Tale of Exzalia, well of darkness

Kithri

Kithri awoke to a screaming headache. She slowly opened her eyes while remembering what had happened. A moment of panic hit her when she realized she was alone. Then she heard sounds in the distance.

"Origin have mercy!" What now? Why could they never enjoy a moment of peace.

"You poor thing!" Someone had obviously been chosen to try to get Vaughn from eating something. Would he never stop doing that.

Then the seriousness of the voices hit home. Kithri got up and looked around. She let her gaze sweep over the group of students, Vaughn on the ground thinking, dead bone giant and a girl chained up to a tree. What the heck have I missed? Senses finally returned to her and the ground seemed solid enough. Walking up to the Chained girl Kithri carefully checked her pulse.

"had to be sure." She explained the others. "Necromancers can easily animate breath."

She carefully scanned the girl for wounds. "You should really be more careful" Kithri Checked her pupils just too be sure. They didn't want her to be poisoned.

 

the strange discovery

The sounds of voices slowly stirred consciousness in the girl. Eye's still closed she whispered, "Voices...I'm I finally dead?" Her voice was but a whisper.

Water, she felt drops of water. The voices got louder and the sound sharpened. Her eyes opened, wearily she took in her surroundings. Kids about her age had gathered around her. One of them an elf was offering her water. The dullness in her eye was haunting, barely alive was an understatement.

Suddenly a savage state over the chained girl, finger long fangs flash forth her eye's crimson red, her musles tensed, she lashed out at River nearly sinking her fangs into he hand. Everyone jumped back as the girl seemed to undergo some violent inner struggle. She threw her head back and shut her eyes gritted her teeth and grunting in a desperate fashion. Finally she stopped, the dead expression once again covered her face.

"Forgive me...I, I have little humanity left in me."

"You're not human?" Tess asked getting over her sudden outburst.

It sounded like it took much effort on her part to even speak, heaving she replied. "I used to be human, now...I am a monster."

She hung her head in exshuastion. "Please don't come close, I don't want...more blood...on my hands."

 

Crumpet

Suddenly a savage state over the chained girl, finger long fangs flash forth her eye's crimson red, her musles tensed, she lashed out at River nearly sinking her fangs into he hand. Everyone jumped back as the girl seemed to undergo some violent inner struggle. She threw her head back and shut her eyes gritted her teeth and grunting in a desperate fashion. Finally she stopped, the dead expression once again covered her face. She hung her head in exshuastion. "Please don't come close, I don't want...more blood...on my hands."
What in the name of avocados?! Despite her warnings, Crumpet peered closely at the girl and poked her before quickly retreating, lest he find where his face was occupied by claws. "So, how did you become a monster? And did you bind yourself, or did someone else do it?"

 

Emery Rose

The Charon burned in her palm as she stepped silently through the undergrowth. She tried to make out her surroundings while she cursed at herself in the darkness.

What was I thinking? Why had I been thinking? Those idiotic people are rubbing off on me. I'm turning into one of them! Emery's fire burned brighter and she moved quicker as she backtracked her steps. No...I'm not one of them. I'm myself. I've grown too soft and that's what got me into this mess. I can't let them turn me into someone I'm not.

Emery stopped in her tracks, her hair whipping against her cheek as a sudden gust of wind blew through. The sound of muffled voices caught her attention. She stomped through a pile of dead leaves all the way to the crowd of idiots. They were occupied with a young girl chained to a tree. What the--?

"I walk away for a few seconds and now you've chained a girl to a tree?! The Nox in the air is seriously messing with your brains!" Emery yelled, her contorted face illuminated by her ball of flames.

 

Althea Lebry

"That reactions of you, that face of confusion that you show, all merged into that ruthless personality.... that's what I love of you Emery.."

The female voice that resonated throught the forest filled with the essence of Nox came from the girl that called herself as Lebry, this time with a clean body, so her appareance wasn't so terryifing as before.... still the eyes reflected a madness.... the madness of someone who thinks that understand this world, yet it only see it with its own eyes, making it to reject all that opposes to its vision of the world, thus becoming it an extremely dangerous being.... that's the kind of eyes that Lebry had.

She was right behind a tree, as a sign that she had been following them for a while...

"I got tired of waiting in the shadows without acting at all..."

 

River Hoya

River pulled her hand away seconds before her fingers were bitten off by the girl. She said something about having blood on her hands then she heard Emery yelling behind her.

"I walk away for a few seconds and now you've chained a girl to a tree?! The Nox in the air is seriously messing with your brains!" Emery yelled, her contorted face illuminated by her ball of flames.

She turned towards Emery and raised her hands preparing a water weave just in case Emery went crazy with the fire. "Peace, Emery! The child was already tied to the tree. Quench your flames."

"I got tired to wait in the shadows without acting at all..." Female Lebry stepped out from behind a tree.

"Actually, Emery." She said stepping up beside her and stregthening her water weave, "Turn your flames towards that wraith."

 

Lore of Exzalia, legend of the blood letters

how did you become a monster?

She looked up wearily at Crumpet and the others, "Eternal life, there was once a powerful mage who wanted to live forever. He developed a spell based of shadow wings, strange creatures that lived in lands of perpetual night. These creatures are rumored to live for ever. That mage, cast several spells on many people trying to give them immortality, but all of them failed. It was then he learned what he was doing wrong. He was casting his spell on elves when what he really needed was humans."

She looked at River, "Do you want to know why humans can use all six elements while all the other races are restricted to just three or two? It is not becuase we are supieor, but because we are more corruptible. Our bodies accept all kinds of eather with ease it is both a blessing and a curse. This is why disease affects human kind more so than the others." She started to pant "He soon figured out that his immortaliy spell had a better chance of corrupting humankind more than elf or scorchfiend.

She seemed very angered for a moment as her mind raced to the past. "I...was one of those humans unlucky enough to become his test subject, and out of all the humans he tested on only I survived. But there was a glitch, I am immortal but only as long as I drink the blood of another, preferably humans. I am his creation and he named me...vampiria." She smiled,

"unfortunately for my creator the glitch that caused me to need to drain the blood of others was caused by the spell misweaving, a misweave so strong it shrouded Grove for six days. For countless years I have slain thousands of people in order to keep my self alive...but I'm tired of hurting others, I'm tired of slaying everyone I loved or may love, the urge to feed, is stronger than any love I could feel for another. so I came here and chained my self to this tree, so no one else would get hurt by me, and here I plan to die. Perhaps God will forgive me if he sees my resolve."

Another violent spasm took over her as every fiber of her being told her to attack and feed, she bit her toung till blood flowed, shut her eye which teared up from the inner pain that tortured her daily.

"Please, run! the urge to feed is more than I can bear! Your pressense is torturing me." She said despratley.

 

Althea Lebry

Lebry ignored the words of the chained girl, instead she came close to her...

"I see... so you fear your own existence..."

She put her hands on the chains that hold her body

"But you should be thankful to exists.... you as an unique creature.... you're marvelous"

Those hands that ripped apart flesh and broke bones like nothings....

"I struggled too much to exist and managed to do it... but it deeply hurts me to see how someone is precisely doing the opposite, you exists, yet struggle to not exist"

The chains were no match for the hands, specially because they were made of Althea and Lebraia's origin was Althea too.

"But no fear.... I think you should try to get used to your existence and enjoy it.... the non-existence is something more, more horrible than this"

Slowly the hands teared the chains apart without too much trouble

"Now be free, and enjoy the bless of existing!!!"

Yet something went wrong.....

What is this??, I thought I broke the chains....

The chains weren't broken at all.... Lebry just believed she broke them... instead her hands were bathed in blood, apparently she used too much strenght and broke her own fingers instead of the chains

What are these chains made of? she thought dissapointed to not be able to free this "existence"

 

Will

Will's sword was out, and had been ever since Crazy Girl Lebry (CGL) had shown up. He watched as she broke her fingers on the chains binding Vampiria's hands, thinking that she had broken the chains. That did not bode well for her, as Vampiria was already basically in a blood frenzy. Will didn't know how to react, he was out of his depth here. Undead dragons and crazed sorcerers were things he could deal with. Crazed women... not so much. So he decided to wait and see what would happen.

Home

Martha Bartolomew stood in the doorway of her small cottage. Dark clouds hung low on the horizon, drawing closer every day, and there was an unhealthy scent in the air. She wring her hands as she scanned the road, waiting for the courier to ride past. It had been several weeks since her last letter from Will, and she was growing concerned.

Her eyes lit up at the sound of hoofbeats coming from down the lane, perhaps today was the day a letter would finally arrive. The hoofbeats grew louder, the courier coming into sight. For a moment he looked as if he might slow, but then he rode right past. Martha sighed and walked back inside. She knew that Will was in some kind of danger, he wouldn't just neglect to write, so she resolved to write a letter to the school.

Taking quill and parchment, she wrote a letter, asking of news of her son. After singing it, and sealing it in an envelope, she set it on the table near the door. the next day when the courier rode past, she would flag him down and give him the letter. But for now, all she could do was wait.

 

Vaughn sat cross legged and chin resting on his hand, first time in his life he was not acting like a fool for food. Vampiria...I wonder what her limits are...such power and no desire to use it. I think I have been feeling the same, something recently caused this wall. This massive wall which impedes my path to destruction. Maybe that's a good thing though. It seems people do not want destruction but rather peace, haha is my existence irrelevant?

He noticed the crazy girl who ate the flesh of his arm, looking down at his wound, puss covered it with dots of red blood, it hadn't healed much at all. Hardly ever had he experienced harm, because those who had desired to hurt him were never able to get near him anyways. Ridiculous power, but measly protection, everything comes with a price.

 

Avani Reed (Health: 50%) (Level 2)

Avani’s mind was spinning. First, an army and deranged priest, second, an undead dragon, and now a suicidal vampire girl? What is this world coming too… The students were trying to find out as much information from as her possible, but still didn’t help the act they were running out of time. And then, psychopath female Lebry just had to show up and try to free the chained girl.
“Alright, Vampiria. We kind of have places we need to be,” Avani stated, pushing her way to the front of the rest of the kids to stand right in front of the girl. “So. Do you want us to try to free you? Or kill you? Or give you something? Just tell us what you want us to do before the whole world falls apart. Please.”

 

Emery Rose

Emery grimaced at the sound of cracking bone and the aftermath of blood on female Lebry's hands. The girl had known her name, so it must be Lebry. She didn't understand how that could be possible, but on second thought she actually didn't want to understand. Better to accept it as fact, than ignore the truth.

She extinguished her flame to swap it with a basic merc weave as she walked over to 'Lebry'.

"You must learn to analyze the situation so that you don't get yourself hurt like this...or killed again. If you would've realized the chains are enchanted then you wouldn't have broken your fingers. But, you can start over now and be smart by walking away from the blood thirsty vampire. I can wash away what she desires of you." Emery knew she sounded like a mother scolding a child, but she didn't care and formed a pool of water in her palm. She casually tossed the water at 'Lebry' with a smug smile.

 

Althea Lebry

Although Emery acted on a very nice way towards Althea Lebry, she turned to her revealing a cold glance.

"No, no, no!!!. This isn't Emery at all...... you aren't Emery... that's not the kind of personality she has!!!" Said waving her hands, it looks as she was about to start a tantrum.

"You are cruel, ruthless, you should be insulting me, not worrying about me, where is the sarcasm and irony?? where are the harsh words??" This time anger was flowing with her words, she was even kicking the earth under her feet.

However she suddenly got quiet.

"Well it's normal I guess..... All had changed, after all.... You all replaced me, you didn't understand the value of Lebry... But is normal as I'm not that thing you used to call Lebry"

Tears started to flow from her eyes

"You are just a bunch of racists... you despise those things that shouldn't exist on this world.... now surely you'll kill her" said while pointing the chained girl

"But I won't let you, she should be free to exist on this world, I'll find the way to free her...."

 

Attonement

But I won't let you, she should be free to exist on this world, I'll find the way to free her...."

"Why? Why would they not kill me? Why would you release me? After all the horrors I've done, even unto babes. I welcome death, I don't deserve life, However." Vamparia glanced at Avini before lowering her head once more.

"A quick death, is a luxury I am not worthy of, no not even that. After what I've done a quick end would be little more than a restful sleep. I must suffer! Only through suffering can I hope God will forgive me. So here I wait suffering till death, praying that I may find favor in his sight."

Tess shook his head, "You say you're a monster but you're wrong. Real monsters don't show remorse, I tell you this day there are priests out there more monsters than you'll ever be."

Tess's words seemed to have struck home to her, she looked up at him in shock, "Y..you don't think I'm a monster? But I would feed on you if I got the chance. No you're wrong I am a monster but Even so, I thank you for your kind words."

She bared her fangs and again began to struggle against her chains, in a voice only part human she begged them. "Go...please you're blood sent is torturous to me." Tess nodded, "Come on guys, we have a mission to complete."

As they began to trickle away vampiria called to Lebry. "Thank you for caring for me, but you seem to have forgotten...just how blessed you are...ngh. Don't...take ...your comrads for granted. The most painful torture one can face, is not starvation or mutilation.... But loneliness and...abandonment, GAH!" She let out a ear rending screech while spasming on her tree.

Tess seemed more resolved and more angered, another victem, another person they were too weak to help. "Power...once I have it I'll remove the curse on her, I save the half elves, I'll make everything right. I swear it."

 

Althea Lebry

Lebry quietly listened to the words of the chained girl... she replied to them with no emotions at all

"No,... I understand it now, they're not my friends.... My friends were killed.... long time ago.....NO!, now that I think about it, my friends would had been killed long time ago if I were to had friends.... but I didn't had them at all"

Tess seemed more resolved and more angered, another victem, another person they were too weak to help. "Power...once I have it I'll remove the curse on her, I save the half elves, I'll make everything right. I swear it."

Lebry turned to him and said
"What? remove her curse?, so you think that the thing that she is now doesn't have the right to exist? is that?..."
"Save the half elves?? they're already done for... you saw what happened to them... I didn't of course, but even I know that is impossible too"

Then she burst out in laugh... and she quickly changed the topic again

"You're not my friends... you replaced Lebry... but don't worry I won't kill all of you.... I already took a desicion... I'm the conductor, if you're not going to recognize me, then I don't need you, I'll make the others recognize me."

She extended her hand toward them

"Give me the well of life.... I'll be the hero that'll save Grove... and then people will recognize my existence"

 

Will

"Give me the well of life.... I'll be the hero that'll save Grove... and then people will recognize my existence"

"Ummm yeah. That's not going to happen crazy pants." Will glanced back at Lebry. Tess was muttering about power again. It scared Will to see his friend growing more and more obsessed.

Will fidgeted with the hilt of his sword, and looked at the ground. He just couldn't seem to get back in rhythm. He felt like some great blow had thrown off his balance, left him reeling and staggering around in the dark. He looked around at everyone, they all looked broken down, worn out. They needed time to get their bearings back. But he was afraid that if they stopped moving forward, they wouldn't start again. The scale of their quest hadn't set in on any of them yet. But for Will at least, the closer they got the the heart of darkness, the heavier the weight he felt. And even if they succeeded and survived, nothing would ever be the same. He had been little more than a child when they left the school, but not anymore. He couldn't imagine going back there. What could they teach him that he hadn't already learned the hard way?

He scanned the path ahead of them, the dark forest of dead trees filling him with foreboding, a tired feeling that seemed to crush his spirit.

 

Tess, lectures Lebry

"What? remove her curse?, so you think that the thing that she is now doesn't have the right to exist? is that?..."

You don't care about her at all do you?. Can't you see the pain she's in? The suffering that her curse is putting her through? If you really cared for her you would break the curse. But you don't care about her, you only care about what you want. And if that curse would put her through hell you would be fine with it, just as long as things are they way you like it. You don't care about her, you never cared about anyone.

"You're not my friends... you replaced Lebry... but don't worry I won't kill all of you.... I already took a decision... I'm the conductor, if you're not going to recognize me, then I don't need you, I'll make the others recognize me.

"We didn't replace anyone. Lebry died, and though I wanted to save him I could not because I'm weak. But Lebry got what he deserved and you will meet the same fate if you don't stop acting like a monster. You want to be accepted? You want us to recognize you? Then stop trying to abuse those around you! Show some kindness for a change, only then will anyone recognize you. Till then you're nothing but a monster and no one will recognize your existence. NO ONE."

The well of darkness loomed ahead, they could see it now. "Not that any of us matter now, we probably won't survive this."

 

River Hoya

They were losing hope. She could feel it. If they didn't get their moral back up they wouldn't survive this quest.
"Not that any of us matter now, we probably won't survive this."
River moved through the group of students, as Tess talked, doing what she could to give them encouragement. A pat on the shoulder here, a side hug there. She took Will's hand and squeezed it softly before moving in behind Tess and laying a hand on his shoulder.
"We do matter." She said and moved in front of him to look him in the eyes. "We matter because the halflings we are trying to save matter. Because this girl matters." She removed her hand in order to guesture to the Vampiria chained to the tree.
"Don't give into dispair! We will succeed...we will save the children, and we will survive."

 

Anger of the girl

"We didn't replace anyone. Lebry died, and though I wanted to save him I could not because I'm weak. But Lebry got what he deserved and you will meet the same fate if you don't stop acting like a monster.

This was just too much for the childlike mind of Lebraia, she didn't want to hear this....
So just as natural as a kid would do she broke her promise.

"Shut up, shut up, shut up.... I'll kill you, I'll kill you, and then devour you"

Her hands shone, Althea was covering them now, without doubting it, Lebry jumped against Tess ready to rip his flesh with those thin yet strong hands. Even under her beautiful appareance, madness was what stood out the most.

The Althea worked similar as the Nox that the previous Lebry used to inflict fear on others... This Althea will force those hit by it to suffer their hidden truths and the truth that they are afraid to recognize

 

Will

River squeezed his hand and brought him out of the dark musings of his mind. He looked at her, startled, as she walked past, giving out encouragement. He had just about pushed his feelings down, then she did that. If made no sense to him. But before he could think about it to much, Crazy Pants Lebry went crazy.

"Shut up, shut up, shut up.... I'll kill you, I'll kill you, and then devour you!" Then she lunged at Tess, weaving. Will reacted, drawing his sword and firing Arclight into her stomach as she flew past, then swung his sword at her. She was threatening to eat Tess, and Will was planning on doing a lot more than tying her/him/it up this time.

 

The well of Darkness, back into hell.

"For the love of Exzalia this is what I mean Lebry." Tess moaned. "You're going to eat me? what you think acting like that will get you accepted? You're so pathetic it's laughable. Grow up!"

Lebry wanted to attack them, but she was surrounded by angry, upset, and weary mages all of which were not afraid to attack her. It would be asking for death for her to try attacking again. Just then a flash of light lit up the sky. Everyone froze as a surge of power could be felt a top the well of darkness. A power so immense Tess began to get nervous. They weren't the only mages at this a cursed place, more were inside. and they were powerful.

At they neared the well of darkness an new landscape revealed its self. the trees disappeared out and soon it was bare rock, the well of darkness was located in a valley of stones and boulders it's spires reaching for the moon, and what a moon it was. Bright and blue it cast an eerie glow through the Nox clouds giving the castle a hazy blue colour.

Another surge of power, atop the well Mages were perhaps battling, from were they were they couldn't see who it was. Closer still they drew towards the well, the wind blew ominously against them as if warning them not to go. Tess turned to Lebry.
"Truce, until we get through the well. Our chances of dying are enough without us fighting each other. Everyone else...let the thought of saving those kids and all of Exzalia spur you. The well of darkness, once again we go into this hell."

 

Well of darkness, floor 1

They entered the well through the all too familiar gate they had been to the first time. The chamber had not changed, pillers rose on each side once again. And memories of their first being here flooded Tess mind, it felt so long ago. They had changed so much.

Will blasted the door with the cross on it with Althea and it opened. The bones of the mages that had died there earlier lay where they were. Bringing back haunting memories. the battle scars from Magnolias and Vashals duel were still visible, and at the end of the room stairs, both went up. But one went to the right while the other to the left. Tess gulped.
"Well? Which way?"

 

sdgs

 

Crumpet

Crumpet followed the children into the castle. Marks of death and magic were everywhere. Corpses were strewn about, and pieces of corpses were lightly sprinkled amongst them. Well. Strategically killing during battles was certainly an understatement wasn't it. "I see you children have been busy. Oh, my mistake, I mean tactically occupying yourselves. What kind of school," Crumpet threw his arms wide to gesture at the general scene, "teaches you how to do this?" Because I want to go there. Throwing a sideways glance at the psycho, Crumpet added "These probably taste horrible, by the way. You should try them and tell me if they're any good." A devilish grin tugged at Crumpet's lips.
"Well? Which way?" Loverboy gulped.
He reminds me more of a fish with each day that passes. I bet he'd taste better than the rest. I should suggest that to psycho Fiend wannabe- That's probably a bad idea. "What do you mean which way? Forward, of course! What other path is there?" Crumpet wasn't very observant. "Or were you expecting a carriage to be here to pick you up?" He also had no tact. Children, these days. With that, Crumpet strode in front of the students, turned, bowed, and motioned towards the rightward "Si ça ne vous dérange pas trop, Monsieur"

 

Well of darkness floor 3

"Guess I'm the tiebreaker, I say...we go right." They all went right traveling up the winding stairs, this was as far as they had ever gone into the well of darkness which wasn't far at all. The immensity of the hall they entered was a frightening reminder of the immensity of this place. It looked like a cathedral, tapestries hung on the walls, suits of armor stood at the ready, lining the walls. A church filled with shadows, another contrast. Tess and the others began to move through the hall towards the large that stood beside a hauntingly beautiful stain glass window. They opened the door and instinctively jumped back, nothing.

"This place is so creepy I can barely think." Tess muttered.

The door lead to another flight of stairs old and made of stone, in the distance they heard wind the stairs seemed to lead to the top. The climb up this never ending flight of stairs was more than taxing each step was an odious lump as if it was designed to kill you from over exertion. Even Avini got tired of flying up the winding steps and the group took a rest after an hour of climbing. They were not even close to the top of the stairs.

"..." They sat awkwardly many avoiding the new Lebry who sat off by herself. Occasionally the staircase would rock and shutter.
"You guys feel that? There are at least two powerful mages fighting up there. Much stronger than even Cadal, and we're heading into the thick of it."

More silence, their moral seemed so low. Tess thought for a moment. Finally he said.
"It's stormy out and it's dark, black clouds cover the sun. It's the type of weather that plays in your nightmares except it's real. It blows harsher than a blizzard and drops chunks of hail. But you know what? I saw a small band of birds flying through the storm, they were beaten and broken, one of them even fell from the sky but on they flew, they couldn't afford to stop. It was quite something I remember cheering them on from inside my home, perhaps they had chicks to save, whatever the reason they stuck together and never gave up."

Another blast rocked the tower. Tess looked up.

"A single bird would be torn asunder by the winds, but together I saw them fly past the horizon and into the blue." The tower shuddered more violently this time, dust fell from the ceiling.


More silence, "You know those half elf kids, they kind of remind me of baby birds."