The Centre of the Pole of Wood
The pagoda left Kotomaro's palace with the rising of the sun.
Kotomaro flew at their side for several minutes. Out from the palace rooms that had confined her the entirety of the elemental dragon was on display, and truly she was an incredible sight. In the growing light under the canopy, Ivory saw every aspect of the dragon, from its mighty head all the way to the end of its elegant tail.
The dragon had not asked for a formal leave-taking, expressing an understanding of Ivory's desire to be on her way.
Ivory watched from the covered garden as Darken Gray piloted the pagoda.
Finally, after several minutes that dragon looped around them. "Fare thee well Solar. May your quest here bear fruit," it called out.
Then the dragon was flying back towards its palace, leaving them alone.
Once more there travelled through the vast wilds of the Elemental Pole, closing on its centre.
As she flew onwards, Ivory was watchful. If any being sought favour with Kotomaro, it might very well choose to attack them. However, the area around them remained quiet and other than the wildlife they saw very little beyond the trees
The reality engine could impose the laws of reality in even the unshaped chaos completely beyond Creation. The elemental, changing energies of the Pole were no real danger to anything protected by the engine.
However, for what Ivory had to do she had to leave the safety of the engine's field.
She had to immerse herself completely in that energy.
It was dangerous.
The pagoda bobbed among the tree trunks, the elemental vitality moving it like waves moved a boat.
"Are you ready for this?" Darken Gray asked.
They stood at the front door of the pagoda, looking out at the centre of the Pole of Wood, or Life.
Ivory nodded, and then because she wanted there to be no doubts, hers or anyone else, she said, "I am ready."
Darken Gray nodded. "Then go."
"I'll be back," Ivory said, and then leapt from the doorway, out into the open air around the pagoda.
When she fell from the Reality Engine's field the energy of the Pole surrounded her.
Only two things kept that elemental energy from changing her. One was her steel will fuelled by essence, refusing the changes those powers tried to impose on her. The other was the reactor she held in her hands, which drew in much of the energy around her.
Ivory fell among the endless tree trunks, twisting through the interwoven branches as she plummeted.
There was no ground below, and the canopy above her was endless.
It was an impossible infinite space and as Ivory fell she had no fear of hitting the ground.
Above her, the pagoda followed her down.
Ivory closed her eyes and held the heart, the essence reactor above her, this was the show for anyone watching.
It was a distraction from what she was really doing, of the sorcerous working she was creating.
Her essence flared brighter and brighter, growing from glow to fire to the iconic display of the bands of essence encircling her.
At first, she had wondered how she would hide and protect her working, and until only recently had thought she might have to recruit the help of beings like Kotomaro. However, the vast knowledge that Lieger had given her provided other options.
She seemed to dance as she fell, at times she even released her hold on the reactor, and it fell along with her, and her hands traced out delicate patterns in the air. Her bare feet moved at well. She had leapt from the pagoda in a thin, silk shift, but she had shed that early on so that the energy of the pole could touch every part of her, and she could know it intimately.
She did not create the working, not then, but instead, in effect, sent it into the future. With her own essence she shaped the elemental essence, she set it to become, eventually, what she needed. Like pushing a rock down a hill, she provided the potential for what she wanted. And like the rock, once she had started it rolling, she would not have to be around when it reached the bottom of the hill, to crash into something.
Ivory felt a tickling on her scalp as her hair began to grow out, the life-giving energy of the pole effecting her in the only way it could.
It grew long, and like a flaming red flag trailed her in her endless fall.
Ivory spun lazily about, a cats cradle of golden essence woven between her fingers. Watchers would see the essence surrounding the reactor, none would see the streamers that came from the weave, left behind as she fell.
Reaching out, giving a final twist of her fingers, she tied off the spell.
It was done.
It was perfect.
She laughed as her hands closed around the reactor, which was perfect as well.
With some of her last essence, she brought up the field of Creation and protection about her. She brushed her fingers across the heart.
The control rods snapped into place.
Turning she waved towards the following pagoda.
The pagoda drew even with her, slipping in close, matching her speed. To Ivory, it seemed as she floated gently towards the front door.
Her bare feet touched the polished wood, and her knees buckled for she was far more tired than she had thought.
Hu was there, however, wrapping her up, his fur soft and warm against her bare skin. He kept her from falling.
"Welcome back," he said to her.
"I'm home," Ivory told him with a smile.