"GAH! Why are you so LOUD??" Marbas groaned, covering his ears. "Who even are you--?"
"RUDE LITTLE OWLET." The suspended being scoffed, beak clacking angrily. "CHEMACH IS CHEMACH."
"Chemach... I can't say I know that name." Monch admitted, furrowing his brow.
"POO! HOW LONG HAS CHEMACH BEEN CLOSED OFF, THAT PEOPLE FORGET HER? THAT PEOPLE FORGET HER GIFTS?"
Stolas just stared at her, head spinning from the loud voice and confusion of seeing this strange being locked away. Why did Shamura keep her here, behind such a tight door?
"Chemach? Miss Chemach?" Decarabia piped up, now moving to the front, ignoring Marbas' urging for her to stay back. "This is where you've been?"
Upon seeing the smallest owl, Chemach's eyes widened--something that initially didn't seem possible. Her voice suddenly shifted into a soft coo as she addressed Decarabia.
"Ooooh, little Decarabia!~ How long it has been since Chemach has spoken to you! As cute a little face as ever!!"
"You know her, Decca?" Zagan asked, raising an eyebrow slightly.
"Of course I do! She was around before the archbishops took on the crowns! Though... She vanished shortly after Raziel took on the Purple Crown."
At the mention of Raziel's name, Chemach's plumage puffed out, and she let out a violent hiss.
"VILE BIRD. GREEDY, SELFISH, MEAN BIRD! HOARDED ALL OF CHEMACH'S GIFTS. DEMANDED SHE MAKE MORE! CHEMACH REFUSED, CHEMACH TOLD HIM HER GIFTS WERE FOR ALL! THEN CHEMACH WAS LOCKED UP!!"
"Oh dear... That's so horrible, Chemmy..." Decarabia mumbled.
"Raziel thought pain would convince Chemach to work. But Chemach is patient! Chemach outlived the nasty one, hahaha!"
"That would explain why you don't have legs anymore..." Decarabia sighed.
Now Chemach's plumage wilted, and she tilted her head with a gentle look towards Decarabia.
"Do not worry yourself, little owlet. Chemach is fine! In fact, Chemach is great!! Brilliant, even! Chemach is happy!! Because with Shamura gone, perhaps the new crown bearer would be so kind as to free Chemach, to return her to her brothers!"
Chemach's bright red eyes fixed themselves on Monch, who visibly stiffened. He subconsciously took a step back, before shaking his head and clearing his throat.
"Er--Well--Before that, could I ask why Shamura kept you here? I believe we're all of the same mind that, um, they weren't any more of an ideal leader than Raziel was, but--"
"Ooooh, ohohoho!~ The Purple Crown has already bit down with its fangs of curiosity, has it?" Chemach chuckled, a disturbingly wheezy sound. "Cannot help but ask questions, hmmmmm? Waste our time with the 'hows' and 'whys' of it all, hmmmmmmmmmmmm?"
"Does it really matter why?" Decarabia piped up. "Chemmy didn't do anything wrong! She's been stuck here for thousands of years, so we should let her go!"
"Are you saying you trust that unhinged lump of feathers?" Marbas cried.
"Why not? She's my friend!"
"It's not like she's given us any reason to be wary of her." Zagan cut in. "If Shamura kept her down here, their reasoning mustn't have been good."
"Hoooooooh..." Chemach whistled. "Truthfully... Chemach does not think they had a reason at all. Too preoccupied by the other thing they kept down here! Freeing Chemach was too much effort, yes!"
"Other thing?" Stolas echoed. "What... Other thing?"
Chemach remained silent, a strange grin creeping onto her face. Slowly, her head turned to the side, then completely upside down. After a moment of silence as she grinned at the group, she pointed to the stone structure below her.
Just through the darkness, the group could see what she was indicating: An odd stone coffin, covered in dark trails of what could only be godly ichor.
"Another old friend... Chemach supposes you could say."
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