Riches to Rags, Rags to Vengeance III

[Diachronos]

A lot has happened in the past few weeks. Gabriel Scorn has gotten the Senate of Kalimdor to begin working to improve the way of life for the Lower Quarter by opening a public school and allowing the other districts of the city to elect their own representatives to speak to the Senate on their behalf. He has broken off his engagement to Christine Brecombe, and met a handful of new allies in his search for the Shards of Midnight.

It hasn't been all good, though. Thaddeus Sanguine, the father of his friend Facia and the Royal Physician to Queen Ileosa, has been revealed as the poisoner responsible for the queen's declining health and is now imprisoned in the Kalimdor palace. His engagement to his personal servant Clarisse has been broken after a falling out over his identity as the Lightning Blade. And there is reason to believe that the supposedly hidden Shards are being unearthed by others even without the maps and relics that Sapphiron and the long-forgotten Order of the Dragon Knights had created to ensure they remained sealed.

Now he begins to make his preparations to travel with Ileosa to Hylia, in hopes of quelling the civil war in that land. In three days' time he will depart, and he is taking the time to get his affairs in order before then. His first stop is Facia Sanguine's estate, though he is advised upon arrival that the young woman is not at home.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns and checks the local sweet shops, searching for any sign of Facia.

[Diachronos]

As he expected, Gabriel locates Facia at one of the bakeries in the Merchant District with a small bag on the table in front of her.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel takes a seat. "Have you been to see him?" he asks.

[Diachronos]

Facia shakes her head. "I... I can't..."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel sighs. "He was getting blackmailed. He's probably relieved that he was caught. Now he doesn't have to do bad things anymore, and he can rest easy knowing you won't be hurt because of it."

[Diachronos]

"Maybe... Gabe, I just... I need some time. I'll talk to him when I'm ready."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods. "Well, I'm here right now. Want to go to the park and watch cute straight girls jog together? That always cheers you up."

[Diachronos]

Facia sighs and pulls a strawberry muffin out of the bag. "No, I'm... I'm just not in the mood right now..."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel sighs. How can he cheer his friend up?

"Want to come with me to the pet store? We can hold the bunnies. I was looking to pick up something fluffy for myself anyway."

[Diachronos]

Facia nods and grabs the bag. "I guess so. What are you planning on getting?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel shrugs. "I'll know it when I see it!"

A cute little bunny was sure to calm Facia down, and that was his priority right now. He takes her to the pet store.

[Diachronos]

They arrive at the same pet store that the two of them have been to several times before. The proprietor greets them warmly, and Gabriel soon finds the owner's brightly-colored parrot perched on his shoulder. Facia doesn't have her usual cheerful look, though, just absently looking around the place.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel scoops up a kitten and holds it up to Facia's face so it can lick at her cheek with its little sandpaper tongue. "Hey, he's saying hi to you. Don't ignore the face of cuteness!"

[Diachronos]

Facia gives him a partially forced smile and pets the kitten. "Look, I appreciate what you're trying to do, Gabe, but... I'm just in a bit of a sour mood at the moment..."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel lowers the kitten and puts it down in its pen. "Look, Cia, I'm...I'm going away again in a few days. And I just want you to be okay without me around for a while."

[Diachronos]

"I'll... I'll be fine, really. I've got Darven and Valeera to keep me company."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns and sits back against the wall. "Rachel, too," he reminds her gently. "But if you feel like you can't handle being alone...I can see if you might be able to come with me. There's going to be a lot of fighting."

[Diachronos]

Facia nods after a moment. "That... that would be nice. I'd like to get out of Kalimdor for a while."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles. "Okay. I'll make the arrangements. We leave in three days. I want you to be careful, okay? If I get seriously hurt, you need to stay out of things. This isn't some street fight, it's a war. A very bloody, messy, violent war. I don't want you or our child getting hurt because you were being reckless."

Gabriel walks her home and heads back to his estate. He heads up to Sapphiron's room and sits down on her 'bed' next to her. "So, have you been doing research on Hylia since you came home?" he guesses.

[Diachronos]

Sapphiron nods. "I'm not liking the place so far. They have a very poor opinion of half-dragons and those who are half-outsider." She holds up one of the books, showing him a picture of a bulky, stony-skinned humanoid. "Some of the races appear to be similar to what I remember. The Gorons look considerably larger than before, though."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel sighs. "Well, unfortunately, we are the outsiders in this situation. You can't change the entire culture of a nation just because it doesn't suit your view of the world. We have to abide by their culture while we're there, and then leave as soon as we can and continue working on improving our city instead."

[Diachronos]

"I know. It's just irritating, that's all."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel sighs and then stands up. "I would like to...extend an invitation to you. Would you care to dine with me this evening?"

Sapphiron has been here long enough to know that no one eats in the dining room with Gabriel alone, not even William. Clarisse might have, for all Sapphiron knows, but Sapphiron hasn't been human at any point during Gabriel and Clarisse's relationship, they were apart the entire time she's been mobile enough to notice these kinds of things.

[Diachronos]

The book slips from Sapphiron's hands when he asks her to have dinner with him. "W... what? Me? Why?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles. "You are not the only person who is curious, Sapphiron. I have done my best to answer all of your questions and provide you with as much knowledge and books as possible on this world and everything that is different. I would have you do the same. I wish to ask many things about life in the old world."

[Diachronos]

"That makes sense, but... dinner? You... you don't ask anybody to have dinner with you, not that I've seen at least."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel shrugs. "I guess you specifically are not just 'anybody' to me, then." He turns around and heads to his own room.

[Diachronos]

Sapphiron comes to his room and peeks in. "I... I'd like to have dinner with you tonight, Gabriel."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles. "Excellent. I'll let the chefs know. Meet me in the dining room at eight PM."

That night, Gabriel heads down to the dining room in his typical high dress fashion, with a sleek black blazer over his yellow shirt and a nice red tie. He waits for Sapphiron next to her chair, at the opposite end of the table from his, intending to pull it out for her when she arrives.

[Diachronos]

Sapphiron enters the dining hall, dressed in one of the nicer blue gowns that he'd bought for her. She'd opted for a normal human appearance, likely to ensure that her clothes weren't damaged.

She smiles timidly at him when he pulls out the chair for her, and takes a seat after giving him an unpracticed curtsy.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel takes a seat at the other end of the table and snaps his fingers. Several waiters enter the room, each carrying a tray except one who holds a bottle of wine.

The waiter fills both glasses with wine, pausing for a moment while Gabriel sips it.

"Perfection, Alestro, as always."

The waiter bows gratefully and leaves the bottle next to him.

Their empty plates are filled with tonight's entree, which Gabriel has ordered special. Roast pheasant with a chicken gnochi soup and boiled carrots. A delightful Hylia bread with a thin layer of garlic butter, and some parmesan cheese atop the soup to season.

Gabriel nods to the youngest servant, a timid girl of about twelve. She steps forward hesitantly, still nervous to be in her lord's presence, and spreads cranberry sauce over the pheasant on both plates.

"Thank you very much, Jenny," Gabriel says to her with a smile. The girl relaxes and smiles back, until the head chef smacks her on the back of the head and she quickly uses her apron to curtsy perfectly. "Thank you, my lord."

Gabriel cuts off a piece of the pheasant and takes a bite. The head chef stands patiently, watching his lord's face.

Gabriel chews for a few moments, swallows, and then reaches for his wine and takes a sip, holding it in his mouth as he savors the mixture. He swallows the wine and dabs at his lips with a napkin. "Lucas, you continue to amaze me. I have to say, I missed your excellent cooking while I was in Dalaran."

Lucas bows deeply, though it doesn't hold a single hint of politeness. Rather, it seems like a real gesture. "Lord Gabriel, you move me with your words. Certainly, there are far better chefs than me preparing your meals in the capital!"

Gabriel laughs. "Skill is nothing compared to passion. I can taste your love of cooking in every dish you prepare, Lucas. That will be all. I look forward to your preparations for tomorrow as well."

The servants quickly file back into the kitchen to start cleaning.

Gabriel turns his attention to Sapphiron. "My apologies. Such a lengthy process is much less burdensome when I am dining alone. Everything is prepared to satisfaction, please, enjoy yourself."

[Diachronos]

Sapphiron watches the procedure with mild confusion. After the servants leave, she tilts her head. "Is all of that really necessary? I mean... I like that you compliment the chef and servers, but it just seems too... practiced."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel looks at her with confusion. "Of course it's all necessary. If I don't personally evaluate every wine selection and meal, how will my chefs know what my tastes are? Besides, this personal level of interaction with my servants is why they appreciate me so much. I don't have time to visit every inch of this manor every day, so taking some time to spend giving my servants feedback and gratitude for their hard work is what keeps them invested in this estate. This personal touch is what makes their positions more than simply work to them. At least, that's what I like to think."

[Diachronos]

"Ah... I suppose that makes sense." Sapphiron takes a bite of her pheasant, letting out a small sigh as the taste washes over her tongue. "Oh, I can't remember the last time I tasted anything this goood..."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles. "I'm pleased that you like it. So then, why don't you tell me a bit more about yourself? I hardly know anything about you."

[Diachronos]

Sapphiron hesitates. "Where should I start?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles. "Where ever you're comfortable with. You don't need to tell me anything you don't want to. If you'd like me to only know certain things about you, then only tell me those things."

[Diachronos]

"Okay. Well, I first joined the Knights when I was ten. I was a... servant, I guess you could say, who tended to the animals in the local king's stables. I remember when Thendra showed up there and saw how well I got along with her drake mount, that's what led to her bringing me to the Order Hall."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles and sets down his fork. "Starting from your childhood, I see. Well then, I shall do the same. I was actually raised outside of Kalimdor. My mother took me on one of her expeditions when I was only four years old. She expected to return in six months, but instead we were lost in the mountains for six years. Heh...spending so much time in the wilderness made my mother a bit paranoid, I suppose you could say. After that, she was always worried about me whenever I got into any kind of trouble. But because of all the exercise I got as a child, I transitioned very well into the art of war as a teenager. My muscles were more developed and my stamina was higher than anyone else my age due to the hardships I endured as a young boy."

[Diachronos]

Sapphiron's eyes widen. "How did you end up lost for so long? Did the two of you become trapped in the mountains?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel grins. "Mother took her eyes off me for just a moment while she traced some markings she found on a wall. I wandered deeper into the cave, and the floor gave way! It was a special trap designed by the ancients to keep out grave robbers. When my mother saw I was gone, she came after me and dove headfirst into the trap herself. We were carried clear across the range, and the two of us were so injured that we couldn't move from the campsite for nearly three weeks. By the time our injuries had healed, we were half-starved, so we had to stay in one place another three weeks to recover from that too. With six weeks gone by, Mother's crew had given up hope of finding us. Her map was with her supplies, which she didn't stop to grab before she came after me. She had no idea where we were."

Gabriel sips his wine. "After three months of exploring the mountain range, my mother gave up and turned her attention to the forest at the mountain's base. She attempted to make her way through it, but some tribal natives intercepted her. They warned that she could not hope to brave the forests unscathed with a child weighing her down. So she settled into the village and waited until I was old enough to defend myself. I did my part in the village to help out, and the village children helped teach me a game to build up my running speed. When I turned ten years old, my mother decided she was ready and we made our way though the forest. She got some valuable information on the natives and wrote a book on living with them."

Gabriel continues eating. "Were you scared when you went through the ritual to become half-dragon?"

[Diachronos]

Sapphiron nods. "A little, yes. It's hard not to be... there's the fear of being found unworthy of wielding the power, and the Order never tried to keep the fact that those with dark hearts or self-serving motives would be struck down by the ritual's power. Even the most devoted and selfless of us were scared that we may have spent years training and proving ourselves worthy of even being selected for the ritual just to be denied by the higher beings granting us this gift. In my case, it didn't help that I was still young compared to most of the initiates, and I ended up fainting while the changes started taking hold. It took almost a week for me to wake up, and another before I was lucid enough to realize where I was."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel raises an eyebrow. "What kind of training did you do to make sure you could accept the power?" he asks, curious.

[Diachronos]

"All sorts of things. Learning about the Knights' history and tenets, combat training, studying magic and religion... Even things like cooking and mending clothes and tools."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel's eyes widen in shock. "How traditional! I wouldn't have expected something so feminine from you, Sapphiron."

He tries to stay non chalant, but his tone betrays his sense of relief. The information that she can cook and sew seems to have eased some worry of his, and he straightens up a bit as he really digs in.

"Forgive me for interrupting. Please, share as much or as little about yourself as you'd like."

[Diachronos]

The girl blushes and gives him a shy grin. "I was more surprised that the men had to learn these things too. But Kelastra explained that the Knights need to know how to be self-sufficient, even though we had Order Halls all over the world. The menial chores were things I'd already been doing for my whole life, but the learning took me longer than most. The king that I served didn't see a reason for slaves to know how to read, or to know much of anything other than what their intended job was."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel looks up with confusion. "Doesn't seem like much of a leader. In Kalimdor, the servant class is elite. Only certain merchants are allowed to let their kids train as servants. Then they can move freely through the Illumacone, shop anywhere they like even if it's for personal use, and they are better paid than the merchants who own their own businesses. The servants all have pride in their Houses. Even if they get no inheritance, they still take the core of their House to heart. Everyone here at my estate is like family."

[Diachronos]

"Maybe it was like that for his servants as well. I can't recall... but I wasn't a servant. My parents were ranchers, and they couldn't afford to pay their taxes one year because their livestock were either stolen by bandits or killed by disease, so I was taken as 'payment'."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel sighs. "I see. Is how I'm treating you now inappropriate? Is there anything I can do to make your stay with me more comfortable?"

[Diachronos]

Sapphiron shakes her head. "No, I like it here. It's almost like being with the Knights again."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel blushes. Ah...so they were getting to that again.

"You were Mephalas's wife at one point, right?"

[Diachronos]

Sapphiron shakes her head. "No, we... he proposed to me and I accepted, but we both agreed that it would have to wait until after the Shards of Midnight had been dealt with."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods understandingly. "Is that why you chose to be put into stasis for so long, instead of just being a book who could defend the tomb with magic? You were trying to escape your loss?"

[Diachronos]

"N... no, I wasn't. I did it because I spent almost two years sealed away, and... I couldn't take the loneliness."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel realizes he touched a nerve. "I'm sorry. When we first her you seemed so straightforward and on top of things. I got used to relying on you. I felt like I wasn't alone in my search anymore, but it never occurred to me while you were in that book that you might have needed me too."

He recalls when she came over in the middle of the night and started staying with him without asking. Loneliness, huh?

[Diachronos]

Sapphiron shakes her head. "No, it's alright. I... I really did need someone to talk to and interact with."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods. Time to switch subjects. "Well, is there anything you would like to know about my past? My life is nothing as adventurous as yours, but please ask me anything. Nothing is too personal for me to share."

[Diachronos]

"How did you come to be an engineer instead of a mage? I know you had classes at the Academy, but I've never seen you use any kind of magic before. Isn't that a school for those gifted in arcane power?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel laughs. "That? I have the talent for it, certainly, but I don't want to use magic, so I never put much effort into studying it. Instead, I put all my attention onto Arcane Theory. Understanding how magic works and its properties is essential to crafting magitech. Magitech is something that everyone can use, I'm more concerned about expanding that than my own power."

"That isn't to say that I have a problem with mages. Magic just isn't for me. I'll never know how strong of a mage I could have been if I really applied myself, but I like to think it wouldn't have been much. Besides, all of my friends can use magic and it just stresses them out most of the time."

[Diachronos]

"Ah, that makes sense. I remember my magic training with Thendra and Mephalas was pretty stressful." She takes a drink of her wine. "The 'magitech' of this city is intriguing, we didn't have anything like it in my time."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel pulls his sleeve up and creates a bolt of lightning from the center of the armband. "Magitech is similar to magic, and follows the same properties. However, instead of relying on a mage drawing power from the arcane, magitech can be operated by anyone. It works by producing its own flow of kinetic energy with gears that spin together when you press a switch. The kinetic energy functions as a source of arcane power, and the magitech casts the spell it was created to with that power reservoir."

He sits up. "Sapphiron, everyone in Hylia, as well as everyone in the queensguard, will think that you are my concubine. You understand the implications of that, yes? I invited you to eat with me because I was hoping that perhaps you might start to see me in a different light, and that might make your role to play a bit easier. It would certainly help your disguise if you could show some...affection...around me. And I would welcome it...if it's from you."

[Diachronos]

Sapphiron blushes when he mentions what everyone will think their relationship is in Hylia. "W-well... I will do what I can, Gabriel." She gives him a nervous smile, showing that she's not against the idea but that she might be nervous about being so open about the arrangement.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods. "I trust you to do what will work best for you, and I'm certain that will everything will work itself out after that. I just need the king or queen to truly believe that you and Kelastra are not spies. They will be able to surmise on their own that Kelastra does not speak the common tongue, so she will quickly be discounted as a potential threat on her own. You, on the other hand...you're quite...hm. Wait. You mentioned something, before. How Mephalas didn't prefer you in 'that' form."

Sapphiron would likely get flustered about the context of how she said it, but Gabriel ignores that. "You can use your spell to take on any form, right? Could you potentially disguise yourself as an older woman? Someone who appears to be only a year or two younger than me? And perhaps with an outfit that's closer to what a concubine might wear?"

[Diachronos]

Sapphiron nods and stands up. With a few spoken words her appearance chances, and she grows to be perhaps four to six inches shorter than Gabriel. She's just as slender and flat as before, but she looks like she's not much younger than him now. Her outfit hasn't changed, though. "Does this look alright for my body?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel scratches his cheek. "Um...well, if you're asking...I think you might want to make yourself a bit more like Kelastra...you know...in the chest area..."

[Diachronos]

Sapphiron pouts and stamps her foot. Even in her new body, she looks exactly like a child at this moment. "What's wrong with my chest right now? I don't like having those giant things hanging off of me and throwing off my balance all the time!"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel laughs uneasily. "Nothing is wrong, Sapphiron, but you have to admit you don't look very...grown up...without them."

[Diachronos]

"Well Clarisse doesn't have massive breasts either and I never heard you complaining that she didn't look like an adult!"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel shrugs. "Well, no. I mean, if it's about my personal preference then I prefer someone like you to someone like Kelastra, but it's for the sake of a disguise. You need to look like someone who was selected specifically for her capability to mother an heir..."

[Diachronos]

Sapphiron sighs, and after a moment her chest expands a few sizes, turning out a little smaller than Facia's. "Is that better?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel looks a little disappointed, and it's obvious he prefers her normal form. "Yes, that's the better disguise," he replies. "You also may want to show off your scales a bit more. You're going to be identified as a half-dragon and treated as a half-dragon while you are in Hylia, so looking less human may just make it a bit less...unclear." The favoring that he as a representative would get for 'owning' a pair of half-dragons depends on them being recognizable. Kelastra...well, no one would ever think of her as a normal human.

[Diachronos]

"Don't worry, the form you've seen me in so far isn't how I actually am. I make my hands and feet look like a normal humans so I don't damage any of my books." Her forearms shimmer for a moment, and the illusion fades to reveal that her scales extend clear up to her elbows, while wicked-looking claws grow out from her fingertips.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods. "Okay. That looks great! You can change back now, that form is only going to be necessary while we're in Hylia."

[Diachronos]

Sapphiron nods and reverts to her default form before taking a seat again.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel sighs as he finishes his meal. "This was lovely. Sapphiron, if it isn't too much of a burden for you, I would like you to join me for my meals every night from now on. We can discuss strategies, histories, culture, science, whatever is on our minds. I have to confess, though many of my friends are academics, I wouldn't consider any of them to be scholars like myself. Your company is rather special."

[Diachronos]

Sapphiron blushes. "It means a lot to hear you say that, Gabriel."

[NeoSeraphi]

The young lord chuckles. "So I take that as a yes? Excellent. Then, I'll be looking forward to tomorrow evening."

He escorts Sapphiron back to her room, and stays with her for a little while.

-----------------------

The next day.

Gabriel frowns as he gets up. He only has two days left to prepare for this journey. Glancing down at the sleeping suli on the bed, Gabriel gently reaches out and shakes her awake. "Come on, Eden. We're going to get some training in."

[Diachronos]

Eden's eyes shoot wide open, and Gabriel finds the suli's fist coming straight at him.

Hit/Confirm: [roll0]/[roll1]
Damage (nonlethal): [roll2]/[roll3]

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel blinks. He rubs his jaw as she punches him in the face and rolls his eyes. "Cute. I'm going to get you back for that in the arena. Now get up and get dressed. We're going to get some serious training in today."

[Diachronos]

Eden blushes and starts getting ready for the day. "Well... don't shake me awake next time, alright?"

[NeoSeraphi]

"I wouldn't shake you awake if you weren't such a heavy sleeper. Now then..." He takes her downstairs to the training area and puts on his armor, drawing Heavens Asunder.

"First things first. Your attacks are incredibly angular. That's how I was able to beat you even when you were wielding the shard. You need some refinement. Instead of swinging with anger, try to look for a hole in your opponent's defenses. Here, watch. I'm going to intentionally leave an opening as I move around. It will not be open with every step I take. You must watch my movements and my stance carefully, and if you can spot the opening, make your attack then."

Gabriel begins circling her in a narrow stance that gives her almost no chance to attack. As he completes a 180 degree arc, he steps with his left foot forward instead of his right, widening his stance considerably for barely a half-second before he continues moving in the same perfect defensive position. He circles around her again, leaving himself open for the same small amount of time. Will she strike him then?

[Diachronos]

Eden watches Gabriel go through the cycle a few times before finally taking the opening, stepping in with a right hook.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel grunts when she strikes him and steps back. "Alright, good. Now try to punish my opening as I attempt to attack you. You need to be quick. When your life is on the line, you don't have such a generous opening."

He raises his blade and resumes circling her. As Eden waits for the opening, Gabriel lashes out, striking her from his narrow stance. He circles again, but this time when he reaches the 180 mark, rather than opening himself up, he changes direction. If Eden was waiting for that instead of looking for the actual opening, she misses her attack entirely. He circles her an entire 360 degrees before he finally steps forward and brings his blade back in both hands to strike her. This attack pattern leaves him very vulnerable to counterattack for a solid second, but if she doesn't react in time he's going to seriously hurt her with his strike.

He thrusts forward.

[Diachronos]

Eden misses the opening thevfirst time he moves in, but catches him in the middle of his two-handed strike. "Maybe I'm missin' somethin' here, but why're we doin' this? I know how to fight."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel sighs. "No, you know how to swing your fists like a beast and rely on the brute strength of your attacks. That means nothing if you can't hit anyone. But very well. Do you have any skills you think are lacking that you want to train?"

[Diachronos]

"Most of the people I fight don't dance around like a pansy. And none of my skills are lackin', I'm doin' just fine!" She crosses her arms with a huff.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns. "As you wish. If you don't want to stay, go ahead. I'll train alone."

He snaps his rapier and it sparks up. He steps carefully around the arena, jabbing at invisible enemies and deflecting invisible blows.

[Diachronos]

Eden seems to deflate when he dismisses her; it's like she was expecting him to challenge what she said. "Well... maybe I could... use a little trainin'..."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods and sheathes his weapon. "Alright, then. We'll fight on your terms. Show me just how 'fine' you're doing!" He raises his fists in a defensive stance and moves to the center of the arena.

[Diachronos]

Eden lifts her hands and settles into a relaxed fighting stance. "Do you know how to throw a punch, or just take one?" She throws a quick jab at his chest.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel takes the punch and then looks down at his fists. "Well...no, but how hard can it be, right?" He aims carefully and throws a punch.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Diachronos]

Eden sidesteps his punch and moves in, taking advantage of the opening he'd left in his defenses by sweeping her boot against his ankle.
[roll0]

"That's how hard it c'n be. Y' left yourself wide open."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel flops onto his back and groans, standing up. "Ow. Well, okay, so it's harder than it looks. Come on, we're not done yet."

The two of them train for the next few hours, getting themselves prepared for all of their future battles together.

Sighing, Gabriel nods to the kitchen. "Alright, let's get some cherry juice and relax. It's lunch time, are you hungry?"

[Diachronos]

"Starvin', we haven' even had breakfast yet!"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel walks into the kitchen, opens the fridge and pours some cherry juice into a pair of glasses. After the two of them have that refreshing glass, he gets to work.

"Okay...so this is the stove. But there's no pan on the stove. So where are the pans? Hmmm...maybe in the cupboard above? No. Oh, wait, I bet they're in this handy drawer under the oven." He pulls the drawer out and grins. "Hah! Easy. Now then..."

He sets the pan on the stove top. "Alright, so one egg for each of us....gotta crack it so the yolk comes out." He looks down at the egg in his hand, and then squeezes it tightly. It shatters and opens up in his hand and he tilts his hand over and lets the yolk slowly fall into the pan. "Right. Should have washed my hands first. That was dumb of me." He tosses the shell in the trash, picks some shell out of the pan, and then washes his hands quickly. Second egg. He cracks it in his hands, dumps the yolk in the same way, and then grabs a whisk and looks at it strangely. "Okay...so you're supposed to 'beat' an egg, right? This is a weird cooking tool. Well, whatever."

He turns on the heat and starts whacking the eggs repeatedly with the whisk like a club.

[Diachronos]

Eden facepalms and grabs the whisk from him. "Honestly, how do you even dress yourself in the mornin'?" She starts whisking the eggs in the pan, showing him the proper way to do it. "And you're supposed to crack the eggs on the countertop or the side've the pan."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel stares. "Oooh, I get it! Wait, no I don't. What the hell is the purpose of stirring the yolk up? And why not just use a spoon if you're going to do that?"

When their food is done, Gabriel takes a seat at the table. He sighs. "Sorry. Things have been...awkward. I haven't spoken to Clarisse since we broke up, and she takes care of pretty much everything around here. Without her I've just kind of been...coasting."

[Diachronos]

"Where is she, anyway? I haven't seen her around."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel blinks. He looks around. Standing up, Gabriel heads to her bedroom and knocks. "Clarisse? You in there?"

[Diachronos]

Clarisse opens the door. "Oh... Lord Gabriel, is something wrong? You don't usually come to my room like this..."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel rubs the back of his head. "Just, um...just checking on you. I haven't seen you being your usual busy self the last couple of days. I was worried about you, Clara."

[Diachronos]

Clarisse nods. "I'm alright, my lord. You don't need to worry."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods. "Okay then. Sorry to bother you." He heads back into the kitchen.

"Alright, Eden, we're going to see Facia. Come on."

He takes Eden with him and heads to Sanguine Manor, knocking on the door and requesting to see Facia.

[Diachronos]

Facia is down within minutes, looking as though she hasn't taken the time to brush her hair since the day before. "Hm? What is it, Gabe?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles. "Hey. It's good to see you. You remember Eden, right? She's the woman who kidnapped Clarisse and nearly killed her and me. Say hello, Eden."

[Diachronos]

Eden blinks. "What? No, I don't remember her. Or was she skulking around the warehouse too?"

[NeoSeraphi]

"I didn't ask if you remembered her, Eden. I asked if she remembered you. By the time she showed up you were on the ground wishing you hadn't f*cked with me."

He smiles at Facia. "I was hoping, if you weren't too busy today, that you would give her a physical for me."

[Diachronos]

"I vaguely remember you carrying her out over your shoulder. Why does she need a physical?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles. "Because she's gotta be...what, twenty-two? Twenty-four? And she's never had one before. She's incredibly poor, your father couldn't have tended to every person in the Lower District. Just make sure she doesn't have anything wrong with her that we don't know about. Eden, go with the nice woman and do exactly as she tells you. I'll wait in the parlor."

[Diachronos]

"Alright, come on." Facia leads Gabriel to the parlor and has one of her servants bring him something to drink while she goes to see to Eden's physical.

While he waits, Gabriel hears a soft purring sound, and Kyo plops down into his lap.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel chuckles and strokes Kyo's fur. "What a strange little creature you are. Powerful, and hiding a big secret. I wonder if you can understand me? Hm. Maybe it's just a connection with your master, or maybe you really are that intelligent. We're going on another trip soon. It's going to be across the sea this time. Be careful that you don't fall off the boat!" He sighs in content. Eden is a handful, but hopefully seeing a naked woman will cheer Facia up a bit.

[Diachronos]

After about an hour, Eden and Facia come back downstairs. "She seems healthy enough. A little malnourished, but that's easily fixable. Although... there may be another issue."

"I told you, I'm clean. I'm not involved in that sh*t anymore."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns. "Malnourishment, huh? Okay, then. Eden, you'll be eating with me for a while. You'll be getting a much larger portion and better quality of food if you're sharing my meals instead of whatever the kitchen makes for guests."

He pauses as he looks between the two women. "...What 'other' problem? Eden?"

[Diachronos]

"It's nothin'. I kicked the stuff, it's not gonna to be a problem anymore, no matter what Princess here says."

The room seems to chill by ten degrees, and Facia's eye twitches. "What... did you just f*cking call me?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel blinks and then groans and stands up. "Thanks for your help, Cia. That was probably the malnutrition talking. We will be sure to chug a whole gallon of OJ when we get home. Bye now!"

He pets Kyo, grabs Eden's arm and yanks her out of there.

After a while of them walking he turns to her. "What did you 'kick'? What's going on, Eden?"

[Diachronos]

"I'd be more concerned about her reaction. I don't think I've seen anybody that pissed since you stabbed Tyv in the gut!"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel rolls his eyes. "Yes, you probably shouldn't insult people to their face before you get to know them. It's an easy way to get yourself punched. Now stop dodging the question. What did she find?"

[Diachronos]

"I didn't insult her, though! Don't a lot of noble gals like being called 'Princess'?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel groans and rubs his temples. "If they do, it is only by their fathers at a young age or by their lovers in a very intimate setting. And for her, it's neither. What did she find?"

[Diachronos]

"She found somethin' that's not a problem anymore, alright? I don't wanna talk about it."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns. "Facia wouldn't have told me if it wasn't a problem anymore. There must still be some complications."

[Diachronos]

Eden growls. "Alright, fine! I used to shoot up with heartrose! There, happy now?!"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns. "Look, I know there are some aspects about your past that you want to forget but I can't help you move past them if I don't know about them."

Know (Local) [roll0]

[Diachronos]

"I kicked the habit, it's not an issue anymore. Can we just drop it?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel sighs and gives her a look. "Okay. We can drop it."

He takes Eden home, then heads to the Academy to see if he can find Rachel.

[Diachronos]

Rachel is busy reviewing the results of their interviews in Dalaran when Gabriel arrives, but she lets him in to talk. "What can I do for you, Gabriel?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel considers how to proceed. "In your professional opinion, if someone is exposed to trauma for an extended period of time, like a thousand years, and never has it treated at all, could that develop an almost mind-affecting reaction?"

[Diachronos]

Rachel raises an eyebrow. "Well... of course, it could. Any kind of emotional trauma can cause lasting effects without treatment, but I don't know how someone would experience it for that long without being immortal."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods firmly. "Yes, but the person I'm worried about is an immortal. She's been alone for centuries. She can barely talk, and she doesn't recall much about herself. I'm honestly worried it may be holding her like a curse at this point."

[Diachronos]

Rachel drops her pen. "You know someone that old? Honestly? And you say that she's suffering from that kind of trauma?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods. "You saw her. The half-dragon that was guarding that cave in Dalaran. She's killed hundreds of people with her own hands to defend the treasure of that place. She's an empty shell who barely even notices her best friend. Can you help her?"

[Diachronos]

Rachel sighs and rubs her temples. "I'll see what I can do, but I can't make any promises. Emotional trauma isn't something easy to manage to begin with, and I can't guarantee that there's anything I can do to help her if it's been going on this long. Even if I can help her, it's going to be a slow process."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel sighs in relief. "Okay. I'm going to Hylia with the queen for a while. Will you be okay here by yourself? If you need anything, please swing by my estate and ask my father directly."

[Diachronos]

"I should be fine. I've been interviewing some of the students to find an assistant, so my work load should get a bit lighter soon."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods and thanks Rachel for her time. He decides to go see Celeste while he has some time.

[Diachronos]

Celeste is working in the chapel as normal, but she drops what she's doing to make time for Gabriel. As soon as she sees him, she throws her arm around him. "It's so good to see you again, Gabriel!"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles and hugs her back. "So much happened on my trip to Dalaran. I went to the zoo, oh man there were animals from all over the world. You would have loved it. I did some hiking, visited a hot spring, got in a lot of exercise."

His bandages from his fight with Eden are still visible. It's obvious that he was in a fight to the death not too long ago.

[Diachronos]

Celeste frowns when she sees his bandages. "Well, you've obviously getting exercise from those. Just what kind of trouble were you getting yourself into, Gabriel?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel looks down at his shoulder. "What, this? Hunting accident. I uh...I shot myself."

Bluff [roll0]

[Diachronos]

"You... shot yourself. In the shoulder. On a hunting trip." Celeste nods for a moment. "What really happened?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns. "You know, let's not talk about that. How have you been?"

[Diachronos]

Celeste sighs. "I've been doing alright. It's taken some time to get used to that kobold you sent our way, but he's a nice enough person."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel laughs. "I'm really sorry about that. I would have offered him space at my home, but he seems like he'd just be happier in the Lower District, you know? I'll get him a place of his own as soon as I can. So, what would you like to do today?"

Gabriel is making an effort to hide his distress from her, but she can tell something is really bothering him. He seems conflicted, like he knows there's something he has to do but he doesn't want to do it. He also seems stressed, anxious, nervous, worried, and afraid.

Celeste has never felt fear from Gabriel before. All the time she knew him he had it very easy, he never had anything to be afraid of before. Between that and the injury, there's definitely something he's not telling her.

[Diachronos]

Celeste reaches out and grabs his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Gabriel, please... what's wrong? You've never been like this before, I know that something's troubling you."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel sighs. "Look, I got wrapped up in some really bad stuff, okay? Like, really bad. And someone I care about got hurt because of it. I'm scared that someone else is going to do it too. My friends, they all butt their noses into my business and then decide on their own they want to get involved too. I can't stop them. I just...I can't let you into that world, Celeste. Not you. You're the only person left who smiles and I know it's not forced or fake. I know it's hard, but I need you to not worry. Just let me handle things, and hopefully soon it'll all be over."

[Diachronos]

Celeste stares at him for a short time before giving a tiny nod. "...Okay. Just promise me you'll be careful..."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles. "I promise. Now, come on. We haven't seen each other in a while. What sounds fun today?"

[Diachronos]

"Well... we haven't taken a walk on the shore for a while."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods and takes her hand, leading her to the docks. The two of them walk along the shore of the Mists together. "My wedding was called off, by the way. Clarisse and I are no longer seeing each other."

[Diachronos]

Celeste looks up at him. "Oh no... I'm sorry to hear that, Gabriel. Was... was it something that one of you did?" She blushes and covers her face. "No, no, I shouldn't have asked you that, it's none of my business! I'm sorry!"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel shakes his head. "It's fine. I told you, someone close to me was hurt because of the trouble I got into. That person was Clarisse. She fears for her life by being close to me, so we drifted apart."

[Diachronos]

"Oh... is she okay? Are the two of you still... on friendly terms?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns as he thinks about it in his mind. The way she had been acting before. "I don't know," he answers honestly. "But it's pretty low on my list of priorities right now. We can mend things after I deal with this...problem."

[Diachronos]

Celeste hugs him. "I hope the two of you can work this out."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel shakes his head. "I doubt it. I lied to her about something really important. Maybe we can be friends again, but I don't think it will get past that. It's okay though...someone else has caught my eye."

He looks out over the ocean and sighs peacefully. "So, I heard an interesting bit of gossip. Turns out, the queen has a daughter!"

[Diachronos]

Celeste gasps and looks up at him. "Really? She does? Has she been hiding in the palace this whole time? But... why would Queen Ileosa keep her heir a secret? Unless... Oh! Her daughter must have something about her that the Queen wants to keep hidden!"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel blinks and thinks about it for a moment. "I'm sure she mentioned why....hmmm...I forgot. Sorry, there was something...er...distracting about that conversation that sticks out more in my memory."

The box in his pocket feels heavy. Maybe being around such an innocent person is making the Shard restless. Gabriel can start to hear the whispers tickling his ear even now.

[Diachronos]

She's below you. You know it, deep down. Why not have her serve you, as everyone else should?

"Well, I hope that she lets her daughter come out into the public eye. It doesn't seem right for her to be hidden away all the time."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel winces. "Eh heh. Yeah...you're probably right. Still, the king passed away twenty years ago, you know? Her daughter has got to be our age by now..."

His demeanor has suddenly shifted. Celeste can sense surprise, confusion and panic in him.

[Diachronos]

Celeste tenses. "Gabriel? What's wrong? Is... is there something important that you forgot about?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel growls. "N-no...I..."

I can't be around her. She can feel everything that I'm feeling.

You are the king now, Gabriel. Ileosa said it herself. This woman is your subject. She is your pawn. Those cute little eyes of hers...wouldn't you rather have them filled with fear or respect than confusion?

He takes a step back. "Celeste, I...I think I need to leave."

[Diachronos]

Celeste reaches for his hand. "Gabriel, I'm worried about you. Please, tell me what's wrong. I can't help you if I don't know what's wrong."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel hesitates. He can sense Celeste's genuine concern for him. He slowly reaches into his pocket and pulls out the box, opening it up. He shows her the Shard. The voice gets louder, for both of them.

[Diachronos]

Celeste gasps and takes a few steps back. "G-Gabriel... what... what is that?"

[NeoSeraphi]

"It's called the Shard of Ambition. It represents a man's drive, lust for power, wealth and success. It finds the smallest fears or faults in your heart and amplifies them to an extreme to convince you to act cruelly or in an extreme way. It seems particularly interested in you."

[Diachronos]

The Shard begins to speak, but Celeste yelps and smacks the box out of Gabriel's hand. "Get that away from me!"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel bends over, picks up the shard and the box, puts the shard in the box and closes it. He puts it in his pocket. "Sorry. Like I said, things have gotten pretty serious with me lately. ...Celeste? Are you okay? What did it say to you?"

[Diachronos]

"I-it... it said that... that I'm 'destined for more'."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel tilts his head. "Angels are usually destined for greatness, Celeste."

[Diachronos]

"But it wasn't referring to that! It was talking about something else, but it wasn't being very clear."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel sighs. "I'm sorry. Look, I don't like it either. It preys on my desire to elevate my status above others, and takes the feelings of pride I get from helping the disadvantaged and turns it into desire for payment."

[Diachronos]

"Gabriel, why can't you just get rid of it? That thing is pure evil!"

[NeoSeraphi]

He blinks. 'Pure evil'? That's the same thing Facia said when she was exposed to it. Strange... Gabriel never got the sense that the Shard was 'evil', it only seemed to entice him to gain more power. It's never suggested he doing anything directly evil before.

"It also seems to provide its wielder with immense power. I can't just throw it away, someone else will find it and use it and hurt people. I have to carry it so it won't have the chance to hurt others."

[Diachronos]

"Then lock it up somewhere! Gabriel, this thing is something that's going to corrupt you if you don't get rid of it!"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns. "It was locked up somewhere when I found it. And hundreds of people had attacked the area it was locked up in to try and steal it. They had all been killed, because the lure of power was so strong that only death would sway them from it. This thing isn't going to corrupt me. I have it under control. I promise. But I can't take my eyes off it. I can't let Tyvhoran get her hands on it. I just...I just can't. You don't know what she can do, and that's just with one Shard...I hope."

[Diachronos]

"Well... isn't there someone who can help you against this person? Or... is that the business you were talking about that your other friends are getting involved in?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods. "It is, but I also hired a pair of excellent warriors to help me."

[Diachronos]

"Do they know about the Shard?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods. "Yes. One of them actually has experienced the influence of the Shard and tried to kill me while she was wielding it. The other was the person who guarded the Shard for thousands of years, and killed many people to prevent its corruption from spreading to the outside world. In the process she lost most of her sanity."

[Diachronos]

"Why would you hire someone who tried to kill you?" She frowns. "Gabriel, why do you have to put yourself in this much danger?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel shrugs. "Because if I don't do it, someone else will. And only a coward would wish this fate on someone else."

[Diachronos]

Celeste nods quietly and hugs him. "I don't want anything to happen to you..."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles and hugs her back. "I'll be okay. Even if I become corrupted, I'll never forget you, Celeste. My wife, my children, my parents, my friends. All of them may fade away into the darkness. But you'll always be the light I can cling to."

[Diachronos]

Celeste nods. "...Don't keep me in the dark, okay? If there's something I can do to help you, just let me know."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel walks Celeste home and then heads back to his place. He checks on Eden in his room.

"Hey. Are you feeling better after this morning?"

[Diachronos]

Eden sighs and flops down on the bed. "I told you, I'm fine."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel takes a seat next to her. "...Why did you ever shoot up in the first place?"

[Diachronos]

"I... I don't even remember. I just remember startin' to take it, and it felt natural when I did."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns. "Alright. When was your last dose? We'll need to prepare in case the withdrawal symptoms hit."

Gabriel thinks to himself about the active ingredient in heartrose and if there is any safe, legal substance that might have a small dose of it so he could help wean her off the addiction.

[Diachronos]

"Um... two days ago."

Unfortunately, heartrose isn't something that a person can be easily weaned off of, as the addiction comes from the extract and parts of the plant itself. The only "effective" method of removing an addiction other than quitting cold turkey would be to take increasingly smaller doses. Some other drugs could theoretically be used to mimic its effects, but that comes with the risk of addiction to another substance.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel raises an eyebrow. "H-how...I searched you when you were unconscious. I brought you here the day after, you said you had nothing to retrieve from your old home. You haven't left the house except under my supervision. Where the hell did you even get a syringe?"

[Diachronos]

"Well apparently you didn't search hard enough, cuz you missed it." She crosses her arms and turns away, staring at the wall. "It's the last time, I swear."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns. "Well...if you say so. But maybe you should just give me the rest of your stash. I'll hold on to it for you. Just to help you kick it."

Diplomacy: [roll0]

[Diachronos]

Eden sighs and reaches into her shirt, pulling out a small pouch. She hands the pouch to him, and inside he finds half a dozen small vials of transparent, blood-red liquid.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel looks at the vials hesitantly. He takes them and locks them in the box with his suit. "Alright. If you feel like you really need one, let me know. Otherwise, we can both just forget they're even there. Okay?" He smiles and nods. "Right, it's time for dinner. Let's go together. Sapphiron will meet us down there. The two of you can have a chance to get to know each other better."

[Diachronos]

Eden nods and gets up, following him downstairs.

Sapphiron meets them in the dining room, where the table has already been set.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles and pulls Sapphiron's chair out for her, careful to not squeeze her against the table.

He takes his own seat and gestures to spot to his right. "That's where you will sit from now on, Eden."

Gabriel looks across the table. "Sorry if this is an inconvenience, Sapphiron, but Eden is malnourished and to make certain she's eating very well, I'll need to have her share my meals from now on."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel relaxes into his chair as he digs in. "Sapphiron, do you have a weapon? I notice Kelastra always carries an axe but I don't think I've ever seen you wearing any arms."

[Diachronos]

"It's not an inconvenience. I'd much rather your guest be healthy than to make you eat alone with me."

Eden promptly forgets about the two of them and starts digging into her food. Sapphiron, however, keeps her attention on Gabriel. "I had a sword at one point, but I gave it up to use as a seal after the battle with Mephalas."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods. "What type of sword? I can pick a new one up for - Eden, that's a cocktail, not lemonade! Sip, woman, don't chug it!"

[Diachronos]

"A weak-ass cocktail, you mean. I got into fights with kids that packed a bigger punch than this stuff when I was little."

Sapphiron shook her head. "That's not necessary. I get the feeling that I won't need to do much fighting in the near future, and in any case I still have my magic."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns. "Maybe. After what happened to Eden, I think you may need to restrain me before too long."

He frowns. Celeste..."I've seen what Kelastra does to her allies. If I lose myself, I want you to stop me. I'd ask Eden, but she couldn't beat me when I was holding back."

[Diachronos]

"I know a few spells that can restrain someone without causing them any harm. But... why do you think that will be necessary? You're... you're not thinking of actually using the Shards, are you?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel shakes his head. "I'm not. But I have no idea what will happen when my Shard comes into contact with the one in Hylia. It may be too much for me to handle."

[Diachronos]

"Perhaps it would be best to allow Kelastra or I to hold onto one of them, then."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel raises an eyebrow.

"Is that so? And what..." he takes the box out of his pocket, "do you hear when the Shard calls out to you?"

He places the Shard on the table between them.

[Diachronos]

Sapphiron closes her eyes for a moment. "I hear it telling me that the Order of the Dragon Knights can be revived, and returned to its original level of power and authority." She shakes her head. "Even if that were possible, it would take centuries to reestablish that kind of power."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns. "Indeed. But the Shard of Ambition drove every other member of the Order to turn on Kelastra. So...either the Shard is giving you a weak argument to drop your guard, or....you're lying to me."

Sense Motive [roll0]

[Diachronos]

"What makes you think that that's not one of the things that I want? The Order was a group that dedicated itself to ensuring peace and prosperity for all. Don't you think the world today could use someone like that?"

Gabriel doesn't get the sense that Sapphiron is being dishonest with him.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns. "I do think the Order is valuable. I just thought you might have some more immediate goals. Some ambition that you might realize while...while I was still alive."

He picks up the Shard.

"I have a question. What exactly is it you want? I understand you need a human host, but once you have one, what do you plan to do?"

[Diachronos]

"It's been so long that I can't even remember what I'd wanted to do with my life back then."

The Shard chuckles. I plan to help my host achieve their goals, of course. What else would I do?

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel stares at the Shard in his hand.

"Excuse me, ladies. I'll be right back."

He heads upstairs and locks his door.

"Alright. Out of curiosity, how exactly do I use the power? And if I use it, do you promise to not call out to anyone else?"

[Diachronos]

Isn't it obvious? You just have to stop trying to "win" this battle of wills. You're so determined to control me that you can't even focus on making use of my power.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns. He was only focused on not losing, not necessarily winning. Still...

His mother had given him this map, knowing that he was close to House Sanguine. Knowing that Ambition was likely the first Shard he would track down. He didn't trust this Shard as far as he could throw it, but he does trust her.

Also, if doing this will get the Shard to stop calling to other people, then he will be less likely to get caught in Hylia.

"Fine. I dedicate myself...to my ambitions!" Gabriel declares, raising the Shard and ridding himself of any desire to control it.

[Diachronos]

Good boy. A sharp pain flares up in Gabriel's hand, like an icicle is being driven through it. As he's reeling from the sudden pain, he swears that he can feel icy tendrils worming their way under his skin and through his veins, spreading up his arm and around his heart.

Ooh, you have a great deal of ambition, don't you? To change Kalimdor to you will, to prove your genius and wisdom to its people... to claim the women in your life as your own. I think we'll get along just fine with this, Gabriel Scorn.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel growls in pain. After a moment he straightens up and takes the box out of his pocket. He tosses it into the closet, no longer needing it. Grabbing some thread, Gabriel slips it through the Shard and creates a necklace, placing it around his neck. He tucks the Shard under his shirt. It feels cool against his skin.

Gabriel heads downstairs and takes a seat. "Sorry about that. Now, Eden, have you ever been to Hylia before?"

[Diachronos]

"Nope. I've barely even left Kalimdor."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns. "Sapphiron, what can you tell me about Hylia's landscape, government, economy, or anything else you think may be relevant?"

[Diachronos]

Sapphiron blinks and looks up at him; she seems to have been staring at his shirt. "Huh? Oh... Well the capital is in the middle of the plains, about a week's travel from the port we'll likely be arriving at. Further east is a vast desert, and to the south of the capital is a large mountain chain. Their economy isn't much different from Kalimdor's, but most settlements outside the capital are fairly poor, even the trading hubs. I haven't been able to find much on their government yet, but it seems that a single royal family rules the whole continent."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel rolls his eyes and pulls his collar down a bit so Sapphiron can see the Shard around his neck. "Sapphiron, I told you before we left for Dalaran that I may decide to use the Shard's power. I asked you if you would still support me then and you said you would. Relax. I know what I'm doing."

Nyktox didn't seem to be in too bad of shape despite spending all his time connected with his Shard. Perhaps the Shard would have a negative impact on Gabriel, but how much worse could it be than constantly trying to resist the lure?

"The royal family rules the whole continent...that's insane. How could they possibly exert their authority over such a great distance?" He bites his lip. This was likely one of the reasons the war was still going on. "Did your research give you any ideas as to what might be causing the citizens discontent?"

[Diachronos]

"Well, from what I've read it seems that each group in Hylia sends one of their nobles to the capital to marry into the royal family, and they use that to keep the royal family's influence spread across the kingdom. As far as what might be causing the civil war... I'm not entirely sure, but my guess is that certain groups in Hylia aren't happy with the current ruler and want to break away or overthrow him."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods. "And the current ruler is Ileosa's father...hmm. Alright. Well, our primary objective is to stop the war, by whatever means necessary. Though we will do so with as few casualties as possible, on either side. Our secondary objective is to make certain that the Shard in the king's possession is not negatively influencing him. If it is, we will need to remove it from his possession before things get any worse. If the Shard is cooperating with him and he seems normal to Ileosa, we will leave it with him. He found it, after all, and I'm not in the mood to steal from anyone unless it's necessary."

[Diachronos]

"That's assuming that the king even possesses one of the Shards. I have a hard time believing that so many of them were uncovered without any kind of aid."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns. "Eden says that Tyvhoran was interested in Hylia because their ruler has a Shard. If Tyvhoran suspects the Shard is in his possession, then I do as well. She is way more informed about all of this than I am. All that matters is that I prevent her from making things even worse over there."

[Diachronos]

"Do you intend to take the Shard if the king possesses one?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel shakes his head. "Only if it becomes apparent to me that the king's aggression or conflict is fueled by the Shard's influence. If it appears that this war is the fault of the people solely, then I will leave the Shard in the king's possession. Again, I am not interested in making myself a thief. If the Shard is impacting his ability to rule properly, I will be doing him and his kingdom a service by taking it from him."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel sighs and heads to bed. The next day he spends working, finishing up an important project that takes him the entire day to finish. He doesn't break for meals at all, he absorbs himself in his work. His eyes dart across the page as the Shard whispers in his ear, and he finds himself coming up with new calculations he never thought possible.

The next day, Gabriel wakes up Sapphiron and Eden, catching the latter's fist and warning her not to try his patience, then goes to get Kelastra before stopping by Sanguine Manor.

The group of adventurers head to Ileosa's palace to depart for Hylia together.

[Diachronos]

Ileosa and her procession of personal guards meet Gabriel and the others at the bridge leading to the palace. Ileosa has exchanged her formal gown for well-made traveling clothes, with a white leather vest and mithral chain over her top and a gilded black metal staff clutched in her hand. "I trust that you are ready to depart, Lord Gabriel?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel bows politely. "Indeed. So, what can you tell me about the king? Is there anything we should know before we meet him?"

[Diachronos]

"My father, King Daphnes? He is an ambitious man, that much I know for certain. He's spent most of his life researching old Hylian legends, looking for ways to reclaim whatever glory the kingdom might have once had."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel sighs. "Is that so? I wish I had a treasure to offer him then. Oh well. He sounds like an adventurous bloke. I'm certain we'll get along famously."

[Diachronos]

"I hope so. My father has little patience for those with nothing to offer him if they aren't part of the royal family."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns. He has plenty of rubies but something so common is not a fit gift for the king of a nation.

"Sapphiron, do you have any ideas for a treasure we could offer the king? The three of you are with me and Facia likely won't be in his presence much, so one treasure will suffice."

He doesn't bother speaking in Draconic. Ileosa is a witch so she likely has a better mastery of the language than him, and she wouldn't appreciate any attempts to exclude her from conversation.

[Diachronos]

"A well-crafted art piece, or something similar. Anything valuable would probably work, especially if it's not from Hylia."

"Your aid in the war might also be something he would accept, though I would recommend against it."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns. He could offer something from his mother's collection, but that wouldn't be very polite of him. He can't take others' things without asking.

Right, he has an idea.

"Your Majesty, may I request you delay our departure for one hour while Lady Sanguine and I go and retrieve something?"

He turns to the larger woman. "(Draconic) Kelastra, if the woman with scars tries to leave without Sapphiron's permission, break her legs for me."

Gabriel frowns at Eden. "Alright, I'm trusting you to behave yourself while I'm gone. Understand?"

[Diachronos]

Ileosa raises an eyebrow, but she nods. "We will be waiting for you at the docks. You have one hour."

Eden lets out an exasperated sigh. "Yeah, yeah, I understand! Why do you keep treatin' me like I need someone watchin' me all the time?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel crosses his arms. "Trust is something you have to earn, Eden. You don't get it simply by agreeing to work for me. Until I have reason to believe you are truly loyal, I will continue to think of you as...a troublemaker."

He nods to Facia and the two of them go to Duskwind Manor. Gabriel knocks on the door and requests an audience with the lady of the estate.

[Diachronos]

Facia raises an eyebrow as they wait for Selene to arrive. "So what are we doing here, exactly?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles. "Lady Selene is a well-established archaeologist with plenty of artifacts and discoveries that she's already made and documented. Perhaps we can convince her to part with a more mundane but pretty piece in her collection so that we can make a good impression on King Daphnes."

[Diachronos]

Selene arrives at the door, raising an eyebrow upon seeing Gabriel. "Fancy seeing you here. Somehow, I doubt you're here to return that tome that half of my expeditionary team lost their lives retrieving."

[NeoSeraphi]

Man, she's still not over that, huh?

Gabriel laughs. "Lady Selene, I believe you know as well as I do that Sapphiron is no ordinary artifact. I have done my best to convince her to return to you but she refuses to be kept as an object. To be honest...I don't like the idea of keeping a human soul imprisoned in a tome as an object either."

He smiles. "However, I would like to discuss something with you. By Her Majesty's request, I am going to help put a stop to the civil war in Ileosa's homeland of Hylia. I was hoping that perhaps you might be willing to part with something of little interest to you from your collection, so that I might use it to win King Daphnes's favor?"

Diplomacy: [roll0]

The Shard feels cold against his chest as Gabriel looks down in surprise. His voice has suddenly turned velvety smooth and his words carry just a hint of seduction in them, the same hint that Selene used with him the night they met. Nothing inappropriate implied, but he was matching her step. The two of them shared more of an understanding between their words. What was happening to him?

[Diachronos]

A faint shade of pink rises to Selene's cheeks. "Under normal circumstances I'd refuse, but... I believe I may have a relic or two that I can part with. Please, come this way." She leads him into a large room where dozens of artifacts and pieces of history are on display.

[NeoSeraphi]

The Shard pushes Gabriel to be more assertive. His hand darts out to seize her arm. "Now now, madame. It is only right for a gentleman to escort a lady."

For Gabriel to lead on Selene when she was already wed is a very improper thing indeed, and yet Gabriel slips her arm under his and walks alongside her. "You look positively radiant, madame. I do hope that I receive another invitation to a ball at your estate before too long."

When they arrive, Gabriel steps back, letting Selene go. "Please, show me which relics you may part with."

[Diachronos]

Selene's blush deepens as he escorts her. "Y-you'll be among the first on the list, Gabriel."

In the room full of relics, she points to a few rows of old masks and jewelry items. "We found these in some old ruins to the north, near the shoreline closest to the Maelstrom. They're valuable, but not particularly special."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel selects the mask that has the most exotic appearance to it and places it in his bag. "This is most generous of you, Lady Selene. House Scorn owes you a favor. Do not hesitate to call it in whenever you like. I would love to stay and chat, but unfortunately Her Majesty did not give us long. Come along, Facia."

The two of them rush to the docks.

[Diachronos]

The pair arrives at the docks, finding Ileosa waiting for them with Sapphiron and Eden. At first there's no sign of Kelastra, but soon he spies the half-dragon lifting a large shipping crate off the ground before carrying it up toward the ship.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods. "Getting help with the luggage? I'll pitch in." He gives Facia a kiss on the cheek before rushing over to the loading area.

"(Draconic) Hey. You decided to help move this stuff? That's very nice of you." He picks one of the smaller boxes and lifts it up, placing it on the ship as far back as it will go.

[Diachronos]

(Draconic) "Sailors too slow." She hefts the box with little trouble and walks up the gangplank with it, and the sailors promptly get out of her way while muttering something about the 'show-off woman'.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel grabs another box and hops up onto the deck with it. " (Draconic) Right...are you going to be okay? You know we're going to be going away from your lair for a while. You have to sleep on the water, and then in a bed. No rubies and no rocks to carve."