How I Found it All: Part II
"So... what is it you need from me?" I asked. "I mean, you did sound just a bit manic through your message, so I'm guessing that it is to some degree of importance to you."
"Well, you will not believe this, but I was going through my usual routine: looking for redundancies in spells that make them less efficient..."
"Do get on with it," I interrupted her with. "I just hiked 84 miles in two days an I'm dead tired."
"Okay, snappy," she said, pausing for a moment. "I think that I have created a method of time travel." An even greater pause arose.
"Huh?"
"I have developed a way to send objects through a portal and have them reappear a few moments later, coming from the other end of the portal. I have begun to experiment with living creatures, some with success, coming out the other side completely unharmed, and some coming out... well, let's just say they end up lacking a few vital pieces. Now, I have..."
"Ooh, a bed," I said, jumping ungracefully onto Marbles' silk sheets with feather pillows.
"Hey, get off of those; they're very expensive and you smell like an ogre." I really didn't care. I was tired and wanted to do nothing but sleep. "Okay," she said. "If you are going to sleep here, at least get yourself cleaned up. I will have one of the associates draw a bath for you." I wasn't looking, but I heard her step onto the pad and disappear from the room.
All was silent for about half a minute, then she came back. "All right, you can go now," she said. The bath will be ready for you when you get there. It's on the top floor of the Praxographical Center. Here, I'll give you some energy so you can walk there yourself." She muttered something inaudible, grabbed me on the arm, and a blue aura glowed around me and Marbles. I immediately bounced up and off of the bed, filled with almost uncontrollable ecstatic energy.
"Whoa," I exclaimed. "That was exhilarating." I continued bounding over to the pad and went through it.
Seeing the steam rising from the hot water nearly made my heart skip. I had never before experienced such a wonderful excitement. Just holding myself back to not jump in was as unbearable as the way I smelled. I decided to try something new: proceed calmly and not dash in, like I had done for basically everything in my life. As I undressed, I threw my sludge-ridden clothing outside the room. The only noise that could be heard was my exclamation of relief when soft, scaly skin met with soothing steam and steeping serenity.
"Ahh..." I gave a sigh of sheer bliss, because I have never before inhaled such sweet aromas since my mother's hist perfume had flooded my senses and overpowered my very will. Only moments later, euphoria was not the only feeling that I had.
A single tear formed and soon fell into infinite dance with the water around me, remembering my mother. She was the sweetest person I ever knew. Her eyes showed her kindness and her actions mirrored her very soul. "Why did you go so horribly?"
"Before she died, she told me something," said Marbles, who had just appeared in the doorway to my bath. I wasn't surprised by her sudden intrusion, but rather comforted.
"What do you mean?"
"I had a chance to speak with her. She told me to tell you that no matter who takes her: The Nine, or the dark harvester, Molag Bal, she will watch us and try with all of the will she has to influence our actions. I believe that she has gone with the Nine. Do you want to know why? Because I was dead at one point."
"Dead? What do you mean? I thought you were immortal."
"Well, I am. Listen, I have never told this to anybody, but I have meddled in the affairs of the deceased." Shock befell my face when she said that. "Jumps, it was the only way to contact her. Trust me, I regret belonging in such terrible arts for even a second, but I believe that it has made me stronger." Long silence clouded over us like a storm, only to be interrupted by Marbles, who quickly changed the subject. "I still have the recipe for her perfume. What do you think you were smelling now?"
"Oh, Marbles. You are the best sister anyone could have." I was thinking about getting up and hugging her, but she was in her mage's robes.
"I guess I will see you when you're ready to go, tomorrow. For now, relax, enjoy yourself, and get some rest. You are going to need it." With that, she left me to my bath. I felt glad knowing that our mother was in a good place, but remained somewhat mortified from Marbles' affiliations with necromancy.
End of part II...