Log View

Source	Contents
Amethyst	A single point, followed by another. Then an explosion of points, and then one of colors, like an endless shifting galaxy of stars surrounding what seems to be an endless void. It is very pretty, but almost dizzing. This is the place Salara wakes when she sleeps, and Ashuria is standing before her, smiling. "Welcome, Cynis Salara. How are you doing today?" Ashuria seems to be almost too much at home within wherever this strange place is.
Black Pearl	Salara looks around and sits up, gasping. "I...I am tired. I should be tired, but I am not. My /body/ is tired...." Her breathing grows a bit faster then as she looks around. "What is this place? Where am I?"
Amethyst	"You are in a dream." Ashuria says simply, "But not just an ordinary dream. From here, all of our memories dart the skies like stars. Our dreams like auroras stretching across those memories. You body will have the rest it needs while your soul is free to wander with me. When you wake, you will be just as you were before."
Black Pearl	"I...see. Well, this is not a dream Im used to..." She snorts, "Rather dream of sitting on the throne, enemies kneeling before me," she says drily, before smiling back. "So...Yim Ashuria...am I simply dreaming you have visited me? Or is this really happening? And...if I am our hostess..." she looks around, "I see no refreshment to offer. Please forgive my oversight."
Amethyst	"For me, I cannot sit still while I can do something." Ashuria says, "I like to dream that if all of us worked together, if we were all unified, then perhaps we could at once bring Creation back from the brink. I dream of brothers and sisters who's souls have been claimed by the fae, and of the myriad of wonders that have gone dormant in the wake of the rebellion that saw to the end of the Solar's world." "But I'm not here to share stories of ancient past or the ideals that I hold, instead, I brought you here for specific reason and purpose. And goodness, you need not treat me as though I am a Dynast, but I appreciate the offer." Ashuria stands and the whirlwind of stars shifts and changes. And in a moment, one can see a particular star floating towards her, until she plucks it from the void, its eerie light pulsing between green and blue. "The reason I brought you here is to share with you the secrets of what happened to my daughter and what you may need to do. If they truly intend on assassinatintg us Dream-Souled, then I cannot garuntee I will be there to tell you once all is said and done." There's a solemness to the words she speaks.
Black Pearl	"They mean to...but they are also bringing poison for the Exalts they know of...but I do not think they know of me, yet, for I was hiding during the fight," Salara says. "A month...they mean to attack in a month...." She shakes her head. "ALl need to hear this, and I will tell...when I wake," she says. "My apologies. And...I am...honored that you would trust me with these secrets." She stands and looks attentively. "What would you have me learn?"
Amethyst	"An honor is bestowed, and thus a burden is given. A privilege is a responsibility." Ashuria says. "I just ask that you find a way to help her, if you both survive whatever is coming." And with that, she crushes the star, and the world turns and bends and twists. Ashuria and Pearl are like phantasms watching a scene from before unfold. A great chamber opens, etched with the same sort of essence conduits seen in much of the city-manse. But here, there stands six pedastels, blue jade, green jade, red jade, white jade, black jade, and one made of some prsimatic metal. Each hold a mighty hearthstone, lighting up the chamber and powering the city-manse. Flash forward, the room is now dark and filled with water, and only three pedastels still remain, the prismatic, blue, and red. Smaller, less powerful hearthstones sit in their slots, giving precious essence, the slight pulsing glow that's seen these days. And in the center of these, lies two circles marked with various symbols of old realm, 'Of Soul, Wyld, Creation, and Essence. Of Memories, Dreams, Gossamer, and Nightmares. Take the fae and mortal essence of this vessel, and let it touch the soul and heart of the wyld and creation.' Following is Ashuria herself, slightly younger than Amethyst, sitting in the center of those cirlces and others are gathered around her, chanting as essence builds and flows around her, lifting her up and flowing /into/ her, shifting and changing her. It hurts, but it feels amazing, as the veils of mortality peel back to see the realization of a power that, though not as intense as the Exaltation of a Dragon-Blooded, none the less is incredible. With a flash, the dream shifts and we return to the starry expanse from before, just as we were. The chamber as it once was, what it has become, and how Ashuria was made into one of the Dream-Souled through the workings of several of them combined with first age technology that may or may not be in need of repair.
Black Pearl	Watches what must have been in the original days, but now so much missing, and things are so much less now. Worn, broken. But knowing what they once were...could perhaps look into repair? "And then you did this to her as well, but with her Exaltation to come...did that mess it up? Is that what caused it?" Her breathing is faster, and she is curious. WOrried.
Amethyst	"Perhaps the Solars of old could fix what is broken, but repairing this city has proven beyond the ken of us Dream-Souled." Ashuria says sadly. "As for Amethyst?" Again the swirling nebula of memories shift, and this time a red-orange star floats into her hand. As she crushes it, the world shifts again, but from Amethyst's perspective. Entering the old room came with a rush of excitement and joy. She proven herself, challenged the wyld itself and won, and her victory had granted her a mark of potential that would soon allow her to bloom into a Dream-Souled like her mother. Worries about whether or not she carried the spark to become a Dragon-Blooded were quite distant. As she steps into the circle. Her mother and others surrounded her. Beginning the ritual, they chanted in tongues even Amethyst could not speak, their essence connecting and anchoring to each of the elements, even the ones with the hearthstones missing and the pedastels destroyed. As the energy spiraled, where Ashuria was felt with this feeling of growing power and growing pain, Amethyst felt very little as she was lifted up into the air. But suddenly, a great pain washed over her, her soul straining under the power flowing into her. The pain only grew and grew as her mind faded to screams. Ashuria's perspective takes in, doing her best to stabilize the essence flow but everything had become so erratic. She couldn't explain what was happening and couldn't falter or lose focus, but it was too late. The energy around her daughter all collapsed into her at once. And then, a single burst of essence, almost like a bomb detonating and unleashing all of the energy at once. Ashuria and her daughter were the only survivors, and the black jade pedastel had been utterly shattered. And the hearthstone had become this strange violet gem. Rapid flashes of memories come forth, of Amethyst being in a coma for the better part of a year, of the little gem being examined and inspected by anyone and everyone Ashuria trusted and even by some she didn't. Ancient texts were scoured. A library filled with little gems of knowledge was consulted, but to no avail. Even her hunt to claim a Raksha's heart grace so she may study it lead very little except for the fact that yes, part of her daughter's soul is now trapped in this little gem. More flashes of Amethyst having no memories of what happened, nor memories of her childhood. And Ashuria using her magic to quietly hide the holes in her psyche with what remained, a good deal of which was her devotion to the Immaculate Dragons. Unsure of what to do, she sent her to her father and sent him a message to seek help. And a final flash of Ashuria sobbing endlessly in her lab as she could not understand what had happened or why. The only thing she was sure of, was that Amethyst would need to face down an Unshaped Raksha and win, and their magic would be capable of shaping that gem into an artifact that would at least allow her symbiosis with the strange gem. And even Ashuria is sure that if she were to help, it would only make things much harder for Amethyst.
Black Pearl	"So she needs to face down an unshaped, more powerful than the shaped raksha we saw leading things against us..." Salara looks at the memories now and shakes her head. "I feel...helpless. Not sure I can do anything here. Tired, so tired....but I love her..." She looks worried, and gloom of nightmare starts to surround her.
Amethyst	"And so I have sat here toiling endlessly searching for some other solution." Ashuria says as the starfield returns. She too looks tired, broken, and utterly exhausted. "The other Dream-Souled in our court have accused me of lying and trying to give special privilege to my daughter. And so they've made it my problem alone to deal with." But then Ashuria goes over to Salara, and grabs her shoulders, "But you are not alone. You have the might of both The Unconquered Sun's chosen and Luna's chosen. Though me and you may not be a match for them, maybe they will be." She release Salara, "And if you manage to save Elderloch from this disaster, maybe I can sway the others into helping too. And so long as I draw breath I will not give up on my search."
Black Pearl	"They have that might. I don't. Was useless in the fight. They'd have had an easier time without me here." Dreams, nightmares pressing in. She looks up, "THey'll probably be able to do it without my help. I will do the best I can, but...I don't know what /I/ can do that they can't do so much better..."
Amethyst	"Perhaps they may be able to fight better than you or reason better, but they cannot shape the five elements like you and my daughter can. Nor can they manipulate dreams and memories like we can. And what I know of the quests of the unshaped, is they will press you within a moment of your power, regardless of who and what you are." Ashuria explains, "And if you dare seek greater power, know that the wyld would not refuse one who was stern enough to grasp it, Exalted or no. Though you will be forever warped by its touch."
Black Pearl	"None would dare let me live to try to become Empress if I became twisted by the Wyld, even if I had the power," Salara says. "I...all I can do is support your daughter. And hope that's enough....enought to make a difference here."
Amethyst	"I understand." Ashuria says, "As for my daughter? You are perhaps the only thing keeping her sane amid all of the chaos her life has become. She needs you more than you ever would think. Some of that is the dragon-blood in her's instincts to seek out her own kind, and the rest is the fact that you are something that she's always idealized, a dynast who's not just a pawn in the games of the houses. Someone who dares to dream and who dares to think bigger than she is. You two are alike in more ways then you know." She chuckles a little. "And you know, you don't need to take over the realm to become an empress."
Black Pearl	"I...thank you for saying so. I'll try to remember it. Just..." She licks her lips. "Yes, yes I do. I need to....the house needs to take vengence on them for turning us when all we did was our duty. Even if I never am Empress myself, I cannot let any other House take the throne," she says rage and bitterness unleashed.
Amethyst	"Why are you so adament about taking vengeance?" Ashuria asks, "What have the other houses done to yours?" Hers is not a tone of contradiction but of curiosity. But then she turns her tone more serious, "I've trusted you with my innermost secrets. Can you do the same?" And Salara can /feel/ that she could do more than explain, she could /show/ how her life was like and what shaped her vengeance. Her memories could be displayed just as much as Ashuria's, if so she wishes, by grabbing and crushing the star that represents that very memory.
Black Pearl	Salara reaches out. And there's a star, one that radiates blackness like an oil-slicked rainbow. She grabs it and crushes it. Long ago. Pearl's skin fair, her eyes brown and hair black. Looking every inch a pure-bred dyanst...but still a child. Taken into secrecy. Starting to be shown masks. Ornate, plain, all of them looking down on the pair of women--mother and daughter. "Rendili Salara, hear me," the older woman says, a wood exalt herself. "For though you have grown up in Cynis, you are not of it, nor am I. Now listen, child, and listen well. Engrave this in your heart and mind forever, lest you incur my wrath..." The young girl nods, eyes wide a bit with fear, and she drops into a deep curtsey before standing again. "I hear and obey, Mother." "Then know that our bloodline is traced not to Cynis...but Iselsi. We are broken and scattered. Hiding. Because the other Houses objected to what the Empress had us do. And so when she left, they turned on us and so proved themselves traitors to her vision, one and all. We alone remain loyal. But we must hide amongst the rest of them...until the day comes...the day of wrath and judgement."
Amethyst	Ashuria is quiet, contemplating the sight before her. "Iselsi Rendili Salara." She says aloud, not quite believing her own words. "So the house does still live on... I would have never known. Unfortunately my ties to the Dynast eroded long ago. Once I was a Dynast like you, but they did not care much for me being one of the Dream-Souled." She explains. "So I ended up here. I would show you, but our time here grows short. Be will my friend, and take care of my daughter."