Quick Author's Note:
Hi there! I'm Tyler Cohen, the writer of this . . . thing. I haven't even settled on a title yet. It's a project that I've been piecing together for a couple of years now, and I'm excited to start putting out this not-at-all started concept that is a mostly original plot using the characters of Cover Corporation's Hololive English branch!
This is a summary of plot that I plan on using as an outline when writing the story proper. I intend for it to read as such; less prose, more explanation. Details and specifics that are listed in this summary are subject to change in the finished version. Also, this is part 1 of 2. This first part features the girls of HoloMyth, while the second part will work in the girls from HoloCouncil, though that is a ways off. Writing of actual prose will begin once the summary for part 2 is complete.
If you have any thoughts or criticisms please feel free to leave a review or contact me directly by e-mail or on twitter (at FlatCohen).
Section 1 - Introductions
(Calli)
The story is going to start with Kiara and Calli kicking butt. They've been hunting members of a death cult that has been unusually active. Well, Calli is. Kiara is along for the ride, supporting her friend.
Typically, death cults of this sort commit heinous acts out of a misplaced reverence for Death. Calli, as Death's apprentice, seeks to "reprimand" them for their corrupted worship, reaping souls as necessary. Kiara, whose very existence is irreverent towards death, prefers to encourage cultists to seek a new lot in life instead.
After clearing out a gathering of cultists, Calli notices something strange. There are oddities in the way this particular group practiced their faith. They seem less reverent towards death, instead presenting a more utilitarian attitude. Death is a tool; a means to an end, rather than the desired end itself. This unsettles Calli, but Kiara reassures her. No matter their intentions, no death cult stands a chance against the dream team of life and death.
Calli still isn't sure, but she thanks Kiara anyways. There is still business to be done. No time to mope and worry.
(Ame)
Some undeterminable time in the future, the world has become a gray, broken place. The city lies in ruins, overgrown by gnarled trees and grasses in a variety of muddled shades. Survivors of some great catastrophe skitter about, fearful and desperate. One survivor carries herself with a purpose other than survival: Amelia Watson.
The other survivors watch her with suspicion as she trades for supplies. Much of their uncertainty stems from what she is trading for. Mechanical and electronic scrap fills her satchel. Whereas others seek food and medical supplies, she gathers garbage for reasons they cannot fathom. Ame recognizes the suspicion, but is well beyond letting it get to her.
She is building a device, one that might enable her to save the world. Assuming she can get it working. She leaves the makeshift trading post, bag clutched tight to her chest. She stalks through the shadows, sprinting from building to building so as to avoid being exposed to the outside for long. There are horrible things that stalk the streets. Ethereal things with stubby tentacles. She avoids them deftly.
Ame nearly makes it back to her base of operations when disaster strikes. Something crashes through one of the nearby buildings, sending rubble crashing down to the streets below. A giant creature, veiled in shadow, emerges, its rows of sharp teeth glistening despite the perpetual cloud cover. It swipes its thick tail, collapsing a building. It's smoky skin pulses with a violent red glow.
Another figure bursts from the building it crashed into earlier. This one is also cloaked in darkness, though of a kind much more chilling. Death leaves a bright trail of pink as it shoots through the air at the monster. It's wicked scythe screams as it crashes into the pulsing red flesh. The monster rebuffs this attack, producing a shockwave that knocks Ame to the ground. She sweats as she scrambles to her feet and makes a break for her base. The horrible creatures are fighting just a block over. If her machine is destroyed in the melee, all hope would be lost.
She makes it to the base, but her blood runs cold as she checks the progress of the fight. The combatants are moving closer to her building, slowly but surely. And worse yet, a third shadowy figure has joined the fray. A woman, one that everyone living in this broken world knows and dreads with every fiber of their being. The one called 'The Priestess'.
The Priestess raises her hand, and the giant monster obeys. They launch a two-pronged attack on Death. None of the horrors seem to be aware of Ame, but that doesn't change the fact that they are threatening her work. She rushes into her shop and begins working immediately. She dumps the contents of her bag on a table and scrambles for her tools. The ground shakes and dust falls ominously from the ceiling as she works, attaching bits and bobs to her apparatus and wiring everything together.
With shaky hands, she finalizes the construction, and with sweat dripping from her chin, she activates it. The machine begins to hum, its panels flashing to life. Relief is short lived as a tremendous crash rocks the workshop. The ceiling begins to cave in, dropping large chunks of concrete all around. Ame dives into the single seat and flips every switch, pushes every button. There is no wasted space, no room for caution. Each and every piece on this thing is meant to do one thing and one thing only: Travel back in time! Safety be damned. If this doesn't work, she is dead anyways.
Just as the time machine starts to glow and the world around Ame begins to shift and lose focus, a large part of the workshop's wall is torn away. Through the hole, Ame catches a glimpse of the Priestess looking directly at her. The horrible creature raises a hand swirling with some unholy energy. And then she is gone. Ame's eyes are filled with a searing light that quickly fades. When her vision clears, she finds herself in a dark back alley. She hears a sound. The hum of engines. An occasional horn. Faint laughter and conversation. Civilization.
It worked.
Relief almost knocks her out cold, but she can't rest just yet. Her machine is conspicuous and the last thing she needs is someone asking questions she can't answer. She disembarks, gets behind the machine, and starts pushing. Ame's time machine starts to roll, slowly, on small wheels she installed for just such an occasion.
(Ina)
Ina sits beside a pleasant pool, decorated to look like a fantastical spring. She ponders her life as her only true friend in the world splashes in the water.
Since she was a child, she has been revered as some kind of prophet. She is waited on, hand and foot, and given most anything she asks for without question. By all accounts, she has led a blessed life. And yet, she is dissatisfied. More so, she is unhappy. As she has grown, she has become aware of the artifice of her existence. She is being propped up. She is being used to convey the will of the dark god her followers worship.
Her friend, Gura, swims over to her, floaties keeping her above water. She beckons Ina to join her, but she refuses. Gura's fate is even more tragic than Ina's, she feels. Gura, a mythical being by all accounts, is even more trapped than Ina. She is hailed as an avatar of the dark god, but the truth is much more bleak. Gura prods her, noticing her sadness, and Ina relents, telling her what she is feeling.
Gura nods and states frankly that they should leave if Ina is worried. Ina blinks and laughs off the suggestion. If she could just leave, she would have already. Except, that isn't really true. Gura is pivotal to the leader's plans. Ina couldn't leave without Gura, but if they left together, the leader of the organization would pursue them relentlessly. And then Gura would have to fight, and Ina didn't want to put her through that.
The shark girl laughs off Ina's worries. They're buds, so of course Gura doesn't mind getting scrappy to help Ina out. Absorbing her friend's confidence, Ina resolves to escape their predicament at last. She brings Gura in close to form a plan.
Section 2 - Meetings
(Calli)
Calli and Kiara infiltrate a warehouse that is serving as a base for a chapter of the death cult they are investigating. Everything is going normally, at first, but the deeper into the base they get, the stranger things become. Eventually, they come across a small group of cultists who transform into monstrous abominations.
Though they typically go easy on the misguided cultists, the two mythical beings are forced to use more lethal force. A battle ensues as Kiara draws her sword and Calli whips out her scythe. They make quick work of the monsters, but Calli keeps her guard up. It feels like they are being watched. Kiara points out a strange light floating around them. It is small and dim, almost like a particle of dust or a floater in the eye, but somehow more significant. Calli follows it without really meaning to and her eye is guided upwards.
Her attention snaps to a small window near the ceiling and she catches a glimpse of someone watching. She springs into action immediately, cleaving through the wall and into the alley next to the warehouse, only to see a shadow duck around the corner. Kiara calls after her, but she ignores it.
Calli enters a state usually reserved for placating the dead. And gives chase. She catches up with the supposed cult member and exits Limbo Space. The woman regards her with a primal fear that doesn't track with the way most death cult members react, not even the ones they've been pursuing thus far. When Calli tries to interrogate the woman, she produces a device that clings to her arms and legs and charges.
The woman is shockingly fast, almost catching Calli off guard. Whatever that device is, it seems to be enhancing her physical capabilities. None of what she is seeing tracks with the behaviors of the death cult, so Calli decides she must not be one of them. She attempts to restrain the woman, but she resists with great force. The woman manages to strike Calli, knocking her down. She then produces a gun.
(Ame)
Ame breathes heavily and takes aim. She isn't sure if a bullet can harm the grim reaper-or if death itself can even be killed-but there is only one way to find out. Whatever the case, she has stumbled upon the shadow of doom that has contributed to the destruction of her future and she has the opportunity to exact some measure of revenge. She places her finger on the trigger.
But before she can fire, a woman with fiery orange hair leaps in between them. She frantically waves her arms and tries to talk Ame down. Ame resists at first-she's just witnessed this woman fighting alongside death, after all-but when the woman introduces herself and the reaper, Ame hesitates. Death has a name. She has a friend. Those things don't match up with what she knows. Furthermore, this woman, Kiara, has a weapon of her own. She easily could have stopped Ame by force before she was noticed.
Ame lowers her weapon. Travelling to the past has taken a serious toll on her, and meeting one of the monsters of her nightmares sent her clean over the edge. She apologizes and tries to walk away, but then the world around her spins and she collapses. She falls unconscious.
(Kiara)
Kiara sips from a steaming mug. Calli sits across from her, a hot cup of her own in her hands. They discuss the woman sleeping on the couch a few feet away. Calli is insistent that they interrogate her. Her presence at the cult hideout implies that she has some awareness of the organization. Kiara notices Calli's impatience, and although she disagrees, she understands the need for urgency. She talks Calli down, saying that the unconscious woman might be a victim of the cult, so they should approach her with empathy, not hostility.
Calli takes a deep breath. She seems resistant to the idea, but relents after Kiara holds her gaze for a few seconds. Kiara reflects on her gratitude for the trust she shares with her old friend. And with that discussion resolved, she wonders about their mysterious guest.
The young woman doesn't seem extra ordinary at first glance, but there are three points that pique Kiara's curiosity. First, she was present at the cult hideout, and clearly not by chance. The way she was peeking in implied that she was seeking information, perhaps in the same way that Kiara and Calli were. Second, her willingness to fight, despite an apparent fearfulness. Calli noted that the woman came at her with a desperate fury. To Kiara, that sounds like this woman is somehow aware of Calli's nature. A true oddity. Third, and most intriguing, is the tool the woman used to fight Calli. The apparatus is dazzling in a way that Kiara has only experienced in fiction. In all the time she's been alive-throughout much of human history-she has never seen anything like it.
That, more than anything, lights a fire in Kiara. She understands Calli's desire to sniff out the death cult, but she really, really wants to know about it. When the woman begins to stir, Kiara rushes to her side, beckoning her gently.
The mysterious guest starts when she opens her eyes, but Kiara rushes to give her ground to stand on, reintroducing herself and asking the woman's name. After taking a moment to catch her breath, the woman introduces herself as Amelia Watson. Learning Ame's name excites Kiara, and she immediately dives into questioning her about the device.
Ame is caught up in Kiara's excitement and begins to describe the creation of her device, and in doing so, she lets some very intriguing information slip. She suggests that she is from the future. Kiara's eyes widen as the implications set in, but Calli reacts first. She demands to know what those implications are about. Ame hesitates, but she eventually relents.
(Ina)
Ina steps onto a small dais, eyes lowered. The shadowy audience chamber buzzes with the low hum of eldritch chanting. Thick incense obscures the cultists' faces, but Ina can feel their eyes; beady, bloodshot, and eager. Their attention is entirely focused on her, or more specifically, the words she will soon speak.
She looks down at the tome sitting on the podium before her. It holds within knowledge of the universe that twists the minds of most mortal beings. Ina reflects briefly on her own exposure to the maddening void. The darkness. The loss.
A man stands beside her, hands clasped behind his back. He looks down upon the gathered cultists with a hunger that Ina was all too familiar with. He is the reason she is here. He is the leader of the Cult of the Ancient Ones, and he has grand ambitions, indeed. He addresses the congregation, teasing them with a promise of revelations. It was a speech he typically gives at these gatherings, but there is a significantly more sinister edge to words this time around. He finishes his address with a disturbing implication: The genesis of their faith is at hand. All the priestess need do, is read the scripture.
Ina trembles. She has read this book many times (as far as a book filled with scribbled nonsense can be read, anyway) but the way the cult leader spoke shifts her focus. Yes, the tome is giving off some kind of energy. It feels terrifyingly similar to the void. She has a premonition: If she opens this book, here and now, she will return to the void, and this time she will be lost as well.
A large bell is rung to signal the beginning of the familiar ceremony. The sound resounds throughout the complex to indicate the time of prayer for those not granted the privilege of attending. It is the signal she'd agreed on with Gura. It will take time for her friend to arrive, though, so she needs to stall. For the first time in her life, Ina deviates from the script dictated by the church, addressing the congregation directly. She thanks them for their faith and regurgitates the cult's most common promises about fulfillment, freedom, and vibrancy.
She starts to sweat. The cult leader won't tolerate this kind of independent action, but for the time being, Ina is safe. He hadn't gone anywhere near here since she returned from the void, and it is clear that that won't change now. Still, she feels the fury in his gaze on her back. She wishes that Gura would appear and help her. And, as if responding to that silent prayer, Gura bursts through the doors of the cramped chamber.
Ina just about cries with all of the feelings welling up within her, but she composes herself. She gives the congregation a loud warning as Gura hefts a large metal bar pulled from who knows where. Ina ducks behind the podium and catches a glimpse of the cult leader. The shock and rage she sees fills her with immense satisfaction.
(Gura)
Gura chucks the metal bar like a javelin and it roars through the chamber, blasting a sizable hole in the wall behind the dais. She dashes up to the podium, knocking back cult muscle with ease. In one smooth motion, she grabs Ina and leaps through the hole.
The cult compound is a maze of elaborate courtyards and suffocating corridors, but any time they aren't sure which way to go, Gura improvises. By the time they reach the outside world, the cult's compound is significantly more holey. The fugitive pair find themselves in a thick forest, shrouded in darkness. It is terrifying, but there is some hope. Lights, in the distance. They aren't sure what they'll find out there, but there isn't any time to second guess. The cult will surely pursue them as soon as possible.
They run for a while, navigating the near total darkness with Gura's extraordinary senses. Eventually, though, Ina has to rest. Gura lets go of her hand, and Ina sinks to the forest floor, gasping for breath. For the first time, Gura notices that Ina is clutching something close to her chest. A book. When she asks about it, Ina tells her that it is the tome of the Ancient Ones. It has some kind of terrible power and she couldn't risk leaving it in the cult's hands.
The reasoning makes sense, but Gura gets a bad feeling. She insists they need to keep moving, but Ina doesn't seem any more rested than when they first stopped. If anything, she seems more exhausted. Her breathing becomes ragged and she starts to run a fever. Not sure what else to do, Gura picks Ina up and rushes through the trees towards the cluster of bright lights in the distance.
(Calli)
Calli mulls over what Ame has just finished telling her. A ruined future. A being that looks like her, wielding the power of Death. Giant monsters. It all seems impossible. But nothing about Ame's explanation implies she is twisting the truth. Calli still isn't entirely convinced they can trust Ame, but she makes a decision anyways. She extends an invitation to Ame; she asks her to join them in their search for the death cult. Maybe with her technology and knowledge of the future, she can speed up the process.
Ame agrees and, after a warm meal, hands Calli a list of things she will need.
Section 3 - Encounters
(Kiara)
Kiara walks along side Calli and Ame as they search for the latest cult base. The city is absolutely lousy with them, it turns out. Ame recalls a number of particularly dangerous locations in her future; places where one was liable to run into some manner of abomination or another. This is how she was able to locate the base where she met Calli and Kiara in the first place. Folding up their map, they stop in front of a seemingly normal office building. Before they can enter the building, though, they hear a series of loud bangs and crashes. It sounds like there are serious renovations underway inside. Drawing their weapons, the group rushes through the doors.
They follow the sound of destruction, slipping through familiar hidden passages, until they come to a large ritual chamber. Two things stand out to Kiara immediately. First, the often robed cultists have been replaced by strange, twisted creatures. Second, the young, white-haired woman fighting them. Calli and Ame exercise caution by waiting to join the fray, but the situation is clear enough for Kiara. She charges in, brandishing her shield to protect the blue-garbed woman's back. With a single, brief glance, they reach an understanding and start working together to beat back the monsters. Calli and Ame join moments later, and the four of them make quick work of the creatures.
Kiara worries that they are in for another tense standoff with someone else fighting the cult, but the young woman immediately thanks them for the help and introduces herself. Calli is taken aback, but adapts quickly once Kiara introduces the group. Ame furrows her brow at Gura, but cautiously accepts the shark girl's presence.
Before Kiara can ask what Gura is doing in the hideout, she wanders over to an alter erected at one end of the chamber. She tears the thing apart searching for something. Finally, she tells the group that her friend is sick. She isn't sure about the cause, but it must have something to do with the Cult of the Ancient Ones. Kiara shoots Calli a look. This is the first time they've heard the name of the cult, which indicates that Gura has intimate knowledge of the organization. Ame picks up on this as well and suggests that Gura let them help. Kiara seconds the suggestion. They aren't sure what they can do about some supposedly magical illness, but if Death's apprentice, a phoenix and a time traveler can't help, then nothing can.
(Gura)
Gura leads the group to her and Ina's hideout. Calli immediately feels that something is off, so Gura shows her the book. Calli recoils from the thing, though she doesn't seem to know why she finds it so repulsive. It isn't quite malicious, but whatever is between the covers might be causing Ina's illness. Gura explains that she tried to take the book away, but Ina's conditioned worsened when she did. Ame takes the tome from Gura and starts inspecting it.
Kiara asks where they got the book and Gura explains that Ina is the priestess at the center of the cult's beliefs, and that she herself is someone central to the cult's rituals, though she doesn't know how. Calli and Kiara share a look that drifts to Ame, who is staring at Ina. Ame says magic isn't exactly her specialty, but she suggests giving Ina the book and opening it in her hands. Gura ignores the dark look in her eyes and gives it a shot. A dark energy emerges from the pages of the tome and starts to engulf Ina. Gura panics and tries to pull he friend from the foreboding mist, but a red haze drifts across her mind and strength leaves her.
Kiara and Calli step in, pulling Gura and Ina out of the miasma. Gura's mind clears and for the first time in days, Ina opens her eyes. Gura pounces on her friend, tears coming to her eyes. Ina looks at her , Calli and Kiara with clear eyes, but then she looks past them. Gura follows her gaze to find Ame holding what looks like a gun at the ready. The tension in the room spikes as everyone freezes. Gura's hackles rise, but she holds back. Ame just helped cure Ina. There had to be a reason for her to do this.
Ame stares at Ina with a frightening intensity, but she lowers the gun. Instead, she introduces herself and asks Ina to do the same. After a beat, Ina does so. Ame closes her eyes and breathes a heavy sigh. She apologizes and states that she intends to put her trust in Ina and Gura, for better or worse. A tired smile flashes across her face. It puts Gura, and everybody else, at ease. Ame kneels down and tells Gura and Ina everything.
(Ina)
Ame finishes her story. Ina is shaken. There is no room in her head for doubts as she feels like she's just caught a glimpse of the cult leader's ultimate goal. She glances down at the open tome in her lap and gasps. It is oozing with foreboding energy, just as it did sitting on the podium in the ritual chamber, but it isn't assaulting her mind the way she expected. Instead, it feels . . . familiar. Almost friendly, though she can't imagine how that could be.
Ina places her fingers on the page and power surges through her. She breathes in sharply and the rest of the group does the same. They felt it too, apparently. She isn't totally sure, but she thinks that she's forged some kind of connection with whatever eldritch power resides in the book, and she tells the group as much. Ame narrows her eyes, but shrugs. She's willing to put her trust in Ina, but asks that she let Ame know if anything starts to feel off.
Ina agrees and the group relocates to Calli and Kiara's apartment. The space is cramped, but it is more comfortable than anything Ina can remember. Within the cult, she would feel isolated even in crowded spaces and the fluffiest pillows seemed cold and hard. No matter how much the cult tried to pander to her, their true intentions showed through. Here, though, there is true warmth.
She and Gura have only just met the other three, but already they feel like friends. They are inviting, and even Ame quickly warms up to Ina and Gura in a way that Ina would not have expected after their initial encounter. Sitting there on a hard bar stool with a steaming mug in her hands, Ina realizes that the reason this space, and these people, are so comfortable is because they are genuine. They wanted to help Ina and Gura-for their own reasons, of course, but they would help nonetheless. Ina's heart swells with a sense of friendship she could only vaguely recall ever feeling before. Then the whispers start.
(Ame)
Ina calls out to Ame, urgent. She's hearing whispers. Nothing she can really understand beyond vague interpretations. She says she needs the book. Calli shoots Ame a look that she returns. This is concerning, but Ame has a theory. The Priestess, the monster, and death are all actors in her future. Presumably, these are Ina, Gura, and Calli, or rather versions of them that never met like this. Calli and Kiara likely wouldn't have made contact with Ina and Gura if Ame herself hadn't traveled back in time. That didn't mean things couldn't still go horribly wrong, but with all of them together like this, they might be able to avert whatever disasters lead to that ruined future.
Gura brings Ina the book, but when she opens it, the light in the room dims. Ina's eyes begin to glow in a terrifyingly familiar way. Ame panics and reaches for her gun, but then Ina speaks. She explains what she is experiencing to the best of her ability. She finds herself floating in a void, her voice trembling. She is afraid. Gura takes one of Ina's hands. Ina says that she sees a faint light, barely perceptible. She reaches for it, her physical arm moving, extending towards something the others can't see. A wave of purple mist bursts from the pages of the tome, blinding everyone. When the smoke clears, Ame is stunned to see Ina still sitting as she was, arm outstretched, but now with a mass of tentacles seeming to grow from her back. Ina gasps and her eyes return to normal. She looks around, wondering why everyone looks so on edge. When she sees the tentacles sprouting from behind her, she shrieks. The tentacles start to wave wildly as if to mirror Ina's panic and the others are forced to subdue the swinging appendages.
Once everything has calmed down, Ame inspects the tentacles. She is both startled and amazed to see the things up close like this. Seeing the woman who would become the unholy Priestess, feared by all, awkwardly poking at her tentacles like an unruly head of hair makes her laugh. Ina pouts, so Ame shares her findings with the group. The tentacles are real, though she isn't sure about their composition. They appear to be emerging from a small portal located directly behind Ina. Although they are not a part of Ina's body, they respond as one of her limbs might, albeit with slightly more individual agency. In short: they are no more threatening to them than Ina herself is. That is, as long as history doesn't repeat itself.
Ame puts the pieces together for everyone. Assuming this isn't some kind of alternate history that she's traveled back to, Ina and Gura would have ended up becoming the monsters that ruined Ame's future. Calli, as well, would have experienced something that pushed her to become the deadly reaper from that time. Ame's eyes flick to Kiara; she is likely the cause. However, Ame can't be certain of that, so she keeps that theory from the others. It all comes down to one truth: the Cult of the Ancient Ones is responsible for the destruction of Ame's future. If the cult can be stopped, then that horrible future can be avoided.
Ina protests. Surely, all they need to do is stay away. If the cult can't get their hands on Ina or Gura, then they shouldn't be able to destroy the world. Ame knows what it is to live life with danger around every corner. She understands what it means to spend every waking moment running away. She asks Ina and Gura if that's really the kind of life they want, never truly free from the cult. Gura doesn't want that, and says so firmly. Ina hesitates. She worries that pursuing the cult might give them a chance to enact their plans, erasing any chance to change the future.
Kiara takes Ina's hands and smiles. She tells Ina that she can rely on Calli, Ame, Gura, and Kiara herself to stop that from happening. They've only just come together, but she is sure they will be able to carry each other through any hardship. Her words inspire hope in the rest of the group. Calli steps up, placing a hand of Kiara's shoulder. Gura follows suit, wrapping her arms around Ina. They seem to glow in Ame's eyes, and she hesitates to join them. She wants to trust them-has already decided to-but there is so much baggage. Can she really put her life in their hands? Can they put their lives in hers? She realizes that they are all looking at her. Kiara extends her hand, beckoning Ame to join, and she does before any more doubts can creep into her mind.
Section 4 - Provocation
(Calli)
Calli makes a mark on a map of the city. One more cult hideout down, a shocking number left to go. It seemed like the cult of the Ancient Ones has imbedded itself in every nook and cranny. Find and take down one ritual site and you were likely to stumble on another on your way out the door. She isn't sure if she should be elated that they were being so thorough, or depressed by how much death cult activity she had completely missed up to now.
She sighs and turns to her partner in this venture. Gura emerges from the crumbling wreckage of the facility that once housed an elaborate ritual ground. She dusts herself off and shoots Calli a smug look. Though it wasn't Calli's intention, the two of them have ended up competing to see who can wreak the most havoc, and this last raid put Gura in the lead. The shark girl taunts the reaper, but Calli isn't about to rise to such immature prodding . . . yet. She shows Gura the map so that they can figure out exactly where to strike next.
As they deliberate, Calli marvels at Gura's strength. If they were to square off, she isn't sure she could beat the vertically challenged ocean dweller. It is almost frightening. Calli isn't quite a fully fledged reaper yet, but she still wields the power of Death. How could anyone, man or fish, surpass that? Gura taps on one of the marked locations and challenges Calli to a race. Calli accepts the challenge, rolling up the map. She puts her concerns aside for now and simply thanks her good fortune that Gura is on her side.
The race begins and Gura takes an early lead, though Calli stays on her heels. The gap doesn't widen the whole way, but it doesn't shrink either. It looks like Gura is going to win, so Calli cheats a little. She enters Limbo space and sends herself ahead of Gura, emerging just in front of their destination-an abandoned cannery. She radiates smugness as Gura clicks her tongue. Winner gets first go at this next hideout. Calli's scythe materializes in her hands. She cuts the doors from their hinges and strolls in casually. Like most of the bases they've raided recently, the building is filled to the brim with monsters. Calli becomes a pink streak, ravaging droves of inhuman creatures. She makes her way to the central shrine only to catch a glimpse of monsters and some humans slipping out the back. She destroys the shrine with a single swing, but before she can give chase, the building begins to rumble.
Gura crashes through the ceiling, landing at the far end of the room. Before Calli can ask what is going on, something else crashes in from above. It resembles the monsters they've been exterminating but is much, much larger. It doesn't quite measure up to the building, but it is large enough to cave the roof in. It exerts a pressure that gives Calli goose bumps. It swings a hefty tentacle at her, demolishing what remains of the shrine, and slams into her, sending her sliding towards Gura. When she comes to a stop, she immediately readies her scythe. Gura wipes her bloodied lip and cracks her knuckles. They both rush toward the creature, moving with a speed that clearly befuddles the thing. Gura grabs one of its limbs and carries it with her as she slams into the main body. The bulk of the thing lurches back, but she holds the limb in place. Calli swings her scythe and severs the limb cleanly. She notes how much resistance there was. Much more than there should be.
The monster lets out a low, rumbling bellow and lashes out with its remaining appendages. Callie deftly slips through the barrage and slashes the creature's body, retreating as it curls up on the wound. Gura leaps on top of the balled up thing and delivers a series of blows that decimate the ground below through the monster's rubbery flesh. The giant unfurls, falling limp. Calli draws back and spins, evoking the powers of a reaper to end the abomination once and for all. A flash of pink sees the thing split in two. The halves quickly burn away within flames straight from the underworld.
Gura tells Calli that she is glad that the reaper is on her side. Calli returns the sentiment, and takes out her phone. She needs to let the others know about what they just encountered.
(Kiara)
Kiara hangs up the phone and joins Ame and Ina around a map of the city. There a number of locations marked. All of them are places where Ame has used all the information they've gathered to predict where the cult has bases. Some of them are crossed out. So far, most all of her predictions have been spot on. Kiara tells them about Calli and Gura's encounter.
Ina is stunned. In the first place, the cult creating monsters is not something she thought possible. Kiara mentions that the first few encounters she and Calli had with this cult didn't involve monsters at all. Ame taps her chin. She explains that destroying the cult's hideouts seems to be having the intended effect. The leaders of the cult are becoming desperate and taking more extreme measures. This is a double-edged sword, however. The more desperate the cult becomes, the more dangerous they become. She asks Ina if she needs any more proof that stopping the cult is the best course of action. Ina clutches her book and shakes her head. Kiara gives her a comforting smile and she smiles back.
Attempting to bring the mood back up, Kiara suggests they move on to the next hideout. They are bound to find information about the cult's intentions at one of them. She rallies Ame and Ina, and they both perk up, spirits restored. Their next destination is a department store inside a mall. The mall itself is sparsely populated and most of the storefronts are shuttered, but the larger businesses still operate. The trio enter a department store and sneak through an employee entrance. Ame leads the group through the winding backroom halls of the mall until they come to a staircase heading down below the ground, where Kiara takes point.
She descends cautiously, acutely aware of her weapons-shrunken into their charm forms-dangling from her wrists. They come to a door that opens into a familiar set of rooms and corridors. Ame wonders just how long the cult has been active in the city with all of these hidden bases. Ina shrugs. Kiara follows the familiar path that leads to the central shrine. This time, the shrine is housed in a small chamber with a low ceiling. The space is claustrophobic and Kiara starts to feel that they are being watched. She encourages Ame and Ina to finish their investigation quickly. They scour the shrine, looking for texts and symbols that Ina can interpret. Unfortunately, just like the other hideouts, they can't find any information about the cult's plans. Kiara prepares to destroy the shrine when she notices a dim point of light dancing around her. It gives her a warm feeling that seizes her attention. She watches it as it spirals and flutters around the room, until it vanishes near a half open door. Somebody sidles through the gap.
Kiara takes hold of her sword and holds it warningly towards the stranger. The cultist-what else could they be-doesn't make any threatening moves, however. They simply walk to the center of the room, place a small device on the floor, and leave. Ina identifies the device as a projector, and her face pales. The projector flickers to life and the visage of a man draped in shadows appears on the far wall. Ina shrinks back, so Kiara and Ame step between her and the projection. The man introduces himself as the leader of the cult of the Ancient Ones and greets Ina specifically.
Ame demands to know what the cult's plans are, but the cult leader scoffs. He claims that their intentions have never been hidden. In fact, Ina should be able to tell them as well as he can. Kiara turns to Ina, who looks confused, but then understanding washes over her. She explains that her duties as priestess were to guide the congregations in prayer. The prayers were meant to worship the enigmatic Ancient Ones and beckon them to "bring color to the world". Ina always assumed it was simple manipulation, keeping the members eager for the next proclamation from the Ancient Ones. Proclamations which were always fake. With the emergence of monsters big and small, those beckoning prayers suddenly looked a lot more legitimate.
The cult leader confirms their suspicions. Their purpose is to prepare for the arrival of the Ancient Ones. He informs the group that, although their attacks on the cult's hideouts are annoying, it does nothing to impede their plans. As long as the cult can regain the three tools central to the Ancient Ones' genesis, it doesn't matter if the every single base falls. The cult leader closes out his message by telling Ina that he is looking forward to reuniting with her.
The projection cuts off, leaving the group to ruminate in silence. Kiara tries to console Ina, who is clearly shaken, but before she can get two words out, people start to file into the room. At first, it appears to be a group of normal human cult members, but Kiara gets an ominous feeling. She spots the light again. It flutters around them, hanging beside Ina's book in particular, Kiara notes, before drifting closer to the cultists. As it approaches them, the character of the light changes. Gone is the warmth that Kiara felt from it before. The darker light it now radiates fills her with dread.
The cultists begin to march towards the shrine. Suddenly, they sink to the ground as if their bones have vanished from the bottom up. As their heads reach the ground they spring forward like a group of striking snakes. Kiara flicks her wrist and her sword bursts alight, deflecting the cultists. Ame produces a pair of cobbled together firearms and starts blasting. The two of them clear out a good number of transformed cultists, but more stream in. They need to carve a path out of the chamber.
Kiara tries to get Ina to follow them, but she is panicking. Kiara kneels down beside her. She considers carrying her, but then she remembers the light. She isn't sure if it can be trusted, but there are worse times to take risks. She tells Ina to try using the book.
Ina looks confused, but nods. She opens the tome and flips through a few pages. Tentacles sprout from a portal at her back. She flips through a few more but nothing else changes. She tells Kiara that she isn't sure what to do, but she'll keep trying. Kiara decides to give her as much time as she can. She joins Ame in beating back the cultists. They do their best to keep the cultists off of Ina, but eventually, a couple slip through. They lunge towards Ina, who is engrossed in the mystical scripture before her. Kiara calls out, but before the cultists can reach their target, Ina erupts in a crystalline purple light. She rises into the air and a halo forms over her head. She speaks a single, inhuman word, and a pulse of eldritch power sweeps through the chamber. The cultists seize up and then dissolve into ash.
Kiara marvels at the display of power as Ina slowly descends. She turns to Ame with stars in her eyes only to find her friend trembling. She recalls Ame's stories of the future and realizes that seeing Ina use a power that destroyed her world must be quite upsetting. She takes hold of Ame's hand, gives her a reassuring smile, and leads her to Ina, who is shaking herself. Ina and Ame share a haggard look and smile, a little uneasy, but relieved. Kiara can't really know what either of them is going through, but she can at least try to remind them that they are both human. Whatever horrors were awaiting them, she can try and lessen them by cultivating this friendship.
The trio leave the hideout without encountering any more resistance, and make their way back to the apartment acting as their own base. Calli and Gura are already there waiting. Kiara tells them about the encounter with the cult leader. As a group, they decide that striking at the head of the cult is the best option they have. Not only to save the future, but to save their friends as well.
Part 5 - Confrontation
(Ina)
Ina feels conflicted as the party trudges through the thick forest leading to the cult's headquarters. On one hand, she is hesitant. She is anxious about returning to what is essentially a fish tank in a fancy restaurant in which she and Gura were on display.
On the other hand, she is determined to see this through to the end. The power of her friends and the power she has recently come to know in herself combine to form a solid anchor in her mind. No matter how frightened she is, no matter how much resistance they might face, she can lean on the power their party has collected to keep her going.
That being said, she collapses against a tree. The hike has not been kind and she is exhausted. Gura, Calli, and Kiara are one thing. People with inhuman powers possessing inhuman stamina makes sense. But even Ame seems perfectly fine. Is Ina really so weak? Ame hands her a bottle of water and sticks her with a needle while she drinks. Ina is startled, but Ame assures her that it will keep her going for a while longer.
Ina marvels at the sudden burst of energy that flows through her. The pain in her legs recedes as well. She realizes that Ame likely used the same injection on herself. Her friends aren't invincible either, so she has to make sure to offer her support as well.
The terrain begins to level out and Ina gets a bad feeling. She calls out to stop and convenes with the others. Something is coming. Ina's tome detects a pair of dark energies approaching. One is clearly overhead while the other's position is obscured somehow. Sure enough, a shadow passes over the party. Moments later, a large winged monster crashes through the trees with a distorted cry. Ina and the others duck as it passes just over them, felling trees with enormous wings. Everyone is safe and accounted for, except for Gura, who apparently latched onto the deformed bird as it passed. The others move to assist, but the other dark energy rears its head right beneath Kiara's feet. Ina warns her, but not quick enough. A pair of pincers shoot up from the ground, primed to clamp around Kiara. Fortunately, Calli is faster, and she severs the pincers in one swift swipe. More pincers shoot up around the party, followed by heads and finally bodies. A group of giant insect-like monsters surrounds them.
Ame says she's going to support Gura, drawing a pair of guns as she slips past the bugs. She starts peppering the monster bird while Gura beats on it. At the same time, Calli and Kiara cut down bug after bug, but they just keep coming. Ina prepares to fight as well, summoning tentacles to restrain and crush the bugs around her, but she notices something strange. The bugs aren't targeting her. More and more of them burrow out of the ground, but none of them make for her, focusing instead on her friends.
It doesn't take long to figure out what is going on. The bugs are ignoring her . . . the bird isn't making any attempt to shake Gura off. All of their attacks are focused solely on those not formerly affiliated with the cult. Equally as frustrating, Ina can't shake the feeling they are missing something with the bugs. No matter how many they squash, they just keep coming. She focuses, searching out the source of the insects. Sure enough, she discovers a dark energy deeper in the earth. The bird swoops down knocking Ame back into the fray with one of its wings. After a sudden surge of energy from below Calli, Kiara, and Ame are completely surrounded by distorted bugs.
Ina grinds her teeth. Not only are her friends being targeted, but she is being looked down on. Again. The cult leader's face flashes across her mind, as does the powerful urge to punch him square in the jaw. The tome in her hand seems to resonate with that desire and Ina feels a deeper connection with the alien magic take hold inside of her. With a deep breath she reaches out, one arm up, the other down. A giant tentacle springs forth from a portal in the air and wraps tightly around the bird. The ground shakes as another tentacle emerges from the earth with a fat, wriggling bug in its grasp. Bringing her arms together, Ina commands the tentacles to slam the monsters against each other. Shaking a dazed Gura off of the bird, Ina drops the creatures in a heap, allowing the others to finish them off easily. With the supposed queen dead, the other bug monsters seize up and stop moving as well.
The rest of the party looks at Ina. Kiara springs towards her, filled with excitement. Calli looks impressed. Ame praises her, though Ina catches a hint of nervousness in her voice. Gura, after shaking off her dizziness, follows Kiara's lead. The real fight was yet to come, but Ina feels fulfilled. The power she has at her disposal is terrifying, frankly, but it also allows her to support her friends. It makes her someone her friends can rely on.
She still has doubts about all of it, but Ina decides that she can't afford not to embrace this power that the cult leader wants so desperately. Her resolve is strengthened by the prospect of taking that power and rubbing it in the cult leader's face.
(Gura)
Gura licks her lips. They are on the cult's doorstep and she is looking forward to wreaking some havoc. The time she'd spent with the Cult of the Ancient Ones was short in the grand scheme of her long, long life, but she has plenty of grievances to air out. Principle among them is their treatment of Ina, but there is the issue of their plans for Gura herself as well.
Flashes of her distant past rear their heads as they approach the suspiciously open door of the cult's compound. She squints, pushing them back down. Alongside Calli and Kiara, she leads the group through the tight, empty hallways that resemble those they've seen in the litany of secret bases. They follow the path that would lead them to a central chamber in those satellite compounds, but instead of a shrine, they encounter paths that are unfamiliar to everyone but Gura and Ina. They have reached the cult's inner sanctum.
The layout changes drastically. Hallways open up where they were once narrow and sharp, tight angles are replaced by gentle curves. Gura finds herself tracing her days in these halls. There's something she's forgetting; something she doesn't want to remember. A painful relic of her past lies dormant in these depths. She could use it to help her friends . . . but could she bring herself to do so? Would they still accept her if she showed them that side of herself? That part of her that she herself despises? She doesn't want to risk it.
It isn't necessary, anyways. The cult's monsters are strong, but they don't stand a chance against the combined might of Gura and the others. She picks up the pace as she starts to feel more eager. The group enters an indoor oasis. Calli, Kiara, and Ame marvel at the size and scope of the space. If they weren't near the walls, able to see them rise high and swoop into an artificial sky, they might believe they are actually outdoors.
Ina joins Gura at the front of the group, and they lead the others deeper. They pass by groomed parks and gardens. There are stations for producing art and facilities for physical entertainment as well. Gura recalls all the time she spent in this place. The smiling cult members enjoying their lives here. She finds herself hoping that this place won't be the venue for their final confrontation with the cult leaders.
Flashes of places from long ago overlap with the artificial, yet comforting nature. The calming blue of the deep sea. Smiling, loving faces. Marble towers and coral groves. All of it in ruins. Gura picks up the pace, forcing the others to speed up. Calli calls out, forcing Gura out of her introspection. Someone is approaching.
A smiling woman waves to the party. Calli and Ame tense up, preparing to take out the approaching cultist, but Gura stops them. She knows this woman. She is someone who does a great deal to make other cultist's lives easier; watching over children, spending considerable amounts of time tending to the gardens, and helping new members adjust. She is one of the sweetest people Gura has ever met.
Ina intercepts the woman. They exchange greetings, giving Ina a chance to inquire about the cult. She asks the woman where everyone is. Why is the compound so empty? The woman laughs, completely innocent, and says that they have all been invited to the inner sanctum. A first for most all of the cultists. They are just about to begin their procession. Ina's face turns pale. She draws in on herself. It's barely perceptible, but Gura notices. How can she not?
Pushing her way into the conversation, Gura asks the woman if the cult's leaders will be there as well. When the woman says they will, Gura implores her to hold everyone back. The cult woman is confused, but Gura insists that it is for the best. After a moment of pondering, the woman nods, smiling. She has no reason to doubt the avatar.
The woman bids them farewell and makes her way towards a large set of doors situated beneath a canopy of drooping trees. Through the open door, Gura sees the cultists-men, women, and children-passing by. She turns her attention back to Ina, resting a hand on her arm. Ina looks down at Gura, tense. A brief moment of understanding between them clears it away. Ina takes the lead again, and the party moves towards the doors.
Gura has never seen the inner sanctum of the compound. Even as the supposed "avatar" she was never granted access. All she knows is that the place holds a great deal of pain for Ina. Having never pried into that trauma, Gura worries about her friend. She can sense Ina's resolve, however, so rather than walking ahead to protect her, Gura falls into step beside her. The party passes through the doors and through the smiling cue of cultists. Beyond the cultists, a wide hall leads to a pair of gigantic, ornate doors. As they approach their final destination, Ame, Kiara, and Calli step up beside Ina and Gura. Together, the five of them charge forward.
They burst through the doors and what they see almost makes Gura dizzy. The sanctum is so large that she can't properly process the scale of the space. And she isn't the only one. In fact, only Ina seems to be unfazed by this disturbing marvel. She steps forward, eyes fixed on one point. One person. The cult leader stands on an enormous dais with his back turned. He appears to be overseeing the high ranking officers of the cult preparing something sinister. A dark energy drifts through the gargantuan chamber like thick smoke. Even Ame is affected by it.
The cult leader turns and smiles, almost as if to say they have arrived right on schedule. He welcomes them all, but his eyes stay firmly set on Ina. The rest of the party steps forward, ready to jump into action. They leave the timing to Ina, however. More than anyone else, this is her fight. She tells the others that they need to interrupt the ritual being prepared. The cult leader frowns. It would be problematic if they interrupted things now. They are on the cusp of success. He explains that the world is dull in its current state. The cult's ultimate goal is to inject color, deep and vibrant, into the very fabric of their reality.
Gura recognizes those words. It is the mantra that draws most of the cults members. It is a creed that initially convinced Gura to join. The promise to be a part of something beautiful and constructive . . . She could hardly deny the pull of something like that. But she knows now how laced with venom those words are. The color the cult leader wants to inject is dark and ugly. She says as much.
For the first time, the cult leader shifts his gaze from Ina. He looks directly at Gura. The understanding in his eyes frightens her. He wasn't even alive when she joined, but she remembers that knowing look from every other leader of the cult, from the one that first pulled her in and onward. The cult leader snaps his fingers and a hatch in the floor slides open nearby. He invokes the subjectivity of beauty as something rises from the hole in the ground. Gura's attention is pulled, violently, to the object in question. He insists that Gura would definitely enjoy the color he envisions.
A tremor travels up Gura's body as the full length of a trident comes into view. Its untarnished aquamarine surface calls out to her in a voice that is familiar and terrifying. Before she knows it, she is walking towards it. She hears other voices-Ina and the others-calling out to her, but the sound is muffled and distant. A slash of pink enters her periphery. Calli reaches for Gura's outstretched hand. Gura shakes her off like its nothing, a long dormant power surging forth. Before anyone else can act, she wraps her fingers around the trident. A sickly sweet voice speaks directly into her ear, impossibly intimate.
Gura sees red. Deep, vibrant, and unbearably sickening.
(Kiara)
In an instant, the atmosphere in the enormous chamber changes. The air becomes heavier and there is a distinct, inescapable bloodlust permeating every inch of the space. Kiara shivers as she watches . . . something overtake Gura. When Calli's scythe appears in her hands, Kiara reflexively produces her own weapons. Beside her, Ame takes a step back. She is sweating and breathing as if she's just finished running a great distance.
Ina looks at Gura with a shocked expression, but that sorrowful look quickly shifts to a furious one. She spins to face the cult leader and demands to know what he has done. He speaks plainly, saying that he merely returned one of the cult's most precious treasures to its rightful owner. A strange distorted light appears beside him, and the sound of chanting rises from behind him.
Kiara tries to see the good in everyone she meets, does her best to give people the benefit of the doubt, but in this moment she can only imagine herself taking this guy down. She glares at him, wary, and calls to Calli. If Death's apprentice can keep an eye on Gura, then Kiara will do something about the cult leader. Calli nods and the party splits. Kiara joins Ina in facing the cult leader, and Ame consumes a strangely colored concoction to steady her nerves as she stands beside Calli.
Kiara and Ina approach the giant dais atop which the cult leader stands. He doesn't seem concerned in the slightest even after a mass of tentacles emerges behind Ina. He snaps his fingers and a series of doors open in the side of the dais. swarms of distorted monsters emerge as the light orbiting the cult leader vibrates. Kiara can barely take her eyes off of it. It seems dangerous, but at the same time comforting. She knows that light somehow.
Before she can think on it further, the cult leader flicks his wrist and the monsters attack. They scramble wildly, swarming like ants. Ina acts immediately, raising her mysterious tome and summoning a fleet of large tentacles. The beefy appendages crash down and sweep through the monsters that try to surround the pair. At the same time, Kiara charges, slashing through the monsters charging straight ahead. She will clear a path while Ina keeps the bulk of the monsters at bay.
The sound of chanting begins, low and barely audible. It soon grows to a low roar, and as it does, more monsters emerge. Among them are beasts that can fly. They circumvent Ina's tentacles and dive at Kiara, halting her progress. In response, Ina draws more power from her tome. The tentacles at her back squirm and snap into an angled shape, pointing sharply at the flying monsters. At Ina's command, they fire blasts of concentrated, eldritch energy. Her combined assault practically contains the entire army of monsters. Except, they just keep coming.
The chanting filling the air grows more intense and the number of monsters keeps increasing. Kiara does her best to carve a path, but there are simply too many. Ina calls out that she will do something about the beasts so that Kiara can make it to the cult leader. With a single, inhuman word, Ina begins to glow and a bright halo forms over her head. In an instant, large swathes of the monster army collapse into dust. Many still remain-apparently more sturdy than their companions-but they too are impeded by the continuing assault from Ina's tentacles.
It is enough. Kiara launches herself through the thinning rows of monsters, slicing and bashing and creating a corridor for Ina to follow. The distance between her and the dais disappears. She leaps up to the platform, putting herself on the same plane as the cult leader. She raises her blade, and for a moment, she wonders if there is a way to end this without any more bloodshed. In the very same instant, she decides that she can think about that later. First, she needs to stop this man. She lunges at him.
The light bobbing in the air beside him darkens and crackles with ominous red energy. The cult leader smiles as Kiara slams on the brakes and raises her shield just in time. A creature appears at her side. It is similar to the monsters they've been fighting all this time, however, it is leaner and taller. Its form is more sleek all around; more humanoid and with more intelligent eyes. If that wasn't enough, the strength bearing down on her is unlike anything they've faced so far. She pushes the new monster away and retreats to the edge of the dais. Ina floats up to the platform and touches down beside her.
The sleek creature stands between them and the cult leader. Kiara tries to split her focus between the two as the cult leader gives her and Ina a condescending smile. Kiara prepares to push through the new monster to get to the extremely punchable man, but another new monster-this one winged- swoops down from above. Kiara stands her ground, eying the monsters carefully. Ina apologizes; her attention is split between the new monsters on top of the dais and those climbing up from below. She will try to assist, but her hands are tied for the moment. Kiara understands.
The monsters move, and Kiara springs into action. She picks a target-the winged creature-and strikes. The creature proves to be incredibly resilient, intelligently avoiding and responding to her attacks. The other monster attempts to flank, but Kiara expects this. She almost starts spinning as she blocks and attacks continuously.
The light flouting around the cult leader crackles. The cult leader claps his hands and the chanting grows even louder. More large monsters appear and descend on the dais, targeting Ina. She cries out, pulling more and more power from the tome in her hands. Kiara hesitates for a moment. Ina is in trouble . . . but it's Kiara's job here to stop the cult leader. She throws herself at the higher spec monsters in a fury. She takes a few attacks, but otherwise overwhelms them. She splits the flying monster in two after knocking the first monster away.
She flashes a cocky smile at the cult leader, but he continues to smile as well. The light beside his head crackles and several more sleek monsters emerge and begin a slow march on Kiara. She can't help but be intimidated. She had to fight hard just to kill one of these things. Can she really get through a whole group of them? The mysterious light vibrates more violently and its color darkens. Any ambiguity about the light disappears and all Kiara feels from it is dread.
The sleek creatures loom, drawing closer slowly as if to make Kiara squirm. She doesn't. She grits her teeth and tightens her grip. Ina didn't back down when the number of monsters increased. She simply fought that much harder. So, Kiara will not back down just because the odds are against her. As the monsters grow closer and closer, Kiara takes a step forward, her soul burning. She rushes straight into the group of monsters.
Immediately, she finds herself on the back foot as all the monsters attack at once, but her sudden charge catches many of the monsters off-guard as well. She ignores the injuries she receives, focusing entirely on repaying each and every cut and scratch with heavy interest.
She stumbles, feeling a group of beasts looming just behind her, but a few swift blasts of eldritch energy push them away. Ina's attention is split in so many directions, but she is still offering Kiara a helping hand. It is incredible. Kiara deflects an attack with her shield and resets her footing.
Out of the corner of her eye, she sees a bright white flash. It's brief-quicker than a camera flash-but it cuts through her focus. Her vision settles on the mysterious light as it quickly fades back to stormy darkness. She doesn't ponder what that flash means. She doesn't have to because that flash made her feel something that she desperately needed in that moment.
Hope.
(Ame)
Gura unleashes a guttural roar that seems to shake the entire world. It's all Ame can do just to keep it together. Even death itself is shaking. Calli clicks her tongue and plants her feet. She has the fortitude to face this kind of overwhelming pressure, but Ame is only human. Her brain is on fire just trying to grasp the scale of the strength before her. If she doesn't do something, she'll go mad.
She produces a syringe and injects herself. Breathing becomes easier and her brain cools enough to regain her wits. She asks Calli what the plan is, but the reaper shrugs. Not a good sign. Gura's eyes flick to the two of them, and with a shriek and a flourish, she sends a destructive shockwave their way. Calli pulls Ame out of the way. She says that all they can really do is try and knock Gura out. That, or separate her from that trident.
Ame nods, but she doubts simply knocking the trident away will have any effect. The creature that destroyed her future didn't have any kind of weapon. If her assumptions are correct, the trident was little more than a catalyst to bring this transformation about. The situation seems hopeless. Ame didn't come this far just to give up at the very end, however.
Gura starts walking towards them. Her steps are slow and heavy, as if she is carrying a great weight. Ame's mind races. She doesn't have enough information, she realizes, but she formulates a plan anyways. She hypothesizes that this terrible power is part of Gura, whether by nature or by magical intervention. She knows relatively little of the supernatural, but she is certain of one thing: if magic exists, then it is a natural part of the universe. And there is no realm of the natural universe that science cannot reach. It's a long shot, but if she can get a hold of some of Gura's blood, she might be able to formulate a concoction that can suppress this berserk power.
Calli isn't so sure, but not having any better ideas, she agrees to help Ame enact her plan. They split up and finally engage. Calli charges in pitting the power of death against whatever it is Gura is wielding. Her scythe collides with the trident and an explosive force nearly knocks Ame off her feet. When she recovers her footing, she produces a weapon of her own design. It looks rough, but so do most of her inventions. She points the make-shift firearm at the interlocked nightmares and pulls the trigger. A razor-thin beam of light connects the end of the gun to Gura for just a moment before Ame releases the trigger. Moments later, a powerful blast of super heated air shoots along the path the beam traveled. Calli keeps Gura in place just long enough for the blast to reach them, then she moves away in a pink streak.
The blast hits Gura, sending her tumbling through the air. She recovers immediately and lunges with startling speed at Ame. She puts up her guard, but it isn't likely that her limb guards will be able to withstand the shark's assault, though. Her blood runs cold as her demise is upon her in the blink of an eye, but Calli intercepts Gura in the nick of time. They exchange blows, spraying sparks from their clashing weapons. Calli diverts Gura's attention and their fight takes them away from Ame.
Tightening her grip on her heat gun, Ame feels helpless. This is all so beyond her. The forces at play are unreal. The literal embodiment of death? A fish girl that can go toe-to-toe with death itself? None of it makes any sense to her in this moment. And yet, she forces herself to watch as the two super beings soar through the air producing shockwaves as they collide. In hindsight, this is practically normal. Compared to the future she knows-with its malicious, otherworldly world eaters-it is entirely within reach. Did she or did she not create a device that allowed her to travel back in time?
The heat gun was ineffective, so she tosses it aside. She has more than one trick up her sleeve, and she'll be damned if she's going to give up after just one failure. She reaches in to a pocket and produces a glove that fits snugly despite its hidden function. She already knows what needs to be done. She sprints into the fray.
Calli and Gura clash all around Ame, moving at speeds she can barely perceive. She breaks into a cold sweat as she waits for an opportunity. Suddenly, Calli hits the ground nearby. Gura pins her down, nearly running her through with her trident. Ame moves swiftly-her response times and strength supplemented by her limb guards-and reaches out with her gloved hand. A series of blades emerge along the lengths of her fingers. She slaps Gura on the back, shredding her clothes and revealing unscathed skin underneath. Another failure.
A small, deadly hand swings towards her face, but a kick from Calli sends Gura flying. She reprimands Ame for being reckless, but Ame's eyes sparkle. She reiterates that she needs a blood sample. Calli tells her that her scythe doesn't seem to be able to cut Gura's skin. The shark has a resistance to being cut, then.
Ame changes tactics. She discards her bladed glove and produces a pair of metal knuckles which she hands to Calli. The grim reaper raises an eyebrow at the offer, but takes them. Ame equips herself with a dart gun. They'll be casting a wide net this time.
Gura roars as she descends on them, eyes glowing red. Calli drops her scythe and slips past the incoming trident. With a well practiced twist, she plants a punch square on Gura's jaw. The follow through drags Gura down, slamming her into the ground at Calli's feet. Ame seizes the opportunity and fires a series of sharp darts. The darts bounce away harmlessly, and one punch wasn't enough to get the blood flowing. Ame throws down her dart gun and backs away, leaving a small canister in her wake. As Gura leaps to her feet, the canister starts spewing smoke, covering Ame's retreat.
As Ame prepares her next gadget, Gura and Calli emerge from the smoke. Calli dodges and weaves around Gura's trident, throwing punches at every opportunity. Thinking quickly, Ame slides a thin disk along the ground and under Gura's feet. The shark girl loses her footing, allowing Calli to knock the trident out of her hands. With a grimace, Calli starts hitting Gura with everything she has. Ame flinches as the metal knuckles activate, lending Calli's punches even more force. Just a little further.
Gura's body jerks, avoiding a particularly heavy strike. She regains her balance and meets Calli's next punch with one of her own. The metal knuckle shatters. Gura follows up by targeting the knuckle on Calli's other hand. With both gadgets destroyed, she twists Calli's arm, throwing her to the ground. She stomps down on Calli's stomach hard enough to crack the stone floor.
Furious red eyes shift to Ame, striking fear into her heart so intense she can barely breathe. With shaky hands, she produces a mallet that functions on the same principle as the metal knuckles. Gura's face is swollen and red, on the brink of breaking. Ame stands her ground against her body's frantic insistence that she run away. She needs that blood sample. She can't afford to miss this chance. Gura takes a step towards Ame, but Callie grabs her ankle, stopping her and diverting her attention.
Now or never. Ame rushes forward, mallet raised. She swings with all the strength her terrified, enhanced muscles can muster. on impact, the mallet's mechanisms activate, greatly increasing the amount of force being applied. Gura's head jerks, but that's it. She turns her attention back to Ame once again, a thin stream of blood dripping from her lip. Success!
Something slams into Ame, throwing her violently across the ground. Her consciousness flickers as pain shoots through her body. She gasps for breath. Probing her side, she confirms that the low profile armor beneath her clothes has completely shattered. her arms and one of her legs feel stiff. All in all, she's in real bad shape. She smiles anyways. Blood has been drawn. They are one step closer to saving Gura. Probably.
With shaky hands, Ame produces yet another syringe. She injects herself, hoping it will dull the pain and focus her mind, but it isn't working as intended. The pain fades and her vision steadies, but not for long. The pain returns and her eyes cross. Back and forth her condition swings. If she doesn't act quickly, she won't be able to do her job. She stands and limps towards the pitched battle between Calli and Gura.
They exchange heavy blows in what has become a full on brawl. Gura is hitting harder, causing Calli to stagger with every hit. Calli is clearly more practiced, however. She bobs and weaves while placing well aimed strikes. Occasionally, her body flickers, shifting between stances in the blink of an eye. Ame calls out to her, so Calli drops low. She launches herself into Gura and the two of them soar through the air. The tackle comes to an end very close to Ame. With great effort, Calli holds Gura down long enough for Ame to take a sample of Gura's blood.
She gets to work immediately. She has to do a great deal of improvising. How was she supposed to know she'd have to synthesize a serum to suppress supernatural forces? The task seems impossible, but if she can build a time machine out of scraps, she can do this. Her concoction bubbles and pops, rapidly changing colors. It grows frighteningly hot, congeals into a sludge, and melts back into a frigid liquid. It transforms in many unpredictable ways, all the while Calli is doing her best to keep Gura busy. It isn't going particularly well.
Gura goes still in Calli's grip. A low growl escapes her throat and Calli's eyes go wide. The shark girl bends her body, building energy. Calli can't stop her. Gura slams her body against the ground, sending her and her captor into the air. She twists, tearing away from Calli's grip. In the same motion, she grabs the reaper and throws her to the ground.
Calli barely escapes being crushed as Gura lands with a thundering crash. Ame looks up from her synthesis and is shocked. Gura's body is crackling with blood red energy and she looks larger than before. Calli gives Ame a warning: She can't keep this up much longer.
As Calli and Gura's fight continues, Ame sweats over her serum. She can't inject it if Gura's skin can't be pierced, and there's no way she can get her to drink the stuff. Calli lands a series of blows, but Gura is recoiling less and less. A vapor delivery might work, but there are so many things that can go wrong. Especially if they can't keep the shark still. Gura grows steadily, and with increased size comes increased strength. Calli starts losing ground rapidly.
Ame slips into a stupor of pain. She definitely has broken bones, maybe worse. She's only human. She can't take getting thrown around like a toy. She isn't built for it. Everything is blurry. There are sounds of conflict all around; monsters screeching, the crashing of bodies being beaten and crushed, an unsettling chanting gradually gaining strength. The fog seems impenetrable. But it isn't. She knows that.
The flask in Ame's hand grows hot to the touch. She focuses on it, breathing deeply. The pain in her side is still too intense, though. Then, through blurry eyes, she sees a flash of bright light in the distance. She recognizes that light somehow. But there is no time to wonder about that. She has to complete this serum. Slowly, she recovers, and as she does, a solution occurs to her. She can feed this concoction to Gura. It will take an extra step or two, but she is sure she can make it work.
As soon as her vision clears, Ame makes an adjustment to her serum, causing it to boil in the flask. It begins to dry. Once that process is complete, she can pack the resulting powder into an easy to consume pill. And with that done, all she has left to figure out is how to get Gura to swallow it. She looks up just in time to see a much larger, more monstrous Gura pound Calli into the ground.
Gura raises clenched fists over her head, preparing to crush Calli once and for all. Ame produces a slingshot and flings a small explosive across the cavern. It pops on impact with Gura's swollen muscles, doing nothing as far as Ame can tell. It does get the shark girl's attention, though. Terror shoots through Ame like lightning as those glowing red eyes turn on her. The character of that mad red light has completely changed. There's a distressing glee. A thirst for carnage. Ame feels a small pang of doubt as she realizes that the thing stalking towards her isn't Gura any longer.
It's the monster that ruined her future.
She shakes that doubt off. There's still a chance. There has to be. She fires a few more explosives to no effect. That is fine. She just needs Gura to get closer and to open her mouth. The monster starts loping towards Ame, its mouth flapping open and closed as it gains speed. It will have to do. Ame puts her special pill in the slingshot and takes aim. She just has to time her shot. If she misses . . .
Gura gets dangerously close. She raises a swollen fist and is about to end Ame's life in one swipe when a bright light flashes in Ame's periphery. She releases in that instant and the hastily put together medicine flies true, shooting straight down Gura's throat. The overgrown shark stops, then collapses. Ame isn't entirely sure on the theory, but the concoction she just delivered should be forcing the invading power out, restoring Gura to her base state. At least, that's the idea.
Gura shrinks, returning to her original diminutive size. In a fortunate turn, she is fully conscious. She is rightly horrified at first, but Ame gives her a quick check-up without humoring her self-doubt. Now isn't the time. The fight isn't over.
Calli sits up with great effort and Ame administers a stimulant that gets her back in the fight, if only barely. With assurances from both Ame and Calli, Gura pushes her concerns down and joins them in limping to Ina and Kiara's aid.
(Ina)
Ina's perception of the world is expanded. Between the chanting of the cultists and the voices of the ancient ones whispering from the tome in her hands, she is seeing the world in a complex web of colors. The violent, saturated colors swirl around her and the creatures she crushes with eldritch magic. Amidst that violent storm she sees colors of a different wavelength. Blue, orange, pink, and yellow stars shine brilliantly through the miasma. They guide her, preventing her from slipping too far into the cosmic melting pot.
She directs her tentacles to clear a path for Gura, Calli, and Ame. They approach the dais, and she hears Gura's voice calling to her. Relief washes over Ina. She pulls back from the power gushing from her grimoire and sees her friend's face materialize below her. She smiles, happy to have her back. She is also relieved to see Ame and Calli in good-ish health. Ina summons a small bundle of tentacles to lift them up onto the dais.
A darkness deeper than anything they've encountered so far blooms towards the center of the dais. It gives off a pressure so intense that it almost incapacitates Ina. She looks towards the source of that terrifying aura as a tremendous impact splits the dais, causing half of it to collapse and sending Ina flying away. She hastily orders her tentacles to throw the others away as well. They barely escape the collapsing structure. Scores of monsters are crushed under the falling rubble. When the dust settles, Ina sees the cult leader standing at the cliff like edge of the dais. He declares that they have crossed the point of no return. The advent of the Ancient Ones is at hand.
As the sound of chanting becomes cacophonous, Kiara appears amidst the fallen rubble. She stands, but just barely. Her injuries are severe. She barely looks conscious. Calli cries out for her and tries to run to her aid, but Ame holds her back. The fact that an average human being can physically restrain her is a testament to how injured she is. Gura starts to move in her place, but before she can take more than a couple of steps, something emerges from behind the dais.
A giant creature veiled in shadow stands as if in response to the cult leader's declaration. It's smoky skin pulses with a violent red glow. Its thick tail flicks, slamming into the ground. The chanting stops, suddenly. Space and time seem to seize in the presence of this dark being. Both Ame and Gura stare with wide eyes and pale faces. They recognize the thing, whatever it is. Ina herself feels a familiarity with it as well, though she can't place the reason. Regardless, this titanic monster is a threat that needs to be eliminated.
Ina dives deep into the power of her tome. Dozens of giant tentacles sprout from the ground and assault the creature. It roars, grappling with the massive appendages. The cult leader calls out to Ina, his voice somehow cutting through the myriad colors of eldritch power. He tells her that any hope of resistance has long since faded. She is mere steps away from fulfilling her purpose. Once she joins with the creature, the ancient ones' goal will be achieved.
Ina rejects his words whole heartedly. She produces more tentacles to bind the monster and still more to bombard it with beams of energy. She will not allow the cult to have its way. She won't let anyone else be sacrificed for some cosmic prophecy. She will protect her friends and the world with all that she has.
The monster looks at her. It sees her. Dread pierces her like the head of a spear. the kaleidoscope of color recedes. Ina falls to the ground , her power fleeing from the otherworldly despair. Her own heart creaks under the weight.
The monster roars once again, and this time it tears through the tentacles barring its way. Maybe Ina could stop the thing if she gives all of herself to the grimoire, but at this point she can't call upon any of the power it normally offers. The beast stomps across the intact half of the dais in just a few thundering steps. It stops just behind the cult leader. He beseeches it to accept him as a temporary vessel. The monster appears to answer him as it reaches down, absorbing him into itself.
In doesn't know what to do. Ame and Gura are practically catatonic, and Calli is too injured to move, let alone fight. Her despair is driven home when she spots a black spot in the air beside the monster's head. It is tiny by comparison, barely there at all, but it grabs her attention more than anything. It is both familiar and not. It speaks to her, telling her to surrender. To accept her fate. She is tempted to listen.
The monster steps down from the dais and begins to trudge through the rubble. It absorbs monsters as it goes, growing in power. The darkness hovering beside it grows more intense as well. Ina watches it approach and gasps softly as hope vanishes from her heart.
Kiara stands up, blocking the creature's advance. The scene doesn't make any sense to Ina. Her friend, beaten and tiny, standing up to that horrible abomination, that herald of the end of the world, seems like a nightmare. There is no chance, so why is she trying? The dark spot pulses at the edge of Ina's vision. Something warm stirs within her. What was she thinking? How could she dismiss her friend's efforts so easily? Kiara is continuing to fight to the very end. Shouldn't Ina be doing the same.
She stands on shaky legs and stumbles to Calli's side. She notices that the color has returned to Ame and Gura's faces. Rather than frightened, they seem determined now. There isn't much any of them can do to help, but they can at least believe in Kiara.
Wordlessly, Kiara raises her sword and shield. The monster doesn't seem to notice her until it is right on top of her. A swarm of monsters descend on her, and she can barely fight them off, taking even more damage in the process. The giant swings a massive arm at Kiara. She raises her shield, and for the briefest of moments, it looks like she has stopped the attack.
Kiara disappears in a cloud of dust as the monster's slam shakes the ground. The impact steals the breath from Ina's lungs. She knew this would happen, but it hurts all the same. Doubly so when she realizes that she is largely responsible for bringing these people here. Tears stream down her face. She almost cries out in despair, but before she can, Calli places a firm hand on her shoulder. Ina looks to her, staring intently at the spot where Kiara stood just moments before. She is clearly shaken, but she isn't letting that stop her from believing. Ina doesn't understand, but when she looks back towards the monster, she feels that warmth again. And it's much stronger this time.
The temperature in the chamber begins to rise all of a sudden. The black spot pulses rapidly, oscillating between pitch darkness and bright white. Ina clenches her fists. This isn't over yet.
(Kiara)
Kiara floats in darkness. She cannot open her eyes. She cannot breath. She cannot feel. She knows this. She is no stranger to death. She's done it more times than she can remember. But, this time? There is so much left unfinished. Too much. She's gone out with regrets before, but nothing like this. The world is at stake. And her friends. So much being left behind.
Something is wrong. The soul of a phoenix is unique in that it never extinguishes. No matter how many times her body is killed-or how many times her soul is reaped-she will always be reborn. The flames deep within the essence of her being will always burn. But now, she feels cold. The fire isn't gone, just . . . distant. Like it is being drawn away. Kiara has never been crushed to death before, but she is sure it shouldn't be like this.
Her consciousness is pulled through the darkness into a sea of stars. It is beautiful, but the colors are all wrong. It pulls on Kiara's soul, stretching it to its limits. Warping it along the event horizon of this alien space. She has no mouth to cry out, but she screams. Fear and helplessness cause her flame to flicker. It's so oppressive that her whole being is being smothered. Her light is about to go out.
Her thoughts turn to her friends. Not just Calli and the others, but to all of the people she's known and loved over all of her lifetimes. All of that time, all of those memories are being snuffed out. She's going to die. A true, final end.
She looks into the void eating her up and rages. She refuses to go. She refuses to leave everything behind. She has not lived this long to allow some otherworldly force to take it all away from her. She won't leave her friends to fend for themselves. She won't abandon them in their time of need. She can't.
Kiara reaches out and grabs hold of her flame with sheer force of will. Heat returns as the wrong colors of the space around her shift and bubble. Another heat source appears on her periphery. It glows bright, washing out the darkness of the strange space. And as that foreign force recedes she feels her power return, and with it her body.
She breathes a breath that ignites the air around her and she stands. Determined.
(Ina)
Fire erupts from beneath the giant monster's foot, but it is no ordinary fire. It's radiant oranges and reds are mixed with soothing blues and greens. The light that was once a black spot rises high into the air and the fire chases it, consuming the monster's limb in a grand pillar of flame. The monster stumbles away from the pillar, and Ina spots a figure in the inferno.
The heat is intense, but does not singe Ina's skin. In fact, she feels revitalized. Her exhaustion dissipates. Calli stands up, her wounds receding. Gura and Ame, too, appear to be reinvigorated by the heat, as if the fire is restoring them and burning away the despair that was gripping them moments ago.
The pillar of flame bursts, revealing Kiara, alight with fiery energy. She hovers upon a pair of brilliant wings. Her sword and shield glow with an awesome power. The monster roars in response to her appearance, but she pays it no heed. Instead, she turns in the air and descends to check on her friends. The party gathers close together, the giant monster looming. Their souls resonate, becoming one in the purpose of putting an end to the cult's machinations. They will free themselves and the world, not just from the current threat, but from those long past and yet to come as well.
A burst of power shakes the vast chamber. Monsters of all shapes and sizes start to emerge from the body of the giant abomination, dripping from its flesh like beads of wax. In seconds, the party is faced with another army. They are not intimidated. Ina feels a warmth at her back, separate from what is coming from her friends. It bolsters her convictions and lights the way forward. She isn't sure how, but she knows the others feel the same. They have all come from different places, following different paths, but they are heading towards the exact same goal.
Kiara takes point with Calli at her side. Gura is close behind. Ame stands beside her, producing a number of gadgets that Ina is sure will allow her to keep up. Ina brings up the rear, lifting her tome and inviting the mysterious, eldritch power into herself. She rises into the air and the colors of the world around her deepen. She is aware of the halo forming over her head and the wings sprouting from her back. Power flows through her uninhibited. She wields that otherworldly strength with a singular purpose in mind: She will help her friends. Writhing masses of tentacles sprout around the chamber, signaling the others to move. The monsters roar in unison, shaking the earth itself.
Calli becomes a streak of pink with a blue tail as Gura keeps pace with her. Kiara takes hold of Ame's hand and they take off into the air. A tremendous mass of abominable flesh rises to meet them, so Ina waves her hand. Scores of smaller beasts burst straight away, the more resilient ones are forced to face a bombardment of energy and tentacles. Her assault creates a corridor leading straight to the giant.
(Gura)
Calli and Gura crash into the wall of monsters blocking their path. A scythe appears in Calli's hands and she begins swinging with ruthless efficiency. Gura still feels a pull from her own weapon-it's somewhere, calling to her from where she dropped it-but she ignores it. Its voice is dull and muted now. She doesn't need it, and she won't be swayed by the things it whispers anymore. Her own two hands are more than enough. Joining Calli, Gura throws herself into the fray, pounding monsters into pulp by the dozen. Together, they leave a path paved with the entrails of the distorted beasts.
They make it all the way to the giant creature leading the cult's forces. It swings its remaining arm, trying to crush them. Gura leaps up to meet the attack, stopping it with an overwhelming opposing force. Calli follows up by cutting the things leg out from beneath it. It wobbles, but before it can fall, a new leg sprouts, balancing it. It sprouts another arm to replace the one burned away by Kiara's revival as well. Further attempts to cut it prove difficult, as each regenerated limb is tougher than the one that came before. This doesn't stop Calli and Gura from slashing and pulverizing the thing wherever they can.
The fight reaches a standstill until Kiara and Ame emerge from a storming cloud of winged creatures. Ame fires a weapon that seems to freeze anything it hits in space. The giant monster rages, thrashing away from parts of itself that are struck by this weapon, leaving pieces of itself and entire limbs suspended in the air. Kiara's flames reduce the frozen parts to ash.
With four different angles of attack, the party drives the monster back. More and more of the smaller creatures are pulled into the main mass as it retreats. It sweeps its tail along the floor of the chamber, bulldozing a large swathe of smaller monsters, absorbing them along the way. The red beast grows suddenly, and bears down on the party. It is driven back, however, by a concentrated blast of energy from Ina's tentacles. The full party faces the cult's mightiest creation.
They attack in a coordinated charge. Calli cleaves through the beast's legs in a flash of pink and black. Before it can fall, Ame freezes its arms, holding it off the ground. Gura then launches herself up at its head, sending its body flying independently from its limbs. A giant tentacle sprouts and wraps around the monster's neck, dragging it back down to the ground with an earth-shattering crash. Kiara's flame is bolstered by the hopes and faith of her friends. Her sword grows, casting the entire chamber in blinding blue-green light. Everyone shouts in unison as if to lend their strength to the final swing. Kiara brings her sword down, severing the beasts head and incinerating its body.
The head writhes with an unearthly energy, but it is hardly intimidating anymore. Gura is the first to approach and quickly spots someone inside the remains. She tears through the alien flesh and pulls out the cult leader, tossing him at the others' feet. He pleads with Ina, claiming that she must have at least glimpsed the truth, but she shuts him down. She has seen what the cult of the Ancient Ones is after, and although she agrees that it is marvelous to behold, it is in no way compatible with the world they live in. It is vibrant, but also terrible. Trying to mix the colors of their reality with those eldritch colors can only result in something muddy and desaturated. Ame backs up her claim with her first-hand experience.
The cult leader starts to argue, but Calli steps up. She tells the cult leader that they have some unfinished business and promptly reaps his soul. There is a beat of held tension while everything sets in. Then, collectively, the party breathes a sigh of relief. Ame and Ina break into tears. Gura tries to comfort them, but starts crying herself. She still has many things to process, but at this moment, she can join her friends in celebrating the end of this dark chapter in their lives.
Section 6 - Liminality
(Calli)
Kiara remarks that they can finally close the case of this latest death cult as the others start to calm down. Calli chuckles. Thinking of this whole thing as just another death cult incident makes it seem so mundane, but she isn't wrong. Calli starts to think that she could use a good, long vacation. Kiara agrees, asking if they are going to stay in this city for a while. Calli says it might be best if they stick around and make sure the cult's dissolution doesn't cause any major waves.
As Kiara excitedly tells the others their plans, Calli notices a small group of people peeking their heads into the massive ritual chamber. She recognizes them as regular members of the cult that they passed on their way here. They are too far away for Calli to see their faces clearly, but she can tell that they are frightened and confused. She almost makes to tell them to disperse; their cult leader is dead, and they're organization is going to collapse. She stops herself, however. She approaches Ina instead. Ina might want to sever all ties to the cult that controlled so much of her life, but she was still a high ranking member as the priestess. These people are her responsibility.
Ina pales at the thought, but clenches her fists, holding Gura and Ame's hands tight. In a show of conviction that impresses Calli, Ina decides that she will do what she can to clean up the cult's mess. She goes to meet with the former cult members. Kiara accompanies her.
Gura, meanwhile, wanders over to the section of the chamber where she lost control. Calli and Ame follow. The shark girl looks down at the weapon that made her go berserk. Its crystalline blue surface glistens, inviting, but Gura hesitates. There's more to this thing than just this one bad experience, so far as Calli can tell. She steps past Gura, picking the trident off the ground and inspecting it. She doesn't feel the same sickening, foreign energy from it that she did before, so she holds it out in front of Gura, urging her to take it. Ame encourages her too. Gura takes the trident and marvels at it like it's the first time she is seeing it. Her expression quickly turns somber, but she thanks Calli and Ame anyways.
They make their way to the chamber's entrance, joining Ina and Kiara, but as they are about to leave, Calli gets a strange feeling. It crawls up her spine, urging her to turn around. She does so, scanning the ritual chamber littered with grotesque corpses. Aside from the aftermath of the fight, though, nothing stands out. She catches up with the others, noting that they'll have to do something about the mess.
Once the party has left, a small, dim light drifts over the ruined dais. It pulses gently, growing stronger and more urgent with every flash.
+ End of Part 1 +
