At Last I See The Light

[Balthazar Black]

33 Ashan 720

Balthazar had planned to go to The Menagerie in hopes that his association with the Elements would be enough to convince Elise to let him borrow one of the better trained Scalvwing Steeds for a patrol trip around the sky to see if he could figure out what was making the spectral wailing noise. The truth of the matter was that it wasn't an official deployment and he was really just trying to satisfy his own curiosity but he didn't think it would be necessary to tell Elise that unless she inquired. However before he made the journey to the place where the Element's trained their mounts, Balthazar stopped by The Spirit of Adventure to see if there was anything worth getting.

He'd heard that you could find almost anything inside the store and when Balthazar opened the door and took in the first whiff of the dust filled air, he realized the rumors had been true. There were a few other people inside, one of them speaking with the owner Friell and keeping him occupied while Balthazar entered. Balthazar began looking around for a long piece of sturdy fabric. He wasn't quite sure exactly what he wanted but he knew what he wanted it to do. The last time he'd tried to ride a Scalvwing Steed he'd been thrown from the saddle in the air so he wanted to tie something around his waist that he could attach to the saddle to prevent that from happening again.

Balthazar found himself laughing quietly at the small but full suit of armor in one of the corners of the shop but when he realized he was the only one amused be it he composed himself and kept looking around.

[Natalie Cooper]

Natalie had been inside the Spirit of Adventure for several hours now, much to the appreciation of Friell. She was wearing a low cut dress today. He barely hid his gaze upon her chest, not that he needed to with her. She wore this to be seen after all. And Natalie truly loved every single story he had to tell. And unlike many customers who moved methodically through his store, going from one trinket to the next, Natalie bounced around as something new caught her eye. And each object she wanted to know more about the history of it, and the owner. And Friell was more than happy to oblige her, for a discrete ogle as well.

Natalie was checking out a comb made from bone, which according to Friell was carve from the hip of a man's wife that he'd killed when she left him for being too obsessed with his art of carving. Several people had bought the comb, some for themselves, some for loved ones, but every time it was brought back and sold. They claimed it was cursed, turned loved ones against the wearer. Friell did not seem willing to confirm or deny this particular fact. Natalie set it back down, smiling to herself. Even if it were cursed, it would be wasted on her. She had no loved ones to turn against her. It should go to someone who could truly benefit from the curse.

Then she heard the sound of laughter and looked up to see a man laughing at the suit of armor. Unable to help herself, she began to laugh with him. Literally any time someone laughed around her, she would laugh as well. Only now she realized he'd stopped laughing almost as soon as she started. And she found that to be even funnier and started laughing even louder, bending over at the waist a bit as she clutched her sides.

It took a while for her to catch her breath and compose herself, her face bright red from the exertion. She approached the man that had caused the fit of laughter, "Whew I needed that." She laid a hand on his shoulder, leaning her head against it as she looked at the suit of armor. "So what joke did the Knight tell you? I simply must hear it." Her voice carried a bit of remaining giggle and mirth, as well as a bit of seriousness at the question she asked him.

[Balthazar Black]

33 Ashan 720

A softer laugh from behind drew Balthazar's attention when his own laugh had been stifled. He turned to find a tan and not unattractive woman in a low cut dress laughing at him, or at least it seemed she was laughing at him. Then again why shouldn't she? He'd laughed at a small, empty suit of armor and surely that had been a humorous sight. Balthazar had a lot less trouble than the other customers when it came to keeping eye contact with the woman because when his eyes wandered lower, his mind snapped back to Isabella and the knowledge that she could see through his eyes at any moment. He didn't want to be lectured the next time he encountered her. The woman laughed harder and bent over slightly at the waist exposing herself a little more so Balthazar turned his gaze back to the suit of armor. What joke had it told him? Thinking that the girl was trying to be clever, Balthazar tried to conjure and equally clever retort.

"It asked me if I knew what a bird that flew over the bay was." Balthazar began "I didn't know and so when I asked, it said 'a bagel'." That was not a joke he was proud of but it was the best he could conjure on the spot. He was no comedian or performer... unless it paid well and he had time to practice. Balthazar gave a awkward grin, knowing it wasn't the greatest joke before he tapped the helmet of the suit of armor and turned his attention back to the woman leaning on his shoulder that had to be warmer than the rest of the shoulders in the store given his mutations. "I thought it deserved a laugh."

[Natalie Cooper]

Standing up straight now, she listened for the joke he'd said. A perplexed look crossed her face. "What's a bagel?" She had never heard of that word prior to now and the punchline was completely lost on her. The fact that it was even a joke was now lost as well, though her curiosity was not as she looked at Balth expectantly. But she did agree with him on one aspect, "Yes, the empty knight here does deserve a good laugh. He seems like such a serious soldier, standing at attention for immortals know how long. Everyone deserves to let their hair down."

She walked back over to where she'd been standing earlier, grabbing the supposedly cursed bone comb, and slid it neatly into the space between the helmet and its visor. She stepped back, moving in close to Balthazar, one arm sliding around his back and resting on his shoulder opposite her. Then she looked up at him, "See? I bet that would make him laugh. And he's so pretty now! Though don't fall in love with him. He's cursed now, thanks to me and you."

Friell wandered over, a clearly annoyed look upon his face, as Natalie leaned closer against Balthazar. Friell smiled at Natalie, "You do have quite the most interesting taste in style." Then he looked at Balthazar, his face souring, eyeing the man up and down, "Can't say the same about your... friend... here. However, I must close up for an appointment." He looked back at Natalie, smiling brightly, "Come back anytime, your presence is quite the delight in my day." He gently grasped her free hand, stooping to kiss the back of it, all the while keeping his eyes locked on her bosom, which he was now closer to than ever before. Standing up straight, he looked at Balthazar, "We're not a library, next time purchase something. Browsing without buying can cause discomfort in paying customers."

Natalie smiled at Friell, "Thank you, Friell, I shall certainly return and you can regale me with more stories. I wish you the best of luck today." She leaned forward, kissing him on either cheek lightly. She moved her hand off of Balthazar's shoulder, letting it slide over his particularly muscular back until she was holding onto his right arm now. "Let's go! You can tell me all about bagels."

She turned, pulling the man with her, in a way that only a woman could manage. Forceful yet not. "So what is your name, Mister Bagel?" She had no destination in mind once leaving the shop. She fully intended to wander aimlessly and enjoy her company and environment, as she always did.

[Balthazar Black]

33 Ashan 720

"To my understanding it is sour bread." Balthazar replied when Natalie asked what a bagel was. To be honest Balthazar wasn't sure what a bagel really was either but Xanax had told him the joke when he was younger and he was hoping one day someone would get it and be able to explain it. When Natalie concurred that the little knight deserved a good laugh, it wasn't for the reasons Balthazar had laughed. He thought the suit of armor was ridiculously small and that anyone that size wouldn't be able to actually move once they were in the armor due to the weight of the materials.

Balthazar watched the woman with no name as he moved back over to one of the items she'd been looking at earlier and grabbed it, bringing it over to position on the suit of armor. "Ah, for the helmet hair." Balthazar said. He wasn't one for armor in practically any case, but he'd worn hats enough to imagine that a helmet ruined one's hairstyle plans for the trial. Balthazar's hair was long enough for him to have to be concerned about those things. When the woman advised Balthazar not to fall in love with the suit of armor because it was cursed he gave a small laughing reply "What is love if not embracing a curse to be with a suit of armor?" Yet before more of a good time could be had, the owner of the store approached to explain he was closing up for the moment.

Balthazar nodded and began to go but didn't get a step away from the two before the owner spoke to him in a sharper tone that Balthazar didn't quite care for. He turned to look at Friell, wondering just how much trouble he'd get into if he broke the man's pretty nose, but ultimately just said, "You're right, my apologies. Next time I'll interrupt your courting the women in the store so that you can help me find what I was looking for.". The duality of the man was no more clear than how he treated Natalie compared to how he treated Balthazar. When Natalie began to move her hand down Balthazar's back to his arm, she'd occasionally experience a few shocks from the buildup of static electricity that always surrounded Balthazar. It wasn't the mage's fault- well that's not true it was his fault because he chose to be a mage... well it wasn't his intent to shock her but he couldn't control everything

Within the span of a few breaths the duo were outside of shop, leaving the most stunning view- objectively, in the sky where the wailing lights above Immortal's Tongue which weren't exactly booming in Scalvoris Town but from the right vantage point they would be visible. Balthazar knew about it because he'd seen a notice requesting help investigating and decided he had better things to do than look at some pretty lights. But now there was a woman with him who might very well want to do that. But he'd been posed a question and certainly didn't want Mr. Bagel to stick. "I'm Balthazar, and you are?" Balthazar introduced himself with a little more honesty than the majority of Scalvoris.

[Natalie Cooper]

For his latest joke, he got a soft giggle out of her. "I wouldn't know, I've never been in love. It looks nice on the outside, though it also looks a bit... exhausting." There was no sadness, malice, or jade in the comments, rather just given matter of factly. At his barbed comments to Friell, she only smiled more, squeezing his arm a bit tighter. Then her hand was shocked. She winced a bit, but assumed it to be the static. Like when wearing slippers and walking across a fur rug.

But it didn't stop. Every so often, another smaller shock, until finally she let go of him, outside the shop now. "Balthazar, what in the world is sho-- OOO!" She saw the pretty lights in the distance, just barely, past Balth's ear. Or rather, she saw the tiniest of slivers. "We gotta get higher! I want to see more of it!" She grabbed him by the hand, yanking him along. "Come on Balthazar, let's find somewhere!" Her voice carried the mirth and laughter of her enthusiasm, and if Balth didn't keep up, she'd leave him behind.

She looked back at him, smiling and laughing, "I'm Abigail! You can call me Abby!" She pulled him down the alley by the shop they'd exited, until in the distance, behind some other shop, she saw a stack of crates. Likely empty, waiting to be filled. She ran toward it, as fast as she could, one hand still gripping Balthazar's. Then another shock carried through them, forcing her to let go. And still, she kept running. Which wasn't particularly impressive looking, hair and arms flailing about, looking more like a child. An awkward child.

She reached the pile of crates and began pulling herself up them in a most unladylike fashion, giving not one care about the state of her dress before Balthazar's eyes. At least she remembered to wear her small clothes today. Higher and higher she climbed, until she was next to the slanted roof, made of clay tiles. She hesitated as she approached them, slowly. Reaching out she pulled at one, finding it didn't move. So she pulled herself up the roof, slowly and carefully, straining, kicking her legs to find footings, until she reached the spine at the top of the roof. As she sat there, straddling the house like a lover, dress hiked up her thighs, one heel tapped a tile and sent an entire row of them sliding down to the street below. Not that she noticed.

She shouted, not yet having noticed if Balthazar had actually followed her, "What do you think it is? Is there somewhere better we can see it from? It's so beautiful! So many colors!"

[Balthazar Black]

33 Ashan 720

Balthazar felt an urge to apologize for each of the shocks because it was beyond his control, but he was not used to people making so many attempts to touch him without trying to fight him. He didn't know really whether it would be better to apologize every ten seconds or to just move on and accept it had happened. So he chose to just move on. It helped that he had to chase after the girl he believed he to named Abigail after she'd given her quick introduction on the run. Balthazar jogged at first to keep up with her, not wanting to look like a madman running around the street to see a phenomenon that had occurred over the distant island for the last two trials. Balthazar fell behind a little, and so he wasn't able to tell Abigail that he could help her get higher until she was already a decent distance up the crates.

Balthazar scanned the rooftop of the house for a flat enough area that he thought he'd be able to step on and when he realized that the slanted rooftop didn't exactly have one, he adapted his plan accordingly. Balthazar held one hand out towards the ground, calling on his second spark and his ether to bend the space between where he was and where he wanted to go. The air let out a simmering shriek as blue flames began to dance in a circular spinning motion and a portal tore into existence in front of Balthazar. Beside Natalie another portal would burn into existence and Balthazar's leg would dangle through as he tried to find his footing on the rooftop. His foot was quickly followed by the rest of his body and he quickly slid into a seated position, using a little wind to cushion himself so he didn't knock any tiles loose. "You're quite eager." He mused to himself as he looked towards the distant light, blue sparks beginning to dance in his eyes. It was another side effect of his Rupture spark, but Balthazar had been careful to remain in mage friendly lands.

"Well we'd need to find a larger building than this," Balthazar began, not thinking about making a voyage all the way to Immortal's tongue to see the lights. His plans to go to the Menagerie slowly melting from his mind as thoughts of scaling a large building filled it. "If we can find a large enough building, I can help us get up it."

[Natalie Cooper]

Natalie heard a loud shrieking, a particular version of the sound she'd never heard before. She turned from her vantage point to look at the source of the sound, and saw something that amazed her. Before her new friend Balthazar, was some sort of spinning... blue hole... thing. She heard the same sound, closer, and turned, seeing that another had formed right next to her. And through it, she could see Balthazar. From the front. On the ground. She peered past him, seeing the alleyway she'd run down not long ago.

Her jaw dropped open, her eyes were wide, and slowly her mouth stretched into an amazed smile. As Balthazar stepped out, she gasped and covered her mouth with her hand as she giggled. He sat down with her, and his eyes were cast skyward but hers were locked on his. They were filled with blue lightning. She turned toward him, a hand reaching out to gently cusp his chin, forcing him to look her in the eyes, as her own stared back in absolute wonder. She leaned in close, close enough for him to smell the bit of lavender and vanilla she added to her bathing water this morning. She studied his eyes, taking in every detail.

In a bare whisper, "You're so beautiful."

Then she leaned in just the hair's breadth more, pressing her lips to his. She kissed him softly, eagerly, and it was over just as quick as it had begun. She turned back to the colors in the sky. She slowly, uneasily stood up, balancing upon the wooden beam that served as the spine. She raised her arms out to her side to help her as she walked forward. She looked all around, not really finding any notably larger buildings. Some were a few stories higher, but there was no mighty tower, no spires, nothing that stood out as noticeable. She kicked out a leg as she turned, dangerously so to face him. As she did, she saw something far into the distance.

It was the giant tree outside of the city. It was massive. She'd seen it several times, from a distance, but had never gone to see it up close. She pointed toward it. "What about that?"

[Balthazar Black]

33 Ashan 720

Balthazar had had magic in his life for the majority of it and he'd grown so used to the arcane that he often forgot that it was not commonplace. In fact in some places it made you an enemy. He'd seen a lot of different reactions to magic but Natalie's was certain a- wait no it was not a first. He'd had a similar experience in a Yaralon fight club. Apparently the custom there had been that unarmed combat was a form of foreplay and he was practicing unarmed combat. When she turned his face to her's, the gleam of lightning in his eyes slowly faded. She was far closer than the lights and in fairness an equally attractive view. Then she kissed him, a small shock passing between them when their lips met but it didn't seem to deter her. His skin ran unnaturally warm, another mutation, but even he felt his face flush with heat when their lips met. For just a moment the edges of his portals began to flicker, the mage losing his focus for a moment, but he regained it when she pulled away and managed to hold the portal. Then she pulled away and stood up, balancing slowly as she looked for another higher building for them to ascend.

His eyes found the Viden Academy, which seemed to have a suitable peak but little space for them to hang on. But Natalie directed his attention to a tree off in the distance. It certainly seemed large. Balthazar nodded his head and tried to stand slowly, but he didn't get fully upright. He had a faster way down from the rooftop and the woman admittedly had him wanting to show off. "That looks like it'll work. It's a little beyond my range though so we'll have to walk a bit." Balthazar admit. He could have flown and he was pretty sure he could command the air enough to keep her afloat for a time, but he didn't want to press his ether while he wasn't sure how many portals he'd be making. "Climb through the portal to get back down if you want to see what it's like."

[Natalie Cooper]

He said she could use the portal too? Now that was terribly exciting. He'd not even managed to finish the statement giving her permission to do it before she turned and leapt through the portal. She wasn't sure what she expected, if anything at all, but she was surprised that it felt... no different at all. Like she'd just jumped through a normal doorway and now she was down on the street. She turned back around to the portal, sticking her head through, looking at Balthazar. "If it closed right now, would it lop my head right off?"

She smiled at him and waved, pulling her head in and out of the portal repeatedly. "It's so weird! I thought it would feel like... different. Though it is loud. Why is it loud?" She hadn't realized until then that she'd been shouting. Meanwhile down in the street people were staring as a woman kept half disappearing into a portal. Back in, "Well, are you coming? We don't know how long the lights in the sky will last!"

She pulled back through the portal, down on the street now, already walking back down the alley. She figured he'd catch up and she wanted to hurry. She kept a brisk walking pace. She was getting to that giant tree and she was going to see the lights from a much better view point. In her enthusiasm, she now started to run, heading for the city gates, which was still many blocks away, the giant tree in the distance slowly growing larger. And larger. She'd never even been this close to it before.

And boy was she getting tired, her breath growing ragged. She was not a good runner. By the time she slowed to a walk, heaving, loudly sucking in air, face and chest red from exertion, she was leaning against the gate, while the guards stared at her. It took her quite a while to get her air back, and she had not been paying attention to her surroundings until finally she stood up fully, fixed her hair, and smiled at the guards. "Sorry about that boys. Oh wait, you're a woman. Sorry about that you two. What's that tree called? Can I go up it?"

The man smiled politely at her, "That's the Menagerie. The Elements breed and keep their various mounts there. You're more than welcome to go there and climb up it. Just don't cause any trouble."

Nat laughed, lightly tapping a hand on the man's chest, "I wouldn't dream of it. Thank you." She turned to the woman guard, "You should press your lips so tight together. Makes you look annoyed." She turned back toward the city, wondering if she could see Balthazar. Had he kept up? Did he wander off? She cupped her hands together and shouted into the city. "HEY BALTHAZAR! HURRY UP! IT'S CALLED THE MENAGERIE!"

She looked back at the woman, who was even more annoyed now. "He'll be here. He's my date. Taking me to the top to see the lights over Immortals Tongue." She nodded matter of factly and crossed her arms beneath her bosom as she waited for the silver haired man.