The Fractured World (Lukas)

VeraC

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#1
Perindor Citadel
Crescentia
0000 Hours


Amongst a picturesque landscape full of nature lay Perindor, the capital of the Kingdom of Crescentia. Unlike what many people see in modern day, the surrounding geography of the Kingdom of Crescentia looks as if it was pulled out of one of the fantasy novels of yore, decadent forests and rolling plains, farmlands and treacherous mountains covered the very landscape of Crescentia, untouched by human hands. Though at the center of it all stands a beautiful citadel with sharp rooftops and pristine arches covering its approach. A bustling city, even at this hour, various lights illuminated the streets and buildings of the capital city.

And within the citadel, the throne room resided, with marble columns lining the sides, a well-polished granite floor, and a long, red and gold-embroidered carpet lined the center from the entrance, up three long steps, and ending before a black, obsidian chair. Behind the chair, a large, metal humanoid figure stood stationary, looking down upon the room. A girl sat in the throne, her own porcelain-white skin heavily contrasting the tone of the obsidian chair. She was leaning to one side of the chair resting her head on her hand, long grayish-silver hair flowed freely ‘pooling’ at the seat of the chair.

Before her was a horned man, with dark skin currently in a kneel.

“...Concludes my report.” He had just finished giving an update on the case of a certain Xander Digby.

In response to the report, the woman frowned and shifted her position in the chair. “Good work, Wakaya.”

“...What shall we do?”

“We should be cautious, but we’ll appease him for the time being.” She put her finger to her lips and came to a prompt decision. “Bring him through the gate, and we’ll take him as far as here.”

“Right.” Wakaya bowed his head and stood up.

“Also, get some rest. You look exhausted.” Her look shifted to that of a concerned one. It was arguable that the 12th Knight had the most stressful position of all of them.

“Right…” He gave a second bow and exited the room.

The Woman took a deep sigh and slouched back in her chair. “The descendant of the alchemist, huh…” It had been millenia since she had seen them, and wondered what they were up to.
____________

Alkahest HQ
Some time after the first meeting.


A letter would arrive on Xander’s Desk, from the guardians who had met him before. It was a the follow up and briefly stated that Xander come to the northern tip of Ireland should he wish to have his desire granted. Though noted that it was possible he would be gone for a while so to finish anything impending before meeting with them.
 
Aug 4, 2018
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Somewhere in the UK
#2
Xander picked the letter up off his desk with a sigh, opening it and skimming the contents. The message was swiftly cast into a nearby waste bin wih a sigh, his cane left leaning against the desk as he grabbed a phone and dialled his secretary.

"Clear my schedule. Have Kovacs take over the operation with the artificial lord.... and inform security that if they cannot secure the Earth cradle against these 'Guardians' then they should find someone who will. I'm going to be spending some time away on a personal matter - they have until I return." The man's tone was crisp, with a hint of anger.

Why couldn't anyone contact him normally?




Three unmarked white vans would pull up on the northern cliffs of Ireland in perfect sync, temporarily destroying the otherwise idyllic silence of the Irish coast. The outer two opened their doors first, disgorging six heavily-armed members of Alkahest's security team. After a quick sweep and a hand gesture the central van opened its doors, allowing Xander himself to step out from the surprisingly-furnished insides of the vehicle. The Alchemist had arrived.

His cane was tucked under one shoulder as he approached the cliff - this was no time to appear weak. Careful steps took the man to the edge, peering down into the water below as the wind ruffled his cloak. Some claimed the earth had a natural beauty to it, but these supposed wonders of the earth had never touched his heart. Would the land below prove the same? Or would its supposed magic provide an extra something to warm his heart? Just another question to be answered. For now, he waited.

It was time for the Guardians to make good on their end of the bargain.
 
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VeraC

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#3
It would’ve been no more than a brief five minutes before the cloaked individuals make there appearance, the same four as before, along with one additional member in their presence. He took off his hood, revealing his face. His skin was an earthy brown with short ruffled white hair and blue eyes glinting at Xander. Two gray horns curved out the sides of his head pointing forward. His stature, from what one could tell under his robes was that of a tall and very muscular man with a wide chest.

“Xander Digby, a pleasure to finally meet you.” He spoke with a monotonous tone, although smiling, his voice and face didn’t quite match up. “I am the 12th Regis Knight and leader of the Sect of Bahamut, the silent guardians of these planets.” He turned to the other cloaked people and nodded to them. They formed a square, roughly ten feet apart from each other and began channeling prana into their center.

“I apologize for our abrupt and unconventional methods of contacting you, but for what it’s worth, the less people that know about us the better. We’re risking enough with meeting you directly and bringing you to Crescentia… and unfortunately, you can’t bring friends.” He referred to the guards that were with him. “While I’m sure you have your concerns, some gunpowder and body armor won’t protect you from what’s on the other side.” The man took off his cloak, revealing a rather quaint set of half-plate armor underneath. He held out the cloak to Xander, revealing it to be lined with some kind of fur. “It’s cold where we’re going, you’ll want to stay warm though.”

As he finished talking the four had finished their channeling, opening a ovular gate appearing out of thin air revealing an arctic scene. The ground beyond seemed to be snow, and almost never-ending.

“We must first go to the gate, then we shall proceed to Crescentia.”
 
Aug 4, 2018
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Somewhere in the UK
#4
"You'd be surprised by what a little gunpowder can do in the right place. The birth of firearms finally allowed noble and commoner to be on par, stripping away the armour that made them think themselves invincible. " Xander took the cloak with a nod, holding up a hand as he turned to address his security team.

"Hold this location until I return. Ensure it is not disturbed, and whatever happens, do not make the news."

That issue settled, he returned to the matter at hand and stepped towards the portal. "I see. For such a legendary land, it seems rather... mundane." His tone and smirk made it clear this was intended as a joke - and something of an attempt to test the temprament of his newest companion.
 

VeraC

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#5
The horned man turned around to face Xander after going through the portal and gave him somewhat of a false smile. “That’s because we would still be on earth.”

The Arctic scene seemed to run on for miles, far beyond what the average person could see. The ground was mostly flat, save for a strangely peculiar mountainous formation that they were at the base of… though it was mostly a single mountain, lacking any kind of range to accompany it. Four more individuals were at the base of it, waiting for their arrival and bowed respectfully as they came.

“Ser Lowenthal, the gate is ready to be opened.”

“Good work.” The horned man replied. “Activate it at once.”

“Yes sir.” the man replied and turned to the base of the mountain and began chanting with the other three.

“I apologize for any… discomfort you might feel as we arrive. It is completely natural so there’s no reason to be alarmed.” Lowenthal, the horned man lifted up his arm, and above, a portal of black and purple opened above then, slowly descending and consuming the six people below it. It was a brief minute within this void of interdimensional travel, before reappearing in some sort of desolate wasteland.

Before Xander would even be able to take notice of his surroundings, he would be bombarded with an immense ‘pressure’. The actual feeling itself was hard to describe, but it could only be described as if his body was being crushed under the sheer weight of the atmosphere itself. It was suffocating, but at the same time, almost… Intoxicating. This feeling would last for what seemed like an eternity, but in actuality, it was maybe five minutes before his body would slowly become accustomed to the surroundings. As he would look around, the scenery was rather… bleak. An Archipelago of barren, broken islands, none bigger than a football field, occasionally with some dead trees here and there. The water below was dark, murky to the point where you couldn’t even see past the surface. Scattered dilapidated ruins also spotted the area, a symbol of the civilizations of yore that once existed here. The sky too was bleak, almost purple in color, though faded and cloudy, no sun shined here. Arcs of purple and black static crackled through the air, a sign to the everlasting fallout this zone contained.

“Welcome to The World’s Edge.” Lowenthal turned to Xander and outstretched his arms. “This is the world you so desired to see…” His voice went low. “Or rather what remains of it.”
 
Aug 4, 2018
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Somewhere in the UK
#6
"Oh."

That was rather embarassing. Fortunately nobody whose opinions he cared about was around to witness that particular blunder. Still... this side of the gate was something to be researched later. There would have to be traces of his transportation, and the location of the 'gate' could be a useful site in and of itself. Plans began forming in Xander's head, only to be wiped away as the pressure overtook him.

When it faded, he felt something.. different. Awe? No. Sadness? Also no. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. This place had a dark beauty, interesting him in the same fashion a crumbling ruin did. Which... to be fair, it was a crumbling ruin. What had happened here?

"The diaries mentioned a cataclysm... but reading about something is very different to witnessing it with my own eyes." Xander would step up to the edge of the island they had arrived on, going right past Lowenthal to attempt to peer into the depths.

"While I could probably spend days investigating these ruins, I presume there is more to see. Nothing could live here - yet you all stand before me." He knew he was missing something - the only question was what.
 

VeraC

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#7
The water Xander peered into had an unusual stillness to it, its appearance seeming more akin to that of a thick molasses. There was no current or motion to it. No waves, no ripples, nothing.

“Aye, this is but the tip of the Iceberg. What truly remains lies beyond the World’s Edge. It’ll be a short voyage from here, but accommodations have been made.” Lowenthal replied.

On one side of the small island they were on, a sloop was stationed at the edge, awaiting their embarkment. The Journey would take, well, some time. The light within the World’s Edge never changed, so knowing what time of day it was was nigh impossible to tell. Time-telling devices, watches, phones, clocks too seemed to not function properly, their timing out of sync or simple not functioning at all.

Despite the fact that the area was so open, it was quiet. Despite how vastly open it was, it was no different than being in an anechoic chamber, sounds were very flat within this area, and they weren’t carried very far. Would one person be standing 20 meters away from another, their voice would be very hard to hear. By 50 meters, you would only be able to make out the motions of their mouth. It was a very strange place, and rather disorienting. Even once having adapted, it would still feel unnatural.

Before long enough, in the distance signs of civilization could be seen. What laid on a peninsula of the largest landmass they had seen yet, a sprawling city could be seen; the distant glow of house lights and a massive citadel adorning what seemed like a bastion of mankind.

“We’re almost there.” Lowenthal came to Xander and informed him of their status. “We will be docking at the capital of Perindor. From there we shall proceed to meet with the Queen and I’m sure she will be more than willing to help you with what you wish to know.”
 
Aug 4, 2018
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#8
Xander would soon give up on tracking the passage of time, instead settling himself down near the edge of the sloop and staring out into the nothingness. "Perhaps she can - we'll have to see. How do you live down here? Light, food, clean water... while I funded some research into fulfilling those with prana practicioners, it proved impractical at best and impossible in some circumstances."

A part of him said this was a stupid question, even pondered the idea of the people down here being beyond such needs... but that was impossible. Had to be impossible. There had been experiments in the past involving application of machine cells to living beings during the creation of the Earth Cradle, but it destroyed too much in exchange for the loss of mortal restraints.

To Xander's brain, this was less of a city and more of an 'Ark' in this inhosptiable world. Better to get the questions about their survival out of the way before the meeting. They were a secondary concern, worth contemplation but not his primary focus.
 

VeraC

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#9
As the boat moored in the port of Perindor, Xander would notice the previous ‘pressure’ placed on him by the atmosphere began to slowly fade away, as it seemed they had entered a ‘normal’ area. They disembarked from the boat and were met by a horse-pulled carriage at the entrance of the dock area.

“We’ve been expecting your arrival.” An older man took a polite bow and gestured them to enter the carriage. It would be a ten minute ride, mostly up inclines, as they had to reach the upper pavilion of Perindor to reach the castle. The Citadel-city was structured in several ‘layers’, the areas becoming richer and wealthier as they ascended. This wasn’t to say though, that there was poverty in the city. Even the lowest level of the city, considered the poorest, lacked any show of homeless or beggars. “Peaceful” was the word that easily described the city’s condition.

The city itself was akin to those of medieval stories of yore, cobblestone streets lined the stone buildings and street stalls selling all manner of goods from food to accessories to weapons. The technology couldn’t be more than that of 1500s Earth, a lack of any real technology was easily seen.. Until the upper pavilion anyways. As they reached the gates to the Castle, Several mechs lined the sides of the bridge that connected the Castle to the city. Tall Prana machines resembling knights stood stationary, their swords held downward in front of them. The gates opened allowing the carriage through to the bridge. As they passed through, several soldiers in armor filed around the carriage, about 50 in number. No more wide than a 3-car lane, the Carriage proceeded slowly, no more than a leisurely walk.

“The Grand Reine greets you!” A soldier at the opposite end of the bridge shouted as the massive double doors behind him opened with a heavy shudder, and a young lady stepped out, followed by 11 more individuals. The lady, the Grande Reine looked no more than 20 years old, with long platinum white hair gracefully flowing down to her hips, matching her silver eyes and ivory white skin. A steel crown adorned her head, with a notable amber stone embedded in the center of it. Her clothing was a mix of a flowing waist-cloak, elegant gauntlets and greaves, and a chainmail upper piece that well protected, yet complemented her figure.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Xander Digby… Or should I call you the alchemist?” She gave a warm smile and spoke with a powerful, yet soft tone. She appeared as a saint, one who could do no wrong. She was the Grand Reine, and this was her kingdom. She loved her subjects, and in turn, was loved by them.

“I am Heidel Vaan Ariandel, Grand Reine and Ruler of Crescentia, I bid thee welcome to my humble abode.” She gave an elegant curtsy to Xander and bowed her head. She moved with refinement that Xander had probably never seen in his life. Every move she made was with purpose, and her overwhelming charisma made it hard for one to hate her. It was her gift, granted to the one with a heart of gold.

“Lowenthal, you did well to bring our guest here.” She praised him and motioned to have him join her side.

“It’s merely my duty..” He gave a bow of humbleness and moved to join the eleven individuals behind her.

Heidel smiled and looked to Xander. “Come let us talk inside, this bridge is ill-suit for long conversations.” She turned to the castle and began walking, the 12 individuals following behind her. The remaining soldiers remained at Xander’s side, some scanning the surrounding area, one gesturing him along. They showed no sign of hostility, but rather were acting as bodyguards to the Kingdom’s first and esteemed guest.
 
Aug 4, 2018
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Somewhere in the UK
#10
He took the lack of response as an unwillingness to answer, but did not force the subject. The Celestrians could have their secrets - for now, at least. Xander's eyes flickered from building to building as they traveled deeper into the city, permitting nothing to pass him by. To most it would seem a utopia. A peaceful and plentiful city, as if completely separated from the wasteland surrounding it.

"Please, call me Xander." A corporate smile framed his first greeting, but it slowly faded away to be replaced by a more natural one as he observed the Grand Reine. Bitterness and paranoia vanished into the darker parts of Xander's mind, and for a moment he considered the possibility that this city might be exactly as good as it appeared on the surface. Said thought was almost immediately discarded, but the fact that he'd even considered it was troubling enough.

Whatever this woman was, she seemed significantly more reasonable than the guardians from the surface. Xander walked inside with her, not even pretending to support himself with the cane. Every movement of it seemed precise, and in the process of tucking it under his shoulder utmost care was taken to avoid pointing it at anyone - even for a moment. There was no room for mistakes here. Nor accidents.

"You certainly rule over an impressive city. A cradle of life in an almost inhospitable world - the sheer amount of prana manipulation required for it to function is almost unthinkable." He rephrased the question from before as they walked, framing it as a compliment in the hope of a more productive response.
 

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#11
“This world may not be quite all that it seems.” Heidel turned her head back to Xander. “Though it is only half of what it was before…” She spoke more quietly, with an almost brooding face.

The party walked through the several grand halls of the Citadel, the decadent stone walls and marble columns that lined the halls made this structure a place of luxury. It was only fitting for the Grand Reine, who ruled over the entirety of Crescentia. Though personally, Heidel paid it little mind, such exotic luxuries were beyond her taste. It was only this way because it was suggested by her advisors that it be a clear show of difference between the Reine and her people.

At the end of the hallway, grand doors opened to a lift, large enough to carry what looked like 30 or so people. Boarding the mechanism, powered by prana, the group ascended to the top of the Citadel, the place that which looked over the rest of the world. The lift moved rather slowly, and proceeding to the top of the citadel, roughly equivalent to 120 floors high, it would be several minutes to the top.

“Perhaps a brief History lesson is in order.” Heidel looked to Xander. “We do have some time.” Heidel channeled her Prana and pulled out a book from the ether,.
“This is a magical scripture containing the history of this world, from its creation to present, allow me to read you a passage from the beginning.” Heidel spoke solemnly.

“In the beginning, there was nothing. Naught existed save a sole being. “Aberon” as his creations called him. Aberon was a nigh Omnipotent being, holding the power to create the world, and so he did. He created the ground, the sky; the oceans and the forests. He then called the world “Crescentia.” To populate Crescentia, he created animals and people to reign over them. He then gave the people the most powerful gift of all, the gift of free will. People were able to grow freely, think freely, and fight freely. Bahamut saw them as his greatest creation, and the people worshipped Aberon as their god.

However, creating a world -even for a divine being- was tolling on Aberon, to where he entered several centuries-long slumber. Before he slept, he created several Giants and Angels, servants of Aberon who would watch over the population of Crescentia whilst he slumber. The Giants watched over the people as Adjutants of Aberon. They taught the people the manipulation of what is now known as “Prana,” and “Ki”. It was due to these teachings that humanity grew by leaps and bounds, with technological and societal advancements. When Aberon had awoken from his slumber, he had been amazed at the people’s advancement, reaffirming his faith in them as his greatest creation.

The Giants and Angels, seeing their works gone uncredited, revolted against their master, and plotted to remove Aberon from existence. They succeeded, to some extent, shattering his body into 12 pieces, and Seized their free-will from him, then sought to reign over the populace. With no one in their way to stop them from doing so, they began to enslave the people, ruling over them as tyrants. They had now taken from the people what they coveted so intensely.”


Heidel closed the book and returned it to its ethereal storage. “Sometime after the beginning of their reign, the people rose up and waged war against the Giants and Angels, the near-deific beings who held mankind’s freedom in the grasp of their hands. A rebellion began to take back our freedom, and forge our own paths. Aberon, seeing the people rise up, used what remained of his power to granted five individuals a divine blessing, who became the leaders of this rebellion: The Saviour, The Chevalier, The Magus, The Master, and The Alchemist.” Heidel stopped to turn to Xander. “Surely you know of this part. Your ancestor was a powerful individual… I remember it like it was yesterday.” She gave a face of reminiscence.

She began pacing and continued her story.

“At the climax of the War, which took place right where we stand, in a last ditch effort, The Saviour performed a powerful technique that literally ‘tore’ the world into two, and created the space-time anomaly known as “Earth”. In an instant, half our world was gone, but the giants and angels were defeated at the same time. The aftermath was well… as you saw on your way here, the northern half of our world is held in a dilapidated stasis, a place where the living are unable to live… But I digress.”

Heidel stopped again, with a look of sadness on her face.

“The Saviour sacrificed himself, and the rest of the world knew peace once again.” She turned to Xander. “After the war, all of the Heroes, save for The Chevalier and The Saviour made exodus to Earth, perhaps to watch over its growth… or for other reasons. The Chevalier stayed behind, helping what remained of our world to rebuild and prosper as beings with free will once again.”

By this time, the elevator had reached the top floor, and the doors opened to the throne room, a long room grander than any other part of the Citadel they had been through. Marble columns lining the sides, a well-polished granite floor, and a long, red and gold-embroidered carpet lined the center from the entrance, up three steps, and ending before a black, obsidian chair. Behind the chair, a large, metal humanoid figure stood stationary, looking down upon the room. Heidel proceeded to the throne with her posse in tow, before turning and sitting down in her chair.

“I’m sure that was a lot to take in at once.” Heidel smiled at Xander. “Take your time to take it all in, if you have questions, don’t be afraid to ask.”
 
Aug 4, 2018
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#12
A creation myth. Adorable. But key parts of it match up with my notes... if not my experiences. Xander's frown seemed to grow as the story went on, the parts he believed merely increasing his dissatisfaction with the lot he had been granted.

"Several questions, yes. What was used to determine this.. blessing? Strength at arms? Will? Or was the Alchemist you knew simply lucky enough to be chosen from among those fighting?"

"And more importantly... what happened to these powers of legend? Did they simply fizzle out with time, or is there some secret I'm missing?" The fire in his eyes began to burn once more as he spoke, advancing on the throne. "You and your guardians have gone on about the feats my ancestor performed and the powers he once had, and yet of those I have nothing!"

He broke down coughing almost as soon as he was done, taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself. Now was not the time to lose control. Not while he still had a use for this discussion.
 

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#13
Heidel listened intently to Xander’s questions, continuing her genuine smile.

“...I can’t say I know what factor Aberon used to decide who became heroes…” She gave a deep look of thought. “Perhaps it was luck? The five heroes all came from diverse backgrounds, so perhaps it was their thought towards the Giants at the time? Aberon surely would’ve chosen those loyal to him to carry out his will.” She gave a look of uncertainty.

At the following questions, Heidel began to frown at his situation, empathetic towards the anger he felt.

“Well Mr. Digby, you’re currently witnessing this power of legend.” Heidel shifted her legs, crossing one over the other. An aura began to slowly surround Heidel, before manifesting in an awe-inspiring display of power. Xander would struggle to not fall under her influence, though he would begin to notice intense feelings of loyalty towards Heidel. The surrounding guards and Knights all kneeled down to Heidel, a solemn gesture of respect. The aura lasted for several seconds, before dissipating away and the atmosphere returning to normal.

“...The Authority of Heaven, a gift that seduces the hearts of mankind and unifies them to the goals of the one who possesses the Authority...” Heidel gave a pained smile. “It is thanks to this power that I am able to rule over this land as efficiently as I do… Though I dislike manipulating others, It was paramount to the efforts during the great war.”

“To your last statement, I’m afraid I’m not fully familiar with the circumstances. When your ancestor left Crescentia for Earth, it was the last I ever saw or heard from him. Perhaps there was an anomaly when he shifted between the worlds… The other two heroes should be alive…” Heidel placed her finger to her chin. “Do you not know of what happened to your Ancestor?”
 
Aug 4, 2018
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#14
Xander would stiffen in response to this 'Authority', gripping his cane until his knuckles went white. It was as if two parts of him were fighting - one giving in to the feeling of loyalty, while the other wished to end it by any means. The moment it ceased he would immediately return the cane to his side. Accidentally or not, blowing a hole in their ruler would be an unfortunate end to both his plans and his life.

"I... see. Please do not use it on me again." While the man's teeth were gritted, he did respect the display of power - and her refusal to abuse it, considering its apparent lack of any limitations. "As far as I am aware, whatever power he had did not include immortality after he crossed over to earth. Journal entries from the end of his life mentioned an absence of whatever had preserved him before, and most of his powers were passed on to his son. Key word most."

A moment was taken to breathe. To consider his answer. A thought came to mind from one of the guardians he had met before. "I have not met the others, although I have my suspicions as to the identity of one. Chairman Lao Xi Feng has some connection to this land, and seems the most likely candidate. Would this assumption be correct?"
 

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#15
Heidel made a sympathetic face. “I apologize for forcing that on you…” She shifted her legs and listened intently to Xander.

“Ah, You know Lao!” Her face lit up, happy to hear news about her friend. “Pray, how is he doing these days?” If only for this moment, her demeanour adjusted drastically, much more like a simple girl rather than a ruler. “I’m rarely informed about the specifics, I leave most things at the discretion of Ser Lowenthal.”

She quickly realized her changed stature, and felt embarrassed. She slowly readjusted back to her usual position, clearing her throat with a small cough. “Ahem, pardon my slight outbreak.”

“...but yes, Lao is indeed one of the five Heroes of legend, and he fought alongside both I and your ancestor… Though it is concerning about the loss of his immortality, your ancestor, that is.” Heidel crossed her arms and shifted her legs. “Perhaps it would be worth examining. Lowenthal, if you could, assemble an investigative task group for this.”

“Yes, my liege.” The man took a knee and bowed.

“Now, is there anything else I can assist you with?”
 
Aug 4, 2018
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#16
"Currently... well, he certainly does not show his age. His position is rather precarious, but that is not entirely his fault." Xander was choosing his words carefully - Ser Lowenthal was presumably hiding the Guardian's distaste for Lao from her for a reason. And if he was to use them, shattering that illusion would do more harm than good.

"I have one request, at least for now. Should you have any devices or artificial means for a man to harness and control prana, I would appreciate having access to either the blueprints or a copy of the device. My own experiments with using Negative Energy as a replacement proved... pointlessly risky and highly destructive, so being able to abandon them entirely would both increase the pace of my research and remove any chance of a world-shattering incident." Plans were already being made for their decommissioning, but that fact was best kept secret. Being rewarded for something you were already planning on doing was nothing to sniff at, not to mention the potential goodwill.

Something he was in rather short supply of - especially if Terra Sentinel drew the dots as to exactly who had ordered the destruction of the Bulldog.

"While proxies and hired practitioners can fill in where my own abilities are lacking, some things just need that personal touch." And if you want something done right, you do it yourself.
 

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#17
Heidel gave a smile of relative satisfaction as she heard about Lao’s situation. “Well, that’s good to hear.” Her expression was sincere and genuine, hearing well about an old friend.

Heidel leaned forward, resting her elbows on her thighs and bridging her hands, resting her chin on the tops of her fingers. Looking with an solemn expression, gazing deep into Xander’s eyes. “While I have no issue sharing our technology --as it is much safer than whatever radical designs you may have concocted-- I’m not so naiive that I’d hand it over blindly without knowing what it will be used for.” She shifted back, resting her back straight on the back of her throne, crossed her legs and placed her arms on the armrests, looking down upon the room, and more specifically, Xander. “So tell me, Mr. Digby, What do you intend on accomplishing with your research?” A pressure filled the room that was almost unsettling. It wasn't anything on the level of Heidel's Authority being exerted, but rather the aura of a living legend.
 
Aug 4, 2018
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#18
Xander stiffened. His goal was insane, even from his own perspective. To tell it now was to be laughed out of Crescentia, and to be forced to resort to far bloodier means. So once again he revealed another stage.

"I believe I've already told you. Prana is currently limited to those who are lucky enough to be born with the power to wield it, whether they be good or evil. Men being given power simply through the chance of their birth should have died with the empires of old. But I do not wish to tear down the ivory towers - simply to elevate the downtrodden from the trash heaps they scavenge in."

Xander cast aside the pressure with his words, staring Heidel in the eyes as the fire began to burn once more.

"Prana will eventually become just another commodity - like clean water, or electricity. I will be the man to bring it to the masses, and your assistance would push us forward by decades."
 

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#19
“...” Heidel gave a slight look of slight confusion followed by a brief sigh.

“I see now…” It seemed Xander was rather misguided in his studies. Whatever he learned from the Alchemist seemed to be incorrect. Or rather perhaps the Alchemist misinformed for a reason. Was prana something of danger to the world? Perhaps there was some untapped essence of it that made it truly vile?

I know not what you did after you left, but what exactly did you discover about prana? Heidel furrowed her brows and pondered for a moment.

“...Very well. You shall be granted access to our archives for the purpose of studying prana. There is a slight caveat, however.” She looked intently at Xander. “You may only read the books within the archives. Attempts to steal, or reproduce the works within will see you imprisoned and possibly executed. Do you understand?”

Perhaps he could be of great use though. Should his intellect be on par with his ancestors, he may be the key to figuring out just what the Alchemist was doing.

“If you have nothing else to discuss, I shall assign you a servant who will guide you to the archives as well as prepare a room for the duration of your stay. When you wish to leave, just inform the servant and we’ll escort you to the return point to your world.”