Sagiro’s Story Hour, Part 245
First Sight
(A short but sweet update)
The Mystic Peralta, having finished recounting her dream, looks expectantly at the Company.
“That creature with all the gems,” says Kibi. “He’s with us. He’s my Familiar.”
Peralta opens her mouth, closes it, frowns.
“You’re a wizard?” she asks skeptically. “But you’re a dwarf. I thought dwarves couldn’t be wizards, by their very natures.”
“We tell him he’s a freak all the time,” says Dranko.
“We’re very rare,” says Kibi, throwing an annoyed glance at Dranko. “My Familiar is an earth elemental.”
Peralta whispers almost reverently: “And he’s made of gems?”
Kibi shifts uncomfortably at Peralta’s eager look.
“Well, no,” he admits. “He’s made of granite, though he has sapphires for eyes. But along the way he’s found some... friends. Gem friends. Like an amethyst. Friend. Er.”
I’m not explaining this very well.
“Suffice to say,” interrupts Aravis, “we believe that Scree fulfils your prophecy.”
“I want to see him then,” says Peralta.
Kibi goes outside and has Scree hop into his familiar pocket. He then deposits his Familiar on the floor of Peralta’s room. The Mystic stares at Scree, searching, but says slowly, “I see sapphires, but no rubies, or emeralds, or...”
“There, inside,” says Kibi, pointing. “Look there.”
“Those are diamonds,” says Peralta. Very impressive diamonds, admittedly, but...”
“They turn colors when their magic is turned on,” says Kibi. “Then they glow and turn into other gems.”
Peralta looks skeptical. She gestures as if waiting for Scree to demonstrate this transformation.
“They’re not talking, as usual,” says Scree.
After another minute of uncomfortable silence, Dranko clears his throat and says, “Kibi’s telling you the truth. They opened up a Way for us to get here, that didn’t exist before.”
“Interesting,” says Peralta, but her face tells a story of disappointment. “That’s... interesting.”
“It doesn’t matter if you believe us or not,” says Aravis. “We fulfill your prophecy, so we intend to go through the Black Door.”
“Don’t you think that...” begins Peralta.
“We don’t think!” says Dranko earnestly. “We know.”
“If you’re sure,” says Peralta. “All I do is warn people. I’m not going to stop you, no matter what I think. But dozens of people have gone before you, some of whom, like you, claimed they were the Saviors.”
“Did Porridge have information about what was on the other side?” asks Morningstar.
“Pffff,” says Peralta dismissively. “Porridge’s report was... remarkably free of detail. But he’s alive, which is remarkable in and of itself, even if he’s never been right since then.”
“Can we heal him?” asks Dranko.
Peralta shrugs her shoulders. “No one else has been able to.”
“When we go through the Black Door we can bring some of the others with us,” says Dranko. “It’ll be like a private army.”
“I don’t know,” says Morningstar. “I don’t want to get distracted by additional people we’ll have to protect.”
“I’m not saying we should bring kids along like it’s a field trip,” says Dranko. “But if, say, a bad-ass kobold with a spoon wanted to come with us...”
Peralta shakes her head.
“If you’re going to take others with you, I hope you’re very sure you’re the ones.”
“Look,” says Dranko. “This whole place... this “room without walls”... is powered by one of those.” He points to one of the Eyes or Moirel inside Scree. “A different one, I mean. It’s very powerful, and sits in the center of this place like a spider in a web.”
“And these Eyes have been spouting prophecy and generally running our lives for years now,” says Morningstar.
“They brought us here to get the third one,” adds Kibi.
“One of them turns purple, like amethyst, and one of them turns green, like an emerald, and one of them turns red, like ruby,” says Aravis. “We’ve seen it. We know.”
“I think I do believe you, and like I said, I won’t stop you,” says Peralta. “But... if it’s not you, I wouldn’t give much for your chances.”
“One way or another, we’re going through,” says Ernie.
It appears that their interview with Mystic Peralta has run its course. As they leave her room and head down the hallway to the stairway, they start making plans to train here in Bakersfield, which seems like a well protected and well-suited place for it.
Ernie is halfway down the stairs and looking out over the commons when it happens.
Just inside the door stands a vision that stops his very breath. Her tabard is green and gold, emblazoned with the cornucopia of Yondalla and perfectly complementing her brilliant green eyes. The hilt of a halfling Greatsword peeks up over her strong shoulder. She has the face of an angel, flowing blonde hair, and a pious aura that Ernie can feel from across the room.
The halfling woman also stops, her eyes drawn to Ernie. A delicate blush creeps up her fair cheeks, but she does not avert her gaze, and neither does he. They stare at each other, hearts racing, and the whole of the Wily Weasel fades away. Ernie is barely aware that his legs are moving, as he floats toward her, smitten.
...to be continued...
