Seaside

[Keeper]

Out at Sea

"Um. I don't...know? I was told I wasn't...his. That I was someone else's with Adea. So that um. Sometimes makes people upset."
He pulls his wings tightly around himself.
"Also do you have a spirit to help you be smaller too? I think everyone on the island can hear you." Airing their family's laundry to everyone is kind of awkward.

[Ironsmith]

[Out at Sea]

"OH. RIGHT. MY APOLOGIES." The dragon inhales sharply and tilts its claw, giving Kol a little nudge to get off of him and onto the ground. Once he's done that, the dragon will withdraw into the water, submerging himself and sending another wave up the beach in the process.

Then the entire bay lights up, a soft glow reflecting under the water and onto the land as the waves slowly die down and the storm disperses, once again showing the beach (or what's left of it) on a sunny midafternoon.

The waves gently lap against the beach, bringing with them a small-framed young man in white robes, with a golden cuirass, gauntlets, and boots on him, all wrapped up in stark-white cloth that cling tightly to his skin. He doesn't appear to be conscious at first, but comes around within a few minutes, sitting up and rubbing at his head. "...Ooh. Still... still getting used to that." He mumbles, lowering his hood and turning to face Kol. "...So... hi. Proper hi. I'm Eos." He smiles and gives Kol a little wave, hugging his knees to his chest from where he sits on the beach. "Now what's this about not being one of dad's?"

[Keeper]

Out at Sea

Kol notably does not do the same. He's much bigger than Eos now, but he is small enough to talk. Eos will wake up with Kol curled up around him.
"Well. I was told that I was only a half-breed. Adea's child with a mortal. He didn't say who but...
...did Absum really say we're brothers? So he's...not mad?"
"Um. Khannie did say the person who told me that was super dangerous though. Maybe he lied?" It didn't seem like a lie...

[Ironsmith]

[Out at Sea]

"...To be perfectly honest, it's hard to tell sometimes," Eos admits, running a finger on his chin. "Dad's really big on discipline. I mean really big on discipline. So much so that I don't think I've ever seen him smile. Be happy, sure, absolutely, but smile? Not once in the millennia I've known him." Eos shakes his head. "If he's mad, he's doing a good job at hiding it. And more importantly, not really acting on it. But that's still not really saying much." He reaches out and hugs Kol around the neck, giving him a little squeeze. "But you know what? Even if he is, I'm just glad to know I have another brother."

Sure, he has more than he can keep track of already, but he can always welcome one more.

"...Wait, who was it that told you this?" Eos asks, suddenly wary. "And who's this 'Khannie'?"

[Keeper]

Out at Sea

Kol gives Eos an affectionate poke with his nose in response to the hug.
"It's nice to have family. You're the first I've ever met. Khannie's a friend from school.

Um. He was a dude with horns, went by Braeg Lesserwood? Kind of sketchy but he had proof he was there around when I was born..."

[Ironsmith]

[Out at Sea]

"...WHAT?!" Eos flares, a gout of flame shooting out of his mouth to further accentuate his surprise and outrage. "That slimeball? That's how you ended up learning about where you came from?!" The thamar raises his fist to the sky and gives it a little shake. "Come on, dad, could you really not have-"

Eos lowers his hand and thinks better of asking that particular question. "...I am... so sorry." He says, giving Kol a little pat on the back. "I don't know how much you've heard about the land mum and dad made, but... well, Braeg Lesserwood is pretty much everything you could find wrong in a Lord. I don't think Maesda's seen a bigger jackass than him since Skummring... er, no offense." He raises a placating hand toward Kol, regardless of whether he knows there's an offense to be taken there or not.

"...So you go to school out here?" He asks, changing the subject abruptly. "How do you do that, without..." He makes a vague gesture at the beach around them, his hand stopping in front of each of the landmarks that have been created by his presence within the past ten minutes.

[Keeper]

Out at Sea

"Um. Arthfael told me a little. He's Khannie's boyfriend and he's from the...Maldwyn family?"
Kol was probably not told by either of them that Arthfael's father was a Lord, but Kol can't deny the possibility that Eos just knows lots of families from his homeworld. He's a holy dragon right?
"Why would I be offended?" he asks, confused.
"Without what? Blowing stuff up? Um. Well this is my full size. I don't knock buildings over by being near them. And I don't really breathe fire except that one time." His flame breath went away after he recovered from the Dragon Cough.

[Shadowcaller]

[Sea Coast]

"The dragon was simply wary around a human who can fight and conquer spirits. They weren't used to feeling threatened by someone. And they may have internalised some of the Immaculate Philosophy's tenets of us being demons." Askeladd strokes his beard. "It could be that simple, perhaps. The dragon wished to have a lair where none nearby would miss their presence but which would make it difficult to be disturbed."

[Sea Coast]

"Truly? So you're saying that dragons are considered to be spirits where you're from?" The ridges near her eyes raise. "Fascinating." The dragons head then tilts in his direction. "Though, a word of caution? I would advise you to not assume that all dragons are the same in the nexus. Many of them can be a lot more aggressive than I or even the one you spoke to. To simply walk into their lair without knowing a thing about them- well, it could end badly."

Her gaze is then turned back to the cavern again just as he mentions it. "Well, if they were intelligent enough to shape its lair like this and put such consideration into its location they can't have stayed here for very long. Since while not all dragons have hoards we do usually have a place to sleep even if that just so happens to be a depression in the ground. Yet if you look around there's no such thing. The stone floor is completely smooth and so are the walls and the ceiling. In fact, there's no signs that any dragon has stayed here at all beyond the fact it was created in the first place. So either there's a hidden space we haven't seen or the dragon can't have stayed here for longer than a day. That or they didn't actually use this as a lair at all." She pauses a moment. "It could be a fake lair actually."

He can't see anything that would disprove her speculation. The cavern is cross-shaped, like two short tunnels intersecting with one another. One leading outside at one end while the other is just has two dead ends. While the entrance to it seemed to have been natural the rest is perfectly smooth and has clearly been worked by some kind of force.

[Morty]

[Sea Coast]

"It's not a matter of being considered. Elementals of certain age and power take on the forms of dragons and typically wield much influence and power in the spirit courts." Askeladd bends over to brush his hand against the floor. He seems to acknowledge Ambrosia's warning but doesn't remark on it. "It seems to be a lot of effort for a short stay. Unless the dragon didn't leave here quickly by choice."

[Ironsmith]

[Out at Sea]

"Maldwyn, Maldwyn... I don't think I know any Maldwyns." Eos mumbles, scratching at his scalp as he tries to remember. "...Oh, wait a moment. Scrawny fellow, fought up at one of the bridges into the Palelands back during her ladyship's rebellion. Nice guy, from what I remember. Shame what happened to him." The pink youth gives a little shrug.

"Ah, well... Skummring is, um..." The boy's face turns red. "...Well, he's my big brother. Bit of a bully, so dad had to break him apart, and his various bits were made into humans. Which means that, technically, since your father was a human..." He suddenly looks a little alarmed and puts a hand over his mouth. "...Gross. What the hell, mum?"

"Oh. I thought you were just... you're really this small, huh?" Eos shrugs. "That will do it. But, um... don't count on that lasting. I remember being that young and small once. I think I was... twenty, about, when I was your size. But by the time I hit a hundred, I was coming in on eight meters tall." He grimaces. "I'm sure that seems like it's a while away now, but when you get to actually be that age you're going to wonder where all the time went. And by the time you're my age? It'll seem like you blinked."

[Keeper]

Out at Sea

Poor Arthfael. Kol didn't know something happened to Arthfael's dad but he probably would have made assumptions if he'd known Arthfael lived with his uncle. And he shakes his head at Eos' revelation. He's just going to hope that metaphysical nonsense means it isn't actually what Eos is thinking.
"What? I'm bigger than you were? I'm only thirteen. That can't be right. Well I'm not the same color as you. Maybe since we have different dads I just work different?"
He doesn't want to entertain the idea that there is a nonzero chance he will end up bigger than Eos at equivalent ages.

[Shadowcaller]

[Sea Coast]

"Wasn't the dragon that lived here supposed to have terrorized this region for a while before the woman somehow put a stop to it? Wouldn't have been much of a story if they had just moved in. Barely any time for terrorizing and even less for an outsider to have heard about it." Megeshi points out. "Yet while that might still have happened it seems increasingly unlikely that it operated from here."

This is the point where Askeladd might notice something out of place. While the deeper in they have gone the smoother and well-formed the cave has been. Yet as they reach the end of the horizontal tunnel the rock floor in one of the corner looks odd to him. Most of this cavern had been shaped but it looks more recent somehow. Still old but newer than the rest of the cavern. It's hard to put words to why he can tell this, it's simply something his Lunar instincts are telling him.

[Morty]

[Sea Coast]

"True enough. There is clearly a piece of the puzzle we're missing."

His senses drawn to the spot on the floor, he crouches down and runs his hand along it, pressing gently and trying to feel its shape.

[Ironsmith]

Out at Sea

Poor Arthfael. Kol didn't know something happened to Arthfael's dad but he probably would have made assumptions if he'd known Arthfael lived with his uncle. And he shakes his head at Eos' revelation. He's just going to hope that metaphysical nonsense means it isn't actually what Eos is thinking.
"What? I'm bigger than you were? I'm only thirteen. That can't be right. Well I'm not the same color as you. Maybe since we have different dads I just work different?"
He doesn't want to entertain the idea that there is a nonzero chance he will end up bigger than Eos at equivalent ages.

[Out at Sea]

"...Maybe?" Eos shrugs. "I mean, we're both still dragons. We look pretty similar, except for size and color. Maybe you do work differently, but I don't think that's going to stop you from getting big when you get older." He raises his hands defensively. "Not that that's a bad thing! I mean... not entirely. You're already way more in control of yourself than I ever was. Even now, if I'm not really careful about what I touch and how I touch it..." He glaces down at the puddle of glass wrapped around his feet. "...Yeah. That. Only usually worse." He grimaces. "Maybe you won't be as dangerous, since your dad's different from mine. But then, your dad's still Skummring (still ew), so maybe not. But... I'm rooting for you, either way."

[Keeper]

Out at Sea

Kol shakes his head.
”I’m not sure it works like that. But um. I don’t think I want to be as big as you. Knocking over stuff by being near it sounds rough. And Khannie already says my butt is ginormous all the time…”
He cranes his neck to look behind.
”I wonder where the purple came from. Aren’t the Thamar usually pink?”

[Ironsmith]

[Out at Sea]

"...What? Where'd you hear that?" Eos frowns. "I mean... some of us are, yeah. I am, usually. But some of us are more of a blue, some red, and Skummring himself was silver. I wouldn't look for any sort of consistency that way if I were you." He gives Kol a little pat on the shoulder, grinning. "But purple? That still fits. If you hadn't told me we were half-brothers, I would have assumed you to be a full-blooded Thamar."

...

After an awkward silence, Eos grimaces and points a thumb over his shoulder. "So, um... about your boat..."

[Keeper]

Out at Sea

”Oh. Braeg said Thamar are normally pink. Um. Do we know if that’s how it works? I mean like, if Adea’s still my mom are half-breeds even a thing or am I basically the same but without your dad’s powers?”
Who knows?
”But uh yeah. My boat. That uh. Costed money.”

[Shadowcaller]

[Sea Coast]

"True enough. There is clearly a piece of the puzzle we're missing."

His senses drawn to the spot on the floor, he crouches down and runs his hand along it, pressing gently and trying to feel its shape.

[Sea Coast]

"What's that?" Megeshi inquires as he runs his hand along the rock floor.
The floor is solid rock but if he knocks on it he gets a sense that it's hollow. That there's a space right underneath it. The floor is strong enough to handle his weight but Megeshi might have fallen through if she had stood right on top of it.
"Since I'm afraid my claws leaves something to be desired when it comes to sense." The dragon claims as she flexes her the ones on her right front leg.

[Morty]

[Sea Coast]

Askeladd presses his ear to the hollow floor, extending his senses through the stone and trying to get a feeling of what's on the other side.

"This floor is hollow. There's an empty space underneath. That may be the answer to our riddle."

[Ironsmith]

[Out at Sea]

"Well, clearly he was full of-"

A nearby gull lets out an indignant squawk, having attempted to land on the hot glass and finding it to be rather uncomfortable.

"...I really don't know how things are going to work out for you. Whatever's going on, it's... unprecedented. I'm pretty sure it is, at least." Eos frowns. "...And as for your boat, I... might be able to get you set up with a new one. Or maybe the funds to replace it. I just... I feel bad, you know? I didn't mean to break it."

[Keeper]

Out at Sea

The hot glass is the primary reason Kol hasn’t swapped back to his human shape. Also because it hurts.
Eos gets another playful jab with Kol’s nose. The end of it is actually kind of soft.
”Well I can probably forgive my big brother who happens to be kaiju sized for an accident. Especially if I might have the same problems in a few centuries.”
He shudders. He really doesn’t want that to happen.
”What do you think you can do though? Boats and fishing rods aren’t cheap. I don’t really…have much money. I got a little box of treasure from the dragon’s foundation but…”
It’s kind of all he has. And he’s already had to dip into it to feed himself. Dragons eat a lot.

[Shadowcaller]

[Sea Coast]

Askeladd presses his ear to the hollow floor, extending his senses through the stone and trying to get a feeling of what's on the other side.

"This floor is hollow. There's an empty space underneath. That may be the answer to our riddle."

[Sea Coast]

Askeladd can tell that it's more of a tunnel than a hiding space and judging by the sound of waves at the end of it it's going down into the sea below. It would be more than big enough to fit a dragon through and this one might have been able to breath underwater or traversed the ocean by some other means.

"No idea how you could tell as even the scent is long gone at this point. But let's find out what's underneath then shall we?" And with those words Megeshi steps forward and once he's moved out of the way she will punch a hole in the barrier with her claw. Unless Askenladd decides to do this himself of course.

Either way, it will reveal exactly what he had heard. A tunnel leading down into the ocean below. It doesn't lead straight down though, being a tunnel as opposed to a hole. So it curves in a number of places as to allow whoever used to to drop down a bit at the time.
"That's intriguing. Good thing you spotted that, would have been embarrassing if I didn't know there was a escape tunnel in my own lair."

[Morty]

[Sea Coast]

"Acute senses are one of Luna's gifts to me. And I'm rather practiced at learning secrets," Askeladd explains. "If the previous inhabitant could indeed shape earth to their will, they could open and close this tunnel as they please. And thus enter and exit this cave unnoticed."

[Ironsmith]

Out at Sea

The hot glass is the primary reason Kol hasn’t swapped back to his human shape. Also because it hurts.
Eos gets another playful jab with Kol’s nose. The end of it is actually kind of soft.
”Well I can probably forgive my big brother who happens to be kaiju sized for an accident. Especially if I might have the same problems in a few centuries.”
He shudders. He really doesn’t want that to happen.
”What do you think you can do though? Boats and fishing rods aren’t cheap. I don’t really…have much money. I got a little box of treasure from the dragon’s foundation but…”
It’s kind of all he has. And he’s already had to dip into it to feed himself. Dragons eat a lot.

[Out at Sea]

"I... might be able to fix the boat, if I'm really careful..." Eos begins, fidgeting nervously. "...But I also might end up incinerating what's left. So... I guess what I'd have to do, is, um..." He clears his throat. "...You're going to want to stand back for this.

If Kol complies, Eos raises his head toward the sky and opens his mouth, a column of blue fire erupting from it and shooting up into the sky. It only lasts for about a minute, but in all likelihood, that's all the time Eos needs to do... something. It's not going to be entirely clear what.

Then he clears his throat and waves his hand, a shining blue barrier appearing around him and extending out just far enough to include Kol. "...Any moment now." He says, keeping his eyes fixed on the sky above them.

...

pak!

A single copper coin lands on the barrier and slowly slides off to one side, ending up in the sand some distance away.

Quickly followed by another.

And another.

And ano-

pakpakpakakakakakakatatatakaktaktatkatka~

"Is that going to be enough?" Eos shouts over the sound of the penny storm, looking over at Kol anxiously.

[Shadowcaller]

[Sea Coast]

"Yes." The dragon agrees after a moment of consideration, giving the tunnel a curious glance with those big eyes of hers. "But the real question is why, isn't it? Why did this dragon have an escape tunnel for a lair they weren't staying in?" It seems like more of a rhetorical question as Askeladd had already hinted he was thinking the same thing as her. "So they might have pretended this was their lair perhaps to... draw attention? Like an act perhaps? We're still missing a lot of the puzzle here I think."

[Keeper]

Out at Sea

If it’s a solid copper coin instead of a mostly zinc coin like an American penny they actually might be worth a decent amount.
”Maybe!” Kol shouts back.
”But there’s just one problem. How are we gonna get so many coins to market?”
They don’t have any bags with them. And Kol doesn’t even have hands.

[Ironsmith]

[Out at Sea]

"...Oh." Eos shouts, looking up at the barrier. "I hadn't really thought of that."

Clearly not. A coin of such a small denomination, mixed with a high price tag for a new boat, would make for some pretty backbreaking labor no matter how they went about it. And crazy though it may sound, there might not actually be enough of them here for it; they're going to need somewhere on the order of four million of those coins, an amount which may not have actually rained down just yet.

But it sure looked pretty.

[Morty]

[Sea Coast]

"This escape route might have possibly been used to get in as well... although it would be considerably more difficult and time-consuming." Askeladd runs his hand across his beard as he puzzles over the riddle. "More information could be found in the village, perhaps. The locals might have seen or heard something that would shed some light on the truth."

[Shadowcaller]

[The Coast]

"Perhaps, yes." The dragon nods, once more showing a rather human-like body language. "I was planning to go down there either way to establish that I'm not a threat to their interests. I might be able to make them answer a few questions regarding my new lair while I'm at it." There seems be an silent implication that he should assist in this matter somehow judging by the tone of her voice.

[Morty]

[The Coast]

"If that is the case, perhaps the presence of a human would be useful to... ease things over," Askeladd suggests. "Mortals tend to be nervous in the presence of a dragon. I will go with you."