Shattered Star

Cade peers over the group from the back to get a better look at the newest roadblock, then ducks down in an attempt to stay out of sight.  "...Business?"

Ali whistles lightly. "Technically business, but we can fit in pleasure too. At least I can, Gwahahah!"

The figure looks over at Cade with surprise, seeming to take no notice or care with regards to Ali. "That voice... that face... Sorshen? But what would you be doing up here with these people. You usually stay in the upper levels."

Cade freezes for a moment as he processes that the fiendish-looking man is referring to him, then makes a snap decision.  "...Q-quite," he responds, poking his head back up from the group's rear.  "Well, erm, the situation outside has... forced my hand, as it were.  My..." Cade hesitates as he tries to find the words, "...vassals and I have need of the Shard of the Sihedron.  So, if you'd... b-be a dear and step aside?"

The Incubus bows and steps aside. "As you will it, your grace."

Ali gives the incubus a wink and a click of her tongue while giving finger guns.

Cade blinks in surprise as the fiend believes him, shocked as anyone would be at his idea working.  Nodding in affirmation, he hurriedly urges the party to continue on, his face growing red and twisting with embarrassment.

"So, uh, Cade..." Zoe starts once they're out of the fiend's earshot, rubbing the back of her neck. "I wasn't gonna ask, but since it's come up... why are there statues of you all over the place?"

"Hm?" Cade mutters, whipping his head forward after making sure the fiend was out of earshot, followed by a splutter as he is met with a faceful of hair.  "Ah--pbth--well, that's--pffth" he stammers while swatting locks of hair from his face, "it's a--ffth--a bit embarrassing, really."  Awkwardly, he attempts to readjust his hair as he continues.  "Do you recall that sarcophagus-like structure directly following the entrance to this place?"

"Yeah?" Zoe casts a glance over her shoulder as though she could still see it. "I thought it was weird having an open casket in the middle of a room like that, but I wasn't gonna judge whoever built this place's decorating habits."

"Yes, well," Cade replies sheepishly, "that sarcophagus was... trapped, and I may have, er... triggered it--unintentionally, mind you!" he hastily adds.  "A-And the result was... er, did you happen to notice... a-a body resting against the wall in that room as well?"

"Oh... OH," Zoey's eyes go wide as she realizes what Cade means. "I'm, um... sorry for your loss?"

"...Th--thank you?" Cade returns, unsure how to respond.  "...But yes, that is--was?--my... original body, and I am now..." he awkwardly motions to his current, feminine form, "...this.  I shall be frank; we have had a strange and harrowing day before you arrived."

"Yeah, I can, uh, I can imagine." Zoey seems intent on looking anywhere but at Cade right now. "I'm, uh... let's keep going shall we!"

The group advances into the next room. The air in this large octagonal chamber is dreadfully hot-the very air shimmers with heat and almost drips with humidity, leaving every surface within shiny with condensation. The walls, floor, and thirty-foot-high domed ceiling are of polished white marble. Ten feet into the room, the floor rises up in a three-foot high step, then again at twenty feet in. At the center of the room, a strange gray flame dances in a central firepit. Two smaller octagonal chambers lie to the south and west, while to the east a ten-foot-square section of wall is a dull gray, contrasting with the white of the walls surrounding it. A single torch in a sconce protrudes from the middle of this gray square on the wall.

Taking care to skirt the edges of the chamber and not interact with the flame, the group advances to a hallway. A total of ten wooden and iron doors line the walls of this long hall-five doors to a side. Each door bears an identical inscription on its face, as does the blank wall at the western end. Only the eastern most door to the north seems to have a different inscription on it. This door is also caked with a sheen of frost. The normal inscription on the doors and back wall reads "Thou wouldst enter? Then thou must touch!" The different inscription on the icy northeast door reads "Thou wouldst enter to enjoy the company of the Runelord of Lust herself? Then thou must touch!"

Cautiously, Cade directs the golem to open each of the doors, including the clearly signposted one. It explodes in a blast of cold that washes over the party, causing significant damage and knocking Cade and Asami unconscious. When she falls, Eiko disappears, and Zoey shrieks in horror. "What? Miss Asami! Eiko? What!?"

With a softly muttered "No no no no no..." Meliora races to heal the unconscious with the wand of cure light wounds, ignoring her own injuries from the freezing blast as she restores the injured members of the party.

Asami slowly sits up from where she went down, shivering in the residual cold, and looks over the rest of the group, sans her daughter of course. "Is everyone okay?"

"What-" Zoey's eyes bug out beneath her helmet. "Your child vanished into thin air, and the first thing you think to ask is if we're okay when she's nowhere to be seen? What the fuck is the matter with you?"

Asami looks confused for a moment. "What do you mean? Eiko is quite alright, or as alright as she can be anyways. Alas, due to our bond she merely can't maintain her physical form when I'm not conscious," She says, before adjusting her position on the floor. "Give me just a moment and I'll manifest her again," She adds, before closing her eyes and starting to concentrate.

"--Eidolon," Cade answers as he is roused from unconsciousness, staying on the floor a moment longer to elaborate.  "A physical manifestation of th--wait, pardon?  'Summoner?'  Were we struck by an ice-aspected elemental?  Was the door concealing a spell of summoning?"