City of IF

[Alegria]

Sojourner's Journey

Chapter 12

The Plaza of the Nations

9 56 23

Alyssa sighed, those were the numbers.

Where glass is as hard as stone
Look for the numbers three
Then look for the name
Find the square that is round
Climb third number's feet
And look down.
There your treasure lies

That was the riddle. She grabbed a pencil and circled the last four lines on a peice of paper. She sat up, and looked at Ouran, who spoke. "Right, so we go to the Plaza of the Nations."

"Assuming Zerane is correct," Alyssa made a squeak. Had she really said that aloud?

Zerane stared at her. In fact, if looks could kill, he was one of those people who could probably be a serial killer by now. He simply stated, "I'm right, don't worry."

Ouran smiled at the antics of the two "friends". "So, we're off."

***

The journey was short, and uneventfull, but the destination took Alyssa's breath away. They stood in a large, circular plaza, but it was more like a giant work of art. From the ceiling of the level a giant globes of light shone, like a group of stars, which were surrounded by prisms hanging everywhere, making a myriad of rainbows on the walls. Adding to that, the prisms swayed around, spinning, causing the rainbows to move. The entire plaza floor was a giant mosaic, including every color known to man or Rinosian. There, layed out before here, was the entire history of the Rinosian race, surrounded by an astronomical calendar, which recorded the phases of the moon at every day of the month. The plaza was enclosed by a colonnade, five stories tall, that touched the roof of the level. The inside of the collonade had a clear veiw of the plaza, but on the outside, peices of stained glass peered out to the crumbling city.

And in the middle of the fountain, the Tower of Eve. But, it was odd, the Tower had been hollowed out here, instead of walls, there were pillars supporting it, eight of them. It was a marvel how eight pillars could support 365 stories, but they did, or they could with magic. But the magic flow had stopped now, and it would soon collapse, dooming the entire city. In the center of the tower, a fountain was visible. The fountain showed a human and a Rinosian, grasping hands around a tree, whose leaves glowed, and whose top spouted water. On the base of the pillar was the Rinosian seal, with words around it, the Rinosian Comission, which all half-Rinosians spoke at their Transformation, something Alyssa hadn't even done yet:

Yanowet Sineoma Wazlen

Alyssa silent translated them in her mind:

Love Heal Wait

Wait for what? wondered Alyssa. What do they wait for? She whispered her question to Ouran.

"We wait for the day when we will find our home. It's why I'm the Sojourner, I'm the traveller that has to lead us to our own Promised Land. We are also supposed to love those we meet on the way and heal the world as we journey." Ouran spoke in a hushed voice.

Just then, a guard approached Ouran. "Sir, you need to see this."

They climbed in the colonnade to the second story, where Zarene was waiting.

Ouran looked inquisitively at the pudgy man, "Why are we up here?"

Zarene pointed at his feet. In the floor, the Symbol was carved. He then pointed at the mosaic. Every few seconds, the rainbows would meet at a point on the mosiac and spell out two words:

Under Me

Zarene quickly explained in his reedy voice. "It's an optical illusion. Unless you're at this exact spot, you won't see it, it will just be a bunch of little rainbows on the ground."

Ouran looked at Brishma and Zantos, "Then we dig"

Zantos was hesitant, "Ouran, this is the bottom level of the city, if we dig, we'll just get to ocean and flood the city."

Ouran looked worried, "I know, but it's our only lead."

***

The digging was done. It had only stopped once, when Senator Vaxen came and demanded to know what he was doing. After letting loose a volley of foul language and stating that it was illegal, he rushed off to find proof that they couldn't deface Public Property by digging in it. At least it was keeping the man busy.

At the bottom of the hole was, suprisingly enough, not the ocean, but a room. A ladder was soon fetched, and a light, and Alyssa, Zantos, Ouran, and Brishma climbed down.

In the room there were four doors, each one facing a different point of the compass.

Ouran sighed, he hated splitting up, but they had no choice. Okay, everyone pair up with your partners earlier and choose a door to go through. I'll take North. Alyssa, which do you want?

Descision Point

Which Door?

[Alegria]

Ah, that's a longer, better chapter. Enjoy!

[Ravenwing]

I don't suppose you could give a description of the city, Algy? I don't know if it will help, but I have this thought that maybe each of those directions heads to a place underneath a building in the city? By the way, which direction IS the ocean? Don't want to be running into that any time soon. :D

[Starwalker]

We seem to be playing with numbers.

There are 4 cardinal point to a compass.

The numbers 2 and 3 have been used, North has been selected which is 1 so that would leave 4 being West.

[Alegria]

OK, Ravenwing, the Ocean is underneath them. The Rinosian city is Floating on the water. All the largest If you want a description of the city, please reread Chapter 6. That's the best I can give you.

Good idea, Starwalker, so many logical riddle solvers in the city. It's an army! :biggrin:

[Ravenwing]

Sort of forgot that. It sort of has been awhile since I read Chapter 6.

[Alegria]

Hey guys, we have a problem. It seems that I'll be gone longer than I thought this month. It turns out I'll be on a cruise the last month of July. So, consequentaly, unless we have all the suggestions, a poll, and a new chapter up in a week, you'll have to wait until August for a new chapter. I just hope the treasury understands this. I'll PM them, begging for mercy.

P.S.- WE NEED MORE SUGGESTIONS!!!!!!

[JezSharp]

Quite a fast flowing story having just read through it and liked a lot of the dp's.

Couple of pieces of constructive criticism: Some chapters were a little short/lacking detail and the font colour on Chapter 6 (a bright yellow...?), that was a little offputting. Generally good though.

Still a good read...not sure which she should choose as I'm still slightly confused as to which part of the city each door leads...just for symmetry I'd go with her haeading South to Ouran's North - but there's no particular logic behind it, perhaps West as Starwalker suggested is a better bet :)

[Alegria]

The Poll is up!!!!

[Ingrothechundyer]

To late to add wait I guess even though it seems that the location of the room might imply we should persue it.

Love Heal Wait

West seems like the next best choice so I'll cast my vote that way.

Now that the ties broken I'm hoping to see a new chapter fairly soon :)

[Alegria]

polls are closed, be ready for THE LAST CHAPTER OF SOJOURNER'S JOURNEY. Everyone who has ever commented on the game will get a PM for the Last Chapter Gala events.

[dinranwen]

I'm sorry to see such a great storygame end, but I'm looking forward to seeing how it will end.

Like a friend once said, "It is the length of your tale that matters, but rather how you tell it."

Although I have never posted any comments here, I have always enjoyed this storygame, especially since it was probably the first one I read when I first joined.

Good luck on your next chapter Allegria,

Dinranwen

[solus.serpen]

Ok just caught up with the story. I must say putting up a gala is a great way to get people interested in your story :).
However, If I'd found it sooner, I'd have stuck with it anyway.
Really good sg btw. I'll be eagerly waiting for the next chapter.

Solus.