After what seems like a long time arguing, Arielle finally falls silent. She taps her foot impatiently as she waits. Eventually she starts arguing in Auran again. This goes on for awhile before she finally taps Aidan on the shoulder.
"They're at the Sanctum," she whispers.Aidan looks at the adults again to see if they are watching. Taking out a scrap of paper, he writes "We went to the Sanctum" and puts it in plain sight under a small rock(to keep it in place).
"Okay, let's go. If you can't fly, my bike has a side car that can be attached. Or we can use the portal, but then we won't have as much time to set up the joke. I've got the illusion right, and I'll warn you, I will probably get in a lot of trouble when this all blows over.""
"Okay. I think I should ride in the side car then. I can only fly if the wind carries me, and I'm already not sure it isn't going to tattle on me really soon."
Aidan places a hand on her shoulder and mutters an incantation.
"Okay, they won't notice we're gone for a while, let's go."
When Arielle looks back, she can see herself and Aidan still sitting by Yggdrasil talking normally. With her special eyes, she can see the copies glow with illusion magic.
Once out of the Grove, Aidan moves smoothly through the forest, and they reach his bike in record time. Getting on the bike, he flicks a switch and the side of his bike shudders and expands, becoming the side car he mentioned/ He demonstrates how to helmet, and how to use the seat belt.
"Now I get to show you a way to fly while grounded."
He kicks the bike to life and they speed away toward the Sanctum.
LJ and CH hear Devlyn's voice on their communication crystals.
"Hey folks - it looks like Arielle and Aidan decided to track us down at the Sanctum to do a bit of pranking. We just finished talking to Sunny G, and it looks like Tristan needs to go back to the Bazaar to get some kind of magic gem that only he can find. We're all coming with him to keep him out of harm's way while he does so. We'll be here for a little while longer before we leave, if you needed to stop by."
Noting that the Aidan and Arielle by the World Tree are mere illusions, Kaelar walks out onto a lake(thought not the one with Tempest in it), and stands there, arms spread wide as water swirls around him. His eyes flare with all the blues one could possible imagine as he starts a lengthy and complex Water Spell...
"If this works," he thinks, "Thw Champion of the Sea will stay the Champion."
Suddenly, there is a hiss of steam, and a strange fish appears in the water.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Suddenly, there is a hiss of steam, and a strange fish appears in the water.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Mmmm...sushi....Suddenly, there is a hiss of steam, and a strange fish appears in the water.
"What do you think you're doing?"
The shark-sized fish continues to stare at the Bard.
"No, really. What do you think you're doing? I am under strict orders to guard this lake."
"Enjoying Water Magic to it's fullest. What is a talking fish doing here? There is no need to guard a lake in this forest."
"You have not answered my question properly, Kaelar Duskwalker, Champion of the Sea, Seeker of the Song, Elf of Water. What. Are. You. Doing?" The fish seems annoyed now. "I am under strict orders. To guard you."
"You have not answered my question properly, Kaelar Duskwalker, Champion of the Sea, Seeker of the Song, Elf of Water. What. Are. You. Doing?" The fish seems annoyed now. "I am under strict orders. To guard you."
Fake shock appears on Kaelar's face.
"Guard me!? What ever for? And how are you to guard me if if decide to.. visit a desert?""Oh, and you forgot I'm a Sublime Chord as well."
"You have not answered my question properly, Kaelar Duskwalker, Champion of the Sea, Seeker of the Song, Elf of Water. What. Are. You. Doing?" The fish seems annoyed now. "I am under strict orders. To guard you."Fake shock appears on Kaelar's face.
"Guard me!? What ever for? And how are you to guard me if if decide to.. visit a desert?""Oh, and you forgot I'm a Sublime Chord as well."
The fish ignores the Bard's jibe. "Then I would bring water to the desert. And it would be a desert no longer. What are you doing here?"
"Practicing Water Magic, just like I told you. Had you not distracted me I would have moved on to my songs."
"Practicing Water Magic, just like I told you. Had you not distracted me I would have moved on to my songs."
"You are lying. The fish's eyes narrow. "You may be used to VIP treatment from the other aquatic wildlife, but not me. You know the only reason I haven't attacked you yet? Because you aren't evil. Because I can tell you're good. But you had better tell the truth, because I am not a patient fish."
"But if I am lying, what is the truth? Practice is best done by actually working a spell. So I am practicing, but I am also doing more than that. I am trying to strengthen my Champion Magic and trying to make it easier to get rid off when the time comes."
"But if I am lying, what is the truth? Practice is best done by actually working a spell. So I am practicing, but I am also doing more than that. I am trying to strengthen my Champion Magic and trying to make it easier to get rid of when the time comes."
The fish seems to smile. Its teeth are very sharp. "There. Now you are speaking the whole truth. But I fear that I must stop you here, for you cannot be allowed to increase your strength like this. I'm sorry, I really am." The fish apparently sighs. "But in order to preserve the balance of the Board, it must be done. I suppose you are adverse to simply giving up?"
"But if I am lying, what is the truth? Practice is best done by actually working a spell. So I am practicing, but I am also doing more than that. I am trying to strengthen my Champion Magic and trying to make it easier to get rid of when the time comes."The fish seems to smile. Its teeth are very sharp. "There. Now you are speaking the whole truth. But I fear that I must stop you here, for you cannot be allowed to increase your strength like this. I'm sorry, I really am." The fish apparently sighs. "But in order to preserve the balance of the Board, it must be done. I suppose you are adverse to simply giving up?"
He smiles.
"Actually, I think I am. Bye now."With that, Kaelar simply dissappears.
"But if I am lying, what is the truth? Practice is best done by actually working a spell. So I am practicing, but I am also doing more than that. I am trying to strengthen my Champion Magic and trying to make it easier to get rid of when the time comes."The fish seems to smile. Its teeth are very sharp. "There. Now you are speaking the whole truth. But I fear that I must stop you here, for you cannot be allowed to increase your strength like this. I'm sorry, I really am." The fish apparently sighs. "But in order to preserve the balance of the Board, it must be done. I suppose you are adverse to simply giving up?"He smiles.
"Actually, I think I am. Bye now."With that, Kaelar simply dissappears.
The fish sighs. Now he will have to track Kaelar's movements, and he always hates doing that. He begins the tedious process.
The fish sighs. Now he will have to track Kaelar's movements, and he always hates doing that. He begins the tedious process.
Dangnabbed wimpy pacifists... ;)
"Then I would bring water to the desert. And it would be a desert no longer."
One of the inhabitants of the Grove passes this stmt onto E7. He shakes his head at the disruption of balance.
"Then I would bring water to the desert. And it would be a desert no longer."One of the inhabitants of the Grove passes this stmt onto E7. He shakes his head at the disruption of balance.
Nah, not really. AF is the classic do-gooder: he is willing to damage the environment to protect the people that live in it. Go figure.
"Then I would bring water to the desert. And it would be a desert no longer."One of the inhabitants of the Grove passes this stmt onto E7. He shakes his head at the disruption of balance.Nah, not really. AF is the classic do-gooder: he is willing to damage the environment to protect the people that live in it. Go figure.
starts a chainsaw and looks around. Clear away a few trees and this will make a great place for the hot tub.
LK pushes aside a tree branch to reveal Yggdrasil and all it's glory, sitting next to the pristine lake with crystal clear water. Under the great limbs of the World Ash sits what looks like a swing grown from smaller, but sturdy, trees.
"Impressed yet?" He asks Arielle with a laugh.
LK pushes aside a tree branch to reveal Yggdrasil and all it's glory, sitting next to the pristine lake with crystal clear water. Under the great limbs of the World Ash sits what looks like a swing grown from smaller, but sturdy, trees.
"Impressed yet?" He asks Arielle with a laugh.
Arielle's eyes open wide and she laughs with delight.
"Canis, it's wonderful! How long have you been working on this?"
"Well, a few years ago I kinda got tired of sitting on the ground, but after that it sorta evolved into a place for you.." He says a bit sheepishly. "The, uh, dew looks nice in the morning. Unless you want to wake up covered in dew though, I suggest waiting somewhere else. Working late on getting the trees to grow helped me learn that."
"Well, a few years ago I kinda got tired of sitting on the ground, but after that it sorta evolved into a place for you.." He says a bit sheepishly. "The, uh, dew looks nice in the morning. Unless you want to wake up covered in dew though, I suggest waiting somewhere else. Working late on getting the trees to grow helped me learn that."
She hugged him.
"It's absolutely perfect. And I can hardly wait to see how lovely it looks, though I'll be sure not to sleep on the ground," she laughed.
She runs over to the swing and sits, unconsciously humming a tune she half remembered from long ago.
"This place feels right."
"If it didn't before, it certainly does now." LK thinks as he sits next to her, listening to her hum.
"She has that effect on people." He says as he looks back at Yggdrasil. "But any place can feel right if it's meant to."
"She has that effect on people." He says as he looks back at Yggdrasil. "But any place can feel right if it's meant to."
"Well, your effort to make this place feel right paid off. It's perfect. Thank you."
She called up a very slight breeze to push the swing as they sat on it and leaned her head on his shoulder.
"I haven't felt so much at peace in a very long time."
"I try." He says as he tries to get his breathing under control again. "I've made safe havens like this throughout the Grove, just so people can have a place to go and relax."
He slowly wraps an arm around her shoulders.
"Mmmmm. You can be very thoughtful sometimes. And I like that you've made places in the Grove for people to enjoy it."
"As long as you haven't been bringing lots of girls here. I can get pretty jealous you know. Hair pulling and everything," she said, jokingly.
"Well.. not here of course, but they seem to like some of the other places I've made..." He replies, not even trying to sound serious.
"That last one did like the field with the red flowers..." ;P
"Well.. not here of course, but they seem to like some of the other places I've made..." He replies, not even trying to sound serious.
"That last one did like the field with the red flowers..." ;P
She pinched him. "You know that if you were telling me the truth instead of just joking with me I'd have to seriously hurt you." ;)
"And without a speck of silver to help!"
"But if I'm ever with another girl, it's because you and I don't want to be recognized. Loyalty and all that other kind of canine stuff, you know?" He says as he kisses her cheek. "The threat of a storm in my colon helps too." ;)
She laughed, and blushed just a little.
"I feel really happy right now. You make me happy. Just so you know. And in case there was ever a moment's doubt, you're the only guy for me. Not that there was ever any doubt of that."
A muffled giggling can be heard just behind them in the trees.
She sighed.
"And I just figured out what the big disadvantage to having a romantic moment this close to Yggdrasil is."
She got up and walked over to the undergrowth, reached in and pulled out two blone-haired green eyed little boys by their ears.
"It's not nice to spy on people."