( amber + action: backdated to the morning )

[knight_king]

| characters | Saber and anyone who wishes to join her.
| date/time | Wednesday morning (06/10).
| location | First Floor; outside the tree, near the entrance.
| rating | G-PG??
| summary | The Life Stream light has turned blue. A Gathering is called to deal with it (read here).

[ Once she finishes her message, Arturia turns her back from the light and walks toward the exit of the tree. She plucks a leaf to use as blanket as she waits for the others, sitting Seiza-style under the sagging tulips. She has remained at least several minutes watching the Life Stream upon her discovery to know that it will not change back so easily, and, if it does, it means that the colder light will become more predominant with the passage of time. Even if it wasn't permanent now, it certainly would be in the future.

In any case, she prefers to discuss this matter urgently. The tree is changing. The positive and warm feelings it used to provide by one's proximity to the Light has been replaced by the opposite sensation. That comfort is meaningless. But what if the tree starts to rot?

Is this the consequence of their failure? ]



Greetings, dwellers.

[ Saber's consternated face stares at the slice of amber she holds between her hands. She has heard Kit utilize that term and assumes it is how they have labeled to the ray of light that goes through the entire tree. ]

Since last week, the Life Stream has been flickering between gold and blue, but today it seems that its color has shifted permanently. [ She doesn't bother to flip the amber at its direction, because the image will be portrayed with a yellow hue. ] Let us gather outside immediately and discuss the meaning of this and if there is a way to change it back.

Comments

[timbre_wolf]

[Amonir, in his elven form, decided to join Saber after hearing her message. He still had many questions about this place. He had been avoiding people all of the previous day, but when he woke up to find this is not some strange dream he realized that problems with this tree are going to matter even if he didn't help. It just seemed wrong to stand by without doing whatever he can to help.

He approaches Saber before everyone is gathered and asks what might seem a silly question,] That beam of light is usually solidly gold?

sorry! it's been a busy week

[knight_king]

[She turns to see who has joined her. The man appears to be a new face, or, if he isn't, he has managed to avoided her for weeks. His question marks him as a newcomer. She assents to confirm his guess.]

It is. [A beat. This is harder to explain.] The emotions it emits are more comforting.

no worries!

[timbre_wolf]

In my world there is a spell that has a similar effect. It is called "Emotion", but I never studied it. Is there a way to cast a counterspell here?

[knight_king]

I do not think our magecraft can affect the tree. At least so far, we have been unsuccessful with the means we know.

[finallyfallen]

[Well, he wasn't necessarily worried about it, but wondering if the shift would be permanent or at least total. The flickering was strange to say the least. But another gather means it's probably in a similar if not the same spot as the other one.

He can't say he doesn't prefer the new sensations though, they are what he's used too. Though it makes it seem that much closer to being a 'Fall into depravity'.]

Has it changed fully?

[knight_king]

[She turns to greet a familiar face. Ren knows something similar about this phenomena, or at least the equivalent that happens in his world, so his opinion is important when discussing the matter.

She assents and her gaze flickers in direction at the Life Stream for a brief moment.]

Yes, it seems that way. I do not know if this will last.

[finallyfallen]

[Ha, if only the information he had were useful beyond it happens, it's a horrid way to die-should one die with black rukh-, and they don't know how to fix it. Better then nothing, he supposes.]

I don't know either.

[knight_king]

[She pauses, considering the options. They are all strangers in this land, so any guess might be just a wrong conjecture.]

Perhaps that spirit does. Someone should speak with Chime.

[princeandscholar]

[It should not come as a surprise that Orcelito arrives immediately. He’d started looking for Saber shortly after he saw the light change, hoping her investigation had yielded more than his. With paper and quill in hand, he set off shortly after her message aired.

Unfortunately, he had to fly through the Life Stream to get here.

And so he comes out of the entry door trembling, shutting it too hard behind him. He clutches the writing materials to his chest and leans heavily against the Tree for a moment, just breathing. In, out, in… without the comforting effects of the healthy Lifestream to aid him, he struggles to get himself ready for a public appearance.

But he does make it. And though not smiling, he is calm and focused. He settles down on a white petal before a low, flat rock to use as a desk, and spreads a few blank sheets out to take notes. He doesn’t want to miss anything of potential consequence. After all, he may have caused this when the Tree was damaged following his orders at the gemstones. He intends to do all he can to right it.]

[braavado]

[Korra lingers by him, even after it looks like he's recovered from the reversed effect of the light stream. She keeps her voice low as she speaks up, so she doesn't bother Saber or the others talking.]

You okay?

[princeandscholar]

[He glances up, his hand stilling in the note-taking.] I'm fine.

I will be. [He corrects. He's not a good liar today, so he'll talk about the future rather than the now. There are parts of himself he's not ready to face.] I'm just... unsettled. Well, I imagine everyone is, but that's the problem. We rely on the Life Stream for so much. If it doesn’t return soon, we’ll need to find another way to raise everyone's spirits - especially the recent arrivals'.

[knight_king]

[There has been nothing to note in the pattern of the flickering, unfortunately. At least from her observations, they could not use that connection. The food altar has been replenished too, so she cannot connect this blue light with its sudden generosity. Unless the functions the tree performs automatically are broken. The other, less disturbing, possibility is that springtime is riper with options, so they are given more food.

She is familiar with sorrow and misery. What the Life Stream provokes in her has not been special, but she has underestimated how others will feel. Had she knew Orcelito was going to be so affected, she would have suggested to fly from their balconies. Perhaps that will be a temporal solution as long as the Life Stream glow remains blue.

She glances at his direction silently and notices he is quiet. Even if he has collected himself, that silence seems rather unusual. She does not know if she should ask if he is fine, but at least she steers the conversation to distract him.]

You said the gemstones were fine, correct?

[princeandscholar]

Yes. I've been checking them every day since (...) that time. [The distraction is welcome; his head clears as he focuses on the investigation.] The scarring is still present, but there are no new fractures. And since the new arrivals obtained their wings, we can assume the stones still function.

Saber, you were monitoring the Life Stream, correct? Did the light pattern increase before it changed fully? Or do anything else peculiar?

[circleprodigy]

[Ivaera arrives promptly, with Garahel at her side. The large mabari hound is behaving himself, staying at his mistress' side in silence rather than running around for belly rubs and treats. She settles down wherever there's room, keeping Garahel happy with a mabari crunch or two. Her expression is solemn at mention of the Life Stream, shuddering slightly as she has a very recent memory of what it feels like now. It troubles her that she has no immediate suggestion to offer, but the Grey Warden will quietly listen and speak up when one comes to mind.]

[knight_king]

[There is plenty of room outside when they do not take too much space. It is annoying to Saber to have shrunk so much, but she has grown used to this new limitation, she would have failed as knight if she has not become aware of her limits. Her gaze falls quietly on Ivaera and her mabari when they finally join them.]

I believe we first must find out what could be the cause of this. Without determining that, we would be unable to find out a solution.

[A doctor cannot treat a patient without learning what ails them first.]

[circleprodigy]

[That announcement prompts a solemn nod from Ivaera, who can't deny the inherent sense in such a statement.]

Of course. Even if it doesn't last, who's to say it couldn't happen again? It can't be good for the Tree, at any rate, and so it can't bode well for us either.

[monster_san]

[This is a matter of great concern to Fuu. Well, of course it is; it's of great concern to everyone. She's glad that Saber has called a meeting to discuss it.]

It's a very unsettling feeling. I wonder... if solving that riddle would indeed open the crystals to the next level, perhaps the Life Stream is blocked? Like a pipe that's been clogged.

[Yes, it might be an absurd comparison for a powerful magic phenomenon, but that really is what it puts her in mind of, and she's speaking seriously--not the airy, cheerful tone she would use for a knowingly absurd suggestion.]

[princeandscholar]

I was thinking of that as well… [He checks his notes.] It’s been over two weeks. Wouldn’t another riddle have appeared to give us a second chance, assuming the need was that dire? [Unless they damaged what-or-whoever was sending the riddles… as alarming as that sounds, it’s possible.]

Perhaps there is some other way to break the crystals. Has anyone tried?

[knight_king]

Is it wise to break the crystals?

[Saber asks, after listening to that idea. It is possible that they do more damage than good, like a butcher playing the role of surgeon.]

[formerslave]

...so it was gold like one gem and now it's blue like the other.

[Magic.]

[monster_san]

[Fuu's eyebrows go up.]

Oh! That is true... [She takes out her gem and looks at it.] We should check them to see if the blue one has brightened, or the gold one dimmer.

[princeandscholar]

[Oh... oh! That's right - the colors do match up!] That's an excellent point.

I haven't noticed a change in the colors of the gems. But we could try holding the light shards against the yellow gemstone again. Perhaps it's weaker than the blue gem and we have to restore the balance.

[alley_kit]

[Kit doesn't know if she'll be much help or not, but it can't hurt to be present. One thing she does know, though, is that she'll probably be using the balcony a lot more to get in and out until this ends. If it does.

For awhile she just listens to what others have to say, thinking about it and trying to piece together what she knows into something that might be helpful. That's when she recalls something.]

Hey, um... I don't know if it means anything or not, but I remember that we started to see the Lifestream flickering blue about the same time as we started to hear those sad musical tones from beyond the crystals. Maybe there's some connection?

[knight_king]

[Saber turns to her when she proposes that, because she is the first one who made the connection yet.]

Perhaps there is. [But those sad noises could have been also a consequence of something else. She hates to admit they are at loss, there are so many theories but none of them have a certainty. They can ask to the only creature who is a native.] Have you seen Chime, Kit? Perhaps we should ask her about this.

[alley_kit]

I've seen her watching out for the baby birds, but I haven't talked to her recently. I'll go find her though and see if she knows anything about this, though, if you want.

[Kit looks up at the outside entrance to the fifth floor.]

At least she should be able to tell us whether or not this is just something the Tree does normally.