Peering back into Eowyn’s aura, Cer responds with perplexed intrigue, correcting her pronouns. “How is the Steward of the Dweller’s Land going to help us? What do they know about these happenings of late and the souls roaming around?”

Ebbing with an intense glow, the mist and magic dust pulse with heat and suddenly the mist and magic dust turns black and collapses back into the bowl.

Taken aback by the sudden abandonment from the magic bowl, Cer gawks at the auraless bowl. “I felt and saw that… I have never seen mana devoid so quickly. Where do we even begin to find Aaric?”

Sniffing the air, Punkin interrupts Cer’s curiosity. “Daddy, you smell that? Somebody is playing kitchen time!”

“Oooh I smell bread!” claps Eowyn with joy. “Let’s go find the food, Pupu.”

Leaning into the smell, Cer hyperfocuses to try to track the smell only to notice a trace of lingering mana streaming from the bowl into a seemingly random aisle of the Athenaeum. “We are being enticed. That smell is enchanted. Be careful you two… Have your wits about you.”

Following the smell and mana stream, Cer leads the two others down to the end of the aisle where only one book sits on the shelf. “What’s that book? It has a safe but funny aura.”

Running up to grab the book, Punkin yells, “That’s the smell. I want it!”

Before Punkin can grab the book, Eowyn snatches the book and reads the title aloud, “Affirming the Goodness Within.”

Smiling, Cer relaxes and beckons for the book. “This book and its contents were inaccessible for years. Since Arwyn and the hounds are gone, I guess the aisle is no longer off limits.”

Looking around at familiar auras of the ghosts around them, Cer searches for disapproval. Cer senses no hint of disapproval.

Handing the book to Eowyn, Cer opens the book to a page with a void aura. Read this page to the odd picture at the end of the aisle.

Noticing a funny drawing on the wall at the end of the aisle, Punking claps while jumping up and down. “I want to draw on the wall too!”

Smirking, Eowyn informs Cer of the page’s contents. “Umm, the page literally just says “Every one is deserving of affirmation. Affirm and connect to those you love.”

Cer smiles, “Ahh yes I remember now. Every one is spelled as two words correct?”

Confirming Cer’s memory, Eowyn realizes what Cer meant and proceeds to identify every object drawn singularly on the wall. A door, a box, a portal, and a heart. Running her fingers over each object, they begin to glow.

Clapping with more enthusiasm, Punkin screams with excitement. “Ooooh magical drawings! I want to play!!”

Chuckling with an air of relief, Cer offers up words of affirmation. “Thank you every one for opening up to me. You continue to allow me to remain connected.”

Glowing brightly, the wall disappears, opening an entry to a spiral staircase leading down below the Athenaeum.

Gasping, Punkin’s jaw drapes open. “Whoah. Hide and seek secrets! Let’s go.” Without any further hesitation, Punkin runs down the staircase with Eowyn following closely behind.”

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Examining the auras of the ghosts tending to the Athenaeum, Cer asks aloud, “Are we safe here? Have any ill-intended walked through here?”

Responding, the ghosts offer an aura of peace and reassurance to Cer.

Acknowledging their response, Cer thanks the ghost of the library and descends the stairwell after Eowyn and Punkin.

Entering into a tall circular room with large empty frames lining the walls, Punkin exclaims with disappointment. “Boo, no food! And no hiding spots”

Chuckling, Cer embraces Eowyn with excitement. “This is the Porter’s Closet! We can travel to any of the remaining covens that are seeded here. This is the only doorway for non-porters to the Grand Isle of Endless Tears, home of the Grand Apiary. ”

Stepping forward to examine the frames, Eoywn informs Cer with disappointment. “Ummm, Cer, there is only one port we can see that looks active. The rest of the ports seem empty or void.”

With disbelief and furrowed eyebrows, Cer announces to the room. “ Hmm, perhaps they have been dormant for too long. I see the frames are lined with mana. Let’s see what images appear. ‘I have no house, the world is my home. Take me home’.”

The single frame with an image of a misty field glows.

Dumbfounded, Cer asks Eoywn to describe the frame. “I don’t see any mana filling most of the frames. They all seem locked in the frames. That frame over there that is filled, what image do you see?”

Examining the fields closely, Eowyn sighs. “It is the Dormand Plains, Cer. That place is covered in a veiled mist that even I don’t dare enter. Even with my mana flowing from the ground I cannot navigate through that veil.”

Chuckling, Cer responds with a brief snort. “Well I can’t see anyway. I am bound to get lost whether or not there is mist, isn’t that right Pupu? If the frame is showing us the Dormand Plains then that is where we will find Aaric or Adair.”

*Ahem* Eowyn clears her throat and hints to Cer her reluctance to travel to the Dormand Plains. “I think I would rather stick around and wait for somebody to return here instead of going out to search for them.”

Placing a hand on Eowyn’s shoulder and another hand under Eowyn’s chin, Cer absolves her fear and guilt. “Don’t think I didn’t catch your aura Eowyn. I know what they did to you in the Doryl Empire and Nepots beyond the plains. I see your pain, my friend. And even now I see your fear for us entering that port. Find your way to the Mecca, and any remaining witches and/or safe people, send them there too. We will meet with you soon enough. Let them know we are arriving late and will focus on getting people to the In Convenience.”

While speaking to Eowyn and Cer without looking back at them, Punkin knocks on the frames to check if they will fill with images. “ You can go and warn the others I’ma comin’ to get them. Tag! Tag! Tag! You are all beat. Pew pew pew.”

Looking down and to the side to avoid eye contact, Cer forces a smile in response to Punkin’s play.

Eowyn places her hands over Cer’s hands with concern. “Are you sure you will be okay? You basically lost every battle you’ve been in since Claire’s passing. I am worried about you two. We need to keep her safe. Even I am bound to the promises I make to watch over you.”

Clasping her hands back, Cer smiles. “Well, this is time I get to play with Pupu. I think we will be fine. If I don the shriver crest like I did in Efatas, people will leave us alone.”

Eowyn scoffs, “or they’ll harvest your tears and kidnap her. They harvest witches and enslave them to build materia for their tech. Don’t forget that. You want to know what happens when they are done using you? Find your way to the Tower of the Dead. You’ll know what I mean.”

Stopping her play, Punkin’s mouth drops open as she shouts with the reactive curiosity of a child’s imagination one amuck. “THERE IS A TOWER MADE OF DEAD PEOPLE?”

Raising her finger to her mouth to silence Punkin, Eowyn responds. “It is not made of dead people. It is a Tower for the dead.”

Furrowing her eyebrows with confusion, Punkin asks dumbfoundedly. “What do dead people need a Tower for? They are dead.”

Suddenly Punkin’s mouth drops and her demeanor becomes sad. “Is mommy there too?”

Crouching down, Eowyn hugs Punkin. “No, Pupu. Your mother is not in the Tower. She is somewhere much better. A place only you know and can feel. Close your eyes and see her.”

Closing her eyes, Punkin clasps her hands and furrows her eyebrows intensely as she focuses to try and see her mom.

Raising an eyebrow with suspicious curiosity, Cer inquires in nearly inaudible whispers. “ What’s in the Tower of the Dead? What are you not telling me?”

Eowyn whispers back, trying not to break Punkin’s focus as Eowyn prepares to hug Punkin. “Cer, I cannot speak it. I am bound to not speak of the horrors I’ve seen and experienced. It is a spell I cannot break- my curse to carry.”

Moving in to hug Punkin, Eowyn changes her voice to emulate Claire as she whispers into Punkin’s ears while she places a hand on Punkin’s chest “I am here my darling Pupu. Nobody can ever take me away from you.”

Before Punkin could open her eyes, Eowyn sinks into the floor and vanishes, her voice echoing through the chamber as it fades “See you in the Mecca. Be safe. My mystic goes with you.”

Sighing Cer, picks Punkin up. “Well, we have no other faster way to travel for now. Let’s go on an adventure.”

Stepping into the port within the frame, Cer whispers an incantation as they step through the portal, closing the port behind them. “May our mystic manifest mana into everything we need to stay safe.”

Hearing whimpering and pleading, Cer focuses to try to see mana, energy, or auras. Seeing none, Cer braces Fang with one hand and holds Punkin closely with the other. “Hello? Who’s there? I bring clemency for those displaced. I come carrying the burden of Shrivers. Who is there?”

“Take whatever it is you need, just don’t hurt my family...Please, we are not witches…just don’t hurt us…”