Back in base camp, there is no need for any lantern or torch for the most part, since the "veins" are glowing again. There is much buzz among the Rhians (and much clicking among the few Vykarins) about what has been discovered – and, really, they don't have a clue.

Fenter snores loudly, sounding almost like one of the Vykarins.

The Magenta Lancer, Thorn, paces back and forth like a caged animal. An armored caged animal, that is. She keeps "guard" over Fenter, watching for any sign that he might wake up from his slumber and explain a few things…

Bassai waits as well. The recent discoveries will require a considerable adjustment in plans, but he needs to know more before he can start making them. He watches the Rath'ani for signs of life.

Fenter rolls over and grabs the lancer's leg, he mumbles something about a 'teddy' and then goes back to snoring.

"I think that's close enough to waking up. Lancer will you give him a light shake," Bassai hisses.

The Rath'ani drools on the lancer's foot. *Snoooooore!*

The Lancer gladly obliges with a well-placed kick to the Rath'ani's posterior.

"Aiee! Uncle Agnes! It's got me again!" Fenter squeals and falls over sideways, he blinks and looks around.

The Lancer calmly wipes her boot off on Fenter.

"Fenter," the archaeologist hisses, "I'm glad to see you're back with us. Could you explain jusst what got you earlier, and where you went?"

Fenter makes a half hearted swat at the boot and then scoots sideways. "Er… I think I went to where all my dead relatives go. Some hot and stuffy place, then a nice place with some things to nibble on."

The Lancer, for some reason, seems to be very intent on staring at Fenter right now, walking around so she's in front of him.

"I hardly think you were swallowed by the Great Serpent." Bassai says, shifting his coils, "Especially as you are still with us. I'd like you to explain further about the food."

Fenter scoots back a little. "Er… you're not going to skewer me, are you ma'am? I bleed very easily you know. I'd make a mess of the campsite."

The Lancer shrugs, and turns away, walking off a few paces. She looks back over her shoulder once, though, before heading on back toward where Ibis is diligently studying and reworking his notes and sketches. (Ibis seems to have quite a LOT of paperwork he's tending to now, far more than his usual load.)

The raccoon itches at his neck, "Oh, There were some berries there, and some flowers, and a patch of clover. The berries were the only thing that tasted any good… but they made my fur itch for some reason."

Bassai gives the Khatta a long glance, before looking back to Fenter. He flicks out his tongue in surprise, the Rath'ani's eyes have changed color. "They seem to have had other effects as well. What was that all about with her?"

Fenter says, "Other effects? What, am I a handsome prince now? I hear that's what happened when you go to sleep and wake up after eating something magical."

"No… " The Naga hisses, "You still appear the same, except your eyes are different now, a brilliant purple. I hope you appreciate that color."

"Whaaaaaat?" Fenter says. He jumps up and rushes over to the lancer and tries to see the reflection of his face in her armor.

The Lancer stops, perhaps taken aback by the raccoon's strange action. In the reflection on her armor, the raccoon can see that his eyes are not really purple at all. Rather, they're deep blue.

Fenter rubrubs his sleeve on the armor to polish it up. "Now this is strange. I wonder if I can shoot lightning bolts out of my eyes now."

The archaeologist slithers over to the Lancer and Rath'ani, "It would seem that they keep changing. Perhapss you should tell me more about what you ate and saw there."

The Lancer bats at the Rath'ani, pushing him away.

Fenter stumbles back and then scratches at his neck again. "Well, let's see now. I saw the berries, the clover, the flowers, the stream, the flag, the bugs, and my Uncle Agnes."

"Fenter, let me look… " The Naga leans closer, staring at the raccoon's face. "Yes. They're green now, but deeper than I recall them being before."

Bassai says, "The flag"

"I think it was my Uncle Agnes at least." the raccoon ponders as the Naga peers into his eyes. "I don't remember if he had tentacles or not."

"Did your Uncle have anything interesting to say to you?" the ringneck asks.

Fenter nods. "He asked me to respond. So I said hello and waved, and he vanished (which I thought was quite rude and told him so), and then he came back again and said he was coming for me, and I asked him to bring food. He said he would.

The raccoon looks around. "Is the insane fellow around anywhere? I think he was painting pictures of him. It looked a bit like one of his pictures."

Bassai nods, crossing his arms. "So… aside from the tentacles, he looked like your Uncle Agnes? Yes, Kame should be around someplace. Tekki… Oh."

Tekki looks up from a place near Ibis, at the mention of his name.

"Well I have to assume it was him. I mean, I called out for him and the eyeball chap with the tentacles showed up." Fenter says absently.

"Your eyes are now a brilliant gold, Fenter. Tekki, locate Kame and bring him here. Make sure he brings his art supplies as well." The Naga looks back to Fenter. "Like the painting he made for me at the asylum?"

Tekki nods, and dashes off.

"I don't believe I ever saw the painting, sir." Fenter says, looking around for a mirror. "I was too busy being sat upon by a wolf at the time if I recall."

Bassai puts his snout close to the raccoon's, his own slit eyes staring at Fenter's as he watches for the precise moment they change color again. "Are you sure you are feeling alright? Did your Uncle appear as an elipssoid eye, with flailing tentacles surrounding it?"

"Did you feel anything just now?" The snake asks, "Your eyes are now orange."

Fenter jerks his head back a little. "I feel fine, sir. And yes, except that the tentacles weren't exactly 'flailing'… he was talking with them."

Bassai says, "The Silent Tongue?"

Fenter shakes his head. "No, it was more like this… " He begins wildly flopping his arms about.

The Lancer hisses, drawing back, and whipping out her blades in the same movement, adopting a defensive pose.

"So how were you to make sense of that?" the Naga asks, then looks suspiciously at Thorn.

"YIPE!" Fenter squeals and ducks behind Bassai.

Bassai stands there impassively and looks at the Lancer, "Perhapss you would like to add what you discovered, so I can have some idea of what is going on. What did you see on the errand I sent you on?"

The Lancer sheathes her swords again, and just looks at Bassai.

Fenter coughs. "Anyways, sir. It wasn't hard to make sense out of. I'm an idiot and I could make sense out of it afterall."

The raccoon flops his arms around a bit more just for good measure.

Tekki comes back, dragging along Kame. Kame smiles to Bassai, then looks at Fenter…

The Naga stares back till it seems pointless to continue, then turns to look at the Rath'ani behind him. "I see. Could you quote me exactly what he said, as you understood it? Your eyes have changed again, they are a rather alarming shade of red."

Kame's ears flatten back! He hisses loudly, his tail puffing out! He drops his tools, and dashes away!

Tekki gives Bassai an apologetic look … then chases after Kame.

Fenter says, "Now that's strange… they usually don't run away until after they talk to me."

Bassai hisses in frustration, watching the artist flee. "This is becoming tedious." He turns, and stares at Fenter.

"Were you able to understand him before you ate the berries?" the Naga asks.

Tekki comes back, panting, half-dragging Kame back with him. Kame sulks, one eye turning black. Is that just the imagination … or did Tekki's ears just wiggle briefly?

Fenter sits down and twiddles his thumbs. "Well, I went to sleep in the patch of clover after eating a couple more of the bugs. Then I saw Agnes who said a few garbled things along with 'please respond' – so I shook a tentacle and said hello. It vanished and I told it that it was very rude to run off when someone is being polite, and it returned and said 'acknowledged, we will come for you' or something like that. And I told it to bring food."

"I'm sure I would have been able to understand them if I hadn't taken a snack, sir. It's easy to translate things." Fenter remarks.

"I see, interesting… so you understood them better after eating the berries?" The Naga flicks out his tongue. "Good job Tekki, by the way. Now, Kame, why did you run?"

Kame's ears flatten back again as he looks in Fenter's direction. He hides behind Tekki.

Fenter smiles and waves to Kame. "Hello mister insane fellow."

A hand pokes up over Tekki's back, waving back at Fenter.

"Nosir," Fenter says to Bassai. "I didn't see him until after I'd eaten them and fell asleep in the clover."

"Were you told anything else besides 'we will come for you'? Do you have any idea who 'we' were?" Bassai asks, sliding to Tekki, then around him to look at Kame.

Fenter just shakes his head. "They said they'd bring lots of food, but that was about it."

The raccoon shouts to Kame, "Hey… did you get to meet Uncle Agnes too?"

Bassai nods his head, "That at least is promising. Now, Kame. What has gotten into you?"

Kame peeks over Tekki's shoulder and signs, "Reports of my sanity are greatly exaggerated."

The ringneck signs, "A brief lucid moment would be highly appreciated, if you could manage it."

"I didn't know that there was such a thing as exaggerated sanity," Fenter remarks as he picks at his teeth.

Kame signs back, "I can pretend. What do you need?" He shuffles to keep Tekki between himself and Fenter, but Tekki seems intent upon depriving Kame of his shelter. The shuffling contest increases in speed until Tekki slides up next to Bassai.

Tekki signs to Bassai, "What a pity that he should slip and accidentally slip and strike his eye against my hand. Do you think he might slip again, master?"

"Blue, Fenter," the Naga hisses, briefly checking the raccoon's eye color before turning back to the artist. "I'd like to know what happened to you the first time you were here, what got in your mind, anything you might remember from when they were there, and why Fenter is bothering you."

Fenter frowns at Kame. "What… you act like you've never seen someone with glowing, color changing eyes before!"

The artist signs back, "The Rath'ani had eyes like a monster, and waves his arms around in a most frightening manner, sir."

Bassai pets Tekki's back with one hand, "He might, he might." One pat for each sign.

Tekki smirks mysteriously. His ears wiggle.

Fenter folds his arms and harumphs. "I was just showing Mister Bassai how Uncle Agnes talked."

"I see," Bassai signs to Kame with his visible hand, "Tell me then what you remember about your… experiences."

Kame blinks back at Bassai, then signs, "What experiences, sir?"

Bassai says, "When the eye was in your mind. I was told it was a message, do you have any messages left from it now?"

Kame signs, "I'm sorry, but I don't know what you mean, sir, about any messages."

"Did you touch anything in that chamber when you were painting it?" the Naga asks.

Kame shakes his head, signing, "Not a thing, sir! Not until AFTER I went stark raving mad. But I don't remember details about that."

Fenter scratches his head. "Do you remember painting me up with bug innards back in Darkside?"

Kame looks to Fenter, then signs, "Bug innards?" His tail twitches. He looks back to Bassai. "Will that be all, sir? Perhaps you would like me to paint a picture of something?"

"Oh foo… his brain has emptied out," Fenter grumps.

"So it would seem. Did you know you have been unusably insane for a few years at least Kame? In any case, no matter, and I do wissh you to paint something." The Naga flicks out his tongue, "Could you capture the vista we saw when walls opened up?"

Kame scratches his head. He signs back, "It would be easier with a visual reference, sir. The walls seem to have closed up again."

Fenter itches at his cheek. "I bet that the value of his paintings are going to go down now that he's not screaming mad anymore. What a shame."

Kame looks to Bassai, then to Fenter. He signs to Fenter, "Perhaps you could give me lessons on how to act?"

"Here now! I'm not howling insane… my mum always told me I was just eccentric." Fenter grumps.

Kame nods. "Eccentric will suffice."

"This is just a brief lucid moment, I'm sure he will regress after he has done a few pieces for me," the Naga hisses. "In any event Kame, I wish to see what Fenter has, and as I do not understand the controls properly, you may get a visual reference when I try to summon the platform."

Fenter says, "Ummm… I think I'll stay out here if you decide to play with the controls again. I'd rather not end up in that stuffy place or plastered into a wall or anything like that."

Bassai says, "Could you describe the dimensions of the place you were in, any other features that might be significant?"

The raccoon rubs his nose. "It was… really really big."

"Large enough for our entire base camp?" the archaeologist hisses, lookingaround.

"Large enough to fit the Tower of Babel," the Rath'ani replies.

Fenter says, "Admittedly though… it was also rather hot out there. I spit over the edge of the disk while I was flying through and it evaporated before it ever hit anything."

"I ssee." Bassai flicks out his tongue pensively. "Did the platform take you through any other columns? Did you see any of the crystal boxes we found earlier? As for the heat, after this abominable cold, that sounds rather attractive."

Fenter looks around. "I'm not cold."

"You have an insulating layer of hair, I do not," the Naga hisses.

"It was rather hot though," Fenter says. "Er… do Nagas have a habit of sleeping on magma?"

"No, we do not. Do you have any further details Fenter?" the archaeologisthisses.

Fenter says, "Not that I can think of, sir."

Kame picks up his art supplies from the floor.

Bassai nods and turns to the other slave, "Ibis, as soon as you are done with that, start organizing the camp for departure. Don't disassemble anything yet, but get some things packed away. We may be relocating. Fenter, Tekki, Kame. Come with me." The Naga starts slithering towards the Arc Chamber.

The raccoon brushes himself off. "Are we going home, sir?" he asks hopefully.

The cheetahs follow the Naga. One of the wooden torch-stands, no longer holding a lit torch, falls over just now. Kame jumps at the noise, his tail puffing out again. He tries to smooth it out, then just gives up and walks along.

The veins in the walls glow very brightly, brighter than before.

Fenter rushes over behind Kame and grabs his arm, his own tail bristles out.

"Hurry, something seems to be occurring." Bassai slithers a little more quickly towards the chamber, watching the walls, and listening.

Kame jumps again! Tekki gives Kame a disdainful look … until a rumbling noise becomes quite audible, reverberating through the whole of the complex, it seems.

"IT'S GONNA EAT US!!!" Fenter wails.

"Nonsense." The Naga hisses, "The worst possibility is the sky island crashes on us. We might also be drowned in magma or green goo. Being eaten I believe, is not a concern."

There's a sound like several pipes being blown at once … and a glowing disc speeds by, zipping down a side-corridor. Meanwhile, a bright light can be seen from the direction of the Arc Chamber. A hot wind blows down the corridor.

"I neglected to mention being electrically fried… " Bassai looks at where the disc vanished, in case it is returning. He still moves towards the chamber however.

*THUMPTHUMP THUMPTHUMP THUMPTHUMP* The glowing of the veins settles into a steady pulse, a sensation that can be FELT as easily as heard.

Fenter flings tighter to Kame's arm. "It's gonna cook us THEN eat us!"

The group reaches the chamber without being clipped by any of the zipping, glowing discs. Only a few of them have railings. The others have strange mineral-like growths on their surfaces … but they don't stay around long enough to be examined in detail.

Fenter points to the exit. "I think we should go the other way, sir. I REALLY think we should go the other way… REALLY."

The Lancer, Thorn, dashes into the chamber, followed closely by the cook. "Ssssirsss?" he hisses. "What isss happening?"

Bassai looks first at the wall, to see if there are any changes, and slithers over to the orb. "I don't know, I'm trying to open it to see."

The arc chamber is opening up again, into a balcony, just as before. Perhaps Kame will get his visual reference after all.

Bassai draws his hand back without having touched the crystal, "It seems we will see."

"I'm going to stand over by the exit… I'm sure the view is much better from there. would you care to join me?" Fenter signs to Kame.

Outside, the magma channels are churning, some of them draining away, leaving glassy black beds of obsidian in their wake. The "tubes" that once conveyed the magma up to the underside of the island are slowly sinking into the rocky floor of the chamber, and the "upside-down mountain" suspended from the ceiling looks shiny but solid … exactly like the underside of Rephidim, really, except for the lack of artificial constructions or kyootcumber clusters.

Kame nods to Fenter, his ears flattened back. He pants heavily at the increased heat.

The Naga watches the island, and the withdrawing tubes. He also searches about for the crystal discs, seeing if they are all leaving the island, going to it, or behaving in some other manner.

Fenter half walks – half stumbles towards the exit. He peels his shirt off and ties it around his waist.

Bassai sheds some of his protective clothing as the heat becomes too much even for him.

All of the above apply. Crystal discs zip about in the room, some disappearing into fissures in the "mountain", some zipping out, some moving about all other parts of the vast chamber. Also, it can be seen that the other "balconies" ringing this vast chamber – or, that is, those that can be seen through the smoke and haze – are open as well. The crystal columns pulsate brightly.

The Lancer wobbles, then collapses to the floor.

"Her armour! Help her out of it," the Naga orders.

Fenter runs over to the lancer and tries to drag her away. "Mister Bassai. I REALLY think we should go now!"

The Lancer starts at the Naga's command, and violently bats away Tekki as he tries to act on the order. She scoots along with Fenter, however.

There is a crackling noise, as the orb affixed to the "arc chamber's" raised ceiling begins to flare with bright energies.

Fenter mumbles something to the lancer as he drags her towards the exit.

Bassai watches to see if any more discs enter this room, and checks the floor of the cavern below, he starts slipping towards the exit as well, but still wants to see. "Tekki, Kame, start moving up."

The Savanites need little encouragement. They quickly vacate the chamber. So does the cook.

The Lancer looks to Fenter, then just staggers to her feet and force-marches herself out of the room, back to the corridor.

Bassai moves the entrance, keeping a careful watch on the crystal in the ceiling, and the view out of the balcony.

Fenter quickly follows behind the lancer.

Flames leap about the floor of the chamber, even though the magma has receded. The heat is unbearable, even by Naga standards.

The cook slithers at full speed out of the chamber as well. It would seem only Bassai is left to enjoy the view.

The archaeologist slithers up the passageway trying to find a tolerable level of heat, till he has caught up with the others.

A tolerable level of heat seems to be well down the corridor … and nobody has found it yet. Back in the chamber, loud noises can be heard … suggesting explosions and other violent actions. Perhaps it is a very good thing that the Naga left the balcony when he did.

By the time the party reaches camp … it appears to be making a hasty retreat out into the frigid lands above.

Rhians whinny and haul what they can to the entrance. Some just drop everything and bolt on out into the snow.

"Aieeeeeeeeeee!!!" comes a familiar Rath'ani voice echoing through the tunnels as the owner of the voice runs as fact as his little legs can take him.

Bassai grabs the important records that he can, and carries them along as he exits the site.

Outside the site, the black obelisk still points upward … but blue sparks play across its surface, and the snow for several meters around it is melting into slush. It's still cold outside … but not near the freezing temperatures that would normally characterize it.

The Naga looks to the north, sliding onto the slush.

Bolts of blue energy shoot out from the obelisk, northward, and also at other angles toward the northeast and northwest and several angles in between. Responding bolts come to the obelisk, and the overall effect is as if the edge of a cobweb of energy can be seen … for a few seconds. It quickly dissipates.

Fenter wrestles his shirt back on as the cold begins to hit him again.

Outside, there are many more Vykarins than were with the party before. It would seem that the equivalent of several roaming tribes have shown up to watch the display … and they are all making quite a bit of noise, competing with that of the rumbling that echoes from the north.

The raccoon runs towards the Vykarins, waving his arms and making a bunch of pop/click noises.

"What are they saying Fenter?" Bassai shouts, waving for Tekki to find him something warm, as he slithers closer to where he saw that flickering cobweb of energy.

An elder-looking Vykarin with white fur looks at the raccoon, and begins clicking and popping back to him.

Fenter slows his run. "They're singing, and er… telling us to behold the sacred mountain?"

Thorn throws herself into what remains of the snow. She slides her arms and legs back and forth.

Bassai beholds, watching where the Vykarins are singing at. "I see." He also observes the ground near the base of the monolith.

Fenter walks over to the Elder Vykarin and sits down, looking in the direction he's pointing.

There are also several large, shaggy beasts that seem to have accompanied some of the Vykarins – the same sorts of beasts of burden (whatever they're called) that were used earlier to pull the sleds to the camp site. They are bellowing loudly, joining in on the ruckus.

Fenter aroooooooooooos! along with the other Vykarins.

A couple of Rhians look to each other, shrug, and then sit down in the slush, and begin braying as loudly as they can.

The Naga flicks out his tongue, then takes out a notepad, and starts recording what he observes.

The older-looking Vykarin starts click-popping to Fenter.

"What's he saying, Fenter?" Bassai asks.

Fenter acks and makes some hasty pop/click/barking noises to the Vykarin, then turns to Bassai. "He says they sent some people IN that mess! … to battle monsters or somesuch… "

One of the great shaggy beasts lumbers forward, urged on by a number of Vykarins. On its massive back is a rickety-looking palanquin (made of some sort of cord and large pieces of chitin and bone), from which several Vykarins can be seen hanging on for dear life as their "vehicle" sways back and forth with each movement of the beast.

"What sort of monsters?" The archaeologist slithers forward. "Where is that going?"

The elder Vykarin bark-click-pops back to the raccoon.

The Naga looks around for Ibis, and waving for him and Tekki to come over.

The Vykarins continue to goad the big hairy beast on. One bites its thick tail … and this prompts an immediate reaction. It stampedes northward, bits of the flimsy carriage flying off, and the Vykarins "on board" howl and bark in dismay, their limbs flailing about.

Fenter looks from the plank back to the Vykarins. He makes a few frantic growl- click-pops to the people around him, then says in standard to Bassai. "There are no monsters, sir. They're going down to their deaths I think."

The elder Vykarin frowns at Fenter, then resumes howling and barking.

"Why do you say that Fenter? I thought you said there was a habitable warm space. Thorn certainly seems to have found one that you could grow a flower in," the archaeologist asks.

The big hairy beast bounds along. One of the Vykarins flies off, landing in a snow drift (There's still some of that about) though the others somehow manage to hang on. It quickly shrinks in the distance as it gallops toward the "Sacred Mountain".

"But you have to wade through LAVA to get to it!" Fenter wails. "And do you think that these creatures are going to survive going in the way that we left?" He sits down and begins HOOOOOOOOOWWWLing again.

Bassai looks around again for Ibis or Kame, and to see if any of their sleds, especially a heated one, is set up for travel.

The sleds, it would seem, are demonstrably set up for travel, as they've been hastily removed from base camp. Ibis and Kame are nearby. Kame is "howling" along with the Vykarins. He's not making a sound, but he's doing a decent enough job at pantomime.

Some more Vykarin warriors are clambering up the side of another one of the big shaggy beasties. The Lancer, Thorn, has walked up, and seems to be trying to communicating something to them, mostly by making wide hand-waves that don't look like Silent Sign.

"Fenter, we can just sit here and watch, or we can try to find out more. Thorn managed to get overland somehow. I for one, would like to find out more." He turns and slithers towards Ibis, "Get one of the sleds ready, I'm going to leave you in charge. Where's Tekki?"

The earth begins to rumble. A fissure is forming in the earth, breaking through the packed tundra … a fissure just north of the black obelisk. Jets of steam shoot up through cracks.

Fenter looks at Bassai, then starts to bound over towards Thorn. "Hello! I hope you're warning them that they're going to burn themselves into little crispy bits. Do you want me to tell them they're about to be charbroiled for you?"

Thorn doesn't respond to Fenter, but instead just grabs hold of some of the shaggy, matted strands of the beast … and is climbing up the side of the creature as if she were climbing a rope. Given the texture of the hair, the comparison is apt.

"Hey! Where are you going? The flag can't be *THAT* important, can it?" Fenter tries to climb up after Thorn.

The beast bellows in fear … and starts to shuffle about. The Vykarins on the ground herd it, running about it, until it flees northward … leaping across the widening cracks. Well, it's not much of a leap, considering how large the beast is, but it jostles around the Vykarins, the Lancer and the Rath'ani a bit.

Bassai looks for some beast or vehicle to climb aboard, and Tekki. He slithers towards Fenter and Thorn.

Tekki keeps to Bassai's side, looking about in alarm at all the chaos.

Fenter begins to wonder if he just made the mistake of his life (or his death) or not. He continues to cling to the matted fur of the riding animal.

As for choices of transportation, it would seem that Bassai could either try slithering, grabbing the nearest shaggy beast, convincing a Vykarin to let him hitch a ride, or else get someone to haul a sled.

The archaeologist tries to catch hold of the beast's fur that Thorn and Fenter are on, and climb it as they have. "Up, Tekki."

Tekki waits until the beast bounds about more closely again, and then grabs hold. The Vykarins hound the beast, herding it northward again. This time, it seems like it's not about to make another southward jog.

The beast, now carrying several whooping Vykarins, one armored Lancer, one panicked cheetah, one Naga, and one Rath'ani, charges northward.

Bassai hauls himself up higher, trying to find something more secure and holds tightly. As it bounds away he shouts, "IBIS, YOU'RE IN CHARGE. PACK UP, SEND AN AIRSHIP."

The rumbling stops. The Vykarins that remained outside the "web" appear to be retreating for some reason. Bassai's camp seems to be doing the same. Ibis waves at Bassai, then tries to round up the panicked Savanites and Rhians.

Bassai checks to make sure Kame is someplace safe, on either side of the web, and not standing over it or something.

"I'm too pathetic to die!" Fenter screams, clinging tenaciously to the beasts's coat.

The reason for panic becomes evident. The ground within the "web" is rising. The rumbling stops, but the ground continues to rise. Kame is nowhere to be seen, and at the pace the beast is moving (not to mention how the ground is rising), it's no longer possible to really see the "camp" clearly.

Tekki looks at the scene, then to Bassai with an "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" expression on his face.

"As I susspected." The Naga nods to the Savanite, "It is the formation of a sky island. Hold tightly, Tekki."

Fenter tries to scrabble up towards the lancer. "Please don't kill us, pleasepleaseplease!"

Tekki nods, gulping, and winds his wrists into the rope-like "hair" of the beast.

Bassai does the same, wrapping them about his wrists and arms as he pulls his coils up, and lets them lie across the beast's back.

The beast begins to slow, as it approaches the "sacred mountain", which juts up from an otherwise nearly level ground. Well, actually, it's not LEVEL, as it gradually rises toward the mountain, but it is fairly uniform in slope.

"Does anyone see the other Vykarins?" the ringneck asks, scanning the slope ahead.

Ahead can be seen other shaggy beasts … and brightly colored shells of the hoofed warriors, at various elevations on the slopes of the central mountain.

A red-shelled Vykarin gallops by, barking loudly.

"Fenter?" Bassai hisses, hanging on tightly and bouncing with the beast's motion.

Fenter continues trying to make his way up the beast's back. "Here sir!" he shouts down to Bassai.

The beast plods more and more slowly, despite the attempts of the Vykarins on its back to goad it into hazardous galloping again. At last, it stops, and drops to its haunches. This results in a hasty disembarking by most of the passengers, amidst much barking and yelping.

The Naga slips awkwardly off the back of the beast as it drops, trying to twist out of its way so he is not sat on. He falls off onto the ground with an annoyed hiss.

Fenter slips as the beast stops, but manages to remain on. He looks to the Lancer to see what she does next.

The Lancer lets out a decidedly not-so-silent shriek as she tumbles off the back of the sitting beast … and lands in a pile of snow-turning-to-slush.

Bassai rises, and tightens what is left of his protective clothing. He looks at the Lancer, then lets her stand on her own.

Fenter tumbles off the back of the riding animal. "Um… should we keep running?"

The Lancer just sits there. Her face can't be seen, but her expression is probably quite annoyed.

"Do you need some assissstance, Thorn?" Bassai offers, as he glances towards the mountain. He holds out a hand.

The black obelisk can no longer be seen. Nor can any land beyond where the obelisk should be. Just sky … and clouds.

The Lancer looks up to Bassai, then struggles to her feet. She wrings out the edges of her cloak, which lets out a few trickles of cold water, but otherwise accomplishes little.

The ringneck, rather than stand there holding out his hand for no reason, uses it to help Tekki off the beast. "I think we probably should keep going Fenter. Do you think the ambient temperature is rising?" He flicks his tail through some of the slush.

Fenter rubs his chin, then tries to climb back on the back of the beast, hoping to look around from a higher vantage point.

The beast is pretty easy to climb, especially since there are no Vykarins in the way now. From the higher vantage point … unfortunately it's not THAT great of an increase in perspective, this far from what appears to be the rim of a new sky island.

Fenter slides off. "We're up in the air," he moans.

"Do you see any stragglers?" The Naga slithers around the beast, trying to see if there is an easy way to get it to move again.

The Vykarins seem to have given up on the beast, and are now galloping northward, toward the mountain, waving around chitinous weapons (some of which look like they've broken during the ride) and whooping loudly.

Fenter looks around. "I see a few, and some Rhians… and a sled I think."

A wall of cloud is rising to the south … and in every other direction not obscured by the mountain … much like the "wall" of cloud that often obscures Rephidim.

"A heated sled?" Bassai raises his head hopefully. "Ibis got one sent across?"

Fenter stands on his toes. "It's the kind nobody ever let me ride inside, sir. With the little box thingies."

"Good!" The Naga says happily, "I wanted thosse along. We might as well wait for them then."

Fenter says, "I really hope there's no lava. I really do."

Some time later, the Rhians lurch into view, bringing Bassai's heated sled with them. Their expressions seem evenly divided between abject fear and resentment as they pull it the rest of the way up. The shaggy beast, meanwhile, shows no intention of budging another inch. Some of the Vykarins appear to be coming BACK from the mountain, and begin making alarmed noises … perhaps they weren't expecting the mountain to take off and take them with it. Some of the Vykarins have begun hacking at the ground fiercely, throwing up chunks of thawing tundra.

Fenter barks something to the passing Vykarins.

The air doesn't seem all that cold, though, and seems to be gradually warming … but then stabilizing at a temperature comparable to that of Rephidim, just a tad bit on the chilly side. Streams are forming down the mountainside as some of the snow melts, though a "cap" is remaining at the cleft top.

The Vykarins growl-bark-click-pop back to Fenter.

"Thank you, excellent work. Very brave of you to come." Bassai congratulates the Rhians, then turns to the Rath'ani. "Fenter, try to explain to them what happened. Let them know we may be able to assisst them in the future, if they help us now."

Fenter folds his arms behind his back. "Mister Bassai, remember that monster thing I mentioned earlier. It seems these gents seem to think that the whole mountain is the monster."

A Vykarin growls fiercely, then takes a big chunk of dirt up with his teeth. He then has a surprised expression, and spits out the chunks. He whimpers.

"Hmmm… " The Naga hisses, flicking out his tongue. "What was that about?" he asks the Vykarin and Fenter.

The way the Vykarins are plowing the soil, if the temperature stabilizes, this patch of ground would make a LOVELY place to plant a garden, perhaps…

"He bit the monster," Fenter remarks.

The Vykarins have stopped pounding. They huddle in a circle, conferring amongst themselves. They break up … then start digging.

Bassai says, "I see. Well, we will have to look into this matter further. At leasst it is warming up. We should gather everyone who has made it across… "

Fenter says, "Um, mister Bassai… how deep would you say the mountain is? I think they're going to try tunneling down to find the 'monster'."

"… now what are they trying to do?" the Naga hisses, then the hiss turns into a long sigh. "Tell them to stop. It is very deep and the only thing they would find, if they dug deep enough, was rock."

There's a frightened-sounding high-pitched squeak from somewhere in the deepening pit (Those Vykarins are making good headway!) and the Vykarins start barking excitedly. There is a *CHOMP* noise, and the squeaking stops. One Vykarin looks very happy, while the rest look disappointed, and resume digging.

"What was that?" The Naga slithers closer to see. "Fenter, try to quell their superstitions. Tell them we will deal with the monster, I mean the mountain, for them."

Fenter's ears perk at the noise. He makes one quick questioning bark.

"And try not to look directly at them, your eyes will probably upset them as well." The archaeologist hisses as he peers into the pit.

One of the Vykarins happily nods to Fenter, his thick tail wagging, and then he resumes digging, while his neighbors grumble.

Fenter says, "Oh my eyes… right." He looks towards Bassai. "What color are they now?"

"Orange, Fenter, they're orange," the Naga hisses, looking at the stomping Vykarins in the pit, the unhappy Rhians, the Lancer, the rest, then finally at the mountain. He shakes his head slowly. "This is going to take some organizing… I only hope Ibis can cope with what was left behind."