"It is not a matter of needed sleep, Eremoz", Drexon starts to explain. "We are injured and I for one have used more of my magical energy than I expected to on this journey. I will be of little help at our destination as things stand".
"Perhaps a short rest now, and we can recover further when we reach our final destination?".
”Alright. We will stay for a bit. Maybe they can help us get to town after we rest some.” Eremoz feels the old stinging pain in his shoulder flair up. “We would appreciate a moment to rest, ma’am.”
"You do not want to stop here," the woman says. "Too dangerous. The Umbra breathes and shifts at midnight. That's why so many people dare not thread here. Some brave souls usually sprint through the Umbra at midday when the light is the brightest. Safer that way. It's not far. You can rest and sleep then."
The woman keeps walking but slows down a little bit. Despite her age and a slight limp gait, she is surprisingly quick in her stride.
After another ten minutes of traversing the forests, the trees become sparser until the path opens into a small clearing. There is a certain lightness in the area, different from the heavy gloom of your journey so far. A rustic stone and wooden cottage stands in the middle of the clearing. Surrounding it is a variety of herbs and flowers. The dirt path gradually changes to cobbles until it reaches the foyer of the cottage.
When the woman enters the house, you are greeted by a jittery-looking younger woman. There is a slight elven look about her face, more angular and sharp, but she appears to be human.
"Mother! You cannot keep going outside near midnight," the young woman says. "You know well what lurks in the shadow when midnight comes. You keep warning me yourself about it, yet here you are going off. Without even telling me."
"Don't you worry about me," the mother says. "Had a dream about these young men having trouble on the bridge."
The younger woman's eyes light up. "Oh, is it him? The one that will marry my descendants?"
"No. I told you time travel is not possible. It's just some travellers stuck in the mire with the lizardlions. Now, go prepare some hot water and maybe the leftover soup. These men could use some. I'll lay some blankets in front of the hearth for them."
"We were not meaning to stop here, but to take you up on your hospitality", Drexon clarifies for the old lady.
When the younger lady comes out to admonish her mother, he simply smiles and listens to their interaction. The younger lady was obviously concerned.
"We apologise for causing your mother to leave the safety of your home, but we are glad she did. We certainly were not prepared for the dangers of the marsh, and will not be traversing it in the dark again any time soon", he says to the young lady.
"If there is anything we can do to help, please tell us. And once we are settled, it would be good to hear more about your vision".
Cob almost blurts out that time travel is clearly possible, otherwise how did they explain being there. But decides the relationship between the mother and daughter isn't his to interfere with and keeps his mouth shut.
"Oh, no, no, go take a seat in front of the hearth," the daughter says. "I'm Amber Adama, and that's my mother, Edna, if she hasn't introduced herself already. She forgets. We've been living in the Umbra for so long that social interaction is not exactly our forte. Still, I know enough how to be a good host. I'll bring a warm meal for you, and perhaps warm water for you to wash up before your rest."
You don't have to wait long before Amber arrives with a tray of warm soup in one hand and a large bucket of steaming water in another. She sits there near the hearth to accompany you. Her mother, Edna, has gone off to her own room, most probably to rest too.
"Don't let mother hear you call it a vision," Amber says. "A vision means we're seeing directly into the past, the present, or the future. One of mother's old friends from before she came to the Umbra was a seer, someone with visions. What my mother and I experience is not as straightforward. Dream is the best word for it. We can hear things, but it's usually muddled. Sometimes we see things, but it is not always certain because what we see is more of an impression than fact. While a seer will see a scene from a different time, my mother and I, dreamers, get the impression of an event. It's not as accurate or set in stone as what a seer can do, but dreamers offer a different perspective that may or may not change the general outcome."
Drexon uses the bucket of hot water to clean himself as he listens to Amber explain her visions. He relishes the warmth, and even just the smell of the soup is comforting.
"I find these dreams of yours very curious. If it was an impression of an event, what makes you so certain the person in your dream is going to marry one of your descendants? Even despite the impossibility of it. I would also be keen to know of any other dreams you have had recently".
Only once he has cleaned up does he reach for the soup, eating it eagerly.
Cob helps Mother Edna get the soup out. While doing so, and after thanking her for her hospitality, he asks "Have you seen anyone else coming through the Umbra? Maybe in the past few days or weeks? With kids?"
"It's the way they feel," Amber says. "There's the feeling of brightness, safety, love. There's also the sound of laughing children whenever I have such a dream. Two children. It's not associated with me, but it feels like a close relative of mine, familial. With mother and father having no siblings, and I being an only child, it could only be a child of mine or their descendants. I was excited to meet them when mother said she's been having a dream about a man bearing the smell of metal, well-worn leather, and burning coal. It's the same smell that always comes when I dream about this descendant of mine's family."
"There's one," Edna calls out as she comes out with bundles of thick blankets for the group. "My dream. It's about a horseman wreathed in a fire and holding a spear made of fire and brimstone. It seems to be opaque in one moment and spectral in another. The general feeling points to it lurking in the area north. It's not exactly malevolent, but it gives off a feeling of discontent and the drive to complete its task in any way it could, even disposing of anything that comes between it and its target. That's why I haven't travelled north in a while. A little annoying. There's a little spot up north where my favourite herbal tea grows that I cannot get to until that horseman leaves."
Drexon nods to Amber as she details her dream, wondering whether to reveal the truth of their presence here.
He connects telepathically with Cob and then Eremoz after hearing Cob's reply, "The fewer people that know the truth about us the better, but we need allies, we need to trust someone. I am willing to gamble on these two. What do you think?".
As Edna speaks he sighs, "We have had trouble with magical horsemen before, but the description doesn't exactly match. Hopefully this one has nothing to do with our purpose".
"I would say you better stay away from north of here, but then you won't be travelling through the Umbra in the middle of the night if it's not for an urgent matter up north," Edna grumbles. "You say kids? Kidnapped kids? Smart nappers to hide in the Umbra, but also stupid. Where are you off to? Saikhan? Cloudhill? You're far away from your destination if you're heading to Cloudhill. They're to the northwest. There's a road circling the Umbra there. Safer, for sure, but longer. Cutting through the Umbra is quicker, but also more dangerous."
If we want to share the truth, I think this would be a safe bet. I don’t think it’s necessary, but don’t have strong feelings against it. Eremoz takes a seat on the ground. He twists his body and lies down, using his body weight to stretch out his bothersome shoulder. “Argh… they plan on shipping the children out of Saikhan. Pretty sure if we don’t make it in time to stop them, we may lose our chance.”
"Well it seems you know our purpose now. Yes, the kids have been kidnapped and we have to travel quickly to Saikhan as Eremoz confirmed. Perhaps there is more you can do to help us, not that we aren't grateful for all you have already done", Drexon says.
He stays quiet for a moment about the time travel, feeling that this is the more urgent topic of conversation.
"Where did you come from?" Amber asks. She moves toward the kitchen area for a moment before returning with a tub of white paste. "Here let me help with your shoulder. We have a salve to relieve joint pain or old injuries. Mother used it often." She begins helping Eremoz if he agrees. "It's strange to pass through the Umbra if you want to go to Saikhan. Going east to Candaca and taking a boat from there is safer. Unfortunately, the road to Saikhan through the Umbra is dangerous to traverse at night. The landscape shifts strangely and the flora is alive. It is better to go near high noon when the flora mostly sleeps and the landscape is more settled."
"You should guide them tomorrow," Edna says to Amber suddenly.
"We've talked about this, Mother," Amber replies exasperatedly. "I'm not leaving you to live in this house alone."
"Trust the dream, child. This could be a sign for you to leave home." Edna huffs and moves back to her room, not appearing again for the rest of the night.
"She's been insisting for me to leave and find my own way in the world," Amber says to the group after a moment of silence. "Well, what can we do to help? As Mother said, I can guide you to Saikhan, but I won't go before noon tomorrow. It's too dangerous and we can become easily lost, even with Mother's lantern."
"I guess the problem is we are not that familiar with the area. We were given a little advice to stay on the path, and we had some insect repellent, but beyond that we were a bit naive as to what to expect", Drexon admits.
"I would ask for a map, but it seems this Umbra of yours doesn't lend itself to maps. I guess that leaves waiting for noon for you to guide us".
He looks to Cob and Eremoz and decides to broach the subject of time travel now.
"Your mother might be correct in trusting your dream. When I said we were not from this area, I guess that also applies to this era. Although don't ask how, I don't understand it myself. But your instincts are correct".
Eremoz nods to Amber, happy for some assistance. He scoots closer and takes his undershirt off, presenting his right shoulder. “Thank you.”
”We could use the help, but we would have to work through the night to find the children. Might end up being a long day.” He looks to his companions for their thoughts.
"We might be short on time once we get there, but better that we get there with some time then not get there at all. Worst case, we head straight to the docks and see what we can find. Might not be able to prevent the kids from being put on the ship but we can be there before it leaves."
He laughs a little at Drexon's hint that they're not from this time.
"We were fighting some creature trying to break through some sort of gateway to another world. Didn't go very well and we ended up waking up here, in your time."
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Eremoz looks to Cob and Drexon. “Can we afford to stop? We are cutting it close as is. I don’t want to miss the children because we are tired.”
"It is not a matter of needed sleep, Eremoz", Drexon starts to explain. "We are injured and I for one have used more of my magical energy than I expected to on this journey. I will be of little help at our destination as things stand".
"Perhaps a short rest now, and we can recover further when we reach our final destination?".
A yawn steals over Cob's features when they talk about taking a rest.
"We're not going to be much help to anyone if we don't get some sleep."
”Alright. We will stay for a bit. Maybe they can help us get to town after we rest some.” Eremoz feels the old stinging pain in his shoulder flair up. “We would appreciate a moment to rest, ma’am.”
"You do not want to stop here," the woman says. "Too dangerous. The Umbra breathes and shifts at midnight. That's why so many people dare not thread here. Some brave souls usually sprint through the Umbra at midday when the light is the brightest. Safer that way. It's not far. You can rest and sleep then."
The woman keeps walking but slows down a little bit. Despite her age and a slight limp gait, she is surprisingly quick in her stride.
After another ten minutes of traversing the forests, the trees become sparser until the path opens into a small clearing. There is a certain lightness in the area, different from the heavy gloom of your journey so far. A rustic stone and wooden cottage stands in the middle of the clearing. Surrounding it is a variety of herbs and flowers. The dirt path gradually changes to cobbles until it reaches the foyer of the cottage.
When the woman enters the house, you are greeted by a jittery-looking younger woman. There is a slight elven look about her face, more angular and sharp, but she appears to be human.
"Mother! You cannot keep going outside near midnight," the young woman says. "You know well what lurks in the shadow when midnight comes. You keep warning me yourself about it, yet here you are going off. Without even telling me."
"Don't you worry about me," the mother says. "Had a dream about these young men having trouble on the bridge."
The younger woman's eyes light up. "Oh, is it him? The one that will marry my descendants?"
"No. I told you time travel is not possible. It's just some travellers stuck in the mire with the lizardlions. Now, go prepare some hot water and maybe the leftover soup. These men could use some. I'll lay some blankets in front of the hearth for them."
"We were not meaning to stop here, but to take you up on your hospitality", Drexon clarifies for the old lady.
When the younger lady comes out to admonish her mother, he simply smiles and listens to their interaction. The younger lady was obviously concerned.
"We apologise for causing your mother to leave the safety of your home, but we are glad she did. We certainly were not prepared for the dangers of the marsh, and will not be traversing it in the dark again any time soon", he says to the young lady.
"If there is anything we can do to help, please tell us. And once we are settled, it would be good to hear more about your vision".
Cob almost blurts out that time travel is clearly possible, otherwise how did they explain being there. But decides the relationship between the mother and daughter isn't his to interfere with and keeps his mouth shut.
"Oh, no, no, go take a seat in front of the hearth," the daughter says. "I'm Amber Adama, and that's my mother, Edna, if she hasn't introduced herself already. She forgets. We've been living in the Umbra for so long that social interaction is not exactly our forte. Still, I know enough how to be a good host. I'll bring a warm meal for you, and perhaps warm water for you to wash up before your rest."
You don't have to wait long before Amber arrives with a tray of warm soup in one hand and a large bucket of steaming water in another. She sits there near the hearth to accompany you. Her mother, Edna, has gone off to her own room, most probably to rest too.
"Don't let mother hear you call it a vision," Amber says. "A vision means we're seeing directly into the past, the present, or the future. One of mother's old friends from before she came to the Umbra was a seer, someone with visions. What my mother and I experience is not as straightforward. Dream is the best word for it. We can hear things, but it's usually muddled. Sometimes we see things, but it is not always certain because what we see is more of an impression than fact. While a seer will see a scene from a different time, my mother and I, dreamers, get the impression of an event. It's not as accurate or set in stone as what a seer can do, but dreamers offer a different perspective that may or may not change the general outcome."
Drexon uses the bucket of hot water to clean himself as he listens to Amber explain her visions. He relishes the warmth, and even just the smell of the soup is comforting.
"I find these dreams of yours very curious. If it was an impression of an event, what makes you so certain the person in your dream is going to marry one of your descendants? Even despite the impossibility of it. I would also be keen to know of any other dreams you have had recently".
Only once he has cleaned up does he reach for the soup, eating it eagerly.
Cob helps Mother Edna get the soup out. While doing so, and after thanking her for her hospitality, he asks "Have you seen anyone else coming through the Umbra? Maybe in the past few days or weeks? With kids?"
"It's the way they feel," Amber says. "There's the feeling of brightness, safety, love. There's also the sound of laughing children whenever I have such a dream. Two children. It's not associated with me, but it feels like a close relative of mine, familial. With mother and father having no siblings, and I being an only child, it could only be a child of mine or their descendants. I was excited to meet them when mother said she's been having a dream about a man bearing the smell of metal, well-worn leather, and burning coal. It's the same smell that always comes when I dream about this descendant of mine's family."
"There's one," Edna calls out as she comes out with bundles of thick blankets for the group. "My dream. It's about a horseman wreathed in a fire and holding a spear made of fire and brimstone. It seems to be opaque in one moment and spectral in another. The general feeling points to it lurking in the area north. It's not exactly malevolent, but it gives off a feeling of discontent and the drive to complete its task in any way it could, even disposing of anything that comes between it and its target. That's why I haven't travelled north in a while. A little annoying. There's a little spot up north where my favourite herbal tea grows that I cannot get to until that horseman leaves."
Drexon nods to Amber as she details her dream, wondering whether to reveal the truth of their presence here.
He connects telepathically with Cob and then Eremoz after hearing Cob's reply, "The fewer people that know the truth about us the better, but we need allies, we need to trust someone. I am willing to gamble on these two. What do you think?".
As Edna speaks he sighs, "We have had trouble with magical horsemen before, but the description doesn't exactly match. Hopefully this one has nothing to do with our purpose".
"I would say you better stay away from north of here, but then you won't be travelling through the Umbra in the middle of the night if it's not for an urgent matter up north," Edna grumbles. "You say kids? Kidnapped kids? Smart nappers to hide in the Umbra, but also stupid. Where are you off to? Saikhan? Cloudhill? You're far away from your destination if you're heading to Cloudhill. They're to the northwest. There's a road circling the Umbra there. Safer, for sure, but longer. Cutting through the Umbra is quicker, but also more dangerous."
If we want to share the truth, I think this would be a safe bet. I don’t think it’s necessary, but don’t have strong feelings against it. Eremoz takes a seat on the ground. He twists his body and lies down, using his body weight to stretch out his bothersome shoulder. “Argh… they plan on shipping the children out of Saikhan. Pretty sure if we don’t make it in time to stop them, we may lose our chance.”
Cob nods to the message in his head. “Yeah, I vote for telling them. She knows something about our time.”
"Well it seems you know our purpose now. Yes, the kids have been kidnapped and we have to travel quickly to Saikhan as Eremoz confirmed. Perhaps there is more you can do to help us, not that we aren't grateful for all you have already done", Drexon says.
He stays quiet for a moment about the time travel, feeling that this is the more urgent topic of conversation.
"Where did you come from?" Amber asks. She moves toward the kitchen area for a moment before returning with a tub of white paste. "Here let me help with your shoulder. We have a salve to relieve joint pain or old injuries. Mother used it often." She begins helping Eremoz if he agrees. "It's strange to pass through the Umbra if you want to go to Saikhan. Going east to Candaca and taking a boat from there is safer. Unfortunately, the road to Saikhan through the Umbra is dangerous to traverse at night. The landscape shifts strangely and the flora is alive. It is better to go near high noon when the flora mostly sleeps and the landscape is more settled."
"You should guide them tomorrow," Edna says to Amber suddenly.
"We've talked about this, Mother," Amber replies exasperatedly. "I'm not leaving you to live in this house alone."
"Trust the dream, child. This could be a sign for you to leave home." Edna huffs and moves back to her room, not appearing again for the rest of the night.
"She's been insisting for me to leave and find my own way in the world," Amber says to the group after a moment of silence. "Well, what can we do to help? As Mother said, I can guide you to Saikhan, but I won't go before noon tomorrow. It's too dangerous and we can become easily lost, even with Mother's lantern."
"I guess the problem is we are not that familiar with the area. We were given a little advice to stay on the path, and we had some insect repellent, but beyond that we were a bit naive as to what to expect", Drexon admits.
"I would ask for a map, but it seems this Umbra of yours doesn't lend itself to maps. I guess that leaves waiting for noon for you to guide us".
He looks to Cob and Eremoz and decides to broach the subject of time travel now.
"Your mother might be correct in trusting your dream. When I said we were not from this area, I guess that also applies to this era. Although don't ask how, I don't understand it myself. But your instincts are correct".
Eremoz nods to Amber, happy for some assistance. He scoots closer and takes his undershirt off, presenting his right shoulder. “Thank you.”
”We could use the help, but we would have to work through the night to find the children. Might end up being a long day.” He looks to his companions for their thoughts.
Cob nods at Drexon and Eremoz.
"We might be short on time once we get there, but better that we get there with some time then not get there at all. Worst case, we head straight to the docks and see what we can find. Might not be able to prevent the kids from being put on the ship but we can be there before it leaves."
He laughs a little at Drexon's hint that they're not from this time.
"We were fighting some creature trying to break through some sort of gateway to another world. Didn't go very well and we ended up waking up here, in your time."