The Sparks of War
- Thread starter Hiver
- Start date
32
Alexis stepped forward and into my way, grabbing my hand and pushing it down as she looked up at me, "What the fuck!?" she hissed.
I growled, "It's her!"
"Her?"
"The elf bitch."
Alexis glanced over her shoulder before she turned back to me, "And what did you say to me?"
I closed my eyes for a moment before I sighed and slid my dagger back into its sheath, "This is not the time."
"It's not," Alexis said, and glanced around the room before she looked to me again, "Are we good?"
"...We're good," I said, and glanced towards the elf before I flexed my hand and looked at Alexis, "But no promises if she spots me. Sakila is absolutely one hundred percent nuts."
Alexis nodded, "We'll deal with that if that happens. Either of them."
"Just be ready," I said and then followed her to the opposite side of the room from the crazies. Like this wasn't dangerous enough as it was, now the god-princess of all crazies were here too.
Who knew why she was still here, maybe she wanted to eat Bolas or something.
Or she wanted to kill everybody here for knowing that she existed. With her, who the fuck knew.
Then again, there was crazy, and then there was crazy enough to attack somebody while in the same room as this many Planeswalkers. I'm fairly sure that if she tried anything in here, somebody like Ajani would slap her down so hard that her ancestors would feel it.
Which is another good reason not to start anything here. Ajani might be friendly, and I was a close friend of his apprentice, but if I started a fight here, he's put me down too.
I had no illusion about being able to take the catman in a fight, nor did I want to fight him.
And that was just Ajani. Plenty of people in the room that could put an end to that fight and I doubt some would be as gentle about it.
Crossing my arms, I leaned back against the white marble wall.
I still didn't like it, however, fighting with her here would be like… like fighting with another enemy with a dagger to your back. Or with a venomous snake down your trousers.
It wouldn't go well for anybody involved and likely be quite painful.
"Watch my back, okay?" Alexis said, looking up at me, "I'm going to go talk to Master Goldmane."
"Want me to come with?"
"No, just keep an eye out," she said and then smiled slightly, "No starting fights."
"Yes mother."
She grinned briefly and then headed towards where the large catman was towering over the group. I looked after her and then looked around, seeking out the guy that tried to kill her, only to find him approaching me from across the room.
"Careful with that one," he said as he got close, stopping a meter or so away. He was wearing armour, almost a set of full plate without a helmet, a circle of silver around his head instead holding his hair back. A book hung on a chain by his waist and his hand was resting on the back of the locked book.
"Oh?" I asked him without moving.
"She put her nose where it doesn't belong and is more stubborn than is good for her."
Well, I couldn't exactly argue with that character assessment.
"My apologies," he then said and gave a tiny bow, "I am Tusa Geraka. May I inquire as to your name, sir?"
"I am Atregos," I said as I studied him, "I am aware of what happened when you met. I have nothing to say to you but to advise you to stay away from both of us."
"Ah, that," he said and drummed his fingers on the back of the book, "An unfortunate event. I had simply been hired to do a job. Nothing more."
"As I heard it, you burned an entire town and slaughtered the inhabitants."
He shrugged, "That was hardly the plan to begin with. But I had orders to put down any resistance, hard, and make an example of those that did. The King that hired me gave me strict orders to that effect. It was nothing personal. I could have killed your woman, but when she ran, there was no longer any need for hostilities."
"And if you keep your distance, there won't be again," I told him, "And if I ever see you somewhere away from this kind of truce, I will eat you."
That actually seemed to disturb him slightly, "I… see," he answered and then nodded, "very well. I was going to offer to pay a wergild for the injuries your woman sustained to normalize relationships, but I suspect that it would not be received well."
I growled at him, "You suspect correctly. Now, leave us, mortal."
"Very well."
He turned away and I then frowned at his back before I spoke up again, "Wait."
Tusa Geraka paused and looked back at me silently.
"You're a mercenary," I said as I regarded him, "What payment do you take?"
He turned back to me again, "Depends on the client. Usually gold."
I slowly nodded, "I see. And you are free now?" I asked and at his nod, I continued, "In which case… I have a contract for you."
That got a reaction from him, "All that and you wish to hire me?"
"Yes," I said and bared my teeth slightly at him, "I hate your guts. But I don't need to like you to hire you. Simple assassination job, minimal casualties. Interested?"
He was silent for several long seconds before he nodded, "Details? Payment?"
"Your choice in method, minimal third party casualties is a requirement. As for payment… five pounds of gold or a pair of these," I said and pulled a pair of my blasters, holding them so he could see them clearly, "Auto recharging magical blasters. Can put a hole through a man at thirty meters no problem."
"And the target?"
I slowly grinned at him.
I growled, "It's her!"
"Her?"
"The elf bitch."
Alexis glanced over her shoulder before she turned back to me, "And what did you say to me?"
I closed my eyes for a moment before I sighed and slid my dagger back into its sheath, "This is not the time."
"It's not," Alexis said, and glanced around the room before she looked to me again, "Are we good?"
"...We're good," I said, and glanced towards the elf before I flexed my hand and looked at Alexis, "But no promises if she spots me. Sakila is absolutely one hundred percent nuts."
Alexis nodded, "We'll deal with that if that happens. Either of them."
"Just be ready," I said and then followed her to the opposite side of the room from the crazies. Like this wasn't dangerous enough as it was, now the god-princess of all crazies were here too.
Who knew why she was still here, maybe she wanted to eat Bolas or something.
Or she wanted to kill everybody here for knowing that she existed. With her, who the fuck knew.
Then again, there was crazy, and then there was crazy enough to attack somebody while in the same room as this many Planeswalkers. I'm fairly sure that if she tried anything in here, somebody like Ajani would slap her down so hard that her ancestors would feel it.
Which is another good reason not to start anything here. Ajani might be friendly, and I was a close friend of his apprentice, but if I started a fight here, he's put me down too.
I had no illusion about being able to take the catman in a fight, nor did I want to fight him.
And that was just Ajani. Plenty of people in the room that could put an end to that fight and I doubt some would be as gentle about it.
Crossing my arms, I leaned back against the white marble wall.
I still didn't like it, however, fighting with her here would be like… like fighting with another enemy with a dagger to your back. Or with a venomous snake down your trousers.
It wouldn't go well for anybody involved and likely be quite painful.
"Watch my back, okay?" Alexis said, looking up at me, "I'm going to go talk to Master Goldmane."
"Want me to come with?"
"No, just keep an eye out," she said and then smiled slightly, "No starting fights."
"Yes mother."
She grinned briefly and then headed towards where the large catman was towering over the group. I looked after her and then looked around, seeking out the guy that tried to kill her, only to find him approaching me from across the room.
"Careful with that one," he said as he got close, stopping a meter or so away. He was wearing armour, almost a set of full plate without a helmet, a circle of silver around his head instead holding his hair back. A book hung on a chain by his waist and his hand was resting on the back of the locked book.
"Oh?" I asked him without moving.
"She put her nose where it doesn't belong and is more stubborn than is good for her."
Well, I couldn't exactly argue with that character assessment.
"My apologies," he then said and gave a tiny bow, "I am Tusa Geraka. May I inquire as to your name, sir?"
"I am Atregos," I said as I studied him, "I am aware of what happened when you met. I have nothing to say to you but to advise you to stay away from both of us."
"Ah, that," he said and drummed his fingers on the back of the book, "An unfortunate event. I had simply been hired to do a job. Nothing more."
"As I heard it, you burned an entire town and slaughtered the inhabitants."
He shrugged, "That was hardly the plan to begin with. But I had orders to put down any resistance, hard, and make an example of those that did. The King that hired me gave me strict orders to that effect. It was nothing personal. I could have killed your woman, but when she ran, there was no longer any need for hostilities."
"And if you keep your distance, there won't be again," I told him, "And if I ever see you somewhere away from this kind of truce, I will eat you."
That actually seemed to disturb him slightly, "I… see," he answered and then nodded, "very well. I was going to offer to pay a wergild for the injuries your woman sustained to normalize relationships, but I suspect that it would not be received well."
I growled at him, "You suspect correctly. Now, leave us, mortal."
"Very well."
He turned away and I then frowned at his back before I spoke up again, "Wait."
Tusa Geraka paused and looked back at me silently.
"You're a mercenary," I said as I regarded him, "What payment do you take?"
He turned back to me again, "Depends on the client. Usually gold."
I slowly nodded, "I see. And you are free now?" I asked and at his nod, I continued, "In which case… I have a contract for you."
That got a reaction from him, "All that and you wish to hire me?"
"Yes," I said and bared my teeth slightly at him, "I hate your guts. But I don't need to like you to hire you. Simple assassination job, minimal casualties. Interested?"
He was silent for several long seconds before he nodded, "Details? Payment?"
"Your choice in method, minimal third party casualties is a requirement. As for payment… five pounds of gold or a pair of these," I said and pulled a pair of my blasters, holding them so he could see them clearly, "Auto recharging magical blasters. Can put a hole through a man at thirty meters no problem."
"And the target?"
I slowly grinned at him.
I'm not sure that Alexis will like this
Enthusiast#117
This is not the Profile you are looking for
- Location
- United States
"When you have just one problem, then you still have a problem.
But when you have two problems, sometimes they'll solve eachother."
But when you have two problems, sometimes they'll solve eachother."
Hestia&theCourt
Turns out we're plural too.
- Location
- In transition
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Probably not her preferred method of doing things, true, but I think Atregos will eventually convince her that this is a win-win situation. No matter who wins, a horrific individual is dead and no longer able to kill people; meanwhile, the time Geraka spends figuring out how to kill Sakila is time he isn't spending burning innocent villages to the ground. And if they're really lucky, both of them will die and solve both problems very conveniently. (I doubt that will happen, due to narrative tension, but in-universe it's a reasonable, if distant, possibility.)
That being said, I can't help but think that planning assassinations under truce is kind of a dick move. Work out how to make your murderous problems solve each other after you've dealt with the imminent threat to all that is.
Honestly, the only reason I can see for Alexis to complain is the blasters. Both of them are enemies they're probably going to end up fighting at some point unless something happens in the meantime so arranging for one to deal with the other is sensible but arming your enemies is a bit of a bad idea.
Hestia&theCourt
Turns out we're plural too.
- Location
- In transition
- Pronouns
- She/Her
On the other hand, nothing says Atregos can't build a sabotage button into those blasters. In fact, that might be what he's going for: arm his enemy with something that will literally blow up in his face if they ever clash again. Good way to turn what would otherwise be a fight into an execution.
33
Alexis gaped at me as we walked through the hallway, "What the fuck is wrong with you!?"
"Nothing is wro-"
"Bullshit! I can't beli-"
I pushed a door open to a side office and finding it empty, I grabbed Alexis by the arm and pulled her inside, closing the door behind me before I set up a sound silencing field around the room, "Could we perhaps not let the entire Multiverse know about it?"
Alexis took a deep breath before she looked at me again. She was absolutely one hundred percent pissed.
"Explain."
I nodded and walked over to the desk, sitting on the edge as I crossed my arms, "Solving two problems with one stone. If he kills the elf bitch and survives, I pay him and then we try for him later. If both die, even better. If the elf bitch kills him, then we can take her afterwards. Worst case, they both survive and we have to fight them, which we would have needed to anyway."
Shaking her head, Alexis walked over to me, "He can't be trusted. He's a monster."
"He is a monster," I agreed, "And he can't be trusted. But he is a greedy monster that I just dangled rewards in front of for something he might consider an easy job."
"This is going to blow up in our faces, I just know it," Alexis said as she stopped before me, "What if they team up?"
"Ah," I said and nodded, "You never met the Elf Bitch. She's a hundred percent natural order, everybody that can be a threat to me must die, level of loco. I'm a bit surprised she hasn't attempted to kill everything in sight yet, but I suppose even she would have some level of self preservation."
Alexis was quiet for a long moment before she shook her head, "I don't like it, Atregos. I don't like it even a little bit."
"I know," I admitted, "And if there had been time, I would have asked you first, but an opportunity presented itself. I had to give it a shot."
She frowned downwards for a moment before she moved around and jumped up to sit next to me on the desk, "I just... the idea that he's walking free after what he did..."
"Not for much longer."
Alexis looked at me, "Why?"
"Because as payment for the job, he will receive a pair of my blasters," I said and then held my hand up, "And before you ask, no, I am not planning on rigging them to blow. I made a deal with him, so assuming he does the job he gets paid."
"Why is that a good thing?" She asked, "Giving that monster more weapons."
I grinned slightly, "Because I made them. And everything I make I can track down. I have all intentions of honoring our deal, it's just good business. The day after however? Hmm, now that's a different story altogether."
Alexis stared at me for a long moment before she spoke up, "You..." she said, "Are a big, devious, gecko."
"Thank you," I agreed with a nod, "I don't like the idea of him walking around freely either, but right now there is little we can do about it so we might as well make use of it."
She nodded, "I guess you're righ- wait!"
"Yeah?"
Alexis looked down at her sword, "Does that mean you can track my sword?"
"My sword you mean. And the gauntlet and the necklace. How do you think we found you after you arrived on the Plane when you were hurt?" I asked, "I tracked the necklace, but it could just as easily have been the sword if you had still had it."
Alexis crossed her arms, "That's getting a bit stalkerish, lizard, I'd think the necklace tracker is plenty," she said, not sounding very impressed.
I rolled my eyes, "Miss Castle," I said, "It is for your safety, nothing else. Besides, you have a tendency to lose my swords."
"I do not!"
"The first sword?"
Alexis made a sound of protest, "That... That wasn't my fault! I was kidnapped by vampires!"
"And the second?"
"...Lost in a time trap."
"Third?"
"Okay, okay!"
"Forth?"
"I said okay!" Alexis exclaimed before she sighed, "I get your point. So..."
"So," I said, "once everything is done, as soon as we are on the same Plane as him, we can track him down. Assuming he carries them at least. We'll get him."
She nodded and then glanced at me, "...Thanks."
"You'd do the same for me," I said and then pushed away from the desk, "So... you joining me in the sky for this or you're going with the ground forces again?"
"Air," Alexis said and jumped off the desk, "Beleren said they wanted anyone that could fly or have a flying mount in the air. Speaking of blasters?"
I nodded and pulled a pair from my armour and handed them over, Alexis stuck them in her belt, "Thanks. I think I'll need them if I'm to join you in the air again. But I still think I'll be more useful there than on the ground."
"And it has nothing to do with the fact that it'll bring you close enough to ogle Gideon?" I asked with a small smile.
Alexis stuck her tongue out at me and then headed for the door, "Don't be mean, I know my type."
"Ah, yes. Muscled pretty boys. How original of you."
"Quiet lizard, what do you know anyhow?!"
"I have three wives, I must be doing something right," I pointed out as I let the silence bubble collapse as we reached the door.
We kept the banter up as we walked. But it was all distraction to deflect from the calm before the storm that this was.
Soon the dying would start again.
"Nothing is wro-"
"Bullshit! I can't beli-"
I pushed a door open to a side office and finding it empty, I grabbed Alexis by the arm and pulled her inside, closing the door behind me before I set up a sound silencing field around the room, "Could we perhaps not let the entire Multiverse know about it?"
Alexis took a deep breath before she looked at me again. She was absolutely one hundred percent pissed.
"Explain."
I nodded and walked over to the desk, sitting on the edge as I crossed my arms, "Solving two problems with one stone. If he kills the elf bitch and survives, I pay him and then we try for him later. If both die, even better. If the elf bitch kills him, then we can take her afterwards. Worst case, they both survive and we have to fight them, which we would have needed to anyway."
Shaking her head, Alexis walked over to me, "He can't be trusted. He's a monster."
"He is a monster," I agreed, "And he can't be trusted. But he is a greedy monster that I just dangled rewards in front of for something he might consider an easy job."
"This is going to blow up in our faces, I just know it," Alexis said as she stopped before me, "What if they team up?"
"Ah," I said and nodded, "You never met the Elf Bitch. She's a hundred percent natural order, everybody that can be a threat to me must die, level of loco. I'm a bit surprised she hasn't attempted to kill everything in sight yet, but I suppose even she would have some level of self preservation."
Alexis was quiet for a long moment before she shook her head, "I don't like it, Atregos. I don't like it even a little bit."
"I know," I admitted, "And if there had been time, I would have asked you first, but an opportunity presented itself. I had to give it a shot."
She frowned downwards for a moment before she moved around and jumped up to sit next to me on the desk, "I just... the idea that he's walking free after what he did..."
"Not for much longer."
Alexis looked at me, "Why?"
"Because as payment for the job, he will receive a pair of my blasters," I said and then held my hand up, "And before you ask, no, I am not planning on rigging them to blow. I made a deal with him, so assuming he does the job he gets paid."
"Why is that a good thing?" She asked, "Giving that monster more weapons."
I grinned slightly, "Because I made them. And everything I make I can track down. I have all intentions of honoring our deal, it's just good business. The day after however? Hmm, now that's a different story altogether."
Alexis stared at me for a long moment before she spoke up, "You..." she said, "Are a big, devious, gecko."
"Thank you," I agreed with a nod, "I don't like the idea of him walking around freely either, but right now there is little we can do about it so we might as well make use of it."
She nodded, "I guess you're righ- wait!"
"Yeah?"
Alexis looked down at her sword, "Does that mean you can track my sword?"
"My sword you mean. And the gauntlet and the necklace. How do you think we found you after you arrived on the Plane when you were hurt?" I asked, "I tracked the necklace, but it could just as easily have been the sword if you had still had it."
Alexis crossed her arms, "That's getting a bit stalkerish, lizard, I'd think the necklace tracker is plenty," she said, not sounding very impressed.
I rolled my eyes, "Miss Castle," I said, "It is for your safety, nothing else. Besides, you have a tendency to lose my swords."
"I do not!"
"The first sword?"
Alexis made a sound of protest, "That... That wasn't my fault! I was kidnapped by vampires!"
"And the second?"
"...Lost in a time trap."
"Third?"
"Okay, okay!"
"Forth?"
"I said okay!" Alexis exclaimed before she sighed, "I get your point. So..."
"So," I said, "once everything is done, as soon as we are on the same Plane as him, we can track him down. Assuming he carries them at least. We'll get him."
She nodded and then glanced at me, "...Thanks."
"You'd do the same for me," I said and then pushed away from the desk, "So... you joining me in the sky for this or you're going with the ground forces again?"
"Air," Alexis said and jumped off the desk, "Beleren said they wanted anyone that could fly or have a flying mount in the air. Speaking of blasters?"
I nodded and pulled a pair from my armour and handed them over, Alexis stuck them in her belt, "Thanks. I think I'll need them if I'm to join you in the air again. But I still think I'll be more useful there than on the ground."
"And it has nothing to do with the fact that it'll bring you close enough to ogle Gideon?" I asked with a small smile.
Alexis stuck her tongue out at me and then headed for the door, "Don't be mean, I know my type."
"Ah, yes. Muscled pretty boys. How original of you."
"Quiet lizard, what do you know anyhow?!"
"I have three wives, I must be doing something right," I pointed out as I let the silence bubble collapse as we reached the door.
We kept the banter up as we walked. But it was all distraction to deflect from the calm before the storm that this was.
Soon the dying would start again.
- Location
- Tokyo-3, Misato Refrigerator
That's good! As the saying goes:
- Location
- Oblivion
It amuses me greatly that he's making "secret" assassination plans in a building with a couple dozen psychic mind readers.
That is bugged to high heaven by the Dimir guild.
Then I got more laughs from the fact his secondary plan rests on the mistaken idea that experienced planeswalkers actually keep low level artifacts intact instead of just copying their pattern and spamming them whenever they are needed.
That is bugged to high heaven by the Dimir guild.
Then I got more laughs from the fact his secondary plan rests on the mistaken idea that experienced planeswalkers actually keep low level artifacts intact instead of just copying their pattern and spamming them whenever they are needed.
TheLastOne
Person of impeccable tastes (for destruction)
We don't actually see them do that in this @Hiver's of the setting - no one 'summons' artifacts that we've seen, the closest we've seen to that is the quicksmithing techniques, which seem to only be used by a subset of the serious artifice crowd.
I mean, if Bolas pulled it out, I wouldn't be suprised or something, but 'normal' Planeswalkers don't seem to be able to do it. If they want an artifact, they have to make it or buy it 'properly.'
IvanDead
My bones are made of schadenfreude.
- Location
- Brasil
I mean, it's not really secret, he hired him in the same room as the target. And I really doubt that anyone there is going to give a shit as long as the hitman waits until the entire current clusterfuck in Ravnica is completed, and don't do the dirty work in front of them.
If the pattern is so faithful, couldn't Atregos be able to track them too?
I'm working under the assumption that the manacost for the artifacts and such in game is representative of the cost and/or effort it takes to make them, not as actual summons. I have explained this a number of times, but as usual Vaermina ignores this and other similar things so they can keep riffing and trolling, even though this kind of behavior already got them banned over at SB a while ago.
Last edited:
- Location
- Oblivion
This is actually the first that I can remember having read you say you were working under that assumption... 🤷♂️
But since you are, how are you explaining things like summoned thopters and artifact creatures? 🤔
Last edited:
Same way.
- Location
- Finland
The Elf bitch embodies the worst of Green and plays sedentary tribe-building on a mostly Green plane, she won't change since she won't get anything other than Green mana.
34
Returning to my real form, I stretched as my armour deployed across my body, but I left my head free for now. All around people were getting ready. People with pegasi, people with different flying mounts, even a few that were getting thopters ready to fly like motorcycles. Everybody gave me a wide berth which was perfectly alright with me.
"Would you look at that," Alexis commented as she stepped up next to my head to point.
I turned my head to look as a massive floating fortress moved through the air towards the light shining into the dark sky in the distance. It wasn't fast, but it'd be there in time for the assault. Those colours and emblems...
"That's the Boros Legion fortress Beleren mentioned," I said and folded my wings as I looked towards it, "Wonder what makes it fly?"
"I'm sure if you ask nicely you can get a tour," Alexis said and stroked the bridge of my snout behind my nosehorn, "How's your mana?"
"Almost full," I said, "And I have tuned my armour a bit to optimise against what we have encountered so far... and I have a couple of more tricks I haven't shown them yet. You?"
"I'm good," Alexis said and looked towards the floating fortress before she lowered her voice so nobody else could hear, "Atregos... there is a good chance..."
"I know," I answered just as quietly, "But we're not dying here."
Alexis nodded, "I know. But... you know..."
"I'd tell your father," I said quietly.
"I'd talk to your Consorts," Alexis agreed and then shook her head, "But you're right, that's not happening here. We're going to go there and kick that overgrown geckos tail in."
Both of us shuddered as a feeling flashed through us. Like a heavy blanket settling across the core of our souls. Chandra had reactivated the Immortal Sun. No Planeswalking out of here... for us or for Bolas.
Alexis smiled slightly, "A bit moot now, no going back."
"Indeed," I agreed softly and bumped my nose tip against her shoulder. She hugged my head for a second before she let go and rolled her shoulders and reached to do an extra knot on the small leather strap keeping her braid closed before she rolled it up and pinned it in place.
"You could at least use a helmet," I said softly.
Alexis hesitated and then she nodded, "...I guess you're right," she admitted, "I'll check with the quartermaster, I think I saw somebody like that over with the Azorius troops. I'll be back in a minute."
"Don't have to fit perfectly, just get something and I'll adjust it," I said. She waved to show that she heard me.
The sound of metal against stone drew my attention and I turned my head to look at the metal golem walking past. I had seen it a couple of times during the meeting. Was in an actual metal creature or some sort of enchanted armour? Had to be.
I wonder if I could ask for a look afterwards, I didn't see any joints in the armour so it was fairly advanced. But Alexis was right, now was seriously not the time to get into enchanting theorizing.
Instead I summoned Witcher, Rogue and Paladin, giving each summon a set of illusionary armour to cover them over their normal set. Weightless, massless and as hard than adamantium... as long as magic didn't target them, then it just dissolved away into nothing. But better than nothing.
I shifted a wing and at my mental command they moved to join the ground troops.
Seriously, I need more flying summons. Maybe a couple of the Angels I had seen would agree? Maybe I could bribe them with something shiny, girls like shiny things.
"Couldn't I have one of those?" Alexis asked as she returned, carrying a helmet and a piece of chainmail.
"Sure, unless you don't mind it going pop when targeted by magic," I said and turned to look at her as I settled down on the ground, "They don't handle that well. Did you get the equipment?"
Alexis nodded and held the full faced helmet and a chainmail up, "They are a bit big, but not a problem?"
"Not a problem," I confirmed, "Just put them on and come here."
She nodded struggled as she put on the chainmail, it hung almost to the ground, then she picked up the helmet and put it on as well.
"...Not a word," she said and walked up to me, "They only had it in 'men, large'.
"Not saying anything," I chuckled, "Now, T-pose and stand still, or something might get pinched."
Alexis quickly spread her arms and didn't move.
Moving up, I started to channel some mana into the metal, half closing my eyes I focused on shifting the metal around her, weaving enchantment into and through it. The chainmail shifted and melted into plates of armour across her body, thin but flexible like scales, magically strengthened and enchanted to enhance her strength and dexterity. The metal shifted across her, down and around her legs, covering her from neck down over her clothes. The helmet shifted too from a full face helmet with the Azorius sigil to one that covered her nose but left most of her face free. Too much cover there would distract her as she wasn't used to it. I couldn't help adding a bit of a draconic design to that one too, giving it small sweeping scales as well as a pair of slight horn bumps on the sides.
Finally I stepped back to look her over, "There, better," I said with a nod as I shifted my wings, "It's only steel, not the best material, but I put what I could into it."
Alexis looked herself over, "...Let me guess, dragon motif."
"Well, you didn't want the traditional style so I compromised."
"...Thanks," she said dryly and took off the helmet to look at it before she frowned, "It fits well," she admitted and tried a couple of movements, "And not as heavy as I thought it would be. How do I take it off?"
I blinked at her before moving closer again, "...I'm just going to make a couple of small adjustments now that I see you moving in it, hold still please."
Alexis laughed and kept still, "You forgot to add that, didn't you?"
"No!"
Maybe.
"Everybody get ready!" Gideon yelled as he rode around the gathering spot on his pegasus, "We move in five minutes!"
I stepped back from Alexis and twitched my head, making my armour deploy across my head as well, "Ready?" I asked the human.
Alexis nodded and walked around to pull herself up into my saddle, "Ready," she confirmed as the saddle automatically strapped her into place, "Let's go."
"Would you look at that," Alexis commented as she stepped up next to my head to point.
I turned my head to look as a massive floating fortress moved through the air towards the light shining into the dark sky in the distance. It wasn't fast, but it'd be there in time for the assault. Those colours and emblems...
"That's the Boros Legion fortress Beleren mentioned," I said and folded my wings as I looked towards it, "Wonder what makes it fly?"
"I'm sure if you ask nicely you can get a tour," Alexis said and stroked the bridge of my snout behind my nosehorn, "How's your mana?"
"Almost full," I said, "And I have tuned my armour a bit to optimise against what we have encountered so far... and I have a couple of more tricks I haven't shown them yet. You?"
"I'm good," Alexis said and looked towards the floating fortress before she lowered her voice so nobody else could hear, "Atregos... there is a good chance..."
"I know," I answered just as quietly, "But we're not dying here."
Alexis nodded, "I know. But... you know..."
"I'd tell your father," I said quietly.
"I'd talk to your Consorts," Alexis agreed and then shook her head, "But you're right, that's not happening here. We're going to go there and kick that overgrown geckos tail in."
Both of us shuddered as a feeling flashed through us. Like a heavy blanket settling across the core of our souls. Chandra had reactivated the Immortal Sun. No Planeswalking out of here... for us or for Bolas.
Alexis smiled slightly, "A bit moot now, no going back."
"Indeed," I agreed softly and bumped my nose tip against her shoulder. She hugged my head for a second before she let go and rolled her shoulders and reached to do an extra knot on the small leather strap keeping her braid closed before she rolled it up and pinned it in place.
"You could at least use a helmet," I said softly.
Alexis hesitated and then she nodded, "...I guess you're right," she admitted, "I'll check with the quartermaster, I think I saw somebody like that over with the Azorius troops. I'll be back in a minute."
"Don't have to fit perfectly, just get something and I'll adjust it," I said. She waved to show that she heard me.
The sound of metal against stone drew my attention and I turned my head to look at the metal golem walking past. I had seen it a couple of times during the meeting. Was in an actual metal creature or some sort of enchanted armour? Had to be.
I wonder if I could ask for a look afterwards, I didn't see any joints in the armour so it was fairly advanced. But Alexis was right, now was seriously not the time to get into enchanting theorizing.
Instead I summoned Witcher, Rogue and Paladin, giving each summon a set of illusionary armour to cover them over their normal set. Weightless, massless and as hard than adamantium... as long as magic didn't target them, then it just dissolved away into nothing. But better than nothing.
I shifted a wing and at my mental command they moved to join the ground troops.
Seriously, I need more flying summons. Maybe a couple of the Angels I had seen would agree? Maybe I could bribe them with something shiny, girls like shiny things.
"Couldn't I have one of those?" Alexis asked as she returned, carrying a helmet and a piece of chainmail.
"Sure, unless you don't mind it going pop when targeted by magic," I said and turned to look at her as I settled down on the ground, "They don't handle that well. Did you get the equipment?"
Alexis nodded and held the full faced helmet and a chainmail up, "They are a bit big, but not a problem?"
"Not a problem," I confirmed, "Just put them on and come here."
She nodded struggled as she put on the chainmail, it hung almost to the ground, then she picked up the helmet and put it on as well.
"...Not a word," she said and walked up to me, "They only had it in 'men, large'.
"Not saying anything," I chuckled, "Now, T-pose and stand still, or something might get pinched."
Alexis quickly spread her arms and didn't move.
Moving up, I started to channel some mana into the metal, half closing my eyes I focused on shifting the metal around her, weaving enchantment into and through it. The chainmail shifted and melted into plates of armour across her body, thin but flexible like scales, magically strengthened and enchanted to enhance her strength and dexterity. The metal shifted across her, down and around her legs, covering her from neck down over her clothes. The helmet shifted too from a full face helmet with the Azorius sigil to one that covered her nose but left most of her face free. Too much cover there would distract her as she wasn't used to it. I couldn't help adding a bit of a draconic design to that one too, giving it small sweeping scales as well as a pair of slight horn bumps on the sides.
Finally I stepped back to look her over, "There, better," I said with a nod as I shifted my wings, "It's only steel, not the best material, but I put what I could into it."
Alexis looked herself over, "...Let me guess, dragon motif."
"Well, you didn't want the traditional style so I compromised."
"...Thanks," she said dryly and took off the helmet to look at it before she frowned, "It fits well," she admitted and tried a couple of movements, "And not as heavy as I thought it would be. How do I take it off?"
I blinked at her before moving closer again, "...I'm just going to make a couple of small adjustments now that I see you moving in it, hold still please."
Alexis laughed and kept still, "You forgot to add that, didn't you?"
"No!"
Maybe.
"Everybody get ready!" Gideon yelled as he rode around the gathering spot on his pegasus, "We move in five minutes!"
I stepped back from Alexis and twitched my head, making my armour deploy across my head as well, "Ready?" I asked the human.
Alexis nodded and walked around to pull herself up into my saddle, "Ready," she confirmed as the saddle automatically strapped her into place, "Let's go."
- Location
- Oblivion
I look forward to him actually meeting Karn when everything's over.
If only because he could use a proper humbling in so far as his artificing abilities are concerned.
I also look forward to the gobsmacked look on his face when the Parhelion fires It's giant laser canon.
If only because he could use a proper humbling in so far as his artificing abilities are concerned.
I also look forward to the gobsmacked look on his face when the Parhelion fires It's giant laser canon.
Avalon Aurora
Eldritch Horror
- Location
- Unspecified Quantum Location
Karn is just part of my list at this point of things/people I'd like to see him interact with or meet properly and in story text either before he leaves the plane, or in a return visit before the arc is over.
Ral Zerek
Karn
Chamber Sentry
Chromatic Lantern
Guild Globe
Mana Geode
Junktroller
Parhelion II
Mizzium Tank
Prismite
Scrabbling Claws
Silent Dart
Silent Submersible (this one unfortunately seems unlikely for him to find out about or stumble upon)
Karn's Bastion
Things like the lantern, globe, geode and prisimite I'd like to see advance his understanding of artifacts and mana interactions and power sources and power converters in general. Vehicles because I suspect a few of those have methods that he could use or has overlooked. Scrabbling Claws and Junktroller for materials processing understanding on the mystical end of things. Silent Dart because even if it does so inefficiently, that tiny dart does damage comparable to a lightning bolt and could help his weapons development by looking it over. Karn's Bastion for understanding lore side of proliferate type stuff to some degree.
Karn and Ral are both skilled in artificing in different ways from Saheeli, and could serve as good contacts to interact with and exchange artificing tips and techniques with. Ral might even be temporarily humbled and nervous enough to accept such an exchange before he goes on to hunt Tezzeret if that still happens, especially if he's seen Atregos' armor and weapons in action. Karn is probably more willing to do an exchange, but might have more limitations in weather he feels comfortable taking the time to do so, when he's more concerned about New Phyrexia, but even just properly meeting and being introduced for the future might be good there.
Unfortunately, it's probably too late for a good meeting with Ugin (a much friendlier planeswalking dragon than Bolas), if the canon plan for Bolas goes through.
IvanDead
My bones are made of schadenfreude.
- Location
- Brasil
He is hardly described as arrogantly proud of his artificing abilities, so I don't understand why he "could use a proper humbling".
If it's about the banter between him and Saheeli, that's less about his artificing abilities vs hers, and more about the reproducibility that his methodology allows. He even acknowledges that Saheeli makes better constructs than he can, he's just annoyed/grump due to the fact that the difference in methodology means that they can't really change all that many tips about enchanting.
- Location
- Seattle, Washington
Atregos isn't arrogant about his artificing abilities, just confident in them like any expert would be in their specialty. He is realistic about what he can and can't do (IE didn't assume his armor would work against the spark stealing, freely admitted it would take him weeks to make a portal bomb, etc), and is always looking for opportunities to learn from other people's creations.
- Location
- Oblivion
The problem with that is that he's not really an expert, he's a kitbasher taking pieces of magic systems he doesn't really understand, and sticking them together with superglue to create something approximating a gunpla.
What he really needs to reach expert level, is for various beings to take him aside and school him in the various systems he has access to from the ground up. And most importantly, for him to listen those beings who are trying to teach him as the true experts that they are. 🤷♂️
- Location
- Seattle, Washington
I don't understand why you have this impression? Regardless of the methods he uses, his enchantments are superior to like 90% of enchanted items he has encountered.
- When he went to the LotR plane, he was able to make a ring almost as good as one of the Rings of Power with just half a day of studying one of the rings and quicksmithing the new one.
- His Dragon armor is strong enough to let him ignore conventional attacks. It has 3 Mana laser turrets that can blast through building sized creatures (excluding God-Eternals), capable of automatic targeting, advanced target recognition, and rapid fire.
- other feats include making city sized shields in just a day or two, making rings able to hold and support a mana-based intelligence.