The Secrets within the war [Arc/Plot/FOT]

The hallway would seem to stretch and stretch as the music did, however, they would soon enough find the end of the hallway with a soft whimper as the song stopped until it began to pick up once again. It was at this point they might've been able to gather that this was someone singing casually, the tone wasn't consistent and it seemed to follow the whimsy of the singer. Although that wasn't the most startling part of where they've stopped.

At the end of the tunnel was a large door, two hinged and made from some sort of steel. However, it was what lay around the ironclad barrier that would draw their eyes and awe. There where the claw marks had led to they were suddenly thicker around the same size of an elephant's tusks. The voracity and terror of the creature could be seen from the various, and rather franticly made markings as they disappeared underneath the threshold. Whether it was calming or worrying there were no sounds or indications of anything that big and bestial beyond the door, there was only the singing that kept on loop.

The handles were braided, wrought iron and there was no lock, but from the scrapes of the doors on the rocky flooring, it would be obvious that it would make some noise when they would enter. All there was now was for them to make their decisions, though all of them would get the sense that once they go past that door there was no turning back.

This thread is now on a timer of 72 hours, extensions will only be given over the most strenuous circumstances and must be requested in advance as much as plausible. If you are not in combat and are skipped it will be taken as silence or continuation of action, if in combat this could result in autohits. Do not worry about others posting, just post as soon as plausible for your own sake.

With Lagi making it towards the door, the first thing that he did was try to examine the markings on the wall to use his extensive knowledge of beasts. He thought that it's possible that it could be an existing creature or a mix of it and that a good guess from his expertise was something to go off on. However, if Lagi couldn't think of anything, he would simply nod at Sogaxod in order to progress. "I don't know about you, but I'm moving forward. Besides the mixture of this badly drawn-out music and the mysterious location that it brought us, there have to be some answers that are located beyond this door."

Sogaxod already received the order, using its B-tier strength in order to pull the door open in case there was any difficulty. There might have been some surprise as to how Lagi's childe have looked due to its appearance, but those things haven't mattered to him. "Feel free to retreat though, I hardly know you enough to judge you in regards to it. It's better to value your life if you don't have the strength to continue. " With that being said, Lagi and Sogaxod walked in as soon as Sogaxod managed to get the door open for them.

Gilles sees the door and looks at it with great interest. It seems that there was something here that had made quite a mess but did not seem to be here anymore. Gilles was about to open the door when the man that stay behind opened it first. It did not make much sense how the man had caught up so quickyl but she would not think about it for now.

She would use her wings to fly past the man and his creature while the other cultists continued to ran behind her. Their goal was to get to the mystery as quick as possible. She had found all of these other explorers to be quite annoying. Why had they all had to be there as well. Well she would worry about them later. For now her goal was just to explore this mystery.

160/180 magoi

weapon:

Plentiful and far too ominous to ignore. This is what Humayra decreed to herself with regards to the intensified bestial markings surrounding the door they all now stood before. And the music made an uncharacteristic change, pausing before continuing... "I wonder who could be playing this strange music..." the Fanalis girl spoke. Though only meant for her partner Al-Sadek to hear, her voice carried enough for those nearby to pick up on the thought if they so cared. One thought did cross Humayra's mind that she didn't choose to vocalize though and that would be whether or not the singing and the claw marks shared in any sort of relation. Hopefully not...

Coming to the door after the others already opened it, Humayra did hold some reservations about proceeding despite everyone else's eagerness to continue on into the unknown. The Fanalis girl and her partner exchanged knowing glances. Delving into the unknown without a proper state of planning felt like a bad omen, but they both elected to follow along with everyone else, come what may.

Either way, whatever happened from here on would see the lot of them thrown into it together. There would be no avoiding that fact, especially if this whole venture turned out to be an elaborate trap.

In an act of brotherhood or an act of foolishness, they all made it to the door that sourced the singing and they all chose to cross the threshold into the unknown. Whether this act would pay off or lead to their doom would hold the air tense and likely consume the forethought of anyone who had the wisdom to question the situation they had found themselves in. However, the first thing they would all notice immediately was the sudden silence from the singing that had been luring them deeper.

At first glance, the room they were in would seem exceedingly bland, it was almost entirely empty except for a bare altar and what appeared to be an empty pool base around it. There at the end of the hall where the altar sat was another pathway. However, this time it didn't require any prompting to figure out what would be down the path as a figure emerged from the shadows. All cloaked in dark robing with their figure and face hidden with a mask looking like that of a reptilian skull. They stopped at the edge of the well and looked upon them all in silence.

There was no inquisition as the mysterious person's head turned from person to person, looking at them all as if they were trying to figure out who they were and maybe even why they were there. It was hard to tell if they were armed since they were wearing incredibly thick and numerous layers of robing that seemed to conceal most of their body and anything that might be underneath. Even their mask hid their face well with no flesh, or their eyes even being visible through it. In an eerily slow manner, they brought one of their hands up, covered in layers of bandages and metal claws they tapped their chin and began to whistle.

Still, there were no questions as the whistle began to build in tune until they would all begin to recognize it as the same tune to the song they had been hearing the entire way here.

This thread is now on a timer of 72 hours, extensions will only be given over the most strenuous circumstances and must be requested in advance as much as plausible. If you are not in combat and are skipped it will be taken as silence or continuation of action, if in combat this could result in autohits. Do not worry about others posting, just post as soon as plausible for your own sake.

Gilles would see the masked figure and would grin widely at the figure. SHe was not sure who they were but she would act quickly to attempt to figure out who or what the figure was. Using her wings she would fly at quick speeds towards the figure before coming to a stop. As soon as she stops she would bring her blade down in an attempt to slice not the figure bit their mask. If she succeeded she would slice the mask in half without cutting the face of the figure. The rest of the Flames would surround the figure ready to take action as Gilles speaks, "Who are you? Are you the one who summoned us here?" Gilles would ask trying to contain her excitement and trying not to set the figure in flames.

Magoi 155/180

weapon:

Seeing the guy was much of a letdown. With the amount of music that was playing, Lagi almost suspected that there would be some kind of band that was being stored down here. How else was this lone figure able to make such a noise? "Man? Woman? Dungeon beast? Can't really tell without removing all of those robes and clothing. But even more importantly with that, can you stop with the damn music already? With all of the people that you saw walk here and the apparent demon ....sorry Soga.."

"I take no offense..."

"You're the first person I met in a while who doesn't even react to the situation after looking at all the new faces. You just continue to play your tune. However, the mystery grows large and my patience runs short. Who are you? What is this place?" In the meantime, Lagi decided to start searching the room in order to find anything that could become useful to him. "The rest of you, start searching this temple. Don't take it as an order, but take it as something that interests you the most...or should... I know a place of worship and a cultist when I see one. " Admittedly, Lagi also came from a similar background with the dark hand.

A peculiar figure appeared, his(her?) adorned appearance did little to assuage the ominous foreboding which plaguing Humayra’s senses. It could be dangerous. Perhaps not immediately judging from how it paused a moment as if to take in their presence before it resumed the eerie melody. So the tune came directly from this being then?

Before Humayra could speak any words the flaming woman dashed forward and immediately crossed her weapon over the unknown figure’s mask! A confrontation would be inevitable now. Despite others feeling relaxed, the Fanalis girl tightened her grip on both daggers. Physical altercations were always provoked by someone and they’d all entered as a group. Surely this being that’d only been singing up to now wouldn’t take kindly to being attacked as a first introduction. Alternatively the opposite could happen and this woman would be the only one to suffer the results of her hasty action into aggressive behavior. If the latter turned out to be the case then she could calmly let it happen. Humayra didn’t hold much like for the fiery girl right now and hoped the arrogance she displayed in this moment would get the best of her.

Staying both calm and silent, Humayra would presently serve only as an observer to the situation as it continued to unfold.

The figure would move back just as quickly as Gilles had gotten close enough to try and strike them, moving with an unnatural speed as they seemingly slid back like a still image sliding backwards until it stopped. They would look around at everyone else and listen to what they had to say and would take another moment of silence before suddenly one of their bandaged hands reached towards their face mask.

"If you wanted to see my face, or know who I am it's polite to ask or even introduce yourself first." They said, their voice distorted somewhat by the mask as it changed, still deep and melodic but not as low as it had been before. "Though, I'm not sure how many times I've already met you, though I guess it's your first time meeting me like this."

They said as they suddenly removed their mask and put it aside before removing the rest of their robes before putting them all aside.  It was clear now that the tall, tanned woman was someone wearing Heliohaptian robings and even seemed to be from this land. Their clothing was that of an official cult, but seemingly any of the mainstream ones that could be recognized at glance by the layman. She pulled out a deck of cards covered with hieroglyphs and other designs, shuffling them as she turned her head to Angelus first of all.

"I'm glad one of you understood my message, yes, an invitation to a land safe from those sins and free for the mind and body to enjoy." They would then look over to Lagi and Gilles as if they were children who had committed a wrong, not sincerely upset as if they knew not what they had done. "This isn't simple cult work, I thought you of any my child would understand the importance of ritual, as for you lady of the flame, I'm sure you're going to love very much what I have to say."

They would walk over to the altar and run their hand along the base before they would pull out their cards again and shuffle some of them waving for them to come closer to speak, listen, show, and tell. Her voice was calm, never once faltering as she shared her question. "So, I know you're all curious, ask some questions, I will answer everything and more and if you like my story and what I have to say there is much for all to benefit from, and if you don't you are free to fight me, this is no trap, simply an opportunity for the truth."

The Mysterious Person:

Gilles was taken back a bit by how well the figure was able to avoid Gilles assault. She would grin at this, she would take a great deal of interest in this person. The way they talked, the acted as if they have met with Gilles before. Yet when they revealed what they looked like Gilles seemed only more confused. She had never seen this woman before.

She would listen to the woman and be offended by being called a cult, "I will have you know that the Order of the Flames Reach is not a cult. It is a religious order made decades ago and is a facet of the Sassan church. Also you say we have met before but I have never seen the likes of you before. Also what is it that i am going to love?"

" Do you see me as some barbarian? I am strong, and that is not an exaggeration. However, I am not beyond reason and I'm not in the business of striking people down without hearing what they have to say." She was fast, she was strong. Probably stronger than most, as well as being shrouded in mystery in terms of Gilles trying to apprehend her. However, that seemed to be close to impossible if it was something that Gilles wanted to achieve. In addition to that, her emphasis on "Ritual" made Lagi's skin crawl. How much did she know about him? Did they meet before? Lagi didn't recognize her at all.

"I care not for specifics, the dominant religion back in Heliohapt before the accident was the dark hand. The promise was kept, the god was summoned, and the path to solomon's chosen was paved. If you approach me in such a garb, regardless of how offended you are or ignorant you think i am, my success only means that one more god was rejected. " He said nothing incorrect. He won, or at least, he believed that he did when the results were considered. However, what religious order could have such a powerful ritual. "My questions are simple enough, what is the truth you speak of that you wanted to share with us? Also, you mentioned that you met us before, but I do not know you."

Crimson eyes widened, first in surprise, then they filled with anger before settling to reveal one wholly possessed of a steady and seething rage.

Humayra found herself only surprised with the quickness at which the figure moved. Her speed at avoiding Gilles’ attack struck the girl as unusual considering how much clothing the figure wore along with the mask which surely must’ve drastically obscured their visual acuity. To respond to threat so easily had to take some measure of concentration or experience.

But any amount of apprehension the young Fanalis girl held against the masked figure melted away the instant this unknown began to discard its robe’s, revealing the Heliohaptian woman and clothing beneath. The woman’s appearance ignited a volatile flame within Humayra, one which would grow ever hotter with the words the woman spoke. The meaning to the words of this song they’d all followed felt extremely hollow to Humayra now that the face of this melody stood revealed before them.

Humayra’s knuckles grew white, the hilts of both her daggers seemed to creak with complaint under the force of her tightening grip. Slowly the Fanalis stepped forward, unblinking crimson irises seething with pent up rage. Even if this woman wasn’t the direct cause of every woe and suffering which had befallen her entire life lived in slavery within Heliohapt lands, Humayra couldn’t simply ignore the controversy of her words. The severed chains attached to the bindings still clinging to Humayra’s ankles clinked with every footfall, heavy and rhythmic as the girl approached. Until she stood no more than an arm’s length away from the previously masked woman. The Fanalis girl stared up into the Heliohaptian woman’s eyes and spoke with a fierce, almost bestial forcefulness. ”The truth is that your song weeps with poisonous hypocrisy. Why the hell should we believe any of the answers you claim to be offering?”

Humayra would offer the woman only one chance to answer her question. One saving grace, before a bloodbath of potential would be released.

The questions, the unease, the general sense of distrust mixed with the air of mystery created a metaphorical miasma that at any moment could turn hostile and change the atmosphere at the drop of a hat. However despite the caution, it should inspire in all parties for various reasons the figure would take a step back, and a deep breath as their smile grew ever wider and their eyes stared further into grandeur for a moment.

"Oh to answer the question you all have, spoken or not, it's quite simple how I know you and you don't know me." With her hand pulling out a card from her deck it began to fill with magoi, although none of them would sense hostile intent as she suddenly used magic. Within a moment she shifted from herself to a man dressed in slave rags with average looks, one of the people captured by the blood camels that Angelus would've seen in their hideout, next was a soldier wearing slave armor that Humayra had seen eating with Bahjat, Third was an older gentleman with a Parthian Toad cloak, the one who asked for Gilles help, and finally shifting to an all cloaked figure dressed in the same ritual guards as one of the many that was there the night Heliohapt fell, the night Tartarus was born. "I know all of you, and now that you see you have all met me, let's talk."

What had already been an extremely intense air would soon be made somewhat dangerous with the reveal that whoever this was had a powerful magical item at their disposal for one, and second, had been following each of them for some time and maybe even longer. They would let this sit on the air only for a moment before they put the card away and then they glowed again before their form shifted once again to that of themselves slipping their cards back to whence they came.

"This land I've spoken of does not exist in this realm as it were, maybe it did once but I cannot be quite sure. A land where boredom is lost and a reverie can be found. We don't concern ourselves with notions of good, nor evil, fate or the rejection of it. We all simply are as we are in this world." She continued to speak in a metaphorical matter without really saying too much of what this would actually mean. "There are those in this world who wish to make suffering their own, while I and my people wish to rip this suffering from the world, and have been working for it for a while. You may not trust me, but if I truly wished to send you to your dooms wouldn't I have done so already with the knowledge you can assume I possess."

It was with this that she suddenly came down, her eyes shifting back to focusing on the space around her as she gazed upon them all once more twirling and stepping back to lean against the wall as she placed a hand to her face and tapped her cheek with her nail ever so lightly. "If you wish to see a world like this I ask that you not betray your place in the world, but use it alongside us to achieve our goals."

Gilles would grin widely as the woman shapeshifts in front of all of them before talking about her visions. She found this so exhilarating and interesting. She believed it as well, she envisioned a world enveloped in flames where everyone feels truly blessed as they are embraced by their god.

Gilles would moved directly in front of the woman taking one of her hands in the cultists singular hand. "I feel the exact same as you! I want a world where no one suffers, a world of true bliss and serenity. I will join you and we can bring our world to life! We will bathe the world in the warmth of the great god's embrace!" her eyes were gleaming so brightly as she spoke to the woman. Her words were sincere and honest not knowing that their worlds were probably a bit different.

"You were all of these people at the same time? Impossible..." Lagi couldn't believe it, but for some reason, this person was connected to all of their activities. How? Why? What did they want and why were they so involved in what other people did? Of course, Lagi made plenty of enemies in the past and after what happened in Helio, there was a good chance that he made a lot more enemies in addition to that. However, he tried to be careful in the sense of people being around him that wasn't what or who they appeared to be, perhaps he miscalculated?

"You wish to rip suffering from this world? Isn't that impossible? Why do you think black rukh exists? I've toyed with it long enough to know that evil is not the face of such a power. It's the negative aspects of life that fuel it. In your words, if suffering doesn't exist in your world, it would almost be labeled as perfect in comparison to ours. You want to rid suffering, but those cruel and crucial moments of one suffering are what make people who they are if they can climb out of such darkness. What can emerge is either a hero or a villain, but how can a society without hardship build as individuals? We can't expunge it entirely if it can be used to learn and better one another."

The grip on her daggers loosened, Humayra blinking a couple times at the many faces this figure apparently possessed. She didn’t recognize most of them but the one she did know brought an abrupt realization to pass over the young Fanalis’ features. Changing one’s appearance at will, indeed an incredible power to possess. But this meant they’d all been lured here for a reason, possibly for this being’s self-indulging purposes even.

Ripping suffering from the world. Humayra fancied the notion. If she could possess a power like that then she too might be inclined to use it for that purpose. While bringing them all here without giving them any true understanding of the intended purpose hadn’t sat well with her, this person at least now had Humayra’s attention.

”Ripping the suffering from the world. If what you say can be done, then I’m curious how you expect us to be able to help.” Humayra stated, lowering her daggers, but not yet putting them away.

She would smile and look upon them as they would all ask more questions, it never seemingly upsetting her but rather bringing her more and more joy to answer more questions. "Those are all very good questions, and I believe that I have very good answers on that part."

As she moved to sit upon the altar she crossed legs and moved each hand into the air to imitate a scale balancing some invisible force. "You're all right, what I say sounds like some sort of hard promise that can only be achieved through either the creation of some sort of fantasy realm or take all free will away from people, which is honestly a bit egomaniacal." Her words ended with a laugh that lasted for a good minute before she wiped a tear away from her eye.

"We might be in the shadows and act with subversion but that doesn't mean we think things are achieved through drastic measures like that." As she spoke she started to weigh her hands more and more before finishing her statement. "We believe there is only one way to free and separate needless suffering from the suffering that makes us stronger, and to remove the boredom that restricts all living beings from living lives they were meant to however they may be, and we first believe that we must make peace with necessary suffering."

"There is that like pain and consequences from our decisions we must learn from, but there is no need for these issues of race, of class, nationality or even Rukh type, for all that matters is that we find co-existence." She would put her hand to her side before reaching out to them all. "And I don't ask you to join to simply follow, I invite you to share your minds on how to achieve a world of balance, peace, and the opportunities to live life as needed. We will not tell you what to do, and we will not come for you unless you try to directly stop us."

"Now should you accept I will reveal three truths to you, and if you decline you may leave through the door I came from where you don't have to be concerned with us again." She pointed over to the said door and even turned before facing them once again. "We will not harm you if you try to leave us at some point, but reminded we do have eyes and ears and only wish that you keep all that learn a secret if you leave us at any time."

The high priestess would watch and listen to the mysterious figure and the others who had seemed to follow her into the depths of this place. She had already answered and would not change her mind after coming to this decision. She fully believed that they could change the world if they joined forces and she also liked the idea of being on equal terms, at least until she was able to take control herself.

As she waits for the woman to talk to her again she would just sit on the floor observing her sword closely. She would begin to run her finger along the blade carefully without cutting herself.

"Three truths... if these truths are beneficial to me, I'll accept. But I won't function as a puppet, I was thrown away by the contractor once before, and the other magi by the name of Jiryu were not too keen on polarizing differences coming to a similar goal when it came to rukh alignment. Long story short, I cooperated with the powerful, and yet I've withstood any misfortune that came about being cast aside after all of my efforts. I'm a very tenacious person, I don't recommend threats. Who's to say you won't betray me first?"

That was definitely the case. With all that was being said, it was quite possible that this mysterious group would be the first ones to cut off any sort of limbs that had a connection to them. "I want Tartarus to thrive, I will take advantage of all changes in order to do that. If we take advantage of each other for our own personal goals, so be it. "

Lagi was in.

Co-existence didn’t quite fit the bill for what Humayra had accomplished thus far. Killing her owners to free herself and joining Al-Shamshura’s efforts didn’t exactly fit the bill of finding a peaceful course towards that end... Still this woman, or man, or whoever this person actually was, did pull to Humayra’s interests. A choice was given, and growing up a slave, it was more than Faisal’s family had ever given the girl.

”I will stay.” As if to affirm her position and interest towards the anomaly gathering them all together here, Humayra sheathed her weapons. Finding herself a spot to lean against, Humayra folded her arms over her chest. It might’ve been a mentally defensive posture but Humayra wanted to know what these three ‘truths’ were before making any hasty decisions to commit to the cause.

Rukh. This wasn’t the first time someone had mentioned it. What was it? And what exactly did this person mean by suggesting that it had a type? Despite the curiosity she felt and the driving need to ask, Humayra kept her mouth shut. It’d been mentioned in context which seemed to suggest they all should know what it was… Among strangers, the young Fanalis didn’t want to appear uninformed, specially if she happened to be the only one who didn’t know…