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theshatteredrose · 2 years

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The Necromancer’s Cauldron (Chapter 13 *Last*) - Etrian Odyssey 5 Fanfiction

AN: AHH, I did it! The final chapter! Thanks so much to everyone who read this story from beginning to end. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did writing it. And that you look forward to the next project I have installed. It should be fun indeed. Appreciated you all and hope you’ll wait expectantly for my next update. Until then, enjoy this last chapter of The Necromancer’s Cauldron~

Ao3 | Wattpad | Inkitt | FFNet

Chapter 13:

The labyrinth truly was a different place in the sunlight.

Drayce idly toyed with the bandages around his left arm as he looked around the clearing he had the unfortunate luck to be found captive in.

Now that he was able to better see his surroundings, the clearing was like any other he had previously encountered. It was open, lush with foliage and flora, with a cool pool of crystal-clear water. It would be an ideal location to sit and relax from exploration.

But the large black cauldron was an oddity.

It wasn’t alone either.

A brown blanket. Discarded dark robes. Broken podium. Shreds of coarse rope. A silver knife stained with blood. With his blood.

Everything Drayce endured last night was very real.

A hand resting on his shoulder pulled him from his thoughts. Drayce turned his head to the side, his gaze colliding with that of Blayke’s.

“You ok?” he asked him.

Drayce gave a small smile. “Yeah, I’m all right.”

Things were vastly different this time around. He wasn’t alone. Far from it. Blayke, Zohar, Caelem, Faelen, Kamali, and their guest Shashi. Mustn’t forget Nashoba and Theodore. He was surrounded by protective and concerned teammates.

Though, he had to admit that he was surprised that Ashton didn’t insist on joining them. Being the determine caretaker he was. Yet, Drayce was glad that he remained in town. For him to watch over the remaining members of his guild. They were still recovering, after all.

He had also hoped to see Kyrell again. To find him in the labyrinth. Sleeping, like how they first met. So that he could thank him for what he did for him last night. And to show Zohar that he wasn’t a threat. He couldn’t be a threat.

Drayce gave a small shake of his head. He would have to search for Kyrell sometime later. He had something important he needed to contend with first.

What should he do with the Blood Cauldron?

“The presence of this thing is truly vile,” Shashi murmured, his nose scrunched up in distain. His expression soon softened, however, as he turned to his brother. And with a raised hand, gently curled a strand of Kamali’s hair behind his ear. “You’re more sensitive than I, so stay back.”

Looking slightly pale, Kamali managed to give a small nod of his head. “Y-yes. Just try not to touch it.”

Shashi gave him a reassuring smile before his expression became stoic as he moved toward the cauldron to inspect it. As Shashi moved away, Faelen popped up by Kamali’s side and took a hold of his arm.

“I don’t like it either,” he said. “Maybe we should walk around and inspect the area.”

Kamali gave the sweet rover a small smile. “Yes, that would be preferable.”

“Don’t wander too far, ok?” Drayce couldn’t stop himself from being protective.

He received smiles from the two, Kamali’s polite and patient, while Faelen’s was innocent and cheerful. The pair, with Nashoba in tow, moved toward the natural walls of the clearing, perhaps choosing to stay close to the gentle greenery to take their minds off of the hideous relic located in the centre.

Blayke also watched the two wander off before he turned his attention back toward the cauldron. And a dark scowl immediately appeared on his face. “So, how are we getting this thing out of here?”

Good question.

“I could probably lift it,” Caelem mused aloud, but his ears soon folded atop of his head, an expression of unease gracing his features. “But…”

He didn’t want to touch it. Understandable. Drayce could still feel the cold, brutal metal under his hand from when he was thrown against it.

“It’s alright,” Drayce immediately soothed. “We’ll use an Ariadne Thread. That will take us, and the cauldron, back into town. We’ll have the guards do the dirty work. I think that would ease Egar’s apprehension, too.”

Truthfully, he couldn’t wait to get rid of the thing.

Yet, his strong treasure hunter blood wanted him to edge just a little bit closer. To get a proper look at the dreaded antique under the bright, comforting light of the sun.

With his cannon situated on his back and his shield left at home due to the injury to his arm, Drayce found himself edging closer. Close enough for him to give the menacing object an inspecting gaze.

It was still horrid to look at, yet nowhere near as frighting as it was under the cover of darkness. And in the hands of Nukpana.

He spent a moment watching as Shashi also investigated the cauldron. Moving closer than anyone else, but ensuring that he never physically touch it. And from the scowl on his slightly pale face, nothing he was seeing made him even remotely happy.

Drayce may have to call a quick end to their tentative investigation and get the cauldron back into the city. And somewhere it could be sealed and guarded.

As Shashi moved to inspect the other side of the cauldron, Drayce’s gaze fell toward the ground. Where a strange black substance tarnished the emerald, green grass.

Despite wincing, he ventured a few steps closer. To stare down at the strange site. It truly looked as though the grass has been seared from a violent flame. There was also a strange smell from the area. Not quite like that of burnt meat. It was an acidic smell.

He couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

Blayke moved to stand beside him, to also stare down at the ground. “This?”

Drayce eyes flickered over to the cauldron for a second before returning to that of the scorched grass. “That was the place Nukpana had stood. From the last time I saw him at least.”

“Nothing but a smear on the ground,” Blayke murmured. “That’s morbid as shit.”

Drayce had to agree. “Nukpana’s light blue skin was covered in markings. Proof of the laws he had broken.”

He sighed and ran a hand over his face. Those markings. He was literally covered with them. Each one a symbol of the laws he had broken. Hundreds of them, possibly. Sins that eventually cost him his immortal soul. His entire existence.

He still didn’t know what to think about that. Was that truly just?

A hand resting on his shoulder pulled Drayce from thoughts once more.

“Caelem and I will pick up the rest of the rubbish,” Blayke stated, leaving no room for argument. “You stay back.”

Drayce smiled. “Right, right. Let me know if you find an amulet, however.”

Everyone was feeling protective. It was no surprise. After everything that had happened, to him alone, the helplessness they felt during that time still affected them. They needed to do something. To somehow be a part of the situation once more.

Drayce could never take that away from them.

So, he stepped back, leaving his guildmates to take control of their mission. He spent a moment looking for his guildmates, noting that they were all within sight, easing his own worries. Yet Zohar stood alone, a contemplative look upon his face.

“Zohar?” Drayce said his name gently, with a slightly worried tone.

“I am fine,” he immediately replied, giving a small smile as he turned his head toward him. “I don’t wish to venture too close, however.”

“That’s fair.”

“Is your arm bothering you?”

Drayce looked down at his arm, realising that he had subconsciously pulled back the sleeve of his coat to idly toy with the bandages once more. “Sort of,” he admitted as he pulled down the sleeve. “It’s the memory of what happened that makes me wince. The knife is still here.”

That Book of Shadows, however, wasn’t.

He couldn’t help but wonder where it went. Did it hide itself somewhere in the labyrinth, like what the Radiant Moon of Compassion had done? Or had it fled to somewhere else? Rather, to someone else?

Who knows what that tome was capable of. And how many laws was broken to create it.

“There are many unwritten and unspoken rules of necromancy, isn’t there?” Drayce murmured.

“Yes,” Zohar answered. “Yet, they can be simplified by respecting the deceased.”

Respect in general, probably.

Zohar uttered a sigh suddenly. “It cannot be denied that there are many cruel and evil necromancers in this world.”

“There are those who are, unfortunately, greedy and power-obsessed, regardless of who or what they are,” Drayce added.

After all, Nukpana had followers. And they appeared Earthlain in appearance. Not necromancers. Anyone willing to do his bidding weren’t benign, soulful people by any stretch of the imagination.

Drayce’s comments brought a small smile to Zohar’s lips, and he gave a slow nod of his head. “That is very true.” His smile faded away a moment later as his face became sombre, gaze staring out at nothing in particular. “Truth be told, I find it difficult to interact with other necromancers. I feel that it may stem from the possibility that I was murdered by one.”

Drayce was unable to prevent a wince upon hearing the word ‘murdered’, his heart skipping a beat. “I’m sorry. You really don’t remember?”

Zohar shook his head. “No. I believe that is by design.”

Evil. Pure evil.

“How could anyone do that to you…?”

He hoped to find those responsible, one day. To ensure they face justice for their heinous act. If…Ravenous didn’t get to them first.

Zohar suddenly placed his hand against the small of Drayce’s back, pulling him from his musings. He tilted his head back to look up at him in curiosity, earning a small smile from the other in return.

“Come,” he suddenly urged, motion toward a quiet corner of the clearing. “Someone wishes to speak with you.”

“Huh?” Drayce uttered in puzzlement, but allowed Zohar to guide him toward the foliage, to the shades of the tall trees.

As they reached the shady alcove, Zohar kept one gentle hand against his back as he raised the other toward the shadows. Where a strange sparkle of light suddenly started to gather, slowly glowing brighter. And shimmering into two distinct forms. One with flawless armour, the other of regal clothes and long flowing hair.

Wait…Chevell and Diandre?

Their forms remained translucently soft, subtle, but still somehow distinct. Blue coils of mist, clearly of an ethereal origin.

Did Zohar summon them, or…?

Zohar’s hand slipped from his back to rest against the small of his back, allowing him to pull him close to his side as he leaned his head down to speak with him quietly. “Don’t be afraid. I will translate for you. They wish to thank you.”

Thank him? “But I didn’t do anything.”

“Diandre believes otherwise. Your pure blood broke the seal and broke his curse. He is free now. As is Chevell. They can finally be together in the realm of spirits.”

“Ah!” Drayce perked up and turned his attention toward the two ethereal figures. “I’m so glad to hear that. It’s been a long time.”

“It has, Chevell agrees. He wishes for you to take his amulet. It will protect you should you be drawn into battle against a necromancer again.”

Drayce nodded his head in acceptance. “I promise to take good care of it.”

The two figures linger for a moment, possibly having a private conversation. In fact, that seemed to be the case as Zohar had nodded his head firmly a couple of times. He then raised his hand two the two, waving his hand over them. Where they soon faded into a soft sparkle of light, gently fading.

Then…they were gone.

It was a short meeting, but significant. Very much so. He was glad that the two were at peace now. And together after so much pain.

“What curse was Diandre talking about?” Drayce asked, tilting his head to look up at Zohar once more.

“Shashi had discovered more information,” Zohar began, his arm still firm and warm around his waist. “It seemed that Diandre knew that Matchitehew had wanted to use him in a ritual, wishing to use him to grant Despot greater armies. So, he had prepared himself to be sacrificed. When his blood was placed within the cauldron, he sealed away it’s true power.”

“True power?”

“The cauldron was tied to Matchitehew’s soul. If Matchitehew was defeated in battle, his many loyalists had the skills to…reanimate him. Yet, with Diandre sacrificing himself, he broke ties to the cauldron, preventing Matchitehew from returning to this plane through it.”

Drayce shivered, unconsciously leaning closer to Zohar. “I see. It’s a relief to know that one of Despot’s generals couldn’t actually be resurrected.”

Zohar didn’t immediately agree.

“What is it? Can he still…?”

“Possibly,” Zohar relented. “He may have infused some of himself into the Book of Shadows, too. If it’s sentient, like you said…”

It could be in search of another. To do the very thing Nukpana had tried.

They needed to find that book. But how?

Drayce sighed and rubbed his forehead wearily. “We’ll…deal with that later, I guess. I’m glad that Chevell and Diandre were finally reunited.”

“Yes.” Zohar gently pressed his hand against Drayce’s side. “That is also one of the roles of a necromancer. Reuniting star-crossed lovers who had been separated in both life and death.”

Drayce tilted his head back and smiled softly at him. “Ah, now that is something I’d like to learn more about.”

No one who deeply loved each other should be forced apart, after all.

… … … … …

In a city filled with eccentric locals and explorers alike, it was surprisingly easy to track down a necromancer with purple skin with a black blob of a wraith on his shoulder. As much as Ashton wanted to be in the labyrinth with the others, to keep a closer eye on Drayce, there was something else he needed to do.

Something he couldn’t let Drayce know about.

Not yet.

As he entered the central park of the city, a flash of purple from the corner of his eye immediately caught his attention. He turned his head in time to watch as a tall, somewhat muscular Celestian with deep purple hair and skin of a lighter shade move silently down a path. One that led toward a much more secluded area of the park.

“Hey, wait!” Ashton called out, breaking into a jog to follow him. “You…”

That had to be him. That had to be Kyrell.

The man stopped in his tracks after Ashton called out to him. For a moment he kept his back toward him, seemingly contemplating something before he finally turned to face him. “Can I help you with something?”

Ashton decided to get straight to the point. “Drayce. He told me what happened in the labyrinth. He also said that you reminded him of someone. Who?”

Kyrell stared at him for a few intense moments, his expression completely unreadable. Eventually, he spoke. “…Rhain.”

“Rhain?” Ashton’s eyes immediately widen, his heart thundering in his chest. “You know Rhain? Where is he?!”

Years. It’s been ten years since Rhain was taken, ripped away from his loving family. Ripped away from Drayce. From his brother. Could they…?

Kyrell shook his head slowly, regretfully. “Unfortunately, I do not know his current location. I am unable to venture too close, if I did know.”

Ashton felt his heart drop into his stomach. “What do you mean?”

“Sephtis sacrificed my life in a ritual,” Kyrell shockingly revealed. “It did not go as he had planned. If he learns that I am alive, and with the very entity he sacrificed me to obtain, he will burn this entire city to the ground to take back what he believes belong to him. And if he learns that Drayce is here…”

Ashton felt his hands clench at his sides. “I see.”

That…was not what he wanted to hear. Yet, that name, that Sephtis was something that Ashton and Drayce’s family could work on. One small step closer to finding Rhain.

“Rhain?” Ashton questioned softly. “He’s…still alive?”

“Yes,” was Kyrell’s firm response, granting Ashton a tiny sliver of relief. “He is far too useful to Sephtis. Physically, he has not been harmed. Spiritually, however…”

“This Sephtis is-?”

“The cult leader. Sephtis is his latest incarnation.”

“Bastard,” Ashton spat out unwillingly.

Kyrell gave a humourless chuckle. “Indeed.”

Ashton took a moment to compose himself. This was valuable information. “What must be done?”

“I must build Raven’s strength,” Kyrell said, just as a strange little black blob of something appeared on his shoulder. “To do that, I must hunt down other vile souls to feed to him.”

Ashton eyed off the strange little creature warily. Drayce told him about that Raven wraith. About how funny it looked, with its squishy body, yellow beak and beady white eyes. And how it was actually the once thought to be mythical god known as Ravenous.

“This…Raven will defeat Sephtis?” he asked carefully.

Kyrell closed his eyes as he nodded. “That’s my only hope.” He opened his eyes a moment later and focused his attention toward Ashton, his expression curious. “Drayce doesn’t remember anything, does he?”

“No. A curse prevents it. Since he was eleven years old.”

“As I suspected.” Kyrell suddenly tilted his head back, to gaze up at the sight of Yggdrasil. “Drayce is like Rhain in many ways. Kind-hearted, compassionate, far too considerate of others. Far too willing to put his life at risk for the safety of others.”

Rhain…

“I…could not protect Rhain,” Kyrell continued. He abruptly levelled his gaze toward Ashton, to stare intently at him. As that black blob of his hop along his shoulders, momentarily disappearing behind his head.

Only to come out the other side in the form of a sleek black raven. With feathers a shimmering back, and eyes a piercing, fiery red.

“But I will ensure that Drayce remains safe. And that the brothers are reunited. Even if it costs me my eternal soul…”

With that Kyrell turned. And walked away, leaving a smoky, otherworldly trail of mist behind him.

Leaving Ashton to wonder what the future could hold for Drayce. And his entrapped, missing brother.

#Etrian Odyssey #etrian odyssey 5 #fanfiction #the necromancer's cauldron #the treasure seeker

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cfmanymuses · 2 years

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(Muse is dead meme)

Ashe still has nightmares of pulling Faelen off her lifeless body as the elf screamed and completely exhausted himself, trying to cast revive over and over despite knowing it was no use. He still occasionally packs 4 of everything even though it's just the 3 of them again. He's a soldier. He's lost people before...why does it hurt so much more this time?

Faelen went home and didn't leave his room for days after the funeral. He still blames himself for not being able to save her. He knows her wings weren't her favorite, but he keeps a feather from her in his spellbook and will twirl it in his fingers when he misses her and needs a reminder she would want them to press on.

My muse is dead. Tell me how yours is dealing with it.

#The Warlock (Zunemira Padmini);#(I know that I asked for this but OW! 😭)

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batteredmettle-archive · 6 years

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🌸 "C'mon Faelen I'm just visiting for a quick spell." -Ruby

@theheartmuncher

Send “🌸” to give my muse a flower crown

Faelan snorted. “You know I already have one of those,” he said. “It’s been so long, Ruby. What’re you here for?”

#ic;#dilutedaspirations

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lunar-realms · 2 years

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1. What’s one experience your character had that made them very afraid?

2. Does your character have a deep and/or dark secret? If so, what is it?

3. Have they ever lost a loved one? What happened to them, and are they the same as they were before they lost them?

4. Has your character ever been hurt or betrayed by someone they thought they could depend on? What happened?

5. Would they ever turn on someone they just met in order to save themselves?

6. Have they ever committed a crime, or something they felt was wrong? What was it?

7. If your character was allowed to murder one person without any consequences, who would it be and why?

8. Does your character have any enemies? If so, who and why?

9. Is the character a victim of abuse?

10. What were the character’s parents like? What was the affect the parents had on the character? (You choose the muses! 💜)

1. What’s one experience your character had that made them very afraid? - Ashe

In a very chaotic battle, Spade sustained a pretty nasty injury from a charge and it was bad enough Ashe was told by the healer Spade was going to die there or it was going to either be a very long road to recovery and there was still a high risk Spade wasn't going to make it at all. Ashe has raised and known Spade since his birth and he was still a very young horse (4-5yrs old), so he was absolutely terrified he was going to lose his best friend. He triple checks Spade's armor and always ensures to upgrade it even before his own any chance he gets, because a mounted knight is only as good as his steed and those initial days while he was critical spent sleeping outside the stall just worrying and hoping he would be okay still haunts him.

2. Does your character have a deep and/or dark secret? If so, what is it? - Cerelia

Yes! They really do. She's going to murder anyone who claims to know this, so other muses be warned. Meta-gaming/God-modding this one will result in death.

Cerelia's secret is that she was raised by the Celestial King of Wind and is actually his spy in the "mortal" planes, reporting back what is actually happening and why the gates are being opened. Whether or not she's there to help the gates open or prevent them... well... that remains to be seen.

3. Have they ever lost a loved one? What happened to them, and are they the same as they were before they lost them? - Azure

Yes, and I regret writing it every time I look at his backstory. Azure lost his beloved Sebastian the day before they were to be wed. They had run away to an Italy as it had always been Azure's dream to get married there and Sebastian didn't have the heart to deny him that even though he was aware of his father's poor reputation with the a powerful gang in Italy because he didn't know just how terrible that reputation was. He was murdered brutally in front of Azure and as a "warning" to Sebastian's father, Azure was made to drag his dying boyfriend (and eventually corpse) through the streets out of town.

Azure has never been the same. Completely traumatized by the events he found he couldn't reintegrate back into normal life, haunted by every little thing that reminded him of Sebastian. Thus, he ran from it all and is still hiding from his trauma in a formerly abandoned cottage the forests.

4. Has your character ever been hurt or betrayed by someone they thought they could depend on? What happened? - Kuro

Since the only being Kuro truly depends on is his twin brother, Shiro? No, actually. Shiro and Kuro have rarely gotten into situations where one could even have the chance to betray the other. They're more likely to tell their twin someone tried to split them up and then go torture them or dismember them as a warning to anyone else who dares to try.

5. Would they ever turn on someone they just met in order to save themselves? - Shiro

. . .Yes. Shiro does not make emotional connections to others quickly and he has the moral compass of...well, a demon. He'll happily sacrifice a stranger if it meant self preservation and he wouldn't even lose sleep over it.

6. Have they ever committed a crime, or something they felt was wrong? What was it? - Faelen

He accidentally stole a book from the library once because he was following his mother and reading it while walking and his mother didn't notice he still had it until they were home. When he went back in tears professing he was sorry and that he didn't know, he found out it was actually "free book" day and he had picked up said book from the pile of books that were being given away...for free... (this boy has never done anything wrong in his life....well...except...that one thing...)

7. If your character was allowed to murder one person without any consequences, who would it be and why? - Azure

The mob boss who dealt the final blow to Sebastian that made his love suffer the entire time he was dying.

8. Does your character have any enemies? If so, who and why? - Ashe

Mostly just the kingdoms his kingdom is at war with because he is a loyal knight and enemies of the crown he serves are by proxy his enemies.

A common enemy for the mortal planes though would be the King of the Umbra whose seals are being broken across the world...

9. Is the character a victim of abuse? - Faelen (the random number generator is really picking on him tonight. I've rerolled twice and gotten him on this one and the prior 2 questions...)

Sadly, yes. The "M" scar/brand on his wrist was not his own doing nor is it a tattoo.

10. What were the character’s parents like? What was the affect the parents had on the character? - Ian

Ian's parents were actually very kind and loving by demonic standards and even human standards (very very unusual). They supported and cared deeply for their two children.

This made losing them the way he did that much harder on Ian. He was still very young and his support system was ripped out from under him. Even as an adult now, he still self-soothes by humming his mother's lullaby and re-reading the only book he has left from his home (a small thing he has managed to keep hidden all these years) that tells of a legend in the Sand Demons that a great dragon would be the savior of their people cursed to the shapes of lizards. He pleaded and begged that dragon to save him many times growing up. As an adult, he still reads it but more for comforting nostalgia than for actually believing the legend.

#about the muses #mun answers #musings;Shiro #musings;Kuro #musings;Faelen #musings;Ashe #musings;Cerelia #musings;Azure #musings;Ian

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lunar-realms · 2 years

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How do they style their hair?

What kind of clothing do they wear?

Do they wear makeup? What kind?

Do they have any birthmarks?

Where were they born?

What do their parents do?

Where do they live?

What do they do for a living?

What is their greatest achievement?

What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s happened to them? (You pick the muses! 💜)

Random number generator GOOO!

How do they style their hair? -Faelen Faelen keeps his hair just past his shoulders and ties it back in a low ponytail for the most part, keeping his bangs separated and up front to frame his face. Some may think he dyes his ends lavender, but it naturally turns that color as it grows out.

What kind of clothing do they wear? - Ian Ian wears servant garb fit for the demon king's prized servant. Usually, plain pants with his buckled leather tank top, arm bands and a collar decorated in silver chain. When he's on a mission or off on his own; however, he changes into more comfortable leather armor and sturdier boots. Bonus: Noble Ian wears fine silks in the color silver with dark green accents as well as a short, green cape. He will often also adorn his hair with small clear crystals that refract rainbows when the light hits it just right.

Do they wear makeup? What kind? - Azure Azure very rarely wears makeup. Usually just some concealer to hide the circles under his eyes, but he did like using some eyeliner when he was with Sebastian. He does really enjoy Halloween though and will go all out for that makeup if his costume calls for it.

Do they have any birthmarks? - Kuro Not really, no. Though Shiro claims there's a small mark on the nape of his neck just under his hairline that's in the shape of half a diamond, the other half being on his twin's neck in the same spot.

Where were they born? -Ashe As soon as I settle on a name for the land all these wonderful muses are from, Ashe will have a known birthplace. LoL He was born in a small village just outside the town surrounding the castle. Both his parents were a high ranking knights, after all and needed to be close by should their king need them.

What do their parents do? - Shiro Believe it or not Shiro and Kuro are part of Hell's nobility. Their parents are Lords and serve the crown by being informants and hired assassins.

Where do they live? - Aria Aria lives on the outskirts of France, running an adorable flower shop.

What do they do for a living? - Cerelia Cerelia is a hired assassin by trade and very very good at her job. She does settle down a little when she joins Ashe and Faelen's group, but she still keeps it as a side hustle.

What is their greatest achievement? - Ian Ian's greatest achievement will always be letting go of Lucifer and acknowledging that what he did was atrocious and accepting that he does deserve his happy ending with his soulmate (Be that Agate or Asriel depending on the verse ;) )

What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s happened to them? - Faelen The most embarrassing thing that has happened to Faelen to date would probably be... getting mistaken for a lost noble girl when they visit the elven kingdoms and being too shy/softspoken to explain they got it wrong to the point he does find himself dressed for the part and standing before the family before he finally pipes up that he's not actually their runaway daughter. Ashe sent the dress to Faelen's mother who was beside herself with laughter and still reminds Faelen of this when he visits home.

#ooc #about the muse #musings;Azure #musings;Aria #musings;Ashe #musings;Cerelia #musings; Faelen #musings; Shiro #musings; Kuro #musings;Ian

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theshatteredrose · 2 years

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The Necromancer’s Cauldron (Chapter 7) - Etrian Odyssey 5 Fanfiction

AN: Sorry for the wait, I got distracted with Pokemon Violet, not to mention I had to get medical botox for my migraines and that didn’t exactly go well. Anywho, hope you enjoy reading~

Ao3 | Wattpad | Inkitt | FFNet

Chapter 7:

The sun was dipping toward the horizon as the carriage pulled out the front of the Crescentia. It was about mid-afternoon, only a few hours of sunlight left. It was something that caused Zohar yet more concern. Unsurprisingly, the dark of night was the preferred time for wraiths and other unearthly entities to reveal themselves and wander the mortal realm, as he put it.

Jumping out of the carriage, Drayce idly rubbed his throat. Zohar had used Theodore’s spiritual energy to offer him some healing relief, while also dismissing his ghostly companion to get some much-needed rest in the ethereal realm. He had reassured him that the skin had not been broken, but the grip was sure to leave a bit of bruising. Enough to have Ashton and Blayke fussing over him relentlessly, no doubt.

That fussing would have to wait, however. They had a name for the knight that went on a minor rampage through the city. Hopefully, the name would help them uncover who had stolen the Blood Cauldron. Or at least point them in the direction of why it was stolen.

“Drayce!”

Kamali’s voice calling his name in alarm caused Drayce to snap his head up, immediately pulling himself out of his musings. His concern grew further when he found the usually placid and calm warlock hurrying over to him.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Those entities,” Kamali blurted out, slightly breathless. “They’ve been seen all over the city.”

Drayce felt his stomach clench. “What?”

Next to him, Zohar bristled and he abruptly summoned a still irritated Theodore. “We must do something. And quickly. If those entities taste mortal flesh, they’ll only grow in strength.”

Without waiting for a response, Zohar abruptly turned on his heel and raced out into the city streets, Theodore following him closely.

Drayce turned, unconsciously throwing out his arm in the direction of his guildmate. “Zohar, wait!”

Kamali grabbed his arm with both of his hands, ensuring that Drayce didn’t follow the determined necromancer. “He’s right. We have to do something.”

And they couldn’t let Zohar do all the work by himself.

“Right. Where is everyone?”

Kamali pointed to the Crescentia’s entrance; the twin doors wide open. “Inside. We’re unsure of what to do exactly.”

Drayce hurried inside with Kamali right behind him. He made it into the foyer before he was confronted by Blayke, his best friend already decked out in his armour, his rapier situated by his side.

“Drayce?” he asked him questioningly, his face creased in irritation and concern.

“I know,” Drayce said toward the fencer, taking note that the rest of his guild had gathered in the front seating room. They all turned to him the moment they felt his presence, each wearing varying degrees of uncertainty and fear. All turning to him, the leader of the guild, for direction.

He wished there was something he could say to reassure them, but unfortunately, he needed to ask three of his guildmates to head out into danger with him. He didn’t like it. He truly didn’t.

“We have no choice; we’ll need to split up. Everyone, do whatever it takes to keep your distance. Do not, under any circumstances, let them physically attack. Blakye, maintain your armour. Kamali, ranged elemental attacks. Caelem, get the Shining Lotus; it’s natural light ability will dispatch these entities. Faelen, you and Nashoba stay here.”

“But-!” Faelen immediately began to protest and Drayce swiftly interrupted him.

“With Salim, Tokala, and Runihura still recovering, and with Ashton and Shashi researching, I need you to protect everyone here at the Crescentia. Lock the place down.”

Theoretically, Faelen’s archery would prove crucial in long-ranged battles. But he was young. And Drayce was protective. If all wendigos looked like that skeleton abomination from the cemetery, he didn’t want the therian to endure witnessing something like that.

“Fiorello, I need you to be at the ready in case someone is injured.”

The skilled botanist wore a serious express. “I’m aware of these wendigos.”

“I was hoping you were.” Probably due to his closeness to Zohar. But if not…

He shook his head. That was something to ponder about later. “Everyone, if you get injured, return to the Crescentia immediately. Everyone got that?”

“Yes!”

“Good.” Drayce took a moment to inspect his cannon. “Now, be careful and good luck.”

Blayke and Kamali immediately turned and raced through the front doors while Caelem raced up the stairs, taking two steps at a time.

Slipping the strap of his weapon over his shoulder, Drayce turned to also move out the doors. Only to pause after a half stepped and turned his attention to his guild’s talented researchers. “Shashi, the knight’s name is Chevell.”

Shashi nodded his head. “Understood. Leave it to us.”

“Don’t do anything foolish, Drayce,” Ashton immediately warned, fussy as always.

Drayce shot the caretaker a grin over his shoulder as he raced out the door. “Have some faith in me, Ash!”

His smile soon slipped from his lips. He needed to focus. He had complete faith in Blayke, Kamali, and Caelem. But worry was still prevalent. He didn’t like the idea of them splitting up. He truly didn’t. Maybe it would be best for them to act as a team. Like they would in the labyrinth.

Yet, spreading out to deal with the wendigos made the most sense. Deal with the problem, help those in need, even advise others how to battle against such enemies. With attacks across the city, they needed to be everywhere at once.

He just couldn’t help but worry. He often made fun of Ashton’s fussy tendencies, but Drayce was the same with his guildmates. He trusted them. They knew how to handle themselves.

But there was always that little voice in the back of his head whispering “what if?”

A shrill scream of surprise pulled Drayce back into focus. He was close to the marketplace, and from the crowd of panicked people fleeing the area, there was no doubt that a wendigo was around.

Drayce pushed himself through the crowds, his path constantly interrupted by the scared and the confused. He had to lift his weapon over his head to ensure he didn’t accidently shoot someone.

Finally, he reached the centre of the markets. Stores were still open, lights of lanterns in the process of being lit. It was dark under the domed ceiling of the centre markets. Where the permanent stalls resided.

Slightly breathless from his fight through the crowds, Drayce readied his weapon as he glanced around quickly. The arena was mostly empty, with only a few citizens running about in confusion and panic.

Something had clearly terrified the people of the markets.

And he soon saw what that thing was.

A skeleton. Similar to the one that had attacked Drayce at the cemetery. This skeleton still had shreds of clothing falling off of its frame, indicating that it wasn’t that old. It wasn’t from the old cemetery then. Maybe the newer one?

Drayce flicked the safety off of his cannon as the wendigo unexpectedly dropped down onto all fours and scurried in a spider like manner toward an empty shop. And latched itself upon the wall. How it was able to find grip to do such a thing, Drayce could only speculate.

Currently, it didn’t matter. Not when it scurried hurriedly over to a group of locals. The guard that stood with the ground was attempting to bring order to the chaos, but with that skeleton entity, crawling on all fours like some kind of crab, skittering across the walls, it was hard to bring calm to the situation.

The skeleton scurried along the brick walls and onto the high arching ceiling. Directly above where the guard stood, unaware of his surroundings. Whether he was the wendigos target, or the people that the guard was attempting to calm was irrelevant.

Drayce raised his gun. The angle was steep, and the speed of the skeleton was a problem. But he should at the very least draw attention toward himself.

A split second after he squeezed the trigger, a loud echoing crack was heard, and Drayce winced slightly from the recoil. He truly wasn’t used to aiming so high. Thankfully, his aim had been good enough to strike the skeleton, causing it to drop from the ceiling and onto the ground.

The sound it made as it hit the hard, stone paved grounds of the marketplace was truly unsettling. The literal sound of bones breaking and snapping.

Had it been defeated?

No. The bones began to piece themselves back together. Like some unworldly, and terrifying jigsaw puzzle. The power of the spell used to draw the skeleton from their graves was all that was keeping the bones together. Allowing them to move. To hunt.

What a terrifying ability…

“Go, get out of here!” He ordered toward the guard, who had finally realised how close he was to the cause of the mayhem. “I’ll deal with this thing.”

The guard didn’t stop to demand answers, and thankfully didn’t freeze into place as the grey skeleton jerkily arose to its feet. He immediately went back to work, ushering the frightened citizens to evacuate in an orderly fashion.

The wendigo seemed to have its attention directed toward Drayce, but he summoned a Decoy Shield for extra security. The mana of the shield should gain the entities attention. And keep it.

Drayce took a step back just as the wendigo lurched forward, to latch itself upon the shield. It…acted so animalistic. Gnawing onto the etheric shield, gnashing its teeth in an attempt to tear off pieces of flesh that didn’t exist. The skeleton was that of an earthlain, but it’s movements…

It was…barbaric.

Shaking his head to rid himself of the discomfort, Drayce pressed the butt of his cannon against his shoulder and steeled himself to take a shot. He shot at the chest cavity first, but only managed to break off fragments of bone. And the wendigo continued to savagely attack the shield.

Drayce summoned a second to keep it busy, wracking his brain of what to do as the wendigo destroyed the first shield and promptly leapt onto the second.

The next best place he thought to aim for was the head. It truly was the only solid bone of the entire skeleton. And it felt that was where the magic used to form such an entity was stored.

As he squeezed the trigger once more, all he could do was hope that he was right.

Another loud crack echoed through the arena. The shot had been accurate, striking the skull on the left side, breaking off chunks of bone as the bullet passed through. As the pieces of the skull disperse, the body stiffened violently, before…breaking down, bone by bone, until it was a crumbled heap on the ground.

Drayce breathed a sigh of relief.

He was right! The skull. Destroying the skull released the power keeping the entity together. Like cutting the strings from a puppet.

He hoped the others had figured that out, too.

Ok. He knew what to do now. It should make things easier. He needed to clear the area of the markets before moving onto elsewhere.

More importantly; he needed to find Syrik and make sure he was ok.

Moving deeper into the mostly empty marketplace, Drayce entered an open area where travelling merchants would set up their shops. And was startled by the sight of a certain brounii rushing across his path, with a large knapsack on his back.

And a skeleton creeping on all fours after him!

Drayce automatically summoned a Decoy Shield in the direct path of the Wendigo, forcing it to crash headfirst into it. Its frame crumbled from the impact, but it soon etched itself together once more. And to latch onto the shield.

“Syrik!” Drayce called out as he darted forward to stand protectively in front of him. “You ok?”

Syrik looked startled for a brief moment, confused by Drayce’s sudden appearance. But he soon smiled broadly, relief prevalent in his eyes and expression. “Whew, in one piece!”

“Did that thing manage to land a blow?” He asked as he summoned another Decoy Shield.

“No. Never thought I’d be so pleased with my short stature.” Syrik suddenly dropped his knapsack onto the ground and reached into it. After a few seconds, he pulled out a small cardboard box. “By the way, use these!”

Drayce caught the package instinctively and as he glanced at the label, he realised that they were a pack of bullets. Specialised bullets. Perfect!

Slipping one of the bullets into the chamber, Drayce steeled himself for battle once more. He knew he had to aim for the skull. He just hoped that this Wendigo stood still long enough to get a decent shot int.

Free from physical restrictions, the wendigo moved quickly and erratically between the two etheric shields. Scurrying around on all fours, its empty sockets focused upon him, its jaw snapping open and shut as if it was readying itself to taste mortal flesh.

The Decoy Shields wasn’t enough. They were made up of etheric energy, but as Zohar had already warned him, they wanted mortal flesh. And they would do whatever it took to get it.

Without warning, wendigo lunged at him.

Drayce hardly had time to aim. He managed to lift his cannon high enough to press the muzzle against the centre of the wendigo’s ribcage. At such short range, hopefully the shot would be enough to push the entity back. Far enough for him to aim for the skull

Yet, as the bullet ripped through the chest cavity, sending shards of bone into the air, the wendigo gave out a ghastly shriek. And then the bones crumbled to the ground, into a messy and disorganised pile.

It was defeated?

“Whew,” Syrik uttered again as he rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand, somehow still able to smile impishly despite the chaos. “Bullets that have been blessed by Shamans. Glad to know that they really do work on those wendigos!”

Huh, so he was aware of wendigos, too. Though, that probably shouldn’t be a surprise. He was a brounii merchant. Drayce would have to have a friendly chat with Syrik sometime. He was sure to be filled with knowledge on brounii myths and legends himself.

Before that, though…

Drayce ejected the spent shell casting and promptly replaced it with a live round. “I owe you one, Syrik. You may this day a whole lot easier.” He racked his gun. “Now, get somewhere safe. I got some work to do.”

“You got it! Before that, here!” Syrik remained surprisingly cheerful, unfazed by the chaos. He suddenly threw a couple of blue glassed bottles at him, which Drayce instinctively caught. “Have some blessed holy water as well!”

Drayce slipped the waters into his jacket pocket. “And I owe you again! Stay safe!”

It honestly felt wrong to leave Syrik behind. To essentially leave him to defend for himself. But he needed to continue his work. He needed to find and stop those Wendigos before they tasted mortal flesh. That was something that troubled Zohar the most. They grew stronger after tearing at flesh.

The specialised bullets and holy waters may be enough to stop them now, in their current state. But would they work after they tasted flesh?

A flash of white from the corner of his eye prompted Drayce to skid to a stop and automatically summon a Decoy Shield several feet in front of him. As he raised his cannon, another skeleton flung itself from its perch on top of a stone pillar and land atop of the etheric shield.

Its movements were feral as it attempted to tear the shield apart. It brought a shiver to Drayce’s spin. He hoped to whatever higher being was listening that he wouldn’t stumble across a citizen as a victim.

It would be too nightmarish to endure.

Raising his weapon, Drayce fired off another round. Shards of bone flew into the air like confetti. And, like previous encounters, the bones stilled as an otherworldly shriek cut through the air. Then, it crumbled to the ground. In an unmoving heap.

Drayce uttered a sigh as he ejected the spent casting and quickly reloaded. Ok, that was three. How many more were there?

The sensation of something hitting the side of his foot caused Drayce to jump and he immediately looked down at the ground. Expecting the sight of a skeletal hand grasping onto his boot.

Instead, he saw a familiar black orb with a yellow beak and two little yellow bird legs. Of which were kicking in the air, attempting to roll itself upright.

“Raven?” Drayce murmured as he reached out and snared the strange little wraith with his hand. “What are you doing here?”

“I wasn’t sleeping in the marketplace, before you ask.”

Drayce snapped his head up at the familiar voice. “Kyrell?”

The purple-haired necromancer walked over to him, a polite, if passive smile upon his lips. “This city seems to be in quite the bother, though. You perhaps know why?”

Drayce resisted the urge to raise an eyebrow. From that question, asked in a peaceful if oblivious manner, he assumed that Kyrell had indeed been sleeping somewhere within the marketplace.

Of course, that wasn’t the most important thing right now.

“It’s, ah…” It was probably best for Drayce to be honest with Kyrell. He was a necromancer, after all. He would want to know, wouldn’t he?

“Someone stole the Blood Cauldron and is using it to create wendigos.”

Kyrell’s eyes narrowed sharply, even as his expression remained polite. Raven fluttered from Drayce’s hand to move to land on Kyrell’s shoulder, the necromancer’s smile becoming terse. “Is that so?”

He certainly didn’t sound pleased. Which wasn’t a surprise.

Drayce uttered another sigh as he turned his gaze to suspect their surroundings. His eyes soon flickered down to the ground. To the pile of aging bones.

“I hate desecrating someone’s bones like that,” he murmured, guilt settling in the pit of his stomach. “I wish I knew who they were, so they could be place back where they rested.”

“Ah, perhaps I can help with that.” Kyrell stepped forward and rested his hand upon Drayce’s shoulder. He looked upon him in a calm, positively caring manner. “Getting into contact with the spirit shall give me the names needed. Do not worry; I will not reanimate them.”

That was honestly incredibly reassuring.

“Thank you, I really appreciate it.”

Kyrell gave his shoulder an encouraging squeeze. “They will understand that you are simply protecting yourself and others. Now, go, and don’t worry.”

Drayce nodded his head, his energy renewed. “Right. Be careful.”

“And you.”

#Etrian Odyssey #etrian odyssey 5 #fanfiction #the treasure seeker #the necromancer's cauldron

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theshatteredrose · 2 years

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The Necromancer’s Cauldron (Chapter 3) - Etrian Odyssey 5 Fanfiction

AN: Whew, sorry for the wait. Been a hectic couple of weeks, especially health wise. Also, this chapter turned out longer than expected. Isn’t that always the way? Anyway, hope you enjoy reading!

Ao3 | Wattpad | Inkitt | FFNet

Chapter 3:

“This floor is just filled with those damn stone walls and statues.”

Drayce could only nod along to Blayke’s grumbling. He was right, though. They had been walking around the third floor for about twenty-minutes already, choosing to be cautious by inspecting their surroundings. They didn’t want to simply plough along, pushing over statues without first taking note of their environment. After all, the stone walls could unleash something they rather not deal with.

Yet, it seemed the only way to move forward through the floor was to do just that.

“Our best bet is to push over every statue we come across and hope we’ll eventually find the stairs to the next floor,” Drayce mused.

He felt kinda bad about it, honestly. The statues were rather adorable, after all. He wondered who made them; celestians? From ancient texts, they were the ones who prepared the labyrinth to be sealed shortly after the Legendary War, so they were likely the ones.

Why golems, though? They must have some significance. He might have to ask for more of Shashi’s endless wisdom.

Nashoba suddenly standing to attention immediately pulled Drayce from his idle musings. He glanced down at the white wolf, taking note of how he was staring forward, ears straight up on the top of his head and his tail stock still. He didn’t appear aggressive or anxious, however.

Faelen ran his fingers through the fur of his wolf companion, instinctively reassuring him. “I think there’s someone else here.”

That wasn’t much of a surprise. There had been an influx of explorers lately, after all.

Bolstered by Nashoba’s curious reaction, Drayce led the party in the direction the loyal wolf was focused in. A few moments later, they encountered a small alcove amongst the greenery and trees.

And at the base of a particularly luscious tree sat a figure. Head down, arms across the chest, breathing softly. Next to him, sat on the ground was a black ball with a yellow beak and two yellow bird feet.

Drayce felt the corner of his mouth twitched into an amused half smile as he hushed his bemused teammates. It was the guy from yesterday. Asleep. Much in the same position as yesterday, too! He hoped the guy hadn’t slept all night in the labyrinth.

Before Drayce could call out to them, Raven, the little blob noticed them first. If the loud, chirp-like noise it made was any indication. It was enough to stir necromancer Kyrell from his slumber; a snort followed by the righting of the head. He quickly turned his head in Drayce’s direction, catching his gaze immediately.

“Ah,” Kyrell uttered as a polite smile spread across his lips. “We meet again.”

“With you sleeping,” Drayce countered, having no hesitancy in approaching the other man. “Do you have a habit of sleeping in the labyrinth?”

Kyrell stretched his arms over his head, completely relaxed and unfazed. “Ah, I suppose I do. I have the tendency to fall asleep in random places. It can be rather…what’s the word, unwise?”

There was probably a lot of other words to describe it, but he’d go with that. “I can certainly understand that.”

Blayke nudged at Drayce’s shoulder to get his attention. “Is this the guy you told us about yesterday?”

Drayce nodded. “Right. Anyway, let me introduce you to my guild. This is Blayke, Kamali, Caelem, Faelen and Nashoba. Guys, this is Kyrell.”

As a series of polite greetings were exchanged, two little appendages sprouted out from Raven’s sides. They appeared to be wings, he using them to take to the air momentarily. And to perch himself on the top of Drayce’s head.

“And this is Raven.”

He certainly was a curious little wraith.

Kamali’s eyes widen a fraction as he stared in open surprise. “A wraith?”

“That’s one weird looking wraith,” Blayke just could not help but add, even though he was pretty accurate.

A strange sound suddenly emanated from the wraith. A sound that was similar to the noise someone emitted when they stuck their tongue out at someone while exhaling. What did the oldies call it? A raspberry? Which was what Raven must have done, if the looks of surprise on his companions faces followed by Blayke looking annoyed and the others trying to smother unexpected laughter.

Man, Blayke and wraiths simply could not get along, huh?

Kyrell pushed himself to his feet and idly patted himself down, brushing off bits of grass and twigs. He soon stood tall and sent Drayce a small smile as Raven fluttered over to rest on his shoulder. “Now that I am awake, do you mind if I join you for this venture?”

Drayce felt the urge to immediately reply. The guy, and his strange little wraith, appeared harmless. If a little reckless, or maybe just ditzy, for falling asleep in random locations around the labyrinth. He, however, wanted to be considerate of his teammates’ feelings. If they felt even the slightest bit uncomfortable, he would make some kind of excuse to decline Kyrell’s offer.

Other than the scowl of protectiveness on Blayke’s face, which was honestly just his resting face, no one had any protests.

“Sure, we don’t mind,” Drayce replied.

Kyrell presented him with a polite smile while Raven squeaked loudly, seemingly fluttering his stubby little wings happily.

“Well, let’s retrace our steps,” Drayce instructed. “We’ve got some golems we need to bully.”

… … … … …

Caelem crouched down in front of a moss-covered statue of smooth grey stone. He inched his fingers beneath the foundation until he found the best place to gain leverage. He took a moment to prepare himself, before the muscles in his arms and back tensed. Yet, it looked effortless on his part as he swiftly lifted the solid stone golem statue and threw it backwards, revealing an ancient lever mechanism.

Before the statue could settle in its new position, a loud grinding sound echoed through the air. Drayce glanced over his shoulder, watching the tail end as a stone wall slid down into the ground, revealing a hidden doorway.

“And that’s the fourth statue,” Drayce said as he turned his attention back toward Caelem. “You doing ok, Cal?”

Caelem effortlessly hefted himself to his feet. “Yes,” he said with a smile as he idly brushed at the grass off of his clothing. “They’re not that heavy now that I know how to lift them.”

Therians were known for their super strength, and Drayce himself was aware of it. It was still a sight to behold, watching as Caelem effortless throw a six-foot tall boulder around.

Even so, everyone had a limit.

“Let me know if you get tired and we’ll call it a day. I don’t want you pulling a muscle.”

They also need to be on their guard. They had been roaming around the labyrinth for a good few hours now, navigating winding and narrow paths and clearings. And yet they hadn’t encountered a single monster. Not even a rabid acorn, and those little blighters were everywhere. Yet, they hadn’t been accosted by anything. Nashoba hadn’t reacted to negatively or protectively, either.

He wasn’t complaining about the lack of monster activity, don’t get him wrong. He was just curious. And he wondered if it was because of the larger than normal party. With Kyrell added temporarily to their ranks, there were seven of them.

That was what he hoped, at least. And the monsters of this floor weren’t somehow plotting to ambush them at some point in the future.

Drayce was pulled from his thoughts by a high-pitched ‘squawk!’. He jumped, instinctively placing his hand on his weapon as he prepared himself for possibly summoning a decoy shield. Before he switched to battle mode, as it were, he turned toward Kyrell and Raven. Only to find the tall, purple-skinned celestian unfazed. Calm, if a little bit airy as he continued to smile politely.

“Wha-?”

“My apologises for Raven.” Kyrell reached up and patted Raven lightly before he turned and unexpectedly plucked a small red apple from a nearby tree. “He just saw a Moon Apple. He enjoys snacking on them, you could say.”

Snacking? Wraiths could eat food?

It was a revelation that Kamali seemed to find baffling, too, as he immediately turned his blue eyes toward Raven. He appeared truly puzzled as he watched Kyrell offer the apple to Raven, and for the truly strange wraith to start pecking at the fruit rapidly.

“He…eats?” Kamali murmured.

“Not necessarily,” Kyrell replied. “He just likes the texture. It makes him feel alive.”

Oh. Of course. It’s understandable that wraiths miss being alive. Hunger for their favourite foods. Their sight, sense of smell, perhaps even their memories remained. But the ability to touch, to feel warmth was forever lost to them.

That…that must be so painful.

Still odd to watch a black ball with a yellow beat peck away at an apple.

Kamali continued to study the peculiar wraith, no less confused or fascinated. “I can sense a strong deposit of mana. He is your companion wraith?”

“That is correct.”

“I must say, I have never seen a wraith like him before,” Kamali revealed, appearing somewhat unsettled. “Even in text.”

Kyrell pulled the moon apple away and idly tossed the heavily blemished fruit into the dense foliage around them. “Raven is unique, you could say.”

Drayce couldn’t help but feel that Kyrell was hiding something. Purposely being vague. Which he had every right to be. He had his reasons. And they were virtually strangers, so Drayce had no right to start demanding answers.

He was very curious about the two, however.

“Um,” Faelen uttered as he approached the tall necromancer. “Can I hold Raven?”

Still wearing that polite smile, Kyrell reached up and wrapped the entirety of his hand around Raven as he picked him up. Only the yellow feet were seen through his fingers. He lowered his arm, prompting Faelen to hold out his hands in a cupping motion. And he simply dropped the odd little wraith into Faelen’s hands.

Faelen cupped his hands around the wraith. “He’s so…squishy. He’s squishier than Theodore.”

Seriously? And that ghostly wraith was super squishy and elastic.

“Pat him on the head,” Kyrell suddenly instructed.

And Faelen didn’t hesitate to do as told, earning himself a couple of high-pitched and very amusing squeaks from Raven in response. Faelen was at first surprised by the sound before his soon fell into the giggles. Nashoba even reacted at the noise; raising his head in alertness and his ears perking straight up.

“He’s a squeaky toy!” Faelen laughed. “I think Nashoba wants to play fetch now.”

Kyrell tilted his head to the side for a moment. “Now that may be an interesting prospect. Why not give it a try?”

Faelen raised his head quickly and looked up, wide-eyed at Kyrell. “Wh-what? I couldn’t,” he began.

“Nonsense,” Kyrell replied, dismissive of his worries. “Just pull your arm back and hurl him as far as you can. He won’t mind.”

With Faelen looking uncertain, Drayce felt the protective urge to step in, to either reassure the young rover or to get the subject to drop. But he also noted that Raven did not squark in protest. He continued to sit in Faelen’s hands, like a bouncy black ball, only it’s white eyes and yellow peak noticeable.

He was honestly curious to see what would happen.

“Go on, Fae.” Drayce chose the encouragement option. “If Raven objected, he’d let us know.”

Faelen continued to look hesitant for a few more seconds before he finally turned, searching for the ideal place to play. Thankfully, they stood in a slight clearing so he chose a direction away from the everyone. He pulled back his arm, Raven unfazed in his hand, and with a step forward, he threw the wraith in a high arch in the air.

He obviously did not throw the wraith with his full strength, still hesitant. And, well, who wouldn’t be? Playing fetch with a wraith was a ridiculous concept.

“Fetch, Nashoba!”

Yet, that was exactly what was happening. The white wolf darted forward before Raven even hit the ground, and when he did, he literally bounced. Like a rubber ball. Bouncing along the grass. With Nashoba scuttering after him, jumping and hopping in an attempt to catch the make-shift ball in mid-air.

He finally managed to snare the wraith and swiftly spun around, rushing back to Faelen to drop Raven at his feet. And for Nashoba to jump back, dropping down to his belly as his tail wagged playfully. Happily.

And Raven? No protest. No attempt to flicker away to the astral plain like what Theodore would do when feeling sulky. He just sat at Faelen’s feet, eyes staring up at him almost expectantly.

Faelen hastily bent down and picked Raven up. He then unexpectedly turned to Caelem. “Cal, you throw him. You’ll throw him further than I can.”

Caelem blinked, clearly taken aback by the request from a cheerful Faelen. He stared down at Raven for a moment, noting that he was indeed not protesting in the slightest. He finally moved to pick him up, but in the same way one would pick up a simple rubber ball. After taking a moment to inspect the clearing, he pulled his arm back and hurled Raven into the air once more.

Nashoba immediately leapt up and gave chase, a flurry of grass and soil behind him.

Drayce couldn’t help it, he laughed in true amusement at the absurdity of it all. Now that was a sight to behold! Raven certainly was quite the character. As was Kyrell.

Something cool resting against his forehead surprised Drayce from his observations. He turned his head slightly to the side to see that it was Kyrell who had reached up and rest his palm flush against his forehead.

“Hm? You appeared quite flustered,” he said, a soft frown on his lips.

“Huh?” Kyrell pulled his hand back, prompting Drayce to rest up to press his own hand against his forehead. And was startled by the steamy heat radiating off of the skin. “Oh, just feeling a little overheated, I guess.”

Now that he took a moment to assess the environment, it was quite hot in the labyrinth. A stifling kind of heat.

“You want to sit for a bit?” Blayke asked him, immediately with that protective tone of his, as he pointed to an area over Drayce’s shoulder. “There’s some shade over there.”

Drayce felt the instinctual urge to protest, to insist that he was fine and not to worry. But they had been in the labyrinth for hours. It was probably even after midday, in the hottest time of day. The others were probably realising how tired and hot they were, too.

“Actually, that would be a good idea. Need to ensure the maps are accurate. All these switches and hidden doors can be a bit confusing.”

That seemed to satisfied Blayke enough for him not to nag at him. Instead, he led the way to the shady corner of the clearing, stalking forward to inspect the area for any threats. The lack of drawing of a weapon was enough reassurance, so Drayce stepped forward, also.

He kicked his shield into its stand as he shrugged off his jacket. He draped the piece of clothing over his shield, feeling an immediate refreshing relief. He was a lot hotter than he figured, which was probably alarming. Maybe he should get a drink or two to help with the cooling down process. Though, he couldn’t imagine they would stay much longer in the labyrinth.

No need to map the entire place hastily and in one day.

“Cal, Fae; we’re taking a break,” Drayce called out to the two therians. “You two continue to play with Nashoba and Raven. They appear to be having fun.”

“Kay,” Faelen replied with an eager Nashoba in front of him and a passive Raven in his hands.

What a tolerant wraith.

It was nice to see Nashoba being playful, acting like a young pup, though. And it was good to see Faelen strengthening his bond with his wolf companion. Caelem seemed to be having fun, also.

Drayce dropped down onto the grass and pulled out his mapping utensils. He turned his gaze to his companions, Blayke sitting to his left with Kamali next to him, while Kyrell sat cross-legged to his right. “You two alright?” he asked, noting that they had their fair share of armour and protective clothing.

Kamali nodded. “Environmental changes do not bother me due to my warlock abilities. But I can make some ice, should you need it.”

“Thankfully, I don’t need something like that yet, but it is reassuring to know.” Elemental and magic users truly were a god send. “And you, Blayke?”

Blayke leaned back to rest on his hands as he stretched out his legs in front of him. “I’m fine. My armour isn’t as heavy as yours.”

Drayce resisted to roll his eyes. Blayke was allowed to be dismissive of his health status, but God forbid anyone for doing the same. Protective hypocrite.

Kamali pulled his legs into a lotus position and rested his hands upon his knees. “This is quite the floor.”

“Pretty annoying, but at least we haven’t had to deal with monsters every few steps,” Blayke added. “Gotta say that all these doors and switches are suspicious, though.”

“Right?” Drayce rested his map upon his knee. “I wonder if they’re also hiding something on this floor. Or if this was a line of defence to prevent anyone from exploring the labyrinth?”

Kamali immediately nodded his head in agreement. “I think that may be the case. To ensure that another invasion will be as difficult as possible.”

Yeah, that definitely sounded plausible. The Legendary War was devasting. No one wished for that to be repeated. Ever.

“Yet, the switches can be deactivated,” Kyrell reminded. “That surely was not an error.”

That was also very true. It was quite the large oversight, if they wanted to seal the labyrinth. Not to mention that if someone was desperate or determined to explore, they would find other ways. Scaling the outside of the giant tree was an option, after all.

“So, the ancient Celestians anticipated that the labyrinth would be reopened some day?” Drayce mused.

Kyrell gave a rather sagely nod of his head, that polite smile still on his lips. “That is what I believe. It holds many precious resources, after all.”

“That is true.” Kamali turned his gaze toward the grass before him, and he took a hold of his own chin. In a stance reminiscent of his brother. “The first two floors are without traps. That must be by design, as well. Curious.”

Blayke pulled a leg toward his chest and he draped his arms casually around it. “Shoving over a statue is hard enough. You’d need several guys or a couple of therians to place them back into place.”

Kyrell gave another slight tilt of his head. “Again, I believe that is by design. If Therians are searching the labyrinth, then it is a sign that they are on good terms with the Earthlain royal family. Of course, I cannot be certain.”

“Interesting theory, nonetheless,” Drayce replied.

He may have to look into it. The events in the days and years following the climax of the Legendary War were muddled with insecurities and protective lies. One thing that was certain was that the relationships between the four races were strained. He knew how the Earthlain royal family had reunited with the Celestians, but what of the other races?

Something coming to rest against his forehead pulled Drayce from his musings once more. Strangely, he immediately knew it was a hand. And that hand belonged to Kyrell.

“Ah,” Kyrell made a sound of relief, still smiling gently. “You’re looking brighter.”

Drayce unexpectedly flushed lightly. “Am I? A rest really can do wonders to a guy,” he murmured as Kyrell pulled his hand back.

“You know,” Blayke suddenly drawled, rather displeased. “You are acting very chummy with Drayce.”

Drayce felt his flush deepen, a rather strange session, as he whipped his head around to regard the scowling, blue-haired fencer. “Blayke, dude.” He didn’t have a problem with Blayke’s protectiveness, but his frankness might not be appreciated by everyone.

Kyrell, rather unexpectedly, laughed good-naturedly, maybe even dismissively in response. Unfazed by the glare from the fencer. “Am I? I apologise. Drayce reminds me of someone I used to know. Someone who is quite…” he trailed quietly.

His polite expression faltered for just a moment, his bright pink eyes becoming dull in that thousand-yard stare one took on when they became lost in their thoughts. Or memories. As he stared into nothingness, the calm politeness evolved into an expression of sheer, emotional pain.

It latest only a moment, and yet so much seemed to happen. And, somehow, Drayce managed to catch it all.

“Delicate,” Kyrell continued, snapping back to his carefree, airy appearance. “It’s natural reflex of me to be fussy, I do suppose.”

“That so?” Blayke continued to scowl, as protective as always, likely not noting the abrupt but subtle shift in Kyrell’s demeanour. “Who’s does Drayce remind you of? A friend?”

Kyrell gave yet another sharp tilt of his head. “Indeed. He is someone I hope to reunite with one day. But first…I must prepare a few things.”

Drayce tilted his head to the side. “Prepare?”

Nashoba giving a sudden loud growl of warning immediately prompted Drayce to sit up in attention. The white wolf stood in the centre of the clearing, heckles raised and head down in an aggressive stance. Both Caelem and Faelen were tense, the two staring in the same direction as Nashoba. In the direction of where a narrow path was found.

“What’s wrong?” Blayke was the one to ask as he scrambled to his feet, hand resting on the hilt of his rapier.

“I think something’s coming,” Faelen replied.

That was enough for Drayce to take to his own feet, immediately grabbing his protective jacket and slipping it on. He took a moment to slip his map and utensils into the inside pocket before he snatched up his cannon.

“You three, over here,” Drayce ordered.

Faelen moved forward to snare Nashoba by the collar, Caelem instinctively following to stand guard over him. As Faelen dragged Nashoba along with him, Drayce grabbed a hold of his shield and took on his defensive stance.

Not a moment later, something large entered the clearing.

It didn’t just walk in. No; it stalked in. It’s large, muscular arms swung out from its sides aggressively. Tall, in various shades of brown. Body of a large bear, but the head of an owl. And it appeared to be fuming. It gave the distinct impression that it was ranting loudly in its head about some grievous crime. It honestly reminded Drayce of an overly angry pugilist, storming off with the sole intention of punching someone in the face as punishment for a wrong.

“Ah, yes, an Owl Beast,” Kyrell uttered in casual realisation as Raven settled comfortably upon his shoulder. “We better run.”

“Huh?”

“This one is quite aggressive, you could say.”

As if responding to Kyrell’s words, the monster whipped its owl-shaped head in their direction. It’s attention then became super focused, its rage building at an alarming rate. It was as if the mere sight of them was a great, unearthly offense to all things living. Or something.

Kyrell turned to give his full attention to the party, still acting far too casual. “Shall we run now?”

“Yes!”

… … … … …

Drayce leaned forward in his seat, arms folded atop of the dining table. With a cool, icy drink in front of him, and a late lunch pending, he was content to listen to Faelen excitedly explain in detail what had occurred during their exploration of the fourth floor.

He was glad to be home, though. He had never seen an Owl Beast before. And he most certainly never seen one run so aggressively; bulking arms pumping at its side, head straight, eyes super focused, and feet pounding into the ground so strongly that it sent tuffs of soil and grass into the air with each step.

That certainly was an experience.

It may even have been an amusing one. If he, and his guild, weren’t the one that were running, of course.

But if there was ever a sign to call it a day in the labyrinth, that was it.

Salim, Tokala, and even Shashi listen intently as Faelen prattled about their time with the mystery necromancer, Kyrell. He was most eager to explain how he had literally played fetch with a wraith. With the wraith as an impossibly bouncy ball.

And from what he said, Raven actually had fun with the experience, if Raven scrambling upon Caelem’s arm and chirping at him until he threw him again.

What a strikingly odd, but playful wraith.

Blayke snorted out a scoff after Faelen finished detailing their hasty escape from a FOE. “The guy was a ditz.”

“He seemed nice enough,” Faelen countered.

Conversation died down slightly when Ashton entered the room with lunches for everyone. While he began to serve out the plates, Drayce noted from the corner of his eyed someone else enter the room.

While he was always pleased to see his numerous guildmates up and about, he had to admit that he was mildly disappointed that it wasn’t Zohar who walked in.

“Hey, Fio,” Drayce greeted. “Zohar still…working?”

“He appears to be.” Fiorello seemed equally displeased by this revelation.

Drayce glanced at the clock, noting that it was mid-afternoon. He had been gone since early morning. Was the…case that bad? Or had something else happened? “I hoped he at least had something to eat.”

And that he was all right…

#Etrian Odyssey #etrian odyssey 5 #fanfiction #the treasure seeker #the necromancer's cauldron

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