The passage of time is hard to gauge in this land, since it has no meaningful cycle of day to night on any regular basis. Whether the sky is full of stars or clouds and a sun or something else seems to be more dependent upon the whim of some insane lesser deity than on any reason or rhythm or sane design.

During this time, an ursine warrior of the Black Watch has travelled across a mad landscape, a blur of rock and wood and what might be flesh, where it is hard to tell what is alive and what is not. Perhaps these oddities mean something. If they do, the meaning is sufficiently obscure.

At least the bear has not been alone. The armored warrior and his armored steed have led the way. This warrior has not permitted the bear to eat anything other than some tasteless wafers carried in the knight's saddlebag (that is, if calling him a "knight" is not too much of a presumption). And, to drink, the knight has always boiled the water and done some more arcane preparations to it before deeming it fit to consume. Over this time, the bear has managed to pick up bits and pieces of the harsh tongue of the armored warrior, and to learn for certain that this realm is known as "Bosch".

The armored warrior never shows his face. When he eats or drinks, he never does so in the bear's presence. He has never given his name, save to call himself a "Knight in the service of Lord Nosh'ma".

Jonas stumps across the landscape, tired and confused. The wounds inflicted by the imps have faded, leaving no pain and no scars. The ache in his head has lessened from the sharp needles of pain to a dull throb.

He wonders, sometimes aloud, about why he is here and how he came to be in this place. He wonders about his companion and his odd language and strange steed. He wonders about a great many things.

Jonas asks, breaking the silence that the two travel in, "Who is this Lord Nosh'ma that you serve?"

The path has taken the two into a forest of sorts. The trees resemble brawny arms sticking up from the soil, from which sprout smaller limbs, which in turn sprout smaller ones, finally ending with a multitude of pinkish hands that serve in the place of leaves. They wave without any wind, and the travellers give them a wide berth.

Jonas looks upon the trees with repulsion.

The knight speaks with a perpetual hiss and growl as he replies, "A mighty one who holds sway over much of this domain. It is he who sent me to receive you, for your kind cannot dwell in this realm for long."

Jonas ponders this. Such concern for outsiders shows something of a wise ruler. "And what will he do with me, do ye think?"

"Nothing," answers the armored warrior. "You will not meet him."

Jonas pauses briefly to shift the strange sword that the Knight has given him from one shoulder to the other, and says, "Eh? Then we are not going to his home?"

"That is correct," answers the knight. "We are travelling to the realm of Gonaghlut, to the Cascades of Fire, to bid him to open the gate to the mountain pass. And thus you may continue your travels."

Jonas digests this. The name is strange, but the destination sounds promising. He nods, accepting, and continues walking.

The two crest a hill, and the knight slows his mount as he points with a gauntleted hand. "Behold – the Cascades of Fire." Ahead, a great mountain range rises from the earth, though its peaks are obscured in cloud or perhaps smoke. Waterfalls of lava pour down from the mountain, and what might charitably be described as a city is built (or grown) at its base.

Jonas looks about him at the surreal landscape. "How did this place, this Bosch, come to be?"

"The outsiders refer to this as a Forbidden Zone," answers the knight. "It is a place where magic runs strongest. Much of what you behold here is illusion, or else would dissolve into nothingness without the magic that sustains it."

Jonas looks at the volcano, and the city. It is beautiful, like a storm is beautiful, with a primal beauty that is also dangerous.

Jonas's eyebrows raise in curiosity. "But what caused this? Did yer ancestors anger the Mother Goddess? Did a mage curse the land? Why does Bosch have so much magic?"

Jonas says, "It cannae be healthy, to have such an excess such as this."

The knight says, "Prepare yourself. I am of this land, and am used to its ways, but my parents were mortals from the lands beyond. You will find much which is ugly and repulsive here. Do not take Gonaghlut's treasure, lest he vent his wrath upon you. And you must not drink of anything he offers you, but let your sword sup in your place." He pauses, then says, "So many questions, and I have so few answers – so few that might come close to the truth. Suffice it that no one truly knows."

Jonas nods. "I will do as you warn." He nods at the knight's comments. "Such as it is with many things."

The knight reaches into his saddlebag, and pulls out a long and tattered piece of cloth, tearing off a length of it – It is the same cloth he uses for bandages. "Wrap this around your sword arm, again and again, covering your fore arm to the hilt of your sword. Act as though your sword is but an extension of your arm. It may strike you as an absurdity, but let that be then, as it may."

Jonas shakes his head wearily. He is tired from walking and from the fight with the imps. This land wears heavily upon his mind, making him doubt his sanity.

Jonas looks at the cloth momentarily, before taking it. He pauses, sticking the sword into the ground point first, to wrap his arm from just above the elbow down to the wrist, rolling up the sleeve of his shirt to do so.

The knight nods in approval. "It is not much further." And then he leads the way on to the writhing gates of the city…

He then grasps the sword by the hilt and wraps his hand and the hilt of the sword all the way to the crosspiece. When he is done, his hand is secured to the blade, and none of his fur can be seen.

Jonas lifts the blade back to his shoulder, and follows the knight.

Jonas flexes his fingers under the bandage. Hopefully, he will not have to wear this overly long. It might cramp his hand to do so.

The way continues, testing Jonas' endurance even more, but at last they pass the gate. There are more imps, more monsters, and yet more absurdities, but by this time, not much of it can really prove to be so much of a shock as to be worthy of much attention. At least the imps keep clear for this time. The way continues, through the city, to its heart near the base of the mountain. Some of the fiery cascades pour out into a pool … and the way the knight follows takes him on a path BELOW this pool, which appears to be actually contained with a great brazier supported by columns and cables, a hazardous situation should the structures ever give way.

In the flickering firelight under the great brazier, ahead there is what first appears to be a grand statue … except that it moves, revealing it to be a particularly large monster, such that any of these imps could be held between his fingers and popped into his mouth for a snack – which is precisely how he treats them on occasion, and the imps still swarm about him regardless, competing for his attentions.

Jonas warily watches the monstrosities around him as he walks through the city. At the pool, he pauses briefly, eyeing the cascades with trepidation. He can feel the heat coming off of them. But, he has trusted the knight so far, and it has not given him any reason to doubt. He follows.

Jonas stops, staring at the great abomination in awe and not just a little fear. Nothing he has ever faced has ever been this monstrously large.

The great monster, whom the knight identifies in a mutter as Gonaghlut, is remotely humanoid, with a head resembling that of a great boar with disproportionately large tusks … which have been elaborately carved in scenes that cannot be discerned without dangerously close inspection. The monster's right hand rests on the side of his throne, while the left hand disappears from sight, resting in a vat of bubbling oil next to and incorporated into his throne. The knight advances to a raised dais immediately before this creature, dismounting from his warmount just before doing so.

Jonas swallows, and steps closer, staying behind the knight.

The knight drops to one knee, bowing before the hulking monster. "Overlord Gonaghlut, Master of the Cascades of Fire, Keeper of the Gate to the Heart of the Mountains, I come to you with greetings from my humble master, Overlord Nosh'ma, of the Wastelands of Eternal Change."

Jonas quickly follows suit, dropping to a kneel, with the blade on the ground in front of him.

All the imps are looking upon the knight, his horse, and the bear, slavering and licking their sizeable teeth with their long, nearly prehensile tongues.

Jonas watches the imps out of the corner of his eye carefully. He'll not be the target of another ambush.

Something near the base of the throne moves a bit. There are several large orbs clustered about there, except that, upon a further glance, they have smallish faces on their surfaces – slumbering creatures with hideously bloated, purplish heads. About the room, other shapes that had at first glance appeared to be merely architectural features or such are actually yet more creatures, most of them seemingly asleep.

The huge boar-headed monster gazes at the knight and bear, not turning its head. Indeed, no neck can be seen, and one might wonder whether it is capable of turning its gaze away from the dais at any time regardless. He raises his left arm, dripping oil, from the bubbling vat … revealing the arm to actually be a swollen stump. He reaches to it with his right hand and tears off a hunk and tosses it into his mouth, chewing noisily.

During this little scene, the knight's head is still facing down to the base of the dais. He does not look up.

Jonas swallows hard as he feels his gorge rise, and focuses on the surface of the blade that lies on the floor in front of him.

Gonaghlut bellows, "Bring drink for my honored guests!"

Several imps rush past a pile of glittering treasure – coins piled high, chests spilling out with pearls, crowns, swords, armor, shields and crests, and all manner of wealth – and rush for the mutated creatures clustered at the base of the thrown. They pull one of the wretches from his slumber, and drag him away, amidst howls and screams, disappearing into a crowd of the frolicking imps.

The knight whispers loudly, "Remember, traveller. Do not succumb to the madness. You will survive this."

Jonas watches this spectacle as best he can while keeping his head bowed. The treasure draws his attention briefly, but he remembers the warning and fixes his gaze back on the blade.

Some imps come up with a couple of golden chalices, filled with sparkling red wine, setting them on the stone of the dais before the knight and bear.

Jonas looks up at the chalice as it is set before him. It is beautiful, worthy of a Clan Chieftain's table. He lifts his right arm towards it, raising the blade as if it were part of his arm, like the knight advised.

As soon as the blade touches the contents of the chalice … the liquid drains away, as if into the blade itself.

The knight lifts his chalice as well, to the grill of his helmet, an act the bear has not seen before. He tips the liquid into the grill, and it disappears inside.

Jonas shivers involuntarily as the blade "drinks," but cautiously brings it back and lays it on the ground in front of him, as before. He closes his eyes briefly, forcing his fear back away from the surface. If he panics now, he will die, of that he is sure.

The chalice, he leaves where it sits. Hopefully, the imps will retrieve it.

The imps take back the chalices. Something else is going on to the sidelines, but the bear cannot see. It is perhaps just as well, considering how many other events have taken place for him to witness already.

Jonas's eyes dart momentarily to the left and right, but he does not raise his head. His other senses will have to warn him of any attacks from his flanks or behind.

After some time, Gonaghlut bellows, "What has brought you here, knight of Nosh'ma? I am no fool and know that your lord is no friend of mine, but I know you are bound by oath not to strike against me. What dealings have you here?"

The knight answers, "Mighty Overlord, Gonaghlut, in fair and unchallenged contest, you took the Gate to the Heart of the Mountains from the grasp of my liege, Nosh'ma. In recognition of that, my lord humbly asks that you grant a boon – that you allow us passage through the gate, to the other side, and then back again, to perform an errand for my liege."

Gonaghlut makes more chewing noises, then turns his attentions toward Jonas – or so it might be presumed, though his head doesn't actually turn. "A humble request. But who is this other one with you? Speak up! What is your name?"

One of the imps squeals, "Overlord, the Pike of Honor goes unclaimed! Shall we contest for its new owner?"

Jonas starts suddenly. He looks momentarily at the knight, and then says, "I am just a simple warrior, Mighty Overlord. Humbly placed in the service of this knight."

Jonas says, "I am called Jonas."

The boar-headed monster grunts in response, waving off the imp, while he listens to Jonas. "A simple warrior. Yes, yes. Hmph. Jonas. Jonas." He squints his eyes.

Off to the side, there are several clattering noises, a great deal of activity, and then much cheering.

Jonas prays silently to himself .oO ( Oh St. Jack, Master Trickster, smile upon this poor warrior, and lend me your sweet tongue. ) He tries to ignore the noises, knowing that pikes are often used to mount trophies of honor … and the heads of criminals.

The boar-headed monster grunts, "Well, simple warrior, humble warrior, I am greatly pleased. I am honored at such genuflection as I see here today. In fact, I am so pleased that I will show my generosity. Behold, my treasure." He waves a hand toward the treasure pile, without looking at it. "You may partake of my bounty, taking as much as you can carry."

Jonas pauses. He looks at the knight, a questioning look on his face.

One trouble about a knight with a full helm that completely obscures his face is that he can't very well show an expression to someone such as Jonas.

The boar looks bored. "Summon my jester," he bellows. "At once!" comes a squeaking reply, and several imps scamper off.

Jonas looks at the piles of treasure in consideration. It is a great deal of money. But what price is tied to such a bounty.

The imps return, several of them carrying a great staff upon which is mounted the likeness of a great rabbit's head with four ears, each ear ending in a bell, and the base of it looking like a rabbit's foot. Gonaghlut takes the rod in his hand, and shakes it about, causing the ears to flop wildly. A chittering voice emits from the rabbit's head. "Chukichukichukichuki!"

Jonas licks his lips. "Great and Powerful Overlord," he begins, "I am honored beyond my pitiful and small imaginings at your generosity. It is to my most abject and utter humiliation that I cannot accept. I have sworn an oath upon the names of my ancestors, and upon the destinies of my descendants; an oath of poverty. I can possess no more than you see me with now, until the terms of the oath are fulfilled.

There is a loud creaking noise, as the great brazier which forms the ceiling of this "court" sways slightly, causing a few drops of liquid fire to spray down, disintegrating a few of the imps along the fringes, and sending the rest into fits of laughter. The cables strain, but disaster withholds its hand.

Jonas grimaces at the happenings of the court, and prays that his ploy works.

Gonaghlut snorts. "KNIGHTS. Bah. Nosh'ma and his stupid games. Oh fine, I won't kill you for that, then. I'll have to think of some other ruse."

Jonas sighs internally. A close thing, that.

The imps look disappointed, and back away a bit more into the shadows.

"GO!" barks Gonaghlut. "I tire of you. Through the gate if you insist. But I expect you to pay your respects when you return."

Jonas bows his head deeply at Gonaghlut's command, almost touching the floor with his nose.

The knight bows, then rises from the dais, and swings up onto the back of his warmount. He nods toward the bear, then backs away from the throne, only turning away once the crowds of imps and other monsters obscure him from the great monster's sight.

Jonas rises and backs away, not looking up until he is away from the dais. He then turns and follows the knight.

One of the monsters looks to Jonas and nods, saying, "Very well done. You have avoided Gonaghlut's anger. You should be commended." He then smiles a toothy grin. "But that would be no fun." He turns his head toward the throne and starts shrieking, "Overlord Gonaghlut! He turned his BACK on you while leaving! He shows you disrespect!" The monster continues spouting lies of perceived slights.

This seems to be prompting the imps and other monsters into action. A saving grace would possibly be that it appears many have been sitting there for quite some time, and are having a hard time scrambling each other with any effectiveness.

Jonas starts at the monster's shouts. Almost instinctively, he smashes the monster in the back of its head as he passes, swatting it into its neighbor. Given the nature of these imps, that should start a small distraction.

That done, he hurries after the knight, hoping to get out before being noticed.

This particular monster is a bit more resilient than the previous imps … but his head makes a hollow gong as his skull hits that of the next one in line. This has a domino effect down the line.

The monsters spring into action amidst the loud bellows of Gonaghlut, which are loud enough to cause the brazier-roof to tremble from it. But the bear is making considerable lead on the monsters, rising up the path, so that he is at least not under that suspended pool of fire anymore, though he has to weave his way amongst supporting cables.

Jonas doesn't really pay attention to the imps falling over, focusing on trying to get out of the area before all of Bosch breaks loose.

Jonas examines the cables, an idea coming to mind. "How close is this portal?" he mutters to the knight.

The knight points up the path, toward the base of the mountain. "There. We shall have quite the chore to get the gate open, but perhaps there is a way."

Jonas indicates the cables. "Perhaps, then, a bit of a distraction is in order? That brazier isn't verra sturdy, as ye might have noticed."

The knight nods. "No, sturdy it is not."

Jonas looks at the cables, trying to figure out which ones could be cut to do the most damage.

Meanwhile, a swarm of giggling imps gallops up the path, ahead of a wave of other misfits.

Jonas squints at one of the cables for a moment, and then steps back. With a spin learned from hammer-throwing, he whirls about and applies the sword and all possible force to the cable's surface.

*SNAP*

Jonas recovers and looks up at the brazier.

The knight goads his warmount into movement. "RUN!" he growl-shouts.

Jonas turns and starts after the mount, suddenly not caring to watch the ensuing chaos.

The other cables strain and shake about, as the brazier continues to shake due to Gonaghlut's shouting.

*SNAP* *SNAP*

The brazier, several snapping cables later, sways, spilling even more of its contents downward, cascading down the path and into the formerly dark interior. Much smoke and steam issues outward, but the ursine escapes, making it to the gates.

Jonas pants as he runs. He pauses briefly at the gates to survey the damage from a distance. After a moment, he continues after the knight, a grin on his face.

The gates, it turn out, are a couple of … gate-shaped creatures? That's about the best way to describe them, as they gaze down at their visitors. "Do you have permission to pass?" they ask in unison. "Gonaghlut would not be pleased for anyone to pass without permission."

Jonas nods at the beasts, not bothering to think about how odd they are. "We've permission."

The gates look at each other then shake a bit. Maybe that's a shrug. "Oh. Okay."

They shuffle apart, opening the way to a channel cut through the rock, leading up to a more naturally-occurring (if anything here can be called that) mountain pass beyond.

Jonas shakes his head wearily. Dumb as posts. Or would that be gate-posts?

Jonas takes one look more behind him at the city, and starts through the gates.

The knight and his warbeast ride on through. The city behind still is largely obscured by some billowing clouds of smoke from its heart, but the Cascades of Fire still remain.

The way through the mountain is probably the most normal of any journey the bear has taken since his arrival in this world. No monsters, no imps, no "living buildings", nothing any stranger than some exotic coloration of the rocks, and some strangely twisted plants along the way.

Jonas walks along, looking at the plants. Are they normal, or rather, more normal than before.

Upon closer inspection, the plants do indeed look reasonably "normal", except perhaps diseased and mutated a bit here and there.

Jonas looks up at the knight. "I owe you and your liege lord a debt. What can I do to repay it?"

"You owe nothing," growls the knight. "Overlord Nosh'ma will be overjoyed to hear that no one orders the Gate to remain closed, although he will observe a period of mourning for the loss of his dearly respected comrade, the Overlord Gonaghlut."

Jonas nods. "That absolves me of any debt to His Lordship. But ye yerself have gone through no small bit of effort and peril, to assist a furre that ye doon't know. What may I do fer ye?"

As the way continues, the surroundings become decidedly more mundane, until at last rolling foothills and chaparral can be seen ahead, with forests beyond. In a clearing, a cottage can be seen, wisps of smoke curling up from its chimney and dispersing on the wind.

Jonas takes a breath, smelling the marvelously normal scents of grass and trees on the wind.

The knight does not answer Jonas' question, but turns to gesture toward the countryside beyond. "Chronotopia. It must be summer." And, by the looks of it, it's also daytime, though it's hard to tell whether it's morning or afternoon, without any bearing for north.

Jonas looks up at the sky. Without stars, he cannot tell where he is, or even if he is still on the same world. But the name "Chronotopia" means nothing to him.

The knight says, "We will journey to the cottage below. They will show us hospitality. From there, you find your way to Blitzheim. You may unbind your arm now."

Jonas yawns, and his jaw pops in exhaustion. He blinks, and brings up his hand to rub it. This motion reminds him that he still has the sword tied to his arm. With a few motions, he unties the bandage and puts the sword down, flexing his fingers to work out the stiffness.

Jonas nods at the knight's words. "I thank ye for yer help. Will ye travel on, or return to Bosch?"

The knight says, "I have business in Blitzheim. Beyond there, you will have to find your own way. And, yes, I must return to Bosch. I cannot remain long outside of its borders."

Jonas takes up the blade, and rests it on his shoulder again. .oO ( Have to find a harness or baldric soon. Maybe this cloth will do… )

Jonas nods. He starts towards the cabin. Be it morning, noon, or afternoon, he could do with a good sleep. And a bath. And a very stiff, very big drink. Not necessarily in that order.

As the travellers approach the cottage, a matronly raccoon-humanoid hanging out the wash gasps and rushes back inside, coming back out with another raccoon who must be her husband.

Jonas pauses at the female's actions, assuming an unthreatening stance.

The knight dismounts, then raises an armored hand. "Hail there! We are travellers from afar, and seek shelter for the night, on the way to Blitzheim."

Jonas yawns again. Mother Goddess, he is tired!

The male raccoon looks at the two warriors, then finds his voice, "Oh! Yes, yes, please, do come in. Rest yourselves."

Jonas smiles. "Thankee, Goodsir." He walks closer.

Jonas says, "I am called Jonas MacAlister, of the Black Watch. My companion is a Knight in the service of Lord Nosh'ma of Bosch. I doon't know his name."

So it is that the two warriors are invited into the house of the raccoons, and treated to a meal (though the armored warrior eats nothing, and never takes off even a piece of his armor), and Jonas is provided with a hot bath and a bed. Especially compared to those tasteless wafers in the possession of the knight, the food is especially grand. The raccoons spare nothing in their hospitality, though they are evidently uneasy around the armored warrior.

Jonas thanks the raccoons hostel owners for their generosity. He eats heartily, and, exhausted as he is, finds himself nodding off at the table. He excuses himself, finds a spot in the spare room, and beds down. Within mere moments of removing his boots and lying down, he is fast asleep, snoring lightly.