Moving the Manor

[Ishtari 13]

 

Date: 11:00 pm, a week before the deadline Salzoth gave.
Location: Jikdur's office, Varrock Castle.

 

Whis appeared in Jikdur's office and saw Jikdur sprawled out on the bed, shirtless, and a tankard his head. His breathing was heavy, and it was obvious he was dead asleep from a long night of drinking. "Damned drunk." Whis grimaced. "Just like his dad. Welp, time to go." He touched Jikdur's arm and they vanished into the shadows, appearing outside of a large manor. The sky was covered in dark clouds and the moonlight was peeking through. Jikdur fell almost comically to the ground, the tankard clanged as it rolled away from his hand.

Jikdur gave a grunt and squinted his eyes. "Whis...Where the hell are we? And why does my back hurt?"

"Well, sweetcheeks, We're at home sweet home. Draynor." He smiled at Jikdur. "Oh, your back hurts cause you fell 4 feet high, right on that tree root you're on top of."

"Haha...funny." He got up slowly and held his head momentarily before yawning and snapping his fingers. Light, fur clothing appeared on him. "Why are we here?"

"Well. You see. What with the plague approaching and no word from Salzoth about not letting it lose yet...then it's probably time to move the house. We don't know what this disease will do."

"I guess." Jikdur yawned. "Who else do we got?"

"Well, Xhaolh and Erebus...Me and you. Not many other shadow mages readily available."

"Where are the others at then? Late risers I guess."

"Actually." a rough voice with a strange accent said from behind Jikdur said.

Jikdur turned. "Oh. Almost naked as always I see, Xhaolh." He smiled at the tan skinned elf with white hair before him. He looked down and saw a grey and white furred wolf beside Xhaolh. "And you brought a friend."

"Of course, Jikdur. Diana follows me everywhere."

"You know Jikdur. There's an old phrase that describes the exact opposite of you." A smooth sauntering voice said before a pale robed man with white eyes appeared before him. "The early bird gets the worm. We've been here for hours."

"Right. Well. Does everyone know what they're supposed to do?" Whis asked.

"Yeah...It's been awhile..." Jikdur yawned. "But it's all there. Which corner?"

 "Northwest pillar, the same as last time." Whis said.

"That is such a long walk..."

"Or...You could teleport there...dumbass." Xhaolh said.

"Channel 372."

They all touched the commpearls in their ears.

"Let's get this over with then." Jikdur said, vanishing and reappearing some mile away. A large stone pillar that stood his height was in front of him. It was trimmed in a foreign metal that looked like it was laid yesterday, even though it had been there for ages. There were two metal pads that looked like someone should lay there hands there. 

"Everyone take your place, hands on the pedestal." Whis said through the commorb.

Jikdur held his hands out and touched the pads and slowly began releasing magic. Around the perimeter, the others did the same. A faint dark aura began forming around the whole area. But something was amiss, the power was unbalanced.

"We need more from you, Xhaolh." Whis said quietly.

"I'm trying." A gruff voice said. "I'm new at this."

The magic stopped whirling around as it began balancing out. The aura steeped and grew darker before encasing the entire property. Small tendrils sparked from the shadowy aura and tethered at the many pillars surrounding the property. The magic was wild, uncontrollable with no one at the other pillars...for the time at least. Shadowy figures began taking form at the abandoned pillars. "Rise and aid us, creatures of the shadow realm!" Whis yelled out.

Jikdur began chanting softly under his breath along with the others in a strange, ancient language. Upon finishing they all vanished, the house included. They appeared in a clearing. To the south Jikdur could see the desert, to the north west he could just make out the walls of Varrock. He let go of the pillar and vanished, reappearing by Whis. "Where the hell are we?"

"You remember that 'exam' centre that Azzanadra worked at?"

"Uhh...Yeah sure."

"Well it's gone. No need to have it here when I'm an expert on Sennisten."

"Is Lord Zaros okay with this? What about the others?"

Whis was silent, but looked over at Jikdur. He raised his arm up and touched Jikdur's shoulder. "I have been saying this for a long time...Not all of us are evil. It's the 6th age...It's time for us to step out of the shadows now."

"Well...That makes no sense. We just got over Malik and now my mother is in cahoots with evil as well."

"And we will be there to counteract that. It's what you've always wanted. Our people in the good light." Whis said. "This will help us all in the end."

"I guess." Jikdur replied, lost in thought. "Are you going to leave the Service?"

"Yes." A gruff voice said. "I too am wondering that."

Whis stood in silence. "I've given it a lot of thought."

"You are?" Xhaolh said.

Whis held his hand up. "No, no. I never said that."

"Well?" Jikdur asked.

"No. I have no plans of leaving the Service. Not now anyhow."

"Interesting. I don't know how you plan on teaching others about the second age and running your division. But. I guess it can be done." Xhaolh said, petting Diana's head.

Whis snapped his fingers, causing a clone to appear. "The same way I do my service work, of course. Then again, nowadays I mostly...Sit in my armchair and review reports, unless I get a big mission."

"Man...I am so glad we're out of that spooky place..Maybe now I can get some sun." Erebus butted in. His face expressionless as always.

"Why...Erebus. You would have to go outside to get some sun." Jikdur said, waving and vanishing.

"What a smartass." Whis said, shaking his head.

"Yeah. Just like you." Xhaolh patted Whis' back and mounted Diana. "Back to work, then." Diana sped off with Xhaolh on her back.

Edited July 2, 2018 by Ishtari