xinoehp512

Nogard raised his eyebrows. "Rented from whom?" @AxeliustheGrizzled ---Far away--- I started walking away, Rekaerb following. "Where are we, anyway?" he asked. I slowed to let him catch up. "We are in the Realm of Dreams. It's inside the Ring of Death, the band of deadly and difficult zones that surround the mountain where I, along with others like me reside." I resumed my original speed. "That way," I said, gesturing to the right, 'or, well, what would be that way if we were outside, is a flat plain where it's so dry even the air turns to powder and falls on the ground." I smiled a little, remembering something. "The ground's covered with it, and it makes it impossible to gain traction of any kind against the ground. You can't even walk, let alone run." I turned and pointed the other way. "That way is a nearly impossible maze. Not only is it three dimensional, with ladders and staircases, but everything moves. You could wander around in there for a thousand years and not even get close to finding a way out. Of course," I continued, "you wouldn't last a thousand years. The monsters would get you long before that." Rekaerb started to ask a question, then stopped, looking at me for confirmation. I waved at him to continue. "What's so difficult about this place?" he asked. "It doesn't seem very dangerous in here." I smiled maliciously. "That's because you're with me. If a normal person wandered in here unaided, they would basically wander into one of their dreams. Little to no logic, and literally anything that they can imagine. Death and injuries aren't real, but," I shot a look at Rekaerb, "pain is. And what you get is tied to your emotions. Die, and you're almost guaranteed to get stuck a nightmare. It's a downward spiral after that." Rekaerb shuddered. I didn't blame him. "But you won't have to do any of that," I assured him. "Your tasks lie elsewhere. First," I said, handing him a card, "send a clone to this alley." He looked at the card and nodded. "Done". I smiled.

That's awesome.

Anyone up for a treasure hunt?

Nekorb walked over at sat down at the table. He took out the box he'd found on the street and started playing with the combination. @I think I am here. @Karnatheon @The Grumpy Elantrian

Really? When?

I should note that I don't consider Kera's arc with my character finished. Not by a long shot.

@Baddah

Nekorb noticed something in the street outside the building where he had made his entrance. He walked over and picked it up. It was a small box with a hinged lid and a combination lock. Nekorb peered closer at it, noticing with surprise that it had letters instead of numbers. He stuck the box in his pocket and walked into the forge with the others. @Karnatheon @I think I am here. @The Grumpy Elantrian

I looked at my creation with the eye of a creator. I wasn't entirely certain what that was, but it seemed to have an effect on Rekaerb. I waved towards him. "Stand up. We have a lot to talk about." He scrambled to his feet. "Master-" I cut him off, again. "Yes, I know. Now, to business." I rose from my chair, mentally commanding it to sink back into the floor. I stepped down from the dais and waved towards Rekaerb. "Walk with me."

Nobody noticed that Rekaerb had disappeared.

Nogard looked at Koran in surprise. "Are you not native to this island?" @AxeliustheGrizzled ---Far Away--- I felt the others break the fourth wall and winced. Had nobody else thought of bribing the mimes to create a controlled hole? I inspected the Thread for a moment and frowned. What in the world... I lifted my voice and called out I turned my head back to the world I had just stepped into. Flames filled the ground for as far as I could see. I frowned. This would never do. I waved my hand, freezing them like the flames in the Ascension room. I stepped forward onto the glossy black ground and nodded. Perfect. Now, to get down to business. I waved my hand again and created a dais with a throne. I walked up the steps and sat in it. Now, I was ready. I started to wave my hand again, but stopped. Didn't want to overuse it, after all. I clapped instead. A bright light flashed and a figure appeared. He looked around in confusion. Then he saw me. His eyes widened, and he fell to his knees, opening his mouth to speak. I silenced him with a gesture. "Yes, Rekaerb. It is me. Xinoehp512 himself."

Nogard watched the wounded man get carried off. Huh, he thought. He turned to Koran. "Can you take me to your main city?" @AxeliustheGrizzled -----Far away----- I stepped from the doors of the Ascension room directly onto the flat plane that surrounded the Mountain. I started walking, then stopped. Why walk? I stepped forwards, blurring across the landscape towards the Ring of Death. I came to a stop outside the Realm of Dreams. I grinned. Perfect. Then I stepped in.

Reluctantly, the man went over to Fred. "What will it do?"

Rekaerb closed his eyes and concentrated. A few moments later, a clone popped into existence.

The man sighed. "Look, it wasn't my idea to come here."

Nogard touched down on the island. It was moving, he noted, so he didn't have to worry about that. ----Far Away---- I descended from the Realm. I let out a sigh. Finally, I could stop using italics for everything. I ran my hand over the glassy black wall in the Ascension room and nodded appreciatively. I stepped off the dais onto the smooth black floor. Far below I could see flames. An optical illusion, of course. The floor was solid and unbreakable all the way down to the foundation.

Nekorb reached the waiting people. "Are we going to go? I don't think there's anything else wrong with me." @I think I am here. @Karnatheon

"I believe that my 'weird investiture', as you put it, was the point of volunteering." The man sat down in a nearby chair. "I would like to try that stamp you used earlier, if it's alright."

Nekorb quickly walked over to the hallway, where he was stopped by a doctor. "No visiting patients without permission." "But-" "She is fine, and recovering." The doctor shot a look at Nekorb. "Your case was special, from what I hear. But," she continued, "you are now, as far as I can tell, fully healed." Nekorb stood there for a moment before heading back to where the others were waiting. @I think I am here. @Karnatheon

The man stopped struggling. "You realize that I was sent here to volunteer?"

Nogard frowned as he saw the commotion on the shore of the island. He called up towards the winged. "Set me down there."

The man continued trying to pull his head off the wall. "It should vanish before you finish digesting it. The same goes for any items on me."

The man pulled at KoTiel's grasp, trying to get free. "Clones vanish when destroyed." He gestured towards the floor. "As you can see, the other clone is gone."

The man frowned. "Cloning is one of my abilities. I did it before I came here."

The man snorted. "I didn't use your tech to clone myself." He shifted under KoTiel's grip. "I don't want any trouble, though."