At last, they arrive at the end of the long tunnel. It led to a chasm, at the bottom of which rested what seemed to be an entire underground citadel, much like Ragma, although ruined and abandoned. Ear-piercing shrieks came from below.
Raxyas: Did you hear that...?
Bazren: Whatever that is... I'm not sure it belongs in this world...
Raxyas feels something in his head. The curse.
t̴̤̟̜̬̲̥͈͓̫̏͒͒͜r̶̥̫̗̯͔̟̜͖̀̌́͂̋̅i̸͇͇̠̐̾̉̔̇̔͒͝n̵̙̤̿͂̽͒̚͠͝ͅi̸̡̧̧̼̼̞̩̯͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸̢̡̨̨̨̤͎̠̗̯͋̔̐̾́̌̕y̸̡̨̨̹̭̰̟͙̾̅̓̚ : these ones... they were never meant to be. they are an abomination... be careful...
It's gone. Raxyas notices something below.
Raxyas: Wait... Down there, look!
Raxyas points towards an amalgamation of wandering souls, concentrated on a specific part of the abandoned citadel.
Raxyas: Whatever destroyed their vessels must have done so around that area... We should investigate.
They make their way down some long stairs leading to the streets of the citadel. Every once in a while, they would hear those shrieks. They arrive at the bottom and stop to plan their next move.
Bazren: We should stick together, no matter what... At least until we get a feel for how strong these monsters actually are.
Raxyas: Agreed.
As they walk through the streets of the citadel, the desolate look of the ruined buildings makes them feel uneasy. The closer they got to the area they saw, the more destroyed the buildings were. Broken vessels littered the way. They weren't quite as large as the vessels of redeemers, and yet were unmistakenly bigger than the vessels of regular citadel inhabitants.
Bazren: This is odd... Were undead in this citadel more powerful than the ones in our current time? Why were everybody's vessels so oversized...?
Raxyas: And look at these buildings... The size of whatever did this...
Bazren: It's fine. If they are that large, chances are they must be rather slow. We should at least be able to escape if we are spotted.
Raxyas: I hope you're right...
Bazren: Raxyas, look... Is that...?
In front of them was a large crater. A single, broken vessel laid there, its still intact hands both gripping an ornate key. The vessel was large, almost as large as Raxyas' current vessel, which already surpassed his own when he was a redeemer.
Raxyas: There's no way a vessel such as this belongs to one of Nu's soldiers, with how old it looks... And yet, it seems powerful enough to have somehow maintained most of its shape over the course of time. One of the redeemers of this citadel, most likely... Impressive. Bazren, this seems like an ideal vessel for you. Let's see...
Raxyas pries the key from the vessel's hands, and then uses his gauntlet to heal it. Soon, the vessel is in pristine condition once more.
Bazren: We shouldn't linger here. Let's bring it back up the stairs and I'll transfer to it there.
Raxyas: Wait, Bazren... This key. Does it remind you of anything?
Bazren takes a closer look at it.
Bazren: It seems like the keys only masters have... They're to be used in emergencies only. That the master itself would have someone take the key out of his own cathedral... He must have wanted to warn the other citadels. Something dire must have happened.
Raxyas: Yeah... I wonder what the hell that might've been...
They backtrack up the stairs, with Raxyas carrying the vessel. The trip back was silent. Too silent. An ominous aura had taken hold of the citadel. It was heavy with the horrors that had transpired there, in the past. Upon reaching the top, he gently places the vessel on the ground.
Raxyas: Alright... We should be able to use the souls from the fortress assault to power your soul up beyond what your current vessel can withstand. That should strain your vessel to the point of breakage, forcing your soul into the new one. Once you're inside of it, you should be able to absorb one of the soul shards that you got from Okir and Neio. Are you ready?
Bazren: I am! Let's do this.
Raxyas activates the soul sphere, causing an avalanche of souls to pour out of it. Bazren absorbs a good number of them, as her vessel cracks with rapidly growing, glowing fissures appearing everywhere. After she absorbs enough souls, the cracks finally make the vessel give way, causing it to break apart completely. Her soul unlinks from it shortly after. After wandering for a while, it finds its way into the new vessel.
After wandering for a while, it finds its way into the new vessel [https://img.wattpad.com/71649419da72ecf856061488295ca84374b3c4cb/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f667667556778476b454f446b75673d3d2d313238373231383234392e313732383665636365346336346630373636393434343930333733372e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
After some moments, Bazren regains consciousness. She gasps as she awakens.
Raxyas: Heh. You never really get used to that feeling...
She tries standing up, slowly. Once she feels confident enough in her ability to handle the new vessel, she signals Raxyas. He releases one of his soul shards from the sphere.
Raxyas: Here we go...
Bazren casts the absorption circle, consuming the shard, as it is sucked into it. Her vessel can easily support the increase in power, and immediately a new weapon starts manifesting itself. In Bazren's left forearm, ethereal plates begin materializing and falling into place. What seemed to be a shield was now embedded in her left arm. Its center was glowing as if it was yearning for something...
Raxyas: How do you feel?
Bazren: Great... But it must be thanks to the rush of receiving so much power... I will probably collapse from exhaustion soon. Before I do, I'd like to at least figure out what this thing can do...
The shield kept glowing.
Raxyas: Are you doing that?
Bazren: Doing what?
Raxyas: Making it glow like that. Look.
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Bazren hadn't noticed it.
Raxyas: It's distracting. Irritating, even.
Bazren: Well, I can't do anything about it.
Raxyas: Oh, really? Let me see if I can't help with that...
Raxyas adopts a fighting stance. He readies himself to punch the shield.
Bazren: What are you doing?!
Raxyas punches the shield, straight in the center. A ringing sound emanates from the shield's vibrations caused by his attack, and echo through the chasm. The shield itself seems unaffected, but something has changed in the glow... It glowed more aggressively than before.
Raxyas: Well. Isn't that interesting...
Raxyas summons his gladius, and without giving Bazren any time to react, starts smashing away at the shield.
Bazren: RAXYAS! Stop!
Even though Raxyas was hitting it quite hard, the shield seemed to be able to easily take the blows. With each blow, it seemed to glow more and more. As if it was harnessing power. Eventually, Raxyas stops.
Raxyas: So...? Do you feel anything?
Bazren: I feel like my arm is about to fall off! What's your idea?!
Raxyas: There's something more to this shield... Not only does it absorb the blows as if they are nothing, it seems to be able to store their power somehow. Even though I was striking it quite hard, by the time my attacks connected, it barely felt like they had any weight to them.
Bazren: Is that so...
Bazren attempts to channel energy into the shield. As she does, a loud boom is heard. From the shield's surface, a blast of energy sends Raxyas flying away. He lands dangerously close to the cliff's edge, almost falling off. The shield's glow returns to normal.
Raxyas: HOLY SHIT...
Bazren: Hahah... Serves you right! Although, thank you for that. It seems to me like this thing is going to be pretty handy in the future...
Raxyas stands up, and approaches Bazren. As he does, he looks at her eyes. They seemed... Different...
Raxyas: Bazren... Weren't your pupils shaped like stars...? Like five pointed stars?
Bazren: Huh...?
Bazren uses the shield's surface as a mirror. Her pupil shape had been altered. They now resembled the north star.
Bazren: What the hell?!
Raxyas: My soul shards... They must change the eyes of those who absorb them...
Raxyas ponders for a moment. As he does, Bazren seems to be losing her balance. The strain from inhabiting a new vessel had caught up to her. She falls to her knees.
Bazren: I'll just... I won't be long...
She collapses onto the cold, stony ground.
Raxyas: The eyes change...
As Raxyas waits for Bazren to come back to her senses, he thinks to himself.
Raxyas: So... I guess they could be anyone. Anyone at all...
Yet another secret Incola had kept from him... The curse materializes and speaks to him.
t̴̤̟̜̬̲̥͈͓̫̏͒͒͜r̶̥̫̗̯͔̟̜͖̀̌́͂̋̅i̸͇͇̠̐̾̉̔̇̔͒͝n̵̙̤̿͂̽͒̚͠͝ͅi̸̡̧̧̼̼̞̩̯͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸̢̡̨̨̨̤͎̠̗̯͋̔̐̾́̌̕y̸̡̨̨̹̭̰̟͙̾̅̓̚: what are you thinking...?
Raxyas: ... That Incola are more dangerous than we gave them credit for. If my shards basically give you an entirely new identity... Who knows who we've been helping? That they would keep this information from us... It's wishful thinking to assume they did so unintentionally, isn't it?
t̴̤̟̜̬̲̥͈͓̫̏͒͒͜r̶̥̫̗̯͔̟̜͖̀̌́͂̋̅i̸͇͇̠̐̾̉̔̇̔͒͝n̵̙̤̿͂̽͒̚͠͝ͅi̸̡̧̧̼̼̞̩̯͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸̢̡̨̨̨̤͎̠̗̯͋̔̐̾́̌̕y̸̡̨̨̹̭̰̟͙̾̅̓̚: assume that they specifically left out the fact that your shards basically conceal their previous selves for no good reason...? yes. wishful thinking indeed.
Raxyas: Well... Doesn't matter now. We aren't helping them anymore.
t̴̤̟̜̬̲̥͈͓̫̏͒͒͜r̶̥̫̗̯͔̟̜͖̀̌́͂̋̅i̸͇͇̠̐̾̉̔̇̔͒͝n̵̙̤̿͂̽͒̚͠͝ͅi̸̡̧̧̼̼̞̩̯͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸̢̡̨̨̨̤͎̠̗̯͋̔̐̾́̌̕y̸̡̨̨̹̭̰̟͙̾̅̓̚: maybe you've helped them too much already...
Raxyas: I pray that is not so.
Suddenly, up the stairs came a floating soul, which must have been following the empty vessel... It approached Bazren's vessel slowly.
Raxyas: Sorry, you've arrived a bit too late. That vessel's taken already... Although...
Raxyas takes out one of the spider vessels Nu gave them.
Raxyas: I guess this will suffice for now.
He activates the vessel, as he walked over to meet the soul. When they were close enough, the soul was sucked inside the spider, gaining control of it.
Raxyas: Alright, can you understand me?
No response came from the spider. It faced Raxyas' direction as if awaiting some sort of command.
Raxyas: Hello...? Well, I guess you wouldn't be able to speak even if you did understand... Tap with one of your legs twice if you understand me.
It tapped twice.
Raxyas: Good. We were sent by master Nu to rescue you. Just head on through that corridor, you'll arrive back at Ragma.
The spider bolted in the opposite direction, and ran down the stairs.
Raxyas: ... Fuck. Seriously?
He grabs Bazren's vessel quickly and does his best to catch up to the spider. Its mobility was impressive for its size, almost being able to outrun Raxyas. After chasing it through the citadel's streets, it dashed into an alleyway. With all of the running around, Bazren wakes up.
Bazren: What the hell is going on...?
Raxyas: I found a lost soul! It got into that spider thing and just ran away...
Raxyas puts Bazren down.
Bazren: Well, next time could you not just tell it to go back up the chasm and up the stairs? We really shouldn't be running around here like this, they might see us...!
Raxyas: I know, but there must be something they want to show us... Be prepared for whatever may be lurking in these alleys.
The redeemers ready their weapons and venture into the alleyway. It was an L-shaped, narrow alleyway. Just as they were turning the corner, an arrow flies towards them at an amazing speed.
Bazren: Raxyas, look out!
The arrow hits Raxyas in the arm, hardly damaging it.
Raxyas: What the...?
Raxyas looks at the end of the alleyway, trying to pinpoint the shooter's location.
Raxyas: No way...
At the end of the alleyway stood a disfigured undead, barely able to move, wielding a massive bow with two spikes on both ends. The figure shooting the bow seemed to acknowledge that two undead were coming his way before falling to the ground, motionless. The bow vanished shortly after. Raxyas and Bazren quickly ran to it.
Raxyas: Well old friend, some reunion this is...
Bazren: Is that...?
Raxyas kneels close to the vessel's mangled body and channels energy into his gauntlet, slowly repairing it. After some time, the vessel was in good enough shape for the undead inside to speak through it.
Raxyas: It's been a long time...
Undead: Rax... yas...
Raxyas: Quite the predicament we've found ourselves in... Huh, Xayn? Wait, is that...
Raxyas looks behind Xayn, as he notices a purple glowing cube in the ground.
Raxyas: So you were this close to getting it back to Ragma, huh...? Don't worry, we'll get it back to Master Nu as soon as we-
Xayn: No...! Not Nu... Not... yet...
Bazren: Raxyas, we shouldn't stay here. Let's bring him inside one of these buildings.
Raxyas: Right. I'll get Xayn, you can grab the box. The spider can follow us.
Xayn: No...! Not... Yet... STOP...
As Bazren grabs the box, it immediately activates, emitting a shriek similar to the ones they had heard.
Bazren: Uh...
A moment later, another shriek is heard in the distance. This one seemed more prolonged and aggressive than the ones heard so far.
Xayn: LEAVE BOX... RUN...
Raxyas: Shit! Leave it, Bazren! Let's get back to the stairs!
Bazren drops the box instantly. They begin sprinting back through the streets, as fast as they can. The shrieks grow louder and louder, fast. Roughly as they reach the halfway point, they feel an ominous presence quickly closing in on them from behind.
Bazren: It has to be right on top of us!
Raxyas: Just keep running, don't stop!
Bazren: We won't make it like this, Raxyas! It will just follow us up the stairs!
Raxyas: Fuck...
Suddenly, a haunting shriek projects from behind. As they turn their heads to see what is chasing them, they see a beast not from their world. It has exposed, bleeding dark flesh, with glowing black blood boiling so hot that it evaporates as soon as it touches the ground. It resembles a giant werewolf, though flesh covers its body unevenly, leaving bones exposed in some places. It has tens of razor-sharp teeth, grinding and vibrating erratically inside its mouth. Its guttural shrieks are so violent that, as the air is forcefully pushed through its throat, it rips some of the flesh away, making blood and guts spill from the beast's mouth every time it screams.
Its guttural shrieks were so violent that, as the air was forcefully pushed through its throat, it ripped some of the flesh away, making blood and guts spill from the beast's mouth every time it screamed [https://img.wattpad.com/1f0d07e9b990e0b2d2f98352274cc344203c47b2/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f7156687972463955643153695a413d3d2d313238373231383234392e313732623665303735383566313034343237353030303639363536392e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
Bazren: Oh fuck...
Xayn: LEAVE ME... TO STALL...
Raxyas: What?! Xayn, there's no way-
Bazren: No! He's right! If we don't stand back and stall it, there's no way we can leave with our vessels intact. This thing will destroy us all! But...
Bazren turns around and locks her legs, sliding to a full stop.
Bazren: I'll be the one staying back and fighting it! I want to see how tough this thing really is. Just come back for me when you're both safe and ready to rescue me!
Raxyas and the spider kept running for the stairs.
Raxyas: I DON'T AGREE WITH THIS AT ALL, BAZREN!
Bazren: Just go!
The beast quickly closed in on her, growing more and more disfigured as it approached her.
Bazren: I guess this is the perfect time to get creative with my new toy...