It's not quite a temple that Alptraum finds himself in. There are marble columns rising up from the cloud-shrouded floor, supporting a ring of lintels. It's all vaguely Olympian, more an impression of what an open-air temple should be. Four pedestals follow the basic curve of the ring, and on each is a mirror. The frames vary for each - from left to right, they are made of ivory, jade, onyx and gold, respectively.
"Why can't I have a nice night like a normal person? You know, dream regular dreams about becoming fabulously wealthy, have a harem ... and that normal stuff," the Eeee complains as he rubs on his right temple and gets his bearings. "And why does this look like Olympia? And the colors. Why ... oh, hm, well, they might correspond to certain Goddesses." He then contemplates headbutting a column until he 'wakes', but ends up calling out "Hello? Is anyone there?" instead.
A pair of golden-furred arms wrap around Alptraum from behind, and a feline chin rests on his left shoulder. "It has been some time since we last spoke, hasn't it?" Nala (or the Light of Nala, more likely) purrs.
Alptraum goes stiff ... and his left ear twitches. "Ah, hello, Nala!" he blurts out louder than is probably necessary. "How are you? Where am I? Why am I here?"
"Soooo many questions," the golden Khatta says. "I am fine, you are in a crystal-riddled cavern on Rephidim, and you're here because I wanted to show you something."
"Life is all about questions," Alptraum claims. "So ... you're not going to eat me or anything like that, right?"
"Why would I do something like that?" Nala asks. "Is this why you are so tense?"
"I don't know. Goddeses are ... strange. So are dragons. I know too many," Alptraum continues to babble, then clamps his own mouth shut with his hands for a few seconds. "So, what did you want to show me?" he finally asks when he seems to have calmed down, "And you're not mad at me, are you?"
"How could I be mad at you?" Nala purrs. "And I wanted to show you.. well, my mirrors. I'd like to know what they tell you."
"Well because I'm far from perfect and do crazy, and sometimes stupid things," Alptraum admits as he looks back towards the mirrors. "Do I just walk up to each one and look, then? Or am I expected to walk through?"
"Walk through one?" Inala asks with a giggle. "No, mirrors are for looking at yourself, silly boy." She legs go of him then, and gives him an encouraging push.
"I never trust that anything is quite as it seems when I come to these places. There was that one time I got into an argument with a melon ... no, wait, that was because of too much beer that night with Hexen," Alptraum admits. He eyes the mirrors again, then heads towards the ivory-encased mirror first.
The mirror remains dark until Alptraum is standing right in front of it. Then it reflects an image of Nicora, with the Flower rune on her forehead.
"Oh hey, it's my current body ... with Inala's mark on my forehead. That's ... weird," Alptraum admits as he tilts his head this way and that as he peers. He then tries to touch the mirror lightly.
The surface is cool and metallic, but doesn't feel very magical. Nicora mirrors the action, naturally.
Alptraum sticks out his tongue. He then waggles his ears. "You know, I'm a rather cute girl," Alptraum claims once he poses with his right hand on his hip. "But then it is modeled after Rosalind, and she is the most beautiful woman I've ever known."
"I will not take offense at that remark," Nala purrs reassuringly from somewhere behind the bat.
"You're not an Eeee. I'm speaking from an Eeee perspective," Alptraum explains. He continues to look at that reflection and his sillier antics fade. "I really miss her. Rosalind, that is. Everything I've done; some I .. well ... Anyway, none of it remotely compares to her when she simply smiles," he says as his own smile comes, though perhaps tinged with a bit of sadness.
"Love and longing are powerful forces," Nala agrees.
"I'd walk through any hell she asked me to. And I am, to an extent. Going back to Babel," Alptraum continues, then stops himself there and shakes his head and makes his ears flap. "I just hope I'll see her again some day. Seeing part of her in my reflection is comforting, but it is not the same." He turns away from that mirror now and draws a breath.
"There are three more yet," Nala reminds the Eeee. "I want to know how those make you feel as well."
"I know, I know," Alptraum says, "Give me a moment." He apparently needed that time to wipe his eyes before he turns and goes to the next mirror, this time the one of jade.
A dragon looks back through the mirror. In form, it is vaguely like a Steel Dragon, except that its skin is smooth, black and glossy. In place of the innumerable horns and spikes are fragile looking tendrils that wave about slowly. In fact the only thing that seems solid about the dragon is the reflected right forearm, with its exoskeleton and strange surfaces along with a glowing orb near the wrist. On its forehead, glowing green, is the rune for the Wound.
Alptraum takes a step back. He isn't exactly horrified, perhaps more confused. "What is that? Is that me with the mark of Gorphat?" he asks as he now takes a step back closer to get a better look. He raises his right hand and waggles his fingers at himself.
The reflection does as expected, although the expression is a bit more comical appearing on a rubbery dragon-face.
"That is you, of course," Nala says. "Or rather, the reflection of you that links you to Gorphat."
"Is this how Gorphat sees me?" Alptraum asks. "What am I looking at? Is this telling me the shadow is a disease?"
"I don't look horrible," Alptraum concludes. "Just ... really, really, odd."
"Tell me, Alptraum," Nala asks, peeking over his shoulder. "When you first encountered the shadow - when you cut the black heart from your palm - was it an affliction? A corruption of yourself?"
"A disfigurement?" the feline adds, running a finger across the shadow-hand.
"Well, the black heart was, yes. It was trying to kill me," Alptraum agrees. "The only good thing I can say about it is that it didn't hurt horribly. Not until it was out."
"In those early days, looking at your hand.. how did you feel about it?" the goddess asks, switching sides to look over Alptraum's right shoulder now.
"In fact, what Gorphat did to me later hurt a lot more," Alptraum adds. The question gives his pause. "How I felt? I was scared, that's how. I didn't know what was going to happen. But ... I considered it the price I had to pay for Rosalind, and I paid it. I wouldn't go back and change that; I was able to give Rosalind what she wanted."
"And now, is this power that invaded you, even tried to take you over and cause you nightmares and feelings of being a monster.. is this power something that makes you stronger for having gained some control over it?" Nala purrs.
"I've ... grown to like it, yes. It has given me abilities that I can use to help others. Or ... just explore new things," Alptraum admits. "I've embraced it."
"And that is what ties you to Gorphat, for is that not what She hopes for when She gives people challenges.. even though this one did not come from Her?" the golden goddess asks, switching shoulders again.
"Then she must really like me since I seem to find ways to challenge myself all the time," Alptraum answers as he looks a bit bemused by it now.
Nala smiles and backs away, giving Alptraum room to move again.
"I will also say ... I really appreciate women better now that I know what they go through every few months. Ow," Alptraum claims and reflexively grabs his lower stomach.
Nala actually laughs a bit at that. "The power to create life has its price," she comments.
"Yes, but I pay the price and will never have the benefit," Alptraum remarks and looks back, grinning.
"And no, I'm not asking for the benefit!" he adds quickly.
The goddess's headdress jangles as she just shakes her head in bemusement, and makes an 'after you' gesture towards the next mirror.
Alptraum turns away from that mirror and heads to the onyx one. This must be Sunala's mirror ... so he's fully prepared to see something awful.
It's a familiar sort of awful, at least. The Wraith glares back at Alptraum with blind eyes and the symbol of the Corpse on his forehead. He doesn't seem angry, only.. intimidating.
"Avralie, that's what I expected to see," Alptraum admits. He waves at it like all the others. "The impassive guardian and escort of the dead."
"No surprises, I take it?" Nala asks. "You've known the Wraith since birth, haven't you? And.. well, it hasn't always been impassive, has it?"
"No. It's been ... acting more like a separate being lately than just an extension of myself," Alptraum says. "It used to just be a ... more dead looking version of myself."
"But under your influence as well," Nala claims. "How many lives did he refuse to take to the Sea of Souls, because of your will?"
"Two I can think of immediately. Autumn-Storm and ... the young Yodhsunala who tried to kill herself," Alptraum says. "No, three. The young girl in Draco County too."
"And another, when you were a newborn, yes?" Nala prompts.
"Was there? I ... don't quite remember tha ... oh, right, yes," Alptraum says and taps the side of his head.
"The one who then raised Rikat," Alptraum mutters.
"Are you dissatisfied with those who ended up raising you, and loving you as their son - despite the hardships?" Nala asks, her head tilted to the side slightly.
"Oh, no, not at all. Sure, life was hard ... but they also taught me a lot. I don't regret growing up to learn to care about others. I can't say that if I had grown up in Babel I would have been as caring," Alptraum says.
"Babel has been in darkness for a long, long time," Nala claims, sounding a bit sad about it. "It likely would have consumed you as well."
"I wish I could fix that," Alptraum says, "But I'm one person. My actions ... well, it mattered to some. Phlagaea now sees the world differently. But I have to be realistic with myself; I can't fix Babel. Not alone."
"A single man can bring light to darkness," Nala says. "It is sometimes enough."
"I used to believe that. That maybe the actions of one would inspire others. Make a real difference," Alptraum says, "I argued that to Nekara back then. She thought me an idealistic fool."
"You'd be surprised at how many great things are accomplished by fools who don't know they shouldn't be trying," Nala says with a grin.
"Then what have I ever accomplished that mattered?" Alptraum asks. "Outside of Rosalind's line and bringing her happiness. Finding peace for Phalgaea, saving those Yodhrinala." Alptraum stops there and his ears splay. "Well ... maybe I have done a few things that have mattered."
"Perhaps you just haven't had the chance to be foolish enough yet," Nala suggests. "I am most curious of what you see in the next mirror."
"If it's me in a sausage costume, I will tickle you," Alptraum threatens as he turns away from the onyx mirror and goes to look in the gold one.
The reflection in the gold-framed mirror is.. Alptraum. He looks no different, save for the golden rune of the Tree on his forehead, and the detail that he has the spirit dagger tied to a cord around his neck, so that it rests point down against his chest.
This causes Alptraum to blink. "It's just ... me," he says, head tilting. Like the others he waves to his reflection. "With a rune for the Tree ... which I can't remember who that represents," he admits. "I seem so .. simple. Unimpressive. But ... I guess I've never really cared to look impressive."
"The Tree," Nala says, looking over Alptraum's shoulder again. "A lost symbol, forbidden now. The mark of Rinala."
"I met those who followed her. I saved one of them once. Granted I ended up scaring her too but ... that was an act," Alptraum says. "I feel no shame in saving her. She was helping the people who were hurt. I couldn't heal, I couldn't stop the fighting, but I could protect her. So ... I did. And then her entire cabal by buying them time to relocate. One of the few things in Babel I am most proud of."
"And what does the dagger stand for in this reflection?" Nala asks, reaching around to brush her fingers against Alptraum's chest - which in the reflection has her brushing the dagger.
"Those I still carry that need to be freed? I carry them within me instead of some crude tool?" Alptraum suggests uncertainly. "Or perhaps it's simply that I've been willing to stand for Life against all odds."
"Even more than just Life - Perpetual Life," Nala says. "Those you free go on to become reborn, returning to the Cycle from which they were stolen. Whenever someone steps away from the great Cycle, strife and darkness follow. That is why Babel was in darkness so long - the Sabaoth removed himself from the Cycle of Life, and twisted the world around him as a result."
"There are people who miss those days," Alptraum notes. "As much as I can hate my father for everything he did ... removing the Sabbaoth was something good his actions caused. I just wish it didn't cost so many other lifes in the process."
"Some things cannot be changed without great sacrifice," Nala claims. "Tell me, Alptraum - why did I show you all this? What does it mean?"
"What I am, what I have been, and what I could be?" Alptraum asks rather uncertainly. "Or that I am more than just belonging to one goddess or another, I am part of all of them?"
"Ah, you do see part of the larger picture," Nala says. "Four goddesses, four aspects of yourself.. but are they really separate?"
"Not really. Each compliment the other to build a stronger whole, if you want me to wax poetic about it," Alptraum offers Inala. "Any by itself couldn't really cause something to change because it only sees one side of the coin. Well, in this case it's a four sided coin, but ... hm, my metaphor needs work. This is why I play music, not write lyrics."
Offers Nala
"Stand back a little further," Nala says, drawing Alptraum back from the golden mirror towards the center of the temple.
Alptraum steps away from the mirror at Nala's insistence to take up a place at the center of the temple.
Now the goddess goes to the mirrors, standing behind the ivory one first and running a hand across it. "Birth, Love, Pleasure - Life's beginning, and its rewards," she says. Then she moves to the jade mirror. "Challenge, Pain, the overcoming of Obstacles to grow - Life's journey."
Alptraum's brow arches slightly, though he doesn't say anything to this explanation so far. "Death. Life's end?" he wonders about the onyx frame. "Or is it representing change, like it does in the cards? To a new life?"
At the onyx mirror, Nala says, "Death - the end of Life's journey.. until.." She strokes the golden mirror next, saying, "Rebirth. The start of a new Cycle of Life."
"These are the stages of the Cycle, Alptraum," Nala says. "And I am the embodiment of that Cycle."
"The paranoid side of me is wondering if you're just trying to tell me gently that I'm going to die soon," Alptraum admits. "But I don't think that is quite it."
"No, Alptraum," the goddess says, smiling. "You have ties to each of these Aspects of myself. You are going to be my next Champion, as Fyodr was before you, and led you to me. Only you can bring together all of my pieces when the time comes."
"Tulani carries my Power, my Light," Nala claims. "By you carry my Spirit."
Alptraum just stands there, his jaw hanging open. This is followed by a lot of blinking. Several false starts as he tries to say something and ends up failing. "But ... I'm not khatta," he finally says, "I'm not perfect. I don't do everything out of selflessness I ... I'm just me. What if I screw up?"
"That is what life is all about, Alptraum," Nala says. "Making mistakes, learning from them, growing.. and gaining wisdom. The last time my Champion was human, and worked with the Bearer to fight the darkness that was overcoming Sylvania. The Light shines bright, but people must choose to follow it, embrace it.. see hope in it. Babel is facing the same darkness now, one that has been growing slowly for many generations. One that promises the same things as swayed the Necromancer King and his court. The first time, you were not ready for it. You are better prepared now - but not quite strong enough. You must unite the aspects for that."
"The Necromancer Kings believed in illusions and false promises of the demon from Aztepa," Alptraum says as he squats down for lack of having a chair to sit in. "And as bad as Babel is ... if that took hold there it would be ... worse beyond measure," he adds. "If you had told me this a year ago ... I would have denied it I would have run but... I have a family coming into this world. I have to believe in something better, don't I? If not for me, then for them. I know so many stories would tell how someone stood against it all for the greater good. I would do it simply for the people I love."
"Love and longing, the great forces of life," Nala says. "The forces which drive Creation. Find what divides the aspects within you, and discard it. It will not be easy, and the Goddesses will not approve. They each want you to only embody their aspect, after all. But I think you will do it, when the time comes. You are capable of great sacrifice for love."
"After this trip I've come to realize I'm capable of a lot of things. Some I will never mention to another soul," Alptraum tries to joke. "And well, i was raised a gypsy. We don't follow anyone's rules and we find our own roads. Sure, we may spend time in various houses and suckle their fruits, so to speak, but we will never fully belong to just one. I'm not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. But ... I bet Fyodr said the same thing. We do what we believe right. It's all we can do in the end."
Nala stands before Alptraum, and gives him a kiss on the lips - and it's like being kissed by his mother, with all the warm memories of love and security that come with it. "Be careful," she says. "Gorphat may claim 'that which does not kill us, makes us stronger' - but she leaves out the part about it nearly killing you. The other Sisters have their hooks in you, as they do in any man. Who does not have secrets, or plot revenge, or theft or crave power, after all? Do not worry about them, though."
"An old gypsy saying is 'There's a fine line between a hero and a fool and it's best not to be either'. I'll ... just try to not be the fool. Well, too often," Alptraum promises after the kiss. "I'll try to be careful."
"I look forward to our next meeting," Nala says. "Assuming Mave doesn't screw things up, at least. Wake up now, Alptraum,"
Snowcora shivers as she wakes, cradled in the coils of a silver dragon.. that is idly licking at her golden rings - and may be doing so in her sleep! At least all of the blood has been licked clean from her naked skin, but there will be some bruises until she changes back to Nicora. Mordecai is near, tucked under a dragon wing.
"Ack, hey, stop that," Snowcora complains as she pushes at Tulani's snout to try and get her to quit licking those rings. "You're worse than me."
"Mmmm, breakfast?" Tulani rumbles, before opening her jaws wide in a scary looking yawn.
"No! I am not food," Snowcora claims and pinches Tunali's nose. "Well, except for Mordecai. And I'm also his canvas for art."
The albino Eeee snorts and stirs, blinking his glowing pink eyes as he wakes. "I was just resting my eyes," he claims.
"No food then?" Tulani asks, sounding disappointed. Then she cocks her head and grins at Snowcora. "Maybe something else then instead.."
"Well, I am good at wearing out a man," Snowcora claims proudly and puffs out her chest. "And I think our play time may be over for these forms." Tulani's comment then makes her blink and she looks at the silvery dragon. "Like what?"
"You could change into that cute red dragon again," Tulani coos. "The one you hunted as in the mountains. We could have some fun.."
"What about Mordecai? Would he watch?" Snowcora asks and points towards the albino. "Would he want to?"
"He just needs to stay a safe distance," Tulani claims. "Besides.. I wonder what those golden rings will do to a drake, after knowing what they do to a dragoness.."
Snowcora considers this. "If I promise to let you decorate me in whatever ways you desire, would you mind if I ... occupied Tulani for a while?" Snowcora asks Mordecai.
"It sounds very inspiring to see," Mordecai admits.
"Or you could bring us something to snack on," Tulani suggests, and that very cordial way dragons have of trying not to sound threatening.
Snowcora thinks, "Kaira, are you there? Tulani has a small request..."
"You know how I love to do requests," Kaira replies. "Is this going to be like the time with Snow, or something simpler?"
"I'm sure I can arrange for.. something," Mordecai says, and slides off of Tulani to collect his pants.
"Simpler. Tulani wants you to turn me back into that drake form I had in the mountains ... with the rings placed so that they're the most effective on a male," Snowcora thinks. To Mordecai, she asks, "Did you like the human ... or do you prefer the Eeee me?"
"I don't suppose you could combine them?" Mordecai asks, apparently still longing for a furless, albino Eeee like himself.
"We could just shave Nicora and bleach her for that," Tulani suggests with a grin.
"Kaira, odd question too ... can you make me a furless Eeee? Sort of combining my current normal form with Snow's?" Snowcora things.
Snowcora bops Tulani's snout for that.
"And.. do you want a timer or something?" Kaira asks. "With the Light keeping you charged up, and the gold.. well, it would hard for you to stop."
"And mix-and-match is Melusine's gig, not mine," the dragon adds. "Not sure changing you into a succubus would do the trick.."
"I would only consent to being shaved if Mordecai could make it really interesting," Snowcora claims. "As for Tulani, at most two hours? I do have other things to do today..." she thinks to Kaira.
"Alright, just remind her before you start to change back," Kaira warns. "Some dragons don't take well to being interrupted, and she might eat you."
Nicora slips over to Mordecai to whisper to him. "I can't combine them, sorry," she whispers to him, "But I can promise to be as perfect an Eeee servant girl as I can be as long as we stay, if that helps? And well, I'll let you shave at least one place."
"Hmm, I prefer this one for a servant girl," Mordecai says, giving Snowcora a squeeze. "I do like the Eeee for other things though.."
"Oh, like what?" Snowcora asks Mordecai as she hugs him back. Skin on skin does feel nice after all.
"You'll find out," Mordecai promises with a wink before giving the human girl a nip on the neck. Then he releases her and finishes dressing, in order to find snacks for dragons..
Snowcora takes the opportunity to swat Mordecai on the backside. She then drops down to her hands and knees and grins at Tulani. "We'll have about two hours," she says, "Before I'll need to change back ... so be prepared." She clicks her tongue, as she thinks, "All right, Kaira, scale me..."
As the blackness envelops her, Nicora hears Kaira ask, "There was something going on when you were asleep, wasn't there?"
"Nala contacted me. She said I'm her new Champion," Alptraum thinks in the inky void. "That I have the ability to bring unity to discord ... and other things that really scared me."
"Just so long as you don't forget to stab some people with the dagger every so often," Kaira notes.
"That's actually part of it. Freeing them helps repair damage done to the 'cycle'," Alptraum explains.
"Helping me is always good!" Kaira claims. "Just try to keep me abreast of things so I don't worry, okay?"
"Keep you abreast of when I have breasts?" Alptraum jokes, "But okay, okay, I will. I have to keep you happy, after all. You indulge my weird desires."
When the darkness retreated, Alptraum was a drake once more.. and while not feeling overcome with lust, he was certainly prepared for it, thanks to the gold.
Tulani was sprawled across the dais, making an inviting rumbling in her chest.
"Rr," rumbles Draketraum as he stirs and rises up to his legs. He sniffs the air, then swivels his head towards Tulani. "Ah. I see a dragon in need of a good lancing," he remarks rather suggestively towards the silver dragon. His lips draw back over rather sharp looking teeth. "Prepare to be conquered..." he challenges, then pounces Tulani! Half the fun is the grappling and dominating the other dragon! Well, given the invite there isn't much grappling outside of play that works in favor of both.
Every dragon wants to be on top, it seems, which prolonged the tussling. Although in the end it hardly mattered, as they writhed around the cavern. The gold had been moved to 'best effect' by providing Tulani with lots of stimulating contact as well. It's for the best that Mordecai didn't stay, because it might have terrified even him, assuming he escaped being crushed!
The top position changes every couple of minutes as they thrash about the chamber. To the outside view, it looks like they're fighting. It sounds like it too. If there is anyone in the sewers above ... Gods know what they might be thinking if they hear anything! Who knows what new stories they're creating right now. One thing that comes clear to Alptraum, though ... is that everything is better as a dragon! He completely understands why Tulani seems to prefer her scaled body now...
There isn't a lot of time for introspection, and Tulani certainly wants to make the best use of the time available. There are some positions that Draketraum didn't think dragons would be capable off, but Tulani at least was very flexible. Once time does run out, though, at least she's 'satisfied' enough to change back to a Sphynx. So when Nicora emerges from her shadow cocoon, she finds a wet Sphynx draped across her, being fed chunks of seasoned meat from a bowl in Mordecai's lap.
"Mmm," Nicora mutters as she stretches back out. "Back to being a beautiful, pierced Eeee," she says approvingly as she feels over her body, content. Or maybe it's because it makes her think of Rosalind again. Either way, she seems happy. "When all this is over," she remarks to Mordecai, "You're going to wonder if all of this was just a hookah inspired dream..."