The Vault of Heaven.
Balancing a shimmering sky, a veil in the fabric of reality seethes with raw
energy. The veil, though extremely thin flickers and crackles sending booming
vibrations through the surroundings. Glancing through, the miniscule details of
the Upper Haven become visible and almost picturesque. A continuous breeze
filters from the veil bringing the previously cold atmosphere to comfortable
temperance. With outstretched arms, an enormous statue of Estarra stands here
vigilantly. Covered in bone armour, a striped badger is here, licking its paws.
You see a single exit leading down.

You put your hands on your hips and go "Hmmm!"

You peer about yourself unscrupulously.

Glancing around himself briefly, you say, "Maybe it's just my imagination then."

An icy voice cuts into your thoughts like a sharp knife, "Let's not pretend that
you are blessed with such a thing, little Avatar."

You perk your ears up as an errant topic catches your interest.

You ask, "And what might bring Your attention upon myself, Lord?"

Musical chimes fill the air as a swirling gateway of brilliant light pierces the
air before you, boring a hole through the very fabric of the planes. Ilyarin
steps confidently out of the rotating gate, which shimmers and snaps shut behind
him.

The hollow voice echoes across the area in a soft whisper, "I have great
interest in all mortals, the exceptional as well as the... simple."

You say, "Seems I've got myself quite the gathering...though I don't believe I
know quite yet why."

You ponder the situation.

Prince Ilyarin Peulus, of the Exalted Court says, "How do you mean?"

You say, "I think I've gone and drawn attention with my simple self."

Your eyes sparkle with amusement.

The empty voice rings out, a trace of amusement in the dull whispers, "Oh, but I
come to offer you the chance to learn from the Wyrd. What better way to lift
yourself up, child?"

You purse your lips, deep in thought.

Prince Ilyarin Peulus, of the Exalted Court asks, "What attention is that?"

Ilyarin squints suspiciously at his surroundings.

Shadows quiver as the voice whispers softly, "Perhaps your friend would join as
well, and free himself from the chains of the Exalted Fool."

You say, "Pardon my directness, Lord, but I do believe that what I've found
enough of the enlightenment of the Wyrd is about as true as Mother Night's own
Penumbra...and such temporary things I don't believe would work towards lifting
myself."

You flash Ilyarin a joyous smile.

You say, "I'm of no person to say who my friend will or will not follow, Lord."

Prince Ilyarin Peulus, of the Exalted Court says, "Who is this person?"

Prince Ilyarin Peulus, of the Exalted Court says, "Name yourself, please."

You say, "I've a fair guess upon this being, but it's not up to me to reveal
Himself, I think."

The air cools to an uncomfortable degree as the voice whispers in your thoughts,
"There is no need to reveal Myself, seeing Me will not change My words."

With a light smile, you say, "And my decision to be with my Lady will not change
even with an enigmatic visit from One such as Yourself, Lord."

Icy fingers brush your face as the cool voice echoes, "But what will you do,
little Avatar? Have you not felt that your Lady is not long for this world?"

Prince Ilyarin Peulus, of the Exalted Court says, "Then I feel no desire to talk
to you, I'm afraid."

Ilyarin leaves to the ether, emanating an aura of immense power.

With a rueful shake of his head, you say, "Perhaps it just might be myself, but
I'd rather believe in the hope of the future with my Lady than listen to the
fears and worries of what most likely won't be."

Your breath become laboured as a violent force presses itself upon you, "You
perhaps think there was a place she could hide from Me? Did you think she could
avoid My power? She will not last much longer..."

You say, "My Lady need not hide from anything, Lord."

Your mouth turns up as your face breaks into a smile.

You say, "And I of all people will see to it that there will be no reason for
this to be so. Even from You or Your followers, pardoning my bluntness, Lord."

The shadows shudder as a soft chuckle rings through the halls, "You are so
confident in her strength?"

You smile and say, "I'm confident in the family we have built for ourselves."

You say, "We wouldn't let people fail or fall, let alone the one who brought us
all together in the first place."

A sudden pain rips through your mind as you suddenly find yourself within the
nighttime sky. Your body is grabbed by an unseen force and flung towards a
platform that hangs in midair. As your vision clears you can make out the form
of Maylea, Bloom of Serenity, bound with ebon chains. Tears stream down her red
cheeks as she looks to you pleadingly. In the next instant, you open your eyes
to find yourself not moved an inch.

You wince in pain.

With a slight frown creasing his forehead, you say, "Mere illusions of what will
or will not be won't stop me, Lord."

The voice cuts into your thoughts, soft, almost gentle, "Illusion, is it?
Perhaps if she's left where Morgfyre could find her. I'm sure he'd be quite
pleased with the... illusion."

The voice drifts through your thoughts, almost dreamlike, "Or perhaps... she
could be tormented throughout the aeons, and through her pain, come to grow and
learn of the beauty of the Wyrd."

Shaking his head tightly, you say, "She will not fall for such things. She of
all knows and sees past such...temporary things. We will not fail Her."

An unseen hand pats your shoulder as the heartless voice whispers in your ear,
"Then again.. I could just kill her myself. She falls to pieces so easily. All
those ages ago... With just a few words. My my, all to pieces."

You say, "She learns as we do. She -has- learned and -has- gotten stronger. She
will not fall."

As the sun passes below the horizon's edge, Mother Night unveils her terrible,
shadowy beauty, spreading darkness across the land.

Tendrils of shadow snake lazily around you form as the voice whispers, "She has
not. Do you think you would know better than Me? Better than He who knew her
before the Soulless came to Lusternia?"

You say, "I do believe so, because even I see through the farce that is the Wyrd
of Your commune as She does and yet You do not, Lord Nocht."

You say, "And time has that effect on people...even on Divine does time change
Them."

With a light wave of his hand, you say, "So even if You did know Her in the
past, it would still not hold unless You Yourself know more of Her in the
present and future....though that possibility is still there if You were open to
seeing the truth."

Your vision blurs as the voice pierces painfully into your thoughts, "I see
Maylea as you do not, child. She puts on her smile, and speaks to you of such
beauty. Like the Moon and your commune she deceives you into your current state
of thinking. Maylea is not what she seems to you. She is weak, and will be
nothing before Me and My shadows."

You smile and say, "Then You and Your shadows will simply be dispelled and
destroyed, Lord. Just as we did to Your shrine within Your very own commune.
Folk can believe what they want of others even without knowing them fully, but I
believe in my Lady, and She's not as weak as You want Her to be."

A faint rainbow aura surrounds you, a gentle warmth running through your body as
you feel a kindly hand brush against your forehead.

You smile softly.

Somebody whispers, "I see..."

You smile and say, "I believe in my Lady, Lord Nocht. She will not fall, even
with how badly You want it to be."

The lazily drifting shadows go rigid, violently turning in upon the aura that
surrounds you. A pained cry rips through the Havens as the warm glow near you
shudders and shakes under the onslaught.

You call upon the Wrath of the Avatar to destroy enemies of the faith.

You say, "My Lady's pain will not last nearly as long as what I have in store
for what You hold in Your commune, Lord Nocht."

Somebody whispers, "Will you not save her, little one?"

The shadows pierce further into the protective aura as your senses are
overwhelmed with unimaginable anguish and panic. The glowing warmth begins to
fade as the voice calls out your name.

With a strained smile, you say, "My Lady is strong enough for You, Lord. Though
I do not believe the same about Your children against myself."

You say, "I know my limits, but do You know Yours? My Lady can face You Herself,
but even Your own avatar cannot face me, let alone the rest of Your order. And
as much as You'd like to hold my lacking in front of me, perhaps I should return
the favour to You."

Part of the prismatic aura gives way with a violent snap as a tendril stabs
violently into your flesh. The icy shadow tears at your skin, twisting to snap
bone in twain. The warmth nearly fades entirely, as the rainbow aura flickers to
fight off the shadows. The crying voice has fallen into a fit of gasping sobs.

Gasping in pain, you say, "Do You really think that this will sway my devotion,
Lord Nocht? She is still here, and that is all I need."

You call upon the Aura of the Avatar to heal your brothers and sisters in faith.

The rainbow aura dissolves into shadows as the sobbing voice degenerates into a
soft, hateful chuckle that drifts through the havens.

The voice takes on its icy tone, whispering to your thoughts, "I do not see her
with you. She leaves you here to suffer at My hands."

With a tight grin, you ask, "And here I thought You said You of all beings see
Her better than any other. Then why do You not see Her in me?"

Straightening from the assault, you say, "And She always will be, no matter what
You do to this weak body of mine."

The shadows swirl violently as the voice echoes, "You certainly sound like her.
Empty words, that hold no power. Disappointing..."

With a wry smile, you say, "And I'll take calling myself much like Her as a
compliment. Because in Her, I feel all the potential in the world...meaning this
must be held in me as well."

The shadows dissipate as the fading voice whispers, "Say what you will. Do what
you will. I know very well how to tear little Maylea to pieces from the inside
out. Enjoy her while you can."

You smile and say, "And as much as You'd like to think to destroy Her, I'll do
what I can to return the favour to what You Yourself hold close."

Yay, I'm not a maggot.

I thought Nocht was visiting me once but it was probably just an ambience message I'd never seen before.

I'm sorry. I feel bad about even reacting: Lendren doesn't have any reason to think anything's going on (not a syllable about this has been discussed in his hearing, nothing to even suggest there's something to ask about). So it's really wrong for him to have had any reaction to something as innocuous as the sense of a presence and shifting of tree branches. I shouldn't let myself be influenced by hearing about inner-circle things here on the forums.

I'm sorry. I feel bad about even reacting: Lendren doesn't have any reason to think anything's going on (not a syllable about this has been discussed in his hearing, nothing to even suggest there's something to ask about). So it's really wrong for him to have had any reaction to something as innocuous as the sense of a presence and shifting of tree branches. I shouldn't let myself be influenced by hearing about inner-circle things here on the forums.

Try the "You get the feeling you are being watched." ambience in the Presidio.