Stuff

Everyone looked confused except Riza.

"So for such things to be achieved there must be a huge source of power keeping everything connected."

Cyril nodded vigorously, "Exactly. Such power can't just be tucked away and hidden underneath my nose for very long. At least, as long as I'm digging around anyway. I'll tell you, I sometimes lose my own glasses." Cyril didn't wear glasses which is probably why he lost them so often. "That's how I stumbled upon the entrance to the Fade."

Emily contemplated the name of the place. She waited for Cyril or Riza to go on.

"I noticed it about 2 months ago. Could have told you but no! I always have to go visit everyone else! No one cares about Riza!"

Cyril nodded, "That was about when it drew my attention. However, it took awhile to sift through everything and find anything of importance. And what I found was...well... important. I found that I could dig deeper among the Fade until I reached down so deep that I went beyond our historical knowledge of Heaven. The first couple million pocket universes contain recent history and an abundance of Oneiroi mystics. Apparently they keep more intelligent Oneiroi there to manage the third, fourth, and fifth brains that coordinate the hive mind." Cyril trailed off about the intricate nature of Oneiroi existence.

Emily was smart, but this was just a bit beyond her general knowledge. She decided it was best to keep quiet and wait for it to click.

Riza stopped him. "Instead of talking about it, let's just go in."

Cyril ignored him and went to the point. "Well, long story short, I can track the source of power until I get into the Fade- then it becomes completely untraceable. Completely. It tickles at the edge of consciousness, but I have a feeling it wont reveal itself until whatever it is is ready. Anywho- I found some pretty cool ruins that are filled with unknown things- and I figured since you guys were bored you could join me on my expedition." Cyril finally arrived at the base of the mountain. Cyril spread his arms slowly and a veil ripped open revealing a shimmery, blue world. He motioned for Emily to walk on through.

Emily looked around and walked through the opening. Everything sharpened into focus. Everything suddenly became so real. She saw herself and the group walking behind Cyril who was talking. "Anywho- I found some pretty cool ruins that are filled with unknown things- and I figured since you guys were bored you could join me on my expedition." Emily figured this was the recent, recent past.

Riza suddenly felt dizzy. "This is...familiar..."

Cyril grinned wryly, "Yes." He motioned for the others to be quiet while he concentrated. Cyril raised his arms, closed his eyes, and the immediate area began to glow and become distorted. "Keep close."

Emily stepped closer to Cyril and examined the world around her. She could see for almost a mile before things became... fuzzy. Like it was there but not quite whole. "Whoa."

Riza shook his head. "Not like that. I should tell you something. Recently I had an experience. I lived through part of someone else's life. The feeling is eerily similar."

Amaterasu poked a bug.

"Yes, such an experience would be similar to this." Cyril muttered, keeping his eyes closed. There was a loud, repetitive wubbing noise and the area flickered in and out of existence. The area around them was rapidly changing to other environments.

"Mystic Oneiroi-"
"Anywho-"
"I've had a similar-"
"Do you wanna build a snowman?"

Voices and sights constructed themselves and destroyed themselves at rapid paces around the group.

Riza. "Wait. So are we going to see what we did in the past?!" He actually sounded worried.

"Hmm? Oh no. Best to leave the past uncovered." Cyril said pointedly. The areas slowed down until they were deep in a foreign territory. The woods around them were the color of gun metal and the mountains above them rose miles farther than the previous mountains had. A dark, granite door was carved into the mountain side. Runes were etched around the door. "I was attempting to teleport us to here. Well, I couldn't actually teleport us. Physics are a bit... uncooperative here. I had to hunt down this pocket universe and drag it around us." Cyril looked pretty worn out.

"That sounds strenuous, do you need a moment?" Emily asked absently, who would like a moment herself to gather her surroundings.

Riza was still worried. He looked at his daughter who had fallen asleep and Sarah who was carrying said girl.

Cyril huffed for a moment, gathering his energy back. He looked briefly at Amaterasu, wondering how she had managed to fall asleep so quickly. Whatever. "Oh no, wait." Cyril panted, "This IS technically the past, but not OUR past. This is way beyond any of us, so no need to worry." He closed his eyes for a moment and he was better. "Ready to go in?"

Emily nodded. "Do we know what those runes mean, Cyril?"

Riza formed Andromeda and has her carry Amaterasu. "Lets go."

Cyril approached the big door and examined the runes closely. He shook his head, "No clue. They don't look like anything I've ever encountered, though they have a strange energy pattern imbued in them... Hmm." Cyril backed up and cracked his neck. "I'm fairly certain this is going to hurt like hell, though I don't know the extent of these runes' power. Sarah, Riza and I are going to walk in and try to hold back the possible river of energy, if this is a trap I suspect it will be very, very effective. I'll need you to keep us alive." Cyril hesitated. "I don't actually know if it will be THAT strong, but from what I've seen of this old civilization so far suggests it probably will be." Cyril motioned to Riza.
Cyril stepped through the door and immediately a massive burst of energy came down upon him. He inserted a barrier of ki between himself and the edges, relying on Riza to cover the other side.

Riza added in his power. Andromeda was trying to wake up Amaterasu.

Emily scampered through the opening made by Cyril and Riza. The sheer force of the trap made her eyebrows light on fire. She patted them out quickly as she passed.

Cyril was sweating. "It must have taken quite a force of people to get this door as strong as it is," he grunted. "Come on!" he barked at the people lingering behind.

Andromeda and Sarah hurried through.

Cyril assumed that Andromeda had carried Amaterasu with her. "Come on, Riza." Cyril stepped inside to safety.

Riza turned into a shadow and slithered inside to avoid the energy. Andromeda had forgotten the girl.

Amaterasu yawned and walked through the stream. "Why did you leave me?"

Cyril wondered several things. Things like, how do you forget something you're already carrying? How does one walk through a barrier narratively stronger than two people who add up to roughly your power level? Logic, people, logic. "Alright, glad everyone's through. I doubt that will be the strongest thing we encounter here so keep up your guard."

Emily looked around now that she was safe. It looked like some run of the mill cave. No special features, no markings. It was abnormally bright for a cave without light fixtures, but that as it.

Amaterasu walked through because she is stronger than everyone in the universe combinedx10. "What are we doing?"

Cyril absently checked everyone's power level again. It seemed he had failed to notice a comma. Whoops. Anywho. "Exploring. Not dying preferably. I know a little about these ruins from my previous trip to the surrounding area. Would you all like me to fill you in?"

Amaterasu gave a small smirk. She walked over and patted Cyril's head. "Don't worry, I'll protect you."