nexus_crossings | Return of the Mage

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Return of the Mage

The stone tower has remained in its distant reaches of the Nexus, a constant looming landmark at the border of the Wilds. But its owner and inhabitant has been silent and missing for so long now, hasn't he? The only reassurance that he's not dead is the family that has made their home on the outskirts of the tower, tending to the chao and rebuilding their own life after fleeing Azeroth's Westfall. Only they have been graced with rare glimpses of the Mobian mage, who otherwise has locked himself inside, working obsessively on...something.

So the sudden pillar of smoke that rises from the landmark might be cause for notice, if not alarm. It swirls and grows, soon gathering itself into a singular column of dense smog and streaking towards the central plaza. And there in the middle does it descend, pulling its billowing shape into something more solid. The gruesome form it ends up taking is none other than the long-absent Ixis Naugus, jeweled staff in hand, cape pulled around his shoulders with his claw.

He casts a surveying look around, taking in the usual views and the present people. After doing so, his face splits into a toothy grin and he poses his question:

"Well? What have I missed?"

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"Oh, no, they aren't familiars. Or mine, actually... their owner was hurt during the invasion." Very badly, if her expression is any indication. "I'm taking care of them until he returns."

The rufflet does not ease up on his creepy bird stare. Flattery will get you nowhere, buddy. Adia sighs and reaches up to settle his feathers. "Sorry, Bucky's wary of strangers. Sarah and Ethel are friendly, though." Sarah wags her tail again as if to demonstrate.

"Robots?" That's news to Adia. It makes her fidget anxiously with the ends of her scarf. "I thought Khan's soldiers were only genetically enhanced..." She frowns and shakes her head. "No, unfortunately... Blaze thinks that Khan's powers were causing some sort of warping of the laws of physics... maybe that's what did it."

If Naugus saw that pained expression, he doesn't acknowledge it. Instead, he's more fixated on that bird giving him the stink-eye. His eventual response is to quickly stick his tongue out at it before turning his full attention back to Adia.

"I was told that the man brought some manner of cyborgs or robots with him to aid in this attempt at takeover. My mistake. Or more the mistake of the one who gave me inaccurate information. Shame on them. In any case, physics aren't exactly my realm of expertise. Were it a matter more magical, it would be a different story entirely. Perhaps I will investigate with it regardless."

Bucky scoffs and turns his head. Rude! He chirrups his displeasure to Adia, but she has unfortunately missed the wizard's sassy display, too caught up in her own worries.

"Oh... well, there was a lot of confusion during the invasion, I could see how someone would be misinformed..." Despite still looking rather nervous, she manages a smile for Naugus. If he is who she thinks he is, any investigating he wants to do would be a boon. "That would be very helpful, thank you. It's unnerving to know that the AV field can be breached without any warning."

"The same someone mentioned a dire loss of life. Was this an exaggeration or mistake as well? Has anyone properly tallied the body count yet? Vale's Bones, imagine the headache of having to arrange last rites for all of them. Figure out what worlds they're from and transport the remains, or simply bury or cremate here in the Nexus. Do we even have a graveyard? I've never stopped to consider."

Naugus rambles his train of thought, enjoying the sound of his own voice. "But yes, the fact I've personally seen two lapses in the field is frustrating. Unacceptable, even. I think this needs my personal attention posthaste. I'm certain I can solve this." Is it confidence or ego? Why can't it be both!

Adia winces in response to the rambling talk of dead bodies, reflexively covering Sarah's ears. Not in front of the children! "Ah, no... well, many people died, it's true, but more people were able to find shelter, or return to their home worlds... Reynard and some other volunteers were preparing bodies for burial... I mean, it's not ideal, but at least they won't be abandoned somewhere."

Whatever is motivating his desire to help, she'll take it. "You should talk to Blaze, then. I know she's working on it, too, when she has the time." Realizing she should probably offer hew own name if she's so keen to mention others, she adds, "My name's Adia. You're, um... you're Naugus? You flew in from his tower...."

"Reynard caring about the dearly departed? He's clearly working an angle. Do you know if he has any necromantic proclivities? This may require investigation as well. Can't let the chilly fop get a leg up on me when my attention is turned the other way.

"Ah, and Blaze? The automaton, of course. I rarely care to work with bots, I'm afraid. I trust them near as much as I trust Reynard, and that's not dreadfully far. Nothing personal, of course. They're just inherently repugnant; the antithesis to my magic and ethics." Oh but now he gets to introduce himself! The Mobian pulls himself to his full height, which is just barely scraping past five feet, then dips into an elaborate bow.

"I am indeed THE Ixis Naugus. Sorcerer supreme and master of the elements! How lovely that my reputation precedes and my influence remains."

There is very little that can immediately raise Adia's ire, but insulting two of her dearest friends in the span of a few sentences is a surefire way to do it. "That's-- how dare you! That's a horrible thing to suggest about Reynard!" She puts her hands on her hips, her glare matching the rufflet's. "I don't know what sort of issues you have with him, but his helping with the dead was an act of kindness. And Blaze is one of the most trustworthy people in the Nexus. She's the one who helped bring down Khan, you should be thanking her for saving the Nexus while you were up in your tower--"

She swings her arms up, ready to make giant air quotes while sarcastically saying "doing research", but stops herself at the last second. That's too mean. She crosses her arms across her chest and looks away instead, suddenly embarrassed by her outburst. "...nice to meet you, too."

The admonishment surprises him, batty ears flipping upright and his introductory smile falling. As she goes on, Naugus is still frowning, using that crab claw he has for a left hand to pick idly at strands of his beard.

"While your loyalty is admirable, young lady, Reynard has a history with the Nexus at large and me as well. Did he ever tell you that he once tried to overtake the Nexus as well a year or two ago? Wanted to freeze it into his own personal harsh and inhospitable winter wonderland? He and I even exchanged blows during this event, I acting out of the best interest for the Nexus residents at large. His attack against me was nearly fatal were it not for the healing efforts of a passing demon." That's totally a normal sentence to say when you're a Nexus resident. But it's still really silly when you take a step back and look.

"And I'm sure Blaze is a perfectly fine....mmmnnnggppppperson," he really has to claw that word out of himself, his mouth twisting and eyes rolling. "But I have a hard line about robots. Again, nothing personal. Good for you for not having biases. Well done. I'll perhaps still send her a missive to see what progress she's had, if anything." Wow, how gracious of you, Naugy.

"He told me," she murmurs, not quite looking at the archmage. Or rather, Blaze told her and then she had to confront Reynard until he came clean. It's still an unpleasant surprise to hear that his attack on the old wizard was nearly fatal, and her ire fades. "I'm sorry that he did that to you... for what it's worth, he didn't try it again." It's kind of a weak defense, but it's about all she can say. It's not like Naugus is going to care that Reynard has been an exceptional friend to her.

Her frown returns long enough for her to add, "It's still way out of line to suggest that he's a necromantic." Is that even a thing? Never mind, it's the Nexus. Gross...

She will give Naugus points for trying. She looks away again and rubs her arm self-consciously. "Thanks... I probably should, we're at war with a race of sentient robots..." She meets his gaze, finally, expression curious. "Why do you have a hard line about them?"

"Reynard keeps me spry, at least. I'll give him that. What's life without nemeses to keep you on your toes? Dull and without challenge is what. People wishing me dead is hardly new; that just means you're powerful or important enough to garner such brute forms of envy." At least he takes it in stride. "And he wasn't strong enough to finish the job either way.

"Is it really so bad to ask about necromancy? It's a perfectly valid school of arcane practice! Maybe a little gauche to suggest he's out to do it on war victims, I suppose. But all the same, you never know what's in Reynard's wheelhouse. And undeath is a facet of Nexus day to day. What with Harrowheart about. Or that other one with the stupid hat and missing teeth."

On the subject of robots, Ixis Naugus leans on his staff, claw resting on one cocked hip. "Ah, well. Back on Mobius, I had a particular rival whose entire warfare repertoire was the use of robotic armies. Laughable, as my magic could decimate fields of them at a time. But he was persistent and managed to banish and seal me for many years in a zone of my own creation. That was how afraid of me he was. And then when I inevitably broke free and rose once more to power, the coward was mad enough to unleash a weapon that undid reality. I was sent here, ejected from the proceeding white flash, and came to find that my world was indeed erased entirely. Not a trace to be found."

She doesn't comment on the benefit of nemeses; that's not a concept she remotely understands. Even if the academic world, she'd much rather collaborate with rival labs than compete over grant funding. "Well... I'm hoping it won't be an issue either way... especially if the AV field stays up like it's supposed to."

There is a blank look of confusion on her face for several seconds while Naugus elaborates. A valid school of...? Oh. Oh. Necromancy, as in the raising of the dead, not necro-romantic, as in something illegal on every colony. She turns as red as the growlithe who has decided that lying flopped on the ground is a better use of her time than sitting up and hoping that the funny-looking man with a kingler hand will pet her. "Well... um. I don't think it's something Reynard would do," she replies, trying vainly to push past her mortification. "It's different with Harrowheart, he's a death knight." She doesn't know who the person with the stupid hat and missing teeth is, which is just as well, because then she'd likely have to get angry all over again that Naugus is insulting one of her friends.

His story, at least, paints him in a more sympathetic light. "I'm sorry," she says sincerely, her blush fading. "That you can't return home.... we're in a similar situation. The colonies still exist, but are currently uninhabitable."

"What a harsh blow it is, to be exiled. Worse still to know home is no longer even present at all. But we move forward! No use on moping about and being useless in frustration or sadness. I can't abide by such listless responses." Never mind that the initial discovery sent Naugus into a despondent rage that included literally bursting into flames.

"Which is why I am presently QUITE invested in using the extent of my abilities to discover the failings in the field and do what I must to mend or bolster it. I'll not allow my new home to be so fragile. It's already unpredictable enough in its ways."

That's the spirit, Naugus. His forward-thinking attitude even manages to make her smile a little. "My people are trying to find Earth. We thought it was a myth for a long time, but we found proof recently that it's real."

She understands better the anger Naugus must have felt towards Reynard messing with his only home and sighs inwardly. If everyone could get along in the first place, there wouldn't even be a need for the AV field. "How have you found it unpredictable? Do you mean the fact that it's spotty out in the Wilds?" That's what she was told, anyway.

"Searching for Earth? Oh, the Overlander planet that most of you come from. I've never heard of it personally before arriving here. But couldn't you determine its location by visiting parallels of your universe? Find other zones that harbour an Earth, gather the data on its relative location in the stars, and apply those measurements to where you reside?" He shrugs. Worth a shot.

"Spotiness in the Wilds, yes. While the general climate of the Nexus across the board and in every sense being overall chaotic. Enough that we have to worry about the daily bizarre of Nexus life; we shouldn't live in perpetual fear of a blow from behind or suffering from learned complacency when it falls once more. I'll not stand for it."

"Overlander?" That's a new one for her. She listens to his suggestion thoughtfully, but ultimately rejects it with a slow shake of her head. "Potentially, yes, but I'm not an astronomer, and... well, I'm the only one who knows about the Nexus and parallel worlds. I'm worried that if I tell anyone, the Cylons -- the robots we're at war with -- will find out about this place, too." And won't that be fun for everyone. "But it's a very good idea. Maybe if we run into another roadblock on our search, I'll reconsider."

Naugus earns a few more points for caring so passionately about protecting the Nexus. "No, we shouldn't," she agrees. "I wasn't here during the demon invasion, but this most recent one..." She frowns. "It isn't right. And it wasn't just Khan, other people took advantage of the anti-violence field being down, too."

"Ahh, I forget some people take this place as a secret, or sanctuary. Good on you to keep it close to the vest. The Nexus is a keen advantage for those who've found it and can travel freely from here to there. I do hope you continue to consider ways to use it to its fullest advantage." Naugus likes a clever person; here's hoping you prove yourself to be one in his eyes, Adia.

"Other people taking advantage? What do you mean? The usual rabble of rioters and looters or worse still?"

She's not explicitly looking for the wizard's approval, but it is nice to hear that he agrees with her decision. Keeping the Nexus a secret is something she struggles with at times, always wondering if she's doing more harm than good by keeping it to herself. "I try my best, but it's hard. So many things are obviously not from the colonies. Even candy wrappers give themselves away. I have to be careful what I bring back."

Shifting uncomfortably where she stands, she reaches up to stroke the rufflet's feathers, as much to soothe her own nerves as his. "Most of the people who died were either attacked by Khan and his soldiers directly, or caught in the collapse of buildings. But... there were some unexplained murders, too."

"Unexplained? Well, if I know the Nexus-going sort who resort to lethal measures, they'll out themselves in time. They do so love to gloat about their recent kills or brag about how they enjoy their particular sport. I think the anti-violence field makes them just as complacent as the rest of us; can't worry about repercussions when the wronged or offended can't raise their hand against you, hm? That or the lack of being able to carry out murder makes their brains spotty. Either way, justice will come in due time, I'm sure."

Adia listens quietly to his response. That's not something she had considered; as much as she tries to see things from another's point of view, she's never put herself into the mind of a killer. It's about as foreign to her as magic. "So you think whoever is responsible will eventually out themselves? What then? There's not much in the way of consequences when the AV field is up..."

"What if... what if they had a reason behind the murders? Do you think they'd brag about it then?"

"Perhaps not brag, but they may still be willing to step forward and offer the logic behind their slaying. Were they dispatching someone vile or acting in self-defense, I'd be more inclined to be lenient in punishment. Wouldn't you?"

"No, of course, but that's not what I meant." A little flustered, she shifts her weight and tries to rethink her question. "I meant, what if they had some sort of plan, and the murders were only part of it? Do you think someone like that could keep quiet about their true nature, or would they eventually slip up?"

"They'd slip up. I'm sure of it. I've worked with and around enough of them to know. They get too caught up in their own game or feel like they're not gaining the recognition they deserve. Returning to the scene of the crime and whathaveyou. And even if they don't confess or out themselves and it IS part of something grander, surely someone will notice before long.

"You seem invested in this matter. Was someone close to you one of the murder victims? Or are you just that convinced we've a matter of a serial killer on our hands?" Well, hand and claw in some cases.

Naugus's words aren't comforting, exactly, but it does seem to ease Adia's nerves --

At least until he asks his question. She looks away and reaches up to pet the rufflet, who has forgone his creepy bird stare to gently preen her hair in an attempt to comfort her. "No, no one close to me, but..." But something about it is still obviously personal. "But I think maybe someone is looking to cause more trouble when they get another opportunity."

"Well!" Naugus pulls himself up once more to his full height, throwing back his cape with a sweeping gesture. "Then all the more reason for me to expedite the matter of personally strengthening the anti-violence field! After all, one can't carry out their twisted games when they have no method of bringing harm!"

He nods to himself, looking so pleased you'd think that he already accomplished the task. "Yes, my mind is QUITE made up. Going forward, the Nexus will have Ixis Naugus to thank for maintaining the peace of this zone! I stake my very reputation on this undertaking!" Then a dramatic point towards Adia as he continues to grin. "Consider yourself lucky, getting to witness this moment. The very declaration that shall be the Nexus' salvation and bring an end to this mindless slaughter!"

So has anyone told Adia yet that Naugus can be super dramatic? Because he can be super dramatic.

At the dramatic pointing, the rufflet drops the strand of Adia's hair from his beak and gives Naugus an incredulous stare. Is this guy a member of Team Rocket or something?

Adia's reaction is more subdued. Although she does smile a little. In fact, she feels a bit foolish. She's being paranoid. Even if there is a serial killer in the Nexus, and even if he's possibly the same person who is stalking her, she's safe for now. The AV field is up, and Naugus is going to make sure it stays that way.

No need to worry anyone.

"Well... great. If there's anything I can do to help, please let me know."

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ixis - 2017-06-28 10:58 (UTC) - Expand

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