Purpose: Chapter 26: Battles Before War

...

Eileria paced in front of the small airship that was now crawling with blacksmiths, carpenters and the like, all trying to quickly repair the structural damage that had occured during a test run of the airship. Inside, a few priory engineers were troubleshooting the basic functions of the interior gearshifts, working on busting the corrosion and odds and ends that had caused it to crash in the first place. Her group of friends eyed her warily as she paced, unsure of how to approach her, or how to break her silent brooding. They'd decided pretty unanimously that it was in their best interest to avoid asking her anything at all, at least until her bad mood had passed.

Though much of the Pact had gone on one of the three airships that travelled to Maguuma, still a few remained behind, mostly charting, enchanting weapons and goods, and mapping out points of interest across the jungle that most of them had never even seen before. Despite this, the energy around the camp was eclectic, charged, anxious. A few of those who remained behind would stop to look at the commander, before sweeping back to whatever work they had paused from. She barely paid them any mind.

"How far do you think they could have gotten?" Marjory whispered to Kasmeer, sending a quick glance in the commander's direction. "Do you think we'll be able to catch them?"

"Not all that likely." Kasmeer said solemnly. "More than likely, they are already deep within the jungle fighting off whatever dangers lie there. I wouldn't doubt they've already started to tear a bloody swath through the jungle."

"I'm not so certain." Rox interjected. "Who knows what's out there. Nothings come back, no ones come back. It's been the Dragon's territory for so long, navigating it has been nearly impossible."

"I'd rather not think on the worst-case scenario." Braham admitted, scratching at his head. "They have a strong group. We just have to catch up to them."

"If only it were that simple." Kasmeer said, staring at the small vessel as it was being worked on. "These things take time. We're running out of it, and fast."

...

"Look, up ahead!" Hiami called out. Her three companion sylvari all turned to see that indeed, there were two figures, one unmistakably asuran, the other humanoid in appearance, but looking decidedly... plant like. A sylvari no doubt. The group quickly trudged through the swampy area and made their way down the gentle decline onto the platform that the two figures were resting on. Their camp was small, evidence that there were few of them there. Various strangely colored weapons lay against a wooden rack and random pod seeds were strewn about, closest to the female sylvari. She was sifting through a leatherbound notebook absentmindedly, a pencil behind her ear. The asura was watching her out of the corner of his eye, but looked away very delibrately as the newcomers approached.

"Ah, visitors. What brings you to Mount Maelstrom?" He asked, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes ever so slightly. Hiami stepped forward.

"We're just here to help cull some of the undead that plague the area." She said cheerfully. "Just happened across the two of you." She took a quick, questioning glance between them before turning the core of her attention to the asura. "What is it you're researching out here?"

"I'm actually just here to ensure the successful pod implantation of Lorentha's research." He admitted softly, his eyes trailing back to her for a moment before bouncing back. "She's managed to create a turret pod resistant to the rot of the undead, and weaponized it. Quite clever. We've cleared out many of the remaining undead with them, and it's left us quite bored in it's wake." He paused for a moment, then gestured to the weapons behind him.

"Those were my creations, but they've proven almost useless in comparison." He added. "She has a gift for this sort of thing that can't be easily replicated."

"You sound fond of her." Curran noted, raising a brow. The asura's cheeks colored and he seemed to sputter before recovering enough to answer. "N-nonsense!" He said lowly. " I merely admire her intelligence and bravery. Few continue to do their research here once they see the horrors. I'm her bodyguard and that's all!" Curran stole a glance with Kairith, who was doing his best not to laugh. Iedreth and Hiami giggled and skipped over to talk with Lorentha, leaving all the men together.

"I heard you're quite the researcher here." Hiami said to the reading Sylvari, making her jump slightly. She smiled sheepishly, closing her book.

"I apologize for my rudeness. Yes, this is the labor of my research. Years worth, really." She expanded her eyes across it lovingly. "My name is Lorentha. Who might you and your friends be?"

"I'm Hiami. This is Iedreth. Our friends over there are Curran and Kairith." Lorentha looked over to see Pixtor being mildly harassed by the two sylvari, his face darkening in color by the minute. She chuckled at him, turning her face away, a slight luminescence brightening her own visage. Iedreth knew that look well, and she stole a glance at the harried looking asura.

"He seems to care about you a great deal." Iedreth said casually, touching one of the bulbous pods gently. "He speaks highly of you."

"Pixtor?" She said, her voice colored with genuine surprise. "You must be mistaken. He and I are merely... professional partners." She seemed slightly crestfallen at the admittion, and she seemingly involuntarily turned to look at him. She sighed. "He's brilliant himself of course. I'm not sure why he's stuck about so long. But he truly does grow on you, if you let him." Hiami and Iedreth exchanged a glance. They both knew that tone of voice. The longing was subtle, but it was there. They both wondered if the two knew how they truly felt.

"We should start clearing out what we can." Hiami told the sylvari, winking at Iedreth. "Can we get a few of your magical pods? Perhaps we can assist you indirectly as well."

"But of course!" Lorentha said scrambling to her feet and scooping up a few pods, handing them to the two explorers. "You'll find the richest soil to the south. But be wary. That's also where the undead tend to come through."

"We'll be careful Lorentha." Iedreth promised, hugging the seeds to her chest. The two hurried over to Curran and Kairith, grabbing them by the arms and saving Pixtor from his interrogation.

"We weren't harrassing him that much." Kairith insisted. "We were just trying to get him to realize he's actually smitten with Lorentha."

"Hard to do if you try to force it on him." Hiami pointed out. "Asura don't like to be presented a fact they believe to be inconclusive without overwhelming evidence to the contrary."

"I smell a plan unfolding..." Curran teased, touching her ear lightly. Hiami grinned, her sharp teeth gleaming in the light.

"Just leave the first part to me. I have a plan. A few years together and they haven't realized it yet? This is just the perfect social experiment for my research!" Hiami nearly jumped up and down her excitement was so fresh. Curran laughed and Iedreth smiled, taking a quick look at Kairith, who wore a large smirk.

"Let's help them clear out the area a bit more first, then we'll work out the rest." Iedreth suggested, adjusting the seeds in her arms. "It will be easier once we know we won't have any unwelcome visitors."

...

Aisling took a sip from the small wooden cup she'd carved. The water was cool and slightly tangy on her tongue, but it was much needed, and she relished the taste as much as she could before it was time to get moving again. Count Meinhard was ever impatient, and his bad mood continued to increase the longer they went without any leads to Iedreth's whereabouts. She was learning quickly that the man did not have a lot of patience to begin with, and as his bad mood grew, so did the casualties they passed along the way. She was glad, since leaving Bloodtide Coast, that they'd come across nothing living besides the occasional bird or small rodent. Nothing with a concience that he could destroy.

Not that she didn't respect his work. Turning a sylvari to nightmare... no... not turning, showing them the truth. That was respectable. Killing other races, Norn, Humans, Asura, Charr, Largos, whatever he came across in his rage, there was no purpose behind it. He was merely shoving his displeasure onto others in the form of carnage. That, she didn't respect.

Still, she needed him. She was still learning how to fight, to take control of a situation or a person and overpower them, show them the truth of how life was meant to be lived. Until that day she could do things herself, she needed his guiding hand, his anger. His power. She couldn't do it without him. Not yet. And since their goals were similar, she'd use his services as long as she could without him getting suspicious. He just assumed she wanted to pay back Kairith for what he did to the Knight of Malice. Secretly, she could care less about the grey thief.

Her only thoughts were of Iedreth.

...

"Hyyya!" Hiami cried out, slashing her Claymore around her like a ring, the undead human crumbling into the dirt, it's decayed skeleton cracked and crazed by the elements. Judging by the worn threads it wore, it had come a very long way, possibly even Orr itself. It's mindless shambling was a sad reminder of the broken city's plight. Iedreth used her staff to channel magic at two smaller asuran undead, pulverizing them with a zap as her magic undid the small amount that reanimated them to begin with. It was quiet again in their corner of the forest.

"We should plant one of her seeds here then." Iedreth stated, pulling one of the swollen bulbs from her pouch. "Since there were three here, chances are more will pass through this way."

"Agreed." Hiami replied, wiping her sword on the grass before resheathing it. "It would be ignorant to assume that those were the last of the undead through this area."

Iedreth nodded her assent and squatted down, pulling apart the earth with her hands gently, and cradling the seed inside, covering it and willing some of her magic inside to encourage growth. In mere moments, the seed germinated and sprouted above the ground, a natural and organic turret, a homing device to slay undead.

"That's the last of the seeds." Iedreth said, turning the pouch upside down and watching a few small pieces of debris slowly fall to the ground. "We should regroup with the others and remeet with Pixtor and Lorentha." Hiami was quiet for a moment, a strange look on her face.

"I keep rounding in circles with questions about those two." She said suddenly. "It's strange, because, in a way, it reminds me of..." She trailed off, looking thoroughly abashed. "Well at any rate, My theory just became a little more interesting. My hypothesis nonwithstanding, at the very least it will make a good social experiment." Iedreth raised a brow at Hiami, but chose not to comment. She had already seen the signs of a budding romance in Hiami and Curran, but, she decided that, in the interest of allowing things to culminate naturally, that she would say nothing to either of them. They had to discover it on their own. There wasn't going to be anything that got in the way of the natural chemistry they seemed to have. And she saw the way Curran looked at her. There was no way that would go unnoticed forever.

Then again...

She thought about Lorentha and Pixtor. How after nearly four years together, working in close proximity to one another, against great odds and against the most horrendous of creatures, and yet, they were still blinded by the obvious. Iedreth thought it strange that the smartest of creatures could be the most oblivious. She chuckled under her breath as she realized this applied to her small companion as well.

"What's so funny?" Hiami asked curiously. Iedreth shook her head and smiled, pointing towards Curran and Kairith, who were speaking to one another about something they could not hear.

"Let's go get them before they start plotting." She said.

"Not without me they don't." Hiami said, running quickly to intercept the two Sylvari. She ran up, quickly scaling Curran's back, perching on his shoulder like a sly cat.

"You two weren't copulating strategy without me were you?" She asked suspiciously, leaning in to playfully glare at Kairith, who, looking appropriately abashed, turned to Iedreth.

"I would never." He replied, sending a wink her way.

"I saw that." Hiami said, pointing a finger in his direction. Curran laughed and swiped her off of his shoulder and into his arms tweaking a stray dreadlock back into place.

"We were merely observing that Creator Pixtor seems unneccessarily defensive about his position concerning Lorentha." Kairith cut in, grabbing Iedreth around the waist and pulling her to his side. "And by observing... noting some changes that could be made to erm... improve their situation."

"Improve their situation?" Hiami asked, quirking a brow. The men smiled sheepishly.

"Improve, instigate, something like that." Kairith said, a laugh in his voice. Iedreth placed a kiss on his cheek and his luminescence brightened considerable.

"Well then, let us not waste any more brain power thinking about it." Hiami announced, practically bouncing out of Curran's arms. "Let's get to work!"

The four made their way back to the camp, trying to look as innocent as possible. Creator Pixtor looked considerably suspicious, and with due cause, while Lorentha looked away obliviously, writing something in her small leatherbound book.

"We're back!" Hiami announced, jumping down from Curran's arms and landing squarely on her feet. "The plant-based weaponry have been placed and the reanimated corpses terminated."

"Very good!" Lorentha replied, beaming. She set her book down and stood, clasping her hands together happily. Pixtor was looking very delibrately away, though his body language indicated that he would rather be facing her as she reached the peak of excitement for the day.

"That is wonderful news! I'm so glad to see that they are still working as intended! I've been documenting their composition for years, and I think I've gotten them just right. Pretty soon well... there won't really be a reason for us to remain here. The turrets will be able to do the job for us." When she said this, her tone became smaller until it was nearly a whisper. The group exchanged glances and noted that she glanced at Pixtor using her peripherals, trying, yet failing, to be discreet. Pixtor, for his efforts, focused his gaze grumpily away, crossing his arms and grumbling under his breath.

"What will you do when your job here is done?" Iedreth asked softly. Lorentha looked a little odd when she considered the question, but she sighed.

"I'm not sure." She admitted, looking to Pixtor again. "All my life, ever since I was born in the dream, I've known that this is what I was meant to do. Once it's done..."

"She'll continue to be brilliant somewhere else, of course." Pixtor cut in, still looking decidedly grumpy. "Just because her work here is complete, doesn't mean that her talents can't be of use somewhere else."

"Pixtor..." Lorentha said, her eyes wide in awe at the compliment.

"Well, I mean, it would be a waste, all that intelligence, to be used to such an end here, only to be squandered into the wind if you were to return to the civilian lifestyle."

"I would likely just return to the Priory base." She admitted, looking at the group. "There are still so many things I can learn, and more things I can document. Write a book. Anything. I just... I'm not sure I'm ready to leave, just yet."

"Even with all the undead around?" Kairith asked.

"Even with them." She replied. "I still feel like something here is... unfinished. I'm not sure what. My research has culminated to an end. But now what?" She suddenly looked frustrated. "I don't know why, but I feel like there's still one more thing that I have to do here before I can leave. Before my business is complete."

"Something from your dream?" Curran asked curiously.

"No, not my dream, per-se." She replied. "My dream mostly revolved around this area. Little deviated from that." Another glance at Pixtor. "But still... I cannot leave. Not yet."

"Have you ever thought of travelling around? Seeing new places?" Hiami asked.

"Yes, though I think my work is best suited against the Dragons. That being said..." Her look became dark suddenly. "I assume you too have been hearing the whispers?" Creator Pixtor looked troubled at her subject change, but all three Sylvari nodded their head, and Hiami merely picked at her nails, already having been filled in on the latest Dragon seduction from Curran.

"They're becoming more frequent, and stronger." Kairith said. "Even so far south from Maguuma. It will be time to go to the Silverwastes to join the Pact, soon."

"Yes, I suppose that is where many people will go." Lorentha replied. "I could make my way that way as well... But coaxing the seeds to germinate and grow into pods take some time. Having a ready and available batch for Maguuma would take nearly a week. Even then, I'm not sure how effective they would be. Not if this dragon speaks to us so...intimately." She cringed at the word.

"That's one way to look at it." Kairith agreed, looking as troubled as Pixtor.

"It was always thought that the dragons could hold no sway on creatures of your genetic structure." Pixtor said, referenceing Lorentha. "Especially during the time Zhaitan was most active. It's imprint on the sylvari community was merely made by death and nothing more. No risen soldiers could be made from the clorophyllic cells."

"We thought this to be the reason, the true reason, we were called into being." Lorentha added. "But the jungle dragon is like a siren. It's whispers are... very compelling."

"But we dare not risk moving further north towards Maguuma when this area still has the potential for undead meanderings." Pixtor finished off. "Tackle one dragon spawn at a time, as it were."

"I take it you've heard about the uprising of the Sylvari then?" Curran asked. Lorentha and Pixtor nodded.

"Hard not to, even all the way out here." Pixtor grumbled. "Between the Order of Whsipers and the Durmand Priory, we've all but got the bases covered. Information for both sides is at a constant influx."

"We've received warnings to be cautious and look out for signs of strange activity from the nearby settlements. Especially soundless and Nightmare Courtiers. Though it doesn't seem that there's any discrimination despite beliefs of the Sylvari." Lorentha added. "So far, there hasn't been much to report back, but having an ear out even this far is beneficial for both our orders."

Iedreth exchanged a quick look with Kairith before turning her attention back to the green sylvari, who was looking to Pixtor admirably.

"Pixtor wouldn't allow me to deviate from the mission." She said softly. "Becoming a slave to the jungle dragon would inhibit whatever progress we had made out here."

"Mmm." Hiami hummed, smiling deviously at Pixtor. He looked back at her warily, suspiciously, though all they could see was his eyes.

"You are all welcome to rest here the night." Lorentha offered. "It's not much, but I'm sure you're all tired from your travels and could use some shelter for the night. The undead rarely if ever make it this far from the edges of the forrest. You'd be safe here."

"Thank you, we accept." Kairith said, his ice blue eyes scanning the edge of the forrest warily. "We will be back on our way tomorrow morning. We plan to do some training and reconnaisance in Orr before heading back to Caledon on our way to the Silverwastes."

"Orr has changed much in just a year." Lorentha said, shifting her remaining pods over to make room for their company. "Pixtor and I went there a few weeks ago, just to see... Though there are still many undead, at least the land is beginning to heal. Marshall Trahearne has truly suceeded in his wyld hunt."

"Trahearne..." Iedreth said, scrunching up her face for a moment. She could pull his face to mind, though only barely. Lorentha seemed to see her expression.

"You don't know of the firstborn? Are you a newborn?" She asked, sounding surprised.

"She's only a few months old." Kairith said, seeming proud, practically beaming at her.

"You don't seem a few months old." Pixtor said, scrutinizing her carefully. "Then again, none of the Sylvari do. You're born full grown. Imparted with past wisdom and the knowledge of your brethren." He scrunched his eyes a bit, the now obviously intentional glance at Lorentha appearing once more. "Then again, some of your kind are more intelligent than that. Have an affinity for scientific quantifications."

"I'll say." Hiami mumbled, looking through Lorentha's little leather bound book curiously. "How many of these formula's have you tested?"

"Most all of them." Lorentha said with humility. "Most without success. The pods you and Iedreth carried and planted are this formula-" She pointed to one of the middle pages. "Here. But they took a long time to germinate. I've been perfecting the ratio of magic to plant matter to stimulate growth without losing the quality of the projectiles that stem from the bulb. It's been difficult to say the least."

"Astonishing." Hiami said, scanning the pages with wide eyes. "Not in insult to you. Many of these formula's are advanced. The priory must treasure your knowledge."

"Like a dwarven tome, or so I'm told." She said laughing. "They trust me enough to give me my own assignments, without worrying about defection at the least."

Pixtor leaned his head back and closed his eyes, shifting into a guarded sleeping stance, arms crossed but tense. Kairith sat down against the wall ledge, closing his eyes as well, using his bag as a pillow. Curran sat crosslegged on the ground and pulled Hiami into his lap, with the book still in her hand. Iedreth sat beside Lorentha, looking at her curiously.

"How did you and Pixtor meet?" She asked curiously, keeping her voice quiet. "I can tell you've both been together, here, for a long time."

"He was assigned to me, so it was quite abrupt." She said, keeping her voice just as low. "One day I was unpacking everything I had; books, seeds, pods, everything, and that same day, he was at the edge of the clearing, observing me work in silence." She said, a small smile lighting her face.

"He didn't talk much the first few weeks we were out here, mostly just asking me if I was done with my research, or observing my notes quietly while I worked around the pods. But slowly, he began to suggest some changes, or offer to take time to clear out the undead with his weapons so I could get more time to produce effective seeds. Anytime I ventured out to test them, he followed, and I learned things from observing him as he had me."

"I can tell." Iedreth said knowingly, looking at Lorentha carefully. "You seem more than just companionable."

"I assure you, we are merely professional colleagues." Lorentha replied, a touch of sadness in her tone. "And when my time has elapsed here, we will cease to be in each others presence, as it was before we'd met."

"How old are you, Lorentha?" Iedreth asked curiously. I can tell you're not a firstborn, and not a newborn. So when..."

"I am nearly nine human years of age now." She admitted softly. "I was travelling the world when The Commander of the Pact was born. I participated in some of the early battles against the Dragon before finding my truth and ideals with the Durmand Priory. They have been good to me, too kind, truly. I owed it to them to complete my work here." Iedreth looked at Kairith, who was fast asleep, and then to Hiami, who was excitedly explaining the patterns on the paper in the notebook to Curran, and she turned back, smiling, to Lorentha.

"You've done well, more than you needed to, sister." She said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "But trust me when I say, what you and Pixtor have, is not purely professional. Or at least... it wouldn't be, if you would both take the time to try it."

...

Well the original direction I was going with this is lost. Oh well, at least I know I can pick it back up and continue with this. Sorry for the slow going all, I've had some pretty gnarly writers block as of late, and it's been difficult to write the story, all though I am trying to make up for the lack of chapters due to being out to sea. I hope you forgive me, and enjoy the chapters as they come!