City of IF

[JezSharp]

JezSharp wandered down into the basement and along a series of tunnels until he reached the main room of the TI, filled with its bubbling simmering sprawl and passageways searing off left and right. Ever since he'd taken control of the TI it had been a permanent job of first tidying the place up and then expanding the tunnels. First from the fantasy forest to the basement, then to convenient out of the way places...of course those were hard to find unless you know where to go...which is why he had needed the map.

He took it now from one of the many hidden compartments and wandered down a varying maze of tunnels and secret doors until he came upon a troll workforce, recruited from the depths of the fantasy forest (who were responsible for the tunnel from there to the TI and then the subsequent tunneling). The trolls looked up as he arrived holding the parchment,

"Break now?" Grunted one of the brighter ones, Jez sighed, the amount of fungus he'd had to pick recently was annoyingly inconvenient - but it was the only way to motivate them to work.

"Yes," he replied, "you can have an hour's break and the grub is in the usual place." Staring at the map again he tried to estimate how close they were to breaking through - a couple of days perhaps.... Jez rolled the map up wondering if anyone had yet discovered the one he'd left had been a fake...

[dinranwen]

Din, upon entering the mysterious room had stepped right onto...nothing. Screaming as she fell down the nearly bottomless hole, Din made a few mental notes to herself, most of them never, ever, ever, again threatening Rai again.

A few her thoughts however were about the next time she wanted to do something adventurous...she would go clean Solomon's Birch's Old place. Now there was an adventure.

A few quadrillion, million, thousand feet later, Din landed with a resounding thump onto something hard.

Sparring an soft ouch, Din lost all consciousness.

~ ~ ~
Groaning. Din opened one eye weakly and took a look around. Although her vision was somewhat dark, spotted, and fuzzy, Din made out a room very similar to the Chat room. A tavern filled with unending barrels of varying liquid substances, soft couches, stools, and tables was filled with a mixed group of characters. The people in the room were unfamiliar to her, but Din got the vague impression that these people were once from If, although she didn't know why. Maybe it was because the Tavern Sign was labeled Ye Old Ifian Tavern Club....free unending drinks for the rest of eternity!

Licking her chapped lips, Din eased herself off the floor and onto a stool. As she placed her hood in her hands Din muttered, "Somehow I don't think Rai is going to accept an apology."

"Um excuse me." Said a voice Din vaguely recognized. Turning, Din realized it was indeed a familiar face. Well, two faces actually.

"Rave, Wing!" Din shouted standing up and giving the black and white twins a hug. "I haven't seen you in ages. I so glad you're not dead. I am so glad that I am not dead."

"But Dinranwen," Wing said,

"That's what we want to talk to you about."

"Your not supposed to be here."

"Your status is very much alive."

"But you have been untimely killed by Rai."

"So you're dead."

"Only you're not."

"So you're not supposed to be here."

"Only you are."

"Girls!" Din shouted, "One at a time please, I have this huge headache, and feel like I'm bruised all over. Now will someone please tell me where in the world I am?"

"But your not in the World."

"Your in the underworld."

"And your dead."

"But she's active." Rave argued.

"But her body's dead." Wing returned.

Din sighed this may take awhile, and decided to go around in the bar in search for someone (preferably not drunk) who could tell her where she was, what was going on, and how she get out of this place.

She found her answer in the most unusual of places. Sitting in a corner with two wenches on his lap in all his mummy wrapped glory was a user named Muaddib.

"What's up Din?"

"Uh the ceiling!"

"Very funny," Muaddib chuckled, "Welcome to the realm of Dead Ifians directly under the Soul Well. May I congratulate you for coming to the Tavern?"

[Kalanna Rai]

Rai snoozed gently on her massive pile of gold. It had taken a lot out of her to cross into the Blood Sanctum...even after Din had been so kind as to take the kill hit for her. A chime sounded and she cracked open an eye blearily. "This had better be good."

Getting off her Horde, taking care to scrape off any stuck on gold coins, she walked out into her living/dining room. Opening the door she found a small PM had been left on a silver plate. It was bent and squashed as if it had come through places it shouldn't have. Scrawled on it were two words in Lebrenth's handwriting. 'Help Me.'

Flipping it over to see if it had any valuable information Rai discovered that there was to be a Council Meeting in the confines of Jester Park. "Oh excellent. I wonder if anyone will notice Din is missing...oh Drat! I told them I was going off with her to clean." With another quick hop Rai looked around Jester Park..."Well this isn't going to get done if I just stare at it."

[Idea master]

IM pointed his hands upwards and let loose a small blast. The tunnel's ceiling exploded upwards, showering the occupants with a small coating of dust. IM pulled himself up and helped everyone else up through the hole he'd created, and looked around. He was reminded very strongly of Gringotts bank. IM walked over to the head gnome's desk.

"Are you the one who demolished our floor? You will fix it, yes?"

IM sighed at the wheedling tone of the gnome. "If you're lucky, and I'm in a good mood, then yes, I'll fix it. Otherwise I'll demolish you before I leave. Now. I lost a spellbook and am seeking a replacement."

"Really? Which spellbook of yours is lost?"

"It has no title, its cover is made from the blackest charred skin I could find, and it's held shut by an intricate locking system made from mythril."

The head gnome trawled through a massive tome. "Ah yes, we do have a copy of that particular book. I'll have it sent to you while destroying the old one so that nobody can use it."

Thus saying, the head gnome pushed a button. Far away, the old book exploded and imploded in flames. Then a small little gnome went scurrying down a tunnel in an effort to find a new book. "In the meantime, I suggest you all go home."

IM sighed and turned around. "My house is safest, you all can bunk with me."

[D-Lotus]

In the darkness, D-Lotus suddenly saw a light. From that light poured forth images, millions of images flashing by, creating a movie, a realistic animation. They were pictures of his life. His mother smiling at him tenderly, his childhood, playing with a ball among the high grass. There was a brief image of a dragoness, but it went by quickly. And then, D saw something that frightened him. And he knew the truth.

Somehow, being knocked unconscious for the second time was bringing all of his memories back to life. Everything was streaming before his eyes. Everything, including the terrible secret he had discovered, and his emnity with BS. He'd asked for Polokin's help to face the ordeal, but he'd never explained. He'd wanted to tell Polokin about the horrible secret, but he feared his friend would become too involved. Then, before New Year's, D and Polokin had an argument that distanced them... D suddenly realized where he had been going to on New Year's. He hadn't been going to the celebrations; he'd... if only he could tell his companions.

Specks of light began swirling, until D thought he could see Crunchyfrog's worried face. He remembered the truth about Crunchyfrog too. But then it all blacked out again, submerging him in a dismal torrent of thoughts and darkness...

[Polokin]

"Where did he go?" Polokin asked, looking around, "Wasn't he there a second ago?"

"Yes," said BS with an odd expression on his face, "Oh well."

"Never mind that, I have a plan. How about I go undercover? D doesn't know that I'm helping you. I could be your... spy." Polokin said mischievously.

"Good idea... I have no idea where he could be though. You'll have to ask around. Anyway, you'll need this." BS threw Polokin a small, blue, luminous ball. "Use it to call me here." He turned to leave.

"Wait," Polokin caught the ball and looked down at it, "How do I use this?"

"Just throw it against the ground and say 'BStheGreat'" he called.

Polokin looked up from the ball but he was gone. Polokin put the ball in his pocket and set off to find D and the group

[JezSharp]

Jez wandered back into the main TI laboratories, then realised he hadn't thought to take copies of the map, which he proceeded to do, backing them up into his computers hard drives, and onto a set of disks which he hid away. It's time to release the original now then... he thought, and wondered where exactly it should turn up. Chinaren Hall...no too much danger of it being trampled by the mob, Key's Palace...a little creepy and I haven't got a tunnel leading directly in there - and I'd rather not give it to Rai or Lordy...I know, the City Council Hall.

Jez slipped away into the tunnels, soon emerging from the basement of a run down house a street away - wearing a dark hooded cloak over his suit. Quickly he slipped unnoticed into the hall and, wiping the document of any fingerprints, left it lying on China's seat. Then he slipped away into the fog, holding his ears and focusing his mind away from the whispering mists as he descended beneath the town to obscurity.

[Crunchyfrog]

Wow, things are happening so quickly now... better do another one of these... :D

The Story So Far...

What a day... what a night it had been....

During the New Year celebrations in the City of IF, there had been an almighty flash of lightning. IFians had been seen fleeing in all directions. As the sun rose, a strange fog hung over the city.

The Master Map of the City (later discovered to be a fake) was stolen during the New Year celebrations. It was discovered shoved down the back of Crunchyfrog's pants - and Crunchyfrog was discovered clinging to a ledge on a cliff face in the gorge, which happened to be the entrance to a labyrinth of tunnels, with no memory of how he got there.

D-Lotus, Private Investigator, also found himself on the ledge, suffering from amnesia, and he, along with Masterweaver and Crunchyfrog, attempted to use the map to navigate through the labyrinth. They did not get very far because

1. The map was a fake, and
2. Kalanna snatched it from them and took it back to the city, leaving them to find their own way out.

Unknown to D, Crunchy and Masterweaver, she did not return it but instead kept it and provided a copy to Lordofthenight, with areas marked on it. Hmmmm....

D, Crunchy and Masterweaver discovered that the labyrinth contained the Soul Well. The Soul Well was created some time previously, when several thousand 'soulless IFians' were exorcised from the city. After the Mass Exorcism, Chinaren, the Mayor, had performed the Ceremony of Release, casting the exorcised souls into the Wells. This was secretly witnessed by Sasuke, a half breed dragon, who had been living in the labyrinth. He is searching for the identity of his father.

During their attempt to get back to the city, D discovered that BStheGreat has a long time grudge against him that he wished to settle, and was out hunting for him. Since D had no memory, he had absolutely no idea why.

On returning to the city, D examined the fog more closely and discovered that it was a manifestation of the Souls from the Well. Whispers from within the fog were whipping the citizens of IF into a frenzied mob, against Mayor Chinaren, causing them to randomly rampage the streets, destroying Chinaren's Mayoral mansion and businesses. Chinaren did not appear to be at home.

Returning to the city with D, Sasuke and Crunchyfrog were Masterweaver, and Xansta, although they are now separated from the group.

Polokin, an IFian who had been approached for help prior to the start of the story by both BStheGreat and by D, pledged his allegience to BSthegreat.

Once they returned to the city, D-Lotus, Sasuke and Crunchyfrog told Ideamaster about their concerns about Kalanna's behaviour, and their adventures, hoping he could help them. IM decided they should go and find Key. During their search, IM carelessly dropped his spell book.

They found Key, in the form of a key, lying on the floor of his sleeping quarters in the Royal Palace. They rescued him, but not before having to deal with some rather fruity behaviour from a character named General Powers.

Although Kalanna assisted in retrieving Key, and in rescuing D from Key's bedchamber, she then went on to sacrifice Dinranwen for a vial of red liquid, muttering the phrase "Blood of the Beginning...check."

The only possible witness to this horrific act might have been Smudger, the old hunchback in the tunnels, but was he close enough behind them to see?

Up until recently, D had been suffering from amnesia, and was beginning to recover some of his 'special powers', his sixth sense, his reflex actions, and his sleuth sense... During his attempt to rescue Key, the second blow to his head helped D-Lotus regain some of his longer term memory.

This could prove worrying for Lordofthenight and Kalanna Rai, as there are allusions to other, more important things that he has witnessed, or has been investigating, which could eventually prove to be a problem for them. They are concerned that he does not remember a particular event or something.

Lordy revealed he had plans for D-Lotus, as a 'test subject'... The other selected 'test subjects' being Sasuke and Masterweaver.
Kalanna's mission, was to guide the three 'test subjects' in the right 'directions', for whatever dastardly reasons, as yet unrevealed.

Meanwhile, in the TI, Lebrenth, the Skiffy moderator, was recovering from the effects of the mists of the Dream Chamber. Under Lordofthenights direction, Jezsharp, the Tourist Information elf, had been nursing him to his senses. But Jez had plans of his own.

Jez had been in possession of the REAL Master Map for some time. It was he who switched it for the fake (the fake being stolen during the New Year party) Using the map he has created a huge warren of tunnels under IF, starting from his modest abode underneath the Tourist Information booth. His warren was almost complete...

Now he had made copies of the Master Map, he returned the Original Master Map to Council hall, leaving it on Chinaren's chair...

* * *

Currently Lebrenth is imprisoned in a sealed room in Jezsharp's Tourist Info abode. He has sent a PM to Kalanna simply saying "Help Me"

Jez is returning to the TI from the Council Hall.

D, IM, Crunchyfrog and Sasuzke, after visiting the IFHI to order a new copy of IM's spell book, have been advised by the IFHI gnomes to go back to IM's house.

Polokin, who has parted company with BS for now, is tailing D, under cover. He has a way of summoning BS when the time is right, and still has something in his pocket, as yet unrevealed.

Xansta, who D, Crunchyfrog, Masterweaver and Sasuke had encountered near Jester Park on their escape from the labyrinth has just fallen through a trap door into some kind of a palace or castle dungeon. (Xansta was an IFian from before the Mass Exorcism, but was somehow affected by it. He/she was trapped in the labyrinth and only escaped recently, and had no interaction with any IFian since that time)

Smudger is running around in circles in a tunnel underneath the Royal Palace, with a burnt hand, after his IFian ring exploded. He gets all the luck.

Masterweaver, is somewhere near the Open Forum, and has been accosted by a strange armoured figure claiming to be Chinaren.
Whether this is really Chinaren, or another of his many delusions, or an imposter, is yet to be revealed.

Lordofthenight, who advised Jez that he had had word that Chinaren would be away for some time yet, has decided to call a Council Meeting, to show a united front under the prevailing circumstances. The meeting is to be in Jester Park.

Kalanna, having to interrupt her mission for now, is in Jester Park, cleaning it up quickly before the Council Meeting is due to convene, and is wondering how to explain Dinranwen's disappearance.

Dinranwen, however, although having been tricked by Kalanna to falling into an abyss, is still active, and in the Realm of Dead IFians, directly under the Soul Well. There she has been reunited with old friends such as Wing, Rave, and Muaddib...


Chapter 5 - Revelations and Alliances

[Kalanna Rai]

Rai sat back against a stone wall in Jester Park cracking a whip as several Oompa Loompas finished tidying everything up. "Right then you lot...back to the Guildhall." The small orange men gave her a few glares but stomped off cheerfully enough...the dragoness had let them out into the open air for a few minutes after all.

Her gem flashed and, looking around to make sure she was still alone, she put up a privacy shield and answered it. The grinning face of Lordy met her gaze. "Taking a risk aren’t you?"

"I trusted you'd have the discretion to take the necessary precautions." She wanted to wipe the smirk off his face but instead waited for him to tell her what was so important. "I've just happened to find the Master Map in the Council Hall." Rai's crest raised high.

"I doubt it." She hissed as Lordy winked.

"Smooth your scales. Everything's going according to plan...the enchantments show it's been copied." Rai snickered. Some poor sap had fallen right into Lordy's trap.

"Wonder what'll happen when he actually tries to use that?"

[Smudger]

Smudger beat the ground repeatedly with his burning hand until the flames went out. This is NOT my day.

Smudger got to his feet, staring at his charred hand. I should be screaming in agony right now. Well, why don't you? Well I'm not in the mood, I'd rather be shouting at the Council on testing prototypes on me.

Smudger trudged forward, heading for the exit to get to the Council Hall. He suddenly remembered the scream. Din's scream. And Rai muttering something. Hmmm...

Smudger looked down the giant hole. Damn that's deep. Shall I go all bravado here? Yeah...why not!

Smudger starts clinging to the rock and starts to descend crying at the top of his voice," The bells! The bells!"

Smudger grabs hold of a rock, slips and starts falling.

"Oh F....

[Kalanna Rai]

Lordy shrugged. "I've no idea really. I actually hope they do. It might be interesting. Still I do hope you've been keeping it safe?" Rai snarled at the arrogant demon.

"You stick to the plotting. I'll stick to guarding the things we need. That was the agreement was it not?" The demon inclined his head. "For your information once I claimed the fake planted on Crunchy I retrieved it from my Hoard and it hasn't left my side since."

"And the Blood."

"None of your business demon. When the time comes it will be available." Lordy glared at her.

"Remember who you're dealing with dragoness." Rai glared right back.

"I do, every second of the day demon. Forgetting is not something I have the luxury of in this particular case. You take care of your end, I'll take care of mine...Oh and it seems Lebrenth is in trouble."

"Then go fetch him...and stay alert. Whoever copied the 'map' is going to try and use it." Before Rai could say anything else the connection broke. Fuming the dragoness tapped her talons together.

"Now where could Lebby be...ah yes I remember."

[dinranwen]

Din who had been soothing her sore spirits and even sore body with the giant bottomless cup of tea the bar tender just knew was specially made just for her. Of course it didn't help that the cup was marked in Din's own personal signature in her own personal runes...but still.

Well, anyway she had been drinking her cup of tea when all of a sudden she heard a thump that sounded vaguely familiar, and puff there was Smudger right exactly where Din had been moments before.

The barkeeper, an ifian from the way old days given Din didn't recognise his name signed on his apron, hastily checked his notebook.

"Smudger, aka Greame, hunchback, Grumpy, socialist/communist...wait a minute he's not supposed to be in here! Active Guest everyone, on their feet."

Rave and Wing hurried over to Smudge to explain how he wasn't supposed to be there. Gazing around from her seat, Din decided that as much as she was enjoying her cup of tea, it was time to do something about her situation.

So, looking around Din spotted Muadib emerging from the back with his two wenches after doing whatever exactly he did with wenches...Din shook off the unwelcome thought and slid off her stool with a grace that only came with being familiar with shadows. Strangely, out of all the outcasts and ingrates in the Bar, Muadib was the only that showed some sense...which was saying something.
Slipping up the hood of her cloak, which seemed to have repaired itself after her unfortunate demise, Din slid onto the stool across from Muadib.
"Muadib." Din purred. "I think we should talk."

[JezSharp]

Jez returned to the main chamber and switched on the computer, looking again in close detail at the map and the various places marked upon it. One place had stood out like a sore thumb...which was exactly why he wasn't tunnelling there for now. There were far more quiet and peaceful places to open out tunnels into...currently for instance, the Archives; a treasure hoard of lost books. Who knew what one might find in such a forgotten place - and he should arrive any day now.

He looked again at the map, that other place has definitely been added in recently, and the way its marked, and the fact that it's description includes words such as 'powerful, important, no one must approach', all highly persuasive - as though someone wants that place to be uncovered. I'd make such a place insignificant if it was really so important Jez shrugged, as info mod he liked info, but such a love had allowed him to sense that sometimes info must be gleaned more cautiously. I think I have a reasonable plan, he thought as he edited a copy of the map so that it showed only directions to the 'top secret' place, adding in the words 'treasure' for added effect, then printed out a dozen copies. Then whistling he moved silently upstairs to the Tourist Info booth.

Reaching the inner booth he heard the sounds of someone moving upstairs, shoot, I completely forgot I left Lebrenth up there, Jez thought as he hurried over and released the ladder down.

[Kalanna Rai]

Rai was winging her way toward TI when her gems started going crazy. Unauthorised user eh? "Implement system lockdown." Rai grinned to herself. Jez was going to have kittens when he finally figured out what had happened. Until then..."Looks like TI is mine."

Landing she easily passed all of Jez's precautions and barriers, after all they were only allowing 'authorised users' past. Sniffing the air, and using her mod gem, Rai wandered through the twisting hallways. "Hmm... this is all rather recent...Jez has been busy." Rounding a corner she found none other than the elf himself, bashing desperately against a key pad, a bunch of papers under his arm.

He jerked his head around as Rai's shadow fell over him, a few papers drifting to where the dragoness could easily read them. "Rai! What are you doing here? Didn't you hear about..."

"Oh yes I did hear about the Council meeting...but I'm much more interested in these clearly doctored Master Map copies...and I'm sure you're much more interested as to why TI no longer responds to you. Well it's like this. That map had certain enchantments on it to prevent unauthorised use and since I'm one of only three people authorised I know who the other two are. You're not one of them Jez so I've shut your system down and taken control."

She yanked open the door in front of them, pulling Lebby out and shoving Jez in. "Have a nice day."

[Idea master]

IM sat in silent contemplation. In one day he'd found an old friend, heard of the disaster, issued near-illegal weaponry, stolen a car, and burst into Key's mansion, all to find a key that was Key transformed. It all seemed familiar somehow...

Everybody else was in the guest wing of his mansion. The traps had been recalculated so that nobody would lose an arm or a leg. IM, however, was in his secret room that functioned as his lair of plotting and brooding. He tapped one liquid crystal computer screen, and it came to life.

"Search Archives."

The Archives of the City came up with a list of stories, most of them completed.

"Find any instances where Key was transformed. Cross-reference results with City of IF references."

The computer whirred a moment, then came back with only one result.

"Hmm... The True Story of the City of I(nter)F(able)..."

IM greedily read the story, absorbing every word, every plot nuance, every detail. When he was done, dawn was breaking.

"So. Key's been transformed again, and someone or something is playing us for fools. But who?"

IM cast his mind back to what CrunchyFrog's (or was it D's?) words from long ago...

We gave the map to Rai. She seemed very upset about it...

"No," IM said. "It couldn't be. Then again, what does one expect of an assassin dragoness? Computer, lock down mansion. Complete seal from outside world. Unauthorised access to be punishable by death. Only authorised people are ones currently inside it. Open tunnel to the Dead Ones and the Dream Chamber."

The mansion's many doors and windows slammed shut, and laser turrets sprung out of every hallway and every room. On the outside, turrets sprung up as well with only five feet between each one. They crawled along the walls like some infectious disease.

At IM's feet, two sections of the floor opened up, one going straight down, and the other curving away to some unknown destination. Five sets of bungee rope and five gas masks dropped from the ceiling as well. IM could only hope that none of his guests panicked.

A screen flickered on, with the head Gnome. "We can't deliver like this, you know."

IM tapped a few buttons. Now delivery gnomes could enter. He then said, "Now you can," before snapping the connection shut to check on his guests.

[D-Lotus]

Tendrils of darkness surrounded D-Lotus yet. Sparkling words and gleaming pictures ran in circles inside his head against the dark background, etching themselves into his memory, never to be forgotten. He watched the vivid stories and flowing emotions, once and once more again. The cycle continued, never tiring. But tiredness did grip D in its unyielding fist, and he struggled to be free from his prison of truth. A chair came into focus, and then dissolved into blackness.

If only, if only... but his mind gloom would not relent.

[Kalanna Rai]

Rai was very pleased with herself as she flew back to Jester Park, Lebby settled between her shoulders. "At this rate I'm going to work off all that weight I gained during Christmas for the past ten years."

"Was that really necessary Rai? Locking Jez in like that?" Rai took a moment to glance at her passenger.

"Yup. Oh and did you know IM has locked himself in?" Lebby glanced at his ring confirming her statement. "Yeah just got that message myself...I think he might be onto me."

"You'd better tell Lordy."

"I don't think so. IM doesn't worry me...After all I've got a copy of his book." Opening her gem she cursed as she found only ash where she had placed the book. "Gem, reconstruct...I don't care how long it takes just do it." Rai needed that book. Without it she wouldn't have as much of an advantage over IM as she hoped.

"Oh but let's look on the bright side Lebby. Lordy's Command and Control enchantment on the map worked to a charm."

[Lebrenth]

Lebrenth looks back at the impenetrable door to TI stands defiantly beside the gaping hole in the wall where Kalanna Rai crashed through. But something else seems to have shaken Lebrenth up. He wavers in a Captain Jack Sparrow sort of way. She wonders if she can believe anything that he says. He has a strange scent on his breath, a mixture of unusual ingredients... a potion of some sort.

"Sorry for the rushed message… I got the creeps. I was browsing... nothing unusual, but I found a program protected by a time-sensitive password, a retinal scanner, fingerprint analyser, DNA coders, and a riddle.... I wasn't going to even try, but then a window popped up and words appeared on it: 'Let me show you,' it said."

Rai waits for the punchline.

"I started feeling chills, and kept looking behind me, because I felt someone was in that tiny wooden room with me.... Whatever it was, it bypassed the protections and started the program. More than a hundred screens appeared of different places in IF, a vast network of cameras spying on citizens and moderators everywhere....

"The words on the window wrote: 'Here.' And a recording enlarged and showed me New Year's Eve at the palace. It was nearly midnight and everyone was there... well there were a few people missing, I wasn't there of course... and I don't think I saw you...."

"No I wasn't there, you know that. Just tell me what you saw."

Jezsharp presses his ear against the door listening for sound outside before getting out. He holds an empty bottle in his hand. Apparently Lebrenth drank another one of his concoctions from the fridge. Must have thought it was a root beer. Anyway the reaction should be interesting.

[Kalanna Rai]

Rai snapped her fingers in front of Lebby's face a couple of times. "You don't look right Lebs...you sure you okay." She caught the scent of something sickly-sweet on the wind. Landing back in Jester Park Rai watched him collapse in a heap on the ground. Taking a good whiff she pulled back.

"Great, not only do you really need to wash that Robe of Foreboding but someone has gone and poisoned you with Nightwing juice...I'm putting my money on Jez." She'd seen all those bottles in that room..."And I don't happen to have the antidote on me. Oh well desperate times..." Rummaging in her gem she pulled out a tacky green liquid which she rubbed into his scalp. "This should help until I can get some."

[Idea master]

IM knew that by now his book would have been found, and as such, his mansion would be penetrable. He hesitated, his hand over the one button he hoped he'd never have to push ever again...And then did so.

As the Mod over the Games district, IM had various devices at his disposal for calming down the inhabitants. The reverse was also true in the sense that he had many devices to flood the forums with the inhabitants of the Games district. What IM had just done was push the button that would knock out the walls of the Games district, allowing all and any characters free reign over the city. That ought to distract Rai long enough so that she wouldn't be looking in his direction.

IM rushed to his guests. "Don't panic, we're completely secure here, and nothing of mine will kill you. We only have a limited time. Sasuke, I'll need your help. CrunchyFrog and D, stay back, you don't want to inadvertently interrupt this."

IM steered the young half-dragon to the centre of the room. "What are we doing?" Sasuke asked.

"I am going to be casting a Finding and Replacement spell at the same time. I may need your innate power to help me achieve this. I'm going to find my book and give whoever has it a nasty surprise."

IM placed another book in front of him and began the spell weaving. The others looked closely at the book in question and Sasuke gasped. "Not...the Necronomicon!"

"Shh! And I've enhanced it. The poor sap that reads THIS will be forced to read it aloud until their untimely demise, which, considering the nature of the book, could be rather quick."

IM once more began the spell weaving.

[JezSharp]

Just then the crystal about Rai's neck dissolved in a low scream and a puff of choking smoke. Dam, Rai thought as she remembered that she needed to obtain authorisation from China or Key within a specific time period for its use to shut off sectors, or else the enchantment failed. The TI's power was instantly restored.

In the TI Jez wasted no time in re-securing all the defences, luckily Rai had only glimpsed a small fraction of the tunnels from the Tourist Info booth. Last time I bother to go to the trouble of getting involved in maps he thought angrily, well I may as well send out the copy I have to other Council members - then I'm not the only one with such specialist knowledge. Quickly he PM'ed all but Lordy and Rai (given one made him suspicious and the other wasn't on his Christmas card list for some foreseeable time) with copies of the map worded:

Dear all, came across a version of the Master Map which I copied, and I wondered if it would be of any use to you. One place looks very interesting, but I would approach with care. Then he sent it.
Good, hopefully that will stop people raiding my home for a while...I think now that the place is completely secured, I'll let the trolls have an extended break and head out into Fantasy Forest for a stroll.

[Crunchyfrog]

To say that Crunchyfrog was frightened would have been an understatement.

To say that he was about to crap his pants would have been a lot closer to the truth. His feeling of general unease had been mounting quickly and without abatement throughout their adventure under the Palace. The slaying of the slug and the rescue of Key was heightened further by the bloodcurdling scream of Din echoing through the tunnel. The scream still resounding in his ears even now... he couldn't get it out of his mind.

Now, the sudden automatic security lockdown on IM's mansion had perturbed him even further...and what of D-Lotus?

D-Lotus was only partially conscious, he was murmuring, none of it making any sense, but he seemed to be dreaming...having a conversation with someone....

IM seemed resolute about what he was doing. Crunchyfrog took a deep breath and tried to contain his terror. After all, he was in the company of a mage. Nothing could go wrong. Could it?

[Kalanna Rai]

Rai looked at the small pile of dust that was her main pendant. "Oh no you don't." Biting her tongue she allowed several drops of blood to fall on it, speaking a few words as they did so. There was a flash and a puff of vile smelling smoke, but when it cleared her gem gleamed back at her. "Now to reset the parameters and..." There was a slight charge that told her things were working well again.

"I've got to pay more attention or I'm going to do something stupid." Just then another of her gems dinged and she took a quick peek at it. "Oh good, the book is done. Transcribe and hardcopy please..."

[Idea master]

IM thrust his hands out through the fabric of the spell. A small portal opened up and he grasped what he hoped was his book. Then he carefully left the Necronomicon in it's place, and drew his hands back with his book. As he did so, he could hear a bellow of rage and felt a jab of magic in his direction.

All went black. IM knew he had his book, but what did that magic do to him?

[JezSharp]

With the TI and Tourist Info now fully working and under his permanent and complete control, Jez was able to continue on through the passageways and out into the lush confines of the fantasy forest.

There he spent some time exploring and studying the beautiful yet treacherous surroundings as usual, as well as picking more fungi for the trolls. Reaching the secret entrance to the tunnel he echoed out a whistle to signal the trolls back...and back they came more than before - great, now I'll need to come back and pick more fungus... Jez thought wearily, but at least they might be able to dig the tunnel a little faster. He watched them file down the tunnel making their little panted muttering speeches to each other and sighed. He hardly ever went to this amount of trouble for something - he only hoped it was worth it.

[D-Lotus]

The gloom in D-Lotus' head began condensing...it began to cool and encroach on him...then it suddenly exploded in a wave of heat. D reeled inside, stunned and confused. Then his mind started to clear and he found himself in a room, a small wooden room. D stared at his hand, and found that it seemed hazy, as if his molecules kept rearranging, as if he were in a dream. And he was.

The room had no windows, its walls being covered in innumerable screens instead. D watched the constant motion of the people inside the screens, yet he could find no pattern. It vaguely reminded him of a Matrix movie.

D's eyes kept searching for something familiar, until he stopped when he saw a figure standing in front of a large screen. The man was wearing a white-T and jeans. He seemed intent upon the screen, but he kept flickering on and off. D guessed that he himself must look that way too, flickering in and out of consciousness.

Suddenly the man disappeared for a few minutes. D sensed him speaking to someone in the real world. Everything in the room was amplified; even D's feeling of fear and surprise at the man's disappearance. He felt lonely, strange, and afraid to move from where he'd awoken, and the room noticed. As D stood up, suddenly the man reappeared, this time on D's side.

"Leb?" D exclaimed, as his feeling of gladness echoed around the receptive room. He knew Lebrenth could feel everything inside him. For a few moments longer, they spoke silently in this way. Then Lebrenth broke the external silence...

[Kalanna Rai]

Rai knew she had been compromised when IM yanked his book back, replacing it with a Necromicon of all things. Sending out a rather potent Curse, one of the Dralico one's IM seemed to be so fond of, Rai cursed a blue streak. Checking her gems to make sure all relevant objects were still within she had more reason to curse when she noticed TI was no longer responding.

Eye twitching as she watched Lebrenth on the ground Rai wondered what to do. "Only one thing to do." Drawing the shadows about her Rai's form slowly faded out.

[JezSharp]

Jez returned down the narrow winding passageways, holding his nose to block out the smell of ten sweaty trolls shouldering picks and shovels. Eventually they stopped by one of the doors which Jez opened for them, and continued on to build the tunnel. Then Jez strolled back into the main laboratory of TI and ran a system check. The Technical Institute was well defended (chiefly because Jez very rarely left it, and tended to be more than a little paranoid, given the number of creepy and scary figures that were to be found lurking amongst the darker corners of IF). Looking at his mail he observed the PM Lebrenth had sent,

Oh great, the meetings in less than three hours, and at Jester Park...

[Idea master]

After what seemed like an eternity, IM woke up. He was in a huge room, much larger than he remembered having at all. He brought his hands up to cradle his aching head with when he realised something was wrong. He checked his hands and figured out what it was.

They were no longer hands, but paws.

Quickly twisting around, IM realised that the curse had transformed him into a fox. He attempted to access his magic, only to be met with an invisible barrier. IM looked about to find CrunchyFrog and Sasuke still untouched by whatever curse was upon him. D was unconscious and moaning, and Key...

Key was still a key, but now Key was on a small leather necklace around IM's neck. IM looked up at Sasuke and was surprised to find that he could indeed speak intelligibly. "We need another wizard."

[Crunchyfrog]

Crunchyfrog looked first from the burbling D-Lotus, to the transformed Ideamaster, to the two recently opened holes in the floor, to the bungee ropes and gas masks dangling from the ceiling. The most logical and decent thing to do at this point, he thought, would be to faint.

But he remembered Sasuke, who was quite young, and judging by his recent quietness, also rather overcome by recent events, so Crunchyfrog mustered what bravery he could, and stayed standing up.

"Now then, Crunchyfrog," said Ideamaster. "You must be my hands. I need you to check my messages before we go further. "

IM the fox trotted over to a small screen in the corner of the room and pointed his nose at it.

"Touch the yellow button underneath it, there's a good fellow."

Crunchyfrog obeyed, and a small square appeared on the screen with the words 'you have 1 message' written on it.

"Open it..."

It was the notification of the Council meeting in Jester Park.

"Hah!" chuckled IM. "Well if Kalanna's not contained the escapees from the Games forum within the next 3 hours, that meetings going to have some very unexpected visitors."

"Are you going to attend?" asked Crunchyfrog.

"With that lot out there? Are you crazy?"

[Idea master]

"No," IM said, "I'm not going anywhere near there. Instead we have to wake D up somehow. Push the red button."

CrunchyFrog pushed the red button and a vial popped out. "What is this?" CrunchyFrog asked as he picked it up.

"A very powerful cure-all for anything save physical wounds. Crack open D's mouth and pour three drops in, it ought to wake him up."

CrunchyFrog did so. A few seconds later, D sat up, sputtering, trying to get the taste out of his mouth. "What was that?"

"Nevermind. Everyone put a gas mask on, and Crunchy, stash that vial somewhere. We have to go through this tunnel, through the Dream Chamber, and out into the city. Rai will never be expecting that. Crunchy, it'll be your duty to wake me up when we're through, seeing as there are no gas masks for foxes. Just pour some of that potion down my throat. We'll need to find another magi, I know just the person..."

[dinranwen]

Din after several hours of sweet talking, threatening, and allowing time for those drops of Verific Tonic (Truth Potion) she had carefully placed in Muadib's tankard, was finally able to get the answers she need. Glancing over at Muadib whose eyes were glazed over, an unfortunate effect of the tonic, Din kept her voice soft and low. "Muadib," Dinranwen whispered her voice as sweet as honey laced with arsenic, "there is this heavy fog on the surface. What I know is that is most likely made up with the souls of the deceased ifians. What I don't know is why do y'all not like Chinaren, and why start a rebellion?"

"Hey look, my dear," Muadib said swaying and stuttering like Jake Sparrow, Captain Jake Sparrow, "I don't think I should be answering that question. It's questions like that get people killed for answering."

"Okay," Din said correctly guessing that the potion hadn't yet taken full affect, "Maybe you can answer this one for me. How do I get back to Life in the city and not as a spirit in the fog either?"

"You want to know how to get out of here?"

"Yes, now will you answer my question?" Din said keeping her breaths slow and steady to keep her from loosing her temper.

"No," he said. But then Muadib leaned forward his hand sneaking under the table. "You want me to show you the back room? I'll be happy to answer your questions there."

There was a blur and a flash as Dinranwen moved so fast that her movements couldn't even be seen. Grasping the wraps near Muadib's neck and pressing the dagger she had positioned in a very uncomfortable place for Muadib, Din looked like she was going to kill Muadib and she probably would have too if he hadn't already been dead.

But then something changed her mind, and smiling so sweetly it almost hurt, Din purred, "Maybe we should do that. Show the way."

Muadib cocky, arrogant, and excited wouldn't know what hit him. ~ ~ ~

Emerging from the back room, Din wiped her daggers clean with a piece of cloth that looked like a piece of Muadib.

Lifting her head so her cheery lips could be seen, Dinranwen's lips curled in a smile that almost froze half the room. She had got her answers, and she had just unloaded weeks worth of anger and boredom on Muadib's unfortunate head. As for Muadib, let's just say he would be very sensitive for the next few weeks, have very vivid nightmares, and would probably never get over the scars....

Spotting Smudger from across the room, Dinranwen nearly floated over to him. Physically removing him from the bar stool were the hunchback was muttering something about "Nothing's ever easy...", Din pulled Smudger up on a table, and pulling down what appeared to be attic stairs Din spoke downwards to Smudge. "Come on," Din said pulling the very drunk hunchback along, "I found out how to get us out of here but if your not going to co-operate..."

"I coming...I coming" Smudger muttered.

"Hurry, if we don't get there in time it may be too late."

"Too late for what? New Years..." Smudger muttered some more, "Sorry, already missed that."

"No, silly. Too late to tell everyone what is really going on." Din said as climbed up the ladder, "Apparently, the spirits didn't plan a revolt all by themselves...in fact most of them don't want to leave the Tavern. Someone in If is controlling them all."

"What! Who?"

"No time to explain," Din said, yanking Smudge up the last couple of steps into what looked like a colourless void, "We have places to go and people to see, and I don't about you but I would like to get back to life."

[Crunchyfrog]

Crunchyfrog pulled three gas masks down from the ceiling, placed one over his head, and helped D-Lotus with his. Although D seemed to be conscious, he was still not completely coherent, his mind seemingly still connected elsewhere. But physically at least he was good to go, standing, swaying, sort of. Well, kind of Jack Sparrow like.

The third mask he handed to Sasuke, who had a little trouble fitting it over his half human half draconian snout, but he managed after a little struggling.

"Which hole do we go down?" asked Crunchy.

"That one," replied the fox, indicated the one that curved away. "It takes us to the Dream Chamber."

"What's the other one?" asked Crunchyfrog.

"That is the one that goes directly to the Realm of Dead IFians."

Crunchyfrog shuddered. He didn't particularly want to go there.

Crunchyfrog then threw three bungees down the hole that curved down and away. After helping D onto one of the ropes and lowering him down, he hoisted the fox that was Ideamaster up under his arm. Then he picked up the spell book, the vial, and the remainder of the chocolate chip cookies that they made in Key's kitchen, and he and Sasuke descended into the hole.

As the tunnel levelled out, Crunchyfrog put the fox down, and the foursome walked quietly into the darkness. Behind them they heard a rumbling noise and a clang, as the hole sealed itself behind them.

[Idea master]

IM sniffed. What was that? Dream vapour up ahead? Oh no, this wouldn't be good...He could smell something more sinister trying to mask it's own scent with the vapour. By the time IM realised who it was, he was out like a light.

[D-Lotus]

Before Lebrenth could say anything, D suddenly felt himself pulled out of the room by something which tasted unpleasant and acidic. Lebrenth could feel D-Lotus' distaste, but was incapable of doing anything. The strange force pulled at him, and D resisted. He knew that there had to be answers in this room- it couldn't all be a delusion. He had to share his secret with Lebrenth.

Eventually, he felt the power of the mind overcome science. D reappeared as Lebrenth had done. Yet he could feel his body somewhere else, like a sleepwalker. His true presence was in the astral world. He glanced towards Lebrenth, sure that he was experiencing everything the same way...

[Lebrenth]

Lebrenth stirred in his poisonous sleep. The potion, for the poison was not its only effect nor even its main effect, had separated mind from body, and caused it to shift in the layers of the superconscious, sometimes referred to as the Astral Plane. He found D-Lotus, quite to his delight. He'd been looking for him.

"You look clearer," Lebrenth says amongst turbulent grey shrouds of a shifting plane of existence. D-Lotus did not exactly understand the words at first. Then he remembered what happened to his memory.

"No. I feel clearer there," D-Lotus replied.

"What do you mean?"

"At least there I know which side I'm on."

"I've wanted to ask you about that. What made you change your mind?" Lebrenth asks, his image shifting in clouds of thought.

"How do you know I did?"

"I saw a recording...."

"I don't understand, what did you see?"

"You were investigating, I could see that before I was shut out of the system for unauthorised access..." Lebrenth says ironically with a brief shower of yellow light tickling the realm of thought. The cloud of secrecy continues to billow around D-Lotus.

"Then you didn't see everything," D-Lotus says, his words turning the black clouds into a dark hue of red.

"What did you do?" Lebrenth asks, as the uncurling of his thoughts scatter with confusion.

"What had to be done. But I didn't do it for you or Rai or Lordy," D-Lotus says, the clouds of red glowing like coals of a fire, then dying away into grey smoke which floats away.

"What did you do? And if not for us then who?"

"For the city," he said and marvelled at his hands, now glowing like moonlight. Still there was hollowness to his words that made him feel like he was melting away. His hands dripped away like tears. "... I murdered him."

"What have you done? It has already begun, we can't send them back!" Cracks of thunder amplified Lebrenth's fear.

"You don't know that," D-Lotus says, watching his arms drip away as his hands did. "There is a way. That's why I called for you. You have to help me. We need to use the Soul Well."

"Do you know what you're asking me to do?"

"I do."

"Then return to your body while you can still retain some of your memory. I will do what I can."

"You have to do better than that."

Then a storm of violent and hateful thoughts swept across them, obscuring their vision and tearing at their consciousness. It was not their storm, but the storm of rioters and mobs, and lost souls ruled by enmity, and they feel carried away by it. But they will not become part of it. They retreat to the only place they can.

Lebrenth's eyes open, and slowly focus on Rai standing over him.

"Don't move yet," Rai says. When he sees what she's done to bring back to consciousness, he does exactly as he's told.

[Kalanna Rai]

Imparting a last message to Lebrenth Rai knew that she'd overstepped herself. "I'm not the mastermind here...and yet I'm ending up doing all the work. Humph. I've already had to replace my gems once and..." Rai was cut off by the thunder of wings as a massive black dragon with blood red spines landed in front of her cloaked figure.

"Rath? What are you doing free?" The dragoness hissed at her.

"IM has released the denizens of the Games forum." Rai wondered for a moment as her Games characters all grouped around her. Did IM expect her to go corralling them? Not bloody likely. Rai snorted to herself, doing a quick roll call to assure herself everyone was there.

"Rath, Spite, Ryuu, Rhys, X, Dove...good. Spite, X...I want the pair of you to head over to the Council hall and keep watch on my chambers. Rhys, Ryuu, Dove...keep watch on the aHEM guildhall. Rath you're coming with me."

"Where?" Rai grinned.

"We're going to spring Cami and then sit back and watch the City tear itself apart. I got onto this for fun...now it's just work. Time to get the fun back."

[Polokin]

"... Time to get the fun back." Kalanna said to Rath as she flew towards where Cami would be.

"Great..." Polokin mumbled to himself, "Kalanna has bodyguards and she's about to free another one of her characters... I'd better find D quickly..."

Polokin looked around.

"I really hope I find a clue soon... Walking around aimlessly hasn't helped yet..."

[Kalanna Rai]

Freeing Camwyre from her storygame in Jester Park was easy, after all Rai was the HEM mod. Carving a small glyph on the ground where the Council meeting would take place, Rai gestured to her two guards. "I think it's about time we leave this City. It should be much more fun to watch it fall apart than it will be to actually help tear it down."

Winging their way to the all but forgotten Mage Mountain, which still loomed over the city from the edge near the Archives, Rai landed and knocked on the door of the den of the dragon of the mountain. Angel poked her snout out grinning. "Ah, bout time you come visit me."

"Care to watch the fun down below with us Angel." The dragoness, another of Rai's cronies, bobbed her head and they all curled around the mountain, settling for a comfortable, yet good, view.

"Anybody bring some sheep to toast?"

[Crunchyfrog]

D snapped back to reality, in a cold sweat, not knowing whether his encounter with Lebrenth was a dream or not. But the memory he was left with chilled him to the bone. It wasn't so much the conversation with Lebby, but of... of... what he had done at the New Year's party.

He felt a sudden wave of claustrophobia as he became aware of the gas mask he was wearing, and struggled to remove it.

"No, NOO! Dream Chamber ahead!" yelled Crunchyfrog's muffled voice through his own mask, holding up the completely unconscious fox by the tail as an illustration.

D breathed slowly and deeply, trying to calm himself down.
He stared through the glass panes of his mask at the curved redness of the tunnel ahead of and behind him, the swirling white mist rolling in from the front obliterating sight of everything below his knees.

"Crunchy, I did something terrible." he said. "But I did it for the good of the City. You were there when it happened, but you don't remember it...nobody does. I didn't, until now... That flash of light... But I think I know why that map was planted on you now. It has to be you that fix’s' it.

"Fixes what? Why me?"

"Because you were the only person at the party that was not around before the Mass Exorcism... You are the only one that will be unaffected.... "

D-Lotus, Crunchyfrog and Sasuke continued cautiously on through the tunnel towards the Dream Chamber, unaware of the sinister being up ahead...