As Esmarelda uses the letter to scry for Oroth, she see darkness parting as light streams through to show a tower. This tower is at the top of a building seemingly occupied by a large sun. The magic zeros in on the room and she sees a strange golden mist, within which Oroth seems to reside.
Esmerelda nods.
"I thought so. I think that his shadow has been replaced with light, or something. Like in the letter." She hands the letter back to Aidan. "Here you are, child. Alright, so from what I can tell, Oroth's soul is quite literally in a 'better place'. However, divination isn't my strong suit, so we should get Jay--no, that won't work. Damn it, all the diviners are either dead, busy or evil. Or all of the above. Alright, I'll have to take this one. Wait! Sytt!"
"What sort of better place did you see Esmarelda?"
Whoa dudes! i just saw John Lennon in a ballerina tutu, singing Amazing Grace. Weird! That's twice in one week.
Devlyn tries out the link and sends a 'tele-gram':
:Looks like things worked out. Arielle got the start, thanks to LK's attempt to fight in the arena. They've all gone back to the Grove to figure out the next move against the dragon that's hoarded the remaining stars. How is Aidan doing?:
Devlyn tries out the link and sends a 'tele-gram':
:Looks like things worked out. Arielle got the start, thanks to LK's attempt to fight in the arena. They've all gone back to the Grove to figure out the next move against the dragon that's hoarded the remaining stars. How is Aidan doing?:
Allura responds, telepathically.
Sytt!"
"Sit? How can she tell us to sit at a time like this?" Frustrated yelling ensues.
Sytt!""Sit? How can she tell us to sit at a time like this?" Frustrated yelling ensues.
"Aidan calm down. I think that Sytt is supposed to be a name not a command. Perhaps someone she wishes to consult for help? Or perhaps we could try consulting Alaina at the Sanctum. I mean, she's a powerful priestess too and divinations have to be a lot easier when your deity is actually present right there."
"Aidan calm down. I think that Sytt is supposed to be a name not a command. Perhaps someone she wishes to consult for help? Or perhaps we could try consulting Alaina at the Sanctum. I mean, she's a powerful priestess too and divinations have to be a lot easier when your deity is actually present right there."Sytt!""Sit? How can she tell us to sit at a time like this?" Frustrated yelling ensues.
Not wanting to take any chances,
"Okay. Esmarelda sorry about leaving when you've done so much to help, but this may go faster is more people are trying. Let's go Allura."
Aidan and Allura step into the omniportal and head for the Sanctum.
Aidan and Allura step into the omniportal and head for the Sanctum.
Esmerelda smiles, deep in thought.
"That may be the perfect place to go. Sytt! I'm not calling you again!"
Aidan and Allura step into the omniportal and head for the Sanctum.Esmerelda smiles, deep in thought.
"That may be the perfect place to go. Sytt! I'm not calling you again!"
Sytt appears, grumbling.
"Sorry ma'am, I was busy. What is it?"
Aidan and Allura step into the omniportal and head for the Sanctum.Esmerelda smiles, deep in thought.
"That may be the perfect place to go. Sytt! I'm not calling you again!"Sytt appears, grumbling.
"Sorry ma'am, I was busy. What is it?"
"Go into this man's mindscape."
"Go into this man's mindscape."Aidan and Allura step into the omniportal and head for the Sanctum.Esmerelda smiles, deep in thought.
"That may be the perfect place to go. Sytt! I'm not calling you again!"Sytt appears, grumbling.
"Sorry ma'am, I was busy. What is it?"
"Aw c'mon. That's tricky business, you know that. Anyways, this guy's dead."
"Aw c'mon. That's tricky business, you know that. Anyways, this guy's dead.""Go into this man's mindscape."Aidan and Allura step into the omniportal and head for the Sanctum.Esmerelda smiles, deep in thought.
"That may be the perfect place to go. Sytt! I'm not calling you again!"Sytt appears, grumbling.
"Sorry ma'am, I was busy. What is it?"
"Sytt. Go. In. Now."
"Sytt. Go. In. Now.""Aw c'mon. That's tricky business, you know that. Anyways, this guy's dead.""Go into this man's mindscape."Aidan and Allura step into the omniportal and head for the Sanctum.Esmerelda smiles, deep in thought.
"That may be the perfect place to go. Sytt! I'm not calling you again!"Sytt appears, grumbling.
"Sorry ma'am, I was busy. What is it?"
"Alright! Alright! I'm going! But unless he's comatose or something, this is gonna be impossible. I could end up dead."
Sytt focuses for a moment, then his eyes glaze over. He attempts to enter Oroth's mind.
Suddenly, Sytt screams.
"AUGH!!! Bad, bad, bad--no, you don't--bad! I'm bad--stop it, this is my mind, get it out, get it out get it out..."
Esmerelda swears.
"Oh dear. Sytt, get OUT!"
Sytt comes to.
"Sorry, Esmerelda, but that was awful. He's in the Sanctum, and it's only making him more 'sunny'. I'm good at slipping through wards and stuff, but that was no net, that was a wall. He's coming back. You won't be needed. Hopefully, neither will I." Sytt vanishes.
Esmerelda sighs, and pulls her hood over her eyes. The lonely figure walks off into the distance, and soon disappears.
With nobody around, the rust monster scuttles around the Oasis nibbling scraps or metal, and using as a plaything the coconut shell with a message on which it found.
Where did all my friends go?
Yeah, where is everyone?
Where did all my friends go?
Relaxing on a sun warmed rock, Dragonborn Junior lazily wonders why its so quite. Spreading his wings so they catch more sunlight, he falls asleep amoung his many wards and protection spells.
Allura steps out of the omniportal.
"Hello? Sirone? I'm really sorry I've been away for so long. It's been...crazy."
Allura spends some time catching Sirone up on everything that's been happening with her.
Ethelbert pops in and waves a few tentacles
Devlyn returns to the Oasis around mid-evening, letting out a contented sigh as he lets the quiet tranquility of the place flow over him. Allura was right - they'd been gone too long...
He peeks into the main pool to see if Ethelbert is there, waving if so.
Allura sits beside the pool that she and Devlyn usually used to gain some private time while the Oasis had been so crowded. She had had a good talk with Sirone, as well as a much-deserved scolding about taking off without so much as a note and never visiting.
Devlyn follows his nose back to their private swimming hole, stopping at the edge of the clearing to take in how radiant Allura looks in the dappled moonlight.
"Hello, beautiful," he says with a warm smile as he walks into the light.
She looks up at him and smiles. "I've been waiting for you. The building went okay today?"
She looks up at him and smiles. "I've been waiting for you. The building went okay today?"
"Right as rain, love," he says as he leans down and gives her a quick kiss. "All of the protective spells are now in place, and we can start bringing in the flora for the garden. They'll need to come back for each of the floors of the main building as we get those built, but they don't foresee any problems with the plans."
"When I left, LK hadn't returned yet, though Kiba went along to keep tabs on him unobtrusively. Aidan and Oroth are going to keep an eye out just in case, and Kiba can reach me via communication crystal if something comes up."
He sits down next to her. "But I'm more interested in how your day was. You look like you've been able to soak up the peace and quiet at least," he chuckles as he pulls off his boots and lets his feet luxuriate in the cool waters.
"Other than a much-deserved lecture on visiting more often, I had a lovely day. It was nice to get away from all the excitement for a few hours."
"Other than a much-deserved lecture on visiting more often, I had a lovely day. It was nice to get away from all the excitement for a few hours."
He grins sheepishly.
"Yeah - I had a feeling that might happen. Now that we've got the really hard stuff out of the way (or at lease started), we should be able to sneak back here once or twice a week. If nothing else, we can come back at night and get some well-earned R&R," he says with a wink as he lays back on the grass and kicks his feet lazily in the pool.
He grins sheepishly.
"Yeah - I had a feeling that might happen. Now that we've got the really hard stuff out of the way (or at lease started), we should be able to sneak back here once or twice a week. If nothing else, we can come back at night and get some well-earned R&R," he says with a wink as he lays back on the grass and kicks his feet lazily in the pool.
"Just your feet? I mean if you're going to get in the water, actually get in the water," she said with a grin. She pulled off her clothes and jumped into the pool. "See? Like that."
"Just your feet? I mean if you're going to get in the water, actually get in the water," she said with a grin. She pulled off her clothes and jumped into the pool. "See? Like that."
"Well, when you make such a compelling argument, how can I say no?" he laughs as he pull off his own clothes and dives in with her.
Allura quickly casts water breathing on herself and dives down, tickling his toes before swimming away.
Allura quickly casts water breathing on herself and dives down, tickling his toes before swimming away.
Devlyn yelps and tucks his legs up, then takes off after her.
[rimshot]The game's afoot![/rimshot] :D
Allura makes sure to keep her distance for a little bit. After all, it wouldn't do to let him catch her too soon. But then she swims in closer to tickle him again.
Allura makes sure to keep her distance for a little bit. After all, it wouldn't do to let him catch her too soon. But then she swims in closer to tickle him again.
Devlyn doesn't appear to be in any rush to end the chase either, as she is able to get in and tickle him in the ribs. He does, however, quickly spin around and take advantage of her woefully unprotected belly button... ;)
And a long-overdue night of mischievous frivolity ensues as we fade to *blub* :P
A voice(Kiba's) can be heard from Allura's crystal.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything, but my son is leading another boy in the direction of your house in the Bazaar. I'm following them to make sure they are safe, but it might be a good idea if your there to allow Lk some privacy to shift back, as the boy doesn't seem to know his puppy is Lk. They have been in a fight, and the Lk has a cut on his leg. The boy hasn't spoken since the fight." The crystal falls silent.
"So much for a relaxing evening. Sorry, love. Looks like we have to head back."
The omniportal flashes and Serafina and Rio emerge. Serafina finds a spot under a willow and sits down, tossing stones across the large pool of water.
The omniportal flashes and Serafina and Rio emerge. Serafina finds a spot under a willow and sits down, tossing stones across the large pool of water.
"Don't be so down, Serafina. It wasn't that bad. Not everyone is going to believe you were in control of your actions. I apoligize in advance if I do something stupid and drastic, though."
"Don't be so down, Serafina. It wasn't that bad. Not everyone is going to believe you were in control of your actions. I apoligize in advance if I do something stupid and drastic, though."
Serafina smiles wanly
It's OK, Rio, I just need to get my head straight. I did a lot of bad things while I was a vampire, and having half a millenium of guilt come crashing down on you all at once is a hard burden. I might not be Innocent Blood anymore, but I remember everything she did.
Serafina has been sitting quietly for days. She eats occasionally, and once in a while she strips down to her shift and goes swimming. After a week or so of thought she is suddenly struck by something. She screams and doubles over, collapsing on the mossy earth.