"That depends," he said wryly, thinking that her question got right to the heart of the matter. "On if they like you or not." Which led back to the gods having bad days, and not knowing what to expect when they first met someone... though as Libbs clearly wasn't Ascended she was significantly less likely to get cursed from the old gods. "But 'extreme' is a good enough description. They're all somewhat... hmm. Elemental? In nature, from what I've seen. But they're not human, and expecting them to be is... a mistake." He controlled his tone as he said it, remembering Safrin's chains and the whip of her words as she lashed his heart.
The cascade of questions hadn't slowed, however, and his recent discovery from Maea spun uncomfortably in his gut. "We don't really know," he admitted, grimacing faintly in apology that he didn't have all the answers for his new companion. "Maybe there isn't a way to turn the device or... whatever it is... off. She might not have thought that far ahead. Consequences and worrying about others getting hurt don't seem to be her strong suit, if you aren't one of her Ascended. Though..." He paused, thinking back to other Outlanders that had arrived since the barrier had fallen. Many had been Accepted, Abandoned, Attuned... but some... "She doesn't seem to have control over how people arrive here. The human races, the mages and shapeshifters and normal humans... and Ascended, no matter what you were on your home world, here you belong to one of those groups. Outlanders like us find themselves in bodies or with powers that usually have something in common with one of those groups. She may be continuing to draw more and more people here in the hopes that some will arrive in Ascended bodies, ready to do her bidding." Which meant Libbs and those like her were collateral. Not the most reassuring train of thought, and he winced as she continued to ask more and more.
And that led to the least favorite part of greeting new arrivals. His expression softened to sympathy as he shook his head slightly. "No. I don't think so. She might be able to look through your memories if you meet her, but so many of us have been plucked from so many different worlds... from our lives. From friends and families and responsibilities. But... no. No one I know of has been able to find a way back, and she has refused or been unable to send any of us back. The thing which makes the portals seems to be separate from her," if Maea's vision were true, at least, "and she no longer controls or oversees it. You aren't the first to arrive with lost of jumbled memories, though. For most, they seem to return gradually, as time passes." Cold comfort, but Isuma did what she could to encourage Libbs, purring hard against her cheek as the gryphlet wrapped a fluffy tail around the woman's throat like a scarf and offered her support to their newest friend.
The cascade of questions hadn't slowed, however, and his recent discovery from Maea spun uncomfortably in his gut. "We don't really know," he admitted, grimacing faintly in apology that he didn't have all the answers for his new companion. "Maybe there isn't a way to turn the device or... whatever it is... off. She might not have thought that far ahead. Consequences and worrying about others getting hurt don't seem to be her strong suit, if you aren't one of her Ascended. Though..." He paused, thinking back to other Outlanders that had arrived since the barrier had fallen. Many had been Accepted, Abandoned, Attuned... but some... "She doesn't seem to have control over how people arrive here. The human races, the mages and shapeshifters and normal humans... and Ascended, no matter what you were on your home world, here you belong to one of those groups. Outlanders like us find themselves in bodies or with powers that usually have something in common with one of those groups. She may be continuing to draw more and more people here in the hopes that some will arrive in Ascended bodies, ready to do her bidding." Which meant Libbs and those like her were collateral. Not the most reassuring train of thought, and he winced as she continued to ask more and more.
And that led to the least favorite part of greeting new arrivals. His expression softened to sympathy as he shook his head slightly. "No. I don't think so. She might be able to look through your memories if you meet her, but so many of us have been plucked from so many different worlds... from our lives. From friends and families and responsibilities. But... no. No one I know of has been able to find a way back, and she has refused or been unable to send any of us back. The thing which makes the portals seems to be separate from her," if Maea's vision were true, at least, "and she no longer controls or oversees it. You aren't the first to arrive with lost of jumbled memories, though. For most, they seem to return gradually, as time passes." Cold comfort, but Isuma did what she could to encourage Libbs, purring hard against her cheek as the gryphlet wrapped a fluffy tail around the woman's throat like a scarf and offered her support to their newest friend.
