Iorrjaer

Chapter 42

The death of Granna's clone sent another massive shockwave through the town. The ziggurat shook and an eerie moan resounded from it. The face that the party had seen in the dust and around, appeared at the ziggurat's peak and examined the forces that were defeating it.

There was a strange surge of magical energies that swirled around the ziggurat and seemed to not know where to go. It then focused into one spot and shot a beam into Yophiel.

Häsmæl, Sorâth, Kârael and Barsabel watched in quiet horror as the energy surged into Yophiel. They had no idea what was going to happen once it stopped. Would she be combative? Would she be a latent agent? Or would it kill her?

Sorâth silently wished for her death. Not that he wanted to kill her or wanted her to die, he just wanted this fight to be over. If she died from the energies, that would be the cleanest.

Häsmæl wished for combat. He wanted to destroy anything that was associated with the ziggurat and Kêdêmel. If she was to be another tool, then he wanted to kill it.

Kârael had the same wish as Sorâth. As a mercy.

Barsabel also wished for combat. Out of all the motives, her's was the most selfish. She wanted to hurt Yophiel. For all of her negative rhetoric and constant betrayals, she was eager for a chance to actually fight and inflict damage upon the bratty wanna-be Paladin.

For Yophiel the sensation was unlike anything she had ever experienced. She felt her old larva merge with the new larva and now with the magic entering her, she found herself floating in potential. With everything that was happening to her, all of the knowledge that she had access to and all of the possibilities for her to pursue, one thing caught her attention: she was being watched.

A presence was floating above her, observing her. She lost all focus and interest in the potential options that yearned for her to discover them. She wanted to know who was watching her. She kept trying to make eye contact with them but every time she turned towards them, they were gone. Always keeping to her peripherals.

Undeterred and more stubborn than ever, she continued trying to catch whoever it was. Finally it all paid off and she was confronted by a presence that made her feel small and insignificant but also wanting to prove herself. The presence formed into a face, a face that was undisguisable, save for the exaggerated eyes that peered into her soul. A face that she met with confidence and naivety.

"Chami."

"I am not Chami, child. I am greater. I am more."

As hard as it was for her to believe that there was anyone greater than Chami, she could not deny that she heard this voice before. "I know your voice."

"Yes, child. I have spoken to thee. Thou art mine. Thou carry twice my blessings. Thou can have all that thou wants. I will give thou, thine every wish. Every desire."

Yophiel's mind was conflicted. Despite all of her rhetoric and behaviour, she had been paying attention to Sorâth and Malka. She knew that she was being confronted by Kêdêmel but she also had the nagging, albeit subdued, voices telling her that she could not trust him. Not to fall into the same trap as Granna.

"Doest thou doubt me? Thou can trust me. Thine and mine desires align. Thou wants what I want. The orcs have failed. Destroy Jörcnir. Destroy the father of the orcs and they will all perish. Change the world with me, child. Agree with me."

Yophiel's mind continued to swim. Seeds of understanding that had been planted within her mind were now just taking root and blooming. Malka's spores, Holly the pixie, all that she had learned, all were meant to help her understand. To see the truth past herself: Kêdêmel was the deity within the ziggurat. Kêdêmel cursed the town to control the people. Kêdêmel was the one responsible for turning humans into non-humans. Kêdêmel is the God of Change.