OfDemonsAndPentaclesIndex SB: Aura/William: Of Demons and Pentacles Aura, with Gerard on her arm, and the Galla in tow, steps through the trump gate... ...and into Fiona's lab. Aura, Gerard and the Galla emerge on the far side of the contact into a large open space which is ringed by workstations that would not look out of place in a chemistry or biology lab. Further out from that ring, along the walls, are cabinets, bookcases, lockers and other storage devices, including a few menacing looking trunks. Inside of the magic circle that Aura has emerged into is Fiona, holding the gate with a smile. Her smile turns toward a keen eyed interest as the Galla is brought through. On the outside of the circle, watching with his hands on his hips is Lorius. He gives Aura a winning smile as she steps through, and a nod to Gerard in turn. Standing next to Lorius, with a more cerebral, patient look is his sister, Shannon. "Come out of the circle, the two of you." Fiona instructs. "Leave our guest in here for the nonce." "William is coming too, yes?" she adds to Aura. "That is the plan," Aura nods. "He has the other Galla in the sealed jar I trapped him in." Aura then gives the Galla a smirk and points to Fiona. "She's meaner then me." The Galla gives out a wail. Fiona and Lorius seem amused by the display. Shannon just looks at it with a gaze that might be even more iconic if she had a pair of rimless glasses on. She winks at Lorius. "Fancy meeting you here." Aura lifts her skirts and cloak so they don't disturb the circle, then daintily steps over the line to the side opposite his sister. Lorius rewards Aura with a grin. Gerard is already across with the long strides, taking a spot close to Fiona. He looks square-jawed at the center of the circle. [Aura} "Is someone with Mother?" Fiona nods. "Your mother is speaking with Random at the moment about all this. I was not invited to their deliberations. We've leave to get to work in the meantime, though." Aura nods to her then turns back to Lorius. "And Nick?" "If he did what I suggested." Lorius says "he's there representing your interests. If he isn't, unicorn knows what trouble he's gotten into, Aura. We'll have to follow the sound of disaster after this..." She laughs because it's true. "Or females screaming." Moments later William and Devaine walk through the gate. William is holding the sealed jar in his left hand, and his right hand rests lightly on his sword hilt. Standing in the center of the circle, William can see the array of Gerard, Fiona, Aura, Lorius and Shannon. And the Galla, of course, floating in its light cage above William and Devaine's head. The cage does seem to be visibly losing integrity, however, and rapidly. "My brother didn't specify what sort of seal you placed on the jar, Aura." Fiona says briskly. "William, best you place the jar down and you and your companion leave the circle quickly." "It's a Solomon's Seal," Aura informs her while watching the Galla carefully. At least that was what Lorius had called it when he had seen her using it in Atlantis. They called it something else. "A Solomon's Seal will do very nicely, Aura." Fiona says, with the tone of a teacher who has decided a student has passed the test. The smile she gives Fiona is pleased, but it turns smug when she turns it on Lorius. And then, with a pop of exerted force, the light cage around the Galla bursts in a shower of sparks that do not spread past the edge of the circle. William and Devaine are able to dodge the ones in their direction, but the demon is now free, if possibly confined to the circle, and descending toward the two of them. William laughs and spins low to the ground, setting the bottle down with his left hand, and coming out of the spin with his sword out in his right hand. The spin continues as he straightens, grasping Devaine around the waist with his now empty left hand, and lifting her off the ground. As his turn brings him to face out of the circle he gives her a toss, over the line of the circle and to the safety of the area outside Fiona's magic circle. The wail from Kirgal at William's move to put Devaine out of harm's way suggests that she was the target of his diving action. His spin brings him facing back into the circle, and his sword point comes up, as he firmly plants both feet and smiles up at the descending demon. "Just how foolish are you, Kirgal?" he inquires pleasantly. "Now is come your chance to show us." The demon arrests his descent, quarry out of harm's way. He takes a spot hovering out of the obvious range of William's blade and looks balefully at the group. Devaine shoots William a look of gratitude and looks up at the creature. Gerard crosses his arms and watches, unamused. Aura looks on with academic curiosity and a total lack of surprise. "Stupid creature," she chides. "Do you really think you can achieve anything in a room with some of the most powerful and ruthless sorcerers in all of Creation?" "This thing is *dumb*" Lorius says. "Aura, I think you should be insulted that you were sent imbecilic demon assassins." Aura gives the Galla a haughty sniff. "Never mind that, the creature can be dealt with now that it is free. Lorius, if you would distribute the instruments." Fiona says. Lorius produces small wands made of some sort of golden metal, each tapped by an hand-sized hexagonal antiprism shaped crystal of a cloudy blue color. He hands one to Shannon, offers one to Aura. and then in a lazy arc tosses something the size and shape of a baseball, but made of the same blue crystal, in William's direction. William catches it without taking his eyes off the hovering Galla. His sword point never wavers. Aura studies it curiously. "It looks like a miniature version of Kovikin's kraken staff," she notes. "Only prettier." "Mother has the best toys." Lorius says with pride. "Aura, Lorius, and Shannon will use the wands to draw the demon down." Fiona says, giving Lorius A Significant Look. "Point at the Demon and drag the demon down toward the sphere. William, you will activate the containment crystal once the demon is close enough. The crystals work on mental command and are attuned to arcane sensitives." "My brother and Devaine can stand as backup if this creature tries to force the ward and escape." Gerard gives a nod, as does Devaine. "Any questions? Otherwise, let's begin." Fiona says. Kirgal starts swirling upwards, away from William. With a sadistic little smile, and a little wave to the Kirgal, Aura points the wand as instructed and focuses her mind on her intent. William holds the crystal up and away from his body, with his fingertips cupping it. "Here boy," he calls out, and whistles. "There's a good fellow." Aura's concentration causes the orichalcum crystal wand to light up, producing a beam of the same color as the light blue crystal that tops it. This is joined by Shannon, and Lorius's beams, angling up and at Kirgal. Despite any perceived lack of intelligence, the demon does try to resist the light blue beams. Aura feels a tugging sensation as Kirgal tries to pull away. The demon might have had a good chance to get away if only Aura's strength were to be counted. Adding in two additional Amberites similarly armed, though, makes the conclusion a foregone one. Lower and lower the demon is dragged down. Gerard and Devaine are watchful and wary; Fiona watches the events like a benevolent and beatific aunt. Or at least, as benevolent and beatific as one of the most dangerous sorceresses in Creation can seem. Certainly, the Galla does not find the green glow of interest in Fiona's eyes comforting in the least. From Aura's point of view, the crystal at the top of her wand has grown brighter and brighter, to an almost painful glow. There is that physical tugging sensation, now extremely prominently displayed. Lorius and Shannon's crystals show similar reactions.And finally, as if to William's call, the demon, spirals down into range of the crystal he holds up and away from him. "Your turn, cousin." Lorius calls out to William impertinently. "Thanks, Jer," William calls out in response. "I would never have guessed." He extends the jewel towards the demon and says, "In you go, fellow." He reaches out mentally, willing the crystal to activate, without allowing the main portion of his psyche to come into mental contact with it. He doesn't suspect Fiona of ill intent towards him, it's just natural Amberite caution. Aura would have rolled her eyes at Lorius, but she was too busy concentrating on her task and observing the effects on the Galla. Kirgal continues to fight the encasement, every step of the way The demon bucks against Aura, Shannon and Lorius' wands, requiring Aura to keep that concentration for every last moment of the process. Finally, with William reaching out with his mind, the sphere glows, producing an aura similar to the beams emitted by the wands. When the demon encounters this field, it is quickly drawn to the surface of the crystal. Within moments, the demon is no longer visible--outside the crystal anyway. The crystal that William wields is still glowing, but there is a shadowy shape within the crystal now. A Galla shaped shadow to be precise. The shape swirls around in futility like a goldfish in a bowl. "Stand down." Fiona says briskly. "You can stop concentrating. Place the crystal in the center of the circle and step out, William." "Acceptable work, everyone." Fiona says with a smile on her face. William sweeps Fiona a courtly bow as he sets down the crystal, then turns and carefully steps over the circle. He sheaths his sword as he joins Devaine. "That was amazing to watch." Devaine says quietly to William once he has joined her on the edge of the circle. She has a crane like posture as she looks up and over at the sphere. William nods. "Aunt Fiona is the expert on all matters arcane," he says matter of factly. "No one better in all that is or ever was." "I think it might have been a teaching moment." Devaine adds. "After all, I didn't see *her* do anything. You four did it all. Or was that the point?" William chuckles. Aura drops the wand to her side and drops to one knee to look at the sphere closer. Then she shakes her head and looks up at Lorius. "It is almost a snowglobe after all." "A little more functional than decorative." Lorius replies. "One of Mother's Prisons. I'll tell you later where she got the idea from." Fiona rewards Lorius with a glare. She gestures, and the shadow in the crystal swirls around in a slowly increasing rate. This set in motion, she turns away. "This has been a most eventful several days, in an esoteric sense of course, hasn't it?" she says, looking at William and Aura and with a tone that suggests that she finds this no bad thing. William gives his aunt a grin in reply. "While we wait for the results of the centrifugal spell to conclude, perhaps you might fill in each other on the...strangeness each of you has brought to my attention." Fiona suggests. "And for the benefit of all here of course. Shannon, some refreshment. The Eiswein, I think. Lorius, collect the wands." "Sister." Gerard says, looking toward Fiona. Fiona gives a nod. "Yes. You're right, Gerard. Go on ahead up there." Fiona says casually before returning her attention to William, Aura and Devaine. "Uncle," William says with a nod to his departing uncle Gerard. Gerard gives nods to everyone, but reserves a smile for Aura before he heads toward the door. The doors swing open before he can touch them, and he departs. The doors quietly close behind him. [William] turns his attention back to Fiona. "I assume that in my case, Aunt, you are referring to the fact that a shadowling wizard was brazen enough to send a minion through a mirror into Castle Amber itself, in an attempt to kidnap my mother. Just one of several recent signs that Amber is not currently held in sufficient fear and respect." "Yes" Fiona says. "Which is of a piece with Aura's tale, I should think." Fiona looks at Aura. Aura looks affronted and angry at the reminder as she hands her wand to Lorius. "This is the second attempt on my person by Mahina Ledaal in an effort to get at my mother. 'I want her children, Lyorn. They will be brought here.' was what she commanded them 'Start with the daughter. Take Melcanthe with you.' The first was in Atlantis with those two shape shifters. Melcanthe escaped, Lyorn was captured and interrogated by Lorius and myself. The dagger they intended to use on me was one that would cause grievous pain to the victim. Lyorn is currently incarcerated in the Emperor's most secure dungeon. Unless Kovikin has decided to experiment on him since we left." Her expression darkens. "I rather hope he has. A race that devotes so much effort to discovering the breathtaking heights of sensory pleasures is also well versed in administering immeasurable pain." Lorius can't help but smile slightly. It's clear he is holding back a wider and deeper reaction. "These two..." she gestures to the globe and the jar, "..traveled to Amber with that woman, and came to the city from the encampment in Arden. Ledaal has already left according to Kirgal. "This is utterly unacceptable," Aura states with asperity. "Not only because it was an attempt on myself and my mother - and possibly my brother by this time, but also because House Ledaal's name was on that petition for redress presented by the Chaosian envoys in Court just this morning." Fiona cages her fingers as she listens to Aura's story. Noticeably, Lorius nods at various points of Aura's recollection. Shannon listens with rapt attention, as does Devaine. "House Ledaal is a jackal. That's why they tagged along, no doubt. The Rebmans would think they are a remora, living with and off of the sharks and manta rays of the major Houses. This is a rather ambitious rise in their profile for them. Their boldness in striking you and yours Aura, though, should be repaid." She nods firmly and mutters something in Atlantean that likely translates into 'damn straight'. "As far as Percival, your brother...both your brother, and my daughter for that matter." Fiona adds in a cool tone. "have been incommunicado for several days. I have not put my fullest efforts to reaching them. However, what you have told me, Aura, suggests that is a deficiency to correct, and soon." "And then there is of course the matter of correcting this overall impression that we have gone soft." Fiona says in a quiet voice. "I believe in a comprehensive and catholic approach and I am sure what we decide here will be accepted by my brother." "William, I believe you already have been commissioned at least unofficially to show the steel fist to this sorcerer, yes?" "There is some small chance I might make a man who dared attack my mother something of a priority, yes," William replies. "Good." Fiona says with satisfaction. "If you should find anything unusual in the aftermath, you will think of your dear Aunt, of course?" "But of course," William replies with a bow and a flourish. "Good" Fiona replies. "Lorius and I saw the entrance to House Ledaal in that shapeshifting bottom feeder's mind," Aura offers crisply. "As well as the ..pass code for entrance. I would be happy to owe someone a significant favor if they wanted to use that information to teach these repugnant and pretentious creatures proper respect." "I told Mother the passcode, of course." Lorius puts in, smugly. "Chaos is a bit more distant for an immediate slap on the muzzle." Fiona says briskly. "I can think of at least one or two family members that I could pass the information onto, if that is your wish." Fiona says. "If you don't want retribution to wait to take a personal hand in the matter, of course, Aura. It is unfortunate that his Majesty has deemed you to become an Ambassador to the fish, but we all must serve now and again." "In this matter, retribution should be harsh and swift, I think," Aura firmly states. "Even if I cannot take part in it. They are meddling with my Mother, and I don't want that to go unanswered - especially considering what she has already been through. It will give them airs and ideas. More then they already have. We also would not want others getting the notion that we're going to stand for this nonsense." William nods. "Their behaviour in court today was absolutely appalling," he says with an express of distaste. "I have seen declarations of war delivered with more style and grace than was shown in their petition to His Majesty. It is all of a piece. The Unicorn knows that I wish for peace and love throughout all creation, none more so, but one simply cannot put up with this lack of respect. It encourages incivility." "I thought the both of you might feel that way." Fiona says briskly with a smile. "That's why I am going to put someone I know is qualified onto the task." she adds. She looks toward her son. Lorius grins. "I'll scare up a cousin or three to help, Mother. Never fear. Between you and Uncle Random, not *every* cousin is going to be off being busy." "And don't worry..." Lorius looks at William and Aura. "if things get really *hot* and we need some support, I'll call for the Calvary from either or both of you." "Cavalry." Shannon corrects, almost absent mindedly. "I know what I said." Lorius grins. Aura shakes her head. "Awful." "I believe its done." Fiona says, looking at the globe. She walks into the circle and picks up the blue crystal sphere in both hands and holds it up. She says a few words, and a minute later, a corinthian styled column of marble 5 feet tall appears in the center of the diagram. She places the sphere in a slight depression on the top of the column, and turns toward the assembled group. "Come in." she says to William and Aura, and seems to indicate her children as well, who step into the circle first. "Let us all learn more from what has separated out. The process of contact is similar to the wands or the crystal." "Your apprentice can join us." Fiona adds to William. "Separated out?" Aura steps into the circle and eyes the globe curiously. "What exactly did it do to it?" William winks at Devaine and whispers, "Enjoying yourself so far?" Then he leads her into the circle to join everyone else. "Yes!" Devaine says breathlessly. "But now, its time to show what I know." Devaine says. She sounds slightly nervous as she enters the circle behind William. "Aunt Fiona appreciates cleverness and skill," William says softly, "But she has no patience with grandstanding. Keep that in mind." "Yes" Devaine says, quietly in a tone of agreement. "I shall." "To answer Aura's question." Fiona speaks to the group at large. "Demons can, in some ways, be considered a composition of arcane forces and physical laws, bound together by mind and memory. What the centrifuge spell has done is to pull out the impressions and knowledge the demon, the mind and memory, and separated those out into a layer in the liquid that we can delve into by mental contact. In essence, we can read its thoughts." "Oooo....," Aura responds with a spark of interest and understanding. "Very clever. And much neater then what I expected." Fiona nods. "It also has the advantage of being educational." Lorius grins. "This process caused permanent dissolution, but you were kind enough, Aura, to provide us with two demons. And I believe the Galla's insolence and indolence warranted this destructive transformation, don't you all agree?" The Atlantean sniffs in response. "The accursed thing was trying to kidnap me. It gets what it gets for its daring. I never promised it its freedom or its life." William nods. "It should be well known what the penalty is for so insulting those of Amber," he says gravely. "If it is well enough known, we will not have to apply the penalty often. And that is to everyone's benefit." He considers the gem for a moment, then asks, "Is there anything left of the demon's personality or will? Is there any risk to delving into its memories?" "There would be risk, even given this changed state." Fiona says. "for those weak of will or those who have no experience with arcane matters. If we were to test an average subject of, say, the Prime Minister of Begma, their exposure to the memories might cause them to believe that they were themselves the demon, now trapped in a human body, and act accordingly." Devaine looks a little pale. She looks at William and then Fiona. Fiona looks at William. "You of course are the best judge of your apprentice's capabilities. I submit, however, that those weak of will generally find spending any time in my laboratory, thanks to the ambient fields present, to be too much to bear." "I have no doubts of her will," William answers immediately. "She would never have gotten as far in the Black Tower if she were weak of will or unsure in her own sense of self. The greater Reality is new to her, but she has adapted quickly, as I knew she would." It's tentative at first, but Devaine manages first a nod, and then a smile at William's words. She faces Fiona. "I wish to participate." "Very well." Fiona says. "If there are no more questions...then it is time to enjoin the procedure. Hand on the crystal and concentrate." Fiona says nothing more, as she takes the initiative in performing the procedure first, allowing the small palm of her left hand to make contact. After a moment, Shannon does the same. Lorius gives William and Aura a winning grin and does the same. William nods to Devaine, then reaches out and touches the crystal with his palm. He opens his mind, without in any way relaxing his guard. Aura good-naturedly rolls her eyes at Lorius. She slips off the rings on her left hand before laying it against the crystal as indicated. As both Aura and William (and with William, Devaine) touch the crystal, and open their attentions, the laboratory slides away from sight in a direction that is not one found in three-dimensional geometry. From the opposite vector in that multidimensional Hilbert space, a new image comes into view. To Aura, and William, they appear to be suspended within that new image. A dark storm. A dark storm whose main colors are dark blue, and varying shades of grey running toward pure black. And lightning. A lot of lightning, in sheets coming at angles in more than three dimensions. With the illumination of each lightning burst, Aura and William can see their compatriots. floating in this space. And within each lightning burst, Aura and William can see images. Thoughts. Memories. A view of the outside of a House of Chaos. Of a garden of tangled trees. An image of Deirdre. An image of a beached paradise. A view of a tall grey haired woman. The images repeat, and change with each successive invocation to these, and many others. A force of will might move and turn one's attention fully into one, to see what might be seen within the burst. Aura zooms in on the image of her mother. No one has offered an explanation for why the Lady of an upstart House is so interested in her mother. She would like to find out. As Aura zooms in, she feels herself enveloped by the image, which turns to be a memory, or a crafted vision. The still image of her mother holds for a few moments. An image study, a character study. One might draw her mother from such a held image, or have her image indelibly remembered by the freeze frame. And then it changes. The scene changes to a wild colored sky on a barren plain, and a Great War. The image focuses on Deirdre, wielding her battle axe with a gleeful abandon, dealing death to all around her. Demons of a purple skinned hue fall before her, and then she leaps to face against a man with blond hair, graying at the temples. He says something, unintelligible. Whatever it is, Deirdre ignores it, and with a flurry of axe blows that the man provides only a token defense again, she kills the man, with a well placed axe blow that cleaves the light scale helm and splits his skull from the top to the level of what was his nose. The scene turns to shock and horror on the part of more blond haired figures, who back away as Deirdre, with a bloody axe, stalks toward them next. And then the image fragment ends, and Aura is returned to the storm. William's attention is caught by the image of the grey haired woman, and his eyes narrow speculatively as he concentrates upon her. And, too, as William concentrates, he too, finds his attention enrapped by the Grey haired lady. The scene with the Grey haired lady holds for a moment. The trappings of nobility, Chaosian nobility, are clearly upon her. The staff and ring gleam in the image, the eye drawn to the sapphire in the latter, and the polished black material of the former. And then the image animates. The scene is a receiving room of some kind, with a view beyond the Grey haired lady to a balcony on a bleak looking cliff under an iron colored sky. She is speaking with a black haired woman. "She violated the rules of engagement and war." the black haired lady speaks. "Under the laws of the Courts of Chaos, retribution is mandated. Furthermore, since she has done this so egregiously, formal Vendetta is not indicated, and any children or descendants of the murderess are declared open targets." "I concur." the Grey haired lady responds. "She should be dealt with. We'll put Lyorn, and Melcanthe, and a few Galla such as this one here to the matter. Perhaps other resources as well. By the Nine who Founded, we cannot permit such impertinence to continue. Better she had not returned from the Abyss. But now that she has, Deirdre of Amber must be brought to task." And then this image, too, ends, and William finds himself, or his attentions, back in the storm. William and Aura can see and sense the presence of each other, nearby. Lightning still flashes across the storm, though. There is no sign, though, of Lorius, Fiona, or Devaine. William concentrates, and wills his awareness within the storm to move "closer" to Aura. "Can you sense the others?" he calls to her. "I cannot." Intent and desire seem to rule here, and William manages to slide himself toward Aura with an application of will. He soon finds himself next to her, the secret of moving within this storm unlocked by his application of concentration. "No," she replies. She looks puzzled at what she had seen, but then she focuses on William. "Lorius is the one I know best. Let me try and find him." And she turns her focus on sensing him through the storm. Aura's concentration works a little different than William's experience. Rather than being moved through space, virtual or otherwise, Aura's concentration leads her to turn her head and attention toward one of the lightning flashes, some distance away on one of the four-spacial-dimension axes. It is, in fact, the largest of the lightning flashes out of the ones in the vicinity. The flash does cycle between a couple of choices, but the flash keeps returning to the image of a view of the outside of a House of Chaos. And as Aura concentrates, within the scene can be seen Lorius, Fiona, and Devaine, as if part of the scene, or captured within it. While Aura looks about William continues to watch the lightning flashes, observing the scenes within with interest. The scenes with Deirdre, the Grey haired lady, and the other scenes already seen cycle in the lightning flashes here. However, since they have moved, or perhaps because of the time, other images flash from the creature's momory. Most have as little context as the strange garden, but then there is one striking one, of a sea of tents on a field. And a blond haired cousin of William's, apparently treating with the Chaosians. Brieanne. William raises an eyebrow at this, and concentrates on that flash. He wants to see more of this meeting. The meeting is more of a contact and observation than an actual discussion between the demon and Brieanne. However, it does seem the demon was instrumental in observing Brieanne... William watches Brieanne sneaking through the camp, using some stealth skills to maneuver her way past tents and through guards. William also gets a glimpse of the Chaosian envoy, Kennard, in the process of Brieanne's sneaking through the camp. The demon was awfully close, though, giving William an intimate and close up view of Brieanne's abilities. Brieanne does finally disappear out of view of the demon, near one of the larger tents, in a telltale rainbow light of a trump connecion. Not long after that, however, the entire camp is in an uproar, Chaosians of various shapes searching everyone, including the Galla, whose viewpoint shifts to flying up and down corridors between the tents of the caravanserai. And then the memory ends. Aura frowns. She can't think Fiona would be captured in a memory. But she focuses her mind on Lorius specifically to see if she can get his attention by calling his name through her mind. //Lorius...// The mental contact with Lorius goes through, loud and clear. And responded. During the contact, the flash remains frozen, and Lorius, Fiona and Devaine visible within it. //Hello, Aura!// he says cheerfully. //We're still plumbing the depths of this one. You're done early with the one you chose? A short memory?// he asks in response. //Yes. But I didn't understand it, so I think I will return to it. I was just curious as to how this works. Later, I shall make you sit down and explain.// //Of course you will// Lorius says agreeably //Mother does sometimes have a sink or swim strategy with education. I have a somewhat different approach. But you knew that. You have to admit, though we're learning all sorts of things about the House that one day will formerly be known as Ledaal// //How's our cousin Aramis doing?// he adds. //Or is it D'Artagnan?// he adds, laughing. As the memory in the shard he is watching ends William nods to himself. Then he glances around, and says to Aura, "I am going to try to find Devaine. This is somewhat new for her." He concentrates upon Devaine then, using the dreamwalking lore he has learned to will himself to wherever she may be within this memory realm. Aura nods to William and turns back to Lorius. //Tsk. Be nice.// She scolds lightly. //I am going to look for more.// //Happy hunting, cousin// And with that she turns her concentration back to Deirdre's scene to see what else she can get out of it. With the idea that more can be done, Aura can wait for the reappearance of the scene with her mother, and delve into it, once again. The beginning of this process is similar to her past experience. The image study of Deirdre, a memory of Deirdre for the demon to think on. And then the image changes, like last time, to the battle. The scene focuses on Deirdre, fighting the Chaosian troops, demons and others alike. Then comes the encounter with the blond, greying hair. Perhaps its Aura's intent this time, or perhaps its the fact that she is seeing the vision for the second time and can pay attention better. It seems as if the conversation, quick and unintelligible the last time, this time is slow, and understandable. "Halt, Barimen! I am Tarquin, the Gaius of House Ledaal. Under rules of combat and war, I challenge you to unarmed and unarmored single comb..." And then comes mother's rain of axe strikes which in the end undoes the life of Ledaal. Again, perhaps because of intent, the image continues, and lasts longer. This time, Aura is privy to the the blond haired figures as they whisper amongst themselves. "She has killed the Gaius!" one of them is heard to say. "Without honor! Murderess!" They back away as the bloody minded and bloody-axed Deirdre approaches them. And the memory ends. Again. While she still believes that they got what they had coming to them for trying to start something in the first place, Aura can at least see what has them all worked up. She couldn't get too dismissive of a warrior code; both her parents were warriors after all. Now, there was something about a beach she wanted to look at. Aura turns her attention to the flashes of lightning to find it. In the meantime, William's dreamwalking lore does translate to this storm of memory. Inside of the same lightning flash in which Aura just communicated to Lorius, William plunges, and finds himself in a large, cavernous hall. At least it looks cavernous and typical, until a look up reveals that the ceiling , right above William's head, seems to be a floor. And, standing on that 'floor on the ceiling', looking around, is Devaine. Not looking upwards at the moment, she seems at the moment quite unaware of William's entry. Also on the ceiling are Lorius, and Shannon, their redhaired heads extending into space upside down, like human lamps. On William's orientation and floor, however, studying a mosaic on the floor, is Fiona. She looks up as William appears. She smiles slightly. "Now this." Fiona says as she turns to regard William "is even more unexpected than Lorius' mental contact from Aura. We seem to have a pair of prodigies." she adds with satisfaction. "La!" William exclaims with a wave of his hand. "Beginner's luck, Aunt, I assure you." He looks down at the mosaic. "What have we here?" he asks. "We have here the room in Ledaal." Fiona says brightly. "My children, and your apprentice and I are searching the demon's memory of the House for two things. Tactical reconnaissance, for when a strike back is done. Knowing the terrain will help." "The other thing, and if you want to stay and help." Fiona says with a waggle of her fingers "is that we're looking for the way to Ledaal's Cuatro de Oro. Getting a look at the way to that would be as useful as, say, knowing the way to the Pattern Room." William nods thoughtfully. "If the demon was ever allowed near it, then certainly that would be a memory of high import to it," he says. "Given that a Cuatro de Oro is often used as a site to bind demons" Fiona says. "It is my hope that he remembers the way." William looks around the memory of the chamber. "It would seem to me that in its memory of the House, the way to it would stand out more starkly. Some parts of the memory should shine more brightly, seem to live with more import. Does anyone see anything of that nature?" "This is why Uncle Random pays him the big bucks." Lorius says "*You* didn't think of it." Shannon says softly, looking up. "Those two can be a double act." Devaine says, almost sotto voce, to William "Hold on." Fiona says. "Let's try something based on William's idea." She concentrates, and the palette and feel of the memory starts to change. William, with his abilities, can feel that Fiona is doing something not too far away removed from dream manipulation. What she is doing is memory manipulation, changing the look of the memory around them. The manipulation seems to be dulling the memory, making most of the details darker, murkier, and less interesting. This loss, however, means that the truly important parts of the memory stand out by contrast to the less useful portion which fade into darkness, inchoate. The major doors to the room, seem to stand out much more than the dying details. None of them feel right to him, though. Still, William sees it, above his head, a square section of the floor/ceiling which, compared to the more indistinct regions of the ceiling, still stands out, gleaming, inviting, and well worn. William waits for the moment, content to let someone else be the first to notice it. He has already drawn a bit more attention to his arcane abilities than he is fully comfortable with. William is pretty sure that at least Fiona's spotted it, but she says nothing for a moment. Instead her gaze trails toward Devaine, Lorius and Shannon in turn. Devaine starts to speak, looks at William and remains quiet. "There, near William." Shannon says quietly, pointing. "Clearly well used in the memory traces." Shannon's descent from the ceiling to where William stands is remarkably similar to a Rebman water dance, as she leaps off of the ceiling, twisting so that she is feet down at the midway point. Like a quiet librarian who sidles up a corridor between stacks, Shannon quietly floats to the floor near William and the door. "All this is a test for you." she says softly to William and then heads to the door in the floor "Ah," William says under his breath, "But who says I wish to pass?" "Who says you will be allowed to purposefully fail?" Shannon responds. "Even I couldn't dodge Mother forever." William smiles and shakes his head slightly, but says nothing in response. After a few tries, the trapdoor opens, revealing a corridor filled with a yellowish light. Shannon stands at the edge as Lorius flies down to the site, Fiona comes over and Devaine takes a longer route involving a use of the far wall as a bridge between the floors. "Coming?" Fiona says with a smile, as Lorius climbs down into the narrow tunnel. William awaits Devaine's descent, and offers her his arm. "What do you think of our little adventure so far?" he asks quietly as they follow Fiona. Devaine gladly takes William's arm once she arrives at the shaft's entrance. The gallantry is especially useful as well as chivalric since the passage down does not have the good grace to be well laddered. In point of fact, aside from floating (as Lorius seems to be doing), the only good way down is by means of handholds carved into all four sides of the passage. Shaft might be the more accurate term. "Baffled, befuddled and enlightened" Devaine says. "I had no idea that the arcane arts, outside of my home...my shadow, I guess is the right term now, could be so complicated and diverse." She pauses a beat. "You have *years* worth of things to teach me. Not that Kiathas and Valric would want anything to do with any of this." "It's always been that way, has it not?" William answers with a quiet laugh. "We share our martial pleasures with them, and they magnanimously overlook our more esoteric endeavours." "My guess is that when you get one of your martial aunts and uncles to lead us around something appropriate, they will be insufferably pleased." Devaine responds. Down the shaft, Devaine and William can make their way down a twisting shaft. Although there is a lateral component to it, in general the shaft just goes down, down and down. As William reaches what looks like the end, a golden glow presaging the opening, a hand shoots into view. "Grab hold of me, and take hold of Devaine." comes the voice of Shannon. "We don't want you or your friend to fall." There is another dizzying perspective change as the exit through the bottom of the shaft turns, with Shannon's helping hand, into instead standing at the base of a tall, narrow room that looks like its hundreds of feet tall. The golden glow comes from a dizzying array of line designs on the dark blue colored rock that the room is made of. Lorius and Fiona are moving very carefully on the base of the room, stepping as to avoid stepping on any of the lines. It also seems that they are purposefully not paying attention to William, Devaine and Shannon, focusing on the auric colored designs on the rock. "Golden Room." Shannon says quietly, gesturing around with a hand. "Not even with the Chaos connections we have do we usually get a look at a Locus like this in a House's Ways. The Galla must have been summoned, created or bound here. That's what Mother is after." "Fascinating," William breathes. He tries to get an overview of the tracing, to find a pattern in its seeming chaos. "It's but a memory, surely, and not a true threat to us?" "Probably not." Shannon says. "On the other hand, memories can be powerful things. Especially when are within them." William is not sure what or how Shannon's brother and mother are studying the design. HIS study of the design, once Shannon moves away and gives him and Devaine time to do so, is illuminating. He's seen the Pattern in its full glory and is intimately familiar with its design. The Pattern is, in the end, a two-dimensional design. This design, as William tries to get a sense of the pattern, is three dimensional. He can't see the parts that go into the stone, not from here, but as his eyes try to make sense of the whorls, whirls, curves, arcs and angles, its clear that the real design goes into and out of the stone. The longer William tries to make sense of the design in this way, the more it becomes clear to him that he could follow a single path, or more than a single path, around the entire room. "What do you see when you look at it?" William asks Devaine, his eyes continuing to trace the path of the golden design. "It's a tangle" Devaine says quietly, almost reverently, as she regards the design next to William. "Its...there's a sense of order to it, isn't there? Even in all of this mess, if I could only trace it out properly..." its clear that she hasn't quite divined what William has, yet. Judging from the movements of Lorius and Fiona, they either have replicated William's efforts independently, or have found their own key to the puzzle. Only Shannon remains unengaged in the desire to trace out the uzzle. And as far as William's efforts, as his eyes trace the design, in and out, he gets flashes, disjointed but each of them clear. Within this mental landscape, within this spot within the mental landscape, layer upon layer upon layer, these flashes are a series of images. Not fragmented, but still life shots. Images that suggest that the memory of the demon's own birth--no, Creation! lies within the lines. But is William willing to undergo the hopefully slight risk of finishing the design to get all of the details he can? William chuckles as that thought occurs to him. This is a challenge, and he's never been one to step back from a challenge. "Spot me," he tells Devaine, "I am going to attempt to apprehend it." "Are you sure about this, Guillaume?" Devaine says. And then she shakes her head. "Of course you are." she says. "All right." She puts a hand on William's shoulder. And he focuses his mind on the task of following, completing, and comprehending what he has come to think of as the Golden Patternette. In walking the Pattern, at least when William has walked it, the Pattern has evoked memories from William's past, imagery, thoughts, evocations. When William follows the Patternette, instead, the fragments of the creation of the Galla demon are a fully realized and formed set of images. The first few images are abstract, difficult to contemplate, and make it hard to follow the line. Perseverance allows William to proceed, and as the images resolve into three dimensional shapes and forms. Clouds, mists slowly coalesce. Arcane fields of some sort fuse this material together. As William continues to follow, grok, and comprehend the Patternette, the creation of the Galla slowly falls into place. Three quarters through what he thinks is the full length of the design around the Golden Room, the creation of the Galla, in his mind becomes realer and realer as the memory of the power of the Golden Room's design imprints on William. William begins to see the creation from a new perspective. It is as if its William being reforged. Dimly, he can feel Devaine's hand on his shoulder, shaking it, and her voice is like a soft whisper. A soft whisper compared to the beauty, the absolute knowledge, the reforging that must lie at the end of this design. Fascinated as he is by the Golden Patternette, and as vulnerable as he is to the twin lures of beauty and knowledge, still he is William, son of Florimel, and no one reforges him without his consent. He frowns unconsciously as his eyes and mind continue to travel the design, and then, deep within him, something cries out in anger and warning, and without thought he brings up the mental image of the Pattern, the true core of Order, the anchor and skeleton of his soul, and he holds the Pattern in his mind against the dream images of the Patternette.... The image of the Pattern, forming in his mind, is as almost as opposed to the Golden Patternette as it is to the Logrus itself. The reforging of the three dimensional memory image of the Golden Room's design does not immediately fall before the Pattern, however. This memory is more tenacious than that, desirous of trying to forge, influence, infect(?) William, Pattern or no. Mind to mind, an image of the Pattern, powered by the real imprint inside William, is ultimately superior. Would the real room be even more powerful? It's hard to say. This image, this memory is powerful enough that it makes the struggle if not in doubt, at least protracted. The result of the turbulence of the struggle thrusts William not only out of the memory of the Golden Room and its alluring design, but out of the mental space of the Demon itself. William's eyes open and his awareness is back in Fiona's lab, standing before the sphere, no longer touching it. Although Aura's eyes are still closed, as are Lorius', the eyes of Fiona, Shannon and Devaine, in that order, are slowly opening and recovering. "Lorius will see that Aura returns." Fiona says briskly. She regards William. "Any aftereffects, as far as you can feel?" "No desire to destroy reality and recreate it in my own image, if that's what you mean," William replies automatically, while mentally poking around inside his head for residual effects. "Nor a compulsion to bow down and worship the Lords of Chaos." A quick check of William's mind shows no lasting aftereffects on a macro level. Even as he speaks to Fiona, no, there is no lingering desire to emulate Uncle Brand. There is no desire to become a scion of House Ledaal or anything else on a gross level. On a smaller level, a check around the mental processes does show a lingering, if minor, desire to go solve a labyrinth or a maze--any labyrinth or maze, not particularly the one in the Golden Room. Its only a minor compulsion, though. "I would not have characterized it quite in that manner" Fiona says, as if knowingly giving William those few seconds to do a mental inventory. Devaine has sidled up to William and put a supporting hand, briefly, on his forearm. "Still, this is useful data for the eventual strike against Ledaal. Their locus of power is potent enough that an afterimage could cause you some discomfort. Preferably." she smiles "very brief discomfort." William answers her smile with one of his own. "What I have learned," he says, "And this might be a lesson to pass on to any of the Family who might encounter such a thing, is that it is a temptation and a danger, and unless we have your skill, Aunt, or your son's hubris, we'd be better off summoning up the Pattern and trying to destroy it immediately, rather than attempting to understand or master it." "Hubris." Fiona looks at Lorius, still connected. "You say that as if he would consider that some sort of insult. He'd take it as a mark of pride." "Exactly." Shannon says quietly. Devaine, still next to William "Pride, the Amberite sin," William says, with a smile. "Still it must be said." Fiona continues with a nod at William's response. "your advice is well taken. Paid for in hard coin." she says. "I'll put in a good word with your mother, and the King, about this." Fiona says. "Unless you would rather that I don't." "Wherefor would I prefer such a thing as that?" William asks innocently. Fiona smiles. "Oh, I suspect that his Majesty may not have appreciated the risk, however slight, of this expedition before casting you out onto the paths of the Golden Circle on his errand. Second, your mother may not appreciate such risk to your person either." "And..." Fiona adds. "I suspect that in addition, your Mother might perceive this as an attempt to move you factionally. Not that I have any desires to build a new coalition at this time." William shakes his head, still smiling, "I truly do wish that you three sisters got along better," he says. "You can accomplish so much when you work together." The smile slips away, to be replaced by a small frown, and he adds, "Speaking of which, have you had an opportunity to examine Deirdre since her return?" "Rivalry makes us better people, but it puts us at odds." Fiona responds. "As far as the matter of Deirdre, I have managed to talk her into a short interview. Not a full examination, we are still talking about it. Which may be more than anyone had reason to expect at this stage. I did learn a couple of things." "I take it, William," Fiona continues "that you are referring to the aftereffects of her long incarceration in the..." "Ah." Fiona pauses her response, gesturing toward Lorius and Aura. "Aura is rousing..." --- In the meantime, the vision of the death of Tarquin done, Aura's attentions return to the storm, and the lightning flashes within it. More images flash through the lightning as Aura searches. Some of the images from her and Lorius' study of Lyron Ledaal also show up here, in various forms. There is that blue, rectangular object with the door again. The long black road in the grey landscape. The room with the skein of swords. And of course, images from the previous cycle as well. But finally, the stark, white sandy beach that she saw in Lyron's mind, and, not coincidentally, she is sure, saw here not long before, comes to mind. It's clearly, even before she decides to step through or not, a beach in her homeland. Atlantis. A flair of white hot anger flashes through Aura the instant she recognizes the beach. She curses colorfully in Atlantean as she steps through into the memory. The Harbor Master would have blushed to the roots of his bronze hair if he had heard her. She knows she can't actually kick someone's backsode for this at the moment, but she is certainly looking for a fight, and that damned Galla best be glad Fiona has done her magic on him. Aura's retribution would have been much longer and much, much more painful. And into the memory she goes. The perspective is rather odd for Aura, and it takes a moment for Aura to realize that the demon is, for lack of a better word, being *worn* by someone in some sort of fashion. Its not clear immediately who is doing so. Who this person is, however, is clear, since the image of Lyron Ledaal swims into view. "Our plan remains in effect." the bearer of the Galla says. "We have to act quickly, now. She tells me that we cannot dally here and risk losing the trail of the party traveling to Amber. We act boldly and capture her familiar as prelude to capturing her." With that, the focus switches to a glass that the bearer of the demon pulls out. Reflected in the glass is a very familiar visage. Aura's own. "This will do, Lyron." the woman says. "I have all I need to get the lizard." "Melcanthe?" the man says. "Won't HE set off alarms, if these Atlantean witches are as good as they might be?" "Good point." Melcanthe replies, with obvious reluctance. And then, she speaks into the air. "Sleep, now, demon." the woman who has been glamoured to look like Aura says, as she looks into the mirror. . "If you are awake, the sorcerers here will sense you. Sleep, and await my call." And the scene fades away to nothingness. "Son of a diseased goat!" Aura hisses in frustration. "Not that it worked for you any way." But there was nothing more to see if the blasted thing was asleep. She narrows her eyes. It wouldn't have remained asleep and it wasn't long before the woman was sent running. She decides to wait a bit to see if anything else shows in this strand. Will seems to help dictate content. The passion of Aura's frustration, and her focus on the events in Atlantis has, after a few moments of ordinary cycling, a direct effect on the strand that she has focused upon. The opening image in the beach strikes again, and then, interspersed with the beach, a new image appears as a possible memory to enter Its clearly the city of Atlantis, and not far away from Aoenas's glass shop.. The image only lasts a few seconds and it is definitely not in heavy rotation compared to the beach and others, but with Aura's concentration, the entree is now potentially possible. Drawing on a well of patience she rarely displays. Aura waits for the image to reappear. When it does she steps into it quickly. It is important that she know what happened after they got away. For her own piece of mind and for Kovikin's. Patience may not be one of Aura's virtues. Patience, however, is something that, when she finally employs, pays dividends. Also having split second timing is a good thing. It takes that for Aura to make it work, and mentally step into the demon's memory of Atlantis. In the memory, Aura can see Melcanthe standing near the shop. The Demon seems to be active now, or awake enough to let Aura access its memory. Melcanthe seems to be watching the shop, possibly at the time when Aura and Lyron confronted each other. Nick is visibly trapped in a cage on Melcanthe's shoulder, just as he had told Aura, shaking the bars in frustration. And then Aura's spell, with an audible pop, solves that problem neatly. "Serpent's venom, Lyron, you are an idiot." Melcanthe says aloud with malice in her words as Nick disappears from the cage. "Can't even handle a simple operation. Goodbye." She reaches out her hand, waggling her fingers. After a moment or two, the air around her hand looks distorted, as if seen through a lens of some sort. She reaches her hand into the distortion, widening it to about man (woman) size in a manner similar to pulling taffy. Then, this complete, she, complete with the empty cage and the Galla, step through the distortion. The other side, before the memory ends is of Atlantis...but its not. Crumbling buildings, fallen towers, ancient ruins of Atlantean origin dominate the landscape where Melcanthe and the demon have escaped to. She looks around with obvious satisfaction. And there, the memory ends. And then there is a familiar tapping, of an index finger, on Aura's shoulder. "Find anything good." Lorius says. "A few things," she says with a frown before turning to face him. "I know why they are attempting to harm Mother - though I think it a bit stupid. And here," she said, taking his hand. "I want you to watch the escape of Melcanthe and the Galla from Atlantis. I don't quite understand what they did." She focuses again on the memory of the escape. "They're a minor House of Chaos. If they weren't stupid, they wouldn't be Minor." Lorius responds before Aura's concentration brings them through the memory once more. Aura isn't able to wring anything more out of the memory, but the burning concentration of Lorius, especially in the finale, literally feels like warm air to Aura's mental perception. When the memory ends, and Aura and Lorius return to the storm of the Galla's overmind, Lorius looks thoughtful. "I think we need to get out of the mind. That's why I was here,anyway. William got knocked out. And I want Mother's and sister's input on what we saw before I make a definitive determination on what that was they used." "Very well," she nods slowly while looking at the other storms around them that they didn't get to. "I take it we'll be able to return later?" "Mom wouldn't dream of leaving this in medias res." Lorius responds. "There is plenty more to milk out of the demon, and either Mother or myself will do so. All things considered, your participation is practically expected." "Is William alright?" "He will be by the time we get out, I am sure." Lorius says. "We found the memory of the place where the Galla was created. Its a potent enough power that trying to assay the memory of it, as William did, had some brief side effects..." And with that cryptic message, Lorius's hand on Aura's arm, a flash of light comes across her eyes. Not painful, but sudden. And when the flash is over, Aura's perceptions is once again of her standing in Fiona's lab... Backlinks |
