ORIGIN

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Following a fairly interesting interaction with Huckleberry, Azizos had hurriedly excused himself and made for Orion. Even with the shortness of the connecting tunnel, the lion-stag went at a brisk pace. His hooves canting softly over worn old steps with practiced ease, he wondered --- and hoped --- that his father wouldn't be in the middle of something. Pride had a penchant for excellent time-management skills, balancing a life with the Seven, along with one with Mercurius in the grove --- and the children, adoptive or not --- and studying the behaviors and distinctions between Lesser and Greater Gembounds. Even with kind smiles and nods, indicating that Azizos was impeding absolutely nothing at all, the lion-stag couldn't help but feel a little guilty for keeping Pride from whatever it was that he was doing. His father was up to things with much higher stakes than his own activities, you see.

But, despite himself, the Morning Star had gone to Orion, calling softly for his father and receiving a (thankfully) free white stag. A quick explanation, with subtle hints of eagerness, and the duo were on the fast track for Tunnel M once more. There was plenty of rest, of course, for his father. His recovery had been significant since his visit to Tenzin with one of the Seven's members, but there was still room for Azizos to be a bit of an insistent worrywart.

As such, the lion-stag was presently lying atop a shelf of rock, limbs tucked so that he was imitating a delightful little loaf.

During the treacherous climb toward the Fornax part of this tunnel, Azizos was fairly quiet, more focused on not rolling his ankles out of socket or losing his balance, unable to save himself. In these periods of rest, though, he spoke nearly a mile-per-minute: "these pillars are enchanted with an odd sort of magic, I believe --- I asked the Ancient, Bolormaa, how it was that this was done. I suggested that it was in the way that we give stones life, and she said yes. I don't know what this means, and I've yet to attempt it, even cycles later. A sense of... apprehension has kept me. Perhaps..." His gaze fixated on a far-off point that didn't even exist. "Perhaps it is the knowledge that we are not nearly as powerful and limitless as the Ancients seem to be. I don't know how taxing the efforts of imbuing magic into something not quite as--- as conducive to it would be, nor the side-effects of it --- on myself or the object."

@Pride

Pride spent a moment pacing around the pillars, noting their sweet scent with brief sniffs. He wore his armor, and atop its glittering surface the white hare sat, her own dark gaze passing over the red stones.

Her thoughts, questing, were something like What are these? And he answered along the same link--I do not know. Complicated, I think.

To Azizos, he turned, and glanced over him. His son had grown--handsome, strong, and kind. The latter was perhaps most important: he had not turned (not that Pride had ever thought he would) into any sort of tyrant. He was proud of him, and more than that he was grateful for Mercurius' teachings. Pride doubted that he, himself, was any sort of worthwhile teacher of anything other than intellectual pursuits--perhaps combat with magic; Mercurius, the old storyteller, was the one with the good heart.

Yet Azizos had certainly inherited his own curiosity, his own sharp insight. He was a student of the world, and studious in nature. The stag still wasn't quite sure if Azizos had a reason to lead him here, other than to share a curiosity--but he was content to toss ideas back and forth, and to investigate any puzzle, no matter how small, with his son.

He turned his gaze back to the red pillars. "Bolormaa," he repeated, thoughtfully. "That is not, I think, a name that I know. What can you tell me about her?" His tone was gently curious; he reached out and--cautiously--touched his nose to one of the pillars as he spoke. He extended his magicka along with his other senses, and opened himself to the stones for a moment, but he felt no magic in them. There was nothing either latent or active within them.

"Whatever they once did, they are lifeless now," he went on, thoughtful. "But they acted, you said, to give life?" Curious, he turned to Azizos, wondering at their history.

@Azizos

Silvery eyes traced his father's path around the pillars, curious to see his response. Azizos shoved up to his feet, approaching the gleaming stone that he had knocked slightly ajar in an admittedly panicked state --- of course. A quick once-over and sniff returned only the cloying-sweet odor. Oversized ears flicked as his father asked for further clarification and information on Bolormaa, and the lion-stag was happy to provide: "she seems kind and knowledgeable." Hooves clicked softly across the platform, absently counting the steps as he crossed to Pride. "I'm certain she isn't one of the Masters --- not like Astraea or Nemean --- but may be ancient in a similar manner," Azizos's voice was hushed at the mention of other name, as if the Masters had ears everywhere, "she came from seemingly nowhere with a sort of incense that broke us free of these pillars' magic."

A furrowed brow, as he beckoned forth his magic --- though he wasn't quite sure for what reason, quite yet. "Bolormaa seemed to deflect my questions about the time of Ancients, though, while she still performed her union ceremonies; she simply wished for me to exist as I can, now --- free and safe." Azizos glanced over to his father, ears back. "The implications of that aren't too kind." Being told to live in innocent youth for as long as possible didn't sit well in the Morning Star's conscious.

He was somewhat aware of his father's gentle tug at whatever magic the pillars may hold --- or the lack thereof. Faint sparks glinted in his vision, easily missed. The Spire's distant influence could not be missed, but this place was as dead as could be. "Perhaps their magic has dissipated since this place was revealed," Azizos mused, snuffing out his own flow of magicka. Tilting his head, his gaze drifted up to the rounded caps of the pillars. "In some way, I believe they may have," he rumbled, eyes tracing the smooth edge of rose-pink against dull stone, "but not directly. Bolormaa mentioned rituals of union --- between lovers, perhaps --- or simply friends and companions. These could have been magically enacted, or just simple traditions and ceremonies."

A quick glance around himself and his father seemed to indicate that the motherly-seeming creature was, in fact, absent. "I don't believe she calls this place home, though."

@Pride

Pride regarded the stones in thoughtful silence. The hare at his back hopped down, landing clumsily from such a high fall, then took to circling the stones herself--sniffing. His curiosity had made her curious.

"Where do you think she makes her home?" he asked, quietly curious. "And what did she look like?" as an afterthought.

He wasn't quite sure how stones, or their magic, would help in... unions. Nor with giving life. Perhaps it was the sort of thing where two Gembound were--well, bound--together, and granted a child, all at once..? The idea puzzled him, particularly given the pillars' lack of magic. "Unless they are a catalyst," he mused, aloud, coming to a halt beside one.

He glanced at Azizos. "It's possible that channeling a certain type of magic through them may amplify them--or perhaps their structure stabilizes it, somehow. She herself would need--I would think--to be asked precisely how they work." Pride circled away and came to a stop, facing the pillars as a whole. He took their sight in, all together, and looked to Azizos. "Reluctant, hm? Perhaps not wholly to be trusted, then. But reluctance, I have found... often speaks of fear. I wonder if we could find out what she is afraid of? I do have magic of the mind. Perhaps we could pay her a visit--a friendly one--and I could try to do a little eavesdropping?" A bit of mischief played over the stag's features, and the white hare nearby--sensing this--turned and sat up. She was all for it--whatever "it" was--and Pride glanced with amusement at her.

You're a little troublemaker, he thought at her, and she immediately shot back--in her own way--So are you.

@Azizos

Azizos sniffed idly at tilted pillar, nose wrinkling up slightly as the offensively-sweet odor's strength increased tenfold. The only thing magical about this place, it seemed, was that it was constantly shrouded in a floral scent that he could so far as to describe as a stench. In ambience, it was delightful, but not in such a density. The lion-stag noted that he hadn't noticed it quite as much before, stagnant as this place must have been before its reveal. Perhaps it just seemed to coalesce here.

Silvery eyes glanced to his father, and he shrugged lightly, "I believe she must reside around here, somewhere, but I'm not certain. She said simply to go and find her." Tail flicking, hooves tapping across the platform, Azizos tried to picture Bolormaa --- in case his father wished to dredge it from his mind for his own visuals --- and described in a soft, fluting voice, "I do not believe she was very large --- simply very long. Brown fur with blue feet--- hands, perhaps? ---and shaggy mane like a horse's. She had two sets of ears and a... motherly sort of aura. Her voice and face were kind, gentle."

Catalysts, hmm? Azizos turned toward the pillars, ears pricking upwards. The structures could possibly serve as such a thing, or perhaps they served the same purpose as their own gemstones: "or conductors and amplifiers of magic." If he could indicate to his own moonstone horn, he would have. These pillars could act as sort of a lightning rod once charged with a specific magic --- Bolormaa's --- which would explain the absence of ambient magic flow that could be detected properly. They were not magical in of themselves, and quickly relinquished it when not charged fully.

He smiled softly, nodding. "Perhaps, we should take a look around for her," he murmured, and eyed the pillars. Counting left from the one he had knocked ajar --- about two --- he pondered if he should look in the direction Bolormaa had come (possibly) while they were all in a lovesick stupor (he couldn't be entirely certain of it.) Azizos rumbled softly, then called, "Bolormaa? Mother Bolormaa?"

@Pride

Pride glanced briefly at Azizos.

"Yes, that is what I meant by catalyst--to focus and ease casting, perhaps. To enhance it." He listened to the description of Bolormaa, though he did not delve into Azizos' mind. Instead he merely considered the idea, trying to imagine blue feet, hands, long brown hair.

Gentle face. He glanced briefly--curiously--at Azizos, the phrase ringing bells in his memory. But no--the thing he'd heard of with a gentle face was white, centaur-like, not at all matching the other descriptions that his son now gave.

Surely this strange elder--one he'd never even heard of, at that--wouldn't simply pop up immediately when called..? But still, Pride--curious--turned to peer in the direction his son gazed, waiting, his ears pressed forward.

@Azizos

Bolormaa had not been gone long; the task of clearing the area around the Bonding pillars after the rockslide that had revealed them had proven to be a long, and tedious task. She'd started by carefully sweeping off the dust with gentle strokes of her long, plumed tail, using dexterous paws or the end of the muzzle to carefully push aside rocks and large chunks of ice. If bonding ceremonies were to take place here again, the area needed to be immaculate.

When the place was a little closer to being presentable, the old mother had returned to her grotto for a quick rest, and a mouthful of herbs. Yet more were carefully loaded into her pouch. And some hours later, she returned; pattering along the tunnel at a leisurely pace... that is, until the sound of voices reached her. Four ears fanned out; Bolormaa's pace slowed significantly, her tendrils lifting, as she snuffled at the air. Sudden nervousness gripped her.

For a moment, she was afraid to see who had sought out the pillars. One of the voices was familiar; and she was met with the fleeting fear that it was someone from the far, far past. She couldn't have been the only one who'd somehow survived all these years, hidden away.

But then, there was also the possibility that word had spread; that someone had sought out the pillars for the ceremony of her own making. She slunk cautiously nearer, until she could make out the shapes upon the platform.

And then... she heard it.

The sound of her name being called.

Her eyes immediately widened with surprise, and glee. She picked up the pace, scrambling up icy ledges and rocks until she panted for breath. Soon she was scampering up onto the platform too, breathless, and hurrying towards Azizos and the strange deer.

"Azizos, child!"

The strange being looked him over, her expression a wholesome mixture of surprise and joy. "How you've grown!" she added, gleefully, after a moment's pause. Her ears flicked forward, then, as she considered how to take the conversation forward. Having been alone for so long, she was quite unused to this much company! "Are you here to arrange a ceremony?"

She turned her attention, then, to the deer. Simply by looking, she could see the resemblance between him and Azizos. Clearly, this was part of Azizos' family. But who?

She stuttered, a little.

"I, er... I'm sorry, you must be--...? Azizos'... brother, perhaps?" Her gaze tailed between the young one's moonstone horn, to Pride's diamond-studded neck.

"Or... Lifegiver?"

She settled back onto her haunches, clasping her forepaws together.

"Either way, it's a pleasure to meet you, truly!"

@Azizos @Pride

Ears flicked back, catalysts and conductors being made into the same thing, really. A brief stumble, perhaps due to his rambling thoughts and hurried explanations of these pillars. "I see," he chirped, not at all affected.

Besides, Bolormaa was coming to his call --- the odd creature scrambled up to the platform, carrying with her the distinct, earthy scent of herbs. She hurried over, acknowledging how he had grown since their last encounter, and asking if he planned to arrange a ceremony. The lion-stag bowed his head in greeting, first, mewing pleasantly, "hello, Bolormaa, it's been a while, hasn't it?" He then shook his head, regarding the pillars briefly, "ah, no--- we aren't looking to arrange a ceremony. We have questions about them, really--- out of curiosity about the magic in these pillars, which seems to be absent, now?"

Silvery eyes flicked over to his father, indicating with a tilt of his antlers, "ah, this is my father, Pride--- my life-giver, yes. My brother is quite similar to me, but bears his stone instead."

A pause, before he bowed his head and queried softly, pleasantly, "what's the nature of the ceremonies? Are they magically binding, in some way?"

@Pride

Pride startled, peering curiously at Bolormaa as she approached. He stood tall and (fittingly) proud as she spoke, and then swept his silver rack down in a respectful, deep bow.

"A pleasure to meet you, as well." Azizos spoke, and he let him do the talking--and his son's brief catlike mew melted his heart, just a little. Sometimes, his children still behaved, just a little, like just that--children--and not in a bad way. Just small, innocent gestures that reminded him of when they were... er. Fawns..? Cubs? Whatever they had been.

He turned his attention back to Bolormaa, listening quietly to Azizos' questions.

"May I ask; you are one of the Elders, yes? Ahh--are you--hmm. I do not know what you would call it. Colleagues, perhaps? On par with Astraea, the stag?" There was no accusation or suspicion in his tone. He was simply curious--he still knew very little of the history of the caves. "It is as my son said--I am sorry if we are interrupting your work, in any way. I admit curiosity about the stones' magic, however--and the history of them, perhaps. Did you create them?" he asked, tilting his head a little.

@Game Master Moonlit

Bolormaa looked proudly over the young one as he answered- as well-mannered and polite as he ever had been. "A while indeed. Have you been keeping well? Safe?"

Her ears twitched slightly as he expressed his interest in finding out about her magic. She nodded slowly, though appeared thoughtful. "Indeed. Usually the magic would wait for my touch before activating, as it is now. But perhaps my absence caused pressure to build and... some cracks in the spell to show. Time can change many things," the old mother said, her voice lowering to an almost wistful murmur.

As Azizos introduced Pride, she turned her attention towards him instead, swept her ears back, and bowed her head. "Wonderful to meet you, Pride! Truly! You may call me Bolormaa, or... Momma Bolormaa, if you so prefer. Many have, over the years."

She glanced back over to Azizos as the young one continued, asking about her ceremonies. Bolormaa happily obliged. "Yes, indeed. But not in the way you might expect. In truth... it is not much different than the act of creating new life, only more of a celebration. The magic here eases some of the burden on the life-givers, too. It may, to some, seem pointless. But it was one of the few joys we had, back then."

At Pride's mention of Astraea, Bolormaa felt a chill run down her spine. Her fur fluffed, visibly, and she looked up at Pride. "The... stag?" she asked, a little blankly. She didn't quite recall that, but she recognised, of course, the name that went along with it. "Astraea... he survives?"

She hesitated, opening her mouth, but then falling silent. She looked away, her stance suddenly nervous, her expression apologetic. "Ah, I... I'm afraid not. You might call me an elder, but to put me on the same pedestal as Master Astraea would be..." She hesitated. "...Not just inaccurate, but unwise. I'm afraid that's all I can say."

The old mother's momentary pause was finally broken as Pride began to apologise, and Bolormaa shook her head. "Of course not, of course not! It's nothing that can't wait!" she said brightly. She did, however, use her tail to sweep a little bit of dust from the base of one of the pillars before moving over to it. Raising herself up, she sat back on her haunches and placed a paw against the crystalline surface, as though trying to feel the magic that throbbed within the smooth and beautiful stone.

"Indeed I did. And not just the pillars, either; I reshaped the rock beneath our feet to make this platform, and wove the magic that lives in the stones."

@Pride @Azizos

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Azizos

Pride

Azizos

Pride

Azizos

Pride

Previous Game Master Moonlit

Azizos

Pride

Previous Game Master Moonlit