tushanshu | III. ♔ Video

[Time for your scheduled public service announcement. At his console, Richard's arms are folded and his tone level. After talking to Sadie, he has realized that they can't continue with people being ignorant of the situation.]

For those who aren't yet aware, in Sinbrilee, there are marble arches with runes on them. The gateways with runs that seem to glow with a faint light lead to the realm of Dreaming, while the gates to Death have runes oozing a black substance.

Be careful of both. The worlds both shape themselves to the minds of those within. Dreaming can be pleasant, if you are in such a state of mind, but if you are not, it can be cruel. Death is always malicious. If you come to harm in either realm, that injury may prove to be very real. [Hidden in the folds of his sleeves, his hand tightens into a fist.] In at least one case, an injury has been. It's most likely that healing magic won't work there, nor any other abilities to protect you that require Tu Vishan's energy to function.

[Richard unfolds his arms so he can brush his bangs from his eyes.] I'd like to know if anyone has done any research on the gateways themselves or the realms beyond. Given that one seems the home territory of the being we've been brought here to handle, some understanding of how to move in and out of it could be an advantage.

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I expected nothing less from any of you.

[ entitled? a little, perhaps. but mostly it's that one does not spend a week with a group of people in an awful cave trying not to get eaten by a horde of horrible rat-sloths without coming away from the experience knowing what everyone's made of. if he had any doubts whatsoever about richard's character, he wouldn't be doing what he's doing now.

he clears his throat. ] Now then-- as I've already been to the destination, opening another portal there should be a rather simple task. Normally I'd have another Eliatrope or dragon act as a secondary conduit, but...

[ but that won't be important, eh? qilby's a portal-opening badass, just watch!

the cube begins to glow a bright blue. closing his eyes, he slides his hand away, but the cube doesn't follow -- it spins lazily in the air on an invisible axis, floating there under its own power inches away from his gently-cupped palm. the air feels charged like a brewing storm, but qilby seems as calm and unaffected as ever, even as the first angry sparks try to escape through his fingers. just when it feels that something's going to give-- a pinpoint of light appears between them, quickly expanding...

there's a gateway before richard now, blue like the energy still crackling in qilby's palm. there's no way to tell where it leads. ]

[Richard stands back and watches Qilby work his magic. The mix of familiarity and foreignness is always strange. It echoes Amarcian technology and yet is nothing like it.

To his credit, or entirely against it, Richard doesn't seem remotely alarmed.] I'll go first, then.

[If it ends up being dangerous, he wants to be there first to deal with trouble instead of sending Qilby in. Qilby can handle himself, but powers might cut out again. In that case, a swordsman is more useful than a mage.]

That may be wise. [ slightly-clipped tones; maintaining a portal to another dimension isn't an easy task, no matter what world you come from. but strangely enough, qilby finds the task remarkably easy right now. perhaps they were wrong about the location of death and dreaming?

only one way to find out. he shoots richard a grim look. ] Now be careful -- we can't be sure of what's on the other side. I can maintain the portal from out here, so at the first sign of danger, come right out.

Of course. [Richard takes a step through and immediately regrets it. He is soaking up to his thighs.] Wait, is this the baths? [He wouldn't be having nightmares about baths, would he?

Then again, there was that time he had a nightmare about swimming in soup.]

[ although qilby comes off as patient, mystic old guide-- in truth, standing around and doing nothing is excruciating. hardly half a minute passes before he goes "oh forget it" and sticks his head through the portal to see how things are going.

steamy. that's how things are going, apparently. ] Oh, hello.

[ he casts an eye over the chamber. it's rather nice as far as baths go, qilby supposes. ] Is this what you dream of?

[Richard turns around when Qilby arrives.] I am fond of swimming, but no, I believe we've gone astray. [He raises a hand and feels the eleth gather.] We're still in Life.

[ a frown. ] That can't be right.

[ but even so, the rest of his body follows his head through the portal as he steps through. his loose pants immediately balloon up in the water and, making a disgusted noise, he pushes the fabric under.

richard's right, sure enough. the portal closes behind him; there's no longer any need to maintain it. the frown's camped on his face now. ]

Perhaps it's interference from the archway's portal-- the energies might've... [ trailing off, he pointedly avoids the idea that he might've just plain failed. anything but that. ]

[Richard steps over to offer Qilby a hand. Let him help get you out of that water, buddy.]

I'm not familiar with the theory behind your portals, but if it couldn't open within the realms because of the cut-off of power, perhaps it ended up redirected to the nearest equivalent point.

[ he accepts the proffered hand and clambers out. plucking delicately at the wet fabric now plastered to his skinny legs, qilby can't help but wonder if being out of the water's very much better.

he shakes his head vehemently. ] There shouldn't be a need for a reciprocated transfer of energy on the other side-- it's not as if you need a person on the other side of a door to help you open it.

[ by normal standards, he's hardly agitated -- but it's likely the most upset richard's seen him. there's a deep furrow in his brow, one clearly acquired over several lifetimes of puzzling out the same sorts of mysteries. ]

I just don't have the power to do this, not even with the Eliacube. Not yet, at any rate. [ if possible, his frown deepens. ] Goddess! If my sister were here, this wouldn't even be an issue.

[As it is, Richard has to unbuckle his boots so they can dry off. Super tedious. He observes the notes of expression in Qilby and frowns.] It's unfortunate she isn't. Is it possible there are others here whose abilities are compatible with yours in the necessary way?

III. ♔ Video

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