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Post by Jandalf on Toast on Oct 3, 2004 15:24:33 GMT -5
Good move, Maeg, Jandalf silently congratulated as she went deeper yet.
This far down, it was difficult to keep breathing, let alone keep moving. The pressure was incredible, and Jandalf was forced to create a low-pressure bubble around herself with her Jedi powers just to save herself from the crushing grip.
Finally the ocean floor hove within view. She ordered her staff's crystal to glow brighter, and scanned the murky depths.
There it was. The staff's white light glinted off its sharply defined edges. She hovered closer in, and was gradually able to get the object inside her low-pressure sphere. Carefully, she picked the window pane up.
Tiana had made it with her, long ago, in an attempt for them to combine kavamming with pulling things out of windows. The result, however, had not been what they'd expected. Instead, they had created a portal of sorts to the shadow lands.
At that discovery, of course, they had closed the thing over and chucked it into the sea.
But it does have a purpose, now, thought Jandalf triumphantly. It's a key to wherever Tiana's being held.
She started to rise very gradually, ever alert that letting herself shoot up to the surface would burst her lungs from the drastic change of pressure.
Slowly. Deliberately.
Jandalf was returning with a key.
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Post by Lady Maeggaladiel on Oct 4, 2004 14:53:58 GMT -5
Maeg stared stupidly at Shadow. It was the first time she had seen her genuinely smile, without a hint of maliciousness or sarcasm.
Why did Shadow trust her? Certainly, Maeg had spared her life, but she also lied to her, pretending to be an ally in order to coax information from her.
In essence, then, they were both on the same level. They decieved each other at some point as well as resisted killing each other. Even though Shadow's motive was different than hers.
Or was it? She had assumed that Shadow had spared her life because of Tiana's involvement. Was she wrong? Perhaps the Sith had a sense of mercy. Either way, Shadow deserved a degree of Maeg's respect, and maybe even a bit of trust. If Shadow was willing to trust Maeg, then the feeling may as well be mutual.
Maeg reached for her sword, pausing momentarily as in thought. Then she undid the sword belt and slid it, weapon and all, across the deck and out of reach.
"Fair's fair," she said decidedly. "And as for your question, I suppose I spared you out of a combination of all of them. Mixed with a hint of anger, of course." She smiled grimly.
She looked down at herself, feeling a strange weightlessness from the loss of her sword.
"So," she said to herself as well as to Shadow. "What now?"
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Post by Jandalf on Toast on Oct 4, 2004 16:20:12 GMT -5
She finally rose to the surface, spat out the breathing tube and gasped for air, keeping a firm Force-hold on the precious window pane. Dashing water from her eyes, she squinted out and saw to her dismay that the ship was perhaps two hundred meters distant from her now.
Just my luck, she muttered mentally to herself. But at least they've reached a truce of sorts, for now. I wonder how willing Shadow might be to help me back on board once I get there. And how willing she might be to just stand by and watch me open up this portal again. But I think Maeg's got enough guts to handle things for a bit, should the need arise.
Jandalf started swimming back. It was going to be a long trip.
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Post by BEHIND YOU!!! on Oct 5, 2004 18:32:05 GMT -5
Shadow shrugged. "What now?" She twisted her hair into a quick half-pony behind her. "You know, I have no clue. I suppose we trust each other, and trust, of course, that Shadow isn't that worried about what Jandalf could do when she knows what has rearose."
The elf pulled a mirror out, and stared at her reflection for a moment, and laughed almost. "Always this way, isn't it," she said, not really to anyone, but to more than herself. "I always have no clue how to undo what's been done, while she watchs and laughs in my face." Calling her lightsaber to her hand with the Force, she chucked it over the edge of the ship, enhancing the glide with the Force so that it landed a good deal out.
She stared at the splash it made, and walked over to the edge. "I suppose our dear Jedi Master is going to be wanting to reboard the ship, then..." Anyone listening would've wondered at her tone, and what had happened. All trace of Shadow had disappeared, though she was still herself in appearance. Her thoughts were strange... Shadow stepped aside... why? The girl was rather confused, though she went through the motions of lowering a rope ladder for Jandalf, and kept the pretense of knowing what was going on. Unconsciously she traced runes on the wet wood... Ennariel. This was the strangest switch I have ever done, she thought, darkly. It didn't happen like before-- before I had her mind's memories... now I'm myself. Completely. As if...
"Sithspawn!" The girl dropped the ladder completely, and turned to stare at Maeggaladiel. "Strange this may seem, yes, but what the heck just happened here? With Shadow, I mean." She didn't have anything she could do to help out Jandalf, so she figured she'd take the time to see if a few questions could be answered. "And before you get all confused, Jandalf knows me well enough from.... before. Did Shadow die, or something? I've never switched with her this... this... strongly before." She sat down, and murmured, "I look like her, but the switch wasn't complete. As if she was trying to escape something..."
//I think Jandalf knows what happened, but, Maeg, you won't... you'll... learn fast though.//
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Post by Lady Maeggaladiel on Oct 6, 2004 9:51:15 GMT -5
Maeg felt like smacking her head repeatedly against something very hard. Just when she thought she had everything figured out...
"Great," she muttered to herself. "Shadow has multiple personalities..."
A thought surfaced in her mind. Shadow was an elf, she realized. So elves COULD use the Force! It was a stupid thought, given her situation, but she couldn't ignore it.
Force-using, psychotic, semi-evil ninja elves... Wonderful.
"You.... switched.... with Shadow?" Maeg asked her, unsure. "You have no idea what you just did?"
Maeg gave a ragged sigh and walked across the deck. A coil of slightly soggy rope lay strewn haphazardly in a corner. Maeg tied one end of the rope to the central mast and tossed the other into the ocean for Janalf. It hit the water with a sound like a cross between a soggy slap and a splash.
"If you mean you don't know what Shadow's been doing all day, I suppose I could sum everything up by saying you--she locked Tiana in some kind of shadow realm. Jandalf jumped overboard for some reason, I don't know why. If you want to know why you switched with her... I have no idea. She never talked about sharing a body with anyone else." Although it did kind of make sense; she was connected to Jandalf and Tiana, so why not this Ennariel? Perhaps she could switch bodies with people she connected to.
Tiana? Can you hear me? Do you have any idea what's going on? she mentally called. She hadn't heard anything from the trapped Padawan for quite a while. She hoped she was okay.
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Post by Jandalf on Toast on Oct 6, 2004 16:14:06 GMT -5
Exhausted from the long swim, Jandalf had just reached the edge of the ship and was about to call for assistance when she saw a rope ladder edging down. Grateful, she paddled over underneath it...and it suddenly fell down all at once, striking her on the head and sending her back underwater before she could so much as yell.
Sputtering, she resurfaced. She'd almost lost her grip on the window-pane... That would have sucked, she thought.
A rope end then plummeted from the ship's side and narrowly missed her. She flinched as the spray shot into her face, then grabbed the rope and began tying it securely around the window-pane. That taken care of, she wearily began to ascend the rope ladder, rung by salty rung.
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Post by Tiana, eh? on Oct 6, 2004 18:18:32 GMT -5
((*impressed* Wow, you're good, Maeg... you're catching onto this plot quite well. Considering... yeah.))
Tiana blinked, and stumbled back. I can hear you, Maeg... erm... what happened? Enn?! The Padawan blinked again-- she was still stuck in the Shadow World, but something...felt...different. Okay... what just happened?
She put out a mental call again, suddenly having the strangest idea. Ennariel?! Enn, can you hear me too? Maeg, ask Ennariel where she was. I have to attempt to contact Jandalf here... I have NO clue what just happened...
Tiana was rather confused, but concentrated. [Jandalf... Master? Did you locate the portal again??] Tiana suddenly had the strangest suspisioun that she knew what was going on...
Maeg, you want to borrow my medal pole? Tiana asked. I get the feeling that you're as annoyed as I am-- I didn't know Shadow could switch with Enn THAT easily...
Or had it been easy? Tiana didn't know.
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Post by Jandalf on Toast on Oct 7, 2004 15:41:19 GMT -5
Jandalf reached the top and flung herself aboard, landing on the deck in a sodden orange heap. "Uhhhhnn...what a day. Somebody haul that window up here."
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Post by BEHIND YOU!!! on Oct 7, 2004 17:33:45 GMT -5
The girl blinked, and used the Force to pull it-- the window-- into the ship. "Hey, Jandalf," she said, cheerfully, looking at the sodden wet heap that was Jandalf. "I don't suppose you can shed any light on this shadowy siduation, can you?"
She turned back to Maeg, still rather confused about it all. "So, Shadow locked Tiana in a Shadow Realm..." She shook her head, and muttered, "That's the first time she's ever been so literal about that, I suppose..." She made eye contact with the elf. "Anyhow, I'm not... well... I suppose I can explain well enough how I switched with her. We've done it before, but... differently. Last time, Shadow just literally switched with me, and... uh... it was a bit confusing. Okay, I'll try to explain who I am, maybe then you'll get the picture... or be more confused." She laughed slightly. "It is rather confusing. I'm Jandalf's Padawan," she said, snickering. "But I'm Shadow too. My name means Daughter of the Middle, and that's just who I am... last time I was around was... interesting... because I actually found myself. But I'm still caught between Tiana and Shadow at all times." She shook her head, and wandered over to get the window pane.
Enn narrowed her eyes suddenly, and knelt beside the soaking wet Jedi Master. "Jandalf, why, exactly, are you using this... this... thing. This portal?" Her eyes changed, suddenly sharp. "With what... appears to be happening... you can't just go into the Shadow Realm!"
**************************************
Shadow looked around. "Worked well enough," she muttered, though she had hated to pull the switch then and there-- just as she had been getting through to Maeg. But it was the only time the window had been open to pull the switch. "Ennariel's going to kill me, and JF as well, if she's in this realm, as I suspected... either her, or Audreidi, anyhow." Because I betrayed both of them by doing this.
It was shadowy, dark, and gloomy, but it was exactly where she needed to be. The paradox in the middle of the times. And, if I am correct, Jethine and Lara'li should be in this time as well...
Shadow stood up and wrapped her robes around her, to enter into a shadowed building. "Hello?" she asked. "Anyone here?" The time was Pre-Rebublic, on an old Coruscant before the Senate, the Rebublic, and before the Jedi. Five years before Terra would fall.
//Anyone confused yet? Well.... Jandalf... I may need Audreidi in here later, if you can see if she's willing to let you play her... Eowyn, can you take Lara'li again? It's... an interesting thing that I'm doing here... hopefully you'll be able to play along, Maeg, because Jandalf should have an idea of what I'm up to... Jandalf, I'm not asking you to play all your LotG characters, but it would be nice... make for... intersting plot, anyhow...//
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Post by Jandalf on Toast on Oct 8, 2004 15:51:06 GMT -5
"That piece of glass is the only way I've got to get back to Tiana," Jandalf commented, rolling over and looking up at Ennariel and Maeggaladiel in turn. "So...don't drop it."
*********
Jethine watched Shadow enter from her position just inside the door, hidden from easy view.
"So," she remarked suddenly. "What are you doing here?"
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Post by BEHIND YOU!!! on Oct 9, 2004 17:34:49 GMT -5
"Oh, I won't drop it," Ennariel said dryly. "But why on Earth is Tiana in the Shadow Realm?!" She looked down at the Jedi Master, her eyes shadowy. "She shouldn't've been able to reenter it."
She stood up, and hit the side of the ship, whincing at the pain, but it kept her from cursing out loud, anyhow. "That traitor," she hissed. "That Force-accursed, broken reflection of a Shadow." Enn let off a string of unPGlangauge in Elvish, merely for the sake of getting it out of her system. Biting her lip, Enn walked over and tossed Jandalf a towel. "You might not want to be entering the Shadow Realm soaking wet."
***************************************
Shadow jumped at the seeming sound of a disimbodied voice coming from the shadows beyond the door, and had to grab at the door frame to keep from panicking. After all the events that had been taking place, she was a bit more jumpy-- and still deadly afraid of Jethine, if you were wondering.
"Jethine," she said, forcing calm into her voice while searching for the Terran mirror of Jandalf. "I might inquire the same thing about you, myself. I am here because this is where Ennariel seemingly was a few minutes ago. I am merely searching for Lara'li, if that is your concern. Where are you?" She gave up on holding any possible trace of calm, or her typical sarcasm half way through her speech, and merely answered the question, looking through the shadows.
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Post by Lady Maeggaladiel on Oct 10, 2004 15:00:50 GMT -5
Just when Maeg thought she had some answers, a flood of new questions was thrust upon her.
"Shadow Realms, switching bodies, people who are part of other peple..." she muttered to herself.
"Ennariel?" she asked, speaking louder. "Um, You may not believe this, but Tiana spoke to me from the Shadow Realm a minute ago... She wants to know where you were." At first she worried that she sounded like a crazy woman, claiming that Tiana was talking to her, but figured that since everyting else around her was insane, she would be in good company.
She walked over to the window and subconsciously reached out to touch it-- and stopped. She had no idea why she wanted to touch it in the first place, but when her hand was half an inch from the sopping wet frame, something felt wrong. It was like an electric aura, crackling at her fingertips as they nearly brushed against it. She had a strange ability to detect things that were not of this world, and this window was like a giant neon sign that screamed NO TOUCHING, MAEG.
She pulled her hand back, almost against her own will. Whatever this thing was, it was nothing to be trifled with.
It was powerful... and it was dormant.
"You're going to reactivate it, aren't you?" she said, her voice hollow. "What's going to happen then?"
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Post by Jandalf on Toast on Oct 10, 2004 15:15:09 GMT -5
"Thanks for the towel." Jandalf grinned wryly and rubbed the towel over her hair, mussing it up incredibly so it stuck out in all different directions. Then she turned to Maeg. "Well, it's not going to suck the entire universe in and create a black hole, if that's what you were thinking. But I'd suggest you not use it. That basically goes for everyone except for Tiana and myself. We're the ones who made it; we're the ones who know its patterns of resonance, et cetera, because those patterns fit our own. Don't ask me how it works, or why we went ahead and made it, because I'm still not sure."
Squeezing moisture out of the looser parts of her robe, she bent down with the towel draped over her shoulders and picked the window up. It seemed to throb warmly underneath her touch, but not in a comforting way. "Ooooookay. Now I just have to remember how this thing works."
******************************
Jethine remained leaning against the wall, stroking the edge of the mirror that Shadow seemed to be seeking. "I'm right over here. Why? Because it's where I am, at the moment. Really, my dear Shadow...you should have learned by now not to ask pointless questions. And are you really looking for Lara'li, or..." She tapped her fingernail audibly against the mirror. "...are you looking for this?"
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Post by BEHIND YOU!!! on Oct 11, 2004 13:56:54 GMT -5
Enn stared at the window pane. She knew how it worked, of course, due to a... connection with Tiana. She also knew that entering it was akin to entering the Shadows. It was a shortcut into the Shadow Realm, in all essense. Shadow had used her as a window into the realm once, and Enn shuddered to remember it. The window was probably safer-- if Jandalf remembered how to use it.
When the girl spoke again, her tone was rimmed with shadow. "This..." She shook her head hard, and her eyes cleared. "Tiana spoke to you?" she askedMaeg, looking over at her. "Tell her that I'm... present as myself." She closed her eyes, realizing that Tiana couldn't see her, or find her in any way, and tried to figure out what she wanted. "Tell Tiana that I am here as the mirror-- no longer the cracked reflection. Tell her that the mirror will be destroyed." Her voice grew more frantic, as she sought what was needed to be said. "Tell her to get out of there now! Tell her..." Enn's eyes went Shadowed, and she grabbed the wall. "Find Lara'li," she murmured. "Find... Lara'li."
********************************************
Shadow jerked, and looked around. "I forgot, you never liked answering anything seemingly irrelivent," she muttered, and finished entering the building. "Come now, my dear Jethine-- surely you haven't gone so lax as to think that I would lie that plain out." She continued to look around, slowing regaining her courage for the moment. "I am seeking Lara'li, but..."
The Elf spun around, to face Jethine, whom she had noticed in the shadows. "Where did you get that," she hissed. "The... world mirror. I did not seek it, if that is what you thought, Jethine. I swear, I only came here to find Lara'li. Where did you get that?!"
The broken mirror.
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Post by Tiana, eh? on Oct 12, 2004 18:28:26 GMT -5
((Tiana can't post until Maeg posts, thus.... Lara'li. I've talked to Maeg about the present plot, and the mirrors.))
Lara'li smiled faintly, listening from not too far away from Jethine and Shadow. She ran her fingers through silver shaded hair, layered up to her ears. It was the hair that tended to give her away at most times, because there weren't too many people with silver-blond hair around, and Tiana's nearly black brown eyes. To be more exact, there was one. Lara'li Elass.
The female Terran scientist pulled a dark cloak around her, and stepped around the mirrored barriers in the Terran realm's galaxy. She didn't bother with a hood, the two she'd be facing knew her well enough, and not just by appearance, but in the Force as well. Even if Shadow didn't have the best command of those powers...
She shuddered faintly, and pulled up her hood anyway, as a precaution. Enn's here... or was, she realized at the back of her mind, moving silently around the realm's doors, and to where Jethine and Shadow spoke. Or, it was Shadow who did the talking. Jethine had always been good at convincing a person of the need to talk.
"I'm here, Shadow," she said clearly, stepping into the center of the room. She could detect the Elf's nervousness at facing Jethine-- Shadow never had liked Jethine much. Nor had she liked Lara'li either. "If you seek me, look, and if not, then do tell why you reenter these strange, yet hallowed paths within worlds."
Her eyes flicked across Shadow, and to the lack of lightsaber worn at her waist. "And unarmed as well," she remarked. "This should be good-- indeed, you had better have an explanation. None that I know would face their two worst enemies like such." She bowed to the two, and added under her breath, "I know I wouldn't."
Then she finished crossing the long room to stand three meters away from Jethine.
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Post by Lady Maeggaladiel on Oct 13, 2004 14:46:52 GMT -5
(Author's Note: Whups, sorry I've been keeping you hanging, Eowyn!)
Tiana? called Maeg. Did you catch that? Shad--I mean Enn-- says she's here with us. She also says something about being here "as the mirror-- no longer a cracked reflection." I have no idea what that means, but I assume you do. She's going to destroy the mirror. Nothing made too much sense to her, but she was used to that by now. She just passed on the message as best as she could, hoping she wasn't screwing up any hidden meanings.
Enn leaned heavily against the wall, and for a moment, Maeg was afraid she would fall. She reached out to help steady her, but pulled her hand away. Things were getting too strange to be sure of anything anymore.
Is Enn okay? she called to Tiana again. She's saying something about finding Lara'li, whoever or whatever that is.
Thinking of nothing better to do at this odd moment, she walked over to the bow, searching for her discarded sword. It had been pretty stupid of her to get rid of it in the first place; even more so that she threw it across the deck of a ship, where it could have fallen overboard. A nice mess THAT would have left her in.
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Post by Jandalf on Toast on Oct 13, 2004 21:37:49 GMT -5
"Lara'li?" Jandalf blinked. "Why Lara'li? What's going--"
Suddenly the window pane darkened, as if undergoing a tinting process...except this was a little different.
From the view from their side, it seemed as if the pane was accumulating depth, becoming dark, stormy, with swirling greenish clouds as if a tornado would suddenly spring from the glass. Jandalf's arms twitched as a surge of power funneled through her fingertips, contracting the muscles all the way up her arms.
******
Jethine stared at them both, then said in a sing-song tone: "Mirror, mirror, who's to blame, for this confusion and selfish shame?"
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Post by BEHIND YOU!!! on Oct 14, 2004 0:03:06 GMT -5
Shadow blinked, and took the moment to stare in a stunned silence at Lara'li vs. Jethine. The scientist's speedy arrival had startled her, and now she was faced with... a lot. She raised her left hand in acknowledgement to the arrival of the Jedi-seeming human. "Of course I have an explanation," she snapped. "You said it yourself, Lara'li-- why would I face my two most feared people otherwise. Not counting Jandalf in that bunch," she added as an afterthought. "I am here, as Jethine mentioned, regarding that mirror of yours. But I also sought Lara'li. If you can believe me-- for I know neither of you are ever willing to trust a shadow-- I did not come here with malice in mind. Mayhaps Ennariel is now in my place for such a switch, but I mean no harm." Maybe, as usual, I have my own motives, but that doesn't mean that I have malice as my intent, her thoughts reflected. And besides, the last time you attempted to cross a Jedi Master, Force-sensitive scientist, and... whatever Jethine is, well... the results weren't pretty.
She took a breath to clear her nervousness. "Shall we say, mirror, mirror on the wall, why grows this paradox over all?" The half-trained Sith smirked faintly. "There's a new mirror."
******************************************
Ennariel sank to the ground, shivering faintly. "Lara'li," she murmured. Jandalf asked a question about why, and she could feel Maeggaladiel's confusion. She couldn't focus well enough to really worry it over. She watched the unfolding scene with great interest-- shuddering to see the Shadow portal reopened though. "The window in the eye of the storm," she whispered, staring beyond the portal. She knew Jandalf, though a Jedi Master, still probably couldn't harness the Shadow Magic with the same ease as herself, Tiana, and Shadow could. Or Jethine, or Lara'li.
The elf-like female pulled a small pocket mirror from her pocket-- obviously-- and used it to reflect Maeggaladiel's image, standing on the other side of the ship, into the portal mindlessly. It wasn't a typical mirror she was holding, of course-- she could use it to locate mirror images of people... or worse. But it also worked quite nicely for reflecting a mirror image of a person into the Shadow Realm...
//Plot bunny, use it as you will, Maeg and Jandalf.//
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Post by Tiana, eh? on Oct 14, 2004 0:18:30 GMT -5
Tiana blinked, the best she could. Oh? She shook her head, trying to get herself thinking straight. I can't actually see Enn, you know... Lara'li? Mirror? Reflection? Tiana found herself very, very confused at the moment. Ennariel has to be kidding. LARA'LI?!
If she could've screamed at that mome she would've. Force's sake, Maeggaladiel, this is all wrong! Tiana sank to a sitting position, and shook her head hard. I can't even comunicate with my own Master, and... and... ergh. Maeggaladiel, tell Enn that... She focused for a moment. Before Jandalf goes off on a fool's quest to pull me out of the Shadow Realm, tell her that I'm not in what she knows as the Shadow Realm. Tell her to open a passage to the Terran Mirror... if she doesn't know what I'm talking about... well... She closed her eyes, and muttered something about this conspiracy.
Tell Ennariel to find Lania. Tell her that the mirror has to be shattered before it grows into a paradox... tell her... tell her that if she must destory the Mirror, to make sure Jandalf's out of it before it happens. Because I'm not losing her again. Enn'll be okay... she's just probably going through a tad bit of shock at realizing what the heck is going on.
"Is that how you see it, Shadowed one?" asked Lara'li, giving Shadow a look strong enough to wither a plastic flower. "I would have a complete explanation from you, and I would have it now, Shadow, before I have to force you to talk. And, so help me, I don't care what that Faerie tries to do, I will have an explanation." Her eyes were fierce, and filled with an old flame.
She gave Jethine a glance as she continued, "A new mirror, yes, though not that new. Merely that it's causing harm to the other realms now. But you knew this, of course. Who's to blame for this selfish flame... well... I think you know the answer as well as the rest of us do." A shadow crossed her face. "Or maybe not. It's partly Tiana-- 'twas inevitable-- but 'tis also Maeggaladiel as well. Now, shall I attempt to explain, or will you, Shadow?" Lara'li smiled sweetly at the Sith, though there was a venomous feel to that smile. "I get the feeling I'm needed in another realm. Mayhaps I should just leave you and Jethine to this paradox, hmm?"
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Post by Lady Maeggaladiel on Oct 18, 2004 14:30:03 GMT -5
Maeggaladiel translated the mental message to Ennariel.
"So now wha--" Maeg was cut short as Enn pulled something out of her pocket. It was shiny. Maeg stiffened. A knife? No, a mirror. She relaxed.
That didn't strike Maeg as being odd, but then again, after all that had been happening to her, there wasn't much that WOULD strike her as odd.
It wasn't until she started to feel the larger mirror pulling at her that she started to feel alarmed. Once more, she reached towards the polished surface of the window. Her hand went right through the glass.
Okaaay, so she COULD find something that struck her as being odd. This would qualify quite nicely.
"This is certainly an eventful day," she muttered.
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