"So what were y'thinking of doing anyway?" Jess said as the party advanced.
Tarant, Talindra and Jaheira were way ahead of the others. Aerie had been given the job of looking after the rest of the group and of making sure Edwin didn't try to kill his mom again. Jaelle had said it wouldn't really affect anything, but the circumstances had changed and Tarant didn't want to risk some kind of weird temporal catastrophe happening as this evening had already given him a headache.
"Were you gonna fight the creepy lady on your own?" Imoen's mother went on. And on. It was obvious they were related. Aerie knew they talked like this because they were scared, which bothered some people but the elf never really minded. It was awkward being asked questions she didn't really know the answer to, but if Jess was anything like Imoen she wouldn't stop talking long enough to hear an answer anyway. "Cos', no offence kid… I don't know a whole lot 'bout you so ah'm just going by looks… but, I reckon she'll have torn ya' in two."
"Pro… probably," Aerie agreed. But then almost everyone or thing she encountered could quite easily have torn her two or done a variety of other nasty things. Even so, she really didn't want to be back here. She wanted to be up ahead with her companions in case they needed help. She couldn't do much, but what she could do may just slightly tip the scales in her friends favor. "But I… I won't let my friends be hurt."
"You know, I admire you. Truly," it took a moment before everyone realized it was Edwin who'd said that and a lot longer to get over the shock. "Why the surprised faces? I know a genuinely good person when I see one… I have been plotting against them all my life. But I have never encountered any as devoted and loyal to her friends as you are… truly willing to risk her own life for them whatever the situation may be. Me, I betrayed and killed any who have ever befriended me just so I wouldn't have to… besides, I have too much to live for. But your life is as worthless to you as it is to me. I respect that."
"Th-thank you sir… I think…"
"Well I really do think yer okay kid," Jess said. "A little weird maybe, but a nice girl like you would be welcome in my whorehouse any time. But what about Immy? What's 'at brat treat her friends like?"
"She… she's always been very kind, to me at least."
"Bah, do not listen to her," Edwin said. "I am afraid this girl is so blinded by years of cruelty and oppression that she thinks anyone who does not beat her every day is a saint. I have seen it happen to many a slave. As for the one called Imoen, she befriends such as this to make herself feel less pathetic, and if things look bad she saves herself… so, there are some things to be proud of."
"T-that's not true!" Aerie protested angrily. "Imoen would never abandon her friends. I… I know she wouldn't…" admittedly she knew Imoen probably wouldn't rush in quite so recklessly to save anybody, but that wasn't the same as abandoning them. She would be more careful, that was all.
"Yes, of course, you will believe what you like. I will believe in what I see."
"You…!" Aerie's face reddened as she clenched her tiny fist. She felt sorry for Edwin sometimes because nothing ever seemed to go right for him and a lot of people wanted to hurt him. Then he went and reminded her that the reason for that was that he was a wholly selfish and cruel swine. "I… I should…!"
"Easy kid," Jess put a hand on the avariel's shoulder. "Cool yerself down, okay? He's not worth getting into any sort of trouble over."
From a little further behind Fayanna watched the scene. By now the tongues spell had worn off so she couldn't understand what they were all saying. She could have cast another, but it was what Aerie was saying through her body that interested her now. A second ago her daughter had been angry at the wizard for some reason, but the instant she'd looked at the red-headed woman she released all her steam with a sigh. And, more than likely, it wasn't Jess she saw.
Fayanna came to realize that it had been a long time since she'd been Aerie's mother. Her daughter had made a life for herself here; she had close friends whom she cared for. And yet, there was sadness. She still thought of the past and that was preventing her from being happy. Fayanna would have given almost anything to have her daughter return home… but, she agreed with Aerie that it was wrong to try and change the past. So what else could she as a mother do?
Imoen also watched the scene through the crystal ball, knowing the danger her companions were soon to run into. But what could she do to help? She was weak enough without her puny little arms tied to a post.
Invidae was engrossed in the ball, completely ignoring the prisoners. Of course, they weren't a threat to her. All Imoen could do was watch, and she didn't want to do that so she covered her eyes with her hands… her hands which were no longer tied to the wooden post. She looked around to see one of Jaelle's little square thingies retracting a small circular saw back into its belly.
"Oh," Imoen said. Now she didn't have an excuse. She would have to actually think of something.
"Why have we stopped?" Edwin demanded to know as he caught up to Tarant. The half-elf nodded to the wooden pillar in front of them. "It is a table," Edwin explained.
"I know it's a table," Tarant answered. "But why is it now a twenty foot high table?"
"Hmmm… Yes, of course. Everything that was in the shed is still here, but their dimensions have been… I believe the technical term is 'jumbled'."
"Are we in any danger?"
"I believe the field is stable for now… but how long it will stay that way, I cannot say. Hmmm… incidentally, I think one of us may have left a lamp on. I should go back and check…"
"You're not going anywhere. I don't pay you to run away… but if the house does burn down it's coming out of your wages."
"I feel it worth pointing out that the three hours Jaelle stated has now passed," Jaheira pointed out ominously. "This confirms that Invidae is controlling the Time Machine."
"Um… m-ma'am," Aerie said. "D-didn't I already confirm that when I spoke to her and… she sent some futuristic flying machine to attack me?"
"I have more experience than you child. If I say we have only just now confirmed it, then we have only just now confirmed it. Understand?"
"Not… not a-as such, no."
"It is a thing experienced adventurer's call 'not liking to be wrong'. Now get back to your position."
"How d'you all know which way to go anyway?" Jess asked.
"We don't," Tarant answered. "I'm just guessing the Time Machine is roughly in the middle of all this."
"Yeah… but how far is that?"
Tarant scanned the horizon, but apart from the odd tool here and there the shed was a wasteland and there was no sign of any Time Machine. Of course, an avariel could see a lot further than he could.
"Aerie," he called. "Perhaps you could ask mom to go up and take a look for us?"
The young avariel's eyes had already seen something. She was staring just next to the table leg, into nothing as far as everyone else was concerned. But, it seemed to her there was a single particle of light where it shouldn't be. Her keen pupils zoomed in for a closer look.
"Aerie?" Tarant repeated. "Would you kindly step out of yourself for a moment and join us in the real world…" Apparently not. Apparently she saw something sucking on his head and leapt at it, the surprise knocking him backwards and he rolled away, rising in time to see Aerie swatted aside by a crystalline arm as large as she was. Seemingly not that big, but when you saw the rest of the body it was attached to…
Jaheira leapt into action, taking a discarded sewing pin to use as a club. She somersaulted, dodged and weaved around the golem repeating slamming her makeshift weapon into its legs hoping to cause it to topple over. But its legs and body remained still as a statue, only the creature's one red eye following the druid's dance.
Tarant left her to it, turning towards the fallen witch. Aerie had been slammed hard into the table leg. She had tried to sit up, but found herself coughing painfully and spitting out blood. The avariel collapsed back to the floor, each breath she took more painful than the last. She wept in agony when her leader scooped her up to carry her away.
"Aerie!" Fayanna screamed and ran into the ditch Tarant placed her daughter into. "Why? Why did you do that?"
The bhaalspawn couldn't understand her, but was asking himself the same question. The older avariel desperately cast a variety of healing spells, but he'd seen injuries like this before. She had broken ribs and had already suffered a lot of internal bleeding… it may be too late for that magic to save Aerie as she was slowly drowning in her own blood.
However, she had quite possibly saved his life. He almost felt guilty now that he hardly ever did anything for her. Well… he did feel guilty. He only knew one way of dealing with guilt.
While Tarant was coming to that realization, Jaheira was growing tired. She decided to have one more try, but this time as she somersaulted, the golem did something different. It lifted one of its heavy arms and one of the tubes flashed. The druid attempted to dodge whatever had been fired, but was unable. It seemed the golem had figured out her every pattern of movement. She was simply far too experienced to have foolishly jumped into the net now covering her.
Edwin began to chant every offensive spell he could think of, and a few he made up on the spot. Missile after missile flew towards the golem, impacting on the crystal surface yet having no affect on it whatsoever, other than causing it to glow a little. The Red Wizard decided there was nothing else for it. He had to hide until it was all over. He cast invisibility on himself and ran, but red eye still followed his movements seeing right through the illusion. It then released the magical energy it had stored, a thin red beam leapt from the eye, searing through Edwin's robes and making a neat hole the size of a man's head in the table leg behind him. When Edwin opened his eyes he found the beam had missed his body by a centimeter. Then he fainted.
Tarant attacked it from the side, slapping the golem with the side of his sword to get its attention. Its huge arms swung at him repeatedly, Tarant only narrowly dodging each blow. He began to fall back and, to his relief, the golem advanced after him. He led it towards the table leg it had just damaged. As soon as it was underneath the table, he rolled forwards under it swinging at the wooden leg, his magically sharpened blade easily cutting through the pillar. The stupid golem kept its eye on him as the heavy board collapsed on top of it.
The bhaalspawn kicked Edwin in a half-hearted effort to revive him. He found he enjoyed it so kicked him again harder.
"Wha…? Is it over?" The wizard looked at fallen table top mere feet away. "You could have crushed me you ape!"
"I know," Tarant shrugged. "Maybe next time I'll be more lucky."
"I have never seen anything so foolish," Shandra said as she helped to free Jaheira. "Don't waste your energy jumping around like that. You should be more frugal."
The druid looked at her impetuously. Shandra was just… an unbelievably frustrating woman. She needed to come up with some dry witty response…
"Shut up," Jaheira said after a minute.
For some inexplicable reason Jaheira then thought of Aerie, and as soon as she was free ran to the ditch the avariel were in. The avariel was still coughing up blood, but she had sat up now and it seemed she would be okay. The druid felt like reprimanding her for jumping into harms way rather foolishly, despite Jaheira repeatedly telling her to stay back. But, Fayanna was crying tears of joy that her daughter was okay, so it didn't feel appropriate.
"Alright everyone," Tarant said, not showing that he was relieved as well. "Let's move ou…"
The thin red beam shot straight upwards through the table top, then spread outwards causing flames to leap across the wooden surface. The golem rose, tossing the ash covered block aside. The only damage it had sustained had been a crack along its right arm. It slowly advanced, tube after tube flashing and launching a variety of missiles. Everyone dived into the ditch as the projectiles slammed against its edges. For a moment all was quiet.
"What now, oh great leader?" Jaheira said.
Tarant took off a boot and tossed it upwards. There was a faint whistle, tubes flashed, and the scorched remains of his boot fell back into Tarant's hand.
"I guess we stay here," he said.
"Did anyone hear that?" Edwin was rubbing his beard, a clear indication that he was thinking hard to save himself. "That whistle? Try to get it to twist its torso again."
Tarant grumbled as he removed his remaining boot. They had been good boots, and very expensive. But their lives were more important, he supposed. He threw the boot upwards and to the side. The golem twisted the instant it saw the target, and as it quickly turned air passed rapidly through the crack on its arm creating a faint whistle.
"Yes, yes, it is made of crystal of course," Edwin muttered to himself.
"We can see that," Jaheira rolled her eyes. "How does it help us?"
"Your pedestrian mind could not comprehend," Edwin stated. "Fortunately it's not important that you understand. Now what was that note? D plus?"
"E minor," Shandra rolled her eyes and shook her head at these people's lack of a classical education.
Edwin dug into his bag of holding, moment's later emerging with a rather unremarkable seeming whistle.
"You," he shoved it in front of Jess. "You seem to have a fine pair of lungs. Blow on this… as hard and for as long as possible. As for the rest of you, I suggest covering your ears."
Jess shrugged, not getting it at all, took a deep breath and started to blow. The note was loud. Impossibly loud. Edwin, confident that his plan would work because it was his plan after all, risked looking over the ditch.
The golems whole body quaked, the crack on its arm spread upwards into the torso. It tried to move, but its joints had become stiff and clumsy looking.
"It's weakening!" Edwin declared. "Now! Finish it now!"
"What?!?" Tarant shouted back, hands still covering his ears. Edwin made a crushing motion with his hands and pointed at the golem. "Right…" Tarant lifted a mace and ran at the creature, swinging at its legs. This time it cracked. He swung again and the crystal shattered felling the creature. Finally he swung downwards at its head, extinguishing the burning red orb once and for all. Finally Jess realized she could stop blowing and allow herself to breathe.
"Edwin!" Cara wrapped him in her arms. "You saved us! You saved all of us!"
"Well, no one is completely perfect," Edwin muttered as he picked himself up and marched proudly towards Tarant. "I expect I'll be getting a larger share of the loot now."
"What?!?" The half-elf shouted back, deafened by the whistling. He turned to face Edwin, and then suddenly started to hop wildly, shouting and cursing far louder than usual. "I'll kill you Edwin!" Everyone winced when they saw the small shaft of crystal protruding from his bare foot.
Invidae stood up, a sadistic grin on her face because she didn't have any other kind.
"I have not been disappointed," she stated. "Your friends are quite resourceful. I have been entertained… I'm almost sad that it will have to end soon."
"Hey, scary psycho lady," Imoen called out, accompanied by a satisfying click from the crossbow in her hands. "You should never turn your back on a thief!"
The general rotated slowly, still grinning. She didn't seem the least bit surprised that the red-head was now free. Imoen wasn't the least bit surprised by that and pulled the trigger. Invidae's arm flashed, swinging her sword right out of its sheath. The bolt was sliced in two mid flight, the parts dropping harmlessly to the general's side.
"Okay… your scary factor's gone up a point or two," Imoen said wide eyed. She should really have picked up a second crossbow.
"I really am going to kill you now," she pointed with the blade. Imoen looked around to see who she might be talking to.
"Who? Me? I thought we agreed I was too pathetic to kill..."
"It may have kept working as a defense, but you are far too annoying. Do you want to run?"
"Of course I want to…" Imoen gulped. Her knees were rattling. But, if she ran off now Invidae could summon a hundred more monsters to go after her mother, and her best friend… and her other friends. And Edwin. "But, like Aerie says… I-I won't let my friends be hurt!" She smiled, realizing she did a really good Aerie, capturing the determination but also the not being sure there was anything she could do to stop her friends being hurt. She had to shake that off. "Bring it on, you female of the canine kind!"
Invidae sprinted towards her, sword raised. Imoen dodged left and right, but the general was fast matching her every movement. The red-head found herself focusing all her energy on avoiding the blade and occasional fist or boot thrown her way, and never had any chance to counter attack. It had to only be a matter of time before one of the blows landed.
Imoen leant back to keep her neck away from another slice, leaving her front open and Invidae instantly planted her toe's into the red-head's gut. The young mage landed on her back, one hand finding an object, some pipe or a tool, it didn't really matter at this point. She sprung back up, swinging it at the general. Next thing she saw, her forearm had collided with the generals. Invidae's arm felt like a heavy branch and didn't give at all. The general's free hand slammed into the mage's chest, launching her backwards.
Imoen tried to rise but her knees buckled. She'd never been punched like that before… it felt like the fist had gone straight through her yet it hadn't left a mark. The red-head looked downwards at Invidae casually striding up to her, still grinning.
"P-Please…," Imoen sobbed piteously. "I can't take anymore… please d-don't kill me…"
"I suppose it was too much to hope for some sort of 'fight'. How pathetic you are," The general lowered the sword to her side and rolled her eyes in disgust.
This was exactly the opening Imoen had been waiting for. In one movement she sprung to her feet pulling out the dagger she had concealed up her left sleeve and thrusting it into the general's heart. Invidae leant forward, shock on her face and yet still grinning.
"You…?" The general sputtered. "You beat me with such an old trick," she laughed maniacally.
Imoen let out a high pitched yelp as the general suddenly clamped a hand around her throat, hateful eyes boring into the red-heads own. They were locked like that for a moment, Imoen unable to break free from the vice like grip. But blood flowed from Invidae's wound weakening her, and after that time she fell forwards having lost consciousness.
The red head struggled to catch before rolling Invidae off of her, and then gazed wickedly at the general's fallen form.
"Yeah, I won!" The red head exclaimed then started to dance. "Poor, weak, defenseless little me. Now we all know why Imoen is the greatest! Yeah," she punched the air to put an exclamation point on that.
"Well done," someone said.
"Aiieee!" Imoen shrieked, but it was just Jaelle returning. "Hey… where have you been? She might have killed me!"
"I had to get this," Jaelle waved the back up crystal. "We don't have much time left… the time co-ordinates are starting to decay. If we don't do it now we may never be able to send our mom's back."
"Just a minute… could you give me a chance to run and say goodbye?"
"No time," Jaelle informed her as she opened the control panel to place the crystal inside.
"No time?" Imoen protested. "But it's a Time Machine! I wanted… I wanted to get to know her better…"
"I'm sorry… but I can't risk it. What right have I to play around with nature if I don't start taking responsibility for the consequences…?"
"You should never turn your backs on a general!" Invidae laughed suddenly. She was still weak, but had more than enough strength to cross the two copper wires she held. Sparks flew along them, and then jumped onto the Time Machine. Jaelle leapt back, holding onto the crystal. "As I promised you daughter… I have destroyed everything you care for," the general laughed. In the very far, the walls and ceiling of the shed began to fall inwards.
"It's destabilized!" Jaelle shouted, desperately pulling levers and turning cogs. "I can't stop it… soon the whole thing will collapse and everything will be sucked into it…"
"You mean the whole world will be crushed into an atom?" Imoen remembered from earlier. "You see, I really was paying attention."
With the shed rapidly returning to its normal dimensions, it wasn't long before the rest of the party caught up to them. Tarant watched the last few sparks fly out of the machine while Jaelle had taken the crown and continued to play with the controls.
"I'd ask what was happening now," he shook his head. "But I suspect I'll be happier living in ignorance."
"You usually are, yes," Jaelle commented. The half-elf ignored it and kept an eye on Invidae.
"You okay Aerie?" Imoen checked on her friend. "I saw you get whacked by that thing…"
"It… still hurts, a little," the avariel admitted. "But I will be okay… she… she didn't hurt you, did she?"
"She tried to, but I completely outwitted and was just too tough for her to handle. I'll tell you all about it a little later, when I've… er… remembered everything heroic that I did."
"I would like that," Aerie smiled. At the very least, Imoen's stories always entertained her, even if she suspected they were a little exaggerated.
"Everyone," Jaelle clapped her hands to get all their attention. "I can't stop the shield from collapsing, so there's a good chance the world will end in about five minutes. I do, however, have a plan. But first, I need to send everyone back to the time they came from. Say your goodbyes and make them quick… it will take me a minute and a half to get everything ready."
"Momma," Aerie turned to Fayanna. "S-some day, I will find a way to restore my wings and return home. Then… w-we can be a family again. Everything will be like it used to…"
"No Aerie," the older avariel said whilst gently brushing back her daughter's hair. "Things will never be like they used to."
"M-momma?" Aerie looked confused.
"I will always dream of the day we will meet again… but we both know you will never return. You were always restless as a child, and now… it is like you said, the world is far larger than it looks from Faenya-Dail. I fear for you, in this life you lead, but I know you will never be content with the world you knew as a girl. My child… you have to say goodbye to your past."
"I…" Aerie fought in vain to hold back the tears. "I was never able to say it before, was I? I'm sorry I went away without telling anyone… I," the young elf stood straight and tried to hold herself. She needed to look strong, for Fayanna's sake. "Goodbye, momma."
"Namaarie, a'maelamin."
"I-if I at all can, I'll visit at least. I promise."
"Now that's sweet," Jess said from a short distance away. "Didn't understand a word she said… but 'em elves are just beautiful people ain't they?"
"Yeah," Imoen agreed. "I've never seen an ugly one… or a fat one. I wonder why that is?"
"Just blessed that way I guess. And blessed to live a long time… actually, forget what I said 'bout 'em being sweet. I hate them."
"You… you don't have to die," Imoen suggested, although a part of her knew what the response would be already. "Jaelle thinks she's really clever, but I could always sneak in to use the machine and make it so you don't."
"Ack! You'll do no such bleeding thing. Told 'ya didn't I, you got t'work hard 'n be serious 'bout it. Don't go acting irresponsible and making the universe all topsy turvy. You sure I won't remember any of this?"
"Jaelle's usually right about these things. She is pretty clever."
"In that case, you had better remember what I said, n' I'll just see you the next life, okay?"
"Okay, okay… I won't forget. Why do I have to have such pushy parents?"
Jaheira too watched enviously as Aerie and Fayanna said farewell. The druid had to admit she wished she knew what it was like to actually have a family you were close to. But then, a part of her believed she already did. In fact, she had disliked Fayanna and Jess when they had first appeared, because Jaheira believed it was her responsibility to look after the young and foolish members of this group, and that somehow their real mothers would take her place. Truly, she was as foolish as any of them. She could admit that to herself now, just so long as no-one else ever found out.
"So, I am to be returned to Tethyr?" Shandra said.
"Indeed," Jaheira said.
"No long farewells."
"Of course not."
"Good."
Shandra tapped her foot whilst waiting for Jaelle to be ready. Jaheira looked away. Of course, she had no reason to be sad. She had hardly known her mother when she was alive. Before the civil war that had killed them, her parents had always been too busy to spend time with her. It was too late to make up for that now.
The noblewoman continued to grow impatient, even though she'd only waited ten seconds. Eventually she tried to relax by humming to herself.
"la di da, la di da, la di da da, dadada," or so went the tune. Jaheira's ears stood up. She knew that song… and she knew the voice. As a tiny girl, she'd spent many nights up late waiting for her parents to return, only to fall asleep. And yet, she'd heard that voice…
"Mother," Jaheira said softly.
"What? I thought we agreed, no long farewells."
"Of… of course. I just wanted to tell you to… be careful."
Shandra stared at her. She thought it unbecoming for someone of noble blood to show so much emotion, but in the end she gave into it herself. "You too," she said.
Tarant lit his pipe. He observed all the feelings his companions exhibited… all this sadness and joy. And soon it will all be over, they will be left feeling empty, and then spend the rest of their lives looking for new feelings to fill that void. It wasn't worth it. In the end, pain was all you could count on to always be there.
And yet he felt gratified. He was happy that Imoen had got her wish and it hadn't turned out to be a complete disaster emotionally. Happy that Aerie had got to say goodbye to her mother at last… he found he actually wanted to be part of what they experienced. He felt empty that he wasn't.
"Don't leave it too late," Talindra said placing a hand on his shoulder, causing Tarant to almost feel a little warm and fuzzy. It was all wrong.
"Thanks," He said. Damn it, what the hell was happening to him?
"Don't forget to change your robe," Cara said to Edwin. "This one has a hole in it."
"Yes, yes, thank you." Edwin tried to look at something else.
"And when are you going to have a bath and shave?"
"What? I had a bath this morning."
"Hmm… you don't smell like it. Did you remember to use soap?"
"What are you saying?!" His pleaded desperately with Jaelle, asking her to save him before he did something he wouldn't regret. "How much longer?"
"Alright, it's ready," the raven haired woman pulled a lever. Beams of light shot out from the Time Machine, engulfing the mothers in a powerful aura.
"I don't care what my daughter says," Invidae spat towards Imoen as she started to fade away. "I will remember you…" and then she was gone.
"Now to take care of this thing for good," Jaelle further adjusted the levers and dials, just as the machines casing started to hiss and rattle.
"What are you going to do?" Imoen asked her, because someone had to.
"I'm instructing it to send itself forward in time, about five billion years."
"Won't it still implode and take the world in with it?"
"Yup, but by then its not going to make much difference. Now, there might be a very tiny amount of feedback, so I suggest we all start to run."
Edwin was way ahead of the others, but they soon caught him up. They ran out of the shed and across the garden, just as the wooden building seemed to be sucked into a whirlpool creating a spectacular display of light. The whole thing was shrunk to a single point, and then vanished. Aerie found it all hauntingly familiar. Possibly she'd seen something like it in a dream or something.
"Thank the gods that's over," Edwin brushed himself off. "I will never have to see that woman again."
"C'mon Eddie," Imoen said. "Part of you must miss being fussed over?"
"Only by people I have enslaved to do it… parent's just find it too hard to keep their noses out of your plans for world domination. They have no understanding of the word 'privacy'."
"Well… I suggest we get some rest now. Especially you two," Jaheira said to Aerie and Imoen. "If you are going to insist on putting yourselves in harms way I will have to train you to defend yourselves better. So it will be a very early start for you both."
"Training huh? I'd love to, but I just remembered…" Imoen paused. She was supposed to be thinking of some excuse, but instead she found herself remembering what Jess had said. She had to knuckle down. "No… it doesn't matter. I'll be there."
"Good," Jaheira said, a little surprised. Then she strolled off humming to herself, surprising everyone else.
"Listen, Aerie," Tarant stood in front of the avariel, not willing to look her in the eye. "Th-thanks for saving my life… and… and stuff." Aerie looked terrified.
"I-I was only doing my duty, sir," she explained.
"You were? Oh. Well forget it then. Incidentally, you're a mess. You look like something the cat dragged in, and then drag out again." There. At least now he felt a little back to normal. "Clean yourself up for heaven's sake."
"I-I'm sorry sir. I will do so as soon as I can."
Tarant wandered off. At last he might be able to read his book, and with luck it would remind him what life was really like.
"Jaelle… what she said, Invidae," Imoen asked, looking a little worried. "It's not possible is it?"
"Well, there was a delay in activating the crystal meaning that some of the data was lost," Jaelle explained. "There is a small chance that not everything was put back exactly the way it was… but I doubt it was enough to make much difference. It doesn't matter anyway… she became trapped on Carceri for a while then died about twenty five years ago."
"That's a relief," Imoen admitted. After all, she was going to tell Aerie about how she'd kicked the general's butt no problem. It would be pretty embarrassing if she turned up to show the elf what really happened. "So I guess you won't be making another Time Machine?"
"I don't know… not for a while anyway. I've just this second started thinking about the theory that this universe, the entire multiverse, is just one of many realities that exist. Of course, most thinkers agree that it would be impossible to travel from one reality into another… but… yes… Excuse me, I have to go and do some very complex calculations so I can build a machine to do some almost impossible calculations."
That left Aerie and Imoen sitting together looking up at the night sky.
"Thinking of home?" The red-head asked.
"Faenya-Dail? I'll probably always think about it sometimes, but… it's not my home."
"What was it like?"
"It… it was a much smaller city than Athkatla. Most of the avariel led very quiet, contemplative lives… and, I remember, everyone was treated as an equal… t-there were no differences… everyone was the same…"
"Not much like here then. Sounds nice though."
"It was nice… not like here at all," Aerie smiled. "To be honest, it was very boring."
THE END