The Last Oddetsey

[majinb]

"You don't ask a lady about her box!"

[NFX]

"Seriously," Twitch insisted, "What is in the box?"

[majinb]

"A bring-things-to-life crayon!", she says, while holding her box and what's in it firmly.

[NFX]

"A bring-" Twitch stalled for a moment while his brain attempted to catch up, and looked from Aurelia, to Eudial, to Doomforall, and back to Aurelia. "You draw things with it and they come to life?" he asked her.

[majinb]

"Yes... but just so you know, I have been reliably informed I can not draw specific people!"

[NFX]

"...so you can't just draw Eudial?" Twitch said, his tail drooping a little. It really did look like the group would be without the red-haired witch, regardless of what they did. Pacing over towards her, the parrot decided to ask about what the not-Doomface had said. "How do you mean 'another Eudial can go on'?" he asked, "You mean something like you did with the tree?"

[alex_holt]

The Not-Doomforall looks sombre before replying to Eudial.

"You can go through the process I have through the Timesplitting Oak."
He pauses briefly for dramatic effect.
"Doomforall is dead. I am not Doomforall, he died when the rift burnt through him as it will to you if unchecked. The tree however is a unique species. When planted onto something it sends temporal roots between dimensions to every dimension where a version of that thing exists so it can spread its seeds to new worlds. Doomforall worked out a way for this to preserve his memories in me - he put the seed in a stone infused with Old Magic so that when he tree grew, so would a new version of him, taking the best of those other Doomforall's into this new person, who would have the memories of all of them. That would be me. A new person with the memories of Doomforall, but who never bonded to the rift."

He gives a slight wry smile "I should probably think of a new name"

"In any case, this is what I offer to you - a chance for you to go on in a way. I warn you, the stone is much depleted of magic, so do not expect to have the new Eudial walking around as quickly as I did, but one day, a Eudial would walk the world again and your thoughts, memories, hopes and dreams would live on."

[NWOWWE]

Gaunt lit another cigarette. They were stale as hell, but he didn't really mind.

"I'm not sure how much 'hopes and dreams' she really lives on, but it seems like it would be step up for her anyway. And think of it this way, it's a quick ticket to the future. You know some of us just have to roll with the slow flow of years. Do you have any idea what business was like for me over 100 years ago? Nowhere near as exciting as it is now. What I would have given for a time skip back then."

Gaunt gave a smile that wouldn't have been pleasant even if he still looked human.

"But I suppose the complete destruction of the multi-verse is worth the immediate return to your home with the other witches you hate so much."

[kodster]

Eudial listened to Not-Doomforall's words with rapt attention. She was just about to answer when suddenly:

"But I suppose the complete destruction of the multi-verse is worth the immediate return to your home with the other witches you hate so much."

A ring of fire suddenly sprouted up all around Gaunt, closing towards the demon with astonishing speed. As the others gasped, Eudial stopped the fire before it touched Gaunt, enclosing him in a barely walkable space.

"Mock me one more time, demon," said Eudial calmly, "and I will personally see to it that your part in this tale ends before mine. Do I make myself clear?"

She turned to the Not-Doomforall. "Forgive me. Though Leland has been an admirable ally of mine and the others, he has never missed a chance to insult me, whether openly or wrapping it in clever terms. I would watch him, if I were you."

Eudial waved a hand at Gaunt. The fire vanished, leaving the demon stricken.

Eudial then sighed and turned back to Not-Doomforall. "Very well. Fighting the Marranach is tempting, but I do not wish to defeat them at their own game, it does not feel right. And besides, those who I hate so much," she added, with a sidelong glance at Gaunt, "I doubt they will have died out before I would re-emerge... and I would dearly love the chance to visit them again after a while."

A tear fell from her eye, but her decision was made. "I will go through the process you went through. No regrets."

[alex_holt]

EUDIAL
Not-Doomforall speaks to Eudial in hushed tones so the others cannot hear:
"I will do this for you then, and I apologise that my predecessor's actions those centuries ago caused these problems today - before you go on your way, consider that the rift is the only way your friends and allies can go home - not even the Old Magic can do that, it is the pwoer of the Universes, it is the power of the rift that governs what happens between - using it a last time will cause no problems, should you wish to do this for any of them".