[Transcendence] a bruise upon the snow

Audland had been given an interesting piece of information from an equally interesting specimen in Eridanus. Likely the first and last time he'd visit that cave willingly. And ever since taking that snake down all by his lonesome, Audland had felt like Chaos... was listening.

Listening for what? Waiting, for whom? Audland's body was beginning to adjust, in intriguing ways, to the plights of Corruption. He would talk to himself often; the touches of the wind were softening to the holding of his arms and playing with his fur. The visions were at times of battlefields, and at times just of people who didn't exist. Or maybe existed once, but not here. He was beginning to look up and find the sun. He was finding... a way to love it, incompletely.

In the light of Ursa, Audland needed his magic in order to exist. He sequestered himself to the caves, and used his own magic to cloud his form from sight. Maybe something he should continue his conversation with the Collector about—but that was not the point today. Today, Audland wanted to focus on the fact that he could now will that corrupted darkness to a pitch black. Today, Audland felt prepared for more.

"Emuh...?" Audland would take his gander into the space of Emuh's enclave.

Presumably, Audland was at the entrance to Emuh's cave. Presumably, Emuh hadn't just been SITTING THERE and WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO COME, being VERY BORED lately.

But it didn't really explain why he shot downward, instead of flying in, and why he was upside-down and clinging to the low ceiling of the unmade cave like a bat. He simply appeared, curled horns and glowing green eyes manifesting downward, staring intently at Audland.

"YES?" he demanded.

Let's not get too excited, you and I. Corruption can make a creature feel powerful, but in the grander scheme of things, there are limits to it. For example, in a world of snow and ice, Audland could only control the wind and light, where an octopus could control the floor and ceiling. It wasn't exactly a fair split, Audland was aware. But maybe with greater control over his element, he could do something about that. Or, in the case of disappointment, he could at least say he needed this for his job.

Right. He's here on business.

"Yer the guy, right? You make people stronger." Audland met the sudden eyes of the gigantic bird-thing on high, holding down his flinch with an iron nail. "I'm in need a' you." What do you mean that's not a normal thing to say to your colleagues?

The upside-down owl simply let go his taloned hold on the ceiling before flipping himself around with a gust of freezing wind. The frost crackling on his feathers shifted, seeming to melt into oil that coated them, a rancid stink emanating as he landed before Audland.

Up close, he was huge. Audland might've been huger, of course, but one typically did not think of "owl" and imagine something eight feet tall and ragged. He peered closely at the Valkhound, then leaned back and nodded once.

"EMUH does not make you stronger. YOU make you stronger. EMUH CHALLENGES you to DO SO. You will pay a price. You will need to grow strong again, weakened temporarily! It is how it works." One ragged wing waved as if gesturing, and the owl-beast turned, contemplating his cave. The darkness darkened further, and there was the groaning sound of shifting rocks.

So many of the Trials of Transcendence included some form of path that must be cleared, or danger navigated. This one was... unusual, however.

A large, dark room with jagged stones and ledges, except one wouldn't see such a thing if they hadn't the magic that Audland had that made his vision more powerful in darkness. Spotlights of bright light were cast here and there, moving and shifting position slowly, but they were blinding to look directly at; one wouldn't want to be caught in them.

The ominous sound of shuffling could be heard, except... a moment later the "ominous" part perhaps cleared. Immense hares, three feet tall and gangly, loped slowly around the room. They passed through light and shadow, and one paused to look out at Audland, the vibrant violet ring of its iris glowing and flickering like fire. It looked far too knowing, and a moment later it hopped slowly forward, passing out of sight into the shadows. To most eyes it would have vanished; to Audland it was one of many shadows moving in the dark, loping here and there seemingly aimlessly.

"DON'T DIE," came the loudly cawed final command, as the owl turned and took flight into the shadows of the ceiling.

Audland's Trial of Transcendence has begun.