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<Vallel> ::it is mid-afternoon and things are as normal as they ever are around the Tower. Val has been up to his elbows in his project, occasionally testing his theory on a badly-torched straw dummy which categorically refuses to stop smoldering:: * Glossaria is ensconced, as usual, in the Library, sitting sideways in a window seat. A book lies open on her lap and Realia's sleeping head warms her feet, but her eyes stray towards the window, gazing out at the glittering expanse of the Dragonsmere, Zoya's favorite seascape. * Vallel , after setting the dummy ablaze once again, involves himself in a loud burst of creative cursing such that would tempt Loria to kick him several times in the shins. * Glossaria looks up and blinks her eyes back to focus at the faint sound of her husband's raised voice. "Val?" <Vallel> ::through clenched teeth:: Sorry, dear. * Glossaria puts her book down and eases out of the window seat carefully so as not to disturb Realia, and calls a Tower servant. "Vallel, please." * Vallel extinguishes the dummy again, calling it a particularly ugly name. He leans out into the hallway and looks around. "Am I bothering you? I forgot about the sound-shield." * Glossaria mounts the steps and walks down the hall, following the little bobbling bit of blueness. She smiles as Vallel pokes his head into view. "You're not bothering me. You're distracting me from brooding (in the sense of thinking overlong on a disturbing subject), which is, if anything, a service. May I watch, for a little?" * Vallel leans over and kisses her cheek. "And what are we brooding on, dear?" He gestures to the dummy. "This... this is not working. The theory is all fine and well, but..." <Glossaria> ::giving him a kiss back, after wiping a smudge of soot off his cheek:: Mistress Zoya... I hope she's alright. ::considers the dummy:: In theory, you can mark certain people to be unaffected by whatever blanket effect you use? <Vallel> ::nods, glowering at the smoking dummy:: Right... there've been a lot of accidents, and something like a protective aura would be a real boon. * Glossaria strolls over to peer at the dummy and wave a hand across its "eyes." "Hm... are you..." She frowns in thought for a moment. "Can you shape a mental field around a null area? Or are you attempting to designate an individual as "friend" rather than "foe"? Perhaps a target with a slightly higher intelligence might make a difference?" <Vallel> ::sighs:: And who wants to stand around all day while I throw fireballs at them? ::glowers at the dummy:: Although I don't think I'm feeling very "friendly" toward him right now. <Vallel> ::as instructed, as soon as Vallel is distracted enough from his studies to pay attention, a wisp of blue smoke floats into the room, carrying a platter of sandwiches and a few apples:: Oh. Thank you. * Glossaria unhooks the dummy from his stand and sets him in the corner with a pat. She goes back to stand in its place and smiles brightly at Vallel. "There's little point continuing research for Mistress Zoya just now. I'd be happy to stand around all day while you throw fireballs at me." * Vallel opens one sandwich and peers at the contents. "Have some lunch first, dear?" He offers her a sandwich. "I need to recharge..." * Glossaria nods and takes an apple, inspecting it carefully before biting into it. * Vallel eats with his normal ravenousness for a short while. After a few sandwiches, he slows down enough to lounge on the sofa in the room and look out the window. * Glossaria dusts another patch of soot off the floor and sits at Vallel's feet, leaning back against his knees as she eats her apple. <Vallel> ::ruffles her short green hair with one hand:: You are amazingly tolerant, dear... <Glossaria> ::considers:: Well, I barely feel the flame when I'm shielding. * Vallel glances out the window again at a large bird circling the Tower. A bank of dark clouds is rumbling over the river. "I didn't just mean it that way..." He turns on his side to look at her. "You put up with me, bad temper and all, without a word of complaint." <Glossaria> ::smiles up at him:: Your bad temper isn't directed at *me.* You're frustrated. I've experienced similar frustration at times in my research. Why shouldn't I sympathize? Besides... ::smiles wider and hugs his knees:: You're my husband. I love you, temper and all. * Vallel peers into another sandwich. "In any case, dear... it's probably a good idea to let the stuffie man go out. If I burn him one more time today, I'll have to make a new one..." <Glossaria> ::nods:: Care to practice on me, or are you... what's the idiom? "Calling it a day"? ::frowns:: I've never understood that one.... * Vallel glances out the window again. "No, I'd like to try your idea, if you're sure the wards are good enough. Just resting." <Glossaria> ::grins a little wickedly:: I think my wards have been rather thoroughly tested, love. <Vallel> ::laughs:: I wonder if Tarri's going to forgive you, for your little trick the other week... <Glossaria> ::looking innocent:: Corporal Orlann seemed interested in the book. I was merely... demonstrating our open lending policy. <Vallel> ::grins:: Liar... * Glossaria sniffs. "Besides... what makes you think Tarri should have cause for complaint? I'm not forcing him to *read* it, after all." * Vallel shakes his head, grinning. "Not a thing, dearest... " He looks out the window again, then frowns. "That's peculiar." <Glossaria> Mm? ::finishing her apple, she swallows the core and licks off her fingers, turning a little look up at him more comfortably:: What is it? * Vallel sits up. "Come look at this..." * Glossaria stands, absently brushing off her skirts and leaning over the couch to peer out the window. * Vallel points out the window. A seagull with a black head seems to be drifting lazily around the Tower. Very lazily. As Glossaria looks, the wings don't flap, nor does it appear to actually be moving at all. * Glossaria frowns at the seagull, staring at it intently for nearly a full minute. * Vallel peers around outside, noting other anomalies. A bunch of wind-strewn leaves curl mid-air, neither falling, nor blowing. In the distance, the black clouds do not move and the air feels unnaturally still. <Glossaria> ::her frown deepens, and she reaches for one of Vallel's apple cores, lobbing it out the window at the seagull:: <Vallel> ::the apple flies out the window at normal speed, then, as it gets about twenty feet out from the Tower, it slows perceptibly until it hangs in the air as if it were nailed there:: * Vallel blinks, then gasps as the Tower shifts views for them. A small cluster of roughly dressed mages are circled near the north end of the Tower. They do not appear to be moving, but pale strands of mist extend from their fingers towards the Tower. <Vallel> What the *hell*? <Glossaria> ::grimly:: We're under attack. ::she places a hand flat against the wall of the Tower:: Wards. Seal the door. <Vallel> ::the entire Tower shudders and groans as the very stones start emitting the protective auras:: Who... who would be that stupid? <Glossaria> I don't know. ::patting her skirts:: Do you have a silver on you, love? * Vallel nods and recovers a few coins from his pockets, handing them to her. * Glossaria rummages in her belt pouch, coming up with a tightly-wrapped green wad of paper, which she slips into her mouth. She takes one of the silvers and mimes dropping it into a slot as glowing green arcane symbols spill from her lips. The silver spins in midair to present its flat to her, and stretches into the size of a wall mirror. <Glossaria> ::Bluestar's image appears in the "mirror," but he, like the seagull outside, appears frozen, his mouth open, his gaze directed elsewhere. A very low buzz sounds through the mirror. After three minutes, the images goes flat and the mirror shrinks back into a silver piece, and vanishes.:: <Vallel> ::blinks:: The whole *world* is like this? What sort of magic...? * Glossaria clenches her fist in frustration. "No good." She shakes her head, thinking hard. "Either all of Marsember-- or the world-- has been frozen, or the Tower has been effectively hasted. Given the size of the group... even the War Wizards couldn't affect so large an area with so few. Someone's targeted the Tower." * Vallel attempts to dig through that information. "So... we're... moving faster than..." He gestures out the window. <Glossaria> ::nods:: In essence. It's the simpler explanation, at least. And without Miss tress Zoya... ::shakes her head:: I don't have the kind of power to negate a spell of this magnitude. I'm not even certain if I could filter and maintain a spell long enough to contact anyone outside. <Vallel> ::a look of sudden horror crosses his face:: They... they won't even notice we need help, will they? <Glossaria> ::shakes her head again:: Highly unlikely. Unless someone attempted entry, or a very high-level mage cast some very *precise* identification spells on the Tower... ::she trails off, her eyes getting the glazed, faraway expression of rapid thought:: Depending on the time differential, we could be dead of old age before anyone thought to miss us. <Vallel> ::in a low, reverent tone:: Blessed *Mother*... ::he stares out the window:: Can... can you see what's happening? At all? <Glossaria> ::chews on her lip, considering:: * Glossaria shakes her head regretfully. "I can only do minor divinations... and I have no access to time spells at all. I could cast a magic mirror to show what's happening at this moment, but... everything will be frozen, from our perspective." <Vallel> ::looks around moodily:: This is ridiculous... how... ::takes a deep breath:: Let's try looking around. Frozen or not, I think it might be the only way to know what's happening. I don't... ::attempts to calm down:: What would happen, do you think, if we tried to leave the Tower? <Glossaria> ::cocks her head:: Really, it's a very elegant trap... I shall have to see what study I can make of time magic in the future. <Vallel> ::somewhat testily:: I find your admiration a bit out of place at the moment, my dear. <Glossaria> ::nods to the apple core hanging out the window:: That. If we made it successfully across the barrier without being torn apart by the disparate time flows. Of course, if it's a very strong field, we might fall afoul of Zeno's Paradox... ::shakes her head:: An interesting problem... <Vallel> ::blinks:: What's a ... xenoparadox? <Glossaria> ::meekly:: Sorry, love. Zeno's Paradox refers to, basically-- ::stops with her mouth open and shakes her head:: Basically, it says that we would never get there. We'd move an infinitely smaller and smaller distance as we approached the barrier, and never actually *arrive.* <Vallel> ::takes a deep breath and puts an arm around her:: It's all right. I'm just... frightened. ::looks at her seriously:: With Zoya gone... I don't... I mean, what can we do, aside from slowly age while the whole world just *sits* there. <Glossaria> Well... ::takes a deep breath, leaning against him and taking comfort from his arm:: on the positive side, we *do* have all the time in the world to explore the problem, so to speak. Let's see what's going on. ::turning to the window again and gesturing:: Sightseeing in Marsember, please. <Glossaria> ::the window flickers, and resolves again on a view of the Governor's palace. Slowly, it cycles through views of all the "high points" of the city's landmarks.:: <Vallel> ::several dozen ships, crawling with orcs, have slid into the harbor. They seem to emerge directly from a cloud of mist just past the storm clouds. More orcs are currently laying siege to the dry-docks, and a pitched battle appears to be occurring near the docks. A large group of Purple Dragons and War Wizards are in a battle for possession of the city.:: <Glossaria> Oh... sweet Erdian...! <Vallel> ::stumbles backwards a step to collapse on the sofa:: Oh... my god... <Glossaria> ::takes a step back, herself, sitting swiftly beside Vallel and wrapping her arms around him, eyes glued to the window. Her hands, where they touch his, are ice cold.:: <Vallel> I... my gods... everyone's *out* there... * Glossaria raises a shaking hand to gesture at the window again. "Psionics School. Talarin residence. Tarri's apartment. Meade Hall. Ellesmere." * Glossaria glances at Vallel and bites her lip before adding, "Music Box." <Vallel> ::the mirror swirls... in front of the Psionic's School, under heavy arrow fire, Ilarion appears to be attempting to protect Temire as she drags a wounded war wizard inside. Orcs are smashing through the Talarin household. Several grinning orcs are wrenching Loria, Tarri, and Meghan under some sort of control. Orlann is only barely visible, laying in a thick puddle of blood. Tarri's apartment stands empty and unmolested.:: <Vallel> ::the Meadehall doesn't quite seem to be where they left it. Careful study of the image shows a shadowy building lurking just out of sight. Ellesmere is also crawling with orcs, but there seems to be no one home. The Music Box, along with several other commercial buildings, are being sacked.:: <Glossaria> Oh, Val... ::tears stinging her eyes as she holds him tight:: <Vallel> ::his voice faint:: Loria.... * Glossaria gestures at the window angrily and it silvers over, turning into a mirror. She buries her face into Vallel's shoulder, her arms wrapped around him as if she would save him from drowning. <Vallel> We... we have to think of something... we can't... just stay here. * Glossaria nods a little, a squirm of movement against his shoulder. After several moments, she sits up again, taking a deep breath and wiping her eyes. <Glossaria> I... we can't just... go out the door. ::bites her lip:: At least, not the front door. <Vallel> ::nods:: I know. Well, you said we have time... seems like we have lots of it... ::stands up and offers her his hand:: Let's start researching? <Glossaria> ::takes his hand, pulls herself up-- still a little shaky-- and nods:: Vallel, I-- ::offering him a small smile:: I'm so glad you were home. <Vallel> ::nods:: Me, too... I couldn't *stand* it if something happened to you... <Glossaria> Maybe when you're a little more settled, we should practice for your project a little more. I think we'll need it. * Vallel glances out the window. "Yeah." * Glossaria grins suddenly and blushes, covering her mouth. <Vallel> ::raises an eyebrow:: What? <Glossaria> Sorry... I was just... mentally exploring the ramifications of our predicament. <Vallel> ::blinks at her:: Try running it by slowly for those of us who aren't brilliant... ::he gives her a small smile:: <Glossaria> ::snorts:: Of *course* you're brilliant, dear. I was just thinking... if it takes us some time to win free of the Tower, perhaps Mistress Zoya won't have to worry about small children underfoot, getting into her experiments.... ::giggles behind her hand:: <Vallel> ::shakes his head:: I love you to death, dear... but let's try and get through this in *less* than a few years, shall we? <Glossaria> ::still grinning:: Yes, love. |
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