Void Rift (rp) - Intermission

"May I come in and look at what happened?"
(Lazarus has brought some equipment, including two watches that he forgot he had until he grabbed the second clock)

 

"I'm sure she'll be fine. Leaving her to die seems...immoral. If she is still turned, I'm sure...the other Stephanie, can handle it." I say with a serious tone.

"I owe her." I say, trying to smile after all that has happened.

 

"I could make some handcuffs to try and restrain her, then we could go on with her in tow."
I grin.
"I know I'd enjoy seeing that. Dunno about everyone else though."

 

I glare at you.

"Keeping her here probably isn't a good idea considering what happened. Maybe it has something to do with this place that's keeping her turned like that, so having her around might be the death of us." I say, looking over at Artemis' missing arm.

 

"Thank you"
I wait for Xephyr at the shrine.
I notice a darkness like I felt earlier... yet different. Strangely familiar, in fact...

 

"Not this way. That tunnel is lethal if you try to cross through it. The main entry is wide open, the tunnel is taped off along its entire length. Most of the buildig is unlocked at the moment, so feel free to look around."

"Understood. But know one thing...
...If I don't make it, you better keep Artemis in check."
He breaks off a piece of his claw and hands it to Ihra.
"If you prank her, she has an array of fallen gods she might not hesitate to send against you. The staff is her most potent guardian."
...And he's gone.

Ihra healed most of that wound already.

________________________________

"Eras... There's someone here, near the barrier. Were you being followed?" Keila seems nervous.
"Mother, I can take a look..."
"No, Rina, hold back for a bit. I can't bear the thought of losing you or your sisters..."

 

"Anyways, I will just stay out here for a while, just to see whether it finds anything to eat."

 

"I'll be fine," Artemis says in a slightly shaky voice, "The prank was Stephanie's idea, she said she wanted to take some sort of revenge. It seemed odd, she's never one to torment others."


I go over and hug Artemis, not only to calm myself, but her too.

 

"Alright." I go through the main entry.

 

It seems to be more interested in the tree bark than anything else.
"Are there other wells, or are you pretty much stuck here?"

"That's not his concern." Ihra mutters.
"Are you... uh... against the practice of certain kinds of magic?" She looks at Artemis nervously.

The light from inside is clearly warped by the tunnel. It seems to be flashing, and after a while, it starts to hurt your eyes.
The tunnel seems to originate from one of the cell blocks in the right wing of the building.

 

"Well, yes actually. Necromancy." Artemis says sweetly.

"Oh dear..." I say nervously.

"Those Necromancers think they can just break the cycle of life like that!? THEY THINK THEY CAN JUST BRING BACK THE DEAD TO SERVE AS THEIR MINIONS!?" Artemis says loudly, her eyes beginning to glow green.

Suddenly, Artemis brings out her bow and spins it. A green aura surrounds it as it turns into a dauntingly large scythe.

"I'LL MAKE SURE EVERY ONE OF THEM PAYS FOR THEIR MISDEEDS AGAINST NATURE!" Artemis says in an otherworldly voice, slamming the scythe into the floor.

I put my hand on Artemis' shoulder. She looks at me, and calms down.

"But you're just a healer and guardian!" Artemis says with a sweet smile.

I draw my finger across my neck at Ihra nervously, shaking my head.

 

She swallows hard.
"Guardian of what?"

 

"Oh! I just meant you protect people by summoning barriers and such!" Artemis says sweetly, "I didn't mean you were like my kind."

 

"How did she not notice?" Ihra shrieks at you telepathically.
Ihra drops to her knees.
"Well..." She's tearing up.
"...what if I told you that my staff breaks laws of every school of magic, and I only have it so my enemies don't? Rineth... Died."

 

"S-so you're...a N-Necromancer!?" Artemis asks, with a slight crazieness.

"H-Heh heh...ha...ha. Y-you're lying aren't you!?" Artemis says grabbing me, "Sh-She's lying isn't she!? This is just a JOKE isn't it!?"

Artemis stares me in the eyes.

"Just a joke, a FUNNY JOKE!?" Artemis screams crazily "HAHAHAHAHAHA! A JOKE! SHE'S JUST LYING ISN'T SHE, AJ!?"

Artemis' eyes begin to glow green as vines begin to grow around us.

 

"Not technically. I can't do it."
Rineth forms next to her.
"You're looking at a figment of her imagination. This me, the me who saved you, the me who returned Stephanie to your world... All mere projections. She's not a necromancer."

 

Artemis hugs me tightly, tears run down her face.

"S-so that means?" She says shakily.

I nod.

A petrified look sweeps across Artemis' face. A large flower forms at our feet, then encloses us inside; dragging itself underground.

"Artemis there's no reason to be afraid, she's not hostile."

"She could erase us just by thinking about it! Don't you have any grasp of how dangerous she is!?"

 

"The staff cannot erase, only create." Rineth shouts.

 

The flower comes out from the ground and blooms; we're standing inside.

"I-I don't know how to feel about that..." Artemis says, hand to her head.

"Is that even natural? They were created..." Artemis asks turning to me.

I shrug.

 

"Her or those after us. Consider the alternatives, live with what we have. She's not dangerous unless you scare her. Don't scare her. If she likes you, she'll protect you."