Furrae Chronicles: Webs of Destiny (IC) [M] {2}

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel smiled pleasantly at the acolyte who delivered her meal, which she picked delicately at. As she ate she looked from tablemate to tablemate as if she wanted nothing more than to hear them add their voice to the conversation. She also cast glances at the squirrel who was eating like a starved dog, although it was unclear if she wondering if they would need to apply anti-choking measures at any moment or simply appalled at his table manners.

When Gareeku asked their path to the temple she finally spoke up, "We came from the mountainous side. We both enjoy rock climbing and it wasn't the most difficult assault we've every made." Then her polite smile changed to one of real amusement, "Of course I understand climbing isn't as entertaining to those who worry about a missed step or jump." She fluttered her wings behind her to clarify her point.

[James StarRunner]

"Not Daniel Ti'Fiona?" said a voice. The voice sounded like that of Dan himself, but came from the direction of James. Continuing to imitate Dan's voice James continued, "He was the only one who could beat me in DDR. Fun times..." James stared off in the distance for a moment, lost in thought, then shook it off and continued to eat.

[Stygian]

Ignatz looked up and glanced over at the squirrel as he did his impersonation, cocking an eyebrow. For a second he wondered what went on in the head of that one, but deciding that it might be best not to know, he turned away. He instead directed his gaze toward the wolf across the table.
   "You are all adventurers, are you not?" he said. The question was not a question. "Of course you are. You all have that feeling to you. I must say that it is a much more pleasant one than what I usually get from the villains." But never as exhilarating, he added in his head with a tone of dark humor. "You are not going to stay here either, are you?"
   That was a rhetorical one too. Though the feline did not answer himself this time, just murred and drank with a plain look straight down into the table. He idly fished out a pair of slim spectacles from his pocket, and breathed on them, polishing the glasses on his impeccable clothes.
   "Sister has only a few more notes to collect, and I shall be done with my work this evening. The council will trust a sealed message from me as much as a visit, I am sure. So I do believe that we have time to discuss." He held the glasses up and peered through them, then placing the black and gold frames on the bridge of his muzzle. "It would be very pleasant to take notes from the opposite perspective, even though the adventurers are mostly the ones kept in the dark. Also, I don't think I caught a few names." He looked over Jakob and James. "This is all of you?"

[Tapewolf]

"Jakob," said Jakob.  "Of clan Daryil."

The feline's reaction to that would be interesting to observe.  'Cubi only usually have a single name, barring those brought up as Beings, of course.
If the other already knew who he was, then revealing his identity didn't mean much.
If he didn't, then Jakob would prefer to avoid association with his Pettersohn identity until he knew whether he could trust them.  And of course 'Cross' was a last resort.

But revealing that he was a Daryil clan member had the potential to be particularly interesting if the other knew much about 'Cubi clans.  Indeed, it would mark him as a harmless lunatic, and that suited Jakob just fine.

[Stygian]

Ignatz seemed to ponder for a while, putting a hand to his cheek and tapping his temple with his finger.
   "I did a documentary sixteen years ago. 'The contemporary role of SAIA'. I included sections on significant personae, and I reviewed a few movies. I think I remember someth..." he began. Then, his eyes narrowed, and then widened. He fixed them on Jakob, peering over his glasses. He smacked with his tongue.
   "Daryil? Now that is a clan I have not read very much about. Rumours about them aren't frequent." He swirled the bottom shot of his glass. "I happen to recall the name Ha-Khun though. There was a killing there, of an angel I believe I met once or twice, something that a certain Jakob made a bit of business about. Was a bit of a stir, really. Big enough to draw attention, even in a place like that." His gaze shifted back from razor-like sharpness to almost mellow. "I'm sure it can't be the same Jakob. You work in the technical department at SAIA, do you not?"
   It was clear that the feline was either very well-informed, or he possessed a remarkable memory. Quite probably, it was both.

[Tapewolf]

Interesting, thought Jakob, from behind his mental shield.  I wonder which Angel he's referring to?  Probably Azrael, but it could be Zarach.  Jakob had a mental twinge of guilt at Zarach's death, but it didn't show.  Well, I guess the bastard got what he deserved.

Jakob kept his face steady, allowing himself only a mildly quizzical expression while Ignatz spoke of Ha'Khun, until he mentioned the SAIA technical department.

"It seems you do know of me," Jakob smiled.  It wasn't worth concealing that since the feline had probably seen footage of him anyway, and if he made the connection to Ha'Khun he had several answers prepared.

"Yes, I helped set up the tech department.  But if you know that much, you must surely know that I am not an adventurer by trade."

He looked around.

"Curious... I don't think I've seen that crow fellow for a while.  Or that weird maid either, come to that.  I wonder if they have some kind of assignation?" he smirked to himself for a moment.

[Stygian]

Ignatz didn't seem to think that Jakob's last statement concerned him, judging from his expression. He had his glass filled again, for the last time, and drank, leaning his head back a bit.
   Under the table, moving his hand alone, he drew an invisible circle with his claw over the wood. Then another. Then he added symbols, patterns, lines, calculations...
   Shadow, deceit, an intonation on the secrecy to keep the magic concealed... Compensate for the extra force required by Lening's Relieving Circuit... Place the emphasis of the behaviour... Time delay and intelligent responsive effect...
   He drew a claw over his palm, opening a wound that bled shallowly.
   Blood for physical manifestation lock, and commence! he thought, and placed his palm on the wood. The invisible lines turned into a glowing, fiery sign, not unlike an alchemist's circle, as the magic took hold. Then, it vanished, as quickly as it had appeared, leaving only a slight burned imprint and the tiniest smear from the blood.
   The feline put down his glass, sighed, and then switched hands holding it, using his other one to straighten his glasses. The wound was no longer there.

[Aisha deCabre]

Aisha started finishing her meal, looking about at the others while taking slower bites for her nearly full stomach.  She spared an amused glance at James for his impression; at least he seemed to have lightened a bit, though he was still going through his hamburgers.

She needn't have added anything to Ignatz's questions about whether or not they were adventurers, and neither did the others who were.  She did however comment on discussing things with him for notes.  "I doubt you could get too much out of us than what we've said already.  All most of us really want to do is go after those who were kidnapped, family and friends.  Those that we can," she added after a slight pause, before just listening in to the conversation between Ignatz and Jakob, and idly gulping the drink that she had ordered.

Her eyes were narrowed however.  Darned if we don't see more trouble from the Creature Council.  Just how concerned should we be?

[Stygian]

That was when the crow walked into the dining hall from the main entry, guiding behind him a young woman of some kind, a canine by the looks of it. They walked past, and their figures became clearer, the demure manners of the crow contrasting quite sharply against the woman's fiery impression. She was a jackal, with black markings over parts of her tanned yellow fur and unkempt but beautiful, dirty blonde hair. She looked good, in sort of tomboyish fashion, but there was an intensity to her that would probably have put off any guy pretty quickly, or at least made them think twice before dealing with her.
   The crow led her into the hall, making a bow, and then left with that same somber look to his face.
   Outside, he dissapeared, dissolving into the ashes he had been before.

[Tapewolf]

Jakob beamed inwardly as the crow walked past.  Given the pause for him to have walked from the entrance to the dining hall, he had appeared as if on cue.  It was almost as if he had been created for the express purpose of reassuring him.
While it was possible for it to have been a coincidence, too many strange things had happened already for Jakob's paranoid streak to believe it.

If the crow was being mind-controlled, or was an accomplice in disguise, their 'controller' was either the Oracles or someone else.  And if it was someone else, they would have to be very nearby to have heard him talking.

[Gabi]

Gabi was thinking about how to respond to the question when the subject drifted. She was rather relieved. There hadn't been any adventurers in her family before her and William, so she doubted they knew anything about them, but there was something in the way Ignatz spoke that didn't make her feel comfortable about providing any information. And the others seemed just as uneasy, if not more. Then the jackal came in. Her entrance didn't make Gabi feel any calmer. She looked at Jakob, wanting to ask what he and everyone else made of the whole situation, but no one would hear her thoughts and she didn't think voicing them then and there would be a good idea. She would have to wait until the group was left alone, if it was even possible to be alone in that temple. And what was worse, she wasn't even sure of what was making her so nervous. Could it be because she was sitting next to Jakob and he looked like he could break down at any time? Or was it because the mission seemed to be getting even more complicated? Or maybe it was the temple... so big and labyrinthical. Or seeing so many new faces who gave away so little. It was probably the sum of it all.

[masked_bandit_lord]

Upon seeing the others drift into the dining room, Nyfe shuffled uncomfortably. Perhaps the place wasn't so abandoned as he thought. After all, they were being served. Which was mildly strange considering the fact that nobody had seemed to have gone to the oracles as of yet. At the very least, Nyfe hadn't seen them. Sighing he pulled up a chair, grabbed a menu, and began browsing. After a few moments he looked bemusedly at the menu. Stood up and waved at the waiter. "Excuse me! Sir! Do you have anything along the lines of a lot of meat? I'm not really into seeds..."

He barely listened to the conversation about the creature council. He had certainly heard about it. But he had lived in the middle of nowhere until last year. In the armory plains the closest thing they had to government was a village leader who organized economical affairs for the town.

Deciding that he should at least attempt to enter the conversation, Nyfe tried his hand at small talk, which was something he was awful at. "So, people have been getting kidnapped? By kidnappers?" Among battle tails, small talk wasn't very popular. Instead they filled time by inviting each other to quick sparring matches. Nyfe generally won at these... he lost at small talk.

[Stygian]

"Yes, and they are lost," Ignatz laughed, looking at the strange mythos with mild interest. "I think they have some more veal in the kitchen, friend. You'll have to tell them if you want it raw though..."
   The feline set down his now empty wine glass, sighed loudly and pleasedly, and then cast a glance over the rims of his spectacles against the woman who had just entered, a bit more interested than the one he had given Nyfe, but also a bit more distant. She seemed as out of place as the adventurers, with that expression and seeming quite lost, a reason why he had made his apparition guide her along. Was she one of them? And why were the siblings from before not there?

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel looked at the small watch pinned to the front of her robe. "Look at the time. If I want to get my research finished tonight I have to get going." She stood and smiled at the rest of the table. "I hope everyone will excuse me, but the Archivist is quite literally an early bird and won't let you in the archives past a certain point in the evening. If any of you wish to see the archives tonight I'd suggest planning it for sooner rather than later." She grinned at her brother. "See if you can use your charm to convince Cook to save me a dessert for later."

With a polite bow to the party she left the table and without seeming in any real rush left the dining hall. She hadn't gone far when she came across two lost-looking adventurer types. "Hi. If you're the missing members of the Manoko party everyone else is having dinner. Go down this hall until you get to a mural of the founder picking the spot for the temple then go right. You can't miss the dining hall." With that piece of advice she resumed her own trek in the opposite direction.

[Sunblink]

'Now what kind of mess have I gotten myself into this time?'

Standing morosely beside the crow that had led her into the dining hall, the black-backed jackal stared uncomfortably at the numerous adventurers assembled at the table, examining the entire room with a sweep of her mismatched brown eyes. A hodgepodge of species was collected there, entrenching her even more deeply in discomfort.

She had gone to great lengths to conceal her Cubi heritage, even hiding her beloved military scars via metamorphosis along with her wings. In her current state, she would definitely pass as a Being, provided that nobody noticed the clan marking on her hip, which was layered beneath her sable, unusually-designed clothing.

Considering the unscrupulous reputation her clan had rightfully garnered, protecting her clan marking from any scrutinizing eyes was pivotal.

Long ago had the jackal learned to mingle with Beings and other races that her clan had dismissed as inferior, but then again, stealth--and deceit--was a valuable ability that all Cubi needed to possess, and she utilized every one of those abilities without so much as a dent in her conscience.

She couldn't help but curse her circumstances. For Christ's sake, she never wanted this! All she wanted was some form of knowledge as to the location of her missing mother and only remaining sister, information she was so desperate to find that she would rely on the Phoenix oracles, who had a long-preserved history of ambiguity. Lacking the patience for such long-winded metaphors and flowery advice, it was no surprise that the jackal ended up snapping after interrogating the Phoenix oracle who had the misfortune of being saddled with the task of addressing her problems--and boy did she have a hell of a lot of problems.

It wasn't pretty.

It had resulted in a very one-sided, brutal shouting match, one that would've disturbed the entire temple if that crow hadn't intervened, escorting her into the dining room, where she wouldn't create any further damage.

Now she had to face up to the consequences of her actions. Dropping her head in her hands and roughly massaging her temples, Keaton sighed and searched for a seat to take her place in. It was best that she do something to pass the time, even if it meant that she isolate herself and twiddle her thumbs until something interesting happened.

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Gabi]

As the conversation seemed to die out, Gabi became aware of something else in the list of things to be nervous about. Not everyone had made it to the table. She scolded herself for not noticing earlier. After all, she had intended to keep an eye on Ephrael to make sure she had healed well, but too many things had happened on that day that had got her distracted.

"Has anyone seen Ephrael?," she asked the rest of the group.

[Aisha deCabre]

Heedless of much more of the conversation, Aisha finished the steak on her plate with one last swallow, though it was a bit of an effort as she had gotten stomach only a few bites ago.  She leaned back on the chair and sighed, more than anything a quiet and dark-looking individual at the table where the group sat and shared their information.  Though it had been a while and there were concerned looks.  A few of their group members seemed to have gotten themselves lost.

Looking back at the ones who were there, she rolled her eyes slightly at the way Jakob seemed to be composing himself, someone of very little comfort while staying at the temple, and the strange mythos whom she guessed had a bit of interest in those staying for him to have decided to sit at their table.  But watching the crow come back in the room, Aisha tilted her head just a little curiously at the newcomer, a jackal who looked very much out of place...yet was perhaps an adventurer as they were.  Could it be another kidnapping case?  Those seem to be popping up.  I'd like to know if she got a letter too, as the others claimed to have.  Hrm.

With a dismissive shake of her head, she looked up at Gabi as she heard her inquiry.  "Nope...they might be lost I guess...maybe Mel will have redirected them.  In any case," the panther said with a polite bow of her head as she stood up, "I'm stuffed.  And I've yet to find a room."

She turned her head towards the doors, the exit to the grand dining hall, and into the corridors.  Aisha wouldn't be getting lost again...but she didn't like the thought of wandering in the large temple alone also, what with suspicions from a few others starting to get to her.  She turned back and smiled to the group.  "I'll just be out there.  Gonna find a sense of direction again."  The panthress laughed and started off.  Ugh.  I forgot what walking on a full stomach was like.

[Tapewolf]

Taking his eyes from the crow, Jakob glanced at the newcomer he was leading, a jackal.  She was not in a good mood, and Jakob found this reassuring.  So far, nearly everyone who had come to the Oracles for advice had left in a foul mood, and while he was smart enough not to rely entirely on Aristotelian logic, it was a fairly safe bet that she was a visitor like them rather than one of their stooges.

Gabi's question about Ephrael suddenly punched through his reverie and he looked around in alarm.
"Wasn't she with Blaze?" he replied.

[Stygian]

"So there were more of you?" Ignatz said, looking up a bit and sitting straighter. He looked over them quickly and noticed their looks of concern. "I thought I saw more people enter, but I was busy at the time. You think they've gotten lost? I really wouldn't do that here," the feline continued, looking a bit bothered too. "The oracles are not unfriendly, but I think the place can get unsettling some times. Perhaps it's just because it's too big..." He made a half-smile, with a bit of a look that said more of what he really meant.
   Slowly, the feline put his plate aside and got up, then looked towards Gabi and Jakob.
   "Should we go look for them? We could ask around, I think. But these phoenixes might all be too busy with the future to mind the present. And I've noticed the servants don't mind much of what the guests do, quite untraditionally. If we can't find them now, we might be able to catch them at breakfast in the morning. How do they look?"

[Gabi]

"Blaze is a very colorful squirrel," Gabi began the description, more worried about Eph and Blaze than about providing superficial information. "Orange with purple hair, hard to miss. Ephrael's a young Tasmanian devil. She's black with a white patch around one of her eyes and has reddish brown hair."

[Gareeku]

Where did everybody go? They've got to be around here somewhere..." Blaze muttered partly to himself as he explored the various halls and corridors of the temple, followed closely by Ephrael. As if on cue, however, they came across Mel, who showed them how to get to the dining hall.
"Um...thanks..." Blaze said as he watched Mel leave, before turning to Ephrael. "We better go meet the others."

Waving Mel and Aisha goodbye, Gareeku then turned to those still at the table and listened to the conversation, raising an eyebrow at Ignatz's facial expression.
"I'll go look for them." Gareeku said, getting onto his feet, before turning towards the entrance to the dining hall as a slight smirk appeared on his face. "Speak of the devil. And the Squirrel too."

"Hey guys, sorry we're late, we got kinda lost." Blaze said apologetically as he and Ephrael walked over, the Tasmanian Devil having ordered some food beforehand. Noticing Ignatz, Blaze raised an eyebrow. "And you are...?"
"Blaze, Ephrael, this is Ignatz. He works at the temple." Gareeku said as he smiled at them. Gareeku then turned to the others. "Well I better be getting myself a room if I want somewhere to sleep tonight." the wolf said to the others, bidding them a farewell. "See you guys later."

[Gabi]

Gabi sighed. "I guess I was worried over nothing," she thought. "Still, it's better this way than the opposite."

"Goodnight," she turned to Gareeku. "Take care."

And then, back to Blaze and Ephrael.
"I'll stay with you until you finish your dinner. I eat too fast," she said as if needing to apologize for having finished. "So, is everything alright?," she tried to make sure.

[Paladin Sheppard]

Ephrael nodded to Gabi as she shoveled in food as if she'd not eaten in a week. "Sorry," she said between mouthfuls, "I got kinda lost." She waved to Gareeku as he left. "Not the best thing for a hunter to do huh?"

[Stygian]

When those who had been lost entered, Ignatz smiled again and stepped lightly to the side. He walked around against the end of the table, smoothly as ever.
   "Ah. Good. No need for concern then," he said in a relieved tone. Upon the wolf introducing him he made a smooth, low nod to the entered. "My pleasure." He paced off slightly, then turned against the group again, looking them over.
   "I shall be on my way as well. My sister and the wolf made a good example, and I too shall return to my quarters. I hope I shall see you all in the morning," he spoke softly, made an equally smooth but not too flourishing bow, and walked away.

   Well outside in the half-lit corridor, the feline dissappeared, almost in between steps. Only a clerk caught a glance of his vanishing, and not seeing clearly thought he had just seen a shadow. No one, not even the oracles themselves, could have told more than that.

[Aisha deCabre]

Aisha mulled around just on the outside of the doors to the dining hall for a little bit, eyes gazing about the corridors in front of her.  She could see not one long hallway, but how it divided into several other ones, just a reminder of how maze-like the place was.  The huntress's sense of direction however was accurate in estimating where they had come from.  It would only take a little work to find the rooms, and that's where she started off too, with a light yawn.

Catching a sudden sight of Blaze and Ephrael, however, she just gave them a quick nod of greeting, albeit with a tired gaze, before they walked through the dining room doors left behind her.  The panther shook her head and kept walking, hoping that the fates had no intent of having her get lost either.

But after what seemed like a little while, with a sigh of tired relief she found a hall of doors in a dead-end corridor, one of which she chose and opened.  The room was dark and empty, but not to her surprise certainly clean and comfortable-looking, with a window showing nightfall gently bearing down into the shadows.  She went in and placed her weapons belt beside the bed (weapons in close reach between the side table and the edge, however) and her cape on a hook by the door.  After a while she heard others wandering around where she was too, whomever was needing it looking for a place to sleep...Gareeku most likely among them.

Thinking of the conversation she had with the wolf before, the panthress thought quietly as she stood next to the open door.  I wonder how he sleeps with what he faces...Aisha sighed, gaze cast downward.  I just hope he tells everyone, and soon.  With a good night bade to anyone who passed, Aisha closed the door and started tiredly towards the bed, eyes already closed.

[Tapewolf]

"Has anyone noticed anything unusual in the temple so far?" Jakob asked in a covert whisper.  Since the temple staff were seated away from the guests' table, he wanted to be reasonably sure that they didn't hear.  Of course it was possible that they would know anyway, but there wasn't much he could do about that.

[James StarRunner]

"The temple is full of half crazed oracles," whispered James. "the place is going to be unusual."

James stretched, his large meal finally over. He tossed a handful of coins on the table. "Well, I think I'm going to follow Aisha's example and head to my room. If anyone needs me, just knock. I'm going to be making some smoke bombs before I go to bed."

[Tapewolf]

"Are you quite sure you're going to be okay?" Jakob asked the squirrel.  He was not going to ask what the Oracles had told him, but it had obviously been a tremendous psychic shock so he was not unconcerned.

[James StarRunner]

"I'm fine!" James snapped as he slammed his fist on the table. Instantly he regretted having opened his mouth. He couldn't believe he just lost his temper to a friend.

"I... uh, I..." James backed away, not knowing how to respond. Instead, he turned and ran out of the cafeteria.

[Gabi]

Gabi sighed.

"Everyone's acting weird. I've never been in a Phoenix temple before, but I must admit this place feels stranger than I expected. And much more crowded."