Finding Calley

[Anastasia]

"Then let us go," Xandra agrees. "For the glory of Celestia."

Where are you going?

[Nephrite]

He's going to retrace his steps (following the wards and everything) back to the portal that leads to Makim's demiplane (not go through it, to be clear). Presuming, of course, that none of that has changed. If it seems like it has then he's going to obviously change tactics.

[Anastasia]

You find that the cave there is simply gone - no sign of it, as if it was never there at all.

[Anastasia]

Good guess FYI. Some people are just cautious.

[Nephrite]

Moore taps his chin. Is it as easy as...

No.

He shakes his head -- even if he can, there's no need to delve into the past.

He takes the letter out and puts it down in front of where the cave used to be.


"I'm sure you still keep an eye on this place." Moore murmurs. He turns back to Xandra. "If it's meant to reach him, then it will. There's nothing else to be done here."

[Anastasia]

Next move then?

[Nephrite]

Moore will take Xandra back home, get any updates necessary, then... hmm.

He'll go back to the books and research. He'd reach out to Tepen or The V if he ever got to a real stopping point, but he won't bother anyone else otherwise.

[Anastasia]

...The V?

[Nephrite]

Come now. Vul'lath.

[Anastasia]

Oooooooooh. Okay.

Gimme a day 4 knowledge check.

[Nephrite]

Please don't let him know anyone would ever call him that.

Take 10 for 90.

[Anastasia]

Also bear in mind your timeline with Seira. I'm being a little fuzzy with time between nodes when not in direct contact for the sake of ease, but you do have obligations there coming up.

[Nephrite]

Yep, not a problem.

[Anastasia]

Day 4 is all figuring out how many pieces you need. 777, you believe. 777 on the dot. You can't be 100% sure, but the numerology and patterns suggest it. You also find the first piece here at the end of the day, slowly factoring that in, adjusting it - a fragment about how the patterns and energies of the planes flow.

776 pieces to go. The only consolation is that it isn't too hard to work it in once you've identified it - the trick is finding it.

[Nephrite]

...21.

Of course it'd be 21, wouldn't it.

It all makes sense in the end, in one way or another.

Moore leans back in his chair and looks up at the ceiling. He takes in a breath.

"Is it just a matter of devoting more time to this, or is that the puzzle in and of itself...?" He murmurs.