All apologies if I ruin the storylines of Rise of the Zilart or Chains of Promathia. And...(knowing smile)..maybe Jahlo will be back...maybe not...youll just have to see, Miiake (grin).
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"Yea, ok, let's goooo!", I threw myself headlong down the slight incline to the teleportation platform. My companions quickly managed to squeeze themselves into that fairly small space moments before we appeared on the other side of the massive air-chasm nearer to the immense building. We arrived downslope of a long open passage that led directly to the massive structure. More importantly, Beron and Jesi were nowhere to be seen. "How the hell did they get away..?", I mused.
"Those tele-thingys can send you all sorts of strange places around here...since they broke awhile back that is. For all we know it could have sent them straight to the Nexus.", Azura answered.
"Great...", I said.
"Hey, look! This is fun!", Tomo was running circles around another of those doll thingys and the doll seemed to ignore her totally. She waved her arms in front of it and at one point clutched onto it's leg as it walked. This action was quickly followed by protests as Yomi dragged her by the frock.
"Awww..C'mon!! You always ruin my fun"
"I'll ruin your fun all I want. One day one of those things is going to beat you up.", Yomi said as she placed Tomo back on her feet. the defeated girl pouted and reluctantly complied.
"So..what is that building?", I asked Azura as we walked towards the passageway.
"The Shrine of Ru'Avitau...", the Soulforged said.
"My, my the little lady is smart!", Azura said.
"Of course. I know much about the workings of the world.", the Soulforged said...in a complex sentence nonetheless.
"Oh, do you!?", Tomo's curiosity was piqued. "What's the meaning of life!? Huh!? What is it"
"Tomo, leave her...", Yomi began to interject.
"There is no true answer to that question. Life is how one percieves it.", the Soulforged answered with a slight lilt to her voice. Like an accent.
"Ah, poop. A smarty-pants answer.", Tomo frowned.
As we moved through a set of broken-down doors we entered the passageway proper. Leslie began to shake uncontrollably. She clung to Sakaki's arm for support.
"What's the matter?", Sakaki asked.
"The...the magic around here...is so strong..", Leslie's teeth chattered.
"Are you feeling alright?", Yomi asked.
"I..I'm fine...I'll be ok..", Leslie shook a bit more, but walked on her own. It was an odd reaction, but I shrugged it off as her being sensitive to mana and such. The passage had high walls with alcoves carved into them. Within the niches were those doll thingys. As we walked past them I couldn't help but feel like they were watching me. Beyond the other side of the passage was the atrium to the Shrine of Ru'Avitau. The building looked even more massive from here. It simply towered over us. The atrium was under an overhanging cermet roof that was supported by many thin pillars. A large gate was carved into the far wall. We stood in awe of this enormous structure.
"Wow...so..this is the shrine created by the Zilart in order to enter Paradise?", Leslie asked.
"Got that right. Waaaay at the top...is the Celestial Nexus. The entrance to Paradise.", Azura said.
Leslie shook again. "We have to hurry. This place feels...not right"
As we appraoched the main entrance it opened on it's own, sliding to the side, seemingly inviting us to enter.
"Umm..is that supposed to happen?", I asked Azura.
"Yea, us Shrinekeepers were lazy so a lot of the doors inside open on their own.", he laughed.
Grudgingly, we entered. Immediately upon entering the vast foyer, Leslie let out a small yelp and fell shaking into Sakaki's arms. Terribly worried, we rushed to her aid.
"Are you ok?", I asked. This statment was echoed by absolutely everyone, even the Soulforged.
"I...I...it feels like someone is whispering in my head...", Leslie gripped Sakaki's furred coat and whimpered.
"Whispering eh? So you can hear the crystal.", Azura said.
Leslie opened her eyes in shock. "Huh?", Tomo vocalized what we had all been thinking.
"One of the Mothercrystals lies atop the Shrine. That supplies the power that allows this structure to float as well as contain enough energy to break the gate into Paradise. It is pure lifeforce that few can feel. Much less hear.", Azura explained.
"W...why does it feel so evil?", Leslie asked, her voice trembling.
"Because Eald'narche must be already beginning the opening process. The faster we get up there the better.", Azura said.
"Can you walk?", Sakaki asked Leslie. Leslie nodded, but since she nearly fell down on her first attempt Sakaki lent Leslie her shoulder to lean on. Azura instructed us to enter a large doorframe upon the right wall of the foyer. We plodded throughout the fairly featureless hallways with enough worries to kill a horse.
"It's getting louder...", Leslie lamented through clenched teeth.
"We are getting closer...Only a bit further.", Azura said.
"It better be close...this walking sucks!", Tomo lamented.
"The next teleporter should be coming up soon.", Azura said. "It better...", Tomo grumbled.
Rounding what seemed like the umpteenth corner the room opened to a vast expanse of...more cermet. The welcome sight of one of those odd teleporters is all that made it worthwhile. Oh, that and the two odd little furry things with no eyes and swords floating above them.
"What...the fuck...?", I exclaimed.
"Ah, shit...'evil weapons' they're called. Servants of the Zilart from ancient times. They are none too nice.", Azura explained.
"Can I shoot one!?", Tomo jumped up in excitement.
"I wouldn't condone it...but..", Azura began.
"I'll take care of this.", the Soulforged said as she pushed her way past us.
She drew her sword and faced the gangly creatures. I smiled inwardly at the prospect of seeing this beast of a girl in action once more. The two brutes snarled and dripped a bit of saliva from their mouths. One flicked it's emaciated looking wrist and the sword above it flew straight for the girl. The Soulforged deflected the blow with her weapon and instead of striking that critter, she twirled her left arm in an upward arc, sending a crosswise pattern of magical energy at the other beast. This one was caught off guard and sent careening across the floor. Using this distraction she turned back to the other 'evil weapon'. Thrusing and dodging with the ease of a practiced swordmaster she managed to break past the harsh defence of the creature and throw an accurate thrust straight into it's furred skull. It screamed as green blood sprang forth. Thrashing, it almost dislodged the Soulforged's sword from it's cranium. She retaliated with one of her magics that created a whirlpool of dark matter below the beast. Pure black mana coalesced around the creature as it dissolved into nothingness. This made Tomo clap wildly. The other beast let out a battle cry that sounded like a train wreck. The Soulforged wasted no time in using her vast array of power to literally snip the limbs from the 'evil weapon'. Under her command a small slice of ochre energy quickly caressed each limb of the beast. Moments later the appendaged fell off. Celadon blood spilled across the ivory floor, staining it. The creature screamed it's last and expired. "Impressive", Azura noted.
Wordlessly, the Soulforged appraoched the teleporter platform.
"Do we use this?", she asked upon reaching it.
"Yea, step right up.", Azura instructed.
Gathering ourselves onto the small device we were whisked away by the pure light of magic and deposited at the end of a cermet hallway leading to a terraceworked gate.
"Hey! Good luck to us. This is the place.", Azura said.
Leslie was in Sakaki's arms once more, whimpering pathetically. Poor girl.
"Well! What we waitin' for!? Let's go!", Tomo lifted her leg high to haughtily march towards the door, but Yomi restrained her by the collar.
"Not so fast.",she chastised.
The door opened with a groan and none other than Jesi ran out, panting as the gate slammed shut behind him. He looked at us, eyes wide with fear and sweating like a 400 pound wrestler.
"Don't go in there.", he said, short of breath.
"And why not?", I asked quizically.
"Is Eald'narche there?", Tomo asked.
Jesi shook his head. "No,...but Kam'lanaut is"
"How? He's dead.", said Azura.
Jesi kept panting and staring.
"The Astral Candescence."
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