Za: You have much to explain. You know my people will not settle for allowing your soul to remain in our plane without proof that you are, in fact, innocent. I cannot even assess the hit our reputation may have taken outside our walls, Raxyas. So, tell me, what happened?
Za had brought Raxyas to his chambers. Usually, masters have several adjacent rooms to their cathedrals. These may be armories, research labs, libraries, personal chambers, and more. Which rooms to build is a decision made by the master, and who should have access to each of them is also their choice.
Raxyas: Your majesty, I'm afraid you seek answers I do not have. The moment I damned the last member of the Thirteen, I heard that voice, chanting to me. I had figured my duty complete. And thus, I hesitated not, and drank the elixir you gave me. The curse had lifted, shortly after.
Za: And what of the bottle of the elixir?
Raxyas hands an empty bottle to the master.
Raxyas hands an empty bottle to the master [https://img.wattpad.com/e7f3dda88a88e25c6bcb85284e17bcc215bb8738/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f4d4965586269384f5975345831673d3d2d313139373432373431372e313732386663626331363631353966383235333134333433323335342e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
Za: So this is how you lifted it indeed... Then that confirms it, I had suspected you had used some sort forbidden knowledge to bypass it. Have you any idea in regards to how such a concoction works?
Raxyas: Frankly, I do not. I suspect it falls outside of the spectrum of knowledge that is to be shared with redeemers... Something known only by masters such as yourself.
Za laughed for a moment, and began to explain.
Za: Not even all masters would know of this... It was a relatively recent discovery made by a good friend of the kingdom, master Qu. That elixir is actually directly linked to your soul. A unique concoction. If drunk by any other undead, it would result in extreme agony, as their insides would burn viciously, until the liquid dissolved as much bone and tissue as it could. After that, it would materialize itself within the bottle once more, ready to be drunk again.
Raxyas: I understand... And if I was to drink it without fulfilling my mission...?
Za: Well, extreme agony. The outcome would be the exact same as the one I just described. The only way to truly consume the liquid, would be if the undead whose soul is bound to the elixir drank it while fully convinced that their task had been successfully completed. This is an ingenious solution, since us undead cannot fall prey to hallucinations, or be hypnotized in some fashion by any sort of magic. We have these eyes of ours to thank for that...
Za points at one of his eyes. They were deep red-colored. His pupils were shaped like the greek letter omega, capitalized.
Za: Those sort of spells won't work on us, there is no way you or anyone else could trick you into believing that you had completed your task [https://img.wattpad.com/cb4728796a6d11db5c2099496d93512d0d0ab186/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f765f356a7956694e756c397441513d3d2d313139373432373431372e313732383661346261393635343765373230333330303131353538372e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
Za: Those sorts of spells won't work on us, there is no way you or anyone else could trick you into believing that you had completed your task. So, this is truly odd. Because not only did you consume the elixir successfully...
Raxyas: ... I also heard a chant.
Za: The chant. Yes. That chant you heard was the culmination of the hard work of many masters, over the time the Thirteen were active. An incantation was placed on their souls, collectively. If all of them were to be damned, the redeemer to damn the last soul would hear the chant, signifying their mission's success. Sadly, it would seem that even with these two mechanisms in place, something went wrong.
Raxyas: Do you have any suspicion of what could have happened?
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Za: As for bypassing the elixir, I suppose it's possible that someone could have orchestrated an elaborate play. While we can't be tricked directly by magic, staging the apparent damnation of each of the thirteen members could indeed have tricked you, in the sense that it could've made you assume that their souls had been damned, when in fact they had somehow merely escaped out of your sight.
Raxyas: But in that case, how could I have heard the chant...?
Za: Perhaps there are pieces of information we're still missing. The chant would trigger if their souls had been damned... But, it is difficult to place an incantation that powerful. Instead, we settled for a simpler incantation, but which we surmised would prove just as effective: the chant would trigger as long as the souls were no longer in Mortmundus.
Raxyas pondered for a moment.
Raxyas: I'm sorry master, I fail to see the difference. If the souls are not in Mortmundus, they can only have left to two distinct places: either to re-join the circle of life... Or to be damned, forever confined to the void. They couldn't have gone to the void, since there is no returning from there. And they couldn't have re-joined the circle of life either, without the authorization of several masters...
Za nods.
Za: That is indeed the knowledge we had at the time. Unfortunately, Raxyas, it would seem that the Thirteen have unearthed new information regarding the rules that govern our world. Some of these rules shake the foundation of concepts we have taken for granted for centuries... I'm afraid they may have exploited some of this new information to save their skin. Perhaps there may be other dimensions we have never even heard of.
Raxyas' eyes widened after hearing this.
Raxyas: I didn't know of this... Does Xayn know?
Za: Currently, only a few select masters know. Master Qu has taken it upon himself to try and collect as much of this new information as possible, but it has proven very difficult for him to pinpoint the sources. And I fear we may not have the time to sit around waiting for him... That is why you will be going to his citadel, Karghna, and assisting him in any way you can. Getting our hands on this new knowledge may very well be the key to stopping the Thirteen once and for all, and proving your innocence to everyone. With any luck, he will allow his right-hand redeemer to aid you in your mission. I hear she is a rather talented fighter... Perhaps even more talented than you, Raxyas!
Raxyas figured the master was exaggerating. He had never heard of there being such a powerful redeemer in Karghna...
Raxyas: Of course, master. I shall go at once.
Za: Not so fast. You won't be going alone, not this time. Brute force alone has shown to be insufficient in dealing with the Thirteen... I have decided you will need a scholar's assistance, too. I think it is time you and Xayn banded back together. I know he doesn't show it, but I've known you two ever since you arrived in Mortmundus. You are like children to me. And I can see when my children feel... Lonely.
Raxyas: Lonely? Master, with all due respect, I do not think you are talking of the same Xayn I know... He has all the company he needs in your library, in those books.
Za: Is that what you truly think...? Well, perhaps you will see it differently, in time. I have no further directions to give you. Your title as redeemer will not be taken from you, nor will any of the powers granted to you. You have been absolved of your supposed "crimes". But... Failure will only be tolerated once, Raxyas. I taught you better than that.
Raxyas: Of course, master. I have one last question, if I may.
Za: Of course.
Raxyas: What should we do... If we are able to locate one of their members?
Za: You will succeed. You will perform the most powerful damnation ritual.
Raxyas: So... Not, the cleaving.
Za: Absolutely not the cleaving. We cannot risk anything at this point. That would be a fine ritual for any other situation... It exploits an innate trigger present in all our souls. Much like a newborn knows instinctively to reach for their mother's breast, the cleaving makes souls instinctively reach for the void. However, it has clearly proven to be insufficient when dealing with the Thirteen. You must be more thorough. Understood?
Raxyas: Very well. Xayn and I will be more rigorous than that, rest assured.
Za: One last thing, Raxays. Do not forget -- you yourself stepped up to this challenge. You defeated countless redeemers from every corner of Mortmundus, to prove that you didn't need a partner, a team, or any support whatsoever to take down the looming threat of the Thirteen. Sending a one-man army may be an advantage, it may give your opponent a false sense of security, making them underestimate the opponent, facilitating victory... But it also has many downsides. What happened previously... Perhaps it could not have been avoided. Perhaps sending more people would not have changed the outcome, given that the playing field itself was uneven. But next time, there will be no excuses. Nothing will be taken for granted. Their elimination WILL be absolute. Is this clear?
Raxyas: Of course, master. I will not let you down.
Za: Then you are dismissed... And good luck. Until we meet again.
Raxyas exits Za's chambers. Right beside the door, Xayn was leaning on the stony wall.
Raxyas: Listening in on the whole thing? Tsk tsk, what would the master do if- [https://img.wattpad.com/18de34418a839c9014bf861daac71f1eea39c3c2/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f39683462755078304e54696852773d3d2d313139373432373431372e3137323866636661623838373437336133343139353539303030312e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
Raxyas: Listening in on the whole thing? Tsk tsk, what would the master do if-
Xayn: He knows. And, for the record, I wasn't lonely.
Raxyas: Hahah. If you say so...