Chapter 30
After that recent attack, Vazkor has pretty much decided to just keep moving around the countryside, to hopefully thrown Ultimecia's agents off their trail or to at least make them lag behind for a bit. The man and his Esper companion pretty much avoiding large settlements for now, to minimize the risk of innocent casualties or any informers seeing them, and as such being forced to simply camp out in the open every night, finding whatever shelter they can. The coins 'safely' stuffed into a packpack that they take turns with carrying, having decided since their safe melted that easily last time, there wasn't much point yet to get a new one.
It's a lifestyle that Silmeria seems to take to fairly easily; given the sheer breadth of her experience on the road, by whatever means she can secure, she makes certain that their campsites are suitable for the terrain and the weather, and her own bulging travel-pack carries with it almost anything that can be used or improvised to serve a long life on the road. The tent she carries with her is small, just large enough to fit the both of them snugly, though early on she suggested a watch schedule that gave each the tent to themselves over the night. It has been a quiet week all told, since the attack by the strange machine and the gigantic fiend nothing much has really happened. The odd fiend attack but nothing sinister or Ultmeicia related, the day is slowly ending, another hour of daylight is left and o far things have been good and quiet a every other day.
Vazkor stretches a bit as he sits outside the tent, facing the small fire before him, waiting for the fish he wrapped in some leaves and left in the glowing ashes at the side to finish cooking. The man looking fairly comfortable with being out doors as well, despite his usual fancy nature. Even having started to develope some thick, dark stubble that's close to being a full-on beard by now. And he just sits like that, waiting on his food, and to be able to crawl into the tent afterwards... Though in the back of his mind, also constantly aware they might be attacked at any moment. His swords always near.
Silmeria drops down next to Vazkor, taking her gunblade from her shoulder to rest beside her, In her other hand, she carries a small bag filled with gleanings from the area; grains, grasses, berries, the sort of things that supplement well during rough travel, and keep sickness away. "What I'm really worried about," she says after a moment's silence in which she parcels out her findings for each, "is how we'll know it's safe enough to return."
Huuuuuuummmmzzzzzzzz WHIS! Goes the three mechanical devices that suddenly drop out of the sky, riding out of the sunset to zip through the camp like a breeze. They are long and slender and mechanical and have three people sat on the back of them as they fly through the air! One of them, the figure in the lead snags that oh so important pack-pack from where it was safe at hand and all three bank left and start to speed back out of the camp, putting about twenty feet between Silmeria and Vazkor before either Esper or Sword-Master can react!
Vazkor glances sideways to Silmeria as she sits down next to him, taking a moment to study her loot, before he gives a bit of a shrug and starts responding to her statement, "We'll just have to risk going into town sometime... Maybe next week, or a couple of weeks down the line. See if they're home yet... Or maybe the coins will guide us." And he looks over at that nearby packpack then... Only to blink, startled, as something suddenly zips past and snatches it! The man springing to his feet right after, the crackling of electricity sounding as he draws his swords, and then stares at the retreating figures... A curse escaping him, before he starts running after them.
Silmeria looses a shout as the pack is snatched up, springing to her feet. "Sky-cycles!" she cries, "Hurry, Vazkor, they won't be based far!" She begins to pick up Iluren, but pauses as a thought occurs to her. Snatching her scythe, she breathes a silent prayer to her father, before gripping the very end in both hands and takes two hopping steps forward, turning as she goes, and heaving the scythe at the lead bike. Only then does she take her Gunblade in hand and dart after Vazkor.
The scythe wobbles as Silmeria throws it and then sudden rams into the ground haft first and shoots a beam of light from the blade! It flashes blue and though it isn't very strong it misses the lead bike and the second bike but the flash started the third rider whose bike wavers as he jerks and he tumbles off it rolling away. The heavy set black man picks himself back to his feet and tries to right his bike but Silmeria and Vazkor are bearing down on him weapons on. He backs up then turns to run just as the first two riders spin back around. The leader a blonde haired man with a black gunblade points it at the women in blue who SHOUTS something angrily at the black man and slaps him upside the head and he scrambles onto her bike and they are off again.
Vazkor bares his teeth as he sprints right for the bikes, past Silmeria's scythe. His own swords buzzing with electrical energy as he holds each by his side, their static discharge setting his hair on end and making him looking even more feral as he goes after the thieves. And he goes for that large black man, then... The swashbuckler attempting to spring at him as he climbs on the woman's back, hoping to get close enough to put a nice swordslash across his back before they're back to full speed again.
Silmeria snatches the scythe from the ground as she passes, pouring on as much speed as possible. While the Esper may be lagging slightly behind, she's determined to catch up, filling her burning lungs as she closes in on the erstwhile escapees. "HOI!" she calls to the riders, pitching her voice to carry far and grab their attention, "ARE YOU RIDING A SKYCYCLE OR DEFILING YOUR MOTHER'S FAVORITE CAMEL?" [Deride]
The trio pause and the woman frowns as Vazkor swings at her but a blade slashes in front of him, catches both his blades and the gunblade goes off with a BLAM and blows the man back into Silmeria and knocks them both down. "YOU! DIE!" The woman shouts, raising her missle blade and preparing to swing it but she pauses as the blonde in the grey coat raises his hand and fore-stalls her and regards the two. "You are powerful warriors, but know this... the will of the Sorcoress is paramount and you thieves shall not retain these relics so say I, her Knight. Come!" He kicks his skycycle around and with a blast of displaced air zips toward a nearby promontory. The woman gives Silmeria SUCH a look but puts her cycle into gear and flashes after the man, their bikes lifting up off the ground and out of melee reach as they barrel toward the cliff.
Vazkor grunts as he's blown right into Silmeria, ending up sprawled out ontop of her, smoke rising from his chest piece where he was hit, his leather armor scorched. Shaking his head then to clear it, he rolls off of the Esper, and tries to climb back to his feet even as he regards the bike-riding trio... His golden eyes glaring with near malevolence, obviously pissed, and even shouting after them angrily in Rozarrian as they escape, before starting to follow them again, heading for that cliff.
Silmeria pushes herself to her feet, coughing faintly. "...Ow," she observes, starting to head off after Vazkor... And then pausing, glancing to her left. From behind the swordsman, the sound of boots on metal can be heard, before the spare 'cycle's engine roars to life. "Vazkor?" Silmeria calls after the swordsman, "maybe we'll want to go faster?"
The blonde man and his companions vanish over the cliff and out of sight as Silmeria revs that engine back to life. It is not too hard to get going but the device is like nothing the esper has ever seen before. It is swift and powerful and responds with the merest nudge of thrust and handle-bars. It is a fine, fine machine....
Vazkor pauses as he hears Silmeria's voice, briefly shaking his swords at the retreating figures, before he turns around to the Esper and regards her new steed. The swashbuckler just blinking, before he suddenly sheathes once of his blades, and then quickly moves to mount the bike behind her, holding on with his now free hand, leaving his Katana to slash at Ultimecia's agents if they can catch up, "Go."
Silmeria, not terribly practiced in the riding of skycycles, keeps it simple for the moment; pointing the noseof the craft over the clifftop, she guns the engine slowly at first, but the moment they get underway she starts picking up the speed. If nothing else, their trajectory will allow them a good dead of visibility by air. The Esper says nothing, for now, focusing on the handling of this beautiful, temperamental craft.
Slmeria isn't the best, she speeds toward the cliff top and wobbles a bit as they go over it and the bike plummets 30 feet toward the ground. It rights itself automatically as it is about to hit but it tosses Silmeria right off the bike and the Epser girl comes down hard with a smack that cracks her ankle nastily. Vazkor however neatly rolls off the bike and grabs its handle-bars and cuts the engine. Which is about when the big arse shadow looms over head... a massive fortress of red and gold... rising up from where it had been at rest. A gigantic ring beneath it slowly rotating, metal and magic supporting the massive craft as it starts to take off. The two sky-cycles can be seen in the distance, flitting up to land on the structure as it begins to ponderously turn. The coins are up there... and the only hope they have of catching it, is to use the SkyCycle and catch up to this magnificent, this beautiful machina as it starts to fly away...
Vazkor looks back at Silmeria as he stops the bike like that, about to ask if she's ok when the big shadow draws his attention instead, and he tilts his head up to look... Golden eyes going kinda wide as he sees that flying fortress take off, the man mouthing a quiet, 'What the hell...' Before he manages to get the presence of mind to spring into action. Sliding himself on to the bike's saddle, and then holding his hand out to Silmeria to get on as well, "Alright, this is probably gonna suck."
Silmeria cries out as her ankle gives way underneath her, rolling to a heap on the ground, face turned up to the sky and tears streaming from the corner of her eyes. Planting the point of her 'blade into the ground, she drags herself to her feet, hopping one-footed toward Vazkor. "Probably," she breathes, still managing a pained smile, "but when did anything worthwhile not demand its share of hardship?" With his help, and only a few whimpers, she manages to get herself situated on the bike, Gunblade in one hand and the other cinched around the swordsman's waist. "Fly," she whispers. "Fly far and fast."
Vazkor is by no means a pro but he is better then Silmeria. The sky-cycle leaps into the air and ROARS toward the giagantic fortress. It isn't hard to catch up with on the bike they are certainly faster as the speed through the air after it the wind whipping at their hair and tugging at their clothing until a few short minutes later they are alighting in an empty courtyard as the fortress turns upon its mighty golden ring and begins to fly off toward the north. Above the door of this massive fortress is a gigantic symbol, and a very old one, the white circle with one prong of white and black on either side... the symbol of Andromeda. )
Vazkor tries to fly the bike the best he can, having no direct experience with this model, but at least having flown other hover bikes before. The man's thick, longish hair threatening to whip into Silmeria's place as he flies up to the fortress, his expression tense and through somewhat teary eyes- due to the wind- trying to catch sight of their quarry. Though soon enough deciding to fly down to that courtyard, just to be able to land safely, and find a way inside to continue theirt hunt.
"It might," Silmeria pants when they finally land, searching for a way to pull herself off the bike and onto the ground without *seriously* aggravating her broken ankle, "be a very good idea to learn something in the way of white magic, when we return... This *hurts.*"
Silmeria's ankle is indeed very swollen... dangerously so, she can walk on it but each step is going to hurt like hell and fighting will not be easy. The courtyard thankfully is empty except for two abandoned SkyCycles and the great doors are open. The floors and walls inside seem to be metal illuminated by yellow lights and it lead down into the great flying fortre, silent and quiet...
Vazkor swings himself off the bike, briefly looking at the visible interior of the fortress, before his attention is drawn back to Silmeria instead. His eyes flicking down to that swollen ankle, and the man frowning then... Looking back up at her as he speaks, "... Perhaps I should have Raziel teach me some healing magic. Not much I can do to help but try and splint it... Might just have to push through and hope we can do tenfold worse to them." The swashbuckler looking a bit grim, obviously not happy.
"Peace, friend," Silmeria says, hopping along as best she can, her free hand holding onto Vazkor's shoulder for support. "We'll retrieve the coins, and put the Sorceress' Knight back in his proper place, soon enough. I should think... we'll want to find the topmost room of this place. Like as not that's either where the Knight wil be, or his mistress."
The party walk down the large corridor that leads toward the heart of the fortress walking along slowly toward a large central courtyard illuyminated by a large orange pillar of light. Vazkor suddenly grabs Silmeria's arm and pulls her behind one of the pillars that line the walls of the corridor as he spots and hears something ahead.
Vazkor slips behind that pillar, pulling Silmeria along, and tries to remain out of view even as he raises a finger to his lips, and his fuzzy wolf ears visibly perk up. The dark skinned swashbuckler obviously intending to try and listen in on whoever might be ahead.
What he can hear is: "You can see the three figures standing in the central hall staring up at a small figure suspended inside the orange light. You also hear this conversation - Seifer: "What is this? Azathorn speak to us?" Raijin: This is wrong Seifer, why do we not return to the Galactic Plain? Fujin: YES SOMETHING WRONG! THIS IS NOT RIGHT! SORCORESS YOU ARE SURE? Seifer: "Not any longer, why do we sail north... why do the coins not answer and what has happened to Azathorn something here is wrong." Raijin: It was Rinoa though... the Sorceress... what is going on?""
Silmeria presses her back against the wall, biting her lower lip against another exclamation of pain as she gets dragged behind the pillar. 'What do you see?' she mouths to Vazkor, once she's certain he can spot it.
Vazkor listens in for a bit like that, peeking right around the pillar, before he glances at Silmeria and answers her in a whisper, "Apparently something is wrong... They're talking to some figure in the orange light, but they're confused, asking why they're sailing north, and why the coins won't answer... And they keep mentioning a name. Azathorn... And someone named Rinoa." The man shrugging then, before he adds, "Should we attack?"
"...That almost sounds like what one of Andromeda's imps wold be named, Azathorn" Silmeria answers, in a shaky whisper. "I'm not sure... if we attack, we may learn more, or nothing more at all... if we wait, we allow them to come closer to finishing their plans... Also I'm sorry, Vazkor, but my ability to help in a fight isn't... really very reliable, now. I'll follow your lead, though, whichever you decide."
Vazkor shows no recognition of the name even as Silmeria mentions her theory to him... And just puts on a ponderous expression as she mentions following his lead with whatever he decides to do. The man thinking for a few long moments, before he suddenly just shrugs, and his lips curl into a grin, "We could hide out on this ship, and see if your ankle heals in time... But I don't think we'll be able to do anything in time, then. So let's just see what we can do right now, and try not to die too quickly, hm? Your ankle won't hurt as much when one of them is swinging a blade at you." And with that, he pats the Esper on one shoulder, before he suddenly steps out from behind that pillar, in full view, his swords already sliding out again.
The bracing words and the pat on the shoulder earns Vazkor a small, amused snort, and Silmeria takes in a long, deep breath as Vazkor steps out of view. Cocking her head, she waits to hear that their opponents' attention is fully occupied, before slipping around the other side to move closer. If she can manage to flank them, all to the better.
The trio turn, their weapons come up and then the leader frowns and makes a cutting motion, "You..." he regards Vazkor quietly then steps forward and bows. "I am Seifer... Knight of the Sorceress, Guardian of this place, the Council Chamber of the Stellazio. We have been lost outside of time for some time now... but recently we returned to reality. The Stellazio stir but..." he hefts the pack-back he stole earlier, "They are inert, incomplete and their master and guardian is not here. We were approached by one I trust, given your names and descriptions and told to bring the council chamber to a certain location. But upon our return we found our leader Azathorn of the Court frozen," he glances at the male figure of golden furred imp suspended in the orange light. "I fear something is gravely wrong...."
Vazkor stands facing the three, swords held out, each blade languidly crackling with electricity. And as Seifer speaks to him, oddly polite, the dark-skinned swashbuckler tilts his head a moment... Before dipping forward into a short bow, having no choice but to return the gentlemany behavior. Speaking up in his Rozarrian accented baritone right after, "And I'm Vazkor il Vazkor... A pleasure, I'm sure." The man's eyes briefly flicking to the suspended Imp then, before he adds, "I'm afraid you're finding things to not be in your favor because you're on the wrong side here, friend... My companion and I were under direct orders from the spirits themselves to guard these coins. Ultimecia lied to you."
"Ulti... impossible she's dead... you lie" Seifer turns to look at his companions who are looking equally alarmed. He then turns back and raises his sword, "Your lies shall not work here dark one, she is dead. He stops as a figure coalesces in a flare of light up on the 1st floor balcony looking down at the party. It's a dark haired girl in in a blue wool knit cardigan, she staggers and clutches the railing, bright wings flaring out behind her and fading away. She slumps and stares down, "Seifer.... he....lp..."
_/STEP AWAY!\_ Silmeria trumpets, stepping away from her pillar in her Esper Seeming, all chalk-white skin, black eyes, and charcoal-gray wings dotted with spots of black flaring out to either side of her. _/YOU WEAR THE SKIN OF FRIENDSHIPS PAST TO TWIST THE ACTIONS OF THE BENEVOLENT TO YOUR ENDS, SORCERESS ULTIMECIA. THE DAMNED THIRTEEN MAY SMILE ON YOUR CORRUPTION OF PURE INTENT, BUT THE SPIRITS DO *NOT.*\_ Snatching her scythe from the Void between worlds, she raises it high and *slams* its butt against the floor of the fortress. _/FACE YOUR PAWNS UNMASKED, ULTIMECIA, AND COWER OR FLEE AS YOUR SHRIVELED HEART DEMANDS!\_
Vazkor seems about to answer Seifer, when his attention is drawn to the Esper stepping into view instead... His ears flicking some at her inhuman voice, before he slowly looks back at the trio before him, and then almost idly motions at the angry agent of Hades, the man calmly speaking up, "Her father is Hades himself, and it seems she definately thinks Ultimecia is still alive, and made her quite mad at that. You're being fooled, friend." ... And obviously wanting to say even more, before his eyes flick up to the other figure suddenly appearing. His brow arching at the girl in blue.
As the scythe slams into the floor the orange pillar flashes and winks out and the imp falls limply to the floor only to be snatched before he hits by Fuijin as she leaps across to him. She rolls out of the way of the jagged black crack that splits the floor in twain, a massive pair of iron gates crashing out of the depths to swing open and unleash a three headed beast that HOWLS! Cerberus' voice echoes off the walls and magical energy wraps about all present on the first floor, shields and protections englobing them as the blue cardigan girl wavers and shatters. Ultimecia sways and growls and stands tall, black hair streaming. "CURSE you deathless one! Curse you all!" She raises something over her head, "Seifer, return to me my knight." The man with the gun-blade balks and steps back to cover Fujin and the imp and raises his gun, "Never again witch.... we shall strike you down again." She hisses and the coin in her and flares, "VIRGO! BRING THEM TO ME!" And then her other hand comes out, held before her, "LIBRA! DESTROY THEM!"
Vazkor seems a bit startled at both the appearance of a three-headed dog beast, AND Ultimecia himself... The man staring from one to the other, before he right away slips into a proper fighting pose- Especially as the witch holds out one of the coins and seems about to do something horrible, a brief look of realization and then fury crossing his face as he recognizes the name of said coin. The swashbuckler's voice coming out in a near growl as he speaks towards Seifer then, "Believe us now?" Only to look around for a way to maybe reach Ultimecia so he can fight her... Though keeping his eye on Cerberus as well, the big dog the nearest threat.
The big dog is wavering and starting to fade away, its task done, the magic that summoned it fading but its protective magic remains. Seifer is frozen locked in a pose of anger and then he suddenly jerks as red light enfulfs the back-pack with the coins in it and it leaps into the air toward the Witch. Raijin meanwhile has made a signal at Vazkor, a familiar one the swashbuckler has seen many times, Raijin cups his hands together and kneels on one leg before him and the Rozzarian leaps into action, jumping forward and letting Raijin boost him uptward the balcony. The man flips through the air and lands on the railing and slashes out with both swords. Electrical energy crackles and HOWLS from them both as balanced perfectly on the baulstrode he stikes at the witch. Magic FLARES and she screams and staggers back as Vazkor interupts both spells, her attempts to use the stellazio coin disrupted. Seifer dashes forward and leaps up and grabs the backpack sliding back down onto the floor and spinning around to fire the gun-blade. It isn't a perfect shot, the weapon isn't really designed for range but it helps to keep the witch off balance.
_/You may have gained another coin,\_ Silmeria states, managing to gather her eldritch dignity and approach, the butt of her scythe ringing against the fortress ground with each hobbling step. _/But returning for these, Sorceress, was a grave error. You have lost your bastion, your illusions are shattered, and you have angered Vazkor. Once, perhaps, it was enough to trap you in Time, but now I think he won't rest until you are safely within Father's grasp. Surrender the field, Sorceress, for the day is lost to you.\_ [Deride]
The witch staggers back a Silmeria speaks, flinching and shaking her head then yelps and ducks as Fujin's Missile Blade shoots through the air. The whirling disc of death isn't alone, riding on its back is the glittering golden furred figure of Azathorn. The Star Imp lashes out toward Ultimecia's and as the missile blade spins away the Sorceress SCREAMS in fury as the imp turns Libra on Her and the coin HOWLS with eldritch energy. It's clear Silmeria's stinging voice shatter through the Witch's confidence or else the imp would never have gotten close enough. Sadly for Vazkor he is right in front of her and within reach and she lashes out, claws slashing into his chest. It's a nasty wound and totally ruins Vazkor's coat but then the witch has to defend herself as Seifer lands next to Vazkor and lashes out at her. The gunblade connects with her hastily erected shield and the retort of the gun going off echoes throughout the room. Her eyes flash darkly and she holds the Virgo in both hands now, clutched just beneath her breast as she glowers at the part arrayed against her. "I shall see you all die!"
Vazkor threatens to topple off that railing as the witch slashes him, cutting right through his leather armor to the dense muscle beneath. But after a bit of a wobble, he springs forward instead, landing next to Seifer, yet sparing the young man not a single glance... His entire attention upon Ultimecia instead, obvious fury in his heart, and his stinging wounds just helping to amp up his anger, as he growls out a single word in Rozarrian... The man spitting out, "Puta." Before he charges in to attack, both blades slashing at her, electricity sparking up violently along each blade.
One of Vazkor's blades crackles off the shield and then Seifer hits her again and the whole thing flashes orange and purple and a vivid crack seems to shimmer down the shield. Vazkor slams his other blade into the wall of magical energy and it shatters open with an explosion! Ultimecia is knocked backwards, her defences are down and she is vulnerable, staggering back and glaring at the young men before her. Down on the main floor Raijin rushes over the ground and bobs a quick bow to Silmeria, he frowns at her foot and shrugs, "Never mind miss! But we gotta get that scythe of yours in her flesh I reckon." Another voice intrudes as a bubbke of golden light floods around Silmeria, "Indeed... may I?" Fujin asks politely.
_/Perhaps this is true,\_ Silmeria answers the Sorceress' defiant screech, _/for no mortals are truly beyond death. But you will already be at home in the Abyss, when you do.\_ As Fujin and Raijin approach, she beams a smile, her entire bearing changing from Parent Who Has Had Enough to Sweet Big Sister as though a switch had been thrown. _/Of course,\_ she says, bobbing her head and pasing the scythe to Fujin. _/I'm only sorry I can't do it myself.\_
Fujin smiles and takes the scythe, it sparkles in her hand and as she turns and runs at Raijin the big man easily boosts her up onto the balcony above. The imp meanwhile is tending to Silmeria's ankle, his golden magic soaking into her skin, reducing the swelling and fixing bone. He glances up at Silmeria with bright pupilless orange eyes and then frowns and glances at the balcony. Ultimecia has seen the scythe and the two sword wielding young men, the power in the Eper's voice and she has decided she doesn't like those odds. "VIRGO!" She screams and bright light pulses and she is gone, the party can feel her presence fading. She is however replaced by a very large, rather pissed off looking dragon creature that roars at the trio, unleashing a torrent of thick black flame that all three of them experly dodge out of the way of...
Vazkor looks rather frustrated as Ultimecia suddenly disappears just as he was pressing the attack... The man letting out a loud growl, before he looks up at the dragon creature that replaced her, right after managing to spin out of the way of that gout of dark flame. For a brief moment meeting its eyes afterwards as he faces it again... And sending it his most baleful glare, before he decides to take out his anger on this new enemy instead. Springing forward once more, blades slashing at its front, hoping to cut deep.
Vazkor slices, he dices, electricity discharges into the dragon and Seifer's gun-blade goes off as well as he slams into the beast and as it screams and tries to attack back Fujin spins the scythe and takes its in throat and with a despairing whale it is banished to the Abyss! It won't be rejoining Ultimecia to be used against the party in the future. As the last of the smoke and dust clears Seifer turns to regard Vazkor and bows, "We almost had her... she is... weaker then I remember. Still i have wronged you and for that I appologise." He glances over as Silmeria, Raijin and then Azathorn float over the railing, the imp standing on the baulstrode and frowning at everyone. "I fear our return from the depths of the Lost City was immature Seifer, we have all been duped. I reccomend we return the Garden to the Galactic Plain and await the return of our masters there."
_/My thanks, Sir Azathorn,\_ Silmeria says as her ankle is healed, the darkly luminous Esper flexing her foot experimentally. _/I believe Alliandre will be overjoyed to hear of your freedom.\_ Raising Iluren onto her shoulder, she dips her head, turning to charge into battle... but is brought up short as Vazkor and the knights take care of the problem in short order. _/Do not worry yourself, Sir Seifer,\_ she says with a quiet smile, her Seeming fading away. "It ended for the better, after all, and it turned out better for us than we began the day, after all. But... if perhaps we could be dropped off maybe a day or two from Emberstrand?"
Seifer smiles at Silmeria and bows to him and holds out the packpack to Vazkor, "I believe I shall return this to your care... but when you have need of us.... call me using Aries and I will bring the Garden to your aid I suspect you will have need of our transport someday." He stares in surprise as Azathorn explodes into Silmeria's face, "She's alive?" He grips the esper girl's lapels and stares into her eyes, "Where is my WIFE!"
Vazkor ever so slowly sheaths his blades, and then turns towards the others... The man obviously struggling with his remaining anger for a few moments, before he manages to bring his expression back into the fold, and nods a bit at Seifer. Accepting the coins being returned to him somewhat stoically, taking the backpack and slinging it across his shoulder, while he answers, "Thank you, and we shall remember that... But yes, if you could drop us off somewhere near Emberstrand? It's time to bring these to proper safety." ... Only to be distracted by the Imp's outburst, looking at him with brow arched.
Silmeria blinks sharply as the front of her robe is grabbed, head tipping back to look into the Imp's eyes. "She's... um, as far as I know, she went with his mate," she says, bobbing her head to Vazkor. "So... she'll probably be able to explain how the SOrceress managed to get hold of Libra, first."
Azathorn croons in delight and flashes over to stare into Vazkor's eyes for a moment and murmurs, "Trace.... yes yes THERE!" and vanishes and a few minutes later everyone can feel the garden lurch and turn. "STOP HIM!" Fujin shouts at Rajin who nods and runs through a door and down the corridor beyond. Seifer smiles softly and shakes his head, "Sorry... Azathorn has been without his wife for many millenia now... he's probably trying to drive the Garden to her location. We will drop you off at Emberstrand then get off the Mortal Plane with it.... I do not think the world is ready for our return just yet." True to their word they manage to calm Azathorn down in short order, getting him to agree to wait until Raziel gets back and the Garden settles down a few days away from Emberstrand deep in the Giza Plains. Seifer escorts you from the main hall to the ramp leading down to the ground personally and bows. "Until you have need of us, before the end... I fear you will require our aid to reach Pieces... I suspect I know where he has gone, maybe the Aegyl's crime can finally be forgiven and the Zodiac restored..." he glances at the fortress and sighs, "It is quiet here without them."
Vazkor hoists the pack containing the coins tighter against his shoulder as he finally departs the ship, taking a moment to look out over the plains, and getting his bearings, before turning back to Seifer and regarding him curiously... "Well, until the time comes to meet again, then... I'll do my best to secure these again meanwhile. A temple, perhaps." And he shrugs a bit, before adding, "So thank you for your help, today. Despite the rough start." And offers a faint smile, as he waits for Silmeria to be ready to travel.
"'Them?' Silmeria asks, tilting her head as she makes her way down the ramp, drifting her thumb over Libra's face. "We'll bear that in mind, Sir Seifer. I do hope he finds his wife in good health, though... and again, thank you very much." Moving to stand next to Vazkor, she holds up the fifth coin, raising her eyebrows in silent question."
As soon as they are both on the ground the ramp retract and they are buffeted by wind a the Garden Fortress lifts up into the air. The gigantic ring spins slowly, the Fortress rises higher and then starts to fade away, rippling with a soft chiming noise as it departs from whence it came leaving no trace of its passage.
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