Aftermath

[Brian]

When it fades, and everyone can concentrate again, they find themselves in their own bodies, back in the cavern beneath Gibraltar.

   Ezmereth stands nearby, not on the same outcropping of rock, but on another, a few meters to the side, and at least one higher.  He nods in approval at your appearance, and then light blossoms -- a little bit.  There's a nearby outcropping the same size as your own, and four figures are standing there.

   Four men, from the looks of things.  It's difficult to guess which was Serril, Liandral, or possibly even Lindsey -- there's just no physical resemblance between them.  Though, the huge guy with light pouring from an open plate on his wrist was probably Liandral.  Before anyone else can speak, he looks around him in concern.  "Where's Vanessa?" he growls, his voice carrying.

   "Quiet," Ezmereth warns, frowning, glancing out across the large cavern.  Currently he's standing between the two parties.  "You'll wake the beast."

   'Liandral' shoots Ezmereth a scathing glance, and then glares at the Order of Symmetry.  "This is your doing, isn't it?" he growls.  "What did you do to her?"

[Bjorn]

"Nothing," Bjorn replies succintly and quietly, rising to his feet.  Looking about him to check on the status of the others, he also probes gently at the inside of his mind, checking both to make sure that his Dream is available to him, and looking for any sign of his other-self.

[Brian]

Currently, the connection is tenuous and weak, but there is very much a sensation that this is only temporary.  What remains once that's settled remains to be seen.

"Actually, Lindsey may have been slightly delayed," Durant says, smirking slightly.  "It turns out she's stuck there until she's accomplished a little task ... I just made sure her own personal chore would take longer.  Payback for the death threats.  I think she'll come out of the dream much educated."

'Liandral's eyes twitch, and he grits his teeth.  "I'm a fucking engine of destruction, kid," he grates out.  "You mess with my friends, I destroy you."

Durant looks less than impressed, and Ezmereth hisses.  "Silence," he growls shooting venemous gazes at both Durant and 'Liandral'.  "If you do not calm, the ward will not be granted."

[Bjorn]

Bjorn rolls his eyes heavenward.  'Everyone with the death threats.'

Beyond that, for the moment, though, he remains silent, watching Ezmereth directly and keeping an eye on Paul and 'Liandral' out of the corners of his eye.

[Brian]

'Liandral' bristles, but settles slightly, still shooting the occasional venemous glare at Durant.  In the distance, the vaguely illuminated piles of rock begin to slide about in ways that your minds aren't fully comfortable comprehending.  Their motion suggests that they are not merely house-sized boulders....

...they're meters-thick stone coils of a gargantuan snake.  A massive stone snake's head suddenly rises before the stone-outcropping, the snake's mouth occupied with the tip of its tail.  It looks to be made of solid stone, and could probably eat both ledges, all people present, and a good section of the caves behind everyone in one bite.  This cavern, now that it begins to glow slightly more brightly, could probably contain the entirety of Gibraltar within it.

The snake's head bobs and dips slightly, solid green eyes not seeming to look at anyone in particular.  "Thus," Ezmereth says quietly, "we now choose who will recieve the wards.  With two victors, two prizes shall be given.  To those who ventured into this newly aware of the greater world around them ... you may choose first who among you will recieve this gift."

[Bjorn]

Within his Dream, Bjorn reaches out to touch the anchors that are the rest of the Order. Philip, I think, he suggests.  If he is really connected to the Green Man, he should have an affinity with Earth

[Ginrai]

Ginrai looks on in awe at the sight of the snake. While curious to see if he still has access to any of his powers from the Dream, he decides it would be a good idea to hold that off for a bit. He also makes a mental note to ask Durant later on what he did with Lindsey/Vanessa.

I agree with Bjorn on this. Phil would definitely be the best choice here.

[Rezantis]

Rez lifts up his right hand to look at it briefly, then stretches, pretty much ignoring the situation.

I'm happy to let Phil get bitten by the snake!

[Brian]

Do we need to choose just one person? Durant asks.  I thought the plan was we'd share, or something.  The other guys did the selfish thing already.

[Bjorn]

Within his Dream, Bjorn does not have a body himself.  Instead, the mists that surround the figures of the others roil in a considering manner. If that's an option... then it's a good one, yes.  We're supposed to be fighting for balance, so it makes sense to keep ourselves balanced as well.

Yes.  Okay, this appeals to me.

[Rezantis]

You might just be right, you know.  Given what the Cabal did, we could probably do most anything with our ward.

Would we want to have Pax choose first to see what they do, if we're going to do something wacky?

[Dracos]

I'd prefer to not be standing around with them having the power of dreams and we not.  Even if for a few minutes.  Hum.  As much as I'd like omnipotent godlike power, sharing it is obviously the wiser task.  And anyhow, the math says to share it.  We only know of three spots.  If one of us took it at each of those, then not two of us would not be as protected when eventually the crazy guys for pax and for cabal show up.  Notably, that'd likely leave each of us weaker than them, but...  We're in the realm of the stuff fairy tales were made of, so, I suspect that the power shared is greater than the power held tight.

Dracos turned to Ezmereth and, speaking softly, responded, "If we can, we would share it amongst ourselves.  Five shared the danger, five should share the prize.  If this is impossible, we've agreed that I will carry this gift."

Dracos

[Brian]

"All shall recieve," he says, then.

The world seems to darken, except for the serpent, which grows more visible in everyone's minds.  But it is not just the serpent, biting its own tail.  It is also a turtle, enmeshed in battle (or some attempt at reproduction) with the serpent.  Somehow, these images mesh and distort until the reality of the serpent resembles nothing as much as a fan-belt and a gear that will turn it.

The mechanics that underly reality are now at least partially yours.  Everyone feels slightly more aware of the dirt and stone around them, in addition to the firm expectation that you could (if desired) increase your mass.

Ezmereth turns to look at Pax Arcana, and asks them a question, too: "Who among you shall claim this gift?"

There is a bit of quiet deliberation before one of the smaller men is chosen.  He's about average height, with brown hair, and is wearing glasses.  His clothes are only jeans, and a T-shirt.  He doesn't seem dressed for a combat, like 'Liandral' is (camo pants and jacket).  He glows briefly, as the power is confered, and then the great serpent head begins to sink into the darkness, glowing eyes dimming as though in preparation for sleep.

Pax's chosen turns himself to stone for a second, and then back to normal.  "Now," Ezmereth says, nodding in satisfaction, "we will leave this place, and return from the Dream."

"But first, some unfinished business," 'Liandral' snaps.  His palm extends a loop of wire, which shoots out, crossing the distance between platforms.  It quickly wraps around Durant's throat, and yanks him off his stone.  Durant has only enough time to squeak/wheeze in surprise before vanishing into the darkness below.  "And now we're ev--"

"Idiot!" Ezmereth yells, as the entire chamber begins to shake.  All turns to blackness briefly, and when light returns, it's from the glow of four bracelets.  Ezmereth, Pax, and the room that everyone was in are gone.  Only a dirt floor with no visible edges and darkness remain.

Ezmereth's voice carries quietly from ... somewhere, and he says, "This should not have been done.  It is an ill thing, but cannot be undone.  The rules of the contest will expand ... you have had something taken from you which should not have been.  Therefore ... you may add to your number after you begin on your path.  Good luck."

Then light fades again, and everyone's simply left in pitch blackness.  Using their newfound earth-senses, everyone will find that while blind, they're aware of the thirty meters of ... dirt and loose rocks that lead in any given direction.  At a casual inspection, you're now in a mineshaft, with a shaft leading further down nearby.  The other exit leads off into the mountain, though your new senses suggest that this also leads out.

[Dracos]

Dracos stood, first looking around, getting the feeling back into his body and checking on the others, not expecting to see Durant, but looking for him anyway.

Dracos

[Rezantis]

"Shit," opines Rez quietly.

After a short moment, he produces the warbag, drops it on the ground, and starts rummaging through it for the flashlight.