Lil K watches the darkening sky off to the west with worry. She has been watching it for close to an hour after Mourbius left. “That is gonna be hitting Wayward Harbor in about an hour, if not sooner” she thinks,” and we are less than an hour away from town, I hope Sonja and Raist are on the way back.” She licks her finger, and holds it up to the wind,” and then us not long after.” She turns as she hears the unmistakable sound of a Mech trudging up the tall hill and smiles to see that it is Gunny riding the machine. “Sali pulchri Namum!” The male Dwarf yells up to Lil K when he sees she has spotted him “Sali, meforma- Man.” She calls back. The Mech lumbers up to the top of the hill, and the Male Dwarf pulls it alongside of Lil K’s mechanical mount. “I am not ugly!” Gunny says to K, then rubs his hand across his nose, then up into his hair. K laughs.” And yet, you are lovely.” Lil K gives Gunny a grin,” That I will agree with.” She laughs, and so does he.

Gunny looks off towards the west, where K was just looking. “I see we are all going to be getting a bath soon.” He says,” and me without any soap.” Lil K looks again also, “yes, but it doesn’t seem to be Dark-borne” “Any sign of Raist and Sonja?” Gunny asks, K shakes her head, ”No, but I expect soon, with that storm brewing close to town ,I know Sonja doesn’t want to be stuck with him ,and any newcomers they may find in town for any length of time!” Gunny nods as he rubs his chin. “Aye, she can be a little testy around more than one person-herself.” He chuckles.” She isn’t that bad, I like Sonja, granted, she can have a temper, but all in all she is a Kind soul.” Lil K replies.

Just then, something catches her eye off in a valley about 5 miles away. “Look there Gunny, five people, four on mounts, and a Stoneman running along with them.” Gunny gets a telescope from his side pack, then looks the way K is pointing, “Yep that is them, Sonja in the lead! I need to go let Steel, and Sylvar know, about them returning, and the storm on the way.” “I will be down after they pass, to make sure no one is following them “ K tells him as he climbs back on his Mech. Gunny gives her a thumbs up, and starts down the hill. Lil K watches him for a brief moment, then turns back to the group coming down the valley, “What did ya bring us today.” She thinks to the Kindred in the lead, with the others close behind.

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The hallway Damia was walking was dark and had a faint smell of decaying moss. Feeble light from magical globes flicker as she walks past,” I must send someone down here to recharge these” She thinks as she passes the globes, and the doors they hang over. She comes to the one she was heading for, a door made of the same Iron wood and silver as the Trackstone doors, the only door like it down this hallway, and a different spell in cased in the wood that only Damia knew. She takes her Silver-plated Staff, with its Moonstone at the top, and waves it barley in front of the door, as she speaks the spell that opens the door. As it opens, brighter globe flairs to light, emulating the only two things in the room, a table, and a small, yet interracially carved maple box. The box’s decorations where actually a binding charm that kept the box sealed until a locket Damia had around her neck was placed in the small indention on top of the box. She picks up the box that weighs nothing and heads out the door and then towards the set of secret stairs on down the hallway that leads to her study.

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When Damia reaches the top of the stairs, she moves a drape that hides the second hidden door to her her study slightly open and nods to herself knowing Boracea is already inside setting up. She looks down at the box in her hands, squares up her shoulders, and walks on into her study. “Ah Damia, there you are!” Boracea says as she comes into the room and sets the box down on her desk. “Do you have the extra seals on the windows Boracea?” Damia asks as she takes the Locket of Heavegrace from around her neck. Boracea nods, as the other Mage looks her way. Damia gestures to the door, and the Acolyte goes to close it, and then Damia speaks another spell to seal the door. “Are you sure this will hold the Oracle Damia?” Boracea asks again, Damia shoots her a look, “You doubt me?” she asks. The other Mage holds up her hands,” No no ...I am just gun-shy I guess.” Damia sighs,” that is understandable Boracea, but you must learn a lot of things come with a risk anymore.” The younger mage nods her head in agreement.

Damia takes the Rose engraved locket and sets in the indention in the box that looks just like it. A small whisper of sound comes from the box as the lid slowly opens, and up lifts a glowing blue orb of light, with dark waves of blue pulsing through it. “Ahh” the orb sighs as it lifts higher from the box and slowly twirls around.” I see pureness in this room” It speaks as it comes to halt. It then floats over to a window, and seems to push against it, “and yet I still cannot leave.”

The Oracle comes away from the window, and hovers in front of Damia, “I see you still hold the locket, Mage.” It says to Damia,” Yes Astral Guardian, and I still hold you.” She replies to the magic being. It pulses an even darker blue, almost black, then whirls around the room in a dizzying fashion, making Boracea duck as it comes near to her. Damia though, never moves as the Guardian dips and zags around the room, each time coming closer and closer to her head. “NO ONE HOLDS ME!! “The blue orb screams as it flies around, trying to crashing into things, making stuff fall off shelves and tables, trying to break whatever it comes near. Nothing moves but the wind as the thing whips itself into a whirling dervish. “I Hold You, OH Astral Guardian, until the day it is safe for you to return to the stars!!” Damia says loudly over the sound of what seems to be a tornado forming in the room, with a bright-as-the-sun center.

The Oracle suddenly comes to a complete stop in the highest part of the room. “The Darkness. Yes the Darkness is why I cannot leave, why I cannot go from this world.” It says sullenly. “Speak to me of the Darkness Guardian” Damia whispers. The globe of light comes to hover in front of her face. “The Darkness is growing, becoming stronger, fouler. It seeks the pure, the innocent, the weak of souls. It wants to swallow all the light and make it black as a demons heart. The Darkness Of All is coming, with its blood-dripping teeth, to tear the very flesh from all that is against it. You have not long to be ready, and your numbers are pitiful, and yet...I see an Inferno in the mix, and with that you may have a chance.” The Guardian’s light slowly starts to fade, as it goes to hover over the box,” I need to rest Mage, may I sleep now?” Damia walks over to the box, and lifts the lid, Yes dear Oracle, rest, and dream of your stars.” The Globe of light almost completely goes out as it descends into the box. “The stars…. yes...Home” It sighs as Damia shuts the box, and removes the locket.