Abyssal Road Trip

Amdirlain’s PoV - Outlands - Outpost of the Monastery of the Western Reaches

After they parted ways to go about their morning routines, the self-doubts Amdirlain expected reared their head. While she was training, she kept them at bay by pushing harder, restocking Foundry’s crystal stockpiles and smothering them with memories of Sarah’s happiness. When the lunch chimes signalled the end of the morning’s training, the others headed on their way. Left temporarily alone, Amdirlain’s thoughts turned introspectively to a question she’d believed she’d never need to consider.

Does that count as having had sex?

As if summoned by her contemplations, Sarah appeared nearby. “Penny for your thoughts?”

Amdirlain caught Sarah’s enticing natural scent, bringing desire to the forefront drowning lingering self-doubt. The warmth in Sarah’s gaze caused Amdirlain to flush bright red. “You tasted sweet.”

“Your face looks ready to set wet wood on fire,” observed Sarah dryly, sitting beside her.

“You were the wet one,” riposted Amdirlain.

Sarah laughed merrily. “Wow. That was adorable. Are you that nervous?”

The last of her nerves drowned under amusement, and Amdirlain offered a sheepish smile. “My brain is having a field day.”

“You smell like it’s mostly a good field day,” noted Sarah, rubbing her shoulder. “Your radiant glow is still with you. Though I noticed that you repaired the couch during the morning.”

Is that a tell others can spot? Almost certainly. They aren’t blind to cues the way I’ve been.

“You took care of the table, but I think I’m going to have to make some tougher furniture,” observed Amdirlain.

“I’m glad that’s a concern,” Sarah said.

“Why?”

“It means you’re seeing the future need for tougher furniture,” clarified Sarah.

“Oh, good point,” said Amdirlain. “Why do you sound happily surprised?”

Sarah drew Amdirlain into a tight embrace. “You didn’t disappear.”

“You were worried about that?” asked Amdirlain, leaning into her hug.

“You’ve got certain sigma female traits down pat, and one of them is withdrawing to recharge and think,” commented Sarah. “That’s not a bad thing, just an Amdirlain thing.”

Do I tell her what else I’ve been thinking of this morning? I should, but I’m not sure I even want to take that approach. Was I good enough? Shut up, damm it. Listen to her song and relax into her happiness!

“Serious expression just appeared,” noted Sarah. “Are you freaking out?”

I’ve done it now. I should tell her about the other regret.

“My stupid self-doubt playing games. Are you doing a buyer’s remorse check?”

“Just a little,” replied Sarah. “I didn’t expect you to be so bold.”

“Your flesh is the surface layer of who you are,” replied Amdirlain. “Compared to everything I can hear, over the months, it felt increasingly like deciding because of shading along a single strand of hair.”

“You had to let the realisation you got from Ori’s memories soak in?” asked Sarah.

Amdirlain nodded sheepishly. “And open up to opportunities for happiness. I can be a slow learner in that respect. A comment of Klipyl’s tipped me over the last hangup, so I decided I’d rather risk regrets from taking action than not,” explained Amdirlain. “At the moment, I’m having some self-doubt issues, but I’m drowning the stupid voices with your theme.”

“Is last night the only thing that’s worried you?” asked Sarah. “There is some intellectual conflict going on.”

Dragons can discern way too much by scent alone.

“I think I should talk to the Eldest about Balnérith’s end goal and other things,” admitted Amdirlain.

“Going to bring the cloister in on the trouble with Balnérith?” questioned Sarah casually.

Amdirlain’s brows furrowed with uncertainty. “You don’t think I should?”

“What got you thinking about doing that?”

“Morgana rightly commented that I don’t have to do everything alone,” explained Amdirlain. “That’s had me thinking about support options these last few months. Do I come clean with the Eldest?”

“My instinct is to say no unless they force it. You need access to the plinth at some point, and having to fight your way through won’t sit well with you,” replied Sarah. “Get your Empress Malfex and see how you go. An extra two hundred levels from that alone will close your magic rating gap with Balnérith. Once it’s higher than hers, get her outside of wards, and your True Song should be able to carve her up.”

“Part of the reason to come clean was to talk to them about my plans for Atonement and the plinth. If I keep that information back, I should still tell Eldest about his problematic members,” said Amdirlain.

“I’m sure they won’t be happy about cloister members striking deals with Hell,” agreed Sarah. “Though how happy will they be to find out Mother’s grandchildren are handling the rehabilitation of the four? They should be over their denial in a few dozen years.”

Did I pull the plug on Torm too soon? No, Sarah saw them as well. If Aitherlar could have helped them, she would have said something.

Sarah gently bumped her shoulder. “They’re in much better shape than Torm since they remember how their attitude changed and what they used to be like properly. Torm came out of the site a twisted version of himself.”

Amdirlain nodded. “Yes, I need to get my mind on the game. The next step is to get my Mana Finesse to progress to either Anarch or Psionic Paragon.”

“I’d go for Psionic Paragon unless you think the improvements to Chaos Shaping will help with future projects.”

“One of the Class powers is redundant,” critiqued Amdirlain.

“It’s a handy Power if you don’t have True Song crystals on you,” observed Sarah. “You can also stop hoarding all your accumulated knowledge points.”

Amdirlain smiled ruefully. “I’ve been increasingly tempted to drop them into creation-related knowledge. I’ve not had enough study time with all the other ongoing training.”

Analysis

[Psionic Paragon

Requirement:

- Mana Finesse-Lord or higher

- Psionic skills evolved into powers

- Having previously included Psion and Wizard into one or more prestige classes

Powers that can be unlocked:

- Energy Reservoir

- True Psion

- Thought Form

Attribute Adjustments:

+10 Health per level

+1 Defence per level

+6 Intelligence per level

+4 Magic Rating per level

+3 Knowledge points per level

+4 Free Attribute Points every four levels after level 22

Details: The mind, whether controlling internally or externally sourced energies, is the focus of this evolved base Class.]

[Energy Reservoir

Details: Allows for any objects to be used as a focal point for a reserve of energy (Psi or Mana). The quantity that can be stored depends on the object’s material, size, and the level of this Power. Draining the reservoir completely will always destroy the object.]

[True Psion

Details: This encapsulates all psionic powers, allowing psionic individuals to develop all techniques at a consistent rate. While the rate of advancement slows down, having to advance one Power instead of six helps balance the effort.]

[Thought Form

Details: This Power unleashes a psychic entity with traits and goals chosen by their creator. Effective level and psionic abilities determine the projection's longevity and capacities. The entity will exist until it achieves a set goal or the invested Psi energy is exhausted.]

An entity? Are the mental patterns limited like the crystals and constructs?

Gilorn appeared near Amdirlain. “We should get back to creating demi-planes.”

“Very true. I’m wondering if I did the maths right or if I’ll be short on levels by the time the work for Qil Tris is done,” admitted Amdirlain. “Too many options were running around in my head.”

“If you’re short, then we’ll just have to create a few planetary systems,” replied Gilorn. “That will increase your strength and levels at the same time.”

She says that so casually.

Planar Shift delivered them to a Demi-Plane, and Amdirlain opened a circle of six gates around them.

“Six at once?” questioned Gilorn.

“Let’s expand seven together and set the crusts in place,” clarified Amdirlain. “I’ll shift the gates when it’s time to create the biomes.”

“Are you looking to push Phoenix’s Rapture?”

Amdirlain shook her head. “I’m looking to push myself. I want to get free from this body. My revulsion for it keeps getting in the way.”

“Understanding and acceptance might help,” consoled Gilorn.

“Of myself?” questioned Amdirlain.

“Potentially,” allowed Gilorn. “Or it might help reduce your physical transformation.”

“Since the curse dictated to the rules that I’m stuck as a Fallen, I don’t see how that will help.”

Without waiting further, Amdirlain’s Power evenly pushed the boundaries of all the demi-planes. While they continued to work on the biomes, Amdirlain opened the Gate to the depths of space and created more materials simultaneously. A similarity struck her as they finished the last of the biomes. The new atoms that deflected off each other in the void were like the notes she released, minuscule and unimportant alone. Even the slightest change could cascade with other materials to provide a cosmic scale result. The timing and placement of the changes were more important than the quantity of energy supplied.

[Crafting Summary

Hollow Earth Demi-Plane Trial x7

Total experience gain: 764,732,500,000

Olindë: +764,732,500,000

Olindë Levelled Up x17

Phoenix’s Rapture [G] (118->119)

True Song Genesis [G] (149->150)

Note: You know what’s in them. Aren’t you tired of these? Do something more challenging.]

As Gilorn settled to add the additional controls to the zones of the demi-planes, Amdirlain tossed the new points into Quickness. With that done, she continued working on more stellar material, attempting to inject protons and electrons into existing atoms rather than creating what she wanted from scratch. When she finally turned hydrogen into helium, she continued the process until she could convert more en-mass.

[True Song Genesis evolved to True Song Genesis-Lord.

True Song Genesis [G] (150) -> True Song Genesis-Lord [G] (15).

Note: Not the most significant of insights, but lucky you got any after you screwed with your Oath link.]

Amdirlain mentally flipped Gideon the bird and pushed their dig aside.

“I’ll meet you back at the training hall, Gilorn,” said Amdirlain.

“Travel safely,” replied Gilorn.

Amdirlain slipped her pendant into place and stepped through a Gate. She took a roundabout route to reach Ijmti, finally arriving on the valley’s upper slope beyond the limits of the cloister’s outer defences. The foulness of the Plane leached into her senses, and Amdirlain shifted Resonance to filter out the cancer-laden lifeforms in the forest below. Beneath the ground, the absence of the plinth and other True Song crystals she knew were present in the chambers teased at her. The fragmented essences of deceased deities screamed at her in a hiss of white noise. Their strength, even aeons after death, buzzed across her scalp with her increased sensitivity.

As expected, through the pendant came a series of instructions for her approach, and Amdirlain started towards the fortifications. Only a few of the guards paid her much heed, but those she spied looking her way had no overt hostility in their themes. The slow walk allowed her plenty of time to memorise the songs of the texts that had continued to collect in the library’s new side room during her absence.

Hopefully, enough of those texts will be sufficiently unique to boost my Abyssal Lore.

A reptilian Fallen greeted Amdirlain as she settled on the upper fortress’s upper tier. “How goes your path?”

“A step at a time. Some days feel better than others. How goes your path?”

The Fallen’s muzzle flexed with mirth. “A step at a time is a good way to put it. Your form shows many changes since the last time you were here.”

The joy of True Sight: all my flaws are out in the open.

“The entry is two levels down. Take the left turn from the stairs behind me.”

Amdirlain nodded and followed their instructions, listening as she passed forges and training rooms. Soon, she’d descended the central shaft and continued until it let her out in the chamber, where the Eldest guarded the entrance to the plinth. It was no less alien than before with their eyeless head, the crest of tentacles, and strange arms and legs, yet they possessed the air of an artisan involved in a task they loved. They presently matched Amdirlain’s height and were etching a stone plate the size of his torso. With his odd crab-like claws raised high out of the way, they worked the mallet and chisel with the tubular arms that extended from his sides. The base of the plate was secured in a stand and held in place by the claws on their first pair of legs.

Beyond him, the True Song Crystal dome sat, and Amdirlain felt tempted and terrified at the thought of the plinth within it.

How will it judge all that I’ve done? Will it put the deaths that occurred on Qil Tris at my feet?

The Eldest considered Amdirlain; their crest of tentacles swayed back and forth. “You visit again, Am. I take it you have been well on the path?”

“I hope I’ve continued to travel it properly, Eldest,” replied Amdirlain. “There are many I knew from my last visit absent from the cloister. Did they decide to act on their redemption?”

“They are undertaking work elsewhere,” The Eldest advised, one of their flexible limbs motioning upwards. “Sage has many battle lines where we can liberate imprisoned souls. I’ve recently had reason to contact a few individuals who wouldn’t have welcomed your return, yet I have received no response. Would you know about that?”

“I know of four members of the cloister who worked with forces in Hell to set a trap for me,” replied Amdirlain. “They are still alive and receiving help for their issues.”

“What sort of help?” questioned the Eldest carefully.

“Some mental healing to understand the source of their negative emotions and help acknowledge the truth of their fall,” clarified Amdirlain.

“What forces in Hell were they working with?”

“Does it matter? To get through the gates, they would have had to be known to the Hierarchy of Sin,” replied Amdirlain.

The Eldest's limbs flexed with sudden tension. “I’d like some straight answers. You have supporters outside the cloister who do whatever you will.”

Amdirlain frowned. “This wasn’t something I requested from them. Four of the cloister’s members delivered another Fallen to an entity in Hell. Did you know about it?”

“I’m not in charge of the cloister members, just the defence of this fortress and the path,” rebuffed the Eldest.

“Are there rules for one cloister member acting against another?”

“There are, but I only have your word for it that the ones you hold sought to harm you,” said the Eldest.

“You only have my word for it that any are being held at all,” countered Amdirlain. “If I truly meant them permanent harm, I had no reason to advise you. I could have honestly said I’d not seen them. Those secured were based on knowledge retrieved from Rahka’s mind. They have more conspirators seeking to go behind your back to attack me.”

Eldest set the stone working tools down. “Who holds them?”

“Some diamond dragons of Mechanus,” replied Amdirlain. “When they’re mentally healthier, they’ll get released. You likely recognise that Rahka’s anger prevents her from accepting responsibility for her fall.”

“I take it that Rahka is among them,” said the Eldest. “Or was she destroyed?”

Amdirlain nodded. “She is being tended to by a mental healer.”

The Eldest’s claws clacked in frustration. “I need to know who she was colluding with from Hell.”

“The Kyton Great Mother,” advised Amdirlain.

A low grunt issued from all three of the Eldest’s mouths, and Amdirlain heard the barrier sit across the chamber, hiding from eavesdroppers and scrying alike.

“Were you ever Orhêthurin?”

The Eldest's theme was concerned but free from anger, so Amdirlain nodded. “Orhêthurin died. While I’ve recovered fragments of her memories, I’m different. A curse sent my Soul back to this realm.”

“I see the games you played with the truth, but you’re right. A reincarnation is not her without all her memories and personality. How were you cursed?”

“I don’t plan to share the wording,” Amdirlain replied carefully.

“It’s more,” the Eldest paused and waved a tentacled limb about them. “Of all the realms you could have ended up in, how did you get returned here?”

“Fate or someone else’s manipulations,” proposed Amdirlain. “While I have some suspicions, I’ve no evidence. I ended up in the realm the Titan was originally from and ran afoul of a Mortal descendant. They used up a special item to lash out at me. I’m not going into further details. If someone wishes for Orhêthurin, they’re out of luck as she died before most of the Anar.”

The Eldest waved a chisel upwards. “Some believe she faked her death.”

“She didn’t,” breathed Amdirlain. “She wanted to die. Indeed, she wanted to be dead before you even met her. I want to speak to you about something I have planned when free of the curse.”

“What is that?”

Amdirlain took a breath to brace herself and explained her plan for Atonement: cleansing the souls and setting them up to earn their new beginning.

The Eldest’s claws clicked erratically as she reviewed the details, but they didn’t interrupt. “You have the Anar’s True Song?”

“Orhêthurin never gave up conducting the Titan’s work,” replied Amdirlain. “It took some significant events here, but I regained some of her ability with song. I’ve created the seed to grow the Plane Atonement.”

All three of the Eldest’s mouths gaped open briefly. “You would set it so to wipe away everything that the damned once were and return their scrubbed souls to the lands of the living.”

“Yes.”

“Why? How is it possible?”

“We’ve already done this on a much smaller scale,” advised Amdirlain. “The filth needs to be purged from the Abyss, and the accumulated souls set to gather experiences to reinforce the realm’s wall.”

“If you would have us earn our redemptions through tending to them, I would see some of these souls,” asserted the Eldest.

“You misunderstood. I would move Redemption’s Path there to secure it. Then you’d be able to get out in the realm earning your redemption rather than so many having to stand guard.”

Amdirlain created a viewing pane and kept it open only long enough for the Eldest to see a featureless room with rows of Celestial slimes.

“You’ve been told of the weapon towers involved in the siege lines that Sage runs?” questioned Amdirlain.

“I have.”

“They are operating them,” said Amdirlain. “Once they accumulate enough levels through combating evil, they’re released to a new life.”

“You really set the souls to work,” rasped the Eldest, their tentacles swaying in surprise.

“Even if they can’t remember their evil deeds, they should still work to repay the effort of their fresh start,” said Amdirlain. “I don’t take the approach the plinth took with the Fallen, as they’ll never regain their old lives, and they have no memories, nor seeds of wisdom.”

Their claws snapped shut. “Are you sure Orhêthurin is truly dead within you? That sounds like something she’d have undertaken.”

“Do I need to point out this is instead of them being tortured for eternity? They showed their commitment to evil, which hurt the souls of many, so I’m setting them on a path to a better start and getting them to fight back other evil,” explained Amdirlain. “The souls will go on to a new life with a seed of wisdom within them from having earned a chance at life by fighting evil.”

“Ahh,” the Eldest sighed. “I misunderstood your goals. You seek to ensure they have at least one period to set a foundation rather than chance they’ll return straight to the Abyss.”

“You can look at it that way,” allowed Amdirlain.

The Eldest half-turned and motioned towards the crystal dome. “Are you sure you can move the path without breaking it?”

Amdirlain smiled. “I’m sure I could move it already if it weren’t for the shades of deities in the pit beneath it.”

“There are what?” hissed the Eldest.

“Orhêthurin said she knew the place for it. I’ll create an illusion to show you the inside of the dome. You might remember there was a deep pit when you arrived.”

The Eldest’s claws flexed briefly. “Yes.”

An illusion appeared between them to show the inside of the dome and the platform’s design. Amdirlain pointed the gap along the dome’s side. “I could make it safer by placing a grill there to prevent anyone staggering into it.”

“Why a grill?”

“If it were solid, it would prevent the entities from affecting the insides of the dome. Their energies are both a test of determination for those seeking the path and help hide the plinth from the observation of dark deities,” explained Amdirlain. “I’ll need to be much stronger before I can move it and them in place.”

“Did you clear the pendants of those who fought the Spawning Abomination?”

“Their deeds did the work. If I could clear pendants, I would have cleared my own when it was my turn to be judged. Your brethren saved Mortal lives and received recognition for it,” said Amdirlain. “The Fallen will still need to work for their redemptions, but two things will change. First, it will count any good dead performed after they fell, even if they’ve not yet reached the plinth. Second, slipping won’t end their chances, though they’ll have more to redeem.”

“You’ve given me much to think about. Will you stay for a time?”

Amdirlain shook her head. “I’ve already memorised all the songs for the texts here. I need to get stronger, and being on guard duty here won’t allow me to achieve that efficiently. There is one other thing I’d ask.”

The Eldest got in first. “If you’d like us to help you fight Balnérith, I can’t commit to that. I guard the path’s entrance and won’t order anyone to risk themselves against her. Do you know her age?”

I won’t guilt-trip him by conveying the details of what might happen.

“I do,” replied Amdirlain. “Perhaps better than you might guess. It was a hope, but I was just seeking after possibilities. Thank you for your time, Eldest. With your permission, I’ll put the safety measures in place.”

“Leave it,” instructed the Eldest. “The trials of Redemption’s Path have stood this long, and until you can move it, let them remain the known challenge.”

Who knows If I was wrong to tell him? I’ll have to see how it plays out. Since I have a pendant, it sounds like there are ways in through the wards.

Amdirlain ascended the shaft slowly. Within the dome, the thick darkness concealed the glow from the crystal’s creation amidst the backdrop of the dark energies that continued to linger beneath the platform.

How did they remain so strong over the aeons? Though they aren't as strong as in Orhêthurin’s memories, it’s not like I have her ability to perceive them; they’re just far stronger to me.

She made it out of the fortress without fuss, and once clear, the multiple hops to return to the Outlands didn’t take long. Beyond the Monastery’s border, Amdirlain sensed Livia ensconced in her study dealing with paperwork.

As Amdirlain raised her hand to knock, Livia called out. “Come in, Móðir.”

I can hear anyone, but it’s Livia’s Domain, so she’s not without tricks.

The wax seal on the last urgent bundle cracked in time with the door’s low creak. Amdirlain leant against the doorframe and looked over Livia’s piled in-trays. Though the urgent tray was now empty, some others had stacks of dozens of items. Only the items in the highest priority tray still had intact seals, and the others had bullet point summaries clipped to each letter. Above her desk hovered a Lantern Archon that bounced nervously at Amdirlain’s entry, sending sprays of golden light about the chamber. The minimal itch from its illumination blended in with the irritation from her True Form slowly seething beneath her flesh.

It seems Ilya trained the scribes properly. This is my first time seeing one of Livia’s celestials about the place.

“Having fun?”

“Most people are asleep, so I figured I’d catch up a little on the normal tasks,” replied Livia. “What can I do for you?”

“I’d like to open a special Gate inside my training hall,” started Amdirlain.

Livia turned and regarded her with a lifted eyebrow. “That in no way sounds ominous.”

“I didn’t intend to be ominous,” replied Amdirlain. “I’m just working on something and need access to it for longer periods during the day.”

“What is your multitasking going to be including?”

“Singing a planetary system into existence,” explained Amdirlain. “It will take me a long time, so I want to be continually chipping away at it. The Gate itself will open into a region beyond any existing stars. The only thing present is a cloud of materials I’ve been working to create.”

“A one-way Gate that your songs can reach through, but nothing can enter?” questioned Livia.

“There is nothing out there to enter it, but I’ll put a barricade to prevent anyone from travelling in either direction,” said Amdirlain.

“That’s okay. Do you mind if I see your Gate in the morning?”

“There is nothing to see. All the material is so diffuse you might as well be staring into emptiness,” explained Amdirlain.

“In that case, I’ll attend your morning training session and have some fun for myself,” said Livia. “And peek through the Gate afterwards.”

“You’re welcome anytime,” said Amdirlain. “Now, with all your paperwork, is there anything I can help with?”

“I don’t suppose you’d take a trip to a world and smack a Dragon on the nose for me?” quipped Livia.

“Sounds like fun,” laughed Amdirlain. “What world? And how big is this Dragon?”

Livia stopped and looked at Amdirlain incredulously. “I was joking.”

“I wasn’t,” said Amdirlain. “I’ve not smacked anything in some time. Do you have a Dragon issue?”

“A red from the reports, but the size varies,” clarified Livia. “It’s been causing problems along the border of a kingdom and threatening a village with most of my worshippers upon that world.”

“Species?”

Livia blinked. “Elves, but does that matter?”

“Not at all. I just needed to know if I had to prepare a different disguise,” said Amdirlain. “Do you need it taken care of now, or is it making noise but not actively attacking?”

“The last attack was yesterday, but every week it attacks. It’s been razing an area of forest and feeding on the creatures it’s driven out, then returning to its lair in the mountains,” explained Livia.

Amdirlain mentally reached and felt Aitherlar's mind was awake, and she shared the details.

“Aitherlar’s opinion is that it’s likely a female with newly hatched young who needs to eat and not just access to a Mana-rich environment,” said Amdirlain.

Livia groaned. “The locals will need to drive her away?”

I wanted to talk to Tia safely, and Judgement has protections.

“I want to fight a Dragon,” gushed Amdirlain. “I’ll smack her down then, sort out the food and forest situation. It should be fun.”

“Are you sure?” asked Livia. “It’s probable that the elven capital will send people to deal with it.”

“Then your worshippers don’t get a boost for your folks protecting the forest,” said Amdirlain. “I could use a break from the morning sessions.”

“How are my worshippers going to get a boost?”

“You mean I can’t show up wearing golden armour with your symbol on it and a blazing aura around me?”

Livia sighed dramatically.

“Okay, fine, I’ll be a touch more subtle,” huffed Amdirlain playfully.

“Now I’m afraid to ask,” laughed Livia.

Amdirlain sniffed. “Misunderstood by my daughter. Woe is me.”

“Shoo,” said Livia.

“What’s the planet’s name?” asked Amdirlain, and she caught the location details from the Archon’s mind. “Never mind, I’ve got them.”

“Móðir,” protested Livia.

“I’m not doing it just for you and your worshippers. I’m doing it for me as well.”

“How?” huffed Livia.

“Judgement is the safest place to converse with Tia,” Amdirlain said.

Livia froze in shock. “You said she was unimpressed with you last time you took the souls of dragons there.”

Amdirlain winked.

Teleport placed Amdirlain in her training hall, where she found Kadaklan playing in her obstacle course. Dodging through one hoop, he skimmed between the blades that jutted from a spinning column on the other side. When he turned at the back of the platform, he caught sight of Amdirlain and flew over to her. He transformed with his flames, only a hand span from the platform’s edge, and landed in his Human form.

“I knew a few people had been using it but didn’t realise you’d joined them, Kadaklan,” said Amdirlain. “How are you finding it?”

♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫

Livia attended the morning training, and her icy whiteness stood out among the students. The strength of Livia’s Mantle within her Domain allowed her to push through all the challenges Amdirlain set out.

Yeah, I know you’re trying to warn me, young lady, but I need to tend to it.

Amdirlain held off mentioning the trip to Sarah until after the morning sessions.

“Are you sure you want to get involved?” asked Sarah. “It sounds like the elves should react and drive her away or kill her. I hope you’re not going there with a rescue plan. Red dragons are malicious motherfuckers. The same mum trying to feed her kids a century from now will happily cripple or kill them if the brats don’t get out of her territory. You should know reds can shapeshift and raise their children in Human form. Thus, it was her choice to menace the countryside.”

[Dragon Lore [Ap](17 -> 18)]

“Your first time mentioning that,” noted Amdirlain. “We’ll talk about Dragon shapeshifting habits later. For now, consider it an opportunity to see how bad my form has gotten and if I can one-shot a normal Dragon.”

“Okay, a magic word there: consider,” said Sarah. “What’s the real plan?”

Amdirlain grinned innocently. “Tia. She reacted last time I entered Judgement with three Dragon souls.”

“You’d be better off speaking to Ebusuku’s grandmother than baling up Tia,” Sarah said cautiously. “What’s your goal?”

“Actually, I have no hold over Ebusuku’s grandmother nor a way to get her to meet me in a safe spot. Bahamut said he couldn’t release me from my promises because he’d have to leave. What if I declare the deal with Tia completed?”

He could be looking over my shoulder anytime might as well make noise.

“That’s a dangerous gambit,” warned Sarah.

“I know, but the path to the wound is hazardous and passes by dozens of Dragon lairs,” explained Amdirlain. “If she doesn’t support me directly, a token of passage will get me a path of retreat that Balnérith won’t dare use.”

Sarah clasped Amdirlain’s face. “Be careful.”

“Even her area of Judgement has rules, and she can’t attack me directly. This will be at least the fourth Dragon Soul I deliver to her. Though you could wish me luck?” Amdirlain said, biting the inside of her cheek.

“Better to ask Isa for that help,” Sarah replied. “If she listens to you, have you figured out what payment you can offer? Before resorting to the more dangerous gambit?”

“I’ll create a world for chromatic dragons,” replied Amdirlain. “They’ve already got untold thousands. One more won’t hurt, and the win for her is that it will take my efforts, not hers.”

“That might get her attention, but life will get off an island,” cautioned Sarah.

“I also want to punch something in the nose,” said Amdirlain. “I’ve only fought one Dragon. Given that the Dragon scourge drove humans out of the areas I’m talking about travelling through, I want to see how well I go against one before I shut down Resonance.”

Sarah laughed, her mood immediately lightening at Amdirlain’s admission. “Okay, then let’s go conduct your rescue of the elves.”

“I’ll try to remember that reds are like cockroaches, and no one enjoys finding them in their pantry,” Amdirlain drawled nervously.

The Gate opened to reveal a hilly grassland with a forest in the far distance. Sarah considered the rolling hillside covered in wild grasses, shrubs, and small trees. The blue sky showed considerable smoke clouds in the distance, and Amdirlain winced.

“Do you want to put a set of surveyors above this planet?” asked Sarah.

“I was going to try not to look over Livia’s shoulder,” said Amdirlain.

Sarah pointed out, “She might appreciate some maps. Do you need to create more of them for your cube?”

“I’ve been moving them between worlds,” replied Amdirlain. “He seems to find the information yummy.”

“He?”

“Just has a maleness about him, though he still hasn’t decided on a name,” explained Amdirlain.

“Maybe he’s drawing out the process,” offered Sarah.

Amdirlain huffed in frustration. “You’re making cartography jokes?”

“What, it’s not ‘to be’?”

“Is that meant to be a gaming joke or a pencil type?”

“I was mixing pencils and Shakespeare,” admitted Sarah. “I don’t know about any game featuring lead pencils.”

Amdirlain just groaned and mentally projected some of the character’s art, and felt her interest in the black dress’s presentation.

Sarah let out a happy hum. “Fancy doing a cosplay? That outfit sure has got openings I could use to my advantage.”

“Maybe if you’re good,” laughed Amdirlain.

“See you soon,” said Sarah, stepping through and promptly closing it.

The summoning followed the threshold’s closure, and Amdirlain accepted it.

The call pulled her into the rainbow-walled conduit, and the smoke from her feathers choked the light within the tunnel.

How ugly will my True Form be? I’ve added so many extra levels since I visited Mor’lmes.

When Amdirlain appeared in the summoning circle, she found her hunched posture now nearly had her hands touching the ground. Though the summoning effect caused her to appear proportional to the circle, her elongated neck and tail curved along the mirrored surface, with the tail lapping around twice. Her reflection showed broken spines weeping black fluid, now covering her completely, and the hardened plates that had replaced her lips had expanded to below her eyes and halfway along her jawline. She’d lost all her hair, and her skull was covered in bony ridges broken up by the blackened spines that had completely ruptured through the melted skin.

When Sarah absorbed the mithril and shattered the mirrored barrier, Amdirlain’s form expanded to twenty metres tall and thirty from muzzle to tail tip. The jagged spines gouged up the soil, and her expansion flattened shrubs and small trees. Amdirlain stumbled awkwardly as the talons on her forelimbs shredded the earth, leaving a smear of sludge across the ground. Black smoking wings that now jutted from the outer edges of her back had compressed her reach and transformed her posture with the effect of her tail.

I’m now a weird cross between a dinosaur and a Dragon and spewing a stench of corruption.

At the sensation of her now wholly inhuman form, she closed her eyes, only to feel Sarah’s hand resting against her bony jawline.

“It’s alright, sweetie,” murmured Sarah reassuringly. “I’m here with you.”

“I sound so foul,” rasped Amdirlain. “It’s far worse when I’m actually in this form, the filth I exude mixing with the air. You should keep back from me.”

Sarah lifted higher into the air and gently kissed the hooked ridge her nose had transformed into. “It’s not who you are. This shell is just a transition state, my love. Don’t give the curse attention it doesn’t deserve.”

Her body compressed forward as Amdirlain transformed into her Wood Elf form, floating in the air. The shadow vines expanded from Amdirlain's wrist to enfold her dusky skin in dark green silk. However, her hair was the azure blue her True Form had once possessed instead of the customary autumn-hued locks.

Sarah came forward to cup Amdirlain’s face and softly kissed her until the sadness had melted from her gaze.

“Alright, enough moping, let’s get to work,” coughed Amdirlain.