Sometimes when you think you are out of the frying pan you seem to be right back in the fire. As the Mistress and I soon found out as we had felt the now familiar tug of our spirits back to the present as it were. Somehow instead of fading back into our own time we returned instead into our bodies of the past still chained to Eagle in the Party Palace with puzzles still to be solved. Although the puzzle the by far more intrigues the Mistress was as we had managed to assist Eagle past another part of her journey we found ourselves somewhere else entirely.
All and all it was an interesting puzzle due to the presence of a Weirdstone with served to block dimensional travel and of course scrying magic within six miles. It was therefore left to the Mistress to figure out solve the puzzles and along with Drago’s understanding of the complex dance steps required along with the ever changing form of her dance partner Kameron the way to the secret underground vault was eventually revealed. Suffice to say it was dark and the Mistress sent me ahead to make sure we did not encounter any artifacts that might tempt any of the members of Justice. It did not take long to locate the vault and I barely had time to fall back to the Mistress and issue a warning before Eagle was spotted by a large pack of Shadow Mastiff’s.
Eagle was far more fragile in the past and therefore Justice moved in to assist with the takedown of the Mastiff’s. In the end only Kameron in the form of one of Eagle’s previous dancing partners and Mordalfus were visible. The Mistress and I were able to assist with the clean up as the Mistress was willing to wait and only act if Eagle seemed to be in danger. So in the end Eagle was left facing a vault which she opened with her sonic breath with ease. She only had to still deal with the presence of Kameron in his child form who was trying to in vain convince her that she was among friends.
Only the cooperative efforts of the Mistress, Dragon, Ti and I was Kameron spared for he chose to bow before in some failed attempt to convince her he was her ally. I will admit there is a side to Kameron that I like but I have to admit there are times when his actions defy all logic or comprehension. Of course we had encountered one of those times due to the fact that not only had Kameron bowed before Eagle but he had also entered a deep trance akin to sleep and had rendered himself helpless. So it came to pass the Ti had to carry him once with the Mistress’s help I had rendered him invisible and he was taken beyond her detection range.
Eagle was able to escape the Party Palace and we felt that we could finally fade out if we wished but the Mistress also realized that we had been unshackled from our eighty foot chains. She therefore had me remove my Kirra N' Vaelahr or Kirra for short and then she transported it to a location that she knew the Master would not find the moment it breached his chambers. It would eventually be found and only be able to bestow the knowledge of time travel and to be prepared for it. second The Kirra would give the Master knowledge of everything that had happened up to date and help to expedite a few issues from his past.
As Eagle flew off the Mistress noticed we were free to do as we wished or so it had seemed. Instead when we felt the familiar shift we had come to recognize as the pull of the time and space shifts we encountered something far more intriguing. Instead of returning to our bodies in the present we were once again in a formless state able to observe our surroundings. It soon became apparent we were somewhere that was unknown to either the Mistress or I and let me assure you that is something worth noting. What we witnessed below us was a large Metropolis and to be serious that does not really describe the size of the city that we observed. We could make out mystical runes of every mystical description as well as holy symbols of Gods all rumored in our current age to be nothing but legends or fairy tales used to frighten children. There would be more of course and the Mistress realized and what we say next was indeed quite impressive.
There were structures in the Megalopolis were advanced to a degree that even the Mistress was impressed and of course what stood out was the Wizard’s Tower that stood in the absolute center and the completion of a dark ritual that the Mistress was too determine the exact nature. The nature of the magical ritual actually did not need to be understood for it could be observed within seconds and people that we could see as our view descended on the area showed. For the people of the Megalopolis were turning into Zombie like monstrosities of with no readily known description seemingly set on bringing about Armageddon to what had looked like an otherwise nice vacation spot.
The mad ravings of the Wizard who continued to rain down destruction in the form of spell-like natural effects that literally froze entire regions or brought about elemental destruction out of thin air seemed to be calling out for anyone to challenge him. At about that time the link that had brought us here informed us rules. Somehow teleportation, flight and certain extrasensory perceptions including the Mindsight of the Mistress were being suppressed. In addition we were informed that we needed to stay together if we expected to have a chance to prevail. Then to add a final insult we were then flung away from each other to make our way in the Land of Zombies and told to save as many as we could.
The Mistress and I were thrown atop one of the great towers which would make the towers of our world look like shacks by comparison. The Mistress had taken the time to protect us from all of the elements with her magic but still what was odd was that her energy had not been restored which was yet another strange change which we both noted. The Mistress’s first concern was of course the fate of Kameron. I realize it might seem odd why she cared but the truth be told Kameron was till family and as we had observed he had still been in his helpless trancelike state when he had been flung away from us.
Before the Mistress could extend herself she had to first test the limits of the reality we had been placed into. We found that flight was still possible but strangely limited to the height that we stood. It was not like we could not fly higher but strangely there was a feeling of dire dread that could be felt. The Mistress sent and Air Elemental into the sky to test the power of the so called dread and witnessed the absolute destruction of the Elemental. It had been quite odd for a mysterious barrier had formed or been always apparent with an intriguing reflective surface. There had been strange sounds coming from the barrier as the Elemental had been consumed by it and I swear I could see the faces of our group trapped within. I had quickly informed the Mistress of my theory regarding the Surface Barrier Artifact Shards and the Chrysalis. I was not surprised to find out that she had already beaten me to a similar conclusion.
The powers that stood against us seemed literally divine in power beyond the powers of just some artifact. The Mistress believed we might very well have been drawn into a reality that had been influenced by someone who had been allowed to complete the rituals that had been tried by the Sealers. If that were true then this might very well be a Chrysalis created reality that might very well be trying to at the very worst break into our own. Then again the people still alive might be able to provide the only clues we might be able to find to uncover the truth. Somehow the Mistress and I knew the Surface Barrier was a key to the landscape and unlocking what now seemed like another form of deadly puzzle that needed to be solved. The Mistress doubted that the reality of Eagle and this new one were truly connected but in reality they were all connected in some way it was just a matter of finding out how.
Regardless of the how and why and since it seemed like it was Artifact time the Mistress did not hesitate to assess her current situation and using the powers of her Staff of the Magi by comparison a truly weaker Artifact than the ones it seemed already in play to call forth a trio of Demons. She could sense the others in the link and they were all far away but none seemed in danger so we had moved inside the building which was entirely covered in ice. She had also called up and Air Elemental to protect us and act as an additional buffer just in case since the Mistress believed one could never be over prepared.
I had overheard what I thought to be whimpering, moaning and of course the sound of flesh being devoured and we focused on the sounds of whimpering figuring them to be survivors in hiding. The Mistress three Hezrou Demons moved forward in the three directions which were available. The Mistress monitored each individual step of each of her bound servants and one was dispatched without ever knowing what had hit it. Another was frozen where it stood unable to move and was slowing being frozen solid. The third found a man and a woman scared but of course willing to come with the Demon to a place of safety which led them to the Mistress and me.
Before we were able to determine more I sensed that Kameron was in danger which meant due to his anger he was finally awake. The Mistress I knew wished to locate him and already determined a method to reach in a few moments due to him being more than a mile away. The Mistress had been ready to move back to the roof to depart and join Kameron when we once again felt the pull of the temporal space and time shift. We were able to determine that Ti and Drago had joined each other since Ti had been near him and had managed with only a little trouble reach him but then we were pulled away.
It’s ironic that I have entered a similar entry already but in truth looking back the events I related were the events that should have occurred instead due to another time alteration Gul’Vol and Tal’Vol already existed and were waiting for the Mistress to call them to her side. That still left the matter of the Amanda and Mandy to be settled but that would be a matter to be dealt with after consulting with Justice. I planned to suggest the Mistress place them on permanent duty assignment within the Justice Base to assist with the remodel but I would have to wait and see if any of Justice were opposed the idea.
So that left Sebastian with Kameron on Spearhead Island dealing with Changling drama, Drago with Mandy on Aurora still making his case for an Air City, Amanda with Mordalfus just to make sure the friend of the Master had the support just in case anyone tried anything out of the ordinary. Ti and Virgil had for the moment vanished but as long as by morning they were ready to face the Estate District all would precede as the Master had planned.
Of course Tal’Vol had my Kirra and upon having it returned was akin to never having been without it. Quite similar to the trick the Master had pulled with the improved magical spear that he had acquired to give to Kameron which had been a gift from the Wizard Picard Uncle of Magi Vash some years in the past. You just have to love temporal time shifts the possibilities are almost endless and if I have anything to say about it I may even be able to lead the Master or more likely the Mistress to find a way to take down the Great Barrier. I realize the idea is farfetched but with the intellect of the Mistress at my disposal it just might be possible. Seriously even Baatezu Imps can dream after all.
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