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."

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."

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?"

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?"