Aiden: Stranger in a strange land

[King Nicho Klojhen]

The little Pleep dragon didn't know what to do, his mind in a panic, he shifted to the very first form he had ever taken, a spider. About the size of a large tarantula, yet a typical variety of spider found around GoldenMyst, the jumping spider. Quick as a flash he has jumped to the wall, then the ceiling and out the door over the Genie's head as the Genie looks into the cell for the dragon.

[Kolava]

Those luminous eyes search through the hay for the glimmer of scales that had been noticed only moments before, but couldn't find them anywhere. With an extremely embarrassed look on his hurried face, he figits his way into the cell and nudges the bucket with a sandaled toe. At last, defeated, he clicks the door shut and dissapears without even pausing to consider the conspicious vermin skittering about the dungeon cieling.

[King Nicho Klojhen]

The spider will cautiously follow the genie out of the dungeon and escape through the first door or window he finds to the outside. He thinks about all the others he knows are held captive there, but one little druid alone doesn't have much chance of freeing them. Perhaps he can return some day with others and put a stop to the cruelty.

Once free of the palace the spider will travel with leaps and bounds toward the strange flower that connects the two realms.

[Kolava]

Aiden's image of each captive as he passes the cell reinforces the notion of cruelty. On the other hand, below the fatigue of incarceration, the animals seem fierce and deviant, perhaps explaining the origin of the words which had them thrown in there. None of them notice the spider as it passes, and they make no attempt at communication when the genie is there.

Aiden's travel was, at first, uneventful and swift. A curve is thrown to him, though, as the walking genie he was following suddenly teleports with a sigh. Left alone in that corridor ceiling, bereft of a guide, the spider would find that the path to the outside wasn't clear in this massive place. As the spider continues aimlessly, corridors would seem to repeat themselves in a gradual circuit no matter what direction was taken at intersections.

At last; a break. A massive, open balcony hugged a curving side of the great hall, its silken curtains swaying in a warm, sweet wind. The catch was in the great hall itself, which was brimming with activity. At least one hundred of those larger-then-life humanoids were gathered here. Some were milling about, bubbling with talk, while others simply lounged on provided cushions, sipping conjured wine and giving contented looks towards the center.

In the center was a raised platform inhabited by what were obviously the Noblest of the noble. Two of the males wore great turbans, and a third, equally imposing female sat strumming an elaborate stringed instrument.

Beside the platform, brutalized by whips and chains, and with his arms bound behind his back with conjured metal, was the dreadlocked genie who had captured Aiden. He kneeled in a puddle of blood, but his immortal body prevented him the honor of dieng. The atmosphere was one of a casual festival, but, in fact, this was a hearing.

~Tell me again, about the energy~ mused one of the men, twirling a piece of blue silk in his hands. His public telepathy was as breathtaking as it was effortless.

"Kera manat. Rsei hevalkoseja." responded the prisoner, feeling the crushing weight of his greed brought into the open.

~Oh? And your first thought upon discovering it?~

"....temeos ielkset"

~For...us?~All three on the platform laughed, and the rest nodded. ~A gift for us indeed! How very generous of you, Kusav!~

The woman had stopped playing so she could lean over and add. ~I knew Kusav was smart.~

"Te puoviset...puoviset..." spoke the embarrassed looking genie, apparently a bailiff of some sort, who had been sent to Aiden's cell and come back empty handed.

~Yes, you...you brought it?~ said the second man, who had been telling the bailiff to be quiet ever since he had arrived because of the more important discussion going on.

"At. Iele benaoj," he responded.

~Empty?~ asked all three, looking to Kusav with skeptical eyes.

Aiden would have managed to discover and traverse the long, indirect route to the balcony at this point, but would have heard all of this. As the spider peered over the edge to the fairly long fall and lined up its jump, a final, damning sentence would stick in his memory.

~No matter, really. There will be plenty of new pets once we are done.~


The jungle floor was damp and loud, but the steps were fairly easily retraced. The mental image of the flower at last brought Aiden to that spot, and all of his druidic power would surge within him. The amount he had left was just enough for a one-way ticket, and that was all he needed.

[King Nicho Klojhen]

With a last glance backwards, he will cautiously gather power and launch himself through the portal, landing on the world of RhyDin in the same spot he had departed from.

Immediately upon his return, he reaches out with the last of his strenght, calling upon any that hear his mental plea for aid.

(Now see Logs goldenmyst.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=Logs&action=display&n=1&thread=31 )

[Kolava]

Some time later, after the festivities had waned, the three noblest of the Genies stood in the clearing with Kusav before them. They looked calmly amused, as if having gathered to watch a performance. Kusav was desperate clinging to his fabricated story that he had wanted to give it to them as a gift all along, having long since abandoned his dreams of keeping the power for his own desires.

He pointed out the flower's location in cordial Hsarnate, gesturing to the blossom which now has a sinister glow to it. He took one step towards it, but was slugged in the head by the quick fist of the taller noble before he could take a second.

~You think me a fool? If your stories are true, do you believe I want to have you gaining the power first?~

The noblewoman chimed in with a sneer: ~That might put us in an awkward situation.~

Kusav stumbled to the side, apologies rolling from his mouth as fast as possible. The nobles looked at each other lazily as if deciding who would be the first, then the shorter of the men, a blue skinned Marid (Water Genie) grabbed a nearby buxom servant girl and pushed her towards the flower.

~You try it.~

Utterly loyal out of fear and ignorance, she bowed and lowered herself to the flower. She reached out with her aura and linked it to the nexus, immediately fading from sight. She felt the dawn of great power flowing towards her, but had scarcely even tasted it before her form was wracked by searing meteors and halted by an eldritch barrier.

The screams of the jungle fauna grew temporarily silent as they were outdone by an even greater scream that came from the girl as she reappeared there and fell to her knees. Tears streamed down blackened cheeks, and she gave a final, halting sigh before collapsing, dead.

There was a very long pause.

~Kusav,~ the taller said at last, trying very hard to stay calm. ~Kusav, come here, I'd like to have a word with you.~