Audra was surprised when her attempt to shove the woman out of the way failed. She wasn't the strongest girl in the world, but the woman had barely moved! Her mind raced, the woman had pulled something out of her coat and Audra didn't want to know what it was. This is no good what do I do?

She sensed trying to shove the woman out of the way again would be futile, as would trying to defend herself...if the woman was strong enough to stay upright after being shoved there was no way Audra could fight her off. So, she did the only thing she could do. Audra attempted to scream, hoping someone in the building would hear her and come to her aid.

(roll for initiative and maybe stamina?)

Morgan, gripping your rock tightly, you spin around and stand to face the disturbance. The sharp edges of the weapon in your hand bite into your skin from your tight grip, but the heft of it is a comfort as your eyes focus in on your suspected assailant.

((Morgan roll Dexterity: 6 6
Reroll Tens: None
Successes: 2

Result: Morgan manages to keep her footing as she spins around to face the disturbance.))

You half expect to see a fire, and some kind of person or creature beside it. What you see, however, is the source of light is the being itself. The woman you see before you is tall, with bronzed skin that seems untouched by the dancing flames that wreath her head. She is clad in armor that moves like molten rock across her skin, but her expression is cool, airy even. She is standing, feet apart, a red-hot scythe held upright at her side. Her eyes are white and glowing, but you have no doubts that they are locked onto you. A small smile plays across her lips as you both stare at each other.

You let out a scream. The hallway seems to tremble a little with the sound, like the force of the silence breaking was almost physical. The woman, whose face you still cannot see, does not flinch despite the sudden assault to the ears. Maybe she's used to people screaming around her. The thought alone sends that sinking feeling of fear into your gut.

You can practically hear your heart thud in your chest as the sound dies in your throat. The world is silent, save for the sound of your blood pounding, your chest rising and falling with each breath. Time is ticking and whether or not anyone heard you or is coming to your aid remains to be seen. Better act while you can.

((Audra roll Stamina: 5 9
Reroll Tens: None
Successes: 1

Result: Despite her fear, her throat does not close up and Audra manages to scream.

Audra roll Perception(DC 8): 2 7 9 3
Reroll Tens: None
Successes: 1

Result: You can barely tell over your scream, but you swore she said something. You couldn't quite tell what it was though.))

There's no way in the world that Morgan can fight the winged fire-woman, not even with a rock. But not all life is an RPG, surely. Even if it was, it wasn't fair for her to spawn in an area so far above her abilities and current equipment. Where were the nutrias? But that, she realised, was just further proving what a geek she really was. Thankfully it was just her train of thought within the privacy of her own mind!

She kept a hold of her rock, but she didn't take an aggressive stance. The woman, with her scythe at her side rather than in front of her in an aggressive stance didn't warrant the gamer mentality of attack everything that moved. Maybe that should be the topic of her magnum opus--instead of yet another tired epic of the fantasy genre...have the heroine be a gamer, pulled into the fantasy world her game concerned, and having to learn to treat others as genuine people, rather than classifying them into 'npc' and 'enemy'...

Not the time for that, though!

She took a deep breath and looked at the woman, trying her level best to be polite and calm, though that was a bit difficult when one was naked and holding a sharp rock. "...Uhm...hello? ...Where am I?"

The silence seemed to shatter around her as Audra screamed as loud as she could. The woman seemed to have no reaction, something which bothered Audra greatly. Maybe she's used to her victims screaming... She quickly scanned the hallway, but no help seemed to be coming...where was everyone? She had to get past this woman, get some space between them. Maybe she could duck under the woman's upraised arm. No time like the present... Audra took a deep breath and dashed forward, hoping to get past the woman.

Roll for agility?

"Well," she starts smoothly, her voice surprisingly soft for one with her appearance. You almost expected her voice to be raspy, or have a crackling quality.

"I have to say, you're not entirely boring. Most people ask, 'Who are you?' first. But I suppose your first concern would be yourself, all things considering. And it should be."

You get the feeling that she's looking you over. Sizing you up? Somehow, that's hard to believe. In a fight, it's pretty clear who would win.

Smirking, she clenches the hand holding the scythe and it closes on air; the room dims a little as her weapon seems to dissolve into nothing. Her wings fold in, then disappear and the room grows darker still. A faint glow still surrounds her, her hair and armor red-hot in the dark. She takes a few long strides towards you; you feel the heat of her as she moves closer.

"I don't give anything without getting something in return though. Nothing is free, especially information. What can you offer me, Skinwalker?"


Audra, as you move to dash under her arm, she seems to anticipate your action and moves to stand in the way. Neither of you have lost any ground, but you also haven't gained any. The air is thick with tension and emotion and an audible tick of some distant clock.

She's moving again, her right arm shooting out towards you. Is she grabbing or striking this time? She hasn't been particularly offensive so far; despite your close proximity to her she hasn't struck you once. There's still a little bit of hallway behind you; you could back out of her reach. But you know that would put you even further from the doors. You could try to deflect her hand, but with how strong she seemed before, would that work? Your throat seems tight with fear; you know you couldn't scream right now even if you tried. You don't have many options. A tiny voice in the back of your mind whispers "You could surrender." Is that even an option though? Tick tick. Better react fast.

((Audra roll Dexterity: 7 6
Reroll Tens: None
Successes: 2

Jessica roll Dexterity: 7 9
Reroll Tens: None
Successes: 2

Result: Standstill. Neither progresses any further than before.

Audra roll Initiative(Dex+Wits): 3 1 3 6 4
Reroll Tens: None
Successes: None (The 1 cancels Successes)

Jessica roll Initiative(Dex+Wits): 5 10 9 10
Reroll Tens: 5 10
1
Successes: 4

Result: Jessica won Initiative and gets to take two actions.))

Another unique situation. Because of the rolls, Jessica is taking two actions. But since Audra did not botch her roll, she still gets to take an action, just after Jessica's first action. Your next post will be a reaction, which unfortunately is limited to defense. You can try to do something defensively, but not offensively. For example, trying to push past her again would be an offensive move. But moving back a step or two would be defensive. Raising your hands to guard yourself would be defensive. Trying to deflect her would be technically defensive, in this case. Screaming would be offensive.

This kind of sucks for Audra, but works out surprisingly well for the storyline. You'll see why if she is successful in her actions. So I've posted her first attempt, then you can post your reaction/attempt at defense. Then I'll roll for results and post. Then you can post Audra's attempt at an action, depending on how the previous roll goes, then I will post with the result of your action and also her attempt at a second action, if it gets to that. We'll see how it goes.

Not entirely boring. She was 'not entirely boring'? Morgan would have been offended if it hadn't occurred to her that it was likely the rare mortal that got even that much from this flame woman. That had to be what 'skinwalker' meant. Though it did remind her once again of just how little she wore. She folded her arms in front of herself awkwardly, though she didn't really think it was a good idea to give the creature she presumed to be a fire elemental any lip.

She didn't shrink backwards any as she was looked over. If anything, that could be a good thing--the woman wasn't hostile, obviously wasn't hostile, but if she was being sized up, it could be for any number of things. Physically speaking, she might be looking at her to see if she is the right size for some clothes an earlier traveller abandoned, or perhaps it was more than that--perhaps she was being looked at in less literal terms, perhaps being sized up to see if she was suitable for a magical quest of some sort.

She didn't shy back when the woman approached her, either. Though the heat could be terrible if she got too close, Morgan supposed, given that she was standing naked in...a room? She swept her eyes around again, now that she had at least a bit of light. {Perception roll, please?}

But what could she offer such a fantastical creature, she wondered as she brought her eyes back to meet the white gaze of the fire elemental she was facing. "I could trade you information...whatever you want to know about my world I could tell you..." If she was omniscient, then Morgan's idea would fall flat, but perhaps... She had to hold out hope, anyway.

Audra tried to escape, but true to form the strange woman quickly blocked her escape route...once again the two were at a standstill in the middle of the hallway. Audra scanned the doors behind the woman and was crestfallen to see them all remain closed. No one had heard her. This is getting ridiculous...this is some sort of nightmare bakery! The woman's arm reached out towards her, on the verge of tears she quickly ran through her options. There was still some room behind her, perhaps she could try and avoid the woman's advances? But that would only last for so long. She could block, though given the solid granite the woman seemed to be made of, the idea seemed foolish. You could surrender...

the whisper in her mind was soft and yet cut to the bone. She could surrender but, who knew what would happen then? For all Audra knew, giving up would result in her immediate death, or worse. Audra threw her arms up in front of her face, and though her throat was tight she was able to croak out "What do you want with me?"

(roll for defense I guess if the question falls on deaf ears)

In the flickering light given off by the woman, you get a good sweep over your surroundings. It seems you are in some sort of cave, which explains the rocks and the roughness of the ground you were crawling over. The air is still though and as you gaze around you realize that there is no mouth, no tunnels leading out. You are in a stone bubble. The air is warming around you as the woman approaches.

She listens intently, a smirk crossing her lips.

"Your world. Your world is drab. Dull. Lifeless. That is why they write stories. Stories about people like me. Because reality is pretty dry."

She waved her hand over the ground behind herself and conjured up a stone chair. She seated herself comfortably with her legs crossed lazily over each other, one elbow propped up on an armrest, her chin resting comfortably against her knuckles. Her eyes burn into you, as if she was seeing past skin and flesh.

"I know all about your world. What else do you have to offer?"

((Morgan roll Perception(Room): 6 8 10 7
Reroll Tens: 1
Successes: 4

Result: Morgan gets a good look at her surroundings.))

The woman's hand reaches out, through your defenses, and this time, instead of grabbing onto your shoulder, she touches your face. Two of her fingers are against the pulse thudding rapidly in your neck, just outside your jawline, the other two spread equally apart down your neck, and her thumb presses against your lips, hushing you. Her touch is gentle, but firm, and it sends a jolt down your spine. You hear her speak this time, and her voice is smooth, but unnerving. Word associations pop into your head: Music box, violin, knife against metal, siren....

"To help you see," she whispers, and her tone suggests a gentleness you were not expecting. A pleading.

See.

The word strikes your mind sharply and you get a flicker, an image of Sanaii's sharp green eyes piercing into you, through you, as a voice whispers from the back of your mind.

'You too shall see.'

You can't place it, but it's all familiar. The fear, the tension, the otherworldlyness. The dream. Was this a door? Were you meant to walk through it? Or were you meant to run?

((Jessica roll Dexterity(DC 5): 7 5
Reroll Tens: None
Successes: 2

Audra roll Dexterity(DC 7): 5 3
Reroll Tens: None
Successes: None

Result: Jessica manages to touch Audra.))

The woman's hand slipped through Audra's weak defense, touching her face and shushing her with a finger. The gesture itself was less than threatening, but the tingle that went down Audra's spine had her on edge. She was surprised when the woman spoke, though her voice was little more than a whisper. The voice was gentle, almost pleading asking her to see. Well of course I want to see... Audra thought as the image of Sanaii's piercing eyes flashed in her mind.

The whole situation felt familiar, the same tugging feeling she experienced when she had the same dream multiple times. There was something here she was supposed to be getting, and she was frustrated at her own ignorance. She wanted to talk to the woman before her, explain she understood but had questions. I won't go back without some knowledge! she yelled in her mind, hoping that perhaps the woman would understand.

The trouble with caves was that eventually they ran out of air. Fire also consumed oxygen, and whether or not this woman breathed it was merely a minor detail compared to the fire she gave off. She'd seen walk-on-water bubbles advertised online before, and they were about half this size by her guess, though that guess might well have been badly off. In the dark it was hard to tell exact spacing in the cave. They had half an hour of breathable air...that meant she had an hour, give or take?

But that wasn't even the least of her worries. This woman was looking her over and asking her what she could possibly offer to her, and she'd just cut to the quick about why there was nothing she could offer. But...maybe that was the test? Was she supposed to accept humility and admit she had nothing? Or was she to prove her wit and come up with something anyway? There was....nothing she could do here that she could see. It had to be a test.

"Obviously there's nothing I can give you...coming here took everything from me. What is of value to you? If I know what is worth offering, I could make a much more useful offer..."

Her fingers are so warm on your skin as you both stand, silent. The silence is heavy, thick. That distant clock is ticking on, slowly now, as if time itself was slowing down. Or maybe it needed a new battery. Strange how your thoughts could turn to that at a time like this.

The girl, taking in your silence like an answer, is applying a gentle but firm pressure to your jaw with her thumb. She seems to be guiding it to open. Her other hand is coming up, fist closed, palm-side up, in front of her face. She has stepped even closer to you. You can almost taste the words as they leave her lips. But even this close, close enough to kiss, your eyes can't pierce the darkness of her hood. The mystery of her face makes your brain twitch, like a puzzle you can't quite figure out.

"Just breathe."

Do you resist? Do you pull away? Her voice is calm, entreating.

"You'll find your answers...."

The woman seemed to consider you for a moment. Or maybe she likes making you wait for her answers. Maybe she likes to see people squirm. It was hard to tell; the heat was beginning to make you dizzy. Or maybe the fire was consuming more oxygen than you thought? Were your calculations off? Was there something in the air? The dust you inhaled? Too many questions; it was enough to make a person's brain explode. Yet there she sat, in silent contemplation, for seconds that seemed unbearable. Finally, she spoke.

"In negotiations, you do not ask what is of value to the other party. You know what you have of value. You assume the other party knows it too, otherwise they would not engage in negotiations with you. If you do not know what is of worth that you can offer, how can you expect them to think it worth anything? A man of age, of experience, with no belongings or a penny to his name has something to offer the world. Know your worth, Skinwalker. That's advice. That's free. For now."

Finally, her eyes leave you. They choose instead to look over your surroundings. Her expression stays neutral, betraying neither interest nor boredom. The heat pulses around her, making you sweat.

"Now, I ask again, what can you offer me?"

The two remained in deadlock, standing face to face in the hallway the only sound the dull ticking of some distant clock. The moments between the ticks seemed to increase, was the clock slowing or time itself?Or maybe the battery is dying... The logical thought interrupted her mind, horribly out of place.

Audra watched as the woman's other hand came up towards her face. She tensed up, thinking back to what the strange woman had said before. She was spending all this time looking for answers, maybe they were right in front of her face, and her fears were keeping her from learning them.

Audra peered into the darkness under the woman's hood, what did she look like? Did she have a set face, or could she change her looks at will? The woman's assurance to breathe made Audra realize how tense she was. Isn't this what I always wanted? To go to the places behind the veil, the lands of the old stories?

Though she couldn't pierce the darkness of the woman's hood, she gazed straight ahead, hoping to lock eyes with the woman. Just breathe... Audra slowly nodded her head in understanding and took a deep breath.

Right. Right. Morgan's thoughts sped through her mind, trying to come up with the right answer. Saying nothing was obviously a bad idea, but the question was...what could she offer? All she had with her now was her mind. It made her think of, not a book this time, but the bastard movie-child of two different books by two different authors (though she did still have a first edition copy of the book The Flight of Dragons stashed away in a box in the back of her closet).

What did man ever have to offer when he was thrust, out of his element, and into a world of magic? Surely they must have been called forth for -some- purpose, either for their mind or their purity or some form of...

"My aid. In...whatever it is that I can be of use to you in." It was a bold offer to make without knowing what the quest was yet, but...one rarely got out of quests, anyway.

As you breathe in, she exhales, blowing a fine powder into your face, into your lungs. It shimmers in the air as it passes between you and the girl and for a moment, you think you see a glint of green. And then the world shifts.

The colors are shifting, smudged and messy in your vision. The hallway tilts, making you stumble, and the dark shape before you seems to melt into the rest of the blurred surroundings. That clock is ticking fast and heavy, in time with your heart, and between ticks you think you hear something. Shapes moving towards you, distorted voices, just before the room tilts again, heaving you onto your back. As you hit the ground, everything disappears.

The first thing you notice is the cold. You feel a breeze touch your face, and you realize you are still on your back. Something warm and red is pressed against your eyelids. Light? You hear voices. You feel like you're coming out a dream; everything is taking a little while to get from your senses to your brain. Your eyes are still closed.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's almost disappointing how she doesn't even seem to react to your proposed offer. You know in your heart that it's a dangerous one, risky. You'd think it would at least provoke a twitch in her facial expression, but no. Instead, she rises steadily from her chair, crossing the distance between you until you can feel the heat of her wash over your body, making you sweat.

"You should know that words are binding here. Do not make promises lightly."

She holds her hand out to you, palm up, like a cashier accepting payment. Her eyes are locked on yours, and even her gaze seems to give off heat. Your face is flushing. It's getting hard to breathe.

"Is this your offer?"

Morgan focused heavily on her breathing, taking in deep, measured breaths. As best she could, anyway, and it felt like all of the oxygen in each breath had already been burned away. She couldn't help but meet the other woman's eyes, and a thousand thoughts ran through her mind. There was so much that could happen, and in a fantasy world like this she could be asked to do nearly anything.

...A -fantasy- world. This was her daydream, she was playing along. And hell, if she got told to do something bad...sometimes the best stories ever written were the ones about the villains. Perhaps that was her stumbling block--she could write an amazing hero, and if this was her chance to play the hero, then that would be amazing. But if this was her chance to make a deal with the devil...so be it. Her villains had always been a bit two-dimensional. This would be a good exercise in fleshing them out.

"That's my offer." She reached out her hand for the flame woman's, bracing herself to be scorched at the touch but ultimately feeling like she had to.

As she inhaled the woman blew a fine dust into Audra's face. It sparkled a moment before entering her lungs, causing the world to blur and shift. It was like the world had suddenly become a Monet painting seen up close, what were once sharp outlines became muddy and blob-like. The hallway seemed to tilt and Audra stumbled, trying to stay upright as the shapes blurred into swirls of colors. The clock must have survived the shift, because she could still hear it's ticking, a dull thud that followed her heartbeat. Audra couldn't be certain, but between the beating rhythm of the clock she swore she heard the murmuring of voices. Before she could determine the source of the noise the hallway shifted again, sending Audra flat on her back and the world into darkness.

The feeling of goosebumps brought her out of unconsciousness; she was chilly and a breeze passed over her. Where am I? Audra thought, trying to get her bearings. She must still be on her back, laying on something flat...the ground? Her eyes were closed but she could make out a reddish color through the closed lids, and her face felt warm. Was it light? the sun? Am I outside? Everything was slower, as if her brain was working at half-capacity. The murmuring was louder hear and Audra could clearly tell it was voices, though who or what they belonged to she wasn't sure. Where did I wind up

"The payment is adequate."

She grips your hand firmly and you feel energy shoot up your arm, hitting your brain like a jolt of electricity. Your hand is wreathed in flames, hers and yours, and you feel a burning, yet it is not so painful as you expected. It doesn't spread either, the sensation is focused instead on the palm of your hand. As she releases you, you feel the full pain of a brand sear across your palm and you see the blistering image of a snake.

Whether by the sweat or tears of pain, your vision blurs as salt water stings your eyes. You can feel her in front of you though, her figure wavering like a mirage.

"You are in between. In between worlds. And I have brought you here. This is a place of my own design. It has no entrance, no exit, and no existence outside of my mind and now, yours. You may come here at will. The laws of this place are different than those of your world, but some still apply. Breathing, for instance, is still required for those without the proper Gift. But other things, impossible things, can occur. Consider this....training grounds. For now. But your time is short. The air is thin for you. If you've any other questions, you would do well to ask now."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As you lie there, your senses seem to catch up to you. A bed. You are lying on a bed. You feel like you've been here before. The voices start to sharpen; you can distinguish one from another, although none are familiar to you. There is a light breeze catching your hair from the left side, and you seem to be wearing some kind of soft cotton clothing. Your feet are bare. The voices are running together and you can feel the tension in their voices as you catch parts of the conversation. They all seem to be talking quickly, as if anxious.

"Where did she come from? There aren't any new arrivals scheduled for this time..."

"...not the proper method. Outside influence could have had its part...."

"...know, but we can't do anything until she arrives. She's the Gatekeeper and this is her jurisdiction."

"What do you think it means? Do you think it's connected, her arriving...."

"She's awake. Miss? Can you hear me?"

Two men, three women. The one speaking to you now sounds younger, with a soft, light voice and a gentle hand that is touching your shoulder as she leans close to you. You hear feet shuffle around you, moving to your right, where the young woman must be. Someone clears their throat, one of the men who was talking before maybe.

"Should I fetch an Altor?"

A man. His voice was slightly higher than usual, possibly bubbly and energetic under different circumstances, but you could still hear the capacity for laughter. You can almost picture a grinning face, perhaps not so much now, pinched from anxiety. Your brain was already going to work on faces for the others as they spoke.

"No, it's fine. We have it under control," says one of the other women, an older one. Greying hair in a tight bun, stress lines on her face. Sharp features. Or maybe it was just the tightness in her voice that made you imagine a stern face. But reliably older than thirty, you were pretty certain.

"Can you tell me your name, miss?"

That woman was speaking again, reassurance in her voice. Maybe a soft mahogany toned hair, in waves. Shoulder-length. Full face, seeing just as many concerned gazes as smiles these days. Tired, but still young.

You wonder idly how long you'll imagine their faces before you actually open your eyes and look for yourself. You hear two pairs of feet recede; a door closes further away from you.

Audra slowly caught up with the world around her, brain catching up with her senses. I'm in a bed...is it my bed? The voices around her began to separate into individual people, though their words still blended together, as though she was only catching half the conversation. Something about her, and how she came there. A girl who may or may not have been Fae blew dust in my face...

Someone called out to her, a soft female voice...a young woman? Asking if she was awake. She grunted softly, willing to acknowledge the voice, but not willing to wake up just yet. Another voice, a man spoke next What is an Aldor? Audra thought as the woman shook her shoulder gently.

She imagined what they might look like, the woman sounded nice maybe a little older than she was. The man sounded anxious, but good spirited A redhead perhaps? She understood that it was silly to imagine their faces as humanoid, for all she knew they were bird people, or pure energy!

The kind voice asked her name, a simple enough question given the circumstances. "Audra" She mumbled, opening one eye cautiously. "Audra...where am I?"

Morgan stared down at her hand, the shock at least somewhat insulating her from the initial burst of heat, but she felt it quickly, quickly wearing off. This was -not- a chance to help the world. No, with full snake insignia--many books came to mind with that reference, this was the searing brand of a deal with the devil. But...she wasn't going to have the heroes overturn whatever she was signed on to do by not asking the critical questions at the right time. No, the only real question was did she ask her questions one by one? But what if she was given a limit? There were so many things that could go wrong here...she decided she'd best just go for it.

"Do you already know what you're going to ask of me? And if so what is it? What is your name or at least something I can call you? How do I get into contact with you? What does this symbol mean? What -should- I ask?"

"Audra."

Her voice whispers your name as if it were made of glass, and she was nervous of breaking it. She let the word slide softly from her lips and settle gently on the bed, next to your ear. As you open an eye for a tentative peek, you first see the woman beside you. Her face was almost level with yours, tilted as if asking a question, soft brown hair falling into her pale face. Mahogany. In waves. You almost think yourself to still be dreaming.

"Audra," she says again, a little firmer this time, "what can you tell me about how you came here? What do you remember before you got here?"

"She looks a little disoriented, Lily. Perhaps she ought to rest more."

The young woman smiles softly before nodding.

"Yes, of course," she says, turning back to you on the bed, "you should rest. Get your thoughts together."

She goes to stand and hesitates, placing a warm hand on yours and giving it a light squeeze before reassuring you.

"You are safe, Miss Audra. When you are ready to talk, we will be just outside the door, okay?"

She stands quickly, walking to join a...well, to say woman would imply humanity. The creature you see is female, you're pretty sure. She stands at six feet, with humanoid features and body, yet from her arms sprout beautiful feathers in different shades of tan and brown, blue occasionally mixed in. They look like wings. Harpy wings. You cannot see her feet for the dirt brown dress whose hem kisses the floor, but there are flecks of feathers on her face as well, melding with the flesh, as natural as can be. Her eyes are sharp, a glittering gold. Her lips are pulled back in a smile as she observes you. She has perfectly even, white teeth. She has a lovely smile.

"Be still, child. You will not be harmed here," she says as she extends her hand to you in a strange gesture you do not recognize. Her and the young woman turn, ushering out a red-headed young man, who smiles at you with cheerful eyes before letting himself be led out.

Just as soon as you became aware of the others, they disappear and you are alone again. The room is still as you lie there, breathing in and out rhythmically. The door clicks somewhere in the direction of your feet. Ooo, maybe you shouldn't risk moving just yet. A lurch in your stomach at the very idea seems to be telling you it wouldn't be wise.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As your volley of questions hits her, she smirks, ever so slightly. She's very quiet for a little while, as if plucking each question out of the burning air and inspecting it, consuming the information like fuel for the fire, before letting the heat shrivel it up.

Your forehead is beaded with sweat and a long trickle of it is developing on the right side of your brow. Your mind wonders how much time you have. You're going to need a bath after this.

"You will never get the full name of any man, woman, or creature in this realm for fear of conjuration. But you may call me Esper. That symbol....can you think of nothing?"

That smirk again.

"You should ask what is most important to you, but know not all questions will be answered, and even more, not all will be answered honestly. Never fret. In time you will have the knowledge you seek. But time for now is short, and I do have other matters to attend to. And you," she says, getting so close to you that you fear you might burst into flame if the air around you gets any hotter. You realize in one breathless moment that there are in fact eyes, eyes radiating a blinding white color, staring into you. And in another breathless moment, you realize you cannot breathe.

"...you need to breathe."

In an instant, you are on your apartment room floor, gasping and choking on a coarse, gritty substance that coats your tongue, your throat, even your lungs, it feels like. Your face is burning up, sweat sliding down your skin, making it twitch. The floor is hard, but cool against your cheek. Your legs are screaming their displeasure; they feel like they've been curled against your chest for hours. They desperately need a stretch and you desperately need to take these sweaty clothes off and shower. But first, of course, you need to be able to move.