Journal #58: The sign says it all

Journal Entry #58: The Sign says it all
 
Besides Celuriel's involvement with the fae, I rather hate how easily they just warp the world around us when they need help.
 
Regardless of my vexation towards the first world beings, one of them deemed it an important time to take us. Forward one year, stealing us from the sapphire shrine in the middle of our trail. Only five of us, Myself, Kraia, Licia, Cid, and Burdyr. Being woken up in a warm and colorful place. It looked similar to that twisted piece of land called Tenearul, without the corruption. The First World home of the fae and the Eldest. Possible more.
 
Luckily this, well, the best way to describe this fae who stole us from our time was Summer-like. Or perhaps Spring-like, somewhere in between. Whatever the theme might have been, it was clear from her explanation that we could be placed back in the proper time if we helped with her icy problem.
Apparently, one the factions of The First World the Ice Queen, If that was what she was called. Had come to Istralar a century too early, freezing the world permanently. In order to defrost the world, we had to collect our friends and family, delivering them presents and bring joy back to the world.
Or something to that effect.
 
The concepts the fae work with are so hard to grasp. As if they all play a child's game where the rules always make sense to other children, but you would be hard-pressed to find anybody to understood outside of those faes who play that game.
 
We agreed, not that we had much choice. Burdyr took it a little better that I personally thought. Give how often we get kidnapped into helping in something winter-themed event. Dealing with Santa Clause and Krampus and whatever this Christmas is? Adding some strange, powerful ice fae to the mix did not seem entirely out of the ordinary for this mix.
 
This Summer Fae handed us a bag that looked shockingly similar to one that turned me into a child. Explaining how presents would defrost our loved ones by bringing them joy. Each of us would bring two or three people back here.
 
Artemis was gifted with the magical flight. We had magical cloths applied to us. Three of us had a deep red coat with white fur as it's trim, with a long red hat with a fluffy white ball at its tip. Cid has dressed a deer costume? With a strange round red nose. I had an odd green and red striped shirt with another green shirt over that. The pointed curling shoes with bells were a bit much.
We found ourselves Ironfalls frozen bodies everywhere. Seemingly going about there daily life before being frozen solid in less than an instant. It was silent, so silent that wind seems twice as loud in comparison. No chatter among the town folk that covered the town with a blanket of background noise. Just a lingering Icy silence.
 
Not the best introduction of Ironfalls for Burdyr.
 
The center of the town hardly a soul around, save for that flirty baker. The bar, my bar was still standing, but I went around back. Checking on Promethea, my awoken chicken. From the bag, we gave her rather good grain. Unfrosting her little body, Promethea was incredibly happy to see me. This made me miss the little girl; still, it would be too dangerous for her to stay with us for long.
Inside, Kraia had triggered another Rune of Lust and ended up kissing an iced Alvir. With the added bonus of the ownership of the bar and the kiss from Kraia. We had another deforested person to add to our collection. I forgot he had a thing for small people, I wonder if Kraia will actually do anything with him once were back in Ironfalls for more than a week. While Cid took care of Saeryn with a fancy new bow, I checked upstairs. Apparently, both Saeryn and Alvir's last memories were of some forested person or creature. Clearly, the thing that froze them. Upstair was empty, no track of Celuriel. It was hardly lived in.
 
I would be lying if I had said my concern wasn't growing, as the bar and our home in Ironfalls was empty. Devoid of Celu.
 
Eventually getting to the inside of the keep itself, Kraia released her family from there respective cold prisons. Which, as a normal family would do, asked when she would be home and when she could watch her Neice and Nephew. While I am not sure about what gift was used on her whole family, Her parents got a bag of some planets, read into that as you will, probably some smokeable herb of some kind. I was never one to understand smoking. You could get easily inebriated from ale.
This was besides points. As Ashlyn's family was next, we found them and, of course, in their room. Ashlyn and Mery, defending Midna from I assume some sort of icy threat. for Ashlyn it did not take much, I pulled the adamantine firing pan out. Given that that was her weapon of choice all those years ago, it made a rather good way of defrosting our Paladin friend. Midna got a full set of armor, two more resemble her adoptive mother. After explaining the situation which, prompted me to pull out a sign that simply said: 'Fae Bullshit' to explain the time huh and everything. Ashlyn using the bag, pulled out fine jewelry for Mery. Another collection of people for our merry band of misfits.
Kazric was not hard to find. It seemed he had built himself a rather large and phallic like tower on one of the mountains in Ironfalls. We found him guarding his two children. Giving him good ale was sufficient enough, I believe Kraia pulled that ale out. The children, on the other hand, I took care of. I pulled out two different kinds of magical daggers, which for them we're basically really short swords. One was flaming, and I believe the other one was ice. I gave each of them the daggers as a present, and they defrost it almost on the spot. And they clung to my legs, which while cute. It hurt a bit.
 
They just remind me of Alain a bit.
 
It is around this time that we realized the sack could truly pull out anything we need. I pulled out a compass as I felt I needed to find Celuriel. The compass worked.
 
Outside the edge of Ironfall, a small home was built. The special compass leads straight there. I was happy we had found her. I knew she wouldn't be happy that we disappeared for any given amount of time. My head was plagued with thoughts of what she could have gone through, what she thought.
 
She was not alone.
 
Her sister had paid her a visit before the world had frozen over.
 
The Lich knife in hand raised above her head, with all the intent in the world to bring it down onto her sister's chest. Recreating an all-too-familiar scene from their past. Celuriel was sleeping quietly, frozen in bed. I panicked. Which also might have been brought on by the fact that her sister was merely a handful of steps away from us. I was too worried I would not be able to defrost her. I could not think of something, I knew she loved books, no title came to mind that would be sufficient enough. Give it a year, I was not sure how she felt about me.
 
When I voiced my concerns, Kraia slapped a bow on my head she had pulled from the bag.
This had been my first idea, that may be just myself would be enough to defrost her. I was too worried she would replace her feelings for me with anger.
 
When I went next to the bed, the shell of ice metaled away. Her glance up to her sister And showed so little shocked that it told me she expected to see her. When she looked at me, on the other hand, two things happened.
 
"one year," she said quite angrily.
 
Then I found a knife stuck in my side.
 
Despite the pain of having one of her many knives removed quickly from my side. I explained everything how we were going to set it straight and what happened. Why we had not come back and just disappeared in the middle of the sapphire shrine. I know she probably wasn't happy, I'm really glad that worked. The simple fact that she defrosted, but despite me being gone for a year of her time, she still cared so much.
 
She also commented on my stupid outfit, which I agreed with her; it was stupid.
 
Next trip was to see the emperor himself, as we were pretty sure we can defrost, Licia handled this one. I cannot necessarily call what items should be pulled from the magical sack in order to defrost the emperor. The effect was all the same. Cyne to several different people in his room, the, strangely enough, he wasn't the only Frozen person In his bed. Siglinde was still on her side, peacefully sleeping, unaware that she was frozen.
 
We explained to Cyne our predicament and exactly what was going on. Then I had an idea I asked him if you wanted to write a note to his past self. Avoid any mistakes and such. I had multiple reasons for doing this. However, it could also help as much as it could hurt. He agreed and took up a solid page worth of encoded notes.
 
His note translated below took a while too. Though not the orginal copy, Licia took that to our Cyne.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Cyne (self?)--
 
It feels incredibly strange to write a letter to myself. Doubly so since you're in the past. Weird shit never ends. I'm guessing whoever gave this will explain where and how they found me, because that's more their story than mine. And I'm hoping the differences in our worlds aren't so great that you don't have any issue with deciphering this.
 
I could give you a full accounting of all the shit I've had to deal with in a year, but even with our lord giving me a little longer to write, I don't have THAT much time. Needless to say: there's a lot that could happen. Especially if, as in my world, that party of idiots get themselves killed. That sort of changed everything.
 
Some of the bigger things. Can't avoid marriage forever; need an heir. Mine's not born yet, but WIP with Veronika's sister (Siglinde). Made the best of it and took control of their country. Also Ordan and Terenholt, because they were useless alone, and Medimia because somebody needed to put their foot down. And a few others. For various reasons. Ruling gets more entertaining when you only need to worry about a handful of people. Would suggest you make a decision that doesn't lead you to having a controlling wife who has to hide certain aspects every time Ashlyn visits (though she likes the paperwork, which is one of many benefits).
 
Drast's people are everywhere - including in your ranks - which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Use them. If it comes down to it, the Gothadruni nobility have the right connections to arrange a meeting. Listening to the occasional demand stops innocents from injury, and allows easier espionage. Work with Aetha re: shards. She's surprisingly brilliant. Other champions show up. Find them quickly, they're useful. Same to former party's allies. Alas'thil respects you. Galasthin would have been useful to take and use, but concessions had to be made. Might be why Alas'thil respects me, come to think of it.
 
Your parents will be used against you. Let them die. Ceridwen prepared ahead, Andron deserves his death. Ashlyn largely stays in her little town after. No need to fear her disapproval.
 
Whatever happens in your world, remember mine. Rule with steel and shadow, and our Empire will flourish. There's no need to spill an excess of blood if you speak velvet and send the right fools to their graves. My world is a kinder place to its inhabitants than it was a year past - and as I always expected, it would never have become so if I'd sought 'happiness'.
 
Best of luck. Shadows keep you.
 
By the grace of truth,
High Emperor Aneirin of the Aletheian Empire and all its Lands, Champion of Hell, King of Gothadrun, King of Ordan, Emperor of Medimia, and far too many other titles for me to care about.
 
P.S. Don't trust wine; it might be cursed, blood, or both.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Somewhere along the way, Cid at the castle picked up some random person in a maid outfit. Not sure when but he had snuck out while we were in the castle.
 
I wonder if Licia trusts Cyne enough not to decode this. She probably won't. Her face would be priceless when she read about Cyne's heir. Turns out, Siglinde was pregnant at the time.

Convincing the party, we should visit my older sister Nivinle, the more the marrier. I cannot say I was not curious about how she fared a year later. That and we needed more people as Burdyr had only Talinde. Besides, Nivinle was probably an easy person to defrost. She was the only sister I cared about…
 
But not even that is true anymore.
 
As we teleported into House Alas'thil's Study. It was changed more of a war room, glancing at the maps several houses I was unfamiliar and their territories House Alas'thil had gained a large amount of land and influence. Two drow were there both familiar, though I had never met one person. Nivinle arms crossed as another drow looked annoyed in the middle of speaking. At a general glance at the table and knowing my sister as I do. I used the magical sack to pull out a book of plans and contact.
 
Plans to control and manipulate the Aletheian Underdark.
 
It worked, her first response was how did you get this.
 
Waving that aside, I pointed to the other drow. One that looked quite similar to a picture I had just seen. The drow with the rose pendant. While she smiled on the screen picture back in the shrine, now she looked like she was in the middle of an argument. A worshipper of Milani and, according to Nivinle, our oldest sister. Older than both of us. The lilac eye and white freckles dusted across her face told me without much of a problem whose child she was. This drow did not have the golden eyes the Alas'thil bloodline was known for. This was a child from my father, one of the few people who could match blades with Vasynda (our mother) without the need for magic.
 
I knew that drow looked familiar. I just never assumed she would be related to my father. With quick exchanges, I pulled another item from the sack. A Milani style cloak, and with that, the drow free and quite confused, and it required another explanation with the sign.
 
Fae Bullshit
 
Daeris was named, and for the most part, she kept to herself only talking to Nivinle. Still talking about in more hushed whisper about their plans to deal with Drast as I later found out. Had he become such a dangerous force within a year that my sister had to get involved. I know Drast had dealings in the Underdark.
 
Burdyr's people were next, which was just Talinde. With a failed attempt to pick up Sigrun along the way, she was just frozen in mid-battle and continued said battle after we unfroze her. Leaving Burdyr with some large great sword. More on that later, but back to the other war priest. He was just outside the Sapphire Shrine. We gave another Fae Bullshit explanation and joined us. I hate this time manipulation. Makes things too complicated, besides we seem to deal with it far too often for my liking. Celuriel's is fine as it does not steal years from us.
 
Licia was the last one left, as she needs one more person. The easiest one for her was Canthe, the Cleric of Desna she hit it off with when we dealt with the Unbroken March. Finding her inside a strange temple. Again I cannot say or remember what others pulled out of the magical sack too, it was much easier to remember the things I had pulled, the frying pan, the knives, the plans, and cloak. I do not really count myself as I did not pull myself out of the bag.
 
Thus things got complicated.
 
Inside one of the dreamer's temple, Cante was speaking with Jinne of all people.
 
Plucking a silver orb from the bag, it did the trick.
 
She knew, knew that we were not from this timeline. That we had been displaced. How she knew I would never find out, but I am not sure why I cannot trust her anymore. Her mention of Drast and Cyne knowing more about that was concerning. Apparently, the world had become bad enough were other churches started to realize themselves with the dreamers for some reason.
 
Jinne is nice, but there is no reason she should know we had been time-displaced. It does not make sense.
 
I cannot trust her. I just cannot bring myself to believe that this Cult is doing something good.
I am going to skip over all of that mess as she did not join us when we returned, back to an icier First World. Have we destroyed the minions of that Ice Queen, saved the world from being frozen and had dinner. Sharing all the nice things we are thankful for. I spoke with my new oldest sister.
I do not have the time or the desire to go into detail, there are things we still have to do, and things about that fight I want to forget.
 
My hand is starting to hurt, I am getting tired of this.
 
I understand how Ashlyn felt now. If only a little. I cannot just ignore some of the things I learned from this future.
 
It seemed blick.
 
We were returned to face our nightmares, inside the Sapphire shrine apparently only having some strange dizzy spell. Celuriel had looked at me when I 'woke' up, concerned slightly.
 
Note to self: Attempt to contact Commander Lyadri An'thimael, should help Daeris find both Nivinle and me faster. I never thought I would have to write about that person again. How my sister made friends with that Elf, I'll never know.