Book One -- A Gathering of Dreams

Chapter Nine:  Paths

            Nero on the beach -- sits up, feels like he has been beat with a stick.  He is relatively hairless, and his scars have returned.  Exhausted, yet his mind is strangely clear.  He feels the remnants of burns like a bad, bad sunburn.

            Nero stands up slowly and asks one of the guards to tell him everything that has happened since he left them.  They explain that they stationed a guard and returned.  And were on the boat waiting for 5 days until summoned back.  "Someone found you and fetched us."

            The other guard is at 70% strength.  Nero barks that he should be up and around at that strength -- and he is.  Nero say "Let's go."  Nero does his best to look strong and hide his exhaustion. Garth guards Nero very closely.

            As they make their way over the hill they see Riden, one of the other guards, leaning while trying to stand upright.  Sor stands at the base of the dock and the 4th guard is off in the village remaining hidden, as is his charge.

            The village mutterings reach Nero as he proudly and feigning strength walks by.  "Never seen one come back."  "Do you think the things will come back to attack..?"  "Look mommy! No clothes!!"

            The vendor that Nero dealt with is attempting to catch Nero's attention, but Riden is keeping him at bay.  The merchant begins to pester.  "Lord!  Lord!" until Riden gut punches him.  He and the townspeople back off.

            Riden and a sailor bring bathwater at Nero's request, and he demands they pour it on him while they hold the heavy burden.  Riden struggles through it and they get it done. They bring Nero a yellow robe, at his command, and he goes below and sleeps.
 

            Ekin is annoyed that the rush is over.  Singh is gathering teeth.  Toeval is off with the dragons.  Saphir returns, covered in gross goop!!  But he is hyper jubilant and proud-victorious!

            Everyone regroups and we go to find Toeval, shift through some more intense shadow versions of this one -- typhoon, hill on fire -- and find Toeval.  He came to collect Xert, and now wants to take him to a healing slow time shadow so he can heal and catch up with us later but soon.  So we go to placid version of the graveyard shadow for Xert to rest, as Plat and Aurum to guard.

            Some nature-dressed people come out but step back at the sight of the draconian airforce.  Xert has a flower necklace and looks like he is soaking it all in and the attention as well.  Toeval expresses that he wants to take a day to train Dragons on some new formations and says he would like some advice from Saphir. Saphir agrees and says that the first thing would be to not just have two formation strategies; 1 -- in formation and 2 -- free for all.  What about trying relativistic formations where the dragons can free form and or listen to their riders?  But most importantly, will move into specific modes/formations based on what the other dragons do.  Toeval likes that idea says let's discuss...

            Xert still has gross gobbets on his wing and thigh. The group descends.  Singh gets stuff out of her decimated packs including  some yak's milk -- fermented to 180 proof!  Woohoo!

            Everyone swigs.  Saphir and Singh disrobe and go for a swim. They splash fight and frolic and have good fun.  Ekin hangs out.  Karambi sits on a rock and watches, passing on the invite from Singh. She seems to be having her own fun??  There is a definite sexual afterglow there -- they think.  Toeval scrubs Xert.

            They get set to go -- first stop, it's determined will be a shadow that is fast for healing.  Karambi says "Shall you lead or shall I ?" to Saphir.

            "I would prefer if you would."

            "Of course you would," she retorts snottily.

            As they all remount, the Dragons are reluctant to take Singh. Finally Blevin looses patience and takes her.  They move off slowly, and the shadows begin to shift at amazing smooth speed.  It's like a strand of the Pattern cuts through shadow!  It seems that Karambi has a fine sense that all these places are immaterial.

            After one hour the shadows are speeding up.  The sky gets bright emerald green, lavender clouds, no land just infinite-seeming... Ocean.  The horizon is a Jupiter away, huge waves(low grav) and the water is clean,  unsalted.  There is a sense of agelessness to the place.  It is fast vs. Amber, but here it's always been this way.  Karambi says it has no name.

            They compliment her on how great the place is, and say they will have to return here.  To which Karambi seems distraught in a 'there goes the neighborhood' kind of way.  'Once you let the Amberites in...'

            Time passes.  It's time for someone else to take over... Singh?  Singh says, "Me again? How about Karambi?"

            Saphir says, "You should lead, Singh."

            Karambi agrees with Saphir (believe it or not).  "The practice will help."
 

            Nighttime -- Nero awakes, starving!  Ate and then came to find the group.
 
            Guided the boat to our shadow, where we rested in spring thaw.  Has Riden take him on a tough boat ride as Riden is exhausted!! Finally lets him rest.

            From the Pas De Diche, he and guard take a dingy to shore.
 

            The gang is sailing across a snowy icy moonlit shadow.  Singh has been leading them across as any moon thick shadows as she could. Now she senses them coming to an end.  It's been hours since the battle -- Karambi and others are starved!

            They shift to a spring thaw.  It is a crisp spring evening.  The glacier ends.  Now there are fur trees, edelweiss...  Singh wants to warm up. They swing down into a valley where it's warmer.  They land and the dragons set out to hunt and knock down trees build shelter and fire.

            Everyone pitches in or keeps watch. They sense a presence approach, and Nero picks up them from a distance.  He arrives and as he does, Singh goes into a seizure, as the world disappears from her.

            Saphir and Karambi rush to her side.  Nero says, "Wow!  That's weird. How long has that been happening?" and goes to get some food near Toeval.  Saphir concentrates on rushing in to attempt to find and help Singh.  Karambi does an amazing thing that can only be called a shadow splitting trick -- seemingly shifting them and their shadow from the others, even though they remain in sight.

            Singh falls and falls but eventually is found by Saphir and he helps her regain her strength.

            Toeval talks with Nero.  Nero says that they shouldn't go to Chaos but to find Dworkin.  Then he goes into a trance and tells Toeval that if he is disturbed then it may mean doom for all of them.  He trances.

            Karambi takes Singh to different shadow. Saphir returns and he seems dreadfully serious and calm.  He goes to Toeval and Nero and say what is going on with him, and what conversation did you have with him.

            Toeval fills him in.  Toeval asks, "Do you think Nero did this to her, and would you know if he had assaulted her mentally??"

            Saphir says, "I think I would know and it seems like he did not assault her mentally.  But he may be causing the problem without knowing or meaning to."

            Saphir motions quietly with back to Nero and Riden, meaning that Toeval should watch what he says.  Saphir whispers, "Be ready.  In case."

            They wait -- Saphir standing guard against/over Nero for a day.  Finally Nero awakens, gets some food and explains that he has a ghost of the Jewel of Judgment.  And that the Jewel that Random wears is flawed.  That he tried to do different things in his trance, but some didn't work.  Like erasing himself to remove the problem -- but it seemed that would have unexisted him as well.

            Saphir says,  "Now we need to figure out what to do with you and Singh in order to keep you apart.  It seems we will have to travel together but apart."  They discuss some more and plan.

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