3/13/2019 Zendrick's attempt/Aspen's Rift (Rift Log 7)

[17:19] Distractions. Distractions. That what the Invidia imposed on her travels around the volcanic or snowy terrains of the northern regions. Something to keep her mind off the conversion attempts of Zeriel and Ethan's endearment of her.

Aspen trekked throughout the area quietly, carefully, carrying a miasma of blood around her form protectively. The scent of copper wafted from her through the harsh breezes of wind ripping through the mountainous regions.

Yet? That mattered not without the bodies of other individuals nearby her position except for the daemons ahead. Bodies that were expendable for experimentation. That of Riftmancy. It was about time the Invidia bothered to continue with the art after her capture by Ethan over one year ago.

The perfection of an escape, an abled opportunity, missed with her leave of Huangzhou several weeks ago. Despite the imperfection of her technique, it might have made for a swifter escape. Albeit the depravity of its use, ripping into the lifestream itself between two intervals of Eternia, may have caught the attention of their militia quicker than running through the borders and into the wilderness.

The woman huffed out a sigh, approaching the daemon that idly wandered around the wilderness, lurking through the shadows of night peacefully.

However.. this wouldn't be so peaceful. Aspen approached swiftly with her wielded blade of blood surrounded by a chilling frost and razor sharp winds to inflict damage on the daemons. Not enough to kill the creatures, but enough that she was able to capture them without cubes!

"My, how you'll both be perfect for my experiments and work." Aspen grinned, carrying the two creatures with her towards her abode, or elsewhere is distractions prevented such. Regardless, she replaced her blade at her side, stiffened by a layer of frost, and carried the two daemons away.
(Aspen Invidia)
[17:27] Zendrick knocks on the door.
(Zendrick Boreale)
[17:28] Zendrick Boreale says, "Oh, good. I don't need to break in again."
[17:37] The two injured daemons were dragged along to Aspen's abode. Their blood was manipulated to avoid dripping along the unstained carpet. Gravitational forces around their bodies manipulated to keep them afloat, easier for Aspen to move along through her home without troubles.

"Alright," she states, setting each within a cage near her desk. The two cried from pain- It was then that a knock happened at her door. The Invidia turned on her heels, traversing towards the door hesitantly opening it for her brother to enter.

A sigh of relief. It wasn't Ethan this time. Her hand rested against her chest, flicking her mahogany eyes towards the door. The usual quietness of her home was void, filled with the cries of the two daemon in their cages.

"I thought you were Ethan this time, Zendrick. What are you doing down here?"
(Aspen Invidia)
[17:38] Zendrick Boreale says, "Just checking up on you. The caves are way too hot for you to be walking north. "
[17:38] Aspen Invidia exclaims, "Oh, and welcome to my home!"
[17:38] Aspen Invidia says, "Aye, I'm recovering.. somewhat. "
[17:39] Aspen Invidia says, "Sorry for the annoying cries of these little creatures."
[17:39] Zendrick Boreale says, "What, the Daemons? "
[17:40] Aspen Invidia says, "Yeah. I'm going to use them to experiment with riftmancy."
[17:40] Zendrick Boreale says, "See, that's also why I'm here."
[17:40] Aspen Invidia says, "To make sure that the rifts I create are stable enough for me to go through without an issue."
[17:40] Zendrick drops a fat stack of tomes and various notes.

"Malentine's lab was unlocked, so I decided to borrow some of his notes. I'm going to try and learn Riftmancy."
(Zendrick Boreale)
[17:51] Aspen's gaze flicks towards the stack of tomes and various notes placed down, taken from Malentine's laboratory, the reverting back to Zendrick with a mien of interest. Her usual smirk accompanied with an extended hand to gesture towards the notes.

"That's perfect you should tell me this news, brother," she states, gazing her eyes among the stack again.

An opportunity. Malentine's evacuation from Agartha led the Invidia to herself and those who desired to seek out the Fateless. The note Malentine had delivered is gazed towards atop her desk. The woman approached, holding it up to read again like she had done many times after her return.

The Invidia was willing. Willing to take up destiny into her own hands. The portal's closure by Huangzhou's forces set back her work much more. By now Zeriel had returned from his expedition to discover the lack of her in Huangzhou.

"Malentine's departure leaves us to our own fate. His group's new leader is unknown, but I planned to speak with Lord Neo Invidia if he had any information about the started faction, others involved, and things of the sort.

So.. Would you be interested in banding with me in reopening the rift portal? Both of us can acquire the art and practice together. We'll need to gather more rift mages, or ones who want to learn it, and guide them with us.

A lot of planning has to be done.. obtaining a spire shard is necessary too. That's how Malentine opened it before. That's how that rift stayed 'dormant' for so long above us. I want to open it again. What do you say?"
(Aspen Invidia)
[17:53] Zendrick Boreale says, "Sounds perfect. I'll speak with Salvas when I'm able, i'm sure he'd be willing to help. "
[17:53] Zendrick Boreale says, "Besides, I'm still wanting that training with Malentine. I didn't go through all that for nothing."
[17:58] "Salvas? No, not now. I've to speak with him myself about it. This has to be done carefully and in silence. If others catch on to what we're doing and suspicions rise, many people will work at stopping us before we even have a chance to continue or get far.

Besides. According to Malentine's letter, he won't be stepping foot on Agartha or some time. You're going to have to find a different means of training." A frown is given towards Zendrick.

Water glides graciously through the air towards the kettle. Ingredients of peppermint and lemon began to be prepared for tea for herself. A bottle of high-proof alcohol is prepared for her brother, however, knowing his dislike for teas.

"So, for now. Tell me, what do you know about riftmancy? I can fill you in on missing details."
(Aspen Invidia)
[18:05] Zendrick Boreale says, "Well, I've only really got what I've seen from you, and what little I've skimmed from these."
[18:10] Zendrick selects the largest tome from the pile, the Codex Vital Amnis

"This book's all about the natural energies around us. Mentions this 'lifestream' the most often, though. It sounds like the energy of the planet, and Riftmancy is basically cutting into it to form rifts in space and time. Like cutting a piece of paper through the middle."

He flips through the book until he reaches a specific page, containing loose paper filled to the brim with his own notes.

"When I saw you practice the first time, you cut a hole in reality, and it rebounded. It repaired itself, so I think the Lifestream is at least a living thing. It repairs the damage that Riftmancy apparently does on it's own."

He flicks a few pages more.

"But with the most experienced, like Dylerun, can just do it outright. I saw him reach his hand to the side, create a small rift, and retrieve a cup of coffee like it was nothing."
(Zendrick Boreale)
[18:31] Bloodwine, Aspen's favorite, recolored into a purple hue, was handed in a small bottle towards her brother who removed the largest tome from the collection he brought from Malentine's laboratory.

The Invidia stepped at his side to scan the notes of each page that he flipped through. The information wasn't new to her in the slightest. All of what the book contained was known information to her.

"Dylerun is an experience rift mage. He's held classes, which I failed to attend many times, about the art. I'm a novice. Anyways, you're aware of that, so..

The lifestream is intangible, invisible. We can't see it here in Eternia, but we can see it in the spirit realm. It's what nourishes the plant life and other living organisms," she pauses briefly, gesturing over towards the two bloodied daemon whose cries have settlement down by now. "These two for example."

Aspen steps aside, wandering over towards a cage to crouch down, patting a hand on the top of the cage, causing them both to whimper. "Chaos mages work to corrupt that very energy. The flow of life. Riftmancy is a depraved art that rips apart the lifestream through two thresholds. Here, and there.

Just as the arcane is the power to manipulate the Lifestream and the reality of this world, riftmancy is a direct tear into it." Word for word, the final statement was a direct quote from none other than Malentine himself. Aspen's remembrance of it caused her to chuckle and rise from the crouched down position.

"Riftmancy is incredibly dangerous and takes an excessive amount of mana, to my understanding. From there, how I've done it thus far, is envisioning a palpable wall of the lifestream and plunging my weapon into it with mana guiding my will to do so."

That was how Aspen accomplished her work towards the art- conjuring enough willpower with an immense, undivided focus to rip through the intangible force of life between two areas. She had yet to test stepping through, which..

Another gesture towards the daemons. "Which is what these two are for.. practicing stepping through for the first time without cutting myself in half or losing a limb in the process."
(Aspen Invidia)
[18:47] Zendrick Boreale says, "Hmm. "
[18:47] Zendrick Boreale says, "Oh, and thanks. I am parched. "
[18:49] Zendrick Boreale asks, "So, where did you start?"
[18:51] Aspen Invidia says, "I started the first time I was in the mountain with you by doing what I just told you."
[18:54] Zendrick Boreale says, "Hmm. If i'm going to cut into something, I need to know where to cut."
[18:56] Aspen Invidia says, "Envision a wall in front of you that resembles the lifestream. Although it's invisible and you can't physically see it, that energy is still in front and all around you."
[18:56] Aspen Invidia says, "Gather willpower and work to cut through that wall."
[18:57] Zendrick Boreale asks, "Should we do this outside your house?"
[18:58] Aspen Invidia says, "Yeah. I'm going to bring one of the daemon with me."
[18:58] Zendrick Boreale says, "Guess I'll follow, then. "
[18:58] Aspen collects one of the two creatures in its cage, manipulating gravitational forces with her towards the outside.
(Aspen Invidia)
[18:59] Aspen Invidia asks, "Where do?"
[18:59] Aspen Invidia says, "Erm, to, I mean."
[18:59] Zendrick Boreale says, "We can go North, I'll lead."
[18:59] Zendrick Boreale says, "Oh, then works as well."
[18:59] Aspen Invidia says, "Let's go then."
[19:16] Zendrick lead her sister towards the clearing on the Mountain, where there was enough space. He took a few steps forward, and drew forth a Gore blade.

"Imagine a wall, huh? I'll do my best."

The studying he had done the night before yielded some results, but to simply call forth the intricacies of the Lifestream from memory would be difficult. He needed to imagine it as something familiar, something he had an expertise in.

If the lifestream was the life source of the world, then it wouldn't be a massive stretch of the imagination to picture it as a vein.

Zendrick closed his eyes for a moment, and the lines on his body flared. Blood draped his form as he reached out, expelling his own raw mana to try and map out where it was.

After a while, he actually managed to get a read. It was a faint humming in the air, a white noise that required introspection to actually observe.

"Aspen, I think I get what you mean. I'm going to try cutting now, wish me luck."

He gripped the Gore sword with both his hands, and made a cross-shaped slice into the air.
(Zendrick Boreale)
[19:22] The siblings trekked towards the Northern regions of the continent again, as per usual, to begin Aspen's delving further into the depraved art of Riftmancy, for Zendrick to begin practicing.

The cage that contained the little daemon followed in her wake along with a soft, chilling wind around her form to keep out the cold airs from delivering chills down her spine.

Finally, the duo settled towards the top, ceasing in the openness of the ruins of Baukengrad, void of Nethradin. The cage was set down gently in the snow where Aspen strayed to give her brother space.

"That's how I've done it," she replies, idly spectating her brother's stance before she'd crack into the energies of the world itself. For now, she waits impatiently for his results.
(Aspen Invidia)
[19:25] Ishmael took a while to catch his breath, the mountain tops of Agartha would be one of the harshish enivroments the young noble boy had ever encountered in his short life, though in his mind each step was so important, to return back to the land that his grandfather took all those years ago.

Though upon arrival he would notice something odd, the city wasn't anything like he had been told from his father, a decay riddled the area and the grand walk to the peak did not have the statues of ice like his father once explained to him, was it all a lie?

Soon enough he would make it to the peak of the mountain, with just one last slope to go he would encounter the first group of people he had seen since leaving the dock a few days ago.

With caution in his step he would approach asking a question like it was a lost ideal

"Is this perhaps Bhaldraithe?"

He'd take a closer look at the two pale folk waiting to see how they would react.
(Ishmael Visayan)
[19:31] The strike would be swift, a cross cut into the world itself. For a while, however, nothing would appear. A few moments later, however, there was distortion. The places where he had cut grew dark, a black X directly in front of him. The slice grew larger, until an undulating black portal appeared.

The rift vibrated violently, seemingly unstable and looking to collapse at any moment.

"T-This is... Did I do it, Asp-"

Before he can finish, the portal ruptures. A shockwave sends Zendrick flying back; the gore sword splatting into a bloodstain on the snow. There is a crater where the rift once appeared.

"D-Damn it..."

Zendrick hobbled on his feet with a fresh gash on his face. He places his right hand over it, and it seemingly disappears. He staggers over to her sister, before falling on his ass.

"Well, how was that for a first time?"
(Zendrick Boreale)
[19:42] Aspen's position stood near a cage containing a daemon. A white, fur coated, bloodied creature with blue tipped ears and a puffy tail. It whined annoyingly, catching Aspen's attention momentarily, yet-

Her brother's moderate success of creating a rift portL grabbed up her divided attention briefly between that and the newcomer. The Invidia's gaze flicks back towards the side, staring at Ishmael with a quirked brow.

"These are the ruins of Baukengrad," she responds quietly as to not disturb her brother. Her head swiftly turns with her arms folding against her chest to continue spectating Zendrick's progress thus far in his first attempt.

The rift's violent vibrations signaled its instability, causing the winds flourishing in tangible lines around Aspen's body to pick up rapidly, contesting against the blast back of the threshold's knockback. Underneath its previous place, where Eternia repaired the damage, was a crater.

The inflicted damage on Zendrick's face disappeared as he stumbled over towards her. The woman's child tilted upward, staring down at him.

"About the same results from when I first attempted it. It was good progress," she admits, turning her attention back towards the newcomer then.

"Now.. This place used to be Bhaldraithe. That city doesn't exist anymore except for these ruins, which are now known as Baukengrad."
(Aspen Invidia)
[19:44] Zendrick Boreale says, "Sorry, guy. I wouldn't know the difference. "
[19:48] Ruins,the idea that this was indeed the city he was seeking though it was nothing like his father had described to him, it was just a memory of the past now, though Ishmael would have a hard time believing the truth.

"That can't be right, where is the city? The Felarian people running about? The marches and the ice statues? Are you telling me that my grandfather's kingdom has fallen into ruins..?"

The emotions as he talked would be wild and unpredictable, within his confusion would be anger though at the same time expectations that he had so long ago have come true.

His purple gaze would lock back with the two infront of him before he'd ask

"Then tell me, what happened to the city?"
(Ishmael Visayan)
[19:54] "Does your family not keep up with the recent events of the continent?"

The Invidia cocks her head, squinting towards the newcomer's oblivious and angered disposition. "Ice statues remain farther north," she responds, idly glancing towards Zendrick with confusion.

The city's fall had been long ago, far before Aspen's birth, to her knowledge at least. The sibling shook her head. "Vampires took it over, one of them opened a rift portal with a spire shard and summoned hordes of Nethradin. The city went into ruins. It hasn't been rebuilt since then- save for the new home of the vampires west of here near the volcano."

That was it to the story that she had to give.
(Aspen Invidia)
[20:02] Taking a look to the north he'd take note of what was left though the city had mostly been abandoned, the fear that all that he was told while he was a child could of been fabricated shot through him like lightning.

"My father was forced to flee the continent when he was only a child, I know for a fact I am of the Visayan bloodline and that this is my rightful home, for years I was told by my father that I one day would return home to reclaim our throne...But if what you say is true.."

Pausing he'd take another glance at the city.

"And i'm sure you're telling the truth, perhaps what I came here for is lost...But..One thing does remain.."

He'd kneel down towards the snow before asking

"My father's tomb is somewhere within this mountain...That is all I know, I wish to find it so I may return what is rightfully my families..His mask..Though I doubt anyone alive would know were to look..I doubtanyone from the city who served under my father is still alive."

Letting once another sigh he'd stand up slowly before glancing at the two again

"And pardon me for being so rude, as I haven't introduced myself, I'm Ishmael Visayan..My father is Desmond Visayan, Darius the previous king was my father."

(Ishmael Visayan)
[20:04] Zendrick Boreale says, "Ishmael, huh? "
[20:12] None of whom was mentioned was known to the younger blood mage. Titles of kings and the like meant nothing to Aspen and this man's proclaimed nobility had no meaning to her either. Before her was a simple man floating atop the ruins of her grandfather's city. Bhaldraithe.

"I've never heard of your bloodline, and I doubt it will have any meaning to the current living of Agartha's inhabitants. Visayan or not, however self-proclaimed nobility means for you, is meaningless to me." A stern, uncaring tone of voice. Aspen's mahogany gaze flicks towards the man with half closed eyes. A clearly disinterested mien.

"Aspen Invidia is who I am. Your father, Desmond, and grandfather, Darius, are names unknown to me. Therefore your bloodline and 'nobility' don't exist in my mind. Take it up with the vampires and demons out west who lay claim on these lands.

See if they'd be willing to let you search for your grandfather's mask. That's all I can say.

Now.." The woman glances towards Zendrick, aiming to continue their work together. "Riftmancy. Do you believe you'd be able to make another attempt, or should I push for it this time with the daemon?"
(Aspen Invidia)
[20:13] Zendrick Boreale says, "I'm going to need some time to recover. I'm drained. "
[20:16] Ishmael Visayan says, "So that's what it has come too..My family abandoned what little they had..My father ran away and tarnished any chance we had to build upon what my grandfather laid before us..I'm dissapointed to hear this..This isn't the welcoming I was expecting..Though I will say one thing for certain my name will rise once again in these lands..And perhaps one day I may return to take back what was my grandfathers..Act as you will to my speech though I am adamant about this."
[20:17] Aspen Invidia says, "Mmh, good luck with overruling and taking back lands that no longer belong to your failed bloodline. Perhaps if they were more adamant about their home, they would have stayed to keep its claim."
[20:18] Zendrick Boreale says, "Sheesh, Aspen, no need to be so rude. "
[20:19] Aspen Invidia asks, "When am I ever nice?"
[20:19] Ishmael Visayan says, "Perhaps...Perhaps...Though I will one day reunite with my grandfather, in one way or the other."
[20:20] Aspen nods her head. She had nothing more to say about the man's heirloom and his father's tomb.
(Aspen Invidia)
[20:20] Ishmael Visayan says, "I wish you good day."
[20:28] Zendrick Boreale says, "I'll just support you with your rift. I'm beat."
[20:28] Aspen Invidia says, "Right.. back to our practicing."
[20:49] The newcomer's absence is met with a grin. "No more distractions now, brother," she states quietly. A near tranquil state of the woman. Winds flourish passively around her person, dispersing to begin the next step in the art of Riftmancy.

The wielded blade of her vitality is taken up and pointed towards the southern direction. A heavy concentration, a necessary requirement, begins. Several minutes worth of time for the howling winds of the northern regions, acting as an asmr for the Invidia, relax her into a calm state.

Envisioned in Aspen's memory is the silhouette of her person. The circuitry of vessels flood with a bright light, collecting towards her palms and along the frosted layer of her blade, within its mass, and towards the tip. Her eyes and blade illuminate with bright hues of crimson, the reflections of her ichor made blade and mahogany eyes.

Just like before, two palpable walls of the lifestream are envisioned before her stance. One here. The other close by. Aspen takes up her blade in the air, aiming to rip through the first threshold here, and another elsewhere that's visible for them to test the stability of her portal.

Therefore.. Aspen's vital blade slashes downward through the intangible flow of life, tearing a hole through it. The illumination of her mana dims. The action is done. Here its height is of her stature. The edges of her portal waver like gentle waves licking upon the shores of the beaches. Another threshold rips through Eternia at a short distance nearby. With both occurrences comes a heavy, chilling flow of depraved energy seeping through the voids.

The woman stares outward through it. "Now.." The daemon is removed from its cage, squealing in fear, though without a second thought, the Invidia holds the creature forward, shoving it through the rift. The results?

The bloodied creature falls through the other side, fleeing once it hits the ground. Success. The next step? Going through it herself, but not before another test would be performed on the daemon in her abode near Dawn. For now, Eternia's lifestream mends the rift's damage slower than it had before- making it apparent of the art Aspen worked with was growing more powerful than her last attempts.

"It worked.. but I'm.. still tired. Not as much as the other tries before though. At least.. it's getting there, brother!"

(Aspen Invidia)
[21:02] The view was incredible. Using almost all of Zendrick's energy could only briefly sever the ties of space and time, yet her sister almost effortlessly cut a hole in reality, creating physical portal between two distant points.

"Incredible. That was amazing, sis."

He places his right hand on her shoulder, both to congratulate and hold her up.

"Give me a year, and I promise I'll get this down."

He smiles, attempting to mask how utterly tired he now was.
(Zendrick Boreale)
[21:11] The fatigue on her brother's features were noticeably obvious. The work he'd put in towards the first step had shown his success, even if the way it ended up concluding was similar to how Aspen's first rift attempt had.

Trial and Error.

The trial here was successful on the end for both siblings.

Aspen grinned back towards her brother, flicking her gaze briefly towards the blooded trail of the daemon who'd ran off. Going after the creature wasn't worth the Invidia's time. It lived, it succeeded and passed her trial. It's freedom was ensured.

"Work hard on it. Don't speak of anyone about the Fateless until I have any confirmations from Lord Neo Invidia about the group. I'll come find you in a few months, then we'll go from there."

With a nod to end this session, the gravitational forces surrounding the empty cage were manipulated, letting it rise up and flow freely through the air asshe aimed to trek back down the mountain.

"I have work to do now. I'll see you soon, Zendrick."
(Aspen Invidia)
[21:14] Zendrick Boreale says, "Stay safe, Aspen. You know where to find me. "
[21:14] Aspen Invidia says, "Of course. Be safe as well."