Artemis raised an eyebrow at the knight's back. Enthusiastic old codger, wasn't he? But then she paused when she watched him clamber up onto the platform – and the metal remained dull and lifeless. Scrunching her eyebrows together, she glanced up at him and then down to the metal again. Why wasn't it glowing like it did for her? She watched as he climbed up the tree, idly wondering at the sight of a rusty old knight scooting his way along the branches. All the while she took in his words, desperate for any clues to explain her new situation. 

[color=DarkTurquoise]"Please be careful up there, Sir Neary,"[/color] she called. He was the only resource she had. Wouldn't that just be grand if he fell and injured himself when she still had no clue as to where she was? [color=DarkTurquoise]"Have you ever seen such a tree before?"[/color]

Her eyes widened when he waved away some bizarre bat-monkey creature. 

So chimeras were commonplace, based on his reaction. Ticking trees were not, but not so out of the ordinary as to be wonders. The runes did not glow for him. 

Artemis looked back to the man when he called for her to stand under the lantern. She eyed the platform warily. But… he had a point. Gathering herself and clutching her staff just a bit tighter, she stepped up. Sure enough, the runes came to life, their glow mingling with the lantern's crimson light. Artemis stepped forward, trying not to look hesitant, until she was standing under the lantern, arms held out to catch it. Her staff sat upright, leaning against her shoulder. 

[color=DarkTurquoise]"I'm ready."[/color]