hellish way, dark voids surrounded by angry fire glaring at the wolf man. A knowing glance and in all honesty an anti-climactic finish. The deal had already been decided and while eager to stretch its fiery legs the elemental gave a flickered nod before slowly shrinking before Takai. A thick wispy flame wrapping around his body for a moment before ending at it his in a quickly condensing ring of fire. A crown was formed on the man's head, hovering just slightly above his heady of messy short black hair.
The crown drifted from one side to another, looking to find a comfortable spot. It began to spin in one direction slowly before halting its movement and spinning another. A violent twirl of fire and ember rose from his skull before the crown finally slowed and leaned off into the back corner of his head in a tilt. It oozed punky confidence.
With a sigh, Takai shook his head, the crown following its every movement before his hands reached down to candle and tossed it to Haru. "Don't know if it'll burn now but at least it don't smell like shit..." He paused for a moment before continuing. "Congrats on the runts." That was the end of his need for Haru. A quiet dialogue started with the new found crown.
Haru's hands snatched the candle from the air, a brief moment of wonder to the wolf as he watched the elemental succumb to his desires so quickly. With an impish smile he looked to the candle, a nod of contentment with the trade. "A perfect addition to the study." His grin continued up to Takai with a nod as he slid from the Library and headed on his way out of the Tower. "Good luck..." Haru paused before he was out of ear shot, "Thanks." Haru left.
-
Takai Masamune
- Adventurer
- Posts: 45
- Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2024 9:56 pm
- Location: Unknown
Re: Tower of Fire
(Taking part in the event that had starting during his taking of the Tower of Fire viewtopic.php?t=35824 Takai met with an official druid of the Archdruid to aid the Isles in its time of darkness. viewtopic.php?t=35842)
Takai hadn’t been sure just how many days had passed since he’d taken over the Tower of Fire. So many things had happened with him from the explosive creation of the new tower, the dawning of his new crown and a few wild nights around Rhy’Din with some choice individuals. The tower had been giving him a headache though, it was a volatile place which he was failing to wrap his head around. The other Keepers didn’t seem to have such issues with their towers. Maybe it was a him problem?
Savage howls of flame caught the man’s attention as he sat on the massive smoking door step at the foot of his Tower. Two wolves of fire and fury descending upon an approaching visitor which had just crossed the threshold of the obsidian glass that he had constructed nights prior. “Tch… Who the hell is this...” The first uninvited visitor, should he make a statement? “…” This person looked… important?
He’d seen the druids working around the Isle alongside the goblins that seemed to manage most to the manual labor and money passing through the Isles. The druids seemed to be more akin to the magical upkeep and mana management. At least to his ignorant eyes. “Gods dammit…” His arms had been leaning along two raised knees where he sat until a flick of the wrist dismissed the wolves in their pursuit of the druid. Harmlessly peeling off the two creatures of fire ran back towards the Tower and up into the air off unseen floors of ember.
Takai rose as he closed the distance between the Druid and himself. Crossed burly arms over a barrel chest stared at the seemingly un-phased but uncertain Druid. Takai’s vicious glare of piercing molten moon rings kept the creature well within his sights. The damn Twilight Isles had grown darker and darker since him taking the role of a Keeper. Around his tower it didn’t matter much but the further he grew, the more oppressed the light truly was.
The Darkness felt…heavy.
“What.” The words left Takai’s mouth in more of an order than an actual question.
For a long while the Druid had watched Takai with a discerning eye. It had probably seen countless Keepers come and go from the towers all along the Isles but something about this man sparked its interest. “Greetings… I’ve come here under orders of the Archdruid.”
“The what?” An annoyed look crossed the man’s brow. “There’s a new Archmage?”
“W-what?” The druid’s brow rose for a moment in confusion, “What? No. The Archdru-“
“They ever fight in the rings? Hell, I’d fight ‘em out of the rings. Probably be more fun than following all of them damn rules…” Takai continued on for a moment longer, lost in his own tangent.
“Keeper.” Takai continued. “Keeper!” The druid was losing its patience with the riled up wolf.
“Just get on with it already.” As if Takai hadn’t been interrupting him. The crown hovering off to the side of his head twisted one way and then changed its rotation. Flame whipping from it gently as it spun. The crown spun around fully dancing along the man’s head of short messy black hair. It finally slowed to a stop and paused in a different corner of his head.
“We’re calling for help from the Keepers. We need assistance holding back the Darkness and protecting the Isles. Things seem to be progressing at a much faster rate than we ever expected.” The Druid sounded annoyed and was speaking curtly to Takai. Already over the aggravating man.
“Tch… Not a chance.” Takai was already turning away from the Druid with a dismissive hand over his shoulder. “You all will figure it out I’m sure.” Takai spat at the ground as he put distance between the two. His hands slinking into his pockets once more as his shoulders drooped in disinterest.
“As expected of a new Keeper…” The Druid spoke in a snarky tone as he sent a crooked eye at Takai’s back, almost leaning forward with his words in a half turn. His hook cast but his feet ready to depart at a moment’s notice.
Takai’s foot had just pressed against the glass floor of the desert lake when his entire body came to a complete halt. Though unseen a look as if someone had sucker punched Takai painted itself over his face. Pure anger swept over him as his fists slowly balled into crackling balls of bone and fury in his pockets.
A grin tugged at the Druid’s face as he stood up a bit straighter. The hook had found its way around the Keeper’s lip it would seem. “I’m sure you still have much needed studying to do you bring your mana up to the levels we need it to be. Study the tomes young Keeper, I’m sure you’ll be able to master your magics!” At this point the Druid’s voice was almost mocking in praise and motivation.
A hot wind brushed along the deserts between the two men in a long moment of painful silence. The powerful crackle of flame echoed in the distance. Takai’s frame slowly straightened before he slowly turned to face the Druid. The look of anger was twisted with a prideful sneer. “Who. The fuck. Do you think I am you rodent?” In the distance the two wolves’ heads shot into the air, their run and chase halted in an instant before they focused on the duo. Something had caught their interest.
As if almost on que, the Tower of Fire swirled with a slow moving mist of flame and ember. A storm of dense fiery fog as it grew and grew, rising further and further into the air. The wolves howled in an agonizingly loud tone. The mountains screamed with their echoes. Their violent vibrations reverberating deep inside the Druid’s chest as he did his best not to stammer back. His eyes locked on the building Tower of Fire standing high above Takai’s broad shoulders and fierce crown.
An Explosion!
Gushing blasts of scorching winds swept the desert all stemming from the tower itself. The fog had turned into a wild inferno of twisting flames, the smaller towers slowly bursting into all engulfing flames one by one in loud echoing explosions. The tower roared in blazing light, shoving the darkness from the North in a very matter of fact display of dominance.
“Wh-what are you doing…” The Druid was struggling under the intense heat emanating from the tower. If it hadn’t been for Takai blocking the burst of fiery wind he might have found his end pulling the tail of the wrong Wolf.
“I ain’t like the rest of this rabble druid.” Takai’s words were sharp as a tack with the creature. “Don’t think there’s many who can stuff this tower like I can.” Takai’s mouth slowly opened as he took a calming breath and let it out in a deep sigh. His shoulders drooping back down as he rested his hands in his pockets.
Thuds of paws filled the grounds around them, from behind him dozens and dozens of fiery wolves leaping from the towers. Born from their walls of flame. The wolves in a dead wild sprint burst from their landing spots and shot across the ground. Some of them never touching the ground and bounding through the air, tackling each other in fiery displays of over excited play before finding themselves back on the path towards everywhere.
“Get out.” The wolves burst past Takai as he glared down at the creature before him. The heat radiating from the tower seemed to lessen as the occasional wolf found its way from the fire. As the wolves burst past they didn’t seem to have any heat to them. They only felt warm. Heavy, definitely fire but to the touch they were warm and almost fluffy. As if holding a hot fluffy cloud.
The Druid staggered to his feet and stammered away from Takai, he was no longer un-phased. “Th-thank you!” The Druid continued on as Takai spoke after him.
“I’ll keep the fire burning and the wolves hunting.” His words were uncharacteristically warm for a moment. “For now… I’ll open the north to everyone. They can take sanctum in the outter towers. Most of them are fitted with barracks.”
The wolf stared at the departing Druid who seemed to slow his pace when a fiery lupine brushed along the Druid, knocking him off kilter. The panic quickly passed as he realized he wasn’t to be burned to a cinder from its touch. His hand rested on the wolf as his pace slowed and he walked alongside the beast into the dark forest of the Isles.
The forests were alight with glowing orbs or patrolling fire. Workers would now have escorts through the shadows, monsters hunted and clues hopefully found as the wild beasts prowled the forests.
Takai had the mana to output but his pride would bring with it a massive strain on himself.
Takai hadn’t been sure just how many days had passed since he’d taken over the Tower of Fire. So many things had happened with him from the explosive creation of the new tower, the dawning of his new crown and a few wild nights around Rhy’Din with some choice individuals. The tower had been giving him a headache though, it was a volatile place which he was failing to wrap his head around. The other Keepers didn’t seem to have such issues with their towers. Maybe it was a him problem?
Savage howls of flame caught the man’s attention as he sat on the massive smoking door step at the foot of his Tower. Two wolves of fire and fury descending upon an approaching visitor which had just crossed the threshold of the obsidian glass that he had constructed nights prior. “Tch… Who the hell is this...” The first uninvited visitor, should he make a statement? “…” This person looked… important?
He’d seen the druids working around the Isle alongside the goblins that seemed to manage most to the manual labor and money passing through the Isles. The druids seemed to be more akin to the magical upkeep and mana management. At least to his ignorant eyes. “Gods dammit…” His arms had been leaning along two raised knees where he sat until a flick of the wrist dismissed the wolves in their pursuit of the druid. Harmlessly peeling off the two creatures of fire ran back towards the Tower and up into the air off unseen floors of ember.
Takai rose as he closed the distance between the Druid and himself. Crossed burly arms over a barrel chest stared at the seemingly un-phased but uncertain Druid. Takai’s vicious glare of piercing molten moon rings kept the creature well within his sights. The damn Twilight Isles had grown darker and darker since him taking the role of a Keeper. Around his tower it didn’t matter much but the further he grew, the more oppressed the light truly was.
The Darkness felt…heavy.
“What.” The words left Takai’s mouth in more of an order than an actual question.
For a long while the Druid had watched Takai with a discerning eye. It had probably seen countless Keepers come and go from the towers all along the Isles but something about this man sparked its interest. “Greetings… I’ve come here under orders of the Archdruid.”
“The what?” An annoyed look crossed the man’s brow. “There’s a new Archmage?”
“W-what?” The druid’s brow rose for a moment in confusion, “What? No. The Archdru-“
“They ever fight in the rings? Hell, I’d fight ‘em out of the rings. Probably be more fun than following all of them damn rules…” Takai continued on for a moment longer, lost in his own tangent.
“Keeper.” Takai continued. “Keeper!” The druid was losing its patience with the riled up wolf.
“Just get on with it already.” As if Takai hadn’t been interrupting him. The crown hovering off to the side of his head twisted one way and then changed its rotation. Flame whipping from it gently as it spun. The crown spun around fully dancing along the man’s head of short messy black hair. It finally slowed to a stop and paused in a different corner of his head.
“We’re calling for help from the Keepers. We need assistance holding back the Darkness and protecting the Isles. Things seem to be progressing at a much faster rate than we ever expected.” The Druid sounded annoyed and was speaking curtly to Takai. Already over the aggravating man.
“Tch… Not a chance.” Takai was already turning away from the Druid with a dismissive hand over his shoulder. “You all will figure it out I’m sure.” Takai spat at the ground as he put distance between the two. His hands slinking into his pockets once more as his shoulders drooped in disinterest.
“As expected of a new Keeper…” The Druid spoke in a snarky tone as he sent a crooked eye at Takai’s back, almost leaning forward with his words in a half turn. His hook cast but his feet ready to depart at a moment’s notice.
Takai’s foot had just pressed against the glass floor of the desert lake when his entire body came to a complete halt. Though unseen a look as if someone had sucker punched Takai painted itself over his face. Pure anger swept over him as his fists slowly balled into crackling balls of bone and fury in his pockets.
A grin tugged at the Druid’s face as he stood up a bit straighter. The hook had found its way around the Keeper’s lip it would seem. “I’m sure you still have much needed studying to do you bring your mana up to the levels we need it to be. Study the tomes young Keeper, I’m sure you’ll be able to master your magics!” At this point the Druid’s voice was almost mocking in praise and motivation.
A hot wind brushed along the deserts between the two men in a long moment of painful silence. The powerful crackle of flame echoed in the distance. Takai’s frame slowly straightened before he slowly turned to face the Druid. The look of anger was twisted with a prideful sneer. “Who. The fuck. Do you think I am you rodent?” In the distance the two wolves’ heads shot into the air, their run and chase halted in an instant before they focused on the duo. Something had caught their interest.
As if almost on que, the Tower of Fire swirled with a slow moving mist of flame and ember. A storm of dense fiery fog as it grew and grew, rising further and further into the air. The wolves howled in an agonizingly loud tone. The mountains screamed with their echoes. Their violent vibrations reverberating deep inside the Druid’s chest as he did his best not to stammer back. His eyes locked on the building Tower of Fire standing high above Takai’s broad shoulders and fierce crown.
An Explosion!
Gushing blasts of scorching winds swept the desert all stemming from the tower itself. The fog had turned into a wild inferno of twisting flames, the smaller towers slowly bursting into all engulfing flames one by one in loud echoing explosions. The tower roared in blazing light, shoving the darkness from the North in a very matter of fact display of dominance.
“Wh-what are you doing…” The Druid was struggling under the intense heat emanating from the tower. If it hadn’t been for Takai blocking the burst of fiery wind he might have found his end pulling the tail of the wrong Wolf.
“I ain’t like the rest of this rabble druid.” Takai’s words were sharp as a tack with the creature. “Don’t think there’s many who can stuff this tower like I can.” Takai’s mouth slowly opened as he took a calming breath and let it out in a deep sigh. His shoulders drooping back down as he rested his hands in his pockets.
Thuds of paws filled the grounds around them, from behind him dozens and dozens of fiery wolves leaping from the towers. Born from their walls of flame. The wolves in a dead wild sprint burst from their landing spots and shot across the ground. Some of them never touching the ground and bounding through the air, tackling each other in fiery displays of over excited play before finding themselves back on the path towards everywhere.
“Get out.” The wolves burst past Takai as he glared down at the creature before him. The heat radiating from the tower seemed to lessen as the occasional wolf found its way from the fire. As the wolves burst past they didn’t seem to have any heat to them. They only felt warm. Heavy, definitely fire but to the touch they were warm and almost fluffy. As if holding a hot fluffy cloud.
The Druid staggered to his feet and stammered away from Takai, he was no longer un-phased. “Th-thank you!” The Druid continued on as Takai spoke after him.
“I’ll keep the fire burning and the wolves hunting.” His words were uncharacteristically warm for a moment. “For now… I’ll open the north to everyone. They can take sanctum in the outter towers. Most of them are fitted with barracks.”
The wolf stared at the departing Druid who seemed to slow his pace when a fiery lupine brushed along the Druid, knocking him off kilter. The panic quickly passed as he realized he wasn’t to be burned to a cinder from its touch. His hand rested on the wolf as his pace slowed and he walked alongside the beast into the dark forest of the Isles.
The forests were alight with glowing orbs or patrolling fire. Workers would now have escorts through the shadows, monsters hunted and clues hopefully found as the wild beasts prowled the forests.
Takai had the mana to output but his pride would bring with it a massive strain on himself.
-
Takai Masamune
- Adventurer
- Posts: 45
- Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2024 9:56 pm
- Location: Unknown
Re: Tower of Fire
(Didn’t get around to it until now but this story takes place 19th OCT 2024, the day after Full Moon Madness.)
~~~
The night of the shadow’s assault had sent Takai intro a wild rage, his were fore running rampant through the wilderness of the Isle on a hunt for his fallen wolves and the ever present swarms of pure darkness. Fiery claws ablaze with savage magics exploding across the forest until he had run himself rampant and tired. Despite his efforts, the forest was teaming with their presence. An infinite number of shadows.
Wearily making his way across the obsidian glass covered field of the Tower of Fire, Takai had spent the night seething in the blanket of flames. His blazen orbs forever locked on his lands as the few savage wolves of fire and flame crashed about, snuffing out the occasional shadow that found its way into his plain. As time passed and the wolf came to a simmer the familiar cracks and tears of flesh and bone sounded above the crackle of billowing flame.
The night had passed, and in Rhy’Din proper the night had ended but the darkness remained over the Twilight Isles. Takai, sitting on his stoop in front of the tower, naked as usual his body hung over his knees, forearms rested on them deep in thought and fighting his tired body. His mind burning with thought from the night prior.
~~~
“Those damn things couldn’t hold a candle to me but all those damn wolves were slaughtered almost entirely.” Self-worth and doubt had been plaguing his mind. Sure, the constant stream of his own mana being ripped from his soul being stopped was a good feeling but their lack of ability was something else to consider.
A deep breath filled his flared nostrils, teeth gritting audibly as his face showed nothing but irrefutable rage. “Am I not strong enough?” His mind was ablaze with thoughts of inadequacies. It wasn’t until his flickering crown spun wildly on his head, tired of the self-doubts the wolf was having. If the fire had had eyes, they’d be rolling into its non-existent skull.
“Listen boss, your problem is-”
“Shut up.” Takai snapped.
“Oh excuse me, do you need to willow in your pool of sadness?” The crown’s fire burned wildly, lashing out at the air as its form faltered. Its words had stained Takai’s face with annoyance. “Quality over quantity.” A quick statement.
Takai’s face had indeed gone sour at the words of the elemental but its last phrase struck something in him. “...”
“No one can deny your ridiculous depth of mana idiot but even you can’t pump out that many wolves and have them be effective.” The elemental above his skull cackled, its flames burping in jeer. “Not to mention, trying to control all of that must be near impossible if they all get attacked at once. They ain’t got no grit. Nothing behind the eyes.”
Takai’s lungs filled with air as he slowly leaned back against the unforgiving steps, his elbows repositioning to hold his weight. “Yeah…”
“Maybe… Just maybe…” The crown paused.
Takai let that air out of his lungs, already knowing what the elemental had in mind.
“You could ask the ancient elementals in the tower, how to actually use the elementals power to form conscious beings of fire. Backed up by a living elemental. Conscious, powerful, an actual skeleton behind the creatures.”
Takai’s eyes stayed on the forest in the distance, a savage clash of fiery fang and claw ripping a stray shadow to bits. “...Hmph.” Regrettably, his body shoved forward as he slowly stood. Takai slipped into the tower with a defeated expression. He couldn’t figure it out all on his own.
~~~
The fire Elementals left over from the previous Keepers cackled at Takai’s requests cackled at Takai’s requests. In constant dance and movement, the fiery beings crackled and popped. Playful and ancient beings, filled with essence and knowledge playfully bounding about the man. “We can show you but you must find out for yourself Keeper… It is your duty.” The Flames drug along Takai’s shoulders as they circled the man.
“...” It was beyond his nature to begin with to ask anyone or anything for help. Now knowing he’d have to study… “Fuck that…” Takai scowled, rolling his shoulder to remove the licking Flames from it.
The Elementals fluttering about cackled. “So much power… so little foresight. You do not belong here.”
Takai’s body suddenly exploded in rippling muscle as he flexed, puffing up his chest. Heat billowing from his skin, blurring the air around him. “I’ll rip your essence from existence.” Proving the elemental’s point.
The Elemental’s facestwisted in delight, one of them suddenly exploding into a massive towering form, bending over Takai with extended claws. “We’ve been here since the fire of creation burned you simple creature. YOU DO NOT BELONG!” The creature was ready to swallow the wolf whole.
Takai didn’t flinch at this performance. His body stood fast, ignorant of the creature’s true power. It wasn’t until his spinning crown of flames burst into a brilliant purple crackling fire, embers of purple flame filling the air as its revolutions blurred into a wild twister of blaze. “ENOUGH!” The flame began to move into a small jagged imp, nested on Takai’s head in a low crouch. “You’re right.”
Takai snapped up at the imp on his head, furious at its comment. “OI-”
The imp gripped at Takai’s mouth, “Shut up!” His host shook his head violently as the imp gripped his ear with his free hand, riding the bucking bronco of a wolf man. “This idiot isn’t meant to be a Keeper. He’s a damn force of nature, not a scholar.”
Takai had stopped his flailing, stopping as he seethed under the grip on his lips. Sharing his thoughts, his mind quieted as he rolled his neck. The imps fingers pulling from his lips.
The Elemental’s reach slowly retreated from Takai and his crown. Listening intently to the fiery imp. “Aye… A creature of reason….” It’s voice an angry breath of flame.
“You let show us what we need. We’ll leave and let some soft sack of shit take his place.” The imp burned with fury as it rested on Takai’s stilling head.
The Elemental crackled in thought, its eyes locked in question at the man.
Takai simply stared for a long moment, his molten orbs of gold finally shaded by his lids before he dropped in a soft nod. “Aye. I don’t belong here as a protector.”
The Elemental cackled in a loud billowing burp of fire and chaos as its body retracted to its original wide but much smaller form. “Yes… Yess. Knowledge for freedom from your cursed chaotic flames.” The Elemental twisted as it led them deeper into the tower. “Follow you dull Keeper.”
~~~
Tomes and books were spread along the table deep in another library. Takai sat in his chair, obvious anger and confusion chiseled deeply into his scrunched face. He had no idea what the hell he was doing, the Elementals had pulled every tome and book he needed to complete his task but offered nothing else. He had looked through so much, so many words too foreign or confusing. Too many languages he couldn’t speak. “....”
The Imp had shifted back to its crown form, sitting almost silently above his skull in the occasional turn or partial twist of motion. Finally it spoke, “.,..to form a bond with a fire elemental, the master must…” The words continued, Takai’s eyes shifting up to the crown in surprise as a tendril of flame pointed to a key point in the sentence.
The rest of the day followed the trend, Takai’s eyes burning fiercely with determination and focus as he leaned over the parchments, books and scrolls. The elemental deciphering what it could and trying to teach the man. Occasional breaks of practice taking place. Flickers of form appearing, elementals scattering and angry outbursts from the Keeper.
Hours and hours passed by, Takai never stopping his constant mission. It wasn’t until a wild burst of flame erupted through the library, the birth of a wildly powerful wolf of flame burning into existence. Cackling flaming fur, gnarly crackling jaws. A cerberus of a wolf. Wild and feral. The creature burst through the tower walls, causing no damage but out into the outskirts of the forest’s of the Isle, ready to follow its mission was Takai finally satiated.
Pouring back into a chair like a melted candle, Takai groaned. His eyes burning with exhaustion as his blink’s slowed in their opening’s. “Finally….”
“Aye…finally…” The crown whispered, a tone that could be perceived as proud coming from it. Lost on the tired man. “We need to make more like those, they’ll do a much better job protecting the Isle.” The crown grew silent, waiting for a response. It never came though. A heavy breath from Takai showed the Keeper’s exhaustion finally taking him. “...”
The Elemental spoke, seemingly always been behind the duo as the crown erupted in surprise, spinning softly on Takai’s head. “The Keeper must leave now. He’s of no use to us. Strong he may be. He will never be the right material for a tower.” The being crackled quietly as it overlooked their research. “Perhaps, if he heeds your guidance. Once day he can return. Too much pain clouds that fire. It’s tainted and evil.”
The imp crowns flames slowed, acknowledging the Elemental’s words. “Let him rest, we will leave.”
“Rest what you need. Time teaches much patience. The deal fulfilled. Leave the Tower, do not return.” The words slipped from the Fire as it slowly sank into the floor blocks, vanishing from view, off to somewhere else into the Tower.
“... Cocky fuckin’ ancient beings… This man could change existence as we know it.” The crown crackled quietly to nothing.
“That’s the problem…” The Tower itself rumbled quietly around the two, a soft snore catching in Takai’s throat.
~~~
The night of the shadow’s assault had sent Takai intro a wild rage, his were fore running rampant through the wilderness of the Isle on a hunt for his fallen wolves and the ever present swarms of pure darkness. Fiery claws ablaze with savage magics exploding across the forest until he had run himself rampant and tired. Despite his efforts, the forest was teaming with their presence. An infinite number of shadows.
Wearily making his way across the obsidian glass covered field of the Tower of Fire, Takai had spent the night seething in the blanket of flames. His blazen orbs forever locked on his lands as the few savage wolves of fire and flame crashed about, snuffing out the occasional shadow that found its way into his plain. As time passed and the wolf came to a simmer the familiar cracks and tears of flesh and bone sounded above the crackle of billowing flame.
The night had passed, and in Rhy’Din proper the night had ended but the darkness remained over the Twilight Isles. Takai, sitting on his stoop in front of the tower, naked as usual his body hung over his knees, forearms rested on them deep in thought and fighting his tired body. His mind burning with thought from the night prior.
~~~
“Those damn things couldn’t hold a candle to me but all those damn wolves were slaughtered almost entirely.” Self-worth and doubt had been plaguing his mind. Sure, the constant stream of his own mana being ripped from his soul being stopped was a good feeling but their lack of ability was something else to consider.
A deep breath filled his flared nostrils, teeth gritting audibly as his face showed nothing but irrefutable rage. “Am I not strong enough?” His mind was ablaze with thoughts of inadequacies. It wasn’t until his flickering crown spun wildly on his head, tired of the self-doubts the wolf was having. If the fire had had eyes, they’d be rolling into its non-existent skull.
“Listen boss, your problem is-”
“Shut up.” Takai snapped.
“Oh excuse me, do you need to willow in your pool of sadness?” The crown’s fire burned wildly, lashing out at the air as its form faltered. Its words had stained Takai’s face with annoyance. “Quality over quantity.” A quick statement.
Takai’s face had indeed gone sour at the words of the elemental but its last phrase struck something in him. “...”
“No one can deny your ridiculous depth of mana idiot but even you can’t pump out that many wolves and have them be effective.” The elemental above his skull cackled, its flames burping in jeer. “Not to mention, trying to control all of that must be near impossible if they all get attacked at once. They ain’t got no grit. Nothing behind the eyes.”
Takai’s lungs filled with air as he slowly leaned back against the unforgiving steps, his elbows repositioning to hold his weight. “Yeah…”
“Maybe… Just maybe…” The crown paused.
Takai let that air out of his lungs, already knowing what the elemental had in mind.
“You could ask the ancient elementals in the tower, how to actually use the elementals power to form conscious beings of fire. Backed up by a living elemental. Conscious, powerful, an actual skeleton behind the creatures.”
Takai’s eyes stayed on the forest in the distance, a savage clash of fiery fang and claw ripping a stray shadow to bits. “...Hmph.” Regrettably, his body shoved forward as he slowly stood. Takai slipped into the tower with a defeated expression. He couldn’t figure it out all on his own.
~~~
The fire Elementals left over from the previous Keepers cackled at Takai’s requests cackled at Takai’s requests. In constant dance and movement, the fiery beings crackled and popped. Playful and ancient beings, filled with essence and knowledge playfully bounding about the man. “We can show you but you must find out for yourself Keeper… It is your duty.” The Flames drug along Takai’s shoulders as they circled the man.
“...” It was beyond his nature to begin with to ask anyone or anything for help. Now knowing he’d have to study… “Fuck that…” Takai scowled, rolling his shoulder to remove the licking Flames from it.
The Elementals fluttering about cackled. “So much power… so little foresight. You do not belong here.”
Takai’s body suddenly exploded in rippling muscle as he flexed, puffing up his chest. Heat billowing from his skin, blurring the air around him. “I’ll rip your essence from existence.” Proving the elemental’s point.
The Elemental’s facestwisted in delight, one of them suddenly exploding into a massive towering form, bending over Takai with extended claws. “We’ve been here since the fire of creation burned you simple creature. YOU DO NOT BELONG!” The creature was ready to swallow the wolf whole.
Takai didn’t flinch at this performance. His body stood fast, ignorant of the creature’s true power. It wasn’t until his spinning crown of flames burst into a brilliant purple crackling fire, embers of purple flame filling the air as its revolutions blurred into a wild twister of blaze. “ENOUGH!” The flame began to move into a small jagged imp, nested on Takai’s head in a low crouch. “You’re right.”
Takai snapped up at the imp on his head, furious at its comment. “OI-”
The imp gripped at Takai’s mouth, “Shut up!” His host shook his head violently as the imp gripped his ear with his free hand, riding the bucking bronco of a wolf man. “This idiot isn’t meant to be a Keeper. He’s a damn force of nature, not a scholar.”
Takai had stopped his flailing, stopping as he seethed under the grip on his lips. Sharing his thoughts, his mind quieted as he rolled his neck. The imps fingers pulling from his lips.
The Elemental’s reach slowly retreated from Takai and his crown. Listening intently to the fiery imp. “Aye… A creature of reason….” It’s voice an angry breath of flame.
“You let show us what we need. We’ll leave and let some soft sack of shit take his place.” The imp burned with fury as it rested on Takai’s stilling head.
The Elemental crackled in thought, its eyes locked in question at the man.
Takai simply stared for a long moment, his molten orbs of gold finally shaded by his lids before he dropped in a soft nod. “Aye. I don’t belong here as a protector.”
The Elemental cackled in a loud billowing burp of fire and chaos as its body retracted to its original wide but much smaller form. “Yes… Yess. Knowledge for freedom from your cursed chaotic flames.” The Elemental twisted as it led them deeper into the tower. “Follow you dull Keeper.”
~~~
Tomes and books were spread along the table deep in another library. Takai sat in his chair, obvious anger and confusion chiseled deeply into his scrunched face. He had no idea what the hell he was doing, the Elementals had pulled every tome and book he needed to complete his task but offered nothing else. He had looked through so much, so many words too foreign or confusing. Too many languages he couldn’t speak. “....”
The Imp had shifted back to its crown form, sitting almost silently above his skull in the occasional turn or partial twist of motion. Finally it spoke, “.,..to form a bond with a fire elemental, the master must…” The words continued, Takai’s eyes shifting up to the crown in surprise as a tendril of flame pointed to a key point in the sentence.
The rest of the day followed the trend, Takai’s eyes burning fiercely with determination and focus as he leaned over the parchments, books and scrolls. The elemental deciphering what it could and trying to teach the man. Occasional breaks of practice taking place. Flickers of form appearing, elementals scattering and angry outbursts from the Keeper.
Hours and hours passed by, Takai never stopping his constant mission. It wasn’t until a wild burst of flame erupted through the library, the birth of a wildly powerful wolf of flame burning into existence. Cackling flaming fur, gnarly crackling jaws. A cerberus of a wolf. Wild and feral. The creature burst through the tower walls, causing no damage but out into the outskirts of the forest’s of the Isle, ready to follow its mission was Takai finally satiated.
Pouring back into a chair like a melted candle, Takai groaned. His eyes burning with exhaustion as his blink’s slowed in their opening’s. “Finally….”
“Aye…finally…” The crown whispered, a tone that could be perceived as proud coming from it. Lost on the tired man. “We need to make more like those, they’ll do a much better job protecting the Isle.” The crown grew silent, waiting for a response. It never came though. A heavy breath from Takai showed the Keeper’s exhaustion finally taking him. “...”
The Elemental spoke, seemingly always been behind the duo as the crown erupted in surprise, spinning softly on Takai’s head. “The Keeper must leave now. He’s of no use to us. Strong he may be. He will never be the right material for a tower.” The being crackled quietly as it overlooked their research. “Perhaps, if he heeds your guidance. Once day he can return. Too much pain clouds that fire. It’s tainted and evil.”
The imp crowns flames slowed, acknowledging the Elemental’s words. “Let him rest, we will leave.”
“Rest what you need. Time teaches much patience. The deal fulfilled. Leave the Tower, do not return.” The words slipped from the Fire as it slowly sank into the floor blocks, vanishing from view, off to somewhere else into the Tower.
“... Cocky fuckin’ ancient beings… This man could change existence as we know it.” The crown crackled quietly to nothing.
“That’s the problem…” The Tower itself rumbled quietly around the two, a soft snore catching in Takai’s throat.
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