Garian + Claire -
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
One really starts to wonder what makes you two think you're at all good interrogators.
"What in the fuck are you two morons talking about? What the fuck do I look like to you? An Angel couldn't do a worse fucking job than you are now. Goddess damn." is all she bothers to dignify your words with, seeming incredulous and now enraged. She spits at Claire.
Vivienne -
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
Nilgalos seems a little surprised by your answer.
This chalice bearer's serious? I love Cier's taste...mmm... Nilgalos thinks aloud. Well, sort of. You are listening to her telepathically after all, but she lets out another short.
"Tally and Nil have known each since birth, they-" Cier attempts to recount Nilgalos' life story, but she cuts him off.
Yes, she was created by the Angels, and myself by the Demons. I came first, and she was birthed to stop me from doin' what I love doin', but we had so much in common! Same guys to lick, same ale to steal, same breeds of oxen to eat. However, Cier is a very nice boy, even though he is very tiny. So I bind myself to the Underworld. Nil explained.
"You should see the trouble they get into...one time, I was naked, and-" Cier attempts to recall a story.
Oh, hay. There's TSC. Nilgalos cuts him off. As she says, a massive, charcoal stoned castle is now clearly visible to you as Nilgalos clears the forest and you find yourself overlooking a massive, grassy plains that seems to stretch on for kilometres, Marche a tiny dot on the horizon. Tear Stone Castle is gargantuan, with high keeps, tons of fortified buildings insides its many layers of walls and turrets and towers jutting up everywhere. In the sky, numerous small creatures from dragons to griffons to large birds to giant bats circle about it like vultures, and on the ground tiny columns of smoke wisp up from camps of various sizes set up across the plains, most of them congregated around the massive outer wall of Tear Stone Castle composed of eager pro-Demon mortals and young Demons seeking to prove their worth to the great Demonic warriors and mages who dwell within the castle. Tiny lines of black specks amass outside the closed gates, which sometimes open to allow select people inside.
Nil settles herself to the ground in a massive clearing inside the expansive inner walls, where she is almost immediately surrounded 360 degrees by a bunch of obsequious demons and mortal of various sizes who dress in weird clothing and bow to her feet. Dragon worshippers, maybe? Probably some cultists. You don't see it, but Tal has broken off her chase and settled down about 1000 yards from the castle, on the plains.
Cier steps off and helps you down, while Nil helps herself to an ox that is led in front of her by a young cultist. It's wrapped up in her massive tongue and she swallows it whole without even chewing. You swear you can hear some grunting from inside her throat as the animal protests loudly all the way down into her gullet.
Around you, various buildings: a tall reinforced gate leading into the inner castle, large and boisterous inn selling food and ale, various barracks, small shops, shrines and tents dedicated to the worship of powerful Demons and dark deities of all kinds, and a few other misc buildings.
Jered -
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
As you pass through the narrow path into the forest, you start to feel increasingly isolated. When the war broke out several months ago, most of the mountain settlers here fled into the deepest reaches of the rocky hills, leaving the mighty temperate forests on the edge of the highlands relatively empty. The village you were just in, which seems to fade from though the more its camoflauged by the trees behind you, was one of the very few actual hamlets you had encountered recently. Beyond that it was mostly lumber camps, mineral mines and stone quarries so rigorously guarded by highly biased groups of warriors that you decided not to come near.
The bird angel is silent for a long time, and it makes you feel lost. You're unaccustomed to this stretch of woods and soon enough it feels like you're in a damn cage made of trees.
At last, he speaks:
You should not consider the Angel Skylia your kin, he says calmly. You do not feel as if your mind is being intruded upon by a spell, meaning the Angel is probably astute enough to recognize what you're thinking about just from a look. But where is he? You can't see his form anywhere.
She may yet be saved, but you should not have yourself convinced you can rescue her. Tear Stone Castle is no place for a blinded warrior. he remarks. "Tear Stone Castle" rings in your head. It is basically the seat of power for the most organized Demonic hierarchy, like a miniature Underworld about ten kilometres outside the Marche ward here all the strongest and mightiest warriors of the dark dwell including Dark Angels. It was once an Elvish castle, but was ransacked months ago and is now being used as a staging ground for the ongoing siege against Marche.
There's a very loud roar above you, and an almost painful spike of air pressure as what sounds like two pairs of massive drums beat in the sky. Looking up into the sky, you see two colossal but majestic dragons, one gold and white and one a deep black (the latter with two strange figures riding it) flying overhead.
And indeed, ahead of you, the forest begins to clear to overlook a gargantuan grass plain dotted with small camps, outposts and most relevantly the gargantuan Tear Stone Castle sitting smack dab in the center with tiny lines of people (presumably devil worshippers and Demons seeking to prove their worth to the Demonic hierarchy) settled in ramshackle camps outside its sealed outer walls.
In the sky, an innumerable number of dark flying creatures of all shapes and sizes circle the mighty castle (whose stone has been tinted a charcoal black) including the black dragon, who seems to touch down in a large clearing inside the inner wall.
The white dragon, on the other hand, settles down directly on top of a small camp about a thousand yards from the castle, flattening everyone in it with its massive chest without even seeming to notice as it lies down as if to rest. It sweeps its majestic head around the plains, looking around, before setting her head down on the grass and seeming to rest.
The entire sight sweeps you with dread, honestly.
It's only a small roll down the top of the wide hill you now stand on to set foot on the plains, where the dragon is maybe a ten minute walk from you. As there are probably thousands of creatures on the plains right now, chances are you will go unnoticed.
The dragon is Talphalos. However, you will call her Tal. Approach her from the front. the invisible Angel commands you before falling silent again.
Razajin -
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
Skylia only groans in dizziness at your words.
"It...is...a...a...Goddess...you...fool..." she insults you quietly. Jeez, Razajin, didn't you ever read anything about Divine theology at all?
The Commander just shakes his head condescendingly at your words.
"Fool. A mortal like you could never corrupt an Angel. It would take years." he stung at you. As he is quite a strong demon and versed in magic of the mind, your spell has no effect on him.
"However, I had just that plan..." he sees how you branded her and looks between the tall, dark robed figures, who barely seem to move at all.
He raises a hand and Skylia levitates from your grasp into the floor in front of the dark robed figures, who quickly surround her, their gloved hands lighting up with an eerie red glow. Skylia slowly levitates up into the air suspended by magic and taking on a similar red glow. She squeals quietly and attempts to struggle, but appears virtually unconscious. For a long minute, nothing really seems to happen, but soon enough you start to see an incredible change in the young Angel. Her blonde hair seems to tint dark, turning white, then gray, and then finally fading into a sable, raven black and becoming mildly disheveled. Her blue eyes, likewise, seem to shift and twist in color, turning purple and then settling on a blood red, while her white wings turn the same eerie black as her hair.
She falls to her knees on the ground as the dark figures begin to disperse.
"It worked. Fantastic." the commander clapped slowly. Razajin then feels a sudden burst of energy through him as Soul Essence is transferred (+100 SE).
"There is your reward. We know now we can corrupt Angels instantly." says the commander, and Skylia slowly returns to consciousness, this time with a malicious smirk on her face and a deadly look on her eyes. Goddess in heaven, what the hell have you done, Razajin? She looks you up and down, her hands lighting up with a gray-black light, but eventually decides against it and walks away.
"Now, you've spared me much trouble. To your left I have placed a Shadow Orb so that you might exchange your Soul Essence for a reward. Simply speak to it and an attendant will appear to you. Now, I have more important things to do..." the commander turns and walks into the chapel, leaving the misty Shadow Orb levitating there in isolation.
