NationStates Jolt Archive

"HEY! A Ta'nar! I met one before, his name was D'irk. He rescued me from certain doom." Irene said, suddenly excited. Meanwhile, the psionic blanket shattered of it's own accord, as Irene lost her concentration when she found a mind that excited her.

"A Ta'nar?" Josh asked, utterly confused now, though very glad he could see.

"Their ones with the Perfection of mind. It should be fairly obvious I feel his energy all over the tower. In fact, I can almost pinpoint him as the source of the Teleportation interference."

"Oh, Galvenor." Josh said, remembering a snippet of a conversation a while ago. "He's our boss and yes, he's the one that set up the barriers. It's also the reason why this tower is so bright to me, because he has spent most of his time here and there's so many spells."

"So, when can I meet him? I hope he's my teacher, I'm a psion too you know, only I'm class C. Oh my four gods I can't wait to get started now, I'll behave nicely and everything, if only could meet Galvenor and learn from him!" Irene said, literally wiggling with excitement. Her scorpion tail was wagging rapidly like a young puppy's who just got its first treat.

"I don't know if he'll be teaching or not now that I think of it. He's at least going to function as a kind of 'dean of students.' I'm sure he'll be willing to help if you need it though." Josh was unsure if he should introduce her to Zena or not.

While arguing continued, there came no sign of Yelena ever regaining consciousness, and most disturbing of all, even direct mind communications had only one answer: the utmost silence. Her unconscious body seemed to be withering in a very sluggish manner, like if the very principles that allowed her to exist, to be self-aware and live were no longer stable, or no longer immune from being challenged through pure force of will. Even her breathing was becoming harder, with increasingly frequent wheezing.

If some form of lethal allergy to magic exists, what was happening with Yelena would probably fit in all its symptoms. Every second lost could mean a new death for Yelena... and this time, a truly permanent one.

Zena took note of Yelena's deteriorating condition and lack of response. Josh, Marvel, Jackson, we've got a problem. Yelena isn't responding to anything and she doesn't seem to be getting better. I wonder if it's a problem with her being resurrected.

Jackson, closed his eyes and concentrated on Zena sending a message.

I'll be there soon, If I can't fix her, I should be able to at least give us some more time.

"I'll be back in a second."

Jackson ran off towards his office, he was looking for an emergency stasis device. It fitted on the back as a backpack and was a clean medical white. It didn't take long to find it once he was in the room but time was already running out.

His office had a more permanent teleportation device and he soon was back with Yelena. Hopefully he wasn't too late, placing the device over her shoulders he pressed a button and suddenly Yelena was frozen in time, her sweat, her blood, her muscles but most importantly her brain.

However Marvel would have to find his own way back.

"I don't know... someone did a frankenstein on Yelena, stitched her head onto someone else's healthy body. It very well could be that the body is rejecting the head... or perhaps... there could also be a battle of the wills going on inside her head. Either way... if we don't get this right and find a good solution... She's not going to make it."

There was a deep concern in his voice, with a tint of guilt. While he didn't play any part in what happened and wasn't even here but in some sort of weird way he did feel responsible for the actions of June that made this whole situation possible.

Zena blinked at the mouse. "What exactly is that? If it's magic at all I swear I'm going to hurt you. You should know by now we're suspecting magic of being the problem."

"If there is something wrong with her body that your ways cannot fix, then perhaps ours can. We have the perfection of essence, keeping the spirit the same, but evolving the body. As such, we are uncontested masters of Genetic Manipulation. I offer to grow her a new body to put her soul into." Irene said telepathically to all, picking up on all the thoughts.

I doubt a new body will help. It looks like she's already got one since we last met. Besides all that, it's more magic, something she hasn't always gotten along with. Zena sent plainly.
"And I refuse to give consent for something like that. I will not alter her body without her being informed." Josh said, trying to act as a firm barrier for the idea.

"Of course it would only be with her consent, and only as a last resort. " Irene replied.

"We'll let her consider it. But only if absolutely necessary." Josh said, putting an end to the discussion.

Zena blinked at the mouse. "What exactly is that? If it's magic at all I swear I'm going to hurt you. You should know by now we're suspecting magic of being the problem."

"You do... but there was no trace of magic when she first started showing symptoms. I didn't smell ANY traces of magic what so ever. Implying more mundane causes for her condition... and even if you are right... time for Yelena has stopped, she's frozen in time. She can't get any worse ... though she can't get any better either. Until Galvenor gets here and we can take proper medical care of her this is the only way to give us the time we need to make her better. We've run out of time... we have no other options."

"This place is built on magic." Zena contradicted. "There are protective spells on every inch of the building and grounds. And just because time has stopped for her it doesn't mean it can't make her worse. If it uses magic to stop time, it is giving her a constant and high dose of magic for that moment she's stuck in."

"Do you think I don't know that? Do you think I would do this if I didn't think we had any other choice? Her condition was worsening far too quickly Galvenor is nowhere not to be seen or heard and someone had to do something, If you're sure that magic is the cause then let's get her out of the tower. Put her on my back and keep her stable, and I'll take her out of the tower.

At least now we can take a breath, calm down and work together to find a solution to what's happening to her. I've got an idea to help her if it is a magic allergy but it will take a bit of time to put together. Are you going to help me? because she doesn't stand a chance if we don't work together."

Zena scowled. "Well, it can't hurt to try at least." She looked to Yelena and her eyes began to glow slightly as she picked her up. "I may as well bring her with us if we're going to do anything."

Galvenor felt the psionic probe and enacted the appropriate shielding instantly. He will have to make sure that never happened again because it would have really messed up any beginning psion to have their awareness “flashed” like that, probably ruined their ability to block out the static thoughts of others and cause a mental breakdown. Yes, he will see to it that it did not happen again.

Galvenor willed himself to where the disturbance was and saw several of his instructors along with a strange insect human combination and a very ill woman lying prone in some sort of device.

“What is going on here…” he took a closer look at the individual. There was something definitely wrong with the girl. The energy patterns flickering within her body were not of a normal organic pattern, they were interspaced with several mechanical ones. The mechanical patterns seemed to be interfered with as if they were being smothered by something. After a moment the thought struck him. This was not Hybrid Technology; it would not function in a mana rich environment. The Tower was, to say the least, highly mana rich just from his actions of setting the place up. The device obviously was designed on a theoretical chronomancy principal but that would not stop the mana interference, she was still traveling through the time stream externally and would experience all the mana in her environment.

This called for another measure, one only the most powerful mages would even attempt.

Galvenor knelt next to the fallen woman and placed his hand upon her limp form. He concentrated and accessed the Power inherent through his Conduit, the link all Ta’Nar possess that allowed them to channel natural energies into magical effects. He inverted the effect and briefly extended it to his hand. While it was in contact with the unconscious woman, magic would not function on her. She was a temporary dead zone for magic. He sent an aspect of himself up into his tower to fabricate a device that would sustain this effect if it helped.

Speak of the Devil! There it was, right on the table in front of him! Marvel's own super special whiz-bang magic-altering Ta'nar Tracy decoder ring! Ohhh, the fun he could have with this! And he was sure he was going to have some, too--right after he got done having his richly-earned nervous breakdown!

He simply couldn't wait. He zipped over to the table, picked it up and put it on. As he did, it resized to fit him, and its stone became square and white with a little picture on it.

http://www.nls.net/mp/413/evil_grin.png

How perfectly fitting....and he was still perfectly manic. Since that spell was off of him, things just simply felt goooooooooooooood. There was no other way to describe it. Still, a part of him was intelligent enough to realize that he had to try to control himself or he'd probably end up watching his toast turn purple at breakfast.

So he closed his fist and instantiated a little teleport...

...and forgot that he couldn't really cast teleport spells that well...

...and appeared about twenty feet above Yellsatya and Melvin-bore there in that room they were in...

...and just got his wings out in time to stop himself from splattering face first into her body.

Instead,

"Ohhh sh--!" Plock!

he splattered face first on the floor next to her body.

Zena looked at Marvel and shook her head in disgust. "Wonderful landing Marvel. You might want to work on that if you ever plan to teach it."

"But they said that the pool was right next to the courtyard!" Marvel protested/jested through his dizziness.

"What are you smoking and where did you get it? I want to try some." Zena poked back.

"Just thinking too hard," Marvel said as he started to stand up and brush himself off.

Back in the courtyard Drai'lee came to after being knocked unconscious. Sitting up atop the shrub, she looked about to see if any one else had been so affected. But the courtyard was empty of the others who had been there.

"Oh I hope they are all right. Maybe they've taken Yelena and the Insect Woman to Galvenor." She rubbed her forehead, still having a massive headache. But she was determined to ignore it and stood, her wings beginning to blurr. Quickly she was airborne and heading for the window of the suite she shared with Khatt.

As soon as Galvenor finished his warding against magic over her body, Yelena opened her eyes, and stared around shocked, observing every detail of the environment and every being around her. It was then that she realized how the plan went terribly wrong. For her to have been teleported there and walked again in its inner self-righteous inside meant only one thing. She could never have managed it, and thus someone else has teleported her, but no matter how she tried, her memories of the event were sketchy. Yet, observing the clearly unscientific nature of the place, Yelena began to hear again the voices. Cries of despair and suffering she tried hard to forget, which led Yelena to feel herself severely vulnerable in such place... if they discovered what happened.

Yet, no matter how she somehow was alive in such place, she still sensed a serious weakness, not of illness, but of hunger, an horrible hunger. Looking at Galvenor, who was perhaps the only level-headed individual in this place besides Eldrad, she nodded in thanks. The both were the only ones, besides Marvel, she still had some friendliness with. However, as soon as she turned towards Zena, Yelena scowled, and although she did not understand her language, she still communicated with her, through mind, through thoughts of frustation, disappointment and of a tamed but still visible hatred:

"Zena, why did you and your friends coerce me into a suicidal mission? I could have been gone forever, and with nowhere to end. There is no afterlife for my people. I have seen it right ahead... the nothingness, the oblivion that would be the most likely future for my consciousness, the fate I cheated with the aid of Ivan. I have died for nothing, do you understand what it feels, to know that at any moment you may no longer exist, that there is no heaven or hell? We have much to discuss, and I want to understand why you have insisted so much on someone as irrelevant as myself, when many more competent individuals were available."

There was not a single hint of sadness, guilt or angst in her.

Zena was shocked at what she heard, though it took her rudimentary translation spell a moment to kick in. "I did not try to kill you." She said. "I did not mean for things to go as they did. Others offered to step in and take your place. As for no heaven or hell, I can't say I know that feeling. I've always trusted there would be an afterlife, even if I don't know what it will be."

"And I tried to prevent your death," Marvel said. "And I worked myself sick, too. And you think you died for nothing? Just wait a minute."

Marvel had seen Drai'lee hovering in the window. Suppressing his urge to clobber her for spying, he closed his hand and, wonder of wonders, this time, the teleport worked. There he was, in the courtyard, right behind her.

"Hi, sweetie," he said with a grin. "Would you mind helping me set ol' Yellsatya straight on something?"

And, as he asked the question, it dawned on him that he had broken one of his Cardinal Rules: no one hears a Marvel Name but him.

This Control Spell thing was getting to be a pain in the...mind. He hoped he would get away with the use of the name.

Drai'lee really was too busy blushing furiously to notice. The window to her suite had been closed tight and she had been looking for another way in. She hadn't meant to pry, but she was curious as to what had happened to Yelena and the others. And Marvel had been there. And Marvel is just dream oh that thought got shut off quickly but it made her blush even more.

Her instant moment of panic caused her to blurt out "Yes I was mostly looking at yo" She shut up with a snap and spun in a circle as she hovered, half hoping when she came back around that he wouldn't be there. But he was

Would you mind helping me set ol' Yellsatya straight on something?"

Oh Drai'lee could have kissed him for giving her an out, a diversion "Yes!" She said in most sprightly fashion "I'll be glad to help you!"

He noted but by and large ignored Marvel's entrance and exit.. though he did think in response to Marvel's 'Just thinking too hard." comment "Yeah, better not stress that singular neuron."

Jackson stepped away as Galvenor stepped in and worked his 'magic' literally. Though now she was awake, and ... venting

"Excuse me, Yelena., Sorry .. But I need to get this off you're back." Jackson slowly and carefully approached her. He couldn't understand why it didn't work but that didn't matter at the moment, however what did was that it was not only useless but potentially very dangerous to her. Her came up close to her but waited for a response before trying to take it off her back.

"My apologies, we have yet to be formally introduced, My name is Jackson VoleMouse, I would like to express my sadness at what happened and the role that a member of my species played in the affair." He bowed his head as a sign of his recognition of the circumstances that Yelena found herself in.

Marvel let Drai'lee flit down onto his shoulder and snapped his hand closed again. His luck held, and they were both in front of Yellsatya.

"Yellena, this is Drai'lee. In case you don't remember, she is what you died for."

Galvenor kept his touch upon her shoulder while she confronted the others.

“Please hold still, the effect is only maintained by my touch. I have to keep in physical contact with you until I return to myself with something I sent myself to acquire. If I lose contact the whole thing will return and you would most likely fall sick again. You can talk without moving around for a little while longer.”

Galvenor looked up as a circle of energy, more like an oval really, formed at the far side of the room. Galvenor stepped out of the aperture and it collapsed upon itself with an audible popping sound. The second Galvenor hurried to the first.

“I have it, the manufacture would have taken too long but I was able to modify another object to do the job.”

“Good, bring it here. It appears the Dead Magic Zone works.”

“Here you go.”

Galvenor handed a small object to Galvenor. The two then merged together into a singular being with Galvenor holding Yelena’s shoulder with one hand and the trinket closed in his other.

“Here, put this on, for your safety, it has a mechanical clasp that needs to be manipulated to allow it to be removed. As long as you are wearing this, your body will be a Dead Magic zone, an area where Mana cannot intrude nor affect unless the source of the effect is stronger than I am.”

Galvenor places a choker chain around her neck. It was made of some sort of unknown metal, possibly somewhere in the gold and silver families but bluish red in color.

“The effect will extend about three widths of a hair from your body, encasing it in an effect which will cause spells to fail and basically make you immune to most magics. If someone tries to feed you a healing potion, it will just be water but if they use a fireball, the flames are real, their channel was magical. If they target you directly with it, the spell should fail. If they target anywhere away from you, the flames of the explosion will still work and you can be burned by them since they are real fire. Please be careful, healing wounds in your state is extremely difficult until I can find some way to replace the machinery placed in your body with ones that are magic friendly.”

“Since Psionics do not use Mana nor are they dependent upon it, they will still affect your body. This means a Psion can heal you if they possess the correct skill. If you get hurt, please come to see me and I will do my best to heal your wounds. Until I figure out a way to permanently help you, please be careful.”

Galvenor removed his hand from her shoulder. The choker and the dead magic effect took hold od the area occupied by Yelena.

“You do not need to fear affecting the Tower, it is part of me and thus immune to my own magic if I so choose it to be.”

Part of him? So much for privacy, Marvel thought. He reached up and stroked Drai'lee between her wings.

"Well, babe," he said to Drai'lee, "so much for old times' sake."

Drai'lee had been stareing at the sudden appearance of a second Galvenor, that was something she hadn't seen before, and to hear him mention that the tower was an extension of him...That was more than a bit creepy at first though, then she considered a bit more...No it was still creepy.

Marvel's comment snapped her out of her thoughts and she nodded quickly and began explaining to Yellena

"I had been kidnapped, and spirited away it a majical confinement. You and the others were trying to find me. You managed to make a rift, a tunnel to where I was and Marvel got to me through that opening you made. You're a much a hero as Marvel is" Her tone brooked no arguement

Irene, though in a separate area, heard their words drifting up on the various pathways of the air.

An extension of him? Makes since, The Hive Clusters are an extension of me, as are in turn, each of the swarmlings.

Irene sighed quietly to herself, waiting for her turn to be noticed and taken care of.

"If you ever want to learn to use magic," Marvel said, "I can show you the spell that you used--before you lost your memory. I learned it from watching you."

There are many things that can be considered ironic. Mankind is an infinite fountain of ironies, and that, the same manner the bourgeois considered the life of a proletarian worthless repeats in the way the inhabitants of the People's Republic would consider nonhumans if they found them may be considered one of them. Yelena was still thanking Galvenor for his aid, with the scowl in her face now gone, and trying to adjust the choker so it wouldn't be too uncomfortable, when Drai'lee approached her. In fact, as the fae began to speak, Yelena did not even look towards her, keeping her head raised and aloof, just like a man wouldn't seek to listen the sounds of a manticore while staring it in most normal circumstances, although she could not avoid listening to it.

"I had been kidnapped, and spirited away it a majical confinement. You and the others were trying to find me. You managed to make a rift, a tunnel to where I was and Marvel got to me through that opening you made. You're a much a hero as Marvel is"

Her scowl returned, and then, she eyed down Drai'lee, without turning her head down, in a pose that expressed very clearly what she thought about such creature. Creatures like her, the so called fae, were deceitful murderers and stealers of souls in her lands, focus of intense hatred and hunts that extended far beyond those of witches, for such hunts sought to destroy spirits rather than living ones. In a bitter and arrogant way, she explained, not through her voice, but through some for of telepathy similar to that she used to speak to Zena:

"The line that divides heroism from idiocy is not so clear, just as one's hero is another's monster. But a distinction can be made by whether one's life is self-sacrificed for the people and their freedom, or for... irrelevant things. I have been such a fool to cede to peer pressure... and then? I would be forgotten by most but a few who would remind my infamy rather than heroism, and perhaps the course of history would move against the will of the workers, and I would have never done anything to counter such move, instead... wasting my life, wasting my life because I was afraid, of refusing to consent to what contradicts the cause of the Party and of the workers of my world. Now I am not afraid to be myself, and to openly state what I think of you. After all, why should I lie and pretend I care? Why should I be afraid of being branded 'evil'? Good and evil is just reactionary rhetoric after all."

However, Yelena mind was stil rememering of what she was most recently told by her father about all the non-human sentiences inhabitant Soviet Steam, which were essentially undeads and ghosts. She regained her dignity and respect to an extent, and have met her parents after decades of isolation. She was welcome again in her land, and had all the hallmarks to become a hero of the revolution. Nothing now could change her mind, and to refuse to accept the wisdom of the very man who tried to protect her from the consequences of the curse was unthinkable. Harsh but realistic words.

Yelena, you should not have wasted your natural life in such way. They aren't human, and as they don't have the human thought processes, they will never understand or accept Communism, but instead wallow in reactionary traditions that are a threat to our revolution. And thus they are potential enemies to be eventually disposed of should they decide to invade our soviets, if not threaten the very survival and supremacy of humanity in this world. You should have let that thing die Yelena, and that would have been a service to the people, and avoided your death, you should not let pompous reactionaries influence your decisions. Now, I know a part of you was forever lost... I know that you can no longer feel many things. Don't ever let them take anything else from us. And if necessary, don't hesitate to kill those who seek to destroy everything our people have achieved.

Her memory was extremely contained, and it was like if she never remembered of it. Yelena was paranoid enough to avoid remembering such things in a way that would allow a few to attempt to get them by violating the sanctity of her mind. After all, they could probably find enough reasons to kill her if they did so. However, her realization of it was comfortable by what perhaps were delusions of grandeur, as her scowl faded and she returned to her increasingly common emotionless expression. To die as a true hero of the human race and of the working class, even if as a nameless one, for like all heroes of the people, the actions were more important than to have the names of those behind them remembered. Yelena thoughts were certainly what some would consider dark, and still, she felt well, and there was no oppressive aura or glimpse of evil that could be detected from her. She knew that if it would truly, eventually, reach such point, killing as many of those inhumans before dying would ensure a greater good for the people, even if only in a long term measured in eons. Yet she did not fear it. What truly frightened her was the prospect of dying for an unworthy cause, rather than death itself, no matter how oblivion was the likely fate.

Her mind still pondered about Marvel, but after all that happened, she finally realized that friendships like such are only illusions waiting to be broken. Still, she refused to consider the idea of killing the demon. Perhaps ironic, but after all, good and evil is just reactionary rhetoric, and perhaps the human mind may be able to transform myths invented by either naivety or purportedly interest of the upper classes into reality, even if only in other realms.

Well...I know why her head had to be sewn back onto her body now. It was because she had it wedged so tightly up her...

Marvel smiled again. "Ahhh, just like old times," he said. "Everybody's one big, happy family. I'm going to my jacuzzi."

And then he closed his hand, and, for a change, he got the location exactly right.

The teleport just happened to work backwards this time...instead of teleporting Marvel to the jacuzzi, it teleported the jacuzzi (or, at least, all the water in it) to Marvel.

"Oh sh--."

KASPLASH!

Jackson seemingly had no reaction at all to his comment, assuming she heard him, he started slowly lifting the backpack like device off her back with his paws.

He was going to put it up into his room with all of his other creations, but he knew what Galvenor had done was only a temporary measure. If Yelena wanted to stay he knew that a more permanent solution had to be made. Which would mean mundane medical intervention.

"Galvenor, I need a word with you. If you be so kind."

Drai'lee moved so that Yellena had to look at her full on, her wings blurring like a hummingbirds as she hovered.

"Humans like you are the reason the Fae mostly hate humans. You are a stupid bitch. Communism? A flat out failure and laughed at by the rest of the Universe" Dari'lee replied, her eyes blazing at the inuslts the woman had heaped on her and the others. "A mighty fine set of ideals for sheep like you. Go back home and be a robot. Thats all you are an unthinking, uncareing, selfish robot."

"And for your further information. I happen also be be a witch, as I worship the Goddess, so you can put me on two of your lists. But I warn you you hunt me and mine and we WILL defend ourselves." Drai'lee steamed as she blurred away from the angry woman.

"Galvenor, I am not going to attack Yellena, but if she tries to hurt me, I will defend myself." The tiny Fae declared before leaving the room. She wanted to go find Marvel.

Man, this really pumps the venom, Marvel thought. I had a perfectly good Horny going on, and all these babes could do is whine. And, of course, his spell-casting problems just had to come back with a vengeance. So here he was, sitting on the floor, soaking wet, where the junior deluge from his spell failure had swept him. But least this little conspiracy had solved his other problem! After what had just happened to him, he wasn't the least big horny any more! Dammit!

He looked at Yellsatya. And he had just plain run out of patience. He hadn't wanted to start down this road, but now...he did! "You just don't get it, babe, do you?" he said. "This place isn't about ideologies, it's about people. I've been living for over two hundred years, and I have yet to come across a single Proletarian. I've seen workers and farmers and dukes, but no Proletarian. And all the Communist leaders I've seen have just been despots without the heredity--just another absentee landlord.

"Some day, you might realize that you're arguing your theory against everyone else's practice. Life doesn't work that way. You don't get a Special Indulgence that lets you decide how the world is. In fact, the world as a whole doesn't care what you think any more than it cares what I do. Just telling me that I'm bad because you say so or because someone you know says so isn't good enough. I saved your life once. I tried to save it again, but couldn't. You weren't here, but it took me days to recover from what I did for you and the Fae. And Drai'lee? One word from me and she'd do the same, even after the way you flapped your lips. How does this make us so damn malevolent?"

Become
Uncommonly,
Masterfully
Prodigious!

Irene got bored waiting, so she began to hum to herself, and then to sing outloud when she just couldn't contain herself anymore.

"Ella Sheena kae ella, ma shul ka dor-ay
Ella Sheena, t'raena yati na kamur rae
ira sh'rae, masubae yati na kashu rae
Ella Sheena, Ella Sheena, toru mae, toru mae

esse imakh ta meru, khamera s'kartu
esse imakh ta meru, kheshem s'rem heru
ira sh'rae, masubae, yati na kashu rae
ira sella, t'raena kashu rae, s'kartu

kashu rae dor es tu, tesh ka-ay horem hebbu
kashu rae horem hebsu, tesher khu kae ella ru"

OOC: If any of you know what language that is, or better yet what the english translation is, I'd be much obliged if you could tell me.

OOC: What Language is This? at http://ruphus.com/identify/ says it's Romani, or Balkan.

OOC:

Burping
Upsets
My
Palate.

Yelena sighed as she realized the reward for honesty, but ignored Drai'lee insults. Perhaps maintaining the great lie would have been a better idea, to attempt pushing further the facade of unrestricted heroism in a world which wasn't either her own to care about. Yet sooner or later the mask would fall, and they would realize who they stood next to: an utilitarian, with clearly defined goals to strive for, who wouldn't easily bend her efforts for other cause unless they involved directly her survival, and also someone who returned bitter, learning from the cold, selfish but wise experiences of Ivan, the necromancer who spoke with her while she hanged between nonexistence and a last chance to live. Someone who lost something very important, forever.

Marvel, he still was a friend for her, no matter what he thought about her. She had nothing to explain, yet she mentally insisted on replying to him, this time in voice, which he understood clearly due to a long time ago they once met.

"First, my presence here was entirely accidental, Marvel, and yet I am glad I have been sent here, somehow. Probably by someone else, but my mind still falters regarding the events of the last seven days. It may have been a manner to protect me, or a forgiving enemy deciding to cast me out instead of killing me once I was defeated. As for ideologies, they shape the people, as much as their world shapes them. And whatever you think, the soviet isn't ruled by corrupt despots, for nobody has absolute power, yet I don't wish to discuss politics deeply, because I don't have much interest in it."

Interrupting, she gestured at the entirety of the tower, remembering how it was built, as a testament to what willpower alone could achieve, and reminding of its otherworldly nature, as she explained:

"This place was almost literally built of ideas. Not political ideas, but ideas of a haven for learning, the ideology that knowledge must be shared and spread together with wisdom. People are shaped by life, and by the ideas they are taught or develop for themselves. My very existence is now an idea of a man who believed science could cheat death. And yet, what I say is founded upon practice. You have never visited the soviets, and yet you judge them based on what you have seen elsewhere. I assure you, once corruption was nearly destroying the ideals through which my land has been founded, but our people reacted against it, and since we came in a new world, things have changed, maybe because ideas have a stronger influence in our new world, maybe even stronger than the influence of ambition and greed inherited from previous human societies. I don't care about this world as much as this world doesn't care about me, Marvel. And when have I claimed you are malevolent? I do not believe in good and evil. I know that at any moment the soviets may become ridden in corruption. And if that happens, you can be sure I will risk my existence to fight for the dignity of my people, just as now my people fights against the corrupt Theocracy and tyrannical Kingdom that are attempting to conquer and enslave us."

For a change, looking straight at Drai'lee, Yelena then shrugged at her comments regarding a supposed hit list:

"If I was here to kill those who practice magic, I would have brought a rope to hang myself," and looked back at Marvel, trying her best to smile, "it has been difficult, but I have finally proved that magic is not inherently unequal, for all depends upon the individual strength of character rather than on whether he is more powerful than others or not. Just like smarter people won't necessarily become wealthy masters of the idiots. They no longer hunt people who had no choice like me. And the innocent lives that will be spared alone..."

Sighing, Yelena suddenly became motionless, acting like if a great burden fell upon her. The stoic eyes of the old man she once killed never were forgotten, no matter how hard she attempted to. It was the only time she ever demonstrated guilt in face of them, although the motives for such guilt, she was unwilling to share. Gulping, Yelena tried to force it to the depths of her mind, as she continued.

"Meanwhile I was dead, in the months that were wasted in my foolish action to save Drai'lee, which other more competent people in this tower could have achieved without getting themselves killed, fifty innocents, who like me were born with aptitude to magic, have been killed. If I have refused to help, if I returned to my land two weeks after being taught the wisdom that this place could offer, I could have avoided their deaths, at the risk of one life being forfeit. I ask you Marvel, is Drai'lee more important than fifty innocent lives? If I wasn't pushed, and if, I admit it, I wasn't too coward to cede to peer pressure, they would have been saved, and should I die, it would have been for a greater cause than only a single life."

And thus, Yelena became silent and guilty-ridden again, reminding that she had her quota of innocents killed because they were born with the ability to use magic. She still did not question the idea that an human life was above the lives of most of them, except perhaps for Marvel, and although the words ushered by her father seemed more like empty rhetoric as she went farther from him, that she wouldn't hesitate to defend her people against anyone trying to ruin their achievements, whether human or not, wasn't a lie.

This babe was gone. One moment, Marvel and Drai'lee were a plague out to ruin the world; the next, she never said that he was harmful. One moment, she had to go out and spread the revolution; the next, she was just trying to live a normal, happy, care-free life.

Bull.

Whatever she was into, there was no arguing with her. She'd made up her mind and didn't want to be confused by the truth. So Marvel wasn't going to waste his time confusing her.

"OK, fine," he said. "I'm going to check out my jacuzzi. Drai'lee, of course, is welcome to help me. Too bad you don't want to come along."

Before walking to the magic lift (he was not going to try another portal), Marvel managed to use his tongue to scratch an itch that had magically appeared under one of his eyebrows.

Drai'lee had done a fast fly by sweep of the dorm area and not found Marvel, but squelched a sigh of relief when she returned - to report him missing - and found him safe if shoshy back in Galvenor's office. And realing Yelena the riot act.

And while she might not say it aloud, yes she'd go to great lengths to help Yelena, most likely even if Marvel wasn't asking. Despite her oddness and seeming hostility, Yelena had sought to help her, and turnabout was fair play. And she even felt kinda sad for Yelena, to be so blinkered, so hidebound. Not that she was going to admit it though. Not with her angry at being called little more than a target for erradication.

Drai'lee, of course, is welcome to help me. Too bad you don't want to come along."

That brought a real smile to her face. "I take you up on that" and giggled at the evidence of the length and agility of his tongue. He must be super at tying knots in cherry stems!

Marvel tried the switch. There was a soft buzzing sound, and then a large bubble came to the surface of the water. Finally, a sound vaguely reminiscent of a loud belch--and the jacuzzi surged to death.

"I was afraid of that," Marvel said. "Pump must've burned out when the water got zapped away."

He was getting tired, and he couldn't think of too many better ways to rest than with the feeling of Drai'lee's cute little backside pressing against his shoulder. One of them, of course, would have been for her to grow to human size and let him find out what her backside felt like at that magnification, but he wasn't going to think too hard about that...yet.

He sighed. He had been looking forward to starting his little nervous breakdown with a nice, warm soak. Mind you, being a hellspawn, he preferred his water just this side of boiling, but he could take it cold for the company.

"Looks like we're going to have to find other ways to entertain ourselves," he said, looking up at the Fae Babe. He smiled beguilingly.

"Looks like we're going to have to find other ways to entertain ourselves,"

"Not necessarily" Drai'lee siad consideringly. "The waters already here, there's plenty of air, and heat...." She closed her eyes and concentrated hard. Fae majic was best with the natural world and if sometimes her grasp slipped? She was determined she wan't going too now.

Seconds passed then slowly bubbles began rising with billows of steam, and the water swirling. Though part of her was afraid that the bubbles were from the water being hot enough to boil. But Marvel was a demon, he should like it hot. And she'd be grounded if she'd pass up a chance to sit on his shoulder!

"There, test it first though" She frowned still concerned about the temperature - she liked it hot, always had.

Irene starts playing with a rubber ball made of pure Chaos, bouncing it around the room in a wild and crazy fashion.

Marvel dipped a toe.

Perfect!

"Kewl," he said with a grin. "Nice and hot.

"So," he added, lowering himself into the wonderful hot water, "you gonna rest that pair...of wings or what?"

It couldn't be possible to have the best of both worlds. To be welcome everywhere, for different places held different, and many times opposing principles. By the moment Yelena regained acceptance, things were already becoming different. The closer she came to reconcile with her people, the more distant and cold she stood with those representing what once was the reason for her to not manage to find peace in her very birthplace. Probably the only individuals who could understand and respect her opinions, even if not agreeing with them, were Galvenor and Eldrad, for anyone else seemed to focus more on the reaction for Yelena's disappointments rather than on her core, or just did not care about her, something she preferred over what Marvel and such Rusalka's relative have done.

Yet something made sense out of all it, no matter how a personal pride tried to cover such fact. For Yelena was still as uncertain on what to believe and do as when she first arrived in this place. Only this time, she was more certain on what not to do, allowing for foolish acts to not happen, and for her life to not be threatened again. One thought began then to resonate.

Why does it matter?

Perhaps Ivan was right. Perhaps there was no point to believe in anything but herself, and perhaps people were truly too selfish to deserve others to worry about them. Looking at the emptiness, Yelena could sense the psychic emanations from the insect. A creature with no self, no individuality and thus pitiful. However, that was exactly what the People's Republic sought for all to become like. Parts of a collective rather than individuals. And Yelena knew that she wouldn't truly support it.

That beliefs were only covers for something she did refuse for a long time. It wasn't magic, it wasn't anything that could be changed. There was a fear of going deeper in such thoughts on herself, but she still felt the urge to question. She never truly supported the beliefs of her nation. They may have ended poverty, but on another hand, individuality was at stake. People were looking more and more carbon copies of each other rather than real persons with each generation, and Yelena finally realized how such idea was abhorrent.

I have hidden. My true intentions have always been selfish, and I cannot let the mask destroy who I really am. Even if I don't really know the answer. I am another... Ivan... but unlike me, he hasn't disguised his intentions over a facade of idealism. He did not send people to die in battles so he could earn the merits of their sacrifices. He was... he was more honest than me. He always has been a mostly honest man. A man of his word. And now I... I know how it is to not be afraid of telling the truth. I don't care about Marvel, much alone this fairy harlot he brought to his tub. I don't care... about anything but me.

It was then that she regretted one of her thoughts. She couldn't hide having a soft spot for Marvel. And no matter what he thought of her, she owed him her life. He saved her once expecting no financial reward. And although it may have been related to an emotional weakness, like how Ivan was motivated, it was nonetheless something Yelena would forget easily. There was something compelling her to apologize... against her pride.

After nearly half an hour of pondering, Yelena took the ascension chamber and headed to Marvel's room, discreetly sliding the room's door open, as she saw the heat from the bath, and finally realized he was there. Still unsure on whether to say it or not, Yelena let ten seconds pass before finally speaking from the other side, although it was logically hearable from the bath, with a voice with clearly expressed some regret, but not even an inch of sorrow:

"Marvel, I am sorry for my outburst. I stood too many time with people trying to force me to believe in what they want to be true, and they have managed it. I was unjust to even judge others by kin. I was a fool to listen to the same people who once said those born with magic were not human, who once wanted to kill me, when they said all non-humans should be killed. Nevermind... it is just that the only non-humans in my world are stealers of souls, haunts, hags and vampires... among them fairies which seek to kill their victims, or trap their souls into enchanted porcelain for all eternity... and thus why I misjudged Drai'lee."

Drai'lee had settled light as a feather on his shoulder, and snuggled up to neck- the junction of his neck and shoulder made the perfect cuddle up spot. And it put her right at his ear, and the skin over his earlobe was so irresistably soft. She sighed at the comfort that being near him brought - and the hot water was an added bonus.

While the whole of the day had not been overly taxing, the last bit had held enough...excitement...for several days and the little fae suddenly remembered

"Oh Marvel, in all the happenings. I forgot. Congratulations on becoming an instructor! Do you know who is going to be in your class yet?"

Maybe the babe wasn't completely gone after all. Still, she had lousy timing. He was just starting to relax, and he didn't really want to do any talking. How the heck did she get through the door, anyway? Oldbag's wards were supposed to keep that from happening. Maybe it was that anti-magical ward she had. Who knows?

"That's kewl, Yellena," he said. "I suppose I can understand. After all, I'm the only Reg Gargoyle that doesn't reproduce by laying eggs in a host body. Word to the wise: if you see another one of me, run like hell or shoot it before it shoots you. I suppose I can cool the water down a little if you'd like to join us."

"Don't know who's going to be in my class," he said, lowering his voice so as not to bother Drai'lee so much. "Not even sure what I'm going to be teaching. Hope they all look like you, though."

At least Marvel seemed to behave comprehensively, even if a bit hasty as someone tried to relax. Regardless, he could be giving hints he had more interest in having her half-naked inside the tub than in her as a person. Or perhaps not, for it would take a time for the scars to heal, and for her to become to look like an entirely normal person, no matter how Yelena still had a quite pleasant face and its seldom smile, despite a few signs of age. Clearly nervous, Yelena seemed to be uncertain on whether to accept or refuse Marvel's offer. Her thoughts began to become deeper and deeper, as barriers were raised to prevent probes.

I cannot let it go.

Yelena thus accepted the offer, and spoke, still not seeing Marvel directly.

"I am tired, so I will have to accept. But I don't mind the hot water. I can barely feel heat and cold, so it wouldn't bother me. Also, don't try any funny ideas, specially after you said I am an old hag."

Thus Yelena undressed her coat, her boots and all but her black underwear, as she finally stood next to the bath's door, and paused for a moment, trying to consider one last chance to suppress her secret need and give up. Yet the risk of dying served as a stronger argument, and thus, she stepped inside the steamy room, and looking at Marvel, who played with the small fairy, Yelena stepped inside what she saw as nothing but a fancier tub.

Different from what would be expected, her body, or new body, was quite gorgeous and normal, even if the stitches around her neck detracted a bit from her beauty. Yelena seemed completely unaware of her appearance, or simply didn't care about aesthetics. Instead she sat on the tub, and lowered her body until only her head was out of water. Then, she looked at Marvel and said:

"I can't really believe you are a teacher. Perhaps I should apply too."

"Knock yourself out, babe," the turned demon replied. "Drai'lee, can you lower the temperature a bit? Boiling water isn't healthy for 'noids."

He didn't move. The water was warm, and he was going to enjoy every second that he could. He had decided not to mess with the babe on the other side. She was too close to crazy.

Yelena shrugged, as she clearly demonstrated no signs of pain or of unhealthy consequences due to the high temperature of the water. In fact her expression remained as stoic as it has usually been since her recent arrival, although she clearly wasn't pleased from the wrong assumptions about what she could and could not endure.

"I have been cooked more than once, and this time I can't be cooked that easily as before. Don't worry about me. I am perfectly fine as..."

It was then that she realized the stitches on her neck were loosening due to dilation of heat, and immediately she held firmly her neck with both hands, nearly asphyxiating herself as she said in her native language:

"Damnable surgery! At least I hadn't a intestinal replacement."

Marvel smiled one of those I-won't-say-I-told-you-so smiles of his. He thought about farting and saying that he could sympathize, but, with Dra'go La'dee on his shoulder, he decided not to. He was going to try to be polite for a change.

About then, an imp walked up behind them. It was dressed like a cross between a grease monkey and a medical doctor--stretchy cover-alls and a funny little mirrored headband. It also had a funny, quazimechanical way of moving, and its eyes glowed with an electrical light.

"Repair Service," it said. As it opened a little trap door by the jacuzzi, it became plain that there was another trap door--the cover-alls had a trap-door backside. This struck Marvel as odd.

As they sat there, it began to work. First, it drained the tub.

Gulp. Gulp. Gulp. Gulp. Gulp...

Then, it took out the burned out pump.

Cruuunnnnchh. Mmmunnnnch. Choommmmmmp. Chew chew chew.

Marvel sighed. "I don't think..."

Pfffaaarrrrrrrrtttttt!

"...I want to know..."

Splatter! Crank crank. Splutt.

"...how it's..."

Squirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...

"...doing this," he said, as the water, now body temperature, rose up around them again.

The imp popped back out of the trap door, one of the buttons on its cover-alls now only partially through its button hole.

"Work done," it said, and promptly walked out through the door.

The little bubbles started to rise again.

"I'm sure it's all quite safe and sanitary," he said, as much to himself as anyone else.

--------

OOC: Love those imps...don't we all?

Still holding her neck with her hands, Yelena frowned in disgust when the imp began to repair the tub, clearly displeased by such crude, inefficient manner of solving issues, when either willpower, or herself, for she has been dealt with machines once, could repair such faulty pump. Looking at Marvel, she then sighed, as she spoke:

"I could have fixed this, you know. Instead of that... gross thing!"

It was then that she finally stopped and began to simply concentrate while the water relaxed her, closing her eyes willing for certain stitches to move. After some seconds she removed her hands from her neck and opened her eyes again, and looking at Marvel, she wondered how longer it would take. Thus she spoke:

"It is funny that I have no real point for being in this Tower. I can't be taught magic, and I doubt I could teach anything besides basic advices in a couple of minutes. Still I don't want to leave right now. I can see you think I am not sane... maybe you are right. Still, there is no point to let all that happened break apart the fact we have been friends once in a time. Like in the good old days, when you were the only hope I had to continue struggling."

Yelena thus began to approach Marvel, hoping he wouldn't treat her like an outcast.

Marvel opened one eye. "Fine," he said. "If you want to be crazy, you're crazy. Can I get back to relaxing now?"

Drai'lee had not been upset by Yelena's arrival, though she like Marvel did, wondered how the woman had gotten in, but since it did not seem to upset Marvel, and it was his jaccuzzi...

She listened quietly to what Yelena said, nodding when Yelena admited to miss judging her. Well used to naked or near naked Yelena's peel down didn't bother her - how else was one supposed to enjoy such marvelous hot water.

She started to lower the temperature at Marvels request but stopped when Yelena said that she'd be fine.

The appearance and leaving of the imp drew little notice from her, though she was sure that Marvel appreciated having his tub fixed.

But the actions of Yelenas neck and stitches did bother her - that was just ...wrong. And Yellen sure sounded like she was 'coming on' to Marvel. And his response had her biting her lips.

Yelena seemed to be more confused than she was, and that was saying something. And while Drai'lee did not intend to be mean she had to know "Then if you can't be taught, and can't teach, why are you here?" She aksed with honest curiosity.

"Ya know," Marvel said, "that's a good question. If you'll pardon my saying so, Yellena, you've always had some scheme you were involved in, and your plans never included the likes of us. Why are you hanging around here when you've probably got some great task to accomplish?"

-------------

OOC:

I coudn't resist. You may fire when ready, Gridley.

The sands of an hourglass were about to completely fall, to give end to time. The imagery in Yelena's mind was a symbolic reminder only, and as Yelena remembered what Marvel has done for her, she could still manage to maintain a perfect facade of relaxing in such jacuzzi, but in truth, she was being torn apart by despair and doubt on inside. Despair, for the time for everything to end was nigh. She could feel as here perception slightly waned at every second, the flame of her existence slowly dropping, by the vanity of the very man who brought her back to life. Perhaps it was an irony of fate... or perhaps an old memory truly made sense. She still remembered the illusion of a nightmare where, driven by the fear of dying, she has taken all means necessary to ensure her continued survival, leading to the death of countless innocents... until finally such nightmare would end with Yelena ending her own existence with a suicide, out of guilty.

That such dark memoirs were revived was only a demonstration of the dilemma that lied ahead. If she went on, Marvel could kill her in defense, or even worse, meet oblivion by her hands. If she refused, there were not many options, and the insects and vile undead masking as civilized in such place were better not to be trifled with, for Yelena knew her limitations. The only other option was to embrace the death of body and soul, to no longer try to escape from the reaper. However, the prospect of ceasing to exist was frightening to Yelena, and greater even than her fear of spiders.

To disguise such feelings she tried to relax on such tub, forget that she would soon have to choose between damning herself or innocents, with no other alternative. Some would likely embrace immortality and condemn countless to extend their lives. Certainly Ivan would, and Yelena wouldn't be surprised at all should he travel to other realms to seek Lichdom. In fact, perhaps what he has done could be related to it. After all, he always seemed to consider death unnatural to existence, his death, of course, for a man like Ivan never cared about others. Yelena however, wasn't amoral and heartless, or else she would already have tried to extend her existence... again.

The question Drai'lee posed bothered her. And soon Marvel would also demonstrate his curiousity as well:


"Ya know, that's a good question. If you'll pardon my saying so, Yellena, you've always had some scheme you were involved in, and your plans never included the likes of us. Why are you hanging around here when you've probably got some great task to accomplish?"

To tell the truth would mean most of the residents in the tower would attempt to kill her and send her to oblivion, but to lie would be too obvious. Instead, under the facade of relaxing, she simply said a small, non-compromising part of the truth:

"I cannot risk dying again. I am too weak to stand the magical stress of teleporting. As for great tasks... the truth is that I am obsolete, for magic is dying in my world, and even my scientific knowledge became obsolete."

There were things however that couldn't be hidden. For those able to sense souls, it was obvious the her soul was slowly withering and her aura waning. There was still time to decide what to do, but soon time would be over for Yelena. Yet she has managed to suppress desperation for now, and to avoid doing something that she would still exist to regret once it was finished.

Josh and Zena avoided Irene's little ball of chaos before he sighed. "I lost track, do you have a room yet Irene or what was the plan there?"
Zena meanwhile continued to study how the chaos bounded around, trying and failing each time it bounced to predict it's next movement.

Josh and Zena avoided Irene's little ball of chaos before he sighed. "I lost track, do you have a room yet Irene or what was the plan there?"
Zena meanwhile continued to study how the chaos bounded around, trying and failing each time it bounced to predict it's next movement.

"I have a Hive. The Swarm requires a Hive in order to exist. If I spend even one night away from the Hive when it's so near, I'll become extremely ill, so before the gates close for the night, I must slip out and return to the hive hidden inside the mountain. I'll return early in the morning, and, I'll bring my lunch with me. Though I'll probably eat alone even the concept of what I eat is, unsettling, for non swarms."

The Chaos rebounded off a wall, and headed straight for Zena, seemingly following her every effort to dodge it, but it faded away and ceased to exist right before it hit her.

Zena's face paled as Josh chuckled. "That wasn't funny." She squeaked out.
"I thought it was hilarious." He turned to Irene. "As you wish. But, is your hive within the school grounds? If not, you'll need an escort to and from there or you will be unable to get to the school."

"It is inside the mountain itself, under the school grounds. Provided I obtain authority, I could have the Hive burrow up and establish an entrance, say in a deserted back area no one visits."

As soon as Yelena changed of idea, she got out of the water and out of the bedroom, moving instead to her own quarters. They were grey and full of angst... empty of any worth as an human being she once may have had. There was no furniture at all, nothing besides a razor blade floating in the middle of the room. Yelena laughed to herself, trying to find something funny to a bleak situation like such... when suddenly a burst of revelation flashed.

Angst... both hands gripping a rope around his neck, tying it... then the chair slipped as he began to asphyxiate. Dying at last... to meet a hell where evil demons torture people with strange discs painted with angsty people and scenes and with numbered listings of titles. A bizarre and evil realm where those who did suicide suffered... until his soul was pushed away by a strange, unexplainable phenomena.

Now his soul would be free from hell, and he from any suffering, as, realizing he was in a totally foreign body, feeling the memories and feelings of another long gone soul, he simply waited for his fate, locking himself in the bedroom of an individual whose soul has long departed.

Although it is certain the real Yelena's soul never met oblivion, how her afterlife is won't ever be known. Whatever experiment have been attempted to bring her back, it has failed. Perhaps because it was just illogical, or perhaps because a greater force forbid it from happening.

Regardless, Yelena's actions have not only led to the end of persecutions against people with paranormal abilities, but also to something they have taken for granted: the very extinction of magic in Pangaea. Although the details will never be known, the consequences will only mean good things for the humanity. All ghosts, haunts and nightmares will eventually cease to exist, and peace will be reached... or perhaps, things worse than what is considered unnatural shall surface from human nature.

Eventually the corpse of Yelena would be found, with her last expression maintained by rigor mortis: a large, wide smile.

Josh nodded to Irene. "Well then, it appears you need to talk to Galvenor. Of course, we've known this from the beginning, but now it seems we have that another reason to do so."

Marvel watched Yellsatya gather up her clothes and walk back out of his room.

Yep. Loonie tunes. Hope she can get over it.

"So," he said to Drai'lee, "you gonna keep your spell going or trust that funny-looking imp?"

"you gonna keep your spell going or trust that funny-looking imp?"

Drai'lee looked after Yellena with a puzzled frown on her face, then dismissed her bewhilderment. She just couldn't understand the woman. She seemed to vacilliate from one side to another, admist a flow of not stop verbalising about her indecission.

"Why don't we try turning it on...From outside the tub of course, and if it doesn't work we can go grab a snack, and then come back and I can reheat it for us. I'm not that tired, but I am hungry" In all the goings on Drai'lee hadn't eaten in quite a bit, and she was fairly shure Marvel hadn't either. Missing meals wasn't good for any one, and she didn't want Marvel to not take care of himself

"Food sounds good," Marvel said, "as long as we don't have to listen to another of Yellsatya's politica--er, did I just say that? Oops! Uhhhh...heh heh...you weren't supposed to know about that..."

Oops! Uhhhh...heh heh...you weren't supposed to know about that..."

Drai'lee smiled as they exited Marvel's suite "Oh I figured out that you've known her from somewhere before. And as far as politics are concerned, you are welcome to suffer though them. I try and stay away far away as I can."

Her tummy rumbled, and she grinned unembarrassed "Mother believes in a high fruit diet, she says it makes the Court more pacific. It just leaves me hungry all the time."

"Whew. Yeah. We have a past. That's what I didn't want you to hear! Kewl. Let's swine out."

-------------

OOC: What he didn't want her to hear was that he was using a Marvel Name for somebody. He doesn't want that to come out.

OOC:

Bestow,
Upon
Me,
Posts.

"Kewl. Let's swine out."

Drai'lee giggled, "No lets not. I may love bacon, but I don't want to be a pig. But a huge steak, blood rare with a baked potato and all that jazz sounds just too tempting for words" Drai'lee raised her voice as they entered the dining hall so that the serving imps could hear her order. "And one completely raw for Rash, please" He had joined them when they were just outside the doors. He was hungry and had made no bones about it, coiling around the Fae, whimpering piteously and giving her big, imploring baby dragon eyes.

She looked about, and noted that the dining hall was mostly empty. "So where do we want to sit, Marvel? It's not like we don't have a choice."

"Honey, 'swine out' doesn't mean eat a pig, it means be one."

He picked up his steak tartar and brussels sprouts and found the nearest table. "This looks good, don't you think? No time wasted getting there."

"Drai'lee took the two big plate the imps procured for her and looked at Marvels choice of seating.

"Looks fine to me. I wonder where every one else is...and Do you know what classes are going to be taught? I wonder what they would recommend for me?" She chattered between bites, as Rash made short work of his meal.

Once every bit of raw meet had disappeared with amazing swiftness down the little dragons maw he burped and settled around Drai'lee becomeing little more than a tattoo again.

The Little Fae patted him absently as he did so, thinking more on her own problem.

"It's like this Marvel" She sought to explain.

The core of Fae Majic she was relatively adept and familiar with, but sometimes they reacted differently than they should and none had been able to figure out why.

Human majicks she knew vanishingly little of and what she had tried had always seemed to morph into something else entirely, just as the Fae majics did at times. She also felt the tug of Dragon Majic, as when Rash had appeared and bonded with her, but those about the Great Court of the Fae who knew about such couldn't discern why she should have such a sensitivity. The two courts, Fae and Dragon were remote from one another, and while there were no hostilities between the two there was little cordiality much less interaction.

The Court, at her mothers behest, had tried many a divination and other information gathering magery but had come acropper with either no answers or confusing conflicting ones.

"So most every one has written me off as a failure, and keeps pestering mother to get married and have another Heir, or marry me off to one of them and that one becomes Heir..." Drai'lee shrugged, but there was a world of bitterness behind the seemingly indifferent words.

Marvel laughed. "Honey, you're over complicating the issue. There isn't Fae Magic and Dragon Magic and Yendorian Magic, there's just Magic. Any system you use is just a simplification. In fact, if you use Yendor's system, there are some spells that you simply can't cast because he couldn't fit them into it."

He put his steak tartar down in front of him. It was about halfway gone.

"Here. Can you feel this spell?" he asked, warming up a fireball in his upturned hand. "Normally, you think that a fireball is Demon Magic, because we demons are known for using it--but it's not. It's just another spell. And, no matter who's casting it, it still feels the same when they bring up the Mojo and it's still the same thing when they...let it go."

He turned his hand over and released the spell on his meal, intending merely to cook it. The spell went awry on him, however. It seemed to be in a religious mood, because it turned his meal into a burnt offering.

"I sure hope you felt that," he said. "I certainly did."

OOC:

Believe
Uuntil
Martinets
Persecute.

Drai'lee jumped backwards when the spell maxfired, and even Rash raised his head and gave Marvel a look.

"Yes I could feel it. But it was the raising of mana that I was feeling not what ...frame work... you used to summon it and concentrate it." She said slowly, trying hard to think it through and express herself clearly. "The Fae are majic and thus we are innately very sensitive to it. It's presence or lack there of."

"A spell is the frame work you use to make that energy into a result, or so all my tutors have said. I can feel, see, even hear and taste it, but when I try to...shape...it into what I want, a good part of the time what I get wasn't what I wanted?" It wasn't really a question just more to see if Marvel understood what she was trying to say.

"Uhhh...heh heh...sorry. Spell failure. Happens to me a lot--that's why I'm here.

"Maybe we have the...same...little...problem...

"...and then again, maybe your problem is that you're so sensitive to the mojo that you're not tuning into the framework. Maybe what you need to do is spend some time learning how to tell the difference between, say, a real fireball..."

Ohhhh, I just can't resist!

He warmed up another fireball in his hand for a moment and watched for the looks on their faces.

"...and one that's just an illusion."

He extinguished the fireball and put a phony one in its place. He took some pains to make sure that the spell was hard to detect as an illusion--even using about the same amount of mojo in it as was in the spell that it replaced.

She did edge away a bit, not wanting to have her wings crisped if he lost control.

Drai'lee concentrated as hard as she could, her eyes almost crossing she was trying so hard, but after a long moment she shook her head sadly.

"I think you are right, they both seemed the same to me... Well I could kind of feel a frame work on the first, but I couldn't feel anything different on the second."

"I need to figure out how to see through the big glowing blob of 'mojo' " She smiled - she liked Marvel's term for it, he wasn't at all stuffy like her tutors back home. Back home it had almost been 'Watch one, do one, teach one," And she had about died of frustration.

"OK. Fine," the demon-no-more continued. "Now, I'm going to amplify the binding under the mojo--give you a peek into the the way the spell is woven."

Holding the illusion in his hand, he brought out the ethereal filaments that bound the raw magic together. As he did, the illusion lost its illusiveness--it seemed to turn into a bunch of glowing red triangles, almost like a computer-generated graphic image. It was also three times its original size. "I hope you can feel that," he said. "This is a frame of hellion magic," he said. "If I had wanted to make it feel more like angelic magic, I would've done something like this..." he altered the spell again. The triangles turned into strange, white six-sided constructs with little points on them. If one had looked, one would have seen that the points had little points in their centers, and that those had little points on them, and so on into infinite smallness. "Of course, the visual representation isn't exactly reality--it's just your mind--or mine--trying to make sense of the spell."

"Oh! That I can see!" Drai'lee crowed as she blinked in amazement.

Undfer her breath she chanted voicelessly, her fingers moving in concert. Her brow furrowed and her eyes were half closed as she concentrated.

Slowly hovering above the cup formed by the palm of her off hand, a shifting many hued sphere began to form.

http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/1731/pool1.gif (http://imageshack.us)


Then her fingers began to mime that of a weaver, teasing certain strands off of the ever shifting mojo, untill enough of the blue has been freed and a drop of water formed in the cup of her palm. It lasted for all of a second then vanished, as the sphere enlarged and became once more just an overwhelmingly bright ball of mojo that too vanished.

"It gets so bright it hurts." She shook her tingling fingers. " I do better when all I have to do is add some ooph to something, like making your hot tub hot and bubbly."

Marvel chuckled. "You are sensitive," he said. "Ever try working with a dimming glamour? Take, say, a quick ten per cent off of the top of it all?"

"Don't look at me like that, Drai'lee. I didn't say I was going to cast that spell. I know better than that. The way those things work for me, you'd end up having an orgasm every time someone cast a death spell. ZAP!! Ahhhh!"

OOC: never mind that last thing I said...perhaps in a day.

Kairos had finally found the White Tower. After the ages it had taken him to reach this oh-so-vaunted place, he wasn't dissapointed in the least.

Unsurely, he knocked on the main gate.

"you'd end up having an orgasm every time someone cast a death spell. ZAP!! Ahhhh!"

That blanched Drai'lee's face, and she shivered, her eyes wide "Ewwwww, that sound too much like something the Winter Queen, my aunt, would find enjoyable, but no...not me!" She couldn't help but look over her shoulder.

The Winter Queen, the Queen of Air and Darkness was not an entity that enjoyed hearing her title, much less her name spoken outside of the Winter Court - though Drai'lee mostly presumed she was too insignificant to be noticed. When a blizzard didn’t immediately appear she relaxed and found a small grin.

"Maybe Galvenor could make me mojo sunglasses?" She quipped after a second as she recovered.

After waiting for someone to allow him in, Kairos decided to teleport inside. However, as he quickly learned the failure of that endeavour, he realized he hadn't brought with him any food. I could conjure some, he thought but...well, I suppose it's just food, I haven't messed up on what I conjure yet. Focusing, he scoped around in his mind's eye through the worlds, finally picturing something to eat, he then focused on bringing it here, bridging the gap and calling it to him. An oddly colored apple appeared in his hand. let's see if it was worth it he idly thought, as he ate.

OOC: (Twas a bump in disguise)

"It's OK," the demon said, "I'm just bad to the bone. But I'm sure that Mel--er--Galvenor would be happy to whip up something for you...if you can find his uber-maging behind." Hell's Bells, I hope she doesn't start picking up on those Marvel Names. I'm getting positively awful at keeping them to myself. Forty lashes with a wet--WOAH!

"You feel that? Somebody just did a teleport of some kind. Rather annoying, actually."

Kairos wondered why no one even noticed the stranger at the gates. a largely populated place should have at least one person nearby...but everyone appears to be clustered within...why? he pondered on this, but not greatly, as he was still fatigued from teleporting.

OOC: any chance something's unlocked (probably not, but...I can hope).

OOC: "Bad to the bone?" Match this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Djj7jW6ny2M)

Drai'lee nodded "I felt them bounce off. I hope it's not some sort of attack. I wonder where every one else is...maybe they're all manning the walls while we relax" She twitched her nose and grinned. It was obvious that she didn't think that was the case.

Kairos slammed his fist into the gate. Though uneffective, he found that this often made him feel much better. It was then that he finally noticed someone near the gate. Thank the gods! Kairos thought.After being let in, he then had to find out where he was supposed to stay, so he snuck over to the room Marvel and Drai'lee were inside, hoping for directions.

Irene began to look a little pale and fatigued. She had been waiting patiently to be accepted all day, and finally an Imp took care of everything. Now she looked out a window, wishing to be back at her hive. She needed sustenance, but didn't dare eat infront of others. She knew they would find it, unsettling.

A black version of the drone that followed her up earlier crawled up the mountain, over the gates, and up the side of the tower to where she was.

"Thank the gods dinner's arrived." she said as she moved to the far corner of the cafeteria, away from marvel and drai'lee.

She set the black done on it's back, and walked off to fetch a glass of water.
While she was gone, the thing spontaneously self-combusted, and burned alive, but it did not scream, it simply stopped moving and died.

Irene returned, and spread her wings to block the view of her eating the fully cooked drone, an action which, others should be thankful for, as the sight of an insect woman devouring an insect is often very unappealing.

Afterward, she threw the shell away, for that was all that would remain. She walked away, appearing enormously satisfied.
"Mmm, roasted swarmling, is more satisfying?" she asked herself as she left.

OOC: Not sure what you're after, but we can always try this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_cYomiuztY

IC:

Marvel listened with interest as Irene ate. At least she enjoys her meal, he thought. Wonder why she's so secretive about it, though. In comparison to my preferred method of dining--external digestion--she's positively dainty.

Then, the cafeteria door swung open and someone else came in. This one, Marvel had not seen before...and he had the feel of a failed spell all over him. Hmmmmm...fresh meat! he joked to himself. Then again, one can't always be picky. He grimaced as he munched the last charred remnant of what had once been a delicious lunch.

"Hey, dude," he said. "Did they neglect to inform you that there's an anti-teleport ward on this place?"

Kairos sat down, embarrassed a bit that he'd neglected the obvious "I'd only gotten here through rumors of the tower, so I had little idea of what to expect, honestly."

"Well, don't worry," the demon replied. "We're all Good Guys. We'd never do anything to mess with your mind."

For a moment, the demon used his illusion magic to morph himself into a grotesque monster--green skinned with two worm-like tentacles extending from its pocked nose, among other pretty little touches. Then, he returned his visage to normal, after a good belch.

"By the way, name's Marvel, and I'm an instructor. That's right, the wonderful, wise wizards here want me molding and developing the great magical minds of the future. Aren't they just brilliant?"

A little flask with a squeeze ball on it appeared on the table in front of the demon-no-more. He picked it up, held it to his mouth and started squeezing it like a bottle of breath freshener. It appeared to spew fire down his throat.

He only hoped that the guy would realize that the display of vanity was entirely artificial. Not everyone got the joke.

Drai'lee had consciously ignored Irene's dining, that seemed to be what the insect woman wished, and honestly...eating bugs? ewwwwwwww!

But to each their own.

She looked the new arrival over but didn't say anything, letting Marvel handle it. Not every one liked the fae.

She thanked the imp that came to remove her dishes, though the china, was practically clean enough to not need washing. For some one standing only 11 inches tall she had a healthy appetite. She had tucked away nearly a pound of sirloin and a large baked potato with all the trimmings. Flying was energy entensive.

Dastardly Stench;14588950']"Well, don't worry," the demon replied. "We're all Good Guys. We'd never do anything to mess with your mind."

For a moment, the demon used his illusion magic to morph himself into a grotesque monster--green skinned with two worm-like tentacles extending from its pocked nose, among other pretty little touches. Then, he returned his visage to normal, after a good belch.

"By the way, name's Marvel, and I'm an instructor. That's right, the wonderful, wise wizards here want me molding and developing the great magical minds of the future. Aren't they just brilliant?"

A little flask with a squeeze ball on it appeared on the table in front of the demon-no-more. He picked it up, held it to his mouth and started squeezing it like a bottle of breath freshener. It appeared to spew fire down his throat.

He only hoped that the guy would realize that the display of vanity was entirely artificial. Not everyone got the joke.


Kairos looked a bit intimidated when and after Marvel changed form, and having bad experiences with demons didn't help. But, he'd probably done worse, so he decided not to judge. It might be best to stay on his good side though... he determined.

"Well...alright then..." he said "I'll take your word for it."

"Dude, I'm only joking. Honestly. The food here is pretty good, by the way. If you'd like, I can explain a little bit about the place to you while you're eating--and I promise, no jokes this time.

"By the way, this is Drai'lee, and what you might think is a tattoo is, in fact, a dragon. I kid you not, somehow, it got the name of 'Rash.'" Marvel gave Dra'gon La'dee a nice obnoxious grin.

"Oh..." Kairos replied. He decided he could act more casual. "Hey." he said to Drai'lee. "Is Rash conscious or is he only really there when summoned?" he asked, clearly curious.

"Is Rash conscious or is he only really there when summoned?"

Drai'lee had smiled shyly when Marvel introduced her, and Roshamon wiggled slightly as she scritched his eye knob which was settled - at the moment - across the top of her left shoulder. "He's asleep mostly. He's just a baby" She half sighed then chuckled 'But then again he supposedly will be for the next several centuries. He mostly comes and goes when he wants"

Kairos smirked a bit when Drai'lee said that "All the time. Perhaps that's why people have so much energy when they're young." He laughed "They stored up so much." he looked a little sad after he said that, remembering things he caused.

OOC:
(going to steal this)
Bestow,
Upon
Me,
Posts

Irene meandered back into the cafeteria. She was waiting for classes to start. She wasn't particularly antsy, just waiting. She noticed the new guy, and walked over to him.

"Hi, new here, or were you hiding yesterday when I arrived?" she asked.

"I'm new." Kairos replied. "So..." Kairos began, wondering how he could fill the airspace "...what's it like here?"

"Magical," Marvel said, "and mostly what you make of it. That's true even of the living quarters. They respond to your needs."

"Wow..." said Kairos "They're exactly how you will them?" He was awestruck, having never known such things in his hometown.

"Well, my room's just as magical, but it's not within the tower. I am of the Swarm, and have need of regular continued contact with the Hive, so I have a Hive Cluster burrowed within the mountain. That's where I go every night after class.

On the other hand I can shape my Hive to whatever I want the same as anyone else can. I had one section reabsorbed into The Swarm, and rebirthed as a grand organ that replaced the entire wall."

"That's..absolutely amazing." he decided "Whoever founded the tower is someone I'll thank endlessly."

Marvel raised his hand, and a 3D map appeared in the air in front of him.

"In that case, this is the path you'd follow to get to the living area." I green line formed in the map, leading from the cafeteria to the living area. "Note the use of the magic lift to change floors. Don't worry, it's quite safe."

"Not literally." Kairos replied.

"If by safe you mean sickening you're right." Mali said from behind him. She had wandered in and had contented herself with looking out the window until now. "I'm Mali. I don't recall hearing your name though."

Instantly, Marvel's most obnoxious smile attached itself to his face.

"New. That's what he said just a moment ago, any way."

He peered back at Fali.

"Still don't like the fun rides, I see, do we, dahlink?" he said.

He looked back at Irene.

"Then again, it certainly helps to know that there's at least one female in this room who likes a big organ."

Drai'lee blinked at Irene's comment about an immense organ, but she had seen her aunt shape a hundred trolls into an impromptu orchestra once. The had offended the august personage with poor singing. The music that had been played on them was a much better nicer sound, though she was sure the trolls had not appreciated it.

She hid a wince as she watched Marvel's smile change - she was begining to recognise his different smiles. He didn't like Mali much, not after the fracas yesterday. She felt Mali had been overly sensitive, but then again Marvel was a bit over the top sometimes.

She tried to catch Marvel's eyes and give him a be "kind look". However he was an instructor now and that carried the responsibility of being 'better than' the students.

Marvel looked at Kairos. His smile relaxed a little.

"Anyway, what is your name, if you don't mind my asking--or is 'new' good enough for you?"

"Kairos." He replied "But you can call me anything, I don't particularly care."

"Oh thats just asking for trouble" Drai'lee thought and made sure her voice was very firm as she replied "Oh Kairos is a very nice name."

"I don't know what classes we're going to have avaliable to us, but with all the great instructors they are sure to be challening" Okay so maybe she was over doing it a little bit. But he seemed kind of nice - if more than a little lost and a Huge Lot Naive....or maybe just overly trusting.


OOC: Edited to correct - and stuff in greenish italics is the correct version! Grrrowls at Jolt

"I don't know what classes we're going to have avaliable to us, but with all the great instructors they are sure to be - if more than a little lost and a Huge Lot Naive....or maybe just overly trusting.

OOC: were you referring to Kairos? (just making sure) Anyway, in response to the rest of your statement...

IC: "I guess..." Kairos said "...it doesn't matter though, really. If I get insulted it isn't huge." the look on his face said otherwise, however.

Irene couldn't resist, she had to smile at Marvel's comment.

"Yes Marvel, the bigger the better. I just hope that it measures up to expectations."

Well...now he'd seen a giant bug smile. The "life tourist" in him had another photo for the dusty, old album. Amazing what a little levity could get you.

The headache that hit him whenever Irene was too close was pretty much gone, too. That was excellent. It meant that he wouldn't have to hurt her, he thought to himself with a snicker. As if he'd really try.

He realized that, with that control spell no longer in place, he'd have to be careful. He'd already noticed that he'd become decidedly more obnoxious since it had faced. If he wasn't careful, the entire world could end up coming after him with pitch forks and torches...again. He'd just have to be a little more careful.

"Well, Kairos," he went on, "I guess that you've got a choice, then. You can stay here and munch out or you can move on up to the living quarters, maybe even get the nickle tour."

Now, there was just one thing left: this guy needed a Marvel Name. What to use?

Hairos? Nah. He was too clean cut.

Kai-loss? No. Too stodgy.

Hmmmmmmm...Vairus. Oh, that one was perfect! Sounds great!

Vairus it is!

Kairos weighed the options against each other. On the one hand, he was still hungry, and the magic lift appeared to be the one transport method, but on the other, he wanted to explore a bit and see firsthand the nature of his stay. "hmmm...I guess I'll go up." he said.

Marvel stood up from his chair.

"OK," he said. "One nickle tour, coming up."

-----------

OOC:

I won't belabor the point by writing the nickle tour. Balrogga did an excellent job of that earlier in the thread.

---------------

IC:

...and it all ended up at the level of the living quarters.

"And THIS," Marvel said at long last, "is the current dwelling of my former compatriot and current Lazy Bum, Yellena. She turned in early last night, but she seems to have decided that it's perfectly alright to sleep in forever. What do you say we knock on her door and give her a little wake-up surprise?"

------

OOC:

She committed suicide last night, but the only ones who might know this are Eldrad and Galvenor.

Kairos , though with reservations, decided he should knock. "Alright then..." he spoke, knocking on her door as he did.

Irene had followed along on the tour. She let them knock for a few minutes, to no avail.
"Hard sleeper isn't she? I hope she's ok." Irene said, noting her reservations about the lack of response.

Drai'lee had taken what was becoming her usual spot on Marvel's broad shoulder for the tour, and frowned when Yelena didn't answer.

"Marvel you know her better than any of us. Is she that hard a sleeper? But she could have been unusually tired after all that's happened."

"I don't think coming back from the dead is easy" the little Fae went on to explain to Kairos about her faenapping and the rescue by Marvel and Yellen - and the fact that it had cost Yellen her life, at least temporarily.

"But she was acting very strange last night, after she came back." She looked Irene, as worried now as she was.

"Perhaps..." Kairos began thinking, determining what might have happened "...she's drained from the return?" he offered.

"Might I advise asking a staff member to check in on her, maybe just peak through the door and just ascertaining that she's just sleeping like a log or caught in a silence spell."

"...that would make sense." Kairos agreed "who, then...Marvel?"

"OK, everybody, stand back," the demon-no-more said. "The last time I tried to teleport anywhere, I ended up at the bottom of a junior deluge." Giving those around him time to clear, the demon closed his fist and tried--oh please just once!--to teleport into Yellena's room. It was the only way. He couldn't open the door from the outside.

And, for a change, he succeeded! He came out standing in the ceiling, and almost broke his neck in the fall that ensued, but he got his wings out just enough to keep his body and whatever count's for a demon's soul together...and found the body.

A very short time later, the door to her quarters opened, and a wide-eyed demon-no-more stepped out.

"I knew she was crazy, but I didn't think..." he began.

Irene bowed her head, she could tell what had happened.

"I pray she found whatever peace she sought." Irene said, not knowing what else to say for a stranger she never met.

"I suppose the headmaster should be informed?" she asked a second later.

Already forming the psychic message, she held it long enough to ask one further question.
"If you like, I can contact him telepathically. Having met one of his kind before, I can shape it to where only he can hear it." she offered. She had a feeling that Marvel and the others were closer to the dead woman that she was, and thus not as likely to concentrate on the task at hand, making her the most likely candidate to be the bearer of bad news.

"I knew she was crazy, but I didn't think..."

Drai'lee had darted inside upon seeing the look on Marvels face. She was back out even faster, her normally fair features now whiter than fresh snow.

"Ma...Marvel, could some one have killed her and made it look like?..." It was a normal suspicion for her to voice. That is what most apparent 'suicides' in the vast Courts of the Fae really were.

She wasn't sure that the towers defenses were completely unbreachable. Or that the killer hadn't been within all along.

"Contact him, Irene," Marvel said. "This is a job for people much better at it than I am. Yes, it should be investigated."

Irene sent out a powerful Psionic pulse. Normally, every Psion within a mile could hear the pulse and get the message, but Irene altered it so only a Ta'nar could pick it up, thus, only the headmaster could get it.

Headmaster, I know you don't know me, but I'm a new student in the school. I refrain from shouting like this normally, but I needed your attention. We have discovered a dead body within the school, in the dormitories. A student named Yellena, within her own room.

Bestow,
Unto
Multitudes,
Posts.

Zena left her room in time for Yelena to send her pulse. A vague itching passed over her for a moment before she saw the group outside Yelena's door. "Um, what happened here?"

"I, um, Yelena she, I, Galvenor," she tried explaining, but was unsure of quite exactly how to break this. Galvenor was easy, she needed his attention, and she needed him here now, but Zena, she decided she'd probably best keep silent and let Marvel explain.

OOC: It was Irene, not Yelena who sent the pulse.

Zena raised her eyebrows. "What are you...". She walked toward the open room and peered in. "oh god... What drover her to this?". She looked ready to throw up.

OOC: whoops, my bad. I'm on my iPod touch and skipping out on my history class.

"She was crazy," Marvel said. "She didn't need a reason.

"Let's wait for Galvenor to get here, and then I'll try a peelback spell and see just how this happened--unless someone else would like the honors. My mojo isn't working at its best lately."

"I'll leave the time magic to anyone who thinks they won't kill us all." Zena said. "Perhaps it would be best to close the door and go back to the cafeteria and wait."

"I think something should be done to preserve the scene, or some one stay here to keep anyone from disturbing things" Drai'lee was pretty sure thats what they did in all the crime dramas she'd watched. "They always leave an officer so the scene of the crime isn't contaminated." She explained.

"But we don't have an officer to leave" She fretted. It was preferable to thinking about the terrible, sad sight of Yelena's body.

"I'll stand here. I could be considered as an officer of sorts." Irene offered.

"That will not be necessary. It would be better if everyone went ti either their rooms ot to the library or lounge. The staff will take this matter into their hands for now. When we know more we will tell everyone."

When everyone turned arounf they found Galvenor standing behind them. Immediately everyone noticed the good natured happy expression he always wore was replaced by one more serious that made it clear he was to be obeyed.

"Marvel, make sure everyone is safely away and then meet me back here. I have sent Imps to the other Instructors to also meet me here. For the time beeing, this room and ajoining hallway is off limits to all but staff."

Siilently he also instructed the Imps to keep an eye on the students in case it was not self inflicted and someone was still lurking around. He did not want another abduction.

Trusting Marvel to follow his orders, he stepped through the group and approached the door. Placing an energy field over the opening that would only allow staff entry, he stepped into the room and looked around, taking in each and every detail but not disturbing anything until the others arrived.



OOC:

Could SS please describe the scene as well as you can? We can try to play CSI for a little bit for fun.

Josh and Mali had been finishing breakfast (a bowl of fresh fruit apiece) when the imp arrived. "Mali, stick with Zena. There's strength in numbers and I have doubts this is isolated." He vanished from the table, forgetting his bowl.
"Sure, leave me with the dishes." Mali said, half sarcastically. A passing imp grabbed them for her and she thanked it.

"So it would seem that we have more death and despair around us wouldn't it?" Joshua asked of Galvenor, appearing just outside of his barrier. He too stepped in and pulled out a pair of glasses ("The better to see you with." he usually jested.) for a better look around.

Irene stalked the hallways, looking for any evidence of a murderer to bring to staff, or the murderer themselves. She kept to darkened areas and back hallways.

Drai'lee gave Marvel a wan smile then zipped back to her room. She'd would've loved to stay with him, but Galvenors stern demeanor forestalled that.

She found Khatt snugly asleep in his bed and roused him by tickling his nose. Once he was awake she settled down crosslegged on his pillow and told him of the tragic events of the morning.

"Yes, don't use magic in the room incase there is a residual deweomer that might be disturbed and eradicated. For now we use mundane methods for the initial search. Only after we exhausted things will we resort to Power. My barrier will keep the room in a state of stasis so nothing will fade if it is not disturbed."

After seeing the others back to their rooms, Marvel walked back to Yellena's. He just wasn't in the mood to trust a teleport the way that they'd been acting up on him lately. In fact, it was things like this that were the whole reason why he had come to the White Tower in the first place--and, right now at least, there wasn't even a hint of an indication that the problem would even get any work, let alone be solved. Maybe, the demon figured, he should talk to Melvin-Bore about it.

Of course, Marvel was the last to arrive. He was the only one who didn't teleport in. Go figure. He found that the others had already started looking things over. This was all fine with him. This was the boring part of the job. If he'd missed some, he was that much better off, the way he saw it.

Still, he greeted everyone with a warm smile as he stood there and wondered if there was anything he should do.

Joshua looked around the disturbingly empty room. "There's nothing here. We all made our rooms our own, but she left hers a blank slate." he checked her pockets and produced a piece of paper. "Galvenor, take a look at this. There's no need to look for a murderer." He said after reading it.

OOC: I'm not as good at these as a few other unmentionables.
Bertha
Ushers
Me
Past

By the time Drai'lee had finished informing Khat of all he had missed she was yawning and flew slowly over to her tiny bed- it was perfectly proportioned for someone just eleven inches tall - and was asleep in moments.

Khat wondered briefly if it was okay for him to go to the dining hall, but decided not to. So he simply pulled out some beeef jerky to nibble on as he waited for any updates and anouncements.

By now, the demon had to make a concerted effort to keep from falling asleep. Ohhh, this was so exciting that he could just change his name to Rip Van Winkle and enjoy the view of the insides of his eyeballs.

And then, Bionic Joke found a suicide note...somewhere. Which changed things.

"Yeah," the demon-no-more said after the one-armed one had made his speech. "Cut and dried. No point in remaining. I'll just go back to my place now and mourn...in the jacuzzi."

“Please let me see the message.”

Galvenor took the note and carefully read it. Something did not seem right about the whole situation but the evidence was clear, it was a suicide.

“Please go and inform the students while I take care of the body. The room will be sealed up for a period of time for I am sure nobody will want to stay in here after this. Perhaps turning it into a storeroom f we need to might be a good idea.”

After the Instructors left to carry the grim news to the students, Galvenor summoned several Imps. After giving them instructions to pack any belongings carefully into boxes, Galvenor retrieved the amulet he had given to her to wear earlier and placed it safely away in a box he conjured. Sending the box back to where it was stored, he then turned to the corpse. Placing a stasis field around it, he packed it into a dimensional aperture along with the boxes the Imps packed. After he was finished all traces of the rooms former occupant was removed. As Galvenor left, Imps began to scrub and clean the room spotless.

In his tower, he began to research the lands she came from so e could properly see to her interment. The place she was kept was timeless so no time will pass until he removed her corpse from the aperture again.

Josh sighed and went to the cafeteria, asking a passing imp to send the other students there as well. "We really should tell them what has happened." He said to Marvel before leaving the room.

While all this was going on Galvenor was researching the burrial and funeral customs of her homeland so the students could say goodbye to her and then he planned on returning her body to her own lands for a proper burrial.

He had been tempted to just teleport right into the middle of Dra'gon La'dee's room and give her a big smooch. Knowing how paranoid felines are, the demon-no-more figured that Khad's fur would be fluffed like a spreading umbrella for a week, and boy would that be fun to watch....from between the stitches. So, though he wasn't quite sure how he disciplined himself with his impulses running wild now (might've had something to do with a certain personal distaste for being mauled), he just went up to her door, knocked and thought up the most tasteless thing that he could say.

"Yellena's one-stop pizza!" he called in. "Guaranteed cold! Get it while it's still gray and before it turns green!"

That aughtta wake 'em up!

Irene was eventually found by an Imp and herded into the cafeteria. The urge to inspect every nook and cranny for a possible murderer outweighed the urge to find out what actually happened.

"Irene, good to see you." Josh said upon her entrance. "Don't think about leaving, Galvenor asked us instructors to tell you what was going on and I think it'd be easier to do if everyone were here."

"Alright, alright, we'll go." Zena scoffed when a particularly pushy imp shoved her toward the cafeteria after Mali.

"Guaranteed cold! Get it while it's still gray and before it turns green!"

"Marvel, that's gross" Khaqt grumbled as he opened the door, his fur sticking out every which way. "Ruinedf my appetite that fair did...and woke Drai'lee up too" He said crossly as his room mate whissed past him to land on Marvel's shoulder.

"What happened? What did you all find!" Drai'lee hadn't heard exactly what Marvel had said, just somthing about pizza,...and cold? "I'd far rather have hot pizza, extra cheese, no jalapenos no smelly little fish."

Marvel laughed. He hadn't needed to enter the room to fluff up the ol' fur ball after all. And Sleeping Beauty was completely clueless. So much the better.

"Suicide. She left a note. Me--er--Galvenor wants everybody in the cafeteria so he can make an announcement. You don't have to eat anything if you don't want to.

"And you don't want the pizza I was talking about. It was absolutely tasteless."

The demon-no-more's smile was positively beaming.

"Irene, good to see you." Josh said upon her entrance. "Don't think about leaving, Galvenor asked us instructors to tell you what was going on and I think it'd be easier to do if everyone were here."

"Rats," she complained while snapping her fingers "I was hoping to find a murderer hiding somewhere, I haven't eaten a nice juicy person in too long," though it was difficult to tell if she was joking. She was though, at least she was at that particular moment.

Joshua raised an eyebrow and cringed a bit. "Thats... Disturbing. By as far as the murderer is concerned, that's why were gathering everyone here."

It was a self-satisfied turned demon with a cute little crap-eating grin that showed up in the cafeteria a few minutes later. He had even had the time to put on the illusion of a change of dress. He now wore a black suit, with a clip-on bow tie and flood pants, and large eyeglasses with plate glass lenses. He was trying out his "teaching staff" look.

Drai'lee was followed in to the dining hall by Khatt, both looking tidier than they had before. They were probably the last ones there, having indeed taken the time to do a speedy clean up and dress.

Drai'lee flitted over to Marvel while Khatt cornered an imp and ordered pizza. He has been much relieved that it had not been a murder, but he privately suspected Drai'lee had been very let down. Not that she wanted any one murdered, or for there to be a murderer running loose in the school, but she did like excitement....Sometimes.

"Marvel you look positively not at all like a professor is supposed to look" Drai'lee whispered.

"Well, what should a professor look like, then?" the demon-no-more asked.

"Classic" Drai'lee replied promptly "Well worn cormfortable tweeds, British, absent minded with suede patches on the elbows. Cardigan sweaters, pipe and smaller, rimless glasses"

Josh looked at his own dress. A dull red sweater and a pair of slacks. "Drai'lle, are you talking something like this?" Josh grabbed his sweater and a flash of runes appeared around his hand. From there his clothes changed to resemble her explanation.

"But that would look nerdy!" the turned demon protested.

----------

OOC: Yep, it was a set-up. :) :) :)

"Well obviously. But at least I'm wearing pants. A professor I had a number of years back on the other hand..". He trailed off, his clothes returning to normal, though slightly brighter.

OOC: So? It's not like the teachers here have issues with changing clothes.

"Drai'lle, are you talking something like this?"

Drai'lee laughed at the change. "Yes! thats it."

"But that would look nerdy!"

"oh I don't know. Rock Hudon never looked nerdy." Drai'lee shook her head vehemently "Pocket protectors, sinus drainage, heavy glasses that don't fit the face, hair all over groomed and goopy, not a hint of muscles and a flabby belly- those are nerdy"

Zena and Josh snorted at Drai'lee's newest description. "Vatsaas?" he asked. "Vatsaas." She agreed.
"Be nice to him. He's not a bad teacher.". Mali scolded.

Irene arched one eyebrow.

"I must disagree, before I was swarm, I was a college student at Kessingale University, and most of the professors there tended to wear white lab coats, and at least half of them had vials of something in their pockets. They all had a notebook and a large supply of pens. Some had glasses, but they all fit and were square in shape. They also tended to speak with thick German accents and demanded no less than 110% from their students."

"That wasn't a university.". Mali scoffed. "That was an expiramental eugenics lab."
"That sounds like a school more dedicated to sciences rather than their students if you ask me.". Josh mused.

"Hmmmmm," said the demon-no-more. His jacket transformed into a cardigan lab coat. His pants changed to lederhosen, complete with suspenders. His glasses turned into wrap-arounds that perfectly fit his head.

"Better?" he asked, his mischievous smile still firmly plastered to his lips and a thick fake German accent all but strangling his voice.

To Mali and Josh:

"Kessingale University offered courses in every area of life. Their most popular was Sexual Education. I'm not talking about grade school sex-ed that discusses the facts of life either. The teachers that demanded 110% were the easy teachers. That was most of the university, and was hardly enforced. Now, Professor Causa, he was feared far and wide, and used in the penal system as a punishment. He demanded absolute perfection, and would not only remove any student that delivered less, but permanently banish them from the educational system. He voluntarily retired when one student actually passed his class and did so with a 4.5 grade average. I don't think you heard of the student though, his name was Xos Xilanthese, and he was regarded as the most intelligent man in the universe, at least where I came from. No, the rest of the university was pretty easy going. Xos graduated Egregia cum Laude, the only student to do so. What no one can understand though, is why the man voluntarily chose Causa as his professor for all his studies." Irene said, finishing up explaining about Kessingale.

To Marvel after he changed:

"Perfect!" she said enthusiastically.

Then she leaned back.

"Education is much easier in the swarm. What I know The Overmind knows, what Zasz needs to know from me The Overmind simply puts in Zasz's mind. A full education in less than five seconds. As for the individual breeds, their born with all they need to know."

Marvel thought of that one. It made his grin go away for a moment. He didn't tell anyone that he his original "education" had come because he was a grub in the body of a librarian, and that he had digested some of the man's knowledge with his body. His offspring, if he ever had any, would do nothing of the kind.

Fun time was over. His clothing morphed into a gray tweed jacket, white dress shirt, string tie and tan pants. He kept his sandals--the talons on his toes still poked out over the edges--and let his wings out a bit.

OOC:

Bureaucrats
Unceasingly
Rumble
Past.

OOPS! I meant

Bureaucrats
Unceasingly
Mumble
Past.

:) :) :)

OOC: I had a post, I thought I put it up last night...oh well.

Drai'lee pretty much ignored Irene - her comments about her 'university' sounded really unbelievable. And the Hive stuff...sounded postiively gross!

She circled Marvel as he changed from the utter horror Irene had inspired him to create, and smiled pleasedly at the new effect, before buzzing in to land on his shoulder. OF course he probably looked incredible in a simple jeans and tee, but she wasa pretty sure that was not propper attire for professors.

"It's alright if I sit your shoulder? It's not like you are going to be one of my teachers, I think..."

Marvel gave her that one-eyed stare of his.

"As if there was something I could do about it...," he said with a grin.

"So, what are we going to do now? What's the school going to do? I'd offer to ship her home, but I'm guessing Headmaster Galvenor has access to faster means of transportation than what I have immediately available within the next three hours."
Irene asked. She despised just sitting around, and would much rather be doing something constructive.

"Bored, dahlink?" the demon-no-more asked.

He looked left.

He looked right.

"For what it's worth," he said softly, "I know the feeling."

"I think Galvenor might have something up his sleeve, though I'm not sure what. We should wait and see what he has planned before doing much else." Josh sat down, pulled a book out of the nearest table (the same book disappeared from his night stand in the process), and began to read.

"As if there was something I could do about it...,"

Drai'lee grinned then pouted at Marvel "Well, all you'd have to do is say no. It's not polite to settle where one is not wanted. I'd hate to make a nuisance of myself." Her tone was definitely teasing.

Khatt just rolled his eyes at her and then smiled as an imp brought out a wonderful smelling pizza. "Oh boy food!" He exclaimed. "Ever ybody who wants some dig in. We can always have them run out another."

He proceeded to take a large slice and inhale half of it with one bite.

Irene sat at a table, and pulled an invisible something out of the air. It took shape, and seemed like an unneccessarily complicated strand of DNA, but instead of a twisted helix, that is, having only a single twisted pair, this had sixty-four twisted pairs.

She toyed with it like it was a puzzle, manipulating a part here, or a part there, all without any reference guide as to what it was supposed to be. It was better than doing nothing.

In his tower room, Galvenor was deep into research. He had books stacked around the room and even a computer terminal somehow connected back home doing research upon the nation of Soviet Steam hoping to locate funeral practices and beliefs. He knew his instructors were gathering the students below in the cafeteria so he tried to hurry.

"Zena, is Chaz still asleep by chance?" Josh inquired.
"Last I checked he was. Why?" She figured she may as well give the cat a small nudge to wake him up. Down in her room, the cat fell onto the floor, wondering what had happened.
"Just wondering." he vanished from the cafeteria, only to frighten the already alarmed cat. "Calm down. We've got something to do." He scooped the cat up, noting that he had put on weight, brought them as close as possible without actually entering Galvenor's office, and knocked on his door.

"So Irene, what are you doing?" Mali puzzled over what possible creation floated before their eyes.

It would be just everyone's luck that Rash would make an appearance now, Marvel thought. He knew first-hand of the creature's taste for pizza--and one can never completely domesticate a dragon.

Fortunately, the tatoo was holding firmly in place...for now.

"Hmm? Oh, this is my DNA. It's the most complex in the swarm. I'm just idly toying with it seeing what parts I can change, and seeing if I can't maybe make something new strain based on my DNA. I have the power to read someone's DNA, and even alter it. I could show you your DNA if you want. I read and write Genetic Data like most people read and write books. I have utterly nothing better or more entertaining to do." She explained.

She put the molecule away, and after a brief subtle glow, had turned bright cherry red.

Mali raised an eyebrow and shook her head. "Subtle."
"But somehow, it works for her." Zena chuckled.

"I think it's absolutely stunning," the Red Gargoyle said, his mischievous grin still firmly in place, "though I hope the imps don't run out of tomato sauce when they go to make the next pizza."

As Galvenor was going through the texts, a tiny knock sounded upon his thick door. Letting out a sigh, he set down one of the many tomes and walked over to the door. Opening the portal he saw Josh holding Chaz.

“Oh good, you are just in time to help me. Please come in and grab one of those books. I am trying to figure out what her funereal customs are. I could use another pair of eyes because I have found surprisingly little on her realm.”

"Zena would be better suited to looking at books. My vision is, how do I put this, not suited for reading." Josh examined the stacks of books. "If you want to read, you'd best try these first." He flitted around the room, gathering an armful of books and dropping them on a free corner of a desk. "Near as I can tell, these are the books suited best to the loss of life. But I have another solution. I would like to send Chaz to their world to witness a funeral for someone equal to Yelena. Zena can then replay the funeral for us and we can recreate it." The cat vanished from Josh's arms and slumped onto Galvenor's shoulders as if to prove a point.
"It's not like I have anything better to do." The cat mumbled, clearly desiring sleep.

"I approve. It is a very good idea."

Galvenor paused a moment then turned back to Josh.

"I wish to apolagize. Your magical sight is so finely tuned even I forget about it at times. I am sorry."

"No offense taken. I would rather see as I do than the way most people do. The horrors I've heard of, I wouldn't want to witness them. It's easier to witness death when you can't see a person's true face. Unfortunately, it's also harder to understand concepts like love." Josh shook himself out of his miniature lecture. "I digress. How will we get Chaz back into the tower? I can send him off, but he can't teleport back in without something to exempt him from the barrier."

Watchfull Imps had noticed the way the pizza was being virtually inhaled and quickly brought several more freshly baked pies over. Now Rosh did wiggle free of Drai'lee and borrowed into the half that she set aside for him. Not that it would be enough, but it was a start. Though he was incredibly messy.

Drai'lee giggled at Marvels comment and added as she blinked at the color the swarmling had become. "That is interesting what you can do Irene, but why have you turned red? Not to be rude but thats not the most becoming hue on you. It looks too much like a candy dipped apple" the little fae finished the piece she had been working on and dabbed lightly at the corners of her lips.

He liked pizza, really, he did!

He just wasn't really a mammal.

His digestive system could handle almost anything--it was much hardier than your average 'noid's, anyway--but...with milk (and that includes cheese), it just occasionally had a little bit of a reaction.

And that was why, even though he had only devoured one piece--he had done it politely, 'noid style, too--it was already starting to build up that ubiquitous reminder that it wasn't really meant for demons like him.

Of course, had he been with other demons, he would merely have let that reminder pass as all things must (heavy on the must!)...but this was simply not the case...so...

"Ummm, you're going to have to excuse me for a moment..."

He teleported out of the room...and took care of business...

Pffff--ffffrrrrrffffr--rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrt!!

It was at this point that he noticed that his teleport had done it again. He was directly behind the door into the cafeteria.

He hoped that no one was going to use that door for a while. This was going to be a gift that kept on giving.

Nonchalantly, he teleported back into the cafeteria. This time, fortunately, arriving just where he had set off from. Acting as if nothing unusual had happened, he rejoined the conversation.

"Unit change, restructuring of Hive Fleets, and the growth of an organ to allow me to sense magic. It's actually a goo that covers my body. It's like lubrication, a shame I don't have a lover to share it with. The Goo serves a few different purposes."

Drai'lee hadn't been jostled by Marvel's, having politely left his shoulder, and returned to her sitting place all but instantly upon his return.

"Unit change, restructuring of Hive Fleets, and the growth of an organ to allow me to sense magic. It's actually a goo that covers my body. It's like lubrication, a shame I don't have a lover to share it with. The Goo serves a few different purposes."

That brought her eyes wide and turned her rich complexion to one closer to milk white. She gulped, only managing to speak faintly, her eyes wide with disbelief and no little horror "Oh I guess it is a...shame"

Khatt finished his last piece of pizza and looked over at the swarmling “Sorry I don’t do insects and I especially don’t do ‘goo’” he looked rather indisposed at the thought of that, but it may have been because he had downed two full pizza’s all by his lonesome.

"That's alright, soon enough it'll turn into a crust and dissipate into energy. If something happens, would someone please alert me? A telepathic note will suffice, as will a good shaking if you can't transmit thought." Irene said.

Then she leaned forward, put her head down, and to all outward appearances, fell into a coma. Though, if one could detect Psionic energy, it was abundant her mind left her body.

"Well, that's fairly disgusting." Zena sneered in reference to the goo's other purposes. "I wonder what she's up to?"
"Who knows with that one." Mali grabbed a slice of pizza, giving in to her slight hunger.

Galvenor reached toward the small cat. He worked a few hand gestures and a slight tingling filled the feline lasting only a few moments.

"I have allowed him to be able to pass through the teleport barrier for a few days by attuning his presence with that of the Tower. It should allow a few days for him to pass through before he adjusts back to his own."

Chaz shivered. "I feel kinda funny. But I guess I'll be seeing ya." He leapt off Galvenor's shoulders and vanished before he hit the ground.
"Hopefully he won't need more than a day. Perhaps if would be best, given your obvious high stress level, if we went to the cafeteria. I don't Marvel's gotten around to telling the students exactly what has happened and it would be best for them to hear it from you, someone who we all trust, rather than a couple of demon spawn."

Marvel looked at Dra'gon La'dee. His expression was absolutely lascivious.

"So...she has lubricant...," he said, "...and no one said she had to keep it all to herself..."

(Actually, he was more interested in seeing the expression on the Fae Babe's face when he brought up the subject of sex than he was in gettin' some. He wondered whether she would end up turning redder than Obscene. Only time would tell...)

"Marvel, she never said it was lubricant. We don't know exactly how her race, well..." Mali trailed off.

"If they can edit their own DNA on the fly, maybe they don't even need to," he said. "For that matter, does a group qualify as a 'race' if their DNA is radically different from one individual to the next?"

"Still, it was a thought."

Drai'lee gave Marvel a speaking look and her voice was low, and ...oddly dangerous "If You wish to go obtain some of her...lubricantion, go right a head, I am sure the two of you will enjoy it. But that's between the two of you, you can count me out. "

Her eyes flared angrily at him "When, and if, I ever decided to make love with someone I certainly will not need assisstance from some weird bug lady to enjoy it."

Marvel smiled. "Ahhh," he said, "that's the Drai'lee I know and love--all natural." He winked.

When, and if, he sent psionically to her, I ever decide to risk another angry mob killing off my children, I could do a lot worse than present company to help me make a few. Wouldn't be fair to do that today, though. In the meantime, you're redder than she is, and that's quite a fashion statement.

I just love it when a fashion design comes together.

As though talking in her sleep, Irene spoke quietly.

"Hive Clusters, under attack. Birthing Chambers compromised. Destroy Hive Cluster Gamma 3689Z, unleash Nurgle's Rot."

Zena pondered the thought of each member of a species being so radically different she attempted to block out Marvel's perversions. "Perhaps it's because they can alter their DNA that they are all of the same species though.". She looked over to Irene and considered probing into her thoughts.

Then we need to be someplace, someday, that doesn't have angry mobsDrai'lee returned firmly in the privacy of the mental contact and I am no where near that red! I'm not red at a...

In a tiny flare of mispplied majic Drai'lee found herself a bright shade of orange from top to bottom..."Oh drat" She wailed and swatted Marvel on the ear as she fluttered up off his shoulder twisting in mid air to try and see it it even extended to her wings...which it did. "Look at what you made me do! Now I look like some stupid human hunters safety vest!

She glared over at the sleeping Irene "And what in the heck is a Nurgal's Rot" Drai'lee shuddered "Some people are too creepy for others comfort!"

"It's a biological weapon, dear," Marvel replied. Extending his hand, he applied the illusion of normal coloration to her body, even as he found it impossible to wipe the grin from his face. "Specifically, it's a necrotic fungus. It's so virulent that even the Underworld Army treats it with respect. If what Irene is saying has any relationship to reality, I wouldn't want to be in Hive Cluster Gamma 3689Z about now."

"So it kills everything it touches and spreads like wildfire.". Zena's urge to laugh at Drai'lee died when Marvel explained the rot. "Sounds like the senior prank last year."
Mali shuddered. "That was a mess. Who cleaned it up anyway?". Zena shrugged, not knowing the answer herself.

Irene woke up with a snort just in time to hear questions about Nurgle's Rot being asked.

"You have no idea how hard it is having two bodies, and being slaughtered in one of them. That gun really hurt. Do you really want to know the full story? I think you would be more comfortable not knowing."

"Guns do hurt." Mali mused.
"So skip the details, what happened?" Zena asked. Though I must admit, I kinda want to hear it all. She hoped Irene was listening to that last thought.

"Well, first off, in The Swarm, in a ruling position, I am able to posses two bodies at once, and transfer my mind between them. This allows me to quite literally be in two places at once. One was with the Gamma Hive Cluster series. Their located on a series of contested worlds, though they weren't always that way. We found an entire system of habitable yet unclaimed worlds, no government claimed the system, no sentient life lived upon them. So we took them for farming. By farming we mean just that, take half the Biomass, leaving the atmosphere and ocean, and letting the other half of the biomass recover the world using secret techniques. In this fashion we feed, without attack and stirring up trouble needlessly. So it went for a time. We called it Gamma System. We minded our own business, and didn't disturb anyone. In a rare act of benevolence, when a colony ship crashed upon a world ripe for harvesting, we ceded that world to them with the clear understanding that the rest of the system was ours, and so long as they didn't disturb us, there would be no trouble. So it was for a few years more, and the Colony thrived. Then they elected a man to power with the dream and ambition of ruling the system. We warned them we would tolerate no hostile action, once, and only once. Yet he would not listen, and decided that even though we were the ones to give them the world, and WE were the ones who warned them that trying to take our worlds would be a very bad idea, he would fight us for control of the system. We restricted their movement in no fashion, lest anyone get any ideas that that was what the fight was over. Hive Cluster Gamma 3689Z was thye central Hive Cluster on one of our worlds. They destroyed the birthing chambers, and so we could not repopulate quickly. The best alternative, was to destroy ourselves, and in so doing, release Nugle's Rot. See, we are composed not of Bacteria chains like everything else, but of tightly packed Virus Clusters. Within each virus cluster lies a few dormant virus cells, that when awakened combine to form Nurgle's Rot. They awaken only when we are injured. Even now, in this body, this is true, yet you need not fear the rot from me. Since for reasons beyond my comprehension I find you interesting, I can exert my will power to prevent the rot from awakening. If you wish to know more about Nurgle's Rot, the safest course of action is to read the books in the library, something tells me one of them, somewhere, would have information on Nurgle's Rot." Irene said.

"Suddenly I feel quite boring." Mali sighed. "Your race is quite an interesting one, I'll give you that much. Revenge from beyond the grave, truly fascinating. The closest thing I've heard to that for a sentient being is basically turning themselves into a living bomb. I've read of a number of spells that are best used on a mortally ill patient. They basically turn whatever is killing them contagious beyond your wildest dreams, even cancer. When they die, typically the body rots to nothing and as it does, it releases the contagion. Anyone who comes in contact with this is almost certainly going to end up with the same fate. It's quite sad really."
"Those spells are often insanely complex though. Usually they take more time than the person has left in this world, and if they die before it's complete, it won't work." Zena noted.

"Such actions don't work too well unless your in a densely populated area, or what your spreading can spread for long periods of time through the air." Irene said speaking with far too much experience in the subject.

"But don't feel boring, I'm sure your interesting in your own way, I just happen to be massively different than most people. I could tell you other things going on in the swarm. For instance, I could tell you the progress of a single drone's attempt to catch a rare butterfly that glows with the power of the stars and changes colors in fascinating patterns. It's not going to eat it or anything, it just wants to catch it gently and hold it. Drones are like children, only uneducated."

"Huh," said the demon-no-more. "We must have different Nurgles. The one where I come from was an eater demon who got a little too hungry for his own good. Nurgle's rot evolved right in his gut. And it does a little more than just kill. The stuff will eat through the plating of a suit of power armor to get at the fuel cells. It'll climb a lamp post and sop up the light.

"I don't think I'd want to deal with either one of them, though.

"Too bad nobody here is into intervention. I could play a few tricks on that politico that would make him think twice about attacking anthing again." The demon-no-more smiled a chilling smile as he said those last few words.

The Winter Queen, Drai'lee's much dreaded Great Aunt, hade the power to be in many places at once, she was also the Queen of Air and Darkness, and thus able to do any number of things no being should, so that didn't boggle the Fae much...However it made her wonder if Irene and that formidible lady would get along "Probably become best friends and then no place in the universe would be safe" she thought to herself.

Marvels hiding of her pixied majic had her fluttering back to his shoulder and giving him as much of a hug as she could, along with a whispered but heartfelt "Thank You"

She listened to the two different explanations of the Rot and shuddered - part in sympathy for the poor war devesated part of the hive. She Hated bullies and powerseekers like that man! And part because both versions sounded horrible, something she'd make sure she was never anywhere near close to.

And Drai'lee could quite agree with Marvel, oh what she wouldn't like to do to that man.

"Who says we're not into that kind of thing, Marvel?" Zena's mock offense radiated like she was the sun. "Oh the things we could do to him. I wonder if he knows what it's like to be eaten alive?" She was clearly contemplating any number of evil deeds that could be done to those she detested.
Mali just shook her head. "You guys have fun with that. I'd much rather sit here in peace and actually learn something." A malicious glint in her eyes betrayed her desire to tear him to shreds before his own children.

"Well, its likely to continue for a long time, seeing as we're in a stalemate. If you ever decide you'd like some 'entertainment' I'd be happy to summon a Hive Ship and take you there."

She turned to Marvel.

"My Nurgle is one of the four gods of The Warp. His power is death, disease, and decay. From him springs the power of entropy. Whenever anyone gets sick, they glorify him. Whenever they die, they glorify him. Wherever Entropy is active, it is a shrine to his glory. Yet he seems to take a strange sort of fatherly care of those who have fallen under his power, and for this, he is sometimes referred to as Father Nurgle."

"Tempting Irene, but as Marvel can teleport, I doubt we'd need a ship." Zena chuckled a but at Marvel attempting to travel that great distance.
"So illness and death are ways to honor him, but he takes care of those who are sick and dying? He sounds creepy, but very likable." Oh my, this school is already changing me. she thought to herself.

"Marvel CAN teleport, yes. But The Shadow in The Warp prevents ALL teleportation. It also prevents long distance communication, and Faster than light travel. Besides, I have a sneaking suspicion that teleporting over one hundred thousand light-years would be a bit of a hard target for even the most expert of magic users to accomplish, as the target is so small, and he might accidental end up in a black hole, or in a star. I didn't teleport, I traveled through The Overmind.

"That does sound difficult. Josh has a different system that might work then. His method basically deconstructs the travelers and recreates them at a specific location. No guesswork involved because it brings you right where you want to be, even in other dimensions.'

"I suppose we had better get down there, they must be wondering where we are."

Galvenor gestured and opened a doorway out of nothingness. Through the opening Josh could "see" the cafeteria. The students seemed to be discussing sex and teleportation. Weird.

"You first please, it will close after I step through. Don't worry, they cannot see the doorway from that side."

"I'm sure they've got other things on their minds." Reproduction and teleportation, the possibilities were endless Josh chortled inwardly, stepping out into the cafeteria. "Nice spell, it's been a while since I actually took a 'normal' look at something."

Galvenor stepped through the aperture appearing as if from thin air next to Josh.

“It does not matter the method used, without the proper preparation and knowledge of the target zone there is a good chance you will send yourself into a solid object. That is why so many mages that teleport also practice clairvoyance so they can examine their location. Without this you would discover immense pain as you arrive merged with a rock or part ways into the floor or wall. Trust me, there will not be any fornication involved after that happens to you except for what you just did to yourself.”

Galvenor walked over to where Josh was standing and waited a moment for the others to finish their conversation.

"Finally. I've directed no less than three separate battles and concluded a peace treaty while I waited for you. Of course, those were all in my other body which was destroyed in the last battle, but, you know. I think time flows differently here." Irene said, partially in exasperation, partially in relief that things would move forward as Josh and Galvenor appeared.

"Time is an imposed construct. Most of us experience it linearly, but there are a select few that can see how time varies from place to place just as much as terrain does." Zena thought this was a fairly basic fact of reality.
"I have one last question before we move on to whatever news Galvenor has. If that body was destroyed, is it possible to create another one to fill it's place and function?" Mali was puzzling over how someone could die and yet still exist, alive and whole, before her.

"And that, Galvenor, is why I always examine the area before I actually go anywhere. Blind magic is as bad as, and often worse than, a man with no senses going for a swim in the middle of the ocean." Josh shuddered at the idea of sending someone into the middle of a cliffside, or worse.

"Yes that is true."

His answer could be taken for almost any of the topics just discussed.

"Also, it has been less than fifteen minutes since I called for this meeting. I had spent it trying to find information on the death customs of Yelana and had to resort to sending an entity there to investigate."

"Before I start answering questions, I will make this statement first. It seems she had committed suicide by giving up her will to live. So far this is the findings we are going with until we know differently."

Josh held up his hand and a perfect copy of the note Yelena had left them appeared in his palm. "This is a duplicate of her last note. This is what made us think suicide. With that out of the way, any questions?"

To Mali before the revelation of suicide:
"That, is an entire complicated subject and extensive branch of both science and magic in and of itself."

After the revelation of suicide:
"So, what do her people do for burial rites? Are we going to do them, or are you going to send her body home?"

"We sent Chaz, my cat, to observe a funeral for someone equivalent in status to Yelena. He'll be back soon and then we can use what he learned to give her a proper rest. After that, I think Galvenor planned to send her home." Josh said, looking to his boss for confirmation.

"That is true."

"I wish to preform the approprite rights here for you to send her off and then I will return to her lands and put her to rest. It will be quite dignified depending on what Chaz returns to tell us."

It was getting harder and harder for Marvel to keep a straight face.

He knew what Yellena had been.

She was a mage hunter, in a culture that abhored magic--and she was pretty good at it. Might've even given Marvel a run for his skin if he hadn't saved hers once. Knowing the way things are, they probably had a eulogy that touted her accomplishments against the Dread Magical Foe. So much they knew.

If the time came, Marvel wanted to read the Eulogy they would come up with over here. His stand-up comedy was a little rusty. He could use the practice.

Aozora raised an eyebrow as he looked over the tower he was to be staying. He could only see the outside, in fact had not even entered the gate yet, and yet the place was already nearly overwhelming. "A bit much I think..." He said to himself. "Hardly makes a bloke feel comfortable, its like they're trying to overawe us before we even get our room all nice and cozy. Heh. Kinda pretentious, actually. Then again, if they've got people from hell knows where, maybe they've got some right to attempted impression." He shrugged, slinging the small bag he carried over his shoulder. "I hope the dorms are co-ed..." He muttered on his way to the gate.

Mali and Zena were staring out the window, consoling each other over the loss of Yelena when Mali happened upon the gates. "Hey, who's that?" she sniffled.
Joshua strode over and took a look at where Mali was pointing. "Who knows? I'll take a look." With that he vanished from the cafeteria and with much unneeded fanfare, appeared opposite the gate from Aozora.

Aozora blinked, stopping right before the gate. He shook his head and grinned widely. "Well now, whom have we here? Tain't somthing you see everyday, now is it? Pray tell old boy, what might your name be? Ah, please tell me you're a magical bellhop of some sort, come to take me to a nice room with a roaring fire and a feisty lass for my knee." He gave an odd giggle at his own joke.

"Oh Galvenor's gonna have fun with you. I'm a teacher here. Am I to assume you want inside?" He left the safety of the grounds to shake Aozora's hand.

Aozora sighed dramatically as he shook the man's hand. "Am I to take that as a no to your being a bellhop? A shame...but, in answer to you question, why no! I've decided to camp out before your most glorious of gates whilst the smells of you're undoubtedly excellent cuisine waft through into my nose, and wave pitifully while watching the most beautiful of maidens walk past, just out of reach, if I could but get through this damned prison door you people call a gate. But wait! I've but to say I wish in you say? Well then, we've reached an agreement! Lets be off, to who knows what adventures!" In mid-sentence he switched to what was apparently a spanish accent. "Let us be off Sancho, to good deeds and the most thankful of damsels!" He began to march dramatically forward until he came to the gate. "But alas! Again I am halted by this most confounded of gates, this demon in the guise of steel! If you would, good sir?"

Josh muttered something about all the crazy folk flocking to him before a flash of runes appeared beneath them and the scene changed to the cafeteria. "It would seem we have another guest, Galvenor." He addressed his boss.

Aozora laughed, grasping the mans hand. "Oh, am I to assume this is the bossy man? What fun!" He released the hand, dipping into an elaborate bow. "I swear to you I shall be the most humble of servants my lord, your simplest wish is the greatest of my commands." He gave a grin. "But just remember good sir, that by that logic, if you have a great wish, I'll be persuing the simple ones first."

Josh sighed. "Mockery isn't good you know. He is after all, the chancellor of this place and perfectly capable of doing any number of things to you."

Aozora blinked. "Why, I am offended my good man! I pledge my service to the bossy man here, and it is mockery? You wound me, wound me to the very quick. I shall have to do much recuperating after this most grevious of offenses." He sighed and looked back at the chancellor. "But, since apparently loyalty is frowned upon in this most dismal of towers, I'll greet your every request with naught but a laugh and a scoff, even as I go about brining devestation to your will. As, obviously by your good man's reaction to my most sincere of pledges, that will gain me favour in this place. Ah, if so, than I shall thrive in this haven! A pinch for all ladies and nightly kitchen raids shall be my life, punctuated by the most studious of learning, so that my knowledge may expound upon itself to become limitless!" He began giggling furiously, before calming down and continuing. "Ah, or perhaps I am to take this to mean I shan't be a vassal? A court jester perhaps!" He began to laugh and dance merrily around the chancellor and Josh. "A jingly hat and much in the way of motley good sir, and the laughter in this most glorious of palaces shall never stop!"

"I'm just saying be nice. And if you want a jester's hat," He rapped Aozora on the head ever so gently and a with a slight pop one appeared. "Have fun with that."