Chapter 201: Upper Tower of the Unknown God

“Ye know, we’re really lucky these stairs aren’t trapped.” Kat was leaning out over the edge. The woman had no fear of the height, making Rosalyn cringe.

“Kat, could you not? Please?”

“Fine.”

Kat trudged up the last set of stairs, boots clomping along.

“Well, no creepy tables or altars this time.”

Ann felt relief as she looked over the area. Nothing was jumping out as outright hostile or going to make her get tortured again. Small wins.

“Gettin’ lazy. Just an invisible wall blockin’ us. Easy floor? Please?”

“I do not think the Seed is listening.” Bren moved forward, staring at the floor. “These do not look particularly pleasant.”

Ann saw what he meant immediately. She had missed it, but there was a circle on the floor. Runes and lines in a perfect circle with circles set into the outer edge. Five of them. Four outside, one in the middle.

“For us,” Lucia said. She stalked around the edge of the pattern, taking her own look. “Five. Knows? Trials designed.”

“I know a good deal about ritual circles. Most are for long-form magics that require multiple participants. Or summoning from the Hells, but those are banned. Can you read any of the text, Ann?”

Ann did her best, letting the writing flow through her mind. It clicked a moment later. “Five become one. There’s a lot about liquid, water, life and red around this,” she pointed to the centre of the ring. “Blood?”

“Best I’ve got,” Rosalyn shrugged.

“Then these grooves, comin’ from each o’ the circles? Our places?”

“Guess so. One’s marked with runes talking about the storm, rain, lightning, and wind. Guess that’s yours, Rosalyn. This next one is fury, jealousy, strength and tenacity. Kat?”

“Don’t particularly care fer its description, but it fits.”

“Knowledge, history, restoration, illumination, and preservation. Bren.”

“Hah, coulda just gone wit’ the first word,” Kat chuckled as the healer moved into his spot.

“Yes, Katlyn,” Bren rolled his eyes.

“Last is also tenacity, and ferocity, but it goes more into observation, nature, rebirth and… fire? It’s gotta be Lucia, but what do those last two mean?”

“Not sure,” the Thrundol shrugged, moving into place. “Sound interesting. No skills for fire.”

“Thought I’d have fire considerin’ me scales.”

“Right?” Rosalyn said. “At least mine makes sense.”

That left Ann with the middle of the ring. The centre of all of this. Again. Her mind was racing, trying to come up with something that would explain any of this. Whatever being was doing this to her clearly understood everyone here.

“Oi, Ann, what’s next?”

“Sorry. Ok, so there are a few things.” Ann got to her spot in the middle and spun, reading the text that looped around her. “Would it kill them to have it in one spot? Looks like I’ve got to, oh, that’s gross. Why?”

“What?” Rosalyn asked.

“You all have to cut your hands and bleed, like we did in the basin below. I’ve… I’ve gotta drink it.”

“What?” came the chorus of gasps.

“Yup. Then it says something about the mixture of souls, combining, reshaping, becoming more?”

“Well, ye’ve already drank plenty o’ me an’ Rosalyn’s blood. Guess ye get tae fill out the collection. Not too bad.”

“None of us carries diseases, I can confirm that. I am fine with this if it allows us to progress. Lucia?” Bren turned to his… should Ann call her his girlfriend now? Maybe. She’d see if that’d embarrass them later.

“Fine. Soul part worries. Already soul-bound.”

“Yeah, same here,” Ann agreed. “But it won’t let us go up until we do this. Sure hope the Gods’ wards are up to this.”

“Blood magic,” Bren mumbled. “Never thought I would see the day I participated.”

“So, what, we just bleed and the circle does the rest?” Rosalyn, for all her nerves, looked completely calm.

“Guess so,” Ann shrugged.

Kat took her knife and ran it along her palm. Squeezing it, a trickle of red fell out and onto the circle around her. Rosalyn followed suit, with Bren and Lucia right behind her.

The circle pulsed. Black smoke rose from the lines. The blood glowed red as it travelled along predetermined grooves. Ann felt her soul being tugged at. Whatever was happening, it was not gentle.

Hold. Waheela spoke for the first time since they’d arrived. Hold to what you are. What they are.

You know what’s happening? Ann felt her fur rising as the blood got closer.

Old magics. Powerful ones. Power trying to twist you and me. Resist.

Doing my best. Can you tell if it’s happening to the others?

Less so to the Goat and the Snake. They are already twisted. The other two? More so.

Shit.

“Bren, Lucia, hold on to yourself. Your identity. This shit’s trying to Warp you.”

“What? Call it off! Break it!” Bren yelled.

Ann tried to rise, but her legs were locked.

“I can’t move!”

“Same!” Lucia shouted back. “Legs locked!”

“Fuck. Just hold on!”

Start talking. Can they make it through this ok?

I cannot tell, pup. Hold on to yourself, and hold on to your pack. Keep them safe.

Ann grit her teeth and sank her claws into her thighs. The tugging on her soul increased. Around them, the black smoke became a dome. They were blind. Blind save for the glowing red of the blood travelling towards the centre. Once it reached Ann’s circle, it filled the space. Ann felt an urge and held out her hand. Streamers of blood rose, twisting together into an orb on her palm.

Consume. A voice that was not Waheela’s roared in her mind.

Ann opened her mouth. It took effort to bring the glowing orb to her lips. Slowly, she swallowed it. Warm blood ran down her throat. Coppery and mixed with the taste of the other four. Those unique flavours she alone seemed to find.

The magic around them writhed. Black smoke billowed forth from every rune.

Ann felt her stomach lurch. Leaning forward, she opened her jaw to a torrent of red spilling forth, far more than she had swallowed. It splashed on the stone, siphoning into the conduits, racing back to the other four! Ann watched in horror as their heads rocked back and their mouths fell open. Blood shot into their throats as they all twitched.

Then it was done. The black smoke was gone. Red light dissipated like the morning fog. Five bodies slumped as their bindings were released.

“What the fuck?”

Rosalyn wasn’t the only one. They all looked around. Ann expected something more to happen. Bren to sprout horns, Lucia to twist into some feral monster, but they all stayed the same.

“Did it fail?” Bren asked.

It did not. I know this. Clever, Waheela rumbled. The weakness in the Bitch’s wards against me has widened by a hair. I can feel it seeping out.

What? If this affects our pack.

It will. Katlyn and Rosalyn will be as they were. This exposed the other two. This gave purchase to their souls in a way not possible before.

So they’re gonna be like us?

That is my supposition. I have not seen all, pup. Only time will tell. Time, and if the Gods seek to save their souls.

“Well, shit.”

“Waheela tell ye what me Dragon’s yammerin’ on about?” Kat asked.

“No, what’s that?”

“Says more got added tae yer hoard. This shit expanded yer reach tae more souls, twistin’ ‘em fer yer own pleasure.”

“Ok, half of that, but not the pleasure part. Honestly, kinda gross.”

“Aye. Don’t agree wit’ it, mind,” Kat said, shaking her head.

“No, didn’t think you did. Rosalyn, Xirali giving you any vibes?”

“Eh? She’s mostly confused and worried. Get the sense that she didn’t know that would happen.”

“Could you three explain what just happened?” Bren looked like he was about to have a panic attack. He was breathing quickly, his face red, and his hand clutching his chest. Lucia wasn’t much better, pacing around the room with her head in her hands.

“So, you know what happened to Kat and Rosalyn?” Ann started. “It’s going to happen to you. It’s not a guess anymore; that’s a fact. Waheela’s not sure on the timeframe, but what just happened made that little bit of seepage that started changing Kat and Rosalyn point directly at you two as well. Waheela’s saying something about blood shared, souls linked. It’s cryptic, but not because she’s being cryptic, just because I don’t understand the depth of what she’s going on about.”

“Guess we should start praying,” Bren said. “Or leave this Seed quickly before our Warping progresses.”

“Terror,” Lucia groaned. “Feel it in you. So much. Me too. Can’t shake. Shaking.”

Bren stood and pulled Lucia into an embrace. It wasn’t one of passion or love, but pure comfort. He stood there with her for a small while, his arms around her, hers around him. They separated eventually.

“Right, let’s get outta here.” Kat moved over to the stairwell and was able to proceed.

“That confirms it, though, right? What we’re dealing with here? What the entire temple is dedicated to?” Ann asked, following Kat closely.

“God of the Warped.” Lucia’s voice was grim. Ann looked back to see the woman with a glare darker than any she’d seen so far. “Worse than death.”

“And they’re pissed off.” Rosalyn didn’t look very happy either as she climbed.

“I still get the feeling that they’re not just angry with us. Seems like this’d be bigger.”

“Indeed, it is.”

The party stopped in their tracks. That voice was familiar.

“Please, do not keep me waiting. I am old, after all.”

Ann took the lead and peeked over the ledge above them.

“Of course it’s you,” she grumbled, climbing up to greet Skullo.

“The feck? How’d ye?”

“Magic,” Skullo laughed. “You lot are so used to the new way, you forget there was a time without your limitations. Well, not forgotten. Just not used to being around it. Gods, your ancestors mucked that opportunity up.”

Skullo was no longer just a skull. As the rest joined Ann and Kat, they beheld his new form. A skeleton. That was it. Wrapped in robes of twisting black and white, he sat cross-legged with his bony feet resting on his femurs.

“So, do we still call ye Master at Arms, or Skullo?” Kat asked, shifting uncertainly.

“Well, I was a priest at one point. The words have changed significantly over millions of years. My title would be Polshik Tol’yanar Y’ktel Malen. Roughly, it translates to High Priest with a few honourifics mixed in. You may call me Polshik.”

“Alright, Polshik. Gotta say this has gotten increasingly awful the further we’ve gone up this tower. Are you going to be worse?” Ann took a seat across from the old skeleton. His black, flaming eyes fixed on her, then moved to Lucia, then Bren.

“Ah, that ritual. Dangerous magics. I’m frankly impressed you all have survived intact thus far. Perhaps it’s the Goddess touched keeping you whole. No, no, I will not be worse than that. In fact, I offer guidance more than a test. You have proven yourself durable enough to obtain more of Her blessings.”

“Her? Her who?” Ann snapped at the pronoun. She’d thought the voice was female, but didn’t want to assume. Not with Gods like Eas around.

“I am sorry, however, I cannot divulge Her name at this juncture, nor Her domain. Your search must continue a while longer.”

“So what’s everything been until now? A warmup?”

“Not an inaccurate comparison.” Polshik stroked a beard that was no longer there. Looking down, he sighed and shook his head. “This form lacks so much. Try not to wind up like this, yes? I’m sure your lovers would be disappointed.”

“Aye, don’t get all boney on us,” Kat laughed.

“If you would not mind, I believe Lucia and I are on a short timer. Can we move this along?”

“Quite,” Polshik nodded. “Not only that, but the Seed is still unconquered. You must defeat the Guardian before progressing. Nasty one, this is. So, guidance, yes. One moment, young Annita.” Polshik stood, bones creaking. He hobbled over to the wall, addressing an empty bookshelf. “Yes. Yes, I intend to give her that one. Of course. Your will be done.” He stood there for a minute, then two. Suddenly, a shimmer appeared before him, manifesting in a thick, leather-bound book. Hoisting it, he returned to the party patiently waiting for him.

“This is a book.”

“No,” Lucia gasped sarcastically.

“There’s more.”

“Quit bein’ cryptic, ye calcium bastard,” Kat groaned.

“I sense it is like the journal that the God-Touched Rosalyn carries. It… well, it will be cryptic for a long while yet. My Lady does not wish for her plans to be revealed until the time is right. Still, a form of learning is offered to the one who bears the gifts of two Gods. A singular existence such as yourself, Annita, is quite rare. She is watching all of Her children. Do not think your association with Orenous has hidden you. Nor the connections with Illdall and Eas you two share. Soon, she will set her eyes upon you two as well. Now, you have all proven yourselves quite worthy of this information and reward. Go, be ever watchful, adapt to what the world throws at you, and keep your head. You’d be shocked how often people forget that part. Last I remember, Horace had forgotten, and we buried him out in the cemetery. Oh, I would also avoid that area, unless you wish to join the graves.”

Ann cracked the book open. The first page was blank, but the second had the scrawling from below. “Set adrift/lost at sea. Kindred souls/two as one. Survive/live.”

“Huh. She writes in paired concepts,” Ann said to herself. “Guess I don’t get much yet. Kinda feel like She owes me after squishing me in that vision, but whatever.”

“The Gods all have their ways. You will learn Hers in time. Now away with you. This portion of the Seed grows unstable. It is not part of this domain, and must return from whence it came.”

“Well, it was good meetin’ ye, Polshik,” Kat said, standing and shaking the skeleton’s hand. “Tell Aranaea tae come find us if she wants more o’ what we gave ‘er.”

“I fear she will not be of the right mind to accept such an offer, but should she return, I will make it known.” Polshik gave them a bow.

The tower shook. Dust fell in clouds from the roof.

“Hurry!” Polshik yelled.

The group bolted. Kat took the lead, with Ann in the rear. Rosalyn stumbled and was swept up in Ann’s arms.

“Sorry!”

“No time.”

Slamming through the temple doors, they found the rest of the complex in similar states. The tower was leaning precariously, about to topple. The barracks were already half sunken into the swamp. Walls and a closed gate loomed before them.

As they neared the gate, Rosalyn summoned her staff, but the guards moved before she could do anything. Massive hands gripped the doors and pulled, heaving the metal open.

They sprinted through, mud sucking at their boots and paws. Only when they were past the first pillar they’d noticed did they stop.

Ann gasped for breath as she set Rosalyn down.

“Whoa.”

Ann turned to see what had surprised Rosalyn.

The temple was sinking. The walls were slowly consumed by bubbling muck. It only took a minute before the entire thing was gone without a trace.

“Strangest Seed I’ve ever known about,” Bren muttered, regaining his breath. “Shall we be off? I do not wish to find out what becoming a Warped feels like.”

“Aye. Core…” Kat looked around. There was nothing but trees laden with hanging moss around them. Walking up to one, the princess checked the trunk and nodded. “Thataway!”

Ann followed the woman’s lead. Passing by the tree, she checked the stump for any sign of what Kat had seen. She found it quite simple. The moss only grew on one side.

“Time to almost die again,” Ann grumbled to herself and trotted off to catch up.