Chaos slowly reigns in E-Rantel, turmoil rises in the streets – and a looming menace appears from the darkness… meanwhile, disturbance reaches the Cardinals with a uncomfortable realization…
OOOOOOOOO
At last, Nfirea slumped on the ground, face swelled and marred, bruises covering spots all over his body. Tears streamed over Enri's face as she screamed her throat raw, and she franticly struggled against her captors' grasp, to no avail.
"We won't kill him, we'll promise you that." The one who knocked Nfirea down said, and then picked up his body.
"I swear to God, I don't know anything!" She said, clenching her eyes as she expected another slap… but nothing came, and reluctantly, Enri opened one of her eyes, to see her interrogator clenching the place between their eyebrows.
"Alright," they said, relenting, and Enri finally could give against the pushing feeling at her throat, and coughed rashly, spraying blood all over the floor.
"Sleep her–we'll take her back to the headquarters," the man said, and Enri didn't have any chance to avoid the hand that placed itself on her head.
And everything was dark.
OOOOOOOOOO
Clementine was, once again, surrounded by the Windflowers, and the Black Dog was the one who charged first against her, but she only scowled – too slow, yet too beefy for her to slice his body to shreds – and she weaved between his strikes – she didn't even bother herself to see what kind of weapon that was, only that it was sleek, and long.
She could sneak under his arm and slice the spot beneath his arm and let him bleed himself dry – but before she could do that, there was a boom.
A really big boom, one that even shook her teeth and almost made her bite her tongue off. It was accompanied by a violent earthquake, and she whipped her head towards the source of the explosion.
It was from the cemetery.
'Was Khajiit dead?' But before she could further go with that train of thought, a huge, brilliant dome made of purple energy expanded at an exaggerated pace, and she stepped back, looking gradually upwards until she was sure the dome reached the clouds.
And she took her chance.
"[Full Throttle]." She whispered, and then shot towards one of the least-aware looking of the group.
The Windflower didn't stand a chance, and their head was lopped off of their body. Clementine was then a black blur as she darted over the buildings with [Pace of the Wind].
Her other chasers would have gone behind her, but then… there was a sound; the most horrible, blood-curling screech they would ever hear in their entire lives.
The warped shriek of a herd of goats thundered from far away, and it was then, when the Sun already settled.
OOOOOOOOOOO
Raymond was sitting in this Cardinal Conference, fingers intertwined in front of his face, as he stared thoughtfully towards the nothingness. Everybody knew he shouldn't be disturbed in this state, lest they be responsible of ruining a genius scheme in the making.
"The situation in the Re-Estize Kingdom should have been solved by now," Ginedine said, and he was then replied by Cardinal Dominic, who seemed actually grave and concentrated, and said:
"The Kingdom wouldn't be a problem if it wasn't due to E-Rantel's location being so close to our borders," the old man sighed, and then rubbed his temples, "It seems that the tactical advantage of attacking the exact point where the Empire and the Kingdom's frontiers clashed was a mistake."
That could be just a remark, and not an attempted slight towards Raymond.
Berenice steered the conversation off that track and went through more safe waters – at least, ones that couldn't rise a hostile reaction of the man – she was compassionate, and knew what kind of stress the Cardinal of Earth went through.
His predecessor wasn't lucky to reach retirement in time.
"Speaking of the Empire, our emissaries are ready to go once again towards the Imperial Capital, but I think the time's not quite proper." She said, and everybody in the room nodded – an unauthorized attack on the Kingdom's borders by Baharuth Knights no less - just screamed their doing, and worst if the Necromancer actually propagated the information to one member of Re-Estize's Royal Court.
The Argland Alliance will no doubt offer a triumvirate in order to get rid of the Theocracy, and further adding the Elf Kingdom's pressure… the results would be catastrophic.
And everything took roots from just one mistake.
No wonder Raymond looked like he was having a 24/7 migraine, and Berenice shook her head, her motherly nature longing to sooth the man – but she knew he wouldn't allow anyone to help him.
He was that stubborn.
"Zurrernon will not have that advantage over us," Said Yvon, twice as acerbic when addressing such a matter – Zurrernon, specifically – and he then said, "If needed the Clearwater Scripture must intervene in the Royal Court – even if it means starting an all-out war between the Kingdom and the Empire."
"You have none the authority or the judgment to say such a thing," Ginedine growled, narrowing his eyes at such a suggestion, and Dominic seemed too willing to back up Yvon's claim, the old geezer.
At last, Raymond said. "It could be a possibility – one that holds weight, no doubt."
Silence followed his statement.
"What?" Ginedine said, disbelieving, and his reaction too was shared with Berenice, while Yvon and Dominic where not expecting his… half-assed admission.
Maximilian, meanwhile, was just flipping the pages of his book, but the way he stilled just when he was doing so at Raymond's statement told his interest in the matter.
"Just think about it," the Cardinal of Earth said, tapping his finger on the table while he cradled his chin with his other hand, "Not only the Empire, the Kingdom and the Alliance might take arms against us – don't forget the demi-human tribes, and the non-human colonies." He lifted two fingers at the last part, and then, he went on.
"For that we would need to unleash Zesshi just to keep on with the Dragon Lords, but then we are confronted by the Imperial Knights, and the whole conscripted army of the Kingdom." For that, he lifted two fingers.
"Then, if spontaneous skirmishes with adventurers were to happen, it might raise further hostility from the Guild – and let's not get started with Zurrernon."
A whole hand, one which all the Cardinals were watching with clearness downing in their eyes.
He sighed, and then his face grew even more somber, and said, "What Yvon said is not without merit."
"We'll really have to sacrifice thousands – millions even – just to keep the Theocracy and the Gods' legacy safe."
If a pin could fall in that moment, it would be heard. The other, most emphatic Cardinals – Berenice and Ginedine – felt chills running up their spine, while Dominic and Yvon looked straight-faced, nodding with Raymond's words.
Maximilian hid the lower portion of his face behind his book, eyes narrowed behind rounded glasses, and mind whirling with unlimited possibilities… and an urge to inform his Master.
Raymond stood up, looked at each Cardinal straight at the eyes, and then looked towards Ginedine, and said, "Prepare the Clearwater Scripture to be dispatched at Re-Estize's Capital City."
He turned around, and muttered under his breath, unheard by them all, "Gods help us."
OOOOOOOOOOOOO
Momonga watched, standing on the top of a cliff thanks to [Fly], as the Sun finally settled on the horizon, and he would have felt solitude with the sight…
…if it not were for the sudden sense of foreshadowing he felt, as well as the sudden, but shining dome that expanded towards the sky – even visible in the increasing density of the clouds and the creeping nighttime.
And that is where Enri was.
Momonga felt himself go rigid as the realization came to him – have the men who were chasing them reach Enri? Is she dead? Was she unable to fulfill her purpose?
He wasted no time with such foolish thoughts, and then chanted, reinvigorated, "[Fly]" And made to soar the sky towards the city – the path crystal-clear to him.
Something called Momonga from there – and he felt, no he was sure he needed to go there. It was an impulsive thought – a reflex move, but it couldn't be that.
Was it there where he could find his destiny? Or was it just another step?
Momonga was so conflicted with the pull and his thoughts that the sudden, fiery explosion just above him made him stop in shock, and he then turned his head towards the ground, feeling gradually provoked by such an offense.
The swelling feeling that took ahold of him at the time in the forest now was roaring inside him, and he slowly, and surely, floated downwards.
And spotted a group of people assorted in a tidy, well-maintained formation; a group that was now shooting dozens of spells towards him.
Every single magic attack bounced off his cloak and skeleton effortlessly, and the roaring sensation was now familiar to him, and he finally felt clarity in his mind, as he then pointed towards the center of the group with a bony finger, and readily, said:
"[Napalm]."
A fiery pillar of fire surged from deep underground, coating the ground surrounding the hellish geyser in flames, and the group scattered hastily, narrowly avoiding a horrible death… save for one.
The same one, who Momonga pointed at, was now dead; now nothing but a mere stump of charcoaled skin and roasting armor.
It would serve as a warning, and he said, "Do not follow me."
And with that, he again rose towards the sky, and flied towards E-Rantel.
The designated group of the Theocracy, however, was not so ready to let him go. And so, they followed his trail – using whatever means they had on their possession to go towards E-Rantel.
They wished the 'Monster' could have accompanied them, if they knew this damn Lich could fly.
OOOOOOOOOO
"Does it know how to fly?" A flabbergasted Raymond asked, and Thousand Miles Astrologer nodded, with the faintest, sardonic smile on her face.
If he was asked, the Cardinal of Earth would have said that seeing a blind-looking woman smiling after seeing one of her peers being killed by fire casted by a Lich… he wouldn't be surprised if it was Thousand Miles Astrologer.
This woman has seen so many things that have now rendered her dead to the suffering of others… and Raymond shook his head, discarding these thoughts.
"It's now flying towards E-Rantel – the designated team is following it." She said, and then she rolled her eyes diagonally – the motion making Raymond dizzy, but for her it seemed like second-nature.
But he then didn't expect for her eyes to widen – and he was startled when she gasped.
"What's wrong?!" He said, and felt Zesshi's immediate presence behind the door, but he knew she wouldn't interfere directly if Thousand Miles Astrologer wasn't in impending danger.
"E-Rantel," The woman said, her hands clutching her chest-piece, and Raymond grew disturbed as he beheld this side of the powerful seer, and he said, "What's wrong, Thousand Miles, what is it?!"
"A monster," she said, faintly. And her skin grew pale and moist, her breath coming in gasps – and Raymond couldn't help it anymore, and he turned towards the door, making sure he was out of the way, and said, "Zesshi!"
"On it," she said, already having opened the door and darting straight to the woman and grasping her head, and she then said, "Close your eyes – close them now."
Thousand Miles Astrologer clenched them shut, and Zesshi readily made a chopping motion with her hand, knocking the woman senseless and securing her in her grasp. Both of them waited for a reaction – a twitch, or even a seizure…
…but nothing came, and both of them sighed, with Raymond slumping over his chair.
"Gods-damn," he muttered, pinching the space between his eyes, "We already lost a Miko Princess and a Crown of Wisdom – we can't afford to lose another, not at this time."
Zesshi looked at him, quite strangely even, and said, lamely, "Yeah, you're right."
He sighed and made a strange motion with his hand, "I appreciate your attempt to feel sympathetic – but don't bother yourself, really."
At this, Zesshi nodded, and then laid Thousand Miles on the ground, and her servants – who were standing against the wall in caution, could now stop holding their breath. "What now?" She asked, and crossed her arms, and Raymond actually realized she came in without her War Scythe.
It was a relief – the holy artifact, for all precious and valuable it was, was a ridiculous thing in terms of size and weight, and he found it amusing that such a weapon would be wielded by such a little girl –
"Hey, stop daydreaming," Zesshi said, exasperated, and Raymond exhaled loudly, and then said, "I only needed to calm down, Zesshi, no need to be hasty."
"Well, she said there was a monster out there," she pointed out, and then frowned, "Isn't a team right there actually? I remember that you sent them towards there just some hours ago."
"Yes," and he sighed, realization dawning on him, and he placed a hand on his face. "The Necromancer has no doubt done whatever they wanted – damn it."
The woman blinked, and then scratched the top of her hair, and then said, after a minute, "Then send me."
"What in the blazing pits of Hell are you saying?" He immediately answered, and she shrugged, and said, "C'mon, you're spending too many resources and wasting too much time dealing with these people."
It wasn't a mystery who she was referring to, and Raymond nodded, but then said, "Yes, but our advantage is that you're a secret, Zesshi – no offense intended, but you're supposed to not exist."
"Then we'll use a carriage or something – I won't go alone." She said, as if it was obvious, and he then said, growing frustrated.
"Zesshi, we aren't supposed to deal with that – we're supposed to deal with the Necromancer that is holding the information."
"But haven't they achieved what they wanted summoning whatever the fuck is out there? That too means that the Windflowers have failed, and that means –" She accentuated that bit as she saw Raymond preparing an answer, and then finished, "- that you'll fail in your mission, and everybody is gonna die."
For the first time in a while, Raymond was rendered without an answer – and he wouldn't be scummy enough to resort using his higher position on her.
Zesshi would go anyways; regardless if there would be any authority opposing her decision.
He sighed, and palmed his forehead, "Gods forbid you," he said, not really meaning it, and then said, "Alright – the Archbishop will no doubt have my head at the end of this, and I'll be lucky if I'm not burned at the stake by this."
"But to Hell with it, you can go."
Zesshi smirked, but then her face fell with disappointment as he said, "Take the Captain of the Black Scripture with you – Thousand Wall Shield and Divine Chain too."
"You're just telling me that just to mess with me, aren't you?"
He pointed at her with one finger, "You, you stubborn girl, are the one that is messing with me." He then made a shooing motion, "Go and pack your things – you shall depart in thirty minutes," he looked towards one of the servants, and said, "Go and inform Maximilian – let him know of Zesshi's plan-" said woman scoffed at him, "- and have a group of priests tend to Thousand Miles' condition."
The servant heeded his order, and Zesshi still stood there, looking at him, and Raymond lifted an eyebrow, confused, "What is it?"
"I won't fail, you know," she said, unusually serious, and then elaborated, "I won't let you down; I'll take care of that Necromancer."
He stared at her for a brief moment, and then smirked, and said, "Of course you will," his tone was genuinely trustful, and then said, "Now go, don't waste any time."
She nodded, and Zesshi was out of the room.
Raymond sighed, and then mumbled, "I want a bottle of wine and a piece of bread with cheese."
OOOOOOOOOOOO
"I understand, please, let Zesshi know that all my subordinates are hers to command."
The servant nodded, bowed, and left his office hastily. And Maximilian smirked, narrowing his eyes. 'Foolish half-breed, not even you can disrupt the flow of the Master's schemes…'
Maximilian stood up, already done with his paperwork, and then picked up his favorite book – 'Chronicles and Studies of the Eight Greed Kings – Volume 3' – and left the headquarters, and was greeted by the sight of the night sky and the stars.
He made the same process – carriage, half an hour to his designated district – and then made his way to his manor.
When he was certain he was truly alone in his chambers, Maximilian kneeled, and then began to draw a circle composed of runes and magical objects –perfect to disrupt the flow of a seer's sight – and then opened a scroll…
And after a puff of smoke, a robed figure stared right back at him, and promptly said, "Inform me."
"My Lord, I'm delighted to communicate these news…" And Maximilian went to do his real work.
A loyal servant of the last God, an emissary of the second advent of the Lord of this World.
OOOOOOOOOOOO
Khajiit couldn't feel his body – he felt like he was flying. He blearily opened his eyes, and he was met by darkness.
'Am I dead?' Was his ludicrous thought and he then felt resigned. 'Have I failed to carry on the Dark Ritual?'
Deep in this darkness –one in which he grew to feel cold and isolated– there stood, or rather floated, the embodiment of death and decay – one whose deep, glowing eye sockets stared right at the quivering man in front of it.
It was too tall, and too wide to be just a mere Lich, but its presence was unlike any other Undead Khajiit had ever meet in his entire life.
"I welcome you to this desolate realm – to my paradise of silence."
He didn't even know what to say in response, but fortunately, the Undead was too merciful for going on, as if feeling his awestruck state.
"You have chosen - in this place and time, to summon me. Let me know your wish, man of secrets and unbidden desires, and it shall be fulfilled."
"Y-You –" Khajiit gulped on a dry throat, and he tried again, feeling deep reverence towards this pinnacle of power and forbidden knowledge, "Who are you, if I may ask?"
The embodiment of Death was silent for a moment, and Khajiit feared the worst, but it then said:
"They know me by many names – names that I do not care for, but names that have rendered mine lost in the mixed knowledge of civilization –and ones that now have stranded me here – in this collective imprisonment of these Crowns…
…but they once knew me as Zurshanna, a Lord of Death – an emissary of Oblivion."
The embodiment's voice was deep, too deep, and it echoed far away in the vast darkness – but Khajiit didn't see it talk or move away from its position, too entranced by the oozing might of this being, and he bowed deep towards this true representation of Undeath.
"My Lord, too much time have I spent to find a way to weave between the barriers of life and death to resurrect my most loved one," Khajiit lifted his head, staring pleadingly towards the Lord of Death, and then said, "I wish to be granted enough power to take her back to this world! So we both can live for eternity – unbounded by the whims of mankind!"
Silence followed his request, and Khajiit feared for having offended the mighty Lord – but his expectations were shattered when Zurshanna then answered, "In this place and time – I can grant you such a thing – but first, there are conditions to this contract of eternal existence and unlimited, untamed power," It then lifted one bony hand towards him, and pointed its index finger towards his head.
"Your humanity shall be forgone in exchange for greater power, your beliefs and desires will change in tandem with your ascension, and most of all, whatever path destiny has bounded with you, will be forever gone from your grasp."
Khajiit felt an uncomfortable sense of hesitation when he heard 'humanity'… what did it meant? Will his body and human mind be sacrificed? Will his love towards his mother die? He clenched his fists, but didn't voice any of his internal conflicts.
"Do you still wish to carry on, with this daring offering? "
There was silence following its question, but before the Lord of Death could go back to its slumber and let the man be gone, Khajiit raised his head, eyes desperate and face frozen in determination.
"I do."
His words echoed through the darkness, and Zurshanna then lifted its arms to its sides, as it then claimed, "It will be done."
And then Khajiit felt, for the second time in his life, how his body then imploded from inwards, and the last thing he felt before utter cold, was joy.
For his wish to go back to see his mother was close to be fulfilled.
OOOOOOOOOOOO
In the city of E-Rantel… a dark, cold Hell was laying waste on the streets. And this Hell – this embodiment of terror and corruption and death – was manifested in the twisted, creeping form of a lump of black ooze and hundreds of gaping, shrieking mouths.
The sound of a goat screeching in the night could be hear even from up in the walls – whose guards were paralyzed by the unbounded horror, and the bloodbath carrying on the city.
Bodies were crushed, pools of blood were a common sight, and columns of smoke were raising high into the sky.
And between this madness… the Swords of Darkness were herding the citizens far from the hellish, humongous creature – which even in the dark, indigo blue of the remaining light on the sky, could be seen with perfect clarity.
"Gods above…" Lukrut mumbled, eyes wide and shoulders trembling with unadulterated fear.
"This way!" Peter gestured towards a road that leaded to the outer gates, "Don't stop! Watch for the children!"
"Peter!" Ninya shouted, and said man turned towards him, and the magic caster turned completely towards the swordsman, "We have to go! The city's lost; we don't have a chance against that thing!"
The monster, as if on cue with his words, screeched that horrible noise again, and the group covered their ears.
"Damn it!" He said, and then gestured to his team, "Alright, the people here have evacuated – Dyne, have you seen someone else?"
The druid shook his head, face hardened, and Peter nodded, "Let's get the hell out of here, we can't do anything else."
The group then made to go… until they heard a faint, distant sound.
An agonized moan.
Ninya turned around; eyes wide as he recognized that sound, and said, "Guys! There's someone there!" He pointed towards an alleyway, and was going to walk there, until Lukrut grasped his arm.
"Are you fucking crazy? The city's in chaos! We don't know if there are some crazy people around here!"
Ninya struggled his arm out of the rogue's grasp, and then drilled his finger on his chest, "You don't tell me that! There's someone there that we can save and the only thing you can even think of is that we could be killed?!"
"Guys! Calm down! We don't have time for this!" Peter said, only for him to gasp and step back. Ninya, Lukrut and Dyne turned around…
…and there, was an amalgamation of a man with… whatever else; a black, viscous liquid dropped of the thing's mouth in copious amounts.
Ninya noticed that the thing had three arms… and four legs, but he couldn't voice this, for the magic caster's voice was inexistent in the face of such a thing.
Only Lukrut, perhaps stupidly or bravely, throwing a dagger to where one of the thing's eyes where, made them act instantaneously.
Ninya casted [Magic Arrows] and then dived to the side and the thing then slammed one of its elongated arms where he was standing, and he ran to the opposite direction – where the sobbing was.
He heard the ruckus behind him – heard Peter shouting to him, Dyne chanting another spell, and Lukrut brandishing a few more daggers – but didn't dare to turn around, and he then went through the alleyway, raising his voice as he did so, "Are you okay?!"
Another sob, another pair of steps from her, "Please, calm down," he said, already pinpointing the source of the sobs. "I'm going to –"
The sight before him rendered him speechless.
There were bodies – corpses of robed people, scattered in the tight corridor of the alleyway in all sort of manners and ways and – 'My God.' In an unusual display, he covered his mouth with his hand in a very feminine fashion, as he realized that these people had their eyes gouged, their faces stretches in horror…
… And he then darted his frightened eyes towards the source of the sobs.
A bloody Enri cradling an equally bloody Nfirea was stretching her arm towards Ninya, and with a rasped voice, she pleaded, "Please, help me…"
Ninya could only stare at the carnage in front of him for a while more, and then turned towards the couple… and moved.
OOOOOOOOOOO
It was nightfall, and her eyes were half-closed as she cradled her War Scythe against her frame, and the constant bump of the carriage made Zesshi sleepy, though she surely won't get any rest, if the subtle sneers towards her were any hints.
"How long until we get there?" She asked, because after slaying the Necromancer and the Lich – another objective of them thanks to Raymond reminding her of the Lich sudden change of trails - they had to go to E-Rantel to stop a Monster of causing further casualties... well, they should have done that some hours ago, and Zesshi scoffed loudly, and this single gesture seemed to boil her peers' blood even further.
"Soon," The Captain said, and she nodded, and went back to rest.
Whatever, is not like she wanted to go with them, why Raymond even wanted to make her do here? She killed Necromancers that could summon even 6 Skeleton Dragons in a single move, so what did this one do to get so much attention?
Did he know something about them that she didn't? It wouldn't be the first time she was screwed over by her superiors, but she… Zesshi shook her head, one corner of her mouth lifting into a smile.
For fuck's sake, it's Raymond she was talking about – of course he would screw her over just to chuckle himself to sleep.
The damn bastard, Zesshi chuckled with genuine amusement. It was a while before shit would go down, actually, so Zesshi then closed her eyes, and gripped her Scythe's shaft, grounding herself.
"We're close." The Captain raised his voice again, and Zesshi nodded, and just stepped out of the carriage, which was still in movement, and then darted towards the city's walls, ignoring whatever calls she received from her peers.
And up she went, jumping over the wall like if it were her own playground, and she was like this, enjoying the feeling of the wind against her face… until she spotted, over a brothel of all things, the thing she was looking for.
"Got you," she said, silently, and made to cut its head and go back to the carriage… if it were not for it stopping her Scythe midway.
Her surprise was unparalleled.
And to her increasing shock, it then talked, as green orbs drilled into her opposing eyes.
"Ah, the Black Dogs of the Theocracy – your time is nigh!"
OOOOO
Oh yes, I did that.
SO! I'm actually very excited for the next chapter, so I think I'll write for tomorrow's afternoon.
Thank you everybody for reading this! I feel loved.
See ya!