((I was prevented from updating this last Friday, but now I finally can update again. I'm sorry for the wait, guys.))

The time came for them to leave, Eragon waking to see Abyss blinking from his place at Endogeny's side, the large dog amalgam groaning as they woke up. Bird stretched out his wings, which spanned the room and forced Eragon to stay on the floor until they were out of the way. Arya was already waiting by the window, the Dog, Toby, was curled up on the mattress, watching them.

Shrugging, Abyss got up, shaking his scarves into wings before they reverted back. He noticed Eragon watching him and blinked. "You okay?"
The Rider shook his head and moved to Arya.

Endogeny shrank down to their smaller form- which looked oddly similar to Toby, only furless, faceless, and close to dripping. Bird picked up the now moderately carry-size dog amalgam as Toby hopped onto Abyss's shoulder.

With this, Eragon and Arya leapt out of the window to the ground twelve feet below and landed easily, breaking into a run towards the village wall. The skeletons erupted out behind them, shooting upward to better escape preying eyes that might notice they were not birds.

It wasn't long until the human and elf had scaled a fencepost, a watchman below turning side to side in the search for intruders.
"They're like NPC's." Bird commented quietly. Abyss snorted. "I'm totally calling patrols NPC's now."
"I can get behind that."

The human and elf lept off the palisade and bolted away, winding through the acres of farmland surrounding the village. Toby barked from his perch on Abyss as the skeletons followed. Farmdogs often came charging out at the intrusive pair on the ground, but the pair somehow managed to repel them, likely via contact with the animals' minds.

When they had journeyed five miles from Eastcroft, the Rider and elf ambassador slowed to a stop, Arya raising one arm to gesture for the fliers to land.

Arya had already spoken the spell of scrying when the pair reached the ground, Nasuada's face appearing on the puddle of water. The woman seemed stricken with a slight pallor as she slicked part of her hair back with a bandaged arm. Error suddenly appeared in the surface of the water beside her as well, regarding the skeletons carefully- especially Abyss.

Nasuada just sighed in relief. "You are safe, thank Gokukara. We were so worried, with the Twins lacking physical form and all."
"I'm sorry I upset you, but I had my reasons."
"You must explain them to me when you arrive."

"As you wish." Eragon inclined his head before changing the subject. "How are you hurt? Did someone attack you? Why haven't any of the Du Vrangr Gata or Wyrdaí Islingrya healed you?"
"I ordered them to leave me alone. And that I will explain when you arrive."

She shifted her focus to the others present. "I'm impressed; you found him. I wasn't sure you would."
"It was all Arya." Bird explained quickly. The elf shook her head. "Fortune smiled upon me."
"Perhaps, but I tend to believe your skill was as important as Fortune's generosity."
"When can you return?" Error spoke up.

Arya regarded the skeletons for their input. Bird glanced between the dog amalgam in his arms and Abyss. The shorter spoke.
"Originally, we planned on teleporting back to the Varden with Eragon, but he kinda picked up some.. friends." He held up the pup, who yipped at the water.
Error blinked, staring. He blinked again.

"Is that Toby Fox?"
"The one and only, looks like. And the original Endogeny.. probably."
Said amalgam woofed, standing up higher to peek at the surface of the water.
"And who might this Toby Fox and Endogeny be?" Nasuada asked of the glitch.

"One's a mass of merged dog monsters that are unable to die and the other is the supposedly all-knowing dog that.. does whatever it wants. Both are part of the original universe of the Multiverse." The god of destruction explained bluntly.

"Is this.. Toby, a god like you?"
Error shrugged. "Only one that knows that is Toby, and he won't tell anyone. He's mischievous, you never know if what he's gonna do is helpful or catastrophic." Error hesitated, seeing the black eyes staring at him.

"I'm no expert on the Annoying Dog, I typically stayed well away from him and the central universe." He finally admitted.
"Do you know anyone that would, if I may ask?"
"Blue. He's friends with him and a similar- if not much weaker- cat named Billy Coon."

"Uuhh.." Abyss caught their attention again, apparently suspended in the air as he clung to the dog that decided to float away.
"I'm worried he's gonna fly off like this." Abyss explained awkwardly.
"Let him go. It's useless to try and contain him, I doubt even Galbatorix could affect him."

The crystalline skeleton landed on the ground with a grunt, glancing back up to see that the white dog had already vanished. Everyone else noticed as well.
"...I give up, I don't wanna know where he went anymore." Bird sighed.

"Better you did that." Error agreed begrudgingly, crossing his arms as he turned to Arya. "Since teleporting is out of the question, how long do you estimate until you're back?"
"But Error, can you not transport them back yourself?" Nasuada questioned.

The glitch's eyelights and tear marks flashed before he responded, never taking his gaze away from Abyss, who blinked in confusion.

"I would have done so already if I could, but there's more at play here than just the front lines. We're gods, Nasuada. We're stuck dealing with the war on other sides too, as well as parts of the Multiverse crashing into Alagaësia." He huffed, glaring at Abyss.
"Namely your stupid realm flooding the Twins' dreamscape."

"What?" Abyss blurted in disbelief. "How is that possible? What is it even doing there?"
"Clearly you don't remember. Funny, I heard you used to be a god of memory."
"How? I'm not- I don't even know!"
"Life." Error huffed, unimpressed. Abyss looked entirely bewildered and disturbed, stuttering as realization seemed to strike.
"I don't think he really knows what's going on, Error." Bird spoke up quietly, watching as the shorter was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

The destroyer was about to respond when suddenly, a dark shadow appeared as a figure teleported in beside him just out of frame of the water. The glitch flinched, a black robed hand grabbing him before both vanished, leaving Nasuada open-mouthed in surprise.

"Who was that?" Eragon questioned, concerned. "It was Reaper." Nasuada burst. "I didn't know he even had.. eyes?"
"Lights? Eyelights?" Bird suggested, indicating his own. "Yes, I suppose." The woman agreed, before sighing and rubbing her temples.

"This does not help us, not being told of other complications. We need to be in the know. Abyss, do you know anything about what Error was talking about? Perhaps this realm he mentioned?"

Abyss sighed, rubbing his arms as his scarves twitched about like a cat's tail when irritable. "I don't really like the place all too much. Memories." His eyelights flashed a whitish blue. "But it's how I traveled between AU's back in the Multiverse. When I came here, I couldn't access it."
He hesitated, thinking.

"It was like being disconnected from something." He explained as his eyelights grew fuzzy in thought.
"I had stopped trying about a week before Roran and Dance showed up at Jeod's, but I guess since then it's been feeling.. more unrestful? The thing about the Abyss, is it's like a bottomless ocean. Which is churning, I guess. I didn't think much about it before because I was more worried about myself and my friends dying."

The woman sighed. "I understand. But when you do return to the Varden, I ask that you please tell us what you know. These hidden conflicts and situations are affecting all of us, and if we are kept in the dark we could very well lose this war due to unknown variables."
"I'm sorry."

"Your apology is accepted. Now." She turned to Arya. "How long until you rejoin us?"
"Two, three days, unless we encounter unforeseen difficulties."
"Good. I will expect you then. From now on, I want you to contact me at least once before noon and once before nightfall. If I fail to hear from you, I'll assume you've been captured, and I'll send Saphira with a rescue force- Blue and GB would likely join as well."

"We may not always have the privacy we need to work magic."
"Find a way to get it. I need to know you're safe. I will accept messages between Wyrdaí Islingrya if you must."
The elf woman mulled this over, glancing at the skeletons, who both nodded and shrugged alternatively.
"If I can, I will do as you ask, but not if it puts Eragon in danger."
"Agreed."

There was a pause, Eragon taking the chance to speak.
"Nasuada, is Saphira near at hand? I would like to talk to her… We haven't spoken since Helgrind."
"She left an half an hour ago to scout our perimeter. Can you maintain this spell while I find out if she has returned?"
"Go." Arya told her, Nasuada promptly disappearing out of view upon the word.

As they waited, Bird pet Endogeny's head as Abyss stared at… Toby floating level to his face a few feet away. Eragon eventually began to gaze at Arya's neck while they waited, Abyss stuck in a silent staring contest with the ever-mysterious Toby Fox as Bird glanced up and noticed the odd moment.

They were all drawn out of their reverie by the alarming sound of wood crunching, vivid blue scales filling the view of the enchantment as the dragon forced herself into the relatively small space.

It was a fairly amusing sight to behold, a dragon so anxious to speak with one human.
Bird grinned.

...But at the same time, he couldn't help the lingering feeling of something beyond his control beginning to snap as he noticed Abyss and Toby still at it.
It was like he could feel danger on the horizon.
His smile faded as he thought about it, unable to suppress a shudder.

What the hell am I involved in anymore?