The passageway let out just behind the estate. A seamless door which could only be opened from within and which locked once shut. To my great enjoyment I was met by a few familiar spectators from atop the wall within the manor. Apparently Palius thought it worthwhile to permit Gran Gran within the estate’s main manor alongside him and Ella. From their perch they held an overview of the spot from which I exited.

“Nora, do not dally with us but know we wait here for you and your successful return.” Gran Gran calls out. To which I bow my head.

Palius nods in agreement as he adds his two cents in “To dally here is to beckon unwanted company for the remainder of your quest. We have bore witness to your initial success and rest confident in your ultimate return.”

“Of course Palius, I won't let you down.”

“Big sister, make it back to us. Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on Teters while you’re away.”

“I love you!” I call out as I take ever hastening steps backwards. Away from my servants, subjects, and family. My heart could give but I must stay strong for Ella’s sake. I must succeed for the sake of everyone.

I can hear them all calling out their farewells and well wishes as I turn about face and make haste my path into the heart of a city strangled in death’s grip.

Initially it was incredibly hard to keep one’s bearings. Even though the mountain sit prominently on the horizon it did not change the fact that the pathways built through the city were winding and in many cases impassable. Between the work of neglect and that of these unnatural vines which attempted to choke what life remained of the old ways.

What made it all the worse was the fact that I could feel a collection of eyes around me if I stayed in any one place for too long. Creatures who slept within the vines and would drink away your aether till there was nothing left. They were the reason I needed to make haste.

The amount of Aether the curse naturally sapped was significant but not enough to be of worry to me. No, it was these creatures. These forest nymphs. They stir from the touch of my aether and if I stayed too near for too long then they’d awaken. Follow me, wake up their friends, and eat away at my power. The power keeping me alive in this unforgiving place.

And so, insurmountable wall or just too slim gap, I needed to keep moving. Placing as quickly as possible distance between me and any one spot I drew near enough to stir it’s inhabitants. 

Nymphs. Forest spirits corrupted by the influence of the demon’s curse. Once they were the sign of a healthy garden. Now they were nothing more than mindless tools of the demon’s final curse to kill us all. They fed on aether. Sucking it all away till there was nothing left. Though one or two awake and following me wouldn’t be cause for alarm.

That said, I counted a total of ten, awake and frolicking behind me, along side me, and all around me. Each fattening themselves on my Aether. Stripping away from me what could prove to be invaluable moments.

My fears of failing before even getting a chance to peer into the realms spur my movement. Where before I slowed to admire the great works of a time long lost I now turned a blind eye. Once I’d saved myself and this realm I’d take time to look upon that which was saved.

As I round another blind corner I find myself face to face with a horrific scene. The pathways had to this point been narrow and while there had been signs of some ancient battle taking place, goblin bones here or there, there’d hadn’t been anything like this. In this road, which lead straight to the mountain’s base, were the remains of hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, maybe even hundred thousands of bones.

Goblin bones as far as the eye could see both before me and behind. Scorch Marks against buildings not ever consumed by the vines lie naked and exposed. Earlier when everyone showed up to send me off was the most people I’d ever seen in one place that I can remember. To see the evidence of countless living breathing creatures lining this main thoroughfare is heart breaking. Awe rendering.

I do my best to make my way both hastily through this great graveyard and respectfully. However, I am compromised by the ever growing party of sprites as they awaken and add themselves to our procession. During this all it’s become clear to me they are carefree creatures, frolicking about as if they’d no care in the world. Picking up skulls and bones from the goblins around and wearing and playing with them.

Please. Forgive these slights Firestone clan...

By the time I reached the mountain pass with which I’m to follow to the summoning stone I counted two dozen nymphs. The weight of their hunger being bore purely by the already taxed supply of Aether within me. Their careless games of flocking all about me. Ignoring my presence as they mindlessly sucked away my power reserves.

Shifting my focus to the flight of stairs ahead of me I attempted to fortify my focus. Following the stairs took me far into the sky alongside the rock face. Several times I had to cling to vines which extended past the walk ways. Obstructing my path and demanding to be overcome in order to proceed forward. One particular vine I found myself hanging so far off the ledge and above the city surface that the mist below obscured the bottom from view.

Beside of the perilous path I could feel the nymphs hunger beginning to weigh on me. As my own exhaustion from the climb built so to did my doubts start to take their toll on me. By the time I reached the precipice i felt the beads of sweat rolling down the side of my face and a very real fear churning in my gut.

The stairs themselves gave way to a hallway. It’s end blocked from view by the mist which seemed to only grow thicker as I drew nearer to my goal. With measured breaths I looked to pace myself for I knew it was close and the time would soon call for inner peace, inner inflection.

All this while the nymphs danced about me carelessly. Disappearing into the mist as others would reappear in their place. Though almost faceless what they did have had the distinct expression of utter joy if not complete intoxication. Some so much that it seemed as if they swayed from this way to that while they marched stupidly past and around me.

The hall was exceptionally long, possibly as long as the pathway up was. At it’s end I feel myself waning. I needed to hurry or I wouldn’t make it. However, the mist only grew thicker as the nymphs numbers grew greater.

I admit, for a moment I felt as though all was lost. Having Closed my eyes I came to a halt at the edge of the hallway. What it had given way to I could not hope to see as the fog hid everything from sight. Blind and with my hope faltering I reached out with whatever I could think to muster in an attempt to find myself. Find something to grasp upon. 

That is when I felt it. A ping which called out to me. Sinking itself deep into my entity. Closing my eyes I knew my only hope was to latch onto it. Grasp it for all it had and was worth or all would be surely lost.

And so I pushed forward. stepping ever closer to an energy that I could not see but knew was growing stronger all around me. Pressing through the mist I come across a ledge of which I nearly walked off. Nearly losing my balance I regained myself. Though the fog was thick it was not so much as to not reveal the valley beyond my precipice.

I look around me I catch a glimpse of some of my new friends pretending to lose their balance. Falling backwards on their bottom. Some of these nymphs even spilling right over the ledge only to fall into the cliff face and appear back up through the ground.

Pushing my focus away from them I let myself feel the place’s aura. Examine its power. If i were to follow this power I would continue forward but to do so would mean plunging off this cliff. Confused as to what to do I focused myself. Taking slow, deep breaths. Closing my eyes in an effort to peer through my third I reached out with my inner self.

Prodding blindingly the aura before me. That is when I feel it. Something solid in a sea of aether. Floating before me, off the ledge, hidden just within the fog. Fear gripped me as realization came. Worried thoughts of failing my people, my clan, my family. My little sister.

Doing my best to conjure my courage I thought of my sister. Now was the time to forge my resolve to save the subjects I held dominion over. To save those that I love. 

One more deep breath and another prodding to verify it’s positioning. I position myself to where I believe is just before it. “Lets just get this over with.” I exhale. Crouching down ever so slightly and flinging myself into the thick fog before me.

“AHHHHHHHH!” I scream for a period of time even after I feel my legs give out from under me and my bottom landing upon a slab of stone hanging suspended above the valley. My body is shaking from the exhilaration and fear of it all. I know I’d felt it with my third eye but… Nothing is like knowing for a fact it’s physically there. 

I don’t even bother rising back to my feet. I doubt I had the strength to stand seeing as my waist felt as though it was made of jelly. A wicked sensation running up and down my spine as a different sort of gale swept around me. 

“There is no time to waste.” I whisper to myself as I begin the process of searing into the realms to find me and my people’s salvation. Listening carefully to the breeze about me, the slow pacing of my heart, and the methodical and trained rise and fall of my chest. Every slight thing to be done to reign in one’s self for this had been hammered into me over the last ten years.

Every day leading up to this one spent in gran gran’s hut concentrating on my inner self. In repetition I’d found familiarity. From that I found a quiet confidence. The sort I’d need in the moments to come.

Legs crossed, back straight, chest open, hands resting on either knee. Mentally slowing and shutting down everything except my third eye. 

Moments past and all I saw was nothingness. Another span of moments pass and I think I might see something. Far off into the distance. Not quite a golden strand but a strand of power nonetheless. I’d been taught to look for just such a strand. That it would lead from my center to the realm of my familiar. 

If I were to follow nearly broken strand I knew somewhere deep in my heart that I would find my familiar. Even with that said I could feel my vision begin to fade as my mind became more and more numb. My breaths grew shallower as my need for air grew greater. I had not the energy to move forward after my familiar nor did I have the power to maintain consciousness.

In that moment I knew. I’d run out of time and all hope was lost...

Except in that moment a flash of power radiated from the opposite direction. Washing across me and through me. So much so I was suddenly made aware of how weak I’d been. Yet how full I felt once more. 

If not for this flash of power. No this divine intervention I’d have been lost. All would have been lost. So naturally I look to find it’s source. This great being no doubt taking pity on me and my people.

There it was. initially it was but an overwhelming light. As bright as it was warm but never did I get the notion it’d become too hot to the point of causing me harm. What happened next I will forever look back upon with trepidation.

So absorbed in basking within this power was I that I hadn’t realize in which direction I peered. Not down to the lesser realms but up. As my projection within myself materialized in an attempt to navigate this realm before I knew what had happened I was already well along the path toward this great destination. This being who’d saved my life.

By the time reason returned to me I had lost where I’d come from. My inner self giving way, yielding to a realm which was not my own nor ever could be. I was in a plane greater than I could ever hope to be. In a place made by a god for a god. 

What have I done?

OOooo

“Oh, she’s finally here.” I called to no one in particular. Well actually I feel that statement is disingenuous. You see I truly said aloud a statement which could appear to be aimed at no one in particular. However the fact of the matter is no matter where I am in this plane, be it here or there, alone or in direct company of, the master of this realm would always hear and know.

After all it is a god and this place is the culmination of their being. It’s thoughts, it’s memories, it’s hopes, dreams and desires, it’s fears, nightmares and hate. It’s past, present and future all make up everything with which we find ourselves currently in residents.

And so you see. In speaking aloud to no one in particular I am in actuality making my thoughts known to a certain something. Not that they needed to be informed of such a fact. The fact that “she’s finally here” meaning the creator brought her here themselves. I am only being made aware of their arrival so that I can conduct my duties to my master.

Nora Algemast is it? Summoner from the lower realm. I watch as the child wonders the endless fields of golden grass. Observing her for a time. While I do not have god-sight of my own I do have a creative imagination and the deepest understanding of my lord's desires and nature. Better even than my lords current avatar state.

Alas, I am to babysit a host of children in the near future as my lord plays her games. I am to watch over this one and soon many others, so that her plans come to fruition. A boring prospect indeed but it is my greatest pleasure to directly serve in my lady’s will. I sort of understand her plans but as always she is unpredictable and the prospect of the next twist or surprise turn leads me to salivate.

Information runs into my mind now. My master’s directions, given when needed, right as they’re needed. It’s been so long since she’s been so vocal, so actively communicating to me. My body can’t help but shake with every moment of her being gracing mine. 

So she is to be our guest tonight? I am to play host until she arrives?

Turning my attention away from the fields of golden grass and frolicking summoners I see the other side of this realm’s horizon. Broken and dark and lightning and fire. A void, so black and empty that time has abandoned it all together. Hanging at it’s center in this shattered portion of an unmade or yet to be made reality is the mind that links us all to the singularity. I do not mind whom I swerve and their lack of pinnacle rank because I admire the closeness even in calamity she holds to the one and that she should even continue to exist…

Proof that she is loved. Proof enough for mine…

Her plans are their plans, a tool's tool we understand each other completely. An extension of will is the same thing when intention is the same and I am thrilled to observe this catatonic creature stirring, pulsing veins, as thought begins to manifest within. How long has it been? An eternity or two? Immortality is boring until it begins to stir anew.

Obstacle Eleven. Deal