the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes...

[goddessnanshe.livejournal.com]

Morning of 21st June

It's still raining, though not as heavily as earlier, but I couldn't wait any longer to come out here and see what has happened. I was wakened in the early hours of Sunday by a strange feeling of pressure and brilliant light, but my cell was completely dark. I walked through the abbey, and all was still and shadowed. Anyone else would say I had just had a dream - but I know there is no just to dreams.

In the afternoon, one of the novices came back from gathering in the woods to say that there was the strangest sight: a charred circle, as if lightning had struck and destroyed a neat section of the forest. Something about this oddity set my teeth on edge, and I was resolved to see it; but I had duties at the abbey in the evening, and I would not shirk them.

Today I woke to a downpour, but I have borrowed a raincoat from Sister Dove - she is slighter than me, and so it is a little tight, but it will do - and wrapped up my hair with a scarf to help shield it from the rain, since carrying an umbrella into the woods seems foolish - and I start walking the couple of miles to where Novice Diana said she saw the circle.

[OPEN][closed]

Comments

[al-shairan.livejournal.com]

I move away from the groups in the circle, out toward the edge of the trees. Two small strange ripples of power here.

"Aweh," I say gravely, and nod at the spirit in feline form. "Been some time since I've seen a talking cat. You her familiar, my bru?" I say.

[silence-excolo.livejournal.com]

Pyromancy. Telekinesis. Can't say I've heard those terms outside of a book in... well, in a while. Maybe that's why it left such an impression. Chester thinks it was an accident. "Uncontrolled," I mutter, but that's not quite right. More like it was brought under control. "You know who did this, then? Is she a danger?" My hand's on my head; pressure behind my eyes.

Should I try to fix the damage here? So much power in one spot, it may not be able to repair itself. And that still doesn't explain the darkness & madness. Like it's from different sources. "More than one, perhaps?" The darkness itself seems secondary, but the chaos under it all...

The traveler is talking, quite clear & loud now, about the pattern of the blasts, & it's clear he's a man of some scientific education. Guess I'm kinda impressed, because I'm watching him closely- something about him pulls at me. I hear him mention blood & Syl goes to check-

"Aweh," & I whip my head around. The slender, dark woman. I didn't hear her approach. My head throbs at the sudden movement. This place has me on edge. Plus something about her makes me uneasy, like on the edge of a shiver. I shove my hands in the pocket of my jacket & give her a small nod.

"Been some time since I've seen a talking cat. You her familiar, my bru?" I can't help but snort at that. She knows a thing or two about familiars, then? Think I'll let Chester handle that. There's a sudden tension from the group at the circle now - Syl.

"I gotta find someone who oughta be dead an' kick'm square'n th'balls."

What? Certainly she can't mean- ? My hand grips the dagger in my pocket out of reflex. It can't be...

[chester-excolo.livejournal.com]

Silence mutters some thing to her herself and then asks if Alice is a danger. I start to shake my head but then stop to think about it. This is a lotta destruction an' I don't gotta clue what set her off. Not really. I gotta talk to her bout it. Her an Hermia.

I look down at my feet, feelin' a little uncomfortable, "Yeah I know who it was. As for her bein' a danger...I ain't sure. B'fore this, I'd said no. Now...? Now...now I know I gotta talk to her, find out what happened."

I'm real glad when the tall, dark dame comes over to us. She nods to me an' says it' been awhile since she's seen a talking cat an I wonder where 'n when she saw another one. Asks if I'm Silence's familiar which's understandable. I catch the mage's snort at that but she don't say nothin' bout it. Leavin' it up to me I guess. Though her attention is more on Syl an the others. I keep an ear cocked that way but my attention is on the woman in fronta us.

"Yeah, I'm a familiar right enough. M'called Chester." I take couple steps over so's I c'n get a good sniff a her.

[al-shairan.livejournal.com]

"Bakgat," I say thoughtfully. "But not her familiar," I add, nodding at the dark girl. "You roam away from your mistress? I guess a mistress. Maybe a master, but you look like a ladies' man." I grin, showing bright white teeth.

[silence-excolo.livejournal.com]

The slender woman uses a word I'm not familiar with, but I understand it all the same. She seems amiable enough, & Chester doesn't seem too put off by her, but... I don't know. That edge is still there. She jokes with Chester, rightly guessing I'm not his, while I try to listen to the group. The educated traveler has backed away a bit & looks like he's sketching something. The others are in a clump around the center green patch.

"Do you think whatever happened here was bringing him back?" The shorter woman seems to be aware of who Syl means, & just as worried as she is about it. I knew Tez was more, far more than what he seemed, but to come back from death? True & final death. At least, that's what it was supposed to be, I gathered. Makes my teeth grind.

I suddenly realize that Chester's introduced himself to the strange woman but she has yet to do so. Odd. I look back to her over my shoulder, wondering if I should do so as well. Her smile is so very bright.