Field report, Rachalia LuCiena iL3: Du Marhst – – – Log entry #253
De, Lord Commander Therrios Du Marhst : iL1
Sujet: Cult of Stars
Dear Lord Father,
We have successfully tracked down the leadership of the Cult Of Stars, as well as several outsiders. Elizete and I have captured some of these outsiders, but regretfully our main target, Archaia, managed to escape our grasp. She appears to have fled the planet at this time.
We came across the main base of the cult of stars, hidden within the forest on our eastern borders, an area known as The Silver Arrow. We came across this information with the aid of a Jodkin Envoy who spoke of information learned from one of their associates, one named Hermas. I do not appreciate that the Jodkin had to assist in this, but it seems they had taken an interest in our “outsiders” problem as well and deemed the cult to be heretics. I know our relationship with the Jodkin council is tenuous at best, so it came as a surprise they gave us useful information.
I have included a parastone with this report which details the events upon our arrival at the Silver Arrow and the discovery of a small fort built into the mountain with several tunnels dug within. Please review the stone’s contents when you can.
As mentioned, we have captured a few of these outsiders, as well as run into the demon known as Godalt. It is unclear why he was present at the Silver Arrow upon our arrival, but he quickly made his escape. Elizete was unable to keep him contained with the power of her Oroths. Her scar did detect that at least one god or goddess had been present at the Silver Arrow, which is a great cause for concern. The outsiders we did manage to capture are being taken back to Cap-Du’Mar to be questioned. One particular outsider of interest was one who we found within the tunnels, a girl who herself appears to have been a prisoner she was shackled and chained and appears to have been tortured. I have taken care to speak with this one myself, and keep her away from the others. I have attached a copy of our conversation here.
Transcript
Two soldiers bring the silver-haired woman to Rachalia’s tent, untie her and sit her in a chair. Rachalia pours two cups of tea.
Rachalia: I’m sorry if my soldiers have mistreated you.
Rachalia places a cup of tea in front of the outsider.
Rachalia: So why were you a prisoner of the cult?
The outsider rubs the marks on her wrists from the shackles and ties and stares at the tea
Rachalia: do not worry, if you co-operate we won’t need to tie you up again. Do you take anything with your tea? Do you even speak my language?
The outsider picks up the cup and takes a small sip of tea
Outsider: hmm, this isn’t bad. But it could use a bit of honey.
Rachalia takes a small bottle of honey and a spoon out of a small chest inside the tent and passes it to her
Outsider: thank you.
She slowly takes about 3/4 spoon of honey and stirs it gently into the tea and sips it again.
Rachalia: So you can speak… I am Rachalia LuCiena Du’Marhst. Or Rachalia for short. Who are you?
Outsider: I’m Calestia. Nice to meet you.
Rachalia: Why were you being held prisoner Calestia?
Calestia: Malnova… Him and… what was her name, Archaia I think? They have a piece of my fathers’ soul. I wanted to get it back. But they captured me instead… And well, Malnova… He…
Rachalia: Malnova?
Calestia: Yes… the black dragon… He was there… I’m sorry I know you don’t know me, but let’s just say he has done this to me before. He uses people to get what he wants.
Rachalia: I see. Your injuries were from Him and Archaia then.
Calestia: Yes. Mostly Malnova.
Rachalia: And you say he had something of your fathers?
Calestia: A piece of his soul. I’m not sure why he had it, or where it got it from. But I could tell he was involved with that tentacle creature.
Rachalia takes a drink of her tea and thinks for a moment. She then gets up and takes out a bag from under the bed in the tent, and produces a silver shard from it. Calestia’s eyes light up when she sees it.
Calestia: You found it!
Rachalia: So this is a piece of your father’s orotho. I was wondering why the cult would be collecting shards like these for. If the one you mentioned, Malnova, and this tentacle creature was involved then perhaps I know why now.
Calestia: because they are evil jerks?
Rachalia laughs.
Rachalia: you are not wrong, but there is more involved. My adopted cousin Elizete is scarred with the marks of a god you see. She can sense when one of them is near, and she could detect the presence of at least one of their kind where you were being held. This tentacle creature you mentioned, is known to work with several of the darker gods. The ones who would see creation burn.
Calestia: That makes sense, we know that it’s been working with Kryptaris and Zero for a while.
Rachalia gives the silver oroths shard to Calestia
Rachalia: if this is your fathers, then you should keep it.
Calestia: thank you… your very kind.
Rachalia: you can tell a lot from a person from watching how they have tea, and you strike me as a kind and gentle soul, regardless of being an outsider or not. That and the fact the cult who has been the enemy of my kingdom for a while was holding you prisoner is enough reason for me to give you a chance.
Calestia: I need to get this shard to Kilana… Will you let me go?
Rachalia: No, I cannot let you go. We are taking you to the castle; my father will want a word with you. Then we will likely give you a pass to go. But that is up to him. For now, you will be my guest.
End Transcript
We shall be back to your side soon, lord father.
-Rachalia
End Field Log
Elizete’s Parastone recording
Rachalia, Elizete and troupe enter the Silver Arrow.
Elizete: Well well well what do we have here, Archaia her self, and some outsiders.
Rachalia: You are all under arrest under the order of King Therrios for crimes against the Kingdom of Mar!
Ash: Under arrest? Ha! You have no idea who I am, do you.
Elizete: Are you resisting?? ARE YOU RESISTING? Please be resisting, so I can blow your brains out hehehehe…
Archaia: and that is my queue to leave…
Archaia takes out a transparent red stone which seems to have a galaxy within it. She crushes it in her good hand and disappears into a micro-black hole.
Rachalia:… Damn it. Elizete, seal these ones before more escape!
Elizete’s gold eye glows, she blinks that eye, and time stops for all of those in the room except for her, Rachalia, and their troupe of soldiers.
Rachalia: Father isn’t going to like that… Archaia got away.
Elizete: She looked injured as well. Something fishy-fishy is going on here.
Ash: so one of you has a little time powers do you. How interesting.
Elizete: OH, OH OH You’ve got my attention now.
Rachalia: are you a demon?
Elizete: I got this one Racha’ this one is making my trigger fingers itch. Are you going to play nicely or am I going to have to put you down?
Ash: your instability amuses me, perhaps ill take that eye of yours, it could be quite useful.
Ash’s paws become surrounded by a circle of fire, his claws and talons shimmering red and black almost like a type of gemstone. The floor of the cave around him cracks and begins to melt. He jumps forward, and with a crash, he crushes Elizete to the floor beneath a paw of fire, a talon inching towards her eye. Elizete grins wildly and without even flinching fires several rounds into Ash’s paw with her bladed revolvers.
Ash rolls out of the way, but not before being shot a few times in one paw.
Ash: That is quite the toy you have there little girl…
Elizete: Hehehahhahaha Your sill alive?? Maybe I’ll have to get serious. Can I get serious now Racha?
Rachalia: Promise me you will only kill the one, we need the others for questioning.
Elizete: Oh, how boring. But at least I can have a little fun now.
Elizete’s revolvers seem to reload themselves in a sparkle of red and gold fire. A dark ripple of air appears to reverb around her lighting up a pattern of black light on the same side of her body as the gold eye (her left side).
Ash: Wait a second… You’re a scar-
Before Ash has time to finish speaking Elizete fires twelve successive rounds into his head, they seem to bend and warp time and slip threw a wormhole in space guaranteeing they hit their target. The resulting explosion of gold flames and blacklight rips threw Ash and reduce’s him to shards of time dust that sprinkle the floor of the cave. And with that time resumes again for a moment.
Godalt: Wow! shit I’m outta here… This bitch isn’t playing around…
Godalt comes out of the shadows for a moment and disappears into purple and black flames, as he does Rachalia tries to slash him with her sword, but it phases through the fire.
Rachalia: Damn it, Elizete. You went overboard and let one of them escape.
Soldier: Lady Rachalia, that was the Demon Godalt.
Rachalia: Godalt?? What business did he have with these outsiders and cultists?
Elizete: That red guy went bye-bye.
Kilana: that was kind of impressive actually. I don’t think I’ve seen too many powers embued firearms like that since Viola’s “kids” or some Hadrens. But your something else…
Elizete: Is that a compliment?? Do you want another demonstration?
Rachalia: that’s enough, Elizete… The rest of you, surrender peacefully, or we will have to capture you by force. You don’t want to end up like that one, do you?
Elizete: Please please try and make it interesting and try to escape for me! hehehe
Asb: Well, what do we do Kilana?
Kilana: I’m only here to get Kiro’s soul and Caly back… And she is probably deeper in the cave… I say we wind our way out of –
Elizete blinks her gold eye at both Asb and Kilana, time-freezing them in place.
The soldiers go up to Asb and Kilana and tie them in a greyish type of rope, which seems to unfreeze them from time again, but seals their powers and locks their soul to the spot.
Elizete: there. Now play good little prisoners or else I get to have some more fun with you. Oh, please try something, please please, it will help end my boredom.
Rachalia: you will be taken to Cap’DuMar for questioning. Then we will determine what is to be done with you.
Kilana: We aren’t with that pink-haired one or Malnova or Ash… I’m a healer just looking for my mate let us go. I promise we won’t bother you.
Rachalia: That will be for my father to decide. Take them to the prisoner cart.
The soldiers seem to effortlessly pick up both of them by the grey rope and lead them away.
Rachalia and Elizete take a look around the Silver Arrow. Elizete stops in the place where the god sword had rusted away, and she shivers, grabbing her left arm and side, a tear of blood drops from her gold eye.
Elizete speaks with a shaking voice: O-ne… Of them was here… Maybe two. But one for sure…
Rachalia: I see… That’s concerning… Was it Archaia?
Elizete: no… She didn’t give off that vibe. They were gone when we got here…
Rachalia: Perhaps that’s for the best. We aren’t equipped to fight a god. Now we know the cultists were involved with a god, and that god is not Archaia at least.
The two of them and several soldiers search threw the cave system and come across several maps, plans, treasures (including Kiro’s soul shard), and eventually also find Calestia chained and unconscious in what appears to be a prison cell.
Elizete: An outsider keeping an outsider as a prisoner?
Rachalia: Yes… very strange, indeed… Let’s get her down, and keep her separate from the others. I will want a word with her alone. If she is their enemy, maybe we can learn something useful.
End Parastone Recording