awakening of the eye

Ever since the prototype ritual has been finished, only the minimal platform has been finished- visible upon the upper stage of the Alabastre's tower, one in which the baseline for the future Eye is to be created. While it hosts the basic construction to perform the sort of operation that they have intended..

Beyond basics that any hired workers could do - the Eye itself is yet to be made. Although, in this scenario, the notes of the text are to be invoked, the text that has been previously deciphered by Felinae; that of Leonaus Grimoire. With the aid of Finn and Amalia, perhaps..

This could become possible.

"First of, thank you both for coming. Your help is invaluable in this."

Although, with that said, his gaze turns towards the two before he begins to elaborate on exact plan here.

"Amalia."

"In case you'd require any further assistance with the platform itself, there are hired workers you could ask to aid you in basic construction. We made sure that Alabastre's treasury will have more than enough material for it as well."

"Anything else, when it comes to runes, or the design itself - that's on you." A pause, and his gaze turns towards the High Lord of Myllenoris.

"Finn."

"The intent was to link the Eye to the spirit realms as well, and allow the influx of spiritual energy, so that it could draw knowledge from that place as well."

"The stars exist within spirit realms too, or so I heard - so the celestial energy that I will personally link to the stars above should co-exist just fine."

"If either of you had input on this, do tell."
(Basil)

"Mm. Thanks is unnecessary. If we can make a more defensive Esshar then the work is worth it." The High Lord said as he stepped up near Basil to look over the platform and the initial beginnings to what those here in Alabastre were creating.

Basil gave some advice and instruction as to what direction this was all supposed to head, and while Amy could focus on what the King asked of her, Finn understood what his role in this might be.

He raised both of his arms up, his crystal one glowing a soft blue that extended bands of spectral energy off of itself. They reached forward like distant, coiling arms as they collected across some of the constructed work.

"I mentioned that there is a give and take relationship when it comes to the spirits. If you wish to connect and allow a steady stream of knowledge to come through, you've brought something to offer in turn, yes?"

The High Lord was now completely glowing a vibrant blue as he turned his head in Basil's direction, awaiting an answer to the thing that might fuel the pact made here tonight.
(Finn Ghede)

Amalia looked around thoughtfully at the peak of the tower that Basil had brought them to. Her attention shifts between various aspects of it, but eventually she settles into one place before taking out a small note pad and a pen.

Since they were on a tower, that precluded her ability to design outwards. The only way to build would be upwards. An initial platform would definitely be necessary to house the Eye itself while it was being constructed, but there were a few ideas that could be pursued in order to make that platform unnecessary after a while.

"I will need a little help in getting the materials brought up, but they won't need to worry about the construction itself." She says towards Basil and began to sketch out a rough outline upon the note pad as she sat on the crenellations of the tower.

A small central platform, that seemed to be shaped like a giant bowl or saucer, and above it, a metal construct, covered in runes and inscription linesthat ran across the entirety of it's surface.

"Hm." A thoughtful hum comes from her as she stood up and looked over the tower's plateau intently before she turns to look at Basil. "What materials do you have available, exactly?" She questions.
(Amalia Ghede)

"The Eye of Alabastre should help the entirety of Esshar." Truthfully, he expects this to become more than that too.

"It would likely be somewhat of a pilgrimage place. A way for people to reveal the visions of what must be done in order to succeed.. a place of knowledge like no other - but one that we must protect at all costs."

"Lest it falls into the wrong hands."

The lot of them could understand such notion, he was sure of it- but where he draws upon annotated knowledge that has been already deciphered and put to practice with him and Mars, there's something else that he adds to Finn's words.

"Yes."

"Chiron.. as well as few other things potentially. I would perhaps consult with you what might be better, if Chiron is proven to not be enough." Yet, a pause.

"If all else fails, then.." His gaze averts. What exactly the Rhoynish King has saved?

"I have something else as a dire sacrifice - but do not ever tell Mars about it."

Whatever it is Basil has kept, one thing is clear - the Felinae would be absolutely devastated if she's ever heard of it, or so he anticipates. Then again..

Sometimes, these sacrifices are necessary.

For now, already he begins preparing the gathering of celestial energy; a ritual circle, much like the one performed during the prototype, steadily conjured around the platform. The starlight permeates his form, and the glyphs similar to the ancient visage of Stars is drawn upon the platform.

No doubt means to connect to the stars.

Yet, already the Rhoynish King gestures to the workers to begin bringing up materials as to when Amalia speaks of having them brought up. Soon enough, he exclaims.

"All of them."

"Mythril, orchilacum, stone, iron, copper, adamantite, blue mercury, tyrium, steel and more."

"We have hundreds upon hundreds of units of all of these. Take whatever you deem necessary."
(Basil)

Finn gave Basil another nod. "The Chiron should fuel a lot of the energy needed, but I might advise something atop it, even something simple or smaller, a token of your own devotion to this cause." The High Lord explained.

Basil's insistence that if he does need to give up something else it doesn't get mentioned to Mars was given a long stare from the High Lord. He was a man of truth, and couldn't really keep secrets necessarily, but he would stay tight lipped around the Felinae.

"I would suggest you add in whatever you can. A Chiron along with something else would be more than enough to secure what you're after here."

The spectral energies and bands coiled around the top of the tower until a mist began to roll in, one not unlike that found within the Vale itself.

"I will be ready to begin once you are, King Basil."
(Finn Ghede)

"Mythril, orchilacum, blue mercury only. The rest are unnecessary." She says, knowing the sorts of properties required for something like this.

Stone was simply out of the question. While iron, copper and steel were able to channel energy rather effectively, when it came to channeling mana, they were still subpar.

Adamantite could perform well as a base for the platform, but if resources truly weren't a concern, then orchilacum was a better option. Finally, that left the choices for the Eye itself. Blue Mercury was a light metal that, while potentially dangerous to handle, provided exceptional mana channeling capabilities.

It would serve as the primary metal.

She had considered mythril for the role of primary metal, but soon discarded it as a lesser option. Mythril was sturdier than blue mercury, and was therefore mainly used in weapons and armors. This construct however, would not be a weapon and nor would it be an piece of protective gear.

It would be a construct of knowledge. A miniscule window into a greater world.

Therefore, mythril will serve as the supporting metal within the Eye, one that holds and links the greater pieces of it together.

"Just set all of them to one side of the tower, neatly and separated. I'll start with the orichalcum first." She says towards the workers as they brought the required amounts of metals up one arm full at a time.
(Amalia Ghede)

It was entrusted that Amalia would be able to handle this part of the process on her own; and while the workers begin to carry up the metals of all kind, he nods along to her words.

"You heard Amalia."

"Follow her orders in positioning metals, and where to construct, as well as what to construct." With Amalia being given command over the hired workers, his gaze turned towards Finn while she'd be taking care of the construction itself.

"Let's begin."

Already the Rhoynish King begins to construct the first necessary steps of the ritual circle, one that is meant to establish the connection to the stars above- to use them as permanent fuel, on top of Chiron and whatever else they would be also providing in this ritual.

First, it's the body of the circle.
The Yellow Branch portrayed upon the main circle.
The glyphs of ancient times, only barely resembling modernity.

Each glyph of the Star that belongs to the Yellow Branch carefully placed all around- all to establish the main structure for this; it would be used as a means to create the necessary power supply, as well as the 'core' of the operation, to which he speaks out.

"The prototype of previous ritual, during which I gathered magi all around Esshar, was a build up to this."

"The last time we managed to unveil the symphony of the Universe itself. I intend to replicate that, but to greater effect." The details that were mentioned to Finn, and yet..

Already he calls over the workers to begin carrying up the Rhoynish relics of the old- spiritually charged ones at that, used for myriad rituals and traditions of the Rhoynur people. Perhaps, he wasn't willing to tap into the most dire sacrifice of all just yet..

Perhaps, he was willing to give a try to something less dire - after all, it's dire and desperate for a reason.

"You can begin, Finn."

(Basil)

Finn heard Basil's further explanations as to what was going to happen here and what they had already accomplished, and once he had finished shaping everything, the High Lord was given the go ahead to begin.

The spectral bands of blue light followed the pathways of Basil's own inscriptions, and amidst the mist that they had called upon here, a great and somewhat eerie glow filled the air.

All of Alabastre would feel as if a light storm had rolled in, but one that came without rain or thunder.

Uttered whispers not meant for the ears of the living spoke toward the spirits that lingered within these forests, those entities both good and evil that watched as Basil and Mars' citizens went about their lives here in the western woods.

Some began to manifest only to vanish, stepping in and out of this reality with curious interest in what was going on now.

The High Lord revealed in this moment the truer purpose of his title, for he was notonly the leader of a kingdom of Esshar, but the bridge and speaker between this realm and the next. Their power was being called forward, their knowledge that Basil wished to hear asked for, until finally Finn's eyes opened again, still alight with his blessings.

"I've gathered them and their essence. It's all here to listen and see. Make your offerings once Amy is ready and they should accept this tethering."
(Finn Ghede)

The practiced hands continue their deft work.

Upon the celestial inscriptions that were performed in the past, the ritual circle that would need all three components in order to establish it with the stars above; while the main body, consisting of the Yellow Branch, is one made to serve as the core of the body, what follows next is glyphs of entirely different nature.

Ones that consist of the glyphs that represent Blue Branch.
The head, the understanding and direction, meant to guide it all.
Whereas Yellow Branch is body, Blue Branch is directives.

The directives that are meant to manifest the will of the user- here, upon the glyphs, the directives necessary to reach out to the Universe above and connect upon the stars displayed on the glyphs is made; the directives that would dictate the Eye to be connected to the wisdom and knowledge of the galaxy.

And yet..

His gaze turns to observe briefly the manifesting effects of what Finn performs. This spiritual connection.. it's all too similar to the one that Horn of Njorun holds. Considering that Basil knows a thing or two, it shouldn't be this difficult. But while he works upon the Blue Branch..

These runes make it to the air.
Floating above the main circle in a steady, calm pace.
Much like a ring that is used to manipulate directives.

"Almost."

"The Yellow Branch is the core. The Blue Branch is the manifestation of will, direction of the ritual." One that is built upon the platform, fit to be connected to the workings of Amalia.

"The Red Branch is the grasp, necessary to secure this celestial tether."
(Basil)

Amalia watched as the workers moved, and quietly directed them to bring the first metal she had chosen to start with to the center of the tower's plateau.

Once they had however, she dismissed them to the side. She did not need their help for the construction and use of the metals themselves. In fact, they would more or less get in the way.

Too many cooks in the kitchen, as the saying goes.

It had been several days since she had last used her magic to forge something, and thinking that she would have sacrificed her ability to forge for a stronger connection with the unseen world.. It leaves her feeling slightly appreciative of Finley, something that he could clearly feel from her in that moment.

Her eyes began to glow a subtle blue as spectral arcs of energy began to surround the Teraphim Lady.

Then heat billowed outwards from her like a furnace, the air around her grew hazy and uncomfortable to stand within as the temperature climbed higher andhigher.

And as it did, the metal upon the stone rooftop began to glow a heated white hue, before slowly turning into molten red-orange. The metals began to melt down on the spot as she focused her heat upon it, the ambient heat of which caused the tower's rooftop to swelter.

Pulses of raw mana flash outwards, impacting the molten metal, constricting it as she confines it into the base shape that she desired for the foundation of the beginning platform made of pure orichalcum.

The small statured Teraphim woman's brow furrowed in concentration as she began manipulating her mana to start having the raised platform flattening in on itself. Starting from its top, it began to expand outwards in an ever widening bowl that gradually became thicker as the pointed rims of the bowl expanded outwards.

Finally though, she stopped in her progress of it, and the sweltering heat was slowly withdrawn from the confined area. The raw mana that remained, holding the molten metal in its shape remained however, a force that constrained it and stopped it from spilling out across the tower's peak.

Nobody wanted a tower crowned with orichalcum, after all.

With her attention no longer divided, she finds it much easier to maintain the platform's base, where the Eye will be held and kept when it is not active. Then with a slight pulling gesture towards it, she draws the heat from the metal slowly, flash cooling it down to where it would keep its shape on its own without her direct support.

Amalia smiles upon seeing that it keeps, and then strides forwards to inspect her handiwork, swirling blue motes of spiritual light flickering in and out of sight around her.

The yellow colored base was perhaps a rather garish color for it. Paint could easily be applied to make the end product aesthetically pleasing- to her at least. As of right now though it was only half complete. The runes upon the base still needed to be applied, and then work upon the Eye itself could be completed.

Without so much as stopping to rest, she began to inscribe runes directly into the air as she walked around the platforms beginnings. Rune after rune filled the air, each one glowing a gentle shade of blue, until she had walked all the way around the bowl of orichalcum and completed the first row of runes.

The runes of structure.

A second row of gently glowing runes were started just above that runic encirclement. The runes of buoyancy that would make the Eye able to, once activated, float above the platform on its energy. Then, finally, the third and last row of runes were crafted above the second encirclement.

The runes of balance, which will keep the circle of energy from ever becoming unstable, and to keep the Eye firmly in place.

Once all three circles of runes were inscribed upon the air, she drew one last set of runes into the air, the rune of transference, the same one that she saw Regulus use many years ago. With a blinding flash of blue light, the three sets of runes all imprinted themselves directly into the base of the platform.

The first task, completed.

"Bring the blue mercury next, then the mythril."
(Amalia Ghede)

There are times in which he thought this could not be possible.

But after turmoil of years upon years, after all that he had to survive through.. of the betrayal of Osiris that once tried to take away the livelihood of Basil from him, to the betrayal of Tiernay and their subsequent fight, this was perhaps the time when his dream could come true. While acquiring this home was one thing..

Completing the Eye of Alabastre is another.

It becomes the brilliance of Red- but not one that is commanded by Basil directly, one that comes from the command of glyphs that are inscribed to the vertical position - the four runic pillars that are created upon the base.

The Red Branch of Constellation.
The grasp, made to reach out to the stars and create tether.
To use stars as endless supporting fuel and tap into their wisdom.

Where the tether to the celestials is made in such way, already the platform begins to hum in vibrations that represent the ancient technique- the technique taken from Leonaus Grimoire, and here, what they witness is the prototype of what has been done before.

The Symphony of the Universe.
Their minds go numb for a moment.
Their ears are filled with countless whispers.

Centuries upon centuries of knowledge locked within the stars; impossible to decipher and discern at mere glance, but the Eye is precisely made to tap into this knowledge and some more. When the construction is stabilized, however, what they can see is..

The Yellow Branch, serving as core.
The Blue Branch, serving as directive.
The Red Branch, serving as grasp and tether.

The Rhoynish King reaches out for Chiron, for the relics of the ancestry that were of value to him- amidst the essence that was summoned by Finn, however, he speaks out.

"Hear me, spirits."

"In return for your cooperation, secrets and knowledge, I offer you the spiritual value of the Rhoynur - the centuries of history, of power, of collective memories and more, found upon these relics of old."

"And celestial power, known as Chiron." Where the Rhoynish King addresses that, it is made unsurprisingly in Rhoynish fashion too.

"Come forth, and let this be made."
(Basil)

Basil's offerings were made within the patterned work of the King and Amalia. Through the mist, a dozen reaching, phantom hands reached forward to take the Chiron and the relics of old, but instead of actually grasping the object within their palms, as soon as they made contact, these offered sacrifices began to waste away into dust.

It began with the Chiron itself, a flash of some golden glow that sparked to life until speck by speck the treasure was taken up into a flurry, a cold wind whisking it away into that cloudy fog.

The relics were taken as well, artifacts of the past that were irreplaceable and unique. Knowledge and art of ancient Rhoynur times vanished in the few instants where they fell apart and away into nothing more than the same state as the Chiron that went as well.

To these humans, the objects were wasted, but to the spirits, they now laid claim to these valuable treasures and could call them their own. As if to let their acceptance becomeknown, a secondary flash of light beat through the strands of energy that Finn had cast outward, the very same ones that lined up with the constructive project and the patterns of the Eye that had come before, their branches now aglow.

Finn's eyes continued to glow even as he shut them, and with his arms still outstretched, he maintained a union with the spirits that began to inlay their own sacrosanct power within this place. The past could be witnessed here by those attuned to it, and some of the secrets of the future might be revealed as well, should the asker be worthy. It would take some time and final perfections, but the blessing of this spot and this new creation had effectually succeeded.

The Spirits of Alabastre were now convened here in this place forevermore.

"They've chosen to listen." Finn said, his voice still airy and distant. "The sacrifice was enough." he confirmed before lowering his arms at last. The gem in his crown beat a brighter color just for a moment before his eyes opened once more, still dilated and wide, but focused nonetheless.
(Finn Ghede)

She watched as the blue mercury was taken placed into bowl shaped platform, and quickly she set to work heating and melting down the mercury into workable form. For the Eye, she believed something a bit more special would be needed to serve as the core.

So, from her pack, she took out two chunks of Arcanium.

Basil did not specify the metal in its construction and it had confused her initially, but she understood that the amount of Arcanium that would be needed would require an entire country’s worth of people searching and mining for the incredibly rare and precious metal.

The impossible could not be managed with just them, so she took out two pieces of her own precious Arcanium for use in the joint project between them.

Like the now heated, liquid state blue mercury, the Arcanium was slowly, and carefully melted down and shaped into a small, perfect sphere in her own hands. This would serve as the core for the Eye, and the foundation upon which she would have the mercury adhere to.

The sphere of Arcanium was set aside as she began to scribe runes upon its surface. As she went along, a white mist formed along the surface of it. From it, one could feel the temperature dropping rapidly as the freezing runes went to work.

From there, Amalia brought a small ritual dagger out from its sheathe at her waist and moved towards the platform to cut open her hand. From the application of her blood, the energy required for the operation of the runes had begun. Like this, those watching on could see the small pond of liquid blue mercury rise into the air before it hovered in a vaguely amorphous sphere. It was into this sphere that Amalia would insert the Arcanium core, the freezing runes drawn onto it earlier doing the task of beginning to cool down the mercury.

The blue motes of spiritual light around the Teraphim Lady fluttered as she quickened the pace of her work, molding and mashing the previously amorphous liquid mercury into a sphere that conformed to the Arcanium core within its center.

With that completed, she turned towards the workers who stood at the ready on the side and she gestures them forwards with the mythril. From here, the work began to slow as she began to take each piece of mythril offered to her one by one, melted it down into the shape of a rune, and attached it directly into the surface of the Eye’s main body.

Over and over, this is repeated, for each and every piece of mythril that was brought to her, she would add another rune to the overall structure. Each bend and turn around the floating sphere that the trail of runes took, slowly began to form a much larger rune structure upon the Eye itself.

If one were to take the Eye and stretch it out flat, one would be able to see an array of her own unique design. One that was meant to provide shelter and protection for the spirits that Basil and Finley had called towards the Eye in order to form the pact. To those spirits that had chosen to remain?

She had provided them a house within the structure of the Eye itself.

What better way to reinforce an item’s connection with the Spirit Realm and the Stars?
(Amalia Ghede)

The sacrifice was enough.

Had it not been that, then perhaps a more dire, desperate circumstance would set in- for as much as someone could call this mere relics of culture, to Basil, it was everything; these were the pieces of their history that were more than just valuable to the Rhoynish King, as they represented everything that the Rhoynish people are.

To see them turn to dust has..
Actually hurt him.

But he knows that it's for the better future. He knows that it's for the best that the Eye of Alabastre would exist- and where the celestial ritual has been coming to a wrap, awaiting only the necessary spiritual piece, it is at last finished.

All of the Branches come together, sealing the magic cast.
The ancient technique, combined with spirituality..
.. will bring about new age that could aid them all.

Here, they could witness the full glory of living through to see the Symphony of the Universe sing and hum its songs to them- where the stars above have become a permanent link to the Eye of Alabastre, and the spiritual addendum could only ensure that it would have its vision stretch towards the horizon of different realms.

With the wisdom of the stars and spirits..
Nothing could hide from it now.

"This part is done.."

Yet, a single glance is given to all that Amalia has managed to construct. As far as he could tell, she was either already finished, or very close to doing so. But in the end..

"I believe you're done as well?"

With how the runes of the Branches are able to stabilize themselves around this platform..

"It seems as if we're finished."
(Basil)

The longer Finn rested, the more the mist diminished until it had receded entirely. The Teraphim gave Basil a quick nod before observing the scene in its entirety. This place was now nearly as potent as the depths of the Vale, and while it was a wonder to the others gathered here, Finn could hear the whispers of all those that now chose to call this place home, all of the spirits that would now serve the purposes of the Eye.

"It's finished then, yes." he said with something of a tired look to his expression that was quickly shaken. These efforts did take their toll on the messenger.

"At least on my end. Once it's all complete, these spirits should remain. Their knowledge is now yours, King Basil."
(Finn Ghede)

Having finished her work on the actual construct of the eye, she sat back and waved the rest of the workers off- unless they wanted to stand there and observe the construct. Basil could handle them from there if he so wished.

Amalia moved over to stand close to Finn, partly leaning on him, she peers towards the Eye with a small, satisfied smile. "It is finished on my side as well. There is nothing more that I can think to add to it as of now." She says towards Basil drowsily.

"I do wonder though- what is it you intend on learning from them first?"
(Amalia Ghede)

It is all done.

Now, what they could await is for the mechanism to stabilize and show its performance as the time goes on. Truthfully, there's always anticipation and wonder as to what exactly he would witness, but..

First, his gaze turns to the both of them.

"Thank you for your aid."

With the question asked of him, however, the exclamation on that matter follows- something that Finn has heard about before, no doubt.

"The Coven."

"How to battle them, how to truly root them out- how to weaken or destroy their connection to Dark Lord, or what can be done about it at all."

"I do not know what the answers will be. We theorized before, we sought out the potential answers within the history, but.."

"Each theory gains a number of complications. Each thought only adds two more. This will be the answer to that and so much more."

Something that could be useful for entirety of Esshar.

"It would be the guidance that Esshar needs."
(Basil)