Journal #32: Back from hell [Text Roleplay]

So, when the others aren't paying attention, Celuriel (or Eurydice, I suppose) will pull Orpheus to the side to talk to him."...where are we? it's been too busy for me to ask."
 
"Tenaerul, I have to apologies for having the deal in here. I thought we would be leaving..." Aniks prestidigitation himself dry and offers to do the same with Celu.

"...that would be welcome. tenaerul? oh. that explains him. and the whispers. are you okay?"
 
Aniks casts the spell on Celu "I haven't really spoken to any of them by choice or been giving a deal so I'll be fine. Him? It's not a voice is it?"
 
"the beauty. we probably don't see him the same way. there's a voice, too, which is also male. it seems boring."

Aniks dressed in his cloths, "That male voice in the tower is annoyed that I haven't spoken to him. The Beauty is odd, and I am very much confused by what they have told me."
 
"...what was confusing?"

"I'm not sure of their intentions, they wanted me to focus on finding you. Reminding me to not lose focus. The Beauty also took some of their Champions powers away. This being is doing something but I'm not sure what."
That catches her attention. "It took their powers? What?"

"Taken probably isnt the right word, suppressed is probably more accurate. It only makes this more complicated while traveling through here"
 
She thinks on that for a moment, her expression showing her confusion and slight worry. "it's stopping the powers of multiple deities. but it... asked you to find me. and now your quests, into the labyrinth... there is something it is keeping from us."
 
"Its playing games with us, that much is for sure. A being with that much power how often has ulterior motives." Places a hand on Celu's head and rustles her hair. "We'll be fine, no need to worry."

She startles at the touch, quickly smothering alarm with annoyance and a pout. "pawns are more oft made into sacrifices than they are queens. I'm right to be concerned. you've seen what has happened to lirien. why are you messing up my hair"
 
" You're completely right to be concerned, we can only take only this one step at a time. I'm sorry I'll stop, I was trying to get your mind off of this. You've probably been through a lot recently and we kind of placed you in a another terrible place."

She hesitates, then in a blur of movement, darts forwards to hug him. Perhaps too tightly. "the eighth layer of hell is not somewhere I want to return to. even with... what you did. that was you, wasn't it?"

Slightly shocked by the sudden displayed affection, Aniks after a second wraps his arms around her. "I hope that you never have to return to. I was so worried and sorry I couldn't stop that. I am not really sure what happened to you while your there, but I know the Devil was not happy with me."

"stop apologising for things that aren't your fault." She glares up at him for a moment. "something put a shield in place so that she couldn't continue her constant talking, and which stopped.. some of the other effects. she was likely annoyed that you foiled her plan of driving me insane with talk of what she'd do when you failed. it didn't stop the months of other attempts, though, but that force stopped the brunt of those too."
"I know I should stop apologizing I'm just tired of losing..." At first Aniks face had a melancholy smile, which quickly changed. "Months, you've gone for two week at most! Are you okay, how long were you in hell?"
She looked up sharply, not expecting his reaction. "...more than two weeks. I didn't keep track. they never said how long you had. your prayer helped extend the time between.. needing sustenance. which they made sure I received. so there was no chance to use that as a measure." A moment of silence. "...but I'm fine."
 
"If you say so Celuriel," with what the vampire said it eased Aniks. Letting his shoulders drop into a more relaxed state. "So I have to assume you know who I spoke to if you said prayer"
 
She gave him a long look. "the power was enough to arouse curiosity in.. some of caina's strongest. it was sudden, and seemed designed to protect. you are the only one who would care about protecting me, and I do not think you would have prayed to your former goddess." Carefully vague on the details, as usual.
 
With a slight chuckle "No, it wasn't the demonlord. I don't think I could ever ask for a favor from her nor would I want to. I asked Pharasma to watch over you, I wasn't even sure she would help you, or even how she would."
 
"...thank you. asking the demon lord would have made everything worse" She breaks eye contact, looking down to the floor as if reminded of something shameful. "is it true you considered seeking out my sister?"
 
"After you we're taken I was understandably livid, I told Whisperbreath she had to clean up her mess. I chose not to be around them for 'safety' reasons." Aniks paused to recall some of the events. "They came up with the idea of going after your sister. Figuring that was the only real option. That would meet or exceed That Devils ultimatum."
 
"she would have killed you all, used the weakest for the exchange herself and raised the rest as thralls." she murmured, tone flat. "as it was, they told her of the chance. she will not be happy that you found an alternate way... from what was said, she looked forward to having her sister back."
 
"Thats... concerning for the future." Aniks takes a brief moment to consider the likelihood of being hunted by a lich in the near future. "Listen Celu, I want to promise you that no matter what happens. I'm going to try and protect you.
 
She let go of him at that, taking a step back to glare. "I am not worth you risking your life. especially not up against her. you have a far greater purpose, and she can't do much worse to me than she already has. and I don't need protection. I both have my own power and... am expendable in the grand scheme."
 
Aniks slightly sighing, then thought to himself if she was scared of her sister... "Look I'm not going to take back what I said, I meant what I said. To me your wrong, somebody I care about is worth that risk. Your sister is dangerous beyond belief, I understand that concern. But your not expendable, not in the slightest."
 
Celu didn't drop the glare, seemingly taking this incredibly seriously. "You don't understand just how important you are. and just what she'd do if you tried to get in her way. you saw the nymph. I could show you so much worse that she has done and could do again. but more than that... you were a champion and will become far greater than you think. I am just.. a tagalong. if anything, I am the one protecting you. that makes me expendable, even if you think otherwise. don't try to protect me. you have more important people to care about."
 
Aniks breaks eye contact looking at the ground and speaking lowly. His voice is sounds odds and very unlike his normal voice "Really, you dont think I understand how terrifying it is to know your sister can break somebody's soul, just to further her own needs. Your sister scares me, but I do not think for a second that our paths won't cross again. Its just a matter of time really. As for my 'importance' yes I was a champion, and the longer I stay without the protection of a god, the more dangerous it will be. I'm not sure how much longer that will last, or even if im okay with that. I'm ... worried Celuriel. I'm worried that in the end of this grand game of gods, I won't be able to save them, or you. The odds all of us making it out is slim." Aniks is silent for a while collecting his thought. Looking back at Celuriel "You're more than just a tagalong to me, and I don't care what you say. You are just as important as the people over there, if not more. There is only one you in this world and she is somebody I don't want to lose. Okay. I don't think I can change your mind on this subject any time soon."
 
When their eyes met, after all that he'd said, it wasn't possible for Celu to completely hide her confusion. "...thank you." And it's a genuine expression of gratitude, even with her lack of understanding. "you know that I won't let you be hurt, also. I... do not want that to happen." She quickly changed the subject; she wasn't good at sharing feelings. "you mentioned the others. what has happened to lirien? her path is... different now. it's obscured. for most of you, I can tell what might happen... who might 'make it out' of this area. but she's... changed?"
 
"Thats not good." Unconsciously his hand twitched as is he were to reach for a dagger, some habits die hard. Aniks dragged out those three words. He had fear for the worst but he'd hope that it wouldn't come to that. Then again his definition of worse might be different than Tenaeruls. "There something here she has made a deal with. It's helped her survive in moments of danger. Her eyes have turned purple and now a glowing crimson red. It’s also a concern that she wants out of here. It probably was never a smart move to bring a non-champion in here."
 
"there's more than one entity, as we know. the beauty, the voice, and... whatever has hold of Lirien is different. I can't... see it?" She frowned. "...it's more powerful than the voice alone. and you are not a champion either. nor am I. yet all three of us are here."
 
"I wouldn't be surprized the longer we stay here the more entities begin to show up. I failed to mention that Lirien had something taken from her. Either hope or protection was taken from her by The Beauty." Then Aniks took a moment to think about the champions. "I have to assume the reason I haven't been affected is I haven't spoken to any entire unless it was in person. That and I haven't put myself in dangerous situations like the others. I think they need a deal and a line of communication to start affecting us"
 
"it took something from her, too?" It wasn't often that Celu looked concerned. Her eyes glazed over for a moment as she stared into the distance - whether she was Seeing or just thinking wasn't clear. After a moment, she continued - slipping into Infernal without realising it. "I know a lot about entities that make deals... we had many books on the other planes. this voice doesn't feel like it's bound by the same lawful nature as Hell. but it does not feel like a demon, either. I can't pick up what it " Still contemplative, she glanced back at Aniks. "It's not as dangerous for me to speak with... entities. undeath has benefits. maybe I should try asking it about her."
 
About half way through listening to Celu, Aniks realised that she was speaking Infernal. Understanding it clearly, which was odd. "The way she was speaking makes me think she had hope taken from her. Im really unsure what to do with these entities. I can’t tell you how to approach and it's your choice." Aniks pauses for a moment. "You once told me that no one should live as what you are, a vampire, do you want to be brought back."
 
The question caught her off guard, a flash of shock mixed with a spark of fear glimmering in her eyes for just a moment. Before answering, she looked around cautiously. The others were still potentially in earshot. She made sure her back was to them, and kept her voice low. "...I do not know," she admitted to him, staring at the ground between them so any turmoil would be less apparent. "I did not have a life like the rest of you. You know that. and if this 'Beauty' is able to resurrect me, I know my sister will come looking the moment she finds out. and she won't let me ruin her plans again - she made that clear last time." As she spoke, her hands moved - one to her heart, the other to her eyes. She didn't seem aware of the motion, her gaze still locked onto the glittering purples and blues of Tenaerul's soil. "But... the glimpses of true life I do get, from my visions and from you, and from exploring and being outside in this strange world? I... would like to experience more of that. even if it's brief, even knowing I won't keep my will, or my life, for long. it would be nice to know what freedom truly feels like."
 
"I believe that was few times if not the only, you actually told me what you wanted" Aniks smiled but it didnt last terribly long. "Hold on, what do you mean by 'I won't keep my will, or my life, for long.' Does that involve you sister?" Aniks stopped. Yes there are many questions you need to ask but asking all of is not for the best currently Aniks thought. "Truth is theres a lot questions I'd like to ask, but I feel like prying for more information would be unwise. Especially since this places you in difficult spot. On top of the fact that this is happening rather quickly. I have wanted to ask you that question for a while, but with the Ivory Maze and that Quest I thought I should ask you now. I'm happy you want to experience this, but a choice like that has to be yours. I do not want to make it for you, since being brought back would drastically change your life in particular."
 
"...I had a lot of time to think during my imprisonment. this is one of the things I considered, because I'd caught a glimpse of thought about it in your mind once. it did not take me long to make the decision, but I know it is.. mostly impossible. it would usually involve slaying my sister, at minimum." She finally looked up, offering him an empty smile. "and you rescued me from that... place. the least I can do in return is give you answers. I don't think the others are listening in, so we can be more open. the one who would want to hear... can't see my lips." There was a definite twist of dark humour in that smile. "to explain my statement... Drissi - Ludrissiel, my sister - treats me as if I belong to her. like I'm her pet, or toy. mother encouraged it when they realised I was weaker. when she killed me, it was both as part of her own rituals and to make sure I would always be under her control. it... went wrong. if I am 'resurrected', it will not only damage... something of hers that was mine, but it will let her know she has another chance. and she won't let that go." It was clear that she was struggling to find the right words to use; her expression had become a blank mask flecked with frustration, and her language had switched into Elvish as she spoke more about her past. "...I cannot explain that night properly. but I can show you if you are curious. a vetala can do more than take memory."
 
After listening to her his face felt slightly hotter as he found the lake rather interesting at that moment. He was never really sure which memories she'd seen or taken. Never before had she mentioned what memories they were and he thought that he would be fine with that. He never considered they be recent memories and ideas especially ones with her in it. "Showing me? If that is the easiest way to convey what you're trying to tell me."
 
Celu looked at him curiously for a second, filing his blush under 'things to look into later', before returning to her former blank expression. "...This may be intense for you," she murmured as she stepped closer. "but it is the easiest way to explain my... worries." With that ominous warning, she closed the remaining distance between them and captured his lips in the familiar memory-sharing kiss.
 
It was a dark night. Celuriel watched the stars through a window, her golden eyes staring back through the glass, unaware of the events to come. In her lap lay a book covered in runes and scrawl - most of the handwriting unfamiliar. For a brief moment, the scene seemed peaceful. Then walked in Ludrissiel. Tall, fair-haired and wearing blood-spattered robes of black. With a handmotion, Celu's book was on the floor.
 
"You're such a child, Celu. Those charts are outdated and pointless, and besides, you should be studying the work I gave you." This was said in a gentle - but clearly forbidding - tone; and 'Drissi' gave her sister little time to respond. "It doesn't matter, anyway. I'm going to give you a practical lesson. You've been studying the..?"
Time skipped forward as the two chatter and leave the forest. Celuriel felt excited and nervous, with a strong undercurrent of fear. Drissi had never taken her out of the tower before.
The ritual itself was gruesome; a number of travellers were slain in particularly vile ways, and Celu obediently assisted. The memory skipped over most, resuming towards the end.. to when Ludrissiel dropped an invisibilty spell and, at the same time, knocked her sister to the ground and bound her. Any excitement in Celu's emotions dissipated immediately, replaced by blind panic.
 
"Drissi, what---"
 
"Shut up. Do you see this?"
 
Through her confusion, Celu focused on what Drissi was indicating. Another body on the ground. Another version of her. Drissi smiled. "Yes, it's you. You see, I am going to be immortal by the end of tonight. Mother already is, in her own way. And I couldn't bear to leave my little sister to waste away. No, you're going to be my perfect assistant. But why are there two of you, you're thinking. I can hear it, you know. You're not even trying to hide the thoughts. Pathetic."
 
A flash of silver, and a stabbing pain sent stars across Celu's vision as her sister ever-so-casually thrust the blade through her chest. As her vision faded, she heard one last jeer: "Your original will serve me better without your spirit... you can make do with that."
 
The memory went dark, but only for an instant. The next, there was a tugging sensation. A twisted, bitter feeling welled up inside her, and she tried to resist the pull, but couldn't. it wouldn't leave. It wouldn't stop. She couldn't get away.
 
This made her... angry. Even in the blackness of death, she could feel anger. white-hot fury, in fact. And as the wave of negative energy dragged her back to a body that wasn't quite hers, she let the anger explode out with all the force her magic could muster. With enough force to take some semblance of control over the magic dragging her back, even.
 
There are no words that can truly describe a being waking up as undead. But as Celu opened her darkened eyes, the difference was immediately noticeable. The lights were dimmer, and her emotions.. harsher. Crueller. Whatever else could be described was drowned out by the furious yell of Ludrissiel, and Celu's eyes darted to her far faster than they could have before. A pulsing heart in one hand and the selfsame blade that had ended Celuriel in her other, Ludrissiel's bright eyes were wild with anger. "You dare? Do you realise what you've DONE?"
 
The blade speared towards her once again, and as Celuriel watched negative energy surround her sister (and what was once her own heart, held aloft in Drissi's skeletal grasp), her vision was again torn from her in a wave of pain.
 
Celu stopped the memory there, pulling the duo back to the present and breaking the embrace. "...do you understand what she was doing. why she would want to keep or destroy me? the memories I have after that are... mostly dark. but I know she took... more."
 
Aniks brow furrowed. His thoughts were scattered all over the place. Growing up in a household full of assassins didn't leave much time to study the arcane. Mostly the traps. This, this was a whole new branch of family rage he could barely fathom. "She needed something from you, your heart it seems. You coming back put a hindrance in her plan. She didn't want you to be like you are now. You have to forgive me, iIl have very limited knowledge on lichdom to begin with. I can only make guesses at this point. All I know for certain is you coming back gives her a second chance to finish what she started."
 
Celu seemed almost amused. And more than a little sad. "I forgot how... new to this you were. she didn't need anything from me; she wanted it. she wanted to use my body as a treasure chest; my heart as part of the treasure; my will bound within it so that she could control me with a thought. liches use phylacteries to store their souls; I think that... there's a connection there." She carefully avoids saying anything specific. It's not fun to think about. "but yes. she'd get her second chance. if this attempt succeeds and I become.. elven again, you will all be at risk of her appearing."
 
Aniks sits down not at a lost for words, those he had plenty of. More at how to approach this. He did mentally put pins in certain places to make sure he didn't forget them. So he didn't, he just spoke instead of thought. "Your sister is going to be more than nuisance in the future. Even more so if we success bring you back. Making you a trophy case marionetting you around to hold her treasures is unforgivable. Are you sure this is want you want? To be brought back, The others will eventually have to face things far worse than your sister. If we let a Lich stop us, them, then the gods backed the wrong people. They have to be stronger, I am not saying that after all of this..." Aniks gestures to Tenearul and the area around them. "we can easily face her. I'm saying at a certain point we won't be able to run from that battle, you can't be worried about us forever Celu. I'm glad you've shown me this, it but a good amount of fear in my bones. Ironically it's that fear that make me want to help you, in a way. " Then the corner of his lip twitched almost as if to smirk for but a moment. "In time we'll be ready, and till than we can try and run and hide for as long as we need to. Those people over there are the closest thing to a family I have, that I care about anyways. Families well a good ones at least, I learned are stubborn, caring and determined to a fault. They'll help in anyway possible even if it mean they get hurt in the end. This includes your problems they would probably be willing to help when the time comes. Aside from that, let putting being brought back to the side for but a moment since that would escalate a great many thing. I guess what I should be asking is can you be truly happy or able to be yourself if your sister's going to be looming in the shadows? Since you've answers a question or two of mine, I feel like it's only right for you to ask some of yours."
 
Celu listened in careful silence to Aniks's stream of consciousness, frowning slightly. "...you said that the others would have to face worse. you and they are a group. do not exclude yourself from that just because nobody has claimed your wrist." She fixed him with a firm glare to ensure he got the point, and sat cross-legged on the floor before continuing. "I cannot pretend to know exactly why fear motivates you to help. nor why you think the rest would care to help, other than the simple 'fun' of smiting the undead." She glanced meaningfully at Ashlyn, who seemed to be scribbling in her message book again. "but to answer your question... her existence doesn't change mine. I accepted my fate a long time ago. until then, I have some form of... freedom, I suppose. as for happiness..." A bitter smile played on her lips as she again met Aniks's gaze. "I showed you the difference in emotions. you can guess from there." She let the silence hang for a moment as she thought over what to ask Aniks, then as inspiration hit, asked before she could stop herself. "you have the opportunity to restore someone from death. why aren't you using that to save Claire?"
 
Aniks felt like a conversation regarding his late wife was going to happen eventually. He tired is best to instantly recall Celu previous portion of the conversion since the last question caught him like a stray arrow when Azyel was around. "You already know that I'm willing to help you in any way despite the danger. I understand already that I'm probably not going to be able to leave this group even if I tried. We get into more trouble and involve ourselves in more events than I care for. So I think there is a good chance for them to help you. As for the fear that mostly a produce of growing up under House Alas'thil. As a child in House Alas'thil fear kept most of us alive, who better to send on mission to kill than children. Children are often expendable especially the males in house Alas'thil, if they failed they we're often killed our taken into slavery. Easily way to create cold hearted remorseless killers. The cocky ones would always fuck up, it's how I got caught all those years ago, trusting my younger sibling. It's the ones that had fear that survived. Fear, controlled fear that is, kept your wits sharp, your senses keened listening for anything that could give you away, it kept you alive down there. A person without fear will die because they will never learn to when to run, hide or even wait. Fear helps people live to see another day." Aniks sat there for a moment biting the inside of his lip trying to figure out how to answer her last part. It's not like Aniks didn't try before, gods only knows he tried. "... I had a long time to think about that. Before I met you or the party. " He let out a breath unsure really how to approach this. He placed a hand on his pushed hair back which prompting fell back in place. "How do I put say this correctly, I don't think I have a good answer for that, nor is easy one to answer. Maybe a year ago I won't have hesitated at the opportunity to bring her back, Then there's Alain which complicated things farther. I guess I became deject from the world after their deaths. I wanted to bring them back but couldn't bring myself to do it. I think in retrospect, even though I hadn't thought it, I just wanted to disappear and not deal with anything, Not caring about anything. I can't say I lived a terrible life, in comparison after what you've shown me. Claire and I never spoke about what would happen if one of us died early. Even when she was on her death bed. She only mentioned once that it was family tradition to have funeral pyres, she reminded me of this in undercommon so Alain wouldn't know just in case the worst happened. She was an adventurer before I even meet her, I think she knew what having a funeral pyre meant. People don't normally bring back their families from the dead." Aniks laughed a bit "You know the Emperor asked me a question before, 'why do I care for the vampire' I told him that somebody once game gave me a second chance at life. I thought she should be giving the same choice, that person was Claire. Celu I don't think I could give you a solid answer as to why I am not bringing back Claire. I've really not sure I want to anymore, I'm not sure if that's selfish or not or even how to fell about this. Their are and we're my family and I don't think I could ever forget them. But I also think eventually bringing them back would only hurt in the long run. I probably would have outlived them both, only to watch them die again."
 
Aniks sits in silence.
 
Aniks uses his thumb to whip his eye. no reason whatsoever not because he's openly talked his dead child and wife for the first time in he spoke about the in about a decade.
 
Celu was very obviously having trouble finding the words to respond to that, but after a moment of thinking, she began by mimicking something she'd seen in her books; she got up, went to him, and pulled him into a hug. Admittedly, she was cold, and her grip was slightly too tight. And considering they were both on the ground, it wasn't the most comfortable or clean of hugs. But she was trying. "...she cared enough to give you that chance at a new life, and to have a family - a good one - with you. from what I've read and seen... that sort of person would not want you to go through that pain. not again. even if it made them happy." She frowned. "emotions are... hard to figure out from this side. I am sorry for bringing up something that hurt you. neither of us seem to have much luck with families."
 
Aniks was quite for a good long while. Without much thought his head on her shoulder, and completed the hug on his end. Then a small laugh came from the drow "Horrible luck, I am pretty sure I'm still going to have to kill my siblings in the end." He paused trying to get rid of this horrible feeling in his chest. It didn't really go away but at least he knew it would fade in a while. Celuriel was trying. "It's fine, I just don't speak about them openly. Thank you, Celuriel."
 
Celu instinctively leant into the hug as Aniks sat in silence, content to leave it be until he spoke. "I will be glad to help if your siblings cause trouble again. but they should have learnt for now from our previous run-in." Her smile was slightly disturbing at that idea, but softened into a.. very rarely-seen genuine smile as she continued. "..thank you for listening to me, too. it is... strangely nice to be able to share some of the secrets. though I am reminded of another question." Even if he wasn't looking at her, he could probably feel the amused grin. "if this is a family to you... who are the children?"
 
"It's not the younger one's I'm worried about, I do not regret my choice but I have a feeling that the Eldest will be their at the end of all of this." He paused for a second "Minus Ashlyn I've lived longer than most of them. Pin is a child, which might have some bias in that. Kraia is the teenager, Cid is a moody young adult."
 
"all champions have their roles to play, whether they were the initial choice or not. didn't you hand her that mantle..? and the Eldest have already shown their hand, to some extent," Celu murmured tonelessly, freezing still as she spoke before blinking out of the slight trance. "...if you're judging by age, then are you the parent with... Ashlyn?" She sounded very amused at this idea.
 
"Gods like that would ever work out. I wouldn't has I'm a ... oh god am I really a parent to this group, that's disturbing." Having a mental image placed in his head that he would rather not have. " As for my eldest sister, It's one of the reason why I'm more than okay with handing it over to her. We know where that champion mark is as long as she's alive. So there we're some benefits."
 
"if we are counting years alone, I think I am older than you. which would make this more disturbing. somehow, I do not think Ashlyn likes me very much." She's not even going to touch the subject of Aniks being her son in that scenario. That's just weird. "perhaps. how many champions do you know of now? there are hundreds of gods, but the number of champions still seems.. small. so far, at least."
 
"I think it's best to go by mental maturity not psychical age. Which might make Ashlyn a questionable parent, sometimes." Then Aniks racked through his brain to count the amount of Champions " My Sister, Annoy elf boy, Our group now, Licia who disappeared and we haven't heard anything from, Doesn't know how to talk to flirty women elf, Which makes eight? I cannot think of any we've heard of outside of that. Kazric which makes nine, and maybe that Riven guy so possible Ten?"
 
"if you use mental maturity, I'm not sure any of this group should be considered adults. " Impish smirk, which faded into a pondering look. "ten out of... many more. I know others will be met, but their faces are.. mostly concealed to me. the uncertainty of the labyrinth is changing things. if you were given the chance, do you think you would become one again?"
 
"Agreed." Aniks took a second and really thought about it "Becoming a champion meaning becoming a herald or avatar of a deity? Which means whatever deity If I were to become of the champion again could have some level of influence of me, and I fear that I won't be Aniks anymore. If I truly need to become one, which might be necessary in the future I will. I can think of only one that I would willingly become a champion of. However if somebody like me, godless can still contend with a champion by some miracle, I am willing to try. Even if it might be impossible."
 
Celu looked at him pensively. "you really care about free will, don't you? not just your own. that bravery... please be careful. some beings might take that as a challenge." Without warning, the look turned into a dark glare, a flash of anger in her red eyes - directed not at Aniks, but to something in the distance. "...this place is full of obnoxious whispers, isn't it? my name is not eurydice."
 
"Free will, True free will is something I know I've had problem with. It's why I value it so heavily." Aniks said being careful on what he said. "This place make it hard to remember things like my name. Oph..." Then through Gritted teeth said "Aniks. It sounds wrong to use my real name but I know the one I use here is not my own. It's best to not speak to those voices, it might land you in a spot of trouble. Hence our half drow over there."(edited)
 
"Aniks," she murmurs. "...I see what you mean. it feels wrong to say. this place twists names to fit quests. the first world has been known to do similar, but this is still the material plane." She closed her eyes for a moment, focusing on something - or somethings, perhaps. "...the one in the tower seems more desperate than damaging. the beauty is... I don't know. she feels like she belongs here. whatever has hold of lirien is different, as we've discussed. and the fourth is trying to toy with me. it's annoying." She sighed, and again turned the conversation darker. "the quest you're on... you're not allowed to look at me once that necklace is on, correct?"
"For us yes, Lirian hasn't been given a name which is odd, but the others their names are gods. Wait a fourth voice? So another entity has shown it face. Yes I will not be able to look at you once that Necklace is on"
"she has, though she isn't being forced to use it. the tower-voice called her the Harbinger. which seems appropriately ominous for this place. and.. the fourth seems darker than the others. it twists around the spirits and.... well. I imagine I hear it because I am not entirely alive." She shrugged. "we'll see. anyway... that seems to indicate that the necklace will also do something when it's placed. and that it will do something if we fail. did he... they say anything else about your quest..?" Referring to the Beauty was a constant game of remembering that not everyone saw it the same way.
 
"Well that's not ominous and cryptic and only that the others would be told their quest after mine is done from The Beauty." He stopped curious and asked a question "Who do you see for The Beauty?
 
"shouldn't you be used to cryptic by now?" And that was only half-teasing. "that's... worrying, then. we won't know what it does until it's too late to back out." At his question, she blinked. "..isn't it obvious? who else would I see but you?"
 
"It look like we have to place are the cards on the table if we're going to do this. I think Ashlyn had a smart yet stupid idea, temporarily blinding me wouldn't be terrible idea but I'll be hindrance on the battlefield." Aniks took his head off her shoulder to look at her "Yes, but I was glad to hear you say it."
 
"enough of this group has magic. another option would be invisibility, I think?" she mused, her brow furrowed, before noticing that Aniks had met her gaze. She offered him a small smile in return. "..who do you see?"
"There's that, but I don't know if see you if your invisible counts or not." Huh Aniks noticed she has been actually been smiling a lot recently, and cracking some rather dark joke that he definitely got a smile out off. "Most of the time it's you but flicker to Claire every so often. It's really a strange sight."
"Oh look Kraia's stripping again, definitely a teenage, impulsive and driven by her body"
 
"...you wouldn't be seeing me, though. that is the point of invisibility. we can try and ask, perhaps." She wasn't certain how easy it would be to ask that, actually. "...that sounds confusing. and... potentially hurtful--" Whatever else she was about to add was cut off by the sudden bathing halfling. "this is why she and the prince would be horrible for each other. they need adults."
 
"That's probably a question that should be asked, but this place is tricky and I wouldn't be surprised if invisibility wouldn't work."
 
Aniks thought for a second "Perhaps I feel the Prince probably doesn't need it as much but I honestly wonder sometime if he really would settle down with her. Kraia is rather, well Kraia"
"Um Celu as much as I love being this close to you, this hugging is rather oddly spaced, awkward? You can just sit next to me."
 
...as much as she didn't want to let go, she acknowledged the point that this was a little strange, and repositioned herself next to him. "if invisibility does not work, a blindfold may not either. this may make combat challenging. especially as we will have to leave the labyrinth first." She shrugged, watching Aniks with a gaze that knows too much. "The Prince will change more than she can handle. she will move on. this is better, right?"
 
" I think so, for the both of them. It's not like I'm going to tell either of them. As for the quest It's not going to be easy but I think we can do it." Aniks twitched his nose trying to figure what to bring up next. "If this all works out in the end and I do mean everything, what do you want to do?"
 
"they'll figure it out. if they do not, and it causes trouble, Ashlyn will likely step in." She stopped at his question, taking a second to think it over. "...I don't know. the future has never been something I've... really needed to make plans for. it was the tower, followed by more tower, until you arrived."
 
"Ashlyn stepping in might just make things worse" Aniks said with a smile. "You'd be surprised how having a idea, a goal, or something you want or to strive for in the future can give you determination to keep going till it's done."
"yes, but then it becomes a three-way argument and eventually it will become the Prince and Sa-- Ashlyn arguing until Kraia invokes Artemis," she replied, amused. They were predictable. "I don't know what I'd do for a goal. right now, I'm... following you, and trusting what I See. after the world stops trying to go through an apocalypse? ...you'd better be there or I am going to be lost."
 
That was said entirely matter-of-factly, and she didn't seem concerned about how strange it made her sound.
 
"Artemis, the greatest of negotiator" Aniks took what she to heart. "I'll tell you this much, after all of this nonsense I'm going to find a place and just settle down. No Bars, no giant beavers to stomp around, no screaming 'evil' at everything little thing. Just some place nice and simple that you and I can not have to be dragged into ridiculous situations. Well the place itself might not be simple? I'd like to look nice on the side of mountain or near a ocean." Aniks seemed to trail off a bit talking how there's definitely going a huge library.
 
"the ocean? it would be nice to see that one day. the books depict it as endless. and a mountain would mean.. snowy weather? I was never allowed to play in the snow that landed around the tower." She sounded almost wistful. "...if you start a library, I am making sure it has fiction, too."
 
"I'm more familiar with snow than the Ocean, I have only seen it once or twice while wondering the surface when I was younger." He smiled at the fiction comment "I forget your love for fiction, I haven't found much time for it recently but I have read a fare few novels. Which was your favorite genre again I always catch you reading in our free time but I never can tell from the books?”
 
"a lot of them have been romance, actually. I'm not sure I'd say it's a favourite. but it's what's always available. I think... adventuring ones would be closer to a favourite. they let me read about things far away." She catches his smile, and levels a look of curiosity at him. "do you have a favourite type?"
 
"I guess I'd have to say Mysteries, whether they be non fiction or fiction. I love solving or trying to figure out Mysteries. Speaking about Adventuring books I think I'll probably fix that journal of mine and publish it. Minus some of the more events that should be keep secrets of course. I think when we survive it would be a hell of a story."
 
"you love mystery and you want to eventually retire..?" Again, she was amused with him. "you could get the others to add in stories and perspectives you missed, too. it would make an entertaining series."
"Retired is a word I guess that would work." Aniks thought about that for a second "I guess that means it would be both Fiction and Nonfiction at that point. A dysfunctional cast of characters check, a odd drow and his elven vampire... I'm not sure what to call you?"
 
She gave him a look of blank confusion. "...my name is Celuriel. are you sure this place isn't playing with you?"
 
Aniks scratch his head for a moment "Not what I meant Celuriel, I mean your important to me and most definitely way past a friend. Friends don't normally go through all of this just make sure each other are okay. Hell I'm pretty sure the party thinks we're far more intimate then we really are. Ashlyn even called us lovers, so what are we?"
 
Celuriel let the silence hang, watching the shifting colours in the ground as she thought on that. "I... think that is up to us?" she said cautiously, looking back at Aniks. "The books don't really explain this very well. You're very important to me, too, but the stories use a lot of different words for two people who care. family, partners, boyfriends, lovers... friends with benefits...?" She didn't sound as sure on the last, but continued on regardless. "most have some association with romance. if you don't want that, I think.. 'close friends' fits best? otherwise..." She trailed off, and resumed watching the ground. She would not make that decision for him.
 
Aniks held her hand and he kissed her temple. "I'm not sure what word to use, but 'close friends' perhabs is one I wouldn't. I would like to think that we're a bit more than that."
 
For the second time in a day, she offered him a small - and entirely genuine - smile, interlacing her fingers with his. "...I would, too. Maybe we can be.. 'partners', then? it doesn't sound as strange as some of the other choices."
 
"Well looks like I now know what I'm fighting for, besides the end of the world. Some sort of semblance of a peaceful life with you." Aniks had given that idea thought before but never much thought.
Celu didn't look like she'd considered the idea much at all. "...that would be the best outcome," she murmured. "though I still doubt your friends will let you ever be in peace for too long." A thought hit her. "oh. if this resurrection is successful... it has been a very long time since I was 'mortal'. you may need to remind me of some parts..?"
 
"No don't think they will" that statement came out more like sarcastic comment than anything else. "Like eating? Or just hygiene in general."
 
She gave him a look of slight exasperation. "yes. and the rest. I won't be able to just heal from eye removal, crystals sticking to my leg, or.. similar. that will take adjusting. and you have to sleep." She didn't sound happy about that.
 
"I'm going to find you knocked out reading a book, because you forgot to sleep" he found that thought amusing. "I'll remind you, wait are the Crystals still in there"
 
"there are magical items that stop sleep, aren't there? if I can find one of those, that problem will be solved." The idea of actually stopping to rest annoyed her. The potential dreams she might have? Those scared her, though she'd likely not admit that. "the crystals? oh. that. I don't think so? there hasn't been any impediment to my walking.."
 
"We should still make sure, eventually, I dont think think this is a smart place to check."
 
"there are spells to do that, right? the paladin can keep her scythe away from me."
 
"Checking for Crystals or foreign object inside the body perhaps." He smirked "Another reason why I don't think we can hide from them, Ashlyn can cut through almost anything."
 
"she cannot cut through dimensional barriers, she isn't Pennyswaggle. we could go to a demiplane. or find some sort of airship that she can't catch up with."
 
"I forgot Demiplanes are an option, I think that would be easier than to find a Airship that could out run her. That would be a nice why to travel to world." Aniks smiled at that idea.
 
"an airship would be interesting just from being in the sky. you'd be able to see so much..." a pause. "wait. Weren't you supposed to be seeking out the shard in the East?"
 
"Two days after you we're taken, we left to find out how to bring you back. We'll most likely have to return due to some government problems. Because of course 'we' can't go to another country, village, town, etcetera etcetera. Without sticking our nose in it and getting in trouble. "
 
"...it probably would have been better for you to resume the search than to return here." That was an argument she didn't think she'd win. "government problems? did you kill one of the elves? they weren't brought with you..."
 
Aniks shoot her a look that said he wasn't going to touch that first part. "Yes, we are in fact harboring a fugitive, which the elven people are not happy about. We have to find some exploration team in the east. Nothing major but it could have been far worse."
 
"you kept talinde and didn't bring him here?" There was an element of genuine surprise in her voice. "the exploration team... do you know anything about what they are searching for? you have a goal. they may not share it."
 
"He's here, it's just might not be the smart to bring a reality warping staff into this place. He's sort of in a pocket dimension within a gem of his own creation? I really glossed over the mechanic of him being inside the gem" He paused to think " I believe it was something that could have fallen in line with something we are searching for, or close in proximity"
 
"even having some sort of... pocket gem containing that sceptre could be dangerous here. who has it? we should keep lirien away from them." Celu glanced back over at the rest of the group, where a reluctant Lirien was being given rides by Artemis as Kraia, nude and bedicked, watched. She blinked, disregarded it as 'normal weird group behaviour', and looked back at Aniks. "it is extremely convenient that they happen to have an exploration team doing something related to your research." She didn't bother holding back the suspicion.
 
"We hope to only have to bring him out in a critical moment, beside that we are unsure on how this place will effect the gem, oh Ashlyn has it." He twitched his nose "Convenience, It's almost like we're being forced into this path. The Rod that could help us fine the artifacts, the exploration team. On top of the fact that we're not the only ones looking for those Artifacts now if I assume correctly. It's like solving a puzzle from the inside out. I feel like we're missing something."
 
"they are champions and this was a task given to you by the goddess of fate and prophecy. it isn't surprising that some things are simply happening to force this path. it is the others searching that should be worrying. riven and associates. they have to have a purpose, too." She shrugged. "the guidance I get does not show me everything. it is equally vague and hard to decipher as it is useful. and ashlyn was a good choice of guardian. she is near incorruptible."
 
"That makes since but their something else, it's almost to easy? You understand what I mean?" Aniks watched his companions " Do you think they will grow up? Then again we are adventurers"
 
Celu glanced back to the rest as Aniks did. "...it depends. they might lean further into ridiculousness as things get worse. or they might break and become mature through that. or they may grow up, as rare as that sounds. and it might seem easy, but..." She took a moment to collect her thoughts. "...there are only so many shards. you saw two destroyed, from what you have told me. one of those was then recreated, and we nearly died in the process of that. you nearly fell into the void." She didn't sound pleased about that. Quite the opposite. "and the one who managed it.. seemingly escaped. and was allied with others, who likely now know this is possible, and who may want to use the shards themselves. we also have no idea what the one in the east can do. I've heard you talk about how the gemstone tried to destroy the forest and underdark. the other shards will likely be equally powerful. the challenge may be in getting to them and destroying them."
 
Aniks shudder at the thought of that black orb "The Void, I'll try and not leap into portal to that place again." Then a worried look came to his face "I don't remember what made me jump, though I am pretty sure it why I have Silver now" He pointed to the Silver and Gold Scimitar that was carefully placed against a tree. Probably far enough away to not eavesdrop on to the conversation. He hoped. "At least we know there is a group, which one of them has to have a connection to the temple, otherwise Riven would never have found out about how to forge those shards."
 
"...If you ever try anything with similar portals, I will stop you." She glared. "even if it isn't you trying to make the move. the book became yours too, after that." She seemed like she was about to add something for a moment, but caught herself in time. "who did you tell there? not only did he know about the shards, but... that ritual was not standard. those chains were not standard. and there were spells involved that he did not seem able to cast."
 
"Your correct, my siblings were talking about a recent outsider, a human girl, that walked around House Umbra without much problem." Aniks racked his brain to think back on that week of information "Cyne was the only person I spoke to openly with the shards, I spoke with maybe less than six or seven people. Between those six or seven maybe speaking to two for trying to find the research. I am not sure if one of them had enough knowledge to create some of the spells we saw. But I wouldn't be surprised it was somebody of high standing, who I never spoke to, who would have been notified about what was being research."
 
"I mention the human girl because they said they walked alongside riven, she could have had something to do with those rituals. We never figured out who that was or if she could do anything."
 
"a human? maybe she was a toy. or maybe she's one of his allies." She shrugged, thinking. "who helped with ashlyn's ritual? maybe they would know others good with rituals there. this might be something to ask the rest about."
 
"I think this is something to at least bring up outside the country. Just in case. As for who helped Ashlyn? I can't recall currently it's written down somewhere. Hmm I think I recall it being modified from it's original purpose." Aniks couldn't say for sure he tried to stay away from the ritual because of complication.
 
"...why did they have a ritual for changing memories lying around?" she asked, voice flat. "most of the deities that invoke memory are not ones that place would approve of." She'd know.
 
"I can't say for certain, I made note on the fact that this temple contains rituals that probably shouldn't be in the hand of anyone..." he paused only to realize something " Ironically anybody who would want to be in this place, cultist and other people of that nature. Where those Rituals are keep I cannot say but I can't believe that keeping all that knowledge of dark rituals won't have repercussions. For that place it would make since, they also heal people. Like poison from animals you can create antidotes from it, I think the same would apply to rituals. Using those dark rituals to reverse some effect on those they heal. I think if we found those notes we could probably figure out what it it "
 
"if there are notes on the ritual used for her... there probably are some that relate to riven's, too. if we had time, it would be worth finding out." She breathed a sigh of annoyance. Limited time was annoying. "reverse-crafting a ritual is not something I've heard of for good purposes, but it makes sense. some of the darkest I've read were from those originally made to cure." If he was paying attention, Aniks would have felt her hand stiffen for a second as she mentioned that; a moment later, she looked over sharply as she realised something else. "oh. unless whatever the Beauty does changes more than just my status of life, I'm not going to be able to heal myself."
 
Aniks consider everything she said but thought mostly on the last part. "You told me I would have to remind you of certain necessity to a 'mortal' life. We'll figure this out too. You've grown accustomed to life as a vampire, I'll have to make sure you don't break a leg. Or prehab start buying healing potions. There is the option of healing from another person."
 
She made a mildly disgusted face at the last. "...that's annoying. there had better be a way to change it." As the extremely speedy beaver finally stopped running circles around the pond with a hapless Lirien attached, Celu was reminded of another question about... life stuff. "wait. is breathing manual?"
 
"Maybe but I cannot think of anything besides Magic?" He could help but smile although he was ever so slightly annoyed that he could feel himself breathing now from the question. "Yes and No, Breathing can be a manual act, but when your not actively thinking about it like with sleeping your body will naturally breath for you."
 
"Oh gods, you going through life with mortality is going to be, Interesting."
 
"oracle magic is mostly external forces with an innate ability to learn how to use them. there might be something. but it's something I will need to look up. at least I'd be able to help you, too," she mused, a touch of her more scholarly side showing. She'd had a lot of reading material. "I remember sleeping. it wasn't fun. the dreams are going to be... so much worse." If Aniks were being perceptive, he'd catch the fear in her eyes that she tried to hide under a layer of indignance at his final sentence. "I could always stay as an undead abomination if you think it will be that bad." The sarcasm was very obvious. And very bitter, actually.
 
Aniks offered a smile to the vampire. Not because of what she had said but what he noticed. "You know Celu, compared to when we first meet. You're far more expressive. I'm glad that you are, even if it's only around me."
 
Celu looked pensive as she considered that. "it's... practice, I think. the books help. talking to you helps. not being threatened with eyeball removal or disembowelling is also helpful." Despite the last being far more disturbing than the other two, her tone didn't change: it was entirely matter-of-fact. "the rest of the world hasn't proven that it won't use said threats. and.. it's easier not caring."