The Heavenly Host

Le Senara was a djinn of the greatest wit. Hir delays were always due to poor time management and organizational skills, yet the witty diatribe of reasons were always fascinating and engaging.

The space flashed with the signatory colors of Calyph Cryan Ser Viat Tel Malthos, who quickly expressed colors and scents of embarrassed apologies. Ser Sayat had to wonder which of hir partners had delayed hir.

Her Tanaya flashed Cryan Ser Viat a scent and color of amused approval, which only served to make Cryan Ser Viat flash more signs of embarrassment. Ser Sayat laughed internally — to be young! Cryan Ser Viat was the youngest of the Grand Calyphos at only 302 multiversal standard years.

The four of them waited quietly for a few more moments before the area flashed with the colors of Le Senara entering, flustered and disheveled as usual. The awaiting members all flashed greetings of amused warmth to Le Senara.

“My apologies, profuse, profuse apologies...” Le Senara expressed.

“And what amazing thing so distracted you this time?” Te Narthos inquired politely.

“Something truly amazing! Unprecedented even. Well, not unprecedented, as it used to be routine, but has not been for centuries upon centuries!” Le Senara gushed emotionally.

Ser Sayat was interested; this was a very different response than Le Senara’s normal witty explanation. Ser Sayat and Her Tanaya flashed for Le Senara to continue; the rest flashed agreement.

“One of my students, Xavios De Mien Tel Tarthos” — the others flashed acknowledgement of the student; they knew hir — “was working on baseline para-elemental measurements and detected malleable levels of para-elements in the Abyss!”

The other calyphs flashed shock and surprise, as well as a request for confirmation from Le Senara. Le Senara flashed acknowledgement of their surprise. “Naturally, I rechecked the measurements myself. They were correct!”

This ignited extensive flashing and expressions of shocked bewilderment between the calyphs, disbelief even. It was safe to say the other calyphs all had appreciably similar reactions and quickly reached a consensus of emotion.

“Were the malleables scattered in any pattern? Were there sufficient coagulations — you did say malleable? That should imply coagulation of para-elements, yes?” Cryan Ser Viat asked impatiently.

“Indeed, they were where we last saw them in the Abyss: Mount Doom! It appears to have awakened and is once again is producing malleables!” Le Senara gushed hir thoughts and emotions.

“Could this be more than simply coincident with the balling we viewed from Crispin in service to Randolf of Turelane?” Te Narthos pondered.

The others flashed their thoughts and emotions for a few moments before Ser Sayat summarized what they were feeling. “It would seem extremely improbable that two such monumental and, may I express, epic, events should occur in what must be considered a simultaneous period on the timescale of the multiverse.”

“So it would appear this demon that stole the false god’s mana used that mana to awaken the volcano?” Te Narthos stated.

“That is likely, but we need to investigate to be sure,” Her Tanaya expressed.

“I think, and would like to believe, that we all agree? That re-establishing relations with Mount Doom, and thus the Abyss, is critical to our long-term goals?” Te Narthos expressed. The others all rapidly flashed agreement and emotional support for the suggestion.

“Then we must begin coagulation of a new golem at Mount Doom so that we may make contact with the new master.” Again, the others flashed agreement with Te Narthos’s suggestion.