L.O.B. (Line of Bearing)

Dragoness Astra

Artizza continues: "We need to find this reality's Fred and Astra, which is why we are here. From what you've said, although they have been here I take it that you don't know where they are now?"

"Yes," Vincent nods. "Point in fact, I was attempting to track them down right before your and your friends unexpected arrivals, dear, and unfortunately I was having no luck."

I hold back a sigh, figuring that our Quest would be too easy by far if Dr. Vincent would have known that information! After all, if I understood my mate about this Quest business, they HAVE to have a certain degree of difficulty. That or the Celestrial peers of the Rules and Agents would have a royal snit (to understate things). Could even understand it even after a fashion. You see, the Offices of Order and Chaos are (amongst other things) dealing with forces that can (in one fashion or another) make one's life easier or harder. This applies to everyone (including the Champions of the various Celestrial Offices). Cannot well have the Quests of the Champions of the Other Offices being difficult at times and always have their (the Rules' and Agents') Champions have it easy one their Quests, right? I mean, let's be honest here. I and my friends have quiet a few assets on this Quest. Both I and dear Synizn are dragons, who are blessed by Tiamat herself with swift wings, thick scales and sharp claws (in our natural forms)! That and coupled with the fact that my Synizn (as well as Jarlath, not discounting him) is very versed in the magical arts. So to balance things out....

This is probably the first of many adversities. And....honestly, I don't believe I'll not look forward to it. See, one thing I know about myself is that I get, shall I say, a very deep sense of satisfaction overcoming tough quest I'd gone on before that business with....my Minestus. Despite my transformation and transfiguration, that hasn't changed. And being that is what I was looking for in a life partner (and found that within my Synizn)....

I'm not going to be bored with this Quest!

That all said I need to do something right now whilst the others keep Vincent's attention distracted. See, with the potential disaster even a small part of the Key could cause if the wrong ears should catch wind, the fewer people who know about it the better. That means the less we reveal to the native Dr. Vincent, the less that he might accidentally blab to the wrong friends... From what I've been told by my Synizn on "his" Dr. Vincent he could keep secrets (i.e. not gossip). But this native might not be so wise with his words. Just because this might be an analog of "our" Dr. Vincent, you'd be foolish to trust him to be like "our" Vincent.

.....

I and the others might be being overly cautious, but still . . . . Best we move on here as quickly as possible. And as quietly as possible...

I just hope I succeed, because I would just hate to think how things could be for whoever has been chosen to be part of the Key to the Dark Tower. If we fail, they'd be target to whatever dark forces who'd use them for dark means...

Not something I'd like, if I was in their place. I mean, as of right now, whatever form they are in right now is what he, she, or they will wear till their dying day! While scant on details were given on the target (or targets) for this Quest, at least we know that is certain. Whether or not transformation was involved, I cannot say (though I fear 'tis likely).

So with the Detector wand I get a LOB as I heard it called (LOB being Line of Bearing) and a vague clue that our target is far from here. Sigh....

I mentally (mated dragons can do that even without training) tell Synizn the results, and he sends on that info to the others of our group. We all agree that it's best to be getting on and attempt to extract ourselves from our unexpected host....

.....but it's proving to be more difficult than expected! He keeps on insisting on trying to at least get hints on how to explore his theories of parallel worlds. Not more questions on how we got here (since we already said we couldn't do that, but just a little clue.... A hint....

And he's so earnest that I hate the thought of having to give stronger measures. Vincent isn't taking hints, but is so....eager.... Almost like a puppy, in a way, and it would be like hitting a puppy if...

I mean, it's grand that he is no longer suspicious of us (and not hostile towards us), but still....!

Finally, as a possible means of getting him OFF us, Synizn offers to perhaps an aidful suggestion on where to concentration his detection efforts. I have never been there on my world, but I have heard of this infamous Shadowtown: Wallents...

Dragon Synizn

"Uh sure," Dr. Vincent says, looking at me oddly. "But why would they be there? I mean...."

Vincent peters out, grasping for words to frame his questions. But.... I'd rather just try to explain myself before he can continue (and perhaps finally ask yet more awkward questions in the process). I'd suggested it because of my familiarity of that place back on my world. Since it exists here (had been gambling on that), then it's a place to start because.... Well, with the bearing that my love had given, it was where WE were going to start out....

"People who have trouble or are in trouble go there," I say softly. "And being that neither your Fred and Astra are giving off any indications, from what you said, that they are still in that Fox Forrest where you sent Fred.... That might be an indication that they are in trouble..."

A look of alarm crosses Dr. Vincent's face before I continue. I rush on, trying to comfort him.

"It's just the first place to look," I rush. "Just a place to start, you see. Nothing certain, but..."

"Right," he gasps, fumbling with a pocket watch (Tiamat! The cost of those things back on my homeworld!) before heading back over to his apparatuses.

He then cries out in surprised delight after just a few moments of fumbling.

....

You don't think... I ask Jarlath and the others, glancing back at the other Champions. Could this world's Fred and Astra be the one's we were after?

I'd....thought that the others had been joking about that rogue Demon having a grudge against various Freds and Astras. I mean it's so.....petty.... Somehow I'd think that while Flagg would be evil, he'd not be....

Sigh...

That's why I'd been betting that our assignment wouldn't really involve this world's version of.... Fred and Astra.

Wonder how closely things here are running to what had happened with the other Terras. Would we find a Synizn in Walants suffering with lycanthropy, a drunken werebear recluse? Or maybe I'll find him there, but just using Walants as a home base of sorts? Will this world's Fred and Astra have been transformed into short little foxed eared demifoxes? Suffering under the machinations of a vengful Minestus? With dim hopes of a cure within Walants? Maybe it's not so dark and they'd decided to elope? Or maybe nothing of the above?

1. Bet you, whatever the case, we'll be able to get questions even quicker if we can get Dr. Vincent to just teleport us there! Winging it is fine, but while fast, Vincent's gizmo is faster!

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