Requiem.
We retire and allow ourselves some sleep there, in the shade of what would become a symbol of a life’s work. Contemplative and yet tired in a way that merely needs time to pass, focus to shift and recover. We wonder at a creature like Yojimbo. Why would something with the strength it has choose to stay in a place like this. The very fabric of the world shudders under his soft touch, his gentle motions, his even breaths. Only his careful mastery of himself preventing tears in the world in which he moves.
Yet it is not dominion or vice that keeps him in such a fragile world, nor does it appear that he seeks to challenge his control, to further his patience. He keeps himself within a cage locked by only by his choice to not break free, and we do not understand him. Ultimately, his path, whatever it may be, is not ours. Understanding what kept him here or how he has become what he is now, is ultimately unnecessary. We shall take him at his offer, his words, and continue onward.
[Voltatrium human, “Yojimbo”; tier 4 Lifeguard Class, LEVEL 2, calamitous threat; G: Atonement, A: Lightning]
A testament to focus and intent, being able to glean a smaller amount of more significant information. This kindly old man before us is the strongest entity we’ve even taken notice of, much less met since our arrival. The power on display with his calm movements, the careful dance at play with simply placing his feet upon the ground belying immense weight.
Perhaps not quite so strangely, the rest of the night passes without incident. We wake from our dozing to notice that there is a miniature hive hanging like some over-large fruit from one of the branches nearby. We recognize some of the base material enough to know it wasn’t wholly locally sourced, at least not the foundation. But a short assessment is enough to muster the bees alongside Darling who have been busy during my slumber.
“^Rest well? Lots of work to do, even if this ends up only being practice for something much later. Since the both of us seemed acquiescent to at least hold court with the merchant should they arrive in a timely manner, We decided to work on presentation. The meeting with Elder Yojimbo was pleasant but also exceptionally informative. We know you seemed on edge around the man, but We sincerely hope you were at least paying close attention. Especially considering that Esoteric of yours, Requiem.^”
We stretch and yawn ourselves awake, chuckling at her pointed cue at the end, “{A bright morning to you as well, Darling. We agree that practice to be valuable even should our plans go awry. Also, we first wish to assure you that our contemplations of the Elder are at peace, such as they can be amongst such relative strangers as ourselves,}” continuing our practice at reading the myriad dances amongst the bike of bees.
“{His catering to us in such a manner was a point of… awareness, shall we say, that kept us unsettled. Though considering the power disparity, we don’t believe we would have been capable of truly relaxing in his presence. While we continue to expect things to carry on smoothly, it behooves both a monarch and a wanderer to anticipate potential issues before they become reality that must be dealt with. Though, speaking of Esoterics, has your majesty discovered her own? Are we speaking as [Adults]?}”
The dash of concealed joy at a literal rolling of the eyes played out with flight is a delicious treat, “^Are you never going to let us live that down? You sapients are all such comedians. One should imagine being aware of oneself would be enough to recognize how much more difficult inspiration can be with said awareness.^”
She settles on the tip of my beak, grumbling about disparities in the lack of decent accommodations the altered heads maintain, “{We’re not hearing a Yes, just yet. Though our jests are all in good fun, as we hope we’ve shown. Honestly, without our lifetimes of experience, we can scarcely imagine what our Esoteric would be. How to learn or discover something that deeply calls to you. You likely cannot recall, but Toyo mentioned than many people struggle to find that depth to themselves.}”
We love to see how she preens and fluffs up as we provide her a perfect stage, “^If you simply must know, We inquired about your acquisition of knowledge because We did learn a great deal from meeting with Elder Yojimbo. We know you’re seeking the road less traveled, and as such we shan’t spoil things we learn from the [System], but let’s just say you weren’t the only one taken unawares by his presence and treatment.
“^As befitting a new Queen and travelling companion to such a monumental figure such as yourself, the concept of [Dynasty]-^” a sensation like a gong reverberates outward at the word, “^connected with… Us. Requiem? What was that?^” Looking around we notice the once clear sky now has a massive stormfront rather rapidly rolling towards us.
The house’s door opens before the elder walks outside, he glances over at us, before turning his gaze to the sky, “(Just the touch of Fate. I apologize for what comes next. I should have expected that she would happen to show up when you walked in out of the woods. She’d been avoiding me these last few weeks, but of course she’d arrive the day after I welcomed guests.)”
He focuses back on us and gives the most profound bow, his head very nearly touching the ground before him, “(I must beg forgiveness, but I cannot fight her. Were it anyone else, even the lord of the land, I would guarantee your safety. But I cannot even oppose her by more than merely breathing. I failed as a father, and this is my penance.)”
The rumbling thunder grew louder and closer as the storm closes in. The fieldhands and farmers all rushing to get their tools put away and retreat inside their homes, the panic on their faces clear, as some of them stumble and falter in their preparations. We recall the swarm while Darling works to reintegrate the spare hive within us, both of us recognizing the urgency while we must still ask the stupid question, “{That is no ordinary storm then. Who is this ‘she’ that you believe comes?}”
When he rises back up from his supplication, he once again appears like that old man we met at the crossroads, only wearier and fuller of sorrow, “(First I must tell you who she was… the murdered bride of my son. His most heinous betrayal is what changed her into what she is now, Wraithstorm. So, you see, I cannot bear to even raise a hand against her, no matter what vengeance she may wreath.)”
The cloudbank having almost fully occluded the Mirror in minutes, we walk ourselves into an open field. Its crops are either unsprouted, unplanted or lying fallow for the season while he follows behind us. With one of us holding eye contact with him, we begin a gentle melody as we connect deeply with nature and press out our domain against the turbulence continuing to escalate around us, “{We haven’t yet paid for our stay. More to the point, we also don’t think it’s a coincidence she arrived here, and now. This is not your burden to bear, Yojimbo. Each must endure the consequences of their own actions.
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“{Even if you were a poor father in the past, we see the life you now live, the care and honor in your choices,}” as we ready ourselves for battle, popping joints and flexing muscles to loosen them, “{We only have one question for you now. Does Wraithstorm have Lightning arcana like you and your son?}”
As the two of us stand out there in the wind and rain, the storm’s power crackling above us, growing worse by the moment, “(No. She communes using the elements above and is led forth by vengeance, but her magic is the embodiment of Death.)”
Our stomach gives a growl of its own, “{An easy battle then.}” Our tone is confident to appease Yojimbo, but internally we mourn the potential of what could have been. A true contest of strength, to really face a worthy challenge. The marathon of the bee’s purification only awoke the urge and despite appearances the cursed spirit was barely able to scratch the itch once our Graveskull manifested, “{We’re right here, Wraithstorm! Come [Call of the Damned]!}”
Our bellowing loud enough to be heard over the crashing of the heavens. There are a few moments pause before there is a sudden silence, a stillness of the storm around us, as the rain and wind no longer washes against us as our focus is drawn to the eye of this storm.
When she lands before us and swells with breath, we feel the touch of her power upon us. {Memory magic threat detected. Defense successful. Resistance tolerance unacceptably low, more power required.} We weren’t supposed to remember her gliding down from the clouds, how they twisted and funneled into her, glutting her form into the giant before us. Standing tall as she is, at par with the height of some of the trees dotting the farmlands, her form an intimidation of smoke and mirrors.
“{We~ scent~ power~. [Kneel or Die] creature~.}” The rush of power, a vacuum consuming and tearing at the world, crashes into us yet finds us solid and not simple air to be moved by the passage of its wind. We see a moment of consideration flicker across her features before the glint in her eyes hardens. She raises up on her haunches and lifts her head up high-
I see Yojimbo’s eyes flash with surprise as he glances behind us towards his borrowed home and the tree planted nearby. His face falling with resignation as we read his lips as he mutters, “(Her dragon breath…)” Fogmaw draws deep on our choir and is barely in time to match Wraithstorm as a torrent of invisible Death slams into our outpouring of fog. The clash only discernable by the eddies of our vaporous riposte and the coruscation of its conflict with the field infused with our domain.
It is after this first clash of weapons that caution finally flares in her posture, the predator and multiple perspectives showing us the darting eyes and the bunching of muscles for an escape. But this place has been soaked in our energies, tested against her might, and we find ourselves unwilling to allow her assaults to go unchastised. Our own muscles having already been tensed, just waiting for the release of permission sent us leaping across the distance separating us in a blink.
Her maneuver to begin an orderly withdrawal suddenly aborted as she lunges back into a rear. Her wings flared wide, she is nonetheless too slow for Graveskull, who manages to get his jaws around the meat of a foreclaw. With the expenditure of her breath attack, her volume is much reduced- still larger enough that we only have a grip on her, but she is no longer so large as to threaten to engulf us in her mouth.
She swipes at our other mouths as they bite and tear at the scales, while we use our mass and vigorous applications of leverage to keep her off balance. One particular strike catches me in the eye, tearing it from our face, we respond simply by hissing in defiance and crunching down even harder with Graveskull. Her claws only managing to scratch and skitter off the surface of that hide, while our thrashing disrupts her coordination.
When she leans down to bite at us, Fogmaw vomits his potent magic into her face, causing her to choke and gag. The wrestling match seems to be going purely our way as our wounds recover at a rapid pace while we rip off more and more of her scales. Then she manages to get in a solid swipe of her tail, severing a head, before following it up with another swing that carves a furrow into our strongest hide, which finally releases her paw.
“{Good. You can actually hurt us. We were afraid your strength was all glare and no sunlight,}” we stay focused primarily on her while we take note that pain was far more intense to rejuvenate the head she severed. The wound in our hide also pours out a black ichor while it heals even more slowly, she has more power than just Death to her.
Still, it is not our purpose here to end her, nor even to fight her, just to make her think- to see if she still can. During the short walk to this clearing Yojimbo confessed to knowing of her confinement. By the time he had learned the full story of what led to her changed circumstances, she was nothing but violence, and ending her would have been the only just way of breaking her imprisonment.
“{We~ will~ consume~ that~ power~ of~ yours~, Requiem~. You~ who~ were~ marked~ by~ death~ and~ changed~ it~.}” She departs into the air, wings flapping as she rises while keeping her eyes locked with our own. Until she’s high enough and the clouds above begin to pour down their rain once more, the once chaotic flashes of lighting stall for a moment before a swirl of them rush into a ring as she shifts her sight to another, “{We~ are~ glad~ you~ still~ live~, Yojimbo~. His~ descendants~ aren’t~ worthy~ of~ my~ attention~. But~ you~ are~.}”
Then there is a deafening crack as the lightning strikes her form midair and she vanishes. The weather quickly calms as most of the energy powering it has left with its conjurer. We sing a simple tune about rain as the last bit of the toxins are sluiced off our skin. One of us glances back at Yojimbo, still immobile from the spot he was in since her arrival, “{Doesn’t wield Lightning, eh?}”
His attention falls to us and he breathes once more, “(She used [Ride the Lightning]. It’s primarily a movement technique, great for long distance travel, escapes or a sudden blitz. She is not its master and cannot shape it, but she can call for it, much like you can call to madness.)” He reaches one of his hands up to his face, and touches his cheek as the storm settles and the rain eases.
The walk back to him, luxuriating in the pain of wounds sealed, reveling in an actual contest, “{Do you believe us now, Yojimbo? You are not so strong to remain untouched by our song. We have quelled a [Hellstorm] and forged a new domain with our voice. If you were not a changed man, you would have been moved as well.
“{Take heart then. If not for yourself, then for your mission. Our call could reach her, grasp onto her, and goad her into battle but she was not wholly lost to the madness. There is at least a chance, a choice she can make, to not end things here. To not end things upon me.”} All of us facing him fully now, we leave the rest unspoken until he breaks the stare we held him to and looks away.
We pass him by and head back towards the house, “{Come back home, Honored Elder. Those soldiers you mentioned on our arrival, we expect them to arrive in due time. Surely such a scene did not go unnoticed by her former wardens. We think it would be best if they did not meet a great beast in the mud as our introduction.}”
Our focus shifts to reviewing the skirmish, how she fought, the feel of her scales and claw, the weight of her. For all the size she’s capable of imitating, she doesn’t have anywhere near the mass to challenge us in a brawl. We have DM pull up her information again as we strategize fighting her again. {Requested data incomplete. Notice of unknown toxin found in tissues, purging in progress.}
[Dragon Wraith; tier 4 monster, major threat]
[G: Vengeance, A: Death, S: Storm, M: Sapient (Soul-hive), O: Draconic, D: Lethe, E: Karma]