The buildup of energy into the stone circle grows, pulling in massive amounts of magic from the surrounding area. The Witch feels energy syphoned off from herself but lets the energy go without a fight. Once enough power collects in the center of the circle, a flash of light blinds the area.

Collapsing into a sphere, the magical energy condenses but remains transparent enough to see the smaller circles within the larger sphere. Each miniature circle covering the surface of the sphere expands outward and collapses back in on itself, with all the circles overlapping each other.

The overlapping of the circles leads to the formation of bounded arcs, giving the appearance of pedals emanating from a center point. The Witch is reminded of rosette decorations. A sudden vacuum is drawn and the temperature drops, and the Witch braces herself.

Emerging from a fold in space and time adjacent to the sphere of collected energy is first an arm, and then quickly the torso, legs, and full body of a woman. The slip seals shut and the air warms up once more and the air pressure equalizes, leading to a calm state.

The woman emerged from elsewhere takes the collected magic in her left hand, bracing it against her whole arm, and in her right hand she holds a large staff with cubic crystalline structure attached to the top. From the ground, the stones of the circle lift up and form a chair.

Taking a seat on her throne, the Great Mother of the Fey looks away from the Witch and Ailuros. She wears armor, with the chest piece constructed of large deciduous tree leaves, golden colored and laced together in a lamellar fashion. Her helmet bears two large goat horns, curling up into the air.

Ailuros breaks the silence, "It's been too long!"

The Great Mother turns to view Ailuros and smiles at the sight of her, responding, "It's only been a moment."

Ailuros returns the smile, "If we may do away with formalities. . ."

The Great Mother dismisses Ailuros's concern with a gesture, "You know better than to worry about formalities, not that you ever did worry about them."

Ailuros approaches the Great Mother on her throne, "I bring you a warrior, a student of mine once upon a time back in my Academy days. I wish to secure your blessing for her in order to defeat the servitors of the Central Sun that now walk uncontested in your realm."

The Great Mother's eyes turn to the Witch, looking her over and studying her woody armor. The Great Mother says to the Witch, "Approach."

The Witch walks up to the Great Mother, only barely reaching up to her shoulders even though she is seated on her throne. The Great Mother stands, dwarfing the Witch.

The Great Mother says, "Here, this power collected from my realm and its people are now yours. With it comes responsibility. Defend us as your own. Be my knight."

"I am your knight." The Witch answers.

The Great Mother pulls the collected mass of energy into herself, great streams riding up her left arm and down her right, the light of magic filling the cubic crystal on her staff. The Witch stands firm as the Great Mother takes her staff and pushes the crystal against the Witch's chest.

After a brief moment of physical resistance, the crystal penetrates the Witch's armor, the cube entering fully into the Witch's chest. The Witch feels a wild burst of energy courses throughout her entire body, and she feels as though both her mind and body are awake for the first time ever.

The biggest change for the Witch is in perception, the sudden flow of high energy magic opening up pathways of thought such that she compares her previous state to having a lead blanket thrown over her mind. Her body has the energy to match, and the Witch feels no feat is beyond her.

With the energy transference complete, the Great Mother removes her staff from the Witch's chest and takes a step back. The throne collapses into the ground, forming the neat circle it was before the Great Mother's arrival. The temperature starts to drop again, and once more a vacuum builds.

Ailuros gives a bow, "Thank you for everything you've done for us both. We will defend your realm and rid it of the forces of the Central Sun."

"I have faith in you Ailuros."

The Great Mother slips away as she arrived, and the Witch and Ailuros are left within the stone circle surrounded by the trees and buildings of Sluagh na Marbh. The atmosphere changes with the return of warmer temperatures. Fairies populate the area where no one was before.

The Witch comments, "No one was here when we arrived, now people walk through as if they've always been present."

Ailuros says, "That's because everyone was always present. To meet the Great Mother, one must take a step in her direction. She does not reside in the same plane of material reality as all the rest of us do."

The Witch readies her staff and asks Ailuros, "Which direction is the library? I mean to fight."

Ailuros motions towards one of the paths leading away from the stone circle, "Right this way. Let's go draw the servitors of the Central Sun out into the light of the Eternal Moon."

Ailuros and the Witch leave in the direction of the buried library and towards confrontation.