THROUGH YOUR LOOKING GLASS

***THROUGH YOUR LOOKING GLASS*** is the fourteenth session of *Glimpses Into The Fade.* Attempting to escape the grasp of The Monarch, our adventurers rush towards Glenwell in hopes of aid, but find themselves making a grand escape.

## **Synopsis**

Hira is crumpled on the floor, feeling the scorching waters of the hot springs soak into her hair and clothes. As she claws at her face, she blinks and sees people in front of her, all wearing masks staring up at her with bated breath. She feels herself in the shoes of a God, standing above others. She feels power amongst weak, pathetic people she viewed as family once. The voice of The Monarch tells her to stop resisting them, demanding that she submits to their hold. Hira trembles in fear and anger, feeling their presence in the back of her head looking through her eyes.

Hira feels herself lose control of her body as she moves unwillingly to her feet. Bran goes up to her, reaching a hand to her but is swatted away. She looks to him with terror, only able to speak, she asks them to knock her out as she's no longer in control of herself. As Bran questions her, Hira stutters she'll explain later. Oriza winds up to punch her, but Hira catches their fist, as she digs her nails in they feel more like talons. A voice not of Hira's speaks to the group, asking which one of them is her favourite. Bran attempts to cast Detect Thoughts, only catching her surface thoughts of sheer panic that she'll hurt them. The Monarch's voice interrupts Bran's prodding, casting him out of Hira's mind violently. Bran tells everyone he can't reach her and Oriza apologizes as they cast Hold Person to prevent Hira to go anywhere.

Oriza attempts to follow through with Hira's request, hitting Hira with the pommel of her sword. Bran is desperate in trying to reach her, attempting to cast Charm Person. Hira shakes off the effect, The Monarch's voice leaving her, expressing how amusing it was that her friends try to control her, yet see them as the monster.

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> *"Isn't it wonderful that everyone here is trying to control you? And yet you think of me as a monster. At least I'm upfront about it little one...I'll be watching, I don't think it's my turn just yet, but when the time comes I can't wait to have you by my side, willingly or not, I am always watching. Especially now, you're dealing with the Fade.. \*chuckles\* You truly are the right choice..We'll' bring you home, with all the knowledge you incur on your journey. Have fun, all of you, I believe when Hira comes home, I'll be seeing you as well. Afterall, it's very ironic Hira, that you'll never truly run away from me."*
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Her body contorts to stand tall and proper, stepping towards the large tree in the hot springs glade. Coming up to the base of the tree, her talon like nails snip at the bark, as mist pours out the tree begins to degrade into ash. The trees eyes open revealing it's confusion and fear as its ripped away, The Monarch uses this new knowledge to 'good use' as the tree withers away and the Fade drift stands where the trunk once did. Hira holds the sides of the rift and begins to pull space back together, mending itself with magic. The entire time Hira has been smiling condescendingly, The Monarch's voice thanks the rest of the party for accompanying her, thanking them for all their help, and that they'll be back.

Feeling The Monarch's force minimize itself in the back of her head, they're not looking through her now, and Hira collapses to the ground once more. The rest of the party rush to her, finding her scared hiding her face in her hands. She apologizes to everyone, and Bran attempts to comfort her saying it'll be okay, but Hira disagrees. Anthir casts Cure Wounds on her injuries, trying to soothe her. Hira weeps apologetically, claiming she didn't know they were there or coming for her. Monsoon asks who was talking to her, and Hira asks if anyone has heard of The Monarch, but noone is familiar with them. Her Aunt Calypso would know more. Monsoon decides it's for the best to skip Northfolk and go straight to Glenwell to ask Ambrose to go back to Grayraven, but Hira refuses to go back in fear of putting her Aunt in danger. Monsoon says regardless they must talk to Ambrose, rummaging through his Bag of Holding to find his Sending Stone.

Stepping away, Monsoon sends Ambrose a message. Bran and Riya understand Sylvan, and hears Monsoon speak into the stone of an emergency with his 'wife's child.' The Sending Stone glows as he pockets it, returning to converse with a plan to move forward. Hira is settled onto Spectre and given a handkerchief by Oriza to shield her eyes out of fear. Taking a long rest, Anthir and Oriza stay up for first watch. Oriza requests a soft tune to ease the parties nerves and Anthir complies, playing on his flute. Behind Oriza, Hira attempts to search for their hand, healing them after seeing herself draw blood. As the night progresses, Oriza, Anthir and Hira watch Monsoon's Sending Stone glow with a reply. Moving away from camp, they can hear his frustration of his conversation with Ambrose. He disappears in the woods before returning, unable to hide his anger.

Returning to camp, Riya and Monsoon take on second watch. Monsoon jokes with her, asking if the voice she hears is evil. Riya believes the voice of her ring isn't hostile as she's helped quite a bit, but Monsoon is wary. He wonders if Anthir or Oriza has voices in their heads as well, the two of them agreeing to ask later. Monsoon tells her if the woman in the ring takes over Riya, he won't hesitate to cut off her finger, which shocks her. Monsoon expresses his frustrations as it feels like so much is happening to them. Ambrose promises to meet at the gates of Glenwell, but if he doesn't, Monsoon requests Riya hold him back from punching him. He suggests that while in Glenwell to get her ring checked by someone, as the city is incredibly adept in the arcane. Riya fears someone taking the ring, or even hurting the woman inside it, and Monsoon squints in thought before stating he'll look for someone who specializes in magical artifacts.

As the night continues and the party sees nothing. Monsoon realizes Bran is the only one left for watch, and opts to stay up to accompany him. As the group prepares to leave camp, Riya notices two boot indentations in the grass just a few feet from their camp. As she looks, the grass shifts and the boot imprints rush deeper into the forest. Calling attention to someones spying, Monsoon draws his long sword slashing wildly. Anthir and Bran notice the boots imprints signify they've been standing there for a long time. The sole patterns create two pairs of moth wings with eye-like patterns. As the footprints move deeper into forest, they can hear a cracking of a branch and a thud, as whoever that was jumps up into the trees and disappears.

Riya casts Speak with Plants, asking if they know the source. A woman's voice pipes up, saying the grass saw nobody but felt it the whole night. Anthir brings up the boot soles and Hira expresses her fear, not knowing they'd come so soon. Rushing to leave camp, Hira sits on Spectre and explains not to trust anything with mothwings as it was a symbol where she grew up. She attempts to explain her situation, The Monarch was the leader where she grew up. On their 30th birthday they're to go through with a ceremony. But Hira didn't want too, and instead planned on escaping with her Aunt before then. However once they caught on, they had her undergo it haphazardly. Something was placed in her head, and she thought it was gone until a few weeks ago when she heard them speak to her.

Monsoon asks if her Aunt underwent the same thing, to which Hira confirms, but explains how Ambrose had helped her remove it. Monsoon questions that wouldn't The Monarch already know her location then, and Hira grows silent. She admits when hearing their voice weeks ago she wanted to believe it was a trick, that it was her fears being so far from her Aunt. Monsoon nudges her, reminding her she isn't alone and she's no responsible for the things done to her. Hira begins to cry and Monsoon panics, looking to Riya and Anthir mouthing profanity in surprise.

Every now and then some banter happens, some small talk here and there, but it doesn't shake the fact that tensions are high, paranoid of someone watching them, as they reach the end of the forest, the trees shift to a different kind, and they approach the city of Glenwell, smelling the salty ocean coast, the air gets to you and the great city walls up high towered by rocks and you see its not very hard to spot him, as an 8 foot tall figure stands in a blue robe, light blue white feather and a set of guards behind him. Hira asks if it's alright with everyone to remove her makeshift blindfold, too which the party agrees. Seeing Ambrose again, she is on the verge of tears once more.

Monsoon puts his cloak on properly in the sight of officials. Ambrose rushes towards her, wings flapping to reach her side and help her down Spectre. Hira asks if he remembers two years ago how he helped her Aunt of a curse, and how she fears the same has fallen on her. Ambrose takes her hand in his, wishing to get rid of it at once. Pushing through Glenwell, Ambrose's presence makes a clear path for the entire group towards a tall tower 50 feet up in the air. Teleporting all but Spectre into his abode, Ambrose begins to move things aside to prepare a spell. He warns Hira this process will be painful and to prepare herself.

Bran asks if there's anything he can do, but Hira is unsure what can be done, all she hopes is for it to work like it had worked for her Aunt. Bran says he trusts Ambrose knows what he's doing. Hira then wanders to each member, moving her hand over their heads. Monsoon questions the purpose of this, and Hira explains its to check their heights. He jests, apologizing for not being taller, but Hira explains it's not for that reason, but to check for disguises. Paranoid, she looks around the room but finds nothing out of the ordinary. Oriza asks Hira if she's allergic to anything, to which she responds no. Oriza looks through the recipe cards Calypso had gifted them in hopes of making something after her surgery.

Ambrose draws a spell circle on the floor with chalk, asking if Hira was ready. Hira squeezes Bran's hand as she steps in and a magical barrier is created for the two of them. Slowly taking a step forward, he holds one part of her face, a nervous look in his eyes. He moves his hand up coated in a light blue magic as he reaches out for her stops in front of her eye, his magic moving forth to begin it's search. Feeling immense pain, she feels as Ambrose clings to something in the back of her head, mustering all her willpower to aid to remove it. The light blue of his hands turns dark purple as he pulls again, at this point the two of them are shaking as Ambrose grips Hira's jaw trying to pry. His hand moving back so far he hits the barrier, which explodes like glass particles as Hira tumbles to the floor nearly unconscious. Attempting to remember her Aunt's surgery, something about the worm is different. She blinks and finds herself looking over the peaks of mountains with a smile on their face before blinking once more to see the feet of her fellow party members.

Wide eyed, Ambrose admits he couldn't do it, how he had failed. Something was holding him back, He reaches towards Hira, attempting to try again but Monsoon opposes, stating hes hurting her. Bran yells at Ambrose, saying that despite being her family, Hira is his friend, he won't allow him to hurt her. Ambrose grows frustrated, feathers rising off his neck as he proclaims Bran wouldn't understand. Monsoon brings his blade between them both, claiming to see the look in his eye when he tends to experiment. Bran attempts to help Hira up, but her ears ring loudly and her vision is blurry, hearing only the shouting match between Ambrose and Monsoon. Hira wipes tears from her face, muttering to herself why this time was different. Bran attempts to comfort her, saying they'll figure it out later but for now need to escape.

Hira is confused, she had asked for this. Bran says she doesn't need to be an experiment, but rather needs a solution. Hira is confused, still in a daze but hears a crash as Ambrose towers over Monsoon, reminding him he's raised him from nothing. Monsoon looks to Riya, casting Message to tell her to find a way out. Riya rushes to help Hira stand, relaying the message and attempts to find a way out. As the fighting ensues behind them, Riya notices patterns etched into the floors, a Teleportation Circle, and urges everyone towards it. Monsoon looks to Anthir and throws his Bag of Holding into his arms.

Riya is unsure where the portals lead to, only the creator would know. Oriza attempts to aid Monsoon, battering Ambrose with their shield, but Monsoon urges them to leave. Bran asks him to promise to be safe, to which Monsoon promises. Rushing towards the circle, in a flash of magic, the party find themselves in another one of Ambrose's rooms, although much dustier and dim. Hira gets up quickly, rushing towards the window, seeing Winderlin Lake. As Oriza looks out the door, they see a hallway and a set of stairs leading to a library below. The party finds themself in Moonvale City, a place Ambrose doesn't often go to.

Unsure what to do next, Anthir feels a soft pinging in Monsoon's Bag of Holding. Rummaging through he finds the Sending Stone, and the runes alight with a message. Monsoon claims Ambrose threw him off the ledge of his tower, and asks where they are. Hira relays their location, to which Monsoon expresses he'll call again and to stay safe and hidden before a pair of beating wings overtakes him, ending the message. Hira starts to pace around the room, muttering to herself incessantly. Bran asks if Ambrose did anything useful, had he found anything, and Hira expresses that Ambrose had gotten ahold of something but it also had a hold on her. Bran and Hira go back and forth, contemplating the usage of The Wing's cloak, how Ambrose is potentially looking for her but is perhaps busy with Monsoon. Bran argues saying maybe not now but what of later on? Hira says Ambrose has helped her before, but it seems like once magic is involved maybe his feelings don't matter anymore, its just like Vilya said.

Bran holds Hira’s hands again, saying they'll find another way. But for now they should stay safe. Anthir says he trusts Monsoon to find them eventually. Riya mentions that they could find her Grandma as she used to work around here. Looking around at the books of Ambrose’s office, many with stickers on their covers. Written on them are reasons of disposal, such as rejection by the King, puts Esmos in bad light, memoirs of peoples experiences with the century long civil war, books about the chorus rejected by the high priestess, etc. As the dust settles on everyone, we come to a realization that all of the books here are things that are prepared to be stowed away from public knowledge forever.

## Featured Characters

#### The Fireflies

* Anthir
* Bran
* Hiraeth
* Oriza
* Riya

#### Returning

* Ambrose
* Monsoon
* The Monarch
* Spectre