A portal opens...

The ward and door open to the room Selena is in. Rachelle is standing on the other side. "What's going on?"

Lorielle steps around Rachelle and heads down the hall of the inner sanctum.

Rachelle watches Lorielle and follows after her. "Ward down." The ward to the inner sanctum lowers again and Lorielle, Rachelle, and Selena step into the common room.

~~

The guardian stares at Astra and the bowl she offers and makes no move towards her. It spots Miquella waving his arms and just stares.

Ivan, after taking a second to gather himself, looks at the guardian. "Stand down. Return to post."

The guardian straightens and turns. As it walks back through the trees, the ground rumbles with each step until the earth falls silent once more.

Ivan turns to Miquella. "What is wrong with her?"

Miquella looks to Ivan, “the one in the tree? No idea. Jade here under the tree. She is burning, there is no physical damage to her body?” He looks back to Jade. “Jade, I need you to tell me what happened. Go back to when this started and work your way backwards. Do you know what caused this?”

Sliding down the tree and running over, Astra breathes slowly a few times before finally reaching towards Jade and the group. “What…what was that?! More importantly, what happened Jade?”

Jade snaps with irritation.

"It's the stupid bowl! Fuck why is it so bright out here! It's blinding! I should have never helped with that stupid thing. Its.It's.. Mother fucker It's so hard to think straight! STOP INTERROGATING ME!"

Jade clutches her stomach and groans a little.

"I feel like I haven't had a drop of food in years. I can't think straight with these stomach pains."

Miquella looks at Astra after hearing Jades remarks. In a very stern and direct voice. “Where is the bowl?” He looks back down to Jade, and kneels by her side. “I know it seems like I am asking a lot of question. But we need more answers. I need you to directly tell me. What makes you burn?” He takes a moment.

“You all, be quiet for a moment.” Astra smiles. “I’ve got this.”

Bending down to Jade’s level, Astra gently offers her hands outstretched for Jade to lay hers on. She smiles, speaking softly to her. “Hey, I’m not gonna ask you any questions about what happened. It’ll be alright. Where would you like to go? You can come with me to my little spot, I have a nice tree with plenty of shade. Small candles. Things for pain and cramps. Nothing that will hurt you. I’ve a blanket laid out as well. Would you like to go there?”