“Accidents?” Elenwen said warily. “Have you had many people die in this thing?”
“Oh no, hardly any,” Keirine said calmly. “Not once the testing phase was finished anyway, but you never know quite how it's going to work until you've tried it, do you? Now, everyone stay still and remain calm...” Keirine raised her hands, summoned magic, the gems and sigils glowed and purple light flashed all around them, hurtling them through space and time... and when they finally landed, it was immediately apparent this wasn't Hag's End.
“What is this?” Elenwen whispered, staring around at a blasted landscape, crumbling ruins, lightning flashing across a purple sky, and what looked like ghosts wandering around. Then a second later the cold hit her and she and her guards were sinking to their knees, life and magicka seeping out of them.
Keirine appeared completely unaffected, gesturing at the portal through which they'd come, which to Elenwen's horror, had sealed shut behind them. No way out, and when Keirine turned around, the illusions gone, Elenwen only just managed not to scream. She'd heard of Hagravens of course, but she'd never actually seen one, and the reality, ghoulishly lit up in obscene purple light, was as terrifying as she'd always been told.
“This is the Soul Cairn, Ambassador,” Keirine said, smirking. “Ever wondered where trapped souls go after you enchant with them? This is it.”
“Why...” Elenwen managed, finding it difficult to breathe. “Why bring us here?” But she knew, could see it in Keirine's gloating hag features, in those silver eyes just like her brother's. Keirine was making sure there was no more trouble for the Reach from her.
Re: Thicker Than Blood 13.8
“Oh no, hardly any,” Keirine said calmly. “Not once the testing phase was finished anyway, but you never know quite how it's going to work until you've tried it, do you? Now, everyone stay still and remain calm...” Keirine raised her hands, summoned magic, the gems and sigils glowed and purple light flashed all around them, hurtling them through space and time... and when they finally landed, it was immediately apparent this wasn't Hag's End.
“What is this?” Elenwen whispered, staring around at a blasted landscape, crumbling ruins, lightning flashing across a purple sky, and what looked like ghosts wandering around. Then a second later the cold hit her and she and her guards were sinking to their knees, life and magicka seeping out of them.
Keirine appeared completely unaffected, gesturing at the portal through which they'd come, which to Elenwen's horror, had sealed shut behind them. No way out, and when Keirine turned around, the illusions gone, Elenwen only just managed not to scream. She'd heard of Hagravens of course, but she'd never actually seen one, and the reality, ghoulishly lit up in obscene purple light, was as terrifying as she'd always been told.
“This is the Soul Cairn, Ambassador,” Keirine said, smirking. “Ever wondered where trapped souls go after you enchant with them? This is it.”
“Why...” Elenwen managed, finding it difficult to breathe. “Why bring us here?” But she knew, could see it in Keirine's gloating hag features, in those silver eyes just like her brother's. Keirine was making sure there was no more trouble for the Reach from her.