Eternal Darkness {Lucia Seraphina} {Open}

How long have I been wandering now? I've followed the road laid before me. I should have reached the temple by now. Lucia thought silently to herself. The good thing about being blind was that it didn't matter that it was now night, nor would she notice the full moon, beautifully peeking from behind clouds. She'd only encountered a few traveler's tonight, and they'd mostly left her to herself, but she could hear the whispers of one merchant couple as they walked away. "... demons on the road tonight" She turned with a smile, "Demons, eh? I'll make sure to look out for myself, wouldn't do being killed before I make it to the temple. How close am I by the way? Funny thing being blind, doesn't help to keep a map.", she said with a slightly sarcastic tone, letting her hood fall back and pushing the sides of her robe back, showing her golden scales and claws which caught the moonlight, and her horns. Their mouths fell open upon seeing her, and they turned to run. She would let them run though. They were of no interest to her, and she knew she had to be close now.
 She would never know, but in the moonlight, she truly did look beautiful. The mix of her light red skin and golden scales, with the robe the temple of Iomedae had given her made for a truly unique sight. It was white, trimmed with gold, and fell almost all the way to her feet, but contained no holy symbols of any kind. They'd pulled any of their own symbols off, not wanting her to be seen as affiliated with them, but not wanting her to wander in the cold. It was truly a kind gesture, and one she appreciated, before they quickly told her she needed to leave, and that they'd given her all the help she would find there. With the robe and willow cane she used to guide her, she looked like a typical priestess from the back, but her horns would always give her true identity away.
 As she continued to walk down the path, a familiar feeling came over her. Dammit... Not now. This isn't the time for this. she whispered to herself, tears forming in her eyes. She started to stumble, trying to keep herself upright with her cane, but to no avail. She fell to the side of the road. Visions began to appear in front of her. She was holding a greatsword, swinging it wildly at a horde of orcs. She took one down with a blow to it's head, and began to fight another, this one carrying a spear. She cleaved it across the chest, and it fell to join it's brethren on the ground below her feet. As she searched for her next target, a lance tore through her chest, knocking her to the ground. As she lay on her side, blood filling her mouth, orcs surrounded her, driving spears into her body repeatedly. Everything went black. She lay still on the ground, visions subsiding, crying. She brought herself to her knees, searching with her hands for her cane. What have I done to be deserving of a life such as this? The only time I can see is when I'm being killed as someone. What god would curse someone in this way? she thought to herself, and found her cane. She sat with it along the side of the road, not yet ready to walk again. I really do hope I'm not too far from the temple now. It's been three days since I last rested and I can't control these visions in this state.

"Why did the Akashi have to start their apocalypse so far from the capital." Margot grumbled as she walked along the path. It'd been a few days now since Mari had sacrificed herself to try to postpone whatever magic was in that Akashi crypt and now it was up to Margot to let someone know about it. Her squirrel companion chittered in her ear as it curled around her neck, starting to fall asleep.

"Yeah, I know, it's getting late...Hopefully we'll find something soon." Although, Margot's fairly quiet walk was interupptted by the sound of a scuffle. Drawing a dagger she ran to find the source and saw it, a lone figure violently lashing out at nothing around them. Margot stopped and stared for a moment as the figure eventually stopped and started to walk off. Sheathing the dagger and drawing her crossbow, Margot began to follow from a distance, trying to get an idea of what this person was up to.

Visions in the middle of nowhere... I've arrived. Lucia knew the temple must be near, most likely just down the pathway. She couldn't see it, but she was standing near the gate to a cemetery, a normal site that would be outside of a temple of Pharasma. As she regained her feet, she began back down the trail, eventually coming to the door to the temple. She knocked against the door with her cane, and opened it.
   As she walked in, she was greeted by a lady, she sounded young, elvish accent? Most likely around her 120th year or so, Lucia thought to herself. The elven woman greeted her kindly, "Hello! Oh... you look exhausted, please come in and have a seat. What brought you all the way out here by yourself?". Lucia followed her to a chair and sat down, removing her hood and setting her cane against her leg, she replied "I've come to ask the high priestess of this temple questions regarding myself, the other temples have turned me away because of what I am. If she is around I'd be over-joyed to speak with her as soon as possible." The elven woman, Nadri, looked at her with concern. "Wouldn't you at least like to rest for a bit first? You've traveled all this way..." This woman is blind?! How did she even make it this far on her own?, Nadri thought to herself. "I'll go and get Liliana for you, just wait here please."
   As Nadri left, Lucia began to weep, hoping this Liliana would finally have answers for her, and glad she hadn't been turned out on the streets as she was the last four temples she'd visited. She heard steps coming toward her. As they neared, she heard a new voice, this one much older. "Oh dear... You poor soul. I've not met another oracle in ages.", the voice said softly. "I'm Liliana, and while I may not know your pains, we have more in common than you might know. Oracles are blessed, or rather cursed, souls. I'll assume your life has not been easy, it seems your sight has left you, but I suspect that isn't all? Some oracles are more cursed than others. Mine cost me my legs, but has blessed me with powerful magic for vanquishing the undead. Please tell me your story, dear."
  Lucia told the woman everything, stopping for the especially bad memories, and the woman sighed. "I can't say for certain what path your curses mean for you to take, but I can say it will not be an easy one, dear. From the sounds of it though, you were blessed with abilities rivaling even my own over the power of life. I'd be lying if I told you I don't envy you, as it's not every day powers as such are given. If I were you, I'd find strong allies and see where they can take you. Wherever you go, and whoever you join will have the power of life watching over them, but in the end, it's your choices that will decide how your powers develop. I can only see that this isn't the end for you, dear. I think you should rest while you're here though. You're in safe hands with us and we would never turn you out."
   The words resonated within Lucia as she slept. Her curse would never be lifted then, so she would have to use it in a way she saw fit. She slept easier than she ever had since the curse appeared.

Magos sat in an arm chair, his gauntlet-ted fingers tapping impatiently against the wood. Lillian and the other woman returned with a sleeping...tiefling. "You have a good reason for leaving so, I trust." A deep voice rumbled from underneath his helmet. His eyes upon the tiefling woman. "Tis forgiven," He flung his hand dismissively at the what he assumed was an Acolyte. "Your payment is due to the empire, Pay now, also I would like to know more about this woman." He looked at Liliana his glaze piercing her, she winced and produced a small chest. Magos opened it briefly and nodded.

While the tiefling went through the front door, Margot chose to do a bit of scouting first to get an idea of what sort of place she'd found herself in. For the most part, the building seemed fairly abandoned, a few women seemed to be wandering about but, for a building of this size, it seemed sparsely populated.Then she found something that made her blood run cold. Seated in one of the nicer rooms was a man adorned in the black armor of a Hell Knight. She'd only heard rumors of them before, but now she'd found one that seemed very comfortable being here. "Shit, this is bad..." She said, quickly ducking away from the window to avoid being spotted. "Maybe I could just get out of here...Get away and not get caught, tortured, and killed by a hell knight." She muttered, glancing at the squirrel who seemed to share her fear at the present situation.

How long have I been asleep?, Lucia wondered. She could tell that she was still in the temple, but she couldn't sense anyone nearby. She moved to the edge of the bed, finding her cane against the wall. These aren't my robes... as she felt the unfamiliar ones around her. They weren't uncomfortable, but she didn't know them. She moved around the room slowly, getting an idea of where everything was, and as she came upon an armoire, she opened it to find her own robes inside neatly folded. She changed into them, and moved to the door.
  As she opened the door, she called for Nadri, who quickly ran to meet her. "Nadri, how long have I been asleep?", she kindly asked the girl. "Umm... well only about three hours, m'lady.", Nadri answered confused. "Are you having troubles sleeping? I could see if I can find anything to help?", she added. "That won't be necessary, but I thank you for the offer. I am truly grateful for your hospitality, and I've learned more from your Lady Liliana than I'd expected. You're a very kind girl Nadri, and you've helped me so much. I should be leaving soon though, I don't want to be a burden to you all.", she replied with a smile. Nadri gave Lucia a look of worry, "Well actually, before you leave... Lady Liliana had something she needed to tell you, or rather someone she'd like you to meet." Why has her voice changed so suddenly? I may not be able to see her face, but something about her voice worries me... Lucia thought quietly. "Very well then dear Nadri, please show me to your lady.", Lucia replied in a calm voice, but feeling a mixture of worry and fear. It wouldn't do well to have to fight my way out of this temple, but if it's what I must do, I'll be prepared...

Ariana had been wandering for some time. Her last contract had gone up in smoke, and her previous employer had vanished, nary a gold coin to be gained. If there was anything else she hated more than being lied to, it was being lied to and then being unable to exact her revenge. Her usual scowl on her face, "What in the Pirate Queen's name am I to do now?" Her purse was running dry and she had even dipped into her ship fund to get her this far, "That damned man, if I ever find him, I will be the last thing that he sees." With her rapier at her side, the pirate turned mercenary would spy the building in the distance and begin to close the gap. Hopefully they would be the generous type and allow her to lodge there for free, or, at least let her work for it. He heels clacked loudly against the stone walkway and she reached the church. Noting the graveyard and the holy symbol, "Pharasma eh? I suppose it could have been worse. Tis good for me that it isn't Abadar." Letting out a sigh, "But I doubt they will have any good swill. Why couldn't it be Cayden?" She clicked her tongue and then threw both of the doors to the church open and walked in. As no acolyte rushed to see to her needs, she would 'adjust the girls', sit down in a chair, and wait. Someone was likely to notice her eventually, and, well, if they didn't, she would sleep in the chair, and leave in the morning. She's slept in stranger places after all.

Mayday walked along the road, keeping her hood up over her head to hide her face. Whatever merchants happened to be traveling along the road either paid her no mind, or gave paltry amounts of attention out of a sense of obligation rather than true kindness. Mayday would usually keep her head down and her mouth shut and scurry along, careful not to use her powers in front of anybody. She breathed a sigh of relief when the temple of Pharasma came into view. Ideal? No. But it was better than sleeping in the woods in a tree or buried in leaves. She quietly entered the temple and sat herself near the back, taking stock of the interesting group that had gathered here already. Scanning their surface thoughts showed that no one had noticed her... yet, anyway. She tucked her knees into her chest and rested her head on the back of the chair. She needed sleep if she was going to be back at full capacity anytime soon.

Mago's sat there impatiently, "I hate waiting, its so....droll." he thought out loud as the pharasman priestess winced and began offering him wine and food to sate his appetite. He picked at the cheese and bread, peasants he thought to himself, as he reached for the wine. The door opened and a small tiefling was admitted. "Ah, finally something interesting." he quipped as she entered, guided by the acolyte.

"Leave us Pharasmans," he commanded as he flung his hand absently. "I have business to discuss with this woman."

Margot heard the door opening on the other side of the window and willed herself to glance back in. "Wait, that's..." She said out loud before catching herself and pulling back around the window, clapping a hand over her mouth. It was the person she'd seen fighting nothing on the path, and now they were here. Clearly, there was something more at this monastery then it first appeared.

Ariana was only slightly irritated at the lack of presence of anyone, priest or otherwise, in the temple. As much as she enjoyed being left alone, a bed and a meal, even a cold one, would have been preferable. Just as she was about to go looking around for an acolyte, one happened to come into the sanctuary with a concerned look on her face. Having a soft spot for pretty girls, Captain Ariana l smiled, "Now I had expected to find some doddering old priest, not a beautiful lady like yourself in a church out in the middle of nowhere." Before she could finish her though though, the acolyte brushed her off, being still rattled from her previous interaction, "I'm sorry ma'am, but our beds are all taken for the night. I'm afraid the clergy here haven't much more to offer.." Before Ariana could even respond, the acolyte left the room through another door, into the depth of the church.

Now more disgruntled than before the Pirate Captain opened and walked through the door the girl had come from, "Rooms are full my arse. This dingy chapel in the middle of nowhere doesn't get enough visitors in a year to be full. I'm just going to find myself a room then, and apologize in the morning." She began wandering the back halls, and stopped in front of a door that she could smell food out of. "Now that's the ticket." Opening the door, unaware of who waited in the other side, her rumbling stomach drove her onward. Upon opening the door, she was aware she may have made a mistake. A Hellknight and a.... tiefling priestess? With a smirk on her face, "Am I interrupting something?" She definitely knew she needed to get out of there, but something about this situation made her want to stay, and at least find out what one of the Hellknights was doing in a place like this.

Mayday watched the interaction between the pirate looking lady and the girl belonging to the church with disappointment. Great, another night with barely any sleep, she thought. As if her innate powers were paying attention, Mayday felt a surge of pain in her head as the chair she was sitting on suddenly teleported across the room as she tumbled to the floor, holding back a cry of pain. She shakily pulled herself up and quickly put the chair back in its place. The surge of pain had turned into a dull throb, which worried her. Maybe that pirate lady had the right idea, she thought. If I don't get some food and sleep soon, I'll be out again and who knows what will happen then? She quietly snuck in behind the pirate, careful not to make any noise.

Lucia could sense a very large man now standing in front of her. She couldn't quite get a placement on the accent, as his armor made it tough to pinpoint, but it almost seemed familiar. "Well... I'm assuming I was correct that I'm not quite welcome in this temple after all, though I hadn't considered them allowing me repose before offering me up like this.", Lucia said flatly, approaching Magos slowly, but calculatingly. Just as she ended her sentence, the door again opened behind her. Lucia let out a long sigh, stopping in place, dropping her gaze, once again listening closely. This voice was that of a woman, only slight accent, her voice almost didn't seem to fit her manner of speech, but still somehow seemed natural. "I'm not entirely certain myself actually. I've not been properly introduced to any of you as of yet.", she replied, now confusedly. She could now sense a third entering the room. "My name is Lucia Seraphina.", she said with a general curtsy, not meant for any one person. "I hadn't realized I'd be introduced to quite such company this evening, please forgive my brazenness by asking, what is the cause for this meeting?", Lucia asked the room, calmly while coldly.

Mago's looked at the tiefling and removed his helmet revealing his horned and red skin. "Because it is nice to meet another of my kind, and also I wish to make a job request. You have a divine aura to you and not of the holy kind. I judge from your blindness you are an Oracle. A rare and cursed gift with powerful consequences. Something I can use in my travels." He said plainly, silently judging the tiefling that stood before him.

His eyes shifted to the other woman in the doorway. "You however were not invited and clearly do not know proper manners of how to enter a room. Do ye know not how to knock?." He inspected the other woman before him, and sniffed the air. "What business do you have here? Salt Woman." He said with a pointed tone. "Would you deem it wise to interrupt the business of a Hell Knight. Is there anyone else that would like to come out of hiding?"

Margot heard voices, more voices now. There were more people in this room beyond the Hell Knight and the one she'd seen on the road here. When the Hell Knight mentioned other people watching, she knew that somehow he was talking to her and she swore under her breath. Glancing into the window again, she caught sight of the extravagantly, yet scantily, clad woman and paused for a second, taken aback by how out of place they seemed, before remembering she was trying to hide and ducking back behind the wall, hoping to have remained unseen.

Ariana scowled at the Helllnight, "Oh aye, I am aware of how to knock, but I wouldn't be a very good scoundrel if I followed all the rules now would I?" Given her vantage point, she caught a glimpse of something right outside the window. Her eyes narrowed for a moment before returning to the company in the room, "The hospitality of this place is rather lacking. Though I'd presume it was them bowing to your every whim that caused the lack of common decency."

Taking a couple of steps into the room, her heels clacking against the cold stone, "I find it very odd, though, that you are traveling alone. Most of you prowl around with others of your order, or at least some watchdogs of some kind." Shaking her head, "Bah, is none of my business." Looking at the female tiefling now, sizing her up with a view of her front side now. The pirate grinned, this was were all the fun was at. Turning you face the Magos once more, she motioned to the oracle, "You wouldn't be having any nefarious thoughts about this lovely creature now would you? I might have to take affront to that if you do."

Back away very, very slowly, Mayday thought to herself. This is not a situation you need to be involved in at all. She thought back to when she was still with Jayce and his group of Sarenrae worshipers. They had gone against Hell knights on occasion, and usually the knights took someone down with them. If they didn't, they made sure that they took a few limbs with them, just enough so that the person they were fighting against was never able to fight again. Even when Jayce and Melanie turned on her, they never let her join battles against the knights. "You're too young," they would tell her. "Maybe when you're older." Of course, when Jayce and Melanie turned on her, 'young' turned into 'valuable' and 'older' turned into 'when you can destroy them in one move.'

Mayday took a careful step back, trying to keep calm and not panic. As if the gods themselves were tormenting her, she felt a stabbing pain in her head as her apportation triggered again, this time teleporting herself into the middle of the room about five feet off of the ground. She fell with a dull thud onto the floor, dazed and in pain from both the fall and her head.

Lucia was now confused and angry, though her face remained calm. She listened to the Hell Knight Magos and the Pirate Ariana talking among themselves about her. Her face now curled into a smile. "Oh... So now I'm a tool to be used? I'm glad that's sorted out, I was beginning to grow tired of my free will.", she said with scathing sarcasm. Her face suddenly grew pained, and she brought her hand to her chest, as if wounded. "That a poor blind, helpless oracle could be of use...", she replied, lowering her hand and beginning to laugh. The other presence began to leave the room, before appearing instead directly behind her, and... in the air? She landed with a hard thud, and Lucia quickly turned, concerned with the well-being of the girl, paying no mind to the other two. She placed a hand on the girl's head, the other on her chest and began to let some of her healing power flow into her. "If this is what people would keep me around for, maybe I could be helpful. But I'd at least like to know more about who I'm helping, not to mention being asked rather than told...", she thought to herself. "Are you alright? You fell rather hard, and I can sense how exhausted you are. After we finish here, you should really get some rest. The room I was in should still be open, if you'd like?", she told the girl with a genuine smile.
  She stood back up and turned to Magos with a sigh. "What is it that you would have with me, truly, Magos? I'd like to make it known that I am no one's tool. If all of our kind would speak to another in that manner, it's no wonder I've been treated as a monster by all I've encountered in these lands.", she replied sharply.

Mago's watched the scene opening up before him, and at the sight of the teifling before him turning a deeper shade of red from disgust, and he laughed heartily. "Ahh excellent, she has an attitude as well as the privateer." he put emphasis on the last word, not forcefully, but letting her know he knew well what she was.

"I am not here to quarrel I assure you and I can drop the lord act as it seems it will not work with you all. I assure you it will be to your liking." he smiled broadly. "I have a proposition for you all, well after I deal with our eavesdropper." He said as he shifted his gaze to the window, and cast Chains on the person outside. "I simply cannot abide shady types listening in on our conversations."

He turned his gaze back to the women before him. "I'll forgive the two brazen enough to do it to my face, after all I am interested in them as well. Please take all the rest you need dear." he said to the young girl. "If you are curious, come see me after you rest, when you're fully cognizant." he said politely, " As for the rest of you I will discuss my proposition, once i deal with our intruder." he said as he went to the window and opened it up.

Margot tried to make a break for it when she heard the hell knight mention dealing with the eaves dropper but it was too late, magical chains bound her to the wall. "Squirrel, run, save yourself..." She muttered to her rodent companion who looked quizzically at her before scurrying from her shoulder and up the wall, into the darkness. "Never thought this would be how I'd go..." She muttered to herself, waiting for her fate. "Tortured by a hell knight while just trying to save the world..." She said as the window opened.

Ariana smirked when she heard Lucia go off on the Hellknight. Inner monologuing to herself, 'For a blind woman, she has some fight in her. It was then that she was taken aback by the appearance of a child, and also Magos's change in demeanor. Perhaps he was more practical than lordly, or maybe this was an attempt to lure them both into a sense of false security, either way, she wasn't going to lose her senses. Though, the Hellknight orders had money, and if there was one thing she needed more than security, it was money. Hell, maybe she could get her ship back.

As Magos changed his target to that of interloper outside, Ariana quickly shuffled herself between the Hellknight and the child. She was curious about the kid, of course, but she couldn't let her guard down for a moment. She also wasn't about to let this innocent, albeit teleporting, child fall prey to the biggest predator in the room. Truth be told, she had a soft spot for kids, and seeing them taken advantage of made her blood boil. She wasn't going to let that happen. Until this deal was laid out, and the interloper dealt with, however, she would have to remain aloof, and on guard.

Mayday's head felt like it was about to split open. It amazed her that she wasn't unconscious yet from the pain or the stray surges of her powers. When the Tiefling woman placed her hands on her, she instinctively flinched away until she felt the wondrous healing magic. The pain from the fall faded away and it dulled her headache enough for her to mutter "Please...". It also gave her a chance to gauge the room she was in. Obviously the Tiefling woman meant no ill will, and the pirate woman seemed protective to an extent. The Hell Knight to her surprise didn't have any murderous intent... though the proposition struck her as odd.
When the Tiefling stood up to confront the knight, the magic went with her and the headache came crashing back through. Mayday curled up in a fetal position with her hands on her head, whimpering softly. "Water... food... please, just something to make it stop..."

"You can deal with whoever you need to, but I'm going to get this child some help...", Lucia replied to Magos. Lucia walked to the hallway and called for Nadri. The woman came up the stairs nervously, but less so when she noticed it was just Lucia. "Nadri, dear. Could you please see this girl to the room I was staying in? She'll need something to eat and drink, and a good night's rest and a change of clothes for the night please. I can cover for anything if you need, just see that she's well taken care of dear.", Lucia asked the woman. Nadri nodded, and came in to pick Mayday up to help her to the room.
   Lucia re-entered the room. "Now then, assuming everything is in order, if everyone is ready for discussion I think it wise to begin.", she told the room. "No matter the conclusion, I only request that all remain at their own free will. What you're discussing is almost contractual, and while possibly interested, I'll have to hear all of the details first. I've finished my business at the temple I believe, so I'm open to many avenues now."

"No contracts, I assure you. Though I will demand loyalty." He smiled as he reached for his helmet and put it on. His voice becoming tinny under the metal. He reached out the window and pulled in the woman/child? by the chains.

"Not a very big fish are ye," he quipped as he tossed her lightly in the chair and the chains wrapped around it, magically bolting themselves to the floor. "I do not appreciate sneaks, especially foolhardy and untrained ones. Rule one of sneak thievery is don't get caught." he leaned in close and grabbed the womans chin, inspecting her face turning it left and right. "Your face is not known to me, who are you and what is your business here?, You havent broken any laws...yet. But do not lie to me. Why are you following me, Did the Empire send you? Answer truthfully and I may just let you go unharmed....Lie and well...You will see why they call me the Profane."

Margot tried to squirm but it did nothing. As she lay on the floor, still bound by the Hell Knight's spell, she looked up at the others in the room, finding herself smiling at the pirate before looking at her captor. "Please, you have to believe me, I'm not from the empire. I'm from Haremhall...There's an Akashi tomb there that's starting to unleash its magic." She said, trying to hide the fear in her voice. Glancing up again, she saw Squirrel standing atop the mantel place, clearly the rodent hadn't listened to her well. "Please, I need to warn people before things get worse...Someone's already died because of it, that's why I'm here. I gotta warn people..."