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Carving a Spire Shard

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Aug 21st, 2019
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  1. [20:58] Eshmun Hirai says, "I'm fine, but theres something else we need to do."
  2. [20:58] Eshmun Hirai asks, "Do you have any runes about connecting?"
  3. [20:58] Ardith lets Eshmun's head stay in her lap, fingers running through his hair.
  4. (Ardith)
  5. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  6.  
  7. [20:58] Ardith says, "I mean. Prolly. I'd have to look through my notes. "
  8. [20:58] Ardith asks, "Ain't under of. Why?"
  9. [21:00] Eshmun Hirai says, "Well."
  10. [21:01] Eshmun Hirai says, "We've fallen to the do or die scenario, with the Aurum issue."
  11. [21:02] Ardith asks, "...You're thinking to use the shard?"
  12. [21:02] Ardith asks, "Lo ain't been able to get the lab up and running?"
  13. [21:03] Eshmun Hirai says, "Ardy, we've got a year."
  14. [21:03] Ardith says, "I know, I know."
  15. [21:03] Eshmun Hirai says, "We don't have time for the lab to be rebuilt and the extras to be settled."
  16. [21:03] Ardith says, "You ain't answer my question though."
  17. [21:03] Eshmun Hirai says, "I need you to rune the shard, yes."
  18. [21:03] Eshmun Hirai says, "Or if that is impossible..."
  19. [21:04] Eshmun Hirai says, "We get an encasing made to place it within."
  20. [21:04] Ardith says, "...If you want me to do it, I will, yeah."
  21. [21:04] Ardith says, "I can't rightly say no."
  22. [21:05] Ardith says, "Said it once. I'll say it again."
  23. [21:05] Ardith says, "You're lucky you're fuckin' cute."
  24. [21:06] Eshmun Hirai says, "I. Really. Am."
  25. [21:06] Eshmun Hirai says, "I'm also really lucky."
  26. [21:07] Eshmun Hirai says, "Well, mind dragging me to the house? I'll get you the shard from the chest."
  27. [21:08] Ardith says, "Lucky, yeah? How you figure."
  28. [21:08] Ardith grunts, hauls Eshmun up into a princess carry with little effort, and trots on out with a sigh.
  29. (Ardith)
  30. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  31.  
  32. [21:09] Eshmun Hirai says, "I wonder."
  33. [21:09] Ardith asks, "Is it cuz I tolerate ya?"
  34. [21:09] Eshmun Hirai says, "Well, that's one reason."
  35. [21:09] Ardith asks, "The others?"
  36. [21:09] Ardith says, "We're here, your highness. Pfft."
  37. [21:10] Eshmun Hirai asks, "Pfft...I'm just lucky, okay?"
  38. [21:10] Ardith says, "Suuuure."
  39. [21:11] Eshmun quietly going into the chest, they'd remove the box that was once within Lorettas piano. With a simple and uncaring maneuver, it was tossed to Ardiths hands with no warning.
  40. (Eshmun Hirai)
  41. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  42.  
  43. [21:11] {Item} You drop Spire Shard x1.
  44. [21:12] Ardith catches the shard, almost dropping it. Sha has to use both hands to wrangle it.
  45.  
  46. "Gonna end up bein' the death of me...I can get started on it here. I got enough things. But the juice in this is volatile. Never runed a shard before."
  47. (Ardith)
  48. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  49.  
  50. [21:14] Eshmun Hirai says, "That's exactly the...Wonder I have."
  51. [21:14] Eshmun Hirai says, "Also, we'll need to acquire the core from Loretta, we can still use both together."
  52. [21:14] Ardith says, "I'll try not to blow us up."
  53. [21:14] Ardith asks, "Do me a favor and at least...lie down?"
  54. [21:14] Ardith asks, "Can I use your chalkboard?"
  55. [21:15] Eshmun Hirai says, "Go right on ahead, if you want to do it now."
  56. [21:15] Ardith asks, "Sooner the better. Right?"
  57. [21:15] Eshmun Hirai says, "Sooner the better."
  58. [21:19] Ardith absconds with the spire shard, setting it on the desk and fiddling with the wall slate. She erases some stray scribbles, picks up one of the sticks of chalk, and starts to draw some very basic diagrams.
  59.  
  60. She unfolds her little notebook and flips through its old, yellowed pages. The pages are crammed with more and more notes as time goes on. It's the culmination of so many of her studies.
  61.  
  62. At some point she's going to need another booklet. Or a bigger one.
  63.  
  64. "Given the power this thing's putting out...This'll get pretty complex. You said you wanted runes for connection, right?"
  65.  
  66. Illyothian has something for that. She knows she's seen it somewhere in here...
  67. (Ardith)
  68. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  69.  
  70. [21:22] Arms crossed, the man who was once profusely bleeding had stopped that pastime, instead his water had actually begun the regenerative healing forces that it carried. A seat was taken on one of the chests nearby and their amber-hued eyes watched the working Accursed with pleasure.
  71.  
  72. "Complex is exactly what'd I expect for a Spire shard really...And yes, connection, we need to be able to connect it to not only the core, but to Mertaisyl as well...To tether him to it." It was a lot to ask on such short notice they knew, but with how everything was? It was necessary.
  73. (Eshmun Hirai)
  74. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  75.  
  76. [21:25] It is a lot to take in at once, a lot to consider. The power of a spire shard, to connect that and channel it; it takes some serious rune work.
  77.  
  78. She groans and rubs at her eyes, then turns back to the chalkboard. The Accursed draws several small circles all interconnected by lines, like a spiderweb of Illyothian symbols stretched out on the wall. It takes up the entirety of the slate.
  79.  
  80. "This ain't no small thing you're asking me for, y'know."
  81.  
  82. This is going to take sweat, time, and mana. A whole lot.
  83.  
  84. In her heart of hearts she can't deny his request. Anyone else might have been rebuffed. He is very lucky.
  85. (Ardith)
  86. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  87.  
  88. [21:39] Patting the nearby chest for Mertaisyl to take a place on. With them runed and all that, their weight should be easily taken. Not to mention it was crafted from wood from the dreadwoods. Sturdy stuff.
  89.  
  90. "I know, I really am asking no small thing and..." Their eyes turned to the nigh' dead drake, before turning back to Ardith, "If you really don't want to, you don't have to...But I will plead, and beg if it becomes necessary." Though they knew it wasn't a necessary thing to do, he would do it if it really became necessary.
  91.  
  92. But with a smile on his face, it was all he could do to ask...Eshmun was an alchemist, not a blacksmith or a runescribe. These things sadly were nigh' impossible for him.
  93. (Eshmun Hirai)
  94. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  95.  
  96. [21:45] Ardith stops briefly to look over her shoulder and shake her head. Back forward she goes to continue drawing the intricate overlapping spiderweb of circles and lines.
  97.  
  98. "We both know I ain't want that. And that you ain't have to."
  99.  
  100. They should each know that much by now. The circles are drawn, she double checks her lines, then begins drawing the symbols within them. She has to reference the pages of her notebook several times.
  101.  
  102. If there was little room for error before there is absolutely none now.
  103.  
  104. "What you can do for me is sit tight and stop bleeding. Fuckin' killing me," she grumbles and gripes.
  105. (Ardith)
  106. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  107.  
  108. [21:52] "Of course I know you don't want that." Briefly he spoke, their back slowly falling to lay back onto the chests. It was about time for him to shut up, and stop the bleeding...Which they were doing, in fact a small whimsical bit of water was cascading up and down his body wiping it off.
  109.  
  110. "I will."
  111. (Eshmun Hirai)
  112. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  113.  
  114. [22:01] "Good. Than that's all the payment I need. I already got everything else anyway."
  115.  
  116. It sounds offhandedly callous, but she doesn't mean it in such a way. It's hard to sound like anything else when one is so intently focusing on something. The latticework is a delicate process. The runes for 'connection' are also interconnected to make a net that will, hopefully, be drawn around the shard itself.
  117.  
  118. "You better though. Or I'll come over there and kick you."
  119.  
  120. She's got to save face somehow. Especially after moderately gushing to her pal earlier. Got to get some of that gruff exterior back up.
  121.  
  122. "Okay...I think I got the general layout down...I think. But I'm sorry if we all die in a fireball or something, okay?"
  123. (Ardith)
  124. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  125.  
  126. [22:03] Little was said, instead a very loving thumbs up was given from the chest, a cheering you can do it to the Accursed. With how everything was going down, he wouldn't actually mind it too much if they died in a fireball right now...Though Ardith dying in it was a much different thought, that was pushed aside because of the great trust he had in them.
  127.  
  128. If this went well, he'd let them kick his ass for free, and so much more.
  129. (Eshmun Hirai)
  130. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  131.  
  132. [22:08] Ardith has no true desire to kick the Hirai's ass. He's on a short list in that regard. Once the chalk drawing is done she pulls out the chair and takes a seat at the desk.
  133.  
  134. She has the reference on the slate in an expanded view. In reality, on the share, the detail must be much smaller. Yet all the swoops and lines and curves must match, lest they want to mess this all up.
  135.  
  136. Which she certainly doesn't.
  137.  
  138. The Accursed picks up the tiniest brush in her arsenal, a single slender horsehair attached to a handle, and dips it into a waiting pot of ink.
  139.  
  140. A few deep breaths are taken before she can steady the trembling of her hand. Eshmun, either by merit of being exhausted or knowing she needs focus, is quiet.
  141.  
  142. Good.
  143.  
  144. Diligently she starts in much the same way as she had on the chalkboard. The small circles drawn all around the crystal's surface and the intricate spider-webbing connecting them all.
  145.  
  146. It might be good or bad, but the room begins to smell of sulfur...
  147. (Ardith)
  148. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  149.  
  150. [22:14] It had nothing to offer really. Any information it had was probably useless when it came to runeworking. But it did want to watch. It was curious, and almost excited, too.
  151.  
  152. The thing had only rarely seen a spire shard, uncorrupted. Untapped. So shiny.. The ex-voidling couldn't help but pad a bit closer. Closer still.
  153.  
  154. Then it shifted. It crouched down. Its rear wriggled back and forth, its tail lashing- Like a cat about to pounce. But rather than pounce atop Ardith, as she was busy working, it leapt into the air.
  155.  
  156. And it managed to, almost gracefully, land on top of the bookshelf. Both wings stretched out as it struggled to find a perch, one slowly folding in as its body turned to the side. Its head peeked over the edge, looking down on Ardith's work.
  157.  
  158. Silent, enthralled in the process.
  159. (Mertaisyl)
  160. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  161.  
  162. [22:16] Her neck already hurts. She's already tired honestly. Minutes bleed into hours. The etchings on the chalkboard? Guidelines. To make it small, intricate, and infuse it with mana?
  163.  
  164. That's the ordeal.
  165.  
  166. Other than the subtle movements of her brush hand, breathing and, Hel forbid, blinking she's entirely still. One hand pinches the crystal and the other makes the drawings. Her shoulders hunch protectively over her project and her elbows brace against the desk.
  167.  
  168. Every inch of her is tensed, her breathing shallows so as not to disturb even a drop of dark, sulfurous ink.
  169.  
  170. Ardith typically adores her work, but not usually this part of it for the simple reason of how completely nerve-shattering it can be.
  171.  
  172. "Okay...okay...okay," she repeats, finally pushing back and taking a deep breath. The crystal is now covered in a dark latticework of jet black lines. At first glance it looks like it's been shattered, broken into a thousand little pieces. Thankfully for all their sakes this isn't the case.
  173. (Ardith)
  174. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  175.  
  176. [22:19] Unlike Merta, Eshmun was entirely still in the background, arms folded to the side and his half-naked body peacefully watching. There was no urge, or even want to talk in such a situation, and even when Mertaisyl jumped onto the bookcase...No actions were made, to stop them, or even acknowledge the fact. Though they definitely did.
  177.  
  178. Instead it was back to silence, the lightest of breaths being given to give absolute peace.
  179. (Eshmun Hirai)
  180. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  181.  
  182. [22:19] Ardith says, "Mert, if you'd have made me jump so much as a fuckin' inch, I'd have stabbed you."
  183. [22:19] Ardith says, "I ain't think you get how delicate this is."
  184. [22:20] The Accursed gives the cat dragon a serious stink eye, pushing away from the desk and mopping her face with her gloved hand. She slumps in her chair.
  185.  
  186. "That's...that's honestly as good as I can do right now Esh. Unless you want me to double check it here in a second."
  187. (Ardith)
  188. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  189.  
  190. [22:24] Mertaisyl says, ".."
  191. [22:24] {ITEM} Traded item with Ardith: Spire Shard
  192. [22:29] From their position, all the blood had now been wiped away, only small scabs were left where his injuries were prior to all this. Giving a shake of the head, they spoke in a small whisper, "It's good to see we went to the same place when we died in that fireball."
  193.  
  194. Almost whimsically he got up from the chest, giving a long stretch, after all he had been unmoving for hours now. Slowly they'd move closer to the slumped Accursed, draping his body over the back of the chair.
  195.  
  196. "Joking aside...If you think that's the best you can do, it's the best we'll get and the best we need, I'm sure of it." Lightly he'd pick up the etched Spire shard, looking it over before placing it back into the runed container.
  197.  
  198. From there he stored it away and went to go take back his position over the chair.
  199.  
  200. "Thank you." This time it was his time to say thanks to their partner.
  201. (Eshmun Hirai)
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