Quite a while has passed since Envoy's journey to the City of Hands, and news reached her from Caroban that big things have been happening in Rephidim … namely, that not only did the Temple perform a large-scale assault on the Jade Palace underneath Rephidim (a structure also known as Faraon's Dome), but that the golden dragon is on the run, and that this operation happened at the same time as a daring rescue of the Captain-Astromancer himself … and nobody seemed to even realize that he had gone missing at the time. Leading this operation was Arch-Inquisitrix Esther yodh Rahab, who has also been overseeing a massive purge of corrupt elements from the highest tiers of power within the Temple.

Things here in Safar have been relatively quiet, really. There's the occasional buzz about the return of the Star, the occasional proclamation by the Priest-Queen, and the occasional unsubstantiated rumor that the Emperor-Potentate's death was faked as part of some grand scheme, and that the Nagai Empire is rising up to smite Xenea … but nothing really big has been happening here just yet.

The apartment is fairly simple, located on the second story, with a large frame that opens out onto a balcony overlooking the street. The "bridge" where Willow and her friends often make their performances can be seen outside and to the right, just down the street a bit. The weather, while still warm compared to Rephidim, is cooling off somewhat, as rainclouds blot the mid-day sky, coming in with the autumn season of the southern hemisphere (while back in the north, it's springtime).

Sebazhan is presently off in the kitchen, fixing up a sample of Krozite cooking for his guest, while Envoy is in the dining room.

"How have you been doing, Willow?" the Exile asks the gray Skreek. "All the news about Rephidim interfering with your crusade any?"

Willow kicks a large silver-black bug out of the way with her foot as she walks in with a tray of bread. The bug promptly curls into a ball and rolls under one of the chairs. "Sorry about the dust, Envoy. We're still trying to clean a bit." She sets the try down on the table. "And no, unless Faraon decides to hide out in Kroz – although I don't think the dragon that lives there currently will like it very much."

Sebazhan can be heard to laugh at this from the kitchen.

Envoy blinks, "You have your own dragon in Kroz? And I don't mind the dust."

"I don't think it belongs to anybody. There's bits of Bosch and other strange magicks that run through the caves under Kroz… All sorts of creatures live down there, including a dragon that sleeps most of the time and likes to step on people who wake it up." The Skreek shrugs and seats herself. "So how did things go with the Priest-Queen? Did you manage to find anything more about her Star from her? I didn't hear word of you getting tossed out on your rear so I assume your meeting went a bit better than mine."

Helping herself to a piece of bread, Envoy talks between nibbles. "Well, I met the angel, and it confirmed that it told Jade-Eyes to destroy the 'false history'. I didn't get to see the history myself though. I spoke with one of the Twelve whom I trust, and he let me know that some of the mages have been manipulating Jade-Eyes all along, using her faith as a hook. I feel a little responsible for that. The day they let her into the tabernacle was the day I was leaving the City of Hands. If I'd stuck around and gone with Jade-Eyes then, maybe things would be different."

"I did speak to the Priest-Queen about her responsibilities though," Envoy continues, "and advised her that the Twelve shouldn't be trusted and that she should seek most of her advice from her subjects. Also that she shouldn't trust any of it that seemed to play too close to her own beliefs."

Willow shakes her head. "Don't blame yourself for not being able to see into the future. We need to focus on the present and what we know of the future now. So they're destroying the writings on the wall then? I'm scruddy glad I copied them all down… " Her voice trails off as she taps a finger against the tabletop, quietly pondering.

Envoy says, "Twilight-Wing is going to try and remind the younger mages about the mistakes the Twelve and Twelve-Times-Twelve have made in the past, especially regarding the last Priest-King."

The Skreek takes a sip of water from her chitin mug. "What else did you find out about the Star? What do you think it is? And do you know when it might be coming to Sinai?"

Envoy shakes her head, "I didn't see the one claiming to be the Star, only the messenger. It looked more like a four-armed Naga than anything else, and may not have been a projected image. The technology involved seemed to be optimized to work on Sinai's surface, so was likely developed after the Silent-Ones had colonized Xenea. Jade-Eyes estimated it will take several years for the Star to arrive, but I don't trust the figure. There's no reason for them to have given her accurate data, and several reasons for them to give her a false schedule."

Willow's eyes narrow. "Then after seeing it for yourself you don't trust them either?" She leans forward on her elbow, cradling her chin in her hand. "May I ask you a personal question, Envoy?"

The Aeolun smiles, "Certainly, Willow."

"Do you believe in any sort of god?" The Skreek tilts her head to the side.

There's some more clatter in the kitchen, followed by the sound of water being tossed on something hot, resulting in a sizzle and a bit of smoke that mostly leaks out the kitchen window. "Almost ready!" Sebazhan calls out, then sighs to himself.

Willow suppresses a chuckle, muffling her nose with her hand.

"I have been assured by my creators that such must exist," Envoy says, "but I have never turned to faith when I needed guidance, and my nature is not one that lends itself to moral or spiritual ambiguity."

The Skreek nods. "Yet you also seem to be the type of person who seeks answers, even at the risk of your own life. How can you tell a false god from a real one then? This is Sinai, after all. Anyone with enough magical skill might be able to convince people that they're a god." She gestures upwards. "I'm asking you this because even though I consider you to be a great ally in this and a friend of the Priest-Queen, you may not be able to fully comprehend the conflict going on unless you fully understand the belief behind it. I am not so focused with stopping the false star from coming as I am on keeping people from following it. I would sooner die in its fires and save a hundred souls than stop it from coming and lose one."

"That is why I did not challenge Jade-Eye's beliefs," the Exile says. "I cannot say if they are correct or incorrect. To me, faith implies trust, and trust implies understanding. I know that I could never comprehend the mind of God, so I have no reason to trust in deities. I suppose that a god which acts according to understandable mortal rules would therefore be a false one. I do understand that a schism in a largely held faith can lead to bloody civil war, however, and if the coming force is indeed bent on conquest, then it has everything to gain by inciting such a schism."

Sebazhan comes out of the kitchen, bearing what looks like a large pie pan in two mismatched mitts. "I present for your culinary delight, Krozite Meat Pie."

Envoy blinks twice at the prince. "You brought meat all the way from Kroz?"

"You should understand that there are certain rules to this faith though. I can give you a copy of one of Testament-Blaze's books if you like. It – " The Skreek looks up and chuckles. "Of course not! It's poly, isn't it Sebazhan?"

Sebazhan smiles. "Well, truth be told, poly wasn't originally part of the family recipe … but one makes do." He sets down the pie on a holder in the middle of the table.

"Poly?" Envoy asks, sniffing at the pies. "Is that an animal, vegetable, or mineral?"

"I'm sure your grandmother doesn't mind you experimenting with her recipe a bit. It's much better than letting me cook at least." Willow winks and pats an empty seat before turning back to Envoy. "A poly is a type of bug that I breed at the castle. I brought some here with me to sell as well. They're sort of scavenger bugs that are really great for cleaning houses and also taste fairly good. I make my little rings out of their shells."

Sebazhan smirks. "When trying to sell polys, I personally prefer to only accentuate one purpose or the other, not both."

Recalling the bug that curled up, the Exile asks, "The insect you shooed away earlier was one of these? It rolled away, so a child might call it a 'Roly Poly' bug."

Sebazhan cuts slices out of the meat pie, and sets plates for Envoy and Willow. The stuffing tends to slide out of the crust, but it doesn't give any immediate evidence of being made out of bugs. Just "mystery meat". He frowns, and says, "Ah … I forgot the side dishes. I'll be right back." He heads off to the kitchen.

Envoy tries a bite of the pie. "I would like to purchase one of these bugs, if you have any to spare. It would be interesting to see if they exhibit macro-genetic functionality."

Sebazhan comes back with a bowl of rice with bits of assorted vegetables mixed in here and there, and sets it down, steam still rising from the bowl.

"I used one as a pillow until Sebazhan insisted I get a real cot." The Skreek grins. "They're not great moneymakers, but it's a nice side business. I'll give you a couple of eggs if you like when you have to leave for Caroban." She clears her throat. "But back to what I was talking about earlier. Did you learn anything else while you were at the city? Most of the people coming in and out of there don't seem too keen on talking to me, and I'm hesitant to grill Twilight-Wing, because I don't want him thinking I just view him as a source of information."

"I would recommend a less confrontational approach, personally," Envoy says, adding some veggies and rice to her plate. "There seems to be little beyond reconstruction and politics going on at the City for now, but Twilight-Wing is sending a mage to accompany me back to the Tower of Barabbas in the Himaat. I should be able to learn more by observing how the mage reacts to representatives of the Nagai Empire and Babel which will be joining us, and I thought I would bring him by one of your sermons as well, without divulging anything about our relationship."

"Thank you, Envoy. Although considering he's a mind mage you'll be hard-pressed to keep secrets from him. Even less in my case." Willow runs a finger across one of the black slashes under her eye. "My change wasn't without its costs. I'm particularly susceptible to magic now. If one of the Twelve makes a go at me, there won't be much I can do against it." She looks nervously at Sebazhan. "Although if they had any intentions of stopping me, they would have done something by now. At least I know I'm making some people nervous if they're looking for excuses to send the officials to bark at me."

Sebazhan tries to keep a neutral expression, but his face forms a faint frown. He busies himself by fixing himself a plate and sitting down at last.

"Oh, I do not know which mage will be sent to accompany me," Envoy says. "Twilight-Wing is quite candid about the reality of the situation, and also about the Priest-Queen's weaknesses, but he will not betray her interests, no matter what his own may be. Really though, you shouldn't let yourself succumb to the idea that the truth is all that you need to make people agree with you. If you remember, you once thought me crazy for being so blunt and honest. I have gotten much farther and accomplished more by learning to be subtle."

Sebazhan says, "Should I give a quick blessing?" He smiles, and looks to Willow. "Or is it your turn?"

Willow shrugs. "I think things are a bit more complex than that. Twilight-Wing may be looking out for the queen's interests but he's also not trying to stop the people with their own personal agendas. There is a point when a person needs to realize that inaction when they have the power to stop something might as well make them just as guilty of causing the trouble to begin with. He is keeping secrets from the queen and doing nothing while his fellow mages potentially bring something that will destroy her empire. I don't see that as protecting anybody." The Skreek shakes her head. "I've forgiven him, but there is a butler who serves the Naochi family. He did nothing while my father murdered my sisters, he did nothing while my father murdered my mother, he did nothing while my brother started to destroy the kingdom and himself in an effort to forget it all. I do not see that behavior as being noble, nor do I see it as being for the good of anything."

"You go ahead, Sebazhan." Willow waves a hand, looking down at her empty plate.

Envoy turns towards the feline to listen to the blessing.

Sebazhan folds his hands, closes his eyes, then prays, "Heavenly Star, we thank you for another day and for your many blessings. Please bless this food to the nourishment of our bodies, and bless us to your service, and please especially bless our honored guest, Envoy of Lothrhyn, that she may travel safely. So be it." And then he opens his eyes and smiles around the table. "I hope that you enjoy the meal."

The Skreek smiles. "As for my temper – I understand the latter, but sometimes subtlety will get you brushed off or misinterpreted. I know that a konk on the head isn't always necessary, but there's also times when you need to make sure someone knows what's important and what isn't. If I'm looked upon as meek then I'm easily dismissed, if I have howling tantrums I'm looked upon as someone who can't control themselves. So I try to use whatever I gauge at the time to be necessary. In regards to Jade-Eyes, I felt that if I came to her under the pretense of being a friend of her sisters and used words directly from the book that she claims to follow the belief of, I would make my point. Apparently all it got me was booted out of the city."

"Thank you for the blessing, Prince Sebazhan," Envoy says, smiling. As she begins to eat, she says to Willow, "People often react poorly to being told they are wrong. You might want to consider opening a mission instead. By putting the words of the Star into practice, you will show others the benefits of following them and reinforce their faith against manipulation."

The Skreek grins. "Actually, that's exactly what I plan to do. I can't stay in Safar forever. I have a daughter back home that I refuse to neglect over all of this. Right now my plan is to try and get together enough capital or find someone willing to donate a building, and then put things in Testament-Blaze's and Son-of-Thunder's hands. Ideally, I'd like to have Safar be a main base of operations and try to send out people all over Sinai from here. If we have a few years to work with, we might be able to do just that and really leave an impression on things."

Sebazhan smiles, picking up a bit of meat-pie with his fork and dipping it in the rice, then nibbling on the morsel.

"Just remember not to be … too dogmatic about it," Envoy advises. "Let people find their own way to the Star. After all, it does not sound as if Third-Vision converted you by reading from a book, but by opening you to a more personal understanding of the Star, correct?"

"She converted me by caring and making me realize how I'd been lying to myself all my life. She ripped down my walls and had me in the palm of her hand – she could have destroyed me if she wanted to, but instead the queen of the Savanites cried for me and told me she loved me." Willow pats the Prince's arm. "I understand what you mean though, but that's a careful dance as well. If I'm too vague about my Star then I may end up making someone fall to Jade-Eyes', thinking it was the same as mine, or to the vengeful star of the Abaddonians. When I preach, my goal is to let people know who my Star is, why I follow it, and why they need to be wary of impostors. We try to help them learn on their own by giving them books to read and guiding them to people they can talk to. I'm no priestess or holy woman, so there's only so much I feel qualified to say and do."

Envoy nods. "That sounds like a good course. At least it won't damage you, no matter how successful it is or is not. May I ask you a personal question now, Willow?"

"I asked you one; it's only fair that you be allowed to do likewise." Willow smirks, leaning back into her seat.

"All right then," Envoy smiles. "If you were offered godhood, would you accept it?"

"No. The people I know who have been offered such have all been blinded or hurt by it. I think that there's only room for one God in this universe, and anyone else who tries to attain it has no understanding of the scope of power. Ultimate power can lead to ultimate selfishness, and I don't want to risk being blinded like that." The Skreek wiggles one of her ears, jangling the multitude of earrings that hang from it. "Why did you ask me that?"

Sebazhan's gaze travels from Willow over to Envoy, as he munches on dinner.

"Curiosity. I suspected your answer, but I wanted to know if the reason you gave would be based on your faith, or on your own self-awareness as a mortal," the Exile says.

"Both actually. Remember your earlier wish to have known that the Twelve were going to deceive Jade-Eyes and show her the Tabernacle? There's lots of things I wish I could have gone back and changed in my life, and lots of things that I still question why the Star allowed them to happen. But things are as they are, and I am what the Star made me. Meddling with that would be meddling with the Star's plans." Willow twirls a finger over her head. "Not to mention I wouldn't trust myself with ultimate power. Probably half the people on Sinai would suddenly explode. I'm not perfect and I'd make all sorts of mistakes, and godlike mistakes can be messy ones."

Envoy munches on some more bread, and asks, "I have always found this curious. People seem to think that gods must have great power. But power is something you need to get what you want, and the more reputable gods never really want anything for themselves. The Star may want things for you, but does it need anything from you? Does your book tell of miracles or other displays of divine power? I have never thought that a god would really need any power, any more than the world itself needs that sort of power."

"The world wouldn't exist to begin with without the power, but yes… there are stories of miracles. People rising from the dead, walking on water, healing the sick and raising plagues and such." The Skreek twirls a strand of the white hair growing from her crown amidst the mass of raven-black. "I think all the Sar really wants is love. Love for each other and love for it, much in the same way a child is expected to love their parents. All the Star really wants is for us to behave ourselves, but people twist its words and use them for their own agendas, or hide them altogether. Did you know that only the priests of the Abaddonian sects are allowed to read the holy books? Everyone else must be told the scriptures through a priest's viewpoint and aren't allowed to see the words for themselves."

"That is common in many religions and societies," Envoy says. "I believe it stems from the fusing of the deity with the parent. As a parent, are you not a god to your children as their sole source of love, life and guidance? As an immortal, and the creation of immortals, I see this pattern in many relationships. It is a way of making a god more understandable, I think, by putting it in the familiar context of a parent looking over its children."

Sebazhan, having little competition, dishes himself out a second helping.

Envoy says, "They just gloss over the eventuality that the children will grow up, and seek a different relationship with their god, and thus not need the priests anymore. So the priests try to prevent this by making themselves the ones that are allowed to have the adult relationship, and letting everyone else remain a child."

"Their reasoning is sound for this," the Exile adds. "After all, they have devoted their life to relating with their god, and should know how to do it better than the average person. It is much the same with royalty, in that those that are born and bred and trained all their lives to govern would be better at it than someone who was not."

Envoy spreads her hands, "It just doesn't always turn out to be accurate, is all. Mortals vary. Some are good rulers, some aren't. Some are honest, some corrupt. Luckily you don't have to worry about them staying around forever."

"There's a difference between an immortal and a god though, and between being the parent of a child and the parent of the universe. My daughter has been the unfortunate victim of many of my failings as a parent: my temper, my impatience, my frustrations. I suppose that one could say that followers of certain gods are looking for the ideal perfect parent, but one could just as easily say that every god is just the ideal perfect representation of something and was formed by our desires to attain it. I don't claim to have a perfect understanding of the Star myself, but I try to be objective." Willow smiles lazily. "That's what I try to teach. When the Star created us, it gave us the ability to not believe in it if we chose; it gave us the ability to think and decide and choose and observe. I feel it's a sin to be blind to the things around us or to ignore the urge that something doesn't feel quite right."

"I began to doubt the Abaddonian Star when I went to the priests following it and they did not give me an explanation for my questions and did not wish to explain their ways to me. Likewise when I went to Jade-Eyes first for reassurance that her star was the right one and when I didn't find it trying to ask her why she so dedicatedly and tenaciously believed in something and why she didn't test it like the holy book urges people to do. Again, instead of getting an explanation, I was thrown out of the city… by the very person who was supposed to be the head representative of the religion of the Savanites. That also doesn't feel right," Willow adds.

"I have always known who created me and for what purpose," the Aeolun says. "So, I can't imagine what it would be like to not know, and have a need to discover it. I would probably not do well having to make such choices. Although … I am making progress on feeling warm or cold. I think achieving that will open new possibilities for me."

The gray rat nods, rubbing the rings on her fingers. "There's something else I wanted to ask you. While you were in the City, did you hear talk of anything called the Seraph Titan? Talk about it being found or moved or if it was also considered to be just a fabrication?"

Envoy shakes her head, "I did not see or hear anything resembling that. Are you referring to one of the battle machines that Titanians and Chronotopians pit against one another?"

"Something like that. It's also what I consider to be a last resort if words turn out to be a failure – but I won't play that card unless I've no other choice. I'd rather this whole matter be remedied by the power of the Star instead of by some great war machine." Willow shrugs. "The chamber where the Creen Ship used to be kept and the black flying disks are, is that being sealed up or knocked down now that the words on the walls are being treated as a falsehood or is it all just being covered up again?"

"I have never seen inside the hangar," Envoy says, "but neither did I see any attempts to block it off. I only learned that the 'false history' was being 'dealt with' during Jade-Eyes' session with the Angel."

"That probably means they're scraping it off the walls or painting over it again. I really hope it's the latter. I'd hate for that history to just vanish. It's a scruddy shame that it had to be hidden to begin with, considering that the hangar holds something that could have very well stopped the massacre at the City of Hands." Willow bites her lip and shakes her head. "I suppose I shouldn't be dwelling on the past too much myself either. I'd rather let the thing stay where it is and only be used when the City really needs something to defend it, but if things don't change, I may have to either steal it before the Twelve try to get it, or use it to show Jade-Eyes what blind faith might cost her. Theft and lying are both things I'm trying to break away from, though… so you can see why I'm hesitant to follow that path."

"It is always better to accomplish things with your own abilities, rather than to make use of borrowed power," Envoy says. "That was my reason for turning down godhood."

Sebazhan raises an eyebrow at this. He finishes chewing a mouthful, then says, "It seems that such offers are commonplace."

Willow nods. "… or to break the teachings of the Star in an effort to defend it." She mimics her husband's expression. "When were you offered godhood, Envoy?"

"Oh, the demi-urge left behind by the First Ones gave me the option a few years ago," the Aeolun explains, and shrugs. "I think it mistook me for a Sifran. I have many new theories to pursue as a result of the encounter."

"Demi … urge?" repeats Sebazhan uncertainly.

"You probably took the wisest course of action. I'm sure there's a reason why the Sifras aren't around anymore." Willow glances again at her empty plate and serves herself a small section of the pie. She pushes it around with her fork but doesn't actually eat any of it.

Envoy thinks for a moment, then describes, "Like a powerful spirit that could grant their wishes. It told me there was no limit to what it could do, but actually I think it must have limitations. It seemed unsure of itself when I asked if it was the source of magic."

Sebazhan nods. "I would deem your choice wise as well. Sinai's mythos – and history – is full of promises of limitless power, and they always have prices and limitations … not worth it, invariably."

"Personally, I think it's much more fun to be a mundane mortal." The Skreek winks and leans over to kiss the Prince on the cheek.

Sebazhan grins. "It has its perks."

Envoy watches the kiss, and blinks a few times. "I still have a lot to learn about it all, even if I can't experience much of it."

"Isn't there anybody that you love, Envoy?" Willow asks. Her ears blush suddenly as she realizes that she just asked something that might be a little too personal.

Sebazhan raises an eyebrow at his wife's typically blunt question.

"There are many kinds of love," Envoy says. "I have felt enough to be heart-broken, and I feel that I love my friends and sympathize with my enemies. I have no need to seek out a mate, however, since I cannot reproduce. If I am capable of romantic love, it will be something different than a natural person would feel, I am certain."

"To date, those I have felt the most attraction to have been artificial beings like myself," the Aeolun admits.

"I suppose I can understand that. But what about a best friend? Is there someone that you go to, to brag about your accomplishments or vent about your despairs?" The Skreek smiles. "We're all drawn to people a lot like ourselves. People might find the marriage of a cat and a rat to be extreme opposites, but Sebazhan and I hold more in common than what you see on the outside."

Sebazhan smiles and pats Willow on the hand.

Envoy smiles at the couple. "Well, I feel that I am good friends with Wynona Windcaller, an Eeee mage of the Sphere of Air. She is my oldest friend. I also have Black Father, who is a sort of personal god that Morpheus created for me to help balance my mind. I don't know if I can feel despair … although I've felt frustrated before. I haven't figured out bragging yet, but I think it has something to do with a sense of mortality and sentimentality." She opens the neck of her tunic enough to pull out her Vykarin neckpiece. "I keep this, which has some symbolic meaning to me. The chitin tells Vykarins that I am a storyteller, and represents my time as a Bard. The amber piece at the center symbolizes my origins, and I drew comfort from it when I felt most alone or abandoned. This feather with the bead woven in is proof that others have cared about me, and this gold medallion shows that I've been honored for my accomplishments."

"Envoy, this may sound a bit trite and useless… but I think you should reconsider your life a bit. If I understand correctly, you have no family here and not enough close friends within easy grasp. When I lived that life, I fell victim to the manipulations of several people who took what they wanted from me and then left me to rot when they were finished." Willow waves a hand. "I'm not telling you to convert to the Star or anything like that… but I think you need to seek direction or guidance from somewhere. And maybe not even with you in the role of the receiver of it… Have you ever considered taking on an apprentice? I bet you could learn a lot with someone to be responsible for and someone who looks to you for advice."

Sebazhan lets out a long breath. "It is a learning experience, certainly." He then smirks.

The Skreek pats Sebazhan's shoulder. "I say that because I have learned a great deal as a mother. Likewise with the prince here." She sticks her tongue out at him and winks.

Sebazhan raises an eyebrow. "I could interpret that last sentence two different ways, you know."

"Are you saying that your blunt and straightforward wife is being subtle and mysterious, dear?" Willow coos, batting her eyes teasingly.

Envoy blinks a few times, considering. "I do not know if I can provide a stable learning environment for an apprentice. I was popular at the College for being a celebrity, if that makes any sense. People tend to get overwhelmed by some of the company I keep as well. But there will be apprentices and mages working with me at the Tower of Barabbas soon, so I may have the chance to become a mentor… "

The Skreek clears her throat and tries to put on a much more serious expression. "That may be a very good place to be one. If there's going to be Babelites, Nagai representatives, and people of the Savanite Empire there, your experience to the other mages with them may be invaluable. No doubt there will be a great deal of politicking and petty sniping going on. You'll need every drop of objectivity that you can get."

Envoy grins. "And I enjoy watching the petty bickering. It is almost as fascinating as flirtation, with all of its hidden meanings. It will also be interesting to see if any of the representatives tries to kill me for past, present, or future interference I have caused them."

Sebazhan makes a snorting noise at the "petty bickering" comment, but doesn't spew anything, to his credit.

"I could experiment at manipulating them," Envoy says, "but I really don't accept all of the moral loopholes my dragon heritage finds useful, so I probably won't do that."

"Mmmm," says Sebazhan, "dangerous place to 'experiment'."

"That sounds very odd, but to each his own I suppose." Willow shakes her head. "You may be in a position where what happens aggravates the feelings for the war and starts it anew or resolves a great deal. Your position as a celebrity also gives you a certain amount of clout as well. I suppose that what happens is ultimately up to you, but were I in your shoes I'd much rather try to get everyone to work as a team or to at least expose the bad eggs for what they are, if they try any manipulations of their own. The other mages may also need your constant advice and warnings as to whose toes they need to avoid stepping on and who they can trust and who they need to watch out for."

Envoy nods. "The Tower can be dangerous. I will have to keep a close eye on the traps, and will likely assign one person from the Collegia to each of the representatives. I plan to stick close to the Savanite mage, since I do not know his allegiances yet. I trust Twilight-Wing to find the one who would learn the most from the visit, not necessarily one that isn't hoping to serve a powerful Priest-King from the stars."

"Mind the Babelites and the Nagai as well. They'll probably be seeking to discredit you or the Savanite mage and won't shirk at stooping to dirty methods of doing so. I'm not sure if they'd outright try to kill you considering your renown and the fact that the Emir likes you, but they might try to use you or sneak around you." Willow leans back in her chair again. "You're smart, Envoy. You'll be able to see the problems when they come. Just don't get so caught up in observing them that you don't jump out of the way when they might be about to run you over."

"I will be careful," the Aeolun promises. "I do understand diplomacy … in general. And Nagai and Babel cannot afford to alienate the College Esoterica, either."

"You don't know that for certain. They might not give a flip about the Collegia for all you know. Not that I'm any kind of expert on the subject." Willow shrugs. "I'm sure you'll manage fine." She taps her plate with her fork. "And on an unrelated note, if you get a chance to send any confused people or followers of the Star my way, please do so. You probably travel a great deal more than I do. I figure that the Collegia would be prone to avoid the Dack lands but anyone's welcome there as long as they don't make a mess of the castle."

"Be sure and warn them about the monsters, though," says Sebazhan. "I do my best to keep their numbers down, but they breed like Lapis."

"Avoid? They sound very interesting!" Envoy grins. "You can learn a lot from monsters, too. But I will try to keep an eye out for pilgrims. Oh, and can I have a copy of one of your books about the Star? Or if you have several different ones, could you let me read them before I go?"

Sebazhan grins. "I'm sure that can be arranged."

"Just one, and some pamphlets. Testy was nice enough to give me a printing press as a gift." The Skreek scratches at her head. "As for the monsters, they're mostly Bosch creatures, which means they're not too worried about getting killed and will rip you to shreds if they get a chance. Some of them are other magical types but are still unpredictable. Thankfully the snicjers have all gone to rest, or Kroz would be a lot more dangerous."

"There are still grooks, though," Sebazhan says. "And gorts."

"Any behemoths?" Envoy asks, curiously. "Especially small ones?"

Sebazhan shakes his head. "No, we don't get any of those in Kroz. They'd cause quite a stir coming from Olympia first." He winks.

"Could be." Willow smirks wryly. "Once I get a group together that's well armed enough, I'm thinking about going down in the caves again. Who knows what's in the underground ocean."

Envoy hmms. "Will you be sure to send me a note when you plan for that? I would like to see it all."

The Skreek shrugs. "I suppose I could try. My sister is a great messenger, but my reasons for going down are a bit on the personal side and I'm not too sure who all I'd like to go with me on it or not yet. I almost lost one of my dearest friends the first time I went into the caves, and I wasn't all that deep. It may be more dangerous the second time around."

Sebazhan nods. "We'll make sure to go in well-armed and well-prepared."

"That's okay, I'm very durable," the Aeolun says, adding, "Plus, I can do magic now. If you want, I can work on a spell to make monster blood boil or something."

"Light would come in handy more than anything, although I'm not sure an earth mage could make the bright light I'd need. Still, I bet you'd be quite useful in a cave. But wouldn't the Collegia frown on you helping an er… a 'hedge wizard'?" Willow grits her teeth and looks apologetically to Sebazhan.

Sebazhan says, "Just about any mage of any Sphere can produce light." He smirks. "Except Shadow."

"Oh, I doubt they'd mind unless I got everyone killed. And I haven't managed to do that yet," Envoy says. "I haven't been underground much before though. But what better mage to have in a cave than an Earth Mage, eh?"

"A good point there," notes Sebazhan, grinning.

Willow shakes her head. "All right, you've convinced me. I'm going to be heading back to Kroz in another few weeks once I can trust to leave Safar without my whole mission collapsing without me, and after I get things settled down in Kroz and catch up with Nene, I'll try to send word your way."

Envoy grins and rocks in her chair like a little kid. "Thanks, Willow! I promise not to get bit by the monster queen this time."

Sebazhan just raises an eyebrow at Envoy.

"You don't want to get bitten by the things underground. If the dragon bites you, there won't be much of you left." The Skreek rakes a hand through her hair. "I get the feeling that Nene is going to love you. But anyway – Is there anything else that I need to know about the City of Hands that you can think of? I don't want to miss something important."

"The Map Chamber was destroyed in the war, but I don't know if you knew about that in the first place," Envoy says. "The Palace is being rebuilt, along with most everything else. Jade-Eyes still splits her time between working at the City and working here in Safar though, so she might be around while you're setting up the mission."

Willow nods. "If she decrees that I stop what I'm doing, there's little I can do about it, but at least having a building of my own will do something about the accusations that I'm causing a public disturbance. Then again if she really wanted to stop me she'd have arranged for me to be arrested by now. No doubt she's just hoping that if she ignores me for long enough that I'll fade away." She sighs. "It's a shame really. Jade-Eyes is one of the few links I have left to Third-Vision. I want to be her sister and her friend so badly, but she won't let me in. I'm not going to lie to her and manipulate myself into that place, but I'm sad that she doesn't trust me."

"I think that if you send her a letter and apologize for blowing up at the City, you might get her to come and support the mission, actually," Envoy says. "It is the hard-liners within the Twelve you have to worry about."

The Skreek's ears flatten. "I didn't blow up at the city. I never so much as raised my voice and all I did was recite the words of the Star and ask her questions. I can't apologize for something I didn't do, and I have apologized profusely for upsetting her."

"My apologies then," Envoy says, "I hadn't realized you'd … mellowed out that much. But in any case, I'm sure there can be some reconciliation, at least privately if not publicly. You don't want to end up like I did with Third-Vision."

"Envoy, out here in the city is a goofy tourist park called Safarland. Most of it is just to impress the visitors, but there's a garden there dedicated to Third-Vision. There's a million things I wish I could have said to her or done for her as well, and I always feel like I failed in one regard or another, but it helps me when I go there and pretend I'm talking to her. If you have something you need to let go of or feel you need to seek forgiveness on perhaps you should go there as well." Willow reaches out and pats Envoy's hand.

Envoy smiles, and says, "I made my apologies to Third-Vision while she was alive, and gave whatever help I could. I just never found out she'd forgiven me until after she was gone."

Willow nods. "Well maybe you can go there and thank her? Obviously there's still something about it that weighs on you, else you'd not have mentioned it to me twice now."

"Perhaps I will then," the Aeolun says. "I have no pleasant memories of her though, which is why I didn't speak at her funeral. I'm not sure it is appropriate to berate the dead, or if that is what I need to do."

Sebazhan says, "I've found that if you take a bit of the bread and dip it in the gravy like so … " He demonstrates, taking a bite. "Mmm. Delicious."

The Skreek's ears droop and she pats Envoy's hand again. "I'm sorry. Maybe what you need to do is have a good shout at the statue of her then and let your feelings out. I'll go with you if you'd like."

Sebazhan stops chewing, then quietly washes down his morsel with a drink of water.

Envoy follows the prince's instructions, and dips her bread in the gravy. "Quite tasty. I may be developing preferences for certain tastes and aromas. At least, that's what I hope it is and not a glitch. You are welcome to be there with me, Willow, if you won't be upset by it."

"Third-Vision wasn't perfect, Envoy. I understand that. If I'd met her a year or so before the time that I did, no doubt we would have never gotten along, or she would have ignored me as just another rat. It helped me when I had a good scream at my parents' graves, and I'm hoping it might help you as well." Willow scrapes at her plate a bit more. "Maybe that's something Jade-Eyes needs to do as well."

Sebazhan raises an eyebrow in thoughtful contemplation.

"I suppose I should, rather than letting it bother me for a few hundred years," Envoy says, and looks to Sebazhan. "What about you, Lord Dack? You probably have someone dead to yell at as well who can't answer back?"

Sebazhan snorts, and covers his muzzle. "Ah … not … precisely."

"Um… actually… our family is a bit unique in that regard." The Skreek scratches at the back of her neck.

Willow puts an arm around Sebazhan's shoulder. "In our family it tends to be the other way around."

"Ah, zombies and undead wizards or such?" Envoy asks, one eyebrow raised. "They must be annoying as in-laws. The ones I've met have been a bit conceited."

Sebazhan says, "Kroz is a very magical place, and we have quite a few magic-users in the family tree, many of whom abused their powers."

"We've cut ourselves off from our past, although I'm sure that great-great-whatever-grandfather isn't too pleased. But he's not pestered us in a while, so obviously he got the message." Willow grins.

"My nearest family is a magic tree," Envoy points out. "My dragon mother was charged with multiple counts of genocide. But I think I turned out okay, don't you? At least you have someone you can borrow money from if you really get hard up."

"Actually we don't, but I think that's another story for another time." The Skreek leans in her seat again. "Eat up. In the morning I'll show you the garden. Maybe we can even invite Jade-Eyes along if we get lucky."