Mantic (═╚╚╚╚╝) - A Manic Mantic

[jtbadn]

«·ß·» A Manic Mantic - Tales from the Lost Sea


I will tell you a tale, a tale not easy to tell but keep in mind this tale will be told from the memory I have of it. We dreamers all have a different perspective when it comes to what it is we experience. You might have experienced something I did not.

I (Belom) arrived at the Lost Sea nearly a half a bell prior to the time in which he planned to scry. To provide myself a better location in which to view the portal to the Dark Awakening, at the Ancient Temple of the Lost Sea, I decided to climb on top of the Temple. I reached the top and found a good spot to wait for others to join me. I stood, perched near the corner of the Temple closest to the darkened portal when suddenly I felt chaotic tremors which in turn, caused me to fall down from my perch.

"Have mercy!" I cried and then asked aloud, "What happened?" Nobody was around to answer my question so I took a moment to catch my breath and stabilize myself from the tremor I felt. "That felt like a dreamquake to me," I said aloud as I began to look around. I stood on the path to the port of entry to the Ancient Temple appearing deep in my thoughts. "Distress Call might have just come in handy at this particular moment. Perhaps I need to reconsider learning the Art after all. I will have to speak with CONMAN when I have a chance so that I might gain a quest from him to learn the Art. After all, this is concerning."

I stood there in silence keeping watch to the entry portal as I reapplied my Soul Shield, waiting for others to arrive. Then, I applied some protective arts as well as the art of of Chamele. A moment later, Windsong rushed in with CONMAN directly behind her. I offered them both a bit of Vision in order for them to see through the illusion of my altered state. Windsong, with a look of concern, asked me, "Are you alright?" I suggested to the two of them that they should apply some protective arts to themselves. I watched CONMAN glance around the room as if he was studying it close.
I offered a nod to Windsong and CONMAN and I told them, "There was a dreamquake here just moments ago which knocked me down with its tremors." After revealing to them the experience I had, I looked at CONMAN and I told him that I would like to reconsider my initial decline to learn the Art of 'Distress Call' and I explained, "After all. I think it might come in handy in times like this." Windsong explained that they had felt the tremors in Threshold, which gave them both reason to make their way here early.

I watched as CONMAN moved towards the portal leading into the Ancient Temple. He seemed to be studying a ward. I told them, "We must be careful. I was warned last night, speaking with Meredith." They both watched as Windsong blended through the warded portal to look around inside. After she reappeared she informed us that it was merely a single ward and that nothing inside seemed to be out of order. CONMAN requested I join party with him. CONMAN stated that it wouldn't hurt to be prepared, especially if the need should arise that to unleash any fire storms. Suddenly, something odd brings darkness upon the three of us and we were stricken blind!
Windsong cries out "I can't see!" I could not see either. Windsong, frustratingly adds, "What the hell was that? I had Vision on us." She then steps inside the Temple to make sure everything remained normal. I watched CONMAN as he studied the sky overhead before resting his gaze towards the warded portal.
I looked at him saying, "Something is out of sync. That is what Meredith had explained to me last night when I visited him here in this place." Just then, Windsong returned offering that nothing seemed out of place inside.

I watched as CONMAN climbed up the wall of the Temple, "I should warn you CONMAN. I stood where you are standing when I felt the tremors," I said, heeding a warning. I was a little surprised that only a moment later another dreamquake shook the three of us causing us to suddenly lose our balance and stumble to recover. The chaotic tremor engulfed the entire area and as it subsided, I attempt to stabilize myself. CONMAN grounds himself after his staggered state that caused him to fall from the ledge onto his knees below just as I had done before the two of them joined me. Windsong stumbled around and fell to the ground.
In her attempt to collect herself, she looks up at the two of us and in question she asks, "Everyone okay?"
We watched as CONMAN planted his palm firmly to the ground and lift himself to his feet, "Aye, ye okay?" I compose myself, wring out the access water that soaked the low end of my long coat. The three of us suffered no harm, just a little startled is all.

Magnilia joined the three of us and we informed her about what had happened. She looked towards the portal and started to speak saying,"You there, yes YOU portal. You seem to have a bit of personality to you. I have a soft spot for doors you see, and it rather pains me to see you a bit out of sorts. Do you require our assistance?" I wouldn't consider it normal to speak to a door, but Magnilia is most certainly a different sort of dreamer than I am.
In jest, Windsong grins as she asks CONMAN, "Think you could throw me across the gap?" CONMAN didn't respond to Windsong though, he seemed to have sensed something from the other side of the Dark Awakening Portal. The four of us turn our attention to the flickering portal. CONMAN drew his arms together, aligning his palms parallel to the other, one arm hovering the other. We watch as a vortex of incandescent lucidity begins to whirl between his hands, as he conjurs the essence of fire itself. A sphere of pure crackling Lucidity propels outward to the portal.

It was right about then when Nathan and Zahra Haqi join CONMAN, Magnilia, Windsong and I at the Ancient Temple. Nathan, upon arriving observed the red portal and it seemed as if he was, momentarily, absorbed by its hypnotic pattern. With the new arrivals present, I began to speak saying, "I came here last night and met with Meredith. He explained that something here was out of sync
Nathan held his hand and chaos seemed to exude from his form in a masterful manner. ".....Indeed, it certainly does feel...off..." The dark portal began to flicker.

Upon seeing the flicker within the portal, I thought it best to wait no longer and start scrying to find out the truth. Windsong glanced toward me and asked "What do you need from me?" I explained that I don't need anything in particular but I have found that with more people concentrating on any one thing, the more easily the visions come.
I then add that, "Scrying is not difficult, it just takes some relaxation and patience. It does not work just by looking upon a thing. It works when you unfocused your eye which aligns with the subconscious part of your mind and instead of connecting to what is naturally seen, through the unfocused initiation of the subconscious, opens the door for the unnatural to be seen instead."

Windsong nods at me, showing that she understands and she turns her gaze almost immediately toward the portal and seems to focus all of her attention to the hypnotic pattern it weaves before her. Watching her as she focuses her attention to look through the portal, look past the ordinary, I continue, offering, "So, just like meditation, but focus your sight on the portal. Keep your mind calm and relaxed as you peer through the portal." We watch as Windsong settles comfortably into a trance-like state. Her eyes begin to glaze over as she gazes at the twisting crimson pattern writhing within the portal. I shuffle my feet a bit and arch my shoulders in preparation and then turn my gaze to the portal of the Dark Awakening. I could sense CONMAN slightly clenching his jaw.

Windsong slowed her breath to the point that she was barely moving at all and she seemed to sink deeper into her trance. I announced in a loud voice saying, "We mean no harm and only seek truth. We ask that you show us what truth there is to know." I began to breathe inwards, then outwards slowly and it seemed that I rose above the water, just barely. Just then Sirus Nesto enters the Ancient Temple. Zahra Haqi appeared as if she felt the dark portal's energy and it seemed to irritate her senses. She looked around cautiously. My left shoulder jolted forward, as if sensing Sirus Nesto's entrance. Windsong faced the portal and the expression on her face seemed to be glazed over as she held her focus on the portal. Her entire body remained rigid and unmoving like a statue.

I drew up my arms outwardly in front of me, in hopes of inviting the visionary experience to be shared to those who are gathered. A moment later, chaotic spikes began to rise up around the dark portal. I point to the chaotic spikes upon seeing them and I speak in a low voice, proclaiming, "Let them see what I see." The dark portal glows absorbing the chaotic energy. I call out again to the energies and request, "Show us what you wish us to see."

Sadara levitates into the Ancient Temple as quietly as possible and my left shoulder jolts forward again, sensing her presence draw. Just then, another chaotic tremor engulfs the area in a dreamquake. We suddenly lose balance and stumble to recover. Zahra Haqi holds on to a pillar for support. Not long after, we begin to feel normal again. Windsong seems held in complete thrall, affixed to the portal, her focus completely taken in by the fascination in its whirling vortex. As the quake hits, she stumbles, her body collapses to the ground beneath her in a limp pile. Sirus Nesto looks over at her, laying on the ground as CONMAN offers his arms under her arms, gently lifting her upright. I begin to shake uncontrollably and finally after collecting myself, I look again, directly into the portal.

"Shit," exclaimed Sirus Nesto, making his way towards Windsong. Sadara watches, furrowing her brows and looks toward the portal after standing up from her own fit of shaking. She too begins to make her way to Windsong.
Still affixed on the portal I point straight at it and shout out in a loud voice, "If you wish to show us nothing, So be it!" Windsong rises up carefully, given assistance from others. She moves bonelessly and yet her focus remains transfixed to the portal, like myself. I folded my arms, angrily watching the portal. Sadara calms her breathing as best as she can and draws a sigil in the air. A shield of protection forms around Windsong, a bright maroon color encompassing her. I spoke again saying, "There is certainly something out of sync here." Nathan and Sirus Nesto both seem to recenter themselves and look to the portal. I spoke again, this time saying, "Something is out of balance. Out of place. Out of time. Only darkness looks into that portal.

The dark portal begins to shakes violently! Suddenly, a figure appears coming through the portal. A menacing sight stood before us, mangled and scarred likely from the various altercation of his own experience. His appearance made him look as though he was an abused creature. The feeling sweeps over us that this abomination seeks only revenge. Revenge from what? From who? I jumped backwards upon seeing the figure. It calls out, "What is this?" It looks over those of us gathered, and continues, "Who dares?" He seemed to be out of place and he asks us, "Where am I?" Just then Sirus Nesto points at me. I glare at Sirus momentarily watching him slips his hands into his pockets. He remains silent.

CONMAN's eyes narrow, piercing forward toward the new arrival. He tugs gently on Windsong's wrist in his attempt to snap her out of her trance. I offer an answer to his request, telling him, "You are in the Lost Sea."
He looks at me and asks, "Who are you?" I watch Nathan observing him with his hand gripped on his chakram, prepared to use it if need should arise.
I provide him another answer saying, "We are dreamers," and witness as he laughs at me. "Dreamers who seek to learn the truth about this place." Windsong gaze turns toward the menacing sight with unblinking eyes. It appears as if she remains entranced. I ask him, "Who are you?"
He responds, "Only darkness." I notice Sadara placing her hand on her belt and as she looks at Sirus Nesto she lets out a sigh. She then turns her attention back to the menacing spirit. I raise my index finger, to the air, and the spirit begins to look around.
"Only darkness you are, but we did not summon you," I offer and witness him drop a gem near the portal of the Dark Awakening. I watch as Nathan looks down at the gem with a curious look of caution in his glare. Sadara notices the gem as well but returns to look at Windsong.

The gem seemed to radiate great power, likely consistent of chaotic dark energy from sources unknown to us. CONMAN cautiously watches. The menacing creature calls out, "Who dares to summon me?" I watch as Sadara walks over to Windsong slowly and takes a stance in front of her protectively.
"Only darkness has no name." I declare matter-of-factually to the spirit, "We did not summon you."
Just then Nathan repeats his words in question as he asks, "Who dares?"
The mangled and scarred sight that stands before them replies, "Something drug me thru the portal."
Sadara offers up in question, "Do you live in the Dark Awakening?" Nathan furrows his eyebrows as CONMAN reaches behind his back with one hand. He cautiously grips a chakram while his other hand gives Windsong's wrist a bit harder of a tug, in another attempt to break her free of the trance. The spirit ignores Nathan and Sadara's inquiry.
Instead, he offers, "This is wrong," he pauses a moment and continues to speak saying,"Time is wrong."

"Out of sync," I suggest simply. The look on Windsong's face remains without any action as she gazes at the figure before the portal. I continue to speak saying, "Out of Time. Out of Balance. That is what was told to me."
Then Nathan asks the spirit, "What do you desire now that you are here?"
To which the spirit replies, "I don't belong here." Sadara casts a quick look towards me and to the spirit. She then looks behind her to Windsong and shaking her shoulder, she makes an attempt to loosen the grip that has kept her ensnared in this trance.
Zahra Haqi watches the display and seems to think aloud saying, "I wonder..."
Watching the spirit move about cautiously on his platform, I ask tell him, "If you do not wish to provide us some truth in what we seek then return to whence you came then, and take your dark energy with you when you go." Giving no thought or care to what I had suggested, the spirit turns his back to us and he exits the portal, sharing nothing else. Now I am angry and I shout out in demand, "GET BACK HERE!"

Sirus Nesto looks over at Windsong as he approaches her. He asks CONMAN and Sadara, "Is she... there?" I continue to stare directly into the with disgust. Uneasy to provide an answer to Sirus Nesto, CONMAN begins to tug at Windsong's wrist with each tug seemingly more stern than the last in his attempt to break her free from the trance. Nathan begins to channel his own chaos into the gem before the portal. Shadows appear near the gem, almost as if they were pricking and prodding at the device almost as if to assess its power.
Sadara looks at Windsong, shaking her head saying, "Im sorry..." Then she slaps Windsong across the cheek softly, with enough force that she hoped would rouse her from this state.
"He is gone," I say angrily, "and he left this chaotic energy behind. Can you get an idea of what it could be Nathan? Windsong? Sirus? Windsong remains transfixed on the portal for several lengthy moments. Finally, her eyes begin to flicker with awareness as she slowly comes back to her senses. "CONMAN? Zahra? Is everyone okay?"

Zahra Haqi looks at me telling me, "She stayed too long over there, Belom."
I say out loud, "Meredith is not going to like this." Turning my attention to Zahra, I ask, "She?" I look at her and the others and notice CONMAN glaring at me before looking back to Windsong keeping his palms against her back in support to keep her steady. Sirus Nesto spins around and places himself between Windsong and the rest of us.
Zahra Haqi responds to me simply, saying, "Windsong." I look towards Windsong who seems exhausted with weakness.
She shakes her head and she speaks saying, "So much hate...revenge...it wants revenge..." In hearing this Sirus Nesto looks at me. He tells me that he had been to the Archives today. I wasn't sure what he meant right away, still a bit dazed from everything that occurred.
Sadara looks at Windsong and carefully she whispers to her, "That creature..?"
I report, "It is an affect of scrying."
Sirus Nesto continues, adding, "And I thought I saw a scroll that said, Meredith warned you not to do this." I had been granted no opportunity to respond as darkness took over my sign and I was stricken blind. "And here we are," Sirus Nesto continued, "Right on cue." In my blind state I had hoped my words would find Sirus Nesto and I told him that he warned me, then he told me to be careful. My vision returned, only to witness Sirus Nesto shaking his head at me and turn back to Windsong. "We need to get her to the Temple."

Sadara draws several sigil’s around Windsong, restorative and protective spells intended to encase Windsong's body. Windsong speaks again saying, "Darkness...revenge...I don't understand...?" Sadara tells Windsong not to speak and that it was more important to get you to a safe place.
"I am unsure what revenge the spirit spoke about but I did feel a sense of revenge in him," I replied to her.
"He's angry...at being summoned...and...something else?"
As I listened to what Windsong was saying I couldn't help notice that some of what he said were the same things that Meredith had said." I paused a moment and repeated the words again, "Out of Time. I am unsure in what this means."

Sadara looked at me and sighed. I returned a frown to Sadara. Then suddenly something I never expected sparked in Sadara. She looked upon me with fire behind her eyes and she screamed at me saying, "Belom, fuck the portal! Wind is obviously not okay right now." Her eyebrows furrowed and her tone quickly rose in anger. Sadara pointed her finger at me accusingly and cried, "And you know what? Fuck you too!"
I was shocked about what came out of Sadara and in my defense I offered, "Scrying takes a toll on the mind Sadara. It affects people differently." With that, I watched Sirus Nesto spin around quickly.
He looks upon me and said to me, "Especially when you are talking into doing it somewhere you shouldn't." I was confused and I didn't know how to respond. Zahra Haqi began to fret telling us about the portals that were seemingly warded again and how she felt trapped, wondering how she would get out of this place. Windsong blinked slowly and shook her head again.

CONMAN threw his right shoulder up, as if lifting Windsong to get a better grip. He fires an uncharacteristic glance of daggers at me, and tell me, "Not now." By now, Sadara has clearly become overwhelmed with a mix of emotions and I watch as tears begin to fall down her face. She shook her head at me, trying to calm down her breath as she wipes away the tears from her face as her face which had now flushed in a hue of bright red. Windsong doesn't resist being moved and she still appeared to be in somewhat of a daze.
Sadara looked over to the entrance portal of the Ancient Temple through her gasps and tears, "The portal is warded..." Sirus Nesto crossed his arms, watching me.
I looked at him and I said, "The reason I am here is only to find the truth, my intentions have only been to learn more about this place. I have not done anything to cause this to happen. Why would you blame me for this? What have I done?"
He kept his arms crossed and in his reply he said, "You literally wrote a scroll saying someone that lives here told you not do this and then you ask me how this is your fault?"
In defense I claimed, "That is not what the scroll said. And that is not what I was told." He stared at me and blinked several times.
Obviously angered he screamed at Belom saying, "You just told me that it is what it said. Three minutes ago or so." Sadara remained quiet as she carefully looks back to Windsong noticing that her face was still wet.
Sadara cleared her throat and asked her, "Wind are you okay..?"
I looked at Sirus Nesto and cried, "He warned me not to 'tinker' with the portal. I was not tinkering with the portal! I was simply asking for a vision to understand the truth!" He laughed at me and told that was semantics. I added, "Before he left, he simply told me to be careful."
Sirus Nesto said with a quick response, "You knew what he meant. Yes, because you don't know what you are doing here. That wasn't a go ahead."

CONMAN backs loudly at the both of us. He speaks saying, "Enough. Both of you. Help me get Windsong out of here."
Windsong blinks, hearing Sadara's voice she cries out, "Balance...there is no balance...only obsession..." Sadara echoes the final word she spoke.
Ignoring CONMAN, I continued to speak my mind to Sirus Nesto saying, "I do not need permission to scry at any place Sirus Nesto." He turns around to look at me. "And my intentions have always been to merely find the truth. They have not changed. They will not change.
Windsong continues saying "Revenge...hate...consuming...why...?" Then CONMAN wraps his arm under Windsong's left arm, he quickly flicks his head towards her other arm and glances at Sadara. Sadara looks at Windsong and shakes her head.
She looks to Conman, "Get her out of here," she begs him. I watch as Sirus Nesto steps forward and gets underneath her right arm, to offer support.
I continue to protest, "Why would I wish any harm to Windsong? Or anyone for that matter? I simply would not."
Sadara looks at me and she said, "Belom... we will talk about this at another time."
Windsong leans between the two men, her brow furrowing as she's moved. "Danger comes for us...revenge..."
Sirus notes, "We still have a problem though...Because the portal is still warded." I turn away from them and witness the chaotic spikes subside and the portal darken.

Sirus Nesto steps forward, moving Windsong out of the corner. He asks her, "Are you in there? Can you Translocate?"
CONMAN glances at Windsong, he tucks the hair behind her ear and looks into her eyes. "Translocate." He repeats, "Translocate."
I turn my gaze upon Windsong, listening to CONMAN repeat himself several more times, hoping his words might saturate in her mind. I heard Sadara scream from behind me and she pushed me! I turned around to look at Sadara and I scream at her, "Stop! I have done nothing to cause this!" Windsong holds her hands up before her automatically, her movements are stiff, no cone appears. I move in, close enough to whisper in Windsong's ear and I say to her, "Come back to us Windy. Right this wrong thinking."
CONMAN then calls out, "Please, everyone. Evoke translocate. Come close. Let our dreamsoul of evocation cascade over her. Now, please. Please."
Sirus Nesto looks at Sadara. "Please, Sadara?"

In the flash of an eye, Windsong, along with CONMAN and Sadara vanish from the Ancient Temple. Sirus Nesto remained but only for a moment to offer one last thought to me, "You should have listened Belom! You just couldn't let it go." He shook his head at me and a moment later, he too vanished from the Ancient Temple. I let out a sigh in frustration as I stood alone in the Ancient Temple.
I cry out, raising my fists to the skies shouting, "Why? Why me? What have I done to deserve this treatment? Why have you forsaken me! Why do they not see that it is this chaos that has affected their minds. It is not me!" I scoff in anger and turn to leave the Ancient Temple. I apply a bit of chamele to my avatar to help me blend into the background. I make my way out of the Temple, and I leave the Lost Sea through the Umbrics.

As I made my trek back to the Threshold, I ran into CONMAN in the Reservoir Hall in the Umbric Sewers. He calls out to me. I offer him a bit of Vision. He tells me, "I wanted ... we wanted to make sure ye were alright." I look upon him, disheveled.
"You might be alone in that thought," I reply.
CONMAN reaches out, his firm grips he applies to my shoulder. He gives it a good squeeze, anchoring me to my spot before him. "Lets get to Threshold?"
I look at him with dissatisfaction and admit to him, "I do not wish to be around those who think I am to blame for this."
He answers me saying, "We ... don't know what 'at thing was, or what it's capable of. I ask ye to reconsider for a moment 'at we rest in Threshold. Thoughts an' feelin's aside, Belom."
Just then, a Bogrom cries out "Pa.. PLAHKA!"
And I answer CONMAN saying, "I don't know CONMAN. I feel very disrepsected." CONMAN turns around and fights off the two Bogroms. I submit and look at him, I simply say "Come," and taking a wrong turn I say, "Not this way."

Zahra Haqi, awaiting in the threshold declares, "There you are. Talking so long up Umbric." I move to the corner of the threshold, my appearance could clearly be seen that I was unhappy.
CONMAN looked at me and said, "Belom," he exhales sharply as if venting off a bit of anger, "I don't believe anyone thought ye had plans or malicious intent with ye scryin' a bit ago."
I looked at him, square in the face and interrupted him saying, "Until they turned out the way they did. Then they were quick to blame me for it."
CONMAN continued saying, "But 'er was a chaotic presence 'at had made itself known, and Windsong was in distress and ye ain't pay it a fuckin' tiny bit of mind! I reckon 'at is mostly why emotions are high." CONMAN's temples flare slightly.
I reiterate from my experiences, "Scrying does strange things to the minds of others. I know from from my own experience. Windsong will recover I know that she will." CONMAN shakes his head, displeased with my answer.
So I continue and tell him, "Scrying effects me just as it effects her.. I don't sense things as I would normally."
CONMAN interjects, "I hope for ye'r sake 'at she will. To proclaim this is absolutely a side effect of scryin' without certainly is reckless." His tone heightens.
"It's not something I can help," I admit. Zahra Haqi steps to the side in order to give us some privacy. "I would not dream of putting Windsong in harms way, nor would I to any dreamer. I STILL LOVE WINDSONG. Why would I ever wish to harm her?"
CONMAN appears obviously distressed about the whole situation and he said to me, "Belom, again. I will reiterate to ye, 'at nobody thought ye had malicious intent. But the events 'at transpired..." he stops a moment, exhaling a bit, to steady his emotions.
I plead with him asking him, "What am I not sensing CONMAN? I do not understand!"
CONMAN starts again to explain, "The events 'at transpired were evident of where ye priorities are 'at. And I ask 'at ye look inside ye'self and ask if ye agree with 'at statement." I watch as Sirus Nesto, now standing with us in the Threshold, nods to CONMAN.
"'at being is nothin' I've seen before. Have ye seen it before? We're not capable of understandin' what side effects it may have inflicted and Windsong, clearly in distress..." he trails off, exhaling sharply again to regain some composure.
Sirus Nesto pipes in saying that she was, "Laying on the ground, limp, specifically."
CONMAN looks at me again and in speaking to me he said, "Ye still haven't even asked if she's alright now. And I just reiterate 'at ye think about others along side ye'self. Even when intentions are good."
I state, "I did not see this only the group around her and I did not know why."
CONMAN appears even more flustered, his temples flare and with his high emotions, he exits the Threshold.

Sirus Nesto shakes his head at me. I looked upon him and said, "Windsong... How is she Sirus? She will recover.. I know she will." I shook my head as I watches Sirus Nesto leave the threshold and ignore me. The Elder Master, Azlan stops into the Threshold room of the Umbrics. I say hello to him. He offers his hello's in reply.
Then he asks, "How is everyone doing?"
Clearly I am still frustrated and in high emotion and without giving second thought to who I was responding to I shouted out loud, "NOT WELL." I watched Azlan wiggle his ears.
Azlan simply replies, "okay." I apologize for my outburst. We are then joined by Myridian Sun and Jasper. Myridian bids me good evening and Azlan asks, "Why are you doing not well?" I watch as Myridian Sun glances at me.
I offer him a reply telling him, "I was scrying in the Lost Sea with Windsong and others and a dark force stepped through the Dark Awakening portal.
Azlan looks at me in question and asks, "oh?" Myridian Sun frowns.
Jasper, just walking into the middle of the conversation asks, "Huh? Where?"
"He dropped some chaotic thing," I said and continued. "Windsong was affected by this somehow." I looked at Jasper and said, "In the Lost Sea Jasper." Azlan frowns when he hears this and continues to listen.
Jasper asks, "That portal is active?"
I looked at Jasper and told him, "After you mentioned Meredith being there last night, I went up to see him. The portal was active enough that something was pulled through it. It was not my intention to summon anything but a vision. Now, my lack of emotion of Windsong's condition has upset the dreamers who were with me."
Azlan questioned, repeating my words, "Lack of emotion?" He continued, "Perhaps I am missing some details? Are you saying you had no concern for her condition?"
I looked at Azlan and told him, "It is an effect that I feel after scrying. I do not sense things as I should normally."

Myridian Sun leaned against his spear, his attention seemed focused on what I had to say, so he asked, "This creature, did it have a form?"
I looked at Myridian Sun and told him, "It had a hideous form, something similar to the form of a dreamer." Jasper asked where Windsong was. Both Myridian Sun and Azlan informed him that she was at the Emergence Academy. I was a bit surprised to the fact that they called the place by it's former name.
I continued explaining things to Myridian Sun, "Morbid is a name that I kept hearing in my head." Myridian Sun suggested that we should likely go check on her. Nevertheless, it seemed he was interested in this gem that was left behind by Morbid.
He asked me, "This item, was it picked up?"
Azlan also seemed to have great interest and he asked, "Where is the presence now? And this chaotic item?"
I looked between Azlan and Myridian Sun and explained, "It sits next to the portal. He withdrew back into the portal and left the thing there."
Azlan replies, "I see," he then informs, "That thing may be a collector or something even worse."

"I was warned to be careful by Meredith last night. He did not forbid me to attempt to find out the truth." Myridian Sun began to rubs his temples. "The Temple only sees that I did not heed a warning. And Sadara cursed at me. Nesto is not happy. CONMAN is not happy. Empathy escapes me completely when I scry," I paused a moment before I continued to speak, "My focus directs to keeping the balance in the energies that abound." I watch as Myridian Sun taps his iron shod staff, looking down at it thoughtfully. "I do not feel that my going there would do me any good in the least. It would only be detrimental to me. I would never do anything to put Windsong in danger. I love her!" I watch as Myridian Sun cocks his head to one side. I add, "I would not think to put any dreamer in harms way."
Myridian Sun looked at me and asked, "Then what does going there affecting you, have to do with anything? Go worry about her. I'll go investigate the item."
I frown looking back at him and explain, "I only feel like I will get attacked if I were to go there."
Myridian Sun very plainly says, "Well, let's go get attacked at the item. Take me to it.
Just to be clear, I ask him, "You wish to see the chaotic thing?"
To which he explains, "A smith has to look at it. I've created more things than most elders. I may as well blow up as anyone," he laughed.
"If you wish to, I can take you there," I began, adding, "There have been some tremors in the Lost Sea tonight and warded portals to the the interior of Ancient Temple as well as the way out. Just a precaution.

Myridian Sun offered that, "We could bring along a keeper. I can probably summon one..."
I answered him saying, "I don't think it is necessary. The wards dropped before I left the Lost Sea. He nodded in understanding. "Through the Umbrics we go then." We made our way through the Umbric Sewers to the portal that would lead us to the Ancient Temple therein. Upon reaching the Dark Awakening Portal, just outside the Ancient Temple, I pointed to the gem that Morbid had left behind.
Myridian Sun surveying the gap asked, "Is there any way to get across?"
"Meredith seems to be able to traverse the gap," I answered, then added, "but I have not seen anyone else who could." I watched as reached into his pack, pulling out a rope and charm that seemed to have oddly longer spikes. He tied the rope around the charm and tugged on to assure its tightness. He began twirling the rope. I let out a sigh, from watching him fling the rope, watching it slide and catch hold of nothing. He pulled the rope back, twirling it again to get a good swing on it and lets it drift across the gap. The rope caught the ledge. Myridian Sun tugs at it, then wraps it around a pillar, tying it tightly.
He admits, "Well.. I'll either plummet into the chasm... or..."
He paused a moment, and I interrupted him saying, "I am much less worried about that thing than I am about Windy and about what I have done to make the dreamers despise me as they do."
Myridian Sun lets out a snort saying, "If you were, you'd up there lad, not down here with a lunatic sender about to try to cross over!"
I looked towards the dark portal and said to him, "I do not know if I should return to the City after my dream ends. I watched as he snapped the line a few times and then turned to look at me, listening. I continued by adding, "I am more comfortable with a lunatic Sender than I am there."

After some consideration in what I had said to him, asks, "You love her?"
I explained to him, "I had recently asked her to marry me but, she was not ready. Last night we decided to remain friends. That does not change the fact that I do love her." In my frustration, I admit, "It wasn't supposed to be her that assisted in this Scrying at all and now I feel responsible."
In a bold tone he speaks saying, "Then you wont care what happens to yourself, you'll do what's right by her. You'll stay in the dream and figure all of this out." I watch him step to the edge of the gap that separates the Dark Portal from the place we stood. He tests the line of his rope as he looks down muttering something about block headed Sender's. I must have been too involved in my own thoughts to conceive his intentions.
"I should go," I said, "I certainly do not wish to lose my head but if that is what comes to pass, then I will accept that. I watch as he leans out, testing his weight against the tension of the lines. "Thank you for helping me come to my senses." I began evoking Translocate and I did not remain long enough to catch a response, if there even was one.

I reassemble in the Basin of the Stars and made the rest of the trek towards the Ethereal Temple. I walked through the portal. No dreamers were on the Facade. I waited a few moments, then watched as Sirus Nesto appeared in the breezeway of the entrance. I thought I heard him speak but it sounded too muffled and I was unable to make out his words. I approached to stand closer to him. He repeats what he said previously saying, "This is not where you want to be right now."
I protested to him saying, "It is exactly where I want to be." He looked down at me as I stood on the steps of the stairway near him. "You would be wise to take your leave."
Upon hearing his order, I shook my head at Sirus Nesto, I turn my back to him without any further discussion and made my way to the portal leading out and I left Ethereal Temple.
I made my way down to the Threshold, then through the Umbric Sewers and returned to the Ancient Temple in the Lost Sea. It seemed like the lapse of time that it took me to get from high on the Basin to low in the Lost Sea, had diminished in duration.

"That was no use I am afraid," I announced in my return. Zahra must have joined him while I made my way to the Ethereal Temple. "Sirus Nesto ordered me to leave as soon as I arrived."
Myridian Sun stopped what he was doing and looked at me saying, "I'd suggest avoiding any summoning, vision quests etc. in this area for a while."
"I will not forfeit my sphere! I have been quested to do this Myridian," I said angrily, "Scrying only leads to help us uncover the truth. Summoning however, is quite different."
Myridian Sun points at the gem left by the menacing spirit. He then nods in agreement saying, "Clearly."
Zahra Haqi offers, "It could lead to seeing things you weren’t supposed to see."
I admit to them both, "It was not my intent to summon anything."
Myridian Sun reflects, "No one ever does and yet... it always happens."
After hearing what Zahra Haqi had said, I offed that, "Scrying reveals things unknown or things that are unseen. That is all. It is not malicious. It is similar to fortune telling as it offers us a glimpse of a possible future" Then suddenly, Myridian Sun slams his spear on the ground three times and disappears in a burst of light."

Zahra Haqi winces and looks at me with question.
Before she had a chance to speak, I explained, "From all the visions that I have seen thus far in connection with the Ethereal Temple have not been good ones.
Zahra Haqi asks, "You're getting the vision too, then..."
"Not by my choosing but, truth be told, my visions do not tell me lies. They show me the truth." Zahra and I spoke briefly about this experience, about who or what was believed to have triggered the sensation of the Dark Awakening plane to be sensed by dreamers. Nathan then joined the two of us so I call out to him, "Nathan?"
Nathan replies intently, "...Yes?"
I frown at him and admit to him that, "I am without words in regards to what had happened after you left here."
Nathan asks, "Did anything else happen?"
I looked at Nathan and explained, "Windsong seems to have been affected in some way but, I did not notice." Nathan looks away from me, to the gem, then to Zahra. I continue saying, "Scrying tends to damper my other senses and drain my empathy that I normally possess."
Nathan then asks, "What seems to have happened to her?"
Zahra Haqi explained to him, "She stayed in a trance for an extended period."
I add, "They tell me they witnessed her fall to the ground, unable to stand and that she kept saying something about Darkness and revenge."
Nathan, asks curiously, "The Darkness!?" He then asks, "Did she somehow become affected by the residual chaos after Morbid's arrival? Is it related to that wretched gem he left?"
“She may have,” I replied to Nathan
Nathan then questioned, “Revenge? Like "The Revenant"'s revenge?”
I look at Nathan unknowing and offer to him that, “The Ethereal Temple and even CONMAN are seemingly blaming me for Windsong;s condition.”

We continue to talk a little bit more about the plane itself. Nathan said, “From what I vaguely remember. This version of the Lost Sea is....affixed with chaos. It is not supposed to have these portals to Dark Awakening.”
In response to Nathan, I replied, “I went up to the Temple to check on here and Sirus came out and simply told me that I should not be there. I only wished to find the truth and purpose of its presence here. But I met with Meredith here last night who told me that something was out of sync... out of time... out of balance. I told him my intentions in scrying here tonight .. and he left saying Be Careful.”
Nathan looked at me and stated plainly, “That, indeed, would be correct. This version of the Lost Sea is....out of sync.”
“Those at the Temple look at it that I was warned and should not have attempted this,” was my reply.
Nathan then motions in the direction of sapphire room, and then to the Dark Awakening portal. “Chaos pools in several places here, “I respond, watching him point at each. “And now it seems, I am an outcast to the Temple due to my lack of Empathy.
Nathan replies to me saying, “I find that to be rather harsh. A simple scrying seems safe enough.”
I looked at him and repeated what Sadara had said to me, "Fuck that portal Belom! and Fuck you!" Then I told him that she pushed me and I did not expect any of that. Nathan's eyebrows raise, listening to what I told him. I continue, “I think I will just turn in my sphere quest to North and have it modified.”
Nathan pleads with me saying, “Please don't be too harsh on yourself.” He continues saying, “I am sure that in the heat of emotions of these unforeseen events....that they said such brutal words. I am surprised that they would react in such a manner. It's quite unbefitting given our history. It is not your fault.”
Zahra Haqi adds, “But it is the way people in the City work.”
Nathan places a reassuring hand on Belom's shoulder. "I shall talk to them, and ask that they reconsider their misgivings."
I admit, “But it was my fault and I must own that. I wish North would have never paired me with Nesto in the first place.”
Zahra Haqi offering more said, “I know this is not comforting, but tis true. The City is fickle with its forgiveness.”
“Now Windsong and I are no more and she has become something else. Although I do not feel it is a malevolent being, I am still weary of it,” I offered into the conversation.
Nathan looks back at me once again, pleading, ‘I ask that you not dwell on this. It shall be resolved in short order.”
I looked at Nathan and asked, "How can I not dwell on what has happened?"

Nathan hands me a vial and says to me, "Genius is often solitary., finding solace in the quiet realms where innovation thrives"
“I must reflect on what this is.” I offer Nathan a smile and then tell him, “Odd that you said that. LadySilver mentioned something to me just a dream or so ago. She said that she would always notice when I was dreaming I would be somewhere distant of the other dreamers.
I explained that being alone in the City serves to strengthen my existence within it.
He nods at me and says, “I've spent much of my dreams alone, and achieved the greatest discoveries because of it.” He looked me dead in the eye and said to me, "You are likely on the cusp of something great. There is no greater scryer that I have ever known."
“Maybe.” I said and after a momentary pause I continued saying, “Something ... maybe not something great but something nevertheless is coming for me. I can feel it.” Then Nathan said something to me that caught me off guard completely.
He said, “I remember some dreams ago, another vision you had brought a dreamer to the city. This is likely something similar. We shall prepare, this one seems hostile.” He then motioned to the gem. "With Mason and Shel'rac at our side. We can see it coming." I listen as he continues to speak, “I shall arrange a meeting for the house. As a home, we will come up with a plan to ascertain what is to come, and maneuver appropriately.”
I was curious about what he had said so I told him, “My memory of all the things I have done is not as good as it was once, but I trust you tell the truth.”
Then he speaks the name out loud, “Eldernus Titanuul. Does that ring a bell?” It most certainly did ring a bell. I had not thought of it in many, many years.
Zahra Haqi points out that she had witnessed an unnatural ripple across the face of the portal. Nathan turns around to better see the portal. He also seemed to notice something from the periphery.
Zahra Haqi speaks quietly saying, “Its watching.” I turn around to catch a glimpse myself, gazing into the portal to discern what could be lingering on the other side. “Something is watching us,” she continued.
“Something always watches,” I respond plainly. Nathan then suggested that we find a safe area for the time being. I agree with him, admitting that I'd had enough chaos for one night and could certainly use a place of balance in order to collect my thoughts and rebuild my element.
”Be safe, both of you,” I said, as I woke from the City.