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It'd been Solaris who'd arranged all of this, and for it, Yetzirah was both grateful and... supremely embarrassed.

After everything that'd happened this year especially, he had to admit it: he had no idea what he was doing. Sure, Isaiah had been awakened as Yetzirah for a few years now, but he had nothing to show for it. Mainly because he just.... focused on other aspects of his life. His job, his dancing, school... but he kept dipping his toes in, kept skimming the surface when he'd utilize the boost of speed Yetzirah had when he felt like running around parts of the city.

Then the Calamitous Hollow happened. He feared for his life, was sure he'd died and saw that... horrific thing with the crystals revolving around it, came back... and then made the mistake of answering the random calls for help and powering up when he knew there was a higher chance for weird magic crap to happen...

He'd found Solaris recently, confessed he had no idea what he was doing, no idea how to be Yetzirah. She offered only so much help, acknowledging she didn't know much about knights. So. She used her phone and contacted one. Apparently there's an app? Connections? How did he access that?

Again, she wasn't sure, and much as she apologized profusely, Yetzirah still wanted to cry at how many things were mounting up that neither of them knew.

But she reached out to one. Joyeuse Garde. That was a pretty name. An Earth knight. Solaris arranged the time to meet, lingering around with him in the picnic-grill area of one of the parks in the city where he sat at one of the tables. Least until the Knight showed up, then Solaris herself took her leave--

"I can ask all my questions later, this is your thing," she'd said simply, thanking the Earth Knight for her time and wishing them the best.

Yetzirah felt his nerves rising, but he offered a sheepish smile at the woman, standing to offer his hand in a simple shake. "Yetzirah... uh, Page of Cosmos, if that's needed. Thanks for coming, I um... I've got a lot of questions about all this knight stuff," he added, unsure how extensive Solaris' conversation had been.

He had to keep himself from staring at her attire--it was beautiful, and if he let himself, he'd fall into so many questions about the fashion, the wearability of some of the pieces, the fabrics... all details he'd be so excited to find a way to relay to his friends back in the dance and theatre troupe. Well. Actually, maybe they already knew about any of that, far more knowledgeable of costumes and construction of garments than he.

But, he got to save himself that debate. Marvel some other time when he didn't need to be focused on the actual matter at hand, and that the woman had been kind enough to donate her time to. Back straight, chin high, sheepish as he was, he could at least keep himself attentive and not look a slouch. Especially when he noted the professional air about her, only confirmed by the shake--

--oh what?

"O-oh, wow, that's very kind of you," he started, more of an automatic response than anything as he took the bag she offered. Then he actually was able to peer inside at the contents, and perked up considerably as he registered the utility of it all. "This is awesome, hah, I didn't even think about how good camping or hiking equipment would be." The excitement lit up his voice, but his brows still dipped as he eyed the more.... construction-fixing stuff.

What did that have to do with being a knig--

His head snapped up, eyes going wide briefly as he flicked his gaze over her face, the silent question blaring across his features. "No, I don't," he stated simply, feeling his cheeks begin to burn to a point that even his ears joined in. He wasn't going to hedge about it all, though. That was the whole point of the meeting. To fix all that, or at least some of it. "Solaris mentioned that knights have wonders, locations we get our names from, but she didn't know how to get there, and... well. I mean."

The burning in his face snagged the words up in his throat, and he paused to clear it. "Sorry, I assume that's what you mean by 'the other side'? How do I do that? I've seen senshi have phones--" He registered he'd already begun to jump into a ramble, and promptly closed his mouth with a light click. He'd asked his questions, and if he wanted an answer, he'd need to actually let her speak.

He only somewhat registered the hand at his shoulder, rarely one to shy away from civil contact. Really, it was a friendly thing to him, something that perhaps helped to subconsciously keep the panic from welling up too badly the more he listened to her explanation.

Of sorts.

Was that question about things making sense rhetorical?

If the way to get to this place was supposed to just come to him naturally, why hadn't it? It was something that burned the tip of his tongue to say, but he kept his lips tight together. Snipping at someone helping him did no one any good, after all.

So instead, he gave a heavy sigh through his nose, looking down at the bag in his hands full of materials and tools. Things for fixing, things for camping. What did that have to do with wonders?

He felt like a right idiot. He'd had this 'job' as Yetzirah for.... a while now, but he didn't get any of it, so really, what was even the point of him even powering up and taking up peoples' time---

The overwhelming strand was forcefully snapped, the youth closing his eyes as he pushed away the disgruntled, mounting doubts and distress. This was always what hit, wasn't hit? The reasons he kept using to stay away from things. But he'd... he'd tried. Fighting, that is. Tried helping people who needed it. It hadn't exactly gone well. And he wanted to do more, didn't he?

That was the whole reason he'd asked Solaris, and had agreed to meet up with another knight, right?

Briefly, he wondered glumly if his own excuses had been the problem. Constantly kicking the can down the road, giving himself reasons to not put in the effort to learn and do more. Well. That made sense, if so. Crap. He didn't appreciate the self-realization glaring back at him....

Keeping his eyes shut, he swallowed thickly and shifted on his feet a little, trying to ease the tension forming in his jaw, hands, and shoulders. Want it. He... did want it. He couldn't help anyone if he didn't try to learn, and he wanted to see this place, didn't he? --mmm.... yes, he decided finally. Yes, he did.

Isaiah was his own worst enemy at the end of the day. He usually chose the path of least resistance, looking to the shiny and bright side of things and ignoring the bad because that was easier. Blaming everything else about his failings was just easier.

And boy did it smart and sting when, as he focused on those stars that glittered brilliant and warm so far, far away, the stars that glittered across his uniform, he felt something finally reaching out at him. Distant. A small, soft sensation like someone trying to politely catch his attention across a room, but he just kept talking over it, it was no wonder he couldn't hear it. He chose not to. So it stayed quiet. Patient, waiting. Waiting for him to notice it, because it wasn't going to shout over him to get its point across. Small, polite... but firm in that decision. He needed to listen first.

I pledge my life and loyalty to Cosmos, and to Yetzirah. I humbly request your aid, so that in return I may give you mine.

The words floated through his mind, finally heard cross that great distance, and barely above a breath, the Page whispered them.

He really should have expected something to happen when he did, but somehow, the fact a sudden energy flared and spiraled around him--and, much to his chagrin, Joy--still startled him immensely. As did the sensation of movement somewhere beyond him, beyond the flare of light, that once it faded...

He blinked rapidly, needing to shield his eyes from the sudden brightness that remained. Not from the magical whatever that had been, but from... sunlight?

He had to peer out from under his hand till his eyes adjusted properly, gaping at the very different scenery. A... rather sad looking scenery.

Fields stretched out around them, empty and barren, whatever grasses that once existed there dead and dried, crunching beneath their feet. Low spots, rocky and cracked, snaked through the space haphazardly. He could make out large, large trees that seemed to circle the area--maybe a block or two of empty space?--before large banks of fog--or were they clouds?--ghosted over and through them, obscuring whatever lay beyond the trees and the horizon. But no, it wasn't... entirely empty space. He had to correct that assumption as he turned somewhat, jumping slightly to see ruins. White stone, or perhaps what was once white stone, covered in the dust of time and old lichens and mosses and whatever else, before they too died out, leaving brown and grey husks behind.

The low spots, he realized, were dried streams, small riverbeds in some areas, stemming from a large dried pool at the base of arching stairs that went up along a cliff--a dead waterfall?--till they swept above the rock and into... well. He wasn't entirely sure. The top of the cliff--maybe about the size of a three-story building--cut off his view, but he could see more broken stone and arches up beyond it. A building? Multiple?

Beyond that though... it almost looked like part of a mountain had been cut out of its main body and placed there, the circle of trees continuing around it till they vanished, the fog curling around the top of the thing so he couldn't even really tell how tall it was. But it wasn't a real mountain, he thought. Just like.... a wall of rock that just... shot upward in haggard spikes and rolling edges. More of the same white stone peeked over the edge of some of the taller cliffs higher up.

"I uh...." He didn't really know what to say about all this, gaping as he just... stared around--and realized with a bit of horror the other knight was also dragged along. "I uh.... sorry for um. That. Sudden uh. Teleport."

But wasn't it... polite..? He wasn't going to debate that right now, even if the debate was really just with himself at that point. Did get a small smile out of him, at least, to think he probably had a few 'bad habits' if that were the case...

Yetzirah looked around, taking in the rather desolate looking place. All around them, far as he could see, was the fog or clouds or whatever they were, past the 'mountain' and trees. But above, the sky was a warm, sunny blue. Or mostly--he could see dim pinpricks of light through whatever atmosphere this was, small stars that were bright enough to be seen even in the glare of day.

The sky looked prettier than the rest of this place, at least.

His eyes dropped back to Joy, lips pressing tight as he tilted his head. "A.... ghost?" The hair at the back of his neck rose on end at the idea of that. Solaris had mentioned hearing about the memories stuff from some other senshi and knights, but she hadn't mentioned anything about ghosts.

He gave a shudder, wincing. "I shouldn't be shocked I feel like, at this point, with all the weird stuff, but man...."

Still, he offered a more lax smile, appreciating the proverbial thumbs up. It was a bit of a boost to his pride in the moment, kept him from clapping his hands and going, okay cool, time to head back now, thank you! and just... returning to hiding his head in the sand.

Instead, he took a breath, trying to focus on that.... compelled part. "I... dunno." His hands fiddled with the bag she'd given him--okay, the tools were making a lot more sense now--and nothing really jumped out to him but--

His eyes widened slightly, head tipping back to stare up at the top of what he thought might be a dry waterfall. It was there again. That quiet call across a room. A tug. Sort of. With a free hand, he pointed upward. "Up... there, I think."

He looked to Joy, genuinely surprised he actually did feel something. "Um... would you like to join me?" It was a bit of a hike up the arching stairs, and he didn't want to be rude and push her into anything she wasn't keen on. A thought struck though, and he blinked a few times.

"Oh uh! Sorry, I should have asked before: um, may I ask which it was for you at your wonder? The uh.... ghost or memories, I mean?"

Well. That answered that. Yetzirah smiled a bit as he followed after her, mindful of his steps over the dried, broken ground and onto the worn stone walkway that lay at the bottom of the steps. The stairs at least seemed pretty stable--he could see long worn waves in the edges from who knows how many years of footsteps, but whatever anchored them in place against the rock did so firmly even now. A high rail running along the outside of the steps at least helped to ensure some extra safety here, and small, wide flat sections at intervals that he wondered briefly if they'd once held benches or something for people to pause if needed.

"So... I'm getting the ghosts are good? Not like... horror movie material?" He finally popped the question after they hit the first flat section, pausing slightly to look out over the rail at the expanse of barren fields and dried waterways. Could see the forest stretched out pretty far, but the cloud bank still stood firm in the distance.

"Does.... your wonder look like this at all?" He couldn't help the bit of dread, and yes, disappointment. He'd thought wonders would be... you know, wonderful or something. Magical. Not.... dead.

He'd spent the climb thus far digesting what Joy had said, that not everyone seemed to have things fall into place as nicely as her experiences. Though.... he'd cut her a curious look at one point, and quickly decided if something did not align with her requirements, she very much seemed the sort with a strong enough will to make it so. All good things. He respected the sort of authority she radiated.

The steps were wide in terms of their distance from the rock wall, and deep in terms of their spacing between one another. He found them easy to trek, but plenty big enough for him to put both feet comfortably on one of he decided he needed smaller steps to be more comfortable. Even the railing was thick--for a moment he had assumed that was purely for safety reasons, but as he walked, his hand moved smoothly over it, sturdy and easy to grasp for any stabilization.

Each flat section, he took a second to look outward, seeing more of the large forest beyond the fields, appreciating their height and density... but the bank of clouds kept thickening, too. He still couldn't see beyond them, even when they finally reached the top.

It was like the clouds actually encircled this place, he realized.

Up on top of the once waterfall, Yetziah could see where the waterway stretched onward, a smooth, wide riverbed surrounded by white stone pathways, broken gazebos, pillars crumpled and arranged in shapes he couldn't quite make out, and long rectangles, diamonds, oblong forms, and whatnots forming... well. They reminded him of gardening areas. Just. Dead. Some paved areas looked more like areas he'd seen in parks where folks work out in groups, with small fountains further away from the river.

Buildings, too, deeper in. The largest though...

It looked more like some temple, wide with a main building and side wings that vanished into the mountain face that the building was clearly built out of--or into. It was hard to tell. Up here, the grey rock tuned white in some places, matching the white stone of the structures. The central section of the temple stretched up a few floors, towers jutting from the lower rooftops. All smooth lines and graceful arches, the riverbed went under the building, framed by elaborate arches and swirling, flowing patterns carved into and out of the stone. Above the place the river vanished into, a wide balcony stood, a couple stories up from the ground floor of the rest of the building.

His heart lurched as he stared there. He could see star motifs everywhere, which he kinda expected, and empty frames where he figured doors and windows once stood. Here and there, he could even see remains of elaborate and simple styles of stained glass.

But on the balcony itself, the wide double-doors to the place a gaping maw, stood... a figure.

"I-I... I think I see someone," he whispered, unsure if Joy could see them.

Even from there, though, across what he could call a large yard, he could make out more than enough--dark skin and hair glinted with gold in the sunlight, pale pink-purple-blue-green-yellow gradient garments atop white. Translucent fabrics drifted in a light breeze, golden accessories weighing down in sections.

He had the distinct impression he was being judged, and suddenly felt like a schoolboy being scolded by a teacher. He ducked his head slightly in pure instinct.

It did make him feel a bit better to hear that her wonder had also started along similar routes. And yes, he absolutely wanted to see the Garde, quick to smile and said he'd fully take her up on that offer, whenever that best worked.

Because why not? He clearly had a lot to learn, and seeing what could be... well, it was already easing the tension that had formed in his chest, thinking for a moment the ruined state of the place might have been somehow connected to his delaying...

But that guilt nugget wriggled back in as he stared at the figure on the balcony, going along with Joy as she nudged him forward. The contact was, once again, appreciated. A sort of small anchor to remind himself that yes, this was all real, and no, this was not some horror flic about to go majorly sideways for the hapless visitors to some haunted ground.

They passed the empty grounds quickly, and he noted the amount of overgrowth that had withered and died over time, or how many crumbled features had apparently fallen into the dried riverbed. What had this place been..?

As they'd approached, the figure--a woman, he realized belatedly--had turned and walked back into the building, shimmering cloth moving along her back as she went, and though he heard no other footsteps but their own (duh...) by the time they'd reached one of the empty doorways on the ground floor, he could see the woman already walking towards them from within the shadows of the building.

Her hands were clasped delicately before her, posture straight and a slight upward lift of her chin as she beheld them. Even within the shade, he could see the bright pink of her irises, and found himself blinking a few times. Though... something about her was nagging at him...

"I welcome you to the grounds of Yetzirah," she said gently, voice steady and neutral. Kind, sure, but a level of distance held firmly. Professional, maybe, was a way to put it. "If you seek healing, please allow me to know the nature--" Briefly, so faintly, her eyes widened, and her lips closed slowly, pressing tight. Her gaze wandered slowly over each of them, pausing particularly on the symbols of Earth and Cosmos, taking in their expressions and stances. Then, it moved beyond them. To the grounds they'd just walked, the empty and barren grounds, the dried waterways.

Her hands tightened slightly before she took a deep breath--or seemed to, he realized she didn't need to actually do that, and perhaps the same thing occurred to her in that same second because she again paused and gave a faint, quiet almost laugh. A dry, brittle sound of what he could make of it.

"I apologize. I see people here, and my first response is to fall into... habit." She stepped out further towards them, into the light from the open doorway and broken windows. Sunlight glimmered anew on her skin, flicks of gold across her features. "I greet you as I would the wings of dawn. Please, call me Arielle." Her head turned slightly to look to Joy, and he could see the tips of her pointed ears--pointed? So wait, was she even human? Was that just some movement he glimpsed at her back--

She inclined her head gently, the professionally neutral expression easing slightly now towards a tired acceptance and almost appreciated state as she spoke to the other woman. "An Earth knight is a rare visitor, indeed, out here, but most certainly always welcomed. How might I address you?"

But when her eyes turned to him, he could absolutely see how her gaze hardened, narrowing as she looked him over once more. Twice more. Thrice... and then the intensity faded, and the faint downturn of her lips looked more... sad, than anything, to him. "I believe you are the... new knight of Yetzirah, yes?"

He swallowed. "Um, yes, ma'am. Ah--uh, Arielle. Hi?"

His quickly stumbled words at least got a faint, faint bemused expression from her...

Arielle's eyes once more widened slightly, staring back at Joy for a beat as her brows furrowed a tick or two, before her expression smoothed once more. Instead of confusion, intrigue lit her face. "Joyeuse... Garde..? That... I know that name. The place, rather." Her voice was lighter, amused. Her smile grew. "I haven't heard of it in so long... or the knight I knew there."

In Yetzirah's eyes, he thought her gaze seemed to grow distant again, and he wondered if perhaps she were thinking back on... however long ago that was. As the Knight continued and made her offer, the woman's eyes seemed to refocus on her, and she tipped her head once more.

"If you ever the time, I would like to speak with you more, Joy. I admit I have many questions. For now," she started, looking back to the young man who was still silent--he didn't know what to say!--and nodded. "Please, if you would not mind. There are benches outside if you wish to sit in the sun, or others inside if you prefer. I would appreciate the moment to speak with... my successor," she finally finished. He'd noticed the slight pause as she had considered that term, and wondered what others had gone through her head.

He wasn't even sure how to think of all this right now. He'd heard the way Joy addressed the spirit, the phrasing she used and address to her instead of him. Not that he minded--it made sense. The lady--Arielle, he reminded himself--was far more the occupant and owner of the space than he was.

He looked to Joy with a smile, nodding a few times. "Yeah, thanks. I mean... for everything. You've been awesome explaining things and helping me out. I really appreciate it."