Reverie of the Fallen Deity

Chapter 8 - Confrontation

They stood in silence for what felt like hours. "Observer." Alistaria's weak voice croaked out. "What happened to Worldseeker?" She almost didn't want to know the answer. The form materialized again to answer her. "Worldseeker, moniker of Ulesse Olradis, is documented as dead by asphyxiation from her illness." Alistaria went pale, but continued to ask the construct questions. "And what happened to the other survivors?" The construct took a moment to search the codex's stored information.

"Their whereabouts are unknown, the last sighting of the final remaining member was in Aestea. The documented changes to their bodies are wild and varied. Their condition warped their genetic code, resulting in mutations and bodily transformation. Is there anything else I may assist you with?" Alistaria's heart sunk, beginning to lose her balance. Her only options seemed to be painful death or mutations. Azzaran quickly barked at the construct to leave, catching Alistaria before she fell.

The two sat in silence again, sitting down against the somewhat rotting wood shelves. "You know this isn't the end, don't you? We have options." Azzaran tried to console her, but wasn't sure how. Alistaria finally snapped, taking ancient literature off the shelves and hurling them across the room. She let out an unholy wail, slamming her balled up fists into the shelves until her knuckles bled. She felt the wood splinter, ancient fibers caving in under her hands. She kept going until Azzaran grabbed her, holding her back.

Alistaria continued struggling for a while until her fight left her body and she collapsed into her friend. Her sobs were heavy, almost wailing as she soaked his clothing with her tears. "It's okay." Was all he could offer her. They sat there for a while, holding each other. They were eventually interrupted by the Observer returning to them. "Miss Alastaria. Your presence is requested by Lady Umbra and her accompaniment Lady Iscara."

The words set chills down Alistaria's entire skeleton. They were already here. "What do we do?" Alistaria was halfhearted. She didn't really have the energy to fight anymore. "Well, for lack of a better solution, we run. Just have to get out of the library. We know theres an expedition member who's living. Maybe they know something about how to keep this from being fatal." He was grasping at straws himself. Anything to attempt to hold them both together.

"Lady Umbra is insisting you speak with her. Perhaps it is best you go see her." The Observer was persistent. The portal would begin to reform, and through its half formed surface, they could see a small company of royal guards, the raven faced Iscara and a very perturbed Umbra. When it was completed, the woman pointed to the floor in front of her. Alistaria knew the woman meant her. The company had collected in the main lobby of the library, standing with weapons drawn.

She sighed, taking off her knife sheathe and holding it in her hand. She wasn't going to fight her fate. She made her way through, Azzaran hot on her heels. The grim woman only stared at first, before the royal guards seized the two of them. Alistaria and Azzaran were forced to kneel, watching the tall woman as she regarded them. "You both have caused me no shortage of problems. I advocate for your skill, I give you an opportunity to make me proud. In return your only response is to abandon your comrades and your post. Do you know the pain that it causes me? You both know the consequences of deserting."

Iscara drew her blade, stepping closer to them. The light of the library's orbs glinted off her steel. "Alistaria. Your fate will be more kind. Because of my influence, I convinced the Ascendant to let me handle your punishment. As for him." Umbra turned, cocking her head at Iscara. Before Alistaria could blink, the cruel woman stepped forward, driving her blade through Azzaran's torso. The sharp exhale of breath was barely a gasp, blood already gushing from the open wound as Iscara ripped her weapon from his chest.

He slumped over, his eyes already beginning to lose their luster. The red fluid pooled around him, flowing down the pedestal and across the floor. In that moment, all Alistaria could hear was her wails of protest as the guards picked her up by the shoulders and began to drag her away from her only friend's bleeding body. "That's enough!" She wailed, tears blurring her vision.