Mas Bagus

Duplicitous Ruins in the Land of Twilight

What seemed to be a prelude to a nasty encounter de-escalated almost instantly as that lone Devourer turned its head away and followed its brethren, leaving the group with a low, disappointed growl. Jazdia remained at the ready for a solid three minutes, only allowing herself to be at ease when the creature's hasty strides could no longer be heard, and she was sure that their path would not cross with her again for the time being.

"What a curious skotrotopic creature they are," commented Vesemir as the group continued their advance to the left tunnel. "It seems without external control, they behave like ordinary feral animals."

"Sko- what again?" asked Mr Elc, half whispering.

"Means they are attracted to darkness and thrive in it."

In her careful walk, Jazdia stopped and looked down. From behind, she appeared calm, but her face was visibly disturbed as she looked back and spoke.

"Mind your steps."

There were a bunch of human bones scattered on this path. Probably came from several individuals by the amount of it, and curiously, they varied greatly by size, provoking a morbid speculation that there were children among the dead. Who in their right mind would bring children into this God-Forsaken place?

"What in the Creator's name is this? Are you sure this is the right path? Lass?" Groaned Stepan. Eblana hushed him, and Jazdia did not answer, while the other elf followed her lead, walking through that path slowly and carefully so as not to disturb the scattering remains.

There was another crossroad, Jazdia took the right tunnel this time, leading them to a cavernous section of the labyrinth... where more skeletons could be seen. The elf stopped, stood still as if bracing herself for an impact. Her eyes gleamed with a purplish hue as she affixed her gaze on the dusty walls and nothingness, scanning beyond darkness and hard earth.

"We are on the right path. The end of this maze is still far, but thankfully, the devourers are already far away, and I saw no more of them. Find your courage, Sir Stepan. It's just an unfortunate coincidence that our paths intertwined with these... people."

The individuals she referred to were the skeletons filling this chamber. There were at least nine of them, more diverse than the specimens they had encountered along the path, making it difficult to determine if they belonged to the same group trapped together in this maze, or accumulations of victims dragged by devourers. Some still wore their armor, while others lay in civilian clothes, and some had no clothing at all. Those with armor bear markings that seemed identical to the knight they found near the gorge. There were rusty weapons scattered on the floor, and also some trinkets, old ripped clothes, and pieces of leather.

"The bones are at least one or two decades old." Mused Mr. Elc. "I wonder what happened here, dried bloodstains on the wall, armored men guarding the entrances. The place was a slaughterhouse."

"I am more curious about how half of them could be here to begin with. The amount of weapons and armor doesn't add up. The unarmed outnumbered the armed."

"Maybe the eyless thing's doing? Twas ten years ago you said. And things could be taken, kicked away, thrown, or dragged about and lost?" Stepan offered.

"Never heard devourers collect old swords and spears, but hey, not impossible."

Duplicitous Ruins in the Land of Twilight

@Randomness

Hmm, has something amiss caught your attention, dear?” asked Fia, as she grouped with the others during the moment the group shuffled their positions. Miwa and Rezello had started to take the lead in silence as Jazdia spoke to the others of the first company. “The forest’s very nature makes it not safe to linger, but I sense there is something more immediate to watch for?”

"Our old friend Devourer." Answered Mr. Elc, as if he could read what was in Jazdia's mind. Or simply because both shared similar expertise.

Vesmir approached them and took the lead, and the two followed. "Well? That's to be expected, isn't it?"

"True," said the masked elf, walking beside Vesemir. Jazdia was behind him with Eblana, Fia, and others in tow. "But we are about to enter the place where night and day make no difference for them. Be on your guard, Vesemir."

After carefully hacking overgrowth and a careful descent, the tunnel was before them. It was indeed a straight path for a while, with no sign of abnormality or hostility in sight. The air was damp and thick, and the party did their very best not to kick up the dust into the air as they walked. It wasn't a very wide tunnel, and there were often chokepoints and sharp turns.



They went deeper, and the light from Vesmir's lamp became less adequate for illuminating the dark path ahead.

"Try this." Rezello lifts his free hand, a small, lime-green sphere of flame manifesting in his palm before floating a short distance ahead of the group and into the tunnel, illuminating the darkness ahead of them with roughly the same intensity as a torch.

"Well, look at that."

"If this is suitable, I can keep the flame moving ahead of us as we go forward. I can also make it dimmer, if it's too bright."

"Keep it a bit lower, and try to keep it close to our group." said Jazdia, nodding as the knight adjusted the intensity to the level she found suitable. "It's best to keep our presence low in this tunnel. I saw Devourers prowling in a few places."

"Did they know we are here?" Asked Vesemir.

"I think not. Yet. Anyway, I think I saw the path that leads to the vault. It's... a long walk to the southeast. There is a treasure chest too at the southwest, unimportant, but I am just letting you know."

The party continued their slow march into the labyrinth, with Jazdia activating her abilities each time they reached a crossroads. Despite its rugged appearance, the tunnels were quite elaborate, extending far beyond what anyone could perceive with magical vision. The maze featured elevations, underpasses, confusing twists, and dead ends that could easily lead a person astray for weeks, or even longer, if Devourer didn't get them first.

"Hold up," Jazdia said quietly, raising her hand as they saw another crossroad ahead. She reached for her bow, but no arrow had been attached. They heard the sound of hurried footsteps, and on the other side of the intersection, at least six devourers were rushing through, seemingly unaware of the group. However, one devourer intentionally stopped right at that intersection. Its eyeless head sniffed the air, and the light from Rezello's fire reflected on its sharp horn and oily skin. The mandibles on its back squirmed to feel the half-illuminated space and the jagged labyrinth walls.

"Let it pass," the elven archer whispered with eerie caution as the creature maintained its pose in their path. Slowly, it turned its head, staring at the immobile adventurers as if daring them to strike.

our location

Blue line is the Group's path
Red one is the hostiles' path

Duplicitous Ruins in the Land of Twilight

While Stepan and Vesemir continued to discuss if a rescue mission would be possible or not in that case, Miwa noticed as Jazdia began scanning the terrain with her magic. Most importantly, she noticed how taxing it was for her to use her power, needing Eblana's help to even stay up after she was done.

"Perhaps it would be wise not to use Jazdia's powers unless strictly necessary..." Miwa suggested, looking at Jazdia with a worried expression.

"Come now, it wasn't so bad." Jazdia chuckled bitterly. "I don't think I can go there without some glowing arrows and fire."

Eblana, who had already known her for a few weeks more than Miwa, sighed at the fact that the suggestion had been repeated multiple times throughout their journey and had been ignored again this time. The charade had started to tire her out.

"Yes, it is. I think you should listen to her. Miss Jazdia, I have a strong reason to believe that the more you use your power, the stronger not only the effect of the curse but also the Caster's influence on your body."

"I will... keep that in mind. Thanks." Jazdia smiled.

"I am serious."

The smile faded, and Jazdia's usual witty remark was not heard as the elven archer's expression hardened. "So do I. If things were as simple as they sound, I would take it in a heartbeat. But let us be real, your superior needs a navigator, and I need my power to help neutralize the threat."

"But, your condition..." The young healer paused in search of words, but once she found them, they struck at the sore spot. "You are right. But I think you don't have to fight."

"And let others fight and bleed for me?"

Jazdia did not need to raise her voice. Her sharp gaze and the bluntness of the question were enough to overwhelm. Not because it intimidated, but because the question had so many layers of complication in it; laced by bitterness of a hurt pride, incapability to fully trust, and desire not to be the burden of others. Eblana tried to open her mouth as she looked at her searchingly, but a moment had passed, and Jazdia released her from her intimidating stare, not allowing anyone to understand her deeper, nor giving her a chance to revise words.

"I mean what I said earlier. I will remember your advice. Thank you."

Then she was gone.

___

@Valkon

Banishing these thoughts from his mind, he stood, staring down at the body. Summoning his spadone, he turned the blade downwards, tip resting on the overgrown forest floor, and placed his palms atop the pommel before closing his eyes to pay respect to his fallen would-be comrade. The best way he could honor the fallen knight, he decided, was to ensure that the information he had died to secure was put to good use.

The fallen knight lay still, helmet and armor already blended into the growing moss and vines. It was probably for the best to let him stay in his resting place undisturbed, lest he be there dignified still.

However, some details did not go unnoticed by some, especially by Rezello. There was a vertical slit on the breastplate; it dented inward like a cut from a very heavy axe. Whatever caused such wounds likely led to the knight's demise.

Mr. Elc stood silently, observing as Rezello walked away from the fallen knight. It was not hard to deduce that the masked mercenary came from the same region as the fallen warrior. The question that lingered was how well he knew him or whether the mercenary had another reason for joining the expedition. But that was a question for another time. He had Jazdia coming, with pursed lips and silent disapproval that he could guess was caused by who.

The two stood at a respectable distance from the fallen, separated by a small underground. Far enough to not be inconsiderate of Rezello's tribute, but close enough to observe the details.

"The devourer did that," the masked elf said finally.

"Pardon?"

"The devourer. The other variant of it. No less vicious than what we had the pleasure of meeting yesterday, and this one is a bit smarter, too. They use their sharpened horn to skewer their victim, pin them against the wall, and rip them apart like a can opener."

Jazdia nodded. "I thought so too. The dead knight's party faced strings of misfortunes in that labyrinth, which mortally injured one of their members. They managed to escape from the tunnel at sundown, but the night is always the time for devourers to hunt. They had to leave their wounded friend, a price to pay, so their escape wouldn't be impeded."

"While I understand that it's a necessary action, it doesn't make the situation any less grim."

Jazdia shrugged. "That's the only explanation that I can think of. This is not a safe place to linger." She looked around and noticed that Rezello had started to march toward the cave, followed by Miwa. Her special vision was not active (Due to a certain reason), but she scanned the gaps and crevices and overgrown beyond as if expecting an ambush coming out of the shadows.

"Vesemir, we can begin now! And tell those two not to wander too far from the group."

They could probably hear her, but it wasn't hurt to let the warning be relayed to many ears.

Duplicitous Ruins in the Land of Twilight

Jazdia got up from her seat, immediately pushing the depressing topic to the back of her mind as the discussion concluded and the announcement about the plan began. She had always excelled in this, which was probably the best aspect of her laser-focused attitude that others often found tedious. For her, keeping emotions at arm's length allowed her to be more effective in solving problems..

"I have no problem with it. If a passage is a secret, then we want it." she said, taking the last sip from her cup and approaching the group at a steady pace. She counted the team and did not see the snake youkai and Degel, who, of all people, should be hard to miss. She wondered if Vesemor noticed it too.

****

And so their march to the old library began. The two aforementioned party members showed up just in time to follow the group, much to Vesemir's delight. However, the two did not talk much, which was strange for Jazdia. The others seemed rather indifferent about the irregularity, or maybe just thought bringing it up would be a bit inconsiderate, the elf could only guess.

After a two-hour walk, they came to a stop. From here, the road declines sharply towards a gorge walled by craggly hills that seemed discouraging to get through.

Hider

"Beyond these hills lies the Library," said Vesemir, huffing to catch a breath. High-spirited as he may be, someone like him was not built for this level of outdoor activity.

"So we climb?" Asked Stepan.

"Nah, the entrance should be around here." The old elf looked around and then pointed at the group of trees to the left side of the party. At one of the trees, beyond bushes and small overgrown, they could see a skeleton, clad in rusty armor, leaning against the tree. There was heraldry on its armor, still recognizable despite the accumulated rust.

"He was from one of the Westernant frontier towns. Scheel, to be exact. If he is here and my informant is correct, then our entrance must be somewhere down there. Miss Jazdia, if you may?"

"A moment, Vesemir." the archer said. "You seem to know a lot about that fellow over there. Care to explain how you could locate this place, and who is this informant?"

Vesemir nodded. "Well, we are hardly the only group that tried to locate Theriadore's Vault," he paused to glance at Miwa before continuing. "And the accident that happened in Westernant's frontier town was quite a news back then, even with all those cover-ups by Castediar officials. Some witnesses talked, and the information about it circulated. I am sure you know what I mean."

"Well, I know that, and I think Miss Jazdia too. But I am still a bit lost here," inquired the masked elf." What is the correlation with that and that fallen knight, and the secret entrance we seek?"

"Information that not many know. The accident happened just a few days after their local knights returned from an expedition to the Land of Twilight. Rumour said that they managed to find the vault."

Jazdia did hear the news. Ten years ago, an entire population of a town disappeared in the blink of an eye, no bodies found, no survivors or witnesses, nothing, as if the people weren't there from the beginning. The accident circulated for a while in the Archons Hall, but quickly faded and was forgotten after Westernant refused an offer of aid from their neighbour, even with the promise that the investigation would remain confidential. The details on what caused the accident are still a mystery to this day, until Vesemir spoke about his supposed informant.

"Dunno about missing town, but look at the guy. Seems like a grim business if you ask me." Said Stepan. "They just left their fallen friend here and didn't even think about burying..."

"It's not easy transporting the fallen out of the Twilight land," replied Mr. Elc.

The gizzled mercenary shook his head. "They could, if they want to."

"Really, how do you combat the decomposition? I've been in many rescue missions myself."

While they discuss the soundness of transporting a dead body a hundred kilometers away through a dangerous and duplicitous forest, Jazdia gathered her strength to scan the cliffs and valley below. It was a small help that the sky was clear today, and the sunlight shone unobstructed. It slightly recharged her mana; still, that was a welcome compensation for the bad sleep she had.

It was on the second try that she managed to locate something that was very likely the secret entrance. It was well hidden under the encroaching vegetation and the shadow of the flanking cliffs.

Hider

"I saw a cave, the entrance is under the cliff southeast, at one o'clock. I saw no other cave or secret door, so it must be it. Hold on."

The elf paused, eyes still glowing as she tracked the tunnel. It was mostly a straight path leading into the deep unknown. Hard to say if it was man-made or natural, but it seemed to have been employed as a regular passage and campsite at some point in time, no older than 100 years ago.

"That should be it then," mused Vesemir. As he looked to his side, he found Eblana already supporting Jazdia, who had nearly lost her balance the moment she deactivated her power.

"I am okay," she said, massaging her temple and then repeatedly bumping her fist against it in frustration. Her voice was slightly clipped, and she was still holding Eblana's forearm, trying to regain her balance as she spoke. "I saw no movement. At least the first one hundred meters... still, if we go in, we do it quietly."

Vesmir nodded. "Thank you. Get a small rest, I will take it from here."

Duplicitous Ruins in the Land of Twilight

"Change of plans?" Miwa asked, approaching both of them, having only overheard the last phrase Vesemir said, something about another possible route they could follow.

"No, not at all. All is according to the plan. It's just on the details where Mr Elc and I have a bit of disagreement."

"It's not like I am disagreeing with you, just saying a safer route is available." said the masked elf.

The old elf raised his eyebrow, yet his posture remained composed.

"Yes, and while I am sure that path has its merit, this expedition must choose which one that will serve its purpose better. The surface section of the library has been flattened ages ago, and we are not equipped to dig out caved corridors and passages, even if we somehow find one. Such a waste of time."

"Fine fine. The boss has spoken," the masked elf sighed exasperatedly. "I will not question this matter anymore, but I hope you remember that you hired me to advise as well, and there was my advice."

"Your advice is most appreciated, Mr. Elc. Thank you."

The old elf then regarded the rest of the party, who seemed to have all woken up and were ready.

"We will move out in one hour. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to discuss them with me. The last-minute change is the worst kind of decision-making. "

Duplicitous Ruins in the Land of Twilight

Jazdia was a bit overwhelmed when the soujourner and sorceress took their turns sensing her palm. She was not a very touchy person herself, and there was a concern that the curse might affect them in some way beyond her calculation

“Then the fire offers more than just warmth against your skin. How to be so young and beautiful and to be shackled by the chains of the vengeful. Coming here was not merely obligation but to seek out the shears that can sever you from the tangles of pale emanations.”

It took a while for Jazdia to ponder whether she would grant an explanation or not, before deciding that the sorcerer was saying that as an idle musing. Truth to be told, it was the need to survive that led her to become like this. The second reason was less noble -—it was a desire for vengeance so intense it consumed her from within. One that blinded judgment and clouded rationality. After the vengeance faded and retribution was exacted, it revealed the steep price she would have to pay.

When their hands touched, Jazdia did not speak a word, yet her face relaxed despite the raging feeling that was now being shared. As their touch lingered, the true nature of the curse became clearer—it was a result of a contract. One could speculate whether this contract was formed through coercion, trickery, or desperation, but it mattered less in the end; The deal was made willingly, which likely explained why no external force could break it.

Jazdia sips her tea calmly. They speak quite a lot, almost giving no chance to the others to insert a word into the conversation. The enthusiasm was commendable and promising. Too promising, Jazdia felt a bit uncomfortable envisioning it, especially when Miwa asked Fia to count herself in.

It was finally the elven ranger's turn to speak, right at the moment when words were less frequent. In her turn, she meant every word she said.

"Thank you for your kind words. But such sincerity cannot be taken for granted. Do not risk yourself and do not ask any commitment from others, for my burden should be mine to bear, and I cannot live to see others get hurt by the result of my own choice."

Smiling again, she said with a more playful tone as the conversation shifted to the matter regarding the library. The encouragement about it eased her.

"We will, alright, just like what Vesemir wanted. That thankfully serves me just fine since our interests align. Let this revelation trouble you no more. Thanks for entertaining my request, Miss Miwa."

For someone seldom deceived by hope, her words were surprisingly optimistic.

Thankfully, they did not linger near her any more than necessary. Akari and her bold presentation helped a lot, it seemed, and the two immediately joined her, not for fun, but rather to give the nubile ninja an earful.

*****

Meanwhile, at the other part of the campsite, there was a small disagreement between Mr. Elc and Vesmir.

"I don't think I heard you clearly enough," said the masked elf, arms crossed. "The plan was to visit the library. Why risk another route?

"Because I do not come this far for some ruined building and stone tablets, Mr.Elc," Said the old elf, storing a rather large tome into a canvas bag. Meanwhile, her Secretary Eblana had just finished adding a drawing onto something that looked like a map.

"That I know, but what you say is a bit mythical. An underground vault? Never heard about it. How do we even suppose to locate it?"

"There was a secret passage. According to the records, of course. A labyrinth, a tunnel that leads to the vault. Built by Theriadore himself to anticipate total destruction of the surface. Turned out the library survived the war, but not from neglect and millennia of abandonment. Such a shame, really. But I tell you, Mr. Elc. The vault survived, and the passage to reach it exists, even when the main building had caved in, and we shall go there. We have Miss Jazdia as our navigator, and all is according to plan."

Under the mask, Mr. Elc opened his mouth, but no words came out. Everything seemed sensible, yet it felt too easy—a strange combination that had many flaws to consider. How long was the tunnel? Would their navigator have enough power to guide them through the labyrinth? And what about the opposition? Who knows what dark creatures might be lurking beneath the hill, waiting for them? The hardest part of addressing these questions was that none of them knew the answers. The less they knew, the more adventurous individuals like Vesemir would become.

"Not about to flat out reject your plan. But I just want to say that other route may exist..."

"I don't doubt that, but the other way yields less reward, and for some, that's not an option," said Vesemir, glancing at Jazdia, as if confirming that he managed to put the other party's interest to his advantage. And that alone ended this dispute.

Duplicitous Ruins in the Land of Twilight

"Two you. Please gather all container for water container. These waters are seems good to drink. We can filter this for a bit to make it cleaner."

@Akari

If one could see through his mask, they would see that Mr. Elc tried to hold back an uncomfortable grin.

"You do it. Or ask this gentleman to do it," he stole a glance toward Stepan, who seemed to be the only person who had a purpose to be here... for the bad or for the worse. As for Him, the masked elf had better things to do, so he left, pondering whether bringing gallons of water would be a sound plan to do, before approaching Vesemir to speak about their schedule today.

Duplicitous Ruins in the Land of Twilight

As she fully awaken. Akari rose up from being seated. She looked on the Mr. Elc.

"Mister Elc, can you find me some container? It size like a bucket. I'm going to fetch fishing." Akari politely asked Mr. Elc.

@Akari

Mr. Elc scratched his masked chin and nodded. "I'll be right back."

And returned he was, with a medium-sized, already opened wooden crate of the size of a cooking pot. He quickly catches up with Akari, who was already on the river, clad in only underwear, unbothered by the cold morning air, or those who might stare.

"Here it is, the best kind of basket to store fish! It can float, and contain fish, and let some water through to keep them alive for a while."

He said, not stuttering a bit, and why should he? The pretty view of a lady in a swimsuit in front of him? Nah, he had lived long and seen many things.

***

Meanwhile, Vesemir and Eblana had woken up. The old elf could be seen waking Stepan up, while Eblana did her own thing to prepare her morning routine like everyone else, preparing breakfast for her and her boss.

The poor mercenary was dozing off when he walked toward the river, intending to wash away the remaining drowsiness with cold water. He found himself something stronger anyway.

"Damn, in this very morning?"

The masked elf sighed. "Yes, looking for a fish she said. Now pick your jaw from the ground, that ain't polite of you to keep oogling."

"Wha-- who says I am?" Despite saying that, his eyeballs were glued to Akari's smooth back and side. "Lady! I saw the fish there! A bunch of em! Tehehehe."

Duplicitous Ruins in the Land of Twilight

"When this journey is over, I would like to invite you to our main temple. It will be a rather long journey, but I am confident that with enough preparation and research about said curse, it can most definitely be purified." Miwa said, gently approaching Jazdia and speaking in a lower and softer tone, reminding her that despite her looks and personality, she was still a proper Miko of a temple and knew how to help and soothe as much as she knew how to defend and attack.

"Can most definitely be purified? That's a lot of confidence..." the elf chuckled, and the moment Miwa approached her, she did not react much to let the young sojourner feel a glimpse of power that had been shackling her. It was almost like a curse had the mind of its own, and could immediately sense someone who could detect it. It sent off an invisible searing heat that hurt one's psyche, like a lash to the brain that engraved a clear warning: This one is mine, back off!.

At that moment, the curse revealed its true form. An ethereal aura engulfed Jazdia like a pale flame, binding her wrists with ethereal thorny vines that seemed to descend from the sky above. A broken halo hovered above her head, while shards of light floated behind her like shattered wings. Those who were initiated could see that these forms slowly sapped her strength, channeling it away to an unknown destination.

The elf looked at Miwa as if the pain she experienced and her expression upon the revelation were already well calculated and expected. Not out of malice, or amusement, but rather an acceptance borne from an expectation that was already hopelessly low.

"I'd like to visit your temple... someday. But my time is running low, and this is my last shot." Pausing, her voice lowered and slowed. "If I can't get rid of this... this time... I don't know what will become of me."

It took less than a moment for her expression to shift to something more optimistic, however fake it might be.

"But hey, we did solid research, and The Library should have the answer."

Duplicitous Ruins in the Land of Twilight

“My dear, Jazdia. You don’t need to take things that seriously. We are not in any immediate danger, it is okay to relax. Our dear Miwa has perked up and the tea is still warm. Vesemir still sleeps, so we have time to further decompress before we head out towards the artificer’s lair.”

"Whew! That helps a lot! I'm definitely awake now." she said chuckling as she stood up.

"Oh, the water is perfectly clean, drinkable and purified, should you need it for something. A small perk of being a Miko from the Shirakawa temple. Normally it's used for purifying rituals... But there are no rules saying that it can't be used like normal water, despite being sacred." she said laughing.

"I swear I normally am not this bad at waking up! It's just that... Well... Yesterday was a particularly exhausting day... I was walking for quite a time before I fortunately encountered you guys, after all." Miwa said, justifying herself with a rather embarrassed chuckle.

Jazdia smiled before slowly sipping her own cup with dignified grace, a gesture to show that she was genuinely happy to hear that. Although it was unusual to bring a weapon to tea time, she accepted this oddity, reflecting on her own nature, as she was not one to strictly adhere to the rules of etiquette herself. In the end, there were truths in Fia's and Miwa's words, and all of her concerns have been addressed anyway.

Even when the sorceress claimed and chewed one of the few last sandwiches so passionately, she tried to remind herself to rein in an urge to tell that she barely had any from the entire breakfast she herself prepared.

Now, I can understand Fredricus' frown back then. Yeah, I am really one to talk...

Escaping from that small intermezzo, there were details that she was interested in, and she would address them straight to the point.

"Purifying rituals, you say? Please sit down," She leaned forward and placed her cup on the table, gesturing Miwa to take the log bench left by Mr. Elc. Jazdia's Blue eyes, unnaturally blended with red tints, gazed into the young Sourjourner, glinting with a spark of interest and hidden despair. "Please tell me more about it. Can it purify curses?"