---

Book One -- A Gathering of Dreams

Chapter Thirteen:  Orbits

• Scene 1:  Saphir and Singh

    Saphir, Singh and Karambi bust out, and -- with Karambi quite dizzy and recovering -- they make their way out of there. They head off down castleward, deciding not to go in the Nero direction where all the conflict was.  They eventually, after sensing some weird stuff, move down a path where they see some statues that look alike alternate royal Amber "familites."

        Singh starts to get sick again, Karambi and Saphir, do what they can to reinforce her.  But more rapidly, Saphir charges the statue of 'Brand' and, with Dathos extended phases through it and shatters it -- sort of.  Singh eventually steadies out, and they all move forward.

            They come to a crossways and they turn down towards a path beside the garden.  They all sense an ambush, and keep moving, poised. The darkness of the wraiths and other beasties comes screaming and oozing towards them out of the shadowy darkness, threatening to engulf and overwhelm them.

            Saphir creates a resistance of necessary mutual existence.  He attempts to extend it.  Singh, who creates her own essential fiery force, meets Saphir's and they sort of side-by-side.  Karambi can't really mingle so she just does the best Karambi-ness thing she can,  and they trudge forward down the path towards a guardhouse.

            They hear a loud fearful bellow and it tells the beasties to begone.  They get to the house and out come some guard/archers, a Sorceress type and giant of a man standing 8 feet by 3 or 4 feet!

            They dialogue about looking for Dworkin and belonging here, but giant isn't buying and tells them to begone. Saphir charges and begins a grappling duel with the Giant.  Singh causes the crossbows to burst into flame as more arrows are fired, but miss.  She engages the rest of the guards by sword and starts tearing through them.

            Saphir stabs the giant in his club arm, making him drop the club.  He grabs Saphir's sword arm, and Saphir quickly side-tosses his sword to his other hand and drives it into the giant's remaining good eye.  The giant grabs Saphir, by his held arm and pulls him in with unbelievable strength, going for a bear hug.  Saphir flips over behind him, and tries to start choking him.  The giant decides to back up fast against the wall to back smash Saphir, who uses that move to grab Dathos out of the giant's eye and push it behind his head at brain level so the force of the crash would drive it through his skull and brain.

            It works. The giant collapses, and Saphir is severely bruised and battered
with broken ribs to boot and some serious arm damage.

            Singh is besting all the guards, and asking them to yield, but they seemed unable. The sorceress, finally unleashes a fire blast, and they roast. Burnt toasted Saphir took Dathos, and flung him into the eye of the Sorceress slaying her.

            More guards emerge, and as Singh tosses some away, literally, more appeared.  Saphir mesmerizes one and bola-ed the others and Singh keeps taking them out until they are done. They search the guardhouse and take off...
 

• Scene 2:  Nero

            Earlier, as Nero was fleeing, he exclaims that he has something of interest for
Dworkin to see.  A shadowy tunnel opens taking him to a  new place.

            There is a fireplace and a room and Dworkin.  Nero showed him the Jewel but Dworkin seemed nonchalant about it and everything else.  Dworkin said it was just an idea.

            Nero said,  "Will you fix it?"

            Dworkin said, "So can you fix it?"

            To the suggestion that perhaps the heroes would return to Amber, because perhaps a member of the royal family was behind all this and their wild goosechase, Dworkin said,  "Sounds like you already know what's what."

            Nero left mostly confused.  He did learn some things including the fact that apparently if he was thinking correctly, he could heal his unique body challenges.
 

• Scene 3:  Toeval

            Toeval finishes the many hours sex-fest with Selene.  They talk of many things,
including the firemaster who does the fireworks and gives orders.  They talk of other things.  She seems to want to continue or go with him.  He says he should probably be going, and she says,  "Ok, hold on a moment, I will be right back," and left the bower...