Janice just keeps walking, waiting to see where the path will lead. If she notices any strange auras she will stop though.
You all follow the winding dirt path south east into the garden. Intermittent taller trees provide lots of shade along the way but light still does make it to the ground and this place's "sun" can be seen. Something about it feels different and there is never even a hint of a cloud so far. It seems like an average day in spring.
Cooil successfully crafts his sling and there are many appropriately sized stones around . There are no staff sized pieces lying around which reinforces how well kept and garden-like this entire area seems. In any forest it would be easy to find a broken tree branch or something similar. To craft a staff you will have to break a piece from a tree first.
It's not long before you lose sight of the door and only have the path to know that you are not traveling in circles. Several hours pass and no ill effects from any radiation have been felt. But other strange and perhaps worrying things have started to happen.
- Janice: Continually looking for auras strains her eyes and she cannot focus on them for more than a minute at a time. Nothing besides the colourless aura is in the trees and ground around her. She notices a faint whitish aura around Cooil when he looks at the compass or when he says he can tell which direction is north but it is more like a flash than a lasting aura. The stranger thing is when she looks at herself. The colourless aura seems to pulse rather than glow. She can almost 'see' it flowing in her veins and nervous system. Sometimes waving her hand through the air will leave an after image at that exact place visible only to her. While randomly playing around with this she makes an image of a squashed circle like a football, surrounded by a triangle (imgur example). The image then pulses and disappears, allowing her to see the same auras with no strain on her eyes, as if she had only just been given prescription spectacles. This only lasts for a minute before the strain comes back when focusing on looking for auras.
- Cooil feels like there is something following him, eyes watching him from behind a bush or hidden in a tree but when he looks nothing is there. Sometimes it's not just a feeling but also a scratching noise or an animal call. No one else reports experiencing anything similar.
- Desmond feels better than ever. Even that old niggling injury from that accident has stopped causing even the slightest pain or inconvenience as if it had never happened.
- Gordon can't seem to shake the feeling that he is being led into a trap and even feels like this whole place is a sort of trap from the moment he was brought to the courtyard via the transportation circles.
- Jasper feels the most normal of all. He isn't seeing or hearing or imagining things and could be forgiven for thinking that the others are starting to lose their minds somehow. The only thing is is that he is not greatly worried about this and seems to know that everything will turn out ok in the end.
After a few hours of following the path you realise that the sun has not moved at all but has started to grow dimmer. This continues until the light coming from it resembles moonlight rather than sunlight. The whole process takes about half an hour. As you wonder how in the world things work in this place you catch a note in the air. There is singing somewhere ahead, and lights.
As she walks, Janice tries *not* see auras and rest her eyes for 5 minutes or so, and then when she tries again, she moves her hands to recreate the same shape that she made before, to see if it will ease the eyestrain.
--If it works, she leaves the aura sight off most of the time, and only brings it up when she sees something new, always using that same shape.
--If it doesn't work, she'll experiment with similar shapes and see if she can find one that consistently helps her eyes.
When Janice hears the singing and sees the lights, she pauses for a moment and looks at everyone to make sure everyone is ready for first contact, and if she gets nods of readiness, she continues on to the singing and the lights.
Every time she traces that specific shape it works and she can see without any strain.
Cooil records the direction of the path, both according to the compass and his odd directional sense (if different) and takes a picture of distinctive landmarks (if any). He studies what plants are along the path to see if they resemble earth plants or if they are unique, at least to the extent he knows botany of different parts of the world. Likewise, he keeps an eye out for animals, insects, any living thing that is not a plant, upending rocks on occasion both to see if there are bugs or grubs underneath and to mark their trail. He periodically sets several stones on top of each other as trail marks. If he notes anything that might be edible, he'll gather a sample.
As he repeatedly feels like someone is watching, he says, "Anybody else getting the feeling we are being watched? I'd dismiss it as nerves in this strange world, but my direction sense seems to suggest I may be sensing something real. I've long been interested in the possibility of communicating with spirits, whom I feel make be present but only detectable with the human consciousness rather than with scientific instruments. I know that some mediums are frauds, but not all, and those who seem most sincere often gain information that they should not be able to guess or even find through research, things confirmed by survivors of someone deceased. So I'm open to the possibility that I may just be sensing spirits, but here it seems anything goes, so who knows?"
As he walks, he talks, keeping his voice down to a minimum level to be heard, pausing between sentences. "I've studied what anthropologists have said about how magic is ... was thought to work on earth. A number of laws were observed. Some of them might be worth noting. If these work in limited ways on earth, we may be in a place that makes them work even better or with more obvious effects."
"There is the Law of Infinite Universes, which seems something we have objective evidence for. It says that the total number of universes into which all possible combinations of existing phenomena could be organized is infinite. We seem to be in a universe where gamma rays are omnipresent but not harmful to biology. It also seems to be universe in which some people can sense things that others cannot."
"That connects with the Law of Personal Universes, that says every sentient being lives in and quite possibly creates a unique universe which can never be 100% identical to that lived in by another."
"Some insist each sentient being affects the world based on his or her beliefs about the world, that belief creates reality. Be careful what you expect here, in case it somehow draws us to what you expect. Although I suppose expecting someone who can help us get back and help us understand this world, might help. It might explain why I seem to sense unseen presences, while Janice senses energy-like auras."
Once the sun's non-movement is noted, Cooil wracks his brain, trying to understand what combination of stellar phenomena and planetary gravitational dynamics could account for it. "It seems not only are we no longer in the Sahara, we don't seem to be on earth any more. Either that, or this may be some kind of artificial environment, like a biodome, with something that illuminates, but does not move and only changes brightness, perhaps to mimic a diurnal cycle."
|
When he entered into highschool back in Boston, the Celtics were particularly popular one year, and his church organized a youth league. Surprisingly, Desmond was pretty good, being a little bigger than average for his age. But there was that one jump shot, where he was fouled and landed funny, his knee bending in the wrong direction. Torn ACL, that was the end of his basketball career. It was one of those injuries that plagued him his whole life, until now. Oddly enough, considering this hike they were on, his knee never felt better. In fact, Deamond had never felt better, he felt like a kid again, at least physically.
Like a good priest, Father McKinley listens to the observations and experiences of the others with concern. Janice's vision, interesting, and if she mentions the effect of tracing the sigil, he mentions the use of doing such things in all varieties of religious practices, mudras in Hinduism and Buddhism, sigillum of Medieval Alchemy, even the Sign of the Cross in modern day Catholicism, are examples of such practices and beliefs.
Gordon and Cooil's reports are a little more disconcerting, however Cooil's attempts at rationalization provide some comfort, as well as Jasper's good faith. In fact, Desmond is beginning to think highly of this young man, perhaps he is starting to see something in Jasper that reminds him of himself when he was younger, before he became so critical.
In response to Cooil's ponderings, Desmond whispers, Suppose we are no longer on Earth, when we come into contact with the people of this place, how will we communicate with them? How will we ever explain where we come from and how we got here?
And then they hear music, and see lights.
Desmond slowly lets out a deep breath, I guess we're about to find out... God bless us all.
Hearing the music, Cooil suggests in response to the Father's query, "When in Rome...? They like song, let's introduce ourselves singing. They will be less likely to think we are trying to ambush them. Row, Row, Row your boat anybody?"
Jasper was in a strange place. Thrown through space, exposed to gamma rays, sorrounded by people who'd gained supernatural powers, and now walking through a garden where the sun didn't rise or fall. An hour ago, he might have been on the edge of a panic attack, or at least his mind would be racing.
But it wasn't. Jasper, in spite of knowing that nothing about this made sense, felt nothing but calm in his mind, like he knew that everything would end up ok. Even as Dr MacCray's theory made his head spin, or Father McKinley presented the problem of communication, he said nothing and focused only on his sorroundings, leaving the theorizing to his more esoteric minded compatriots.
One thing did grab his attention though: when Dr MacCray asked everyone to sing.
Err, with all due respect, Dr MacCray, he began, his voice uncertain. If whoever we meet is hostile to us, singing is unlikely to pacify them. what he wasn't going to say, of course, was how embarrassing it would be for five grown men and women to introduce themselves to a foreign society by singing a children's camp song.
Grasping his spear more tightly and trying to keep the paranoia out of his voice Gordon respond to Cooil. We likely are being watched Cooil. This has place has the feel of a trap to me. Don't you all feel it too? In fact this entire mission feel like a trap. We are trapped, as much as I hate to admit it. And now I feel like we are digging in deeper. To Cooil's curious musing Gordon jokes Are you saying we should not thing of the Staff-Puff Marshmallow Man Cooil? Even though he makes a joke he seems quite alert and ready for something to happen.
When Cooil asks the group to sing its just too much for Gordon and he pipes Quiet. I'll more more about these creatures before we bring them down on us. Perhaps they are not a threat. Perhaps they are trapped here too.He muses. Me me try to move quietly up and see if I can observe them.
Unless he is prevented from doing so Gordon will move ahead as quietly as he can.
Janice continues down the path towards the lights and the singing.
|
|
As the others move forward, Desmond remembers something about the curious little fellow he heard before, and he whispers to Cooil and Jasper, The one we encountered earlier, he was singing something too... It sounded to me a little like ancient Aramaic... as strange as that may sound. It's hard to tell, the language has evolved into many separate dialects, and I'm mostly familiar with the Galilean dialect of Jesus and John the Baptist, and I'm much better at reading it than speaking it. If these are the same sort of people, that might be our best bet.
With that said, McKinley moves forward behind Gordon and Janice as quietly as possible and listens carefully to the singing ahead, trying to make out if he can understand any of it.
Jasper listens to Father McKinley's idea with relief. Being able to speak these people's language would be useful. He noticed how Dr Alexander and Father McKinley attempted to go unseen by the music they approached. He decided it would be unhelpful to join them: he was too big and clumsy to be stealthy. Instead, he trotted up to Dr Zeroux, who had been surprisingly silent. He spoke to her, as much to strike up conversation as to get information.
See anything unusual, Dr Zeroux?
Janice turns to Jasper as he catches up, and continues to walk with him as she responds to his question.
Hey Jasper, no. I think I am getting the hang of this aura thing, and I can kind of turn it off and on, which is good because it was starting to give me a headache. I haven't seen any strange auras lately, although when people are using their new "powers" I do see something. I am wondering if this aura sight is a way to detect some... supernatural or magical quality.
How about you? Have you been feeling any differently than normal?
<She turns on her aura sight briefly>
I don't see anything different, but that might not really mean anything. I feel like we are all being changed in some way.
Outvoted on using singing to introduce the group's presence, Cooil listens to the song and tries to glean something from the melody what sort of mood they were all in.
He attempts to move quietly with Janice and Jasper, hoping Father McKinley is right about being able to use an ancient language to communicate.
He too found it hard to avoid stepping on crunchy things, but felt that perhaps it would be best if we did not make first contact while moving like a hunting party with spears and slings at the ready. "We should remember," he whispers to those near him, "that they have every reason to worry about our intentions as we do about them. The prisoner's dilemma applies, which has shown that the best first move in a situation like this is to express one's peaceful motives and not start things off on a bad footing."
Jasper listened to Dr Zeroux intently, waiting to speak in turn.
This... "aura sight", is something you've never seen before, right? he questioned hesitantly. The idea of ordinary people gaining, for lack of a better term, "super powers" was very unsettling: it made him wonder if things would change further, and how.
At Dr Zeroux's query about himself, he chuckled.
Nothing particularly strange. he began. Except... I don't know. I feel a constant sort of "calm" in my mind, like I know things will somehow turn out ok. He gave an uncomfortable chuckle. Funny... I started out being the most paranoid and now I'm the one acting like an optimist.
No, I haven't personally seen anything like this before today, but there are many stories of people seeing auras and being able to cast spells. It always seemed fictional to me before, but you truly never know what fables are based in fact. Given our current circumstances, I would have to say there seems like a lot more evidence for all of it.
Observe.
She turns her aura sight off and back on.
You saw those hand motions? Those make it easier to do for some reason. It requires a *lot* of further study, but initially it appears that "spellcasting" for lack of a better word is a real thing. Now I just wonder if I am going to need a spellbook, or if I can play it by ear.
She grins at him.
I know it sounds crazy, but it's also... exciting, and interesting. The whole universe seems like it cracked open, allowing so many more possibilities. It's fascinating, and fun. Well, mostly.... I know you didn't see the creature that went along with that arm, Jasper, but it was truly, truly horrifying, and evil. The aura was black. ... I guess, as with everything else in life, new discoveries offer amazing new possibilities for good *and* for bad.
I'm glad that you know things are going to be okay. Let's hope that you've developed some precognition. :) I definitely want that to be true, instead of Gordon's belief that it's going to turn out badly.
Strange, if these are real gifts, that they would tell us such different things. Makes you wonder if you can trust the changes. :)
When they get really close to the singing, but are not quite there, Janice wants to call out, but she remembers Gordon's feeling, and hangs back a little, waiting for him to tell them what he sees.
As Cooil moves closer, he says to those still around, "I hope Gordon considers that we have been walking for an hour and seen no evidence of any wild animals. And we seem a long way from any borders. I don't think anyone who would move about here would need to worry about being attacked. I can't imagine them needing weapons, unless they are a warlike group who goes everywhere with weapons. But such people rarely lavish resources on a well kept garden you can spend hours walking through. This doesn't feel like a trap to me, even if we are being watched."
Cooil's sensible talk only agitates Gordon. Somehow its a trap. he retorts I can feel it in my bones.
Jasper rolls his eyes at Dr Alexander's fear and turns to him, speaking not so much cruelly as dismissively.
If you're so worried about an ambush, you could always go back to the Nexus. Maybe map some more doors, find some place you find more palatable?
Jasper, your feeling of calm is just as unnatural as his paranoia. We don't know which one is right, if either is. Let's wait and see. Some caution is prudent anyway, I think.
Gordon looks at Jasper with something akin to loathing. And abandon you all? I am no coward. Ifits a trap, then I am here to fight for you and with you.
When Janice voices her opinion Gordon calms some. You have a point there Dr. Zeroux. Neither feeling seems to match the facts. I do so hate to be manipulated.
Dr Zeroux's words gave him pause. It was rather unusual for him to be calm in a time like this. Dr Alexander's paranoia was annoying, but was his misguided optimism any better?
Of course, Dr Zeroux. he replied apologetically. It is unfair to judge anyone for feeling odd about this mess.
Unless it was some sort of large constructed satellite with its own light source or a dome with a fake sky Cooil knows of no natural way for such a thing to occur and the amount of power that it must need is unable to be calculated with more measurements and information on the size of this place that it illuminates. Still the amount of energy must be collosal.
Many of the species of flowers, plants and trees in the garden are recognisable and an equal amount are not. Insects, bugs and worms can sometimes be found under a rock or at the base of a tree. You even find an ants nest full of little black ants. Nothing larger is seen though if you stop to listen the ambient noise betrays life in the further reaches of the garden.
You follow the sounds of singing and a few minutes later you can see a cleared area of the garden where only the larger trees are left. The are no flowers or smaller plants growing here around the trees like the rest of the garden. Some of the lights are at ground level around the trees but many others are up in the trees at different levels, some floating or being carried along by something, at this distance it is difficult to tell clearly. Luckily, in spite of your clumsy approach, you do not seam to be noticed. These creatures attention is on themselves and they clearly are not expecting any intruders. The songs continue and as Father McKinley listens he seems to find verses, repeated lines in the song. Though translating a heard language is much, much harder than something written, there is one thing that hasn't changed too much. The word for angel seems to be used in almost every line and seems very important.
You are able to approach to the edge of this cleared area without being noticed when from somewhere behind you a singular hornlike note is heard. All singing instantly stops.
Janice looks towards the hornlike sound. Do we see someone/something behind us?
|
|
Father McKinley turns to his companions as they near the edge if the clearing with a face that he hopes says, "hush! Trap or no trap, its best if we approach with caution."
The truth is, Desmond is a little on edge. Historically, Catholic priests don't have the best track record when it comes to these first contact sort of situations.
He can't help but think that most likely Jasper and Gordon are both right. In his early days as a priest, back when he worked with a congregation, Desmond couseled his share of disagreements amingst parishioners. What he learned was that when there seemed to be two opposing truths, a third truth would usually arise. He found the same principle in alchemy, when two come together they give rise to a third. So, more than likely, this was both a trap AND they were going to be just fine. Of course, he couldn't say any of this right now, as he was busy being quiet.
He recognizes the word for angel, and this realization lifts up his heart. That is, for a moment, and then the sound of the horn behind them. He too turns abruptly, his eyes wide, his heart racing.
Desmond scans the trees to try to find the source of the noise.
Cooil holds still and looks around, waiting and watching.
You see nothing behind you yet. Whoever or whatever blew the horn is out of your line of sight an unknown distance away.
Up in the trees the branches between trees join together creating a sort of natural tree village with many of the small creatures living up there. After the horn they all seemed to freeze. Some holding their torches dropped them, all seemed to look towards the sound of the horn. They don't appear to have seen you as you are out of the light range but are looking your way. You don't notice any weapons either.
They seem frightened. Maybe we should just observe for a moment.
She steps off the path and moves into the shelter of the trees, not in the direction of the people.
Seeing the first signs of civilization made Jasper want to jump with joy. Finally! he thought. Someone who can answer our questions. We can begin to work on a way back!
Before he could think any further, a high, horn-like sound resounded from the woods behind him. His face went white and his blood was ice cold. He turned frantically around in a circle, built could not yet see a threat. A quick scan of the unknown humanoids behind him told him that they seemed unlikely to attack, at least. He gripped his spear tightly in both hands: this did not bode well.
|
|
Desmond looks around to his companions and whispers, I don't see anything.
Obviously, he wonders what the horn portends, and he turns back to view the village, They seem as startled as we are.
In response to Janice, Desmond nods and crouches down to the ground, trying to keep a low profile.
A poem enters into Father McKinley's mind, Who, if I cried out, would hear me among the Angelic
Orders? And even if one were to suddenly
take me to its heart, I would vanish into its
stronger existence. For beauty is nothing but
the beginning of terror, that we are still able to bear,
and we revere it so, because it calmly disdains
to destroy us.
Every angel is terror, he is heard to softly whisper.
Cooil remains calm and crouches to better blend into the shadows. He whispers, "Perhaps someone has detected that the door was used and is warning them. They don't seem armed, so we should not threaten them with our weapons if they discover us."
Cooil looked with interest at everything he could see: the tree dwellings, the lights, the creatures themselves. His heart was beating at a lively clip, but he was calm and looking forward to whatever happened next.
He had always rejected the notion that the universe might have evil spirits or the possibility of damnation. Somehow, he always felt that the universe was not a trap but a place to explore and learn and grow. He did not fear death, feeling that it was but a transition and would lead on to future incarnations and more learning and wisdom. But he never imagined he would be on such an exotic adventure. His main concern about dying was that it would cut this wondrous experience short.
To the extent that he could see the inhabitants of the tree village, he watched for any body language that seemed to indicate how the they indicated respect for each other. Did they bow, make a hand gesture, for example? He wanted to be able to make a respectful first impression.
I agree Cooil. Perhaps we are trapped here. But they may be trapped too. Gordon says quietly as he lowers his spear, holding it defensively and watches. He looks more towards the sound of the horn than into the glade. Might it be that these creature are threatened by the horn blower. It suddenly dawns on me that they could be the hunted.
Idea of the size of the 'tree village'.
After a minute another horn blast comes, closer than the last and finally the creatures in the trees move again, more lights appear (perhaps a hundred or more) and several of the lights disappear as those holding torches move behind the main trunk of the tree that they are in. They seem unsure if anything, and worried.
Desmond and Cooil also notice a faint noise that sounds like shouting also coming from behind you. Whatever has the horn is coming towards you and the village.
If they are hunted, why wouldn't they run?
Jasper, do you still feel calm about this? I sure don't.
Janice moves farther into the trees, not wanting whatever was coming to see her unless she chose to show herself.
Perhaps we should get off the trail and take cover to see what is coming? If its trouble I am inclined to fight to defend these small people.
Jasper trembled. He knew that something was going to happen, and the sound of the horn reminded him eerily of a police siren, or the cry and shout of a madman: noise intended not to warn, but to terrify.
Jasper heard Dr Zeroux's question and searched his mind. He was still afraid, and the panic were in his heart told him to get himself and everyone else out. But again, he felt a calm in the back of his mind, and as he focused on it he realized its purpose: to keep him from panicking.
I-I'm not sure, he stuttered in reply. I still feel that "calm" I told you about, but... I'm not sure how accurate the feeling is.
He turned to Dr Alexander, welling up with new respect for the man.
Can't say I disagree with you Doctor. I'll follow your lead.
|
|
Upon hearing the second noise and the sounds of shouting, Desmond turns to his companions, but they are already thinking his same thoughts.
Quickly! hey says and then moves off the trail into the trees. He finds a large one, perhaps 15-20ft off the trail and back from the village to hide behind. He tries to keep a good view of both the village and whatever is coming up behind them.
You all move off the path into the trees to hide and wait. The torch lights that disappeared behind tree trunks reappear at the base of the trees held by the creatures that had climbed down the trees. Two of the closest wander towards the beginning of the path and try to peer through the moonlit darkness. After another minute Desmond recognises the periodic shouting as their language as it grows closer. The two on the ground call up to those in the trees and something extraordinary happens. The ground in the clearing seems to become full of smaller plants and flowers and now appears just like any other part of the garden. Even a dirt path through the area appears, continuing on south east. The torches are put out and everyone hides.
The creature shouting arrives a couple of minutes later running past you and stopping as if he knows where the village is. He calls out and the two on the ground come out from behind a tree and approach him. The newcomer seems anxious as he talks to the other 2. They shake their head as if answering a question and give a short reply and then listen to the newcomer talk again. Up close these short people are more than just child-sized adults. Their face structure and head shape is different than any humans by just enough to be noticeable. Though it is dark their clothes appear colourful rather than simply natural greens and browns.