Post by Sitherack's Soul on Jan 4, 2008 21:07:48 GMT -5
Death is tireless, as is the toil of those brought back from its icy grasp. Without rest, the skeletal Sedian army had set to work rebuilding Tarthia from the ground up. Using their elements that they still had command of Earth Sedi pulled minerals and raw stone from the rubble, Fire Sedi worked with them to forge the minerals into nearly unbreakable alloys. Water and Air Sedi rapidly cooled the alloys, hardening them and shaping them into pieces used to rebuild the city. The City of Tarthia was reconstructed in the Sedian fashion, militarily based, and fortified, nothing was excessively decorative, it was to be one imposing massive fortress. Already the central citadel was completed, and in there was the heart of the New Sedian Empire. Sitherack sat at a massive obsidian table pouring over a map of the world. Across from him sat his new second in command, Zinerva, and next to her Deidre, who stared impassively at the nearest wall, still unclothed, and garbed in only the inky blood tattoos that had adorned her with her return from the grave. She had rejected the offer of clothing, preferring to remain how the Arc had recreated her.
“Reports have come in from scouts around the former Terra Centilina provinces Lord General,” Zinerva frowned at the map that Sitherack was staring at thoughtfully, a lot of things had been preoccupying her lately but she tried not to let them interfere with her duties to Sitherack. “It seems that Lasius and Daegan have retreated to Cyrida as you had anticipated, but nothing else seems to be making much sense. We are getting scattered reports out of the district of Tre Betal, Scouts come back babbling incoherently and scalded with massive quantities of burns. From what we have managed to piece together the Port city is completely gone, in it's place is a massive volcano, the surface runs with live lava flows and mountains range around the area where none have been reported before.”
“Only the Arc's of Fire and Earth could be behind that level of Destruction, but that still doesn't answer the question as to who is wielding them, the raw damage and power suggests that it is someone inexperienced, but holding that much control over the raw elements of this planet makes them a force to be reckoned with nonetheless.” He raised his left finger, and a small pin point sphere of darkness formed above it “So here, in Cyrida we have Lasius and Daegan,” he placed his finger on the city of Cyrida on the map and the small sphere of darkness hovered over the city. “And here,” he raised his finger again producing another identical sphere “we have the Arcs of Fire and Earth, wielded by someone possibly equally as dangerous.” He placed that sphere above the marker indicating Tre Betal.
“Yes Sir, however there is more, our latest reports from Sethia say that Daegan arrived there less than several hours ago, and began to lay waste to the city, just as abruptly ceased and vanished.” Her gaze was confused, partly at the Sage of Shadows intent, but more at the man himself, there was still something naggingly familiar about him that required conscious thought to suppress in order to concentrate on the task at hand.
“Peculiar, to say the least.” he rested a hand over Sethia, and gazed at it thoughtfully, as though, through the marking on the map he could see the events that had occurred there.
“Not only that, I have it from three separate sources that the Sage held not only the Arc of Shadows, but what could only match descriptions of the Arc of Dreams as well.” Her tone was worried, and as it should be, their greatest advantage to this point had been the certainty that holding two Arcs put them at an advantage, or possibly even ground with Lasius and Daegan, now not only was it possible that they held more, but there was also this mystery person in Tre Betal that held at least two, if not more Arcs.
“Dreams...” his eyes closed thoughtfully, and a small smile played across his face. “That at least is good news.”
“How do you figure Lord General?” Her tone was annoyed, she didn't like having her concerns mocked, regardless of who was doing it, she leveled her gaze on Sitherack, trying hard to ignore the unnervingly silent Deirdre next to her.
“Dreams is a dangerous Arc Zinerva, It requires a specific mind type to master, Daegan is a younger Sedi, well in comparison to Lasius and myself anyway, it is unlikely he can unlock the full potential of the Arc of Dreams, better to have him with that than say the Arc of Lightning.” Sitherack frowned at the map thoughtfully and sighed. “There is no helping it I'm afraid, our enemies are too great and our power too low to expand south as rapidly as we intended. I want you to issue an order to recall all loyal Sedi to the City of Tarthia, we need to complete the fortifications here before moving forward with our plans.”
“Sir! You cant seriously be planning to give up Sethia without a fight!” her voice shocked and appalled, as she gripped the obsidian table with a white knuckled grip.
“That's exactly what I plan to do Zinerva, If we extend too far too fast Lasius and his pet Sage will crush us like an insect, and if we turn our attentions to fight them directly, it will provide an opportunity for this mystery person to intervene.” his hand came down angrily on the former port city of Tre Betal. "We are weak now Zinerva, but I don't Intend to remain so for long."
“Reports have come in from scouts around the former Terra Centilina provinces Lord General,” Zinerva frowned at the map that Sitherack was staring at thoughtfully, a lot of things had been preoccupying her lately but she tried not to let them interfere with her duties to Sitherack. “It seems that Lasius and Daegan have retreated to Cyrida as you had anticipated, but nothing else seems to be making much sense. We are getting scattered reports out of the district of Tre Betal, Scouts come back babbling incoherently and scalded with massive quantities of burns. From what we have managed to piece together the Port city is completely gone, in it's place is a massive volcano, the surface runs with live lava flows and mountains range around the area where none have been reported before.”
“Only the Arc's of Fire and Earth could be behind that level of Destruction, but that still doesn't answer the question as to who is wielding them, the raw damage and power suggests that it is someone inexperienced, but holding that much control over the raw elements of this planet makes them a force to be reckoned with nonetheless.” He raised his left finger, and a small pin point sphere of darkness formed above it “So here, in Cyrida we have Lasius and Daegan,” he placed his finger on the city of Cyrida on the map and the small sphere of darkness hovered over the city. “And here,” he raised his finger again producing another identical sphere “we have the Arcs of Fire and Earth, wielded by someone possibly equally as dangerous.” He placed that sphere above the marker indicating Tre Betal.
“Yes Sir, however there is more, our latest reports from Sethia say that Daegan arrived there less than several hours ago, and began to lay waste to the city, just as abruptly ceased and vanished.” Her gaze was confused, partly at the Sage of Shadows intent, but more at the man himself, there was still something naggingly familiar about him that required conscious thought to suppress in order to concentrate on the task at hand.
“Peculiar, to say the least.” he rested a hand over Sethia, and gazed at it thoughtfully, as though, through the marking on the map he could see the events that had occurred there.
“Not only that, I have it from three separate sources that the Sage held not only the Arc of Shadows, but what could only match descriptions of the Arc of Dreams as well.” Her tone was worried, and as it should be, their greatest advantage to this point had been the certainty that holding two Arcs put them at an advantage, or possibly even ground with Lasius and Daegan, now not only was it possible that they held more, but there was also this mystery person in Tre Betal that held at least two, if not more Arcs.
“Dreams...” his eyes closed thoughtfully, and a small smile played across his face. “That at least is good news.”
“How do you figure Lord General?” Her tone was annoyed, she didn't like having her concerns mocked, regardless of who was doing it, she leveled her gaze on Sitherack, trying hard to ignore the unnervingly silent Deirdre next to her.
“Dreams is a dangerous Arc Zinerva, It requires a specific mind type to master, Daegan is a younger Sedi, well in comparison to Lasius and myself anyway, it is unlikely he can unlock the full potential of the Arc of Dreams, better to have him with that than say the Arc of Lightning.” Sitherack frowned at the map thoughtfully and sighed. “There is no helping it I'm afraid, our enemies are too great and our power too low to expand south as rapidly as we intended. I want you to issue an order to recall all loyal Sedi to the City of Tarthia, we need to complete the fortifications here before moving forward with our plans.”
“Sir! You cant seriously be planning to give up Sethia without a fight!” her voice shocked and appalled, as she gripped the obsidian table with a white knuckled grip.
“That's exactly what I plan to do Zinerva, If we extend too far too fast Lasius and his pet Sage will crush us like an insect, and if we turn our attentions to fight them directly, it will provide an opportunity for this mystery person to intervene.” his hand came down angrily on the former port city of Tre Betal. "We are weak now Zinerva, but I don't Intend to remain so for long."