Nala nodded. "Yes, there are special protections in place. Instead of being sent to the white room, you will be teleported to the Isolab and a message sent to me if the other one comes out. The wards will prevent her from actually hurting anyone even if she does come out. Also, there are special restrictions on you preventing you from leaving the school grounds. Any attempt to do so will get you teleported back away from the edges of the wards. So you can't leave even by accident. I expect that eventually as you gain greater control that those restrictions will be lifted. But I think they are necessary for now, for the safety of everyone involved."
"If you wish to go to the office yourself, then simply put your hand on the wall and think of your destination. The arrows will light up and you can follow them to your destination."
Jessa gives a short nod and a quick smile, a little nervous about being unescorted among other people. She is willing to accept Nala's reassurance, though. "Okay, I can do that. I hope you find the information you need. How can I let you know if anything comes up that you should know? And will the Headmaster know who I am supposed to talk to about permanently dealing with my guest?" At her last question, her eyes flash with the malevolent purple light, and she twitches, one arm jerking toward Nala. She squeezes her eyes shut and folds her arms tightly against her body, standing still like that for several moments before relaxing again and giving Nala a sheepish look.
Jessa gives a short nod and a quick smile, a little nervous about being unescorted among other people. She is willing to accept Nala's reassurance, though. "Okay, I can do that. I hope you find the information you need. How can I let you know if anything comes up that you should know? And will the Headmaster know who I am supposed to talk to about permanently dealing with my guest?" At her last question, her eyes flash with the malevolent purple light, and she twitches, one arm jerking toward Nala. She squeezes her eyes shut and folds her arms tightly against her body, standing still like that for several moments before relaxing again and giving Nala a sheepish look.Nala nodded. "Yes, there are special protections in place. Instead of being sent to the white room, you will be teleported to the Isolab and a message sent to me if the other one comes out. The wards will prevent her from actually hurting anyone even if she does come out. Also, there are special restrictions on you preventing you from leaving the school grounds. Any attempt to do so will get you teleported back away from the edges of the wards. So you can't leave even by accident. I expect that eventually as you gain greater control that those restrictions will be lifted. But I think they are necessary for now, for the safety of everyone involved."
"If you wish to go to the office yourself, then simply put your hand on the wall and think of your destination. The arrows will light up and you can follow them to your destination."
"I'm listed as your advisor, so if any incident happens I will be notified automatically. If you need to send me a message about something you can either come and find me or use a datapad. They're programmed to be able to send communications. And yes the Headmaster will know what to do. He will probably refer you to my teacher, Miss Jones. She hasn't spent much time on medical training, but she is an enchanter of great power and she knows what to do for problems of the mind. If there's anyone here more qualified to help you, then the Headmaster will know it. I'm proud of you, Jessa. You're already making so much progress."
::Umm...I know you're dealing with something, Love, and I don't wish to be a bother, but are you alright?::::Not....exactly, no. Umm....if you see me, make absolutely sure it's really me. There's a lot of me running around right now apparently and many of them are loyal to Kronos no matter how insane he is. Or not. He might not actually be crazy at all. He might just be trying to do something crazy. Definitely don't let any of them anywhere near the children regardless. Also be very wary of a gold dragon named Aurix. He's bad, bad news. Basically Kronos has brought back every Champion he's ever had, including a few dozen iterations of me courtesy of that whole time loop mess. Still don't know exactly what he's up to.::There's no response for a moment...then anger and frustration flow over the bond in spades.
::S%!+. I will be wary. I must notify Death so he can take appropriate steps.
He must realize, this isn't a simple loophole. This is a gross infraction. This will not be overlooked.::::If you need anything...please do not hesitate to call upon me, Love. And please be safe...::
::I will try. I'm not entirely sure yet what's even going on. Just...be careful and guard our babies for me.::
"I gave Krays a quick summary of what's going on as far as I know. So Death knows that Kronos is cheating now. I think he set it up this way. He would have known after the last couple of months especially that I would appeal to my mate's Patron for help. I think it's probably part of the distraction."
She turned back to Anwar. "Will you please tell us what the plan is now?" she asked impatiently.
Noticing the lightheaded dealing he's had for the past minute or so, Dave casts air bubble and takes a few deep, calming breaths before speaking grinning and speaking as loudly as possible, "low how the mighty have fallen, the big bad demon hiding as would a mortal child, tut tut, it's kinda pathetic really. I must say I'm disappointed, come out now, and I'll give you a warrior's death, otherwise I'll have to find you myself"
He says before blasting the ground with his breath weapon destroying the ground in an attempt to drive him from his hiding place
Jeran considers trying to stop him for a moment and then decides that talking to the professor was likely to be a more productive use of his time. He bounded over to Vare. "Professor, what is this thing? And more importantly, how do we stop it?"
"Master...we need to talk..."
"Alright, for the sake of completion, I'm going to list all the names I can think of, even those we've already covered. Tami, Morrivan, Raelle, Vai, Melody, Kitty, Tyrrin, Jaiye, Dom, Sadie, Ardiente, Dave, Mithros, Igni, Repp, Keme, Michael, Arthur, Fei, Ehos, Rodhas and Joneh, Tybalt, Adon, Zren and Rikkeno. Those last two are the half-ogre twins who hang out with Sadie"
"Alright, for the sake of completion, I'm going to list all the names I can think of, even those we've already covered. Tami, Morrivan, Raelle, Vai, Melody, Kitty, Tyrrin, Jaiye, Dom, Sadie, Ardiente, Dave, Mithros, Igni, Repp, Keme, Michael, Arthur, Fei, Ehos, Rodhas and Joneh, Tybalt, Adon, Zren and Rikkeno. Those last two are the half-ogre twins who hang out with Sadie"
"Master...we need to talk...""I SUPPOSE THIS MEANS THAT SHENANIGANS ARE AFOOT. TO BE FAIR. THAT IS USUALLY MY FIRST ASSUMPTION. WHATEVER SHENANIGANS ACTUALLY ARE, THEY SEEM TO BE QUITE WELL TRAVELED."
"Shenanigans indeed, My Lord. Kronos shenanigans, as it were. Ephebe tells me he is...bringing back his old champions. Several of my mate's duplicates, as well as another named Aurix. She thought at first he had gone mad, but now thinks something else is afoot."
Smiles and watches Nala gather herself and mentor the girl.
"As you wish, Master. I will of course act to defend my family, if necessary. That includes one of the Champions of Time."
"I gave Krays a quick summary of what's going on as far as I know. So Death knows that Kronos is cheating now. I think he set it up this way. He would have known after the last couple of months especially that I would appeal to my mate's Patron for help. I think it's probably part of the distraction."
She turned back to Anwar. "Will you please tell us what the plan is now?" she asked impatiently.
"Hmm? Oh, yeah. One moment," The sandy-haired says as he jumps into the pit and pulls out the tiny safe from it. "I was saving this, you know, in case another Champy tries to kill me, but it's needed. In here is all my old stuff. Filled to overflowing. Just like that." He says as he points out the Time amulet Lysander has on. "We're going to see just how unbalanced the Patrons are. I'll need something from the Champs though."
"Hmm? Oh, yeah. One moment," The sandy-haired says as he jumps into the pit and pulls out the tiny safe from it. "I was saving this, you know, in case another Champy tries to kill me, but it's needed. In here is all my old stuff. Filled to overflowing. Just like that." He says as he points out the Time amulet Lysander has on. "We're going to see just how unbalanced the Patrons are. I'll need something from the Champs though."
"I gave Krays a quick summary of what's going on as far as I know. So Death knows that Kronos is cheating now. I think he set it up this way. He would have known after the last couple of months especially that I would appeal to my mate's Patron for help. I think it's probably part of the distraction."
She turned back to Anwar. "Will you please tell us what the plan is now?" she asked impatiently.
"What is it you need? And what are you planning to do with it?" she asked, skeptically.
Meanwhile, Andromeda is sketching something in the dirt. She seems to have gotten distracted by something and is trying to sort it.
"Lysander, how did you find out about your Time powers being back?" she asked, absently. "Only I think it might be important. I don't quite have enough information yet to work it all out."
"What is it you need? And what are you planning to do with it?" she asked, skeptically.
"Something that belongs to each Champy. Anything would work, but their Champion item would be downright phenomenal. Unless you think three Timers can drag a Patron into the future, that is."
Meanwhile, Andromeda is sketching something in the dirt. She seems to have gotten distracted by something and is trying to sort it.
"Lysander, how did you find out about your Time powers being back?" she asked, absently. "Only I think it might be important. I don't quite have enough information yet to work it all out."
"I don't have them back. I've been using the amulet the other you gave me."
"What is it you need? And what are you planning to do with it?" she asked, skeptically."Something that belongs to each Champy. Anything would work, but their Champion item would be downright phenomenal. Unless you think three Timers can drag a Patron into the future, that is."
"I don't have them back. I've been using the amulet the other you gave me."Meanwhile, Andromeda is sketching something in the dirt. She seems to have gotten distracted by something and is trying to sort it.
"Lysander, how did you find out about your Time powers being back?" she asked, absently. "Only I think it might be important. I don't quite have enough information yet to work it all out."
Andromeda sputtered.
"Let him be," Ephebe said. "It makes him feel better about the whole thing, so what difference does it make?"
"So do these items have to be willingly given or is it alright to just retrieve any items that belong to the other Champions?"
"You're doing it on purpose?" she squeaked.
"Well, not exactly on purpose. I mean, it's not like I have conscious control of it. I figured it was just another weird Kronos trick. Do try to focus."
"I am focused. And a little releieved. For a moment I forgot that if you did have conscious control of your powers we'd be living in a magical land of sparkly unicorns or something."
"Okay, first of all, you like sparkly things as much as I do. And second, I have absolutely zero idea what you're going on about," she said, crossing her arms and glaring at her double in annoyance.
"Huh? Oh....I forgot to say out loud, didn't I? Well, it's just that there's a lot to process and things look a lot different outsided of your head. I had no idea how much I was being influenced....well, that's not important now. The important thing is that I thnk Lysander was right about Kronos trying to change the timelines. And I'm pretty sure you are the key to doing it. You're the paradox engine. Which is kind of remarkable when you think about it. I mean, no one would ever expect a person to be a paradox engine."
Ephebe pinched the bridge of her nose and took a deep breath. "If this is what I'm like when I'm teaching, I owe my students a huge apology. Start back at the beginning and make sense this time."
"Of course, Master. Neither would I. I will be as discreet as possible."
"They don't, but do you really want to be making enemies by stealing right now?" Anwar asks, smirking.. "I gotta say though, if you're an engine I'll take up engineering."
Lysander studiously ignores his little brother. "Andromeda, you haven't seen more of me, have you? That wouldn't make sense."
"They don't, but do you really want to be making enemies by stealing right now?" Anwar asks, smirking.. "I gotta say though, if you're an engine I'll take up engineering."
Lysander studiously ignores his little brother. "Andromeda, you haven't seen more of me, have you? That wouldn't make sense."
"I'm married," she said dryly. "But you're more than welcome to flirt with Andromeda," she said in response to Anwar. "And many of them are friends and won't mind if I explain later. They'd recognize the aschen as being from me anyways. Probably. And it would be a lot more convenient then having to go borrow things from all of them myself."
"I'm married," she said dryly. "But you're more than welcome to flirt with Andromeda," she said in response to Anwar. "And many of them are friends and won't mind if I explain later. They'd recognize the aschen as being from me anyways. Probably. And it would be a lot more convenient then having to go borrow things from all of them myself.""They don't, but do you really want to be making enemies by stealing right now?" Anwar asks, smirking.. "I gotta say though, if you're an engine I'll take up engineering."
Lysander studiously ignores his little brother. "Andromeda, you haven't seen more of me, have you? That wouldn't make sense."
Andromeda glared at Ephebe.
"Anyways," she said, pointedly., "no of course I haven't seen more of you out there. There's only one of you as far as I know," she said to Lysander. "There's only so many of me because apparently it's not easy making a paradox engine. Well, that and sometimes Kronos can be a really sadistic bastard. I don't think it actually took that many tries to figure out where he was going wrong."
"Okay, now you're back to not making sense. Seriously, Andromeda, start at the beginning this time. Don't just keep repeating the same things."
Andromeda sighed and rolled her eyes. "Fine. You're being perfectly dense, but I think it might actually be that you're too close to it. I know I missed it while I was sharing your brain. So I suppose it makes sense in a way."
"It was what Lysander said about changing timelines that got me thinking. I know a lot about that kind of thing. I did a lot of research on it while I was stuck in the time loop. The thing is, you generally can't change a timeline. Usually when you try you just split off another universe. Which is needless to say pretty frustrating when you're stuck in a time loop until you can figure out how to change a timeline. Anyways, before I landed in your head," she said with a nod to Ephebe, "I'd done a lot of reading. Especially about something called a paradox engine. It's essentially a device that enables a paradox to exist long enough for a timeline to be truly changed. But the people who knew how to build them are long dead and they were usually enormous, complex machines. But somehow Kronos figured out how to turn a person into a paradox engine. That person," she said, pointing to Ephebe. "That's what it was all for. The time loop, the demon troubles, the genetic engineering....alll of it was meant to turn her into the most perfectly hidden paradox engine ever known."
"That's a pretty wild theory and so far I haven't exactly heard any supporting evidence," Ephebe said sceptically.
"Right. Well, for starters, how many times in your life have you traveled between parallel universes?"
"I don't know. Dozens? Hundreds? It's something I've done a lot."
"And how many times have you had to repair holes between those universes? Or for that matter, have you ever had to, aside from the recent one. That happened when I was controlling your body on account of you being curled up in your mind all traumatized...not that I blame you."
Ephebe sighed. "None, of course. To be bluntly honest, I'm still not sure how you were so careless as to leave a hole in the first place."
"Because that's what happens when normal people travel between universes," she snapped. "But you wouldn't know that because as a paradox engine you can travel between them without leaving so much as a trace. You don't even see it, but the multiverse twists itself into pretzel knots for you. And I think that Kronos is trying to buy some time with all this craziness so that you can do what you do and change things."
"I wonder if this is why I only ever got to work in my own time line."
"I wonder if this is why I only ever got to work in my own time line."
"Pretty much, yeah. The only ones who've interacted with other timelines are her and me. And I was a ghost at the time and was pretty much limited to giving advice. Except with Ephebe there. When she was overwhelmed and didn't want to deal I was able to take over her body for her for a while....and brought it back here because I figured anyone who could fix that time loop could keep my family safe.....I wish I could remember from what.....there are the oddest blank spots in my memory...."
Over the family bond
::I do not mean to cause alarm, however Ephebe's patron is causing...trouble, again. Therefore, I would advise you confirm it is indeed Ephebe, and not one of her other selves when and if you see her.
Also, beware a gold dragon named Aurix. That's all I have for now, more to follow as I have it. I love you all, stay safe.::
"Okay, well, I'm still not sure I believe you, but on the off chance that you're right, I should get on with the changing things then," she said, shaking her head. "Since that's apparently the only way to stop all of this insanity."
She snapped her fingers and an aschen appeared, obseqiously bowing as it eagerly hoped for caffeinated rewards.
"Here," she said pulling out a datapad from the pocket of her robe. "I want something borrowed and brought here from as many people on this list as possible. Leave a note or explain if you need to. Get as much help as you need to get this done quickly, but standard rules apply about how many of you are allowed in any one place at a time. There's an extra pound of coffee in this for you if you can get this done quickly enough."
The aschen grinned, showing off a mouthful of sharp teeth. "Yes, mistress," it hissed and then vanished.
"Okay, that takes care of that. We'll have the items you requested shortly," she said to Anwar.
And thankfully, all of this talk of paradox engines had distracted Lysander from the whole things about having his powers back. After all, it was most likely temporary anyways.
Repp makes an audible scoff and rolls his eyes at his interrogator's flippant nature. "Perhaps if you stopped condescending for a few moments and actually talked to the student body. I learned about the Empire from a fellow student within a few hours of arriving. I also learned that the school's administration appears to be scared senseless of it."
"Seems to be true, at least based on my current circumstances." he adds, with another fairly relaxed shrug.
"Mmhmm."
"And I did answer your question, though I guess I can do away with the subtlety for you: I was 'scoping' the lab out for myself, because you can never know when danger will strike. I like to be prepared."
"There we go. That's all I'm looking for - simple answers to simple questions. Thank you sir."
"Now, please tell to me about why you're here at Avalon. I ask because your file doesn't show any of the normal reasons for enrolling in this particular school..."
Over the family bond
::I do not mean to cause alarm, however Ephebe's patron is causing...trouble, again. Therefore, I would advise you confirm it is indeed Ephebe, and not one of her other selves when and if you see her.
Also, beware a gold dragon named Aurix. That's all I have for now, more to follow as I have it. I love you all, stay safe.::
"Oh bloody frakkin' schtako," Tamrin mutters under his breath as he briefly mutes his side of the detention comm.
Over the family bond
::I do not mean to cause alarm, however Ephebe's patron is causing...trouble, again. Therefore, I would advise you confirm it is indeed Ephebe, and not one of her other selves when and if you see her.
Also, beware a gold dragon named Aurix. That's all I have for now, more to follow as I have it. I love you all, stay safe.::
Anyone in the lab who speaks draconic just learned some interesting new curse words as Aananda punches a wall. She looks at the hole and earthbends it closed.
"Right. We need to speed this up. The sooner we can get this hole closed, the sooner we can deal with the next crisis that is no doubt heading straight for us regardless," she snapped.
A small, wizened looking black creature with altogether too many teeth pops out of the air and grabs a pen out of Nala's pocket.
"Mistress needs," the aschen said with a grin. It started to lunge towards Ryuzo's pocket and then stopped as it thought better of it. "Please?" it said hopefully.
Gives the creature a look, then sighs. He goes over to his desk and retrieves a shinto rosary. "I'd better get this back, devil."
"What in the world is Ephebe up to that she needs to borrow random items from us?" Nala asked, somewhere between confused and alarmed.