"Varocles!" she calls out as he falls. Looking directly to Diskord now, she calls out, "You scoundrel! May your bones be crushed by a servant to the gods!"
With the godling's powers diminished, Aikaterine unleashes a crushing force upon Diskord's bone structure, regardless of her divine nature.
Amphitryon moved after the witch, but he was unsteady on his feet. His head ringing from the assault, he was fortunate enough to even be able to move in a straight line, let alone attack.
Kyronai utters a quick entreaty to his patron for the power of flight. He rises to the ceiling and moves across the room.
Diskord's now very mortal bones fracture in many different places from Aika's spell. Amphitryon follows it up with a pair of quick strikes that cut large gashes into the former demi-goddess. Kyronai flies away from her.
Battered and bruised, Diskord is able to just barely nick Kyronai's skin. Barely holding on, she steps inside Amphitryon's reach and attempts to stab the shadow warrior with a slash.
After which, she falls over to the ground with a thud and is also no longer moving.
With rapid haste, Aikaterine summons the powers from within the blood of drained devils to initiate a spell of healing on Varocles. She then feeds him one of her potions.
"Here, come back to us!"
"Amphitryon, Kyronai, bind her."
She then rushes to the aid of Ares. At first, she doesn't wish to place her hands on the fallen god, hovering them over his godly body. Such an honor is beyond her mortal weakness. It may mean her death if she touched him, as elves still hold the gods in honor of the terrible power that they possess. As she looks at him though, she sees in her eyes a man suffering. With elven grace, she decides it is worth it and loops her hands about his chest and arms gently to help him to sit up more at least.
"Here, my Lord. Recover. I am Aikaterine." She flashes a smile. Unbeknownst to her, the same smile her mother possessed; one that once lured Zeus away from Hera to a mortal. "Come, let's set you right." She then pulls back her collar to show her badge. "And this is Varocles Amphitryon, and Kyronai." She gestures to them. "We all work for the gods."
"How can we help you? Varocles? Have you any spell to remove toxins?"
Varocles sits up "what did I miss?"
"Huh? Poison, no, not today. Tomorrow I could, but not today."
Kyronai hovers over Diskord and casts a stabilize cantrip on her.
"Do you have any rope?" he asks his brother.
If Amphitryon doesn't have a rope, Kyronai digs out a spare bowstring he can use.
Ares lets out a cough and spits out blue colored blood on the floor. "Silly mortals, your magic cannot counteract poisoned ambrosia. It would take the might of another god. And I will not live long enough for that to happen. Luckily, neither will my fool of a daughter. You all fought well and with honor." The god's eyes close for the last time and his body dissolves into nothingness as does Diskord. The only remnants being a pair of tiny slivers of light that flow into Aika and Amphitryon.
"Smile"(Currently +3 Keen Kukri)
+2 Studded Leather(Dyed Black)
"Havok"(Currently +3 Greatsword of Impact)
+2 Mithral Fullplate
Amphitryon shuddered as the slivers of light flowed into him. The half-elf bent over and groaned as the light infused him. It shone from his eyes and continued to do so even as he closed them tight. More worrying, though, was how his body seemed to ripple and change. His muscles, already well toned from a lifetime of training and struggle, swelled in size. So too did his body as a whole, as it seemed like he grew a few inches in the space of those few seconds.
And a few seconds was all it took for it to be over. Getting to his feet he looked at his hands as if though they belonged to someone else. ”What did she do to me?” Looking at Aika he added ”To us? Are you alright?”
So this was their goal? Diskord and perhaps others convinced these innocents to make poisoned ambrosia for the gods. Worry takes hold of her as Ares mocks her efforts in painful agony.
"Don't die...the world needs you...," she tears up, thinking of the years she has prayed to Ares for various needs in battle as she caringly brushes his cheek. His now weakened face falls to the ground and he dissolves into the light that slips into her and her companion.
"I am not sure..." she breathes and closes her eyes, as if trying to think. "Did their divine essence come into us?"
Kyronai lets the spare bowstring fall back into his pack as the gods dissolve and their essences flow into his ally and his brother and ally. He seems concerned about the changes this makes to his brother, but doesn't say anything. He then notices Aikaterine's reaction to Ares dying.
Kyronai has never shared the reverence she shows to the gods, nor Varocles' devotion to his. And having interacted directly with the gods as he has done, much of the mystery that surrounds them is gone. Still, he, his brother, and their fellow soldiers had called upon the God of War many times, and most of those times lead to victory. He is respectfully silent for a few minutes while the other process the death of two deities and any changes this has caused to them.
Seeing the others being reverent, Amphitryon remained silent. He had always assumed that gods could die, for how else could titans even think to challenge them? And this was war, in a sense. And to the victor went the spoils.
”I suppose we should bury them. But…I believe that the God of War would approve of this.” Amphitryon began to remove his armor. ”Something of his went into me. It is only right that I wear his armor.” In the process of removing his greaves he added ”He bass fine pair of blades. Someone should wield them. I’m a spearman myself. While the sword is fit for a…well. Anyways. These weapons and armor were made to be used.”
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While at first, she is unsure of what occurred, as Amphitryon begins putting on Ares' armor, it almost seems like Aikaterine is struggling against herself for a moment in thought. She moves her head to the left and right slowly, tilting on her axis as if trying to feel inside of herself and question it. The elf wants to answer the question of Amphitryon, "are you alright?", but she can't tell. Eventually, this struggle seems to intensify within her. A few moments later, the simple, yet beautiful elf drops to her knees in an effort to control these strange feelings within her, and then finally to her hands on the floor in panting breaths.
Something is happening to her. It is to be expected. A chaotic evil divine being merging with a neutral good fey? There is bound to be change. Aikaterine quietly whimpers to herself under the sound of Amphitryon's clamoring armor as this change begins to happen from within first and lastly, outward.
Where once there was tanned, olive skin, slowly the she-elf turns white like a northerner. Though not just pale but as if her skin were being replaced by something different. Rising from the depths of her now alabaster skin are beautiful swirls of light and dark blue, like ink or paint on oriental pottery. On top of that, her new, divine, creamy, white skin bears a shimmering pearlescent quality to it boasting of beautiful blues, purples, and greens like oil in water; shifting as her body moves. Her short, once bob-like cut hair, likewise turns pure white. It holds a celestial shine to it and swiftly grows in length to that of her upper back much as she had it in length most of her life as an elf. Upon her head, from the depths of the thickness of her hair, rise horns in the shape of a celestial crown, but dark and twisted-looking. This moment appears quite painful to the elf as they emerge at first but she still doesn't cry out. Upon looking at them, they are either a black bone, or some sort of obsidian and are not attached by any seen object except perhaps her scalp and skull. They are part of her. These spires seem to move as if they could snake back into her hair and hide or become as rigid as the crown they resemble.
Aikaterine's clothing even seems to turn shades of pure white and the darkest black. Whether it is an illusion or not is unknown, but they are pure-dyed now in appearance, as if done so in a divine manner, as if she has changed them to match the inside of who and what she is now. Where once they were loose and casual for travel, now they are alluring in appearance and hug her frame, yet somehow still seem to have the same function. Instead of hugging to her previously lithe frame, now there is a significant increase of "hotness" to her bodily frame as she seems to have a more curvaceous appearance.
As the transformation finishes, she slowly rises to remain on her knees, but to at the very least rise off her hands. As her eyes open to look at her companions, they can see her once lavender-colored eyes are now a burning orange color with the life of fire that lives in them. She is elven still. Still the same elven rogue in essentials of appearance and even elven heritage, but now, there is also a wildness in the long-lashed eyes. As they rise up to meet the party, that wild fire can be seen for a moment before hiding once more behind the sweetness of her character. Her now black-colored lips (either by divine makeup or the dyeing of her skin?) now part in a smile. Strangely, and uncharacteristically, it screams that she is there to cause trouble before fading into Aikaterine's quaint smile. The only one thing that has not changed is her voice.
"I feel as if I have been torn apart and put back together again...in a good way...I think...well, I can only assume, Diskord has changed me somehow..." she comments in distracted thought as she rubs her eyes with the backs of her fingers on which new, long dark-blue nails rest. Somehow, she has not noticed the differences yet or they are so natural to her, she is not stunned by her appearance. Now looking to Amphitryon, she curiously wonders if he is feeling anything. It is no wonder that he has not assumed any form as both he and Ares were similar.
Now wearing Ares’ armor, Amphitryon gawked at the changes Aikaterine had went through. She had always been beautiful, and that hadn’t changed. But now she was obviously something more than she once was and her beauty was far more exotic. He was speechless. Fumbling for words he donned Ares’ helmet and picked up the fallen god’s sword. And as he did so he froze. Already he had gone through changes that deeper than that. He said nothing as he tried to process what was happening. It was an instinctual understanding of how things worked. And not in a mundane way of how to craft an object, but in reality itself. In the space of that moment he felt his mind swell and expand as it tried to take everything in at once while still retaining himself in it. He gripped the sword tightly, using it to anchor himself into the here and now. It was, he realized, now a part of him. His shadow magic, so much of it what he had been born with, did what shadows did. It moved , retreated and changed its form. But it was still there. Just as he was.
Opening his eyes, burning eyes which were now of a color similar to that of Aikaterine, he reached out a hand to help her up. ”Torn up and made whole again. Yes.” He said, looking at her from behind the helm of a dead god. ”But I am glad to see that you are still Aik. You look good.” He added, with a smile.
Kyronai exchanges a questioning glance with Varocles, unsure if there are more changes to come Amphitryon and Aikaterine, or if the divine transformations have finished. So long as nobody seems to be in danger, he is content to wait this moment out.
Aikaterine takes Amphitryon's hand and stands. Whatever changes inside, are not visible to her companions, but the look of exploration is still upon her face.
"Thank you..." She then looks to her companions. "Nothing happened to you two?"
It makes sense, she supposes. There were only two souls. Is this what the Prometheans are after? This change? To take the place of the gods?
"We must inform the guard up the stairs, and our ship captain to return to base. We need to get back to Athens...like...now."
Varocles gripped his weapon through the entire transformation process. One didn't follow a God as closely as he had, for so many years, without having witnessed a miracle or two in the process. This, however, was well outside his realm of experience. It was more like the worms that became moths or butterflies, really, than any other sort of change. The two had physically changed, and he wasn't sure if he liked the changes.
Varocles shrugged at Kyronai in reply, and added an eye roll as he raised his trident and shield, ready to fight the reborn, if needed.
”Woah! Woah!” Amphitryon said as he saw trident raised. He instinctively tried to form his spear, but to his surprise a shield formed instead. It was made of shadow, as before, but it was not what he was used to. He stood there, for an awkward moment, Ares’ sword in one hand and a shield of shadow hovering over the other. ”We are still your comrades. There is…Uhm…no need to come to blows over this.” He quickly added. He hadn’t even considered what a cleric might think of what had occurred. And that was a problem far more pressing than his shadow not doing what it was told.
Kyronai hesitates a long moment before he subtly shakes his head in response to Varocles' eyeroll.
In response to Aikaterine, "I think a change like this affects all of us, but, in this case, not so directly for me and Varocles.
"I have no idea what we should tell those here in Thebes, but my inclination is to find someone competent and in charge. As for our ship captain, we can release him from duty. I have a faster solution in mind."
Aikaterine eyes light up as the cleric raises his spear. She mirror's Amphitryon's statement though with a nod.
"Well...I see no No need indeed to come to blows over this, though I'd understand if you did make that choice. And I don't begrudge you for being ready, Varocles. If I did snap under such strain and change, and should I have attempted to harm you or Kyronai...or even you Amphitryon...I'd hope you wouldn't hesitate to thrust me through with your spear. As it is, I am still me. We are in this."
She has said her peace and now ignores the raised spear. She looks to Kyronai, who seems to be about business.
"I am kind of worried about them seeing your brother in that armor. They may think we killed him and stole it. I can write out a note explaining what happened and to contact our head office for details and assurance in these matters. We also can mention that we'll be sending out additional members to see if the troubles they have been experiencing in the city have ceased. I can perhaps order them to--in the meantime--keep an accurate log of anyone not doing what they normally used to do. To me, this seems like the work of Diskord for certain." "I can feel that within me..." "Then, after the note is written, we can quickly and quietly head to the ship. What method do you speak of, Kyronai?"
"Teleportation magic," Kyronai answers simply.
"I wish we had some sort of lead linking Diskord with anyone she may have been working with. It would be worth investigating. But we do have a sample of what I presume is poisoned ambrosia," Kyronai indicates the sample he took earlier, "and perhaps the gods have the means to find out more about it.
"Aikaterine, perhaps you could find that guard you enchanted and see who in command we should talk to."
Varocles lowers his trident a bit, "Kyronai, so you are ok with what just happened here? Do you have such teleportation magic?"
"Am I okay that Ares has been assassinated by another deity who we then killed? No. Am I okay that their deaths prompted changes in my brother and Aikaterine? Also, no.
"Will it affect our allies in a negative manner? I think it's too early to tell. But it seems to have given them some measure of power, and if this is what happens when a god is slain, then I am concerned that someone has found the means to slay a god." Kyronai again indicates the vial with the poisoned ambrosia within.
"Varocles, we both know that none of the four of us set in motion these events. These two seem just as surprised as us at the changes that have happened. If you're concerned otherwise, I would like to hear your reasoning. You may be aware of things I haven't considered.
"And yes, I think that I can teleport us back to Athens. I am continually exploring the range of power that my patron grants me access to, and you have seen me cast new spells that I formerly was not able to cast when we started travelling together. I believe that I have worked out how to use this power to teleport us long distances."
Amphitryon shifter awkwardly from foot to foot. The armor felt perfect, like a second skin. And the sword was like an extension of his arm. The idea of parting with either was like asking him to hack off an arm or a leg. He knew that it was ridiculous, given that he had just donned them, but then again, much had just happened that was beyond his control.
”Lets be back to Athens then.” He said. ”Should we take the bodies with us, or bury them here and report the location?”
"Am I okay with this?" she asks verbally, despite the question being directed toward Kyronai. "For centuries I've lived as myself. Took pride in my elven heritage. Now I don't know what I am. Something more? Something less? No, I am not okay..."
She then goes quiet for a while and listens to Kyronai speak about his teleporation ability. Aikaterine nods. She could perhaps learn it from him? It may come in handy for her too.
"While I appreciate the thought," she comments concerning the guard, "eh...I'm uncertain as to whether I even still have control of him? I think it best we just sneak out."
She will try to find a way out of their location without moving into any further guards. However, if they did come across one, they still had their badges. With haste, she will make her way back toward the ship with the others.
Varocles chuckles at Kyronai's summation of things. "Yes, well. You got it right my friend. I suppose we shall see just what this means for our future." He considers what to add. "Teleportation magic huh? We seem to be blessed with it. Poseidon has granted me this power too, if I will accept it from him."
Amphitryon wondered why everyone met his suggestion to bury the bodies with silence. It was only then that it dawned on him that the bodies had vanished. Keeping quiet, he was ready to move on.
Aikaterine waves them to find a back way out, and she takes the poisoned ambrosia to cast into the gutter on the way out. With the sample they took, it should be more than enough to understand what these Prometheans did to it.
Once outside, she will look to Kyronai and ask, "Before we go, earlier you detected magic, and in doing so, you said there was a lingering presence of enchantment upon this location. I have a feeling that was Diskord's doing. Do you want to cast it again and see if that effect is remaining or if it has diminished to nothing now that she's gone?"
Kyronai nods and complies.
Kyronai doesn't detect the same lingering presence as before though he does see a new aura surrounding Aika and Amphitryon.
Kyronai studies Amphitryon's and Aikaterine's auras long enough to get what information he can. He shares what he learns, and also states that the lingering presence from Diskord is no longer present.
Then he instructs everyone to grab hold of someone else so that there is a chain between him and the rest of the party. He concentrates, murmurs an appeal to his patron, and teleports the party to the library of the capitol building in Athens.
Aikaterine will halt Kyronai until after they've told the ship captain to return to Athens. Once on the docks and having done so, if he doesn't voice where he will be teleporting them to, for a matter of her safety, she will suggest a place to teleport to or will inquire. Upon learning where he may have considered, she suggests:
"The inner city is busy. Since this is your first time casting this spell with us, perhaps doing so in one of the open fields outside of the city would be best. I don't mind a short walk into town. Please bring us there, if you don't mind. Better than to end up ... inside someone...or worse. I wouldn't have minded such a teleport location if I had scrying implements with me and brushed up on the spell. Then we could know what we were getting into."
If she can recall any, she will list out various similar teleportation zones she's seen inside the city (for his own familiarity for the purposes of the spell) that will get them closer. Perhaps the guild even has a location that they can utilize? During her relaxing time off there, being a mage and considering the spell herself, she'd begun to take note of them anyway. In any case, once they have teleported, she imagines her and Amphitryon's appearance will garner more trouble than the potential hazards of the spell.
Kyronai listens to Aikaterine, but shakes his head no.
"I have already considered those circumstances. Those concerns are accounted for."
When the chain is connected, Kyronai teleports them to the capitol building's library.
The auras are similar to the ones you saw on Ares' equipment, though otherwise unfamiliar. You can tell it is very powerful though.
The party teleports into the library. There seems to be a single dwarven woman there, studying. Once she notices you, she sighs, shaking her head before packing up and leaving quietly not paying you any other mind.
Kyronai gives the dwarven woman a calm nod, ignoring her apparent annoyance.
"We should find Zeus."
Aikaterine flattens her outfit after the teleportation and nervously nods to the dwarf. As she gets up in annoyance, the odd-looking Aikaterine rolls her eyes, as if saying something without saying something. Like Kyronai, she doesn't give her a second thought and moves along.
"Let's find Callie too, as she can probably spread word faster to the other gods if they don't know already. And..." she states, gesturing to herself, "...who knows what shockwaves this has made. Please protect me..."
Her eyes look to the party. Perhaps there is fear there behind them at the thought of approaching the great Zeus, perhaps excitement for the unknown? Whatever the case, she is curious to see if she is rejected and has asked for the party's protection.
"At this point will Varocles even protect me?" she wonders to herself.
"Do we just...walk in? Or should we request an audience?"
"We walk in." Amphitryon said. "Don't give them time to stew in their fear. Just break the news, show how serious this is. That...and get it over with." Removing his helm, he looked at Aikaterine and said "We're in this together. We'll get through this."
Kyronai nods in agreement. He indicates that Amphitryon and Aikaterine should take the lead.
As they exit the library, she lingers closely to Amphitryon. He at least had armor that was recognizable and had the bearing of Ares. She was far different, and not likely a sight seen here. Clearly being a goddess, she would draw much attention (unless people are far too busy to notice them). In any case, she will look for Callie as they go, but if they reach Zeus's throne room (or office, not sure what he has) before that, she will have to be brave and just go in.
Amphitryon walked on, glad to have Aik by his side. He tried to distract himself from the building worry by letting his mind wander to mundane matters. Assuming they survived this, he would sell his old armor as quickly as possible. And then? Then he knew some enchantments that Ares’ armor needed. His father’s armor was enchanted so that it always stayed clean and was as comfortable to wear as regular clothing. The very idea of removing the armor caused him to recoil with unnatural dread. Solving that was a necessity. He wrecked his head to think of where he could go for that. And after that? He had remembered tales of assassins who could cover their armor in a glamer so they could blend in within any social situation. He wanted…no…he needed that. So none could tell him to remove it. If only there was a way to make it part of him…he pushed the thoughts away, unsure of where they came from. He reached out and held Aik’s hand, to ground himself
Cool, thin fingers interlace with Amphityon's, but the warrior can tell that his initial touch shocked the mage. She is so focused that the invasion of his hand almost assaulted her, but she is not offended by it. He can tell she is extremely nervous and trying not to show it. His action brought that to the surface after so long of him walking with her contemplating his armor and then reaching out for her.
Now that they are intertwined in hand, she seems much more comfortable, as if both are helping each other temporarily. However, when they enter the presence of Zeus, or his assistant at the door, or if she needs to focus, her hand will return to her own so that she may speak with it; being a very graceful speaker with the use of her hands naturally.
As the group approaches Zeus's office, no one pays them any mind. Seemingly no one even notice the group. However, Zeus' secretary is a different story. Her mouth moves to say something but she fails to let out a word before just wordlessly opening the door to let the party inside. "What is the meaning of this interrupt....." The lord of gods asks before he sees you. After you enter the door is closed behind you. "I hope you have a very good reason for wearing my son's armor and for carrying his sword." Zeus asks as his eyes glow, lightning sparking off the pupils. His usual carefree demeanor is slowly being replaced with simmering rage.
Taking a deep breath, Amphitryon walked forward and went down on one knee. Head lowered he spoke, knowing that there was a very good chance that he would be too dead to ever worry again.
”There is. And it is not by choice. For, Lord, your son has been murdered.” He dared to looo up at Zeus’ face, and continued ”We have come to report the details. It was beyond all of our fears, but it is the tainted fruit of the plot we had been investigating. Diskord had done the deed, though we know that she was not alone. We avenged the God of War’s death in battle. She had been…absorbing…his essence. When she died, I felt…something. Something that I cannot explain. But it entered me. Changed me. Bonded me to this armor and sword. I believe that it was because I was there, my blade within her and my blood mingling with hers, that it occurred. As you know, I was no priest. But now…”
Divine power swept through Amphitryon as he remained kneeling, evidence of what he had said. ”Now removing the arms and armor feels like an amputation, and I have this power within me that I cannot explain. I have only guessed as towards why this might be. But we have all returned with all haste, to report our findings and to offer ourselves in whatever capacity to preventing any further deicide.”
He finished talking and slowly pulled out Diskord’s knife, ‘smile’ and laid it on the ground as further proof of the tale. Nobody had claimed the marvelous blade, which sung with divine power. He waited to see if it was enough to save him. Through it all he hoped that any ire would fall on him and that Aik, at least, might be saved.
Kyronai listens intently as he tries to remember everything said, word-for-word.
That was such a great line to include in a play.