A Late Night Drink

[MasterAegon]

Aegon peered out over the rail of the tavern at the city below. It was a town to be more accurate. The architecture was immense but what few buildings stood had all a person could need. The bottle of bourbon in his hands was his only company at present. The years beneath the Artifact took a cruel toll on him, a tax almost higher than he could pay some days. He peered over his shoulder at the patrons for any familiar faces.

This was the hour people came from their respective towns to decompress. Most times they continued to toil over business even though they came to get away from it all. He could not blame them. Loka had a peculiar way of compelling its denizens to slave away at their ambitions. He was a victim of the same vicious compulsion.

The bourbon gave that burn he loved so much as he drank from the bottle again. Would the bottle be his only companion? The thought was so depressing it was nearly grotesque. Instead of such a thought he focused on all the people there, whether he knew them or not. His pride gave him strength if even only the bottle would keep him company. Pride for these people, whether they loved or hated him. Pride for the fact that alongside all of his allies, he was able to hold the seat in their name as Capital.

He leaned back on the rail and took another quick drink, resting his sword hand on the hilt of Blackfyre. He still couldn't help but wonder where this night would take him...because nothing in Loka was so simple as a late night drink.

 

[Dwemer_Sphere]

*Merric would return to the tavern having traveled from the Research tower east of valley where the tavern was located. He hand many papers with him most being letters that he gave to the Brewmaster to send out by courior to others. His face was pale an grave, He seemed to be faced with a terriable horror stuck inside his head as he shifted through the pages of old text scattering them upon a large table that could seat multiple people. His eyes flickering almost with runes of ancient tongues flashing within them. he shifted through pages after pages of the old text only having a drink of water near him upon the floor away from the pages. *

"All I need is more! I need more information, time does not hault as we do in this section of space due to the powers of the Artifact. We may be inprisoned here but the wonders left behind by those long past or gone can only be maintained...How do i get more information upon things without the aide of the others... Maybe I will have to travel there myself..."
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*He would look up as the runes that flickered in his eyes disapated and his face became calmer seeing the ones around he would look to Aegon give a polite nod as he bent down reaching for the glass of water upon the floor to take a drink from it. His left arm completely forged from the scraps of dwemer metal that have been able to be used. Though he lost his left hand his whole left arm had been fixed together. Though limited use of the arm was still a problem he struggled with but nothing more then a slight setback to the deterimed scholar*

 

[MasterAegon]

Aegon smiled lightly at the sight of Merric. The young scholar had been through a lot in the short time he lived in Loka. Even Aegon could remember his own first days in this world like it was yesterday, but Gods only know how much true time had passed since then. He walked over to the man and took a sip before speaking.

"Good evening, Merric. I see you're hard at your research as always." There was hardly a time when Merric did not have his nose in a book for some reason or another. Fel'Bthalft was essentially a city of literary work from history to even fiction. Aegon found it refreshing to see someone focusing on enlightenment more than lethality. However, amongst his admiration for the man, Aegon frowned at the apparent frustration on his friend's face. Even the mechanical hand of his was shaking in irritation.

"Now, I know you are often looking into a new discovery or pursuing answers to some other unsovled mystery, but what has you so worked up this time?"

Dragonstone had been funding research under Merric's tutelage for a while now. Ships were provided for safe passage to possible dig sites in search of Dwemeri ruins as well as other possible treasures left behind in the realm. Aegon hoped the coming response would not be any sort of monumental issue.

 

[Dwemer_Sphere]

*He would sigh softly placing dwon the papers and showing pictures of gleaming eyes in darkness. The eyes looked hollow unnearvingly so. He would show aegon pictures of ruined villages torn apart from the earth itself. where craters was once made and even the signs of massive footprints left in the oceans floor.*

" I'm still looking to get to the ruined city have yet had the time to. I'm thinking of bringing the research team over to it soon. But what has concearned me in the rumors of the Numidian having surfaced. A thing the Dwemer created long ago on their world once said to rival the power of the gods of their old realm. The old remains of something massive have been found all over the Planet of Loka something that must have made its way through the world in cycles. I have no more information and have not heard of my informate on matters such as this in ages it would seem. I fear that on their pursute of this thing they encountered to closely the power it may hold.. Be they dead or worse crushed and broken unable to move or flee."
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*You could see the look of worry then a slight twinge of happyness more so relief. A strange look indeed for such a morbid tone he so previously gave out through the news that has been bothering him*

"You know Aegon I never believed I would find myself saying such a thing as that...Or worse when having already stated the ultimate wrose case senario...Strange this world is that we are trapped on...I envy the power we have attained...to think on other worlds they search, research, fund, and pursue the fruits of immortality...to think we have it the Artifact that provides everlasting life to all Lokans...but I am very much weary...Its like having found the book that gives knowledge beyond all else foresight into all things...I feel as if...Im unsatisfied ever hungry for more...where there is no more to obtain...to think I would say something is worse then death...What cruel joke is it we are jailed here on Loka? I remember my life before loka...I would do the same thing as I do here. read, research, write, purpose, and discover. I was well respected for my knowledge on lost cultures...I loved the fame it brought me...but loved more the knowledge I had earned...But here...I feel as if I have not earned anything...How can we truely feel accomplishment as researchers as scientist when we will never die...Our work will not outlast us or become marks in histroy...Our buildings and towns we craft nor the sweet words we speak will become out legacy...it is us..our physical self that will never age...never die...Its saddens me slightly...to not have to worry about death... I see lokans throwing themselves agaisnt danger dying time and time again only to be brought back by the artifact while I still take my time to cut the steak I eat to ensure I don't choke...

*He laughs very dully but still with some joy in its nature*​

 

[Leasaur]

Leasaur strode towards the pair, inspecting them with bright and perceptive eyes. She offered a curt nod to Aegon, her gaze flickering with the slightest distaste over the bottle he grasped in his hand; she herself was hardly ever seen to eat or drink, adding to her ethereal, otherworldly appearance. She turned towards Merric.

"Any news on the ruins?" she asked, pushing a strand of fire red hair away from her face and peering at the scholar's papers. Leasaur thirsted for lore and knowledge, especially this which contained that of another elven culture.

Seeing the man so tense worried her, however - she wondered if it could be due to his injury. I may have acted quickly enough to stop physical infection, but adding Dwemer elements to magic-damaged flesh... I just hope his body has remained healthy, not to mention his mind....

 

[MasterAegon]

Once Merric finished his train of thought, Aegon squinted momentarily, mulling it all over. It was a very poignant reminder. A reminder that there was a distinct lack of appreciation for life simply because it was disregarded for the very reason it could not be lost...only instantly restored by the Artifact. If it were not for the limitless possibilities this protection gave otherwise, even Aegon would see it as just another curse to bear.

"Look at it this way, my friend...the only thing that changes is perspective. We may make one discovery knowing full well that it is a fleeting moment of accomplishment, but what you should take solace in, as a scholar, is that you will always be able to do it again. You will always have the opportunity to learn from mistakes made. Whether minor mistakes or lethal ones, you will take each in stride to become smarter and more importantly, wiser."

A faint smile crept to the corners of his mouth. Of course he hoped that perspective would be enough to console Merric and distract him from the fact that mankind will always find a way to destroy one another rather than work in tandem for the benefit of all. Peace always led to anxious sword hands and war always provoked despair. It was a vicious cycle in which they were wont to partake. It made him wonder if it would ever end...or would they be confronted with a common enemy.

He shook off the last thought before it became apparent on his face. It was the last thing anyone needed to know about this soon. The lithe frame of a familiar elf seemed to appear from nowhere. His smirk was all he had to offer in response to the apparent look of antipathy towards his alcohol. He wasn't altogether sure if the look was meant for the alcohol or himself.

He returned her nod before taking another short drink to try and wash down the thought. It was bad enough that his metabolism made it difficult to enjoy the effects of whiskey, but here beneath the Artifact it only seemed harder. Luckily, the drink was an acquired taste which he could still enjoy without intoxication. He allowed a moment for Merric to answer the inquiry.

 

[Dwemer_Sphere]

*Merric would be drinking very hard from the heavy bottle he had with him in his backpack. He brough out another piece of paper with a picture attached of what seemed to be a skeleton with a blueish glow all around it with eyes they glew a unholy light blue piercing right at the lens of the Camera with a golden crown on its head. he takes a hard drink tossing the glass bottle behind him letting it break as he pulls another heavy Golden Rum from his backpack all seemed to be brewed perfectly aged to the right age an all.*

"He's back...he never left...Memnon the Necromancer....Has come back from the dead.. He now marches an army we have no clue about upon our door thinking its just daily life...That Creature you see in the picture I have seen only one..One in my entire life on an old world called Aethius a creature like this came into my village and grabbed the females by their head dragging them away by their hair. 30 men went at the creature impaling it with spears swords cutting off its arms so it would stop dragging the women... 30 men all 30 men died coming back eating upon the flesh of the ones they tried to save... Many of us made it out alive Its name was Raven the Unliving one....It was listed here!...HERE!!!!​

*He slams a book down on the table one old and bound in human hide. Its lettering gilded in glass filled with crimsion Incor of human ligor. The book in ancient Dwemeri. He raised up from his table a black infection running through his veins that could be seen upclose as he got up to get close to Aegons*

" In those Grimorie of the Damned it explains every ritual...The Ritual of Time...The Ritual of Undeath, The Ritual of Command, The Ritual of Blight.... and the Ritual of Summon Soul Shard....Each ritual it says created to be the foundations of expectational ascension to those who practice necromancy...His name...That foul creatures name is written in here..his past...His life inside this tomb! What he did to our people What he "accomplished"* he scoffs at the word Accomplished as to insult it* You call this a blessing... This...This unatural life...This unatural creation binding us to its will and here it is! HERE it is preparing for a war it wishes to drag us into with another one of these foul demons of the darkness! I have seen what these fouled mortal monsters can do..They given their souls up to become something immortal something free of all shackles to gain power that is beyond the depths of desire. HERE! HERE your Artifact prepares to bring us all into war with that damn thing! The Lich Memnon the Necromancer wishes to Bring destruction to your Artifact and make anew to his own design with the Soul Shard east of the Tower* Points to spawn tower right outside the tavern*" Memnon has started a war we are not prepaired for... He uses the Ritual of Time to bring back the old world onto this world.. this world is converging with the past and all those old buildings once lost in the Tunnels of the Past is now returning! The Ritual of command to rise an army of the undead to command them to come back and fight for his cause of Chaos and misery! The ritual of Undeath the ritual he used to create himself into one of those foul demons a LICH! and the ritual of Blight his ace...he means to activate the soul shard east of us the Blight stone to bring forth a blight his armies will carry....one that will sweep across the lands with the dead and will plague the living with its touch. It will devour and consume us all making us roll in agony as we die in our beds coming back to relive the process.. That is his design He means to overload the Artifact. To cause so much Death the Artifact is shorted out by the ammount of power it is outputting to bring back the populace of dead to life and when is finally unable to do so it will overload all protection all saftey will be gone as the New Artifact will be made out of the closest Soul Shard at Memnons grasp. Then with his new Necromancers Artifact he will command the armies of the dead more so then any commander of the Damned could imagine...He means war Aegon...the Dwemer will be coming back every last spirit every last mind will return under his domain...I can't stand it..I see it in my heads the runes that becloud my sight and taint my mind! I can see their calls for help and I hear their faces of agony..I can feel their anger as if its ready to burst forth like a fountain of rage. I will not have it.. I will not see that creature again! Those memories where gone now its followed me to this prison world an I cannot stand the plagues it brings upon white stallions! Fel'Bthalft is back The dwemer city of forbiddian knowledge is what it was called Its a city made to house the knowledge thought to deadly even for themselves as surpassing as their minds was above us and they even forbaide the even glace of these books!

*Merric shuffles through his backpack with a cold sweet on his brow and body. The blackish infection surging throguh him like a wild fire the veins in his neck pulsing red blue and black from it. He grabs a dagger holding it up quickly to everyone pointing it their way*

" I will not see what comes neck! I will not see my entire life dragged away by those beast! I will not see my entire friends family and research all thrown away because of some war between gods! I will not!!"

*He screamed each word in the small tavern holding the dagger still his eyes flickering where even the runes once not seen could be seen flickering in his eyes like lights. He pointed the dagger to his chin shoving it into his chin up to his head dropping upon the floor twitching as the body flopps bleeding over the floor the black infection visable in the crimson tide upon the oak. Small spide centurians crawl out of the hole his chin pushing the dagger out as they begin to repair the skin with skin grafts and metal plating . The small spider centurians releasing oil as they traveled only being the size of the end of someones thumb. The small automata using small pincers to tie and seal away damages and burrowing into the skin to fix internal organs.*​