The sun has dropped from view, leaving the colors of the garden muted by dusk. Metal poles illuminate the walkways of the garden with incandescent flames – fed by no visible source – topping them. As a uniformed white poodle moves briskly through the paths of the garden, she catches the sounds of quiet chanting long before she sees the speaker.

Knowing that she is late, the Templar walks with hurried steps toward the gazebo, the pre-arranged meeting place. Worry tugs at her mind as she reviews what was spoken earlier to the High Ambassador, and more so, what Cyprian's condition might be.

Drawing near the gazebo, Elise realizes that a familiar voice is doing the chanting. As she ducks beneath the trees that shield this segment of the path from casual view, she sees a simply-dressed black bat on one knee in a circle drawn in chalk. He chants unfamiliar words, green eyes glowing, pupils devoured by their illumination, gray smoke curling around his body like living things.

Rather than startle a chanting mage, Elise decides to wait. She walks to where the path meets the gazebo steps and there she stands, hands folded on the pommel of her sword, waiting quietly for the Eeee to finish.

Whether his glowing eyes see the poodle's approach or not, she cannot tell, but the mage's chanting slows a few moments later, and his gesturing likewise changes, his hands dropping after a minute until the fingers splay against the ground. The smoke swirls down his arms and into the earth, dissipating, and the glow in his eyes fades. Cyprian blinks a couple of times, coughs, then speaks. "Good evening, my lady."

A smile. "Good evening, Cyprian. I am pleased to see you are well, and most certainly awake." No longer needing to be silent or stand apart from the mage, Elise walks up the short steps over near him, looking down. "Was your experiment of any success?" she inquires.

The bat sits back on his haunches as she approaches, tilting his head to watch her face. "It was, indeed. Though this wasn't part of it," he adds, gesturing to the chalk circle. "I started to worry when you had not showed for a while, and a simple spell wasn't powerful enough to locate you, so I was attempting a more potent method of searching." Cyprian flashes teeth in a self-conscious grin.

Elise giggles softly, shaking her head. "My hero. So you worry not, I tell you that I was part of what must be the most excruciatingly dull body guard duty – merely an accessory to the High Ambassador, First Ones know he is safe here," explains the Gallee. She then brushes aside the skirt of her uniform and kneels down, tilting her head to the side slightly and perking her ears, prepared to listen to what Cyprian has learned.

As the poodle crouches next to him, Cyprian's grin transforms to a gentler smile, and he reaches for her hand. "Come, it'll be more comfortable sitting on the swing." He stands, helping her to her feet, then moves back a pace, gesturing to the swaying padded bench behind them for the Gallee to sit. "And it wasn't so much that I thought you were in trouble … I'm just not a very patient man, and it seemed faster to look for you without actually leaving … in case you showed up. As you did."

The Templar takes the mage's hand and stands up with his help. Considering she is given to wearing armor of her station quite often, she is used to standing under its weight, but a wider smile shows the thought is certainly appreciated. "Oh, you need not explain why. I would likely have done quite the same, though without magicks," says Elise. Adjusting her uniform and sword yet again, the Templar takes a seat on the bench and folds her hands across her lap.

Cyprian sits beside her, and slips the chain with its piece of Sifran crystal from his neck. "It seems to have worked, my lady," he says, offering the object back to her. "I dreamt of the Sisters again, but the dream was vivid and lucid. I felt – alien there. Where once it was you and Mage Envoy who seemed out of place, now I was the one who didn't belong. I found myself at a curious kind of crossroads, half in ruin, with statues of each of the Kindly Ones, mismatched by their differing sizes, guarding each of seven pathways leading outwards."

The Sifran crystal is accepted and Elise nods as she moves to clasp it around her neck. "Yes, that is very much what both Mage Envoy and myself saw. How interesting. Did you see anything else, or choose a specific path?" she asks.

The black Eeee nods. "I selected a path. The Kindly Ones to whom I have been most observant in the past are those of Pleasure, Retribution, and Secrets. I chose the path of secrets. Her icon was at knee-height. Very strange how their statues all showed different sizes – the Lady of Beauties was far taller than I, while the one for Vengeance scarcely above my ankle."

"That, as far as I can tell, is a visual representation of the 'solidity' of their realms. Inala's realm seems to be greatest, and in that realm we spend most of our efforts. It is where I left Envoy to go to Paradise before choosing the path of Sunala for my own reasons," explains the Gallee. She finishes clasping the pendant and tucks it neatly away under her uniform and again turns her gaze to Cyprian. "As Mage Envoy said, the solidity of the realms reduces the need for 'Morpheus's' powers. Anyway, were you able to make any progress?"

"Not much," Cyprian admits. "I came to a village of … deformed Eeee, and walked through it to the City of Secrets. There I found the cause of the village's deformity. The gatekeeper of that city offered to give me secrets: ask any question I liked, and she would answer it – for a price. A piece of myself. Any part: a tooth, a finger, a patch of fur." His voice fills with a darkness deeper than the surrounding dusk, and his eyes are veiled.

"It is terrible … " A sigh, and Elise gazes off into the garden. "You would find the other pathways much the same, reflections of the goddess they represent… Cyprian, the Dean of Dream spoke with me again. He seems greatly interested in my meeting with him. I cannot avoid him forever."

The mage winces. "In speaking with you? How did he learn of your role in dreams – " he starts to ask, then opens his mouth in a silent gasp.

Elise's eyes widen in response to the gasp and she leans forward. "Cyprian? What is it?"

"You gave your name in the dream realm. To that fop bat whatshisname. I remember – you spoke it to him and suddenly it became something I knew – something all we who belonged would know, I felt. But if the Dean knows the same way – then that means he is league with the Royal Mages." The black bat sets his jaw.

"But could it not have been Mage Envoy who mentioned me?" asks Elise. She leans back and resumes her proper seated position, eyes narrowing as she stares thoughtfully into space. "If this is true, I have the beginning of what evidence I need … We must confirm this."

A nod from the mage answers her. "I should hope that Mage Envoy would show more discretion than that, but perhaps she spoke with his associates before I had the opportunity to warn her." Cyprian exhales slowly. "The gate keeper gave me one secret 'for free,' she said. She tossed them before me, little round objects like a child's toy eggs, and told me to pick one."

"Mage Envoy is an Exile, and her thoughts are alien to me. I cannot be certain what she said, however, I would imagine she would not mention us. She surely mentioned that she did not mention you after all." Curiously, Elise turns back to gaze at Cyprian. "And what did this secret reveal?"

"I picked one, and when I cracked it open, a shower of sparkles fell out of it onto the ground, and they spelled out a word: 'Truth'. When I looked at the gatekeeper, she seemed angry at me. She said, 'You can't have that one. No one knows it yet!' I told her, 'That is the one I am looking for.' She looked angrier still – then I awakened." The bat mage pushes lightly with the balls of his feet, causing the gazebo swing to rock.

"How interesting. Then none of us have the answer? I most certainly could have told you that I do not." As the swing rocks back and forth, Elise lifts her head and looks outover the tree line to the stars far beyond the sky island. "What you asked might endanger you. It may be known that you, too, are seeking the truth as Mage Envoy and I are. However, there is no use worrying about it. There is nothing that can be done. Cyprian … we should meet with the Dean, and see if he uses information he should not have. Information you can identify."

"You don't know what you are asking. Elise, you would do better to leave Caroban entirely than to meet with that man – especially if we are right about him," Cyprian says, firmly. "Stall him. Have your Ambassador tell him that you will meet him when he can spare you, but you are much too busy now. The Dean has work to do as well – surely you can put him off until we can fashion a permanent solution."

"I cannot do anything without evidence. And I cannot remain in Caroban forever. Mage Envoy is currently unconscious, and were this diplomatic mission to end, I would be forced to depart here. The High Ambassador is well aware of the Dean and what threat he might pose to us; surely the Dean would not be so foolish as to do anything so overt. And if it is subtle magic, cannot you detect it?" asks Elise. She taps a finger of her right hand against her left, thinking. "If he were to do anything at all, as I see it, he would do it while we are asleep. And if I continue to stall him, that in itself will reveal much. I am just as capable of stalling him in person … with vague and useless information. Were he to argue what I told him, he would tip his hand."

"Let us make no bones over whom is the more powerful mage, here, my lady. I am but adjunct faculty in a disused Embassy. Ssrithiri of Nightmares is not only the Dean of Dreams, but a master of the Sphere of Light, as well. I am no match for him." The bat mage lets out another breath. "On the other hand, you are right that whatever he can do to you, he probably already has. Anything else would alert not only myself, but the Caroban Watchers. And if they're on his side, we may as well give in now and save ourselves the trouble."

"Were the Caroban Watchers on his side, and we to fall, the High Ambassador most assuredly would become suspicious. And were he also to succumb to such treachery, Rephidim would not stand still, it would be," the poodle pauses as if suddenly struck by a thought, " … disaster. Also, we are lacking in time. Should Mage Envoy continue to fail to wake, I too may follow her, as may you. Or whatever plan the Dean is already hatching may well come to completion, or even perhaps this mission will end and I will be forced to depart … I must have evidence. I must be able to act against him before it is too late, though I do not imagine it will be easy."

Cyprian nods. "Very well. Let us take some precautions, first."

Elise reaches over and draws her sword, holding it up to the Procession light. "My sword is made of iron from Abaddon. It supposedly wards against magic to some degree. Which," she turns and smiles a little to the bat, but only briefly, "must be a very small degree indeed. How shall we protect ourselves?"

The bat smiles in response. "Would that I had your faith in the power of steel." He leans against the back of the swing. "As a start, I would, with your permission, erect a link between us with magic. The kind I sustained at the dream ball would not be practical under these circumstances, unfortunately. But I could forge and sustain a tie between us of more limited dimensions, which could serve two purposes: one, it would allow us to exchange silent 'signals' over a distance, and without alerting others. Nothing so complex as sentences – more like a private code of ringing bells: 'once for yes, twice for no,' that sort of thing." He grimaces. "It's hard to explain in words. At any rate, if I put a simple link like that in place between us, I could use it as a basis for rituals to permit detailed conversation. Paranoid man that I am, I value privacy. And it could come in handy."

"I am afraid I have no talent for magic, though at times, my sword and my ability to use it seems quite useless. Now would be such a time." She inclines her head to the mage, agreeing with what he has to say. "That sounds like a wise course of action. I imagine if he suspects us then he knows we will use magic. But how, and of what code we put to use, that would require effort to understand. Have you any other ideas?"

"Not at the moment, I'm afraid. We could try giving up sleep to evade the dream realm." He smiles wryly.

Elise chuckles softly. "I believe my commanding officer would not appreciate it were I to fall asleep on duty after spending many days away," comments the poodle. She taps her fingers along her hand again and bites her lip. "He is the master of Dream and Light? What can we expect from him?"

The Eeee folds his arms across his chest. "For one, that's a potent combination to keep secrets from – a leading reason behind my suggestion that we look for more private ways to communicate. A link of the sort I propose is virtually impossible to eavesdrop on."

"I am glad to hear it. I imagined we would be unable to keep anything at all from him, and that only an unknown code would keep him from discovering what we speak of. I shall also endeavor not to lie, and instead give half-truths if necessary or simply avoid speaking at all if required," says Elise.

Another wry smile from the bat. "Always advisable, though I am more likely to catch you in a lie of that sort than he." He pauses, gathering his thoughts to explain. "With Scrying and Dream, he would be able to watch you, should he choose, both awake and asleep. In all likelihood, I would sense were he watching us now, but one untrained probably would not be aware of it. He would know when you lied because your lie would contradict other information he had access to – not because your own knowledge that you were lying would give you away, as it would to a master of Mind."

A nod from the Gallee. "Yes, that rather works to our advantage. He may already know a great deal, however, I would not think he would need my presence unless he intended to do something that required I be physically present or needed to question me at length. I imagine there will be the usual questions as a cover, however, he may attempt to navigate me toward what information he lacks, providing us with a clue about his weakness and what he does not control. Also in regards to the information he does know, outward lying during these parts may bring forth a reaction or argument, showing that he does indeed know what he should not. However he may eventually catch on to this plan. I imagine that should this succeed perfectly, he will be in great distress. And even should it only partly, he would become more active. It certainly would be what I would do," says Elise. The long stretch of ideas requires she stop, taking a moment to allow Cyprian to speak and to consider further plans.

The mage's green eyes regard her evenly as she at last pauses for breath. "I think we should give this a few days, at the least. For one, judging by the amount of time your Ambassador required of you today, I doubt that you will find yourself unduly burdened with free time for such endeavors in any case. For another, I hope that Mage Envoy will recover from her coma, and we can always hope she may have further insight to offer."

"That is another problem that worries me. Mage Envoy is in a coma, and as you recall, I was in a very similar coma not long ago. Hers may well be magic related. Perhaps this preparation time will give me some time to dream," suggests Elise. She reaches up with a hand and pushes her curls from her face, frowning slightly. "She may well need someone to rescue her. In any case, perhaps I should attempt to locate her within the dreams and see if she suffers from the same fate as I. Unfortunately, I dare not search Sunala's realm, however. I will look where I last left her."

"To be honest, I believe this coma was induced by that soup, not by the dream-realm at all. That was the opinion of the Life mage attending her, who had reason to check for both possibilities. I believe Mage Mystico had a look at her too, and concurred," Cyprian offers mildly. "But where did you leave her in dreams? … oh. Were you not … ah … dead when you parted from her?"

The poodle flicks an ear, still not quite used to admitting she had died and certainly not used to speaking of it as a simple means to leave someone. "Yes, well, that is correct. I suppose during the dream, the sacrifice made sense. It was after all, still just a dream to me," answers Elise. "However if what you say is true, I need not search for her at all."

Cyprian answers with a simple nod. After a short lull, he says, "The link that I mentioned earlier – it will require a ritual to enact. Are there any mages on Caroban you trust, other than Mage Envoy?"

The Templar considers for a moment. "I cannot say I actually know of any mages on Caroban beyond the two of you, let alone any I trust … unless … " The poodle woman looks up. "You mentioned Mage Mystico, was it? A … Lapi?"

The Eeee nods. "Yes. A Dream mage – one of the survivors, though in his case he had succumbed to the dream-sickness, and was rescued, I believe."

"If there is no one you trust to do this, then I would trust him. He will recognize me as one of the two people who rescued him from his imprisonment within the dream realm. He was staring at a book, I believe it was," suggests Elise.

A blink from the mage, then he ohs. "I see. This is not a question of whom I trust, but whom you trust, my lady. The ritual is one of Mind magic, and I may work it alone, but you should never submit to Mind magic for any purpose without a trusted observer – preferably a trusted mage."

"Then if it is necessary, I choose the mage Mystico," says the Templar. She smiles a little, shaking her head. "I am almost tempted to do without an observer. But given the situation, I think it best."

Cyprian nods without hesitation. "In any situation, it is best," he says, voice firm. "Never let any Mind mage work magic on you unattended, not for any reason. Not if you've a choice in the matter."

"Spoken like a true master of the art. You may have a great deal in common with my instructor, I would think." The lady turns her gaze past Cyprian and to the pathway back to the College main areas, smiling faintly. "Very well. Let us find Mystico and begin the ritual."