Mordania

Vigil listened intently. It was such a grand story, the kind of thing bards told in dark corners to drunk sailors, but he did not think a word of it a lie.

"Human's can not be natural magical prodigies." Vigil said bluntly, "It is not in your nature to do magic any more than it is in your nature to fly." It was insultingly blunt, but to a creature that was so entwined in magic that it made up a part of his physical being, even the most powerful human mage could hardly be called a prodigy, he had never experienced one who had either not studied intently, or been exposed at least indirectly to some form of magic near the beginning of their life.

"Still, a gift from the universe should not be diminished. Fate saw fit to give you this lineage, this gift of magic, to protect the order of things, lest they be changed by force." He stared intently at the vial. "Balor. She was there, with someone." He mussed, but then his thoughts turned quickly as he asked rhetorically "What happened at the pool? The best place to follow a story is from the beginning." He looked around the room. It did not sound like he was speaking figuratively, he was perfectly seriously, he wanted to go to the pool of life.

Nigel took a moment to think on his words as Vigil's words, though painfully blunt, did ring true. He perhaps thought it fair, even though it may tarnish the crown, to tell the full truth as far as he knew it. He looks out at everyone, takes a breath and tries to confess clearly, "the pool, at the heart of the cursed southeastern continent... there my mother's group fought among each other. Though she is Cecilia Mordaine, she was known then as Flannery Haozweld, and her number two, Hamza Zead, the 'bloody axe' of legend, decided that the two of them were the only ones to deserve immortality, the other two, including Balor, were to be removed... the other was a man my age, a petty thief with big dreams named Berg who... it seems Balor and he were deeply intertwined... he was killed by Hamza, split across the chest by his axe, and Balor was thought dead, her eye gouged out, stomach split open, and held under in the pool of life... I suppose Hamza did not think the final part through properly... but then again, he was a murderer, not big on thinking. Balor... as we see her as now, brutally killed Hamza in retaliation, but spared my mother for some reason..."

Nigel rubs his forehead and nervously takes a glass of ale, a strange thing considering he wasn't a drinker. This fact was not lost as he scrunched his face as he drank. He then takes a moment, holding up a finger signaling that he has one more thing to say. "What happened to the pool afterwards, I cannot say for certain, perhaps it is still there, sitting amidst the jungle, or perhaps it is all within the girl known as Gabrielle. What I do know is that Balor has decided after all these years to come here, that she took over my land, that she's using the miracle child and her Exalted, and that, somehow, your people are involved in this, Vigil."

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In the castle, Balor looked at Jonathan's work with her one good eye. She had started to question his genius, it is true, but this... it seemed spontaneous yet sound. Joy was only satisfied that Jonathan seemed less gloomy, even if he did ignore her for the most part.

Balor paused for a moment, noticing something, then pointed it out. "I as-sume Gab-ri-elle will fill one point... then Fort-i-tude... and Mercy... but," she says as she points at each with with a long sharp nail, then holds out two fingers indicating two empty points. "I will re-quire two more Ex-al-ted for these as well?"

She steps out and looks it over again, confirming her suspicion. Regardless, her mood as well seems to have lightened, even if it didn't show upon her face... the air felt less tense as it did moments ago. After pondering it over, she looked to Jonathan. "You have done well... you have giv-en me some hope... but Joy here... is cor-rect... you need sleep. You are weary, and you have earned it," her tone was strangely soft for once, almost kind, as far as voice allowed it to be.

Godefray smiled under his helmet when Bolin was going to arrange for a supply of weapons to help train and arm the men better then the men Mercy had with him. He was a great addition to their ranks, his skill with a blade and ability to already arrange for plans like this was going to help their efforts.

However when Nigel and Vigil began to talk about the pool of life and what happened there, his smile faded away. He began to absorb all the information the had said, an old grudge, a pool that grants powers, and how he mentioned Vigl's people were somehow involved in this. When he thought about it, the pool was a sure fire way to turn the battle to their favour, however like Nigel said, it could be in Gabrielle. There was some risk in looking for the pool, they would lose time doing other tasks and not be ready when they were needed.

It was worth a shot at the very least, but he was worried that the Exalted might be planning something to hamper the resistance efforts. "Do you all think that finding this pool of life might be worth it? Its almost like a coin flip, we migh either get lucky and find the pool still there or be unlucky and the pool is going to be gone. I say it is worth the effort however I must remain here and keep a watch for thing here. We have lot contact with four very talented people, and I prefer not to lose contact with more people." Godefray spoke as he took of his helmet and began to relax with some food and drink.

Jonathan stood quietly as Balor passed her field of vision across the sigil he had created. He could see the start of a smile at the edge of her lips, allowing him a bit of comfort.

When Balor inquired about the empty slots on the star, he quickly replied "I'll be taking a spot myself, milady. Although I may not necessarily be as powerful as the Exalted, I possess intimate knowledge in the oldest of the arcane arts: Fire and Sky, the primal sources of magic. With this knowledge, I shall channel the very essence of the realm! And with your followers, I will achieve the power I require to absorb the extraordinary amount of energy required to perform the counterspell you need."

As the magus spoke, a strong feeling filled his insides. He was incredibly excited to carry on with the ritual; not just because it'll cure his queen; not just because it will earn him the fame and praise he's always dreamed of.

He was ready to attain a glimpse of true power. The ritual he was ready to perform would sap the Exalted of their power temporarily, and transfer it to himself for whatever reason he required it. The thought of having such immeasurable power, even if it meant never reaching a similar state again, filled his body with adredaline, his curious mind desperate to experience the godlike state he'd reach.

"However, now that you mention it, we DO need 1 more person to fill the circle."

This revelation disturbed Jonathan, not having realized that there would not be enough Exalted to complete the circuit. However, in all honesty, he could worry about this later. He was VERY tired, and seeing as Joy was kind enough to convince Balor into allowing him some rest, he decided that some sleep would do him well.

Gesturing to some guards, he'd have them guide him to some sleeping quarters of sorts, where he'd lie down and have some well-deserved rest.

"The girls blood, it is like mine, but it is not. If she was born of the pool knowing the pool will reveal her." Vigil's eyes stared through the vial of blood. "As for my people, they have never become involved in any nations disputes. Perhaps Balor has used the Cambiregeist as a convenient scapegoat to give the Exalted a sense of right." A half truth by many standards, but as a nation the Cambiregeist had never interfered with another nations dealings. "If the pool gave Gabriel this power, this blood, knowing the pool would reveal much about the girl. Knowing the girl would reveal much about the Exalted."

Vigil couldn't help but be curious, it seemed as though the blood granted a person traits very similar to that of Cambiregeist, like a manufactured magical being. If he could study the pool, perhaps he could learn something of the process, of what made Gabriel, and perhaps how to more easily counter the Exalted. Otherwise he feared there would be very little progress.

"If we are to go to the pool, we must do so soon. If we are not, swift action must be taken. They will not allow you to roam freely as the rightful heir plotting their removal. Perhaps the man with Balor might be a key?"

"I understand what you mean, but what you are suggesting would take..." As he spoke in he stopped in the middle of his sentence and glanced down into his hands. He had realized something, seeing now the faint glow through his palms. He holds his arm up, pulling down his sleeve and glancing at his veins. He looks closely as the glow continues down, faint as it may be it is there none the less. "It is a far cry from my mother's as well as that of the Exalted, but it is there, circulating, calling to its genesis, be it the pool or the Great Mother herself... yes, this is sufficient."

What would seem cryptic to most, the prince had come to an epiphany that he was now formulating it into their advantage. He slipped out a dagger and placed his right hand upon the table. The bartender sees this, and gives some panicked protest. "We do have inks for this sort, you know." The protest falls on deaf ears as Nigel jabs his index finger with the blade's tip and writes a series of runes upon his arm in the blood.

"Sorry friend, but inks would be insufficient here, blood bonded is necessary," he says casually, finishing the final marks. He looks to the others, possibly now curious as to what his strange behavior entails. He felt embarrassed, among other things, that he made an act upon a whim again without telling about it beforehand. "I made a conduit with my blood, and the symbols are the passage key," he says pointing to the symbols on his arm, they give off a faint ghostly blue glow. "I remembered it from some of my lessons, it was used a long time ago as some form of recall for... um, prisoners and slaves."

He grabs a vial of Gabrielle's blood and holds it out in his palm. "I've reversed it, however, instead of bringing something to me, I'll bring myself to it, in this case the birthplace of Gabrielle, and where Balor and my mother became as they are." He rips off a piece of cloth, marks on it as well, and places it on a blank portion of the floor. He then points to it to emphasize its importance "This will be my anchor point, be sure not to disturb it as I shall use it to recall myself back here."

"If you are to protest this, do so now, otherwise I can take only myself and another leaving leadership to Godefray for the duration," he says, sounding confident in his words. If he had a bit of the pool he could finally understand the full picture... and see the last place his mother was as a mortal. He looked to the Cambiregeist. "Would this be sufficient haste, friend?"

Vigil nodded, "If this is possible, let us go."

He didn't know what they would find, he could only hope there were answers to he had. Perhaps a clue to how they might proceed. If Balor's strength was derived from the pool, perhaps they could learn a weakness.

"Let us seek answers, and then seek action."

Godefray watched as Nigel began to carve runes into his arm before grabbing one of the vials of blood and holding it in his hand. He the explained that he reversed it and was about to bring himself to it, quite frankly Nigel was not making much sense but juding what was going on it war clear that this required the use of magic which Godefray was no expert in.

Godefray watched as Nigel rips off a peice of cloth, marks it then placed it on a blank portion of the floor before explaining its importance. It was his anchor point and wanted nothing to disturb it, whatever was going on making sure nothing happened to that peice of cloth was going to be top priority for him. "I shall guard that with my life, you can rest knowing that nothing shall happen to you Nigel. I promise that peice of cloth shall remain untouched." Godefray dutifully spoke before getting up from his seat and slamming his fist against his chest. It was his promise, one that he would see to the end.

Bolin sat watching Nigel the exchanged Between The prince and Vigil. he shuddered when the prince begain carving runes into his arm, thinking to himself not more blood magic.

Rising from what remained of his meal. My lord Mordaine "I will not pretend to under stand what you are doing as all magic seems to beyond my comprehension but i will give you my word also that this piece of cloth will remain here undisturbed until you return. with that said he began pacing the room trying to figure out how they could defend the basement if they were attacked and also how they could escape because even as green as mercy's men were they could easily trap them inside this room.