The Ballad of Adler Young, Canto 2.5

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SpoilerSee pictures https://www.patreon.com/posts/34601685 or https://adleryoung.tumblr.com

>Can two people use the device at once?
Estvaan: It may be a great idea to do a spit shine on the scry orb.
Adler: That is revolting.
Orb: You are not exactly happy about either of these idiots touching you.

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"So this is the D.V.'s famous scryin' orb," Estvan murmured as he turned to look at it. "Sure an it's not as shoiny as oi expected. Have ye been keepin it clean, lad? Oi'll just give it a wee bit of a spit-shoine.."

"Don't touch it!" I exclaimed. "If you stick your finger in there, it'll shut down, and I don't know how to get it started again."

"Well how do ye use it then?"

"You just sort of stare at it and will it to open up," I instructed.

Estvan glared at the orb for a few seconds.

"Tis not workin for me at all, at all," he grumbled. "Show me how it's done, bedad."

I entered the scry-space and came back out. "Like that."

"Sure, ye disappeared for a second, boyo, so oi guess it's workin." He scowled at the orb again, with intense concentration. "It won't let me in, though. Sure an oi'm not allowed, is it?"

"Maybe I can bring you in," I suggested, as I concentrated on the orb and imagined Estvan in the scry-space with me.

>both of you: Get in there, find things.

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"Begorrah," he exclaimed, with an admiring whistle as he looked around the scry-space. "Sure an' this is quite the setup. Oi wonder what all moight be hidden in here?"

"That thing over there that looks like a tree is actually a crack that you look through to scry," I said, pointing.

"Well sure, let's take a peek then," Estvan chuckled, ambling over to the crack.

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"Cushlamochree!" he exclaimed. "Sure an' this is amazin! How do oi direct it - ah, never moind, I see .. aye .."

He was silent for a few minutes, and just as I was about to say something, he exclaimed:

"HUDALALEIGH! There they are!"

.. and pooked away.

Just like that.

I stood there staring at the empty crack for a good long while, as conflicting feelings whirled in my mind. I wasn't exactly sorry that Estvan was gone, but then again it meant that I was now alone.

Except for my Ixies, that is .. but ..

I realized with sinking dread that I had left the Ixies in the lowfolk world when Estvan and I walked through the Gate. How much of a time slip had there been?

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I peeked through the crack and saw a strangely familiar-looking marten femme standing in the stone circle.

"HEY! LORD RAMBLE!" she yelled. "SKUNK ELF! ARE YOU HERE?"