[09:15:02] The Citadel was changing. Remnants of the Temple of Kark have slowly eroded away as the Kaor's presence taints the walls and floors ever so slightly. Hints of corruption lick at the stonework as Nymus admires it's forge--brand new and tinted with the lightest shades of black.

...Someone had stolen the previous forge soon after the flyers went up. Without guards on staff, the culprit is unknown. Depravity had left a trail yet without the coveted Lunar Watch, depravity is simply that: A taint of evil. It is unable to be deciphered or pinpointed by ordinary senses.

Occult energies fill the room as the old forge roars to life, flames and molten metals swimmin within casks and steel riverways, each piece of the glorious furnishing designed by one far too deep in the love of the craft. Each piece not designed by Nymus himself.

For all the damnable things that could be spoken of Ulfdyr, he did make one fine workshop.

Clank! Clank!

Sounds of steel upon steel echo out through the citadel of lore, signs of life coming from the utmost chambers. Flashes of orange, tainted black, fill the stairways below as each of the children approach. Blood, stains from vampires unable to be removed, stick still in places unreachable by the Kaor.

Yet for all the darkness and despair within the halls, it is important to note the lacking of depravity. The Vampires are gone, after all, and all the remains is Nymus. And for all he is, he is still natural. And what he does is still natural. There are no errs to the lifestream.

"Recieved letter." Their shadows give them away, the hum of the Kaor's telepathy reaching the minds of each one who approach. "An arm is not a weapon. But I doubt it is beyond my expertise. Show the boy?"
(Nymus)
[09:23:34] The Citadel was never a friendly place to visit. If one couldn't dare bring forth enough strength to bypass the powerful, occultic energies from within - it is best that they did not enter at all. The first floor was already something to be mindful of - with the various, active runes working in the etchings of the wall and the tunnels that would give Willow ultimate discomfort at their purpose. A Runewriter she may be, but the hand that crafted those traps were of an expertise that promised endangerment to those that would touch.

Ascending up the stairs would only increase that powerful, occultic touch. Heart starts to race faster, the sounds of fire and metal pummeling together crashing light to spark along the dark walls and dance the shadows in silent, numerous, haunting glory. Bringing her gaze sweeping around the center - the children of the Inquisition would certaintly want to know why their Second Templar was so knowledgable on such a dark place.

And then the static begins.

Dominion over one's mind. A mental fortitude that would break down the strongholds of their own protection and infiltrate them with pain. By now, the Nevin is accustomed to it. The scrambling of thought bringing a hand to merely stretch to her hat and pull it over the length of her face with as much discomfort as she'd always display. In the heats of the forge does she sigh, a cooling blast of Wind being offered back towards those she'd bring along with her.

"Thank you, Nymus." She murmurs - her hand stretching out her knapsack filled with the items presented in the letter. The only thing missing would be the star-metal, that which Nicholai held himself.

"Step forward, Nicholai. Is okay. Nymus is Kraus' idea, yes? Of how Yokai should be. Will not hurt us, no." After all, she has known him since she was but a babe.

Caution flashes through her eyes regardless.
(Willow Nevin)
[09:32:57] Traveling across land, they soon find themselves stumbling upon a bad place. Yokai in the tree's... yokai close by and even the faint clank from inside the citadel is heard from outside. What is this place? The feeling of disgusting corruption is felt, it's like an overflowing river, yet... its like something he would come to enjoy, but... did he not hunt it, wasn't it his job to hunt something he was apart of? Occultist magic was yokai magic in the end and he had come to use it, with it's bad side effects of mental strain and psychotic behaviour every so often.

They get closer, the sound is louder and yet his shaking is much more than before. Stepping closer to the source of this overwhelming feeling, which already made him feel light headed. The heat from the room up the stairs, it could feel it already, but he was not foreign to the warmth, as he was a fire mage himself. But closer as they got, silhouettes come into view.

Crackle.

The static that enters the mind and breaks down their barriers to speak is heard. A booming tone that echos in the mind, as if some demon spawned from evil itself had just invaded his mind. Was this the occultist inside coming more closer? louder? was this the evil he had been fighting off for so long, taking over? No, it was not. His widen as they reach the top, his glasses hardly on his face and his initial reaction is to slowly step back. What was Willow thinking?! to bring them here, in the presence of such a beast, they hunted these creatures!

''W- Willow... what is this!'' He gritted his teeth, no! he refused to be scared, he fought vampires, he fought yokai before... why was Willow bringing them to this creature, it surely... it had to be eradicated! ''This is nothing of Kraus, it's a monster!'' He grasped the neck of his staff, bringing it out to his front, lowering his body in an aggressive stance.

''YOU BEAST, YOU WILL NOT DEVOUR ME OR MY FRIENDS!''

Wow, Nicholai had a really bad view on anything evil, maybe that was just Athena rubbing off on him, he had not really left Danarium before of course, so this was something completely new to him and he was scared for his life.
(Nicholai)
[09:38:04] A journey would be before them! Setting off towards the Citadel, a place Ferro had not ever laid eyes on before. It was less than pleasing. The creepy, eerie sensation it gave off would send chills down the young boy's spine. Though, Willow seemed to be pressing on at the same pace. With a disgruntled demeanor, Ferro would press on aswell.

Caution, now. He'd be careful to follow Willow's path. He noticed the runes that littered the area. Another thing to be cautious of. His heart was beating fast, a looming pressence up ahead. It would administer discomfort, and a tinge of fear into the boy. He knew naught of what was ahead. But knew it couldn't be good.

Ascending the stairs they went. Heat wafting down towards them as they climbed. It was a familiar heat. One the young Drakanite had grown accustomed to, but long since forgotten the feeling of. He knew a forge, or something similar was up ahead.

But what lay ahead was not what he expected. A demon. A large yokai with a terrifying pressence, with a matching exterior. Completely terrified. Ferro's legs froze in place, staring up and the beast. He wanted to yell, but the sounds would not flow. As if something was blocking his airways. His heart pounded faster. Sensory overload. The boy's eyes would begin to dart around the room, and then... He'd hear it.

A voice invading his thoughts, and casting it's reach throughout his mind. It was a disgusting feeling. Painful, even. Both hands would shoot towards his temples, pressing firmly. The voice was not pleasing by any stretch of the word.

Were they going to die here? Did Willow bring them here as saccrifices? The Attano did not pay attention to Nymus' words. His mind was running too fast. Too many questions. Too much panic to grasp what had been said by the invading voice.

He was petrified.
(Ferro Attano)
[09:41:29] Willow lead the trio across the land- Passing the somewhat glorious Nostvale and even the dreaded Alteros. They got closer and closer to Byson, something which only kept Atalanta's hopes high at all times, though once they took the wrong turn and began marching away from her home town, she could do nothing but frown and follow in silence.

What they were caught in was but the sight of the Yokai Citadel, led by none other than a Kaor, if she recalled correctly. Occultism and decades old depravity could still be felt within the very earth of this place. What they ran in to, though, took the prize; A Kaor.

It was the first time she had ever seen one, a Yokai of such power and size. She gulped, eyes glancing over to Willow. Wasn't she part of the Inquisition that dealt with these things? Killed them? Wasn't she a high ranked officer or something? Seth's right hand? Perhaps she had misjudged the girl.

Nicholai began screaming, something which couldn't do any good for neither of the two parties. "C-calm down, okay? If Willow says it's here to fix your arm, then you should let it try at least... I'm sure she wouldn't mean any harm to us, right?"

A last glance over at the Kaor. "So that's Nymus... It's a lot scarier than I heard..."
(Atalanta H. Avharain)
[09:54:17] Childish outbursts, rooted in intense righteousness, did little to halt the Kaor's work. Within the palm of the grandoise Yokai sat a mammothine hammer, nearly as big as some of the children in the Citadel now. Again and again did it fall, striking at metal with a shower of sparks. Yet the Kaor's eyes do not follow it's work. They sit rooted upon Nicholai; upon Atalanta; upon Ferro. Nymus was unamused.

Each of the children are examined in kind, their signatures of mana studied and absorbed while muscle mass and figure is observed and recorded within the depths of it's alien mind. Threatening...? To wish to start a fight? No, no. Misled. Fearful and brainwashed. Or simply unaware that exceptions exist.

With a slow, tired motion does the head of the infernal Kaor shift, casting aside both the utmost fear and righteous indignation. Eyes fall upon Willow, the beast unamused.

It was not that Nicholai was an impotent fighter, or a lack of a threat in his own right. It was that Nymus had grown proud in his scant few years, and had come to recognize that it took a lot to take down a Kaor. A child...? Nothing of the sort had best Nymus and humbled him yet.

"Willow..." The 'voice' echoes out once more as the work continues on a training blade upon the anvil. "I will speak to you instead. You are the rational one. Tell the girl or the boy to calm the other boy. An arm, yes?"

A singular eye falls upon Nicholai, staring at the staff drawn and readied before gazing over at Willow once more. "An arm, with the materials you say, should not be overly difficult. You'll...need to find a 'cosmic' magi elsewhere, for I cannot begin to imagine what you mean by that. But surely it is merely an enchantment you can have another do. You wish for the base, right?"

Nymus turns! Swift as could be did the beast reach out into a random barrel, procuring a large ingot of iron. "I debated. Your oak for joints, aided by glass for the parts that need the least friction. Iron for the base, mythril overlayed. Simply by being worked by me will it be occultic. And a cosmic magi, later, you may find to further enchant. Amicable?"

Eyes fall upon the gathering of children once more.

"And who will pay?"
(Nymus)
[10:04:32] "Ah, yes. I bring Inqusitiors to Nymus - seeking to feed him. Instead of Yokai, plenty around - will feed little humans. I am bad, yes?"

The gaze that she would shuffle over towards the terrified trio is narrowed of eyes, where the implications that Nicholai would grant towards the situation only making her breathe in resignation. Growing up with the Kaor before her has made her near-immune to its presence of fear. Yet, she has not ever considered the reaction that others would have at his appearance. Nymus was mighty, large, occultic, and powerful. A threat - indeed. But only to those that would see him as such.

"Please, calm. Nymus help me since I was real tiny, yes. Would not bring if Nymus would harm."

Her gaze flows over towards Atalanta with an approved nod, confirming her very words. Ferro's stiffened, panicked state is met with a hug from her behalf - attempting to soothe him with a gentle rocking. No matter what sort of missions the two are on, in some way, she is always hurting the Attano dragon and it makes her sad.

"Will protect Ferro - always, yes? Please, believe in me."

The static that would rumble inside of her head confirms of the Kaor's voice, the Hellpyre beast being faced as she steps up above the fearful others. Explanation of the crafting brings her a bit of satisfaction, knowing the project would be in great hands. Willow's arm passes over the knapsack towards the creature, laying it upon the floor in order to remove the base of Mithrill and the Iron Oak that she'd bring, in case he needed a bit more. Glass as an assistance could be fortified, indeed. What is most important, however, is the star-metal.

"Cosmic is cause metal. Simon checks - fits it using Cosmic Aura for Nicholai. Is not needed, if already touched. Can be enhanced." Her eyes cut back towards the panicking Nicholai.

"I promise to help, yes? Get metal-hand, get Simon to fit. Now, will use Nymus. My friend - make the arm. For this, I offer my Mana, yes? Will not hurt anyone else here." Willow's sleeve is pulled back by her fingertips, bringing forth her other, non-scarred arm with a deep breath.

"Take payment, Nymus."
(Willow Nevin)
[10:13:04] Still in his lowered aggressive position, he seemed angry. He hated this, yet it was like a mirror in a way, both of them used dark magic, both of them had even fire magic. The only difference between the two now was, Nymus could evolve, Nymus could be different and grow in odd ways and he looked weird. Nicholai was human, he had nothing special about him. Which he had always come to think about when dealing with yokai, what made him so different? didn't people look different in ways too?

Conflicted thoughts... but he isn't happy. A yokai to help him with a task such as this, as his initial goal is to eradicate them all and purify Valmasia. Or was that Athena's goal? and he was just another follower, something he had grown up to follow and did not plan to stop. If every part of evil was gone, would he end himself to finish the process?

''Fine...'' A grunt, before he places the staff back on his back, the cripple corruption of shadowflames sparking at their own will, showing how aggressive he had come to be in the face of 'evil' and the fear he ignored, was now his legs rattling a little. ''If it can help and it's not hostile... but this doesn't change my views!'' Did Athena know about this? should he tell her? well... it was going to help... and maybe even make the arm better? he... was even more conflicted, it was making his head hurt.

''I have the hand.'' He reached into his jacket, the hand connected to a star-light metal sleeve, which could easily be manipulated by someone strong enough. Before he steps forwards, green orbs do not move from Nymus for a second, a clear show of distrust. ''Here...'' He places it down... before Willow offers her arm out to him? what... what was she doing?

''What's... what's the payment... what are you doing Willow?'' He did not like this.
(Nicholai)
[10:25:52] The fear that gripped him would soon be eased. With Willow's sudden embrace, they boy's head would stop gazing upwards, and level out, catching Willow's form. His arms would hesitate before slowly reaching up and reciprocating the hug. "Y-yeah..." He'd mutter, catching a hold of himself.

He was still quite scared, but he had a hold of his senses, more or less. He could assess the situation, and speak once more. His nature to accept things at face value came handy in this situation. With Willow's assurance that no harm would come to them, and that Nymus was here to assist he would be... moderaely alright.

A deep breathe. Exhale. The first thing Ferro would really get a grasp on, was the word 'payment'. What did it entail? Willow seemed to be offering it now, but... what exactly was it? "Payment?" He'd mutter to himself confusedly. Ferro didn't like it either. But he would step forward. If whatever the payment was, if it was going to be harmful to whoever made the payment. Then Ferro would intervene.

"Whatever it is, I-i'll make it instead of her." He didn't want to see harm come to his friends. His conviction was set, and would not turn away from his resolve to protect the ones he cared about.
(Ferro Attano)
[10:31:50] Payment? What kind of Payment would a Yokai want...?

Thoughts flew by at a rapid pace, one thought leading to another, fear turning to confidence and then shortly after grief. Was this the kind of beasts that was allowed to move in this close to Byson because of her mother's mistake? Because of Trillie? Horrifying, she could only start to imagine the pain the Bysonian people had felt. Not to mention that one Aegis girl that had been sucked upon nearly daily by Vampires ordered by Trillie.

A hand moved up to touch Nicholai's shoulder, a reassuring smile growing on her face. "Don't worry, I'm sure Willow knows what she's doing, so just keep calm and watch, aye? Whatever the payment is, it looks like she's ready to pay it." She tried, though well aware that it wasn't exactly going to work on someone as selfish as Nicholai. He always wanted to take the hit for the team.

Then again, it was his arm and not theirs!

She took a more neutral stand, deciding that not messing with the scene at hand was probably more favorable for everyone. It wasn't exactly her right to butt in anyways. 'Family' or not.
(Atalanta H. Avharain)
[10:35:15] A hand offered is a hand taken. Swiftly within the gnarled claws of the youthful Kaor does the prosthetic of Araceon find itself, it's expert make examined and studious. Star-metal is something not intrinsically natural to the world, and thus puzzles the beast as he examines it. "The star..." It murmors, as much as one can murmor with telepathy. The vestiges of Acrux's existance within the hand clarifies little, though it at least gives Nymus a frame of reference.

Being born and raised in Alteros, the Kaor knew well about the false-star. In fact, it had been on it's mind quite much in recent years!

Nicholai's comment about his 'views' is responded with a scoff! "Odd for evil to aid others, isn't it? If you and your inquisition find me evil, then purge. I exist because of how much less of an 'evil' I am then my brethren." Then again...it was a Kaor. Assuredly Kokba'el may have spoken the same words?

Or, in the end, perhaps not.

With Willow's proffered arm comes the raising of Nymus' spare, claws elongated and dire that come perilously close to her tender flesh. If Ferro had acted only a moment sooner, it would have been far too late! But he is successful--the beast halts before damage is done.

Curious eyes, fiery and radiant, fall upon the drakan boy as he offers himself up. "I explain. I am a Yokai above all. I do not make exchanges for your 'crowns'. I do not make exchanges for your 'metals'. For your 'weapons'. Though I may make an exchange for a home..."

The Yokai Citadel was very nice, wasn't it? A fantastic abode! Enough so that it tickles the fancy of the beast to have another.

"What I deal with is mana. Essence. In exchange for help I give? I take the mana of the ones who ask. Willow wishes to give her mana in exchange of the occultist. Though if you wish...?" Nymus shrugs! "Sort it out. I do not care who it comes from. The contract must be sealed."
(Nymus)
[10:41:13] The interruption brings forth uncertainty. How irresponsible would it be of her to allow for Ferro to step in and take her place? Especially when he had been so ultimately petrified before this moment? If a scar would be left upon his form, it would alert those who saw it, give the wrong impression. However, her own Mana could be extremely hazardous in comparison - depending on what one would wish to try due to her foreboding gift from the Knight himself.

Willow's arm lowers, her gaze rolling over the Attano drakanite with observation. She is not here to babysit any of them - taking them through the Yokai forest and into the Citadel was dangerous enough. Her lips press together in thought.

"Have done before, yes. It -- it hurts. Is not too dangerous, leylines are affected. Will feel strained, yes." She warns to him, bringing herself behind in order to gently press her palms upon the boy's shoulders - standing upon her tip toes in order to whisper calm things within his ear.

"Little taint, but can help, yes. When done - fret not. Just be calm, and still yes. Very still. If insist, I will respect decision. If afraid, let me pay."

In the end, this was all for the bespectacled Occultist that stood in ironic uncertainty behind them, after all.
(Willow Nevin)
[10:44:38] Still stiff, he hated this idea, yet he knew it was probably the best way for someone like him. An occultist having something modified and made by a great fearsome Kaor yokai, it oddly felt like he was being treated and even like a gift, but it still felt bad inside and he could not get over that feeling. It confused him a little, to think that this was going to be made by a Kaor, it would probably have to be kept secret from Athena, surely she would destroy it if she knew, right?

But the hand is placed on his shoulder, which actually makes his body jump. Even on the face of justice and eradication, deep down inside he's just that kid, who had been through a lot and learned to trust a few, yet he still has love for all, even Kaor and vampires, was that weird? many would think so. So he calms, a nod is made in the direction of Atalanta, with eyes full of fear drop to the ground.

''I guess... I am sorry. I have never seen one before and from what I heard and was raised to know, these are bad and should be dealt with, yet...'' His eyes slowly drift of the floor onto Nymus, the voice inside his head... oddly did not hurt as much as it should, having inner conflict with your own dark magic, got you use to the strain on the mind and this felt natural in a way. But he had a point, it was weird for 'evil' to help and that's why he stands here confused, as if fighting himself in a way, hard to believe... like he doesn't want to believe it?

What if everything the had fought, wanted to help too? and in the end, they had been killing and capturing people who seemed evil but, they were good? wasn't he just as depraved as some they had 'eradicated' and what made him an acception?

This yokai had him questioning himself. For now, he remained silent, he was too mixed up in his own thoughts to interact with this payment, mana did not sound threatening anyway.
(Nicholai)
[10:51:28] He would steel himself. His nerves would become more relaxed as the boy drew breath. He was sure. "Yeah... It'll be fine, right? No need to worry." He was still scared, but he mustn't show it further. Willow had offered her arm out already, and so, Ferro would too.

with a bit of a struggle, he would begin rolling up his sleeve, and extend the right arm. Having an immobile left arm made things difficult. Regardless, he would offer himself up. It was for a friend, and to perserve another. "I-i'm ready. Take what you need." His gaze would harden onto Nymus' hand. Watching it's every movement. Every muscle twitch. It was about to do something painful to him. And he would prepare himself for it. Or at the very least, try.

Gritting his teeth, he'd make a bit of a scowl, waiting. What was probably only going to be a few seconds would feel like an eternity. Waiting for something you know was going to hurt... it was torture.
(Ferro Attano)
[11:03:24] "Give no apologies, merely adjust. There is no sin in changing an opinion for the better. It is vital to recognize what is good for the world and what is not. Alteros is oft thought terrible yet it is no more then a collective of doctors, depraved only through the touch of heritage."

But none came here for philosophy. They did not want a lesson--they wanted an arm. And Nymus was not nearly as verbose as those who had raised him. With a singular nod given to the fledgeling occultist does the Kaor turn back to Willow and Ferro, looking them up and down. Had they decided? They seem to have. Willow steps away, the Drakan steps forward.

"I warn you: This will not be pleasant. It will linger. But pain is temporary and fleeting. Steel yourself."

It was, in fact, exceedingly painful. Ferro's extended arm, rougher then most humans given his heritage, is swiftly grasped and readied. A singular trace along the length of the forearm gives a path for the first strike and then, without a moment of warning, the flesh is cut!

A swift, scythe-like nail from the growing Kaor renders flesh in twain, a clean cut that directly exposes vein and circuit underneath. Flashes of pain and ache likely wrack the boy's body, but it is merely a flesh wound at this point. No damage to muscles, no damage to bone. No slices upon his veins.

Only one upon his circuit. In an instant do tenebreous wisps of occult mana enter into Ferro's body, rushing through the the circuits and into the boy's body before, ultimately, pulling back out. Yet they do not come along. With each wisp returned to Nymus comes another fragment of Ferro's essence, sapping him of his strength and power.

Yet for how wicked and vile the feeling is, it is short. A scant dozen seconds and the process is over, the boy left weakened and drained while the Kaor is emboldened and strengthened.

With a sigh of contentment, Nymus turns back to Wilow. "Good, good. It is sealed! By your specifications, within the year, the arm will be forged to perfection. Treat your ally, the wound is deep but clean. He will recover--they always do. Return when I summon--or the new year. Whichever arrives first. I will give the product then. All well?"

With a small twist, Nymus moves to collect the materials by the forges.
(Nymus)
[11:13:39] The insidious delivery of payment puts a frown upon her face. For how is she to convince those that watched the process that this is for good? Yes, an alternative to killing humans, yes, an alternative to outright feasting upon the flesh of other, living things. Yet the nature of the process is still so utterly disturbing it is hard to make an excuse for any of it. And Willow's own scar tickles, the flesh of her forearm from testing purposes giving a memory of her own encounter with that same talon upon her flesh.

"Is okay, is okay..." She would do her best to soothe, aiding in keeping him still. Ferro's tolerance of pain is his own, and the feeling of occultic tendrils sapping at one's magic is never nice. But when the process has ended, for good or for bad, they've achieved what was necessary in order to start the process for Nicholai's arm. In this, Willow's last step would be to retrieve it and see to mending it together with Nicholai's flesh.

Then, her promise would be complete.

"Please let me." She would offer, a cooling salve of Water being washed over and tended to by her hand. Willow's own ability to heal is salvagable at best, keeping the flesh from growing damp with infection but mending it completely whole is another aspect. Something she needs to try when they are in safer, more clean energies.

"Yes, Nymus. Thank you. Will not ask others to come again; I will pick up arm. Also, it is -- recommended, yes? Not to tell Queen; in fear of worry. Spare her, yes?" Not to lie, persay, but not to have the process disturbed. If the question never were to arise from Athena's lips, Willow sees little reason as to bring up the source of information.

"If ask, then tell truth. Will handle from there." An observant gaze. "All are ready, yes? Travel back... safely."
(Willow Nevin)