Bustin' Makes Me Feel Good [Empire 6]

[Jade_Tarem]

Cladach Sealaith, the Salt Cliffs to other cultures, was imposing even before Dun Salainn was taken into account. High basalt cliffs, stained white from the ocean near the water line, loomed over an unpredictable and sometimes violent surf. The fortress itself sat atop even that, shipwrights laboring at the bottom of winding stairs in the one calm cove along the entire shore.

And today, within, the High Thane of the Solais awaited. Kylara the Ivyreach, hair whitened from winter, sat upon a bench dragged up against a wall within the gate - an unusual place to receive guests, and far less opulent than her hall at Star's End, but there was a reason she had picked this meeting place: no one really needed to know about this meeting. She adjusted her verdant cloak and emerald-set laurel circlet and waited for her visitors. It went without saying that the Star Watch was in attendance, as well as a double-sized contingent of outriders, several magi of various disciplines, and even a couple members of the Moon Guard for good measure. A meeting had been agreed upon, but they were taking no chances with the High Thane's safety.

[Tychris1]

”Always nice to have a bit of privacy,” The voice purred out, oozing over lips like bubbling magma from the fractured skin of the earth, and slowly solidifying into a cheshire smile “Of course, I rarely get such a luxury, heavy are the horns…” Merlyn began to blow on on their fingers, inspecting the design they had recently scrimshawed upon their nails, and kicking their feet playfully one over the other. The Wyrm Sorcerer leaned to the side, playfully bumping with a bronze mantled shoulder carved to look like a diamond star.

”This place is a reliquary, you know.”

[Jade_Tarem]

"It's just a matter of knowing how to ask." Kylara held further commentary until her guest got to the part about the reliquary. "We knew this place had more than stones and brine in it. A reliquary for who or what, exactly? The salt demons, almost certainly, but any one of them in particular?"

[Tychris1]

”My mother taught me the five winds of witchcraft you know.” Merlyn nodded their head sagely, eyes closed as they began to slowly scoot back in their seat. ”Who, What, Where, When, and Why.” They began to push themselves up a moment as they folded their legs underneath, straightened out their back with a rolling of the neck, and took an awkward if perfectly balanced meditative stance. ”You Folk are always interested in a Story. Of great heroes and vile villains. Gods and Demons. But there are things older than stories. And yet older still. Not who, but why.”

They uncurled their finger tips in their right hand releasing an effluvia of entropic energy that manifested as three tiny motes of embers floating in the palm of Merlyn’s hand. ”Why construct centers of worship for a congregation that only meets during bloody battle? Why erect defenses for a force that holds no territory nor structures no state? Unless the act of worship and the worshipped are one and the same. It’d be easier if I showed you, but I also have a star-show ready.” Merlyn extended their other hand to Kylara, thin leathered fingers cupped together, and thumb crooked carefully.

[Jade_Tarem]

The High Thane kept a carefully neutral expression through Merlyn's thespian flair. "I'll take the oral tradition over the demonstration."

[Tychris1]

”Suit yourself,” They tugged on one of the motes, eking forth a long strand of nascent orange light that sizzled to a point, and balanced delicately on Merlyn’s finger “There is only the Sword. Only the thrill of the kill. That is all and all is that. The soldiers and warriors of the ancient Nemoi cast aside in the wake of their Emperor’s hubris. Loyalty, discipline, and courage unflinching to the very End; all repaid with ashes. But every End is both a lock and it’s Key. Even now the Warriors slumber, restlessly, waiting for the time when the world will be calm and need to be harvested. But I do not plan on repeating the same stodgy mistakes of Human Children grasping at the strands of epochs. I am not content to let sleeping hounds lie. It is not in my blood.”

The Horned Sorcerer danced a finger along the curve of their cresting brow

“They are. However. In my blood, that is, and I am tired of seeing my family act foolishly. I plan to shake them out of their stupor. They are trapped within, rudderless boats swirling in circles until they burst, for what is the Dreamer without the Dream. A dream of Death. A dream of lightless beginnings. Or so my Soul tells me.”

[Jade_Tarem]

"You wish to... awaken these ancient undead warriors within the fortress? Presumably to begin the harvest." Kylara leaned forward, resting her chin on one fist and her other hand on her knee. "And what, exactly, is the benefit to the Solais in this?"

[Tychris1]

”You have a rotten tooth, it will fester, writhe, and grow worse with time. Or you can bite down and let me pull the tooth out.” Merlyn shrugged

[Jade_Tarem]

"Yes, well." Kylara sighed. "I think I would prefer to see what happens when you pull a different one of these... teeth. There are other fortresses that originated with the Salt Demons, yes? Tackle one of those, and if the consequences aren't too dire, we will cooperate with you on this one."

[Tychris1]

”This is no experimentation, Thane. These are buoys for the Shrouded Isles. Keeping them aloft in the Dream where they can strike at their leisure. Merlyn rolled their hand, gesticulating to the ocean abroad, and the stone below ”Once we knock any single one of them hard enough the whole thing will convulse and be stricken still. Tangible. The more that get rustled simultaneously the less force will be needed. I am the Messiah of Murder, these things I know, and I only ask that you stay out of my champion’s way when he does battle on behalf of all Tarandi.”

[Jade_Tarem]

"Tch." The High Thane stood at last, though she was never going to loom over anyone. "You ask for tremendous and largely unearned trust. I will give you a single chance at this, Merlyn, 'Messiah of Murder,' on the chance that it will render the Salt Demons truly vulnerable. But know this: if it results in another decade of fending off my own possessed people or collapses this facility, I will use the rest of my considerable lifespan finding a way to make you regret this." With that, she spun and retired to the inner chambers of the fortress, retinue following, the meeting effectively over.

[Tychris1]

”The Matji said you’d say that!” Merlyn called after, plopping down comfortably onto the bench once more, and staring out at the vast expanse before them bopping their head to an unheard tune before humming along.