It rapidly became apparent to us that, were we to discern the whereabouts of the roc with any expediency, we would need to make better time in our cross-country
travel. Both Arabis and I were well outfitted with avian vessels, but the others were more problematic. Irad and Jael could assume their dragon forms, something that
they had not done on the corporeal plane in a great deal of time. Would this be inadvisable? I told them that I thought the risk minimal and the need for haste far
greater. I spoke to Irad with the same tone and directness that I used for all of the others in my group, having already concluded that I had no other choice but to work
with him. He seemed slightly taken aback at first, but moved into business-like efficiency quickly enough.
This still left Alaric and Matt. Matt, pulling away from the conversation somewhat, suggested that we might be being followed.
"Of course there are no Laurencians following us. There is no purpose to it when they have been assigned to watch the Tether and besides, they would get pine needles in
their hair," I muttered, feeling vengeful enough to resort to common insults. The others found this amusing and I felt some of the pressure within me relieved.
I was wrong, however. Matt moved back as we continued and when I went to check on him, I found that he was enacting some kind of Novalisian rite to entangle in plants
the pursuing Laurencians. I found the entire effect quite amusing. The flowers looked rather manic. I told Matt that we would send Alaric to join him and perhaps they
could negotiate, a project close to their hearts, with these two angels and the remainder of the group would continue on at a quicker pace. Matt seemed willing so this
was enacted.
Jael's vessel was quite stunning. Never having seen it before, I felt free to admire it. I was created after the demise of these creatures from God's realm.
I felt it a great shame for, in her dragon guise, I could see how these beasts had inspired such world-spanning reverence. I hoped, as we flew behind the never-erring
Arabis, that we would be able to release many of them from the Tapestry.
When Arashiel, in canine form, the two dragons and the raven all settled on the cliff face to negotiate with the roc, I made my way around to search for Jordians. I
reasoned they would be nearby, to watch and protect the roc. I found a very focused eagle that remained silent and eventually came upon a swarm of insects that spoke
to me in the fashion of their kind. I offered help to them, in whatever form. Should they need into the Tether, or a message carried to Althea , help, anything, I would
assist.
The Kyrio within the insects seemed quite taken aback. Why would I assist? I assumed that, as always, the aid of a Malakite came with suspicion and questions. I assured
the Kyrio that I was responsible for their current difficulty and would do all I could to repay that debt. The Kyrio said that they needed nothing and, thanking it, I
returned to the group.
When I returned, Arashiel asked me what I thought of the Tapestry and what should be done. I told her that I thought continued imprisonment was wrong, no matter
the nobility of the original intention. Despite this opinion, I would not mind any decision she made; I merely wished her to make a decision. Should she wish to keep it in
its current form, we could arrange a trap for those who sought it, additional ways to protect it. If Arashiel sought to unravel it, my considerations of potential
strategies were useless.
To all of our surprise, Arashiel said that we would proceed to the Far Marches immediately to unravel the Tapestry. Not wishing to give her time to reconsider her
decision, we organized our journey to that realm. Irad would descend and meet us there. The remainder of us, once we had gathered Matt and Alaric, would ascend after
Arabis, following her to her heart in Gabriel's volcano and, from there, through the intervening dreamscapes to the Far Marches. All of this was enacted without
undue difficulty.
For the most part -- although our group moved with an uncommon efficiency, I received a strange phone call. It was Wayland, the smith that I had negotiated with
in an effort to remove my geas.
"We have unfinished business," he began.
"How can that be?" I asked, full well remembering the brevity of our conversation.
"I owe you a debt and you must come to me so that I may repay it," Wayland continued.
"We negotiated nothing. How can you owe me a debt?"
"I owe you a debt. You must come."
"I do not comprehend. Nevertheless, I free you of this debt willingly. Please consider our dealings thus concluded," I said into my cell phone. How had he gotten my
number and reached me here?
"It can not be written off like that."
"Can I take my payment as not having to come?"
"No, you must come."
"Must I come this precise moment?" I asked.
"No, but soon," Wayland finished.
"Very well," I replied and ended the call. The others looked at me quizzically and I told them only that it was unfinished business.
Soon, we were leaving the volcano and making our way toward our destination. I assumed my natural form for ready travel. We had extremely good fortune in our travel
and arrived at a unicorn's forest without difficulty. She was unwilling to have us release things within her forest proper but perhaps the edge would do. She
suspected the land beyond belonged to the Sidhe but was uncertain. This seemed a reasonable place so, at the fringe of these two realms, we began, though not before I
assumed the form of Lier so as not to startle any of the denizens we would be releasing.
Faun, dryad, etc. Those that we were able to speak with were warned of the current state of things in the corporeal world; those that bolted would be warned by the
unicorn. Things went very well for quite a while and I felt invigorated. There was no certainty that any of these creatures would serve God directly. Some may even side
with the infernal, but they were released. They were free. A small, assiduously hidden selfish part of me was also relieved that we would no longer be responsible for
this troublesome artifact. This would take care of many of our recent conflicts.
Of course, they would only be taken care of were we able to finish unweaving it. We weren't as Arabis, upon receiving a notification from the unicorn, returned
with word that a Djinn, three Calabim and one Balseraph were making their way toward us, straight through the heart of the unicorn's forest.
In the ensuing discussion I remained silent. I would not be a safe person to ask since I knew what my response would be. I desperately wanted to engage them, though my
logical mind knew this to be an erroneous choice of action. So we left, to unweave elsewhere and hopefully finish before anything untoward was required.
It was unfortunate that the Djinn's resonance on the Tapestry allowed it to track us so readily, to arrive at our destination so quickly, and with reinforcements to
space. Almost as if it were aware of what was happening. I wondered if the mole was still in evidence among our number.
Either way, I knew we would not have as straightforward and relaxed conclusion.
Such a pity.