Torshael and Tayne's Story, Part One: The First Mission

Myrror waved her hands, this time, and this time he caught the shimmer in the air that revealed the new locale: this time higher up on a cliff, on a ledge more than large enough for two humans, a very small foal-dragon, and one rather large cat. There was a cave, presumably the supernal's home, and, he noted with appreciation as he looked around, an amazing view.

"Hey, Teres!" Myrror called, "You have company. Visiting supernals."

"Come in, come in!" the voice replied lightly, quite a change from being told quite forcibly to leave, and Myrror smiled, leading the trio inside.

Inside it was about as comfortable and welcoming as any house in the City, with a rather un-cave-like living area with chairs and couches in both dragon size and of smaller human size. In the middle of it was a black Supernal with a purple mane, trying to straighten up a thing or two. "Oh, sheesh, you better not let Dark catch you in that form!" she told Tayne, "You'll get glomped for sure!"

Tayne blinked sedately back at her. "Why's that?"

"She has a thing for felines, she almost can't help herself," Teres explained, sounding amused. "Small cats are snuggled. Big cats are pounced on and glomped. Of course, if you don't mind that...."

Her voice trailed off as she registered the presence of a Pure supernal in the room. She stared at Torshael for a long moment, then bowed her head respectfully. "Favored, You honor me with your presence here." Only a breath later, she descended into a mild panic, exclaiming: "Gah, this place is in no condition to host a Favored!" Quickly she went back to straightening and fluffing and brushing off just about everything.

Torshael looked like he was trying not to laugh, but Tayne stepped forward and caught her tail under his paw to stop her, not really wanting to see her work herself up just for Torshael. "Don't bother," he rumbled, amused. "You wouldn't think that way if you ever saw his bedroom."

Teres yipped, ears flattening and feathers fluffing in embarrassment. "I'm Teres. Teres Rasniel. What... what brings one of the Favored all the way out here?"

"Torshael Peregrin, and my brother Tayne," Torshael introduced them.

"And I'm Haiiro," Haiiro added, peeking around Torshael's paw.

"My bond," Torshael explained. "We were sent by the High One to investigate the presence of infernals outside our realm, and speak to any of our kind we met along the way."

Teres nodded at Haiiro, but her focus went immediately back to Torshael. "Well, there are two infernals living here, but I think they're hiding out from their own kind more than anything bad. The female's really skittish, though. Then there are the two hybrids... though I think one's traveling right now."

"We met the infernals just a moment ago," Torshael said, serious again at the memory. "She was very skittish, yes...." Tayne cast him a curious glance while he paused, apparently in thought, but he continued quickly enough, "What's this about hybrids, though? Is it the same batch that Archanglria and Shagorormot hatched from?"

"Yes," Myrror chuckled, "considering I'd be very surprised if Dark ever let an infernal get the better of her again."

Teres took the time to straighten a pillow, at least, though Tayne rumbled amusement at her for the compulsive action. "There were quite a few supernals that also came through here, I think some went to the same worlds the infernals had gone," she said, "Not all of them, and some probably didn't realize. Probably a good thing, to keep them in check."

"There's one on the same ship as those young hybrids," Torshael agreed. "We spoke with him before we left, as well. How did you come to reside here, Teres?"

"Curiosity," Teres admitted, "I found some sort of tear in our reality, with a couple other supernals. They went to notify someone higher up, I went through to investigate, and found this place. The High One's influence doesn't extend this far, and I sometimes really miss knowing that he's, you know, right there... but I've not received a summons to return, and until I do, I was going to get settled here, and then do some traveling-- find out all I could before he asked me back."

"He is aware that there are a number of supernals out in the realms," Tayne commented. "Apparently he doesn't mind a little roaming around."

"Especially since our side-mission was to gather your stories, not tell you to come home," Torshael added with a smile. "That's what the infernals said, too-- a tear in reality. Do you remember anything in particular about it, what it was like?"

"Not exactly, except it looked very much like a tear, much like in a cloth," Teres said, "A little glow around the edges, but that's about all."

"Where was it?" Tayne asked curiously. He and his brother had been to a lot of places in their realm, but he'd never seen anything like it. "It came out here, in this world, somewhere?"

"In a valley... can't remember what it was called, but no, it didn't come out here," Teres said, "It came out in an area of emptiness... like space, but you could still breathe. This place was like a... spark in the distance, the closest area I could find. Probably why everyone else came through here too."

Torshael glanced at Tayne, frowning thoughtfully. Tayne shifted his wings in a slight shrug-- he had no idea what a place like that would be, either-- and Torshael asked, "Could you get back there, from here?"

"I believe I could," Teres said, "I hadn't tried yet."

"Have you any thoughts on what might have caused such a tear, as one of the first of our kind to come upon it?" Torshael continued.

"I can't say that I can... I'd never seen anything like it, except for one thing. It looked like it was caused by something outside our reality," Teres said, "I'd have no clue if anything came in or not, but I suppose the High One would know if something did."

"Very well could be that something was planning on entering, but couldn't, and just left the hole there," Myrror added, "What that is could have been any number of things, however...."

"The High One didn't mention to be wary for anything that could do that," Torshael mused. "Though I would assume he would know what did it, himself."

"What are you planning to do, here?" Tayne asked, head cocked. "Just see the sights and relax a while?"

"Pretty much," Teres said, "It's a nice place here, and Dark... she can fix up anyplace to any creatures liking, within this realm. Kinda like the local deity, though nowhere near as powerful as the High One."

"Sounds nice," Tayne chuckled. "A minor deity with a talent for redecorating and an attraction to big cats...."

"We're going to be looking for her, next, actually," Torshael commented. "The infernals told us she handled the dispersal of their kin."

"She does that," Teres agreed. "Seems there are many other worlds around with creatures that like to travel, want a change of scenery, or, poor dears that had lost their home realm and were wandering that empty space, looking for a new home. She probably considered them, and us, along the same lines."

"Certainly better than keeping a pack of infernals on her own doorstep," Tayne rumbled lightly.

"We'll probably we waiting for her here, actually," Torshael said, ignoring Tayne's perhaps less than diplomatic assessment. "Unless she isn't liable to return for a while."

"That all depends," Myrror said, "Jahil just said that her brother told her Dark hadn't returned to their room yet. It's probably a good sign, though I'd suppose she may not return for another day."

Torshael sighed lightly, then glanced at Tayne. ::What do you think, brother?::

::I don't know. Maybe we could stay the night here, and if she hasn't returned tomorrow, go hunting for her. Let Haiiro see the sights, maybe.::

"Who would we see if we wished to stay the night here?" Torshael asked Myrror.

"Well, since Dark isn't here, that would be me," Myrror said, "You have any preferences?"

"Just something with room for the three of us, that wouldn't be too expensive."

Myrror actually laughed, "I doubt anything there would be out of your price range... we don't use currency here...."

"Do you charge in labor, then?" Torshael asked politely.

"Not at all," Myrror said, "This little realm is rather magic-laden, and you're guests. And you could say that little Haiiro is family."

"I get to be family!" Haiiro grinned, twitching his tufted tail back and forth.

"Well, never turn down a free meal, they say," Tayne said philosophically, grinning as well, only with amusement at the little foal. "Same ought to go for a bed."

"Thank you, ma'am." Torshael's reply was as gracious as one could wish.

"Could probably find you one of the 'caves' here in this range," Myrror said. Tayne glanced over at Teres, who hadn't said anything to all this, to find that she was busy straightening up the room. Again. Repressing the urge to roll his eyes, he focused on Myrror again; Torshael seemed oblivious to their fellow's nervous cleaning. "We do have quite a few empties, just in case."

"You're more than welcome to come visit again," Teres said, resurfacing from her straightening.

"Why don't we meet for dinner?" Torshael suggested, smiling. "It will be good to spend time with a kinslady."

"That would be wonderful!" Teres beamed, obviously charmed.

It took a short flight to get them to their destination, just along the cliff wall, and it was obvious why flight was necessary: these caves were only accessible by air. They all landed on the ledge outside the entrance, Torshael setting Haiiro down gently as he did, and followed Myrror inside. There was an odd, slight tingling in the air at the entrance to the cave, though Myrror didn't seem to notice. Or, if she noticed, she expected it and didn't react. Once inside, there was a brief glance of an empty cave before it transformed itself into a comfortable-looking living room, sized to their dragon scale and, oddly enough, resembling a slightly less feminine version of the front room at their parents' house in the High One's City. A couple of doorless archways led off from the main room, and Myrror gestured to them explaining, "Bedrooms will be to your right, and kitchen, if you can call it that, is to your left." At Torshael's curious glance, she added, "There's a table and such, but there are also two devices: one for making the food, the other for recycling the dishes the food appears with."

"Magical?" Torshael asked, for clarity's sake.

"Yes, magical," Myrror said, "though the appearance may be tech. It depends on what you may be used to. We have very few actual tech items here in Lanse'shri. Dark of course has her computer, though it's connected to the Nexus via magic. You'd be able to see Shadowpeak from here-- that's Dark's home-- it's the tallest peak in the land. Anything else you need?"

"Just to let us know if Dark arrives tonight," Torshael said, shaking his head. "How might we find you?"

Myrror summoned a small orb. "Just touch this, and I'll hear you. Though it might be a bit if I'm asleep at the time."

"Hopefully we won't disturb your rest," Torshael said, taking the orb gently. "Thank you for everything."

"You're quite welcome," Myrror smiled, "I'll leave you now, if you don't mind."

"We'll get settled here," Torshael nodded. "Thank you again."

Myrror nodded, too, and with a sight bow, teleported out, leaving the three of them to "get settled" in their marvel of a cave.