From his vantagepoint on the throne, Alptraum can see the skirmishing going on along the sides of the Tower of Babel, along with the Yodhrephath patrol airship that hovers warily over the Pit. Thath approaches the throne and bows. "The battle turns to our favor, Sabaoth," he reports. "Soon the Tower will once more be ours."

Before Alptraum can respond to this news, the entire scene begins to ripple, as if seen through a thick fluid, and everything seems to slow down to a crawl. The Eeee begins to realize that he isn't the Sabaoth of Babel, and that something is very wrong here.

Alptraum rubs his eyes and lets out a hiss. "This is wrong. I am not who they say. This isn't real," he says, "This doesn't even match any history I know of. What is going on?" After looking around more, he calls out loudly, "Who is doing this?"

"You are," comes a somewhat distant sounding reply. "Please just hold on a moment… "

"I can't be. I have never wanted to be the ruler of Babel," Alptraum says, ears flicking to try and locate the source of the voice.

The voice can't possibly be coming from anywhere in the room, which is distorting further. The ripples intensify around the center of Thath's chest, and then a golden feline hand and forearm push out from it. "Can you take my hand?" the voice comes again.

Alptraum reaches out to the feline's hand and tries to take it.

The hand clasps onto Alptraum's, and starts to pull. "Just… well, just sit still. I'm not sure what this will feel like," the voice says. Alptraum can feel a tug, even though the hand doesn't seem to be pulling on him.

Alptraum's brow goes up. "Am I even sitting? Am I standing? I'm not sure what I'm doing," the Eeee admits. Still, he tries to remain relatively still as asked.

There is a brief moment where the Eeee feels he's being stretched like taffy, and then something just gives and the sensation stops. Alptraum finds himself standing in a white space outside of the throne room, which he can still see. A translucent umbilical cord protrudes from his chest, and connects to the figure still sitting on the throne. Unlike Alptraum, the Eeee he's connected to seems somehow larger, and has eyes that are pure white. The figure's wings are torn and tattered, and his expression is… empty. A golden Gigi woman is still holding onto Alptraum's hand, dressed very much like Amenlichtli was in the dream fragment that Kaira had shown him and the others back after the battle with Vorgulremik.

Alptraum blinks repeatedly and looks at the figure on the throne. He steps back in horror and looks over himself quickly, worried how he appears, then brings up his hand to the cord connecting the two. "What is that?" he asks, his head tilting towards the feline. "What am I?"

The Gigi woman looks over Alptraum, and says, "You're an Eeee. That thing you're attached to is just the Barsunala spirit. Looks like a fairly recent attachment too, just a few years old. Didn't you know you were possessed by it?"

"Well, yes," Alptraum admits, then goes back to peering at the person on the thrown. "Hard to believe sometimes that it is part of me."

"There's not much to it," the woman says. "Hardly a spirit at all – no mind or motivation. I suppose the Babelite mythology didn't get into such detail about the Barsunala. Lucky you."

"So, I define it more or less. Well, other than looking creepy. Am I going to end up looking like that in the end?" Alptraum inquires.

The woman shrugs, causing some of her jewelry to make tinkling noises. "Probably not. I'm surprised it survived the end of the big ritual, but I hear Sunala did as well by attaching to an empty host. The Barsunala is a result of the ritual as well, and probably attached to you because… well… you fit the requirements, from what I understand."

Alptraum nods. "Well, yes, there is that. I guess there could be worse things to be stuck with," Alptraum admits then turns his attention back to the woman. "So … am I dead? Is this the end?"

"No, what makes you think you're dead?" the woman asks. "I mean, granted, I do represent Death and mortality, among other things, but still… "

"That would be why. I guess you must be Nala? I … to be honest I would have expected something more grand and less, personable," the Eeee admits. "Where are we?"

"We're in the Light, and I'm sort of the Light, more than I am Nala," the woman explains. "I'm everything the Goddess is except for her soul or her will. Why would I be grand? I'm Birth, Life, and Death – the womb that creates, the light that gives life, and the grave that consumes it. Mortality. Nothing very grand about that, right?"

"Well, you help people begin, and you walk with them in their end. Granted, the end is not often happy. But honestly, the times I have done it and was able to provide comfort to them … well, it made that burden worth it. Being the whole cycle, well, that is grand to me," Alptraum says and smiles slightly. "I hope … I hope that you do not dislike what you are?"

"Hmm, not my place to like or dislike it," Nala says, tapping her cheek with a finger. "If I were whole, I could answer that. As for my being personable… well, I was a person, originally. Not the sort of god you're used to dealing with, I imagine."

"Every god is different, so I quit trying to decide how a God should be. What happened to the rest of you?" Alptraum asks.

"Oh, she's out there in the world somewhere," the Gigi says, gesturing vaguely outward. "Goddess of mortality and all, so she always exists as a mortal, so long as there are still descendants of her bloodline to reincarnate as. I thought your Sphynx friend might have been her, since I get the sense that Nala was reborn as a Sphynx this time around… but I was wrong."

"It wasn't her? I would have thought it was her too," Alptraum admits and peers around the white 'area'. "How would you know it was her, anyway? What is the sign?"

"Well… I'd just know," Nala says. "It's like with the big ritual that conjured up spirits for Inala and Sunala. They're derived from my own mythology, so I knew when they appeared, and could learn a bit about what was going on. If the real Nala showed up, I'd merge with her, just like you are merged to the Barsunala."

"Well … I wish I knew where she was, then. Right now we could use the help. We have a problem with a necromancer trying to use some of the power of the Shadow to remake himself as Dagh," the Eeee admits. He then pokes the cord and comments, "And the symbolism of this, by the way, is a bit disturbing… "

"Disturbing, but accurate," Nala notes. "In my realm, things tend to take on the aspects of Life, so… an umbilical cord. You don't mind if the Barsunala stays in your shadow-life for now, do you?"

"No. It's not like I'm really detached from him anyway with this thing," Alptraum says. "So … where are you taking me?"

"I'm not taking you anywhere," Nala says. "You came to me, I just helped you get out of your shadow, since your tag-along spirit was a bit too heavy to let you get out on your own."

"Ah, when you said leaving him behind, I thought you meant we were going someplace else in here," Alptraum admits.

"Oh no, it's just that it would be really awkward to get you both in here at once. Your shadow-life is more recent than those of the others, you see, so it complicates things somewhat."

"So, I'm a liability to the group?" Alptraum asks, eyebrows quirking a bit. "I mean, I guess it's not good to have someone so close to the shadows in the light?"

"What? Oh, it's nothing like that," Nala says, waving a hand again. "See, whenever you make a really big life decision, a shadow is born of how your life would be if you'd made it differently. Your friends Arkold and Tulani made theirs years and years and years ago, but yours was a bit more recent, so the shadow was thicker."

Alptraum blinks repeatedly. "So … I could have ended up actually living that?" he asks and points back towards the Barsunala.

Nala nods. "If you had chosen to go along with… hmm… your father? You and Tulani both seem to have father issues at the crux of your shadows. I'm guessing, of course, but since I have a bit of insight into the ritual, and know your father had a part in it… doesn't seem surprising that he'd see to it that you became the Barsunala as a result."

"He is not a good man," Alptraum says with a sigh and curls his wings about himself a bit. "I had the chance to kill him once. And standing over him I realized if I did, I would be just like him. I couldn't become that. I couldn't continue the cycle of betrayal and backstabbing."

Nala spins her hand about at the wrist, adding, "And so on and so forth, yadda yadda yadda. That's only because you weren't raised in Babel, I imagine. Then again, given my own family issues, I really shouldn't judge."

"Glad I wasn't raised in Babel," Alptraum says flatly. "I rather prefer having a few scruples."

"Ah, cheer up!" the Khatta says, throwing an arm across Alptraum's shoulder. "You've really messed up one of Dagh's schemes you know. Tulani and Arkold were tricked into helping out with that whole reincarnation into Dack plan. But ol' sourpuss didn't count on you showing up."

"They were tricked into helping him? Howso? I haven't seen them do anything to help him so far. And aside from burying the shadow, I'm not sure what I've done," Alptraum notes and glances sideways at the feline. "That actually does make me feel better, even if I did something without knowing it."

"Oh, right, you don't know yet," Nala says. "After talking to the others, I'm thinking the pendant that turned Tulani into a dragon and the incense thingy that kept Arkold's addiction at bay were given to them by Dagh in one of his disguises. They were supposed to get the dragon out of the way for Dack, you see. But from what Tulani told me, Dack expected them to show up, but you were supposed to be somebody else."

"I was supposed to be the dark skinned woman, Ravenia, I think," Alptraum notes, remembering Dack's comments. "Everyone would prefer me to be a cute girl, it seems."

"Well, I can't really help you there," Nala says. "Can't use my own power, as it where. A good Life Mage could tap the Light to do it though, I'm sure, if you really wanted… "

"Er, no, I'm happy being male," Alptraum says quickly.

Alptraum then laughs and notes, "I imagine in these sorts of spirit places it could be managed for a time too, but no." He rubs the back of his neck, then asks, "So, can you help us stop Dack?"

"Well, if you say so," Nala says, and grins. "I suppose I should fill you in on some other things too. Let's see… I can be used to strike down the undead, but your sorcerer foe is alive, so not much use there. I can amplify magic quite a bit, but none of you is a Mage, except for Mave, who really is limited in her control. There are some goodies in the sarcophagus next to me that belonged to my sister that might help. And personally, I think you may be over-blowing Dack's abilities. From what I've been told, he's cast some illusions, has a few followers, was able to conjure up some monsters – but nothing to suggest he can raise up undead armies."

"If I say so, what?" Alptraum inquires.

"That you're happy being male," Nala replies.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Alptraum asks.

"He can control people through dreams due to a crystal which amplifies that ability. That's pretty bad. He may not be powerful in himself, but he's got trinkets boosting his power and fighting his blood spider monsters are pretty nasty," Alptraum notes.

Nala shrugs. "Never tried the gender myself, but men always seemed a bit frustrated from my perspective. Anyway, how did you plan on fighting him?"

"Honestly? I was hoping to find a way to cancel his abilities if even for a short bit so he can't mess with anyone else's mind or spawn more spider creatures," Alptraum notes. "After that, use him to release more trapped in the dagger binding the dragon."

"The dagger binding the dragon? I haven't heard about that from the others," Nala notes. "It sounds like a good strong ward or dispel ritual could do what you want, or getting Dack into a magically null zone."

"The dagger is a spirit blade. A helpful spell-spirit and I made use of it to bind away the dragon. It also can be used as a channel to release those the dragon devoured. But that requires living people to be a repository and well, I prefer to only do that to people we're getting rid of in the first place," Alptraum tries to explain.

"My, there certainly are a lot of dragons involved in all this," Nala notes, and sits cross-legged in mid-air, so that she's still at eye-level with Alptraum. "The Shadow of Amena was created from an Exile being called a Shadow Dragon as well."

"Heh, was it now? Is there any way to really get rid of it? I don't like the idea of that thing being around, even if I seem to be partially immune to it," Alptraum says. He then tries to see if he can float in midair, just because.

For whatever reason, Alptraum doesn't have any problem drawing his legs up without falling. "Other Shadow Dragons have been slain or held captive over the millennia," Nala notes. "But this one was altered by Amena – she wanted to try and turn a living spirit into an undead one. I've no idea if it can be killed, only that it isn't really undead, since my Light does not destroy it. In fact, it reacts rather violently with the Shadow."

"Creating a forbidden zone. We've seen," Alptraum says with a nod. He idly plays with the cord while he looks at Nala. "IS there a way we can undo what Amena did to it?"

"Without knowing what she did to make it… unalive, I don't know," Nala admits. "Sorcery wasn't my strength. Maybe you can use your dagger on it somehow?"

"Uh. Maybe. I'll have to talk to the resident spirit-spell on what she thinks might happen," Alptraum says and hmms. "So, if your mortal form still has reincarnations … what about Amena?"

"Amena is different," Nala says. "She has to possess the body of her Avatar, but is still restricted to blood descendants if it's to last. She can take over a dead body, of course, but those wear out quickly."

"Does she still have any descendents?" the Eeee asks.

"Oh, I'm sure a few survived the purges," Nala says. "She found one to use a few centuries ago, and it was the same one she wore during the Necromancer War here in Sylvania."

"She was actually part of the Necromancer war? Lovely," Alptraum says with a shudder. "She can't possess anyone else living, though, right? So, we're all safe, yes?"

"Possess the living? No, only a direct descendant, and even then a ritual is required to make it permanent," Nala says. "I doubt she'd be around this part of the world anymore anyway though, after her necromancers were defeated. The empty sarcophagus was meant for her, but she escaped."

"So, her original form could be wandering around somewhere still? She's probably on the isle of Necropolis, then, from what I've heard of that place," Alptraum says, then pauses to think a moment. "So, how did you and her … become what you are now?"

"Back in those days, it was a bit easier to become a god," Nala explains. "For me… well, I stole something from the Olympian gods, namely the artifact that I inhabit now. I chose not to bind my soul to a powerful spirit however, and in the end I think I made the wiser choice. The nature of magic changed, and the Olympians are trapped in their clubhouse, only able to move about on holidays when the wild magic is strong enough. Amena wanted something more, though – she didn't want to give up her flesh at all."

Alptraum nods, "Okay. So, she somehow cursed her family?"

"No curse was needed," Nala says. "Amena traveled the world, searching for physical immortality. She infiltrated the Empire of the Silent-Ones, but the Priest King's method didn't appeal to her. The Aeonians had other problems and in any case were not compatible. The Shadow Dragons had no true physical form, but she learned from them. When she finally decided to try her grand experiment… well, she discovered unmortality instead, and Aeztepan civilization was destroyed in the process."

"I wasn't actually around to witness it at that point, however," Nala adds. "So some of the details may be off… "

Alptraum nods and rubs his neck. "The Babelites about did the same to themselves not to long ago. Which is why I'm now possessed," he says. "I guess I got off light."

Nala reaches out to tap Alptraum on the nose. "I'd say so!"

Alptraum smiles and tap's Nala's nose back. "So, which form of me is cuter? The tattered wings? Or this?" he asks with a grin. He then waves his hand and says, "Can we take the light with us? I ask, because Sylvania itself is dying and part of the hope of this journey, before Dack showed up, was to find treasures of its past to help give courage to the people now."

"Well, Dunklestein knows how to move it," Nala says, ignoring the first part of Alptraum's question. "Tulani thought it should be returned to the Gigis, which is probably what Dunklestein wanted all along."

Alptraum nods. "I've met them, and that's probably the right thing too, admittedly," he says. "Though, some of them are still pretty unpleasant. One of them shot me with poison and nearly got me killed."

"Cultists of Amena, no doubt," Nala says, nodding. "Beware the spotted Gigi."

Alptraum nods, "Those would be them, yes."

"I have a feeling that a Yodhsunala did some nasty things to them, though," Alptraum says and shudders.

"The Yodhsunala are adept at doing nasty things," Nala agrees. "I was a much gentler death goddess, I believe."

"I would hope so, yes," Alptraum says with a smile. "So, what did the others discuss with you?"

"Oh, questions about the Shadow and its origins, and what sort of agendas Dagh and Dunklestein may have had for them," Nala says, waving a hand in a languid gesture. "Can I help them, and so on."

"Basically, the same things I asked," Alptraum says with a nod. "So, what did you tell them?"

"Basically, the same things I've told you," Nala replies with a smirk. "But you can compare notes yourselves to be sure."

Alptraum laughs and nods. "So, are any of them attached to anything?" the Eeee asks and pokes the cord.

"Arkold seems very attached to parts of his anatomy, but otherwise, no," Nala replies. "They are just what they appear to be."

Alptraum laughs and shakes his head again. "Did Arkold hit on you?" he asks.

"I'm sure he thought about it," Nala replies, still grinning. "Luckily his shadow-life included a wife to take his mind off of me."

Alptraum laughs. "He has a better shadow-life than me, I guess," he says. "So, is the shadow life really another life going on in parallel or is it really just a what-if?" he asks.

"It's as real as any shadow, I suppose," Nala says, raising her hands in a 'who knows for sure' gesture. "The Light is Life, and the Shadow it casts is the Shadow of Life. The closer you are to the Light, the sharper and clearer your Shadow Life becomes."

Alptraum says, "How … vague."

Nala purrs, and says, "Thank you."

"So, did they ask anything about me?" Alptraum asks.

"If they had, I wouldn't be free to tell you, now would I?" Nala asks. "I'm not the god of gossip, after all."

"But there's nothing stopping you either, is there?" Alptraum replies with a smirk.

"Besides, I didn't really know anything about you until we met," the feline adds, swishing her tail below her crossed legs. "So if they'd asked, I couldn't have known the answer. And they didn't ask anything beyond 'Is he okay?'."

"Well, am I okay?" Alptraum asks, grinning.

"You tell me," Nala says. "But anyone who grins like that probably isn't completely right in the head. Is there anything you wanted to ask about them?"

"Them? Well, not specifically, no. I presume they're fine since you did talk to them," Alptraum replies. "Oh, what happened to Mave?"

"I spoke with her as well," Nala answers. "She asked for Inala initially, so that is how I appeared to her. I think she was a bit disappointed though that I could not smite anybody."

"Who did she want to smite and what did you tell her?" Alptraum asks.

"Oh, she wanted to smite a LOT of people," Nala says, chuckling. "In the end I simply told her that she should turn to Rephath for vengeance. Mave does know some interesting magic, however, which you might find useful, and I can boost it significantly."

"Oh, like what? I'm not quite sure what her abilities are," Alptraum says.

"And she didn't ask to make me her servant or anything, did she?" the Eeee then asks

Nala shakes her head, and says, "She didn't mention you at all, actually, or the others."

Alptraum huhs. "Well, I suppose that's good," he admits with a sigh.

"You were expecting to be her love slave?" Nala asks, eyebrows quirked upwards.

"Good grief, no. She made a comment before touching the flame that death would serve beauty. Anyway, so, what are her powers?" Alptraum asks.

"The Yodhinala specialize in the manipulation and enhancement of emotions," Nala explains. "To elicit joy, sorrow, anger, defeat or any other feeling."

"Ah. That could be helpful in subduing Dack's minions," Alptraum says and rubs his chin thoughtfully. "But, convincing her to use them may be tricky"

"Well, you've dealt with dragons, so surely you've picked up some tips on how to manipulate people," Nala points out.

"Well, with Mave it would be the matter of finding something she wants and agreeing to give it to her," Alptraum notes.

Alptraum hehs. "Or I could say I won't smite her for pulling the trick she did if she helps us," he comments.

"It is up to you how to proceed," Nala declares, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Well, I would probably ask her first what she wants, and if it's unreasonable, take a hard-line approach. I'm a rather wimpy death deity," Alptraum admits.

"Death doesn't need to work hard, only be patient," Nala points out. "Try dealing with childbirth sometime. Death is easy."

"Don't have to worry about childbirth. I'm male," Alptraum says and grins, "So, hah!"

Nala just grins. "Oh… you'll find out, eventually."

"What do you mean by that?" Alptraum asks and peers at Nala.

"No hidden meaning," the almost-goddess says. "Have patience, is all. Nobody seems to have patience anymore."

"Well, I'm not even sure I can sire children," Alptraum points out, then shrugs. He then rubs his chin and thinks for a bit. "Any advice on jus sealing away the shadow? Is there a way to contain it from leaking into the land?"

"It is bound to the sarcophagus," Nala explains. "Move that, and the Shadow moves with it. Take it to a land you don't like."

"Heh. I'd love to drop it on Gallis, then," Alptraum says and grins rather evilly for a moment.

"Or maybe what Arkold suggested, dump it into a gate," the Eeee adds.

"The Cascades of Fire is a favorite place for disposing of powerful artifacts," Nala offers. "So long as you don't try to dump me there."

"Why would we try to dump you there?" Alptraum inquires. "You're pleasant, cute, and you've been nice to us."

"Well… flattery will get you… my appreciation," Nala notes, smiling. "I can't really offer much more. My power is not mine to control, so do not expect miracles."

"So, what happens now? You fully relink me to the spirit in the shadow life?" Alptraum asks.

"Oh, you're still linked, just… stretched," Nala says. "Just tug on the cord and you'll be reeled back together."

"That's going to feel funky, isn't it?" Alptraum asks.

Eyes wide, Nala says, "I imagine so!"

Alptraum says, "For my own curiosity … do I ever appear that way to others?" Alptraum asks next and glances backwards."

"I wouldn't know," Nala replies. "Maybe to spirits, or to those looking at you from the spirit realm, but I doubt living or undead people would see you as that."

"It's somewhat creepy and interesting at the same time," Alptraum admits, then extends his legs back down so he's standing again. The Eeee then leans over and kisses Nala's nosetip. "Thank you for your help, and for just talking to me," he says.

The goddess rubs her nose, and says, "Any time. I don't get visitors very often."

"Ah, then I can visit later? Is there any way to get here other than the light?" Alptraum asks next.

"I'm sure there's a spell, maybe Dunklestein can teach it to Mave?" Nala suggests.

"Or, he might be able to teach it to the spirit-spell in the dagger if nothing else," Alptraum says then nods. He takes a grip on the cord going into him. "Well, time for me to go, I guess."

"Good luck," Nala wishes.

"Thanks," Alptraum says and bows his head respectfully to Nala. And then with a twitch of an ear for the grossness of it, he gives a firm tug on the umbilical cord.

The world melts and spins for Alptraum. 'Funky' doesn't begin to describe it…