[ Discretion, in other words, is the conclusion. Somnus adds nothing more on this topic, but speaking of using magic in general-- ]
Dreamotion grants more power to all. [ With its efficacy seemingly only limited only by the user's will. It's troubling for various reasons, but he's careful to keep his tone neutral. ] If you are patient with training, you may have any magic of your own.
[ To that, his arms cross over his chest once more. ] The tapirs... have mentioned that such power can leak to our respective Stars. Perhaps this means you will be able to return with it.
[ He had assumed she would want such power to help her cause. Consider him surprised that she even thinks of the potential consequences of it being available.
He had suggested this scenario, but his tone had been at odds with his words, guarded, …because he opposes the idea, himself. ]
Indeed. In the wrong hands, it would bring devastating consequences, even without the havoc of nightmares.
[She nods. It isn't something she'd wish upon her own struggling world, already dealing with the aftermath of defeated lords, lingering tensions, and zeugle infestations. What if nightmare energy meshed with the giant zeugles? That would truly be a nightmare.
There's a slight relief to her posture when he agrees. It wasn't an especially big issue, really, but she wasn't sure how strongly he felt about the concept, and she didn't have the energy for another argument so soon after settling the last one. Disagreements between friends are all well and good, healthy even, but major ones related to the safety of an entire world, classism, slavery? Not the best thing to discuss over wine and chocolate.
Not that she'd expected an argument, or... ah, whatever. She's probably just on edge because of what this place is apparently doing to Alphen, between the strange magic and Shionne's absence, but none of that is Somnus's fault.]
There's still too much we don't know about this world, and its magic. It'd be like adding an invasive species to a suffering ecosystem. It could kill the whole crop.
Edited (i picked an icon and then dw was like nah u did not) 2023-01-09 07:41 (UTC)
Would that there was a way to seal our worlds from it.
[ A means to travel between worlds via dreams opens a whole slew of issues, too. Somnus’ realm isn’t without its own, and how terrible would it be if the issues of his world spread to others? Or vice versa?
……..Oh. He didn’t think hard about what his statement implied before speaking. So, he adds: ]
[She lifts her brows at his amendment, then her expression shifts back to an easier smile. Look at the both of them, making corrections and concessions for one another's comfort. That's a new dynamic she appreciates.]
It's alright. It's fair to enjoy someone's company while still wanting your world to be safe from whatever brought you together. Until we know the risk is worth the reward, both paths should be looked into.
Having been here over a year, he’s seen enough of nightmare energy to lean towards the “risk isn’t worth it” side. His personal feelings or connections borne within this dream… they matter not when it comes to the safety of the Star.
…Strange.
The conclusion feels… colder than usual.
Somnus uncrosses his arms, but keeps his tone serious. ]
On this same topic, have you seen the board? Suspicious crystals harboring dark power have appeared.
[ He raises his hand, calling for them to pause their trek through the wastelands, and the reason should be apparent: there, merely meters away, a plum of misting, shadowy.. something wisps upward from a small dune.
They should be cautious, for this smoke means it's either one of the crystals or a noctaere in hiding exhuming a dark aura. Fortunately, there is a way to differentiate between the two. The crystals, apparently, are noted to cause excessive warmth-- none of which appears to particularly affect Somnus given his present, spectral form. So for this, he lowers his hand, addressing Kisara. ]
[She's quick to nod, looking a little uncomfortable, though she is managing it well. It feels somewhat like Calaglia, the last time they'd visited the area. Oppressive, muggy, prone to make one sweat before too long. She's sure it'll be useful at some point - it always is - but in the moment she's feeling some regret in going back for her armor.]
It is. Feels a bit like a desert. Can dark energy bring heat?
[ The aura only seems to grow erratically, but unlike ordinary smoke, it appears to remain condensed near the crystal protruding from the scorched sand. Somnus remains cautious, but as soon as he takes a step closer, the energy ripples inward as if alerted to their presence, morphing into another form. ]
This one, yes. [ This energy seems to bring excessive heat. As for other types of dark energy of different worlds? Somnus is not an expert. This is certainly unlike anything on his own.
....By now it's becoming clear what form the energy is taking, that of small dragons with three red eyes upon their heads. ] These creatures mean to protect those crystals. [ Somnus summons a guilded halberd, no doubt for its longer reach against beasts with long necks and giant maws. ]
[Kisara doesn't sound too bothered by it, admittedly; it's been too long since she's been in a proper fight, and it wouldn't do to get rusty. She calls out her shield, pulling her mace from its back attachment, and takes a few steps towards the dark dragons. They snarl and hiss, curling around the crystals - protective, just as Somnus had said - and before they can draw too close several of the creatures lunge forward, closing the distance lightning-quick.
She's dealt with this before, and with a shout she thrusts her shield towards them and summons a huge wall of blue light, forming up between she and Somnus and the attacking creatures. A few of them smash into cloudbursts of smoke, hissing like steam as they begin to reform back into physical being, momentarily stunned.]
[ The giant, illuminated shield that appears prevents him from immediately warping into the fray, but Somnus is nothing if not adaptable. He side steps the barrier and throws his halberd forward, vanishing in a stream of light after it for a definitive warp-strike.
Dismissing the arm so that the weapon doesn’t remain stuck inside the monster, he follows up with a second strike, a third. The fourth hit is caught by the beasts’ jaw, during which it releases a burst of dark mist. Somnus phases away, calling back his halberd. Although he hadn’t been hit, he’d rather not take his chances with an unknown energy while in a phantasmal form.
Raising his arm, he calls lightening to his fingertips, but waits before releasing the magic should Kisara be in the midst of the brawl. ]
[Her conjured shield is short-lived, just enough to halt the creatures in their tracks. She can't warp like he can, so by the time he's finished his flurry of blows she's just begun to enter the fray, smashing her real shield into the head of the first dragon that lunges towards her, batting aside its head and long neck, exposing its now-undefended chest. She twists around and slams her mace into it with incredible force, tossing it aside like a ragdoll. She won't be as fast as him, but she makes up for it by hitting hard and making it count.
She glances over at him to check in, and when she spots the crackling of energy on his fingertips, she kicks another dragon towards the one she'd knocked aside and jumps backwards, out of the way. She's worked alongside Dohalim and Rinwell long enough to know when to move to avoid getting an astral arte to the face.]
As soon as she steps back, Somnus unleashes the lightning from his hand as if throwing a javelin. The power pummels into the chest of one beast, then ricochets and catches the others unawares, electric light sundering through shadow and smoke. Their wounds bleed a fine, hissing mist into the air.
With the dragons rigid and jittering from the shock the lightning brings, a new opportunity arises. Somnus calls back his weapon and warps into the midst, leaving both crystalline sparks and a silhouette of his person behind. Assuming she can hold her own, he focuses on his own shadow-dragon to finish off. He fights efficiently, and ruthlessly, all flourishes of light countered by the dark whip of his cloak behind him. ]
[Much as she'd love to watch how he fights - it's always interesting to experience magic when she isn't on the receiving end - she has a part to play as well. While he's dueling with one dragon, she tackles another, batting its attacks aside with her shield and slamming it into the ground with a mace follow-up. The few hits it manages to get past her shield are noticed but shrugged off, shadow-claws dinging noisily against her armor yet unable to tear through. Between the two of them it doesn't look as if it'll take long to make short work of those defending the crystals they're currently seeking, though she is keeping an eye out in between blows for more that might approach. It wouldn't do to get ambushed mid-fight.]
[ There’s no need to waste excess magic, and with the momentum he’s built between his attacks, Somnus finishes his opponent off efficiently, moving swiftly on to the next. If battles have rhythm, then he strikes precisely on each beat, affording the enemy no quarter. His weapon acts as a shield, offensive to permit no opening or recoil. Magic follows the arc of his warps and the impale of his pole arm, kicking up dust and dirt from the parched ground around them. The debris passes through him, leaving him untouched as he cleaves the weapon through the beast.
Somnus ends the next dragon quicker than the first, and the battle concludes without celebration. The dark crystals, now unguarded, continue to pulses with their mysterious glow. He straightens, looking them over briefly before turning to Kisara, checking for her well being. ]
[A respite it seems, after the last dragon falls to their weapons, though whether it will be brief or last a while is anyone's guess. She shakes at her mace and shield to ensure none of the dark whisps of energy linger on them - you can't be too sure, with how strange the magic of this world can be and how mysterious these crystals are - and when she glances over to meet his gaze, she nods. She has a few light scuffs here and there, areas where claws might have grazed or where an impact might cause light bruising later, but otherwise she's fine.]
There we are. That wasn't so terrible, but let's not drop our guard.
[ Sword dismissed, he paces in a semi-circle around the dark crystals. She says to remain on guard, and he agrees. Physical objects might not impact him much, given how he has no corporeal form, but the mysterious energy of these crystals is something to handle with caution. Perhaps in this form, his soul is more vulnerable.
However, first-- ] For you.
[ He offers a potion. Little scruffs or light bruising? Not on his watch, apparently. ]
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songerein
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Dreamotion grants more power to all. [ With its efficacy seemingly only limited only by the user's will. It's troubling for various reasons, but he's careful to keep his tone neutral. ] If you are patient with training, you may have any magic of your own.
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[Out of pride and necessity, she still needs to be able to stand on her own two feet.]
I appreciate it as another kind of equalizer, though. Everyone has the potential for it.
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[ --Yet his tone is guarded. ]
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I'm... not sure if what my world needs is more alien magic. Last time, it caused 300 years of war and enslavement.
[And while it might give the Dahnans some much needed power, it could also give Renans more.]
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He had suggested this scenario, but his tone had been at odds with his words, guarded, …because he opposes the idea, himself. ]
Indeed. In the wrong hands, it would bring devastating consequences, even without the havoc of nightmares.
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There's a slight relief to her posture when he agrees. It wasn't an especially big issue, really, but she wasn't sure how strongly he felt about the concept, and she didn't have the energy for another argument so soon after settling the last one. Disagreements between friends are all well and good, healthy even, but major ones related to the safety of an entire world, classism, slavery? Not the best thing to discuss over wine and chocolate.
Not that she'd expected an argument, or... ah, whatever. She's probably just on edge because of what this place is apparently doing to Alphen, between the strange magic and Shionne's absence, but none of that is Somnus's fault.]
There's still too much we don't know about this world, and its magic. It'd be like adding an invasive species to a suffering ecosystem. It could kill the whole crop.
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[ A means to travel between worlds via dreams opens a whole slew of issues, too. Somnus’ realm isn’t without its own, and how terrible would it be if the issues of his world spread to others? Or vice versa?
……..Oh. He didn’t think hard about what his statement implied before speaking. So, he adds: ]
Not that it is regrettable meeting others, here.
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It's alright. It's fair to enjoy someone's company while still wanting your world to be safe from whatever brought you together. Until we know the risk is worth the reward, both paths should be looked into.
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Having been here over a year, he’s seen enough of nightmare energy to lean towards the “risk isn’t worth it” side. His personal feelings or connections borne within this dream… they matter not when it comes to the safety of the Star.
…Strange.
The conclusion feels… colder than usual.
Somnus uncrosses his arms, but keeps his tone serious. ]
On this same topic, have you seen the board? Suspicious crystals harboring dark power have appeared.
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Crystals... yes, I saw that. It's worth investigating, isn't it? In case it spreads and starts causing more trouble.
[She's not much of a sleuth, but she wouldn't hesitate to get involved if it's a potential security risk.]
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[ If it's nightmare energy of some kind... It's gotta be stopped. Or hampered in some way. ]
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There are more pressing matters.
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[Yeah, that sounds like Somnus.]
I need to go collect my armor first, but if you give me a little time, I can meet you on the edge of town and we can have a look.
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Hold.
[ He raises his hand, calling for them to pause their trek through the wastelands, and the reason should be apparent: there, merely meters away, a plum of misting, shadowy.. something wisps upward from a small dune.
They should be cautious, for this smoke means it's either one of the crystals or a noctaere in hiding exhuming a dark aura. Fortunately, there is a way to differentiate between the two. The crystals, apparently, are noted to cause excessive warmth-- none of which appears to particularly affect Somnus given his present, spectral form. So for this, he lowers his hand, addressing Kisara. ]
Is it hotter, here?
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It is. Feels a bit like a desert. Can dark energy bring heat?
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This one, yes. [ This energy seems to bring excessive heat. As for other types of dark energy of different worlds? Somnus is not an expert. This is certainly unlike anything on his own.
....By now it's becoming clear what form the energy is taking, that of small dragons with three red eyes upon their heads. ] These creatures mean to protect those crystals. [ Somnus summons a guilded halberd, no doubt for its longer reach against beasts with long necks and giant maws. ]
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[Kisara doesn't sound too bothered by it, admittedly; it's been too long since she's been in a proper fight, and it wouldn't do to get rusty. She calls out her shield, pulling her mace from its back attachment, and takes a few steps towards the dark dragons. They snarl and hiss, curling around the crystals - protective, just as Somnus had said - and before they can draw too close several of the creatures lunge forward, closing the distance lightning-quick.
She's dealt with this before, and with a shout she thrusts her shield towards them and summons a huge wall of blue light, forming up between she and Somnus and the attacking creatures. A few of them smash into cloudbursts of smoke, hissing like steam as they begin to reform back into physical being, momentarily stunned.]
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Dismissing the arm so that the weapon doesn’t remain stuck inside the monster, he follows up with a second strike, a third. The fourth hit is caught by the beasts’ jaw, during which it releases a burst of dark mist. Somnus phases away, calling back his halberd. Although he hadn’t been hit, he’d rather not take his chances with an unknown energy while in a phantasmal form.
Raising his arm, he calls lightening to his fingertips, but waits before releasing the magic should Kisara be in the midst of the brawl. ]
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She glances over at him to check in, and when she spots the crackling of energy on his fingertips, she kicks another dragon towards the one she'd knocked aside and jumps backwards, out of the way. She's worked alongside Dohalim and Rinwell long enough to know when to move to avoid getting an astral arte to the face.]
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As soon as she steps back, Somnus unleashes the lightning from his hand as if throwing a javelin. The power pummels into the chest of one beast, then ricochets and catches the others unawares, electric light sundering through shadow and smoke. Their wounds bleed a fine, hissing mist into the air.
With the dragons rigid and jittering from the shock the lightning brings, a new opportunity arises. Somnus calls back his weapon and warps into the midst, leaving both crystalline sparks and a silhouette of his person behind. Assuming she can hold her own, he focuses on his own shadow-dragon to finish off. He fights efficiently, and ruthlessly, all flourishes of light countered by the dark whip of his cloak behind him. ]
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Somnus ends the next dragon quicker than the first, and the battle concludes without celebration. The dark crystals, now unguarded, continue to pulses with their mysterious glow. He straightens, looking them over briefly before turning to Kisara, checking for her well being. ]
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There we are. That wasn't so terrible, but let's not drop our guard.
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However, first-- ] For you.
[ He offers a potion. Little scruffs or light bruising? Not on his watch, apparently. ]
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