A Golden Ending (Part 2)

Log Info

• Title: A Golden Ending (Part 2)

• GMs: Rune/Riptide

• Characters: Aelwyn, Harkashan, Ravenstongue, Rune, Slixvah, Telamon

• Place: The Shattered Place - Border Ethereal

Last we left our Adventurers...

They had found themselves upon an arid landscape, surrounded by hard-packed earth and a sunless blue sky. In the distance, mountains loomed at the edges of the horizon. The only thing that stood out in this empty plane, was a single acacia tree, with a white-furred form beneath it.

Then, they had stepped forward, shattering the very ground beneath them and thrusting them each into a nightmare of their own. The Corpse Eater to torment Cor'lana, Marsward to taunt Telamon, the dangers of tampering with luck awaiting Slixvah, the betrayal of his brother and imprisonment of his friends seizing Aelwyn, and the threat of losing his entire family to the hunger of the Forgotten finding Harkashan.

With their own will, and the help of others, they each find themselves back upon that arid plane, but those nightmares seem to have brought them a distance. A distance that brings them dangerously close to the white-furred creature, which turned out to be an owl-bear. One that looks strikingly similar to a certain toy Skielstregar had gotten for Rune to protect her from nightmares.

Then, stepping out from behind it, Rune herself - looking as if she were trapped in that moment of her own death. Pale skin, blue lips, half her face ruined, blood smearing her chin and throat, and most obvious, the gaping hole in the middle of her chest. She had greeted them, by way of an appology. That she should have warned them about the shards of nightmare. That... and a smirking, "Welcome, to the Shattered Place."

GAME: Telamon rolls knowledge/religion: (8)+13: 21

Slixvah herself seemed to be a new shade of crimson, though dripping with the same ichor and several pieces of glass sticking out of her head and shoulders. There's an audible gasp from her, hands covering her beak. "Ruru!" She nearly hazards a step forward, but holds back- not wanting to repeat the experience. "Oh gods, gal, you aight? Or is thi' a 'you get used to it' kinda thing? 'cause I kinda feel bleh but I'm aight fo' th' most part."

She glances about, gaze landing on the large, fluffy owl-bear. "You know 'bout this place?" she asks of Rune, but the question was for the floor.

Telamon actually flinches at Rune's state, averting his gaze for a moment. It's one thing to hear about Rune's travails, it's another to see what happened. Then he turns his eyes back towards his friend, and swallows hard. "Leirune," he says a bit harshly. "You look a little worse for the weather. I hope this doesn't persist outside this place."

He looks around, and shudders. "It... reminds me of the far edges of the Dreamlands. Where the strange prince wanders. These places are... where things tend to wear thin even by the standards of a dream."

Cor'lana, who has shattered the same man twice-over, blinks at the ruined Rune before her, and there's a deep sense of sorrow and melancholy that radiates from her person. "Based on my experiences," she says, looking at Phea--who is sticking close to her and Telamon like they're her parents and not her wish-parents (whatever that means), "the nightmares have a nasty tendency to sneak up on people."

She offers Rune a small smile. "So don't feel bad?" she adds.

Phea nods gently to Cor'lana's input, red eyes resting on Rune as though it's nothing new for her to see someone she's just met with a ruined face and a hole in the chest. "What my wish-father says is true," she replies. "Nightmare and dream are one and the same on the borders. And Quelynos, due to its nature, is oftentimes given aspects of both."

There's a mis-step from Harkashan for a moment as he's pulled out by Ravenstongue, gripping at the side of his head. Being so closely tied to Rune, her dreams seem to affect him particularly strongly. Shifting from one nightmarish place to another means it takes him some time to get his head straight. "Thank you." He rumbles to Ravenstongue, before his eyes properly open.

Before him, that white furred form. The singular tree amidst arid wastes. Then, Rune's visage. Harkashan grunts a bit. He'd been preparing for this moment of course. A deathsinger should challenge all death equally. Yet, when it is Rune, he can't bring himself to view it truly 'equally'. For he's seen the events that led up to her breath rather personally.

It leaves a big lump in his chest, and it takes a moment for him to speak.

At the edge of his lips lies the word 'sorry'. But he knows they've moved past that now. So instead, he closes his eyes, lowers his head, and lifts his posture, carefully starting to step forward. "I am here to stand by your side, as always." Harkashan rumbles.

Aelwyn's temper was hot and quieted very little when he saw the state of Rune. Teeth exposed, his body angling forward, it seemed as if he only needed a little excuse to stride forward with his glaive. The words from her makes him pause - but he still huffs his chest upwards and exposes his teeth at her. Or at the owlbear. Or at anything, really.

It was all he could to hold back his bile from what he just witnessed, and what he witnesses.

Aelwyn looks over and sees Slixvah and Harkashan then, a relief washing over him briefly. He tried to flash his teeth in less angry fashion at her. "Her ribbons are fine." He offers, before he turns. "This one shall now find very little mirth in that name." The Dragoon tells Rune. "Yet still here we all stand." His orange eyes then turn towards Harkashan, focusing on the larger male's back. "We all stand together."

The owl-bear continues to stand guard, gaze flicking from person to person as it seems to be watching for signs of danger or threat. When Slixvah's eyes settle on it, it fluffs feathers and gives a click of the beak in response.

The various looks of shock or worry are met with a soft exhale of breath from lungs that don't even seem to exist in this form. "In this place... I exist in the moment that I died. It's... probably related to why this place is quite so fucked." Her single blue eye looks to Telamon, then Phea, and she tilts her head, curious. "I don't know if this is such a place, but it would make sense."

When Harkashan steps forward, there is a moment of uncertainty in her expression, what little of it is able to be seen beneath the gore, "I know." She whispers in response. "I hate to make you go through this again."

Between Aelwyn and Cor'lana, however, she has enough support to straighten her posture a little, "We are together, and that's what matters. And... don't worry. I look like a right mess, but... it doesn't hurt." She explains.

The owl-bear gives a huff then, stepping to block one direction from the group. Even without language, it becomes obvious that the creature doesn't want them to go further. It seems to be puffing up in intimidation.

"I know you're trying to protect me... us. But you know where we need to go." Rune murmurs to the creature. The owl-bear gives a low growl in response, digging claws into the dirt.

Telamon straightens his shoulders, lifting his chin just a touch. Summoning his usual casual charm, the easy camaraderie that he tries to radiate. "I see," he says, and offers Rune a smile. "Well... I see no reason for you to -stay- like that. If nothing else, it'd be hell on your clothes. So why don't we get started?"

When the owlbear growls, Telamon looks at it with a certain amount of kindness. "We have to keep going. Unravel this knot, answer this riddle. You're a good friend, to want to protect -my- friend. But we do have to finish this. For her, and her mother."

GAME: Telamon rolls talky: aliased to diplomacy+5: (10)+34+5: 49

There's a lash of Harkashan's tail as Rune speaks of this place and her existence here being such a dreadful thing. He's of course understood that Rune's nightmares are a place like this. But there is a clear difference between imagining something, and seeing it in person. He is glad she has a protector within here though. The Owl-bear blocking their direction.

There's a moment where Harkashan picks up the term 'us' for a moment, but he doesn't immediately question it. Instead, watching the owl-bear, then looking back to Rune.

"It's alright. I've prepared myself for this." He answers Rune.

Slixvah gives a light smile at the owl-bear, her quietly chittering and clicking back at them. "Well aren't you just the cutest thing." <Auran>

She wipes off some blood blocking her vision as she watches Phea shift forms. Quietly noted for later. "I know they is," she grins at Aelwyn, her reaching out to put a hand on his shoulder to cool him off. "We are together, and tha's what matters."

Looking a bit more relaxed (and sullen, after hearing the little exchange between Rune and Harkashan), she looks ready to press onward. "I'm ready too, Ruru. Ain't backin' down now. Heya big fluffy boi," she turns to the owlbear, getting down on her haunches and chirps, "Why don't you listen to the fancy lookin' guy here. You been doing lots of protecting, let us do a little protecting too?" <Auran>

GAME: Slixvah rolls handle animal: (4)+3: 7

Cor'lana smiles at the owl-bear, coming up to the feathered creature. "Hey, it's okay," she says softly. "It's okay. You can help us protect Rune by coming with us, right?" She reaches over to pet the owlbear.

GAME: Ravenstongue rolls Handle Animal: (14)+18: 32

Phea stares at the owlbear for a moment. Red eyes locking onto the creature. For a moment, one might wonder if she's contemplating doing something... werewolf-ish with the creature. Like hunting.

She reaches into her pocket, her form now fully settled from shifting from her more werewolf form to that of her humanoid self. She draws out... A bag of snacks.

"You get a treat if you take us," she says, grinning wolfishly. With her other hand, she sweeps back some of her hair behind a lightly pointed ear.

GAME: Telamon rolls knowledge/religion: (17)+13: 30

Aelwyn relaxes visibly at the touch on his shoulder and he turns towards Slixvah. "... this one is very glad for that." He rumbles quietly, before turning to look back towards the others; but his gaze was mostly focused on Harkashan and Rune. Damn place and its stupid floor. His tail lashes in irritation, as he slowly and carefully takes a step forward.

The fact that the owl-bear was standing in front of them though, makes the draconian narrow his orange slit pupils. He momentarily flashed his teeth at the creature - almost as if threatening it in turn. Yet the elves and the one egalrin seemed to have a handle on the situation, so he moves a bit closer. Instead, his tail taps at Harkashan's. "It shall be fine, Lava."

At first, the guardian continues to stand there, occassionally shifting clawed feet or rumbling a warning, but it is obvious that the creature has no intentions of actually harming them. One fluffy ear twitches towards the chirping sound from Slixvah, and that aggressive posture suddenly shifts as it tilts that circular head one way, and then the other, way further than one might suspect. It's the owl part, and it's slightly creepy. It looks at her and then huffs.

It takes a certain type of person to try to reason with an owl-bear, and Telamon is that type. The owl-bear turns attention to him, then pushes up a bit until partially standing, leaning so that the creature's large face is eye to eye with Telamon. That stare lasts ... too long.

That is, until someone is offering out snacks and it drops back onto forelimbs and sniffs at the offering from Phea, chomping down on the meat before blowing a bit of steam out of its nostrils. Hot stuff! The head turns to look at Aelwyn's flash of teeth, responding by chewing harder. It is not intimidated.

At the very least, it seems that this is the end of the bravado. With a huff, it accepts the affection from Cor'lana and then gives a begrudging grumble before starting to step in the direction it had previously been blocking, as if leading the way.

"Thank you." Rune finally offers, giving a nod to the others and falling in to step to follow the owl-bear. "Be careful where you step, sometimes the soil shifts and it covers the shards. And they get more dangerous the further from the tree you go."

GAME: Harkashan casts Angelic Aspect. Caster Level: 13 DC: 22

Harkashan nods at Aelwyn as he refers to him. "I know." He remarks as he takes a careful step or two forward, flames starting to wreathe over his body. Jumping from the singular large lavastone between his horns. The wreath of flames starting to form almost a cloak over his forms, lighting the ground with an eerie presence for a moment, as he offers his hand out to Rune and kneels before her as if he were asking for her hand in marriage.

"Will you take this flight with me?" He asks of her, looking up at her with those draconic-like Sith-makari eyes, as those strangely half-feathered half-leathery wings of his form from flame and divine power both. A strange mix of powers.

Telamon locks eyes with the owl-bear, not flinching away. Then he begins to speak, but in a soft, sonorous language, the warm tones cozy and welcoming even if one doesn't understand them. "I know you, guardian. You and I are of one mind. But we must travel on, for my friend's sake, as well as others. Please." <Celestial> He gently places his hand on the side of the owl-bear's head, scritching, before it harumphs and begins to move away.

At Rune's warning, Telamon furrows his brow, before his eyes light up and his lips curve into a smile at Harkashan's solution. "That, Hark, is an excellent idea. The rest of you, please step close to me... Phea, it's all right, but this will be easier than having to dodge those dream-fissures." Once everyone (barring Rune and Hark) is gathered around him, Telamon begins to chant in a soft voice, rising and falling, as a crackle of energy builds up around him. The scent of oranges, charcoal, and ozone, as flickers of corposant appear and fade around him. And then a shimmering sphere of hexagons unfolds, rolling upwards from the ground to encapsulate the group before fading. Apparently as insubstantial as a soap-bubble, but carrying the group easily as Telamon grins. "Lead on!"

GAME: Telamon casts Telekinetic Sphere. Caster Level: 20 DC: 27

Cor'lana clings to Telamon with the casting of the spell, laughing a little with Telamon's grin. "Quick thinking, love!" she says, leaning in and pecking Telamon on the cheek, before holding her other hand out to Phea. "Come on. We gotta stay together, right?"

She looks out at Harkashan and Rune, and those violet eyes of hers light up in joy. "That's so sweet," she murmurs.

Phea looks hesitant for a moment... But Telamon says it's all right. She offers them both a little smile, taking Lana's hand as she's beginning to feel the effects of being inside a sphere. "Wait til I tell my father about this," she says. The red eyes are bright as she looks between Cor'lana and Telamon. "He'd probably have loved to be here and see the both of you again."

GAME: Rune rolls will: (5)+12: 17

Slixvah flicks her hands to be rid of the blood magically as her feathers ruffle, dropping the shards away. A clean hand ruffles the owl-bear's head. "Thank youuu," she hums warmly as they start to lead the way.

She ponders at the warning, her thoughts brought to Harkashan as a soft 'awwh' leaves her. "Well tha's right romantic." The cute moment has her distracted. That is, until the scents hit, and she turns, "Huuh- woah momma--!!" The egalrin ends up sideways in the air, wings crooked and half flailing, ribbons smacking the closest person as she fails to right herself. Bird instincts failing. She ends up cackling in glee, ceasing fighting it as she keeps her awkward angle.

Aelwyn crosses his arms with a rumble. "Tch, show-off." He grunts in near-annoyance, before he grins. He gives Telamon a brief suspicious glance, but then shrugs his shoulders. He gets up on his toes and with bit of his confidence returning, neatly makes his way over - up until he is hoisted up in the air and out of balance.

Floating and trying to upright himself with his glaive - blade which he keeps close to himself - he rumbles. "Tch, little warning next time, keeper of the raven?" He calls out to Telamon - before he turns to face Slixvah. His tail slides out and then yanks at her feet, trying to correct her. "Careful, one should not become a flying projectile just yet!"

Or spin her around. He was not very good at flying or floating.

The moment of connection between Telamon and the owl-bear is fleeting, but powerful. The creature and the sorcerer coming to an understanding. Perhaps, accepting that Telamon is a guardian in his own right, and that even if the creature may disagree with this path, it is one that they must take.

Rune seems as if she will simply continue walking, as if she has been though this dry landscape thousands of times before. It may very well be the case, given her frequent nightmares.

Then, the flicker of flame has her turning her attention, turning towards Harkashan. The expression of his power is certainly dramatic, the flame-touched, angelic cleric and the dead-but-still living girl he is extending his hand to. "Why are you being so formal?" Whoosh. That is the sound of the moment going right over Rune's head. "But yes. Of course. I... don't think I can actually bleed on you, so it should be fine." So, she accepts the flight from Harkashan.

While the others have... other ideas. The spell is a clever use of magic, allowing the rest of the group to also avoid the threat, entirely. However, the owl-bear does watch their progress, likely drawn by the movement, the flailing of ribbons and colored clothing. One paw lifts up, as if it were about to bat at the 'bubble', but with another of those eerie head tilts, it slowly lowers it again and continues lumbering forward.

The distance of the journey could be mere minutes, but it feels longer in that way that dreams have. Their destination becomes clear soon enough, especially with most of the party floating above the ground. There is a huge, gaping chasm that opens up before them, hidden previously by the expanse of flat ground around it. The crack looks like the source of all the fissures in this place, with many of them radiating outwards from this central point.

"This is the place..." Rune explains, even as the owl-bear paces out a safe place to 'land'. The creature gives a worried sound, looking downward. "The memory we're looking for is... down there."

"It felt right in the moment." Harkashan answers her without missing a beat. Even if the moment goes over Rune's head, that doesn't mean he's any less happy to carry Rune with him. So as she lays her hand into his, he rises and takes her into his arms by lifting her into them. Blood or no blood doesn't really matter to him. Instead, it's his warmth enveloping her in that moment; Trying to push away the cold expression of her current visage.

With her lifted, he takes off, spreading those flaming wings. Taking his time to fly alongside the others. Flying at their side, occassionally looking their way to make sure they're okay as well. Letting time pass with his focus being on Rune.

"Thank you for being here with me." He whispers to Rune in-transit.

Once they get closer, his gaze slips down to the gaping chasm. The wound left within her body, her soul, her dreams. Starting to slow himself to begin the descent, following the Owl-bear for guidance.

Telamon seems unfazed by the effort of sustaining the sphere, the ball of force shimmering every so faintly as the group is carried onward. "This is not the fastest way to travel, but it's wonderful for sightseeing," he remarks cheerfully. Wrapping an arm around Lana, he gives her a kiss on the cheek in turn, and he chuckles at Aelwyn and Slixvah trying to keep their balance. "Relax! Maybe I should find a way to put handholds on the inside or something..."

When they reach the gaping chasm, Telamon can't help but shiver a bit. "Well, that's not a cheerful sight. Even out here on the fringes, that sort of wound is a bad sign." He glances at the others, nodding to Rune's instructions. "Alright then." Smoothly, the sphere begins to descend downward, a glimmering droplet of magic, force, and will as it descends into the crater.

Slixvah is yanked downwards, buffeting wings makes her corkscrew in the air as she ends up tailfeathers over head. "Bwuaha, Aelwyn!" she cackles. "Li' Telly says, jus' let it be!"

She catches the owlbear try and swat at the bubble- or her ribbons- and she pulls her wings in. "Uh uh uh, eyes on da road, silly!" she teases before watching the place land unfold around her as she shimmies herself slowly into an upright position. Fascinating.

Then, her eyes try to adjust to the chasm. Bird eyes constricting as she tries to spy the distance. "... well das a big boo boo," she quips cheerfully. "Ain't got nuff mojo fo' tha'. But! We can slap a lil' bandage all the way at th' bottom!" At least the provided ride means she wouldn't get tired wings from all the gliding.

Cor'lana similarly doesn't look the happiest to be looking down at the gaping chasm--a wound in the earth like that of the wound in Rune's chest and psyche. She frowns. "Dying... it must leave a little something on the soul," she says softly, before looking at Telamon meaningfully. "I mean, you were only gone for a little bit..."

She sighs, turning her gaze back on the chasm and Harkashan, whose blazing wings are ahead of the sphere. "I'd be amazed if there was anyone with enough 'mojo', Slixvah," she says softly. "Although we're supposed to go through a door in Rune's memory, so bandages will have to wait for us going in."

Phea is definitely holding onto Cor'lana's hand a little tightly. She eyes Telamon a moment--a blank gaze that turns a little seasick when the sphere starts going down. She ends up reaching for him, too, snagging at his sleeve, and she blinks when she realizes she's holding onto him.

"Oh. Umm. Sorry, wish-father?" She looks up at him not all that dissimilar to the young girl he'd met in the dream. Eyes full of hope that they could all be a pack, all be together one day. And... hope she can hold onto his sleeve like she's holding onto Lana's hand.

Aelwyn rumbled and grunted as he attempted to outright himself this time around, continuing to slowly rotate. His tail was doing most of the heavy flailing, but it seemed to do very little for his balance. "Let it be?" And then he yanks at Slixvah's feet again. "Now why would this one do that?" A flash of his teeth.

When the chasm appears, Aelwyn's eyes widen. He had no idea how any of this worked - but if that kind of devastation was within her... he shakes his head. "Twin did die," He says quietly. "Yet that is quite much of a nightmare to deal with." He clicks his teeth, but rolls his shoulders, upside down as he were. "Only way up is down, as they say."

GAME: Slixvah rolls alertness: aliased to perception+2: (14)+16+2: 32
GAME: Aelwyn rolls perception: (9)+1: 10
GAME: Harkashan rolls Perception: (17)+18: 35
GAME: Ravenstongue rolls perception: (15)+23: 38
GAME: Riptide rolls 1d20: (2): 2
GAME: Telamon rolls perception: (14)+33: 47

"I think that's supposed to be my line." Rune replies, her single, intact brow lifting. Even in this place, even looking like this, she still can find humor, it seems. Yet, as they draw closer to the chasm, there is a tension in her form. Living through this once is enough. "Once we're in there, try not to get drawn into yourself if you can help it." Rune warns him. "I have to re-live this, you don't."

As the group, either by flight or by sphere, descend into the crater, the owl-bear remains behind, looking over the edge and giving one last, somber cry as they go. Where they are going, it cannot follow.

The light fades faster than one might expect, quickly leaving the only light around them from Harkashan's flickering flames. The air around them grows cold, enough that they can see the mist of breath in the air. Down. Down. Down.

And then, just like before, between one blink and the next, they are no longer descending in the chasm. There is a feeling of solid earth beneath their feet, with the moist give of a forest floor. The smell of the Am'shere jungle comes fast into their noses, with the warmth and humidity a sudden change from the previous cold.

Their sudden arrival barely seems noticed by their surroundings. All present would hear the sound of people moving through the nearby woods. A group traveling, and not exactly being quiet about it. The party is largely Makari, a group of five in total, with the fifth being a certain half-sil who looks quite familiar. Rune, although this version does not have the dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep, and doesn't seem to carry the same weight on her shoulders. Beside her, a Harkashan that is lacking much of the volcanic fissures on his form, and without his characteristic heavy armor. With them is a large black-scaled Makari with an axe, a smaller green-scaled female Makari with the robes of a magic wielder, and a gold-scaled Makari carrying a set of drums.

The group is laughing, talking over what they will do when they get to the next village. This younger Rune nudges the younger Harkashan and tries to get him to laugh, but he has a serious case of resting serious face.

However, all is not well here. Those keen-eyed among these phantom visitors would see shapes moving in the shadows. Human forms in hooded robes, with the painted features of Charneth. The party of travelers is oblivious to their presence, but the Charneth watch... wait. Ready.

Telamon smiles at Phea warmly at her gripping his sleeve. "It's all right, Phea." Gently, he extricates his sleeve... but only so he can take her hand in his, squeezing lightly. "One day, we'll figure out a way. Somehow, someway. We'll figure it out. I have faith."

When the bubble touches earth, it fades, letting its inhabitants free as they watch the small group passing. Telamon's eyes widen a little, seeing the past-Rune and past-Harkashan, his head turning to look at their 'present day' counter parts. Then his eyes sweep across the Am'shere vegetation, pausing to mark out the forms of Charnethi skirmishers.

Telamon's eyes narrow ominously. "When you say 'don't get drawn in', Rune, does that include vaporizing random dream-spawned Charneth who really do have it coming?" His eyes glitter, stars flickering in their depths. "I really don't like them much."

Harkashan chuffs a bemused sound. "It's our line." He answers her. "Your family is my family. And this moment you must relive, that too is mine." He answers her as they descend, his wings spreading wide. Taking time to see what is changing around them. Down they go, but that halo of intense flame that comes from his wings grows heavier. Burning away at the cold air. Creating a pale stream around them that makes the wings look that much bigger.

Down further, and then, earth. Harkashan's feet touch the ground, and it carefully takes a few steps forward, before setting Rune down. And witnesses the moment before him. Seeing that more serious version of himself. So focused, wanting to protect Rune even back then. But lacking the power to truly do so yet.

Yet, the expression of Harkashan's face is one of nostalgia for a moment. "Our journeys and problems back then seemed so simple." He whispers to Rune, expecting to see her approaching herself. "Just remember... this is not the end. This is but a beginning. All of us are waiting for you on the other side."

Slixvah is spun again, no longer upright. "Whee!" she laughs before giving a single flap to right herself once more. "Gotta trust da mojo. No more playin'!" she cheekily chastises as the they pass the rim of the chasm. Her demeanor mellows out. The playin' was just masking all the nerves. "Yuh. If anyone did have enough mojo fo' dis, I'd be very worried who'd I'd be in the presence of. This is th' sorta thing tha' makes a really bad mark on ya. But, jus' like a razed land, things can grow here too ta heal da wound."

Down they go. A twang of her heartstring is plucked at hearing the baying protector from above. The lights go out. Chilly. She pulls closer to her friends, namely Aelwyn. And-

Ground? Slix's talons reflexively dig in to anchor as she spies the group moving. She can't help but smile. They all look like a fun group. Even mister grumpy. But the movement gets her gaze to narrow. "So is this one them- watch an' endure things so we can keep an eye out fo' dis door, or we gonna do a lil' FAFO?" she whispers to the gang.

Aelwyn manages to upright himself enough with Slixvah's not-help to flop onto the ground in at least some ceremonious grace, even if his fall was pretty non-ceremonious. Grumbling, he slowly starts to get up on his feet, before he touches the soil. "This is wrong." He rumbles, then glances around. Then a soft click and an 'ah' leaves his snout at the mention of Charneth, before he starts to straighten.

Wiping at his loincloth and backside, he looks at the advancing group. Then back at Harkashan and Rune, his lips twist into a smile. "Worry shan't for the aches of the future or the past; it is the heat of the moment that carries one." And then at Harkashan, sliding his hand on his hip indignantly. "... or wings of flame." He flicks his tail. Maybe a little envious.

Phea looks, in some ways, a lot like her father, despite her very pale skin, white hair, and red eyes. The sight of her eyes flooding with tears is a sight that is all too similar to other images, but it's paired with a smile, and she gives a little laugh. "We will," she says.

The tears turn out to be a boon, however. She sniffs the air and growls softly. "Whatever they've got... It smells absolutely foul. It's not just alchemical. It's tainted with dark magic--and it's deep in the woods. Where the other Leirune and Harkashan are going."

Cor'lana squeezes Phea's hand a little, smiling at the girl, but when she announces there's dark magic alchemy deeper into the woods, she frowns. "I don't know if I want to... I don't know what FAFO is, but I think I know what you mean."

"Fuck around and find out," Phea interjects.

"Language," Lana chastises flatly, like Phea's her own daughter. "Anyway... We're here for the door, right, like Slixvah said? What happens if we try to mess with the dream?"

The Rune who looks over her shoulder at Telamon is still the ruined form of herself, "Harkashan and I both exist in this memory. It's all too easy to let yourself become that past version of yourself and simply become the memory." She takes a breath, as if steeling herself, giving her friends one last long look, "That's what I have to do. As for the rest of you..." She smirks, "Light 'em up. I don't know that anything can change the path of the memory, but... fuck these guys. Give them hell from me."

Then, with a look to Harkashan, she reaches up and touches the side of his scaled face. "Maybe it was simplier, but I wouldn't trade our present. Never." And that is reassurance enough. "I'll... see you all on the other side. I hope." With that, as the others plan what to do about the looming threat, Rune simply steps forward, becoming trasparent as she approaches the party who is still obliviously talking amongst themselves. The moment she is close enough, that ghostly form of her ruined self, seems to be absorbed into the younger Rune. She is truly in the moment, now.

Young-Rune reaches forward to throw an arm around the smaller, golden Makari, since her attempts to amuse Harkashan had failed to hit home. Instead, she suggests in Draconic, "Come on now, how about a so--" And then, she seems to turn, cutting off her words, squinting out into the forest. Not in the direction of the visitors, but in the other direction. "Uh... guys?" And that is when an arrow strikes her in the shoulder, dropping the rogue to one knee.

Both the Charneth the group can see, and those that were further hidden in the depths of the forest begin to charge, catching the group off-guard. The party quickly goes for weapons, starting to cast spells, while Rune breaks off the arrow shaft and reaches for her own blades.

The battle has started.

GAME: Telamon rolls spellcraft: (20)+26: 46
GAME: Slixvah rolls spellcraft: (13)+18: 31
GAME: Ravenstongue rolls spellcraft: (20)+28: 48
GAME: Harkashan rolls Spellcraft: (2)+20: 22

There comes a time where a faetouched woman has the most ill-advised of things. An idea.

Cor'lana's violet eyes alight with a flash of inspiration. "Hold on, I've got it! I'll give you a distraction to look for the door!"

And then she runs into the fray, her robes of combat streaming with her as she runs on those high boots. Phea is wide-eyed as the woman breaks away from her. But the moment she steps into the group...

Her lips part. And a voice booms out.

"Be not afraid! I work by Her Divine Hand! The Shadow Sorceress sends me by divine provenance!" Cor'lana declares.

GAME: Ravenstongue casts Overwhelming Presence. Caster Level: 19 DC: 29

Phea blinks those red eyes of hers. "Mom, what the fuck are you doing!?" she whispers, turning to look at Telamon as though to ask if he signed off on this. "Are you going to follow her? If you do, I'll--I'll look for the door?" This is easily the most rattled Phea's looked all night(mare) long.

It's times like this that make Telamon's life -so- much more exciting. Lana's idea doesn't exactly -thrill- him, but it IS a hell of a distraction. As Lana charges forth, Telamon rapidly invokes two spells: one for flight, and the other a ward against mental intrusion. And the starborn sorcerer floats after Lana with a grin.

"Phea, help the others find the door. I'm certainly not going to miss my front row seat to this goblin orchestra." A pause. "I'm also not leaving my wife out there by herself, Charnethi or not..."

GAME: Telamon casts Overland Flight/Quicken. Caster Level: 20 DC: 28
GAME: Telamon casts Mind Blank. Caster Level: 20 DC: 27

"I will keep my distance." Harkashan promises, and touches the back of Rune's hand as she reaches for the side of his scaled face. Leaning in towards her, pressing the other side of his muzzle against her cheek. Eyes closing for a moment, the jingle of that painful reminder amidst his horns. A tremble of his hand that touches hers. A squeeze of his fingers around hers.

His eyes press close, and then open again. When Rune begins to step away from him, his hand lingers longer than it must. Fingers looking to hook for a moment, before releasing her to take this path she must walk. Stepping back into a memory that he wishes he could forget. But the Sith-makar do not forget. The memory of his people within his blood, and his collection held by Thirku.

He then looks to Phea and rumbles; "I will help search for the door. I ask you do not let me get lost in this memory." He bids to the small thing, offering a hand to her instead. Trying not to focus on the pained sounds of past-Rune. For her voice, every sound Rune makes, he's so intensely keyed into every single one of them.

GAME: Harkashan rolls Knowledge/Military Theory: (6)+5: 11

Slixvah giggles at Phea getting chastised, her flashing a subtle thumbs up in approval before her total attention falls on Rune. A slow nod. A glimmer of mischief in her eyes. "Oh don' you worry hon. You'll see us soon. Li' Hark said, this is jus' the beginning, the story is still goin' on."

And then she fades away to her younger self. Only to get shot. Her feathers ruffle and fluff, a familiar looking wavy dagger flashing in her hands before- her gaze is thrown into the depths of the jungles. Phea's warning coupled with this icky feeling. That'd certainly punch through her mojo. But Cor'lana rushes forth and- she has to tear her eyes away, wings beating as she hop jumps towards the group-memory getting assaulted. Lands in the middle of them, and a thread is plucked out of the air. Slix twirls it, turning it into a lasso. "Im scaa, se ut scaa!" Faster and faster, the thread blurs, until there is veritable dome of ethereal strand over the group. "C'mon, get up and at 'em!" she yells at the ambushed party. Helping with distraction duty.

GAME: Slixvah casts S4: Lesser Globe of Invulnerability. Caster Level: 10 DC: 19

Aelwyn starts walking up, twisting his neck and rolling his shoulder with a confident stride. Dreams, magic? Not his forte. Getting bloody and physical? Down his thing. His orange eyes flicker momentarily at Rune getting shot, but then he walks up at Harkashan and taps the larger makari on the shoulder. "Worry not, we shan't let you fall." He then thwaps the larger male's ankles. "Find that door, yes?"

And then the Dragoon holds up his glaive up in the air with the tips of his fingers, slowly twisting it in the air as if weighed nothing. The Dragoon himself strode into the mids of the battle as if it were nothing but afternoon walk - and then he brings down his glaive with a fearsome crack onto the ground. Poor glaive.

GAME: Aelwyn rolls intimidate: (9)+15: 24

One thing becomes obvious within those initial seconds where swords clash and arrows fly: This group of Adventurers are woefully outnumbered. Just how many is hard to tell. Three fall on the black-scaled Makari, and despite showing the most physical strength of the group, he is down even before the visitors make their appearance. Blood burbles from his mouth as he digs his claws into one of the charneth and bites down onto their neck even as his own blood starts to seep into the ground beneath him.

The green-scaled magic wielder starts to throw spells, most of them easily interpreted by sight, if not by incantation. These aren't powerful. It's telling - these Adventurers were not exactly the most skilled, which makes them easy pickings, it seems. Soon enough, there are two Charneth rushing the green-scaled sorcerer. The golden-scaled bard tries to join in the fray but an arrow comes in their direction and pierces through the drum, leaving them instrumentless. A look of panic is shot towards young Rune and Harkashan.

"Get to trees, try to put them between you and the archers." Rune calls, moving forward to slice the throat of one of the Charneth still stabbing at their black-scaled friend. At the same time, young Harkashan is weaving some kind of healing spell, trying to bring the fighter back from the edge of death. However, the spell is interrupted as one of the Charneth barrels into him, knocking the cleric down and standing over him threateningly. Rune tries to step in, but she is blasted across the face by a bolt of fire shot from one of the Charneth mages, leaving one half of her face a charred, bloody mess. The one standing over young-Harkashan is about to bring the blade down when...

The visitors make themselves known, and in a very big way. Aelwyn's display has the nearest of the Charneth backing up, surprised at the sudden appearance of a Makari they were not expecting. Two exchange looks, uncertain what to do about this change of situation.

Others stop in their tracks at the sight of Slixvah. It's quite possible they've never seen one of her kind before. That, and a few spells shot her way do nothing, leaving a couple of very confused Charneth spellcasters.

And then there is Cor'lana. It is hard to tell what those further beyond the trees are doing, but those in visible sight seem to stop and stare at her form. Some drop to their knees, turning away from their targets, including young-Harkashan. The fighting seems to be disrupted, at least in part. Most of these Charneth warriors aren't powerful enough to stand against this sort of magic. Not only the Charneth, it seems, but also a red-scaled Makari who runs from the trees and all but throws himself at Cor'lana's feet.

Following behind him are other Makari, who look distinctly confused at what they are seeing, but one shouts for them to fan out, to fight the nearby Charneth (who Cor'lana has left as easy pickings).

Cor'lana maintains her distinction as the distraction. She keeps hold of the magic that is affecting some of the people. Really, anyone can see the very, very bashful look on her face, although the magic will rather make that vanish beneath the veneer of divine presence. (Cor'lana wonders what divine bashfulness might look like.)

"Do not be alarmed, sweet children! Listen to the sound of my voice!" Cor'lana calls out. She has no idea what she's doing.

Meanwhile, Phea growls, shifting rapidly into the werewolf form that's only a bit taller than her normal self. Brilliant white fur envelopes her form. "I'll look!" she announces in a gruff voice, bounding into the fray and taking advantage of the distraction to try and find The Door.

Slixvah cannot help but falter as the green adventuring party is clobbered, her heart jumping to her throat from Rune's face being immolated. It distracts her so much that some of the spells that get blocked from her barrier pass through, missing thankfully, but a singed feather gets her attention back on maintaining it. The death was coming. That sickly feeling she felt deeper in the woods was just that. It could not be changed, it was immutable.

But damn did it feel good to fuck Charneth up. She grins as magic is fizzled out and deflected, even more wildly as they all but toss themselves at Cor'lana. "Keep an eye out for th' door, gang!" she calls out to her friends, spying more markari deeper in the woods. The urge to unleash death on the invaders is strong, and- wait. An idea.

Maintaining the ward with one hand with the dagger, her spare hand passes over her eyes. "Seey eys ithw ym ittel yee..." Find those golden threads. Maybe they lead to the door?

GAME: Slixvah casts See Invisibility. Caster Level: 10 DC: 17
GAME: Harkashan rolls Perception: (6)+18: 24

Harkashan touches his hand to Aelwyn's hip. "Thank you." He rumbles with a tone of appreciation. Still, something doesn't sit right with him as they circle the position. Looking at the slaughter he knows to come. At the failure to protect the lives of those around him. Why... just why were there so many of them? Their numbers do not make sense. Seeing it all from this vantage point is unreal though. It's like an outer-body experience. Seeing himself, yet not being himself. It's unnerving to say the least.

"The battle has only just begun." He warns the rest of them, pointing at the Makari that are appearing. "It's thanks to them that I managed to live." His head is on a swivel though. While he has said he's looking for the door, there is one thing he is also looking for; The sage that killed Rune. Following after Phea and thanking Aelwyn for taking the defensive posture allowing them to go unbothered for the time being.

It's easy to get caught up in the dream, in the past. And Telamon knows he can't stop what's coming. This... has already happened.

But that doesn't mean he can't vandalize it a bit. As Charnethi pause in confusion at the swarm of other heroes wreaking disruption among them, Telamon's hair starts to float around his face. "Vnimanie, vnimanie," he chants softly. "Lah mulan, sumug namgilima ilim." His hands cupped as if to catch water, but what's filling them is instead a kind of ghostly blue radiance. Ominous. Terrible. His eyes sweep the area around Lana, where Charnethi are trying to overcome the awe that has seized them. The powerful mage has not appeared, and so Telamon opts to... clear out the riffraff.

He lets the simmering radiance fall from his hand, and it bursts outward silently. Passing over his friends, and the makari harmlessly. But every Charnethi touched has time to let out a scream -- and then silence, as the energies turn them to ashen effigies which crumble at a touch.

GAME: Telamon casts Horrid Wilting. Caster Level: 20 DC: 27

Aelwyn slides the blade back towards himself - but he doesn't bother with such notions as stopping as the two of his combatants start to back away. He heard - then briefly saw - the rest of the party to start to take the fall, but he didn't pause to consider. It was one of the things he had been forced to learn. Once the fall begins, there is no turning back.

"This one has very little time for you," He hisses annoyedly at the pair - before he lunges forward and slices at the first; and then at the second with an unneeded twist of his hip and turn, before following with the motion to rest the glaive on his shoulder, hand on the middle of the haft. "So die."

And then they did! Aelwyn had a moment to consider if his gaze was really that deadly; before he sees all the rest fall to the magic.

GAME: Ravenstongue rolls Fortitude: (1)+13: 14 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Slixvah rolls fortitude: (15)+6: 21
GAME: Riptide rolls 1d20: (5): 5
GAME: Aelwyn rolls fortitude: (16)+12: 28
GAME: Harkashan rolls Fortitude: (11)+16: 27

Around Cor'lana, the Charneth under her spell begin to fall under the claws and blades of the Makari rescue party, which appear to be lead by a black-scaled Makari female, one who seems to be trailing along shadows in her wake. Some may recognize her as Kyfe, one of Harkashan's siblings. She seems to be the leader of this rescue party. She gives a snarl to her brother and pulls him to his feet.

The reinforcements of Charneth coming from the trees meet a similar fate, at the hands of Telamon's spell, crumbling away on the breeze, or falling into piles of ash on the jungle floor. It's an effect that may just look like it came from Aelwyn, to those who are not familiar with magical spells. Enough so that a few of the Makari give him very impressed looks.

But the door is nowhere to be seen... or is it? Slixvah can view those golden threads still attached to Rune, despite the fact that this is a younger version of herself.

There is little time to ponder that as the wave of dark magic seems to crest towards those gathered. A hooded figure approaches, the robes adorned with symbols that mark him as a very powerful magic user among the Charneth, and likely someone of quite high esteeme. When he spots the carnage, there is a scoff as he draws his hood back.

The man's head is bald, with intricate tattoos along his scalp. There is dark makeup around his eyes, with outlines of red that form along his cheeks and down along his jawline. It is a face that might have once been handsome, if it were not twisted by whatever magics he now calls. His eyes are colorless, sweeping over those gathered before settling on the younger form of Harkashan, where he stands next to his sister.

The younger Rune notices this, too. Everything else happens in an instant. A thin hand raises and a spell lashes out, crackling across the battlefield. It is enough to throw many of those present off of their feet, pushing them backwards off of the path and to the ground. Lashing like tainted, dark lightning, it arcs towards the young Harkashan.

Only for Rune to throw herself in the path... This is how that moment played out a thousand times in her nightmares. In Harkashan's most horrifying memories. The spell ripping through her body from the back, splattering the lava-scaled Makari in vicera as the half-sil falls sideways.

That feeling of dark magic seems to fade suddenly, leaving the Sage standing there, a look of anger and repulsion on his face. His empty eyes look from face to face, and then... he casts a spell and vanishes.

The fact that Rune is still conscious in that moment is a miracle. That younger version of Harkashan drags her head into his lap, but even his magic cannot bring someone back from this. Blood pours from her mouth as her eyes roll, her mouth open as if trying to find breath in destroyed lungs. Seconds. The half-sil has only seconds. And in those seconds, she looks up, bloody fingers trembling to reach for Harkashan's face, and they never reach it. Her head falls to the side, hand dropping limp.

But Slixvah... she can still see those golden threads...