A Shade of Recognition [Oberan] (Graded)

[Maltruism]

A Shade of Recognition

Ymiden 82, arc 719


The Outer Perimeter

NW Quarter

Indirectly continued from the end of THIS thread.

Oberan did not feel any actual compulsion to hurry home, as it might draw the very eyes that he now tried to convince himself he wasn't worried about. His meeting with the man, 'Magpie' - a blatant pseudonym if ever he'd heard one - had not gone well. He'd reciprocated the veil, offering up "Martell" as his own identity. Neither of them were fooled, and neither bothered to call the other out on it.

That was almost a professional courtesy amongst such types. It made the information they exchanged slightly more believable, in that they agreed not to know who each other were. But the name that was dropped as the culmination of the meeting was accurately known to both of them. Naturally, they both denied having any further information, though veiled comments would strongly indicate otherwise to those in the know.

The second dropped name did nothing to settle the brick that had formed in his stomach at the mention of the first, but did not, at least, add a second one. If one master assassin was already looking for you, the knowledge of a second harbinger of death had less impact than it should.

He had hardly left the halo of the torch light serving as 'Old Jim Slim's welcome' to decide his course, when a shiver took it upon itself to climb his spine. Ghosts were already on the goose-pimpled side of unsettling, but [child ghosts had cornered the market in macabre. Sometimes, despite the complete lack of sound,you just knew when something was behind you. The 'dishwater' flavor of his last drink made a worthy effort to climb his throat, in parallel to the shiver up his spine.But he managed to keep it down as he turned, expecting to see the little-girl apparition that had floated along with 'Magpie'.

Instead, there was the initial perception of nothing more than the shadows dancing in response to the flames of the many maintained pyres and wrecked housing slowly waning into dying embers. The sense of a presence persisted however, and a squint into the flickering shadows allowed his mind to toy with the notion that, some distance off, one small patch of shadow defied the patterns the others followed.

Then lightning flashed in the clouds, and the struggle to maintain his drink spiked in shock. But it was not the light, the sound, or the electricity that shocked him. That far-off flicker of shadow was revealed to be but a tress of ebon hair, fluttering seductively from the head of a darkly elegant woman standing not three feet from him.

She smiled, clearly enjoying his discomfiture, "A good evening is it not? Good for a relaxing walk, and a revealing talk." she teased, "I confess to have found it only fair that I should come to you." She sighed theatrically, "I suppose you will take offense at what I mean only as honesty when I say that I have actually come to miss you."

Though Oberan did not have any extensive exposure to the accents of the southern continent, there would be no mistaking the one now caressing his eardrums as hailing from Augiery. "So how have you been, child of mine?" asked Audrae.

[Oberan]

Oberan had a lot to think about. As he left Old Slim Jim’s, his mind was trying to fit several puzzle pieces together. Unfortunately, there was a lot he did not know, information he was not privy to. Reading Magpie’s mind would have solved that problem, but that was not something he could do. All that he could be certain about was that Magpie was looking for him –and most likely knew he’d already found his target.

What would he do next though? Go to his employer? Do more digging? Lie in wait somewhere to catch Oberan not being Martell? Send Kas to finish the job now they knew Oberan was still in the city? Could there have been some truth to the bait Magpie had scattered in the water, or were those statements just to manipulate what Oberan would do next?

Too many questions, too little answers.

A shiver made its way along his spine. The sensation of being watched crept up on him. Several hairs on the back of his neck began to stand on end.

Apart from the heavy rainfall, large droplets scattering on stone, splashing into puddles, he heard nothing. No surprise there, the ruffling sound drowned out all but the loudest noises. Just about anyone could have been behind him. Except… this sensation, this discomfort… only something supernatural could cause this.

Magpie’s ghost. No doubt about it. Just as expected.

He whipped around, faster than per usual. His cloak fanned out dramatically, coming to rest just as quickly, heavy from the absorbed rainwater. Nothing. Dark eyes flitted back and forth, side to side in their sockets. Still nothing.

Did it go hide? Surely it was around somewhere. Magpie obviously had commanded it to keep an eye on Oberan, be his shadow, and report back. Track his movements, alert him if the Mortalborn was leaving the confines of the city. Or tag along to a hiding spot, and let Magpie know where he’d gone. Tsk. Perhaps this would be more difficult than expected. How could he shake a ghost if he couldn’t see it?

Maybe it was best to drop the act altogether. He’d planned not to take suspicious routes that might give him away, but they’d seen through him already. Even if they hadn’t it would be best to assume they had. He’d have to take a roundabout way to leave for the forest then. A labyrinthine route he could traverse quickly, losing his shadow in the process. The tunnels would do nicely, and he could use the orb for the rest of the way.

It was in his hand all of a sudden, covered by his closed cloak. He brought it closer to his face, traced a symbol on it. Responding to the touch, the orb buzzed quietly, sending a couple pulses into the hand that held it. Not a whole lot of charge left, but possibly enough for one last jump. It would be loud, but the portal would only be open for a moment. Unless there were witnesses, none would be any the wiser.

Yes, the tunnels would do. Get as close to the forest as possible, then make the jump. Easy in theory, but what if Kas was waiting in the tunnels? The assassin knew them just as well, if not better than Oberan. For all the Mortalborn knew, the killer was waiting there. Could he evade an underground ambush? Shouldn’t be a problem if he was careful, right? After all, he could jus—

Movement in the corner of his eye. Both pupils swiveled to glare at the source, but again, there was nothing to be seen. Just the shadows dancing in the light of flames.

Fuck. Had Magpie gotten that deep under his skin? His hands were trembling, his stomach trying to tie itself into a knot, and the dishwater wanted to get back into the open air. Quite possibly, he was also seeing things. This wasn’t good.

Did he drug the last drink? Oberan hadn’t seen him do anything, but Magpie had touched it. Slid towards him. The Mortalborn had been rattled. It was possible he hadn’t caught onto a quick sleight of hand.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

That piece of shadow was taunting him. Floating where it shouldn’t. Defying the natural order.

Yeah, there had definitely been something in his drink.

Lightning flashed, thunder rumbled.

His heart leapt a foot in the air, and he nearly jabbed his left fist into the face of the person right in front of him. A woman right up in his face. She hadn’t been there before. Her hair was black as shadow, dancing as if caught in the flickering of candles.

Dramatic entry. A face that resembled his, if you knew where to look. A face that was nearly identical to his own, when transformed by his own ability. Dark hair, dark eyes, similar to his. Cocky smile taunting him, oh so familiar to the expression he liked to keep playing around his lips.

Not the drink, then. Just—

“Mother,” he spoke. Not quite a greeting, followed by a sigh. Like things needed to be any worse.

“Of course you did.” He gave a patronizing smile. “That’s why you’re here, is it? To see my face, sigh at how fast time has progressed, marvel at how much I’ve grown since last time you saw me, which was… what? Seventy years ago? A little more?” Briefly, a wry laugh escaped him.

“Spare me the bullshit, Mother. We both know you’re here for a reason, and it’s not to catch up. What do you want? Come to think of it why should I even be bothering with it? Surely you have enough daughters to do your bidding? Believe it or not, I’m a little bit busy at the moment. I’ll have to check my schedule, but I’m sure I have a free moment in about…oh, let’s say a hundred years.” He beamed her the widest and brightest of obviously fake smiles, then prepared to step away from this conversation.

“Nice chat, come back in a hundred years, okay?”

[Maltruism]

A Shade of Recognition

The smooth pout of Immortal lips nearly concealed the strain displayed in the cheeks, as Immortal temper was tested. "Ohh...and here I had hoped you would prove to be an exception to the rule, where your gender is concerned. So quick to fling insolence, when silence would have served so much better."

She gave a dismissive glance to the orb Oberan held, "By all means, try it. And then consider who you stole it from, and then from whom she most likely received it." She then twitched just a single finger down to his feet, with the smile of an indulgent parent, trying to coach their child into an action for which they could praise them.

If Oberan looked down, he would see that the shadows around his feet had taken on a thicker, more dense and solid texture. "Night is really not the best time to put yourself in a position where you need to prepare an early departure, my sweet child. Not from me, anyway. Was that device crafted somewhere outside of my sphere of influence, it might yet wrest you free of my hold. But no, I am afraid that neither of us is served by waiting upon some indefinite future reunion."

The road, for some distance in front of the pub, grew noticeably more well-lit, without any visible means. At the same time, the darkness roiled into the shapes of chairs, that formed about the two figures. Oberan would feel the "chair" bump the backs of his knees, suggesting that he would be sitting, even if it was to take Immortal force to bring it about.

"You will have to pardon my vanity if I give myself a more opulent chair than that which I provide for you. Please....sit." The tone of the last word would depend entirely on Oberan's cooperation. With his feet locked in irons of shadow, he would not resist long. Once seated, she dismissed the shade-locks on his ankles.

She sighed, "So what would you have of me, my son. An apology? I could as well ask one of you, but I had assumed we were both realists and would have long been past such pointless gestures. You have bumbled about for some time, and I could only assume you wanted to make yourself someone I would not wish to claim as my own. So I returned the favor and did not broach the facade you had created for yourself."

Remaining seated, she somehow reared back, mouth agape in a display of surprise, "And then what do I see? Little prodigal Graeslin returning with the shade-entombed form of Raellen Charone, both undone by the bumbling boy I had dismissed as irrevocably ineffectual." She nestled back into her shadow as she continued, "Of course, you had help in both cases. But still, faced with opportunity, you seized it!"

Her hand clutched the darkness with the words, and she leaned forward to lock eyes with him. "Such opportunity is upon you now. I do not know what sort of reward you would seek in Rhakros, but there can be little doubt of its existence." She sat back, with a finger raised to stop the anticipated come-back from Oberan.

"No, of course this is not purely from the goodness of my heart. There is something there which I seek. If I go myself, Lisirra will benefit from my presence and be near impossible to kill. Likewise, any daughters I send will be recognized and be cause to scuttle the evidence I believe is there. You are the perfect agent to perform a task for me. In return, I will give you the aid you will need. Indirectly, of course."

[Oberan]

While he could not be certain of Audrae’s machinations, he could tell that things were not going as smoothly as she had hoped. Perhaps she had expected something like this, but had figured that she could smooth it over with a few honeyed words. Oberan had to suppress a smirk. It seemed that centuries of obedience from her oh so great daughters had made her forget how stubborn and unwilling others could be. If anything, it made his day a little brighter after the whole Magpie business.

“And I had hoped you might be an exception to the rule where Shadowkin are concerned,” he mirrored, going so far as to mimic her tone of voice. “So quick to put someone down purely on their gender, when not thinking in bogus stereotypes have served so much better.” He shrugged. “Well, I was a fool for even considering the notion. I admit I should have known better.”

She glanced at the orb in his hand, commenting that it would not be of much use. Oberan had forgotten he was still holding it, and quickly made it disappear.

“A gift absolutely wasted on a woman of her caliber,” the Mortalborn sneered, “Did you grant it to her out of pity? I wasn’t aware you had such a soft spot for your daughters, Mother.”

Prompted by her pointing, he looked downward then, noticing the thick mass of shadow at his feet. Like molasses, the shade had taken on a sticky quality. Not quite liquid, but not really solid either. Oberan tried lifting his feet, and was met with a whole lot of resistance. In fact, neither foot was able to separate from the floor, held in place by his Mother’s divine power.

“Very mature, Mother. This is no way to ask for favors. Nor to get me to comply. Honestly, you’re just as bad as that pirate.”

Within a balled fist, a key appeared, hidden from Audrae’s eyes for the time being. The situation was severely tempting him to use the God Key on that patch of shadowy shackles. She wanted to play games? He could play too. His ability could open anything that could be opened, unlock anything that was locked. Would it work on shadows that behaved like manacles? He had no idea. Curiosity bade him to try, as did the need to show his Mother she couldn’t force him to do anything.

Until he realized that was exactly what she was doing; proving her dominance. He couldn’t accept that, so he wanted to react. She couldn’t accept it either, hence the shadow binding him. Part of him hated how similar they seemed to be. The key vanished back to whence it came, ready to be summoned if necessary.

“Oh, I did not expect anything less from you and yours,” he said dismissively. There was an insult in there somewhere.

Still, he sat, arms crossed and expression rather annoyed. Audrae undid the shackles, and there was a pang of disappointment that she had. He really wanted to have broken out of those, just to spite her. See the look on her face when she realized there was nothing she could do to stop him from leaving. That he would stay of his own volition or listen to what she had to say, or walk away without a second thought. A chance that had now gone to waste –that is, if the Key would have worked in the first place. Well, seeing as it could open portals, hands, and magic walls that would slide open if a certain phrase was uttered, he figured it would undo shadow locks just the same.

“Apology? Not at all. That would indeed be quite pointless.” Words were just words after all. Especially so since she was the Immortal of Deception. Oberan himself held a dislike for apologizing too, mostly because it equaled to admitting he’d been in the wrong. Whether true or false mattered very little.

“Funny, I assumed you wouldn’t claim me as your own no matter what after I was defeated so soundly in that combat trial all those years ago. You never showed up later on, before I started…bumbling about.” A shrug. “I figured I might as well do whatever I liked.”

She continued however, speaking of a beaten Graeslin and Raellen –which he assumed was the assassin Kasoria had made short work of. He could hardly stop the grin from creeping into his expression. If he had to chose some highlights of his life from the last couple years, he’d have picked those two events for sure. True, like Audrae said, he had help. With Raellen especially, he had been in a support role, but people underestimated the importance of good support. For the whole Graeslin deal, the only assistance he’d received was when escaping. And even then, it was Oberan who had activated the orb, just like it had been Oberan who snatched it from the pirate’s grasp. Tio and Rat had been present, but as far as he remembered, they hadn’t been of much use. The chaos too was his own doing.

Either Graeslin or Audrae refused to admit he’d made a fool of the Naer pirate all on his own.

His mother continued her rhetoric, speaking of a reward. He opened his mouth to comment, but a swift gesture of the Immortal –along with an accurate paraphrasing of what he was going to say—made him close it again. The task she had in mind however, made his eyebrows rocket up his forehead.

If I go myself, Lisirra will be near impossible to kill.

“You… want me to go to Rhakros and kill Lisirra?” A deep frown crinkled his brow. “I’m sorry, do I look that stupid? Who in their right mind would even consider such a task, reward or no? I’ll say this right now, and I’ll try to make it as clear as it possibly can be.” He locked eyes with her, insofar possible. “I will. Under no circumstances. Come close enough. To that centipedal plague bitch. That she can kill me. Or I her.”

Having listened, sat, and said his part, Oberan stood. “That’s a hard ‘no’ from me. If you need an assassin, I’m sure there are plenty with enough skill to be considered for the job. I don’t doubt that you would find a way to talk them into it too, even if they are not suicidal.” He placed both hands in the pockets of his pants, then summoned a key there, just in case. “If that’s everything, I’ll be leaving now.”

Words that denied that was what Audrae had in mind streamed from her lips. Indeed, she'd never said that was what she wanted Oberan to do. However, from the way things had been phrased, he'd gotten that implication. Frowning, he once more sat down, and went over what she'd said a second time. Something she sought. Evidence. Aid he would need?

"Right. Okay. Firstly, maybe it's a good idea not to be dramatically vague about such things. What you mean is that there's something there --evidence of some sort-- that you would like to be retrieved? You would go yourself, but then Lisirra would become too difficult to kill, and you can't send your Naerikk because they would be recognized. Correct?" He paused for a moment, both to get his thoughts in order, and to let Audrae give confirmation. "Question: why is it important that Lisirra is killable? Is this relevant in any way, or did you just throw that factoid in there to be confusing? Question the second: hypothetically speaking, if I were to graciously accept to lending my dearest mother aid in her time of need, what would I be looking for, exactly? Question the third: 'aid I will need' is a very cryptic descriptor. Elaborate?"

[Maltruism]

A Shade of Recognition

The Queen of Shadow stared speechlessly for a moment before letting slip a single snort of derision, "Why is is important? that she be killable?...Is that actually a question?" sarcasm took over her initial response, "So that her earrings will match, of course! Why else would something being killable be of significance...So she can be killed, idiot....honestly...males."

She found that she'd actually been driven to rise from her shadow seat for that. A scowl accompanied her return to the comfort of sitting. Her eyes assessed her son anew as she leaned back. "I would think you'd have no objection to Lisirra being removed from the playing field. She has certainly earned it in the eyes of everyone else in your city of choice. Do you oppose the march to Rhakros?"

The whites of her Immortal eyes flashed in the dark as the irises rolled in disdain. "Perhaps I should find someone else...Perhaps I should report your location to the army, and clarify your lack of interest in seeing my sister punished for her attack on your city. That would probably greatly improve your status in town, hmmm?"

Forestalling the question she felt must be coming, she raised her hand, "Don't bother asking why I seek her execution. I have my reasons. I have already explained why you would serve well as my agent. When I tell you what I seek, you might realize the magnitude of what has been done by your savior, my other sister, Sintra. And may find it supremely valuable to be the one person possessing this knowledge. But you'll have nothing unless you go there and find it."

He appeared to be gaining some interest now, so she continued, "I believe that you and the rest of your...avenging army will find that access to Emea will suddenly be available. How tragic that having been cornered in Rhakros all this time, Lisirra suddenly has access to her domains again. Such grievous timing. Oh, the injustice!" One might have thought actual tears were streaming down her cheeks for the tone of grief in her voice.

She shot up in her seat suddenly, hope mockingly renewed, "But wait! How convenient that helpful Sintra comes along and offers up her navigational skills so Lisirra will not escape hence! How could any question such an altruistic offer? A welcome to stay in Etzos afterwards is only right and righteous, yes?" Surely she wants only to champion such a mighty city. One that has hated her, and all the rest of us, all this time."

Letting the contradiction percolate a bit, she leaned forward, her eyes looking for potential eavesdroppers, her voice dropping to a whisper, "But what if she was the one responsible for the ether storms that kept Emea closed? It would kind of put a whole new spin on how events are seeming to line up for her benefit, for her...agenda?"

She leaned back again, folding her hands in her lap, "You and I both know that Etzos will ultimately rebel against this deal they have struck with her. They will wonder how they got so mired in her promises. But there will be conflict. Some will feel honor-bound to abide by the deal. They will point out how she kept her end of the bargain. Others, however, will know that they were manipulated somehow. All they will need is the proof."

His gaze now wondered as realization and ramifications began to take form. She fed this train of thought easily, "Now...imagine that poor, ignored Oberan comes forth with the evidence...the proof I suspect he could name his terms...Or, if he prefers, if he doesn't want to be the hero, imagine what someone who does will pay him for the honor."

Dropping back into first-person, she could see the one big question still blocking the way, "Why am I doing this? I will not deny my own agenda at work. It's simple, really. I do not want Sintra gaining such a power base as Etzos from which to cast her webs. She has long since been put in her place, and she needs to stay there. And if you need more motivation, don't forget the Transformation stones that Syroa leaves about the place. You might find one of those while you're looking for the evidence of Sintra's control over the ether storms."

[Oberan]

She snorted, dismissing his question without missing a beat. Naturally, in her haste to express the inferiority of men in every way, Audrae completely missed the point of the inquiry. Oberan rolled his eyes at both her sarcastic comeback and the insult thrown his way.

“Bra-vo!” he applauded mockingly. “Of course so she can be killed! Who would have thought? One would think that someone who’s Domain is Deception would be able to read between the lines. You’re calling me an idiot, without even understanding the meaning of my question. Clearly I have inherited my idiocy from you, Mother.”

He sighed with dramatic overacting. “What I mean with my question –and pay attention, this is important, yeah?—is why does it matter that she can be killed specifically when I, you, or your little bimbos would be looking for whatever it is you want? In other words, why is there a need for this investigation to coincide with Lisirra being killed?”

At least she did offer some kind of explanation anyway.

“There’s going to be a march to Rhakros? When? This is the first I’ve heard about that.” Then again, he’d been living in the woods for a while to escape from the plague. “I’m neither opposed nor in favor. Dead, alive, comatose… I could not care less. I will simply stay away as far as possible as not to be caught in the crossfire of your little sibling spat. I’ve heard she’s rather cross with you after that whole war incident a couple years back.”

Oberan shrugged then at her threats. As far as manipulation went, this was a rather feeble attempt. Maybe this was the reason someone else was the Immortal of Manipulation rather than Audrae herself. “They’ll never catch me. They’ll never even find me in the first place.” As long as he did not want to, he’d be too elusive to capture, he believed.

“Sintra’s here too?” Immortals be damned, what was this? A family reunion? Everyone was here! Since when had Etzos become the hotspot for Immortal meddling? He frowned and listened to Audrae’s piece of theatre, suppressing the urge to clap when she was done.

“Mhmm. Right. So what you’re saying is that you want me to go find evidence of Sintra’s meddling in Rhakros. What makes you think she would keep it there?”

The Mortalborn supposed it was possible that both Lisirra and Sintra had struck a deal, where Sintra would provide opportunity for Lisirra to have her revenge on Etzos. However, the Webspinner then later decided to double-cross her sister… or she had been planning to betray her from the start. If Lisirra was at least partly involved in the whole affair, it would indeed not be a stretch to believe there was evidence to be found in Rhakros. Evidence of them working together that is, anything else Oberan suspected Sintra would keep far away from both Etzos and Rhakros.

In essence, the plan Audrae had laid out was elegant in its simplicity. Take advantage of Sintra’s machinations by joining the angry mob calling for Lisirra’s head, inconspicuously split off from the group once within the walls. While the Etzori distracted the Plague-mother with their attempted lynching, Oberan would be looking for clues.

One thing did not add up though.

“If Sintra leads the army, will that not make Lisirra equally difficult to kill as she would be in your presence? Also, that’s a lot of trust to place in me so suddenly, Mother. Are you not afraid I might… shall we say, take my additional motivation and get rid of the evidence? I can simply pack my bags and leave Etzos. None of this will benefit me. I have no need for gold when I can take as much as I want, when I want. I do not desire to be revered as a heroic figure by the Etzori in any way. And, I have yet to be given a reason to work for you.”

Head cocked slightly, the Mortalborn stared at his mother for a moment or two.

“I already am an idiot male. I already am kept a secret from most of Augiery. I already have been given away in disappointment and –I assume—shame. I have nothing to lose by going against the intentions you so graciously explained to me.” There was a genuine curiosity in his eyes. Why come to him when she could have found an Etzori thief or private investigator to do this job? Surely she could appear like a normal mortal, and with her Domain she should be more than capable of deceiving them into doing her bidding. “So why do you think I will do as asked?”

[Maltruism]

A Shade of Recognition

Confidence slowly crept toward weariness in the Immortal's expression, "It is an inconvenient irony that I am never more called out on my affinity toward Deception than when I am trying to be completely honest with someone. My daughters trust me implicitly. But you cling to your grudge as an excuse to assume every shade of mendacity resides in every word I speak. Get over it, Oberan, and quit fooling yourself."

An oddly genuine "tough love" sort of expression hardened her features as she leaned forward. "You were beaten and became an insufferably whiny brat about it, which fell perfectly in line with every presumption and policy we have regarding your gender. I do not deny we expected it, and were quick to eject you from our city. But if you think that I never thought for a moment that this might be exactly what you wanted, you are wrong, believe me or not."

Her eyes narrowed briefly as she sat back, "But since then, you have displayed some remarkable talents; not the least of which is to find a way through doors whose locks have stymied experts. I suspect this would be a tremendous aid in a search through an unfamiliar city. As well as being a talent that I myself am unable to bestow upon one of my 'little bimbos', as you so respectfully refer to them."

She waved a hand briskly before him, "No please, spare me the righteous response on how fully they deserve your disdain, won't you? I am almost ready to believe you are actually Sintra's child, for how far you are milking this discussion towards concessions from me. But for all your cleverness and surety of my guile and under-handedness, you have only your own lack of knowledge to blame."

She took an astonished look, "You did NOT know there was a march on Rhakros? You did NOT know of Sintra's involvement. You did NOT know that close proximity of two Immortals grants them both incredible resilience. You've not just been living in the woods, you must have been living under a rock! And Sintra was not a part of the Oscillus debacle. Though I believe that was when she placed whatever it is I am hoping you will search for. Let me fill you in on a few more details, then, so you will stop misreading my intent."

Now that confidence returned, in time with the sense of controlling the conversation, "It should interest you to know that your Pahrn sat in with Sintra in the Tower meeting chamber just this morning. She used her influence to shield the room from my attempts to listen in, but they exited the room with the nods and smiles that suggest a common accord of some sort. A different meeting many trials ago confirmed that Pahrn fears the arrival of some revealed mage now that Vuda has fled."

A look on Oberan's face gave equal hint that this was also news to him. Audrae laughed lightly, "Oh, well, I guess we'll call that yet another thing that dogs in the streets of Etzos know, yet you do not." She rolled her eyes with a sigh to acknowledge the unnecessary snark, "What this means is that Pahrn is most likely preparing to allow Sintra into the city as some sort of protector, if she helps eliminate Lisirra. As well as then being in place to step on this mage if that becomes necessary."

Delight at the scheme flashed in her eyes, even though it was not of her own making, "So imagine the chaos and upheaval that will follow when everyone finds out that Sintra herself brought on the ether storm that kept Emea blocked, and coaxed little Lisirra into attacking in the first place. Surely THAT appeals to you!"

Some yet-unanswered questions still needed addressing, "And no, Sintra is not going to lead the invasion, she will stay at the periphery and only enter once Lisirra has fled to Emea. She will then be needed to create openings in the membranes between the layers of Emea. Your Godkey can't do that, for they are not 'locked doorways."

The more difficult question was taken on then, "As for why it would be there...Okay, I grant you that one stumped me too at first. But therein lies the very reason. It's the last place any would expect. But such proximity ensured that Lisirra would be aware of the ether storms and realize the opportunity they presented. After that, their wild, overlapping and coalescing nature would make it unlikely their source could be tracked anywhere. Honestly, I think it was dormant until Emea shut down."

A slight roll of the eyes preceded her next response, "As for the 'being killable' issue, you're reading too much into that. There is no hidden aspect to that detail. It is only that the invasion is already going to occur, so it's only logical that we want Lisirra to be killable. Why go on such a march if she can't be eliminated? There is no other aspect than killing two birds with one stone that makes it desirable that she NOT benefit from Sintra or my proximity."

She furrowed her brow a moment then looked her son directly in the eye, "Let me put it this way, it is Etzos that is planning to kill Lisirra, not me. Of course, I am certainly harboring no resentment over their plan. I am only planning to find leverage over Sintra. If Lisirra dies in the process, so much the better. But I have no other designs on this whole endeavor. You are uniquely gifted to do this. I can extend a few versatile trinkets to secure success, IF the item we seek is even there."

She seemed to think over all that had been said for a moment, then folded her hands in front of her. "I have misjudged your capabilities, I confess; and am suffering the only just punishment, which is your belligerency. You have it in you to thwart my hopes, and force me to resort to recruiting a lesser agent. But I think I have NOT misjudged your assessment of what is entertaining and satisfying. You did not have to work with Graeslin, but you did, and look what you got out of it. Oh, by the way, I could order her to cross you off her list if you'd like. Yes, that would be part of the "agreement". I have no other basis on which to assume you would undertake this task for me. It is all up to you, my child."

[Oberan]

Quit fooling yourself, she said. Not everything I say is a lie, nor a partial truth, she stated. Sometimes I too like being honest.

He furrowed his brow at that, but didn’t comment. Was she playing mind games, or was Audrae actually being genuine? A ploy or not? Honest or not?

Either way, it was a plea for him to take her word for it. To trust her, to an extent. To listen and not reject everything that came out of her mouth. Trust, however, was hard to earn. Once there were doubts, there always would be doubts. He was second-guessing her every syllable, digging deep for nefarious intentions and hidden deception.

What if there was none, though?

The beginnings of goodwill, the benefit of the doubt, melted like snow not a moment later.

“I became a winy brat about it AFTER you cast me out. When even my father gave me nothing but glances of pity and disappointment.” Until his memory gave out, and he forgot about all that. Remembering not that Audrae had tested his son and had found him…lacking.

He’d been special up until his trials. Lethius had told him over and over. Oberan could even see it in the way his father looked at him back then. There’d been pride in his eyes then. He’d been given the honor of training Audrae’s flesh and blood, a phenomenal task unsuited for someone as unworthy as himself. Yet, he had been trusted with it all the same.

But when the boy returned from Augiery, soundly defeated, not living up to the expectations… What had once reminded him of Audrae’s trust in him, his redemption, now only showed his failure. A second failure, in fact. For the boy had been born a boy, after all. Maybe, just maybe, the boy was not like any ordinary male –except he was. Oberan, Djas was nothing special, showed no promise. Lethius had failed in the one task bestowed upon him.

Sure, Lethius forgot all about that later. The gleam in his eye returned when he looked at the boy, unaware that Audrae was not interested in him anymore. Oberan himself already too disillusioned to feel extraordinary again.

Until his abilities manifested. When it became clear that what Augiery had needed to do was not to test him, but to have patience. Surely now his mother would appear. Surely now he would be welcomed back into the fold.

Yet, no-one came.

Resentment grew.

Oberan blinked once. Audrea sat before him still, her mouth moving, arms gesticulating, shadows dancing. Noise entered one ear and exited the other. With a realization, he snapped out of it, actually translating the sound into words again.

“—ready to believe you are actually Sintra's child—”

“Well, you would be the one to know, I’m sure.” The Mortalborn rolled his eyes and re-crossed his arms. For all HE knew, he was Audrae’s spawn, having been birthed from her—well, he wasn’t sure. Did Immortals give birth like Mortals? Somehow, that felt… disappointingly mundane. Oberan preferred to think he’d popped out of her shadow one day.

“At least I do know Immortals cannot kill each other. I cannot imagine many do know about the resilience. Is that how Xiur survived being stabbed through the heart?”

For all Audrae’s comments on his lack of knowledge, she did at least inform him of quite a lot of interesting things. Perhaps her own show of goodwill towards him? Then again the question arose; ploy or no?

If Sintra had planted her evidence back during the Oscillus event, she must have been planning this for quite a long time. Granted, Oberan did not know how Immortals experienced the flow of time, but to him, two years was rather lengthy. For them, however, it might just have felt like a minute, which would make this a scheme she came up with on the spot. Not wanting to get even more remarks on his lack of this kind of information, he did not comment on it.

So Sintra had already been meeting with Pahrn? Huh. It was surprising the High Marshal actually took her offer. Or it would be, if Auntie Sintra had not been the Immortal of Manipulation. This might just have been something only she could do. Perhaps the more surprising bit of information was that Chief Advisor Vuda had fled the city. Even during his brief return to the city, he’d caught rumors that the man might have died to the plagues. Well, if Vuda was alive, Etzos would recover. The man hadn’t stayed Chief Advisor for this long without reason. Obviously, the man possessed excellent organizational, political, and leadership skills.

“I do like foiling plans people seem to have absolute confidence in,” the thief conceded. Graeslin was one example. Well, it had played a part in his ‘betrayal’ anyway. “I indeed cannot create openings where there are none. But, I can re-open what has recently closed. Everything that can be opened…” Well, it probably was not a good idea to reveal the workings of his abilities to boast.

Audrae continued, and this time Oberan kept silent until she was done talking. There was a difficult choice to make here. She had been caressing his ego, he knew. Problem was, it worked. So did she, probably. On one hand, he kind of wanted to take on this mission, showing off. On the other hand, he couldn’t really let go of his grudge all of a sudden.

Then again, be it because she needed him for this or for no ulterior motive whatsoever, his mother had extended some kind of olive branch. It could be an opportunity, maybe the only one he’d get. Maybe. For a moment, he closed his eyes and sighed.

“Sure, fine. I’ll do it. If only to see Sintra’s face when her plan fails.” It was important to make sure he definitely wasn’t doing this for her. “A favor for a favor, I suppose. Spending it on Graeslin would be a waste however. I will deal with her myself when necessary.” Besides, he wanted to see the shock and horror on her face if he decided to reveal himself as Audrae’s son.

“Anything else, while we’re here?”

[Maltruism]

A Shade of Recognition

A look of genuine relief crossed Audrae's face as Oberan gave his consent to take on this task.

Prior to that, she allowed her assumption that Xuir was probably very weak after all his efforts to that point. Had he not been, she guessed, Doran's sword may well have failed to even pierce his skin with so many of his ilk in proximity. But after the wound was delivered, It was her understanding that one of those with restorative powers came to his aid.

She could not verify, of course, as she had been...elsewhere at the time.

Her eyes suddenly widened with recall, "Oh yes, speaking of aid, I believe I promised you something along that line."

She stretched her arm out to shake back the silken sleeve that graced it, revealing her skin. Holding it just a moment, she made some inner effort which darkened the already ebon tone to one of purest jet. She then moved as if to pinch a point below her wrist. The layer of darkness lifted like she was peeling off a layer of her skin.

It was, in fact, largely what she was doing. The entire hand-shaped layer stripped free in a single unmarred piece. Giving it a hard snap of the wrist to flip it outside out once again, She extended it to Oberan. In just the few trills it took for him to focus on its inky obscurity, it had retextured itself to that of fine silk, though it gave the impression of being far more durable.

"Here you are, my child, make me proud. I give you a glove of my skin. Call it what you wish. It will grant you the essentials of my blessing, coming only short of what I would grant my champions. It will give you a half dozen uses." She watched as her son took it, smiling with amusement at his hesitance. With his touch, however, came sudden clear understanding of the many uses it had.

Her face became suddenly stern, "Now, it is only fair to warn you that it will not work on Lisirra or Sintra themselves, so kindly avoid making that mistake. Also, those abilities that would normally allow you to contact me in some way will also not be available. You are on your own, I'm afraid."

She pursed her lips as her eyes narrowed in consideration, "With enough focus and concentration, I suppose you could make some small adjustments to their applications. A net, or rope, or weapon made of shadow, rather than shackles...Having someone completely ignore an item rather than simply not believing something is hidden within...that sort of thing. This is only because you and I share the same essence to some degree."

He seemed to want further clarification on that point, "Because you share my blood, you have the ability to...modify the uses of my blessing more than the average mortal. Oh, and it need not be different uses each time. If you are served by using the same ability every time, so be it."

She folded her hands in her lap as she sat back in her seat, looking relaxed and relieved. "So, my son, Unless you have any more questions, I think we are finished here; and you have my best wishes for a successful mission."

Off Topic

Feel free to check the Audnev Blessing on the wiki for details.
I'll be damned if I am writing them all down here.

[Oberan]

Genuine or not –could you actually be certain of either with someone like Audrae?—a fresh wind of relief blew the tense clouds from her face. Perhaps it wasn’t faked, Oberan could believe that notion. Especially in this situation. Audrae seemed to consider him the top pick for this task for various reasons, and now that he had agreed to take it on… well, if it were him in his mother’s shoes, he’d have been glad too.

After all, even if he was caught nosing around in Rhakros, there was no obvious connection to Audrae… as long as Oberan kept his mouth shut, that is. Something he, for fear of worse treatment at Lisirra’s very own hands should she find out, was very likely to do.

Perhaps she also really needed his particular skill set. Maybe.

Oberan did not dare put money on that though, and it would take far more than this little conversation, if it could even be called that, to change the amount of trust he placed in her and her words.

He watched with barely concealed horror on his face as his Mother began to flay the skin off her hand and wrist, peeling it away from the layers beneath. She presented it to him then, a glove fashioned from her own skin, a swirling mass of darkness at first, which settled into a more stable form of an actual glove.

Her words left no doubt either, it was indeed a part of her own body that she’d expertly peeled off. The Mortalborn really did not want to touch it, let alone wear it, whatever boons it would bestow upon him. Still, she held it expectantly in her hand, waiting. Oberan screamed inside his head, stretched out a hand and gingerly pinched the gross garment between thumb and index finger. As soon as he did, understanding came to him in a flash.

Maybe he would wear it after all. It definitely seemed useful…

Nevertheless, he disappeared it instantly, unwilling to make contact with it for much longer. If he was going to make use of the glove though, he was going to have to come to terms with it. The thought alone made him cringe.

“Sure, um, thanks?” He managed a somewhat strained grimace. “I’m sure it will come in handy?”

The image of Audrae ripping the skin from her hand and fingers popped back up in his mind as he said it. A shiver ran down his spine.

“You know, I’d have been happy with a cloak crafted from shadows, or a mundane garment simply imbued with power or something.” He did his best not to think about the skin glove, which only made him think about the skin glove more. Unbidden, his gaze wandered to Audrae’s skinned hand.

“Yes, I think that will be all. No more questions. Good talk, I’m leaving now.”

Oberan stood abruptly, feeling terribly uncomfortable in his own skin. Perhaps it was his imagination, but the fingers he’d used to grab the glove were tingling, and not in a good way. It was like pins and needles, slowly spreading further and further up the digits. He stuffed the hand in a pocket, gave a small awkward wave with the other, and did his best to walk away in a normal manner, despite feeling like he was made out of plywood.

Even with enough booze to drown in, the mortalborn was certain he’d never be able to erase the image out of his mind.