Outside 46

[Earl of Purple]

Near Chapel

"I let tribe know knights not all want princess kisses. And that knight rides dragon, not always fighting. Thank you. If you get sister, bring here. I watch, and wait." The feral girl turns and tries to leave, gathering her sharpened wooden spear as she goes.

Road Pirate Pit Stop

1995 and 1996 don't work; nor do any combination of numbers from the book's chapters. Perhaps Erasmus should go have another look at the graffiti, and whilst he's there, make sure he hasn't got anything stuck in his teeth.

[bc56]

Horizon Colony

"Interesting." Ezra thinks he has all the information he needs, for now. "What will you do now that you are in this universe?"


Road Pirate Pitstop

Erasmus paces the shower block, thinking hard while idly picking his teeth with a talon. It's been a while since he's had a good meal that would get stuck in there though. Maybe the words about people walking mean something?

[Devixer]

Near Chapel

Faudre nods towards the girl, and as she leaves, she approaches Haar once more, patting his head. "It's time to awaken, my friend. We take to the skies tonight." Though he lets out an annoyed growl as he wakes, he's quick to let Faudre mount him and take off.

Though they're not completely silent, a wyvern in flight is far less noisy than, say, a truck. The pair will try and get a good look at exactly where these captured slaves are.

Horizon Colony

"What the hell can I do? I look around, see what the lay of the land is, try not to die. Same as Earth. 'Cept now there's real, flesh and blood people." Onora looks in the general direction of the city they just came from.

[bc56]

Horizon Colony

"You must have been through a lot. Perhaps I could give you something to help along the way?" Ezra motions for Onora to come with him to the ship.

[Earl of Purple]

Back to Chapel

It's dark, but there's still light in Chapel. The guards on the wall have small hand-held torches, directing beams of light around the wall as they patrol, and occasionally shining out at the wastes and rubble outside the crude fortification. After a few metres, though, the light fades into the darkness and provides no useful illumination. There's fifteen guards right now- ten on the wall, guarding against external threats, and five inside- two patrolling around the old church, one by Rivet's rambulance, keeping an eye on the guest, and two by the drawbridge, which has been raised to prevent entry. There's a lot of light emitted from the trader's lorry; the right headlight is on (the left doesn't work) and the trader is using the light to repair a pump system.

The last Faudre saw the girl, she was led into the old stone church. A formidable building, and there's light cast onto the ground from within, escaping between the boards covering the windows and occasionally tinted red, green or blue by fragments of the original stained glass. There's more light emitted from the shack used by Sister Bakewell as a temple to her cruel deity; the door is open, and the halfling cleric is visible within sweeping the floor.

Nobody notices the wyvern flying overhead, nor its armoured rider. There's no guards in the church's steeple, either- during the day, it's a great spot for lookouts. At night, without a powerful light to use as a spotlight, somebody stationed there can't see enough to make the climb worthwhile.

[Morty]

[Tower of Batu]

Batu's ears dip.

"No. Clouds are like mist, only thicker. You'd pass right through."

[Devixer]

Horizon Colony

Onora shrugs and shakes her head a little. "No more than any other android. Tough to be on the losing side of a war." She and Pod 132 do follow Ezra to the ship itself, though Onora has no real clue what the heck was supposed to help her in this even stranger world.

[Murkus]

[Tower of Batu]

Batu's ears dip.

"No. Clouds are like mist, only thicker. You'd pass right through."

[Tower of Batu]

"Oh," Div swallows and pales for a second as he peers out toward the big blue. "Well it is a very nice view..." He looks at Batu. "Will you be able to fly, one day?"

[bc56]

Horizon Colony

Ezra leads Onora up through the deserted ship to a small room. The walls are covered in shelves. The shelves are covered in equipment. Everything is styled after midevil weapons and armor, but is obviously highly advanced technology. There are maces, swords, daggers, lances, and shields as well as various jewelry in varying colors and patterns. "Go ahead. Take one."

[Devixer]

Back to Chapel

Faudre flies near the church steeple, but doesn't land atop it yet. Rather, Haar hovers nearby, so that Faudre can hop off of him. Once she lands, she looks back up at her companion. "<See what you can see here, then come back to me.>" She speaks in a language not familiar to any of the denizens of Chapel, should they manage to hear her.

Haar seems to acknowledge the request, and flies in a circle high above the chapel, trying to use his superior vision to see through any cracks in the windows or walls.

[Morty]

[Tower of Batu]

"It's something I've wondered about myself," Batu says, looking out into the white expanse. "I can manage to float or levitate, but not really fly. Real flight seems to be technically possible, but difficult. I'm not sure how many sorcerers have managed it."

[Earl of Purple]

Chapel Rooftops

There's plenty of gaps where the boards over the windows aren't flush, and within there's quite a lot of cages, made from scaffolding poles and chickenwire mostly, a few less jury rigged cages imported from Skyside or elsewhere and several guards. It's hard to make out numbers, though. The gaps aren't big enough, and too widely spread, and most of the people in the cages aren't moving and some are clumped up. That's the ground floor, the old nave. There's a small upstairs area, where there's a small bed and some cupboards. It's a very crude and rather mismatched, and Cecil is lying on the bed, fast asleep. His shrike is perched on the foot of the bed, head under its wing, also asleep. Thaddeus is apparently asleep under a blanket in a chair.

[Murkus]

[Tower of Batu]

"It's something I've wondered about myself," Batu says, looking out into the white expanse. "I can manage to float or levitate, but not really fly. Real flight seems to be technically possible, but difficult. I'm not sure how many sorcerers have managed it."

[Tower of Batu]

"I'm sure baby birds don't think it's easy the first few times either," says Div, peering at his new friend. "You'll get the hang of it if you want to, I'm sure."

[Devixer]

Horizon Colony

Onora gives each of the weapons a look. She already had the pair of long and short swords on her back, but more never hurt.

After some consideration, she grabs a weapon styled after a halberd. "Pod, give me a scan."

Chapel Rooftops

Haar is quick to return once he's seen as much of the interior as possible, and relay the information.

Faudre doesn't know anything about the churches of this world, but she has seen them in her world, and she thinks there has to be another entrance. Faudre mounts Haar once more, and looks for a rear entrance, that won't attract attention.

[bc56]

Horizon Colony

The halberd is quite sharp, but also boasts advanced technology within. The head can emit a magnetic field which disrupts sensitive electronics, especially those in computers. It's relatively short range, so a mechanical wielder cannot harm themselves, but quite powerful.

[Morty]

[Tower of Batu]

"I know the principle of what it would take," Batu says, gesturing vaguely. "But a spell to give me momentum I can control and which doesn't run out... it would be a very complex one. It'd fray reality around me, as well."

[Earl of Purple]

Chapel Roof

Not a rear entrance, but there's a smaller side door which has been nailed shut like the windows, and a pit near the wall looks like it may be a sinkhole leading into some form of crypt or tomb. If so, it should have another entrance into the church itself, and best of all, might not even be guarded.

Or she could climb into the steeple. Guards are stationed there during the day, as lookouts, but there's no one in it now. If Faudre looks, there's a hatch in the floor with a padlock, though the lock isn't helping, as the key is in the lock and the hatch is open, leaning against the wall. She's already on the roof, so it's pretty easy to climb in. Haar wouldn't be able to follow, however- the hatch is too small.

[Murkus]

[Tower of Batu]

"Fray... reality," Div says, smirking very slightly as he peer ahead again. "Sort of like a sky-door?"

"Maybe you would figure it out quicker... if you were stressed?" Div suggests. "Like a baby bird being shoved out of the nest."

[Devixer]

Chapel Roof

Faudre took a moment to debate her options. The tomb was out of the question - she would not disturb the spirits. The side door was better, but it being sealed shut was a problem. Her bardiche could open it with little trouble, but she would also announce her presence immediately. That only left the tower. At least nobody would come at her from above.

"<Wait for my call, Haar.>" She takes her axe from its pouch on Haar's saddle, and carries it with her as she climbs into the steeple and peers into the hatch.

Horizon Colony

"The weapon possesses short-range capabilities to manipulate electromagnetic signals." The pod speaks up for the first time in a while.

Onora looks at the halberd, before placing it near her back - wear it just starts to float, where it would normally be stored in an open pouch. "Thanks."

[Earl of Purple]

Chapel Roof

Below the hatch is a small store room, currently deserted. There's a rifle propped against the wall next to the ladder, and four wooden boxes- two look old and rotten, but two others are very new, with no signs of weathering and branded with the logo of a Skyside shipping company. There's a door leading out of the store room to a narrow wooden corridor in the very arch of the roof, with a sharply pointed ceiling, ending in a hatch down into the room Cecil has converted into his bedroom and office. Age and neglect has left some holes in the roof and the floor, but it's sturdy enough to support one of the guards with all their equipment, so it's probably enough for Faudre in her platemail.

[Devixer]

Chapel Roof

Faudre does her best to remain as quiet as she can as she sneaks through the door and into the corridor, but it's no small task in her armor. Perhaps she should've left it with Haar, but at least if she's caught, she'll be able to defend herself. She keeps her bardiche in one hand as she makes her way, first through the corridor, then to the converted room.

[bc56]

Horizon Colony

You're welcome. Anything else I can do for you?"

[Morty]

[Tower of Batu]

Batu seems to seriously consider it. Or just looks like he does.

"I'm not sure if being pushed from a height would help me. Birds fly by instinct, but sorcery is analytical. Then again, maybe I would learn quicker in less controlled circumstances than a study."

[Earl of Purple]

Chapel Roof

Cecil stirs slightly as Faudre climbs down his ladder, and the shrike rustles its feathers at the same time, but neither waken and both immediately drift off again.

Thaddeus does awaken, however. His back is to the ladder; he's not expecting trouble from that direction, and he's not sure what's awoken him. He'll stand and grab a small bottle and down the contents, before picking up a large falchion and a revolver and walking to the door. He's unarmoured, wearing only a pair of trousers; his torso is muscular, and also rather hairy. He'll open the door and look down the corridor beyond. Faudre has a few moments to react before he turns back and returns to his chair.

[Murkus]

[Tower of Batu]

Batu seems to seriously consider it. Or just looks like he does.

"I'm not sure if being pushed from a height would help me. Birds fly by instinct, but sorcery is analytical. Then again, maybe I would learn quicker in less controlled circumstances than a study."

"Maybe just a wee height then," Div suggests seriously, holding his thumb and forefinger just a smidge apart. He seems to think this is a good compromise, or else it counts as 'less controlled circumstances'. "I could even catch you if you want."

[Morty]

[Tower of Batu]

"That would make it safer," Batu admits, then looks down at the clouds. "But perhaps a tree would do before I go cloud-walking."

[Devixer]

Horizon Colony

Onora shrugs. "Besides pointing me to a place where the Pod and I can get some work? I doubt it. You guys look well set up here, don't need another soldier to keep the peace."
"Correction: Unit is designated as a--"
"Zip it, Pod."

[Murkus]

[Tower of Batu]

"Yes! I could catch you, and you could... adjust your magic each time to help it work." Div nods. He likes this idea. And the idea of being able to help Batu seriously! "I-It uhm, doesn't even have to be a tree."

[bc56]

Horizon Colony

"I guess you'll be on your way then. Come back any time." Ezra gestures to the door.

[Morty]

[Tower of Batu]

"I suppose any elevation would work," Batu agrees, then takes a look around the clouds. "But maybe we should close the portal now what we've seen it."