[Global] End Game.

[Muse]

U'Frek

"Conscience is a man's compass." - Vincent Van Gogh

It was hard to discern when everything changed, but as the four considered what would be next, a salt breeze whipped their hair and gnawed through their clothes. Sand shifted beneath their feet and somehow the corridor faded into an open landscape of sand dunes on one side, a wide stretch of pale, windswept beach, and a dark ocean lapping on the shore. There were no moons above them, but more stars than any of the four together could have collectively imagined twinkled in their predictable courses overhead. Colors shifted across the sky like magical clouds—a beautiful aurora that danced between green and yellow and violet hues.

It was idyllic, the place that they stood: a true dreamlike landscape as if stolen from some painting. The waves crashed on shore with a comforting rhythm, white surf rolling over the sand and then retreating again.

There was no one else in sight but the four of them once Jesine took her leave somewhere in the middle of their wandering, and it felt as though there was nothing for them to do or anyone to greet them. Just as the four began to wonder what they were doing out here at all, a hulking luminescent shape filled their vision on the shore—a large, whale-like creature lay where the surf washed over the pale sand, glowing softly with almost constellation-like patterns adorning its thick, moist skin. It was breathing, wheezing almost, from nostrils on top of its massive head like any other whale, but then it did something most whales didn’t do: it spoke.



"Ah, Finally Someone Has Come To My Aid!"

A deep, melodic rumble of a voice reached their ears, a baritone song that held meaning. The Luminescent Leviathan hummed and everyone on the beach felt their chests vibrate with the unfathomable depths of its musical form of speech. Strangely enough, the four could still understand the words even without knowing the language, as if the act of singing somehow made the creature’s tongue universal in their hearts, "Friends And Enemies Of Immortals, Both, But Here You Are In Emea’s Embrace. While Keeping Nightmares At Bay For My Lord, U’Frek, I’ve Found Myself Tossed From The Sea, And If I’m To Light The Way For You, I Must Be Returned To It."

Clearly, the glowing beast of the sea was stranded and despite its obvious power, somehow incapable of rolling itself back into the waves. Or unwilling for a particular reason. The four of them would have to work together if they wanted any chance of this creature returning to the water, for it was awkward and so incredibly large that no one or two of them could possibly accomplish it alone, no matter how much they may have wanted to:

"My Master Awaits You All. Before You Say It First, Yes, He Could Aid Me In Your Stead, But I Suspect He Knew Just What To Do With Me—For Your Own Edifications, Of Course. I Can Offer One Thing To Each Of You—An Item, Such As Rope Or An Ability Such As Strength. But Only One Such Desire Each. Come And Look Me In The Eye, Then These Tears Down My Smooth Glowing Cheeks Will Grant For You Your Request. What Can You Do As Four That I Cannot As One?"

!

Message from: Muse

Alright, friends. The Luminescent Leviathan is a beached whale in need of your assistance. This will require teamwork. You can each come up with one item or ability, within reason, and then you must use those things together to attempt to move the whale. Please discuss amongst yourselves either through PM or another means of communication and include me in your request—each of you or one of you, please PM me with your requests from the Luminescent Leviathan and a plan for me on how it will work together. I will give you each a response in a PM and then you can post your replies for the conclusion of this trial.

[Tio Silver]

Whatever concern Tio felt over the knowingly sympathetic smile the bird lady shot him was quickly washed away by the peck on the cheek she gave him. He hadn't noticed before, but up close their guide actually looked pretty exhausted. Just who was she anyway to be known by all these Immortals but seemingly independent from all of them? As she mentioned that Arlo had also met the fortune teller he turned to him with a sparkling look.

“No way! You met Joelle too! Did she give you a card that never seems to disappear from your person as well?” He fished his own out of his jacket pocket. “Looky here, I got The Star! Pretty cool right?! I was expecting to get the devil, but this one strangely suits me I think.”

Then the events in Delroth’s challenge came to pass. “Ouch! Scathing!” Tio replied with mock hurt at Vivian’s comment, holding a hand over his heart as if someone had shot an arrow into it. Despite his acting the cheshire grin on his face never faltered for a moment; in fact if anything it grew a little larger. It was always more fun when people played along with his games. “Dignity’s overrated.” He declared as he shamelessly scooped the gold seeds Nauta had clumsily dropped off the floor. “Life is so much easier when you live for your own enjoyment instead of caring about appearances. Why be prude when you could have fun after all? I tell you what, when this is all over why not come have a drink with me and I'll show you how? I'm sure Ilaren would approve.”

It was something of a relief to find that he hadn't lost his touch. Although Delroth explained that he still could have done a little bit better, Tio still earned the most charms out of the group and could thus be seen as the winner of this round. As his patron explained what his charms could do Tio gripped on to one of them intently, and just as described a refreshing breeze washed over him like a soothing blanket. It didn't last long, but when it had gone Tio was overjoyed to find that the deriding voices in his head and the guilty feeling had been blown away with it.

“Oh yeah! Tio’s back in the game!” He declared, pumping a fist in the air. This contest was going to be a hell of a lot easier when he didn't feel like moping every other break.

As they walked out of the room again and into the hallway the bird lady reappeared, asking them to air any questions they had. Well she asked for it. Tio took a deep breath, and then in one unending sentence asked every question he had. “Who are you, why do you look so tired, can the Immortals see us as we do this, what about the Immortals whose champions didn't make it this far, who are the other Immortals who took place in this game, was one of them Syroa, can you say hi to her for me, where the hell are we exactly, what happened to the contestants who didn't get this far, do I look hot in this coat or am I just being vain, can I share the prize with my old teammates, is Cassion really as cool as they say he is?” He paused to catch his breath again as he started to wheeze slightly. “Oh yeah, and did those offerings we gave at the start have any kind of deeper meaning to them?”

The hallway blurred into a beach before them, and suddenly Tio found himself standing before a gigantic luminescent whale. The whale sang in a way that Tio could somehow understand as words, explaining that their task would require them to work as a team to return him to the beach.

“Alright team! Huddle!” Tio announced, pulling the three others into a huddle. “Now here's the plan: I wish for an enormous bird to carry the whale off to eat, and you guys wish for cannons to shoot it down with.”

He didn't really expect his plan to be taken seriously, but he did at least like to think it broke some of the ice between them. When the actual plan was suggested he approached the whale and asked that the four of them all be granted immense strength, and then followed the orders of whoever took charge of this project.

[/align]

[Arlo Creede]

Had you perhaps been raised to give due compliment, Delroth had said coldly to him, once the Immortal had somewhat begrudgingly looped a chain round Arlo's neck. Raised to give due compliment? Was that a sideways jab at his upbringing? The equivalent of your mother wears militia boots? Arlo contained the offense behind a put on smile and a deep nod of thanks. Even a spoken word of gratitude as the Immortal moved on to the next. Still, his own mother, rest her soul. Those were fighting words, except he guessed when uttered by an Immortal maybe that could squash his mortal critics like a bug.

They were back in the hallway then, back by Jesine's side and she stopped and showed them the tile on the floor. It looked mostly like any other, but was meaningful in its own way. Halfway to him, Cassion, surely. Tio meanwhile seemed to be back to his old self, at least the one Arlo recognized him to be from past experience, and was as braggadocious, self assured and, well in this case talkative as ever. Arlo had to admit that while they weren't necessarily the closest of confidants, he might not recognize Tio any other way. He had indeed met the fortuneteller and as proof, he pulled a card out of his pocket and showed it to Tio with a shrug, a bit of a grin. "Go figure. The fool."

As for questions, once he was able to slide a word in edgewise, Arlo turned to Jesine and asked, "I've always been curious. Immortals themselves dream, yes?" he wondered. "What sort of things do they dream about. And you, what do you dream about?" Emea after all was their guide's domain. But surely like anyone else, she was a dreamer too?

Once she ushered them out of her presence again, Arlo knew exactly where they were. Or more specifically, in whose domain. One of the blessings upon him left him predisposed in a sense, and besides, he was here competing in this place, in U'rek's name. In fact while it faint enough that others not looking closely could easily miss it, a multi-colored aura surrounded Arlo, not unlike the swirling aurora in the nighttime sky. Even though at first glance, it seemed as if U'frek was nowhere to be seen, as soon as the spotted the leviathan and it spoke to them, Arlo suspected that the Immortal was in fact, in a sense, right there. And if not? Close enough. He dipped hid head deeply in respect. "It's an honor," he said.

So they had a task put before them. To return the starlit leviathan to deep enough waters. Together, that was, and they needed a plan. Not the first that Tio proposed naturally, but a plan all the same and so whoever was inclined to huddle, huddled until a plan came together. When Arlo emerged from it, he had a request of his own for the leviathan. A portal of sorts. In effect, safe passage for those who chose to take part in the plan, so that when and if it became necessary, they'd have a safe, quick way back to shore. It might come in handy. Who knew if any of them were sufficiently good at swimming?

Arlo didn't consider himself to be in charge at all. But so far as the plan that was hatched, he had his part to play. So first he'd fish from out his domain bag, the rope that was part of his climber's kit. He used it, along with some soft bandages for padding and whatever help that was offered to help speed up the process, to create a net-like harness, much like a girdle or corset round the leviathan, much of it centered round the area in front of the flukes. For now it would give those inclined some leverage, something to hold onto. But easily cut away again when the leviathan was freed.

Then? It only seemed appropriate to use one of the very gifts and abilities that had come with U'frek's blessing. Poetic, even. So with hands holding fast to the harness, Arlo turned his gaze to the sea and out of otherwise calm waters, brought up a wave, a swell fifteen feet above the surface that if timed right, ought curl and tumble over them just so, then with their help lift the leviathan up and carry it out again to deeper waters. While all who would, could hold tight and dig in, pulling with all their strength, seaward of course rather than further towards the shore.

[Vivian Shiryu]

Vivian didn't respond to the vain Immortals bruised ego. In truth, she considered him, her competitors, and the other Immortals involved to all be enemies. As such, she felt she was giving them far more courtesy than she normally did. She hadn't attacked a single one of them, after all. She did, however, bow when he gave her the charm. It was only polite, after all, to show gratitude when someone bestowed a gift, even if the bestower was both a stuck up prick and an enemy. However, she didn't react to it at all.

Their guide picked them up after that and she followed her out of the room. When their guide asked them if they had any other questions, Vivian decided it was time to stomach her pride. "I do have a...few questions. Namely, who and what was the vain one we just met? Or the other Immortals involved? I know about Ilaren and Faldrun because I'm Rharnian, and I know Xiur's name and Domains because I used to be a Skyrider, but outside of that, I don't know anything about any of the Immortals." she said, her expression wry. She really should have visited the library before all this.

Then came time to deal with the large beached...animal. She didn't know much about sea life and she was visibly uncomfortable being this close to the ocean, and the closest she got, the more obviously nervous she got. When the cocky man called a huddle, and she had ignored his offer back in the vain Immortals room, she stood with the others, then rolled her eyes at his plan. The plan was to use a big wave to get the fish back out to sea, and she was immensely grateful for Tio's request of strength. She helped get the two men get the harness on the fish, lending her rapier to any cutting that needed to be done, then gripped the harness hard as the wave was called in.

Then, as the wave approached, she gripped the harness harder and bit down her rising panic. And then a thought occurred to her, that they didn't know how long the wave would keep the fish underwater. "Can you make it so we can breathe underwater?" she said in a rushed voice as the wave approached. Then she shut her eyes and held on as tightly as possible, hoping that the impossible would happen and they wouldn't go underwater at all.

[Nauta F'mos Geey]

As he was not the theatrical sort, there was no thinking 'save the best for last' but the aukari felt he may have went too far in his attempt to demoralize Tio. It may even have the opposite effect because of how the other cheerfully handled it making it as though Nauta kicked a puppy which did not know better with Tio ending up the bigger man for it. The only thing Nauta could do was swallow his pride and point out the gold off the ground which would cover any expense sufficed as Silver's treat- an implied acceptance to the offer. No reason for him to seem like a bigger dick than he already was.

Still it was the biggest dick in the room able to make Nauta suffer significantly and yet the outcome was better than expected. "Thank... you...?" was all the aukari managed to say, clearly still confused with his treatment given the harshness Delroth had for the others save his own representative. There was one thing the immortal which made sense however; the idea they were equals was an absurd concept. At least one of them has worked to not depart from his own nature instead of allowing it dictate his life, his identity and whatever else, and it was clear which one of them was superior because of it.

Although Nauta would not say that. There was a difference between knowing to wear a thick coat in Zida out of necessity and, running naked in the open during the season despite the risks involved.

By comparison their guide and the reinvigorated Silver made for better company. Their conversations were interesting enough for Nauta to take note of even if some, like Arlo's, had no relation to the game- except the other woman's questions of course. Nauta simply rolled his eyes at her questions with answers she should already know if she paid attention. He already asked of the immortals involved at the start. Clearly this woman did not care about her fellow competitors or she would have known it but at least, she might just continue to rudely ignore all other questions by the other competitors and deprive herself of any benefit.

This made it easier for Nauta to ask the question on his mind since they left Illaren's. While it could provide him with an advantage, it could also increase the friction between the other competitors which made him want to wait to surmise which outcome was more likely but Jesine made the decision for him in prohibiting secret questions. He ended up asking anyway, "what is Cassion's gambit? And I don't mean story." He felt their guide knew more than she let on or at least behaved in a way to suggest that. This being important for his own participation meant Nauta would continue with the questions to learn Cassion's endgame and the risky measures he took to ensure it, until it is clear their guide had nothing left to say.

Then they found the whale. Not the strangest thing the alchemist found as he became more interested in the beach. The other immortals were found under more... ordinary conditions by comparison. He was studying the pale sand and collecting samples when the whale spoke which finally got his attention and immediately one concern was clear. "If you're here, are Nightmares free to come?" He knew any encounter with Nightmares was bad and they had to get the leviathan back into the water quickly. Fortunately with no sign of their presence the group could focus on their one task.

To get the leviathan back into the water.

Nauta reluctantly got into the huddle as he knew it was better than to spread out their efforts or worse, have them interfere with one another. Being the meticulous sort and pretty darned imaginative as required by his craft, the chefemist easily found some things lacking in the plan which came quite quickly to him. Tio's suggestion while not viable was a good start which regrettably was abandoned just as quickly. When he tried to say they should make full use of the Leviathan's assistance, he was shut down by the rude woman who said he made no sense. When he tried to bring up the plan's weaknesses, again\ she shut him down by saying he was wasting the group's time with no suggestions of his own.

He sighed, resigned to letting the group have their plan. The aukari was better suited to working in the background anyway. Under the banner of cooperation he told the rest they could pull if they wanted to but he will push the leviathan from back where it was safe from being squashed by or pushed out into the ocean by the enormous beast and, a lesser chance of the tide pushing the leviathan further up shore. It was disappointing none listened to refine the plan further as they were too engrossed in their own which meant he had fix the problems by himself.

Like Tio and Arlo before him, Nauta looked the leviathan straight in the eye with his wish. While the group prepared, Nauta too prepared with his equipment safely secured before he ducked out of sight. The moment Arlo initiated the plan, Nauta followed in the most stupendous of ways as he rushed towards the water past the leviathan and group with as much strength he could muster. His destination? The ocean the wave would come from. Used with the wish granted by the leviathan, big Nauta closely followed behind the wave with all his efforts invested into making it bigger and stronger in hopes it would be enough.

Like a beacon, the giant in the sky became an indicator for the wave's approach until he was closed into the leviathan and had to break away to get behind it. He was not even sure if he was strong enough with the leviathan's gifts but he made the effort to push the beast forward though it was just as easy for him to abandon it should it become obvious he would get dragged down because of it. After that, it was only a matter of guiding the leviathan past the shallow waters he hears and then hopefully the last thing. Getting his so called 'teammates' out of the water if they failed with the portal for whatever reason.

[Muse]

U'Frek

"Conscience is a man's compass." - Vincent Van Gogh

The Luminescent Leviathan was infinitely patient as the four travelers discussed their ideas for its rescue, large eyes watching, huge body heaving for breath loudly with a wheezing baritone. The waves lapped on the shore, brushing its tail and glowing belly, and finally, the four presented their plan.

Warily the ginormous creature let a single eye wash over Tio, the Yludih perhaps a bit ahead of his time and ambitions. But it said nothing, only snorted steam through the nostrils on top of its head.

When Arlo and the others began to attempt to wrap it in a harness, the Luminescent Leviathan proved itself to be unimaginably larger than anticipated, stretching the young man's creativity with just how to secure the glowing beast, especially once it proved difficult to get underneath its beached girth. It attempted to assist, actually having the nerve to laugh with a raspy, deep rumble at the brush of rope and hands along its smooth, drying skin. The leviathan was almost electric to the touch, the luminescent bits tingly with an energy no one could quite comprehend.

The tears that fell from its eyes at the four's requests were luminescent, like little auroras washing over their hand, pooling into a small marble-sized sphere that was hard like a pearl. When each one of them wrapped their fingers around it, they felt the same tingling as when their hands brushed over the glowing beast's strangely rubbery, smooth skin. Tingling.

Tio would feel the tingling travel up his limbs, filling him with a cool but electric sensation, tensing his muscles for a trill or two with a surge of power and strength. He knew his request had been granted.

Vivian curled her hand into a nervous fist around her Tear, and everyone in the group could feel their chests burn like they'd swallowed salt water, their lungs swelling for a moment with air. It was uncomfortable: just breathing air suddenly felt strange, difficult as if they'd been running too hard and too fast, but their lungs were now capable of both receiving what was necessary.

Lastly, just as the water began to surge, the group able to see the inky black water beyond the beach that reflected the beautiful aurora overhead rose far out to sea, Nauta also closed his hand around his Tear and suddenly a bat grew, and grew, and grew until the Aukari rivaled the Luminescent Leviathan in height. He was huge, towering over the other three and the glowing creature. The giant bat began to flap out into the darkness of the sea, and for a moment it almost looked as though he was just going to disappear into the aurora-lit darkness.

The water swelled and everyone could feel the pull as if somehow here in U'Frek's Domain, they were connected to the water.

"I Recommend You Hold On Tight, Mortals." The Leviathan thundered as if it felt the ripple of Arlo's intentions, the tide washing out swiftly from the shore as the young man began to summon the wave. Just as Nauta had grown and grown in size, the wave that would have normally been about fifteen feet or so grew and grew, the Luminescent Leviathan laughing again with a deep wheezing sound that reverberated through the air and their fleshy bodies. Black water rose and rose into a wave, stopping Vivian's heart in her chest and forcing Nauta to flap higher, the buffet of his wings pushing the wave forward with great force.

Tio felt his body surge with power, too, almost as if the Leviathan was aware of what was coming, and almost instinctually began to drag the whale toward the sea in anticipation of what was coming, pulling the luminescent beast one step at a time toward deeper waters. Perhaps too bad someone hadn't wished to weigh enough to hold everyone down, for when the wave crashed upon them, only Tio was able to hold on, the force of cold, black water ripped them from their places and dragged them first up the shore and then back into the deep, sucking the laughing glowing creature and everyone with it.

Had anyone been able to hear above the rush of water, the Luminescent Leviathan may have made a noise that sounded very much like, "Whee!" But, given the wall of black that crashed over them, it was hard to tell. It could have been a trick of their minds.

They could breathe, though, even as the dark water stung their nostrils it didn't hurt their lungs, and where swallowing so much liquid may have been fatal, it wasn't thanks to Vivian's wish. They were still tossed under the black, cold sea and it was somewhat disorienting, frightening, and strange. Suspended in what felt like nothingness for a few bits or two, dragged by currents, it was only because of. Vivian's wish that no one drowned. Luckily, the light of the auroras dancing overhead guided Arlo and Vivian back to the surface where Nauta's massive shape could be seen flapping. Tio dangled comfortably from the netting around the Leviathan like a little child holding his mother's hand, his strength allowing him the grip to not let go.

Just like that, the sea was calm again and the glowing beast was floating lazily in the water where he belonged, and Arlo managed to hold onto his Tear, which snapped a bright blue portal open within dog paddling distance from Vivian and within swimming distance of everyone else,

"And Thus You Worked Together And I Am Back At Sea. My Tears Are Yours To Keep, And One More Time Will They Do What You Asked Of Me, So Keep Them Wisely." The Luminescent Leviathan's voice rumbled through the water even as everyone cut the glowing creature free and made their way to the portal, unafraid of drowning, "My Master Waits Upon The Shore To Weigh Your Choices."

Tio found his strength fading and Nauta found his size swiftly returning to normal, giving them a chance to slip into the portal and end up back on shore in a flash of blue like the Leviathan's glow. There on shore stood an ordinary sailor dressed plainly, his auburn hair and pale eyes marking Him for who He was for those who knew,

"While a ship's crew is often made up of many different individuals with different goals and seeking glory for themselves alone, they are forced to work together to sail and survive at sea. My Guardian was a similar situation, and I see He is back to his Purpose. Thank you. Now," U'Frek chuckled then, glancing at the four in turn as he spoke to them, revealing he'd been aware of their actions in his Domain the entire time,

"I appreciate that none of you made th choice to kill my Servant, tempting though perhaps it was." His pale gaze that almost made him look blind washed over Tio for a moment with a smirk, and then the Immortal continued. As he spoke, each of their Tears swirled with the same colors of the auroras overhead,

"Tio chose Strength, the most basic of needs for this challenge, and one that required the help of others to succeed. Despite your sharp tongue, you recognize that you cannot succeed alone. Nauta, also, chose Size, obviously inspired by my Luminescent Friend, and while you considered being the anchor, you made the right choice to become wind in the sails of your companions. Vivian, fear held you but you also thought of your companions, and had you not made your Wish, perhaps your fears would have come true for more than one of your crew. And Arlo, you and Nauta both, thought outside what my Servant offered to also make use of what you already had—such resourcefulness is a welcome gift aboard any seafaring adventure. Here, there was no failure. Together, you all succeeded, though perhaps you've gained a Reward—knowing better your Allies or your Enemies. Remember these things, even when only one of you claims Victory over the others for your Patron."

U'Frek grinned then, aware of the nature of their presence here, and swept his hand down the beach, "Go."

The auroras above danced and flowed in the direction of his pointing, guiding them along their next path toward what could have been a door among some rocks on the shore.

A little unconventional character exploration here, and I hope you all enjoyed it. Perhaps, as U'Frek said, you have all been armed with a bit of knowledge about each other for the final rounds of your competition.

Each of your Tears are yours to keep and they have one use each:

Tio - Your Luminescent Tear grants Tio inhuman strength for half a break. He can lift rocks and boulders, toss them, rip animals and people apart. His strength is equivalent to being able to drag a blue whale across a beach, if you can imagine that.

Vivian - Your Luminescent Tear grants you the ability to breathe under water for an entire break. Any kind of water is as air to you—salt or fresh—and you can come to the surface, but once you touch land, the Tear's powers end even if the break is not up.

Nauta - Your Luminescent Tear grants you the ability to grow to unusual size, about 20' tall, for half a break. It doesn't give you extra strength or speed, for such an unusual size makes you more clumsy and awkward. But you have all the other benefits of being a giant.

Arlo - Your Luminescent Tear can be used to open one portal between any two places you have seen before, no matter the distance. You must know well the two locations, well enough to picture them in your mind. The portal can be used for 30 seconds, and more than one person can pass through it before it closes. Persons or objects partially in the portal are not harmed or destroyed, just spit back into the place of origin, regardless of consequence.

I hope you all enjoyed your little Emean team building exercise! Now go wreck each other for the win!

[Pegasus]

2nd Cylus 718

The tinkling of Jesine's laughter was heard as Tio shot out a barrage of questions. She looked at him, and him only, and she replied. "I am Jesine, daughter of Vri and I always look like this. Yes and yes, even them if they choose to. I'm not going to tell you that because it might reveal allegiances others would rather keep quiet but sure, I'll tell her you said that. You're in Emea, in the Corridor Between. I'd like to say I ate them but nothing, they're just living their lives. You're being vain and what you do with the prize is up to you that's from your sponsor Immortal, no one else and yes, he really is" She looked at him and when he asked about the offerings, she nodded. "They might. It depends on you and what you do. They are what you willingly gave and I hope you don't put us in a situation where we need to sadly accept."

In stark contrast to Tio's barrage of questions, Arlo had relatively few and Jesine looked at him and smiled. "I would no more share the story of an Immortals dream than I would share yours with others, Arlo. But I dream of rest." She wouldn't tell him what Immortals dream, because it was not quite as straightforward as that, but even if it was? She would not sure details. As for Vivian, Jesine looked at her and for a moment wore an expression a mother might with a child.

"That was Delroth, whose Domains are Birds, Wind, Vanity and Greed. U'frek is Navigation, Water and Auroras. But yes, you should know them. They are part of your existence, after all." However, Nauta's question caused her to stop walking and turn to him. "I don't know," she said and, her face seemed puzzled. "why would I know the workings of another's soul? He seeks the key, which is of no use to anyone save him. He chose to turn getting it into an adventure, a story, a test and challenge. Apparently, anything else is boring." Jesine smiled slightly. "I suspect he might just be able to go and get it himself but it occurred to him to do this, and so he has. Or maybe, he needs mortals. I honestly don't know. All I do know is that I am the Escort here. The Guide. We're playing a game." Such concern, her expression seemed to say. Why were they all so worried?
There was no more time for questions, then, as the world faded into something else. When U'frek's challenge was over and they stepped on the sandy beach which, as they approached the rocks became more and more even and floor-like, they soon found their footsteps falling once more in the Corridor Between.

Each now with a Luminescent Tear and there Jesine stood, waiting for them as they stepped out. She smiled at them and gestured. As they walked, this time, she was quiet but if they spoke to her, she replied. When the journey was about half way, judging by how long it had been before, she asked apparently from nowhere. "If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?" It seemed like an important question to her.

They walked, their footsteps echoing and the light from the stained glass windows faded into the darker hues of dusk, casting shadows and light on the ground in muted patterns. And then, before them, was a door. Jesine smiled at them all and then she gestured. For the first time, she spoke as they moved forward, "Good luck." She thought that they were probably going to need it.

OOC Info

!

Message from: Pegasus

Rules / Things to Know: You are now, very firmly IN Emea. THANK YOU! To Whisper for her portrayal of Ilaren, Maltruism for Delroth and Muse for U'frek!!! Please DO NOT POST! - Your fourth and final task is about to be posted by the next cameo appearance in this thread!! Keep watching. PLEASE NOTE: All effects from previous tasks are still in effect. I'm going to post again on the 17th March. I might post sooner if everyone has posted. DO NOT POST UNTIL AFTER THE NEXT MOD HAS! If you miss a round of posting, you will incur a disadvantage It is very important that I am clear. Actions in this thread have consequences. Everything from where you sit to what you say to.. well, you get it. Where an action has to possibility for giving players advantages / disadvantages (as a number do in this post) I will share that with another mod to verify BEFORE you post.

Objectives

I will be utilising the "Secret / Hidden Objectives" format and there will be, in some posts, an OOC "task" or "goal" etc. I will differentiate between must do objectives, and can do objectives.
In your next post: Must Do: Answer Jesine's question and please PM me or put an OOC in your post telling me whether your answer was Truth (Surface or Deep) or a Lie.
Can Do: None

There are two hidden objectives in the next round.

Currently

Name	Current Advantages/Resources	Current Disadvantages/Drains
Tio	3 x Delroth Charms	He Chose Poorly
Arlo	Silver from the WestIlaren's TestGood Questions!2 x Delroth Charms	Neutral
Vivian	Ilaren's Test1 x Delroth Charms	Neutral
Nauta	Lucky LastIlaren's TestGood Questions!3 x Delroth Charms	Neutral

[Whisper]

Leaving the Challenge of U’frek, the quartet of adventurers would find themselves not in a room, but in a sea of rolling sand and long grass. It was clearly night, with Xiur’s stars twinkling above, and Treid’s moons casting light on the silhouettes of barren trees in the distance. The wind caught against the four, the hills of sand acting as a wind tunnel, focusing the chilled air upon their backs. The dim flicker of a campfire in the distance - the only clue guiding the group’s next move - looked warm and inviting.

As the four champions approached, they would hear the sound of laughter, made all the sweeter by the sweet melody of music. Closer still and they would see three girls bathed in the firelight, dancing to the music which seemed to have no source, no matter how much the challengers looked for it. The dancers themselves seemed unaffected by the cold - no surprising feat, as each mortal would soon notice the chill leaving their own skin.

The quartet would remain unnoticed for a few moments, before one of the dancers realised their audience, and broke away from the group, skipping over to them wish such grace that she appeared to float across ground. “Welcome!” The excitement in her tone mirrored the bright sparkle in her eyes, and she reached forward, grabbing the two central challengers - which happened to be Nauta and Arlo - and pulled them towards the camp fire, expecting the other two to follow. There were logs around the fire, large enough to fit two abreast.

The remaining two dancers were quick to approach, each smiling as if their heart’s deepest desires had come true at the arrival of the quartet of Immortal champions. “Please, sit! There is food and drink - far too much for us to eat alone. You must be weary, rest a while, have your fill.” Once all four were settled, kind words and the promise of peace soothing their hearts, the dancers, with mirth and joy radiating off them in waves, would return to their own pleasures.

As the three girls began to dance anew, their hips swayed, and they started humming in time with the music. The dancers moved like water transformed by music, or ribbons in the wind, flowing in graceful arcs, limbs in constant motion. One of the dancers, pulling out a tambourine from seemingly nowhere, started to tap it in time with the music. For the mortals, likely watching with intense gazes, soon it feels as if their heartbeats are also in time with the music. The dancers themselves are so in sync with the music, bringing a wordless interpretation of the soft strumming of an invisible lyre, the beat of absent drums. With each alluring twist of their hips, they told a story: one of entrapment and beauty.

Eventually, the music slowed to a more sombre tune, and the three dancers sauntered over to the benches and sat on a single log opposite the travellers. Now they were seated, the mortals would be better able to see the women, though no apt description could be provided for them, beyond infallible beauty. Each of the three women were identical, though would appear different to the four champions: visions of what represented the pinnacle of female beauty to each of them. They were Edasha, or… one of them was. The question was… which?

They smiled, with knowing looks as the mortals were no doubt gazing on in wonder, though some might hold a modicum of suspicion in their eyes. “Everyone has beauty, though not everyone can see it, fair wanderers.” They spoke in tandem, their voices soft and melodious. “What is beauty to you? What do you see when you look at us? How can you spy beauty beyond the infallible? You each will be allowed one question, to understand how we perceive beauty, and we will answer that and that alone.”

!	Message from: Whisper
	I’m back, my pretties! This task is slightly more complex and cannot be justifiably completed in a single round of posting, though each round is important and will affect your consequences. For this round, Edasha is asking for: What your character sees when s/he looks at the women. What question s/he wants to ask of her. Why s/he is asking this question.

[Tio Silver]

The strength that rushed through his veins in response to the wish he asked of the whale was invigorating to say the least! What a rush! He felt like he could crush a boulder with his bare hands! As the towering wave summoned by Arlo rushed towards them Tio grabbed ahold of the relevant ropes and, with a herculean heave, began to drag the whale down the beach towards it. The moment before the wave crashed down on top of him he dug his feet as deep into the sand as he could and braced for impact.

This was going to be fun.

The wall of water hit him like a collapsing building, uprooting his feet from the beach and sending him flying backwards. Luckily Vivian's wish allowed him to breathe beneath the ocean with nothing more than an unpleasantly salty taste in his mouth, and the almighty strength granted to him allowed him to keep hold of the rope tied around the whale, which laughed heartily as the currents swept it up. The raging waters pulled him in every which direction for a good bit or two before they eventually started to calm down, and using Arlo's portal Tio was able to return to dry land.

With sopping wet clothes and shoes sloshing with water a thoroughly bedraggled looking Tio stumbled back onto the beach, chuckling to himself as the exhilaration and adrenaline began to drain from his system. Waiting for them on the beach was a man dressed as a sailor, with auburn hair and the pale eyes of a blind person. So this was the master the leviathan spoke of then: this was U'Frek! He looked surprisingly ordinary for an Immortal, definitely the most humbly dressed of the few he'd had the pleasure of meeting so far. It suited him though, just like such clothes suited the Biqaj.

The Lord of Water congratulated them on working together, but for some reason cast a glance over at him as he thanked them for not killing the whale. Wait, what was that supposed to mean? Did U'Frek think he was the type of person who went around killing sentient creatures for no good reason? That was harsh. A pirate he may be, but Tio had never killed another person before and intended to keep it that way. Had his chosen career made U'Frek dislike him?

For his reward for this trial Tio received another tear from the whale that would fill him with divine strength. With a final farewell from U'Frek the beach faded back into the Corridor Between, and once again the bird lady-... no, Jesine he reminded himself, was waiting for them. Tio had heard stories that the children of the Immortals lived within the world of man, possessing divine powers that made them legendary heroes and villains, but he'd always though they were just that: stories. It was quite remarkable to discover that these beings were real after all. If it really was possible for a mortal coil to house divine power without a mark to regulate it then it made him wonder what else a mortal could become under the right conditions.

Jesine led them down the corridor again, this time asking them a question instead of offering answers. Tio thought about it for a moment, then sped up so he was right next to her and whispered his answer into her ear so that only she could hear him.

"I'd have been born a human."

Then he slipped back again, rejoining the other contenders and shooting her a small, secretive smile as he brought a finger up to his lips in a gesture of silence. "Sssh, don't tell anybody else, okay? It's a secret. A little dream of mine."

The Corridor Between faded again, and this time Tio found himself in a picturesque field of sand and grass. The starlight from the night's sky barely illuminated the forms of three women frolicking around a campfire to the sound of disembodied music. When they saw the contenders the three women practically dragged them over to the fire in their enthusiasm, and bade them to eat and drink their fill of the fine foods displayed about the place. Well now, this trial was turning out to be the most pleasant one by far. Who could say no to such welcome hospitality after all? With a word of thanks to each of the three women Tio helped himself to a slice of cake and a glass of wine, then watched as the trinity began to dance once again.

If he had to choose a single word to sum up their performance, Tio would have described it as spellbinding. There was an easy, frivolous grace to their movements that seemed to cast an enchantment over his eyes, and the rest of the food and drink on offer was forgotten as the yludih found himself unable to look away. Even though he'd yet to get a clear look at them Tio could tell without a doubt that these three women were absolutely beautiful.

Eventually the dancing came to a stop, and Tio's suspicion was confirmed as the trinity came to sit with them by the fire, revealing their faces and the fact that they were apparently triplets. Each of them had hair as blonde as gold, straight and fine, that flowed down to their shoulders except for a single thin bang of jet black that fell just beside their fringe. Their skin was a milky white, kissed by the sun until it was tanned just enough to seem lightly dusted in gold, and was sparingly covered by thin black dressing gowns that only just hid their generous proportions. Rich, full red lips seemed to be fixed up in a teasing smile that showed pearly white teeth. Yet of all their perfect features it was none of these that stood out the most, but something of an entirely different nature.

Abs.

Abs of steel. All three of them had a six pack so defined you could probably shred meat on them, along with other lithe, well defined muscles that glistened like gems on their long limbs. The women looked like they could bench press a tree just as easily as they performed their dance routines. Highlighting these impressive physiques were their onyx-black eyes that shined with unquestionable authority, and an imperial aura that held the promise of limitless power. It was the aura of a queen, one who ruled with absolute control. Though Tio himself didn't know it his vision of beauty looked remarkably like a mix of Qylios and Raskalarn.

The three beauties asked a question, and it only took Tio a couple of trills to think before he answered. "To me beauty is resolve: the sheer force of will to live however you want and be whoever you want to be. When I look at you what I see are women who embody strength in all its forms; in body, appearance, wits and spirit. Beauty beyond the infallible is not seen, it is felt in the overwhelming presence of the beautiful. My question to you is this: do you believe beauty is purely a matter of appearances, how someone look and holds themselves, or is true beauty found in something intangible?"

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[Arlo Creede]

It took a great deal of imagination, ingenuity and a knack for improvising, to to get that harness tied round the enormous leviathan. Arlo figured it probably wasn't acceptable to ask the starlit wonder if he'd mind sucking it up a little, so that he could tie off just those last few inches. It all worked out though, and soon enough he'd been summoning a wave that somehow grew a lot bigger than he'd ever imagined it would. And it sent them all tumbling head over heels.

It was a good thing Vivian had asked for the gift of breathing underwater. Each time Arlo thought he'd break the surface, he was dragged down, tossed around and rolled over again. He swallowed more seawater than he'd have liked, but it was some of the best fun he'd ever had. And somehow through it all, he kept hold of his hat. That portal came in handy too, and soon enough they were back where they started, while the leviathan thanked them and swam off on his way.

This time, U'frek in the flesh waited on the sand, and Arlo pulled off his waterlogged hat and offered up a deep bow of his head. He was here on the Immortal's behalf after all, in spite of being one of Cassion's servants. The Immortal's words took him by surprise however. Why would they want to kill the thing? Tio's joke, he guessed, hadn't gone over particularly well. At least Arlo thought it had been a joke. Nonetheless, soon enough the Immortal was to send them off again with a gift, and with another respectful tilt of his head, the young dreamwalker thanked him.

At the edge of the beach, Jesine was waiting for them and for all the questions they'd asked her since the journey had begun, it appeared she had one for them. What would he change about his life? "Not a thing," Arlo said at first. Everything that had happened to him after all, everyone who he'd met, had gotten him where he was now, and made him who he was. Except, shrugging a little, he said, "Maybe I'd have liked a little more time with my mother before she went."

The place they found themselves next, in the eyes of a traveler was close to idyllic. Except for the wind, of course. But the closer they got to the beckoning campfire, the more obvious it became that they were dealing with yet another Immortal. Or three. Hard to tell at first but whichever the case the three women seemed impervious to any inclement weather. And soon enough, so was he. When one of them took his hand, pulling him towards a log by the fire, Arlo smiled and went willingly. They weren't exactly hard on the eyes after all. And the struggle with the whale had been an exhausting affair. He wouldn't mind sitting a while.

"Thank you," he said, accepting a glass of wine while he sat, listened and watch them dancing. Never once forgetting that there must be an Immortal here. It would have been easy to forget, to be drawn in, hypnotized by the warm fire, the good wine and music, the beautiful women. It was enough to make Arlo a little suspicious, but he didn't let on. He only smiled and observed. It didn't take him long to remember his lessons at university, and come to the most sensible, logical conclusion. Edasha. Beauty, jealousy, sight, adultery.

Edasha. But which one? Was it what they were meant to find out? They weren't making it easy. At least not on the surface. To Arlo's eyes, their pale skin was sprinkled with freckles across their cheeks and noses. Their eyes were half a dozen swirling colors at once, not unlike U'frek's aurora. They, all three of them were willowy and tall, graceful and strong. Not at all, all elbows and knees. They had questions, the three of them, and Arlo was happy to answer. "Beauty is the thing that inspires. Whether it's passion, creativity, love, memory or something else. A silk rose is just as nice to look at as a real one," he explained. "But roses are nothing but a collection of petals without the intoxicating scent of a real one."

When he looked at them though? Arlo smiled. "Beautiful on the outside, no question. But much more than that," he said, remembering their hospitality, the dance and the rest of it. "Grace, strength, self assuredness, joy." But when he was faced with asking a question of his own? Beauty, jealousy, sight, he reminded himself. "My question for each of you is...Which of you is more beautiful and why?" Maybe, Arlo thought, the answer would get him closer to figuring out which of the three women was Edasha herself. But equally he was curious to hear the answer, considering they were a mirror image all three, one and the other.