The hours faded away as the members of The Hook and Shield chatted away, their conversation nearly meaningless so as to subvert the stagecoach who was clearly (and poorly) attempting to listen in. The harsh rays of the sun dimmed into the flaxen luminosity blended into the lavender hues of the dusk. The carriage passed the gate without a hitch, sidling onto even tiled roads that lined the way to the venue.
The five emerged as the carriage slid to a smooth stop, the woman at the reins serenely waving as her passengers departed. They took in the sight of a round area surrounded by large buildings that aimed to touch the sky. There were lines adorned with triangles of multiple colors hanging from poles, as well as a floating chandelier that emitted soft circles of rosy light as it oscillated about the place.
There were tables that wore cloth just as fancy as the numerous forms dotted about the banquet, each doing the typical party things such as mingling and hovering about the food, some even daring to sneak a bite before the main guests arrived. There was a handsome man with blue hair in a green three-piece suit, unlike the navy blue one Ulun wore.
He smiled as the five made their way forward, bowing at the waist before shouting out in a magic-assisted projection, his hands tucked in his pockets. "I GREET THE HEROES OF OUR ERA, THE EVER-IMPORTANT HOOK AND SHIELD!!" The voice resounded about the party ground, directing each and every gaze of the partygoers towards the five that arrived on the scene.
Whistles, clapping, and cheers were the response the crowd offered, some even going so far as to whoop with joy as they took in the sight of the long-awaited quint. The blue haired man rose from his bow, stepping to the side of a rope post and unfurling a gloved hand, arm open in a welcoming gesture.
With Ulun at the lead, the other four walked in with slightly trepid expressions. Bie's face was like a blank slate as he stared at the people who similarly stared at him, his eyebrows twitching in irritation as he walked. Their gazes felt...invasive, and Uris with her own demihuman features felt the same way. Aimee tugged at her sleeve, while Domingo ran a hand through his hair as he proudly strutted forward, walking at their leader's side.
The guests gave the heroes of the party ample space, instead choosing to gawk rather than mingle. They bunched up into small cliques, each discussing separate rumors and exchanging gossip, which failed to escape anyone's notice.
"Can you believe it? I mean..."
"That kid? He looks like a royal treasure. Who would of him as a lunatic?"
"I'm more interested in that daughter of Ulun's...is she why we lost our greatest scientist!"
"Yeah, well she's definitely a part of the reason why we lost two of our top accidents..."
The not-so-subtle direction the conversations were pointing towards was getting on Aimee's nerves, but she was quickly reined in by a tug on the sleeve from Uris. This was to be expected, after all, and if they got what they wanted they'd quickly be branded as criminals and traitors.
Because they were here to kill the Decanthus, the main force behind all sorts of atrocities. They were the ones to murder the demihumans, to split the scientists, to delude the mages. The fact that they even dared to tout the cause of unity was a grievous insult.
It could even make Bie's blood boil, despite the fact that theoretically, none of this was real to him. It was merely the events of a Path, something that was "created" by Uthreth in order to further cultivate its boundaries...yet he had spent more time here than in his entire life. He felt strongly for these people, and when he learned the reason for their hardships, he rejoiced.
Not because he had to kill the Decanthus in order to escape, but rather the fact that he would help them resolve their problems before he eventually had to leave. He was counting the time, always aware that he would not be here indefinitely.
Time trickled down like a leaking tap, as the five each had a small amount of fun in each other's company without lowering their guard. Since the Decanthus didn't arrive yet, they had time to dance and snack at the large table filled with vibrant dishes. Domingo especially enjoyed himself, performing party tricks with his abnormal movements that succeeded in captivating a live audience.
Bie sat under a table, hidden by its fanciful cloth. He was inspecting his Inner World, taking stock of the weapons he had within it. He offered to hide their armaments for them if they did not have their own way of concealing it, which Ulun and Domingo readily agreed. Uris held her tower shield to her chest, literally.
He inspected them by directing his Ink from the depths of the well out onto the items, the black and yellow liquid splattering down onto a paper.
The Septum's Desire (E):
Precision: +10
Speed: +7
Ink: +3
Skills: ??? (Unopened!)
Summary: The refined effort of a bonesmith who spent months making this. It has potential to raise even further, and the anger it was forged with points it towards the nearest enemy.
Hooked Caneblade (NIL)
Precision: +7
Speed: +7
Skills: N/A
Summary: It is merely a keepsake from a woeful veteran. It seems to be missing something...
Bie was puzzled by the hooks, deciding that the status of it was decided as a set. He was about to question why Ulun decided to keep it, before reading over the summary again and suddenly realizing it as his eyes widened. He felt impressed by the man's compassion, as over the time he had gotten to know him Ulun had struck him as more of a pragmatist.
He moved his astral body to the ring of light surrounding the burning campfire, his fingers touching the white cross pattern revolving inside of it. White dust floated about as his digits made contact, and the band of light gave off a subtle bright yellow glow. He brought up his free hand to rub at his "chin", wondering why he felt a sort of resonance as he stood there. Something was germinating inside, and if he focused, he could see a soft mist emitted by the campfire coalescing into an object or rather a symbol.
His eyes fluttered open as he was greeted by the red visor that covered Aimee's eyes, her cherry lips firm as she held up the cloth. Bie nodded, his hair strands writhing for but a second as he emerged from his hiding spot. He stood beside the woman, paying attention to the change that arrived.
"ATTENTION!" The blue haired man that greeted them earlier spoke up once again, ushering in six robed figures as he continued. "The honored Decanthus has arrived!"
There were six figures standing side by side, each bearing present boxes that were adorned with various patterns of both scientific and magical origin. Runes lined the paper around the boxes, each container sporting a bow tie.
The blue haired man made his way to the front of the six, removing the glove off of the only hand he showed with an extremely wrinkled one he pulled out of his pocket. His face contorted into a bizarre grin, the edges of his lips attempting to touch his eyes...
"Surprise, Frederick." His lips parted as dark yellow beams of light arose from his map, and magical runes appeared on his wrinkled hands, smudged as if they were written by a madman.