Home again

[Anastasia]

Syala eyes you before breaking out into a smile and becoming a little mote of light, a lantern archon. She glows a merry blue color, "I'll pay homage to what Antenora never had the chance to be, then. ...though, can you imagine her charging evil as a lantern archon?"

[Ebiris]

"Given their lack of melee ability it would be both sad and endearing," Alicia says, sounding a bit like a child trying to come across as grown up with her current look and register.

[Anastasia]

Syala's voice is higher pitched, almost cutesy. She bobs once in the air, "In the name of Chronias I will crush all the evil before me," she declares. "Take this!" She charges in, a soft little bob against your body.

[Ebiris]

"Lets hope we don't run into Antenora out there, I think she'll want to take us home," Alicia says as her tiny and slender arms push Syala's spongy orb-body away.

[Anastasia]

Laughing at that, the two of you teleport.

Ahead is the city you saw worked in before, busy and being constructed. Fortresses are being built into the mountains, buildings onto the plateau. Levels and layers, all curving deeper inward, into a thousand caves being excavated at various points.

[Ebiris]

"So, want to go explore the caves?" she asks, looking over it from a different angle than she had when she visited Antenora earlier. "See what they're hiding?"

[Anastasia]

"Yeah," Syala laughs as she flies. There are many caves here - big and little, up high and on the ground. They're being excavated as you watch, strong bodied celestials working and with magic supporting them. Lots of muscles here, many shirtless as they work.

[Ebiris]

Alicia decides to investigate the busiest looking cave, since if it has the most work being done on it then clearly it's for a more important purpose than the rest.

[Anastasia]

Easy enough.

The biggest cave is in the back, gigantic, more of removing part of the mountain altogether. It's hundreds of feet tall and even more wide, stretching back and back. Glistening opal stones are set into the walls, providing light as you go deeper into the cave. Here hundreds of celestials work, magic and muscle clearing away yet more stone.

Others work here as well, plotting the ground and measuring, laying prayers and incantations. Sanctifying for a temple - that's simple for Alicia to discern. No stones have yet been laid, but other servants kneel and polished exposed Sylican opals, shining them to a mirror sheen.

[Ebiris]

Everyone looks to be working very hard, and she's not inclined to disturb them as she noses around, letting Syala sate her own curiosity.

[Anastasia]

Syala flutters around a little bit, taking it all in as people are busy, barely giving you a second look.

"A big cave temple," she says when she flies back to you, "Probably the lynchpin of any defensive effort for the city, knowing Antenora. Also boring, everyone here's so on task." A slight sigh from Syala, "I hoped to see a little bit of fun, but everyone's so motivated. Better than them being unmotivated, yet..." She droops a bit in the air.

[Ebiris]

"You'd have to wait till after it's been built and people are actually living here instead of being focused on construction," Alicia points out. "Want to try investigating anywhere else then?"

[Anastasia]

"Hmm..." Syala bobs in the air when...

"Excuse me, you two," A gentle, feminine voice. "What are you doing here, little ones?" The woman that approaches has gold tinted skin but no wings, gentle hair of the same blonde-gold. With a ready smile she comes over, wearing a battle leathers and chain, but no heavier armor. "I think Lady Jessica would want you two children to be taken care of and away from all this noise, hm?"

[Ebiris]

"We're just looking around, it's interesting. What are you building here?" Alicia asks, playing the curious coure and feeling mildly patronised on behalf of beginner celestials.

[Anastasia]

"The Heart Temple," Kneeling to face you face to face, the woman smiles. "It will be Lady Antenora's grand, first and primary temple in Sylica."

"Ooooh," Syala bobs side to side, "That sounds fun. Will it have places to race in? I like racing."

"I'm sure it will," The celestial smiles, then in a lower voice, "I bet that's something Lady Marie likes too, so I'm sure there will be some good places for that."