Fantasy Cold Nights (Exalted 2.5e) - Astrid Mustonen

[Teal]

There was sigh from the old man in front of her, and he snapped a quick gesture. Behind her, the portal she'd entered through snapped shut - leaving only the stone wall of the cave. "Cynd, would you please attend to Dr. Mustonen?" He seemed tired, as he drew a handkerchief from his sleeve of to mop his brow.

"Of course," Jahrl's dark-skinned consort seemed to materialize from just beyond the ring of light. As seemed to be her custom, her dress was a sleeveless and unadorned robe, made of a strange white fabric that seemed to shimmer with spectral colour when the light caught it. She moved toward Astrid, "Dr. Mustonen," her voice was soft, breathy and filled with concern, "you are plainly exhausted. Please, come with me - you will do no one any good in your condition."

The demoness was right - and she didn't have the strength to fight about it either.

"Cynd," Jahrl added - eyes shut and voice strained with distraction, "ensure she drinks some of the Unchanging Drought I made before she sleeps."

"Of course, husband." She offered him a half-bow.

Astrid's hands had turned black.

...or were they just really dark red?

"Dr. Mustonen," the beautiful elfin woman prompted, "will you please come with me?"

 

[Maxiom]

"Dr. Mustonen," the dark skinned demon prompted, "will you please come with me?"

Astrid paused for a moment, eyes fixated on her hands, now blackened. She shook them in an attempt to clean them off, but to no avail. She looked up, at the similarly ebon demon. She was exhausted, her legs were shaking, she didn't know where she was. It was a tempting offer.

She shook her head violently. "No! The gh- my father's still out there, fighting that thing! I can't let it get away again; if I do, this'll keep happening!"

She brushed past the demon, forcing herself to continue walking. "You can follow me if you want, but I'm not going to leave it to chance! I have to finish what I started!"

 

[Teal]

Frustrated and in a panic, Astrid fled Jahrl’s ritual chamber. The stone doors gave way to a dark hallway of smooth black stone, shot through with veins of dark gold – not the grey-blue stone she remembered. The light-stones that should have provided light were gone as well, replaced by tongues of unnatural golden fire atop ornate candelabras. Sounds of pleasured ecstasy in the echoed faintly through the space, and the air was heavy and warm, like a lover’s sigh.

Astrid's skin crawled at the noises. She could make an easy guess at what was going on - probably some guards enjoying a brief 'holiday' with Jahrl's demons. She disapproved, but that didn't matter, She needed to get out of here.

She continued through the corridors of the now labyrinthine cave, searching for some exit to the outside where she could get her bearings.

The hallway curved - and curved and curved, completely at odds with the map in her head. Swiftly, the way she came vanished - but Astrid ran on, heedless. Eventually, she found herself at a crossroads. The hallway diverged before her, each path leading into darkness. Were she to turn around, she'd find the path she'd come seemed eerily identical.

Astrid gritted her teeth. She could be doing this all Calibration if she kept running down random corridors. She stepped up to the point where the halls diverged, and shouted down one hallway, and then the next, testing the echoes for some difference in sound to give her a hint of how deeply the corridors went.

The sound of her scream shattered the low cacophony of lovemaking that filled the dark cave. It did not echo discernably, though. Still, one hallway seemed deader -

"Doctor Mustonen," a woman's voice from behind, soft and breathy, "are you alright?"

Cynd stood stood a few steps behind her, a look of concern on her alien features. Somewhere between the Jahrl's ritual chamber and here, she had acquired a candlelabra, which filled the dark air around her with golden light.

"Obviously not," Astrid replied impatiently as she began to make her way down the corridor, keeping one hand to the right side of the wall. "My fa- Castamir's still out there fighting that thing. And if he loses, it's going to keep coming back."

"My husband has summoned a spirit to destory the fairy," Cynd replied, "and his behemoth." The dark skinned woman brushed passed Astrid, selecting the pathway that seemed slightly more alive than the alternative, "But come along, I will lead you from the cave, if you wish."

The demoness didn't even glance back toward Astrid, as she started into the darkness.

Astrid blinked. "Another demon, you mean?"

Cynd didn't reply.

Astrid followed behind her. "You say it's going to destroy the fairy. How?"

That brought a light laugh. "How does one destroy anything?" Cynd smiled over her shoulder at Astrid, "Surely you are not asking me for a metaphysical treatment on the mechanics of spirits? I am no mage."

Astrid grunted. "I'm sorry if this insults you," Astrid said in an insincere tone, "but I have little faith in your 'husband's' ability to not leave collateral damage. Castamir's still there a- I need to make sure with my own eyes."

That bought a sigh. "Yes, my husband is no Sorcerer. The spirit is unbound, so his control is limited." Her tone was cordial - either she didn't notice the insult, or ignored it. "With some luck though, it will be resolved by the time you arrive. Even at your best, you're hardly a match for a behemoth."

"Maybe not, but I know I can kill the one controlling it," she stated with an almost unwarranted certainty. "When he approached me, during the delivery, he was afraid. I bluffed, but I could see it. If he had reason to fear, then I know I can do it."

Another sigh, "I know better than to try and dissuade you, but please, do be careful. Your life is not wholly your own." Another glance back, "Mistress Ulfrson's child only lives because of your magic. If you die, so will he."

"Then I won't die," Astrid said with a shake of her head. "The fae came for me. If it gets away, then I'm still on borrowed time regardless."

* * *
"Dr. Mustonen," Cynd stopped abruptly in what appeared to be a Calibration-twisted living chamber, "if you will wait for me a moment, I should go collect some of the anti-Mutation draughts my husband created."

"...I'll take one. But I'm not waiting. I want to follow you."

Cynd shrugged, then gestured for Astrid to follow after her into one of the adjourning hallways. A short time later, the demoness was looking through a cabinet - and withdrew a pair of vials filled with dark liquid of some sort.

She offered them to Astrid. "They're pure." Cynd said, "My husband made certain of that, though he had to make them quickly, so the potency may have suffered." The dark-skinned woman glanced back toward the cabinet, "I'm not sure how safe multiple doses are, but we have more, if you'd like to take a few spares. Remember to save a few for your father too - he's been exposed far longer than you."

Astrid nodded, eager to move on. "Fine," she said, accepting the extra vials. If it poisoned her somehow, she'd just see to it to get revenge later.

* * *
Not long after, the two women emerged from the cave. Walls of light burned only a short distance away, much like those around the manor house itself - though these were shadowy instead of radiant. The pair of guards that ordinarily stood at the gates had been replaced with a pair of demonesses like Cynd - both regarded Astrid silently, as she and her guide moved toward the boundry.

"...remember, you need to take the draught before you go to sleep." Cynd stressed. "Jahrl was very clear about that."

Astrid nodded affirmatively as they walked, opting to simply open one phial and down it right there, bracing herself for the presumably unpleasant taste. Surprisingly, the taste was bearable, though distinctly metalic. She felt something as it settled in her stomach, but whether that was good, Astrid couldn't say. Her hands, certainly, remained black.

Cynd walked with her to the boundary, but no further. "Take care, Dr. Mustonen."

 

[Teal]

((This thread will be used to store complete scenes. Its quicker to play the actual battles out via IM.))

Jahrl's cave was on the outskirts of the Ulfrson Estate - literally the furthest point she could have ended up at. She moved as quickly as she was able still - and had to hope the darkness of Calibration would favor her by making the distance shorter, not longer, than it should have been.

There was a breath of wind.

"Who's th-!" A hand settled on her shoulder. In an instant, she felt a warm chest to her back, an arm restraining her own and a wet cloth pressed over her mouth and nose. The ring on her finger grew hot.

...nothing happened.

Chloroform! Astrid recognized what he was trying to do: she had been trained in sedatives as well. If it weren't for the ring though, she probably would be asleep already. Gotta catch him off guard. She willed herself to slump forward, feigning unconsciousness.

"...that didn't work, did it?" He muttered, keeping his grip tight. "I guess it makes sense, all of you bastards wear iron."

"And I hope you choke on it," Astrid replied, through the rag. Holding back her instinct to gag, she bit down on the fabric, trying to maintain a hold of it as she pulled down with all her weight, activating a charm to drag both of them into the ground.

Please, I need to fall into the Underworld this time.

The Fae didn't immediately notice when his feet dropped below the soil, but once it had passed his ankles, then she heard a gasp. "Wha - !?" The Fae shoved her forward, but she grabbed his wrist instead. The Fae still wrenched his hand away, releasing the cloth in the process. He managed to stumble backward, but the soil remained passed his ankles.

With an angry shout, Astrid charged -

- and tripped.

"..." The Fae snickered, before slowly rising from the ground.

"Alright, Dr. Mustonen." A short sword appeared in his hand. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way." He pointed at her with the sword. "Which'll it be?"

Easy way?

"You don't know me that well." Astrid pushed herself to her feet. She drew out one of the flasks that Cynd had given her, and readied the stolen cloth.

The Fae sighed. His sword vanished into the ether, as he held up his hands helplessly. "Well, can't say I didn't try."

His vivid blue eyes fixed on Astrid then, "Sorry." Faster than breath, he was in front of her. His fist slammed into her gut, driving the air from her lungs. The force knocked her to the ground, and spilled the potion she carried - its dark liquid splattering uselessly to the ground below.

Suddenly, there was light beneath them.

"Wha -?" The Fae growled and leapt forward - clearing Astrid easily, as he landed cat-like by her head. From the radiance, a hulking figure began to rose swiftly - his ethereal white flesh littered with dripping wounds. Castamir rounded on the Fae with a growl of his own - this one much more menacing. He readied his axe - eyes narrowed on the Fae.

"...get away from my daughter."

Throwing stars flashed from the Fairy's hand. They bounced off Castamir's magic toughened skin.

Astrid coughed again, trying to steady her breath as she slowly pulled herself up on uneven footing. She still had the rag clutched tightly in one hand as she readied another bottle with the other in preparation. "I know what this is!" She shouted, her voice scratchy and pained, "It's mine now!" She lifted the bottle over it in preparation as she judged his face for some sort of reaction.

From her back, Castamir lashed out with one of the ghostly white chains - the Fae's attention was totally on him, not even regarding Astrid in passing. He avoided the clumsy attack deftly. Then, favoring Castamir with a glare, he quickly turned about and retreated into the night.

Astrid slowed her breathing, keeping her senses as alert as possible as she waited for the Fae to come back into vision for another strike. The second he did, she'd soak the grace, hoping it'd provide Castamir with some form of opening.

It's been a long time since I composed anything... you'll get one stanza out of me if it means you can kill him. That sound good?

"Castamir stood taller in death
Than he ever did in life
Refused the peace of his crypt
Preferred the thrill of strife."

There was a flicker about Castamir's hulking form. The man's back straightened, and he growled with a sigh of relief. "Thank you, daughter." With the predatory grace of a hunting cat, he stepped around her. The chains from his back slid outward - forming a circle around Astrid herself.

"Can't fix ya up," Castamir said, facing the darkness, "but I'll make this easier on ya." As he spoke, the pain in her ribs - which were, probably, broken - eased. "'nd take this." Castamir's free hand reached back toward her, and a massive long bow of white jade materialized in it.\\

Astrid took a deep breath as the pain was slightly lifted. She knew it wasn't actually fixing anything, but she'd address that later. She shoved the flask and rag in her bag quickly accepting the bow. Her Essence flowed into the oversized bow - allowing her to lift it one-handed, in-spite of it being designed for someone bigger and stronger than herself.

'Finally something I can use.' She had the feeling that she'd have to carry one of these with her all the time if she didn't get out of this.

"If he comes for me, wreck him. I'll do the same for you," she said as she reading into a stance, scanning area.

The air around her discoloured. Castamir stopped moving - and all sound vanished.

A little winged sprite materialized in front of her. Silver haired and garbed in a shimmer and thin purple dress, the tiny spite made a happy sound, before offering Astrid what she held in her hands - a rolled up piece of parchment. A purple seal of wax held it closed. The mark looked familiar.

Astrid blinked, "Wh-who are you?" She felt her fingers tighten on the jade of the bow.

The little sprite cocked lips moved, but only the sound of high pitched bells emerged. Perhaps she was trying to say, 'I can't talk, just take the scroll.' Because she gestured more insistently toward Astrid with it - it was human sized, after all.

Astrid gave a slow nod and cautiously accepted the scroll, opening it to give it a quick read.

Dear Astrid Mustonen,

The Bureau of Destiny has been impressed by your dedication to battling the enemies of Creation. We are prepared to offer you assistance in your present situation, by way of this contract for the Ending of the Fae on the Ulfrson Estate. Bonus pay will be provided if you are able to collect all Awakened Graces associated with himself and the Fae known as Todr Ulfrson. Such Graces will be collected by an agent of Secrets once Calibration ends.

To facilitate this, the Division of Endings is prepared to endow you with 3-dots - a Mastery level - of the art of Wyld Working, as well as a pre-selected set of Godsblood charms (detailed in the appendix), designed to assist you in the elimination of the mark. As compensation, your Destiny will be altered to account for 2-dots of Wyld Working, which will be your's to do with as you wish. The Fae in Black's Cup Grace (detailed in the appendix) is also your's to keep, as backpay for your elimination of the Elloge Demon some months past.

If you accept, simply take this contract and place it within your sachel. If you reject this task, return it to the messenger sprite - the matter will be wiped from your memory immediately. As a token of good will, your Willpower will be restored once you finish this letter.

The nature of your relationship with the Bureau of Destiny is to be kept an utmost secret. Do not willingly disclose your association to unauthorized parties (see appendix), or the contract will be void and benefits provided may be garnished. Unwillful disclosure will be assessed accordingly. Once this contract ends, your memories of it will vanish as well, immunizing you from such concerns.

- The Division of Endings.

Below, there was a wax stamp. The symbol in its centre was the same as the one that had held the scroll closed.

Astrid's hands shook as she regarded the stamp at the bottom of the scroll. Saturn? A star singled me out? Uncertainly, she rolled up the paper and placed it in the bag. She looked to the sprite apprehensively. "Now wh -" In pale light, the mark of Saturn appeared on her brow - and as knowledge flooded her mind, she fell silent.

Time started again.

Castamir glanced back at her briefly, brow furrowed. Several heartbeats passed, before he nodded grimly, and returned his gaze to the darkness. "Aye."

Astrid blinked as she processed the floodgate of knowledge that had been opened to her.

Huh. I guess I was on the right track then...

"On second thought, cover me for a moment," Astrid suddenly ordered as she crouched down, her stray hand fishing in her bag for a knife, and the rag. She began to work quickly, cutting occult circles into the dirt.

Curious, Castamir glanced in her direction again. Then, he nodded again and -

- abruptly lashed out with his free arm. There was nothing back blackness, yet still the sound of sharp sound of steel striking stone sounded in the night. Castamir cast about with his eyes - but did not lash out. Instead he fell into a defensive stance. In the dark of Calibration, the Fae was invisible.

"I think I have something here..." she muttered as she slashed some quick shapes, forming what looked like a stickman within the circle. She rested the cloth down over the image, and envisioned the Fae in Black in her mind as she drove the knife through the cloth where the right leg would be.

Astrid's eyes flared as she looked up - and found the Fae fallen to his knee, just beyond the chain circle protecting her. She pulled herself up, leaving her instruments on the ground as she picked the bow back up, hand on the string.

He chose the hard way.

She let a shot loose. The Fae looked up - but his sword was too slow. The bolt of sharpened Essence pierced his shoulder, drawing a cry of pain from him, and spilling red blood into the night.

The Fae staggered to his feet. Expression hidden behind black cloth, it wasn't possible to say with certainty if he was in pain - but he probably was. He slammed his sword into a sheath. His good hand snapped to a pale blue bottle hanging from his belt. With difficulty, he uncorked it - and flung the contents out in front of himself. Astrid dodged it - narrowly - though the fluid splashed Castamir's boots. As fumes began to rise from the pale liquid, Astrid's ring grew hot.

Castamir lashed out with his axe - but the attack was way off the mark. His axe slammed with a wet sound into the dark soil - and wedged there. "Where the fuck is he?" He growled, frustration clear, before sharply wrenching the weapon from the ground.

Astrid was already pulling back another arrow, and used the motion to point for her father's sake. "I pegged him!" she called out, "search for the arrow!" She fired another shot fly for her mark, refusing to let him flee.

Balancing on his one good leg, the Fae spun about and pushed off, hopping aside. The arrow flew by and passed into the darkness, and the Fae landed safely. He cast a quick glance toward Castamir, before returning the flask to his belt. Reversing the motion, he ripped the arrow from his shoulder - throwing more of his blood into the air. Then, dropping the arrow to the ground, he leapt away - but with his leg broken, his progress was negligible.

Castamir took a breath. "Aye. I can smell 'im," his exhale was a growl, "bu' I can't find 'im." Castamir cast about and settled on Astrid's discarded arrow. "...guessin' he pulled th'arrow ou' though."

“Keep me covered!” Astrid told her father as she bent down again to work on another circle. “He’s on the run. I need to see if I can slow him…” Astrid's hands moved with precision and speed - the elements of her casting circle falling into place precipitously. She probably didn't notice the corona of white fire that rose about her.

In this one, she included what looked like a simple diagram of a heart. “Hope he’s got one of these…” she murmured to herself as she placed the rag overtop the circle once again to perform another shaping attack, this time going forward with the potion flask she had threatened the Raksha with earlier.

‘Now let’s watch him brush this off…’

The Fae did no more than glance her way. He seemed visibly surprised by something, but, quickly drew his short sword up before himself - assuming a grim guard. Castamir heaved a sigh - but moved himself to where the arrow lay. Though he did not know it, he was now blocking Astrid's line of sight to the Fae, and vice-versa. The hulking ghost fell into a guard stance of his own.

Astrid kept to her circles, quickly making new shapes while she had cover from Castamir. This guy couldn't escape, or else he'd just lick his wounds and come back.

'Let's take his other leg now.''

Thankfully, the knife she had used for the first attack was still out, laying in the dirt by the circle. She snatched it up in her hands and, once the essence in the air congealed enough, she slammed it into the soil likeness of the Fae. There was a sharp crack of bone and a cry of pain. The Fae struck the ground with a soft thud, drawing a laugh from Castamir.

"Better say yer prayers, Pixie. Ye die tonight!" He readied his axe.

Astrid rose to her feet and gripped the bow tightly, breaking into a trot as she ran forward, past her father. Once her target was in sight, she lifted the weapon and took a deep breath. 'C'mon, let this one be it.' She released the string and let the arrow fire.

The Fae managed to struggle to a sitting position - and got his sword up enough to block the lance of white light. A moment later, Astrid heard a thump behind her - and felt a suddenly release of pressure. Castamir had collapsed to the clover-covered ground, his muscles shrinking visibly as his magic dissipated. In mere breaths, the hulking Haslanti berserker became but a boy in torn clothes. Wounds riddled his lanky body - but at least they weren't bleeding.

Astrid's heart leapt into her throat. 'He hasn't had the chance to take Jahrl's draught yet.' Instinctively, she side-stepped to put herself between him and the Fae, teeth gritted tightly. The fae hadn't been going for lethal attacks against her for some reason, so it was all she could do to offer Castamir some form of protection as she pulled back the bowstring again.

"Drop dead!" She screamed. Another arrow flew.

This time, the Fae's parry had a bit more force to it. Perhaps Castamir's fall had raised his flagging spirits. Either way, he dashes the arrow of light from the air, before pulling an object from his belt. He seemed about to throw it - but hesitated instead.

"I'm not the type to go peacefully!" She asserted furiously, pulling the string back once again, "If I wanted peace, I wouldn't have come here! "Another arrow flew with a swish. The Fae's answering parry was weaker this time, but he still broke the arrow of light once more.

Once again, he opted not to attack.

"Do you understand?" She asked, anger evident. The bowstring tightened again, but there was no arrow this time as Astrid readied herself lining up a shot.

When the Fae did not respond, Astrid smiled confidently. "Then..." She formed another spectral arrow, as behind her, Castamir's fallen axe began to vibrate. Astrid used her own body to obscure the slow levitation of the weapon. "...maybe we're on the same page." Suddenly, the doctor bolted left, sending the massive weapon flying towards the Fae.

He barely had time to turn his chest.

Castamir's axe smashed into him. Ribs shattered as the bloodied jade projectile exploded out his back, leaving a gaping hole where the Fae's heart ought to have been. The fae's upper body tottered for a moment - then collapsed bonelessly.

He was dead.

 

[Teal]

Astrid stood still in silence for a moment, her legs shaking as though she somehow expected her foe to get back up.

After a moment of inaction, the reality of it sunk in. She hesitantly stepped forward and searched through the fae's scattered remains, collecting what she could. Amongst the mass of blood, she recovered the bottle listed in the appendix - the fae's "Cup Grace" as she now knew. She scooped his shortsword and also a crystalline egg not mentioned in the Appendix.

"Best to not leave it here..." she reasoned. It was better with her than with someone like Jarhl.

She then turned her attention to the last item - the tattoo that represented his oath. 'How do I transport this...' she was going to need to drag the sleeping Castamir regardless. Hauling around a layer of skin would only make the experience worse.

Clumsily, she wrapped up the sword in the rag the fae tried to smother her with, setting it down to pull out some gauze from her bag. "Maybe I can make this a bit less grizzly..." she murmured, before focusing her attention on manipulating the chaos in the corpse.

After a moment, the edges of flesh around his tattoo detached - folding slightly toward her. Were Astrid to remove her hand, she'd find a scroll of think where once skin had been - the Old Realm letters of the tattoo transferred perfectly to it.

"Astrid." The was Jahrl's voice, coming from the Talisman. "Behemoth incoming." A fleeting impression of a the ice lion running over the dark ground, herself in the distance, registered in her mind. "Sent -" That message was interrupted by a flowering of surprise from Jahrl's side. Then, "...sent help." A sense of anxiety overlaid this message, and the image of the dark skinned demoness that followed. Like the lion, it too was coming toward them.

Astrid could feel all her hair stand on end.

"W-what?" She asked aloud, trying to get a response from the talisman. "The fae - he's dead though! It should stop without a master, right?!"

She decided to not wait for a reply. Jahrl's tone carried enough urgency to be heeded. She quickly stowed away the scroll she created and rushed over to her unconscious father, attempting to shake him awake.

"Castamir! You have to get up - it's not be over yet!"

Castamir was unresponsive

"Open your eyes fool!" she shouted, delivering a light slap to try rousing him to no avail.

"Dammit!" she shouted, slamming a fist into the grass. If she couldn't wake him up, then she wasn't sure how to handle this situation. She'd need to move him, but that would be dangerous on her own, especially without any means other than dragging him along the dirt with open wounds.

"Not a great option," she murmured as she prepared a ritual she knew, "but it'll have to do." Clasping her hands together tightly, she began to chant the words for an exorcism, to banish her father back home Ironfall.

'Go back home. Its safer there,'

As she chanted, Castamir began to flicker, then fade. Before the ritual was finished though, she heard the sound of heavy footfalls - like those of a great beast - coming toward her. Were she to open her eyes, she'd see an aurora of shifting red and orange light had opened in the black sky - and that the great ice lion she'd seen her father fighting was approaching, rapidly. A corona of the same light burned around its body as well.

Much quieter, one of Jahrl's demons was sprinting toward her as well. His black skin and hair stood out starkly beneath the unnatural aurora that now filled the sky - making his pearlescent silks almost seem dull by comparison.

Astrid's muscles tensed as she heard footsteps pounding towards her, but held her ground, centering herself to finish the incantation.

With a roar, the behemoth leapt at her.

And then demon was between them.

Golden fangs sank into black flesh, piercing the thin silk armor like paper. The pretty face of the demon was a mask of pain, and his sword arm trembled. His blade was in the mouth of the behemoth - its obsidian length pressing against the beast's fangs. His other hand held the monster's jaw - but hadn't quite been strong enough to avoid getting his tricep skewed.

A bolt of darkness fell from the sky unto the behemoth, skimming along its back and drawing a shuddering growl of pain from it.

The demon capitalized. His sword flicked and tore away at the inside of the lion's mouth. Black blood and water sprayed as the behemoth whirled, then lashed out with its golden claw. The slender man's black sword met the somewhat clumsy attack - with effort, it was deflected.

From above, the bolt of darkness swept down again - but the behemoth dodged it this time, with almost casual indifference.

At her back, the demon began to sway. His stance was relaxed and confident - movements hypnotically beautiful. The behemoth stood transfixed a moment, before it let out a great roar and charged.

Like an avalanche of muscle and sinew, the lion bore down, lashing out with a claw. The demon's blade was deflected and the behemoth tore into his body. Flesh and organs were skewed as the slender man was cast aside, falling to the ground like broken doll. The behemoth seemed to smile, as it watched blood pool around the man.

Black anti-light surged from the body. The demon gasped, forcing himself up. "F-fuck..." He struggled to his feet, bent over the ruined mass of his stomach, "Th-that was...close..." Panting, he fixed his eyes on the behemoth, "W-we're not finished yet, bastard."

The shock on the monster's face was almost comical. It twisted into a scowl, as it bellowed its outrage, the waves of sound bending the clover like a great wind. The demon trembled, dropping to a knee - before the behemoth hurled itself at him again. Its maw snapped shut over the unresisting demo -

- the demon had vanished.

The behemoth let out a whined bellow of surprise, as it abruptly pulled back. It cast about furiously, before a faint chuckle drew its attention back to the demon - once again kneeling in the same spot he'd left it.

"I told you." The dark haired man began, an easy smile appearing on his face. He rose to his feet with an ease that defied the severity of his wounds. "We're not done yet."

"Try again." He smiled.

The behemoth did - lashing out with its gilded claw. Its target vanished once more - only to reappear a blink later. "Sorry," his smile was still in place, and crooked a finger toward the giant lion menacing him, "try again."

Instead, the monster let out a frustrated growl. It fixed its golden eyes on dark-skinned man before it and leaned its muzzle close enough that the cold breath from its nostrils stirred the demon's hair. It growled viciously, and its jaws snapped forward.

But the demon was gone.

The behemoth let out a yowl of frustration.

Both seemed to have forgotten Astrid. Her ritual complete - signified by Castamir's corpus evaporating in a swirl of white essence - the doctor was free to act again.

On her feet, heart pounding, Astrid scooped up her bow in her hand. She didn't have much time to act and she had little room for error. For whatever reason, the previous Fae held back, but the behemoth either didn't get the memo or didn't care.

'What counts as it's sword? It's just a big weapon, right? How is it even doing this?'

Focusing for an instant and speaking a brief incantation, Astrid brushed her hand passed her eyes. Her irises darkened to the shade of iron and a rainbow sheen appeared on the Behemoth's body.

Gossamer.

Had the behemoth not gotten a new handler? Was this not the sword grace from before? Pulling back the bowstring, she decided she'd have to disarm the beast the only way she knew how to. As the arrow formed, she envisioned it in the shape of a drill, as she waited for the beast to bear its fangs once more.

'Just think of it like dentistry...'

The behemoth didn't notice. Instead, it regarded the dark skinned elf - who had reappeared once more, and was smiling cockily - with its golden eyes. Whether it was transfixed by some spell was hard to say, but it did not move.

"What's the matter?" The demon asked, falling back a step, "Spent already?" His body was moving with a strange hypnotic effect.

The lion did not respond.

Astrid steadied her breathing as she observed the standoff. The fae wasn't baring his teeth as she wanted to, but she doubted she would be able to get it to stand still like this again. She examined its jawline, counting teeth and aimed where she assumed its large canine waited.

'I've gutted your masters, I'll do the same to you.'

She let the arrow fly.

The lion's ears twitched. Massive legs tensed, and it reared sinuously back. Her arrow streaked by to thump into the gentle sloop beyond. Paws slammed to the ground and the earth shook as the behemoth wheeled itself about. Its gaze came to rest on Astrid - and its maw split into a razor-toothed smile.

The demon leapt into its way, swaying sinuously. But the behemoth barely spared him a glance - feinting right, then leaping skyward. He narrowly cleared the dark skinned man, who spun toward back to Astrid and blurred -

Violent tremors tore through the ground when the monster landed.

- the demon fell. He narrowly caught himself on his hands and knees.

With a roar, the behemoth threw himself at Astrid.

'Shit!'

Asrid activated the only charm she could - pyre smoke form' - and tumbled forward to the ground to phase through the attack and out of sight, if just for a moment. Something struck her leg, but did it did not stop her from vanishing below the bloodied soil. There in darkness, pain seared through the limb - but she was safe, for the moment.

Astrid cringed at the pain. 'I can't win like this,' she told herself. Her whole reason for coming here hinged on the notion that killing the Fae in Black would stop this thing.

She hurriedly pushed herself deeper into the soil, aiming herself at a diagonal in an attempt to cover horizontal and vertical distance. 'I need to find more help.' Tense moments passed before she felt an impact ripple shake the earth, from behind. Close, but not on top of her. More followed, but they receded rapidly into the distance.

She'd escaped.

 

[Teal]

Still deep under the earth, she'd passed through a few abandoned mine tunnels to get here, what she was pretty sure was Jahrl's workshop. Unlike before though, when she touched the boundary, she bounced off.

Seemed Jahrl didn't give her a key to this lock.

"What the hell are you doing Jahrl!" Astrid shrieked as she hit the wall. Breathing ragged, she swam through the earth and searched for a place to surface in the tunnels, where she could duck her head and breathe if only for a moment.

It wasn't difficult to find a shaft in the earth - she'd passed through several on the way, after all. There was no light, but when the soil terminated she could tell. The air was stale - possibly even dangerous - but with her Dead Inside arcanoi, she ought to be safe. ...as long as she maintained her Pyre Smoke Form arcanoi, in the event of cave-ins.

Not the best place to rest, all told.

Her hands shaky, Astrid searched through her bag, now quite heavy with her plunder from the last fight, until she found the charm she used in the shadowy place to contact the magus.

'Jahrl, drop the ward.'

She got an image of demons fighting the Behemoth, and the open gate to the Cave, in return.

She took a deep breath and centered herself, trying to collect her nerves, as she dived back into the soil and upwards, trying to find the entrance to Jahrl's cove. It was easy to follow the walls of wards upward - and before long, she emerged from the soil and into the dark of the night beyond. The aurora from the behemoth was still visible in the sky - but it was further away than before.

Was it moving toward the manor house?

Either way, she knew the direction she had to walk to reach the entrance from here.

* * *
Breaths heavy, Astrid stumbled into the cave, following the lights as she searched for Jahrl or Cynd. She didn't want to ask for help, but she needed something more if she seriously meant to challenge the behemoth.

Not to mention, that broken rib was going to catch up with her sooner or later.

"Dr. Mustonen." Cynd's voice floated from a dark patch of the hallway. A shadowy figure detached itself from the darkness and stepped into one of the bubbles of golden light. It was little more than a human-sized mass of grey. "You've returned."

"Barely," Astrid replied to the spectre, tone stiff. "I killed the Fae in black - my father's safe now. That behemoth though... I don't know how to describe it. It can do damage, but it's an illusion. If someone can hit it with iron, it should revert to its true form."

The shade nodded after a moment. "I shall relay that to my husband." Cynd's voice had a whispy and insubstantial quality to it, in this form - the impression that she wasn't all here was strong. "And what of yourself? You appear injured."

Astrid nodded. "Very. It hasn't caught up with me yet though. I just need to gather what I can and put together a plan before I head back out. The thing was headed near the manor, so there isn't much time."

There was a delay again. Then, "My husband has dispatched a more powerful demon to deal with the Behemoth. The wards around the manor will need to hold it until it arrives - we've done all we can against it, for now."

* * *
The night sky was filled with a rust red aurora. A wall of shining white light rose before her - holding back an army of vengeful spirits. Below, the ground was wet with blood. Behind was the forbidding ediface of the Ulfrson's manor. In its door, a whip thin old woman stood - a single axe in hand.

Hilda unslung her sword from her back. A handful of guards in leathers stood at her side - bearing great swords, axes and bows. Another small cluster of figures stood behind them - skin in unnatural hues, garbed in clothing of strange styles, and bearing weapons of unusual materials.

Hilda's blue eyes were hard, as she brought her sword up.

The behemoth was coming.

* * *

Astrid shook her head as she began to push further into the cave. "I can still do more. I need to do more before the pain sets in."

"If I can get a link of some sort to the Fae, I should be able to atleast make the job easier for those at the manor," she explained. "I need to know - does Jahrl still have anything of Todr's that could provide that connection? A grace, a body part, something?"

"...we have the body." The Cynd shade replied - her distant voice seeming reluctant, "But some of it has been harvested."

Ew. Astrid grimaced. She couldn't imagine any pleasant reason for Jahrl dissecting a corpse, even if it was a fae. For a second, she regretted the fact that it never occured to her to get to the body before him, but there was very little time for that.

"I need whatever you have left," astrid asserted. "So long as its still clearly his corpse, there should be a tenuous connection, and I might be able to lower the beast's defenses."

The Shade stared. Or, rather, did not react.

Unwilling to wait for confirmation, Astrid began walking into the cavern.

"...I will need to consult with my husband." She stated in her distorted voice.

Astrid shook her head as she continued. "There's no time for that. If we hesitate, that thing get's more time."

The scowl on her face worsened. "And I'm sure he's already gotten what he needs out of it."

The shade was gone.

'How helpful.'

There was no navigating this place without Cynd or Jahrl's help. It was a labyrinth. As she squinted at the path ahead of her though, a thought struck her. The rag was enough to serve as a connection to the Fae in Black, since it was coated in his essence. Astrid currently had her own motes tied into Todr's son, so there surely must've been some connection through that.

She closed her eyes and took a breath, envisioning all the potential paths before her as she attempted to trace the body's location.

...

Astrid gave a frustrated grunt. It was near somewhere, she just had to find it. The room where she received the flasks from Cynd was as good a place as any. Knowing time was short, she began to work her way forward. Shortly thereafter, she arrived at the cabinet where Cynd had pulled the potions from. The room was small, and appeared to be little more than a spare sitting room. Paths branched off from it - and she had a feeling which led to Jahrl's sealed room, his scrying chamber, his alchemy lab and had an inkling which one led to the "private" chambers of his demons.

Not the scrying chamber - all he'd need in there was maybe some hair. She reasoned. Probably not the sealed chamber either...so that leaves the laboratory.

One curved hallway later, Astrid found herself in the candle lit lab. Her eyes were drawn immediately to the array of alchemic implements that filled the space - their gleamed sharply in the golden light, standing out prominently against the rest of the furniture.

A quick scan of the room revealed no sign of a corpse. What few cabinets she did see did not appear large enough to contain Todr's body either. That left a hallway on the opposite side of the room. By its angle, it lead further toward the outskirt's of the underground complex - though where precisely that would take her, she didn't know.

Astrid grunted in frustration. She closed her eyes again, trying to sense if she was anywhere closer to the source of chaos she had felt earlier. A sigh of relief followed - there was a concentration of chaos down the unknown hallway - not terribly far either.

Quickly, she started down that curved hallway, and arrived in a cramped chamber. Shelves lined it, filled with bottles and containers. Some were empty, others contained liquids, and most were not clear enough for her see what was within. All were closed, though. Her eyes were drawn to one in particular. It was a large jar - large enough that she would certainly need two hands to lift it. She couldn't tell what was in it at a glance - but the chaos she sensed came from it.

It was also too small to be a human body.

Confused, Astrid pulled down the jar from the shelve, carefully heaving it to the floor.

Is it just an organ? She wondered, pulling the lid off. Inside was Inside was a thick reddish fluid - perhaps there were organs below its surface, but she could not see them. It did smell really good, not quite blood, but not far off either. Astrid shook her head, forcing herself to ignore the impulse to taste it.

'Does this mean there's nothing else left of him...?'

In her current state, Astrid doubted she could do much of anything to combat that beast directly. She'd need some sort of shaping ritual against it. ideas raced through her mind as he resealed the jar, pulled it off the ground, and hurried out of the closet and towards the sealed chamber, which she expected to be empty.

The spiraling hallways of Jahrl's warped cave left her feeling a little dizzy, but she arrived at the entrance to the sealed room without taking any wrong turns. The massive jet doors to the inner chamber slid open on silent hinges with a little pressure, revealing a stone chamber within. Candelabras were spaced widely around the edge of the room, their light illuminating strange runes cut into its walls and floors - the only features of an otherwise empty space.

...it occurred to her, as she stepped in, that she did not know the spell to seal the space.

Astrid figured she would have to just be grateful for the empty space as she made her way to the room's center. She knew that she was low on options at this stage. She was pushing herself to more or less every conceivable limit, but inaction was still a choice, and she couldn't afford to just let events go on as they were.

If Todr's corpse wasn't in one piece, she'd just have to use what was left of it.

Quietly, Astrid set about the task of performing a shaping action against the behemoth. Shifting through her bag, she recovered the 'scroll' she made from gauze, containing the Fae in Black's oath.

'He must have let the behemoth loose, and he came to capture me. If this is all a result of his dying action, then I should be able to establish some connection.' If it weren't for Astrid, the beast wouldn't have a will of its own right now.

With Todr's blood, she began to draw out the ritual circles. Runes, some of which were likely invented, were drawn upon the door of the Sealed Chamber as Astrid crafted her tale. The behemoth, descended from her prior two victims, was now the victim of the same curse that had taken them. In confronting Astrid and her father, a ghostly hex was laid upon him that would ensure his demise.

This 'curse' would hopefully help Astird get some baring on the connection between the two of them.

...

The magic did not trigger. She was too tired.

Astrid gave a frustrated grunt, smacking the floor with an open palm. Of all the times she needed muster up spite...

'I've done the hard part,' she told herself mentally. 'Just need someone to put some muscle into it now.'

Clasping her hands together, Astrid focused on contacting the spirit of the amputation blade, which she lost back at the original battlefield. If it could find its way to her, it could hopefully be of aid.

"...Astrid?" The spirit's voice filled her thoughts.

Astrid gave a sharp sigh, glad to get a reply.

'Yes, it's me,' she responded. 'Are you okay? I got displaced, but I'm back at the cave now. Are you near?'

There was not an immediate reply, though Astrid had a feeling the spirit was thinking. "...my blade is undamaged and...I am where you left me." Was the eventual response. "How near to the cave is that?"

Astrid grimaced. 'Not near enough... unless you have a way to travel somehow.'

"What did you need?"

'Help,' was Astrid's reply. 'I don't have enough left in me to finish a spell. I finished off the Fae, but his beast is still roaming the estate.'

"...I can grant you what you seek," the voice replied, "but there will be a cost. Are you sure you want to pay it?"

'A cost to whom?'

"...that is for you to decide." The spirit replied, slow and measured, "You may allow another to pay the price, or you may bare the cost entirely upon yourself." There was a sense of respect flowing from the voice, "That choice is your's."

Astrid gritted her teeth. 'I'll pay the price, do it.'

The doors to the chamber began to swing open, silently. A slender figure stood there, a black funeral shroud wrapped around her body like a robe. A dress of the same shimmering material Cynd favored was visible beneath it. But, this woman was human - though her skin was pale, and her hair was white.

Jahrl's apprentice.

Except Jahrl didn't have an apprentice.

The woman stepped into the room and raised her hand. "There's always an ending," She stated, in the voice of the spirit, drawing two smooth lines in the air, "Doctor Mustonen." A third line, slashed through the air like a cut, completed an irridescent violet sign in the darkness.

"This is your's."

Her robes surged forward, and darkness swallowed her.

 

[Teal]

The plains were quiet that night. Tundra shrubs, patches of brilliantly coloured lichen and sparse wildflowers stretched out endlessly in all directions. A fire crackled before her, shedding heat and light. Above, the moon was absent - but the stars were bright.

On the other side of the bonfire was a shirtless man with a deep tan. His hair was dark, his features rough and his face unshaven. In front of him were a handful of fish on sticks - cooking in the fire pit. He was eating one right now, seemingly at ease.

Astrid blinked, turning her head left and right before settling on the man in front of her. In any other circumstance, she'd likely be in a panic at this, but for some reason she felt at ease. With the exception of the man sitting in front of her, she couldn't help but feel like she'd been here before.

"Uh," she began, unsure of where to start, "I'm sorry, but... who are you?"

A moment passed - as though he had not heard her. Then, he briefly glanced up from the fish; meeting Astrid's eyes.

"You."

He returned to his meal. The man's other arm - which, Astrid noticed, ended in a stump - gestured toward some of the cooking fish.

He may have been offering them to her.

Astrid looked down to food, and hesitantly took a fish as well, not really sure where he could have gotten it from.

"Well," she replied hesitantly, "I'd be lying if I said I saw the resemblance." She began to chew away at the food as she waited for a reply.

He grunted.

...it might have been a laugh.

She swallowed down a chunk of food as she continued to look him over. "You certainly don't look like you're from Ironfall, at the very least. What should I call you?"

It took another moment, but he looked up at her again. This time, he held her gaze longer, as if appraising something. Then, "Shore." He stated, "Can call me that." His voice was quite rough - it sounded to Astrid like his lungs were damaged, likely by smoke.

Astrid could feel her eye twitch just a bit, not sure how to speak to this guy. "So, Shore. Can you... explain what just happened? This doesn't exactly look like the Underworld, so I don't think I'm dead."

He chuckled - it was a deep and hoarse sound. "Nah." He took a deep drag from a canteen that had been hanging off a rope belt, after laying his fired fish across his lap. "s'a dream." Shore shrugged, corking the container awkwardly. "Kinda."

Astrid nodded. This wasn't exactly the first time she had been in such a scenario. "Alright, I guess that makes sense enough. So, getting back to the original point, how exactly are you me?"

"You." He replied, again. He paused, very briefly, then rubbed his head with his good hand. "...s'complicated."

"I simply don't see much of a connection, is what I mean," she continued a bit cautiously, gesturing towards Shore, and then back to herself. "I think you'd agree there's a lot of differences."

That made him smile. It made him look like an entirely different person. "Nah. We're a lot a like." His chuckle was hoarse, and it ended in a cough. Shore's grimaced.

"Does this all have to do with whatever deal I just struck?" she inquired further.

That got a nod.

Astrid took a deep breath, and closed her eyes for a moment.

'Lovely conversationalist.'

"Why don't you try explaining the best you can?"

That brought a sigh from him, and he rubbed his forehead; seemingly frustrated. "You...exalted." He stated, "Means you're not human now." His words were precise and rough, "You won't age, and...should be more powerful." That brought a pause, "'cept your ghost powers are gone. Took a lot of your essence with 'em."

"I'm part of your soul, now." He went on, slowly. "...there's a lot of us. You'll be in there too, for the next one." Another pause, to swallow whatever was in his canteen. "After you die."

"Oh," Astrid responded. "Huh." That was a lot to take in all at once.

"Mm." He took a deeper swig, "I'm your mentor." That brought a derisive snort. "Sorry."

He offered her the bottle.

It smelled like liquor.

Astrid was never one for drinking. She took a swig regardless. She coughed and sputtered for a moment before handing the canteen back to Shore.

"What do you mean 'exalted'?"

"Class of being." He responded, roughly. "Like gods."

"My magic though," she asked, "you said its... gone?"

A nod. "Our Exaltation purges it." Shore paused, "...Saturn did a little more to you, though. Don't know what she had in mind."

"Saturn?" She asked. "The... star, right? From the contract?"

He gestured dismissively. "A goddess. Not important."

Astrid was about to inquire further, when her train of thought suddenly broke. The contract brought her thoughts back to reality.

"Wait, is... time still moving outside of here? Is the behemoth still approaching the manor?"

He shook his head. "You have time."

Astrid wasn't so sure, but it wasn't like she could do much. "Well, if you're my mentor... then what do you think I should do?"

Shore's laugh was stifled, turning it into a snort. "Go to bed." The tanned man shook his head, "...you won't do that, though."

"No, I won't," Astrid replied, her tone more severe. "If that's all you have for me, then I don't think we're a lot alike."

"Might be cooler headed." He replied, raising his stump of a hand. He nodded toward the limb, and - for an instant - Astrid saw him covered in burns. "...life changes you." His chuckle was hoarse, and the gesture that followed was dismissive.

"You want to fight the behemoth, right?"

"Yes, of course," Astrid responded. "If it isn't stopped, this was all a waste."

Shore frowned, but nodded. "You're...kind of scrawny for that."

Astrid scowled, "it doesn't matter. I made a promise. Besides, I believe you said that I'm 'Like a god' now?"

The dark-haired man crossed his legs and sat upright, expression serious. "Can still be killed." Shore looked different in that formal posture - certainly, it was at odds with his peasant clothing. "I was."

"I'm well aware of the danger," Astrid replied. "It hasn't held me back yet."

Shore sighed. "No. It hasn't." The man shook his head, "Will you use magic to fight it, when you wake up?"

"You said it yourself, I'm scrawny. Even if I wake up buffer than my father, the beast is likely already at the manor."

A slow nod. The shirtless man's posture relaxed a bit, and Shore's gaze returned to the fire. "...would be embarrassing if you died right away."

"I do hope I don't embarrass you in front of the other voices in my head," her voice seemed a tad irritated.

Another hoarse chuckle came from Shore, and the man took a swig from his canteen.

"...ready to leave?"

Astrid nodded affirmatively, and cast aside the remains of the fish she had been eating before rising to her feet. "I have a lot to do. If there's nothing else, then I best get to it."

Shore nodded, "Stars watch you, Dr. Mustonen."

The summer tundra faded to a dull violet.

 

[Teal]

...the dull violet light faded from Astrid's eyes. Once again, she was inside Jahrl's sealed chamber - its black walls lit by candlelight, and her blood circle still wet. It no longer smelled as delicious as she remembered, though.

A ghost was in front of her.

Gaunt, short and clad in loose clothing, she was identical to Astrid - save her for ephemeral skin. The medicine bag she had slung over her shoulder was made of memoria though - its shadowy material standing out starkly against her skin. Her copy of Castamir's great bow, held in one hand, was similarly dark.

The two Astrids held each other's gaze for a moment, both with a look of uncertainty.

"Are you..."

"...me?"

There was a nod.

The living Astrid could feel something was different now as she looked down to her hands. No longer the same chalk white, there was now a pinkish hue that indicated life. "Is the child safe?" Astrid asked herself, her voice a bit fearful.

The ghost nodded. "My magic is still tied to it. I can maintain it as long as I have to."

"Are you..." Astrid blinked, hesitantly "...okay with this?"

"Of course." She replied, firmly. "We both agreed to this."

Astrid actually smiled a bit at that, but the ghost didn't break as she pointed to the circle. "Now go on and finish what you started, unless you want this all to be a waste."

The living Astrid nodded, turning back to the task at hand. She had had a different track to take.

This time, what Astrid laid out was more prophecy than story. A dull purple glow built around her, as she altered her blood runes with impossible precision. The characters were skytongue, not Old Realm - and she knew their meanings clearly.

On a night when there were no stars in the sky,
Saturn came to Diamond Hearth.
A behemoth born that day,
was doomed to die before the stars rose.

"Now, let all the forces of the world turn against you." Astrid muttered as she put the finishing touch on the narrative she painted out in Todr's blood. The glow around her built to a steady shine, obscuring her features. Chunks of ethereal crystal materialized in the air about her, rotating slowly and glittering in her aura's light. The sign of Saturn materialized beneath her feet - imposing itself over the blood runes seamlessly, as though it had been planned.

She felt something flow out from her, into the circle.

...

That probably meant it worked.

"...I think that's all I can do in this cave." The living Astrid said, after a moment.

"Then we best be on our way." The ghost lifted her bow, "There might be time still."

Astrid nearly opened her mouth to argue that the ghost stay put, but realized it'd be unlikely to work out.

'Always the hard way.'

"Alright," she replied. She looked to the jar of blood before she got up, however. I've already stolen some, may as well keep going, she thought, drawing the Fae in Black's cup and submerging it in the bloody gossamer. Just in case. She put it in her bag, which she slung over her shoulder, then hefted her own bow and nodded to her counterpart.

Together, they left the sealed chamber.

 

[Teal]

The orange-red aurora winked out.

The Astrids hastened to the estate.

They paused at the place where Castamir fell, though. Uncertain, they looked at each other. The Essence in the air was palpable.

"One of us ought to address it," the living Astrid decided.

"Then which one tracks the behemoth?"

"I will," the living one replied. "You're protecting the child. You best remain safe." The ghost didn't seem thrilled, but consented.

They separated.

* * *
The living Astrid arrived to find the circle of wards around the manor much as she remembered - surrounded by a camp of mining specters. Most did little more than spare her a glance - though the odd one's gaze lingered with interest. None moved to obstruct her path.

The Behemoth's footprints lead to a place of churned earth at the wards' edge. Footprints of the nephwracks that paced restlessly around the border passed over it without interest, and the Behemoth's own prints lead away from it, suggesting that what happened here had involved the Behemoth alone. She followed those tracks - but not long after, ducked behind the wards. One of the maddened spirits patrolling the barrier had sighted her and charged the wards. An aura of blackness - distinct from the natural darkness of Calibration - unfolded around it, as its pickaxe tore at the curtain of magic.

Fortunately, the wards held.

Astrid glared. The dull purple light around her body surged into a pyre, as she raised her bow and drew back on the string. No arrow formed - instead, a lethal destiny, invisible but very real, rested against the string.

She fired.

The attack was turned aside - the creature's destiny was strong enough to deflect that shot. Twisting unnaturally, the nephwrack tore its axe into the shifting shadows of Jahrl's defences, though the sharp point of its axe did not so much as pass through. Around its spiritual body, the darkness of its aura consolidated into something between a raging sea of water and a collapsing cave. The phantasmal display bent the wards away from the spectre - but did not break them.

Astrid took a step back and gritted her teeth.

"You picked the wrong person to pester today," she said coldly while her hand slowly made its way back to the bowstring. She maintained eye-contact as she spoke, trying to draw the creature's attention to her face as she swiftly raised the bow upwards and aimed it at the spectre. Just like last time, no arrow formed. When the bow sang, a lethal fate flew, and the sign of endings flashed over the wards where the intangible projectile passed and -

- nothing. The destiny she fired should have hit, but the phantasms blocked it, somehow.

Astrid grunted, as the spirit pointlessly attacked the wards again.

She prepped another arrow.

"Just give up and go to Lethe!" The lethal destiny sped through the barrier, this time turning aside the Void-tainted spectre's aura. It struck him full in his bare chest, tearing his spectral flesh tore open. The wound was deep enough to seriously injure a mortal - but, unsurprisingly, the spirit did not fall. Instead, the crackling blackness around its body seemed to turn inward a moment - gliding over the man's form like an extra layer of armor. It lashed out again - but its attack was visibly less furious.

Astrid found herself smiling, as she stepped forward to the edge of the wards.

The spirit's next attack failed - and as quick as she could, Astrid followed it up with her own. As soon as her hand passed beyond the barrier though, a spike of cold terror fired into her heart - but she was too brave for such tricks to stop her. Though the air around the spectre was unnaturally thick, her fist still connected - and the fatal destiny behind her fist strengthened the blow . She felt her magic cut through its defences, and knew her charm was spreading through its corpus, exacerbating its wounds. Swiftly, Astrid pulled back, now surrounded by slowly rotating chunks of diamond again. Saturn's sigil blazed upon the ground beneath her feet.

The black ghost attacked the barrier again. It did not falter.

"Keep trying, I'm very scared," Astrid responded in a dry tone as she raised the bow once again, steadying her breathing.

The spectre did not oblige. Before her eyes, some of the blackness drained from its ephemeral body - replaced by transitory patches of white light. The miner seemed to still some - gazing through the wards at bow-wielding doctor. Its expression was pained.

Astrid narrowed her eyes. There was a brief twang of sympathy, but in the same moment, a memory came to her. She remembered the word demon, begging her for mercy she didn't grant, and Todr bleeding on the ground. Pitiful as they were, they were equally malignant.

"Just hold still." She released.

The destiny flew - and the sign of Saturn appeared on the wards once again, where it passed. The spirit jerked back - an unnecessary movement, for the destiny was caught by his aura, and dissipated harmlessly.

The ghost began to back away.

Astrid pulled the bowstring again. "I know you can run faster than that."

She fired.

The destiny fizzled out.

...the ghost fled.

 

[Teal]

She came upon another place of churned earth at the wards' edge. Here, the footprints in the soil were frenzied. One set human, the other monstrous. Only the human steps continued beyond this point - following the edge of the wall of shadow wards, and mingling with those of the vengeful ghosts patrolling them. There was no corpse in sight.

Astrid held her bow at the ready, cautiously following behind the remaining footsteps - but lost the trial in mere moments. She scowled and turned about, slipping back through the wards, and toward the manor's entrance.

She found the demoness guarding the door, much as she left. Astrid's aura had receded somewhat - but was still clearly visible as a dim glow at the edges of her being. The sign of Saturn, more prominently, blazed on her forehead. The dark-skinned warden grew tense as she approached - and her hand strayed to the dagger at her waist. She did not draw her weapon, however.

Astrid flicked her eyes back to the demon's, "Hail," she wasn't exactly sure how to greet it given the lack of actual time. "I came to check on the manor. I'd like to confirm no one was hurt by the beast."

The woman inclined her head in response. "The wards were not breached, Doctor Mustonen." The demoness made no move to block Astrid from the door.

"Can you tell me exactly what you saw of it?" The doctor asked as she stepped closer. "It ran off. Was it chased?"

The demoness fell back a pace - perhaps unconsciously. "By...it," She responded, hesitantly, "You mean the lion creature?"

Astrid nodded. "Are you implying there was another creature?"

The woman gently motioned passed Astrid. "The ghosts have been attacking the wards all night." She explained, "So...yes, there are others."

"Lovely. Why did it run off?"

"I couldn't say." She shrugged, "It failed to breach the wards, then began to move along the boundary. Perhaps it was looking for a weak point." The demoness breathed a satisfied laugh. "It didn't return."

Astrid shook her head, "As far as I can see, it's tracks disappear. Something may have been pursuing it, but I can't be sure. It's just as possible it changed shapes. I doubt I need to tell you to be wary."

Astrid was mentally drawing a map in her head of where she left behind her ghostly counterpart. It'd be well to regroup if she couldn't find the monster. "There were some areas where the beast destabilized the essence. That won't go away when Calibration ends, so I'm going to go tend to the area. I'll likely be back soon to see if anything's changed, however."

The guardian nodded her assent, but offered nothing more.

* * *
The Astrids managed to find one another not far from where they parted. Ghost Astrid had collected the broom they used for purification rituals back at their workshop, and appeared to have just concluded the necessary ritual to purify the site where Castamir and Fae in Black had fallen. Together, they proceeded to the place where Castamir had fought the Behemoth. This site was more stubborn - requiring a second attempt to neutralize the Raksha energy. In the process, the Sidereal Astrid sensed...something.

Following the feeling led the two women to a rift in the ground. It was here that the Fae in Black had driven Todr's sword and transformed it into the Behemoth. Now though, the rift led only to impenetrable darkness - the cold sunlight it had once shed was gone. The two Astrids spent some time examining the pit as they worked on cleaning the area's essence. Neither could identify the source of the essence, but it didn't resemble the Wyld or Underworld insofar as they could ascertain.

Suddenly, a thought came to the Sidereal Astrid. "The slaves!" She had left the manor to check on them in the first place. It all felt so long ago now. They didn't have nearly the protection of the Ulfrson manor, albeit they probably didn't need it quite as much. Still, even if the ghosts were unlikely to assail them, there was no guarantee they were untouched by the chaos of the night.

"One of us should go make sure they're still save. Think you can inform Jahrl of this gaping hole to another world?"

The spectre gave a nod. "I'll contact him, and continue surveying the area for more spots like this."

There was a brief moment of silence between the two women, before the ghostly one spoke up. "How should we explain what happened today? There's two of us. I can't imagine it being received well."

The living Astrid thought on it for a moment before replying. "This is what Saturn wanted. If anyone asks what happened to me, I'll tell them what happened. It doesn't matter if they believe it."

"I suppose that's well enough. We'll think up a lie later."

 

[Teal]

Dark Portal, the ghost of Astrid sent to the mage of the mines.

Aware, it was more a thought of Jahrl assenting, then anything else.

Of course he already knew. She didn't send that.

Instead, The Behemoth?

A demon. The message was accompanied by a patch of blackness, somehow visible against night sky.

Astrid reasoned she could send about one more message before she got diminishing returns.

Safe enough?

...yes. She sensed uncertainty in that, but assent it was.

"Lovely," Astrid murmured to herself. She wasn't happy with that answer at all. Any of them actually. A normal person would opt to return to the manor at this point, but Jahrl's answers weren't enough for the deceased Astrid, still offput by the void that had opened in the ground before her.

Bow at the ready in case other threats arose, she opted to make her way back to the cave once more for more specific answers from the magus.

* * *
Slave Barracks

A scant handful of ghosts lingered around the wards surrounding the Slave Barracks. All were untainted by the void - and Astrid may well have recognized a few. None moved to accost her as she approached the boundary - through which, the dark ediface of the barracks loomed ominously. Calibration had added to its height, created jagged spikes atop its walls and created barred gates at the entrance - which hung open now. No lights burned within - suggesting the building was empty.

The sidereal Astrid furrowed her brow in concern at the darkened building. Where were it's residents? She approached the barracks cautiously, keeping an eye out for any new hostile spirits as she advanced to examine the structure.

Unlike the Ulfrson's manor, there were no tracks around the boundary of the slave barracks. Indeed, the only tracks led away through the open gates, and off into the distance, toward the town of Diamond Hearth itself.

The Ulfrsons still honoured the traditions of Calibration, and for this week alone, slaves were treated as free men. Most chose to leave the Estate and travel to the temples during this time, for the Calibration feast. Those who remained...

Deciding to satisfy her own sense of concern and curiosity, Astrid trudged into the barracks, opting to check on any slaves who may have been left behind, be they sick, injured, or just tired.

It was dark inside. She could see a few feet in any direction - an inconsistent, shifting, distance. The dirt floor of the first room was softer than she remembered, and the air was warmer - soothing, even. The cots were all empty though - most were ruffled and unmade. The newest slaves seemed, to a person, to have left for the town.

Far down the dark hallway, deeper into the barracks, Astrid saw light.

"Hello?" she called out, hesitantly as she made a slow approach, not wanting to startle anyone in the gloom. "Is anyone still here?" The dull purple of her anima was visible around the edges of her skin, creating a clear outline of her in the darkness - and the sign of Saturn shone on her brow obviously.

A figure peaked around the door's edge at the far end of the hallway, and a cry broke, "What the fu - !?" The shape ducked back behind the wall, "There's something out there! Hey - hey demons! Don't just stand there!"

Defensively, Astrid threw her hands into the air.

'How could i forget the damn lights!?'

"Wait!" A new figure hurried in front of the door, and Astrid heard a sharp gasp before it pulled itself back behind the cover of the doorframe, "It's just me - the doctor!"

Breaths later, an indistinct dark shape peaked around the doorframe. "...what are your intentions, Anathema?" A woman's husky voice responded, cautiously.

Astrid raised an eybrow, "What did you just...?"

She shook her head. "I'm here to check on the slaves. I just told you, it's me, Astrid. You know, the doctor."

"...enter, but know if any harm comes to them, we will attack." She heard the faint sound of footsteps receeding.

Astrid lowered her arms and shook her head in frustration as she strode on forward past the demon.

"You all are treating me like I'm the one that crawled out of hell," she murmered as she passed. "I can't imagine why you'd think I'd just start hurting my patients all of a sudden."

The room she entered was dark, unsurprisingly, but a small group of slaves were huddled around an oil lantern. She could see a pile of cards between them - and the glint of silver coins as well. Her entrance - glowing as she was, and armed with a weapon of velvety darkness - sent some scrambling to their feet, eyes wide.

"Stop being so dramatic - I've had enough theatrics just getting here," her tone was frustrated. She scanned over the group of nervous miners, taking a step closer almost daring them to scramble around more. "I came to make sure no one was sick or dying. I take it everyone's as well as they can be given the circumstance?"

The slaves nodded, amid a general mumble of agreement.

"Erm..." One slave - a woman, not built like a miner either - stood, "There's a few who didn't wanna get up, Dr. Ma'am."

"It's Mustonen," she replied dryly. "I can take a look at them. Where are they at?"

"I-I'll show you, Dr. Mustonen, Ma'am." The woman stammered, hurriedly moving away from the light and waving her on.

With an affirmative nod, Astrid followed behind, letting her waning anima help light her way.

The slave woman led her to one of the narrow cells that served as rooms for the more established slaves. Shadowy bars had replaced the hide dividers that served for doors, but they hung open tonight. Within the chamber, the dull purple light the doctor shed illuminated a man on the bed. His body rose and fell evenly as if asleep - but his eyes were open, vacant and did not respond to the sudden imposition of unnatural light.

"He's..." the woman gestured to the man, "...been like this sinc' Cali'ration started."

Astrid casually waved a hand over his eyes, not especially expecting a response. "I'm going to take your pulse, okay sir?" She wasn't asking for permission it seemed, as she softly placed a hand to his neck to measure his heart rate.

The pulse was weaker than she would have liked, but it was certainly there. The man did not so much as stir, though.

"He needs sunlight more than anything," Astrid murmered, "which is... regrettable." She seemed to think on the matter for a moment. "I wouldn't be surprised if he was suffering from this before Calibration, but the darkness is definitely not helping. The best I can think to do is make a medicine from wood essence; it could atleast inject some life into him while we wait for the sun to rise."

Aided by the light of her anima, Astrid opened her medical sachel and began to search for anything that might be useful in stablizing the man. Relief may have washed over her a few moments later, as the ingredients she had on her were - surprisingly - sufficient for the task. Though it would be difficult to replicate the essence mixtures, she could approximate Solar Essence - at least once.

And so she set about administering the mixture - anima flaring up a level into a brilliant glow that filled the chamber in the process. The slave who had guided her to the chamber let out a cry of surprise, and quickly left the chamber - which was just as well, she didn't need the help.

* * *
Jarhl's Cave

"...Dr. Mustonen." Cynd's - slightly distorted - voice rose from the other side of the shut gates, beyond the shadowy wards. "Why have you returned?" The Demoness's presence was a mere shadow in the darkness again - all but invisible through the wards that enshrouded the wizard's sanctum.

"Because it's easier than using the talisman," the ghostly Astrid replied a bit coldly. "There's a gaping hole to some sort of abyss - and not the regular one - at the site of the battle. I came to see if there was any plan to respond to that."

She observed the barrier that surrounded the cave. "You evidently had time to update the wards, after all."

"...I merely foreclosed entrance without my permission." The shadow Cynd replied, coldly. "So long as I am mistress here, I will not permit the demon possessing your body to enter."

Astrid scowled. "It's great to know Jahrl's suddenly so concerned about demons crawling around my mind," the sarcasm was almost as thick as the wards, "but I'm more worried about what he's letting loose onto the grounds right now. He set a demon loose to fight the behemoth, correct? A bear to catch a wolf? He told me he's aware of the pit as well - is that his machination too?"

"...my husband is dealing with that spirit as we speak." Cynd replied, voice even. "It has...intrepreted the terms of its oath in a manner that we disagree with. Jahrl sealed it within the pit, for the time being."

"I don't suppose he would want some help with the effort?" Astrid asked. "As concerned as you suddenly are with demons, I recently seem to have gained 4 sets of hands."

"...what are you proposing?" The shadow replied, slowly.

"Do you have any actual plans to keep that thing in the pit?" Astrid asked. "Or to otherwise kill it?"

"...it has not yet truly tested my husband's wards." Came the slow reply. "For the time being, it seems...content to sup on the chaos within the pit. So long as it remains contained, we see no reason to provoke it."

Astrid's scowl returned. "So it's just going to come out mutated then and rampage in a different way?"

Cynd's shade giggled. "... of course not. This demon devours chaos. It cannot be mutated."

"Only sounds mildly better. Do you have no thoughts on how to banish it?"

"...of course we do." The shadows whispered. "My husband is a magician who specializes in this type of spirit."

The look on Astrid's face could be read as 'skeptical'. "Forgive me my lack of faith, but are you certain you need no help from this humble ghost and her 'demon' doppleganger?"

The shadows giggled.

Astrid made a noise that was somewhere between a frustrated sigh and a grunt. "Not too fond of the giggling I have to say."

There was no reply.

Astrid glared at the shadow for a moment, and then to the barrier.

"If he can't solve this problem. Expect us both to visit next time," she said, tone biting, before opting to leave.

She heard phantom giggles long after Jahrl's cave faded into the night.

* * *
Slave Barracks

The man on the bed suddenly gasped, sitting straight up in bed as the shock of her medicine broke the trance, and brought him back to the land of the living.

He screamed when he saw her, and threw up his hands as if to ward a blow.

"Calm down, I'm here to help," Astrid told him, arms up in the air to appear non-threatening. This was going to get annoying. "It's me, Dr. Mustonen - you've been out for some time."

She gave him a moment to catch his breath before continuing. "Tell me, how are you feeling?"

"...I..." The miner replied slowly, lowering his arms. "I thin' I -" He jerked suddenly, throwing off his thin blanket - he was naked underneath, muscled and scarred - and bolting to his feet. "Calibration! 'm missin' th' fe'st!" He sounded panicked, casting about, then glancing passed her. He made as if to push her out of the way, but then hesitated.

"Uh...'cuse m'doct'r?" He asked, a little bashfully - moving a hand to cover himself - "Min' if I g't by?"

The chamber was very small.

Her guide had vanished.

Astrid looked around a bit awkwardly, suddenly alone with the man in the room. "Uh, of course!" she exclaimed, rubbing a hand against the back of her head as she stepped to the side to make way for him. "You should absolutely attend the feast. Eat and drink up and whatnot! You probably lost some strength while unconscious after all..."

He nodded and exited the room, pausing at the curtain long enough to look back and added, "Uh...than' ye, doct'r."

Then was gone.

 

[Teal]

Pale white light filled the darkened space of Astrid's workshop, supplied by one of Jahrl's light crystals. The chamber had seen little use recently - the debacle of Freyda's birth having sucked up most of her attention until now. Her operating table's leather had bleached white and some of her tools had been moved to the manor, but otherwise, nothing had changed since that day.

Now, the two Astrids occupied that space - one of them glowing with ghostly light, the other surrounded by a faint border of dull purple light, with the mark of Saturn upon her brow.

They'd been talking.

"We have to head back to the manor sooner or later if that's all Jahrl's got to say on the matter."

"I agree, but how do we explain this?"

"I don't know."

"Can I even move past the wards?"

"Don't know that either."

There was a moment of silence.

"Does it actually matter?"

"What do you mean?"

"The only person owed an explanation as to our current condition is Freyda. What anyone else thinks is irrelevant. If Madame Ulfrson has a problem with it..."

"... then she can deal with having no surgeon on staff."

"Exactly. The man in my vision, he said I'm akin to a god now. Maybe I ought to act like it."

"What of me though? How do I factor into that? Where do I even go from here as the dead Astrid when there's a living Astrid as well?"

That gave the living Astrid pause. "We'll have to figure that out later. Once we've secured things here. Perhaps Tzatli will have the answer. Or Gradafes. At any rate - you're me. I wouldn't abandon myself to this place, so I wouldn't abandon you here either."

There was more silence between them.

"...shall we head out then?"

"...I believe we should."

* * *
The Manor's Edge

"...Doct'r Mustonen?" White figures materialized from the gloom, as the two Astrids approached the boundary protecting the Manor. A handful of ghosts, dressed in rags, appeared - the lead one looking concerned, as he approached.

He was an older man - after a few moments, Astrid remembered him from that...unlikely accident with the pick-axe a few months ago. He'd never given her his name - but his serial number was black against his now white body.

BRN703773176681

He must have died in a mining accident.

The slave glanced between the two Astrids, looking confused. "Are...what is...?"

"Brown?!" Both Astrids seemed equally surprised by the now spectral miner. The living Astrid stepped up closer, as though she needed to look him over to confirm.

"Y-you died? How, I thought I would have known..."

Brown smiled, sadly. "Jus' ba' luck." He shook his head, "Earth eats us all event’ally." He made - what she thought - was a warding gesture.

She looked back at the more pensive, ghostly Astrid a few steps back. "Oh, uh yes. I suppose you're not alone in the grave at least. I... it's not something entirely explainable." She reminded herself of her prior assurance. "The gods interceded, is the only way I can really describe it. So now I have one foot in and one foot out."

The small group of spirit miners - each familiar, though most without such a sharp memory to her - exchanged glances. They muttered amongst themselves.

"Coul' be?"

"Aye..."

"Bu’ wha’ about...?"

Brown nodded toward the two doctors. "Wha' ya gonna do here?" He asked - eyes more on the dead Astrid than the live one now.

"Well," the dead doctor began. "Right now, we're returning to the manor, to see that all is well. We had gotten.. sidetracked, along the way to the camps. Our absence may be felt around now."

The middle aged slave nodded, and cast a look back toward the barrier. A maddened spirit shrieked in the distance - perhaps attacking the wards yet again, however futilely.

"...somethin' ‘olds us ‘ere." He muttered, voice low - and a bit plaintive. "If you ca' fin’ it..." He stepped aside, as did the spirits - all younger men, Astrid noted - with him, "Ye coul’ free os." The spirit chuckled, expression rueful, before starting to fade into the darkness.

"How do you mean 'here'?" Astrid asked. "You mean this spot? Or, a bit broader...?"

The other spirits with Brown kept walking - but the older slave's material form held. He shrugged, and gestured weakly to the area around them. "Here. Th’Estate. Diamond Hearth." The underdressed man shook his head, "Can't pass on, can't leave. Jus' work - excep'in’ today."

The two Astrid's exchanged some glances, They frowned and nodded.

"Do you want us to help you through the barrier, or... do you want an exorcism?"

Brown's expression softened for a moment, before he shook his head. "I wan’ te go hom’." The weathered man said, before turning away - and starting after the other recently deceased.

The two Astrid's exchanged glances. "I believe I can help, but I need to know. What is home to you?" The living one asked. "Do you mean where you came from?"

"And," the ghostly one chimed in, "if not, do you all have the same destination in mind?"

Brown turned back to them. "Neh." He gestured broadly, "We're f'om all 'round." He turned his pale gaze toward the living Astrid, "Mos' of us wan' te see our famil'es 'gain, Docto'."

"And you can't leave the city? Is there a barrier?" Astrid wouldn't put it past Jahrl or the Ulfrsons to bind the souls of their slaves to eternal bondage even after death.

"It could be a matter of undeath," the ghostly Astrid suggested. "Many are tied to the place they died..." she would have to wonder later what that meant for her.

"Some of us have always left the estate during Calibration." A new voice rumbled. A new spectre had materialized in the gloom - this one they didn't recognize. He looked markedly less ragged than the others, strongly muscled and with a full beard and long hair - almost Haslanti in appearance. The slave brand on his body was a much larger stain of blackness than Brown's - its serial number difficult to decode. An older dead, then.

"A smaller number evade the guards and flee to the Great Ice, or vanish into the tunnels." He added, his tone noticeably crisper, "If there is a barrier, it is very large, and the labyrinth holds an escape."

Brown did not add to that. Around them, the spirits of miners were slowly gathering again.

Astrid put a hand to her chin in thought. "It's likely not a barrier then, if other's have managed to get out. It could be a mage, but that'd be so large scale that they'd need quite a necromancer."

With those two explanations being unlikely, she found her mind settling on one probably cause. 'They're haunting the place they died.' The natural inertia of undeath was likely keeping them trapped in the cycle of their lives.

Astrid shook her head. "I think I can grasp the why, but I don't necessarily have an answer for how to get you out. I can't perform the level of exorcism needed to free you right now."

There was a moment of quiet as the living Astrid mulled over her words. 'If I'm Exalted, then do I really need to follow the Ulfrson's rules?'

"I don't have any magic for you. If you want out, you have to do it the hard way." She looked to the newer ghost who had just appeared. "The Labyrinth works, but it'll take a toll on you, same as the Ice. Do you have a plan?"

The elder ghost chuckled darkly, a grin of sinister glee breaking through his beard. "Kill the slavemasters." He turned toward the assembled mob of spirits, "Win freedom by their blood!" A cheer erupted from the assembled spirits, though the Astrids may have noticed that not all the ghosts took it up.

"...the Dead Ice and the Labyrinth," the Haslanti-like spirit added, turning back to the Astrids, "hold only death and madness. The guildsman will pursue us across the ice, and the Fae stalk its darkness. If either capture us, we will wish we'd succumbed to the cold."

"The Labrynth..." He turned to the assembled ghosts, scanning the crowd, before fixing his gaze on one. "You lot!" He shouted, gesturing, "Aside! Let the doctor see the boy!"

The mass of ghosts responded after a moment - parting to reveal a ghost who was younger than Astrid. His chest was torn open - darkness concentrated around its edges. The youth, perhaps self-consciously, raised a hand to shield that wound from her. His gaze was steady though - and in his black irises, she sensed malice.

It was the spirit she'd battled just recently.

"...the ones who survive," the Elder elaborated, "always come back."

Astrid stared at the ghost - she was hoping it would have just vanished to Lethe after she was done with it, but she knew that was only wishful thinking. She gave a sigh as she stared back up to the assemblage of spirits. A familiar feeling of uselessness crept through her. "I can't very well help you slay the Ulfrsons - or whatever counterparts they have in the hereafter..." there was a pause. "...I have no plan on getting in your way however." Astrid could understand a thing or two about grudges.

She stepped a bit closer to the wounded spirit, examining the wound she inflicted a bit more closely. She kept her gaze level with his glare, trying her best to betray no emotion. "I don't suppose he's sane enough to treat?"

"I'm fin’, bitch." The youth hissed, his young voice overlapped by a deeper resonance. "Now st’p bac’." He made to shove her away, but Astrid complied before he could.

Astrid breathed out through her nose, irritated "Fine, keep bleeding." She shook her head before directing her attention back to the other ghosts.

"I appreciate that you still stopped to speak with me. I wish I could do more for you all, but as it is right now, I'm not skilled enough to do much of the sort."

"Not to mention," the ghostly Astrid finally spoke up, "we have something of an identity crisis to sort through now that the adrenaline of the night is wearing off."

The elder ghost spat. "Knew you were all talk."

The youth before her sneered, but didn't add to that.

Around them, the spectres began to wink out - or physically walk away, before vanishing into the darkness, one by one. The youth was part of the latter, spitting at her feet before shouldering his pickaxe and departing into the darkness.

The Elder Ghost, however, lingered. His eyes weighed both her and her ghost counterpart. Eventually - once most of the spirits had left - he spoke.

"Are you sure you can't help us?"

He seemed suspicious.

She shook her head. "I know I might seem like a miracle worker to some, but medicine's all I'm good at. I'm a doctor with some magic tricks to make being a doctor easier." She held her tongue for a moment, but continued. She wasn't sure why, but she felt she owed the fellow full disclosure, possibly because she worked for the people who enslaved him. "My folks, they were necromancers. It's why I am - or was - the way I am, or was." She gestured to the ghostly version of herself. "My father was a ghost - my magic came from him. I ran away from the business of actual magic."

The Haslanti-like slave's eyes were hard as they appraised her. Eventually though, he nodded, and faded away like the others.

 

[Teal]

The ornate double doors closed behind Astrid and her ghostly doppelganger, sealing the pair in the spacious foyer to the Ulfrson’s Calibration distorted manor. Walls of sterile white stone rose around them - and distant sounds of phantom servants echoed through the chamber. Both women, however, were well aware that only a few people remained in residence.

“D-Doctor Mustonen?”

Erik had jumped up from his seat when she entered. Now, the gangly brown haired youth was staring at them, wide-eyed.

Behind them, the demoness doorwoman - who had insisted on escorting them inside - chuckled.

“Oh! Erik,” both Astrids spoke in tandem as they stepped forward to the lad, before noticing the other, and stepping back uncomfortably.

The living Astrid turned to boy. “Uhhh, this probably seems rather strange, but….”

The spectral Astrid picked up the sentence, “but it is what it is.”

Erik paled, falling back a pace at that exchange.

The living one accepted that as the best either of them could come up with. “But I’m glad to see you’ve been safe.” She stepped forward and put a hand on Erik’s shoulder reassuringly. “I trust all has been well here?”

The boy looked a little frightened, but her question seemed to snap him to the present. “Y-yes Ma’am!” He replied, a little too loudly, “Freyda and the baby are both as you left them, ma’am.” Erik amended, before trailing off and looking at her uncomfortably.

Behind them, the Demoness did not quite stifle a snicker.

“Don’t worry so much Erik,” the ghostly Astrid said as assuringly as she could. “This is simply… something that happens when you dig too deeply into magic at times.”

Perhaps an understatement.

That response seemed to worry him, but he didn’t try to step away.

“The details are an enigma to the both of us as well, but I can promise you the alternative could have been much worse. At least one of the Raksha haunting the grounds here has died. There may be worse things lurking in the gloom still, but fewer who have reason to target Freyda or myself specifically,” the living Astrid continued.

“As for her,” she pointed to her doppleganger, “I’m sure it’s nothing I can’t sort out in due time. So try to relax - all will be well in time.”

Erik looked from one Astrid to the other, before nodding slowly. “...alright, Dr. Mustonen.” He looked around - to the various entrances to the room, “Where are we going now?”

The Astrid’s looked at one another and shrugged. “To Roland to inform him of recent developments I suppose. Other than that, my preference is to go to sleep, because I think we’d like to rest before speaking with Madame Ulfrson.”

The dead Astrid chimed in, “Assuming I sleep in this state.”

It was an unnecessary affection, but a possible one. There would simply be no benefit from it.

“Well…” Erik looked a little uncomfortable, “Madame Ulfrson still has the communication talisman, I think.” He looked up the stairs, “I think she’s with Freyda right now, actually.”

The Demon behind them giggled again.

“Then sleep it is,” Astrid declared, idly flipping her hand in the air as she continued down the hall past Erik. “So long as Freyda’s fine, I think I could do with a rest too. Been hoofing it about all day today - whatever counts for day atleast. Would like to be at full capacity before the good Madame tries to set me on fire for witchcraft.”

Erik nodded, looking serious. “I think we can avoid anyone if we go this way…” The boy started toward one of the exits to the main floor hallways - a servant’s entrance. Twisted by Calibration, it was surrounded by unnatural shadows, obscuring the humble hide curtain that served as a door.

* * *
Astrid’s rest was mercifully untroubled. There was no way of knowing how long she was unconscious - but when she woke, it was still dark. Her ghost self had taken a bed in one of the adjacent rooms - still asleep, surprisingly.

Erik was in the hallway, seemingly sitting guard.

Astrid took a deep breath, glad to have a moment alone as she changed into a fresh pair of clothes, free of the sweat and dirt from the night before. She considered grabbing a pair for the ghost, but that seemed a bit asinine upon reflection.

As she pulled her coat over her shoulders, little else than Jahrl’s crystals illuminating the room, she pondered what her next step would be. If the vision of her “past self” was being truthful, then she was apparently some form of higher being now. She didn’t feel much stronger, but apparently she was blessed by Saturn herself. Her broken ribs were all healed, and she actually wasn’t nearly as exhausted as she thought she’d be from the night before.

So the question lingered in her head. “Do I really need to stay in the Hearth?”

The question seemed especially prescient with the existence of the second Astrid - sort of a loose end for Astrid’s whole identity at this point. What would she do with her? If she wanted to leave, she COULD just leave the ghost behind. So long as there was an Astrid who could cut people open, she doubted that the Ulfrson’s cared much.

Still, leaving any form of herself behind in Diamond Hearth of all places felt wrong. She kicked herself for considering it as she opened the door into the hall, greeting Erik with a smile.

“Thank you Erik, I think I’ve rested well enough. How about we go do another check on Freyda and the child, then maybe gather my counterpart and visit Madame Ulfrson?”

Erik jolted from his seat - having acquired a chair at some point in the night - and seemed to shake himself. He nodded, looking serious. “Yes Dr. Mustonen.” He glanced toward one of the hide curtains lining the hallway - where her ghostly doppelganger still slept. From within that chamber, a dim ghostly light was visible around the curtain’s edges.

He looked torn, before turning toward the servant’s stairs that lead to the upper floor. Astrid had been placed in a room that was quite close to them, to allow her to reach Freyda’s chambers quickly and discreetly.

The pair’s journey to the giantess’s chambers was unremarkable - her demon guide did not materialize when they stepped from the shadowy servant’s quarters into the unnaturally sterile upper corridors.

Hilda, on the other hand, did.

The leather-clad guardswoman was working through sword drills when the two crested the top most stair. She quickly snapped to attention when they entered her peripheral vision, falling into a guarded fighting stance for an instant, before breathing a sigh and lowering her blade.

Expression neutral, she nodded to Astrid, before falling back against the stonewall of the hallway, by the door.

It seemed she didn’t notice Astrid’s slightly less pale countenance.

Astrid gave her former bodyguard a friendly. “Hello, Hilda,” she would’ve said ‘good morning’ or ‘good afternoon’ but time was even more of an illusion than usual during Calibration so neither would make much sense. “I take it all is as well as it can be here?”

Hilda nodded, breathing a bit loudly. Astrid noticed the sheen of sweat on her forehead, before her former bodyguard reached up to wipe it off.

If the Doctor was hoping she would elaborate, she was disappointed.

They’d have to keep going to reach Freyda’s room.

Astrid frowned at the lack of a reply, but she wasn’t surprised. She wished she could have been better friends with Hilda, but she supposed the two of them were both a bit too… prickly for that to be possible. She nodded back at the guard and continued through into Freyda’s room.

* * *
The door to Freyda’s room was as she remembered - thick and overlaid in shadow. A pair of guardswoman she didn’t know flanked either side of the door - and, across from them, obscured so in a pocket of shadows between two glowstones, was one of Jahrl’s shadow demons. Astrid’s speckled eyes had almost missed her - but the way the demon’s gold eyes were fixed on her, the same could not be said of her.

The guardswomen were slower to notice the Doctor and Erik’s approach. When they did, one of the women smiled, and both nodded.

Less prickly than Hilda, it seemed.

Astrid gave an awkward smile and nodded back as amicably as she could. She looked to the now gigantic Freyda, situated in the room, remembering her other mission here as she approached her charge, checking to see if she seemed awake.

The room was cold, dark and silent - apart from the even, audible, sound of the giantess’s breathing. Her wounds were serious, but the painkiller - made mainly from her ample supply of air-aligned herbs - Astrid had made was sufficient to let her sleep. The supply at Freyda’s bedside would last a while yet.

Behind her, the shelf filled with Freyda’s treasures from the Wyld shone with its chaotic white-rainbow light.

Astrid couldn’t imagine that Freyda would still be wearing the ring - she wasnt sure she even COULD wear the ring. After checking the sleeping giantesses breathing and pulse, she walked along the other side of her, and side-eyed the shelf, looking for the treasure given to her by Todr.

She hadn’t forgotten her contract yet.

There were all sorts of strange things on the shelf - the preponderance of which were made from crystalline ice that shed the strange rainbow light of possibility. She did find a handful of rings scattered about - all ornate, many with alien script on them. Most were made from ice-like glass, but she spotted one made from gold, and a pair of rougher bone rings.

None of them were a haslanti wedding band, though.

“Damn,” Astrid muttered under her breath. She’d likely have to ask Freyda personally when she awoke. Or, someone else.

She turned to the guards, a bit awkwardly, and spoke in a hushed tone. “Er, I know this is a strange question,” she began, “but, do either of you know where her wedding band went?”

The guards looked at one another. There was a long pause, before one spoke.

“Uh, apologies Doctor Mustonen, but we’ve just been assigned here by Madame Ulfrson.”

That was a no, then.

Astrid nodded. “Yes, I thought as much. Was just wishful thinking.”

‘Time to see if Madame Ulfrson is available then,’ Astrid thought with a frown. “Is there any particular reason she assigned you two to this post? Nothing to worry about I hope?”

One of the guards looked away from Astrid, uncomfortable.

“Not our job to ask questions, Ma’am.” The other replied, crossing her arms. “We’re getting overtime for this.”

Astrid raised an eyebrow. “A sudden shift in placement with no specific instructions? Are you quite sure?”

“...Madame Ulfrson wasn’t specific,” the quiet guardswoman spoke up, drawing her partner’s gaze to her, “She just said the Magister sent a warning, and the guards on staff were all to report for duty.” She paused for a long moment, “Apologies, ma’am, but we were asked to keep an eye on you, especially.”

At the mention of the Magister, Astrid lost her composure for a moment and let out a frustrated grunt.

“Ugh. Alright, I appreciate your honesty. I’ll clear up any confusion with Madame Ulfrson then.” She brushed past the guardswomen towards the exit. “Do keep an eye for the ring if you can. I suspect it might have some wyld magic lingering in it - not good for Freyda or anyone really- and I don’t trust the Magister will dispose of it properly if it ends up in his hands.”

With that concluded, she closed the door behind her, and again began traversing the now twisted hallways of the manor in search of Madame Ulfrson.