The three pulled themselves up through the
wastes that lay above them. The smell of it was chocking. Each handhold lead to
a new sensation; slime, dampness, soft and squidgy then razor sharp. After a
couple of minutes of struggling the group pulled themselves onto the side
platform that ran against a few run down tower foundations. Chloe started to wretch, she had never seen
so much rubbish, let alone having to swim through it. While she looked down she
noticed the anklets she was still wearing, with her apparent cure she tried to
remove them but to no avail. She
screamed in frustration, which lead to both Eryn and Lily trying and failing
themselves. Eryn and Chloe had resolved to find Shroud but without removing
these, the pace would be slow going and would attract unwanted attention. They
would have to return to the Atrium that they came from to get them removed. Chloe
tensed at this notion, she didn't want to go back, she didn't want to be around
that couple that she had awoken to. Perhaps though, now cured, she could laugh
at them, laugh defiantly in the face of death and disprove their ideas. She
didn't need much more inspiration than that and she was moving before the other
two had even noticed. Eryn, now realising he was running out of time, was about
to bid Lily farewell when her bag started to radiate light. There were also
sounds like a young child trying to gain the attention of their parents. Lily
sighed and opened the bag.
From inside flew out a
silvery metallic pyramid, giggling. It floated point down with complex etchings
and engravings over the five sides. It was enveloped by a faint purple aura and
started to spin on the spot. It introduced itself as Valma, and constantly asked
if Lily would like to play, or if she had any new secrets worth keeping. In
fact its requests were so incessant that it never ceased. It was a constant
stream of words shouting for attention. Lily introduced Eryn to Valma. It
floated over to Eryn and within seconds it’s aura had changed from a pale
purple to vivid orange and red. The intensity pulsed as it talked, now trying
to get Eryn to play with it. He swiftly deflected, offering to introduce it to
Chloe with a wry smile and with that he started to follow Chloe. Lily was left
with two options, she could either leave what could be a valuable asset, or
attempt to safeguard it and perhaps at the right moment, selling it to the
highest paying collector. The latter would sustain her at least for a time, and
perhaps she could coerce the other two into allowing her to lodge and eat with
them, without hopefully paying. Valma needed to be sold.
By the time Eryn had
finally caught up with Chloe she had already reached the Atrium and was causing
grief. She not only had argued with the two doctors that had looked after her
but was now debating philosophy and religion with a purple cloaked woman. The
argument had not exactly started without due cause, or at least that was the
fact in Chloe’s opinion. The garb that
the woman wore matched in hue to Chloe’s amethyst and so in her mind, the other
woman believed the same way she did. Of course, the Purple Order was not wholly
attuned to the colour, most wore a patch rather than a whole outfit. Nor was
member each bound by the same beliefs. Their gods however differed, Some were monotheistic,
some poly, others only sought to stop the end or survive through it, regardless
of a higher power. The woman outright rebuked Chloe as she tried to enforce her
own beliefs.
This is where Valma
stepped in. It had been waiting patiently for Chloe to talk to her but it had
waited long enough. Valma had already attuned itself to the amethyst colour of
Chloe but instead of asking her to play, or to tell it secrets, it floated over
to the other woman. She edged backwards, not understanding what was in front of
her. Valma’s aura started to spark and grow. It enveloped the woman She
screamed in pain. It would seem that whatever surrounded Valma, could be
dangerous, even perhaps lethal if used in that way. The floating pyramid
started yelling for Chloe to talk to it and not this other woman, and
threatened to kill her if she did not accept. Chloe taken aback as much as the
other woman agreed and she was let go. The other woman dashed towards the
Purple monks who now spoke in whispers and sly glances. When Chloe had turned
around, due to Valma disappearing from view she noticed Eryn and Lily, the
latter she was more surprised about. They didn't realise how lethal Valma could
be but the promises of secrets could be indispensable, if they could find one
of similar value. Eryn asked Valma if it would like to come and talk to him
instead of Chloe, which it excitedly agreed.
While Eryn properly introduced
Chloe to Valma, a note was passed to
Lily by one of the Narkkonis servants. On it read Grapnel 8. Tangent 10, Do you accept? The old man who had given her
the note noted her acceptance and disappeared in the hallways adjacent o the
main room. Behind her three young children approached, one to each of the group,
all offering a bunch of flowers from the Atrium Gardens. Although the flowers
appeared to be all from different plants, they were all connected toone stem.
They varied in hues and shapes, the leaves from broad to thick and lush. An
entire bouquet living as one. They all accepted the gift without much concern and
breathed in the sweet scent. The world started to dissolve around them in
swirling patterns, light faded and shapes became blurs.
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