Author: Dala, Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2021 8:05 PM, Post Subject: From Death to Life [Event][O]

She dragged herself through the tunnel, grabbing onto the hard stone walls and crawling to the other side in seconds. The Catacombs were deadly silent as if the dead understood the incoming destruction like silent birds with an incoming storm. Her lungs burned as they ran together through the darkened halls and she could hear the sound of spirits fleeing the Catacombs. A few of the wailing spirits gave them a wave as they phased out of this building and into the afterlife. If it wasn't for the fact she was running for her life, she would have tried to make an attempt to wave back. When she spotted the last doorway, she threw herself against it and desperately shoved it open. The stone creaked and moaned before opening. She made one last bolt into the rain then fell to her knees in the mud when they were far enough from the catacombs. Dala gazed up at the sky as it cooled her off with its soft drops of rain. She gasped in and out as she tried to catch her breath. The stormy skies above her were a strange sort of comfort. Any other day it would have been worrying but after what they had been through, it seemed as cheery as the sun.

After she caught her breath, she pushed herself out of the mud and to her feet. Only able to give Raizel a nod, she ran a few meters more then turned around. Just as her eyes locked onto the Crucible, the earth began to shake violently as fire lit up the Crucible like a torch. She saw pieces of stone and earth fly into the air along with a wave of dust. Specks of fire and globs of gold were catapulted into the air as a large boom quickly reached her ears. Waves of energy rippled out and threatened to push them over with the amount of power it had. Still managing to stay to her feet, she heard the strange silence as she looked at the Crucible in shock. Finally, she was able to allow herself to process what they had just been through. The entire time while in the Crucible she hadn't allowed herself a moment of rest or a moment to process. The teenager had just pushed forwards and tried to focus only on survival. Now that they were no longer in danger, she could think about what happened there.

"Well…" She began before looking to Raizel, "I guess we just saved the world Golem Boy. "

There was a cheeky smirk on her face as she decided to focus on the here and now. She'd rather not think or even consider the things down there. It was long gone and there was never a good reason to look behind.

"Hey, if you ever need a travel buddy you can find me on the Isle of Koskaan." Dala offered.

She couldn't predict how he would react but a small part of her hoped he would at least consider it. He was a reliable person and she knew if she ever needed someone to help out with an adventure or two, he would be capable of handling it.

Author: Raizel, Posted: Sat Jun 5, 2021 8:40 PM, Post Subject: From Death to Life [Event][O]

The overwhelming energy from the vat was almost drowning out his senses. Raizel stumbled and ran half-consciously out of the Sanctorium with Dala's help, pushing himself to keep going. The steaming heat of the Furnace, the alcohol-smelling halls of the Asylum, and finally–the crawlspace leading back into the Catacombs where it all began. Everything went by like a blur, adrenaline and panic temporarily blocking out any pain. Dala's voice cut through the mental haze like a knife through gauze: "We're almost there!" Sucking in another gasp of air, the artificer gave one last final push as they rounded the corner to where they had come in after taking out the undead. Dropping to the floor, he went through the hole and held his breath bracing for the incoming stench. Sounds of chaos were far away behind them, and for some reason the dark, dimly lit chambers of the outermost layer of the Crucible were quieter than before. As the liquid gold flooded into more of the chambers, it eroded the carefully-built facility that formed a great alchemical circle. And now that Ekaterina van Eisser's experiment was out of control–the runaway reaction led to a meltdown.

They were almost outside! They were almost free! He flung himself at the doors that he came through and pushed with all his strength. The stone creaked and scraped as fresh air swept in, while the shrieking wails of the undead grew louder. Sensing that a way was open, the trapped souls tried to flee. But the runes that had bound them to this place had weakened, so as soon as they made it past the outer walls they collapsed. Wraiths dissolved into ectoplasm while skeletons and rotting corpses were no longer animate. The spirits entered the Soulstream at last, liberated from their earthly confinement. As the undead died one last time, Raizel staggered out into the rain. Coughing and wheezing, the cold air felt good after breathing stale drafts. Nuri returned to its locket, not too keen on staying out in Railoch's stormy weather. The mud and grey skies were never a more welcome sight than they were now.

The oppressive aura that had been creeping up behind them was gone and he let out a sigh of relief. As they were both out of that accursed place at last, he began to tense up when he felt the aura return again. He remembered what he had done in the Sanctorium. "We better back up–maybe run at least a few meters." Raizel said in a hurry. "Pretty soon we'll see what happens when you mess up an alchemical circle mid-process." Once they were at a safe distance, there was a violent earth-shattering explosion! Waves of concentrated energy rippled out from the Crucible as it was released back into the world. And then, silence. It was finally over.

Author: Dala, Posted: Sat Jun 5, 2021 7:55 PM, Post Subject: From Death to Life [Event][O]

The second she heard the sound of shattering glass, she knew that their plan had worked. The vampiress' greatest creation had been destroyed but there was one slightly more serious problem for her. Liquid gold was pouring from the damaged vat and quickly flooding the room. Most of the golems fell apart the second they touched the strange golden liquid, all except for two who were still clinging to the walls, far above the liquid.

Dala swung from the rods and jumped from golem head to golem head until she reached the rails of the stairs. With a massive leap, she flung herself towards the rails, her hands hitting the metal hard as she clutched it. Using all of her arm strength she managed to pull herself over the rail and onto the stairs that led to the door. Nuri had simply flown next to the girl and when Raiz approached them, Nuri returned to his side. When Raiz ran up the stairs Dala grabbed him and pulled him to the doors. 

She kicked the doors open and slid down the ladder with such speed as to make her hands burn. The furnace was emptying its golden liquid into the laboratory but the flooding would continue if they didn't leave immediately. She had no intentions of becoming a gold statue or one of those golems. Whether Ekaterina survived or not wasn't her business. They came to stop her and destroying her lab was the best way of doing so. Dala ran, still pulling Raiz along with her, through the furnace. Just as they reached the doors back into the asylum, she could see gold liquid creeping out from the doors to the lab. They couldn't stop. 

Golems had abandoned their work in the asylum, all running towards the furnace and the laboratory beyond it. They were assigned to assist Ekaterina even if they were just simple creations they would understand their primary mission. One of the walls was smashed through, revealing a pale white creature escaping from one of the many labs. It had multiple arms and three faces along with several wings on its back. Instead of going for them, it attacked one of the golems. Gold liquid quickly consumed them both as it slowly crept through the asylum. Dala pushed herself to run faster, using her wayfinder to guide their way back. 

"We're almost there!" She shouted. 

Her legs burned and her lungs never seemed to get enough air but she forced herself to keep running. They were dead if they dared look back or stop for one moment. 

Author: Raizel, Posted: Wed Jun 2, 2021 6:48 PM, Post Subject: From Death to Life [Event][O]

He handed her the rods and took out Nuri in preparation. This time he would need the Baltil hammer to make sure the vat took as much damage as possible. Giving Dala a nod, he went into position while waiting for the signal. The small blue fire elemental went with the girl, the wisp almost unnoticeable when high up. Nuri set the torch alight and then flew back towards its owner as its fire was used to create a distraction that would most definitely get the alchemist's attention. If there was one thing that she couldn't ignore, it would be this. Ekaterina van Eisser screamed the moment she saw the flames spread across the papers, devouring them like dry tinder. Years of toil, years of endless experimentation and study were being reduced to ashes! Breaking her composure at last, the vampire shrieked commanding the golems stationed to protect her and her work. "KILL HER!!" She could not afford a setback–not when she was so close!

Raizel was shocked when he saw the golems improvise in removing Dala's height advantage. He initially thought the plan would buy them more time, but he had to act fast. Maybe the gold granted these golems greater intelligence, since they were essentially people? Breaking into a sprint, he swung the hammer hard when he was only a few steps away from the glass. The head of the weapon slammed into it with a loud crack, creating a spiderweb fracture at the site of impact. The walls were thicker than he expected, so he quickly gave it another hit with a yell. This time it shattered. A gaping hole in the incubation vat exposed the horrid, inhuman mass that the alchemist had nurtured using the essence of the dead and the living. It was like a gigantic lump of flesh, pulsing and beating as if it were alive. An overwhelming aura of energy was leaking out into the Sanctorium, making Raizel lightheaded. He was snapped out of it by the vampire's scream, and he quickly ran back towards the doors as some of the golems were heading his way. Fluid was pouring out from the vat as well, so his next goal was to cut off the supply. Picking up a piece of equipment, he cast a skyfire enchantment on it before hurling it at the damaged vat, creating a small explosion. 

He bashed some of the pipes he could reach with his Baltil warhammer, the metal creaking and groaning as they were bent out of shape. When one of the pipes was bent at an angle, he gave it a well-angled whack. The blow broke it open, and golden liquid similar to what they saw in the Furnace came gushing out. The golems dissolved as soon as they touched it, their golden inclusions melding back with their original source. Losing what stability they had, Raizel could avoid them as long as he stayed out of reach. By now the Sanctorium was slowly becoming flooded with the liquid gold as the leakage from the vat started to stop.

The vampire, completely distraught as things spiraled out of control, desperately tried to keep the ritual from ending. "NO NO NO NO!!!" A woman obsessed, her hands were now bloody as she tried to patch up the gap with fallen shards. The reddish light emanating from the 'thing' in the tank was starting to glow more brightly as the procedure was derailed. Without a proper contained environment, the alchemical process would turn chaotic. The energies were becoming thick, making anyone who was slightly magically sensitive feel like pressure was building up inside their skulls. Raizel had a bad feeling about this. "WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE!!" He shouted at Dala, trying to distract the remaining golems with small explosions from enchanted thrown objects. An immense amount of power had been channeled through the facility into the incubation vat. Now that it was destroyed, there was only one place where it could go… 

Author: Dala, Posted: Mon May 31, 2021 2:08 PM, Post Subject: From Death to Life [Event][O]

Golems surrounded the vat and their master, ready to fight when they need to. Gold acted as the blood in their veins while stone made up their body. Ekaterina never even bothered to look at them but she had a feeling this was normal for the vampiress. Dala doubted she even looked at the people she massacred. All that woman noticed was her work. The teenager listened to Raizel as he suggested some ideas and listed the resources they had. Dala still had her grappling hook, an unlit torch, some rope, and a few health potions along with some food for her journey. A plan formed in her head as she looked over the situation. The vat was their highest priority as Raizel said. Since her weapons were too small to affect the vat, it meant Raiz would have to go after the vat. He would need someone to take the heat off of him. But there was one thing they had over the golems and their master. A height difference. With a smile, she turned to Raiz and began explaining her plan.

"Hand me some of those rods. I'll need your fire buddy too." She whispered, "Stay around the door areas and try to not draw attention to yourself. When you hear screaming, go for the vat and take it down."

The teenager was mostly improvising at this point but she knew exactly where to hit. The girl took one of the rods and jumped through the door. The rod stopped high above the golems and Ekaterina. They either hadn't noticed her yet or they didn't care, as she wasn't too close to the vat or their mistress. Using the rods, she placed them midair making her way over the golems, removing them as soon as she was done using them. She almost looked like a monkey hanging onto tiny branches. Eventually, she stopped over the piles of papers and research files, years of research that Ekaterina had built up. Dala carefully stood on two of the rods and pulled her unlit torch from her back. She signalled for Nuri to light the torch with the elemental's fire abilities. Nuri lit up the torch. The fire was small but just what a pile of paper needed to start a bonfire. The teenager dropped the torch onto the pile of papers and watched as the flames jumped from page to page.

"HEY VAMPIRE BITCH!" Dala shouted, "Hope you didn't need these papers!"

Ekaterina whirled around just in time to see her work burn up in a growing fire. The vampiress screamed curses at Dala while rushing to save some of her work. Meanwhile, Dala began throwing a few of her health potions at other piles of work, drenching them and staining them with the red liquid. She also took some of her food and threw it at the alchemy positions and into any open container with liquids she could find. A few alchemy stations blew up due to the adding food to delicate chemical compounds. The golems quickly broke their circle around the vat to protect their mistress, who was still trying to recover her work.

"Stop her idiots!" Ekaterina furiously screamed.

The only problem was the height. Dala held the high ground in the air while the golems were stuck on the ground. So the golems began moving over to the walls, smashing their fingers into them and slowly began climbing up the walls to reach Dala.

"Well that's just fucking unfair," Dala muttered.

Now she needed another clever little plan. One that didn't involve her getting smashed to pieces by giant golems.

Author: Raizel, Posted: Sat May 29, 2021 9:25 PM, Post Subject: From Death to Life [Event][O]

Now that they knew the danger they were in, it was time to run. The remnants of the poor souls who were put through torture reached out to them pitifully with desperation in their movements–but they had to keep going. These people were beyond help now. Granting them death would be the greatest mercy at this point. The heat was oppressive and stifling, making it hard to breathe with the moisture in the air. Catching up with Dala, once they had gloves on they both started to climb their way to the final and last part of the Crucible: the Sanctorium. The last step in the process was Rubedo. And when they opened the great doors that were surprisingly unlocked, they saw the woman herself…along with what her horrific actions had been leading up to. This was likely where she had spent the latter portion of her time once she had no use for what she left in the Asylum. Notes, formulas, and equipment still in use were present. The pipes that he first saw in the Asylum that continued through the Furnace reached their final destination, connecting from all directions to converge on the vat that was radiating a crimson aura. 

The fluid inside it was clear, meaning it must have been further processed before feeding into the incubation vat. Ekaterina van Eisser was standing at the back of the chamber, facing her pet project on the cusp of completion. The fact she didn't even react to the doors being opened meant she didn't expect anyone to make it this far, or she was too focused on her work to care. The hybrid golems standing around the room likely gave her the confidence to not be on alert. These golems were built different from the lumbering earthen sentries patrolling the cells. Their bodies were more compact, a mixture of earth with veins of hardened gold that still held a degree of flexibility. It wouldn't be as easy to use the environment to slow them down. The guards hadn't detected their presence yet when Dala whispered in his ear. 

As for ideas, he didn't have many. "Once we go in, we'll have to act fast. We won't be able to handle these golems easily in a confined space." Raizel had no idea how powerful the vampire was, but their priority was the vat and then her. "We need to cut the tank off and destroy whatever she has inside first, van Eisser and the golems are a secondary priority. It'll be tough though." It was just the two of them going up against twice their numbers. Could they really pull this off? He took a quick mental inventory of what weapons and equipment he had right now. "I have some immovable rods and half a dozen ranged throwing weapons. I can use the rods to slow the golems down and block them off, but my daggers and throwing stars won't last long. My hammer can crack the incubation vat's glass for sure, but I'll need some time for that." He also had Nuri too; but the little elemental could only buy a few seconds at most. 

Author: Dala, Posted: Fri May 28, 2021 8:58 PM, Post Subject: From Death to Life [Event][O]

Dala listened carefully as Raizel explained the basics of alchemy. 

"So they're a bunch of snobby nerds," Dala commented.

Then he made another realization about the gold. These golden THINGS were once people. Her eyes widened as she watched the molten gold shift and move, never able to fully pull itself together. Raizel shouted about how she was planning to make the philosopher's stone. Even Dala, as ignorant as she was, had heard about the stone. No one had ever been able to create the stone. Then there was the troubling fact they were in a giant alchemy circle. They didn't have any more time to waste on speculation. They either stopped her now or everyone would end up dead.

"Stay away from the edges!" Dala shouted as she ran into the furnace.

The sweltering heat tried to pull her back but she kept running. The molten gold reached out with its dripping arms, trying to catch both Dala and Raizel. She managed to jump and dodge and keep away from the edges. The edges of her clothes were burnt from proximity to the heat of the golden monstrosities. They reached the other end of the furnace where a metal ladder led upwards, out of the furnace and towards a pair of brass doors. Dala reached into her bag and pulled out a pair of leather winter gloves, something she had forgotten to take out of her bag. After tossing the pair of gloves to Raizel, she began to climb up the ladder as quickly as she could. When she reached the top of the ladder, she pushed open the brass doors and made her way to the final room. The Sanctorium.

The laboratory was filled with notes, alchemy tools, and chemicals but the main thing that drew her eye was the large incubation vat in the center of the room. A glowing shade of crimson surrounded the vat and reflected across the room. The vat was surrounded by golden golems clearly placed there to guard the area. Finally, Dala looked at the alchemist, the one who created such horrors, and was surprised to find she looked more human than expected. Dala half expected some disgusting monster but instead found a regular-looking vampire. Dala looked over to Raizel.

"Got any ideas?" She whispered.

Author: Raizel, Posted: Thu May 27, 2021 8:29 PM, Post Subject: From Death to Life [Event][O]

When Dala stopped him from opening the door, he thought it was because she noticed a trap. When she threw water on the door however, the reason soon became clear. If it wasn't for her thinking ahead, he could've burnt his hands. Once they were in, the heat hit them face-first like a gust of wind. It wasn't just hot, it was humid as well. The air was heavy with steam, and it was more like a broiler than the dry heat of the forge he was used to. This made it even worse. His eyes were struggling to adjust to the sheer gleam the whole area gave off. Everything was tinted gold through the reflected light. And unlike the laboratories and catacombs, they could see all around them. Massive machinery hung from the ceiling, vats pouring a near-endless stream of steaming shimmering liquid into the pools. "This is a furnace all right–anybody in metal would be baked by now." As they went along, he made small talk explaining some things he knew about alchemy. Even if he couldn't decipher the diagrams back in the Asylum, Raizel was familiar with the concepts of transmutation and the four stages of alchemy. 

"–So alchemy isn't actually about turning metals into gold. It originally came from old scholars' research on the secret of immortality–the philosopher's stone. Basically it's supposed to be a legendary miracle drug and ultimate catalyst. You can use it to transform everything into something else, no matter how different or impossible. There's also a whole bunch of mumbo jumbo on philosophy, but most people aren't interested in that. Anyway, there are four stages to make a philosopher's stone: nigredo, albedo, citrinitas, and rubedo. In layman's terms they translate into the colors black, white, yellow, and red." He said, trying to give Dala a short condensed version of the basics based on what he knew. Alchemy also used geometry to create magical circles which were used for transmutation, probably had something to do with a precise formula. You also needed reagents to perform reactions. This was known as the 'law of equivalent exchange'. Attempting to perform alchemical rituals without the right objects would result in something terrible happening to the one initiating them. 

Suddenly Dala threw a dagger down at the ground close to him, and he looked in time to see it hit something–causing what looked like molten gold to splash. While the puddle was motionless, the weapon started to dissolve, and then the liquid started to twitch. Raizel backed away thankful that none of the fluid got on him. But then a terrible idea crossed his mind…living gold. He started cursing while desperately trying to convince himself he was wrong. "You know, I was wondering why the labs back there were arranged in a circular formation… I really hope I'm wrong–but I think this entire facility is actually a giant alchemy circle." Those pipes he saw back there were connected to the Furnace. And those pools of gold all around them? "This 'gold', all of this–used to be people." The realization was even worse now that he'd said it. How on earth did that woman transmute living beings into gold? And how many people were sacrificed to create this sheer volume of it?

"We need to find her. She's recreating the steps to make a philosopher's stone!" It didn't matter she was making a philosopher's stone or not–she needed to be stopped!

Author: Dala, Posted: Thu May 27, 2021 11:14 AM, Post Subject: From Death to Life [Event][O]

With Raizel’s quick thinking and strange feather-like dagger, the arms fell to the floor and the path was theirs once more. They were getting closer than ever before. Dala worried about what they would find when they arrived but she couldn’t afford to worry. They were either doing this or not. The teenager gave Raizel a nod and reached for the handles but stopped. She held out a hand to stop Raizel from touching the metal handles of the door. Reaching for her waterskin, she tossed some water on it. The second the water hit the handles it made a sizzling noise before evaporating. The water amount was small but it told them all they needed to know about the temperature in the next room. Dala reached into her bag and pulled out a pair of thick leather gloves. She safely pushed open the doors and drew her sword, preparing for whatever may come next.

The sweltering heat-blasted outwards as soon as she opened the door. It was as if all the heat from the Sularia desert had been compacted into one room. The only thing more powerful than the humidity was the brightness of the room, a drastic shift from the darkened catacombs and the decently-lit asylum. Dala squinted her eyes to inspect the corners of the room. She was able to make out the golden pools and vats pouring the liquid gold. Steam filled the room, making it difficult to see every detail. For a second, she thought she saw one of the golden pools move. Maybe paranoia was finally getting to her.

“What does an alchemist need all this gold for?” She asked as they walked further into the furnace, “Is it an ingredient or something?”

These were the moments the teenager wished she’d researched more about alchemists in general. The catacombs and the asylum both made sense. Both of those had something to do with the undead or experimentation. She knew the vampiress wanted to become immortal lacking any flaws but she didn’t understand the gold part. Once Raizel explained it, she realized how much time this woman had been obsessing over immorality. This unfortunate had made enemies out of everyone through her actions and left herself completely alone. If it wasn’t for the atrocities she committed Dala might have been able to conjure some form of pity for her. But she crossed that line long ago…

Suddenly a hand reached out of the golden pool reaching for Raizel’s leg. She threw one of her many daggers at the molten gold hand. Upon impact, the dagger melted and the creature’s form fell apart. Dala’s eyes were wide with shock. She took a few steps back from the pool but kept her eyes glued to it. The liquid shifted and changed as if it was almost alive.

“What the hell did that woman do here?” Dala muttered.

Author: Raizel, Posted: Mon May 24, 2021 5:58 PM, Post Subject: From Death to Life [Event][O]

The noise definitely wasn't working in their favor now. Dala dragged him out of sight in time, and they watched as the other sentries wandered around before leaving. Simple constructs didn't have a lot of intelligence thankfully. When they were in the clear, she explained how this entire area was structured. It was a full circle, meaning the cells and laboratories were arranged like spokes on a wheel. The path leading in was a straight line down the 'center'. Moving on before they could be found, they found the door leading further into the Crucible. Back when they made it into this area, they only needed to take out a few undead. This time it wasn't going to be so easy. If the laboratories weren't disturbing enough, what guarded this door was nearly a dozen arms. They looked like they were part of the wall itself–as crazy as it sounded. Dala tested to see if they were real, and sure enough, they were. 

He exhaled slowly, watching the stone fall in pieces. "I'm not going to even try to figure out how this is even possible." While Dala looked for a way to take out the arms, Raizel was looking around to see if there was anything else they didn't notice at first. How did the arms know that something was approaching? If they were just disembodied limbs, they wouldn't be able to know if something was passing through until it was right in front of them. They had no eyes or ears either. Were they sensing if something approached by changes in the airflow in this corridor? Maybe he was overthinking this. "Hold on, let me see what I have. We might be able to get rid of them without getting too close." A boomerang wouldn't be as effective in a narrow space, and daggers might just embed themselves. "Found it! Ok, this had better work." In his hand was a feather-shaped dagger that looked sharp but light. Not only could it make a clean cut through almost anything, but it would return to the thrower with the right phrase.

He threw it at one of the arms as fast as he could. As it whizzed through the air, the arms began to react. However when they tried to slash it, the blade sliced through them without resistance. Pieces of hands dropped to the floor along with some claws, removing the biggest threat. Holding his hand up to receive the dagger, he said: "Return." The feather dagger flew back, spinning so it safely landed in his grasp. Now he knew that it worked, he kept throwing and recalling the dagger until the arms were declawed. "Alright, let's head in." He said, throwing a glance over his shoulder. Another step closer towards the heart mean another step closer to stopping the ritual. 

Author: Dala, Posted: Sun May 23, 2021 10:49 PM, Post Subject: From Death to Life [Event][O]

"If the shoe fits." Dala quipped. 

The war hammer smashed against the golem's side, sending rocks and dust flying through the air. A stone flew past Dala's head, almost hitting her. She quickly moved back from the golem as it stumbled forwards. The creature raised its arm to hit Raizel but the fire elemental flew around, only to get slapped against the wall. The creature had given him enough time to dislodge the artificial core and destroy the golem with one final hit. The crack echoed across the hallways, like it was trying to signal the world their location. They couldn't stay here. 

"Move!" She exclaimed, pulling him towards the left corridor. 

She knew this would be away from the hall with the most labs but they couldn't go straight, else risk getting caught by more golems. They dashed around another corner and she pulled him to wait. They were still close to the main hall, only two corners away from the dead golem. Sounds of golems stomping towards their fallen comrade echoed through the halls. She waited for a moment until the golems continued moving onwards, still searching for the cause of the noise. She carefully pulled him around the corner, towards the left for the third time. They ended up in the lab hall again but the golems had moved on. 

"Each hall always circles back to this one." She whispered as quietly as she could, "We need to keep going straight." 

They eventually found two massive doors made up of metal, supposedly leading towards the exit. In front of the doors weren't any golems. Instead there were twisted pale arms covering the doorway, each arm attached to the walls with flesh. The arms were freakishly long and had claws for fingers. Pulling a stone from her pocket, she threw it at the door. One of the many arms came to life and slashed at the stone. Pieces of the stone fell apart, destroyed by the razor sharp fingers. 

"More experiments…" Dala said with disgust. 

She pulled her sword out from its sheath, trying to think of the safest place to cut without getting hit by the nails. 

Author: Raizel, Posted: Sun May 23, 2021 12:29 PM, Post Subject: From Death to Life [Event][O]

Raizel was acting as lookout while Dala studied her wayfinder's widget. Every so now and then he would glance at the device in her hands, taking note of the map that was slowly filling itself in. Based on how far they had walked, they were gradually making a curve along one side. The laboratories slowly pieced together the bigger picture of what exactly had been going on here for decades, and after seeing enough specimens the artificer understood why Zets'Ki had gotten involved. Dala then spoke up saying she had figured out the best path to pass through this area into the next. But before she could finish, he felt the ground vibrate before catching sight of a golem that had managed to sneak up on them. Its hit barely missed them, thanks to how slow the construct was. It was strong and durable, but due to its bulky composition its movements weren't quick. 

Pushing himself back up from rolling away, he saw Dala bait the golem while navigating the laboratory. "Oi! Golem boy are you gonna do you're job or what?!" Even though he was shaking, he cracked a smile. "So that's what you're going to call me?" Raizel quipped back, taking out his Baltil warhammer. "I take out one golem in a volcano and suddenly I'm the expert?" Kiting around the golem while its back was turned, he got a running start and jumped onto its back. Even if you destroyed the limbs, since it was a construct it would simply reform itself after. The only way to 'kill' a golem was to take out its core. He didn't care about salvaging anything from this place, so he wasn't going to hold back. Normally cores were placed in a portion that had the greatest protection, like the center of its body. Raising the hammerhead up high, he brought it down with a heavy swing. 

"Agh!" It was a direct hit, leaving a crater where the blow landed. Dust and pieces of rock flew everywhere and he was coughing. There was another reason why he didn't like using this weapon even without the skyfire enchantment–the recoil from the collision was strong. The more dense and resistant the material was, the worse the recoil would be. It might be nothing for a dwarf or a giant, but for someone who was almost no different from a human, it wasn't something he could keep doing non-stop. Despite the hole in its body, the golem was still moving. It was preparing to swipe at him when a tiny fire elemental flew into its face, pestering it like a fly. With a heavy hand it slapped Nuri against the wall, but those few seconds were what he needed to find the dislodged core. Unlike the golem borne from magma, the core for this one was artificial. A small container with engraved symbols lay on the ground cushioned by a pile of dirt. Wasting no time, Raizel slammed the hammer down with a loud crack!

As the core was obliterated, the golem froze. It shuddered for a moment before collapsing into a mound of packed earth. "There, that took longer than it should have." He said, trying to shake off the tingling feeling in his hands. "That's one less sentry we'll need to worry about when we come back." The tiny fire elemental wobbled over to sit on his shoulder, flickering to show its exhaustion. "Are there any more coming this way?" He asked Dala, really hoping she'd say no.

Author: Dala, Posted: Sat May 22, 2021 1:43 AM, Post Subject: From Death to Life [Event][O]

Dala was able to lead them southwards, discovering more of what seemed to be a laboratory jail system. The cells lined every single wall and each one of them had a number above it. The numbers began with one, two, then quickly went up to a hundred and beyond. Dala's mind kept wondering on those people that had been experimented on. Each time she bit down on the inside of her cheek to refocus her mind. They couldn't think about that now! Once they survived then they can consider the victims. They needed to avoid becoming victims to do that. The girl focused on her wayfinder, carefully peaking around each corner and keeping her hears alert. While Raizel was noticing the pipes, Dala was noticing a pattern in her wayfinder. 

The alchemist had designed the building to be confusing to outsiders, but there was one path through the system that had been consistent. An alchemist wouldn't want to get lost or have to walk miles to get to her laboratories. As a result, the labs were all close together, separated by only a few rooms or feet. If there was a lab around one corner, then another one wouldn't be far behind.

"We need to follow the labs to get out." She explained, "But I'm guessing since the labs are so dangerous, the golems will be patrolling that route." 

She began looking at her wayfinder harder, trying to figure out a better route. The teenager looked at the wayfinder closely, trying to connect any additional patterns. There seemed to be a circular effect in the architecture. Each path would eventually lead back to the main path. 

"Alright. I think I found a way to minimize going near the golems." She explained, "And-"

Before she could say another word, a massive golem stepped from around the corner and slammed it's fists into the ground, barely missing Dala. She jumped back and pulled out her sword. But looking at the stone hard golem, she realized that a regular sword won't do much. Sheathing her sword, she kicked the golem, drawing its attention away from Raizel and raced out of the way before it could hit her. 

"Oi! Golem boy are you gonna do you're job or what?!" Dala shouted. 

Author: Raizel, Posted: Wed May 19, 2021 8:07 PM, Post Subject: From Death to Life [Event][O]

He was gasping for air as the two stopped to catch their breath. Raizel didn't know how far they had ran and if the golem knew if they were still here, but there was no time for that now. Slumping to the ground, his eyes were wide as he stared ahead. Was that really the work of an alchemist? How was that any different from necromancy or some other ungodly sorcery? The artificer felt his hand being grabbed and quickly looked down to see it was Dala's. "Focus your thoughts on how to beat her and survival. We can't risk thinking about anything else." She said. As much as he hated to admit it, she was right. There wasn't any other way but forward–towards the person responsible for this madness. "Alright, let's go. I don't hear anything following us, and at least we know those golems focus more on the things being kept here over intruders." Just how deep did this place go? How many more areas would they have to survive through in order to get to the heart of the matter?

"We should probably take anything we find that can be useful while we're here. Normally alchemy deals with mixtures and potions, so there's plenty of equipment to use as weapons." He knew about people dabbling in the more magical side of alchemy, but it was nothing close to this. He didn't want to even imagine how and why these experiments came about. There were more empty halls and more cells. If it weren't for the wayfinder's widget, they could easily get lost and disoriented with how everything looked the same. There were more tanks, this time empty. The work tables had equipment and surgical tools like the previous area, but with metal cabinets that likely held components or other reagents. The stinging alcohol smell wasn't as bad here. Maybe that was because this area hadn't been used recently. From the way this portion was set up, the alchemist in charge was a very meticulous individual.

His eyes noticed pipes near the ceiling that were easy to overlook with how much machinery and equipment were present. They were leading further down but he couldn't see where they were coming from. In a large glass decanter with a stopper, Raizel spied a metallic liquid similar to quicksilver. It must've been something important, as the container was protected inside a see-through panel. Having a weapon with a longer reach would probably be best at the moment, so he took out his hellfire whip. Even though his hammer would deal more damage, the sound might attract those golem sentries with all the glassware here. There were charts on some of the walls with diagrams depicting winged humanoids–probably angels. Reading the shorthand and notes didn't bring him any closer to understanding them, aside from an uncomfortable level of detail on 'flaws' and issues that came up. Even though this area was clean, Raizel felt as if this place hadn't been in use for a while. He couldn't guess for how long, as there weren't any ways for him to check. Looking back at Dala, he asked while keeping his voice low. "How's the map coming along? See any patterns in how this place was built?" If possible, they could try to take the most direct path towards wherever the alchemist might be.

Author: Dala, Posted: Wed May 12, 2021 11:29 PM, Post Subject: From Death to Life [Event][O]

A chill ran down her spine as she realized this place was a strange prison. Dala had been in jail cells many times but this place… it went beyond even the worst of prisons. Isolating people had dangerous effects on their minds and were one of the cruelest things a person could do to another. The worst part was the fact they couldn't let these people out, or else these people… or creatures could kill them. This sort of cruelty reminded her of someone she once knew. But she knew HE had nothing to do with this. He would have been more discreet. Whoever this woman was, she needed to be taken out.

"Yeah. I really wish I didn't do that." She agreed with Raizel.

Now they knew there were people or something in each room. Suddenly, she felt a tap on her shoulder and a loud whisper in her ear. She almost jumped but she quickly realized it was Raizel and they needed to move. Dala carefully and quietly as she could, followed Raizel's lead. Pressing up against the wall like him, she kept her ears and eyes alert. Whenever Raizel looked one way, she would look the other to cover all sides. They kept moving until they came across the open large laboratory facility. The scent of chemicals and alcohol stench the air and when she spotted the large glass tanks, she slapped her hand over her mouth to keep herself from gagging. Many tanks were empty but there were some that had… creatures in them. One was thin and had boney limbs along with patches of feathers. Another was massive and large with large gaping empty eyes, its eyeballs had been attached to its hands. In another tank was a mangled body that almost looked human. This creature had a mouth for a head while its arms were cracked, woven through its own skin like it was sown that way.

Dala couldn't speak, her own words taken away at the horrid sight. The teenager thought she had seen the worst of humanity in the streets of Vilpamolan but this overwhelming sight made everything else in her life seem like it was nothing. These people could have been anybody. Even…children. There wasn't any way of recognizing them. Any sense of humanity had been stolen away through experiments and alchemy. Acid climbed her throat as she was forced to look away to keep herself from puking. There was medical equipment covered in white goop, likely the blood of whatever these things were. Some of the floors had specks of blood that stained the ground before it had been cleaned up. These people could have been kidnapped from all over Parvpora or even all of Revaliir. How many families never knew what happened to their kin? Maybe it was best if they never found it? A disturbing thought occurred to her. Is this what could happen to them if they weren't careful? Death was something she had been prepared for when entering this place. But this… it was a fate worse than death. This was no longer just about stopping this woman, it was about survival.

When she heard that creaking noise, her eyes were wide with fear. That fear she had kept in the depths of her heart and the one thing she tried to pretend she didn't have, it was too strong to ignore now.  They needed to get out of here before one of the guards came around. She didn't want to be put into one of those tanks under any circumstances.

Glass shattered and flew through the air as fluid poured into the room. The sopping wet creature fell to the floor and struggled to get to its feet. The skeleton horse head stared at them as skeletal wings pulled out from the spine, popping and cracking. A shrill shriek pierced the quiet air and the monster lunged at the both of them. Dala bolted from the scene, running further into the complex and past the chimera. Dala looked back for a moment, only to see a giant earth golem charging at the creature and snatching it by the throat. It turned and dragged the monstrosity towards one of the cells. She bolted around the corner and continued running until her legs were screaming for her to stop. Only then did she pull on Raizel's sleeve and yanked him to slow down.

"I- I need to" She quickly caught her breath, "I need to check the wayfinder. We can't get lost in here."

Pulling the wayfinder from her bag, she quickly figured out where they needed to go. They had backtracked a bit while running but it gave her enough information to know what general direction they needed to go to avoid the lab and the golem. She couldn't see the entire floor, as the wayfinder would only show where she had been, but it was enough to let her know where to go next. Her eyes glanced towards Raizel, wondering how he was doing after seeing the lab. She reached out and gently grabbed his hand. Her movements were cautious and careful as if she wasn't quite sure what to do.

"Focus your thoughts on how to beat her and survival." She said with a serious expression, "We can't risk thinking about anything else."

To Dala, this was the most comforting thing she could come up with. The teenager had been in death situations before but nothing like this. Yet in those situations, she always pushed herself to focus on survival and never reflect on the past. It was the only way she survived back then and would be the only way for her to make it out now. The teenager freed Raizel's hand and focused on finding the best route with her wayfinder, which wasn't easy when she couldn't see what was up next.

"Let's try this way." She said pointing to the right, "We'll be heading south this way." 

Author: Raizel, Posted: Wed May 12, 2021 9:53 PM, Post Subject: From Death to Life [Event][O]

He wasn't sure what she was planning, but he was behind her at a safe distance as she tried to see if she could hear anything. Raizel raised an eyebrow when Dala knocked on the reinforced metal door. "It's probably empty." He said, only to hear something knock back from the other side. He could've sworn his heart skipped a beat at that moment. Holding his breath, his entire body broke out in a cold sweat. "Now I wish you hadn't knocked." This was definitely more of a jail. But for who? Maybe it was a good thing the doors were locked. There were sounds of heavy footsteps echoing in the distance, slow and rhythmic with a faint rumbling. He tapped her on the shoulder and lowered his voice to a loud whisper. "Something's coming this way! We need to move!" Now that he had time to observe the area, Raizel realized this place was just as bad as the catacombs–there weren't many places to hide. They could take a chance on going the opposite direction from the incoming steps, or they could try something else. 

If this was a prison, then there would be guards. But if one was showing up now, then that could mean they were only patrolling. It was likely that the cells were impossible to escape, so there was no worry about things getting loose. Listening in on the dull thudding steps, whatever was coming was very slow. They still had some time to scout out the area past this corridor of cells. Staying close to the walls, Raizel took out a locket with a small flickering flame within. Opening it, a tiny flame elemental the size of a wisp was released. "Nuri, I need you to head in that direction. Come back immediately if you see anything heading this way." He pointed in the direction of the slow heavy footsteps. Nuri could act as an extra pair of eyes in case danger was close. Since it was so small, it could hide out of sight if it felt threatened. Splitting up right now wasn't a good choice. He'd prefer to stay as close to Dala as possible so they could cover each other's backs.

The direction he headed opened up into a large laboratory facility. The astringent alcohol smell was even stronger here, but what lined the walls made his stomach turn. Large glass tanks big enough to hold grown men filled with bubbling fluids entering through pipes protruding from the immaculate stone contained grotesque and distorted looking creatures half-suspended in the liquid. Most were unrecognizable, some of the tanks were empty, but a few had specimens that were definitely humanoid. One had chalk-white skin stretched taut over gangly, bony limbs that were too long for a bipedal being. Its body proportions were off, with parts being unnaturally long. The 'arms' had the same skeletal structure of a bat's, but with patches of feathers hanging off them. Its feet were bent and claw like, while its head was hanging low. Its face–if it had one–was completely covered by a head of bleached stringy hair. And just a moment ago, he thought things couldn't get worse than crawling through rotting flesh. 

"…Gods." For someone who was born in Parvpora, this was the one time he felt no other words could best describe how he felt. Whether it was an unspoken prayer for protection or a cry for mercy, it summed up the sentiments of seeing this horrible display. "Those things used to be people." Conflicted feelings about what exactly was in those cells and what the catacombs outside were too much to handle. What if the undead they fought back there were people who had escaped from this area? How long did they wander out there after realizing there was no way out? The doors probably could only be opened from the outside or by individuals with certain permission if that was the case. If people were kidnapped and stripped of their belongings before being brought in here, then there was no way for them to escape. Turning his attention away from the walls, he found the rest of the room was full of surgical equipment and metal tables long enough to hold a cadaver. There were shackles attached to the surfaces. 

A creaking noise started, and Raizel looked up in alarm only to see Dala and himself. Nuri wasn't back yet, so maybe the coast was clear. The thing that was making those heavy footsteps might've turned back, so it was probably safe to backtrack and explore the other–


The pipes connecting to one of the tanks was broken as a distorted figure wrenched its way out of its glass chamber, shards and fluid going everywhere. It fell to the floor, struggling to stand as its oversized limbs made it unbalanced. Remnants of vestigal, skeletal wings protruded from its spine as it braced itself with its hands and feet. Staggering, it raised a misshapen horse-headed skull with a sickly light shining in its eye sockets. With a shrill shriek, it started lunged at the two just as Nuri was flying in. The flame elemental was in a panic, but it didn't need to explain why–as the ground began to shake violently. "RUN!!!" He screamed as he dashed towards the way heading further in to the complex, past the chimera. The horrid amalgamation tried to follow after them, but as they looked back they heard the sound of grinding stone as a massive earthen golem charged in to grab the creature in a strangle hold. Its bony limbs flailed helplessly as it was dragged away in the direction of the cells, buying the two time to flee.

Author: Dala, Posted: Wed May 12, 2021 12:35 PM, Post Subject: From Death to Life [Event][O]

The halls were oddly clean and the silence was almost deafening. It appeared to be empty but something in the back of her mind was telling her this next section would be far more dangerous than the walking dead they faced earlier. The woman they were after was a powerful necromancer who scared both angels and the dead. Skeletons, ghosts, and other creatures were only the start.

Dala didn't know if there were undead more powerful than ghosts or skeletons but she had a feeling, this woman had other creatures at her beck and call. Raizel was through the corpse tunnel and suggested cleaning up now, while they still had the chance. The teenager gave him a nod then handed him half of the soap and an extra waterskin she had been carrying around. Taking the other half of the soap, she cleaned herself up as much as she could. She didn't care much for appearances but she knew having rotting flesh on her body would probably get her sick.

After cleaning herself up, she looked towards the rest of the hall. There were metal doors with numbers on a label above the door. The labels were in a language she couldn't read but judging by the way they were used, it looked like some sort of numbering system. There weren't any windows for a person to look into the rooms and the doors were sealed shut and locked. Raizel then brought up something she had been thinking about. Why would there be catacombs with the undead, they have such a clean set of hallways? Even as an aesthetic decision, it would be a pain to get in and out of this place without dealing with all those spirits near the entrance. Maybe this woman had a back entrance? Some sort of teleportation system so she wouldn't have to walk all this way just to get to the rooms she needs. Dala approached one of the doors and gave it a little tug, only to find it was locked.

"It's like an inn and a jail combined." Dala commented, "Wait, I have an idea."

Dala quietly approached one of the metal doors and pressed her ear up to the door, trying to see if she could hear someone on the other side. After hearing nothing, she knocked three times on the door, loud enough for anybody who might be inside the room to hear. There wasn't an immediate reply so the teenager allowed herself to relax. But then there were three knocks, on the other side. Dala quickly backed away from the door.

Author: Raizel, Posted: Sun May 9, 2021 7:48 PM, Post Subject: From Death to Life [Event][O]

It looked like he hadn't been in this place long enough to lose his sense of smell, that was for sure. Smashing up the enemies so they couldn't get back up, the pair cleared the way to find a small opening that led to a brighter area. There were decomposing bodily remains here, and he wasn't sure if it was due to the low pathway or if the undead finally fell apart in this spot. Crawling through mud was miles better than this. Raizel closed his eyes for a moment to prepare himself. He had to to this, this was the only way ahead. "Yeah, I'm coming. At least we don't need to worry about being followed after we're through." Crouching in with arms in front, he half-dug his way until he reached the other side. Immediately he squinted his eyes as the light level drastically increased. It wasn't as bright as daytime, but it was already better-lit than the catacombs. He stopped holding his breath once he stood up.

This new area was much cleaner than the previous place they came from, the air quality here was a major improvement too. No weird lights that made you nauseous. Looking around, there were a lot of walls flanked with reinforced metal doors. It was oddly quiet and the place felt deserted. A faint smell of alcohol lingered in the air, and not the kind that you found in taverns or pubs. "Well…we're here. I don't know if anybody else has made it this far, so might as well take the chance to clean up." They might not have the chance later. Not thinking about things until they were necessary was something he had learned to get by. This wasn't the place to falter. 

"Hey, don't you think this place keeps getting weirder? Who'd think that behind those catacombs filled with undead there'd be this?" He motioned to the relatively spotless area they were in. No strange symbols on the walls, just corridors and metal doors as far as he could see from here. There was something about those doors that didn't sit right with him too. There were so many of them, and they weren't easy to open or break down. You couldn't tell what was on the other side. Come to think of it, what was this place anyway? Was this place really safer than the area they had just left?

Author: Dala, Posted: Wed May 5, 2021 7:38 PM, Post Subject: From Death to Life [Event][O]

"Good. Cause I don't plan on leaving either." The teenager.

When he talked about the alchemy stuff, she was completely lost. If it was battle strategies, what to do about tax evasion, politics, or how to steal something then she would know exactly what to do. Alchemy? It was never something she had to learn for survival or for her future. But she just nodded her head as if she understood and listened. From what she heard, it sounded like they would be breaking stuff, hitting undead, and generally causing a ruckus wherever the magic was. 

"Sounds like a good plan, Golem Boy." Dala said with a smirk, "Thanks for the warning about the crystals. I knew they were giving out bad vibes." 

The last time they met she didn't have much time to admire the giant hammer. It was a two-handed weapon with a spike on one end and the hammer on the other. A weapon like that would be able to cause blunt damage and stab someone. After being distracted by the sharp weaponry, Dala regained her focus and looked at the wayfinder. Giving him a nod, she started walking down the hallway towards a path that she hadn't been down and that he probably hadn't been in. They passed several halls and turned a few corners until they arrived down one single darkened hallway. There were three undead standing. Two skeletons and one rotten undead corpse. 

"You take the skeletons and I'll get the undead." She said quietly. 

Dala waited for his reply then dashed forwards towards the undead. Before it had a chance to spot her or do anything, she sliced at his nick, cleanly taking off his head. Unfortunately for her, just because the head was gone didn't mean the creature was defeated. The creature lunged at her but she was too nimble for the headless undead and dodged from its grasp. With another swing of her sword, she managed to partially cut off one of its legs, causing it to fall over. For good measure, she cut off an arm too just in case it got grabby.

Once they both dealt with the three undead, Dala explored the area that they seemed to be guarding. It appeared to be a dead end with a pile of flesh, skin, torsos, and other rotten body parts piled up against the wall. There was so much that the actual wall couldn't be fully viewed. An idea came to Dala's mind when she saw the strangely piled rotten flesh. The teenager reached out and pulled the torso from the pile, revealing a doorway hidden behind the bodies. 

"I guess the undead don't know how to block a doorway properly." She said, "And they lost the door somehow." 

There was enough space for both her and Raizel to crawl through. She would have uncovered more but they were in a hurry and didn't have time to get through all  of the pile. Dala wasn't keen on crawling through rotten body parts, but she knew how to get over things like that quickly. Living on the streets of Vilpamolan for a while had taught her that sometimes, you just had to do deal with disgusting surroundings. The teenager crawled through and got to the other side then looked at Raizel. 

"Aren't you coming?" Dala asked, "Don't worry about being clean. I have some soap and water if you need to clean up after it."

Author: Raizel, Posted: Mon May 3, 2021 9:58 PM, Post Subject: From Death to Life [Event][O]

He didn't argue when she said she was going to pay him back so they were even. There were times when he would refuse help, but this wasn't one of them. He could tell she meant it, and that was what counted. "Fair trade–but I'm not planning on leaving just yet. I'm planning on going in further." In Railoch, Iskander himself took the time to explain certain details of the Crucible to those who planned on heading in. Raizel had been listening in at a distance, not wanting to be noticed by the older man. Zets'Ki brought back bad memories. Even if Iskander didn't recognize him, he wasn't interested in letting that happen. "From the intel that lich and angel hotshot were giving out, this place should have a path leading towards the center. It's supposed to be a research complex, but this looks more like an artificially created necropolis." Having so many types of undead in a small condensed area wasn't normal. 

"Anyways, even if I can't reach the center, I'll try to get as close as possible. There's alchemical formulae built into the stonework. If I have to turn back I can at least wreck some of them on the way." He wasn't an expert in alchemy by any means, but he did know the fundamentals thanks to a book his older sister gave him out of the blue. Raizel remembered her self-satisfied smile as she handed the heavy tome to him with both hands, telling him to hide it so his other siblings wouldn't ruin the pages. It cost her a pretty penny and she hated when her gifts weren't taken care of. But…she was the closest thing to a sibling he had in that madhouse. "Clandestine research in a big place like this can't be anything good. It's preparation for something big." Alchemy in a sense was twisting the rules of the natural world to achieve what was otherwise impossible. Something very tempting for the ambitious and amoral.

He covered his mouth with his shirt to stifle a cough. The musty air was awful, and it didn't get better with time. "By the way, keep an eye out for those crystal lanterns. There's something off about them. Staying close to them makes you sick." He took out a hammer in case they ran into any undead they couldn't hide from. The dead didn't feel pain, so all hits against them needed to be lethal.

Author: Dala, Posted: Sun May 2, 2021 11:52 PM, Post Subject: From Death to Life [Event][O]

"Here of all places? Wait, have we met?" Dala asked as she put her hand to her chin, "…Oh right! You're golem boy! We met during the dragon rampage."

It had been a while since that incident and she hadn't seen him since. Her memory had never been the greatest when it came to names or faces. The fact that they met again was a little odd but the fact that he was an artifact hunter, or at least that was Dala's assumption, it wasn't completely unexpected they would meet here. When he pulled out a slip of paper with a magic circle in ink, she eyed it suspiciously. Over the years she had learned not to take out free help, especially when it came in the form of items. Usually it was cursed jewelry that had taught her that lesson. After some thinking, she took the slip of paper.

"You really think I'm going to take that without paying you?" She said, putting her hands on her hips, "In exchange for the warding spell, I'll help you find your way here. I have a compass and one of those wayfinder widgets."

She pulled out the wayfinder and showed it to him. It revealed all the places she had already been and had proven its worth by saving her from being completely lost. After showing him, she put the weak warding spell into her pocket. Dala had no clue on how to use warding spells herself so it was just something she would have to pocket and see if she could sell later.

"Well let's head out before the undead arrive." She said before looking back to him, "Unless you want to keep wandering around here lost."

The teenager didn't actually know if he was lost or not. Dala was just making a guess judging on his reaction to the wayfinder and compass. If he expected her to turn back just because of the potential danger, he was dead wrong. But having another human face around when trudging through the muck and stench of the catacombs made the journey much more bareable.

Author: Raizel, Posted: Sun May 2, 2021 11:23 PM, Post Subject: From Death to Life [Event][O]

He had been tracking the movements of earth golems that had been spotted out in Railoch weeks ahead. If golems were present, then their masters were close by. They were similar to the ancient machines that wandered the valley, attacking anything they saw. And just like them, golems who weren't under someone's control were incredibly dangerous. The creation of golems was a basic thing for alchemists and artificers, but he didn't care for them. Maybe if he needed help with heavy lifting, but the components to make animation core weren't cheap. The old fashioned method required precision in the engraved commands, which gave a large margin of error. Golemancy was a symbol of one's academic and arcane prowess, like how the wealthy wore the biggest gems they could find even if it looked garish. Following the soil that fell off a roaming golem, Raizel found himself before what looked to be an old crypt. Inside he nearly choked from the stench and stale air, and then a wraith rushed him–only to be jerked back by some unseen force when it tried to escape through the opened doors. It shrieked and flailed before that force dragged it back, and it dissipated into mist when its energy was exhausted.

This place seemed to go on forever, like some accursed maze created by a psychopath. It was too pragmatic to be a necropolis, so he wasn't sure why it was built this way. "Maybe I should've bought myself a magic weapon specialized for undead." He murmured. Polearms were good for hitting things without getting close. The atmosphere inside the corridors weighed on him like a heavy quilt filled with stones. Alchemical scripts were carved into the walls, and they were focused on keeping things inside than keeping outsiders from coming in. They were very complex, with multiple layers. Wards nested within wards, with binding seals too. The longer he walked around the more he started to feel a dull headache. It would spike at random intervals, making it harder to focus. But he pushed himself to keep going, and noticed the pain would trigger when he got closer to the crystals that were the only source of light here. Staying too close released a wave of nausea that made him back up. 

Carefully he looked around to see if any undead were nearby. If he was quick, maybe he could smash them. Having a light source that seemed to make you feel worse wasn't worth keeping. But the sound might attract enemies, so ultimately he left them be. Walking faster when passing by them was a temporary solution. In the silence, there would be agonized groaning and sobbing every now and then. Hopefully he'd find the end to this awful place soon. The air quality was probably horrible, making it harder to breathe. As he approached where Dala was hiding, he was surprised by a voice that sounded..human. The boy visibly jumped at the sound, and turned to see a familiar face. "I'd say the same for you. Huh, didn't expect to see you here of all places." It had been a while since they were in Baltil. Things happened, time passed, and the artificer thought that was the last time they'd meet. But here they were. "What a coincidence." He took out a slip of paper with an inked magic circle on it and handed it to her. "It's a weak-warding spell. It'll at least buy you a few seconds when the undead are repulsed by it."

Author: Dala, Posted: Sun May 2, 2021 6:15 PM, Post Subject: From Death to Life [Event][O]

A chill ran down her spine as Dala stared at the blackened entrance to the underground labyrinth. Blackened clouds filled the sky as the sound of constant thunder lingered. Unsheathing the sword from her scabbard, she took a good look at the simple metal blade. The look of uncertainty in her eyes reflected from the dulled blade. She had heard all the stories of this vampire alchemist and the crimes she had committed against nature. Gritting her teeth, she remembered why she was here and pushed herself forwards. The wind howled its warnings but she never looked back.

Her pack was heavy with multiple magic and non-magic items. Without any real magic herself, she was forced to rely on her training and whatever items held magic. Though she was confident in her abilities to survive on her own, she knew that this place was likely beyond her level. Everything she could need was packed in her bag, from food to weapons to even a tent if she were ever to become lost. Dala descended down the echoing staircase, listening carefully for signs of threats or the undead. Before entering the catacombs, she spotted an inscription on the wall that read,

"E morte, ad vitam." She muttered, "From death to life… Geez. They weren't kidding when they said she was obsessed."

Just as she finished speaking, a small rock fell from the cracked ceiling above, making her jump. Realizing she aught to stay quiet to avoid the undead, she walked silently into the catacombs. The first thing she noticed was the stench of ash and decay. The second was the glowing crystals inside hanging metal lanterns lighting up the ancient corridors. Something about them made her wonder if they were related to the undead roaming the endless halls. Reaching into her backpack, she pulled out her Wayfinder's widget and compass, knowing she would be lost without them. She continued onwards.

After turning a few corners the teenager suddenly heard a ghastly howl from down the darkened hall. She jumped behind a pillar connected to the wall, shrinking herself down to the floor, and covered herself with a black cloak. Her heart pounded in her ears as the ghost slowly crept closer. The empty eye sockets gazed at its surroundings and its head was misshapen.  Soon it passed her by, phasing through the wall. Dala waited a few more seconds then pushed herself to her feet, moving in the opposite direction. If there was one thing Dala had learned over the years, it was how to blend in the environment, else die.

"Keep going." She muttered softly to herself.

Time passed and she was nearing the end of the catacombs. She had done a lot of dodging and hiding, in an attempt to avoid the undead. Dala's face was dirty and she smelled exactly like her surroundings, of rot and ash. Suddenly, the teenager stopped. Sounds of footsteps drew near form around the corner. Realizing there wasn't anywhere to hide, she held up her sword and planned to attack the second this undead reared the corner. Then she stopped. The sound of footsteps was loud but the sounds of heavy breathing was even louder. The undead didn't breathe. That was something she knew. Dala peeked around the corner and saw someone… alive!

"Don't you know only the dead walk these catacombs?" She asked with a small smirk.