>>43358457

She turns away from it to stare hollowly toward you and The Empress. "And the past hopes for the future, those promises made and dearly kept to the end, turned to vivid and uncaring nightmares."

Finally she turns to the endless expanse above her. "Everyone else, the lives I sought to protect, absent now." A sad, knowing smile forms on her face. "The countless sufferings I took on, the promises of good that I made, my constant vigilance, they all bred and bore me nothing more than this end. The precious offspring of my long life!" The malformed appendages she has for arms shakily wrap around her chest.

“You should have died long ago with the rest of them.” The Empress utters in disgust.

"We're both relics of the past, and you, YOU, Azalie... you'll soon be joining me!" The Broodmother shouts face down from the ground.

With blue eyes steeled on her work, The Empress sears away at the form of The Broodmother, while the surrounding flesh does its best to try to keep up with the massive damage being inflicted on its master.

Truly, there wasn’t a single thing you’ve could’ve done to inflict more damage to her than to simply show her what you’ve become, which saves you a lot of time and effort, but still, with their powers so closely matched, you’re in a position to decide how The Broodmother meets her end.

>Invoke and end her with your corrupting flames.

>Write in.

>>43358510
>Invoke and end her with your corrupting flames.
Try and hit the brain first so it's as painless as possible.

>>43358510
>Decapitate with corrupted flame knife
That's more painless, right?

I want to choose now to betray, but something feels off about the timing.

>>43358510
>Invoke and end her with your corrupting flames.
Good end for her? Also heya auri.

Hello and welcome back to another run, everyone!

>>43358535
>>43358649
>>43358650
These can be combined, we'll see the results.

>Writing~

>>43358510
>>Invoke and end her with your corrupting flames.
Use our mental powers to show her the sky one last time and simply say this, "Not all is lost, and she WILL join you shortly."

>>43358697
>>43358700
Heh
>Use Dreamer powers
>Show her the clear sky
>Clouds form the message

>>43358729
That is so cheesy.

>>43358729
I prefer just to use the illusion of our voice, faster and she's more likely to get the message.

>>43358758
Rarely has a promise of vengeance been done so cheesily

>>43358801
though I'm starting to wonder whether Usurper would catch on to either of these messages.

>>43358817
The sky part should be done regardless, she deserves that much at least.

>>43358697

It seems that she’s lost a bit of herself here at her end. While she’s chooses to remain silent about your true identity, at this point you dare not risk any changes of heart.

You pull out your dagger and invoke your corrupting flames and approach, intent on ending this as quickly as possible.

The Empress ceases her assault as you near and watches silently as you go to finish the task.

You harshly wrap The Broodmother’s hair around your free hand and yank her up onto her knees. The flesh crawls up her torso, following the injuries, but do little else to stop you. As the tip your dagger approaches the base of her skull, her smooth unaffected skin begins to slough off like melting wax, only to fill in and scorch off once again. The corruption in your flame begs to be placed closer as you take final aim with your dagger.

Time to end this.

You plunge deep into her skull, feeling the soft crunch of bone, then smelling the burning of the contents of her head, and then watching as the corruption spreads to the rest of her body. Even through all of this, the flesh rushes desperately to regenerate the injured areas, as she twitches barely clinging to the last bits of her life.

You yank her head up to stare directly into The Empress’s piercing eyes. Then stepping forward, you push your dagger deeper still, and invoke the power of Ip’Suran’s fragment to create the illusion of your voice inside of her head. “Rest assured, she WILL be joining you shortly.”

You sense that The Broodmother clearly understood your words, but she doesn’t react to them in the slightest. So, with one final twist of your dagger, you extinguish the last bits of life remaining in her, and then kick her off your blade.

This war is over.

[1/2]

>>43359383

The Broodmother’s corpse begins to succumb to the spreading corruption, and within a few short minutes, the exponential spreading has left nothing but a hungry pile of tar on the ground.

The Empress looks over what’s left of her mortal enemy and lets out a long sigh. “It should’ve ended so long ago…” She whispers, barely audible, before turning back to you. “We’ve almost won, Sophia.” She laughs lightly. “It certainly might not seem like it, but we’re almost there.” She turns back to The Dreamer’s form. “All that needs to be done is to acquire the knowledge of where the hidden seal lies.”

Then, for you to move into the realm where the Ancillary Manta waits.

She turns back to you with an unreadable smile. “But, Sophia, the rest is mine to take on alone. Your work is done. It’s time for you to go back with your apprentice and reap the rewards of your work and loyalty. After I’ve finished my work, the army will return to you, and then you’ll assume the role of Empress.”

You bow in mock gratitude, clenching your fists, doing your utmost not to show any signs of resistance. But you need to convince her to allow you to help her, or your link to what she’s doing will be severed.

>Write in.

>>43359414
We need to be there to carefully choose which parts of the seal to unseal for observation, for one.

....where's the IpSuran body?

Also, we bound a fragment of the Dreamer to our mind, right? It should help lead a path.

>>43359505
Ip'Suran's body is no more since its full being is now bound almost entirely within The Empress, and partly within you.

The Empress doesn't know that you have a piece of The Dreamer within you at this point.

>>43359414
Shouldn't you have some back up? No one is unable to be taken by surprise and no matter how strong you are, it matters not if you can't bring it to bare in time.

>>43359414
Ugh
I'm too spaghetti for any actual quotes, but make arguments based on wanting to see this through to the end, and learning what lies beyond this realm.

>>43359549
So do we reveal the Dreamer fragment? Anybody have other ideas?

>>43359414
>>43359559
>>43359564
Backing these
>>43359567
Not a good idea imo

>>43359559
>>43359564
>>43359600

Arguing on the need for back up, and wanting to see this through to the end.

>Writing~

>>43359633

“You have my gratitude, my Empress.” You state calmly rising from your deep bow. “But I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t want to see this through to the end, not only to help you, but to learn what lies where you intend to go.”

“That attitude is precisely why you’ve been of such use so far, but Sophia, what lies beyond these realms is not anything I’d risk exposing you to if I don’t have to.” The Empress explains.

“I’ve faced plenty of dangers with you before, and now I’m asking to help you once last time for personal reasons, before you cease to be The Empress.” You paint your voice perfectly with earnest pleading.

She remains silent for a moment, thinking on your words, before giving her answer. “I never said anything about dangers, Sophia. Regardless, I’ve made up my mind.” Her piercing blue eyes lock onto yours. “So at this point at only have two things left to say as your leader…Enjoy your rewards, and, thank you, Sophia, I wouldn’t be here right now if it weren’t for your help.”

Before you can utter another word of protest, you find yourself standing in front of Impel Palace, seething with fury in the light of the torches. Immediately, you try to transport yourself back to The Maw, but find it to be firmly sealed off.

Izu appears by your side suddenly, looking quite surprised at his new surroundings.

She’s playing her hand, and now it’s time for you to play yours. No more pretending. You’re no one’s servant anymore.

You hastily walk towards the palace with Izu energetically following. What remains now, is to formulate a plan, and you know just where to go to do so. As you pass the interior gates, a single guard drops a letter directly in front of your path before immediately rushing off as if nothing happened.

It’ll be some time before everyone else realizes that they no longer have to fear The Empress’s watchful eye, but your own.

[1/2]

>>43360509

You pick up the letter and read through the brief contents.

>Red has found the answer. Needs to meet immediately. Same place.

You quickly remember the task you had set for Grievermillion, meaning that he’s found a way to reach Aya unseen by the army. But why does he need to meet immediately? In any case, it would be prudent to discuss recent events with him to better frame your course of action.

~

“I would say that she knew your intentions…”Grievermillion responds to your report. “But if she did, it doesn’t make sense that she hasn’t tried to kill you.”

You cross your arms. “We’ll think on it soon, but for now, tell me why you needed to meet immediately.”

“Of course.” He bows. “The Kyraen’Asils army intends to move out within the next three days. Their destination is not reported, but it’s almost certainly here.”

Which would just lead to pointless casualties in the army that’s soon to be yours. And with how The Empress insisted on keeping the Impel army close by, you’re going to need as many soldiers as you can get.

“So we need to act before then…Have you found a way in unseen?” You ask, leaning against the wall of the long alley the two of you meet
.
“I have, and already prepared a ritual to transport you directly to that location whenever you deem fit.” He replies confidently.

Good work, assuming that he isn’t mistaken.

"Until then, please put me to work where you most need me, Sophia." He bows once again.

Time will likely only allow him to be focused on a single task, so you better make sure it's worth it.

>Write in.

>>43360553
>Have him research and gather all information on the Dreamer.
Its our upper hand, we need to utilize it

>>43360553
Azalie was the name of the Usurper according to the Broodmother, and she was looking for knowledge on where the hidden seal lies. Find out everything you can about her so we can more accurately predict her movements and weaknesses.

>>43360553
SECONDING >>43360631

>>43360631
>>43360646
Biographical report.

>Writing~

>>43360752

“Azalie…” You say aloud, reveling in the strange feeling of referring to her as something other than The Empress. “She’s going to use The Dreamer to discover where the hidden seal lies.” You turn to him. “You’re to find out everything you can about who she is, so we can more accurately predict her plans.”

Grievermillion repeats your words quietly to himself as he searches through what he knows already. “I think I’ve seen that name before, but it was only in a simple fairy tale about the origin of the planes…” He continues thinking. “The Dreamer and the hidden seal… There’s some ancient writings that refer to a singular Dreamer, but that was a human.”

A human dreamer…

He shakes his head. “I will set myself to the task, and now that I know The Usurper isn’t returning, I’m free to sneak through the libraries of Impel Palace. That’s where you can find me when you decide to move into Kyraen’Asils.”

“Do your utmost in this task.” You relay that final order before heading back for the palace.

~

“She’s aiming to keep us as far away as possible.” Ali responds from across a desk after you finish explaining the circumstances of your return. “Not that I’m not glad you’re not yet dead, but this isn’t pleasant news at all, Sophia.”

“Then why don’t you regale me with what pleasant news you have, Ali.” You shoot back.

[1/3]

>>43361546

She smiles in return. “I have a noteworthy subject.” She clears her throat. “Our former leader’s old plans have surfaced, and in them are words of a very potent weapon that she desperately sought out.”

“The weapon wasn’t referred to code was it?” You ask, bringing up a hunch you have.

“That’s precisely right.” She sighs quickly. “Sophia, you could’ve made my work a lot easier…Anyway, after some information gathering, it turns out that this weapon was a lot closer on hand than I had suspected.”

You lean forward. “How close?”

Ali pulls out a familiar ornate dagger and places on the desk, whereupon you grab it. “Right under my nose.”

Inspecting the dagger, you do sense something about it, but it’s deeply embedded within its frame that your limited experience on the matter of enchantments doesn’t allow any more information. “You think either of us could really get close enough to stab her with this?”

“Not in any of these realms.” She responds resting her chin on her folded hands. “But maybe there’s another place where even The Empress’s great power can be brought to a lower level.”

Another place…Your bridge realms.

You hand the dagger back to her. “That still leaves the problem of finding out where she’s going.”

“One that I assume you’ve already begun working on, and I will do the same. But first…” She holds up a finger. “Another piece of news.”

[2/3]

>>43361576

She slides a folded piece of paper toward you.

You read through the brief and obviously hastily written contents.

>”The Shadow girl seeks The Empress. Protect her where I couldn’t.” –Disgur.

The Shadow girl could only refer to one person.

“His investment…”You say aloud.

“More returns than he was asking for?” Ali responds with a smile. “Jokes aside, this does pose a problem. Considering that she was capable of killing off Disgur, if she manages to join with The Empress, then we would only have more problems on our hands.”

Not to mention what Marissa could potentially tell her about you and your plans.

“So I was careful to put a track on her movement.” Ali continues. “And it appears that she’s currently somewhere in that swamp in the outer realm. But finding exactly where she is might take a few days.”

A few days that you might not have. Which would leave someone else to deal with this mess and have a high chance of failing. You consider your options carefully.

>Take care of your apprentice, personally.

>Have Ali assign someone else to the task.

>Write in.

>>43361615
Is sympathetic tracking a thing? Ask Izu if he still has anything that once belonged to her from his time in her care. Also tell Ali about her 2 new apprentices and see if that'd help with tracking. If all else fails we might need to visit Eli to see what she knows, since Marissa would no doubt seek her out for those tunnels she discovered and the way through.

>>43361615
>Take care of your apprentice, personally.
>>43361719
Going through the apprenetices is going to be easiest out of all those

>>43361719
That's not a thing, sorry.
>>43361808
Following the leads.

>Writing~

>>43361821

“There were twins that that she took on as apprentices, they’d know better than anyone else where exactly she’s headed.” You say, still pondering what other leads you might have.

Ali rubs her chin. “That could work…” She pulls out a piece of parchment and begins drawing a sort of basic map. “While I was on my mission in the human realm, I heard more than my share of rumors about the promiscuous girls who would seduce anyone they could from the camps.”

She points to a location far to the west of the camp that she infiltrated. “Based off the pattern from what I heard they’re almost certainly here.” She looks up at you. “But it seems that their number have grown since I left.”

You take one last look at the map. “That doesn’t matter.” You quickly respond and stand. “Then I’ll see to it and report back when it’s over.”

“I’ll be here seeing to my own work.” She replies. “I’m looking forward to some good news.”

Izu joins up with you after you leave Ali’s quarters. “We’re headed out already?”

Well, it seems that he wants to come along on this one. At any rate, it should make your work faster if you have another pair of hands helping you.

“Don’t expect any time to catch your breath.” You call back to him as you head to your quarters to collect some things.

“How about the day after tomorrow?” He asks with unknown emotion in his voice.

“I doubt it.” You reply frankly. “If everything goes well, I’ll already be in Kyraen’Asils by that point.”

“Then, how about for just a few minutes after we wake up?” He continues.

You pause and consider that with all the activity you’ve been through, you strangely don’t feel the need to sleep, to stop and rest sure, but sleep has never felt further away than it does at this point.

“A few minutes shouldn’t be too hard to manage…” You reply, still thinking.

Izu celebrates a silent victory.

~

[1/3[

>>43362563

As you take in your surroundings, you’re quite confident that you’ve found the right place. The tree line begins to thin, but the trees that linger are stand rigidly in the air with a coat of sheer black surrounding even the tiniest of branches. The ground gives a dusty crunch as you proceed forward, exhaling an unknown type of powder with each of your steps.

The air here feels heavier, yet at the same time deprived of something fundamental.

The tree line clears completely into a round opening, and in the center of it stands an immense mausoleum. The sheer white structure completely contrasting with the shadowy surroundings, rising high above the tainted ground like the final remains of a carcass.

You and Izu step inside its wide mouth.

“Oh, visitors!” A cheerful female voice echoes from within and bare footsteps can be heard running against the marble toward you.

A wide smile belonging to a pale horned girl in a thin flowing but tattered black dress greets you, but quickly fades as she looks over your appearance. She screams in shock and then runs back to the interior of the large mausoleum.

“I don’t think she likes you very much.” Izu snickers.

[2/3]

File: mara1.jpg (149 KB, 1400x672)

149 KB JPG

>>43362594

You proceed further in, following the orange light of far off candles until the long hall you’re in opens up to a wide round room with impressive statues looming overhead.

A similar individual to the one seen before stands across from you, however there are a number of noticeable differences. Large black wings protrude from behind here, as well as thick tail. She doesn’t appear to be clothed but the shadows surrounding her preserve her modesty.

If these are the apprentices, then Marissa has been very busy practicing with her powers.

“That’s far enough!” A voice very similar to one heard from the other girl, but this one carries a bit more command.

As killing isn’t the reason why you’re here, you oblige her and stop moving after only a single step more.

The figure that the commanding voice belongs to flinches as you step forward, but collects herself quickly. “Turn back and leave this place, now.”

“Already?” Izu asks.

The girl that had first greeted you gasps upon spotting Izu, and looks like she’s trying very hard not to run up to him right now.

“Not quite.” You say to him, while looking over the both of them.

They’re not very fond of you at all, in fact they’re both terrified of you, but they’re doing their best not to show it. However, the both of them seem quite taken with Izu, and are looking quite conflicted on how to act.

You can use this to your advantage.

>Press in using intimidation to get the information you want.

>Have Izu take the lead, and pull out information.

>Write in.

>>43362615
>Have Izu take the lead, and pull out information.

If this doesn't work press in ourselves.

>>43362615
>Izu you want to handle this or should I? I know dealing with her never was a favorite of yours, and they seem to be much the same.

>>43362615
>>43362706
Seconding.

>>43362706
>>43362732
Taking some other things into consideration.

>Writing~

How long will our seal on the dreamer stall Usurper?

If we actually get another Control from all this Old One business and dealing with Marissa, we should spend it on Delving, how to forcibly shunt someone in a bridge realm and depower them.

>>43362971
I can't tell you exactly how long, but it's certainly considered a sizable amount of time. Beyond that, it seems that her work is going to take her a large amount of time as well.

>>43363024
Come to think of it, Izu might get some as well. Then again, he hasnt learned quite as much in recent events.

would be pretty cool if he got one in the process of finding that mind creature

>>43362754

You reach out to Izu privately. “You think you can handle taking the lead on this one? I know dealing with Marissa was never your favorite, and they’re not very different from their mentor.”

“I didn’t like it because the way she felt about you. These two are just scared of you, which the same as almost everyone.”

He steps forward. “Those are great costumes you’re wearing!” Izu states enthusiastically.

“They’re not costumes!” The dominant of the pair quickly responds back while the other simply giggles to herself.

“Do you want to take a closer look?” The less commanding one asks coquettishly.

“Stop, that.” The dominant orders quickly and turns back to you. “We know who you are, so just leave already.”

“But since we know who they are, we know what to expect. And since they haven’t attacked us or anything, they must not want to hurt us.” The other twin tries to justify her actions. “So it wouldn’t hurt to play with him just a little. Right?”

“This is why you weren’t left in charge.” The dominant twin scolds. The shadows surrounding her begin to stir and push toward Izu.”

[1/2]

>>43363224

You’re about to step forward, when you spot the less commanding twin rushes to stop her sister.

“Don’t hurt him, you have no reason!” She shouts.

“Don’t question my actions!” The dominant twin shouts back. "Just get out of the way and shut up."

Izu subtlely turns to you and shrugs at the situation.

“Why because Marissa said you were in charge?!” The shadows around the other twin begin to stir as well. “She’s not coming back, you idiot! All the others were hunted down, and now she chooses to use up the last of the blood to go to a swamp? She’s abandoned us to save herself, and you’re too stupid to see it.”

The dominant twin roughly pushes her sister with a shadow appendage. “After all that she’s done for us, you’d doubt her now? You ungrateful bitch!”

Maybe you should step in at this point, to keep them from killing each other, and thus killing off your source of information. But, there might be a chance that some key words would slip out if let them continue.

>Step in to stop them.

>Let them continue fighting.

>Write in.

>>43363260
>Let them continue fighting.
They haven't even tried to hurt each other, it won't come to deaths

>>43363260
Let izu stop them. Focus on the authoritative one, maybe izus handsome/cute aura will make a more pronounced effect up close.

>>43363260
>Marissa was only ever in it for herself you two. She saved you because you would make good pawns, and she could get physical satisfaction from you. If you tell me what you know about where she went, I'd be willing to take you somewhere safer.

If the agree we take them to that merchant off plane.

>>43363260
>Let them continue fighting.
It pleases me.

>>43363291
>>43363360
The fight wages on.

>Writing~

>>43363430

It’s better that you don’t bring all that hostile energy onto yourself, and if things do escalate too far, then you and Izu can stop them, forcibly if necessary.

You motion for Izu to slowly make his way back to you, which he manages to do, unnoticed.

“Who are you calling ungrateful when for the first week you refused to make the rounds in the camp to get us food.” The other twin argues back, shoving her sister to the ground with her shadows.

“Why are you bringing up things from the past?!” The dominant twin swipes at her sister’s legs with her tail, knocking her flat on her side.

“Whatever! Even then, Marissa was only ever in it for herself, she just gave us barely enough to get by on!” The other twin throws a candle directly into her sister’s face.

“Which was more than we would have had without her!” The dominant twin lunges and starts hammering on her sister with her own limbs and her shadow limbs. “You’re just scared of being abandoned, so you’re trying to find a reason to hate her.”

The other twin slips out and wraps her sister’s arm and leg into a cradle. “And you’re just a doormat for anyone who shows the slightest bit of affection toward you.” Her grip tightens. “I don’t have to find a reason, when she left like that. What kind of bullcrap is ‘I’m going back to where it all started,’ anyway?”

That statement paired with the knowledge that she’s in the swamp of that outer realm, instantly lets you know where she went.

Without any words, you grab Izu, and subtly slip away out of the mausoleum, arguing voices fading into the distance, leaving them to their own fate.

[1/2]

File: mar2.jpg (1 MB, 900x750)

1 MB JPG

>>43364075

Knowing Marissa’s less than fond feeling for the boy, you head back to Impel Palace to drop off Izu, much to his annoyance at first, but he seemed to have remembered some task that he wanted to attend to, so he eventually relented.

~

You find yourself in unfamiliar surroundings even though you’re sure you went to the right place. The bright light of the sun high above you in this endless wetland reflects off the water and directly into your eyes.

In the daylight, the trees rising out from the water are lush with life, and move very slowly to a weak breeze. The water around you also gives way much slower than it should, but completely unlike when you first came here, it still moves.

A small stone structure that you don’t remember seeing before stands in the distance, so you head toward it. Eventually, you spot a single figure sitting in the shade of that stone pergola, with long black hair flowing gently with this realms feeble winds.

Marissa sits quietly on a stone bench as she watches the calm water.

You choose to stop just a few feet behind her.

She sighs wistfully and then turns to you completely unsurprised. “Oh, Sophia. Long time no see.”

~

>>43364101
Okay, that's where I'm going to end it for tonight. A LOT of information in this thread.

As always, I want to thank everyone who played today! If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to post them in the thread, and I will do my best to respond to them.

If not, then I wish you a good day/night, and hope to see you again next time!

>(Twitter)
https://twitter.com/QM_Auri

>>43364130
thx 4 runin budi gud thred

Should we have stocked up on defenses against compulsion before coming here, or is the cloak still enough?

What motivations does Marissa even have?

>>43364130
Thanks for running Auri. Did the twins kill each other? Why do I get the feeling Disgur's note was a false lead meant to have us take her out?

>>43364161
You're very welcome! If it comes to it, you'll soon find out. And that's a very good question!

>>43364167
You're also very welcome! You don't know their fate, and you could always ask her about it if you have doubts.

Sorry for the vagueness of my answers. Hopefully soon enough you'll get more of what you seek.

Okay, I'll be stepping out for the night. Until next time!

>>43364429
......the sword. Izu, steal the damn sword!

>>43365724
What sword are you talking about?

>>43365745
Sword of the uncle guy. Not as good as the dagger, but izu doesnt have any quips anyway.

Speculation: the chosen one is the human dreamer

>>43365863
OMG, brain wave. It's not the chosen one who's the dreamer its

>>43365892
Grandpa?

>>43365892
It cut off my post early so I think it might be a sign to not post,

jk
Ellie

>>43365934
Nah the one who was trying to contract her might be related, but i dunno about the person herself.

>>43365953
Read her ability under the char sheet and tell me what you think

>>>>43365984
Im unconvinced, although she might be a lead on finding the mental creature

Speaking of which, can we mess with the hairpin now?

>>43366143
Maybe but since it might link to the usurper we really shouldn't.