Attack of the citadel

32nd of Shar 358

The scry revealed to me, though foggy, Memory. I couldn't see the environment at first but I saw him. He seemed angry, annoyed. The fog started to clear and I could see the cobbled ground, golden leaves scattered amongst the floor. He speaks up, saying he is always one step behind and can't seem to catch up. He sighs and says "How far you go in a short time. Biggest damn city in the damn continent and I can't find a single trail out of here." I heard a familiar voice, a woman, tell him to keep travelling. This place seems very familiar, but I can't put my finger on it.

The two walk together, with the woman's face getting less fuzzy and her hair stands out. It's Ymir. I parted ways with her back in Zetsubou... She's travelling with Memory? She says the trail ends here so maybe who they are searching for is still here. Memory says this city is too damn big. The pyramid stops spinning and the color in it fades. I feel a tear roll down my cheek.

Fathom asked me what I saw. It is comforting to know he is alive. I told the group what I saw and Fathom believes they are in Zetsubou and they may be looking for me. He says we have a heading now. I thank Lady Dhaphne for helping us. She turns to Hornet, asking what they want. They explain their markings and she asks them to approach. She pulls them close and whispers something into their ear. She pulls a string of light from her temple and puts it to theirs. Hornet remarks it is very far north, beyond this continent.

Lady Dhaphne thanks us for coming, saying she will keep in touch. I dug through my bag before we left, taking out a flower. I tugged on Raleig's sleeve, motioning her to come down to my height. My face was very flushed. I tucked the flower behind her ear. Back in my village, that is how you ask someone to be your partner. I hope that isn't lost in translation... I did run away before I could get an answer. We all left, heading to find General Faust.

We first checked the barracks near the front of the city but did not find him there. We were told they would be near the center of the city at the citadel. As we approached the citadel, there was a large armored figure in front of the gate. Fathom asked to see General Faust and the figure took a moment before lifting the gate for us. We approach the lobby and ask the people inside where we may find General Faust and the prisoner. Fathom says we are with the Tower of Golden Ancestry. She says we are late and that we should head to the elevator, directly down the hall to the right. We head into this small room with a gate and it moves us from underneath. I had never seen something like this before. It was very loud, making lots of noise. When it arrived to the floor, it made a loud scraping noise.

We headed down the hallway until we reached a room labeled "conference". Fathom knocks and there is no answer. He opens the door and we enter, finding General Faust laid across the table, his limbs bent around the wrong way and his veins and skin bulging with blackness, laying in a pool of blood. In the corner is a body laid against the wall with their head dangling from a string on the ceiling. Fathom called for guards and I immediately rushed to General Faust's side, casting to hopefully heal him. I hear bones crack into place and he regains conciseness. He hurls up a black goop of blood and bile and he commands us to get out of here. Fathom asks where who did this is, and he responded with downstairs, again telling us to get out of here. Ferryman grabbed hold of General Faust, disappearing. Alarms start to ring and we rush to the stairs, heading down to the lowest parts of the building.

As we arrive to the level that is the prison, Fathom douses us in a dust that makes us invisible. As I walk through the prison I notice it is quiet. Dead silent. As we walk, I notice several prisoners with their blood splattered across the walls. We follow the smell of blood to an open area where we find a body strewn up in the middle of it, dangling with their limbs attached to four sides. On the wall is text written in a language I don't know written in blood. It... It was all too much for me. I couldn't see where the others were, bodies flayed like animals, the decapitated man from earlier... It was all too much. I felt my vision start to go black and I fall to the ground.

I wake up moments later with Fathom shaking me awake. He hands me his glove, telling me to help Hornet get out of here. A small inky figure is approaching us. It has crooked limbs, fingers like claws, and inwardly curled horns. The creature stops as Hornet becomes visible, turning its head around like an owl. It full sprinted at me, stopping right in front of me. I held in a scream. It circles me, going toward Hornet.

Fathom seems frustrated at his sword. He throws it in anger and runs away, heading upstairs. I tried to shove Hornet to move and the creature attacked me. I tried to hit him with the pommel of my dagger but my hit missed. I didn't know what to do, I just knew I couldn't leave Hornet behind. So I changed my form into that of a panther, sinking my sharp talons into their clothes and dragging them as quickly as I could to the stairs, not looking back to see if he woke up. Whatever was further in... It was terrifying. I needed to get out of here.

As we made it up the stairs, Hornet regained the ability to move and got up. I saw the creature look at Hornet, crawling up their leg and as it reached the brand on their torso, it became this inky goop and entered into the brand. I... I don't know what has happened today. We helped with cleaning up, telling what we knew about what happened. We were rewarded handsomely but I can't get the image of the necromancer strewn across the opening out of my head. The flayed bodies... I can see them even when I close my eyes. I... I hope I can rest this off. But... we're going shopping first.

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