Welcome to Gaia! ::

Carefully the wraith lowered the pair to the altar and glanced with intereset at the elysian.

"You are whole," she observed, as if it were a curiousity. A tiny smile crept onto her placid face as she leaned forward. "You are small, indeed. But you are whole.. in body and energy. You have been summoned Prime. I am intrigued."

The wraith leaned back and tilted her head. "Any summoning sickness will pass from you relitively quickly. Would you like me to take you back to the tavern?" She frowned at her own offer, suddenly thinking herself as being far to accomodating.

With a subtle nod the Guardian ushered the two small creatures out of the chamber. She glanced back over her shoulder in time to she the charred remains of the crystal crumble into ash.

A few moments later the empty room returned to a waiting dimness as the heat and residual magics slowly evaporated.

Akiya and Koni looked at the place they had suddenly arrive in with various reactions. Akiya looekd like a pleased kid and wanted to be teleported again and Koni was as serious faced as ever. He was used to such things. So was Akiya, but he always thought they were fun. So.. it was finally time... He looked down at the pouch that contained Starlet before he looked over at his companion and nodded. This was his journey to take and this the angel knew well. So with a grin, he waved them off.

Well, this was going to be interesting. yes indeed. "I'm ready." He then went into the room, no fear in his frame at all. But what he didn't show Akiya was the grin of expectation on his face. This was.. very exciting indeed.

((Yay I'm home now! heart ))

For some reason, being in this place seemed to soothe him. Perhaps it was because it was a place of magic. Of power. A place that was only accesible for a certain amount of time. Just like his home.. a pang onf homesickness hit him before he gave a rough shake of his head. Now was not the time to be thinking about such things. Right now, Starlet was more important. The rippling on the walls caught his attention and he watched them, feeling that they were caused by her presence more than anything else. It must be soothing to her....

Stepping up the the mont the Guardian had pointed out to him, he took out the shard, hearing her song burst forth in his mind again. yes.. this was the right thing to do. Everything was calm and peaceful... setting her down, he stepped away from the mount a bit.

It was time.

Several things were happening at once and it seemed his ears and eyes were moving in two totally different directions as he tried to take it all in. BUt it was going too quickly so he finally gave that up and just worked on feeling it all. The summoning circle was spinning so quickly it made his eyes hurt, so he stopped that as well. The magic was steadily building the more everything spun but she was coming. His eyes lifted towards the ceiling as if he knew what would happen. Which he didn't but he had a good idea.

The dimming room didn't bother him in the least, the glowing of his eyes always making sure he would be able to see. Even if it was in shades of green. She was rather beautiful, Starlet was... a soft smile showed on his face as he swept into a bow before her. "Welcome, my dear Reika... how I have been waiting for ye...." He had decided that Reika would be a fitting nickname for her, since Starlet tended to trip him up with his odd accent.

Reika seemed to accept the name and reached out for him, her smile for him only right now. Sine Koni was the type who got a hint, he took her up from the mount and held her close. He didn't know if she could stand on her own yet, but for now, he had no issues carrying her. She wasn't heavy. Thanking the beings for blessing him with her, they headed outside, Akiya immediately falling in love with her and cooing. Koni had to smack him lightly upside the head to get him the stop. "Tis time to go home.. and get used to each other."
((Edit: Oops... sorry redface ))

As dawn began to stain the horizon, a tired figure could be seen walking up the Temple stairs. The man appeared exhausted, and yet somewhat jittery - much like someone on too much coffee, though Zayn had had nothing of the sort. It was instead excitement and nerves that fueled him.

Sometime during the night, the mysterious lamp had begun acting up. Although initially sleeping, Zayn had been woken by a clanging sound and opened his eyes to find his bag rustling. The lamp was vibrating madly.

Fear had gripped the Ieldi. The Overlord had said to take it to the Temple. Had he waited too long, only to have the lamp explode on him now? Odilen's suggestion that the lamp summoned an Elysian also came back to him.

In any case, Zayn had thought it best to hightail it back to the Temple.

Passing through the entrance and main hall, Zayn felt the lamp in his hands tug in one particular direction. Following the silent instruction, he made his way into a smaller chamber.

"Stupid alarm clock, kupo," the moogle following behind Zayn grumbled. "Funny shape, too. Who starts an adventure so early, kupo~?"

"Hush," Zayn said quietly. Something about this chamber demanded respect. It seemed holy in some fashion, moreso than the rest of the Temple.

The lamp no longer jumped madly, but instead seemed to communicate an anxiousness all its own, buzzing with concentrated energy. Wait... wait... now, something seemed to echo in the air.

Gulping as something decidly unholy began to appear in the room, Zayn stepped forward. The Crystal he'd been directed to by the lamp was carefully set down on the mount, Zayn checking to make sure it wouldn't rock and fall off if the dark energy grew stronger.

Stepping back, he tried to brace himself. When his fingers tightened over the lamp, it was as much in search of strength and determination as it was following the Crystal Guardian's orders.

'A beast,' he thought. That was what the Overlord had said. That was what everything in this room currently seemed to be pointing to. Was he really strong enough to handle a beast? He could barely control a one-foot moogle.

'No, there's no place for doubts,' ordered the Ieldi. He would be strong! He could face this! 'This is my weapon against Neruheru, the destroyer of my world twice over. This is something that needs me, that called to me, of all people. I will trust in myself, and in this new companion.' His gaze fell to the familiars that had followed him. 'And also in those who depend on me. This is my destiny. This is my choice!'

Nothing seemed to be happening... Zayn glanced around nervously. Maybe he had broken the lamp in waiting so long? He hoped not. The light show was working, that had to mean something was going to plan.

A foreign voice ripplied through Zayn's mind and he blinked down at the lamp. Oh right, this was meant to help in some way, right?

Acting as though in a dream, Zayn turned the lamp to face the Crystal and raised his arms. Now that they were in a direct line, he rubbed at lamp's side, almost able to feel the runes moving under his fingers.

Open Sesame? a slight hysterical voice in Zayn's mind giggled. He quickly hushed it. This wasn't the time to lose it.