Moonlit Reunion Brews A Storm[Private|Plot|Faction]

How long had it been? Zion wasn't sure. Years at the very least. His body hadn't seemed to have aged at all, but his mental state had been forged by the experiences he had while in exile. No longer a scared and naïve child, he returned...well, not quite a man. The young magician was currently anxious and full of doubts as he flew through the skies above the clouds at top speed. At the docks, he'd learned that Magnostadt also suffered an attack of the undead as Reim had and the damned hoard had come from the east. His home was to the east of the city.

Poor Cornelia was left with directions and money to secure travel on her own and Ghost was left behind as well. Zion took off without further delay. He was too worried to wait any longer and was in a panic until he finally saw the great magician's city up ahead. Magnostadt. Zion finally calmed down and stayed high in the air as he began to circle around so as not to be spotted by anyone in the city. The trickster foxspirit even transformed his skin, cloths, and hair to match the oranges and reds of dusk to blend in with the sky.

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The Koval Estate had been quiet ever since Ezekiel led his army of corpses against Magnostatd. The stone walls of the estate wouldn't have made a difference, but somehow the land and its buildings had gone unmolested. Perhaps because there were clear signs that goi had been living there. Regardless, the estate had held a funeral for the Eastern Defense Corps who sacrificed themselves in that great battle and then closed its doors. The estate had been in mourning ever since and still had not opened back up to the public.

Casvallion was seated in the garden silently sipping at a cup of tea. A small table was at his side where his signature mask rested solemnly. The burned face beneath that was rarely shown wore a furrowed brow. He was not simply idling his time in grief and had spent the past days trying to come up with a plan to make a move against Klien, but his position was simply too disadvantageous.

The sinister professor held a deeply entrenched position within Magnostadt and had always been a slippery operator, never directly dirtying his hands so that any charges of his many misdeeds could hold ground. He had considered recruiting students that frequented the estate's outpost, but whenever he thought of his soldier's faces as they sacrificed themselves he could not bring himself to do so. Training them into a competent fighting force would take too much time. A rabble of inexperienced students, what sort of force could they possibly have in the face of the entire magician's city?

Another option was available to him but Casvallion found himself hesitating. The golem he had retrieved from Ezekiel's tomb was resting silently in the basement of the Koval tower, patiently waiting for magoi so it could do its work. But Casvallion was unsure. He had little trust that the world was ready for what Sodei would bring. After all, just look at what it had done to Zion. Casvallion had no idea where the young doll that had been entrusted into his care was for years now. But he knew that Klien had a hand in the disappearance. His worst fears were that the kid was trapped somewhere as an experiment in Klien's lab.

Wow! I don't think I've ever seen you with that mask off!"

Casvallion shuddered when the familiar voice was carried past him on a strong breeze. He turned around to see the silver haired magician suddenly standing behind him beaming a joyous smile. Casvallion's jaw dropped and blinked to make sure he wasn't seeing things. "It's been too long, Casvallion." Said Zion with an expression full of emotion and tears building up at the corner of the youth's eyes. It suddenly all became real for the old veteran and too found himself hit with a surge of emotions. He suddenly laughed aloud and felt like a huge weight was off his shoulder.

"Hahaha! You were alive after all! Good! Good! Jericho! Get out here, your young master has returned!"

The man walked over and placed his hands on Zion's shoulders as he looked the boy up and down. "You've changed. You seem a bit older now. If not for that snot hanging from your nose, brat." Casvallion's teasing made Zion chuckle as he wiped his face with his sleeve. I'm just crying, my nose isn't running."[/color] The two laughed and soon more tears were had as the old steward Jericho came running over.

The three retired to the tower where they shared a meal and spoke about what had happened on Zion's journey as well as what he had missed while he was away. It was all troubling news and by the time everyone was caught up there was a grim silence around the room. This was all beyond Jericho's expertise and means so he got up to excuse himself but Zion stopped him.

"Wait, I know what to do next. I've just been thinking about the best way to do it." Casvallion and Jericho perked up eager to hear Zion's plan. "We're going to start a magic tool trading company! One that will fulfill my father's dream of bringing magic tools to the common people to end suffering. We will crush Klien's control over the markets. At the same time, I will go take the 1st Kodor exam and begin building our own faction within the academy to oppose Klien's influence." The plan was bold, but seemed a bit grand in scope. What was the first step? Zion didn't know. But these two men might have a better idea.

"I don't have any managerial experience running a company or connections in Magnostadt. Can I count on both of you to support me?"

"Of course, this old man knows his way around running a business. We manage several here, hohoho~ But you're talking about a lot more work on this old man's plate. You'd better be giving me a raise too."

"A global trading organization is going to need protection. I think I have a solution for this."

Jericho made his agreement conditional but it was in good spirit as he knew his employer would not be stingy with him. Casvallion did not even need to make his agreement verbal, it was obvious he would be on Zion's side. And after hearing about Klien's treachery in Reim it solidified his resolve. He took Zion from there down to the basement where he revealed the false father, Sodei. The golem was still and silent but it gave off the aura and impression of life somehow.

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?"

Zion asked Casvallion carefully once he heard the full story on Sodei. A golem that wanted to make a dynastic legacy. Even just a golem that had an intrinsic desire, a will of its own would be amazing. But he also saw the ethical issues and recognized how his own early life had been seeped in fear due to the fact that he was a living being with unorthodox origins. The golems would likely face similar threats of capture and exploitation.

"Yes. It was different if it were just me, but if its with you then I think we have a shot at making their promised land a reality. But first we need to fight to make that sort of place possible for them."

With all of his doubts and worried pushed aside, Casvallion stepped forward and activated Sodei. In the beginning the great golem's eye-like pearls lit up and stared blankly for a moment before looking down at Casvallion who was back to wearing his mask. An ancient rocky voice sounded out. "Will you help me create a dynasty of three generations so that my line may continue forever? Take my hand and guide my line to the promised land." Something told them that this golem could go about it on its own if not for need of anothers magoi, and yet that it also would not. It sought not only permission, but acceptance.

"I will...but some of your children will have to fight to earn this land. As long as we win that fight, I swear on my life to build you your promised land."

Casvallion clenched his fists and Zion watched quietly from behind as he took the golems hand and gave it more magoi. Adon was then birthed and soon Eva also graced the world. The two golems were far more humanoid compared to Sodei and each bore a weapon showing that Sodei had not taken Casvallion's warnings of war lightly. What happened next then required Casvallion and Zion's help as they channeled spells into the golems. Adon took on Casvallion's strength magic spell for creating Golem Tower soldiers. Eva accept Zion's perfect illusion spell, Phantom Arms which makes projected copies of weapons. The two golems then joined as one and the magics combined as a new golem was birthed before them. One that seemed like a living suit of armor with glowing golden eyes.

Surprisingly, Adon then asked for a new magic. Casvallion pondered and then thought of his defense corps and how their flood spell had been so effective on the battlefield. So he used his Golem Storm spell to imbue Adon with the power of storm. Adon then embraced the new golem and in a short while a third generation golem was born. This one seemed less physical and more so born of the magic with a cloud-like mist around its body.

"My children and I will follow you. To the promised land."

Sodei said to Casvallion solemnly who nodded in return. "Walk with me, and we shall build your promised land together." The covenant made, Zion left Casvallion to familiarize himself with the new golems while he himself went up to the top of the tower. For the first time in years, he entered his room and got ready to sleep in his own bed. It had been so long it was almost no longer familiar. He looked out the window and sighed happily.

By this time, the moon had come to raise high into the night sky. From here, Zion could see its light bathing over the magician's city which was still lit up with magic tools even dead into the night. The moon was so beautiful, it made him think of how so much of his growth and training at been at night, in the secret of shadows. He decided, the name of his new company would be Lunar Tempest. A night born force that would take the world by storm.

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