The soft crackling of a warm fire met Igantius' ears which was soon accompanied by the familiar warm smokey smell and some dried herbs and leather-bound books standing on old dusty wooden shelves. Soon he heard a shuffle of cloth and turning a few pages of a book. At that moment, Ignatius was able to open his eyes and found himself staring up at a stone maced ceiling. The pale sandstone and softened edges reminded him of a cellar he once knew and shared with. He slowly sat up and followed his glance to the source of the fire. There at a wooden stool and table sat Ussb, brooding over an open book at hand, a calm finger followed the lines of the text. His dark eyebrows were narrowed in concentration; hence it gave a stern expression.
Ignatius blinked. "Ussb?" He nearly muttered in surprise.
Ussb gave an acknowledgeable hum while finish reading the sentence before looking up.
Both men stared in silence for a moment. Before Ignatius could find his words, Ussb cut the silence with a content grin. "I hope you've rested well, Ignatius, my boy?"
Ignatius bit the inner side of his cheek to hold back a question, but he had to know and drew in a deep breath. "Glad to see you again, Ussb, but pardon me asking this, am I dead this time?"
Ussb remained his grin and shook his head. He stood up and approached Ignatius. "No, I brought you here for a different reason."
Ignatius blinked wide-eyed in shock.
"Everyone who is in that world with you is dying. The end is nigh." Ussb sighed and placed a hand upon Ignatius' shoulder. His grin turned slightly wry. "I never left your side since we last met-"
"Wait, was it you who saved me as the ceiling came crashing down whilst being stuck in gryphon form?"
"No, that was your own doing and being able to transform into a magical creature at ease is a sign of strong magic, stronger than mine as a matter of fact."
Ignatius stared at Ussb, speechless.
Ussb sniggered and patted his shoulder. "Still doubtful of your powers, despite coming this far." He paused. "I brought you here to give you a little help, a reminder even. Perhaps the very reason that could help unite others together. You will need all the help you can get to defeat Shadow. No one can kill him, but you can entrap him with a magical object." He pointed down to one of Ignatius' boots.
"Magpie's dagger." Ignatius blinked as he followed Ussb's gaze, gripped for the dagger at his boot and unsheathed it. The blade with the bronze coloured handle gently glistened from the nearby fire and candles. Within the blade, Ignatius recognized his own reflection. "You're right. I've lost sight of what's truly important and got caught in a new struggle with Jayden." He face-palmed to the realisation and sighed. "I'm a fool."
"I presume you know what needs to be done?" Wondered Ussb softly.
Ignatius bit his inner cheek as he pondered. "Not exactly, and I need no know where Dark Weaver is at the moment." He ran a hand through his short dark hair as a new question popped in his head and faced Ussb. "Do you know by chance, know where Dark Weaver is?"
Ussb laughed. "Why ask me when you can cast the spell yourself of seeking out that Dark Weaver?"
Ignatius slightly slumped back in annoyance. "I thought since you've passed away, you may know everything, and I can spare the energy for something else."
"A different definition of laziness is what I see." Ussb chuckled. "As you know well enough, the dead shouldn't meddle the living and vice versa. But in the world you are in is an exception and so is this meeting."
"Now, you sound like someone I know."
"Maybe you should listen more to that person."
"I will, although it won't be easy."
Ussb patted him on the shoulder. "You know what I see in you? A brave man and strong caster who fights for what is right-"
"Ussb, don't glorify me as some hero. I am not. Shadow tainted my magic and many of my actions- The fact being here is one of many of them."
"That may be, but if you know where to look, there's always a chance to change or redeem. You're like a raven, tainted with dark feathers, but their nature is the opposite. Use that dark magic from Shadow and use it against him. Use it to your advantage."
Ignatius stared at Ussb for a moment, speechless of his words and meaning. It made sense, and what difference is there if he used his magic or not. He is tainted nevertheless, and he is not in Bhernia anymore, so the rule of using dark magic is not forbidden here.
Upon that thought, a wave of orange glow shifted from his shoulder down to his hand holding the dagger, and it glowed.
"So I see your powers are still adjusting after our last encounter." Noted Ussb.
"Yes, I know what needs to be done, and you're right, I'll need all the help I can get. Not only Magpie's dagger but she herself with her talents." He sighed. "She won't like it, but for the right reasons, I know she'll do it." Ignatius held tighter onto the dagger that his knuckles turned white. He turned to Ussb. "Thanks for the reminder, and I hope you see you again, not too soon, though."
Ussb smiled. "Good luck, Ignatius."
Magpie stared at Kieragh, speechless, but as she collected herself, she glared at him. "Why should I believe you?"
Kieragh smirked. "Have you ever wondered why you have a talent with magic? Why your beloved was easily able to replace your lost eye with a magical one?" He pauses. "It courses through your very veins. Haven't you noticed your senses and reflexes were a bit sharper than that of a human?"
"Don't you dare! I got the strength from those slave trader bastards!" Magpie hissed furiously.
"Yet you don't ask if I am your father?"
"No one wanted me, that's what! If you really are my father, why appear now and here?"
"Have you forgotten what realm this is?" He stepped closer.
Magpie began to shake her head in disbelief and felt tears welling in her eyes while a heavy pain pulled from within her chest. "No, all deceased go elsewhere. You're not my father! I'm human and no half magical creature!"
Suddenly Magpie recalled what Shadow said to her about her magic. That it is stronger than Ignatius'. An icy shudder ran through her body to the thought. "Getaway!" She screamed, and bright violet lights danced in the air like little whisps. Her hair began to float as the air around her grew static; the whisps moved more erratic like little lightning bolts and felt the familiar burning in her heart. Soon violet flames encased her balled hands. "Leave me alone!" As Magpie shouted these words, a pair of violet lightning bolts struck near Kieragh's toes, and violet flames expanded. Then, engulfing the bushes near her in fire, and neared Kieragh at a greater speed than a wildfire.
Kieragh did not falter as the bolts struck the ground before him, and as the hot flames neared, he placed his right foot a bit behind while slightly leaning forward and held up his arms to form a cross. For a brief second, his eyes glowed violet before the flames met him.
The scent of burnt metal penetrated Magpie's nostrils, the poisonous bushes burnt to a cinder. She linked surprised and somewhat relieved to see Kieragh unharmed. His magic had the same violet colour as her's and used shielding magic without saying the words. Just like she does when using magic.
Kieragh slowly lowered his arms and began to smile.
Magpie blinked and looked at her hands; violet flames licked peacefully above her skin, causing no harm or heat.
"Magpie." Spoke Kieragh softly with a velvet voice. Suddenly a hand placed gently over her's. The fire didn't burn the hand as it glowed dimly violet.
She gasped and looked up, glancing into a pair of amethyst eyes. They shone with concern. "Magpie."
Suddenly Magpie recalled in her mind a picture, a memory of Kieragh. His smile was filled with joy and pride, a loving smile that he shared with another woman that had rosy cheeks. A warm feeling spread from her chest, but it ached at the same time. "F-father?" She stuttered in a mere whisper.
Kieragh knitted his eyebrows as he began to smile and placed the other hand gingerly upon Magpie's rosy cheek. He swallowed thickly but said nothing, yet his response was a slow nod.
Tears streamed from her eyes while her lips trembled. The flames slowly died, and the static air became slower and normal as the whisps shrunk and disappeared. "Father?" She asked anew to be sure she is not dreaming.
Ravage hummed a sad melody softly while grinning broadly and skipped merrily past numerous collapsed buildings. Her blue-red eyes wandered the environment in search of something. Soon she halted, closed her eyes and sniffed as if trying to smell something. "Hmm, smells like food but not in the best way. But it wouldn't hurt taking a peek for Blue." Suddenly she halted in the midst of her steps as an idea popped into her head. She giggled gleefully and made a dance-like spin. "That's it!" I'll gather some food, the best sort I can find and then bargain to my advantage. I may have been created recently but am no fool, and I bet Shadow wouldn't have seen that coming." She skipped off towards the source of the scent. A few umbras jumped out from the shadows with a leap at attack from above, but Ravage's lightning-like speed with the Magpie's sword was no match for the umbras. They were all cut into ribbons and landed hard on the ground while Ravage skipped light-footed and without a splatter of their dark blood.
She came to a halt in front of a collapsed building surrounded by million tiny shards of glass and bent iron bars of a skyscraper. Ravage tilted her head, but the shards didn't falter her, and a broad grin with sharp teeth split her face. She drew in a deep breath while slowly lifting her arm with the Magpie's sword above her head. As she started to breathe out through her mouth, she swung the sword rapidly in high speed down to the ground, yet the sharp tip of the blade barely rested on the ground. Soon followed a firm gust of wind and brushed the shards away, forming a path before her. Ravage gave a proud hum and began to sing her tune from before while sheathing the sword and skipped her way into the collapsed building. The sight wasn't spectacular, with turned over tables, chairs, shelves and window stood bare with only their metal frames. Ravage sniffed out to follow the source; it came from the battered bar, just about the only thing that wasn't turned over. Soon a cloud of old beer penetrated her nostrils as she approached it. Ravage grimaced in disgust and pulled herself not to gag as she neared and held her nose. Behind the bar, she found a large packet of mini pretzels, salted peanuts and bottled water. "Odd way to store food and drink, but as long they're not spoiled, that's good enough for Blue. Best search somewhere else, the smell of the beer is revolting." She spoke with a nasal voice and walked off towards other tipped over shelves to check for food.
Suddenly her sight and senses went black.
Ravage dropped everything as she jumped back in fright and gasped. But as she looked down at her hands and feet is was gone, just as suddenly it came. She blinked. "Maybe the connection in blood with Blue was a bit over the top, I think." She gave unsurely. That darkness and silence felt familiar to her; she was there before Shadow brought her here. No words can describe it, yet the living have a name for that feeling, death.
Silence.
Moryuu is now dead. Where is he? Is he awake in this realm? There are no answers, and that’s how it would’ve been until his soul was guided somewhere other than his destination. Then, his senses began to return to him despite lacking a body. Before long, he arrived in another void, but this time he was not alone. He soon regains his sense of sight and hearing. The other person clad in yellow began to speak to the formless Moryuu.
Talon- “I know this might come as a shock, but I need your help.”
The yellow one hastily bowed, and Moryuu was taken aback by him and the situation. However, the ability to speak came back soon after.
Moryuu- “Where am I, and who are you?”
Talon- “The name’s Talon, and we’re are….well, it’s kind of hard to explain. I think it’s better to explain why I brought you here.”
Talon explains to Moryuu the dimension they’re trying to break into, the people trapped in the loop, the sleeping God and the threat it poses. It was a lot to take in; it didn’t help that he should be dead. He was supposed to rest after his fight with Hashi, after passing on his hopes to him.
Moryuu- “If this is all true, why me? I’m sure there are better candidates.”
Talon- “You would be surprised. We don’t have a lot of time, and I don’t want those people stuck in that loop any longer than I have to.”
Talon- “I….I had seen a lot more than I thought I had to before I brought you. But hey, at least I’m not alone anymore. So that’s something to celebrate.”
There was subtle sadness behind his eyes and words but covered by a smile.
Talon- “Anyway, I brought you here because you were….nearby in a sense and because your skills would help a lot in there.”
Talon- “So, will you help me? I won’t force you if you don’t want to.”
Moryuu thinks for a moment before coming to the obvious answer. “I guess there’s no rest for a hunter after all….” He thinks before giving his answer to Talon.
Moryuu- “I see; well, I have no reason to refuse. Besides, if this sleeping God wakes up, it might target my world too. I can’t let that happen.”
Talon- “That’s the spirit! Now first order of business is to open up a hole in this dimension and send you in first.”
Talon- “After that, I need to close it quickly, so we’re not found out, then slowly open it again so I can enter. The second time shouldn’t take as long as the first.”
Moryuu- “How long does the first time take?”
Talon- “….We’ll found out together. I’m sure we’re halfway there.”
Moryuu underestimated the length of time the last half will take. Makes him wonder if Talon brought him early, why didn’t he get when he was done. Still, he supposes the answer is obvious.
To pass the time, the two talked about many things. Moryuu’s past Talon’s desire to not save many realities but the people stuck in the loop, to name a few. So it was inevitable that they began to understand each other and develop a bond.
All the while, they had to watch many loops inside the realm. So many that they lost count. Many groups came and went, brought in and consumed.
After a while, they stopped talking. They shouldn’t be happily talking when others are suffering in front of them. All that matters is to stop this madness.
Eventually, the current group came (excluding the alive ones) for their first loop. After seeing so many groups consumed by this sleeping God, Talon was determined to make this one the last.
Time seemed absent in this void; neither of them knew how long they’ve been waiting for. However, they did know that many lives have been consumed while they do this. Time was running out.
As if God answered their prayers, Talon finally opens a portal large enough for Moryuu to slip in.
Talon- “Finally!!”
Moryuu- “Now what?”
Talon- “Okay….it’s been so long I almost forgot what the plan was.”
Moryuu- “Really?”
Talon- “Not really, I just need to lighten the mood. Being too tense can lead to mistakes. So I’ll send you in, just keep an eye on everything at first and try to prevent any more deaths.”
Moryuu- “With what? I don’t have a body right now.”
Talon- “The sleeping God will provide you one based on your memories since it will think you’re a normal participant.”
Talon- “So think of all the items you might need. Only items integral to you will work.”
Moryuu- “So I guess no lightning powers?”
Talon- “No, but I’m sure the sleeping God will make a copy and put it in a tower-like it did with so many others.”
Talon- “So, are you ready? I will help out a bit before I come in. Hold out, okay.”
Moryuu- “Got it.”
Talon moved the formless Moryuu through the portal. Moryuu thought of all the items he might need. His senses deepen, and the sensation of touch returned; he regained his body. He opens his eyes slowly to a warehouse ceiling.
It was time to work; this will be the last loop. Whatever it takes.
ns 15.158.61.21da2
