Editing Journal - The Crown of Wisdom (section)

==When They Said "Look in the Highest Places" They Weren't Kidding==

Arad called on the Creator to heal some of my wounds, and we tied each other together in case the place of air caused us to move apart. Feeling slightly more prepared we stepped through the portal together and emerged as if on top of a mountain in cloud that reduced the visibility significantly. We were inside a circle of golden pillars with conical tops about twenty feet tall and three feet across. Shimmering lines of energy formed a star below us, emanating from the tops of the pillars. There was a strange grey, smooth stone floor that we could almost see through.

There were two things wrong with the floor (other than its strange appearance)... the first was that it was twenty feet below our feet, and the second was that there was a circular hole in it beneath us! We just had time to notice that the air was even colder here, with a wind blowing into our faces, before we started falling. I hit the edge of the hole and started to roll away from the edge, but I was stopped by the rope as Falcor fell very gently towards the floor. That was lucky, though, as Arad was about to fall straight through the hole into the nothingness below!

We then noticed that there were winged blue humanoids in the air nearby. I tried hailing them using my mind, but they gave no response. Physically I kneeled to offer greeting, but they drew bows and arrows thudded into me! Falcor conjured a spray of colour that caused one to collapse, and Arad offered a quick prayer to the Creator that seemed to help as he was able to dodge the next arrow directed at him. Now on my feet, I also dodged an arrow and then cut the rope to give Falcor freedom of movement as I advanced on the foe.

I struck one but then it just flew higher out of my reach. Archery it was, then! We all returned fire with arrows whistling both ways, and we all scored hits as we heard cries of alarm in the distance (although the cloud made it hard to judge how far away). Arad and Falcor fired at the same foe, killing him, then switched to another and killed him too. We were quickly getting the better of them now, with Falcor slaying another before I finished off the last visible attacker. We moved towards what looked like a platform extending from the edge of the circle we stood on, stopping only for Arad to search and loot a body.

Once I knew it was clear, at least for now, I slowed and asked Falcor if he would pick up and bring my sword. Arad took a minute to tend to some of the wounds I had received trying to engage peacefully with what I was sure had been Karmana's folk once. Falcor threw the sword to me, which seemed a bit risky in such a place... thankfully I caught it! We then continued along the pathway we had discovered. Unfortunately there was a lightning storm creature waiting for us, and we had no way of spreading out! I took a bolt right in my chest, and as I staggered back a strong wind gusted across the platform and I almost fell off the side!

I ran forward, fighting against the wind, and as I stepped onto the wider platform near the creature I suddenly found that the wind eased off almost to nothing. I took a moment to glug a healing potion as I was sorely wounded whilst the others fought against the wind to close up as best they could. I didn't notice right away but Arad was blown right off the side of the platform! He started praying fervently as he fell into the clouds, passing through them with a flash and finding himself in a crystal -clear blue sky with no sign of us or the place we had been in at all.

I swung at the creature, and hit, but powerful lightning surged up the sword so I dropped it quickly. There was a sudden explosion of force that hurt both me and the creature, but thankfully it was trapped inside a sphere of force as I was thrown clear... Falcor had used his beads to contain it like the last one we met. I turned to retrieve my weapon and then noticed that Arad wasn't there. Falcor was convinced that he had fallen to his death! I drank another potion to heal some wounds, hoping that the two of us had the strength to continue.

This platform had some spiral stairs in the centre that wound up about thirty feet. As we approached we could see a dark-skinned Elvrabor at the top looking down with bow drawn. So they were working together then... We started moving up but Falcor warned of his intent to use dweomer, so I didn't charge forward. He conjured a stinking cloud, which had some effect and stopped the bow fire from above, and then usefully dispersed in the wind before we reached the top. There were several corrupted Elvrabor stood on another circular platform around us. This level had braziers burning and cushions and drapes around, seemingly in an attempt to make it more comfortable for the people here that would be more used to being on the ground.

I took a moment to confirm with Falcor that these were foe, then we split to attack. I stabbed one twice and Falcor slashed another as we closed. I took a hit to my side, but used the opening to kill one of them. Falcor finished off his target fairly easily, but we heard more shouts from nearby. The stairs continued upwards, but we had a couple more targets to deal with first. Suddenly the floor above us cracked and a deep note rang out as if some powerful force had struck the platform up there. I should have been more focused because I was stabbed again, although it was a light blow. Falcor punched a foe that was still retching from his dweomer, sending blood splattering across the floor. His foe's jaw didn't look very good and he slowly crumpled to the floor unconscious.

Falcor came to my aid next, killing the last foe. We headed up the stairs quickly to see what was happening up there, and found Arad! He told Falcor to have some faith in him, as the Creator was with him. All the corrupted Elvrabor here seemed to be blind and afflicted with some strange disease, so there was no immediate threat. We were slightly confused as Arad set about trying to save the diseased wretches. One of them spoke up, saying that they had been wrong to turn from Karmana and begging for us to save their souls. We took a minute to confer, and agreed that if we could return their souls to our Mother then that would be worth a delay. Arad began curing their disease and wounds, one after the other, calling on Karmana through the Creator. Falcor had some concern that they might betray us, but I said that we must have faith in Karmana. As Arad finished with them I stepped forward and restored their sight. As they went through this process their very appearance changed and they once more looked like true Elvrabor.

To see that they were with Karmana once more lifted my heart and gave me new hope that our quest would succeed. They wished to return to the forest, and said that they had the means to do so with an item they had been given. Arad got altogether carried away trying to give his shit away to them, almost as if he felt guilty although I don't know what he would have felt bad about given the good deed we had just done. Eventually he handed over a short sword that apparently was of some worth to them before they departed.

Falcor healed many of my wounds with Milada's power, and Arad then added the Creator's power to restore me further so I felt ready for what lay ahead. We followed the narrow platform until we noticed some floating "stepping stone" platforms to our left, although the platform continued ahead. Falcor jumped across a couple to investigate as I scouted ahead a little. We both found wider platforms ahead, but Falcor's had a golden glow within the cloud and he asked me to stop and wait as he got closer. Then he heard chanting and a faint electrical crackle, just before he glimpsed another blue skinned creature walking across the platform he had found. Thankfully it hadn't noticed him yet.

Falcor moved forward carefully as we came back and Arad started to cross after Falcor. Falcor flashed an image of what he was seeing ahead, and we saw a thirty foot tall pillar with a golden top that had lines of energy going away from its tip. It was similar to the ones we had arrived through, although larger. Falcor leapt quickly onto the platform and it all became suddenly clear as if the cloud didn't affect that area. There were six pillars in total with the expected star formed of golden energy lines above them. Within that, though, was a circle of lightning and a corrupt Elvrabor mage was conjuring bolts of lightning to feed the circle with energy. Winged warriors paced near the pillars, but had stopped at Falcor's arrival and were now looking at him. Another blue-skin to his right looked as though they might be a priest. Atop the circle of lightning stood a flickering figure with three visible aspects - a winged creature, an armoured warrior, and a wraith form; the first was more dominant, but all three aspects were visible.

Falcor summoned a web that trapped a couple of the the winged creatures just as Arad joined him, then he ran past Arad to the left where the mage was. Falcor sent us a silent message that he wanted us to subdue them if possible, then he threw his last bead at the mage. Her form was slightly insubstantial as if she were not quite in the same place as us, but still visible. The bead exploded, as we had seen before, and the mage looked hurt but was thrown aside. At least it had interrupted whatever she had been doing. In response the Mage spoke a word and a small gap in the world opened in front of Falcor. He tried to move aside, but a bolt of ice flew towards him so rapidly that it hit him a glancing blow anyway. As it struck it burst into shards that left burning cold splinters in his exposed skin.

I leapt onto the platform, moving the other way, and struck the priest with an arrow as Arad struck one of the flying creatures that had drawn a bow. The central figure solidified into the form of the blue-skinned flying creatures, rose another ten feet into the air, and yelled "Stop!" in a powerful voice we all heard clearly. Falcor conjured a yellow orb that flew at the mage, blinding her when it hit. As he threw it, though, a huge ball of ice appeared around Falcor with fragments of ice flying around within it. Thankfully it didn't seem to affect Falcor so he was able to ignore it.

I reached out to the the creature above us, connecting with a powerful mind but managing to keep my focus. I mentally indicated that I would stop my attacks if those arrayed against us would do the same. He responded, and again we all heard him clearly, that we were welcome in this place and he would try to control his followers. I lowered my bow in response and the attacks did seem to stop, but Falcor was angered by the attack of the mage and asked whether she was really his follower. He admitted that she was not, but said that he needed her.

Falcor rushed at the mage and struck the staff out of her hand, not harming her but shouting "kneel before Milada you Witch"! She drew a wicked-looking black dagger with gold tracery along the blade and a black gem inset at the base of the blade. Their leader floated over close to Falcor and asked why we had invaded his realm... was this Seledor himself? Yes, it turned out, as he feely confirmed his identity when Falcor asked who he was. As we watched a golden circlet with an inset yellow gem became visible on his head.

He spoke of the "Elvrasaron", his name for humans, and said that he had been one once. He believed himself to be a God and wanted nothing more than to ascend to his "proper" place to join the other Gods. He named Karmana as a God of course, but also Custor and Melak! He also knew that Falcor was a dragon somehow. As Falcor and Arad kept him talking, I drew slowly closer to the mage and as I moved past her she tried to stab me! I was able to dodge away easily, so she was still blind at least. Seledor shot up thirty feet in the air again, and the mage dashed towards the staff. Falcor was able to strike it before she could get hold of it, though, and it slid and spun a few feet just out of her reach.

A bright light appeared in front of Arad's face, but he backed away and escaped the blindness it could have caused. I moved up behind the mage and drove my sword deep into her back, dropping her to the ground in a spreading pool of blood. Falcor grabbed the dagger from her, but then the floor started to glow and shimmer beneath our feet and the others dropped to their knees vomiting! They tried to attack with their minds, unable to do anything else. Seledor swooped down at me, brushing my face with his hand. It felt terrible, as if my very life essence was being sucked from me, and it left me drained. I swung at him in return, but my sword passed right through him! It didn't help that I was the only target for everyone else and I was hit by magic missiles and arrow fire.

Falcor weakly held up the dagger for me to take, and I grabbed it in the hope it would be able to affect Seledor. He was thirty feet above us again, though, so I had to leap up and throw it at him. It flew true and embedded itself in his leg and, whilst this didn't seem to hurt him too badly, it had some effect as the floor stopped shimmering and the others were able to recover their feet just after I landed back on the platform. Arad ran to my side and healed my wounds, which was probably life-saving considering the damage I had suffered, then headed over to the web and some cover from the archers.

Seledor swooped back down to attack me again, but just missed as I rolled to the side... it was close enough to feel that sucking touch of death though, and I shuddered at the memory of the first touch. Falcor conjured a lightning bolt, striking at Seledor in mid-air although Falcor was hit by an arrow as he did so. Then Seledor swooped down again and this time grabbed me in his talons and soared back up with me dangling beneath him! He began to accelerate, and I feared we would leave the others behind, but then Falcor transformed into his Elvradrak form, much larger than we had seen him the last time, and gave chase. He closed the distance easily and grabbed me right out of Seledor's grip before biting and raking the false god. He banked away and turned for another attack. This time he ripped the dagger out of Seledor's hand, along with a bit of flesh it seemed, and then bit again and literally ripped the figure to pieces with his talons. He landed next to Arad with the remains of Seledor underneath him and thankfully set me down rather gently. The whole thing was extremely impressive and slightly terrifying.

We had enough experience of the places that Sarn create to know that this place was about to collapse, and this time we were suspended somewhere in the sky! I ran towards one set of stairs, knowing that Falcor needed a pyramid of some kind to use the tapestry he had left with Custor. Falcor himself, of course, could fly! He swept across the platform to grab the staff the witch had dropped and then soared up, banking towards the other set of stairs. When I reached the platform at the top of the stairs I found a comfortably appointed area with four fairly naked blue-skinned females reclining on cushions. Upon seeing me they jumped off the edge of the platform and flew away, one turning into a small cloud... cauldron... what the hell do you call a bunch of bats anyway?!

There were some stairs in the far corner that had a large bowl set in the platform before them; above this bowl was a billowing cloud of blue-grey smoke, about twice my height, that had the occasional flash of lightning inside... it seemed to be growing in size as well. Arad, meanwhile, was approached by one of the Elvrabor that we had saved from corruption earlier. He said he had come back for us and shouted that we must go at once before the place collapsed. Arad just yelled at him to follow as he grabbed the crown, carefully stowing it in a pack, and then headed towards the stairs I had climbed.

Falcor had reached the platform above the other set of stairs, finding a book there which he grabbed, but there was no sign of the pyramid so he headed back towards us. Arad's new friend shouted that we were crazy and needed to go at once, and as if to emphasise his  point there was a loud crack and the floor started to craze with hairline cracks. To make things worse it was clear that a lightning elemental was forming above the bowl I had seen. I sent a mental warning and also shouted to the others to come to me; if this was a guardian then what were sought should be nearby. As I did this I veered around it's form and managed to get past before it could attack. There was a smaller platform beyond with lots of chests, the pyramid that we were looking for, a three-foot long crystal of what might be veined white marble floating above the ground, and a couple of leather books on lecterns (one open, one closed). I took the pyramid, thankfully without any ill effects, and carefully stowed it in my backpack.

Falcor then arrived in dramatic fashion, using his talons to grab the crystal and a whole chest. He told me to get the books, so I crossed over (avoiding Falcor's tail) and took them one after the other. As I touched the second one, however, I suddenly found myself in a place with endless sky all around and no response to my hails, mentally or otherwise, by the others. Back in the room I had frozen and was staring into the distance, but it took a few moments for the others to notice as they were grabbing things from the room. When Arad did notice, though, he came over and tried to reach my mind.

In my own little world I had taken out Curnurros' sap and was about to, I thought, commune with Cernurros. Just as I did so, though, I momentarily saw myself out of Arad's eyes before snapping back into reality in my own body. I stepped away from the book at once and warned Arad what had happened. He tried to use his hammer to scoop it into a bag, but as soon as they touched there was an explosion of force that sent the book shooting off the platform and it was quickly out of sight. The hammer felt oddly dead in his hand afterwards. Arad chanted a prayer and then asked me to grab him as I climbed onto Falcor's back. Falcor grabbed a few more things, including at least one more chest, and I got hold of an interesting looking watering can before we were done.

Falcor launched into the air and flew in an wide arc towards the Elvrabor who had wisely stayed back from where the lightning elemental had formed. As if on cue, we were enveloped by lightning as it sent a bolt out at us. It was painful, but Falcor was not deterred and landed just long enough for the Elvrabor to join us. He then launched into the air and dropped rapidly through the boundary of Seledor's realm into the air on Karmana above the mountains we had left earlier. We drifted down in circles towards the mountain peak and then followed the contours down to sea level at the foot of the mountain range. It was exhilarating, bringing back memories of riding Hope all those months ago, and hope was being rekindled with another victory, and with His form gaining in power.

Falcor eventually landed and returned to human form, turning then to the Elvrabor (who seemed slightly terrified) and asking whether he could transport us to Borarla as he had said. The Elvrabor took out large marble with swirling green movement within it and then threw it onto the floor whilst speaking a command word. A doorway, or tear, in the world opened as we had seen before and we were able to step through, dragging all the items Falcor had carried, to emerge in the forest close to the Court of Truth.