Megathread - Dark Rising

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This is a Megathread for all members of the Cult of The Black Star. No one else may join unless they first post in the guild recruitment that they want a spot. There is no post order. You may not leave however until the guild is formed IC. Leaving early will forfeit entry.​

The time was fast approaching. Merkaba had made the decision shortly after her humiliation at the hands of a rogue monster. No longer was she going to waste valuable time and energy. Her goals were now firmly in her mind and her plans laid out. Growing in power was a endless objective from her. The limits of dark were non existent. So while she would continue to aim for higher. Her main objective now was to gather together the few that would understand and follow her. It would truly be a select few indeed. The land was awash in idiots and naive fools that would see her and her teachings as nothing but ramblings of madness. How sad... they would have to be converted or their souls were forfeit.

On her wanderings. Merkaba had the fortune to meet a knight named Tharen. He would be the first to be chosen. Her message went out far and wide. Using her research of the happenings in this dimension as a guide. Oddly enough it was done through the message, quest, and event boards that she detested so much. It was actually rather convenient to be able to learn the views of people and to see what they may be doing at any given time by just reading a few pages of current quests and the like. Eventually she saw those who may be worth her time.

Merkaba

The time has come. If you seek to serve the darkness. It calls for you at last. This dimension is more than just some game. Surely you realize the possibilities? Especially with the two worlds mingling together? Come to Norfova the cursed land. Use this map I have added to this message. We must begin the first steps to a new world. If you dare to oppose this will, that of the greatest evils. You will be met with your death. However you too are welcome if that is your wish.

The witch was now waiting. Alone in the desolate wastelands of Norfova. This place, it was truly a testament to everything she craved. Although it could use more creatures slaughtering each other in mass. Her right hand rested on the shaft of her scythe. The dry wind of death blowing against her. What a wonderful place to build the center of what would be her Babylon.... Her forebears.... this was for them as well.....

@Tharen Crow @Leon Captor @Rein @Seto Kurama

 

OOC:You can skip to the line if you want

It was strange to say at the least, in the middle of the night while he slumbered away in his cot, Seto's mind was engulfed by the coming darkness almost completely when it came....at first it was quiet and unknowing as he dreamt, it was so slow at first as he dreamt it was a sunny, peaceful day on a farm smithing at the forge with his father as his mother and two sisters foraged the farm's apple tree's. for awhile Seto couldn't be happier but then out of nowhere, things changed as the sky changed to sunset unnaturally fast it was the middle of the day. Surprised Seto walked away from the Forge only to hear a massive amount of running from behind. Turning around Seto saw what was a huge citadel like wall built into the form of darkened gray mist of such proportion he had never seen before and it brought terror into his very heart and soul, becoming completely immobile by the very scene. Standing still out of the horror in his heart and soul, he watched as ghostly warriors taking the outer form as the mist charge outside the gate and towards him and his family. Scared for his life, Seto closed his as he shook many time overs waiting for death....to embrace it knowing he couldn't do anything to prevent but yet...nothing happened after a few seconds besides feeling the cold touch of the dead. When Seto opened his eyes, he still saw the towering mist but turning around, he would see the truth as he heard the screams of his family. Turning around Seto witnessed his family decapitation with the ground's holes being filled with their crimson blood by the ghostly mist warriors. Seto couldn't do anything but watch with his courage gone, it was like his essence was stolen from his very body and he was forced to watch as a corpse or a thrall. This dream or rather it be a nightmare was just getting worse as every moment went on. Before he even knew it, he saw the town guard jump in, fighting off the mythic soldiers that should even exist but being a freak of nature they did.

Finally, Seto mustered enough courage to step forward, slowly step by step, he slowed approached the last town guardsmen still alive. When he got within a few feet of the surviving warrior, the last guardsmen slew the last of the ghost mist warriors who fell to the ground before the body evaporated into nothingness. the guardsmen then took off his enclosed battered helmet, revealing Seto or at least another person with his face. As clone reach out for Seto with his hand, Seto fell on his back out of pure shock and confusion, not able to process what he just saw. Seto didn't have time to process it though, again the sky changed to the darkness of night with the noise of the ground starting to vibrate like an earthquake was going to happen. Turning his head back to the mist, to his horror beyond all reasoning became real as warriors clad in dark plated armor mounted upon demonic horses rode through the night and swept upon the farm, charging through the farm towards Seto and the surviving warrior. Showing no fear the sole warrior raised his greatsword in front of Seto in an attack stance to take down the steads heading towards. Seto sat there nearly lifeless, afraid for his life about to come to an end. Watching in horror, Seto started one last time at the warrior infront of him just as the demonic knights were on atop of him but when their blades finally clashed, there was a huge light which made everything white as if he was blighted. This pain made Seto fall unconscious and yet when he awoke, the pain was gone. Seto arose and opened his eyes only to reveal he was in a grotto with a path ahead of him. Seto was...unsure of himself on what do but then he didn't have much of a choice considering his circumstances so after some quick thinking and hesitation, Seto traveled down the long path until eventually, he came to a pond. In the center was a woman with an aura that was the pitchest of black, darker then the void yet the most eerie was her purple eyes that glowed in the night. "Come here, child it is time." Seto began shaking but he knew he had to confront this evil or whatever "it" was and there was nothing he could do about. When he finally approached the women, the ebony mounted warrior appeared out of the thinness of the air with the sole surviving warrior being held by his hand at his mercy. The nameless woman putting on a devilish grin on her smiling face as she tilted her greeted Seto with a genuine tone although at the same time felt fake or too serious, it didn't make any sense.

"My child, I have came to...show you the truth of your nature and your potential destinies?"
The mysterious woman than with her hand pointed to both the warriors before grabbing Seto's attention to look at them for her demonstration of sorts. With the snap of her fingers from her other hand, the demonic warrior took off his great helmet revealing Seto's face before she spoke again.
"Behold child, these two men represent your destinies....Will you follow the weaken path of the light and be a hero to the commoners and die amongst the worst death's possible?" After she had spoke that, the demonic knight impaled the sole survivor through the chest, killing him instantly before throwing his corpse into the pond, turning the once pure pond into something crimson red.
"Or you can follow....me into the darkness and unlock your full and true potential to which could anything....Look into your soul child...you know this is your nature"

She then put her arm on Seto's shoulder, staring at him with her demonic face "I know this to be true...search your feeling's my child, you know it as well...You will find me in the wastes of Norfova...waste no time my child if you wish to understand yourself." And with that, there was a flash forcing the ending of everything.

----

Snapping back to reality, Seto arose from his cot in the tavern with his palm of his rubbering his head, checking if he had hit his head when he was sleeping but nope, he didn't fully understand the dream but at the same time it didn't even feel like he was dreaming, it had to be something more than a dream or nightmare. For some reason the Norfova wastes were burned into his brain, he couldn't get it out no matter what he tried, it was like his body and mind wouldn't let him. He guessed he had no real choice in the matter and besides he was too curious about this entire matter, he was sure as hell it wasn't a normal dream. Getting out of bed, Seto donned his clothes and gathered his things before heading downstairs and paying the innkeeper for renting a room for a night. Taking his map out, Seto marked the Norfova wastes on the map then began his peerless journey to the Norfova wastes. Taking nearly a week, the trip was long, hard and dangerous with wild beasts running among the roads yet when Seto finally arrived at the Norfova wastes, this place felt different, he felt...at ease as if this was where he belonged or maybe there was was something more sinister at work, maybe this was a place he wanted other places to be like. Seto continued to walk down a desolate path with his sixth sense leading him down the path that reeked of death as the dying dry wind of the dead crashed into his chest until after a few minutes he saw a figure in the distance. Making his way up the path, soon enough he saw the woman from his dream or vision or whatever it was with her scythe sitting as if she was waiting for something. Seto approached the woman but kept his distance to be careful, he wasn't exactly in the mood to die. Speaking up in his most serious tone he could muster, he wanted the witch to take him seriously.

"You there....Witch, you were the one who summoned me from your damm vision you sent me. You were the one who showed me the truth within the darkness of my soul...why?"

Seto kept his right hand on the hilt of his sheathed katana, just in case anything happened. She didn't seem like the type who attack for no reason but you never could know for certain.

 

Hidden: Several Days Prior

Several days prior Rein had witnessed something that had shocked even him….Deep asleep within his bed, well not his bed, but a bed he had found and used near the Riverside Village inn, he had experienced something he was soon not to forget. He first noticed something was amiss by the fanatical wailing that had amassed around him. At first he had simply shrugged it off believing it to be the young couple tied together at the foot of his bed, however, as the grogginess of sleep wore off he became more and more aware of the sheer number of screams reaching him. Pushing off his covers, or rather the remnants of the clothes he had stolen from the couple, he pushed himself upright in the bed delighted to see tens of hundreds of beams of dark mana sweeping their way through the bedroom. Most made their way past them, but one found the chest of the female at the foot of his bed plunging into it as she let out a loud gurgle underneath her gag. Rein swiftly moved to the girl, passing through the beams unscathed, and grasping her shoulders as she writhed in the same ecstasy he had tried to instill on her companion hours earlier to no avail. Slowly her struggling ceased causing her to slump lifelessly to the floor before Rein who knelled in stunned silence.

Meanwhile the other manifestations of energy had entered the room, tearing through it with brutal efficiency as they swiftly hunted for yet another victim using a shotgun approach, having no effect on the now two fresh corpses on the floor, and approaching Rein. In turn many made their attempt at his bare skin, plunging through his body, before retreating suddenly. Each time Rein felt a slight burn at their touch, not on his skin, but something deep inside of him. Despite this, none of them seemed to deliver what aphrodisiacal effect on him as they had on the girl. Whatever the manifestation of dark energy was, Rein could tell it didn’t truly affect him like the others, “A curse of dying and being brought back?” he thought out loud pondering the meaning of the difference.

The line of thought was swiftly interrupted by the screams outside the house. These were not screams of pleasure and death, but rather that of anger and lust for revenge. Rein quickly burst through the door, and saw a small collection of the town’s perimeter guards. They stared at him with malicious intent, “GET HIM!” they screamed as they began to walk forward. Much to their surprise another wave of the dark pillars of energy coursed through the area striking them all in one fell swoop sending to the ground spasming in pleasure. Rejoicing in their pain, Rein ran to their side. “You…” one cursed, surprisingly resilient to the dark magic’s effect, “You did thi-…” his words fell dead with him, leaving Rein feeling hollow. Was this his doing? Much of the denizens’ misfortune could normally be attributed by his existence, but this was beyond anything he had dreamed for. “This… this is what I’ve been waiting for…” Rein breathed as he realized the silence that surrounded him….

….


After all that had happened, he had hidden himself in the pile of bodies that had threatened him, watching closely as two dark figures emerged from the inn, heading away from town. Relying on his natural instincts he stalked them as they traveled through the area, trying to learn more about them. Slowly he began to understand the blessing these two had received, the blessings that likely outweighed his own. He was conflicted about this, up until this point he had been that most powerful force he had met, to follow their dazzling trail was…. daunting. Still Rein had faith that his powers were merely restricted within him, he’d have to find a way to reach his full potential. The result was that he was entirely unsure of how to approach the figures, instead continuing to sulk around the shadows of their footsteps, likely drawing their attention at some point. This had continued for some time, until they reached desolate wastelands of Norfova. It was a fitting location for them, filled to the brim with blood magic. At some point the male paladin had wandered off somewhere, leaving the female witch and himself alone, mostly in silence. Rein couldn’t help but smile as he stood within the shadows of a nearby blighted tree, until the upstart arrived.

"You there....Witch, you were the one who summoned me from your damm vision you sent me. You were the one who showed me the truth within the darkness of my soul...why?" The man called out in fury.

Rein’s hands clenched in excitement, a pulse of adrenaline and electricity coursing through his body as he watched the figure. Despite this, he was torn, he wanted to rip the man apart as if he were a piece of meat, but another part of him wanted to wait and see what the girl did, interested to learn the full extent of her power. Eventually his curiosity won out, managing to control his hunger for violence for at least a little bit longer remaining silent for the time being.

 

There were abundant joys in this world, but few were sweeter than the pulling of a heist in the middle of the night; or perhaps even broad daylight. The strain of calculating the perfect plan. The headache of forming a crew to see it out. The sudden rush to adjust when things when afoul. And the exhilaration when it all came to fruition. These were the things that Earley loved most about Terrasphere, and if he'd originally intended to be a neutral thief in service of any who hired him, he'd since become aware of what a foolish notion that had been.

The simple fact of this world was the same as the one before: You either did, or you got done to. There was no equality in light and dark, no serving of two masters, no neutrality to be held and kept. Something more sinister within the chanting confines of his subconscious had called to him for release and it had taken pleasure in its freedoms, executing job after job for all manner of mafioso and charlatan within the capital of Stokbon. Strangling and break-ins and stealing of treasures. Cut-pursing, false evidence, and blackmailing pleasures. Dropping a snitch from a tower to see if he had wings. These were a few of his favorite things...

It hadn't surprised him, then, that his darker roleplaying style had attracted other PCs interested in forming a Guild of Calamitous Intent. He had read the received message and smiled upon closing it, wrapping up his affairs in the city before hiring a horse to ride out westward into the wastes. The blasted landscape and desolate fields would have made it impossible to find this sanctuary without the map to guide him. That was good, that meant it was secure. Whoever was running this show had a good eye for safehouses and that was of great import when you were playing The Bad Guys in any situation. But there was something she might've overlooked... Hopping down off of the horse, he slipped into the meeting place and quietly made his way to the back of those few assembled. A witching woman stood nearby at the center of things, radiant and horrible, with a claw-bearing man of shock-white hair and a more refined gentleman standing before her. They seemed to be of the more... dedicated roleplayer variety. Or perhaps NPCs she was able to recruit somehow? Oh well, there was no reason to rock the boat by breaking character.

"How many do you think we'll have to kill? The fools that won't show up." the rougish mageling asked aloud, his voice firm but soft, as though there were not anything to actually be concerned of. Of course they had to know any PC that didn't want to join would be able to respawn if they DID kill them. And this great location was ruined by the fact that merely perspective members had been sent a map; if they declined to join, they could inform a heroic guild of do-gooders to come and slay everyone gathering here. In fact, the idea that this might not just be a trap to catalog "evil" PC usernames was not out of the question. But if such were the case, so be it. He'd already decided to commit to satisfying his darker impulses, and if he were outed as a PKer or evil by the community then that just made it easier to act the part.

 

The witch would be deep into her dark thoughts when the sound of boots upon the hard barren earth would bring her back to reality. So, someone had finally come had they? This would be the first of several. The gathering had begun. Her eyes glared out between the silver locks that blew past her face. A young man was before her. What was he blabbering about now? He certainly had gone out of his way... ah yes. Of course. The witch would listen to him as he a grasped his weak looking sword and demanded some gibberish.

"You there....Witch, you were the one who summoned me from your damm vision you sent me. You were the one who showed me the truth within the darkness of my soul...why?"

Merkaba remembered the day she practiced a new ritual. A calling ritual. It was meant to reach out into those who were weak to the influences of the dark and unlock further desires to become one with it. It would some day be the key to united all of the humanity under her dark gods... or perhaps. simply under her. Time and the respect that Merkaba and the dark gods had for each other would decide all. This man here must have been a victim to the spell. Interesting because as far as she could tell it was not yet perfected.

"You condemn me as if you are a victim. Yet your soul must be quite black indeed to have seen those visions. I simply took the veil off of your desires. You brought yourself here. It is all your choice..."

Her hand went to her hair as she pushed the blowing strands from her face. Her fingers then opened a menu that showed the man's name was Seto.

"Seto."

She finished as it closed. Her eyes shifted towards a nearby tree. It was dead and rotting. Beautiful when nature takes such a wonderful turn. Then the two other men arrived. One was possibly here for some time. They were both rather weak looking much like Seto. Sigh, it was a start. Merkaba did not want too much challenge for her position anyway after all. It seemed that would be no problem for the time being.

"How many do you think we'll have to kill? The fools that won't show up."

The dark lady raised her hand. She spoke to both the distant white haired man, the newcomer, and Seto.

"Killing is not our first goal. This barren place has been selected to allow use to grow without the eyes of laws we do not obey judging us. Man made laws. You all being here is enlightening. As it shows that there are a few special ones still out there. That are worth saving from the foolishness of the masses. You are special, different then others. For one reason or another you are meant to be shepherds not sheep. There may be others to come... however for now we will discuss something important. Yes even you white hair. Now..."

Her voice rose some and she gestured around.

"This dimension, this new reality that we have crossed into. It is a place closer to the gods of darkness. The true rulers of all. I have dedicated my life to them and have been blessed with the right to spread their dark ways to every corner of the world. Both this one and the prime dimension from which we came. Do not allow the foolish technology of the false creator gods to cloud you. This is real. It has been assimilated into a game for idiots to play naively. As a ruse. Surely you can feel how wrong that is? This Cult of The Black Star... shall be a force bent on bringing truth to all. Among it's other goals...."

Merkaba finished her speech hoping that any late arrivals would have caught some of it. She hated repeating herself.

@Seto Kurama @Rein @Earley

 

Rein carefully restrained himself to silence as Merkaba eyed Seto speaking down to him in an arrogant fashion before waving her hand before her like all those players often do. "So she is one of them after all?" Rein thought sickened but curious. Often players in this world didn't abide by the same rules of the denizens, thus his interest in them. They were the key to a higher level of learning, one not burdened by the ideals of his current society. That said, often they were ignorant of their blessings, flaunting them as if they didn't have a care in the world. He had taught several the price of overestimating their power in his world, but as time progressed he had noticed that their abilities grew at a fast rate than his own.

That was until the spider Queen.

Since Rein died and was resurrected he had felt something inside of him growing slowly over time. He knew he wasn't as capable as some of those who had been on this plane longer than him, and there were those that still had him outpaced. But, he was now capable of growing stronger. For now, however, his weakness was so ever blatantly clear. Looking up from his troubling thoughts he noticed a new nameless face before them. A man, of no note.

Eventually, the Dark Lady began to speak in depth into her plans, Rein struggled to stay awake. That was until she began to speak of dimensions. The words drilled into his skull with heavy static, forcing Rein to his knees as his mouth frothed, fingers pulling at his scalp in pain. He couldn't hold it in anymore, silence just simply did not suit him.

He erupted into a barrel of laughs.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Ha-HA-HA-Ha-ha-ha. Your kind speak of this dimension as if it is nothing but a plaything but I know the truth. The truth of this world is something travelers like you do not, and cannot grasp. Your wish to grasp the shape of this reality is nothing but a fool's errand of which you will not ever accomplish." Rein's laughter burned into a slow chuckle that resonated deep within his chest, "Which is why it's beautiful. Picture perfect in every way. Yesss yesss yessss. Your path will bring nothing but tragedy and joy to all including yourselves, you will see your kind disfigured, and flayed throughout the countryside, painting with hues of white bone and red flesh. My hands may be weak but my will is strong, I will follow this disastrous path, use me as you will, ha ha haha! This is going to be so much fun! I am Rein and let it be known my path is that of utter destruction!" The madman began to roll around in the dirt laughing in agony for several moments

 

although he stood there emotionless, in his mind it was a different story, It was quite a shock to him to what she had said to him. He knew he was different from the rest of society but was he so blind that he couldn't see his own nature yet this witch could? What did this mean? He had to figure this out on his own. He decided to take things into his own hands. Using his hands, he drew his odachi from its saya and held it with both of his hands before laying on his lap. Sitting down, he crossed his legs with his hands on his katana with one hand holding the hilt while the held the edge of the blade. Closing his eyes, he entered what he would only call darkness as his body and mind entering a meditating state, forcing the outside away as he solely focused on himself. At the beginning, holding his blade tightly, angelic white energy began to residue from his blade, showing one half of his nature, the one part of his soul that needed to be purged? At first as the sudden flashes of images began to appear in his mind, he couldn't make them out as they were covered by the darkness. Using all his focus, he slowly uncovered what the darkness was hiding...himself or rather two versions of himself duking it out to the end. The two looked exactly like the two warriors from his vision the witch sent to him? Was this her doing? or was she innocent? Shaking his head in both directions in his mental confusion, the energy of his blade suddenly turned to slightly darker to a lighter gray. He didn't understand....why? why was he fighting himself? then it came to him like a flash of lighting, his ultimate enemy was himself, he was watching the eternal battle that raged within himself with his split personalities trying to become victorious. As he began watching these mighty warriors clash, one in white paladin armor and the other in ebony plate, these two were his concepts of "Good" and "ill" yet the longer he watched their eternal struggle in countless flashes of images of certain situations, slowly but surely the Paladin was struck down more and more often. Was he truly like the witch? Did he truly wish for the same goals? Maybe he was lying to himself about being a person that did good deeds. This constant battling back and forth only corrupted his energy further as he continued to question himself while the residue of his blade's energy was now becoming a darken gray to reflect his nature.

The continuation of these battles through numerous moral situations would eventually see the world for what it really was, corrupted and decaying and who was doing it? At its core was man and beast destroying the world.
He realized he had to save this land from the hands of those fools at all costs and rebuild what was lost which made man glorious in the past. At the same time of realized this, he watched with a grin on his face as the native paladin was stuck down for one final time. Lying dead on the ground, the two warriors dissolved into a darkening mist that soon took form into a being within it's eye's glowing the color of red, clad in large ebony armor, this demonic knight was a glorious sight before he finally realized this was....him in his true form in a sense and he liked it. Fully embracing the darkness, the residue energy that left his blade turned a distinct black almost black as the night itself. Being enlighted of his true nature being one now, Seto's eyes snapped open as he arose out of his meditation after nearly an hour. With the facial expression of someone who wanted to kill someone, Seto walked slowly to the witch, dragging his two handed katana behind him across the ground until he was just a mere five feet from her. Mustering all his strength in his right hand, he raised his blade into the air before he lowered the blade to come down and impaled itself into the ground, forcing Seto's dark energy to seep out of the ground around him and the witch.Keeping his right hand on its hilt, Seto Kneeled on his right leg before staring at the witch with a dreaded witch, he began speaking to her in a deep, cold but serious tone, wanting to make his intentions clear to the woman.

"Very well......I shall serve you Lady Merkaba and we shall destroy this pitiful world and create a new, rebirthing this land into something deemed worthy by the dark gods themselves....however if you deviate from this path.....I will kill you myself."

 

Well, this was certainly... well! Not knowing where truly to begin, he frowned as he listened to Merkaba's speech which seemed like a desperate Wicca's or Gothic's view of escaping reality and making for themselves a new more perfect one. Spirituality was a bitch like that, and he was nobody to argue with somebody about what they believed, so she was at least understandably insane. Rein was a more complicated fellow to account for, as he seemed to delight in the idea of PC and NPC alike suffering from whatever acts they took. So a sadist then, who either was actually insane or took his roleplaying very seriously. Whichever it turned out to be was of no concern to Earley, as he didn't intend to be around the man more than their mutual guild duties required. Seto, the final figure, seemed to buy into Merkaba's mission totally. Like, totally. He even went so far as to threaten killing her if she should ever deviate from her intended path which was an absurd ultimatum to give somebody who, just to go down the list:

1. Saw themselves as a godling awaiting ascension in this new realm or plane or dimension or reality or whatever the hell.
2. Could probably wipe the floor with you using her middle finger, if she felt like even putting for the effort of lifting it.
3. Was probably about to do exactly that for being threatened and back handedly talked down to by an underline, in front of other underlines, through the implication she might lack the willpower or gumption to see her plan through all the way.
4. She would just respawn and be incredibly god damned pissed at you, and have an entire guild ready to hunt you down who-
5. Are clearly all just a bunch of crazy people and sadist to begin with and would have zero reasons not to royally fuck your day up for killing their crazy god boss lady.

Well, that was quite the list, the mage rogue thought to himself as he stood there silently in the rear and watched these oathes of fealty sworn out to Merkaba. He offered no such platitudes or empty words, no promises from his lips. No speeches. She did not strike him as the kind of woman who took such things to heart, and he'd rather not waste his time being seen as pond scum by promising her loyalty that was still questionable. Particularly when her ego had to be swelling to vast degrees over this whole circus act already, and he'd just stoke that fire higher. So rather than give a speech of his own, he merely bowed towards Merkaba as a gentleman ought to, then stood up straight once more.

 

Leon stared at the woman before handing her a gold pouch. Soon after, he sent her a message.

Leon Captor

Yo. I need a place to bunk. Thanks. I think this would cover a few months of rent.

 

The world was a winding place with paths that branched across all walks of life. There were so many steps one could take and many more to follow. No life was the same, in or out of the game. Rook didn't care to carved paths, however unique their experience might be on them. No, Rook stepped easily off of trails and roads to find a new one or wander wilds for a spell. They had come to this world to see what awaited them and at the first synthetic brush against their mana and the whispers in their mind, they knew there was something more to it. All this world lived and breathed and it had many more paths than the waking world could possibly begin to offer. The waking world didn't sing to them in black behind Aiden's eyes or the quiet of a world hanging suspended in a moment. No, he didn't get any of them. Rook did.

When the message arrived, Rook had read it a hundred times over. A clamor of voices had risen, but they said nothing despite humming and whispering and thundering for hours. The beings were good at that. They had finally lifted a hand to dismiss the message when curiosity came along to tempt the cat. Rook was no Felis. The Velten, however, would not resist such a siren song. They didn't care for death nor for destruction, those were simply things that happened whether one raised their hand or stayed it. It was knowledge that piqued their interest. The patrons of Malefimancy and Illumancy had shifted in their planes. Both had crowded forward for a moment before Illumancy's soft sigh vanished in disinterest or disappointment. They didn't care it seemed, beyond a recognition that it was not their place. An acknowledgment that Rook would call upon them less and was agreeable enough.

Malefimancy's patron however hissed. The screech of claws over metal that cascaded into a heavy roar like a distant river's rapids clamored in their ears. Their mana brushed across it as it settled into a furious mix of indignation, interest, and impatience. Whoever had sent the message was making waves in the inky pool Rook could press against to beseech for darker powers. The feeling of thick spines and wet, lidded eyes watching faded with a demand, a request, a something that was enough.

Rook followed the call where it led without another thought.

The caster came and settled far enough from them to feel safe. They watched as the three approached the one and the beginnings of a red sun rising could be felt from the Queen of Cats and her not-sibling in the light. They knew and recognized what the Sunken Tower's Serpent had immediately pieced together. There was more here than the four of them. A shift in the world that went unseen, layered on top of reality. Something was following in her wake and Rook wondered if she knew she was, most likely, being watched. They weren't sure if she was. Rook would have, The Serpent certainly seemed keen to know. It was decided. The Cat spared a brush of awareness before they all left the mage. The planar entities existed with more import than just a lowly Astramancer after all.

Rook rose to their feet and left the swathe of shadows they had been content to watch from and moved toward the others. They kept their half-lidded, golden eyes on the ravaged ground rather than the group they approached. A few hops and skips down more rugged terrain and they were near enough to hear clear words rather than the sound of expressed emotion and muddled language the higher ground had offered. They said nothing, primly folding their hands together in front of them and watching the ringleader of this budding circle of hell while she finished the little monologue.

 

Earley examined the newcomers as they one by one arrived, curious as to what their stories were and what might have driven them to embrace "the daaaaaaaaaaaaarkneeeeeeeeeess" within, as he expected it to come to be called. There was an aloofness to the figure of Leon that made him simultaneously angry and amused. Angry, for the boy was nothing but a disrespectful whelp! Amused, because it was Merkaba or Seto or some other fool's job to deal with him, should the necessity arrive.

Neither Leon nor the next man.... woman? Person? Whatever. Neither had introduced themselves or actually said anything upon arriving. He stared at them from beneath the cowl of his hood, wondering if the planned to... introduce themselves, perhaps.