Fantasy Imperion

[Le Sigh]

One Month Ago

It was night, and the stars glimmered in the sky like small gemstones. Their lights glimmered off of Glassdome, bathing the surrounding woods in a soft, balmy radiance. Soft rain pattered on the structure, making a sound that brought bells to mind as it struck the roof. Vines crept over the cracked crete that made up the base of the structure, and an overgrown dirt path ran south for several leagues before being swallowed up by the verdant vegetation of the forest.
It was on this path that the scavenger Nergull ran, swiftly approaching Glassdome as she had been doing ever since discovering the structure a couple of months ago with her former team. The sprite-like elf darted her head back and forth, making sure there were no threats in the immediate area before darting under the entrance piercing the crete base. Dew glistened on ever square inch of her muted green cloak, and she pulled down the hood and let out a shaky breath, running her ring hand through her spiky blonde hair. After a moment of catching her breath (it had been a long run through that cursed forest, with its many dangerous forms of plant life), she continued onward down the old hall, lighting a torch as she walked.
When she and her team had first discovered Glassdome, it had been full of all sorts of unsavory monstrosities, which had been swiftly cleared out by the team's magic-user. There had been so much loot that they had to take several trips to bring it to their base, about a week's away by cart. Even after the first month they'd only cleared out a fraction of the ancient (and priceless) artifacts that lay within. Damn, even one of those smaller trinkets that made the pretty lights could've earned the seller one-and-fifty gold nibs, or mayhaps even a full plat! However, after an argument over who got how much loot that ended in the magic-user blasting half the others into dust and causing part of their base to collapse on them, Nergull had been on her own. She'd only recently decided to go back and get some of that loot for herself, but only because she was in the area and low on coin - that trek through the cursed forest was one Damnation of a turn-off.
Eventually, the scavenger reached the central chamber of the complex. The flagstones here had been heaved up by sprouting trees, and rainwater falling through the cracks of the dome made minuscule rivers and ponds. At the center of the chamber, an upraised platform held symbols of an unknown magic lay. Nobody could figure out its purpose, not even their prodigy magic-user.
Nergull had crossed the chamber to go to one of the rooms that still held some of the magical artifacts when a loud humming noise sounded from behind her. The elf whipped around, dagger and yew wand drawn. The old platform with the runes had begun to glow. And not just that, either; all around, dormant pieces of the once-grand structure began to warm up and return to live. Bright blue luminescence appeared in geometric patterns on the flagstones; old cogs and gears turned in the exposed panels of the walls walls. Large, mechanical arms covered in ancient blue sigils came out of the walls, disintegrating any trees in their way, to form a series of levitating rings above the platform.
A female voice sounded in the Old Tongue. Nergull knew enough to understand that something was coming just as one of the stars in the night sky became a lot brighter. Thinking quick, the elf ducked behind a corner just as the world erupted into blinding light and searing heat.
The ensuing explosion could be seen for leagues in every direction. The plants in Glassdome were vaporized instantly, as well as the titular feature which had given the place its name. The area around the structure would become blackened from the ash, and small fires would start in the nearby verdant forest. Nergull had been saved by her quick thinking, but harsh blisters boiled upon her skin, and she screamed in pain.
Then, it was over. Nergull collapsed, rolling around on the ground in agony. Her cloak had been burnt to a crisp. Her skin was red as a medo, and covered in harsh pustules. After a moment, a metallic voice called out, "Are you well, Sycophant?"
Slowly, the elf woman opened her eyes. On the platform before her floated a featureless humanoid figure with skin like steel. Its blank mirror-like face was disquieting, though the sound of its voice was oddly soothing. The starlight glimmered off of it much as it had with the former dome - or perhaps the light came from the being itself. Something inside of her mind nagged at her - this being was familiar, but in what was she was unsure.
"Who... who are you?" Nergull rasped, slowly getting to her feet and wincing at the sharp spikes of pain coming from the boils on her skin.
"I am an Imperion," the being purred in its grainy yet soothing voice. "I have returned to the world my brethren and I had built. I fear that in our absence, our creations have fallen to barbarism and-"
"What?!" Nergull cried, her injuries temporarily forgotten. She stumbled back, trying to distance herself from the being. It tried hovering towards her, but she only ducked further back. Finally, she recognized this thing - its descriptions did, in fact, match up with old statues, sculptures and reliefs of the Imperion she had seen. Her face shifted from fear, to anger, to surprise, to disgust and back to fear. "You- no, you can't be. You- you betrayed us!" Finally choosing to stick with anger, she straightened her back and pointed a finger at the Imperion before her. "You left us in our hour of need, left our world to rot, and now- now you just expect us to let you take it back?!"
"Good Sycophant," the deity said once again, and this time she attempted to resist the strange, calming effect its words had - to no avail. "I apologize for what my brethren and I had to do that fateful day. Our reasons were sound, and if we were to stay then the entire world would have perished."
Nergull shook her head. "I don't care if your reasons were sound or not! You could have at least told us, or... or taken us with you!" She stopped a moment to cough, spitting out blood. Her voice was still gravelly, and it was beginning to hurt to speak.
"I do not expect you to understand our reasons for leaving," the Imperion said, and this time when it moved closer to her, she did not run away. "I truly wish we could have taken you with us, but... well, now I am back, and I seek to return this world to what it once was."
"Don't even bother," Nergull rasped. "Most people have forgotten most everything about before you left. Lots of folks have turned to atheism." She laughed, then coughed up more blood. "'Course, I guess you being here proves them wrong, don't it?" She sat down slowly then, taking deep, grating breaths.
The Imperion kneeled before her. "I understand the strife that the sight of myself would cause, and so I will require a person to act as my... pope. Or perhaps missionary is a better term. Yes, missionary. I require someone to go out into the world and speak of my return." The deity then scrutinized the elf, looking her up and down. "You will do."
"Me? ME?!" Nergull couldn't help but laugh, even though it threw her into another coughing fit. "I'm just some scav bitch the world spewed out. Who would listen to someone like me?"
"I see great potential in you. You will come far in life, if you follow me. Allow me to enlighten you on what I mean." The Imperion then placed a metal hand upon her blistered brow, and the Church of Renewal began.

 

[LieutenantL]

Sounds of single pair of feet shuffling through the dirt could be heard quite clearly in the unnaturally quiet forest. Leaves crinkled and cracked under the pressure of a boot stepping on them as the hooded figure made it's way up the overgrown pathway. The figure in question was short. Not dwarven short mind you, but short in the eyes of humans. Their build suggested female but the dark brown cloak that draped their body hid any distinguishing features from the outside world. Their hair, slightly spilling out from the hood, shone in the little amount of sunlight that managed to break past the tree line. Despite it being a midnight black color, it still seemed to glow with a majestic tint. In their hand, it appeared that they were using a wooden staff as a walking stick to attain more balance while trecking up the side of this overgrown hill. A sigh escaped the figure as they ran a delicate hand through their hair, pushing the hood off and unveiling themselves. A very feminine face with pale skin and deep red lava pools for eyes met the forest with an uneasy gaze.

Eirina grunted as she continued up the path, her face set in a soft scowl. Her information had been wrong. That damn information broker had probably fed her whatever cheap info he had and ran off with her coin. The path was supposed to be easy to tread and simple to find but Eirina was having difficulties following such vague directions and only packed for a simple trip. Pausing, she reached into her bag that hung loosely from her hip, pulling out a map that was heavily scribbled on. She ran her finger down from the center and then towards the south, tapping it a couple of times. "There. Once I cross this river...i should be in viewing distance of this 'Glassdome'." She spoke to herself with assurance, obviously trying to find the confidence she needed currently.

The black-haired woman continued to tread the path keeping silent to herself. It had only been a month or so since her graduation from her studies at the research committee. Yet, even though she had just graduated, something big had happened. News of a returning imperion. The unthinkable. Many people, humans, elves, dwarves, were upset and skeptical. Eirina couldn't help but feel curious more than mad at the supposed return of this entity that had led the world of ion to prosper in the past. Why now? What caused them to leave? How did the imperion cause prosper where the current rulers couldn't? She was hoping to study not only the imperion but also the ruins that were said to be all over 'Glassdome'. With that thought in mind, the young-looking woman picked up her pace.

 

[Dad]

As River drew a dagger from her side, she crouched patiently in the underbrush. She had tracked a boar here and she had been closing in on her prey. Unfortunately, her mind was wandering and it could possibly cost her a kill.

Constantly traveling from town to town, River had eavesdropped on quite a few conversations simply by accident. They all talked about the same thing: an Imperion. Was it by accident that River tracked her prey to the outskirts of the ruins of Glassdome? Or had she done this on purpose? Something lured her here, and it wasn't a simple coincidence that a possible return of the gods who shaped this world would peak her interest. After all, Orchard had told her everything that there was to know about them--or as much as he knew about them. What troubled River the most was the sudden activity in and around these woods. The forest, while not the most uncommonly traveled path, was very busy today. She had smelled more than boar's blood recently and she was sure that whomever had been passing nearby was also interested in the return of the Imperion. That was the only logical conclusion for the sudden bustling traffic in and around the ruins of Glassdome. Though she wasn't the first one here, she was sure there would be more coming. That meant she would have to eat and be at full strength should any encounter suddenly become dangerous.

With a deep breath, River turned her attention back to the boar tracks before her. She raised her head and spotted the pig in a small clearing, having found its way to a trove of fallen nuts and berries. Careful not to alert the animal, River took her knife into her mouth as she shimmied closer. The boar's satisfied grunts told her that it had not yet sensed her. Today's catch wouldn't be much trouble, if that was the case.

River leaped out of the woods and onto the back of the wild boar, grasping its tusks tightly and wrapping her legs around its backside. It bucked and squealed out of fright and anger, turning round and round desperately as it tried to shake its captor. Unfortunately for this boar, River was a decent hunter. River loosened her grip from a single tusk and took the knife from her lips and proceeded to plunge it into the boar's skull, through its temple and into its brain. The pig shivered and collapsed, dying almost instantly. River withdrew the blade and turned the boar over, exposing its belly. She then proceeded to take the animal apart, keeping most of the meat and even pulling the tusks from its skull (after a valiant struggle no less). She could get a few coins from a craftsman for the tusks. The rest she would eat. Last but not least, she drained the pig dry of blood, drinking it down like a drunk at the local tavern. With her strength partially restored, River salted her meat and wrapped it in cloth. She took quickly to a nearby oak with an exposed trunk and hid her meal and her prizes inside.

It was time to move into Glassdome.

 

[FiSHY_Boi_0149]

Somewhere in the mysterious forest...

A soft breeze whistled through the trees of the old wood.This place was home to only peaceful,woodland creatures, such fairies,rabbits, elks and especially ents.It was dead quiet before the sun came up.At that moment music and laughter began echoeing throughout the forest.The inhabitants of the forest were all cheerful as they were preparing for the Moon-light festival.Whenever there is a full-moon, all the creatures of the wood gather.
It is said that colour of the moon can predict the nearby future of the kingdom.Everybody was joyful as they knew that it would mean another month of good fortune, just like it had always been so far.All were happy exept for one man.This man was the oldest and only elf that lived in the forest.he had no name and was called the forest elder.
For centuries the creatures of the forest admired him as their leader and he saw them as his followers.He was usually always as happy and cheerful as the others but that day he felt that something was wrong...

That something was coming.

With this anxiety he decided to go sit on a quiet hill alone.He was so desturbed by this felling that he wanted to be alone, away from the noise.When he sat down on soft grassy floor he looked to the sky.He then slowly breathed in deeply through his nose and slowly turned his head around."You cannot hide from me,young one."he sighed as he stared deep into the forest of trees behind him.Not long after, a figure emerged from the trees at stared at the elf.The figure was one of the elder's most loyal followers and also his closest companion.The ent slowly bowed his head before the elf as he walked over to stand next to him."Is there a reason why you've come up here, master?"he asked as he lifted his head.
"I was just a bit anxious,that's all."he said as he looked back up to the sky."Is that really all?"he asked as he turned to his master.
"Well,It's just a felling but something doesn't feel right..."he sighed, closing his eyes."Is it about the festival?"the ent questioned.
"Unfortunately,you are correct."he said as he slowly turned to the ent."Should I tell the guardians to increase patrol,Sir?"the ent said,turning back towards the sky."Thank you ,Elmwood, that should put me more at ease."he said as he turned the sky.The elder then sighed and looked at his wrinkled hands.
"Elmwood, you are very wise indeed...
As you can see I am getting older now and I should be starting to find my successor..."he said as he slowly turned to Elmwood.The ent stood there ildly for a moment before he bent down and put his woody hand on his shoulder."Sir,you won't need a successor becuase you will live on for generations!"he said as he stared at his master.The elder sighed again then stood back up.
"Thank you,Elmwood, you always know how to put me at ease."he said turning back towards the forest."I think it's best if we go help with the festival now."he said as he turned to Elmwood."Wise decision."the ent said as he walked past him.The elder looked at Elmwood for a moment then looked back towards the clear blue sky.
"Something is coming..."

 

[AsterRose]

Tick’s eyes surveilled the forest as he guided his stolen steed down it. Dark eyes peered out from under a dark hood. He guided the black mare through the shadows the forest canopy gave him, still getting hit with shards of light. Dirt crushed beneath the horse's hooves as she maintained a steady pace; slow enough for Tick to take the view in, yet fast enough for them to keep time.

He picked up a waterskin and dripped it dry. Not long now, he assured himself. Glassdome wouldn’t have been much further considering how low his rations were getting.

Unlike most, Tick wasn’t drawn to Glassdome over the rumours surrounding the return of an Imperion. That had to be false, he told himself. What good was this wretched, corrupt world to someone who was so divine? There was nobody useful in this world. That's what everybody ever would be, means to ends, broken tools to build mansions. Faith was nothing here.

Whether it was Imperion or not who crashed into Glassdome, something had obliterated the place. Something had gave way to what would be inside. Tick wasn’t sure how much of its contents had survived or even what was left of it at this point, but that’s why he came. He had to see for himself. He had to be the one to sell it before anyone else would get their hands on it. It was worth leaving the house, even if he did travel alone and had to hunt for his own food.

At least there was nobody else on this path who could double cross him.

As his horse slowed, he doubted that judgement. What was worrying her? Tick brought her to a complete halt, gently petting her as he listened. Maybe he wasn’t the only one out in this forest. Paranoia grew as he wondered why there were here, and if so, what they would want with him. Not wanting to find out, he grew his cloak down further and kept quiet. His eyes flicked around the forest as he waited for any signs that he should cloak himself.

 

[Le Sigh]

A low hymn would sound its way through the crawling vines, thick brush and rotting leaves of the cursed forest. It seemed to call to those who journeyed across the overgrown path leading towards the ancient Glassdome - or whatever was left of it. If either of those three were to leave the comfort of the road and investigate this noise, this is what they would see:

A group of ten people in white robes walks through the forest, in tow of an iron-clad leader. A trail had been and was currently being silently blazed through the forest, but even the distance between the people and the forest does not stop the occasional branch or vine from snaking out and attempting to grab hold of a robe-wearer, or from some bloated animal jumping out and attempting to tear them to pieces. That is when the leader would take her steel staff, chant a word of power and blast the aggressor to dust with a quiet sizzle, allowing for the clade to continue their journey.

The leader is a tall woman who seemed to have once been an elf, judging by her facial structure and her long ears. She is clad in skin-tight metal plates that seem to cling to her form and cover her entire body - even her face. In between the slits, her scorched-scarlet skin occasionally emits a trickle of blood, pus or some other vile humour. At her brow, a strange geometric symbol had been acid-etched into the plate - three triangles surrounding an eye with no pupil.

Eventually the group reaches a small clearing, and the leader says in a voice that rasped like autumn leaves, "Alright, you lot. Gather up all the wood you can carry and bring it to a pile right here." At this the woman takes her staff and burns a large semi-circle in the bumpy, fern-covered ground. Plant life nearby the burned spot withers and dies. A couple of those in the group flinch at the magic before them. "If you find any sandtraps, call me over and I'll take care of their dwellers. Now go." The ten robed people move out, taking out knives and saws and getting to work chopping down the limbs of the fetid trees. One of them discovers a "sandtrap" - a large hole filled with sand, from which a large sinewed tendril would poke up and attempt to pull in any fool who got too close to it. The leader pokes her staff into it, the runes on the artifact flare, and a small sizzling noise would sound. At this the robed man takes out a burlap sack and begins filling it with sand by shovel.

About one minute after they began, a loud roar sounds, and the robe-wearers swiftly move away from the vegetation they'd been chopping and huddle behind their leader, who holds her staff out in a defensive posture. A large Savra crashes through the brush, branches grasping at its thick hide, arcs of lightning shooting between the cancerous mounds that grow upon it. The iron-clad woman steps forward to annihilate it, but with a sweep of its tail it sends her backwards into the brush with a thunder-like CRACK. The staff is lost in the brush, and thick, bruise-colored vines begin to grow over her. The robe-wearers huddle back as the Savra prowls towards them, electric tail swishing back and forth upon the diseased ground.

 

[FiSHY_Boi_0149]

The elder and his adviser walked through the peacful wood, watching over all the different creatures preparing of the festival.

The predators and prey of the forest would only work with the Treants and each other on special occasions, one of which was the Moon-light festival.It didn't matter if they were bigger,smaller or on different levels of the food chain, they all worked together.Everyone was joyful and happy, especially the elder.The elven leader was proud to see that everybody was working hard on the festival.Seeing the creatures at common ground warmed his heart.It wasn't long before Elmwood saw a smile appear on his face."Do you seem to be in better spirits now?"Elmwood asked as he turned to the elder."Very!Very much,yes!"he answered in delight.At that moment, a crismon coloured fox appeared before the elder.The elder reached out and took the fox up in his arms.The fox the stared into the eyes of the elder.A glint of white light luminated from its eyes as it stared directly into the eyes of the elf.The elder suddenly felt nauseous as he placed the fox back ground.The elder tried to straighten himself up but the nausea only got worse.His head felt heavy and hot and his eyes could barely stay open.Elmwood ,upon seeing this, rushed towards the elder in panic.The elder struggled to keep himself straight before he collapsed and everthing went dark.

The darkness shortly changed to a unfimilair scene.There were ten figures dressed in white robes and one dressed in metal like plates that only had small openings.The eleventh figure appeared to be a tall elven woman in a defensive stance.Suddenly the scene changed to another perspective from above the group.This position did not only show eleven figures but a twelfth figure not to far away.The twelfth one was bigger than the other elven and it had a dark power emitting from it.The ten figures hid behind the eleventh as the twelfth moved closer.
Without warning the scene began to fade to black and a single,floating figure soon appeared.The figure emitted a strange light that felt painful and almost blinding.The light it shone slowly grew brighter and brighted until the scene turned white.
The elder then instanly awoke to the scorching sun above him.The elf straightened himself up to see the familiar forest.He could see Elmwood not too far away picking at some flowers and mushroom beside an old tree.In the distance he could still see a few cheerful crowds in preporation for the great night of the moon-light festival.
The elder smiled for a moment but it soon disappeared after he remebered he saw.The was unfamilar and strange to him.Becuase of this he questioned if it was a dream at all.He knew that he only had dreams of familiar scenes in his lifetime so it couldn' have been one.He then remebered that the perspective of the scene changed positions around the figures so he then realised it was from the perspective of the trees.
He then realised that his dream was actually a vision.He then noticed that the fox was the one that caused him to see the vision in the first place.Realising this, the elder rubbed his eyes.The forest sent him a message that proved that his felling was unfortuately right.He knew what was going to happen in the near future and he knew that the Moon light festival was going to decide the fate of his home.

 

[FiSHY_Boi_0149]

 

[AsterRose]

As the hymn grew in volume, Tick’s ears twitched in concern. There was somebody else around. And thus far their behaviour wasn’t exactly typical. At least they were far enough that they wouldn’t notice him or his horse.

That didn’t alter the fact that concern grew on him like moss on the North of a tree. He tied the mare’s reins around a tree, gently petting her nose before stooping off in the direction of the sound, casting an invisibility spell as he did so with a twitch of his fingers and a barely audible whisper. His movements grew slow as his surroundings became his enemy, the slightest sharp move making him stand out against the still nature. He could only imagine the consequences of being found.

Tick heard a commanding voice next, something about woods and traps. His head snapped to the ground to make sure there wasn’t any before continuing forward. It was luck he hadn't found one yet.

A roar sounded and he flinched, glad that the crashing sound was covering for him. That was absolutely a beast, and he dared not to get closer. Wait for it to pass, he knew. He couldn’t fight off a thing like that. He could make tricks of people, not whatever he heard. The thunderous cracks had him flinching in the bushes yet again, but Tick stayed still. His fearful wide eyes were hidden, another reason he was glad to be invisible.

 

[LieutenantL]

Eirina's elongated ears twitched ever so slightly at the sound of a low hymn, so low that she doubted that not just anyone could really hear it. Her eyes narrowed and then shut, making an attempt to deduce where the source of the sound was coming from. Eventually, after pushing through the vines and bushes of the overgrown forest, her eyes made contact with multiple figures in white. She quietly counted to herself...one...four...there were ten people in white cloaks, almost cult-like. They seemed to be listening to their leader, someone who was dressed head to toe in tight armor. Their back was turned so she wasn't able to get a good look at the iron clad individual's face.

Not knowing their objective, Eirina opted to stay silent among the brush. Her hand tightly gripped her staff as she readied herself for a possible fight. She wasn't the best combatant but when it came to using her environment to her advantage, the black-haired elf believed herself to be quite tough.

It didn't take long for all hell to break loose however and the young elf found her heart beating a mile a minute after seeing a terrifying beast rush in suddenly, the sound of harsh buzzing as electricity moved to and fro. It didn't take but one hit to knock the iron clad staff user away and out commission them. The rest of the group that had been collecting wood now coward in fear at the beast.

"A Savra..." She whispered to herself, the initial spook that boosted her adrenaline now gone. "A wild beast that uses its tail among other things to attack. What's worse is the electric current that seems to safely course through its appendages..." She thought, humming to herself. Eirina stood up from the brush and stepped forward a bit, now visible in the clearing but behind the Savra. Whipping her staff around, she gathered up a small amount of magic that was needed for the spell and proceeded to slam her staff into the ground, kicking up dirt and digging itself into the earth.

A low rumbling appeared underneath the Savra before the very ground shot up in the form of a cylinder and smashed itself directly upwards, into the jaw of the beast. This staggered it, surely dazing it for a short amount of time. Eirina's goal wasn't to defeat the beast but merely to scare it off. Fire magic would have been great to have at this moment...

The dark-haired elf girl, upon landing the blow, dove back into the brush and began to circle the clearing, watching for anymore opening to jump in and attack.

 

[Dad]

A hymn crossed River's ears, diverting her attention from the heart of Glassdome, and redirecting her back into the forest. She quickly plucked her dagger again from her side and held it tightly. Someone was nearby. Clinging tightly to the trees, River sneaked toward the source of the sound. The closer she got, the louder it grew. As she approached, she sensed the blood of several...people? She couldn't quite tell if they were human or not. She settled into some nearby brush to get a closer look at who or what these creatures may be.

As she did so, River noted the one most forward of the group: an elf. She'd not seen many of them before. They were a rare sight, to her at least. Judging by the curves and small frame, River deduced that this elf was female. She bore tight metal plates that hugged her body. Was she a warrior? River couldn't see her face but she seemed strong. She wielded a mighty staff and commanded a group of nine others, totaling ten. They didn't appear to be hostile, but there had to be a reason that this group and their elf leader were drawn to Glassdome. It couldn't have been anything else other than the rumors of the Imperion. The leader instructed her followers to gather wood. That must mean they would be camping soon.

This made River sink further back into the brush to keep herself hidden as best she could. They carefully and tactfully gathered wood and disabled traps nearby. They were quite well learned. But their simple task was quickly becoming quite a burden as a beast emerged from the forest, bright, vivid arcs of lightning pouring from its very pores. River's eyes widened. She'd never seen such a creature before! The lead elf stepped forward to defend her allies, but her weapon was knocked out of her hands by the monster, rendering her defenseless.

River silently bit her lip. She knew she had to help. But she had to find an opening. She couldn't rush in recklessly. The large creature stormed forth at the elf and her allies, sure to crush them. But before it could bring its weight down upon them, River heard a thud in the ground nearby. She felt new blood; a lot of it. There were two knew people. As this thud resided, the ground beneath the large lightning creature shuddered before violently erupting with a pillar of stone. The stone pillar crashed into the jaw of the beast and caused it to stop dead in its tracks. There: an opening!

River broke her cover and made herself known. She was running the risk of possibly being betrayed by this unknown caravan of people, their elf leader, and the two still hidden individuals in the forest, but she couldn't simply watch the brawl go on and chance a needless death that she could have helped prevent. Still clinging tightly to her dagger, River sprinted forward and skidded into place beside the elf leader. Without a second thought, River turned her head to the monster and sliced open her palm. She had to act while it was still stunned! A cone of blood spilled from River's right hand and she pointed her palm at the beast's face. Silently, the cone of blood burst forward with great force and sharpened into a wall of blades, colliding with the monster's head. River had no idea how much--if any--damage she had done to the monster. But hopefully, she was useful.

 

[Le Sigh]

The Savra let out a roar of primal fury and glee as it advanced upon the hapless figures - a roar that was cut short by the giant pillar of dirt and stone that sprung up from the ground, connecting with the creature's jaw with a solid THUNK. The creature howled and stumbled back, fragmented bone piercing through its thick hide and blood spilling from its massive (now broken) maw. That was when the dark-skinned woman burst from the brush, slit her palm and launched a volley of crimson blades directly at the Savra's head. The sheer impact having somewhat crushed its thick skull, the monstrosity (now screeching in pain) tumbled away into the fetid forest, dragging its electric tail behind it.
Meanwhile, the iron-clad elven woman had managed to separate herself from the vines and retrieve her staff. She approached the dark-skinned mage, smiled, looked up at the pillar of earth and whistled softly through her teeth. "Well, I suppose I ought to thank you for saving us back there." The woman held out her hand. "High Priestess Nergull. Sycophant and missionary to the Imperion, and leader of this lot over here." She nodded towards the huddled robed figures. "And don't worry, you don't have to bow or anything. Just because I'm holier than you doesn't mean I'm holier-than-thou."

 

[Dad]

The lightning imbued monster was halted thanks to River and an unknown person's efforts. It quickly turned tail (literally) and scurried back into the forest from where it came. River breathed a sigh of relief, grasping her bleeding palm. With a few calm breaths, the wound shut itself and blood stopped going to waste.

As River was about to back away, the elven woman addressed her, after quickly retrieving her staff from the vines nearby.

"Well, I suppose I ought to thank you for saving us back there," she said, directing her words to River. She extended her hand to River.

River calmly turned around and faced the iron-elf warrior woman. Through the slits in her armor, she appeared to be mildly wounded. River accepted the elven woman's handshake and returned it firmly. "You could thank me, but you would also have to thank the stranger that assisted me," River said coyly. "They're still here, I can feel them. The both of them. I'm not sure who did what, but I had help."

"High Priestess Nergull. Sycophant and missionary to the Imperion, and leader of this lot over here," she said as she nodded to the robed caravan behind her.

River felt her hair stand on edge at Nergull's introduction. "A missionary to the Imperion?" she thought to herself, silently. Her face remained neutral and she managed to hide her concern. River gave a short bow just as Priestess Nergull was telling her not to.

"... you don't have to bow or anything. Just because I'm holier than you doesn't mean I'm holier-than-thou," Nergull insisted.

River smiled as she stood up straight. "The pleasure is mine, Priestess. I take it then, judging alone by your presence, that the rumors are true," River said as she returned her hand to her side. "The Imperion have returned. What does that mean for a lowly blood-mage like myself then?" River asked.

 

[LieutenantL]

Eirina was prepared to do more. Cast a couple more spells she had up her sleeves to scare off the electrical beast. That, however, was not needed because soon after her pillar of earth a newcomer had entered the fray. A dark skin woman who looked to be human had quickly rushed out of the brush opposite of herself. Even if the Savra was stunned, even Eirina wouldn't risk getting in close quarters with it. Before the dark-haired elf could provide support to the newcomer, blood was already flowing. This blood, however, was self-inflicted. It quickly shot forward, forming a crimson wall of blood with spikes jutting out of the end. It was over before any real damage to the group could begin...

"Blood magic..." She whispered to herself. At least, that's what she assumed it to be. To her and her colleagues back at the academy, it was only mentioned as rumors. Eirina had no idea she would meet a real blood mage in her lifetime.

The crimson eyed girl immediately stayed quiet as soon as she heard more talking. It looked like the knocked out staff user was now speaking with the apparent blood mage. After a short conversation of which Eirina had to strain her ears to hear, a certain question caught her attention which caused her mind to start working into overdrive. "The Imperion has returned. What does that mean for a lowly blood-mage like myself then?"

Standing from her current spot in the brush, the young earth mage began to approach the group, her face laced without emotion and her arms crossed. "Yes. Not only for a blood-mage...but what does that mean for everyone?" She said loudly in order to alert her presence.

 

[AsterRose]

The ground rumbled. Tick couldn’t help but flinch, a twig or two snapping beneath his booted feet. He barely noticed it as an earthen cylinder launched up into the Savra, or as a mage sent red shards towards that same beast - was that blood he saw? Regardless, he found himself in awe of both sights.

He winced at the screeches, instinctively crouching as the beast lumbered off. Tick drew out a silent sigh of relief. This area of the forest, he already decided, brought enough risks for him. He recalled his steps on the spot, taking one towards where he left his mare.


"They're still here," he heard. "I can feel them. The both of them."


What?! Tick froze. He pivoted back towards the robes figures, now joined by a woman with dark skin. She was the one who called him out. He checked his palm. To his eyes it was translucent, the spell therefore unbroken. Then how did she know? Did he dare reveal himself? Or would it be wiser to flee?


As the leader of the robed figures introduced herself as aligned with the Imperion, Tick was inclined to stay. News that spread like wildfire intrigued him. It seemed the lady, and the earth mage he just noticed too, had as much interest as he did.


Well, who wouldn’t with such claims being spread over the land?

 

[FiSHY_Boi_0149]

The elder and his adviser walked through the peacful wood, watching over all the different creatures preparing of the festival.
The predators and prey of the forest would only work with the Treants and each other on special occasions, one of which was the Moon-light festival.It didn't matter if they were bigger,smaller or on different levels of the food chain, they all worked together.Everyone was joyful and happy, especially the elder.The elven leader was proud to see that everybody was working hard on the festival.Seeing the creatures at common ground warmed his heart.It wasn't long before Elmwood saw a smile appear on his face."Do you seem to be in better spirits now?"Elmwood asked as he turned to the elder."Very!Very much,yes!"he answered in delight.At that moment, a crismon coloured fox appeared before the elder.The elder reached out and took the fox up in his arms.The fox the stared into the eyes of the elder.A glint of white light luminated from its eyes as it stared directly into the eyes of the elf.The elder suddenly felt nauseous as he placed the fox back ground.The elder tried to straighten himself up but the nausea only got worse.His head felt heavy and hot and his eyes could barely stay open.Elmwood ,upon seeing this, rushed towards the elder in panic.The elder struggled to keep himself straight before he collapsed and everthing went dark.

The darkness shortly changed to a unfimilair scene.There were ten figures dressed in white robes and one dressed in metal like plates that only had small openings.The eleventh figure appeared to be a tall elven woman in a defensive stance.Suddenly the scene changed to another perspective from above the group.This position did not only show eleven figures but a twelfth figure not to far away.The twelfth one was bigger than the other elven and it had a dark power emitting from it.The ten figures hid behind the eleventh as the twelfth moved closer.
Without warning the scene began to fade to black and a single,floating figure soon appeared.The figure emitted a strange light that felt painful and almost blinding.The light it shone slowly grew brighter and brighted until the scene turned white.
The elder then instanly awoke to the scorching sun above him.The elf straightened himself up to see the familiar forest.He could see Elmwood not too far away picking at some flowers and mushroom beside an old tree.In the distance he could still see a few cheerful crowds in preporation for the great night of the moon-light festival.
The elder smiled for a moment but it soon disappeared after he remebered he saw.The dream he had was too specific and unfamiliar to be called a dream.He knew that he only had dreams on familiar scenes in his life so it couldn't have been a dream.He remebered that the perspective of the scene changed positions around the figures so he then realised it was from the perspective of the trees.
He then realised that his dream was actually a vision.He then noticed that the fox was the one that caused him to see the vision in the first place.Realising this, the elder rubbed his eyes.The forest sent him a message that proved that his felling was unfortuately right.He knew what was going to happen in the near future and he knew that the Moon light festival was going to decide the fate of his home.

 

[Le Sigh]

(OOC: Sorry for the lack of information or a reply lately. I've been busy with holiday stuff. ;-; )

Nergull raised a hairless eyebrow at the woman who had just come out of the bushes, and a small trickle of blood slid along the side of her face. "I suppose it depends on how well everyone will react to the arrival of the Imperion, eh?" She turned her head. "But if any of you are interested in seeing this being for yourselves, you'd best follow me."

And so for the next fifteen minutes, Nergull would lead her caravan of priests (and any, if not all, of the three outsiders who chose to follow along) through the trail-blazed path in the woods, until reaching a large clearing centered around a derelict ruins. This, of course, was the fabled Glassdome.

While it may have been in a better shape once upon a time, some strange force had blasted away great chunks of the ancient crete that had made up the structure, and most of the eponymous dome was shattered. However, it appeared that there was a current attempt to repair the structure, made evident by the jury-rigged scaffolding that had been constructed all around the ruins. The priests Nergull had been leading through the forest dumped off their sand and wood at a station, where it was carried to workers who would make the scaffolding. Primitive cobblestones and mud bricks were used to replace the fallen chunks, and no attempts were made to even attempt repairing the dome.

Nergull would then lead the other visitors through a set of steel doors, down a hallway lit by glowing blue runes, and into a chamber which had the look of a recently cleaned-out mess. The flagstones were still uneven but free of their vegetation. In the center of the room, a large grey orb gently floated above a rune-covered platform. When Nergull knelt before the orb and addressed it as "my Lord", it parted, having only been a bunch of ash which had been magically lifted into orbit around the brightly-glowing metallic humanoid at its center.

"Nergull," the being purred in a grainy voice. "I see today's supply run went well. And who are these?" it asked, nodding towards the newcomers.

 

[Dad]

Standing in the forest before the high priestess, one of the two unidentified players emerged from the forest. They loudly announced themselves, perhaps to discourage any concerns that she may attack.

"Yes. Not only for a blood-mage...but what does that mean for everyone?" she asked.

Priestess Nergull seemed comfortable enough. After all, she didn't whip her weapon around to bludgeon the girl who appeared now. "I suppose it depends on how well everyone will react to the arrival of the Imperion, eh? But if any of you are interested in seeing this being for yourselves, you'd best follow me."

"That's one of two," River thought to herself. "Was it you who reacted so quickly?" River asked to the newcomer. "That was quite a spell." River silently elected to follow Priestess Nergull. She would listen and learn along the way. They were already near Glassdome. Perhaps River was right in assuming previously, that the feeling which drew her here was indeed the Imperion. The puzzle pieces all seemed to fit together.

-----

Her self-imposed questions were soon answered as the caravan emerged in front of Glassdome. River observed the dome carefully, noting the recent repairs, scaffolding, and what was clearly an attempt to restore Glassdome to its former glory. There was no mistaking it now. If Glassdome was being repaired and it lured her here, it had to be housing something important.

Upon entering the dome, River followed Priestess Nergull down a hallway which was lined with magical runes that gave off a blue hue. She couldn't read the runes, but she was eager to learn about them. Perhaps at another time. She had a feeling she would be back here eventually. Past the hallway and over newly cleaned flagstone, they entered the center of the dome. River's eyes fell upon a floating grey orb at the heart of Glassdome. Her heart sank, and she could feel lumps in her throat. She was afraid. Yet and still, her legs continued to carry her closer to the grey orb, not knowing what it was, but fearing it nonetheless.

Now, the caravan stood before the grey orb, and Priestess Nergull took a knee before the floating object. And when she spoke to it, River felt a chill run down her spine.

"My Lord," she said simply and calmly.

"Lord..." River thought to herself silently.

The grey orb trickled apart into ash and revealed a metallic humanoid creature at its center. River could feel her heart racing, simply because she wasn't certain what to expect. Should she be here? And yet, River was also compelled to stay. Her thirst for knowledge and understanding made her legs lock in place. She remained standing as what she now recognized to be the Imperion, addressed the newcomers including herself.

"Nergull," it purred. It almost sounded like it was pleased to see the elven woman. Were they close? River couldn't actually tell. This was more of a guess. "I see today's supply run went well. And who are these?" it nodded toward River and the others.

River's throat seized. Her gift of gab... was more of a curse right now. Yet, somehow, she found the strength to collect herself after being addressed. Oddly enough, it was like standing before a powerful teacher. And with that in mind, River quickly recognized the gap between her strength and the Imperion's. Slowly, she too took a knee. She smiled, both frightened and exhilarated by this event. This was why she was drawn here. Calmly, she addressed the Imperion and gave it her name.

"My Lord," River began. "My name is River. Thank you for allowing me into your presence."

 

[Le Sigh]

Dad

"River," the Imperion said, then said it once more, as if tasting the name. "A very fitting name for a human such as yourself. The earthly river ebbs and flows, always fluctuating and changing, just like you and your race. I am the Imperion, and I have returned once more."

The being gracefully "stood" and floated down from its platform, leaving the aura of dust particles in its wake. Its mirror-like face reflected River's own back at herself, and when the Imperion next spoke, it almost seemed as if the reflection was talking. "I know that you must doubt me. I know what you must be thinking - that I am an impostor, a fraud, a malevolent being riding on the coattails of an ancient fairy tale. But look at me!" the being said, voice growing louder, as it spread out its arms in a grand gesture. The dust particles formed into a pair of magnificent grey wings for just a moment, before breaking apart once more.

"Look at me," the Imperion said, "and attempt to deny the truth - that the Imperion have returned once more, to bring order and reason and... civilization... back to this world. You may not trust me now, but neither did Nergull. She doubted me at first too, and now she is my most faithful follower." The iron-clad elf nodded at this, a trickle of blood rolling along her cheek. "I just want to help you. To help all of you. Your world has decayed, and I can help bring it back to what it once was. I can bring order back to Ion. I can bring Ion back to Light."

 

[AsterRose]

"But if any of you are interested in seeing this being for yourselves, you'd best follow me."

Tick, still invisible, retreated back into the bushes. He still hadn’t quite planned how he’d get into the Glassdome, but whether or not he actually wanted to face the Imperium this was his chance! On their tails it would surely be easier. He could simply sneak in behind them as they entered, concealed behind a spell as usual. Yes, he concluded. It will be an easy entrance.

His invisibility was dispelled when he was certain he was clear of the figures’ sights, metres away from his horse so as not to disturb her and cause unnecessary attention. The mare treated Tick indifferently until he scratched his knuckles along her nose. She nuzzled into his hands. Tick mounted and tapped his heels until the horse cantered. His newfound plan could only work if he arrived first.

Tick circled the dome as he arrived, frowning at the scaffolding. If anything wasn’t already stolen, these far more lawful folk would have gotten their hands on it. Were they moved as the structure was being repaired? He would have to rely on their carelessness.

He tied his horse at a tree, casting an illusion of himself before turning invisible again. While his facade tore through an apple under a tree he crept up to the steel doors. As the group approached he tucked behind them, narrowly missing the door. The runes along the walls intrigued him, almost distracting him from his mission. He hoped they were for religious purposes and wouldn’t sound an alarm against his intrusion.

But a hovering, glowing, grey ball really did attract his attention. The platform spoke epics of it being of importance - and nobody had taken it yet. It was worthwhile in the end. Tick crept forward, hand outstretched.

He recoiled as it changed figure into a humanoid. Tick was glad he was invisible. Nobody would see his face flushing as he tried to steal an actual deity. Though that would make a hilarious story…

Tick scooted around the room as he tried to find anything else worthwhile, and that he wouldn’t get into quite as much trouble taking. The Imperion’s smooth talk stayed in the back of Tick’s mind, brushing onto him like a breeze. The way he talked made him almost doubt that it had an ego.

Tick was distracted from his scavenging by the mention of bringing this place “back to the Light”. He turned over his shoulder. Certain that the Imperion didn’t abandon the planet he walked on the day he was born, Tick couldn’t help but object.

“Why now?” he spoke, voice clear and unwavering. “What didn’t draw you back sooner?”

 

[Dad]

River remained on her knee and lowered her head as the Imperion acknowledged her. "River," it said. A god had spoken her name. She was not reading this in an ancient tome nor hearing it from the perspective of century old witch. No, she was witnessing it. She was in the presence of a being whose power was so great that it could only be recalled by man's tongue; and even then, words could not describe the feats of the Imperion accurately. "A very fitting name for a human such as yourself. The earthly river ebbs and flows, always fluctuating and changing, just like you and your race. I am the Imperion, and I have returned once more."

"The Imperion?" River thought silently to herself. "Is there only one?"

As the Imperion approached her, River felt a shiver run down her spine. Another person had entered her range, but she dared not raise her head to find out who it was. She couldn't hear their footsteps, but River was sure someone else was near now. This frightened River and caused her to break her composure. She did dare to raise her head now, even in the presence of the Imperion. As she did so, the Imperion was now mere feet away from her, its mirror-esque face reflecting her own. She stared on in awe and fear, and the Imperion spoke again:

"I know that you must doubt me. I know what you must be thinking - that I am an impostor, a fraud, a malevolent being riding on the coattails of an ancient fairy tale. But look at me!" it demanded of her. It seemed excited. Its arms spread wide as if to welcome its public to a grand display of splendor. Wings made of dust formed brilliantly on its back for just a moment, then softly vanished into the light. River had completely lost focus on the fact that another person had gathered in the room. Her guard was down and she was completely vulnerable before the Imperion.

"Look at me, and attempt to deny the truth - that the Imperion have returned once more, to bring order and reason and... civilization... back to this world. You may not trust me now, but neither did Nergull. She doubted me at first too, and now she is my most faithful follower." The Imperion seemed proud. Though the emotion that River was feeling could not be completely accurate. Gods were a completely different level of complexity in comparison to most earthly creatures. What she was feeling in those moments that the Imperion spoke was more speculation than anything else. "I just want to help you. To help all of you. Your world has decayed, and I can help bring it back to what it once was. I can bring order back to Ion. I can bring Ion back to Light."

"Back to light?" River thought, again silently. She was suddenly riddled with - not fear - but dread. Who exactly is to determine what the Imperion's idea of 'light' meant? She kept her tongue in check, however, as the new party revealed itself at last.

“Why now?” he spoke, voice clear and unwavering. “What didn’t draw you back sooner?”

River was oddly in agreement with whomever this was. "Forgive me, my lord, but I must concur. Why have you returned now?"

 

[Le Sigh]

"Why now? What didn't draw you back sooner?"

The Imperion turned to the new voice, its serene mirror-like face catching the reflection of a slender dark-skinned elf. "My child," the divine being hummed soothingly, "you must understand. We did not leave out of our own volition. No, we were whisked away from our creations due to the threat of a great evil. The plunge of the Nations of Light into an Era of Darkness was a necessary evil when compared to the complete destruction of everything we had created at the hands of our foes. It was a great and bloody battle that we fought - and though we may regret its consequences now, it was necessary. The evil is vanquished.

"But it came at a great cost. For not only did we lose the Nations of Light, but we lost many of our Imperion brothers along the way." The aura of light seemed to dim around the being, and the Imperion made a buzzing noise that sounded almost light a morose sigh. "Despite all of my power, I cannot tell for certain if I am the only one of my kind left. But I suspect that it is so."

Then the light came back tenfold. "But it is no matter! I have returned now. True, it has taken me far too long to do so, but now I am here and we can bring the world back to Light. For if there is one thing this world needs, it is something to look up to. To look forward to. To hope for!" Then the Imperion extended both of its arms out, with one hand held out to River and the other to the elf. "So... will you join me?"

 

[AsterRose]

Tick was thankful that the other visitor, River, questioned the Imperion just as much as he did. However, she was in far more awe over the Imperion that he was. Without that story, he expected her to be more partial to standing by him.

As the being answered their question, Tick could understand but not quite believe it. War could both be a highly valid reason and a well thought excuse, and he wouldn’t deny the wisdom of someone so. It was a well woven tale of war, but one thing didn’t sell the idea to Tick. Why would that war be only of news now? Surely they would have sent a warning, an explanation of their abandonment. Their world was left in the dark.

Then they begged for sympathy. Almost falling for the tale of being the last of their kind, Tick halted. That kind of behaviour haunted him in his youth. He had fallen for that trick before, and didn’t expect to again. “For if there is one thing this world needs,” the Imperion said, “it is something to look up to. To look forward to. To hope for!” A long time ago, when his name was still as fresh as a budding flower, Tick thought so too.

When the Imperion held out a hand to Tick, his face scrunched up instinctively. It was almost insulting to ask something like that of him. He just came here to find his next sale, not another mistake.

But he didn’t show his feelings beyond that.

 

[LieutenantL]

Eirina stayed quiet after Nergull had responded to her question. It was a somewhat cryptic response but one that she was expecting. A real answer wouldn't be so easy to come by and the short elven woman decided to let this "Imperion" speak for itself. Nergull seemed confident in the fact that they would be convinced about the return of a god-like being if they witnessed it for themselves and thus invited both Eirina and the blood mage to follow. A more worrisome looked appeared on her face as she glanced to her left, taking in the looks of the woman who helped defeat the best. Darkskin and green eyes that seemed to constantly be checking the area. She was thin, maybe even skinnier than herself but that wasn't uncommon to see in these times. Her examination was quickly broken as said blood user addressed her.

"Was it you who reacted so quickly?" River asked. "That was quite a spell."

The pale elven woman let her features relax as the iron clad priest began to trail away from the two, surely to help gather her belongings for the continued trip. She gave a small smile to the woman and nodded her head. "That I did human. It wouldn't have been good to let that Savra sink it's teeth into this group so suddenly. But I should be the one complimenting you. Was that...blood you were using as a base for magic?" She curiously asked, her red eyes glinting with a knowing look.

Before an answer could be given, Nergull gave the call to set forth once again and Eirina found herself near the back of the group as they continued through the forest. She would admit to being curious about blood magic and how it worked but in this situation, an Imperion took the cake.

After a short amount of time of walking, Eirina could swear she felt slight movement across the forest floor. Was this perhaps the person that her companion sensed earlier and was following along at a distance? Or perhaps it was another animal hunting them down. She pale girl could not tell and as soon as the group approached the Dome, she didn't care any longer.

Her eyes widened at the magnificent structure of the Glassdome. Her instincts kicked in and she immediately wanted to begin studying the surroundings, search for runes and such. She held herself back however and deemed it a worthy goal for later when her current situation was more stable.

She kept quiet upon entering the large ruin, her crimson eyes glazing over everything with an inquisitive look as if she was trying to solve the world's mystery's by just looking at a wall. It wasn't long however when her eyes met that of a sphere. A greyish orb that exuded so much of a presence that Eirina felt like she should be on the ground, bowing to such a thing. She kept a neutral look on the outside but nervousness crept up from deep within. An almost fight or flight response. Despite this, the young woman held her ground just as the woman next to her did. The orb almost...disolved as a being that Eirina found hard to describe emerged from within. The Imperion it had introduced itself as after learning of River's name.

Many thoughts were circulating inside Eirina's mind but continued to stay as a silent observer. Her time to speak would come soon. Not to mention, people often learned more upon listening to others speak. It was a fine opportunity to measure everyone's positions and beliefs. This became even more apparent as soon as she heard "Why now? What didn’t draw you back sooner?” from behind her. Fiddling with her staff a bit, she couldn't help but agree alongside not only the newcomer but surprisingly River who until now, seemed to be in great awe at the presence in front of her.

An answer was given but not an answer that Eirina could accept. She may be entitled to believe this...being could be one of, if not the last, Imperion. That, however, did not change the fact that this entire world was left in the dark while a war that determined their fates waged on for who knows how long.

"Forgive me...my lord, I am known as Eirina Torric. I am a local researcher and thus," Eirina spoke up for the first time, her voice smooth and unwavering. God or not, a shaky voice would get her nowhere and thus, she steeled herself as best she could. "I must inquire what some may be thinking. Did you or the other Imperions ever attempt to reach out to us and let us know of this great evil? Would it not have been a simple solution to let us know and keep our faith. Perhaps we, your creations, could have even supported you." Eirina asked firmly.

 

[Dad]

River's thought process was admittedly skewed. She wasn't actually sure what she wanted to do. She had become used to being alone and working alone. Now, the force that drew her here -- a god no less! -- was asking for her help. It was all so... fast. There were still many questions that she had and she didn't want to jump to an answer right away. She held her answer in her head silently as the woman she addressed before -- the mage from the forest -- spoke to the Imperion.

"I must inquire what some may be thinking. Did you or the other Imperions ever attempt to reach out to us and let us know of this great evil? Would it not have been a simple solution to let us know and keep our faith. Perhaps we, your creations, could have even supported you." Eirina asked firmly.

River both agreed and disagreed with Eirina. While it was true that the Imperion could have warned or even sought the aid of their creations, when would a god ask its creations for their help? What could they have done to aid the Imperion? Considering the loss of the Imperion, there was little to nothing that a human like herself could have done. That then begs the question...

"My lord. Why us? If the Imperion were defeated by this great evil, how do you believe we should stand a chance?" River added to Eirina's question. She kept her head down but spoke clearly. River wasn't looking to partake in a war. But if the Imperion could satisfy her with an answer, then she could use her power for good and keep her word to Orchard.