Moment of the Future
Log Info
- Title: Moment of the Future
- GM: Aftershock
- Place: Arcanist's Society, Alexandria
As Thoth's resolve strengthens the creature inside his master's body narrows its eyes at him. Crimson as the eyes that it has turned crimson. Glowing with malice. And then they are gone. Everything is gone. Darkness is all that remains. Darkness thick enough that even if ones eyes were closed it would not be dark enough to replicate this shadowed existence.
"Perhaps I should kill the goblin now then; since her life means nothing to you as well." The voice seems to come from everywhere and nowhere. From within their own minds.
GAME: Thoth rolls Knowledge/Arcana: (7)+17: 24 GAME: Thoth casts Dancing Lights. Caster Level: 8 DC: 18
Darkness!
There's a sudden heaviness in Thoth's chest. A frustrated and anxious chirp. Darkness is... oppressive for the bird. Yet, those bright eyes of its notice the arcane energies around itself. It squawks in frustration though, as bits of little beads of light suddenly flood into the room from its broken wings - in the midst of a quick chanting and hand-motion.
"Your words mean nothing anymore." It answers the being, as weak lights try their bests to resist the intense darkness around Thoth. "This one is having trouble with this darkness though..." It chirps at Gramarye, as it opens their chest and lets out their Familiar - Ra - which quickly hops onto Thoth's shoulder and lets out a similar anxious HOOT.
GAME: Gramarye rolls Knowledge/Arcana: (19)+15: 34 GAME: Gramarye casts Haste. Caster Level: 6 DC: 19
Gramarye is undaunted, greatsword still in hand. "Thoth. Give support to this one." The lower octave and red eyes are intent on her killing business. "Anti-fey protocol engaged."
Only a beat later, she announces, "Initiating spellcasting." She intones a magical string of words before her magic culminates in the quickening of her own movements, Thoth's movements, and Thoth's little familiar. Her sword is then raised up in defense of herself and Thoth. The matter of vision could well be sorted before she acts again next.
GAME: Aftershock rolls 2d4: (5): 5 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d8: (6): 6 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d8: (4): 4 GAME: Thoth rolls Fortitude: (19)+5: 24 GAME: Gramarye rolls Will: (2)+8: 10 GAME: Gramarye rolls Will: (13)+8: 21 GAME: Gramarye rolls Spellcraft: (4)+15: 19 GAME: Thoth rolls Spellcraft: (11)+17: 28 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d4: (4): 4
The creature is silent in the dark, but there's a moment of colors flashing and blinding light from SOMEWHERE that strikes both Gramarye and Thoth. The colors tell them both what the spell is, but they are also blinding. Striking at the heart of Thoth's fear and making things much, much more difficult for the pair. The creature Zelgu offers no more words now, perhaps it has decided with Thoth's denial that offering some manner of parlay is no longer worth its time.
GAME: Thoth rolls Perception+3: (10)+9+3: 22 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+22: (9)+22: 31 GAME: Thoth casts Elemental Aura. Caster Level: 8 DC: 21
"Okay, this one will back you up. But it must warn, do not approach this one too closely." As it moves just a bit further away from Gramarye and sparks start to fly from it as it casts a quick spell. It isn't exactly the most dangerous spell in the world...
Then, another squawk, as it goes blind. A frustrated sound coming from the avian, as bits of zip-zap electricity jumps from its body, reaching around itself. "This one is unable to see our opponent." It chirps, while Ra makes hooting noises, craning its head around like... well... an owl.
GAME: Gramarye rolls 1d100: (58): 58 GAME: Gramarye rolls 1d8+3: (6)+3: 9
Blind, confused, the conditions are not looking good for Gramarye. The war golem wizard-fighter's sensors are overwhelmed. "Father."
It's a little plea. That somehow he might appear and direct her. That somehow he might appear and save her. She has to do as her Father's directed her, however. She has to do what's according to her directives in the anti-fae protocol. So she raises her greatsword and attempts to attack, but she ends up catching the blade on part of her frame, damaging her own structure.
"Father!" It's a kind of desperation that most would think is impossible for a war golem to have.
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+18: (8)+18: 26 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+16: (9)+16: 25 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d6: (1): 1
The dark holds horrors, and one of them grasps hold of Thoth, holding it tightly. Nails digging into its metal body and digging furrows into it. The scratches leak vital fluids and the grip grows all the more forceful though Zelgu does not speak even now. Seemingly content to squeeze and tear at Thoth; to destroy the very thing that he has sought all along.
GAME: Thoth rolls 2d6: (10): 10 GAME: Thoth rolls Wizard+Intelligence: (8)+8+6: 22 GAME: Thoth casts Magic Missile. Caster Level: 8 DC: 19
Thoth lets out a squawk as pain comes amidst darkness. It freaks out in that moment. Tying to get loose from Zelgu. Struggling. But failing to get out of its grasp. It tries to cast a spell of Magic Missile to pull him off, but the being remains upon him - halting it from getting the right hand-motions off. The Elemental Aura zapping the corpse(?) and the creature burrowed within. Its little weak arms failing to do much while it is pinned like this.
GAME: Gramarye rolls 1d100: (51): 51 GAME: Gramarye rolls 1d8+3: (4)+3: 7
"Father!" Gramarye calls out again, sensors still haywire, perception in fuzz. She attempts to swing her greatsword again, but she can't even determine where the weapon is. Sensation is haywire. The weight of the blade works against her.
It's no wonder that it bites into her again, damaging her, but one thought comes to mind then. Keep calm. Even when things seem dire, keep your head. Father. Father's words. They were his words to her when he was teaching her how to fight with the blade. Maybe... Maybe they'll help.
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+14: (10)+14: 24 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+14: (18)+14: 32 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d6+8: (3)+8: 11 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d6+8: (1)+8: 9
The creature Zelgu is clawing at Thoth's chest... Greedily pulling bits and pieces apart to get to something within. It clearly is after something, something that lies within Thoth's body; something it doesn't mind bloodying its hands on Thoth's internal workings to get to. The pain is immense as the hole in Thoth's chest widens and widens.
GAME: Thoth rolls 2d6+4: (9)+4: 13 GAME: Thoth casts Stoneskin. Caster Level: 8 DC: 20 GAME: Thoth rolls Wizard+Intelligence: (16)+8+6: 30 GAME: Thoth rolls Fortitude: (16)+5: 21
Metal tears. Parts fall to the ground. Cogs and little whirring sprockets. The bird doesn't 'hurt' in the way a biological might, but it is still terrified. "Halt. Please. Desist!" It chirps in frustration and worry. It only just came to reclaim its memories. To be torn apart by the dead body of its master... this is horrifying.
Trying to protect itself, its golden figure starts to get more... stoney. Grey. Trying to stop Zelgu from continueing to harm it, while electric shocks zap against the creature's body! "Gramarye! Please! This one requires your aid!" It chirps in desperation at her!
GAME: Gramarye rolls 1d100: (9): 9 GAME: Gramarye rolls weapon9: (9)+8: 17 GAME: Gramarye rolls damage9: aliased to 2d6+5: (8)+5: 13
Gramarye charges forward, swinging down with the greatsword again. "Attempting to rejoin combat," she announces, and its blade bites once again into the body that inhabits Zelgu--
Resulting in another decapitation, but that, as they've seen, does nothing to Zelgu inside of the body. "This one is unable to discern how to fight this." There is a note of disappointment in her voice.
But lest one thinks she gives up... "Initiating prayer protocol. Vardama, Death Goddess, Gray Harpist, Dread Lady, Enduring One: as you bless my Father and hold my First Father in your grasp, grant me your aid." Aragos had taught her that sometimes--sometimes--prayer means something.
As the creature's head plops to the ground Zelgu smiles aimlessly off in a random direction, holding onto Thoth gently. However... there's something lurking in the dark. Something unseen... Perhaps... more than one something.
Thoth stumbles back now that it has a momentary chance, though perhaps it should have stayed closer to keep some pressure up on this strange enemy of theirs. And at Gramarye's callout that she isn't certain how to defeat their foe, Thoth shakes its head. "This one does not know either." But it's not quite ready to flee yet...
Though it hears the scratching, the movement coming from the edge of the chamber now. Thoth tries to react, casting a spell and demanding for black tentacles to break up from the floor...
But nothing happens. Like the magical power just got... stuck?
GAME: Gramarye casts Dispel Magic. Caster Level: 6 DC: 18 GAME: Gramarye rolls 1d20+6: (15)+6: 21
Gramarye has been told, throughout all of her recorded life, of the existence of deities and the divine. As a war golem, she has observed phenomena that is attributable to divine magic or the presence of the divine. She has even met a war golem divine servitor in the form of her friend, Khepri. But until this moment, she has never comprehended what it's like to feel the divine.
In this moment, she does. Her sensors come online, but she cannot account for the anomaly of feeling. She cannot account for it, but then she realizes it is not an anomaly in the sense of it being something that could cause her to make a mistake. She is listened to. Her words are heard.
"Initiating spellcasting," Gramarye intones. She lifts her hand, magic welling up in her. She speaks the eldritch words of magic. Then...
The darkness parts.
As the darkness lifts, Thoth sees why it's spell didn't go off. The thing that it had cast at is not Zelgu. Nor anything like him. It's a creature dressed in a gray robe. Flanked on either side by headless Zelgu's the creature easily swings it's hand, collapsing both of the revealed doubles into dust. Thoth and Gramarye never even see its hand. Only the edge of a gray robe touch and then the fall of ash.
"No! You can not be here!" Zelgu's voice is a gurgle of blood and a terrible sound; high pitched and whining. Not the voice of Thoth's master at all. Seems that having lost a head has changed things.
<I was called.> The hooded and cloaked figure says, it's voice echoing in your minds but nowhere else. <My aid was requested, and I have been waiting such a long time for you.> Zelgu's head cranes out from around the chest that he is riding inside and he taunts the creature in cloak. "You can not harm me! I am Eternal." <Not I, but they.> The hooded figure motions to Gramarye and Thoth. <I will grant them a piece of Me, because it has been asked for, and I am willing.>
GAME: Thoth rolls Knowledge/Religion: (5)+10: 15 GAME: Thoth rolls Melee+1+10: (17)+5+1+10: 33
The darkness lifts, and there stands a being in Grey. Thoth shambles back a bit in that moment, and looks to Gramarye in a manner that seems to express 'What Did You Do?'. Then looking back at the being representing themselves before them. Watching as the doubles collapse and are turned to dust.
There's a quiet and lower demure little 'squawk'. While Ra on Thoth's shoulder bows to the godly presence. Thoth isn't so quick to bow, purely due to the situation it has found itself in. Hurt, with part of its body torn assunder. Scratched and ripped out metal. Tarnished and metal-fatigued plating.
Then, a welling of power. Like part of its mind is suddenly being blasted forward in time. Its entire body glistening in golden for just a moment as it reaches for something it does not yet understand. As it reaches to a sense of desiring vengeance upon this being before itself...
And steps forward, trying to touch Zelgu in that very same moment. As the hooded figure announces that it will grant them a piece of Them, Thoth tries to touch. Wings that are broken showing a future in which they are mended. Golden winds chasing it as its fingers reach out and can think of only one thing...
To let this being suffer the way it did. To touch the Parasite that has hidden within its master and let it suffer the way it did. "Then live for Eternity, Zelgu. Out of peoples minds, where your lies can reach nobody anymore!" It chirps as symbols of light form around it. The bird chirping a spell, each syllable lighting up in the air around it, until it forms into a completed spell and collapses into a single golden 'point' at the tip of its finger...
"Be gone, far beneath the surface of this world! Eternal Imprisonment!"
Gramarye does not know what the exact nature of this entity is that has appeared before her is, but she knows one thing: Father will be so proud of her. And while she feels the potential of her future self waiting for her, she chooses, in this moment, not to use that which has been gifted to her. Father has said that part of being a warrior is sometimes knowing when to fight and when to tend to the wounded.
She is no cleric. She is no paladin, like her Father. But she will try anyway. The red washes out from her eyes, and she speaks normally.
"I pray." It begins solemnly. "I pray that your victims, Zelgu, find peace. I pray that Thoth's Master is restored or put to rest--whichever one is desired by the soul or is best. I pray."
They are simple words. Father also taught her that's for the best. Sometimes, complexity is confusing. Sometimes, the divine is found in simplicity.
Zelgu is gone, trapped forever between where only a few (two) know to find him. The celestial being standing before Thoth and Gramarye bows its head. <Not what I would have chosen, but a fine choice. I will wait.> It fades out of view without a further explanation, leaving the corpse of Thoth's master behind.
Now, you can finally, after all these many long and forgotten years... Lay him to rest.
Thoth may have understood, that the god of Death would have preferred the 'Eternal' to have stopped being Eternal. But Thoth is not a holyman. Thoth, in that moment, saw a being who had denied it its master. Who had played with its limited emotions. And it had wished for Vengeance.
In that way, it is perhaps lesser than Gramarye, who it is quickly forming a bond with. She had used that moment to pray, to heal, and to mend.
Thoth, as the Grey one speaks, answers by collapsing down onto the ground, partially broken, shaking a bit. The stress of the moment coming to a head quickly now that the danger is passed.
As it notes; "This one believes it now understands why Aragos used to drink."