Void Rift (rp) - Intermission

She winds up tumbling through the rift, winding up in the shadow realm as expected, albeit a bit drained.

Emerald makes no move against you or Artemis as you run, restoring the other barriers she had lowered.

 

Guards see to Stephanie, helping her up as she explains her predicament, and soon getting her energy back with a hearty meal and another rest.

A long while later, Praecantatia bursts through the rift. She seems to have recovered from her previous wounds completely, and looks rather furious; eyes darting around for Emerald.

 

She has troubles pushing through all the wards and barriers, even though they're meant to ignore her completely.
Emerald turns around, purple glowing eyes looking straight at Praecantatia's.
"Protect the rift. Defeat the Hive Master. Obey Praecantatia." She drones, before kneeling to Praecantatia.

 

"Destroy these barriers. Now." Praecantatia commands, a transparent cage hanging above Emerald.

 

All of the barriers fall, though the wards remain.
"It is done." Emerald drones, still staring emotionlessly at Praecantatia.

 

"Destroy everything else around the rift, then make new barriers and wards designed only to stop the Hive Master, and anyone working for the hive master," Praecantatia commands, "Those that come from my reality are free to traverse the rift."

 

"Please provide runic seals to enable that filter." Emerald drones, the wards dissolving as well.

 

Praecantatia sighs, creating the barriers and wards herself instead. They seem designed to block and destroy anyone with an affiliation to the hive master, including the hive master himself. They appear to draw power from an untraceable source, though judging by it's function, it's likely an extension of the barrier and effect around Praecantatia's islands.

As soon as Emerald's wards are down, Mortius and Stephanie burst through. Dark wings protrude from Stephanie's back as she flies toward Xlentia's chambers - where Artemis and I are camping out.

"That should hold him off." Praecantatia nods as the cage falls onto Emerald. It forms into an incredibly powerful magical prison, which Mortius picks up.

"Torture her out of this mind control she's in, and then give her one of your trials to escape for mistreating my daughter." Praecantatia says. Mortius nods, dragging Emerald off to hell. Stephanie soon returns with Artemis and I; and we both bow.

"Thank you for assisting us, Lady Praecantatia." I say.

"We're sorry we were unsuccessful in our mission." Artemis says.

Praecantatia smiles a little, fury subsiding, "Don't worry about it. Let's just get you home." She says in a more motherly fashion.

 

"Protect the rift. Defeat the Hive Master. Obey Praecantatia." Emerald drones on.

 

Emerald is taken to a deep layer of hell, dropped in acid that seems to burn through her body and bones - surpassing all protection and resistance - then reforms her just to do it all again in a more painful fashion. Others suffering scream in terror and pain whenever they can, but are soon silenced through gargles as the acid eats away at then again. Large, fat and disgusting demons able to withstand the acid seem to bathe in it, occasionally picking up parts of Emerald and eating them; her body parts able to reform and feel as they're consumed, processed and eventually put back into the acid - her eyes able to see it all. A few large TV screens seem to loom over the acid pool. Every time emerald's eyes reform and are able to see one, it appears to be playing all of her more painful moments in life; regrets, failures and deeply rooted grief. The demons occasionally go for Emerald's brain, seemingly able to see what she sees on the screen and laughing.

Rarely, a few skinnier and more humanoid-looking demons come around and fish up parts of those suffering in the acid pools, including parts of Emerald. They're taken off to be cooked and prepared on a higher level; sometimes chopped up and sometimes deep-fried. Emerald can feel - and see - her eyes get put through an egg-slicer and her limbs deep-fried in boiling oil before being served up to a hungry tentacled demon with a skull over it's beak. Somehow, Emerald's parts always end up back in the acid pool. The constant pain is immense, and maddening, and no amount of shock, adjustment or even possible enjoyment seems to numb it. Time seems non-existent, Emerald unsure of when she entered hell and how long she's been there. Two things are certain though, it feels like an eternity, and it feels like it's going to last an eternity.

 

It only takes a few cycles of dissolution before the mind control breaks.
"Traitorous dogs..."
"I won't let you..."
"Get away with..."
"Mind control..."
She says between dissolution sessions.

"Now they..."
"They know..."
"What you've done..."


Gaia reaches out to her counterpart.
"I... I thought you were better than that. Y-you... you killed her..." She says, sounding nervous and utterly terrified. "I-if you had the s-same plans for me... p-please just get it over w-with..."

 

Emerald is left in the acid for about two weeks, before a few demons eventually come to pick her parts up and leave them to reform in a new area.

A portal out of hell resides on a high ledge, and the only way up to it seems to be by swinging from bar to bar up to it. The only problem is, the bars are bladed; trying to swing up them would likely cause a lot of harm and be incredibly difficult. A pit of spikes also seems to await Emerald, appearing right after the first swing. Demons seem to gather to watch, though Emerald notices a sign with "Alternate Exit" written on it. In the distance, Emerald can see a gigantic mountain, what looks like a cauldron, and a blunt hammer.


"Huh?" Gaia asks, confused.

 

Emerald opts to go for the main exit, cutting herself a fair bit but ultimately seeming to perfectly calculate how much of each limb she could afford to have cut off to reach the top, seeming more than physically able and determined to reach the portal.


“W-what...? D-did P-Praecantatia do something to you too?” Gaia asks in return, sounding even more terrified.

 

A lot of the demons cheer, impressed.

The portal drops Emerald out near to the rift, her wounds seeming to have already healed. A lot of the trauma from the experience in hell now feels like a nightmare, though Emerald still feels a strong desire to stay as far away from it as possible; as well as Mortius himself.


"No...?" Gaia asks, even more confused.

 

Emerald pauses to collect herself before looking to the sky.
“Alright, Hive Mistress. It’s on...” She thinks, before trying to cloak herself and slip into a quieter area.


“W-what...?”
Pause.
“F-fine. Y-you killed Xlentia. T-thanks a lot for putting her back in t-the Hive Master’s hands! Y-you want to just b-bash my face in and hand m-me over while you’re a-at it?!”

 

The cloak doesn't seem to work too effectively, though nobody really seems to care. Emerald finds a quiet spot between some buildings, the alley a little dirtied, but not terrible.


"I didn't kill Xlentia!" Gaia says defiantly, sounding offended.

 

Emerald sighs, trying to see just how much of her strength she lost through the torture session.


“W-what do you call having crushed h-her skull, t-then? M-Miorah showed me w-what you did!”

 

A lot of Emerald's strength seems to be back already, she just feels a little fatigued.


"I didn't crush her skull!" Gaia responds, hurt, "Did...The hive master get to you? Is he making you say all these crazy things?"

 

“Master Virei’tus... prepare your gavel. The guilty await.” She grumbles to herself.


“I-I’d rather he get to me t-than Praecantatia! I-I know Emerald was sent to hell after being t-turned into a drone!”

 

A Shadow stumbles out from the dark of the alley, looking tired and hungry.

"Who're...yew?" the Shadow asks, looking a little delusional.


"Are you feeling ok?" Gaia asks, concerned.