#artifact creation

[thebuildingcacophony]

Complete Sacrifice (10) (5)

Previous part here/ Musical Inspiration: here

“How is Lledwyn….doing better after killing me?” Daevyn sighed as he walked with the same leisure, gesturing to the spider leg to emerge from its resting spot. The same harmony between the two was felt as once more the god’s appendage rose to its full height as he raised his arm for another blow.

Ilyea closed her eyes not quite answering the man but she knew of the history between the two.  Her voice was dry as she summoned more words to speak. “You did it to yourself Daevyn….” Which was the wrong way to answer. Anger twisted at the thrall’s visage as he angled the appendage high above his head. Ilyea didn’t quite know of the pair as well as she did just Lledwyn but there had to be something familiar that she could exploit.

“There’s no surprise regarding that. Lledwyn and I trained every day together and I know your every weakness, sister. I can’t believe Dad sullied his blood line with your whore of a mother.”

The shadow of the god’s leg swinging once more towards her filtering any thoughts out of her mind like white noise. Thoughts of death pronounced within her head like a shimmering fog rising up to grapple her mind. Ilyea tried to will a bit of strength to her legs. Her useless fucking legs.

“We could of learned so much together sister,  but I can show you that we can finally be family. We can finally have the family that you wanted all those years ago.” Daevyn paused with a blistering smile staring into the desperate eyes of the drained mage in front of him. Her red blood hair was swamped with sweat of terror and the helplessness of herself. Aurora perhaps was having as much trouble as her as the shadow of the god’s legs loomed once more over head.

Feeling pressure around her legs, perhaps she had the burst of power to move herself forward but it wasn’t true. Her appendages shook so much the mage could barely stand or even move herself. But it wasn’t the case thankfully. White fluid of Katanja’s powerful webs, ones that she had seen plenty of times before wound about her legs and pulled her to the side. The area where Ilyea sat at once more cracked and shuddered from where the large spider legs impacted the ground. The rocks shards hit up against Ilyea breaking a few of her callused patches splattering blood along the exposed skin. But at least she was safe.

“Just sit there and die! Where the fuck where you way back then, why did you have to come now? Just sit there and fucking die Guardian!” Arie cursed as his fists hit solidly upon Aurora.  “We only had months away until she fell into our grasp!” As the enemy rogue reached back once more connecting a punch with a harsh crack against the sindorei’s chin. The rogue immediately felt blood whell up into his mouth as his head swam momentarily.

Even though the body should of been dead for years, the desperation in Arie’s voice made Aurora smile through his blood soaked teeth. It was easy to play the victim when your enemy thought that they had everything though Aurora wished he had more room to wiggle free to pull at least some of the sweat soaked black hair away from his eyes. All that mattered though is what his foot felt and the slow inching of that.

“Heh, finally getting into you. Don’t worry. You’ll see whatever she is soon enough once the Spider God has a hold of you.” The re-animated rogue grinned a blue tinged smile to Aurora as he put his foot against the struggling rogue’s chest. Bending down, Arie cupped his hands around his neck to choke Aurora to his defeat.

“I wish I could say it was a good fight, but it was a few good minutes.” Arie gloated as his clammy hands rested against Aurora’s neck. The pressure was intense as the corpse started to squeeze. Electricity collected against the sindorei’s body as the his air supply began to wane. The pressure of the suffocation started to burn around his eyes but the general sneer of Arie was enough to show that the corpse was stupidly committed to the act.

Aurora felt the handle of the white dagger finally reach his hand. His fingertips so alive as his whole body was focused on touch and the pain of it around his neck. The white inlay of the enchanted dagger fitted perfectly into his hands and  none too soon.

Angling the dagger upwards, the living rogue slashed wide towards the deadly hands of his opponent. The dagger connected easily as Arie didn’t expect the luck of Aurora to come from nowhere. It sliced through the flesh and fabric of his reanimated fiend and quickly sweet air tickled his searing lungs. The ground shook at the inopportune time of the attack muffling Arie’s cries and his relative distance away from the scene. Aurora had no time to strategize.

The blood in his mouth felt hot as he spit out to the side inhaling more dusted air into his needy lungs. Mentally preparing himself to do something reckless again, Aurora cut across the shadow wing with the dagger. The pain was blinding hot and sticky but the rogue could barely feel it with the amount of adrenaline flowing through him. The shadowed wing ripped like wet fabric as the rogue carved the created wing away from him. He could feel more hot blood slide down his back and sides as he completed the task.

“You mutilate yourself….and deny your gifts? For what?” Arie growled as he sucker punched Aurora with a tight left turn, his own bloodied hands connecting with a wet thud against the Sindorei’s face. The fiend however found himself unable to bring his left hand away as Aurora held his arm securely. The beating that Arie gave him from before as a way to memorize the rogue’s pattern as well as find the white dagger.

“For her, obviously…”Aurora uttered as dagger hidden within his left hand plunged into the man’s neck for the final blow. The effect mesmerizing as the white material slid effortlessly through the dead flesh. The purification the relic had bloomed like ashen flowers as the head separated from the neck in a solid thump. The body falling forwards following the head as if trying to make one final push towards the guardian.

Aurora’s eyes scanned the battlefield through a darkened haze of chaos. His whole body ached like it was being choked again though he could easily breath. Adrenaline seemed to wean as he moved slowly towards where Ilyea and Katanja may be with a pronounced limp. The wing which was still fused to his body seemed to hang awkwardly to the side without its twin to provide balance. The rogue leaned back and cut it off with the same liquid determination so that he could move easily again. Once more the feeling of blood seemed to leak over his back as the sound of wet fabric tearing echoed as he cut the wing off.

The winds howled relentlessly and the battlefield seemed just as dark but Aurora moved on. He still had people to protect.

Daevyn paused his assault as his eyes darted back to observe a battle that was happening far away. “Feh.” He hissed. “Guess the better husband won.” He mocked with a soft sigh.

Ilyea’s heart swelled as she couldn’t really concentrate upon what was happening with Aurora and Arie. Even though she wish she could of given more mortal support to her love, it wouldn’t of done any good if she got hurt instead. The small amount of guilt she felt for thinking that way was quickly squashed.

“Well, it’s only time before more come anyways Ilyea so...I wouldn’t celebrate too much. We have thousands down there...and many many more willing to come find you..” Daevyn chuckled. “Besides, I wasn’t the only one to find a gift. See?” The man chuckled as he held up one of Arie’s daggers. “Just one good knick and we’re all done….besides...master is busy..”

“D-d-don’t you hurt her!” Aurora yelled just out of earshot of the two. “I’ll fucking kill you..” He growled as her guardian limped forward. Blood pooled around his armor staining the fabric with his dark crimson. The black hair splayed about his face stuck with the dried blood from his hit before. Bruises were starting to form along his face and some swelling but Aurora still seemed determined. It was clear from the last battle that her guardian had taken quite a beating despite his bravado.

“Or…”Daevyn chirped as if getting an idea. “I could just kill him and make you watch! That’d be kind of funny really…” Her brother snapped his fingers with a grin.  Dagger at the ready, the tall gaunt re-animated paladin moved towards the broken rogue. At least that’s what it should of been.

The second element of Katanja’s webs came into play as the fiend’s legs didn’t seem to move any faster. Fused into the ground as the bits of webs that littered the ground seemed to sufficiently cover them.  “Well, I’m starting to get really sick and tired of all three of you.” Daevyn growled reaching down with his daggers to remove sticky trap.

“I...I...can kill him. Wait for me Ily..”Aurora whispered as the rogue collapsed upon his knees. The last power of his magic from Katanja draining out of him like the adrenaline from a bit ago. At first, he thought it was just the remnants of the battle field to why everything seemed to be so dark but the rogue could tell it was his eyesight. Blurry images of everything seemed to flit in and out despite him rubbing his eyes with his gloves. It just never got any clearer.

Bright blues and turquoise hues illuminated over the battlefield as the spider god’s legs that were once anchored in earth reared back towards the entrance of the well. The massive appendages waved back and forth as two more pairs of hands emerged from down below. More champions from the god to fight.

Ilyea looked back to Katanja and then to Aurora and finally to Daevyn. The abomination had one leg free but in no time he’d be free to descend upon the two of them. Not to mention the other two champions that were being raised. There was no way they could keep fighting like this. Her throat closed in on itself as terror spiked in her veins as she considered her options. But it was only one thing made sense.

It had to be that…

Closing her eyes, Ilyea opened up the telepathic bond towards Aurora in a weak whisper. Her voice as unsure as the choice she had made.

“Love? We...I am going to do something really incredibly stupid but I don’t know of anything else that can help at this point. Katanja is holding as best as she can but Daevyn is almost free, there’s more enemies on the way. I don’t have enough power to close the well…”

“I believe in you, Ilyea….I fucking believe in you. We’ll keep fighting until we die...love. But they will *never* take us both down the well.” Aurora answered in a growl. His actual position made it unsure of what exactly they could do. But his confidence in her was boundless and she added it to one of the many reasons why she loved him.  

“I’m going to use chronomancy love…” Ilyea remarked gently as both reflected on the grave nature of the sentence. The magic itself was never one of the mage’s forte and her mis-application of it before caused her to spin out of time for several years even if the use of it saved Lledwyn’s life.  If Ilyea was disciplined enough, the mage could possibly become a master of it but years of misuse and trust caused the magic user to abandon it completely except in dire circumstances. The only reason why she didn’t keep endlessly careening into the timelines was due to an act of love upon her husband. Aurora kept her anchored to this time.  

“Anchor me love….you and Katanja. Do it now!” Ilyea screamed into the air for both parties to hear. Weakness still trembled all over her body, but there was still one thing that had still had power. The dagger hummed as the mage considered the action not knowing what exactly the artifact did. But Ilyea had an inkling considering the parts she used and in some way, Malefaca would finally have a piece of her soul.

Aurora grunted in reply through the hazy and blurry dark. He smelled the coppery blood from his body and the faint musk from his wife. He could also smell a decayed thing only a few yards away but it mattered not to him. The ground made a satisfying clunk as the metal of the dagger braced securely into the dirt. He moved his body down against the dirt trying to make himself as secure as possible. It was all up to his wife now.

“Aurora….if I’m lost to time….find me.”

“I’ll find whatever I need to get you back to me, Ilyea. I will use every fucking ounce of energy to do so.”

“If we’re both lost Aurora….promise me….fucking promise me...that we’ll search. I’ll search until the end of time. Until I can’t move...until my hair goes grey. I will do everything in my power to find you…” “Those are supposed to be my lines Ilyea…”Aurora chuckled amused despite the atmosphere. “Deal. I love you my star... don’t you forget that“

“As I love you my light……I never will” Ilyea replied with a small smile. The dagger started to warm and pulse as she tentatively brought it to life.

Thin webs from Katanja wrapped about Aurora’s leg one more time as well as her own as she started to prepare. Their own spirit’s preparations for what she was about to do. (Mentions @iamauroracole @lledwynlomeriel ) @scions-of-antiquity

[thebuildingcacophony]

Preparations (9)

Continued from here

Inspired Music It was always the gentle shake of the shadows that did it. The incessant pulling of warmth that seemed to pool around the edges that intermixed along the runes. They flickered with blue and grey light like a hazing mixing of clouds heralding rain. Even though Aurora says it’s more her lab then his own, if he could only feel the nature of his nature draped along this like a fine mist.

Ilyea was worried about his void ultimately corrupting it when they finally finished their blood ritual but fortune had smiled upon her; and his shadow magics helped with the subterfuge of her sanctum. Even when he was suffering, the magics here felt like his arms around her guiding her as she worked.

Time was her enemy.

Checking and re-checking the runes within the inner circle, Ilyea straightened the embossed silver stands that she had made especially for this occasion. She steadied them within her tight grip, and then carefully put the dagger that Aurora had gotten for her. It was an unusually beautiful dagger made of some type of elementium and saronite inlay as much as the mage could study when she had it. It glowed with the energies of the well and it was only with all the protections in place; Ilyea could feel safe in letting it come out.

It called to others of its kind and here’s hoping she can twist that against others of their own nefarious deeds. 

The stale buckets of water from Aurora and her sanctum were hefted and poured into the inner circle until the very ground puddled with the extra moisture. Tapping the runes; their flickered and the water seemed to settle creating a small lake for the stand. The dagger held like a prize within protective runes and waters for creation and containment.

It was almost time to create.

Letters would soon go soon to those she’d trust to help her with this. Ones she know that would help her despite the monumental task.

Someone to contain the void, someone to contain the souls and someone to tie it all together.  

Creation.

@iamarchme (mentions @theron-darksunder)

[thebuildingcacophony]

Seeking (8) Revised

(Did not like the original version, decided to re-do it. A lot more detail and more direction was put into the story.) 

Previous Part (Sanctification): Inspiration Music

Breathe.

Just Breathe.

The words stood within Ilyea’s lips as the heaviness in her chest began to collect and fall away. Inhale and then exhale; she felt her mind say as the vigorous ritual had trained almost everything from her but then again, she couldn’t say this was the right time.

Ilyea felt the tightness of the bond which let her know when Aurora was nearby but dared not open it. The more she spoke with him, the more she’d want to crawl back to his side.

But the sanctum needed to be free from void, so that it could contain the void. It required writing the very existence of the chambers with the coding of her magical soul. Her avatar, the spark which creates her to cast magic.

At least that’s what it always felt to her. It was something that slowly become known to her as she trained throughout the years, the fury of flame and fire dissipating under the whirling storms of arcane.

When the contours of her body solidified under the regiments of her steadying breath, Ilyea entered the confines of the room that would later become her sanctum. Previous visits issued runes across the barrier that one would recognize from the trees but further augmented for the ritual. Further runes collected together from the middle creating three circles of runes. The outside having the most space while the other two growing smaller in size. The middle most one where the ritual would be taking place.

Earlier Ilyea collected a few buckets of water from the haven which she dropped off after the failed Black Temple attack. The water was tepid and cooled and carried a bit of the surrounding arcane winds that flowed around Outlands. It would serve its purpose once the ritual was finished, and the sanctum was finally completed.

Bare feet dried with blood slowly traversed the two rings that made up the inner most area of her lab, as Ilyea situated the robes outwards so just the tips of the fabric would touch the circle. Her hands still ached from the wounds from before but like her legs they had dried blood that moved down her skin like red sap rivers of red sap. One would think with the surrounding trees, that this elven was just some dirty nymph covered in grime, leaves and blood with her smudged white robes and wild black hair and not some type of magic user. It was an assumption that was fair to gather considering her surroundings as the mage adjusted herself against the dirt ground.  

Her soul strength had to be stronger if she were to confront the well. Exactly how it worked was anyone’s guess, it had been so long since she had looked within her magical self. Her trainings, her faults. Instinct told her this would work and that was good enough for her.

A few steadying inhale/exhale combos and she steadied her rhythm.

Breathe.

Just Breathe.

Ilyea started to meditate upon her aura that her husband was so fond of. The whirling and electric buzz of how it felt when she conjured arcane blasts. How course it felt when she refilled her mana with a quick burst borrowed from the soul. The swirls and whirls that encompassed her that felt like a moving storm of power. One that that she could just grab a seed of and push outwards until it encompasses the tiny space she was trying to transform.

Though that could be the boring way of doing things, and the mage was never one to follow tradition. Extending her hand out as if asking for permission from an invisible partner, Ilyea closed her hand after a moment taking the silent acceptance and began to dance.

There would be no style associated with it but just steady temperament of twirling. Her foot as the axis, as her limbs extended out in whirling as she called the arcane from deep within. Ilyea watched the blue trickle down her skin, illuminating the veins of her blood with an azure paintbrush.

Each twirl, each sweep of her arms and she felt the runes resonate with Ilyea’s movements steadied herself against the flow of magic as the movement slowly coaxed it open. And within a quick blink of her eyes, it expanded and encompassed everything in a thick miasma of power that the runes seemed to hold onto like a toy. Her partner had become real, as her soul danced before her eyes.

If one could say they were within Terrokar forest, one would scoff at the picturesque blues and purples that seemed to dot the ritual site. It would make one think they were in the middle of netherstorm with the way the magics flowed over the runes, creating waves of power that seemed to center on her and propel outward like a leisurely breeze.

Ilyea breathed in as deep as her lungs could hold air until they started to burn before exhaling in a quick dizzying breath.

Breathe.

Just breathe.

 The flowing cloud of colors seemed to delight and confuse as the mage continued to breath. Ilyea dimly knew something was going to happen but what exactly was going to happen, and what exactly did it mean to confront the well?

Or at least prepare herself for it.

 Love?

The voice came so unbidden it caused the unifying mantra to be caught in her throat. Her blue arcane collected eyes observed the swirling storm she created to peer to where the voice possibly could have come from.

Curiosity dotted Ilyea’s face as she peered around the enclosure. It couldn’t be him, could it?

Her hand reached to her the tattoo which was burned into her flesh that herself and Aurora made for each other many moons past, but she did not feel the tug of its magic upon her own.

Love?

The voice asked again, this time more persistent and desperate. Within the illusion winds, Ilyea watched as the tempest grow dark as what seemed to be millions of milky dark black drops seem to spread and cover the outer layer of the runes like inky puddles. The well would not send its champion so easily but someone whom she’d call her husband first, Ilyea bitterly thought.

The inky puddles slowly turned into some small skittering spiders of illusionary void that piled high upon each other until Aurora was re-created in perfect detail. The black hair that usually hung in a tight fox tail swayed a bit to the winds as he was dressed in his favorite set of yellows and blacks, the tabard that adorned his outfit cut which was fashioned into a loose bracelet around her wrist.

Aurora’s stalwart features gazed upon her but she saw him as he was a few moons ago. Covered in gore and wistful staring at her as she existed within the sanctity of the inner circle. Slowly he outstretched his blood-soaked gauntlet to her belaying the illusion as some of the spiders moved as his arm flowed to keep the creation intact.

“Why don’t you call on me, why do you push me away?”

 His question was a fair one and Ilyea wished more than anything to keep him close to her. Ilyea wasn’t sure how long she’d have to be away from Aurora for the voices to collect in his mind, push him closer to the void but their bond was still intact?

 Was that enough?

 The Aurora creation slumped forward, the yellows staining through with the blood, each drop that fell on the ground breaking the illusion as a spider skittered away.

 “You know what Andy said to us about our connection to each other?” Aurora spoke pitifully as more gore soaked words fell from his lips. His hands reached out to pierce the inner circle but stopped from the invisible barrier that separated the two, his green eyes searching out her own as he rested his palms on the divide.

 Is her best option of beating this menace by isolating herself? Keeping still to the inner ring, and giving herself her best chance by keeping herself pure or trusting others to give the same decision?

 The mage was starting to doubt as she thought of her promise, and then again to the ritual she was currently engaged in.

 “Why don’t you let me be your everything?” Aurora once more croaked, his features as soaked with blood as the sadness that surrounded his eyes. His voice faltered as his form started to melt from the ragged movements.

 Ilyea felt her heart bleed along with him as her words pierced her heart more than any dagger could. As she watched his form dissolve, the mage knew that she had won but it didn’t feel like winning to her. It felt like a cautionary tale of how they could break apart if she continued to act carelessly. Was it more to be cautionary tale, or a distraction?

 Outstretching her hand, Ilyea started to dance again focusing on the mantra as she moved.

 Breathe.

Just Breathe.

The winds continued to shift and swell, the flow rippling her clothes and burning against her dried blood but Ilyea felt at peace. Numbly at peace. As Ilyea turned around in a smooth twirl, the subtle scentof menthol and spearmint alerted her at the next champion the well would call. Their true one this time.

Ilyea turned just in time to watch the inky arachnids dissolve into a perfection of Lledwyn. Or what was supposed to be him, bitterly cold and somber with icy blues eyes that belayed the abomination he became. He was dressed in polished saronite armor, his arms holding onto a large axe that seemed to twirl with souls as much as the netherstorm she had created. The death knight truly looked to be the embodiment of death.

“You are too reckless for your own good.” The man sneered, her iciness perfected despite the shadowy legs that poked out from the sheet of ice. Ilyea could practically feel the disdain dripping from his lips.

To say that his form didn’t strike fear in her heart would be a lie, but it had been ages since they had talked like this; even if it was an illusion. Ilyea felt detached and sad as she looked onto the man.

“You throw yourself against the current without looking at where it leads. You are a disgrace to this house, to my name. I wish you weren’t my sister. I wish the trolls would have killed you.”

The last few sentences they spoke burst into her thoughts mimicking the brightness of the arcane the flowed in-between. The last few words seriously spoken between the pair. Was it his true thoughts?

The sibling shook her head though her eyes showed the hurt. The ritual started to feel like a prison and a cage even if there was protection there.

Was there any sanctity by doing any of this alone? Should we even try?

“Didn’t we promise not to lie to one another? Shouldn’t you trust me more to help you?” Lledwyn whispered and just like Aurora, his form melted as the spiders returned to their inky form before. His dissipation accruing the conflicting feeling in Ilyea’s chest or right versus wrong. Strength of what she has.

But still, Ilyea continued to dance while the mantra rang in her ears.

Breathe.

Just Breathe.

While it had seemed much larger than before when she first started, her dancing felt confined by the ritual circle. The winds piled and moved but Ilyea felt no closer to her goal, in fact, she was starting to feel farther away.

She was starting to feel lonely.

Ilyea should have known that is when the well decided to strike with its next mouth piece. The mage wasn’t  even that shocked when Malefaca’s form came next. The man whom had plagued her for a better part of her early years. An elf that no longer had much of a form but was merely a skeleton of fel enriched power that spoke in the same mocking voice as her fears that the spiders created.

“Where the hell are the people you are so proud of? Where is that fucking shit stain husband of yours?  Anyone that can’t exist without you for a few seconds is weak. What a pathetic loser you have Ilyea, just like Francis.”

 Was that when she opened her telepathic link to Aurora? Or was it when the rage started to fill the link as Aurora spoke. The anger sparked just like cold fire over washing over her shortening her breath. Ilyea didn’t know when she opened or closed the bond but his affirmations of love and support were enough to make her decision.

 “You are weak just like the company you keep. They hold you back, you should get rid of them all.” Malefaca’s voice sneered in mocking contempt.  

 “Prove it then” Ilyea yelled back the residual of Aurora’s anger flowing over her tongue. “Prove to me that the company I keep makes me weak.”

 Having received its challenge, the skeleton began to smirk. Its mouth then opened and closed in a wide gape of movement as the bones simulated laughter clacking together its jaws in chittering movements, the spiders spilling down to the floor as it did.

 The mage knew in many years not to directly challenge Malefaca, it’s how he baits you. It’s how he wins but if winning mean isolation and loneliness, then Ilyea knew she’d rather fail because there were those around her to help her find another path.

 The skeleton rose its hand to start their next dance as Ilyea moved over the protection circles. The illusion felt warm but solid as it folded her into his embrace, before shoving its fingers into her side marking her skin.

 “Then depend on the people that you decide are as worthless as you and die among with them. Prove it, indeed.” The voice chuckled as it tossed her aside to the ground.

Ilyea succumbed to the pain as soon as the ghostly fingers hit her side; her eyes closing against the arcane winds that flowed over her like a tomb not even registering that she hit the floor.

–

It couldn’t have been more than a few hours but when Ilyea moved it was clear that she had done something. The wondrous blues and purples that surrounded the area had faded until the dull blackness as before. It was just her own labored breathing and the muted sounds of what was ahead in the forest.

As the mage slowly leaned up, she felt the pain beside her explode against her side and the she knew that where the apparition had touched her would not go away.

“Then depend on the people that you decide are as worthless as you and die among them. Prove it, indeed.” The mage dimly repeated in her head as she shakily stood to her feet. Was this tie purpose of the test or what the test was trying to tell her?

Trust. Or failure.

Ilyea licked the coppery film that coated her tongue and slowly brushed the dirty locks of black hair from her face. Inwardly, she hoped that Aurora wouldn’t get too angry at her. Maybe she can ask Theron for guidance.

She would prove that she wasn’t worthless, and that her faith wasn’t misplaced.

Ilyea would try again.

 @iamarchme ,  @lledwynlomeriel (  Mentions: @theron-darksunder )

[thebuildingcacophony]

Complete Sacrifice (10) (3)

Previous part here :: Music Inspiration here

---

Ilyea didn’t know how hard she was holding the dagger until Aurora shook the death grip she had over the incomplete thing. There couldn’t be any more time given to the mage to comfort her raging thoughts but Aurora managed it. His clammy hands pressed along the inlay guiding her own hand along the whorls where the bones laid. The powerful warlock’s skeleton that they had wrest from the ground would go into the groves of the handle to direct the flow of souls that were illuminated in the well. That was completed easily before Ilyea was plucked like the insect she smelled like. The danger came when she tried to *complete* it to the very energies that the god resided in and that was enough for it to act.

“I...Aurora…”Ilyea muttered as he lifted her chin with his hand. Aurora’s lips pressed up against her own cold mouth keeping them locked together transferring his confidence into her. This wasn’t a kiss of passion but one of warmth and love. The Sindorei male could feel the prickle of the magic and the monstrous thing waiting below them but time slowed. He’d always make time for her.

The nimus of void energy  that stretched about him was finally noticed by the woman in its sharp tones that were protected by him. It haloed sharply outlining dark energy induced that fed along his body in pulsing veins. Ilyea could feel the crown of his magic in his continued embrace feeding off the core of mixed vitae of himself and Katanja.  Her husband pulled back as their lips slowly moved apart looking into his obsidian guarded eyes, strands of his black hair wild and thick reflecting the magic across the night sky. The air seemed to vibrate off of him as Ilyea’s fingertips dusted against his cheek as her other hand pulled the dagger out of his grip to rest it along her chest. Reluctantly, Ilyea removed her touch from her husband as her other hand joined upon the guard of the weapon.

Once more the instrument encrusted with the old bones of a warlock was held out as Ilyea began to channel her magic. Threads of magic began to pour as she focused her arcane upon the weapon itself she was creating well down below. Ilyea didn’t have much time but she concentrated. Just like the shadows, the arcane flared and began to weave delicately around Ilyea’s flesh. The lines of power shared within the knife, hitting the warlock’s bones changing from purple to green. Fel green eyes glowed more brilliantly from the mage as she invisibility plucked lines adhering the well’s power into her own creation. Over time the green taint of the Fel over powering the essence shading them from green to icey blue.  

The mage wasn’t focused upon her dark protectors as more lines of arcane filtered through the knife forcing entry to all the careful barriers that the three had constructed. The god shook its eight legs fraying Ilyea’s confidence as the arcane vibrated with each movement from below. Her mind unintentionally went back into the still blackness and the blue aura of death that surrounded her own while within the spider god’s clutches. Fear once more found itself into the back of the mage’s mind and the concentration faltered falling like raindrops into parched ground. The mage focused on what little she could reaching out to feel her husband. The shadows moved protectively at her call,  coiling around her as Ilyea halting her ritual to steal a peek upon her guardians.

Katanja was nearby weaving enforced web lines to keep the God from entering their realm again as Aurora forced more of the  offered vitae into his own shadows. The webs seemed to stretch thinly against the earth turned portal. Slices of well energy flickered against the casings illuminating them so sharply that it seemed only a little bit was needed for them to fall back in. Ilyea noticed then that they had a secondary purpose, the patterns harsh in their speed of creation blocking the unnatural light that threatened to swallow them. The night which seemed to be what many fear provided its protection against the supernatural. Aurora was doing his own to provide comfort as darkness prickled over him like a second skin.  Large demonic wings ripped from his back as the spirit’s power was used as the armor to protect her beloved. Many wouldn’t recognize the rogue within the thrall of dark weaving, his fox tail wild clouding his eyes dark and purple; demonic in their seeming. As his vein etched ink black wings stretched, the shadows seemed to pool around him reinforcing Katanja’s weavings. Aurora seemed so beautiful in his simplicity and wordlessly, Ilyea gazed upon her husband as  if she knew if she died here at least it would be with those that she loved.

The bond that the two shared was once more pierced as her husband soaked up the fear of his wife. Confidence flowed in from her beloved as the rogue roared his battle cry to the rotten God.

“FACE ME.” Aurora screamed into the well; dishonoring the god with his bravado. His purple glazed eyes met Ilyea pouring more of his confidence to himself. The magical signature illuminated in a sharp crown of power and void.

Ilyea felt her fear pierce together like the lines of magic meeting the dagger she was creating, growing stronger as she held the static image of her husband in her heart. Teeth gritted against her dry tongue breaking the rubbery flesh until her own blood filled her mouth, rejuvenating her. Like the magic she was weaving, it dripped down like her blood was doing upon her chin. The darkened bone filigree of the knife started to hum as the magic filled it for whatever purpose the mage had for it was being fulfilled. Ilyea continued to pluck at the invisible threads of magic using the dangerous opening teasing the dangerous power. The threads of controlling the well had to come from somewhere and it was the same place that herself and her guardian were trying to avoid.  The well answered lending its power to the mentally determined mage but the small opening it created called the spider god that they had narrowly avoided rumbling now towards the crevice  

Katanja held strong keeping the God from attacking the pair again, weaving strong magics from their webs. The spider god continued to brushes its legs scratching the surface of loa weavings, tapping so slightly akin to the scratching of nails upon a chalkboard. The unnerving sound replaced the wind testing the fabric between the two entities. The spider spirit did its best against the god, but the larger of the two had more wile and patience answering the call to its power source with exactly the menace that Ilyea cared not to experience again.

The spider god answered in low chitinous tones supplying more than just the small thin threads that the mage wished. No, it opened up the dam of power filling the usual dull green and grey hues with brilliant alien blues of its soul powered life force echoing the dagger that Ilyea was creating. The one that the god had been gathering for thousands of years before the three had decimated most of its champions to feed its source but it didn’t mean that it was without its tricks. It’s long appendages once more began to slide out of the well shortening what little time Ilyea had.

Aurora paced with his super natural high stomping on any weak spots that Katanja had made to keep the Spider god down. If it weren’t for the supernatural light, he would blend right into the shadows striking when others thought they were safe.  Though it made him nervous to see the thing continue to move in such a manner, he would never let the thing lay a hand upon his wife again. The void mingled with the energy scattering different dark hued illusions as he paced and attacked weakened spots upon the invader. The black wings created of shadows extending as he floated directed by Katanja’s many eyes.

Siphoning just a tiny bit of the blue power to attune the dagger, Ilyea continued to work with the magical energies. She could feel the Gods power and shivered a bit in her magical styling until she felt it connect into the metal. Her mind skipped back to when she felt just a breath of it from Lledwyn when she first learned of the monster. Her brother was a pawn of the same god as a Champion and the dagger’s design was originally supposed to save him. Each champion that carried one of the God’s creations would give a piece of their souls to prove their loyalty. As long as their souls were bound, even if she could sever the connection; Lledwyn would not be free. The super natural blues reminded Ilyea of the magic that rested there. The endless tortured spirits grabbing at her mind tasting her fear extending their hands to pull her consciousness pulled down like the thousands others in a whirling pool.

But Lledwyn was free and she still had many to try and save. Many others to drain and de-power the God into a mere afterthought.

The dagger which was originally going to be used to create another champion that Aurora had stolen already had connections to the beast. That’s what made it so difficult as the wrong step could unwillingly make her into the same as her brother. The magical power she had stored was rapidly depleting as her fingers mingled against the top of the dagger focusing the power into its metal. There were too many distractions with the spider god just below ready to pluck her again as well as the flood of energy from the gathered soul source.

“Ilyea…” Aurora spoke into her mind sensing her struggles. His voice strained as he was still pouring most of his power into protection around the mage. “Focus…on me…”. The rogue whispered as he passed by her back. His fingers leaving after images of his hands along hers; guiding the ritual along as she felt the brush of his wings.

And she did just that responding to the strong silent voice within her mind. Her fingers barely registered atop of the dagger as she thought about Aurora, feeling his presence nearby. The energies of the well were dull and bright like sticky caustic sap. It seemed to burrow in with her proficiency of the arcane degrading it though the fel fortunately provided the glue to hold it together. The three energies dug into the stylized metal as Ilyea continued to adjust herself to create the artifact dagger which will once completed would drain the well of the souls. Make the God weak.

“Ilyea….”Aurora whispered closer now against her ear. His voice strained as much as hers with creating an artifact. Her directionless mind snapped back to him as tears dotted along her cheeks at the strain “I love you..”  

The events which caused them to meet each other seemed to be out of a fairy tale. The spider god’s cultists were always after Ilyea and it was when she was sick that they struck against her implementing a strong poison. Aurora went after Ilyea at that moment which started their unlikely friendship...though at the time neither of them remembered each other. It was not the first time that Aurora had thrown himself into Ilyea’s undaunting protection. He got her the dagger which helped her create this artifact, he believed her words even no matter how outlandish or scared she was and he loved her with everything that made him.  The rogue would continually sacrifice everything to keep Ilyea free from harm, his life as many times as he could.

That was the depth of their love for one another.

Arcane bits squeezed out of her as more lines of the shared magic swirled about the base to the tip of the weapon. The mage swayed to the music of the ritual running her fingers up and down coaxing the creation. Ilyea lit up like a beacon to the god below the magic unmistakably as it ran through her body and up against the weapon. Sweat dripped down the mage’s skin as she focused all she could into it as the flow of the weapon seemed to finally complete as the dagger accepted the last of her ritual. Just like the strength of her will, the completion sapped all the adrenaline out of the warrior mage as her legs suddenly lost all feeling as she fell to her knees. Sputtering gasps brushed up against her lips as Ilyea gathered her breath with her drained mana pool.

“...Aurora…”Ilyea smiled to him showing her completion of the task barely moving the dagger that was still within her hand along the ground.

Aurora studied his wife as the ritual vibrated branching against the protective wards that Katanja and him made. He wanted to be there against her feeling the magic flow of his wife but that was not where he was needed. His eyes leapt to a small opening of the sickly turquoise light where the Spider God has begun to advance. His wings extended as he growled again in defiance to his enemy.

“I’LL PROTECT HER.” Aurora snarled and the stars themselves vanished for just a moment against his rage. Reaching back he plucked up his exhausted love and moved her back to where Katanja was situated and the wards were the strongest. His lips pressed up against her lips as he turned to look at his foe.

Two thin ghastly hands ripped through the protective barriers, their faces stitched together only with the necromantic energies that the creature possessed with what the god had widened.  Two vaporous entities of blood elven origin that broke forward from the hole before rising to their animated limbs. Another thin spider leg starting to emerge widening the hole hopefully enough for the rest of the creature to follow, the two large legs in mocking display. Aurora was thankful that the breech was far away from his wife, but it wasn’t to say how much time they had.

The rogue did not recognize the  scourge like created figures but they themselves seemed to know him, and that unsettled him. He stood protectively in front of Ilyea glaring at the two creations.

“Guardian….”One of the men eluded mockingly beckoning to Aurora. “Just let my sister come down with us. It’s been ever so lonely….” One of them added with a mock sneer.

“Besides, it’s my wife that I made these vows to first. You have no claim over her.” Another joined in with a glowered sneer before chuckling. “Now hand her over.”

@iamauroracole (Mentions @lledwynlomeriel ) 

[reembodied]

GSD system approaching MVP!

My task tracker is almost at its MVP point. It is intended to be my external executive functioning (if you don't have your own, digital is fine), helping me not forget stuff I need to do, keep track of incremental progress, and, most importantly, allow me to focus on only one specific task at a time.

I can add entries to my inbox, and inbox them one at a time according to their priority; I can add tasks and clarify them into subtasks in a tree structure, including denoting which tasks block which others. I can "triage" for the day interactively, selecting tasks from the master task list to build up my immediate, sequential current task list.

The remaining piece for the MVP is to use Dialogueflow to create a chatbot interface for it so I can just talk with it in natural language, in all 3 daily phases of inboxing, triaging, and executing. Dialogueflow can conveniently interface with LOTS of stuff, including Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, fb chat, slack, and more, so I can use it via natural language in whatever-the-hell context (using spoken word or typed text) as long as I have internet.

The immediate next extension is the addition of "projects" or "endeavors" and allowing specification of relative project priorities per life 'era' (decided upon in dedicated strategizing sessions with my therapist), to improve the task suggestions in my daily triaging conversation. After the projects update I'll be adding task context requirements, such as "only at my lab" or "requires internet access" or "required item: my laptop screwdriver set" or even "required headspace: emotionally galvanized"; these contexts would then be used to specifically schedule my day's movement, slotting in tasks where appropriate in between existing appointments, and setting up for integration with the "crap tracking system" and the "emotion-space path planning dj system" I've been acheing to assemble.

Io3.network: an infrastructure for task management driven by need rather than profitability?

I'm starting to get a brain itch about opening my task system up to suggestions and to task completion/clarification by more "agents" than just me, in pursuit of facilitating direct action for mutual aid. One might request help repairing a sink or thermal-insulation-retrofitting a house, or offer your expertise in gardening or childcare or excess food, and being connected to those who can help or need your particular skills. The phrase "building an infrastructure of our own" is stuck in my head; particularly the connection with my old lab in human abstract reasoning. I wonder if creating the more refined analogical reasoning/explanation/inference system I've been wanting to make for years, especially with a focus on an interactive/chatting frontend as a means of interfacing with its abstractions, would be the most effective use of my devoted technical development time during the engineering design education PhD I'm currently leaning toward doing after this MS?