(42) It was an agonizing process, often Maurice became so disheartened even Zeeshahead's taunts couldn't move him into action. By Maurice's deductions the crystal was tethered to nine distinct worlds, only two he had names for Earth and Kaasaam. 

The others were very vastly different: an astral plane, a swampy jungle, a vast savanna with herds of all sorts of exotic creatures, a shadowy realm in perpetual twilight, an ocean world, a frozen planet inhabited by mostly crustaceans, and this place.

Only once was he able to scry Bai, she appeared to be on a ship. But it was just a glimpse and she was gone in a flash, leaving him devastated and heartbroken.

But his ability to control the device improved. Maybe it was not surprising that person he was able to focus on the best on was Serapheena. She was in some type of fungal forest, Maurice was relieved to see Chorda and Jeddah were with her. At least she wasn't alone. 

Maurice felt the real weight of the passage of time upon seeing how much she had grown. No longer the little Fah'Rey girl he remembered. She was impossibly tall, long limbed, and a stunning beauty. It brought tears streaming down his hairy cheeks to see her, his little Tink, so big now.

"Stop your crying and concentrate banana brain!! Or you'll never find them, I need to see my Neesha again" the Zeeshahead's anger quickly subsided. She began to sob, "look what you've done, you blubbering idiot!! My face is all wet now"

Maurice knew it was no point arguing with the severed head. Instead he channeled all his anger into the crystal. The sensation of falling through the stone startled him. But he didn't fight it, as his body tumbled into the darkness a point of light apparated in his field of view. 

He focused upon that speck, as he concentrated it grew larger and more defined. Sparkling like diamonds, sunlight reflected on the azure ocean. He swooped over its turbulent surface, flying at such an incredible speed. It felt so real, he felt the cold salty spray of the waves as they crested before him. The fishy smell filled his nostrils, and he felt a hunger he hasn't felt in an eternity.

A large structure loomed in the distance, towering to the cloud tops. An agglomeration of birds cawed in anger at his arrival. They assaulted him with beak and claw, his torso became slick with a mixture of blood and bird feces.

But he was undeterred, there was an opening in the titanic spire and he flew into it, finally able to  escape his assailants. As he glided to a stop, he was bearing witness to a ceremony. 

The chamber was opulent. Mosaics in Byzantine form comprised from pearls, lapis lazuli, rubies, and emeralds, covered the walls of this kingly palace. Depicting great battles, and greater beauty.

 The ground was covered in a metre depth of water because the inhabitants of this palace were classic mer-people. The lower half of their body were fish, eel, dolphin and orca. The torsos were humanoid, the women baring their breasts without a modicum of shame.

Maurice suddenly felt his heart stop, he became paralyzed, unable to breathe. When he turned his head to left, he saw them. Neesha first, then Bai and his little son. He must have been 5-6 years old already, he longed to go to them, embrace them. But he could not compel his useless body into motion. A voice asserted itself into his consciousness.

"Maurice, so glad you could join us, I was worried you would miss the ceremony", malevolence dripped off each word.

The blue figure stepped out from the shadows, his shark-like grin a stark contrast to the serenity of the moment.

Maurice summoned all his will, "BAI RUN!!!!!!"