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Connie, Barty, Jake

The air shivered with magic. Weariness settled in at the edge of Jake and Barty’s minds, one the consequence of a close connection and the other of simple proximity. Connie felt the pull, the drain, the weariness, but it did not settle in and left her unaffected.

The statue’s glyphs pulsed once and fell silent again.

Willow, Nicky, Callaghan, Cassiopeia

It took Nicholas more than a few moments to collect himself at the gir- Cassie’s greeting, but he steeled himself and offered a polite smile. Barely more than a tilt at the corner of his lips but something nonetheless. Baby steps, baby steps. “Well enough. I trust rest found you easily as well.” Nicholas offered in response to Cassie as she settled into her spot. He offered Callaghan and Willow a soft greeting as well, before taking a moment to consider the question. “I saw naught but a shifting in the magics beneath the pages. Callaghan’s magical reserves runner deeper than mine, so I requested his aid in evaluating the oddity. His skill revealed eyes, 7 pairs drifting beneath the words, and an empathetic exchange before vanishing. Something hides within the book or claims an access point into our world through it. A dragon could see it and a diviner could hear it so could chaos speak with it?” Nicholas explained their experience and thought process, resuming his pacing.

“And then there is still the matter of this.” Nicholas tapped on the chalkboard. “A message seemingly left behind for no purpose; played out beneath the veneer of frivolous senility, with no way to translate such words. I find it hard to believe someone as sharp as the Professor would not offer a way to move forward.” Nicholas stilled as he regarded the writing, hit foot tapping as he did.

“I am loath to ask; however, would divining an answer to this message aid us or simply confuse us further?” Nicholas clicked his tongue irritably. “It is frustrating to claim so many pieces with no concept of what the puzzle looks like.”

Rohan, Finley/Dysphoria, Annika

Dysphoria’s head drifted back and forth, bumping gently against Finley’s head as they struggled to wake. They’d been so comfortable curled around their Darling in the little cocoon they’d made and now the world was so cruel as to drag them from their blissful slumber. Tendrils pet the center of Finley’s palm even as another wove itself languidly between their fingers. “If the Franklin human fell to the predator, then the Franklin human was doomed from the start and is now in the belly of a predator.” Dysphoria yawned wide, rows of teeth on full display. “Or, he is the most sensible one and we should not disturb his slumber. We too vote to return to bed; Darling did not get enough cuddling.”

Sariel frowned at the exchange, tilting her head for a moment as the lightning in her eyes dimmed for a few heartbeats and brightened again along with her excitement. “No, don’t fret. Franklin is feeling unwell after his late night yesterday! The poor boy was coughing up a storm when I poked my nose into his lab; poor thing accidentally set fire to half of it and needed a day to recover. Smoke in the lungs is never a great thing, especially when dealing with that material.” Sariel reassured them, waving away their concerns. “Do your first run and then go check on him; I’m sure he’d care for the company later this evening when the meds wear off.”

Lightning crackled to life between her hands, thunder shaking the room as she shaped into runes and glyphs that settled into the floor and burned the stone in the same shapes already present. The arch began to glow and rumble and air whooshed past them as an inky blackness spread in the gate, the faintest flickerings of light like stars playing out across the surface. The doorway rippled like water and Sariel’s magic quieted.

The gate to Neverish stood open.