The Carnis does not seem impressed by Depheir's bravado in attempting to belittle him.
"Heh. You're a bigger fool than I suspected. I can read your thoughts, you dungheap. I know everything that has ever happened to you, ever miniscule thought that crosses your mind, and even when you need to make a bowel movement!So, if you think your little, 'I want to be a bad guy' act is even the least bit convincing, you are sadly mistaken."
"As for you giving me an opportunity to free myself, you did no such thing. The fact of the matter is, you turned on your supposed ally at a moment's notice... not because you wanted to 'join the Forsaken' (as if they would even accept you!) but because you were AFRAID. Being an Immortalis requires LOYALTY to your brethren. Whether Ageless or Forsaken, they protect and aid their kin. I'm a Carnis and even I know that! But you! You turned on a man who wished nothing more than to protect you. Even the other, the man with the bird, saw something was amiss, but you blindly took action, which is why they are safe somewhere, and you're being paraded about like a meat puppet."
"Furthermore, in regards to my 'plan,' there is no plan. I told you I have an appointment to keep and that is all there is to it. Truthfully, I can get there on my own, but using you allows me to move faster, even at your rather pathetic pace."
"I don't know what you mean with this suicide dung. I can't die, moron. I'm a spirit. Whenever my host gets destroyed, I just move along to another one. But for now, you will have to do and keep in mind... you have only as much free will as I allow you. You are a Childer Immortalis and lack the will of your elder brethren." To illustrate this point, it seems the Carnis decides to provide you with an example. You feel your hand clench and begin to rise into the air. Against your will, your own fist careens towards you with immense power and slams into your forehead.
"See? Stop punching yourself! Stop punching yourself!" Again and again, your fist slams into your face. The blows leave no permanent damage, but it's fairly obvious who is in control here. The Carnis has chosen you as its vessel, and unless you find some means to break from its grasp, you're along for the ride.
Your fist falls to your side. "You also lack the power of your elder brethren, so I would think twice before crossing me, and drop the charade. I know who you are and what you're capable of."
After some time, your feet stop in their tracks and the Carnis seems to be looking for something. "Ah. There it is."
He turns your feet away from the trail and soon the road becomes a distant memory. "Night will be falling soon and I can't take any chances. I might not be able to die, but there are fates worse than death."
Archer regards Sembas's question thoughtfully. "Hmm... Admittedly, I have not been this way for quite some time. If memory serves, the closest place of any consequence would be a small human city called Ardian, but that's quite a trek."
Dennan grunts. "I can't imagine why the Carnis would venture that far south."
"Nor I," agrees Archer. "However, while we stand around pondering, Depheir may be in grave danger."
"Then we can't waste any time," speaks Constancy.
Fenwick nods. "We're going to have to move quickly."
"I can take care of that." Constancy crouches and presses his hand upon the ground before him. The ground beneath all of your feet illuminates and you feel as if the soles of your boots have grown lighter somehow. "That should hasten our journey."
Archer bids you follow her and the party sets forth at a quick pace. Despite Dennan's previous injuries, he seems to be keeping pace just fine, though Fensten casts him the occasional concerned glance.
After some time, you note that Depheir's tracks veer away from the road and your party follows them to a dense section of forest in the heart of the woods. The sun is setting and the darkness sweeps in with an all-consuming ferocity that permeates every glimmer of light and abolishes it from the horizon.
Dennan, never much of a talker, grunts and you see his eyes illuminate in the blackness that surrounds you. They gleam with an otherworldly glow, casting shadows on the corners of his face. Deftly, he and Archer move through the forest, leading you deeper into its grasp as they follow Depheir's path.
Ahead of you, you can just make out the faint glimmer of torchlight.
"Torches? In the middle of the forest?" wonders Archer allowed.
"I cannot sense any Forsaken here," speaks Dennan.
A voice comes from somewhere behind the small, illuminated area ahead."That's because there are none here."
"That voice," says Archer quietly. "That voice... I know it."
"As you should," comes the reply.
The Ageless around you instinctively reach for their weapons as a dark figure emerges from the trees and steps into the light of the torches. He is tall, standing around 6'5'' and a bow is slung on his shoulder. Two longswords, one sheathed at either of his sides, glint silver as he moves closer to you. His eyes are a deep shade of green and his lightly tanned skin remarks of days in the sun.
Dennan snarls and prepares to charge forward, but Archer's cry of "Wait!" breaks the silence of the night.
"Wait! Dennan! It's Aras!" cries Archer.
Dennan shakes his head. "Aras? No. It is not. I know Aras. I could sense him if it was truly him. It is some trick. Some illusion made by the Carnis."
"You doubt me?" The man raises his hands in the air to show that he means no harm and you can all see two very apparent scars on either hand. The scars are nearly perfect circles of a three inch diameter and mar each of his palms. Each of you recognizes it as a Death Wound.
"Aras, I know it is you... but it cannot be. What magic is this that masks your nature? Some spell?" questions Archer in confusion.
"That is no spell," remarks Constancy. "A spell could mute what he is, but could not hide it completely."
"I will explain it all in due time," promises Aras.
"Why should we trust you?" asks Fenwick warily.
"What choice do you have? Were you not sent by the General to fetch me? I will not be returning with you, and you must tell them all why." Aras beckons for all of you to come closer.
Constancy appears nervous. "What do we do?"
"We do as he bids. He is only one, and we are many. Should it fall to battle, we can dispatch him," replies Archer quietly.
"But you said you don't know what he is! It's obvious he's neither Ageless nor Forsaken. He can't be Aras," argues Constancy.
Aras sighs. "I knew you would make this difficult." He shakes his head and an amused expression crosses his face. "That's because I am neither Ageless nor Forsaken any longer. I belong to the Lady of Shadows."
Archer cannot hide her surprise, but Dennan's expression betrays little. This announcement is met with curiosity by Constancy, and ignorance by the rest of you. Fenwick recalls reading something of the Lady of Shadows in one of the tomes in the library. The entry was sketchy at best, as not much was known about her. She was said to be a spirit of some sort that did not often associate with neither Ageless nor Forsaken. Her part in the glorious war between the two factions was neutral, and she never directly interfered in the affairs of the Immortalis. What is known is that she is an immensely powerful being of indistinct age. The earliest accounts of the Lady of Shadows extend over a thousand years.
"Come, your friend Depheir awaits you within." Aras beckons for you to follow him and Archer and the other Elder Immortalis warily lead you forward.
You follow Aras to an immense, black tree. Its gnarled, craggy branches angrily claw at the sky, and a large, hole can be seen in the side of the trunk that faces you.
You all follow Aras down into the tree and when you arrive, you find yourself in a wide corridor. At points, the roots of the tree can be seen creeping along the ceiling or across the walls. Soon, you arrive in an enormous chamber. The floor, impressively enough, is of a smooth, flat stone, and the walls are lined with torches. Upon a throne at the far end of the room sits a woman clad in ebony robes. Her sanguine, red hair falls across her shoulders, and as you enter, she turns her violet eyes to face you.
"Welcome, Children of the Divine." Her voice is soft and alluring."I knew you would arrive, but I was not so sure when it would be. Luckily, Lai arrived with Depheir and told me you would likely be following your friend. I hope you will forgive his previous actions as he took you for our enemies. At first glance, he thought you were human."
"Humans are your enemies?" asks Archer incredulously.
"Not all humans, Child... It is the Otaktay who are our enemies," explains the presumed Lady of Shadows. "It was for them the trap was set."
Constancy appears deep in thought. "Otaktay... 'they who kill many?' They are humans who have committed themselves to the decimation of the Immortalis, both Ageless and Forsaken alike. With no way to kill us outright, they seek other means. We are aberrations of nature to them and they would like to see us struck from the earth."
"Yes. As of late, they have been patrolling this area due to the Forsaken presence in Il'adoul."
"So the Forsaken are in Il'adoul," notes Archer.
"Yes. However, the Otaktay are becoming an even bigger threat than the Forsaken. They are looking for a way to enter the battlefield," explains the Lady.
You all take this to mean the area where the Ageless and Forsaken war against each other without interference of outside entities.
"Why?" questions Constancy.
The Lady shrugs. "Even I know not. However, despite their hatred of Immortalis, the Otaktay are human and see it as their duty to protect other humans and hunt down the Immortalis whenever possible. The trap made it appear as if humans had been beset by the Forsaken. Lai was to wait until they came to investigate, then obliterate them."
A rumbling voice, Dennan, asks "Where is Depheir?"
"Resting," responds Aras. "Unfortunately, it was only after Lai set upon you that he realized what you are. It was foolish and irresponsible on his part, but believe it or not, he meant well."
"The Carnis has a name?" Archer shakes her head in disbelief. "He nearly destroyed us."
"You keep a creature like that as a pet!" cries Constancy.
"He is an ally... an important one. Look, I know there is a lot that needs to be explained, but I fear it is a rather long tale," speaks Aras.
Meanwhile, several rooms away, Depheir is seated at a table with an immense man of incredible stature. He seems the quiet sort and has spent the last hour or so staring at Depheir curiously. His long, raven tresses fall across his shoulders. His sky-like eyes are piercing and intense, and Depheir finds himself uncomfortable being watched by him.
Since arriving at the hollowed tree, Depheir has learned that the "appointment" was between the Carnis and this Lady of Shadows. Upon being introduced to the woman, Depheir could sense her incredible power. He learned that the Carnis was called Lai, and that he no longer served the Adversary, but answers to this mysterious woman. So, too, had he learned that Aras serves the Lady of Shadows, though the reason why had not been revealed to him. However, the woman had treated him with hospitality, offering him food and drink, and the Carnis had even grown cordial since arriving at the tree.
"Depheir? Aren't you hungry? You should keep your strength up," advises the Carnis.
After some time of wandering the northern lands once inhabited by the Ebonmane Clan, Fiorin had been sought out by the Lady of Shadows, an enigmatic woman who offered him a new purpose in life. Though the Thunder Caller was dead, she told Fiorin that a part of him still lived on in the terrror his brethren, the Forsaken, inflicted upon the innocent. She had come to collect him personally and with little purpose left since he had defeated his Clan's greatest enemy, he had come with her, more out of a sense of curiosity than anything else. He had known nothing of the Forsaken, but he quickly learned of their nature, and that of the Ageless. He, himself, had ascended to the ranks of the Ageless, and the Lady promised he would one day meet more like him. However, that had been months ago, and now, this wounded mage before him was not one of the strong, intelligent, honorable warriors that he had expected to meet. The Lady told Fiorin that once the Ageless arrived, they would claim him and welcome him into their fold. Perhaps he would even see Avalon, a place Aras had often told him of that serves as the seat of power for the Ageless.
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Blood casts Sig a curious glance as he runs about the room like a maddened fool. He examines his lute forlornly, and she cannot mask her confusion when he reaches into the belly of the instrument and plucks out a flask. He seems exasperated when it is empty.
He nakedly flails about in a crazed effort to locate another flask before finally pulling one from the hairy confines of his beard. Whatever is within the vial has an exceptionally fragrant scent.
A satisfied belch escapes his lips and Blood's eyes widen when it is followed by a gout of flame. Not taking her eyes off him, she points to a dresser in the corner upon which his clothes are folded.
"So... that was... I don't know what the bleeding fuck that was. What was that all about?!" She shakes her head in confusion.
