Dragons' Soul (by invitation only)

OoC: This is a battle between myself and LEA which will later evolve into a quest/fic where we will invite certain members of the BA to participate, helping us to move the story along.

BiC:A lone figure sat on the icy ridge, feeling the biting wind assault her face in vain. The cold no longer concerned her, for her mind was far from it. Wisps of her golden hair flew about her serene face as her mind floated even deeper into meditation. The blizzard raged on as the summoner’s mental wanderings carried over the white expanse and beyond.

Until it stopped. Her consciousness brushed against another familiar presence. One she had never expected to feel again. The visiting intelligence lingered just long enough to leave an indistinct plea whispering in the air… and disappeared once more.

The summoner’s eyes opened to see precisely what she expected to see. A door stood stoically before her in the storm, independent of any sort of structure. The woman’s clear, blue eyes twinkled. Shall we go?

Need you ask, Samae? came the answer. The door opened, and Aurora the Ominae once again came to the Dome.

The Dome’s unending corridors coursed to the right and left, but her familiarity with the place immediately directed her toward her old quarters. Along the way, she noted faces passing by, many weary from training, for the Dome was the multiverse’s foremost training ground. Warriors from all reaches of every universe and dimension, both good and evil as the Dome did not discriminate, came here to improve upon themselves, some in more ways than one.

Some faces were familiar, but most were not. She had not seen any of her former students yet, and wondered if the Dome had finished their training and sent them all home since she had been gone. She knew a couple of them would be steered to teaching positions to fill the gap created by her absence, and considered tracking them down after she’d had a rest.

Before long, Aurora was once again surveying the place she came closer to calling home than any other. It was, of course, all exactly as she had left it. A hearty fire crackled in the fireplace, welcoming her back to the place where she had created so many memories in but a year. The gleaming hardwood floors reflected the firelight onto the cool stone walls and she couldn’t help but leave her shoes at the door, so she could sink her bare toes into the warm, lush rug before the fire. Then, she surveyed the kitchen briefly before going to her bedroom, reveling in the soft, cushy mountains of quilts and pillows covering the four-poster bed, and a long, luxurious bath soon ensued in the gigantic, claw-footed bathtub.

She emerged from the bathroom to find, as always, a fresh change of clothes laid out waiting for her. The Domerii are still working as diligently and as unobtrusively as ever, I see.

I agree, came Valron’s answer from the living room, I am very curious to find the reason for our return. Not that I am unhappy to be in this most comfortable place again, but…

The Dome does nothing without a reason. I know.

After scrounging a bite from the kitchen, Aurora found herself, once again, out in the ever twisting halls of the Dome. The Dome’s massive, ever-present consciousness surrounded her like the embrace of an old friend. The place was indeed so rich with magic that it had, over the ages, developed its own sort of intelligence. It was a life form unlike any other, a living pocket dimension, with a link to all other realms of existence. It plodded purposefully through the cosmoses, both everywhere and nowhere at once, about its task. It always seemed to know how to best complete its duty of training the multiverse’s best warriors and magicians. Aurora had grown used to its guidance and strange ways in her time instructing between its walls, at times expressing her frustration at its inexorable sense of duty, (She’d lost account of the amount of sleep she’d lost because of the Dome’s insistence on having her meet and take on new students almost constantly.) and at others laughing at its strange sense of humor.

Oddly, the Dome was not leading her in any particular direction now, it simply seemed pleased to have her there again. I can’t believe it only wanted me back for a visit.

I have difficulty believing this as well, Samae, however, we have little choice but to wait until our host decides to make its wishes known to us.

Of course… what was that? She felt a familiar power brush against her mind for the briefest moment, too faint to recognize, but its feel made all the hair on her body stand on end. As soon as she reached out to grasp it, the presence disappeared, retreating beyond her reach. She shook her head, trying to place the feel of the power, and why it made her so uneasy, but to no avail. Finally, she logged the odd occurrence under “just another day in the Dome” and turned a corner only to run into a familiar face.

“Sileya, you’re back, too?”

OoC: Ha! Finally got this written! Wooo! *posts*

The sea breeze drifted lazily across the semi-rocky shoreline, carrying the scent and flavor of salt. Seagulls wheeled against the perfectly blue sky. Not a cloud was in sight; the sun shone brightly, bathing the nearly unoccupied beach in its radiance. One lone figure sat in a relaxed position in the middle of the sands, her silver, blue-streaked hair dancing in the wind around her. At her side rested a magnificent weapon unlike any other on this earth. It was an exquisite broadsword, the blade of silver tattooed with the ancient dragonscript, the Dragonrunes. Twin sapphire-eyed dragons wound around the hilt, their tails encircling the shining ruby set as the weapon’s pommel stone. It was an amazing piece of craftsmanship, and the Elf who sat comfortably next to it was capable of wielding it with deadly efficiency.

Sighing to herself, the Elven warrior-summoner, Sileya, let herself fall backward onto the sands, letting the warmth spread through her body. It had been forever since she could just relax and not worry about defending herself while fighting in someone else’s war just so she could have a roof over her head and food in her stomach. She had chosen the life of the wanderer, despite her knowledge of its hardships. It was the life she was most familiar with, and so, she thought, that was the life she was to be accustomed to living.

Her thoughts, however, were suddenly led to memories of her short time in another walk of life—teaching. There had been students…not many…but enough for her to form somewhat of a liking for them. There had been one in particular that she’d formed somewhat of a closer bond with. She took a moment to wonder where he was now and what he was doing but then decided that it would be best not to dwell on things of the past. Her experiences in the Dome had been informative and eye-opening, but she had soon discovered that teaching was not the life for her. Even if she hadn’t had to bloody her sword for the roof and the food…

She suddenly felt a strange sensation brush her consciousness, and her eyes narrowed, focusing on it. That feeling…she hadn’t expected to ever feel that again. When she sat up, not slow enough to avoid a slight spell of dizziness, there was a door standing all alone on the shore. The Elf’s eyes widened slightly.

But…why would it be calling me back…?

One of the Ancient Dragons, the Water Dragon Areina, brushed at her consciousness. Small One, perhaps it is calling you because there is some great need at hand. You should just let go and trust that it knows what it is doing.

Not needing to be told twice, the favored of the Ancient Dragons stepped forward and through the inviting door. She left the beach and stopped in a page out of the past. It was the Dome, no doubt of that. Everything appeared almost exactly as it had when she’d left. Students, none of whom she recognized, bustled hurriedly along the corridors. For another brief moment, her thoughts wandered back to that one student…

Shaking herself out of her reverie, the former teacher began walking, letting the Dome itself guide her feet to wherever it wanted her to go. She smiled when she finally halted in front of a familiar door of simple construct, carved with the likenesses of the Ancient Dragons. Putting a hand to the silver door handle, Sileya once again entered the room she had been given upon her acceptance of the teaching job.

The room was just as she had left it, down to the smallest detail. The windows were still slightly ajar, the way she liked them, and the silvery gossamer curtains stirred faintly in the breeze. Her four-poster bed, also carved with the images of the Dragons, still stood in its corner of the room, the crimson curtains drawn back. Tempted to take a nap, Sileya resisted by instead entering the bathroom where she relished a lavender-scented bubble bath. It felt as though it had been forever since she had been able to take a good, long soak in a tub, especially in such a lavish one as this. The calming, cleansing waters washed all the fatigue and worries away that she had built up over the past several months.

Upon exiting the bathroom, Sileya found fresh clothes laid out on the bed for her, and she caught sight of Domerii scurrying to get out of her room. Shaking her head, the Elf smiled. The Domerii had never been too fond of her or her room. It was probably the fact that dragons were their natural predators. Slipping into the clean, comfortable clothing, Sileya went to her dresser and opened the small jewelry box located on top of it. She smiled again. The silver necklace bearing a charm in the image of the Light Dragon, Lithiuan, still remained safely inside the box. Sileya withdrew the necklace and several thin silver bracelets traced in gold and placed them around her neck and wrists respectively. Strapping on her broadsword, for she still did not know why she had been summoned back to the Dome, Sileya exited her room and began wandering the corridors that she had called home for a short while.

All the students she passed were faces she didn’t recognize, nor had she remembered hearing about them during her stay at the Dome. But that didn’t concern her so much, for the Dome was the largest training facility of its kind. In fact, it was one-of-a-kind. Nothing else like it existed.

Why, though, did it call me back…?

The Elf turned a corner, lost in her musings, and almost failed to see the person coming from the opposite direction until she spoke.

“Sileya, you’re back, too?”

Sileya’s emerald eyes locked on the blue eyes of the speaker and soon sparkled in recognition. “Aurora? That is you, isn’t it?” She had never had much contact with the other teacher, while she had been here, but she had occasionally seen her in the halls on some errand. What she had heard of the summoner was nothing short of exceptional and wonderful.

Wait…she said, “You’re back, TOO.”

“Aurora…did you leave the Dome, as well? If that is true, that means it has called you back here, too. If you have any clue as to why, then please tell me.”

“Aurora…did you leave the Dome, as well? If that is true, that means it has called you back here, too. If you have any clue as to why, then please tell me.”

The blond human's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Not too long after you left, I was called back to my own home." The two began to stroll down the hall together as the summoner related the circumstances of her return. "I was meditating in the mountains, and out of nowhere, the Dome asks me back."

"It asked you?"

"Yes. That was the strange part about it. Usually the Dome doesn't exactly request that you do anything. It sort of makes sure your only option is to comply." She made a sort of vague guesture toward the ceiling. "Our host is rather funny about that." Then, she smiled. "Yes, I know you heard that," she said quietly, seemingly to no one.

"Wait, you actually talk to the Dome?"

"In a way... it's more that it transmits vague sort of thoughts and ideas to me. I just got used to it while I was teaching." The Ominae shrugged. "I think that's part of the reason I became such a popular teacher here. I gave up on arguing with the Dome, and I came to understand its moods fairly well."

"So do you know why we've been called back?" the elf asked.

Aurora shook her head. "I can't say I do. I'm guessing we'll have to wait and see."

Sileya's expression had I hate waiting. written all over it. "Why don't we find something to kill some time."

"Sure, I'm game... I take it you have something particular in mind?"

"I've heard that you're good. I'd like the chance to cross swords with you."

Aurora laughed. "I'm not sure where you're getting your information, but sure. I think I've got just the room."

The two went on talking as they walked, and soon the human and the elf were chatting like old friends. "I wish we'd had the chance to do this before," Aurora finally commented, as they came to a stop before a stone door.

It was not so much a stone, as a large boulder blocking part of the wall. At a wave of the summoner's hand, and the briefest brush of magic, the boulder rolled to one side, and the two women entered one of the Dome's many rooms.

They stood in a small valley, perhaps a half mile across, high in a mountain range. The snowline was perhaps a mile higher, and the few wispy clouds overhead seemed near enough to touch. The sun shone brightly, giving a warmth to the stony, uneven ground beneath their feet, which Aurora made note of. A few hardy varieties of wildflower peeked up though crannies in the rock, leaving faint sprays of yellow and purple against occasional tufts of grayish green, and they could hear the distinctive crash of sparring mountain goats echoing in the distance. Their breath looked like puffs of smoke against the thin mountain air.

The door disappeared from behind them, and Aurora glanced at the elven warrior. "Whenever you're ready, my friend."

OoC: Yay for shortness!

IC:

Once Sileya had finished surveying the surroundings, getting a feel for the terrain, she turned to meet Aurora's glance. Grinning with anticipation, the Elf unsheathed Drageziel from her back, unfastening the weapon's casing from her back and placing it conveniently out of the range of potential interference. As she readied herself, Sileya noticed that Aurora had no weapon.

"Aurora...you don't have anything to defend yourself with."

The human summoner smiled knowingly, that twinkle reappearing in her eyes. "The only weapons I need are my own body and my magic."

The Elf's grin faded somewhat. "Oh...then perhaps I should refrain from using my broadsword against you..."

Aurora shook her head, smiling. "There is no need. If your fighting style is dependent upon the use of your weapon, do not feel you must cast it aside in order to avoid causing me any potentially mortal injury."

Sileya still appeared reluctant to bring her blade to bear against one who had nothing to effectively block it. She stared down at Drageziel's gleaming, deadly edge, and it was then that Lithiuan seemed to stroke an ethereal claw against Sileya's consciousness.

If you wish to avoid doing the woman serious harm, then you should focus that desire into in the sword itself.

Blinking a few times in surprise, Sileya followed the Light Dragon's suggestion and channeled her unwillingness to seriously injure Aurora into the blade of Drageziel. In response, the Dragonrunes tattooing the silvery blade glowed with a gentle light, and the edges of the sword glowed with that same radiance. Once the light had dissipated, Sileya put a tentative hand to the edge to see if she could pick up on any noticable differences. To her delight, the blade was dull. At worst, getting hit with it would leave a massive bruise. Smiling, the warrior-summoner faced Aurora again with confidence.

Before Aurora had even finished smiling back, Sileya had kicked off the ground and launched herself dead-on at the human, Drageziel's tip trailing behind her but ready to be brought to bear at a moment's notice. Aurora's reflexes were tremendous, and she easily leaped to the side of Sileya's head-on charge, bringing one of her fists swinging around to glance a blow off the passing Elf. Sileya, however, had somehow anticipated the move and managed to turn herself 90 degrees, and Aurora's fist collided with the cold metal of the flat of Drageziel's blade. The two jumped backwards from each other, neither showing the least bit of fatigue.

Sileya grinned and brought her broadsword up in a defensive position. "Well, I think I'm about ready to start warming up. How about you?"

Aurora smiled. "Sounds good."

The summoner's mind settled into the game, sizing up her opponent as she circled slowly, looking like nothing so much as a wolf, or another predator. The elf's willowy frame, and the sword, gave her a distinct advantage in reach against the human's own, more compact shape. Just an advantage I'll have to negate.

She'd heard that the elven warrior had the ability to summon dragons of different elements to her aid. She doubted the elf could match her in speed and strength, since she lacked a connection with her familiars that would allow her to channel strength directly from them. She'd gained that much from feeling a dragon's presence brush the elf's mind a moment before. She hadn't eavesdropped, but guessed that the summon offered advice on how to dull the edge of the sword. Not that it was needed.

Aurora loosed her robes as she circled, revealing a deep blue tunic and deerskin trousers with sturdy, calf-high boots. She rotated her wrists, stretching them lazily, not necessarily evaluating now, but biding her time.

"Are you going to do that all day?"

Aurora smirked, raising an eyebrow. "You have other pressing plans?" Sileya was still young for an elf and Aurora counted that in her own favor as well.

Then, Sileya charged again. Aurora dodged the charge once again, knowing the elf would anticipate this action, following her. Soon, the summoner was leading the elf on a merry and deadly sort of dance across the valley.

The blond woman smiled as she saw the young one's frustration growing. Then, she laughed aloud.

"What're you laughing at?" Sileya growled.

"You!" Aurora exclaimed good-naturedly, ducking under a back-handed slash. "I've rarely seen a willow try so hard to fight as though she were an oak or a rock."

"What are you talking about?"

"You're so busy trying to impose your will upon the action, that you don't even realize I've been playing you like a flute. I mean, the flow of the fight could change very abruptly..." At this moment, Sileya made a thrust toward Aurora's middle, and instead of moving backward as she had countless times before, she bent slightly to one side, allowing the broadsword to pass between her arm and flank. Then, she quickly clamped her arm down over the elf's, and before she could react, Sileya was eye to eye with the summoner, with her arms effectively trapped. "... and you wouldn't know until it was too late." Aurora took a moment to flick a finger against the warrior's smooth brow saying, "Don't work so hard," before dancing backward and out of reach from an infuriated backswing.

The summoner smiled as she felt an amused presence touch the warrior's mind. She was enjoying this immensely, but she knew she ought not to play with her friend anymore. "Sorry, if I offended you with my commentary, teaching is in my nature, you see."

Aurora rolled the sleeves of her tunic to her elbows. "Nice bracelet." Sileya remarked as Valron's form came into view, coiled around the summoner's wrist. And, she charged one more time, but now, to her surprise, Aurora met her charge head on, and sparks flew as Drageziel crashed into the bracelet.

"Nice sword," Aurora answered.

Sileya ground her teeth, slight irritation radiating from her person. Seeing that Aurora had effectively blocked her strike with the sinuous form of her dragon, Sileya put space between them with a few backward steps. She lowered Drageziel to her side in such a position that was both relaxed and yet ready all at once. The words of summoner echoed inside her head, fueling her increasing frustration.

So, she thinks my fighting style inadequate, does she? Hm… “I've rarely seen a willow try so hard to fight as though she were an oak or a rock.” A willow, eh? She may have something there…

Taking a few slow, concentrated breaths, the Elf released her tension, loosening her muscles and emptying her mind of all its jumbled, buzzing thoughts. There was only one thing she retained besides the consciousnesses of the Ancient Dragons—her determination to show Aurora she was not just some hot-tempered, arrogant Elf unable to defend herself. She shifted her weight forward, making sure that Aurora sensed her change in balance, before launching herself yet again at the summoner. Three-quarters of the way there, however, she shifted direction, leaping to the side of Aurora and swiping her lengthy blade in her direction. Once again, the summoner’s reflexes were superb; Aurora smoothly knocked Drageziel’s blade away from herself.

Sileya regained steady footing, facing the summoner with a smile on her face. True, her attack had been rather pointless, but the more she observed the woman’s style, the more she understood it. Thinking quickly, Sileya got an idea. She needed to do something Aurora would not expect, something that might catch her off-guard.

Gripping Drageziel’s hilt firmly, Sileya again launched herself straight at Aurora. The summoner sighed the second she sensed Sileya’s stance change.

“Haven’t we played this game enough?”

To her surprise, Sileya kicked off the ground within feet of Aurora, sailing over her head. Calling the fire element to her aid, Sileya grinned as flames erupted from the Dragonrunes, engulfing the blade in white-hot fire. Turning swiftly around, the Elf slashed her blade through the air, releasing a wave of flame in Aurora’s direction. She landed with cat-like grace and turned to see what had become of the summoner.

OoC: *covers face in shame at the shortness*

Aurora felt the flicker of power before seeing the wave of flames approach. With a wave of her hand, the flames shifted as they came near her body, swirling around her form instead of colliding with her. "Not bad. You bring your magic to the surface pretty quickly for it being a secondary style... Must be the elf blood." With that, the flames coalesced into a ball before the summoner and shot back at the elf.

Sileya batted the fireball away, slamming it into a rocky ledge which drooped slightly from the heat.

"Dragonfire no less... that IS impressive. But, I'll hazard a guess that your magic is dependent entirely on your connection with your familiars."

The elf's brow crinkled slightly in thought.

"Oh my word, please tell me this isn't a surprise to you, Sileya."

"I..."

"Please tell me you're joking, and you aren't using magic when you don't even know how it works."

The youthful warrior spread her hands in the universal gesture for, Yeah, you're right, but I'm a tad embarrassed about admitting it. "I learned it all myself, and there was never anyone to teach me."

Aurora nodded sagely. "I suppose that would explain it."

Shifting her feet embarrassedly, Sileya gazed across at the human summoner. The realization that she did not indeed fully know how or why her magic worked hit her like a ton of bricks, and she suddenly felt like an inexperienced child again. The human summoner's eyes still showed faint, almost undetectable, traces of that initial shock that Sileya had clearly felt upon her admittance of her incomplete knowledge. The Elf's ears drooped, her entire countenance suddenly looking very crestfallen.

"I...I've just never given that much thought to how my magic works. I guess I just always took it for granted, seeing as I never really found anyone who could possibly explain it all to me. The Dragons themselves are usually reluctant to tell me anything at all about themselves or my magic. I suppose they'd prefer it if I figured it out on my own, without the aid of their vast knowledge."

Aurora nodded again, apparently lost in thought. "I see."

Sileya appeared to struggle inwardly for a moment as she worked up the courage to make a request of her friend. Suddenly, it burst out of her in a rush.

"Aurora! Do you think you could help me figure at least a portion of my abilites out? You're a summoner and of a dragon, no less. Surely you know something that could make me stronger!"

OoC: Yes, I'm double-posting. *gasp* The nerve of...me... Well, I'm sure everyone will get over it, seeing as this post is technically for Ry-san. She asked me to make this post for her, and how can I refuse to oblige my internet big sister. ^_^

IC:

Sileya stared across at the human summoner, still amazed that all those words had flown from her lips. She had never been one to ask someone else for help. For most of her long life, the Elf had always just done things for herself, never expecting anyone else to assist her. For the first time in a rather lengthy period of time, Sileya found herself requesting aid for her shortcomings. Anxiously, the Elven warrior-summoner continued eyeing Aurora. The blue-eyed summoner seemed to be in deep consideration, and after several agonizingly slow moments, Sileya tried to prompt an answer.

"Well, Aurora?"

The words shook Aurora out of her thoughts and turned her gaze to meet Sileya's. Smiling, the human extended her hand out to the Elf.

"Why, of course. I'd be more than happy to help you. But not here. Why don't we go to my quarters. It's more comfortable there, and we can sit down for a while and talk through some things."

Sileya exhaled a breath she didn't know she had been holding. Relief washed over her as she returned her friend's smile.

"Thanks, Aurora. Let's go, shall we?"

Side by side, the pair of summoners headed for the door of the mountain room, chatting amiably between themselves. Upon reaching the door, Aurora held out her hand to open the door with her magic. To both the women's surprise, the door didn't budge. They looked at each other, puzzled.

"Why won't it open, I wonder?" Aurora mused.

"If magic won't work, why don't we try physically opening it?"

Aurora shook her head. "No. If the door won't open by my magic, then it won't open at all. Either the Dome still wants us here for some reason, or..."

Sileya finished the sentence. "Something else still wants us here." She fluidly drew Drageziel again, her emerald eyes darting everywhere around the room in search of anything that might display hostility.

Sighing, Aurora continued staring at the locked door. "We're trapped in here...and we don't even know why..."

Aurora placed a hand on the stone mountainside that should have opened for them into the vastness of the Dome. "Why isn't the door here? This makes no sense." She pushed and prodded where the door should have been, to no avail. "It's not just that the door is locked,... it isn't here. I can still sense the Dome, but there's no conduit between it and here."

Sileya's eyes widened slightly, and she gripped the pommel of her sword just a little tighter. "Then, how do we get out?"

The summoner shrugged. She reached out to the Dome with her mind, willing it to understand their predicament. "It's no good, " she said, shaking her head sadly, "it keeps saying that the door is open."

"Obviously not."

"Then, somehow we have to find our own way out. The Ominae reached out again, through the barrier, reaching now for something, soemone, familiar. "Have you seen anyone you know in the Dome yet?"

"No, none of my students. A few teachers, but no one I've spoken much with."

"Nor I," the summoner shook her head, "I hope some of my former students are still around." Her search continued, brushing past vast numbers of minds, both students and teachers. "I need someone I have a connection with, or I won't be able to speak to them."

"Telepathy?"

Aurora nodded, "Close enough." Her eyes began to glow as her search became more determined.

Minutes passed. "Any luck?"

Aurora shook her head. "If I was looking for someone in particular, it would be easier, but it could take days to filter through all the people in the Dome just looking for something familiar, and not knowing who is still here."

The elf looked thoughtful. "I think I heard someone mention a lesson with Tokumaru Kyo. Wasn't he one of your students?"

Aurora smiled brightly at the mention of the samurai. "Yes!" The woman renewed her search and soon came upon... Tokumaru-kun...

The familiar mind stiffened at the intrusion.

Tokumaru-kun, I need your help.

Aurora-dono, can it be you?

Yes, the Dome has called me back.

What do you wish of me, dono?

Aurora could almost picture the samurai kneeling before her, exuding the sense of reverence he always held for her. His old-fashioned loyalty always made her smile, as she did now, while she filled him in on the situation.

Tell me what to do, dono.

Come to this room and see if there's a way to open it from the outside. She gave him directions as he hurried to their aid. "Tokumaru is on his way to see if he can open the door from that side." So, the two women settled on the ground to wait.

"Well, as long as we aren't going anywhere, we might as well start on you, Sileya."

The elf's ears perked slightly. "What are we going to do?"

"Well, it may seem silly, but I need you to converse with your dragons, all of them, together or in turn, it's your choice, so I can observe the connection you have with each of them. I won't be eavesdropping, so feel free to say what you like."

"Converse with all my Dragons? Okay, I can do that."

Inhaling a deep breath, the silver-blue-haired Elf closed her eyes in concentration, melding her entire consciousness with the Ancient Dragons. One by one, she felt their presences caress her mind, and she finally settled on the Wind Dragon, Zelpher.

Hello, Zelpher.

Greetings, Small One. I trust you are doing well? The winds are in your favor?

As well as can be expected. I'm receiving some help from a friend of mine.

Oh, really? What sort of help, might I ask?

I'm trying to come to a better understanding of where my power comes from and of my bond with you and the others.

I see... Well, I wish you good fortune with that.

Thanks. Now, I have to speak with the others.

May the winds always be at your back, Small One.

Sileya relinquished her contact with the Wind Dragon and searched for another Dragon. This time, she found Pyria waiting for her.

Small One! Why didn't you talk to me first? I feel hurt...

What can only be described as a deep, bass sniffing noise rumbled inside Sileya's head. The Elf smiled to herself and shook her head. Pyria was naturally a little less formal than most of the others.

I'm sorry, Pyria. I just chose one of you at random to start with.

Well, you should have known that I wanted to speak with you the most! Not like that boring Zelpher. He's no fun at all. Always talking about the effects of the wind and the fortunes of the wind and whatnot. BORING. I'd rather talk about fire! And burn things! And I wanna play. Can I come out and play, Sileya?

Sileya couldn't help but laugh out loud at Pyria's ADD-like nature. Aurora raised an eyebrow.

No, you can't come out and play at this moment, Pyria. Sorry.

Darnit! Fine. I'm leaving, then.

The Fire Dragon's touch on her mind faded as swiftly as it had pounced on her, and she was soon met by Roanok, the Earth Dragon. Roanok wasn't exactly the most talkative and social of the Dragons, and it showed in the conversation.

Small One.

Roanok. How have you been faring?

The same as usual.

Good to hear.

...Well, I'll be going, then.

Roanok's presence plodded steadily away to be replaced by yet another of the Dragons. Areina, the Dragon of Water.

Hello, there, Small One.

Hello, Areina.

Zelpher told me about you getting aid in analyzing your power. Is there anything I, specifically, can do to help?

Well, you're doing what I need you to be doing right now, and that's just talking to me. Unless, of course...you'd like to tell me yourself about my abilities and my connection with you and the others?

Areina was silent for a moment, and Sileya began to hope that perhaps she would at last get some sort of answer. However, the Water Dragon quickly doused those hopes as soon as they kindled.

That is something you must discover on your own.

Areina slipped silently away from the Elf's mind as graceful as ever. Suddenly, Sileya felt her mind tackled by none other than the Thunder Dragon, Taiken.

SMALL ONE!!!! What's going on?! Is there something the matter?! Do you need me to help you?!

Sileya laughed again. Taiken and Pyria were very similar in their personalities, as were Areina and Zelpher. On the outside, Aurora was curious as to just what was occuring inside the the Elf's consciousness.

No, Taiken. Nothing is the matter, and all I needed from you for the moment was for you to talk to me. You've done that rather well, thank you.

Taiken sounded disappointed. Oh...darn... I was looking forward to stretching my physical wings... Well, if there's nothing else you need, I guess I'll go back to teasing Roanok. That guy needs to loosen up, you know?

Like a flash of lightning, Taiken detached from her brain. The next Dragon to embrace her mind and spirit was the Ice Dragon, Shilera.

Small One, how have you been feeling?

I'm alright, Shilera.

Are you certain? You seemed exasperated earlier...

Oh, that was no big deal. I'm fine now.

...Are you really certain? If there is something you need, do not hesitate to ask me. I don't want your fragile body to fall into a negative state of some kind.

The Elf chuckled. Shilera's motherly nature was definitely showing through today. Fragile body? Well...compared to you and the others, I must be. But really, I'm perfectly fine.

Alright, Small One, if you say so. I shall be taking my leave.

As Shilera faded, the presence of Slezyn, the Dragon of Shadow, slunk upon her mind and wrapped itself around it.

I hear you're trying to get stronger, Small One. It's about time you started thinking more about power.

This is not about me getting stronger, Slezyn. It's about figuring out exactly how the power I currently possess works.

Oh, certainly. You keep telling yourself that. It'll do your naive, righteous heart some good.

The Shadow Dragon's oily laugh filled her head.

That IS what it's all about. Don't you doubt that.

Right, right. I'm not going to argue. Just remember, if you ever need real power, I'm here for you. And despite the things I might say, I do care about and respect you. I just don't let it show as glaringly as some of the others do. Pyria and Taiken are especially annoying with their antics...

Thank you, Slezyn. It's comforting to hear you say that.

I'll be leaving you for now, Small One. May the blood of your enemies always be plentiful beneath your feet.

Slezyn's consciousness slithered away, and finally, the Light Dragon, Lithiuan, bathed Sileya's mind in her warm and soothing presence.

It appears that all the others have had their turns. I wanted to be the last.

Lithiuan, my friend, is everything going well for you?

Yes, Small One. Everything is well. I trust the same holds true for you?

It does, indeed. I think I'm on the verge of discovering some things about myself and all of you.

That is good news to my ancient ears. I hope you find the answers you seek very soon.

Lithiuan...if you and the others wish so much for me to find these things out, then why don't you all just tell me yourselves?

I think you know the answer to that. At any rate, yes, find out soon. I want to know you better, Small One.

Know me better? What are you...? But Lithiuan's presence had slipped away from her before she could get her question out.

Exhaling a sigh, Sileya opened her eyes to gaze across at Aurora. "Well, I'm finished."

Aurora smiled. This was very good. She seemed to hold amiable, if not close relationships with all of her familiars. "Can you talk to them all at once?"

"Well, I tried once, but as soon as I would pick up another, I'd lose hold of the first. It was very frustrating."

"Heh, I can understand that. I'm guessing you are on best terms with the Light dragon, the last you spoke with."

Sileya's brow furrowed slightly, "How did you...?"

"Elements are easy to pick up on if you understand the nature of magical signatures. As are emotional connections. You seem closest to your Light familiar..."

"Lithiuan."

"Thank you. So, we'll start with her. First, call her."

She watched the elf's expression grow more concentrated, and soon the summoner felt the presesnce of Sileya's Lithiuan once again.

"The first thing we have to do is deepen your connection with Lithiuan, so you have to open your minds to one another, each allow the other's mind deep inside your own."

Aurora sense as the two minds tentatively eased together, but Sileya came up again as though drowning, gasping as she jerked herself free from the greater mind of her dragon. The Ominae put a hand on her friend's. "It's okay," she soothed, "Lithuian wouldn't allow you to come to harm, but you'll have to grow accustomed to dealing with consciousnesses larger than your own. Now, try again. Go slowly. I'll be right here."

The younger woman slowly relaxed into her meditations again, allowing her dragon near again. Aurora's voice came to her, relaxed, almost hypnotic in its softness. "Stop for a moment, get a feel for this level before you go deeper.... Now, stop. Can you feel the power surrounding you?"

Sileya nodded, eye still closed as she affirmed in a small, overwhelmed sort of voice, "Yes."

"Then, come back, now."

They repeated this excersise multiple times, Sileya gradually going deeper, and becoming more comfortable each time.

"Now," Aurora said softly, while Sileya was at the deepest point she'd yet reached, "embrace the power you feel here, let it flow from Lithiuan's body into your own and back, as though you were in fact connected, not merely in mind, but body also." The teacher was silent a long minute before continuing. "Good. Now, allow that power to flow through your body, and let it come to rest between your hands."

"Now," Aurora said softly, while Sileya was at the deepest point she'd yet reached, "embrace the power you feel here; let it flow from Lithiuan's body into your own and back, as though you were in fact connected, not merely in mind, but body also."

It was incredible. Sileya had never experienced anything like what she felt at this moment. She hadn't know that it was possible for her to feel something like this. Her usual connection with the Dragons, in mind only, paled immensely in comparison to this new connection. She almost felt as though she were Lithiuan. Amazed, Sileya floated in the Light Dragon's presence, embracing the warmth and the energy that flowed around her. She felt...disappointed when Aurora's voice interrupted the blissful sensation.

"Good. Now, allow that power to flow through your body, and let it come to rest between your hands."

Obeying instantly, Sileya opened herself to the power of Lithiuan, eagar to prove she could do what Aurora had asked. Concentrating, the Elf willed a mere trickle of the vast amount of power she had available to her to surface in her hands. When she opened her eyes tentatively, to her delight, she saw light energy manifesting itself in her hands. She breathed slowly, trying to control her excitement, lest something throw off her concentration.

"I did it."

"Very nice, Sileya. Now, come to the surface again, nice and slow. Excellent." Aurora allowed the elf a moment to adjust to being in her own mind again. "Now, we'll move on to another of your familiars. You're closer to the Fire elemental, but I'm not sure you're ready to have your brain tackled by a young dragon. I like the way the Ice and Water elementals interacted with you. Pick one of them next."

Sileya slipped into meditations once more and Aurora felt the prescence of the Ice dragon. They repeated this with the slightly less familiar Water dragon, whom Sileya volunteered as Areina. The young warrior seemed to be getting more comfortable with each practice.

"Now, call your Fire elemental." No sooner than Sileya had closed her eyes, the firey youth fairly tackled them both, so exhuberant was its entrance. Aurora nearly had to brace Sileya physically to keep them from falling off the rock they perched on together.

After that, they took a breather while Sileya tried to pin down the more elusive consciousness of the Wind dragon. Then, they held another boundingly joyous merging with the dragon of Lightning.

"Now, there is only two left, Sileya, which do you want to take first?"

"Roanok."

She's avoiding the Shadow elemental. Not surprising, but it worries me, just the same. "Then, call your Earth dragon." As, Sileya sighed into her meditations again, they found that the Earth elemental did not come into her mind as the others had, but sat nearby, waiting for Sileya to approach him. It was a cordial pairing, though tentative on the elf's part. I wonder why she's more uncomfortable with Roanok. I love the unobtrusive sort of strength Earth elements yield. They're very comfortable in a quiet sort of "take 'em or leave 'em" way. Slowly, Sileya rose from her mergence with Roanok. There was only one dragon left.

"Can't run from it anymore, Sileya." The elf looked a little indignant that it was implied she would run from anything. "I know you're uncomfortable with this one. Don't worry, I'll be nearby, and I have a feeling the other dragons will be watching as well."

Sileya’s overflowing joy at having successfully merged with Lithiuan was stemmed by Aurora’s voice, calling her away from her embrace with the Light Dragon and back into the confines of her own mind. She wistfully released her hold on her friend and reentered that state of mind that now seemed so dull and pale in comparison to what she had just experienced. Sighing reluctantly, the Elf turned her full attention to Aurora.

"Now, we'll move on to another of your familiars. You're closer to the Fire elemental, but I'm not sure you're ready to have your brain tackled by a young dragon. I like the way the Ice and Water elementals interacted with you. Pick one of them next."

Taking a few seconds to consider, Sileya chose to attempt to merge with Shilera. The Ice Dragon had always been like the mother she had hardly had. Retreating within herself once more, Sileya searched for the presence of her Ice familiar. Within moments, she felt the comforting, ever-concerned touch of Shilera herself. As she had done with Lithiuan, Sileya tentatively touched her consciousness to Shilera’s, beginning the merging process. This time, however, Sileya was ready for the nearly overwhelming sensation of being fused with such a vast consciousness. Feeling comfortable immediately within the motherly embrace of Shilera, Sileya brought herself back out again, as before, and went back, immersing herself deeper inside the Dragon’s consciousness than she previously had. When she was finally able to call forth Shilera’s power in a physical manifestation, the Elf slowly released her consciousness from the Ice Dragon’s and returned once again to her own mind. Immediately, Sileya shared a nearly similar experience with the Water Dragon, Areina.

"Now, call your Fire elemental.”

Sileya chuckled inwardly at mention of Pyria and steeled herself for the inevitable loving assault that would most assuredly occur once she had immersed herself inside her consciousness again. And occur it certainly did.

SMAAAALLLLLL ONE!!!

OOMPH!!!

The mental tackle was strong enough such that both Sileya and her human friend were shoved off the rock they were sitting on. If it hadn’t been for Aurora bracing her body against Sileya’s, they both more than likely would have fallen. Thanks to Pyria’s enthusiasm, merging with the Fire Dragon was as simple as breathing.

Upon Sileya’s recovery from Pyria’s tackle of an embrace, she attempted to merge with Zelpher, the Wind Dragon. His consciousness was far more elusive than the others so far had been. He seemed willing enough to consent to the merging, but his wind-like tendencies made him hard to effectively pin down. Eventually, she was able to do so, and shortly thereafter, it was Taiken’s turn. His reaction to the merging was almost a carbon copy of Pyria’s.

YAY!!! SMALL ONE!!!!

BY DRAGEZIEL!!!

Once again, Sileya almost toppled from the rock and took Aurora along with her. Rubbing the back of her head, Sileya grinned sheepishly as she released her hold on the lively Thunder Dragon.

"Now, there are only two left, Sileya. Which do you want to take first?"

Sileya considered for a moment. The only two Dragons left were Roanok, the Earth Dragon, and…

Slezyn… I’m a little apprehensive about surrendering myself that much to his consciousness… I’m not sure what would happen… So, I’ll go the safer route and merge with Roanok first.

“Roanok.”

Aurora seemed lost in her own thoughts for a moment. "Then, call your Earth dragon.”

Slipping for the seventh time into her own mind, Sileya cast about for Roanok, expecting him to come to her like the previous six had. To her astonishment he merely waited a little ways out from her probing consciousness. Seeing that he wasn’t planning on bounding up to her like Pyria and Taiken had, Sileya cautiously approached the Earth Dragon. He seemed to size her up briefly before allowing her to meld with his consciousness. Despite her initial shyness with him, Sileya found that Roanok wasn’t as imposing as he made himself out to be once she was a part of him. She gave his consciousness a grateful stroke before resurfacing completely back inside her own head. She had successfully merged with seven of the Dragons, leaving…

"Can't run from it anymore, Sileya."

The Elf bristled inwardly at this comment. She had not intended to be perceived as running from the mergence with Slezyn, but after she gave it some thought, she supposed she really had come off like that.

"I know you're uncomfortable with this one. Don't worry, I'll be nearby, and I have a feeling the other dragons will be watching as well."

Taking a deep breath and forcing her apprehension down, Sileya entered into her meditations for the eighth time.

The Shadow Dragon was waiting for her.

He didn’t spring upon her like the Fire and Lightning Elementals had. His manner of approach was smoother, more refined and practiced, almost relaxing in a way. Wordlessly, he wrapped himself around Sileya, allowing her to become accustomed to his presence.

You’ve saved me for last, have you? Wise choice. Now that you’ve tasted what the others can offer, you’ll be able to see that I can offer you far more. Come. Merge with me, and I’ll show you power such as you’ve only ever dreamed of.

Resistant at first, Sileya soon gave in, knowing this was necessary, and merged her consciousness with that of the Shadow Elemental. He drew her a short way within himself and stopped. Sileya felt the surge of immense power even at this level that could only be rivaled by that of Lithiuan. It was intense and made her feel almost twice as strong as she normally would be. Slezyn seemed to sense this.

Do you enjoy that? Then, why don’t we go a bit further?

He pulled her to the next level of his power, and everything Sileya had felt at the first level was magnified three-fold here. It was almost too much, and the Elf decided it would be better if she resurfaced now rather than later. She had made the connection with him; anything else was unnecessary. But when she went to return to her own mind, she found herself held tightly by Slezyn’s over-powering consciousness. No matter how she struggled, his grip on her consciousness held her firmly in place.

No, wait. There is more you can yet experience.

Again, to the next highest level of power he pulled her. The elemental energy here was overwhelming. Sileya had to fight to remain fully in control of herself. Slezyn seemed pleased with the struggle he was putting the Elf through.

This is power, Small One. And it can all be yours if you’d but draw nearer to me…

Slezyn!

The stern, commanding voice of Lithiuan rang out, breaking the Shadow Dragon’s hold on Sileya and allowing her to resurface. She opened her eyes to find herself lying sprawled out over the rock with sweat soaking through much of her clothing. Aurora was looking concernedly down at her, obviously worried about her friend’s condition. After taking in several breaths of air, Sileya stirred faintly on the rock.

“Alright. It’s over now.”

Aurora helped her friend up. She was glad the Light dragon had stepped in, negating the need for her to do something herself. She logged away details from each of the mergings mentally as her thoughts returned to the original subject.

"I think we've covered enough ground for today." she said, noting her friend's exhausted expression. "I wonder if Tokumaru is here yet?" Aurora reached out with her mind once more. Tokumaru-kun?

Yes, dono? He sounded a little frustrated.

How goes it?

The door will not open on its own.

Aurora began formulating a plan B as she felt an immense power surge on the other side. Tokumaru, what was that?!

The door would not open, so I destroyed it, dono.

Aurora laughed hysterically, then translated the conversation for Sileya who was looking at her strangely. "Then, why were you laughing?" the elf asked.

So, Tokumaru-kun, what do you see?

The samurai's mind was silent for a moment, then a bustle as he tried to form words for his thoughts, finally I don't know, dono... It is....indescribable.

You are looking into the Void, Tokumaru-kun. It is the empty space between dimensions, the space through which the Dome travels, spanning the continuum. An awe inspring sight, is it not?

Indeed. Once again, dono, my time knowing you has gifted me with great experiences.

Aurora smiled gently. Life does that all on its own, my friend. Then, she changed the subject. Who else among my students remains here?

Tokumaru began naming a list, one longer than she expected, and he hadn't even gotten to her advanced students. Stop, please. Aurora thought for a moment.

"What's wrong, Aurora?" Sileya asked, noting how the summoner was massaging her temple idly.

"Were going to have to find another way out. I somehow have to think of a way to open a dimensional portal between here and the Dome." Aurora looked thoughtful for several minutes. Then she asked Tokumaru a question.

Yes, dono, I believe so. came the reply.

So, Aurora reached out once again into the Dome, untill her mind finally brushed against...

The ancient and mysterious Dome had millions of unique rooms and hallways, corridores, courtyards, gardens, everything. Hundreds disappeared and thousands reappeared every day, depending on certain situations for it’s individual warriors it catered ... especially the staff of the place.

One such staff member, Cain of Belisaur, gunslinger/swordsman/magician, was currently deep in the Dome’s bowels, or what it called the bowels, in a room that had appeared from nowhere, shooting up a large number of demons that were appearing at random all around the cavernous room.

At the moment he was creating such a violent din that, had anything smaller than a cockroach stepped inside at that moment, it would simply have popped. This level of noise was common when Cain fought an inordinate amount of enemies. He was expertly sliding, spinning, jumping, flipping, and dodging through the horde of training demons, his handgun barrels ablaze with fury, unleashing bullet after bullet. These were creating 95% of the ruckus. The other 5% was the demon army’s continuous screeching as they were blasted apart in gory chunks by the bullets, which were finding their marks one after the other with unnatural accuracy. It took Cain less than a second to load two fresh clips into his guns, cock them, and blast out more rounds again. He could catch a tossed clip into the handle of an empty gun without using his hands. He was the one who had revolutionized gunslinging like no other.

He had been in the process of deplorably slaughtering these demons for nearly a half hour now, and by this time the walls were splattered profusely with blood and demon organs. Cain himself was drenched in the sticky liquid, but he didn’t mind ... nobody was observing the rebellious behavior that was his daily training ...

Then, quite out of nowhere, all the demons that had been sqarming him, including the mountains of bodies, disappeared in a dark flash. Cain blinked, standing in the empty room, quite alone, covered in gore. Half a second later, the door to the room creaked open, and a small foot tall goblin waddled uncertainly into the room, looking at the bloody walls with wide eyes.

“Need something?” asked Cain, irritated by the interruption. He was hardly warmed up, yet.

On hearing these words, the fat little creature took a look at the teacher, gave a frightened squeak, and fell over, staring in horror. His arms shook like rattles. He was obviously disturbed.

“Hell,” muttered Cain, remembering how splattered with gore he was. I must look like a butcher! He holstered the silver handguns that were still warm from shooting, and hurried over to the goblin, who had forcibly shut it’s eyes. It was trembling like a leaf.

“Hey!” exclaimed Cain. The goblin took a quick look, discharged a loud frightened scream, flipped over onto it’s stomach and frantically tried to crawl away. Cain reached down, grasped it’s stubby left leg, and dragged it smoothly and calmly back. He turned the hysterical creature over, and held it steady.

“Someone sent you to me,” he spoke over it’s throaty gurgles. “I am Cain. What are you ferrying?”

It proffered a letter. Cain snatched it.

“Are you--?”

The goblin’s mind could no longer accept it, and it’s consciousness retreated into the darkness for a moment to gather itself. The goblin slumped over, out cold.

Sighing, Cain stood and patted the creatures leathery head. “You’ll be fine, buddy,” he said quietly. Then he turned to the parchment he clutched with bloody fingers, and scanned it. It was very brief.

Aurora and Sileya are trapped in a room.

With a raised eyebrow, Cain recalled the two retired teachers. So they have returned? He remembered vaguely talking with them at staff meetings. Odd that they should return at such a peaceful time. He wondered briefly what their motives were.

I guess I’d better help them...

Cain took a look down at his clothes, and found that the Dome’s infinite magic had cleaned the gore off of his skin, clothes, and, on inspection, his face and hair, all without him even noticing. He let out a tiny grin of satisfaction, not knowing that it would be the last one he would have for a long, long time.

He left the room, trusting the Dome to lead him in a beeline to his fellow returned staff members.

Steel flew. Ice shattered.

The old centaur’s hammer knocked the head of yet another ice-demon from it’s shoulders, but like the rest, it simply ignored the supposedly mortal injury and launched an attack of it’s own. The thing’s razor-sharp claws flashed towards the warrior’s chest, almost slipping past the guard of his spear. Something gurgled sickeningly in what was left of it’s throat for an instant before the centaur’s hammer smashed into it’s chest, knocking chips of ice from the thing’s body and sending it flying across the frozen lake.

Knocking the thing’s companions back with a rapid series of blows from both his hammer and spear, Chetarren snarled in frustration. He had no idea why the Dome had dumped him in this wretched place, where the only thing more numerous than these frozen beasts that kept attacking him was snow, or why the things seemed so determined to stop him leaving the lake’s frozen surface. What he did know was that both were starting to grate on his nerves.

Temporarily free of opponents, the old warrior turned back towards the shore and began to walk slowly away, always keeping a wary eye on the now-headless ice fiends. He hadn’t gone far before a group of the things rushed him again, their claws giving them much better purchase on the slippery surface than Chetarren’s toughened hooves did.

Smashing them back with his sledgehammer, the centaur slipped on the ice beneath his hooves and almost went down beneath the clawed demons. One of them managed to tear a fresh wound in his chest before being shattered into a thousand pieces by the warrior’s return blow, dripping red blood onto the ice for a moment before it, too, froze.

Pulling himself back up onto his four feet, Chetarren rapidly destroyed a second and third ice beast with his hammer, keeping the others at bay with his spear. At this point, the last two seemed to reach some kind of consensus and drew back a ways, far enough that his weapons couldn’t reach them, but close enough that the centaur was tempted to try.

Instead, Chetarren wheeled about and swiftly launched himself away from the creatures. His hooves skidded on the ice, making the old stallion slide forwards faster than he had intended. The sudden move caught his headless aggressors by surprise, who gurgled in what was left of their throats before moving to follow.

Barely able to control his own movements, Chetarren kept going across the ice until he collided with a snowdrift that had built up on the frozen lake’s banks. Hauling himself up over the white blanket that had cushioned his body, the old centaur whirled about on the firmer, less slippery ground, and spent a few seconds watching his pursuers scramble across the ice at a greater pace than he had been willing to go. Unless he turned tail and ran, the things would catch up with him soon.

Slowly, the old centaur knelt down in the snow, ignoring the cold that lanced through his legs at the white powders’ touch, and closed his hazel eyes. Chetarren knew that he had relied far too much on the magic that Aurora had granted him in the time since she had taught him to use it, but the retired general could think of no other way to stop these beasts of ice, short of remaining in the accursed chamber until he had shattered enough of them with his hammer that the rest left him alone – and the gods alone knew how long that would take.

Letting out a deep breath, Chetarren reached down within himself, summoning the magic that his old teacher had unlocked within him. As ever, it came eagerly at his call, flowing up from the deep parts of his soul and filling his mind with the power that it granted him. With it came a vague sense of Aurora, the human summoner who had once been his teacher and remained his friend.

Allowing his link with the Ominae to fade into the back of his mind, the old warrior opened his eyes again and stood. The ice demons had almost reached him in the time it had taken to call up the magic, showing a considerable amount of speed that the centaur hadn’t expected to see.

The first of the things that reached Chetarren had it’s chest melted through by a fist-sized fireball that kept heating up what was left of it until it was reduced to a pool of slush in the snow. Three more of the creatures fell to the magic the centaur wielded in rapid succession before the remainder retreated from him, gurgling loudly in their ruined throats. They seemed to want no part of fire, let alone a magical one.

Turning away from the retreating figures of his would-be attackers, Chetarren was about to release the magic and let it return to wherever he called it from when he felt Aurora’s mind brush against his. Bringing the contact to the fore, he felt an unasked question in her mind, and paused just a few metres away from the door that would allow him to leave the snow-filled chamber.

Chetarren.

She felt her former student's mind answer her unasked question, so she continued. Chetarren, I need your help. I'm locked in a room.

The centaur's mind seemed momentarily puzzled.

I didn't think such a thing possible either, my friend, but we need your help to get out.

I'm on my way, my lady.

Aurora settled in to wait once more.

"Who were you talking to this time?" Sileya asked.

"Chetarren Caesar, another of my former students, and a good friend."

"I see. And, how can he help us out when Tokumaru couldn't?"

"I can't just open a portal between dimensions off-the-cuff, it's not an easy task. I need a chi link to piggyback my magic on. The stronger the link, the easier it is to pull off. And, I need all the help I can get, because this is going to take a lot out of me."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"No, just don't be shocked, or pull away from me if you start to feel a little tired at some point in the process."

"Okay," Sileya answered, although she looked slightly apprehensive.

My lady, I am here. What can I do?

Ah, good. You've already done most of it, she thought, getting up and moving to where the door should have been. More than anything, I need you nearby. I'm going to try opening a portal between this dimension, and the Dome. I plan to use the link between us to channel my magic through the framework the Dome already has set up, basically forcing the door open.

You said, 'most of it'.

Yes, she answered with slight hesitation. She knew her emotionally pent-up friend wouldn't like this part. For me to accomplish this, our link has to be at its strongest. When I open up my magic, you have to do the same, only this time, you can't push me to the back of your mind, like you always do. And,.... you can't close yourself off from me, Chetarren.

She felt the centaur's mind shy slightly at the idea, a thought she pictured punctuated physically by a slight snort and stamp. Chetarren, I need your help. There are things in everyone's life we'd like to keep to ourselves, and the longer the life, the more memories we'd prefer to forget. Do you have any idea how old I am?

No, only that you are much older than you appear.

Neither do I. I lost count a millenium or so ago. As much I see of you, you'll see of me. And, I don't like it any more than you.

She felt him form some sort of resolution, then say, As you wish, my lady.

He's doing it already..., she thought to herself. She placed her hands on the stoney mountainside, where the door should have been. Then, she began to open her magic. She felt the centaur mirror her action, his aura like a golden beacon on the other side of the Void. Soon, her mind was stretched along the magical connection between them. Gradually, she began pushing her magic through the lifeline, forcing it wide enough to send them through. She could feel the magic draining from her control nearly as fast as she was pushing it. Chetarren, I need you to talk to me. I can feel your presence, but you aren’t connecting with me. I have to concentrate on focusing my chi, so you have to control the connection.

There was silence.

She could feel the magic draining faster, being lost in the Void. She was beginning to tire. Talk about anything, Chetarren! Tell me about your training! I know you’ve been practicing since I’ve been gone.

Slowly, the aged warrior began to talk, gradually becoming more relaxed as he spoke of meditations, training sessions, and battles joined in her absence. As he continued, images began to take the place of words, and similar images from her own experiences in training echoed back to him.

Now, Sileya could see dimly three people on the other side, waiting for them. “It’s working, Aurora.”

Slowly, the communion changed to reminisces of their time as teacher and student. The portal grew more stable. She had tapped into the chi around her, but the room was so small, it replaced little of her lost strength. Sileya and herself were in fact, the strongest sources of life energy in the room.

Sileya began to feel sleepy. “What’s going on?”

“I need more energy than the room itself can provide, so I have to get it from somewhere,” she said through clenched teeth. She wanted so badly to tap into Valron for the power she needed, but the mental link required by that would translate to Chetarren on the other side, and he already balked at the touch of her mind, without her opening up completely. “Merge with a dragon. Lithiuan or Slezyn.”

The elf looked slightly puzzled, but did as her friend asked, suddenly feeling less tired as she connected with her Light familiar.

Aurora gladly tapped the little strength she could from her friend. The inefficiency of their new bond and the unfamiliarity of the dragon’s chi signature greatly hindered the amount of strength the summoner could draw. It basically maintained her, rather than bolstering her strength any.

The line of shared memories had moved to the night she had awakened Chetarren’s magical talent. Sensation coursed with the images now. The centaur’s experience of feeling his own aura for the first time, coupled with a flash of Aurora's memory of her own magic awakening… The conduit to the Dome was stable… The coupled touch of their auras brushing against each other, his surrounded by her own. The weariness that followed the task, and dreams they remembered as they slept away their drained state. “Get ready, Sileya.”

Then, it stopped. The centaur shied so abruptly that he nearly broke the connection altogether. Aurora focused in on the memory that had just passed unconsciously from her. DAMN! she thought bitterly as the connection began to crumble. She made a final push, opening the portal on the other end while clutching at the centaur’s mind as tightly as she could, desperation in her mind as she felt her work crumbling and her chi hemorraging alarmingly into the Void. Chetarren, don’t leave me! I need you to stay with me!

Her vision had begun to swim as she cut off her draw on Sileya and Litiuan to save them. “Sileya, go! NOW!”

“What is it? What’s wrong?!”

“There’s no time! Just go!”

The elf ducked under the summoner’s arm and dove through the rapidly closing portal as Aurora began to lose consciousness, the last of her life energy draining away into the nothingness.

Chetarren, help me… please… her mind could barely form the thoughts. I can’t help what happened… Please, help me.

She felt him come back grudgingly, and too late as she passed out, falling headlong through the portal, where multiple sets of arms were there to catch her nearly lifeless body.

OoC: I am sooooo sorry this took so long. *bows repeatedly to Ry-san* Don't hurt me... ><

Sileya stared in shock as Aurora’s unconscious body fell through the quickly closing dimensional portal and straight into the waiting arms of a centaur and a samurai. That had been much too close of a call for her tastes, and the fact that Aurora was now unconscious didn’t help her opinion of the situation improve. The samurai had started talking to Aurora, in hopes of reviving her.

“Aurora-dono, are you alright? Please wake up.”

The centaur, on the other hand, said nothing and merely looked down at the limp body of the summoner. He appeared too lost in thought to say much of anything, and Sileya suddenly had the feeling that the centaur was this Chetarren that had nearly kept them from escaping that room, maybe even nearly getting them killed. Frowning, Sileya stood up, fixing her emerald eyes upon him and opened her mouth to speak.

“Are you Chetarren, by chance?”

The centaur didn’t acknowledge her or her question for several moments, as he continued gazing upon the unconscious Aurora. This began to grate on Sileya’s patience, and she tried her hardest to refrain from growling her question again at him.

“Hey, is your name Chetarren?”

He blinked, finally realizing that there was someone speaking to him, and said simply, “Yes.”

Before Sileya could say anything that more than likely would have been rather heated and obtrusive, a man approached the four of them. Sileya vaguely recognized him from her previous stay in the Dome, but his name escaped her at the moment.

“Who are you?”

The man eyed her for a moment. “I’m Cain. You must be Sileya.”

“How do you…?”

“I know Aurora…” He glanced at her body in Chetarren’s arms. “And the message that I got told me that Aurora and someone named Sileya were trapped in a room together. So, I can easily infer that you are Sileya.”

“Okay, that makes sense, I guess. I suppose you already know Chetarren and…um…whoever that samurai is?”

The samurai nearby looked up from Aurora to introduce himself. “My name is Tokumaru Kyô. I am a former student of Aurora-dono’s. And so is Chetarren.”

Sileya looked at the centaur again and then at the summoner in his arms. “Perhaps we should get Aurora to her room. She needs rest.”

Cain considered something. “Yes, that would be best for her right now. However, I also think we should hold a staff meeting to discuss what happened here. The Dome shouldn’t just arbitrarily trap people inside rooms. There must be something going on, and we need to figure out what it is. I do think that someone needs to stay with Aurora…”

Sileya perked up. “I’ll stay with her. She’s my friend, and I want to be there for her.”

Cain shook his head. “No, I need you at the staff meeting. You were directly involved in this, and we need all the details we can possibly get.” He saw the samurai out of the corner of his eye inhale to speak but held up a hand to stop him. “No, Tokumaru, I need you to go round up the other members of the staff and then come to the meeting, too. However…Chetarren is not on staff here, so he is the best choice, I think, for staying with Aurora.”

The centaur appeared to want to protest, but he could see the logic in Cain’s statement. “Alright, I shall stay with Lady Aurora.”

Tokumaru nodded, and after looking concernedly once more at Aurora, he set off to round up the other staff. Chetarren lifted Aurora up and carried her off toward her room in silence. Sileya glanced in Cain’s direction.

“Well, shall we go, then?”

Cain nodded and motioned for her to follow him. After winding through several corridors of the Dome, the two stopped in front of an oaken door. Cain pushed it open, allowing Sileya to enter first. Once inside, Sileya saw others already present within the room, all of whom she knew had to be staff. Cain let the door close behind him and moved to the middle of the gathering. Sileya picked out a spot slightly outside the circle of current staff and leaned against the smooth wall there.

“Well, let’s get this thing started already.”