The shack's door hangs from the hinges like a slack jaw, the thin door quivering in the yawning breeze. The wood of the walls bend with dry rot and stink of decomposition as the lichen and mushrooms have begun to make the walls their home.
Vasco walls up to the door, lifting it just for it to come off in his arms. He glances back at Foirtchern. "You should have someone fix this up. It could come in useful." He lines the door to the frame.
Blair just watches. "I want to come, too."
"Only Vendiae are allowed in Aetherius, Blair. Created races shouldn't even know it exists." He presses the door closed. "Alright, Foirtchern, I should be able to close it from the other side behind me, if not you'll have to."
Foirtchern nods, scratching at his graying beard. "I assume you won't come right back?"
"Probably not." He nods. "Now please, back up."
Vasco begins at the top of the frame and traces the entire outline with his fingertips, each arm tracing a side of the door, meeting at the bottom. A faint red shimmer appears around the door and the door handle. He turns and nods once at the Faolduines before he opens the door and steps through.
He opens his eyes and swallows back the nausea that creeps up through his stomach on the other side of the door. He shuts his eyes again. "Close the door, Blair." His voice is scarcely louder than a whisper.
"How'd you know?" She shuts the door with a sheepish smile.
Vasco doesn't look at her as he steadies himself against the wall with his eyes shut, holding the top of his knuckles of his hand against his mouth. He stays like this in silence for a few moments before he lowers his hand and looks over his shoulder at her, pale. "You haven't obeyed me since the day I took you in, why should I expect you to start now?"
Blair grins. "So where are we going?"
"I'm going to message Felix for him to come get us..." He clears his throat as he takes a small radio from the bag at his hip. "Because if I move too much from this spot, it's not going to be pretty."
He pushes a button on the radio. "Felix, it's Vasco. Over."
There is a crackling noise before another voice comes through the radio. "This is Felix. Over."
"Blair and I are at the Great Door. We need a lift. Over."
"On my way. Over."
Vasco leans his head against the wall with his eyes closed. Blair stands by him, taking in their surroundings. The Great Door is pretty and simple. It's large, white, and trimmed with gold with a gold handle. She looks closer and sees light runic carvings in the gold trim. A mosaic of bright, rainbow colors covers the floor. The walls, like the door, are white with the gold runic trimming. The ceiling is a large gold dome. The room in total is fairly small and empty.
Vasco opens his eyes and looks at her with a small smile. "We can probably wait outside."
"Can you move that far?"
"Yeah, I'm fine now." He nods and goes through the archway, past gates that glitter gold with pearl engraving. Blair follows close behind, stepping where he has stepped before. The ground shrouded with meandering clouds didn't seem safe.
They walk only a few steps before there is a flash of bright cyan and a man appears between them, grabbing them around their waists.
"Vasco, here." The man thrusts a small pail into his hands before pulling the two into a close embrace. "Hold your skirts." He smirks. With another cyan flash, the scenery around them has changed to that of a kitchen with hardwood flooring and marble cabinetry.
Vasco steps away with his pail, dry heaving. "Felix...I'm going to fade you..."
Felix raises a brow, looking at him. "Yeah....Good luck with that." He shakes his head before holding out his fist to Blair. "How's my favorite niece?"
Blair grins, bumping the top, bottom, and knuckles of his fist. "Pretty good, better than Dad at least."
"Well that's nothing new." He raises his head to get a better look at Vasco. "Any better?"
"When my stomach catches up, I'll let you know." He grumbles, resting an arm on the table. "Feathers, did you have to tether transport?"
"You know it's the fastest way." He crosses his arms, leaning against the wall. "I brought you a bucket this time. I was prepared. I can't help that you're transport-intolerant."
"That's not what it's called..."
"Doorsick?"
Vasco rolls his eyes as he wipes his mouth.
"Portchucker?"
"Are you finished?"
Felix shrugs. "I can be."
"Can you watch Blair? I need to see Pulsatilla and Trisopia."
"Are they already sending you on another assignment? Didn't you just get back?"
"No." He pulls the signet from his bag. "I found this today."
Felix looks at it and his face grows serious. "Isn't that—"
"Yes. Exactly the same." He stuffs it back in his bag. "They're either going to tell me who it belongs to or tell me how I can find out, one way or another." A dark look passed over his face. "They're not going to subdue me this time. I will get my way."
"You know they keep hellsbane solutions just for subduing you."
He nods. "Trust me, I know. That's why I come to you first."
Felix nods, pressing his lips together in thought. "I might have something that may help...Let me check around." He walks out of the room.
Vasco walks to the living room and sits down adjacent to Blair. "I need to meet with the Academy's board. Felix will watch you."
Blair passes him a cup of tea. "No, I'm coming too."
"In case they respond aggressively to my requests, it's safer that you remain here."
"Then you'll need back up."
"No, Blair. I'll need to know that you're safe. You'll stay here."
Blair rolls her eyes, standing up with her tea and walking back to the kitchen.
He watches her from over his shoulder before sighing, closing his eyes, and leaning his head back onto the couch.
**************
"Vasco....Vaaaaaaasco..... Vascerado.....Berty...."
Vasco opens an eye tiredly. "Call me Berty again." He stretches. "I dare you."
Felix sits down. "Sorry it took so long, but I think I found something that'll work." He shakes a green bottle of white tablets. "Take four of these before you enter the conference room."
"What are they?" He rubs his eyes.
"Pure calesthine. If they inject you with hellsbane, this will react with it. It'll burn like acid inside you, but it'll keep your magicris from stopping. However, if they don't inject you, immediately when you leave the meeting you need to use a purge and dispel spell. Calesthine is extremely corrosive to your other internal organs, so keep the meeting as short as possible. Alright?" He looks him in the eye.
Vasco nods and gets the bottle. "Thank you."
"Then I want you back here to check you over before you go anywhere else. Estella would kill me for sure if you have untreated damage."
"Eh, if the damage is too bad I can always do a split and shift." He shrugs. "It's been awhile since I've almost died."
Felix just shakes his head. "I always thought Necromancers were supposed to be insistent on raising the dead, not joining them."
"We both know I'm a poor example of a Necromancer."
"Hey, don't be like that." He shakes his head. "You're the only example that most know. I haven't seen or heard of any other necromancers in centuries. You're...an endangered species."
Vasco gives him a look. "I'm the same species as you."
"Okay, maybe not species...breed perhaps? You're definitely almost extinct." He nods solemnly. "And my sister prefers you non extinct."
"If she's even still alive you mean." He sighs, looking away. "Or if she really didn't just leave me for this other guy."
"She didn't leave you. She would have told me that first if she was." He lays his arm across the back of the couch. "Do you feel like she's gone?"
"To be honest, I don't know what I feel." Vasco looks at him. "She at least hasn't been in any excruciating pain. I've just felt numb, and I'm not sure if that's from her or just my usual feelings." He chuckles slightly.
"Is the numbness hollow or fuzzy?"
"I guess fuzzy? It's not hollow at least."
"Then my guess is that you're both feeling numbed." He nods. "I mean, it's not like I've ever been married to know how the link between you really works. I'm just shooting in the dark."
Vasco nods with a sigh. "Hopefully I'll get some lead this time. I won't let them take this insignia away from me like the other."
"You should go ahead before it gets too late. Otherwise you'll have to wait until they meet again tomorrow."
"I'm going now...Blair is around here somewhere. She's in one of her moods." He frowns as he stands up.
Felix nods. "I'll handle her. Good luck."
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