Randomness

Into the Land of Twilight

Fia Blackfire

---

Fia didn’t care much about who or whatever Vesemir meant by authorities. Now that their time within the library and vault was finished, she hoped that perhaps the scroll the archaeologist claimed could end the otherwise endless torment that lingered within the forgone city. It alone seemed to be enough to drive the phantoms back as they made their way towards camp. But was it enough? Fia didn’t know.

“I would care if you quelled the suffering that remained.” commented Fia, but offered no other urgency to the matter. It was late, and despite the brave faces many of the others displayed, Fia could tell that fatigue and weariness was weighing down on everyone. Fia herself wasn’t immune, feeling her eye lids grow heavier as the sight of the carriage and fire from the camp was coming into view.

Alas, rest seemed to be put on hold again. While the party was wandering the seas of shadow and discovering the buried treasures within, the camp was not entirely safe from the forgotten wilds of the twilight forest. A single man approached, distraught, and down right inconsolable as he clung to their host’s leg. Nothing in camp seemed amiss besides the workers’ disappearance. Whatever took them didn’t seem to be man or beast. Perhaps the phantom stretched beyond the city limits and pulled them into that illusory realm of past torments.

Fia walked to the crumbling man in a panic. Roxas knelt by the man, invoking some of her magic to help calm him down. Fia moved closer. “It’s alright, dear. You’re not alone anymore. We’ll find the rest.” said Fia, she stood straight and looked towards Forbann, but kept her eye on the man, “Forbann here will keep you safe, won’t you, darling?” With Forbann staying at camp, Fia returned to the group. Vesemir was on the brink of heading out alone, and Gray was right there with him.

“I’ve still half a tank, I’ll help find them.” said Fia. She covered her mouth with the back of her hand as she yawned. Then she put her hands together and raised both of her arms into the air, stretching out her whole body trying to stay awake. “I hope we can sleep in the coming morning after this, though. But since we are going to be leaving camp again…”

Fia put her palms together and whispered a few words to herself. She raised her index finger to her left eye and just above the carriage manifest a glossy white sphere with a pupil and red iris. The orb was an exact replica of Fia’s own eye. The face of the eye rotated all around, testing its field of view. “Now I can keep an eye on the camp while we’re gone. We don’t want any more surprises.”

Into the Land of Twilight

Fia Blackfire

---

Carnatia still had her heart set on bring these malicious artifacts along despite all the information they were able to recover. While she seemed to have abandoned the idea of taking the skull, she figured that the scale of the dagger would be easier to manage. As for everyone else, the same concerns echoed. The dagger would constantly eat at the mind until whoever was in possession of it fell under its spell. During the expedition, there was a high likelihood an ally would be at the receiving end of the obsidian blade.

Still, Fia was not one disappoint. She decided to at least try to contain the dagger in the only way she knew how. If it was successful, the influence would be contained, and Carnatia would have her desired treasure. Fia turned towards the workstation. While she didn’t have control over concentrated metal like Forbann claimed he could, Fia was not without magic of her own that might be able to work. To be sure, Fia wanted need to keep her own magic concentrated. To that aim, Fia reached into her bag and brandished her glass sphere. Normally Fia would not bother, but she wanted to give her own flavor of containment its best shot. After everything the illusory elf had to do to seal it, Fia though it best not to underestimate it.

Fia started to channel her magic. As she did so, the starburst within her orb turned pitch black. A similarly pitch black particle formed within her hands, and she pushed it away gently letting it float softly until it was close to the obsidian dagger. From there, the particle grew until it enveloped the dagger, covering it a black shell that absorbed all light. This form of darkness acted like an impassable void, separating it from the rest of the world. Not completely impenetrable to many forms of the arcane, perhaps it would be enough to keep the dagger’s influence within.

Fia let out her breath as soon as the void was complete. She put her sphere back into her bag and reentered the radius of influence of the two items. Again an urge beat her as the skull attempted to convince her life was not worth continuing, but pushed those feeling aside. She picked up the skull and put it into the built in box on the workstation. Whether that was enough, it didn’t matter. She then picked up the dagger, now encased in a black ovaloid and walked away with it, out of the skull’s influence.

Fia needed to be sure if her idea worked. If the dagger still affected her mind towards bloodshed, Fia would walk back to the workstation, put it with the skull and inform Carnatia that her idea failed and it would probably be better to leave it behind. However, if it worked, Fia would smile and present the darkness wrapped dagger to Carnatia. From then on, Fia would have to put mana into the void to keep it going, but much like a battery, that shouldn’t be often enough to be detrimental. Of course, Carnatia could easily dispel the void whenever she wanted. If the containment worked, that would be Carnatia’s decision to make.

Into the Land of Twilight

Fia Blackfire

---

“Ah, Carnatia. I didn’t see you come in. I guess that saves me the time of repeating everything Gray read.” said Fia. Fia looked towards the table as well. The containment device used for the skull was built in he said. Well, that seemed impractical. Unless the illusory elf was afraid of people misplacing the skull. It could be argued as justified given the influence the items had on the mind. Then again, it also made it very hard to utilize if they did at all during those battles over a millennia ago. Since they had tried to destroy it, the likelihood it was used at all seemed meager.

“Hmm, you’re right. If Forbann was in here, we could ask him to build us another box. Sadly, concentrated metal is a little outside of my purview.” said Fia. With the idea of transporting the skull proving to be too cumbersome, Carnatia joined the others in deciding to leave it behind. However, the spellsword was interested in taking along the dagger. Since both items were still within their own bubble of influence, Fia stopped Carnatia before she got too close.

“Hold on, dear.” said Fia as she placed her hand upon Fia’s torso gently as to urge her to not move closer, “The dagger has an influence over the mind as well. While it would be easier to carry, we don’t have a box for it either. It sounds like it used runes to contain the aura.” Fia sighed, “This would be so much easier if… nevermind. If you really want to bring it along, darling, I can try something. But until then or until Forbann can create a box, we should be careful with it. I don’t want it to harm your pretty face.”

Into the Land of Twilight

Fia Blackfire

---

“Well, now. If you’re done stealing from my dear Roxas, would you do me a favor and look over these for me?” said Fia, mostly in jest. She was serious about the notes, however. She lined the pages into a neat stack and passed them over to Gray Flame. “As much as I would love to be the one to enlighten Carnatia on the specifics of that skull, I can’t read elvish. Maybe you can gleam something from those notes to help her bring it along, dear.”

Fia circled around Gray Flame. If he didn’t receive the notes, they would have been placed on the same table where the masked elf placed the bow. Fia would pick up the bow, and gingerly strapped it to her person to carry it along. She wasn’t too concerned about Gray’s words or tone. “Anyway, I don’t think there is any manifestation from the past that could shake me worse than what those phantoms displayed.”

Into the Land of Twilight

Fia Blackfire

---

Well, now Fia understood why these items were of great concern to Carnatia, but also why the spellsword might have wanted to bring them along. Though Gray Flame might not have known the specifics, it seemed he had valid concern to the contrary. With a desire to end herself attempting to invade her mind, Fia steeled her resolve. This gnawing at her countenance was not going to break through. Similarly to the skull, the dagger also attempted to sway her mind more towards murderous intents. To harm oneself and to harm others, such a heinous enchantment to inflict on someone. If the wielder of these items were expected to endure such internal torment to use them, that was cruel punishment. Part of Fia wondered if the Sarkaz were immune to such effects, and these were more of a fail safe to prevent enemy faction use.

Fia held the skull in her hands. Despite being made of crystal, the skull was actually hollow. It was though this was the actual skull of a living being which happened to be made of a material other than bone. If the dagger was meant to rest within the insert at the forehead, how was the blood absorbed? That aside, Fia put both items back onto the bench. She noticed what appeared to be notes near where she picked up the cursed items. She gather up the pages gingerly and slowly left the table, trying to gauge just how far the effect range was.

Once Fia was clear of the crystallized item’s influence, Fia started to skim the notes. She wasn’t looking for anything in particular, but perhaps there might be some insight into what they discovered experimenting with them. Perhaps it might also have a clue on how it was contained. Depending on what she could find, maybe she could imitate their methods. Of course as soon as Fia started to look through them, a majority of them were in ancient elvish. Before Fia went to Vesemir and Gray with the notes, she decided to look through all of the pages anyway. Maybe she could infer some some information from any diagrams.

Into the Land of Twilight

Fia Blackfire

---

“Come now, Sir Gray Flame. Her manner of speech is perfectly fine.” said Fia. She wrapped herself with her arms as she continued, “Being addressed as a lady is such a loving compliment. Please, my dear, you may continue to call me as such.” The focus quickly returned to the matter of the skull and the obsidian dagger. Fia had noticed them on the table as she circled the chamber. But at the time, they looked more decorative than otherwise. A dagger made of glass was not a new concept. Obsidian was naturally sharp. As for the skull, even with the attached chain, it would be unwieldy to use as any sort of jewelry.

Fia listened as Carnatia explained what the illusory elf said to her about the crystalline skull. Fia rested her arms on top of each other. She raised the top most arm up to her chin. That was kind of fascinating. Some part was their origins. Sarkaz. If elves were thought to once be angels, somehow it made sense to the sorceress for there to be some sort of antithesis to them. Not quite as fascinating as the djinn, but even those creatures of legend were more known about.

“I honestly don’t see what the problem would be, darling. I assumed the concern was over how bulky it was.” said Fia. She turned to look through the doorway into the next chamber, again. The skull just sat there without any care, oblivious to the discussion involving it. “I don’t know what activates it or its range. I can see your concern if it’s passive, darling. I wouldn’t want to bring harm to any of you lovelies.”

Fia turned to Carnatia shortly after Vesemir and Gray Flame spoke about the object. Like Carnatia, they seemed to think it would be of some benefit to bring it along. At least Vesemir was on board. Carnatia still remained cautious about it but otherwise hopeful. And Gray. He didn’t seem to have an opinion one way or the other. If anything he seemed to lean opposed. However, with the arrival of Engelbert, all opinions seemed to have swayed towards the latter.

“Well, I might be able to trap it within a void. But that would make it more cumbersome to carry than it already is.” said Fia, “I won’t know for sure whether that would be necessary without actually checking out the skull. Maybe if I get it to work, I would have a better understanding. I’m going to see what that skull has that has my dear Carnatia spooked.”

Fia took a couple steps back, twisting on her heel to move towards the chamber when Roxas approached. The healing elf waited until Fia left the conversation to bring up the strung artifact she gazed at before. Fia paused her steps for a moment.

“Oh? Now that’s an interesting idea.” said Fia. She started back towards the chamber, urging Roxas to come with her. It was an affinity for ice that was keeping Roxas from utilizing the bow to its full potential. That, and maybe some other sentimental reasons. But it was the affinity to frost magic that Fia latched onto. “Hmm, You know, darling, I haven’t considered using a bow before. I’ve always had my magic. And when that fails, I usually have my rapier.”

Fia entered into the chamber, but walked past the workbench where the skull rested instead stopping in front of the bow. The bow still stood in splendor, not tarnished once from the hundreds of years since it was lost handled. Fia stopped here because she wanted Roxas to consider the bow again. Besides the fact Roxas was the only one to show interest in it and would probably know how to use it, the bow had a heavy history tied to it that Fia would think a shame to leave abandoned in lands that might not be explored again in over another millennium.

“Tell you what. We can bring it along with us anyway. With its history, something special might occur for just having it with us.” said Fia. She gestured to the bow while keeping eye contact with Roxas. “But to learn archery, why don’t we help each other, deary? You might teach me to use a bow passably, but you will always be leagues more skilled than I. How about in exchange, I help you expand your elemental prowess to include frost? You already have an aptitude for magic. Your barrier was nigh impenetrable, and your healing was beautifully done. I think it could do us both some good to share our expertise.”

There was a short pause of a few seconds. Fia turned and took a step away, “I’ll let you think about it. I’ll be over by the work station when you have an answer, dear. There is that skull Carnatia is curious about, and she has made me wanting to investigate it as well.” Fia took a few strides towards the table where the skull and dagger rested. She attempted to get close enough to reach out and hold. She was curious on what sort of effects it had just handling it if at all. Perhaps also figure out some of the more logistical issues such as encumbrance and weight.

Into the Land of Twilight

Fia Blackfire

---

Fia followed the others into the next room. While it did have aspects that indicated it was equipped to be a workshop, the cases around, and the singular desk made it look more like it was a personal office. One in which guests would be welcomes with displays of ones treasures to sell ones accomplishments. Fia was fascinated by the image of Theriadore as it addressed the group. Fia could tell that the words were empty and very generalized. Whatever magic was at play was obviously programmed to respond generally to different stimulation within the room. Still, the lifelike image of the elf long dead was impressive.

Despite the room being over a millennia years old, the place was really clean. Though dust had settled on much of the flat surfaces, there wasn’t near enough given how much time had passed. It was a little odd compared to the scene outside of the building where ruins of a once bustling city still echoed the torments and atrocities that took place way back when. One thing for sure, this room had artifacts that the rest of the world had not scene in several life times, even those among elves.

Vesemir was out in the library admiring his new found treasure. It must have been the item he was after that had him request the change in direction in their expedition. He seemed quite eager to get it as well. He was first in and first out before many of the other’s had a chance to look into the room. Fia was only half listening as Carnatia, Gray Flame, and Vesemir discussed the history of the relic. But the words did not escape her. A scroll of sorts. One that has power that could remove the lingering shadows within the city. Maybe. Fia kept it in the back of her mind. If it could quell the repeating history within the phantoms outside, Fia would bring it up then.

Fia drifted near the door the illusory elf mentioned to keep out postmortem. She didn’t get any closer than where Vesemir or the others came, but the request to keep out did interest her. If this room contained such valuables, perhaps there was others the elf would have rather kept private. The sort of artifacts and knowledge that should not be exposed to the world. Or the man was really into some perverted materials and wanted to keep his dignity far longer after his time.

Fia caught Roxas approaching the bow through her peripheral vision and turned to check it out with her. Fia ended up just behind the savior elf as the illusion finished speaking and Roxas was examining the bow. When Roxas put it down, Fia spoke up, “You don’t want it, dear? You looked wonderful drawing it. I’m sure someone like you could make good use of it.” Fia knew that given the last interaction involving another deceased’s property her comments would be rebuffed. Yet, Fia was honest in her comment. The way Roxas held the bow looked natural.

“I’m being honest, dear. I think a weapon like that would work wonderfully in your hands.” said Fia to Roxas as the elven healer walked away. Fia wasn’t going to push. Instead, she looked at the bow now replaced within its display. She shrugged and left the chamber as well to see what everyone else was up to. It was not long after that Carnatia also left the chamber. The spell sword approached both Fia and Gray Flame with another inquiry. One that wasn’t involving the expedition or the history of the archaeologist's scroll.

“Skull?” asked Fia as she turned to face Carnatia. Fia’s eyes looked past the spell sword back into the chamber to see what was being spoken about, “Oh. That. Is it not merely a decorative paper weight? What concerns you about it, darling? Aside from wanting to transport it.”

Into the Land of Twilight

Fia Blackfire

---

A beautiful red and black hummingbird occasionally shimmering in the light of the crystals and fire hovered within the sturdy barrier. It occasionally darted from side to side as it tried to look outwards at the others and how they were going to handle the situation. This hummingbird, Fia, watched as Carnatia went in for one final strike against the machine before whatever consequence Gray Flame warned about took place. Even as the spellsword sent for her attack, the golem made no indication of shutting down. It was risky going for it now, but Carnatia prevailed, forcing the machine to act early.

Though Fia expected a sort of explosion assuming the gathering mana wouldn’t have an outlet, it turned out the golem’s crystal was still sturdy enough to fire a fractured beam of devastating energy. Several beams hit the barrier, the floor, ceiling, and even back into it’s own head. Those outside the barrier had shields or armor to protect them, and the beams were not focused enough to burn through. A fact Engelbert took advantage of as he stomped the head of the construct. As it finally died down, Fia walked out of the barrier moments before it was cast down again in the appearance of the beautiful woman she was.

“You don’t have to worry too much about the fire, dearies.” said Fia as she approached the burning bookcase. Her magically levitating glass orb glowed red as embers danced inside Fia’s palm. A heat that couldn’t compare to the fire of the burning library, nor that of the molten internals of the golem warmed her hand through her glove. She held out her arm, palm down. A column of fire poured out of her hand onto the ground. The flame then traveled across the stone floor connecting to the blazing bookcase. In perfect control over the fire, the entire blaze died down all at once similar to cutting a lantern off its source of oil. Even the trail of fire she created to connect to the blaze faded, leaving only the smoking remains of the wood and parchment. However, since the shinobi’s fire was of a different sort, whatever fire that ate away at the golem remained. “If you care about those books, hopefully you can recover some of them, darling.”

Fia returned the orb into her shoulder bag. She sighed and shooks her arms and body trying to loosen up. The slight purple tinge that surrounded her frame faded, leaving Fia without her magical armor. She looked towards Carnatia and Roxas and wandered close. Roxas was working her magic on the noblewoman, healing the injury from her head on assault. The soft glow of Roxas’ healing was soothing just to watch.

“That was daring, darling. I’m so glad you were not seriously hurt.”

Into the Land of Twilight

Fia Blackfire

---

Each joint slowed as the surrounding temperature fluctuated between the freezing rime and the molten heat of the liquefied internals of the golem. Even so, the ice was holding, the golem making obvious efforts to use its limbs, the ice straining or cracking, but not breaking, yet. Forced to lean on the near bookcase for stability, the golem continued routing mana. Fia wasn’t too bothered to find a purpose, as she moved from joint to joint to further immobilizing the ancient construct.

The stream of ice halted as the crystal within the golem’s head shattered, even if partly. The clatter of stone against stone echoed across the floor, yet the golem persisted through the injury. Despite the damage the construct sustained, it was still operational, if otherwise immobile. Fia’s eyes gazed to the fire where she instinctively kept her distance. The orb that glowed off white and blue changed to that of red as Fia started to channel her magic once again. Then the color faded, and the orb stopped glowing.

With a barrier now erect within view, and Vesemir retreating into it, Fia got a sense that something was wrong. It certainly wasn’t helped by Gray Flame’s shout as well. Whatever they suspected was going to come, perhaps thread armor would not be enough protection. Instead of channeling magic into her orb, she focused on herself. In moments, Fia was no longer there replaced with a humming bird. Like a dart, Fia flew around the golem along a leftward path and into Roxas’ barrier. Thread armor alone probably wouldn’t. But barrier that looked as sturdy as Roxas’ in addition in case her view was wrong might be enough.

Into the Land of Twilight

Fia Blackfire

---

Fia barely moved as the golem was charging forward. She saw it pivot as it ran her direction. Fia had something prepared for when it got close, but she also had clear view of everyone else reacting to the construct as it ran by. Each martial fighter still on the ground leapt into action. Everyone was a road block in one form or another. Engelbert attempted to stall it. Gray Flame used his arrows. Rezello swooped in at its back, bringing the golem to its knees. Fia stood still as the golem caught itself barely a few meters in front of her. Her hair rustled as the slight breeze from the falling mechanism crashed. And then to finish it off, Nanashi arrived, driving the golem into the ground with his one attack. Furthermore, the eccentric man of few words managed to make the stone bleed. Fia was impressed.

“My dear Gray. Can’t you see? Our artificial friend here is having a heat stroke. The poor boy cannot even speak properly.” said Fia. She started to walk around the machine, closer to the bookshelves. As she moved, the icy fragment she had prepared started to dissolve into a condensed cloud of shifting particles. At the same time, the orb wandered near that hand, the particles starting to orbit the magical glass artifact. “Perhaps I can ice those wounds of yours. You don’t seem to be in good shape.”

The icy collection of particles was released as a stream. Fia targeted the joints of the machine directly. With its knee as busted as it was, she had a better chance of landing her focused attack. She went for the already iced leg, rapidly building ice around the joints as exothermic magic seeped into any crevices the joint might have. The temperature might not mean anything to the construct, but to have several layers of solid ice fill in each gap and crevice around the joint, it would add continuous resistance making bending the limb that much harder if not impossible.