Ephebe's page

Ace swallows hard, and is quite for several longs moments after Ephebe finishes her explanation. "I'm obviously very new to all of this, but I am very fond of living. I would prefer to continue to do so for a little longer than five or so years, if possible. What can I do to help, if anything?"

"For now? Learn your new abilities. Learn what being a Champion means. Learn about Fate. And for crying out loud, keep a close eye on her, and if she starts going all megalomaniacal, let me know right away. None of us need to be dealing with that kind of distraction right now."

Ephebe wrote:

Ephebe shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Sorry, no, I guess I wasn't being that clear. I've never been bumped off target before and it's left me a little loopy. Not you. Your patron. She offered 'help' ...well, not directly of course. That's against the rules. The last champion....no, maybe two back? Kallish something or other. I don't know. It was like three thousand years ago last week next Tuesday. She gave me information. To help divert this timeline from certain destruction. Presumably. But she wasn't being on the up and up. She bounced me off target. This wasn't the plan. It wasn't supposed to end like this," she said, scowling. "They're supposed to stay clear. Literally my job is to run amok and change things in the hopes that I find the right things to give this particular universe a chance against what's coming. It's what they made me for. I don't know why your patron decided to interfere with that. I mean, what's the point?" she added, throwing up her arms in frustration.

Ace nods slowly in understanding. Well, partial understanding, as that whole timey whimey nonsense made no sense. "Okay, I think I get it, a little bit. You're like a cosmic handy woman, and for some reason Fate decided to throw the proverbial monkey wrench into your path. That screwed up your ability to get here at the right moment to save both Ehos and Tyrrin, which apparently makes no sense. Unless for some reason Ehos had to die? Could his death be setting something into motion that needs to occur, but for some reason, you weren't told. Or rather, couldn't be told? "

He pauses for a few moments, trying to wrap his head around all of this. "You said you bounce around timelines, right? What if that prevented somebody from telling you?"

Ephebe blew out a breath in frustration. "Okay, not usually how I handle things, but you're the Champion of Fate, so I'm guessing she'll tell you what's going on anyways. There's something out there eating the multiverse. Like, nibbling its way through various realities. Not even the Patrons can stop it. There are places I've been before that just aren't anymore. It's getting closer to this universe as time goes on. Sometime in the next five years it gets here. I can't be more specific because the equation changes every time I alter events. And I alter events a lot. It's what I was made for. They burned up dozens of realities to make me. The Patrons I mean. Hell, they murdered one of their own to do it. I mean, yeah, they brought him back recently, but that's the level of serious we're talking here. I'm not a handywoman. I'm a last resort. And they can't tell me how to fix things because they don't know. So I'm flying blind hoping every time that I'm doing the right thing to save the godsdamned universe. They agreed among themselves that they were gonna stay hands off and not interfere with me. But Fate....well, she just can't help herself, apparently. They're allowed to talk to me though. How would they avoid that? I mean, really. I'm married to the Champion of Death. Kinda hard to avoid communication there, ya know?" she said with a shrug. "But yeah, if Fate was willing to poke that bear and risk the wrath of the other Patrons, she probably had a reason. I don't know if it's a good one. The Patrons are more prone to going off the deep end the closer we get to the end of the universe, so there's been a lot of shenanigans lately. A lot."

Ace waits until Fei and Jaiye have left before voicing his concern to Ephebe. "Are you saying that I'm somehow to blame for you not arriving in time to save Ehos?" He asks in a tiny voice, unsure he wants to actually hear the answer, but knowing he must.

Ephebe shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Sorry, no, I guess I wasn't being that clear. I've never been bumped off target before and it's left me a little loopy. Not you. Your patron. She offered 'help' ...well, not directly of course. That's against the rules. The last champion....no, maybe two back? Kallish something or other. I don't know. It was like three thousand years ago last week next Tuesday. She gave me information. To help divert this timeline from certain destruction. Presumably. But she wasn't being on the up and up. She bounced me off target. This wasn't the plan. It wasn't supposed to end like this," she said, scowling. "They're supposed to stay clear. Literally my job is to run amok and change things in the hopes that I find the right things to give this particular universe a chance against what's coming. It's what they made me for. I don't know why your patron decided to interfere with that. I mean, what's the point?" she added, throwing up her arms in frustration.

Ephebe shook her head. "No, I can cast those. If it's beyond me, I could ask my mate to do it. But you have to have a soul to bring back. There isn't one. And I can't just grab the alternate timeline version and bring him here either. I can go between, but I can't bring anyone else with me. It breaks things."

Her eyes narrow a little as she looked at him, as if she were squinting to see something more clearly. "Oh," she said, her sorrowful expression changing a little, a flash of anger there and gone again, and for a second he could have sworn her eyes turned gold, but they changed back again too quickly to be absolutely certain. "Well. Now I know what I hit on the way here," she said, her mouth twisting into an expression of distaste. "Look, it's not personal, and I don't hold you responsible at all, but you tell your boss that I will never work with her again. On anything. Trusting her info was a long shot. I shouldn't have. It won't happen again."

After Ghalen and Ty teleport back to Avalon, Ace finally lets the rest of what happened hit him. Ehos was gone, and according to Ephebe, there was no bringing him back. I'm so sorry Jai. I tried to do everything I could to save Ehos, but that sick man was determined to punish him and Tyrrin. I'm sorry my fiend."

Whatever guilt Ace might have been feeling over what he did to the chancellor is currently replaced with anger and hate towards what he did to Ehos, Ty and Jai.

"It wasn't about them. Not specifically. He just wanted to take down the wards. There's another timeline where he isn't found in time. The machine goes off. He had to find a different way to make it work because in that timeline I didn't...." She sighed, shoulders slumping a little. "In that timeline I didn't hook them into the planetary wards. I didn't go back and give the aschen the instructions to make it happen. In that timeline the whole planet died. So I did go back and I did change things, but it wasn't supposed to end like this. I was supposed to get here before anyone was hooked into the machine. I hit some....turbulence or something on the way and it knocked me off course. I was too late. I knew it was a risk, but the whole planet was going to die and I thought.....I was arrogant. I thought I could do this without anyone having to die. I got it wrong."

Ephebe shook her head. She was already almost fully healed, between Ace's spell and her own regeneration. Her expression turned solemn now that she wasn't concussed. "I'm sorry," she said again. "I can't. He was dead from the moment he was plugged into the machine. I know it didn't look like it because the machine kept his soul anchored in place. It's hard to tell the difference between that and actually alive. But the point is that the machine was anchoring his should in place....right up until it blew up. There's....there's not enough left to reconstruct.....I'm sorry. I can't bring him back. No one can."

"Time travel, b&*+*es!" Ephebe says, as she stands up on wobbly legs, still a little loopy from the concussion that hadn't healed yet. And then she sobered. "But I got it wrong. I was supposed to be here half an hour ago. I arrived too late. I barely had time to grab her and jump back inside the atmosphere. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry," she said, her eyes filling with tears that she wouldn't let fall until later when she could talk to her mate. This was her fault, her mess. She'd put them in this position. She didn't get to vent her emotions here. Not now. "It wasn't supposed to end like this. This wasn't the plan. He wasn't supposed to die."

"Ow," she squeaked, peeling herself off of the now splintered wall. Trees weren't meant to withstand crashes with dragons traveling at supersonic speed. Not even magically reinforced elven tree fortresses. "Fei," she said, recognizing someone she knew could help, "help her. Quickly! She needs medical attention!" She winced as she popped a shoulder back into place, her body naturally healing its injuries on its own.

Aanandareavekki wrote:

Headmaster Ryo wrote:

Aanandareavekki wrote:

Headmaster Ryo wrote:

I think that might actually be the name, just with Avalon instead of Charles Xavier.

Your memory is slipping, bro. Avalon Academy is the name. Although I'm pretty sure it says Avalon Academy for Gifted Youngsters on the plaque outside of the building. Geez. No wonder you needed time off! ;P

Hey, you try figuring out repercussions on the timeline because of [REDACTED], eventually figuring out that means [REDACTED] is in the school, and see how much time off you need. :p

Oh, please. I have two time traveling daughters. You can't impress me with your talk about repercussions to the timeline ;P

Do you even know how much havoc those two cause seers?!

Well, that sounds promising. *makes notes regarding potential progress in Operation: Change Fate*

"I'll take that under consideration. No promises."

"I'd like to be alone now if you don't mind."

"Okay." She stood up. "If you ever need to talk, I'm willing to listen. Just send for me whenever. The benefits of time travel, you never have to worry about double booking yourself."

And then she was gone, and he was alone on the rooftop with the pigeons and a whole lot of knowledge he wished he didn't have.

Ephebe wrote:

Bradley Urquardht wrote:

Ephebe wrote:

Bradley Urquardht wrote:

Ephebe wrote:

Bradley Urquardht wrote:

"I didn't think it was going to be this hard. When I came here....it was all noble self-sacrifice and it seemed like such a small price to pay. I never expected..."

"To fall in love? To have a child? Yeah. Life tends to be unpredictable like that. And it's harder now that you have things to give up. And easier too. Because now you have a stake in it. We're not just an academic exercise to you anymore. It's going to cost you everything, protecting this place. If you hadn't met Rena, if things had been different, at the end, I'm not sure you could have gone through with it. But you did. And it worked. So you can at least know that it will be worth the sacrifice. Of course, technically the future is still fluid and that one is just one of many possibilities. But the probabilities are closing up pretty fast. That one's still the most likely."

He tried to laugh and cry at the same time. "That is like the worst attempt at comfort I think I have ever heard."

"Yeah, well, technically we're supposed to be enemies. I'm already being way too helpful to you as it is. You can't expect me to be good at the emotional stuff, too," she said, a little sarcastically.

He leaned his head against the wall behind him. "You said that there was something else you needed to talk to me about."

She sighed. "Yeah, a couple of things. Some of both of our teams have gone rogue after being promised knowledge by some highly suspicious outsiders. I think I know what they are, and they are beyond bad news. Like, against these guys we should all be on the same side kind of bad news. I can deal with the crew on my side, but you're going to have to contact your side to get things sorted there. There's a mentally challenged young woman who really needs this to be over so she can be allowed to just live in peace. I'm

...

"Fair enough. And I have your permission to place Talysmyn in the past after she's born?"

He nodded.

"For what it's worth, I am sorry. And Ursiel? You aren't going to be able to continue locking away your memories of what you really are. I know it's served you well so far. But with Saluriel playing for the other team now, it's making you way too vulnerable."

Ephebe wrote:

Bradley Urquardht wrote:

Ephebe wrote:

Bradley Urquardht wrote:

"I didn't think it was going to be this hard. When I came here....it was all noble self-sacrifice and it seemed like such a small price to pay. I never expected..."

"To fall in love? To have a child? Yeah. Life tends to be unpredictable like that. And it's harder now that you have things to give up. And easier too. Because now you have a stake in it. We're not just an academic exercise to you anymore. It's going to cost you everything, protecting this place. If you hadn't met Rena, if things had been different, at the end, I'm not sure you could have gone through with it. But you did. And it worked. So you can at least know that it will be worth the sacrifice. Of course, technically the future is still fluid and that one is just one of many possibilities. But the probabilities are closing up pretty fast. That one's still the most likely."

He tried to laugh and cry at the same time. "That is like the worst attempt at comfort I think I have ever heard."

"Yeah, well, technically we're supposed to be enemies. I'm already being way too helpful to you as it is. You can't expect me to be good at the emotional stuff, too," she said, a little sarcastically.

He leaned his head against the wall behind him. "You said that there was something else you needed to talk to me about."

She sighed. "Yeah, a couple of things. Some of both of our teams have gone rogue after being promised knowledge by some highly suspicious outsiders. I think I know what they are, and they are beyond bad news. Like, against these guys we should all be on the same side kind of bad news. I can deal with the crew on my side, but you're going to have to contact your side to get things sorted there. There's a mentally challenged young woman who really needs this to be over so she can be allowed to just live in peace. I'm afraid that some of yours are irredeemably damaged, but there's one who looks that way but isn't. Heaven can get a little all or nothing on these things, so try and intervene if you can. Hell would eat that poor guy up. Also, I'm sure you noticed the pull on your powers when somehow a daemonic entity attacked the school. I've just given a warning shot to another demon lord...ummm.....and by warning shot I mean he and his realm are now a smoking pile of ashes....he messed with one of my students. I took it personally. I have rules for a reason, and they need to be followed. Anyhow, it would look bad if I also went all out against someone else so soon. So just to let you know, if Heaven wants to attack this guy, I can give you his name, location, and a personal guarantee that no one will interfere on the way in or out provided that this daemon is the only target. You know, if you wanted to send a similar kind of message about messing with this school and its students."

Ephebe wrote:

Bradley Urquardht wrote:

"I didn't think it was going to be this hard. When I came here....it was all noble self-sacrifice and it seemed like such a small price to pay. I never expected..."

"To fall in love? To have a child? Yeah. Life tends to be unpredictable like that. And it's harder now that you have things to give up. And easier too. Because now you have a stake in it. We're not just an academic exercise to you anymore. It's going to cost you everything, protecting this place. If you hadn't met Rena, if things had been different, at the end, I'm not sure you could have gone through with it. But you did. And it worked. So you can at least know that it will be worth the sacrifice. Of course, technically the future is still fluid and that one is just one of many possibilities. But the probabilities are closing up pretty fast. That one's still the most likely."

He tried to laugh and cry at the same time. "That is like the worst attempt at comfort I think I have ever heard."

"Yeah, well, technically we're supposed to be enemies. I'm already being way too helpful to you as it is. You can't expect me to be good at the emotional stuff, too," she said, a little sarcastically.

"I didn't think it was going to be this hard. When I came here....it was all noble self-sacrifice and it seemed like such a small price to pay. I never expected..."

"To fall in love? To have a child? Yeah. Life tends to be unpredictable like that. And it's harder now that you have things to give up. And easier too. Because now you have a stake in it. We're not just an academic exercise to you anymore. It's going to cost you everything, protecting this place. If you hadn't met Rena, if things had been different, at the end, I'm not sure you could have gone through with it. But you did. And it worked. So you can at least know that it will be worth the sacrifice. Of course, technically the future is still fluid and that one is just one of many possibilities. But the probabilities are closing up pretty fast. That one's still the most likely."

Ephebe wrote:

Bradley Urquardht wrote:

"Do I have any choice in the matter?" he asked, resentfully.

"Only the one you already made when you came here. Sulariel has deserted you. In point of fact, she fell. Which Hell is dreadfully happy about, let me tell you. And without her here to help contain your powers, you're confined to this rooftop. Not exactly a baby-friendly environment, Ursiel. Even worse when you consider what a short time you haver left before you're called on to do what you came here for. And no, I'm not asking you out of order. From your point of view, Talysmyn won't be born for another two months give or take. I get a little fuzzy on relative time sometimes. Dream creatures have a remarkably short gestation time. Frankly, I'm rather jealous. And you know, as much as you love her, Rena isn't exactly the maternal type. It can't be that much of a shock that she's going to want to give the baby up for adoption. With you unable to raise her and Rena unwilling.... She had to go somewhere. And the only safe place to take her was the past. Plus this gives you the one thing you were never going to get a chance at otherwise. A chance to actually meet your daughter, see what she grows up to be. Well, a preview of it anyway. She can't be more than thirteen. Or maybe fourteen? I think thirteen. As I said, sometimes I struggle with relative time. Her adoptive mom is very caring and nurturing and a bit of a worrywart, although that's understandable. A half-celestial like Lyzzie does tend to draw trouble like a magnet. But she kept her safe, and made sure that she always knew that she was loved. And you saw for yourself how well-adjusted she is."

Bradley slid down the wall, sitting down with his back to the stone, knees pulled up as he tried to hide the tears. "You already knew from the beginning what decision I was going to make," he said dully.

She sat down beside him. "Of course I did. You're her father. And you're an angel," she added as a kind of an afterthought. "There was never any question that you were going to pick the option that was best for your daughter. I'm sorry that there weren't any better options."

"Do I have any choice in the matter?" he asked, resentfully.

"Only the one you already made when you came here. Sulariel has deserted you. In point of fact, she fell. Which Hell is dreadfully happy about, let me tell you. And without her here to help contain your powers, you're confined to this rooftop. Not exactly a baby-friendly environment, Ursiel. Even worse when you consider what a short time you haver left before you're called on to do what you came here for. And no, I'm not asking you out of order. From your point of view, Talysmyn won't be born for another two months give or take. I get a little fuzzy on relative time sometimes. Dream creatures have a remarkably short gestation time. Frankly, I'm rather jealous. And you know, as much as you love her, Rena isn't exactly the maternal type. It can't be that much of a shock that she's going to want to give the baby up for adoption. With you unable to raise her and Rena unwilling.... She had to go somewhere. And the only safe place to take her was the past. Plus this gives you the one thing you were never going to get a chance at otherwise. A chance to actually meet your daughter, see what she grows up to be. Well, a preview of it anyway. She can't be more than thirteen. Or maybe fourteen? I think thirteen. As I said, sometimes I struggle with relative time. Her adoptive mom is very caring and nurturing and a bit of a worrywart, although that's understandable. A half-celestial like Lyzzie does tend to draw trouble like a magnet. But she kept her safe, and made sure that she always knew that she was loved. And you saw for yourself how well-adjusted she is."

Ephebe wrote:

Bradley Urquardht wrote:

Bradley's head was spinning. Spending time with Lyzzie was mentally exhausting. She never stopped talking. Which wasn't a bad thing, but keeping up with the frequent subject changes took more attention than he was used to having to pay. She reminded him of...well, of course she did. Best not to think about that too closely just yet.

He did his best to keep up, and explained all about pigeons, or at least a little about pigeons when asked during one of the few opportunities in the conversation he had to get a word in edgewise. There wasn't actually that much of interest to say.
Once the sun was all the way up, Lyzzie decided that she was hungry. For a biiiig stack of pancakes. With syrup. And butter. And strawberries. And maybe some whipped cream, but she hadn't fully decided if that would be too sweet yet or not. He felt hungry just thinking about it. His breakfast tended to just appear on its own at the appropriate time since the cafeteria was not safe for him. He hoped that today it would be pancakes.
Shortly after saying goodbye to Lyzzie as she skipped off to enjoy her breakfast, he heard a noise behind him. He didn't turn around. He knew who it was. Nobody else had an aura like that, a large amount of everything at once.
"I'd like an explanation," he growled.

"That's why I'm here," she said calmly. "You're angry," she continued. It wasn't a question.

"Of course I'm angry!" he shouted as he turned to face her. "You never even asked me!"

"Stop jumping to conclusions, Ursiel. You of all people should remember that I don't move through time the same way as everyone else. I did ask you. We just haven't got that far in your timeline yet. I give it about two minutes before you give me permission to do the only thing I can do in this situation. I'm not messing with you. I did it to be kind. Because, one parent to another, it's what I would want someone to do for me if I were in your situation. Don't assume the worst before you even know how things ended up here."

"Don't -" he started, but she interrupted him.

"Don't what? Use your name? Relax. I guarantee no one can overhear us right now. I took care of it. And we need to have a conversation. As equals. Demon lord to Archangel. About more than just your daughter, although I recognize that that's what's most important to you. But there are other problems we need to discuss that impact the safety of everyone in this school. I can take care of my end, but I need some help to clean up the mess from your end."

Bradley's head was spinning. Spending time with Lyzzie was mentally exhausting. She never stopped talking. Which wasn't a bad thing, but keeping up with the frequent subject changes took more attention than he was used to having to pay. She reminded him of...well, of course she did. Best not to think about that too closely just yet.

He did his best to keep up, and explained all about pigeons, or at least a little about pigeons when asked during one of the few opportunities in the conversation he had to get a word in edgewise. There wasn't actually that much of interest to say.
Once the sun was all the way up, Lyzzie decided that she was hungry. For a biiiig stack of pancakes. With syrup. And butter. And strawberries. And maybe some whipped cream, but she hadn't fully decided if that would be too sweet yet or not. He felt hungry just thinking about it. His breakfast tended to just appear on its own at the appropriate time since the cafeteria was not safe for him. He hoped that today it would be pancakes.
Shortly after saying goodbye to Lyzzie as she skipped off to enjoy her breakfast, he heard a noise behind him. He didn't turn around. He knew who it was. Nobody else had an aura like that, a large amount of everything at once.
"I'd like an explanation," he growled.

"That's why I'm here," she said calmly. "You're angry," she continued. It wasn't a question.

Jacob nods. "Yes, that would be... appreciated. Um, how would setting roommates work with a third, independent entity that occasionally manifests itself in the material?"

I don't really think that there's much more to do in the Jacob/Ephebe scene. Should we move on?

"I think you'll find that the school tends to supply the necessary partitions in the room to avoid awkwardness," she said, reassuring him.

Once Jacob had gone she picked up her data pad and opened a comm channel. "Avalon to Harbinger Ascendant. This is Headmistress Blackscales speaking. I am sending you the coordinates for a package that needs to be picked up. I think you'll like this particular present, but I advise sending it directly to the planet for safety reasons in case it has been compromised."

"Yes," Jacob says simply, sighing. "I... Where should we go from here, then? I believe that both Roxie and I would rather like to not spend the rest of my life together. I know that wishcraft is really hard to dispel, though-somehow-so how should we go about... this?"

"I'm going to have to consult an expert or two. Wishcraft isn't my specialty. But I know I can find someone who can help you. You're just going to have to coexist as you are for a while. I'm not sure how long a while. Days maybe. Or weeks. Months seems a bit excessive. Probably not that long. You can keep the helmet if you want. For the times when you both want a little mental privacy from each other."

Jacob smiles wanly. "I believe I read somewhere that humanoids have within them more capacity for horrendous evil and selfless good, often at the same time, than the greatest of celestials and fiends. Most of those demons and angels and such are just doing their jobs, after all, but humans are the ones with the choice. I... I think I'll keep the memories, if just to remind me of that."

Ephebe smiled. "I think that's a very wise choice, Jacob. It may not feel like It right now, but I think that when all is said and done, you're going to be just fine."

Jacob shakes and shivers from inside the blanket. "That... that was an experience," he says weakly, sipping from the tea. "I... Well, it appears that Sir Ethar is blocking memories of... of that. Which is a, a good thing, I suppose." The boy deeply breathes in some of the steam wafting from the tea, before taking another sip. "I... I still remember some things, though. That was..." he clenches his hand. "I don't know what was worse. The things that Roxie did, or the things that the scientists did."

"The scientists," Ephebe answered without hesitation. "Roxie was mercifully quick by comparison, and with much less torture. If she hadn't been here, I would have had to convince some paladins to investigate the facility. Same end result. I can send you to Miss Zamarosok to get a telepathic block if you would like the memories completely erased. Or you can keep it as an educational experience of what real evil looks like."

It's scary how quickly the transformation takes place as soon as Jacob relaxes his control. A slight tension leaves his body, and suddenly runes bathed in a glowing red light appear, linked in a circle around the boy. With a flash of bright light, a house-sized demon appears in his place, smirking. Without Jacob actively resisting Roxie, it seems, she can take on a form more... suited to her tastes. A soft, feminine lower half of her face, albeit with a somewhat greenish tint, is somewhat incongruous with the top half, where massive, jet black horns curve upward from where her eyes should be, in some places glowing with a strange eldritch energy.

Six segmented arms, covered in either armor or a chitinous, black exoskeleton, begin stretching and cracking their claws as skeletal wings wreathed in that same eldritch glow unfurl from her back, and clawed feet begin sprinting forward, while a wild grin spreads across Roxie's face.

Should we just let this play out off-screen, so to speak?

Pretty sure that demon rampages have to happen off screen if only out of respect for the board guidelines. :P

Ephebe slowly worked her way through the facility to the sound of distant screams. Those prisoners who were able to escape were shown to an escape shuttle programmed for a particular destination. Those who were too far gone were granted swift mercy. She was a demon lord, not a monster. Which was certainly more than could be said for the 'scientists' that worked in this facility. When the screams stopped, she made her way to where Jacob stood panting and leaning against a wall, Roxie's need for destruction sated for now. She shot him with a prestidigitation shell before he had much chance to notice the blood that had spattered on him. "Time to go home now, Jacob," she said, pushing a button on the starcaster clipped to his belt, sending him back to her office in Avalon. She followed right behind him, leaving behind a silent facility filled with bodies. That should give the investigators something to worry about.

Safely back in her office, she poured a cup of tea and added plenty of sugar to it before handing it to Jacob. "Here, drink this. It'll help." She picked up a blanket off the back of one of the plush chairs and wrapped it around him. "So will this. Give it a few minutes and you'll feel much better."

Jacob nods. "Alright. If it's, um, any consolation, Roxie, I think one of them has taken a shine to you?" He points awkwardly at his head, then slams the button.

He is teleported to a corridor. There are large windows all along the corridor, each showing a room full of various medical equipment. Creatures wearing white coats are working in these rooms, and the muffled sounds of screams from the 'patients' fills the air.

The lamir signs the contract with a flair, not bothering to read the precise terms of it. Underneath the abyssal rune, she pauses, thinking, before writing "Roxie" in quotation marks beneath it. "Now, let's bust some heads, shall we?"

Ephebe nods and the contract vanishes. She hands the device to Jacob. "All you have to do is hit the button. Don't worry, I'll come with to make sure you don't get into any trouble you're not supposed to. And don't feel at all bad for these people. They've made a career out of torture for fun and profit. When we get there just...let Roxie do the driving so to speak. She knows how to handle this."

The lamir snorts. "Yes, ma'am. Oh, by the way, no joke, kid did the calculations wrong. I have around three hours before I blow up. And I'm definitely going to sign up for the lady who's scary enough to keep everybody else from doing... well, doing their thing, essentially, here."

"Very well." She snapped her fingers and an aschen appeared, contract in hand. "Just sign here. Don't worry, Jacob. This contract is only binding for the lamer, not for you. And once that's taken care of, I have just the place to take you," she said, pulling a small device out of her desk drawer. "It's a long ways from here, but this will take us there immediately."

The look on the lamir's face is absolutely priceless. It starts at disgust, then it turns to worry as she checks her connection to the Abyss, the shock, then genuine horror. "I was going to make so smarmy comment about you going soft, but... yeesh. I didn't even know that we had intestines. Or that we could feel pain for that matter." The lamir drops her cigarette, which immediately dissipates once it's loosened from her grip, and sighs. "Holy Heavens, this puts me in a... difficult situation. On the one hand, it'd be nice to see my home. On the other, I don't want to be broken down into my component parts and rebuilt into something completely loyal to whatever demon lord gets their hands on me. I'd like to stay-" Jacob's eyes bug out, "-but I get the feeling that's not going to be a viable option. Free will's a nice feeling, and I'd rather not blow up in... three hours or so because you lunkheads won't let me go on a proper rampage. Oh, and there's a bunch of weird spirit-y things up in the kid's head. One looks like some kind of paladin that they tell stories about to scare dretches, another looks like some kind of nerdy elf, oh, and this really snotty firebird prick with a huge bow. They're the only ones who really stay for very long. The others are kind of in-and-out."

"Interesting. I suppose that's why your master wished to corrupt this child, but it won't stand. I have rules for a reason. As you say, free will is a good thing, and you and Jacob both need to be able to exercise such. Until we are able to separate the two of you, I can arrange appropriate rampages. Some people deserve destruction. And their souls will add to the ranks already in hell, so win-win really. As long as you only rampage where you're told, there won't be a problem. I also ask that you keep me informed as to the frequency you require...require, not desire. It isn't easy to set these sessions up. No need to be wasteful. And I can make inquiries for you on the matter of a new boss, with a non-dissection caveat. Or you can work for me. But as you can already see, I am very serious about enforcing contracts quite strictly. So don't sign on if you plan on being insubordinate."

...absolutely nothing happens. She looks confused, then tries again. "Well, that was f~~*ing anticlimactic," she says boredly, before summoning a cig from nowhere. She stares at it for a moment, confused, then shrugs, lights, and begins smoking it. Jacob looks absolutely horrified. "Look. Ephebe, that's your name, right? The information I was born with is full of warning signs not to screw around with you, and you're happily retired, but could you just do me a solid and send me back home? Or just complete break this little s@#@'s mind? It's driving me absolutely crazy having to share a headspace with all of those goody two-shoes spirits. Having to spend the rest of my existence holed up with those knights and heroes and such is going to be utter Heaven."

"Is that why I've been having so much trouble? You lot think that I've retired?" she said, amused. "It's called multitasking. I'm an expert in it. And your master, former master I should say, is currently finding out just how not retired I am. I'm sure someone else will build a new realm on the rubble eventually. But not, I think, very soon. And that puts you in a difficult spot. You've no home to go to. Also, you were attached to my student via wishcraft. It may take some time extracting you. Though I am more than willing to take into account your desire to be extracted. As long as you and Jacob are in accord on the matter, I will bring in an expert to help separate you. But it will take time, and in the meantime you and Jacob are going to have to coexist." She paused. "And what do you mean, knights and heroes and goody two shoes spirits? I apologize, but Jacob is a new student, and I haven't learned his capabilities quite yet. I like to give the children some time to adjust when they first arrive."

Jacob slumps. "I suppose I'm going to be living with them for a while, aren't I?... I suppose I'd at least learn their name, then. Perhaps we can establish terms of rent?"

"Yes, I think that would be best. And I might suggest the possibility of trying things out for a bit to see how the two of you get on together before making any permanent decisions about how to move forward. Unless the two of you both agree now that you wish to be separated. But considering that the Lamir is about to be without a master, it's more likely that it will want to stay at least for a while."

She stood up and walked over to her desk, opening one of the drawers and pulling out a helmet. "Put this on. This will allow you to project part of your consciousness, in this case, specifically the Lamir, outside of your body to facilitate easier communication."

"His name, is, hm. Dgogo, I believe. A... glabrezu, it's called, right? One who eventually, through sheer tenacity, planning, and brute force when necessary, ascended to demon lord status." Jacob shrugs.

She smiled. It was a very draconic smile in spite of her being in human form. There were definitely too many teeth involved. "Dgogo will not be a problem going forward," she said, confidently. "He should have listened when I said this world was under my protection."

Jacob's mouth opens and closes as he parses the information. "....that would explain my instincts to either flee in terror or bow down and grovel whenever I see you. I always thought that was odd." Jacob pauses, choosing his next words with care. "From what I understand of how... this happened, finding a way to separate me and the Lamir may be somewhat difficult. As they were bolted onto my soul with wish magic. Um, apparently, there's a demon lord who takes particular delight in corrupting the wishes of innocent children." Jacob's hands shake slightly. "Such as the wish to not be torn to pieces by your zombified neighbors. Suffice to say, I may be responsible for the devastation of some areas of Kuros. Some of the excess abyssal energy may have lead to the the teleportation to and from, and subsequent destruction of an elven settlement."

"Hmm. Do you happen to know the name of the demon lord in question? I have specific provisions regarding this world being under my protection. I would like to know who I need to make an example of. If you don't know, don't worry about it. I have other ways of finding that information. And the aschen are restless. They'll be so happy to have a chance at action. As for how easy or difficult it will be to undo the wish magic, I can't say. It is not my particular area of expertise. I would need to consult someone more versed in the vagaries of wish magic. But if it is not able to be done, or at least not soon or easily, I can help you learn how to keep in control of your unwanted passenger so that you're the one in charge. No doubt they chose a child because they assumed that you would be weak willed. They obviously haven't spent much time around children," she said, shaking her head.

"Um, yes! The cookies were... delicious. Although you probably need to add at least some sort of variable taste in there, every single one had the exact same taste and texture and-" Jacob blinks. "I'm, uh, rambling. Sorry, ma'am. So, ah, I found something... troubling while I was... was... researching demonology. Not to summon them! No! It was to learn more about the... Lamir, apparently, that lives inside of me. You know about that, right?"

** spoiler omitted **

Is this too much? Sorry, this is my first time trying out a 'plotline' for Avalon.

"I am familiar with Lamirs, yes. They make terrible neighbors. I often get called in to deal with them when they rebel against their overlord. It's not what you would call a strong negotiating position. My best treaties came from those fights. I had one working for me for a while, but it didn't work out. She wasn't very good at following instructions. I knew you had a demonic presence inside you, yes, but I'm not sure if I knew or remembered that it was a Lamir. I take it we need to find something for you to destroy? I prefer not to open portals to the Abyss here in the school. It's too much temptation for them. I'm not entirely sure which side I'm referring to, to be honest. The more Avalon and the Abyss are kept apart, the better for everyone. But of course you can't just go destroying things willy-nilly. I would think that a specific target could be easily found. That should buy more time to separate you from the Lamir. If you even want to be separated. You don't have to be if you don't want to be," she said calmly, stopping to sip her tea. "Unless there were some other complications I don't know about yet?"

Ephebe sighed. "Well, that was even less productive than I had hoped. The only thing that was confirmed was that even the Patrons aren't allowed to tell me what I'm supposed to do."
The data pad in her pocket beeped and she checked it briefly. "I've got a student waiting to see me. Work never ends," she said with a wry smile, pausing to kiss Krays on the cheek before leaving to go back to her office.

As Jacob waits, the door to the office opens and Mrs. Blackscales walks in. "Good evening, Jacob. I trust you helped yourself to some cookies? Please feel free to do so. It's an enchanted plate. It never runs out of cookies. There's tea also if you would like. Or milk. In the pitcher right next to the cookie plate. Most of the time when people come to my office it's because there's something wrong, and I find a treat helps," she added, stepping over to the table and pouring herself a cup of tea. "Now, why don't we sit down and you can tell me what you need my help with," she said pleasantly, moving to her favored seat in a pink velvet armchair.

narrator wrote:

YES. ALL...WELL, PROBABLY. IT'S HARD TO TELL WHAT DESTRUCTION IS THINKING. HE IS, HOW DO YOU SAY IT...AN ODD GOOSE? NO, THAT DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT. I AM SURE IT IS SOME SORT OF AQUATIC BIRD...AN ODD SWAN? CRANE? SEAGULL? WELL, SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES. EVERYONE ELSE IS DEFINITELY ON BOARD EXCEPT FOR THE BRIEF PERIODS OF TIME WHEN THEY GET A LITTLE ....OFF. TOO MUCH TIME IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO FEAR CAN DO THAT TO ANYONE. AND I'M SURE THAT LUMOS AND ESPERANZA WILL BE VERY SORRY LATER. WELL, LUMOS WILL BE VERY SORRY LATER. THERE'S NO HELP FOR ESPERANZA. SHE IS THE SORT OF PERSON YOU NEVER INVITE TO PARTIES.

"It's 'odd duck', Master. If anyone wanted to see the death of everything, it probably would be Destruction...but, would hint at no sense of self-preservation. I'm just curious if all the champions would actually be united on this front, or if there would still be some shenanigans. Balance's return could make that go either way, I gather..."

He looks at his wife
"Ephebe, you know something bad is supposed to happen in the very near future, without getting into any detail, does the event bring the champions into line with preventing this, or fracture us even more? Do you have any other insights?"

I don't believe Krays knows about Jim, Asche and the others yet. Besides Ephebe, I think Tamrin is the only one who knows (and Aananda)

Ephebe doesn't know yet either. She spent a lot of time in the next day, but it involves events that didn't put her into contact with anyone who knew that information. And keeping track off where she is in her personal timeline in reference to everyone else is...challenging. The joys of time travel. :P

Ephebe shook her head. "Events are changing too fast. The near future is in total flux right now. I'm looking at probabilities rather than certainties. My knowledge of the champions suggests that they're more likely to work together. It's the Patrons that worry me. They're not used to being in such close proximity all the time. It's....wait, you said that the beginning was happening in the middle," she said turning towards Death. "This...this is the beginning of the Game?"

Death nodded, but didn't elaborate beyond that simple confirmation.

Krays wrote:

narrator wrote:

Krays wrote:

After some cuddle time with each other with the children...

"Well, let's go talk to my master. Let's see if he has any insight into this madness..."

::Master, my wife and I would like to talk with you...::

OH. WELL....THIS SHOULD BE INTERESTING....I SUPPOSE IT IS ALLOWABLE. SHE IS SUBJECT TO SPECIAL RULES...

::Good. This will also allow you to observe a mortal mated couple interact socially. I know you're interested in things like this.::

"He says you may come as well."He says to Ephebe.

Ephebe stepped with him inside Death's realm. This time it looked like a comfortable living room. There were overstuffed chairs, side tables, a fireplace, a thick carpet, a vase of flowers on the mantel. Very ordinary, except for the fact that every single thing in the room was black. Even the wallpaper.

PLEASE MAKE YOURSELVES COMFORTABLE. I WOULD OFFER YOU REFRESHMENTS, BUT I AM TOLD THAT I STILL HAVE NOT PROPERLY GOT THE HANG OF TEA YET. IT WOULD NOT POSSIBLY BE VERY GOOD FOR MORTALS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I HAVE NOT YET WORKED OUT IF THAT MEANS THAT IT IS POISONOUS OR THAT IT IS SIMPLY DISGUSTING. BUT SOMEHOW I DOUBT THAT YOU TWO HAVE COME HERE TO CHAT ABOUT THE DIFFICULTIES OF MAKING TEA

"See? I knew it wasn't just me," Ephebe said, gingerly sitting down in one of the chairs which was not nearly as soft as it looked. "Cooking is hard! At least you didn't set the water on fire," she said, trying to be encouraging.

Ephebe wrote:

She sighed. "Yeah. I know they are. Dangers of time travel, knowing too much. Events are in flux right now, and more and more so with every change I make, but that one just won't go away. The only thing that changes is the date that it happens. But it will happen soon."

"So many will die...it's shame." you're pretty sure he's talking about Empire forces, more than Agarthans.

"Unfortunately that's how war works. You have to hit the point of unacceptable losses before negotiation will even be considered," she said, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "I expect that sort of attitude in hell, but it is just sad how often it's just the same on the prime material. I say quite ironically, considering."

Ephebe wrote:

"Yeah, pretty sure that he's the only one she'll listen to. Honestly, I think she's scared. I don't blame her. I am too. The Empire is probably going to find us within the next few months. And the universe is probably going to end in at most five years. Unless I can fix it. So there's a lot to be scared about. She just needs to get it through her head that she isn't responsible for single-handedly fixing it. I know, I know, so ironic coming from me."

"Very, but it's one of the things I love about you, so long as you don't let it consume you. You really believe the Empire to be that close?"

She sighed. "Yeah. I know they are. Dangers of time travel, knowing too much. Events are in flux right now, and more and more so with every change I make, but that one just won't go away. The only thing that changes is the date that it happens. But it will happen soon."

Ephebe wrote:

Ephebe laughed. "Of course not. Especially not with Mom being pregnant. Neither of them would risk it. But there would be a great deal of shouting, and I most people wouldn't want to get near that. Frightful presence and all that. Especially when they're upset. And I'm not certain that both of them wouldn't lash out at any bystanders unlucky enough to get too close."

"I should hope not. I don't think I've ever seen Ryleh truly angry, and I don't think I'd want to. I know how I get, I can just imagine her being much worse.

I'm sure your father could talk some sense into your mother. He seems to calm her."

"Yeah, pretty sure that he's the only one she'll listen to. Honestly, I think she's scared. I don't blame her. I am too. The Empire is probably going to find us within the next few months. And the universe is probably going to end in at most five years. Unless I can fix it. So there's a lot to be scared about. She just needs to get it through her head that she isn't responsible for single-handedly fixing it. I know, I know, so ironic coming from me."

Ephebe wrote:

"Well, if Grandma gets her way, then Mom wouldn't be sharing the responsibility. She'd be handing it over completely. Which certainly should be an interesting fight to watch. Because Mom is something of a control freak. It's how she copes with traumatic events. And Grandma is exactly the same way. Probably best for all of us to stay out of the blast radius while they're arguing," she joked.

"It wouldn't come to blows would it?" he asked, worried a bit.

Ephebe laughed. "Of course not. Especially not with Mom being pregnant. Neither of them would risk it. But there would be a great deal of shouting, and I most people wouldn't want to get near that. Frightful presence and all that. Especially when they're upset. And I'm not certain that both of them wouldn't lash out at any bystanders unlucky enough to get too close."

Ephebe wrote:

"Well, I'm not planning on working myself to death, if that's what you're asking. I can manage the administrative side of the school, no problem. Well, for now anyway. Probably for quite a while I think. It's the teaching I need to give up. But I have to find a replacement first. Hopefully one will magically appear soon. That's how it usually works I think. But I'm pretty sure my request doesn't come before finding a new head of security. It's the sort of job that really needs a whole team of people and you know how my Mom is. She's trying to do that and a few other things all by herself. Grandma was grumbling about it this afternoon when I had tea with her. She's concerned."

"That's good to hear..." he says with a bit of relief.

"Your mother strikes me as a bit of a perfectionist. I don't know how she would do with "sharing" that responsibility. I think Taron would be good for aiding her, but obviously there would be some trust issues there, I think..."

"Well, if Grandma gets her way, then Mom wouldn't be sharing the responsibility. She'd be handing it over completely. Which certainly should be an interesting fight to watch. Because Mom is something of a control freak. It's how she copes with traumatic events. And Grandma is exactly the same way. Probably best for all of us to stay out of the blast radius while they're arguing," she joked.

Ephebe wrote:

She laughed. "Well, that's the thing about time travel...you have as much time as you want. There are some truly dull moments in history that are perfectly suited for a quick nap. So, basically, it's the same. I'm just going about it slightly differently than I was. But I will admit, it's getting harder and harder to think in a strictly linear progression. Since I often live with effect and then cause instead of the other way around."

He nods, understanding.

"So, do you plan on handing over the elementary school to someone else, or are you going to do that as well?"

"Well, I'm not planning on working myself to death, if that's what you're asking. I can manage the administrative side of the school, no problem. Well, for now anyway. Probably for quite a while I think. It's the teaching I need to give up. But I have to find a replacement first. Hopefully one will magically appear soon. That's how it usually works I think. But I'm pretty sure my request doesn't come before finding a new head of security. It's the sort of job that really needs a whole team of people and you know how my Mom is. She's trying to do that and a few other things all by herself. Grandma was grumbling about it this afternoon when I had tea with her. She's concerned."

Ephebe wrote:

She smiled and scooted closer, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Me too," she said, and he could feel happiness and contentment from her. "It seems like we don't often get time just the two of us these days. I suppose it will be even more hectic once the babies hatch. So we'd better enjoy it while it lasts."

Her feelings are echoed in his own.

"I agree. Do you think you'll have more free time or less as the Paradox police?"

She laughed. "Well, that's the thing about time travel...you have as much time as you want. There are some truly dull moments in history that are perfectly suited for a quick nap. So, basically, it's the same. I'm just going about it slightly differently than I was. But I will admit, it's getting harder and harder to think in a strictly linear progression. Since I often live with effect and then cause instead of the other way around."

Ephebe wrote:

She stopped in mid-bite, surprised by the question. "I never even considered the possibility. I suppose you're right. I'm basically a free agent now. No reason I can't. Although I'm not sure if I would be allowed. They might have some kind of agreement between themselves to all keep their distance from me now. Or not. Guess it can't hurt to ask."

"I will ask Him, but later. I'm enjoying the "us" time."

She smiled and scooted closer, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Me too," she said, and he could feel happiness and contentment from her. "It seems like we don't often get time just the two of us these days. I suppose it will be even more hectic once the babies hatch. So we'd better enjoy it while it lasts."

Ephebe wrote:

Ephebe paused to consider as she inhaled more enchiladas. "Well, I'm not technically a demon even though I'm a demon lord, so they probably wouldn't be half-fiends, but it is possible that they might have some fiendish traits. Although there's no telling how that will interact with their Hunter abilities. I suppose we'll just have to wait and see. Or, well, I could go looking, but where's the fun in that? I'm trying to cut down on the number of times I cross my own time stream as it is. It's already a bit complicated. We'll just have to wait until after they hatch. Like normal parents."

He fake sighs

"The burdens of parenthood." he looks around at the eggs,and Ephebe feels his love for them, with a tad bit of possessiveness underlying the emotion. "I'll have to learn to be patient." He eats a few more enchiladas. "When I talk to Death, do you want to go as well? It's occurred to me since you're no longer affiliated with Kronos, perhaps you'd like to meet Him?...well in the good way, not like 'meet Death' in the bad way."

She stopped in mid-bite, surprised by the question. "I never even considered the possibility. I suppose you're right. I'm basically a free agent now. No reason I can't. Although I'm not sure if I would be allowed. They might have some kind of agreement between themselves to all keep their distance from me now. Or not. Guess it can't hurt to ask."

Ephebe wrote:

"I'm not entirely sure he won't. But he'll probably try to do it legally. He's in a pretty delicate position at the moment since he's been at the center of trying to rebuild firebird society since the Council was deposed. Hopefully justice will be served. If not....well, as I said, special place in Hell. I'll make sure of it."

He giggles

"Ahh yes, my little Demon Lord. I'm sure you could make the arrangements."
He ponders that for a sec...
"Are those kinds of things passed on to our children? Will they be half-fiends?" he asks. She can tell there's no second guessing or judgement in the question, just curiosity, and a wee bit of...pride?
"Hopefully for us they won't be able to command Aschen after hatching..."

Ephebe paused to consider as she inhaled more enchiladas. "Well, I'm not technically a demon even though I'm a demon lord, so they probably wouldn't be half-fiends, but it is possible that they might have some fiendish traits. Although there's no telling how that will interact with their Hunter abilities. I suppose we'll just have to wait and see. Or, well, I could go looking, but where's the fun in that? I'm trying to cut down on the number of times I cross my own time stream as it is. It's already a bit complicated. We'll just have to wait until after they hatch. Like normal parents."

Ephebe wrote:

"She was safely recovered. She's back at the school now, in the infirmary. Fi took Ignace and Chara to go and see her. James was there when they found her, so Fieri was able to keep us all well informed. It was their grandparents apparently. They were trying to do some kind of magical ritual on Raelle. The kind that would give permanent mind control most likely. You can imagine how well that thought is going over with her parents. That's...even for demons, that's serious evil. I'm sure there's already a special place in Hell reserved for people who would not just do that, but even to their own grandchild."

"That's...I do not envy Sorchan his position. It would be very hard for me to not do something...permanent to my sire if I were in his shoes."

"I'm not entirely sure he won't. But he'll probably try to do it legally. He's in a pretty delicate position at the moment since he's been at the center of trying to rebuild firebird society since the Council was deposed. Hopefully justice will be served. If not....well, as I said, special place in Hell. I'll make sure of it."

Ephebe wrote:

"Well, I don't think it can hurt to ask. Doesn't mean he'll tell you anything, but it's at least a chance," she said with a shrug.

"Alright. I will ask Him after dinner." he goes back to eating, the matter being solved for now. "How was the matter with Chara's sister solved? Is she ok?"

"She was safely recovered. She's back at the school now, in the infirmary. Fi took Ignace and Chara to go and see her. James was there when they found her, so Fieri was able to keep us all well informed. It was their grandparents apparently. They were trying to do some kind of magical ritual on Raelle. The kind that would give permanent mind control most likely. You can imagine how well that thought is going over with her parents. That's...even for demons, that's serious evil. I'm sure there's already a special place in Hell reserved for people who would not just do that, but even to their own grandchild."

He nods.

"If it will help to ask Death, I can certainly do that. Our union may provide him an out to help, if He's so inclined."

"Well, I don't think it can hurt to ask. Doesn't mean he'll tell you anything, but it's at least a chance," she said with a shrug.

He listens...

"I understand. I don't like it, but I do understand." he leans across a pan of enchiladas an gives her a kiss.

"So, something you did in another past is causing this cascade effect? Or, an agent is or agents are systematically destroying whole universes?"

He can feel her relief when he tells her that he understands.

"Whatever is causing this, it isn't me. Not any of me. It's something else, something from outside, I think. I don't really know. It's maddeningly frustrating trying to find out details. And you know how Patrons are about giving our information. They don't get easier to deal with after they stop speaking to you. I don't even know exactly what I'm trying to stop yet. I'm flying blind, as it were."

Ephebe wrote:

"During lunch hour. Several months ago. Tomorrow. I'm sorry I can't be more specific yet, but some of it hasn't happened from your vantage point. I'm afraid you might try to change it if I tell you the details, and you can't. Or rather you shouldn't. It's going to save millions of lives. At a price. Someone I couldn't save. Who was there because of what I did several months ago. When Taron and Kam flipped the world right side out. The me then didn't really have control of the aschen exactly, but they weren't actually running amok. They were acting on my orders. The ones I gave today. It only looked like chaos. I tried to find another way to stop the thing that happens tomorrow, but there wasn't one. Not here. The thing doesn't happen here. This time the school is safe."

He stops eating, and looks at his wife. A few different emotions flash across the bond as she's talking. Confusion, worry, even anger. He takes a deep breath and calms down, and simply asks "Why?"

She sat with her knees hugged tight to her chest, like she did when she was feeling stressed and upset. "Whole universes are disappearing, Krays. I've seen them. I've been there. I know they existed. But now they don't. And not like they were destroyed. I've seen what the end of everything looks like. Melody took me there when I was small. Not a voluntary trip. More of a look, this is what's going to happen if you don't cut it out, you rotten little brat. Er, don't tell her that. That's still in her future. She's not even on the right regeneration yet. The point being that I know what it looks like when everything goes out. This....this isn't that. There's just nothing there. No hint that something ever was there. Not even an empty space. Just....nothing. Where there was supposed to be something. The further out you go, the less there is. Whatever it is, it's going to get here eventually. And....look, I'm not keeping things from you because I don't trust you, alright? But you're the Champion of Death. You're inside the system. I'm not. And I think that they did that on purpose. I'm not sure if it's because they're afraid one of them is helping the other side, or they just don't want too many cooks in the kitchen. But I'm trying to only tell you about the things I've already done. The ones that can't be changed anymore. To keep Patron politics out of it. I'm supposed to change things. Little things, big things, anything I like. I'm just supposed to change things until the bad universe eating thing doesn't happen. And if I get it wrong.....If I get it wrong, then everything ends, or maybe never was. So a lot of pressure and very little in the way of actual instructions. And right now it's all I can do not to go tell someone, or more than one someone, not to be somewhere tomorrow. But that doesn't work either. They have to be there. It's going to happen. And I can't stop it now. I thought I could save everyone. But I couldn't. It's already in my past."