Journal #62: Discussion and a price that will be payed.

We forgot to drink water.
 
I have not had a hangover that bad in a long time. Celuriel's was likely just as bad as mine. However, I was lucky as she hadn't stabbed me from the pain. We both were pretty miserable when we woke up the next day. Given how the night went, and the conversation after I had forgotten entirely to try and get her to drink water. Given the topic of discussion, it would be understandable to some extent. Still, my forgetfulness might lead to some dangerous problems for us in the future.
 
With the morning fast upon us, the two of us regretfully removed ourselves from the bed. Making sure both of us were dressed, I made sure to pick up our scattered clothes from the night before. Celuriel had 'borrowed' one of my shirts, which meant I likely was not getting that shirt back. We clung close to each other for most of the morning. Breakfast would have been a bit more complicated with her leaning on me. So I picked her up and placed a counter next to where I was cooking. Leaning her head against the wooden pillows known as cabinets. Not up to helping cook like she had yesterday.
 
Breakfast was average, Sigrun noting that I seemed oddly at home while doing this. Besides dealing with the pain, Cid bore some marks from last night. As did Sigrun, to be fair, they had been exceedingly loud. After our morning meal, Sigrun invited us to a hot spring down below her humble abode.
 
Minus the hangover, I would say that the hot spring themselves was quite enjoyable. Not in the humid and muggy kind of way, like a hot day after a thunderstorm had just rolled by. No, it was more like it coded you in a warm relaxing bath. A great stress reliever, really. Not that I had much stress left given the night before.
 
As we made our way down to the basement, I find it quite funny that the only person who cared about their appearance enough to cover up was Licia. She did the last one in the springs as she had called out to Sigrun. She was asking for a bikini, or something similar. The rest of us who chose to get inside the large pools had no problem being nude in front of each other. Granted, people like Talinde and Lukas, for obvious reasons, chose not to join us. The vampire running water would have been a dangerous combination for himself.
 
Of course, Celuriel was next to me. We were still miserable from headaches and lean on each other. We could barely do anything more than that conversation was quite tricky as well, I found. People around us speaking felt loud in my ears. When Licia finally decided to join us, her immediate response was the cast of daylight in my face. Normally that would just blind me. Given the state I was currently in, I could swear that it was physically hurting me. I slipped under the water, muttering to myself and towards Licia a slew of undercommon curses.
She had told me when I surfaced that that spell was from Cyne.
 
That ass.
 
Celu, add to experience something new for the first time. Holding her breath. Last time when I had swum in the lake where The Beauty said we could sleep for the night. Celuriel and been a vampire, so she watched me from the bottom of the lake. As she did not need to breathe, as a normal person would, we have not been anywhere where a large abundance of water had been common since. She attempted to do the same, though, after a while, there was a panicked look, and I had to drag her back up. Being rather confused about why she couldn't continue to stay underwater—going so far to cast an air bubble spell. Just stay under there out of spite. I would not call it much of a threat, but I did say I would drag her out of there as she could not stay there all day. The look she gave me suggested that she do exactly that. Luckily she eventually rose again when she felt like commenting on something or when she just wanted to.
 
I wonder if that's just something she likes to do and does not know it yet. Sitting at the bottom of the water must be relaxing.
 
It was around this time we decided to fill in, Burdyr about many of the things we had experienced catching him up-to-date on who people like Riven Drast were. Licia's father, Teras, told us how he had met the Dwarven Prince, Sigrun, and how he knew about certain things like the shards. I would say I am rather curious about those witches; information before the World Rend would be valuable to know, especially if they have knowledge of the shards themselves. I still have many questions about what they are, why they were created, what purpose do they ultimately serve, and who this Xaahra is.
 
We even spoke in a roundabout way of our insurance policy on how to get rid of two of them. We're quickly running out of other options. When they pressed us for information, Licia simply stated that if that information were to become more widely known. We would be the most wanted people on this Istralar.
 
It was right around the time kraia, who had been a dolphin for quite a bit, had tried messing with me. So I pushed her away with my feet prompting Celuriel to tell me to stop messing with Kraia. I'm not sure why she would do this, is that would have been the first time she made a request of that nature. Maybe it was the hangover, or maybe she's starting to care about these people she's been around for so long.
 
It was around this time I had remembered Lucas's offer to make a hangover cure. The topic itself head straight to the conversation of Gods and who worshipped. More specifically, what did the vampire worship? I took upon myself to exit the Hot Spring. Lukas was reading; I wasn't too shocked to find out he was attempting to listen as well. Requesting two hangover cures, are also gotten somebody, Teras I think or was it Sigrun. Probably later. A bottle of ale well, the vampire worked on the Cure. Striking up casual conversation and then eventually hitting the question, I wanted to ask. Somebody named Theo, a friend of his and found two goddesses he had taken a liking too.
 
~Seramaydiel, an empyreal lord who looks fondly after musicians and peacemakers.
 
~Shelyn The Goddess of love.
 
The boy is a softy; they have nothing to worry about.
 
Once The Hangover cures were made, I thanked him and then returned to my spot with Celuriel. I was given a warning that it would taste bad. The warning I got did not do it justice for how disgusting that was, given my face as I down the concoction. Celuriel quickly did the same; she hid her face underwater immediately after. Though I clearly saw the glare, I got from underneath the water. I really need to learn to make those; it would be rather helpful if I am simple barkeep.
 
I gave the alcohol to whoever wanted it.
 
Then the topic turns to a much more personal discussion about Cid's most recent revelation. The two that I found out from the sapphire Shrine no less than two days ago. How he once considered betraying the party for a large sum of money. And how he's been giving out information about our whereabouts and other things to some mysterious contact. Anytime we ended up in an in. Apparently, he had been messaging this person.
The first one was quite common and easy to understand. The Gunslinger was, of course, a mercenary first and a hero second. While I can understand it, I personally have issues with betrayal, and I am not willing to deal with it happening again. We took precautions after that.
 
It was the second part that he decided to reveal, his mentor had been captured by some mysterious force and had been sending him small bits like a fingertip. This is the course that only happened once. Cid seemed to be getting teary-eyed at the thought of his mentor being tortured by this person. not that I could tell really because he was also in a hot spring. According to him, he's been giving only the bare minimum of information. Which, in my opinion, is still too much. If we would have known about it sooner, perhaps we could have done something. But the fact that we have somebody giving information out is not something I am fond of. He kept trying to avoid certain topics surrounding back to other ones, eventually just breaking down and not talking. He did, however, mention who had been signing it. somebody who went by the moniker of the simple letter 'E.'
I slipped under the water and screamed.
 
Elias.
 
That damn Alchemist has been getting information sent to him, and we do not even know how much Cid gave in detail. I could go on and on about how bad that particular little bit of information just screws everything.
Personally, I have no attachments to the Gunslingers mentor, and if anything, he's a liability. I doubt Sid is willing to stop giving information. But at what point does he start to give out too much.
 
I just hope he wises up before it's too late. Or before we have to put a stop to it ourselves.
 
We eventually decided to get out of the hot springs. Getting dressed once again, it was about roughly time for lunch. Celuriel was quite eager to cut more potatoes, though I gave her other things to do. As the potatoes were not something, we used them while cooking lunch.
 
I will say as I got into cooking lunch for everybody. I messaged The Emperor as I surveyed Chicken and other dishes to people.
 
I scribbled in my journal to Cyne.
 
@cyne Your an ass.
 
His Secretary Veronkia replied as I realized my mistake.
 
@aniks Darling, your grammar is horrendous.
@cyne not you
Then I wrote the correct name.
@Aneirin Your an ass
@Aniks Good afternoon to you as well, Lord Alas'thil. Since you're there, would you care to deliver your opinion on Licia's decision?
@Anerin No, she has been rather tight-lipped about it.
@Aniks Then you should ask her. It wouldn't do for her to be hiding something she's so eager about.
@Aneirin Aaah, we did notice she was rather happy. She always gets flustered when you're mentioned. Hardly can get a word out of her.
@Aniks She's gone mute? A shame. Ask her if she's recovered from her trip yet if you want.
@Aneirin Will do, I'll make sure her father is in the room when I do.
 
I had finished lunch with Celuriel's help, as Artemis came barging in, nearly wrecking the food as he attempted to cook. We quickly served the food after, but Kraia went in and started whispering things to Artemis, and I swear I heard my name mouth, and Licia's. Finally, getting a chance to sit down, I had to make a separate plate for Talinde as some of our conversations about him, in general, made him anti-social, locking himself in his room. Or the room he used. Burdyr eventually brought that plate up. As for lunch itself. Kraia poured some weird salad dressing on her salad and got 'crotch tentacles' as she called them. Blaming me for the new wiggly appendages, but nobody else had gotten them, so it had to be the dressing.
 
Oh, I gave Licia hell, as I assumed correctly from my conversation with the Emperor. When asked why I was doing this if I already knew what had happened.
 
I told her I wanted her to say it.
 
It would make it all the better.
 
When the rest of the group got involved in my teasing of the Aasimar. When we spoke about another dream date or something to that extent, Kraia jokingly told Licia, "Make sure you use protection!"
"Aniks didn't," Celu chimed in.
 
I felt my drink rush up my nose as I started coughing and spitting out, attempting to say her name. Blushing quite purple in response to Celuriel's comment. I could swear as I looked at her, her face perfectly neutral in expression. She simply stated a fact.
 
"that's not the only thing that turns purple." She said smoothly as she took a drink, I could swear I saw a glint of mischief in her eyes.
 
I swear I could have felt myself burning up from how purple I got. The party gave some odd looks at me after the comment, as they implied the same thing I had from that comment. I could not fathom why she would be saying this, and I worried she would be going into detail if they asked any questions.
 
She pointed to my ears.
 
"see..." she said as if that was the most obvious answer in the world. To her, it might have been. A large amount of alcohol in our system last night which left both of us flushed faces. As I was not the only one who had ears that changed color last night.
 
Though I highly doubt her word choice, she meant my ears.
 
Eventually, from Kraia's constant scribbling her journal, she rushed upstairs from as she summoned Kazric from somewhere.
 
I was slightly concerned about the amount of noise I was hearing. When Artemis stormed around the hall, grabbing me in his jaw, rushing me upstairs, I was met with a terrible sight. I do not think I will be able to unsee.
Kraia, with her special ring on, had a terrible effect on the tentacles. She had ten or so drow penis's and Krazric, who also had tentacles as well, for some reason pants unbuckled compared sizes. Kazric had asked or more like wanted me to compare sizes as well as technically we all had drow genitalia. Now I try to write without going into detail or explaining the more explicit moments with my traveling companions. Otherwise, I would have a tally somewhere in this journal of the amount of time somebody slept with somebody. I simply walked out of the room as I did not want to see more, which I avoided writing about other things I had seen.

I am, of course, also avoiding writing about Celuriel, and I am the first item in bed. Being very coy about writing anything in regards to the act of as those are our moments together, and I am not sharing them.
With a horrified look on my face, I went back downstairs. Sitting next, Celu. I must have had some look on my face as her first response to this was to grab a bottle of ale. Pouring me a drink, then herself.
Huh, guess at some point we need to find a drink she likes.
 
That was basically the rest of our day, a lot more casual than the previous night, as I am pretty sure no one got up to anything.

Oh yeah, we lost Nialnir; he just left saying our story was a bit boring. Yeah.
 
The next morning was meant to be a day of planning, Licia scrying changed that. It became a battle of time, as we had to race to a place where the Harp of Virtue. Plotting a course and having Talinde cross-reference the Shards location, calling Licia and me out for a reason I cannot go into at the moment. While watching the Scry spell, we picked the Sapphire Shrine as the closet point to avoid a magical storm. I using a spell could carry six people myself included, Talinde offered to place people in his staff, but he will not bring anybody out inside the storm. On my chariot, Myself, Celu, Licia, Teras, Kraia, and Cid, the rest were placed inside. I assume some demiplane.
 
The storm was much bigger than we thought as we arrived at the Sapphire Shrine. Forcing me to cast a spell, to temporarily have to use the Ancestral Regression spell in order to see becoming an elf in the process. Lightning is not my friend, and they are constantly blindness for a drow. Celuriel though I looked stupid, and not to look at her with that face. So I put on that black mask I received when returning to the material plane.
The trip mostly went without much of a problem flying through the air, Kraia as our navigator. At the beginning of the trip, at least. Because, of course, nothing happens at the beginning. Casting spells to trigger Magical effects unknown to us. The storm itself seemed to want to draw on our powers, I thought it might be trying to fuel its strength given that we were Champions, but I am not sure. Cid was like a lightning rod, all the metal in his guns, and he was soon the first victim to the storm's influence channeling some of his war god's powers into the chariot making it warlike and spiked with metal and making us more of a target for the actual storm. Celuriel even became in a trance-like state; I was concerned for her safety as the necklace, the one she received from Tenaerul was glowing softly and warm to the touch. Was concerned the actual necklace was affecting her somehow. If the storm was messing with her, it was a bit too late before I noticed she was casting a spell. Well, I am not sure of the other effects I had quickly cast a dispel magic from the dagger. On the attempt to break her from this weird trance, but her spell went out first. She was creating a magical ward around The Chariot. Green and Fae-like warded shields around the chariot protecting us, thankfully as if to demonstrate this fact and bolt of lightning head attempted to strike The Chariot. Finding the warding instead in that split-second of her casting whatever spell she had cast.
 
Eventually, it became rather noticeable that we hadn't gone anywhere. Stuck suspended whether it is the storm itself holding it with gale-force winds or the magic of The Shard influencing the storm itself will never know. A storm like Elementals appeared attempting to destroy us, that however, wasn't the main issue as we dealt with them quickly. It was the aberrations of the tentacled monstrosity that appeared in the void like cracks and the living runes that came after. Well, we tried to limit the number of spells we did. We still tore through them, Celu had one of the operations wrap its tentacles around her. Which unsurprisingly got my attention, as her safety is incredibly important to me currently.
 
It was only as we tore through whatever Monsters the storm seemed to throw at us that we started moving again through the sky. Time had passed, but we're not sure how I assumed The Shard had something to do with it as we arrived at the Temple of Torag. Landing roughly a couple hundred feet from a battle that was taking place—knowing that we would have to deal with the storm while inside the temple, a choice was made.
Licia Kraia and I channeled Champion powers and their respective domains for the situation to clear its entirety. It's not something I am willing to try again. Manipulating that much Divine energy coursing through us had its effects. The champion drag, as I will call it from now on, the aftereffect of using too much our Divine patron's power. Was rather rough on the body for Licia and I. as we had been using our powers a little bit more than the rest. I haven't observed any physical changes in Kraia yet, but it seems that the two of us have changed slightly. Well, physically, we remain much the same. However, there are aspects of us that have changed. As I've learned for some reason, I can touch incorporeal things, but that happened inside the temple watch is the next journal entry.
 
We accomplished our goal.
 
As we channeled the correct domains, attempting to sunder the clouds above. Yet the battle remained down below as the three of us had to catch her breath. The others inside the staff were quickly removed and told to get ready as we would soon be going to the temple.
 
As we steeled ourselves for the battle to come, I heard a sound one that I hadn't expected to hear at this specific location. Cracking. The soft, very clear sound of cracking. The dragon egg that I had been carrying was hatching.
 
Hopefully, it does not hatch too soon.