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SILVER: Tales from the Fringes of Reality. Episode 21 – The Dragon of the Infinite Forest.

SPARROW: Hey Whim. What are you doing up and about so early? From what Dria tells me, it’s been a few late nights in a row. (tapping) ‘Too restless to sleep’ you and most of my children. And my wife. And me, if I’m being honest. It’s hard not to be a bit restless with everything that’s going on… Still, though, you should take a break. Pushing yourself won’t do anyone any favors.

(tapping) ‘Silver would push herself’. She would. That doesn’t mean she should. It doesn’t mean you should either; she would want you to rest, Whim. (tapping) ‘I can rest when she’s home’. (sigh) Unfortunately I think that’s the shared sentiment around here lately. It feels like we’re so close but still so far away from finding the answer.

OPAL: The answer to what? (pause) Oh. Yes, unfortunately that answer still eludes us. Alasdair has posed some interesting theories to me that I am currently working on testing but it’s too early for any true results just yet. (tapping) ‘Is this related to what they figured out the other night?’ It seems so. I had barely come back up from reality before he was banging at my door with ideas.

SPARROW: And how is Sapphire?

OPAL: Lovely as always. It’s much easier to get a good night’s sleep with her around. I’d offer this as a solution for you, Whim, however I think it’s only true for myself and Agrabella. (tapping) ‘Agrabella?’ Our ferret. She’s quite the cuddler. 

SPARROW: And a biter.

OPAL: You met her once, ren, and you never let that go.

SPARROW: And I never will.

OPAL: (pointedly) Anyway. I do have a good feeling about these tests, Whim. Mari is also working on something currently– it seems like it was a rather busy evening for Alasdair given that he has both of us working so hard. We’re bound to figure something out that can be of use, I’m sure of it.

At least 99% sure. Perhaps 95% is the better estimate. Oh, I truly hate not knowing things, how do you all live like this? 

SPARROW: There’s a saying in reality that ignorance is bliss–

OPAL: Clearly they’ve never had the ability to know everything in all realities. It can be taxing, but it’s better than feeling so… Lost without knowledge.

SPARROW: I know, sweetheart, I know. If it makes you feel any better, I do think your estimates are correct. After all, you’ve never steered us wrong before. It’s just… A lengthier process than normal, that’s all. 

(soft whoosh)

Is that–

OPAL: Yes. Are you coming with us then Whim?

(footsteps)

Having three people looking at details is always better than two, right ren?

SPARROW: It definitely increases our odds. Come on, let’s take a listen.

SILVER: (muttering) It feels like I’ve been walking through here forever. Just endless trees and orange skies and– A cave? Where did these mountains come from, they weren’t–

HOU LIN: What brings you here, groundling?

SILVER: Who said that? Where are you?

HOU LIN: I believe you’ll find I asked you a question first, little groundling. What brings you to these woods and to my cave?

SILVER: I’m… I’m lost. Far from my home and my family. Far from my reality, or lack there of really. I’m just trying to keep moving until they find me again.

HOU LIN: I see.

SILVER: I answered your question. Now answer mine.

HOU LIN: My name is Hou Lin (shimmering sound) I am the guardian of this place.

SILVER: Oh fuck you’re a dragon. You’re a dragon! This is so cool, oh my stars, I’ve only ever read about dragons before– It’s an honor to meet you, Hou Lin. My name is Silver.

HOU LIN: Many say that silver is worth coveting; the impact of your loss on your family weighs heavy, I can feel it reverberating through the worlds. You have been gone for quite some time, little Silver.

SILVER: I have. And the worst part is I didn’t even know it for so long… You say that many covet silver, but what about that which I covet? Is there a way for me to find it once more?

HOU LIN: We dragons are unfortunately not all seeing. There is much we can see that you cannot, but we have our limitations. With that said, groundling Silver, I can feel the hope and tenacity in your chest; you will find a way back to your home. Even without knowing all, I can tell you that with great certainty.

SILVER: How long have you guarded these woods for?

HOU LIN: Time is not something I truly consider. I believe it is what your kind would call ‘eons’. Why do you ask?

SILVER: I wonder if you’ve met my family before.

HOU LIN: (hums thoughtfully) I have seen a person with dark skin and kind eyes leading many lost souls away from this place and a woman by their side creating new life in their stead. I have also seen the man who walks between these planes, though his path has become… disjointed as of late. It’s as if he’s falling rather than landing.

SILVER: That’s my grandparents. And my dad.  You’ve seen them?

HOU LIN: The couple have not made their way to these woods in many many moons; your father, however, fell into my grasp fairly recently. Perhaps two of your months ago he was here, asking questions quite similar to yours. That, little Silver, is how I know you will get home. People are looking, same as you, and your forces combined could end worlds if you so chose.

Do be cautious of the one in between, though. She waits in the space that I cannot see, searching for you all the same.

SILVER: Minerva.

HOU LIN: Yes. I’m afraid she is close to setting her sights on you, perhaps closer than your family. I can feel their energies competing in the air, it’s as if–

Through here, Silver. Quickly. It will not take you home, but it will buy you time.

SILVER: What–

HOU LIN: There is no time. I’m sorry, little Silver, for the trouble you have faced and for the trouble yet to come. Take care, my dear groundling. Take care.

SPARROW: Where did the dragon send him?

OPAL: I don’t know.

SPARROW: Does this mean–

OPAL: No. no, she’s still not powerful enough. I’m more certain of that than anything else. The jump would’ve put them too close to Minerva which is why Hou Lin sent them away but Minerva is still non-corporeal. She’s still trapped.

SPARROW: What do you mean by too close?

OPAL: …I don’t know. I can just feel it but I can’t– the words aren’t there even though they should be and I… He’s safe. I can feel that much. I can–

(soft whoosh)

Impossible.

SPARROW: Clearly not. But how?

SILVER: And we’re back in the forest. Of course we’re back in the forest, why would we end up anywhere else? That would be silly for me to think that the dragon who was just speaking to me could send me anywhere other than–

HOU LIN: The loop has thrown the artificial one off of your trail.

SILVER: Fuck! Please don’t sneak up on me like that I– What do you mean ‘artificial one’? 

HOU LIN: The one in between, hiding from the sight of dragons and Creators alike. Her energy was focusing in on you, but you went through a rift, sending her eyes elsewhere.

SILVER: And you don’t think she’ll look back here again?

HOU LIN: …She will, but she will have spent far more energy now. Any movement will be neighboring the Infinite Forest rather than pulling you closer.

SILVER: So when you say you’ve bought me time–

HOU LIN: Yes. She’s strong, the artificial one, but not strong enough to search the entire forest from above. No one is, not when the forest is constantly moving and changing and growing. You will be safe here, at least for a short while. 

SILVER: Why are you helping me?

HOU LIN: Because you are lost. 

SILVER: It can’t be that simple.

HOU LIN: Can’t it? All of those who have helped you before have reached out to you, lost and wandering. You did the same for those lost in reality, did you not? 

SILVER: …I suppose I did.

HOU LIN: No one deserves to be lost, groundling. Least of all those who help others find.

SILVER: What else do you know? About… Everything, really.

HOU LIN: There are many things I know, little Silver, but the most important is this: I know that the people looking for you are powerful and even more ancient than I am. I know that your friend is safe, in that area past the in between with your family. I know they love you more than anything else in any world. And I know you will see them again.

SILVER: After I get home, can I come and visit you again? Perhaps with my auncle Opal? She knows pretty much everything; I think the two of you would have some rather interesting conversations.

HOU LIN: I would like that, groundling Silver. I would like that.

OPAL: …Minerva didn’t find him.

SPARROW: Are you certain?

OPAL: Yes. I think… Ren, I think they’re just sleeping. Maybe even peacefully. Isn’t that something? (tapping) ‘Should we look for the Infinite Forest?’ Hou Lin wasn’t kidding when they said it was difficult to find anything in the Infinite Forest. Even if we started scouring the files now, there are so many nested folders and constant changes that we wouldn’t even make a dent in it before Silver was moved. 

SPARROW: Minerva’s existence as an AI makes her better suited for this task unfortunately. But if what Hou Lin says is true–

OPAL: It is.

SPARROW: –then Silver will be moved to a reality bordering the Infinite Forest. So while Minerva will be able to find them first in the Infinite Forest, she will effectively be leveling the playing ground for us in the long run. Hou Lin’s movement of Silver was incredibly well timed.

OPAL: …I wonder if I would be able to feel Minerva’s gaze if I went to the Infinite Forest now. She’s blocked so much of herself from the Council’s view by being in the in between, but if Hou Lin could feel her…

SPARROW: I’m not sure it’s worth the risk, Opal. If Minerva finds and moves Silver anytime soon, we need you here to help us locate her. (tapping) ‘Plus we don’t know if Minerva is capable of causing harm to you. She may use the opportunity to lash out’ An excellent point, Whim.

I know you want to help, Opal, but we need you whole and healthy too.

OPAL: …You’re right, you’re right. It’s better to have us all here monitoring.

SPARROW: Three people is better than two. A very smart person once told me that.

OPAL: (giggling) I already agreed, ren, you don’t need to keep buttering me up. It’s smarter and safer for me to stay here. Plus I think Mari would kill me if the first place I visited outside of the Valley of Stars was a place without her.

I’m going to go and keep tinkering with some of the ideas Alasdair gave me. Give me a holler if we get another file from them, alright?

(walking)

SPARROW: You should probably get some rest, Whim. I know, I know, you had plenty of rest in the infirmary, but you’re pushing yourself too hard. We want you to be healthy and whole too, you know. (tapping) ‘Alright, fine. I’ll go lay down.’ Excellent. I’ll keep you updated.