After meeting at the Living Stones' old Sanctum, Animus opens a Gate into the Shadow. The Mages cross over, with the intent to approach the Kruegan's Arrowheads' old sanctum; there, either to rescue Falx, or enact vengeance.
Stepping across, Animus and Tug see that nothing much has changed; the Shadow still lies barren. Guards-the-Pack waits ahead, and Animus can sense amusement at the gawking of those who come here for their first time. Motes densely surround the group; more precisely, congregate at the Hallow of the sanctum.
The barrenness is given form and substance by the same motes, as they dance in the lines of power that ultimately form loci which even their primitive, mindless selves know.
Animus sighs. It was so painful seeing the Shadow like this. He wished he could do something, but what? There were other beings far more suited to sorting this out.
"Around here, yes. But this isn't what it's supposed to be like. Maybe some day it will return to normal."
Henry takes a look around, not really gawking, but not being entirely impassive either. His experience with the Shadow Realm could best be described as cursory. Still, hey were here to save a life, not admire scenery and alien populations. Or rather, just scenery.
"In the meantime, it leaves us less opposition," he says. The others semed to think this place's state was just bad. But the last thing Henry wanted today was spirits to make their life hell. "And a way out, once we manage to find your comrade." He didn't mention that he intended to walk out the front door, after cleaning up the place. There was no way to know if he would be able to. Let's cross that bridge when we get to it.
The desolation of the Shadow matches Tug's temperament. He's usually like a kid at a petting zoo around spirits, but that spark of innocence within the big Thyrsus has been snuffed out with the loss of his older brother, for now. Maybe, in time, things will be different, but today, Tug welcomes the silence. He ignores Henry's comments. Eclipse had pretty much told him Falx was dead already.
"Let's get moving," he rumbles, running his thumb over the handle of his briefcase.
Animus leads the way through the desolate Shadow, speaking little most of the way. Everywhere the group looks, they see the same desolation. There simply don't seem to be any signs of life more advanced than motes. Finally, after an interminable distance, the Kreugans' Sanctum comes into view. He stops about a quarter mile from the Sanctum, waving everyone into a nearby building. "Make yourselves comfortable; this is going to take a while."
Releasing his Sense Life spell, Animus once again attempts to build up a gate between realms, freezing it within the stream of time for future use. Now that the temporal distance is much shorter, the spell comes much more easily to him.
Henry sat down on the spirit-floor, cross-legged, trying to make himself comfortable. It didn't work. He considered, briefly, if he should strengthen his body for the most likely coming conflict, but decided against it. This entire shifting between the realms was already calling down enough of the Abyss on their heads.
He stays still, listening to Animus recite High Speech, listening to the man's entreaties with the universe. He does comment, however, "Someone should take a look on the other side before we get there. If this little surprise isn't a surprise, we may as well abort now and find another approach." Even if noone likes it.
((Clicking on Attainment once the gate opens. No other actions during the ritual.))
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