Void Rift (rp) - Intermission

"Just, wait."

 

I stand still and look for any movement in the water.

 

"Is revival assured?" Mortimer asks.

 

They nod, confused as they linger around the table.

It takes a minute for the mud to settle and your feet to numb.
There's one fish in sight, but you'd need to step towards it, which would scare it off.

"Of course. There's also a roundabout way through if you're... concerned... about entering a spirit body."

 

Mortimer steps forward.

"Then I shall be the one temporarily die, not only for my group, but for the Shadow Royalty. I do not fear death." Mortimer says confidently.

 

Idhaenna pauses.
"...I don't think I made myself clear, then. If you don't wish to transition into the spectral plane, you must take the long way around. If you want to take the long way around, I will have one of my servants show you the way."

 

Voidfiller and I whisper to each other a bit more before I turn to the group.
“This is going to take a bit more time. If you want to keep standing around here doing nothing, you’re free to do so, but if you’ve got something better to do, you’re dismissed, but stick around and be prepared if we need you.”

 

They nod.
"Can we grab a bite to eat?"
"Speak for yourself, I'm not hungry..."

One just sits down off to the side.

 

"Screw it, let's take the long way. I'm pretty sure not all of us can go to the spectral plane and back anyway." I say bluntly.

 

"Do you have memories of the times when the assassins came? What were you doing at the time?"

 

“I do believe that not starving is more important than standing around doing nothing.”
I nod.

 

"Nod!" Idhaenna shouts, an oversized robotic bee flying overhead in response.
"Yes, milady?"
"Can you show these guests the vents?"
"Of course, milady."
The bee watches you, constantly facing you as it flies back overhead and starts off to one side.
"Shall we be off, guests?"

________________________________

"It was always in the middle of the night. I wound up not sleeping for a year."

They nod, two heading off to the farm as the other two start milling about and conversing with the people in the other line.

 

Shadow Stephanie and I lead the group to follow the huge robot bee, Mortimer hanging behind a bit to talk to Tirra, looking embarrassed.

 

I whisper something to Voidfiller, who nods, then disappears through a portal and reappears on a rooftop near the farm.

Meanwhile, I observe the success of the people inking their papers.

 

Idhaenna glances at the two.
"There's nothing wrong with conviction."

Nod keeps watching you as it flies, opening an air vent.
"What brings you here today, guests?"

________________________________

Success is variable. Most fingerprints are clear, a few aren't.

The two who went to the farm split up, one going in the storehouse and the other going out to collect wheat in the fields.

 

Aeris flies ahead through the vent, seeming to enjoy it.

"Saving this realm from the Hive Master." I say.

"So our usual day job, nothing new." Shadow Stephanie says, smirking.

 

Voidfiller just keeps stealthily watching from above.

I start to organize the completed papers.

 

Nod stops her.
"My apologies, but the vent system goes everywhere, miss. You have a zero point oh oh two eight percent chance to arrive at your intended destination if you go in blindly. Please let me guide you, miss."

The one who gathered wheat then goes to a grindstone, the one who went in the storehouse coming back with a small basket of berries.

The ink hasn't quite dried yet, it seems.

 

Voidfiller keeps an eye on the closest to the farm.

I make sure to not touch the ink or stack the papers, yet.

 

"O-Oh, I'm sorry." Aeris says, turning red in embarrassment as she shamefully flies back out, avoiding eye contact.