Skyhunter
Bringer of Change
Inquiry's Fall
Renee Nyx
Renee Nyx
As Scylla moved along and took one of the many shells that Arthur had sprayed, she would feel some sort of coldness emitting off of the one she picked up. Surprisingly Scylla would feel two hands on her shoulders like someone was watching over her. But looking there would be no one there, although the coldness she felt would turn to warmth, one of the many things missing in this undead realm. Upon being on the ground, Renee felt a hand take her arm and her body be lifted back up onto her feet. Renee saw it was Scylla and smiled at her apprentice, leaning against her and wrapping an arm around her shoulders to keep herself from falling back down, Renee felt the extent of her exhaustion. She could barely stand or move, using the Codex of Death was having lingering effects on Renee. Her recovery was slowed down as the two kept moving, Renee would pick up the codex again as they moved into the castle of Inquiry's Fall. Scylla would say something about cake which made Renee laugh, " Cake? No thank you, Scylla. It would only go to my hips and thighs. Can't be having that. " Renee stated with a happy smile at her apprentice. " Now come on, help me into this oversized castle. " Renee began to slowly walk into the castle, hanging onto Scylla for help.
Although as the two took a step in, they would see that the castle they had entered was nothing like it was previously, it was much more flourished and cleaner, no dust and debris. There were hardly any remnants of the eternal undead that were fighting. It was as if the castle was reconstructed like it was previously before being brought to this undead dimension. There were suits of armor that gleamed in the torchlight whilst holding newly sharpened swords with shields. They were nothing more than display collections, although their weapons did look dangerous. As Scylla helped Renee through the atrium of Inquiry's Fall, a figure would appear on the large staircase on the top, making it's appearance known. " It has been some time, Witch. " The massive figure of a cloaked being that looked eldritch at first glance, a massive hump on it's back followed with an eye looking through this hump while having a candle on it's head whilst it held a long shovel that emitted a dark magic that Scylla would feel in her heart and soul, a strange feeling it was. Following after this cloaked beast was a small child wearing a cloak and carrying a smaller shovel. Their eyes only able to be seen, although their eyes were greyed over like they were dead and were unresponsive to nearly everything.
" Choax. " Renee called out. She remembered this beast well; it was a very strange enigma to the witch. It's first appearance was in that dungeon of Dahak's back in that town near Kananto, that was utterly destroyed by undead thanks to Renee allowing Dahak to live. " You know Dahak is dead, right? " Renee asked, in which Choax only gave a laugh that sounded eerily similar to a evil laugh, " You believe Dahak is dead? The necromancer is a very persistent individual. Powerful. Angry. Talented. " Choax spoke, it's voice was bone chilling, it sounded like a beast that was bloodthirsty yet had this tone that was cold like the grave. " You think he lives? " Renee asked with a hiss of pain as she tried to readjust herself. " He was my Skullbearer for a time. He knows how to defy death itself. If he dead, I will be disappointed in his wasted potential. " Choax chuckled as it reached a gangly and outstretched hand out and patted the child gently on its head while it did not react. " Why are you here, Choax? Actually, how did you get here? " Renee asked with narrowed eyes. Choax took its hand away from the small child and turned its gaze to Renee and Scylla. " I am here to consider my choices, child. The book you hold is mine that I've created. It is thanks to my efforts that you are even still breathing at this current moment at this current time. The choices that will be made will determine what the future holds for everything of this realm. For its literal creation to its possible destruction. " Choax spoke, which Renee stared at the entity with disbelief, " What are you even talking about, ghoul? " The witch asked in which the large ghoul cackled, " Nothing you can hope to understand, child. " The ghoul let the end of its shovel touch the ground in which the child began to move towards both Scylla and Renee.
" Are you here to get in our way? " Renee asked as the child continued walking down the stairs towards the two witches while holding its shovel on its shoulder. " I am here to determine what will happen in the end. If that means I am to stand within your path. Then so be it. " Choax spoke eerily. " The book would be all that I ask for. Although since I've last seen you, that twinkle and light is no longer in your eyes, witch. It seems you have truly given yourself up to your own cage of madness. Another prisoner of ambition and self-indulgence. " Choax's muzzle widened into a crazy smile, " You are nothing more than a hollowed-out husk. " Choax stated, Renee growled " I am sick of all you entities who think they know me. It is irritating to hear constantly. " The witch clenched her fists as she pulled her journal out. " Oh, but we do know you, witch. I can see right through you. Through your facade. " Choax's eyes glowed under its cloak, an evil orange. " You just don't want to accept the truth and keep hiding away from it. Or you do know and don't want others to know. " Renee then stood by herself and glared evilly at Choax and the child apporaching them. " Scylla, be careful. The child is a Skullbearer. Think of them as a living corpse that the hound ghoul commands. A puppet. " Renee explained to her apprentice. The child still wearing the cloak approached the two slowly, the shovel on its shoulder was flat but pointed like a spear, it was sharp looking but old. The child would stop about fifteen feet away from the two, staring at them and seeing what they were going to do first before determining a action.
As Auldlich gave himself up to these three, his crooked and evil smile turned to a frown once the one he desired most that was Hope left him, Auldlich's eyes turned to hate. His soon to be Despair would not come to fruition. She'd rather go and help that weak vampire that was too much in a cycle of bloodlust and torpor. She disgusted Auldlich. She chose her friend over killing Auldlich, there was no potential for Hope to become the vision of Despair that the lich hoped for. Auldlich was basically going to give up, nto even reacting to Hope's bounds, as he allowed it to take him, not that it hurt him really with him already being dead. But then Auldlich's eyes looked up seeing the young witch, Iberis approach him.
With Iberis' words, Auldlich snorted, " Mercy? I care little for your mercy. I care for the return of our great lords, Ryke Bulvark and Rosan Bulvark, the great lovers of our people and siblings that have betrayed and stained life itself. A king and queen fit to rule our people. That is what I live and unlive for, young one. " Auldlich spoke. " My people will do without me. We have close to our goal and infiltrated a large majority of Ryke. Nothing you can do will stop or slow our progress down. " Auldlich explained. " I am nothing more than a martyr for those I have led thus far. " Although while Iberis' Enticing didn't work the way she had intended, he did reveal information on their goals, whether it be purposeful or on accident. Although with Iberis' next line of questioning, it did make the undead laugh, " That requires sacrifice. Sacrifice of time, energy and resources. " Auldlich looked at the shackles that were on him, he moved forward and fell onto his hands and knees before raising a hand and slamming it down, the shackles broke with a violent reaction to Auldlich's dark magics that broke the binds that held him, although he move back onto his knees and stared at Iberis. " I can show you how to do such a thing. " The lich explained.
Although before Iberis could react to his line, Iberis would feel her left leg sink into the sands below up to her thigh, looking down she would see a black hole around her leg that caused it to sink with a trail of black leading back to one of Auldlich's hands that laid on the ground while projecting the dark magic. Then it would close on Iberis' leg, severing her leg completely. While Iberis reacted to her leg being chopped off and disappearing, the dark hole would appear before Auldlich with Iberis' leg floating up to the surface like it was water. " The leg of a young witch. A maiden none the less. " Auldlich lifted the leg up then sniffed it deeply. " Blood is power. A virgin's blood is the most precious and sought after resource one can obtain. And here it is. I will show how you can use this to your advantage. " The lich spoke to the most likely freaking out witch that was Iberis. " One of the many offerings one can do. The gift of flesh and blood. " Auldlich explained, whether Iberis was listening or not. Auldlich lifted the leg into the air as it began to sizzle with a darkness, the skin melted and bone deteriorated, like it was going through the process of decay.
" Old Beings of the Dead Earth, hear me and listen. An offer of a Virgin's leg I give to thee. Thou giveth the gift of necromancy to this young girl. A whelp on the roads of darkest magicks and even darker goals. Fulfill her ambitions and curiosity. Show her the way and guide her. " Auldlich chanted quietly as he arose and moved towards Iberis with all four arms stretched out to the young witch. Iberis' leg now gone and disappearing into the air like ash on the wind. " You will know how to raise an army of your making, my apprentice. " Auldlich grabbed Iberis by her arms and pulled her close, his eyes stared at Iberis' as the witch's eyes and head would burn, " Know this knowledge and use it for thy lofty goals. Satisfy thy ambitious aspirations. " Audlich placed a hand over Iberis' face and lifted her up covering her eyes, Iberis would feel sharp pain in her cut off leg, what felt like worms moving into her flesh. " Giveth this lamb the ability to walk once more Old Beings of the Dead Earth. Allow my arm to become a substitute for thy ritual of Dismemberment. Graft her a new leg for her to use. " An intense pain would fill Iberis' entire being as she would feel a darkness travel through her body, like a body trying to climb into her like a suit. This pain felt worse than her own leg getting cut off for only a moment before she would be released and allowed to fall onto the sandy earth. Auldlich stood before her with a smile on his face, lifting three arms into the air, one of his longer arms missing. " Oh, blessed be, thou allowed to walk this earth once more by the Old Beings of the Dead Earth. Thou are a chosen candidate. " Looking to her leg, Iberis would see that it had been restored by Auldlich himself at the cost of one of his arms that he seemed to not care for. Before Iberis could ask or react, her head would become filled with knowledge that Auldlich had known, she would see visions pass by of Auldlich doing the art of Graft. The mending and stitching of tissue to another, this encapsuled the use of dead body parts.
Something Auldlich did as he stitched body parts with one another to create beings that would listen to him. Puppets if you will. " Your art of Grafting will be a work of art and the true path to creating an army. " Auldlich spoke, three spirits appeared before Iberis, in the form of her, wearing her exact same clothes and had her body type although their faces were missing and nothing more than blank faces. " And a gift from me for you to project yourself in multiple places as well, young Iberis. We are one now. More than you realize little witch. We are inseparable. " Auldlich cackled, Iberis would see in the back of her mind that it was burned with the face of Auldlich, a haunting visage. She was no longer an innocent young girl. " You best move on, Iberis, you don't want to be left behind her and have lost your leg for nothing. " The depraved Bishop spoke.
Hope and Kalina would begin to approach the rising castle of Inquiry's Fall with Kalina and see Renee and Scylla in the entrance of the castle, along with a small child and large cloaked being holding a glowing shovel on its shoulder.
