The Bookwyrm

Bookwyrm, somewhat hesitant, walked inside. I guess my further research will have to wait, he thought to himself.

Bookwyrm paused. "I suppose that's fair....but he does care about you. If he's trying to fulfill the prophecy and defeat Foe, its because he wants a safe and happy life for you and your children. So I don't think he'll mind the fact that we found you." Bookwyrm though for a moment. "How'd you get down there, anyway? And where are your children?"

Bookwyrm jumped slightly as the giant mech appeared in front of him. Concerned, he walked forward. Wizard? Bookwyrm sent. Why is your guardian here?

@CalanoCorvus Bookwyrm finished his tests on the Purple. He had written down what he found in a notebook. Bookwyrm responded to the voice in his mind. @The Wandering Wizard So...this is Wizard I'm talking to? What do you mean by 'someone else got to you'? And I am worried about Emma. I just don't know how to help her, same as Calano.

Once they returned to the surface, Bookwyrm wondered where Eof was. "We should find him first. He was looking for you," Bookwyrm said to Esmerelda.

Bookwyrm physically stumbled back. "Oh no..." he said out loud. He's in there. He knows who he is....but something's wrong. I can't reach him. Bookwyrm didn't know how much of that the forefront of Calano's consciousness felt, but if those thoughts were affecting the deepest parts of his being... "You stay here and rest, Calano," Bookwyrm said after a minute. "We'll have your wounded leg healed in no time. For now, I need...to do some research." Bookwyrm nodded to Ranryu and left the room. As he left, Bookwyrm felt nervous. I don't know how to help him...what do I do? Bookwyrm walked into his own room. He hadn't spent much time in here, but it was personalized to his preferences. A full bookshelf of a variety of novels covered one wall, including a few books that shouldn't exist. A half read copy of Secret Project #49 sat half read on his desk. Bookwyrm sat on the desk and pulled out the vial of the Purple that Calano had given him. This is really my only lead on what happened to him, he thought. Let's see what I can find.... Bookwyrm began conducting experiments on the Purple to try to figure out exactly what it was.

Bookwyrm's eyes widened as he realized the thoughts that were plaguing Calano. Utilizing his abilities, Bookwyrm strained himself and put a shield around Calano, blocking all of the thoughts from reaching the core of his being. Once that shield was up, Bookwyrm started sending new thoughts. You did all you could. You are forgiven. You have worth. You saved people. You are strong. The clinic needs you. Emma needs you. Can you remember, Calano? Do you know who you are?

Bookwyrm looked around the house. I wasn't expecting this...he thought. He materialized his mental consciousness into an approximation of a physical body so he could interact with the mindscape. He walked over to Calano, or at least Calano's mental projection of himself. Bookwyrm paused and suppressed a shudder when he saw the lifelike mannequins. People he knew. In Wizard's case, people who were now gone. Bookwyrm considered saying something to comfort Calano, but paused and decided to listen to the strange whisperings that fill Calano's mindscape before taking action. Concentrating, he tried to decipher the whispers.

Bookwyrm jumped as rifts appeared in the clinic around him. They threatened to throw him from the dimension and send him back to the worlds he came from. I can't leave yet, he thought. There are still things to do here. Bookwyrm finished taking Calano to the infirmary with Ranryu. "I don't know what Lark and Thaidakar are doing," Bookwyrm said to Calano. "But we have to focus on what happened to you." He had the magical stretcher float Calano onto one of the beds that didn't have a dimensional rift in it. "Come on, Ranryu. Let's figure this out." @CalanoCorvus @Ranryu

Bookwyrm, who had temporarily been unable to act due to a fluctuation in TLT's fabric, came back. He walked over to the exploded corpse of the monster. "I'm sorry, Esmerelda," he said. "I'm not sure how that happened...But it looks like you managed to solve the problem." Bookwyrm walked over and found a key among the monster bits. He picked it up and tossed it to Esmerelda.

"Shoot, did that not work? That's weird. And somewhat disturbing." Bookwyrm looked in the same direction. "Should one of us go look for it?"

Bookwyrm sighed and dismissed his weapon. "Fine. I'll see where this goes, Lark. You two can work this out. Come on, @Ranryu, let's finish the probe." He started pulling the floating stretcher towards the infirmary. "You still doing okay, @CalanoCorvus?" Bookwyrm asked.

Bookwyrm nodded and stood up, but kept his mental link. "We can probe him while you take him to the infirmary." Bookwyrm hesitated suddenly. Then a pistol materialized in his hand. It had a strange circular part with a glowing white ring where the handle met the barrel. He pointed it at Lark. "Why are you helping him? You took his clinic, caused his death. Why? What changed?"

Maybe. I still feel like I need to do something. It wouldn't feel right otherwise. I swore an oath: 'I will protect those who cannot protect themselves.' Calano needs protection right now. He needs shelter, but not of any physical variety. I feel like I need to help him, even if he can make it on his own in the end. Bookwyrm turned his attention to Ranryu. Uh...my methods of probing are a bit more...homemade than normal, he said. I've usually managed on my own. Sorry. But I can use your help, so thanks for being here.

Bookwyrm was startled to hear the voice there. I'm not looking for answers, Bookwyrm said. Not right now, at least. I'm trying to help a friend who's lost.

"It's fine," Bookwyrm said reassuringly. "You did nothing wrong. We're just trying to figure out what happened, so we can fix it." Bookwyrm placed two of his fingers on each of Calano's temples. He closed his eyes, and harnessed three different abilites: Elven Telepathy, Alagaesian mental techniques, and Cytonics. Using the combined mental force of those powers, Bookwyrm his consciousness into Calano's mind. Bookwyrm searched, trying to figure out where the missing memories had gone.

Bookwyrm was impatient, so he decided to narrate the monster to come to them. Ahem. Suddenly, the monster came barrelling around the corner straight towards the trap.

"I thought that might be the case. Is it okay if I probe your mind?" Bookwyrm asked.

One minute is long enough, my friend.

Bookwyrm looked suspiciously at the Purple. "Um...I don't have any fear that needs taking away...but I'll take some." Bookwyrm took the Purple and placed it in a small vial which he tucked into his small leather pouch. "Get settled," Bookwyrm told Calano. "This is going to take a while." He told Calano everything he remembered from the founding of the clinic up until the present.

I'm just going to throw this out here for discussion purposes.

EAT IT! What would you do if you found a pine-orange in your pocket?

Bookwyrm stood there for a moment. "...No, you don't, apparently," he finally said. Bookwyrm walked over and sat down on a bench in the lobby. "Sit," he said. "I have a lot to tell you."

Bookwyrm looked behind Calano to the transformed statue, which clearly showed Wizard and Calano. The plaque read that they both had died. The past hadn't changed. "What is going on?" Bookwyrm asked. "How did you get here, Calano?"