Home[TRANSER] The old flames and the new
3 posters
Page 1 of 1
[TRANSER] The old flames and the new
by Sparrow Thu Dec 29, 2016 8:23 pm
(Dec 25) 21:51:49 Sparrow - After so much time spent in the Domin Solus Ortum, Sparrow had to get out at least for a day or two. It certainly wasn’t Nabonassar’s fault by any stretch— he was a pleasant man who somehow had the talent of never irritating her even as he doted on her as much as possible and sometimes went a touch overboard in trying to make sure she was comfortable and appeased. It was endearing and sometimes bordering on ridiculous. Sparrow, simply, was nomadic at heart and after so many years spending even a week’s worth of time with only Nabonassar or his assistant Ajax within his strange pyramid home that seemed to move about at his will— she needed air. Even as she traversed the immense market city (one clear on the other side of the world from where she’d met the King initially and thus removing quite a bit of danger she might incur bounty hunters and need to shed blood) the titan-psion was telling herself that it wasn’t her fault if he was a little bruised by her unannounced departure and he’d have to get used to her unpredictability and occasional needs to wander and be alone. It was part of the package that was Sparrow, after all. She was a hard woman to nail down...to put it mildly. For the moment she was appreciating her solitude; stopping at booths here and there to admire gems and jewels; unable to stop herself from immediately and mentally deconstructing any metal goods she came across— there were always fakes, badly mixed alloys and impure precious metals in these markets being hawked as the finest available. But sometimes, she came across those who crafted by hand and honesty. Just as much, currently, she stood within a red tent holding an osmium chain and medallion in her brown hand. It was the real deal, the old and kindly woman selling them had far underestimated the value of the bluish metal and Sparrow was torn somewhere between informing her or simply purchasing it at its true value and walking away. Such things could, of course, reveal her nature.
(Dec 25) 22:12:35 [Armagus] It was impossible to get used to traveling through the aether; all that power, just ribboning over and around itself, splitting into smoking seams then splintering into the infinite worlds and the possibilities there of. It was akin to being adrift in the vastness of the ocean except the depths of the abyssal zone glowed with a primal temptation - a harrowing power, protected by the very thought of the trails to contain it. Icarus’ sin had flowed through the Mage once or twice as he crackled between worlds but he never did anything more than just stare at the heart and fathom it’s bright arrhythmia. This journey was no different. Armagus was spit out at his destination, herald by sharp, static popping and proceeded by a wispy afterbirth of blue contrails, undilated over him and onto the ground like a current. He landed on his feet - a trick that took years to learn - and gathered his bearing before heading straight into the market, finally indifferent to the queasiness in his stomach that came with existing once more. It had been years since he’d been around people again, much time was spent back home with his mother and what remained of that dark and dying world. The sun and the noises, it rejuvenated distant memories and of course reminded him of the life he had left behind as well - the Nexus, Temperament and that wild little thing he’d dropped off at the Clockwork Prison. At the behest of instinct, Armagus merged with the crowd, shoulders bobbing through the masses with a guiding hand pulling him through tight spots. It took a moment but he had found the crossroads of his intention - she was right there. Unafraid, he approached the same stall, standing beside the runaway and picking up some odd bobble that was neither here nor there. He wasn’t going to say anything, just turn the trinket overhand and grunt disapprovingly.
(Dec 25) 23:11:07 Sparrow felt a tingle of familiarity on the back of her neck. She was at least some holder of psychic ability in its natural form due to her nature as a titan-psion— but she couldnt place the signature, or the power; couldnt put it to a name. Sparrow made the decision on a lark to overpay the vendor and placed one of her palms down on the varnished cedar counter. When she lifted it, several platinum coins far beyond what was asked of the price for the osmium medallion and chain were there for the vendor who wouldnt be able to protest or thank the woman as she was turning away from her; focusing her attention on a dark skinned stranger who’d been standing none too far behind her. It had been a few years but Armagus hadn’t changed much in appearance aside from his tightly coiled tendrils of hair having become much longer and his armor and leathers had certainly taken a jump upward in quality. The Mage...he appeared to be in good health. As for Sparrow she looked none too different and was obviously still haphazardly chopping her hair off without a care in the world and her eyes still gave off a subtle, voltaic glow. Her garb, however, looked a bit more rustic and expensive. ’Armagus…’ she’d say; narrowing her eyes at him while slipping the osmium into the earth-colored hood and shawl she wore. Copper and obsidian adorned the body underneath. ’This is not coincidence….is it?’ her voice was trapped somewhere between a curious happiness to see him, guilt and distrust— who knew if he’d decided to take up one of her many bounties and seek her out simply because they had been close and intimate in the past? Until, of course...she’d convinced herself to abandon him without warning.
(Dec 25) 23:32:19 [Armagus] “Coincidence,” He rolled the trinket from his palm back onto the table to rest. ”Don’t tell me you believe in that.” He replied, as if she were being absurdly superstitious. It’d be too cliche to remark that everything happened for a reason, but after it became obvious that the universe was a very intentional thing. Armagus squared his shoulders up with Sparrow, it was clear that he was deciding on - not thinking about - what to say next. ”I’m not here for you. I’m here to see you.” The caliber of people that Mage knew previously was clearly poor because he had to preface a lot of his interactions with that statement. Seems he was the only one that could manage to stay out of trouble - or at least he was the one that had the stomach to make sure that trouble was short-lived and never sought to follow him home. People shifted around them and Armagus didn’t seem to mind. There was another intentional pause, there for Sparrow to process the authenticity of his words. He was much more measured than the man she knew before, time saw to that. ”It’s been a while.” That meant so much on so many different levels, but for right now it was just a greeting. Arms at were at his side opened up a bit more and the tips of his fingers beckoned her for a hug.
(Dec 26) 21:30:20 Sparrow would, unfortunately, stare at Armagus’s open arms for a moment. A few memories of time’s past came bubbling up through the ages and she found herself somewhat conflicted about them. The man would not receive a hug— though she’d sort of pat his forearm with the intention of also gently guiding the limbs back down to his sides. It wasn’t his fault, the woman wasn’t much of the touching type and hadn’t even let Nabonassar make much physical contact with her for quite some time. ’You know I do not. And it has been quite some time and much has happened— Which begs the question…’ she trailed off; tilting her skull at him and her molten eyes making unwavering contact with his own almost alien green irises. If he didn’t hear the unspoken question she’d deliver it to him after a moment. ’What inspired you after these years to seek me out? Of all people?’ And if he remembered her well he’d understand that Sparrow always came off a little bit hostile even if she liked someone. It was simply her way— just a touch of animosity to assist with guarding herself.
(Dec 26) 21:49:14 Armagus wasn’t offended in the least bit. Arms settled and he acknowledged the boundary with a nod. Sparrow got straight to the point shortly thereafter and unlike most people in his ‘profession’ (if it could be considered such) the Mage got straight to the answer. No riddles, no whimsy. ”You’re what’s left.” He started, ”My Matriarch finally passed and took everything that was left with her.” Armagus idly scratched his cheek, the gesture echoing his concern about the matter. Everything was on borrowed time, he had accepted that -- his home, that very world, was no different. ”She gave you her wisdom years ago when she bit you. It was a birthright, with the anticipation that you’d foster a lineage. Correct me if I’m wrong but I’m assuming you haven’t.” It certainly didn’t matter either way though in the end. ”I’m here to just collect. I want to take it back, the seed that was left.” What did that mean exactly? All Sparrow had to do was ask.
(Dec 26) 21:58:24 Sparrow suppressed a slight shudder at the mention of “The Matriarch” and the bite— oh yes, she remembered. It had only been a few years after her affair with Sophonax and decision to no longer procreate that she’d met Armagus and carried on with him for some time. And then the strange introduction to a creature half arachnid and half woman...which he then said was his mother. And then his mother had bitten her. Sparrow had become very ill but was notoriously hard to kill and had obviously survived the ordeal. It hadn’t been this which influenced her decision to abandon the relationship with Armagus but, simply, that it was assumed she would bear more children and stick by any new individuals side under the illusion of domesticity. It had frightened her to be slotted up as something of a broodmare and that thought caused her eyebrows to pinch, eyes to narrow and her head to crane back at him. Armagus was stared at for some time before she spoke in a very different tone. ’My condolences for the loss of your….matriarch, Armagus.’ Although it wasn’t as if he looked as if he was mourning by any means. ’How do you propose to collect such a thing from me?’ There, she was asking “What he meant by that”. Hopefully he didnt mean the wisdom, as, it was still inside of the psion but compartmentalized to a part of her psyche which was for the moment inaccessible by intention. Now, Sparrow’s arms retracted to fold under her hood; guarding her frame as the word “collect” never meant anything benign when it came to her.
(Dec 26) 22:12:54 Armagus folded his arms together and dispelled the sympathy in a nonchalant gesture with his fingers. ’She’d long since been apt on dying. She passed gracefully and on her on terms.” She was a monster, a parasite and she reared all kinds of dark spawn, few as humaniod as Armagus. The world couldn’t sustain her and her voracious appetite any longer and she sought a sign from the children that she had sown all throughout. None came to her aid, but that was by design. Armagus had spent these last few years killing all of his kin. She’d feed no longer. Sparrowed needn’t be bothered with the details of such a grim task. ”Perhaps ‘collect’ is the wrong word. I should be honest, I don’t know if I can extract what was given to you, but I am certain I can erase it.” Anything that could be an anchor, anything that could call to her from beyond, was a loose end to the Mage. ”It’s a deeply personal matter for me.” He mustered sincerity, the same as if he were asking for the return of a precious heirloom as opposed to seeing out matricide to the bitter end.
(Dec 26) 22:21:24 Sparrow observed his body language. Armagus hadn’t changed much— he could be as stone-like as she could but in a completely different manner. There was a different sort of inhumanity to him, in the end. Now, after informing Sparrow that his mother’s end was expected along with accepted and would get an inclination of her skull he was then proving her right that nothing involving the word “collection”, or, meetings like this for that matter was ever benign for someone like her. Armagus hadn’t even finished his sentence before she was shaking her head and pressing her lips together at him. ’Everyone wants something. Always.’ she’d say. It was true and it was often at her expense. ’What you desire reads as far too intimate, dangerous and invasive to me. I do not allow anyone internal access to my mind, my Ka or my power any longer. You needn’t worry over your seed— her “gift” is suppressed and my desire to bear any further children is no longer present. I had two daughters before we were involved, Armagus. That is more than enough.’ Sparrow paused; her eyes narrowing even further. ’If I myself find a way to give you what you desire, you may well get it. Otherwise, I trust no one enough for what you imply.’
(Dec 26) 22:38:47 [Armagus] ”Sparro…” He sought to cut her. ”Spa…” The sense of urgency grew. There was no stopping her though, not when she bared her conviction. Tirades were - obviously still - her thing. ”You don’t understand. I would not be here had it not been for what was given to you.” That was how the Mage had found her and there was quite some significance in that. It made him fear that Sparrow could somehow be a proxy, an envoy for a new Mother. One who most certainly wouldn’t approve of his recent exploits and one who a few lost children may flock to. ”There is nothing you covet more than your lack of association, I understand that. Let me cut this bond, give me peace from you” There was a silent ultimatum only revealed in the steely depths of his eyes. The Mage had no intentions of turning away without accomplishing what he had set out for -- the risk was far too great otherwise. Sparrow or not, he was prepared to do whatever it took to stomp out the last embers of what remained. ”And I’ll never darken your doorstep again. Just as I haven’t.”
(Dec 26) 22:49:23 Sparrow - Well, it seemed he remembered her quite well! The temper, the guardedness, her ever present habit of savaging anyone who angered her. For only a moment it was just like old times between them— him fighting to find his footing in a tempest. ’Peace from me.’ Sparrow turned to the side and spat; sneering at his wording before turning away from him and seeking to leave the boutique. And of course she’d picked up on the ultimatum as well. Poor Armagus...he was blundering this and in rare form. It wasn’t entirely his fault— the woman was like a field of landmines with no cohesion and how could he have possibly hoped to word his desires in a way that didn’t come off as completely invasive? It may not have been possible. Now, she was turning away from him and leaving the shop as some of the items within it rattled upon their nooks and shelves as her power bled off from the sudden uptick of anger. Luckily, it wasn’t so much that any items would escape their placement and follow her out— that was always the worst of signs. ’I’ll sever it myself! Treat yourself to a fine dinner and leave me be, Armagus.’ And under her tone? Something close to pain. Sparrow was used to only being sought out for certain desires and, yet again, here one had come along. It was a theme in her life. If he didnt stop her, she’d vanish into the throngs in her classic, graceful but quick-stepping walk. The “Warpath” as other figures in her past had called it.
(Dec 26) 23:05:22 [Armagus] This was nothing like old times because Armagus was nothing like the man she once knew; there was so much discovered, so much done and undone in those years - she would quickly learn. “Sparrow you are a tortured soul and you bled everywhere. You attract the sadistic and the ravenous.” Eyes cut to the rattling items as he sought to provoke her attention back onto him instead of her exit. ”That’s how you met her, my mother. Perhaps she knew I could find someone that she could use.” Words met naught but Sparrow’s back however and he exhaled audibly. The Planeswalker opted to go another route. The spark inside his chest blossomed and reality gave pause for just a moment. The amount of focus this took was the equivalent of trying to thread a needle in a hurricane but such feats became standard when galavanting between worlds. It was a blending of both time and space in perfect amounts - enough time so that Armagus wouldn’t veer off into other possibilities but instead stay in this timeline and just enough space that he didn’t deposit any of this world into the anti-matter environment of the Aether where everything was broken down into it’s mana source. The end result? Armagus blinked right in front of Sparrow just as she turned, seamlessly as if he had been there the whole time. Veins along his face and arms were visible, pulsating with a white hot glow that threatened to crack the skin. Despite how violent it looked, he seemed no worse for wear. ”Stop this and listen. I don’t want to be here just as much as you don’t want me here.”
(Dec 26) 23:32:22 Sparrow would end up running into the meat of him; chin nearly bouncing off of his solar plexus. Immediately, she took a deep breath and her fists clenched; muscle rattling in her arms from anger as he trapped her in the booth. The old woman behind the counter had long since hunkered down and cowered. It may as well have been Lord Yre himself standing in front of her, blocking her way and wanting to impose his desires on her. Why, pray tell, did this always happen to her? Not to mention that his expression about her being the walking wounded managed to cut plenty deep. ’I do not want to listen to you...I want to leave.’ she’d say through clenched teeth. Sparrow wasn’t in the mood to do any attacking and, still, due to hard won control. Likely, anyone who could pick up on power or electromagnetism would feel and possibly percieve in other ways that the woman was glowing like a bonfire; her natural powers made it impossible for her to ever conceal her abilities or her sway over that certain element and the force that governed at least some of it. ’All of you show up wanting something and you tell me I don’t have a choice and now you are very clearly threatening me. What do you plan to do if I don’t acquiesce or even kneel to your desires, Armagus? After accosting me in a rare moment of peace? You would raise your hand against me? Rend me with your, what was it...mana?’ a pause. 'You did not come to ask. You came to demand.'
(Dec 28) 19:13:52 [Armagus] ”You have a choice Sparrow and I won’t take it from you. This isn’t a decision you can make flippantly, however.” Armagus felt the heat, the coals breathing deep in her chest, fanned with every breath. Red to black, red to black until the depths were glowing and the promise of fire was there. The Mage had to tread carefully. “I don’t underestimate your willingness to maintain your freedom, so I ask that you take into account my commitment to ridding you of that dark Matriarch’s blessing.” He was still betting that Sparrow’s bark was worse than her bite and that the slamming of dishes and stomping back at that hovel just translated into the shaking of shelves and melting coin piece through time. ”I do not want to lay a hand on you.” Intentions were clear from the start and even though that was never enough any other time, there was hope that it would be now. Ixchel had told him, as she faded away into the thick and murky waters of the grimpool, that no matter how human Armagus looked, he’d always be Mother’s Child: a conqueror and an envoy. At the end of this bloody crusade, this was his chance to disprove all of that. The Mage just needed Sparrow to give it to him. ”I am begging you.” Armagus would even go as far to reach for her hand and take it in his.
(Dec 28) 19:30:52 Sparrow - ’Flippant? Tuh!’ she’d sneer at the assertion— nothing she did was ever flippant and she’d never been allowed to operate as such. Except, perhaps in all fairness...leaving him behind without a word. Just one more effort to protect herself, her children and her autonomy. Now, Armagus was trying to reason with her while also still using his mass as a veritable brick wall having been placed in her way and preventing her from exiting the booth. Soon, the law would likely hear about the minor disturbance and arrive in due form and who knew then if they were aware of the “Terrorist” and her many sins and bounties? For his sake the woman actually made an effort to get her breathing in order, but, when he tried to take her hand she’d snatch it back in due order. ’I have given you my decision and you must accept it, or, you will understand that your request is ‘flippant’ as well and you’ll have to do more than accosting me in public! You want to use your power and sever; the pry something out of me. You present a risk to me, a prize or otherwise. You yourself wouldnt allow such a thing out of self and metaphysical preservation, Armagus. We both know this.’ She still understood his personality after all this time. Sparrow then crossed her arms and put her molten eyes onto his features; full lips pressed into an angry, thin line.
(Dec 28) 19:47:10 [Armagus] ”If you had come to me after all these years,” His patience was wearing thin there was a bit of passion in his voice. “And had told me that you needed everything I hold dear - mind, body, all of it - just so you could keep going on, I would give it to you.” The truth was certainly stranger than fiction in this instance. The Mage felt like he had a lot of making up to do, guilt because of a dark lineage. He wouldn’t have paid the ultimate price for just anyway but there wasn’t much he wouldn’t give for the common good; repentance for himself, his mother and her brood. ”I’m not a coward, Sparrow, and I still know how to trust.” Armagus was inhuman, certainly, but the misshapen heart somewhere inside his chest was still kind. It was thanks to the tutelage of Paxton, the worldliness of Temperament the first borne, the pragmatism of Eibon and the library, and finally the compassion that he had felt for Sparrow in the first place that had made this monster a man. ”It is your fear that cages you Sparrow. If you can’t be reasoned with, you’ll become a threat to yourself and your children.” Still a wall, still unafraid and still trying his best to reach her, Armagus gave his final shot in the dark - hoping it would hit it’s mark.
(Dec 28) 19:57:16 Sparrow had been a bit bowled over with that one. Armagus hit her with something she hadn’t expected— the confession that he had indeed actually cared for her and would have done the same. Usually, such a thing (given her long since passed state pre-exploitation of being doe-eyed and easily manipulated) would get the speaker who delivered it accused of being a liar and saying anything they could to get the results they wanted. But, and not to say Armagus was anywhere near a saint— he hadn’t lied to her in the past. It would have been unfair and childish to accuse him of such. That and he successfully made her feel more of the guilt that was already riding low beneath the surface and it was enhanced by the strain in her voice. Sparrow let loose a long sound of irritation and shook her head. ’My children are not a danger to me and haven’t been for some time. That is why some of us have to make sacrifices. It is not cowardly to do anything to protect yourself or your offspring.’ she’d say in what was practically growled from between her teeth. Didnt he understand she’d given up both Rose and Valentine when they were oh-so-small? They were adults now, though, Sparrow didn’t look a day older than either of them. For a while, she stared at him and finally spoke. There was emotion other than anger in her voice. ’You know that is not fair. I told you my past in confidence...you know what it is I look over my shoulders for.’ He’d be able to watch a decision play out over her features before her eyes narrowed. ’Not without King Nabonassar present.’ And that was the best he was going to get. Did he know of these strange, pale eyed and dark haired Kings? At this point who didnt...even one of the emperors from the sky had taken one as his Empress.
(Dec 28) 20:10:17 [Armagus] It was surprising. Sparrow didn’t crack - there was just a well guarded entrance. Armagus took a step back, relenting since she had somewhat did the same. ”I understand wanting to protect. I told you that was why I am here: to ensure nothing bad happens to you because of your association with me.” However brief it was, it had the potential to be impactful for the both of them and it ways neither would want. ” I wasn’t looking to exploit you. Just...You don’t listen.” There was no point in keeping her blocked in now, Armagus stepped to the side. Either their quarrel attracted a lot of attention or it was just business as usual at the market. If she started walking, he’d be in tow. ”I can wait for your King, not a problem. Just answer me this: is this Nabonassar actual royalty or King is just name alone?” Just a precaution, of course. While the Mage doubted the odds, he wasn’t interested in meeting anyone or anything related to Esarhaddon again.
(Dec 28) 20:16:20 Sparrow ’You are not here for that. You are here for what you want, Armagus. Honesty between us, always.’ Even if protecting her was some small part of it, well, could he really tell her she was wrong? After, an eyebrow rose when he groused about her “not listening”. A small bit of irritation— they were no longer in the sort of relationship where he could make such complaints as far as Sparrow was concerned. Now, she was stepping around him and at least not quite leaving yet and he asked her a question that read as if he already knew the answer. However, she’d give him a knowing look before answering him and wondering if he might be shocked and appalled. Sanctum wasn’t a “small world” by any means, but, the metaphor might still apply. ’No, he is not true royalty. You know I would not deign to associate with anyone of titles and blue blood, Armagus. ‘King’ is what he is— and we are, for the time being, together. He will be my assurance that what you seek does not deal damage; accidentally or intentionally.’
(Dec 28) 20:29:15 Armagus then realized it was a blessing that Sparrow had left him. If it was unfathomable to her that he traveled with the sole intention of making sure she would be safe, then so be it. He’d rid her of his Mother’s darkness and then move on with his task complete. Poor woman, she only understood transactions. It was pitiful, but certainly no fault of her own. Life was just cruel in so many ways. ”King is what he is?” The Mage echoed the statement and then nodded his head. Those odd folk: Konstantine, Esarhaddon, Nebuchadnezzar and now this Nabonassar. They were just made things, serving a convoluted purpose draped in hedonism - defending time itself or rather creating a static point in time through diligence. They weren’t an immediate threat to the planeswalker, he was only ever interested in the future, but there was history nonetheless. ”Interesting company, I look forward to meeting him.”
Sparrow - Had she actually been informed that Armagus was relieved she’d left him he’d have likely gotten another small storm even though she understood she had plenty of damage and was painfully slow to trust anyone. The way he had presented his “Case” had communicated to her that he had to have been lying about wanting to keep her safe. Perhaps later she may change her mind— it was a terrible habit; assuming the worst about everyone. And yet it had also kept her alive. As the smart man hadn’t chosen to go down that road with her she’d begin to walk at a much slower pace than the halted ‘warpath’ from before. Not that the psion was comfortable by any means and was still coming off more than dour, but, her aggression had come down a bit after the mage’s little victory. ’Yes, King is what Nabonassar is. Or what his kind is. He says he has a family and all are like him. He mentioned sisters.’ Sparrow then fished the osmium chain and medallion out of her pocket and looked it over. She had bought it for him, after all— not that she’d tell anyone, certainly not Armagus and it might take quite some time for her to actually present it to the King. Goodness, was she going soft?! A muted harrumph before she slid it back into her hood. ’I do hope you nor he will exchange hostilities. I do not approve of such things...men at each other’s throats and often for silly reasons.’ Luckily, they had only attracted rubbernecking sorts and they had all scattered once the heated exchange had stopped. They likely assumed Sparrow and Armagus were simply another bickering couple not worth the attention unless they’d come to blows. As for the mage he would likely see Sparrow pull the earth colored fabric back from one of her arms and expose the elegant limb with many thick but minimalist bangles. One was a solid black ring that could have been obsidian but seemed much different than all the matching polished wood she had chosen.-
(Dec 29) 18:42:04 [Sparrow] A grace of her index finger over the outer edge before blue glyphs of some sort began to play over the surface in radium blue light. Neither of them would likely know of or understand Syrian, after all. ’He will join us shortly.’
(Dec 29) 18:55:52 [Armagus] ”Sisters,” The Mage made an excellent parrot when he wanted to but only when he was confirming the piecing that were falling into play. ”Do they stay with him? I look a mess.” He fussed with his clothing for a second, hands jostling gauntlets, securing a breastplate and the like. Somewhat exhausting from just getting this far, Armagus didn’t have the tenacity to explain to Sparrow the irony of her contention, lest he risk her being at his throat for a silly reason. It was best to just fold, which was exactly what he did. ”I’ll be on my best behavior.”He kept it short, so that nothing else came out with it. With that, he just kept following behind - in the wake of a very irritable, albeit it sleeping, titan.
(Dec 29) 19:09:18 [Nabonassar] The moment she touched the band, it was a like a gong going off in his head. He looked up from the dataslate he had been consulting and waited for the signal to finish coming through. The Syrian runes leapt before his eyes to show him the name ‘SPARROW’ followed by her exact location. There were three types of signals that bracelet could send. The first was a common request for his presence and flashed blue before his eyes. The second was a call for help, which would flash red. If anyone who did not share her DNA touched the bracelet or removed it from her arm, it would have been black. He finished the calculations he had been running and forwarded the data to Ajax for the project they were working on and then stood, powering off the slate and turning to walk around his desk. He opened the portal there in his office. About ten feet in front of her the portal materialized and through it came Nabonassar. The King was immaculately dressed in a tailored three-piece suit, black, with a slim tie and a crisp white shirt under the vest. He smiled when he saw Sparrow, the portal closing behind him. He moved to meet her, one hand going to her wrist where the Syrian runes still flashed. He ran his thumb across them and they vanished. He tilted his head, taking her hand if she allowed the gesture, ”You called for me, darling?” He glanced past her at Armagus, though he did not speak to the man and returned his gaze to Sparrow. It would be clear that she was his main concern in many ways.
(Dec 29) 19:22:47 Sparrow - ’Tuh…’ toward him saying he looked a mess and trying to preen. At least this time there was a ghost of a smile along with the eye roll. ’And, thank you. No further stress for the evening would be a gift, you understand?’ In that moment Nabonassar finally stepped through one of his strange tears in reality; a few passing shoppers stumbling out of the way or staring wide eyed. They had all seen or heard of powerful beings before but never expected them to wink out of nowhere in the marketplace streets. Others even frowned and considered the action rude— but the man who emerged only seemed to have eyes for her. Sparrow allowed him to oh-so gingerly take her hand and deactivate the bracelet and then continued to hold onto her, which she allowed and glanced down to his pale palm and digits dwarfing hers out of sight. ’Yes, I...well. This is Armagus. He has something he wants to do and I called for you to assist. There are risks. He-....he is.’ she stumbled over what to refer to him by. Never in her life had she needed to introduce an ex to a current lover and found herself stuck. Did she lie and say he was an old friend? And if so, what would be the point of such a thing? ’From my past. Long ago, his ah...matron or matriarch assumed that I would be carrying on his bloodline. And she bit me. She left something behind. He would like it back.’ Handled gracefully enough, she supposed. Sparrow, who was dwarfed by both the King and Mage then looked back down at her hand while the free limb ducked inside of her hood to clutch the gift she wouldnt yet be giving to him. Soon.
(Dec 29) 19:31:00 [Armagus] Portals were always interesting; their composition, what fueled them and how they connected two points to each other - circumventing the space between origin and event. Methods often as unique as the person using it. Usually no two portals were ever the same, which made the Mage think of them as signatures, an important practice if you ever have a reason to fear what could be on the other side. This portal was a red carpet however, a royal procession for a King in name alone. Armagus folding his arms high across his chest, eventually resting an elbow on his wrist and pinching his chin between two fingers. All he could think was ‘knight in shining armor’ and then Armagus was also reminded of the fact that Temperament embarrassingly thought he was an Uruk when they first met. The contrast was suddenly very real to him, Prince v Pauper. ”I wouldn’t be here, if this didn’t need to be done.” It was best to preface this as business only. Then maybe they could skip the rest of the formalities and just get on with it.
(Dec 29) 19:42:08 [Nabonassar] The King looked again at the man who was standing nearby in ornate, if archaic, armor. The listened to what Sparrows said as his eyes flashed through various colors, inspecting the man on all visible and non-visible spectrums. When Sparrow had finished and Armagus said his bit, his eyes returned to their normal pale color and he turned them once more onto Sparrow, ”I see. Your former lover returning to retrieve that which was given in error.” His voice was bland. Her diplomatic way of putting it cut down to a more manageable length. He turned his gave back upon Armagus, ”You wish to perform some sort of ritual or procedure upon her. Tell me. And do not think to shroud it mystery or vague words. Tell me the science of it, and I will advise her whether she should or not. For if this thing be physical in any sense of the word, it may prove best that I extract it myself and return it to you, rather than subject her to any crude medical procedure you may have in mind.” His tone was not condescending or meant to be insulting in any way. He was simply stating a fact. He knew more about Sparrow, right down to her DNA, than anyone living. If he could extract whatever this thing was and not cause her pain, he would do it.
(Dec 29) 19:56:13 Sparrow nearly grimaced at “Former lover”. She had no shame at all in having been with Armagus for nearly a year all that time ago— it was simply that the current arrangement was new and awkward for her. However, both gentlemen were being as civil as they could possibly be for the time being much as she had requested from the mage. In that moment she was actually having a similar pattern of thinking to his: noticing the extreme differences between them and wondering exactly how both men had come to take a shine to a somewhat scruffy Psion like herself who was known for being even more sour than classic piss and vinegar. And yet both have and had experienced genuine love with her. But they couldn’t have been more different— Nabonassar looked as if he should have had a gilded princess on his elbow and Armagus? Perhaps some true sorceress bedecked in black lace or another woman in armor. Perhaps a ranger? But what they had in common was Sparrow. She gave a briefly amused snort to the circumstances just as the King finished giving his terms to the mage. That had been exactly what she’d wanted his assistance for— keeping her mind, spirit and power safe just in case Armagus prying about put any of those in a state of risk. ’Yes, Nabonassar.’ would be Sparrow’s only confirmation. She wanted them to discuss the circumstances between each other.
(Dec 29) 20:10:16 [Armagus] If Nabonassar’s eyes were as keen as his tongue, it may have been possible for him to see a bit of light just seeping out of the Mage. It was the spark, a piece of the aether, burning at his core. The very blessing that allowed him to travel between worlds, wield mana and a host of other things. This wasn’t just an infantile glow either, it was tempered - brightened through the process of shining hard and often. Innocent power in a grim shell. When Nabonassar finally seemed willing to speak to Armagus, the Mage stepped beside Sparrow and stayed his desire to correct the King. What was given to Sparrow had not been in error and there was never any regret with that decision. Nabonassar went on and despite the King’s intentions, Armagus couldn’t help but feel like he was being scrutinized. It was just the way this man talked... The Mage shook it off. ”This is probably going to be more abstract than you’ll like but somewhere inside of Sparrow is a piece of my mother. She has since passed and I have taken to collecting her pieces to make sure she rests peacefully. While it was injected physically, it’s something that lives...How can I say it?” The Planeswalker thought ”Bound to you, tied in a world not too far away from this one. Which makes perfect sense to those aware of spirits and the like. ”It calls to me. That was how I found Sparrow. If given some time, I can pull my mother from where it rests and into me. Where it will be safe and cherished.”
(Dec 25) 22:12:35 [Armagus] It was impossible to get used to traveling through the aether; all that power, just ribboning over and around itself, splitting into smoking seams then splintering into the infinite worlds and the possibilities there of. It was akin to being adrift in the vastness of the ocean except the depths of the abyssal zone glowed with a primal temptation - a harrowing power, protected by the very thought of the trails to contain it. Icarus’ sin had flowed through the Mage once or twice as he crackled between worlds but he never did anything more than just stare at the heart and fathom it’s bright arrhythmia. This journey was no different. Armagus was spit out at his destination, herald by sharp, static popping and proceeded by a wispy afterbirth of blue contrails, undilated over him and onto the ground like a current. He landed on his feet - a trick that took years to learn - and gathered his bearing before heading straight into the market, finally indifferent to the queasiness in his stomach that came with existing once more. It had been years since he’d been around people again, much time was spent back home with his mother and what remained of that dark and dying world. The sun and the noises, it rejuvenated distant memories and of course reminded him of the life he had left behind as well - the Nexus, Temperament and that wild little thing he’d dropped off at the Clockwork Prison. At the behest of instinct, Armagus merged with the crowd, shoulders bobbing through the masses with a guiding hand pulling him through tight spots. It took a moment but he had found the crossroads of his intention - she was right there. Unafraid, he approached the same stall, standing beside the runaway and picking up some odd bobble that was neither here nor there. He wasn’t going to say anything, just turn the trinket overhand and grunt disapprovingly.
(Dec 25) 23:11:07 Sparrow felt a tingle of familiarity on the back of her neck. She was at least some holder of psychic ability in its natural form due to her nature as a titan-psion— but she couldnt place the signature, or the power; couldnt put it to a name. Sparrow made the decision on a lark to overpay the vendor and placed one of her palms down on the varnished cedar counter. When she lifted it, several platinum coins far beyond what was asked of the price for the osmium medallion and chain were there for the vendor who wouldnt be able to protest or thank the woman as she was turning away from her; focusing her attention on a dark skinned stranger who’d been standing none too far behind her. It had been a few years but Armagus hadn’t changed much in appearance aside from his tightly coiled tendrils of hair having become much longer and his armor and leathers had certainly taken a jump upward in quality. The Mage...he appeared to be in good health. As for Sparrow she looked none too different and was obviously still haphazardly chopping her hair off without a care in the world and her eyes still gave off a subtle, voltaic glow. Her garb, however, looked a bit more rustic and expensive. ’Armagus…’ she’d say; narrowing her eyes at him while slipping the osmium into the earth-colored hood and shawl she wore. Copper and obsidian adorned the body underneath. ’This is not coincidence….is it?’ her voice was trapped somewhere between a curious happiness to see him, guilt and distrust— who knew if he’d decided to take up one of her many bounties and seek her out simply because they had been close and intimate in the past? Until, of course...she’d convinced herself to abandon him without warning.
(Dec 25) 23:32:19 [Armagus] “Coincidence,” He rolled the trinket from his palm back onto the table to rest. ”Don’t tell me you believe in that.” He replied, as if she were being absurdly superstitious. It’d be too cliche to remark that everything happened for a reason, but after it became obvious that the universe was a very intentional thing. Armagus squared his shoulders up with Sparrow, it was clear that he was deciding on - not thinking about - what to say next. ”I’m not here for you. I’m here to see you.” The caliber of people that Mage knew previously was clearly poor because he had to preface a lot of his interactions with that statement. Seems he was the only one that could manage to stay out of trouble - or at least he was the one that had the stomach to make sure that trouble was short-lived and never sought to follow him home. People shifted around them and Armagus didn’t seem to mind. There was another intentional pause, there for Sparrow to process the authenticity of his words. He was much more measured than the man she knew before, time saw to that. ”It’s been a while.” That meant so much on so many different levels, but for right now it was just a greeting. Arms at were at his side opened up a bit more and the tips of his fingers beckoned her for a hug.
(Dec 26) 21:30:20 Sparrow would, unfortunately, stare at Armagus’s open arms for a moment. A few memories of time’s past came bubbling up through the ages and she found herself somewhat conflicted about them. The man would not receive a hug— though she’d sort of pat his forearm with the intention of also gently guiding the limbs back down to his sides. It wasn’t his fault, the woman wasn’t much of the touching type and hadn’t even let Nabonassar make much physical contact with her for quite some time. ’You know I do not. And it has been quite some time and much has happened— Which begs the question…’ she trailed off; tilting her skull at him and her molten eyes making unwavering contact with his own almost alien green irises. If he didn’t hear the unspoken question she’d deliver it to him after a moment. ’What inspired you after these years to seek me out? Of all people?’ And if he remembered her well he’d understand that Sparrow always came off a little bit hostile even if she liked someone. It was simply her way— just a touch of animosity to assist with guarding herself.
(Dec 26) 21:49:14 Armagus wasn’t offended in the least bit. Arms settled and he acknowledged the boundary with a nod. Sparrow got straight to the point shortly thereafter and unlike most people in his ‘profession’ (if it could be considered such) the Mage got straight to the answer. No riddles, no whimsy. ”You’re what’s left.” He started, ”My Matriarch finally passed and took everything that was left with her.” Armagus idly scratched his cheek, the gesture echoing his concern about the matter. Everything was on borrowed time, he had accepted that -- his home, that very world, was no different. ”She gave you her wisdom years ago when she bit you. It was a birthright, with the anticipation that you’d foster a lineage. Correct me if I’m wrong but I’m assuming you haven’t.” It certainly didn’t matter either way though in the end. ”I’m here to just collect. I want to take it back, the seed that was left.” What did that mean exactly? All Sparrow had to do was ask.
(Dec 26) 21:58:24 Sparrow suppressed a slight shudder at the mention of “The Matriarch” and the bite— oh yes, she remembered. It had only been a few years after her affair with Sophonax and decision to no longer procreate that she’d met Armagus and carried on with him for some time. And then the strange introduction to a creature half arachnid and half woman...which he then said was his mother. And then his mother had bitten her. Sparrow had become very ill but was notoriously hard to kill and had obviously survived the ordeal. It hadn’t been this which influenced her decision to abandon the relationship with Armagus but, simply, that it was assumed she would bear more children and stick by any new individuals side under the illusion of domesticity. It had frightened her to be slotted up as something of a broodmare and that thought caused her eyebrows to pinch, eyes to narrow and her head to crane back at him. Armagus was stared at for some time before she spoke in a very different tone. ’My condolences for the loss of your….matriarch, Armagus.’ Although it wasn’t as if he looked as if he was mourning by any means. ’How do you propose to collect such a thing from me?’ There, she was asking “What he meant by that”. Hopefully he didnt mean the wisdom, as, it was still inside of the psion but compartmentalized to a part of her psyche which was for the moment inaccessible by intention. Now, Sparrow’s arms retracted to fold under her hood; guarding her frame as the word “collect” never meant anything benign when it came to her.
(Dec 26) 22:12:54 Armagus folded his arms together and dispelled the sympathy in a nonchalant gesture with his fingers. ’She’d long since been apt on dying. She passed gracefully and on her on terms.” She was a monster, a parasite and she reared all kinds of dark spawn, few as humaniod as Armagus. The world couldn’t sustain her and her voracious appetite any longer and she sought a sign from the children that she had sown all throughout. None came to her aid, but that was by design. Armagus had spent these last few years killing all of his kin. She’d feed no longer. Sparrowed needn’t be bothered with the details of such a grim task. ”Perhaps ‘collect’ is the wrong word. I should be honest, I don’t know if I can extract what was given to you, but I am certain I can erase it.” Anything that could be an anchor, anything that could call to her from beyond, was a loose end to the Mage. ”It’s a deeply personal matter for me.” He mustered sincerity, the same as if he were asking for the return of a precious heirloom as opposed to seeing out matricide to the bitter end.
(Dec 26) 22:21:24 Sparrow observed his body language. Armagus hadn’t changed much— he could be as stone-like as she could but in a completely different manner. There was a different sort of inhumanity to him, in the end. Now, after informing Sparrow that his mother’s end was expected along with accepted and would get an inclination of her skull he was then proving her right that nothing involving the word “collection”, or, meetings like this for that matter was ever benign for someone like her. Armagus hadn’t even finished his sentence before she was shaking her head and pressing her lips together at him. ’Everyone wants something. Always.’ she’d say. It was true and it was often at her expense. ’What you desire reads as far too intimate, dangerous and invasive to me. I do not allow anyone internal access to my mind, my Ka or my power any longer. You needn’t worry over your seed— her “gift” is suppressed and my desire to bear any further children is no longer present. I had two daughters before we were involved, Armagus. That is more than enough.’ Sparrow paused; her eyes narrowing even further. ’If I myself find a way to give you what you desire, you may well get it. Otherwise, I trust no one enough for what you imply.’
(Dec 26) 22:38:47 [Armagus] ”Sparro…” He sought to cut her. ”Spa…” The sense of urgency grew. There was no stopping her though, not when she bared her conviction. Tirades were - obviously still - her thing. ”You don’t understand. I would not be here had it not been for what was given to you.” That was how the Mage had found her and there was quite some significance in that. It made him fear that Sparrow could somehow be a proxy, an envoy for a new Mother. One who most certainly wouldn’t approve of his recent exploits and one who a few lost children may flock to. ”There is nothing you covet more than your lack of association, I understand that. Let me cut this bond, give me peace from you” There was a silent ultimatum only revealed in the steely depths of his eyes. The Mage had no intentions of turning away without accomplishing what he had set out for -- the risk was far too great otherwise. Sparrow or not, he was prepared to do whatever it took to stomp out the last embers of what remained. ”And I’ll never darken your doorstep again. Just as I haven’t.”
(Dec 26) 22:49:23 Sparrow - Well, it seemed he remembered her quite well! The temper, the guardedness, her ever present habit of savaging anyone who angered her. For only a moment it was just like old times between them— him fighting to find his footing in a tempest. ’Peace from me.’ Sparrow turned to the side and spat; sneering at his wording before turning away from him and seeking to leave the boutique. And of course she’d picked up on the ultimatum as well. Poor Armagus...he was blundering this and in rare form. It wasn’t entirely his fault— the woman was like a field of landmines with no cohesion and how could he have possibly hoped to word his desires in a way that didn’t come off as completely invasive? It may not have been possible. Now, she was turning away from him and leaving the shop as some of the items within it rattled upon their nooks and shelves as her power bled off from the sudden uptick of anger. Luckily, it wasn’t so much that any items would escape their placement and follow her out— that was always the worst of signs. ’I’ll sever it myself! Treat yourself to a fine dinner and leave me be, Armagus.’ And under her tone? Something close to pain. Sparrow was used to only being sought out for certain desires and, yet again, here one had come along. It was a theme in her life. If he didnt stop her, she’d vanish into the throngs in her classic, graceful but quick-stepping walk. The “Warpath” as other figures in her past had called it.
(Dec 26) 23:05:22 [Armagus] This was nothing like old times because Armagus was nothing like the man she once knew; there was so much discovered, so much done and undone in those years - she would quickly learn. “Sparrow you are a tortured soul and you bled everywhere. You attract the sadistic and the ravenous.” Eyes cut to the rattling items as he sought to provoke her attention back onto him instead of her exit. ”That’s how you met her, my mother. Perhaps she knew I could find someone that she could use.” Words met naught but Sparrow’s back however and he exhaled audibly. The Planeswalker opted to go another route. The spark inside his chest blossomed and reality gave pause for just a moment. The amount of focus this took was the equivalent of trying to thread a needle in a hurricane but such feats became standard when galavanting between worlds. It was a blending of both time and space in perfect amounts - enough time so that Armagus wouldn’t veer off into other possibilities but instead stay in this timeline and just enough space that he didn’t deposit any of this world into the anti-matter environment of the Aether where everything was broken down into it’s mana source. The end result? Armagus blinked right in front of Sparrow just as she turned, seamlessly as if he had been there the whole time. Veins along his face and arms were visible, pulsating with a white hot glow that threatened to crack the skin. Despite how violent it looked, he seemed no worse for wear. ”Stop this and listen. I don’t want to be here just as much as you don’t want me here.”
(Dec 26) 23:32:22 Sparrow would end up running into the meat of him; chin nearly bouncing off of his solar plexus. Immediately, she took a deep breath and her fists clenched; muscle rattling in her arms from anger as he trapped her in the booth. The old woman behind the counter had long since hunkered down and cowered. It may as well have been Lord Yre himself standing in front of her, blocking her way and wanting to impose his desires on her. Why, pray tell, did this always happen to her? Not to mention that his expression about her being the walking wounded managed to cut plenty deep. ’I do not want to listen to you...I want to leave.’ she’d say through clenched teeth. Sparrow wasn’t in the mood to do any attacking and, still, due to hard won control. Likely, anyone who could pick up on power or electromagnetism would feel and possibly percieve in other ways that the woman was glowing like a bonfire; her natural powers made it impossible for her to ever conceal her abilities or her sway over that certain element and the force that governed at least some of it. ’All of you show up wanting something and you tell me I don’t have a choice and now you are very clearly threatening me. What do you plan to do if I don’t acquiesce or even kneel to your desires, Armagus? After accosting me in a rare moment of peace? You would raise your hand against me? Rend me with your, what was it...mana?’ a pause. 'You did not come to ask. You came to demand.'
(Dec 28) 19:13:52 [Armagus] ”You have a choice Sparrow and I won’t take it from you. This isn’t a decision you can make flippantly, however.” Armagus felt the heat, the coals breathing deep in her chest, fanned with every breath. Red to black, red to black until the depths were glowing and the promise of fire was there. The Mage had to tread carefully. “I don’t underestimate your willingness to maintain your freedom, so I ask that you take into account my commitment to ridding you of that dark Matriarch’s blessing.” He was still betting that Sparrow’s bark was worse than her bite and that the slamming of dishes and stomping back at that hovel just translated into the shaking of shelves and melting coin piece through time. ”I do not want to lay a hand on you.” Intentions were clear from the start and even though that was never enough any other time, there was hope that it would be now. Ixchel had told him, as she faded away into the thick and murky waters of the grimpool, that no matter how human Armagus looked, he’d always be Mother’s Child: a conqueror and an envoy. At the end of this bloody crusade, this was his chance to disprove all of that. The Mage just needed Sparrow to give it to him. ”I am begging you.” Armagus would even go as far to reach for her hand and take it in his.
(Dec 28) 19:30:52 Sparrow - ’Flippant? Tuh!’ she’d sneer at the assertion— nothing she did was ever flippant and she’d never been allowed to operate as such. Except, perhaps in all fairness...leaving him behind without a word. Just one more effort to protect herself, her children and her autonomy. Now, Armagus was trying to reason with her while also still using his mass as a veritable brick wall having been placed in her way and preventing her from exiting the booth. Soon, the law would likely hear about the minor disturbance and arrive in due form and who knew then if they were aware of the “Terrorist” and her many sins and bounties? For his sake the woman actually made an effort to get her breathing in order, but, when he tried to take her hand she’d snatch it back in due order. ’I have given you my decision and you must accept it, or, you will understand that your request is ‘flippant’ as well and you’ll have to do more than accosting me in public! You want to use your power and sever; the pry something out of me. You present a risk to me, a prize or otherwise. You yourself wouldnt allow such a thing out of self and metaphysical preservation, Armagus. We both know this.’ She still understood his personality after all this time. Sparrow then crossed her arms and put her molten eyes onto his features; full lips pressed into an angry, thin line.
(Dec 28) 19:47:10 [Armagus] ”If you had come to me after all these years,” His patience was wearing thin there was a bit of passion in his voice. “And had told me that you needed everything I hold dear - mind, body, all of it - just so you could keep going on, I would give it to you.” The truth was certainly stranger than fiction in this instance. The Mage felt like he had a lot of making up to do, guilt because of a dark lineage. He wouldn’t have paid the ultimate price for just anyway but there wasn’t much he wouldn’t give for the common good; repentance for himself, his mother and her brood. ”I’m not a coward, Sparrow, and I still know how to trust.” Armagus was inhuman, certainly, but the misshapen heart somewhere inside his chest was still kind. It was thanks to the tutelage of Paxton, the worldliness of Temperament the first borne, the pragmatism of Eibon and the library, and finally the compassion that he had felt for Sparrow in the first place that had made this monster a man. ”It is your fear that cages you Sparrow. If you can’t be reasoned with, you’ll become a threat to yourself and your children.” Still a wall, still unafraid and still trying his best to reach her, Armagus gave his final shot in the dark - hoping it would hit it’s mark.
(Dec 28) 19:57:16 Sparrow had been a bit bowled over with that one. Armagus hit her with something she hadn’t expected— the confession that he had indeed actually cared for her and would have done the same. Usually, such a thing (given her long since passed state pre-exploitation of being doe-eyed and easily manipulated) would get the speaker who delivered it accused of being a liar and saying anything they could to get the results they wanted. But, and not to say Armagus was anywhere near a saint— he hadn’t lied to her in the past. It would have been unfair and childish to accuse him of such. That and he successfully made her feel more of the guilt that was already riding low beneath the surface and it was enhanced by the strain in her voice. Sparrow let loose a long sound of irritation and shook her head. ’My children are not a danger to me and haven’t been for some time. That is why some of us have to make sacrifices. It is not cowardly to do anything to protect yourself or your offspring.’ she’d say in what was practically growled from between her teeth. Didnt he understand she’d given up both Rose and Valentine when they were oh-so-small? They were adults now, though, Sparrow didn’t look a day older than either of them. For a while, she stared at him and finally spoke. There was emotion other than anger in her voice. ’You know that is not fair. I told you my past in confidence...you know what it is I look over my shoulders for.’ He’d be able to watch a decision play out over her features before her eyes narrowed. ’Not without King Nabonassar present.’ And that was the best he was going to get. Did he know of these strange, pale eyed and dark haired Kings? At this point who didnt...even one of the emperors from the sky had taken one as his Empress.
(Dec 28) 20:10:17 [Armagus] It was surprising. Sparrow didn’t crack - there was just a well guarded entrance. Armagus took a step back, relenting since she had somewhat did the same. ”I understand wanting to protect. I told you that was why I am here: to ensure nothing bad happens to you because of your association with me.” However brief it was, it had the potential to be impactful for the both of them and it ways neither would want. ” I wasn’t looking to exploit you. Just...You don’t listen.” There was no point in keeping her blocked in now, Armagus stepped to the side. Either their quarrel attracted a lot of attention or it was just business as usual at the market. If she started walking, he’d be in tow. ”I can wait for your King, not a problem. Just answer me this: is this Nabonassar actual royalty or King is just name alone?” Just a precaution, of course. While the Mage doubted the odds, he wasn’t interested in meeting anyone or anything related to Esarhaddon again.
(Dec 28) 20:16:20 Sparrow ’You are not here for that. You are here for what you want, Armagus. Honesty between us, always.’ Even if protecting her was some small part of it, well, could he really tell her she was wrong? After, an eyebrow rose when he groused about her “not listening”. A small bit of irritation— they were no longer in the sort of relationship where he could make such complaints as far as Sparrow was concerned. Now, she was stepping around him and at least not quite leaving yet and he asked her a question that read as if he already knew the answer. However, she’d give him a knowing look before answering him and wondering if he might be shocked and appalled. Sanctum wasn’t a “small world” by any means, but, the metaphor might still apply. ’No, he is not true royalty. You know I would not deign to associate with anyone of titles and blue blood, Armagus. ‘King’ is what he is— and we are, for the time being, together. He will be my assurance that what you seek does not deal damage; accidentally or intentionally.’
(Dec 28) 20:29:15 Armagus then realized it was a blessing that Sparrow had left him. If it was unfathomable to her that he traveled with the sole intention of making sure she would be safe, then so be it. He’d rid her of his Mother’s darkness and then move on with his task complete. Poor woman, she only understood transactions. It was pitiful, but certainly no fault of her own. Life was just cruel in so many ways. ”King is what he is?” The Mage echoed the statement and then nodded his head. Those odd folk: Konstantine, Esarhaddon, Nebuchadnezzar and now this Nabonassar. They were just made things, serving a convoluted purpose draped in hedonism - defending time itself or rather creating a static point in time through diligence. They weren’t an immediate threat to the planeswalker, he was only ever interested in the future, but there was history nonetheless. ”Interesting company, I look forward to meeting him.”
Sparrow - Had she actually been informed that Armagus was relieved she’d left him he’d have likely gotten another small storm even though she understood she had plenty of damage and was painfully slow to trust anyone. The way he had presented his “Case” had communicated to her that he had to have been lying about wanting to keep her safe. Perhaps later she may change her mind— it was a terrible habit; assuming the worst about everyone. And yet it had also kept her alive. As the smart man hadn’t chosen to go down that road with her she’d begin to walk at a much slower pace than the halted ‘warpath’ from before. Not that the psion was comfortable by any means and was still coming off more than dour, but, her aggression had come down a bit after the mage’s little victory. ’Yes, King is what Nabonassar is. Or what his kind is. He says he has a family and all are like him. He mentioned sisters.’ Sparrow then fished the osmium chain and medallion out of her pocket and looked it over. She had bought it for him, after all— not that she’d tell anyone, certainly not Armagus and it might take quite some time for her to actually present it to the King. Goodness, was she going soft?! A muted harrumph before she slid it back into her hood. ’I do hope you nor he will exchange hostilities. I do not approve of such things...men at each other’s throats and often for silly reasons.’ Luckily, they had only attracted rubbernecking sorts and they had all scattered once the heated exchange had stopped. They likely assumed Sparrow and Armagus were simply another bickering couple not worth the attention unless they’d come to blows. As for the mage he would likely see Sparrow pull the earth colored fabric back from one of her arms and expose the elegant limb with many thick but minimalist bangles. One was a solid black ring that could have been obsidian but seemed much different than all the matching polished wood she had chosen.-
(Dec 29) 18:42:04 [Sparrow] A grace of her index finger over the outer edge before blue glyphs of some sort began to play over the surface in radium blue light. Neither of them would likely know of or understand Syrian, after all. ’He will join us shortly.’
(Dec 29) 18:55:52 [Armagus] ”Sisters,” The Mage made an excellent parrot when he wanted to but only when he was confirming the piecing that were falling into play. ”Do they stay with him? I look a mess.” He fussed with his clothing for a second, hands jostling gauntlets, securing a breastplate and the like. Somewhat exhausting from just getting this far, Armagus didn’t have the tenacity to explain to Sparrow the irony of her contention, lest he risk her being at his throat for a silly reason. It was best to just fold, which was exactly what he did. ”I’ll be on my best behavior.”He kept it short, so that nothing else came out with it. With that, he just kept following behind - in the wake of a very irritable, albeit it sleeping, titan.
(Dec 29) 19:09:18 [Nabonassar] The moment she touched the band, it was a like a gong going off in his head. He looked up from the dataslate he had been consulting and waited for the signal to finish coming through. The Syrian runes leapt before his eyes to show him the name ‘SPARROW’ followed by her exact location. There were three types of signals that bracelet could send. The first was a common request for his presence and flashed blue before his eyes. The second was a call for help, which would flash red. If anyone who did not share her DNA touched the bracelet or removed it from her arm, it would have been black. He finished the calculations he had been running and forwarded the data to Ajax for the project they were working on and then stood, powering off the slate and turning to walk around his desk. He opened the portal there in his office. About ten feet in front of her the portal materialized and through it came Nabonassar. The King was immaculately dressed in a tailored three-piece suit, black, with a slim tie and a crisp white shirt under the vest. He smiled when he saw Sparrow, the portal closing behind him. He moved to meet her, one hand going to her wrist where the Syrian runes still flashed. He ran his thumb across them and they vanished. He tilted his head, taking her hand if she allowed the gesture, ”You called for me, darling?” He glanced past her at Armagus, though he did not speak to the man and returned his gaze to Sparrow. It would be clear that she was his main concern in many ways.
(Dec 29) 19:22:47 Sparrow - ’Tuh…’ toward him saying he looked a mess and trying to preen. At least this time there was a ghost of a smile along with the eye roll. ’And, thank you. No further stress for the evening would be a gift, you understand?’ In that moment Nabonassar finally stepped through one of his strange tears in reality; a few passing shoppers stumbling out of the way or staring wide eyed. They had all seen or heard of powerful beings before but never expected them to wink out of nowhere in the marketplace streets. Others even frowned and considered the action rude— but the man who emerged only seemed to have eyes for her. Sparrow allowed him to oh-so gingerly take her hand and deactivate the bracelet and then continued to hold onto her, which she allowed and glanced down to his pale palm and digits dwarfing hers out of sight. ’Yes, I...well. This is Armagus. He has something he wants to do and I called for you to assist. There are risks. He-....he is.’ she stumbled over what to refer to him by. Never in her life had she needed to introduce an ex to a current lover and found herself stuck. Did she lie and say he was an old friend? And if so, what would be the point of such a thing? ’From my past. Long ago, his ah...matron or matriarch assumed that I would be carrying on his bloodline. And she bit me. She left something behind. He would like it back.’ Handled gracefully enough, she supposed. Sparrow, who was dwarfed by both the King and Mage then looked back down at her hand while the free limb ducked inside of her hood to clutch the gift she wouldnt yet be giving to him. Soon.
(Dec 29) 19:31:00 [Armagus] Portals were always interesting; their composition, what fueled them and how they connected two points to each other - circumventing the space between origin and event. Methods often as unique as the person using it. Usually no two portals were ever the same, which made the Mage think of them as signatures, an important practice if you ever have a reason to fear what could be on the other side. This portal was a red carpet however, a royal procession for a King in name alone. Armagus folding his arms high across his chest, eventually resting an elbow on his wrist and pinching his chin between two fingers. All he could think was ‘knight in shining armor’ and then Armagus was also reminded of the fact that Temperament embarrassingly thought he was an Uruk when they first met. The contrast was suddenly very real to him, Prince v Pauper. ”I wouldn’t be here, if this didn’t need to be done.” It was best to preface this as business only. Then maybe they could skip the rest of the formalities and just get on with it.
(Dec 29) 19:42:08 [Nabonassar] The King looked again at the man who was standing nearby in ornate, if archaic, armor. The listened to what Sparrows said as his eyes flashed through various colors, inspecting the man on all visible and non-visible spectrums. When Sparrow had finished and Armagus said his bit, his eyes returned to their normal pale color and he turned them once more onto Sparrow, ”I see. Your former lover returning to retrieve that which was given in error.” His voice was bland. Her diplomatic way of putting it cut down to a more manageable length. He turned his gave back upon Armagus, ”You wish to perform some sort of ritual or procedure upon her. Tell me. And do not think to shroud it mystery or vague words. Tell me the science of it, and I will advise her whether she should or not. For if this thing be physical in any sense of the word, it may prove best that I extract it myself and return it to you, rather than subject her to any crude medical procedure you may have in mind.” His tone was not condescending or meant to be insulting in any way. He was simply stating a fact. He knew more about Sparrow, right down to her DNA, than anyone living. If he could extract whatever this thing was and not cause her pain, he would do it.
(Dec 29) 19:56:13 Sparrow nearly grimaced at “Former lover”. She had no shame at all in having been with Armagus for nearly a year all that time ago— it was simply that the current arrangement was new and awkward for her. However, both gentlemen were being as civil as they could possibly be for the time being much as she had requested from the mage. In that moment she was actually having a similar pattern of thinking to his: noticing the extreme differences between them and wondering exactly how both men had come to take a shine to a somewhat scruffy Psion like herself who was known for being even more sour than classic piss and vinegar. And yet both have and had experienced genuine love with her. But they couldn’t have been more different— Nabonassar looked as if he should have had a gilded princess on his elbow and Armagus? Perhaps some true sorceress bedecked in black lace or another woman in armor. Perhaps a ranger? But what they had in common was Sparrow. She gave a briefly amused snort to the circumstances just as the King finished giving his terms to the mage. That had been exactly what she’d wanted his assistance for— keeping her mind, spirit and power safe just in case Armagus prying about put any of those in a state of risk. ’Yes, Nabonassar.’ would be Sparrow’s only confirmation. She wanted them to discuss the circumstances between each other.
(Dec 29) 20:10:16 [Armagus] If Nabonassar’s eyes were as keen as his tongue, it may have been possible for him to see a bit of light just seeping out of the Mage. It was the spark, a piece of the aether, burning at his core. The very blessing that allowed him to travel between worlds, wield mana and a host of other things. This wasn’t just an infantile glow either, it was tempered - brightened through the process of shining hard and often. Innocent power in a grim shell. When Nabonassar finally seemed willing to speak to Armagus, the Mage stepped beside Sparrow and stayed his desire to correct the King. What was given to Sparrow had not been in error and there was never any regret with that decision. Nabonassar went on and despite the King’s intentions, Armagus couldn’t help but feel like he was being scrutinized. It was just the way this man talked... The Mage shook it off. ”This is probably going to be more abstract than you’ll like but somewhere inside of Sparrow is a piece of my mother. She has since passed and I have taken to collecting her pieces to make sure she rests peacefully. While it was injected physically, it’s something that lives...How can I say it?” The Planeswalker thought ”Bound to you, tied in a world not too far away from this one. Which makes perfect sense to those aware of spirits and the like. ”It calls to me. That was how I found Sparrow. If given some time, I can pull my mother from where it rests and into me. Where it will be safe and cherished.”
Sparrow- Casual practictioner
- Posts : 22
Join date : 2016-06-07
Re: [TRANSER] The old flames and the new
by Nabonassar Sun Jan 01, 2017 2:52 am
Oh but Armagus was being scrutinized. But it was not exactly voluntary. Nabonassar’s ability to process information had increased when Inanna was broken in two. And in information gathering faculties were always on and working. However, Armagus’ powersource did not appear to the King as it might have to another person whose abilities were entrenched in spirituality as Armagus’ were. He knew the man had some form of power, but the specific type and magnitude of this power was hazy to his eyes.
His expression was thoughtful as he considered the information given by Sparrow’s former flame, ”I see. A living fragment of another being attached to Sparrow in some adjacent reality?” He sighed and shook his head, ”You must needs explain yourself better than that. Spirituality is not amongst those subjects which interests me. I have no doubt that you speak the truth as you see it, but my consent will not be given unless you can quantify your belief and couch it in scientific terms.” He glanced at Sparrow to see her hand clutching something inside of her clothing, then directed his attention back to Armagus.
”My other concern,” he said, ”is with this unspecified amount of ‘time’ you require to locate and extract this fragment of your mother. My understanding in the area of spells and rituals may be lacking, but it would seem to me that you would do both at the same time, and within a very specific time frame.” He used his grip upon Sparrow’s hand to spin her slowly, motioning to her revolving form, ”She is, after all, a slight enough figure, is she not? It would seem that finding this fragment ought not to take more than an hour, no matter how many different planes you must search in order to find it.”
His expression was thoughtful as he considered the information given by Sparrow’s former flame, ”I see. A living fragment of another being attached to Sparrow in some adjacent reality?” He sighed and shook his head, ”You must needs explain yourself better than that. Spirituality is not amongst those subjects which interests me. I have no doubt that you speak the truth as you see it, but my consent will not be given unless you can quantify your belief and couch it in scientific terms.” He glanced at Sparrow to see her hand clutching something inside of her clothing, then directed his attention back to Armagus.
”My other concern,” he said, ”is with this unspecified amount of ‘time’ you require to locate and extract this fragment of your mother. My understanding in the area of spells and rituals may be lacking, but it would seem to me that you would do both at the same time, and within a very specific time frame.” He used his grip upon Sparrow’s hand to spin her slowly, motioning to her revolving form, ”She is, after all, a slight enough figure, is she not? It would seem that finding this fragment ought not to take more than an hour, no matter how many different planes you must search in order to find it.”
Nabonassar- Casual practictioner
- Posts : 34
Join date : 2016-03-14
Alignment : Advisor to the Empress Regent, King
Re: [TRANSER] The old flames and the new
by Sparrow Sun Jan 01, 2017 6:16 am
The psion found herself a bit jostled by Nabonassar mentioning “planes” and kept in mind that the mystery surrounding the word “King” wasn’t one she herself had yet unraveled. Somehow, it meant the pale eyed man either had familiarity with planeswalkers, or, he was able to discern some of Armagus’s abilities with a glance via those strange, otherworldly eyes. Sometimes the King managed to frighten her— there were layers to the mysterious composition of his being.
That, and, it occurred to her that his alien eyes could probably see what was in her shawl and clutched in her fingers whether she liked it or not. It inspired Sparrow to sigh and shake her head.
’Nabonassar...you are a scholar, yes? Of….of sorts.’ she began; coming close to likely surprising Armagus by mounting a defense in his honor. She knew he wouldn’t expect her to speak up for him and yet she wasn’t doing so in order to curry any favor from either of them. ’Some things defy your understanding of ‘science’. I believe this may be one of them. I imagine Armagus has explained it as best he can to you for the time being. Please— invite him to the Domus Solis Ortum. Perhaps he has the faculties to demonstrate to you his intentions rather than finding the words for them.’
Sparrow turned the osmium compass in her fingers while her hand was still within the shawl and hood; feeling the engraved designed between her index and middle fingers; using the item to soothe a touch of anxiety before she gave it as a gift— likely tonight, as well. It was impossible to hide anything from Nabonassar, after all. It was then that she felt the King’s hand regaining her awareness and guiding her in a circle as if she were on display, and she found herself making a full rotation on her toes out of instinct alone.
’An hour…?’ she all but mumbled; brows knit as her voltaic gaze turned from Nabonassar to Armagus. Sparrow was beginning to build a picture in her mind of whatever this endeavor meant to engage and found herself intimidated by it. Something about it was beyond her understanding. Would he be walking the so-called planes, or, would he be gallivanting around inside of her? It seemed to the Psion that they were suddenly discussing a level of the metaphysical that was beyond her current understanding. The term “temporal” came to mind...one Sparrow had a middling understanding of giving her complete lack of academic training.
That, and, it occurred to her that his alien eyes could probably see what was in her shawl and clutched in her fingers whether she liked it or not. It inspired Sparrow to sigh and shake her head.
’Nabonassar...you are a scholar, yes? Of….of sorts.’ she began; coming close to likely surprising Armagus by mounting a defense in his honor. She knew he wouldn’t expect her to speak up for him and yet she wasn’t doing so in order to curry any favor from either of them. ’Some things defy your understanding of ‘science’. I believe this may be one of them. I imagine Armagus has explained it as best he can to you for the time being. Please— invite him to the Domus Solis Ortum. Perhaps he has the faculties to demonstrate to you his intentions rather than finding the words for them.’
Sparrow turned the osmium compass in her fingers while her hand was still within the shawl and hood; feeling the engraved designed between her index and middle fingers; using the item to soothe a touch of anxiety before she gave it as a gift— likely tonight, as well. It was impossible to hide anything from Nabonassar, after all. It was then that she felt the King’s hand regaining her awareness and guiding her in a circle as if she were on display, and she found herself making a full rotation on her toes out of instinct alone.
’An hour…?’ she all but mumbled; brows knit as her voltaic gaze turned from Nabonassar to Armagus. Sparrow was beginning to build a picture in her mind of whatever this endeavor meant to engage and found herself intimidated by it. Something about it was beyond her understanding. Would he be walking the so-called planes, or, would he be gallivanting around inside of her? It seemed to the Psion that they were suddenly discussing a level of the metaphysical that was beyond her current understanding. The term “temporal” came to mind...one Sparrow had a middling understanding of giving her complete lack of academic training.
Sparrow- Casual practictioner
- Posts : 22
Join date : 2016-06-07
Re: [TRANSER] The old flames and the new
by Armagus Mon Jan 02, 2017 9:33 am
Impatience gnawed at the Mage with tiny, red teeth.
Nabonassar was steeped in admitted ignorance yet could somehow ascertain that what needed to be done would only take an hours - because of Sparrow's size, no less. Before that though, things had to be explained scientifically, despite the, once again admitted, disinterest of the King, before consent could even be given.
Sparrow interjected, which caught the Mage by surprise. Instead of a well worded retort, Armagus stood there with a brow raised, wondering from what corners of Sparrow's mind this defense was mustered from. The woman never ceased to confound him, but this time it was in his favor. He'd say nothing to detract from that, in fact he'd say nothing at all. Now simply wasn't the time.
Instead Armagus lended himself to a contemplative silence for a moment, eyeing both Sparrow and her handler as she was twirled around. At once the Mage was reminded of the auctioning tables back in Múdeer: the space was infamous for human trafficking without all the seedy elements. They had well groomed stewards bowing and curtsying as they ushered men, woman and children onto the display platform then started the bidding.
But perhaps this was some sort of provocation instead? The idea seemed immediately unlikely as it ran through Armagus' head. Regardless, it was best to think nothing of it. There was a task to be completed and it would be best to not lose sight of that in the face of these petty obstacles.
"Sparrow is right. I can show you better than I can tell you. " He gestured openly with his hands. It was a invitation to ask the Mage to prove it. "I would much rather move to complete this as soon as possible though. Please do not forget, I have a mother to grieve." There was a nod to accent the solemn nature.
Nabonassar was steeped in admitted ignorance yet could somehow ascertain that what needed to be done would only take an hours - because of Sparrow's size, no less. Before that though, things had to be explained scientifically, despite the, once again admitted, disinterest of the King, before consent could even be given.
Sparrow interjected, which caught the Mage by surprise. Instead of a well worded retort, Armagus stood there with a brow raised, wondering from what corners of Sparrow's mind this defense was mustered from. The woman never ceased to confound him, but this time it was in his favor. He'd say nothing to detract from that, in fact he'd say nothing at all. Now simply wasn't the time.
Instead Armagus lended himself to a contemplative silence for a moment, eyeing both Sparrow and her handler as she was twirled around. At once the Mage was reminded of the auctioning tables back in Múdeer: the space was infamous for human trafficking without all the seedy elements. They had well groomed stewards bowing and curtsying as they ushered men, woman and children onto the display platform then started the bidding.
But perhaps this was some sort of provocation instead? The idea seemed immediately unlikely as it ran through Armagus' head. Regardless, it was best to think nothing of it. There was a task to be completed and it would be best to not lose sight of that in the face of these petty obstacles.
"Sparrow is right. I can show you better than I can tell you. " He gestured openly with his hands. It was a invitation to ask the Mage to prove it. "I would much rather move to complete this as soon as possible though. Please do not forget, I have a mother to grieve." There was a nod to accent the solemn nature.
Armagus- nooblin
- Posts : 2
Join date : 2017-01-02
Page 1 of 1
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum