On the Edge of Living

Leca'fi Amdamu, time unknown

When a sorcerer tells you 'he has an idea', sometimes it gets strange. The archmage known as Telamon Lupecyll-Atlon is no exception. Instead of a journey on horseback, or even by teleportation, he suggests the trio confer 'in a place much more secure'. With his house warded and guarded by himself and his lovely wife, Telamon mixed up a pot of tea, and poured three cups -- one for himself, and two for his guests, before ushering them into his study and locking the door behind him.

Sleep soon claims all three, but instead of pleasant dreamlessness, or the disjointed nature of normal dreams, suddenly Corey and Karasu find themselves -elsewhere-. A vaulted great hall of glistening stone, hung with dozens of banners depicting the coat-of-arms of many of Eluna's faithful. At the back of the hall hangs a great black banner with a white crescent moon, a raven perched in the curve. Beneath that sit two great chairs on a low dais, with Telamon in one of them.

The half-elven sorcerer rises from his seat immediately to greet his guests. "Welcome to Leca'fi Amdamu, my friends -- the Castle on the Edge of Waking. Here I can work without fear of any interruption, and you may bear witness even in dreams."

Karasu isn't the most trusting off sorts, but he knows from the first sip of tea (which he'd had some of his and some of Cor'ethil's as well) that it wasn't poison. Magic perhaps, but that is something he can not guard against and he trusts Telamon just enough to trust this. So he drinks his tea and falls asleep.

Where he wakes he does not recognize but he knows also instantly that this is a dream. For him there is no question and he waves his hand for a moment in the unreality. His dark eyes find Telamon's and he nods politely to the Archmage. "The land of Eluna."

Karasu observes the strange room and its banners, its uniqueness. "Truly this is unexpected. What can you do here in the realm of dreams Archmage?" Karasu's voice is both cautious and curious.

Cor'ethil Cari'thana is _so_ curious right now as he is dreaming, having consumed the same tea as his fiance and finding himself in dreamland. The moment that Telamon introduces the area and that Karasu makes the comment that it's the land of Eluna, Cor'ethil lets out a breath of sheer awe.

"You mean--you've been divinely blessed and gifted with a structure within the realm of dreaming itself?" Corey immediately gets to his feet, and it's not long before the paladin is poking around the place. He even knocks on a wall. "Oh, goodness! Goodness me! _It's stone!_ Karasu, it is _stone_!" Corey is a boy who's opening his presents on Yule morning, his eyes practically sparkling. "Did you build this place brick-by-brick? Or did it always exist and it was deeded to you? Or... Or... _Wow_." He can't provide any more possibilities because he's bowled over by the grandeur of the moment and the setting.

Telamon actually blushes. Just a little bit. There's still a part of him that's the young man walking into Alexandria, leading a donkey with his belongings, and he's stunned how far he's come. "I guess 'deeded' is the best word. Though I prefer to think of myself as its custodian and guardian for a time. It responds to my will, and it is far safer than one might think."

"As for what I can do, as I noted, it responds to my wishes. I can reshape it as needed. More importantly, though, it serves as a secure location to explore the realm of dreams. There is also a..." He pauses. "An aspect of said ability, that allows me to question the dead. I do have to abide by the wishes of the Gray Harpist, but my dealings with her servants have been friendly so far. I don't wish to change that."

Karasu blinks slowly at Telamon but nods once. "I understand." He isn't sure that he believes all of that, but he is willing to entertain the possibilities. The man is an archmagi after all. "So you will speak to the dead... Who?" He doesn't know for a moment who it is that Telamon means to speak to. And then he does.

His dark eyes narrow, not at Telamon, but at the thought of the man who had murdered his brother. "Sori. You mean to question Sori. Can you guarantee that his words are truth? Or will he be capable of lying?"

"Amazing," Corey murmurs, still very much awed as Telamon explains the circumstances behind him coming to be the caretaker and guardian of the place. "Rare is the mortal that is entrusted such a place..."

His words trail off as Karasu identifies the dead man in question. He frowns. "Akimitsu Sori? Really? You would talk to him? I mean... I have entirely the same concerns that Karasu has. I wouldn't trust anything that man has to say as far as a bird with clipped wings can fly." That image makes Cor'ethil frown severely. "He tried to manipulate Karasu and I against each other. I'm sure whatever he might say to you will misdirect in a similar way."

Telamon's voice is cool, his expression becoming serene. "He can -try- to lie to me. But I do not think he will be able to. Not in this place." He pauses, considering. "If I call him forth, he may come with an... auditor of sorts. A representative of the Harpist. She does tend to frown on abuse of the dead, no matter their crimes."

"In any case, I have no intention of such actions. But I would like more information as to what happened to Raiden." His eyes move to Karasu. "It was my thought that Wuya only -believed- himself to be Raiden... but I have determined that is not the case. He is your brother, for good or ill." The sorcerer squares his shoulders. "I do not fear the shades of the dead, and nor should you. Not here. He will not be undead, he will have no power save what you grant him."

Karasu nods. He understands now that Telamon has likely not utilized this place often enough to know the answer to his question. Who would after all, idly use the gift of a goddess? "I will restrain myself from harming him." Karasu sees no real purpose in harming Akimitsu Sori anyways. The man is already dead.

He takes a small breath at the confirmation that Wuya is in fact Raiden and lowers his head for a moment in respect for his brother who had passed beyond this world without his knowing. "We grant him nothing." Karasu's voice is cold. "He has no power in this world any longer."

Corey continues to frown, reaching out and taking Karasu's hand in his own. The Warden of Gilead is a gentle and sensitive soul, full of cheer and compassion, and it's the kind of thing that's served him well in his work. It also means he's there for Karasu when the darkness has come to their doorstep. "There'll be nothing from myself," he adds gently. "My focus is on Karasu's wellbeing. My mother took on Akimitsu for a reason--I'm not a vengeful person. Nor am I as blessed as my beloved is in the art of killing people."

He smiles tenderly at Karasu then. "It'll be okay. I know it will be. This is a holy place." Or at least, he considers it to be one. Hard to be a gift of a goddess and to _not_ be holy.

"More than you might expect, Corey," Telamon says with aplomb. "When a mortal does not act as custodian for this place, it is tended to by an angel. That was something of an experience for me." He tilts his head at Karasu. "Indeed, there's nothing you can really do to him. He's dead. His fate now rests in the court of final appeal. Yes, we seek answers, but once we are done here, he will return to where he belongs: in memories."

Abruptly, there is a knock at the great doors at the end of the hall. "And I expect that will be our adjudicator, here to ensure this soul is not being turned into something awful or simply being imprisoned, thus escaping the cycle." Telamon makes a face. "In any case..." He gestures, and one of the half-seen servants in the livery of the Lupecyll-Atlons moves to open the door.

Karasu notes that as the door to the main room opens to reveal a cloaked individual of indeterminant gender and type, that another door also appears. He says nothing for the moment, watching and observing.

The figure nods to Telamon and heads for the new door, motioning for the others gathered to follow it inside the room. The door itself doesn't open to any command save for Telamon's, and the interior is... Empty. Blank. White.

The only thing that occupies it is a man on a low cushion. Sitting cross-legged and patient. He doesn't move, but he is immediately recognizable as Akimistu Sori.

The Warden of Gilead dutifully follows, Corey going with his beloved to follow Telamon into the room. The white room puts him on edge. Or at least, he might be able to say that he's on edge, but then he spots Akimitsu Sori, and then Corey is _really_ on edge.

"I'm glad Mother isn't here," he murmurs. Paladin of Gilead that he is, he knows his mother would likely have some things to say--and do--that a paladin could not condone.

The door opens at Telamon's gesture. He doesn't even touch it. And he leads them into the room -- the paladin, the wanderer, and the cloaked watcher, should they follow. Telamon's pace is even, as he comes to a stop before Akimitsu Sori. Then he smoothly sits down crosslegged, six feet away from the shade. Regarding him with his fathomless dark eyes.

"Akimitsu Sori," he says without preamble. "I have summoned you here for a purpose. Once I am done, you will be returned to the Halls of Waiting. Do you understand?"

Karasu follows Telamon inside, but unlike the mage he doesn't sit in the presence of the other man who the room belongs to. He feels uncomfortable allowing the cloaked figure at his back, but they enter last and say nothing at all. Karasu stands somewhat to the left of and behind Telamon, weighing Akimitsu Sori in every regard.

The shade for his part does not open his eyes, or even acknowledge the presence of any. "I understand." Sori doesn't move even then, just sitting still on his cushion.

Cor'ethil seems to sense Karasu's discomfort. He puts his hand on Karasu's back, as though saying silently that someone will need to cut through his arm before they'd ever reach Karasu's heart through his back. He is a paladin through and through--a protector. A Warden.

"As quiet in death as he was in life," Cor'ethil murmurs. Sori was a person who could talk, yes, but it seemed to him the man preferred to speak in violence. Now that he cannot speak in that second manner, he wonders what the shade will say.

"Good." Telamon's voice is polite, cool, almost distant. As he noted, there is nothing else that can be done to Akimitsu Sori, and Telamon has no interest in that. He is more interested in what the man knew. "Tell me what you know of Raiden's death, and his reincarnation."

He smiles a bit mirthlessly. "For it's clear you knew more than you had let on, seeking to drive that wedge between Cor'ethil and Karasu."

Sori's dark eyes open, and he looks at Cor'ethil first, a thin expression close to a smile touching his lips. He clearly recognizes the young man. Recognizes Karasu. Does not recognize Telamon. He looks then at the Archmage last. "I killed Raiden Himura with my own hands. Though I know nothing of his reincarnation? Is he alive then? I would enjoy killing him again."

Under Cor'ethil's touch, Karasu tenses subtly, but he doesn't move or otherwise give away the fact that he is unhappy with those words.

Cor'ethil's silver eyes, bright things that they are that carry and hold light and Gilead's blessings so easily, narrow as Sori smiles at him. The corner of his mouth twitches when Sori remarks he would enjoy killing Raiden again.

"I hope you recorded that for his judgment," Corey says. While he doesn't move his head, it's clear he's speaking to the servitor of Vardama who is responsible for Sori being here to begin with.

"Not happening, Akimitsu." Telamon seems completely unfazed by the malevolent soul. "But Karasu must have been very special for you to travel all this way, risk discovery and the wrath of who knows what, just to try and collect him again. To kill his younger brother simply to break off another family tie..."

Telamon shakes his head. "What was the point, Akimitsu? Even the most useful of tools or minions can become unreliable. Why go to this much trouble?"

"It could happen." Sori says slowly, his eyes on Cor'ethil. "If things go well."

His cryptic words offer little in the way of real information and then he turns his dark eyes on Telamon once again. "You would understand little of our ways. I spent years training Karasu to be a killer, and then he turned on all that he knew for a *child*. For a creature of no worth. But you asked 'why'. Why?" He frowns then. "Kiku is why."

"Who, or what is Kiku?" Karasu asks, having never heard the words before, but the shade ignores him utterly.

"Kiku?" The word is also completely foreign to Corey, whose dark brows furrow together. "And... what do you mean by 'if things go well'?" Then he looks at Telamon. "If he'll only answer questions from you, ask those, please, if you would, Archmage."

The Warden looks troubled by the implications here, but his hand is still on Karasu's back, providing his beloved some comfort. He stands by Karasu; he'll not let his love fall into the darkness of being in the room with the man who hurt him repeatedly as a child. He is _here_.

Telamon spares a glance at the cloaked auditor, eyes flickering, before looking back to Akimitsu. "A great many things could happen. But I prefer not to deal in such 'maybes'. The fact is you are dead, and are unlikely to be returned any time soon."

Telamon's eyes narrow, the stars in them glimmering. "Who or what is Kiku, Akimitsu?" He lets the sneering dismissal of a 'creature of no worth' pass for now, but something about the words makes the archmage bristle ever so slightly.

The servitor of Vardama remains implacable, offering nothing in the way of explanations or answers itself. As for Sori, his smile returns, thin and dangerous to Cor'ethil's words. "Answer only him? Perhaps, or perhaps I will answer you. You see... despite your mothers efforts I *will* return. This passage into the Gray Halls will not last."

He turns that smile on Telamon. "So you had best hurry your questions along. As for Kiku... Kiku is an annoyance. A celestial kitsune whose true name is Kiku-no-musoku."

Karasu looks at Sori, trying to measure the other man. "What does a celestial kitsune have to do with me?" Yet his question goes unanswered again.

GAME: Corey rolls Knowledge/Local: (3)+7: 10
GAME: Telamon rolls knowledge/local: (4)+13: 17

Corey's eyes widen at the mention of... "Keets-ooh-nay?" he asks, then blushes, knowing that he's just made an absolute fool out of himself. (In his defense, Trade is not his first language, and he's also not overly familiar with the language and customs of Karasu's people, being that he's never been to the island that Karasu is from. Most people haven't.)

He collects himself. "How is this Kiku an annoyance?" Then more quietly, between himself and Telamon, "What even is a kitsune?"

Telamon furrows his brow. A passage from a book wells up in his mind. 'The spirits and dominions of Xian are not as those of our homeland. Among them are the kitsune, the fox-folk, who are tricksters and clever-witted.' Then his lips curl up slightly. "Oh. This Kiku-no-musoku must've been a -thorn- for you, you grasping worm. If she bore the touch of the heavens, she would be inclined to oppose you even more ferociously."

His grin is hard. "So how does this Kiku fit into the question of Karasu? Did she lead him astray? Cause him to question what he did for you?"

Here Sori seems unbearably pleased. "How I would enjoy leaving you in ignorance, but even your ignorance is insulting. Kiku-no-musoku is Karasu's ancestor. We are not certain how distant a relative, but that does not matter. Until this moment Karasu has had no knowledge of this, but we have known it all along. We have been keeping them... separate. And will continue to do so."

"It will be difficult for you to do anything while you remain dead." Karasu says shortly. To which he again receives no reply, but he no longer seems to expect one.

Corey looks horrendously confused. A kitsune is Karasu's ancestor? One that bears the touch of the heavens? This is so out of his wheelhouse of understanding--

_Remain dead_ out of Karasu's mouth reminds Cor'ethil that there appears to be a plan to bring Sori back. That notion puts anger into Corey's silver eyes, a bright and clear anger. "Who would be so evil, callous, and cold-hearted to try and bring you back from the dead to torment people again, Sori?"

"Anyone who thought he could be useful. Anyone he had laid plans with in the event of an unfortunate demise." Telamon's voice is hard. "The same rules that can allow a hero to be returned to us, also allow the same for a villain."

He shakes his head. "Ignorance is a temporary condition, if one is willing to correct it. Why keep them apart? What fate would compel you to try and prevent their ever meeting?"

Sori ceases to smile. "Because if Kiku ever learned of what we did to Karasu, he would unmake us." The words hold a grim finality, and at last Sori turns his eyes on Karasu. "Not that Karasu would ever betray us by speaking of our means to someone else; that would require trust."

Karasu looks into those dark eyes and feels Cor'ethil's hand on his back, but it feels suddenly cold in this room. He feels cold. Distant from himself; as he looks into the eyes of a man who tormented and tortured him for all of his life and then stole the life of his only brother.

Cor'ethil Cari'thana is a Warden of Gilead.

He's supposed to have certain beliefs and keep a certain ethos. And really, protection is not far removed from what he's currently feeling. But for a moment, wroth consumes him. He wants nothing more than to undo Akimitsu Sori all over again, to hear the words from his beloved mother that the man has been destroyed all over again.

But it's a passing thing, and the storm leaves Corey's face as quickly as it came. "If you have no more questions, Archmage, I suggest that the servitor take Sori away." It's for Sori's protection, more than anything--not that Corey can do anything to him.

"So learned, and yet so ignorant," Telamon says to Akimitsu with a smirk. "But I don't think there's much else to be gained here." The archmage rises to his feet, and turns to the servitor of Vardama.

He exhales, once. "I don't suppose you could weigh him down with red tape, keep him from being restored?" He waves his hand in dismissal. "Forget I asked. But take this rotted soul from this place, please. I will not befoul this blessed home with him any longer."

The servitor nods once to Telamon and motions toward the door which opens. As soon as everyone leaves, the door closes and vanishes. Which leaves them lingering together in the house alone.

Karasu can feel his fingers moving, almost of their own volition. - He reminds himself that Sori is dead. Nothing can harm the man, he is dead. Dead and gone even if he appears back to life tomorrow. - And he takes Cor'ethil's hand and offers a somewhat less than perfect bow to Telamon. "Your efforts have been appreciated Archmage. More than I know how to say, but I must return to reality with Cor'ethil. I hope you do not consider me rude to leave so quickly."

"Hold on, Karasu," Corey says softly, looking between his beloved and the archmage. "We should talk about--what we've learned. The kitsune named Kiku-no-musoku and the fact that Sori and his operatives have been trying to keep them apart... It seems to me that we should find Kiku?"

He eyes Karasu. "Unless Karasu already knows where this kitsune is?" Corey squeezes Karasu's hand gently, as though trying to put his affection into Karasu might help cure any of the doubt and darkness within the man. He even offers a small smile at Karasu for his troubles. "I don't know anything about kitsune, but the mention of a celestial one is... Well, it sounds like this Kiku is an important person."

When the door shuts behind them and vanishes, Telamon makes a low, angry sound, before cutting it off. Indeed, the entire castle seems to flex ever so slightly, before settling again. "The name means nothing to me, but any creature possessed of celestial blood is usually not one that evildoers wish to cross lightly. And a kitsune..." He strokes his cheek.

"Corey, Karasu, if you wish it so I could try to locate this personage. Once I know where they are -- roughly -- I can probably take you there to them. Or reach out to them, and ask if they would come to us. If Akimitsu Sori desires you should be kept apart from this ancestor, then clearly our path should be to introduce the two of you." His eyes twinkle. "Who knows what we might learn?"

Karasu's fingers tighten just slightly on Cor'ethil's hand and he takes a small breath. "Of course Archmage. If you think it wise. I do not know anything of this individual, but if you can locate them please do so." He looks at Cor'ethil. "If that suffices, I at least must return to reality."

Corey shakes his head at Karasu, squeezing the other man's hand again. "I will go with you," he says. "Archmage, if you can discern or locate anything of Kiku..."

Gratitude is a hard thing to express between parties who are experienced with the fae. But Cor'ethil offers a warm smile at Telamon. It's the kind of expression from someone who is utterly and completely convinced that everything will work out for the best. "I would appreciate it greatly, and I would offer you Gilead's blessing in tracking and finding in kind."

The dreamers return to waking, and it's an easy thing to do. After all, Telamon's castle is just on the edge of it.

-End