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The room was dark. All that was there were Kyr, Ashe, and a strange contraption that took up the room's bulk. Kyr was doing last minute adjustments to the device, then stepped off to the side and flipped a switch.
There was only a flicker at first. If she’d blinked at the wrong moment, she would have missed it. Adjust a few knobs and try the lever again and the image faded into view.
A breath caught in her throat, a half-choked sob barely held back by her shock. She sent a brief questioning look back to her friend, who nodded, but stayed back out of respect.
The form would waver ever so slightly, like looking at it through water, but the features were unmistakable. Hair so golden it nearly glowed, sharp horns, the most devil-may-care grin she’d ever seen, and the grand sweeping gesture that he always made when introducing himself. All of that was there.
“Aesling, so wonderful to see you! How are things back home?”
“Markus,” she whispered, barely ready to believe it was him. “Markus, I’m so… so happy to see you.” A smile broke the disbelief on her face and happy tears spilled down her cheeks. “Everything’s fine. It’s quiet here without you. Inien’s off wherever she goes again.”
“Business as usual, then! That’s great! We’re nearly done here on our end, so I should be home again very soon.”
“How long will that be? Time translates strangely from the Space Between and here, doesn’t it?”
The tiefling cocked his head at her and gave a gentle smile. “I’ll be back before you know it.”
“Good. That’s good.” She nodded. She was quiet for a minute, fidgeting with one of her bracers. Finally, she turned her eyes back up at the image and reached out her hand. The watery image mirrored her, but it had no physical impact and his fingers merely passed through hers. She frowned, then forced a smile. “Soon.”
“Soon,” he promised. One last grin, then the image faded out and the bar was dark once more.