The massive city-palace set at the northern edge of Svastheim. Dame Astra houses thousands of beings, serving as the primary barracks for the einherjar, the slain chosen to serve the gods and share in this paradise, as well as a base of operations for the ever-vigilant valkyries. It is a warrior kingdom, nothing less, but perfectly friendly to those who can keep pace.

---

Yggdrasil Minor - the world tree

Svastheim - upper layer of the 'gods'
Dame Astra - city-palace of the gods.
Falumine - woodland plane of spirits

Ehrgard - central layer of mortals
Sessenheim - mountain home of giants and lamia

Mitregard - lowest layer of demons and monsters
Julengard - where the unchosen dead go to await reincarnation
Sengurd - a den of dragons
Umliad - home to a the undead.

---

Dewei can barely keep pace with Radivishe Moorn, but with this much adrenaline, he can just manage. His heart's in his throat, mind searching for Ai and calling out to her.

The clover fields around the enormous palace are filled with spectators of various breeds and appearances. Wolves and ravens, outfitted in strangely fitting armored tack, surround what appears to be a pair of diamond filament wicker men set atop a pedestal near the grand stairway. Armored women stand beside them as well, spears and swords in hand.

"... and in their sacrifice shall we attain, at last, our true creators." A dignified-looking man stands between them, along with several others of similar dress and radiant countenance. His hands rest on the wicker men, only one of which is empty.

"You, stop there! What's your hurry, eh?" A pair of immense wolves bar the path of Moorn and Dewei, a man of similar proportions standing between them. 

Dewei actually bares his fangs a touch on instinct. "We have to see Ai. Stand aside." He has no intention of asking twice.

"Oh. Oh! I see, you are Dewei. Right, go ahead." The man steps aside, bidding his wolves to do so as well, smiling pleasantly.

Ai can barely see, her vision clouded with black patches. Whatever they did to get her into this contraption must have been severe, as she cannot remember it with any clarity. "Dewei," she whispers, "Father? I can't move!" The bindings of the wicker man are unbelievably solid, built to prevent the shaken from changing their minds. "Help me, please! Dewei!"

Radivishe Moorn shoves his way into the crowd, fury taking over his smirking features. The distance to the pedestal is not great, perhaps a thousand feet, but when he tries to teleport there the magic feels warped, somehow. Desperation enters into his mind, but the spell triggers anyway, sending him instantly to Umliad. Not far off, a spry, sandy-colored fellow in a colorful cloak snickers, and vanishes into the crowd.

Dewei cringes slightly at that. Mentally assure Ai that he's here...scans with his eyes and other senses for some way to get up to the pedestal.

"... so with this blessing we commend her to the cycle of rebirth." The dignified fellow's eyes find Dewei, and his expression changes a bit. "There you are. We were about to go without you."

All around Dewei turn to look at him in an instant. Some faint. Some cry, others applaud. He is their god after all. Hands reach out to slap his back, but all the while Ai's voice weakly pleads to him for help.

Dewei is taken aback at all the attention...Felina's drilled modesty and not overestimating one's own worth into her kids since they were very young, since they happen to be members of one of the most prominent arcane mortal families in the universe. Even so... "This has to stop, at least for now. This is ambushing a girl and killing her."

"Well, don't be silly mister kitten man," the sandy fellow in the colored cloak calls out from just in front of Dewei. "This is why you two came here. It isn't going to hurt either of you."

"I can tell. Ai looks thrilled. At least let me talk to her." He is wondering what the deal with this fellow is, though. He's perfectly aware that he's likely the one who bent Moorn's spell...would sets him at well beyond formidable, on sheer wit.

"Her? Well, she resisted, obviously. Lots of people taking the plunge resist, and all of them get the treatment. You too, mister fancy. You can talk to her, but you have to get into the box, too." He points at the empty wicker man. Murmurs are beginning to grow in the crowd. "We can just have one of you. But we want you both, like it's supposed to be." He does step aside though, and the crowd parts for Dewei to pass.

Dewei narrows his eyes a little...but then walks past the crowd, trying not to be disconcerted by them--all told, he'd probably be more comfortable if they were a truer lynch mob, that he could deal with--and finally ends up near Ai's wicker man. "This is a taught spot, Ai," he admits quietly to her, just barely managing to get his fingers--the edge of his claws, actally, though the mesh enough to touch her heand, trying to reassure her. "How much do you know about what's going on?"

Ai tries to get close to him, but restrained as she is, the smallest of movements seem next to impossible.

"Nothing. I... wait. I remember hearing something about being reborn. I tried to leave, but then something hit me, something sorcerous. I'm--" her voice falters for just a second. "I'm scared, Dewei. I want to go home...!"

The sandy fellow climbs to the pedestal and joins his apparent fellows, speaking in low tones to them. The murmuring in the crowd has grown into a dull roar formed partly of dissent, partly of impatience. They stand more or less straight, waiting for Dewei to finish his business so they can begint heirs.

Dewei narrows his eyes just a little, but his face and voice soften when he looks back to Ai. He does his best to calm her psychically that she can process what he's saying properly, gazing at her through the wicker. "They want to make us gods, I think. Literally. Fully divine in your case instead of half. But to do that, they want to do the same thing we just did to Yue, with being killed to be reborn." Pauses. It's basically what she'd wanted, just...not at all like she'd expected it to happen. "Ai...what do you want to do?"

She looks squarely at Dewei, shaking her head. "I don't want to die... I don't. But if you... I'm scared. But with you, I... can do anything, go through anything."

"Just tell me what to do. Ai, if you want me to, I will step into the other basket and we can do this together." And if you want me to try to get you out of this, I have to know right now.

The telepathic bit is equally whispered and shielded. He doesn't trust the cloaked fellow to not be able to hear. He's also very aware that they're running out of time one way or the other.

"I can't tell you to live or die, Dewei. But I can't escape this thing... I've tried." Ai smiles resignedly, an inmate walking the green mile. "My life is over."

The distinguished fellow is tapping his foot a bit.

Dewei takes a deep breath. He'll take that as a 'no, get me the hell out of here.' He glances downward psychically, searching for how the basket is bound down.

"What are you doing?" The short man in the colored cloak inquires. "If you're thinking of springing her, forget it. That thing is impregnable."

"They're getting impatient, Dewei. Save yourself. I'll wait for you, I promise." Ai closes her eyes, settling back.

"Ai..." Dewei whipers... "hang on." This is meant quite literally. Dewei takes a short breath. He knows this is absolutely all or nothing. One of his feet slips partially beneath her wicker man and then jerks up with all his enhanced strength and the aid of telekinesis, straight towards an abrupt portal immediately above. The whole thing should take less than a second.

It's supposed to be headed right for Mara-kuru, and is accompanied by the energy burst she'll need for an immediate portal back home and the screamed, wordless get this home RIGHT NOW DON'T STOP TO BREATHE telepathic urgency that would normally accompany "there's an arrow flying at your back."

Mara-kuru blinks but does as she's told, wondering what Dewei is doing screaming about an empty wicker man.

Colorful Cloak scratches his hair for a moment, apparently not the least bit perturbed. "Someone ought to tell him," he casually says. "I told you that tricking him wasn't going to work. We should have just told him the truth right away."

"You're the trickster god, Mitre," Distinguished chastises, "you should have used a better illusion."

Dewei's heart leaps to his throat, eyes flashing with mixed intensity as he spins to face Mitre and Distinguished, hand on the hilt of his sword. "Where's Ai?" He demands. Quietly...but it's a demand.

"Whoops, time to go." And Mitre vanishes in a haze of fur and feather, leaving Distinguished to fend for himself.

"Um... we cannot really beg your forgiveness, but..." he looks around, sheepishly. "She, ah... well, we had no idea that you two hadn't come willingly. We just thought her resistance was instinct. But we couldn't very well tell you that, knowing you didn't know, because then you wouldn't agree..."

Dewei is stunned into silence for several moments before pure rage clouds his features. One more instant sees him holding Distinguished by the throat just barely above the ground, fangs bared in a furious grimace. "If you mean to tell me that you've killed her, then you had best start explaining all the specifics of this 'rebirth cycle' of yours and praying to whatever gods you worship that your answer is good enough." Throughout this all, his voice remains quiet.

The snarl of dozens of wolves couples with the ring of blades, surrounding Dewei in sound. Eleven armored women just like the one in green, though she is not present, point blades at him menacingly.

"Please let me down," Distinguished calmly, for a man who is half-choked, requests. "Don't make it worse... I... ckhk..."

"Drop him this instant!" One of the women, whose features are unlike the porcelain-doll faces of the others, commands. Her wolven eyes burn at him. "Now!"

Dewei glances to her a moment, his eyes still narrow, before his eyes travel back to Distinguished. He knows where to pick his fights, though. Maybe he could win, maybe not, but he'll certainly lose the answers he needs. He simply drops Distinguished. "The requested explanations. Please."

Distinguished gathers himself immediately. "Hrist," he calls to the beastly warrior woman, "disperse this crowd."

She bows at the shoulder, and takes her compatriots to do just that in what Distinguished hopes is an enormous show of faith. The gathered are quick to obey, some out of boredom, but few out of actual fear of the women.

"We had no idea you... hadn't been informed. Our legends all said that you would know. Over the millenia they have been embellished, I guess... but... I am sorry. Your friend is dead." He glances over to a litter that had been placed behind the pedestal, closed and sealed to the crowd. "Six months. That is how long it will take for her to return, given her half-divnity."

Dewei glances that way. Eyes widen until he forcefully tears them away a moment later. Closes them a few moments, before looking back up to Distinguished, folding his arms to still and hide his own trembling. "And then?" He manages. "How will she return, and in what state?"

"That is up to Emily, the how anyway," Distinguished nods. "Your friend will return in a glorious new form, a full blooded divinity." The way he's speaking is almost reverant, but he looks down suddenly. "Sorry. This was supposed to be ajoyous occasion for all involved."

"I know." Dewei closes his eyes a few moments. He's thoroughly in shock, all told, which is exceedingly helpful. Opens them again. "Another question...her father tried to teleport to her. Or the illusion of her. It was redirected somewhere. Where is he?"

"I don't know. I will tell you now that Mitre is the only one who could have done that... tricky fellow, you know. He..." Distinguished looks down again. "I'm so sorry that this happened this way. But I promise you we'll try to make it right. If you can find your friend's spirit in Julengard, you can negotiate with Stygia for her more immediate release." He looks off the platform. "I can have Hrist lend you a Valkyrie as a guide. If you wish to go that route, that is."

"I would." Dewei nods, and bows. "Thank you."

"My name is Auldrisk," the distinguished man says at last. "I'm the scout here, I keep an eye on Umliad to keep the demons from having an advantage against us. The wolf woman is Hrist, she's our most veteran Valkyrie, and the Valkyries are those visions in the armor. Ingrid is their captain, the one in the blue. Hrist!"

Auldrisk's call catches the commander's attention. "Sir?"

"Loan me a Valkyrie to help master Dewei."

Hrist looks around a moment. "Form up!"

In a moment, twelve Valkyries in various armor colors (identical of feature save for one, a blonde with a kind-looking face) form a line in front of the pedestal. The green-armored blonde stands at the end, sniffling quietly. The others stand in crisp, military formation."

Auldrisk looks to Dewei. "Choose one."

Dewei looks over them in that strange state of alert unawareness. His eyes fall on the blonde, whom he recognizes. "In the green," he inquires, voice that same breed of soft it has been since he stopped strangling Auldrisk, "what's wrong?"

"Ah," Hrist steps between them, shaking her head. "You don't want her. Randleif is her name, she is undisciplined and empathetic, probably weeping at your loss. She is an artist, you see, when all her sisters are born warriors."

Dewei looks to the wolf-woman after a moment. "Who would you recommend, Commander Hrist, and why?"

"Ingrid." She looks to the line, none of which shows any indication that Hrist's instant answer irritates her. "She is the captain of this unit. She is crisp, disciplined, and merciless, not to mention obedient. Her experience on the battlefield is vast. If not her, then Sundr, who is nearly as experienced."

Dewei really does consider all of this dutifully, for the better part of ten seconds, before looking back to Hrist. "I respect and appreciate your analysis of your own soldiers. Were this strictly a battle situation, I would abide by it in a hearbeat." He looks back to the line. "But this is a mission of negotiation, is it not? The end struggle will be psychological in large part. Empathy bosters that. Undue sternness may actively hinder. Given this tree's rebirth cycle, I must imagine that most of these ladies have died anyway. And if I die...that was everyone's goal in the first place." He looks back over to Hrist. "Those things in mind, I would as soon take Miss Randleif."

Hrist looks to the whimpering blonde. "Randleif, cease that this instant. You are to accompany this man until such time as his mission is completed or he is killed, at which point you will report back here immediately. You will obey him as if he were me. Do you understand?"

Randleif nods, whispering a sorrowful, "Yes, Commander."

Auldrisk holds a bronze charm out to Dewei. "Here. Wear this around your neck, or else the land of the dead will think you dead."

Dewei nods, taking the charm with a bowed head. "Thank you. And Miss Randleif? She's already protected from this, I trust?"

"Quite," Auldrisk nods. "Valkyries deal with the dead every day. Plus, they are all divine, and have been through the cycle themselves."

Dewei nods. He'd guessed as much. Looks at the amulet thoughtfully a moment. "One more thing..." he looks back up to Auldrisk. "Ai's father is still floating around somewhere. First, he should be found, but second...I should warn you that while he's an ally and my master, he will likely be one of the most dangerous beings in existance when he finds out that his daughter is dead." He forcefully keeps himself from glancing in the direction of Ai's body, and swallows hard.

He looks to the emerald-clad valkyrie. "If you'll lead, miss..." glances back to Auldrisk. "Unless there's something else?"

"Just... if blame is to be taken for this, I ask that it all be mine. My fellows need not be punished for this." He looks to Hrist, who glares at him for what she considers an act of dishonor. "We will find your master. Good luck to you."

Dewei just nods. He isn't likely to do as bidden, but is quite a bit too numb to acknowledge most of that statement. Looks to Randleif, waiting for her to...well...lead.

The emerald clad Valkyrie, once her eyes are more or less dry, gives Dewei a sharp salute. "This way," she bids him. From her breastplate she draws a small, round stone, which she promptly plugs into a fitting on the pedestal. A split opens in the air, leading to Julengard. "Follow me, please." And she steps inside.

Dewei follows without further words or acknowledgement to anyone else.

"Hrist," Auldrisk sighs, "that girl's body needs to be destroyed. The last thing we need is evidence of our misfortune, and we don't want a half-goddess animated by something unpleasant." He looks to the litter. Blinks at the open lid. "Fuck me."

---

It's only a few minutes later that Felina walks into the courtyard, quietly scanning with a crital eye for...well...anything.

Auldrisk is directing traffic, as the remaining Valkyries, along with Hrist, search the area for Ai's body. The distinguished archer, whose senses are really quite extraordinary, notices Felina and goes white. "This cannot be good," he notes. "Ho, there! Can we help you?"

Felina had been eyeing the second wicker man, and looks to Auldrisk after a moment. "I'm looking for my son, Dewei Tiono. Distinctive fellow, shares half my race and half my ears."

"Your son?" This just gets better and better. "Well, he went with one of our Valkyries to find someone in the underworld." There. No lies, but just enough truth.

Oh, lord. Yue...she hopes? Still she senses the cover-up. "Thank you." She smiles. "And his companions, the half-goddess and her father?"

Ingrid's flower voice is the one to answer this time. "You cannot lie to a mother, my lord."

Auldrisk nods, would have grinned under other circumstances. "The half-goddess is dead. The father missing." No cushioning, either.

Felina had start to smirk to Ingrid's statement, but cringes inwardly. "Oh, good. She's subject to this universe's rebirth cycle, I assume?"

Auldrisk breathes a heavy sigh of relief. "Thank Emily someone knew about it. Yes, yes, that is why she was killed. We thought they knew how they were to become divine here, but... apparently not."

"This whole 'plant a world tree' thing could have been planned better." Felina acknoledges, smirking just the littlest bit. Kids. Her heart goes out to Dewei and Ai...but there's another thought in her mind. She looks around. "This place is far too intact for her father to know that she's dead, unless there's a crater somewhere I'm missing. Do you have any idea where to find him?"

"No... I'm afraid that Mitre, the trickster god, might have done something with him." Right about then, a spark in the distance catches Auldrisk's eye. "What in... Hrist?"

The beastly commander looks that way. "Umliad is burning," she reports as if bored.

Felina holds an upturned palm that way as though presenting a vaccuum cleaner. "Taking all bets as to who that is, then." And she vanishes, bound for Umliad in a hurry.

---

When Ai wakes up, she feels cool grass against her skin, just as she had when she and Dewei had joined for the first time. Had it all been a dream? She certainly feels naked and cannot imagine what else might have gotten her that way.

A shrill scream gets her attention, and she turns to see Yue, equally naked, sitting on his knees some distance away. His eyes are ringed in dark makeup, and his nails are painted black for some reason. That, however, is not what catches her attention.

What catches her attention is the magnificent set of dragon wings unfurling from Yue's back.

Dewei's jaw...actually drops, even as he takes off his jacket for Ai. "Um...what just...happened?"

"Well..." Ai accepts his jacket gratefully, pulling it tightly around herself. "We must have been reborn. I thought we would be naturally born...?"

"Oh, no," a certan short fellow in a colorful cloak whistles, "now that is ass. Gods. If I were a god, I'd be silly for saying I'm in heaven."

"I'm sure. We appreciate kicking the serpent in the eye for us, too, Dewei smirks slightly." He's still ansy about Randleif getting back, too.

Ai, however, is distracted. She's gazing at Yue, wondering why, if he has wings, he is crying so hard. She nudges Dewei, and looks at him without a word.

It's about this time that Felina shows up, now that her son's out of Julengard and she doesn't need Umliad's close vantage point of it. She takes in the scene quietly...removes her own jacket and draws her swords. Two long slashes later, the sword returns and she drapes the perforated jacket over Yue's shoulders, just sitting quietly beside him and leaning her head on his upper arm. They weren't supposed to be dragonic wings, she explains very softly to Dewei and Ai. He wanted to look like an angel again. Now he finally looks like a fallen angel.

Though tears stream down Yue's face, the dark rings around his eyes do not run like makeup would. He barely notices the jacket, but Felina's touch only seems to make this hurt worse.

Ai squeezes Dewei's arm, grimly silent. She wishes she knew something to say, but... she doesn't. The day has been too long, too confusing for all of them. It does not occur to her to ask how she is different, as well, but the difference between a full and half-blood divinity is not really a physical one.
Mitre's eyebrow raises a little.

"You look the same, if it reassures you," Dewei notes to her softly. Nods. "Before your eyes changed, though."

Felina doesn't really know what to say. She does take the hint, and sits up after a moment, returning her hands to her lap, but remains dutifully behind his side. "Ai, Dewei...you really don't have to be here for this. You're a full-blown goddess now, Ai, not to mention alive...celebrate, and be happy. Also, your father really needs to know that you're okay. He's back at Helantri Deru, I believe."

Ai nods. She doesn't feel all that special, but... at least everyone is alive. "Dewei," she whispers, "take me home. I want to go home." She feels for Yue, she does, even if somewhere deep in her heart she just wants to be with him right now, away from everything.

Dewei nods...hugs Ai gently, and they're both bound for Helantri Deru.

Bit by bit, Yue's uncontrollable weeping slows. He doesn't notice Mitre setting out clothes of the local style for him, actual believe it or not genuine clothes of soft pink silk.

His leathery dragonwings, colorfully ornate in dark red fading to black at the tips of the 'feathers', fan out slowly, stretching.

"I..." he chokes back a sob. "I am hideous."

"That's ridiculous," Felina chides gently. She does thank Mitre, with a brief, wordless psychic feeling, for the clothes, but figures that dwelling on it wouldn't be treasured by a trickster type. "Your features are the same as before, Yue, stunning as ever. You have wings, Yue...they work as feathered ones. You can fly again. And they're beautiful as well. They're different than expected, no more."

He looks down at his hands, at the slight curve to his nails, back to Felina. Tries to speak, but cannot. A fallen angel. At long last, he has struck bottom.

"Actually," Mitre observes, "those are pretty fine wings over your fine ass." Yue glares at him. "Seriously, though. Very strong, dragonwings. Probably enough to get those tits off the ground.

Yue's tears are swiftly replaced by a snarl of fury. "How dare you?" he shrieks.

"You just look better angry than sad is all," the cunning patron shrugs.

Felina smirks sidelong at Mitre. It really had been a damned sharp move. She nods, and shifts to stand, calling the clothes that the trickster had brought to her hand and holding them out to the angel. "Before you slice a hole in anyone...want to head home?"

"I..."

"Why, not at all. She wants to stay here and let me talk about her body parts in order." Mitre smiles again, even after a Yue's fist-shaped mark shows up on his forehead. The angel growls, and moves as if to hit him again, but stops, gazing almost apologetically at him.

Wordlessly he dons the tasteful outfit, backless for wing-convenience. He looks to Felina, still quiet, but not mute. "Let's go. I never want to see this place again."

Felina nods, and a thread-thin glowing circle appears around their feet. Mitre's head knits, accompanied by gratitude hanging in the air...and then she and Yue are both bound for Helantri Deru.

---

"Ooo..." Ting notes when she and Dewei appear maybe ten or fifteen minutes later, rocking back and forth on her feet. "Pretty! This is really the tree you planted?"

Dewei smiles a bit, and nods. "Yeah...it's got multiple planes, too. It's really...quite amazing."

"Yus! So we're looking for a Valka-who?"

"A Valkyrie. A divine lady warrior."

"Sounds like you're type!"

Dewei smirks sidelong at her as they start walking. "You live to get me in trouble, don't you? There are so many ways to answer that wrong, all of which you'd tell Ai about."

"Maybe. Depends on how nice you are." Ting laughs softly, and draws her naginata as they walk, playing idly with it.

Auldrisk is gone, off dealing with the undead uprising in Julengard. Hrist is off to the side debriefing Ingrid, and being rather harsh about it. Only Mitre is left to his own devices, and when he sees the kids, his eyes flash with interest.

"I thought I'd never see those ears again," he calls. "What brings you and... oooh. She'd better be your sister, spunky."

"That's ridiculous." Ting takes her brother's arm, cuddling up against him. "I'm his identical twin girlfriend," she purrs.

Mitre, far from being put out, nods thoughtfully. "Cool. Imagine the ears your kids'll have. So what brings you two incestuous homebodies back here?"

"Miss Randleif loaned me a sword...I wanted to return it, and also check that she made it back alright."

Ting, for her part, is watching a butterfly. It's purple!

"You know, she didn't come back. I was kicking the serpent in the head again, and I didn't see her come out." Mitre shrugs. "Hrist isn't worried, though. Or she'd be screaming."

Dewei blinks. "Is there any good way to check on her progress, considering that we're both mortal?" "Both" being he and Ting, of course.

"Um... I'm not really who you ought to ask about that, but I suppose Hrist could send you. Ain't noooobody fucks with her, dead, no dead." Mitre looks at Ting. "You're funny, ain'tcha?

"Nope! I'm Ting." Ting smiles her "cute kitty" smile. Okay, so she's playing dumb quite a bit. It's always a good ace to play when someone you know already died here today for causes she has no idea about.

"Ting, huh? So you're a vegetarian?" Mitre claps his hands. "Infidel! Ha ha!"

Ting wrinkles her nose. "I'm not a vegetarian! There's nothing wrong with thinking it's wrong to eat baby cupcakes."

Dewei smirks a bit at his sister. Oh, lord...something tells him that she and Mitre would get along really well given a little time. "We should go bother Hrist, then, Spot."

"Oh my god no! She's having her, ah... what do you call it? You know that time when she gets really bitchy?" Mitre shakes his head, grumbling. "Oh, wait, that's every day. Right, go ahead. Just don't tell her you didn't bring her Valkyrie back."

"It's going to be really hard to avoid that detail..." Dewei observes, thinking. He frowns a little. Damned hard. Still... "we'll figure it out. Thank you, Mitre."

"Right-o. Seeya all around, Ting and Dewei. By the way Dewei, we still have to make you a divinity at some point. Keep it in mind, right." And he trots off, plants bearing various kinda of candy springing up around his feet. He picks a mint and munches it happily.

Ting blinks at the candy plants. "He's cool," she declares as they wander off towards Hrist, approaching quietly. Ting still fiddling with her naginata, though, distracted with it.

"... no matter what. Anyone claiming otherwise needs to be adjusted. Alright? Get out of my sight, Ingrid."

The blue-clad Valkyrie captain smartly salutes her superior before winging away on ethereal eagle wings, sailing into the net world like a breath on a storm wind. Hrist notices the mutts, and turns off her official face.

"Well," she snaps, "there are more of you. Where is Randleif?"

"Actually, I wanted to ask whether shes come back. She was right behind us, but as soon as we were through the mirror, she wasn't."

Ting wrinkles her nose. Her brother doesn't listen very well.

"Are you trying to tell me," Hrist Valkyrie's face draws up, fangs cleanly showing, "that you, wetear, have lost one of my Valkyries? How in all that is fuck did you accomplish that?" She's not quite screaming yet, but getting close.

"No. I'm telling you that we followed one of your Valkyries' instructions and then found ourselves separated, and I damned well want to make sure nothing's happened to her before it has a chance to. I just need a way to get my mortal sister into Julengard safely."

"What do you think this is, son? A bauble boutique? The only way your mortal sister goes into Julengard is dead. Pardon my bluntness." The Valkyrie commander leans on her spear, dissecting Ting with her eyes.

Ting seems to ponder this. "Well, how long does that rebirth dingy of yours take?"

Dewei's taken aback. "Ting. No."

She blinks. "What? You said people don't stay dead here."

"No, but they may not come back just the same if they're not divine. Besides, from what I saw, the spirits can't do much."

Ting shrugs, and starts fiddling with her naginata again, not too put aside by Hrist. A number of ladies and gents at the Derrias have similar manners. "I can just duplicate the spell field around that necklace thingie you're wearing and put it in one of my claws or something. You worry way too much for a simple thing." Her ears perk when she sees the butterfly again, and, attracted by empathetic urge, it alights on the tip of her blade, to a delighted nose scrunch.

"Do you really want to go down there with that world worm eating everything with flesh? Look." Hrist points over the edge of the island, towards a slightly hard to see nook. Far, far below, the gray of Julengard can just barely be seen. The Ehrgard Serpent, however, is as clear as day. Lashing around, spraying mist along the mountains. Monster stuff.

Ting looks down there, tilting her head. "Well...that's where we have to go to find the Valka-lady, right? Besides, world worms aren't much trouble as long as you're really fast and don't get cornered."

Hrist glares at Ting. "No fucking way, sweetheart. I'll go through official channels for this, thank you."

Ting tilts her head. "Why'd you ask if you already knew the answer?"

"Because I'm a masochist and I like to kick my own teeth in." Hrist looks over again. "She's probably dead anyway. Gone."

"We still have to try," Dewei is quick to put in. He has a terrible, sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Looks at his sister. "You were never involved in this, though, Ting. You shouldn't have to help."

"Well I am now! Besides, I don't trust you to watch your own behind."

Hrist glares at them. "Gee. Wouldn't an overlord deity be nice right now?"

Dewei raises his hands in mock-defense. "Hey, no briefed me on this whole world tree thing, okay? You said we needed to go through channels. Preferably before any more time passes in Julengard, what are those?"

"Other than you," Hrist hisses, "there are dozens of divinities here. Real gods, not fly-by-night legends." A hint of venomous envy thins her already needle sharp tongue. "Geldr. Osmond. Emily."

Dewei tries to skip over her tone, although it bothers him on a very real level, and nods. "Okay...where can we find them?"

"Do I look like a tour guide to you?" Hrist wouldn't admit it, but the possibility - the very real possibility - that Randleif is dead already does bother her. Much unlike the genuinely divine, restoring a 'made' divinity to life is a hellishly complex process, one that the gods would frown upon. Why waste so much energy for one valkyrie when you have eleven more? That is what they would say.

"No, but you look like a military commander posturing to me when she could easily grant some chance of a missing unit member surviving with a simple explanation." Dewei's getting really irked, himself. He just doesn't understand why Hrist is making this so difficult.

Her eyes gleam. "Alright. Fine. Get killed. See if I give a damn." The Valkyrie commander tosses a charm to them, just like the one Auldrisk had given him. "You're a big boy. You know how to get there." She looks to the other island, at the monstrous worm. "Just don't come crying to me."

Dewei bows his head. "Thank you." Tosses the charm to Ting, who takes it and purrs, draping it over her neck, and both set off to leave.

The gate to Julengard flashes open, and Hrist walks away, growling to herself. Posturing? Trying to save someone's life is posturing? Then she is a regular human politician in that department, it seems.

---

The earth is still trembling from the great Serpent's impact when Dewei, Ting, and Randleif appear upon the fields of Dame Astra. Randleif's eyes are closed, her body trembling, almost certainly in shock.

Dewei catches his breath, but wastes no time into turning Randleif onto her back. "Ting, do you have enough power to feed me?"

"Ow. Yeah. I just poked my butt, that's all."

"Vital info, thank you."

"Welcome!"

And then, Ting's power augmenting, Dewei quicking begins weaving "banish poison" and healing spells over Randleif, mouth tight.

In a flash Randleif sits up, eyes wide open. Her mouth is agape as something between a tortured cry and a desperate plea streams out. The screeching sound that had occurred when Dewei spoke to her mentally is audible again.

"Valkyrie, man. Throw her in the clover fields, outside the palace." Mitre appears just as suddenly, leaning against Ting. "Don't know much about Valkyries, I take it?" Glances at Ting. "Hiya buns."

Dewei jumps back, startled. "Say what now? And no, I don't."

"Hi, Sparkles!"

"Throw the girl. In the clover. By the castle." Mitre points. "It's where the soldiers train. The magic there is strong, I think because Emily blessed the field, or something, but long story shorter than it could have been, the pollen will fix her so throw the tramp in the weeds. Savvy?" Again, to Ting. "Poof." And a cloud of glitter pops over Ting's head.

"Right." Dewei nods sheepishly, gathers Randleif up gently in his arms, and then starts off for the field in question at a quick step.

Ting blinks. "I think I've been left behind again. Okay!" She holds up her naginata blade so she can see, and wrinkles her nose. "Eew. Glittery worm guts. Hey, did you know you're a lot like a chaos elemental? Except you don't go all nuts and turn into a demon and try to blow me up." She blinks. "Do you?"

"Oh, no, I'm more like mischeif than chaos. Unless you want me to blow you up." Mitre tilts his head. "Then I might make a concession. Otherwise it's all in good fun."

Ting titters. "Glittery purple worm guts it is, then! Hey, my aunt would love you forever if you turned my brother's hair green sometime."

Dewei, meanwhile, though still feeling fairly worthless for his healing spells not working and leaving Randleif in the first place--he swears up and down he didn't know, although part just kicks him--lays the Valkyrie gently in the field, and her bow and sword beside her, and stands up.

"When he's less upset," Mitre nods. "Remind me. Poor Randleif is in a bad way, but the fields will shape her up." The trickster vanishes, appearing on Dewei's shoulder in fairy form. "You saved her! Quit with the long face, before I find someone with a long man-stick to match it for you."

"I almost got her killed in the first place," Dewei points out. Shakes his head, and heads back towards Ting. "This whole thing was a mistake. Planting the world tree. Someone else who could have handled it. Ai and I aren't cut out for this. Especially me."

"Randleif is a Valkyrie, boy. She wouldn't have gone if she wasn't needed, and was never afraid that she'd get hurt. It's what she does, that and write poems. Not my thing, poetry. She's good, though. Wrote a poem once with no hands, or so I'm told." Mitre pokes Dewei's cheek. "Hero, you. Besides. If it weren't for you our world wouldn't exist."

"Sure it would," Dewei points out. Has to smirk a little. "Some psycho wannabe dictator was going to plant it. Ai traded him...I think it was a world, for the seed."

"You fuck Ai pretty good right?" Mitre smacks Dewei's cheek again. "Don't answer that. See, you, I think, are the kinda person who takes himself and everything a little too seriously. I bet your first response to that question was 'no!' instead of actually thinking about the question, being a man, and saying 'don't waste my time with 'good' I'm a frigging supernova!' "

"I...ah..." Dewei's cheeks color. Ting, now in earshot, actually cracks up. "Pshh. I was thinking about drowning in worm venom. Now I'm more worried about all the testosterone choking the air." She puts a hand to her throat. "Gak!"

"Oh, darlin', don't do that! You're giving me ideas." Mitre poofs again, reappearing as himself between the two of them. "I suck at giving advice, I'm the first one to say so. Not because no one else thought of it, I just beat them to saying it. I'm saying, though, be happy, you helped. Regardelss of why! Damn! I'm so good."

"Oh of course." Ting finishes cleaning off her naginata, though she still has glitter in her hair. "So...home, Ding? Yes? We were just here to see if Randleif was okay, right?"

"Right." Dewei nods. He has...mixed feelings about all of this. A really big part of him wants to getto know it better.

An equally large part tells him that Ai will never again want anything to do with it, and that's important. Also, although he's loathe to admit it, Hrist's words really had stung. Mostly because...well, she's right.

Mitre pauses to think about all this a moment. "I'll piss Hrist off aftera while, and get her to let Randleif visit you. Sound good? Once she's better, of course. Might be a while."

"It's probably not a good idea," Dewei has to acknowledge, grudingly. He half smiles.

"No rebirth cycle where we're from! Nope. Dead people die." Ting purrs. "This is kinda a snazzy thing, actually." She grins.

Mitre shrugs. "Well, whatever. I'll tell her that you send regards then. She'll be glad to hear it."

"Hee...thankya, Sparkles! Ding! Going?"

"Right, right." He smirks. "You're just sore because you didn't get a cookie before we left."

"Damned skippy!"

Dewei smirks. "Thanks for everything, Mitre, it's appreciated."

"Sure, sure." Mitre waves at them, his fingertips turning into lollipops as he does. "Ooh!" And he proceeds to munch them happily.

Ting giggles, but pokes her brother in the side when he starts to weave the spell. "Ding!" She holds out her necklace to him."

"Oh...thanks, Spot." He pulls his own off, and holds them out to the god of trickery. "These are Hrist's."

"Nope. They're yours." Mitre munches his pinky. "We don't give gifts arbitrarily, here. Those are genuine dwarf-craft Alf-enchanted baubles, so keep 'em. I'll get replacements for her, no problems."

That said, Ting reaches over and plucks the one she's been wearing out of her brother's hands, then. "Then, my toy." She grins at Mitre. "Thank you!"

"Yes. That. We do appreciate it." Dewei knows this is getting sappy, smiles a little...and then he and Ting are bound home.