Act I - 34. Doubt[S]
Rickshaw
Officially a Boss Mob
- Location
- The Land of Boots and Ten Gallon Hats
Not the least fun I've had with a chapter, but pretty close. Anna didn't sound like Anna the whole time, so it took a few tries before I got here. Even now, I feel like I messed up both their voices somehow, but I can't pin it down. Anyways, enjoy this chapter, and expect a faster turnaround next time.
Day 4
Morning
Cerulean lines shift and turn in the crystalline soul. Light bends and folds within, sketching the faintest glow of a halo around its form. In its isolated display, the Angelic artifact glints with ethereal beauty.
"I've got just one last question," you push out a breath. "I… before I commit to anything, I need to know why."
Lo-Ru sighs. "Damn it, Anna, you don't make this quick and easy, do you?"
"Not my fault I've got nine years of distrust to overcome, here." She shifts awkwardly beside you. "Nine years, Lo-Ru. You hurt me, manipulated me, and humiliated me. Did you really think that this little chat and nostalgia would be enough to push all that aside? That if you pulled the 'old buddies' act I'd come around and help you?"
"No, really I was expecting the threat to be more effective," she grumbles. "Let's face it, even when we were friends I was better at coercion than conversation. Pris and Deborah were flukes, in that regard." Her voice gains an edge of loathing at their names. "Negotiation is more Loammi's thing anyways. I just…" She leans into the bookshelf, her forehead resting against the spine of a green tome.
"The point I was making," you continue, once it becomes clear that she won't, "is why do you even care? I know why I do. This is my life, this is my reality. I have a Demon somewhere inside me and I would give anything to know why. I'd have gone to explore that Labyrinth even without your attempt at coercion as long as I thought it'd hold the smallest bit of an answer.
"But you? This isn't your fight. Or, at least not this side of it. You spent nine years tormenting me for a Taint I didn't ask to have, and then when one takes something from you, you suddenly need to investigate? You could just… walk away. The perfect excuse was right there. Proof you'd been right all along. Taints really were just monsters and you were justified in that prejudice. Instead, here you are, trying to reconcile with your victim so you can get to the bottom of a mystery that goes against everything you've done so far."
You sigh, shaking your head, "You read Old Tongue and investigate centuries-old texts, uncover these secrets and lies, for what? Why do you care?"
Light swirls lazily in the depths of the jewel in the ensuing quiet. Around and around it goes, the hypnotic dance doing an absolutely terrible job of keeping your attention from periodically drifting over to Lo-Ru, who remains studiously silent.
"You know," she says, at length, "you've done a greater job of convincing me against you with that argument than I have with two days of mulling." A scowl crosses her face, some of the old bitch in her crawling back. "I am acutely aware of how little you trust me, and how much I would rather not involve you in this, but the fact of the matter is that the only people I trust to watch my back in there are dead and I'm not going to a complete stranger for help with this or someone liable to immediately turn me over to those behind said conspiracy. I know you've got a stake in this, which is why I came to you, even if I only had the flimsiest of threats to hold over you."
"That doesn-" you start, only for the ravenette to cut you off.
"And I told you why before: Taints are practically sleepers, walking disasters liable to kill or destroy anyone at the drop of a properly-provoking hat. Monsters in human skin. And I would like very much to know what those triggers are, as I assumed you would as well. That is if you're still hoping for some sort of cure. It makes logical sense, then, that when I find the system I trust to protect me from such disasters not only fails to do so but also leaves evidence that it is lying to me about its purpose and history, I would want to investigate.
She sighs, "But even were the dubious nature of the system not a factor, I would be interested in this anyways, purely on the basis that any artifact related to the Taints may reveal how they work, especially one whose appearance coincides with theirs. And, as I said before, I would love to know how the Tainted tick so I can get the hell out of dodge when the signs start showing."
You blink, stunned. For once, she ranted without blatant insult at you. Subtle, implied barbs rather than direct attacks against your character. Besides the bit about monsters, but any offense you do feel about it is muted by its accuracy.
With barely any combat stress, Den lost control during the Incident. Yes, it was almost immediately after the link between you was forcefully broken, but by that logic, you should have turned as well. In fact, you were probably much more stressed than he was, and you remained fine. Whatever it is that provokes the change, it isn't as obvious as turning into a hulking beast when you get mad.
So, yeah. Monsters in human skin. With unknown triggers. Ones, apparently, not directly related to stress or emotional state like you'd expect.
God, you really are a sleeper. You're so excited to see what sort of nightmares your psyche will make out of that tonight.
Lo-Ru breaks your divination of potential nightmare scenarios with a low, indignant growl. "If you're so averse to working with me then fine, I'll head in alone and you and Den can come in after. I promise, either I'll be at the core of the Labyrinth long before you, or I'll be a corpse. Either way, this will be done and you can finally escape my 'evil clutches,' just like you always wanted."
For as logical a person as she tries to portray herself, she is swinging wildly, you note. One moment, she's trying to be nostalgic, and the second you question it she goes back to bitch-mode. You guess that, even with a few days of distance, her emotions are still raw from everything. That, or this is her default personality outside of the "lucid psychopath" persona she wears around you normally. An angry, spiteful woman who lashes out at anyone and everyone.
...wow, never thought you'd see the day where you'd feel pity at Lo-Ru's bitchiness. Today is just full of exciting new experiences for you and her.
"You will die," the warning slips past your lips without thought, "either you'll get lost or something will find you. You won't survive alone."
"And you care why? I believe you've made it quite clear how poorly my attempt to work with you has gone over. It seems your life would be made much better if I were dead, anyway."
"That's no-"
"-not what? 'Not what I meant?' Well then, tell me, what did you mean by nine years of hurt, manipulation, and humiliation? Weren't you saying that I'm the cause of your problems? Or maybe you meant the part where you ridiculed me for trying to reconnect with you in some small way? Because I'm certain I didn't misinterpret the obvious distrust nor the implication that it means nothing to you. So then, if you didn't mean 'I hate you and I'd be happier were you dead,' then please tell me what the fuck you were really trying to say."
You grind your teeth together, trying your absolute best to ignore the little voice in your head telling you to punch her increasingly-punchable face. "I'll admit I hate you, Lo-Ru. There is no question about that. If I could find a way to turn every little bit of "magic practice" you've used me for back onto you right now, I'd pray that spell faster than I'd ever prayed. But I don't want you dead!" You go right up to her, invading her personal space to drive the point in. "You're a bitch, yes, and I sure as hell would like to see some justice come your way sooner rather than later. But another corpse isn't going to do anything for either of us."
"So what do you want," she demands, only leaning the slightest bit away from you, "you want me to just give up on this so you can have your 'justice?' Can't go with you because you don't trust me, can't go without you because if I die you'll feel cheated. Guess that leaves sitting around until the system breaks again and finishes what it started."
You pump just how done with her bullshit you are into the levelest glare you can muster. "How about a third option," you step back, as much to give her some space as it is to restrain yourself from starting a fistfight with her amidst the various unusual and likely dangerous magical artifacts that surround you. "Since I don't trust you to survive going alone, and neither of us really trust each other outside of necessity, we'll bring Den as a mediator."
The ravenette's clipped response is about what you expect, "Hell. No."
"I'm not letting you kill yourself in the Labyrinth on your own," you say, firm. "And if I have to come along, I'm bringing a plus one who actually recognized one of the artifacts down there."
"No, no no no. You just talked me out of bringing you along for this expedition, I'm certainly not spending an extended period of time in an eldritch maze with two Taints, much less with one who doesn't want to be there in the first place and another who tried to… no, just no." She shakes her head, just a little too furiously. "Or, well, I guess I'm not enough of a bigot to blame him for it since the Demon seems to act as a unique entity, and he apologized even if he couldn't remember what it did." Her cheeks flush a little, and she takes on a frustrated expression.
"Anyways, he seems more susceptible to Demonizing than you are, so whether it's his fault or not he'll be a huge risk while we… wait," Her train of thought seems to screech to a halt as she backtracks. "Did you say he recognized an artifact down there?"
You nod your head. "These three black mirrors, almost like they were tablets cut from obsidian? He said he recognized them as 'windows to other places,' like a scrying device. Took us a while to figure out how they worked, but he was right. They showed all kinds of stuff; like we were watching it through a window." You adjust your robe and lean against the bookshelves, body beginning to ache from standing in one place for so long.
"Look, I'm not happy to go spelunking with you either, but I'd rather not be indirectly responsible for your death by letting you go alone." Lo-Ru doesn't say anything in response, but she seems to be paying attention to you. That's an improvement from before. "You said he apologized to you, so I assume you've met him," you don't wait for her reply, but she nods anyway, "and in that case, he's the perfect candidate."
"He knows us both, seems level-headed enough to run interference, and has some knowledge that might be useful," she frowns. "Though, he didn't seem the most… impartial of people when I met him."
You wave off her concern with a shrug. "Whether you like it or not, you'll have to deal with both of us if you want to survive the Labyrinth. Whether he's 'impartial' or not doesn't really matter. You need us to make it through without dying and to help you with any artifacts. Plus…"
You hate to admit it, but the ravenette's ability to read Old Tongue makes her pretty invaluable. While it's true that you don't wish her dead, you wouldn't be too broken up if it happened. Even now that you feel you'd be somewhat responsible if she went on her own and offed herself, you'd probably just get angry at her for being a selfish bitch again.
No, the real reason you're not immediately discounting her offer is that she actually has something good to offer. If she can really read the Old Tongue as well as she says, then it might be worth putting up with her.
Really, if she died you'd lose that skill until you convinced someone much higher up the proverbial totem pole, and that could be years. So you can't let her go alone.
It's not because you'd actually feel bad if she died, you tell yourself. Once this whole mystery business is over she could jump in the lake and never come up and you wouldn't care a single bit.
Nope.
Not at all.
"...yeah," you continue lamely, "I guess what I'm saying is that yeah, I can work with you as long as Den's there. It's probably best for all three of us to go together, pool our skills and stuff. Any risk Den or I have of turning is probably low, as long as we can manage to play nice." You do your best to keep your face neutral, but you can't help but relish the fact that you're the ones setting terms now. "What say you?"
Lo-Ru sighs after a moment of silence, breaking the veneer of haughty superiority from before with quiet exasperation. "Fuck it. Yes, I'll journey into the unknown with two nascent Demons. Heaven knows this is nowhere near the most idiotic of my decisions."
You nod, content that you got her to agree with you. Or, you convinced her to let you agree to her plan. After you had made some revisions. Which is basically getting her to agree with your plan, right?
Yeah, you totally didn't just capitulate to her request and offer this she-devil two souls for the price of one. Yeah.
"So, I guess the next step is planning when we're going on this quest?" You ask, studiously ignoring the part of your brain that's screaming at you for being such a fool.
The she-devil blinks. "I had planned to do so this evening, but considering the sudden change in plans, that'll be impossible. We'll have to get in contact with Den and see when he's available. I heard from Miriam that he's a bard, and those can be fairly busy." She straightens her posture, looking more the spoiled noble that she used to be than the nervous wreck she's become. "Unless, of course, you happen to already be aware of when he'd be free? You're Bonded to him, so you must know something about him."
[] Admit how little you really know Den
[] Ask Den about it later
[] Brag about how close you and the bard are
[] Give Lo-Ru a time right now and convince Den before the deadline
-[] Tomorrow
-[] Day after
[] …isn't Den scheduled to visit the Temple soon? Just do it then
-:-:-;-:-:-
Day 4
Morning
Cerulean lines shift and turn in the crystalline soul. Light bends and folds within, sketching the faintest glow of a halo around its form. In its isolated display, the Angelic artifact glints with ethereal beauty.
"I've got just one last question," you push out a breath. "I… before I commit to anything, I need to know why."
Lo-Ru sighs. "Damn it, Anna, you don't make this quick and easy, do you?"
"Not my fault I've got nine years of distrust to overcome, here." She shifts awkwardly beside you. "Nine years, Lo-Ru. You hurt me, manipulated me, and humiliated me. Did you really think that this little chat and nostalgia would be enough to push all that aside? That if you pulled the 'old buddies' act I'd come around and help you?"
"No, really I was expecting the threat to be more effective," she grumbles. "Let's face it, even when we were friends I was better at coercion than conversation. Pris and Deborah were flukes, in that regard." Her voice gains an edge of loathing at their names. "Negotiation is more Loammi's thing anyways. I just…" She leans into the bookshelf, her forehead resting against the spine of a green tome.
"The point I was making," you continue, once it becomes clear that she won't, "is why do you even care? I know why I do. This is my life, this is my reality. I have a Demon somewhere inside me and I would give anything to know why. I'd have gone to explore that Labyrinth even without your attempt at coercion as long as I thought it'd hold the smallest bit of an answer.
"But you? This isn't your fight. Or, at least not this side of it. You spent nine years tormenting me for a Taint I didn't ask to have, and then when one takes something from you, you suddenly need to investigate? You could just… walk away. The perfect excuse was right there. Proof you'd been right all along. Taints really were just monsters and you were justified in that prejudice. Instead, here you are, trying to reconcile with your victim so you can get to the bottom of a mystery that goes against everything you've done so far."
You sigh, shaking your head, "You read Old Tongue and investigate centuries-old texts, uncover these secrets and lies, for what? Why do you care?"
Light swirls lazily in the depths of the jewel in the ensuing quiet. Around and around it goes, the hypnotic dance doing an absolutely terrible job of keeping your attention from periodically drifting over to Lo-Ru, who remains studiously silent.
"You know," she says, at length, "you've done a greater job of convincing me against you with that argument than I have with two days of mulling." A scowl crosses her face, some of the old bitch in her crawling back. "I am acutely aware of how little you trust me, and how much I would rather not involve you in this, but the fact of the matter is that the only people I trust to watch my back in there are dead and I'm not going to a complete stranger for help with this or someone liable to immediately turn me over to those behind said conspiracy. I know you've got a stake in this, which is why I came to you, even if I only had the flimsiest of threats to hold over you."
"That doesn-" you start, only for the ravenette to cut you off.
"And I told you why before: Taints are practically sleepers, walking disasters liable to kill or destroy anyone at the drop of a properly-provoking hat. Monsters in human skin. And I would like very much to know what those triggers are, as I assumed you would as well. That is if you're still hoping for some sort of cure. It makes logical sense, then, that when I find the system I trust to protect me from such disasters not only fails to do so but also leaves evidence that it is lying to me about its purpose and history, I would want to investigate.
She sighs, "But even were the dubious nature of the system not a factor, I would be interested in this anyways, purely on the basis that any artifact related to the Taints may reveal how they work, especially one whose appearance coincides with theirs. And, as I said before, I would love to know how the Tainted tick so I can get the hell out of dodge when the signs start showing."
You blink, stunned. For once, she ranted without blatant insult at you. Subtle, implied barbs rather than direct attacks against your character. Besides the bit about monsters, but any offense you do feel about it is muted by its accuracy.
With barely any combat stress, Den lost control during the Incident. Yes, it was almost immediately after the link between you was forcefully broken, but by that logic, you should have turned as well. In fact, you were probably much more stressed than he was, and you remained fine. Whatever it is that provokes the change, it isn't as obvious as turning into a hulking beast when you get mad.
So, yeah. Monsters in human skin. With unknown triggers. Ones, apparently, not directly related to stress or emotional state like you'd expect.
God, you really are a sleeper. You're so excited to see what sort of nightmares your psyche will make out of that tonight.
Lo-Ru breaks your divination of potential nightmare scenarios with a low, indignant growl. "If you're so averse to working with me then fine, I'll head in alone and you and Den can come in after. I promise, either I'll be at the core of the Labyrinth long before you, or I'll be a corpse. Either way, this will be done and you can finally escape my 'evil clutches,' just like you always wanted."
For as logical a person as she tries to portray herself, she is swinging wildly, you note. One moment, she's trying to be nostalgic, and the second you question it she goes back to bitch-mode. You guess that, even with a few days of distance, her emotions are still raw from everything. That, or this is her default personality outside of the "lucid psychopath" persona she wears around you normally. An angry, spiteful woman who lashes out at anyone and everyone.
...wow, never thought you'd see the day where you'd feel pity at Lo-Ru's bitchiness. Today is just full of exciting new experiences for you and her.
"You will die," the warning slips past your lips without thought, "either you'll get lost or something will find you. You won't survive alone."
"And you care why? I believe you've made it quite clear how poorly my attempt to work with you has gone over. It seems your life would be made much better if I were dead, anyway."
"That's no-"
"-not what? 'Not what I meant?' Well then, tell me, what did you mean by nine years of hurt, manipulation, and humiliation? Weren't you saying that I'm the cause of your problems? Or maybe you meant the part where you ridiculed me for trying to reconnect with you in some small way? Because I'm certain I didn't misinterpret the obvious distrust nor the implication that it means nothing to you. So then, if you didn't mean 'I hate you and I'd be happier were you dead,' then please tell me what the fuck you were really trying to say."
You grind your teeth together, trying your absolute best to ignore the little voice in your head telling you to punch her increasingly-punchable face. "I'll admit I hate you, Lo-Ru. There is no question about that. If I could find a way to turn every little bit of "magic practice" you've used me for back onto you right now, I'd pray that spell faster than I'd ever prayed. But I don't want you dead!" You go right up to her, invading her personal space to drive the point in. "You're a bitch, yes, and I sure as hell would like to see some justice come your way sooner rather than later. But another corpse isn't going to do anything for either of us."
"So what do you want," she demands, only leaning the slightest bit away from you, "you want me to just give up on this so you can have your 'justice?' Can't go with you because you don't trust me, can't go without you because if I die you'll feel cheated. Guess that leaves sitting around until the system breaks again and finishes what it started."
You pump just how done with her bullshit you are into the levelest glare you can muster. "How about a third option," you step back, as much to give her some space as it is to restrain yourself from starting a fistfight with her amidst the various unusual and likely dangerous magical artifacts that surround you. "Since I don't trust you to survive going alone, and neither of us really trust each other outside of necessity, we'll bring Den as a mediator."
The ravenette's clipped response is about what you expect, "Hell. No."
"I'm not letting you kill yourself in the Labyrinth on your own," you say, firm. "And if I have to come along, I'm bringing a plus one who actually recognized one of the artifacts down there."
"No, no no no. You just talked me out of bringing you along for this expedition, I'm certainly not spending an extended period of time in an eldritch maze with two Taints, much less with one who doesn't want to be there in the first place and another who tried to… no, just no." She shakes her head, just a little too furiously. "Or, well, I guess I'm not enough of a bigot to blame him for it since the Demon seems to act as a unique entity, and he apologized even if he couldn't remember what it did." Her cheeks flush a little, and she takes on a frustrated expression.
"Anyways, he seems more susceptible to Demonizing than you are, so whether it's his fault or not he'll be a huge risk while we… wait," Her train of thought seems to screech to a halt as she backtracks. "Did you say he recognized an artifact down there?"
You nod your head. "These three black mirrors, almost like they were tablets cut from obsidian? He said he recognized them as 'windows to other places,' like a scrying device. Took us a while to figure out how they worked, but he was right. They showed all kinds of stuff; like we were watching it through a window." You adjust your robe and lean against the bookshelves, body beginning to ache from standing in one place for so long.
"Look, I'm not happy to go spelunking with you either, but I'd rather not be indirectly responsible for your death by letting you go alone." Lo-Ru doesn't say anything in response, but she seems to be paying attention to you. That's an improvement from before. "You said he apologized to you, so I assume you've met him," you don't wait for her reply, but she nods anyway, "and in that case, he's the perfect candidate."
"He knows us both, seems level-headed enough to run interference, and has some knowledge that might be useful," she frowns. "Though, he didn't seem the most… impartial of people when I met him."
You wave off her concern with a shrug. "Whether you like it or not, you'll have to deal with both of us if you want to survive the Labyrinth. Whether he's 'impartial' or not doesn't really matter. You need us to make it through without dying and to help you with any artifacts. Plus…"
You hate to admit it, but the ravenette's ability to read Old Tongue makes her pretty invaluable. While it's true that you don't wish her dead, you wouldn't be too broken up if it happened. Even now that you feel you'd be somewhat responsible if she went on her own and offed herself, you'd probably just get angry at her for being a selfish bitch again.
No, the real reason you're not immediately discounting her offer is that she actually has something good to offer. If she can really read the Old Tongue as well as she says, then it might be worth putting up with her.
Really, if she died you'd lose that skill until you convinced someone much higher up the proverbial totem pole, and that could be years. So you can't let her go alone.
It's not because you'd actually feel bad if she died, you tell yourself. Once this whole mystery business is over she could jump in the lake and never come up and you wouldn't care a single bit.
Nope.
Not at all.
"...yeah," you continue lamely, "I guess what I'm saying is that yeah, I can work with you as long as Den's there. It's probably best for all three of us to go together, pool our skills and stuff. Any risk Den or I have of turning is probably low, as long as we can manage to play nice." You do your best to keep your face neutral, but you can't help but relish the fact that you're the ones setting terms now. "What say you?"
Lo-Ru sighs after a moment of silence, breaking the veneer of haughty superiority from before with quiet exasperation. "Fuck it. Yes, I'll journey into the unknown with two nascent Demons. Heaven knows this is nowhere near the most idiotic of my decisions."
You nod, content that you got her to agree with you. Or, you convinced her to let you agree to her plan. After you had made some revisions. Which is basically getting her to agree with your plan, right?
Yeah, you totally didn't just capitulate to her request and offer this she-devil two souls for the price of one. Yeah.
"So, I guess the next step is planning when we're going on this quest?" You ask, studiously ignoring the part of your brain that's screaming at you for being such a fool.
The she-devil blinks. "I had planned to do so this evening, but considering the sudden change in plans, that'll be impossible. We'll have to get in contact with Den and see when he's available. I heard from Miriam that he's a bard, and those can be fairly busy." She straightens her posture, looking more the spoiled noble that she used to be than the nervous wreck she's become. "Unless, of course, you happen to already be aware of when he'd be free? You're Bonded to him, so you must know something about him."
-:-:-;-:-:-
[] Admit how little you really know Den
[] Ask Den about it later
[] Brag about how close you and the bard are
[] Give Lo-Ru a time right now and convince Den before the deadline
-[] Tomorrow
-[] Day after
[] …isn't Den scheduled to visit the Temple soon? Just do it then