It was hardly a few days after the incident at Ravensheart Academy that she wandered by the posted notice. There was something about the symbol that drew her to it to read the sign in the first place.

"Fog?" She was confused at first until her pretty blues, framed by the reddish starburst markings, lit up with some understanding.

"Oh! A wall of fog... At the north end? Hmm.. never noticed one there. But then I never really walked up past that way either. Coffee shop's the other way." she grinned and shrugged to no one but herself. Still, she felt it best to try this out. What could it hurt?

So she went, taking with her paper and pen. Her black wings fluttered gently as she moved along until she came to the wall of fog tucked neatly, almost unnoticed outside of the Northern end of Ravensheart Academy. She moved to a bench along the street and sat down to write her request, taking some time to do so. She really didn't know how to write it and eventually settled on something... perhaps too simple. She didn't know how to explain it in a note. She wasn't even sure how to verbalize it, though she knew she had to try. She wondered how long it would take before someone would come.

Once again she was up and moving this time going into the fog, wings fluttering gently and kept her bare feet inches above the ground while she looked for this symbol. Sure enough, she found it and followed the directions given, taking the paper with the request and burning it, speaking the request as directed.

Though it trembled slightly giving away her insecurity, her soft fae'ish voice called gently into the fog. "Help, Please?"

The lights.. the swirling... the dying of her voice as it was swallowed up... it all had her looking around and then up in the air for some odd reason. Maybe it was because that's how it sounded like her voice went.. up in the air. She was still looking up when that other voice came from behind her, startling her to spin round and take a step back. At least she didn't fall down or bang into anything ... this time.

Pretty blues took in the sight of the one before her, noting how young she looked. Still, even though this one was on the short side, Cadence still had to look almost a half a foot up to her. Age, like height, didn't always mean anything about capabilities. She seemed to be the trustworthy type to Cadence. Course... so was Bob. Cadence would probably trust anyone, at least once.

"You are a Guardian?..... Well, that was a dumb question. I mean...uh.. yes.. I.. well, It's kind of complicated. My name is Cadence. I work at the Ravensheart Academy. There was an incident there... and well.. I fear more will come. Things are weird and I didn't know who to go to. I saw your advertisement. So.. here I am!"

She tried to smile optimistically, but deep down in those pretty blues of hers, was a wisdom to know she couldn't handle it and neither could those she knew. It was going to take stepping out of her comfort zone to go find the right help for this. She hoped these people, these guardians, would be the ones. Her smile faded as she sobered.

"Tell me... what do you know about the Abyss regarding possessions of powerful, possibly deific, type beings.... and how to counter that?"

Yes, for a little thing, she sure had a huge problem to set on the table...

Cadence smiled only a little, but with a twinkle of hope in her eyes.

"That would be nice. We probably shouldn't go to a public place to talk. Too many ears, and eyes. Although.. that coffee shop down the street has some really good coffee drinks. I'm fond of the double shot big buzz carmel mocha latte."

There was a wisp of whistfulness in her pretty hues.

"Let's go there and then to my place. We can talk freely there and no one would hear us. Unless you have some place else?"

Her smile warms. "Sounds like a plan." She turned to walk out of the swirling fog... until she realized it was still swirling fog and stopped herself from walking through.

Her brows furrowed with confusion. "Is it safe to walk through?" She kinda sorta poked at teh fog with her finger.

Cadence turned and regarded the Guardian with a smile as she took her hand and braced herself. Teleportations, or the like, always left her a little dizzy. She was glad for the hand to hold.. and missed it the moment it was gone. Wings fluttered just a tad to adjust her balance. She blinked a few times to clear her vision and then smile even wider. It was the very shop just down the street from the school.

"Do you come here to? We must just miss each other. I'm here a lot."

She returned her pretty hues to the Guardian and was going to ask something but she paused and realized .. "Uh.. What's your name again?" Cadence couldn't remember if she had. "I'm bad with names. I forget them all the time. So what kind of drink do you like? I'll buy."

She pulled out some coin and stepped into the place. It wasn't busy at all. In fact, there wasn't anyone to wait on. She stepped up to the counter to order. "I would like a double shot big buzz carmel mocha latte, with whipcream... er... make that a Frappaccino. I want something cold instead. Oh, and I'm paying for hers, too."

"Very good, Luv. It's gonna be a hot muggy one t'day." The attendant, an elder man, of some fifty or more years with a thick accent, shifted his attention to Val. "And Lovely 't see ye. What would ye be wantin, Lass?"

Cadence grinned gently as Val realized what she forgot. Under other circumstances, she probably would've giggled. However, it reminded her of Sha'uri and it bothered her that her friend was in such a way. "It's okay. I don't think you're rude. I forget sometimes, too."

She almost changed her order when she heard Val's, but refrained from it. Double shots of espresso is what she wanted.

"Anything fer a pretty Lass like yerself. Alright then ... one large caramel macchiatto on ice comin up. And hold the whipped cream."

"Oh can I have it? I mean... if she's not. Wouldn't be a waste or something." Cadence brightened her pretty blues with an enthusiastic, heartfelt plea. One could almost see the proverbial tail wag and the ears perk up.. if Cadence was a dog. It was just the impression she gave.

The tender let out a hearty laugh. "Cadence! How am I gonna make a profit if ye keep snatchin up the fixin's? Oi...How can I say no 't that? Hm? Want some sprinkles too?" He shook his head, grinning as he turned away to make the order. "Alright fer ye then. Ye get the extra whipcream. But I ain't puttin a lid on it! So ye deal wi'the mess then."

Cadence giggled. "I don't mind. Thank yous very much!" She always asked, he always gave. The man was a softie. She paid for the order when he was done making it and the two girls walked out of the shop. Cadence had picked up a straw and long spoon, plus a few napkins, and plopped the first two into her drink. She put her lips to the cream and sucked it down some first, then used the straw to sip the icy cold drink as they slowly walked. She had cream marks on and above her lips.

"Mmm.... Soooo Good! How's yours?" and so she took a few moments to relish in the flavor while she sipped it.. well, a quarter of it rather quickly until she started to get a headache.

"Brain freeze! Oi.. smarts!" What a face, all scewed with pain and pleasure.... and trying not to laugh at herself while she wiped the cream from her lips with a napkin.

They walked along the front of the building and as they came closer to the end of it, she pointed towards the end.

"I usually go there .... down in the alley."

She turned the corner and as they moved a few yards down that alley, there was a door that appeared right next to the wall. It wasn't in the wall, it was Beside the wall. Just a door and frame standing up on its own. The door was made from a very hard, dark wood called Acacia. STained with reddish hues, the wood was engraved with intricate and very detailed etchings of woodland setting with mystical and rare creatures: unicorns, centaurs, minotaurs, giant spiders, pixies and fairies to name a few .... They were varied and placed randomly across the entire door.

In the center were two small peep holes, one in the center of the door and one three quarters the way up the door. In between these was a door knocker in the shape of a winged monkey. He held a snake (the swinging portion) cradled in his arms and a rock between his feet to knock upon. The snake wrapped round into a ring and its head was what hit the stone between the Monkey's feet. Magical auras were off the charts around this whole door, but of course, it was a portal to another dimension, thus the door looked the same on both sides.

"This is it! Well.. not that it's always here but... this is my door."

She opened it up and it seemed to open to a room. There was canopy bed made of the same Acacia wood, sitting along the far wall directly opposite the door, and a changing area partitioned in the right corner next to it. Along the wall to the right, was a fireplace in the center with couch, coffee table and two comfy chairs in front of it. In the corner to the right was a kitchenette. In the corner to the left was a study area and a bookshelf overfilled with books as it almost ran the length of the left wall. In the far left corner was an opening. From there it was just dark with hints of a corridor or perhaps a tunnel beyond.

"Go on in! Make yourself comfortable..."

She waited for Val to go in before she followed and shut the door.

The place was actually a bit of heaven in the middle of the Abyss... so to speak.. and perhaps literally, it was young, very young. In fact it was only a few years by RhyDin standards. Valeria wasn't sensing it wrong.

Cadence shut the door and it disappeared to the outside world so that they wouldn't be disturbed. She moved to the couch and set her drink down on the coffee table as she sat down as well. on the table was some incense that she lit. Opium, mixed with something else, permeated the air as the smoke slowly rose from the long stick. It really was heady stuff....mixed with a modicum of hashish.

"Where to start... that's just it. I don't know how far back to go. There is so much connected that I don't know what all is involved. So I'll start with the ... former.. Assistant Headmaster of the Academy, Sha'uri Arrowny. She's from a place called Exodii. Are you famliar with the places or the person? or anyone from either place?"

It was a place to start. She picked up her drink and relaxed back in the couch, shifting to stretch her legs comfortably on the cushions. She leaned her back against the arm of the couch and sipped her drink through the straw for a moment.

"Exodii Enterprises... they have a shop in town with a jumpgate portal in the road behind it leading to Exodii planet and the City Exodii. The portal and shop is on the north side of town by the river near the bridge, if that helps. The place does a fair amount of business but it's not a main source of anything in particular. Just various mundane and magical things. They do have some advanced technology. I think her son, Alexander, made the portal actually. He makes robots..er... I mean Androids. They're like people."


Pretty blues blinked at herself for the side track. She took another sip to clear her head.

Cadence nodded.

"Exodii is a solar system, with a planet named Exodii and a City of the same name. The portal leads to the city. Sha'uri is from there... and I saw her kill part of the headmaster's wife."
A pause.

"That sounded crazy. I mean, I think she got mad that he killed himself... accidently of course but then he was reassembled... and.. that.. all just sounds even more crazy, doesn't it?"

The chuckle that escaped couldn't be helped, though it faded sadly, sobering her expression.

"I'm not explaining this very well. But I think she went nuts or was posessed or something. I mean Sha'uri did... not the wife. Maybe I should back way up and start with the Headmaster and his wife? er, former wife... or something. Whew! That incense is potent!"

She reached over and put out the incense. She always believed in moderation, but this batch was proving to be extra potent. If she had known that, she would've put it out seconds after lighting it. The straw was once more brought to her lips and she took a long sip of it.

Cadence had to chuckle.

"No.. well.. Not really. Well, maybe. If she was, she wasn't always that way. Sha'uri was.."

She got a wistful smile for a moment.

"She was an angel to me and to a lot of people really. She and Lyndra both. They took me in and gave me a home there at the Academy. Headmaster did too, but I don't think it would've been the same without them. Sha'uri seemed noble to me... gracious, but with a mischevious streak. She was fun sometimes. And she was always helpful, always stood up for what she thought was right.. she tried not judge people by the clothes they wore or the race they were born with. She always seemed to give people continuous second chances..."

She nodded to that. Then shook her head for the next.

"She wasn't a person to cross though. She was hard as nails when she needed to be. Ask Gabriel Ashlocke. He'd been called to her office a few times, but I think even he would tell you she helped him a lot when nobody else did."

"She was a born leader. She wasn't crazy, but I think something pushed her over the edge. I don't know what that was, but I do know she seemed to be getting sader and sadder over the last year or so.. well, I think it was when she lost the baby actually. And then her husband went away. I didn't like him too much. He just seemed so.. I dunno...He tried teaching at the school for a while but I don't remember him giving any lessons. Seemed kinda unreliable. You know, one of those tough guys all about fighting...."

Shrug.

"And then there was the whole kidnapping deal. I think those children getting taken by slavers had her in knots in ways I don't remember ever seeing her like that. Don't knows if yous heard about its, but several kids from the academy, plus some teachers, were kidnapped and slavers were suspected. They found them in the slave trades."

She paused for a sip, trying not to remember that time in their life. Even she had been tied up in knots.

"I didn't see much of her then after that deal. I think she left the school then and went back to Exodii to her Citadel. I was gone too.. I needed to study the collection of tomes I had and doing it while working wasn't working out for me. So I holed up in here for longer then I knew. I hadn't meant to be gone so long, but it is sometimes easy to do here. It's pretty comfortable. I've got everything I ever need here. Even a swimming place and a mud bath!"

This seemed to perk her up again and she sucked down some more of her drink while gazing around her place.

"I love mud baths.. they're so soothing. Wanna go for one?"

She looked briefly towards the tunnel area and back... wistful smile played on her features... such an innocent thing she was.

Pretty blues had been watching for the reaction and at first they reflected a pleased light. But when the green wings were seen on Valeria's back, those pretty blues grew wide!

"Oh! You're dragon?" Cadence beamed widely. "Oh don't mind the wings, no need to be sorry. That's just who you are. I have some wings, too, even though I'm not dragon... not sure what I am just pretty sure I'm not that. Miss Sha'uri is dragon. So is Lyndra and Alex. Alex is Sha'uri's son. Lyndra is.. well, she's another story but I guess she was a creation or clone of sorts."

Yeah, she'd leave it at that.

"Come on, this way."

She motioned Val to follow her as she moved to that strange tunnel in the corner. It went a short way to open up into a large cavern. The ceiling was covered in a glowing lavender light dotted across the darkness like stars in the night. The ground area was similarly lit with the lavender but also soft green, yellow and orange from various plants and insects, some flying about doing whatever bugs do. Some drew nearer as if trying to provide the light for them as they moved down the path and further into the cavern. In the center was a natural cool water pond that was fed by a small waterfall at one end. At the other end, closest to the tunnel, was a clear division of the pond. It was strange that the two sides didn't mix at all. One side, twice as big as the other, was clear cool water. The other side was a murky tan muddy thickness with short whisps of steam rising from the mud. Something... several somethings seemed to wiggle in the mud.

"Oh this way." she seemed excited. "I've got a few skin suckers in there. They're kinda like blood suckers, only harmless. They don't eat blood, they only suck the dead flesh off of things. They don't bite and they don't hurt you in any way. It's kinda tingly. They just like the dead skin, oils and whatever else sheds from a body.... except they don't like hair. They don't hurt at all. but If you want I can get them out for you if it bothers you."

She knelt down by the mud pond and stuck her hand in to get a few on it. They seemed to anticipate the move and poked little wormy heads up out of the water. Their skin was mostly a grey hue with various shades of mottled green and brown stripes. They had large mouths with no teeth and they had no eyes. Some were no bigger then a finger, others were as long as a forearm. They actually made a chittering sort of sound - like dolphins, almost as if they were very excited and pleased to see Cadence. And in fact they were. They rushed to her hand and a few latched on, tails wagging back and forth like a dog's while they began to clean her hand by sucking off the oils and dead skin.

"See? It's okay... You can put your hand in to see for yourself. they's so sweet though."

Cadence giggled too, happy that Val wasn't too freaked and could find the enjoyment from these things she herself had created.

"Yeah, they are that... cute and functional and above all, harmless. They're good like maggots are for eating away infections in a wound too. They're actually very clean. Although, they get attitude sometimes, too. they whine a lot when you leave them behind. But it's soo cute the way they do it. And it's all in unison. One whines, the others join in." She chuckled. "Watch this.."

She gently nudged one off her hand. "Come on.. let go, time to go."

Immediatly the one being nudged opened its big mouth wide and started whining. " Awww.. Whaaa aaaaaaa aaaaaaa aaaaa!" and the others joined in on the second round. Even the one's on Val's hand joined in. Soon the entire population in the mud bath poked their heads up and started whining, too.

Cadence just laughed. "Isn't that just pathetically sweet? Awww..."

She stuck her hand back in the mud to pick up the one again and the chorus shushed their song. "They make it very difficult to leave. They respond better like this."

She nudged her tongue behind her top teeth and sucked air swiftly through her teeth while using her tongue to intermittently block the suction causing a distinct sucking sound. She did that several times swiftly to get their attention. Whatever the suckers were doing they stopped and looked at her.

"Come on now.. time to go."

It was like they understood her. They all seemed to hang their head down with a quiet "Awww..." and moped away from her hand. The one's on Val's hand moped away too. They all went back into the mud and within a few moments they were chittering and playing it seemed among each other.

"The only thing about mud baths is that it's best in the nude. It doesn't bother me. But if you want there are bathing suits by that big rock over there you can use to change into. They're clean. I always keep them that way and I alwasy keep every size. You'll find one that fits you I'm sure. Towels over there too. As for me.... I go in nude. Unless that would bother you."

She waited for an answer on that one before she either got the bathing suit on or dropped her clothes. Either way, she tucked her wings in close and was soon sinking into the mud, little skin suckers chittering happiliy around her, tingling her skin as they cleaned off the dead and decay.... and she was warm and soothed in the mud, its natural conditioners softening her skin. To her, it was regenerative.

"Ahh..."

And for a few moments she forgot why she was really there....

"Mmm hmm"

Cadence agreed as she leaned back as well. It was soothing and peaceful and for a while there wasn't a thought in her head about anything except where she was and what she was doing... home in mud bath soaking blissfully. She kinda lost track of time doing that and she wasn't sure when the thoughts began to flow again, but there they were nudging her to remember who was in the bath with her and why.

Pretty blues opened to see Val just soaking it all up. She hated to disturb that just yet. Instead, she carefully moved through the mud so as not to disturb her and shifted between the muddy pool and into the cooler clear water. Magical protections kept the mud in the mud pool while Cadence moved into the other. Only a slight cloud of mud washed from her, though instead of mixing more with the water or floating down to the bottom, it made a distinct movement back to the mud pool. As for the skin suckers, they stayed behind in the mud with only a slight chirp. They wouldn't go into the cooler water. It was too cold for them, though it was more a lukewarm cool then it was cold. Besides, Val was still in there, and so they didn't whine while they moved to her.

Cadence dove down in the water and swam part way across before she came up for air, spreading her wings to gently rinse them as she moved. Once she surfaced, she pulled wings in again to make it easier to swim across the surface to the edge. Then she pulled herself onto the smooth rock ledge and then out of the water. Beads of water glistened and rolled off her black silken wings. She fluttering them to shake the water from them. Magical energies flared briefly drying her off and clothing her once again.

The mud bath had been refreshing, but there was still something Cadence needed to tell Val about what Sha'uri had done only a few days ago. Her story was far from over. She moved around the edge of the pool and back towards Val...

Cadence caught the strange way Val had gotten up out of the mudbath. She continued to move around the edge of the pool until she was near the mudbath again and then waited for Val to get out and dressed.

All the while Cadence listened to the chatter of the mud suckers as they moved around the pool, getting over the way Val darted out and the memory of it fading quickly from their tiny brains. It was like switching off a light. They quickly fell into the pattern of anticipation when Val and Cadence came back near to the mud pool. It was like the whole little heard of them gathered and followed the movements around the edge of the pool just waiting for someone to come in.

Cadence giggled as she watched them follow Val around as far as they could while she moved to get dressed. Even Cadence's pretty blues watched Val, thinking she really liked her already and hoped they could be friends.

She averted her gaze and moved a few steps towards the tunnel, giving Val some privacy while she dressed. Her thoughts briefly wandered back over what they had been talking about prior to this distraction, a distraction Cadence had needed to sort her thoughts out. She was relaxed and calm now.. and hungry. Food would be waiting for them in the other room. Just by her own thoughts, she had the power to make it so. And it was so... It was like breakfast at the Academy, anything you wanted was there, mostly. A good variety was laid upon the table waiting to be consumed. It was far more food then the two of them could even dream of eating.

"So...where did we leave off...?"

Cadence turned partially around at the sound of Val's voice. She smiled, pretty blues sparkled with mirth.

"Food." the scent was already wandering into the cavern; bacon, eggs, maple sausages, pancakes, muffins, even the scent of citrus fruits, oranges, grapefruits and more.

She motioned with her head and then moved that way going back into the little apartment like place.

"Help yourself..."

Sure enough, the food was set up buffet style on the table. She picked up a plate and moved round the table to fill it with various items. Then she moved back to the couch to sit leaving plenty of room for Val to sit with her there. She set the plate on the little table before her and picked up a blueberry muffin, split it open and spread strawberry cream cheese in the middle. She ate a few bites before she continued the story. The food helped recenter her thoughts.

"While Sha'uri was gone, I guess the headmaster was trying to do some experiments or something. I'm not too clear on why, but I guess he was trying do something with the wards around the academy and their link with him. I mentioned Sha's mother, D'Shara or Sharilis... she had many names... she was married to him at one time. She's like a goddess in Exodii, very powerful. I met her once and just her presence took down the wards apparently disguising me as I am. It revealed me to be this."

She briefly motioned to herself, her wings and the strange red starburst marking around her eyes.

"Anyway, I guess part of her was actually with part of him in the place he is from... Kadorasil. And they are like gods there. So the part of him that was here was trying to do something with the connection he has with the wards.. and inadvertently killed himself with a knife that Kairee said was a mage killer. I think she thought it was done on purpose, that someone was actually trying to kill him, but it was all a complete accident."

"I'd been sleeping during this and the disturbance it had on the academy woke me up. I briefly saw Lyndra there, but she was pregnant and for some reason left. I think she went into labor."

Shrug.

"So when I came out, I found Kairee and Melody, she's like the secretary who's temporarity taking Sha's place as Assistant headmaster. They were trying to figure out what was going on. We meandered outside and others showed up, some friend of Kairee and then Bob. Or the other way around I don't remember. Bob seemed strange though. So did Sha. Can't place why. But anyway, Sha'uri was there and Sha and Kai were getting into it again I think. Theys just seem to rub each other the wrong way. And then some of Bri's blood from the scene in his office started moving towards his residence. So we followed it after realizing he had some contingency to reform."

"So we found the place it was gathering and then in came this God from Kadorasil.. Evergreat or something.. and this human that looked like Bri, even though he's elf... and this woman who looked more like Lyndra. Hazel green eyes, dark reddish hair and hanging on Bri. I think that was D'Shara. And Sha'uri showed up in the room. Not sure what happened but I think the wards weren't letting her through. She showed up and before anyone knew it, she like flipped a switch and attacked D'Shara. That goddess was debowled and sliced, both swords shoved through her heart and up into her chin. She wasn't dead yet but brought to helplessness before we knew what was going on."

"She could still speak and I didn't get the impression the wounds were enough to keep her that way but there was almost a fear to what ever Sha was going to do. I heard D'Shara tell Sha'... something about Not Here. Like she was begging almost, maybe to spare us? They were gone in a blink, and I found her later outside the residence. She was quite dead. The headmaster has the body in his residence for safe keeping. He couldnt' bring her back to life. He is a Necromancer of some measurable power. It was his own place, and he couldn't bring her back. Something powerfully wrong with that."

It had taken a bit to tell that part of the story. Cadence had eaten well enough during the beginning of it, but that turned to picking at it and then she gently pushed the plate a few inches away from her as she ended this part. Her lightened visage towards the beginning turned to worrisome again. The relief she'd had from the opium and hash.. and the mudbath and food.. was quickly coming to an end. Her pretty blues blinked back the mist forming within them.

The touch of concerned hands was all it took. The sympathy drew the tears out even more creating a wave of relief as they began to flow from those pretty blues.

"Thank yous.. You very nice. My Nana would've adored yous."
Her speech regressed with the emotion, taking away the concentration she normally gave to speak better. She was sure she was going to like her now. Nodding, she sniffed.

Cadence's nose wrinkled up briefly while her visage shifted into a beaming smile at the mention of Bob. It was a dreamy sort of look; she obviously had some kind of high regard of him. She unconsciously squeezed Val's hands as she launched into telling her who Bob was.

"Oh, he's like a hero! Not the kind that puts on shiney armor or anything but the kind that sticks up for the little guy. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for him. He helped me after my Nana died and he was a good friend to me. He helped me get a job with Bonnie Corp and got me some clothes so I could get another job at the school....er visa versa actually. He was just there as a good friend. He gave me this place, too."

She motioned with her gaze the place they were in before she brought those pretty blues back to her again.

"But I think people did'unt like him cause he was always dressed in black and he was brave and bold and stood up to them, told them the truth about themselves and they did'unt like it. So they labelled him bad. Even Headmaster.. he don't like Bob. I think cause Bob came and took me away one day, the day I got changed and I was all flustered and called for Bob. WEll, he was just doing what I wanted him to do. He wasn't harming me at all. I'm sure he thought he was rescuing me. But for some dumb reason the Headmaster was mad cause Bob did that. Course, I don't think Bob likes him either but that's pro'lly cause Headmaster don't like him. But anyway... yeah, Bob was kinda strange."

The little fae thing finally took a breath.

"Members I told yous I went away for a while? Yeah, well... when I came back I noticed it right away. See... ever since we met, we've had this thing where we write notes to each other and stuff, and I always write it and put it in my pocket and he gets it. And then he answers and I find it in my pocket or on the table or just suddenly in my hand and that's how I get his. So whenever I do write him, he always.. always writes back right away. But when I came back this last time... he did'unt do that. He showed up at the school with Sha'uri I think. Or maybe she was hiding and came out when he showed. But either way, they seemed to come at the same time. And then when we were all trying to figure out what happened to the headmaster, Bob just seemed to just leave like he lost interest or something. I dun know it was just wierd to me, like he had something else on his mind... like he was, what's the word, .... preoccupied."

She shrugged having no idea what it was about.

"So anyway, when we finally got the Headmaster back, He and I decided to head out to Exodii in search of Sha's family and stuff there..."

Her little fae head nodded. Yes, there was more to the story it seemed.

She nods, cataloguing all this away, her attitude and attention completely focused on Cadence, her eyes wide.

She's never heard of Exodii, though she does know about the Nexus and the way it leads to other worlds, other places and times. She herself could manipulate it as she chose, as it was perhaps the most prevalent of the elements here, and had traveled to a great many places. Exodii, she is sure, is not one of them.

But this Bob, and Sha'uri as well, seem to both be very powerful entities of their own sort. And it's clear, just by the way she talks about him, that Cadence holds Bob in very high regard. He may be perhaps no the ideal person by any means, but he had been kind to this girl, and so he couldn't be wholly bad, could he?

She motions to Cadence to continue. "So what happened on Exodii? What did you find there?"

She doesn't understand a lot of this, except that whoever this Bob is and the other, Sha'uri, are exceptionally powerful beings. And whatever has happened has caused things to go terribly wrong, perhaps endangering them all.

Valeria had come from a family whose power came from their blood, from their heritage. The guardians of ancient magic, each had spent their lives protecting. If not protecting others, they protected their magic and power from theft, from falling into hands which it did not belong in. Their purpose had been to protect all life.

Joining the Guardians had been a logical choice, a way to fulfill her life and destiny.

Cadence's words bring forth the reality of it all, straight to home. Whatever this is, it endangers not just a few, but all. And the few who were fighting it now found themselves in need of help.

She nods once, as if in acknowledgement, before she stands and offers a hand to Cadence. "Well, you've sold me. And if it's help you need, we're more than happy to give it. Come on - we need to meet with Lupinius, the head of our circle, and tell him what's going on."

She looks completely confused at the mention of compensation, shaking her head. "A simple thank you is more than we expect, Cadence. We Guardians...we do what we do because we wish to help, not becuase we're looking to be paid."

She laughs softly as she finishes speaking. Compensation. Who could say they are a protector and then expect payment for it? There are bodyguards, hired guns, mercenaries for that sort of thing.

As they enter the fog and Cadence knocks the bottle over, Valeria frowns. That's an interesting bit of trash to leave lying around, and an even stranger place to put it. Why at the edge of the Guardian's portal? Why not just toss it into the gutter, or any other place?

A message, perhaps? But why not leave it where it's supposed to go, upon the portal itself?

Something abut it bothers her, for some reason she can't quite put a finger on. As she takes Cadence's elbow, leading the way to the stone at the center of the portal, she smiles, putting on a lighter tone than she actually feel. "Oh, I think we can arrange at least the wash basin, The Chamber is good about providing the people in it with what they need."

As they reach the stone pentacle carved into the ground, she guides Cadence into the center of it and stops, reaching up with one hand to the amulet at her throat. The other hand she places on Cadence's shoulder and smiles.

"This will feel a little weird."

And with that, she touches her fingers to the amulet.

Immediately, there is a flaring pulse of emerald light from the jewel, followed just a suddenly by an abrupt sensation of falling through space, as though the ground had dropped out from under them. A moment later, the sensation fades, and the two of them find themselves standing in an archway, the Guardian's Chamber on one side, a dense curtain of mist on the other.

A moment later, the sound of running water can be heard just outside as the Chamber suddenly forms out of nothing a fountain that Cadence can wash her hands in. Val, meanwhile, walks to the sturdy, round table in the middle of the cavernous, circular room and hops up onto it, taking a seat on its surface.

"Here we are." She giggles softly. "The others should be arriving shortly, but you should have enough time to wash up before they get here. Just put the bottle on the table."

They would not have long to wait.

Rather than enter by one of the portals, there is a flurrying of brilliant, violet-white lights that swirl into being from literally nowhere, concentrating to form a whirling vortex of light before coalescing into the tall, broad form of Lupinius, just before the pair. Long, black-feathered wings are tucked against his back, his dress interestingly casual for such a meeting in the Chamber - jeans, a t-shirt, boots. He takes in Valeria and the young, winged form of a girl with her, his eyebrows raising slightly.

This must be something, if Val had brought her into the Chamber itself.

In the same glance, he spies the bottle.

With a single, long, black feather, much too big to have come from any bird, planted in its neck. The eyebrows go up a bit further.

Without a word, he walks over to it and plucks the feather from the bottle, wafting it under his nose.

It certainly resembles one of the feathers from his wings, but the scent gives it away, at least to his own senses.

Catching Valeria's eye again, he toys with the feather in his grasp, and bows his head to the childlike one. "And what is it I can do for you ladies?"

She wasn't sure what surprised her more... him sniffing the feather or his height.

Pretty blues tilted upward to look at the Angel and was pretty much in awe, displayed by the slight drop of her jaw and an almost dumbfounded expression. She didn't even notice Val slipping down from the table. Her gaze was glued to the winged one sniffing that feather, never noticing that he was speaking. She wondered if it was his feather. To her, it looked like a perfect match.

Cadence, may I introduce to you Lupinius, the leader of the Guardians. Lupinius, this is Cadence, who has come here from Exodii seeking our help with a very complex situation. I know we have been busy here with all the recent...upheavals, but what she's described to me seems like just the sort of thing we should be tending to."

Her name spoken out loud caught her attention and she tore her gaze from him, suprised blues aimed at Val. She quickly shut her mouth, realizing she was still sitting on the table all by herself noless. She slipped off the edge, wings gently flapped to lift her up bringing her to a more comfortable hieght of about six foot. She swore that standing on the floor for her would've broken her neck to look up at him.

"Thanks y..you for coming." she was back to concentrating on her words again, and somewhat fearful to say his name. She could already hear herself messing it up just in her mind... Lupi mouse... Lupiminimus... Lupi.

"What Val says is true. It involves the Abyss... like possession or something. Mistress Sha'uri is tainted and that is a very bad thing. She's been eating souls. And... we have to stop it or she's gonna consume Exodii. RhyDin will be next. Aquil agreed we needed help, so I came to find some. And have you seen the Headmaster? He walked off and I don't know where he went to. Maybe he came back to the Academy? You know, the one just across the street here.... And can I call yous Lupi? Cause.. I think I won't be able to get the rest right."

Blush. A nervous grin cracked along her visage and those blues of hers held a bashful plea in their pretty depths. She wasn't trying to make fun of his name, it was she who really couldn't say it right... at least not yet.

Cadence could tell Val was sorta nervous. That made her nervous. Thinking about getting Lupinius' name wrong made her more nervous. And he was Tall.. which made the nervousness deepen. Starting over on the explanation wasn't something she was lookign forward to.. and that didn't soothe her nervousness. Cadence was shifting into this little ball of jitters. She hoped she didn't scold him for not putting his trash in a trashcan.

"That yours?" She pointed to the feather and looked down at the bottle. A distraction of subject is what she needed to help her sort her thoughts again. It was too late, though, she realized that was the subject she was avoiding to begin with because she didn't want to accidently give him a piece of her mind about proper disposal of trash.

Idly, she wondered if her feathers would one day look like his. Hmm.. I wonder... Will I grow up to be that tall?

Relief seemed to ease in when he agreed to the pet name. It took the edge off the nervousness she was feeling.

She noticed the strange way he answered her about the feather but was unsure how to respond to it. So she didn't say anything. However, her gaze did look carefully over him for any lipstick to match what was on the bottle and the feather he'd been holding. That would certainly be an answer for her.

The circle of distractions would engage yet another tug on direction as he brought up a name that drew her attention back to why she originally came.

"Aquil? You mean Aquilonius Fardreamer?"

He had met the man a few times, before the new Guardians had been re-formed, and they had talked. He'd struck Lupinius as being a strange, and yet noble type. Some sort of knight or other, as he recalls, though not exactly like himself or any other's he'd met.

Pretty blues blinked and went wide with surprise followed by the incessent nodnodnodding of her head, which finally tapered off into a wide smile.

"Oh yes! That's him! Yous know him, Lupi? That's just wierd 'cause he didn't send me to yous." Her brows furrowed. "I wonders why he didn't?"

She visibly shrugged it off, knowing there was a lot going on at the time she talked to him. Perhaps there had even been a subliminal flash in the images Aquil had shown her that led her to come in the direction of the guardians.

Perhaps it was something more.

"Destiny... or something."

Nod.

He regards Cadence for a long moment, sapphire eyes flickering from within with their own violet light. The black wings he pays particular attention to. Small, short, one could almost think they were clipped. There's no sign of any damage done to them, though, that he can see. Her manner, too, is very different from what he's used to out of angelic beings - and he's encountered more than a few, to be sure - leading him to believe she is something else.

Or perhaps just waiting for the next step in her own evolution.

"Knowing Aquil, he didn't send you to me because he knew you would be coming here already, and decided to leave it up to...what you and I would call Fate."

Those sapphire orbs turn to Val as she askes her own question. "Aquilonius is...a different sort of guardian, from a univers different from what you and I come from, Val. From what I remember, his univers is pan-galactic, many, many different races living on many more worlds than you and I can readily imagine. Among them, there are those that can touch what he called the Force, which I gather is a sort of magic. He referred to it as an energy field, created and sustained by life, which bound all things together. Apparently, it wasn't just restricted to his own universe, beause I'd seen him touch it here as well. It's like magic, but doesn't work in exactly the same way."

His eyes narrow as he recalls the few conversations the two of them had. "At any rate, he was a guardian that was a part of a group called the Jedi, before he was expelled for a...mistake that he made. From what I understand, those with the ability to use the Force have to be especially careful with their own thoughts and feelings, or it can turn them to evil intent."

He looks back to Cadence again. "If you were guided here by fate, then we are indeed meant to help you however we are able. If what you have described to me is accurate - and I have no reason to doubt that it is - we will need to bring in all of the Guardians for help. How do we get to Exodii?"

Lupinius looks at her strangely as she takes the feather. Show it to the Headmaster...? The odd, nearly repulsive scent on it is vaguely familiar, though he doesn't know really where he might have come across it. Still, there's no reason to object - if she thinks it's important.

"We'll take your way, if it's the fastest."

He reaches up and touches the jet-black amulet hanging at his throat with the first two fingers of his left hand. In response, it throws off a brilliant, amethyst-colored flash of light. Next to Cadence, the amulet Val wears flashes emerald green in the same instant.

Not more than a few seconds pass before a darkly shimmering, wavy form flickers into existence, revealing the shape of what looks like a young man, flickering in and out of sight for a moment before he settles firmly into solid reality. Tallish, lean, dressed in black jeans, boots and a white tank top, his dark hair tousled as if he just got out of bed. Grey eyes flicker from within with sapphire light and a silvery glow, almost like cat's eyes catching reflected light, as he looks to Val, then Cadence, then the winged form of Lupinius. He speaks in an almost lilting Cajun accent. "'Kay, dis bett'r be as 'mportan' as y'say, mon ami."

A moment later, two of the five archways show flickers of light - one blood red, the other a brilliant, golden yellow. From the red glow steps another tall man, dressed in a leather duster, silver spurred cowboy boots, jeans, shirt, a cowboy hat, his stride drawing a metronomic ring from the spurs on his heels. Under the duster can be seen a gunbelt, and holstered at his hips a pair of large, silver revolvers. He tips his hat to Cadence and Val as he sees them, an upnod to Lupinius, and a nod to the other newcomer to the group. His own voice is a light baritone, a drawl straight out of the depth of a Texas dustbowl. "Y'all called?"

From the golden light steps another figure. his is the tallest of them all, having a few inches even on the angelic form of Lupinius, dressed in a long, black duster, black pants, black shirt...black everything. Dark, reddish-brown skin, dark eyes, and long, glossy black hair tied back in a warriors queue sharply accent his features, Native American with a hint of what may be Japanese in the shape of his eyes. He also gives a look around at all assembled with a raise of his eyebrows, but doesn't say anything, just leans against the table.

Lupinius looks around at the assembled warriors that have answered his summons before turning back to Cadence. "Cadence, meet the Guardians. The one that popped in that you may have a hard time understanding is Kaleb. The cowboy you see there is McCarty, and the tall, silent one is Wraith. Gentlemen, this is Cadence, and she's come to us with a request for help...something that is going to require all of us."

He looks back at Cadence. "Do we have enough time to explain the essentials, or would you rather we go now?"

The new arrivals all listen to Cadence with rapt attentiveness, taking all the information in. In the one called Wraith can be seen the almost military bearing of a seasoned veteran, while in Kaleb and McCarty are more relaxed, almost casual but still attentive. When all is said and done, all three look back to Lupinius.

He looks back at the three of them, then to Val, then to Cadence. "If it is as you say, we should go now. It seems you came to us in the nick of time." Turning back to the others, he nods to them. "Get what you think you will need, all of you. There won't be an easy way to come back for anything, since there aren't any portals to the Chamber on Exodii."

The only ones that move to get anything are Wraith and McCarty, heading to opposite sides of the Chamber. Along the walls between the five arches are what looks to be a personalized armory for each member of the Guardians.

Wraith's holds what looks to be a long, sheathed katana, kept in a shadowy alcove. Under it, a large, compound bow and several assorted types of arrows with varying heads on them. All of these he gathers together, slipping them into a large bag with the bow and zipping it closed. He grabs the katana from its resting place and heads back to the group.

McCarty's alcove holds what looks to be a wide variety of rifles and pistols, and enough ammunition to outfit a small army. A selection of pistols and a couple of large rifles are likewise stuffed into a case that appears specially outfitted for carrying them, along with a host of different types of ammunition. A pair of wicked-looking Bowie-style knives are pulled from the alcove as well before the case is closed and snapped shut.

Kaleb and Val both watch the pair as they're getting outfitted. The expression on Kaleb's face is mostly amused, as if he doesn't see the need for all the stuff the two are packing. He just chuckles and shakes his head slightly. "All o' dat stuff y'all be needin'? Hope it don' slow y'down too much."

McCarty just looks at him with a scowl. "Not all of us can be fiery demons from the depth of Hell, pard. Y'all just have to forgive those of us that started out as ordinary humans."

Val laughs at this little interchange as she slips from the table she's perched on, going over to stand beside Cadence and shakes her head. "They're always like that, really. And don't be afraid of Wraith - he just looks scary."

As everyone comes back together, Lupinius looks to Cadence and nods. Fortunately, his sword and armor are magically a part of him, summonable at will. "We're ready when you are."

Lupinius considered that for a moment. He, Val and Kaleb could teleport in and out of the Chamber as they pleased, of course, but opening a dimensional portal inside the Chamber itself was another thing entirely. He didn't know the consequences of that, but he's sure it wouldn't be the best of ideas. Just as unfortunately, there were no secret pathways in and out of the Chamber itself. But one of the portals opened on a spot much less public than the other four...

He motions to one of the archways. "This one opens on the least public spot there is available."

Without waiting for an answer, he turns and heads for it. As he enters the dense mist beyond, the portal flickers with violet light.

The others follow after, and as each enters the portal it flickers with a different colored light - gold for Wraith, red for McCarty, brilliant blue for Kaleb, until only Val and Cadence remain. She smiles at Cadence and motions for her to follow, and as she enters the mist it flickers emerald green.

Once everyone is through the portal and out of the misty patch, the group finds themselves in the middle of the woods. Other than the strange misty patch nearby, no other signs of civilization are present.

Lupinius looks to Cadence as she comes out to join the rest of them with a smile. "Will this suffice?"