Strange Happenings [Glob] [M]

[DragonSong]

"Oh. Yes, thank you." That was actually quite reassuring, the idea that she'd at least be stepping into this unknown with some sort of anchor. She took his hand with a small, grateful smile. "Ready, I guess."

[DaGlobster]

Vel held on tightly to Starbright, and stepped through. It would tingle momentarily as she passed through, but otherwise, things would be all right!

The space they found themselves in was rather impressive. It was a rather impressive mage's workshop. The room was circular and multi-floored, like a cylinder. The first floor itself was built like a study, with a desk facing a gigantic window that currently looked out to complete blackness.

The first two floors were dedicated to magical workstations and devices large enough to need dedicated wall space. The floors above were dedicated entirely to books. A small circle in the center of the first floor was left clear as well

"Here it is! Home sweet home," Vel said, motioning to the room about them.

"Nothing says peace and quite like having a dimension to oneself."

[DragonSong]

Starbright gripped Vel's hand tightly at the strange sensation of passing through the portal, clenching her eyes shut. Then they were through and she peeked at their surroundings, giving a soft gasp.

Her hand fell from her guide's and she turned in a small circle, taking the place in with a murmured, "This is incredible." She faced him with wide, sparkling eyes. "This is another dimension?"

[DaGlobster]

"Well, it's between them, technically. We can go to one!"

Vel waved his hand at the window, and it flashed for a brief moment before an endless sea of fire was visible from the window.

"Elemental plane of fire!" Vel said, motioning to the window.

"It's much cooler than having a fireplace."

[DragonSong]

Midnight swore and Starbright yelped, jumping back from the window with wide eyes. She sort of laughed at herself and smiled sheepishly at Vel. "Sorry. Startled me."

Casting another look around the room, she finally turned to him and said, "So, where do we start?"

[DaGlobster]

"Well, somewhere up there," Vel said, and pointed to the vast upwards expanse of books, with each floor dedicated to a specific subject.

He walked to that small, empty circle in the center of the room, and it lit up beneath his feet. He motioned towards him.

"Come on."

[DragonSong]

Warily, Starbright followed, eyeing the glowing circle with interest and some trepidation. "So...this is where you live?" she said slowly, looking around again. "How long have you been here? Did you...make this place?"

Probably too many questions, but she couldn't seem to help herself.

[DaGlobster]

"Well, I work here. I know people on the continent can be a bit fifty-fifty when it comes to magic, so I prefer to work here," Vel said. He took Starbright's hand, and made signs with his hand. The circle lifted up, and started rising up through the tower.

"I haven't had this place for too long. Only recently learned how to construct multiplanar structures," Vel said, as if it was nothing.

"I'm four hundred and seventeen years old."

[DragonSong]

She gaped at him. "Four...hundred..."

Damn, Midnight said with a low whistle.

"Wow." Starbright just blinked at him, wide eyed. "So when you say recently- is that a pretty relative term to you?" she tried to joke, still sort of stunned.

[DaGlobster]

"I suppose," Vel said.

"I've had this work shop for about... ten years now. It was mostly just taking all the stuff I already owned and moving it."

Vel sighed.

"Such a hassle."

[DragonSong]

"By yourself?" She dragged her eyes from their surroundings to look at him, tilting her head slightly. "Are you...alone here?"

Alone was a concept that was rather foreign to the both of them, but it seemed sort of...sad to her. Her brow furrowed a bit as she looked at Vel, suddenly hoping he would tell her otherwise. He- it?- he seemed friendly, and he was kind enough to offer them help.

It didn't seem fair that he should be alone.

[DaGlobster]

"Yes, alone. Well, not completely. Sometimes, in the right planes, I get visitors." Vel said, and he nodded at her.

"But yes, mostly alone."

[DragonSong]

Her brow furrowed. "For...four hundred years?" she murmured, looking up at him with some combination of concern and sympathy. "I'm sorry."

Oi, bleeding heart. Back to business. He's an automaton, not a puppy. Head in the game.

Sighing, Starbright shook her head. "Right then. Um...what can I do to help with this search?" She glanced up at him curiously, hoping that she hadn't overstepped her bounds and he wasn't offended.

[DaGlobster]

"Oh, not for hundreds of years, no!" Vel said.

"I mean, I'm alone when I'm in here. I go to the cities all the time! Where do you think I got all this stuff?" Vel said, and the disc stopped on a seventh floor.

"Okay, I need you to find a book. Red binding, gold letters. The title is "Two Minds, One Body: Demons and Possession."

[DragonSong]

"Oh." She smiled. Knowing that made her feel better. "Alright, I'm on it!" She set off to search for the book, though it was hard to focus with the myriad of titles around her.

"Demonic possession?" she asked as she looked. The whole "two minds, one body" thing sounded right, but... "Do you think that's what this is like? Some sort of possession?" Well, Midnight could be a bit of a demon.

I heard that, and I will get you for it later.

[DaGlobster]

"It's not really a demonic issue. Or possession," Vel said as he stepped off the disc and onto the floor.

"However, someone possessed by a demon has a similar issue. Perhaps by studying how malignant demonic presences are removed from bodies, we can find a way to separate you and your sister."

[DragonSong]

"Yeah, I definitely need a malignant presence removed," she muttered.

A white hot flash of pain jolted through her skull and she yelped. "Gods, Midnight, calm down! I was kidding," she snapped, glowering at nothing. Shaking her head and grumbling insults at her sister, she peered back at the shelves.

"Oh!" She reached up to pull down a book and turned to Vel. "I think I found it." She dusted off the cover a bit, eyes flicking over the ornate letters of the title.

[DaGlobster]

"Oh. Well, that was quick!" Vel said, and hopped back onto the disc.

"Come on then, I need to find a few more books."

[DragonSong]

"Alright." She climbed back onto the disk with him, a little more confident now. She still reached for his hand though- the grip was comforting despite the rigid, metallic feel of it.

[DaGlobster]

Vel eagerly took Starbright's hand, and the disc moved up.

"Next stop, the enchantment books."