AChapter 21
The party are in the deepest depths of... well nowhere, thje place between places the good for nothing dead end that used to lead somewhere and is now blocked by the ancient will of Carbuncle and he who is the King of Kharma but the item the party is after lies buried somewhere beneath the rock fall ahead....
"So," Silmeria says, turning to Azar. "It seems we've a bit of time on our hands... I am sorry, Azar. It's not so much smarmy looks as... well. Some battles must be fought in secret, and there simply hasn't been *time* to bring you up to speed properly. I'd hope to do that on the ship... but..." Shaking her head, she moves to sit down next to the redheaded warrior. "What do you know of the Lucavi, Red?"
Ainsley looks toward Azar, and then to Silmeria, and then to the seemingly insurmountable wreckage before them. She steps up to it and rests her hand upon the rubble, eyes lidded. Her mouth falls into a frown. "The Torque probably keeps this passage closed," she muses aloud, and then shakes her head, letting out a heavy sigh. Then she just sits down there and pulls her knees up to her chest, trying to think of a solution, while watching the others. "Not much, I am afraid, Blue. Just that they were demons." She turns to one side and spits, rather unladylike. "They were powerful, yet their leader was defeated, and they have conspired since to bring their leader back." She looks to the others and then back to Silmeria, "If you fight these demons, how are you keeping it a secret?"
Lee joins Ainsley at the face of the collapse, cocking his head at her mention of the purpose of the Torque, "If'n it does, luv, then us haulin' off wit it likely might stir some trouble, but no way 'round that given th'circumstances. Jus' have'ta deal wit wot comes... Or, mayhap someone else'll." He stays at the blockage as Ainsley joins Azar, looking for loose pieces, big or small, that he can perhaps shift or remove, for lack of anything better to do, calling back as he fiddles with rocks and stones, "Not s'much that we're fightin' them, Azar; s'a bit more conv'luted'n that." He offers no further comment, leaving he storytelling to Silmeria and whoever else pitches in.
Marduke walks up with Ainsley to the wall considering it thoughtfully, "We are on a path between points near or out in nowwhere, at least that is my guess. The spirit realms already have a certain level of abstraction to them. Perhaps there is a way to restory the memory of what this passage was before it was destroyed?" A glance to Ainsley, "Entropy, decay, break down. The philosopical opposite in many cases of creation, building, dynamism." Tapping his chin, "I mean we could just attempt to channel our will to create a new passage, but frankly outside of that, I got nothing." He glances back to Silmeria and Azar, "Red, Blue, sorry to interupt, any ideas here? Time still is not on our side."
"Perhaps appeal to a will greater than our own?" Silmeria points out to the Summoner, raising a finger to point upward. "That theory does seem sound, after all..." Smiling at Marduke, she turns back to Azar, nodding. "Lee does have the right of it. You see... some time ago, Ainsley was accompanying some scholars out on a dig. She found something... something fairly terrible, for her personally, and the world in general eventually; a crack in the prison of the Whisperer. The Lucavi whose Purpose I now carry. Now, Ainsley *is* that crack... and she may be the key to the Whisperer's freedom."
"And the whole point of this quest is to seal the crack, and get the damn woman out of my head," Ainsley tells Azar, with no shortage of frustration in her voice. She stands up and feebly kicks at a piece of rubble. And then she shouts at the rubble, "You hear that, Shemhazai!? Go get bent!" She throws up her hands. "How in Ifrit's fiery chesthairs are we going to get to the Torque?" she complains.
Azar tilts her head to one side, trying to fathom the tale she is hearing. She looks from Silmeria to Ainsley and back again. "If she's the crack, then she can get us in, yes? And if she's the crack, she's also a way out, correct? And if you... that's some purpose by the way. If you're the purpose, perhaps you can use Ainsley to get us to and fro?" The red-head just shrugs, "I have no idea what I am saying, or if I even understand what you're trying to say." Azar looks to Marduke, "Yep, my idea is that we need to start digging, if a magical means is not feasible."
Lee nods along to Silmeria and Ainsley, "In short, wot we're all..." And then, he trails off, blinking, as the comment about Ifrit's chest hair registers, the pale young man slowly turning his eyes to the frustrated scholar, "My... Colorful." He shakes his head, "Anyway... Wot we're about is, point in fact, savin' th'soul o'my dear an' beloved, adorable, an' oft fiery li'l scholar." He cocks his head, looking back at Azar, "Well, that *may* be so, but "in" isn't where we're tryin' ta go, exactly. Not aimin' t'ave tea wi'tha Shem-hazard, after all, just get at wotever's buried under this 'ere ruddy cave-in. Tryin' ta seal th'crack, not use it. Usin' it, ie her, s'wot Pretty-Boy an' his ilk wanna do, much t'tha detriment o'my Ains."
"We pray." Marduke offers glancing to Silmeria, and then to Ainsley, "She is right, it isn't a bad idea. I know the spirits are not taking a direct hand in this, but they have taken a indirect hand in things. Appeal to a higher will, and we may get the answer we need, or the passage may open. Maybe a clue we have missed." Longshoots, the summoner clearly does not like this at all. "Azar, digging would take months. Months down here. I can barley see more then a foot in front of me. People go insane in these kind of conditions. Now while I potentially make myself look like a idiot." Grinning towards the party. Then turns and kneels down, seems he is going to attempt appealing to a higher will! Making a joke about it trying to keep some humor in their more then desperate situation.
( Marduke settles down and prays.... after a few moments the air around the summoner tuyrns frosty and crystalline... streaked with dark smears of oily darkness and dust.... and then the light goes out... ) [Spoofed By: Silvante]
Marduke has his eyes closed, but even he notices when the light goes out. He speaks up soon after, not in a panic. his voice actually carries a touch of hope to it. "Keep calm, I have gained insight. We have a possibility, kneel with me. All of us pray, pray to Titan. The lord of Earth, for help in moving this rock. The memory we seek is near." A slight shifting of his position as he goes about doing just that.
"Well that's the thing," SIlmeria ponts out, "we don't *want* to have easy access to the Whisperer's prison. We *certainly* don't want the Whisperer to get her hands on Ainsley, either. Thus, what I'd thought would be a journey of relatively mundane danger has been... well, made shatteringly dangerous." She seems about to go on, at length, but is drawn up short by Marduke's first attempt... And his revelation is met with a beaming grin, as though Marduke were a talented student figuring out a difficult problem. "...I'll go on, later," she says to Azar. "For now, though... we need to beseech upon the Lord of Earth and Stone, to help us clear our path." And with that, she slides onto the ground, settling herself comfortably, eyes closed.
Ainsley looks to Marduke with some bewilderment as the strange crystalline manifestation occurs... and then walks over to sit nearby, picking a spot that helps complete a circle. She doesn't say much more, but her smile shows her trust and appreciation with the solution that Marduke has potentially provided for the group. "Oh." She pauses. "Should we all hold hands?" she asks, uncertain what the exact procedure for this is.
Azar hmms and nods to the others, and then Silmeria, settling upon the ground. She leans back against a rock, crosses her legs, and shuts her eyes. The red-head reaches out and takes Silmeria and Ainsley's hands. "Can't hurt.", she says quietly, "Would make me feel a little better too."
Lee cocks his head at Marduke, and heh's softly at the comment made to keep the mood light. Then, the air gets strange and crystaline, getting a curious look from the man, and it looks like he wants to comment, but he doesn't, instead holding his piece and joining the others, kneeling down and taking Ainsley's other hand, though whether that's for the praying, or just because, isn't immediately apparent, and his free hand is, at least, available. Still, settled down, he closes his eyes and does his best to do something he's apparently not done a whole lot of in the past, given his look of uncertainty: Pray.
Marduke shakes his head, "Just focus your thoughts on asking Lord Titan for help. I will channel the appeal, as can Silmeria." He offers opening his eyes glancing around. A touch of a smile, "We may also owe Titan a favor or service as well for his help." Making sure they are aware of the possibility, before closing his eyes again, being his appeal to Titan.
Marduke speaks carefully, "Greater Spirit of Earth, Lord Titan. We request of you come to our aid. Move the earth of this ancient fallen path before us, so we may gain access to the item we seek. The Torque of Entropy. No further do we need to go, only to what it is that we seek to save our comrade among us. Request of me what you will, a service I will owe should you request it upon such of my person." Never ask the spirits for something free, Summoner 101.
The Esper seems to leave it to Marduke to do the talking, simply bowing her head, as a humble servant should, and lending her will to push the Summoner's will on its path. As the Spirit's presence suffuses the ruined chamber, she squeezes the hands of those on either side of her, encouraging and hopeful.
The lizard scholar has her hands taken, so that the whole ritual can begin... and then closes her eyes to concentrate to some degree. She frowns, as she hasn't done anything like this before and is uncertain how skilled she could possibly be. Ainsley keeps quiet as Marduke speaks, though she does peek at him with one eye.
Azar grins at Ainsley for a moment, the red-head also having one eye open and peering around. She squeezes both hands she holds, remaining silent, her prayer between herself and Titan. Lee has nothing to add to Marduke's plea, either, eyes closed, and head bowed, whatever will he is adding to back Marduke's call done silently, and earnestly as well. The feeling of the pressence of the Spirit in the tunnel is a sensation he's not used to, leaving him to hunch and roll his shoulders briefly as he shakes off the goosebumps.
Marduke feels the pressence of Titan, and keeps his position waiting for the response. A glance to each of those around him helping him, then back to keeping his focus. He has nothing else to add to his plea already given.
There is a moment of quiet and then a faint rumbling.... before their eyes and in the faint light cast by their lantern the party can see the rocks and shale being pushed back! Flattened, heated, crushed.... as the minutes pass a small tunnel open in the rock fall... pushing backwards, opening.. widening and then it stops and the spiritual presence departs. The brightest thing down the new tunnel of crushed shale and coal that now gleams and shimmers in crystalline diamond splendour is a glowing sphere of emerald crystal nestled inside a circular object that seems to suck in the light.....
Silmeria is currently 13 minutes idle and may not get back to you soon. You page, "As titan departs you get an odd sense of... puzzlement from his spirit. As if there wa something unasked, a question outside of the rules that he could not voice." to Silmeria.
As the path clears, the smile on Silmeria's face grows wide. "You've puzzled the Lord Titan greatly," she says, slowly letting go of the hands to either side of her, "but well done, Summoner Marduke. Well done indeed."
When the tunnel is cleared, Ainsley releases the hands of her fellow adventurers, and turns to start walking toward the object that is, presumably, exactly what they had come to get. She has this great big smile on her face thanks to seeing the shining object... and since the circular object is sucking in light, she's pretty sure it's exactly what she was looking for! "Bless you, Marduke, for knowing how to talk to spirits."
Azar stands one the ceremony is complete, and she peers at the object in the freshly made tunnel. "So uhm, lets take it and leave before Sir Face-I'd-Like-To-Smash returns."
Lee keeps his eyes closed until the sound of shifting stone and such stops, his eyes opening again as Silmeria speaks. He nods in agreement, "Na'bad, na'bad a-tall, sez I..." He stands, helping Ainsley up to her feet as well when she's ready, eyeing the objects at the end of the newly-made tunnel, brows furrowed in thought, "Hmm..." He looks to Silmeria, "Silm, kin I 'ave tha compass back? Gonna give it a check real quick."
Marduke looks to Silmeria, his smile not quiet so joyful, "I sensed that to. Very confused. I am more worried why. Though I suspect as the rules were obyed, I to am indepted not. I may find out why there was confusion." A glance towards the object, "Indeed, the sooner the better. We make a mad dash now for the Temple of Diablos do we not? I hope you guys have figured out how to find it?" His is suddenly tense, keeping a eye out should the pretty squad show up.
"I believe," Silmeria says, digging the compass out of a pocket, and handing it off to Lee, "that the 'why' of this request was unclear. He did have trust in us, however, else he'd not have answered. And if Lee's compass tells true, I do agree with Azar."
Lee's comnpass GLOWS brightly as Silmeria hands it over... it is pointing a pale green line straight to the glowing green gem in the middle of the dark torque. It appears Carbuncle' memory is here! And as Ainsley gets closer she might well feel jubilant inside! The torque is here, the last item they need from the list given to them by the High Priestess of Shiva in her Temple under the guidance of Lord Hades himelf!
Aaand then Ainsley /runs/ to the objects to acquire them, laughing triumphantly, tail swishing behind her, that weird light coat she has flowing out like a cape. She'd even stagger to a stop before reaching to pick up the objects. "They're both together! Isn't that strange?" she remarks to the others, "Though I guess if his memory needed to be retrieved, he wouldn't remember where it actually was, huh?"
Azar hmms and taps her foot, "Time's a ticking, isn't it?" She looks to Silmeria, "So what are all these ... memory things about then?"
Lee takes the compass, and blinks as it lights up like a proverbial christmas tree, looking from it to the objects and back, the arrow pointing firmly at the objects, "True as true ever was... Seems it's a package deal, an' both tha things we're after lie in th'same place. An', by th'look of it, they'd have t'ave been from tha very start... Why would Carbuncle bury a memory along wi'tha Torque?" He follows after Ainsley, keeping himself near her just for safety's sake as she collects the objects, nodding in agreement with Ainsley and looking to Silmeria, "'Xactly my thoughts, Ains. Dun that seem a mite bit odd t'you, too, Silmeria?" He looks over Ainsley's shoulder at the objects, "My worry, luv, is a bit deeper... Can only wonder what this mem'ry really is, an' if it were truly lost at all, or if'n it were *sealed* down 'ere intentionally fer some reason." He gives Ainsley's sleeve a tug, "Azar's right, though, we'll 'ave ta worry on it later; tha less time we fritter away 'ere, tha better, so let's git yer cute scholarly behind an' those baubles well an' out o'here, eh?"
Marduke taps his staff into the ground as he thinks a moment. "Safest place to put a dangerous memory is it not? The torque itself is sealed in the memory, a way of protecting it. We were entrusted with this, but for now. The faster we move the better. We are not in a favorable spot here. Silmeria, I do not suppose there would be a back door or a exit they might not expect us to take?"
As Lee reaches out to take hold of the Memory from Ainsley there is a strange shudder in the ground.... a soft chime of energy flows all around them and the memory crystal glows brightly the moment the man's fingers touch the crystal. It flashes and then unfolds! The party are stood in a long corridor formed by huge lavender bushes. The scent is heavy in the air mingling with the ozone scent of powerful magic! A short distance from the party several figures are fighting, Lord Carbuncle, Lady Undine and the King of Kharma Tonberry King himself. They are fighting a tall, regally beautiful figure with a long cascade of silver hair that is held back by a crown of those lavender blooms. Undine thrusts with the trident that is her hall-mark, pushing the figure backwards just as Carbuncle slap a dark circular object onto the ground and Tonberry King drives his dagger into the ground. Everything turns dark! The starlight over head is cut off as a curving tunnel of stone erupts through the lavender bushes shredding them..... it seals over head with a thump and starts to shake and tremble and collapse! Undine unleashes a wave of force and the tall, hauntingly beautiful figure is blasted backwards as the Lady of Healing rides the wave of her magic in retreat.... Tonberry King is already running ahead of her and as Carbuncle is picked up he lets out a shriek as the figure that can only be Shemhazzi lashes out with a tendril of darkness. It ceases the spirit of memory.... Tonberry turns, slcing.... a beautiful green gem falls down... bouncing.... landing inside the torque before all becomes dark and the ceiling of the new tunnel collapses with a roar! As the dust settles the party's vision and eyes clear... starlight shines down from above.... the scent of lavender is heavy in the air and fire-flies are starting to bob and dance around the long tunnel of fragrant flowers.... the collapsed tunnel of coal and shale is gone.
"What in the..." Silmeria turns, frowning all about them, eyes unfocusing. "This... where are we? Father?" Stepping away from the group, she turns her head skyward. "Father, I can feel you, where *are* we?"
The memory bathes them all in light, and the immediate reaction Ainsley has is to squint, and then /frown/ when the images play out before them. The figure -- a face she can place to Shemhazai -- gets a leer of unmatched fury and hatred because she instinctively knows who it is without even having to piece together the context. It's probably the hair. When the scene concludes, and the dust clears... She peers about, cluelessly rubbing the back of her head. "I would guess we're in the same tunnel as before, Silmeria, but... with the effects of the Torque reversed." She warily glances down the tunnel. "Which means... the door is open?" She then hurriedly suggests, "Maybe we should leave."
Lee's eyes widen at the sudden shift in scenery and the replay of past events; even Lee recognizes what he sees as something that *was* and not something that *is*. And when it's over, and the stone tunnel gone, replaced by bushes and fireflies and a vast, starry sky, he blinks and shakes his head, looking around, "Um... Oops?" He clears his throat, slipping the memory gem into a pocket, "I fink I'm in agreement wi' Ainsley on this: Rapid vacation o'tha premises sounds a right marvelous idea. I only 'ope I, er we ain't accidentally let tha whisperin' bitch out. That'd be all kinds o'pains in tha ass, it would."
Marduke watches the scene with a frown. Then nods his head slowly as he glances to the others, "The memory, to seal the Lucavi away. Using the power of the torque to maintain it. If I am piecing things together right. I am starting to suspect the items are not meant to free Ainsley, but a means to properly seal him away." A glance to Silmeria as he watches her and glances around thoughtfully and shakes his head, "I suggest we prepare for a fight, spirits be with us." A sense of dread in his voice.
Someone starts clapping... a tall bright figure with long flowing white hair dressed in beautiful silver armour... as he approaches Savourn has a huge smile on his face. "Oh my darling you have no idea how happy you have made me," he coos in Ainsley's direction. "Such wondrous things you have done..." as he walk forward he seems to get taller... body tretching, armour fading.... replacing with a diaphonous robe of flowing silver and black just like the figure in the memory was wearing. The features shift, no longer so rugged and manly but feminine and soft with cruel dark eyes. The hair stays the same, the beautiful, flowing, silvery locks but a plaited crown of lavender weaves itself around her brows. "I'd stay and explain what has happened my dears but well Silmeria's daddy will come running soon enough...." she laughs, tilting her head to look at Marduke, "Oh Marduke sweety, you are wrong I am afraid, the Memory was Carbuncle's I tore it from him with the last ounce of my strength. And as he couldn't remember what he had done he had no reason to question your quest! No one did except maybe Tonberry King and you ran away from him!" She laughs as she walks closer, growing taller and smiling, "You have no idea how hard it was to implant that false idea into the High Priestess of Shiva's mind, to avoid Death's gaze.... but thank you my darlings, With Ainsley as my conduit I could whisper whisper whisper! Oh how your hatred for Savourn and his crew made me giggle! Did you never stop to wonder why you only ever saw them when you were alone and far from others?" She glances up at the starry sky, "Now if you will excue me..." she runs... dissolving into a whirling mist of steam and cloud then bursting apart into a flock of bats that zip up over the bushes to either side and away into the starlit sky beyond..... The quest is complete, they have the final pieces of the puzzle but it would seem.... the party need some advice.... Please Insert Disc 2.....
The Esper of Hades stands, poleaxed, as Savourn reveals himself to be Shemhazai Herself. So stunned is she, that she can manage little more than a halfhearted swipe at one of the bats as they wing their way past. And now, standing amidst the field of lavender and sweetness... The Daughter of Death begins to simmer in real, unalloyed rage.
All of that glee slowly melts away, the scholar staring as Shemhazai's form is revealed in its whole. Her eyes widen. The Whisperer speaks, and the lizard is frozen as she details everything she had done to manipulate the quest. It's only when the woman has faded away that she drops the Torque at her feet, very softly, and stare at where the woman had been. Her gaze wavers, as she realizes she had been toyed with the whole way. A puppet, at best. And then she just starts crying, putting her hands over her face, sobbing into her fingers and dripping tears onto the Torque. She collapses onto her bottom and shakes and sobs and curses weakly, unable to even get up the strength to be properly angry.
Lee growls as Savourn appears, stepping once again in front of Ainsley protectively... The growl diminishes steadily as Savourn changes, though, leaving Lee just as flabbergasted as Silmeria, slack-jawed as the Lucavi herself explains just how tidily she manipulated the grand strokes of the entire journey. He doesn't even react to the bats, just blinking after one of the flocking groups before reaching up to pull his hat off, other hand combing through his hair as he lets out a small, bemused "Huh." He begins to build a simmering anger as well, at first, but Ainsley's crying brings him sharply back to the present, the man simply dropping his hat as he turns to the scholar, kneeling and wrapping his arms around her, stroking her feathers and murmuring softly to her under his breath, trying to lend what comfort her can to her.
"What..." Marduke whispers as he watches everything going on. Stunned like the rest, but he manages to keep his rage under control. Instead he closes his eyes and just lets everything around him flow, and listens. A tear streaming down his eye as he sighs softly and leans heavily into his staff. Then starts to push back up to a standing position as he opens his eyes slowly, "Something... something..." then snaps up suddenly as he pushes to walk over to Silmeria, "Lies within lies. Not all that was said was the truth." Clenching his hands around his staff, "Has to be a reason, reasons for these items, reasons they allowed it." His steeled gaze looking over the party, "I am not done with this yet."
It is done... Shemhazzi is out.... loose upon the world and no doubt winging her way through the void between realms for safety as they stand their stupified on the Lavender path. It won't be long before people notice, the whipering darkness in the world is loose and as the party stand there and react a bell begins to toll.. a bell that shakes the deep dark realm of the Abyss and the Void.... a bell that will shortly bring runnin the gaolers who have been so neatly side-stepped by well meaning mortals.
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