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Fin nods at Maka’s words…and then looks to Quasit. ”What d’ya think, Q? You have a silver tongue, unlike the rest of us…but I don’t like the thought of you going in there without us. If you like, I could go…but I suck at that and would probably screw it up. Perhaps I could conceal myself by the door and keep an eye on you?”
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"It's ok, I'll go. I'm sure Jadrenka will be mad at first, but hopefully we can work through it. Or at least take a first step or two. You all just stay here -- I don't want Jadrenka to think we're planning to ambush her or something."
"Say, I knew a bard back in Oppara once who had a spell that let you whisper messages between people at a distance. Do any of you spell casters know that one?"
Marislova leads Quasit into a huge chamber, roughly round and rising hundreds of feet upwards. A staircase climbs around the wall upwards out of sight into the darkness above. On the ground, what looks to have been a huge stalagmite has been broken off at the top, making a large sort of stage.
Upon this stage stands a tall woman, wearing a cloak of raven feathers and visibly pregnant. She looks almost like the mother of the maiden who met you with the 'cow' earlier. Around the room six young children race and play, and she smiles as she watches them.
This smile turns to a scowl as Marislova enters the room. "You! I sent you to your room, how dare you come out without my permission!" she scolds, then looks to Quasit. "And you! Abusing my hospitality by letting her out! You should be ashamed of yourselves!"
"But what did I do wrong?" Marislova interjects.
"You know very well what you did wrong," the woman snaps, "And acting innocent is just getting you in deeper trouble."
It's pretty clear from Marislova's confused, despairing expression that she has no clue what she supposedly did wrong.
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"We came upon her by accident. We couldn't just leave her locked up." counters Quasit.
"Look, Jadrenka, for what it's worth, I believe Marislova when she says she doesn't know what she's done that has upset you so much. This poor woman is heartsick with love for you and has been following us about this complex looking only for you."
"You know, this may be none of my business, but maybe it's time you two tried to talk this out. I don't know how long you planned to leave this poor girl locked up, but I think you've made your point. At some point, you either have to try to find a way to trust her again, or send her away and move on. You can't keep life and love locked up."
"This is about your happiness as much as anything. You're trying to protect your own heart from pain, but you're also denying yourself any chance for real love and tenderness from this girl. Trusting is hard, but it's what love is all about -- you have to risk the pain. But you can start slow-- make a bargain to test her love. Give her conditions to test her good behavior and intentions. Surely someone as clever as you can manage that. What do you say?"
"I can't say I'm the biggest fan of Quasit being off alone in this place but it doesn't look like we have much of a choice. Sakitu if she sounds like she needs back up let me charge in before you, with my armour I've got a better chance of staying on my feet after a blow from anything in this place."
Prior to entering, Selena casts message. "As the caster, I'm the only one to hear your replies, but anything I send is heard by everyone in the spell's pattern. Do keep in mind that if she can you whisper, she'll hear your message, so it's not a complete secret or anything. When you want to me to hear you, focus on spell as you whisper. It won't exactly let me hear everything you say to everyone else. It also lasts only a short time, so if you're in there for an hour the spell will have ceased long before."
Jadrenka's expression softens just the tiniest bit at Quasit's words. "There's an odd bit of wisdom to your words, child," she grudgingly admits.
Almost as quickly as the tenderness appeared, it vanishes as she turns to Marislova. "Get rid of the hair!"
Marislova blinks. "...the hair? My hair?" She reaches up towards her hair.
"Don't play innocent with me!" Jadrenka shrieks. "I know all about it! I saw it!"
Marislova's confusion is plain... just as plain as the sudden dawning of comprehension that replaces it. "That's what this is all about? That bit of hair the creepy nymph gave me?"
"Creepy nymph, was it?" Jadrenka huffs as Marislova rummages through her bag. "Don't think you can fool me..."
The half-elf actually interrupts. "If you'd just told me what this was all about, I would have done this earlier," she says as she pulls a lock of dark hair out and throws it to the ground. Marislova chants for a moment, then points, and a ray of flames lances out and burns the hair to cinders.
There's a moment of silence in the room.
There's a moment of silence in the room.
"...So should we stay outside?" Maka's voice could be heard through the door.
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"There. See? She got rid of the hair from the creepy nymph. Now everything is out in the open."
Quasit seems very relieved. And as often happens when she's feeling relieved or encouraged, she becomes garrulous.
"You know, every relationship has its rocky moments and rough edges. But it's worth sticking it out -- when you come out the other side together, its better than before, because it's been tested." She gives Marislova a little push in the back to nudge her toward Jadrenka. "You just have to be willing to work at it. So this would be the part where you both say you're sorry and make up. Or at the very least, consider not locking one another up any more."
"...So should we stay outside?"
Quasit laughs. "My friends are nervous. I think they figured you two were immediately going to try and kill each other. To be fair, it's been a rough couple days in here for us, so we're all a bit on edge."
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There's a moment of silence in the room."...So should we stay outside?" Maka's voice could be heard through the door.
Fin wonders at the silence but nods his head, whispering, ”I think we should, Maka…I think silence is a good sign as it’d be louder if they were killing each other. Q will let us know when it’s safe to enter.” He sounds more sure than he looks, though…
"Patience Maka. Now is the time to be earth, not fire." Selena says calmly as sits quite passively, seemingly relaxed against the wall.
Marislova takes a hesitant step towards Jadrenka, but stops when she holds up a hand. "We will talk more later, for now I have to work." Her stern expression turns to a sly smile. "If you wait in your room, you'll find I won't lock the doors again. For now, though, I still have work I must do."
Marislova is clearly thinking this over as Jadrenka raises her voice loud enough to be heard outside the chamber. "Come in, the lot of you. There is something we must discuss, even if you have helped... clear some things up."
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Fin smiles at Maka. ”We can go in now, Mistress of Fire…Q must’ve worked her magic well…”
Fin enters reverently and bows. ”Nice to see you again, m’Lady…”
He will listen intently to her words as she speaks, trying to get a read on Jadrenka, if possible…and he takes a quick glance about his surroundings…
"Like I always say, she's good with words." Maka replied with a toothy grin before entering the room. Moving into position to cover Quasit, Maka gave Marislova a small wave to check if she was alright.
Selena walks in with all her noble mannerisms at peak performance at the moment, including a quick curtsey and all.
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Sakitu jumps a little when the voice comes from the other chamber. "Ok. I guess it's ok." She walks timidly through the door then pauses to take in the surroundings. She cranes her neck to gaze into the darkness above where the spiraling stairs fade out of view before she looks at the woman in the center and then skittles up close to Maka.
Jadrenka watches as the party files in. Once everyone is present, she speaks. "Are you ready to sort out our big problem, dears? That vile centaur priest is calling on his demonic patron as we speak. When you find me in the Crone, you are near to the heart of things."
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Fin nods. ”Aye, m’Lady, your information is much appreciated. We will kill the evil centaur and his frost giant allies…or be killed. As it would seem time is of the essence, can you tell us the quickest way to the Crone? One of the night hags loyal to Baba Yaga, and you, told us of one way, a passage near the circle of stones. Would that way be best?“
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Jadrenka watches as the party files in. Once everyone is present, she speaks. "Are you ready to sort out our big problem, dears? That vile centaur priest is calling on his demonic patron as we speak. When you find me in the Crone, you are near to the heart of things."
Whatever relief Quasit had been feeling over the resolution of the romantic impasse seems to drain away as she realizes she's about to be sent off to more desperate battles against insanely evil creatures. She nods vaguely and finds herself watching the children play. Idle thoughts pass through her mind-- whose children were they? Were they even real? Was Jadrenka actually pregnant? And if so, why was she mad at Marislova for supposed infidelity? Or did Marislova beget the children when she was a man?
Of course she asks none of these questions. There'd be no straight answers given here, and it might make the strange guardian angry. She rubs her still squirming, knotty belly and thinks wistfully of mulled wine, a fireplace, a rocking chair and a blanket.
There *did* seem to be something a little odd about the children, though Quasit couldn't put a finger on it.
"The way beyond the stone circle is good enough, yes," Jadrenka responds.
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Fin bows to Jadrenka. ”Then by your leave, m’Lady, we’ll be heading there now…but I guess we’ll be seeing you again soon…in another form though, perhaps a bit older but still distinguished? Thank you again for your assistance…we will not fail you…”
After leaving that room, Fin will smile and nod to Quasit. ”Great job, Q…perhaps I should name you, Mistress of the Silver Tongue?”
When his friends are ready, Fin will draw his bow and lead the way back to the night hag’s room with the stone circle and take the northern passage to the Crone…
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”Great job, Q…perhaps I should name you, Mistress of the Silver Tongue?”
Quasit smirks a little and shrugs. "They did all the work. I just reminded them that the work was worth doing. Which is actually super ironic coming from me. I'm terrible at relationships."
Then she looks up at Findurel. "By the way, did those kids seem a little -- I dunno. Off? I mean, they looked normal enough but... I can't figure it out. I think maybe it was the way they were playing..." She shakes her head. "Of course, what's a normal kid that grows up with a witch mother who exists in 3 places at once in a giant terror dungeon?"
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Fin nods. ”Now that you mention it, Q…yes. Thinking on it, it was kinda surreal…kids playing like they didn’t have a worry in the world, just having fun under the watchful eyes of a smiling mother…in most environments that would be downright wholesome…but in this place, one of the most dangerous places I’ve ever been, it’s downright…off, as you put it…
“Now I wonder if they really were her children…or if they were children at all. When we meet the older Jadrenka in the Crone, do you think we might see these six ‘children’, only grown up, perhaps? Not sure if I’ll ever understand Artrosa…I’ll just be ecstatic if we survive it…”
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"I'm a little surprised she didn't, given her cow trick." says Quasit. "But maybe this time she's saving up her nasty betrayal until after we deal with the demon centaurs, since she needs us to fix things for her."
She looks back to make sure Jadrenka isn't near enough to hear.
"Frankly I'm not sure what Marislova sees in her. I know love is blind, but still. She seems kinda high maintenance."
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"She seems kinda high maintenance."
Fin nods in agreement, absent-mindedly murmuring, "Most females are high maintenance," before noticing he'd spoken aloud. Blushing deeply, he adds, "Sorry...err...that's just...from my jaded...experience...during my younger years...all of you are great...uh...I'll shut up now..."
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"Most females are high maintenance," before noticing he'd spoken aloud.
Quasit's head fairly snaps around to look at Findurel, her expression one of unfeigned surprise.
"What did you just say?" she asks, baring her metaphorical fangs.
Blushing deeply, he adds, "Sorry...err...that's just...from my jaded...experience...during my younger years...all of you are great...uh...I'll shut up now..."
Findurel's furious backpedalling seems to more than offset his momentary indiscretion, and Quasit just grins at him with her metaphorical fangs, enjoying the spectacle as she watches him sink into his own quicksand.
"No, no. Keep going. And maybe I can talk about all the fragile male egos I've coddled over the years. Oh not you of course, you and Bull are great. Feathers too."
She cocks her head and looks at Maka. "Get a fire blast ready."
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Quasit just grins at him with her metaphorical fangs, enjoying the spectacle as she watches him sink into his own quicksand."No, no. Keep going. And maybe I can talk about all the fragile male egos I've coddled over the years. Oh not you of course, you and Bull are great. Feathers too."
Almost wishing he'd never been born, Fin tries back-pedaling even more. "Uhh...no...err...you're right, Q...hmmm...we males are no picnic either...at least speaking for me...fragile male ego and all..."
She cocks her head and looks at Maka. "Get a fire blast ready."
Seeing her grin, he almost gives off a sheepish smile...but upon her comment to Maka, he thinks better of it, and he continues to wilt under her glare...
In a somber voice, he says, "You have the advantage of me, Q...I've been alive 115 years or so...and I know no more about women now than I did when I was 50; you are still a mystery to me. And every woman I've ever met, has me figured out within 5 minutes of meeting..."
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In a somber voice, he says, "You have the advantage of me, Q...I've been alive 115 years or so...and I know no more about women now than I did when I was 50; you are still a mystery to me. And every woman I've ever met, has me figured out within 5 minutes of meeting..."
"If you like, we can ask Marislova how she managed to turn from a He into a She. Maybe we can manage the same trick for you? Then all our mysteries will be revealed." offers Quasit sweetly. With metaphorical fangs.
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"If you like, we can ask Marislova how she managed to turn from a He into a She. Maybe we can manage the same trick for you? Then all our mysteries will be revealed." offers Quasit sweetly. With metaphorical fangs.
Fin's jaw drops and his eyes go wide in alarm at the mention of such a thing; he wonders how he ever dug himself into an even deeper hole...and without meaning to. "Umm...that's quite alright, Q...I'd vastly prefer to just have to learn to live with...the mystery. I'll bandy no further words with you, Q, as I think I'm sufficiently buried as it is..."
Face still reddened, he turns away and goes back to scouting the way back to the stone circle room...
By the way, did those kids seem a little -- I dunno. Off?
"They didn't really act like kids, normally kids ask to ride on my shoulders."
She cocks her head and looks at Maka. "Get a fire blast ready."
Maka slammed a fiery fist into her palm with a toothy grin.
"If you like, we can ask Marislova how she managed to turn from a He into a She. Maybe we can manage the same trick for you? Then all our mysteries will be revealed." offers Quasit sweetly. With metaphorical fangs.
As Maka's mind drifted to a female Fin, her grin grew until she was almost drooling. "That sounds like a good idea. "
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"Umm...that's quite alright, Q...I'd vastly prefer to just have to learn to live with...the mystery. I'll bandy no further words with you, Q, as I think I'm sufficiently buried as it is..."
Face still reddened, he turns away and goes back to scouting the way back to the stone circle room...
Quasit silently accepts Findurel's surrender.
Then she looks back at Sakitu and Maka and just grins like the cat who ate the canary.
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As Maka's mind drifted to a female Fin, her grin grew until she was almost drooling. "That sounds like a good idea. "
The red starts to drain from Fin's face as he pales. "Why Maka? We had fun when we...uh...err...never mind that," he says as his face turns quickly back to red again...
As Fin walks away mumbling to himself, his words trail away. "Why do I keep putting my foot, all of it, in my mouth whenever I open it? Now I'll have to sleep with one eye open around them or a I may wake up without my..."
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"Exactly, and think of the new fun we could have. Plus I want to see you draw arrows with girl shoulders."
You travel through familiar territory until heading through the passageway beyond the circle of stones. It ends in a door, engraved with a hunched-over crone. It opens to reveal a long passageway, which is dark enough that your lights seem almost swallowed up in blackness and chill enough your breath fogs the air. It twists for a little ways before ending in another door.
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Sakitu grins back at Quasit but only lightly. She blushes for Fin's sake as well.
Sakitu follows behind Quasit as they make their way through the passage into the Crone part of this whole complicated mess. Fin, as always, is leading. When he stops, Sakitu leans to the side to get a better look up ahead. There's another closed door.
"Quasit, you were probably already planning to, but maybe you should check that door for any traps. I mean, before Fin opens it."
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"Quasit, you were probably already planning to, but maybe you should check that door for any traps. I mean, before Fin opens it."
Quasit nods and makes her way up next to Findurel at the door.
As she scans the edges and surfaces of the doorway, Quasit talks idly.
"Doesn't seem like this place was designed to just have traps on the doors, unless there was some pedantic puzzle associated with it that allowed you to bypass it. But I wouldn't be surprised if the demon centaurs were inclined to leave a few surprises in their wake."
Then she elbows him. "You know I was just teasing you, right?"
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Then she elbows him. "You know I was just teasing you, right?"
Seeing as it seems safe to now do so, Fin gives Quasit a sheepish grin. ”Aye, Q…but you only gave me what I deserved. It seems I have chronic foot-in-mouth disease; perhaps Tez has a cure. I only wish you hadn’t mentioned turning me into a woman in front of Maka…while it certainly put me in my place, the way she looks at me now, she’s never gonna let that go…”
If Quasit and Fin find nothing hinky with the door, he’ll try to open it…
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The door seems safe enough. Well, at least it doesn't seem like the door will kill you. Given your experience thus far, it's pretty likely something on the other side will try, but the door won't. It's nice that some things in life are reliable like that.
The door opens without difficulty, revealing... a withered cornfield under a starry night sky, a waning crescent moon dimly lighting the scene. Dead ravens lie strewn about between the dead stalks of corn.
The only sign of life in this scene is an old crone, leaning on a staff, who stands some distance from the door, looking at you. She has a certain resemblance to Jadrenka, which given your previous experience with the Maiden and the Mother...
"About time you got here!" she snaps. "One more test, for your slowness, then you go on."
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"Ah, it's the Ghost of Jadrenka Yet To Come." says Quasit as she looks about the withered cornfield and the dead fowl. "Love what you've done with the place."
Saucy banter aside, Quasit seems a little unnerved by this version of the guardian. Nevertheless she takes a deep breath and starts forward. "Fine, let's get it over with." she says.
Bulvi stays silent as Fin digs himself a little pit before trying to extract himself before it was too late.
Bulvi looks around at the dead ravens strewn out around the cornfield. He calls out to the crone before them. "What test is set before us... the more you can tell us the sooner we can be back on track."
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Fin bows to Jadrenka. "Whatever you think best, m'Lady..."
"What test is set before us..."
Drawing his bow as he looks to Bull, he murmurs, "Who knows?" Looking at the cornfield and the dead birds, he ponders. "No monster cow this time...perhaps a possessed scarecrow? Or a crow swarm? Your guess is as good as mine," he whispers as he warily looks around...
There seems to be a mischievous sparkle to the old woman's eye as she intones, "The cancer grows in the womb of the crone. If you wish to survive the Curse of Eons, you must have time on your side."
And then, she vanishes. As she does, the endless vista and night sky vanish... but the ravens around you start to twitch and move, as an eerie fog rises from the remaining withered stalks...