Growing pains [Azix}

Lagi was sitting inside of his private quarters, going over a few things  for the rebuilding of the city. It was a lot of hard work, Lagi wasn’t really in the mood for anyone to  deprive him from giving the most of his attention to his citizens and the most of  legwork when it came to the diplomatic relationship that Reim was trying to establish with Kou. However, Lagi was met with a very strange turn of events as of late; he was visited by the Nagi orai. It wasn’t really strange, they  answered to the head of the clan  and did things on his behalf, but Lagi didn’t send for him and he wasn’t necessarily expecting his father to send for them

Spoiler:

“Woosh” It was like a whirlwind of movement as three Stealth-Dom users appeared from within Lagi’s room. One of them was Kohai, with his tradeark Ronin Bug.’ Tivvet, Puu…”  The ronin bug twitched and looked around, remembering Lagi from their encounters and acknowledging him as a blood kin of Kohai and the rest of the El Nagi’s , or most of them.  “We have a problem…..”  Lagi would  raise his eyebrow when Kohai spoke up “What happened? Bandits? Did they cause a delay in the aid shipment to the other villages?”  Kohai shook his head  as he relayed his intelligence. “ Spy masters were killed, two of them. These are Reim officials, knowing of their existence, as well as targeting them specifically is suspicious, so we will not lax our security precautions  on you anymore…Head.”  

Lagi felt a chill to his spine, someone was taking advantage of this current period of rest.  Who could it be?”…..” Lagi didn’t want to point fingers, but he had to be sure. “Send for Azix….” The two ninja would then disappear, sending for the Kou man that fought and helped  Lagi all this time. Could he know what was going on?  Lagi took out his orb of communication and sent a mental message to azix in case he was close by. "Azix, meet me in my chambers. Something happened. I sent an escort of the nagi orai, my top men.

345/350

Ability used

Spoiler:

359/1000
Ability Being Trained

Spoiler:

Since the war had ended, Azix had been busy. When he wasn't coordinating the workforce program with areas that needed help rebuilding or assisting others, the orange magician worked side by side with the Opportunity workers. While he wasn't as experienced or knowledgeable as they were, Azix helped out where he could. It was something he did occasionally, believing a leader should perform the same duties that they asked of another, when he found the time.

He had other reasons for helping rebuild wartorn communities too. One of which being that his actions had helped lead Reim to the brink of war from his perspective. Even if Azix had been led by Fate's hand, it had been his idea to put Lagi on the throne. If the orange magician had made any number of different decisions that night, the potential futures seemed endless. In the end, it had led to Reim restoring its sovereignty, but Azix couldn't help but wonder if a different decision would have led to less bloodshed. That wasn't to say Azix didn't believe Lagi had done a bad job. The Dragon Emperor did tend to make some questionable decisions, but his dedication to improving the country was plain to see. He had agreed to marry Ruki, something that many people hadn't agreed with, not even Azix at the time, however, he now believed it was to help further Yoshiro's goals.

With most of his time invested into the workforce program, Azix hadn't managed to get out to Kios to see about rebuilding. So now that he found a free moment, the orange magician was on his way home to grab his Kios Council, the protectors of the small community he helped save, to go see how much damage Kios had suffered. However, Fate clearly had other plans for him.

He was startled as the sound of Lagi's voice filled his mind, instructing him to meet with the Emperor. Dread momentarily filled the orange magician to hear that the Nagi Orai would be escorting him. 'Why is he sending assassins to take me there?' Not wanting to put the trip off any longer, Azix sighed and headed home to tell the others to go to Kios without him. He instructed them to provide detailed reports so he could get the supplies neccessary for repairs.

As he exited his house, Azix saw three cloaked figures, accompanied by beasts, waiting for him. The orange magician nodded in understanding and followed them to the Palace where he was led to Lagi's chamber. Along the way, Azix had to surrender his weapons and magical tools. While he had been able to get away with getting his metal vessel past the guards before, they were extra cautious after hearing rumors of the wedding rehearsal. Two Emperors had died under their watch now, it was clear they didn't want to suffer a third stain on their record.

One of the cloaked figures knocked on the door, waiting until they heard a muffled command to enter before slipping in to announce Azix's arrival. When the man appeared again, the magician was ushered into the room and the doors closed behind him. Azix gave a deep bow to Lagi, "I got your message. You didn't have to send armed guards to fetch me, I wold have come willingly, your majesty." The magician smiled, no signs of irritation or worry reflecting on his face. However, inside Azix was a bit nervous that it hadn't been normal guards, but elite soldiers of the El Nagi clan. "You said there was a situation?"

With a sharp kneel, the three ninja and pets immediately vanished in a whirlwind  manner, but they were still close by, just hidden    in the room and outside of the room from  people who didn’t have a high enough sensory to notice them.  Stealth was apparent, they were a gifted group,  and their appearance of making the decision on their own to guard Lagi even more closely proves that something is amiss.  Neither me or my father ordered their mobilization, they make their own choices at times. This sudden appearance………. And … the spy masters…”

Lagi clenched his hands and looked down. “Two spy masters were killed, Spy masters of Reim. Specific people whose identities should be classified ads they were working for me and for the sake of my country, were murdered. On top of who could have access to the classified information, why would any want their deaths  right after a war of defeating  Kou? I’m not making any blatant accusations, but people are talking. I don’t want Kou to be behind this, so I hope not.   By now, you must know what I am asking of you, one king to another.  King of plagues,  find the cause of the infection of this country and cure it before it spreads and many more people die, weakening us and causing everything to be for nothing.”

Lagi took a sip of the wine cup that as next to him as he crossed his legs. “Azix, my friend… take care of it…”

610/1000

Azix nodded, interested to learn that the Nagi Orai were a force that operated independently of the El Nagi leader. His attention stayed on Lagi's words and Azix slowly became disgruntled. He had been summoned because two of Reim's spymasters had been killed. Of course, with the recent issues between Reim and Kou, it was a little suspicious. It didn't seem like Lagi believed that Kou was behind it, but he wanted it taken care of without staining his hands.

While Azix didn't directly report to Lagi, it was still part of his job to make sure the Reim Emperor was satisfied and that tensions didn't get worse. The magician looked Lagi in the eyes as he dipped his upper body into a bow. "As you wish, your majesty. I will look into this prompty and report back to you with what I know."

As he turned to leave, a thought struck him. If Kou was behind it, the probable finger to point would be at the Spy Organization. Azix knew that it should have been dismantled, however it had been too large to simply vanish over night. He would have to track down his contacts in the organization, but it would be disastrous if the Nagi Orai were to track them down and make the decision to eliminate Azix's contacts after he left.

"Lagi, do you mind ordering the Nagi Orai to not follow me? I promise to find out the true aggressor, but I don't like eyes peering at me over my shoulder as I work." Azix couldn't argue if Lagi disagreed, so he would wait to hear his response before exiting to find out who was behind this recent assassination.

[exit]

Azix Niraj arrived at the palace after searching for the assassin. He hadn't checked in with Carmen yet, but he planned to after reporting to Lagi what he had learned. He filled out the form to request a meeting and relinquished everything but his wand. "I need my wand to be able to fully give the Emperor my report. I understand if you need his permission before letting him in, just please relay the message."

The guard who had requested his weapons frowned, but he headed off to send a message to Lagi that Azix was here and had a strange request to keep his wand. The orange magician believed the El Nagi trusted him enough, but knew his protectors didn't. They were paid not to trust anyone when it came to their leader's safety. He found a bench leaning against a wall and sat down while he waited.

Lagi was going through his own training session at the time being, he felt as if he needed to be even stronger than he is now for the moments ahead. Strength comes in many different forms, but being a master of your honed craft is something that serves as a necessity for the El Nagi clan. Heck, it should be serving as an important thing for mostly anyone. If there is going to be another bout between Reim, and kou, or even some other group of people who want Lagi’s head, then he wasn’t going to be the one that’s considered as easy pickings for them.

“ Hyah!!!” Lagi was currently going a round with Kohai in the training field with Kohai before a messenger came to see Lagi.”Huh?” Lagi turned over real quick to see what the problem was about, and Kohai gave Lagi a swift kick to the stomach.” You left yourself wide open.” After that, Kohai stood in front of Lagi and listened to the messenger, then he turned back to Lagi while the young king winced in pain. “ The man of Kou returned, but he is requesting his wand.” Lagi thought for a moment, not too sure why he needed his want, but he was Lagi’s comrade. “ Not sure what it’s for, but I’ll allow it. “ Lagi would then go back to his private quarters while he awaited the guards to give Azix the o.k.

845/1000

The guard soon returned and cast a suspicious look in Azix's direction. With a grunt, the man let the magician know he was able to bring his wand. Azix quickly rose to his feet and followed after the guard to Lagi's private quarters where he was ushered inside. The orange magician greeted the Emperor with a bow. "As you requested, I looked into the deaths of your Spymasters. I am confident they were assassinated and I can say that I am seventy-five percent sure it was not due to Kou's involvement. I still have to verify with my contacts, but I can show you what evidence I have gathered so far."

Azix grasped his wand and retrieved a charred bone from a pocket within his cloak. "Now, what I'm about to show you are visions of the past using this man's bones as a conduit." He slowly approached the Emperor, making sure to appear non-threatening. Azix wasn't sure if he could show others the visions or the radius, so he needed to be closer. Of course he realized that Lagi might be paranoid about the orange magician after seeing him kill two Emperors. Plus, who knew where the Nagi Orai were. The very thought of them sent a shiver down Azix's spine.

When he was within fifteen meters of the Emperor, Azix muttered the commands to his clairvoyance spell. Magoi streamed to surround the two men forming a hazy lens into the past. The two men would witness the scene of the crime, moments before the murder. Within the vision, a knock on the door was answered by the two spymasters. After some conversation, they let a cloaked man into the house, guiding him up a giant staircase. Before they got very far however, the cloaked man conjured two giant light beams that kill them, torching the house in the process.

Azix and Lagi would witness these events from an outsiders perspective, however the information they learned was from the owner of the femur bone clutched in the magician's hand. When the owner noticed the details of his assassin's face, so too would both Lagi and Azix. Underneath the hood, hid a white-haired, green-eyed man, his facial features characteristic one with the blood of a Heliohaptan.

After the gruesome scene finished unwinding, Azix slipped his wand back into his sleeve and the bone into a pocket. The Ambassador turned to Lagi and sighed, "As you can see, the man doesn't appear to be Kouen, but I will definitely look more into it to make certain. I thought you would like to know the truth of the matter, first hand." Azix paused, watching to see how the Emperor reacted.

[350/380]

Spoiler:

“Evidence is always good,  it has already been a few days or so and you managed to move as fast as you did. Once again, I am sorry that I had to ask you for such a thing, I know that there a lot of things that you are in charge of, being Kou’s ambassador and all. We are both very busy man, but we worked hard to obtain what we have, someone is ruining that. “ Lagi would say as he gestured Azix to come closer and do whatever it is that he would be doing.

However, Lagi’s face would change from being hopeful, to being disappointed, and with a lot of rage. “ He almost got us, that bastard…….” Lagi knew this man well; it was the man that Merrze walked off with. “His name is Sutekh Al-zahabi, an ex slave that serves as the court magician   in Heliohapt for the pharaoh. He called  himself the pharaoh’s representative, with an official letter from Heliohapt that was  informing me of his arrival,  it was stamped and checked for forgery. The letter was real…..” Lagi had a lot to think about, but he decided to explain everything first. “He works under the Vizier, was telling me all sort  of things involving peace and trade with Heliohapt when in fact it was his country that tried to take over Reim’s territory. For starters, I want proper documentation rights  for the western front stored for reim for safe keeping.  Other than that, when I offered him to meet with the council, he said he had to talk it over with his country. I guess killing my father and everyone on the council wasn’t apart of the plan huh?  But if he killed my father,  this conversation would of ended as soon as you showed me his face.”

Lagi wound then use meat shield and cruised his hand into a nearby collecting of swords, topping them over but his hand was free from injury. “  They almost got us,  they are using this time of peace to make moves upon my country right after the war with Kou while we are a bit exhausted and focused on rebuilding.  Though,  I’m  unhappy at the fact that the pharaoh, the one who people see as a god, challenges my country with such bloodlust and deception when I  had no intention of paying heliohapt any ill will. But this will not be overlooked as a mere inconvenience; this was an attack from another country. That the bare bones of it all,  and a second war can start if  word breaks out. “Lagi would turn to face  Azix, he had the same look on his face that he had before when they first met in the Ex Emperor of Reim’s throne room.” To  think they had fears of being a tyrant… I’ll be honest with you….  I’m afraid of myself sometimes…. As to what I would I do next……what’s best for reim….as always…. i accepted their visitor and they sent me a nobody, i entertained their words for peace and they spit in my face by killing my people.........

1000/1000

Ability Trained

Spoiler:

Azix took a step back as he noticed the shift in Lagi's expression from one of hope to one of wrath. He wondered at the Emperor's reaction until it was further explained that the assassin, Sutekh Al-Zahabi, was a representative of the Pharoh. The news surprised Azix, he had not considered that Heliohapt would try to start a war with Reim so soon after Kou had left. Even worse, it seemed they had sent this representative to publicly appear peaceful while they worked to cripple Reim in the shadows. An underhanded tactic, but one that could definitely work.

The consequences of Reim's next actions weighed heavily on Azix as he continued to listen to Lagi, waiting until the man had finished to speak up. "Lagi, this is troublesome news. I forgot to mention, but when I learned who it was, I went around showing people Sutekh's likeness and offered a reward for his capture. I hope that wasn't too forward for you."

Azix ran his fingers through his unkempt hair, "May I make a suggestion? Avoid any aggressive dialogue with Heliohapt at this current point in time. I believe that is how they want you to react, wanting you to appear the bloodthirsty conqueror. I would recommend sending someone to speak on your behalf, perhaps your father?"

“Hmm…….. “ Lagi would say as he went through a few things notes. “ I don’t think so. Though my father would be a good choice, you must remember that they were killing off all of the influence people of my country. I find it hard to believe that I am the conquering tyrant as opposed to the fucking slave capital next door. Seriously?” Lagi threw the notes back on the table.” I’m not saying we do nothing, I’m not sending any of my people over there yet. I’ll sent a note explaining how much of a bad boy their little messenger was, and simply await a response. I’ll be paying him a visit soon, something I should have done a while ago. But now is not the time…..”

Lagi thought a bit more.” But not my dad, the setup is almost too painfully obvious, they might go tip for tap and frame my father for something stupid, I really don’t want to deal with heliohapt and their bullshit right now. I literally don’t care about them; I’d rather kill their spies if they made the wrong moves in my country and mail the bodies back to heliohapt with a letter explaining what they did, and to stop sending people. “ Lagi would then chuckle a bit. It would sound comedic, but I don’t know what they are trying to prove. I am not trying to conquer anyone, I just want to make my country better and improve relationships with the other countries. Reim will counter all terrorism attempts from other countries, those who continue to pursue our destruction will make a mistake, which only counts as an excuse for war. After a deep sigh, Lagi changed the topic for a quick second. “How’s you and your girlfriend doing? I sent her a gift the other day. ”

Lagi was quick to quash the idea of sending Roark to Heliohapt on a diplomatic mission. The orange magician understood that the Emperor had every right to be cautious, but there were a limited number of suitable candidates. Of course, they had to send someone with the authority and renown to not be an insult to the Pharoh. Roark seemed to fit that bill and had the bonus of creating a show of strength for Lagi by sending his own father. While Azix wanted to share these thoughts with Lagi, he kept them to himself. It would be unfortunate if any prying ears heard Azix instructing the Emperor to react in a certain matter. In his capacity as Ambassador, the orange magician represented Kou and he didn't want anyone to misconstrue his personal stance as an official one of his homeland.

The business with Sutekh clearly distressed Lagi, adding on the man's already full plate. The Dragon Emperor surprised the orange magician by bringing up his and Ariella's relationship. Azix arched an eyebrow when he learned that the beast tamer had sent Ari a gift. Before he could say anything however, a figure stepped out of the shadows from behind the Emperor. Azix quickly recognized Bahir, a man he had trained and fought alongside in the rebellion. Any reaction that the orange magician had towards Bahir's sudden appearance was hid beneath a carefully crafted mask.

Azix greeted the Fanalis with a slight dip of his upper body, glad to hear that he also cautioned Lagi against any rash actions. The Marquis did not fail to note that Bahir implied that he was under the Emperor's employment and would deal with any counter-intelligence measures. Azix briefly mused on the possibility that the Fanalis may have truly spied on him during that training session. Normally he would be more worried, but Azix had nothing to hide with Lagi. If the Dragon Emperor planned on going after a dungeon, then the orange magician would support that decision. A djinn's power was a better option than that dark power Lagi had used before. 'I haven't seen him use the power of the black Rukh since then....hmm...'

With a heavy sigh, Azix realized he had done what Lagi had asked and tried to give the Emperor what advice he could. It was up to Lagi what Reim's next move would be, a heavy burden for any leader. "I trust you will make the best choice for Reim, your grace. If that is all, I have other matters to attend to." With a bow, the orange magician excused himself to go home and take a bath, washing away the grime of traveling off his body.

[exit]

“Ya I’ll see you later” Afterwards, Lagi mulled over what to do next. “I been thinking of giving you something akin to a tutor Bahir. Someone who knows the ins and outs of this business. If he accepts, hopefully he could teach you a thing or two. This decision, of course, is non-negotiable. You are the best at what you do, but you could be even better.“ Lagi would then get up and lays back on his bed. “ I have a bit of work to do, but ill be taking a nap. Bahir, I want you to keep an eye out for any more Heliohapt spies Alive and drained of information, if they commit murder, the punishment method is left up to you IF the rukh smiles on us and I have my way, youll be receiving a mentor soon.

All that you need to know is that he is a man worthy of his recognition. Maybe you already know him, but there is no really point in saying his name if I haven’t talked to him about it yet. So that’s a thing….” With a deep yawn, Lagi rested his head on the pillow. “Make sure you keep to your training, and you’ll be even stronger in no time. Think of it as a game, a part of being a spy is paying attention to detail. Figure out who the person I have is, and decided for yourself if he is capable of teaching you or not.

OOC: Aka, Garret is teaching you, so post in the thread you are with him! >.<