Outside 49: I don’t remember what it looks like either

[Deathkeeper]

Mirror of Hevar

Nim shakes his head. "Hold on a moment. I know you lived in a cave, but I at least can't see a thing." He manages to dig out another light from his bag before continuing on.
"I'm curious, Spiliao, were my eyes still green when Prada was separate? I know they turn that color when they're with me."

[bc56]

Mirror of Hevar

"I'm sorry, I don't recall." Spilaio can't see anything either. She must has more experience navigating in the dark. She can tell where Nim is by his breathing, and slithers towards him. Suddenly, invisible in the dark, a look of suspicion crosses her face. Something doesn't seem to line up with her memories. But she needs to see Nim to be sure.

[Recaiden]

Nim and Spilaio are in front of a mirror, at the bottom of a staircase with an arched roof.
The great door at the top of the stairs is closed. Just like how they arrived.

[Deathkeeper]

Far from Hevar

Nim nods.
”A mirror. Yes, that tracks. Well, up we go. Getting my workout today.” A lot of stairs are going to hurt him tomorrow.
Up they go?

[bc56]

Far from Hevar

Spilaio begins slithering up the stairs after Nim. She looks at him perplexedly. He has legs. But that doesn't make sense. "Nim? Do you know how to slither?" Spilaio's voice is confused.

[Deathkeeper]

Far From Hevar

Nim blinks. "Well. I have studied the movement methods of many organisms over the years. I would dare say that I have as good an understanding as someone with legs can." he says proudly.

[Recaiden]

The doors will open easily if Nim tries them.
For Spilaio, they'll be quite a bit heavier.

The mountainside they find themselves on is just like the one they entered from, pillars and all.
Everything else is completely different.
There are 6 suns in the red sky, and the mountain is one of a few rising up out of the ocean.

[bc56]

Spilaio isn't going to try the door. She's still looking at Nim thoughtfully. "But couldn't have taught a snake to slither, right? How did you teach me?" Something seems off here. She remembers imitating Nim's movements to try to learn to get around on land, but imitating his walk wouldn't help her use her tail. Of course, once the doors are open, she's somewhat distracted by the view. "Oh my. Incredible."

[Deathkeeper]

Far from Nevar

"Well I recall mostly letting you work it out on your- oh."
That's certainly impressive.
And possibly rather hot.
"Oh my. That's quite a view."

[Recaiden]

You could remind Spilaio that *I* know how to slither quite well.

It's warm, but not hellsihly hot or anything. This world is further from its stars than the Nexus's ground.
There are four suns close together, in two pairs, bright white and blue and yellow and orange, and two lonesome stars, small, red, and further out, but far brighter than any star or planet the night sky might boast.
In one direction, you can see grey clouds gathering on the horizon, down below. In the others, it's just trackless ocean.

[bc56]

Far from Hevar

Spilaio stretches out in the bright light, soaking it up with her tail. "It is nice here, but it still bothers me. I could have sworn I followed your movements, but you can't slither at all. You don't have a tail for it. How is that possible?"

[Deathkeeper]

Far from Hevar

Nim shrugs.
"I don't know. Up until today, Prada appeared to me as a golden cobra. Maybe you sensed their influence in me? I don't really know how that works. But should we stay here or go somewhere? I admit I don't think we really had a plan for this." he admits.

[bc56]

Far from Hevar

"It still doesn't seem right." Spilaio will keep thinking on her suspicions. "We can go somewhere else. Whatever you like." Although she's just starting to enjoy the sun and warmth on her scales.

[Deathkeeper]

Far from Hevar

”Well, we can look around? This doesn’t seem like it’s anywhere near my home part of the Nexus, so we’ll probably have to go back through the mirror for Prada to get me home.”
But for now, they can take a hike around the mountain a little and see the sights.

[bc56]

"Okay. Sure. We can take a look." Spilaio rouses herself and begins slithering around the mountain. She doesn't know what to expect, so everything is taken in with wide eyes, regardless of how mundane it might be.

[Recaiden]

On the mountainside there is snow in a few crevices where no sun's light shines at this time of year. Have you ever seen frozen water, Spilaio?
There are waterfalls where the stone suddenly fails, cliffsides where you really ought to watch your step.
In the cliffs are caves, more natural and less deep than the passage that brought them here, but still - who knows what might be within?
On the shore furthest from the four suns, there's a little pier with a heap of boats, distant, but obvious as regular shapes interrupting the natural curve of landscape.

[Deathkeeper]

[Far From Hevar]

Nim smiles. It's not often he gets to take time to enjoy the view. He's still somewhat new to going on expeditions at all. And usually he has subjects to study before they move on.
"Well, is there anything that strikes your fancy, Spiliao?
Oh, and are we going to have to go back how we came to get home, Prada? This doesn't look like my corner of the Nexus to me." he says to his friends, seen and unseen.

[bc56]

No, Spilaio hasn't ever seen ice before. Her cave was always warm enough that her pool stayed liquid, even in winter. But she wants to get out of the cold now. It doesn't feel good on her scales. "What's that over there?" She points out the pier. She's also never seen a man-made structure before.

[Recaiden]

Back the way we came. Or you could take a more scenic route.
All the same to the serpent, really.

[Deathkeeper]

Far from Hevar

Nim squints in the direction she’s pointing.
”That’s the local town. They must have quite a maritime business, with all those boats and all this water.
Ah, what scenic route? I didn’t bring much food or money; I can’t exactly charter a boat for a long time.”

[bc56]

Spilaio begins slithering towards the town. "I want to see. I haven't been in any town before." Hevar doesn't count. She was just underneath it, not actually in it. She's never even seen any of the buildings.

[Recaiden]

It turns out, they might have had a thriving maritime business.
The little town is deserted.

It doesn't look like there was any struggle or devastation. Just...no one lives here anymore, the buildings left for the birds and the weeds. The well is dry, the roofs are crumbling, the remaining boats are-weather worn and without sails.

As for Nim's practical concerns, Prada just laughs. As if a boat could get them home from here - well, perhaps a very unusual one.

[Deathkeeper]

[Far from Hevar]

”Well. Hopefully everyone just left and not something nefarious.” Nim comments sadly. This seems to be an oddly recurring thing.
”I don’t think we’ll be able to get home through any normal means. We can take a look around but we’ll have to go back through the mirror again eventually.”

[bc56]

"There are supposed to be people here? It's so quiet and empty." Spilaio is visibly put off by this unnatural place. "I don't care how we get back. The mirror is fine."

[Deathkeeper]

Far from Hevar

Nim nods.
”Yes. I can’t say I can tell why they would have all left. Maybe we shouldn’t linger and find out.” He says after some consideration. After all, the last abandoned town they were in had quite the beast.

[bc56]

Spilaio nods. "It might not be safe here." Also, it's cold. She doesn't like that, being half snake. She begins slithering towards the mountain, the suns, and the warmth.

[Deathkeeper]

Far from Hevar

Nim nods and follows. It’s a lovely view on the mountain, but he doesn’t have the supplies to shelter the two of them at night (assuming this place has night).
He won’t make any fuss hiking back up the mountain to the set of doors with the mirror.

[bc56]

Back to the doors and the mirror. Spilaio has gone farther afield than ever in her life. She's slowing down and looks exhausted. A chance to rest would be nice. But she says nothing. Maybe she doesn't know she can say anything.

[Recaiden]

Nim, your guesst iss falling behind. Sslower.

[Deathkeeper]

[Far From Hevar]

Nim stops before the doors, a sympathetic smile on his face.
"We're almost there, Spiliao. Prada can find us a good place to rest once we get to the mirror."
He hopes that he isn't being presumptuous, but Prada has been a generous host so far.