#krauzer

*A strong wind whistles through Oakheart’s walls as the sun begins to set. Raziel slowly makes his way to, what he hopes is, the castle ‘laboratory’, after being given directions by Nights. She had spoken of another mage in the building, with a similar magical style to his own. It might be different in aspects, but the teachers of Erudipesar always said to learn whenever one could, and what better way to learn than through another mage?*

*Krauzer paces back and forth through the new thaum lab, filling glass jars of essentia from his alchemical furnace and labeling them with the appropriate symbols. Every now and again a small flesh golem would stroll past, some holding small metal objects and tinkering with the machinery and some carrying smaller glass vials of the essentia and taking it over to a small desk and work area in the corner of the room*

*Raziel finally finds the opening leading to what he hopes is the laboratory, as he enters he spots a man in a purple robe labelling bottles and jars of random content. It all looks eerily familiar, but nothing truly comes to mind of what it all could be.

*After realising he’s been staring briefly at the room he clears his throat and decides to address the man.

[Raziel] Good afternoon, you must be Krauzer?

[Krauzer] Can I help you? *He continues working, pausing only briefly to look over his shoulder at the young mage who has entered the room.*

[Raziel] Possibly... *He continues to walk into the room, making sure not to bump into any of the golems walking about.* But I’m sure that can wait for another time, for now I’m here for introductions as you’re the last member of Castle Oakheart I’ve yet to truly interact with.

[Krauzer] Ah, so you are the one Nights mentioned. *He places a jar containing a deep red liquid down onto his desk and turns to face Raziel.* Welcome to the castle. *He says sarcastically as he does a little bow.*

[Raziel] *chuckles.* I see you’re as charming as Nights said you were. I do apologise for intruding, but I also thought as one of the few magic users in this castle it might be good to talk to a fellow mage.

[Krauzer] A fellow mage you say? *He takes a few steps closer, intrigued by the newcomer.* What sort of magic are we talking about here?

[Raziel] Crystal and Gem magic, depending on stone depends on what I can do with it.

*Raziel smiles as he reaches into his pockets and pulls out two stones, a ruby and a sapphire, displaying them to Krauzer.*

[Raziel] My land was well known for this type of magic, we have this naturally affinity for drawing out the energy inside certain crystals and being able to utilise it.

[Krauzer] Interesting... *He looks warily over at a few of the crystal clusters around his infusion altar.* So you can draw that natural energies out of crystals and manipulate them? Very interesting.

[Raziel] *bows at the compliment.* Thank you, I’ve heard you study a different style of magic, one I’ve not heard of before. Care to give me a basic explanation?

[Krauzer] I don’t think there is such thing as a basic explanation… But in simple terms, Thaumcraft focus on the core elements that make up everything around you. Animals, plants, inanimate objects and even people. They all have a base group of elements that are effectively their building blocks. I can extract these elements, and manipulate them as I see fit.

*Krauzer gestures over to the alchemical furnace, liquids of many different colours are pouring out of a variety of pipes into empty jars.*

[Raziel]  *whistles.* I can see what you mean by not being able to give a proper ‘basic’ explanation, I’d imagine what you just said barely scratches the surface.*He returns the crystals to his pockets.* Perhaps in the near future we can both give each other a demonstration of our magic, see if they’re maybe compatible in some way. At the least I’m curious to see if I can also learn thaumcraft.

[Krauzer] I would very much like to see how your particular brand of magic works, and in kind I am more than willing to give you a short demonstration at that time also. Regarding teaching you..? The last time I tried to teach someone, it did not go well, I believe some people are born for it and some are not. But we can certainly try.

[Raziel] Agreed, naturally we’re both from different worlds so the chances of being able to learn this new magic style is at least 50/50, but can’t hurt to see if it’s at least possible... And in return maybe I could find some use of my magic style to you? See if you can learn crystal magic?

[Krauzer] Indeed, I am always open to learn new things, knowledge is power as they say...

[Raziel]  Agreed, so long as power does not corrupt. Nothing worse or more deadly than a mage mad with power. No doubt a man such as yourself agrees?

[Krauzer] *chuckles to himself slightly.* Yes, corruption is always a danger in these matters. I don’t want to have to deal with another corrupt mage for as long as I live…

[Raziel] I’ve no doubt you have some stories to tell with that topic, but i feel like I’ve overstayed my welcome. A pleasure to finally meet you Krauzer. *He bows politely before making his way towards the door.*

*The morning sun blinds Krauzer has he looks on toward the falling pair, seven hundred pounds of living stone, metal, and flesh hurtle toward the lake surrounding Katton. The burning hellfire of Kaja’s halo masks any sign of if Nights is alive. Their crash into the sea creates a wave that looms at the beach-side houses and crashes over tainted roofs and the flagstones paths. The taint seems to scream out, and tries, like some kind of mold with a mind of its own, to flee. It fails, and dissipates in the deluge.

* At the center of the splashdown, angry steam rises from the lake, then quietens and only leaves bubbles*

*As Krauzer sees the pair collide with the water he starts to run towards them as fast as his legs will carry him.*

*Blue makes a move as if to follow*

*Krauzer turns to Blue while running*

[Krauzer] Blue, stay here, I have to make sure they are ok!

*Blue stops, concerned, but also physically drained from the fight and cure.*

*As Krauzer reaches the edge of the lake he shouts out for Nights, but gets no reply. He waits, desperately, for someone to surface, but no one does.*

*The bubbles stop coming to the surface as the last air leaves those who sink to the bottom*

*Krauzer takes his robe off, or what scraps remain of it after fighting, and throws it to the ground before diving into the lake. As he swims deeper it starts to get darker, but in the distance he sees a the shine of sunlight on metal. He swims closer, and sees Nights’ body sinking down deeper in what remains of the Accipiter. He reaches and reaches, and manages to wrap an arm around the suit and try to swim up but to no avail. He starts to panic as the two continue to sink deeper, looking up at the fading light of the surface, and he decides it is time for drastic action.

* Krauzer finds a sharp edge on the suit, where it has been torn apart, and plunges his hand onto it without hesitation. Blood starts to pour out of his hand and quickly it changes to a deep purple colour, manifesting itself into an immense skeletal hand. Krauzer gestures down to Nights with his bloodied hand and the skeletal hand follows suit, reaching down and clutching Nights tightly in its palm.

* Desperately, Krauzer starts to swim up, dragging the skeletal structure and Nights behind him with ease. After what feels like an eternity submerged in the lake, Krauzer reaches the surface and takes a long deep breath. He quickly starts to swim to the shoreline, the skeletal manifestation dragging the body up onto the sand. After commanding it to release her, Krauzer quickly bandages up his hand with the scraps of his robe that he left before diving in. As the blood stops flowing from his hand, the bone-like structure he created dissipates into nothingness.*

*Nights lays there motionless and pale, even now the taint begins to reform on her lips trying to claim her body. There was no cold blue stare of disapproval coming from her, no remark on how he should have been more careful, nothing. Her hair lay in untidy clumps, sandy, wet and short, her body caged in her own machine, soaked and groaning its own noise, but not hers.*

*Krauzer fumbles with the metal clasps over her shoulders, wrenching them open and ripping out the small screwdriver under the cap. Just like he had seen her do before, he unscrewed the bolts that held the shoulder casing over the exoskeleton and pulled. With a pop it separated from the rest of the chest piece and he gently guided her head through the opening before throwing the casing aside. He reaches in and places his hands under Nights’ arms, slowly dragging her up and out of the suit. He kneels next to her, shaking her a few times, pleading for her to wake up, but gets nothing in response.

* About to give up, Krauzer suddenly remembers the last of his magic orbs floating behind him, now shrunk to the size of a golf ball. He quickly grabs it in his hand, and with his other he opens up the last vial from his belt pouch and pours it in. The dying orb bursts to life, growing in size and glowing with a medley of reds and purples. Moving his hands, he lowers the orb closer to Nights’ unmoving chest. He looks up at the sky, almost praying that what he is about to do will work, before pushing the magical orb slowly into her chest.

* It seems to dissolve into her skin, glowing brightly on contact before disappearing until the light of magic is extinguished. Krauzer looks intently down at Nights, watching, waiting for anything, any sign that it has worked.*

*Nights’ chest heaves a handful of seconds after the orb disappears and she convulses into a coughing fit, gagging up water and taint as the liquid evacuates her lungs. The sudden break in silence is relieving and the rush of light is blinding to her*

*Krauzer lets out a sigh of relief and slumps back, now sitting on the ground rather than kneeling.*

*Nights breaths heavily, her mouth hanging open a little before she opens her eyes a little, her head turned toward krauzer*

*Nights pivots suddenly and empties the contents of her stomach on the ground on her other side, happy not to have eaten much before leaving.*

[Nights] What….. happened? *her voice is barely more than a whisper as she wipes her mouth with the back of her hand.*

*Krauzer gestures over at the wreckage of the accipiter lying at her feet*

[Krauzer] You fell…

[Nights] oh…

*Nights looks down lazily, reactions sluggish but better than before. She pushes herself up on an elbow before collapsing back on the warm sand under the beating sun, unable to hold herself up just yet.*

[Nights] are you…? Alright? You look…..

[Krauzer] I am- I will be fine. How are you feeling?

[Nights] Cold…. *Her arms move up to meet her body, not covered except for the protective garments she wears under the Accipiter* Where is my jacket? *She looks up confused before she seems to remember. She pushes herself across the sand, reaching for the something on the accipiter*

*Krauzer looks towards the accipiter, wondering what she is going for*

[Krauzer] You should probably lie still.. We have both been through a lot..

*Nights’ hand reaches what she wants and she claws at an easy-to-open hatch in a plating, what rolls out probably shouldn’t have been a surprise. 2 small pressurized canisters tumble onto the sand and she pulls them closer, and rolling one weakly across to krauzer. She nods toward the hoses on them. still attached to the accipiter.*

[Nights] High altitude tanks… got.. Got a knife?

*Krauzer leans over and grabs a loose piece of metal on the accipiter that is hanging off.*

[Krauzer] Will this do?

*Nights takes it from him, slicing at the hose free, rolling the canister with the valve over to krauzer*

[Nights] You look.. like you need this.

*Nights lays back down on the sand, slits the  hose, opening the valve only a small amount, breathing it in and closing her eyes again*

[Krauzer] Thanks.. *He flicks open the valve and breathes in the oxygen, coughing slightly from taking too much in at once.*

*Nights chuckles quietly, a strange noise as she smiles, teeth showing through the pink of her scars.*

[Nights] Thanks.

*Krauzer looks over at Nights, and smiles*

[Krauzer] I think that is the first time you have thanked me for anything you know? And I didn’t even tell you that I found a cure yet..

*Nights turns her head toward him and opens her eyes again, smiling*

[Nights] I guess… I should thank you.. twice. *Her voice gains more of it’s normal tones but still struggles, she clearly is pleased.* You have…. done very well. Very well… indeed. Thank you.

*Krauzer looks behind him to see Blue bounding over with a new burst of energy after seeing that Nights is alive. He smiles and looks back to Nights.

[Krauzer] So, any thoughts on how we are getting back home?

[Nights] Nope.

*Krauzer pushes himself up, now standing.*