A Teacher for Laynie: Mystery at the Academy (Part 2)

[Rystil Arden]

"I'm afraid I didn't have a choice. Trust me, I didn't want a single person to die if it wasn't necessary, but I had to do it because you pushed my back against a wall--I would have finished the philosopher's stone without killing a single person if you had just given me more time," the Dark Lord explains, "But first, I'll have to deal with that charging troglodyte--see you in a few hours, Lex."

*She waves her hand slightly and troglodyte-Lex's eyes roll back and she drops to the ground, unconscious.*

"Ah, right, the cloak. You said I removed it earlier and said some things in your vision, but they sounded awfully stupid when you repeated them back, so I decided not to do that," she removes the cloak, revealing a tall smiling woman in her mid twenties possessed of surpassing beauty in the style of a Highborne Medibarian. She has long blonde hair and big blue eyes. In short, she looks like she could be Laynie's older sister, or mother. Yet underneath amidst the folds of her dress yet still visible, standing directly below the young lady and moving in parallel, stands Laynie herself.

"I'm afraid we haven't been formally introduced," her voice without the cantrip is not a deep 'Dark Lord' voice but a sweet and kind-sounding girl's voice, like Laynie's voice if it was more mature, and Laynie's mouth moves in tandem, producing no sound, "Some call me 'The Dark Lord' or 'The Heir' or 'The Opal Princess', but you can call me Laynie if you'd like. My name is Elayna Valsice, and I'm so very pleased to meet you face-to-face instead of face-to-knees, Vanitri Vallyrue."

 

[Bront]

"So, using your little girl for your plan? That's pretty low." Vanitri says. "And of course, if what you say is true, I'm as much a true heir as you."

 

[Rystil Arden]

"Frankly, I'm not exactly sure what she is--as far as I know, she isn't my daughter. I do know that I can't find my soul...ever since the Sympathy field triggered and you woke me up, I've been searching. The closest thing I can find is hers, and I refuse to hurt her."

"As for you being an heir, well, the question is to what? I was known as the heir of Sice. I never liked that nickname, though, as I felt my surname left it rather obvious, you know?"

 

[Bront]

"I never did tell you much about my other vision did I? You see, the 'folk take all kinds in. Of course, most people here choose to ignore that little bit of history is seems."

 

[Rystil Arden]

"Oh, I know that you are descended from the Magequeen--that's why I called you Vanitri Vallyrue. Well that and it has a nice ring to it. But my question is, what are you heir to? Sadly, Elayna Lyrue has nothing left for you to inherit. Still, your bloodline on that side is strong, despite the rest, and you are a good person. Thus, I would be glad to have you by my side. Won't you join me?"

 

[Bront]

"You think I could stand beside someone who'd murder just to get her way? Let alone someone who'd likely destroy Laynie as well?"

 

[Rystil Arden]

"I don't kill people except as an absolute necessity," she explains, "And as I told you, I refuse to hurt Laynie just to help myself. If I was willing to do that, I would have just taken her soul instead, but I'm not that kind of person."

 

[Bront]

"So, you'll take Alden's? Lex's? Mine? Dolder's? And how many other students and staff? Seems rather shallow."

 

[Rystil Arden]

"I didn't want to! I'm glad I didn't have to take Lex--I would have felt horrible for the rest of my life. You have left me no choice but to complete it now no matter the cost, however, lest it fall into the wrong hands and be used for evil. I feel bad enough about this, but I know their sacrifices were not in vain, and I will repent for needing to do this. They will enter a list of unintentional deaths that begins with Jaedyn Limanthra, and I will remind myself each day to never let their sacrifice be forgotten."

 

[Bront]

"So they are dead already then... And let me guess. Your goal is to restore Medibaria to it's former glory? To return human's to dominance among the lesser races? So a few non-human deaths in the name of the kingdom is nothing big to quibble over?"