Tuujaimaa

The Prophecy - Dreams of Destiny

Deo’Irah

Irah found the process of walking along with the others while they mowed the bandits down… unfulfilling. Distasteful. Against her vows and her sensibilities… and yet she could not bring herself to care enough to revive these callous fools, or even consider it. Truthfully, the amount of taint that she’d exposed herself to already was dangerous. She would suffer for it later, though a part of her exulted even in that–but even she recognised that she’d gone too far in her zeal… but there was nothing for it now. Bren would overcome the trial he'd been unwittingly subjected to or he wouldn't, and that was that. Perhaps she'd be able to whip something up to stave off the nightmares that inevitably followed... or perhaps Bren would. He was currently the least of her concerns, though, in any direct sort of sense: it was his captor that demanded Irah's attention.

“Please surrender. I swear on blessed Reina’s name that you will be offered succour.” Irah began, her crimson-red eyes looking plaintively up at this hulk and brute of a man, her porcelain-like features contorted into a grimace of concern and regret and woe. She even made her eyes just begin to well up with tears, and forced the lightest hint of a warble into her voice. “What’s done is done, and we can only choose what happens next. Please let him go. If you don’t, there will only be more death.” she pleaded, clasping her hands together as she tried to leverage any pity or tenderness that might remain behind the brute’s rough exterior. All of this was quite contrary to her true thoughts, however, which was that he should be cut down like the rest and whatever damage happened to be inflicted upon Bren could be immediately remedied. Not an ounce of pity or compassion remained in her for these fools, and she cared only about ending this as quickly as possible so that they could be done.

She saw Lhirin’s gestures–able to make out most of them, enough to intuit the gist of what he wanted to communicate, but she did not respond to him. She wanted the bandit’s focus to be on her and any suspicious movements would be met with intense scrutiny and backlash–she simply looked up at him, worked as many of her wiles as she could, and hoped it would be enough. Ultimately this was his decision: accept mercy, or forswear it and invite malice.

Night of the Hunt - Paleblood

Ophelia

Ophelia's distance from Arrayah meant that the huntress was not hit by the frightening speed of her retaliation, and her mind whirred at the revelation that their blade-blessed foe was apparently resistant to their energy-based attacks. That certainly put them at a tremendous disadvantage: between Gerlinde having worked the blood gem into her weapon to render it more arcane and Ophelia's own very-obviously arcane blade that was half of their team suddenly struggling to inflict proper damage. She made an executive decision in that moment and withdrew the Moonborn Hunter's bell, giving it a quick and decisive ring.

They were here to collect information, and the Moonborn Hunter had tremendous insights. If the fight were anything like the one with Paarl their ally would not be able to slaughter Arrayah and would simply help them work out what precisely it was they were dealing with. She wanted to do the fighting herself, it was true, but this did not even count as a credible attempt in her mind: this was them utilising the advantages they had as immortals. Learn, adapt, overcome--a little flame flickered in Ophelia at the idea of overcoming this obstacle in particular. Not just for the fabulous reward, for the sense of completion and wholeness, but to murder with her own hands the first being that had forced her to submit to death. To cut herself off from her guiding moonlight even to perceive her... these things pricked at a sense of hubris that had ebbed and flowed within her on this long night. In this moment, she chose to draw upon it and its well of resolve, to choose efficiency and foresight over the gurgling and churning fire lurking within her blood.

Night of the Hunt - Paleblood

Ophelia

The journey down was less disorienting for Ophelia on the second time, and her mind was so preoccupied with thoughts of what was to come that the loss of physical space as an anchor only gave her more time to focus. She stumbled terribly when they landed--falling to one knee as she'd not been trying to brace herself for it--and got up in short order with a determination that bordered on the fanatical. It was much different to be aware of Arrayah's distant presence and hear her frenzied chanting before being physically confronted with the immensity of her being, and the weak and drowsy whispers of her blessed blade elucidated the madness that must have coursed through her. She must've been down here for an exceptionally long time, and they'd seen what the Hunger rune had warped Irreverent Izzy into... Arrayah was all that and more, infinitely madder after an infinitely longer period of time... and with a wrathful presence to guide her descent. Ophelia shook herself from thinking about it: there would be time for those thoughts later. For now, there needed to only be the fight.

She did her best to simply look around, letting herself catch Arrayah only in her periphery to avoid suspicion, and at first did not notice the lack of the piercing blue gaze that had haunted her so terribly in her last moments here... but when her bigger eye focused, Ophelia most certainly noticed. Her pulse quickened, her body tensed, and she had to close her eyes for a brief second and exhale sharply through her nose. She clutched the Holy Moonlight Sword tight, and readied herself to dodge... only to find that Arrayah had gone for Farren, and not her. Farren's reactions were superlative, and he sprung to action with a murderous efficiency--Ophelia followed along closely, the time for her feigned inattentiveness over. When he went to parry Ophelia was already prepared, loading a quicksilver bullet into the Holy Moonlight Sword, and her gaze followed along with Arrayah as she went careening into the wall. "Now!" Ophelia said to Torquil, rushing forward into action and firing off a coruscating blast of energy towards Arrayah's humanoid upper half as she ran towards her. She did not quickstep, but kept herself ready to at an instant's notice--this was not about winning. They would only learn what Arrayah could do if they could survive long enough, and she would focus her efforts most keenly on avoiding Arrayah's retaliation once she recovered.

Night of the Hunt - Paleblood

Ophelia

"Ah, good idea! I'll try and let you know if I'm going to send a blast of energy for you to absorb--what a fun little tactic! Here, you're more liable to take hits than I am, and to survive them long enough to use blood vials." Ophelia nodded and fished two blood vials from her own pouch, then handed one to Gerlinde and another to Torquil.

"I... wouldn't like to strike you or see you struck, love. I know it wouldn't bother you, but... it would bother me. It's alright, I suppose--as long as you feel comfortable using it, Torquil, that's all that really matters. Ah, and if it comes to it, please kill me as painlessly as possible if you can at all help it. You did a marvellous job last time, Farren. Shall we?" Ophelia said to the Doll and then Torquil afterwards, giving everyone a quick look over to gauge their readiness before heading over to the chalice in preparation. She'd consider the battle a success if they got Arrayah to transform her blade--and was desperately curious to see what her blade's counterpart could do besides.

Night of the Hunt - Paleblood

Ophelia

"Such is the way of the Moonborn Hunter, I suppose. It's alright; there is other quarry for us to loose you upon. This one... this one is mine." Ophelia replied to the Doll with a small grin, looking the Moonborn up and down. "It would be rather unfulfilling to not at least attempt to kill Arrayah again, you're right. Use whichever weapon you're most comfortable with, Torquil, I think--I'm happy to try and set things up for you to get some good swings off. Ah, and do keep the Loch Shield close; Arrayah will have some sort of... energy attack, I'm sure of it. Ahh, I must admit, I'm deeply covetous of Arrayah's rune... just think, we could waltz into the White Church and take whatever we needed... Assuming they have no protections against that sort of power, of course. And to see my blade made whole... such knowledge at our beck and call, such glory..." Ophelia commented, a faraway sort of look coming over her for a moment as she considered what they could use Arrayah's power for.

"I'm ready. Do we need to redistribute blood vials? Do you need more quicksilver bullets, Gerlinde? Remember that Gerlinde has some healing magic left in Snakey. Normally I think it's good that we split up, but we might want to try a closer formation this time? I really do think our best bet is letting Torquil get some good hits in! Speaking of... you haven't gotten a chance to use Fulmen properly yet, have you? Moonborn, is there something here Torquil could attack to get a feel for how the mechanism works? Maybe build up some charge in advance? I wonder if it'll persist when we travel through the chalice..."

Night of the Hunt - Paleblood

Ophelia

"Hmm... we saw the corpse of a Darkbeast in there, didn't we? We know that Cainhurst royals are like to become Darkbeasts, based on Paarl, and that the chalice affording us entry is also from Cainhurst--so perhaps Arrayah isn't weak to electricity anyway. The only way we'll know for sure is by testing, though I think we save these items until we've a better idea of exactly what we're dealing with. When Arrayah transforms her blade she'll probably be able to do things similar to what mine can: fire off blasts from a distance, and create explosions up close." Ophelia opined in return to Farren, having nodded excitedly to Torquil when he produced the bolt paper earlier.

"The axe seems a good choice for now, dear, and you can use the bolt paper to test out Arrayah's weaknesses. Or... perhaps, given that this fight does indeed seem to be rather lethal, it might be a good idea for us to seek out echoes elsewhere and become stronger before we continue attempting it. If Arrayah ever gets her hands on my half of the blade, well... I don't even want to think about it. We could always summon the Moonborn, too, though... It would have to be for research purposes, to test what she can do, and not to actually try to kill her. To prove myself worthy of the completed blade, it must be me..." Ophelia added, speaking to Torquil and then the Shopkeeper and Doll. She was truly undecided at this point: getting stronger did seem like a good idea, and she did want Arrayah's echoes as well as the sense of accomplishment... there was plenty to do out in the Waking World, too. She couldn't help but feel a little out of her proverbial league, and Arrayah had definitely felt like a hopelessly absolute loss... though she supposed that was simply anxiety. They'd get her true measure by counteracting the inverted Guidance rune's effect and fighting her.

Night of the Hunt - Paleblood

Ophelia

"Hmm... I suppose if you won't get the opportunity to build up a good charge... Though I am curious if Arrayah might have some sort of vulnerability to fire, or to lightning perhaps... Gerlinde, you can test out fire with that little horn you used against the Darkbeast? Do we have anything... lightning-based that isn't Fulmen? There are these papers that Hunters use to infuse weapons with elemental power; perhaps we should try and get some? Otherwise I leave it up to you, love. My blade whispers to me only so much - I'm not really the best at working out the logistics of weapons, it's more... otherworldly forces, runes, that sort of thing. Use whatever you feel is appropriate. Perhaps we should ask the Moonborn?" Ophelia replied, turning to face them and the doll.

"I don't imagine you've ever faced this foe in particular, or the weapon would've been a part of our arsenal long ago... but let me describe them to you, perhaps you have some ideas?" Ophelia began, before giving them an explanation of everything they could recall about Arrayah's physiology. They hadn't gotten a chance to truly observe her in combat, so she couldn't provide any of that information, but it was always worth a shot.

Ophelia branded herself with the Mask rune while she listened, upset to let the whispers of her blade grow dim and wary that reduced communication might lead it to get confused and side with Arrayah more easily than before... but she'd rather they all have a chance to actually kill the creature. Though that did bring her to another tidbit she felt important to mention:

"Ah, and if Arrayah pins me and goes to take my blade again without any recourse for me to stop it... Kill me. Immediately and without hesitation. Letting her get my half of the blade would be catastrophic, I'm sure we can all agree."

Night of the Hunt - Paleblood

Ophelia

"I wonder if the Dream recreates them, seeing as they weren't yet part of you? Can you still taste them?" Ophelia replied to Gerlinde's question with a small grin of her own but no light in her eyes, branding her quickly if she desired and then taking the brand over to Torquil.

"Are you okay, dear? That thing... her name is Arrayah. She bears a rune that makes it so that... she might as well not exist to you, until she interacts with you in some way. Let's switch back to the Mask rune, and then we'll be able to fight properly... Do you want to try staying back and looking for a good opportunity to put your strength to work this time? Arrayah will ignore you and go straight for me every time, if you stay with me you should be able to seize a weakness and get a really good couple of hits in. If you can knock her down, give her that moment of vulnerability we've seen in other foes, we'll get her. Sound good, love?" Ophelia asked, giving Torquil her best impression of a warm smile. She felt somewhat... dissociated, dreamlike, still--but this, her desire for vengeance and earnest desire to see her blade made whole, remained. They were what remained of her in this moment, the things she could cling to with certainty and focus while everything else... settled back into place. Her little bit of exposition was aimed at Farren too, and she gave him a couple of knowing glances to include him in the conversation too--though still with that hollow, not altogther there sort of fugue in its last moments before dissipating.

Night of the Hunt - Paleblood

Ophelia

"Mm... you haven't the half of it, dear, what an awful creature..." Ophelia replied to Farren, though she didn't turn to face him. Her mind instead drifted to the whispers as they returned, joyed to hear them though darkly resolved to not let such a disadvantaged situation happen again. She replied back in her mind: I understand, it's alright. We weren't prepared before... but we are now. We will make you whole, and claim Mother Moon's shadow as well as her light. Neither has the answers we need alone... there is much and more to make whole.

"Arrayah, the moon's shadow. Profane Champion. Our enemy. You were trying to hit him, weren't you? But your minds simply refused to perceive where he was... as I wield light, he wields the dark. But we will be fine, for we have a Mask to shatter his deception... and we only have to succeed once." Ophelia replied after hearing Gerlinde and Torquil reform, turning to them with the runebrand in her hand and a grim determination upon her face. "Seems like we should switch our runes back, mm?"

Can I defeat him with the Guidance rune? Need I sacrifice your whispers to shatter his illusion? she asked the whispers, while beckoning the others to come forth and receive the rune they'd need to even participate in the fight.

Night of the Hunt - Paleblood

Ophelia

Ophelia's world had narrowed down to Arrayah's chilling gaze in that instant, as the whispers in her mind lost the sense of surety and serenity she'd relied on so far. It panicked her like nothing else, and feeble though her grip was before a monstrosity like Arrayah her grip on the Holy Moonlight Sword did not relent or yield for a second, almost as though rigor mortis had already set in. The breaking and repairing of her wrist repeating over and over was some dull background concern compared to the final reserves of stubborn defiance and adrenaline she felt surging, and she did not even hear the gunshot that ended her grip on consciousness nor feel its sultry kiss any more than the other torments visited upon her leading up to the crescendo as nothingness overtook her... and she awoke within the Dream, as though from a slumber that never was.

She could feel the comforting grip of the Holy Moonlight Sword in her hands, see its sidereal radiance, hear its whispers... she was whole, preserved, and had another chance. Most of the panic had been chemical, her body pushed to the very brink of expiration and desperation, and here in the Dream there was a haziness that made those final moments feel so... far away, like she only had to focus upon them if she truly wished to. Again she reflected on how many times Gerlinde must have done this, how the promise of constancy afforded her the luxury of abandon... how easy it could be, truly, to forget that the Waking World had ever existed at all... or to forget that it was distinct and different from these realms of Dream.

A good ten seconds passed in solemn reflection before she knelt to beckon forth the Messengers, bidding them deliver the runebrand. She was amazed not only by the efficacy of Arrayah's power, by how it seemed to convince their minds so thoroughly it was not there that they physically weren't capable of reacting to it, but by the prospect of obtaining that power for herself. Against such a power, what could possibly stand? Adelaide's gift once again had proven its worth, and her mind drifted towards the sweet lightbeast even as her right hand gripped the brand firmly. After they were done... they had to go and direct Adelaide to the Crow's Nest... and explore the Woods. She'd been foolish, she realised in hindsight, to delve so deeply into the mystery behind it all--anonymity would have afforded them ample advantages, let them learn the lay of the land in peace before their enemy knew to mobilise. Arrayah's rune and the Holy Moonlight Sword made whole would make up for it, though, of that Ophelia was certain.