Return of the Mage

[ixis]

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?"

Comments

[heirtothearcane]

"If you knew how to supply the anti-violence field with your own power then you could do an awful lot." He quietens while he thinks which is just as well, since it gives Naugus more time to talk. Part of Viatorus wishes he wouldn't. The more the other mage talks the more his words start to worry the young Durant. Now, now. Naugus is a friend. He wouldn't actually do anything to hurt anyone.

"You work with gems too. It might be possible for you to use gems to store power and tune them into the anti-violence field to reinforce the field. Other mages like me might be able to contribute some of our magic into something like that." He shrugs sheepishly. "I've heard of magic like that, but I don't know enough crystal work to do something like that. You might though. If it's possible."

[ixis]

"Hrm. An interesting thought. But that'd also leave them vulnerable to tampering. Breaking, not so much. It takes a powerful show of force to destroy the crystal I create. Perhaps if I were to create them and then bury them somewhere hidden. Although I really shouldn't NEED the help of other mages, would I? I'm more than enough in every task I do."

Ego, ego, ego. Did it only get worse in his absence?

[heirtothearcane]

It's been a while since he had to deal with an ego like Naugus', but the break has given him time to process his past encounters with the mage. Hopefully it's given him the chance to learn from them.

"But if they needed caring for and you..." He stops in his tracks to choose his words carefully. "What if you were focused on more important areas than the maintenance of the gems? If you shared the task then you wouldn't be so much like a caretaker. It would be more like a joint responsibility with people who have the power to help with things like that."

[ixis]

The way Naugus wrinkles his nose and scowls makes it clear he doesn't like this talk of shared responsibility. Is it because he doesn't trust the rest of the Nexus or because he's taking this as an insult of his capabilities? Whichever it is, he soon shakes off that expression and slides back into a wide, toothy smile, moving to loop his left arm around Viatorus' shoulders.

"Viatorus, you're always so astute when it comes to worrying over details. And that's a good thing! We always need those sorts of people with every plan! Rest assured, you'll be the first I call when details need to be examined and fretted over. But for now, let this lie in my more than capable hands." Hand and claw, the latter of which is very close to V's face thanks to that arm thrown around him. "And for what it's worth, I've tasked Jim Kirk with the more mundane defenses. Gathering an armoury, looking for methods of safe havens and bunkers for fleeing masses."

[heirtothearcane]

Viatorus frowns. It's not as if he hasn't heard this kind of thing before. How good he is at being helpfully unhelpful. His own annoyance almost takes his attention away from the heavy arm thrown around his shoulders and the claw so close to his face.

He presses his lips into a thin, uncertain line, and turns his concerned look from Naugus' claw to his face. "I suppose… Isidor is busy helping Adia and I set up a research centre, so she is quite busy already…"