When I duly appeared at the entrance to the Great Hall in Castle Amber, rather late, alas, I could instantly tell that something Dreadful was taking place inside. The commotion and rushing about of Amberites, Chaosite, Fey Folk and Gods was sign enough of that. It was clear that the treaty-making meeting with the Dragosians had gone horribly - fatedly? - wrong quite quickly.
Peering through the doorway, I can honestly say I have never witnessed such a display of combative skills, both physical and arcane, from such skilled practitioners, in such a small space before. The only problem I had with said display was that very little of it appeared to be directed at stopping the Dragosian who was holding open a large Trump gate through which a new breed of enemy were marching eight abreast into Amber, their column stretching back into the darkness.
So I acted. First, making myself able to see the Dragosians. Secondly, releasing my Suttars to wreck havoc among the enemy. Thirdly, using a 'Dancing Objects' spell to have every inanimate object in the room attack the enemy. Fourthly, the summon a Trump Trap Gate while directing Master Tarn to kill the Dragosian holding open the gate.
Still, I could not help but have the horrible feeling that, despite my and everyone else's best efforts, people were going to die here. Hades. Perhaps Bleys. Perhaps Random...
When the sword 'O'Breaker of Brightness' - or the person inside it, Arestis - mind-controlled Master Tarn to release them, the brother of the late King Oberon, I must admit that I was quite, if selfishly, pleased to have given it to Master Tarn rather than have carried it myself.
But not carrying it myself did seem to be a sensible precaution, based on the admittedly limited results of my examination of the sword...
Master Tarn seemed quite ... enraged ... to have been mind-controlled in such a fashion. Which seems a little odd to me, given that he appears to have no objection to having been created as a tool to be mind-controlled by Werewindle whenever it wishes.
I hope my spells of assistance prove useful to Random. I know he is not my King, but still, he is integral to the war effort, and he has made me feel reasonably welcome in Amber. So hopefully a conferral of fast regeneration and healing, and of the same level of physical protection I myself enjoy will prove useful and, even if he should be integral in the prophesy of 'the Unicorn weeping tears of blood', at the very least allow him to survive.
But I do wonder how he seemed to know what I was about, and that what I was doing was not some form of attack...
One thing that this incident does bring home to me is the need for a single spell that confers as much protection as possible on the recipient, so as to avoid the rather slower process of casting each form of protection individually.
I cannot say this Arestis impresses me. He seems to me to be simply a clueless, nay ... ignorant ... thug who is relying on brute force and the luck of his birth as the younger brother of Oberon to obtain that which he desires - the throne of Amber. In that case, what of Havoc, who appears to have been involved in placing him inside the sword, or Revelie, both of whom are also siblings of Oberon?
Let us hope that he does not ascend to the throne.
Though even if he does not, to be honest, I should say that at present Amber needs three potential competitors for her throne even less than she does the two - Eric and Osric - which she had previously...
And to be honest, other than various elements of apparent prophecy, what information do we have upon which to base an assessment of Arestis' bona fides? Very little, I think. Where does he come from? Upon what does he base his claim to the throne? How did he come to be held inside the sword, 'O'Breaker of Brightness'? Was he imprisoned in the sword? Or was he placed inside it voluntarily? The circumstances under which the TickTickMen found the sword would certainly tend to favour the former of these suggestions. And, to be honest, how he was placed inside the sword is almost as interesting as why he was placed there.
There are two more new faces in the battle as well, both male. Presumably new members of the Family. Well, assuming that we all live, then one assumes I will be introduced to them, sooner or later, whoever they are...
It is rather alarming how the Dragosians were able to suck the power from my 'GodsBreath' spell, and indeed, how they were able to draw the Trump out of the room as a whole. Perhaps Cerebaton and I have learnt enough from observing them doing so to be able to counter those powers. Or learn them. I certainly hope so, as otherwise I cannot help but feel that I shall not be of vast utility in any future confrontations...
The impending 'Age of Change' which the death of that Fey and Dragosian together heralded is also rather an alarming prospect. What does it imply for the future? A new Age. Perhaps a new age where a sufficiently intelligent and far-sighted person might carve out a secure place for herself and her people? We shall have to see. But still, I cannot help but think I would have preferred, given the opportunity, for the status quo to have been maintained.
Assuming the chance to do so ever arises. The Dragosian gestalt is a very alarming creation. It sincerely worries me. How it links them all into a combined entity which, if not greater than the sum of its parts, is at least equal to them. And as such, very powerful. Much more so, psychically, than I.
And now... Now we have all taught it a great deal about all of our powers by displaying them before it. Trump. Pattern. The Godly and Fey powers. And now it will be able to fight us all that much more effectively. The others should all be told of this. As quickly as possible. To be honest, having watched the gestalt in action, seen how quickly it learns, I am now, for the first time since this crisis began, genuinely frightened for the future of us all. My only glimmer of hope is that I may, perhaps, have learnt enough from observing their gestalt in action for us to be able to find some way to counter it - and them...
At least, in return, I now have a Trump of it, copies of which I shall distribute to those I deem require them as soon as possible. Quite a strange Trump, unlike any I have created before - with an image which seems to be an 'average' of many faces, presumably all of those making it up. I hope that it will prove useful in finding a way to break the Clan Mind, disrupting the links which enable the gestalt in the first place, perhaps, or allowing the introduction of something resembling a computer virus into it, which would act against the gestalt from within. We shall have to see. Perhaps something based upon the 'Soul Ripper' spell, which infiltrates a member of the gestalt, then reproduces itself along the links to the other members of the gestalt before cutting those links and killing the gestalt member would be a valid way forward, as unpleasant as that type of spell would be...
But still, faced with this demonstration of the power of the enemy we are facing, I cannot help but wonder whether this ... fear ... that I am feeling, is this the fear that normal shadow dwellers experience when knowingly in the presence of the likes of Amberites?
I am just pleased that I had the presence of mind to avoid communicating with Cerebaton during the battle. He is something I do not wish to reveal to the Dragosians if it can possible be avoided.
But other than that, and my calling of Anubis at the pre-ordained time to bring him, two demons, and his legions through, despite doing my best, I feel I not contribute a great deal to the battle. Which is rather a pity. It all felt very ... scripted. As though we were merely actors, rather than those writing the play. Not a feeling I enjoy a great deal.
On the other hand, I am not sure that anyone beyond Khelladon, Gabriel and Raphael contributed a great deal in the greater scheme of things. Their highly destructive Trump-guided combined Pattern-Logrus power was very effective.
It was a pity that the protections that I cast upon Random did so little. At least that regenerative I cast on him should enable him to recover quickly, even if the physical protection proved to be of little use. I should check on his condition soon, and ensure that there are no complications, such as poison in the weapon, for which further treatment may be required.
And I must cast similar protections upon others, also. Bleys and Hades in particular. Perhaps by doing so, fate can be avoided, though I have an worrying feeling that it cannot, based on how little use my protections proved in this battle. And I must heal who I can.
It is a pity that I have travelled alone so much - too much - all of my spells of healing and protection affect only one person at a time. I must, when the time allows, modify them to allow me to protect, heal, and so on groups of individuals all at once.
Another thing of which I would certainly wish to know more is this precognition. How it works. How to use it. How one can screen oneself from it, retain ones free will. Avoid this predestination...
I shall have to consult with Cerebaton regarding exactly how the Clan Mind was able to drain the Trump from the Great Hall of Amber, and how it intended to use what it had learnt of all of our powers, in combination with this ability to inhibit every other power, too. Learn how to protect myself against such draining in future and perhaps, turnabout being, after all, fair play, even use a similar trick on the Clan Mind itself...
I think that introducing some kind of spy into the Clan Mind would be a useful way forward. Something entirely non-physical, invisible, perhaps even moulding shadow about itself to remain undetected. Designed simply to observe, and report, and learn. With hidden features to sure that I will know if it is detected or suborned by the Clan Mind. Not dissimilar to the 'bug' I emplaced on what turned out to be Arestis' sword. Hopefully my Trump of the Clan Mind will allow such to be achieved...
Perhaps magical and psychic modelling of the Clan Mind will assist in our understanding of it.
Lord Anubis' turning of a handful of sand and dust into an army in and across Amber was quite impressive but still, not something I would find impossible. In fact, perhaps something I should look into.
Still, despite my lack of significant contribution to this battle, one hopes that I may be of more use against the Dragosians invading via Arden and by sea. Hopefully Rinaldo and I shall be able to successfully use his plan to repel the invaders...
One still cannot help but wonder why Havoc imprisoned Arrestis' there, though. And it does seem that he was imprisoned, with the intention of never being found again.
The inscriptions there implied that Havoc knew of both Amber and Sapphire. Could she be someone able to travel between the two realms? More inquiries into this are definitely required...
But sill, with invaders in Castle Amber itself, as well as in Arden and on the sea over Rebma, despite all of the potential solutions, I still cannot help but be rather frightened by all of this. This 'age of change'.