Aftermath of the Great Phoenix's Demise...

[Embri]

((I've moved a sidestory from the EC vs. Gameware thread over here.

One Eye (a dragon, RP'd by me) and Red Angel (shee mon) are pursuing Embri, who has lost pretty much all of her mind, short of animal instincts. These events take place in the past, based on the Dojo's timeline, so as to not conflict with present events. (Temporal Prime Directive!) ))

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*One Eye*
Nodding at Angel, One Eye beats his wings and moves off towards their last sighting of the winged unicorn.

Where could you be going, I wonder? The dragon muses, as he follows at a safe distance.

*Embri*
Neither hearing, nor seeing or smelling any further sign of the threat, Embri drops out of her full gallop and perks her ears, listening. She nibbles on a passing bush before loping along a faint trail.

~...~
~... lonely ...~

She sniffs again, this time, seeking a familiar scent. Finding none, the unicorn continues onward.

[Angel]

((ah! this makes sense:) ))

*Angel shifts her vision and sees a bright spark in the distance. it is nolonger moving so fast and she begins to gain ground. *

what are you doing?...

[Embri]

Embri trotted from tree to bush, tasting each one in turn before moving onward. She paused every once in a while to raise her head, sniffing deeply.

~ ??? ~
~ ... lonely ... ~
~ look - sniff - listen ~

[Netdroid9]

Hmpf. Always one for the dramatic. Why can't you just die like everyone else? Now I'll have to get my hands dirty...

*The Pheonix stalks One Eye from a safe distance, waiting for a shot at Embri.*

[Angel]

there's some one else here... he is following.

*Angel scans the landscape carefully but misses the Phoenix.*

keep sharp.

*Angel can now see the hazy outline of Embri in the distance and puts on a little speed*

[Embri]

*Embri*

~ ... Go ... ~

Restless, the unicorn wanders around, seemingly at random.

~ ... ??? ... ~

She stops, appearing to listen to something only the unicorn can hear. Abruptly, Embri turns and runs at a large tree, disappearing as reality warps around her.

*One Eye*

One Eye grumbles his ascent. "As I feared, a living Node is of great interest to many, none with good intentions, I bet."

The dragon sighs as Embri disappears. "I was afraid of this. She can still slip through the fabric of reality. Quickly, grab on - we're going to have to follow her, and it's not going to be a pleasant ride.

[Angel]

ohhh monkey ba- *gets smacked round the back of the head by the Censoring bot*

*she jets to One Eye and lands lightly on his back, sliding into a comfortable postion she grips with her knees and closes her eyes.*

*grummblegrumble* if this was anyone else...

[Embri]

*One Eye*

"Whatever you do, don't let go." It was all the warning Angel received, as One Eye threw them both through a Gate. Gating itself was bad enough - joining two places or realities that shouldn't go together, but One Eye was tracking his Gate terminus on a moving target, and the sensation was akin to skipping stones across the surface of a pond. A rough, inside-out, roller coaster pond.

It seemed like ages, and at the same time, mere moments. The Gate finally spat out One Eye and Angel over the tops of an old growth forest, with wide branches and variegated leaves in every shade of green. The bad news was, they were flying straight down.

"@#!&*&$%**#@@!!!!" One Eye lets loose a string of expletives, pulling up sharply out of the dive, clipping several trees and getting a mouthful of leaves, which he spits out in disgust. The Charizard drops down in the closest clearing he can find, landing roughly, sides heaving.

"Good thing ... I haven't eaten recently."

"Shards and Shells, where are we?" One Eye shakes his head woozily. "Better yet, when are we? I've got a splitting headache, so that infernal filly must have dragged us across at least several dynasties ... but how many?" Rubbing his temples in a vain attempt to clear his mind, One Eye grumbles.

" ... I'm going to try a Seeker spell. Wait a moment." One Eye becomes still, and a thin ribbon of power uncurls from him, wavering back and forth like a hound sniffing for a scent.

A new presence appears to anyone with MageSight; a small, indeterminate ball or whorl of power, with two eyes. It seems to study One Eye with great interest. Another appears, also from nowhere. Then a third. Within moments, there are dozens of them, all whirling around the dragon. With a grunt, One Eye's spell frizzles, as the constant magical prodding and presence of the ... things ... breaks his concentration.

~ ... ??? ... ~ The little balls of power seem to be intensely curious.

"What the-" One Eye snorts and shifts his sight. "VRONDI?"

~ ... !!! ... ~ The little balls whirl around One Eye.

"By all that's holy, we're in Valdemar!" The dragon seems inordinately pleased. "Winged Lady, these are Vrondi. They are native to only one place that I know of. They are elemental spirits, of uncountable numbers, and attracted by magic. Unless you wish to be pestered to death by their prying, try to refrain from wielding your magical powers, for the time. I must now convince these little ones to leave us alone."

One Eye grabbed each Vrondi gently in his talons, and seemed to speak to them in turn. One by one, they vanish until but a single whorl remains.

"Where is the closest heartstone?" One Eye asks.
The tiny spirit squirms out of his grasp, and speeds off towards the east.

"No time like the present..." The Charizard resigns himself to tramping through the woods.

*Embri*

~ ... bad ... ~

Embri lurches out of a huge tree, and promptly empties her stomach on the ground. Feeling somewhat better, the winged unicorn staggers off under a tree, leaning up against it for support. Once her head clears, she looks around. Finding a worn path through the forest, she trots along it, sniffing intently.

[Angel]

*Angel tumbles of the smooth scales of One Eyes back and stumbles away from him. she leans against a tree and is violently sick.*

"Good thing ... I haven't eaten recently."

lucky... ughhh.. you.

*she pants heavily as the dragon weaves his spell and the balls of power appear*

Lady.. i'll give you lady, call me Angel, old fool.

*she walks over as he explains and pokes one, it zapps her and she refrains from doing it again.*

no magic? we are going to go soo slow now... you cant fly with out magic can you?

*she tramps after him, jogging to keep up. *

[Embri]

"I AM NOT A FOOL!" One Eye fairly roars in Angel's face, showing off some impressive dentistry. Composing himself, he slogs through some more forest.

"Angel it is. In case you never noticed, it's the first time you have told me your name. I don't like walking any more than you, but trust me when I say it's MUCH preferable to the alternative. One Eye growls and lashes out at a bush with his tail, flattening it neatly.

[Angel]

*Angel snorts and pats him playfully on the nose befor he turns away.*

my appologies, twas not ment to offend!

*she beats her wings in an amused sort of way and hopps along beside him.*

[Embri]

*One Eye*

"Hurrmph. Forgive me. I feel rather ... vulnerable ... without the ability to fly. Brings back bad memories..." One Eye shakes his head. "No more of that. Where is this infernal vrondi taking us? Grah!" The dragon snaps through another branch with his jaws.

The forest seems to finally be clearing up. The trees are thinning out, and sunlight dapples the ground below. The tiny vrondi spirit seems to be excited, zigzagging about and ... giggling?

"Ah ... Haven at last!" One Eye sighs contentedly, peering over a ridge. Spread out below you is what appears to be a medieval city, complete with fortified walls, market squares and far too many buildings to count. In the center of it all stands an immense palace, surrounded by a tiny forest, rivers and large grassy fields.

Turning to Angel, One Eye grins. "I'll announce our presence. Wouldn't do to get shot out of the sky, now would it? I hope there's someone down there who will remember me..."

~Zhai'helleva, Heralds! Is there anyone who would welcome an old dragon and his traveling companion?~

~Tarrow? I thought I sensed a Gate! Get down here, you big lizard.~

~Firesong K'Treva, you have no idea what a relief it is to hear your voice.~ One Eye launches off the end of the hill, gliding down towards the grassy fields in the middle of the city. ~Come, Angel. We are expected. You will like Haven, and the Tayledras Healer-Adept Firesong may be able to help us with our problem.~

*Embri*

The winged unicorn kicked up her heels and galloped down the path. She had scented something very familiar, and it called to part of her strongly.

~... herd! ... ~

Embri followed the horse scent ever onwards.

[Angel]

Haven? good name.

*Angel leaps gleefully into the air, it feels like she is really getting somewhere. she spins and twirls through the air, vapour trails wip off the tips of her wings as she dives and soars elaboritley after One Eye.*

~you are known here? that is also good!~

[Embri]

"Mmm. I have spent many years here, Angel. So has Embri. In retrospect, it makes sense that she might have come back to Valdemar."

One Eye glides down towards a field beside the palace. As they approach, tiny figures come into view. The field is filled with white horses, of many sizes and ages. Most of them look up at the dragon and demoness, but none seem bothered at all by their presence. The dragon finally lands in the field, well clear of the horses, and walks towards one end, where a strange structure has been built. "Firesong's ekele." One Eye says, pointing towards their destination.

The "ekele", as One Eye called it, was a strange mixture of building and topiary. It resembled nothing so much as a large outdoor garden in a green house, with enormous glass panels making up the front. The inner and outer garden arrangements matched, blending the walls in harmony with the flora. Inside, the outlines of some very large trees looked to be festooned with tree houses, and below them was a familiar looking set of hot springs, just like those from Embri's Grove.

More impressive, however, was the person who came to greet them.
"Zhai'helleva Tarrow, you old warrior, it's good to see you again!"

An almost inhumanly handsome man stands in front of Angel and One Eye. He moves with fluid grace, dressed in some of the craziest, outlandishly rich clothes you've ever seen, and yet they seem to suit him to a tee. From within the ekele comes an avian cry, and a large white bird streaks out, trailing sparks. It lands on Firesong's outstretched arm, preening.

"Vain showoff, I'm surprised the Heralds haven't packed you off to the circus yet." One Eye snorts.
"Old warhorse - they should have turned you in for hide long ago." Firesong retorts, a sparkle in his eyes. "And who is this?" He regards Angel with appreciation.
"My my, Tarrow, you keep the most fascinating company... Peligar Hills?"

"Na, Firesong. She's outland, like me." One Eye shakes his head. "Angel, this is Firesong K'Treva, Healer-Adept of the Tayledras, and his bondbird, Aya.

Firesong bows deeply, with a smile that could light up a room. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Angel. Your wings, are they decorative, or can you actually fly?"

[Angel]

*Angel bows gracefully*

pleased to meet you Firesong K'Treva, Aya. *her eyes go wide with indignation at his question* yes i can fly! do you want a... demonstration? *her eyes darken slightly as she gets an idea* have you ever flown above the clouds?