Evalyce: Worldshaper Vol. 2 Lady of Wolves

Khan Arkaddia

Karokorum, Arkaddia. Evalyce. Year of the Mythril Serpent, 2014 CE

Kalla blinked, letting her eyes adjust to the dimmer light. An older Arkaddian male, reddish-brown hair streaked with grey, sat at a desk working on papers by lamplight. Shelves upon shelves of books lined the small room giving it a cluttered, chaotic appearance. Kasai went to one knee before the desk, head bowed, as did the shaman and Aleister. Kalla and Vander followed the gesture smoothly, though as magi they did not have to.

"Rise," the Khan said, his deep voice breaking the silence. As they rose to their feet, Kalla studied the Arkaddian ruler. That he was here, in his study, didn't surprise her at all. She remembered Nobunaga's scholarly bent, despite the fact that he was a skilled warrior. As with so many male Arkaddians, battle scars laced his face and hands.

Nobunaga wore rust-colored clothing similar to the Harrier's outfit, comfortable yet simple and functional. The Khan's greying beard was broken into three strands and bound with gold beads, a mark of his rank. Around his neck he wore a jinshin and a golden torc, another sign of his office. The graven longtooth heads at either end held tiny zarconite beads in their mouths.

He still looked fit and hale, yet there was an exhaustion about the Khan's aura and beneath it a sense of corruption which she had come to associate with Al'dhumarna. From his agitated mind, Kalla could tell Vander sensed the same. Yet, it seemed highly unlikely that the Khan himself were actively working for the Nagali. Something caught Kalla's attention, the briefest glimpse of a pendant around the Khan's neck. A jagged spiral, almost a mockery of the Spiral of the One so revered by many peoples the world over. Tired eyes of bittersweet brown regarded them intently.

"My Khan, I've brought you the ones responsible for breaking the storms. They were in the ship we were sent after," Kasai said. Nobunaga frowned.

"You were ordered to destroy the ship, Master Harrier."

"Yes, my Khan, but there were... complications." Kasai went on to tell Nobunaga of all that he had learned. Another frown creased the Khan's face when the Harrier told him of the wyvern and Kalla's freeing of them. When Kasai had finished he stepped back to allow Shukke to speak. Nobunaga's face grew more and more thoughtful, but he remained silent until the Harrier and shaman were done speaking, before he turned his attention to Kalla.

"I remember you. You came with Master Hauss, when you were still just an apprentice. You truly broke the storms as Shukke and Kasai say?"

"Yes, Lord Khan."

"How is it that you were able to do what the magi said couldn't be done? And to have healed the land after?" he asked.

"That is something I'm still trying to figure out myself, Lord Khan. I'm just happy we were able to," she replied.

"For that you have my thanks. I-" Nobunaga broke off as Vander started growling, a deep warning rumble. Kalla turned to find him backing away from the doorway, ears flat and mane fluffed. Rage bubbled in his mind, spilling over to her. She caught wind of what had disturbed him so. Scent of Rang'moori, scent of pine, scent of Al'dhumarna's corruption.

"Grosso comes." Even as he thought this, Grosso pushed through the door covering. The mage still carried his ironwood staff. Kalla frowned. She sensed the staff's attendant magick, not uncommon for an Artisan, but Grosso carried something else now too, something like a protective amulet, though Kalla couldn't tell what it was supposed to be protection for. Kage did not follow, but Kalla had no doubt the nighthawk was somewhere close by. Grosso sauntered past them, to where the Khan sat, blithely ignoring the angry Dashmari. Kalla put a restraining hand on Vander's arm.