Jade Alanon
Slowly Existing Again
Jade Alanon
How was it that Jade’s nightmares that continued to lash out at her unconscious mind in the darkening could be, at times, far more comforting than her waking hours? Nightmares was something that Jade had long since accepted due to her past, not just her current life but the many she had lived before this one. A fractured mind and soul led to many different emotions and memories that came to her as nightmares, faces and those she had killed swam before her. Mocking her and pleading with her, pushing them aside was something that she had grown accustomed to doing in her nightmares but when she was travelling alone, it was more difficult to do.
Alone with her thoughts. That was something that Jade hated more than she could ever hope to admit. When Nymira had been in her life, Jade had never felt alone and it was times like this that she missed the Virkyn. The loss, albeit one that she had suffered a long while ago, still felt as fresh as the scar that she had been ‘gifted’ by her trip to the realm of the gods. Light fingers brushed against the scar across her throat and it burned, as though it had only just been dealt to her, and she groaned. An ever-present reminder of her failure during that very strange delve into the divine.
Emrys helped to fill the emptiness and Jade had been fortunate enough to find the drake when she had returned to Demios. It had been a short trip but she had managed to reunite with her beloved companion and took to the skies once more.
Armed to the teeth as always, Jade wasn’t exactly the sort that one would consider easy prey. Banditry was on the rise since the Xet had torn the entire world apart in their attack. Well, that may have been a slight exaggeration but seeing the damage caused first-hand was rough. A sword at her back, a sling of shurikens and throwing daggers around her waist and her warped quarterstaff in hand, she was ready for just about anything that could be thrown at her…she hoped.
In a pouch at her side was the reason that she was journeying into Zerdargia, home of the Dwarves. She was fully aware that they likely wouldn’t trust her but she didn’t need their trust or hospitality, she needed their expertise when it came to weaponry. Within the pouch at her side rested the shards of Aganadara, her soul-bound blade that had shattered during a fierce battle against the Xet. She needed someone of high skill to bring back the blade as it had been her most treasured weapon. It may not be as it once was but at least with Aganadara back in her possession, she might feel as though she was beginning to reclaim her life.
She had entered the Dwarven city at this point, ignoring any looks she might get and would seek out any sign of an armory. The blade may take more than just a smith but she’d find out once she found someone to look the blade over.
Crimson
To dance with the divine and survive could hardly be called a failure. Jade, while not whole, was intact. While she breathed, she could fight; and while she fought, the world around her may yet change according to her design. Wasn’t this what the gods above and below still yet do? It was impossible to fathom that mortals were the true lights of inspiration whereas the gods but shadows flickering in the periphery. If the Wars with the Xet and the Siege of the Heavens taught Jade anything, it was this.
Emerys was no longer the spritely young drake he was, and he hadn’t been for some time now. That didn’t make him any less powerful or a warm companion to have beside. The drake sailed over the realms, using warm currents to keep its wings and rider aloft for long stretches of time. When he grew tired, they rested and Jade was contented to be alone again while the enormous male hunted. It took a few long cycles to travel from one end of the Empire to the other. In that time, Jade had plenty of time to reflect, to dream, and to hope.
The great dwarven city was actually just the surface city built atop an ancient dwarven kingdom. According to historians, Zerdargia was something of a ‘small outpost’ if one considered the vastness of the subterranean dwarven fortress. Over the years, the dwarves continued to build upon their tiny outcropping until it became a massive stronghold with famously tall walls that were twice as thick. A moat was even designed to further deny any advancing army the prizes and treasures within. A metropolis in its own right, its population consisted mostly of dwarves, cethars and a handful of gnomes that generally kept to themselves. Any other race were considered a transient population and rarely given the opportunity to settle among its populace.
Jade soared over the city and saw the ballistae, archers and other stocky soldiers on the ramparts and stone walls. It was nearing midday when she found a suitable landing area away from the main thoroughfares and roads where she was more likely to panic animals and travelers. The last thing she wanted was to commit crimes and be subject to dwarven justice. It was up to her how to deal with Emrys while she presumably entered the city. The drake could likely pass the time doing whatever it was drakes did when not subject to a rider or a human master. Through their connection, she felt a sense of excitement boiling inside the apex predator. It was likely that he spotted something to hunt on their flight and was itching to eat.
Jade Alanon
If there was one thing in this world that Jade was grateful for, it was the companion that she had found in the drake on which she flew. He had been there for her when she needed him most, being kidnapped not counting of course. Had Emrys been nearby when those beasts had set themselves on Jade, he would have killed every last one of them to protect her and she knew that. She didn't blame the fire drake for not being able to keep her safe, she should have been able to do that herself. No, Emrys did what he did best, he was a reassuring presence through their connection.
It was because of her drake mount that she was able to surpass that of a normal traveller and take to the skies. What would take another traveller months in order to traverse took her mere brightenings at most, plus she never had to start her own fires when she made camp. All in all, Emrys did well to keep her company and she loved him for it.
While Aganadara was Jade's main concern here in Zerdagia, she did consider the possibility of seeking out an armor-smith who might be capable of making some armor for her beloved drake. She had no illusions of going into battle once again but one never knew when danger chose to rear its ugly head and she'd sooner die than lose her beloved drake, especially if she could prevent it. He was not as young as he once was but he was a part of her and she needed to protect him.
It was a familiar sight, seeing people stare up at the drake that flew overhead but Jade was smart enough to find a place to land that was far enough away from people that it wouldn't cause a scene. She had little interest in ending up in some prison or being attacked.
Sensing Emrys' excitement, Jade couldn't help but grin and stroke his neck affectionately. "Go on then, big guy. Go hunt, but don't go too far." Jade would step back in order to give him room to take to the skies once more. Once the drake was seen safely off, Jade would endeavor to make her way towards what she hoped was the artisan's quarters but she really had no idea. She had never been here before and thus had no real read on the place. Should a dwarf or cethar be noticed, Jade would seek to approach them. "I am in search of a master smith, can you tell me if one dwells here?"
Crimson
Jade was able to enter the city without too much trouble. Since the end of the Xetan Wars and the rise of a Pale Elf governor, trade and travel have increased accordingly. Merchants bringing goods from other provinces were a common sight. Adventurers and mercenaries were suddenly a dime a dozen.
The assassin found a cethar who looked like he was kindly pointing new arrivals to various places of note in the city. He wore the same colors as the guards, so many assumed he was affiliated in some official capacity. The stout creature was basically human in looks and speech but built more compactly. He greeted Jade warmly when she approached him, even going as far as bowing and tipping his top hat to her, revealing locks of reddish hair. He looked quite sharp in formal attire. His green eyes shone with curiosity as they narrowed at Jade's inquiry.
"I know more than a dozen smiths in the city, miss, though none might boast the title of master", he replied in his jolted voice, like his tongue was running from someone. "But maybe I can recommend the best one the city has ever known -- because, well, he was rumored to do things for the governor -- not the fat one, the tall skinny one -- the new governor -- the elf." He paused, grinned, and waited for Jade's reply. This blacksmith was apparently in the lower city, the one generally off limits to tourists and non-dwarves.
Jade Alanon
As Jade hadn't spent much time in Centripax before the Xetan War had taken place and had been out of commission for who knew how long when she had been drugged, she could honestly say that she had little to no idea what all was happening. The fact that she had no real reason to visit the dwarven city / outpost made her lack of knowledge about the city itself all the more understandable.
Emrys was released to go hunt and she could tell just how excited he was by that prospect. She had watched him soar off with a smile on her face, it was still odd at times just how close she felt with her beloved drake and how lost she'd be if she ever lost him.
As it was, she managed to make her way around the city relatively easy, no one seemed to mind her presence there and eventually she was able to locate someone who seemed to be pointing people to various locations. He was dressed in similar colors to the guards she had seen scattered around which meant he was likely a city official. That or he just liked the colors that the guards wore. Either way, she approached the cethar and asked him about whether he was aware of any master smiths within the city.
He seemed quite happy to speak with Jade, mentioning that he could point her in the direction of the best smith in the city. All she could hope was that he was skilled enough to handle the blade. In all honesty, Jade didn't really know if a smith could reforge Aganadara given how it had been created before. She had been tempted to return to Zinn'Sunn or perhaps even the Arakmat Desert but both were difficult to access and neither had much chance of actually coming up with something. So here she was.
"I would appreciate it if you could point me in the smith's direction. I have urgent need of their services." She would wait for the cethar to either point her in the direction or possibly even guide her there himself before heading in the direction given. She was anxious to have this done.
Crimson
The cethar pointed awkwardly behind Jade.
"Come to think of it he's sort of hard to find -- even more so for outsiders -- you're an outsider, right? -- you seem like an outsider. Not a lot of ladies like you here -- mostly dwarves -- can barely tell the females from the dudes -- basically it's a sausage fest."
He went on, speaking just as quickly as before, before Jade could protest or comment.
"I can go with you -- it's almost my union break -- lead you there, down under as they say -- be a guide of sorts -- I can do it for freeee! Tobias Wilson-Wilson is the name! Funny name, I know -- both parents' surnames was 'Wilson' and they chose to hyphenate. They were both feminists, too."
Jade Alanon
Well, the cethar was turning out to be quite the character as he offered his services. Jade would have been happy if he had just pointed her in the right direction but given that this smith was apparently difficult to find, perhaps taking his offer as a guide would be a wise decision. As it was, she wanted this thing done as soon as possible and getting lost would take time away and would not help her mood either.
Jade wasn't what one might consider 'agreeable' in the first place, imagine how she'd be if she had to find the smith after candlemarks of searching. She'd likely let her foul mood show through and piss someone off. Best not to piss people off in a city that she didn't have a good handle on just yet.
It was the fact that he offered to guide her for free that caught her by surprise. Either he was one of the friendliest cethars in the city, a fool, or was up to something. Either way, Jade was sure she could handle herself against someone that, if dangerous, she could launch over a wall with a well-placed kick up the arse.
Offering what could only be seen as a somewhat forced smile, Jade nodded. "You have my thanks Tobias. As I said, I have urgent need of their service so the quicker I arrive the better." She wasn't going to try and offer him any payment. If anything, she could buy him a drink later on. "Whenever you are ready, if you would like to lead the way."
Crimson
"I'm ready now!", the redhead said, hopping off his soap box. Yes, he was actually standing atop a box of soaps (it was labeled "Soap"), which helped improve his height somewhat. On even ground, though, Jade was nearly twice Tobias' size.
"This way!", he exclaimed before hurrying through the small stream of bodies toward their apparent destination.
Jade saw that the dwarven city was built like a tiered wedding cake. They were currently on the lowest level of the city and appeared to be heading toward its innermost district. She felt like a giant, towering over the milling crowds. Several dwarves gawked at her, other cethars hollered as she passed. A group of goblin gadgeteers fled at the sight of her screaming "white devil! white devil!" in their cackling voice. The stone structures also seemed squat and dull to the well-traveled assassin. Dwarven engineers and architects seldom insisted on aesthetics, relying instead on solid materials built to last for generations with very little repair or maintenance. As such, the brick and stone dominated most of the landscape with the occasional wooden stall or hovel.
"Just there!"
Tobias was pointing at what looked like a passageway into an imposing building. Gathered were other dwarves and cethars looking to enter into the subterranean levels. Most were miners by their garb and others were treasure seekers. Nearly all were dwarves, save for Jade, Tobias and a smattering of odd cethars and goblins among them.
Jade Alanon
While Jade had acknowledged the fact that the little cethar had been standing on boxes while he had been doing his duty as living sign post, it was still odd looking down at the little halfling. She was going to get such a krick in her neck by the time this little visit was over and done with. Still, it would be worth it in the long run if Aganadara was reforged. That was all that mattered...
He was well ready and a quick little bugger as well. Jade blinked as he zipped off and given his small stature, she had to be quick as well and keep track of him. It was a bit off, being so tall amongst so many short and stout folk. A brow perked when she was seen as a 'white devil' and yet she kind of liked it.
Jade was glad now that she had taken his offer of help as a guide or she would have been completely lost. "A bit of a labyrinth city you have here." She commented as she kept up after the cethar. The imposing building caused a brow to lift and she glanced at those who entered. "He is in there?" She glanced at Tobias. "Is he a dwarf?"
Crimson
"He's down there", Tobias replied cheerfully. "The whole city was built on an ancient kingdom of the dwarves -- so there's lots of stuff down, all the way down. Lots of people been digging and digging all their live-long-lives. Their grandfathers, fathers and brothers all digs. Dig, dig, dig. We're going down to where the diggers dig all the diggity-digging time!."
Jade heard a few dwarves mutter and grumble among themselves while throwing sidelong glances at the cethar and his white-haired companion. A few of the goblins and gnomes cast wary glances at Jade as well, though more likely due to her growing reputation as a 'white devil'. Whatever that meant.
The mob of dwarves and other small folk crawled onward until Jade spied that a handful of dwarven guards in plate armor armed with spears stood sentinel over the passageway. This entrance led into a tunnel of sorts, which fed the milling groups of miners, adventurers, and treasure hunters into a series of elevators -- which were really just platforms hoisted by enormous bronze gears and pulleys. It groaned, creaked and clicked at unpredictable intervals. Each group that went onto the lifts generally cried in surprise when the platform was lowered without warning.
Jade and Tobias' turn came next. The red haired cethar managed to convince the dwarves that the white-haired woman was his interpreter and personal secretary. So, by their own laws, she was permitted down in the restricted areas despite being a non-dwarf. "These long arms and legs come in handy!" Jade heard Tobias bragging much to the amusement of several bearded, stocky creatures.
When the elevator platform came to an abrupt and stomach-turning stop, Jade found herself wading through a few dozen miners in a tunnel with a very low ceiling. She had to uncomfortably bend to avoid hitting her head. There was also very little light since dwarves could see quite well in this environment. Tobias put on what looked like some goggles, which allowed him to prance along as usual.
"His workshop is just down here!", said the cethar in his singsong voice.
Jade Alanon
Down there? He spoke as though the building…. Oh… Jade hadn’t realized what Zerdagia really was, a city upon a city. How interesting. The ancient kingdom of the dwarves that they continuously went down to visit, Jade could only imagine the amount of history and treasures that existed beneath the dwarven outpost. Did they often let outsiders visit the city down below? Was she even able to get to this smith then? She glanced down at the cethar as he spoke, a brow perking. “Right, digging. They love it.”
While the cethar was all too happy to speak to Jade and lead her around, it was obvious that not everyone enjoyed her presence there. If anything, they continued to grumble about her being there, commenting on how she was apparently a white devil. Would they have objected to her so strongly if her hair was dark as it had once been? Or would she have just been a regular devil? Hard to say but she didn’t really give two feths about what other people thought about her and she was already liking the new nickname. One way for Zerdagia to remember her.
“Tobias, any particular reason they keep calling me a white devil or do they just hate outsiders?” Jade had gotten lucky finding the cethar as it seemed no one else would have helped her if she had sought them out.
Following Tobias forward, Jade took care with where she stepped. Small people were easy to trip over after all. Still, Jade wasn’t so foolish as to underestimate the proud short people, especially when she caught sight of the dwarven guards that stood in guard over the passageway. How was this going to go down? Jade had no fear of heights but she had never been underground like this before and it was a little unnerving to say the least. Jade owned the skies when she road on Emrys and now she was going beneath the earth, how strange. Not to mention she didn’t like the looks of the lifts, they were likely safe but they made her nervous.
Tobias stepped forward when it was his and Jade’s turn and was quick to claim that Jade was his interpreter and secretary. A little insulting but she didn’t bother to argue because it was his way of getting her inside. She would just offer a smile and nod, ignoring the little dude’s bragging about how her long legs and arms came in handy. She wasn’t going to ask how.
It was already getting uncomfortable as Jade was made to bend down in order to keep from banging her head. Not comfortable at all, this was going to get old fast but she was determined to find this smith. She needed her demonic blade at her side once more, perhaps not as it had once been but it would be a comfort just the same. Jade so liked her toys.
It was hard to see and she had to keep her head low which made things difficult but bearable. Tobias had some goggles or something, not that he offered her any but she wasn’t going to whine about it. “Down where?” She looked around, making it obvious that she didn’t really have a good grip of this place yet. “Does he do work for outsiders?” She didn’t want to come all this way and end up being turned away.
Crimson
'Down there' looked like a really difficult (and uncomfortable) trek, all things considered. Tobias was as cheery as a clam that was not going into stew.
“Oh, white hair is very rare”, replied the cethar happily. “Dwarves seldom ever see white or silver hair -- except on Vyssies and other elves -- elves are really rare down here -- almost unheard of, really -- some of the dwarves call the pointy-eared folk ‘devil’ -- sort of a rude, cultural thing -- not really in offense -- well, sometimes in offense -- well, mostly in offense come to think of it!”
The low hanging ceiling made the journey deeper down the depths of the dwarven city quite difficult for the half-elf. Her lower back started to hurt after just a few minutes. She couldn’t even imagine how far they had to go until she was forced to get on all fours (unless she wanted to risk permanent back injury). This made for a very humiliating experience as dwarves and other lowfolk generally attribute being on one’s hands and knees as a sign of submission. It didn’t help that Tobias once tried to hold her platinum hair up -- “To keep it off the dirt!” he explained joyously when Jade inevitably snapped at him.
Crawling. That’s what it came down to. Tough on her knees and hands but certainly better than bending over all crooked and messing up her back.
Crawling for candlemarks -- or at least it felt like it. Tobias contented himself to hop-skip several paces away, which was a wise decision since Jade had the urge several times to snap his neck -- if only to get that grin off his stupid face. Otherwise, the cethar was completely oblivious to Jade’s suffering. He even went out of his way to point out various landmarks and places of note. Jade, of course, saw only crude structures dug out of the tunnel wall and turned into makeshift dwellings, shoppes and other such locations.
They were passing through a particularly quiet section of the subterranean labyrinth when Tobias finally stopped. “He doesn’t like elves per se”, Jade’s guide said, his trademark smile wavering slightly. “But he tolerates paying customers very much! You best let me do the talking, yes? His whole family was killed by elves. You sort of look like them, anyone tell you that? -- Sad story -- the elves killing the smith’s kin part, not your amazingly exotic features -- not that I think you’re beautiful and exotic and hot -- I mean, my friend mentioned that -- what friend? -- oh you don’t know him -- anyway, we’re here!”
Indeed, the 'shoppe' in front of them was called "Happy Sam the Smith" in very, very old lettering. So old in fact that the carving on the storefront's rocks seemed more ancient than the surrounding earth. No one looked home, though. Maybe they were closed on major holidays? Was it a holiday?
Jade Alanon
There weren’t very many times in Jade’s life that she wished she was shorter, the upper world was made for tall people but this world down below…It mocked people of height in the worst of ways. Tobias remained cheery while Jade was becoming increasingly annoyed, she hadn’t expected this when she had arrived in Zerdagia. Jade had expected this to be rather straightforward. Go into the city, find a smith and see if they were able to handle reforging her blade, why couldn’t it be like that?
Inwardly, Jade whined and complained as she followed after Tobias. He explained why she was being called a white devil. “Well, offense taken then.” She commented under her breath though honestly, it didn’t really bother her.
Further and further they went and at some point Jade had transitioned from being a creature that walked on two legs to an animal on four legs and that was so not ideal. Jade was a proud woman and this was really not suiting her but she was here on a mission and wouldn’t be so quick to turn back around. She did practically growl at Tobias when he attempted to hold her hair up, she really didn’t want him doing that and it made it even worse that he was so cheery even she snapped at him. He was like her shop assistant Amalia who was so full of bubbliness.
Jade had been through a lot in her life so honestly, she could handle this but that didn’t mean she had to like it. It felt like it took candlemarks to finally get where they needed to go. Tobias was a good guide but at the same time she wanted to snap his neck just so he would stop talking or at the very least, stop smiling. No one was capable of being that cheery. He pointed out various places but Jade had little to no interest in the grand tour, she wanted to get to the smith’s and have done.
It was a good thing Jade had questioned him about this particular smith because at least now she was aware that this smith would likely want very little to do with her. That would have been nice to know BEFORE all the feckin crawling she had done. She had money that she could pay but would it be enough to convince him to help an elf? Even a half-elf such as herself. “You could have mentioned that earlier, Tobias.” She commented with a grumble. If she was able to, she’d try to stand, even if she had to bend down in order to do so. She didn’t want to come into the shop on her hands and knees, didn’t really suit her proud image.
Rolling her eyes as Tobias stumbled over his words, she couldn’t care less what he thought about her but if he could be useful and get her what she wanted, maybe it was best to use that potential attraction to her advantage. “If you get the smith to actually help me, I’ll show you how hot I can be.” She winked teasingly at the cethar and waited for him to enter the shoppe. It didn’t look as though there was anyone inside but it was best to check, just in case. “Let’s go see if the sign speaks truth.” Happy Sam? She hoped…
Crimson
Crawling into the shoppe’s opening led to a very large chamber within where Jade could finally stand to her full height. A collection of tools sat about in various shelves carved into the stone and earth; a cold forge was in the center of it all. But there was no smith or apprentice. Tobias bounced around, rummaging through the place and its contents with little regard to how grumpy dwarves tended to be.
“Oh! Lookie here!”, exclaimed the cethar cheerfully. He emerged holding what looked like a map of the tunnels -- which was much more extensive than Jade liked to admit. Marked were several areas of apparent interest. The smith’s penmanship was already poor, making it extremely difficult to translate any of his notes. But there was a single word that Jade couldn’t miss: Stalagium.
“What’s a Stall-a-jum?”, asked Tobias with a tilt of his head. “Well this map is for the lower levels. Way lower. Looks like Happy Sam the Smith went down there with his apprentices. Probably to get more ore. Or maybe to hunt down what this Stall-a-jamm-an-jum is about -- boy, do I love jam -- do you like jam? -- It’s the best, I think. Anyway! Lower levels! Need to get back to the elevator!”
Jade Alanon
Crawling around was not how she had imagined this was going to go but if this was what she had to go through in order to get her weapon sorted, why not? She had endured worse than this though never in this sort of setting. Still, if she could survive going up against the gods in Aetheria and surviving, she could handle a little trek beneath Zerdagia. She brushed a hand against the scar across her throat and felt the now familiar twinge of pain, as though it were still fresh. Jade had been marked but she had to wonder, did it mean anything or was it simply a warning by the gods not to try it again?
It was only once they were inside the shoppe that Jade was able to stand to her full height and she groaned at the pain in her back and her knees from the long crawl. At least it was over and she was the---Oh feck, where was he? Tobias had mentioned that he might not be in but she had hoped that he was wrong. It seemed that he wasn’t. How long would she have to wait before he returned? She wasn’t about to crawl out of there only to crawl back later on when he returned, surely she could wait? Jade watched Tobias bounce around, a brow perked but she left him to his devices.
With arms folded, she sighed and looked around. So this was what a dwarf’s forge looked like. She’d seen better…
Her attention was caught by the cethar who called out to her. Clearly he had found something, unless it was a dwarf hiding somewhere, she wasn’t really interested. Still, she walked over to see what it was he had found. A map? Why did she have a seeking feeling in her gut as they both looked it over. It looked extensive which likely meant the trek would be a difficult one. “Your guess is as good as mine.” She answered, her tone not the nicest as she sighed. He then switched to jam for some reason and she just wanted to pop him in the back of the head but she didn’t dare lose the only ‘friend’ she had down here. “Focus Tobias!” She snapped.
Wait…they were going down there now? Why couldn’t they just wait for him there? Her back screamed at her to argue so that she didn’t have to crawl her way back to the elevator but her desire to see her weapon back in one piece overtook the need for comfort. She could wait but there was no telling how long he would take or even if he would make it back. She had to guess that the lower levels likely had its dangers and if she wanted the smith to make it back in one piece so she could have her weapon, well she would make her way down below then. “Lead on.” She said with a grumpy grumble, heading back towards the door where she got ready to crawl, waiting for him to go first of course. She wasn’t gonna be on all fours with a cethar behind her…no thanks.
How was it that Jade’s nightmares that continued to lash out at her unconscious mind in the darkening could be, at times, far more comforting than her waking hours? Nightmares was something that Jade had long since accepted due to her past, not just her current life but the many she had lived before this one. A fractured mind and soul led to many different emotions and memories that came to her as nightmares, faces and those she had killed swam before her. Mocking her and pleading with her, pushing them aside was something that she had grown accustomed to doing in her nightmares but when she was travelling alone, it was more difficult to do.
Alone with her thoughts. That was something that Jade hated more than she could ever hope to admit. When Nymira had been in her life, Jade had never felt alone and it was times like this that she missed the Virkyn. The loss, albeit one that she had suffered a long while ago, still felt as fresh as the scar that she had been ‘gifted’ by her trip to the realm of the gods. Light fingers brushed against the scar across her throat and it burned, as though it had only just been dealt to her, and she groaned. An ever-present reminder of her failure during that very strange delve into the divine.
Emrys helped to fill the emptiness and Jade had been fortunate enough to find the drake when she had returned to Demios. It had been a short trip but she had managed to reunite with her beloved companion and took to the skies once more.
Armed to the teeth as always, Jade wasn’t exactly the sort that one would consider easy prey. Banditry was on the rise since the Xet had torn the entire world apart in their attack. Well, that may have been a slight exaggeration but seeing the damage caused first-hand was rough. A sword at her back, a sling of shurikens and throwing daggers around her waist and her warped quarterstaff in hand, she was ready for just about anything that could be thrown at her…she hoped.
In a pouch at her side was the reason that she was journeying into Zerdargia, home of the Dwarves. She was fully aware that they likely wouldn’t trust her but she didn’t need their trust or hospitality, she needed their expertise when it came to weaponry. Within the pouch at her side rested the shards of Aganadara, her soul-bound blade that had shattered during a fierce battle against the Xet. She needed someone of high skill to bring back the blade as it had been her most treasured weapon. It may not be as it once was but at least with Aganadara back in her possession, she might feel as though she was beginning to reclaim her life.
She had entered the Dwarven city at this point, ignoring any looks she might get and would seek out any sign of an armory. The blade may take more than just a smith but she’d find out once she found someone to look the blade over.
Crimson
To dance with the divine and survive could hardly be called a failure. Jade, while not whole, was intact. While she breathed, she could fight; and while she fought, the world around her may yet change according to her design. Wasn’t this what the gods above and below still yet do? It was impossible to fathom that mortals were the true lights of inspiration whereas the gods but shadows flickering in the periphery. If the Wars with the Xet and the Siege of the Heavens taught Jade anything, it was this.
Emerys was no longer the spritely young drake he was, and he hadn’t been for some time now. That didn’t make him any less powerful or a warm companion to have beside. The drake sailed over the realms, using warm currents to keep its wings and rider aloft for long stretches of time. When he grew tired, they rested and Jade was contented to be alone again while the enormous male hunted. It took a few long cycles to travel from one end of the Empire to the other. In that time, Jade had plenty of time to reflect, to dream, and to hope.
The great dwarven city was actually just the surface city built atop an ancient dwarven kingdom. According to historians, Zerdargia was something of a ‘small outpost’ if one considered the vastness of the subterranean dwarven fortress. Over the years, the dwarves continued to build upon their tiny outcropping until it became a massive stronghold with famously tall walls that were twice as thick. A moat was even designed to further deny any advancing army the prizes and treasures within. A metropolis in its own right, its population consisted mostly of dwarves, cethars and a handful of gnomes that generally kept to themselves. Any other race were considered a transient population and rarely given the opportunity to settle among its populace.
Jade soared over the city and saw the ballistae, archers and other stocky soldiers on the ramparts and stone walls. It was nearing midday when she found a suitable landing area away from the main thoroughfares and roads where she was more likely to panic animals and travelers. The last thing she wanted was to commit crimes and be subject to dwarven justice. It was up to her how to deal with Emrys while she presumably entered the city. The drake could likely pass the time doing whatever it was drakes did when not subject to a rider or a human master. Through their connection, she felt a sense of excitement boiling inside the apex predator. It was likely that he spotted something to hunt on their flight and was itching to eat.
Jade Alanon
If there was one thing in this world that Jade was grateful for, it was the companion that she had found in the drake on which she flew. He had been there for her when she needed him most, being kidnapped not counting of course. Had Emrys been nearby when those beasts had set themselves on Jade, he would have killed every last one of them to protect her and she knew that. She didn't blame the fire drake for not being able to keep her safe, she should have been able to do that herself. No, Emrys did what he did best, he was a reassuring presence through their connection.
It was because of her drake mount that she was able to surpass that of a normal traveller and take to the skies. What would take another traveller months in order to traverse took her mere brightenings at most, plus she never had to start her own fires when she made camp. All in all, Emrys did well to keep her company and she loved him for it.
While Aganadara was Jade's main concern here in Zerdagia, she did consider the possibility of seeking out an armor-smith who might be capable of making some armor for her beloved drake. She had no illusions of going into battle once again but one never knew when danger chose to rear its ugly head and she'd sooner die than lose her beloved drake, especially if she could prevent it. He was not as young as he once was but he was a part of her and she needed to protect him.
It was a familiar sight, seeing people stare up at the drake that flew overhead but Jade was smart enough to find a place to land that was far enough away from people that it wouldn't cause a scene. She had little interest in ending up in some prison or being attacked.
Sensing Emrys' excitement, Jade couldn't help but grin and stroke his neck affectionately. "Go on then, big guy. Go hunt, but don't go too far." Jade would step back in order to give him room to take to the skies once more. Once the drake was seen safely off, Jade would endeavor to make her way towards what she hoped was the artisan's quarters but she really had no idea. She had never been here before and thus had no real read on the place. Should a dwarf or cethar be noticed, Jade would seek to approach them. "I am in search of a master smith, can you tell me if one dwells here?"
Crimson
Jade was able to enter the city without too much trouble. Since the end of the Xetan Wars and the rise of a Pale Elf governor, trade and travel have increased accordingly. Merchants bringing goods from other provinces were a common sight. Adventurers and mercenaries were suddenly a dime a dozen.
The assassin found a cethar who looked like he was kindly pointing new arrivals to various places of note in the city. He wore the same colors as the guards, so many assumed he was affiliated in some official capacity. The stout creature was basically human in looks and speech but built more compactly. He greeted Jade warmly when she approached him, even going as far as bowing and tipping his top hat to her, revealing locks of reddish hair. He looked quite sharp in formal attire. His green eyes shone with curiosity as they narrowed at Jade's inquiry.
"I know more than a dozen smiths in the city, miss, though none might boast the title of master", he replied in his jolted voice, like his tongue was running from someone. "But maybe I can recommend the best one the city has ever known -- because, well, he was rumored to do things for the governor -- not the fat one, the tall skinny one -- the new governor -- the elf." He paused, grinned, and waited for Jade's reply. This blacksmith was apparently in the lower city, the one generally off limits to tourists and non-dwarves.
Jade Alanon
As Jade hadn't spent much time in Centripax before the Xetan War had taken place and had been out of commission for who knew how long when she had been drugged, she could honestly say that she had little to no idea what all was happening. The fact that she had no real reason to visit the dwarven city / outpost made her lack of knowledge about the city itself all the more understandable.
Emrys was released to go hunt and she could tell just how excited he was by that prospect. She had watched him soar off with a smile on her face, it was still odd at times just how close she felt with her beloved drake and how lost she'd be if she ever lost him.
As it was, she managed to make her way around the city relatively easy, no one seemed to mind her presence there and eventually she was able to locate someone who seemed to be pointing people to various locations. He was dressed in similar colors to the guards she had seen scattered around which meant he was likely a city official. That or he just liked the colors that the guards wore. Either way, she approached the cethar and asked him about whether he was aware of any master smiths within the city.
He seemed quite happy to speak with Jade, mentioning that he could point her in the direction of the best smith in the city. All she could hope was that he was skilled enough to handle the blade. In all honesty, Jade didn't really know if a smith could reforge Aganadara given how it had been created before. She had been tempted to return to Zinn'Sunn or perhaps even the Arakmat Desert but both were difficult to access and neither had much chance of actually coming up with something. So here she was.
"I would appreciate it if you could point me in the smith's direction. I have urgent need of their services." She would wait for the cethar to either point her in the direction or possibly even guide her there himself before heading in the direction given. She was anxious to have this done.
Crimson
The cethar pointed awkwardly behind Jade.
"Come to think of it he's sort of hard to find -- even more so for outsiders -- you're an outsider, right? -- you seem like an outsider. Not a lot of ladies like you here -- mostly dwarves -- can barely tell the females from the dudes -- basically it's a sausage fest."
He went on, speaking just as quickly as before, before Jade could protest or comment.
"I can go with you -- it's almost my union break -- lead you there, down under as they say -- be a guide of sorts -- I can do it for freeee! Tobias Wilson-Wilson is the name! Funny name, I know -- both parents' surnames was 'Wilson' and they chose to hyphenate. They were both feminists, too."
Jade Alanon
Well, the cethar was turning out to be quite the character as he offered his services. Jade would have been happy if he had just pointed her in the right direction but given that this smith was apparently difficult to find, perhaps taking his offer as a guide would be a wise decision. As it was, she wanted this thing done as soon as possible and getting lost would take time away and would not help her mood either.
Jade wasn't what one might consider 'agreeable' in the first place, imagine how she'd be if she had to find the smith after candlemarks of searching. She'd likely let her foul mood show through and piss someone off. Best not to piss people off in a city that she didn't have a good handle on just yet.
It was the fact that he offered to guide her for free that caught her by surprise. Either he was one of the friendliest cethars in the city, a fool, or was up to something. Either way, Jade was sure she could handle herself against someone that, if dangerous, she could launch over a wall with a well-placed kick up the arse.
Offering what could only be seen as a somewhat forced smile, Jade nodded. "You have my thanks Tobias. As I said, I have urgent need of their service so the quicker I arrive the better." She wasn't going to try and offer him any payment. If anything, she could buy him a drink later on. "Whenever you are ready, if you would like to lead the way."
Crimson
"I'm ready now!", the redhead said, hopping off his soap box. Yes, he was actually standing atop a box of soaps (it was labeled "Soap"), which helped improve his height somewhat. On even ground, though, Jade was nearly twice Tobias' size.
"This way!", he exclaimed before hurrying through the small stream of bodies toward their apparent destination.
Jade saw that the dwarven city was built like a tiered wedding cake. They were currently on the lowest level of the city and appeared to be heading toward its innermost district. She felt like a giant, towering over the milling crowds. Several dwarves gawked at her, other cethars hollered as she passed. A group of goblin gadgeteers fled at the sight of her screaming "white devil! white devil!" in their cackling voice. The stone structures also seemed squat and dull to the well-traveled assassin. Dwarven engineers and architects seldom insisted on aesthetics, relying instead on solid materials built to last for generations with very little repair or maintenance. As such, the brick and stone dominated most of the landscape with the occasional wooden stall or hovel.
"Just there!"
Tobias was pointing at what looked like a passageway into an imposing building. Gathered were other dwarves and cethars looking to enter into the subterranean levels. Most were miners by their garb and others were treasure seekers. Nearly all were dwarves, save for Jade, Tobias and a smattering of odd cethars and goblins among them.
Jade Alanon
While Jade had acknowledged the fact that the little cethar had been standing on boxes while he had been doing his duty as living sign post, it was still odd looking down at the little halfling. She was going to get such a krick in her neck by the time this little visit was over and done with. Still, it would be worth it in the long run if Aganadara was reforged. That was all that mattered...
He was well ready and a quick little bugger as well. Jade blinked as he zipped off and given his small stature, she had to be quick as well and keep track of him. It was a bit off, being so tall amongst so many short and stout folk. A brow perked when she was seen as a 'white devil' and yet she kind of liked it.
Jade was glad now that she had taken his offer of help as a guide or she would have been completely lost. "A bit of a labyrinth city you have here." She commented as she kept up after the cethar. The imposing building caused a brow to lift and she glanced at those who entered. "He is in there?" She glanced at Tobias. "Is he a dwarf?"
Crimson
"He's down there", Tobias replied cheerfully. "The whole city was built on an ancient kingdom of the dwarves -- so there's lots of stuff down, all the way down. Lots of people been digging and digging all their live-long-lives. Their grandfathers, fathers and brothers all digs. Dig, dig, dig. We're going down to where the diggers dig all the diggity-digging time!."
Jade heard a few dwarves mutter and grumble among themselves while throwing sidelong glances at the cethar and his white-haired companion. A few of the goblins and gnomes cast wary glances at Jade as well, though more likely due to her growing reputation as a 'white devil'. Whatever that meant.
The mob of dwarves and other small folk crawled onward until Jade spied that a handful of dwarven guards in plate armor armed with spears stood sentinel over the passageway. This entrance led into a tunnel of sorts, which fed the milling groups of miners, adventurers, and treasure hunters into a series of elevators -- which were really just platforms hoisted by enormous bronze gears and pulleys. It groaned, creaked and clicked at unpredictable intervals. Each group that went onto the lifts generally cried in surprise when the platform was lowered without warning.
Jade and Tobias' turn came next. The red haired cethar managed to convince the dwarves that the white-haired woman was his interpreter and personal secretary. So, by their own laws, she was permitted down in the restricted areas despite being a non-dwarf. "These long arms and legs come in handy!" Jade heard Tobias bragging much to the amusement of several bearded, stocky creatures.
When the elevator platform came to an abrupt and stomach-turning stop, Jade found herself wading through a few dozen miners in a tunnel with a very low ceiling. She had to uncomfortably bend to avoid hitting her head. There was also very little light since dwarves could see quite well in this environment. Tobias put on what looked like some goggles, which allowed him to prance along as usual.
"His workshop is just down here!", said the cethar in his singsong voice.
Jade Alanon
Down there? He spoke as though the building…. Oh… Jade hadn’t realized what Zerdagia really was, a city upon a city. How interesting. The ancient kingdom of the dwarves that they continuously went down to visit, Jade could only imagine the amount of history and treasures that existed beneath the dwarven outpost. Did they often let outsiders visit the city down below? Was she even able to get to this smith then? She glanced down at the cethar as he spoke, a brow perking. “Right, digging. They love it.”
While the cethar was all too happy to speak to Jade and lead her around, it was obvious that not everyone enjoyed her presence there. If anything, they continued to grumble about her being there, commenting on how she was apparently a white devil. Would they have objected to her so strongly if her hair was dark as it had once been? Or would she have just been a regular devil? Hard to say but she didn’t really give two feths about what other people thought about her and she was already liking the new nickname. One way for Zerdagia to remember her.
“Tobias, any particular reason they keep calling me a white devil or do they just hate outsiders?” Jade had gotten lucky finding the cethar as it seemed no one else would have helped her if she had sought them out.
Following Tobias forward, Jade took care with where she stepped. Small people were easy to trip over after all. Still, Jade wasn’t so foolish as to underestimate the proud short people, especially when she caught sight of the dwarven guards that stood in guard over the passageway. How was this going to go down? Jade had no fear of heights but she had never been underground like this before and it was a little unnerving to say the least. Jade owned the skies when she road on Emrys and now she was going beneath the earth, how strange. Not to mention she didn’t like the looks of the lifts, they were likely safe but they made her nervous.
Tobias stepped forward when it was his and Jade’s turn and was quick to claim that Jade was his interpreter and secretary. A little insulting but she didn’t bother to argue because it was his way of getting her inside. She would just offer a smile and nod, ignoring the little dude’s bragging about how her long legs and arms came in handy. She wasn’t going to ask how.
It was already getting uncomfortable as Jade was made to bend down in order to keep from banging her head. Not comfortable at all, this was going to get old fast but she was determined to find this smith. She needed her demonic blade at her side once more, perhaps not as it had once been but it would be a comfort just the same. Jade so liked her toys.
It was hard to see and she had to keep her head low which made things difficult but bearable. Tobias had some goggles or something, not that he offered her any but she wasn’t going to whine about it. “Down where?” She looked around, making it obvious that she didn’t really have a good grip of this place yet. “Does he do work for outsiders?” She didn’t want to come all this way and end up being turned away.
Crimson
'Down there' looked like a really difficult (and uncomfortable) trek, all things considered. Tobias was as cheery as a clam that was not going into stew.
“Oh, white hair is very rare”, replied the cethar happily. “Dwarves seldom ever see white or silver hair -- except on Vyssies and other elves -- elves are really rare down here -- almost unheard of, really -- some of the dwarves call the pointy-eared folk ‘devil’ -- sort of a rude, cultural thing -- not really in offense -- well, sometimes in offense -- well, mostly in offense come to think of it!”
The low hanging ceiling made the journey deeper down the depths of the dwarven city quite difficult for the half-elf. Her lower back started to hurt after just a few minutes. She couldn’t even imagine how far they had to go until she was forced to get on all fours (unless she wanted to risk permanent back injury). This made for a very humiliating experience as dwarves and other lowfolk generally attribute being on one’s hands and knees as a sign of submission. It didn’t help that Tobias once tried to hold her platinum hair up -- “To keep it off the dirt!” he explained joyously when Jade inevitably snapped at him.
Crawling. That’s what it came down to. Tough on her knees and hands but certainly better than bending over all crooked and messing up her back.
Crawling for candlemarks -- or at least it felt like it. Tobias contented himself to hop-skip several paces away, which was a wise decision since Jade had the urge several times to snap his neck -- if only to get that grin off his stupid face. Otherwise, the cethar was completely oblivious to Jade’s suffering. He even went out of his way to point out various landmarks and places of note. Jade, of course, saw only crude structures dug out of the tunnel wall and turned into makeshift dwellings, shoppes and other such locations.
They were passing through a particularly quiet section of the subterranean labyrinth when Tobias finally stopped. “He doesn’t like elves per se”, Jade’s guide said, his trademark smile wavering slightly. “But he tolerates paying customers very much! You best let me do the talking, yes? His whole family was killed by elves. You sort of look like them, anyone tell you that? -- Sad story -- the elves killing the smith’s kin part, not your amazingly exotic features -- not that I think you’re beautiful and exotic and hot -- I mean, my friend mentioned that -- what friend? -- oh you don’t know him -- anyway, we’re here!”
Indeed, the 'shoppe' in front of them was called "Happy Sam the Smith" in very, very old lettering. So old in fact that the carving on the storefront's rocks seemed more ancient than the surrounding earth. No one looked home, though. Maybe they were closed on major holidays? Was it a holiday?
Jade Alanon
There weren’t very many times in Jade’s life that she wished she was shorter, the upper world was made for tall people but this world down below…It mocked people of height in the worst of ways. Tobias remained cheery while Jade was becoming increasingly annoyed, she hadn’t expected this when she had arrived in Zerdagia. Jade had expected this to be rather straightforward. Go into the city, find a smith and see if they were able to handle reforging her blade, why couldn’t it be like that?
Inwardly, Jade whined and complained as she followed after Tobias. He explained why she was being called a white devil. “Well, offense taken then.” She commented under her breath though honestly, it didn’t really bother her.
Further and further they went and at some point Jade had transitioned from being a creature that walked on two legs to an animal on four legs and that was so not ideal. Jade was a proud woman and this was really not suiting her but she was here on a mission and wouldn’t be so quick to turn back around. She did practically growl at Tobias when he attempted to hold her hair up, she really didn’t want him doing that and it made it even worse that he was so cheery even she snapped at him. He was like her shop assistant Amalia who was so full of bubbliness.
Jade had been through a lot in her life so honestly, she could handle this but that didn’t mean she had to like it. It felt like it took candlemarks to finally get where they needed to go. Tobias was a good guide but at the same time she wanted to snap his neck just so he would stop talking or at the very least, stop smiling. No one was capable of being that cheery. He pointed out various places but Jade had little to no interest in the grand tour, she wanted to get to the smith’s and have done.
It was a good thing Jade had questioned him about this particular smith because at least now she was aware that this smith would likely want very little to do with her. That would have been nice to know BEFORE all the feckin crawling she had done. She had money that she could pay but would it be enough to convince him to help an elf? Even a half-elf such as herself. “You could have mentioned that earlier, Tobias.” She commented with a grumble. If she was able to, she’d try to stand, even if she had to bend down in order to do so. She didn’t want to come into the shop on her hands and knees, didn’t really suit her proud image.
Rolling her eyes as Tobias stumbled over his words, she couldn’t care less what he thought about her but if he could be useful and get her what she wanted, maybe it was best to use that potential attraction to her advantage. “If you get the smith to actually help me, I’ll show you how hot I can be.” She winked teasingly at the cethar and waited for him to enter the shoppe. It didn’t look as though there was anyone inside but it was best to check, just in case. “Let’s go see if the sign speaks truth.” Happy Sam? She hoped…
Crimson
Crawling into the shoppe’s opening led to a very large chamber within where Jade could finally stand to her full height. A collection of tools sat about in various shelves carved into the stone and earth; a cold forge was in the center of it all. But there was no smith or apprentice. Tobias bounced around, rummaging through the place and its contents with little regard to how grumpy dwarves tended to be.
“Oh! Lookie here!”, exclaimed the cethar cheerfully. He emerged holding what looked like a map of the tunnels -- which was much more extensive than Jade liked to admit. Marked were several areas of apparent interest. The smith’s penmanship was already poor, making it extremely difficult to translate any of his notes. But there was a single word that Jade couldn’t miss: Stalagium.
“What’s a Stall-a-jum?”, asked Tobias with a tilt of his head. “Well this map is for the lower levels. Way lower. Looks like Happy Sam the Smith went down there with his apprentices. Probably to get more ore. Or maybe to hunt down what this Stall-a-jamm-an-jum is about -- boy, do I love jam -- do you like jam? -- It’s the best, I think. Anyway! Lower levels! Need to get back to the elevator!”
Jade Alanon
Crawling around was not how she had imagined this was going to go but if this was what she had to go through in order to get her weapon sorted, why not? She had endured worse than this though never in this sort of setting. Still, if she could survive going up against the gods in Aetheria and surviving, she could handle a little trek beneath Zerdagia. She brushed a hand against the scar across her throat and felt the now familiar twinge of pain, as though it were still fresh. Jade had been marked but she had to wonder, did it mean anything or was it simply a warning by the gods not to try it again?
It was only once they were inside the shoppe that Jade was able to stand to her full height and she groaned at the pain in her back and her knees from the long crawl. At least it was over and she was the---Oh feck, where was he? Tobias had mentioned that he might not be in but she had hoped that he was wrong. It seemed that he wasn’t. How long would she have to wait before he returned? She wasn’t about to crawl out of there only to crawl back later on when he returned, surely she could wait? Jade watched Tobias bounce around, a brow perked but she left him to his devices.
With arms folded, she sighed and looked around. So this was what a dwarf’s forge looked like. She’d seen better…
Her attention was caught by the cethar who called out to her. Clearly he had found something, unless it was a dwarf hiding somewhere, she wasn’t really interested. Still, she walked over to see what it was he had found. A map? Why did she have a seeking feeling in her gut as they both looked it over. It looked extensive which likely meant the trek would be a difficult one. “Your guess is as good as mine.” She answered, her tone not the nicest as she sighed. He then switched to jam for some reason and she just wanted to pop him in the back of the head but she didn’t dare lose the only ‘friend’ she had down here. “Focus Tobias!” She snapped.
Wait…they were going down there now? Why couldn’t they just wait for him there? Her back screamed at her to argue so that she didn’t have to crawl her way back to the elevator but her desire to see her weapon back in one piece overtook the need for comfort. She could wait but there was no telling how long he would take or even if he would make it back. She had to guess that the lower levels likely had its dangers and if she wanted the smith to make it back in one piece so she could have her weapon, well she would make her way down below then. “Lead on.” She said with a grumpy grumble, heading back towards the door where she got ready to crawl, waiting for him to go first of course. She wasn’t gonna be on all fours with a cethar behind her…no thanks.
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