(set:$GuardKnockedOut to 0)
(set:$RightPath to 0)
(set:$Box to 0)
(set:$BoyFree to 0)
(set:$BoyJoins to 0)
(set:$TheBoxExplained to 0)
(set:$MainGateEntered to 0)
You stand on a hill overlooking the fortress, under the shroud of night. Somewhere in that affront to nature your Mentor is in chains, suffering at the hands of the 'Exorcists.' The King's elite mage hunting force isn't known for their leniency. Nobody cares if the mage sentenced to death gets a little roughed up beforehand.
Her crime? Healing a young boy who then went to tell their mother a little too much about the kind lady in the forest.
You shake your head. She could never help herself, despite the risk. A boy was deeply injured and all that mattered in that moment was that she acted.
If she's going to have no regard for her own safety, you will. (t8n-time:1.4s)+(link-reveal:"You owe her that much.")
[
The gate up front is well guarded, leading up to a large courtyard. A fireball could solve the problem of getting in, but you'd be swarmed before you could get anything else off. Besides, you learned that magic shouldn't be used to harm, as much as you //really// want to. Somehow nature can tell when you want to use its gift to harm. Using a spell with the intent to harm can disrupt the user's connection to natural energy, causing temporary paralysis at best and severe mental shock at worst. "Magical isolation" is the technical term, basically nature reminding you who //really// holds the power in this relationship.
But back to the immediate concern, getting in. You debate causing a fire or something to divert some guards away, but quickly decide against it. No need to cause any sort of commotion before things have even begun. There are two real choices here:
[[Sneak In.->Sneak In]]
[[Lure one of the guards away from the front gate and take their gear.->Take Soldier Gear]]]
(if:$GuardKnockedOut is 1)[Better not to risk it. You pull the guard over to a couple of bushes and tie him up. Hopefully nobody will find him until the morning.]
Being unseen has always been more your style. No one ever noticed the little girl taking food out of the village's general store with her middling telekinesis spell. You cast the Spell of Silence and move closer and closer to the fortress walls. You walk with a light step regardless of the spell being active. Old habits are hard to break.
You find a spot at the back end of the fortress wall that seems sufficiently hidden and slink up close to it. You run your hand across it, looking for any sign of weakness that you can take advantage of. The cool stone and fresh night air soothe you, and you can feel the energy inside you flowing in response. (t8n-time:1.4s)+(link-reveal:"An idea forms in your head.")[=
You plant both your hands on the wall, letting that magic flow through you. It begins to visualize what's on the other side:
- A shed.
- One guard, moving what appear to be horse saddles into the shed.
- A large open door leading into a horse stable within the fortress.
Getting over the wall is no issue. You might not be the strongest around but a little bit of magic can make you light as a feather. The real problem comes from that guard.
[[Attempt to make a distraction for the guard.->Distract the Guard]]You rack your brain to come up with something you could use as a distraction. Fire? No, too alarming, not to mention difficult to control. Sound maybe, but what? You're about to just throw a rock over and see if she'll bite when it hits you. You don't have to mess with the //guard.//
You plant your feet slightly apart and pull your arms to your side. Forming a fist with your right hand, you think back to Mentor's teachings.
You raise your fist to about chest level, (t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"then ever so slowly allow it to sway up and down. ")
[(text-style:"blur")[
Control is the most important part of this spell. Exert too much force and you risk destroying everything, not to uhh... worry you. Keep a clear head and let nature itself guide your judgment. It's there to help you, you just need to let it.]]
The magic swirls within, a natural cycle. You focus on the flow, (t8n-time:1.4s)+(link-reveal:"humming an old tune Mentor always loved.")
     
[(text-style:"blur")[
   
As I flew in to Goldenshire,
Six tulips and cloth, I did require
As only the finest in Goldenshire
Would suit the man that I desired]]
You know it's worked when you feel the ground begin to vibrate ever so slightly. You can hear the guard continuing to walk along, oblivious to the tiny tremors happening just under her feet. Then, you hear the shrill neighs and in that moment it's the most beautiful sound you've ever heard.
The horses begin to move restlessly in their stables. The guard drops the saddles and looks towards the stables in confusion, walking towards them. Once she enters you quickly cast a spell of weightlessness and and make a graceful leap over the wall, sneaking behind the guard and entering the fortress. Two paths are before you. You hear commotion from the right one, the left is eerily silent, a strange aura emanating from it.
[[Take the right path.->Right Path]]
[[Take the left path.->Left Path]]
(if:$RightPath is 0)[Better to avoid any trouble. By keeping quiet and snooping around you're sure you'll find Mentor eventually. ]
(if:$RightPath is 1)[You can't believe you're actually doing this, but you turn around and head for the other hallway. Something's up with this place and finding out what could be the difference in getting Mentor out of here. Besides, betraying your instincts seems like a bad idea. You've got few friends as it is.]
Art pieces of various prominent Exorcists line the walls. You see Arbor Minthras, the first man to be considered an Exorcist, who stopped a mage criminal by jumping in the way of a fireball to induce magical isolation. His bravery earned him a spot in the King's personal guard. Jenetha Wiseman, who captured and executed a famous gang of mage thieves in the capital city. She had them drowned in a lake, tying them to each other and gagging them. If one were to use a spell, it would hit the others. Gregore Tir, an average Exorcist who gave up his own child (a mage who was found tormenting other children with their powers) to the Crown and was honored for his "sense of duty and bravery in the face of the evil corrupting the youth."
You wonder how much of those stories is truth and how much of it is theatre. Or even worse, how much of it is propaganda? Tir's couldn't be any worse, but people always find ways to surprise you.
The hallway is dimly lit by torchlight, giving the stone walls a faint orange tinge. You've never liked fire, even before you witnessed what it did to mages caught by the mageseekers. (t8n:"dissolve")+(t8n-time:3s)+(link-reveal:"Fire brings everything to light, and it doesn't ask kindly.")[    
(text-style:"italic","blur")[One time as a child you'd tried cooking some fish with a... less than mastered fire spell. The resulting disaster burned a small subsection of forest, as well as your confidence. You stayed close to home (as much as a small cave carved out of the nearby mountain can act as a home) and avoided the village for weeks, terrified that someone would find you. No one came. In fact, you had the quietest couple of weeks in a long time. That's when you learned that fire does have some other, less obvious uses. Wave some around and typically people will give you a wide berth.]
]
   
You turn the corner and immediately a wave of magic washes over you, setting your entire body on alert. This much ambient magic inside a manmade structure isn't just unusual, it's unnatural. It saturates this corridor, lacking the airiness that magic carries itself with. Your head feels like it's in a vice, slowly constricting around your mind as you trudge along.
The magic seems to be pouring out of a room on your right, at the end of this cursed tunnel. It feels almost... hungry for something. You can't help but check in.
[[Continue->Exorcist Room]](set: $RightPath to 1)
(if:$MainGateEntrance < 1) [If you're going to get Mentor out, you'll have to find out where she is. Maybe whoever's making such a ruckus can help you out with that. You slowly approach the end of the hall and ever so slightly peer around the corner.]
(if:$MainGateEntrance > 0)[If you're going to get Mentor out, you'll have to find out where she is. Maybe eavsdropping on these guards will give you a clue. You give the soldiers a wide berth, being careful to keep track of their movements while staying out of their sight
Once you reach the end of the hall and peek around the corner, you see three soldiers sitting down.]
You watch as a large, portly man scarfs down an apple at a speed you didn't think possible. As he gnashes his teeth against the core, bits fly out, heading dangerously close to his two companions.
"Pfft. A boy, an old woman and an oaf of a man are all that we've got prisoner and we have THIS many guards stationed? You ask me, the captain's gone soft."
Your eyes light up. An old woman? Could it be? Mentor isn't //that// old but still...
A older and skinny man with brilliantly vivid amber eyes watches the Chewer with poorly veiled disgust. Beside him, a tiny woman who's helmet seems to barely fit her shares her companion's expression. The helmet dips down over her eyes, causing her to constantly readjust it.
The old man (who you name Wise Eyes) crosses his arms and sighs at Chewer's remark, his nose scrunching up. "Your complaining does you no good either. Now do me a favour and bless us all with the gift of your silence."
Chewer lets a snide laugh escape his gnashing teeth. "You'd have to kill me first. You or our lovely Thimble, but you'd never do such a thing would you my dear?"
The woman whom you now know as Thimble rolls her eyes, which translates surprisingly well despite her helmet drooping down over her eyelids. "If it were up to me I'd throw you down in the dungeon and toss the key into the latrine. You'd be of more use torturing the prisoners with your inane prattle."
Chewer pouts. "Aww, why the hostility friends? We're all taking an... extended leave from our posts together now aren't we?"
"Unfortunately." Thimble makes no effort to hide her disdain. Wise Eyes smiles, the corner of his lip curling upwards.
Chewer smiles. "Oh stop it now. You're just upset the armory doesn't make proper armor for someone as... compact as you are."
Now it's Thimble's turn to smile. Jerking a thumb at the apple, she says "Keep that up and not even the largest suit will hide your oafish behind."
Wise Eyes giggles, which causes Thimble to beam with pride. Chewer grumbles and turns to face down the hallway, where he stiffens.
"Oi. Warden's coming, time to play the fool." All three turn to face the north end of the room and begin checking their equipment.
A lazy looking man in light leather armor walks up from the south and gives the three a cursory glance. "Where are you lot supposed to be stationed?"
Thimble stands to attention, her sword clanging against her armor as she swiftly turns. "Sir! We're patrolling the castle on orders of Captain Maria! She suspects foul magic afoot!"
The warden's face scrunches together and he stifles a shudder. "The Exorcist? Forget I asked, I want nothing to do with that hag." The Warden shakes his head and walks north down the hallway the three were watching.
Chewer nods. "Good one. Warden knows better than to question her orders.
Hold on, when //did// she give us those orders anyways?"
Thimble sighs. "She didn't you fool. I lied."
Wise Eyes claps his hands together. "Well done, but I do think we should be moving along. Don't want to risk //actually// dealing with Maria."
The other two nod, and all three walk off to the south.
The Warden came from that direction, so there's a good chance that's the prison. Three guards are concerning however, and taking your chances in a fight might prove a poor choice. On top of this something about that path you left behind unnerves you. It's almost... drawing you in?
It's just nerves... right?
[[Go back to the other route.->Left Path]]
(set: $Box to 1) Entering this room gives you chills like you never thought possible. Bookcases stacked to the brim with textbooks. Pages on pages of notes scattered on tables around the room, choked under heavy magical artifacts acting as paperweights. This has to be an //Exorcist's// room, probably for the study of magic.
Looking around at the meticulous notes you chuckle to yourself, a welcome reprieve from the anxiety building within. They've spent your entire lifetime reading and dissecting magic, probably longer. Must hurt to know they'll never have the same understanding as a mage. That smug satisfaction helps you to push further within, tendrils of magic caressing you as you pass in a way that makes you want to crawl out of your skin. This place both pushes away and pulls you in, a back and forth flow that demands you understand it fully before you leave.
On a workbench at the back you see the Exorcists pride and joy: the magic dampers. Affectionately referred to by most as the Clamps, these giant gauntlets are a new invention, what the Exorcists use when they don't want their mage prisoners getting any funny ideas. The chain that powers them hums with energy, anchored to a massive hook sticking out of the wall.You're thankful they haven't made a more portable version of these yet, or there'd probably be no escape from the 'law.'
Your gaze is pulled above the workbench to a strange looking... case? It's an octagonal box, similar to one nobles would hide valuables in, made of some cool black rock. There is no clear opening that you can make out. A brilliant periwinkle gem is embedded at the top of the case, adorned with gold engravings that go down the sides of the box, ending in swirls that seem to grab your gaze and pull you in. This is the source of the magic, your body is practically screaming that at you. A mountain of papers are stacked beside it, some appear to be test logs, while others provide theses as to how the device works. It seems that the Exorcists believe this is some sort of "magical weapon" that can be used specifically against mages. It absorbs residual magical energy through some unknown means and converts it into... whatever this aura is. They believe that the absorbed magic can be channeled into other means, but they haven't figured it out yet.
Clearly whatever this thing is, it's dangerous. But leaving it here in the hands of the Exorcists seems even more so. Sighing, you reach out and touch the box.
[[Continue->Exorcist Room 2]]The box is surprisingly warm to the touch, and somehow feels... right. Like it's inviting you to lay claim to it. You slide your finger over the gem on top... (t8n: "dissolve")+(after:3s)[and instantly feel your internal flow leap.]
(t8n: "dissolve")+(after:6s)[For a second, it's as if you've lost feeling in all your extremities, your center of gravity gone as if it never existed. As your mind swirls and body sways you wonder if you've just ruined everything.]
(t8n: "pulse")+(after:11s)[Then everything is back to normal, your breath heavy as your sense of stability returns. You curse yourself for doing something so reckless with something you barely understand as is. Picking up this damned thing was a stupid idea. Should've just used it as kindling for the fire that'll take this whole abomination down.
It's not something you're capable of, but it's a nice thought.]
(t8n: "dissolve")+(after:21s)[Then you notice something curious. The strange magic has disappeared, and you feel some sort of pull from deep within. This is probably where Mentor would chastise you about dealing with strange magic you have zero understanding of. You can practically hear her quiet but stern "Young lady!"
Sliding the box into your pack, you're almost out of the room when something catches your eye. Lazily strewn on a side table, in stark contrast to the rest of the room's uniform appearance, is a piece of parchment. Pulling it open, you can scarcely believe your luck. Your eyes pour over the page; an itinerary of some sort listing out each prisoner's location. You scan each letter, ravenously devouring the words as you search for Mentor's name. And then...
//Erina Sri - (text-style:"wavy-strike")[Cell 16]
Sent to the Slab for questioning. Captain Maria to lead interrogation.//
Just seeing her name gives your senses an overwhelming cocktail of relief, dread and satisfaction that's way too much to untangle at the moment. What matters now is you have a lead.
The other thing that immediately concerns you is whatever the 'Slab' is. Nothing pleasant could have a name as plain as that.
It occurs to you that you have no idea where to find this 'Slab.' Your rapidly growing dread is overtaking your reason however. No time to sit around and eavesdrop.
[[Continue->Cells]]](if:$RightPath is 0)[Down the halls you go, skirting around corridors and ducking behind corners. Every once in a while there's a small band of guards that pass by, but life's taught you how to make yourself scarce. You search and search and search, having no clear direction but determined regardless. You'll find it eventually, there can only be so many storage closets and war rooms.
Down a set of stairs you find somewhat of a lead. The fortress' prison, guarded by two soldiers in a small office-like room.]
(if:$RightPath is 1)[Figuring out where this 'Slab' is takes top priority, and fortunately you have a bit of a lead on that. There's a good chance you can retrace Mentor's steps from her cell, or at the very least ask some of the prisoners. Heading straight to the fortress' prison, you keep a quick pace as you avoid the guard patrol. The trio of guards who were slacking off are no longer at their 'post', so you walk straight through the hallway south and down the steps into the prison. Immediately you notice two guards at the prison's reception.]Both seem to be deep in sleep, one sprawled out in his chair while the other lays hunched over a table, drool pooling out onto its surface. You shudder at the sight and to your surprise you feel your pouch go slightly cold before returning back to normal. Checking inside you're able to catch the box's gem glowing a slightly different color, white rather than the periwinkle shade the gem has. Weird.
It's concerning, and part of you wants to just ditch this box in a corner and move on but the rest of your mind recoils at the thought of leaving it behind. You can't explain it, and that worries you even more.
Pushing the thought out of your mind for the moment, you silently move past the soldier post and into the fortress' prison. There's about 20 cells, most of them vacant. One of the occupied cells houses a giant of a man, laying down on a cot with his back turned towards you. He mumbles and groans, shifting around in a manner that suggests he's not having the best of dreams. You leave him be.
A chill draws over the small of your back, almost as if someone is focusing intently on you. You turn around and move over to the prison's other patron, a sickly looking teen in the very back. His eyes follow each step you take with keen interest. His mouth remains in a thin line, with the edges turning upwards ever so slightly. It's the most unsettling attempt at a smile you've ever seen.
[[Whatever this kid did to get locked up, it wasn't good.->Cells 2]]
"Well isn't this a surprise." He mocks you, throwing himself upon the bars while quietly shouting: "Guards! Guards! An intruder! A mage here to slaughter all of us peons!"
The oppression angle is one you've seen others try to work before. "Mages can't be trusted with such power! Something must be done about this!" is what they'll say. Everyone knows what that something //really// is, but they'll follow along with the charade all the same. You roll your eyes.
He laughs at this, a silent rockslide that rattles his entire torso. It's almost pitiful. Almost.
"There's the expression I was looking for. Relax, I won't rat you out." His voice is low and ragged, fighting to escape his weakened frame. You want the old (text-style:"smear")[witch] right?"
The slur hits you like a ton of bricks. Before you realize it you've stuck your arms through the bars and pulled him up against them. He struggles against your grip but his eyes remain fixated upon you, gray hollows that draw you deeper and deeper into the abyss.
"Where is the Slab?"
He's surprised at this. "You've done your homework hmm? Shame, I wanted to pick your mind some more." He smiles, his teeth as white as the moon. He makes a motion for you to drop him and you allow it. "Can't you sense it? It's directly above us. Third floor."
You try to sense for Master's energy, but come up with nothing. //Nothing,//not even ambient energy. Something's suppressing it, and whatever it is wasn't around before.
You start to move off and the boy grabs your arm. You jump slightly at his touch, frigid yet rough.
Looking down you find his fingers just gently holding your arm, no pressure to be found. You feel their weight but there's nothing else behind those fingertips. They're cold, but something tells you it isn't because of the lack of heat. Instead, there is just a sharp, uncomfortable sensation, an absence of //something// human that makes you pull away.
"Just going to walk off? Leave the poor boy stranded here? I knew mages were haughty but I didn't know you were heartless too."
You ponder it for a while. He did help you, but something about him is wrong. He's not a mage as far as you can tell, and yet they decided to keep him down here anyways.
[[Release him now->Free the Boy]]
[[Walk off->Silent Entry to Slab w/Box]](set:$BoyFree to 1)
You sigh and start fumbling around in your pack. The boy watches you with a quizzical look, his brow scrunching. His eyes widen in shock as he sees you pull out your old and weathered lockpicking equipment.
"Why are you... you're actually going to let me go?"
"Against my better judgment. Now keep quiet, you'll wake up the guards."
It's been a while since you've done this but you easily find the angle to lift the pins, years worth of muscle memory guiding your hands. (link-reveal:"A slight...")[(t8n:"shudder")+(text-rotate-z:15)[nudge and you're in.]
The boy recoils slightly as you stand in front of the now exposed cell. All the bravado and cruel, teasing remarks of earlier are gone, exposing a huddled, lanky skeleton. You notice his eyes again, wide and dilated, yet... empty. How long has he been here? Weeks? Months? You try not to think about it too much. As you turn to leave, you throw a hand over your shoulder in farewell.
The boy runs up to grab your arm. Again you feel the strange sensation of cold and unsettling emptiness coming from his hand.
As you turn to face him, you realize he's staring intently at you, still wary but intensely focused. Without words, he points at your pack. You watch as he holds his hand over it, causing a glow to emanate from within. Almost breathless, he whispers "It's here. They recognize me."
Ahh, he's insane. And clearly wants the box.
Your next move is very important here. Setting off this kid could alert the whole fortress to your location. At the same time though, is it safe to give this boy what he wants?
[[Give the boy the box.->The Box Explained]]
[[Move away->The Box - Explained Transition]]]
(set:$BoyFree to 0)
At this point, you just want to get away from this creepy little prick. You walk off, leaving the boy rattling the bars of his cage and cursing you with every breath. The box heats up ever so slightly as you leave.
---
Once you reach the Slab you're surprised you ever missed it. It's as if there's a massive hole in the fortress from an energy standpoint. The room you're standing in front of should not exist as far as your senses can tell and yet there it is, ominous and foreboding.
This is it. Behind this door is Mentor, and whatever ungodly torture tools the Mageseekers have cooped up in here. None of that'll help them though. You're fully prepared to erase everything in there, no matter the cost. Your internal flow gets a bit rocky at the thought, but it can get bent. You only really need one shot anyways. Taking a deep breath, (link-reveal:"you reach for the handle.")+(t8n: "dissolve")[=  
(text-style:"Shudder")[//CLICK//]
...locked. Of course. You expected that! Nothing your lockpicking equipment and a little bit of ingenuity can't fix.
---
The Slab, for all its infamy, is rather disappointing. Just a dark, dingy room with two giant Clamps chained to the center of the floor. The only hint that something is deeply sinister here is the smell, an overwhelming stench of burnt flesh, sweat and vomit all married together. (t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"You know it well, a scent scarred into your memory.")[
(text-style:"italic","blur")[They found him taking corn from one of the farmer's plots, using a spell to shrink the cobs and fit them into the thin pockets of his threadbare pants. He hadn't eaten in days, on the run from the Exorcists in the Capital.
Death by fire was the sentence. A pyre for all to watch, right in the middle of the town square.
You still remember the jeers from kids even younger than you, cheering a man's death for no reason other than being born different. It was the day that you, a ratty looking fourteen year old with a birthright she didn't even fully understand, realized she would never be safe. The day you ran from everything you ever knew until your lungs cried out for air, screaming over the deep melody of pain within your heart. The day you met a strange looking woman in the forest] (link-reveal:"who showed more compassion than you thought possible.")  [(text-style:"blur")
[
By The One Beyond... you look like death! Are you lost? Hurt?
Come with me! Come on! I won't hurt you. I've got some pottage at home you're more than welcome to. That is, uh... if you like pottage of course.
We'll get you clean and then we can see about getting you home...
]
Memories. You could do without these ones, despite what they led to.
Mentor is nowhere to be found. The room is completely empty, save for some barrels of what you hope is water stacked against the far wall. Suddenly, you hear voices and the sound of something being dragged across the ground. [[You jump behind the barrels and wait.->Meeting Mentor]]
]]
(if:$TheBoxExplained is 1)[You pull the pack away, causing the boy to curse audibly.
"The deal was to free you, not to give you my possessions."
You sense he heats up, before pausing and looking at you calmly, This only serves to unnerve you more.
"I understand. I won't take it from you. I just wish to hold it, make sure it's what I thought it was."
You pause, looking over the boy's ragged frame.]
"Oh for the love of The One Beyond. Let's humor the boy and hope he doesn't cause any issues."
You curse your conscience as you present the box to the boy. His eyes practically glow with reverence, his finger slowly tracing the ornate stylings around the gem. Clearly he was looking for this. Before he gets any closer to it you pull it back.
"Before I give this to you. I want answers. What this is, what //you// are, what you're doing here. Make it quick."
You start to walk out of the cell, beckoning for him to follow. He eyes you with suspicion, then matches your stride.
"Fine. Since you've heard me out up until now, I'll tell you what I know."
The boy walks in front of you, walking backwards with his hands behind his head. His smug attitude both irritates and concerns you. He's going to get both of you killed.
"That //artifact// belonged to my people. A relic of our ancestors that held great power."
"What kind of power?"
"Magic? What other power matters?"
You pull the boy behind a wall as a patrol passes by. "Magic? How did your ancestors hide a magical relic for so long?" you whisper.
"By using magic themselves. My people are mages. Well, were."
The boy looks down despondently, leaving you to process this information. An entire group of mages, living together for decades, and no one discovered them?
You continue walking toward the Slab. "So what happened to your people?"
The boy's eyes darken. "Exorcists."
You nod your head. "Like all mages."
The boy shakes his head, taking on a mocking tone. "No. Not //like all mages//. You've seen Exorcists hunt down one, maybe two mages at a time I'd bet. Imagine an entire village going up in flames. Every human being, child or adult, hunted down like rats."
A thought occurs to you. "Honestly, you don't seem like a mage. In fact, it's like you lack an internal flow at all. Is that why they didn't..."
The boy laughs, a shrill and dry noise slicing through the quiet. You slap a hand over his mouth immediately, listening intently for any hint of guards.
The boy slaps your hand away. "Kill me? They tried. I was a mage. My people saved me using that. I paid the price, but the price they paid was far higher." He points to the artifact with longing and sorrow, memories painting his face with emotion.
"This thing took your magic away?"
"In exchange for a power far greater. That artifact holds the souls of generations of our people, including my family and friends. It's the only reason they've kept me alive. I'm the only one that can access it."
He smiles "Without any... reprecussions, that is."
You wish to think on this a bit longer, but you realize the Slab is just around the corner.
(t8n-depart:"dissolve")[[Time to face the music.->Slab with Boy + Box]]
(set: $BoyFree to 1)
Something about the look in the boy's eyes deeply unsettles you. You remember the way he looked at the box down in the cells. More than desperation, there was something sinister under it all, a force rather than emotion.
You push the boy away, an easy task considering his frail body. The two guards spin around, watching the boy fall to the ground.
"Is that the boy from Elfrond? Oi, what are you doing outside your cell boy?" one of the guards shouts at him. He walks over to your hiding spot, his heavy footfalls the countdown to your action.
THUMP
One.
THUMP
Two.
THUMP
(link-reveal:"Three.")[=
Just as he gets close enough to spot from behind the barrels, you jump out and slam the box down on his head with all the force you can muster. The guard slumps down to the ground, with the box surprisingly none the worse for wear. The other guard immediately turns to you and pulls out a mace, no words leaving his lips. You back up, igniting a flame in your hand. Attacking with it would probably be a bad idea, but hopefully he doesn't know about the intricacies of 'magical isolation'. Luckily his instincts kick in and he steps back a couple of feet.
So... now what?
The guard's eyes shift toward the door, then back to you. As the fire in your hand burns, you begin to feel a force coming from your pack. It begins to glow a purplish-blue color as you, the guard and Mentor watch in confusion. (link-reveal:"A whisper reverberates inside your mind, barely there.")[
(text-style:"italic","smear","expand")[
Do you wish this insensible one removed, little note? Will it so, and it shall be.
]
You don't know where this voice came from and it's not really the time to be questioning your sanity. Getting rid of this guy would be VERY helpful.
All of a sudden, what looks to be a lightning bolt shoots out of the box and pierces the guard in the chest. A shocked expression spreads across his face as his chest crumples inward and he falls to his knees, shuddering before toppling over. The gem, now glowing a faded periwinkle, seems to pulse.
Clearly this is the power the boy was speaking of. The voice however, still remains a mystery, one you quickly push to the back of your mind. You bolt to Mentor, freeing her from the Clamps and helping her to her feet.
"Claire? What... why are you here? What did you..." She sways and you realize she's about to fall. You catch her arm and steady her, gently drawing it across your shoulders.
"It's alright, Mentor. We'll be out of here soon."
Mentor turns her head to face you. Despite her rough condition, her lustrous eyes instill within you a weird mixture of comfort and guilt. "Claire... what was that you just did?"
You flinch at her question, her tone tells you everything. You know she knows what just happened, and judging from her reaction it isn't a good thing. She's testing you, wants to see if //you //understand. Which you kind of do? Enough to get rid of those guards anyways.
"That was a hell of a spell. You should look worse than I do right now." Her eyes bore into the side of your skull. Like always, she's 100% right. Nature should've backhanded you to the ground minutes ago, and you're none the worse for wear. You ignore her question, and she sighs in clear disappointment.
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"The voice returns.")
[(text-style:"italic","smear","expand")[
This one cares for you, but its concern is unnecessary. Fear drives its tune, delivered in the guise of reprimand.
]]
She straightens herself out, catching her breath as she puts weight on her leg. Shuffling over to the boy, she asks another question. "You're the boy they had in the prisons. What are you and Claire doing?"
The boy rubs his back as he spits out "A good question! Why I wasted my time following her is something I fail to comprehend as well." Adressing you, he says, "I led you to your master, woman, now give me the artifact."
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"Another whisper.")
[(text-style:"italic","smear","expand")[
This one has the spirit, but lacks the voice. Why share the symphony with one such as he? Allow the music to halt his advance.
]]
More nonsense. You clutch the artifact close to you and open the door. "I'm holding onto this for now, boy. You can either come with us or stay behind."
The boy is furious, his fists clenching. "You are in no position to be making demands!"
You smile. "I'm pretty sure I'm //exactly// in the position to be doing so. Now let's go."
Mentor looks back at the boy, offering her hand. He quickly tosses it aside. Rolling your eyes, you head outside.
This is going to have to be swift and loud, no time for stealth. You hear the cries of alarm ring out as you run, no doubt Maria has discovered your theft of both artifact and prisoner. Running through the halls, launching fireballs as deterrents to nearby guards, you realize the boy is nowhere to be found. You stop for a moment, thinking of your options, before gritting your teeth and continuing for the exit. Mentor seems to be deep in thought about something, watching the box with a determined gaze.
As you hurry down the steps into the foyer of the castle you continue to hear the voice, protecting you as it launches a dizzying ray of light from the box to disorient nearby guards. It somehow manages to react to your thoughts and act on them without you having to do anything.
Underneath everything you feel a strange sliver of energy, an ethereal ribbon connecting your essence to whatever the box holds. You're thankful for it, despite Mentor's apprehension of it earlier.
You both easily cross into the fortress' outer courtyard.
(t8n-depart:"dissolve")+(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")[[Continue.->Maria Courtyard Showdown]]]
Peeking out, you see two guards carrying a woman by each arm towards the Clamps. Her head is low and her damp hair hangs like a curtain over her face. Her bare feet drag against the stone floor, covered in tiny cuts. (if:$RightPath is 0)[An imposing woman follows behind them, her arms crossed behind her back in a patient but dignified manner. If her taking the rear wasn't enough to tell you she calls the shots, the way the two men seem smaller in her presence does. Is she a warden? Captain? Is this the 'Maria' the prisoner schedule mentioned?]
(if:$RightPath is 1)[An imposing woman follows behind them, her arms behind her back in a patient but dignified manner. If her taking the rear wasn't enough to tell you she calls the shots, the way the two men seem smaller in her presence does. There's no doubt, this has to be Captain Maria, the Exorcist.]
The two men put the prisoner in the clamps and sure enough, it's her. Mentor doesn't move as the heavy clamps surround her arms, keeping her kneeling on the floor. You can't recognize her like this, defeated, lifeless and quiet. Your brain refuses to recognize your memory of her and this stranger as one and the same. With her head bowed you can't even see her eyes, the shining beacons of light that were your torch in the darkness. It burns you up to just be sitting here, watching them do this to her, but you need an opening.
(if:$RightPath is 0)[The mystery woman kneels to meet the prisoner's eyes and puts on a grim tone. "I'm sure you won't try anything, but it's procedure." She gets back up and puts a hand to her forehead, covering her own eyes. "Oh Erina, you just couldn't help yourself could you? Could have just stayed alone in that hut of yours and none of these fools would've been the wiser." You're shocked to see she seems almost disappointed. Mentor does not respond to this, and this seems to bother the woman.]
(if:$RightPath is 1)[Maria kneels to meet the prisoner's eyes and puts on a grim tone. "I'm sure you won't try anything, but it's procedure." She gets back up and puts a hand to her forehead, covering her own eyes. "Oh Erina, you just couldn't help yourself could you? Could have just stayed alone in that hut of yours and none of these fools would've been the wiser." You're shocked to see she seems almost disappointed. Mentor does not respond to this, and this seems to bother Maria.]
"It hurts me to do this, you know? You're a good person Erina. But the public wants blood, and if it ever got out that the Exorcists let a mage go... well."
(if:$RightPath is 0)[An Exorcist. The captain no less.] Mentor lets out a slight breath.
"Hmm? What's that?"
(link-reveal:"Mentor chokes out one word.")
[=
(text-style:"smear","shudder")["Traitor."]
It's the most venom you've ever heard out of her, slicing its way through a heavy layer of exhaustion.
(if:$RightPath is 0)[The woman frowns] (if:$RightPath is 1)[Maria frowns], her eyes grow dark. With a tone closer to dissapointment (hurt, even?) than anger, she mutters. "I'm going back to my office to check on the artifact. Get her to talk about her... //experience// with it." She walks out, closing the door.
Traitor? As much as you love Mentor, she's pretty much a hermit. She's not a part of any sort of group, and you can't imagine her having much in common with an Exorcist, unless she means...
Oh.
Oh hell no.
It makes no sense, and yet it's the only thing that MAKES SENSE. That Exorcist is a mage.
(if:$RightPath is 0)[The Exorcist leaves](if:$RightPath is 1)[Captain Maria walks out] and the two guards look at Mentor with the same expression you reserve for cleaning the outhouse.
You've waited long enough.
[[Continue ->Courtyard Escape]]Jumping out from your hiding place, you slam the full force of your pack into the closest guard's face before anyone can react. A sickening crunch echoes across the room as the guard crumples before you. The other guard immediately turns to you and pulls out a mace. You back up, igniting a flame in your hand. Attacking with it would probably be a bad idea, but hopefully he doesn't know about the intricacies of 'magical isolation'. Luckily his instincts kick in and he steps back a couple of feet.
So... now what?
The guard's eyes shift toward the door, then back to you. As the fire in your hand burns, you begin to feel a force coming from your pack. It begins to glow a purplish-blue colour as you, the guard and Mentor watch in confusion. (link-reveal:"A whisper reverberates inside your mind, barely there.")[
(text-style:"italic","smear","expand")[
Do you wish this insensible one removed, little note? Will it so, and it shall be.]
You don't know where this voice came from and it's not really the time to be questioning your sanity. Getting rid of this guy would be VERY helpful.
All of a sudden, what looks to be a lightning bolt shoots out of your pack and slams the guard in the chest. A shocked expression spreads across his face as his chest crumples inward and he slumps backward. Looking within the newly formed hole of your pack, you see the periwinkle gem of the box slowly fade in color.
Did you do that, or the box? Or maybe the voice? Nothing really makes sense right now but there'll be time to figure it out later. You bolt to Mentor, freeing her from the Clamps and helping her to her feet.
"Claire? What... why are you here? What did you..." She sways and you realize she's about to fall. You catch her arm and steady her, gently drawing it across your shoulders.
"It's alright Mentor. We'll be out of here soon."
Mentor turns her head to face you. Despite her rough condition, her lustrous eyes instill within you a weird mixture of comfort and guilt. "Claire... what was that you just did?"
You flinch at her question, her tone tells you everything. You know she knows what just happened, and judging from her reaction it isn't a good thing. She's testing you, wants to see if //you //understand.
"That was a hell of a spell. You should look worse than I do right now." Her eyes bore into the side of your skull. Like always, she's 100% right. Nature should've backhanded you to the ground minutes ago, and you're none the worse for wear. You ignore her question, and she sighs in clear dissapointment.
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"The voice returns.")
[(text-style:"italic","smear","expand")[
This one cares for you, but its concern is unnecessary. Fear drives its tune, delivered in the guise of reprimand.
]]
You lead Mentor out into the hallway. This is going to have to be swift and loud, no time for stealth. You hear the cries of alarm ring out as you run, no doubt Maria has discovered your theft of both artifact and prisoner. As you hurry down the steps you continue to hear the voice, protecting you as it launches a dizzying ray of light from the box to disorient nearby guards. It somehow manages to react to your thoughts and act on them without you having to do anything. Underneath everything you feel a strange sliver of energy, an ethereal ribbon connecting your essence to whatever the box holds. You're thankful for it, despite Mentor's apprehension to it earlier. You both easily cross into the fortress' outer courtyard.
[[Continue->Maria Courtyard Showdown]]]
Walking into the courtyard you're somewhat surprised to see it empty. You start to question it a bit, but as you continue to walk nothing happens. The cries and alarms from the fortress are the only thing of note. Suddenly, Mentor grumbles, muttering to herself. "It's never easy with you is it Maria?" She nudges you and ever so slightly tilts her head to the guard's post near the gate, where you sense a large magical energy.
(if:$BoyFree is 1)[Mentor whispers to you. "Claire, whatever you do, don't mention the boy to Maria. Trust me."
This comment only serves to confuse you. Is she protecting him? If so, where is he? Hiding?]
The mention of Maria reminds you of what you've been meaning to ask.
"Mentor, how is it that a mage is an Exorcist?"
Mentor grins, a sardonic tone to her voice. "You caught that did you? The Exorcists must lack quality recruits if they need to rely on mages to get the job done." She shakes her head in disbelief. "Maria's motives are as much a mystery to me as they are to you. Ask her yourself, I imagine you'll get the chance soon."
"Who was she? To you I mean."
Mentor pauses. She nudges your arm off of her and begins to gingerly walk ahead, focused on that mass of energy. She doesn't wait for you to keep up.
This cynical version of Mentor unsettles you. It's a crude recreation of her, a reflection lacking all her warmth. Granted, only The One Beyond knows what she just went through with the Exorcists, so you can't hold it against her. You follow a few steps behind her, watching for any early ambush.
Mentor turns her head, peering at you over her shoulder. Her eyes hold on you for a moment. "Claire... you seem so much older now. Confident but mature. I'm proud of the woman you've become."
Your cheeks suddenly feel //really// hot. You let out a small chuckle. "Come on Mentor, I've got at least another ten years before I start worrying about crow's feet." You shift your gaze downwards, trying to hide how hard you're smiling. Mentor laughs. "You know what I mean young lady."
It's good to know she's still in there.
As you reach the gate of the fortress a line of fancy looking guards block your progress. Their frilly blue cloaks stand in stark contrast to the stone walls surrounding you, but they might as well be one and the same. These are Exorcists, and they're not too keen on your escape.
Leading them stands Maria, a sly smile to compliment her inquisitve glance.
"Well isn't this surprising! You're taking apprentices now Erina? And a rather bold one at that!"
You take a step back while puffing out your chest and holding your pack above your head. It's meant to be confident, but you look more like a petulant child about to throw their toy in annoyance. So much for being mature.
Maria raises an eyebrow. "I'd heard the Artifact had bonded to you. How did you manage it?" Or did //it// choose you I wonder?
You're not sure how to respond but thankfully you don't have to, as Mentor cuts Maria off. "Your small talk needs work Maria. If you're going to kill us, get it over with."
Maria shakes her head, sighing as she grabs the collar of her cloak and tosses it over her shoulder.
[[You look around, desperate to find an opening.->Maria Courtyard Showdown 2]]
(set: $GuardKnockedOut to 1)
Distracting a guard should be simple enough without magic. You know from experience that delivering a good ol' rock to the head doesn't affect your internal flow. Moving down towards the entrance of the fortress, you spot two guards standing in front of the gate. The winding road up to the fortress gate leaves several spots where an ambush could be successful. You choose a secluded spot next to a couple of trees and begin your plan.
Rummaging through your pack you bring out some clothes and change from your robes into a plain wool shirt and slightly worn trousers. You rub some dirt on your face and clothes until you appear as raggedy and pathetic as the townspeople who despise your kind. Then, you run towards the gate.
The guards notice your presence and lift their swords. You do your best to look desperate and address the slightly smaller of the two.
"Sir! Sir please! My caravan has tipped over and my poor horse is pinned under its weight! Please come help me free her before it's too late!"
The two guards look at each other for a moment. The smaller one then looks into your eyes and you see yourself reflected in his, tiny and powerless. If only he knew.
The smaller guard, exasperated, shrugs his shoulders and says: "I really shouldn't miss, but maybe I can..."
You tug on his arm and pull him towards the path before he can finish, showering him with thanks. Eventually, he turns towards his fellow guard and nods before following you down the winding path. As you reach the spot for the ambush you kneel down, pretending to be exhausted. (t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"The guard comes to check on you and...")[=
(text-style:"blur","expand","shudder")[WHOOSH]
You swing your pack at his head. He staggers back in surprise, leaving him helpless to the rock that comes crashing down on his head.
---
So far so good. As you remove his gear you realize that while he may be smaller than the other guard, he's still bigger than you. MUCH bigger. The chestpiece weighs you down considerably and makes you look like a toddler. Transformation magic can help out here, but you were never quite good at it. Should you take the risk?
[[Transform yourself into a copy of the guard.->Transformation]]
[[Give up on this plan and sneak in using the Spell of Silence.->Sneak In]] You're going to have to risk it. Complicated as it is, this could be your best way into the fortress. Crossing your fingers, you place a hand over the guard's face and cast the spell.
You don't feel any different, but one look down at yourself confirms everything. Shiny steel armor covers your body, which now appears much stockier. It's all an illusion of course, but it should be good enough to fool any soldier.
Being someone else is a weird feeling you've never gotten used to. You still remember the first time Mentor taught you the spell, how she laughed at your shock when you ran over to the washbin and saw your reflection in the water, a mirror image of her. You gasped in surprise and the whole thing wore off, only making her laugh harder.
It was one of her first lessons after she took you in, a ratty looking teenager with no real experience or patience. It didn't matter. She had both in abundance, and she shared it all.
Part of you feels she knew how much that meant to you, but you're still going to show her all the same.
You shake the memories from your mind and try your best to keep a handle on the transformation. The illusion is just that, and a lapse in concentration could drop the disguise. As you approach the gate and other guard, you nod simply towards him, he nods back. As you pass him, attempting to walk into the front gates...
[[He speaks.->Entering Main Gate]](set:$MainGateEntered to 1)
"Huh? Where're you goin? Relief guard is only in a half hour." The guard's grunting voice echoes in your mind as you race for a response that would feel believable while still keeping the spell up. What would a tired, lowly sentry say?
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"You come up with... something.")[=
"Shove it. I need some relief myself."
You'd be hitting yourself if you didn't need to keep up the disguise.
Miraculously however the other guard teases you. "Big man needs to use the little guard's room? Hurry up, I'll keep watch for now."
You're not particularly religious, but you can't help but thank The One Beyond for this stroke of luck.
Pushing through you find yourself in the main foyer of the fortress. There are two paths that open up before you, staircases leading up both. You watch a group of soldiers walk down into the left hall, clearly on patrol. The right path is unremarkable, save for an Exorcist uniform on display, a blue cloak with frilly white designs on top of a brown tunic. If you focus, you feel a strange aura emanating from down the hall.
You decide to ditch your disguise. As useful as it could be, keeping it up requires a level of concentration that you haven't quite mastered. It's better to use the limited strength you have on combat, should the need arise.
Not much to go on right now. Flip a coin maybe?
(t8n-depart:"dissolve")+(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")[[Go left.->Right Path]]
(t8n-depart:"dissolve")+(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")[[Go right.->Left Path]]
You close your eyes and slowly bring the box down to your chest. Immediatley, (t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"the whispers creep into your mind once again.")
 
[(text-style:"italic","smear","expand")[
"Little note, your heart quivers. What do you fear? Embrace the melody as you have and you will want for nothing."]]
Deep breath. Time to do this.
You extend the box in front of you and slowly unhook your fingers from around its base. As the box begins to drop some of the Exorcists behind Maria shout at you to stop, but she gently raises an arm skywards. They begrudgingly step back.
Watching the box fall, you wonder whether or not you've just doomed Mentor. Your stomach jumps as the box crashes into the dirt, a queasy unease filling your gut.
Maria is beside herself with joy. Her eyes alight like a brilliant flame, both elation and conviction fueling the pyre. "I've tried for so long to find another mage who understands. This will not go unrewarded, I promise you." (if:$GuardKnockedOut is 1)["If anything, I'll try and see if I can get the king to reduce your sentence. Maybe if I play my cards right I convince him to let you work off your sentence on my team! A mage like you doesn't come along every day, and I'm sure the king will recognize that."]
(if:$BoyFree is 0)[Mentor is silent beside you. An aura of unease emanates from her.
As Maria practically skips toward the box you stamp one foot towards her and shake your finger. "Uh-uh. I have a condition."
Maria stops, but her enthusiasm cannot be swayed. "Name it."
"Mentor and I walk out of here. No questions asked, no fireballs flung."
Mentor practically screeches in defiance, "Claire!"
Maria's unshakeable cheeriness takes a hit here, but only a small one. "That's... not as easy to manage as you'd think. Believe me, I'd love to let the both of you go, but the fact of the matter is a crime was committed."
Mentor scoffs. "What she means is that the townsfolk want a dead mage on their doorstep, and the Exorcists are more than happy to provide. Claire, ditch that thing in a well. It's a bigger danger here than out where only The One Beyond knows."
No backing down now. You stand firm and say nothing, keeping your foot to the side of the box. Even from here you can feel it crawling within your mind, egging you on.
Maria frowns, her dissapointment evident in the way she impatiently taps her arm with the tip of a nail. "You're not going to let this go are you?"
Silence fills the air.
Maria's eyes slowly drag their gaze from you towards Mentor, seemingly looking for... something you can't quite place. Some unspoken understanding is shared between them, an entire conversation shared in a couple of raised brows and expressions. Mentor's eyes plead but her countenance remains steadfast and defiant. Maria sighs and shakes her head. For a second you notice the faintest smile fleeting across her face before she frowns and turns toward the Exorcists.
Her Exorcists. For now at least.
(if:$GuardKnockedOut is 0)["Secure the artifact. The two of them are free to go."
Mentor begins to speak before Maria shouts at her. "What CAN you do Erina? Look around you! Surrounded by my men, and without a single friend beyond that student of yours. Take my generosity and leave."
Another Exorcist, a short, round man with a surprsingly chisled jawline, is dumbfounded at the suggestion. "Captain, with all due respect I don't think it wise to just let these mages walk away with no recourse for their actions."
Maria turns to him and smiles confidently, her swagger slowly returning. "No recourse? Oh officer, we've gained something //very// valuable today. They can go for now." Maria shoots you a knowing smile as she signals to the guard's post to open the gate.
(if:$GuardKnockedOut is 0)["If you ever wish to know what the world is //really// like, come to me. You're obviously a capable mage, few could pull off this little escape plan. I'm sure you've felt the same way I did when I was your age. The loneliness. The anger. The despair. All due to some horrible base misconceptions! Together, we could work to change the king's view on mages, little by little. And from there? Imagine the difference we could make!"
This offer causes a wave of barely audible grumbles and whispers across the rest of the Exorcists. If Maria notices this, she gives no acknowledgment.]
You're not entirely sure what she was suggesting, or if it was some sort of bluff. To be honest, you don't really care. Turning to Mentor, you see her gritting her teeth. She spits in Maria's direction and turns, walking down the fortress gates. You quickly follow after her.
No words are shared between the two of you until you're far from the fortress.
You choose to break the silence, concerned with her reaction.
"Are you upset? Should I have done something different?"
Mentor shakes her head. "You shouldn't ask me that. Do you think you could have done something different?"
You don't have an answer for her, so you choose to probe further.
"Why Mentor? Why not just accept the deal and leave? Why fight for something that isn't yours to concern yourself with?"
She turns to you, a sad smile adorning her face.
"If more people concerned themselves with the plights of others, maybe we wouldn't live in the way we do now."
Of course. Why would it be any different? You smile, shaking your head and holding her hand in yours.
''ENDING 1/8: Bargain Ending A.''
[[Try another choice?->Maria Courtyard Showdown 2]]
[[Start from the beginning?->Start of Game]]]]
(if:$GuardKnockedOut is 1)["Secure the artifact. The two of them are free to go."
Mentor begins to speak before Maria shouts at her. "What CAN you do Erina? Look around you! Surrounded by my men, and without a single friend beyond that student of yours. Take my generosity and leave."
Another Exorcist, a short, round man with a surprsingly chisled jawline, explodes. "Oh for the One Beyond's sake, this is ENOUGH! She //murdered// a man!"
Maria walks over and picks up the artifact as the man continues ranting. The ribbon you felt earlier dissipates.
Do you think I will simply sit by and allow you to make a mockery of justice, (text-style:"smear","shudder")[witch]? I've held my tongue far too long. The king was a fool to let a mage-"
And then, suddenly, he is gone. Purple flames belch from the dirt he once stood on, a blazing pyre that rises high into the sky. The Exorcist's screams echo out from the flames, filling the air as you watch in awe. Then they too are gone. Mentor shakes her head in disgust. Maria stands poised, her right hand alight with the same flames. The artifact held aloft in her left hand gleams in the same purple color. With an air of annoyance, she turns to the rest of her Exorcists.
"Any other counsel?"
The exorcists are silent, their eyes communicating a bevy of emotions. Fear. Anger. Hate. Despair. All in abundance. Maria watches their reactions, drinks it all in. Then she signals to the guard's post to open the gate as she addresses her officers.
"You may think me mad. Harsh, perhaps. Deep down you may even feel similarly to Gaston over there." She jerks her thumb towards the charring corpse of the Exorcist, fire burning lazily across his corpse. "But one thing you will NOT think of me is wicked. All I do, I do in service of our king. What we've gained today is more valuable than any of you realize. She holds the box close, eyes gleaming. "
You're not entirely sure what she was suggesting, or if it was some sort of bluff. To be honest, you don't really care. Turning to Mentor, you see her watching Maria, analyzing the smallest of movements. Her brow furrowed, she seems almost contemplative. She turns and begins walking down the fortress gates. You quickly follow after her.
No words are shared between the two of you until you're far from the fortress.
You choose to break the silence, concerned with her reaction.
"Are you upset? Should I have done something different?"
Mentor shakes her head. "You shouldn't ask me that. Do you think you could have done something different?"
You don't have an answer for her, so you choose to probe further.
"Why Mentor? Why not just accept the deal and leave? Why fight for something that isn't yours to concern yourself with?"
She turns to you, a sad smile adorning her face.
"If more people concerned themselves with the plights of others, maybe we wouldn't live in the way we do now."
Of course. Why would it be any different? You smile, shaking your head and holding her hand in yours.
''ENDING 1/8: Bargain Ending A.
''
[[Follow another path?->Maria Courtyard Showdown 2]]
[[Start from the beginning?->Start of Game]]]
(if: $BoyFree is 1)[Mentor is silent beside you. An aura of unease emanates from her.
As Maria practically skips toward the box you stamp one foot towards her and shake your finger. "Uh-uh. I have a condition."
Maria stops, but her enthusiasm cannot be swayed. "Name it."
"Mentor and I walk out of here. No questions asked, no fireballs flung."
Mentor practically screeches in defiance, "Claire!"
Maria's unshakeable cheeriness takes a hit here, but only a small one. "That's... not as easy to manage as you'd think. Believe me, I'd love to let the both of you go, but the fact of the matter is a crime was committed."
Mentor scoffs. "What she means is that the townsfolk want a dead mage on their doorstep, and the Exorcists are more than happy to provide. Claire, ditch that thing in a well or destroy it yourself. It's a bigger danger here than out where only The One Beyond knows."
An ungodly screech erupts, shattering the tense atmopshere. The boy leaps like a wild beast, clambering onto you in a mad attempt to reach the artifact. Fighting back against his flailing limbs, you try to restrain him to no avail.
A flash of light bursts out as a small, purple fireball cuts through the air. As it slams the boy in the chest, you get your first good look at his face, tears pouring down his sullen cheeks as the wind is knocked out of him. He slams into the wall of the fortress, groaning as he clutches his stomach.
Maria falls to the ground, coughing up a storm as she huddles over. The effects of magical isolation take their hold as she begins to shudder, unable to move voluntarily. She manages to spit out two words inbetween her hacking and convulsing.
"(text-style:"subscript","condense", "rumble")[Stop him]."
"How COULD you? YOU KNOW WHAT THEY DID! HOW COULD YOU!" The boy repeats this over and over again, a crazed mantra as he flails, claws and punches at his captors.
You close your eyes and turn away. "Securing Mentor's safety is the important thing," you tell yourself, your own mantra to counter his screams.
You almost believe it.
Mentor watches you with an unreadable glance, her hands shaking. You can feel her analyzing your movements, trying to judge without saying anything. It only makes things worse.
You and Mentor stand there as the boy is pulled into the fortress, leaving you with Maria and two other Exorcists. She slowly pulls herself up off the ground, still panting as she tries to compose herself.
"Let him go." You hear a bit of Mentor's old confidence in this sudden remark.
You want to scream into your cloak. First the artifact and now this?
Maria tilts her head in disbelief as she turns to Mentor. "You should be more like her." She nods towards you as she continues "Judging from the way she reacted when you said that nonsense she clearly has some sense of self-preservation."
Mentor stands tall, not an easy task with her battered legs. "You're really going to keep the boy imprisoned? He can't have any value to you like that. Have a heart for once and let him go Maria. If you can't do the artifact, at least do this."
Maria raises an eyebrow. "An argument around value rather than morality? Maybe this girl //has// rubbed off on you."
She continues. "The boy's escaped us once back at his village. Then, one day he willingly came to us. Something about the artifact calls to him. It might have to do with his village but we're not entirely sure."
You think back to your discussion with the boy. He knows more than they think.
Maria shakes her head. "If you want to take on all of us, be my guest." But I won't be giving the boy the artifact any time soon, and without that he won't leave."
Mentor lowers her head.
This seems to please Maria greatly. She turns to you, beaming. "You know what girl? I like you. You're pragmatic, you listen to reason. I will honor our deal. You're both free to go."
Mentor spits at Maria's feet as you pull her away. She doesn't fight you as you walk down the fortress path, but she won't look your way either.
Closing your eyes, you try to forget the screams of the boy as he was carried off, the sadness in his face as he hammered you with blows. Pain. It was the most emotion you saw him express.
You've won the day, but can you live with yourself?
''ENDING 2/8 Bargain Ending B.''
[[Follow another path?->Maria Courtyard Showdown 2]]
[[Start from the beginning?->Start of Game]]]What can you do? These Exorcists definetly aren't letting you walk out of here, and you can't wipe out all of them with one spell. You curse your weakness, the one thing keeping you from freedom. You curse all these common fools, who forced you into this no-win situation. You curse this Exorcist, who betrayed the ones she held most dear to serve a man who would never see her as equal.
But deep down, you curse your magic. Not just its limitations, but what it forced you into. Living alone and afraid, unable to reach your full potential. Always at a disadvantage first and foremost. Forced to limit yourself to abide by it and society's rules.
It should have never been that way. This is a gift, one to be praised rather than spurned.
You will show them that.
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"The whispers return. You sense a harmony to their words. ")[(text-style:"italic","smear","expand")[
//What vexes you little note? The path is clear. Join the chorus. Save your loved one. // ]]
Gritting your teeth, you hold the artifact close. There's no trusting this Exorcist, no matter what she is.
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"She has to be eliminated.")[=
Maria frowns as she steps into stance. With genuine concern, she says, "Poor woman, you've been holding onto that thing for too long." She turns to Mentor. "Erina, I hope those guards didn't injure you too much. We're going to need you."
(text-style:"italic","smear","expand")[What a cruel novice. She thinks herself a composer, able to weave sense out of the noise. Silence her.]
(if:$BoyFree is 1) [The boy, who has watched all of this from behind you, immediately begins running. You barely register his presence as he breaks past the guards and continues running into the brush of the forest. The others ignore the boy, focused entirely on you.
They have far bigger concerns.]
Mentor looks at the captain, confused and conflicted at Maria's sudden turn in tone. You back further and further into a corner, trying to keep as many Exorcists in sight as possible. Mentor sees this fear and tries to reach out to you only to fall, her leg injured from the abuse.
The abuse THEY committed.
Suddenly you hear a song, clear as day. The melody surrounds you, enveloping you in warmth. It eggs you on, beckoning you to embrace it. You immerse yourself in its waves.
You dig deep within as it guides you. You find yourself in a dark... space. In front of you is an ornate jar, holding the most beautiful flower you've ever seen. Its three petals are a vibrant red accentuated with yellow streaks, drooping low down the plant's stem. Its very presence lights up your face, giving you a sense of peace.
(text-style:"italic","smear","expand")[The chorus has room for all.
Notes find their home in the symphony.
All you must do is open the door.]
You move as if you were in a dream, slow and methodical yet not fully in control. (t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"You slowly reach out for the flower...")[=
And (text-style:"condense","shudder")[(text-colour:red)[crush it.]]
---
You've never felt such freedom.
Your eyes burn alight with flame as you soar higher and higher into the air. You see the stunned faces of Mentor and Maria below you as you continue to rise, both paralyzed in awe. Their reactions fuel you as you relish in the newfound power you hold. Flame burns from your legs, catapulting you through the air as you glide effortlessly around the fortress.
This is magic unlike anything you've ever known, and yet it holds no challenge for you. The knowledge of how to use it simply exists in your mind, as if it was always there.
Raising one arm you manifest a boulder the size of a carriage and heave it at the group of officers behind Maria.
They all leap for safety, but some are too late.
A couple of them have taken cover behind some of the fortress walls and have begun knocking arrows tipped with poison onto their bows. You grin.
(text-style:"italic","smear","expand")[Look at the crude instruments they wield. Unable to conduct as we do. ]
The whispers are louder now, reveberating from within your core. Do you recognize the voices? Do you feel comfort in their bravado?
Do you hear your own voice in the crescendo, carrying you as it rises towards the heavens?
Arrows fly. You wave your hand and a gust of wind easily sends them all flying in separate directions. An Exorcist spits in frustration, knocking several arrows onto their bow.
Something hits you in the back, causing you to only slightly stumble. You turn to see Maria doubled over in pain, purple flames slowly dissipating from her hands.
(text-style:"italic","smear","expand")[Her song is muted, suffocated by isolation. Only as part of the chorus can the note become something larger. ]
Easily putting out the fire, you suddenly feel a fury towards the woman. A fire that was present before, now fueled by the rage of hundreds of voices.
(text-style:"italic","smear","expand")[She must pay the penance.]
You dive down in an instant, holding her by the scruff of her shirt. An Exorcist shoots at your back but a powerful stream of water explodes out of the artifact's gem, sending her flying outside the courtyard's gates.
Maria struggles to breathe as you raise her up into the air. She manages to croak out "Monster." as she gasps.
Mentor tackles you to no effect. She hangs onto your arm, desparate to stop you. "Young lady, STOP THIS!"
(t8n-depart:"dissolve")+(text-style:"italic","smear","expand")[[[Do it.->Artifact Ending]]]
(t8n-depart:"dissolve")[[Refrain.->Refusal Ending]](t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"Whispers slither into your mind.")[=
(text-style:"smear","expand")[
//"This one is witness to the rhythm but fails to appreciate its profundity. It stifles the song, immersing itself in a singular verse. Pity."//
]
(if:$GuardKnockedOut is 0)["Why rush Erina? The woman should know what's going on here, what exactly she's gotten herself into. If things go well I'll even let her walk out of here, no issue at all."
Maria's confident stare is in stark contrast to her soldiers, shifting uncomfortably behind her. One Exorcist exclaims "Are you..." Maria spins on her heel to face them and you watch as they go pale, shutting up immediately.]
(if:$GuardKnockedOut is 1)["Why rush Erina? I'd rather delay the ugly part as much as possible. Right now we have some unpleasant matters to discuss."
Maria turns to face you. "Was that dead guard stashed away in the woods not //your// doing, hmm?"
Uh oh. Guess you hit that guard a little too hard. Mentor looks at you, shocked. You're not sure whether you feel honored or insulted at the fact she didn't think you capable of it.]
Maria claps her hands together. "Now let's get down to business shall we? That thing." She points towards the box. "It's killing you. Maybe not now, maybe not in a week, but it will kill you." Maria gives you a moment to take this in. You don't feel any different.
"The essence housed within can make you unstoppable, but in return you give it a feast fit for a king. It's absorbing your natural flow, and when it takes it all? Well... it won't be pretty."
She pauses for a moment, letting the gravity of the situation set in. She seems almost curious to see your reaction, her lips curling into a smile.
"However, thanks to our research I think I know a way of severing the connection without any major side effects. It seems to have worked for Erina just fine."
Your blood runs cold. "You TESTED it on her?"
Maria's eye twitches as she realizes her mistake. "Not without her permission! We told her of the artifact to see if she knew anything and she demanded to see it. From there, it bonded to her and we severed the connection. No harm done."
You turn to Mentor. You can feel her eyes frantically scouring the contours of your face, scrounging for the tiniest shred of doubt to pull on. "Claire, whatever you do you can't give her the artifact back."
Her breath ragged and panicked, she continues to appeal. "I promise you I'll do everything in my power to fix things, make you better, it just ''can't'' go into their hands again."
You stare at Mentor blankly, too overwhelmed to process everything. She becomes desperate. "You haven't seen what it can really do! If it were to fall in the hands of the king..."
Mentor shivers.
Maria's face takes on a pained expression as she pleads. "Why can't you understand Erina, I'm trying to save lives! Leaving an artifact like that with two unregulated mages who barely understand it is a recipe for disaster. The artifact would be a big help in capturing deviants, the type of person that's a threat to both mages and the general public!"
You pause for a second. She's being somewhat reasonable, but you saw those documents back in the Exorcist's chamber. They could just as easily turn the artifact into yet another tool of oppression.
Mentor scoffs, a shrill noise that cuts through the night air. "No Maria. I understand it enough to know //you// shouldn't be anywhere near it."
Maria continues, frustration creeping into her voice. "Think about it! What happens if that box suddenly lets off a burst of magical energy and burns half a forest down? You think the bumbling fools that live in these lands will understand? You think they were cruel to our kind before? They didn't even have a REASON before!" Her shouts leave the Exorcists behind her unsettled and fearful, some tapping their foot in unease, others whispering among themselves.
Mentor spits out her response. "//OUR// kind? You turned your back on all of us! The king dangled the tiniest bit of power and had you dancing to his tune. All just to play judge, jury and executioner to the people you called friends! Do you even remember what they did to Ethan? The old man?"
The cool, collected mask of Maria shatters. As the pieces fall you see a contorted collage of anger, disappointment and hurt, tears welling in its eyes. "Don't you DARE bring those names out from the past. I DID THIS FOR US! FOR THEM! I want things to change, Erina! I'm tired of hiding away in the forest hoping to The One Beyond that some village idiot doesn't take the wrong turn and have us all arrested for lighting a campfire! I'm tired of constantly fearing that someone I care for will suddenly go missing whenever they leave my sight! I am //tired// of being the villain! At least this way I can change their minds, show them that we aren't so bad!"
Mentor shakes her head, turning away from Maria. She remains calm, but her clenched fists betray her feelings, nails tightly pressing into her palms. "That's the thing you never understood Maria. We will //always// be the villain. How do you convince someone that thinks your very existence is a mistake? A blight on society, a danger to civililty, a danger to //their power?//The king could never change that, if he even wished to. They never needed a reason."
Maria wipes tears on her sleeve, dark splotches forming against the brown cloth. One of the Exorcists shuffles uncomfortably. "Um... Captain? Your orders?"
"Not up to me at this point." Maria turns to you. For a split second you catch a pleading glance escape her cold stare. "Well?"
(if:$BoyFree is 1)[As if on cue, the boy bursts out from the fortress gates, staring at all of you with fury.
"Give it." His words are calm, almost soothing, but his eyes betray his true intentions. In those deep pools of darkness a flame has been ignited, and it won't stop until it gets what it wants.
Maria practically jumps at the sight of the boy. "Oh no."
She instantly lights both her hands with purple flame, her eyes frantically scanning her environment before falling on you. "Let him hold that box and we are ALL doomed. Nothing will survive."
You turn to face him, thinking back to your conversation about the artifact's power. Mentor's mention of him, was that a hint? Does she know something about him?
You look at her, but her gaze is focused entirely on Maria, reading her expression as if it held the secret to escape.
Maybe you should trust in the boy. He hasn't steered you wrong, after all.
[[[Give the boy the artifact.->Courtyard Escape 1]]]]
[[Use the artifact as a bargaining chip.->Bargain Ending]]
[[Ask the artifact to save you.->Sacrifice]]
You turn back to Maria, her terrified eyes reflecting the violet flames dancing across her open palms.
"Claire, right? Drop the artifact now and I'll let the both of you go. No questions asked."
You frown. Seems too good to be true. Turning over to Mentor, you raise an eyebrow in question.
Mentor simply nods, signalling to you ever so slightly with her eyes towards the boy's direction.
You give her a slight smile, appreciating her trust in you. Maria, watching the both of you with growing dread, turns to her Exorcists. "Charge the woman! Take back the artifact!"
As a wave of Exorcists charge, you spin and toss the artifact over to the boy. He launches from the fortress doors with more force than you thought him capable of, and snags the box with one hand. A thick green mist begins pouring out of the gem on top as the boy cradles the artifact under his arm. The Exorcists behind you begin aiming their arrows toward the boy, determined to remove him or the artifact. Precision isn't a concern at the moment.
Just before the mist enshrouds him completely, you see tears pouring down the boy's face. He grins maniacally as the smoke obscures his face.
"Finally. I hear you all. Mother. Brother. Elfrid. You're all here.
(text-style:"smear","expand")[I won't let you go again.]"
The arrows fly. A beam of light suddenly pierces out from the mist, shooting high into the air. The arrows disintegrate as they make contact with the beam, causing one Exorcist to curse loudly. Maria throws a fireball at the obstruction to no effect.
A hand reaches out from the beam and grabs your shoulder. Before you even realize what's happening you are tossed through the air, hitting the courtyard walls. Mentor quickly follows, slamming into you. Struggling to get up, you gently move Mentor to the side and look where you once stood.
The boy is levitating about five feet from the ground, his eyes shimmering with a pure white light. The box levitates behind him, nestling itself on the small of his back.
Maria grits her teeth and unleashes a torrent of flame in front of her, creating a wall between her and the boy. Her Exorcists begin to slowly shift behind her, their faces a combination of fear and awe.
The boy smiles as he glides through the fire. The purple flames lick at his frail frame but leave no apparent injuries.
(text-style:"smear","expand")["The terror becomes the terrified. Oh how I've LONGED for this."]
His voice is distorted, an uncanny fascimile of what it once was. Maria looks back incredulosly at her officers.
"Magic clearly won't work! Use your steel!"
A couple of Exorcists reluctantly unsheathe sleek rapiers from their belts and begin slowly approaching the boy. He raises a hand and the rapiers are wrenched from the their hands, flying over to him. He touches the tip of one of the swords and grins.
[(text-style:"smear","expand")[[Sharp.->Courtyard Escape 2]]]
(text-style:"italic","smear","expand")[This one's voice will not harmonize.]
Your movements are robotic and lifeless. You effortlessly shake Mentor off, causing her to fall back. You hold the artifact to Maria's chest. A blinding white light bursts out of the gem, piercing Maria straight through her stomach. Her body violently jerks forward, then is still. You fling her away like a filthy rag, withered and bloody.
Mentor watches this unfold in horror. She scurries away on her hands, clinging to any sort of distance she can put between you.
Confusion settles in, sudden and abrasive.
The voice that comes out from you both is and isn't your own. "(text-style:"smear","expand")[Why do you run Mentor? We're safe now.]"
Her eyes widen at your words. You see a myriad of movement in her face, horror and hope mixed in an uncanny union. She whispers "Claire?"
You smile. "(text-style:"smear","expand")[Yes. We are here Mentor. Time to go home."]
Her breath catches in her throat, but only for a moment. Her face quickly shifts, relaxing the muscles within. She stands slowly, a weak smile plastered across her face. "Yes. Let's go home."
Happiness floods your mind. You've done it. You've succeeded. The chorus within lifts your spirits, creating a feeling of content that you've never experienced.
(text-style:"italic","smear","expand")[To be alone is to lack power. Control. Unity.
But to be one is to be part of something greater. To give one's voice and elevate it, reaching higher and higher together.]
Truly, this is what it must mean to belong.
It's because of this feeling that you fail to notice Mentor's eyes, the horror still present within. She watches your every movement with intense focus, doing her best to still her heart and swallow her fear.
It's because of this feeling that you fail to notice Mentor slowly drag behind you as you walk towards the fortress gates, the artifact slung under your shoulder.
And its because of this feeling that, when Mentor slowly lets the magic surge around her, you fail to notice.
But the chorus doesn't. The chorus always listens.
Your arm is forcefully dragged behind you, In shock, Mentor immediatley lets off a salvo of spear-shaped magic bolts, all focused on the artifact nestled against your side.
You move your arm in front of the bolts, burning your cloak and exposing your flesh. The pain is numbed, the song in your mind blurring it out completley.
Mentor's curses, knowing what will come next. She wails out in agony as isolation seizes her muscles, causing her to contort and writhe on the ground.
Your arm lowers itself, and your legs slowly begin to move you over to her. An unease begins to set in deep within your heart, but its warning call is muffled by the voices within. Why are we doing this?
You try to stop only to realize that your body no longer listens. A heat emenates from the artifact, its stifling aura making your mind cloudy.
(text-style:"italic","smear","expand")[She would keep you from your purpose. Be at peace, and allow us to guide you.]
Why are //you// doing this? You try to move against the force with all your might, but all your actions earn you is sweat and frustration. Your muscles feel like they're going to rip and tear from the fighting within, your bones creaking against the pressure. Your whole body fights for release, but your mind remains enthralled.
You stand over her. She looks up in pain, tears streaking through the grime on her face.
"You should have just forgotten about me. Lived your life in peace and let your Mentor face her fate. But now?"
She begins to sob.
"Claire PLEASE! (text-style:"rumble")[DON'T LOSE YOURSELF]!"
---
Her sobs pierce through your mind, a fork of lightning in a storm. The song shifts into a cacophony of noise, screams and sobs shaking your mind. Its sharp notes screech into your mind and scrape against your conscience, blinding you. You scream out, both hands latching onto your head. The artifact falls to the ground, but the voices remain.
(text-style:"italic","smear","expand")[Don't let her cloud your vision! Would you go back to nothing? Living pathetically amongst the animals? Would you gag your song to appease the mute?"]
Their words are agonizing, causing the storm in your mind to grow stronger.
(text-style:"italic","smear","expand")[Is your song not a gift? Will you not embrace it? Will you not be a part of the grand symphony?]
You snatch at the artifact and hold it above your head.
"(text-style:"smear","expand")[SING FOR] SOMEONE ELSE!"
You smash the artifact on the ground with all your strength. A massive surge of energy explodes out of the artifact as hundreds of souls fly out into the open air. An explosion erupts from the artifact and engulfs you, Mentor and the fortress.
---
Mentor comes to her senses. Slowly getting up, she finds herself in a wasteland, her immediate surroundings devoid of all life. She scans the area and finds nothing.
No flowers.
No wildlife.
No fortress.
No Claire.
She falls to her knees and begins to cry. In the distance, a small group of villagers come closer.
----------------------
(if:$BoyFree is 1)[The boy scrambles out from the very edge of the crater. He looks into it, watching the woman in the center wail and wail. His eyes are lifeless.
Without words, he walks down into the pit. The woman looks up at him. She too, holds no life in her eyes.
Two souls, one's life extinguished in this moment, the other's extinguished long before this. Both thought they reignited it, only for it to be ripped from them again.
The boy kneels, helping the woman to her feet. The two of them begin to walk out, each of them holding the other.]
''ENDING 3/8 Artifact Ending''
[[Follow another path?->Maria Courtyard Showdown 2]]
[[Start from the beginning?->Start of Game]]
Her words echo inside your mind, breaking through the chorus for a brief moment.
Things feel clearer as you turn your head to face her. Her wild eyes scour your face, her desperation clear as she pleads for any sort of response. Why is she so concerned?
Why is she so... afraid?
This moment of hesitation is all Maria needs. As her strength returns to her she kicks her legs upwards, forcing the artifact out of your hand and knocking you to the ground. Your vison swirls as your senses return, the chorus now mute.
An intense and unnatural cold washes over you, a feeling unlike anything you've ever experienced before. It's as if something has pulled you far down into the depths of the ocean, where there is no reprieve from the abyss you now find yourself in. Then it hits you.
An abyss. You HAVE experienced this before.
It's the same emptiness you felt in the boy.
Mentor helps you to your feet, but recoils in shock as she touches your hand. You pick yourself up and look down at your hand. You can't feel anything.
No, that's not quite right. You feel an absence.
Maria gets to her feet and quietly picks up the artifact. "So that's it then." Her voice is almost a whisper as she looks you up and down. Is it compassion you sense in her? Awe? Disbelief that you'd do something so insane?
She shakes her head. "Go. Take your teacher and leave this place."
Mentor eyes her warily. "Your king will want an explanation."
Maria scoffs. "He will want heads. But the mage who did all of this," She gestures weakly around herself as she speaks. "is no longer a threat. That will have to suffice."
You wonder what she means. She smiles, her grin mocking you but her eyes showing pity. "Go on then girl. Use your magic."
You hear a surviving Exorcist run for cover screaming as you extend both your arms. You will flames to your fingertips but... nothing. The emptiness remains.
Tears well up in Mentor's eyes as she realizes the price of your gambit. Your empathy communicates her pain but it's muddled, a foggy window separating you from the most human truth.
Maria walks towards her exorcists, many of which lie dying. "Those that live won't notice if you sneak away now. Take her Erina. The girl has sacrificed enough. I will not be the one to take any more."
Mentor tugs on your arm as you watch Maria walk away. You manage a single word, ice and cold clouding your senses.
"Why?"
Maria frowns. "Who knows. Maybe I relate to you a little. Maybe I'm crazy. Maybe I'm just tired of seeing any more death today."
Mentor pulls you to her with what little strength she has, and you both walk off into the forest. What was once a place thriving with music is now muted to you, an entire dimension invisible.
A small sacrifice to have her here with you.
''''''ENDING 4/8: Refusal Ending''''''
[[Follow another path?->Maria Courtyard Showdown 2]]
[[Start from the beginning?->Start of Game]]The boy moves his other hand as if to shoo the sword away. All the rapiers flip to face the Exorcists and rocket towards their masters. One finds its home in a man's throat. Another flies straight through a woman's arm and continues flying, slicing across another man's face. A third pins Maria's foot to the ground. She falls down screaming, another voice added to the cacophony of terror unfolding around her.
The boy follows the carnage by sending out a jet of water, sending Exorcists flying.
An Exorcist, a stout, giant of a man, analyzes the carnage around him with a exasperated expression. Putting his hands to his head, he mutters:
"Oh screw this."
And begins bolting for the fortress gate.
(text-style:"smear","expand")["Oh no you don't."]
The boy curls his fingers inward and lifts his hand. In response a jagged section of earth rises up and cuts the man in half.
You watch all of this in disbelief. Is this the same kid you found in the cells? So vicious and animated?
Mentor shakes her head, her palms digging into her lap as she watches.
You turn back to watch the boy as he steps toward Maria, the Exorcist staring him down in fury.
"You abomination. I should've killed you after your first little escape."
The boy pauses. After some thought, he answers pensivley.
(text-style:"smear","expand")["You should have."]
He raises an arm. Air begins to slowly centralize around his hand, spinning faster and faster.
(text-style:"smear","expand")["Do you ever think about them? The people you butchered?"]
Maria scoffs. "//We// did nothing of the sort. But I've explained that to you many times. I tire of it really."
(text-style:"smear","expand")["You must lack shame to lie to your last breath. You're responsible for this!"] He waves empty hand down his figure as if to show off what he's become. The other hand continues to draw in air, the winds mounting in pressure.
She grins in defiance. "You did that to yourself. Your people are gone. The artifact is lying to you. Just because it absorbed a part of them doesn't mean they still live."
(text-style:"smear","expand")["SHUT YOUR MOUTH!"] The ground trembles in his anger. (text-style:"smear","expand")["They're here with me! I hear them singing! It has to be them!"]
Maria continues to press, gritting her teeth in pain. "An illusion. The truth of the matter is that your people's lack of understanding led to their doom. A fate you seem desparate to-"
The boy erupts. (text-style:"smear","expand")["STOP!"]
The wind swirling around the boy's hand has formed into a drill-like shape. A sharp whistling noise screeches around the courtyard as the boy shoves his hand to Maria's head.
(t8n-depart:"dissolve")[[It's over.->Courtyard Escape Ending]]Maria screams and yanks the rapier out of her foot. In one movement she weaves by the boy's hand and stabs him in the chest. Caught by surprise the boy slumps down, digging the drill into Maria's shoulder as he falls. She cries out in pain as her flesh is torn apart.
The artifact falls down to the ground, its gem pulsing with a white glow. The battlefield is quiet now, any Exorcist left either dead or about to be. Maria lies on the ground, cursing as she tries desparatley to heal her shoulder with magic. The boy is silent, the sword still embedded in his chest.
Mentor rushes over and begins to heal Maria's shoulder. You follow closely behind, more to protect her than anything else.
Maria grunts. "I warned you. The boy isn't rational anymore."
Your eyes flick to Maria, enraged. You press a thumb into her torn shoulder, causing her to scream and curse you. Mentor shoves you off with a look of shock.
"Maybe if you didn't lock him up like a starving animal he'd be a bit more //rational.//"
You walk over to the boy and slowly pull the sword out of his chest. He does not react. Placing your hands over the gaping wound you begin to cast a healing spell. His eyes seem glazed over, the only hint he's still alive being the slow rise of his chest.
You look over your work. It isn't Mentor's level, but at least he'll live. You gently place the boy over your shoulders and lift him. He's as light as he seems, the eerie chill about him still clinging to his bones.
Maria stares at you in disbelief. "What, you're taking him with you?"
Before you can even respond she laughs. "You know what? Good. He's your problem now. Convince him to leave the artifact and this delusion about his people behind."
"About that." Mentor finishes her spell and pats Maria on the back. "Is he right? Are his people's souls in that artifact?"
Maria shakes her head. "As far as I can understand, no. It's an image of them, but nothing more. The artifact holds their power. That's it."
You frown. Is that all there is? Those voices seemed... present. Alive.
As you walk off with the boy, Mentor and Maria speak. Mentor seems irate, Maria even more so. You leave them be.
She joins the two of you shortly, despondent. "Foolish. Just utterly reckless."
You turn to her. "She's not changing her mind hmm?"
She turns away. "Not the first time I've tried. Won't be the last."
You smile, making a big show of looking exasperated. "And I'll have to save you again! Just like you."
A hearty chuckle is her response, one all too famliar to you. She turns to the boy. "And this is... surprisingly unlike you. What made you take him along?"
You shrug. To be honest, you're not 100% sure yourself. It just felt... right. "I figured he needed the help."
She smiles. "Just like someone I met, long ago."
''''''ENDING 5/8: Courtyard Escape Ending''''''
[[Follow another path?->Maria Courtyard Showdown 2]]
[[Start from the beginning?->Start of Game]]Once you enter The Slab, you're surprised to find it empty. In fact, for all its infamy, it's rather disappointing. Just a dark, dingy room with two giant Clamps chained to the center of the floor and some barrels filled with what you hope is water stacked against the far wall. The only hint that something is deeply sinister here is the smell, an overwhelming stench of burnt flesh, sweat and vomit all married together. (t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"You know it well, a scent scarred into your memory.")[
(text-style:"italic","blur")[They found him taking corn from one of the farmer's plots, using a spell to shrink the cobs and fit them into the thin pockets of his threadbare pants. He hadn't eaten in days, on the run from the Exorcists in the Capital.
Death by fire was the sentence. A pyre for all to watch, right in the middle of the town square.
You still remember the jeers from kids even younger than you, cheering a man's death for no reason other than being born different. It was the day that you, a ratty looking fourteen year old with a birthright she didn't even fully understand, realized she would never be safe. The day you ran from everything you ever knew until your lungs cried out for air, screaming over the deep melody of pain within your heart. The day you met a strange looking woman in the forest] (link-reveal:"who showed more compassion than you thought possible.")  [(text-style:"blur")
[
By The One Beyond... you look like death! Are you lost? Hurt?
Come with me! Come on! I won't hurt you. I've got some pottage at home you're more than welcome to. That is, uh... if you like pottage of course.
We'll get you clean and then we can see about getting you home...
]]]
Memories. You could do without these ones, despite what they led to.
Noises outside. Chains scraping the floor. Footsteps, getting louder and louder. At least three people, maybe more.
The boy shakes you. "Hellooooo? Brash mage woman? Are you planning on standing there while the soldiers bring the old woman in?
That snaps you back. You quickly drag the boy with you behind a couple of old barrels.
"Brash? Really?"
"You infiltrated a fortress full of the king's soldiers and Exorcists alone. //Wise// didn't quite fit."
"Shut up."
(t8n-depart:"dissolve")[[As you argue, the door opens.->Mentor Encounter with Boy]]
Peeking out, you see two guards carrying a woman by each arm towards the Clamps. Her head is low and her damp hair hangs like a curtain over her face. Her bare feet drag against the stone floor, covered in tiny cuts. (if:$RightPath is 0)[An imposing woman follows behind them, her arms behind her back in a patient but dignified manner. If her taking the rear wasn't enough to tell you she calls the shots, the way the two men seem smaller in her presence does. Is she a warden? Captain? Is this the 'Maria' the prisoner schedule mentioned?]
(if:$RightPath is 1)[An imposing woman follows behind them, her arms behind her back in a patient but dignified manner. If her taking the rear wasn't enough to tell you she calls the shots, the way the two men seem smaller in her presence does. There's no doubt, this has to be Captain Maria, the Exorcist.]
The boy tenses up beside you. His hostility is clear, aimed at (if:$RightPath is 0) [the woman in charge.] (if:$RightPath is 1)[Maria.] You stare daggers at him, the message behind them clear. He relaxes, kissing his teeth as silently as he can.
The two men put the prisoner in the clamps and sure enough, it's her. Mentor doesn't move as the heavy clamps surround her arms, keeping her kneeling on the floor. You can't recognize her like this, defeated, lifeless and quiet. Your brain refuses to recognize your memory of her and this stranger as one and the same. With her head bowed you can't even see her eyes, the shining beacons of light that were your torch in the darkness. It burns you up to just be sitting here, watching them do this to her, but you need an opening.
(if:$RightPath is 0)[The mystery woman kneels to meet the prisoner's eyes and puts on a grim tone. "I'm sure you won't try anything, but it's procedure." She gets back up and puts a hand to her forehead, covering her own eyes. "Oh Erina, you just couldn't help yourself could you? Could have just stayed alone in that hut of yours and none of these fools would've been the wiser." You're shocked to see she seems almost disappointed. Mentor does not respond to this, and this seems to bother the woman.]
(if:$RightPath is 1)[Maria kneels to meet the prisoner's eyes and puts on a grim tone. "I'm sure you won't try anything, but it's procedure." She gets back up and puts a hand to her forehead, covering her own eyes. "Oh Erina, you just couldn't help yourself could you? Could have just stayed alone in that hut of yours and none of these fools would've been the wiser." You're shocked to see she seems almost disappointed. Mentor does not respond to this, and this seems to bother Maria.]
"It hurts me to do this, you know? You're a good person Erina. But the public wants blood, and if it ever got out that the Exorcists let a mage go... well."
(if:$RightPath is 0)[An Exorcist. The captain no less.] Mentor lets out a slight breath.
"Hmm? What's that?"
(link-reveal:"Mentor chokes out one word.")
[=
(text-style:"smear","shudder")["Traitor."]
It's the most venom you've ever heard out of her, slicing its way through a heavy layer of exhaustion.
(if:$RightPath is 0)[The woman frowns] (if:$RightPath is 1)[Maria frowns], her eyes grow dark. With a tone closer to dissapointment (hurt, even?) than anger, she mutters. "I'm going back to my office to check on the artifact. Get her to talk about her... //experience// with it." She walks out, closing the door.
Traitor? As much as you love Mentor, she's pretty much a hermit. She's not a part of any sort of group, and you can't imagine her having much in common with an Exorcist, unless she means...
Oh.
Oh hell no.
It makes no sense, and yet it's the only thing that MAKES SENSE. That Exorcist is a mage.
(if:$RightPath is 0)[The Exorcist leaves](if:$RightPath is 1)[Captain Maria walks out] and the two guards look at Mentor with the same expression you reserve for cleaning the outhouse.
Your thoughts race as you desperately try to come up with a plan. The one thing you don't account for is the boy, who quickly snatches at your pack, managing to get his hands on it. He holds a finger to his lips, his eyes suddenly flush with determination. You have seconds to react.
(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")[[Pull the pack back.->Escape Sequence]]
(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")[[Let the boy take the pack.->Boy Takes Pack]]
The boy looks up at you as you surrender your grasp on the pack. A smile spreads across his face as he nods and signals for you to stay low. He pulls the box out of the pack and holds a hand above the gem, causing it to glow a sickly green. He closes his eyes, a wistful expression on his face as he rises to his feet.
One of the guards turns to face this intruder. "Who the hell are-"
A bolt of lightning pierces the man's armor, rooting him in place as he violently convulses. The smell of burned flesh floods the room, mingling with the scent of the lightning bolt caught in the man's chest.
The other guard turns from his comrade to the boy, too shocked to respond. The box gently hovers above the boy's open palm, the air around them crackling with energy.
"What in the world..." The guard's horror is palpable, his voice shaking as he steps back. The boy steps forward.
Another bolt zips out from the gem. "Shh. No more."
The man leaps for the door but is too late, the bolt slamming into his forehead and knocking him out cold.
The boy smiles, satisfied with himself. "Problem solved. You can come out now."
You lift yourself up from the ground and watch him cautiously. There's an air around him that wasn't there before, a subtle hum that seems to saturate his entire being. The frigid emptiness is gone, but what's there gives you a feeling of uncanniness that you can't shake.
You try to focus on the other pressing matter. "How the hell did you do that? And how are you fine after it? Shouldn't magical isolation kick in? Leave you throwing your guts up?"
He smiles at your confusion, clearly enjoying knowing something you don't. "Don't you have someone to attend to?" He points to Mentor, who is watching the boy with a look you can only describe as horrified curiosity.
Swiping the key off the slumped guard, you undo Mentor's cuffs and slowly bring her to her feet. She sways, falling onto your shoulder as you support her.
She stares at you, disbelief clear across her face. "Claire? What are you doing here?" She eyes you up and down with a crazed expression, as if you're some sort of apparition she's dreamed up in her exhaustion.
The boy walks over and tilts his head at Mentor. "Seems a bit worse for wear, but she should come to." He looks over at you, his eyes a hazy flame. If you didn't know any better you'd say he was out of it himself.
"You trusted me with the artifact. Why?"
You shrug. "You seemed to have a plan."
His eyes go wide, and now he's tilting his head at you. "That's it?"
"That's it."
He laughs. "You're an idiot."
He turns to look at the box in his hands, deep in thought. The gem pulses gently, deep emerald shades that fill you with a sense of calm.
"You're the boy. The one from the village." Mentor's eyes are focused intently on the boy, who still seems to be contemplating something. Suddenly her eyes light up.
"The flow within you isn't yours. The artifact took your flow, or absorbed it somehow, I don't know. I didn't even think that was possible. Is that why you were able to attack those guards? It must be. By the Beyond, it all makes sense now, the pull, the voices..." Mentor stares at the boy in awe, letting her hypothesis linger in the air. Her words are almost breathless, barely present. The boy says nothing.
"How did Maria take the artifact from you?"
The boy frowns, his cold demeanor making way for melancholy. "The same way she took everything else."
You say nothing. No response could ease that pain.
Instead, you gently carry Mentor over to the door and gingerly tilt the door open. You whisper over your shoulder, "So long boy. Thanks for your help."
"Wait."
You turn around and spit the words out under your breath, "What? We need to move!"
He looks up at you. A disaster looms in the distance, his words the harbinger of its impending arrival.
"Want to help me bring this whole place down?"
He's... not serious is he?
(t8n-depart:"dissolve")+(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")[[Decline.->Escape w/o Boy Ending]]
(t8n-depart:"dissolve")+(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")[[Hear him out.->Teleportation]]You sigh. Bringing this place down doesn't sound half bad, and if the box is as powerful as they say the kid might be able to do it. The thought of giving these Exorcists the same abuse they committed to Mentor is a comforting one for sure.
But it's not what you came here for.
You look at the boy. He is desparate for your response, you can practically hear his heart pounding out of his chest. He does his best to appear nonchalant, just like a child attemptting to persuade a parent by feigning indifference. It's clear that he doesn't just want to do this, he NEEDS it. Desperation like that, looking for anyone to help, is something you're all too familiar with.
The fact he trusted you would be flattering, if the situation wasn't so overwhelmingly sad.
"I'm sorry," is all you can get out before his entire face shifts. You see the dissapointment quickly creep over his face, even something like fear, closely followed by the sardonic expression you're used to. He doesn't need you to say anything else.
"I guess I misjudged you. Forget I asked. Hurry up and get out of here." the boy mutters, turning his back towards you. His words are fast, tightly packed to not let a single breath out, lest he choke up.
Mentor speaks up. "Come with us. There's no point in throwing away your life to bring down one Exorcist fortress."
He smiles sadly at her. "You don't understand. They took my life a long time ago. I'm taking it back now."
Mentor persists. "You can build a life, find something worth living for again! Please, don't let them take even more from you!" You notice her clinging tightly to you as she speaks.
You don't know much about Mentor's past, and this reaction from her is really hammering that fact home.
The boy says nothing. Instead, he pushes you both out the door, following closely behind.
(if: $RightPath > 0)
[The boy turns left and dashes down the hall, running into two Exorcists. You recognize them as Wise Eyes and Thimble, who both seem //very// caught off guard. Thimble reaches for her blade as Wise Eyes turns to call for help.
He never gets the chance. The boy launches a fireball at him, lighting him on fire and causing him to scream out in agony. Thimble screams and launches herself at the boy before meeting the same fate.
He turns and sends a shockwave through the wall next to him, causing part of it to cave in and block the path behind him.]
(if: $RightPath < 1)
[The boy immediatley runs left down a hallway and launches a fireball the size of a small boulder at the wall, immediatley causing part of it to cave in. The cave in blocks off his path.]
It's easy to sneak out with all the chaos going on. You and Mentor have to dip behind some shadows and hold your breath a few times, but before long you manage to enter the courtyard.
The courtyard is wide and open, not a soul in sight. You can hear screams and the sound of bodies hitting concrete as you walk out. Mentor grits her teeth.
"That boy... why? Why couldn't he just come with us?" Tears have welled up in her eyes, but she remains composed. "How many of us have to suffocate in despair?"
"Mentor... it seemed like you knew the Exorcist. Maria."
She shakes her head. "At one point, I might've. Sometimes I wonder if I ever really //knew// her. Maybe things could've been different."
You listen intently, not really sure what to say but there for her regardless.
She continues. "Maria was desperate. The kind of desperation you'll do anything to get rid of. I couldn't stop her from doing what she did. Maybe no one could."
"Whatever happened, it was her choice Mentor. I doubt you could've changed her mind."
She smiles sadly. "I've had to learn that the hard way, yes." Her tone becomes firm with a soft edge to it. "You're here after all, despite this being an unbeileveably stupid thing to do."
You smile, hugging her as you both walk out of the fortress grounds. A massive explosion rocks the walls, and you see smoke rising from the roof.
You hope the boy found his peace, whatever that looked like.
''''''ENDING 7/8: Stealth Courtyard Escape Ending''''''
[[Follow another path?->Mentor Encounter with Boy]]
[[Start from the beginning?->Start of Game]](set: $BoyJoins to 1)
(set: $BoyFree to 0)
This request takes you aback. With your focus entirely on saving Mentor you never even considered anything beyond it. Fighting was a last resort, especially because of how taxing it could be on your body.
This box makes that a real possibility.
You look at the boy. He is desperate for your response, you can practically hear his heart pounding out of his chest. He does his best to appear nonchalant, just like a child attempting to persuade a parent by feigning indifference. It's clear that he doesn't just want to do this, he NEEDS it. Desperation like that, looking for anyone to help, is something you're all too familiar with.
You understand some of that hatred, that desperation to exact some sort of revenge. Maybe not on the same level as him, but you would be ignoring a pretty loud voice inside if you said the idea didn't entice you.
But you're not about to put your life on the line to help this kid get his revenge. You worked too hard to save Mentor to just throw that away.
Before you do anything, you need an answer from him first.
"I don't... hate the idea." You see the boy's eyes light up, the haze clearing from his pupils. "But," you continue, "I want to ask you something."
The boy nods, his excitement betraying his attempt at indifference. "What do you want to know?"
"The Exorcists burnt down your village."
He nods.
"And you wanted this artifact back, right?"
He nods.
"So, you've got it. Why bother getting yourself killed bringing down one fortress?"
He frowns, his torso slumping a bit. You aren't as on board with this idea as he probably thought.
"Because... because the deaths of my people need to mean something. If we stop the Exorcists now, they won't be able to do something like that again." He shifts his weight between his legs, his eyes darting from the box in his hands, to the door, to you.
Mentor walks over to the boy, putting her hands on his shoulders. "Their deaths meant something. You're still alive because of their sacrifice. Because of your own sacrifice. Why throw that away?"
The boy blinks. He never considered this.
"Plus" you butt in, "taking down this fortress isn't going to stop the Exorcists. The King will get another group here eventually."
The boy wrestles with this newfound clarity. You see him look down at his body, ragged and thin. You watch as he spins the box around in his hands, running his fingers alongside the smooth gold detailing across its side.
"That... can't be it." The boy whispers, more to himself than the present company he shares. "Why me? Why not Thomas or mother, someone useful?"
Mentor frowns. "Oh no child. The question you should be asking is: Why //not// you?
I'm sure your people did their best to save more, but it was you they succeeded with."
Frustration shadows the boy's features. The box glows the same nauseating green from before, making his face appear unnatural and garish as it bounces onto it. You watch him tremble, squeezing the box in his hands, his knuckles going white.
"No, they must pay. The voices, mother, they want-"
You slam a hand on the box, making the boy jump. You go queasy as the gem's glow dissipates.
"How about this? Come with us for now. If you still want to bring this place down after a day or so, I'll join you."
It's a huge bluff. You're not above ditching this kid the second you're all out of here. At the very least however, you'd rather not see him get skewered by the swords of Exorcists.
The boy looks up at you, the haze crowding his eyes dissipating.
"How can I trust you?"
Your response is deadpan, purely factual. "You can't, not completely anyways. But I'd like to think a chance at life is better than whatever your plan is."
You might not realize it in the moment, but this honesty is what saves him. As if waking from a dream, he groggily responds.
(t8n-depart:"dissolve")+(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")[["Very well then... I'll come with you." ->Teleport Ending]]
Mentor practically beams with energy, looking at you with pride.
The boy mutters "You better keep your promise, mage woman."
Then, he focuses intently on the box, and it begins to glow again. A bubble appears around the three of you, and in the span of a blink the three of you appear outside of the fortress, none the worse for wear.
The boy's full of surprises. "Magic like that can keep Exorcists off our trail with ease." you think to yourself, before realizing what you're implying, maybe already accepting in some unconscious way.
Mentor appears calm, but her voice betrays her immediate concern. She mutters to herself, "Teleportation magic. Transitioning an area, not just an individual." Looking up, she questions the boy. "How did you learn such an advanced spell?"
The boy taps the box while turning away. "The music holds many secrets, if you're willing to listen. Ancient magic, knowledge long since lost. All it asks is for you to embrace it."
Pleasant. Whatever this 'artifact' does to him, it's clear prolonged contact isn't going to be a good thing.
You walk over and pull the box from the boy, placing it in your pack. When he turns to you with venom in his eyes, you stare him down. "Not exactly smart to walk around with such a rare artifact in view hmm? I'll hold onto it for you until we reach our destination."
The boy huffs, but does not protest any further. Satisfied, you pull Mentor close, supporting her weight as the three of you walk off from the fortress.
After some time, the boy squeaks out a question. "Why talk me out of doing... what I was going to do?"
You scoff. "You were going to get yourself killed."
He scoffs back. "Leaving you to escape perfectly fine with your //beloved // Mentor. Now answer my question for real."
Some of that sass is coming back. Shame, you actually liked him when he wasn't being a brat.
"In theory. You could've easily messed things up and left us to deal with the mess you started."
The boy stares at you dumbfounded. "Did you JUST see what I did? I teleported the three of us through about a foot of solid stone. The only mess to be cleaned up would be your failure of an infiltration plan."
Mentor laughs, and the airy cheerfulness of it almost startles you. "What is your name boy?"
The boy mumbles through pursed lips. "Arthur."
She smiles. "Arthur. What Claire is struggling to admit is that she didn't want to see you make a mistake. Your people gave you a chance at life. Carry on that legacy."
She continues. "I want you to stay with us until you get your strength back. It's the least I can do to thank you."
Arthur says nothing. Well, there's that settled.
Silence, until Arthur chokes out a sigh. "Claire, is it? I apologize, for before. Mages don't tend to take kindly to my... condition so to say. I suppose I came off a little... harsh because of that."
You think back to how your hair stood on end when you first met him, your insides twisting. You can see how other mages would be wary of someone like him.
A sigh comes easily to your lips. The words, not so much. "Relax, it's in the past. Let's head home and figure things out from there."
Arthur smiles. "Yes. I'd like that."
''''''ENDING 8/8: Stealth Escape with Arthur Ending''''''
[[Follow another path?->Mentor Encounter with Boy]]
[[Start from the beginning?->Start of Game]]
(set:$TheBoxExplained to 1)
(go-to: "The Box Explained" )
(t8n-depart:"dissolve")+(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")[[''Begin.''->Start of Game]]