#professor grinstead

MonsterTeeth Monster ducked through the short, strange green trees with what could be called a wince, trying not to touch any of the vegetation any more than they had to. The building ahead - the Academy? - belonged to a knowledge-holder. Hopefully she would know what to do about The Threat.

The thought prompted another teeth-gritting, her hair lashing behind her in aggravation for a short moment. They knew the Warden didn't favor them, they'd had to figure that out eventually, but... well, she had hoped they were the only one. If he was coming for the children-

"Will the Profezzor know... what to do... do you think?" they hummed. It took more effort than they would like to keep the buzzing growl out of their voice, but as a protector-provider they needed to keep calm and serious. Or at least seem it.

elf Baker paused a moment, hand resting on the rough bark of a tree as the Wraith’s question was posed. He turned slightly back, his voice low. “I hope she can help. But I won’t lie to you,” Baker resumed his quick pace toward the Academy. “I don’t know that any of us know what to do at the moment.”

Baker pressed onward, ducking below the lower branches until the wooden door of the Academy entrance and veranda were before him. Baker didn’t wait before sprinting the last few meters forward, knocking hard on the door.

“Professor! Professor are you home, it’s urgent!”

DresdenG The Professor looked up at the sound of a knock on her door, eyebrows raised. She knelt beside a box on the floor, a book in her hands that was open to the first, infuriating page. Pushing herself to her feet, she tucked the tome beneath one thin arm, straightening the pale green scarf around her neck before moving to the window beside the front door.

Baker...and the Wraith? Her forehead creased with concern as she took the stone steps in two strides, pulling the door open. She regarded the two of them in silence for a long moment before stepping inside and motioning for them to follow.

She pivoted on one foot and, assuming they'd followed, offered a nod to the Wraith and extended her hand to Baker in greeting. "Urgent, you say, Mr. Baker?" she asked, tilting her head to one side. "You look as if you've been on quite the hike. The classroom is just this way, if you need to take a seat before explaining the situation." She glanced up at the Wraith again. "As well, the ceilings are higher."

MonsterTeeth "... pleaze." It was interesting how short everyone was, but buildings built for their comfort was not the most fun. They ducked through the next door and straightened up gratefully.

elf Baker shook the Professor’s hand, but quickly pulled the small volume from his vest pocket, his voice once again low as he watched the Wraith exit to the classroom.

“We may have a major problem on our hands; one I’m not equipt to deal with. I was hoping you would be able to shed some light on this.” He took a deep breath, steadying himself as the adrenaline from the hike began to wear slightly. “Others should be coming along soon..”

DresdenG The Professor clasped her hands behind her back and nodded, taking in the information. Her dual colored eyes examined the book in Baker's hands.

She let out a small, thoughtful grunt and turned without a word, following the Wraith into the classroom and beckoning Baker to follow.

"Sit," she directed him in a short, curt tone, nodding to one of the chairs beside the bookshelves at the back of the classroom. She glanced up at the Wraith, satisfied to see the being seemed more comfortable in this space.

Hands still clasped behind her back, Dresden leaned against one of the shelves. "A major problem, you say? Either of you care to...elaborate?"

MonsterTeeth Monster growled, unable to keep the sound caged anymore. "Threat," they hissed, barely remembering to use the bulky common language. Again, their hair writhed behind them before settling, quite a bit more slowly than before. "The Warden... wants kontrol." Her hands twitched ever so slightly, wishing more than she would like to detail that she could end the threat quickly and quietly.

the children what would he do to the children delightful sweet Edomie that brash brat Plum poor Olli little cousin

The way the note had been written was so... soft? Kind? Even? They didn't have the words for it, but it rubbed them the wrong way and their ribs practically shook from the force of their growling. With a shake of her head, she tried to ground herself and calm down. This wasn't dignified or honorable.

elf Baker sat heavily in the seat, leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he held the book tightly. The Wraith was right, but as to this sudden change on the Map Warden’s part, Baker could only begin to fathom why.

“This book was left at Edomie’s cottage, along with a trident banner. The same at Wraith’s home... I haven’t found any such thing near my home. The Warden states that he is taking control, and we...” Baker paused, staring into empty space as he realized that he had found no such note himself. Why not me? “We are to be his subjects. I sent Edomie to find Oleander and to bring him with her as soon as she found him..”

I only hope that wasn’t a grave mistake.

DresdenG The Professor listened to the Wraith's words, watching as the creature rippled and growled with what appeared to be barely contained rage. The feeling was mutual. Her gaze slid to Baker while he added to the story, and she answered his words with a ponderous nod, reaching under her arm and withdrawing a small book similar to the one Baker held. She looked between Baker and the Wraith, eyes flashing. "I received such an...announcement, myself. Suffice it to say I'm as displeased as you are. Especially so if the others are dealing with the same." Her fingers tightening around the book. She'd thought perhaps it was only sent to the residents of Foxwood.

Edomie... Her heart twinged with worry, wondering how the girl was handling all of this. It pleased her to hear that she would be heading this way. Her hand drifted to the pouch at her side, feeling for the stone. The one which could let her know if anyone in the realm was in trouble. She hoped it would remain silent.

"The acolyte may be...hard to persuade. When did you send her to fetch him?"

elf Baker let out another deep breath, resisting the urge to tap his foot with nervous energy. “I sent her just before heading here.”

jordan.nova "Aaaaaaauntieeeeee!" Edomie called loudly as she approached the Academy. She hadn't let go of Ollie's hand since they'd left the castle, half dragging the poor boy along with her. The nice green spirit had followed them from the castle, watching over their trek.

She hadn't bothered trying to find Baker or wait around for him to find her. She probably should have, but after the castle--

"Auntie!" Edomie called again, her voice pitching. She jumped up to peer in the house windows, spotted nothing, so she dragged Ollie around the large structure towards the classroom entrance. "Auntie, are you home? Where are you?"

LexiDriftander Ollie followed in a somewhat disoriented state, very nervous about this confrontation.

He...he still felt like he hardly knew some of these people...and...they would ask questions.

He really didn’t want to talk about it.

MonsterTeeth Monster tilted their head to the side suddenly before looking toward a nearby wall. "Edomie," she murmured. The child was here... and from the feel of it, Olli had come with after all. Now it was even more important that they calm down - it had taken so long for the children to not fear them, it would be awful to have to do that again.

elf Baker’s head jerked up at the sound of Edomie’s voice, standing quickly to go to the door. He’d been on expeditions with the girl before, but never before heard her call like that.

DresdenG Dresden straightened, her head swiveling as she heard Edomie's shouts. Her heart fluttered as she followed Baker to the door, her brows furrowing as she craned her neck to see out the tall windows of the classroom.

"She made good time," the Professor murmured, a hint of pride in her tone.

jordan.nova Edomie threw open the classroom door and stumbled inside so fast she nearly ran straight into the others crowded around the door.

"Auntie!" she cried, relief seeping into her voice. She threw one arm around Dresden to embrace her in a tight hug without relinquishing her grasp on Ollie's hand.

Brook Khidpuh Faeden waited until the others had gone in, before softly floating in as well. Her eyes stayed on Dresden the whole time, and the axe, where was the axe, she wanted it as far away from her as possible. The room was filled with people she had either just met or only seen once or twice, and she decided to shuffle behind the Wraith, whom she had interacted with before, and hoped might offer some protection. She shuffled in without a word and hunched defensively behind Monster, hoping desperately that none of her foxes had followed.

LexiDriftander Ollie stood awkwardly off to the side while Edomie hugged the professor. He refused to make eye-contact with her, still feeling rather unsafe around the woman. A quick glance at the other occupants of the room made him even more uneasy. Baker was nice, sure, but they'd never really had a conversation. Miss Wraith was an entirely different story. He still got chills just looking at them, but...they seemed to like him.

He couldn't tell. He had no idea how to tell if people liked him.

So he stayed silent and tried to remain unseen and unheard. Much like his time back at home, he realized, before his parents had deemed him to abnormal to keep around anymore.

DresdenG A sharp exhale of relief left the Professor when her eyes fell on Edomie, and she welcomed the embrace, wrapping both sinewy arms around the girl and pressing her nose against those vibrant curls. She stayed there and took a deep, grounding breath.

She opened one eye to peer at the boy attached to Edomie's other hand.

The acolyte. Looking pale and sick as ever, his shifting posture and downturned gaze made the hairs on the back of Dresden's neck prickle. She knew so much and so little about the boy. She felt that she knew his deepest secrets without knowing so much as what he liked to have for breakfast.

Not that she cared to know him. She wished to stay as far away from him and his cursed mountain as possible. Sweev only knew what he got up to in that castle.

But, as Edomie had seen fit to entangle herself in this 'Oleander's' life, Dresden had to adopt other tactics. Learn about him. Study him, his curse, and be available to help if it came down to it. To keep Edomie safe and happy, her friends needed to be safe and happy as well.

Though truth be told, the Professor found this boy to be a lost cause.

"Edomie. You made it," she murmured, drawing back and resting her hands on Edomie's shoulders. "Are the two of you--" her eyes flicked to the ghost as she floated in behind them, taking up quiet residence near the Wraith, "three of you all right? I heard you also received missives from the Warden?"

Having Faeden here made things...interesting. She would have to tread carefully.

MonsterTeeth Monster looked down at the spirit behind their legs, wondering what in the room made her so fearful. There were no threats here. Still, children fear and it is the duty of the adult to help them learn to feel safe. So they made no motion to move her.

jordan.nova "We saw Warden!" Edomie shouted, anger and stress flicking over her again as she jerked back from Dresden's embrace. She yanked her wild curls out of her face and a few fell right back between her eyes. "He was up in Ollie's castle. We chased him out and he still came back up there to yell at us."

LexiDriftander "I pushed him off the mountain," Ollie said, somewhat dazed. He narrowed his eyes as he remembered it. "K-" He retracted his statement a heartbeat too late, leaving the first phoneme hanging in the air. For reasons he couldn't yet explain, he decided now was neither the time nor the place to bring up Kaithol.

Brook Khidpuh Faeden's head jerked up so as to look at Ollie.

"Don't blame yourself. Please. You were only defending yourself, right...? I don't know what he's planning, but it... it can't be good. He... expected us to react poorly. He... he wasn't surprised, when I did the same thing. He deserved to get thrown off that cliff," she added with a hiss. Her fists clenched, as did her jaw, and the temperature in the air dropped just slightly.

"I used to think that he was wise and brave and kind. But the only person who threatens a child is a coward. He's a coward! What kind of peace does he want? His peace? Order? The only people who want "order" want to control those they see beneath them. Threatening someone like you, what have you ever done to hurt him?"

Faeden let out a tight breath. "He's trying to scare us with ominous words, so that we feel like we have to go to him... I'm scared, b-but now? I'm angry, too! No one threatens my friends!"

She suddenly seemed to realize her outburst, and upon seeing the sets of eyes trained onto her, snapped her gaze back down to the floor. She'd said too much, she'd said too much, she was to be seen and not heard. Faeden gripped her staff and twisted it nervously.

MonsterTeeth Monster bent a bit to "pat" the spirit's head, hard claws and harsh skin passing right through but the intent had to count. "Threatz... mmm... not taken lightly," she breathed. They swayed a bit, trying to remain stoic and calm just like the protector-providers they remembered, a soothing but serious presence. She cut her gaze to Olli. "Well done... mwnesser... to protect zelf... and otherz."

They knew he was after "order" - a disguise for "control" - but if he had said anything specific while speaking to the children, the better they would prepare. Pearls and these diamonds the overworlders loved so much were only so useful with no plan. "What... did he zay... do you know?" they asked the three.

DresdenG Dresden let Edomie move away without resistance, folding her arms over her chest to listen more properly. The girl was angry, and rightfully so. Auntie would listen as long as there were things Edomie had to say.

They saw the Warden, did they? But they were here, now, so it turned out all right. Best to stay quiet and listen to them rather than let concern overtake her.

One delicate eyebrow raised at the acolyte’s statement. She didn’t think he had the fortitude to do such a thing. Surprising, and not a wholly pleasant surprise.

Before she could think on that too long, the ghost girl let out a torrent of words, some of which resonated with Dresden’s feelings toward the Warden. She watched the girl, doing her best to focus on the here and now, and not when Faeden had first entered the Academy. That night was one Dresden would prefer to forget.

The Professor’s eyes traveled from Faeden as she quieted, sliding over to Mit. The Ender-kin had, so far, remained quite silent and watchful. As Monster spoke, the Professor shifted her gaze to them, and nodded at the their final statement.

Yes...what did he say to them, up in those towers? This would no doubt be important.

TheJKWolf Mit tagged along after Baker read to her the content of the book-present - or maybe not a present, as it seemed - from the Map Warden. The one looking similar to her was here, too (name, name what was their name?) and Mit couldn’t help but be drawn to them. They felt like they could make it alright, for some reason.

Getting to the Professor’s house, Mit stayed in the background while listening to the conversation going on in front of her.

So the Warden wanted to be on top. And wanted them to be his subject? Mit could only agree with the others in the room; It wasn’t anything to support. Mit spent most of her life alone, doing what she had to to survive and then things she wanted to do - not what anyone told her to do. Even in this weird community she found herself in, she did what she wanted. Sure, not trying to harm anyone but nobody was looking over her shoulder giving her rules on what to do or build.

New people arrived. Edomie she knew. Edomie was nice, if a bit skittish around her. The others… Maybe? She thinks she saw some of them, but she couldn’t place any names or places linked to them. Mit wished Sweev was here. The Goddess would be able to cue her in.

Mit drew back a bit more in the room while tuning in back on their conversation. She narrowed her eyes when she listened to the way the Warden acted towards them. Her eyes glided over to the spirit. She was right. Mit didn’t like the way this Warden thought of scaring and controlling them.

Mit caught herself tapping her fingers on her sword, waiting for the response to the question the Wraith asked the three.

elf Baker had leaned against the door frame of the classroom once the two younger members and the ethereal being had burst in, but the relief he had felt had all but immediately been replaced with dread. The Warden had been there, and waiting from the sound of it.

Baker focused best he could at the flurry of new information being made known to all of them, a dangerous mixture of anger and fear building inside of him. No. No time for that. Focus!

The Wraith had asked what they needed to know, there would be time for blaming himself later for not going with Edomie, even if the outcome brought them here.

"You've all been very brave," he made sure to look at the ethereal form of Faeden, who was most certainly included in his statement. His voice turning softer as he looked at Edomie and Oleander. "But Wraith asks a good question, please, tell us what you can remember."

jordan.nova Edomie tugged Ollie closer to her, so she could press against his side. "He was after Ollie. He's mad about the mountain and Kai- Kaithol." she hardly whispered the name, somewhat afraid the being was more likely to listen if she said his name. "He thinks that's why we're undying. That the mountain curse brought us here and it's keeping us here. 'Kaithol is a sham' he said. We can't trust him."

Her eyes flicked sympathetically to Ollie. "I don’t like Kaithol. But, that's not what the curse is. I've always been undying. And if he wants to stop us from tethering and undying..."

Edomie's voice lodged in her throat. She wondered, for just an instant, how long she had left.

She shook the thought off, and her gaze returned to Dresden in a pleading way. She knew things about this world - more than Edomie could ever hope to learn from her. "He said 'the dragon Sweev has lost its power'" she repeated the best she could recall. "He wouldn't listen that this world answers to Sweev - he thinks it's all his! Just cause he showed up at the mountain first, when nobody else was here. But-"

Edomie's eyes drifted to the floor. She found herself repeating Alastair. "The world has its order. Intruding doesn't make you belong."

Brook Khidpuh Faeden felt comforted by the Wraith's precense, and flattered by Baker's words. He had looked right at her when he said that... he was including her! She found it hard to meet everyone else's eyes, but for a different reason now. she bit down on her shy smile, and grew serious again, piping up in a quiet voice.

"He said that... Sweev lost their power...?"

She ducked behind her staff, as though that would hide her. The others had already covered it. They all knew each other and what they were doing. Why was she even here? She couldn't overthrow anyone or stop a warrior, she was just small and scared and wanted to get out of the Professor's line of sight and back to her foxes and-

And then she looked at the others. They were scared too. Even Miss Wraith, who looked calm but sounded determined, had an underscore of worry in their voice.

"Why does he want to do this...?" she whispered. "We're not his servants. We're not going to be. But... what can we do?"

LexiDriftander "I pushed him off the mountain," Oleander mumbled to himself. Honestly, he couldn't remember much else about the conversation, save for...

Warden thinks this is MY fault.

He stared down at the place where his hand connected with Edomie's. Slowly, he unlaced his fingers and pulled away from her.

It very well could be his fault.

jordan.nova Ollie's fingers carefully unwinding from hers seized Edomie's attention, and she turned - confused - when he stepped back from her.

"Well, he needed to get pushed off a mountain," she said firmly, angry all over again. She took a step back to stand beside him, but folded her arms over her chest instead of reaching for him again. "I would've shot him if you hadn't got him first."

MonsterTeeth It took quite a bit of Monster's already fraying will to not reach out for her little cousin, turning the reflexive reach into a weird aborted shrug. don't touch him don't touch him you'll hurt him don't touch him

"It waz well done," they insisted, bending at the knees to be at least a little closer to his height. "Edomie... haz it right. He wouldn't leave... it waz needed."

That being said, to hear the Warden's words was... interesting. The overworlder godling Sweev, a dragon? Hardly. They were kind and quiet and unobtrusive. But that they were losing their power... well, Monster had seen proof of that in their own words, that was a point hard to argue.

Still, none of it told them what they would need to know, and from the seat they had now taken on the floor they started to quietly seethe. It would be so much easier on everyone if they could just get rid of him but they couldn't that's not how things work here and you don't even have any information be quiet and listen.

So aggravating.

DresdenG The Professor cocked her head as she took in the new information from the three. She remained quiet, her expression calculating. The note about Sweev being a dragon intrigued her. Was it true? As far as the Professor knew, no, not in so many words. However...Sweev losing their power? Well, perhaps the Warden knew a little more than she'd originally given him credit for.

And that concerned her.

She met Edomie's pleading eyes and longed to have all the answers. To instill peace. To lay out a plan of exactly how they would take care of this problem.

The fact of the matter remained, however, that she did not know what to do.

Not yet, anyway.

She followed the interchange between Edomie and Ollie, eyes flicking between them, picking up on body language and filing them away for later. She watched the Wraith, and then took a long, deep breath, letting out slowly before she finally spoke.

"The Warden is out of line, I believe we can all agree on that. This is true for reasons deeper than mere offense on our parts." She began to pace the classroom, arms still crossed, tapping the fingers of one hand against her bicep. She continued in cool, factual tones. "Stor'Sweev has existed for thousands of years. This landmass alone has known the rise and fall of many civilizations. Some peaceful, some violent. All of us are but a smudge in the pages of history."

She looked up and around the gathered individuals again. "The Warden has no more claim to this land than any of us do. The fact he is trying to rise above his station is, frankly, unacceptable. If we hope to keep him from getting what he wants, we must present a united front in resisting his efforts."

The Professor paused in her pacing and sighed again, pressing her lips together for a thoughtful moment. Much as she hated to admit it, no one alone could make this work. Scattered, separate efforts would not succeed. This was not something any one of them could do on their own.

"This meeting is the beginning of something very important, where I believe each of us will play a vital role in crafting a solution."

TheJKWolf Kaithol? Curse? Mit internally shook her head. There was a lot of stuff going on that she didn’t notice. Well, it wasn’t something that affected her so far, so no wonder she hadn’t noticed.

More importantly, the spirit talked about Sweev losing their power. That was concerning; she would have to ask them about it. Maybe there was a way to help. But for now they had to concern themselves with this Warden.

Looking over, she nearly had to smile when Edomie showed her courage. It was good that she knew how to defend herself; all of them. Mit could only agree with the Wraith, it was needed.

Mit listened to the one they call a Professor, agreeing with what she said, too. Mit was also quite impressed in the way this Professor could use her words; Mit would never been able to say it like that. But she also didn't think it to be as much of a problem as its made out to be. They were in the majority after all.

“Well.” Mit opened her mouth for the first time, voice rough from rarely speaking. Mouthing the word first she continued: “He is one. We are many. Get him away from us and this land if he doesn’t stop.” She patted her sword again, looking at each person in the room. “Got some armor and weapons ready to use at my base.”

elf Baker couldn't help but give a small smile as Mit spoke, his own hand and mind wandering to the weapon currently strapped to his leg. This was going to be difficult, and in more ways than one.

The talk of Sweev losing it's power was disturbing to him. He wouldn't admit to the current group that he didn't quite regard Sweev as a deity, but he did respect it. Having been aided more than once by it's power.

Oleander... the boy, heavens above hadn't the boy been dealing with more than his own share of ordeals since his own arrival here? Baker didn't know how to react to the boy, but he did his best to treat him the same as he had before.

It also seemed time to make something else known, something Baker hadn't been intending on announcing until a later date. But time was now of the essence.

"I may not have weapons, but I have a ship. Some of you have been there already, it's not complete, but it's ready to fly. And if need be..." Baker gripped the butt of his gun tightly. "Can be equipt to fight as well."

Though I hoped it never would need to. Not like the... Baker's brow furrowed, the thought stopped, the rest of it slipping away like a fish in a stream, leaving only a rapidly fading ripple behind.

Brook Khidpuh Faeden jolted when Mit began to speak. She hadn't noticed the enderkin standing there, and her words filled the ghost with a sense of dread. She didn't want any fighting... but what would happen if they didn't? The Warden would simply have his way, and then it would be terrible for everyone. He had no right to do this, and he was going to be reminded of it. She gripped her stick, tapping it lightly against the floor. If the Warden dared threaten her friends again... he would get what was coming to him, and she would be there to meet him each time he rolled off his bed.

Baker's words pulled her from her morose thoughts, however. Faeden peeked out from behind her staff and Monster, unable to contain herself.

"Your boat can fly?! Like the ones in that other world we all went to? That's... that's amazing! Does the Warden have a ship like that? If not, wouldn't we already have the upper hand?"

She paused, leveling herself.

"I'm not very good at making weapons," she mused, "but if any animal supplies are needed, or food, I can provide those. I also could make a few potions, though I'm not the best at those... I'll do whatever I can to help!" she asserted, trying to sound brave and confident like the adults.

LexiDriftander Oleander watched the others quietly, listening to their plans with half-interest.

It did make him angry, what The Warden was trying to do. He'd just started entertaining the idea of staying on this world. He liked it here. Why was The Warden trying to take that away from them?

It had something to do with Kaithol and, by default, with him.

elf Baker's heart cheered some at Faeden's remark about his ship. The mention of this other world bringing back Mit's mention of an... End? "It can indeed." Baker replied. "As far as who else has one, I know of no others. Not in this world at least."

jordan.nova As Mit and Baker spoke up about armor and weapons, Edomie's heartbeat quickened - a cold dread creeping up from her toes. Gradually, and then all at once, this didn't feel fun anymore. She'd gotten so used to everyday adventures with her great team. The sort of game she'd always wanted to play a part in.

This didn't feel like when they all rallied together to fight a dragon. Going off on a dumb quest just for the thrill and the togetherness of it. Every team fought a dragon. There was always a dragon.

This felt like several moons ago when an angry spirit no one could name had crept in and started picking their world and their homes and them apart.

"We're going to have to fight him," she finally managed to say aloud, her voice straining on the realization. "He's going to ruin everything."

MonsterTeeth Excellent. A fight, the one thing Monster knew that they had. But... they weren't just an unheard-hand anymore. They couldn't just slip away, do what needed doing, and come back. Especially considering they weren't home.

these overworlders and their stones and blades and strange concoctions and whatever that thing was at Baker's side that he put his hand to instead of his sword when someone startled him

And the confidence. They may not have been a leader for long, but they knew no one was that confident without some kind of secret. There wasn't enough information.

When in doubt, then. "We zhould... watch him," they hazarded, looking to the knowledge-holder for guidance. "Prepare to fight... but pay attention... to hiz actionz? I can... gather. Kouzinz would be glad... to help."

Their tone went low, not quite threatening but nowhere near as light as their usual speech. "They don't like... hm... librarian taught the word "prezumptuouz". Warden wants to kontrol? Thinkz he kan... order uz?" They grinned wide enough to show their oral membranes. "Kouzinz won't like that... any more than I do."

DresdenG The Professor continued to pace and listen, her brow furrowed in her usual, thoughtful crease. She paused beside Edomie when the girl spoke. Her downcast eyes moved the Professor to reach out and put a hand on her shoulder.

As the Wraith spoke, Dresden wrapped her arm about Edomie’s shoulders and drew the girl close against her side, if she allowed it.

Nodding at the end of the Wraith’s statement, the Professor looked around at all of them once again. Particularly to Mit, as the Enderkin had chosen her few words carefully, and Dresden wanted to be sure she took them into account.

“You are correct in a way, Mit,” the Professor began, “He is but one man. As far as we know. Apart from anything else, we must remember that he has been here a long time. Long enough to have an army stowed away, somewhere.” As much as the thought unnerved her, she felt she had to voice it. “We don’t know what he has at his disposal. The Wraith is right. We must watch him, while we also prepare for a fight. I agree that it will likely come to that, history shows us time and again the way these conflicts play out.”

She looked over at Edomie and gave the girl’s shoulders a gentle squeeze. “We won’t let him ruin anything,” she murmured, the sharp, authoritative edge leaving her voice for a moment, “Not if I have anything to say about it.” 

Directing her attention to the group again, she raised her voice  back to its usual volume. “Now, in the interests of organization, I propose we meet here again in a fortnight, barring further unforeseen developments.  Those who have volunteered to gather weapons, supplies, potions,” she looked pointedly at Faeden for that, “or prepare their airships,” a nod to Baker, “please do those things as soon as possible. It is likely we’ll need them. But, in either case, the effort won’t be wasted.”

She paused for a moment, weighing a thought before continuing. “Be watchful. We don’t need him to know we’re organizing. And...one more thing. Everyone here did receive a message from him, didn’t they? Please speak up if you did not.” Her eyes narrowed, and she waited.

jordan.nova Edomie gratefully accepted Dresden's embrace, tucking herself into her aunties arms and wrapping one arm around her waist. "What's... what do you mean a fortnight?" she murmured awkwardly, tilting her head up to Dresden.

Brook Khidpuh Faeden bit her lip and ducked her head down when the Professor looked at her. Yes. She could help, even if just a little bit. She stood a little straighter and hovered off the floor again.

"The Warden came into my house while I was there and simply put his banner down, while I stood there. I don't..." her nose wrinkled at the memory.

"I want to remove it," She huffed. "And I want to check on my foxes."

She realized with a start that she was maintaining direct eye contact with Dresden, but after an initial glance away decided to hold it, and lifted her chin with newfound confidence. Maybe it was because of the Wraith standing near her.

"I'll do whatever I can to help."

MonsterTeeth "Fortnight iz... fourteen rotationz," Monster said after a moment's thought. She stood, careful not to disturb the small spirit behind her with the ebb of her hair. Fourteen rotations... Hm.

They didn't feel comfortable leaving Edomie alone that long. Ollie yes - he'd already proven he could handle himself, and with the Mountain Brat's eyes firmly on the Warden right now he'd have to be safe. Faeden had unexpected force behind her and a willingness to use it, Plum the same. But Edomie... Edomie could fight, but had trouble recognizing... well, trouble.

"Will ztay with you... kome back with you," they decided. "Zafezt that way. And not far... from Meherristess." Especially not with their new wings - even watching over Edomie, they would be more than able to gather useful things for their village.

elf Baker clenched his teeth as the Professor finished speaking, but his grip on the gun fell away. I shouldn't have expected any less from the Professor, very little escapes her notice.

Waiting until the others had filtered a little further away, Baker patted Edomie on the head and gave her a small smile before giving the Professor what he hoped was a knowing look. "Professor, I would like to speak to you about another matter. If you have the time?"

LexiDriftander Oleander watched the others with glazed eyes, pondering what had happened.

He wasn’t afraid of the Warden, he was more afraid of what could happen to his friends. Well.

He glanced around the room. Most of these people were merely acquaintances. He caught sight of Edomie snuggled up next to the Professor and was surprised to feel a pang of jealousy.

She was probably safer off with her, anyway.

Silently, Oleander slipped toward the door, and out of the classroom.

TheJKWolf Listening to the others reaction, Mit withdrew her hand from the sword. She couldn’t help but stare intrigued at the Baker - arming the airship? That would be a sight to behold. She would love to be on it when it's ready.

She looked over at the spirit who seemed startled by her. Didn’t she notice Mit was here? Well, it was nothing new that people were surprised by her. Still, she nodded approvingly when the spirit offered their assistance. Mit could see she was afraid, but still she would fight. She could respect that.

Mit continued to listen to the people speaking. Yes, watching the Warden made sense. This was something she could get behind. And during that she could prepare some equipment for them. She had her eyes on some new potion-recipe she wanted to try out that could help them.

The meeting seemed to come to an end, only more so when the Professor proposed to meet in a fortnight. She should probably write that down so she wouldn’t forget. She still had trouble with reading and writing, but she got better at it and with one motion, Mit took her book out, writing some notes down. She stashed the book back while letting her gaze wander over the group, watching Edomie hug the professor and the way the Wraith easily conversed with them.

They seemed so close with each other. Mit had noticed through the whole meeting the bonds these people had made while she was still, like always in the background. Maybe if she gave them a lot of armor and weapons they would let her in.

Absent Minded she watched as the one they called Ollie slipped away. It probably didn’t matter too much if those people liked her or not. She doubted she would stay for a longer time. At some point, she will move again, as she always did - nothing ever kept her tethered to one place.

Mit stood up, waving goodbye to the group. “See you soon.” Then she took her leave, using the wings to get her off the ground and towards her base.

jordan.nova Edomie flinched closer to Dresden when the Monster spoke directly to her, an old anxiety striking her heart. She swallowed hard pushed it back down. Monster was not a scary, looming, terrible ender. Well - she was scary and looming. But not terrible. She was... actually very sweet.

Edomie nodded gratefully at Monster, meeting her gaze intently. They could hide at the cottage. A neediness in Edomie wanted to curl up in the bright blue room Auntie had made her upstairs. But, no, that would look like organizing with Monster there too. Cottage it was.

When Baker stepped over, she smiled warmly at him, brightening at the familiar pat on her head. His words to Dresden sounded... secret. She didn't want to eavesdrop, so with one more goodbye squeeze she pulled away from her auntie and reached for -

...where was Ollie?

Edomie's eyes flicked around the room, concern twisting in her stomach as she watched Mit also take her leave. Had Ollie... left? He hadn't said goodbye. She... hadn't seen him.

Edomie headed for the door as well, crossing her fingers she could spot Ollie's bright coat in the woods. She hesitated in the doorway, waiting politely for Monster to follow her, then ducked out of the classroom.

LexiDriftander But Oleander was nowhere to be seen.

Brook Khidpuh Faeden watched the boy... Ollie, creep closer to the doorway, eyes never leaving the girl and the Professor, before he practically ran out. Something in Faeden's heart tugged painfully and she wanted to go after him, to talk to him more, but she held herself back, convincing herself that now would not be a good time.

Faeden noted the enderkin watching everyone's moves. She seemed... friendly. Faeden could swear she had met them before. She would make note to bring her a cake when all this was said and done. If it would be a possibility in the near future... the little ghost shuddered at the thought. Mit then left, and Edomie and the Wraith were about to leave, and Faeden felt dread claw at her stomach with the thought that she didn't want to be alone with the Professor if she could help it. They weren't.... enemies, not anymore, but the past wasn't one to just let itself go, even if the Professor was nice enough to try. So she mumbled something to the remaining adults and floated out the doorway, her eyes glued to the floor.

On her way out, she cast a forlorn look at the recently disturbed patch of grass. Her hands twisted about her staff. No. Not right now. It wasn't the time. A little moan escaped her trembling lips, and she dashed back to her cottage.

MonsterTeeth Well. There was the flinch they'd expected from Edomie. It was progress, but it still hurt. But... no, protect. If the Warden showed up at Edomie's house, they would be ready.

Monster followed Edomie carefully, trying again not to either leave scorch marks or bash their head on the ceiling once out of the classroom. Thinking on it again, they ducked their head back into the room for just a moment and looked around. They had noticed Olli slipping away, but not what had driven him off... Unsatisfyingly, they still didn't see anything.

... should go check on him later. They turned and, fed up with the cramped ceiling, flicked a pearl out the open door to the outside.

DresdenG Dresden caught the knowing look from Baker, his words tickling a thought in the back of her mind. But she would wait until he could tell her what he was thinking before drawing too many conclusions.

She felt Edomie flinch into her, and she glanced between the girl and the Wraith. There was nothing for this group to be frightened of from Monster, the Professor knew, but she was also keenly aware that Edomie had many fears of her own. History which contributed to these compulsive responses.

As the Wraith explained a fortnight, Dresden nodded and looked down at Edomie with an encouraging smile. "Thank you, Wraith," she spoke softly, her eyes not leaving Edomie even as she addressed the Wraith, "I can think of no one better to watch over her."

In the final hug, she wrapped her other arm around Edomie as well and pressed a gentle kiss on top of the girl's head. "Be safe," she whispered near her ear before letting go, and watching the two exit the classroom.

Once everyone had taken their leave but Baker, the Professor's rigid shoulders slumped slightly. She strode to the student entrance, poking her head out to make sure everyone had fully cleared the area. Then she closed it, turning back to Baker and indicating the small reading nook at the back of the classroom.

She took a seat, leaning forward and perching her elbows on her knees, lacing her spindly fingers together. She fixed her eyes on Baker, her mind racing. This whole situation had the potential to get out of hand if they couldn't keep a lid on it. She worried that numbers wouldn't be enough of an advantage. They needed something more, but what? She could not say.

"What is this other matter, Baker?" the Professor finally  broke the silence between them, tilting her head to one side. "You seem troubled."

elf The leaving of the others, and the visually relaxing of the Professor eased some of the tension Baker had been feeling. Taking a seat opposite of Grinstead, Baker's hands fiddled with each other before he settled them together in a firm grasp.

"It's about the messages." He finally managed to say. He felt the tightness in his chest as he prepares to lay open what until now had been privy to a few people... One of whom now may be a threat.

"I received no message, no banner. I was with the Wraith when they found theirs. We had run into Edomie on our way to Bakersfield, but we didn't stay long. You know the rest of her part." Baker bowed his head. Why was this so difficult!

"I.. Fear the Warden may see me... My machines and I, as a threat."

DresdenG She watched him closely. His posture, the fiddling of his hands. Her mind tugged at the possibilities of what he might have to say, but she could only wait for him to speak.

Her heart skipped a beat when he revealed he had not received a missive from the Warden. She sat back in her chair, regarding Baker with inquisitive eyes. She could hardly contain the smirk pulling at the corners of her mouth.

“Why does a lack of proclamation from him make you believe he sees you as a threat?” she questioned, “Would he not want to dominate you all the more, if so?”

elf Baker pondered the question, looking at the Professor quizzically. Truth be told he'd not considered any other option besides those of ally or enmity. It seemed logical to him that to have no call of serving under him meant that he was to no longer be here at all. Although, where such stark black and white thinking had come from Baker could only guess. "It had not occurred to me to think of that as an alternative..."

He leaned back in his seat, hands resting lightly on his legs. The near whisper of something tugging at the edge of his mind. "Somewhere along the line, I came to an understanding that it was the law to either serve or to be done away with. It seemed the way of things."

Baker decided to take a chance. "The Warden, knows something of me that you don't. Edomie does as well in fact, though she may not know the whole story. I.. don't like to make it common knowledge. When I arrived here, in this world... I was a blank slate. I remembered nothing of where I had come from, nor of who I was or where I belonged."

He continued, looking the Professor in the eye. Trying his best to gauge what he had told her so far. She appreciated the truth it seemed, and he was only just beginning.

DresdenG The Professor’s thin eyebrows raised, dark red lips pressing together in a tight line. A blank slate...I’ve not learned as much as I’d like to about world jumping, but as far as I know that isn’t normal.

“Oh?” she responded, finally, her eyes glinting with interest. “This is news.” She crossed one leg over the other, leaving her fingers together over her knee. “Please, elaborate.”

elf “I will have... bouts, one might say, of lost time now.” Baker continued. “Minutes or even, hours of time I cannot account for. I, don’t know what it is I do during this time.”He realized he’d been fidgeting with his hands again, and stilled them, interlacing them together.

“The reason for these, however, is in the one thing I know that the Warden as of yet does not.” Baker didn’t even realize that a slight smile now tugged at the corners of his mouth. “That I have remembered now how I came to this world, and what I was before.”

DresdenG She continued to watch him with keen eyes, her focus flicking between each shift in posture, every change in expression. The Professor didn't need to ask him to go on. The urging in her eyes, ravenous for knowledge, said it for her.

She tapped her index finger on her knee and waited.

elf The look on the Professor's face was incentive enough for Baker to continue. "I came here during a skirmish, between the ship I served and a group seeking to board us. It was during one of my flights that a storm that I was hit by lightning."

Baker paused, he'd expected the same jolt of fear to come as when he'd last been nearly struck again when traveling with the others, and the Warden. But Baker felt an odd sense of calm in telling the tale.

"I wore wings, very similar to the ones I have here. But they did not come with me. How I survived the strike I cannot begin to guess. But the last clear memory I have before waking up here, was the sensation of falling through the air and into the sea below... I had been a third mate, and a good shipsman from what I can recall."

Baker stopped, and watched the Professor's face. He'd laid out what he currently knew.

DresdenG The Professor tilted her head thoughtfully at the conclusion of his statements, turning the words over in her mind. She knew of the existence of air ships and the like in theory, but they were certainly not a common site at Haversmith. The inner workings of such things remained a mystery to her, and it pleased her to know she'd found a colleague in Mr. Baker.

Surrounding herself with people who could do things she could not was a favored pastime.

"I see," she responded with a nod, "You've had quite the revelation, then, recently. You seem to be taking it in stride, though. It's commendable." She reached up to tuck a stray strand of her hair back into the bun at the nape of her neck. "All the accomplishments you've made at Bakersfield, and you hardly remembering who you were?" She let out a breath and sat back in her chair again. "Thank you for sharing something so personal with me. I do not take it lightly."

She let the silence hang for a moment before continuing. "It's very good for all of us that you are building your ship, and that your village is so fortified. We may have urgent need of it, and your talents, in the coming weeks."

elf Baker smiled a bit bashfully at the comment of what he'd been able to build.

The mention of urgency however, brought him back to all of this. "I only hope that all of it won't be for naught. I have no wish to lose the possibility of aiding everyone here, with the ship or my skill. But I cannot begin to guess the Warden's plan for me."

DresdenG At his words, the Professor's lips curved into a catlike smile. It looked too wide for her thin face. She leaned toward Baker, uncrossing her legs and resting her hands on her knees. Her eyes sparked with...excitement?

"I can," she whispered, a conspiratorial undertone lacing her words.

elf The smile on the Professor's face, the look in her eye. She knew something. Something Baker hadn't probably even begun to consider. His own voice dropping low as he spoke. "Tell me."

DresdenG "Oh come now, Mr. Baker," she crooned, smile unwavering, "Why do you think the Warden didn't send you a message announcing his authority? You're right to say he's noticed your machines and your talents. Anyone would be a fool not to, and the Warden is no fool." A soft chuckle bubbled up from the back of her throat. "But he doesn't want to destroy you, no. Don't you see?" She rubbed her hands together, leaning in closer.

"He wants to recruit you."

elf A wave seemed to wash over Baker, realization and curiosity intermingling. Professor Grindstead had opened up a proverbial third door that Baker hadn’t even thought existed.

But even with the new door, new questions arose. “Recruit me?” Baker’s voice was hushed, the new possibility turning over in his mind. Then the strike of a single thought. “I could never betray all of you for my own safety, Professor. Unless... you have more in mind?”

DresdenG She shook her head. "Why do you think I asked if everyone had received a missive?" Her voice quickened, echoing raspily in the quiet of the high-ceilinged classroom. "This is perfect. This is the key, you're the key, Mr. Baker. Don't you see? He'll ask you to join him and you'll say yes and then--and then we'll be able to get the information we need. We'll know what he has at his disposal because you can work with him and you can tell us."

She paused and leaned back, tilting her head thoughtfully once again. "You can lie, can't you Mr. Baker? It wouldn't do to send a spy without a pokerface."

elf Baker straightened in his seat, something in him was growing--and this time he wasn't afraid of it. For the first time in a long time, Baker felt he finally had an advantage. Over what, he wasn't entirely sure, but for now at least he had something the Warden didn't know, and that made all the difference. And this time I'm not alone.

A glint came into Baker's eye, a secretive sort of smile crossing his face as he spoke.

jordan.nova Edomie beamed at the compliment, then ducked her head so her bangs fell messily in her face. Maybe it hid her cheeks turning slightly red. "That's - wow, you're really sweet, Professor."

She leaned back from the table as well, her eyes drifting elsewhere in the room. She pulled a curl from behind her ear and twirled it thoughtfully around her finger. "That does sound really fun, though. It'd be amazing to have everyone over."

She certainly didn't have the space for everyone in her home at once. Especially not as their little community continued expanding with new acquaintances. But, maybe if she had a bigger space... like a castle...

Edomie's gaze flicked back to the Professor sheepishly. "I'll think about it," she promised. "I really like cooking for people."

DresdenG The Professor's lips curved into a full smile seeing the way the girl flushed slightly at the praise; she could think of no one more deserving. "I only speak the truth. And, I know you do. It is quite clear how much the people in your life mean to you."

A comfortable silence rested between them for a moment, and the Professor's eyes wandered around the homey little space. She and Edomie had begun their Tuesday visits some eight weeks ago. Before things with the Prologue intensified. Before the meeting led by an unhinged child-witch at the Wayhouse. Before they realized just how much danger threatened their world.

During the ordeal with that particular threat, Dresden became aware of the depth of her attachment to Edomie. What began as a pain in her heart at the memory of someone else blossomed, becoming a wholly separate entity. She examined her emotions in regards to Edomie on a regular basis, turning them over like a multifaceted gem in her cool hands.

She never expected to connect with anyone on this journey. A singular goal drove her to voyage across several oceans with a travel partner she hated. To find Kalor's Elicitation; to prove its existence, if to no one but herself. That goal propelled her forward constantly. She did not have time for distractions, and yet...

And yet this little, blue-haired beam of light fell into her heart, and she didn't quite know what to make of that.

"Who drew your name, for the exchange?" the Professor questioned, tilting her head to one side. She reached up and tucked a stray strand of hair back where it belonged and crossed one leg over the other, lacing her fingers together over her knee. "Gift-giving is an essential Sweeventide tradition, so I hope they took it seriously."

jordan.nova Edomie bounced a little and kicked her feet under the table. "Sweev brought me a gift!" she said excitedly. "They brought me some materials from the nether - this beautiful blue wood, and shiny blackstone, and glowstone! Oh, I love glowstone so much! I've never seen it in person before, it's the prettiest thing in the world."

She hesitated, cutting off her babbling, and her eyes went down to the table, her chin resting in her hands. "It's such pretty stuff for a castle..." she said. "I'm really excited to build with it."

DresdenG The Professor’s eyes widened, momentary embarrassment creeping in a hot wave up the back of her neck. The fact that she’d even accidentally implied Sweev wouldn’t take their own holiday seriously made her want to sink into the floor. She cleared her throat, quietly, blinking a few times before focusing intently on Edomie’s response.

She spoke so casually of the All-Parent. It made sense, Dresden supposed. Most of the builders she’d met in this region had little to no concept of Sweev before the the deity appeared in shimmering, misty form to walk among them. Well, float, anyway.

The Professor found herself unable to shake the deep, ingrained reverence she had for Sweev. All her life she’d believed in them, and seen evidence of their Blessings...to meet them had been utterly surreal.

“It’s a great honor to receive gifts from the All-Parent. That’s absolutely wonderful, Edomie,” she murmured, her eyes glinting with happiness at the excitement the girl displayed. She uncrossed her legs, leaning forward and continuing in conspiratorial tones. “I’ve never seen glowstone in person, either,” she admitted. “Show me, won’t you?”

jordan.nova Edomie's eyes brightened and an eager grin spread across her face. Without a word, she stood from the table and dashed out of the room. Up the stairs and up a tall ladder, her storage chests sat in neat, labeled rows in the cramped attic.

Edomie sifted through the treasure trove labeled "CASTLE STASH" for her prize, then bolted back to the professor, somehow even more excited.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Edomie said as she collapsed back into her seat. "I've never seen something so pretty."

She rested her cupped hands on the table, allowing the Professor a better look at the faintly glowing gold dust she held. Edomie shifted her fingers, momentarily entranced by the flickering amber glow the movement caused.

"I think it's for potions. But, I love it for light." She demonstrated by cupping her hands together, pressing the dust with the heels of her palms - almost like she would knead bread - until it stuck together in a little ball of brighter light. "It holds its shape, like redstone. But it's always glowing. You can use it to make bright lamps, or just set it around like this for light."

Edomie turned her hand over, the glittering and glowing shape pinched between her fingers, and offered it to the Professor to hold.

DresdenG The Professor watched Edomie zoom away to the stairs, and she couldn't help but let out a low chuckle.

When the girl returned, Dresden peered curiously at what she held, leaning in to get a closer look. The glittering dust caught her interest immediately, and the way Edomie molded it in her hand fascinated the Professor.

She reached out and accepted the glowstone from Edomie, bringing it in closer to her face. A faint warmth emanated from the material. Curious... Dresden reached into the inside pocket of her cardigan, pulling out a tiny maginfiying glass. She held it and the glowstone close to her eye, pinching it slowly as she stared at the little particle movements through the lens.

"Beautiful..." she breathed, brows knit close together in concentration. "You mentioned a castle...is that what you're saving it for?"

jordan.nova Edomie nodded and drummed all her fingers thoughtfully on the table. "I've always wanted a castle," she admitted in a dreamy tone. "I've got big plans for one. I just have to..." She paused, and laughed awkwardly. "...uh, find the time to build it. I guess."

And actually stay in one world long enough to build it.

Edomie's eyes shifted, and she took a sharp breath to push that stray thought aside. "Who gave you a gift, Professor? Did they give you something great?"

DresdenG “That would be grand, I’m sure,” Dresden murmured in response to talk of a castle. Edomie’s castle. “An admirable goal. Don’t wait too long, and don’t let anyone hold you back. I look forward to seeing it.”

When Edomie asked her next question, the Professor sat back a little and tucked her magnifying glass away.

“The Plum Witch,” she responded, reaching across the table to hand the glowstone back to Edomie.

“I must admit I wasn’t sure what to expect. The girl seems a bit of a loose cannon, to say the least. But,” she smirked, “She did gather a large amount of dark oak saplings for the Academy grounds, which I needed and greatly appreciate.” She paused, debating for a moment before continuing. “She also gave me a rather...curious, book. I still have it with me, actually—“ she stood and strode to where she’d left her satchel near the door, reaching in and plucking the shimmering tome from within.

Returning to the table, Dresden slid into the bench seat beside Edomie rather than across from her. She offered the book to the girl.

“It’s in an old dialect I’ll have to translate, but the title roughly equates to ‘Pan Demonium.’” The foreign letters engraved into the leather cover shimmered in different shades than the rest of the book.

“As amusing as the wordplay is, it actually refers to subspecies and types of demons. I’m intrigued at what the rest of it might hold, and to be frank—“ she leaned close to Edomie’s ear and whispered, “I’m simply dying to know where she got hold of such a thing.”

jordan.nova Edomie giggled at the ticklish sensation of the Professor's soft voice against her ear, and bumped her shoulder against Dresden's as they slid closer.

She accepted the book from Dresden, her curious eyes drawn magnetically to the shimmering iridescence of the title letters, and how the colors shifted when she tilted the book in the light.

"I haven't heard of demons before," Edomie admitted. She set the book down on the table and began to idly flip through the worn pages, her eyes scanning the indiscernible words and characters. "Are they... creatures? What are they like?"

DresdenG The Professor watched as her lunchtime companion admired the book. Her eyebrows raised at hearing the girl didn't know what demons were. Silly of me to assume she would...there are certainly things in other worlds I've never heard of.

"They are creatures, in one way. Spirits in another," she replied, her cadence falling easily into the role of teacher. "The creatures you call Ghasts and Blazes would fall in that category. Some even consider the Endermen to be demons, but I am not sure about that myself. The classification varies a bit depending on who you talk to." She leaned forward, looping her arm beneath Edomie's and gently flipping to a page further in the back. "The ones I've just mentioned are more on the creature side, of course. But there are other, more sinister demons said to exist. Beings with designs and plots all their own."

The place she turned to held a full page illustration of a twisted face. Cast in shadow, it's eyes shone red, glimmering with the same light as the letters on the cover. An odd, unnerving intelligence lived in those eyes. Too many jagged, knifelike teeth jutted from the mouth, but there didn't appear to be any sort of body in the illustration. Nothing more than shifting shadows sat below the sharp jawline.

The Professor pursed her lips, a faraway sheen clouding her gaze for a long moment.

Finally, she let out a quiet sigh. "But, they're only theories, of course." She sat back, giving Edomie free reign of the book again, should she choose to continue looking through it. "You've heard me mention I'm looking for Kalor's Elicitation, a storied underground city most believe to be myth? Another name for it is the City of Demons. At least, that's what Kalor called it in his writing."

jordan.nova Edomie settled comfortably against the Professor where their arms linked together, resting her head against Dresden's shoulder. She certainly wasn't afraid of a book, and never had been. But the mention of Endermen twisted anxiety into her chest that made her want to cling onto Dresden somehow.

She stared down at the illustration on the pages. The bright eyes and sharp teeth. It did look an awful lot like an ender. Like the last one she'd seen up close. The one from the cliffside cave in Anfaulk, that had pounced on her, all teeth and claws and bright, bright, bright eyes.

A shiver went down Edomie's spine, starling her from her own wandering thoughts.

Edomie turned the page almost the instant Dresden let go of it, eager to look at anything else. She frowned at the haunting illustrations. "What do you wanna find a place like that for?" she asked, forcing down the timidness in her voice. "The enders are bad enough here. I read there's more in The End if you're looking for more."

DresdenG "I'm not looking for Endermen, specifically," she reassured, shifting to allow Edomie to settle more easily against her side. "It's not a city filled with demons, that's a common misconception. It is more that the people who lived there had strong ties to such creatures. It's been said that an old magic, once wielded by those inhabitants, has been lost to time since the City sank below the earth. I need to find it because--well..." she trailed off, her brows knitting together. Her heart skipped a beat and thudded firmly against her ribs as she watched Edomie turn the pages. She mulled over the girl's question for a moment before pressing on.

"A historian who lived approximately...oh, I think 120 years ago, now? His name was Matthew Kalor, and he wrote a series of research papers positing that the City of Demons actually existed." She let out a tight chuckle and shook her head with a sigh.

"It had been just a story for as long as anyone could remember, no one put any real stock in it. When Kalor published his papers, people laughed him out of his position at the University. They shunned him, ridiculed him, and he lost all credibility with his contemporaries." She twirled a lock of Edomie's hair around her finger, absently. Her mind wandered far away to another, similar conversation. She lost her train of thought and quieted, her lips tugging into a frown.

jordan.nova Edomie listened intently, her eyes trailing over the pages distantly. Her gaze hopped from illustration to illustration more than she paid any mind to the written passages. Like most of the books she found sitting on village shelves, the letters were entirely foreign to her, and she could not even begin to decipher them.

As Dresden gently twirled a stray blue curl, Edomie became aware that her lecture had trailed to silence. Edomie glanced up at her, to indicate she was still paying attention.

Dresden's lips creased in a tight frown, her eyes distant and no longer focused on the book.

"Professor?" Edomie gently prompted, nudging Dresden with her elbow. "I'm listening. You said it's just a city from a story, but... Kalor thinks it's real?"

Edomie's nose crinkled and her eyebrows pushed together thoughtfully. It had made more sense, somehow, when the Professor spoke. She felt like she was confusing herself. "Wait. Is it... is it a story city? Or a real one? You're digging for a real city, right, Professor?"

DresdenG 'Professor...?' the voice echoed in Dresden's mind, shifting and overlapping with a voice from many months prior.

'Kalor thinks it's real, you know.' The playfully indignant turn of a page. 'I'm digging for a real city, Professor.' Dresden's breath quickened and she shook her head, blinking rapidly as she attempted to wrench her mind back to the present. Back to the warm little cottage in the middle of a flower field, with Edomie.

Edomie... As Dresden's eyes focused in once again, she stared silently at the girl. This precious, innocent child didn't deserve to get wrapped up in...whatever it was she thought she was doing. She couldn't let that happen.

She sat up a little, eyes darting toward the book again. Why had she brought it out? Why had she opened herself up for all these questions? Why couldn't she had just lied and said her gift consisted of just the wood and saplings? Her gaze shifted to that freckled face again and her frown deepened.

She didn't want to lie to Edomie.

"I...believe it to be real," she muttered, her voice stilted and tense.

jordan.nova As Dresden's gaze slowly shifted, her posture cafefully changed and tensed, Edomie watched with and edge of concern. Something felt wrong about the whole thing. About the creepy book, and the drawings in it, and the Professor's tight frown, and the strange look in her eyes Edomie hadn't seen before.

She thought carefully before she responded, rolling Dresden's statement around in her head. Like she thought the Professor was testing her.

"But... no one else does," Edomie recalled, glancing uncertainly between Dresden and the book. That felt like a correct answer. But Edomie couldn't think of anything the Professor believed in that she didn't have a sample of in her study. "How do you know it's real?"

DresdenG Edomie’s wavering gaze twinged the Professor’s heart. She didn’t want to worry the girl...she didn’t deserve that.

“Well,” Dresden began, swallowing and reaching over to tuck a bit of Edomie’s hair behind her ear in what she hoped was a comforting fashion. “Someone I knew—er, someone I know, they were studying it. Studying it in depth. I didn’t take them seriously, and... now they’ve disappeared.” She sighed again and shook her head. “I need to find them. So, to that end, I’m...looking for a city that shouldn’t exist.”

jordan.nova Edomie leaned into Dresden's touch for a moment, her eyes widening curiously. "Oh. Professor, I'm... I'm so sorry."

She knew that feeling - the hopeless search for someone that had vanished. At least Dresden seemed to have some idea of where to start looking for her missing person.

Well. That was a thought.

Edomie's eyes drifted back to the pages of the book, an intrigued glint sparking in them. "What... makes you want to find the city?" she pressed carefully. "Do you think that's where they are? Did they go there - or, is there a - why do you think finding... finding the city would help find them?"

DresdenG The spark of intrigue in Edomie's expression earned another skipped heartbeat, and the Professor swallowed again. To not answer Edomie's questions would be unkind, but answering them was likely to create even further curiosity.

What would such a curiosity result in? Certainly nothing good.

Dresden drew her arm back from Edomie, folding her hands in her lap and looking down at her intertwined fingers. "I believe they were transported there. Whether they meant to go or not, I'm not sure. All I know is they didn't pack up and leave like a normal trip. They were just--gone. As if removed from the world entirely." She took a deep breath in. Why was she still talking?

"Kalor's Elicitation is the one lead I have. The magic of that city, if indeed there is an Old Magic at all, has been said to have a certain cosmic draw to it. Magnetic, in a way." She needed to stop. The more information she gave, the worse this might turn out and she could not let anything bad happen to Edomie.

So she halted mid-speech, and clamped her mouth shut. She wouldn't say anything else about it, to do so would be to recklessly endanger the one person here that she truly cared about.

jordan.nova Edomie's eyes snapped back to Dresden when her arms drew back. She stared at the Professor with ravenous curiosity.

They just disappeared? Just plucked out of the world? With no cause, no evidence, no reason? That sounded an awful lot like Edomie jumping worlds.

She wondered, not for the first time, if Alastair had jumped. And just not made it here.

"How did they get to the city?" Edomie breathed, all in a rush. She turned on the bench seat to angle herself more towards the Professor. "Does it - you said it's a magnet. Would it pull other people there? Do you think - when people disappear, is that just where they go?"

Edomie grabbed onto Dresden's wrist eagerly. "How does it work? Do you know? We all left somewhere and came here but how would someone leave and get there?"

DresdenG Dresden flinched at Edomie's sudden barrage of questions.

It's too late...

She startled with a small gasp as Edomie touched her, immediately trying to pull her hand away from the girl's grip. The pressure of her grasp made it a difficult endeavor.

Don't say anything else, don't say anything else, she willed herself as she brought her other hand over to forcibly pry Edomie's fingers away from her wrist. Once she wrested her hand back she stood up, blood pounding in her ears and sweat beading the back of her neck. She began to pace back and forth in front of Edomie's fireplace.

This is my fault. If I wasn't so close with her, this never would've happened. She couldn't allow Edomie's questions about the City to be answered. That palpable, hungry curiosity--which would be an asset in any other situation--would no doubt lead her to an unfortunate end.

Only one person on this landmass could answer those questions.

Dresden stopped and looked at the door, hidden tears pricking at the back of her eyes. She knew what she had to do. How foolish she'd been to believe that her friendship with Edomie could last. All I do is hurt those around me...it will be better for her if she never sees me again.

With long, quick strides Dresden crossed to the table, retrieving her book and snapping it closed. She tucked it under one arm and turned on her heel, making a beeline for the door. As much as it hurt, she knew it would be for the best to cut ties now rather than let this go any further. She slipped her satchel over her shoulders and opened the door, pausing with one foot over the threshold.

She didn't look back. She couldn't. But she had to say something.

"Thank you for lunch, Miss Edomie. Goodbye."

And then she left, letting the door swing shut behind her as she sprinted across the flower field, past the pumpkins, and out of sight.

jordan.nova Edomie sat still, stunned, as Dresden pried out of her grasp and walked away from her. Her eyes tracked the Professor's movement with a growing knot of anxiety in her stomach.

She felt relief for a split second as Dresden stepped back to the table - dashed just as quickly as the Professor snatched the book off the table and strode towards the door. "Professor?" Edomie called hesitantly, standing up as well.

Dresden's goodbye was a curt dismissal. It sounded sharp, and cold, and final.

"Professor?!" Edomie called again, her voice pitching a little louder. A little closer to upset.

Edomie tripped on the bench corner in her haste to chase Dresden, giving the door enough time to slam shut behind the Professor. "Professor! Dresden, wait!" she called, and her voice broke.

She fumbled with the door latch a little too long, and by the time she stumbled out onto the porch, Dresden had already disappeared. Edomie anxiously scanned the flower fields for a glimpse of Dresden's tall silhouette. "DRESDEN!" Edomie called again, loud enough for her voice to carry across the low swamp hills.

No answer came back to her. Edomie whined anxiously, biting into the back of her knuckle.

DresdenG Holding the book tightly under one arm, her other hand wielding her axe, Dresden sprinted toward the pool below the temple. Surrounded by light and flowers, the place usually filled her with a serene reverence. Not so tonight, however. She didn’t dare glance behind her as the hisses and snarls of nighttime creatures filled the air.

She could feel them following her, and the little hairs on the back of her neck prickled as she took a flying leap off the edge and into the magical pool.

She waded in, only turning around once she’d reached the waterfall at its center and began to swim upward. A few creatures hovered at the pool’s edge, quickly losing interest as she ascended out of reach.

No matter how many times she visited, the sensation of being underwater but not getting wet never lost its wonder to her. As her heart rate began to slow back to normal, the Professor heard the hum of the beacon.

When she finally emerged into the alabaster room, she stepped out of the waterfall and had to take a moment, leaning against a nearby stone decoration to regain her breath and composure. before turning her gaze to the vaporous form of the All-Parent.

She cleared her throat and straightened, putting her axe away. She clasped both hands over her heart and bowed deeply at the waist in a show of reverence. She’d grown used to the deity walking among the people, but she never wanted to let the Sweevling rituals she’d been taught in her youth to fade away. Particularly when in the temple itself.

“Good evening, All-Parent,” she whispered, remaining bowed at the waist as she spoke. “I hope I am not disturbing you.”

Sweevanna A faint giggle escaped from the deity, no mock intended. They appreciate all these rituals, but these make Sweev feel like a really important being, which is true, but the formalities weren't necessary when it came to a friend after all. They smiled at the professor.

"Not at all!" Their voice echoed in the human's mind. Even with a visible mouth, they couldn’t speak or eat like mortals do, their form of communication resulting in a more ‘telepathic’ form.

Sweev swirled around Dresden, feeling happy that someone had visited them. It seemed a bit unusual though, considering how late it was. "Do you need to make another blessing request?"

DresdenG As Sweev’s smooth, comforting presence entered the Professor’s mind, her shoulders relaxed. Something about them always put her at ease in spite of herself.

She raised from her bow, watching as the deity spiraled around her, and she couldn’t suppress a smirk at the sight.

Her love for Sweev ran deep, much deeper than just the time they’d met in person. She remembered the songs about Sweev she’d been taught as a child, the services given on holidays thanking them for their many blessings throughout the year, and the gatherings students held on campus to petition Sweev for aid during testing time.

To be able to speak with them face to face was an honor the Professor would not take lightly.

“Not as such, no,” the Professor responded aloud. “I had a question to ask, but I...fear the answer.” She cast a glance down at the book clutched in her clasped hands. Did Sweev even know this book existed? “Are you...are you dying?” An almost childlike, pleading sheen clouded the Professor’s eyes as she looked back up at the All-Parent.

Sweevanna Sweev stopped swirling around. They turned their body to Dresden as casual as they could, but a trickle of nervousness traveled through their whole being. Their form titled to the side in an attempt to feign innocence, but internally they just asked themselves the same question over and over: How?

How does she know?

“I am sorry, uhm, I do not seem to follow...?” They leveled themselves to her pleading stare. Sweev eyed the book on her hands for a quick moment before fully focusing on the human. Let her explain first, they thought.

The deity clasped their little nubs together. “What makes you think I am dying?”

DresdenG Their confusion. The way they turned and twisted at the inquiry. The fact that they did not immediately refute the question, laugh and say ‘oh what a silly thought you have there,’ made Dresden’s stomach sink like a stone in the ocean.

Her trembling fingers tightened around the book, her already pale knuckles taking on a whiter sheen.

“I found this, on the ground at the Wayhouse. I think some others have read it too, but I kept it after. I wanted...” her voice caught, and she took a moment to compose herself. “I wanted to bring it to you. To see if it was made up, or if...if it’s something to worry about?” The upward tilt of her voice held a hint of desperation she rarely showed. But this was too important to mask the extent to which it was affecting her. And this was Sweev, after all...surely they could tell she was troubled, whether her voice showed it or not.

’Those people were bad news, and you knew it...can’t you see the damage they’re doing to you?...You and your selfish wish....you’re dying. Your essence is weakening...’ The words of the book swirled in Dresden’s mind, and she held it out to Sweev.

“Here. Read it,” she whispered.

Sweevanna Did that book had something that they didn’t know about? Sweev took the offered object from her warm hands. They scanned it, looking for and indication of who wrote it or where did it come from. Not finding any clue, they hastily opened the book.

Each line they read, each line they recognized. A conversation they wanted to forget, about their current condition and their current issue.

How was this possible? No one knew about this! No one except...

A light frown sat on Sweev’s features. Of course. This was their move, wasn’t it? Have their conversation written and display it so everyone knows that yes, their deity was not alright.

“End...” they closed the book and returned it to Dresden. Sweev’s face sat neutral but they were feeling many emotions at once, how would they explain this situation to their friends? To their family?

Remembering that the Professor asked them something, they carefully chose their words before answering. “This is not made up. The book tells the truth.”

DresdenG The stone turned to obsidian in the Professor’s stomach, chills shuddering up her spine. Her worst fear about this book had been that it was a true account. How she wished she’d been wrong.

It was all made worse now that she knew who it was who’d been speaking to Sweev.

She took the book back and stood in silence. The pitch black of night wrapped around the windows, pressing suffocatingly close.

She tried to keep her features straight as she tried to decide what to do now. Was there anything she could do? Despite her best efforts to keep her tone smooth, her voice still swam with emotion when she finally spoke.

“What did they mean, when they said ‘look what these people are doing to you? Their essence is draining you?’” Quoting the book put a sour taste on her tongue. But she pressed on. “What happened to you? Why are you dying? Did we do something wrong?” She paused, and in a small voice added, “...Did I?”

Sweevanna They couldn’t lie to her, that wasn’t what friends do. They had no way out of this conversation, wanting anything to happen to avoid telling the truth. Sweev closed their eyes as they reorganized their thoughts. She needed to know, they all needed to know.

“It is not your fault, specifically.” They slowly said and winced. That was an awful way to say it. “It is...”

Here goes nothing.

“This world has its own system. Every being, anything that is alive has its own essence. I am part of that whole essence.” They floated to the side as in emphasizing that point. “If something dies, it gets back, so I do not get affected by it. But...”

This whole time, Sweev didn’t dare to look at Dresden, not wanting to scare or overwhelm her at all. They continued. “Ever since you all arrived here, I have been... getting weaker.”

Just tell her, the deity reminded themselves.

“All foreign presence that is not native from this world, took up a great amount of this essence, hence my current condition. And it is all my fault.”

DresdenG Dresden flinched at the word ‘specifically,’ her mind racing as to what that could mean. The agonizing silence between  statements tore at her insides.

Why wouldn’t the All-Parent look at her?

Their words cut deeper than the silences, and the Professor staggered, sinking to a seat on one of the podium steps that led up to the Blessings Book. She knew she ought to stay standing in Sweev’s presence, but she couldn’t. The weakness in her knees wouldn’t allow it.

She laid the cursed book aside and laced her fingers together over her knees, brow furrowed in thought as she tried to process everything. Heat stung at the back of her eyes.

“How...” she started, then stopped, shaking her head. She picked at a loose thread on her trousers, trying to figure out exactly what it was she wanted to say.

The silence hung heavy between them once again.

Finally she looked up at Sweev, steeling herself against what more she might learn. Though it might hurt, knowledge is power, and she needed to know as much as she could.

“Tell me more. And please...please tell me if there’s anything I can do to fix it.”

Sweevanna The way she looked at them. That beg in her voice. Sweev felt worse as time passed by. Dresden just wanted to help fix the mess they caused. They didn’t feel like they deserve it at all, they were the reason why these people, their new family, ended up here.

The deity resumed their explanation, though there was nothing more left to say. “The weakness is just a permanent effect of it. But I am fine, no need to worry about me.”

“I do not know about any way to fix my mistake. And...” They grimaced while answering one of the Professor’s inquiries, literally having no idea what to do in this situation.

“They... whoever wrote that book was mad at me because they got worried about my condition. About something bad happening to me.” They finished, lastly adding: “But again, I can tell you, it is all right. I am fine.”

DresdenG "A permanent effect? From the essence being drained?" the Professor urged, hungry for more information, her mind zinging back and forth from thought to thought, unable to land, unable to settle. Something had to be done. Sweev can't die...they can't. How would any of us survive if they were gone?

"You can't make mistakes, Sweev, that--that isn't possible...is it? What do you mean it's your fault?" Dresden's voice hardened as she thought over the All-Parent's last statement again.

"If everything in this book is true, as you said it was, you are not fine. The One who wrote this book was correct to do so." She had a nagging in the back of her mind that perhaps it wasn't right to talk this way to a god, but she didn't care. "You need help, and the rest of You needed to ask for it because you're too--" she faltered, lowering her volume and swallowing the harsh edge on her words before continuing. "You're too nice to ask. You don't want to be any trouble. Is that right?"

Sweevanna Sweev floated statically, their face lacking any kind of expression. Were they too obvious? She caught on all of those unsaid things from their explanations. They were too deep on their train of thoughts that they didn’t notice their permanent tears rolling to the floor, their echo resonating through the whole temple.

“I am just accepting the consequences of my selfish act.” They confessed, sighing mentally. “And even as a deity I, surprisingly, am not perfect. I am aware of it.”

Oh how they wished to just curl up into a ball in a small corner. They hadn’t plan to enjoy their evening with their friend, explaining that something wrong is happening to them. But here they were anyways.

“As for the situation, all of these foreigners are taking up  a lot more of this essence than natives do, the permanent effect being that they cannot ‘escape’ this world.” They felt heavy, Sweev tried so hard to not lose track of their explanation. “I think you have noticed it, people die and come back. They are now ‘part of this world’, no way to get them out of it.”

Their beady black eyes, tears still streaming through them, focused on Dresden’s form. “I have no idea how to fix this, even if I could or wanted to.”

DresdenG They're crying...actually crying.

The Professor watched as Sweev's tears fell to the floor, the echo as soft as it was deafening.

What do they mean they aren't perfect?

She stared blankly, the All-Parent's words flowing into her mind, but hardly taking root.

Is there really nothing I can do?

Dresden bit her lower lip, her gaze hardening once again. "I find it incredibly hard to believe that you were ever selfish, and I can't bring myself to accept the situation as hopeless." She pushed herself to her feet, crossing to the center of the room and standing close to Sweev. She didn't touch them, though, just looked into their tear-ridden eyes.

"I have been loyal to you all my life, and that certainly does not change now. Knowing you on a more personal level has only further deepened my commitment to you and your ideals." She dropped to one knee, bowing her head. "If there is a solution, if further developments bring more information to light, I will do whatever any of the Three ask of me. I am yours. Whatever you need, I will give."

She looked up, then, to meet Sweev's gaze again. "I know I can't fix your condition, I understand that now, but...is there anything I can do for you at all?"

Sweevanna How did she...?

Oh, right, she has studied everything about their history. Sweev recalled the Three Deities theory they heard from a village long ago; even if the theory is correct, the fact that she knows about it was very surprising.

Sweev’s form curled itself, resembling a round cloud. They cherished the professor’s determination and willingness to help them, not like they had a solution for their current conundrum. The deity would probably get scolded for attaching even more to these mortals, they didn’t care.

“I appreciate your disposition to help with this situation. Even after everything...” they trailed off, deciding it was best to stop feeling morose about their wrongdoing. Their cold tears started to slow down.

“Your support is enough for me.” Their little nubs rubbed on their eyes, they didn’t need to but the action help them feel more at ease. “Thank you.” They smiled at her, their expression lighting up the gloomy atmosphere.

DresdenG The Professor listened to the soft tones of their voice probing into her consciousness. It satisfied her to hear that her loyalty was still worth anything, that she could still be useful to the All-Parent.

She watched them rub at their eyes, and when they smiled she felt compelled to smile back. So she did, her thin red lips curving into a rare expression.

“The pleasure is mine,” she replied, keeping her voice reverent and quiet.

Sweevanna Maybe they did it because of the huge wave of emotions they felt some moments ago. Maybe they did it because they craved company. Or maybe they did it because she is their friend. Either way, their light form flew around Dresden’s form and curled itself in her torso, nubs sprawled open in an attempt to hug. Them not having a proper physical body made it a bit difficult to do it but the sentiment was there.

Sweev cherished the warmth presence of their friend, silently wishing they weren’t too blunt about this sudden action. They’ve only seen this gesture on human villages, people do this to show appreciation towards someone. Let’s hope they did this correctly.

The deity had no idea how long it passed but they eventually they let go. They peeked behind the professor and noticed the pitch black sky from one of the temple’s large windows. Still night, it seems.

“I do believe you are in need of some rest.” They commented, floating towards the waterfall entrance. “Come, I have a place near here where you can stay the night.” They smiled at her.

DresdenG The Professor let out a startled gasp as the All-Parent flew towards her. She as she had been, down on one knee, and felt a sudden rush of air against her chest. Like a cool breeze ruffling her clothes, Seeev’s forms nestled against her and she looked down at the deity in shock.

This...she never expected this. An embrace from the One who made everything and to whom she owed her entire existence?

She knelt frozen for a long moment, before making an attempt to return the embrace. It came out a bit awkward, as if wrapping her arms around a shifting cloud, but she did her best.

She couldn’t shake the inescapable awe flooding her mind. Sweev cared about her. Not as one of many, but as an individual. As the Professor. As Dresden.

Her mind still felt numb and cloudy, but not in an entirely unpleasant way, when Sweev eventually spoke and floated toward the waterfall.

“That...would be nice. Thank you.”

Seventeen

Again and again, Oleander cursed his poor decision-making skills. Why, why did he think returning to this place would be a good idea? The End. Endermen. Desolate yellow islands, and all of his friends separated on them. He’d only really come in to find Edomie, and now…

Now, he stood on the edge of a narrow bridge, eye-to-eye with Professor Dresden Grinstead, of all people, clutching the meager amount of material he’d had time to grab. Beneath him, a chasm of nothing, calling to him with the vague promise to return him home, but at what cost?

His eyebrows raised as the Professor nodded at him, encouraging him to build.

There’s not enough.

You’re never going to make it.

Just jump. You’re not even carrying anything useful.

“I...don’t think I have enough.”

Her eyes told him to make do.

Why did it have to be her?

She doesn’t like you. If you jump, she’ll be stuck here. Just jump. It would be so easy to make it look like an accident.

No. No. I can’t do that.

Why not?

Why not?

Leave this place. It’s not safe here.

Why not?

Leave this place.

Leave this place.

Return.

Oleander stepped over the edge.

He fell. Wind whipped tears from his eyes as he careened into the void. He opened his mouth, but he couldn’t find it in himself to scream.

Home. Home. I just want to go home. Back to the mountain. It’s safe there.

The wind picked up speed. A sudden, exponential fear struck his heart. He hunched in on himself, holding his arms over his face, bracing for impact. The plummet sucked the breath from his lungs, stole the beat of his heart. He could only hear the howling wind, only see the blackness of the void.

Then, it ended. No impact, no gasp of new air, no emergence into the overworld. He just stopped. His mind felt hazy.

Like waking up from a dream.

Like a tube down his throat.

Like sugar in his stomach.

Like hands holding him down.

Like the end of seventeen.

Oleander opened his mouth and finally screamed.

“NO! I DON’T WANT TO GO BACK!”

And then he woke up.

He flew out of bed and fell to the floor, still screaming. His head cracked against the hard stone and he gasped, staring wide-eyed at the underside of the End Portal, tears gliding down the sides of his face.

Here?

Alone on the hard, cold floor, Ollie sobbed unrelentingly. His wails echoed off the walls of the stronghold.