Domitorem Corvo

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Shadowhold battlefield
Karnariel approaches Gaul. He levels his gaze at the large man.
"Let me fight Kara. I have to be one to end this." Karnariel says plainly.

The fighting has died down significantly. With Kara present to allow her forces to skip the time constraint of the resurrection the battle has screeched to a crawl. A few holdout have gathered in the wreckage of fallen ships and attempt to repel the battered alliance forces. Most of Kara's forces are willing to fight until the last.

Shadow speaks up.
"You should stay here." He says to Kar, who wheels around to face him already furious.

"I don't take orders from you." Kar bites.

"Not an order. Just a suggestion." Shadow sets himself down on a rock. "The Viking should go. He's not of this land. But he still represents a part of herself she has abandoned. A defeat at his hands would do considerable damage to her mental state."

"I want-no, I have to be there when she dies." Kar's hands tramble. "It has to be me."

"And it will." Shadow says. He sets his gaze on Kara's body resting against a toppled wall. "She has a vessel in this world to return to. And you'll be here. Waiting. To decide her fate."

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Valkyrie Throne World
Kara grunts as her arm is severed but smiles as a devious idea takes hold. A new arm grows instantly, replacing the one she lost. Her severed arm clenches into a fist and begins to replicate at a staggering rate. Many of which collide with Flames blood attacks nullifying them mid flight.

Others still begin to attach to her spear. Slowly they fuse to it creating a macabre and horrifying instrument of twisted metal, bone, muscle, tendons, and flesh. The blades warp into many toothed tentacles that whip and writhe eager for violence. Kara laughs. Thousands of her arms fill the air. They skitter in all directions across the cold hard marble like ground casting eerie shadows from the source-less light of this world.

The swarms of limbs begin to chase Flame down. Being moved at the speed of thought they cascade into Flames barrier like railgun rounds and scatter gore in all directions from the force of impact.

At the same time clutches of yet more limbs begin to align themselves into a grand formation. As though they were assembling themselves into a terrifying machine ring hovering in the air.

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Seaside Village Blackout
Maya leans against the dias.
"Awfully intimate for someone who isn't your man." Maya muses.

The echo that comes back to Lotus is subtle. Quiet even. It is a location that doesn't make sense. The garden in Castle Sanctus. Specifically an old tree from before the castles founding. Dangerous territory with Zaak brooding about.

Omega scolds Maya who gives him a apathetic side eye.
"Did you get anything Lotus?" Omega asks. Maya has produced a set of tools used to prepare and care for the dead. She sets up to perform a ritual.

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Seaside Village Blackout
The Elder approaches holding her hand out to Lotus.
"I'm no one special. As a little girl I was told that I'm a reincarnated Goddess of the Harvest. But I've never been much of a farmer. Too pretty." Maya regards Galen. "This one. He's quiet. And not dead quiet. Empty. He's like gaping wound in the world."

"I'm not familiar enough with how Galen operates to say what the situation is exactly." Omega muses. "Why is this here?"

"At least he's useful. And this Umbra. It's like Mana, or chakras, if your from out north. Difference being it's... hungry. Like it's looking for a meal that'll satisfy it. Every thing it gives is in pursuit of whatever it's looking for." Maya taps Galen with her walking stick. "This guy resonates with it. But it's just that. Empty resonance."

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Valkyrie Throne World
Kara slams down into the pool of blood and frees it from being able to harm her body. As Flame bites into her arm that same hand comes up to trap her neck in its crushing grip. Kara towers over Flame and her hand easily finds purchase around her throat. The blades of Kara's spear retract and quiver with appetite for conflict.

"Stupid girl! This fight ended the moment you made it hand to hand!" Kara tightens her grip even further. Then draws up her power and strikes Flame's entire body liberating the blood inside it from the physical confines of her circulatory system. The result will be horrifying internal bleeding, rapid asphyxiation, muscle failure, and complete organ failure as the body struggles to operate without something to circulate oxygen and critical nutrients.

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Valkyrie
Throne World
Kara turns her power on her mind. Freeing the speed of her thoughts and information processing. Next her power flows into her body. Allowing it to push beyond any physical limitations, be translated through space by her will alone, and allowing it to regenerate as fast as it needs to. Finally she turns the power on the three blades of her Spear. They are freed from their solid state and begin to ripple like water allowing them to become living blades that conform to Kara's will.

She raises her spear up above her head. The blades lash out like bladed whips morphing mid swing to find the perfect cutting edge at the moment of contact. Each blade moves along a vector to cut off evasion and defense as they close in on Flame.

"Grovel! You pitiful mortal shell!" Kara laughs. "This is the power bestowed to me by my father!"

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Commander
Citadel Throneroom
Commander tips their glass back.
"Your hardly in a position to negotiate." The Commander starts the negotiations from a position of strength. "What assurances would you ask? We may be able to find a common ground to stand on." The command spell Razz was targeted with releases giving him back his agency. The Commander nods and tips their glass. "A show of good faith." Nevermore is released as well. She seems to have calmed a bit. She takes Nel's hand and guides her to a table with Razz and commander.

"I hope you know what your doing Razz." She says sharply. Nel snacks on a cake brought to the table. Nevermore stares intently at Commander. "For all our sakes."

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Omega
Seaside Village
"Raydel isn't my name. The children gave it to me when I told them I don't remember my name." Omega observes Galen. "And I can only assume that death changed all of us somehow. It's interesting. All the things that held us hostage in life didn't matter in death. We're free now. Well as free as an engram can be."

"Zaak has changed too. Not for the better,somehow. He's obsessive to the point of mania. Almost like a parody of himself. Like he's trying to prove he's still himself." Omega sighs. "We've this small advantage. To be honest we don't have much of a plan. No one but Zaak can wield the Umbra. And he's nigh invincible with it. Any Umbra we find we've brought here. The elder in the village agreed to help. Using Galen's blood as a medium the Elder is able to erect a barrier to hide this place."

"But it's killing me." An elderly lady approaches from the entrance. Creeping up the side of her face is an ominous pattern of Umbral Seals. Their jagged, stabbing angles cut across her hands as well. "Raydel here has said your man is going about scheming most nefarious. I swear you young girls can't handle your men right."

"She's older than you, Maya." Omega corrects.

"Then she should damn well know better." Maya snaps.

Omega turns to Lotus. "Sorry about her shes"

"A bitch?" Maya cuts in. Omega sighs deep signifying he's 1000% done.

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Seaside Village
Omega
Lotus misunderstands our intentions here. Now that we are away I have all the time I need to explain.
"We aren't here to steal Umbra." Omega says. A village child runs up towards omega.
"Raydel, you've returned! Do you have any sweets!" The child says with hands eagerly outstretched. Omega produces a bag of candies from a satchel at his hip and hands it to the child.
"Share with the other children. Go now, I have important business." Omega says, his usually stoic face ever so slightly turned to a smile.

"We don't plan to go along with Zaak's plan. But, neither do we have a concrete plan to stop him. Best we can do for now is to slow his accumulation of Umbra as best we can. He's the only one of us that can use it in any meaningful capacity. From what we can tell it's similar in nature to Formless."

Omega explains as the make their way through the village. In turn the villagers wave greet them. Children run about playing amongst themselves. A quaint idyllic little world with peaceful happy lives. Furthermore Omega seems to be at peace here. His rapport with the people is uncharacteristic of him. His permanent scowl is replaced by a soft attentive gaze. Even the way he walks suggests an inner peace he couldn't find in his previous life.

"He doesn't watch me though. I'm not sure why. Shame maybe. Alistair and Sin he watches the closest. Saedysm and Vincent he checks in on. But me. Once he forms my engram he actively chooses not to look at me. Which is beneficial. Otherwise we wouldn't be able to hide this.

They have made their way to a mausoleum of sorts. Down the steps into the crypts below. Torches in scones on the walls give light to the path. Once at the bottom the pathway widens into a large hall. And behind two large wrought iron doors is a massive burial chamber. The dead at rest seem to whisper at the Lotus's presence. Prayers to the Goddess of Life and War.

The torches are gone. Instead the chamber is lit with natural sunlight from the widows at the top of the underground structure which breaches the ground above with a spire of stone. The missing glass from it has allowed plant life to creep in from above. Vines creep their way in returning life to this home of the dead; who seem not to mind.

At the center of it all on a moss covered stone table once used to prepare the dead for their next life is the body of Galen Kard.

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Shadowhold Battlegrounds
Valkyrie's body remains motionless. Raven comes over to Ghaul. He assess Valkyrie.

"The vessel isn't inhabited. She's retreated to her Throne World." Raven kneels and inspects. "But why? Valkyrie is a difficult Lord to contend with. Her power, Liberation, is vague at best. But from what I've observed she uses it to "free" herself and others from any constraining law or power. Normally when a Lords vessel is slain a portal into their throne world appears. In that moment you can invade their inner sanctum where the true body exists. Kill it, and the Blood Wish will transfer to you." Raven stands. "When she was killed earlier her gateway opened in a different spot than where her body was. Furthermore the time the gateway was open was near nothing. Her power I'm sure. This may be our only chance to invade."

Shadow approaches. "If anyone else is in there it'll boot Ghaul out. Entering our throne worlds is a challenge. You test your will against theirs. For the right to have a wish granted. It's a one on one duel to the death. You'd have to pull whoever is in there out first." Shadow looks at Valkyrie. "Earlier she took the fox girl. Maybe the fox girl turned the tables on her. Her brother might know."