The elevator comes to a squeaking, decelerated halt and slowly descends the rest of the way down only 20 feet from the ground. Thunder bellows in the clouds above. The ledge is no longer visible since the journey down. Tufts of cotton completely engulf the sky overhead. 

Alex gets up and looks down at their stop. There's glistening veins of crystal just jutting out of the wall and several clusters on the ground. The grasses are greener, yet more flattened from foot traffic. A couple of guards are seen at the entrance to where they're stopping and open the gates of the gondola. "Let us check you. Please step over here..." Akhmin goes first, putting his arms straight out. The curl-tailed swallow raptor species of humanoid birds are wrapped in light metal chain. One has a long-tendriled ponytail with long sideburns and the other, a topknot. Their eyes pierced Alex's soul as he watched them pick around Akhmin's clothing. He wonders what they are looking for...

The two raptorous guards step back, their talons tapping the grassy gnolls as they await the next entry. The rest have entered and got checked. All who were left were Zyphon and Alex. One of the raptors snarls at the scorpion, readying his spear for any trouble. Alex steps forward, somewhat shivering from that reaction. Before getting to the checkpoint, Akhmin gives him a nod for reassurance. Alex calms himself and splays out his arms, closing his eyes. The two raptors sift through the sleeves, the collar. Ponytail raptor feels something off... "T-this... what is this...??" They touch Alex's hand, his skin. It's cold to the touch, hardened. 

Alex starts to get somewhat nervous again. His body feels static as his hand starts to feel as if it's transforming so he hides it under his chest. The two raptors step back, about to retaliate. Alex's forehead starts to jut out two small, sharp bumps. They don't fully take shape but they stay idle for a couple of seconds and recede slowly back into his cranium. Blue electricity expels in small arcs off of his skin for a bit as Akhmin gets between the guards and Alex. "Please, let me explain..." 

The guards take a moment with Akhmin. One is still watching Alex while the other is taking time to hear his plea. They both return as Alex is calmed down enough to proceed. Ponytail comes over and puts their palm on Alex's forehead, closing their eyes. Alex flinches. The guard proceeds, "I solemnly apologize for our handling of your arrival... son of Taellis." They step back and put their hand on their chest, bowing gracefully. Alex's mind flickers, an image he once saw in his past. A memory of someone doing this before. It falls away from sight as he blinks. He shakes his head, "Who is... Taellis... ?" The guard looks up at him confused. Akhmin walks up to him and tells the tale of his arrival. "So he's..." Akhmin nods and replies, "He has lost his memory." he crosses his arms. "We need to go to the tower"

Alex looks up at the large pillar in the distance, squinting. It radiates a glint of the sun off of its exterior frame. The walls were brass. Indents were lined along its body. Zyphon poked Alex's leg, scuttling back and looking up at him. Alex turns his attention to the little robot. He listens to it within his mind. "We may need to merge...", It says. Alex is confused until he remembers the repair... "Uh... I... don't--" The metal arachnid intrajects, "It won't hurt this time. This is different. We align our inorganic, fibrous tissues together as one and we will no longer be seperate entities." It looks deeper into Alex's eyes. "I sense danger in the future... the only problem with merging is... we will probably become one..." Alex reacts with shock. His face is pale. He doesn't know what to say but he understands the predicament. "I... I need to think for just a moment... maybe a meal... first?" Zyphon cautiously scurries up his leg and onto his shoulder. "Yes I understand... your humanity is still within you. I will not force this upon you but we do not have time..." 

Zyphon looks around at several entities with hind legs, fluffy fur. They all look like a mythical being known as a werewolf but with more slender bodies. Their clothing is tattered but decked out in punk-age tribal gear, many of which have vivid raver aesthetic. One of these things is at a bar. They turn their head slightly, looking straight at the scorpion. Zyphon thinks to himself, "This doesn't look safe... Not at all..."