Lydia had spent quite some time clearing out space in her living room. Furniture, such as her couch and chairs, had all been pushed back against the walls. Her coffee table and a couple stands had been moved to her bedroom, so there'd be as much space as possible in the living room. She wasn't sure how much Soerl would need, but she tried to give him as much as she could. The task hadn't taken her very long, since she had her levitation magic at her disposal. Waiting for Soerl to finish his part in their plan, she remained in her guest bedroom, playing with Luthe. The gnoll pup had grown a considerable amount since she acquired him from the glen. No longer scraggly, his coat had a healthy sheen and large paws gave way to the fact he would be a large creature someday. Now, however, he was just a big pup. She laughed as he skittered across the room, carrying a plush ball in his jaws. Lydia had almost forgotten her upcoming plans, and simply enjoyed the company of the pup.
Soerl had stayed in Lydia's room throughout most of the afternoon and the beginning of the evening. At least a dozen intricate runes had been carved in the book he'd purchased to practice drawing them in. He had used ink instead of his finger, however. They were permanently etched into the pages. His tunic was also off. He had drawn a circular rune on each of hands. A focal point. A few had also been drawn over his chest. That had taken the most time. There was no easy way for him to correct a mistake, so he had to take the time to be perfect. As he emerged from Lydia's room, he headed into the living room. It seemed she'd left him plenty of space. He smiled a little and reached into his pocket.
Luthe was starting to grow tired the more and more he played and ran. It wasn't long before he abandoned his ball and climbed up on the bed Lydia sat at. Laying in the middle of it, he curled his tail about his body as he rested. Taking a few moments to pet him, the elf sighed and slowly shifted away from him to drop to her feet. She wasn't looking forward to what had to be done, but she knew Soerl was right. It was better she get it over with sooner rather than wait until the doubt became too much later. She exited the guest bedroom to enter the kitchen, and started heading for the living room from there. The gray sleeveless tunic and black leggings she wore only heightened the somberness that seemed to follow her.
He withdrew a small pouch from his pocket. Reaching his hand inside, he pulled out some substance that looked similar to sand, though that wasn't its identity. He started making a circle with the substance, spreading it around on the floor. He looked upward when he was aware of footsteps. A faint smile was offered to Lydia, then he finished closing the circle. "Everything is ready."
She lingered under the doorway that separated living room and kitchen, as she took in the sight of the runes drawn on Soerl's body. Pale blues lowered from him to the sand-like circle on the floor. "So it seems..." Reaching up, she grasped the emerald amulet that hung around her neck- likely to draw comfort from the familiar magical properties it emitted.
Eyes noted the presence of her amulet. He nodded a little to himself. He stepped into the circle, mindful of not breaking the line he'd formed. It was large enough for him to sit in with his legs crossed. That's exactly what he did. He looked up at the elf when he was situated. "Are you ready, Lydia? That is the only question that remains."
Fingertips toyed with the white-gold chain of her amulet before she slowly shook her head. "No." It was a quiet, honest response. She wasn't really sure she'd ever feel ready for this, however. Lydia took a tentative step from the doorway and over towards Soerl. She didn't cross the barrier of sand between them, though, as she knelt down to better face him. "What will it be like?" She was uncertain if he'd even know, but it seemed like a good idea to ask. The more she knew, the better she could prepare herself.
"I can't say for certain. Most books describe any realm of the dead to be cold and dark. I don't know much else, I'm afraid." He shook his head a little bit. He didn't comment on her answer to his question. He glanced over to the open book nearby, for just a moment, then back to Lydia.
Cold and dark. She found that fact to be unsurprising. Biting at her lower lip, she nodded. "I- I've never even seen Maria before. I could walk right by her and not even know it's her." This fact and fear made her frown.
"You know her voice, though." An easy assumption to make. "I'm afraid I can't help you with that, love. You'll have to find a way to locate and recognize her. This spell and communicating with you are about the limit of my strength."
Lydia had also heard descriptions from other people. Blonde and beautiful, with vivid purple eyes - a result of glamour. It seemed unlikely that would hold up wherever she was at now, though. It struck her more likely they would be their natural color. Brown. "You've done so much already... it's okay." She mustered up a very faint smile before suddenly pushing up from her kneel to stand. "I had almost forgotten." Her hand lowered from the necklace she wore, to slip in a pocket. A moment later she pulled out a small ivory envelope that hadn't even been sealed. "I wrote this for you." Rather than offer it over to Soerl, or set it down inside his circle, she turned to set it down on the arm of a nearby chair. "...just in case." Words were barely audible, even to her own ears, but she was certain his acute sense would pick up on it.
He was quiet for a long moment. He had heard her words, despite how quietly they had been spoken. He lowered his eyes for a moment. There was that risk. The minstrel's head dipped into a nod and he glanced at the envelope briefly. Emerald eyes returned to Lydia. "Stand back." No sense in delaying, he figured.
Wordlessly, she obliged to his words. Taking a few steps over and to the side, she lingered near the doorway that lead to her bedroom, simply watching Soerl.
When Lydia had moved away, the minstrel shut his eyes. He interlaced the fingers on his own hands. The runes drawn on the top of both hands began to glow a dim, black color. Words were whispered in another language. Drow, Draconic... hard to tell most likely. As the words slipped past his lips, inky trails slid up and along his arms. The trails connected with the runes on his chest, which also began to glow. He kept whispering, more fervently with each phrase that passed. A small rift began to open. Like a hole in the very air. His book began to float. The runes there also began to glow, in the same dismal color.
Whatever words Soerl spoke were lost upon her. She barely registered they weren't of the common tongue, as she was busy watching the trails spread over his body, wide eyed. Soon, her gaze turned to the opening rift. It seemed so very surreal. There was still part of her that wasn't ready, and that never would be. In her mind so much could go wrong, and the better choice was simply to turn and run out of the house, away from that rift. But that wasn't the right choice for her, at this point. Running never helped, nor did suppressing her feelings of guilt. They always managed to resurface and tear away at her. Her feet felt rather heavy as she stepped forward, a little closer to the rift. Swallowing back a lump in her throat, she touched the emerald embedded in her amulet, which made it glow faintly.
Words continued to flow. He was unaware of his surroundings at all. The runes in the book sprang to life from the pages. They became larger, enough to be seen in the air. Black mana flared around them as a similar ink-like trail began to connect the floating runes. Five on the left, five on the right, two above the rest. Like a doorway. The rift opened up completely. For a moment, it was rather loud. Howling like the wind would during a storm. There was a flash of emerald energy. It arced like electricity would, connecting all the runes again. Once it had, there was a dull boom. The portal silenced and stabilized. A hole of darkness.
Lydia wanted to step back when things grew loud, but she was rooted to the spot. The dull boom her her wincing a good deal, as it was reminiscent of thunder - something she rather feared. She watched the runes and the emerald energy, brows slightly furrowed. Even when things had all stabilized, it took her a few rather long moments before she could step forward again, closer to the hole. Raising her arm, she reached out to touch it, but it soon fell back to her side. Doubts and overwhelming fear of what lied on the other side started to surface within. If she hesitated anymore she wouldn't be able to do this. So it was now or never. Breathing in deeply, she shut her eyes. A large step was taken forward, enough to move all the way into the dark cleft.
Soerl had stayed in Lydia's room throughout most of the afternoon and the beginning of the evening. At least a dozen intricate runes had been carved in the book he'd purchased to practice drawing them in. He had used ink instead of his finger, however. They were permanently etched into the pages. His tunic was also off. He had drawn a circular rune on each of hands. A focal point. A few had also been drawn over his chest. That had taken the most time. There was no easy way for him to correct a mistake, so he had to take the time to be perfect. As he emerged from Lydia's room, he headed into the living room. It seemed she'd left him plenty of space. He smiled a little and reached into his pocket.
Luthe was starting to grow tired the more and more he played and ran. It wasn't long before he abandoned his ball and climbed up on the bed Lydia sat at. Laying in the middle of it, he curled his tail about his body as he rested. Taking a few moments to pet him, the elf sighed and slowly shifted away from him to drop to her feet. She wasn't looking forward to what had to be done, but she knew Soerl was right. It was better she get it over with sooner rather than wait until the doubt became too much later. She exited the guest bedroom to enter the kitchen, and started heading for the living room from there. The gray sleeveless tunic and black leggings she wore only heightened the somberness that seemed to follow her.
He withdrew a small pouch from his pocket. Reaching his hand inside, he pulled out some substance that looked similar to sand, though that wasn't its identity. He started making a circle with the substance, spreading it around on the floor. He looked upward when he was aware of footsteps. A faint smile was offered to Lydia, then he finished closing the circle. "Everything is ready."
She lingered under the doorway that separated living room and kitchen, as she took in the sight of the runes drawn on Soerl's body. Pale blues lowered from him to the sand-like circle on the floor. "So it seems..." Reaching up, she grasped the emerald amulet that hung around her neck- likely to draw comfort from the familiar magical properties it emitted.
Eyes noted the presence of her amulet. He nodded a little to himself. He stepped into the circle, mindful of not breaking the line he'd formed. It was large enough for him to sit in with his legs crossed. That's exactly what he did. He looked up at the elf when he was situated. "Are you ready, Lydia? That is the only question that remains."
Fingertips toyed with the white-gold chain of her amulet before she slowly shook her head. "No." It was a quiet, honest response. She wasn't really sure she'd ever feel ready for this, however. Lydia took a tentative step from the doorway and over towards Soerl. She didn't cross the barrier of sand between them, though, as she knelt down to better face him. "What will it be like?" She was uncertain if he'd even know, but it seemed like a good idea to ask. The more she knew, the better she could prepare herself.
"I can't say for certain. Most books describe any realm of the dead to be cold and dark. I don't know much else, I'm afraid." He shook his head a little bit. He didn't comment on her answer to his question. He glanced over to the open book nearby, for just a moment, then back to Lydia.
Cold and dark. She found that fact to be unsurprising. Biting at her lower lip, she nodded. "I- I've never even seen Maria before. I could walk right by her and not even know it's her." This fact and fear made her frown.
"You know her voice, though." An easy assumption to make. "I'm afraid I can't help you with that, love. You'll have to find a way to locate and recognize her. This spell and communicating with you are about the limit of my strength."
Lydia had also heard descriptions from other people. Blonde and beautiful, with vivid purple eyes - a result of glamour. It seemed unlikely that would hold up wherever she was at now, though. It struck her more likely they would be their natural color. Brown. "You've done so much already... it's okay." She mustered up a very faint smile before suddenly pushing up from her kneel to stand. "I had almost forgotten." Her hand lowered from the necklace she wore, to slip in a pocket. A moment later she pulled out a small ivory envelope that hadn't even been sealed. "I wrote this for you." Rather than offer it over to Soerl, or set it down inside his circle, she turned to set it down on the arm of a nearby chair. "...just in case." Words were barely audible, even to her own ears, but she was certain his acute sense would pick up on it.
He was quiet for a long moment. He had heard her words, despite how quietly they had been spoken. He lowered his eyes for a moment. There was that risk. The minstrel's head dipped into a nod and he glanced at the envelope briefly. Emerald eyes returned to Lydia. "Stand back." No sense in delaying, he figured.
Wordlessly, she obliged to his words. Taking a few steps over and to the side, she lingered near the doorway that lead to her bedroom, simply watching Soerl.
When Lydia had moved away, the minstrel shut his eyes. He interlaced the fingers on his own hands. The runes drawn on the top of both hands began to glow a dim, black color. Words were whispered in another language. Drow, Draconic... hard to tell most likely. As the words slipped past his lips, inky trails slid up and along his arms. The trails connected with the runes on his chest, which also began to glow. He kept whispering, more fervently with each phrase that passed. A small rift began to open. Like a hole in the very air. His book began to float. The runes there also began to glow, in the same dismal color.
Whatever words Soerl spoke were lost upon her. She barely registered they weren't of the common tongue, as she was busy watching the trails spread over his body, wide eyed. Soon, her gaze turned to the opening rift. It seemed so very surreal. There was still part of her that wasn't ready, and that never would be. In her mind so much could go wrong, and the better choice was simply to turn and run out of the house, away from that rift. But that wasn't the right choice for her, at this point. Running never helped, nor did suppressing her feelings of guilt. They always managed to resurface and tear away at her. Her feet felt rather heavy as she stepped forward, a little closer to the rift. Swallowing back a lump in her throat, she touched the emerald embedded in her amulet, which made it glow faintly.
Words continued to flow. He was unaware of his surroundings at all. The runes in the book sprang to life from the pages. They became larger, enough to be seen in the air. Black mana flared around them as a similar ink-like trail began to connect the floating runes. Five on the left, five on the right, two above the rest. Like a doorway. The rift opened up completely. For a moment, it was rather loud. Howling like the wind would during a storm. There was a flash of emerald energy. It arced like electricity would, connecting all the runes again. Once it had, there was a dull boom. The portal silenced and stabilized. A hole of darkness.
Lydia wanted to step back when things grew loud, but she was rooted to the spot. The dull boom her her wincing a good deal, as it was reminiscent of thunder - something she rather feared. She watched the runes and the emerald energy, brows slightly furrowed. Even when things had all stabilized, it took her a few rather long moments before she could step forward again, closer to the hole. Raising her arm, she reached out to touch it, but it soon fell back to her side. Doubts and overwhelming fear of what lied on the other side started to surface within. If she hesitated anymore she wouldn't be able to do this. So it was now or never. Breathing in deeply, she shut her eyes. A large step was taken forward, enough to move all the way into the dark cleft.