In The Air Tonight

[Igraine]

Amara wrapped her hand around Cambria's and lead the way into the deepest part of the woods. Once there she turned to look at him and smiled, she dropped the violet eyed disguise and assumed her own with her mouth full of razor sharp teeth included. She turned and made a few gestures in the air, brushing her fingertips over one of the thicker oak trunks in the area. She said one long low word that seemed to drag out long after her lips stopped moving. The oak cracked down the middle where her fingers had touched. The crack began to fold in on itself, caving as if there were some force behind it ripping it back, like a vacuum without wind.

Amara turned to Cambria and smiled without showing off her teeth and extended a hand to him. She was going to walk through with him. The gaping maw in the tree was an inky black, darker than anything in the surrounding forest, and Cambria wouldn't be sure exactly where it would go.

"Whatever happens do not let go of my hand. If you are pulled away from me I may not reach you in time to save your mind and body. There are things that will try to pull you away, just know that. It won't be easy -- it never is for someone new to the realm unless they are under King Pendaran's protection. He usually only saves that ability for visiting dignitaries and emissaries." Amara tried to explain the best she could.

Amara turned to the dark door and began to walk toward it. She had Cambria's hand in hers, but she would understand if he didn't want to go anymore. Most people balked at this door to infinite darkness.

He wouldn't even have to know about her torture if she didn't follow through with her end of the bargain. The Bocan had always been good at hiding pain after all.

[Sage]

Cambria attempted to tune out the world around him as they hurtled through the portal. His decision was immediate. There was no way he'd turn his back on her now. He gripped Amara's frame tight against his, covering the pair of them with his cloak as the dull roar of the vacuous darkness around them pulled at his skin.

Within seconds, they were in an area very similar to the one they had just left. The smells of typical creatures were absent, but there were distinct new ones lurking in the air. He pulled the narrow strip of cloth from behind his mask, and quickly hid the blood-soaked thing in a pouch at his hip. From what could be seen behind his mask, his eyes looked worse than before, completely blood red now, tiny pins of crimson piercing the immaculate emerald iris of the young aerokinetic.

" This place reminds me of Darkwood.. " Darkwood at times could be a terrifying place, but this particular forest generated little fear in him, only a strange solemn feeling that he was back on the right path.

" Lead the way. "

[Igraine]

Amara touched Cambria's face, smearing the blood away from his eyes. She smiled and kissed him quickly before hurrying toward the castle compound in the distance. It glowed like a beacon which meant that there were probably guests in attendance.

"I hope that we beat Queen Igraine and her retinue. That's a big deal to King Pendaran and we will be left to our own devices until he's ready to see us. Or we can go join in the fun -- but we would need to change. One doesn't meet foreign dignitaries in what we're wearing at least." Amara almost didn't want to go because she knew that Lydia would be there, dancing attendance on the King despite being pregnant.

Amara was moving quickly, holding Cambria's hand. The realm seemed to give her added boost to whatever powers she naturally held. Trees would be moving past at a clipped pace, Amara dodging them with ease of practice. Cambria would be sheltered by her body during this quick move through the woods. They actually reached the castle quickly considering how distant it had seemed. Amara could sit and talk about the physics of this world but it might take a while and she didn't really want to have to explain dimensions.

"Just keep close. There are going to be a lot of us in attendance tonight if Igraine is in residence. It's not every day the high and mighty visit their lowly cousins, as it were. I don't want any of my less savory bretheren trying to eat you, though you look like one of us with your bloody eyes." There was a questioning look in her own eyes but Amara didn't ask, he hadn't offered so she wasn't going to push. She hurried inside, following the tide of people moving around in the compound.

"We're looking for King Pendaran." Amara said to one of the guards, who rumbled and pointed. They were always aware of where he was at any given time -- it helped with his protection. "Thanks." She hurried in that direction, weaving around and through people. Amara came to a stop in front of Pendaran's study and she hesitated for a second before tapping on the door with her knuckles.

"Lets hope we caught him before the 'party', otherwise we'll be waiting a while."

[Sage]

Cambria delighted in the quick approach on the castle. He was highly mobile, and though his reflexes did not seem to be on par with hers, he was able to keep up with her and do mostly as she did as they darted through the trees. He preferred to move on the wind, but his powers were mostly drained at this point, and they would likely remain drained as he could not remember when last he had eaten anything besides Amara.

" I'm not much for formal attire, but more importantly, will I have to surrender my weapons? " He stared at his forearms. They served an important purpose, besides the obvious. He didn't want just anyone to see his scarring, and without the mounts for his weapons, his silvery wounds would be plainly visible short of covering them with sleeves.

He kept quiet as they approached the castle, though he listened intently to Amara and translated what information he could from her explanations. He was not aware what powers creatures in this world might possess, but he knew of reported cases dealing with Torynian lake devils where the creatures were known to be able to decipher the quavering humanity in one's speech, and so he did not risk speaking aloud.

Briefly, the assassin thought of removing his mask, thinking it might be rude not to in the presence of whatever royalty it was she referenced. But the guards whom she addressed did not seem to regard it, one way or another, and so he kept it on for the moment, as it highlighted his unnatural presence enough that he made a passable monster. It wasn't long before they were before an impressive-looking door that made him feel anxious. He felt as though he were at a crossroads again, even more than going with Aeri, or delving into the inky black portal Amara had created.

"...yes, let's hope."