“What a team we’ll make.” Ruk chattered by way of agreement with Senjen.

“Good luck, everyone! We’ll see you on the other side.” She led him towards the Tekeri doorway, where a quiet barrier stood between them and the interior. Shapes moved inside, obfuscated by the silky grey surface. On glancing back, he might have seen Light dive head first into the QV bubble. Ferrow hung around Jess as they headed to a rocky Tindrel entrance.

“Ok, plug that party virus in. I don’t need you judging me in there.” Ruknar ordered with a chuckle, poking Senjen with a long feathered phlange. She then pulled a small vial of purple liquid from her rucksack and poured it into her beak. 

“Oh yeah, that hits the spot.” She cooed, then grabbed the Utaysi’s hand and they walked through the quiet barrier.

-

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U32mB_c30lk[/youtube]

The room was pitch black except for the floor which glowed red and orange. It had the appearance of a dried out riverbed, pocked with burning fiery stones. The dull shapes of Harpies flew overhead, and below them a rotating circle of mostly Tekeri moved in perfect sync.

 It was half dance, half martial art with a lot of extravagant limb movements and verbal ululation. Some of them wore frightening masks of old predators and others wore a stylised costume approximation of the other sentient species. Others held wooden bells, metal shakers and big skin drums which they played vigorously. Some non-participants stood around the outside of the space, just watching.

Ruk’s eyes were like black saucers in her feathered face. Her head rotated to take it all in while her body stayed fixed in place. Eventually she looked at Senjen.

“They are talking to the dead.” Her voice was changing, getting deeper and more gravelly.

“We need to join in.” Still holding his hand, she dragged Senjen into the circle which parted naturally to let them in. Ruk began throwing shapes with her body, falling into a natural rhythm with the others. 

After a few minutes a thin, bald Tekeri wearing a colourful tabard broke ranks and gyrated to the middle of the circle. Opening his beak, he issued four sharp, slow croaks. Producing a small orb of glass, he smashed it on the floor and produced a cloud of green vapour at his feet. It siphoned directly towards the noses of the individuals assembled in the circle, including Senjen.

Black tendrils descended from the ceiling and plucked the bald Tekeri up, taking him into the darkness above.