(In collaboration with [@Rtron] and [@Antarctic Termite]) Once more did a hand strike the ground in frustration, the being blaming itself for allowing her friend to be taken from her. That was Keriss, and her anger knew no bounds that day as the face of the worm played in her memory like a damned loop. It was another dead end, the now dead jvanic monk had lied to her in an attempt to be freed, though that would mean the impatient one would have to start from the beginning all of her leads gone. At least she was not alone in the search, Orphan keeping close at all times, even when Keriss began raging at the fact that she could not find her lost friend. [color=green]”Damnit! That is the second dead end I've hit!,”[/color] Keriss roared as she slammed her fist into the ground thrice now. Her face was a mix of anger and sadness, desperately trying to do what she could to find the worm that had beckoned her to find him, frustrated on where Tauga was. A small, gentle touch came upon her back as Orphan attempted to silently to comfort her. [color=green]”Why must it be like this? I feel like I'm being taunted at every turn, yet when I feel like I got something it is false!”[/color] The child remained silent, allowing Keriss to curse more and more, before eventually the Demi-goddess collected herself. The pained one stood and looked around before letting out a sigh, [color=green]”I may actually need help for once…”[/color] Keriss gave a defeated look before her gaze went directly into the air, [color=green]”Father, I require your assistance!”[/color] Vestec appeared in a flash of multi-colored light, looking around. He tsked, looking at the carnage. "My my Keriss. It seems like mass murdering and torturing cultists isn't very helpful. It works in a battlefiled, but when you're searching for information you need a more...delicate hand. What would you like from me daughter dear? Jvan's sleepwalking, the Pronobii are back and quite angry, there are many things that require my attention, all at once. But for now, you have all of it." He gestured expansively, giggling. "So. How can I help?" [color=green]”I have been summoned by an entity and I need to find him. I know not his name but I know what the worm looks like,”[/color] the demi-goddess responded, motioning her hand as ash sprouted from her back and formed the very image that she had seen when she was in the thick of slaughter, [color=green]”Do you know who this is and where I might find him?,”[/color] she asked in a calm and collected tone, looking at the sculpture with eyes that held back emotion. Her arms crossed, before forcing her attention to the chaos god. Orphan, being her naturally quiet self, observed the figure Keriss made before walking a few paces away from the two, only to sit in the grass and wait. There was little time that she got to rest with her new mother, but it was better than being a hopeless and homeless cripple who couldn't do much. The child let out a sigh, allowing herself to relax while the two divines talked. "Oh! That's Heartworm. One of two avatars of Jvan. Totally seperate from her and the other one, I should add. I think she's accidentally compartmentalized parts of her and shot them off. Anyway, Hearty there is pretty good at manipulating genetics and organics. Turned the dwarves from their proper, alcohol fueled, selves into whatever they are now. Not so good at fighting. Hid the entire time the Realta was purging the world of Jvanic taint. Gave me the location of Logos' little hideaway world in return for protection. All in all it was quite the lovely little deal." "I can't give you his exact location without breaking my promise. But I can give you the location of someone who hates him enough to give you both his location and the training or tools to get there." Vestec strolled over to 'Orphan' looking down at her. "Who is this? Don't tell me you're feeling guilt about the last little incident and you're trying to make up for it?" [color=green]"That is not something you need to know. Besides, she was helpless when I found her, missing an arm. I took pity upon her brought her under my now metaphorical wing,"[/color] Keriss responded, walking over to Vestec's side as the reconstructed picture dissolved. [color=green]"She is strong, I'm surprised she hadsurvived this long before I had found her. She is a good student, obedient, determined."[/color] A light look of pride came upon her face before speaking to the girl this time, [color=green]"Introduce yourself, child."[/color] The child obeyed, standing and turning to face the two and bowing, [b]"My name is Orphan, student of Keriss."[/b] [color=green]"Rise."[/color] The child straighten herself and looked up at Vestec, showing her brown eyes, her pale skin, and the blackened mark that was permanently stained on her forehead. She pulled her hood forward, revealing the ashen arm that she now possessed, before looking down and rocking herself gently on her heels. "Ooooh. Very nice. Starting up that little Order I see. Remind me to get you more of them later. You're going to need an army if you're going to take on Heartworm. Regardless, you need to head to Metera. Chirally there would just [i]love[/i] to send you to Hearty's location. But make sure she teaches and arms you properly. Make her prepare you as best she can, or you'll die in the tunnels." He tilted his head, idly patting Orphan. "Anything else dear? Also, you should know, there is a necromancer with a sizeable army of undead in the North. I think he's dominated all the Packminds, but I'm not sure. I'll have to go destabilize that soon, but I don't know if you're still interested in mass murdering undead and chaos or not." [color=green]”I would love to help you, once I get done with Heartworm and find my lost friend, I'll get right to helping you if nothing of importance gains my attention,”[/color] Keriss stated, looking at Vestec. Then she realized she needed to make a point of clarification to her adopted father, half-asking, [color=green]”I have no reason to attack Heartworm, mayhaps you could take me right to him then?”[/color] Vestec wagged a finger at her. "I don't think so. You had no reason to attack a lot of things, those Cursed, those Hain, all of the Sculptors you've brutally murdered in an attempt to learn Hearty's location, so on so forth. You're a violent creature Keriss, and while I cherish that about you, I can't risk breaking my promise. I'll get you to Chiral Phi, and she'll get you to Heartworm. Be forewarned, she hates him as much as she is able, so she might set you up to attempt to kill him." [color=green]”I had plenty of reasons to kill all those people, you just can't see them. Now, take me to Heartworm,”[/color] Keriss growled, annoyance clear in her tone. However, she knew clear what she had done, but her pride would not allow her to believe Vestec was correct in his statement. Vestec giggled. "That's not how you ask someone whose help you need. That's all my help you're getting. Take it or leave it Kery dear." He spun in slow circles around Keriss and Orphan. "I'm the only one who can help you and you know it." She loathed the fact that he was right, but it was something she would have to swallow for the time being. Annoyance became her primary expression, arms crossed and eyes avoiding the godly being. [color=green]”Fine, take me to her,”[/color] Keriss mumbled, gritting her teeth to mask any other rising expressions that might make her seem like a violent being to Vestec, wanting to spite him so badly. "See? Was that so hard? Don't answer that, you look like I made you swallow knives." Vestec giggled as he held out a hand to his daughter. "Take my hand, Keriss, and I'll take you to the being that can help you finish your quest." They were gone from that place, and suddenly knee-deep in clear water. Keriss, of course, was only in up to her shins. There wasn't any landscape to speak of. The only sounds were of nearby waterfalls, and distant yaks. On their one side, folded walls of grey basalt leading to high platforms and chambers. On the other, nothing but the tops of the clouds. The demi-goddess looked around, gazing upon the surface of the water before simply giving a confused look to Vestec. [colour=cornflowerblue]"Oh! Morning!"[/colour] A [url=http://www.math.wisc.edu/~clement/media/strange/strange004.jpg]strange knot[/url] of looped-up light bounced its way up from the greenish seawater. [colour=cornflowerblue]"My favourite sponsor! And... Who's this lizard cousin of mine?"[/colour] Vestec gave a bow. "Chiry, this is Keriss, Keriss, this is Chiry." [colour=cornflowerblue]"Finally figured out how to tack an '-y' to the end of my name, did you?"[/colour] "-She doesn't have any hands, and can get you to Heartworm. Chiry, Keriss wants to talk to and probably attack Hearty. Have fun!" He was gone in a flash and a giggle, which Phi took up. [colour=cornflowerblue]"Doesn't waste time, does he?"[/colour] A 'shrug'. [colour=cornflowerblue]"Call me Phi, or God, if it suits you. Welcome. I've heard of you, Keriss."[/colour] [color=green]”A pleasure to meet you, Phi,”[/color] Keriss stated, gazing upon the light before giving a small sigh at having to be forced to go along to a place she didn't want to be. [color=green]”What exactly have you heard about me?,”[/color] she inquired, narrowing her yellow eyes as her mind began to list off the things that might have gained attention from unknown beings. It was probably the Battle of Xerxes, if she could pin anything down. [colour=cornflowerblue]"You're not exactly stealthy."[/colour] Not mocking, just truth. [colour=cornflowerblue]"A trail of tortured Sculptors isn't hard to see. Not for a god like me, anyway. You'll probably have to answer to Jvan for it at some point, though."[/colour] [colour=cornflowerblue]"But that's just that. I've been watching Tauga, not you. And speaking of! Come, follow. We can talk on the way."[/colour] The light bounced off into the folded city, caught somewhere between the air and the clean water below. At the mention of her friend, Keriss began to walk with a bit more with an enthusiastic step as she awaited to see exactly what had come of Tauga. [color=green]”You know where Tauga is?”[/color] she asked, an excited tone coming upon her as she bound after the light. Each step she took created a very small wave, though much larger splashes came first, her eagerness to follow Phi now showing. [colour=cornflowerblue]"Thanks to you,"[/colour] said Phi. [colour=cornflowerblue]"You've done me some favours just by showing your face. Unfortunately,"[/colour] though her voice was ever far from displeasure, [colour=cornflowerblue]"I cannot say the same for that worm. I've been looking, Keriss. I think it's somewhere in the Submaterium, that planetary sewer where wyrms dwell. Beyond that..."[/colour] Phi rounded a corner and led Keriss up a flight of escher stairs. Meterans pulled handcarts up the walls and herded alpacas on the ceiling. Gentle waterfalls crisscrossed in the open space, going nowhere in particular. Keriss looked around at the very strange place, never have expecting something like this to be made at all. [color=green]”This is an unusual place,”[/color] came the obvious comment from the demi-goddess as her eyes snapped back Phi. Then a look of confusion came upon her face as she realized an even stranger fact about the planet they inhabited, [color=green]”We have a planetary sewer?”[/color] [colour=cornflowerblue]"Call it Hell. Demons live there."[/colour] Phi turned to 'face' Keriss as she moved, though the difference was hard to name. [colour=cornflowerblue]"The creature you're looking for showed its hand. It sent a messenger to an empire south of here, riding a demon wyrm. Only the Submaterium bears fiends like that. It's a dark place, full of monsters, where living sacrifices are made. I made it even darker,"[/colour] she continued, [colour=cornflowerblue]"So my people wouldn't have to see the horrors."[/colour] [color=green]”Understandable, I suppose. Protecting one’s own people is reason enough to do something that may seem dark to others,”[/color] Keriss commented, simply looking around at the setting around her. They reached a hub in the newborn city. A channel of fresh water ran backwards across the courtyard, surrounded by bundles and pots of supplies. As if the sun wasn't bright enough, a small black hole illuminated the forum, bending light into a golden halo. [colour=cornflowerblue]"Ah. I see they've already gone."[/colour] Phi gestured to a trail of mild wreckage and prayer circles that cut across the open space. The Meterans stared cautiously at Keriss, and pulled their children away, but didn't seem to notice Phi. [colour=cornflowerblue]"Little further then. Act nice, nobody knows what you are."[/colour] Keriss looked around at the Meterans, seeing their fear of her yet not really responding to it, instead following Phi closely. [color=green]”I have never seen these people before. They are all strange,”[/color] she said, gesturing to the citizens. [colour=cornflowerblue]"I said act nice! Here, I'll help you."[/colour] Phi brightened into visibility and spiked over Keriss's head, forming a thorny halo and the sound of a long chime. The crowd instantly became a congregation, falling prostrate before the blessed lizard. [colour=cornflowerblue]"Now raise your hand like a good girl,"[/colour] she whispered, [colour=cornflowerblue]"and get out of here before they offer sacrifices."[/colour] With a exasperated sigh, Keriss did as she was told, raising her right hand before he body crumbled to ashes and speed away with post haste. She was getting impatient from all the pointless effort that she had to put herself through, wanting nothing more than to get her original task done. [color=green]”Now, please just take me to wherever it is that we are going,”[/color] the irritated one commanded in a neutral tone. [colour=cornflowerblue]"Very well,"[/colour] said God. The light and the ash disappeared along the trail of damage. They passed a wall of pure black set into a penrose quadrangle. A dark altar stood before it, trails of footprints stamped across the floor. A guttural wet noise purred deeply as they passed. [colour=cornflowerblue]"The Submaterium,"[/colour] said Phi. [colour=cornflowerblue]"We're close."[/colour] And they were. The footprints led to a creature just as filthy as they implied. Huge and fat, corded with muscle and spattered with warpaint made of blood and viler things, it stood in a grim loincloth and watched them with a face that was nothing but thorns and spines above its teeth. The grotling pointed with one hand and kept its grip on three knives with the others. [colour=cornflowerblue]"Thank you,"[/colour] said Phi, rushing on. Impatience had Keriss shown, and impatience she was granted, as it was written. They surmounted a final set of stairs. [colour=cornflowerblue]"Are you ready?"[/colour] she asked, halting before a half-open door. [color=green]”Probably ready as I'll ever be,”[/color] Keriss responded, her guard hadn’t lowered for a moment, though her eyes remained looking straight forwards as she prepared for any horror that may lie beyond this door. Chiral Phi flicked into the room, and said, [colour=cornflowerblue]"You can stop burning my things now."[/colour] Keriss pushed the door open. Tauga stood on an enormous chest of fine silk and gold, holding a lit torch over the goods. A lithe grotling licked knives above her head. Her shoulders bulged with muscle, and the eyes of her mask were black as a blowfly. When she saw the newcomers, she lifted a hand to the back of her neck and pulled off the guise, tossing the torch loosely into a corner. [colour=antiquewhite]"Keriss,"[/colour] she said, her beak cracking open just slightly. [color=green]”Tauga!,”[/color] Keriss exclaimed, her form shifting into ash and the next moment it was right in the hain’s face. It was clear that Keriss was happy to see her friend once more as the smile on her face was stretching from horn to horn. [color=green]”It's good to see you again,”[/color] she stated to her emotionless friend. [color=green]”I was worried that you may have disappeared for good after the battle.”[/color] [colour=antiquewhite]"Oh. Well, I didn't,"[/colour] she summarised. After a second she realised it probably wasn't appropriate to leave it at that, and said, [colour=antiquewhite]"I was in places that are hard to find. Holes in the ground. A city covered in mist. Mountains. At the bottom of the world. So, I guess I did disappear."[/colour] Tauga reached out and touched Keriss's face, pushing her eyelids back with thumb and forefinger to look directly into the eye. [colour=antiquewhite]"You're stressed,"[/colour] she said. [colour=antiquewhite]"You've been hunting the worm."[/colour] [color=green]”Perceptive as ever, I see,”[/color] Keriss noted, pulling away from Tauga and her hands. [color=green]”Yes, I have been looking for Heartworm, he told me to find him and so I have been trying… with little success,”[/color] she informed her friend before going onto speak some more, [color=green]”Luckily, I’ve had some help, a little girl who I’m sure you would love to meet.”[/color] The demi-goddess turned to speak to the young child, her mouth opening, before finding that the child was not there. It seemed she had forgotten about Orphan entirely. [color=green]”Erm, you’ll see her another time, I suppose. She’ll be fine on her own,”[/color] she said, clearing her throat. Tauga made an 'mph' sound. [color=green]”Tell me Tauga, what brings you to this place, with these strange…,”[/color] Her eyes flicked to the Grotling [color=green]”...things.”[/color] [colour=antiquewhite]"You,"[/colour] said Tauga. [colour=antiquewhite]"And [i]that thing.[/i]"[/colour] [colour=cornflowerblue]"My apologies for existing,"[/colour] purred Phi. The Grotling appeared unperturbed by the exchange. Its eyeless face went on cocking and twitching and licking, for all the world a blind animal, though it was sizing up Keriss for a challenge and sensing Phi on the wind. [colour=antiquewhite]"These pirates are mine now. I beat the shit out of them and now I'm their god."[/colour] Tauga pulled a shuriken out of somewhere and pitched it at her companion. The grotling smacked it out of the air with a knife. [colour=antiquewhite]"They're okay."[/colour] [colour=antiquewhite]"But I keep them around because of, yeah."[/colour] She gestured to Phi. [colour=antiquewhite]"That. Keriss, Heartworm is a [i]coward.[/i] It knows you're looking and you [i]scared[/i] him. It swore an oath to meet you, but it can't bring itself to crawl out of its godawful metal hole. Now that you're here, it. Mm. It can't handle the shining blue shit. So, it sent me to take you, and it sent the pirates to take the maze, because it hates that God here was going to do all that anyway."[/colour] Phi glowed. [colour=antiquewhite]"Don't ask me if it makes sense. I don't fucking know. It's a worm, Keriss. Its eyes are full of blood."[/colour] [color=green]”I understand, though I am not going to lie, telling someone you want to speak to them and then hiding seems counterintuitive,”[/color] she shrugged before taking a step away from Tauga, eyeing the Grotling once more. [color=green]”Regardless, it’s good to see you again.”[/color] [colour=antiquewhite]"Yeah sure you too,"[/colour] recited Tauga. The words were hollow but came quickly, as if she'd been practicing, which was probably the closest she'd ever come to warmth. She looked over at Phi then back to Tauga before stating, [color=green]”Yet, it is strange, there is a faint part of me that is clawing to get away from the situation, afraid of the worm. At the same time, I don’t feel afraid or concerned, strange.”[/color] Phi made to say something and Tauga's eyes shot towards her, shutting her up until she motioned to speak. It wasn't clear who was conceding to who. [colour=cornflowerblue]"Keriss, your anxiety may be a fear of the unknown,"[/colour] she began. Gentle. [colour=cornflowerblue]"If you learn more about Heartworm, your misgivings about hunting it may clear. Right now it's just a name. The creature itself is always hiding. Its nature. Its face."[/colour] [colour=cornflowerblue]"So don't fall for its tricks. The worm in the root is seen in the dying leaf. Heartworm is Tauga's creator and tormentor. Your father's murderer. The nightmare of Vetros, Dundee, Basheer, and others. It's the Emaciator. 'The one who makes others starve.' "[/colour] At the mention of her father, Keriss eyes became wide as thoughts began to run rampant. [color=green]”My father’s killer…”[/color] she echoed, her gaze lowering as her breathing became shallow. Without a thought, the Grotling began screeching in pain as Keriss used her powers, unable to control herself as the aura formed around her. An aura that brought pain. The Grotling bulged in the neck, then, clutching its thorny head, jerked violently. The screaming stopped and its left hands crossed to its chest. Knives appeared from belts in the right and it leapt at Keriss, screaming: "OUT of it! Leave it ALONE!" Tauga tripped it with the staff of her polehammer and smacked Keriss on the skull with the head. [colour=antiquewhite][i]"Breathe,"[/i][/colour] she ordered unflinching. Keriss, at first, continued with her conflicting thoughts and emotions before she finally took that first deep breath, regaining control over herself. When the aura vanished Tauga rolled her shoulders and slumped, breathing a small sigh before straightening. "Fucking hell, Keriss. That hurt." [color=green]”I’m sorry, it has been a long time since I have heard of anything related to Vakarlon,”[/color] she stated, blinking a few times before she looked away from the two, focusing on breathing. Still looking away from her friend, she continued in a more normal tone, [color=green]”The last time I saw him was when I was fighting you, Tauga, the metal tube seemed to contained a very faint portion of him. You may not have known it, but that was it.”[/color] [colour=antiquewhite]"Yeah. Uh. Heartworm told me."[/colour] Tauga sat on the edge of the chest and let herself fall back into the fine silk. Her Grotling friend scrabbled to a stand and she bapped it on the head without looking. [colour=antiquewhite]"He's not gone. Just dead. His ghost is still playing tricks with that stuff all over the world."[/colour] There was a thorny groan nearby. [colour=antiquewhite]"Sasha. You done?"[/colour] [i]"Sysh tanan ict,"[/i] said Sasha. [colour=antiquewhite]"Grotling says fuck you, Keriss."[/colour] [color=green]”Noted.”[/color] Keriss sighed deeply, turning away from the two and taking a few steps from them, allowing herself a moment to think and process everything that was told to her. [color=green]”I just want to get to Heartworm, that is my only desire, and I would prefer to not stand here and talk away my eternal life,”[/color] the Demi-goddess spoke, briefly looking back at Tauga for a brief moment. Shaking her head and returning her gaze away from the Hain, she continued [color=green]”I am a busy person, Tauga. Now that I am free from Amartía, I can continue my plans, which are now once again halted by another. Now, what is stopping us from being on our way?”[/color] Tauga's head cocked but her eyes were still blank. [colour=antiquewhite]"Didn't you say you had a child? A kid."[/colour] She shrugged with one shoulder. [colour=antiquewhite]"I don't know what your deal with her is, but we're gonna be gone a long time. The maze was built to break people. And the god who made it was named 'the Enemy'. He spent so much time building it that he died, down there in the tunnels. Not even the [i]goddess[/i] of measuring shit has-"[/colour] [colour=cornflowerblue]"..."[/cornflowerblue] Tauga rolled her eyes. [color=green]”I am sure I can handle whatever lies within that maze and I’m sure that we will be able to solve it. The child would merely slow us down as she is still learning how to use her new found powers,”[/color] Keriss stated, her tone filled with overconfidence. Tauga blinked and said, [colour=antiquewhite]"Okay."[/colour] Then, [colour=antiquewhite]"I'm stopping at Valnever, though. It's a Grotto town in the shallow labyrinth. We'll pick up supplies on the way."[/colour] Sasha looked up at the mention of the settlement. [colour=cornflowerblue]"If I may."[/colour] Phi brightened. [colour=cornflowerblue]"You're not the first to come to me over Heartworm. Teknall, who you may remember as having cursed the walls of Xerxes, may also be searching for it. He kept his plans from me, but even if you think you'll handle the Emaciator without summoning him, keep an eye out."[/colour] [color=green]”I am not concerned with some god who has yet to show his face to me. If he did not want to find Heartworm then he might have said something, for now, my plan to find him remains,”[/color] Keriss stated, moving away from the two a slight bit before continuing [color=green]”Let is be in the move, Tauga, I would assume we have much ground to cover, I can finally go over a few ideas of torture I’ve had stewing in my head.”[/color] [colour=antiquewhite]"...While your feet are twitching, then,"[/colour] Tauga replied, hopping out of the chest and taking a fine silver scarf with her. [colour=antiquewhite]"Sasha, let's go. Painter."[/colour] [colour=cornflowerblue]"I bless your path. I'd offer journeygoods myself, if I thought you'd take them."[/colour] Sasha stuck its tongue out at both of the demigods as Tauga walked out. The fat Grotling was still waiting for them in the shadow tunnel. Tauga stared into the darkness. [colour=antiquewhite][i]A few ideas of torture, huh.[/i][/colour] For Tauga, it was finally time to go back to the beginning. [hider=summary] Keriss is frustrated as she tries to find Heartworm. Keriss calls on daddy for help. Daddy takes Keriss to Phi. Phi leads Keriss through a weird place. Keriss might have just became a god to some strange folk. Phi leads Keriss to Tauga. Keriss is happy, Tauga is indifferent. They tell Keriss that Heartworm killed Keriss’ original daddy. Keriss and Tauga set off. Orphan is alone. Orphan is confused. Orphan might as well start walking home. There’s the summary now go read the post. [i]Khookie calculation tbd. (I.e. I’m lazy af boi)[/i][/hider]