"A painter meets their subject eye to eye." ~ Hwei, The Visionary
I've noticed some bad habits in my writing and I'm working on fixing it. I tend to micromanage characters as they act, to me it feels natural as I imagine everything happen before typing it out but when I read other novels, they don't explain mundane actions like that and it flows smoother.
It might just be the DnD influence on me though. I write like I'm a solo campaign.
Yo! One piece chapters going crazy right now! JJK Modulo is really hype as well! We eating so fucking good!
Enjoy!
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He pushed the door but it didn't budge.
Walking around to the side, he looked inside through the windows and frowned. There was no one in sight.
He walked around to the side and spotted the second floor window, the one with the latch. He leaped and felt his magic pull himself to the window. Hovering there for a moment, he pulled at the latch.
CLICK
The window slid open.
Gregori entered the room and closed the window. He walked to the lower floors and unlocked the door from the inside and sat at the bar counter.
He sat out in the open and poured himself a drink.
The expedition was a bust.
Another failure.
The Darkinweapon was extremely well hidden. This expedition had come to a close after he had run out of food and water. Even after running out, he had stayed outside for nearly two days.
Anymore would be unhealthy and he wouldn't be at his peak in case of a battle.
That meant that it was time to return.
And return he did.
Only to find it empty.
They were all outside. Even Mel. That meant that the Black Rose already knew of her location.
Downing the drink and relishing the burn as it slid down his throat.
He did not expect to have to deal with them.
But now that they'd left the safety of these walls..... there was only one thing he could do. Find the Darkinweapon as soon as possible and leave.
That meant that he couldn't spend too long here.
Quickly, he packed some more food and water and wrote down a note that he slipped in between one of the stools and the counter.
It would fall down once one of them pulled it out.
Anyone else who would break-in and enter would not think to change positions of stools. They would try to leave the place just as they found it.
The note would be safe.
There was one positive note to the Darkinsearch for him however.... It was that Caalyx had figured out just which one they were searching for.
Though they couldn't pin point the location, the residual magic was all Caalyx had needed.
Styraatu.
The Darkinsealed within a harp.
This one would be a little hard to handle. She was one of Aatrox's biggest supporters. And that meant that she wouldn't change sides even with the threat of the Void. She'd need to be sealed away. Permanently.
No other option.
Better to be missing a Darkinin the upcoming war than have it bolster Aatrox's forces.
But the very presence of her magic in the area gave him a general direction to search in. This next expedition might just be the last one.
Just as he planned to leave however.....
KNOCK
KNOCK
He leaned back on his stool and willed the door to open.
It opened to reveal a tall, muscular man. He had a head of dark gray hair. But he didn't seem old. Not older than Gregori.
"Who are you?" Gregori asked.
"Are you the only one in this establishment?" The man asked back, his voice oddly calm.
Gregori sighed, "You don't answer a question with another question."
"I apologize." The man replied, "My name is Shen, from the plains of Ionia."
"Well then Shen from Ionia, the answer to you question is yes. I am the only one in this establish as of this moment." Gregori answered.
Shen stepped in and observed Gregori, "Then it is you I am looking for."
"I apologize but we don't offer rooms at the moment." Gregori spoke, "You might want to try out other places."
Shen smiled, "I am not here to look for a place to stay rather, I'm here for you."
Gregori frowned, "Do you know me?"
"No." Shen crossed his arms, "The spirits brought me here. They deem your presence in Ionia imperative."
"And so they send you." Gregori finished.
"And so they send me." Shen confirmed.
"Tell our spirits that they cannot deem my presence anywhere." Gregori waved him off, "I decide where I go. And even then, Ionia is far from here. And my current mission does not allow me to take detours of this scale."
Shen nodded, "The spirits were far more pleading in their desire for you than you'd think." He pointed to the wrapped spear, "And what is to say that this mission of yours does not coincide with the situation in Ionia?"
"A Darkin?" Gregori asked.
"The spirits see a war." Shen answered, "Just like the old days..... before those beings were sealed in their weapons and Ionia stands at the center."
Gregori felt both dread and anticipation rush through him, "Then my presence would be appreciated." His mission. He might be able to complete it without surrendering himself to Caalyx.
"Indeed." Shen agreed.
Gregori waved and the door shut behind them, "Take a seat." He poured out a drink for himself and Shen and handed it to the man as he took a seat.
Shen eyed the glass before shaking his head, "I cannot drink."
"Cannot or do not." Gregori raised an eyebrow.
"Cannot." Shen answered, "The spirits do not like to communicate with those whose thoughts are muddled. And as the Eye of Twilight, I cannot afford to lose the support of the spirits."
Gregori placed the drink down and drank from his glass, "The Eye of Twilight?"
"One of the three leaders of Ionia's protectors. One preaches justice, one eliminates evil and finally, the Eye of Twilight maintains balance." Shen explained.
"So you are the unbiased third party..." Gregori nodded.
Shen let out a dry chuckle, "The unbiased third party is a good way to put it."
"Then I assume you are strong." Gregori continued.
"Among the strongest Ionia has to offer." He answered without missing a beat.
Gregori frowned, "Is your strength reliant on the maintenance of balance?"
Shen shook his head, "Quite a few believe it but no. My strength comes from my connection to the spirit world. Maintaining balance is something I have to do as a matter of principle."
"You are giving out a lot of information about you." Gregori spoke, "And not asking much in return."
Shen smiled sagely, "For trust to be earned, it must first be given."
Gregori nodded and let the silence build before he spoke, "Then I suppose you'd have to wait a little longer Shen. I am currently searching for a Darkin here. And only after sealing it away can I join you on your journey back to Ionia."
"It is fine." Shen nodded. "I will return when your mission is complete."
As Shen slid off the seat, Gregori raised a finger, "And what would be the duration of our travel to Ionia?"
Shen turned around, his eyes glowing a bluish white, "Instant." A mystical looking sword appeared in front of him as he began whispering something in what Gregori assumed was Ionian.
The magic in the room began to build.
Gregori reached for Caalyx.
WHHOOOSH
Shen disappeared from his sight and a wave of magic rushed past him.
"Teleportation." Gregori muttered, "Quite like the one we used to get to Piltover." He looked at the wrapped Caalyx. "Our next destination is decided my friend and it seems we might to face everyone else."
He rose to his feet, locked the door and climbed back to the window.
Taking a step out of the window, he remained floating in the air as he willed the window shut and its latch back on.
Gently landing back down, he began walking to the entrance of the depths. And in plain sight of a bunch of Zaunites, he stepped into the endless depths, instantly disappearing from view.
"The end is finally in sight." He whispered as he fell to the bottom.