The ferrymen vanish off in the horizon, making no grand announcement of their exit. They have work to do, after all, and they are not exactly the chatty sort. It leaves the four mages--four living human beings, making them unique in this realm--and The Message. The four of them--Serafine, Kalen, Alexander, Gwendolyn--are shining beacons in this realm because they have the rush of blood pulsing through their body, the breath of life slipping into and out of their lungs. Unlike when the Nephandi ruled this little corner though, that beacon does not feel like a target. Rather, it is more like a paragon. While death is a natural part of life, so is life. And all the dead remember what it was to be alive, and most of them respect those who still have it.
The Message gives them a smile--a grateful one--and nods his head. "I would very much like that some day," he says in response to Kalen's words. "I find the barrier is growing less treacherous in recent times, and perhaps it may be possible for me to speak with you at a less dire time."
As to Alexander, he regards the man with a moment of curiosity. It is not altogether rare that one would request to travel with a spirit, but The Mesage is not quite entirely a spirit after all. There's a little nod that follows, and he reaches out--as Kalen once did to him, and as the Hermetic has just done to Alex--to clasp the man's shoulder. It is a bit awkward from the owl-winged Sending with the soul and mind of an Archmage, but who would expect otherwise for the first time? One can imagine that even Anastasius Spyridon, bani Celestial Chorus did not, at least after all the time spent in that Umbral Realm, have a lot of memory of what it meant to have physical contact.
"Some day, perhaps. I believe that I would like that."
He gives Serafine a sympathetic look, but he does not press the issue. There is a little nod when she asks to go home, and he looks to Gwen finally. "It is most excellent and an honor to meet you. I will bring you all back to your home now."
He reaches out and touches Gwen and Kalen, with Sera and Alex already in contact with the Hermetic. And just like last time, there is no pain on the way back. They end up in Washington Park only moments after they left with the scarecrow gone and the sun setting.
The Message gives them a smile--a grateful one--and nods his head. "I would very much like that some day," he says in response to Kalen's words. "I find the barrier is growing less treacherous in recent times, and perhaps it may be possible for me to speak with you at a less dire time."
As to Alexander, he regards the man with a moment of curiosity. It is not altogether rare that one would request to travel with a spirit, but The Mesage is not quite entirely a spirit after all. There's a little nod that follows, and he reaches out--as Kalen once did to him, and as the Hermetic has just done to Alex--to clasp the man's shoulder. It is a bit awkward from the owl-winged Sending with the soul and mind of an Archmage, but who would expect otherwise for the first time? One can imagine that even Anastasius Spyridon, bani Celestial Chorus did not, at least after all the time spent in that Umbral Realm, have a lot of memory of what it meant to have physical contact.
"Some day, perhaps. I believe that I would like that."
He gives Serafine a sympathetic look, but he does not press the issue. There is a little nod when she asks to go home, and he looks to Gwen finally. "It is most excellent and an honor to meet you. I will bring you all back to your home now."
He reaches out and touches Gwen and Kalen, with Sera and Alex already in contact with the Hermetic. And just like last time, there is no pain on the way back. They end up in Washington Park only moments after they left with the scarecrow gone and the sun setting.
"The anger of a good man is not a problem. Good men have too many rules."
"Good men don't need rules. And today's not the day to find out why I have so many."
"Good men don't need rules. And today's not the day to find out why I have so many."