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Part 7: Pathway through Infinity
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Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Dworkin (GM)
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Beldrin looks up from where he sits, "What
about me? Do you intend to force me to come with you again?
I'd rather stay exactly where I am, if it's all the same to you." He glares at Kendall, feeling that he knows what his(?) answer will be.
"I've played it straight with you, told you what I
know, and I've been dragged from my home, questioned, bound, and
attacked by automata. It stops now. I have my own work to
do in the name of Amber, my own Prince to serve." His voice is quiet and steady, but his eyes flash with anger as he continues to speak, "You are planning to move on... Well, I tell you now that I'll not go with you!"
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Cyan
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"Beldin, do not be distressed. You have been held against your
will long enough." Cyan shakes her head. "Lacking
information to differ with what we've heard, I say we let him go.
I feel we have treated him poorly, even given that our first encounter
with him was under such trying circumstances." She glances at
Duncan apologetically.
"But I stand with Beldin on this. He should be free to do what he chooses."
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Duncan
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Duncan sighs and shrugs his shoulders, "Aye, well, is seems dhat dhe situation wass not what it first appeared. Not so clear cut." He thinks for a moment, and then nods, "I agree. We leave dhis man alone for now. We can alwayss find him later, if need be."
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Kendall
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"You already have my trump, from earlier, so we are ready for that
route. Lets see what our friends with the noses can pick up, since we
have all handled the cube examining it. "
Turning to Beldrin, "Things are still unclear, but I guess you have
earned the groups trust for now. I fixed what we broke on our
last boistrous entrance. We will have to make it up to you some other time. "
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Ares
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"Agreed. I don't think we need hold him any longer." Ares says,
with no hesitation, "I think we should follow Hunter's nose on
this. We're still not sure exactly what the cube is designed to
do, so I'd rather not chance it until I'm forced to."
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Beldrin (NPC)
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Beldrin relaxes as the decision seems to be going in his favour.
Even Duncan and Kendall seem to be admitting it would be best to let
him be. "The cube may be of use to you, even if you don't use it. Let the wolf follow the trail, and when you get to the other
end, see if it matches any of the places on the cube itself."
He shrugs "If it does, then the chances are that you're in the right place."
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Ares
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Ares glances at Beldrin, "Good idea. Well, I don't think we have
any reason to bother Beldrin any longer. Thank you Beldrin for
your help. forced though it may have been."
He heads out of the room and towards the door into the courtyard.
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Cyan
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Cyan gives Beldin a grin and a bow, emerald eyes glittering in
amusement, and follows Ares. She's already apologized, herself,
and long goodbyes always distressed her.
Berd, still facing backwards, watches Beldin as Cyan follows
Ares. His tail raises up in an ironic salute, and his lips peel
back in an amused grin.
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Kalika Wolfblade
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"Che tartanu est"
the traditional Chunchee words of good bye were out of her mouth before
she realized she had voiced them. She then nods once to Beldrin,
silver hair falling into her face for a moment. She then
straightens and without further comment, follows the others out of the
house, Hunter forever at her side.
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Dworkin (GM)
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Back at the shop where the cube was found, Hunter searches for the
second, fainter scent that he detected, which is found to have entered
through the front door. Outside the horses remain tethered where
they were left (whether by good fortune or by intervention of some
sort). Hunter starts to lead away through the quiet night-time
streets, twisting this way and that as he goes.
Ares and Kalika are just behind him, followed closely by the rest.
Eventually the wolf steps out onto a broad tree-lined avenue, flanked
by buildings which look to be private houses, all dark. He pauses
for a moment, then snorts before turning away along the road.
The road runs fairly straight for a distance which would seem to be
somewhat too long for dimensions of the city. Finally it crosses
a bridge and plunges into a tunnel with only the very faintest of light
coming from the far end.
The exit from the tunnel seems to be a natural cave in a low hillside,
with no road leading from it, just a gentle slope covered with grass
which has a definite hint of blue underlying the green. Two suns
hang in the sky, not as bright as that of Taheti, even when their glare
is combined.
Hunter turns left, so that the suns are at his back, following the line of a wide, shallow valley towards a stand of trees
Beneath the trees the sky is hidden behind densely-layered
foliage. Soon Hunter moves out onto an open grassy plain (this
time the grass is a deep green in colour) with a range of distant
mountains and only a single reddish sun burning sullenly in the
heavens. Just ahead is a circle of standing stones, bearing a
startling resemblance to one of the images on the cube.
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Dworkin (GM)
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As the group move towards the circle of standing stones, they hear what
sounds like distant thunder, and a few moments later a great flock of
gigantic birds appear over the top of a nearby rise, running rapidly on
powerful legs.
There are pehaps a hundred of the black and brown creatures, and each
of them bears a rider, clad in leather armour adorned with dyed
feathers, and carrying long lances and short, curved swords.
The riders spread out and cut the group off from approaching too close
to the stones, and one regards Berd with a certain degree of distrust
as he rides slightly forward of the line and raises his hand in a
signal to halt. "Greetings sorcerers, for such I would judge ye to be, by yer outlandish dress and yon familiar." he calls out in accented Thari, "What brings ye to holy Olanskiran?"
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Kalika Wolfblade
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Kali stops alongside her bonded, thanking him for his help and
complementing him on his impressive skills to do so much with such an
old trail. He has made her very proud.
She rests a calloused hand on the large wolf's head and then looks at
the others, waiting for one of them to speak. Getting along with
the natives definitly isn't her forte.
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Cyan
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"We are merely here on a trail, searching for one who also passed
through, perhaps not long ago," Cyan returns, stepping forward to look
the rider in the eye (well, look UP at the rider's eyes). "We
mean no harm to the people here, and hopefully will find the trail and
leave, soon."
Berd grins toothily, then slaps his lips shut over the tiny, but razor sharp, smile.
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Kendall
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While appearing calm and at easy with being surrounded by warriors,
Kendall adjusts "her" beltpouch and pulls out a hair brush. After
showing off what it was to the warriors looking at "her", calmly
brushes the long red hair.
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Dworkin (GM)
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"We have seen no others pass this way, but we have
been here only since dawn. Ye may approach the stones, but mind
that ye touch them not! They are sacred, and any that touch them
must die. Nor may ye enter the circle, for that too is
sacrilegious. Are my words clear?" The other riders start to urge their great birds aside, opening up a clear path through the centre of the group.
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Cyan
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Bowing shortly to the Warriors, Cyan walks to the ring of stones and
surveys it quietly, dropping down into a crouch, hands on knees.
Narrowing her topaz eyes, she lets her senses explore the area.
Berd merely watches with interest.
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Dworkin (GM)
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The warriors move aside and allow Cyan to pass, but stay nearby to
watch for any transgression onto their sacred ground. As Cyan
crouches to study the stones, the leader calls out, "Do nought to disturb the stones, Sorceress!"
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Cyan
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"There is...something here." Cyan waves to the others. "Some resonance field. Not palinquot energy. It is different, with a ten second cycle, and...the cube is beginning to resonate with it."
She glances at them. "If any of you have other senses, attuned to
magic or another Power, I suggest you employ them immediately."
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Kalika Wolfblade
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Kali follows Cyan up to the stones, smiling viciously at the
warriors. She gives Hunter leave to smell around the perimeter of
the stones, but is very clear in the fact that he is not to touch the
stones or enter the circle.
She waits with her arms folded loosely about her chest, watching the procedings with a hint of amusement.
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Ares
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Ares rides forward, and focuses on the stones, extending his mind to
feel the ebb and flow of energy which Cyan speaks of. He
concentrates, sending tendrils of consciousness brushing across the
stone surfaces and the ground between.
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Dworkin (GM)
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Ares and Cyan study the stones, watched by Kalika and Hunter.
There seems to be a lot of energy flowing through the stones, but
neither Ares nor Cyan can identify its type...
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Kendall
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As Kendall comes forward, "Hmmm nice workmanship for a low development level."
Kendall is also streching out mystical senses, searching for the type
of magik or if Kendall has ever encounters energy of this "taste"
before.
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Dworkin (GM)
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The bird-mounted warriors start to relax more, although they stay
close. A few dismount and move closer still to watch, showing
particular interest in Hunter and Berd. One of them even
approaches Cyan to study the little dragon sitting on her
shoulder. He reaches into a pouch at his belt and pulls out a
piece of meat of some sort, which he tosses to Berd from a couple of
feet away...
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Cyan
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Berd stares idly back at the warrior, and snatches the piece of meat
from the air with one claw. He stares at it for a moment then,
deciding to be polite, tucks it under himself for storage and grins
toothily at the warrior.
The grin fades, though, as Cyan hisses in concern. Reaching into
her glove, she brings out the cube. "It grows warm," she
whispers, "and the energy it releases is magnifying further."
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Ares
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"Drop it!" snaps Ares, "And move away from it, at least four or five
paces I would suggest, just to be on the safe side." He follows
his own advice and backs away from Cyan.
Then he calls across to the warriors, "Stand clear! There may be dark magic at work here!"
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Kendall
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"Logrus.. Evil Magik... I could see that assumption. It is a high power of some sort. "
Kendall seems unconcerned, but still moves a few steps back.. almost, but not quite touching one of the standing stones.
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Ares
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Ares looks at Kendall, "That was meant for the locals, I said 'magic'
because it's easier than explaining about Pattern and Logrus, 'dark'
because that implies danger."
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Cyan
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"What are you talking about?" snaps Cyan irritably.
"Logrus? High Power? Explain!" She continues to hold
the cube, but she keeps her senses tuned carefully. Should it
show any sign of reaching 'explosive' stages, she will take their
advice. "Berd - go clear."
The little dragon snorts and digs his claws into her shirt, tightly,
knowing full well the only way she can dislodge him is to tear him
off. And that simply isn't likely.
"You are impossible," she grates, waiting for Ares and Kendall to explain.
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Kalika Wolfblade
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Kali watches the exchange between Kendall, Cyan, and Ares. At
first she pays their words no heed, but when Kendall steps back, she
takes follows his/her lead.
Hunter, who was sniffing the ground on the other side of the stone
circle, bounds obiently to the small woman's side. She smiles
fondly at the wolf while tangling her figers into his thick fur.
The duo then retreats back a little farther than Kendall has, yellow
eyes still watching Cyan and Ares carefully.
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Kendall
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Kendall gives a sweeping gesture, from Aries to Cyan. "You
explain. Everytime I say things it seems to make her more upset. "
Kendall mutter something about someone needing to cut down on her caffine and sugar intake.
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Cyan
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Cyan snorts, still holding the cube. "Now is not the time to be
petulant, Kendall - if you can explain, please do so! If you have
a problem with my attitude, we may take it up AFTER the cube vapourizes
my hand!"
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Dworkin (GM)
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The leader, or at least the spokesman, of the bird-riders walks over to
where Cyan stands holding the cube which pulses with heat and is now
making a rhythmic humming sound, which rises and falls in time with the
pulses from the stones.
"What is this magic ye speak of? If it will damage this sacred place, then ye must.... " his voice tails off as he spots the cube, then he speaks again, kneeling as he does so, "Forgive me, Lords and Ladies, if I misspoke. I did not recognise ye as Nephilim until ye produced this sign of office. It has been many years of
men since the Bright Ones walked among us, and most have forgotten the
old ways. Still we know that when one comes among us who carries
such a sign, then we must give any possibe aid."
"What may we do to help?"
Behind him the rest of the bird warriors fall to their knees, heads
lowered, and a single word spreads through the group like a wave,
spoken in an awed whisper, "Nephilim... "
At that moment the cube seems to reach a critical point and planes of
light and shadow fold out from it, showing flickering images which hint
at scenes rather than displaying them. The stones start to hum,
and suddenly lines and curves of light burn across the surfaces,
forming runes and symbols which pulse and shimmer in time with the
energy discharges.
And in the centre of the circle, a single line of eye-searing light
spears up from the ground to a height of some twenty yards, then
expands out into a cylinder like a revolving cage of luminosity, within
which can be seen a patch of sand, and pyramids in the distance...
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Cyan
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"What in the name..." Cyan's voice trails off, and she stares in
shock at the...gateway? that has appeared before her.
"D-did anyone else catch what did that? Palinquot? Pattern?" Her voice is shaky - she doesn't think it was Palinquot. Surely she would have felt SOMETHING.
"Another power," she whispers. "Berd, have you ever seen anything like this?"
The Dragon pauses, one clawed foot under his jaw, thinking furiously.
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Kendall
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Kendall has ignored everyone and everything else. Kendall's practiced
artist eye taking in every detail of the scene and commiting it to
memory. Kendall reached into the sidepouch and pulled the journal
there without looking. Supporting it in one hand, Kendall is scribing
furiously to record every iota of information Kendall can about what
just occured, desperately trying to capture its essance in the image.
People are talking around Kendall, and possibly to Kendall, but the act
of drawing is taking precedence over everything except physical harm
(and even lesser physical harm might be ignored). All that can be
heard from Kendall is the scribbling of pen on paper. With a deep
breath in (did Kendall not breath for those few minutes?), and a
shaking of the head (obviously to clear the mind), Kendall snaps the
journal shut and looks around.
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Ares
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"Whatever it is, it's not Pattern, although it feels similar. It's also very powerful, but I don't have to tell you
that. I think the cube may be a key as well as a recording
device. If it's in close proximity to a thing like this it causes
it to open." Ares decides to take a chance that being called,
what was it? Nephilim? will probably allow a certain amount
of flexibility in the rules, plus the natives are distracted just now.
He reaches out his left hand, extending the index finger, and carefully touches the nearest stone.
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Duncan
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"If dhe cube iss a key, dhen could dhat be some type of gate?" Duncan gestures towards the cylinder of light, concern etched upon his features, "Do we go through dhere, to dhat odher place? Will dhese warriors let uss pass?"
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Dworkin (GM)
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Hearing Duncan's words, the leader of the bird-riders turns his face to him, "Of course ye may pass. Ye're Nephilim, how could we stop ye? First of all this place belongs to ye."
He stands but keeps his head bowed and signals his men to move
away. They do so, walking backwards, so as not to turn their
backs on the Nephilim.
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Ares
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Ares glances at the leader of the bird-riders. So he thinks we, or our ancestors perhaps, built this place. We'd better act as though we know all about it.
"You say that most do not remember the old ways, yet claim to know them
yourself. Tell us what you know, so that we may judge how well
you've learned your lessons."
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Dworkin (GM)
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"Noble Lord, would ye test me. We, loyal
followers all, have lived on this plain for all our history when other
clans moved on to better lands." the man sighs, but never raises his eyes, "Very well, ye know best, Lord."
"In the days before Time the Bright Ones, the Nephilim,
walked the Land, teaching the People and helping them to live in this
place. For nineteen generations of men did They dwell amonst us,
until one day a darkness came. That darkness was the First Night,
and it lasted two generations of men. The Bright Ones made a
place which would allow Them to walk among the stars, a door of sorts,
opened with a magical key."
"They passed through the door, saying that They would return to us when
They had found out why the Night had come. After They left, the
Sun rose for the first time. But for one hundred and seven
generations of men, Day and Night have warred across the Sky, and the
Bright Ones have not returned. Until today."
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Ares
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Ares stands before the man, and finally says, "You have done well, we
are pleased that your people have remembered what others have
forgotten. You have proven yourself to be loyal followers of the
lessons of your forefathers."
He is pleased indeed, he is now sure that these people will not try to stop this group doing anything.
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Ares
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Ares turns to his companions, "Do we use this gateway?"
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Cyan
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Cyan grins, ferally. Finally, a path to follow. No more
groping around in the dark, trying to make sense of things! "Of
course!" Quickly, she walks forward to the edge of the gateway
before Berd frantically reins her in by the expedience of using her
hair. "Oww! Oh, very well." Turning, Cyan looks at
the others. "Unless someone has a different idea?"
Berd sighs with relief, and looks to see if anyone else has done any sort of probing, magical or otherwise, on this construct.
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Kalika Wolfblade
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Kali frowns at Ares. She didn't think it was right to lie to these
people about who they were. Obviously whoever lost the cube was the
nephimiliam-whatevers that these men worshipped, not them.
She looks at the others.
"This gateway is better than anything and I don't think we should leave
these people with the lie Ares supported" she says firmly.
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Ares
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"We didn't lie, we just never corrected their own error.
Sometimes things are easier that way." Ares shrugs, "Either way
it won't affect these people, except to reinforce their faith in their
way of life."
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Kalika Wolfblade
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Kali cocks and eyebrow at Ares.
"Tell us what you know, so that we may judge how well you've learned your lessons?"
she repeats in a questioning, mocking voice "Who are we to judge their
lesson learning. For all we know he got everything wrong!" she lets out
a ragged sigh "As you are wrong as well. Our coming here does affect
these people. What happens when the real Nephimilimmies come back looking for their lost cube?" she asks seriously, even though she got the name totally wrong.
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Ares
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"We don't know that it even belongs to the Nephilim."
Ares hisses, "They've been gone for a long time, and if this cube had
been around that long it would've been much bigger, I think."
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Kalika Wolfblade
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Kali's sharp laugh rings out.
"Nephilim it is then" she says through laughs, embarassament absent
from her demeanor. After sobering up a little, she offers another
thought.
"We could speculate as to how old the cube is and its story all day...
and then some" she motions to the gate "I say we go through, any
objections?" she asks the others who are more magically endowed than
herself.
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Kendall
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With a deep sigh, Kendall adjusts Kendall's leather belt, and nods with a sigh. "Who first?"
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Cyan
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Cyan holds up the cube. "I do not know how you see it, but I
suppose I should be last," she says, frowning. This is
irritating. She would much rather be FIRST through. But
what if the gate collapses when she walks through? True, the
others could eventually MAKE their way to the world, but who can say if
she would still be there at that time?
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Re: Part 7 - Pathway through Infinity by Kalika Wolfblade
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"I will" Kali answers in a no nonense voice.
She nods slightly, and Hunter steps forward and leaps through the gate
in a bundle of fur and muscle. Kali is right behind him, crossing
over with the fluid movements of a trained warrior.
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