Dark Crow Rising

Exiting the cogship, I hold onto my clothes tight and cover my eyes as it ascends back into the air. I linger until the turbulence stops and am left with only the feel of nature on my fire-birthed skin. Moving my mood into my brow, I turn towards the expansive and quiet city of academia. My eyes survey the landscape and all I can see in the skies are the Union's warships.

What should be active with those eager to learn and grow gives off the impression of abandonment. I can see some young women and men looking at me through the windows of their dormitories and other buildings. Rather, I can see them worry over the columns of troops accompanying me and many others to this meeting. The Prince's answer to Suhurlodst-patented stubbornness and want for detachment is to march.

Straightening out my uniform, I get going and look up at the atypically miserable sky. Who knows what has upset the heavens, maybe it weeps for Suhurlodst, maybe it is irreverent and callous. Or, it is just the sky and does not care because it cannot. I wish, I wish...

"Grandguard Inerish." greets a tired-looking man in a simple, plaid suit with loaded hands. Noting the familiar face, I approach in the hope of finding a little name tag I can jog my memory with. Something is coming to mind, but, I'm not sure.

Fry... Frih-

"Frihdeicalkbr." I say with a slight nod, noting his annoyed temperament. We share a view of the academy and he passes on some of his cargo to me. It is a tablet with the details and directions to the meeting.

"Head of Oddity House." he reminds and I shake my head with a slight roll of my eyes.

"I already lack the patience for you Jhermonikra and your insistence on this level or formality. I am not wasting time reciting full titles now or in this meeting." I explain and I note the aggressive shift in his muscles. He's tensing up and broadening those shoulders of his.

"Be careful with what you say, Grandguard Inerish. Your choices have left this school deeply affected." he warns, eyes looking above the glasses and towards an airship as it passes over.

"How are your Ibenoroccon students holding up?" I ask, quickly assuming what this might be about. I have little doubt as to what has probably spread out to this city of students. There has always been a lot of interaction between Oddity House and Ipannicano. It's part of why Ibenorcoccons are such a big demographic despite the terrestrial connections we have to the Eusorochii and Mogolawalic.

"They are terrified." he answers, moving on without the respect to wait for me. I catch up and match his strides.

"I did not incite the violence towards Ipannicano and its occupants." I point out, tone raised and he sharply stops. With a twist, his glare is up against my face and what threat he can muster glows with intent. Though not all that impressive, neither is a simple kitchen knife and that can still cut deep. So much can be turned into a weapon if the viciousness is there, even the comical.

"It was your call to allow such a blatantly idiotic policy towards the crisis this country faces!" he hisses, rightfully calling me out on what I did. Stuttering during my breath, it shakes its way out of my nostrils like a tap meant for ice cubes.

"What would you rather have, war?" I ask, bringing up the option I was given and his mind changes little.

"It never occurred to you that it was an empty threat?" he almost wants to chuckle and sneer at.

"I took it for what it is, especially with how willing the Grand-Kingdom of Ibenorocco has shown itself when it comes to troops in our land. Or, shall I walk us to the crater and the small farm left behind by a worm rider?" I remind him, pointing out how very real a threat from even just an ambassador is. Not that my choice mattered in the end, the Prince stoked the fires, his troops marched into Ipannicano and encouraged civil massacre. He blinded the very threat-giver and had him march to their passage home.

The Head of Oddity House sighs and relents, his eyes going off towards his realm of control, "We should be glad that the last student we had on that political scale left some time ago. Their dormitory has been quiet of their voices for some time."

"I know, Nin has told me." I say, my eyes softening as the detail goes through my head again. All that he became, all that he is now, the Dark Crow did it all for the woman he loved. While my affection for him often is spurred on by the want to taunt others. There is something there and I have considered myself in this Larishazza's position.

Strange, strange dreams...

"There is more to this animosity, isn't there?" I ask, bringing myself back to the reality of the situation as we pass a gap in some buildings. A slight sight, one of a fortress raised in a frantic hurry. The magic signal is clear, those who were out of the city have ears and their hearts beat with instinct. No way out can be seen, not now, it is a fight to the death if the swords are drawn.

"I am doing my best, but, those who were not caught up in Ipannicano's razing have fortified themselves. I am trying, the students trust me but... I cannot convince them to stay and have faith. They want out of the school, off the mountain and on the first ship they can be. The security forces of Suhurlodst are stretched thin enough to enforce curfews. We do not have the manpower to stop what is escalating." he vents, his eyes shifting to the signs of lighting magic.

More than Jherikra holds lands swallowed by those who claim dominion over All-Coasts.

"Ipannicano still stands, it was not razed. Just, set back..." I correct quietly and at no more an inappropriate time.

"As it is discussed by us a lot here at Suhurlodst Academy of Arcane Learning and Understanding. I must ask, when can we expect His Royal Highness, the Prince Jhrartur to cease with this bathing of his?" he asks and I blink in confusion. Coming to a halt and using my hand to pass the immobility onto him too, he looks at my bafflement. A nod starts to come from him.

"If you're speaking of his orders to shut down magic influx across the mountain, I cannot say. With all the airships in the sky, it makes sense he wants it freed of other industrial needs and wants." I explain to the best of my ability and he shakes his incoherently muttering head.

"We've spent long enough with one of these machines in the sky above us. Though their hunger for pure magic is great, they do not need as much as you might think and the land is bountiful enough. Our patron mountain is strong enough, more than great enough." he says, rubbing one hand's thumb into the palm of the other.

"I do not understand." I put it simply though he's already established this.

"This magic, the magic you'd normally have going into Thrurstradtur, it's all still going there. He is taking it for himself. Whatever he is doing with it, our measuring devices have enough emergency power to se-" he starts to answer and I slap a hand to his mouth, sealing it shut.

"Be careful with what you say." I warn, bringing our attention to the many sentinels that now this land depends on for protection. Rather, for now, the sentinels we need to fear.

"I am not wrong and I am more than able to prove it. This isn't about the fleet, it's about him and the designs beyond our comprehension." he finishes and I look to the Gnomon to note how most of the magic I can sense is focusing around its tip. Enhancing my vision a little, I can spot a lone figure with the wind in his cloak. Prince Jhrartur.

I've spent so long in the Gnomon and being surrounded by the magic going into the city that I guess I never noticed. He's a powerful man, the Prince, so powerful it's almost incomprehensible. A man that's so weak-looking, so tired and drained of life and yet his vicinity is oppressive. Knocking the door lets us tell the occupant we're there, him knocking on the door is a means to end a siege.

My thoughts go back to more important details.

"I understand that all too well..." I mutter, minding the tablet and the meeting listed so very clearly on it. There will be discussions so fiery I may even be able to reminisce about home with a clear mental image. Gods and goddesses above, this may even be hotter than the Land of Fire.

"We have our theories, we just hope none of them means his strength will be turned on us." Frihdeicalkbr sighs and we walk once again. The affairs of what was the Dual-Republic of Thrurstradutr-Suhurlodst have certainly become complicated.

"He will not slaughter this land, he won't do that." I reassure quietly despite the rumours I've heard of in regards to the now lone mountain-state of Waionr's choice. Perhaps it is just the fact they're at war and war breeds such sinister minds, perhaps not.

"Nonetheless, if he intends to turn that kind of power on the world. We will see change not seen since the ancient years of Thunder and more. The royal family of the Seven-Peaks Union of Jherikra is a mysterious thing, something that does not meld well with power." Frihdeicalkbr goes on with the rub of his neck.

"Yes." I agree.

"Whatever truly was the cause, no one in the academic world can truly understand it. Perhaps, perhaps this is something only those of the temples can know for their kingdom rose in the True Emerald light of the Awakening." the man goes, referencing the continent-unique dating system. For nearly four thousand years, this land has lived within the Emerald Awakening. E.A.

"He will accomplish something great, he has a kind of spirit that does not allow for anything lesser. Only legend will ease his conscience." I comment and we share a nod.

"Now, this meeting that has been enforced onto our grounds. Perhaps I can be spoiled as to what is so important that the Constitution of the Dual-Republic of Thrurstradtur-Suhurlodst is to be violated?" the man asks and I shake my head to hide the rolling in my eyes. Of all the times, now he picks that topic to talk about. The violation of our democratic principles? He can cry all he wants, it is our lowest priority.

"That tablet lost its validity when I announced the surrender of the government. Until this crisis with the giant ends, we are all subjects of His Lunar Majesty." I clarify and hopefully, he understands my wishes for a future where we are able to cast off the Union when they are weak. A future where we need to turn to the Valkinvar for aid and perhaps, for a time, Suhurlodst will return to being their home.

As it was, so long ago.

"Naturally." he goes, defeating the point of the initial question and I raise a brow. I suppose he prefers to not travel in silence, especially considering what has become of this place. So much of the lustre is gone, reducing it to a prison whose walls fire upon those escaping.

"I see that your security forces are gathered in some strength around the main administrative building." I comment, noticing their uniforms and the fairly expensive, artisanal aspect of it. The custom, lightly manufactured nature of it all sort of dulls the pain of space in the bank vaults, I suppose.

"A necessity we deemed when it became clear and clearer to everyone that, that government request was near-entirely lethal." he explains and I 'ah' in remembrance. Honestly, I had forgotten all about the guild requests I had ordered to be set up. So little was coming out of it after the early days of the crisis.

"How bad has it been on the student count?" I ask and he frowns, then, shrugs. The despair of his expression, however, I cannot escape it.

"Let me say, I am glad that Oddity House is excluded from allowing its students involvement with the witch guild system. Our core of overseas tutorship has some benefits." he explains and my eyes adjust to the news. I guess there is a lot they need to consider when students are suddenly not returning. Though my intentions were for the more experienced, full-timers, the giant had forced an earlier me to expand the net.

"It's nice to see we're not the last ones to arrive." I comment, dragging my mind off of all of those I've sent to their deaths. Now, I need to immerse my mind in the utter madness that we have possibly been driven to. We will rend the country to force the giant towards a place it cannot escape. If, unity can be found in the quaking hearts of all in attendance.