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Angelcynn: The Myrcian Conflict - Act 5 Magonsaete Route


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As they had followed Raum through the winding tunnels of the cave system, Sylvia had made an attempt to try and memorize which turns they had taken along the way... to little avail. Perhaps had the journey been half as long or half as winding, she might have succeeded, but as it were, there was little chance that she would have managed without leaving some sort of obvious trail... perhaps a smart move, but to openly display distrust in such a manner would have been foolhardy in it's own right. Still, the butler seemed focused, not letting out any of his signature quips along the way. He seemed the more sneaky sort than she, and if he was making an attempt to memorize their path, it was far more likely to be fruitful than her own. 

When they finally arrived to see this Dumah character, well... he certainly seemed as though he had seen better days. Physically, at least. His words seemed to move Cassandra and Alain, so they must have held some level of significance to them in his descriptions. Of course, there was one other matter that stood out, at least to her. A name that kept dropping, from both sides of the conversation

"I've got a question, myself. All a y'all keep mentionin' this guy... who is Malaphar?"

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The Devil that Darkness fears

Raum gave Naimanzuunnadintsetseg another twisted grin, he didn't need any words to convey the amusement he enjoyed from her scepticism. Dumah either didn't hear or didn't have the energy to respond to Naimanzuunnadintsetseg's remarks.

"Cassandra, daughter of Oswald... you seek to take the savages of this land and turn them on your own home? Your goal... to sculpt it as you see fit, it is an ambitious task. To remove all that your youth... held dear... but perhaps that is why you seek to do it. Not to liberate the home where you could not breathe freely, but to create anew one to your own liking. A goal not too far from that of Malaphar's own-..." Dumah replied drily, a hacking cough interrupting his lengthy response. He let out a rattling gasp for air, his breathing becoming less rapid as he regained control over it. "But his aim to appoint himself as the heart of the world's corruption... you seek to remove it..."

He paused, listening to the rest of Cass' group as they all pitched in with their own hopes and desires. He sat there, nearly lifeless as he considered their words. 

"As you stand now... you will all fail. The southern tribes are a force to reckon with... as is Malaphar, he is perhaps even more deadly than all of Magonsaete combined. A union would be the only way for... your success. It is an interesting proposition. Lord Belial has asked me personally... to welcome you... all of you." he replied, his absent gaze focusing on Astaroth in particular. "Our numbers are limited... but there is one I have who may aid you. Lord Belial wishes to see what kind of world you shall... create... The other elders, as well as myself... we desire to observe the future you carve... Raum, go fetch... Kelbara. I wish for her to accompany Princess Cassandra."

Raum bowed, walking backwards awkwardly mid-bow. "Of course, Elder Dumah, I shall inform her immediately. I am sure she will be... taking a liking to the Princess and her friends." he cackled, retreating into the darkness of the tunnel behind them. Graham was perhaps as puzzled as Sylvia, he'd only heard small amounts about this Malaphar. Sebastian had recounted parts of their encounter with him during their journey through the bandit wasteland, but had omitted several crucial details.

"I know he's an evil wizard... but if these guys don't like him, he has to be seriously bad stuff." Graham remarked, hoping someone else would fill him in. "How can one man be stronger than a whole country?"

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Dumah's covering of Cassandra's request was spot on, until it reached the part of being just like Malaphar. That sent a hefty shiver down her spine... Until he clarified the difference. It was an incredibly important one, as far as she was concerned. The difference between good and evil, if there ever was one. And as for completing her goal... "What?" She'd expected it to be difficult, but to fail entirely? What kind of good tidings were these? Cass had been about to lash out in confusion, when once again she was corrected, as Dumah offered a union of forces. Exactly what they'd come here for.

Cass breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Even if it was just one body, anyone as powerful as Alain, that would be a hefty boon to their group. They could go from here, and hope to accomplish more. "I appreciate your contribution, Elder Dumah. We will not disappoint you, nor Lord Belial." Speaking of a God in such plain terms was uncomfortable, but Cass would grow used to it... Things were already turning around for her... She hadn't forgotten, though. What Alain had told her. You give back what you take. So... They were being given direction, and this Kelbara. Hopefully they could make it on their own from here on out... She owed Belial enough, as it was.

"Malaphar is one of the most powerful and terrifying men I've ever had the misfortune to encounter... I can only pray that we do not run into him before we make any headway, or there is a chance this whole endeavor will meet a swift end. He isn't invincible, from what I've seen... But he is by no means weak in a way that I know." Just how had Owen escaped? What had they done? She'd have to figure this out... Or quite literally die trying.

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Dumah's proposition, while agreeable with his own goals, didn't exactly fill him with confidence. On the one hand the elder clearly declared their impending failure, and on the other hand he also believed a single person would be enough to aid them in their task? He wanted to voice his concern but Cassandra's overly eager optimism forced him to stay his tongue. He would judge Kelbara's capabilities once she had arrived. Perhaps the Elder would prove him wrong once more. 

"No, I imagine he'll wait for us. Because that's the kind of person that he is," Alain muttered. But his arrogance will be his demise. Cassandra's thinking was on the right track. Whatever the cause behind his power, Malaphar had shown a moment of vulnerability. 

If he bled like man, he could die like man.

But while they waited for this Kelbara woman to make her appearance, there was one other matter Alain wished to attend to before the Elder retreated into his self-absorbed meditation. He reached into his robes, and pulled out a tome that had scarce seen the light of day since he'd acquired it. 'The Origin of Belial' though he could never have known it.

The lengthy volume had already given him much trouble to decipher. At some choice hours he would be able to discern it's contents with some effort, but on most days the language remained altogether foreign. It was a puzzling matter, but if he could be certain of one thing it was that it reeked of Belial's influence. 

"Elder Dumah, if you can spare me a few more breaths, there was something I was hoping one with your knowledge could answer for me," Alain said, walking up to the man and holding the text open for him to see. "It is written in a language that is altogether unknown to me, yet with due time the words begin to unravel themselves, slowly but surely," he admitted. "What, pray tell, is it that I'm holding?" 

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So this Malaphar was an incredibly powerful mage from the sounds of it... powerful enough to rival a country? Well, Magonsaete wasn't... exactly a country, so much as a spot of land separated into rapidly shifting tribal states, but that distinction didn't really matter much in the thick of things. This Dumah seemed to think they were destined to fail, but intended to have one of his own accompany them anyway... was this person intended to tip the scales in their favour, or simply keep a record of their progress and escape with their own life in the end? Again, not overly relevant she supposed, if this person was effective, an additional body could never hurt. 

Either way, if they were destined to fail, all they had to do was tell destiny to shove off and succeed anyway. As long as you kept surviving, nothing was truly impossible, and as formidable as this Malaphar character seemed, those who had encountered him seemed confident he wasn't invincible.

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Example of the Night
 

Graham wasn't particularly reassured by the identity of this Malaphar, Sebastian had only told him small amounts about the journey through Magonsaete. Had he done it to stop him from worrying or had it simply been because it was information that he deemed not necessary to share? Malaphar was a wizard that even Cass seemed to fear, could someone be terrifying enough to make Cass want to come up with a solid plan? The approval from Dumah wasn't much better, whilst it was nice that they had allies, he couldn't help but feel uneasy in their presence. He swallowed, deciding that he'd have to be brave for everyone's sakes. Cass needed as much help as she could get and he couldn't leave her like this. Not only because of their friendship but because going alone in the middle of Magonsaete with no supplies was a certain death trap.

"Lord Belial wishes to observe your battle against Malaphar-..." Duman began, raising his hand to his mouth as a coughing fit interrupted his speech once more. The elder wheezed as his breathing slowly steadied, returning to the conversation at hand. "Even with such aid... one must choose every move carefully, Malaphar is not a man who overlooks opportunities to further his own desires..."

Uuliinyagaantsetseg was also conflicted about the situation. "I am a child of the plains, it is not often my eyes see even the simplest of spells." she added,  her apprehension less fearful than Graham's own. "Magonsaete will not be settled until this man has fallen, we must find this weakness of his and strike before he can take full control."

"The book? Ah, yes... it has been decades since I have set my eyes upon a volume like this." Dumah replied, a small flicker of life appearing in his empty eyes. There was a nostalgic joy about him, a reminiscence of years gone by. "My child, you hold that which can lead you directly to Lord Belial. Understanding the texts and incantations inside... many brothers and sisters have lost themselves approaching our master. Many of the elders with us have met such a fate in their quest for the truth."

The room slowly began to illuminate, a gentle light revealing the walls around them. Dumah wasn't the only elder present, there were several seats not unlike his own. However, the men and women sitting in them were in an even worse state than Dumah. Their bodies were skeletal, their mouths agape and their bodies nearly completely lifeless. The only signs of life were the occasional movements of discoloured chests - and even then dozens of seconds would pass before one could observe it. Hiero wasn't particularly impressed, he let out a loud yawn and lazily strolled up to Dumah.

"Big deal, grandpa. I don't believe in things like gods and all that. I only care about the things I can see with my eyes and touch with my hands. All I see is an old man who talks but doesn't do anything." he complained, raising his hand to strike Dumah. His attack was cut short by a blurry shadow rushing across his wrist, the rider's right hand dropping to the ground. Hiero's foolish expression changed, the man letting out a cry as blood started to ooze from the stump. He dropped to his knees, tending to his bleeding wrist An orange haired woman stepped from the entry tunnel, slowly approaching Hiero.

"What a pity, I had been aiming for your neck." she cackled, looking down at him pitifully. "Consider yourself lucky, maybe your mind shall have more time to think now you have fewer hands to feel with."

The woman wasn't large by any means, a head or so shorter than Cass, and wore dark purple robes. Her orange hair was messy and wild, yet with a disorganised sense of purpose to it. Her eyes were her most striking feature, they conveyed a calm collected cruelty, and the bags under them made her look like she hadn't slept for weeks.
 

Hiero is no longer available for deployment!

Edited by Shin
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"Then we won't give him any room to do so." The more Dumah spoke, the more it seemed Belial wished to see how they would deal with Malaphar, rather than the issue of the country surrounding him. He couldn't be afraid of the man, could he? What would a God have to fear of a single person? Surely with all of his omnipresent power, he could stop him, were it to become too much of a problem... Or was this how Gods worked? Getting their worshipers to move for them, so that they didn't have to lift a celestial finger? Curious to think about, but dreadful when put into practice. Cass decided that, perhaps Engel and Belial both were held back from the mortal coil, for some reason or another. Surely if either could've touched down by now, they would have, so maybe that was what made Malaphar terrifying. A force that couldn't be touched by the power of the Gods...

Her thinking was shaken by their least intelligent member-- now making himself out to be as such by this action. Cass moved to try and stop him, but something of a spell did the work for her... Quite effective work. She turned to see the culprit, taking note of the terrifying girl... Woman? It was difficult to tell with her height, and how she seemed to keep herself. The bags under her eyes didn't help either... They didn't get a lot of sleep around here, did they? Between the near corpses of all these older practitioners, and the deep secrets this magic held, it was a mystery it had survived so long.

"Pardon the lack of respect. It's all his own. And I think he's learned the lesson well enough." Perhaps Cass would've cared more if it were Graham, Sebastian, Alain, maybe even Naiman, but this Hiero fellow seemed to have his head up his ass at all waking hours. Maybe this would help him get it free. "I assume you're this Kelbara we've been promised?" If her magic was that effective, and they could keep her from disarming anyone else, then this was a good step.

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Hiero's rash and unprovoked act came as little shock to Astaroth. Fortunately, he was not met with a torturous death by the old devil's barbaric magic, but a missing hand from who Astaroth could only assume was Kelbara. He looked at the wound, and while very grisly, it was likely that he would heal from it. "It seems your impulses got the best of you. As much as I would like to give you your gold so that you can ride on Michalis and fly home, I would not risk you leaving while the plains are so dangerous. You can tend to the wagon, as we don't have someone doing that full time. Raum, I would ask you take Hiero back to the others at the entrance, as I feel that Kelbara will suffice to bring the rest of us back." Speaking of, he turned to the flame haired woman. "So, now that we have you here, what is our next step? Start gathering allies? Or find other artifacts of the old devil to wield against Malaphar?" Astaroth helped Hiero off the cold floor. "Next time, don't tempt the gods by asking for physical proof. It never ends well."

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Naimanzuunnadintsetseg wasn't entirely impressed by what Alain's 'friends' had to offer. The 'vast knowledge' Dumah had traded his health for was nothing they hadn't already figured out for themselves. And while on the one hand she was thankful they wouldn't be trailing around a dozen cultists, she had to wonder just how much aid the one they were being given would really be able to offer. Clearly Naimanzuunnadintsetseg was going to have to do a lot more thinking on how to sway and persuade the tribes on their own terms, if the princess's dream was to be realized.

Raum's departure at least, was a small blessing, for however long it would last. There was very little for her to offer in the conversation that followed, so she opted for simply taking in what more information on this Malaphar that everyone had to offer as she could. There was a heavy debt that man owed, after all, and learning about him would help her make sure he paid it.

As matters turned to Alain's book, however, Naimanzuunnadintsetseg girded herself inwardly to prepare for quite the doldrums, as the discussion was sure to take a dive. Instead she was unpleasantly surprised when the rising light revealed this Dumah had not been alone as they had suspected, but there were many more who were scarcely more than breathing corpse. Her unpleasant surprise was all the greater when Astaroth's henchman advanced, and received quite the disproportionate response to his impertinence.

It took but a single smooth motion, and she had wheeled to face the footsteps advancing from behind them, back along the path to the entrance, bow drawn and arrow nocked. The missile was for the moment still pointed at the ground, Naimanzuunnadintsetseg had not yet pulled it back to firing position, but should this orange-haired witch begin to cast again, she had faith (perhaps misplaced) she would be quick enough to interrupt.

"What a pity," she mocked dryly. "I hold accuracy in high esteem. Attack again if you must, but if you do, know that I shall not miss the return shot."

Cass's mollifying approach to the treacherous assault was more understandable, though she definitely disagreed with it, than Astaroth himself seeming to take it in stride as but a minor setback. She frowned, and found herself doubting whether he could be really be relied upon, if something that should have struck so close to home barely phased him. At least he rushed to his man's side and began to treat the wound, but even so. If it had been Uuliinyagaantsetseg instead on the receiving end... Naimanzuunnadintsetseg's nostrils flared and her eyes narrowed just thinking about it. She waited impatiently for the woman's response.

Edited by Balcerzak
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"I... see, thank you for the insight Elder," Alain mumbled, biting his lip as he stepped back to bear witness to the myriad of other elders that had previously been hidden in the shadows. Dumah alone was enough of a shock, but the rest of the elders had turned the chamber into quite the ghastly scene. It was no wonder that the cultists had had such a difficult time propagating across the empty plains of Magonsaete. All the most powerful people were sitting around withering away into husks. What use were truths without the means to apply them? 

He took one final look at the tome before once again stowing it away. No amount of enticement from the demon would lead him to choose a life of living death, that much he could assure himself of--but...perhaps the foreign tome merited further scrutiny. Both Ethel and Dumah seemed to hold it in high regard, but neither had given him the means to unlock it's mysteries. It was an unfortunate thing, but it was his task to complete for better or for worse.  

But just as he began to ponder, his musings were cut short by Hiero's abrupt advance and subsequent threat of violence. He'd barely had enough time to react before he could grasp what was going on. Has he gone mad?! "Hey, stop! What--" he paused. "Are you doing..."

Keeling over in agony as it were. Hiero's bout of madness was put to a quick stop by the maiden of the hour. Kelbara had made her appearance with impeccable timing, striking Hiero down before he'd had the chance to follow through with his attack. Though, shocking as Hiero's bout of lunacy was, Naiman's defense of him trounced it twice over. Was she really trying to create a scene over Hiero? The very same Hiero who, just moments ago, was about to strike a withered old man completely unprovoked--in the middle of negotiations no less. What, did she hold some sort of camaraderie with the man because he too expressed his lack of belief as she had? Unbelievable. He held respect for Naiman's feats as a warrior, but his opinion of her mental facilities was surely starting to wane. 

He placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to reason with her despite her flaring temper and his own incredulity. Kelbara's words clearly belied her intent, but the last thing they needed was for her to change her mind and rise to the challenge. "I should expect Kelbara here has a duty to the Elder much in the same way Uuliinyagaantsetseg has towards you, or Sebastian has towards Graham and Cassandra. I imagine she assumed the worst, and acted accordingly. It's unfortunate, but let us not pretend as thought his intentions were pure. Let it serve as a lesson to him not to act rashly when being housed as a guest." 

 

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The wyvern rider's attempt to start something had been quickly put down by the newcomer, who seemed to be the one they were to be moving along with. It certainly was a clean shot... she said she had been aiming for his throat, but such a precise strike was unlikely an accident... was she trying to be intimidating? As bad as Sylvia felt for Hiero... losing a hand couldn't be fun, he had instigated it and been punished for his arrogance in a sense... she hadn't known the man well enough to feel more than that about the whole thing. That the scene had raised some tension was inevitable, seeing as their being here at all could have been considered controversial amongst current company. Still, there didn't seem much need to intervene yet... trying to force Buttercup to stand down could spark more conflict at this point.

"Just try to keep your head on straight, Clover. Regardless of anything else, I'd rather not have to fight my way outta here if I don't gotta."

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Of course Alain would defend his 'friend', Naimanzuunnadintsetseg inwardly grumbled. Part of what he was saying made sense, but on the other hand, it still left a man without his other hand.

"I should hope if someone were to slap me with an open palm Uuliinyagaantsetseg would not feel the need for such a disproportionate return of force," she maintained, neither raising nor lowering her weapon further. That said, this Dumah was in considerably poorer health than she was, but she wasn't about to undermine her own argument. "Restrain him, quite likely, maim him...?" Naimanzuunnadintsetseg trailed off in incredulity. "We came here seeking allies, and now it seems we have simply traded one for one; I doubt Hiero will ever fight again."

When Sylvia too tossed her hat in the ring, suggesting the plainswoman was overreacting, it really started to sink in that maybe she was alone in her defense of the (admittedly) foolish man. But when challenged, you defend a member of your tribe, whether they're right or wrong, whether you like them or no. At least until you can retreat to private and give them the stern talking to they deserve. Yes, this was not her tribe, but it was as close as Naimanzuunnadintsetseg was likely to get, and it had been instinct to follow in what should have been the common sense mannerisms for anyone. She pressed her lips tightly together, and resumed staring at the witch.

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Was this really going to happen? Cass nearly sighed, but that would just bury Naiman further into her defensive hovel. Restraining herself to closed eyes, Cass tried to figure out the best way to go about this. Hmm... Context definitely mattered here. Perhaps that approach would loosen things just a bit. "Naimanzuunnadintsetseg," starting with her entire name would hurt or help, but she owed the woman that courtesy, "you have to put things into context. Hiero was not simply about to strike the leader of some group... Look at him. Really, really look at him. I fear the elements in this cave alone could kill him, let alone a heavy fist from a burly man. Were someone about to kill Uuliin, would you not hesitate in defending her? If someone tried to take the life of Graham or Sebastian, I would find it difficult to stop them so peacefully." Cass didn't know if that would help the goings on or not, but she wanted the context of things to sink in. This was more than mere self defense, and she wanted that known.

"Hiero may not fight again, but a group needs more than warriors to survive. Sebastian and I will see to it that his wound does not do him in. He can aid with the wagon, and anything else around that... You don't have to agree, but for nearly killing the only person able to give us some direction, I don't find that to be such a harsh punishment. Were these people not so gracious, we'd very much so be fighting our way through them." That was the last thing she wanted. "You don't have to like this, and I won't tell you you're wrong, but... Please, don't get us all killed."

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Alain could probably feel Naimanzuunnadintsetseg's shoulder slouch beneath his hand when Cassandra put the final nail in the coffin. Even if Uuliinyagaantsetseg were on her side, as likely, they were the sole resistance. Still, the witch had not yet made another aggressive move, throughout all this conversation, and in light of that there was really no further point in continuing to maintain her wary, reactive posture. Especially if people were actually concerned she was jeopardizing things more than letting that orange-haired wildcard do as she pleased was.

What was perhaps most disheartening was coming to the understanding that, should she somehow make a similar lapse of judgement or misunderstand a situation, she was almost certainly to be met with similar abandonment. But Naimanzuunnadintsetseg tried to temper that by reminding herself this impromptu gathering was really in its infancy at best.

Silently sliding her arrow back into its quiver, and slipping her bow once again back to its accustomed spot, Naimanzuunnadintsetseg kept her facial expression rather stony. With everyone else having made a defense for the witch, she doubted that this Kelbara would even bother adding on further words. Half of her had a mind to just stalk off down the tunnels back to the entrance, but the rest of her didn't want to give these Belialists any more satisfaction at seeing her retreat like a wounded cur.

"Very well," she offered softly, in low tones. "It is as you say."

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"Thank you for understanding. Not that I necessarily agree with any of this, but everyone, especially Lord Dumah here, have made sacrifices for what I hope is the greater good. First and foremost, we must return to the world above to continue our goal of defeating both the Southern Tribes and Malaphar." Astaroth held tight to Hiero's still bleeding stump, holding him up under his arm. "So, are we going to stay among the living dead, or do we depart?" Realizing that Hiero shouldn't be moved while he still bled, he looked at the silent Sebastian. "However, I think we should tend to this first. Would you mind closing this wound, Sir Sebastian?"

Edited by Hylian Air Force
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Visions from Far Away

Dumah had barely noticed Hiero's attempted assault, either that or he had enough faith in his fellow cultists to have expected intervention. He simply shook his head, his hollow gaze vaguely pointed in Cass' general direction. Kelbara showed no remorse whatsoever, smirking as she walked forwards. Despite her small stature, she gave off a powerful aura, even to the members of the group who didn't follow Belial. Even with Naimanzuunnadintsetseg's bow pointed in her direction, she continued her approach, perhaps confident in preventing harm from a well placed arrow. "I'll let him keep his other hand if it pleases you, and I should be more than a suitable replacement." she sniggered, uncaring of the damage she'd caused to the foolish rider. "If he were to have laid his hands upon Elder Dumah, he would have had more than one bleeding stump to worry about, I can count at least another five I could reward him with."

Sebastian had already raised his staff to tend to Hiero's stump, watching Kelbara carefully as its light was cast upon it. Hiero muttered something under his breath, not daring to cause any more of a fuss than he already had. Graham was rather torn on the issue, the brutal display from Kelbara had rendered their ally all but useless, but at the same time he couldn't say it wasn't deserved. "Something similar might have happened back home if someone tried to attack nobility... if we're in Magonsaete, we've got to realise that they have their own way of doing things." he pitched in, breaking his silence. "It would be bad if we made a poor impression trying to recruit the other tribes." His butler seemed pleased with the suggestion, a subtle paternal air seeping out.

"There is one more thing Lord Belial offers to you, Princess Cassandra, daughter of Oswald." Dumah interrupted, having essentially ignored much of the conversation. "It is a glimpse of your home, using the eyes of a fellow follower. Be warned, it may not be as you wish to see... approach me if you desire to face it."

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The tension in the room hadn't dimmed, but Naiman was standing down, a soft smile managing on Cassandra's face. "Thank you," she almost sighed out, before Dumah spoke to her again. She'd ignored Kelbara's threats, they weren't empty, but facing as many of those as she already had, they started to lose their weight, the more she heard them... This, though. This was terrifying, but for only one reason. Stepping towards Dumah with little hesitation, she paused before him, unsure if he'd answer, but she'd be crazy not to ask. "Who?" That probably wasn't clear enough. "Who is this other follower? I wish to see, of course, I'm unafraid to see what Wyke has become... But I wish to know who there could've been a part of this, if you can tell me."

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Visions from a False Friend

Dumah reached out to Cass suddenly, his feeble arm pointing in her direction. His eyes flashed a deep purple, a sharp pressure stabbing straight into Cass' head. The enter world shifted around the Princess, the strange sensation that her eyes were not her own. Graham stepped forward to intervene but Sebastian's hand was already on his shoulder. "She's agreed to it, have faith in our strange hosts. If they had truly wished to harm us, they would have done so already." Sebastian warned, his eyes set on the whimpering Hiero. "It is best to observe for now."

-

"Valter, isn't it time to give in? You wouldn't want to deprive your daughters of another parent... would you?"

Cass' vision had become that of someone else's, their eyes were hers but she was stuck as but a spectator. Valter was in a cell in front of her, wearing a torn tunic and rather visibly injured. His right eye was badly bruised, his cheek swollen and discoloured. Cruel lacerations adorned his body, having torn through both his tunic and his skin. His usual uptight demeanour had been degraded, the man sitting weakly without the strength to stand. Despite his injuries, there was a fierce defiance in his eyes - he didn't appear ready to give in quite yet.

"I will give you another chance, Valter. Tell me the whereabouts of Owen and Cassandra. The route they took was not the one you had told me in March." Edion demanded, the sound of his voice coming from inside of Cass' own head. Edion, and Cass, stepped forward, approaching the bars of the cell. The cell was in the same dungeon that Gewaint had been held in, and if memory served correctly, it was also the same cell. "It has been a whole month since Deira have come to our doorstep, there is no happy ending, you won't last long like this. There could be a place for you in my Wyke if you just-..."

"Wyke will never be yours... The rightful king is Prince Owen. I would rather die than let a venomous serpent like yourself take the throne." Valter spat, his saliva making its way onto Edion's shoe. "I have faith that Lord Dougistan will continue to fight back... and once Prince Owen returns... your niece would be-..."

Edion slammed his fist on the cell bars, silencing Valter in his tracks. "Guards, prepare Earl Valter for another session." Edion barked, his voice uncharacteristically harsh." I must return to Queen Eowa... it would not do to leave her with the baby alone-..."

The vision quickly became hazy and distant, Cass' consciousness drawing away from the scene quickly. Whatever Edion had planned for afterwards could only be left to Cass' imagination.

-

Cass had returned to the room with Dumah and the others, time having barely passed for them all. Dumah looked at Cass forebodingly, a trace of sorrow present across his withered face. The elder closed his eyes slowly, falling into an exhausted sleep. Graham stepped towards Cass slowly, both concerned and curious as what to she had seen. "Cass? Are you OK? You just stood there for a few seconds... it didn't hurt did it?" he asked, fearing what kind of horrors that Dumah had made her see. Sebastian released his shoulder, the butler still distrusting of the Belialists.

"Elder Dumah has been kind to share his visions with you, Princess." Kelbara sniggered, leaving Hiero on the floor to sulk. "Unlike Lord Belial, the forces of nature do not appear to be so accomodating to your journey. It would be best that you remain within our community until travel becomes more feasible. As long as you are willing to be civil, there should be no further instances of... retribution."

All players are free to post! Belialist Cave has been added to the sheet!

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A small yelp, and Cass was ushered off to another world... Wyke, as she'd been told. She remembered where this was, unfortunately... But she didn't expect to see Valter there. This voice, though... It was... "Craven snake," she bit out, obviously unable to do anything but watch, hands clenched tight enough to turn her knuckles white. So this had been part of his plan all along. Wyke hadn't been taken through sheer force, it was all a setup. Get the children out of the country, trail them, kill them, rule over Wyke while playing pawn to Deira... And Queen... "You bitch!" Cass was violently taken back to the room, nearly collapsing, staggering back and managing to hold her footing.

"I'll kill them," was her first reply to Graham, biting her lip hard enough to make it bleed. "I'll kill them both and their foul spawn, how dare...!" This wasn't the place to have a outburst, trembling as she was. "I'm fine, Graham. Just have a few extra loose ends to tie up when we get back to Wyke. I'll tell you later... Just, give me, some time." To many thoughts racing around in her mind. How long, when, who else, her own mother... "There's always more, isn't there?" Her question had been for the air, turning as Kelbara remarked on Cass' apparently charitable moment.

"Quite... Take me somewhere I can, try to calm down, and... And lay all of this out. Please. Alain, if you wouldn't mind coming with me, I have some questions I need to ask you as well." Hopefully the Belialists had some area of respite in these caverns. This is your own fault, anyway... I'll bet that whore threw herself in with this lot when I told her of Adele. We'll see how she grovels when I burn the castle down... Cass had said she was ready for whatever visions would come, but these... These were not something you could see and forget about.

Edited by SnakeMomMelissa
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With Carnation settling down, and the Princess accepting an offer of some odd ritual from this Elder... and whoo boy she came out swinging. From her facial expression to her words, it was obvious that she had been shown some sort of personal betrayal by this vision... and as curious as Sylvia was to see what exactly the Princess had been exposed to, try and understand her a tad better, it seemed she wished to simmer down with those she was more accustom to... fair enough, if a bit disappointing for the corsair. If nothing else, it seemed that she intended to accept the invitation to stay, at the very least until she had sorted herself out. 

"Well, if 'yer invitin', it might be nice t'get the rainwater out. Y'all got a place t'wash up around here, or we waitin' till the rain clears t'get to a nearby river or somethin'?"

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"It's nothing to worry too much about, the moment will pass soon enough," Alain said, trying to alleviate some of Graham's concerns. With the tensions between Kelbara and Naiman somewhat settled, the room fell under an ominous trance as the occupants waited with hushed breaths for Cass' spiritual return. And as he had predicted, following a few terse minutes, Cassandra's vision had come to pass and her mind had returned to the present--though her amiable demeanor had seemingly been lost along the way. 

"If that is your wish," he replied, taking his place behind Kelbara. Her rage aside, whatever sort of vision she'd been faced with had seemingly set in motion the manifestation of Cass' convictions. At least he could be pleased about that. He turned to face the rest of his companions who were no doubt somewhat puzzled by the recent developments. "It looks like we'll be staying here a while longer. I suggest you all take this opportunity to recuperate and get to know the locals. Just be mindful of where you wander," he warned. 

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Astaroth wanted to ask Cassandra what just happened, but he decided he did not want to risk being struck. He looked around, and followed one hall to the library, hoping that Hiero followed him. He saw the single wall of books. Most of them seemed worn and illegible, but there was one that he looked upon that struck his fancy the most. It looked newer than the other books, and seemed almost plain compared to some of them. "I wonder what small secrets you hold, my friend."

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Home but Not

Graham grew more concerned with each sentence Cass uttered, her murderous rage a sign that she'd seen something undesirable. He was hard pressed to think of anyone Cass would outright murder, was it possibly someone that he knew too? He nodded slowly, relieved that she intended to return to Wyke rather than becoming a club wielding savage in the wilds of Magonsaete. "Right, I understand... I'll be there when you need me." he replied, taking some comfort in knowing that she at least had him on the list of people to tell. Cass' life was only getting stranger and scarier, but he wanted to stay as part of it. His chances of being as close to her as his sister had faded, although his current dynamic was far more comfortable, it was almost like old times.

"You're more than welcome to find a place to fester, young Princess." Kelbara reassured slyly, rather amused by Cass' sudden shift in mood. "If you desire water, travel down to the caverns, be sure not to get lost, there are a few individuals who I haven't seen for quite some time... wandering alone often leads to unfortunate accidents."

Sebastian and Uulinyagaansetseg remained quiet, choosing to let their masters speak for the time being. They had a shared caution about them, perhaps the only things a savage and a butler could have in common.

-

Long Loan


Astaroth's solitary adventure to the library had led him to an individual book, its cover standing out among the dark and dusty volumes. At first it didn't seem too different to Engel's own holy book, but there was a stark difference. Instead of religious texts, there were other messages. Written in a spidery black font, the book's contents rather ominous in their goal.

"Engel is dead, there is only Belial."
"There is no light after death, only darkness."
"His hand falls because of inaction of an ally."
"The people of the false king will fall to the south, their souls delivered to Belial's depths."

"Darkness will take one from own as the moon hides."
"The bare-legged son will take the life of his kin, lamenting his loss until the end."

Edited by Shin
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Astaroth continues to read, talking to the book, which seemed to mock him with a form of prophecy. "If you have something meaningful to say, book, I would do it now. Even if there is no light in death, I can still hope there is, no matter if it be truth or not. What do you think I was supposed to do, grab him? It happened in seconds, I couldn't think that fast." He read on... "No, I'll not believe it! My people will not fall to the likes of that sorceror!" Astaroth begins to sweat as his hands begin to shake, but then he looks again at the Book of Engel. I have to remain calm. If these things come to pass, then I must continue to live on, just as Naiman and Uuliin have. He picks up the book again. "If you insist on torturing me, then why don't you tell me what happens to everyone else?" The rhetorical question followed with a search for ink, quill, and paper. Astaroth was not as well written as he was well read, but he decided to humor the book a little longer.

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"...Actually, Graham, come with us. I'll tell you now... Sebastian, anyone else, feel free. I'll explain to the rest of you later, if necessary." Cass turned towards the halls, wondering where exactly they would get lost with so many of them coming with her, now... Sebastian would no doubt follow Graham, and the boy would come, feeling needed. Where to begin... "I'll try not to get lost. Thank you for your concern." She started off, mulling over what to address first. Likely the political, before the personal... And Graham would likely wish to hear the state of Wyke, even if it wasn't pleasant.

"Wyke has fallen, as we'd expected," she began, sighing. "I'm not sure if you remember earl Edion, Graham... But I'm sure you do, Sebastian. He's turned to work with Deira... He's who I saw through. He was... Trying to interrogate Valter, on where Owen and I were. The poor man, he was so beaten... But he hasn't told them anything. I didn't think he had it in him, to be honest. I'm glad I was wrong... In any case. We've got more than the Deirans to flush out of Wyke, when we return. And I'll be dealing with Edion myself..." The aforementioned Mr. E. Edion had done more to ruin Cass' life than anyone else, the devil behind that terrible night. Cass could imagine herself strangling him now, taking great pleasure in his life slowly fading away. He couldn't just try and ruin her life though, could he?

"And he's sleeping with my mother. Whether she turned to their side out of fear or pleasure, I don't care. They'll both die for these transgressions... To that end, Alain," she started, ready to answer questions from any of them, as the halls seemed to be coming to some form of living area. "I believe now's the time for me to learn that spell you gave me... Were we less pressed, I would continue and try myself, but... With the time for action swiftly coming upon us, I fear I must be taught more directly. If you've no problem with that, then please. Allow me to learn, so I can better help us all."

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