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Message: <blockquote data-quote="spyscribe" data-source="post: 2131555" data-attributes="member: 5808">Part the One-Hundred SeventhIn which: we find that our mission may have changed.“We meant no offense,” Lira offers politely.  “We were told merely that someone would come find us, not that we should stay where we were.”The woman sighs and makes a vague gesture of dismissal with one hand.  “None taken.  Birds make terrible messengers.”Kiara is so indignant she hops from Annika’s shoulder and shifts back into human form right in front of the stranger.  “Not all of us are,” she replies hotly.The stranger’s cool façade cracks just a bit as she cannot help staring at the transformation of a seemingly ordinary swallow into seemingly ordinary girl.  She takes a few moments to collect herself, but her only comment is, “Perhaps not.”She wrests her gaze from Kiara and turns to the others.  “You have a dangerous magical rock in your possession, then?”Kiara rolls her eyes, “I told him the invitation was the important part, but all he could remember was the rock so I told him to tell you about the rock, but really—”Anvil interrupts her to address their visitor.  “Are you the archmage of this valley?”“No.”“Then we would speak with she who is learned in such matters.”The woman quirks an eyebrow.  “Very well, Justicar.  I will take you to her.”The party quickly finishes packing their gear and follows the woman into the woods.###The woman, who informs the party that her name is Kiko, leads them through the woods for a day and half.  Although she is very polite, she declines to answer any questions about herself, her life in the Valley, or the archmage.Reyu walks silently through the undergrowth, one hand resting absently on Paws’ back.  In contrast to the wild lands through which they have been traveling for the last three weeks, the Valley seems temperate, fertile and peaceful.  Occasionally however, through the trees alongside them, she catches glimpses of dark animal forms making their way through the forest.  She suspects they are being escorted by more than the lone human. And so, at the same time as she enjoys the feeling of the ground beneath her feet and the scent of pine on the air, Reyu remains watchful.###Midafternoon of the second day of walking, Kiko leads the party into a small clearing.  On the other side, tucked into the edge of the woods, is a house.Despite its size, it is easy to see how Kiara missed the building during her aerial reconnaissance of the Valley.  The house is made of rough timbers and the roof is interwoven with living pine boughs, letting it blend almost perfectly with the surrounding trees.As they have apparently arrived at their destination, several very large animals—who Reyu earlier glimpsed escorting the party—enter the clearing a few steps behind the party.  As far as Reyu can tell they are natural creatures, but she has never seen anything like them before.  A huge lumbering beast, like a rhinoceros, except covered in heavy bone plates, and two creatures she would have called albino gorillas, except that each has an extra set of arms.Kiko gestures her thanks to the animals and dismisses them.  Then, she leads the party forward into the house.###Kiko leaves the party in a small sitting room at the end of one wing, and withdraws.  Anvil and Lira both just have time to cast a quick detect magic before the doors open again and another woman enters.She is middle-aged, and actually rather unremarkable in appearance.  Her face is well weathered with sun.  Her hair is up in an unkempt bun, clearly more for practical purposes than aesthetic ones.  She wears a simple robe.She also radiates more than a little bit of magic.  If they have come looking for an archmage, it would seem that they have found her.“Welcome,” she says.  “My name is Chi’i.  I hear you have a very dangerous rock.”She listens politely while the party explains that the “dangerous rock” is not actually their main reason for coming to the Valley.  They tell Chi’i about the fire at the Mages’ Academy, the need for a new chancellor, and of their mission to seek out the four most powerful wizards in the Halmae and offer them invitations to interview for the position.She nods in recognition when they mention four wizards.  “Ah, yes… And how many have you spoken with?”“So far, only two,” Lira explains.  “You, and the Miyen Kai.”Chi’i’s brows furrow.  “The Miyen Kai…” she pauses to roll the elven syllables around her tongue.  “The health of the Miyen?”Reyu nods.“Odd…  I’ve never heard of this individual.”“Do you know most of the most powerful wizards in the Halmae?” Anvil asks her.“I thought I knew them all.  There are indeed four very powerful wizards in the Halmae, but if what you say is correct, perhaps there are five.”</blockquote>

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