Whisper took Alex's and Kaiser's hands in her own, offering no parting remarks to Aiyanna. A moment later, the trio seemed to simply dematerialize from the bar. First their forms grew ethereal, vague wispy apparitions of their former selves, and before long those too were gone, dissipating into the air.

However, to Whisper's passengers, the very opposite seemed to occur. They remained substantial to one another, but their surroundings seemed to lose color and substance. Soon they would find themselves standing in a greyscale reflection of their earlier surroundings.

Mostly it was a barren landscape, but from time to time glimpses of their earlier surroundings could be detected wavering in and out of the haze. A bit of wall, a stairwell, a distant building, but always gone again before one could really get a good look. The whole place seemed quite surreal.

Alex looked around the area then looked back towards Whisper "I take it there is more to your staff than originally mentioned" she said folding her arms again. "I wonder what the cult could be after by abducting you if it's only the staff they are after" she said.

Kaiser

Whisper pursed her lips once again, an expression she seemed to be making frequently. The nature of the object in her grasp was a secret she had long kept, but she couldn't undo the cultists words. To keep them in the dark now, especially Alex from the look of things, would only foster curiosity, which could be dangerous in itself. “The staff is of no consequence at the moment. For two years I have protected it and kept it from their hands, and I will continue to do so.”

“No, the reason I brought you two here is your insistence to accompany me. But before we continue, you have to know that I have only just met you, and friends are hard to come by these days. Let alone trustworthy strangers.”

She paused and looked at Kaiser. “Your interest in this seems personal, and that alone makes me hesitant to indulge your curiosity. If you would both permit me, I would like to see for myself, what lays beneath the surface, before I indulge your interests.”

“Though I can at least indulge you as to this place. We're in a realm alongside the material realm. A place that coexists, and at times overlaps it. We're quite safe from prying eyes as long as we remain here.”

As she continued to speak, it was quite apparent that all traces of her earlier state were simply gone. For the moment at least, her mad ramblings, and constantly perplexing behaviors seemed to have eased into a peculiar display of confidence doubled with a rather direct and practical approach. If it were possible, she almost seemed older even... but perhaps it was simply in her bearing, and the weary look that lay behind her eyes.

The first emotion came to Alex's face as Whisper said she wanted to know what was underneath. A look of nervousness graced her face as she bit her lip and looked towards the ground. What would they say? Could she even explain if they inquired further? For now she would just have to go with it. "I-I-I" she stuttered, a little emotion in her voice. Alex had the capabilities of emotions, but emotions got one hurt especially Alex. She took a deep breath and looked back up towards Whisper her face emotionless once more. "If you must, though I warn you, You may not enjoy what you see" she said to whisper

There was no doubt about it, she did not behave like the same girl as before the cultist's attack, exactly what caused this change he could not be certain. A brow raised beneath his helm at the phrase ' what lays beneath ' " what exactly do you mean by ' beneath ' ?" he asked skeptically. She couldn't be expecting him to show his face, the only other living person who knows his face is his brother whom he hasn't seen in years. There was nothing in this world that made him afraid anymore but the thought of revealing his face to strangers uneased him, but he could understand her rational behind such a request if that was it.

Whisper nodded her head to Alex, her eyes gentle and understanding.

To Kaiser she smiled and shook her head. “I simply wish to ascertain for myself, the nature of who it is that wishes to put my life in their hands by accompanying me. It is difficult to explain, I am an empath. Look around a bit, just don't wander too far. You don't trust me, as I don't yet trust you. Think on it, and when I return you can decide.”

She gestured for Alex to follow her, as she moved off to give the pair some privacy.

[Whisper/Alex stuff to be added later]

Only a short time had passed before Whisper returned. She had returned Alex to the material realm, but Kaiser still awaited. Kaiser was an awkward situation, given his self indulgent motives. A formidable ally was no good if it couldn't be trusted. It wasn't just Whisper's life on the line, if she gave him what he wanted.

Where she had been gentle in her mannerisms towards Alex, she took on a harder expression now. “If you will permit me, I require skin contact. Your memories are your own, if your concerns lie there. That is beyond my capabilities to see into.”

Kaiser thought hard on it the short time she was away with Alex, he went through great lengths to keep himself safe from invasive powers such as hers, but if this is what he had to do to earn her trust thus giving himself a chance to seek out a power strong enough to match or overpower his own.

He had been pacing but stopped once they returned " you can just touch my face, would that work for whatever it is you intend to do? " he questioned, as long as she would not be invading his intament memories he felt he hadn't much to worry about.

Whisper nodded her head in response, stepping forward to rest her finger tips on either side of his face. As she did so her eyes fell closed. The sensation would be oddly soothing, imparting a sense of calm and serenity through the contact. It was subtle though and not terribly invasive, much like the calm one might get from a pleasant smell, or soothing music.

“Tell me again why you wish to accompany me, a stranger.” Her voice was steady and her words chosen carefully.

Kaiser simply took a deep breath as he felt a sense of calm wash over him as she touched his skin, the gentle touch of a woman's hand on him had becom an alien feeling though, it was a touch he hadn't experienced since the death of his mother.

" I hope to find a person strong enough to face me as an equal, someone who's defeat can bring me the feeling of triumph or someone who can end my life in a way worthy of a warrior " he responded, that was his honest answer. There was no hidden intentions, he did not seek out any more power than he already held in his hands but one thing there was that he did not directly verbalize was a death wish that he's always lived with. For the longest he has been searching for someone who can end his life without him having to lay down and die like a coward, living as a corrupted human being made the spirit of a man weary. Though it would never show.

Whisper furrowed her brow at what she was picking up off the man. Much of it was too scattered for her to properly interpret, but she pressed on regardless.

“And to what ends will you go to seek this opponent?” she asked. “There are many great warriors in the world, some of them I would name friend. Not all of them share your sentiments of battle.”

Kaiser chuckled a bit at this question, if he understood the question correctly it would be an easy one to answer " to what ends? I'll gladly risk anything just for a chance to fight the person who's strong enough. My body, my soul, anything anyone can take from me I'd give, just for one chance " in truth it was a very narrowminded way of thinking but this desire to fight was all he knew these days.

" if they do not share my sentiment then they do not walk the warrior's path as I do, for someone who walks this path all there is ahead of them is their ultimate victory, or death. Nothing else should matter to the truest of warriors."

“Perhaps, but there are many reasons to fight, many reasons to lead one down the path of a warrior. Some fight for honor and glory. Some for the thrill of battle. Others choose to fight to protect what is dear to them. Others even choose to fight for the lives of others. But that is not relevant to the topic at hand.”

Whisper paused a moment as she contemplated her next question. It was difficult to choose her words carefully, but she needed to know if he would turn on her if the situation arose.

“I have only one more question. What if I were that opponent that you seek? Would you look to strike me down here and now?” Whisper asked. The question held a heavy weight to it, and she opened her eyes to watch his own with a hardened and steely gaze. She was searching his face for something, but his mask made it impossible to ascertain anything visually. But as long as contact was maintained, she didn't need her eyes.

Kaiser took a few minutes to answer this time, that certainly was a good question. " If you were that person I would openly challenge you but the choice would be yours to accept the challenge, because if and when I find that person the stakes would be each other's lives. I wouldn't force anyone into a fight to the death, so if you refused the challenge in my eyes you will have proven to not be strong enough and I would find another "

Kaiser could not help but feel some... conflict with his answer, his resolve to fight a person he deemed strong enough was nearly unshakable, as a human even he had soft spots. Having to kill another woman was something his quest to find his opponent would not lead him to do again. There was also the slightest pang of guilt that arose, thinking of this made him think of his mother and memories he had burried so deep he thought they were dead.

" I hope you're quite done with your questions for now " he said finally after a period of silence that followed his answer.

Whisper studied Kaiser a time longer before she at last lowered her hands and nodded briefly. “Very well. You may accompany me if that is your wish. But know this. I fight for what is right. For as long as your path does not interfere with mine, then we may be of assistance to one another.”

She sighed softly before continuing.

“I don't know if you'll find what you're looking for, and part of me isn't sure I want you to find it, but that isn't for me to decide. But you should know this. My enemy isn't something to be engaged in honorable combat on the field of battle. It is not a warrior I defy, but rather, nothing short of a god. Lzothozsh, Devourer of Minds. One look will lay the hardiest of foes low, shattered husks of their former self. You seek an opponent of the flesh, and he is an opponent of the mind. To follow my road is to court madness.”

Kaiser shrugged as long as he got what he wanted or at least got the chance to seek out what he wanted he had no trouble with her own reason to fight.

He scowled a bit at this news at first, but as he gave it more thought there was hope yet. If this Lzothozsh is very much like a god then sure enough he'd have more followers like the ones who attacked earlier, and of course he'd keep whatever ones were truly powerful closest to him. Oh yes, even if this god was not the opponent he sought he had no doubts he would run into someone that would qualify " well most people already think I'm a mad man, let us go kill a god " he said with a smirk.

“Alright then, to business. You can't come with me tomorrow. But that's largely because I won't be going. It would be suicide to go, or worse. I'll be sending a projection of myself and nothing more. It's a difficult process, and even harder to explain. But suffice to say, if all goes as planned, they won't realize I'm not physically there. Of course, if they discover what I'm up to, I'll be in very real danger, as I'll be unconscious for the duration of the process. Following so far?” Whisper asked.

She still wasn't sure she could trust Kaiser, but she didn't have much of a choice. Questioning that cultist had been a valuable opportunity, a chance to turn things around and to make the first move rather than wait for them to track her down again. If that meant risking trusting a stranger, so be it. At the very least, she was certain Kaiser had no affiliation with Lzothozsh and would gain nothing by turning on her.

Whisper narrowed her eyes. “When more than your own life is at stake, you use whatever tactic ensures the survival of those in your charge. That is something I learned through experience, and loss. Honor and integrity mean nothing, if you stand by them at the cost of innocent lives.” There was almost a spark of anger to her eyes, an emotion that had yet to present itself in the young woman.

“But no, I'll be safe with an acquaintance. I'm only informing you, so you know why I can't take you with me tomorrow and to explain why the secrecy here and caution in telling you this. A lot is at stake for me if this goes poorly. Besides, if I just told you I wasn't taking you with me after all of this,” she gestured to their surroundings, “you would no doubt have demanded an answer. I'm simply getting to the facts of the situation. Once I know more, then, and only then will we move towards offensive tactics. Scout first, assess their strength and number, and then move against them with a suitable plan of action.”

Kaiser sighed and shrugged " fine have it your way " it was clear he didn't really take heed to her words, but he was just tagging along in this adventure so it was not his place to dispute her tactics or morals. he picked on venom in her words though and it made him wonder for a moment what he could do to push the girl further, maybe coax her into an act of aggression, but the thought was quickly dismissed.

" alright understood, i'll just keep myself busy until I'm contacted again. I hope this acquaintance of yours is reliable though, wouldn't want you dying before i got the chance to have any fun " he said with an unintentionally wicked smirk, the woman was small but he felt there had to be more to her than she let on, more power in her than the staff she wielded. Otherwise the cultist would be attempting to just steal the staff instead of taking her as well

Whisper nodded and offered a hand out to him. “Then let's head back.”

The return trip would be much the same as their arrival. An oddly stomach churning sensation as their surroundings seemed to shift and grow tangible once more. After only a few moments, they would be standing in Gambit's bar again, in the exact same place they had departed from.