"See, reality is layered, and in one reality you fell out of the tree and in another close layer you didn't. You can never effect the timeline you come from, only parallel ones."
Ryo pauses for a moment, thinking.
"You talk of going into different realities, I talk of travel through the time of this reality. Perhaps this demon isn't as strong as we think..."
"See, reality is layered, and in one reality you fell out of the tree and in another close layer you didn't. You can never effect the timeline you come from, only parallel ones."Ryo pauses for a moment, thinking.
"You talk of going into different realities, I talk of travel through the time of this reality. Perhaps this demon isn't as strong as we think..."
"How so?" She frowned. "The splintering effect is reality's way of dealing with interference. It prevents paradoxes from occurring and thus you know, destroying the universe. How can anyone travel through time in their own reality? And how does that make the demon less strong?"
"If the demon cannot change this timeline, and has to go into others, all we have to do is find a place where the timelines meet and... I don't know."
"This is starting to confuse me, and it shouldn't, since I have to work with timelines almost everyday. I don't know why, but I think the demon should have some kind of weakness. I've been weak after working big magics, maybe it's the same for the demon?"
"There are different realities right, and you can travel through them? If Ephebe is worried about seeing one of her younger 'selves' why don't we even the playing field, and bring 'ourselves,' except all grown up?"
The threat drew closer, and Kannic retreated behind some large boulders. Krarsh. The Tunnel Dwellers. The ones as old as the First Ones. He must be smelling their approach through an open vent somewhere. One. It must not have sensed him, else it would have approached through fresh rock and he would end up as its lunch. The thought of food echoes in a rumble from his belly. He wills it to be quiet. Hopefully the creature will pass him by.
The vent is directly over his hiding place, the scent of the beast growing stronger with each moment. Naked, unarmed, his only hope of survival is fleeing. He tries to move silently but his new bulk works against him. The creature senses him and rushes to the attack. His brain screams to flee, but his body refuses to obey. It leaps at the creature as it exits the vent. Some unknown skill aims his body to land on the creature's back, avoiding its razor sharp teeth. It flails its tentacles behind as it is driven to the floor of the tunnel. Kannic draws back his hand to strike its exposed back. A fool's move, his mind tells him. Instead of a fist he drives his primal clawed fingers straight forward, somehow finding a ridge in its back plates. Pulling the plate back with one hand he drives his other hand into the opening. The tentacles grab him. He bites one as it swipes across his face. He sharpened teeth catch hold. Laying flat on the creature's back he kicks his legs out. Each of them do battle with tentacles. Releasing the broken plate he jams his other fist into the soft meat of the creature. Eventually he finds the brain.
Kannic roars in victory and challenge. He feasts upon his fresh kill, the raw meat, and reveling in his primal strength.
"I am no longer a dwarf", he thinks, but part of him believes he is something more. Maybe something more pure. The thoughts fade quickly. For now he has survived. That is enough. What else is there?
"I am no longer a dwarf", he thinks, but part of him believes he is something more. Maybe something more pure. The thoughts fade quickly. For now he has survived. That is enough. What else is there?
"I am no longer a dwarf", he thinks, but part of him believes he is something more. Maybe something more pure. The thoughts fade quickly. For now he has survived. That is enough. What else is there?
"There are different realities right, and you can travel through them? If Ephebe is worried about seeing one of her younger 'selves' why don't we even the playing field, and bring 'ourselves,' except all grown up?"
"Call on more powerful versions of ourselves?" She tilts her head, considering. "I can't think of any reason why that wouldn't work."
"Wouldn't that just pollute the timeline even more...make it more unstable? That doesn't necessarily sound like a net gain for us, unless it makes things harder for the demon to manipulate by doing so...hmmm."
"If we don't pull them from this reality, It shouldn't have an effects on this one. If it did, Ephebe's six year-old self would have caused major problems for the demon itself."
"Ryo's got it. It's no different of an effect than James and Ephebe have had coming here. They're from parallel realities so it doesn't damage this one to have them here. If we found a way to call more powerful versions of ourselves from parallel realities, then it wouldn't effect the stability of this one. Only, are we talking in addition to, or an exchange?"
"I think it would be in addition. Again, I shall refer to Ephebe and her evil counterpart. I think in order for her to know about the evil one, she would have had to seen it(her?) and maybe even battled with her(it?). I'm not sure how many we'll be able to ask before the demon notices some temporal gates have been made..."
"Uhh, thinking of Time like this is giving me a headache."
More food appears on the table, a different array of choices all together, and he begins to eat again.
A sleepy looking Ephebe stumbles into the kitchen, grabs the pitcher with the blue-green stuff in it and chugs what's left.
"Gods, that child is a fricking genius."
"Oh, before I forget," she pulls out some scrolls. "Permanent Protection from Evil. I have four of them. So one for Dad, one for Mom, one for Uncle Ryo, and one for me. This is the part where we're talking about bringing in some ringers yes? So, I have an extra three just in case. No good bringing in a more powerful version of yourself only to have them dominated. Especially bad in Mom's case. Right, just stay still for a minute..."
She quickly casts the spells, just to be on the safe side.
"Well that does save me from some repetivive spell memorization," Tam chuckles as the protective spell takes effect. As it does, a latticework of glowing lines appears on all of his exposed skin. Aananda would see his whole body crawling with 'mites', but in very specific patterns .
Aananda blinks. "That is so cool. It kinda looks like the circuit board of an aerospeeder, way more advanced than anything I normally get to play with." She tilts her head and examines the lines. "Is that all from the spell that Ephebe just cast?"
Aananda blinks. "That is so cool. It kinda looks like the circuit board of an aerospeeder, way more advanced than anything I normally get to play with." She tilts her head and examines the lines. "Is that all from the spell that Ephebe just cast?"
"Huh - must be because of the Permanency in the spell she cast," he replies, looking in the window at the glow reflecting off of the glass.
"I think it's coming from my dweomerware implants reacting to Ephebe's spell. Arcane harmonics I guess, since they're permanent effects as well. Another neat little product from where I came from - they can do all sorts of things..."
Just as he's starting to enjoy all the attention, he remembers that they have an audience. Again. ;P
She is confused at first about why he stopped, and then realizes that Ryo and Ephebe are looking a little amused. She blushes.
"Oh. Errr....that sounds really fascinating, and I'd uhhhhh....love to hear more about it....some other time?"
She desperately casts around for some way to change the subject.
"So do I still have to try on the amulet that tried to run away with me last night?"
Ephebe choked on her breakfast and Aananda hit her on the back until she stopped coughing.
She is confused at first about why he stopped, and then realizes that Ryo and Ephebe are looking a little amused. She blushes.
"Oh. Errr....that sounds really fascinating, and I'd uhhhhh....love to hear more about it....some other time?"
"Uh...sure. I'll tell you about it later then," he says with a slightly embarrased smile and some reddened cheeks of his own.
She desperately casts around for some way to change the subject.
"So do I still have to try on the amulet that tried to run away with me last night?"
Ephebe choked on her breakfast and Aananda hit her on the back until she stopped coughing.
When they're both sure she's breathing properly again:
"I take it you're not too fond of that idea. Do you actually know something about this amulet after all? Though the whole 'run away' thing would sound kind of odd, taken out of context..."
"I liked to know why the horrid thing was hidden in the walls of my home."
Ephebe shook her head.
"I've never seen that amulet before. I was just...surprised...when Mom said it ...I never even heard her leave the room. I mean, I can't detect anything bad about it, but maybe I should try harder before we go testing it out on Mom?"
Ephebe shook her head.
"I've never seen that amulet before. I was just...surprised...when Mom said it ...I never even heard her leave the room. I mean, I can't detect anything bad about it, but maybe I should try harder before we go testing it out on Mom?"
"We're just bouncing around ideas at the moment. Since it essentially avoided being put around my neck when I tried to put it on, and the fact that it seems to have some affinity for her, it was a thought. Another set of eyes on it wouldn't hurt, though, if you want to try some stuff."
Aananda pulls the amulet out of her pack and sets it on the table.
Ephebe casts a few spells and concentrates on the amulet.
"Okay, I'm not sure what effects this thing is gonna have. Conjuration and Transmutation are strong. Necromancy moderate. It's reading as neutral on the good/evil axis, and this is where I get a little concerned. Moderate Temporal effects. This was either sent through time or has some time effecting magic built into it."
"I was able to isolate elements from several mid to high level arcane and divine spells that were combined somehow in the amulet's creation."
"If memory serves, the arcane spells were Clone, Haste, Temporal Stasis and Time Stop. The divine spell was Regenerate," he says, counting off each spell as he goes, the glow on his skin finally fading away.
"From everything my magic could tell me about its history and purpose, it's supposed to give life. How it does that specifically I still don't know, unless I hit this thing with another Legend Lore to be sure."
"Please don't make me put it on," Aananda said quietly, looking at the amulet with concern. "I don't want to. There's something about it that bothers me. Something wrong. What did they see inside the egg? Was it the baby? Or was is empty? What if it was empty? Isn't that what you said she did to James, Ephebe? Stole him away before he was even born? They were crying. Something happened to the baby. The one used to make this amulet. They were his parents and they were crying. I don't think they made their baby into an amulet..."
She looked a little green, like she was going to throw up.
"Please don't make me put it on," Aananda said quietly, looking at the amulet with concern. "I don't want to. There's something about it that bothers me. Something wrong. What did they see inside the egg? Was it the baby? Or was is empty? What if it was empty? Isn't that what you said she did to James, Ephebe? Stole him away before he was even born? They were crying. Something happened to the baby. The one used to make this amulet. They were his parents and they were crying. I don't think they made their baby into an amulet..."
She looked a little green, like she was going to throw up.
Tam puts a steadying hand on her cheek.
"I only suggested it, Aananda - nobody here's going to make you do anything you don't want to. If you're getting a bad feeling about it, then we'll just put it away, or destroy it if you think we need to."
"Even if we didn't know it's power or origin, you would not be forced to do something you don't want. If anyone should be the next to try it on, it would be me, because it was found in my house. And I'm not going to try it on, even if my life depends on it. No one in this house is going to try and put it on unless they want too, with one exception. He doesn't get to try."
Aananda took a deep breath, letting Tam's touch calm her and bring her out of the nightmare.
"I'm sorry. I overreacted. I...I've been drawn to the amulet since we found it, but that frightens me. And I don't know where it was trying to take me. Maybe it's something wonderful that will help us finally win against the time demon. Or maybe it's a horrible trap. Not knowing which, it's making me a bit crazy. I really don't want to try the amulet on."
Aananda took a deep breath, letting Tam's touch calm her and bring her out of the nightmare.
"I'm sorry. I overreacted. I...I've been drawn to the amulet since we found it, but that frightens me. And I don't know where it was trying to take me. Maybe it's something wonderful that will help us finally win against the time demon. Or maybe it's a horrible trap. Not knowing which, it's making me a bit crazy. I really don't want to try the amulet on."
He smiles at her.
"Then you won't. Simple as that. We'll figure the thing out or we'll put it out of harm's reach. Don't give it anymore thought - we have enough concrete worry right now to last a lifetime, no need to pile a bunch of 'what-ifs' on top of that. Okay?"
Aananda took a deep breath, letting Tam's touch calm her and bring her out of the nightmare.
"I'm sorry. I overreacted. I...I've been drawn to the amulet since we found it, but that frightens me. And I don't know where it was trying to take me. Maybe it's something wonderful that will help us finally win against the time demon. Or maybe it's a horrible trap. Not knowing which, it's making me a bit crazy. I really don't want to try the amulet on."
He smiles at her.
"Then you won't. Simple as that. We'll figure the thing out or we'll put it out of harm's reach. Don't give it anymore thought - we have enough concrete worry right now to last a lifetime, no need to pile a bunch of 'what-ifs' on top of that. Okay?"
She smiled back. "Okay."
"Okay, so now that that's settled, opening temporal gates and all that. Sometimes it helps. Sometimes....I can't tell you how much I hate that wish spell. Still want to try? This I can do." She wolfed down a huge stack of pancakes.
Long hours have passed. The demon finally allowing the mage's body to rest before finshing the work. A gleam in her eyes, the mage pushes another box thru a section of wall, sending it on to its destination.
Kannic fashions crude implements from the body of the Krarsh. The teeth he has added to strands of his own hair to make a necklace. Two tentacles can be used as clubs. The ichor from the creature's body can be added to his own odor to scream out 'THREAT' to anything that happens to get too close.
His ears twitch at a new sound. Up in the vent. He cautiously looks into it. He finds a small box. Opening it he draws out a fine stone dagger, the black obsidain blade gleaming even in this darkness. Smiling, he thanks the gods that sent it. Discarding one of the tentacles he grips the weapon in one hand as he heads off, searching for new prey and some place to make a home.
"Okay, so now that that's settled, opening temporal gates and all that. Sometimes it helps. Sometimes....I can't tell you how much I hate that wish spell. Still want to try? This I can do." She wolfed down a huge stack of pancakes.
"I think I can help. Is it easier to make a temporal gate if you already have a Gate?"
"Okay, so now that that's settled, opening temporal gates and all that. Sometimes it helps. Sometimes....I can't tell you how much I hate that wish spell. Still want to try? This I can do." She wolfed down a huge stack of pancakes."I think I can help. Is it easier to make a temporal gate if you already have a Gate?"
She nodded enthusiastically. "Loads easier," she said semi-intelligibly through a mouthful of pancake.
"Then by all means, allow me to give you a hand.. and I have plenty of cards to deal!" Grinning, Ryo holds up his Gate Card and creates an oval of light big enough for a person to step through in the doorway.
"Huh, I'm getting better at that..."
"Anyway, all I did was make it. Any destinations are set by you, and in this case, times and realities."
"Then by all means, allow me to give you a hand.. and I have plenty of cards to deal!" Grinning, Ryo holds up his Gate Card and creates an oval of light big enough for a person to step through in the doorway.
"Huh, I'm getting better at that..."
"Anyway, all I did was make it. Any destinations are set by you, and in this case, times and realities."
"Okay." Ephebe looks into the Gate, her eyes taking on a more draconic look as she called upon the powers granted her by Kronos. She muttered several unintelligible phrases in draconic and power swirled through her and into the Gate as the summoning commenced.
A form began to take shape within the oval...
A form began to take shape within the oval...
If it wasn't for the red hooded cloak, you wouldn't be able to tell the first one through was Ryo's older self. He glances up from the book he's reading.
"I was wondering when the portal would appear. It's good to see everyone looking so young"
