A Mirror To The Past

[Jent]

Pax (Eight Moons)

“WERE, there WERE four,” Alex clarified. “The gateways on the moon were designed to destroyed after all four portals activated in sync, lessening any strain in the dimensional layers between them. While the final one resides on planet not unlike yours. It as well thoroughly guarded.“

This conversation started leading astray. All the time wasted explaining these details to the man-eater burrowed through her grit; Alex only sought out to cease her meticulous torment, not magnify it. Her eyes lit up at poisonous spear writhing on the Manticore. Like she had to pierced by that again.

~Miss Valens, please do not squander your hour of safety so lightly. We prefer that such a prodigious alchemist carry on with the plan, posthaste.~

Throbbing. The numbing pulses within her right arm popped out the vermilion veins. Concerned, a deft grab attempted to conceal the troublesome signs, agitated by the lack of fore warning. "Both worlds seem the same to me." Alex interjected.

"At least the darkness I've in the other Pax hasn't manifested itself, compared to this world."

---------

Pax (Dual Planets)

"Ah, good, a scientist....sort of. Well you'll at least be useful as a guide. Now, Permafrost, if you will take the lead, let's see what this portal stuff is all about."

Grateful for the god's minor compliment, her composure finally restored itself. The agenda of a weird portal intrigued her. Could this be correlated to the yellow moon in the sky? ~Perhaps.~ Beckoning at a pumpkin spice bush, a silvery serpent rustled in the grass, coiling about a down reaching arm of Miyuso. She caressed the majestic snake hide as she tucked away the note-taking materials in a rucksack.

~WAIT!~

Inexplicably paranoid, Miyuso peered beside Permafrost. Wasn't there.... no, no. Shaking her head, she took in a deep breather. The grand aura of Au'Mauri must be getting at her head, he was the God of Insanity after all.

[Coolpikaaa]

"So where is this other portal? How do we get to it?" The Manticore asked, his attention somewhere else. He really didn't mind asking questions, as it satisfied both his, and his master's curiosity.

The man eating beast looked away from a massive tendril of darkness sticking up through the street to inspect the woman. He could feel her gaze tingling in his mane.

"What?"

[Swix]

Mirror Lake

New formed Mirror Swix watched the show as Graikos encased her serpentine body in earth and some sort of blinding rainbow light, but looked towards the indicated direction of the golem eagerly even so. The woman made from rock nearly tripped over her own legs, half running as she was, towards the unfamiliar settlement. She raised an arm in thanks towards the golem, whether he noticed it or not.

<hr />

Encampment

Permafrost nodded, then dipped his head towards Au'Marui before looking towards both him and Miyuzo. "It will be much quicker if we fly back. Forest is not an environment I get along with well on the ground" the white and blue Dragon lowered himself then a wing to the ground, so. Miyuzo could chamber on to his back-and Au'Marui if that's what he wanted to do. Of course he figured a God could probably appear on his back whilst he was in flight , or grow his own wings, or just show up when they landed, but he offered it anyway. It would be rude not to.

((For the purpose of speeding things up a little, I'm gonna RP Permafrost taking off towards the portal ))

Once the Ice Dragon was certain they were ready, the mythological beast took off into the sky, back the way he had come.

[Jent]

Pax (Eight Moons)

“The other portal is located on Kata, the frozen world of the twin-planet Pax. It's corresponding entrance resides on one of the islands on your planets. The best way to get to reach it would be-&#33;”

Wedged in a lapse of time, the woman's mind wandered about at the unnerving scene. Darkness, that foul stench lapped at air, twirling itself about in the streets. Could it be sensing the two of them? Impossible, its mannerisms were too erratic to indicate such intelligence. Yet, sprouting from the earth genuinely concerned her.

Alex laid a palm on the cracked floor, reading the vibrations underground. ~These roots... they reaching deeper than I can detect. If it leads up from the moons core...~ Snapping back, she widens her mouth to shout. Of course, she became silenced by brackish vapor billowing forth from her lungs. She gagged on the harsh smog, glaring at the reflection looking back: herself.

A minuted passed, her doppelganger scowled before departing. Legs whisked behind while her upper body raced towards the portal. “She-*cough*-will alert Graikos and-*cough*- the others. They-*cough*-will send a flare from their portal.”

Purging the remaining particles, she remarked. “Best to find a way off this rock, fast. Does your 'secret friend' know a means of transport?”

---------

Pax (Dual Planets)

Encampment
Completely freaked out, Miyuso simply nodded at Permafrost, eyes widened in case another glimpse appeared. She was oblivious if the lord decided to ride alongside. Her fears only escalating whilst on the back of the otherworldly creature.

Forest
Swix, still compensating to her new vessel, would find a few oddities. Namely, the incapacity of taste, smell, and a peculiarity perception of the homely earth. Each step invigorated her body. Bounds of speed unnatural for humans, the wind itself seem to make way for her journey. The abundance of delight drenched every pore.

However, a jubilant wolf also pranced alongside her. Loving brown eyes snapped for a glance, its eagerness outpouring by each kick. The canine implied intent of following to the site, perhaps to visit an old friend.

Mirror Lake
Receiving the ghostly figure from the waters, the golden eyes leered at the messenger, determined to understand the meaning. ~So, you're one of the spirits that came along, and not Theresa death-self?~

~Correct.~ Answered the spirit.

~Assuming that you were sent by rushed choice, suggests the problem in the other Pax is far worse than anticipated?~ Hearing it again, Graikos pondered. ~Then we mush alert the Kata immediately. These shadows cannot be allowed to -AINO&#33;~

Ascending, several hands clambered at the wispy tail danging above. Panicked, she glided off the surface, cowering next to part of Graikos. Gruesome sights of battered humans stumbled out towards the banks. Their clothes, composed of an assortment of multi-cultural garbs, shown murky smog clinging across the horrid canvas. The golem several pairs of arms hoisted the two nonhuman females into the air. Swix's main body levitating away the horde, Aino perched on top of the serpent's head.

"Why do I have to always be in the center of conflict?"

[Swix]

Pax, past the Mirror Lake

This body was so different, but it wasn't the first time she'd have to get used to a new one and it wouldn't be the last, because it sounded like she'd have to go back and deal with the 'curse' anyway. For now though, she revelled in the invigorating properties of earth at each step, even being joined by some sort of large wolf that seemed to enjoy nature just as much. She grinned at it, and decided to see just how fast she could go at that point.

<hr />

On the way out of The Encampment

Permafrost didn't take as long to get to the lake as he'd had to get away from it, since the Ice Dragon had made as straight and smooth a flight as possible with the human on his back The white and blue creature hovered above the whole mess, staring down in some surprise. "I know that snake... " he said softly, then much louder yelled down "What is going on? '

[TheDarkPsycho]

The Insanity god watched the dragon take flight. When he was sure no mortals were in earshot, he replied to the unseen being nearby

"Silly maybe, but an unstable portal in a world this unstable could spell trouble for all the realms. I should at least check it out."

At this point, DP starts to shift form. He elongates. His face broadens and sharpens to a snout, teeth sprouting from his maw. His arms don't grow much, but bulk up, and his hands transforms into tallons.

When he finishes, he is a Eastern style dragon, with black scales, a gold scrolling going down his body. He takes off after Permafrost, carefully observing whatever there is to be seen.

[Coolpikaaa]

"A ride? Uh... Yes. Sure. A ride to Kata." The Manticore seemed uneasy about the whole thing. "We can do that..."

He waited, knowing she was listening.

"You know... Doing weird stuff like that... People are going to think you strange." He advised Alex.

[Swix]

Mirror Ana, near Alex and the Manticore

The ground between the two heaved as the tendril that was already there elongated and grew thicker, much thicker than the pairs bodies combined.

This appendage, guided by the intelligence of the 'secret friend' rose above them, then moved as if it meant to deliberately squash them both beneath itself.

'Do not allow your oh so helpful plaything to panic' she spoke to the Manticore and him alone, through their interwoven being.

They would find that the tendrils muscle structure gave way when it touched them, becoming fluidic and not harming them... This time.

[Coolpikaaa]

~Do not allow your oh so helpful plaything to panic...~

"My God... It's coming right at us&#33;" The Manticore yelled as he was thrown off balance by the miniature earthquake the deeply embedded tendril caused.

The living shadow washed over the mythical beast, sending him spinning into the darkness. Here, he felt at home. It was as though he was soaring through the ooze, though held warmly, a part of something most primal.

Unfortunately, for someone without a soul as dark as his, the experience was likely most unpleasant.

Whump&#33;

Just like that, the Manticore was now buried over his head in snow. He took several great bounds to try and escape, but the horror was everywhere.

"Aagh&#33; What the hell&#33; Why are we even here?&#33;"

[Jent]

Pax (Eight Moons)

“Weird? Why thank you for the compliment.”

The mysterious quake interrupted her rare smile. Alex couldn't believe her eyes, the flailing tendril earlier billowed into a massive limb of darkness. Her timing fell short by the friend's agility. The two of them were swallowed instantly inside the entity, the infernal atmosphere infested her stone, primordial energy seared about. ~AAARRRRGGGGLLLLBLBLBLBLBL&#33;~ A tempest of agony shrieked, her sanity only secured by the thousands of souls receiving virtually the main assault. Staving away long enough for her descent to Kata.

Bewildered, Alex managed to transmute the surrounding snow around them into steam. Warming the area a few degrees higher the comfortable zone.

---------

Pax (Dual Planets)

Encampment

"Wha&#33;"

Tages cringed at the swarm of people close to trampling him. Humanity's curiosity always leaves the chance for someone to get hurt. In this case it involved the Blue Mage. The man squeezed out from the tight embrace, slightly rejoicing at the fresh air he met. ~Dangit. I need to divert their attention elsewhere.~

In his moment of the villagers' fascination at Permafrost, Tages sent several discs into the sky. Whirling around in bells and whistles, he sighed when they soon started chasing after them.


Mirror Lake

"What is going on?"

The mindless people thrashed the trembling statues. Graikos held the Basilisk above him by an arm each of the five sets, his eyes nearly blinded by the flaring sparks bursting at the sides. ~So. Much. Pain.~ The spirit that stood on the serpents head panted. Her gaseous orbs haven't knocked out any of the deranged humans, hardly registering the strikes that slammed at their heads.

[Coolpikaaa]

The Manticore sulked, still not pleased despite Alex's efforts to heat the area up. It was like standing in a warm sauna - one constantly swept by a numbingly cold wind.

"Tell your friends to send the flare." He demanded, shivering, and grumpy.

[Swix]

Forest

The transformed Mirror Swix found herself almost swept away by a sudden crowd of multiple species staring at the sky, and looked up to see what all the fuss was about. All she could see were some strange glowing spheres and a wingless black dragon with gold scrolling going in the opposite direction. She kind of wished they had that sort of dragon on her Ana... but she couldn't stop now. So she waded into the throng.

Just in front of the Horn and Halo

This world's Swix walked out of The Encampment tavern, due to the rules of the establishment she was still free to go in and out without hassle. But it didn't stop the bouncers, waitress, or innkeeper from watching her very closely.

Mirror Lake

Permafrost sighed, surveying the scene below. The rock creature seemed too in pain to answer him properly, and that snake and gaseous creature he seemed to be trying to protect. But where had all those horrifying humans come from?

The Ice Dragon snarled, and turned his head slightly to talk to the vet "Hold on to me as tight as you can"

The Dragon then dived, aiming freezing cold breath at the attackers.

On Mirror Kata

The 'friend' spoke to the Manticore again 'Fool&#33; That other portal is here. Find it&#33;'

It paused

'Do not forget your place again. To lose uch a valuable asset would be a shame'

[Jent]

Pax (Eight Moons)

"Tell your friends to send the flare."

*Shivering in the chilled air, Alex stood about the cleared area. In no direct line in the sky displayed any flares or indications leading to the portal. Did the not receive the message, or are they even remotely close to it? Not desiring to waste time, four more spectral clones phased out of her. Each of the bodies fled in the cardinal directions, wisps of smoke trailing behind.

Pax (Dual Planets)

Mirror Lake

The frost breath relieved some of his anguish. Several humans froze in a trance, oblivious to the cold burning their tissues. The golem's eyes drooped as the tears of blood subsided. He almost felt sleepy even.... maybe a quick nap wouldn't hurt....

THUD&#33;

~No. Cannot do that.~ Graikos shuddered, the portal's dimensions fluxed about as he lost concentration momentarily. No, if the portal collapsed on itself, gashing rifts would most certainty burst forth into reality.

[Coolpikaaa]

"Forget my place? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" The Manticore asked aloud, clearly annoyed. He had no idea why his boss was suddenly so hostile towards him. Calling him an idiot? Freaking out as though they had taken too long? They had only just arrived on the planet and SHE had brought them there.

"Hmmph." He glared at Alex, having no idea what she was doing enough to even make a comment. He just hoped she hurried up.

[Jent]

Straddling her spirits, Alex recovered from the turbulent multitude. Her ears then easily overheard the irritated manticore. In response, the human lumbered over to a frozen pile of stick and leaf litter, hands outstretched above the mess. With a few crackles of bluish light, a fine campfire transmuted out from the icy debris. "I'm well aware of your impatience, beast. As mine are not faring easily, either," she quipped.

Stomping on the ground, further azure symphony shrieked at itself. Stone walls vaulted high in the chilled air, their massive sides deflecting the majority of the winds, allowing for a settling wave of heat to condense for the two. Make-shifting a couple rigid seats, she gestured him to sit on the suitable place by the fire. "There should have been a signal in the air by now. Might as wait until one of the four return, for they traverse these sorts of lands on a daily basis in their homeland," Alex answered back.