As the mercenaries flee like cowards before the might of the assembled Novas, Raijin cannot help but chuckle. What did they think would happen? That they could walk into an exclusive gathering of gods and expect the guests to just stand aside and let them cart away their host? Baka Kusotare! With a wave of his hand the roiling clouds clear away and once again the day is beautiful and serene, which goes a long way to lightening the foul mood that had settled over things. Raijin keeps a pleasent breeze blowing to purge the area of any lingering negative ki, before retiring himself to eat a meal of massive proportions. He almost single handedly destroys the catering group's entire supply of sake on his own.

He waits while everyone says their goodbyes and he observes the weary undertones of the young heiress, though she masks her fatigue well. After Netherworld finishes his impressive show, he approaches Elspeth, kneeling down to be closer to her eye level.

"I am sorry about what happened Elspeth-Sama, and am glad that things did not get truly violent in front of you. Still, I fear that this is not the end of the danger. For this reason I would like to offer myself in service to you, as bodyguard, until you are able to restore your rightful place. Our people need a place to call home, and right now you are our best hope for that. I would like to accompany you to your rightful home, when you visit there in pursuit of your claim. Besides," he adds witha gentle smile, "Pteheincalasanwin and I have much to discuss as well, as our conversation was so rudely interrupted. What do you say?"

When conflict had erupted, Jordan had instinctively jumped to the fray, but...fortunately for him...it was over before it had begun. Observing the tremendous forces brought to bear by the others however he felt himself questioning his ability. What would I really have done? he thought in a somewhat melancholy mood. I pretty much pale before the rest of these people. If I really expect to be able to keep up, Im going to need some better tech. Feeling humbled, he goes back to his mental drawing board and makes a few notes...

After viewing the small maquette earlier, Jordan was indeed fascinated by Netherworld's abilities, which seemed to defy all logic and scientific principle. In awe of the golden eyed Novas perfrmance, he quickly ran after Netherworld when he turned to leave, barely remembering to thank the hostess.

"Thanks again Elspeth!" he shouted over his shoulder. "Hey! Netherworld! Wait up man!" catching up quickly he slowed to match his pace. "That was really incredible! Would you mind if I caught the plane back with you? I'd love to, you know, when you are rested and such, run some tests on the shadow stuff you emanate...would that be alright?" Jordan seemed both eager and earnest.

He smiled down at Infinity as she hugged him, then gave her a soft kiss on the cheek.

"I'll come and visit you in L.A." He told her quietly as her bodyguards tried to drag her away, then he watched her go with a faint smile. A warp portal opened up and Infinity half-stepped, was half-pushed through it, casting a glance back over her shoulder at him as she went.

He sighed slightly as he turned to view the rest of the gathering. Netherworld's art was breathtaking, and Phaethon smiled in genuine pleasure to witness the gift of solid shadow-stuff that was presented to Elspeth. But all too swiftly, the party was breaking up, and so the young heir to the Sun approached Ptesan-Wi, standing beside her as she made her farewells.

Elspeth was amazed at the skill and artistry of the young Netherworld. When he was done, she praised the statue and thanked him despite the shadows and darkness in her own heart. It seemed a fitting reflection of how she felt at the moment.

As each of the others took their leave she made the proper words and responses but all the while she was thinking of her home and all the people that had died because she wasn't there for them. That had to change, and it had to start today. Not that she knew what she would do or how she would do it, but she had to try. The people of Sierra Leone weren't novas, but even so her parents had instilled a sense of responsibility in her that could no longer be denied. It was time to go home.

She was becoming impatient to depart when Raijin approached and made his offer of protection. "I am honored Raijin-sama. I will accept your offer, but not yet. I will return home as soon as it is polite to do so, but I won't be going there openly. I need to learn first. I need to meet my people and prepare them to rise up, and those things need to be done quietly. I'll return home in disguise and make my way around from village to village talking to the people without Jarutu ever knowing I'm there." Floating up into the air to be eye to eye with the massive nova she placed one hand on his shoulder. "When I am ready to openly declare myself, I will call on you. Until then know that I am grateful for the friends I have. Friends like you."

Raijin met her eyes with an understanding that comes with profound age. He nods. Turning to Ptesan-Wi, he remarks.

"I look forward to continuing our conversation. If anyone else should threaten you or intrude upon your homeland, I am but a thought away." He waits a moment to see that she understands and then vanishes in the blur of a flash-step.

Tests? he thought, as he started into the water to the plane. Why must people always ask me that. Usually, he tells them that if they want to do it so badly, that they could destroy a piece of his artwork. That usually is enough to quiet all but the most rabit of scientists. Are they all like this? he thought about scientists and their labs with their tools and machines.

Yet this young man was different. While he was still eager to study the shadow-stuff, he had made an attempt earlier to engage him in conversation. Netherworld thought that Jordan might not see him only as an experiment or freak. Friend? He had heard of the word before andhe wondered if it might be worth trying find out what a friendship was about. For mutual learning purposes, it was possible that he could make a piece of shadow for this earnest young man to experiment on.

"When we are back and I am rested, I will try to accomodate you." Netherworld's expression didn't change. He was weary and the prop plane would be loud. He would be lucky if he got any sleep on the way back. He supposed that once he had recharged some, that he could traverse the shadowrealm back to his home.

"Hey thanks!" Jordan said, pleased at the response and a bit relieved he hadn't made a faux pas in asking.

"It won't be anything invasive. Strictly passive scans. I'm just really curious because your shadow stuff seems to defy a lot of the basic principles of physics and electromagnetism. Alot of Novas do amazing things that seem to bend reality but usually they still operate within the realm of observed phenomena. Quite simply, I've never seen...never even HEARD of anything like what you can do!" His enthusiasm is bright and genuine.

"I will probably have to invent new equipment, just to be able to take some readings...hmmm"

"Really Netherworld...er. You know that's a bit ungainly for casual conversation. Nether or Neth doesn't sound right either. Mind if I call you N-Dub? The Dub is short for W."

"Anyways I was just going to say that my abilities are pretty tame compared to yours. I generate plain old electricity. You on the other hand, may represent a blind spot in our understanding. You could very well represent a glimpse into a previously unexplored field of study. Perhaps it relates to Dark Matter..."

"Sorry, this kind of stuff excites me," he says a bit chagrined. "Crazy party huh?"

By the time Jordan had finished with his excited rantings, Netherworld had started to nodd off. It wasn't that he was ignoring the young man, it was just that he was exhausted. Making artwork was always a taxing process.

Before he drifted off into a slumber, he managed to slur to Jordan. "We can talk later. I am too tired to listen right now." With that, Netherworld drifted off into sleep.

"Yeah, sure thing, no worries." Jordan replies. As the curious Nova drifts off to sleep Jordan wonders at his own inability to rest as of late. Not even that he couldn't rest so much as he didn't even feel the need to. With all that extra time and his mind always moving so rapidly it was imperetive that he keep himself busy lest he go numb with boredeom.

Jordan pulled a small personal computer tablet from his bag and got to work.