As you are hanging in the Cafe you begin to make friends with your fellow classmates. As you (All four of you) look to the window, your attention is grasped by a strange man standing outside of the bookstore cafe. He really stands out as he is wearing an assortment of crimson robes. He also has a long curly brown beard and a strange looking walking stick. The most unusual characteristic you can make out so far is the crimson "wizards" hat. He reminds you of the Gandalf character from the lord of the rings movie that had come out a few years back only younger.
Things get strange when you begin hearing voices accompanied by images or medieval lands "Kellmanor was once a beautiful land home to many kinds of people, a darkness soon filled the land and we need brave heroes to come forth and save us. Come with me to save Kellmanor. I will be waiting for you in the alley next to the building for your answer."
The images stop leaving you stunned and quite shaken. Whatever it was felt real. For a moment, you felt as though you had entered another world. In that world were things you have only dreamed of seeming. Brought back to reality, things suddenly feel very mundane. The "wizard" walks to the left of the window and disappears into the alley next to the building. Curiosity seems tug at you and as you stand to follow, you notice others with the same bewildered expressions on their faces get up and move on as well. You drop everything out of an unnatural sense of desire.
Reginald goes to sit down at the table again but stops with the chair in his hand and looks to the window. As images and words enter into his brain from a source unknown, he gets a feeling of great excitement. When they stop, and his vision returns to the cafe around him, he gets a real and tangible tugging on his gut, an overwhelming desire to be back at that place. He slowly walks out of the cafe, not quite sure what he's doing. However, his feet continue to compel him out to the alleyway. He considers trying to stop when he gets out the door, but he can't force himself to. He simply looks ahead, his mind abuzz with so many questions and curious speculations. He sees Trenton ahead of him, entering the alleyway before him. Reginald turns the corner and slowly enters.
She had been speaking with the new boy Trenton when Mr. H asked her to take some garbage out to the alley. It wasn't her favourite part of the job and Mr.H didn't ask her to do it too often but she supposed it wouldn't be quite fair if everyone but her had to do it. She'd just finished dumping the last pail when suddenly her whole world seemed to go tilt!. It was like she was suddenly dreaming, except more real, and an unfamiliar voice filled her head.
The pail crashing to the floor as she puts her hands out for balance an unladylike "What the f*+@ was That!" escapes her as a worried thought races through her mind 'And did that voice say that he would be waiting in the alley? Did he mean this alley??'
Her questions are answered for her when suddenly a strange robed man enters the alley, not 50' ahead of her. A gasp escapes her but strangely enough she doesn't actually feel that afraid. Maybe it was something about him, maybe it was the vision, maybe she was having a flashback from her acid trip that last long weekend, but somehow, for some reason, Ashley felt she almost...knew him... Still though, he was a strange man alone in an alleyway with her "Who..who are you? And what the hell is going on here?" she manages to stammer out.
Terry looks around as he stands up, his book forgotten. This is real...there was someone there. He's momentarily held up by a group of chattering freshman, but impatiently pushes past them and heads for the alley behind Reginald and Trenton. Rushing to catch up, he asks them, "Did either of you see that?"
The strange red robed man smiles with delight as the four teens are now present. He throws his arms wide. "Marvelous, you all have come. My name is Yalm, the Crimson Wizard. I come from the land of Kellmanor seeking the chosen ones who will save us. I would like to explain in a more comfortable and private setting. By any chance, do any of you four know of a good place to talk? There I will answer any questions you may have."
Closing his mouth with an audible snap, Terry replies, "Ah, er, um...the roof of the building across the street is OK, or at least it was last time I was up there."
Reginald looks for a long time at the strange robed man, contemplating whether to believe that this is really going on or whether to call for the police. The man's suggestion to find a more private place does not help, and Reggy wonders whether he's just some creepy pedophile.
However, the thoughts that he had, no, the feelings he experienced, were much too real to write this off. He has to know what this guy is about. Reginald looks across the street to a small hair salon, and says, "Uhhh... Is there a ladder to get up it? I'm not too good at climbing."
"Wait a minute! I'm not going anywhere to talk with anyone! What is all of this! Is this a joke? Are you guys trying to Punk me or something? And what was that vision? Did somebody slip me something? Someone better start explaining things right here and right now or there's gonna be trouble!"
Yalm sighs. "My goodness you are a rather up tight bunch. Okay It would seem to me that you need some convincing as to my intent. I am not here to "punk" you. I am here to ask you to save me and my people. Kellmanor is in danger but it is a long story and I'd like a nice quiet place, preferable comfortable, to sit and discuss this with you." Yalm waves his hand and an image appears floating in the air, it is framed by a hazy mist. And in the picture you see a beautiful rustic landscape, much like what you say in your visions. "This is Kellmanor, the land I come from. I come seeking four children who will become the Sorcerers that will save us. I suspect the four of you are the ones I seek. Why else would you even be out here talking to me?" The strange image vanishes. "Now, are you willing to listen to my story. I'd like to relocate if that is okay but if you really want, we can stay here."
Ashley looks back and forth between the faces of her classmates and the strange robed man. 'Why am I even still here? Why am I not running for the police? Or the psycho ward? This situation is totally nuts. I mean, some guy, in robe straight out of a Harry Potter movie no less, talking about other worlds, sorcerers and apparently even doing magic! I mean c'mon, this is like something straight out of some movie or book. But it's happening to Me!'
Yet despite one part of her mind screaming at her to start running and not ever stop, something keeps her here. And she begins to feel a familiar...pulling sensation, like something...something strange and new yet and the same time very old and familiar calling to her...something calling across a great distance, yet somehow also calling from deep within herself. 'And, it's not like the guy is actually threatening or anything...'
"I...I...guess I can hear what you have to say." looking quickly at the time on her cell phone she continues "The back corner of the cafe should be empty at this time. Or, there's the garden on the roof of the cafe. The fire escape there goes right up to it. They closed it to do some landscaping so there should be nobody there right now."
Terry nods to Ashley. "Good idea! I forgot about the garden. Too easy to get to, after all.... And Reg, you should have no trouble with the fire escape. It was inspected only three weeks ago." He looks around at the rest of the group. "What? I pay attention to these things."
Turning back to the Crimson Wizard, Terry points to the fire escape. "Mr. Yalm? The stairs are there. After you, sir." I don't know if he's crazy, but just what I've seen--and felt--him do to us...if I could learn to do that? That'd be awesome!
Reginald is stunned by the image the man creates. It was like a hologram, but he didn't even have a projector or anything. Could that really have been magic? Reginald thinks that this all is a bit crazy, especially the part where he's supposed to be a chosen savior of a world. Now that really made no sense. Couldn't this Yalm guy have picked someone more qualified for the job? He follows the group to the roof, hoping that maybe this is a dream and he'll wake up from it soon.
Yalm chuckles. "The roof eh. Very well, and don't worry about stairs, I dont need stairs." Yalm rolls up his sleaves. "Now I'm going to show you all a little trick so just bare with me on this. First I need you all to hold hands. Good. Now, think of the place we are going. Picture it in your mind. next I will need to touch the forehead of the one of you with the best image of this place in mind." He puts his had on Ashley's head. This freaks her out but a strange sensation washes over here causing her to feel strangely calm. The image of the roof top lounge appears in her mind, and before you all know it, there you are standing on the roof in the garden. "Thank you Ashley. Now I will answer whatever questions you have. I presume you have a few now." He says with a wide bring finding a place to sit down.
He called Ashley by name, none of you have introduced yourselves yet.
Terry stands slackjawed in amazement. He gingerly reaches out to touch the furniture and planters, as if to reassure himself that he's really where it looks like he is. "Buh...what did...how did...whoa, that was incredible! Can you teach me how to do that?"
Pausing for breath while Trenton speaks, Terry continues, "What he said. And how did you know her name?" He points at Ashley.
Reginald is giddy as the realization of what this man did comes to him. He has to be the real deal! All the doubt Reggy previously had is now gone, as he is convinced this man is doing real magic. However, he still doesn't know about what this man is trying to get them to do.
"I have a question." Reggy raises his hand halfway, then realizes what he's doing and puts it down. "Uh... Where is this place you keep talking about? This Kallmandor... Is that a country or something?" He looks in wide-eyed anticipation at the robed man.
Before she can protest his touching her the man calling himself Yalm has already done so and the next thing Ashley knows they are all on the roof of the garden! No longer able to deny that something far from the ordinary is going on here, the cheerleader nevertheless feels more than a little week kneed and quickly finds somewhere to sit down. Over and over runs the same thought in her mind 'This is real! This is real!'
Just as she is thinking them two of her classmates ask the most prominent questions on her mind 'why us?' and 'what is this place Kallmandor?'. There's lots more she wants to ask but for the moment she leans forward, intent to hear the answers to these first two.
Yalm sits forward. ”Well I think it is best to answer your questions with the story of Kellmanor. And to do that, I will need to start from the beginning. I’m going to show images to illustrate my stories. Kind of like television only in color.” Yalm waves his hands and an image appears floating in the air like a picture with a hazy frame. In the picture you see images to match Yalm’s story. ”This is Kellmanor” A beautiful landscape with ancient castles and villages in various places appears. You move along the image as though you were flying over the land itself. ”Kellmanor is a beautiful land home to all sorts of species such as dwarves, elves, and the like. Many different wonders exist there that you will never experience here. There is also magic. Many people had learned to use magic in this land. They could access is through incantations that derive from spellbooks and bonded items, or they are part of a domain that would grant them spells. Domains were either beliefs or material elements from which people could draw what they considered to be divine powers from the spirits that embodied those domains. There are various other methods that people were able to adopt the use of magic, but none for potent that the Sorcerers. Now to explain the Sorcerers, I need to go back to where they began. The land is governed by to forces and their minions. The Lord of Brilliance,” An image of a white angelic figure appear. ”And the Lord of Darkness” A dark shadowy outline of a man with glowing red eyes appears. ”For many centuries these two have fought over control of Kellmanor. This was a fierce battle that took place in the shadows so as not to disturb the land they were fighting over. The extended their powers to mortals to aid in their war efforts. The war soon began to affect the lands. Then, elementals began to appear in defense of this world. These were the elements of life itself. Neither the Dark Lord, nor the Lord of Brilliance were good for the land so it was up to the elementals to protect us. They did so by empowering individuals with their blood. The Strongest of the elementals were those of the four main elements, Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth. These were the strongest. They would lend their powers to mortals by interbreeding to create powerful bloodline spellcasters called Sorcerers. These sorcerers were capable of using magic without the aid of rituals, spellbooks, domains, or any other method. They simply embodied this power. They helped turn the tides of that Great War away. Without them the war may have destroyed Kellmanor. Now the two Lords of light and dark ended up killing one another. Rumor has it that they had stored all their powers into two separate books as they lay dying, hoping that they could be resurrected. Now this is where this start to go wrong. Kellmanor had been at peace for millennia. Well there were the few occasional conquest or dispute wars but nothing that affected the entire world. It was only when an expedition of a handful of foolish younglings went out in search of the books of darkness and light. This expedition consisted of some brave and powerful souls, me and a few friends of mine. My team was of five and our leader was named Xivasar. We had spent years following the clues of where these books may have been hidden and one day we had found the lead we were looking for. After much trouble and turmoil, we found the ancient text. However, our leader had become corrupted with power. You see, along the way, we came across many artifacts and writings indicating the possibilities of that power and Xivasar became obsessed with it. He wanted it for himself. Once he had gotten the books, he betrayed us. He and one other turned against the rest of us and fled with the books. A couple of years later, and he returns. They powers of both the dark lord and the lord of brilliance are now at his fingertips. Now it is said in ancient writings that the Sorcerers would band together should the books ever fall into the wrong hands. Xivasar knew this had had used the books to cut off the Sorcerers from their power source. How this was possible, I don’t know. I never got the chance to ask him. Without the sorcerers, our lands soon began to fall to his dark and evil ambition. He created a device that allowed him to control people with wicked feelings in their hearts. This allowed him to hunt down any magic users that exist. Now he had also managed to put into place a limiting device that also drains magic power. This means that I can only use certain level spells while in Kellmanor. Here I can use my full arsenal but there I am nothing more than a parlor magician.That said, it seems as though there is no hope, but there is a prophecy that says that four young kids will come from another land, become sorcerers, and defeat Xivasar.”
The image vanishes and Yalm straightens up. ”I have conducted the ultimate test and have discovered you four as our saviors. People from this world are immune to the effects of both the magic inhibitor and the power of the obelisk of control that forces all weak hearts to join Xivasar. That said, the fate of Kellmanor rests in your hands. I ask that you come with me to my land and become the Sorcerers of legend and save us all. It’s all written in the stars so you really have nothing to fear. And once it is all over you will be back home as if nothing had ever happened, but the experience will remain. So, what do you say? Will you come with me to save Kellmanor, or will you leave us to our fate?” Yalm looks at you all anxiously awaiting your response.
Trenton listens to Yalm explain his story and looks at the landscape that his magic creates. He feels an ache in his heart looking at the scenes wanting to just go there, a land where he could start over and maybe be someone. And if Yalm is correct then he might be a part of something very important. Something so important lives were at stake he had tryed joining the Navy special just for this reason who was he to just turn down this second chance.
"Yalm, If no one else goes I will go with you. My family though..might not understand, what will happen to them? Is this one of those things where time acts differently in your world more so than ours? And...what if I want to stay....in your world." Trenton finishes uncomfortably unsure how the others will respond but here he was nothing more than a kid without a drive in in life and now a stranger was offering a way to make a difference.
Yalm smiles at Trent. "Once you finish in Kellmanor it will be your choice to stay or return. If you choose to stay, you can return to the exact moment you left. Your family will be none the wiser you have been anywhere else. If you decide to stay, well that is your choice. Life will go on, that is about all I can guarantee in that regard. Though we will need to leave soon as I cannot stay in this world to much longer. Ask whatever questions you need and I will answer to the best of my abilities."
Reginald listens to Yalm's story intently, watching the images with a furrowed brow. After Yalm explains they can return as if nothing happened, Reginald is convinced. After all, I get to go to this incredible land with magic, and I'm not losing anything. Reginald smiles and blurts out excitedly, "Yeah! I'll do it! I'll go save Kellmandor!" He's as giddy as a child at a carnival, ready to go off on the most awesome journey he's ever been on (in fact, the only journey he's ever been on). He looks to the other kids with a wide smile still on his face.
Despite her intention to pay close attention to the man's words Ashley finds her mind wandering. 'Me?? A Hero? Fighting evil wizards and gods? What is going on here? Why am I even listening to this crap!'
But from another part of her, the part deep within, which has pulled to her from time to time, speaks just as compellingly 'This is what you have always wanted Ashley. This is what you have been seeking all your life. A chance to make your own destiny. A chance to make your own choices. A chance to live outside of the mold your family and friends have made for you. A chance to really live! Come, we need you, you are part of us, you always have been...' and while the words hardly make sense to her, they somehow feel right. And before she fully realizes what she is doing, the high school prom queen finds herself nodding, hardly believing what comes out of her own mouth.
"I'll do it. I'll come. I'll help you."
At the quizical looks from the others when they see and hear the hesitation in her she firms her voice and says again with more conviction "No, I mean it. I want to do this. I'm not even sure why but...but it just feels right. You all may think I live the perfect life but I don't. I've always felt trapped by what everyone else thinks I'm supposed to be-Cheerleader, Prom Queen, Popular Girl. And I'm sick of it. Yes, I'm smart enough to know that the people you're talking about, the people of Kellmanor, may also be expecting me to be something, to be their saviour. But at least this is a choice I am making myself. I never asked, or chose, to be 'Prom Queen'. God help me I may regret this decision later, but, I'm in. I'll go with you Yalm."
Like the other three, Terry sits raptly as Yalm spins his tale. Another world...a whole world, just the other side of a door I never even knew existed...I have to do this. I have to see. And being a hero, too? Can't beat that with a stick! But what about...I'll ask him.
Terry looks around at the others, then back at Yalm, nodding. "I'm in. I have a condition, though. I noticed you didn't say anything about what happens if we, well, die while we're there. If that happens, I want you to fix things so I don't just disappear here. Fake up a body so my family at least gets some closure." He chuckles a bit nervously. "As long as you don't make it look like I died of autoerotic asphyxiation! Have me fall off a building. They'd believe that, it's almost happened a couple of times already."
Trenton listens to the others and then turns to look at Ashley silently, listening to her he thinks to himself about how he might have misjudged her. The other two he could see coming but never did he think the cheerleader would want a new life, like him, he realized. He then turns to Yalm.
"How do we get there? he asks simply.
Yalm smiles, "The powers of the Sorcerers will come naturally to you, that is what makes you the chosen ones. As for your deaths, it shouldn't happen, you are destined to save us and we need four of you to do it, therefore it wouldn't help to have any of you die. If you do decided to stay, fates will dictate whatever they may from there." Yalm stands up. "Now, If you have all agreed to join me in my quest to save my home, grab a handful of my robes." He raises his staff towards the sky. He starts some kind of strange incantation. The wind picks up and begins to jostle everything about. The sky turns dark and a funnel cloud appears above the wizard. "Now, grab a hold of my robes." overwhelmed by the spectacle but a great deal of adrenaline pushing you on. Once you have a handful of the wizards garb, you feel a new rush. A cyclone lands on the ground surrounding all of you. Next thing you feel is you feet leaving the ground. You are sucked up into the cyclone.
-----
You seem to black out for just a moment only to be brought back by falling about eight feet onto the dirt. As you come about you will notice that you are on a hill overlooking a vast rich forest unlike any you have ever seen. In the distance you can see mountains and in other parts a few open plains. The sky is clear and clean for the most part. Off in the distance you can see that there is a darker part of the sky. Thick black clouds seem to come pouring out from behind one of the mountains. It holds an ominous feel to it. There is a lot here. A land that you have never before fathomed you'd ever visit even in your own world. Now it is here before you. Surrealism takes hold of you as you gaze at the splendor.
The landing zone you fell into is a hole in the ground, a perfect circle about a foot deep and a 30 foot diameter.
You will notice that the dirt in the hole seems scored and there are ashes that seem to form human shaped pattern on the ground as though someone was laying there before being incinerated.
----
You have little time to fully bask in the view as Yalm quickly gets to his feet. "I wont be able to teleport us like I did back to your home so we need to walk from here. We have to get a move on, Xivasar may have seen the dimentional tunnel and would be sending someone to investigate. We need to leave this place and return to my home." Yalm walks over to a pack that is sitting on a stump not far off from the landing zone and throws it over his shoulder. "It is a two day journey on foot but I know of a place along the way where we can stop and rest for the night. Now come, we need to get moving."
----
On the trail you follow Yalm in to a beautiful wood where the trees are taller than houses and the golden rays of sunlight shine through the canopy. Strangely, you all can make out what seems to be singing coming from the trees. The words are in a different language, so you can't understand them. It is a beautiful mellifluous sound though and it
Reggy is a bit skeptic when Yalm tells them they cannot die. However, this does not deter him from grabbing onto the man's robes when instructed. He looks up when he hears a rush of air, and instinctively wants to move out of the way of the cyclone directly overhead, but he holds tightly onto Yalm's robes and stays in place. He is both scared witless and fascinated by what is happening to himself as he is lifted higher and higher. The world fades away to the roaring noise of the cyclone as Reggy's vision fades.
----
His vision returns to him, just in time to see the dirt below him before he falls face-first into it. He tucks his head in and lands on the back of his head, allowing the rest of his body to fall hard in order to absorb most of the shock from his head. However, his vision is still spinning for a few seconds as he tries to stagger to his feet. He uses Terry's shoulder to balance himself as his vision realigns and he gets his first eyeful of what he's gotten himself into. He basks in the magnitude of the landscapes, the huge forest they are inside as well as the massive mountains visible in the distance. He sees the black clouds, but they don't register to him as peculiar, and he moves his attention to other parts of the landscape too quickly to ponder them. It feels too real, like it should be a dream but it isn't. Reginald quivers with unbridled excitement, filled to the brim with wonder at this whole new realm of possibility. He then turns his gaze downward to their current position, a peculiar-looking hole of proportions matching the rest of this world.
Though curious about the odd things he noticed, Reginald doesn't bring them up, instead listening to what Yalm is telling the group.
----
Reginald thinks about what Yalm said, then replies, "Okay then. Lead on." He's still very giddy, almost doing a little dance as he struts on in Yalm's wake. He's glad he had that sandwich before they left, and hopes Yalm has some food in his bag.
----
Trenton hesitantly takes a hold of Yalm's robes, he feels slightly silly for doing so but cannot argue as he feels himself begin to lift off from the ground.He spares a thought to his parents but that is quickly overwhelmed at the sense of excitement as something he had only dreamed of came true.
Trent glances once around at his companions and then feels his vision go dark.
-------------------
When he can opens his eyes his sight is met by the ground rushing up to him and he quickly throws himself into a roll ending up in a crouch. He was able to do so, but only because of the short distance of the fall. He comes up from his crouch and looks around, he notices the odd marking on the ground and thinks to mentions it but doesn't as he listens to Yalm explaining the need to hurry.
A two day hike, well this is just like a hike into the mountains with the trainer. Trent smiles at the thought and stretches out a little bit before falling quickly behind Yalm.
Acrobatics
Perception
-------------------
Trenton stares around in wonder at the beauty of the forest. This world was so much more vibrant than theirs, he looks back towards the others and wonders about what they think of this so far but shrugs thinking that in time they would all say as much.
"Yalm, who would Xivasar send to look at something like...uhh... A dimensional tunnel. Why wouldn't he come himself?"
Still not 100% sure she's doing the right thing but resolute to do it anyway, Ashley stands when asked to. As the wizard begins his incantations though and the results of his powerful incantations begin to manifest Ashley's doubt and hesitation are quickly replaced by something else. Something begins to...stir in the young woman's blood, something begins to ...sing. It takes her a moment to realize what it is, but it is the very magic itself which calls to her! Serenading her, seducing her, she can feel it's song in her very blood!
Exhilarated now in a way she has never known before the blond young woman grabs a hold of the mage's robes. Although she wants to see it all she cannot help herself but close her eyes as the cyclone descends upon them and she is sucked up into the air.
Acrobatics:
Perception:
The next thing she knows she is falling, startled she tries to roll but the shock of the situation throws her off and she does not land as gracefully as she normally would. Still, she does manage to avoid hurting herself or, more importantly, falling on her butt and looking like an klutz in front of all the boys. All such thoughts vanish from her mind though as she look about her and takes in the splendor of this strange new land. 'I've never seen anything so beautiful! So...pure!' she thinks to herself. Yet as her gaze passes over the thick black cloud of smoke pouring out of the mountains an involuntary shudder passes through her.
As Yalm explains the journey ahead Ashley smiles, for walking through a land such as this would be a pleasure indeed. Without thinking she naturally places herself in the middle of the group. Two of the boys and Yalm walking ahead of her and two behind her. It just seemed right that way. As they begin walking and the captivating music reaches out to them Ashley listens for while, enraptured, before calling out to Yalm "That music! What is it? Who's singing it?"
Terry nods, somewhat reassured. I'd better not get too confident in that "destined to save us" thing, though...if we die, I guess that just means we weren't the right ones. But then...wait a minute. "You said you'd 'conducted the ultimate test' and proved we were the four sorcerers. What did you do?"
***
Terry takes a handful of robe, looking a bit self-conscious but anticipatory. As the funnel cloud descends, his expression changes to glee. He breathes deeply and sinks down slightly, shifting his weight to the balls of his feet, glancing around alertly and preparing for rapid movement. Rising into the cyclone, Terry laughs for the sheer joy of flying.
His physical preparation pays off as he drops the eight feet to the ground and lands easily, reaching out to help anyone who needs it. "Everyone OK?" He closes his eyes and inhales deeply through his nose, savoring the forest scents, before opening his eyes again and looking around. Ha! I knew he was more than a lunatic! Now let's see if he was right about everything else....
"Those clouds--that's where our enemy is, right? So that's where we have to watch out for anyone chasing us? And--not to complain, but does everyone here dress like you? We're going to stand out like you did back home if they do."
To answer Terry's question about the test Yalm simply smiles. "I was able to detect you due to magic. You all have a very unique aura about you. That is how I knew."
-----
Once Yalm gets the four of you moving on the trail he begins to answer questions. When Trenton asks his question, he responds. "xivasar would never leave his tower. Likely, he would send his most powerful agent after us. The agent's name is Hellmaster Drethrum. A man with the power to control demons, devils, and other hellish monsters. He too was one of my colleagues who quested for the books but unlike the rest of us, he did not turn against Xivasar, rather he joined him in his quest for power. They have worked together ever since. Drethrum in particular has been dead set on finding me. I am confident we will lose him if we are quick enough."
Ashley comments about the singing. "The trees are singing. They are happy to see there is now hope for them. They are welcoming you all to Kellmanor. You will find many wondrous things in Kellmanor that will shake the very foundation of what you may have come to believe. I remember....." Yalm trails off as if lost in thought, then returns to his senses. "At any rate. There are a lot of spectacular things here that you all will witness."
In response to Terry's question, Yalm nods. "Yes that cloud comes from Xivasar's dark tower and his monolith. As the cloud spreads, so does his destruction and control. In the not too distant future, the cloud will cover everything and when that happens, all will be lost forever. As to your clothing, You won't be able to wear those forever and I will have plenty of garments for you to choose from. Have no worry, I will be here to take care of you as you become powerful magic users of this land."
You push on through the forest stopping only once for a meal. Yalm pulls rations out of his pack and a waterskin. He begins to eat. After a moment he notices that you have no food or water. "I am sorry, I forgot you don't have anything to eat." He reaches into his pack and pulls out four more packs of rations which contain stale bread, dried fruits and vegetables and a few heavily salted meats. He then passes his waterskin to you to share. "Here, eat up. You will need all your strength for the rest of today and tomorrow."
'The trees were singing?? This really is something out of a fairy tale!' swept away in delight at not only the idea of trees singing, but ones that are singing because of her (and the others too of course) Ashley misses much of the conversation of the others.
She's there when it's meal time though and, although the fare is not particularly appealing to her, her hunger provides more than enough flavour for her to wash the meal down. Still looking to the trees she asks "Is it safe for me to go closer to them?" because, well, if tress could sing, who knew what else they could do?
If it turns out they are harmless she begins to move towards them. Part way there though she suddenly thinks of something, stops, turns around and asks "Hey! Where are you going to sleep!"
Singing trees...that's amazing, but if they don't stop, this Drethrum will know something's up if he passes by. Terry looks around, still agog at their surroundings. "There's more? I can't wait!"
Terry eats what's put before him. Over the meal, he says to his companions, "I admit, I had no idea I was some kind of destined sorcerer hero...it's not exactly common back home. Did any of you suspect anything like that?"
He chuckles. "Here's your afterschool special moment: If I'd picked out the people at Pathfinder most likely to be magic heroes, no offense, but I wouldn't have thought of any of you that way. Just goes to show, there's always more to people than you think."
Reginald is surprised to learn that the trees here can sing, and wonders what other new things are in store for them. When Yalm talks of Xivasar and his agent, Reginald looks to the cloud that he just realized is still hanging in the same spot. He tries to see the monolith below it, but the terrain in between obscures it. He doesn't like the sound of demons and devils, but at the same time, speaking about them as if they're real makes him excited. "Say, he can summon the Devil? Like, the big guy with horns and all?" Reggy thinks that this Drethrum guy must be pretty powerful to be able to do something like that. And he's not even the one in charge... Reginald ponders exactly what they've signed themselves up for.
When Yalm takes out the food, Reggy takes some with thanks. He isn't hungry now, but from the sounds of it there won't be a whole lot of food for the next two days, so he eats it anyway. It doesn't taste bad, and he gets done with the meal rather quickly. It's smaller than the meals he's used to.
Yalm chuckles at the comments from the youths as they eat. He then notices Ashley's concerns. "Hopefully there will be a place we can stay in these woods. I am taking you to a friend of mines home, provided she still lives there." At the comment about the devil Yalm chuckles. "No there is no single devil in this world, there are many, and Drethrum can contact them all, even control a few. They are more intellectual than other hell beings. This is probably why he only calls them in dire need, I wonder." Yalm seems lost in thought for a moment and then shakes his head. "Whatever, it is of no importance at the moment."Yalm finishes and gets to his feet. "Now, we have quite a hike ahead of us so let's get moving." You all pack up and follow the wizard again. Yalm turns in response to Jen's question. "You will gain the powers you are most compatible with. There is a ritual I will conduct to find this out."
Yalm leads the teens deeper into the forest. You travel for hours and any attempts to complain are met with "Just a little farther, keep up."
You follow him for several hours until it gets dark. By now the singing has stopped and the sounds of night are really loud and eerie. Crickets chirping, wolves howling and other strange sounds most of you if not all of you have only heard in horror films. Yalm uses his staff as a source of light for the group. After another hour or so Yalm turns to the rest of you. "Take a moment to rest. I'm going to leave you here for a moment to find our shelter for the night. I will return once I have it." Yalm picks up a stick and casts Light on it. He then hands it over to Jen. "Here, you hold this, I will be right back."
As the group marches, Terry comments, "If I'd known we were in for a long walk in the woods, I'd've worn boots. I'm a city boy at heart."
Terry takes the stick gingerly at first, not sure if it's going to be warm to the touch. After Yalm walks away, Terry shows the stick around to the other three. "Look at this! It is going to be so freakin' cool when we learn how to do this stuff...."
Trent looks at the glowing stick and smiles slightly remaining silent to Terry's comment. He was just looking forward to gaining magic in general and wished someone could tell him more about it and what magic meant to him personally. Would he be a good sorcerer or would he fail? Trent just shook his head and concentrated on walking, once in a while he sneaks a glance towards Ashley to make sure shes ok but other than that just keeps walking after Yalm.
Oops, Forgot to note that Yalm disappeared into the darkness after he left the stick with Terry. Leaving you all alone in the dark and noisy forest.
Nah your good Shano i didnt read last part very well only a shiny stick haha so just ignore the walking comment and just replace it with leaning against a tree lol
Reggy complains once or twice during the walk, trying to get Yalm to slow down or take a break. However, he manages to keep pace with the man (who is surprisingly fit). He seems uncertain when Yalm talks about the devils. Where are these things? Is there a Hell or something? However, he doesn't ask Yalm these questions, content with Yalm's previous answers for the time being.
When the group stops in the night, Reginald flops down hard on his butt and removes his shoes, eagerly rubbing his sore feet and feeling thankful for the pause. He wonders about the different noises to be heard in the forest. Are those the trees again? Maybe they're forest animals. I wonder if they're like the ones at home? He contemplates this last thought again, then voices it to the group. "Hey guys, I wonder what kinda animals live in these woods? You think there are squirrels and racoons and stuff here?"
"I don't remember seeing any, but there are things out there that sound like crickets and wolves so it wouldn't surprise me. As long as there aren't any grizzly bears, cougars, or rogue elephants around, right?" He chuckles a bit nervously.
Terry holds the stick up high behind his head and looks around, trying to see if he can spot any animals.
After he inadvertently looks at the stick, Terry closes his eyes so they can readapt to the darkness and concentrates on listening.