Jun 08

• Idris stands and then explodes in a sideways motion, slicying it deeply across its flank, opening a wide wound through the prismatic flesh.
• Idris rolls sideways, coming up with the other blade snapping around to point at it as it disappers into a rend in the air.
• Idris: "Quickly, get him through!"
• Idris grabs the prisoner and hauls him through the rapidly closing portal.
• Idris is back at the encampment
• Mike_Holmes: To his surprise, Idris sees a familiar feminine face, who is also surprised to see him materializing out of the rift.
• Idris looks wild eyed--addrenaline pumped, disoriented.
• Idris: *pant* "I think ... We are ..."
• Idris looks around ... "There was--it was lacerating *worlds*--it was eating through the *air*."
• Idris: "How can something like that be killed by a blade?"
• Mike_Holmes: Nurek looks doubtful, "I don't think it was dead. Not exactly."
• Idris: "No."
• Idris looks at the hissing oily blood forming a film on the blade. "Not exactly."
• Mike_Holmes: Tranees looks at Idris confused, "What are you talking about?"
• Idris straightens and grabs the prisoner by his arm. "You," he says, "are wanted here."
• Idris looks at her. "You--what are you doing here--I thought ..."
• Idris: "I thought I had left you behind--how have you come here?"
• Mike_Holmes: "Illoura guided me though the spirits of the land," she replies. "I had to see you."
• Idris: "Were you followed?"
• Idris steps closer. "I am marked Tranees--and hunted. This was foolish."
• Lana: Tranees steps close to Idris, "Foolish or not, I had to come. You knew that."
• Idris: "What is happening at home? Am I hunted? My former master--disgraced? How badly do they want me back?"
• Lana: She looks away for a moment, "They are quite eager for you to return, and I fear that... I may have been followed."
• Idris winces.
• Idris: "Then you have to keep moving. Lead them here ... and then vanish--tell no one and go at once. I'll wait for them here."
• Idris gives the prisoner to Nurek. "Take this man for whaever judgment is in store for him. He is the killer. I am certain of it."
• Lana: Tranees shakes her head angrily, "No, I've found you this time, and I'm not going to turn around and leave."
• Idris grabs her by the arms for emphasis "If they are coming then death is coming. If they believe you have betrayed them, they will see you suffer before you die."
• Idris shakes his head.
• Idris: "Have you considered this? Thought this through? Can you ... explain it? Even to yourself?"
• Idris lets go. "Maybe something can be salvaged from this--we need to see the leader."
• Idris will take Tranee to see the leader (Isadora?)
• Lana: Tranees can't meet Idris's eyes and she mumbles, "I'll be okay...

• Mike_Holmes: Egani stands at the edge of the circle of gathering people. Rhiani and Tethians stand side by side on the shore of the lake.
• Mike_Holmes: As he watches all of the preparations, Egani notes Archelaus poking his head out from behind a tree not far off.
• Mike_Holmes: He seems to want Egani to come over.
• Egani catches his eye with a questioning _expression and then goes to meet with his friend.
• Mike_Holmes: Archelaus' eyes seem to roll back into his head as Egani approaches. "It's so hard to hear through all of the yellow..."
• Egani: "What is...wrong?"
• Egani: "Are you ill?"
• Mike_Holmes: Egani: "What is...wrong?"
• Mike_Holmes: "No," replies Archelaus tersely. "Receiving message from Kaitaine."
• Mike_Holmes: "They want to talk to you," he says.
• Egani: "Oh...uh, who? How?
• Mike_Holmes: Archelaus seems to somewhat stabilize and looks at Egani, "It's Isadora's mother, using another astrologer to contact me. She..."
• Egani: "She..?"
• Mike_Holmes: "She wants to know what her daughter is up to," says Archelaus. "She seems to think that you're the only civilized sort here who would have a decent opinion."
• Mike_Holmes: Archelaus becomes sober for a moment at that, and almost smiles.
• Mike_Holmes: Then the trance takes over again.
• Egani blinks a few times trying to figure out how the trap is working.
• Egani: "Uh...Lady Aspasia?" He speaks uncertainly and is ready to jump back and defend himself.
• Mike_Holmes: Archelaus replies, "I'm communicating everything you say, Egani."
• Egani: "OK...How may I help you?"
• Mike_Holmes: "She wants to know what Isadora is doing," Archelaus says. "She says she did some augury, and it showed Isadora is up to something."
• Egani: "Isadora is attempting to unite the locals so that a stable multi-ethnic population center can form, relatively free of strife."
• Egani: "Archie, how do you know it's her that we're talking to?"
• Mike_Holmes: Archelaus listens for a moment and then frowns, "She seems skeptical. Do we have any proof?"
• Egani: "I'm sorry?"
• Mike_Holmes: Then responding to Egani's question, "It's certainly somebody in the Temple of Valris in Kaitaine. I can tell."
• Mike_Holmes: He seems very sure of himself, but then Archelaus usually does.
• Mike_Holmes: "Proof. That she's up to what you say she's up to," Archelaus explains.
• Egani: "I'm not sure I follow. I mean, I'm a part of things here and I see what the plan is. I don't feel any need for more proof than that."
• Mike_Holmes: Archelaus shakes his head. "She doesn't believe that her daughter is attempting anything as grandiose as what you say she is. She demands a better explanation."
• Mike_Holmes: "I can cut this off at any time," Archelaus comments offhandedly.
• Egani: "Perhaps if she offered her suspicions I could more easily confirm or deny them than play this silly guessing game."
• Mike_Holmes: "She's simply skeptical, it would seem. She seems to think that it might actually be a marriage or something," says Archelaus.
• Egani: "No wedding that I've heard of. Though a wedding between Isadora and one of the Rhiani elders would be a wise move...I'll have to ask about that."
• Mike_Holmes: Egani notes Chelli striding past toward the ceremony.
• Egani follows the cat at a distance. "Uh, bye Lady Aspasia, thank you for contacting us."
• Mike_Holmes: Archelaus takes a while to get that Egani is cutting off the conversation, but eventually snaps out of it, and goes back to observing the ritual from his hiding place.

• Isadora stands with Fahd, near the cases holding the gems, a calm expression on her face and hand resting lightly on her sword.
• Okhfels stands with Isadora, the tension evident in every move he makes, looking around, shuffling, checking the strap on his sword for the thirty-seventh time.
• Mike_Holmes: Isadora sees Amestris coming up to her.
• Mike_Holmes: She has a determined look in her eye.
• Isadora looks briefly puzzled, then her expression clears as she places the other woman's face. "Lady Amestris? What is it?"
• Mike_Holmes: She looks at Okhfels almost dismissively as she approaches, but turns to Isadora at the end.
• Mike_Holmes: "I ask for amnesty for Archelaus," she says plainly. "The Rhiani have something planned for him."
• Okhfels is used to being dismissed. He knows that people learn in the end, so he ignores the subtle, miniscule slight.
• Mike_Holmes: As he turns his head to do so, Okhfels notes Elle arriving at the circle.
• Okhfels makes a sound deep in his chest that Isadora would recognize as his "I'm not saying anything." noise.
• Isadora shoots Okhfels her "you didn't need to" look, then says to Amestris, "Amnesty on what grounds? He's a madman and a criminal."
• Okhfels accepts the distraction Elle represents to ignore Amestris. He nods his head in greeting to Elle, polite in spite of the way they had parted last.
• Mike_Holmes: Elle sees him and stomps on over.
• Okhfels: "Elle. How good of you to come." Okhfels recites the line that Isadora taught him.
• Mike_Holmes: Elle looks at Okhfels as if this new talent must be some sort of trick. "No Ikaiti wordplay is going to help you here. I'm coming on this quest, and you'll not stand in my way, lunk."
• Okhfels wonders to himself why this deception is proper, and others not, but files it away in the "Strange things for Isadora" drawer.
• Mike_Holmes: Amestris, somewhat distracted by Elle's sudden approach replies to Isadora after a moment, "Archelaus will be useful to you on this quest. You know I speak the truth. He's not mad, he just knows things you do not."
• Okhfels nods to Elle. "I wouldn't think of trying to stop you. According to Isadora, any sincere assistance is welcome."
• Okhfels wonders if that came out right.
• Isadora: "We seem to have different ideas of madness and usefulness, my lady--the last time I was near your husband, he tried to steal my body."
• Mike_Holmes: Elle is distracted now, momentarily by Isadora's comments. But then turns back to Okhfels, "It is some trick, I know it, this new way you speak. But I'm not fooled. I'm going no matter what you say!"
• Okhfels: Okhfels shakes his head. "Right." He knew talking like that wasn't going to do him any good.
• Mike_Holmes: Amestris tries to ignore Elle's interjection, "He wasn't mad, that was for your own good, Isadora. It's all so complicated. If only you could see things the way we do."
• Isadora sighs and looks at Amestris directly, clearing all of the other distractions of the day from her face. She says, "Unless you can explain to me very simply, briefly, and clearly how his body-snatching was for my own good, we are through, my lady. I'm sorry, but there is little time."
• Mike_Holmes: Elle does a double-take, obviously still thinking that Okhfels is trying something sneaky, but eventually stomps off.
• Idris is approaching, looking for Isadora with Tranees
• Okhfels chuckles to himself. "Women," he says, softly.
• Idris: "Isadora?"
• Mike_Holmes: Amestris says, "He was trying to get the gems, because it was needed to deal with the sorcerer, and he had to take you over so Okhfels wouldn't kill him in the attempt, and...oh..."
• Mike_Holmes: Amestris despairs of being able to get it across.
• Idris isn't sure what he is walking in on and waits to see what is going on
• Isadora passes a hand over her face and says "What?" to Idris, holding up a hand to forestall Amestris for a moment.
• Idris: "I have returned. The man you sent me to find is a prisoner and , I believe, a murderer."
• Idris: "I have done what you have asked. He is in Nurek's care."
• Mike_Holmes: Suddenly much of the crowd pulls back and a woman screams as two nearby trees part, revealing a troll covered in ornate fetishes.
• Idris turns, muttering "things happen quickly in this part of the world."
• Isadora is about to reply to Idris when the troll emerges. She turns to face it, ordering the Ikaiti soldiers to form a defensive line.
• Mike_Holmes: Okhfels realizes that this is the Troll who is the friend of the Blue Bears. Despite his imposing presence, Okhfels gets the feeling that he's not here to fight.
• Okhfels: Okhfels strides forward, ahead of the line.
• Mike_Holmes: The troll looks at the line for a moment, but then looks back at the shoreline.
• Okhfels: "What are you here for?" he asks.
• Mike_Holmes: The troll looks down at Okhfels for the first time, about the only sort of person who could miss Okhfels' approach. It grunts out in broken Rhiani, "I go quest."
• Okhfels: "Okay. You don't kill man, you don't eat man, you go quest."
• Mike_Holmes: The troll seems to consider these rules for a while, scratching at one leg absently. Then after a bit, "Me no kill man, no eat. Me go."
• Isadora watches, bemused. To Idris, she murmurs, "Welcome to Green Lake."
• Okhfels: Okhfels nods. "Come." He turns, waves the Troll on, and walks towards the line.
• Idris nods. "The world is thinner here than I am used to."
• Okhfels: Okhfels tries to calm the assembly about the hulking form behind him.
• Okhfels: "Another wizard to help with the quest," Okhfels quips to Isadora. "I think this one might be sane."
• Mike_Holmes: Amestris looks distressed, "This one is sane, and Archelaus not?"
• Isadora says simply to Okhfels, "You'll vouch for him?"
• Okhfels: "I'm not a troll person... but are you going to tell him no?"
• Idris watches
• Isadora steps forward to stare up at the troll with the same even gaze. "No killing or eating men, and you're welcome."
• Mike_Holmes: Dhazari, nearby, comes up to Isadora, "Who are these Vajaari?"
• Egani appears at Isadora's side, only briefly interested in the large new member of the party. "Hi."
• Isadora says to Dhazari, "He says he's brought back Narbin. I have no idea who she is."
• Mike_Holmes: Chelli comes up to Isadora. Suddenly the cat leaps up and attacks Isadora with no warning.
• Idris draws and stabs Chelli
• Mike_Holmes: The cat attacks maniacally - more than one would expect from a normal animal.
• Egani grabs the distraught animal and holds it away from Isadora, studying it for sign of malfunction.
• Isadora: Isadora, with too many demands at once, fends the cat off until Egani pulls it away. "That does it," she says. "Let's start this thing."
• Mike_Holmes: The cat escapes Egani having only been faking apparently, and continues to scratch at Isadora.
• Lxndr: "I'm ready to go," Aysha's voice says.
• Mike_Holmes: The birds in Aaron's cage start to go a little manic, for a moment, too.
• Egani: Seeing that Chelli has lost her normal restraint, Egani disables the cat and opens her torso, examining the placement of the spirit and the configuration of the powering essences.
• Okhfels turns, drawing his weapon, and stands between Aysha and Isadora. "Egani! Get your helmet liner under control!"
• Lxndr: <<<greetings//Okhfels//ready//depart>>
• Okhfels recoils. "Ah, no! No! Not... aww!"
• Okhfels: "Ash and SMOKE!" Okhfels spins around shaking his head, holding it between his hands.
• Lxndr: <<hands//feet//body//pleased>>
• Isadora: Okhfels' voice cuts through the noise to Isadora, and she starts pushing her way toward him. "Okhfels?"
• Mike_Holmes: Egani can see that somebody has tinkered with Chelli. If he'd not been there to restrain it, it would have injected the poison in it's claws a moment later. The tinkering is causing a pattern that Egani can see is connected by long bands of essence reaching to the West and the White Wood not far off.
• Okhfels: Okhfels grabs Isadora by the shoulders. "I thought the insanity started AFTER we went to the spirit world!"
• Egani turns to Aaron "Have you been tampered with too?"
• Mike_Holmes: Despite the chaos, things seem to be settling into place for the crossing ritual.
• Egani scans Aaron's linkages to be sure.
• Lxndr: Aysha's body steps into position.
• Mike_Holmes: Egani can see that, no, Aaron is untouched. The birds were reacting sympathetically to Chelli's energy.
• Okhfels, shaking his head, explains to Isadora. "Iz, meet, um... Bird. It's living in Aysha's body now..."
• Isadora grips Okhfels' arms with her hands, and somehow she laughs. "It means we can succeed," she says. "Gods and great spirits don't send trouble to the unimportant."
• Okhfels: "Let's get going before things get any worse."
• Egani: Egani shouts "Arblak!" and the small man appears at his side. "Take Chelli home. Your assignment is to figure out what happend and if safe, follow the trail back to the source."
• Mike_Holmes: Fahd turns to look at Isadora and Okhfels skeptically after Isadora's last comment. He then turns back to control the ritual.
• Mike_Holmes: Arblak takes Chelli dutifully and heads back around the lake.
• Isadora gives Aysha/bird a searching glance, but can't spare much more than that. She nods and accepts her presence.
• Mike_Holmes: To Idris, it looks as though these assembled people are about to perform some great ritual. The sort where, back in Vajaar, Z'taar would appear to the people (frightening beyond belief).
• Mike_Holmes: As Fahd indicates that it's time to start the crossing, right on cue Beliria arrives with some sacred concoction she's been making of metal at the Tethian forge not far away.
• Idris looks around. What human from the group is close enough to speak with?
• Lxndr: Aysha is.
• Egani: Now that the crisis has subsided, Egani stares at Aysha, surprise giving way to discomfort. "Uh, hi...who...um, you're not locked up?" Realizing his surroundings, a look of horror crosses his face and he turns away, to his wife, and is forced to introduce them. "Ah...Marcia, this is Aysha...she's been locked up."
• Idris looks at Lxndr. "What is going on here? What quest are they starting? Who created the animates?"
• Okhfels says, "Not anymore."
• Mike_Holmes: Dhazari looks at Isadora as the ritual begins and Egani addresses Aysha. "There seem to be too many...outsiders. Shouldn't that one be locked up?"
• Lxndr: "Do not worry. The one you know as Aysha remains imprisoned."
• Lxndr: <<Aysha//bird//cage>>
• Okhfels: "I'll explain later."
• Isadora shrugs to Dhazari, looking oddly unworried--she's either found some center of calm, or she's finally snapped. She says, "People here can deal with locking up anyone who needs it who's left behind."
• Mike_Holmes: Dhazari raises his eyebrows, but does not doubt Isadora's determination.
• Mike_Holmes: Okhfels sees Beliria finish her introduction of the metal into the ground there, and knows that it's time for he and she to read the prophecy. Beliria believes that doing so, if it's done properly, will help the quest.
• Lxndr: The woman looks at Idris. "The animates were created by that one. You surmised correctly that a quest has begun. We will walk the stations of the Twin Spirits."
• Mike_Holmes: Egani realizes that he might be able to help with the runes as well, having studied them of late.
• Okhfels: Okhfels goes to help Beliria.
• Idris nods. Once.
• Egani attends the reading, mostly to learn, but also helps as opportunities arise.
• Egani: As Okhfels stumbles over the way the meaning of the glyphs merge right-emphasis to left, Egani corrects his interpretation.
• Mike_Holmes: Despite Egani's distractions, Okhfels manages to find somewhere deep within that seems to know how to speak the words. And as he does, he can feel that things are now somehow slightly lighter.
• Mike_Holmes: Other parts of the ritual progress, around Okhfels and Beliria. As the do, Beliria takes a moment to speak to Okhfels. "I wish to be the high priestess of this new community," she says without preamble.
• Okhfels: "I don't think we're going to wind up with just one religion."
• Mike_Holmes: "I think we will," she says. "In any case, I want to lead in this capacity. If I understand the purification station, we can seal me in that position there with just a few words."
• Mike_Holmes: "Will you do this for me?" she looks imploringly into Okhfels eyes.
• Okhfels is torn. "It's awful late to be asking this."
• Mike_Holmes: "I know," she says unapologetically. "You have a tendency not to follow through. I wanted to make sure you had no room to wiggle out."
• Okhfels purses his lips.
• Mike_Holmes: Fahd leads the people in a chant, and slowly, surely, the world seems to start to fade.
• Egani sidles up to Isadora at an inconvenient moment. "Sorry for the miscommunication yesterday. I spoke to your mother a while ago. She was obsessed with the notion that you were getting married. I tried to explain that you were just busy uniting the peoples here. When she started demanding "proof" I cut off the conversation. I thought you should know about it."
• Okhfels: Okhfels shakes his head. "You'll have to talk to Isadora. This is her project, after all. I'll tell her that I think you'd be the best choice, though."
• Isadora blinks and stares at Egani. "Actually, I may be married soon. I always knew that woman was a witch."
• Mike_Holmes: Beliria looks angry with Okhfels. "You owe me this."
• Mike_Holmes: Fahd gestures for Isadora to come forth to take her place.
• Okhfels: "I owe you a lot, milady. But I can't pay you what I don't own. I'm sorry."
• Egani: Egani looks startled. "Married? When she was going on about it I suggested that having you marrying a Rhiani elder might be good for the cause, but I didn't really think that you'd go for it."
• Okhfels returns to Isadora.
• Lxndr: The being in Aysha notes down this knowledge about the purification station... this is the power Bird craves.
• Okhfels: "What?"
• Isadora: "Later," Isadora mutters to Egani, striding away at Fahd's beckoning just as Okhfels returns.
• Mike_Holmes: Isadora looks into the fog, and she sees four forms there, apparently summoned by the ritual. One of them is Lana, one of them is Sebastian, one is Artanis, and one of them is Pallos. Pallos comes forth to Isadora.
• Lxndr: <<priesthood//mine>> (not something perfectly sent to Okhfels, but sort of... leaking out through sheer exuberance)
• Okhfels: Okhfels mutters to himself. "Ash, smoke, and dross."
• Mike_Holmes: As this spirit reaches Isadora, it turns suddenly toward Narbin, still held by Idris, and says, "I want that one."
• Mike_Holmes: This is not at all like the living Pallos.
• Isadora: "Why?" says Isadora to the spirit.
• Mike_Holmes: "I trusted him, and he is the agent of the White Wood. He slew me, stabbed in the back. Give him to me, so I may take his spirit!"
• Isadora half-turns, looking to Narbin. "Is this true?" she asks the prisoner.
• Lana: Narbin is staring at Pallos in fear. "You can't give me to him! He'll kill me!" Suddenly he seems to gather himself, but too late, "Uh... I mean, he's lying! Of course he's lying!" Unfortunatley for Narbin, he's not very convincing.
• Isadora: Isadora's eyes are cold. "His witness condemns you, and your lie makes you doubly outcast." Looking back to the shade of Pallos, she says, "I render him to you."
• Okhfels nods at the justice of it.
• Egani leans in to observe the events.
• Lxndr: <<Isadora//useful ally?>>
• Lana: Pallos smiles coldly while Narbin simply looks sick, staring at Isadora in appeal.
• Lxndr: Aysha's body looks questioninglyat Okhfels, but the question is not spoken aloud.
• Okhfels: <<Isadora is in charge. Do what she says.>> Okhfels can't help but let his attitude towards Aysha color his relationship with Bird
• Mike_Holmes: The spirit of Pallos lifts Narbin bodily into the otherworld, and the pair disappear, Narbin's voice howling into the distance as they go.
• Egani climbs upon his wagon and readies his donkey for the drive forward.
• Mike_Holmes: As the ritual prepares, those going start to enter the place between the worlds preparing for the crossing. The Rhiani warriors committed to going, pull a bound Gennadi into the ring with them. Dhazari nods, knowingly.
• Isadora: "What's going on?" Isadora asks Dhazari, nodding in Gennadi's direction.
• Artanis: Meanwhile, Artanis is gathering his thoughts, trying to make sense of what just happened, looking around to see if the demon is still here. Instead, he vaguely recognizes familiar figures approaching through the mist. No sign of the demon nor of the red metal.
• Mike_Holmes: "The standard Cay ritual of Thanks and Punishment. The warriors always use crossings as a time to present certain individuals for justice. This one has been caught stealing, and is going to be ritually banished so he cannot return," he says.
• Mike_Holmes: A frown comes over his face, "I understand that he had adopted the girl Geera...she will have to leave with him. And his woman, too."
• Isadora simply nods, as it sounds like a clear Rhiani affair.
• Mike_Holmes: Looking up, Egani notes the alignment of the two moons occurring in the sky. Even visible in full daylight now, they hang, ghostlike in the midair.
• Egani: Seeing that it is time, he flicks the reins and urges Hilda through the portal.
• Mike_Holmes: Just in time as, Isadora, now at the center of the ritual is helped by Fahd to complete the transfer. The heroquesters now find themselves standing in the strange othertime landscape of when the ruins were young.
• Mike_Holmes: Large houses and government edifices surround them, and, out on the island, the temple gleams like new.
• Mike_Holmes: The Rhiani warriors look about a little confused, but soon take action. They begin their ritual to banish Gennadi.
• Lxndr: Aysha's body sighs. <<Home/home/home>>
• Isadora stands transfixed, eyes full of the temple.
• Mike_Holmes: Spirits of the people of this once great city form a throng along the shore waiting to see what happens as the spirits are ensconced in the temple.
• Okhfels: Okhfels is thunderstruck.
• Mike_Holmes: To those around her, Isadora suddenly appears to be a man, dressed in stately robes that strike Okhfels as antique in style, yet somehow very modern at the same time.
• Okhfels: Okhfels is nuclear bombstruck.
• Mike_Holmes: To those who see Okhfels, he appears to them to seem to look like some barbarian king. Dressed in gaudy, ill conceived jewelry of huge proportions. The effect, however, is quite impressive.
• Mike_Holmes: The Rhiani arise with Gennadi who screams, having been magically branded. They eject him out of the awaiting portal, to those on the other side who surely kick him out of the tribelands.
• Mike_Holmes: Finished with this, one warrior looks around, having trouble discerning who is who. But eventually he approaches Egani.
• Mike_Holmes: "Oh brother of the tribe. We understand that you may know of where the one named Archelaus is. We would have him for punishment," he says.
• Mike_Holmes: Egani can tell this serves two purposes. It's both a test of himself, and an honest attempt to find Archelaus. "He used the circle, and has since not paid the spirit of the circle. He is in default."
• Egani: "He sometimes lives in a cave in the hills. I told him about the circle after Dhazari came looking for him. It sounded like he was going to take care of it."
• Mike_Holmes: Without warning, the whole world warps. From far off, everyone can see the White Wood standing there, distant. And then suddenly it is very near. As though a painting of a distant wood were thrust almost right in front of their eyes. It is painfully near.
• Mike_Holmes: The warriors , after the shock of the nearing wood dies off somewhat, go and shout back through the opening to the normal world what Egani has told them. Warriors there go scurrying off, presumably to find Archelaus. A warrior turns to Egani, "You have done us a service, oh wise one."
• Mike_Holmes: Looking at the wood, Egani sees that the White Wood is trying to impinge itself upon this pocket world out of time.
• Isadora: "It's starting early," Isadora says to Fahd, eyes on the White Wood.
• Egani: "The White Wood is attacking to manifest itself here. We may have to improvise a bit on this legend."
• Mike_Holmes: From the woods, a solitary figure comes out riding on a donkey. It is Narbin, his spirit torn violently from end to end, but still somehow intact. It's a horrible sight, almost too much for another spirit to bear to see. The crowd on the shore backs away from the approaching rider.
• Mike_Holmes: Egani sees that the donkey is Hilda the first. But her eyes glow with a purple light.
• Mike_Holmes: Away, yet somehow still near, Lana and Sebastian float above all of this as though guarding it, Isadora notes despite Narbin's approach.
• Egani: "Is this part of the legend?"
• Mike_Holmes: Fahd says, "Not remotely."
• Okhfels: "Then there's nothing wrong with eliminating it." Okhfels draws his sword.
• Mike_Holmes: Narbin approaches Okhfels-Neorut, and says, "High king, I bring word from your leige of the White Wood. He would offer you this kingdom."
• Mike_Holmes: "It is your right, as the descendant of the original kings."
• Lana: It's an odd thing to notice with everyting else going on, but Isadora notices that Sebastian is refusing to meet her eyes.
• Mike_Holmes: The troll looks menacingly at this new arrival.
• Isadora, who tried to lock eyes with Sebastian's spirit, in fact does notice.
• Okhfels casually removes both halves of Narbin's head from both halves of his neck with a single swipe of his heavy blade. "No."
• Egani is trying to figure out if Hilda I is salvagable.
• Mike_Holmes: Narbin's head rolls to a stop, and looks at Okhfels and says, "That was rash. The dark lord will make you all pay more than you can imagine."
• Mike_Holmes: Egani realizes that the gogur poison is in Hilda, just as it was in Fahja...meaing that there might be hope for this one. But that it's in control of the sorcerer until the situation is rectified.
• Egani pushes Narbin's body off the donkey and hitches her next to Hilda II.
• Okhfels: "Tell your master that he can crown my corpse." Okhfels kicks Narbin's head out the rift back towards the wood.