Clerical duties (David)

[Preston Salabim]

Preston turned to calmly address his subordinate.

"Yet you would trust me to be alone with him during the attack. Or more specifically, alone with him with one of my allies?"

As just moments before he had agreed to such a course of action.

"Temper your temper, the last thing we want is to make a scene."

Since they were not alone in the hall...

[David B.]

"I did not say that."

He scowled.

"Only that we would follow your lead- and had planned to be there when you took the Chancellor. You see, I trust very few people, and you are not one of them. In fact, I-"

Smoke started rising off his body, when a rain cloud appeared over his head, water showering down on him. Hissing noises were heard as his flames were doused, and he looked up at it before looking to the high chancellor, who was twirling a finger and creating the mini storm.

"That will be enough." The cloud vanished, as did all the others in the room. Merely projected people from their own offices. Joaquin stared at the leader, swallowing as the high chancellor spoke.

"Leave me with him."

Joaquin bowed very deeply before standing up straight and looking Preston in the eye.

"He dies, and I burn your existence from history."

Fire leapt up all over his body, immediately burning away the water and turning it to steam as he turned and marched out. The high chancellor clasped his hands together and leaned forward, watching Preston.

"How can I help you?"

[Preston Salabim]

He'd meet Joaquin's fury with a silent gaze of his own. Escalating further would not help anything. It seemed like the High Chancellor was willing to step in and defuse the fire, however, sparing Preston the need to continue to stare him down.

"His death is the last thing I desire."

He'd wait until the other Cleric had given them some privacy before speaking, turning to the Chancellor with another bow.

"Forgive the intrusion. But I've had a vision of the upcoming festival where we will be attacked, many will die including the Dragons. And most importantly, the island falls from the sky. I wish to prevent that."

[David B.]

He stared at Preston.

"It has begun, then."

[Preston Salabim]

"What has?"

[David B.]

"My downfall."

He stood, starting down the steps, one hand behind his bent old back.

[Preston Salabim]

"I remain optimistic. Joaquin suggested a body double for you while I protect the real you. My study in the Cleric sanctum should be secure enough, and with forewarning of the attack we can be prepared."

[David B.]

He shook his head.

"I will stay with my people."

He gestured for Preston to follow as he started toward the back of the room, behind the dias. There were two great doors with runes all over them. He pressed his hand to it, and the doors opened into some massive stairs that started deep down into the dark. Preston had never seen this before.

"I'm taking you to the Sanctum of Chancellors." He'd start down. "As Qi developed, we started to discover untapped sources of power. One of those, was R Fabric. By utilizing this extraordinary fifth dimensional system, we were able to connect the various realities of our world so that the chancellors from different timelines, different threads of fate, could meet and discuss the issues of our world. Some moments discovered in this way are time locked."

The clack of his staff against the steps rattled off the walls as they continued down, the opening at the bottom finally opening up.

"My death is one of those fixed points."



They emerged out into a massive underground city, where many other individuals were. They were faded, like shadows stepping off the ground, but they spoke to one another, looked at books and discussed issues in a leisurely way.

"I bring you here, now, as the next in line for my throne....to rule the people of Ayatlan with a hand of justice." He started out into the hall.

[Preston Salabim]

Preston would not speak, but he was frowning. This was all so fast, he had not even begun to earn the trust of the Clerics and now he is being taken here. It was a lot to process and to take in.

[David B.]

The chancellor glanced over his shoulder.

"Worry not, your time has not yet come, Preston. But we must prepare an alternative."

They'd come to a building and enter into it, the torches around the place coming to life as his energy gave it to them. The place was filled with books, but the words seemed blurry to Preston as the high chancellor moved over to the stool and took a seat. It was rather.....simple. A very basic little hovel for someone of such prestige and power.



"There is much I must tell you and very little time."

[Preston Salabim]

"I am all ears."

He would stand to the side, trying not to gawk at everything he was seeing.

[David B.]

"First....I ....am you."

He stared at Preston, knowing questions would come from it, perhaps internally. But he'd let him digest for a moment.

[Preston Salabim]

Preston just stared. There were no words.

[David B.]

Groaning, he stood, moving over around the desk and shuffling papers, mumbling before speaking aloud for Preston to hear.

"I come from another timeline. Three years ago, in my timeline, Ayatlan was destroyed. Using magic I...should not have used, I threw myself back in time, destroying the entirety of that world while I was at it. You see....people tend to think of Qi energy as something found within humanity. In truth, it is in everything. In all life. Like the force....if you know what that is."

He waved it off.

"When I accessed these powers and brought myself here, I caused a chain reaction that destroyed that timeline and everyone in it from the moment of my leaving on. So...I won't be doing that again, and neither will you." He growled, not able to find what he was looking for. "I meant to put myself a few months prior....but instead, pushed myself fifty years into the past. I was forced to live through everything, even watching myself grow up again." He smiled. "Given the opportunity, I easily thwarted the plot to bring us down and became chancellor but....with every action I took, the story changed, and I was forced to confront the truth. That everything was leading to a moment of my death, to close the loop I created when I destroyed us all."

He sighed, then sat back in the chair, clearly exasperated at not finding what he was looking for.

[Preston Salabim]

"So you are not from my future? But another reality?"