Void Rift (rp) - Intermission

"Don't worry about that." Amber repeats, a bit stern this time. "Anyhow, I'll be waiting here. They sent a bigger platoon than I thought the other day, I won't need to feed for a week."

 

"Well, if you're ready to go, so are we," I say, sighing, "The sooner I can sort this mess with the golden queen out the sooner I can get to fixing these deals."

 

Amber nods, heading through the rift.
Silver's tail is visible in the hall, though he doesn't seem to be paying any attention to the rift.

 

I disappear into Artemis, and she follows Amber. Artemis sticks close to Amber, keeping an eye on her surroundings for any surprise attacks.

 

There aren't any, though she sees what looks like one of Idhaenna's mechs idly hovering near the rift, though it's so still it seems almost as if it's frozen in time.

As you're led past the Chronoseum, you see a surprised Emerald leave.
"Oh, hey..." She says, seeming taken off-guard. "Good luck with her. I'm not sure I can help you if things go south."

 

"Thanks." Artemis says, trying to hide her nerves.

 

Emerald nods, Silver's body seeming much longer than originally expected; considering his tail was visible in the library, and he seems to be mid-conversation with the Golden Queen.

Amber stops Artemis a short distance away from Xlentia's chamber guard.
"Any talk between us is telepathic from hereon out, got it?" She asks. "If you've any shred of an ego, now's the time to bury it six feet under."

 

"Understood." Artemis responds telepathically, seeming to zone out a little.

 

As Amber approaches the guard, they signal the duo to step next to the door.
The guard asks something in ancient dacori, Amber responding while relaying the translation to you and Artemis.
"Do the othersoul seek passage?"
"They do. I am here to translate for them."
"Are they truly so primitive as to need one of us to translate?"
"That is not my business, though their development seems stunted by a cyclic tradition."
"Unfortunate. You three may enter once The Silver King is done speaking with her."
"Understood, thank you." Amber nods.

Amber also translates the bits of conversation you can overhear from inside;
"You're too naive. The archives remember all, and they have an archive here!" She growls.
"Punishing their children is a foolish course of action. Regardless, though we seek retribution this simply is too much."
"They already have been reminded of what they did. They're well aware, at this point."
"Erasing timelines where they prevent the damage is far more than retribution, dear..."
"They erased our hope of peace. They have a god of time, they will find an outcome they deem acceptable." She hisses.
"You burden him too much. Our conflict is not with him!"
"If they refuse to leave those responsible to accept their burden, then I will distribute it among them all."
Silver hesitates, before swallowing.
"...It seems I cannot shake your will. Very well, but you must know I will be withholding aid from the others. If you wish to play such a petty game, you will do so yourself."
"And what will they do to me? I am not a fool enough to listen to their hollow words! If I am naive, what are they?!"
"Please, calm down. You have guests."
"Fine, we'll continue this later. I'll have none of your usual interruptions..."
"So be it." He sighs, his extremely long body slowly folding itself into Xlentia's chambers before the guard signals you may enter.

If it weren't for the hostile atmosphere, it would almost be laughable how Silver has folded himself to fit against the back wall - albeit his folds going all the way to the ceiling.
He wears a crown and a decorative pattern of fabric is draped across his entire body. The Golden Queen, however, sits on a throne of gold and diamond and is absolutely covered in gaudily opulent jewelry.

"Speak of oblivion, would you look at that." She grumbles.
"I had no advance knowledge of their appearance." Silver sighs.
"That was a matter I intended to save for later." She says, before locking eyes with Artemis.
"Get in here. I'll not wait around for you to find your words." The Golden Queen demands.

 

Artemis enters and bows her head down to the floor, as if to make herself look smaller in front of the already gargantuan queen. Oddly, her eyes seem to be emerald green; no tinge of red in them.

 

"Did I tell you to bow?" She growls, though her hostility seems to wane slightly. "Hmph, an eager one. So be it - twenty paces closer and kneel. I want a better look at you, othersoul."

"Just think of your response, I'll say it. Don't open your mouth unless she directly asks you to." Amber relays, complicit with Golden's instructions.

 

Artemis walks forth twenty paces, kneeling and gazing toward the queen, though specifically avoiding eye contact.

"It is a great honour to be in your presence, Golden Queen. You are extremely kind in giving me a portion of your time. Please excuse my inexperience in speaking your language and acting with proper decorum, for I come from a primitive reality compared to yours." Artemis says to Amber telepathically, mine and Artemis' voices mixing together as I try to help Artemis speak to royalty properly.

 

Amber relays as such, but it seems to draw her ire.
"Ignorance is no excuse. I suppose I can appreciate your willingness not to waste my time." She says, standing up and walking towards Artemis.
"Tilt your neck to your left. Blood will bridge a gap time has yet to fill for you." She orders as she approaches.
Artemis notices one jewelry piece that stands out from the others that the Queen wears - countless insignias on one side of a chain of gold plates, with dates on the other.

"I... didn't expect vampirism. Too late to decline." Amber relays, her thoughts betraying a touch of nervousness despite her physical formality.

 

Artemis does as asked, tilting her neck to the left. Unless particular attention is paid to Artemis' necklace, the light seems to darken behind it very slightly, and the necklace seems to lose a bit of it's luster.

 

The Golden Queen eyes it closely as she leans over to bite, a single fang making a tiny and painless puncture as only a tiny bit of blood is drawn out. No impurities are left behind as she licks the tooth she bit with.
"There's someone inside of you. Bring them out." She says, still seeming to contemplate something.

 

Instead of blood being drawn out, the flesh around Artemis' neck rots away, exposing her shoulder blade and spine. It seems there wasn't any blood in Artemis' veins to begin with, and none pours out from the exposed flesh and bone.

I appear next to Artemis, bowing.

 

The Golden Queen seems taken aback, but chooses to continue focusing on Artemis.
“I felt a heartbeat in you... does your necklace allow you to hide your blood?” She asks, glancing at you repeatedly with an increasingly impatient eye.

 

"No, your highness." Artemis says to Amber.

I kneel, looking at the ground.

 

“Are you an undead?” She asks, before turning to you.
“As for you... you look like you might have known the Twilight Menace. What is your name, blight? While you’re at it, head to the left.”

 

"I am a death guardian. We keep the balance of life by culling those that overpopulate. I am not undead, but I am not especially alive either." Artemis says.

I look/head to the left.

"In your language, my name is Aj," I say to Amber, though the telepathic link appears to still come from Artemis, "If you would permit me to say, I did know the menace you speak of. He was a sworn enemy of mine."