.~Edelsteine~. - Ankou's Journal by Zero Dream

[Zero Dream]

Day of the Dead :: Memories

The day drew on. At least Ankou thought it was daytime. He always found himself pinning down notions to the passage of time, even as it unperceptive by the changes in the sky above, for there were none... Sky and changes both. Acquired habit, perhaps.

But the sky above would not remain inky darkness. Not forever.

His company had long since scattered – Nergal back to the hustle bustle of the overeager mortals, Endiovar to whatever matter Silence sought, and Jinx and Lenneth had retired to rest. Not him, however. Ankou had not slept much since he had returned, at least not be true need of it. By comfort, yes, but not really by true need of it.

The Spirit Guide had dodged most of the mortals – an easy task, really, with them being so busy with their loved ones. Alive or otherwise. All parties knew that the time was getting shorter.

And shorter.

Everything, after all, had it's end. Ankou could feel it quite readily in the very air that surrounded him, from his perch on the rooftop of one of the newly-reconstructed buildings of what had once been the town around the pantheon. Feel it so clearly that he might only need to reach out to touch it. The air was getting lighter.

And with the sliding away of that heaviness, the familiarity was also fading.

It was very nearly time.

Lighter and lighter, and then...

Suddenly

It was gone, completely, taking the dead away with it. Back down. Further down. Like if gravity had suddenly reversed itself.

Well, for most of them, that was. His shards of memory had been right on this – even with Nergal's own power applied, even with the bindings... some slipped though. Some always did. Even from him, a long time ago.

Forever ago.

It was all he truly remembered. Releasing them, then having to track those who did not return by his own will back again.

Now, he wondered, how had Nergal never noticed what he had done back then, before the fading ? Had he agreed to this ?

Ankou would likely never know for sure, but now it was unimportant. Now, there was work to be done. He would be lying if he pretended this did not bring him some excitement. He had awaited this very moment, knowing what would happen.

The god leaped down from his perch, the flock of crows following his decent with a flurry of wings and caws.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

”In this world you tried, not leaving me alone behind. There's no other way, I pray to the gods let him stay...”

Finding some of the strays hadn't been hard. Not all, nowhere near all of them, but some of them at least. Many had still lingered where Nergal's presence had been at it's strongest. Some were confused, some were actively trying to escape him and resisted him – but they never got too far. So far he had not come across any that were trying to be actively hostile, but those had likely used that day's time to gain distance, maybe even spreading to other worlds. Or perhaps they had never been let out to begin with.

”The memories ease the pain inside, and now I know why... All of my memories keep you near. In silent moments, imagining you here.”

It was his voice, he had noticed (or perhaps remembered ?) that actually kept them entranced. Made them follow him in truth. If he had to use his voice, then he might as well sing rather than simply blurt nonsense. A bit silly, perhaps, him singing with the souls of the dead following him like mice following the pied piper, but ultimately there was comfort and familiarity in it. He probably would never quite admit it, through. Nergal probably would never let him live it down, and Echo would probably torment him endlessly.

Little did he know that his brother had done the very same thing, on a much different scale.

”All of my memories keep you near, in silent whispers, silent tears. Made me promise I'd try, to find my way back in this life.”

The guide was not quite sure where this particular one had come from. Perhaps he had heard it once, when there were still radios broadcasts, and it had stuck in his mind. Perhaps it had been from Adrian, for all he knew. But no, he'd kept so little of his host...

Probably not.

It was as good a song to sing as any, really. He liked the sadness of it.

”Hope there is a way, to give me a sign you're okay... Reminds me again it's worth it all, so I can go home...”

He wasn't seeing any other stray soul, and the group was starting to be a little too populous to handle, he could feel it. Time to bring them down, then. And so he let himself 'drop', taking the souls along with him. The world around him blurred, turning to shades of wispy grays shadows as he reached the in-between. The soul path. It had only been recently that they had become truly viable again, and he was glad for it. He had much to re-learn, but this allowed him a greater freedom in a sense. Using the Underworld as an in-between, perhaps he could even world-walk, in a sense...

He walked it without fear. He knew these places, these things. They were likely scary to anyone else, but not for him. The wisps of gray were... comforting, in a sense. They were familiar. He knew innately where he was, and where he was going, without needing to think much about it. It was all instinct and innate skill.

That he had gone so long without this familiarity felt wrong, somehow.

He touched 'ground' after a few minutes, and fell silent, allowing the souls to disperse back into the Underworld. There. At least there was something done. The rest would require more time as he spread out further and further.

Always further and further. His work was never ending, but then, was it not truly the same for all his brethren ?

When he was sure all his little group was accounted for, he did the travel through the soul path in reverse – upward instead of downward, giving him the impression of drifting in mid-air, or maybe even flying. He re-entered the plane he had come from near the pantheon, and he walked toward the main building as if he had done nothing out of the ordinary.

This had taken him a few hours – maybe he would get lucky, and he would finally get the time he needed alone with Nergal.

-- "Memories" - Within Temptation

[Zero Dream]

A King And His Crown

Thabara

With a slight nod of his head Nergal dismissed the last delegation of mortals which had come to him today, to present offerings and prayers, and to plead their cases.

„Well,“ said Ishum, closing the door after the last of them, „that was almost like in the old days, wasn't it?“

„Almost?“ Nergal quirked a brow, while the rest of his face remained unreadable. „Not even remotely.“ The tone of his voice was sharper than he'd intended it to be.

He rose from his seat, looking down upon the gifts the mortals had brought. Incense and jewelry, rolls of precious brocade, fruits and sweets, whatever they'd thought would be useful to him. His study, left intentionally empty before his leave, save for a box with the few belongings which had survived Decay and all, was fully furnished now.

Last year, the Day of the Dead had been largely overshadowed by the imminent End, the preparations for the ritual, the desperate gathering of lotuses ...

This time there'd been no such distractions, and those who had witnessed the return of the dead, were practically head over heels to be in his favor. It was … pleasing, yet tiring the same. There were so many pleas – for a word from there loved ones, for revenge, for justice to be met. There were no priests yet, and the only medium he knew of, was little Grace. But there also had been calls for guidance.

There had been a proposal for the construction of a temple, an idea he naturally was rather fond of, and for the composition of a 'book of the dead'. The mortals no longer knew his signs and symbols, which offerings he preferred, or in which way to present them.

Zero Dream

"How amusing." Came a voice from the left, thankfully a familiar one, and it was not long before the god whom it belonged to emerged from the shadows, How long had the Spirit Guide been there, silent and watching ? It was hard to tell. His steps were not soundless, but sliding himself into the room among the mass had been easy. The lack of distractions would allow both gods to get a better look at each other. Ankou certainly looked better than he had done the last time Nergal had seen him - with only the faintest marks remaining on his once-wounded arm.

...Was the red part of his hairs even paler than Underworld remembered, or was it simply a trick of the dim lights ?

He had to angle his head upward to look at his own brother - how annoying - but he grinned. "Got enough patience left for one more offering ?"

Come to think of it, there was a wooden box, sandwiched in between arm and chest, with his forearm supporting it, carefully held closed by a small length of silver chain.

He glanced toward Ishum then - look rather unlike the ones his brother held, though the meaning was rather similar - he wished to be alone with Nergal for this, whatever this was.

Thabara

„I think I do,“ Nergal replied smugly, curiously peering at the wooden box his brother held with such care. He waved for Ishum to step closer, dropping the earthen jar into the aoide's ready hands. „You do remember how to prepare it, do you not?“

Ishum bowed, respectfully moving a few steps backwards before he turned to head towards the kitchen. The dismissal had been obvious enough, and it was apparent in any way, that the brothers wanted to be left alone. But, he wondered, was he now actually expected to serve coffee later on, or not? If his presence was not wanted, the disturbance would be frowned upon – which was a frightening prospect, considering Nergal – but if this had not just been an excuse to be rid of him, and the coffee was wanted? He was, Ishum decided with a roll of his eyes, probably doomed either way.

Nergal pushed open the large doors to the gardens himself, daylight – well, what passed for it nowadays – flooding in, while the eerie light of the lanterns flickered and extinguished one after another. „Is it alright if we remain here, or would you prefer the privacy of any of the rooms – my study, perhaps?“ he offered.

Zero Dream

He gave a grateful nod of the head to Ishum as he passed him by, barely noticeable to anyone who was not keeping attention. And then he focused his attention toward his brother once more. "Perhaps... the study might be best."

After all, he had no idea where Echo and the children were. Likely sleeping, at this time, but... Fact remained that the pieces were fragile. And very much not suited for small, curious hand. Perhaps they would strengthen with time and influence from Underworld ?

...If he accepted them, that is.

Thabara

„Follow me then,“ Nergal said, giving a small nod to indicate the direction.

The study, if Ankou had actually ever seen it before, was much changed from its previous state. There actually was furniture now, the look of it antique, dark woods mainly. Items were set in the alcoves which lined the walls in a manner one might expect to see them occupied by urns. Some of them held books and scrolls.

There was a large, and rather massive seeming desk, currenlty covered with construction plans of sorts, but also an area which was obviously reserved for reclining – a coffee table was there, a chaise lounge, and several other seating accommodations.

There were no windows – and the impression one got immediately upon entering was indeed that of being deep underneath the surface of the earth – but the moment Nergal stepped in, lanterns flickered to 'life', alit by the same ghostly flames as previously in the common room.

Zero Dream

Such did not seem to surprise Ankou much, and, instead, he propped himself against one wall, holding the box with one hand now, pulling at the lid to take one peek at the contents inside, as if surveying the status of what was inside.

That, or he was just faint-out being teasing and trying to stir Nergal's curiosity some more.

He seemed to be pleased with what he saw, though, and his grin returned, pushing himself off the wall to walk the steps that separated. "Seems like you've been a place for so long." Oh, the teasing was in full gear now, and he finally unclasped the chain and offered it over. "That you seem to have forgotten something important..."

Thabara

He quirked a brow at his brother's behaviour, but said nothing to it. He was, indeed, rather curious as to what mysteries the wooden box held. Gifts from the mortals were commonplace, currently at least, gifts from his family … were not so much.

„What is in there?“ he asked jokingly, carefully accepting the box into his hands. It seemed fragile, definitely having the look of something that had gone through the Week of Decay to it. „Bugs, worms and snails?“ No, that was a gift his daughter was likely to give. He resisted the urge to shake the battered container, and instead flipped open the lid, curiously moving aside the fabric in which the contents were wrapped.

He said nothing, but the quiet joy which lit his eyes, the surprise, and then deep satisfaction which mirrored upon his features, certainly were indication enough that the Spirit Guide's patience and hard work had been all worth it.

Zero Dream

"Perhaps it would have been so, if I had asked my lovely niece for assistance." Came the amused reply as he moved back to lean against the wall, arms crossing over his chest.

And he waited.

"Well ? How forgetful of you, a king without a crown. Honestly." He had seen, of course, could read his brother better than anyone else.

But it was funnier to pretend he did not, for the moment.

Thabara

He smiled then, picking one of the bones from its confines to view it more closely, and, apparently, rather liking what he saw. „I had not forgotten,“ he murmured, almost apologetically. „I had a new set, crafted by Poltros' skillful hands – wherever he may be now. But … Priya told me she was unable to recover them from the rubble of what once was our house.“ He did not seem particularly upset about the loss, however, nor did he offer any explanation as to why he'd never donned them previously.

Zero Dream

Of course, he knew all that. And he knew how they hadn't seemed to feel right, as Priya had told him - but to reveal such would likely land the catgirl in trouble, so he said nothing of it.

"I had not known." He was not the worst liar - and Nergal was very clearly distracted. He looked rather proud of himself, that he'd gotten it right.

Of course he would get it right, had he not been the one to craft the first ones ? He held little memory of the times of old, but he had not needed it. Not for this.

"Well, what are you waiting for ?" He teased again, tone light. "Look at the others."

He really, really wanted to see the look on his face when he would find the singer.

Thabara

He glanced up, lips curling into a smile, before he sat down at the massive desk (it had been hard to find a chair that would hold his own impressive figure), setting down the somewhat battered box with care upon the polished surface. He noticed nothing of the untruth in his brother's words. Had Ankou been one of the Dead, he would have known, instantly. But as it was, Nergal had no reason to suspect anything.

One by one, he unwrapped the fragile pieces – cold fingers trailing their shapes and the patterns engraved upon the surface, before he put them aside for the next. There were ten of them in all – not a master bonecarver's work, but they needn't be. What was in them was of much greater importance to him, for he looked at them with more than just his eyes.

It was a good mix – some old, but most new, chosen among those who'd died in the weeks that preceeded the barely avoided apocalypse. His face sadened when he touched upon the Child's bone, grew apreciative when he unwrapped the ornaments carved from the remains of those who had died clearing the Catacombs so that his love might pass through them without danger for herself. The King brought a wry smile to his face – it would serve well as both, a reminder and a warning. The Guardian's bone brought about melacholy – it was so old, and brittle … But there was his firstborn now, fierce, and full of vigor.

The musician's bone remained on his palm longer than the others, a fond smile softening Underworld's harsh features.

„I have to admit,“ Nergal finally said, „I do like yours better than the ones Poltros made for me. You chose quite well.“ For a moment it seemed as if he was about to add something, but then thought otherwise. There were one or two things which still seemed to be … missing, but like hell he was going to bring that up now. „It is a much appreciated gift, truly. Would you be the one to fasten them into my hair? So that the Crown of Bones may be my Symbol once more.“

Zero Dream

Ankou stepped away from the wall, stepping to stand beside Nergal as he sat, glance curious as he watched. He seemed to be able to tell that there was something left unsaid, but the Spirit Guide said nothing of it. He figured some things might be... missing. He had a small 'pool' to draw from, so to say.

Later, though...

Well, that would be for later.

"I have done my best with what I could find." He started, his tone appreciative. He took the compliment without sitting on his laurels, so so speak. The only answer to his brother's question was a nod - the was familiarity there, faint but perceptible - had he been the one to do so before ?

There was no ancient memory that came to answer the question, and he shrugged the matter off. Well, he would do so now.

His hand went for the nearest charm, twirling it into his palm for a moment before something occurred to him. "Any specific order... ?" An odd question, perhaps, but Underworld might have a preference.

Thabara

„None,“ he replied simply. „I will leave this completely up to you.“

Zero Dream

...Or maybe not. Oh well. At least he had thought about it, right ?

Ankou only gave another silent nod for an answer, staying still for a moment, as if trying to visualize something in his mind before taking the box and positioning himself so he would have easy access. This might just have been easier to do had he remained standing, really.

And so he started to weave them in - he seemed to know exactly how, exactly how to move his fingers and how to make sure it would be solid without actually having to think much about it.

Thabara

Nergal stilled, only carefully lifting his wings out of the way. It felt strange to have someone fiddle with his hair for a change. „We can move to somewhere else, if that is more convenient;“ he suggested gently. To see his brother crouch before – or rather, behind him – was somewhat awkward, even if it wasn't to swear allegiance, or anything of the kind.

Zero Dream

"This is fine." Ankou answered absent-mindly, as if he was only half-listening. He'd ended up in more awkward positions, and if it had been anyone else than his brother that he was kneeling at, he might have minded... But this wasn't the case now.

Though it would be lying if he said the thought of just tying two dreads together and watching the fun unfold hadn't crossed his mind.

He wove in quickly and skillfully - the first one seemed secure, so he reached to pick another from the box.

Thabara

He would have nodded, but that would have meant to move his head and possibly make his brother's task harder, so he merely uttered a somewhat agreeing: „Hrm.“

He couldn't see what Ankou was doing, and that caused him to be a little bit … fidgety.

Zero Dream

Ultimately, Nergal had no true reason to be fidgetty - because Ankou's mischievous thoughts were going to remain just that - thoughts. He had more respect than that. Poking fun was one thing, and this was another.

"So." He finally said. "What happened ? Last time I saw you, you were rather..." Indisposed ? Making up a landscape ? "Well, you know. Made me wonder if I had done all this work for nothing." This, however, he was more than willing to poke fun at.

Thabara

If the humor was evident in the younger god's voice, then the older one blatantly missed the point, just as he usually did, considering the question in all its seriousness instead.

„Things … did not quite go as I had planned,“ Nergal admitted sullenly. „Not that I actually had a plan. I figured things would come back to me, once it was Time, that I would – to put it into my host's manner of speech – 'wing it' somehow.“

Nergal leaned back in his chair, to sit a little more comfortably. As usual, being alone with his brother caused him to relax, and feel at ease. Enough even to at least vaguely consider the option of resting his feet upon the polished surface on the desk. „I called upon the Dead, when I reached the Gate; I am certain you must have noticed. The idea was to restore my domain from their essence, but somehow ... It backfired. Apparently the dead thought that my essence would suffice,“ he added dryly.

„What happened then, was a … very painful and frightening experience. And also a bit of a mess.“ He managed to keep his voice bare of any emotion, but was unable to supress an involuntary shudder which went through his body.

„I … passed out, I believe, and then drifted off into sleep. If Echo had not come for me, I might have slept for centuries to come. And without her aid, I do not think I would have regained my appearance as a mortal, this body. Not anytime soon, at least. To pour myself – some of it, at least – into so small a form, it seemed impossible. But she … the power of her Song … gave back that knowledge to me, made me remember. It may have awakened more than was her intention.“

„I had a choice, Ankou. The past, all which I have once been, it was within my grasp. And I chose to let go of it, for it to be buried forever. I … have no regrets, but I am not certain if it was wise either. Or the reasoning behind it.“ He had done it for her, mostly.

Zero Dream

And he missed the point completely. As always. Psh. He still listened, though, silent as he continued to weave hair and bone, knowing better than to try to interrupt his brother once he got started to talking like this. Nergal would likely have been so caught up in his own monologue that he might not hear him at all. Or ignore him outright. Both options were valid, really.

He took it all in silently, and only spoke when it seemed like his brother was finally finished.

"Well." He said, simply, reaching for another charm and another dread. He worked fast, but carefully as well - he'd yet to accidentally pull too hard, though he probably had come close. "I believe you already know what I think of such things, of the past being the past." They'd spoken at length of this before, and it had always seemed to be one of the things where they differed. "There are some things, perhaps, that are better left forgotten, less they accidentally cause ill."

There was a subtle undertone to his voice, and it looked like he knew at least part of what had caused Nergal to make such a choice.

Thabara

„Perhaps.“ Ankou's appreciation helped lessen the doubts that lingered still, something he was immensely grateful for. The past, memory … remembrance, were of greater importance to his domain, after all, than to most anyone else's.

„What of your journey,“ he changed the topic. „Was the task set to you and Tian Yue finished, or did you return on your own?“ He had seen neither claw nor scale of the regal Worldshield, and for all he knew, he might still be travelling Yggdrasil.

Zero Dream

"I have met back with him within Yggdrasil and we came back together. The entrance of this world is actually quite far away from here, had it not been for his assistance..." Well, he did not need to point out what would have happened then, didn't he ? Both without and especially within the World Tree.

"The information is complied, and I am waiting for him to get back to me so we can present it." He had tried to wriggle his way out, so to speak, but he doubted Tian Yue would let him. The Guide liked to think he knew the dragon king pretty well by now, after the long length of time they spent in the other's company.

Thabara

„I would like to see the results for myself, if possible. It may be useful. To reach up and find each world to align to it is still very much trial and error.“ Nergal nodded absentmindedly, promptly reminded by the strong tug at his hair that Ankou was still working with it. „Oh, I am sorry,“ he hastily apologized. At least with his dreads nothing would come undone easily.

Zero Dream

"It shouldn't take much longer." He replied absent-mindedly - he already had about half of them set.

"Tian Yue kept both versions with him, so you might need to ask him. I still have some of the drafts I made within the tree itself, but their clarity leave much do be desired." Scales did not make for the best drawing surface, after all. And these had never intended to be final. "One span across many tomes, and the other, well..." It was such a shame that Nergal could not see his expression, because it was priceless. "While I have to admit it is rather practical, I understand little of it."

Thabara

„That does sound rather peculiar.“ The deity's voice was tinged with mild curiosity. „What I would need most, would be Direction. Distance means little to me, at least in that regard. It is all … up.“

Zero Dream

"Ah, yes, indeed." The Guide sounded amused indeed. It was all up, yes - and as the Underworld seemed to 'ghost' along existing realms, not even various levels of up at that. He was still hoping he would not inquire about that second mean further, as he had no idea how he could even start to explain Mio to him - the AI still kind of baffled him as is.

"I will gather the drafts for you, then... They might be of some use. Though it might be better to seek Tian Yue." He had not seen the dragon, ever since they had been done putting it all together - he was likely busy catching up, as it were.

Thabara

„I may do just that. It has been … a while, since I last had a chance to talk to him. And back then, both of us were still bearing our mostly mortal shell.“ It might be interestiing, to talk from royalty to royalty, so to speak, and both of them fully ascended as well. Too few were.

Zero Dream

"Hmm." It was a sound of idleness, rather than true pondering - and he reached for another ornament before continuing. "You will likely have little problems with finding him - his door is adorned with dragons and stars." But in a way, each of the doors in the hallway were a rather obvious hint to those who dwelt behind them, and to have to find one without knowing which door was the right one was not so much of an hard task if one was perceptible.

"I must admit I felt... more like a burden than anything else, in our journey. There was little I could really accomplish, even if he kept telling me otherwise." There was no bitterness in his voice, but rather a vague sense of disappointment - probably at himself.

Thabara

„Trust me, I do know how that feels,“ Nergal admitted, quite bluntly. There definitely was bitterness found in his voice. For the longest time he had felt useless, unable to do anything for the dead which screamed out for him in their neverending cacaphony. All the worse that, once he'd had the power, he hadn't realized it, sitting idle instead, until the waking call of Creation's words.

Zero Dream

"I know." That had been a dangerous terrain to venture into first of all, and he had only realized too late that this was a sensitive point for his brother indeed - even more so than it was for him. Ankou felt silent then, continuing at his weaving. It just seemed better not to try and elaborate.

Thabara

The silence which followed, was somewhat uncomfortable, yet Nergal made no attempt to break it for the time being. His attention remained here and with his brother, however, instead of promptly veering towards the matters of his realm.

Zero Dream

Likewise, Ankou did little to break it, at least for a few more minutes, until he rose again. "There... It is done." Sure enough, the box was now empty.Some of the awkwardness seemed to linger, however, as if the younger brother was not quite sure if he should apologize or not.

Thabara

He rose from his seat, then, smiling vaguely as he heard the familiar, faint clicking of bone against bone from his back.

He had never realized how much he had missed that sound.

He pulled some dreads to the fore, to examine the ornaments woven into their ends, and apparently satisfied with what he saw.

His smile widened, and his wings flared, filling the room with cold. This was how things ought to be. His realm, restored. His queen, close by. His children … he did not even know if he had cherished their presence in that past life of his – he didn't think so, there were too many legends about the Underworld and its gods being barren, incapable of creating life. And his brother …

„You do know,“ he said, almost with a smirk, „that your task merely got started? These jewels are incomplete a crown, and … they will always be. My powers, though they might be capable of it, will not halt their slow decay, so they will have to be replaced in due time. It feels … more right than to be keeping the same set forever and ever. You … do understand, I trust?“

Zero Dream

That seemed distraction enough, and the red and gray haired god looked a little confused for a moment, before he finally angled his head to look up to his brother to give a true smirk in return. The cold did not seem to bother him, even though he was still held to mortal limitations. Come to think of it, the air and the cold of the Underworld had not seemed to bother him much, either. Not as much as it had affected Echo, at any rate.

"I seem fond of taking on tasks that are never-ending, don't I ?" After all, mortals always died. There was always the whisper of their last words in his consciousness, though now that things were more normal again, they were not an hindrance to the god. What was one more task over that ? "So shall it be, then."

Thabara

„As am I,“ Nergal admitted, his smile growing more gentle. Yes, the mortals never stopped dying, after all. The cycle of life and death was ever ongoing.

Zero Dream

Ankou's expression softned as well, though it remained evident that he was proud of himself, And content of what he had accomplished. Perhaps it mattered little in those grand circles of life and death, but it mattered much for the brother, who had always seemed to understand each other more than anyone else had.

It was little things, but little things led to bigger things, eventually. His time would come, and until then, he had to do what he could.

Though, now it occurred to him. With the Underworld, perhaps... Ah, but that was for another time. He could not embark on another journey, not until the information was presented. Tian Yue wished for him to be present, and so he would be.

"Well, then. What did you have in mind to do now ?" They had... much to catch up on, likely.

Thabara

Amazingly enough, Nergal shrugged. „Parade up and down the halls of the Pantheion, to present my new crown?“ he suggested jokingly. He would need to show it off to his children, at the very least.

„In all honesty though, right now, I am glad to have escaped my suplicants for the time being. I wonder if Ishum is ever going to serve that coffee,“ he added, louder than was necessary. His voice carried exceptionally well, and his words were promptly rewarded with the sound of hasty steps departing.

„I will have to get a hold of Silence,“ Nergal muttered, „to do something about sound-proofing these walls at the very least ...“ He had been aware for some time now, that the golden-winged aoide had been listening in.

„Honestly, there is so much to be done that I do not even know where to start. But I do not think you meant that. Is there anything that you would like to suggest? Or, perhaps,“ Nergal pursed his lips thoughtfully, „you could tell me what you had in mind for those halls of yours. If you gave me free reign, I doubt you would like the result.“

Zero Dream

Ankou, it seemed from his expression, had not been aware of such. But perhaps he should have thought about it, known that this would happen, given that this was... Well, Ishum.

Really, he was glad none of his own had such habits.

"...I have not thought much about it, to be honest." The younger brother admitted, frowning ever-so-slightly in thought. What would he want there ? "...A place to relax in, mostly. Some place I could keep things I would rather not keep here... It does not need to be very big, I don't think." It was not like space was an issue, but... still.

Thabara

„But big enough for two, perhaps?“ Nergal found himself unable to resist the temptation to tease. „And space for your crows to nest? Like a small tower, with beams of timber protruding from its outside walls. Daunting from the outside, yet … homely, once in? A warm fireplace, perhaps. I will gladly ask Lady Karaskis to give her blessing.“

He had, quite honestly, no idea what his brother might like. Strange, how they were like birds of a feather in some regards, and complete strangers to each other in others.

Zero Dream

Ankou rose an eyebrow at that first comment. "Perhaps." Cosine would want to at least see the Underworld for herself one day, probably... "But you might have to make spaces for the children, too. They might be a little jealous." Oh, he could dish it right back, and his grin made it obvious.

"That sounds nice, actually." He had to admit. The idea of a tower was appealing, for a reason he could not quite explain, or properly put into words. He liked heights, really. And balconies. There was a reason his own rooms had one, after all.

Thabara

„I certainly will,“ Nergal agreed good-naturedly, actually taking the suggestion serious. Soto, at the very least, would be thrilled to visit his realm, he felt.

„You should come down then, at some time, so that I can make it according to your requirements. Things are … certainly more stable now, since Echo's song awakened so much more than merely the memory of having a body like this. I am definitely more in control of things than I was when you first came to visit.“

He drew a deep breath, almost like a sigh. „I will not stay here for much longer, I do not think. It is … tiring, to keep my focus on being here, spending so much of my strength that would be better used otherwise.“

Zero Dream

"I understand." Well, not truly, of course, for he had never dealt with something like this, and probably never would. But at the same time, he did at least understand in some way. "I will come, do not worry." It was impossible for him not to, after all. "I do not know when... But I will go, sooner than later."

Nergal had much to do, after all. He had not expected he would remain for long.

"And if you have a need for me before that... Well. You know where to find me." No matter where he was, really.

Thabara

„That would be much appreciated,“ he admitted. „It can be, well, somewhat lonely. Even if there are more than enough matters that need to be taken care of, to keep me occupied and busy enough not to feel … Not to feel. But there are moments.“ He glanced aside, looking a little embarassed.

The dead were no satisfying company, and his aoide certainly were of better use 'up here', taking care of the children, speaking to- and recruiting followers.

Zero Dream

Ankou nodded, silently, and remained so for a moment before he finally spoke again, something occurring to him. The links in between the living worlds and the Underworld... if there were at least restaured and somewhat stable, then...

then...

The soul paths. He remembered now.

"...It very well be easier than one might think." He mused out loud. "If the paths are stable... then I should have little difficulty in using them." He had not, back at the water world, and if it had not broken unexpectedly on him... He would have been truly able to go as he wished.

A belated realization that almost made him want to facepalm.

Thabara

„Would it now …?“ Nergal eyed his brother somewhat intrigued. „Well, you of all of our brethren certainly should be able to travel to my domain with the greatest ease ...“ And if even mortals can make it there, by accident … Hrmph.

„But, yes. Things certainly are more stable now. Growth … still happens, but it no longer breaks up and shakes the whole realm. I can direct it now.“ Which certainly made it less agonizing, thank you very much.

Zero Dream

"Then, in theory... They should be relatively stable as well." That required some thought. And some exploration. Using the soul paths meant being able to get from point a to point b quite a bit faster than having to go though the World Tree... Well, for him at least.

But later. He was meant to stay put for now, after all, until it was time.

Thabara

„I presume so. I do wonder though, how traveling goes for myself now ...“

His gaze grew distant, unfocused for a moment. „You do know … I am here, but I am there as well, deep down. The 'me' you are conversing with, right now, I think would be best described as a tendril bearing the majority of my consciousness, reaching up through all those layers of … Her.“ There was no necessity to indulge on whom 'Her' referred to excactly, they both knew all too well.

„And even though I have not made a connection yet to all the worlds that still exist … I do think I am there already. It is merely the paths, the gates in between that are missing still.“ He wondered if he was making sense at all in his musings.

Zero Dream

He couldn't really claim that he understood that completely, really, but he nodded nonetheless. There had been nowhere that was inside Gaia that he couldn't reach before, but the ability to be everywhere did not mean he could conciously be in multiple places at the same time. That sounded much too dizzying to be worth it.

But perhaps that was only the mortal senses speaking.

"Only the links, not the presence itself missing." At least, that was how he interpreted it. Perhaps... those paths he could create himself if needed. Maybe.

Thabara

„Precisely.“

He rose from his chair to open the door, a mere moment before a startled Ishum could lift his right to rap against the wooden surface. „Thank you,“ Nergal said sweetly, taking cup and saucer from his beast-master's hands before he could actually drop them.

The delicate porcelain vessel seemed impossibly small as the underworld deity lifted it to his lips, sampling its dark, steaming contents. „The next time,“ he said, „do not brew it quite as long, and with lesser heat. It is bitter.“

„Yes, Lord,“ Ishum mumbled, quickly bowing out.

Zero Dream

Ankou did not seem bothered that none had been brought for him, or to show any inclinations to wanting some, his brow remaining furrowed in thought. In fact, he might have never noticed the beastmaster at all.

...It was entirely too hard to truly know, with how little he remembered. Well... he would have to figure it all anew, then. Which, even he had to admit, was a daunting task.

Which he had little means to accomplish right now, which... made all that thinking beside the point, really.

Thabara

It was sort of hard, to resist the temptation to wave up and down his hand in front of his brother's face to see if he was still reacting, absent as he seemed right now. „A penny for your thoughts,“ he murmured softly instead, taking another sip from the too bitter brew.

Zero Dream

"I was just thinking about all this." He shrugged, that apparently having been enough to make him focus on the here and now again. "Nothing really concrete." And that was actually the truth, even. He just did not remember enough to be able to think about all this with true depth, but he wasn't about to admit it out loud - of course not.

Thabara

„It will work out,“ Nergal tried to reassure him. He sat down once more, one hand idly playing with one of his dreads, turning it some to examine the bone ring woven in at its end now. „It did for me. To some part through leftover instincts and hazy memories, and to some part just plain old trial and error.“

Zero Dream

"Hmm." Well, he figured that his brother knew best about all that, wouldn't he ? And he was good at trial and error, was he not ? Had he not been the one to talk about stepping forward without fear as to weither one would walk on solid ground or freefall ?

That hadn't changed a thing, of course, but he definitively felt like if he was counting his chicks before the eggs hatched, so to said. "I ought not to think about all that just yet." He shrugged again. "Perhaps I should rest... it has been a long day." That was a bit of a double-statement - his brother, as well, would likely need some kind of rest, too.

Thabara

„Long and trying, yes.“ He himself felt the need for rest more than anything, yet he shied away from it. He'd just made it back into the living realms, and he'd not even had a chance to properly meet his children yet. That, and the last time he'd been resting, truly resting, he'd been asleep for months.

Not yet, he thought, not yet. There is so much still to do.

'Sleep is for the weak,' was it?

„It has been good seeing you again, and … thank you.“ That statement was obviously heart-felt. „Truth be told, those ornaments Poltros made for me … I'm sure it was in the best intentions, but they … did not feel right. I have never mourned their loss.“

Zero Dream

"I thought so." The Guide answered, almost enigmatically. "I would have seen you wear them, otherwise." And it was from that mistake that he had sought to improve. And in the end it had been suitable, much like he had expected it to be.

"...You are welcome." He finally answered, a smile gracing his lips before he finally turned and slid his way out of the door. That hadn't been only a gentle reminder for his brother - this body longed for sleep, as well. He had been awake for likely a full day by now.

[Zero Dream]

Two

midnight_medea

Cosine wandered back from the library in a bit of a daze. What had just happened, she had been working, then her brother had appeared from a cube after months, no, a year of absence. As she walked she ran over the meeting in her head, she had been cold, she knew that much but how could she not be? How could he expect things to be as they were, how did they even know how they were?

So lost in thought, she almost missed the door to Ankou's rooms. She really needed to sort her mind out before she saw her bother again. He would want to talk and would no doubt expect a more natural reaction in the morning.
"Kou?" She called, pushing the door and stepping into the small rooms.

Zero Dream

Cosine was lucky, really, in that Ankou was actually where she'd expected him to be - sitting at the desk in the storage room, carving something or other. At least, it was what could easily be gathered from the fact that he emerged from that room not long after his name was called.

"Hey." He said, a smile on his face as he approached her - it was only when he got closer that he noticed the look on her own, and his lips pulled into a thin line. She looked... ...he couldn't really tell. Confused, maybe. "What is up ?" The Spirit Guide asked her, concern evident in his voice. Did he do something he shouldn't have ? He couldn't really remember doing anything too out of the usual recently...

midnight_medea

Cosine smiled with relief as he appeared from the livingroom. The problem with finding companionship with a wandering god, he was so rarely where you hoped he would be. She didn't fancy being on her own at that moment.
"My brother has returned." She said, walking past him, through to the livingroom. It was a simple statement, one that should be said with joy, instead she looked troubled. She shook her head and took a deep breath, her pale hand slipping through her dark hair. "He's returned and I am not sure if this is a good thing."

Zero Dream

He turned to keep eye contact with her as she passed beside him, unsure if he should just follow her. She looked troubled - and when he was troubled, or upset, he preferred to be alone. He was not quite sure how it worked for her.

...But she had called for him, so...

After that brief hesitation, he stepped forward to get closer to her again, clearly a little confused by her statement. "How so ?" Come to think of it, she'd never really told much about her brother at all. He knew he existed, and that had been about it, really.

midnight_medea

Cosine looked up at him and smiled a little. That was just it, she wasn't really sure why she had reacted so coldly towards him, not completely sure anyway. She was silent for a few moments, then took a deep breath, thinking about what she was about to say.
"How do you feel about Nergal?" She asked, "Do you ever feel ... " She paused again, tilting her head to the side a little. "Jealous of him or, smothered?" She doubted the latter but then again, you never knew.

Zero Dream

At first, Ankou gave no indication that he was gonna answer that question. In fact, a part of him certainly did not want to. It would only when he turned to perch on the arm of the couch (apparently, sitting normally was beyond the Spirit Guide most of the time) that she would see the thoughtful expression on his face, lips pulled so tight in a line that they started to turn white.

That was really a loaded question, even if she hadn't meant for her to be such, as far as he could tell.

"Jealous sometimes." He finally admitted, after a silence that seemed to have stretched on forever. How could he not be to at least some extent ? Nergal was older, more experienced in this life. He had his realm, he had followers (weither or not Nergal himself actually noticed them was beyond the point really), he caught attention wherever he went...

And that left him, somewhat in the shadow really. How many times, upon introducing himself, had he heard 'Oh, you are Nergal's brother ?' As if he was not able to just be something on his own.

But perhaps... he was not.

"Smothered... No, not really." That was very nearly impossible to achieve even if one of them had actually tried. Brothers of different influences - an oddity in that aspect, perhaps. They overlapped in places, but ultimately what they did was completely different.

midnight_medea

Cosine watched him sit and realised that she had asked a very unfair question. They did not talk of such things often and she realised that it was probably not something that he wished to think about. As he spoke she nodded and walked to the window where she stared out into the darkness for a moment.

"I was worried when he first went missing. Then ... I started to live, I became friends with Echo, Nergal, you." She turned back to face him. "Those days after the fall of Destruction I wandered on my own, I realised I didn't have to hide behind him as I think I may have in the past." Though it was hard to say, she had that feeling that before he was her rock and her voice, because she had not wanted to be her own. "I enjoyed myself. Being One." The goddess took a deep breath and chewed on her lip a little. "Part of me was hoping he would not return. Isn't that terrible? What kind of a person, or god thinks like that?"

Zero Dream

"And how does him being around change any of that ?" He asked, tilting his head to the side to look at her, brushing one gray bang away from his eyes with one hand. His tone held no accusation howsoever, only a small bit of curiosity. These were valid concerns, if she held them, and he did not want to be-little them, but he did not quite understand.

"Just because he's around will not make us go away." He continued, an uncertain look on his face. He really... was not sure if that was the best way to express himself. The last thing he wanted was to make her mad, or sadden her. Especially when she needed him. "Just because he is here again does not mean you cannot live. That you cannot be yourself. You do not have to hide behind him just because he is here now. It does not make you anything less just because of your counterpart."

Then, a nagging doubt entered his mind, and he frowned. "Has he done anything to belittle you ?" That... would not fly well, if his expression was to be of any hint of what was crossing his mind at the moment.

midnight_medea

She thought about that, it was a valid point. She could still be her own, an individual.
"It doesn't I suppose." She said softly, feeling a little silly for her reaction now. "It just, was a shock. He was so pleased to see me and I think he expected me to feel the same. It was rather intense." She shrugged a shoulder. "I am happy he is safe, but, I don't feel the strong connection he does."

She shook her head at his words and smiled a little.
"No, not that I know of. He's warm, almost too much so for someone I barely know."

Zero Dream

Ah, well, then... Hm.

"Then I guess you will have to talk to him about it." He shook his head. Just how, well... He had no damn idea. Ankou was by no mean renowned for his people skills. "Set the hands straight, so to speak. Find something that will respect what the both of you feel ?"

midnight_medea

Cosine watched him a moment and smiled a little.
"It is at moments like these I can be in no doubt you and Nergal are brothers. You give such calm advice." Good advice too. She nodded to herself and moved to sit on the sofa next to him.
"He is coming to talk tomorrow. Though I should be who I am, not who he wants me to be. He should accept that, I am not what I was. None of us are."

Zero Dream

He rose one eyebrow at her first statement, as if surprised by something - but then he shook his head and grinned. "I am just glad I am not making a fool of myself. My statements are sometimes misinterpreted and given meanings other than what I intend." But Cosine seemed to know how to read him, more than anyone else really.

"Coming here ?" He asked, wondering weither or not he should make himself scarce for the event if such was the case. It sounded like the twins would need their space and that his presence might hinder things.

midnight_medea

"Yes." Cosine confirmed, glancing up to him. "That is okay isn't it? We can meet somewhere else if you prefer?" These were ultimately his rooms and she did not want to put him out if he needed them.

Zero Dream

"That is perfectly fine. You live here as well, after all." He answered with a smile. He could just make himself scarce then... it was not like such a thing was difficult to a wanderer like himself, after all. There was plenty of work to be done, after all.

"I simply wanted to make sure. I will ask my aoidei to busy themselves with something for the day, if you would like ? This way you can focus on getting this clarified as it should ?"

midnight_medea

"Yes, thank you. Of course I want him to meet you, though after we have spoken." She smiled and leaned her head against his arm. It would be nice to have him there but then, that would be unfair to her brother, they needed to speak as gods and siblings.
"He might have interest in your domain, bending physics to travel worlds. Collecting souls."

Zero Dream

Bending physics ? "Each and every one of use bend mortal physics in one way or another... if we don't literally shatter those to pieces, unless there's a kind of godly physic I am unaware of ?" He teased, lightly. He wanted to see her smile again. See that smirk on her lips again, where it should be.

Cosine always seemed to find it amusing when he played dumb. "World-walking isn't anything special, really. Everyone can do it... Well, usually." He'd seen Echo do it, after all, so he assumed that it would go for all gods once they were truly themselves again. Not still somewhat mortal-bound like he and the lovely woman at his side was.

"I will take them with me. Finding some task to keep them and Lenneth busy won't be too hard, I think."

midnight_medea

"There must be one somewhere." She replied, laughing a little. "A god of physics, there is a goddess of science after all. Maybe it's okay to bend his domain as he has yet to awaken." The smirk formed on her lips and she glanced across the livingroom. He described worldwalking like a sunday stroll "We shall have to go worldwalking one day. And thank you, we should not be long. I will have to attempt some dinner to make it up to you all. Driving you out."

Zero Dream

Ah, there, Finally. This was more in the lines of how things should be.

"Certainly. We will just have to prepare the perfect apology for when that time comes, hm ?" He asked again with a grin, shifting his weight a bit to truly perch on the arm of the couch rather than sit.

"Of course. Whenever your projects at the school give you a little free time, I guess ?" Wait, he had noticed, in spite of barely being around ? Well, it seemed so.

midnight_medea

"Yes." she said with a laugh. "We shall."
His comment about the school made her smile, she wasn't entirely sure he had been listening when she had been rambling on about her baby. The school project.
"Oh, that won't interfere, I meant maybe tomorrow evening or any evening, nothing fancy, just regular evening meal." She paused a moment and thought. "Though, we should have a proper meal sometime, invite Nergal and the family. What do you think?" Maybe that was a bit of a mortal suggestion ... gods did not seem to be so family orientated ... especially those who were further in their evolution. They seemed more self interested."

Zero Dream

"If you wish. I will make sure to show up for the occasion." He'd been eating less and less lately, to be honest. Not anything he had consciously been doing, and there seemed to be no ill effect in his energy level so he had not especially bothered much with it.

Still, the idea of such a dinner was nice, if only to spend more time with the goddess of Numbers. At her latter mention, however, he gave a bit of an amused chuckle. "I wish you good luck in pinning down Nergal..." That was harder than pinning him down, even.

midnight_medea

"Well then I would be honoured." She smiled and reached for his hand, his words of Nergal made her smile fall a little. And there it was. How did any of them know what or who they would become in the end.
"I suppose I should make the most of you whilst you are still here. Soon you'll be running off doing terribly important things." She smiled warmly, thinking of Echos words. If others were a signal with growth came distance.

Zero Dream

Well, there he'd apparently said them. The words he should not have said. Ankou bottled his sigh and shook his head. Was it really fair of him, to lock her in a relationship with someone who could barely even be around ? It had crossed his thoughts lately, even if he had tried not to think about it.

Still, he took her hand as it was offered to her. "I... know it is unfair to you." He started, hesitantly. "I... wish you to be happy, above all else." And would she not be happier with someone that would remain by her side ? He tried to truly formulate his thoughts into words, but failed miserably at wording that in a way that the Guide was sure she might not misinterpret.

midnight_medea

"Oh." She said softly, realising she had said too much. Just when the mood had gotten lighter she went and spoiled it.
"I don't mind, honestly." She smiled, squeezing his hand. "I didn't mean it like that, I am happy. We are not mortal, and I realise that you are a wanderer. I can get used to that, I shouldn't cling to you any more than I should to my brother." She nodded to herself, she had her own domain to take care of.
Though it would be nice to have a more constant companion, someone she could rely on but, she that would not be Kou and she wanted him, no one else. "Just as long as I get you sometimes. And you do not forget me."

Zero Dream

Well, if anyone knew what was best for her... It had to be Cosine herself, really. He has to trust in that, and that she was not consciously causing herself more pain on his behalf.

On her last comment, however, he could not help but laugh a bit, raising his hand to kiss the top of her palm. "As if I could forget you even if I tried."

midnight_medea

She laughed at that and looked to their joined hands.
"I will take that as a compliment." Her eyes moved to the storage room, where he had been before she had come inside in her panic.
"What was I interrupting you from?" She asked with interest, hoping he did not mind her asking. "I should let you get back to it?"

Zero Dream

"Nothing especially interesting." He shrugged. And that was about right. He'd been carving beads out of wood scraps, waiting for Jinx and Anima to return from wherever the two aoide had gone. Plans had changed with Cosine's return, however, and now he was much more interested in staying put rather than going wherever he had planned to go upon the girls' return.

"Certainly nothing than can rival your company." He smiled.

midnight_medea

Cosine smirked at him and shook her head, her anger forgotten for now.
"Good answer." She said, picking at some fluff that had settled on her baadris dress. "Would you like to take a walk with me in the gardens. I feel the need for a nice relaxing activity."

Zero Dream

"Of course, my lady." Ankou gave a light chuckle, dropping onto one knee and kissing the back of her hand, much like the knights of old. Or at least, how they had been represented in the books Adrian had read when he was young. Knowledge such as this, and how the world worked, had been some of the few things the Spirit Guide had kept from his host's psyche.

Maybe he could manage to find a nice, quiet place for her to relax too...

[Zero Dream]

The End Of The Path

Sosiqui

They were ready, at last.

It took quite the entourage to bring the whole of what they had collected down to the great hall - both gods and all the Aoidei were burdened with volumes of their 'analog' map, making multiple trips up and down to transport them all. Penny had it easier, with MI0's bag slung at her side, the holographic output terminals in her hands. She had only to set up the AI and its terminals for display while the others neatly organized the map books for Creation's perusal.

When all was arranged to the Dragon King's specifications, Tian Yue took a few steps back and looked over what they had done, a feeling of satisfaction filling him. They had accomplished a task no mortal could have managed - though their help, as Penny and the errais had proven, was still invaluable.

As was the help of others, he remembered, feeling the weight of the nyanko figurine in one pocket of his robes.

"My Lord?" Penny asked, quietly. "Are we ready?" She had the interface up and running, with the projection of Yggdrasil's paths an almost impossible tangle in the air.

"What do you think?" Tian Yue asked, turning to grin at his friend. "Does the Spirit Guide approve?"

Zero Dream

Ankou had mostly left the arranging for the dragon - and contented himself with being one more pair of hands at the ready. The weight of his own burden of tomes had been laid upon the ensemble, and to be honest he was glad that it had finally been so. The way from Tian Yue's room to here had seemed to take forever while he had been carrying that weight.

At the inquiry, he looked over everything, even as Jinx carefully straightened piles of books, careful of her own claws. "This all looks fine to me." The sheer number of tomes - and the projection from Mio - still made him wonder just how they had actually managed all of this, only the six of them, crawling though the natural maze that was the World Tree like tiny little ants...

"It looks fine to me." But what did he know about presenting information like this ? He was no scholar, after all.

Sosiqui

"I only pray that it will make sense to others - we lived this, after all..."

But this was Lord Harmodius they were talking about. If any could Understand, it was He. "His dwellings lie above, I believe. His presence breathes here, surrounds everything..." It was, in a way, like being in Yggdrasil all over again, except it was reveling in nearness to Creation rather than being enmeshed in Gaia's branches. "We are so near... so near to restoration..."

Zero Dream

"I can only hope so." It had been one of the things that had nagged at him, ever since their return. He was not an experienced map-maker, after all.

But... the worlds were lighter now, if only slightly. The proper cycle of life and death restated, even if things were still only starting again. And soon... Soon the sky. Hopefully.

Ivynian

The room did breath.

The air sucked out for a moment, inhaled by greater lungs, then returned rich and clear as fresh from a mountaintop and untasted by any other thing. Creation came, materializing from hazy unbeing to solidity with each step in a walk that started from one of the pillars.




"Even the gods do Gather, and find their strengths and majesty in cooperation. You have all done well, and present a wellspring where once was only sand. Is that not a good basis for such things as hope, Spirit Guide?"

Zero Dream

Harmodius' sudden appearance still somewhat managed to catch the Guide off-guard, and he lowered his gaze in respect. "It is." He admitted.

It was not something simple, what they had accomplished. Some might have even labeled it impossible.

But that was for the dragon to truly present, and not for him.

Sosiqui

Tian Yue bowed immediately, then rose with a smile on his lips. "I pray that our findings will only increase that wellspring, my Lord. We bring news of Yggdrasil's expanse, of limbs flourishing and limbs bereft. We have assembled this knowledge as best we could.."

Next to him, Penny dropped to her knees and bowed in full obeisance. "Lord Creation... this device contains a map of what Lord Tian Yue and Lord Ankou have compiled." She placed one hand on the computer's casing as she rose once more. "Mio?"

A moment later the map sprang into being.

Ivynian

He came closer at Penny's explanation, quirking with plain curiosity. True enough, the device rather then the map seemed to be his focus first.

"Mio? Is that a name?"

Zero Dream

Ankou made a face at that question, one of quiet confusion rather than disdain. Really, this whole... A.I. business was wholly beyond him. Not from shortage of explaination on Tian Yue and Penny's part, but... Well, Mio just confused him.

"Yes. Mio is the computer, Lord." At least he knew how to refer to i- her correctly. Mostly thanks to Penny. "She is refered as such." He'd refered to her as she by pure acquired habit, and only caught herself after the fact. "Penny will be able to explain much better than I."

He really should have left the explanation to the red-haired mortal to begin with, and he felt a little silly.

Sosiqui

Penny bowed again, then nodded. "It is as the Lord Ankou says, Lord Creation - Mio is short for Mechanized Intelligence Zero. A computer, Lord. She has no true soul, but she does have a brain... of sorts. Say hello, Mio."

"Hello, noble thaumic being," the computer said, at once, the tone only slightly colored with a mechanical inflection.

"Er... that means something like great deity. I... I think," Penny said, thugh she sounded a bit uncertain.

Tian Yue smiled. "Without her help, our task would have been far more difficult. We also produced the maps in a more... traditional form." Now, the Dragon King nodded at the tomes around them.

"We marked the living and dead branchings with the aid of a few Nyanko yet awake and alive; the flow of mana and thus the worlds that live should be thus marked." Tian Yue spoke clearly and confidently, yet there was still a small hitch of hesitation deep inside him. If, at this stage, their logic was proven faulty...

Ivynian

Creation listened to the elaboration thoughtfully, then toned to the responding computer, "Well met, .....Mio. Have you heard of Deus Ex Machina?"

He squeezed his eyes, cat-like, with pleasure. "Modern and dated, I could not ask for better estimates. If there are mistakes or discrepancies, it is no great regret. If there are not worlds at the end of every marking, then there soon will be."

"Nyanko. "

"A goodly people, well known once to our own kind. Loyal and inquisitive. That there remain those still sleeping in the echoing halls of Yggdrasil's veins is a welcome wonder. Given supply and aid, their numbers should better and their drums echo through the great halls as merry music."

"I shall begin then at the first rising of the new sky. And this toil of yours will be of great use. You have all traveled deep in the long, quiet dark that only just comes anew with life. Neither an easy, nor an often....pleasant task by most accounts. You all deserve much refreshment and rest, and great thanks. How may I best receive you and put you at ease?"

Sosiqui

((Replying first w/Zero's permission to break post order ^.^))

"Deus ex machina," MI0 chimed immediately, "lit. god from the machine, Latin-"

"I don't think he wanted the definition," Penny said, hurriedly, and tapped the console.

Tian Yue shook his head, then bowed low. "It was no more service than was deserved, my Lord. The restoration of the sky should be the task of the Celestial." He rose again with a pleased smile on his face, however, and his robes rustled a bit as his tail twitched under them. "What more needs to be done for that restoration?"

Penny chuckled, behind him. "You resemble Lord Zhijian in his excitement, my Lord."

Tian Yue paused for a moment, then chuckled, a little sheepishly. "Perhaps I do. See how audacious my followers are," he added, amused. "But they are as eager to see the skies restored as I am."

Still, despite his own eagerness, Harmodius' mention of the Nyanko reminded him of the heavy weight in his pocket. "The Nyanko matriarch gave me this, Lord, when we parted ways." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the figurine, the smooth curves cool against his palm. "She said it was dormant... and referred to it as an ancestor. We found many such in their warrens. Am I to assume that her words were, ah... literal?"

Zero Dream

Ankou's lips pulled into an amused smile when MI0 piped up her answer and was then silenced by Penny. Somehow he should have seen that coming...

"It would be lying to say it has not been convinent for me as well." The worlds were lighter... slightly. If only slightly. "I have reached places that would have likely been impossible for me to seek otherwise." And it was all the thanks he needed, really.

But he listened. If there was yet more he could do, he would do so, gladly. And he was also curious about the figurines.

Ivynian

He looked a little disappointed, the pointed tips of his ears lowered with an animal-like mobility. "Perhaps she does not understand humor or irony?"

It would be impolite to just ask if this MI0 was not a conscious being, soul or no. Logic could come to its own terms of existence and non-existence in most cases.

"It is literal. That is a Nyanko. When they are dormant, or when they are born, it is as these 'figurines' as other races know them. I would say 'seed' a closer interpretation, but you do not plant them except to keep them near other living, moving beings. You do not tend them as a plant, except to speak and interact with them. I have seen children do what would work with their stuffed toys. Cuddling, speaking to it, keeping it near-these things will waken the spirit inside and the seed will grow out into its full and proper shape. "

"It could not hurt to purr to it, either. "

Zero Dream

That was indeed interesting information. He had indeed felt souls within... But had not known exactly how they were linked and how to awaken them. It was good to know of such, even if he had not been the one to which the figurine had been given.

Awakened by the energy of others being near, perhaps...

The mental image of Tian Yue 'purring' to the figurine, however, nearly had him laughing out loud, but the Guide remained quiet, though unable to erase all the amusement from his face.

Sosiqui

"Most artificial intelligences don't parse emotional responses, Lord Creation," Penny said, a wry smile on her face. "Mio was engineered to control a small spaceship, so she doesn't have any extras in terms of... er, personality. Apparently they were doing some great things with emulation in the labs, though..."

She paused as Creation spoke again, then - having less composure than the Spirit Guide - did indeed laugh out loud at his suggestions regarding the Nyanko figurine.

Tian Yue, for his part, turned just slightly pink, though he couldn't help but laugh at the idea either. "I should ask Zhijian for tips, then; my dear brother is most accomplished at all those activities." The Fangbridle would probably be just as amused by the situation as they were. "I will try to awaken it then, Lord. The living Nyanko did us great service; I would honor that service."

Even if it meant purring at a statue.

Tian Yue rubbed his thumb over the Nyanko-figure's head as he continued. "Is there more we can do, Lord? Or I, at least - I will not presume to volunteer Ankou unless he wishes." He turned his head slightly and grinned at his companion before focusing on Harmodius again, his expression turning sober. "For the restoration, that is. Even I have difficulty conceiving of what is required. Such things as the vast spaces withOut and withIn..." Even with the map of Yggdrasil laying around them, the tangled paths still slipped his mind if he didn't focus on them, just as the Name he had spoken to the Chrysalis had done.

Ivynian

"There are no other tasks to be done now, except tp wait for all of the other pieces to be collected. When all things have come to me, I will be able to paint up the new sky. I twill be less breathtaking, a more disturbing, empty still, but with what is gathered I have high hopes for its serviceability. "

A truly new Universe, a god who lived, would take more time to engineer.

"I can only beg patience and endurance now, from you all. "

Zero Dream

"Patience and endurance are things that we have become familiar with." The Guide said, with a nod of the head. It had indeed been so, not only though Gehenna and rebirth, but as a whole... at least for himself.

And it was not like he would be lacking of things to do. It was the opposite, in a way - even here, so close to the Pantheon, he could still find spirits - either freshed deceased or having escaped his brother's call in one way or another. And that said nothing about other worlds. Before, he would have had valkyries to help in this task, but now... For now he was alone, and there was only so much he could do. What he had already done, at least, was a good start. There was pride in that.

"We still have much to do, each and every one of us."

Sosiqui

"However altered this new sky may be, it will bring comfort to mortals. I thank you for allowing me to assist, my Lord." The Dragon King hesitated for a moment. "I was not, I think, able to give much comfort or succor to Universe in this new life, in the briefest times we shared," he said, quietly. "I know you did not intend this task as penance, but it has been so for me. I thank you for that as well."

He fell quiet for a few moments, then looked up once more, a faint smile on his face as he tucked the nyanko figurine back into his pocket. "With Penny's permission, I will place her and Mio both at your call should you require the digital mapping."

Penny bowed immediately. "Of course, Lord."

He nodded to her, his smile deepening, and glanced at Ankou. "Indeed, there is much to do. The restoration does not end with the sky."

Ivynian

"I will look forward to their expertise. "

Creation bowed to them all, " You have all done a great service, and deserve better. If you find need of something, fear not to ask for it, and I will endeavor to provide. "

[Zero Dream]

Reporting In

He had retired himself from Tian Yue's presence a few moments later, giving one last salute to his companion and extending his aid to them whenever they would require it before climbing up the stairs. The Spirit Guide would have gladly remained a bit longer with the dragon king and Penny, but he had gone to this meeting alone – by choice – and so he knew that there were people left behind, awaiting what would come out of all this. A cat, who had lived this just as much as the two deities that had been involved. A demoness who pretended to be indifferent, and yet looked to the non-existent sky and sighed just as much as everyone else, and a young mortal girl, with her eyes still opening to this new world she had discovered, a world of deities and wonder. A girl who might yet be much more than that.

He opened and closed the door to his quarters as silently as possible, but not silently enough for sensitive feline ears. Jinx was the first to dart out, followed by Lenneth, and at last Anima – it seemed like they had been playing some sort of card game in the time of his absence. He did not mind – he had not given any of them any tasks prior to him leaving to meet up with Tian Yue.

“So, myaa ? What happened ?” The cat asked, tail going back and forth behind her excitedly. Her gaze was hopeful, and it seemed that she already knew the answer, but would not allow herself to truly celebrate until she heard it from her master.

”Did he accept them ?” In Lenneth's eyes, there were curiosity, and in a way, she was again the 15 years old he'd found, scared of the multitude of ghosts that had followed her, even if she was now older than that, more like a woman than a child.

”He did.” Ankou couldn't help but smile at the eagerness of the pair – Anima was keeping to herself, for now. “We did well.” He reached to pat Jinx's head, the aoide letting out a pleased purr.

”So we're finally getting a sky again ?! Is it there already ?!” Lenneth was basically bouncing – but turned more somber when Ankou shook his head.

”Not yet. There is more to be done, but... it is not for us to worry about. It... is not a simple thing, to remake what has been lost, in this case. Even for Creation himself.” And then... what ? More disturbing... empty still

Would there ever be another Universe ? He did not know. He had not dared ask. Not with the dragon right beside him. It seemed... wrong to have a sky without a godly force behind it.

But then, this hadn't happened with the Fading... Perhaps what had been left of Universe, the raw mana, had been enough to let the skies remain. Same with Gaia.

This was complicated, and really, it wasn't for him to worry about. He already had enough to worry about. The best thing he could do to help was to the do the things only he could, and not bother himself with the things he couldn't. He would be useless if he bit more than he could chew... especially right now, he reminded himself bitterly. There were still dead to gather, always dead to gather, even this close to the pantheon where he was the most active.

”It is odd.” Lenneth started, looking out the window. ”You'd think gods could just do what they wanted, whenever they wanted... At least that's how I always thought of it. It's weird to think it isn't the case. ”

”Things were different, in the past. Better.” Anima muttered to herself.

”But that's the past. Things will never quite be as they were again. And some of it is probably for the best.” He reminded his aoidei, and she looked up at him. Anima would need to let go of the past... whatever it had been. She looked at him, as if gauging his own belief in what he had just said – he remained unwavering, meeting her gaze – eventually, she nodded.

”Maybe....” The demoness hesitated, not quite looking away from her Lord. Her Lord, who had taken her in and made her into what she had become now. Her Lord, who had once never needed anything or everyone, who had met whatever was thrown at him with the same stony-expression . Her Lord, who Jinx said was almost constantly miserable, carving the social contacts that he could never allow himself to have. Her Lord, who only seemed to see the darkest side of everything.

And then she saw the Spirit Guide as he was now – bound and reborn from a mortal of all things, calm and focused, but not too much – still shying away from mortals, but having at last opened his heart to his brethren, with not only a large extended family and friends, but... a lover in his life to boot.

And then, keeping in mind all that ? She could not argue with him. ”You might just be right, my Lord.”

Still didn't mean she had to like it.

[Zero Dream]

Aoidei Rescue 101

Xanil

After getting Evellyn settled in for the evening, Eddard hefted the metal box that was the dormant clockwork golem up under an arm and left his quarters, locking his door behind him. He knew it was late and that disturbing most people at this hour would be rude but he couldn't help himself. Between his own perspective and Eid's intense anger the situation seemed dire indeed and neither was one for procrastinating. Even if Eddard chose to wait, Eid would never let him get an evening's rest, not in his current state. The god's intense emotions would either prevent Eddard from falling asleep all together or plague his dreams.

As he walked down the hall toward his destination he could only make out one word from Eid's near indiscernible raging stream of consciousness, "Ankou," which boomed a number of times like thunder from a churning, massive storm. The air felt warm on his skin, his heart beat hard in his chest, and he caught himself clenching his teeth. Passing by a mirror he noticed the flushed tone of his blue skin giving it a purple tint. They were becoming one more and more, Eid's anger actually affecting his body. The notion did nothing to improve the situation so he pushed it back, out of his mind for later contemplation.

The door came into view and as Eddard knocked quietly on it he held his breath, hoping the Spirit Guide was in and willing to lend them his aid.

Zero Dream

It was not the Spirit Guide than answered the door, but yet it was still a form that would be familiar to Eddard, and he to her. One red eye peered though the crack of the door before it opened wide to reveal Jinx. "Lord Eddard, mya." She said, lowering her head with respect. Eddard was not a god, but he hosted one, which... was pretty much the same thing.

There seemed to be something bothered him... his jaw was clenched and his face had tints of purple there and there. But this was not for her to know, not really, and she had a good idea of what the half-troll was here for.

"Do come inside and make yourself comfortable." Jinx side-stepped the door to allow Eddard entrance, and then guided him toward the table, the rustle of chains and cloth following her movements. "I will go seek my lord for you, mya. It should not take long."

The catgirl bowed, and then walked to one of the side rooms and entered it.

Xanil

As the door opened and the red eye peered out, Eddard did his best to straighten up and unclench his jaw with little success. "Thank you, Jinx. I apologize for calling at this late hour," he said while ducking to step through the doorway and shifting his jaw from left to right in an effort to loosen it and better compose himself.

Eddard sat the metal box down on the table but did not sit worried that the low seating might not support his girth while also presenting little comfort. Instead, he chose to stand, Eid's angry emotions causing a degree of anxiety in the pit of Eddard's stomach as he struggled to put them into check.

While he waited he reminisced about their journey to the burning city, the demons they fought and also evaded, their meanderings through Byrne's temple archive, discovering the mural puzzle, retrieving the Jesses, and finally, returning them to their proper owner. They had been lucky in those days for the planes at that time were in the middle of being ravaged by the demon spawn, a product of Samyaza's attempt to incite the final end. Perhaps this evening a bit of the luck they had found in the dilapidated city would find them once more.

Zero Dream

Late hour perhaps, but he had not ended up awakening Ankou, who scarcely slept nowadays. If he did, it was more out of comfort than true need to do such, as it was one of the few times he and Cosine could enjoy each others presence. Still, it had been a stroke of luck that Eddard had showed up when Ankou was actually present in his room, which was becoming less and less frequent. At this moment he was sitting at the desk, carving something or other when Jinx showed up, and the Spirit Guide put that work aside and rose from his seat.

Jinx's mention of Eddard was perplexing, and in a way he was not quite sure what awaited him on the other side of the door - be it the half-troll himself or... the god that had been within when they had gone to Karsch.

This returned to mind the thought that had occurred to him in the World Tree, of learning to physically fight and either Eddard or Oath being one he might be able to ask... but Jinx had mentioned him looking upset, so it was probably better to wait.

What awaited him on the other side of the door was exactly what the black cat had told him - nothing more, nothing less.

"Eddard." Ankou called out softly, letting the door fall closed behind him. Jinx did not accompany him back out, but he figured the cat might very well press her ear against the door to listen. It would not surprise him in the least. He did seem upset, as the cat had said. Had she not said so, however, he might not have even noticed.

Xanil

Eddard nodded to Ankou, "Hello, Ankou. Thank you for seeing me at this late hour, I hope I'm not disturbing you. It seems that tonight I, and Sh'khin too," he added, "are in need of your skills." He indicated to the metal box he brought with him.

The box itself was a perfect cube, its dimensions all being three feet. It was covered in a variety of small, variously shaped panels with seams so tight that one would be hard pressed to pry it open with a bar or other commonly used tool. Stranger still, especially to Eddard who was versed in metallurgy, was that alloy from which the box was made was unlike any he had ever encountered. When this was all sorted out, Eddard had the desire to study it further but the urgency of the situation hadn't given him the time to do so.

Eddard wasn't much for beating around the bush so he plunged into his little tale of the afternoon's events. "This was waiting for me when I returned to my apartment today. When I got it inside it unfolded into a construct and delivered to me its master's ransom. Eid's only aoide and one of Sh'Khin's have been taken hostage. I was instructed to wait until the construct activated again and to follow it to the rendezvous point where I would exchange a very specific list of gems for our aoides." Reciting the situation for the third time this day only served to stir Eid's anger further.

"Back during the Week of Lust Eid had given a quest to his aoide to go search for a rope that would rival his own in past days. He would have gone himself but we were already sworn to aid Karaskis' and Tajnevaki's hosts in retrieving the parts of the consort that Panacea had failed to return with. Aerlynn went and inlisted one of Sh'Khin's aoides at Eid's suggestion. Eid knew that Sh'Khin would lend any help he could because of Sh'Khin's fondness for me. Needless to say, Eid's appointed task was over their heads."

"I have had someone examine it and there is indeed spirtual energy contained in the box but it is bound by magic to another who is either very powerful, off of this plane, or likely both. Unfortunately my friend's power doesn't extend beyond this realm leaving me stuck for now. I have hopes that maybe you can do what you did for us when you opened the door to Karsch. On my honor as an anointed knight, no, on Eid's name as Oath, we will repay you."

Zero Dream

Ankou simply shrugged. "I was not asleep." Hey, that was truth enough.

The Spirit Guide settled down to sit, listening attentively, his features pulling tighter when the aoidei capture was mentioned. Random note ? That was... low, very low. Eddard's involvements at locating the shards of the consort came as a surprise to him - so not only once, but twice now they had went toward the same goal, even unknowingly. But there were much more important matters at hand.

"...It sounds like a trap." Having to meet this person under it's own terms meant that anything could happen and the other party would be at complete control of the situation. That was enough to raise warning flags even to Ankou. This reminded him too much of his own brother's past predicament - his hand balling into a fist at the mere memory of it and how he had ultimately been able to do nothing. He would not allow something alike to happen again.

But that meant beating this person to it's own game. It was only when Eddard was done speaking that he allowed his gaze to fall onto the object, that paneled box. There was nothing familiar to him about such a device, nothing at all, but he could feel the energy leaking out, much likely a connection from the home plane to the device in order for it's operation to be doable.

"I cannot promise anything." Ankou shook his head. There might be wards. Whatever it was that was able to keep aoidei prisoner certainly had more than a few aces up their sleeves, he felt. He had been able to follow a similar trail from the scepter to the pieces, before, but... "I am more skilled at handling the soul of the dead than following spirit signals. But... I will do my best."

Xanil

"...It sounds like a trap," Ankou said.

"Indeed it does. If gems were all this foe was interested in, why not have the construct accept the ransom on his or her behalf. Why make me come alone, and why for so little?" He had gone over the scenario in his head countless times. He couldn't discern motive, but the end goal was more than evident in the constructs verbal message. He or she wanted Eddard, or even Eid, but for what?

"I cannot promise anything. I am more skilled at handling the soul of the dead than following spirit signals. But... I will do my best."

"Your best effort is all I could ask for, Ankou." In truth, there were likely a number of other ways for them to reach their foe, or so he hoped. Sh'Khin had presented some possibilities while he too had some other notions. But Ankou's ability to manipulate the doors, if successful, would likely be the fastest and present the most surprise. Also how could he live with himself if while he and Sh'Khin were off gallivanting through the planes the construct activated in order to lead him to the rendezvous point? They could very well lose both aoides as a result of their time consuming search.

Zero Dream

Ankou only nodded, and he moved forward, carefully putting one hand onto the surface of the device. Such enough, it was similar to the scepter - a signal that reached away, outward.

He followed it, eyes instinctively drifting closed.

Sure enough, it ran strong. And far. Further than the confines of this plane, much like he expected. It was all much easier than before, which was to be expected, and so far he had not felt anything trying to hinder him. He was fairly certain he would feel it if there was something, some sort of ward attempting to keep someone from tracing the spirit path.

The path continued on, and then, finally stopped. Yet...

...

?

Wait a second. Something wasn't quite right there. His eyes snapped open, but Ankou looked almost... confused ?

The location... didn't feel right. There was something unnatural about it, and the whole plane was heavily seeped in magic.

"...Do you have any idea of the identity of the person who took the aoidei ?" Probably not, but it was worth a shot. If Eddard could give him any information, he would be able to compare it to what he has just felt.

Xanil

"Little, actually. The construct referred to his master as 'The Temporal Primus.' If the constuct's craftsmanship and his so called title are indeed indicative of the master then I would assume he uses some sort of time magic. When the box unfolds it has an innumerable amount of gears and tiny moving parts as if constructed by a watch maker. Additionally, the phylactery or vessel in which the spirit is trapped that powers the construct is some sort of limitless hourglass."

He paused briefly considering any other hints or clues but came up short. "I assume he has a fair measure of power to have come this far what with Gehenna and to challenge Sh'Khin and Eid so but then again, Tista, the one in a million chance, doesn't discriminate between intentions. The master could be lucky. If ever the one who holds sway over Entropy is found, he would have much balancing in light of the circumstances."

"Are you running into any complications as you probe?" he asked in a concerned tone.

Zero Dream

"No." He shook his head. He would not call it a complication, per-se... But perhaps it should be considered such. Time magics... Had this Temporal Primus pulled this location out of space and time ?

But that was impossible.

It should be impossible. Especially for mortals. He did not like this, not at all.

"I have found where the spirit path reports back for instruction, but... the whole place is heavily seeped in magic. Unnaturally so. I cannot tell of which kind, but I can tell that there is something there that by all means should not be there at all." Ankou frowned. "I would not underestimate this Temporal Primus. Do not go alone." It didn't even look like advice at this point, but Ankou didn't care. Whatever had Eddard take him seriously.

Xanil

"Do not go alone."

Eddard gauged Ankou's warning. In attempting to ambush this Temporal Primus was he biting off more than he could chew? Possibly. But never the less he had a job to do and he was an annointed knight sworn to protect. How could he live out his remaining days if he could not even protect the god he bore's one and only servant? The truth is, is that it would indeed be a miserable way to spend last of his existance.

"Thank you for your concern, Ankou. Sh'Khin is traveling with me too, for he has the same at stake as Eid. Still, I don't take your warning lightly either. This won't be my first run in with time based magic though unfortunately, I am but a shadow of my former power. All my fae and human magic other than my strength has fled me. I must make due."

Zero Dream

It was at least slightly reassuring to know that Eddard would not go alone, that there would be at least Plague at his side. Not that Ankou wanted to belittle his ability, far from it - he knew otherwise from experience - but even as an host for a god, he still remained mortal.

But what mortal would even dare strike such a blow against the gods, especially in the wake of Gehenna where most would rather rebuild ? Worrysome indeed...

Or perhaps not a mortal at all. It was an option to consider.

And that diminution of the host's own powers... He knew what it meant. It hadn't happened to Adrian, per-se, but he had seen it in others. But he had a good idea that Eddard knew what it meant as well, and there was no need to tell him, per-se.

"Well, at any rate." He could not erase the worry from his gaze, not completely, but he would not stop him. "I know where it is. What I do not know, however, is if it will be possible to open a path there without alerting it's occupants..." Or if it was possible to open a path there to begin with. If it was mirroring another world-space, he might very well end up linking the wrong place.

Xanil

Again he considered Ankou's words. The risks ment little to him and absolutely nothing to Eid. They would press on regardless of chance for it was all they could do. Truth be told, Eid would prefer to do this without Sh'Khin, Eddard could feel that much, but the nearly indiscernable ball of rage that was Eid had little say in the matter. His irrational, blind frenzy would surely spell their end without any sort of aid if Eddard chose to follow his directive.

"You have my thanks for finding it.Are ready to attempt the link? I can fetch Sh'Khin and also my own belongings if so."

Zero Dream

Well, he figured he was about as ready as he would be. There was not much else he could tell by the spirit trace that came out of the construct Eddard had brought along with him.

"I am ready if you are." Though, only him and Plague... He still did not like this. It was still a somewhat new thing, this worry for others, and he was not quite sure how to deal with it. Before... he might have not cared much.

Xanil

"I will go collect Sh'Khin and some of my own effects and then meet you around the unmarked door we used to enter Karsch. See you shortly." With that, Eddard bowed politely and left the company of Ankou, nodding politely to Jinx in passing.

[Zero Dream]

Preparations

Eddard had barely walked out the door that Ankou was already moving, gathering various objects into the old, worn messenger bag he used for travel. Supplies, some bandages (he had learned it was a good idea to bring those in the World Tree, after the demon attack where he'd ended up wounded), his mace. There was no way in hell that he was letting the half-troll go alone. This was sheer madness, host or not.

To think anyone would actually had the guts to very openly defy two gods in the wake of what had happened... Ankou hadn't thought it to be possible. It spoke volumes about the power of said mortal... or it's foolishness. But the Spirit Guide would rather not leave it to chance. Being an host, would he even be able to find Eddard's soul should something happen to him ? Even if he could, it would likely be too late to do anything for Oath. And Plague... well, godly souls were beyond his grasp.

He simply wouldn't admit for himself that most of his decision was based around the fact that Eddard was... well, a companion in arms, and that he cared about the half-troll more than he probably should have, keeping in mind what would be bound to happen.

It hadn't stopped it from happening, however. He needed to do what he felt was best in the current situation, and right now, what was best seemed to go along as an extra pair of hands to help save the kidnapped aoidei.

Jinx watched this silently as first, her tail waving behind her slender body as she stood at the place she had taken near the door, from where she had not moved the whole time.

“So, we are leaving now, mya ?” The catgirl asked. She had much to gather for herself, then.

Ankou paused, looking up at her for a few moments, silently, weighting options. She would be added protection, of course – the aoide would allow nothing to hurt him, and by extent his companions. She was a fighter, trained to near-perfection. On the flip side, whatever they would face had already subdued two aoidei – who's to say it could not do the same to a third ? She would be in danger, far more than she usually would be. And... if something happened to her, Ankou had no idea what he would do. The simple thought made rage stir within him, similar to the one he had seen in Eddard's eyes.

”Jinx.” He said, voice softer than usual, still torn for a moment before he finally decided, and shook his head. ”This time... I need you to stay behind.”

“MYYYYA !” The catgirl looked downright indignant, but the Spirit Guide didn't flinch. “Master ! I cannot stay here, knowing you will-”

”You will be in far more danger that I will probably be.” There was a determination, a finality to his words that he so rarely used, as he zipped the bag shut and looped the mace in his belt. ”Whoever this temporal primus is, has already subdued two aoidei – long enough to keep them prisoner. There is no telling what would happen to you, and I refuse to let you be the third aoidei to fall.” Ankou stood straight, and slung the bag around his shoulder.

The cat slumped, ears drooping. The Spirit Guide knew enough about his sworn protector to know what was going though her mind right at the moment. ”You know that I trust you with everything I have... Even with my own life.” He walked the steps that separated them from each other, and carefully stroked the soft fur of her cheek, in a rare physical display of affection toward the aoide. ”But I need you to stay safe. Watch over Cosine for me.”

Ultimately, she could not argue any further. She wanted to, but... An order was an order. “Yes... my lord.”

Ankou nodded, then started to walk toward the door that led to the hallway. And yet, when his deep white hand touched the handle, he paused. ”I will open a Door here, in the hallway, if I can.” There was no use to lie to the catgirl about it. He could only hope her loyalty would run deeper than her want to protect. ”If I do not return within two weeks...” Would it be much too late, if he had her wait this long ? ”...Then, come after us.”

The cat, at least, perked up again. “Yes, Master !”

Ankou could only hope that it would not come to that. And, after one last nod, opened the door and was gone.

[Zero Dream]

At The Halls Of Doors

Xanil

Eddard gathered up his pack and then informed Myles and Evellynn of his departure. Evellynn did her best to try and convince him to allow her to come but Eddard was insistant about her remaining in the apartment. "You have done enough already. From here on out, this is something Eid and I must do. Stay here and wait for me. We will be back sooner than you think."

To Myles he entrusted his journal. "I suspect I will be back, but if not, make sure that Tajnevaki and Karaskis receive it. It contains my notes regarding the Baadrite glass production and several ways in which I planned to implement Byrnes eggshells at the smithy." The young man nodded in response and bid his master good luck and farewell.

Once outside his apartment, Eddard stalked off down the hall to Sh'Khin's room. Informing him of their eminent departure he allowed Sh'Khin to prepare his own things before setting off to the hall of unmarked doors where they'd meet with Ankou. If everything there goes according to plan they'd be well on their way to rescuing the aoides.

Once Sh'Khin was packed and prepared they headed off, Eddard carrying the metal box under his arm. He wasn't sure if Ankou would need it for his ritual but it was best that he prepared for it if he in fact did. They arrived shortly after Ankou, the spirit guide waiting for them as patient as ever.

"Sh'Khin, allow me to introduce you to Ankou. Ankou, this is Sh'Khin. No doubt the two of you have at the very least heard of one another but if you have not Sh'Khin here holds dominion over Plagues while Ankou is the Spirit Guide." Eddard stepped back and allowed them to acquaint themselves with one another.

Zero Dream

Ankou had arrived a few minutes ago, and was now leaning against the wall, eyes closed into what seemed to be concentration rather than any kind of fatigue. It was worth noting that he stood alone - with the familiar black cat nowhere in sight. Jinx had, of course, hissed a bit at this decision of her master, but if two aoidei had been taken relatively easily, there had been a chance that Jinx, no matter her prowess, would end up among those numbers.

He did not really want to risk it.

The sound of the incoming footsteps what was made him stand up completely again, and he nodded in Plague's direction. He had heard a few things of him, indeed.

Sizzla

Sh'khin had not quite finished his packing when Arov knocked on his bedroom door to inform him that Eddard had arrived, ready to collect him for their journey into unknown lands. He quickly finished the last of his preparations and met Eddard in the hallway, having told Aeneas and Arov of his plans.

Neither had offered to accompany him -- and he was more than happy about that. He had already lost one aoide to this journey, and he couldn't stand to have the same happen to the others. They would be best served staying at the Pantheon, finishing the cleaning of his rooms and preparation for the lab that would soon be added to his chambers.

"Good day Eddard," the god greeted the troll, shaking his hand. "And a good day to Eid, as well." He nodded his head in respect for the god, and followed Eddard to the hall of unmarked doors.

On arrival, Sh'khin spotted the god who must be Ankou. Though he had not met the Spirit Guide, he was aware of his existence. He bowed a head to the other morph god, then introduced himself. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Sh'khin said, giving the Spirit Guide a smile. "Your assistance in this matter is greatly appreciated. Journeying through the Word Tree would be a much less effective way to travel -- I wouldn't doubt that we'd get lost in the process as well," he chuckled.

Xanil

With pleasantries exchanged, Eddard got down to business, Eid's turbulent emotions keeping him on task. Indicating to the metal box under his arm that was in actuality the construct, Eid asked Ankou, “Will you need this in your ritual? I don’t think taking it with us would be a good idea but I wasn’t sure if you’d need it once more.” Eddard was worried that bringing it with them might somehow give their foe an advantage, possibly alerting him of their proximity and ruining whatever chance of a surprise they had. It had sat outside his door for sometime while he was out working late at the smithy. Certainly it wouldn’t cause too much of an issue to leave it here outside the door once it was done serving its purpose in the ritual if it had any.

Zero Dream

"Oh, trust me." The god sounded amused. "We would. I have been there, and I would get us lost ten times over." The World Tree was a maze, pure and simple. To go though with nothing to guide themselves with was just plan foolishness. There were still the marks Tian Yue had made, if he could recognize them, but Ankou preferred not to risk it.

"It would also take us nearly a week simply to travel to the opening of this world. To say nothing of walking though the branches and trunk. Time is not on our side on this." He could not remember Eddard mentioning anything, but he figured there had probably been a time limit attached to the ransom. "This way we keep an element of surprise."

He tilted his head upward to look at the half-troll, then nodded. "We will not need to bring it with us. But I will need to follow the path again to know where it is I must make the way." Using it as a guide, and nothing more.

Sizzla

"One day I would like to try my hand at traveling through the World Tree -- when things are not so dire, at least. Right now, being expedient would be best," Sh'khin said, quite curious about the workings of the World Tree. "A week to travel to the opening of just this world? Goodness, that's quite a journey..." He hadn't realized it would take -quite- that long. It sounded like a daunting task -- but a challenge.

"I think maintaining the surprise factor is our best bet. Whoever has kidnapped them seems to be quite powerful."

He listened as the pair discussed the use of the construct to find the path of the world they were looking for. He made it sound like something so simple, but Sh'khin knew Ankou had a truly amazing power. He was quite curious what else the Spirit Guide could do if he had the power to open doors to other worlds...

Xanil

"Very well," Eddard said as he held the box out for Ankou to either examine or to take depending on what exactly the Spirit Guide needed it for.

In the back of his mind he recalled the first time he had seen Ankou manipulate the doors. During those days he still maintained enough of his own power to cast his spell of seeing. Watching Ankou manipulate the raw spiritual and magical threads that made up the weave had been truly amazing. He'd watched with the hopes that Eid would beable to learn how to do the same for future times when he too would need to manipulate the doors on his own. Unfortunately one time hadn't been enough and their wouldn't be a second for Eddard no longer had that power within him, it being one of the last of his spells to slip beyond his reach. Now all he had was himself and the troll blood that flowed through his veins.

Zero Dream

"It would seem so." Ankou took the box as it was offered to him. "Perhaps more than you might even believe. There is something very unnatural about what I felt on the other side... like if it is not quite meant to be there." He looked back to his companions, expression serious, lips pulled into a tight line. "We will need to be careful."

It certainly felt like if he was repeating himself, but he would rather be cautious. He did not have the Worldshield at his side, this time.

He followed the signal of the construct once again, memorizing the path as best as he could before handing it back to Eddard. "I would rather it remains here. It might very well be used to trace us."

With a nod of his head, Ankou reached to touch the surface of the door, and closed his eyes.

Sizzla

Sh'khin nodded, agreeing with Ankou. They would need to be cautious if they were to get their aoide back safe and sound. He was fairly certain that the power of the morph gods was too minimal to do much damage to a powerful mage. Surprise would certainly be the best tactic.

He watched as Ankou held the construct, taking whatever information from it that he could in order to open the door to the correct world. He watched as the Spirit Guide pressed his hand against the door and closed his eyes. Plague waited for what would come next.

Xanil

"Agreed, " Eddard said, taking the box back.

He stepped away, allowing Ankou to enact his ritual, wishing he could use his spell of seeing. As Ankou began the ritual, Eddard sat the box down and began to take one last inventory of the gear he had. His pack was light for he didn't intend for this escapade to be a full on campaign. Checking his lower back, he wrapped his hand around the futuristic blaster's handle Cinder, Karaskis host, had given him. He had disdain for firearms preferring the old ways of martial weapons and bows, the things of old that took real skill to weild, but all the same, it was a suitable contingency weapon and truly his only ranged weapon aside from throwing heavy objects in the vicinity.

Zero Dream

For about a minute, nothing happened. Ankou remained perfectly still, looking almost as if he was not even breathing at all.

Suddenly, this all changed. The surface of the door flared to life, runes covering it and glowing slightly. Ankou backed away then, and waited for the path to stabilize.

This... had gone much quicker than he had remembered. Almost as if it was getting easier. He had a straight path before he had even began, this time, but even then...

After a few more seconds, everything seemed to visibly settle. "There... Make sure we all stay together." He nodded, then opened the door and entered first.

Sizzla

Sh'khin watched in amazement as the door came to life. He examined the runes, not really knowing what they meant to convey, but nevertheless, he felt that taking a closer look at them would somehow allow him to study them more in depth in the future.

The path beyond the open door seemed looked almost pixelated for a second, but soon it cleared, an open pathway to their destination.

"Amazing," he gasped, following the pair through the doorway. "I wish I could learn how to do that..."

[Zero Dream]

What Lies Through

Xanil

The trio stepped through the door and found themselves in a windowless room. The walls were made of stone and riddled with clocks of all varieties and a number of other clockwork inspired machines, all tick-tocking away or otherwise emitting a whirring, clicking, or buzzing sound as gears and other moving parts moved in complete unison. Beneath there feet the floor, which had been covered with a number of heavy carpets, creaked as if made of wood. From the ceiling hung a chandelier with little lights slowly pulsating from the power they were given from magnetic driven gyroscopes. In the center of the room was a craftsmen's table, riddled with a number of half finished gadgets, gears, alchemical powders and poultices, random parts, books, scrolls, and other manner of manuscripts. The only other pieces of furniture in the room was a chair and an armoire that had been converted into a tool box.

Looking back behind them, the door they had come through was unnaturally placed. The edges of the doorway seemed to bend space, refracting the dimensions around it like light through water, giving the objects on the wall around it a distorted appearance though they seemed to still be intact.

"Amazing," uttered Eddard, shocked that either the doors or Ankou were capable of so much. If only he or Eid could muster the ability to master the technique.

Aside from the door they had entered through, the room contained two other exits. One was an open archway that led to some stairs that both descended down and ascended up in spiral fashion as if they were in a narrow tower of sorts. The pther had a gold door, brandishing several gems and other locks that seemed to be inspired by the very gadgets that adorned the walls of the room and covered the table.

Eddard looked tio his companions for suggestions before making any of his own.

Zero Dream

"Is is not very hard, once you know how." Ankou answered Plague as he walked forward. "Gathering and focusing your mana while keeping in mind where you wish to go. I can teach you later." And Oath, as well... but not quite yet.

The Spirit Guide was the first to emerge into this new place - thankfully the trip there had been completely normal and calm, as it was when worlds weren't in flux - and the first thing that caught his attention was the sounds.

tic toc tic toc tic toc tic toc...

He rose an eyebrow as he peered out to see if the room was empty - so many clocks, among other things... If that gave any hint as to what the owner of the area was, it certainly looked like they were about to have some kind of clockworker on their hands.

"No one's here." He whispered, finally walking in the room in truth and allowing his companions to come out as well. He'd certainly never seen so many clocks in one place. The floor creaked under his steps, and he frowned. Way too noisy. If only he could fly... the black appendages on his back twitched irritably in response to the annoyed thought.

There were two paths, and he had no idea. Gut instinct said up, but... it was his turn to look over his shoulder to his companions. "Upward... ?"

Sizzla

"Easier said than done," Plague replied to Ankou, chuckling. "But if you'd be willing to teach me sometime, I'd be extremely grateful. It seems to be a power that could come in handy some day. Plus, traveling via doors is much easier than taking weeks to travel through the World Tree, or by errais." He couldn't even imagine what journey the aoide had to embark on to get to this world... They had been gone for a very long time, and he wondered how they had managed it.

Sh'khin followed Ankou and Eddard thorough the door and into what seemed to be a workroom for a tinkerer of some sort -- likely he was quite a powerful one, if the clockwork golem had come from this very room. The god looked around, examining everything, careful not to misstep and cause the floorboards to creak. They didn't know if the clockworker was in the building or not, and it would probably be for the best if they were as quiet as possible.

Plague examined the gold and jewel-encrusted door briefly, knowing that it was likely locked tight by a spell of some sort. He turned to the arched doorway, nodding to his companions. "I think upward sounds like a fine idea," he half-whispered, adjusting his pack to pull out his demon-killing dagger, just in case any kind of altercation might arise from them snooping around the tower.

Xanil

"Then up we shall proceed," Eddard said at Sh'Khin's suggestion. "Hopefully it will bring us to our quarry."

The group stepped out of the work room, the door closing behind them, and began their ascent. The spiraling stairs beneath their feet were wide, requiring two to three steps before stepping up to the next one, and made of a variety of precious stone mosaics laid out in patterns of gear shapes and the swelling bulbs of hour glasses instead of the wood they had found in the room. The walls were highly polished laid stone designed to reflect the occasional lantern light placed sporatically on the wall. Again these lamps resembled the smaller lamps that were mounted on the chandelier in their entry room and were powered by a network of gears.

They followed the staircase up and up in what seemed to be a tight spiral. After about an hour of climbing and the occasional grumble or remark with regards to the endlessness of the stairs, a heavy bound iron door came into view. It had a large latch attached to a gear mechanism and a hole at eye level covered by a sliding mechanism.

Raising his hand and pointing Eddard asked, "What do you make of that? From here it looks like some sort of prison door." Eddard began to approach slowly and carefully, checking on his companions for reactions or warnings.

Zero Dream

There hadn't been much grumbling coming from the Spirit Guide... at least outwardly. Inwardly, he was quite wondering if those stairs were indeed endless. It was a rather good thing that Ankou's physical endurance was top-notch.

He still hoped he wouldn't have to bring the mortal body to it's limits, through.

It took a long time before they found the end - he had no idea how long, but it had seemed to stretch on forever - which, he noted, would be a rather bad thing if they had to make an emergency escape back to where the Door was. At least the way wouldn't be too hard to remember. The Guide stepped forward to examine the door, listening for any unusual noise behind it.

"If we run into other beings." He looked back at Eddard. "What do we do ?" He wasn't the strategist. The half-troll was, really. He didn't quite know what was on the other side, couldn't quite hear anything clearly. Unfortunately there hadn't been any spirit here he could have co-herced into scouting ahead for them - either no one had died inside or close to this location lately, or it had been warded in some way.

Not a precaution that could be put beyond anyone who would dare held a god's servants captive for a few jewels.

Sizzla

Despite his bedridden look, Sh'khin was rather fit -- fit enough to climb hundreds of stairs without becoming too terribly winded -- at least for the first half an hour. Once he realized the stairs might be neverending, he wasn't exactly happy that they continued to climb. But if they actually reached another door, or a room at the top of this maddening tower, perhaps they would get the answers they were looking for.

To keep his mind off of the endlessly spiraling staircase, he took to examining the stones and mosaics that made up the walls and stairs, and the lanterns that lit the tower, clockworked and interesting to examine. A lot of work was put into creating this tower, and Sh'khin was sure that whoever had built it would not take kindly to strangers who had come to search out the place.

When they finally arrived at the heavy door, Sh'khin squatted down to catch his breath, looking up to his companions to see what they made of the door. He took note of the gear mechanism that kept the door locked, and watched as both Eddard and Ankou took turns at the door.

"Do either of you hear anything? Can you see through the eye hole there?" he asked, not wanting to be the first one to take the risk and peer through the hole. He was mighty curious about the peephole however, and he decided that if no one else took the initiative to look through it, he'd do so himself.

But before he could do so, he heard Ankou's important query. What -would- they do if there was some creature guarding the other side of the door? "I only have a dagger that has served me well," he said, standing and looking from Eddard to Ankou. "And some minor powers that I can use -- if giving someone a fever, or swarming them with rats or flies can be considered damaging..."

Xanil

"Hopefully this won't be any sort of confrontation."

Eddard walked up to the door and turned to face it. On his left, the stairs continued their seemingly endless ascent while on his left were his companions and the stairs descending down. Cautiously he looked the door over for any obvious signs of danger. It didn't seem locked necessarily so he reached into his pack and fumbled around for his pouch of gems. Closing his hands around the pouch he drew it out and then picked through it and pulled forth a small, uncut peridot which looked more rock than gem.

Carefully, he slid the plate away that covered the eye slit keeping his face well away from it for fear of a blinding trap or some other obstacle that might surprise them. When nothing happened he put his ear to the door and tossed the gem in through the slot, listening for signs of movement or surprise.

All was quiet.

Contented, Eddard looked to his companions and then through the slot. "There's a man chained to the wall, seemingly unconscious. The construct mentioned a much though, that a our aoides had picked up a straggler."

Within, Eddard could feel Eid scrutinizing the prisoner, wandering if he had any kind of involvement with the master of the tower. The man's situation would suggest no, but things weren't always as they seemed.

"I'm going in. Hopefully nothing lies in wait on the other side other than the prisoner," he said before unlatching the iron bound door and stepping through the doorway.

Inside, the cell smelled dank and dirty. The man was unconscious but held upright on his knees, suspended by shackle and chain that closed around chafed wrists and held them close together over his head. The man was emaciated and likely skinny, even before imprisonment, and his sandy blond hair was dirty and matted to his forehead.

Eid, seldom known for his compassionate side, influenced Eddard's actions. The big knight strode forward, drew his sword and cut the chain, allowing the man to fall limply to the floor.

Zero Dream

"Hopefully." Ankou wasn't willing to overlook the possibility that they could run in into something. At least, he had brought his mace with him, the only weapon he had at least a base clue how to use. Maybe after all of this, he could ask Eddard if there was anything he could teach him.

He did observe the half-troll, fascinated. This... something like this would have never occured to him, really. He'd do good to remember it, if he was to be faced with a situation like that on his own.

"A prisoner ?" Ultimately none of their concern, really, but if this was some kind of prison, perhaps this was where the aoidei were kept as well. He followed Eddard inside, careful of his movements in order not to create undue sound. He did no movement to aid the man, but... there was something odd about him, fluttering in and out of his conciousness. The man was alive and... no, not dying either. Almost as if he was something in-between.

It made no sense. He had to be feeling things that weren't there.

"I wish there were spirits around." He muttered. "I could send them ahead to scout the area."

Sizzla

Sh'khin stood behind Eddard as he tossed a gem through the eye slit, listening for its fall and the knowledge that nothing behind the door would threaten them. It was a smart maneuver -- one Sh'khin would also be sure to remember. He didn't have much adventuring experience in this life, and his past life was long-forgotten. He was certain any adventuring tips and tricks he could pick up and use later would be helpful.

Sh'khin was the last one through the door as Eddard, and then Ankou, stepped through the doorway to examine the prisoner who had been hung from his wrists and allowed to sink only to his knees. The slender blonde man looked ill, and hardly alive. Plague didn't recognize him at all unfortunately, and as Eddard cut the chains, the man fell limply to the floor, looking much like a corpse.

"We should see if we can get him to regain consciousness," he said, squatting down next to the man and pressing a green-tinged hand to his forehead. He was curious if the stranger had any sort of illness he could detect. "He should be able to tell us about our aoide -- if he is indeed the stranger who had been traveling with them." He quickly pulled a canteen from his pack and rolled the man onto his back so that he could drip small sips of water into his parched mouth. Perhaps with water and a bit of encouragement, the man would awaken.

Xanil

Eddard watched Sh'Khin as he wrestled with Eid's influence. The man didn't readily swallow the water so Eddard instructed Sh'Khin to massage his throat. If the man did indeed inhale any bit of the water they could not know for he was too weak to even cough.

After a short while of examination, during which time Eddard retrieved the gem he used as a decoy, the prisoner still did not rouse. "Let me take him. I will carry him on and hopefully we will not come into any harm while I do so. At least this way he won't be left behind if in fact we do have to make a quick escape."

Eid began to chime in for a moment but Eddard did not appreciate the seemingly irrational sentiment. Surely this battered soul could not be held to any sort of interrogation nor answering for the crimes of the true kidnapper should the kidnapper remain at large. Eddard, for just a moment, did poorly to hide his disgust with Eid.

Kneeling down, Eddard sat the young man up and then easily hefted him over his shoulder. Giving a few firm but gentle pats on the prisoners back much like a parent does to baby, Eddard insured that the man’s airways were clear of water. He then turned and left the cell, continuing their endless climb once again.

Another hour brought them to another iron bound door of the same design as the prior, this time on the opposite side of the stairs, which still seemed to continue on with no sign to their end.

Zero Dream

Ankou let his two companions take care of the unconscious man, as he was rather clueless to the needs of mortals overall, especially when they could not express them. He would have been more likely to accidentally choke the man while trying to get him to drink than to be of any help.

And, granted, he was distracted, even as he climbed the stairs, not quite able to let go of this odd feeling he felt. "It is almost like... his soul and body were separated." He frowned, after a long moment of silence in between him. "He is still alive, but his soul isn't quite here. I can feel it... barely. In multiple direction." This was bad. Bad indeed. He wasn't even sure if he could put it back together. He hadn't been able to for Aristogeiton, but then the matter at hand was a little different.

He stopped in front of the door once they reached it, raising his hand to stop his two companions. "Stop." He was silent for a minute or so, not really thinking to offer any explanation to his behavior. "I get the same feeling here... but the souls are whole, just separated from their body somehow." The 'pieces' were big enough for him to be sure of that - they were not quite dead, though, which made it a little harder to get a proper feel. But, most of all, he hated that 'somehow'. How in hell could a mortal even achieve this ? "There's... ...two of them, I think."

Sizzla

Sh'khin was disheartened that the water had not helped to rouse the man. He had tilted his head so that he wouldn't choke, and when that hadn't worked, he had taken Eddard's suggestion of massaging the man's throat to encourage the water to flow down. When the man had no reaction, the god wasn't sure what else to do with him... He had little experience in the healing arts -- just basic first aid skills.

He hadn't disagreed when Eddard decided to take the prisoner with them, but he did question the necessity of taking him with them at all. Sh'khin saw him only as a nuisance -- something extra that they now had to carry around with them. And while Plague didn't have to (literally) shoulder the weight of the man himself, the god knew he would slow their movement. Still, he made not a peep and followed the other two up the winding staircase once again.

Ankou's observations were quite interesting however. As they climbed, he listened to the god explain about the man's soul, and its strange qualities. He had not thought much about souls, but he could not deny their existence. His own had been trapped in a gem for many years, removed from his previous body and stored for years, to be restored to a new host. "And how would a soul become torn into pieces?" he asked, noticing that they had finally come to another door, on the opposite side of the stairwell.

This time, he waited as Ankou made his observations. It seemed likely that the aoide would be behind the door -- after all, the Spirit Guide knew there were two of them.

"Perhaps Aerlynn and Yersinia are behind this door," he said, turning to Ankou to ask two questions. "How could their souls have been separated from their bodies? And who would be able to do such a thing? Surely it is someone quite powerful..." He paused. "Do you think you could reconnect their souls with their bodies?"

He had no idea what the Spirit Guide's powers were, but he had a feeling that it was not yet in the god's abilities. He was still partially mortal, after all, just like Sh'khin. Powers increased with time, and Sh'khin knew his own abilities were minor. Compared to his golden week sitting on the throne, he considered his current powers rather pathetic.

Xanil

Eddard approached the door and laid the human down on the ground, propping him up in a sitting position against the wall. Undergoing the same procedure he had done before, he discerned that the door was not trapped and that the aoides which he could see through the slot were indeed unguarded. It pained him to witness Aerlynn and even Yersinia who he'd never met held in such a condition.

Eid's anger burned hotter, blinding him from any thought of the human that lay on the ground beside the door and focusing all hate into a single targeted, concentrated rage toward the one who did this, the Primus. Though Eddard maintained a degree of composure, his face and neck were visibly flushed purple.

Opening the door he stepped into the cell, again met with a similar odor as the human's cell. However, this time he stepped aside, his left fish clenched so tightly his knuckles whitened, and allowed Ankou to examine the aoides.

Zero Dream

"I..." This was an hard pill to swallow, and an ever harder one to actually admit out loud. "...have no idea. I don't like it. There has to be a way to get them back in their rightful places..." And he would find it. Damn it, he would find it.

Perhaps Nergal... No, his brother would be equally clueless, most likely. It was the dead they delt with, not something like this.

Ankou carefully slid his way in after the door was opened for him, apparently oblivious to Eddard's anger as he made his way to the two aoide. Demonesses, much like Anima... He felt even more warranted in leaving his own aoidei behind - to think of his own in such a state... His own fists had clenched as a result, through there was no change of color, the skin already being pure white at that location.

He probably wouldn't have cared much before, but now the mere thought angered him in a way.

His fists did unclench as he crouched near the first, and hesitantly reached to touch her forehead. Maybe... "Can you hear me ?" He whispered to her. Their souls were close, he could tell that much, but he couldn't quite see them. Perhaps because they were still alive.

Sizzla

Sh'khin entered the room last, looking over the shoulders of the other two as they took to tending to the human and the aoide. He caught sight of Yersinia -- her eyes were closed and she looked dirty and ragged. And while ragged was certainly part of her normal persona, dirt was something she couldn't stand. He couldn't help but wonder how long the girls had been trapped in the tower. They had been gone for quite some time -- they had left the Pantheon during Gehenna.

He scowled with contempt, attempting to conceal his rage. Something would have to be done about this -- whoever did this would not get off easily. Sh'khin was almost certain that Eid was also fuming with anger, but Plague only noticed a purple flush to Eddard's skin.

Sh'khin knelt down beside Yersinia and checked her for fever and disease. He found nothing -- the missing link between soul and body was all that seemed to keep them in the inanimate state they were in.

"So do we haul them back with us in this condition?" he asked the others, wondering what their next step might be. "I wonder if we'd be able to remove them from the tower without anyone noticing?"

A voice cut through the thick fog of Yersinia's mind, causing her to stir a bit mentally. Though she could not force her eyes open, or make herself move, her mind was awake and alert. It seemed that she had been in this strange state for days now, and she could only imagine that this is what it would be like to be in a coma, but still have brain activity.

She had spent the first few days trying to escape the foggy cave of her mind -- to find a way to break out of the strange suspended animation she had been put into. But nothing had worked, and she quickly resigned herself to pouting, irritated that their mission had been compromised so easily. She didn't remember the face of the man who had taken them hostage, but from the state she was currently in, she knew he was a very powerful being.

For the first time in days, she heard a voice that was not her own, and her mind jumped, happy to hear something besides her own internal dialogue. Though the voice was soft and echoey, she began to shout, trying to get the person's attention. "Help! I'm trapped inside my mind! Can you help me?!"

It was then that she heard another voice, softer still -- it was the voice of her lord! He had come to save her! Her heart jumped excitedly, hoping he (and whoever he brought with him) would help her find a way out.

Xanil

The gray mist swirled around her obscuring her vision as it had since she had first found herself in this state. Was she dead? Trapped in purgatory? She couldn't know. All she did know was that she was alone with the only thing she had felt since arriving, a mild chill that seemed to permeate thorugh out her body, removing all other sensations like pain or hunger.

She had tried her hardest for what must have been days to wander out of the mists or find one of her companions but it was to no avail. In her hopelessness she had given into lying shiftlessly on the ground drifting in and out of awareness

"Can you hear me ?" echoed about the darkness, cutting the long silence, and bringing her to her senses.

It was faint and unfamiliar. Her excitement banished all suspiscions. If this was a trap or the first of what could be many delusions she cared not. Instead she was standing in an instance, her hands cupped around her mouth returning the inquery in a loud yell, "Yes!...Can you hear me?"

Inside the cell, Eddard answered Sh'Khin's questions the best he could. "At the very least, I can carry them almost as easily as I carry the one. We will have to take caution and set them down outside everydoor before passing through in hopes of protecting them from traps or ambushes."

Zero Dream

At first there was nothing, beside the familiar voices of his two companions. But then...

"Help! I'm trapped inside my mind! Can you help me?!"

"Yes!...Can you hear me?"

It was faint but... it was there. They where here, and conscious. This was a good thing, a very good thing. It meant their souls were indeed whole... or so he hoped. "I can hear you both." He did try to tone out Eddard and Sh'khin as well as he could, focusing on the two demonesses instead.

Now that he'd gotten an answer, however, he wasn't quite sure what to say. He'd never been a go-to for reassurance. "I am Ankou, the Spirit Guide." He started. "Eddard and Sh'khin are here with me... We're getting you out of here." He was silent for a moment. "Can you tell me what happened ?"

Sizzla

"Oh thank the Gods!" Yersinia said, voice filled with relief. "I was afraid I'd be stuck here forever." The voice faded for a second, and then returned as she answered Ankou's question. "I don't really know what happened. The last thing I remember was going to bed in the inn. We were going to do some more investigating of the town we were in the next morning. Next thing I knew, we were here, held prisoner. It feels as if it's been weeks since we've been here."

Sh'khin stood, watching the Spirit Guide talk to the aoide. It truly was amazing that he could communicate with them when they were in such a state. At least he knew that Yersinia was still alive, somewhere in her lifeless body.

Xanil

Her master had come, well at least his host. She was was thankful regardless of whoever made the decision to come for them. Staightening herself up as if she were talking directly to Eid she found some resolve. "I awoke just in time, to catch a glimpse of what was happening before we were brought here. Some men in uniforms were binding us with rope and blindfolds in the room we had rented for the evening. I had a splitting pain in the back of my head as if I had been hit but when I started to struggle they must have struck me again because that was the last thing I saw until we arrived here. Prather and Yersinia must have been unconscious too for they did not struggle. Are...Are they safe?" She had to ask. This was her quest and she couldn't help but feel a degree of responsibility for their predicament.

"Whatever dungeon we were in before I was banished to these swirling mists, I know little of aside from that it is home to some wizard with greenish skin, and of some sort of humanoid stock. I know little of his race other than that he has admitted to syphoning life force out of others through direct contact in order to sustain himself. No real torture has been visited upon us, at least myself though he has taunted me for whatever end. Tell my Master that the wizard does have a book, one which he has claimed in his tauntings to have the knowledge of the very article my Master has been looking for though I know not where he keeps it or how truthful his claims have been." She had done little to be successful in her quest, but hopefully that much will save her some of the sting of Eid's Wrath when this was all said and done.

Once Ankou began speaking with the aoides, Eid's intensity shifted focus giving Eddard a moment of rest. He began to look around the room and to examine the cell and then the shackles that bound the aoides. He would likely have to cut the chain in the same manner as the human who now waited unconscious on the stairs.

Zero Dream

Ankou listened to the both of them as best as he could - they were, for the most part, talking at the same time, which lead him to think that they were not aware of the other's presence and were kept separate. Aerlynn's inquiry only made him more certain that this was the case.

"I don't know how long it had been." He admitted, shaking his head. "The both of you are together in the same room, right beside one another. This is how I am able to talk to the both of you at once. We have found a man in another cell earlier, but I don't know if that is Prather. He's unconscious as well, but I wasn't able to talk to him." This was curious. Perhaps it was their greater mana that allowed the aoidei to remain mostly conscious.

But it was a good thing that they would, as Aerlynn was able to provide him with some information as to where they were and what they would face. And now the talk of a book and of something that Eid had been looking for added to the whole thing as well. He did look up from the two to look at the god and host accompanying him. "Aerlynn was able to tell me a little bit about the mage... He feeds though siphoning energy, and he says he owns a book that had information about what Eid was looking for... but that just might be bluff."

That was all well and good, but Ankou's most immediate worries were elsewhere. "I fear that I can't do anything for the aoidei here... He might be able to affect them as long as they are in this tower." They could also be used as hostages when time would come to face the mage, which was something he left unsaid. "We should probably get them out of here and back to safety as soon as possible."

Sizzla

Sh'khin listened to Ankou, hearing what Yersinia and Aerlynn were telling him via this strange connection. He was not surprised that it was a powerful mage who had locked them in this tower... A mage seemed like the perfect culprit.

"Ankou, you're probably right. It's likely best to return the aoide to the Pantheon so they can come out from under the mage's influence. I would like to see Yersinia in her sister's care soon," he nodded, knowing that Arov was worried sick about her 'twin' sister. There would likely be a tearful reunion when she reappeared in Sh'khin's rooms.

"Eddard, do you think we'll need Ankou's help from now on?" he asked, turning to Oath's host. "Will we be able to get back through the same door that we came from?" The second question was more for Ankou than Eddard, of course.

As Sh'khin squatted down to a more comfortable position, he looked Yersinia over once again, sighing with relief that she seemed perfectly able-bodied, even if her mind was not quite where it should be. Hopefully moving the aoide back to the Pantheon would bring them around...

Xanil

He turned to the two and judged the situation best he could for a moment. "We should be able to continue on with on ourselves," he said to Sh'Khin.

"It is probably best we get them out of here," he replied, acknowledging Ankou's concerns. "Come, I will carry Aerlynn and the human while we escort you back down the stairs and out of the tower and leave them in your care. It will be sad to see you go before our adventure concludes, but you are correct. It would be unfortunate if the wizard of the tower had some means of turning their situation against us."

Eddard kneeled and scooped up Aerlynn as gently as he could, Eid calming for an instant while he did so. Leaving through the cell door he nodded, indicating their descent back down the way they came before kneeling down and scooping up the human in similar fashion.

The three companions began to retrace their steps, the return voyage down the stairs going seemingly faster than their climb. It seemed like a miniscule amount of time had passed before the archway they had used to enter this stairwell came back into view. Eddard was glad to see it, but growing suspicious of the way in which time passed within the tower. Hopefully this would not cause any issues with their own timeline back on the plane in which the Pantheon existed on.

Coming up to the archway, a flicker of gold caught his eye. Looking to the top of the archway he saw a golden plaque with an inscription on it. It read, "You see me where I should not be, I am seldom what I seem. Trickery is my only goal, following me will take its toll." Eddard's annoyance grew while Eid's token furiosity welled. Riddles were seldom great to encounter in these situations and at this very moment, Eddard had no desire to sort it out. With a snort, his only acknowledgment of the plaque, he walked through the archway back into the room they had entered and up to the door that Ankou had superimposed in to this plane. Opening it, he turned back to regard his companions.

Zero Dream

"There should not be any issues." Ankou stood again, and moved to take and carry Yersinia as carefully as he could. It was quite obvious that he was nowhere near Eddard's strength at all, but once he had her leaned against his back and his center of gravity shifted, he was able to carry her without much issues, though as a slower pace than his two companions. "I should be able to keep the doorway open wherever I am, as long as nothing breaks the flow of mana." He could still feel that open link far below them.

This was a lot of bother over two girls, he knew this. But they were aoidei, precious to their masters in many ways. especially with so little of them returned. It was the least he could do, look over them while Eid and Shk'hin could not. He was loathe to leave them here, of course, but he had to think about what would be more efficient. It would be, at least, one less threat that could loom over their heads.

Ankou descended the steps slowly and carefully, careful not to fall forward or trip - he was proving himself to have quite the sense of balance. The Guide looked up once they had reached the door - a little too quickly, it felt like - gold and yellow eyes narrowing slightly at the plaque. He'd never been much of a riddle-solver, but there seemed to be more to this than met the eyes.

"I will likely keep them close to myself and Jinx until they awaken, so that I will be close at hand if something happens." He shook his head, shifting the aoide's weight so he could stand in a more upright position and look at Plague. "I will go fetch her sister if you wish for her to help in her care. What door should I be looking for ?"

Sizzla

Sh'khin had not expected Ankou to take on Yersinia's weight, but before he could offer to carry her himself, the Spirit Guide had already slung the aoide over his shoulder, looking as if he could hold onto her easily enough. "Thank you," he said, sure to note his own natural scrawniness. "I'm not exactly strong. My host did very little in the way of exercise, and I can't say I've made it my top priority." He chuckled, trying to bring a bit of levity to their situation.

Soon enough, the aoide would be safe, and the rest of their journey would begin. Sh'khin couldn't help but wonder how dangerous the upcoming days would be. To go up against a strong mage would likely prove difficult without additional back-up. His own powers were not exactly the most proficient in a battle situation.

Sh'khin followed Eddard, aoide and human slung over his shoulder, back to the archway from which they had come, noting that it seemed to take far less time to get back than it had to get to the aoide in the first place. The tower was a strange place, that much was certain. As they arrived at the arched doorway, Sh'khin's eyes flickered to the plaque as well, taking in its words. He sighed inwardly, "Great, just lovely. Riddles now?" He did not do well with riddles, his mind more analytical than creative. He did not even want to imagine what riddles they'd encounter in the future, if the plaque proved accurate.

The trio paused in front of the door that led back to the Pantheon. "Arov will be overjoyed to see her, I am certain. She should be more than happy to help you nurse these three back to life, so do not hesitate to enlist her help," he said, nodding. "My door is the verdigris one -- double doors, rather large. It should be fairly easy to find." He paused. "Thank you for your help Ankou. You have been of great service to me, Eid and Eddard. Once we return, we should speak more at some point. It has been quite a while since I've been sociable among my brothers and sisters."

Xanil

"Thank you, Ankou. If you need an further assistance, Myles and also a house guest, Evellyn, can be found in my quarters which is behind the gold door emblazoned with hammer and knot. If anything, Myles has a strong back and can help you carry them from here."

Eddard walked up to the door and sat the human and Aerlynn down inside the Pantheon's hallway. Hopefully no one would take much notice or make a fuss over them lying there with the cube construct while Ankou rounded up some aid.

Turning back to the group at Sh'Khin's final statement, "Yes, I agree. We will need to sit, maybe have a meal together once were all back and the Aoides are back up on there feet. And most assuredly, they will want to show you their gratitude as do I and surely Sh'khin as well," directing the request to Ankou.

Zero Dream

The spirit guide nodded along with the words of his companions. To be honest, he would be glad for the help, as the last thing he wanted was for something to happen to the three that could have been avoided. They were under his care now, and he refused to fail Plague and Oath on that matter.

"I will care for them as if they were my own." He promised, and then shook his head lightly. To be honest, he was not certain of what he was supposed to say to qwell their worry - or if there was even anything that could at all. "I will also keep the passageway open from here. It will be here when you will need it." He wondered if he should also promise to come after them should they be gone for too long, but what was too long ? Still, he would stay alert, and if he saw it fit to do that after the aoide had hopefully recovered... Then he would.

"But..." He hesitated for a moment, much in the way of those not quite used to social interactions, or perhaps unused to reveal his feeling. "Be careful. I do not have a good feeling about all this."

And he was not quite sure he had the power to reattach a god's soul to his body if it came down to that. To be honest, he would rather never have to figure it out.

And with that, Ankou turned to head down the hall, most likely to fetch aid to carry the three somewhere safer and more comfortable than the hall, whispering to them. "You are both safe now."

[Zero Dream]

Return To Safety

The pantheon halls were a welcome sight, and his three passengers seemed no worse the wear from the change of location – that is, their bodies still alive, and their souls still able to be felt. This was good, just as he'd suspected – whoever this temporal primus was, he or she had never expected that someone might attempt to rescue the captives like this.

But then, it wasn't like he'd felt anything. Ankou had been pretty certain that if a mortal spell had been woven, he would have felt it. Certainly it had to be impossible for a mortal to weave a spell strong enough to be concealed completely should a god truly look into it.

Or so he hoped.

The open door to the tower remained strong, runes still flaring. There was no knowing what was going on, what and who would await the god and host still on the other side, but for now he had no other option but to trust that things will work out. While he did not know about Plague, he knew for certain that Eddard had experiences and would not walk face-first into a trap.

Hopefully.

For now, there was little else he could do but to take his worry and shove it to the side – something that he managed all too easily. Their paths had now officially split, and he could not worry about what was going on at the other side of that door. Not yet.

He had his own work to do, after all.

Unlike the half-troll, the much more slender god could only carry one at the time, so he made his way to his rooms with one aoide leaning against his shoulder, which was not exactly as easy at is looked – once he'd managed his way there, through, Jinx was quick to come check out his unannounced entrance.

“My Lord !” The cat started, joyful, but then noticed the aoide he was carrying. “M-Myaaaa ?!”

“There's two others in the hall.” Ankou said. “Go get them and bring them here.” It didn't take more than this, and the cat was on her way, not even another mew escaping her. “Anima, go get whatever bedding and blankets you can find.”

”Yes, my lord.” And so the demoness likewise left to tend to her assigned task. Comfort was not exactly a priority, but it would be when they awoke – they would very likely be disoriented from spending that much time outside their own bodies. The mortal, especially...

It wasn't long before the cat returned and laid the mortal and Eid's aoide down in the living room, and once Anima returned, they all were more or less settled in their final positions. This would do nicely, and he could already feel the bodies starting to pull the souls back – good, good. It would be only a matter of guiding them back... and keeping them alive.

While Ankou was certainly good enough with the first, the latter... Well, he'd never had to deal with this kind of situation, not in this life, and while he liked to think he would not need help, it was safer for him to just swallow his pride and get it done. Beside, the other dwellers of Plague and Oath's court needed to be informed of this, just as he had said he would.

“Jinx, go to Oath's door – Miles will most likely recognize you. Go get him and bring him back along with anyone else who is willing. Anima, go do the same with Plague's.”

There would be little he would be able to inform them of their master's wereabouts, but at the very least, the three captives had been freed, and now it was his task for them to awaken safely.

The two aoide nodded and left to carry their respective tasks, leaving the god alone with his thoughts, and hoping Cosine wouldn't walk in the middle of this – this would probably be quite a shock, three sleeping bodies in the common room, but this was the safest place he could get them.

Watching the two aoide laying here wasn't exactly an easy sight – more than perhaps ever, aoidei were precious to their masters – for each one that came, numerous did not, perhaps just as faded as their masters had once been. Perhaps only the strongest, the most loyal, remained in truth.

He'd made a promise, and he fully intended to keep it. Oath and Plague would find them awake and well as they returned.

[Zero Dream]

Keeping Vigil

Zero Dream

It had been a few minutes since the Spirit Guide had send out Jinx and Anima to knock at both the doors he had been given the description of, and in those minutes he had not moved - barely even breathed, though he had never seemed to notice. He sat on the floor, cross-legged, the fabric of his coat pooling behind him, and Ankou keep silent vigil in front of the three bodies that had been carefully settled there. They had not been gone long, from Jinx's reaction, a scant few hours at most, but already he felt glad to be home, away from what had seemed to be a maze of stairways and cells.

In a way, it felt like it had abandoned his companions, but he quickly squashed that guilt away. He had done what seemed best, both for the aoidei and the mortal's safery and the journey of the two gods. It was one less thing that could be used against them.

Usually, Ankou prefered to do things himself. He'd always been someone prone more on doing than ordering, being hand-in on things. At least, that was how he'd always been in this life, which was what ultimately mattered. But he stayed put, leaving his aoidei to gather the two he had promised to find. Sure, they were a good deal safer here, but he'd promised their safety.

And that included keeping close watch on them, at least for the time being. He could feel their souls more strongly now, unimpeded by the spell that had kept them out.

Bodies often called their souls back after being forcefully separated. It was the very basic of the astral plane, after all. He might very well only need to make sure the process happened without a hitch, which was fine with him. Returning souls to their bodies was not something he really did.

Far from it.

Xanil

It didn’t take long for Myles to come running down the hall, leaving Ankou’s servant He had never met Eid’s Aoide, only heard the brief story about their brief meeting and quick parting. He was a little excited and a little curious for he had seen other gods’ aoides but had only really interacted with those who served Ankou.

Behind him Evellynn walked, leaning heavily on her cane. She couldn’t keep up with the boy, her being older then he could imagine. Still from what he had heard from Eddard’s stories of his past, she was a strong entropic mage and steeped with the lore from her home plane which like his, probably lay in ruin.

Rounding the corner he stopped dead in his tracks. Ankou held his vigils over the three. He bowed low in respect and then greeted the god who he had not seen since their quest to the burning city. “Hello, Lord Ankou.” He paused before continuing, considering what Eddard would do in this situation, what the knightly thing to do was. “I am yours to command, what will you have me do?”

Evellynn caught up, feebly leaning against Myles for support. She took in the site, examining the two aoides and the young man who was probably no more than a decade older than Myles. She poked him with her cane to see if he would stir but to no avail, the young man laid there limply. “I have a bit of spirit and life magic, youngling,” she says to Ankou. “It isn’t my focus, mind you, but my skills will suffice.”

Sizzla

Arov greeted Ankou's aoide, but her interest in the servant quickly disappeared once she had explained the situation with Yersinia and her traveling companions. Thanking the servant for the information, she practically pushed her out of the way as she strode hastily toward the Spirit Guide's rooms.

She knocked politely, but didn't bother to wait for a reply, and walked into the room. Seeing her sister looking either dead or asleep on the floor, Arov's eyes went wide with something that might have been fear. She ran to her sister, kneeling down on the floor beside her. "What happened?" she asked, turning to Ankou. "Are they going to be okay?"

She looked to the other aoide, and the young man who was laying on the floor beside them. "And they didn't leave with this man... Who is he?" She had so many questions, but she was more concerned with the health of her sister. When she heard Evellynn tell Myles she had spirit and life magic, she turned desperate eyes toward the wizened woman. "Can you help them?"

"What has happened!?

Zero Dream

Youngling ? Ah, did this woman have any idea who she was talking to ? Jinx did not seem too pleased by that comment, but Ankou touched her side, effectively stopping whatever might have resulted from it.

For now, it did not matter. The important thing was the two slumbering aoide and the mortal.

"We found them like this." The Spirit Guide went on to elaborate. "Their souls have been separated from their bodies - while their body are asleep, their soul is trapped on some other plane. Your masters and I decided that it would be safer to bring them here so that I could make sure to guide them back correctly, rather than risk interference."

He paused a moment, silent, but not truly so - he reached to the three detached souls, told them that they were safe at the pantheon, and that hopefully it would not be long.

Returning souls wasn't exactly Ankou's specialty, but he was confident he could manage. In reality, the three of them would do the bulk of the work - as long as their bodies were alive, the souls would strive to return to it.

"Here, there should be nothing hindering the bodies' attempt to call their souls back, and I believe I will only need to guide them. Evellynn should be able to aid with this."

"As for the rest, we need to make sure the bodies remain alive. I am not very worried about the two aoide, but the mortal might be another story. He seems quite weak and might require constant watching, as well as water and nutrients. I trust the rest of you could help my aoide and I with this ?"

There was, perhaps, no worse feeling than to be helpless. This much he had learned in this new life, and by giving everyone something to do, it might help somewhat.

Or so was Ankou's odd logic about this.

((rp in progress))

[Zero Dream]

The End

They had awaken, quickly, and without any hitch – and now each had been taken back where they belonged, to their master's room, awaiting their return.

While guiding the souls back hadn't been hard, per-se, it had been draining, what with the near constant, steady use of his mana over the last few days. In a way, he hadn't even been sure if he could have handled it, not before he actually did so. It was not that the souls had required constant guidance, but yet he had provided it, that near constant guidance.

And now, finally, the set of rooms was empty. His own aoide, as if sensing their master's unease, had retreated to do diverse tasks. Lenneth had been on a trip to her hometown over the last few days, and Cosine was working hard on her school project, and he did not dare to interrupt her.

The loneliness, the silence, was more than welcome at this point. He'd never been a fan of crowds in his most vital and secret of spaces – never had been, and certainly never would be – but the situation had called for it, and just like when he had needed to provide for his brother, his love and their children, he had bared it the best he could.

He turned then, heading to the balcony and opening the large glass doors – the dark sky outside still the inky black of true absence, but the air that was carried inside was light and sweet, slightly floral due to the many flowers of the garden, and a crow perched on the railing stopped to look at him.

It was exactly then that he noticed he wasn't alone, not truly – still, he still stepped outside, leaning against the balcony and staring up at the empty sky.

”It's like going blind...” A voice rung inside his head, the feeling just foreign enough to startle him in spite of knowing of the other's presence. ”Darker than the deepest shadow... like death.”

”Not exactly like death.” Death wasn't this absolute, this all-encompassing. It didn't give you the feeling it was going to swallow you whole as if you had never existed, should you just dare to get close enough. ”It has been awhile, Lyra.” He said, as simply as he could. Things were always tense in between them. They always would be. Lyra only came when she had to seek him out for one reason or another, and he knew she would speak her mind in time. The god also saw no reason to work the words out of her before she was ready to speak them, and only make the tension worse.

This much he had learned. Not dealing with people was sometime the best way to deal with them.

”It has.” She came to form next to him, then, a blue, featureless shadow, just as the god had always known her. He could not conjure an image of her as she'd once been, warm and alive – those memories had been his host's, and not his own. And he had discarded those years ago. ”I cannot find her, no matter how hard I look.”

There was no need for him to ask just who she was talking about – the Spirit Guide knew. Shadow. The Weaver.

Melanctha.

She had never come for Adrian, ever since he'd left her temple – had never come following the events of Gehenna, had never come to the ritual that had saved them all. And now, apparently, she had never come for Lyra.

”Did something happen to her ?”

”I do not know.” Ankou admitted. ”She did not come to seek me out, or I would have made sure that you would know.”

”Of course.” The shadow sighed, and there was silence, for a few minutes, a silence that neither the god nor the pale shadow seemed inclined to break, until finally her mental voice spoke again, cutting through the wind and the distant cawing of a murder of crows.

”Why did you never send me ?” A loaded question. At first, there had been nothing to send her on to, as she very well knew – she'd died once, after all. But now, this wasn't the case. There was definitively somewhere to send her to, and there had been for quite awhile now.

So why hadn't he ? ”I have already taken something from her.” He said the truth, what else could he say ? What else could he pretend ? ”I do not seek to make enemies in the reborn pantheon.” Certainly counter-productive, indeed.

”Well, it's not like she cares much.” Lyra snorted, shaking her head. ”No, im sick of this. I've had enough pretending. Shadow has abandoned me. And Adrian...”

Well, there was no need to clarify what had happened to Adrian. ”I cannot take you to where he is.” He said, in the same even tone he almost always spoke with. Only the barest threads remained of his host, buried so deep within himself that they were perhaps impossible to find.

”I know that.” She muttered, in his mind. ”But then take me where I should be. Surely you can do that ?”

”You are aware of what this means, right ?” There would be no going back. As long as she held this form, she could certainly be considered outside his influence. But the moment she no longer did...

”Very well. I see no reason to keep living... If you can call this living at all. Can you ?” Her blue eyes narrowed, as if almost daring him to prove her wrong. Ankou did not, however, and instead, he turned, heading back inside.

”Hey ! Are you listening to me ?”

”Not here. Follow me.”

And so she did – outside the set of rooms, though the halls, down the stairs, outside in the garden, and deeper and deeper, closer to the forest. Somewhere where they would not be interrupted, especially while most of the pantheon was asleep.

Only then did Ankou stop, turning back to face her. He did not ask again if this was what she wanted, if she was certain – she certainly would not have followed him all this way if she hadn't been certain, would have had enough window of escape to slip away should she had second-thoughts. One hand rose, touching upon her forehead.

”Do you think... That I will be reborn ?”

”That is not for me to say.” This was far from his judgement to pass. The way she reacted under his touch made it clear that she expected pain – had her first death not been painful, after all ? But there was none – the Spirit Guide reached in, sought the magic that bound her soul to this form. All it took was one pull to unravel it, almost too easy – Shadow's mana giving in under his own power, and her shadow-like form faded away, dispersing much like mist on an early morning, until there was nothing left of that shape lingering.

What was left was a similar one, yet different – same ice blue skin, same white hair, but actually humanoid. Lyra as she had been before she'd been killed. She looked at him, blue eyes in golden ones, and at this point it was all too easy to send her though the very soul path he'd chosen to stand on top of. She'd never said any word, but he had seen them in her eyes, in her expression.

'Thank you.'

Perhaps, if he ever saw the goddess of shadows for himself, he would have many questions to ask her, but for now these questions might very well go unanswered – though, the temptation to follow her straight down was strong – it would certainly be a way to not be bothered anymore for a little while.

It did not take the god long to decide, and he was suddenly gone, as if he had never been there at all.

[Zero Dream]

Ghost In The Shell

Zero Dream

The Spirit Guide was not a social person. He could deal with small groups just fine - he considered this an improvement - but what has been coming in and out of his rooms for the last few days had not really been a small group, at least for him, and especially not in his most private surroundings. He'd never tolerated too much at once in his personal bubble unless he had no choice to.

Both aoidei had recovered nicely, and were now gone with the respective persons that had helped watch over them. That had been as far as his promise had extended, and even if there were still no sign of the host of Oath, or Plague... Well, it was too early to worry. There might very well be a huge difference in time in each world, time lost in travel. Beside, he found himself much too tired from his constant vigil and nudging the aoidei's souls back to begin a wild goose chase for his companions.

Now, at last, his rooms were back to what they should be - that being, Cosine, himself, and whatever aoidei decided to hang around at this time. Add to that Lyra, and he only wished to get away for a little while.

And so he did.

The soul path had opened to him with only a thought, and the Spirit Guide navigated them with no fear and very little thought, innately knowing exactly where he was going - and he was not long before the whole world flipped over and he followed it, emerging though the ground of the underworld as if he had been little more than a ghost himself. Someone really ought to tell Nergal he'd build the whole damn thing upside-down, but for now he kept his amusement to himself, closing his eyes and listening only to the relative silence.

There. Already better.

Of course, it would not be long before his brother knew of his presence... if he hadn't known the second he had entered.

Thabara

'Relative' silence was just the right expression chosen, for not many would be able to hear what he heard - except those few attuned to the world of the dead and able to enter it, and of course the dead themselves.

A sonorous voice, a melancholic melody, part lament, part lullaby. The words and the language of a people long since extinct, now only known and remembered by the Lord of the Dead himself.

Underworld was singing.

His brother's presence was something too closely related, something too akin to his own, to feel disturbed by it right away. Precious few moments passed before he noticed and his voice finally trailed off.

The air in front of the Spirit Guide seemed to grow heavy as the ever-present fog coalesced and Nergal took form - clad in robes as gray as the surrounding mists, his dreads freely falling down his back.

"Ankou." He said, somehow managing to convey the meaning of both: "What the hell are you doing here?!", and "I'm glad to see you", in just this one word.

Zero Dream

...Wait, what was that ?

He couldn't understand a word of it, of course - whatever ancient language this happened to be was forgotten to the Spirit Guide - or perhaps had never been known at all. The voice, however, was too familiar, and the flow of the words impossible to be identified to be anything else but singing.

Nergal was singing. He did manage to keep a mostly straight face as his brother finally seemed to realize his presence. "Should I have knocked first ?"

He realized, belatedly, that his wings reacted just as they had before - they where down and he was unable to move them. Again. Not that they were much use to him as they were, but this was pretty annoying.

Thabara

"That certainly would have been convenient." And less of an embarrassment for myself, Nergal glumly added in his thoughts, giving his brother a disapproving frown. He couldn't have been around for too long without him noticing, but it was very likely that he had heard.

"Is there ... any specific reason for your dropping by?" Ankou hadn't been here, within his borders, since ... Well, since back then, when he had guided the Merfolk, and he himself had gone too far. But it did not seem like his brother was here by accident this time around, and almost immediately Nergal was beginning to worry.

"Has something happened?"

Zero Dream

"Well, then, you might want to add a doorbell." He shrugged - careful not to hit his own wings in the process. At least, he wasn't making a big deal out of it. Nergal was embarrassed enough as it.

"I wasn't aware I needed a reason." He added, amused. "I will make sure to have a proper one next time." This was a little silly, really. As if he needed a reason at all.

"I just needed to get away from... people for awhile." He did manage to explain - even if it felt a little silly.

Thabara

"Ah." He said, nodding sympathetically. It was a reason he at least could thoroughly relate to. He missed his love and his children dearly, but after his last much extended stay he had felt relieved to get away from the constant bustle with the pantheon some - that place was simply too many a god in too little a space.

"You do realize, though, that this place is not exactly devoid of 'people', do you?" He teased, hiding his relief that it was just that. He had not come as a harbinger of bad news, no Grigori, no nothing.

Something occurred to him, a little belatedly: "How did you get in here anyway?"

His brother had used none of the few Gates, he was certain - maybe that was why his presence had taken him by surprise.

Zero Dream

Well, that was true indeed. "It is not exactly the same thing." The dead were always easier to deal with than the living. At least for him. The dead were more... predictable in their needs, really.

Ha, so not even Nergal seemed to remember - it did make him feel a little better that he had himself forgotten, at first. Not that remembering that would have aided him any before - with no Underworld, no soul paths.

"Well, the dead have to come from somewhere, don't they ?" Okay, he was enjoying it a little too much. "It would take them too long to get though the gates, hm ? The soul paths are much easier to follow."

Thabara

"Oh." Nergal said, a little perplexed. He hadn't realized ... "So. Then, why did you not come by any sooner?" Come to think of it, even while staying in the pantheon for weeks, he'd never seen his brother about.

Zero Dream

"Things got busy." To be fair, he didn't really feel like elaborating at all. He'd came to get his mind of all that, thank you. "But they settled now, so..."

He looked away then, toward the large expense of grass that stretched out. There was wind here, light - he had no idea where it even came from. It probably came from nothing, really - there was simply wind because Nergal wanted it. "And, well... I had forgotten, before I started feeling them again." It was always a bit hard to swallow. There were many things he knew forgotten that he didn't care about, but things like these ? He should have remembered them. They were basically the core of what he was, what he needed to do what he had to do.

Thabara

"Just as I had." Nergal admitted ruefully. In fact he was still trying to get the hang of things again.

"But ... now that you are here, would you like to see?" There was eagerness in his voice, just as much as a small amount of uncertainty. "I promised there would be halls ready for you ... And this time, they are." He'd spent quite some time fiddling with it, and he still wasn't certain if Ankou would like what he'd come up with at all - being creative definitely wasn't one of Underworld's strengths.

Zero Dream

"Well, I did not come here just to stare at the ceiling." Not that this would have been a bad thing - he could have probably done that for hours, and this would have likely been what he would have done had his brother not noticed him this early. Though, at it was, it was probably impossible for anything to slip under Nergal's radar. Not with him being the realm.

This sounded like a challenge he would have to attempt later on. Not now, though. It was a little too late for that.

"Well, then. Show me ?" He had no idea where to go. It was a little annoying. This place was entierely foreign to him.

Thabara

"It is ..." Nergal paused, apparently only now taking note of the strangely limp state of his brother's wings. Not like they were fit for flying yet anyway. "Quite a bit of a walk from here, actually." Was there a way to use the paths of the dead as a shortcut? He had no idea, really. "Should I take you?"

He fanned out his wings, answering the unspoken question as to how exactly. They were still transparent, seemingly made of mist, yet at the same time they seemed much more solid than they'd ever appeared in the world of the living.

Zero Dream

"I figure that'll be the fastest way." Ankou himself was quite irritated with it, it seemed. Not that he could have flown as they were, really, but... he had no idea why this kept happening. He didn't like it, at all. "This is the second time they do that." Some coaxing managed to get them to twitch, but not much else. "Do you have any idea why ?"

He didn't expect him to. Not with his own surprise at seeing it.

Thabara

"No." He shook his head, clearly stumped about the matter. That his own wings would work here seemed only natural - this was his realm, after all, and he was the one making the rules. But why another's wings would fail ...

He rolled back his shoulders, ignoring the burning sensation at his back - from the scar-like markings where his own wings emerged - with practiced ease and not really drawing a connection to anything. Least of all his brother's presence.

"Well." He said, reaching out and offering a hand. This was going to be awkward, he realized, but it couldn't be helped. Besides, this was his brother, and about the only person he'd ever offer to carry but his love and his children.

Zero Dream

...This was going to be awkward indeed.

He would have prefered to walk, but if it was as far as Nergal said... He had alot of stamina, but the semi-mortal body had it's limits. And only Underworld himself knew how far it was, or even how far his realm spanned.

If he made sure to pay attention, then maybe he would be able to orient himself to pop just at the right place this time around...

He said nothing, but took the hand that was offered to him.

Thabara

Unlike Tian Yue Nergal did not possess the ability to grant flight. Even here, where his powers were strongest, they were still extremely limited in that they affected only the dead.

Instead he hoisted Ankou from the ground with a strong grip, just as easily as he would have with Echo, or any of his children.

"Just ... hold onto my neck or something." He advised stoically, clearly tense and at unease with the situation. Close physical contact was still something that made his skin crawl, and only that Ankou was of his own flesh and blood made it somewhat bearable. Nergal waited until his brother seemed settled before he launched himself high into the air with only a few beats of his massive wingspan.

Zero Dream

Perhaps there was some comfort in the fact that Ankou seemed to be as eager to do this as he was. Had there been someone, anyone here, beside the dead... Well, he'd have walked. This was a very evident reminder of how helpless he currently was, and he hated it. Especially with just how easily he'd been lifted clean off the ground as if he weighted only a feather.

He did give his brother a rather blank look that basically 'You've got to be kidding', but instead held onto the cuff of his robes. That'll do, thank you.

Thabara

Luckily for both of them the flight wasn't a long one, though it was hard to say how much of a distance had actually been covered in that short span of time. They seemed to advance faster than what it felt like, as if the ground deep underneath was moving on its own.

Perhaps it was.

"Over there." Nergal said, pointing at a ragged silhouette in some distance right before he touched down, quick to step away from his brother and reestablish his personal space once they both felt solid ground underneath their feet once more. "I ... do hope you will like it."

He was nervous, that much was obvious. He'd really tried to make something that would be to his brother's liking, and he had no idea at all if he'd gotten even remotely close.

A hill, gently sloped.

Upon the hill, standing tall and proud, a fortified tower house. The building seemed ancient, its shape slightly crooked, part in ruins even, the withered stones blackened with age. On each floor, wooden beams extended from the walls, some longer than others, and Nergal wondered if Ankou would guess their intended purpose.

Zero Dream

This whole effect had make it, unfortunately, hard for the Spirit Guide to get a sense of distance and localization, and thus made that his keeping attention to begin with mostly useless.

Maybe he'd be able to wring out an actual map out of his brother later on. It did seem that he would need it.

But for now, he rather enjoyed being on the ground again, and well... what was standing in front of him. It kind of looked like one of those old towers he'd seen that had been directly transplanted right here, looking hundreds of years old even if he very well knew that this was not the case at all. And those beams... He smiled.

Oh, he knew what those were for indeed. "This is very nice."

Thabara

"So you do like it?" Nergal let out a sigh of relief, only now realizing he'd been holding his breath. It seemed ridiculous just how nervous he'd felt about it.

"The interior, however, is more than sparse. I thought it would be better to leave it to you ... There is plenty of room though, for more than just one person."

Zero Dream

"That is quite fine by me." Poor Nergal, if only he knew just how much he abused the floor of his quarters... In fact, he didn't really expect to need much in term of furniture for a long time, not unless he did bring someone else to see it.

Not that he really thought he could bring furniture down. Erm.

"There is no need for you to worry about it." He'll manage, somehow. Nergal has enough to do, really. It had been a little ridiculous how nervous he had been. Ankou had noticed, but did his best to pretend not to. He'd never considered himself as fussy, after all.

Thabara

He nodded then, straightening a little and clasping his hands behind his back. "So ... would you like to take a look inside? Or is there something else you would like to do or see, now that you are here?" He was being a terrible host, he realized, he had neither food nor beverages to offer. And even if he had, it would likely be better for his brother to ingest nothing of it - not with his body still being half mortal.

Zero Dream

Ankou didn't seem to notice this apparent terrible host behavior. At all. But then, he was rather clueless to the rules of such things. It wasn't like he needed a fanfare or something equally as silly.

"I would love to give it a look. If you are not busy..." If he was, then he could do so on his own, really. It wasn't like he needed Nergal to guide his every steps.

Thabara

"I ..." His voice trailed off as he seemed to consider this. "I can make the time. After all, the dead are not going anywhere." He added with a wry smile. Not without my permission.

"And it is rare for me to receive visitors ..."

Zero Dream

"Well, it's a little out of the way. Travel cost's a little expensive." Ankou did honestly doubt Nergal would get the joke for what it was - but he'd flashed a grin and went inside before Underworld could say anything about it.

The inside was kind of sparse, but it really wasn't so bad. He'd never been picky about furniture - hell, half of what there was in his rooms now was still what Jinx had initially found, what now seemed like so long ago.

No, what really interested the Spirit Guide was the roof, and... exactly. Just at he thought.

The view from it was amazing, and it felt like he could see everything from his perch, yet... he knew this wasn't true, couldn't be true. The realm was vaster than whatever he could imagine - but the distance stretched on and on beyond what should be possible, and the sky - those lights...

"Wow." He finally was able to let out. He was impressed, truly impressed.

Thabara

Ankou was completely right about Nergal not getting the joke of course: As usual, the humor was completely lost on the Lord of the Dead, so he merely gave a mildly confused frown and ducked into the building after his brother.

"Hm. It has ... I have grown since the last time you have been here." These words were not without pride. "You really should stop by more often." He remarked, rejoining his brother's side, gazing upon his 'sky' as well. The flow of souls had grown to appear a lot more impressive than the small trickle it had initially been. The underworld's always had its impressive rivers, but this was one of a wholly different kind ...

Zero Dream

"I probably should." But, he'd been away again. Same as usual. There was almost always something to do, someone to help. "I've been away again, or I would likely have come earlier."

He did seem content to leave it at that - babysitting aoidei, so to say, probably was nowhere on Nergal's scale of impressive.

"You know me." He grinned. "I cannot stay still, it seems. What else is there now ? I probably missed so many things."

Thabara

"I seem to have missed quite a bit as well." Nergal pointed out. Dryly, but without a true edge. It was just ... even with Ishum trying to keep him in the loop about things, there'd been a sense of being left out ever since he had fully reclaimed his domain. Not that he'd ever have realized it himself, but the feeling was there, nonetheless. "I would like to know more about where you have been going." He admitted. "The dead you send only ever are able to tell me so much."

"As for here ..." His voice trailed of. There simply was no way to truly describe the vastness of the Realm of the Dead in mere words, of what lay within its borders. Words could not compare. Except, perhaps, in the First Tongue, but he knew nothing of it. Wasn't there another way? "I may be able to show you though." He offered reluctantly. Had he not been able to share with Echo the Sight of the Dead? Something similar might be possible, given how close he and Ankou were in relation and domain.

Zero Dream

"I only sent one recently." Ankou admitted, a frown on his face as he remembered that tower. And how unnatural it had felt. Had been. "I went, with Oath's host and Plague, to retrieve their aoidei. I did end up having to come back early with the two of them... Their souls had been separated from their bodies, and I thought that them staying in that tower was too dangerous. Eddard and Sh'khin pressed on, though..." And he was worried - hadn't heard a thing from the two yet, and facing an enemy that could so easily manipulate immortals... But the Spirit Guide tried not to show it. "To be so foolish as to provoke gods directly like this..." And Ankou trailed off like that,

He did perk again at Nergal's last sentence. "I would like to."

Thabara

"There are quite a few who would do that, for their own gain, or other incentives." Nergal knew this all too well from his own bitter and painful experience of being at Bael's mercy. And someone skillful enough to manipulate an immortal's soul like that ... It made his skin crawl. Literally, almost, as evidenced by a sudden gust of icy air which swept through the seemingly endless grassy plains, like waves. "You ... and them. Should you require my aid in this, do not hesitate ask for it."

"Hm, let me try then." He reached out, touching lightly upon his brother's forehead, as if in blessing. Which it was, technically. As he had done with Echo before, he reached out with his power to the younger deity, meeting almost no resistance at all. If it was because of the trust his brother placed into him, or simply because he was not as powerful as he was, he did not know. He was no telepath, did not wield the power of mind and thoughts ...

Their closeness though, he hoped, would be enough to let him see ... feel the true vastness of his realm, what it was like to be the realm.

Zero Dream

There was nothing at all, no resistance. Truth being, Ankou was completely powerless to do anything about it, and froze right on the spot, completely silent and completely still. Not even the barest flutter of a breath.

And he felt indeed. And saw. And felt. Suddenly he knew just how far, and where every of the dead was, what they were doing, where and when they had come from. Spans beyond any true human wonder and capability, unbelieveable reach.

Every strand of grass, every breeze, even the smallest.

Suddenly he was all that.

And it was too much, too much at once. Something he'd never been meant to be, something he'd never been meant to feel directly.

Something in him gave in, and the reaction was immediate - suddenly Ankou's own power rose against Nergal's influence in pure reflex, and he finally stepped back, and stumbled down to the ground. The whole world was spinning and his balance had given out.

Thabara

Nergal recoiled when he was pushed back so unexpectedly, intense pain flaring up in those scar-like markings from which his ghost-wings emerged. Just what had-?

He regained his composure quickly though, faster than his brother anyway, albeit not in time to catch his fall. Concerned, he closed the distance in between with one large step to kneel down next to the shaken Spirit Guide. "Ankou." He asked, ignoring the pain between his shoulder blades. "Are ... are you alright?"

There'd been the strangest sensation, of some resistance to his power suddenly giving in, like a dam breaking ... If he'd done something to his brother, he'd never be able to forgive himself.

Zero Dream

The world around him didn't stop spinning that easily. Neither did the trashing within him, hot and uncomfortable, as, suddenly, the last threads of mortality simply burned away as if they had never been there at all. And suddenly, he felt too tight under his own skin, contained, as if it had never fit at all.

But it was only when a familiar pain, a drilling in between each of the two sets of his wings, right in the middle of the two tendrils, that he truly realized what was happening. He'd felt something before, back when... Oh,

The timing was bad. But... no, no. It couldn't be a coincidence. Not at all. "Fine." He finally managed in between clenched teeth. "Im fine." He was entirely aware he didn't sound very believable, but he wasn't even trying to be. This was very uncomfortable, maddening even--

Suddenly, all color, the silver and the pale red both, vanished out of his hairs, leaving only pure snow white behind.

Thabara

He was right, it didn't sound believable at all. "You are, quite obviously, not fine." Nergal stated, reaching out once more. But then his hand froze mid-movement, without having touched the spirit guide, and Nergal could naught but with shock and horror as all color seemed to fade from his brother's two-toned hair.

Was it something he'd done?!

And if so, what could he do to stop it?

Zero Dream

He had been about to argue back, that much was evident, but then the pain distracted him from it. Something coursed all over him, like a wave, leaving his skin a very pale blue, almost white, in it's wake - the sensation not unlike light burning of one fine layer of skin revealing another hiding underneath. At the same time, his hair seemed to get longer... at least the bangs were. The back, however... the long locks blew away in the wind, almost as if being cut by an unseen hand, leaving it rather short underneath.

But the worst, still, was his back. Something digging deep within, desperately seeking it's way out of it's prison - the sensation being familiar did not make it any less painful, or any easier to bear. Then, finally, the third wing of each side finally managed to piece the skin, to break free - and he had to bite down his lip, hard, to keep from screaming. He couldn't do that, that would only freak Nergal out more. There was no hiding the sheer panic, deep in his brother's eyes. The two new appendages uncoiled, quickly covering in feathers, and much longer than the other two sets, though... it wasn't long until they, too, pushed out, growing quickly to match the new set.

He did finally scream. There was no holding that one in, no matter how hard he wanted to, how hard he'd tried.

Next to the pain of the wings, the next was thankfully duller, though not pleasant by any mean. Bones cracking, lengthing, and mending in quick repetition, over and over until, finally, after what seemed to be forever, it all faded away to aftershocks and aches, and nothing else happened.

It was over.

Thabara

Nergal continued to watch with horror - there was little else he could do but that, little else he dared to do. If the touch of his power had brought this forth, touching him again might even worsen whatever it was that was happening to his brother. There was no way he could not be touching him, given just where Ankou was, but in his panic Nergal never thought this far.

With how all color seemed to bleed form his brother's skin, the only thing he could think of, full of dread, was: The Fading.

This was what it seemed to be. If he'd been aware back then, when he himself had shed the last of what had been mortal of him, he might have made the connection. But as it was, he didn't grasp what was happening until the new pair of wings pushed forward, and growing with them, a new power.

'Growing', that was the cue, the keyword, and Nergal finally breathed a sigh of relief. Now that he knew what it was, he could sense it even, deep within himself. A divine power, so similar to his own that it was hard to distinguish from it, but growing in strength with every passing moment.

Finally he dared to embrace his brother, holding him as his body went through the last painful throes of physical growth. Sheltering them with his wings, cool and soothing.

Zero Dream

Ankou gave no resistance howsoever - welcomed the cold, let it sink deep down and numb what was left of the pain. He wanted to do little more but drift away, but he refused to do that, refused to let his consciousness fade into sleep. It was part stubbornness and part pride, really, and he seemed to get a hold of himself at least.

"See." He finally argued. "Fine." Though he wouldn't argue that he'd never felt any better, not really. His clothes were clinging to him like a second skin, tight and uncomfortable, but he didn't seem inclined to do much about it just yet.

Thabara

"Pardon me, but I have had my doubts for a while there." Nergal said sternly. "You could have warned me." There was no way Ankou could have seen this coming, though, he knew that. And there was still the nagging feeling that he'd been the one causing this, reaching out with his power so thoughtlessly.

"You look a lot more like me now ..." He remarked, after having given his brother a quick once over, his gaze lingering on the now mostly short hair the longest. A shame, that. The clothes no longer fit, but that could be easily fixed. "Rest now." He advised, his tone unusually gentle.

[Zero Dream]

Solo -- Recovery