[Stomoxys]

While the others were busy cleaning themselves downstairs, I was able to ask Isa and Ebsalon a few questions. I first inquired about the fastest way to get to Ur, and while Isa was willing to let us travel through the sky, Ebsalon was strongly opposed. Remi had been executed because they worked for both Larma and Aldera and Madan had tolerated this as an attempt to keep Remi under control. They were more forthcoming about the prophecy, however, and Isa was surprised that the prophecy is not common knowledge. It is a collection of writings by various authors considered sacred by the council mages and are said to be older than the previous cataclysm. Some of the texts mentions a group that is supposed to awaken everything. What this means is unclear. I suppose that it is possible that the mammals were able to interpret some of the stars, especially before the cataclysm, but I would not put much stock in a text of such dubious origin. Especially considering that most of the things the mammals write are lies and propaganda anyway. It would still be interesting to read the prophecy and Isa said I could get a letter to the council in Ur which should give me access. Apparently there were no copies at The Evening Fortress.
If we were going to leave, we would have to take the cube with us and Ebsalon asked me to come along. To my surprise, they took me to the chamber above the Kabal temple. The room was quite bare, but in the floor, a 12 pointed star was engraved together with symbols reminiscent of those Ebsalon use. This was the chamber of the 12 and they could use it to transport us to Ur through the sky. They strongly advised against it and were uncertain if Wolfram and Grogg could handle the mental strain. I would have to agree on that part. In addition, if something went wrong we could end up in a completely wrong location or even up in the sky. They would also have to tap into the power of the cube in order to transport the whole party to Ur. I said I would try to convince the others, but I predicted it would be difficult. Together with the cube, they handed me a their notes on the seven demons, before they left to prepare for their trip to the wetlands.

The note on the demons were in keyword form and listed their military role and associated aspects. Jori: attacker, aspects of ash and rage. Volkir: flanker, aspects of whirlwinds and lightning. Gritt: leader of the bodyguards, aspects of empathy and whims. Albor: hunter and tracker, aspects of animal and unpredictable dance, possibly shape shifting. Tuza: spymaster, aspects of fever and thought rot. Darwan: saboteur, aspects of shadows and mirages. Krull: last defender, aspects of apathy and prophecy. A footnote pointed out that a prophet is not only able to see the threads of fate, as the mammals call it, but also touch them.

When I returned to the others, Isa and Keri was gone and Wolfram still wanted to see Madan and talk to Tuza. I told them we could get to Ur instantly by traveling through the sky, but they were too afraid. Perhaps with reason, as they don't belong there. I also noted with some concern that Wolfram has no reservations about the Azura priests and wants to bring the cube to them. The cube belongs in responsible hands in The Homeland. Nujan reiterated that they wanted to come with us in order to postpone their responsibilities in Kajar. Finding Mir would be as good an excuse as any but they did not know where Mir was. The latest letters indicated that Mir was planning to go into battle, but had been very vague. Yana confessed, with little prodding, that they were a sleeper agent for Amrosh, a noble house in the east of the country. Their intelligence organization is known as Amna's Shadows and is the same group that is after Nuur-Karif for some killing they did. Yana insisted they had only acted as a kind of insurance in case things went sour between Aldera and Amrosh and claimed to be unaware that Nuur-Karif is wanted. Now that Lunas is dead and their Kabal item was broken, they claimed to be free of Amrosh influence and would flee together with Nuur-Karif. We will see.

It was decided that the other's would leave in the evening. I wished to travel through the sky, and went to find Ebsalon to organize it. On my way, I met Wolfram and it seemed Ebsalon had finally been able to convince them that it was not necessary to visit Madan or watch the corpse any longer. Unfortunately, Ebsalon did not wish to let me use the sky path without Grogg, Wolfram and Nuur-Karif agreeing, claiming we would need a plan in case the mages in Ur had a hostile reaction. This explanation made little sense and I suspect they had gotten cold feet and knew I would have trouble convincing Wolfram and Nuur-Karif. Wolfram, the shape shifting sorcerer claims to be against the use of magic and was a nonstarter, but I hoped to be able to make Nuur-Karif see reason. Alas, they insisted we should stay together and to some extent I see their point. Moving Grogg and Wolfram through a desert with a hostile army in the vicinity would not be an enjoyable task. Interestingly, when I went to pack my things, the color changing lantern from the Guling tower had crumbled to dust. I decided to take a final trip to the chapel before we left and meditated on what happens after death. It was calming and I left with feeling certain that The People does not belong in the Underworld together with the mammals. I also went by Pakk and Gromann's chambers to say goodbye. They are probably the most knowledgeable mammals I have met and returning them to The Homeland would in some sense fulfill the goals of the expedition. Of course, they would get killed if they just wandered into the jungle, so I told them to go to Monike and ask the locals for guidance. While they did not seem very enthused, they would consider it if they had to flee The Evening Fortress.

We left at sundown and procured a wagon in Guling large enough for all six of us. It was not exactly a subtle vehicle, but it would travel quickly and carry all our luggage. Nuur-Karif and Yana sat in front, controlling the horses while Nujan and I took up position on the roof and Grogg and Wolfram were crammed inside together with the luggage. Again we were supposed to use our alternative identities, though I would prefer if I do not have to present myself at all. In the sky, Amna was tilted strangely in a way I have not seen before and I asked Wolfram if they knew anything about it. They did not, but claimed it had been even more tilted the night before. Nujan, however, said that Amrosh calls this a horse phase, which is just ridiculous. In the south west, I could see the Snake slither along the horizon while Zatza was high in the sky, reminding me of Lunas. They had been born under its influence. I could not see Kama and Taxini anywhere, but in the east, the Nine where still dancing above the Brown Forest and the lead star was still shining above The Evening Fortress. It was good to be out of the mammal city and under an open sky again and I went to sleep on the wagon roof.