Preface
We find our hero, young king-in-training Legacy, about to head out across the sea to Imperial on one of his fathers ships. All airships are possessed by female spirits, and Legacy is about to meet his new ally, the Airship FourSeasons Spring.
Quote:
The rune circle seemed to almost shimmer for a brief moment before the shadowie outline of a female figure appeared. As time quickly passed, her form materialized into the very image of the figurehead. She pressed the tip of the sword into the ship, leaning on it like one would casually lean on a cane. She lifted one eyebrow slightly, her pale hair falling over the other eye as her flowered crown shifted downwards with the motion.
"You must be Legacy, Lilith's son." Her voice was very VERY soft, like a whisper but loud enough to be heard.. or maybe it sounded like it was beside Leggo's ear despite her position infront of him in the rune circle. "My name is Spring, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm so glad I was chosen as the King's ship. I'm MUCH better than my sisters." She gave a wicked smile, teeth appearing almost fanged on the fog-lit deck.
Legacy stepped forward, nearly into the rune circle, raised a hand to trace the lines of her face. "Thou art truly a joy to mine eyes, great lady," he murmured, black eyes awed in the face of such wonder. He took a step back and bowed low, the movement ingrained in years of court life. "It will be my absolute pleasure to have you at my side, Lady Spring. I am indeed Legacy, born of Lilith and determined to take the lands of Imperial as my own."
Springs smile seemed to widen considerably as she watched Legacy.
"I'm very glad to see you have a little amibition to you as well, King." She stepped around the blade, little sandles pushing aside the considerable length of her gowns so she could pace the rune circle as she spoke. "The entire lands of Imperial are free and lawless. While some might think this is a blessing, the Westerners as well as Vagrant Infernis mobs are still terrorizing the people." She turned slightly, looking over her shoulder at him. "The north and south have both collapses, and nothing remains but a lost child. You must take control of both areas and unite them- something your father and his could not do in all thier time on the throne."
A low purr coated Leggo's voice as he straightened, eyes flashing slightly as he smiled at the Lady. "My father never intended to unite the North and South. He liked things the way they were, liked doing business- now, there is no North or South for me to unite." His tone turned slightly contemptuous, refusing to allow the thought of failure to enter his mind. "I will start in the North, since it is more accustomed to the thought- but I will find ways to offer them safety in exchange for loyalty. I remember how much that promise meant."
Spring nodded, smile still playing across her lips.
"Are you ready to return home, King?"
Lem shifted slighty where he stood on the otherside of the rune circle. Spring always made the hairs on his lemur tail stand on end. She was tricky, but loyal... she'd be a handful if Legacy wasn't on board.
"By all means," Leggo replied with a smile, gesturing courteously for her to proceed. He stepped away from the circle and turned to face Lem, eyes gleaming with amusement and the scent of the hunt- like his parents, he was happiest on the trail of something dangerous.
"Looks liek we're going to have a fun trip," he murmured, tucking a curl behind his ear.
Lem snorted, mumbling, "That's an understatement," before stalking past them and down the steps to the lower deck.
Spring offered a bow to the King, before she stepped back and faded. Lem was shouting commands to the crew, who were running around the ship preparing her for thier ..'takeoff'. Lem spun around, peering up at Legacy.
"Are we ready to head North, sire?"
"At your earliest convenience, Lem," Leggo stated briskly, nodding sharply as he took a seat on the rail and out of the way. "Let's not kill our Lady with speed, but let's get this show on the road." It was all starting to seem feasable...slowly. If there was one thing that ran in his family, it was the fact that they'd have to be dead before someone beat them to somethign they wanted.
Lem took that as a 'yes, right now' and kicked the ship into gear. "Let's head out further into the sea Spring, we need plenty of space to spread our wings." Lem darted across the deck, securing ropes as he went before climbing up a set of ropes up a mast and dissapearing.
The ship began moving away from the inland channel, heading out into the dark fog of the early morning. The further out she went the faster the ship seemed to go. A few moments later, tiny wings appeared at the side, like fins on the side of a shark or fish. The ship continued to gain speed until Leggo felt it begin to rise out of the water and into the air.
Grabbing ahold of a secure rope nearby, Leggo leaned out over the side until the wind caught his hair, raking it way from his face. There wa enough air magic nearby to make his skin tingle; he enjoyed the sensation, even as he pulled himself back in to watch Lem. He absorbed everythign the man did, attempting to memorize it to the best of his ability- he might need it later.
Spring continued to lift into the air, until she crested up above the clouds into the light. High above the city, where the fog and darkness was clear, the sun was bouncing off the clouds castings its dawn and warmth as far as you could see. Lem dropped down onto the deck, wandering over to Leggo.
"So, how do you like it so far?"
"It's lovely," Leggo murmured, smiling sadly out at the clouds. "I envy you this life, though I am certain the Lady makes it more complicated than it seems. How long will it take for us to reach this city that has replaced my lovely home?"
Lem shrugged his shoulders, tail swishing slightly before wrapping around his feet safely. "That all depends. What did you call your home?" He glanced at him, then towards the deck doors. "I can show you your room and the map the Fleet has compiled.. and tell you a little about the new North, if you'd like?"
Leggo nodded, knowing full well how little he really knew about the situation. "I'll appreciate anything you can give me, Lem. I lived at court in Vestralle when I was in the North, trained at the Mage Academy...very standard court life." Sure, that left out a few little...details...but it would do for now. "Kaolin Hisui sent pictures of what the North has become- I am not certain of the lcoation form which they originated."
Lem nodded, gesturing for him to follow as he moved to the deck hatch and down the steps into the ships quarters.
"Lilith's signed over the ship and her crew to you, and your new kingdom. There's a group of soldiers down below at your command as well. He's hired them out with enough money that they'll be with you until you tell them to leave." He turned down a hallway, and up into another corridor marked with windows set into the side of the ship. These must have been underwater during thier 'dock'. "Your office and quarters are here, your rooms are the only one down this hallway."
Lem stepped into the first door, which was the office. A large map lined the wall.
"Vestralle 'pre-collapse' is outlined in green." Lem pointed it out, a huge chunk of the north which was shaded in white against the rest of the map of Imperial.
"You must be Legacy, Lilith's son." Her voice was very VERY soft, like a whisper but loud enough to be heard.. or maybe it sounded like it was beside Leggo's ear despite her position infront of him in the rune circle. "My name is Spring, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm so glad I was chosen as the King's ship. I'm MUCH better than my sisters." She gave a wicked smile, teeth appearing almost fanged on the fog-lit deck.
Legacy stepped forward, nearly into the rune circle, raised a hand to trace the lines of her face. "Thou art truly a joy to mine eyes, great lady," he murmured, black eyes awed in the face of such wonder. He took a step back and bowed low, the movement ingrained in years of court life. "It will be my absolute pleasure to have you at my side, Lady Spring. I am indeed Legacy, born of Lilith and determined to take the lands of Imperial as my own."
Springs smile seemed to widen considerably as she watched Legacy.
"I'm very glad to see you have a little amibition to you as well, King." She stepped around the blade, little sandles pushing aside the considerable length of her gowns so she could pace the rune circle as she spoke. "The entire lands of Imperial are free and lawless. While some might think this is a blessing, the Westerners as well as Vagrant Infernis mobs are still terrorizing the people." She turned slightly, looking over her shoulder at him. "The north and south have both collapses, and nothing remains but a lost child. You must take control of both areas and unite them- something your father and his could not do in all thier time on the throne."
A low purr coated Leggo's voice as he straightened, eyes flashing slightly as he smiled at the Lady. "My father never intended to unite the North and South. He liked things the way they were, liked doing business- now, there is no North or South for me to unite." His tone turned slightly contemptuous, refusing to allow the thought of failure to enter his mind. "I will start in the North, since it is more accustomed to the thought- but I will find ways to offer them safety in exchange for loyalty. I remember how much that promise meant."
Spring nodded, smile still playing across her lips.
"Are you ready to return home, King?"
Lem shifted slighty where he stood on the otherside of the rune circle. Spring always made the hairs on his lemur tail stand on end. She was tricky, but loyal... she'd be a handful if Legacy wasn't on board.
"By all means," Leggo replied with a smile, gesturing courteously for her to proceed. He stepped away from the circle and turned to face Lem, eyes gleaming with amusement and the scent of the hunt- like his parents, he was happiest on the trail of something dangerous.
"Looks liek we're going to have a fun trip," he murmured, tucking a curl behind his ear.
Lem snorted, mumbling, "That's an understatement," before stalking past them and down the steps to the lower deck.
Spring offered a bow to the King, before she stepped back and faded. Lem was shouting commands to the crew, who were running around the ship preparing her for thier ..'takeoff'. Lem spun around, peering up at Legacy.
"Are we ready to head North, sire?"
"At your earliest convenience, Lem," Leggo stated briskly, nodding sharply as he took a seat on the rail and out of the way. "Let's not kill our Lady with speed, but let's get this show on the road." It was all starting to seem feasable...slowly. If there was one thing that ran in his family, it was the fact that they'd have to be dead before someone beat them to somethign they wanted.
Lem took that as a 'yes, right now' and kicked the ship into gear. "Let's head out further into the sea Spring, we need plenty of space to spread our wings." Lem darted across the deck, securing ropes as he went before climbing up a set of ropes up a mast and dissapearing.
The ship began moving away from the inland channel, heading out into the dark fog of the early morning. The further out she went the faster the ship seemed to go. A few moments later, tiny wings appeared at the side, like fins on the side of a shark or fish. The ship continued to gain speed until Leggo felt it begin to rise out of the water and into the air.
Grabbing ahold of a secure rope nearby, Leggo leaned out over the side until the wind caught his hair, raking it way from his face. There wa enough air magic nearby to make his skin tingle; he enjoyed the sensation, even as he pulled himself back in to watch Lem. He absorbed everythign the man did, attempting to memorize it to the best of his ability- he might need it later.
Spring continued to lift into the air, until she crested up above the clouds into the light. High above the city, where the fog and darkness was clear, the sun was bouncing off the clouds castings its dawn and warmth as far as you could see. Lem dropped down onto the deck, wandering over to Leggo.
"So, how do you like it so far?"
"It's lovely," Leggo murmured, smiling sadly out at the clouds. "I envy you this life, though I am certain the Lady makes it more complicated than it seems. How long will it take for us to reach this city that has replaced my lovely home?"
Lem shrugged his shoulders, tail swishing slightly before wrapping around his feet safely. "That all depends. What did you call your home?" He glanced at him, then towards the deck doors. "I can show you your room and the map the Fleet has compiled.. and tell you a little about the new North, if you'd like?"
Leggo nodded, knowing full well how little he really knew about the situation. "I'll appreciate anything you can give me, Lem. I lived at court in Vestralle when I was in the North, trained at the Mage Academy...very standard court life." Sure, that left out a few little...details...but it would do for now. "Kaolin Hisui sent pictures of what the North has become- I am not certain of the lcoation form which they originated."
Lem nodded, gesturing for him to follow as he moved to the deck hatch and down the steps into the ships quarters.
"Lilith's signed over the ship and her crew to you, and your new kingdom. There's a group of soldiers down below at your command as well. He's hired them out with enough money that they'll be with you until you tell them to leave." He turned down a hallway, and up into another corridor marked with windows set into the side of the ship. These must have been underwater during thier 'dock'. "Your office and quarters are here, your rooms are the only one down this hallway."
Lem stepped into the first door, which was the office. A large map lined the wall.
"Vestralle 'pre-collapse' is outlined in green." Lem pointed it out, a huge chunk of the north which was shaded in white against the rest of the map of Imperial.
