"Yes, thank you. I've heard that the people known as wizards have developed some sort of magic to carry things for them. I will see if they have anything that will let me do that too."
"Well, in a way, aren't we all familiars? We are granted our uniqueness by our gods and we can make it our own. Once in a while, we might think of something that could help our creators, and our reward is life and thought."
Jen scampers along with Professor Reading towards the Headmaster's office.
"Wait, so that event that occurred the other day was not a normal phenomenon? You see, it might be your second day on the job, but it's only my second day of sentience and I still have much to learn."
"No, that was most definitely not a normal phenomenon," she said with a chuckle. "More like a once-in-a-millenium kind of event."
"Wow. Only your second day? Well, you're doing remarkably well considering. I would never have guessed. And you're already quite the philosopher."
"Thank you Madam Professor Miss. I am not sure how I have come in possession of these thoughts, but I think the gods just activated the inner potential in any house cat. My physical age is several years and my unconscious mind has seen a lot in that time."
"Maybe there is more to being wise than being aware of one's existence."
Soon they reach the headmaster's door and Jen tries to knock by leaping up several feet, patting the door with her paw, and repeating the process.
"In humanoid custom, when the door is closed, does it mean that the person doesn't want you to come in? Cats don't really have any door in their passageways."
"Thank you Madam Professor Miss. I am not sure how I have come in possession of these thoughts, but I think the gods just activated the inner potential in any house cat. My physical age is several years and my unconscious mind has seen a lot in that time."
"Maybe there is more to being wise than being aware of one's existence."
Soon they reach the headmaster's door and Jen tries to knock by leaping up several feet, patting the door with her paw, and repeating the process.
"In humanoid custom, when the door is closed, does it mean that the person doesn't want you to come in? Cats don't really have any door in their passageways."
"Not necessarily. It might just mean that the person doesn't wish to be disturbed for unimportant things. This is especially true with offices. If a door is closed it's always good to knock and wait for the other person to answer rather than just walking in. It's polite."
Ori knocked loudly on the door.
"Just in case he didn't hear your knock."
Phaezeriel makes his way to the dining hall, a bit later than usual. He is flying a bit slower than he usually does, accompanied as he is by a very small glittering, silvery dragon. He hovers above the doorway for a moment looking around the dining hall before going to get a plate of food.
He takes his food and flies to the table where Krays is sitting.
Morning Krays, mind if I join you?
"Sure...have a se.."
::Wha..?::He stands suddenly, shock in his expression at first then confusion. The next is unmistakable: rage.
"If you will excuse me."
Krays teleports to Ryleh's house, into her kitchen. Not seeing her, he bellows!
"RYLEH!! Someone has taken Ephebe again. Alert the family, please."
Khassar says to Ori "He does not seem to be in yet ma'am. I have been here for a few minutes."
Ryleh looks deeply shaken. "I think I know who took her and why. This just powered back up," she said, holding out a smoky purple crystal full of chips and cracks. "We have to hurry. She might not have much time."
"You need to ask Lysander for help. This is one time when we desperately need the help of a dragon hunter."
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Jen looks Khassar up and down. Well, on the one paw, he is a bird. On the other paw, he's bigger up and down than side to side like a humanoid. Probably safer not to try and eat him.
Of course, Jen tries to continue and get her second acquaintance for the day through the humanoid convention of small talk. "Hi Mister Bird Classmate, how is the weather for flying today?"
Khassar says to Ori "He does not seem to be in yet ma'am. I have been here for a few minutes."
"Ah. Well, I imagine he's been rather busy with all the world shattering events and such."
'WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!'
::Jeez, tone down the...::
'There is a dragon in that room, or was.'
::What? Are you sure you're not having like...shadow sensations, or...::
'Do not patronize me. I'm not sure what the extent of control I have over my spirit, but if you continue to patronize me, I will try, to your ruin.'
::Ok, ok I got it. I'm sorry.::
Ghalen looks around...
::Only a few students remain in here, classes must be starting soon. I can not tell who it may have been::
'Well the if question has been answered. Now the next is who?'
Krays nods, and quickly casts a message spell to Lysander
"Someone has taken my mate. Need your talents to hunt."
"Now, who has her?"
To Jen the Cat "Good morning cat. My name is Kassar Blackadder. It looks to be a beautiful day for flying actually."
To Ori "Yes ma'am. That could be it. You can go ahead of me when he gets here, if you wish."
Krays nods, and quickly casts a message spell to Lysander
"Someone has taken my mate. Need your talents to hunt.""Now, who has her?"
"My son," she said bleakly, gripping the crystal tightly. You get the idea that this is how the cracks happened in the first place.
"I don't know if he's been raised or cloned or what, but it is definitely him. As if killing him the first time wasn't hard enough. Chan'trilkalliax is...there is something broken in his mind."
"Wait...Chan?! The Chan who lived in the monk temple? The one you killed?"
"Wait...Chan?! The Chan who lived in the monk temple? The one you killed?"
"Yes, and it was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I don't know how he came back, but he did. And now, gods help us, he needs to be put down again. He's completely insane."
Vai suddenly bursts into the room, panting, her face red and bruised, her hands on a massive gash along her side, leaving a trail of blood. Her voice is tight with pain: "I'm sorry Krays, I tried to stop him." she says before collapsing, blood pooling on the floor underneath her.
Even though he could not identify who that psychic scream came from, Phaezeriel felt the power of the telepathic sending from Ephebe. He will call to Krays with his mind, trying not to make the contact obtrusive.
::Krays, Something is wrong, I know this much. You and a few others of those I have met here have given me something for which I can never repay you, but if you will have it I will offer to you my help. I do not know what is wrong, but I may be able to help.::
Krays casts cure light wounds on Vai to stop her bleeding.
::Phaezeriel, help accepted. Please gather Enre and Fei also. Tell them Ephebe has been abducted. Contact me when you've told them...and thank you::
"Ryleh, can you...check Vai for intrusion into her mind? Her behavior is suspect. I do not trust myself to deal with her kindly at the moment."
After a breath to process the information, Phaezeriel contacts Enre and Fei.
::Enre, Fei, Sorry to intrude, but Krays asked me to contact you and inform you that Ephebe has been abducted. Please join me in the cafeteria. If you would like I can put the three of you in contact.::
::Krays, they now know and should be on their way to the cafeteria to join me. How can I help?"
Enre shakes his head before standing up from his table and going to the table Phaezeriel was "Could of just flew over to my table." He than puts the fingers on his one hand to his nose before saying "So there is something abducting people now? I swear."
Sorry, was the quickest way to contact you both without wasting time looking for you.
Enre shrugs before releasing his seal and changing his cloth to armor and his sword back to normal.
Ryleh reaches out telepathically to Vai's mind...
A dirt covered and tired looking Keme came up behind Phaeze and Enre.
"Guys. Er...little flying thing....go get James Sunwake. I don't know why exactly, but you need to be with him when the next piece of crap hits the fan. You," he said to Enre, "you don't like me and I don't care. Tell the Champion of Death that I know how to find the Champion of Madness. He'll be interested in that. I need to go find as many of the others as I can. And also talk to the Headmaster or we'll be walking into an ambush...I have some things to tell him he needs to hear," Keme said before darting off again.
The door to the Headmaster's office opens with Ryo standing on the other side holding the handle for a change.
"Good morning Proffeser, Mr. Blackadder and, um, cat I don't know. What can I do for you?"
"Uh, um, good morning. I was just here to escort this cat whose name I have completely forgotten to ask, which just makes me feel rather foolish at the moment. Anyways, she was having a bit of trouble with her bag. It seems that she is here to enroll."
Keme races through the garden.
"Ryu....zo," he panted, trying to catch his breath quickly. "Trouble. Find other Chmapions. Madness making a move."
"Have to go. Tell any of the others you see. Got to go."
Keme took off again. He was wasting precious time running around the school looking for people. He still couldn't find Darkness and Love. Ah, sod it. He had to go talk to the Headmaster too. And he still hadn't told anyone how to find the underground chambers. Damn it! Too many things for one kitsune to handle.
"I need to discuss the situation in the village."
"So, it seems you need me again." Lysander says from the doorway. "What happened to my little cousin this time?"
"Uh, um, good morning. I was just here to escort this cat whose name I have completely forgotten to ask, which just makes me feel rather foolish at the moment. Anyways, she was having a bit of trouble with her bag. It seems that she is here to enroll."
"Ah, well, another student is always welcome here. I'm sure we can find a way to ease her bag troubles." He kneels a bit. "Welcome to Avalon. I'm Headmaster Ryo."
"I need to discuss the situation in the village."
"We're being blamed for the sky change, aren't we?" He asks as he stands back up.
"We're being blamed for the sky change, aren't we?" He asks as he stands back up.
"Yes we are. I was out flying last night and saw them coming up the hill doing the torches and pitchforks routine again. I confronted them and well, conscipted them. Surprisingly enough no one got hurt, and some of them will be coming around later asking about money, so they might listen to what you have to say. As much as they ever do anyway."
Ryleh reaches out telepathically to Vai's mind...
As Ryleh reaches out to touch Vai's mind, she seems to have to stretch over the vastness of space. Vai is very, very far away. This is not Vai in front of Ryleh.
The fake Vai stands, gash and bruises gone completely. The voice that speaks is clearly that of Vai, but it has a dangerous edge you've never heard before. "I was hoping it would take you longer to figure out, but it seems the jig is up." Vai turns to face Lysander. "Your cousin was payment for the assistance I received to get into this little world. It is a shame really, I would've liked to have a live Amethyst dragon to perform tests on. Do you know that their race is considered extinct in the Empire?"
"Money for what, exactly?"
The mole rolls over, confused. Then shifts back to human form.
"I'll explain all of this later..." He says to Nala.
"Time to go to work!" He sneaks a peck to her cheek, then takes off after Keme.
"Hey...uhh...dunno who the other champs are, exactly except you and time and death. There was that one guy, I think he was darkenss but I haven't seen him around..."
Vai turns to face Lysander. "Your cousin was payment for the assistance I received to get into this little world. It is a shame really, I would've liked to have a live Amethyst dragon to perform tests on. Do you know that their race is considered extinct in the Empire?"
"With good reason, since the Empire sent their best assassins after them. Of which I am one." Lysanders eyes blacken, looking much like a starless night. "This world is off-limits to you, and so are Amethyst dragons. Leave that body now, Blue, before I make it inhospitable."
"You had better hope Ephebe is unharmed. Where is Chan?"
Vai laughs. An evil, cruel laugh. "You thought I'd actually endanger myself? Silly Hunter, destroy this body if you will, I have no more use for it. And you, Black. She is not my concern anymore, and I do not know where he took her."
"I think you are woefully unaware of your enemies capabilities."
"If I understood what you talking about yesterday, this school and planet were supposed to be a hiding place from some enemy. You all seemed to think that this enemy was still around, and that you had very little time to prepare for them to find us.
Well, that got me to remembering a shipyard I saw once. They were under orders from the local ruler to have a fleet ready by the end of the season based off of a single ship they had. The shipwrites would go and a take a part of the ship off and number it to use as a pattern. Then they would cut new parts from the pattern and give them the same number. They then went and had the more unskilled workers assemble the parts back together according to the numbers. I figured if we went and did that here we would able to get more defences in what time we had."
"That may be true, but like this planet, I am very good at hiding. You, Hunter, have other priorities, don't you?"
"A wonderful idea, but I found out late last night that we are not as defenseless as we feared. Still, getting the townspeople to start preparing defenses in town is an idea that should be carried out. It's better to have defenses you don't need than to not have any at all."
"Come in, both of you, and take a seat. I can multitask well enough to carry on two conversations if needed."
"That may be true, but like this planet, I am very good at hiding. You, Hunter, have other priorities, don't you?"
"You're right. I'll just have to use that little distraction to think of all the wonderful things I can turn your scales into after I find you."
The real Vai hears a voice in her mind.
::Stay strong. Help is coming.::
Then Ryleh turned her attention to the fake Vai.
"Yes, I believe that Lysander has other things he needs to do. Like eliminating my son before he does away with my granddaughter. Preferably before he damages the babies she is carrying. I, on the other hand, have a great deal of attention to spend on you....there are not enough defenses in your entire pathetic Empire. Which I will take apart piece by piece if I have to," she growled. Ryleh is emanating an aura of rage, as she shifted into her draconic form and pinned down the simulacrum with a claw.
The mole rolls over, confused. Then shifts back to human form.
"I'll explain all of this later..." He says to Nala.
"Time to go to work!" He sneaks a peck to her cheek, then takes off after Keme.
"Hey...uhh...dunno who the other champs are, exactly except you and time and death. There was that one guy, I think he was darkenss but I haven't seen him around..."
"I think there's a robot guy too, but Hope says he doesn't know yet what he is."
"I have to go talk to the Headmaster. Catch up with Enre and Fei...here, I'll project the image of where you're going for you so you can all teleport there. Make sure you have the Champion of Death with you. He'll be pissed as hell if you leave him behind," Keme says, walking briskly as he sends a detailed image of an underground cavern to Ryuzo's mind.
"Go on, I'll catch up," he said, taking off at a run again.
Keme ran straight into Ryo's office, barely glancing at the people the Headmaster was talking to.
"There's somewhere you need to be. Now. If you don't go we'll end up fighting on two fronts. It doesn't have to be you, but my patron said you'd want to handle this one personally. Something about revenge. I have no idea what she's talking about and I don't care, but I have to go help the others and I don't have a lot of time for explanations."
"No response? ....oh, right, that net blocks telepathy and you can't speak in that form. I must say, I really appreciate that level of helplessness. It makes this so much more enjoyable for me."
Involuntary tears slid down her face as her body was wracked with pain once again. The positive energy that was inherently part of her kept the spells from doing her any real damage, but the pain didn't feel better because of that.
"Well, it seems like you have this covered. Now, let's see where my cousin is..."
Calming himself, Lysander throws his mind into the White Flame and looks for the ember that is Ephebe. He had used 'Cuim Nacuhyha' to free her mind once, now he would use it to find her.
Keme ran straight into Ryo's office, barely glancing at the people the Headmaster was talking to.
"There's somewhere you need to be. Now. If you don't go we'll end up fighting on two fronts. It doesn't have to be you, but my patron said you'd want to handle this one personally. Something about revenge. I have no idea what she's talking about and I don't care, but I have to go help the others and I don't have a lot of time for explanations."
"My apologies." Ryo tells Jen and Khasser, eyes clouding over grey. "I have a feeling this is important on the family level. I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Khasser, if you could show Jen around in the mean time, I would appreciate it."
::What's going on?:: He broadcasts to his family as he leaves.
Ephebe's flame is burning hot, full of anger and helplessness. And there are four tiny sparks in the center being protected by the heat of the blaze. For just a moment Lysander can see through Ephebe's eyes. In front of him is a man with purple eyes and a cruel smile surrounded by an aura of Madness.
Keme ran straight into Ryo's office, barely glancing at the people the Headmaster was talking to.
"There's somewhere you need to be. Now. If you don't go we'll end up fighting on two fronts. It doesn't have to be you, but my patron said you'd want to handle this one personally. Something about revenge. I have no idea what she's talking about and I don't care, but I have to go help the others and I don't have a lot of time for explanations."
"My apologies." Ryo tells Jen and Khasser, eyes clouding over grey. "I have a feeling this is important on the family level. I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Khasser, if you could show Jen around in the mean time, I would appreciate it."
::What's going on?:: He broadcasts to his family as he leaves.
Keme sighs in exasperation as he follows Ryo.
"Headmaster, wait! You're going to hear something that will make you think you need to deal with it. But what's-his-name, the one who took Time....you can't go after him. Only Champions. Any non-Champions who go there will end up fighting for him instead of against him. You need to keep his allies from joining the fight. I can show you where. I didn't spend all night crawling in tunnels for nothing."
::Here,:: he says, sending an image of a particular system of tunnels underneath the school.
"That's where you'll find them. She says they did something to you once, so whatever...I've got to go help deal with Madness," Keme said before taking off again.
The fake Vai snarls at Ryleh, now pinned under her claw. Vai's face looks unnatural when curled into a snarl. "I know you, Amethyst. I felt your mind yesterday. What if I told you my research could lead to the rebirth of the Amethyst? Don't you see?! I made this... peasant into a dragon! I can do it again."