Sleep comes more quickly than Alptraum might have anticipated, for he hardly got much rest the night before. He focuses his thoughts on the Sea of Souls, before he slips off – specifically, the Sea of Souls as a barren, empty place, with the idea that focusing on it so might get him there, with fewer distracting spirits.

He gets his wish … after a fashion. He dreams of the barren expanse again, but it is quiet now. The storms have ceased, leaving the sky only a featureless blanket of gray. The bleak bed of the Sea is open to the air, and though there is no sun visible, the bony spires cast sharp shadows with no particular rhyme or reason as to which way they might fall, or how far. Effortlessly, Alptraum is able to soar about in this realm, but when he tries to focus on the girl, Srinala, to draw her forth within his dream, she does not come. Even when he thinks of others, they do not appear.

This goes on for an indeterminate length of time, as Alptraum has no standard by which to measure the passage from one moment to the next. He hears whispers now and then, though they are in Babelite, and this time it seems that the dream realm is not obliged to translate them for him, and he is forced to draw upon his new grasp of the Eeee tongue. There are only portions he can understand, whether due to the words used, or whether they're even loud enough for him to discern.

"My sister Nekara, you have done well to make it this far on such short notice… " "… Yes, this is our brother, Alptraum, my sister Sukara. His name means 'Nightmare'… " "… Are you certain that will work? I do not know if the mages would be so easily fooled by a decoy… " "… It is his choice, not mine… " "… I need you with the Body. They know of secret passages to take us through to the bottom of the sky island, that the Temple has not yet sealed up… " "… Yes, my sister. I just received word that they have an airship … but can this 'Elijah' be trusted?"

"He was formerly known as Zoltan Cambio, and also the Champion of Shadows. His word is not to be doubted. Besides, the Temple has betrayed him and his order. He may have fought off the Plaguebringers when they assaulted his home on Rephidim, but he bears no ill will against Babel. I go to call his Lancers. They will be a match for an army of mages… " "… Yes, my sister. I will go immediately… " "… They will look after our brother… "

There is silence. Still no sign of Srinala. But then … the Sea rushes in. Alptraum focuses on Srinala … and he is transported back to the temple on Sunala's mountain. The girl looks up to him with sad eyes. "You came for me," she says, but before Alptraum can give voice to the questions on his mind, the scene is roughly ripped away, and replaced with the dry Sea once more.

A ghostly serpent appears in the air, weaving around Alptraum. Alptraum hears a voice again. "… I've located the anomaly. It SeemS to be coming from near the Bazaar. … According to the map, near the corner of the Way of SpiCeS and the Avenue of SilkS… YeS, I am Certain! Send the GuardS immediately!" And then the ghostly serpent vanishes into nothingness. Still Alptraum is helpless in the Sea of Souls, it seems … until the scene changes, wholly without any choice in the matter on his part.

Now, he is standing on a platform suspended high above the … world? He is in some great chamber that has a mountainous portion of of Sinai as its floor and the heavens above as its ceiling, with collosal columns rising between them, and countless platforms and narrow bridges spanning across. Even though the amount of space described here is mind-numbingly vast, it is, after all, a dream, and he can still see (and hear) fairly well across the great distances. He is not alone. There is a great multitude gathered of Eeee, standing about on various platforms, watching a central dais where some sort of play is being acted out.

There is a titanic being, part black Khatta, part Eeee, strapped to an altar, alive, even though there is a horrible wound in his chest, and it is evident that his heart is missing from the cavity. The name is not uttered, but he knows the being's name is Morpheus. He is some sort of deity … a deity of dreams.

Around him are six Eeee women, bound to the altar by leathery chains. Somehow he is able to recognize them – he inherently knows that these are the bound forms of the Seven Sisters (or, at least, six of them), before they rebelled against the Creator, and changed their names. Only one of them is free – Inala, the painfully beautiful angelic Eeee that expelled him from Paradise.

There is another Eeee, and at once, Alptraum knows that this raven-tressed beauty is High Princess Saraizadze who steps down from her throne, and approaches the central area, where Inala presents her with a scepter topped with … the heart of the bound titan. Inala's bearing is one of respect, as if this mortal, Saraizadze, is an equal … or even, shudder the thought, one who is greater.

Some ritual, some ceremony is being enacted, but not all who are present are content to watch (not that Alptraum himself seems to have any choice in the matter). The gold-and-white winged woman, Envoy, is there again – and the white poodle woman, riding a marvelous creature, a winged Drokar. They rush in to challenge Saraizadze … and she commands seven strange demon-like creatures to hold off the intruders. Each of them seems a cross between an Eeee and some bizarre beast.

But through all this, Alptraum is a captive spectator. There is no sign of Srinala here. He has to do something. He has to…

He finds himself back in his bed in the Reisender Wagon. Mother is making breakfast. Hexen has some crazy tale to tell him, and says that someone is there to see him. But no, that's not right. This all has to be a dream.

He finds himself back in the Dew Drop Inn, soaking up the warm water from the tub. It was all just a dream. That business about the walking dead, the appearance of that girl, going through the winter with Autumn-Storm, meeting up with Nekara, finding out all these horrible things about his past … it was all just a dream. But then he hears a scream from the next room…

And Alptraum wakes up in a strange bed, in a strange room, in a strange place, in the dark, with only the sounds to help him feel out his surroundings. There are some miserable little animal noises from … cages. Yiffles in cages. It comes back to him now. He's in Rephidim, he's in the house of an elderly Eeee couple, in an upstairs bedroom, with the window curtained to keep out sunlight so he can sleep … but there is no sign of any sunlight peeking around the edges of the curtain at all now, and there are a great many heavy boot steps crashing about somewhere downstairs.

Alptraum bolts upright and wings his legs out of the bed. Quickly, he shakes his head, clearing away the grogginess of sleeping. His eyes narrow, the sounds below triggering a memory … 'found anomaly' … him! He pulls on his clothes rapidly. His dagger is slipped into its scabbard at his side, then he grabs his crossbow and collection of bolts. "Time to move," Alptraum mutters to himself. He moves to the window and pulls back the curtain to peer out, while his ears cant to listen to the footsteps and try to track them.

As he manages to shake away the grogginess of sleep, he's able to more clearly focus on his surroundings. The room he's in is fairly small, and offers very little in the way of cover or places to hide. It has a small closet, but that would be an obvious place to look, and be a dead end. The bed wouldn't be a good place to hide, on account of wings. As the curtain is pulled aside, he can see the street outside, lit by street lamps, and he can make out the shapes of lupine Guards spreading out along both streets, accompanied by some … large … bug-creatures that wear some sort of heraldry that seems to mark them as members of the Guard as well, armed with what at first looks like a large misshapen claw, but what apparently is actually a pole arm made from a chitinous material that seems very like what their own shells are made of.

Outside the window, there is a section of lower roofing, a gable over the front porch area, such that if the window were opened, it would be possible to step out onto the shingles (though, of course, to a flier, there are various other options as well).

There is one robed individual out in the street, though Alptraum can't make out his species very clearly – could be feline, could be canine, could be vulpine, for all he can tell – but he's dressed in white robes that make him stand out quite clearly in the Procession-light.

Alptraum eases the window open slowly, hoping to keep it quiet and listens, trying to make out any voices. "Is this perhaps those meant to protect me, or are they here to get me," he ponders, silver eyes narrow.

There is a shadowy shape, someone moving along the street, trying to stick to the shadows … but one of the bug-things turns to regard the individual … and the Guards bark out, and chase after him. The individual snaps out wings and takes flight. "Halt!" the Guards shout. Meanwhile, boot steps sound about loudly downstairs, and there's a sound of splintering wood. It sounds like the door at the base of the stairs – someone must have locked it, and someone wants very much to get through it.

Incidentally, there is more than one room upstairs, and this isn't the first one at the top of the stairs. Alptraum never really got a chance to fully explore the house, though, so he's not totally certain about its layout.

The jutting section of roof under the porch seems deceptively open to observation, being as there are so many Jupani right there on the street … but the way the light is cast from the lamp posts, there is actually an area of dark shadow just outside the window. It might be possible to hide there, at least momentarily, though it's a risky venture at best.

The Eeee growls softly and closes the window, then pulls the blinds shut. He goes to the door quickly, then opens it and peers out. "Perhaps another room has a better escape route," he considers.

Outside, he hears a loud crack that echoes in the street, followed by a shrill scream, and several more distant shouts.

Alptraum is at one end of a long hallway that is split in twain by the open spot where the stairs descend to the front reception area. Where he is, he is actually thoughtfully positioned as one of the last rooms would be visited, as someone coming up the stairs would come up at the far end of the hall, have a room to check on the right, then have to cut to the left and go past all the doors there (along the walkway separated from a drop-off into the stairwell by a wooden railing) to at last turn a corner and reach Alptraum's room at the far end, at the front of the house.

"Not my day," he mutters, then smirks. He unlocks the cages containing the yiffles, then opens the doors. "Perhaps you'll serve as a distraction, should they get up here. Any delay helps me," Alptraum tells the creatures. The Eeee then grabs the rest of his meager possessions and slips back into the hallway and heads toward the back window to look out.

The yiffles are already quite frightened, and the "smell of fear" is so pungent that no doubt a Jupani would be able to smell it all the way from outside by now. The creatures shriek and bolt from their cages, scampering out the door and spilling out into the upstairs hall, some of them tumbling down the stairs in their eagerness to go somewhere.

Out the back, Alptraum can see that there's a very small back "yard" of sorts – really, just a patch of grass between this house and the next one, and there's a window across the gap from another house that looks to be a mirror image of this one – It did strike Alptraum that the houses in this neighborhood seemed like copies of each other, with only minor variations here or there where it was apparent that the residents had made changes to suit their own tastes. There's also another feature that Alptraum notices, however – the steepled roof has two skylights letting in the faint glow of the Procession, one of them over the space of the stairwell, and the other over the upper walkway. (To a bat, one might think that either is accessible, but one needs room in which to unfold wings.)

Shadows out back hint that someone is back there, and moving about without any real attempt at stealth. The door at the bottom of the stairs splinters … then breaks!

"YIFF!" squeals one of the miserable blue creatures, which promptly leaps through the newly created opening, prompting alarmed shouts from the Jupani Guards on the other side.

Alptraum wastes no time. He slips his crossbow onto his shoulder and clambers up onto the railing. He tries to balance there and reach for the skylight. "If I can just get up here, I can get to the roof," he thinks to himself.

Although it can't be said for the rest of his predicament, fate seems to be with Alptraum for the moment at least. Panicked yiffles brush momentarily against Alptraum's feet, as, hearing the cries of their "fellow," they catch the idea that freedom lies at the bottom of the stairs, and leap willy-nilly off the edge. Yiffles must not be terribly bright creatures. One of them lets out a shrill death-shriek as it crunches at the bottom, and this sends the other yiffles into even more of a panic, as the smell of fear becomes very pungent, and the Guards at the bottom shout loud curses and can be heard smashing about at the little beasts. Meanwhile, things are relatively peaceful up with Alptraum, as he balances on the edge of the railing, teetering only ever so slightly … pop. The skylight opens, and he is able to get purchase enough to hoist himself up, feeling the rough texture of the roof shingles under his hands.

Alptraum again wastes no time in doing so. His wings pull in tightly to his body and he pulls himself upward and through the now open skylight. "That's right, buy me time, you obnoxious things. Once on the roof, I can silent glide from house to house," he plots out.

A shadow passes overhead, and Alptraum notices a creature – bird-like, but not, humanoid, with hooves like a Rhian, but a head and wings and feathers like a bird of prey, with arms that end in muscular-looking talons. This is a big fellow, and he wears the uniform of the Guards, though his colors are more muted – perhaps all the more for making him a little less conspicuous in the sky. His head jerks and there's a glint Alptraum can see; perhaps he might have noticed, say, the Procession light reflecting off the glass skylight that has just been opened?

"One in the air is better than an army on the ground," the Eeee mutters and continues onto the roof. "I have to get out of here, now."

It seems for a moment that the Vartan is about to swoop down to the roof to investigate, and most assuredly discover Alptraum … but just then, there's a shout from the street. "Bladewing!" calls out one of the Jupani Guards, and the Vartan jerks its head to look at the source of the voice. A moment's distraction…

Alptraum inwardly thanks whatever spirit that blessed him and takes off running along the roof towards the back of the house. Once close, his wings snap out wide and he leaps, trying to do a glide to the next roof without flapping.

He does so flawlessly, touching down on the rooftop without dislodging any shingles or making a noise that anyone other than another Eeee might notice – and even then, there are more than enough other distractions going on, with all the ruckus happening downstairs in the house Alptraum was staying in.

"WHAT?" the Vartan cries out, as it descends to the street.

Alptraum can barely make out a lupine voice responding, "I was just going to ask you if you'd seen anything! Get back up there!"

There are several more houses in the immediate area, as the street blocks here are fairly large – this place brings new meaning to the term of "city," and makes laughable any comparison to any "city" he saw while on the surface. There are several more rooftops to lead the way … and then, hopefully, things will be quiet enough to cross a street if need be, or even to take to the air – or to the ground again.

The Eeee takes in a breath, then runs along that roof, holding his wings in until he gets close to the back. There, he repeats his attempt at a silent glide to yet another rooftop, then another… The Eeee tries to make it several blocks to where he can glide back to the street and move along the ground. He thinks back to dealing with brigands in Sylvania; flight is too easy a way to find a bolt in the back. Time to keep low and hidden.

Even as he thinks this warning to himself, he sees something in the street, some distance back to where the Guards are still surrounding the house and checking the area, going so far as to banging on doors of nearby houses and rousing the occupants, then going inside to search. In the street, Alptraum sees the bat that took flight earlier, lying still and motionless in the street. A Guard walks up to him, and prods him with a boot, holding a weapon unlike any Alptraum has seen before. It's a rod of some sort, emitting a faint trail of smoke from one end. Another guardsman holds another such weapon, keeping one end of the rod trained on the fallen Eeee. "He's dead," Alptraum can make out the Guard saying, though at this range it's as much from lip-reading as anything else that he's able to figure this out.

Here, the houses start to look a little different, with more variation in the styles of the houses. By now, candle and lantern lights are flickering in many windows, and doors start to open, as curious and alarmed residents peer out windows or come out their front doors bearing makeshift weapons, alarmed by the ruckus down the street.

Alptraum winces. Someone dead, probably because of me, or perhaps it was her. Can't tell. Better make it count then, and escape. A momentary thought goes to Autumn-Storm. Where is she? Is she okay? But, he cannot dwell on it. His ears cant and he listens, trying to sneak his way away from the guards and noise.

In the additional commotion caused by half-asleep citizens trying to investigate, Alptraum is able to escape any unwarranted notice fairly easily – or, at least, nobody shouts for him to stop, or otherwise evidences any notice of him. Perhaps, for now, he may be able to slip away … but even now, he's still not entirely sure just where he is. He is in a city, of course, but one unfamiliar to him. He's not in the area known as the "Bazaar", by any means – that portion was outside the City Walls, though fairly close to them. This residential area is within the sizeable portion enclosed by the City Walls, but beyond that, he really hasn't been introduced to the particulars of this city, or what it has to offer in the way of places to hide … or ways to get out. The Shiny Shoppe was also located somewhere within the City Walls as well, but some unknown distance away.

Alptraum finally makes his way back down to the streets below and pauses to catch his breath. "Now what? You're lost," he mutters. "In the dream, they said the anomaly was coming from the Bazaar, but I wasn't in the Bazaar. What were they referring to, then? Why did those guards show up at where I was staying? What is going on?" He shrugs and just starts walking, hoping to find some street he recognizes. He continues away from the noise, and tries to roughly follow the city walls. Perhaps he can find an exit, or the very least, some open bar to give him directions.

There! The city walls! In the opposite direction from where he was running – would that be to the south, then? – he can see the walls – and a large section where it appears that the walls have collapsed. He remembers seeing that; the Bazaar is just on the other side. If he'd run south instead of north (never mind that this would have entailed crossing the paths of several Guards to do so), he might have found himself heading straight into the Bazaar.

Alptraum sighs. Can't go that way. Not right now. Looks like I'm stuck in the city until the hunt ends. The Eeee then shrugs and continues walking north for now, hoping to find perhaps the street the Shiny Shoppe was on. That might at least be a good point to get oriented. Or, as previously thought, perhaps find a bar and just ask for directions. Nekara should have given me a bit of warning that they would be coming – Unless that poor Eeee was sent to warn me, Alptraum thinks ruefully.

Alptraum's wanderings take him far from the scene of earlier … or so he assumes, though it's still hard to find his way around here. The layout of the streets is misleading. In parts, they seem straight and orderly, built on a grid … but then, without warning, the streets suddenly angle or dead end into an area where it seems several buildings have been built on a grid layout, but on a different axis of orientation. Thus, it is somewhat like a maze at times, and it's pretty clear that whatever hour it is, decent civilized folk aren't up and about, and Alptraum is uncomfortably conspicuous to be out alone. Every once in a while, some airborne Guards fly by, but he manages to escape their notice … and the groups of Guards walking the streets do not seem to be looking for him, per se, but merely doing nightly patrols. (Nonetheless, it might not be prudent to walk up and ask directions.)

As Alptraum continues, though, he ends up passing what looks like another wall division … or has he managed to walk out of the walled part of the city entirely? As he keeps out of obviously visible places, such as right under lit street lamps, he starts to realize that it's becoming less difficult to stay out of lit areas … because now, lit street lamps are the exception, and certainly not the rule. The houses look more run-down. Many of the buildings look outright abandoned.

Also, now and then, there are people outside. On this particular street intersection, there is a clusters of short weasel-like people who hang together at the front steps of a house, chattering amongst themselves, and occasionally laughing. Down one street, Alptraum hears a scream, and several shouts, and then a sound of breaking glass. A throaty howl sounds out in the distance, and, somewhere, something is burning.

There's an establishment of some sort past the weasel-people, past the intersection, on the far corner. A lantern with broken glass hangs out the front, flickering low, barely illuminating the sign that reads, "The Missing Shekel," out front – a sign that looks as if it was salvaged from a fire, from all the burns around the edges. Light is visible through cracks in boards over the windows, and there is a buzz of activity within.

Alptraum's wings pull around his body defensively as he walks. His silver eyes peer out and his ears listen intently for any sounds of people approaching. "This place is bad news," he thinks, "Like a city version of a Sylvanian forest. Can I even ask directions here? Or would that just make me a target for bandits?" He pauses and considers, then decides he needs better directions and heads toward what looks like a bar.

The weasels stop their chattering, and peer with glittering eyes toward Alptraum. "Hey, buddy," one of them pipes up, "spare a shekel?"

"'Fraid not. I have none to spare," Alptraum replies and pats on an empty pocket for emphasis. "Can you tell me where I am?"

The weasel looks at one of his nondescript companions. "None to spare, and he's heading right over to the tavern. I say he's lying."

"I agree," his companion says, in a slightly older-sounding voice. "Can't trust Eeee. Liars, every last one of them."

There are six of them, all of them looking very lean, hungry, wiry, and none too well groomed.

"I'm looking for directions, friend. I just arrived in this town yesterday. I'm lost," Alptraum replies, then starts to move away from the group. His wings tense. Might be a good time to go airborne should they chose to attack.

The weasel-men show no inclination to surrender their perch on the steps of the burnt-out buildin. One of the weasel-men laughs in a shrill, high-pitched voice at this. "Hear that, boys? He's new in town, got lost, and ended up here! How's that for bad luck, ha?"

The other weasels start laughing. One of them sobers, and says, "Nothing's for free, buddy. If you han't got something to offer up, we don't do favors for nobody."

"Well, I'm from Sylvania; I always seem to find the dangerous areas," Alptraum tries to reply jokingly. "Seriously, I don't have much," he replies, then goes about checking to see if he was able to get all his stuff from the house.

There's one thing for having very few possessions in the world – it's really easy to carry them all on your person. Being as Alptraum has been a gypsy all his life, he can see he hasn't neglected his training – He has everything at hand. Including the crossbow. Now … that's bound to be a little conspicuous.

"Yeah, well, hunting's scarce here, Sylvanian." One of the weasel men adjusts his collar, using it to cover up his neck.

Alptraum gives the weasel an odd look. "What do you mean by that?" he asks, then decides he'd be better off to just go back the way he came.

"We don't mess with no bloodsuckers like you!" the smallest weasel cries out in a shrill voice, then cries out in pain as his fellow elbows him.

"Excuse me?" Alptraum says. "Not all Sylvanians drink blood, thank you." Yep, time to go. He then turns and starts walking back the way he came, quickly.

One of the weasels starts laughing in a grating, half-crazed voice, and as it appears that Alptraum is intent on leaving, the others chime in as well. For what it's worth, though, they don't pursue him. In any case, the street in this direction looks as dismal as any … and there's no telling how long it'll be until sunrise. There are more screams and sounds of breaking glass from the direction where Alptraum heard the commotion earlier, and it's a fair bet things aren't safe in that direction. Fortunately, it's not especially cloudy, and although his survival skills are of limited use in the city, he can still gain his bearings by noting the positions of the sky, and the Procession.

Alptraum pauses to load his crossbow, just in case, and then tries to make his way back to the better parts of town. "Perhaps if I get close to the Bazaar, the guards will have gone. I can hope, anyway," he thinks. He then grumbles, hating feeling so lost – and utterly alone.

Alptraum spends some time wandering about, using his passive hearing, rather than crying out and drawing more attention to himself. Many of the buildings are burned out, though not all, hinting at some great conflagration in the past, and no attempt to demolish the compromised structures. He has to watch his step, as there are parts where the street crumbles, and there are large holes in the ground, without any warning or barricades to prevent the unwary from falling in.

In fact … the ground makes a warning crackle under his feet, and Alptraum only just barely scrambles back in time, as a section of cobbles collapses, widening an already existing hole in the side of the street. As the dust clears, Alptraum can dimly make out in the Procession light that there's something at the bottom of the hole … a glitter of something metal?

Alptraum kneels down beside the hole and tries to see just what the object is.

He can see … it's a body, at the bottom of the hole. It's another one of those weasel-people, though his neck is bent at an unnatural angle … and the smell indicates that he's probably been there for quite some time. The glint of metal is from something clutching in his paw – a coin – but before Alptraum can make out the denomination, there's a warning crack at his feet … but even before he can react to jump back or snap out his wings, the cobbles beneath his feet give way, and he tumbles into the pit!

The bat slams into the hard floor underneath the street, and some pebbles of broken stone fall down on him, battering his vulnerable wings (and the rest of his body doesn't take it too well, either). When the dust finally clears again, and he can assure himself that he's still intact – but just aching very badly – without any broken bones … he sees that he's lying in some tunnel beneath the street. There's a faint smell, an awful one, that smells of waste material … sewage … coming from down one end of the tunnel. The other end of the tunnel stretches on for some distance. And, oh yes, there's a dead weasel-man next to him, clutching a metal coin.

Even in pain, the gypsy stays true to his upbringing. He snags the coin, though the corpse does not let go of it easily. With it in hand, he can see that it's an iron shekel, the recessed portions red with rust, though shiny and well-worn around the edges and highlights. He then stands up, wincing and rubbing his neck. "Well, I could walk the tunnel for a bit. I doubt the guards could track me down here. But, I won't know where I'll end up. Nothing to track," he muses, then looks upward to see if he could climb out of the hole.

As for the climb back up, it looks quite possible, but the cracked state of what's left of the "ceiling" above him threatens more collapses should he happen to touch the wrong part of the rock. Trying to fly out simply won't work for lack of enough space to safely spread his wings. Everything's a gamble, it seems, and none of the odds seem very friendly right now.

The Eeee sighs and decides he'll follow the tunnel, away from the smell. Hopefully, sonar will allow me to walk it safely. Better than running into guards, anyway. "Well, I can hope there's a ladder up somewhere ahead. You must've really angered some god this time, Traum," he mutters.

The tunnel leads away into darkness, though Alptraum's sounding is quite sufficient for him to find his way … and he also finds that it's far better a means of warning himself of potentially unstable footing than relying on poor eyesight on the streets above could. He avoids several possible pitfalls, and slowly works his way through a network of tunnels … occasionally encountering sections where the tunnel has been abruptly bricked off, and quite solidly at that, very much restricting his choices of where to go next. Without the stars to navigate by, he really has no idea where he's going to pop up next … but at last, he sees a glimmer of Procession-light up ahead … a crack above, and what looks like a makeshift ladder that has been built out of scrap wood and propped up against one side of the tunnel, leading up toward this crack.

Alptraum puts one hand on the ladder and tests its sturdiness. He's not about to just clamber up, not with how this night has gone. "Hopefully, this is someplace safe," he thinks.

Despite the ungainly appearance of the ladder, not only is it securely anchored in place (perhaps to dissuade persons like Alptraum from swiping it and taking it elsewhere), but it's also quite solidly constructed – though there are splinters to be mindful of.

And up the Eeee then goes, gripping each step gently at first as he does so, testing for splinters.

And so he manages to make it up, splinter-free. The "crack" at the top is a gap around a slab of stone that is partially blocking the opening at the top of the ladder. There's a faint breeze that comes through the gap, and Alptraum can smell wildflowers and grass, and can hear the chirruping of insects.

"Yes!" Alptraum thinks, then swallows. "Wait a moment. Not many places in the city have a nice area with flowers and grass. I hope I didn't come up someplace near guards," he thinks grimly.

It's very quiet, now that Alptraum is no longer sounding out, and is not walking through the tunnels. He can hear a distant plink, plink, plink of dripping water. He hears a hoot from some sort of bird. There's a shrill cry from a … from a … well … something that must be indigenous to these parts. Whatever it is, it's small.

Alptraum pushes against the slab, trying to move it out of the way.

It takes some effort, and it's a good thing that Alptraum is not quite as lightweight as he has gathered that many Eeee are. The effort is far from graceful, especially since he's perched atop a ladder at the time, but he at last manages to grind the stone to one side far enough that he can poke his head through to get a better view of his surroundings.

Yes, it's definitely not the residential area. It's a place full of … lots of stone monuments, weather worn statues, crumbling stone walls … it looks like a cemetery the size of a city, and even more crowded. At least it's a nice night.

First his nose pokes through the hole, then followed by the rest of his head. "A graveyard. Figures! I always seem to find these. What is with that?" he mutters to himself, almost amused. "It's rather creepy I do." He tries to move the stone a bit more so he can clamber out of the tunnel.

At last, he's free, and back to the surface again. A chill breeze blows across the graveyard, stirring up some of the clinging mists that hang in the low areas. In fact, now that he can actually use his eyes appreciably again, he can tell that the reason it seemed so musty in the tunnel was because some of those mists were collecting in there as well.

Alptraum stretches, glad to be free of the tunnel. His wings spread wide, then collapse lightly against his back. His hand comes up and he rubs idly on his neck and he peers around, trying to locate the city again, or at least the wall. "I wonder where the others are? I wonder if they're worried about me?" he asks himself, then smirks. "And why am I talking to myself?"

In the distance, he can see the lights of the city … but much more close, he can see some points of light amidst all the clutter of this huge cemetery. There's a large house sitting in the midst of a cleared area, with a tall wall going around it, flying a flag over the whole arrangement. And in the other direction is another building, very similar in structure, with a couple of lights in the uppermost levels, with the front gate flanked by a couple of statues of winged creatures – and beyond that, Alptraum just can't make out more from this distance.

Alptraum's ears ring with the sound of an Eeee sounding cry. He sees a shadowy shape of an airborne Eeee flying above, over in the direction of the first building he saw, in the middle of the cleared area of the cemetery.

"Well, well," Alptraum muses, "We have an Eeee." Alptraum calls out in a pitch only other Eeee could likely hear. "Perhaps this person will help me," he thinks.

The bat was following a coverage pattern, but at Alptraum's call, the flier deviates from his course, and circles back around. There's another high-pitched sounding call, as the Eeee turns back toward Alptraum's position.

Alptraum calls out again. His hand moves to grip his crossbow, however. If this person isn't an "ally" or friend, he doesn't want to be caught totally off-guard.

The bat flies overhead and circles, then calls out, in high-pitched Babelite, "You are near Babelite Embassy grounds! Identify yourself!"

Alptraum winces. He would speak in Babelite. "Alptraum bar Reisender," he replies, speaking Babelite slowly to hopefully mask his accent. "I'm lost and have been trying to find my way back to the Bazaar where I know people. I mean no trespass."

"Are you a Babelite citizen?" the guard asks, still circling, still using Babelite.

"Well, depends on what you mean by citizen – I was born there. My mother lived there. I left long ago," Alptraum replies. "It's why I cannot speak so well in your tongue."

The bat is silent for a moment, then calls out, "Follow me," and breaks out from his circle to start winging back toward the distant building – presumably the aforementioned embassy.

Alptraum takes flight and starts to follow after the Eeee. He swallows, wondering if this is safe. He wonders if he should tell them about Nekara, his sister and he is brother to the Yodh. He then blinks and realizes his mere appearance may tell them that much. He shrugs, then follows anyway.

As Alptraum takes flight, he can see that the cemetery does indeed span a remarkable distance. The idea of one of those Sylvanian horror stories coming true in a place like this … well … it's probably not good to dwell on such things. In any case, the guard soon arrives at the embassy grounds, with Alptraum after him. Inside a walled court, there are fruit trees running along the perimeter, and a drive that passes through the front gate and circles in front of the house itself – what looks like a manor with a very large front gallery area that spans two floors, with wings spreading off from that and windows that indicate guest rooms and other facilities. The guard alights not at the front door, however, but at a balcony on the roof – what looks like an entrance for fliers only. The guard opens the door that adjoins the balcony, leading into the upper level of the building, and then looks at Alptraum's crossbow.

"It's been a dangerous journey to this city – as well as being in this city," Alptraum explains, then offers the crossbow to the guard. "I trust I'll get it back when I leave?"

"Certainly," the guard says, checking to make sure the crossbow is uncocked before he holds it to his side, gesturing toward the door. "You may enter. I will have someone notify the Ambassador that he has a visitor. He is up early this morning, so perhaps you may see him."

"I wouldn't mind. I apologize just showing up like this. The night has been … rough. At least it seems my luck improved some – I found this place by accident. What time is it, anyway?" Alptraum inquires, as he steps through the doorway.

The guard glances up at the sky, then says, "An hour until sunrise." Inside, Alptraum finds that the interior has some low-burning lanterns lighting the way. Another guard turns to look expectantly to his fellow, and the one that brought Alptraum in just nods, saying, "He says he's lost. Trying to find the Bazaar. I thought the Ambassador should see him."

The second guard, a rust-furred bat with long hair pulled back into a braid, nods at this. "Ambassador Erin is having his morning mateh," he says, then gestures toward Alptraum. Alptraum can't help but notice that the guard's eyes drop to Alptraum's neck momentarily…

"Only an hour?" Alptraum replies, shaking his head. "What a night, indeed. Thank you again for your hospitality." Alptraum then blinks and tries to remember id his pendant was under his shirt or not. He tries to smile and distract the guard, saying, "And I suppose a good morning is in order."

By the weight on his nape … no, his pendant is not under his shirt. Maybe it came out at some point during, say, his tumble into the tunnel, or any number of other mishaps tonight. In any case, the guard seems incapable of returning Alptraum's smile, and instead, all business, leads him down the stairs. "Ambassador Erin," he says, speaking to a door, "there is an individual who was found in the cemetery, who is seeking the Bazaar. He wishes to bid you good morning."

"Bid me good morning?" comes a feminine-seeming voice from behind the door. And then the door opens, revealing a – well, it's a male bat, apparently, judging by the shape of his throat, but one could easily be confused. "Oh!" He looks Alptraum over, then says again, "Oh! Oh, Kindly Ones, come in, come in!"

Alptraum takes in a breath. He tries not to fidget, but he's nervous. They certainly recognize the pendant. He supposes he might as well simply tell the truth if asked. "I'm sorry to disturb you, sir," Alptraum says as he enters the room. "But, I really am lost. I was trapped in a tunnel and it ended out in that cemetery. Serves me right, I don't know this city at all"

What he enters is an office, though presently the desk holds little other than a service tray with some fixings of breakfast on it. "That's absolutely terrible!" the other bat says, then turns about, extending a hand. "Oh, I should introduce myself. I'm Ambassador Erin. Erin Fauntleroy. Or, at least, that's my assumed name. Don't want to disturb the locals by seeming too Babelite, you know. Not that there's anything wrong with Babel. If there were, why, I wouldn't have anything to do with it!" He giggles.

Alptraum's eyebrow goes up. I've met strange, but this is strange. Alptraum clasps the hand firmly and says, "Alptraum bar Reisender. Don't worry about a Babelite name, mine isn't. I may have had one once, but I do not remember it."

Erin's grip, by comparison, is fairly limp, but he quickly slides his hand free and walks back over to his desk. "Should I fetch you something? I don't mean to be rude. Breakfast, you know. And you just missed the City Guard. It's a good thing you found us, what with being lost. Seems there's all sorts of danger out tonight. Why, the Guard is looking for a renegade Vartan Knight, a 'sorceress', and a possessed girl who might actually be an artificial construct, so they say. Oh yes, and the latter two have white hair and black fur, just to warn you."

"Don't I know it," Alptraum replies. "I fled the area near the Bazaar because of that. I think they mistook me for one of them. Ended up in a horrible neighborhood, fell in a hole, walked in a tunnel for ages." He then hmms and asks, "They're looking for a sorceress? What do you know of this sorceress?"

"And oh, I'm fine. Not hungry at all, after all that," he then adds.

Erin's gaze drops to Alptraum's nape, just like the guard did. "Oh, that sorceress? Well, you know, they call her a sorceress, though we might call her a … ah … Yodhsunala. But as we told them, the Yodhsunala don't act outside of Babel, so they clearly must be mistaken. They were very firm in insisting that if we did find anything about this – especially if this Yodhsunala should come to us seeking help – we should report to them immediately. I'm obliged to follow their request to the letter, and therefore, I dearly hope that I don't hear a thing about this abduction they were trying to pull off. They took this possessed girl from the College grounds, you see. Right out from under the noses of the mages. They're none too happy."

Alptraum nods and says, "I imagine they weren't happy at all. The Yodhsunala, yes. My mother was one, or so I'm told. I never knew her. She left me with a necklace, which has brought me nothing but trouble frankly," he explains. "They're certain it was a Babelite sorceress, then? Why would they suspect me? I'm hardly female."

The ambassador titters. "Of course not! But you know those big rough Jupanis. They can't tell a boy from a girl when it comes to us small delicate Eeee."

"Well, I'm hardly small and delicate," Alptraum says. "Comes from living in the wilds for so long. Did they tell you what evidence they had of this sorceress? I was in the Bazaar most of the day and didn't see anything that unusual."

"Well!" the ambassador says, "I'm not privy to all the details, but I was curious about that myself. Well, as it turns out, this Vartan fellow and his companion went into the old College grounds, and found their way to the chamber where the mages were trying to exorcise this poor girl to get an evil spirit out of her. Well, the intruders made a ruse of surrendering … but then … oh dear … well, the next part … it's a bit hard to believe. I don't think the guard realized quite what he was implying."

Alptraum nods – hoping the Eeee will continue.

The ambassador pauses a moment, and for all Alptraum can tell, he's just pausing for dramatic effect – but then he continues. "He said that this girl was possessed by Sunala. Sunala manifested right here in Rephidim. Now, you and me, we know that's absurd, but someone seems to think that. In any case, having Sunala manifest right in the middle of their ritual, we are to believe, prompted the mages to more or less let the intruders run off, rather than, I suppose, instantly striking them all dead. The Temple isn't terribly pleased about the notion of having the Goddess of Death touring their city, though, so they intend to do whatever in their means to deal with the situation. Well, you and I know such a thing happening is preposterous, but whatever the real story is, the Temple is very, very jumpy right now."

Alptraum nods, though his expression is grim. "Quite preposterous indeed. So, if all this was happening there, what was with the guards near the Bazaar? That had to be happening at about the same time, right?" Alptraum inquires.

"Near the Bazaar?" the ambassador echoes. "Well, really, I don't know anything about the Bazaar, per se. I suppose they'd be looking there, too. I guess they're covering about everywhere."

"When did the break-in occur?" Alptraum asks, dropping the Bazaar for now.

"I've really no idea," the ambassador replies. "Sometime early this morning. I gathered it was just within the past few hours."

Alptraum pauses to think on just how long he was wondering the streets. They had to have attacked the house before the break-in. He then lets out a long break and says, "Well, I hope that excitement is long over. I don't want to have to run through the streets again, fearing for my life. I was happily asleep and those guards broke down the door! I barely made it out."

"Ahhhhh," the ambassador says, "perhaps you shouldn't be telling me all about that. Best I not know too much about who the guards are looking for. Babel is not supposed to interfere with Temple business, after all. Now then, what was it that brought you to the embassy?"

Alptraum nods. "But, I'm not from Babel. Well, not for a long time, anyway. Think it's safe enough for me to get back to the Bazaar? Luck brought me, I just sort of ended up here," he replies. "I'm sure my friends are worried sick."

"Well, we could get you a map, I suppose," the ambassador says.

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble. I wish I had a way to just send word. I'm rather nervous about going back out there," Alptraum admits.

The ambassador nods. "Certainly. Is it possible you could describe your friends for me, and how we might contact them?"

Alptraum fidgets and says, "Well, there's a Savanite named Autumn-Storm. She's traveling with me. and, uh… " He hesitates, then says, "And a girl who looks a lot like me. My sister Nekara. Best bet would to look around in the Bazaar, I think. I'd try finding Autumn-Storm first, Nekara might be hiding too, what with all this hunting of us white hair, black fur, types."

The ambassador blinks. "A Savanite? Named … Autumn-Storm, you say?"

Alptraum nods, "Yes. Why?"

"Well, one of the servants reported a Savanite named … well … something-Storm coming here, seeking asylum, claiming she was working for Babel, or some such nonsense. She's sitting in the gallery. I was going to finish up breakfast before getting someone to translate for me, and sort this whole matter out," the ambassador says.

Alptraum blinks! "She … she's all right!" he says, then covers his mouth. "I can translate for you. She taught me Savanite on our travels together. May I see her?"

The ambassador pauses a moment to stick a piece of fruit in his mouth, chewing thoughtfully, then nods and rises. "Certainly, certainly." He walks to the door and opens it. "This way," he says.

Alptraum follows after the Eeee. "Thank you for your hospitality again, sir," he says.

"Oh, not at all!" the ambassador says, giggling again. "After all, what is an embassy without hospitality?" He leads into the wide open front room, decorated with several paintings on the walls, and a centerpiece figurine on a pedestal of a beautiful Eeee woman in an artful pose, the inscription at the base reading, "Ambassador Brishen Kara, Heroine of the Babelite People." To one side of the statue, a familiar spotted feline sits, hunched over on a bench, and looking miserable … but she looks up at Alptraum's voice, and her eyes widen in disbelief … and then she jumps up and rushes him, almost bowling him over as she throws her arms about him and squeezes tightly!

"Oh! Kindly Ones!" Ambassador Erin exclaims, waving his hands around ineffectually.

Alptraum looks no less shocked to be hugged. It takes him a moment, then he hugs her back and lets out his breath. "I was terrified you might be dead, like the Eeee I saw killed," he says to her while hugging. "I woke up and there was just chaos. I ran. I saw guards standing over some poor dead Eeee. I didn't know where you were, and I couldn't … I couldn't look. No time. I'm sorry."

Autumn-Storm just keeps squeezing him, and he can feel that her cheeks are wet.

"Oh!" the ambassador says. "Oh, this must be the one, then. I … I'll tell you what. I'll just leave you two alone for a little bit. I'll be in my office if you need me. I mustn't let breakfast get cold, after all." He turns about, leaving the gallery.

Alptraum starts to say something else, but then decides against it. He just keeps hugging her quietly, thankful she's safe. As the Ambassador leaves Alptraum replies, "Thank you again. If we need anything, we'll knock."

The ambassador just makes a fluttering little hand-wave, then disappears into his office. Once the ambassador is gone, and Autumn-Storm has finished squeezing air out of the bat, she pulls back and wipes her eyes, and then her hands start flurrying about, though Alptraum has a real challenge trying to keep up with it. He catches only bits and pieces. "… and so we went back to warn you, but they saw him … and … DEAD! … They shot him dead! … look for you … gone! … I ran, ran, found a servant, told her a story … I'm an escaped slave, must find my friend to warn him … she told me … go to here … asylum… "

"Slow down, please? Still can't sign as fast as you," Alptraum signs back, them places a hand momentarily on hers in reassurance. "I think I saw him from my window. Right after I heard in a dream someone was looking near the Bazaar for an anomaly. I climbed out a skylight, and moved rooftop to rooftop – saw the same Eeee again, dead in the street. Why were the guards there? Looking for me?"

Autumn-Storm nods. "Somehow, the 'Body' got word that the College alerted the Temple and was having them send some Guards. 'Left Wing' and I went back just as the Guards were already there. He tried to sneak in to warn you – but he was spotted. He couldn't surrender – they can't risk being taken alive. The Inquisition has ways of finding out what you know." Her lip quivers, and she shivers as the tears start flowing again. "I should have gone in myself! I'm better at that sort of thing… "

Alptraum reaches out with his hand and wipes away Autumn-Storm's tears. "Or, they may have just shot you. Hard to say what would have happened if you had. Who knows, both of you may have been killed," he says, looking sad as well. "I – I wish I could've done something for him. He … died for me. I might have even been safe. They were looking for a female." He blinks, trying to stop his eyes from tearing as the impact of that hits him hard.

"Well, I'm glad you're all right now," Autumn-Storm signs. "I don't know what happened to Nekara, though. There was some other … sister. I think she was an older sister, though she didn't look it. Or she outranked her. 'Sukara' was her name."

"I … someone dying for me. I'm a nobody, and he died for me," Alptraum signs back shakily. "I'm glad to be alive, but … was it worth his life?" He then blinks and signs, "Another sister? Well, I hope both are okay and not worried about me. Sounds like they got the girl out, which is good. Do you know if they going to come here for us? Or will we need to find them?"

Autumn-Storm shakes her head. "I don't think he wanted to die. But he had to try to help you. If the Temple got you, they would do terrible things to you, I hear. All their Inquisitors are skilled in ways of torture, and they have these machines that speak directly to your brain, so they can read your thoughts. If they had captured you, then the Temple would know all about everything you knew." The cheetah rubs her fingers, then continues, "We're on our own, I am thinking. If they got away, then I guess they're going to Babel. There was an airship they acquired somehow to do that. I really don't know how to find them. Left Wing would know, but… "

Alptraum momentarily considers trying to ask Left Wing, but … No. They'd just locate me again. "We should go back to the Bazaar. We might be able to find another one of their contacts. I don't know how to get to Babel from here. I'm … lost. And for Left Wing's sake, we should try to get there," he signs. He then adds, "And I could ask Left Wing, but … I think it would lead the Temple to us if I did. I think they detected me."

"And I don't think Nekara would have gone on the airship. Her task is to get me to Babel," he signs.

Autumn-Storm nods. "I suppose we don't know them … but they should know us."

Alptraum nods, then signs, "Mind if I borrow your bandana? If I cover my white hair, I might not be as noticeable. Maybe the Ambassador would help us get to Babel if we can't find anyone at the Bazaar."

The cheetah unties the bandana from her own hair, and goes to work on Alptraum's head. When she's finished, she signs, "You look terrible. But you don't look like you have white hair."

"I think I usually look pretty bad," Alptraum signs, trying to smile. "But, not I look like just a black furred Eeee, right? Hopefully, they'll overlook me now. Shall we go now? They're probably done searching that area by now and have moved on."

"I suppose," Autumn-Storm signs back. "By the time we get there, the sun should be up, so I guess the shops should be open and we can look like we belong there."

Alptraum nods. "Agreed. Plus, the sooner we find them, the sooner we're off this floating rock, right? I don't want to stay, not after last night. Let'sgo bid our farewells and thanks to the Ambassador, plus get a map back to the Bazaar. With luck, we can find someone who knows us."

After having given thanks to the ambassador (and Autumn-Storm being corrected with some embarrassment on her part that this was not actually a "Lady Ambassador" at all – but just as well he doesn't know Savanite Sign), they acquire a map and make their way to the Bazaar, taking a less hazardous route to skirt by the worst parts of Darkside, at the suggestion of one of the guards. The sunrises about midway there, and when they arrive, the Bazaar is already bustling with activity. The "Little Babel" area seems both the best place for an Eeee to not attract special attention, and the most likely spot to be seen by the right Eeee … so there they go, stopping momentarily to rest their feet at a restaurant with an atrocious name.<

Along the way, Alptraum and Autumn-Storm have had varied success in lightening coin purses of passersby. There aren't that many out in the morning, which has its pros and cons. Alptraum gets a grand total of twelve shekels, and one red chitin ring. Autumn-Storm does a bit better, picking up thirty-three shekels … and an untended piece of fruit, which she is presently munching on, pretending she bought it here.

Alptraum looks around the Bazaar, feeling a great deal more comfortable here. "Well, that wasn't too bad. Found an iron shekel last night. Small compensation for that mess. Got a few today. How'd you do?" he signs, trying to listen for the familiar voice of Nekara as they pause at the food stand.

"Not as good as at the Gallee's place," Autumn-Storm signs, "but enough to buy a few meals. We should be able to get by pretty well here if need be."

"Good. We may have to, if we're alone here," Alptraum replies. "We've survived alone before, we can do so again. Though, as soon as we can get off this rock, I want to." He then redirects his attention to the crowds, looking for anyone he might recognize, or anyone that seems to be looking at him.

Outside, some Jupani Guardsmen walk by, accompanied by another one of those big … bug-men. But … they don't seem to notice anything warranting their attention, and move on.

Alptraum signs, "Let's go near where I was staying last night and see if anyone is snooping about? Perhaps they might be looking for us there. Any guards though, and we're out of there."

Autumn-Storm nods, and finishes off the rest of her fruit, tossing the core into a trash pot, standing. "Let's go, then."

Alptraum gets up and checks to make sure the guards aren't in sight. "Right. Let's go."

The house where Alptraum was staying is not all that far away, as it turns out. They make it to the break in the wall, and into an area of cookie-cutter housing, some areas in better keep than others. That part makes it a little difficult to locate the exact house … but a fair clue comes in the form of the fact that the house in question is indeed guarded – a Jupani Guard stands at the front door. If there are any others, they aren't immediately visible. There are sawhorses set up, and rope boundaries, with signs warning, "Crime Scene – Trespassing Prohibited by the Inquisition."

"Crime scene?" Alptraum whispers to Autumn-Storm. "What crime? I was sleeping." He glowers and mutters, "They committed the crime… " The Eeee then doesn't focus his attention directly on the house, but nearby houses, training his ears and eyes to try to find sound and movement that may be Nekara or her friends watching to see if they show up here."

The Jupani's ears perk up. He sniffs at the air.

"Time to go," Alptraum signs, "I think the Jupani smells us." He then starts backing away toward the Bazaar.

"You there! HALT!" the Jupani barks, and then calls out, "Stop them!"

Autumn-Storm's ears flatten back. She demonstrates the Savanite ability to run very very fast.

Alptraum runs after her, albeit not nearly as fast as Autumn-Storm. He darts back toward the Bazaar, hoping to blend in and disappear.

A sudden burst of adrenaline helps Alptraum to put some distance between himself and a couple of Jupanis that run out into the street. There's a loud crack, and Alptraum can hear the zing of a bullet whizzing past him.

Alptraum swallows, the sound of the bullet whizzing by driving him to run faster! He pulls his wings in tight and runs all out, hoping, almost praying, that he makes it out of there without being shot or caught. In either case, he'd be dead.

The bat narrowly avoids colliding with a Khatta merchant in voluminous robes, and then, after that, nimbly leaps over some boards lying out in the street near where some weasel-men are rapidly building or tearing down (hard to tell which) a booth. The Bazaar, even in this short time, looks different than just a little while ago when Alptraum and Autumn-Storm passed this way. He can see the cheetah still dashing, with quite a bit of ground on him … and it's probably not best to go peeking behind him just yet to see who might be in pursuit. "STOP! STOP THAT EEEE!" At this being called out, every Eeee in the vicinity panics and cries out, and several flap into the air.

There's an alley ahead that one might duck into … provided it doesn't dead-end somewhere. Up ahead is a booth with some produce on display – nowhere that a black bat with a bandana around his head can likely hide, though. A zolk booth over to the left … alas, this isn't Little Babel quite yet.

Alptraum passes up the alleyway, not wanting to get cornered in there with the Jupani. If they had swords, okay, he could fly out, maybe. They have something much more dangerous, and he dares not test their accuracy. He charges onward, hoping to reach Little Babel. "Crud, crud, CRUD!" he thinks.

"Psst! Hey buddy! Over here!" It's one of those weasel-people, standing in the back of a covered wagon. "Hundred shekels and I hide ya!"

"Will you take an iron shekel?" Alptraum asks in a hurry, not wanting to wait long at all.

"An iron and another sixty ceramics. Genoh?" the weasel-man chatters rapidly.

Alptraum curses, but can't get caught. "Fine," he replies. "You've got it. Get me out of here!"

"Right away!" the weasel-man says, and pops down the back of his wagon. "Jump right on in and get comfy under the bolts!" He gestures toward several bolts of plain-colored fabric within the wagon.

Alptraum does so, quickly. He dives into the wagon and burrows under the bolts.

Soon after – very soon after – there comes the sound of rapid boot-steps heavily thumping against cobbles. "A black Eeee with a cloth around his head and a Savanite!" one of the Guards shouts out. "Fugitives, has anyone seen them?"

Alptraum grips the hilt of his dagger as he lies underneath the cloth. He holds his breath, trying to make no sound at all. "Let them pass," he thinks.

The Kavi pipes up, "Oh, your honors! I saw the Savanite run by just a moment ago, and such an Eeee, too! Dangerous criminals were, they? Tut! Why, just down that way… "

"Two coppers reward each to any information leading to their capture!" the Jupani shouts.

Alptraum winces. "Come on, don't give us away for that money," the Eeee pleads inwardly.

Alptraum can hear the Kavi mutter, "Hey, buddy, if you can top that, knock the boards once, eh? And I'll hold you to it."

Alptraum peeks out to get a bearing on where the Jupani are, if he can. His mind starts going over escape plans, a few ideas coming to mind.

Looking out of the bolts … he can see that the wagon back has been pulled back up, closing off a clear view of the street … but also making it rather hard for him to just jump out and bolt for it.

"Hey," comes a mumble from outside the wagon. "Last call."

Alptraum climbs out from under the bolts carefully, trying to be as quiet as possible. He then grabs two bolts, one in each hand and takes a breath. "You're crazy," he thinks, then prepares to act.

"Hey, Mister Guard! Hurry! He's here in the back of my wagon! I duped him to get in here. Hurry, before he guts me for squealing on him!" the Kavi shrieks at the top of his lungs.

"Surround the wagon!" one of the wolves shouts.

Alptraum's silver eyes narrow and he growls. His foot kicks out and knocks the back of the wagon open. His lips pull back from his fangs in a snarl, ready to fight it out. He's not going to be taken easily.

One of the wolves is in view, a sword at the ready, rushing for the wagon – probably the one who called the order. A wolf behind him is just in the process of spinning around, holding the rod-weapon used to fire at him earlier. As for whatever others there might be, Alptraum can't see them in this particular split second. Above him, the Kavi shrieks, "Dagh blast it! You broke the latch on my wagon door!"

Alptraum throws one of the bolts as hard as he can at the Jupani rushing the back of the wagon. The Eeee continues to snarl, in almost a maniacal grin sort of way. His wings flick slightly in reflex, preparing to launch if he has the chance.

The bolt hits the wolf, though not enough to take him out of the action – just enough for a momentary distraction. Meanwhile, however, the wolf behind him has brought his gun to bear…

Alptraum turns and whips the bolt at the Jupani with the rod-weapon, hoping to prevent him from firing long enough to go airborne.

The bolt hits the wolf, and he staggers back. His rod-weapon still goes off, however, at some point above Alptraum's head.

"AHHHHHHH!" comes a scream from above the wagon.

But there's little time to think about it. In that split second, Alptraum is airborne, and he can see two other wolves rushing down the street, one of them readying a crossbow.

Alptraum starts flapping with all his strength and tries the tactic he used back in Sylvania on the Gallee. He doesn't fly straight, but in an erratic pattern to make aiming difficult.

A crossbow bolt flies by. "Call the Sky Guard!" someone shouts. "Citizens! Pursue that criminal! Anyone who apprehends him will be rewarded by the Inquisition!"

For the moment, Alptraum is out of line of sight of the Guards.

Alptraum wings hard onward, trying to gain decent ground before attempting to land and blend in. "Back to Little Babel, then from there, seek asylum at the embassy," he thinks.

When Alptraum lands in Little Babel, try as he might to not be conspicuous … he is. "There he is! The one the Guard's after!" "Hey, pal, what's the story?" "Who is that guy?"

Alptraum growls and pulls off the bandana on his head and stuffs it in a pocket. It's almost pointless to wear this now. Everyone is looking for me. He stuffs it into his pocket and looks in the immediate area for the shop that he and Nekara met up with the "Body" at.

A brown bat in billowy white veils that obscure her face rushes over to Alptraum from one of the booths. "Come with me! And hurry!" She heads down an alley, without stopping to look back.

Alptraum doesn't hesitate. He goes after the brown Eeee.

She opens a door to the side of one of the buildings, and disappears inside. "In here," he can hear her voice, as her footsteps disappear down a corridor, and the door starts to swing closed.

Alptraum slips through the doorway without a word and into the corridor as the door closes. He continues onward, after the Eeee.

As Alptraum follows the bat, he comes to a room where several Eeee are lounging around, and it looks like nails are being manicured, and various patrons are laid out on cots, having their fur decorated with strange patterns. "Bashek!" the brown Eeee calls out, "I have a customer for you. Make him look totally different. Now." One of the fur-painters looks up from the woman whose back he's working on, and she lets out a squeak as he stops working. "NOW," the brown Eeee repeats.

"A thousand apologies," the one addressed as Bashek says, his own fur being a mottled collection of colors and signs that makes it hard to tell his original appearance, though now it's mostly green.

"And everyone must leave," the brown Eeee continues. "We are closing early today. We'll give full refunds, and you can come back to be finished tomorrow." The air fills with several squeaked protests.

Alptraum blinks, then looks around the room. This wasn't what he expected, but, "How long will it last?" Alptraum can't help but inquire.

"As long as it takes," the woman says. "You will not be a black-furred, white-haired Eeee, is that understood? And you are leaving Rephidim. Disrobe and lie on that cot." She indicates the one just vacated by the customer Bashek had to stop working on. The room is a confused jumble as some of those present mill about, then gather their things and head out, grumbling or asking questions that don't get answered as they're shooed away.

"Understood. If you can, find my Savanite friend, Autumn-Storm. I really can't leave without her," Alptraum replies and starts to disrobe. His normal modesty is forgotten. His clothes are tossed beside the cot, then he lays down. A moment later, he remembers and also removes his pendant and sets it on his clothes. He takes in a breath. If anything, this will be interesting.

"So," Bashek begins, "what's your favorite color?"