Void Rift (rp) - Intermission

Riihs looks at you, surprised for a moment.
"Pretty sure Lefalya would've killed you had she seen you like that." He mutters.

 

I whisper to Riihs, "Don't tell anyone about what you see with your True Sight. Just maybe tell Ihra. She might go bonkers when she sees what I have." I gesture to the wooden body covered in crossbow bolts.

 

"Too late for that."
She's passed out on Rineth's back.
Rineth curls up and lays down, keeping an eye on the lava pool.

 

"Just tell her when she wakes up. I need to keep an act." I gesture to my ridiculous costume.
"I told you its as bad as its advertised" echoes a voice.

 

Abigail seems rather saddened.

"Maybe I should go apologise..." She says.

"That's the spirit!" I say.

"We should probably get moving then." Artemis says.

Artemis, Abigail and I jump into the stream of magma, and it carries us forward.

After a short while, Abigail's lava pool begins to bubble violently, before erupting. The three of us are left standing in its wake.

After standing in silence for a moment, I nudge Abigail.

"I'm...sorry for what I said..." Abigail says, looking up at Rineth, trying to not be intimidated.

Artemis notices the body, and seems rather offended.

I dissappear for a moment, before re-appearing where I was a moment later. Artemis' necklace glows brightly.

"Want me to get rid of that body, count drake?" A voice echoes in your mind as Artemis smiles at you; her necklace pulsing and glowing.

 

"Lets see, what do I do today..." I say. "Oh! My schedule is free." I continue walking, as the cave opens up and I walk out, Icicle following me.

 

"Greetings!" I say, obviously curious with these people. "No thanks, I'd rather give poor Sir Robert a proper burial. Didn't know what hit him. Sad story indeed." I shake my head. "On the upside, I have some new treasures I've looted from him."
"Hello" The crystal echoes.

 

"Say, stranger, by any chance do you own a crossbow?" I say, eyeing the body.

Artemis observes the crystal, "Stealing souls, are we?" Artemis says.

 

"Unfortunately, no. I was going to get Sir Robert's crossbow, but it was missing when I found the body. Apparantly the guards at the stronghold that he built didn't recognize him and open fired. Sad story, but again, more treasures for me that I can sell."
"Excuse me? Last I remember I was found by Count Drake in a swamp. Before that everything was hazy." The crystal echoes.

 

"Really? Because my father made him that body, and made sure it looked as close the original as it could be." Artemis says.

"Even then, the soul crystal would need to be destroyed for it to kill him. Some parts of your story don't add up, 'Count Drake' " I say, eyeing the stranger suspicously.

"Maybe you wanted him dead, and framed his murder, passing it off to his guards?" Artemis says.

"And, by the looks of it, the chance of that crystal being found in the swamp is extremely low. I can still see the magical resonance of the magic used to put the soul in the crystal." I say. A slight red glow seeps from under my shades.

 

"I'm also not sure how the guards did not notice him, but I think he might've been a bit far from the walls. I'm not sure. All I know is that I found him getting shot at by the guards, and I assumed what had happened. Also, why would I kill the person who I funded? After all, he did use my funds to build that stronghold of his, as well as recruit knights. He promised he would pay me back, and he most certainly did. Though he did take this wonderful hat of mine." I reply, gesturing to my hat.

"I'm not sure, ok?! All I know is that I saw I woke up in some kind of swamp, and Count Drake was standing over me curiously!" The crystal echoes.

 

"Mmhmm, sure. Aj, if you would?" Artemis says, as vines wrap around you and hold you still.

I disappear, appearing behind 'Count Drake', "Let's find out who you really are!" I say, tugging on 'Count Drake's' hair.

"I meant search his mind to see if he's lying or not, Aj." Artemis says with an annoyed tone.

"Oh...right, I knew that." I say, possessing 'Count Drake'.

 

"Ugh, do you fiends mind? I'm just dropping off Sir Robert's body before I head back to my castle!" I place the body on the ground, allowing the knife in his side to be easily seen. "You weird...shadow thing, get out of my body or I'll be forced to use something I daren't use!" A thought suddenly strikes my head. "Wait a second, what is this magic?! How have the three of you known my name already?! Did Sir Robert tell you? And before you ask, I am just assuming you three and him are friends!" I look through Sir Robert's bags for a spell book of any kind, to no avail.

OOC: "names" is just a typo

 

"You're terrible at hiding secrets, Rob. I know it's you, we were just playing with you." A voice says in your mind.

I appear next to Artemis, "Nope, this guy checks out. He is who he says he is." I say.

"Well, Drake, you better get going back to your castle. I don't think you want to stick around us too long." Artemis says, winking.

Abigail raises her hand, and the wooden body bursts into flames.

 

"Finally, you fiends." I look at the body bursting into flames. "Well, cremation also works, and address me as Count Drake. It is a very prestigious title." I whisper something to the crystal, and then say "Well, I very much appreciate your company. Have a token of my gratitude for burying, or should I say cremating, Sir Robert for me." I look through Sir Robert's bags, looking for anything of value. After about a minute of rummaging through his bags, my hand surfaces holding a key. "Well, it seems Sir Robert's bags are filled with junk. I might not actually be able to make much of a gain with this." I examine the key. "Anyways, here, for the three of you. I have no idea what it does." I hand them the key, and doing that I whisper something to the crystal again. You catch the word "soul" in my whispers.

 

Artemis reaches for the key, before her necklace suddenly lets out a large pulse of light.

They key becomes encased in a spherical, green aura. It floats in the air for a moment, before dropping the the ground; held slightly above the ground by the aura.

Artemis glares at you, "Well, Count Drake, I think you do know what it does." She hisses.

"Jeez, Rob, what do you have against Artemis?" Abigail says offhandedly.

I nudge Abigail.

"I mean Count Drake. I guess cremating Rob's body made me think of him...or something along those lines." Abigail says hastily.

 

I eye Artemis suspisciously. "Do you know something I don't?" I look a Abigail, this time confused. "I've yet to understand how the minds of you Fire Guardians work. Does cremating someone give you their memories?"

 

"No, I just needed to think of some dumb excuse as to why I know you'r-" I cover Abigail's mouth before she continues.

"Wait, how did you know she was a Flame Guardian before she told you? You don't have guardians in this world." I ask, grinning.

The aura around the key shrinks, before shattering the key; a small charge of magic is released. Artemis glares at you.

 

"I've read about them in a book. I'm an avid reader, you know? I have a very large library filled with books I have collected and bought."
I look curiously at Artemis. "Excuse me, but that was my gift of gratitude."

 

"That's rather odd. I don't know how someone would write about them when they don't exist here, unless they're a work of fiction come to life." I say, grinning.

"Yeah, sure, 'Gift of Gratitude'," Artemis says doubtfully, "I trust in my other gift."

Artemis touches the leaf-crystal on her necklace, it pulses.