All Sophia and Mike knew was pain, Valicar's body torn apart and stitched back together with magic more times than they could count. The dead cells, manipulated by necromancy, were forced to mimic the functions of living ones keeping them alive. With no demonic power to fuel their healing, they now relied solely on Sophia's magic. Though potent, it couldn't fully mend their broken and bleeding body, riddled with countless wounds.
As Valicar's eyes closed, surrendering to the overwhelming pain, the familiar scent of rot was replaced by a sweet fragrance as another's magic worked. A voice, one they knew all too well, mocked them as he wove spells to their aid. “Y’all always find a way to escape death, even if it's in more than one piece.”
When they next awoke, they found themselves in a wooden building reminiscent of the Red Wolf Inn.
"Fuck!" echoed in the minds of the twins as they took in the sight of their bandaged bodies. The healing was complete, but a new pain lingered—a sharp ache between their temples and forehead. Mike, rubbing their head with now fully healed hands, found blood on their fingertips, a disconcerting discovery. "God damn, where the fuck are we?"
"Anywhere is better than tangling with that dragon," Sophia noted, her hand tracing the budding points of bone on their skulls. "And would you look at that, horns... just what we needed."
"You used too much magic again too quickly," Mike sighed, reluctantly accepting the changes. Surveying their surroundings, they noticed a fireplace and several chairs, a scene reminiscent of the last time they teleported, fleeing from death.
"James..." Sophia called out, searching for the one who had helped them.
"You two still find the most idiotic ways to get into trouble," James called from his seat by the fire, a tinge of exasperation in his voice. "You're just one key short, Easton is dead, and your souls are still a tangled mess. Yet, here you are, pursuing that fool's quest despite all my warnings," he continued evident disdain in his tone for Valicar's endeavor to unlock the ancient dwarven vault.
"Keep his name out of your mouth, and you've got no place to criticize us after disappearing for nearly a decade, Gandalf," Mike jeered at the old warlock James.
"Need I silence you again, boy?" James began to cast a muting spell.
"I'd love to see you try!" Mike retorted, drawing power from the souls he had absorbed, briefly fueling his pact.
"Stop! Both of you!" Sophia intervened, exerting her will to make Valicar stand before walking up to James and taking a seat next to him. "Fine," Mike grumbled.
"Very well. It seems you've both learned a lot at Helm Hold and throughout your rampage across the Eastern continent. You outdid yourself with the nuke, Sophia, killing god knows how many and then bringing the church's full wrath down upon you. At least it's given you an endless number to practice your necromancy," James relented, the spell dissipating as he discussed their recent actions, his tone dripping with disdain.
"Enough with the lecture! What's in the vault? Why were we brought back here? You have a lot of answers we've been waiting far too long for!" Sophia cut through his self-righteous speech.
"Well, it seems sharing the same backbone as Mike has made you just as obnoxious. Like being a crybaby wasn't bad enough," James taunted.
"Fuck off, James! We have been fine without you! So either answer our questions or fuck off for another decade," Mike shouted in rage.
"What the hell were you doing with Valicar in the Elven Kingdom?" Mike continued Sophia's line of questioning.
"Oh, you think I owe you some grand truth, do you? After all those years of gallivanting around collecting keys, is the plan just to leave the vault unopened? Perhaps you'll graciously attempt to defeat the Pillar of the North? Or is it another shot at claiming your throne as the Undead Empress?" James sneered at Sophia, his tone dripping with sarcasm and disdain.
"Okay, we get it. You don't trust us, but you saved us, so cut the theatrics and just tell us what you want," Mike interjected, clearly irritated by James's continuous jabs at his sister.
"Don't try to pit us against each other this time, James. Spit it out, what do you want?" Sophia added, her frustration evident.
"I want you to learn and avoid getting yourselves killed, or turning into the monsters you became by the end of the last war. At your current pace, that's exactly where you're heading once you recover the last key," James replied, still avoiding direct answers.
"And where's that? We know the last key is here in the east," Sophia said.
"You're mistaken, child. Death Tooth has stolen the final key, and now they're onto you, planning to use it to lure you in," James said, puffing on his pipe leisurely, smoke curling in the air.
Sophia, nursing a headache from the pressure of her budding horns, took out a flask of liquor and began sipping. "Why the hell would they do that?"
"Well, it's simple. They'll want to use you once you've reclaimed your power, which... you will have, soon," James explained cryptically, his gaze fixed on the swirling smoke from his pipe. "There's much about necromancy you can only learn there, including a way to bring back Easton."
This revelation caught their attention. Despite Sophia's rapid progress with the Book of Necromancy, there was a significant difference between being self-taught and having a knowledgeable guide. Necromancy, a forbidden art in most places but the North, presented a new goal for them—reviving their friend and separating their souls.
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"But you must stay sane. Luckily, you have Mike. His pact worries me, but at least he gives Valicar a power boost without the drawbacks to your soul. He's essentially a spiritual meat shield," James conceded, his words carrying an unusual tone of concern. Mike's response was a muttered, "Fuck you too."
"Why can't you just teach us the necromancy knowledge we need to separate our souls or to revive Easton? Why send us on this quest into their hands?" Sophia pressed on.
"There's more to it than just knowledge," James replied, pausing to relight his pipe. "The power required for a true revival is substantial, comparable to the demonic artifact in the vault you wielded or the one Death Tooth possesses. The cult is your only hope in bringing Easton back to true life or finally separating your souls."
"So what's the story with them, your history?" Sophia wanted to know more about her former cult.
"Your return to Caldera wasn't random. Death Tooth, your former cult, orchestrated it. Zaltheral, the man who ousted me from the head of Death Tooth, is the mastermind behind it all. He's the reason I'm in exile." James tapped the ash from his pipe into a small tray.
Sophia leaned forward, her eyes narrowed. "So, what's your role in all this? Why help us now against your former allies?"
"Yah! I knew you were a fucking creep; of course, you led a cult," Mike mocked, interrupting. "What the fuck is your history with Sophia?" Mike cut in, still suspicious of James's motives.
"It’s a long story… We tried to lock the divine and demonic horrors beyond the veil away for good during the last war. As you know, the ritual killed the entire northern continent, and your power was immeasurable, at least until the Pillar of the North showed up with Blue Dawn, which was purple at the time, thought," James admitted.
"Why did we do it? Why did we kill so many? For what reason would justify it?" Sophia pleaded to know how, even in another life, she had killed an entire continent.
"We did it for a noble cause. We are toys to those eldritch beings. But by cutting them off and using the echoes of their power, we thought we would be free to rule the world as immortals. So we thought," James justified.
"Then! What do you mean?" Sophia asked, pressing for more answers.
"I don’t believe it was right, not anymore. Now I see it as foolishness, attempting something so ambitious. That war nearly destroyed the world by mimicking the very beings we despised, and look where it ended up. It inadvertently empowered the Pillar of the North, making his gods' influence on Caldera more prominent than ever before," James expressed with anger in his voice, especially at the mention of the Pillar.
"Who is the Pillar of the North really?" Mike asked, seeking clarity.
"My brother," James admitted, revealing a dark truth. "We were born as twins, much like you two—one with the power of the divine, the other with the power of a demon. We're direct descendants of a god and a demon's union—our mother, the demon Anna Sha, and our father, the god Merik. That makes us demigods of sorts, as our bloodline is diluted with humans."
"Why the hell is everyone we meet related? And to my fucking Demon of all people" Mike grumbled.
"So, that makes Easton your nephew?" Sophia questioned.
"Yes, I suppose it does. However, part of the reason I'm telling you how to revive him is that his spark of divinity will be the thing that brings him back. The trouble will be freeing his soul from the demon he is contracted with, but you will learn how to handle that in the north," James explained.
"I guess we are going north... So, what do you know about Ignial, or why the hell are we turning into a dragon?" Sophia asked.
"He is intelligent, far smarter than most enlightened races. Ask him yourself if you wish to know," James replied, stone-walling the answers.
"Oh, come on, don't be like that. I was just about to ask about Blue Dawn becoming Red Noon, or what was that about it being Purple?" Mike asked.
"Why don't you ask Easton when you bring him back, you little shits? Not even a thank you for saving your asses," James grumbled at the rude twins.
"Grumpy much. Fine, thanks for saving us," Sophia conceded before taking out her own pipe. "Can we go over it all again?" she asked, lighting Valicar's pipe. They sat together as James agreed, delving deep into their discussions, touching upon Altheack and Easton, the emotions of love and loss, the devastating city destructions that weighed heavily on Sophia, and Mike's burgeoning power.
Diving deeper, James shed light on Mike's unique link to demonic power. "Mike's bond with the demonic is exceptional. He's immune physically likely due to being from another world, but his mental stability is at risk. Although it appears to have been a challenge even before he obtained his magic," James explained, delving into greater detail about Mike's abilities and their familial connection to his dark mistress, Anna Sha. The immunity to physical repercussions but vulnerability in mental stability added complexity, especially considering Mike's feelings for Altheack.
For once, James relented from his harsh judgments, offering guidance when possible. Reflecting on the complexity of morality, James admitted to a past where, like Mike, he had once spread terror, now deeply regretted. He warned about the Pillar of the North, the imminent danger of trying to reunite their divine parents, foretelling the potential unleashing of horrors beyond, potentially reigniting the creation war.
He stressed the importance of maintaining the Veil's integrity while the vault remained sealed, a sort of status quo. They delved into Death Tooth's aspiration to fulfill Sophia's dream, acknowledging the colossal toll on lives and souls it would demand. The consequences could be catastrophic, potentially transforming the world into an undead wasteland where only a handful would reign, mirroring the bleak reality of the Northern Continent.
"Your love for that half-elf is a dangerous thing, for both of you," James remarked, sipping another glass of spirits while observing the twins.
The alcohol flowed easily down Valicar's throat, adding a touch of warmth to the discussion. "As a friend and ally, she's been a hell of a lot better than anyone, especially you, James," Mike retorted a hint of defiance in his voice.
"It's Mike who has the hots for her, but he's right. She's been our best friend for years, sticking with us and even saving our asses a few times," Sophia added, recalling Altheack's rescue from their kidnapping.
"Don't act like you don't look at her the same way, Soph. I've seen your search history," Mike teased, well aware that he wasn't alone in his interest in the half-elf.
Sophia's cheeks flushed red, embarrassed at the memory of being caught. "Fuck off, Mike! Everyone knows you didn't use other people's computers without permission!" she retorted, trying to deflect the attention.
"Your love interest aside, you two must be careful who you give your heart to. She has already been taken captive once, and there's nothing the Church won't do now to find you. While you've been a thorn in their side up until now, you've brought the wrath of a dragon down on them, so the Pillar will respond in kind," James explained, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.
After a long night of conversation and a few too many drinks, the twins bid farewell to James before he vanished through another magical portal. His parting words echoed in their minds as they found a bed in the abandoned inn. "Go north, learn and grow, but whatever you do, do not lose who you are to the magic, the divine, or the demonic. Only you two can keep each other on the right path." James was gone in a flash.