Chapter 7
Chapter 7
A long night and then part of the morning since our intrepid adventures left the travelling caravan of nomads, slowly they are approaching Baguba Port. For the past six hours they have been flying high over a patchwork of neat farmlands, rolling hills forest and the odd lake and river. Now the sea is spread out before them and a harbour can be seen jutting out of a large patch of rolling greenery bisected by roads. There are not many buildings, most of the city appears to be green mounds, gardens, woodland and meandering paths. There is a large aerodrome attached to the harbour and the odd mighty building rises up out of the ground like the Cathedral at the heart of the city, or the odd massive chimney rearing into the sky above!
Raziel rubs his eyes before looking out over the ... city? Below them. A slight frown playing over his lips before he nudges Vazkor, "looks like we're just about here." He looks down at the carpet then and tilts his head a little bit before considering, "if you know where it is, Carpet, take us to the Cathedral of Steam."
Vazkor managed to settle down and catnap for a bit... Until he's nudged by Raziel. Cracking open his eyes, he yawns some before starting to sit up, rubbing at one eye as he too starts looking across the city as they approach then. Nodding with a quiet hmm, he remarks, "Looks the same as always." Apparently having been here before, perhaps during his old airship days. And as the carpet is given directions, he quietly braces himself some.
The carpet obeys happily, sinking down toward the ground, as you approach you can see there are a whole ton of moogles down there! Walking along the road, riding in carts pulled by chocobo or chugging along under their own power. The buildings you can see are all airy spires or domes of crystal, glass and steel. Everything blends harmoniously with the parkland nature and you can see a lot of the domes have doors set into them. Most of the city is underground it seems leaving the surface free for beauty! The carpet travels down to a great square of mighty grey flagstones in the centre from which rises a massive structure of black steel, rose windows filled with stained gass, peaked gabled roofs and chimneys. Clockworks can be seen within the walls and steam, seems to linger around the whole structure.... the home of Mog on Terra and your carpet is angled at the front doors. Raziel taps the carpet lightly then when they're right before the doors and before the carpet just flies inside, "thank you.. we can walk and you can follow yes?" There's a tilt of the head while the man gathers his things and waits for a moment before standing and stepping off, only when he can do so without falling of course. Glancing at Vazkor then the mage lifts a brow and consider before nodding, "I sometimes forget you have travelled as extensively as I. Come then." And with that he turns to enter the cathedral.
Vazkor reaches down to pat the carpet, saying towards it, "Thank you, dear." Before he slides himself off it, seemingly glad to get on his feet again and taking a moment to stretch out his lean body, some quiet pops to be heard. Soon settling down again however, he looks up at the building before him... Before nodding and starting to follow after Raziel, "Aye, though I never really stopped to see the sights, around him."
The carpet spins around you both three times and then zips off and up into the rafters were it flits about above your head and then dive bombs a group of children and starts entertaining them. As you have made such an entrance people are looking at you, moogle and non-mog alike, a short grey furred moogle in over-alls walks over and bows "Good day travellers, what brings two of the Mortal Sage's scholars to the home of Mog today?"
Raziel looks up for a moment then down at the carpet playing with the children before he shakes his head a little bit. After a glance around at all the eyes that are set upon them the mage turns his own on the one who approaches, "we have been given a task and have been sent to speak with priest Jasper as hastily as is possible as time is a factor."
Vazkor smirks at the carpet's antics... Then briefly glances around at all the people looking them as well. A confident wave is giving to some of them, before he quietly puts on a slightly more serious air as the one Moogle approaches. Not bothering to correct him on the scholar thing, he just nods some, and motions over at Raziel as he explains.
The moogle blinks "Jasper? As in old Gardener Jasper? Well sure come with me I'll take you to his garden," he motions you to follow and starts to walk along, scruffling a paw through his unruly hair, his pom bouncing back and forth "what do you need to see the gardener for?"
Raziel doesn't quiet sigh when the moogle turns to lead them but he does send Vazkor a quick look. Looking back at the priest while considering his answer. In the end he answers mostly truthfully, "there is a rare specimen that he cares for that we've been told to come and speak to him about."
Vazkor arches his brow at the whole gardener thing... And he returns Raziel's look, giving the other man a brief shrug in response, as if to say he isn't sure either. So he just follows after the other two, curious now of what this will all be about. It takes a while to walk the length of the cathedral and down a set of stairs and then out into a large cavern! It is illuminated with daylight showhow and there are massive flowering bushes on either side of the path. The air is heavy with the scent of blossoms and your guide weaves around the place, following the paths and eventally stops at a tiny wooden hut. "Here we go, Jasper I jhave some guests from the Library here." There is no answer and he frowns and knocks ont he door "Jasper?"
Raziel looks around the 'garden' and his brows rise upwards. The man even goes so far as to inhale the scent though he doesn't allow himself a smile or any further signs of appreciation. Following after the moogle then he pauses before the hut before tilting his head a little as he listens for movement within. Glancing at their guide then he explains in a hushed voice, "there are others after this specimen. It's very rare... forgive me, but just incase he's in danger.." And he tries to door then.
Vazkor seems to openly enjoy the sights and smells himself, smiling a bit as he studies some of the flowers and plants that they pass, even reaching out every so often to gently touch one of them. As they approach the hut however, he soon starts to focus on that... Stopping as the Moogle starts calling for the gardener within, and gets no response. The swashbuckler frowns then... And apparently has the same idea as Raziel, soon muttering, "Careful, dear." even as he puts a hand upon one of his swords.
"Marky...." a voice calls out from inside, "Duck! Code Purple!" The moogle blinks and throws himself to one side as the door disingtergrates as something very Loud explodes inside and shrapnel and grapeshot blasts out as the bulnderbuss wielding moogle inside opens fire!
Raziel's hand is on the handle and then his eyes widen for a moment before he dives to the side while letting out a yell. He covers his head with his hands for a moment before letting out a growl and starting to push himself up before looking over his shoulder towards where Vaz was, "Vazkor?!"
Apparently wasn't really expecting anything like that... And subsequently, he was slow to react. The door getting blown apart right infront of him before he can even do anything... And the swashbuckler ending up getting blown backwards, right off his feet, and landing a few yards away as some of that shot hits him right on! Leaving him sprawled out, just laying there, even as a crimson stain slowly spreads around his stomach area.
Inside the hut a black furred moogle spins a barrel, his blunderbuss clicking another loaded chamber into place! Seriously it is belching steam and humming, who really goes to the hassel of installing a loader on a blunderbuss! He clicks it into place and takes aim again. Marky is staring out from under the bush he rolled under, "Father what the hell....." He cuts off as he speaks again, "They are thieves Marky, I got warning they were coming, they ain't real agents of the Scholar, they are thieves here for the treasures of mog! Send for the guard!" Emerging from the shadows behind the moogle is a tall, ebony skinned, black winged Aegyl, she has a slender silver gun in one hand and a dark bladed throwing knife in the other. "See it isjust as I said Father Jasper, we must stop them before they can use their foul and evil magics on us!" She takes aim at Vazkor and fires again as Raziel is out of sight t othe side.
"Of all the... we are /not/ the thieves that raven bit-VAZ!" He hears the shot fire and begins to summon up his own powers while he asks in a deep growl and at the same time reaches into his shirt for the scroll to ground her ass, "and what /proof/ does she have of who /she/ is? We come with proof of our identity in the form of our conveyance." He peeks around into the little house to focus his eyes on the aegyl woman.
Vazkor groans loudly and reaches for his stomach... Soon raising his fingers up to his eyes and noting the blood upon them, which explains the searing, burning pain in his stomach... Hearing all the commotion around him then, he tilts his head up some to look around... Only to find himself looking at some Aegyl woman pointing a gun at him! His reaction is near instantaneous then, unlike before, and despite his injuries... His brain really just reacting in sheer survival instinct, and sending the lighting fast signal to his body to get the hell out of the way of where that bullet is likely to strike. The swashbuckler spinning his body around on the floor, even as a spray of dirt puffs up where he had just been. After which he tries to get up fully and defend himself.
Marky screams and charges back the way you came, wings flittering, pom glowing, "GUARDS! Guards! Attack attack!" The moogle shifts his blunderbus aiming it at Raziel as he peeks into the little shed, "She comes with papers signed and sealed by the Mortal Sage!" He sounds scared, his eyes are wide and he fires at Raziel, the blunderbus giving forth a mighty coughing BOOM! The Raven darts toward, hurling one of her daggers at Vazkor. "We must not let them speak or cast spells, remember how they assaulted the tmple with foul scrolls!"
Raziel dodges out of the way and presses his back to the building while he closes his eyes for a brief moment. Snapping his attention to the pair once more he snarls, "forged then.. we come with the Mortal Sage's own carpet given to us when she stole Aries from me. And Taurus as well. Will you let her steal your two as well." He thinks quickly and then looks in the doorway, "have we attacked you once? Don't you think if we were thieves we would've sneaked in /not/ knocked on your damned door? Think man! Did she just show up or did she ask a priest to escort her? Why is she making you fire on us when we haven't lifted a hand to harm you? She doesn't know where the coins are. That's why. Don't believe us, fine, but don't tell her where they are. Don't trust that black winged bitch."
Vazkor is apparently _pissed_, as despite his obvious injuries, the man shows almost no sign of them as he hops to his feet to face the threat! Only a mild grimace twitching across his tense features for a moment as any sort of indication of pain. And as the female Aegyl throws the knife at him... He snaps his body instantly to the side to avoid it, while both his blades get unsheathed in a flash at the same time with a crackling of lightning, the throwing knife getting knocked further out of curse by a smooth parry of one of them... Before right after, he's instantly upon the thief, the man snarling as he brings one sword down towards her gun hand, while the other slashes towards her neck, "RAZIEL! I THINK HE'S NOT HIMSELF! SHE DID SOMETHING TO HIM!" He yells, his voice booming.
The Raven yelps and staggers back as Vazkor attacks, she parries one sword with her gun whilst the other blade skims across her shoulder, slicing into her flesh. Her wings crack and buffet Razel as she drops a hand tro her waist, slides out a dagger and goes to ram ther short blade up under Vazkor's sternum. "Father help me!" The Moogle doesn't respond to Raziel just screaming at the top of his lungs about thieves whislt in the distance more voices can be heard, kupoed orders, footsteps, people are racing through the gardens, they will be here in moments.
Raziel snarls and rages for a moment as he growls at the thief, "I will pluck every feather from your hide for this.." He finally unleashes the spell he's been preparing though. A pair of fire wings appearing for an instant before the energy seeps around him the shoots straight at the aegyl, ignoring the confounded priest for the moment as he comes into full view to cast at his target.
Vazkor smoothly backsteps from the attempted dagger to the heart, before he's hit by the buffeting from those powerful wings, which soon drive him back even further, though he somehow manages to keep his footing despite it and his continued injuries, growling at her. And lucky for him, his backtracking also gives Raziel the room to cast that spell!
Raziel's spell is perfect! Sheets of flame leap towards her and the Raven screams and draws back in horror! Something else slams into Raziel's spell however is engulfed in a bubble of water! A moogle priestess standing on a rock chanting, staff above her head. More moogles rush into the small clearing with the hut in it. Guns raised, weapons draw, they swing in seperating and surruonding everyone. "Arms up! Weapons on the floor everyone!" Someone shouts with a kupo-po, Father Jasper pauses and drops his gun then shrieks "They are in the Eucalyptus house! Save them!" He tries to charge through the mogs around him but they grab him and the Raven smiles at you both and tosses two black spheres onto the ground, "Perfect..." she says as smoke envelopes the garden......
Raziel grits his teeth, but raises his hands up, though he does still grip the paper. When the smoke hits the ground the man lets out a curse and yells at the priest, "Shut /up/." He starts to lower the hand with the scroll before crumpling it and shoving it away as he turns back to Jasper, "How could an /idiot/ like you guard such a treasure." He however holds still though while trying to wave the smoke away. Vazkor is too filled with rage, pain and adrenaline to just stand down like that... And really, he barely gives the warriors surrounding them a second glance. His entire focus instead upon the Aegyl bitch, his teeth bared and both swords pointed at her... And even as she attempts that Ninja-Vanish, his focus is probably the thing that allows him to somewhat see through it and continue to go after her! The man snarling as he leaps through the smoke, and slashes both his lightning infused blades at the source of that buffeting, as if intent on cutting those wings right off her back.
Weapons are aimed at Raziel and as the smoke clears several moogles take off after Vazkor and the raven. The priestess who countered Raziel's spell is knelt by Jasper casting spells on him. She gives the wingless Aegyl such a glare, "Jasper has been ensnared in several layers of very deep curses, no one could resist these sorts of spells." Suddenly there is a high pitched scream from the far side of the smog, lightning crackles and flares and then there is silence.... on the far side of the hedge the Aegyl was flying over Vazkor is swiftly surrounded by moogles aiming weapons at him and lying on the floor is the still body of the black winged aegyl....
Raziel remains still but glares right back, "and why was he not warded against such things. Glare at me all you like, but we are /not/ the bad guys here." He looks up at the scream and turns immediately towards it while straightening and then muttering, "sounds like he got her... I pray she has what she stole on her..."
Vazkor stands there, breathing hard, staring down at the still body of the thief as she lays at his feet... His eyes roaming over whatever injuries he caused. But as the Moogle guards surround him, he slowly looks up at them... An almost crazy gleam in his eyes for a moment, before he just shakes his head, and carefully takes a few steps back, holding out both his weapons before spinning them around and jabbing them into the ground, showing he means no further harm... After which he quite suddenly sways a bit, grunting and grabbing at his stomach... And falling right back onto his ass.
The moogle growls softly at Raziel, "Don't you dare get high and mighty with me mr. Until we know who you are your as suspect as she is magic carpet or no magic carpet. As for wards, it is impossible to ward against things written in Gesen ink" she points at the scroll lying on Jasper's table, the seals of the Great library dangling from it. "No one can ward against reading that and only the great sage is meant to have access to such potent magical inks." She is about to say something else when the smoke dissapates and a voice calls out quietly, "Enough Gemma, enough all of you, I will not have fighting in my home.." A moogle walks through the bushes, he is twice as tall as any of the others, dressed in flowing silk and chainmail with a HUGE buster sword on his back. The moogles gasp and bow low to him, at his side is a smaller, normal sized moogle carrying the staff of a summoner but dressed like an engineer in over-alls with a tool belt arond his waist. Mog stands there and looks at everyone for a moment. "Someone heal the human and good Master Aegyl you may search the Raven for what ever it is she stole from you, Gemma see to Jasper and once everyone is calm and she is locked up.... we shall talk. Everyone else is dismissed." Most of the guards bow and flutter off quickly into the garden and out of sight as a healer hurries ovber to Vazkor though a few priests to linger around to help the moogle priestess heal Jasper.
Raziel does not respond to the moogle, his attention is on the distant Vazkor. Only when the weapons are lowered does he look towards Mog and he straightens for a moment. The mage bows to the spirit, but he doesn't say anything just yet. The man moves first to Vazkor and he checks him before exhaling a breath and muttering in a quieter voice, "sorry," before he straightens and moves to the body of the female Aegyl and he starts searching her carefully for the coins, as if waiting for her to make a move, though part of him already fears that he'll not find anything anyways.
Vazkor doesn't notice the priests hovering about him, or the appearance of Mog himself, or even Raziel's concern and apology... Having pretty much paused out as soon as he hit the floor, whatever rage-fueled energy that possessed him earlier having left just as quick, leaving just a poor swashbuckler with a bleeding gut for the moment.
It takes some time to heal everyone and Mog seats himself on a rock, inclined to just wait for his children to set things in order. Raziel however has some luckj, Aries and Taurus... both of them are upon her person and as he takes hold of each coin they warm to his touch and lift out of his hand, floating gently in the air beside him. Guards then drag the Raven away as the priests finish healing Vazkor and Jasper up. "Raziel whilst my priest and your man recover, come, let us talk." Mog points to the rock opposite him.
Raziel lets out a breath and he does blink for a moment as they rise up only to float beside him. Each are examined for a moment before he looks over his shoulder to the priests taking the girl away. "Make sure she can't escape. Any tools and she'll get out.. I'd pluck her feathers too as she might try to pick a lock with the quill." Also it'd give him a good amount of satisfication. Looking back towards Mog then he nods and walks over, a quick glance to assure Vaz is alright before he joins the spirit. "I am sorry this danger has come to your temple.."
Vazkor's passed out-ness doesn't last too long, luckily, as the priests work on closing up those wounds of his (and hopefully somehow removing the grapeshot that caused them) and soon he starts stirring some... Letting out grunts as he cracks open his eyes and looks around himself with a groggy expression, before starting to slowly sit up, peering at the Moogles around him, "... Where's the thief, she'd better not have gotten away." He rumbles then.
Mog smiles softly, his eyes sparkling "There is danger where ever the Stalazzio linger." he stands up and pats RAziel's shoulder, making him stay in his seat as he goes to loom over Vazkor. "She is now a prisoner, the magistrates of Baguba Port will take care of her though they will not pluck her wings. That is unneccessary cruelty." He shoots Raziel a look then glances down at Vazkor and offers him a paw, "You are a very strong human, able to continue to fighting with such wounds I am impressed." Raziel spreads his hands, "the ways of my people can be quite.. strict." He quiets up though and looks over towards Vazkor while remaining where he is and then reaches up to rub his fingers acrossed his forehead lightly before he looks towards the coins floating near him for a few moments.
Vazkor likely has no idea that the large Moogle before him is actually Mog himself... And as such, he shows no awe or surprise or anything as he simply reaches up to grab the offered hand for a moment and slowly gets himself back up on his feet. Taking a moment to touch the blood stained leather across his stomach, before he shrugs a bit, "Thank you, sir... I was fighting for a good cause." Is all he offers, before looking over at Raziel, rumbling, "Excuse me." and heading towards the other man.
Taurus spins slowly in mid air, revealing the text on the back of the coin to Raziel, "Taurus had an idea. He would give Virgo a gift. Through the forest and over the mountain, he found a star." It spins gently, bobing alongside Aries. Mog chortles softly, it is always nice to not be recognized, he goes over to check on Jasper then sends him off for something. "Now then children we must discuss the Stelazzio, i have sent Jasper to retrieve Gemini and Cancer, if I am to trust them to your hand I must know why"
Raziel ponders on the words before snapping out of it and looking towards Vazkor. The man rises up then and gives Vaz a brief squeeze before turning him around and muttering lowly, "if you see a moogle that size and with such a weapon your looking at Lord Mog.. the moogles patron spirit." He gives the man a chance to pay his respects then before he nods slowly, " we are attempting to reunite them. This began with my wings being removed by the Mist Dragon.. through research I found my people had in times past commited an evil to her.. so I wanted to wrong the right and regain my wings once more. They put Aries into my keeping so that we might follow the trail to Virgo.. The Mortal Sage said this was foretold."
Vazkor returns the squeeze... Before blinking, and looking back at Mog. Quickly, he gives a bow then, "Ah, I apologize, Lord Mog... I did not realize, for obvious reasons..." He offers the large Moogle then, and ends up looking slightly uncomfortable as he falls quiet and listens to Raziel's explanation of events, just nodding a bit in agreement.
Mog listens to Raziel and inclines his head "I have heard of this prophecy... I did not expect two such as you to come this way...." he looks at Jasper who seems to have recovered and his priest inclines his head then looks up at Vazkor and Raziel, "Sorry for shooting at you, they tell me I was crazyed by some dark twisted magic." He holds out the coins, "I give unto you Gamini which reads... Gemini thought by the river, 'I will sing her a song.' He didn't know where she was, but he hoped his song would reach her." he shakes his head and sighs, "We are not sure which song it refers too but the next coin, Cancer it reads, Cancer headed to the cape where Virgo waited. The sun was setting into the ocean. Would he finally see her?" he lets go of both coins and they drift up to float around Vazkor and Raziel. "I will stay with you and offer what help and insight i can to solving were you must head if you will accept my help... I feel I must make up for what I did to you both." he glances at Mog who speaks at last. "all is forgiven to you Vazkor you were not to know who I was.... I fear this quest of yours is important and I will do wht I may to aid you, my summoner Talen" he indicates the engineer with the summoners staff who waves at you, "Shall accompany you on this journey if you so wish, his skills will no doubt be of great aid to you"
Go back to Stelazzio Quest Chapter 6
Go on to Stelazzio Quest Chapter 8
Or return to Sin of the People/Stelazzio Quest Directory
