A loud clatter of metal on porcelain rang through the warm and well decorated house. Jago had just finished his second breakfast; a generous helping of sausages, mushrooms and scrambled eggs with a rack of toast and a pot of tea. After a deep and rattling burp the Red Wizard threw on his dark red weather worn hat and pulled his cloak over his clothes. Today he was going to research some of the corruption that had spread over from Emiria at the edge of the barrier. Jago plucked his staff from the umbrella stand and opened his front door to a bright autumn day. The wizard paid a peddler to cart him down and out of the city, out to the edge of the farmsteads and after an hour or so he came to the edge of the living forest. It was as if a magical line of disease was eating away at the forest devouring everything in its wake slowly like a thousand maggots in a festering wound. The sight, smell and feel of it was revolting to the Red Wizard. He focused his life on studying magic in all its forms, he thrived on it and loved it deeply, to see it corrupted in this way was deeply troubling. The Halfling took a deep breath, tapped the other side of the line with the base of his staff before stepping over. The barrier was a few minutes away – he could see it clearly now. It was a work of genius that even he didn’t fully comprehend. Soon he would have to try and find a way through that great wall of magic, but while he walked towards it across the deadland he focused on admiring its sheer boldness. After all, he knew exactly what might happen if he did cross that barrier – and after that he might not be too keen on it.

With the instatement of another Parvporan deity, Naota’s interest had finally been drawn to the ringed remains of Emiria. The long since murdered world tree was a subject he usually tried his best to avoid, especially since he had worked hard to keep himself secluded from the hateful eyes that still sought to destroy the divine. Drae had a pride regarding who he was and where he came from, one so strong that Naota felt almost resigned to spark something in himself for it. His own family had not had the most welcoming reaction to his ascension years ago, and being this close to the dead remains of the twin had him more uneasy than he would have liked to admit: it reminded him of his past mortality. This great mighty thing had been destroyed, and as powerful as he might be now that he was a god, he must always remember that sometimes things came to an end whether you had the ability to foresee it or not.

Presently it was his divinity only that kept him alive and well. Were he not the strongest being on Revaliir when it came to holy magicks, then the necromantic work here would be causing him quite a problem. Even so, there was a death to this place that he couldn’t shake. Even the air seemed stale and humid with grief. The ground was hardly dirt and underfoot reminded him more of dust than anything else. His travels had taken him across the world in search of new ways of healing that might benefit others, but he felt this one may be a lost cause. No one could bring this land back to its former glory, not any one person at least.

A golden sphere of protective light surrounded him, his markings glowing bright enough to assist in cutting through this despair as he slowly walked through. He could scarcely touch Torinasu at his hip, the slightest brush of flesh brought literal sparks to crack in the air: so much negativity for it to draw in, so much power to offer him. One swing of his blade might be enough to recharge the barrier for a good fortnight at his point, but it would only help hold back the symptoms. The root of this disease needed discovered, but as presently stated it was a feat that no one person could accomplish.

The ironic thing in this was that other divine likely would have enough combined power to make a difference, but no one was holding a candle to that idea. Perhaps it was time to pay Drae another visit, see what his thoughts were. After all: Parvpora was as much his home as it was Naota’s. The two of them could possibly bend Angela’s ear enough to gear some of her powers of life to this seemingly forsaken place. Again, talks for another day. For now, he was doing a bit of reconnaissance, his bandana tied safely around his nose, mouth and chin. As protected as he was, he still felt safer with a physical barrier between himself and this air. Were it not for his very being having been composed of light and holiness than he would have been on his back against the ground from the pocketed dead zone.

A twig shuffled and his emerald eyes both widened and glowed brighter at the sound. There were always talks of a great beast looming about, and he wasn’t zealous in coming face to face with it any time soon: not with magick flickering in and out at such a constant rate here. Stopping near one of the skeletal ruins of what once was a formidable building, he turned his attention towards the sound. Someone or something had decided to venture into this most poisoned of areas. Who? His fingers itched to grip Torinasu’s hilt, but he kept himself steady and softly called out, “Who goes there…?” Should they be friend rather than foe, he didn’t want to come off as immediately on the offense. Hard to keep from doing that here…

The dusty earth smelt of death, and the stench grew with each step forward the wizard took. Grey brown grit moved like sand as the halfling made his way across. Death, poison, disease, venom, Jago felt it around him. The air of excitement the young wizard had felt as he set forth on his journey today had been sucked away from him as he inhaled more and more of the putrid air. If the barrier was to fail – what then? His home was only a few miles from here, not just his but almost all the halflings in Revaliir! As the town wizard and council appointed protector of Komiteia – it was his duty to investigate!

Pure responsibility made him press on, as he approached an imposing looking structure there was a sound in the dead silence of this magicless place. Someone else was here, and close by! With his heart thundering Jago rounded the corner – a strange (short) figure cloaked in cloak made of the night’s sky and a large scarlet wizards hat. In his hand, he clutched his staff and cast his amber eyes towards the voice.

His confident pose soon disappeared though, before him was a creature guarded by light covered with holy markings. As a reasonably talented wizard Jago felt the pure power emanating from the man before him. “I am the Red Wizard – Jago Fleetfoot.” He answered after a moment to gather his steel once more. “Who are you?” He asked in a polite tone, although he had a suspicion about that what if not who he had bumbled into. This was not the first time the Red Wizard had come into face to face with a god.

OOC:| Hope your emergency was ironed out okay. :) Sorry that my reply is sub par and a little late. I work weekends!

His eyes narrowed on the newcomer as they drew closer, but they soon softened when he realized they too kept a stance that wasn’t immediately offensive. As he spoke his name, his own lips moved silently to repeat it and commit it to memory. He was a halfling which didn’t surprise him given where they were presently, but he wondered what he was doing here. Immediately he was inclined to protect him from the poisonous air, and soon the golden glow around himself stretched towards Jago to blanket him as well. Until he was proven otherwise, he would consider him more ally than foe.

Normally he would keep his identity to himself when given the opportunity, but right now he wanted the other to know he could trust him. Not that one should immediately trust a deity, but if anyone knew of his domain and him in any way, they’d know that he was not likely to harm another: the complete opposite actually. Right now they would benefit from staying together, “My name is Naota. I won’t hurt you, but you are safe to breathe freely if you’d like…” His eyes lifted up and he softly gestured to the protection around them, “This will shield you from the dangers lingering in the air.”

After he spoke, he lifted up one hand and tucked his fingers at the edge of his bandana: pulling it down to hang loosely around his neck. Once his lips were revealed he offered him a gentle smile, though it was edged in worry. This place bothered him so, to the extent that it was hard for even he to keep lifted spirits. “If you don’t mind me asking, what are you doing here…? You’re the only other person I’ve seen in the danger zone thus far.” His eyes dimmed as did his smile, “The only living one at least…” He’d seen more than enough of his share of bodies today to last him a year’s worth.

(( OOC: It did! Things are much better now and I’m so thankful for it. Also, your post is fine! Never worry about that with moi! :3 ))