Archive Home > Archives > 2016 Archives > Shinjitsu no Kagi > Following the wrong steps [go]
Antiel

Character Info
Name: Antiel
Age: Looks late 20s
Alignment: TE
Race: Elf
Gender: Female
Class: Sorceress
Silver: 0
She was lost, oh so terribly lost.  Antiel no longer had any sense of time, she only tried to keep moving through the shadowed realm she found herself in.  There was only one thing that she was sure of, and that was the fall of Dimitre.  She had fallen asleep in her room within the Keep, and woken up to find herself in nothing.  Oddly enough, her steed had slipped into the strange realm of Limbo she had found herself in.  And only Beleg's presence kept her from going completely mad. 

After… gods only knew how long, Antiel noticed a shift in the unending gloom that surrounded her.  There was a door of some kind up ahead.  "What in the name of… Beleg, go!" she whispered, shocked at how harsh her voice had become.  It sounded as if she had been inhaling smoke.  That door was the first sign of anything new, and she was desperate to get somewhere, anywhere that wasn't this endless realm of nothing.  To her horror, the door seemed to be growing glassy, and started to vanish.  But they plunged through the door, emerging into some kind of corridor.  There were more doors all over the place, and Antiel's eyes went wide.  Where was she?  This didn't look like any place she knew.  And there was nothing familiar about it. 

Sliding off her horse, the elf started to wander the corridors.  There were screams and growls and other horrible noises coming from behind all those doors, and Beleg seemed ready to bolt at any moment.  If he did, Antiel decided that anywhere he carried them had to be better than the endless realm they had left.  Remounting the stallion, he moved quickly down the corridor, but to her mounting panic there didn't seem to be an end to this either.  And worse yet, the noises didn't seem to get any quieter.  "Which is worse, I don't know, Beleg…  Should we try and open a door and just see about ending this?" she whispered to the horse.  It was a dark thought, but Antiel wasn't sure how much more she could take of being locked in a place that seemed to have no end.
CodeNat
Deity
Developer

Character Info
Name: Natsumi
Age: Appears early 20s
Alignment: CN
Race: Eldritch Horror
Gender: Female
Class: Combat Medic
Silver: 10907
Not everything worth being contained is necessarily sentient. The Kage dimension of Shinjitsu no Kagi represented this fact perfectly. Within the bounds of that shadowy labyrinth were many doors: doors that led to monsters and dimensions alike. Unknown to most visitors, however, there were even gates connected to the remnants of temples from past deities.
 
Most of the time, these temples remained inert. There were occasional sparks of latent mana within the ruins, of course, but rarely anything dangerous. They remain connected to the Goddess's realm for the sole purpose of vigilance rather than containment. Deities are powerful creatures, after all, and their powers are not always contained after death. Sometimes remnants get left behind, and those remnants could awaken into a threat, even centuries later. Natsumi watched over them just in case such a problem occurred, but seldom needed to act to contain them.
 
When Antiel's life-force stirred within the bounds of the former Prince of Darkness's realm, however, vigilance turned to caution and curiosity. The Masked Stranger locked the realm off, and observed the strange elf to confirm she was not infected by some volatile agent left behind by Dimitre. Eyes that could see everything, though, could not find anything out of the ordinary on Antiel's person, so the path beyond limbo was eventually opened to her.
 
Alas, by that time, Antiel was already suicidal. She entered Kage through the unlocked door, and immediately began contemplating the end of her life. She thought to use one of the nearby, locked doors to do it, but Natsumi was hardly about to let her commit such a bloody course.
 

"Please don't bloody my carpet," the Goddess said while appearing on the ceiling behind girl and horse. "I just cleaned it yesterday." She sat upside down in her kimono on the roof as if gravity was pointless, and her black mask gleamed in the nearby candlelight. Her presence was that of a phantom, appearing from nothingness and yet clearly solid enough to interact with the mortals in front of her. "That limbo dimension that you came from connects to the remnant of the Keep of Eternal Night. You are welcome that I decided to unlock it and let you in." Natsumi jumped down from the ceiling at that point, simultaneously commanding Kage to let Antiel pass. The doors from before disappeared during her descent, as did the labyrinth that had tormented the elf up until now. A new door and wall appeared behind the Goddess to replace them: a gateway decorated in shadowy symbolism. This was the entrance to Aisatsu, granting free passage to the sorceress and her horse. "But I can see that you are weary from a trial I did not impose, so I will allow you to pass through Kage without additional strings attached."

Natsumi left her company at that point, reappearing beyond the gate and at her rocking chair within Aisatsu. She leaned backward into that seat upon arrival, and then lackadaisically waited for her guests to come inside.


Last profile edit: 1/2/2022
Dialogue: "speech" ~telepathy~ 'mental/silent/unintelligible'
Antiel

Character Info
Name: Antiel
Age: Looks late 20s
Alignment: TE
Race: Elf
Gender: Female
Class: Sorceress
Silver: 0
Her attention had been so intent on the door that Antiel didn't even notice the presence of another until she spoke.  The elf yelped and stared at the masked woman, eyes wide.  There was something strange about her, beyond the fact that she was sitting on what Antiel thought to be the ceiling.  This whole place was beginning to give her a headache.  "I… I thank you for that.  I was trapped there when the Prince fell.  How long I have wandered, I do not know," she said, her voice still a hoarse whisper.  Whether this woman was the guardian of the realm, or merely a servant of it, Antiel only wanted somewhere with a friendly face.  Or least one that was not a figment of her own mind.

Though some of the details were lost on the dazed elf, Antiel found herself before a welcomed sight, an open door and the scent of brewing tea wafting through the door.  As if reading her thoughts, a stable with feed and water for Beleg appeared, and she took a few moments to settle her companion in.  Then she entered the room.  After the dark cold of the shadowy realm, the fire was very welcome.  And the sight of chairs, such a simple thing, almost made her cry.  Collapsing into a chair close to the masked woman, Antiel asked silent permission to partake in the tea.  Adding honey to the peppermint tea, she took a long gulp before speaking again.  Her voice sounded much closer to normal.

"Again, I thank you for allowing me passage from the realm.  I served the Shadowed Prince until he fell… and I found myself trapped in a place that felt nowhere.  My name is Antiel, and I owe you my life," she said.  There was humility in her bowed head, and the elf knew that she was likely to not leave her without owing some kind of a favor.  But to survive, that was worth it.
CodeNat
Deity
Developer

Character Info
Name: Natsumi
Age: Appears early 20s
Alignment: CN
Race: Eldritch Horror
Gender: Female
Class: Combat Medic
Silver: 10907
Though almost completely silent, Antiel was not yet quiet enough to escape Natsumi's hearing before she disappeared into Aisatsu. The elf was definitely hoarse, and she was unsure of time after being so long in internment. Luckily for her, though, Natsumi was there to explain her predicament.
 
"The Shadowed Prince fell six months ago, so I suppose you were wandering around for that long. Your need for sustenance must have been completely frozen in time for you to have gone such a length of time without food or water, though this state of semi-stasis will likely not remain now that you are free from your shackles."
 
Leaving the horse and elf after imparting these words of wisdom, the Goddess went to prepare some food and drink for her guest. Her realm created a cup peppermint tea and a jar of honey on the table nearest Natsumi at her command, and the menu from the deity room was temporarily moved to that same table for the elf's perusal. There were also some wheat biscuits on a dish near the menu to hold Antiel over until she could order something more filling. For now, the idea was just to give immediate sustenance to the elf so that she was even coherent enough to have a conversation. The same treatment would be given to Beleg, who would soon be enjoying all the hay and carrots he could eat.
 
Only once those preparations were complete and the Sorceress took her seat did Natsumi do anything other than rock back and forth in her chair. By that time, the Goddess had some chance to rest her eyes, and so she had to reopen them in order to answer her company's introduction with her own.
 

"Natsumi, Goddess of Keys and Secrets. I am known by many titles, of which The Masked Stranger has become the most popular. I rose from your Shadowed Prince's ashes." Pausing, the winged fox crossed her legs. "And you do want to be careful with offering up your life. Many who have done the same have regretted their decision. There was a war recently that my bargains infiltrated, for example. Some stray elements who eventually became traitors traded their lives for information on how they could gain favorable positions with the Tenebrim Orcs ahead of their invasion. Rather predictably, those four individuals tried to cheat me on the deal by sacrificing slaves and strangers in their place. They are all dead now, as a result, but only because they also succeeded in irritating the Shadow of Vilpamolan. Had I had my way with them, they would be locked away in my realm right now to serve as test subjects for the greater good."


Last profile edit: 1/2/2022
Dialogue: "speech" ~telepathy~ 'mental/silent/unintelligible'
Antiel

Character Info
Name: Antiel
Age: Looks late 20s
Alignment: TE
Race: Elf
Gender: Female
Class: Sorceress
Silver: 0
Her eyes widened when she was told how much time had passed, and Antiel lapsed into a shocked silence.  Once Beleg was cared for, she found herself in an almost perfect situation.  Too perfect, though she was fully aware of the power she was consorting with now.  But for the time being, she decided that it was better to accept the hospitality that was offered.  At least for the time being.  She was quiet, trying to understand just what had happened.  But she was sure of what she had offered.  "I have nothing else to offer.  And I would be remiss in not giving something to thank you for removing me from that limbo," she said.  Antiel's throat felt much better, and her speech was smoother.

It took her a few long moments to compose her thoughts.  But they did come together.  "There is nothing for me to go back to.  I severed my ties with my family, and my homeland.  I would rather offer my services to a deity than wander about aimlessly.  I… wish to learn from you.  I am a scholar and researcher, I have a talent for finding old things.  I know that probably means little to one like you, but it is what I can offer," she said.  Antiel was still resolute about repaying the favor of her life, but whether it would be accepted remained to be seen.
CodeNat
Deity
Developer

Character Info
Name: Natsumi
Age: Appears early 20s
Alignment: CN
Race: Eldritch Horror
Gender: Female
Class: Combat Medic
Silver: 10907
Time was not on Antiel's side when we first met in Himitsu no Koa. Had she exited limbo any sooner, I might have taken her up on her offer to assist me; but, as of that moment, all promises and favors were irrelevant to my domain. The mythical machine, Koa, was charging, and would soon complete a mission decades in preparation. I would disappear along with my temple once it was activated, only to be replaced by another who would finish what I started.
 
That said, the Great Machine did actually finish its preliminary stages during the she-elf's visit. She had barely even touched her meal by the time our surroundings changed. Koa had been programmed to summon me when it was ready to activate, and it had done as it was told without complaint. The pleasant warmth of the fireplace found itself replaced by cold lights on brass walls at that moment. Pipes and conduits of all kinds lined the massive chasm we now found ourselves in: heralding things that were best left unseen and unheard. This was the place where a great traitor would be borne; the place where a new era would begin; and the place where Antiel would serve as a witness of things to come.
 
"Very well," I spoke while rising from the rocking chair that had accompanied me into the darkness. I moved toward Antiel afterward, passing her by on my way to an alchemical machine that was just barely visible in the room's dim light. It sat upon a raised dais linked by bridges to a circular platform that ran the circumference of the room. Beneath this construct was a crystal of some kind: larger than anything found in the natural realm and blacker than the deepest night. "While you can't serve me, you can serve my successor. She's an annoying little snit and quite the pervert, but she'll welcome your aid. Her name is Skadi Esther Night, and her divine title will be Lady Luck of the Depths or something similar." Pausing, I opened a hatch on the rather peculiar machine in front of me. Beneath the metallic door lay two chambers: each filled with items that thrummed with the power of the World Trees. "I, on the other hand," I began anew while examining these artifacts for abnormalities before closing the door anew, "Will disappear from this world as one of its great traitors: my name erased like the dreaded Godslayer himself."
 
I wasn't lying at the time, fully believing that the rest of the pantheon would hate me for what I was about to do. The mortals couldn't care less, because the object being stolen was too intangible for them to grasp. Only the conclave and wisest of individuals would recognize the value of my theft, but, at that moment in time, they were busy with the chaos caused by Dalanesca's realm. Mendean would have been the sole person aware enough of my machinations to hinder me in that chaos, but, now that he had fallen, there was nothing standing in my way. Everything was prepared for the grand event, but I held back from activation until after informing Antiel of what was about to happen.
 
"I'm going to let you in on the biggest secret in the world right now, Antiel," I continued while thinking on the seed and twig I had collected in the past several weeks. "Most deities fall involuntarily. I, on the other hand, will not. Though I was born biologically in Parvpora, my soul is not originally from Revaliir.  I'm a scout from another universe entirely, one that infiltrated your world on the eve of Timedeath. My sole purpose for visiting places like Revaliir has always been to copy the resident universe's knowledge and then feed it to the leader of my world's survivors. Now, after years of preparation, that mission comes to a close for this world."
 
In tandem with my syllables, the machinery around us came alive. The wall lights transitioned to a spectral hue now that the keys were secured, and the low, ever-present humming escalated to a higher decibel. My mind opened up to people who knew me at this point, a subconscious slip of regret. Naota and Katerina were alive and well even in the midst of chaos, and they got a front row seat to the happenings after I returned to my rocking chair at the base of the sphere.
 


 
On the distant land of Bakulaw, where the tip of Himitsu no Koa still jutted out toward the giant rift in the sky, the island's inhabitants had begun to scatter from Ground Zero. While most were distracted by the disorder caused by the schism in Dalanesca's realm, remnants of a siege not long forgotten glowed with new life. Glyphs surrounded the tower's peak, gradually growing in intensity until a deafening roar filled the landscape. A massive ejection of energy shot out from the spire once the sound peaked, causing a column of golden light large enough to see from all of northern Parvpora to manifest. The rift gobbled up every last bit of this ray, closing only once the final speck of information was absorbed.
 
In that moment, the name Natsumi crumbled from all the documents in the land. Even mortals who possessed insufficient willpower had the name stricken from their minds, as if everything about me had been scratched from existence in the span of several minutes. I was essentially a ghost of memories now, left free to depart without incident or regret.




Back in the temple, the machine's death knell was already quieting following the channeling. The lights died back to their original state, and all mechanical noises ceased. Antiel was one of the few in Revaliir left with my name, having been in the eye of the storm the entire time, even if she might have felt a bit disoriented from being exposed to the arcane energy of so many secrets. Perhaps she didn't quite understand what had happened, either, so I decided to explain it to her.
 

"Mission, complete. All of this universe's secrets have been copied and transferred off world, and my name has been erased. The memories of all men, women, and children alive or dead have been given to The Handler, though this will force my temple into a state of hibernation for several decades to come. You will be the last visitor here for a long while, and the very last person to see me in my temple." 


Last profile edit: 1/2/2022
Dialogue: "speech" ~telepathy~ 'mental/silent/unintelligible'

Who is Online

We have 1761 registered users.
Our users have posted a total of 46704 articles.
The Newest registered user is RobertOpife


In total there are 457 online :: 0 Registered, 0 Hidden, and 457 Guests :: Developer | Administrator | Moderator | Deity
Registered Users:


Not all features on this website work with your plebian choice of web browser.

Please see the light and download either Chrome or Firefox instead of Internet Explorer.

Continue?