Raven has grab a load of Saka fruit juice and is making his way back to the Dragon’s Pit. He is inches from the door when he hears his old friend yell, “NO!” This makes him quickly enter to find him holds a lady dwarf by the shoulders and explaining what has occurred and no one is to touch anything on the table. The maid is a mix of shock and worry for she was the one who took care of the Forest Elf.
Yè Fēng sighs and informs her, “Do not worry you are clean. It is lucky the small pool seems to be isolated and it is just unfortunate something he dropped fell into it.”
“There is no antidote?” The maid asks watching the Healer shake his head and rise. “Thank you for stopping me.”
“I’m just glad I did,” answers the Crystal Master releasing another sigh and places his hand over his eyes.
The legend whispers to the maid, “It’s all right leave him to me.” The lady bows to him before she walks away. The hero goes to pour the liquid over the small pool and remarks, “Shame we can’t use my Mage’s Claw to sniff this out.”
Yè fēng starts to laugh at the idea of a hand sniffing the air and he removes his hand from his eyes. “Ooh, hang on I am getting an image of a face protruding out from the palm that has a tongue to lap up the spill.”
Raven looks up at him and remarks, “Yikes, that sounds gross but at the same time it sounds awesome and is kind of a shame we can’t do that… hmm, on second thoughts perhaps not as a floating severed hand is enough for people to cope with.”
“Yeah, you’re right you have had your fair share of screams of terror when people see him. I personally think it is amazing and wish I could do it.”
The legend pours some of the milky white liquid on to the sap and it immediately begins to hiss like Kin-kin on a hotplate. A greenish white smoke begins to rise making him place a cloth over his mouth and nose to which Yè fēng tells him, “Do not worry the vapour is non toxic.”
Raven shakes his head and explains, “No, it smells like rotting veg with a hint of bad meat. Yuck!”
When it hits the teacher’s nostrils his face screws up and he agrees, “Oh, my, that is quite a stink you’re creating there… That… that meat smell is new. I don’t recall it smelling like that before.”
“Could it be reacting to something that has been spilt on the floor?” Dusk suggests reaching down to stroke the top of his lover’s head.
Yè fēng’s eyebrows and replies, “You could be right when meat is on the menu. Anyway, how did you get on?”
“Great, the guard is making sure no one leaves, the problems is we have no idea how long that poisonous sap has been there,” expresses the Vern.
Raven tilts his head up and informs him, “No longer than a day as it was still quite wet, do you agree, old friend?”
The teacher nods a few times and his lips form into a soft smile. “Yes, I agree. The thing is Fuchsite Gems sap is even worse when dried.” The corners of his mouth go down as he begins to frown and stresses, “I cannot believe someone is carrying such a deadly item in a bag and just tuck it under the table without a care in the world. I just—” the teacher is too chocked to finish his sentence and trots away.
Dusk pats his lover’s back before he goes after their old friend to find him inside a small garden gazing out to sea. “Come here,” he says in a soft voice, giving the Snow Elf a hug. He becomes aware ice is beginning to form upon the fur collar and left shoulder protector of his coat from the teachers tears. He does not mind for it reminds him of his dear son Jiéjīng and whispers, “I will thaw those tears with my warmth.”
Yè fēng quickly raises his head and whips the ice away. “Sorry, the last thing you need is a frozen shoulder.”
The Vern holds him by the waist and slightly shakes his head. “Hey, you know I don’t mind when I have raised a Snow Elf and to be honest he worse than you, I would be turning from red to white. And all he would have done is slightly scrapped his knee.”
The teacher uses a cloth to dry his face and emits a soft chuckle. “Well, he had to tell his daddy it hurt.”
“Too right and besides it is nice to feel cool and it will take more than that to dull this flame,” responds Dusk flicking his left hand to produce an orb of fire, which hiss and spits as his ring fingers takes hold of it.
Yè fēng slightly rises his hands and panics, “Ah, I am melting, melting. Put that thing away before you reduce me to nothing other than a puddle.”
The Vern releases fireball, it hovers and rotates slightly above his palm and when he flexes his fingers it disappears into a puff of light grey smoke. “In all seriousness you can sob your heart out on me, I really don’t mind when it is clear, so clear this is upsetting you. You know you can tell us if it is becoming too much for you.”
The teacher turns his gaze once more to the open water and replies, “What happened in that back room is what I have witnessed before. The worse part is someone is carrying the pod around and they…” he turns back to Dusk and grips his arm. “Shit! They could be carrying the curse.”
Dusk places a hand over his mouth and emits a muffled, “Fuck!”
Yè fēng begins to walk around in a tight circle muttering, “There has to be a way to detect it.” Then he remembers Dandelion was also conducting his own investigation into the deaths of a family of elves and his knowledge on cures surpassed his and it later turned out he had got the information from a book he had found. “Dandelion,” he utters crossing his arms.
The Vern is little baffled why he is mentioning his husband’s aunty, he gently taps him on the arm and asks, “What about him?”
The teacher giggles and apologies, “Sorry, I was remembering he had a book on curses and he didn’t call it Kiss of Death… it was something to do with the mist. Oh, it is too long ago I can’t remember.”
“Look, why don’t I go and ask him and besides I need to inform the family what’s happening here.”
“Yes, you are right. Please tell him not to stress if he is unable to remember it was a long time ago, back when we were young adults who were tired of not being heard and that is why we took matters into our own hands.”
“Yeah, and good job you did too otherwise more people would have died. It is going to be interesting to see what he says.”
Yè fēng begins to smile and suggests, “Most likely just stare at you for moment as if you gone mad.”
Dusk nods and agrees, “Yep, pretty much. Anyway, are you all right?”
The teacher nods and takes a deep breath. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
The Vern gives him a hug before vanishes to reappear in the North District of Longthorn and quickly makes his way through the entrance and down the road to the Unicorn. The outside stone walls of the tavern have been painted light purple and the door is soft pink. The wooden sign, that has a prancing unicorn rotting around it, has a jerky, rocking motion to it which has give rise to the name Drunken Unicorn as it does look like it has hand one too many Nectar Wines a once very popular. Inside the walls are pinky purple and beautiful glass unicorns lights in various colours hang from the celling, over on the right is a long bar and people seated there are drinking from unison head shaped tankers. The owner is stood behind the bar sorting a strange looking cocktail which changes colour when he taps the side of the glass.
“Dusk, my dear boy, what can I get you? How’s about a Midnight Passion, or a Raspberry Kiss?”
“I am not here for a drink, aunty.”
Dandelion puts down the cocktail shaker and responds, “I see, sounds serious. Come, let’s talk in the back room.”
Dusk follows him into a large room that is used for parties and other celebrations and he watches the big Vern’s heavily ringed hands take hold of his shoulders as he tells him everything which has happened in Norven’s Gate. However when he mentions the book on curses his aunty’s left eyebrow rises and softly taps the tip of Dusk’s nose as he emits a throaty chuckle.
“Funny you should mention that little book,” expresses Dandelion, “I only dug it out last night… and, well, see yourself, my boy.” He pulls a small book from the back pocket of his trousers and hands it to him. “Go head, my boy, open it.”
Dusk notices a piece of light blue cloth is sticking out the top of the pagers and he uses it to gently open the book to marked pages to see on one side is the deadly plant and on the other is a description of the cures which is tiled, Mist of Death. He notices the writing and incantation under the curse has been done by a different hand. “Wait, is that a counteracting spell against the curse?”
Dandelion gestures his hand towards the writing which lies in the margin and reads aloud, “Can only be performed by an Orb Master who can bring forth the Mage’s Claw. Warning the Claw can turn violet and even course death. Well, that’s nothing new for we know how unstable that hand of Raven’s can be. It is hard to believe when it floats and appears completely harmless.”
“Mm-hmm, and the next minute it could be literally crushing you to death or smacking you in to the ground. I hate it when it just stops randomly and the fingers slightly open and close, like it is taking a breather or taking a moment to think. That’s what Raven says it is doing processing the situation and he is just clam, where I on the other hand is starting to panic thinking any minute now we will be seeing stars.”
Dandelion rests his hands upon his waist and slightly shakes his head. “Thinking like that will only lead to bad indigestion, my dear boy.”
Dusk starts to giggle at his aunty’s firm expression which soon turns into a smile. “That is your way of saying he’s got this,” suggests Dusk a little apprehensive about his dear husband even attempting the spell.
“My dear boy, when Raven can summon Titans, it make this look like child’s play. Still I am worried how the hand will react. In any case we won’t know that until he tries it.”
“You’re right, aunty.”
Dandelion gives him a hug before they walk out of the room and he goes on to inform his staff, who are six Forest Elves, he has a family emergency. Then they make their way to the gate and as they wait for the portal to open the owner of the Unicorn randomly says, “I wonder if this time Yè fēng will open up and tell us what happened back then. Unless he has opened up to you two about his past?”
Raven’s husband shakes his head and replies, “No, never. It is becoming apparent that something tragic happened in his past which seems to prevent him from opening up.”
“Ah, I am glad you have also noticed that. Come, let’s see how he is doing.”
They quickly make their way across the deserted bridge, through the now almost empty marketplace to enter the Dragon’s Pit to find Raven and Yè fēng are in the back room helping an undertaker sort the body.
“Dandelion!” Yè fēng gasps rising up to greet him. The next thing the side of his face is being pressed into the owner of the Unicorn’s large firm chest and the top of his head is getting gently stroked.
“I had to come to make sure you were, well, I will confess I was worried how you were coping, my sweet ice maker.”
The teacher narrows his eyes at Dusk and questions him, “What have you said to him?”
“That this situation was upsetting you,” answers Dusk, “which it clearly is.”
Dandelion gabs hold of the Crystal Master’s shoulders and gently pushes him back so he can get a better few of his handsome face. It is clear from his slightly pink eyes he has been crying and is looking paler than usual, despite him giving him a hug. “Darling, I am just concerned when this so like what we were dealing with when were in our youth. We were investigating because we wanted to show, no, prove to our elders that we were more than capable to handle it. However, back then we didn’t have an Orb Master to up the stakes, so to speak. Raven, my keen Summoner, check out that book your dear husband is clutching.”
Dusk hands it to Raven who opens it to the marked page, suddenly the once bright illumination stone dulls allowing him to see clearly the writing and he instantly recognises the spell. “The missing section of the spell,” he mutters and then vanishes.
Dusk points his hand to the space where his husband once stood and expresses, “I wasn’t expecting him to do that.”
Yè fēng is also a little baffled by the legend’s sudden disappearance and questions, “Did he say something about a spell? What spell are we talking about?” When Dandelion explains it also makes teacher intrigued to see it but at the same time worried with the Mage’s Claw being a little unpredictable.
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Raven is within his archive which lies in the East City of the Central Under City, his former home lies above it that now belongs to his dear son Uthrorn. The legend is on the fifth floor inside the fifth room of the forbidden magic section, looking through a massive book that contains life-size drawings of the Mage’s Claw until he finds what he is looking for. The claw is a mass of greenish brown vines with sap or something equivalent dripping from the severed section of the wrist, which has a lovely bracelet that is made up of roughly cut rune stones which have a almost metal like appearance with light blue almost white symbols engraved into them. Raven takes his time checking the spell along side the one within the book of curses and he is pleased to see he is right it is indeed the missing section and all he needs to do is make a copy of the one within the big book. He trots out of the room up the stairs that lead to the main entrance of the house, he continues around the back to enter the library.
The room is filled with shelves upon selves of books and scrolls on Orb Magic to Summoning creators, some of which are giant cats, to rabbits and a three tailed wolf like creature. At the far end is a desk made from a fallen tree of the Golden Forest, and hovering in the centre is beautiful feather that is similar in length to that of a male pheasant tail, but is wider and fluffier, it is also a shade of black that is so intense it makes even the darkest nights seem a deep blue. At the end of the feather is a gold nib that has been inlaid with soft green jewels that are connected to an odd patten that is woven around it. This Quill-like pen is the last of its kind for thousands of them were destroyed during the great divide, the clarity which led to all kinds of magic being band. Also the feather it is made from is no longer available because the flightless bird became extinct when their island home was swallowed by a massive volcano. Raven found the Quill known as a Describer locked away inside a room within the archive and a sleep spell had been placed over it. Once he removed it the Quill sprung back into life and since then it has happily floated within his library.
Raven holds his left hand out towards the Quill and orders in his own language, “Describer, follow.”
The feather rushes to his left shoulder and floats with him back to the room within the archive where he goes on to lay out a blank scroll and asks it to copy the spell. The jewels within the nib flash before it floats down to study the page before it copies it word for word.
Raven soon becomes aware his son along with his lover Rhiledo, mother of Uthrorn are on their way down and the moment they enter the room they give the legend a happy hug.
“Father, what are you up to? Why is the Describer coping the Hand of Vine spell?”
Rhiledo is not pleased to hear this for she is well aware from all the warnings how dangerous that spell can be. She grips the hero’s arm and damns, “Yes, you better explain,” which Raven does and they both are shocked to hear what is happening in Norven’s Gate. “Oh, my,” she gasps a little while later placing hand to her chest.
“How could someone dear carry something so deadly around with them?” Uthrorn questions with hesitation because he is finding it hard to grasp that someone would do something so terrible.
“Leaking the way it is, the person must be a Valley Elf,” expresses Rhiledo taking hold of her lover’s hands. “Are you sure about this? Wait, you wouldn’t be making a copy if you were.”
Raven takes hold of her waist, pulling her close and replies, “It is the only way to find that seedpod before it kills anyone else.”
Uthrorn does not like the way his father is so calm about using a deadly hand in public. A hand that is known to rip its very conjure apart and destroy buildings. “But, Father, the Hand of Vines comes with so many warnings, how can you be so sure everything is going to be fine,” he stresses pointing his hand at the pocket size book.
The legend gives him a hug and explains, “I assure you, Son, once those spells are together the hand will be completely stable.”
“I love the way you said that with such ease, my love,” states Rhiledo trying to hide her worry. “I just hope you are right.”
Raven sighs and asks, “Who is my husband?” His lover and son look at him a little confused and Uthrorn answers, “Dad.” The legend pats the side of his son’s face and continues, “Exactly, so a little Vern fire and puff the Hand of Vines is no more.”
“Raven, you cannot use that as your answer to anything.”
“Yes, I can, Rhiledo, my sweet, because nothing, zilch, zero of that spell can survive Vern fire,” expresses the hero in a firm voice.
“Father, we are not going against you, we are just concerned. I mean if this backfires, you will be rended to a pile of flesh and I don’t want that.”
Raven throws his arms around both of them and says, “I hear you, Son, I am a little apprehensive, but I know in my gut this is going to be fine. So, do not worry I will not end up as a pile of mush, got it?” His love ones nod and he gives them both in turn a kiss on the cheek. “Right, the Describer has finished, there’s a good feather,” he says in a sloppy voice whilst he give it a stroke. “Yes, you are. Lin-ka gin da.”
The floating feather bows to its master before it goes floating out of the room. “I will make sure he gets home safely,” offers Uthrorn quickly following the Describer. But what he is really doing is giving his parents a moment to be together.
Rhiledo waits for Raven to have place the small book and scroll within his message bag before she gives him a passionate kiss. “You better be careful. I want you back,” she says whilst she strokes the side of his neck.
“My sweet flower, you can trust me I will be back for you and more,” answers Raven going on to kiss her cleavage which makes her giggle with delight. He looks into her eyes and says, “I will see you later, beautiful.”
They kiss and make their way to the gate where Rhiledo waits with the man she loves and before he steps through they kiss again. She places a hand to her chest and even though she knows he is quite capable of making the spell work she is going to worry until he is back.
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At the Dragon’s Pit the body has been carefully taken away and Dusk has cleaned the floor and chair. Yè fēng is checking the staff and customers before they leave whilst Dandelion is getting the guards to keep a lookout for a person with a dripping bag. He is the first to see the Legend is returning with a confident smile upon his face.
“I take it from that grin your little trip was worth while, hmm?”
“It was indeed, aunty, I can turn my hand into a kind of sniffer dog.”
The owner of the Unicorn’s eyes light up and he emits a soft growl as he says, “Oh, you’ve got me all intrigued. However, the moment that claw becomes unstable, puff, got it?”
“Yes, aunty.”
Dandelion pats him on the head and says, “Good lad. Go ahead, unleash the claw.”
Raven gets him to hold the copied spell and he starts to chant holding his left hand out towards the cobbles. A few minutes later vines begin burst through the soil that lies between the square stones and the start to form into a hand.
Dusk and Yè fēng come rushing over in panic at what is forming in the street, however, when they notice both Raven and Dandelion are very calm they realise the legend must know it is completely safe otherwise he wouldn’t be performing the spell.
The hand continues to grow into a giant claw that is made up of interlocking vines that turn to a vivid green and lovely lush dark green leaves sprout from the severed wrist instead of dripping sap. The thin fingers twitch as the hand turns over and hovers in front of its master.
Raven claps his hands in delight and cheers, “Yes, I knew the combined spell would make you into a stable Hand of Vines. There’s a good pet.” He gives the back of the hand a pat and asks, “I hope you saved something with the sap on?”
Yè fēng quickly returns to the tavern to return a moment later holding the napkin between a set of sticks. “Do I just hand this to it?”
“Yeah, offer it to the claw,” respond legend in a bold voice. “And we will see what it will do.”
The teaches places the napkin through the gap of the thumb and fingers. At first the hand does not seem to be respond, then suddenly the fingers snap shut trapping both the napkin and the sticks inside. It starts to rotate to the left, then over slightly to the right before it shoots off down the road with everyone following it. They watch it come to a stop and float down to the cobbles and hover for a moment before it turns to head down an alleyway to come to a stop outside a door.
Yè fēng stops Raven from opening it and goes to look through the small window. Inside he can see the flicking of candle light and hovering just above it is a glittery bluish grey mist. “Shit! The curse is within.”
It makes everyone take a step back and Raven quickly opens the book on curses. After a moment he hands it open to his lover so he has both hands free to search his bag, which is a treasure trobe of scrolls, crystals and runes stones. He soon begins to make happy noises as he has found what he is looking for and places a black stone with flecks of blue to gold and silver dust upon his left palm. “Let’s see, gu ta min sa lin, lin da run ta ming saaa,” he chants in a soft voice. A metallic green line goes across the surface of the stone and Raven continues, “Ka la sin, ka la sin min daaa.” The door of the house opens just a crack and the stone shoots off indie.
This makes the others shift to the widow to see the stone turns in to gaping hole which sucks up the floating mist that seems to scream when the last bits disappears inside and the moment the hole snaps shut the stone drops to the ground and the legend breathes a sigh of relief.
ns216.73.217.110da2
and then Add to home screen.