Snippet #2651776

Elisabeth stood, frozen, pressed against Simon, fists painfully wrapped around her sword hilts, the arcanist obliviously imaging the sophistication and wonderment of such complex and fantastical power...

It occurred to Simon just a moment too late that the journey he was embarking on may have been considerably more challenging than he first considered, which was to say had not been considered at all. There were others, like Martellus, accompanying them, with swords and cloaks and hopes and fears-with their own intentions, destinies, and justifications for being present for such a monumental accomplishment. To be selected, as Simon and Elisabeth were, for such a prestigious honor-and to be in company under arms as they were. Perhaps, finally, they'd face a danger so great Elisabeth was no longer capable of handling herself. Simon shuddered at the thought of what form such an abomination or situation might take.

It also occurred to Simon just a moment too late that he missed lunch, and was a touch peckish.

Elisabeth, like a cat in water, did not know what her place was in the world, but was damned sure it wasn't where she was. She couldn't make sense of it, standing among stars, with the moon and what she could only guess were other, distant moons, or brown and red and purple and ringed Earths, suddenly massive and imposing celestial bodies instead of the twinkling nothings Simon spoke nonsense about. She was far past uncomfortable. If she wasn't paralyzed with fear, she'd be lashing out, violently and without regard for those around her. But she didn't close her eyes, or try to turn away from the marvels of the universe; she stood, adamantly, tense and ready, like the great expanse of lights and rocks might attack at any moment.

"...there's more than four planets?" Simon thought his voice sounded strange and distant, as if spoken by someone else. Being so completely wrong about knowledge cataloged and accepted by the astrological community was a new experience, and more unsettling than their travel. To be wrong! What nonsense. But Simon counted, and counted again, and counted a third time. He hypothesized that one of the planets he viewed was Earth, but the monochromatic or garish hetero-chromatic orbs that floated out of his reach looked nothing like the world he had roamed, with its deserts and forests and oceans. "Six...six planets..." It was the closest Simon thought he'd ever get to a religious experience, and he gave himself into it fully. "I'm the greatest astrologist of my age, by sheer luck... We must invent better telescopes." He looked to his group. "When we arrive, I propose we erect an observatory on the highest point of our new land."

The light display was less interesting. Elisabeth was turned, finally, and hid her face in his chest. Simon stood, stoic, for as long as he could, like if he closed his eyes he might miss some greater revelation than the magnificence of the heavens. Eventually, he shut his eyes and turned his head down, and when he realized Elisabeth's discomfort, he offered protective arms.
As soon as the ordeal was over, Elisabeth jerked herself free and looked for Grundun soldiers.

Simon did not come to the same theory as the paladin. He had observed architecture outside of Centralia that featured stone blocks, cut free from mountains and carted by slaves, to form impenetrable walls much larger than their alleyway. What caught his attention was how bright the night was. He expected a rash of glowbugs to fly overhead any moment, but when he looked up what he couldn't see bothered him much more. "...there's no stars."
Elisabeth had finished her scouting. "I told you Elsir would be upset. We are no longer fit to see her creations."