Overbound

[Polyedit2000]

"Very well. We'll take the long way around."

Now, Azuros wasn't being petty. He just had some questions and felt that Ella wouldn't know how to speak to royalty.

"I've been following your...paci-fest, and I really have to ask, is that really the answer you have for the queen?" Azuros held out a hand. "Let's work backwards. It's good you got both captains of New Esylum to compromise by having them work on both the old and the new. Though I have to ask...how would a microwave help if Claire wasn't already focused on a different project?"

[Flashlight237]

"It's worth a shot at least," Ella replied as she took Azuros' hand. The moment they would start walking and Azuros asked the first question, that had Ella thinking about the events that passed by back then. "That... Is a good question. Back then, that was more of personal interpretation or guess of the hints that Claire left behind than anything showing that I was completely aware of what Claire was trying to do. Rotational speed... Temperature... Snacks being made in uniform fashion... Both a microwave and a popcorn machine even used a dish. It wouldn't be until I saw what Claire was actually making when I would become aware of the device in question. It took a bit of back and forth until I realized how much Claire was trying to push the new onto the old-timey fellows in Esylum that I figured out what the issue was."

[Polyedit2000]

Azuros nodded. "So I guess you were attempting to build up some goodwill. But is New Esylum the best path forward, or would it have been better as Esylum or Synthon?"

"Anyway, you were also at the swamp, and you pretty much captured some troublemakers for one of the captains there." Azuros decided a bit of explanation was in order. "I heard that hag became a captain because she trapped the original pick's daughter in a statue. And the troublemakers were that missing girl's friends. Did anything...stand out during that incident?"

[Flashlight237]

"Why, yes, actually..." Ella replied. "The seeds she had lent April and myself... There were four in all, and yet only three girls to capture." Ella pulled a seed she had left over. Or was it one April had? I couldn't tell. "And yet, they all did the same thing; sealed the girls in wooden casings not unlike that of an Egyptian mummy-case that used cartonnage. And yet, the girl the haggard had captured was also encased in wood... Oops."

[Polyedit2000]

"Yeah, I figured that, in avoiding that fight, you kinda removed that little girl's rescue attempt." Azuros shrugged. "Then again, there were rumors that the original captain had illicit dealings before...I'm not saying that the girl should suffer for her dad and the hag, but you were more interested in avoiding fights rather than fighting for what is right, whatever that is."

"Now...I wouldn't want to talk about my sister, but you girls lost to her, and she even gave you a rematch. What was she thinking?" Azuros shook his head. "I mean, I'd think she purposely put on the whole show just to get back at me...what do you think?"

[Flashlight237]

To that, Ella simply shrugged. "Could be she had fun showing off her magic throughout the entire battle. Or maybe it's simply a case of game mechanics at work."

[Polyedit2000]

"And then finally, while everyone else had their own goals and didn't see the need to fight you, the former Knight General...what's his name, oh yeah, Devonn.  Not to brag, but I could easily capture you, and by the fact he can fight me even with one arm, so can Devonn.  So why would not having enough capturing tools stop him?"  Azuros paused at a set of big doors.  "Actually, I already know the answer.  Because there is one person he will listen to, a person who could ask him to step down and he does."

Opening the door, Azuros motioned Ella to walk in.  The Queen sits on a throne of trees, clad in fur and silk.  She has blonde hair hiding her short curvy horns, though the mask of carved gold spoke of her status.

"Greetings, Ella.  It is good to see you...properly."

[Flashlight237]

"Why, it's nice to meet you too, your highness." Ella did a curtsy.

[Polyedit2000]

"...I know what you are here for.  You want to free the Hornkin.  I'm afraid the only way to do so...is to kill me."

Azuros would be rolling his eyes.  "Perhaps an explanation is in order."

"Ah, yes.  You see, Hornkin are meant to be equals, but that is not the truth, for one race is meant to lead:  the Seraphi, and it is only by the death of the leader that another can rightfully take their place.  Devonn and I are the only two Seraphi in the Dark Under after...after..."

"After she killed the former Queen and her cohorts."  Azuros pointed out.

"C-can you not be brass about that?  But yes, even though her plan consisted of simply gathering human souls, what they found out months ago was that the human body acted as a shield against the barrier...regardless of the soul in it.  And under her reign, the Hornkins and Humans would have warred against each other.  And since my brother would agree to such a war, I could not depend on him.  I had to..."  The Queen collected herself.  "Only Azuros and I know about this forbidden knowledge.  I'm afraid though, that if I were to use that forbidden knowledge, I would be no different..."

"Pretty much she's not in the headspace to go out since she thinks she'll bury the Hornkin out of disgust rather than find people to unseal the barrier.  Which in my opinion she won't do since that involves more killing."  Azuros shrugged.  "So, what were you going to say, Ella?"

[Flashlight237]

It was then when Ella paused... She had been a pacifist for quite some time, not daring to harm others even when told to do so by another. But here, to kill someone the Hornkin all held high regard for? That would make her no different from how the Hornkin had perceived humans for the past century or so.

This isn't right..! Why would they want me to do this, after all the disdain the Hornkin had towards humans for all they have done to the Hornkin? I... I... "I'm sorry... I can't." Ella replied. "I feel that if I were to kill someone all of Hornkin-kind held in high regard for so long, it would make me no different from other humans in their eyes. As selfish as I sound, what would the other Hornkin think if I went through with it all? It doesn't make sense!"

[Polyedit2000]

"They'd think about hunting down the human who killed their Seraphi, if Devonn doesn't take over and command them to do so." Azuros pointed out. "But really, I'd figure that Ella was going to spout some nonsense about unsealing the barrier herself."

The queen considered that possibility. "...That could be possible...the research notes figured out the ritual and requirements to unseal the barrier. The only ingredient we were missing is human magic. Magic that was low or missing in the ones that were captured before, and while the merge of a Hornkin soul into a human body might provide the magic needed, a magical human might yield better results."

"Yeah, but where would we find a magical human in this day and age?" Azuros said, waving his hand at Ella.

[Flashlight237]

"Well, I have one suggestion in mind, but before I bring her up, well... Would singing that is capable of animal taming and technomancy count as magic?"

[Polyedit2000]

"No."

[Flashlight237]

"Huh. Well, that crosses me off the list of possibilities... Well, there is one blonde girl I know from the surface who fits the bill. She wears a green sweater, she regularly meditates and reads tea leaves, she reads auras, she communicates with animals, she levitates, she senses negative energy in objects, and she teleports. She's also believed to be a wizard by a redhead girl. The blonde's name is Dawn."

[Polyedit2000]

"Half of those things are unmistakably beyond human."  The queen considered the decision.  "Azuros, please escort her."

===

Azuros led Ella out of the throne room.  They went down a deep hallway.  "You know, she has to report the numbers.  And what she didn't tell you was that...you and your friends are enough to go with the original plan.  The one that uses you as fuel to break the barrier.  And...if that was the last scene, that was a total flop."

In front of them was a shimmering wall.  "Maybe this Dawn girl can save us.  But there's one thing I want you to do before you go..."

Forget everything about this adventure.

[Flashlight237]

"Right... I can't guarantee it especially since you'll need her... But regardless, I'll see you when I come back with her." Ella soon made her leave through the barrier, hoping that she may one day free the Hornkin from their centuries of isolation.

[Polyedit2000]

And that was what happened when the last human left. She did come back with her friend and...it's only one girl. And while she didn't have enough magic to overcome the odds, she did attract the attention of a few humans and their TNT...it was traumatic but it did free us.

Anyway, that Ella's pink magic pretty much faded away. My sis figured that the souls of our brethren or humans awakened it in hopes she'll do something, but when she didn't step up for the moment, there was no drive to push it to the next level so her magic pretty much starved back to normal. Well, it's not like we want humans to magically seal us again.

Anyway, my sis discovered Las Vegas and she performed a few shows. And discovered a few drink. And while she didn't gamble away, I had to stop her from going to far.

Edna the hag retreated to the swamp of Orleans where the people go missing. Well, I don't know when that rumor started, but she left her "statues" behind that we managed to recover.

The girls from New Synthon went on to explore both technology and culture. They help the humans build up the thing they call steampunk.

Unfortunately, even though most of the humans were captured by the previous rulers, Queen Liilth was still responsible for their wellbeing. She agreed to house arrest since all but the four recent captures were likely husks when she took over. Oh, and Devonn became the Knight General again.

And me? Well, my duty's done here, so it's time to join the other mes.

[Flashlight237]

((Ahh... Finally... The first Polyedit2000 roleplaying session to be completed. I wasn't exactly the best at playing along, but in the end, it was totally worth seeing it through to the end.))