Serafina stands off to the side, leaning on the black walnut quarterstaff. Half-a-dozen cuts and bruises speckle her skin
"I cannot bear to cause him pain. All of this, everything I risked, in the battle, in the last few days, it was all for him. Surely you know that. And now the sight of me causes him to draw back in fear. How can I possibly do that to him?"The knight gets up quickly and grasps Nimora's arm before she can fall, or leave.
"No."
"How can you abandon him now? He can be helped. Eventually he will need you."
She stands up and hobbles away, the pain from her wounds finally catching up to her.Alaina lays her hands on Nimora
Rest now, Champion of Water She says kindly
"Thank you, Alaina, but I am no Champion."
She looks at Mirathan curled up near the wall and turns to Sunny Godhead, tears streaming down her face."Thank you for your kind offer. I think that we will need to take you up on it, at least for Mirathan's sake. I do not think that he can travel far in his current condition."
"How can you abandon him now? He can be helped. Eventually he will need you.""I cannot bear to cause him pain. All of this, everything I risked, in the battle, in the last few days, it was all for him. Surely you know that. And now the sight of me causes him to draw back in fear. How can I possibly do that to him?"The knight gets up quickly and grasps Nimora's arm before she can fall, or leave.
"No."
"Yes, you are right. Very well. I will stay near but out of sight. Until he is able to look at me without terror."
"Yes, you are right. Very well. I will stay near but out of sight. Until he is able to look at me without terror.""How can you abandon him now? He can be helped. Eventually he will need you.""I cannot bear to cause him pain. All of this, everything I risked, in the battle, in the last few days, it was all for him. Surely you know that. And now the sight of me causes him to draw back in fear. How can I possibly do that to him?"The knight gets up quickly and grasps Nimora's arm before she can fall, or leave.
"No."
"Will you stay as long as it takes?"
Alaina takes the young sea elf's hand
You are exhausted. Come, there is a pool of sea water over here you can rest in, and there is plenty of food. Mirathan will recover given time ..
"Will you stay as long as it takes?"
"I have only three tides before I must leave or be forsworn to my mother. But even so, yes, I will stay as long as it takes."
Alaina takes the young sea elf's hand
You are exhausted. Come, there is a pool of sea water over here you can rest in, and there is plenty of food. Mirathan will recover given time ..
"I pray that you are right."
Nimora allows herself to be led over to the water."Help him, please," she pleads. "He needs to be in water, and perhaps he will not be so afraid of you."
"I have only three tides before I must leave or be forsworn to my mother. But even so, yes, I will stay as long as it takes."
"Will you stay as long as it takes?"
"Much can happen in 3 tides. Situations can 'be altered'..."
"Help him, please," she pleads. "He needs to be in water, and perhaps he will not be so afraid of you."
Alaina helps Nimora in
Of course I will help him. Sunny G is setting up the aquarium with special healing waters, he will be fine once he regains his bearings. You rest too. You are no good to him exhausted.
"Much can happen in 3 tides. Situations can 'be altered'..."
She looks at him quizzically. "Yes, I suppose so."
Alaina helps Nimora in
Of course I will help him. Sunny G is setting up the aquarium with special healing waters, he will be fine once he regains his bearings. You rest too. You are no good to him exhausted.
"Thank you, Alaina. You are a good friend."
Serafina looks over the hubbub at the Sanctum and turns back to the omniportal. A flash and she is gone
Telestial walks over to Mirathan and kneels.
"My King, I am here for you. I will let no one harm you. Take this pill. It will calm the chaos in your mind. Your people need you."
"Thank you, Alaina. You are a good friend."
Alaina smiles sadly
I just wish I could do more ...
The omniportal flashes again and 4 more knights enter. They take up positions around Mirathan, standing at attention.
"Thank you, Alaina. You are a good friend."
Alaina smiles sadly
I just wish I could do more ...
"It will take time, I think, for Mirathan's mind to heal. I also wish that there was more that I could do."
"It will take time, I think, for Mirathan's mind to heal. I also wish that there was more that I could do."
Time will heal his hurts Nimora. You'll see..
"Thank you, Alaina. You are a good friend."
Alaina smiles sadly
I just wish I could do more ...
"It will take time, I think, for Mirathan's mind to heal. I also wish that there was more that I could do."
Mirathan calms, the pill working to calm his mind.
Time will heal his hurts Nimora. You'll see..
"It will take time, I think, for Mirathan's mind to heal. I also wish that there was more that I could do."
"Yes, he is going to be alright. Even if he can never stand the sight of me again, it doesn't matter as long as he is safe and whole." Her sad and discouraged expression changes to one of determination as she speaks.
One by one, piece by piece, the gravity elementals begin to gradually reconstruct the sanctum's aquarium. Slowly but surely under Sunny G's guiding hand, the aquarium begins to fill with coral, tropical fish, and waters capable of healing and nurturing the creatures of the sea.
"I have several temples located in lagoons and along warm coastal beaches. I even have two or three on a sandbar. Although I am not of the waters or the sea, I have several followers who are. Their knowledge, I hope, is most helpful."
The omniportal flashes again. An uncomfortable looking sea elf in white robes enters with yet another knight, a young one. They hurry over to Mirathan and the healer begins his examination.
Telestial rises and walks over to Alaina and Nimora.
"By your leave, we'd like to take the king home. We've added our portal to your system."
The omniportal flashes again. An uncomfortable looking sea elf in white robes enters with yet another knight, a young one. They hurry over to Mirathan and the healer begins his examination.
Telestial rises and walks over to Alaina and Nimora.
"By your leave, we'd like to take the king home. We've added our portal to your system."
"That is an excellent idea. I'm sure that it will be easier for him to recover at home in familiar surroundings."
"That is an excellent idea. I'm sure that it will be easier for him to recover at home in familiar surroundings."
Alaina nods
I agree. A comfortable setting is what he needs most.
Telestial bows
"The State funeral and coronation will take place in 3 tides' time. You are welcome in the court. If you can breathe underwater. My apologies about that."
"I suspect your mother might be in
attendance, and 'preoccupied' with changing circumstances."
Telestial bows
"The State funeral and coronation will take place in 3 tides' time. You are welcome in the court. If you can breathe underwater. My apologies about that."
"I suspect your mother might be in
attendance, and 'preoccupied' with changing circumstances."
Nimora smiles weakly. "Yes, I rather expect that she will be scheming already."
"If I am permitted, I will come and check on his progress as often as I can. Although the last time I was there, I was told not to return."
"Fret not noble lady, you have saved the new king. No one will harm you or your friends."
"It was not the son in the witch's vision, it was the father. Once the healers failed, our Order had to stop that vision from coming true."
"Fret not noble lady, you have saved the new king."
"It was not the son in the witches's vision, it was the father. Once the healers failed, our Order had to stop that vision from coming true."
"Then give my condolences to his family on their loss. That must be truly heartbreaking for them."
"Take good care of him, Telestial."
"Fret not noble lady, you have saved the new king."
"It was not the son in the witches's vision, it was the father. Once the healers failed, our Order had to stop that vision from coming true."
"Then give my condolences to his family on their loss. That must be truly heartbreaking for them."
"Take good care of him, Telestial."
"If I might be so bold, he might prefer your touch once his shock wears off. And imagine the influence Sandreef would gain in Pearl's court."
"Kings have more freedom than most know about publicly."
"Of course if you'd rather stick to the bargain your mother forced upon you..."
"If I might be so bold, he might prefer your touch once his shock wears off. And imagine the influence Sandreef would gain in Pearl's court."
"Kings have more freedom than most know about publicly."
"Of course if you'd rather stick to the bargain your mother forced upon you..."
"Telestial, I love him more than anything, and I want nothing more than to be near him. Assuming he can ever bear to look at me again. And Blurghoot can go to hell as far as I'm concerned. I would have agreed to anything in order to save Mirathan and my mother knew it and took advantage of the fact."
"Telestial, I love him more than anything, and I want nothing more than to be near him. Assuming he can ever bear to look at me again. And Blurghoot can go to hell as far as I'm concerned. I would have agreed to anything in order to save Mirathan and my mother knew it and took advantage of the fact."
"If I might be so bold, he might prefer your touch once his shock wears off. And imagine the influence Sandreef would gain in Pearl's court."
"Kings have more freedom than most know about publicly."
"Of course if you'd rather stick to the bargain your mother forced upon you..."
"Law is stronger than Chaos, and Love is stronger yet. You are a loyal and honorable woman, Nimora Orlbereth. Let not your mother's dishonor diminish the fire within your heart."
"The healers within our Order are skilled at dealing with the attacks of the Daughters. I have hope."
"Are you alright, Nimora? Did you find Mirathan?"
"Law is stronger than Chaos, and Love is stronger yet. You are a loyal and honorable woman, Nimora Orlbereth. Let not your mother's dishonor diminish the fire within your heart."
"The healers within our Order are skilled at dealing with the attacks of the Daughters. I have hope."
"Then that makes two of us," she says with a weary smile. "If there is anything that I can do to help him, I am prepared to do so."
She watches as they escort Mirathan through the portal back to his home.
"Are you alright, Nimora? Did you find Mirathan?"
"Devlyn, Allura, I am being happy to see that you are alright. Yes I was finding Mirathan, but he has been being tortured while he was being capture and he is being in need of special healers. The knights are being take him back to his home now."
Nimora looks tired and you can tell that she has been crying.
With great formality the knights head thru the omniportal, Telestial is the last. As he steps thru a small white pearl falls, seemingly unnoticed. It rolls across the floor, meandering straight to Nimora.
Nimora picks up the pearl and examines it before putting it into a pocket.
"Devlyn, Allura, I am being happy to see that you are alright. Yes I was finding Mirathan, but he has been being tortured while he was being capture and he is being in need of special healers. The knights are being take him back to his home now."
Nimora looks tired and you can tell that she has been crying.
He gently puts his hands on her shoulders, glancing to the side as the procession of sea elves takes Mirathan through the omniportal. When she mentioned Mirathan being tortured, she saw his eyes narrow for a moment.
"I'm sorry you had to go through that, but I'm glad that both of you are back and going to be alright. Were you able to finish off those Daughters of Discord?"
He gently puts his hands on her shoulders, glancing to the side as the procession of sea elves takes Mirathan through the omniportal. When she mentioned Mirathan being tortured, she saw his eyes narrow for a moment.
"I'm sorry you had to go through that, but I'm glad that both of you are back and going to be alright. Were you able to finish off those Daughters of Discord?"
She shook her head. "It was being all we was being able to do to getting away after we was being rescue Mirathan. They is still being out there, and they is being very dangerous shapeshifters."
She shook her head. "It was being all we was being able to do to getting away after we was being rescue Mirathan. They is still being out there, and they is being very dangerous shapeshifters."
Nimora feels Devlyn's hand tense for an instant, as he releases her.
"Shapeshifters...?" he asks quietly
"Did you come here through the omniportal, Nimora?"
Nimora feels Devlyn's hand tense for an instant, as he releases her.
"Shapeshifters...?" he asks quietly
"Did you come here through the omniportal, Nimora?"
Nimora nods. "Yes, we did. We was fleeing the carnival as fast as we was being able. Mirathan was being dead, and Telestial had been killed, and we was being hurt by acid cloud. I was know that we could being get help here."
Nimora nods. "Yes, we did. We was fleeing the carnival as fast as we was being able. Mirathan was being dead, and Telestial had been killed, and we was being hurt by acid cloud. I was know that we could being get help here."
Nimora feels Devlyn's hand tense for an instant, as he releases her.
"Shapeshifters...?" he asks quietly
"Did you come here through the omniportal, Nimora?"
He nods.
"Alright. You need to rest. Your body may be healed, but the rest of you still needs to. Stay here for a bit and let Alaina and Sunny G take care of you."He turns to Allura.
"I need to go take care of something. Can you see that our new friend here," motioning to the politician, "gets quartered here safely? I'll be back in a little bit."
He kisses her and then heads over to the omniportal.
He turns to Allura.
"I need to go take care of something. Can you see that our new friend here," motioning to the politician, "gets quartered here safely? I'll be back in a little bit."He kisses her and then heads over to the omniportal.
"Yes, of course. Be careful. I know that look," she says with a small smile. "And I'd like you back in one piece."
He nods.
"Alright. You need to rest. Your body may be healed, but the rest of you still needs to. Stay here for a bit and let Alaina and Sunny G take care of you."
Nimora waves goodbye as Devlyn walks away. She waits until Sunny G finishes his adjustments to the aquarium before gratefully climbing into the salty water and falling asleep.
"Yes, of course. Be careful. I know that look," she says with a small smile. "And I'd like you back in one piece."
He smiles gently back and nods.
"Me too - and I will be, love."
Devlyn activates the omniportal and dials in the Carnival of Shadows. He then disappears as he is stepping through.
Nimora sleeps on and off for nearly two days. She keeps trying to get up to go and see how Mirathan is doing, but her mind needs time to recover from a series of nasty shocks, not the least of which was coming back from the dead. And the healing magic Sunny G put into the tank keeps lulling her back to sleep until she can fully recover.
At last she is able to get up, her sunny disposition for the most part recovered, although her smiles are not quite so ready as they were before. She gets cleaned up, makes some repairs to her silverscale armor, and heads over to the omniportal. She nervously dials the Pearl of the South and steps through the portal.
Arriving in time to miss most of the excitement, Allura gets the politician settled in at the Sanctum, making sure that the bouncers know that he's not to leave and asking Alaina to keep an eye on him.
Allura gets him a drink and sets about learning everything she can about who sold him the star, turning on the charm as necessary to keep him talking, or more accurately thinking. He didn't actually say half of what she needed to know, but he was too puffed up by the attention from a pretty girl to guard his thoughts. Once she had the information she politely put him off, and headed back to the bazaar.
Alaina keeps the politician occupied and ponders the upcoming issues with LJ's death and her future. She works on her tan while waiting for Sunny G's instruction.
Alaina's communication crystal comes to life, and she hears Devlyn's voice:
"Guys - I need someone to come to the Carnival of Shadows right now and help Oroth. He's been badly hurt by some kind of shadow creature who can either look like a big black cat, or a dark imitation of me (his eyes are very different from mine). I'm trying to keep this thing occupied and I need someone to get Oroth out of here and healed."
Allura responds to the distress call and indicates that she has this one under control.
The hours seem tenuous as time marches onward. Sunny G. instructs Alaina on the higher points of philosophy, the morality of the sun, astronomy, stellar drift, the function of stars, light speed, hyperspace, and the vast reaches of space and time. Her instructions include on how to manipulate the gravitational pull between the sun and the world, stable quantum singularities, orbital pocket dimensions, the ability to harness unlimited amounts of solar energy and fusion energy via key celestial processes, and finally the e-m spectrum. Of course, all are in religious hymns and holy chantings for easier consumption.
Alaina also learns that Bouncer and Gravity Elemental Robert are an astronomical cross of elementals and celestial angels, under a divine edict. The angelic portion being the greater of the two.
With the remaining time, Sunny G. spends much of it overseeing the safety of Sanctum, its worshippers, it guests, the swimming pool, the casino floors in the central pavilion. He re-establishes all and any damage wards and other magical defenses and fortifies them too. He also takes great interest in the new delivered cyber-dragon, awed by it complexity and mechanical genius.
"How is everyone?"