Punching in his coordinates to HQ, the Shocker doesn't notice the Antairus Three until it's too late.
"Hey, put him down!" Matthias shouts. "We came a long way to save him!"
"Huh? Oh. Sorry brat, this one's coming with me." The Shocker sneers as a signal on his wrist lights. He checks it and smiles. "Three Inheritors, just offering themselves up? Must be my lucky night!"
Ephebe popped into Ryo's office. "Uncle Ryo! Umm....I know where your kids are and you're not gonna like it....Rescue has already been arranged! So, you know, it's going to be okay. Umm....they went to Jegareth."
Tyrrin awakens suddenly as a crack of thunder slices her dreamstate to pieces. This wasn't where she had fallen asleep. This... where WAS this?
The scenery around Tyrrin had changed from the dark wooden tones and book laden shelves of a library to... polished metal, and stacks of strange technology. She had only heard of this kind of thing. Very rare, yet here was a treasure trove. Stacks of datapads all around her. Fear at waking up in a strange place is instantly replaced with curiosity.
One of the shelves of datapads is labeled: "Studies on the Dragon Races". Tyrrin almost scoffs at the thought of those children stories, but then something clicks. Dragons. Massive magical lizards... perhaps they weren't children stories after all. Tyrrin rushes to the datapads, eager to perhaps have an answer to her questions...
"Ephebe tends to become....difficult to understand when she's stressed. Could you please explain what's going on while I get my things together. I did pick up that this is going to be one of those non-approved we'll explain things afterwards trips into the Empire."
"Ryo's children are, collectively, the Champion of Dreams and they've gone to a planet called Jegareth to save the prisoners of the black dragon in charge there. He hates magic users to the point he captures them and experiments on them. He's trying to remove whatever allows non-dragons the ability to control magic. He just kills divine magic users, since that ability is granted rather than inborn."
"Since the planet is covered in sensors that detect and report magic users to his personal army, we need someone without magic to go and get the children. They would have the best chance of getting to them without being detected. That's where you come in. You don't use magic, and your technological genius will help you Ancalagon's laboratories."
"Got it." She threw a few more items into her pack including some tubes of nanites. "I have them programmed into my headband,just like the rest of the family, so I should be able to send nanites to do a sweep for them. Do you have any idea where on Jegareth I should start looking?"
"Unfortunately, I don't. Once you're there I might be able to do something to help, but Jegerath is far enough away it may not be much use."
Ephebe popped into Ryo's office. "Uncle Ryo! Umm....I know where your kids are and you're not gonna like it....Rescue has already been arranged! So, you know, it's going to be okay. Umm....they went to Jegareth."
The room shakes violently for a moment before Ryo forces himself to be calm.
"How?"
Ephebe popped into Ryo's office. "Uncle Ryo! Umm....I know where your kids are and you're not gonna like it....Rescue has already been arranged! So, you know, it's going to be okay. Umm....they went to Jegareth."The room shakes violently for a moment before Ryo forces himself to be calm.
"How?"
"I'm not sure exactly how it happened since it really does break the rules, but the three of them together share the Championship of Dreams. They can teleport anywhere they wish. But if they get separated they have no way of getting back. Mom is going to Jegareth to get them. No spellcasters can go there because the security forces of the black dragon that rules there can detect magic users. Since Mom doesn't use magic she'll be able to slip under the radar."
"Unfortunately, I don't. Once you're there I might be able to do something to help, but Jegerath is far enough away it may not be much use."
"Well, we'll just have to do our best then." She pulled up whatever data she could get on Jegareth. "I'll try major urban centers first." She programmed the coordinates for where she wanted to be into her starcaster. "Okay, all set. Here's hoping I can find them quickly."
Aananda teleported to a back alley on a strange street. She double checked her coordinates to make sure she'd landed in the right place before releasing a cloud of security nanites to search for the Antairus children. Matthias, Tal, and Gwenne should be together. At least she hoped so. That would certainly make things easier.
Phaezeriel steps forward. I also use no magic. Lady Ananda, would my presence be of help?
Phaezeriel looks helplessly into the empty spot where Ananda was just a second ago, then with a gesture a starcaster floats to his hand. Can someone use this to let me follow her?
Enre listens before saying to Lysander "Just magic in a person or magical items as well?"
Enre listens before saying to Lysander "Just magic in a person or magical items as well?"
"Anyone caught with a magic item is captured and 'interrogated' about where they got it. Jegareth is not kind to magic at all."
What about psychic powers or items?
"Most people believe there is a type of transparency between psychic and magical ability. I am unaware what Ancalagon's beliefs are."
After finishing in the gardens, Wyrd makes his way back into the school and wanders for a bit, lost in thought. The trembling of the walls brings him back to the present, where he finds himself outside the Headmaster's office. He pauses, looking around for the source of the tremor.
So I would most likely be more of a hinderance than a help to Lady Ananda?
"I'm not sure exactly how it happened since it really does break the rules, but the three of them together share the Championship of Dreams. They can teleport anywhere they wish. But if they get separated they have no way of getting back. Mom is going to Jegareth to get them. No spellcasters can go there because the security forces of the black dragon that rules there can detect magic users. Since Mom doesn't use magic she'll be able to slip under the radar."
"I'm going to have a very long talk with whatever idiot Patron choose my children to be their Champion..."
::Aananda?:: Ryo sends across the cosmos, eyes clouding to a gray so dark it's hard to believe they haven't turned black. ::You're the only one I can really trust with this. Please bring them back.::
"If you think Aananda would need help, I can ask my brother. He uses no magic of any kind, and I am sure he has some non-magical equipment." Enre says after hearing the talk about magic and psychic powers. He than turns to Phaezeriel and asks "Could you tell me about psychic powers? I have seen a few students use it."
Phaezeriel turns to Enre, I do not know if she would need help, she seems very capable, but it is unwise to go alone if there is another way.
"I'm not sure exactly how it happened since it really does break the rules, but the three of them together share the Championship of Dreams. They can teleport anywhere they wish. But if they get separated they have no way of getting back. Mom is going to Jegareth to get them. No spellcasters can go there because the security forces of the black dragon that rules there can detect magic users. Since Mom doesn't use magic she'll be able to slip under the radar.""I'm going to have a very long talk with whatever idiot Patron choose my children to be their Champion..."
::Aananda?:: Ryo sends across the cosmos, eyes clouding to a gray so dark it's hard to believe they haven't turned black. ::You're the only one I can really trust with this. Please bring them back.::
She didn't dare respond to the telepathy since it might attract attention from the authorities, so she just hoped that Ryo could see the determination in her mind. She was going to find Matthias, Tal, and Gwenne if she had to take this planet apart rock by rock.
She checked the progress of her sweep of this city. The nanites had already screened about a third of the city and so far nothing.
Psychic power is little more than the strength or your mind imposing a change in the order of the world around you. This is why, properly trained, a psychic can actually harm himself by straining his mind beyond its limits. Phaezeriel gestures to the silver-stained shop towel he is still holding. Nearly anyone can learn the focus necessary, but few actually do.
So I would most likely be more of a hinderance than a help to Lady Ananda?
"I don't know. I'd love to send help, but in a school filled with magical people... I have to see what I can do from here."
Finding an out-of-the-way place to sit, Lysander calls three small, white flames to being in front of him and concentrates, using Aananda as a center.
"You're welcome to argue with Dreams if you want to, Uncle Ryo. I don't think it will do much good. Having them share is against the rules, but there's not anything against choosing a child as a Champion. I was about Matthias's age when I first became the Champion of Time. Mom will definitely bring them back. I'm sure of it."
She checked the progress of her sweep of this city. The nanites had already screened about a third of the city and so far nothing.
Around the time the nanites are spreading to the last third of the city, they pick up the children a mere moment before Aananda feels a weird tug in her mind. Since the tug is going in the same way as the nanites found the children in, it's a safe bet Lysander's doing what he can.
So I would most likely be more of a hinderance than a help to Lady Ananda?"I don't know. I'd love to send help, but in a school filled with magical people... I have to see what I can do from here."
Finding an out-of-the-way place to sit, Lysander calls three small, white flames to being in front of him and concentrates, using Aananda as a center.
Aananda takes off at a run towards where the children are, going straight through buildings in the way as long as they're made of stone. Wooden buildings she just goes under, not wanting to waste any time with going around obstacles.
"Byhdrany Mihynec!" Gwenne fairly screams. The Shocker tenses, expecting a spell, but laughs when nothing seems to happen.
"Don't have much control of your magic, do you? Tsk tsk, you should-" The Shocker is cut off by a primal scream and promptly knocked off his feet by something large and clawed. He struggles to fight off his unseen foe.
"Yndely Knobric!" Taal yells as Gareth flies off the Shocker's shoulder. The boy stops in mid-air and is gently lowered to the ground by yet another unseen creature.
"Run! We're not done yet!" Matthias commands. With Gareth carried along through the air, the Antairus Three dash away from the Shocker and deeper into the city. "Find the way!"
"Aananda should be able to handle this on her own. If she doesn't know someone can take care of themselves, she's liable to watch them and we can't risk her distracted. If she gets caught, it will lead to a lot of trouble."
Aananda continued to close on the position of the children, who now appeared to also be on the move. She heard shouting in the distance.
Having finished compiling his notes, and feeling like he has a grasp on the history of dragon kind and their 'disagreement' with the amythysts, he decides to go find Jiminy to run things by him and see if his conclusions are correct. As he rounds the corner, he sees the little black kobold carrying Jiminy into the infirmary, with Fieri.
'Well, there goes that idea...' he thinks to himself.
"Is he alright?" Ghalen asks them as they enter.
"Oh, hi Ghalen. Yeah, he's fine. He overextended himself. It was kinda life or death for both of us at the time, but when he warps reality too much it rebounds on him. He'll be out for a day or two," Fieri said, trying to sound upbeat, but mostly sounding tired and worried.
"Ahh. Well, I hope he recovers. Sincerely. I'll leave you be."
He turns and heads back to his room, with a brief nod to Krays.
With the majority of the people having left, Vai walks over to Nasima, beaming. "I'm glad that's finally over. And you are okay?"
Aananda continued to close on the position of the children, who now appeared to also be on the move. She heard shouting in the distance.
A few blocks away, Aananda spies the the children running across the street at full speed with a floating, unconscious fourth child following(or being carried?) behind.
"This way!" she shouted to the children, preparing to provide a great deal of unexpected obstacles for whoever was chasing them.
With the majority of the people having left, Vai walks over to Nasima, beaming. "I'm glad that's finally over. And you are okay?"
"I...I am, I feel..." 'Sima looks at Vai quizzically. "...It's like, I thought I should be tired, and achey, but I'm not! I feel really great. Really really great. I'm gonna try to get up, see if everything still works." She grins up at her friend.
She sits up and thinks for a moment, but everything is fine; no dizziness or anything. Her left eye feels weird, and is weirdly sore -- what happened, anyway? -- but otherwise okay. Although now that she's focusing, she notices something odd; if she looks around, she sees strange auras around everything, all different colors, and if she looks with just her left eye, it's like...it's like all she sees are auras and traceries and...and...
"Vai, what happened to my eye?!"
Phaezeriel flies back over to the workbench Nasima is now sitting on.
With a warm smile and a concerned tone, he speaks to Nasima before Vai can answer, How do you feel? Any dizzyness or headache? While speaking he picks up Nasima's wrist with an utterly professional manner and feels her pulse. Vai and Nasima are both reminded of the staff in the infirmary.
"No, no dizzyness. Nothing like that. I can't believe it. But really; what happened to my eye? Is...did something happen? Why did everyone leave so quickly, am I mutilated or something? I mean, I can see..."
[Sip]
I can show you, if you would like, how you have changed. And change you have, dear one. I warn you, it may come as a bit of a shock; I would not offer did I not understand the need to know. The which I do.
Nasima looks from Vai to Phaezeriel, then pauses for a long second. Finally she takes a breath and nods.
"...show me."
Stand in front of the workbench. This will be easier if you keep a hand on the bench; some find it a little dizzying. Easy, now.
Phaezeriel hovers close by as Nasima steps down from the bench. Once he is sure she will remain steady, he says,
Good, now close your eyes and I will allow you to see through mine. Don't forget to keep your own eyes closed.
Nasima feels a light pressure on her temples, a slight prickling sensation in her eyes, and she can suddenly see herself from where Phaezeriel is hovering in front of her. She can see how she appears to others' eyes.
As Nasima moves to step down off the bench, she grips a metal handrail and promptly crushes it as if it were aluminum foil. She doesn't seem to notice.
When she sees herself as others do, she lets out a small gasp and starts in surprise. "Holy crap! I look like a body builder or something! I...I like my hair, though. Huh. But...wow. Okay, this explains it I guess. Why did this happen?" she asks Phaez. "Does anybody know? Why do I have all this muscle, and height, and...whatever else?"
To her credit, the sylph seems thus far to be taking things pretty well, though it's clear she's honestly confused.
At a guess, either because Khoda was stunting your growth by feeding on you, or the energy we used to replace what he consumed somehow triggered this change. As careful as I was to sync the energy to your own patterns, there are inevitable discrepancies. A person can never truly know themselves, so how can we truly know another? I have never known a Sylph to be as strong as you are, but I have known precious few of the fey. I would suggest that, when she returns, you ask Ananda to take a look at you; she understands our physical selves on a far more exacting level than I do.
"It seems to be a side effect of the energy you absorbed from Khoda," he said dryly. "Although I think I should be more careful about ticking you off now, highness. I'm highly breakable."
You can open your eyes, if you want, so you can see them. Just let me know if you get dizzy. You still will not be able to see out of your own eyes. In a moment I will re-activate my ability to see what is true, so you can see how your aura has changed. Perhaps that will give you some insight.
After giving Nasima a few moments to open her own eyes so that she can see them, he manifests Pierce the Veils, which mimics true seeing.