[AU] Siege on Ebonring Keep - Part 2

[Rybaer]

Ys-Korros:

Spoiler

"Evil?" the giant says. "No, there is no evil in this place. Good and evil are terribly subjective. Rather, this is a place of less esoteric concepts that are all too real. Fear, Ys-Korros, that is what this is about."

Ritsar:

Spoiler

Ritsar watches in futility as the creatures attack Pyior, rending his flesh in a spray of blood. he closes his eyes and hangs his head...

...and opens his eyes standing back on the sunny grasslands next to his old friend Charon. Ritsar is standing on a thin path that winds through the grasses in either direction, disappearing over the hills. He doesn't recall the path having been there before.

"Are you prepared to face the visions of your future, Ritsar? Glimpses of every friend, companion, and dependant of yours whose death will in some way be tied back to your recklessness? Even your beloved mate's untimely death..."

Charon points down on direction of the path. "Such visions are that way, and perhaps you could learn something if you can withstand the horrors of foreknowledge. Or, you can tread the other way, and hope the power of this place is nothing more than a simple illusion meant to taunt you."

 

[Gideon]

Ritsar

"The future is not bound in stone. It is like the oaks of the forest. The past is the body and the branches are the future. You told me that once. I told you to be quiet and then I got the deer and we ate well that night." Ritsar looks at Charon and then down at the ground as he relives the day he lost Charon.

Breathing in deeply and letting out a sigh. Gathering his courage and pitting his honor vs his fear, Ritsar finally looks up with eyes filled with grim resolve.

"I'll learn your lesson, I won't dishonor your wisdom in death.

 

[Erekose13]

"Fine show me what you believe lies in my brother's future." says Ys-Korros, convinced that everything this giant says is a lie. He will watch now, standing unmoving and let the illusion play out.

 

[Rybaer]

Ritsar:

Charon nods his head affirmatively and watches as Ritsar begins to walk the path toward the visions of the future. The scenery begins to dissolve around him and he finds himself standing in a small stone chamber, not unlike the one which had the mystical portal into this place of visions. It appears that he has just walked out of a similar portal into this room. While there is no apparent light source, Ritsar finds that he is still able to see. Set in the far wall is a heavy wooden door.


Ys-Korros:

The giant indicates that Ys-Korros must proceed through the appropriate door. It leads down a long hallway, which dissolves from sight just a short way down. Moments later, he finds himself in a room (see above) standing next to Ritsar. Ys-Korros is also able to see in the seeming darkness of the room.


Neither Pyior nor Ys-Baddaden are anywhere to be seen at the moment.

 

[Erekose13]

"Ritsar is that really you? Where are the others? Where is Ys-Baddaden?" the giant asks in confusion, not expecting to see the litorian at this point.

 

[Gideon]

"I haven't seen your brother. Have you seen another Litorian slightly shorter than me in green robes? Is this the path to wisdom?"

Ritsar looked around at the strange world and then back at his giant companion.


"Are you a shade of my recklessness?"

 

[Erekose13]

"No I have only seen my brother, a dark spirit, and another giant. I am not your recklessness, if anything I will be your restraint. Why would this place try to show me the horrors that it claims represent the future? Are the answers there?" replies Ys-Korros, indicating the heavy wooden door.

 

[Liminal Syzygy]

Spoiler

"Black for death, or red for blood? Seems I could be damned either way -- that will teach me to forget my lessons!"

Glancing quickly at the collapsing walls and realizing he doesn't have much choice with the collaping walls , Pyior says a quick faen rhyme, "Fear to die and fear to stay -- fate demands I should go THIS WAY!"

With a slight cry, he plunges down one of the halls towards the door at the end -- bounding over snakes with red-rings around their eyes.

 

[Gideon]

"Not sure where the answers can be found. But I know a way to find out."

Ritsar starts walking down the path towards the door. He'll listen at the door first and then try to open it.

 

[Rybaer]

Pyior:

Spoiler

Pyior dives down the hall and snakes immediately start biting at him. Their fangs are small and cause little injury on their own, but the venom they inject instantly tells Pyior that he guessed wrong. His arms and legs grow heavy and sluggish while every nerve in his body explodes in fiery pain.

As his major organs begin to shut down, the lesson of his old teacher slowly come back to him:

"Eyes of black, a harmless attack; eyes of red, you're surely dead."

*****

Pyior blinks in the warm firelight, unsure if he's alive or dead. The pain is completely gone, as is all evidence of the snake bites. He is laying on a cool, stone slab floor in what looks like a small study. Well stocked bookcases line the walls, though the titles are in languages unfamiliar to Pyior. A fireplace crackles cheerfully.

In the center of the room is a large table with chair pulled up to it. On the table are a half dozen lit candles, a heavy book, and a sheet of paper. Written on the paper, in faen:

"Pyior Silverleaf,

This is a place of magic, where fact and illusion mingle in strange ways. Past, present, and future are meaningless. During your career, you will attain much of your heart's desires, becoming one of the Diamond Throne's most heralded experts on the lore of creatures mundane and exotic.

The book before you contains a record of every person's life that was or will be prolonged or shorten by way of your lore. One would think that an expert's knowledge would balance this scale heavily in favor of saving lives, and it will for some time. While your reputation ascends, however, your sanity will begin to slip away. As is often the case with such maladies, you will fail to notice the changes within yourself. Your advice will become inaccurate and eventually intentionally erroneous...just so you can see how the creatures of your fascination react. Friends, family, and complete strangers, all contained in excruciating detail with this book.

Choose to confront your legacy by opening the book, or remain blissfully ignorant by consuming it in the fire. Either way, the exit will be revealed."

*****

Others:

Ritsar places his ear against the door and hears nothing but heavy silence. As he places his hand upon the latch, his attention is diverted by a sudden noise behind him.

Ys-Baddaden has stumbled through the dark portal into the room. He is pale, sweating profusely, and has a somewhat dazed look in his eyes. He finally looks at Ys-Korros and actually flinches back for a brief moment. "Brother...," he says in a shallow whisper.