They passed through the outer membrane back into the demiplane domain, where soon thereafter they went back to their bodies. It was deep into the night within the forest, which buzzed with the sounds of insects. As it turned out, Azure’s body had already been flown out of danger back to the elven village, to which Sammy gave plenty of kudos to Michael, Jeeves, and everyone else who had been responsible for that call.

Not only that, but Jeeves had posed as a servant of Stillwater to let the elves know about the resolution of the conflict with the arachnes and that there would be peace between the tribes. They had some small cabin in a tree to stay at in the village, as well. Azure woke up in a soft bed.

“I’m so proud of all of you,” Sammy sent to the greater Servitor crew at large as she sat down in the already-prepped carriage and Michael was taking off. “You hardly even need me at this point!”

“Someone has to pay for the lights to stay on in the Samcave, Madam,” Alfred quipped dryly.

Jeeves scoffed in general at her comment. “Don’t even joke like that, now, Madam. I think it's clear what existential threat you suddenly not being poses to us, after the various recent events.”

“Yeah,” Sammy replied with a sigh, “Maybe I can figure out something or other to fix that one day, but I am indeed apparently a Big Deal to reality.”

Constance interjected cheerily, “Personally, I wouldn’t have it any other way! All for one, and one for all, we live together or we die together, in a great smorgasbord of romantic heroism!”

“Yeah, well, you’re strange, Constance. But thanks, I guess. I love you, too.”

“Awww! I love you three! By the way, the dryads and all-them are having a party in Redberry’s realm a little later… can I go? Pleeeease?”

Stillwater sighed in the physical world, shaking her head. “Yes, you can go… as can anyone else that wants to.”

“Yes!” Constance exclaimed. “Bast will be so jealous, haha…” Just as Stillwater was rolling her eyes, Constance added, “You’re invited too, by the way. No one’s bothered you with it yet.”

“Probably because I wouldn’t unless Azure is up for it. I can speak with Red more personally later. Parties aren’t exactly my scene…”

“Wow, already turning into an old, fuddy-duddy couple, huh?”

“You know what, I’ve changed my mind, you can’t go to the party-”

“Nope-nope-nope, too late, I’m already there — no takesies backsies!” Constance quickly disconnected.

Stillwater shrugged and muttered to herself, “Well, it is true that there are no takesies backsies, after all…”

The trip back, being a straight line via high-speed flight, was much quicker than they’d gotten to the domain of the arachne northeast of Lake Yura. She took a bit of time to recharge the PFE she’d lost through the various ordeals, topping it up.

Stillwater shaved the time of the trip down even further by Mirror Walking from the carriage to their cabin, where Azure had set up a mirror for the occasion.

It was essentially hut-sized, all one space making a compact living room/bedroom combination formed out of twisted together branches. One little magical false flame lit up the whole space, a kind of torch hanging by vines from the ceiling, just over a table. It even provided heat.

Azure was already in bed with the covers over her, though her eyes were open to regard Stillwater’s entrance. Immediately an arm and an open hand snaked out — nonverbal insistence — further supported by a more audible argument soon thereafter in a brief grunt. That was all.

The naiad goddess smirked, sighed, and relented to the ensorcelling spell of Get Over Here & Snuggle, kicking off her shoes, crawling into the soft bed, and getting under the covers to enjoy some cozy, warm peace and relaxation in the close company of her frightfully exhausted lover.

It wasn’t long before Azure was totally conked out. From what she was told about the drain, it would gradually improve in 4-hour blocks until 24 hours had passed. So, whenever Azure awoke, she’d probably be functional, just not 100% for a while and certainly not combat-ready.

I hope I can avoid another crisis for a while… No rest for the wicked, but I’ve been a good girl, right? Ah, who am I kidding…

So as to not deprive Azure of her warm body, Sammy projected herself into her throne realm. From there, the first thing she wanted to get to was wrapping up the situation they’d left. So she reached out mentally to Princess Ellepetra of the naiads of Lake Yura.

She found her psychic self standing before the stone step approach through the calm and beautiful waters in a nighttime tableau. Somehow, they seemed richer and stronger than before.

A beautiful red-headed face popped up from the water, a smile of glee as well as wonder on her face. Ellepetra. “The Goddess Nyniane returns! And her presence holds the answer to yet another secret, screaming her influence in ushering in a new age of the Fae! Inner lightning arcs through Life itself, regenerating and invigorating! To think, our sister is the herald of a grand turning and change!”

Sammy blinked a few times. “Oh. Right. That. Yes, um… you’re welcome! I guess keep it on the down-low until we figure out how we explain things, but I did heal and restore Redberry. The curse and the sickness is gone.”

Eyes wide, still grinning ear-to-ear, Ellepetra nodded. “It fits! Much as so many reject her by necessity, and much as some do not depend on her, she presides over us all and does not require obedience to her, only to the natural order. Her strength is our strength, freely given. But, why have you come, Sister? Whatever you desire of us is yours, so name it!”

“It’s about a tribe of arachne settled northeast of Lake Yura. I think their territory and particularly their population is growing. Originally they were harassing the Thirikira, but I resolved this amicably.”

Ellepetra seemed shocked. “I thought that was just a small group much further north just decades ago! And you’re in the area?! Oh, poo! We’re such shut-ins, we never know the up-to-date goings ons…” After a disappointed sigh, she continued, “Nonetheless, I’m happy to hear that you are among the Thirikira now. Is there a way we can assist?”

“Maybe. They need a better water source than just the surrounding forest. They wanted the river.”

“I see. You do realize their population will explode even more when they have it, and that they eat elves for breakfast? Literally.”

“Well… about that. For one thing, I made a treaty to cease any warring against the Thirikira… with an immortal spirit queen known as Huntress. They also wear masks over their mouths and are dedicated to mastering themselves over the curse that afflicts them.”

“Oh dear! Hmm. So they could become allies even? Amazing! But risky. Ah… it could be a lot worse, after all. Perhaps we can stir a relationship with them by helping them. Yes, there is a way! Not northeast, but something over a day’s travel north of Yura are some rock formations, apparently dry. But underneath is water once inhabited, and we can make it spring forth anew!”

As if excited by the prospect, Ellepetra did a quick spin and jumped up before splashing back down. “It would be in a cave that just needs a little digging out to access. The water would be very pure and plentiful! A canal could be orchestrated if they have the know-how.”

“It sounds perfect! Perhaps one of your sisters can pose as a spirit more fitting to their aesthetics and sensibilities? And haunt the water to be a bridge to them.”

Ellepetra seemed intrigued. “Ooh! Put one of mine to actual work? I suppose it is now the season for such things with the twilight lifted… It has potential. We can spy first to gain intelligence while they make use of the water.”

“Sure. Just tell me what to tell Huntress and let’s get this done as soon as it can be arranged…”

Ellepetra provided the details, but requested at least half a day to prepare and ensure all was well with the plan as she understood it since it was possible she was wrong about the ease of breaking through rock with diversions of underground waters and increased pressure. As such, she would touch base back when she was confident in the plan.

With… nothing else pressing for once, Sammy turned her attention to her recently-neglected prototype spell research. Almost as soon as she began digging into it, she had a slew of runic eurekas and felt herself ready for the Spellbreak… but she needed her damn Alter Fate ability to actually perform it in the cheaty way necessary to auto-success things and avoid all the tedious material-gathering, ritualizing, and so forth.

Drat! I have to wait until reset on it. Well, I’ve still got a lot of experience and knowledge to channel. Perhaps I should make use of that unrecorded, ridiculous telekinesis-related boost I got from the Hall? I could see just how fast it can get!

When she began pouring through the spells she had book access to, she saw several spells in that style, though the most obvious, powerful, and versatile of them were beyond her level. Even reading through them made her itch with ‘runic ideas’ ready to explode… it was like she already had all the pieces bouncing around in her head and just had to order it a little…

At level 4 was Personal Levitation, which despite the name could be cast on someone else to allow them, basically, to fly. Slowly. At level 2 was Telekinetic Thrust, which was similar to Forcebolt, but was shorter range, harder to dodge, and could be alternately done as a line or cone that didn’t directly do damage but caused knockback and knockdown if the target failed a physical resistance test.

She went for Personal Levitation rather quickly, and it was the mystical, psychic-runic equivalent of eating a piping hot pepperoni pizza when you were starving. Multiple times as she scribbled runes furiously in her research spellbook, she cackled gleefully, whole segments of the logical strain of symbols and glyph combos making sense all at once… and she absorbed and finished the spell in an hour.

Has its uses. Maybe. Whatever! Another notch in the toolbelt, baby!