Justice in Many Forms

Campaign: Entwining Flames

Chapter 8 / 5-2

Justice in Many Forms

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Beyond the Hellfire

Summary

Although the group succeeds in persuading Alex, Leonidas is equally successful in unleashing a portion of Morsayati's body. Having obtained tremendous mana, the crown prince departs—but not before leaving behind a fierce manticore for the party to battle.

Dialogue

See the miasma that swirls in this place! This proves it to be the location of a lost piece of Morsayati. Alex! Watch over me until I have completed the rite of unsealing. My life is yours, Excellency. Brother, stop this! Alex, move aside! I don't think ya got a damn clue how bad this is gonna end up! My mind is clear—my duty is to safeguard His Excellency from all harm. Even if it means Morsayati spreading his tendrils across the world, so long as the Ilian Church is protected, I am satisfied. I do all this for the children yet to come. Alex, you must step aside. This is the last time I will ask. If you refuse to do so, by Ilia's will I shall cut you down myself. Each of us is a disciple of the goddess, yet it seems we cannot reconcile our dual ideals into a single whole. Let us bring this to an end, Elisanne! Let us fight until one of us is the victor and the other knows oblivion! Would you truly draw your sword against me? Has all we have experienced been leading to this singular moment? I...don't understand. Some years ago, I took it upon myself to save a young girl—to save YOU. I believe that every child is blessed by the goddess; that every life ought bask in the warm light of happiness. It is because of that belief that I ushered you into the Church and treated you as I would my own family. I've not forgotten the many seasons we spent together, Alex. Are you sure it's okay, Elisanne? I can really stay here forever? I won't be a bother? You may stay here as long as you like. And even though it is bitterly cold outside, you'll have naught but warm thoughts here. Did we spend all that time together only to have it end like...this? Will you truly force me to take your life after I gave everything to save it? You say you want to protect a paradise, yet what you're bringing about is the opposite! You would go through all this to resurrect Morsayati, and for what? We were born in the wrong times... The thought of taking your life haunts me. Yet if staying my hand means I will be unable to return the Church to glory... Then you plan to kill me. But are you able, Alex?! ...I must. Forgive me, Elisanne! What I do, I do for the children who come after us! You're not saving any children like this. What would you know of it?! If you assist in Morsayati's resurrection, you may indeed return the Church to the way it once was. But a world controlled by Morsayati will be a world of conflict and pain. No matter how many children the Church may help in such a world, countless more will suffer unspeakable horrors. Is that REALLY what you want? I... I don't... You've lost a place precious to you, and that's a pain I know well. But if you don't move past that, you'll never build something new. The paradise you seek is false, Alex! Turn back while you still can! I don't... Heh heh. Just a little more, dear Alex. Hold them off for a moment longer. O, Sleeper! Return now to this place and let the strength of Morsayati flow through me! Do you want to live in a world ruled by such a heartless creature?! Or do you want a kind world where people love and care for each other? Think back to those days we spent together! Think back to the time when I first took your hand in mine! If you would save children yet to come... then END THIS NOW! AAAAAAAAARRRGH! A-Alex! You dare?! *pant* *pant* I think I always knew that my loyalty to Leonidas was unlikely to be reciprocated. Yet I was still willing to sacrifice all if it gained my paradise. The Church is everything to me. And if it is gone... But I cannot run from that pain. If the Church is truly fallen, then I will see it rebuilt! It always saddens me to see a cur turn on its master. But it is no matter; the rite is complete! Morsayati's power shall be released! Oh no... I felt a malicious energy just there! What happened to it?! Where did it go?! It flew from the Forsaken Way like a shooting star. The portion of Morsayati's body that was here has taken flight in order to join with the core. The...core? The portion I just released was but a small piece of Morsayati's whole. When freed, they return home. Morsayati reclaims his body bit by bit. So Morsayati possessed my sister in order to see himself reborn... How quick you are—and how foolish. Regardless, without its power, such a thing is nothing more than a husk. I have no need for such trifles. Rather, the true thing of value is what it left behind—a vast accumulation of mana sealed within a Sacred Shard! The rule of this world shall be wrested away from dragons and placed in the hands of humanity! No ordinary person could receive this gift. But my body pulses with dragonblood like no other! Urrraaaaaaaaa! Would somebody please tell me what the hell's goin' on here?! He absorbed the corrupted mana! I shall master this otherworldly power and bring the entire world to heel! I shall usher in a glorious age as a new emperor whose power exceeds even the Dyrenell Empire! Heh... AAAAH HA HA HA HA! Okay, what's up with this light?! Everyone, down! Now! AAAAAH HA HA HA HA HA! This power is like nothing else! And it would seem the Flow Eternal has been released as well. What was that roar?! I've heard that sound before... Is that...a manticore?! You mean those lion-looking things? We battled this fiend in the Mistholt, and then another in the Binding Ruins. So it's a product of otherworldly power? And quite a big one, judging from that roar. If we choose to fight, we will likely not leave this place unscathed. And that means you too, Leonidas! Are you INSANE?! This thing doesn't care what side you're on—it'll kill you as soon as it does us! Ah, but don't you see? I am already two steps ahead of you. Observe my new power! Haaaah! Nnngh! What is that light? Hey, that's that same thing the Emperor used to teleport away! Indeed. By warping the very fabric of space-time, one with the will can move as freely as their heart desires. Oh no ya don't. I ain't lettin' you run. Strafing time! Hyaaaaaaah! ...Okay, THAT wasn't good! Fascinating. Even a slight usage of this power renders me unstoppable... But there's no need for me to deal with you myself. The manticore will prove a more than sufficient end for your merry band, Brother. I shall wait at the entrance of the Forsaken Way...for you to become the manticore's next meal! Get back here, jerk! What is the plan? Should we try to sneak out of this place and avoid detection by the manticore? If that creature escapes out into the world, it's going to hurt uncountable numbers of people. The Flow Eternal... If a wound really has been opened in the world, we have to find a way to close it. You endeavor to fight the beast? I do. If we must run from a fiend, no matter how powerful, we have no hope of standing against my brother. Steel yourselves, everyone, and lend me your aid! We will defeat the manticore and then pursue Leonidas!