Chapter 17: 15: Tune Somnia

Chief Ys watched alongside some of the warriors he had borrowed from Pi'yt as the procession from the Empire entered the town. The few people who lived in the tourist attraction village stared in awe at the size of them, they even out paced the army currently sitting in the middle of their town displaying proudly the colors of Ruskalyka. "Blood is to be shed here, but not by us."

His warrior brethren nodded. They cared not to poke either of the bears coming closer and closer to a fight that would accomplish nothing but death and misery. The Liia'cun moved towards the Tune Somnia, feet not disturbing a single blade of grass as he did so, making sure his feet only touched bare patches of dirt. After all it was bad look to step of the grass near the Tune Somnia.

The Tune Somnia, the name the foreign invaders had given it when they stumbled upon the prison so many years ago. To the true people of the continent it was known by many names, but the one Ys had grown up knowing as was Tri'sia'kyr'te or The Tomb of the Sleepless One if one were to roughly translate it into the Empire's own tongue. It was not really a place, nor was it something that had form. Even right in front of it, one could miss it. After all, unless one had a key the structure wasn't even tangible. One could walk right through it with no issues at all. Of course, those with the Key- or rather within the ten feet or so influence of the key- could see and touch it but it didn't mean the structure made any sense. From one angle to another, you could see the building from different views: Bird's eye, worm's eye, fish eye, and sometimes even catch what appeared to be chambers inside. It seemed to be both stretching into the heavens and to be just below one's knees. Then came the doors. The structure had hundreds of ways to enter, but most either disappeared too fast for one to open them or merely ended up with a person exiting from another door on the outside of the building. Even with a key, to get inside was a game of chance- unless you decided to follow the rules of the structure, as one figured it to be and tried to open a door which was not there. Then one would be able to enter with ease.

Chief Ys smiled as he felt the unseen handle turn and reveal a long and dark passage way, paved by stones untouched by the erosion of the outside world. He began to walk calmly. This was a test, to see the conviction of his dream. He knew that it would take him forever to reach the end of the path, and that he should not stop, nor turn back around or he would be lost forever and his dream would be forgot.

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Brio quickly drew a shielding rune as a volley of arrows flew towards him as he, Salem and Leannan quickly tried to chase the group of Ruskalykan's who had diverted from the large army blocking their way to the Tune Somnia. "Fucking bastards, trying to make a wish while we fight them."

"Like we would be doing any different." Leannan asked finishing drawing a rune of mirage. To the archers firing at them it looked like their next valley hit true and killed the trio. They cheered in triumph and returned to the battle. 

"Shit, they're going inside. Hurry!" Brio kicked his horse rapidly causing it to enter a flying pace towards the Tune Somnia before being spooked by the structure, bucking off Brio who rolled into some shrubbery and then watched as his horse ran through the structure and away into the distance. 

Leannan and Salem rode up next to him. Prince Salem gave a little laugh, "I must say, you would make a terrific stunt rider. Why that fall and roll was almost textbook."

Brio rubbed his shoulder. That was gonna be a nasty bruise in the morning. "We do not have the time to be wasting on joke, my Prince. We must get in before the Ruskalykan's get their wish."

Brio moved forwards gingerly, Leannan and Salem jumping off their horse and following him. Brio watched as Salem attempted to grab a door and stopped him, "Most likely that doesn't lead inside. Here." He reached for an empty part of the structure and felt wood. He pushed it and heard it creak. The door opened and showed them a staircase going down into darkness. The three entered and were enveloped in darkness as the door disappeared behind them. All three attempted to use a rune to create a ball of light to help them see, but each time failed. Something was preventing them from being able to see. And so each of them agreed to hold hands as the began their descents.

Outside the Tune Somnia, Lord Kaga and Lord Galahad were leading their soldiers against the Ruskalykan Army. Kaga's axe struck through the skull of a soldier who had made it to within arm's length of the Baron. 

"Kaga! I see Farstin. I will meet him in combat. Protect the Ci'sgo'tte."

"Of course." Lord Kaga yelled back. He moved closer to the singular carriage in the army as Galahad rode with his unit towards a knight in white armor on horse back. Kaga order his unit to protect the carriage at all costs. His leader would not die today, no matter what he may have claimed to the contrary. If he failed, then the Empire might as well collapse if Ci'sgo'tte's heart ceased beating.

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Leannan, the one called Lea by Lyrica, stood and thought. She had entered the Tune Somnia a few minutes after he saw the Ruskalykan Army in the middle of town when she awoke. After way to many attempts to find a door that lead inside. Eventually she had and she had found herself wandering through set after set of the same room: a three way (four if you counted the way she entered the room) intersection with each choice leading to the same room again and again. 

She figured their had to be a pattern or a trick. She had tried to mark the walls to see if the room was really repeating but she never found any of the marks no matter which path she chose. As such she had to admit that each room was a unique entity, as far as she was aware.

Lyrica hadn't mentioned this part, because the few times Lyrica had entered she merely arrived in the chamber, the Dreamer inviting the spitting image of her human best friend in with open arms. Lyrica wasn't sure why she looked like that friend, but as she told Lea, "It is a useful case of coincidence." That said Leannan however was not wanted by the Dreamer and was wandering this maddening set of rooms.

She continued to push forward, eventually this all had to end. After all, she needed to make the wish Lyrica entrusted to her.

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Lyrica shook her head. The night had brought new bodies, each one climbing higher and higher in the capital, each one being brutalized in a new and gruesome new act of torture. Each one had a rune cut into them, a new rune each time. The victims were random, having no pattern at all. Deidre was talking to the people near the newest body. This one was fresh, done within a few minutes of them arriving in the middle of the Capitol. They merely confirmed what each of the two already knew, that a red headed woman had taken the child into the alley and then reappeared leaving the corpse of the young child alone. However this time they gave the duo a direction. West. Towards the shops which were often frequented by the students of the Academy on their days off.

The two jogged, Lyrica swearing under her breath. The two arrived in the shopping district and immediately began to search the first alley they found. They went down it carefully, looking for sign of murderer or victim. This one was empty.

"Shit. Next one." Lyrica swore. The two moved into the next one, and the one after that. 

Deidre scowled. Nothing, no body or killer. "She didn't hit here, Lyrica."

"Apparently not. And she's probably elsewhere by now."

"How hard is it to find a girl like her in this city?"

"I understand. But she's following the streets upward. She should be in the houses next."

"That's like what? Thirty alleyways to check?

"Unfortunately." Lyrica replied.

Deidre groaned. "Why don't I just alert the guards to her again?"

"Because that would turn this from a few random murders into her killing in mass. Trust me."

"You are apparently the expert on our madwoman, so I don't have much of a choice."

"Then trust me when I say this, we need to go and fast. The quicker we kill her, the better."

The two began to pick up the pace, running up the road into the houses. Lyrica wanted this done so she could spend the last minutes of this world with Deidre. And take her with her if possible.

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Mors groaned as she walked through the city. She had slept awfully the night before, tossing and turning like a ship in rough waters. She had been unable to relax in her room, and had elected to take a walk in the city. There was some commotion over a series of bodies that had been found. That wasn't going to be of interest to the Ruskalykan woman until she heard them mention what the presumed killer looked like. 

Zurah. That was definitely Zurah. But why would see be killing people. That didn't match with the Zurah that she remembered. Then again what other woman had hair that red and eyes that yellow?

Mors walked through the houses, watching people relaxing out on balconies and patios, seemingly unbothered or unaware of the murders that were snaking their way up the capitol city streets. And if they were aware or bothered? They had a home to hide in and a door to lock. Not to mention the fact probability was on their side. It wasn't if the murderer had been killing en masse so the actual chances of one of them being the victim was simply much to improbable to give any of them much fear. Still, they steered clear of the alleys and gave weary glances at passersby until they saw they didn't have that red hair. 

Mors, as she calmly walked, cautiously leered her eyes to the side down every alley she passed, fear gripping her every time that she'd see a murder in the act. What exactly did she expect to do then? Charge at Zurah, yelling at the girl to stop? Be gripped by fear and watch in horror? 

She shook her head, no- she was merely looking, the possibilities of improbable scenarios were just making her scared. Ready to jump and scream if she saw a cat dart across her path, or a pile of garbage vaguely shaped like a human body. 

She turned down a corner and just barely saw the movement in the corner of her eyes before she was thrown into the corner alleyway, slammed face down onto the cobblestones. Blood poured from her nose, pooling around her head. She felt a boot on the back of her head keeping her from lifting herself up. 

"Let's see, what should I do to spice this one up for the goddess."

That voice. That was definitely Zurah, no doubts could remain. She tried to speak but the blood and the fact her mouth was pushed into the stones only allowed her a gurgled and muffled noise.

"Oh, hush. I'm working on it. You'll be done soon enough." Zurah said, "Ah! Perfect."

Mors smelled magic, before she suddenly bent her arms up and began to scrape them back and forth on the stones. Faster and faster, until she began to scream, still muffled by the ground. Her fingers began to grind off, first skin then muscles and lastly bones until disappeared. The pain was almost bad enough to cause Mors to faint. She squirmed, flopped, did anything to stop the horrific self-mutilation she was doing but nothing was stopping her until her hands were only as long as her knuckles and then she stopped.

"That looked painful. The goddess will thank you for your suffering, my sweet sacrifice."

Mors could barely feel anything but pain, trying to speak again but even without the blood and stones all she would have produced was a cry of anguish. She felt her back be carved by a long nail. It took a moment and then, slowly her body began to rub back and forth on the stones. She felt her clothes tear and then felt pain much worse than before as she ground her entire being against the rough stones. She struggled to stop but the rune would not let her. The most she could manage was to move her face to the left so that only one side of her face was being rubbed off. She could see the light of the main street, just within reach. If only she could... She paused and with some effort focused and drew magic from her inker drawing a single simple rune: burn. 

Zurah who had been gleefully laughing could not react to the rune in time and her face suddenly began to burn, like a mix between acid and fire. She screamed and ran out the alley.

Mors still grinding could hear two familiar voices cry out before fainting from blood loss, still attempting to grind herself into nothing.

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Hazel sipped tea watching the battle. Zurah sipped with her. "What do you desire?"

"A simple discussion. After all the fates already tell me no one wins here."

"Do they? I feel good about this time."

"Do not put up a brave front, I can feel her betrayal coming."

"To be expected she is from her blood."

"And yet you trusted her."

"Unlike you I keep people useful around, wanderer."

"I keep them around too, I just let them suffer in their mistakes instead of moving them with me."

"I did not move her, she was already doing it naturally."

"And yet she was repressing the memories until you awakened her."

"And who's fault was that?"

"Let's not point blame like the mortals. Ci'sgo'tte will be giving his blessing up. Next reset will be unlike any other reset. You know what the fates want of us. A simple agreement. After all, neither of our goals can exist if Ci'sgo'tte's will continues."

"And I should trust a trickster to keep her promises?"

"You trusted the kin of one to help you."

Hazel yawned, "We will see, when it comes. If Ci'sgo'tte is gone, I will mostly likely agree to help you. After all, best to strike when the girl is weak and unexperienced, don't you agree?"

"Yes. I do wonder how this one will end in her chamber."

"It will end as it alway's does. With the Dreamer making my wish, my eternal wish as soon as I decide this world isn't worth it anymore."

"Such a fickle immortal."

"If things aren't as I planned- there is no point in a world existing."

"I feel the same." Zurah stood up and snapped her fingers. Runes appeared in the air around them, before forming an arch. "I will see you after the failure." And then she walked through the arch and disappeared.

  She clapped and drew some runes to the Kir'foy'ta of Hope for the final reset. As soon as her Leannan failed the wish the reset would begin.

Hazel glanced her eye back towards the battle, watching as the Ruskalykan grew tighter and tighter around the carriage where waited a wild god for a final death. Hazel considered reseting then and there, but she wanted to see this world through to the end of the mortal's spewing of their useless dreams.

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"Mors, wake up."

Mors struggled, opening her eye up. Her one good eye darted to the voice, staring at the face of a concerned looking Lyrica. "Good morning." She tried to smile only feeling it take on the side of her face that hadn't been recently ground against the stone. Lyrica helped her up and leaned her standing against the wall. Her body wasn't bleeding and she could feel where Lyrica and wrapped her up the best she could. Lyrica handed her a compact, and Mors looked at her face. The side that had been ground had reached the muscles, leaving her a red and blind mess on that part of her face. Her teeth were visible and half her nose was gone. Her inner voice was going ballistic at the sight of her.

"I look pretty good."

"Try not to speak." Lyrica said, face full of worry. "Just nod or shake. Did Zurah know it was you?"

She shook her head. As far as she was aware Zurah thought she had simply been a stranger.

"Good. I patched you up the best I could but you'll probably be in the hospitals here for a while with all of that going on." She motion to the general area of the entirety of Mors.

Mors chuckled, each breath searing pain through her body. A doctor and some nurses pulled out of a medical wagon and ran into the alley.

"Twins. I take it this is the victim we were called about?"

"Yes. She was lucky Lady Kaga and myself were walking by."

"She quite is."

"Make sure she doesn't die doctor, you don't want to start a war if Ruskalyka blames us for the death of their Rune User."

The doctors eyes grew wide, "Of course, she'll receive the best care we have." 

The nurses loaded Mors into the stretcher and into the wagon before speeding off. Now it was time for Lyrica to get after Deidre. The knight had given chase to the fleeing Zurah while Lyrica stayed behind to make sure Mors was alive and as well as she could have been at that moment. 

Zurah had gone upwards, with Deidre in hot pursuit. Lyrica stretched and began to run up the street. The crowds were still out and murmuring about the attack and the fact that the Captain of the Royal Guards had chased after the murderer. Lyrica followed the crowds, making her way up and up until she reached a row of guards holding people back from getting closer. Lyrica could hear the voice of her Deidre yelling for Zurah to surrender. Zurah's laugh was a clear sign of her response. 

As she tried to get to Deidre a guard halted her, "This is no place for civilians up ahead." Lyrica scowled at him before returning to the crowd. She couldn't take that many royal guards on at once, and yet she couldn't let Deidre and a handful of guards deal with Zurah alone. She thought for a moment before remembering that the building in front of her had a roof access. Only issue was the main entrance of it was a bit lower than she was currently. Lyrica bit her lips and then pushing her way out of the crowd began to run back the opposite way as fast as her legs could carry her. She hoped that Deidre could hold on for however long this would take.

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Brio had wondered about a hundred times whether jumping or rolling down the stairs would be faster. They had been descending with to sign of a light near the bottom at all. How long had they been at this? Any sense of time was lost in the darkness. So was movement. Brio could no longer feel his boots on the stone stairs. 

"This descent is endless." Complained Prince Salem behind him.

"Not as endless as the amount of times you said that." Leannan in front of him replied.

"And I'll continue to say it as long as we continue on like this. Are we sure we shouldn't just return up the stairs and try a different door?"

Brio shook his head before remembering no one could see him. "No, my prince. Besides the fact we need not let those bastard Ruskalykan's get that far ahead of us, the door disappeared remember."

"Says the man who opened door where there was none."

"If he wants to walk all the way back up, let him be my guest."

"I will." Salem huffed before Brio felt him pull away from him and climb. One step, two steps, three steps and then a thud. And then knocking. And then the Prince calling down to them to come up. The two cousins walked up two steps before meeting the Prince.

"What?"

"Isn't this the wall we started from?" 

Brio moved forward, surprised by how much space this step had before he felt his feet hit a wall where none should have been. It was the same wall that had held the door they came in from. "Have we not been making any progress this whole time?"

"It seems like it."

"Twins. What now?"

"This is a house of the wild gods, no? They are often tricksters, so it would be to reason that this scenario has a trick we are missing."

Brio began to think of something they were missing. A staircase that only went down so far. But how did it loop? Brio walked back to the stairs and stared into the darkness. What if... he cleared his mind and stepped out, not intending to go down but instead forwards. He braced himself for a fall but found himself moving forward. He called back to the others on what to do before marching on towards what he hoped would be the chamber where rested the dreamer.

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Ys watched as the light ahead of him grew closer. His perseverance was paying off. Soon he enter a well light chamber, hollowed out from the stone of the earth herself. Floating above was the nude figure of a women, wild and unkempt hair floating like in water. A tree bark colored arm yawned and then a voice that seemed to exist everywhere at once spoke to him:

"Welcome, dreamer. I am Y'yr, the one who gives hope to the hopeless. I assume since you are bothering my sleep, you must have a dream of your own?"

Ys nodded and spoke aloud his dream. Y'yr made a pleased noise in response.

"Ah, a reasonable dream. I was growing tired of the endless greed I have been granting. You may leave or wait for the others wandering my halls."

"I care not for them. My wish is granted."

"Very well." The kir'foy'ta waved her hand and an arch of runes appeared in front of Ys. He bowed to her before walking through them. The sun caused him to shield his eyes. It had been a few hours if the sun's position still told the truth. He was ready to be gone from here. He needn't waste time waiting for the two colonizer's armies to strike an arrow through his head or a caster blast through his heart. In the field ahead of him he saw a horse. He focused using the magic of the land to call it to him. The horse, scared and skittish nervously walked over to him. Ys carefully rubbed the horse all over reassuring it that everything was okay. The horse calmed down and relaxed. Ys undid it's saddle and tossed it aside before mounting the equine and riding off away from the battle still raging on.

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Galahad screamed as his arm was sliced off by the blade of Farstin. 

"You've grown fat and weak, Galahad."

"No, I've had a life outside of battle, Farstin."

"What life is worth living if you cannot protect it yourself?" Farstin walked towards Galahad, his fingers on the trigger of his sword caster. "How pitiful. The greatest High Defender in the Empire's history has grown soft and weak." He raised his blade and thrust it at Galahad's head. With his one good arm he used his own blade to block his opponent's thrust. Farstin pulled the trigger on his blade, causing it to heat and glow red. It began to melt Galahad's blade. He jumped and rolled away. His sword cooled and hardened quickly, now bent like the letter "L". 

Farstin charged, blade red, slashing at him wildly. Galahad could merely move backwards to avoid the flurry of slashes. He could feel the heat with each slice he avoided.

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"Die like a man." Farstin roared as he pinned Galahad against the wall of a building.

Galahad panted, he was out of practice. He could feel his stub's bleeding slow. How nice of it to do so before his death. He turned to Farstin. "Glory to the Emperor."

Farstin swung his sword down, Galahad blocking it with his bent blade. It began to bend and melt within milliseconds. Farstin pushed harder until finally the blade of Galahad was in two and his own continue downward. However as soon as the blade was split Galahad flicked his wrist causing the molten metal to fly into Farstin's face. 

The Ruskaykan screamed, his scream mixing with Galahad's as his molten hot sword sliced the shoulder of the arm he had cut off earlier. He pulled his sword back up and still blinded swung down to the head of Galahad. As he struck he felt his stomach tear open as with his last moments Galahad used what was left of his blade to gut his opponent. Farstin stumbled backwards, away from the half-headed corpse of Galahad. He lay on the ground and began to gurgle blood as he cursed the Empire until the sweet relief of death ended his pain.

From across the field, a bloodied Kaga was berserk, doing the best impression of his late wife and darling daughter. He would not fall. He would not failed his mission. Inside the carriage, Cis'go'tte closed his eyes readying his blessing to go to Leannan. All was as the fates had said. He could hear the death of Lord Galahad on them and could feel the cold hands ready to drag his loyal Baron Kaga and himself down it as well. Very well, all was still in his control- or rather the control of his blessed. 

A world without the Dreamer? What would his enemies do with that? If the wish that one of his fellow trickster's blood came to pass? He almost wished he could see it, but this world was barely letting him hang on as it was. It was his time. Even he knew better than to fight against it.

He heard the arrows whistle before landing on the roof of his carriage. He felt the heat grow as soon the roof began to burn. Outside he could hear Kaga yell in shock before falling forever silent as multiple blades and spears pierced him.

The leader of Cygod closed his eyes and waited for the fire to send him away from the mortal coil, once and for all.

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The Ruskalykan's disappeared and Leannan and Brio and Salem entered the chamber. Brio swore as he saw them walk out. The dreamer glared at them from above as they entered, her brown eyes casting judgment upon them.

"More selfish dreamers. This had such a promising beginning."

Brio bowed to the Dreamer. "Glorious Kir'foy'ta of Hope, I am Brioche Galahad. We here wish for your assistance with the dream we all wish to become true."

"I know who you are and why you are here, blood of trickster. This is not the first time we have met. So many dreams wasted upon your greed."

Prince Salem stepped forward, "Your opinion of us matters not, savage goddess. Only the wish you grant to us." He held up the key. "First though, if it would behoove you, tell us what the Ruskalykan's asked for."

"I do not tell the dreams of other to those who did not hear it."

"I care not for your morals. Tell me now."

"If you are so worried, whatever dream you have must be weak indeed."

Salem stammered before falling silent. 

The kir'foy'ta stared at the trio. "Are you done insulting me, children? Or do you want me to send you away without hearing your wish?"

Salem swallowed his pride and anger and spoke the wish. The dreamer nodded. "And so it sha- hmmm?" She turned to a newcomer in the chamber. "Oh? Are you trying to cheat me?" She glared at Leannan, "You cannot dream twice, girl." 

"I am not?"

"So why do you stand here and there?"

Leannan and her companion's eyes moved towards the woman's face. Even though it was more worn and covered in little scars and imperfections, and her hair was longer and loose, there was no mistaking that the woman was Leannan. The same Leannan that stared at her other self.

"Twins-damn it." The other Leannan swore when she saw the trio. 

"Explain yourself." Demanded Brio from across the room. 

"Explain what? I have nothing to explain to the likes of you."

"Explain why you have my face." Leannan said, raising a finger at her older doppelganger.

"It's mine. I was born with it- same as you." The other Leannan turned to the Kir'foy'ta of Hope, ignoring more questions from the trio and held up a key. Unlike the others this one was cover in cracks and looked like it had been used many times. "Y'yr, I offer to you the wish of the blood of Kerwydren, that she promised to you."

"If you are here for that wish, then state the truth. What happens to a dream when you awake?"

"Nothing, for humans are always dreaming."

"Satisfactory. Granted. And thank you." Y'ys smiled before disappearing.

"What did you just do, trickster?" Asked Leannan to her twin.

"Oh, that's gonna be ironic soon." She eyed over the situation. "Ly and La are gonna be so mad at me for dying here." She moved the magic in her inker to her finger. "Well, might as well put up something of a fight."

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Deidre swore as she swung her swords down towards Zurah who dodged them, laughing as she did. "Fun, fun. Finally some fun." 

"Hold still, you shit." Growled Deidre, teeth clinched as she motioned for the guards to move closer once again. She could not let Zurah escape. Five of her men lay dead around her already, the murderer not even bothering to use her rune magic on them. In fact Deidre couldn't see an inker on her. Had Zurah abandoned or lost it when fleeing earlier?

"Hold still? And let you kill me? I am not fit to be giving to the goddess, after all- I am but a shade of a failed world. Same as you."

"I don't care what fucking deity you pray to or what they think of you." Deidre clicked the triggers on her blades and felt them buzz. Sharp teeth rotated on her twin blades, faster than the eye could process. She thrust at Zurah, the red haired girl merely bending herself back to avoid the spinning blade. Deidre quickly started to swing down, before the foot of Zurah slammed into her armored wrist. She recoiled in shock, before regaining her grip on her blade, but at that point Zurah had drawn a rune of force that slammed into Deidre like she was kicked by a horse in the stomach. Her armor dented and she was lifted slightly into the air. She used her other blade to stabilize herself as she tried to regain herself. Zurah not willing to let that happen was drawing a new rune when two of the Guards charged at her causing the rune to break and for her to dodge their caster blasts.

Deidre removed her armor from her abdomen and felt it. It was already bruising. 

"Stop blasting at me and let me kill you." Complained Zurah. She was dodging each blast at the last possible second, dancing along the stones in the courtyard. One hand quickly drew a rune in the air and Deidre blinked. There was no inker, so how had she? She couldn't be a Mage Born, those were myths. And yet.... 

The rune caused one guard to stop, vertigo overcoming her. Zurah grabbed her blaster and shoved it in her mouth before firing it over and over until the blasts cracked open the guards head and helmet. The other one screamed in anger, as he started casting at Zurah as fast as he could. The red head used his dead comrade as a shield as she wrote a simple rune of slipping and aimed it below the guard. He tripped slamming his head onto the ground, dazing him. Zurah ran forward and slammed her foot full weight onto his head, knocking him out cold. She raised a leg to stomp again when a buzzing blade swung at her head. She jumped away, only losing a few strands of hair to Deidre's blade. 

Deidre motioned for the wall to take the injured man, which they did before falling back into formation.

"Oh, are you rejoining the game? Good, those ones were so boring. But you are a good sacrifice. The goddess love people who can resist her disciples. She'll gladly accept a sacrifice like you."

"Do you need to speak so much." Deidre sliced at Zurah who parried it with the caster, before drawing a rune of shock. Deidre recoiled and clenched her teeth as she felt her body feel like it was being electrocuted. She swung at Zurah who drew a rune of force at blade sending it flying out of the knight's hands. A second rune of force hit her in the stomach once more, this time hitting her directly with no armor to divert it and protect her. Blood vomited from her mouth as she fell down to the ground. Her other blade clanged to the ground next to her. She attempted to reach for it before Zurah kicked it away. 

Zurah laughed as she kicked Deidre in her stomach causing her to curl into a ball for protection. Zurah bent over and grabbed Deidre's sword. She clicked the trigger and smiled. "The goddess thanks you for your life." And swung down.

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Three against one wasn't a fair fight, especially with rune users. But Lea was older and used to using runes in life or death fights like this. And so it came to pass that Lea was being defeated and driven back, but not without difficulty on the Empire's trio part. 

Lea slammed a rune enhanced fist at her younger self, the girl blocking with her hands before an uppercut slammed into her jaw and shook her head. Lea was then slammed by a rune of water and a rune of direction. They pushed her away from Leannan who gathered herself. 

Lea panted and struggled to stay standing. She drew runes fast, over and over. The wounds on her started to blot and cease bleeding. Salem charged at her, his ax ready to strike when another chunk of the building fell on him, crushing the Prince.

"Shit." Brio swore. That was going to be hard to explain. "Leannan, we need to go now."

Leannan nodded. As she began to ran they realized there was no door out. They turned back to the other Leannan who was drawing a rune towards them. Brio threw a rock at her head breaking her casting and giving Leannan enough time to use a speed rune to get over to her older self and pin her to the ground.

"How do we get out of here?" Leannan held her nail against Lea's throat.

"I don't know. I wasn't told, and I'm fine to die if you Cysgod bastards die with me."

"I will not die here."

Lea grabbed her younger self's wrists. Brio swore again as he realized what was happening. He tried to draw a rune of shielding but it was too late as a huge stone fell on the two twins of a singular soul. He fell to the ground and cursed. And he closed his eyes and waited for the ceiling to collapse upon him.

In the same space and not at all in the same space Leannan blinked, alone in a void. A voice spoke from nowhere and everywhere at once.

"My child. I am dead. I am alive. You are dead. I am alive. Are you ready to receive my blessing."

Leannan bowed, "Yes, Lord Ci'sgo'tte."

She closed her eyes and felt her skin start to burn as rune after rune etched itself into her very being. Memories and thoughts and feelings infested her mind, trying to overwhelm and overpower her own. She struggled to keep herself whole as the torrent of centuries and centuries crushed her beneath their weight. She shivered as magic itself crawled into her being, runes that she never imagined being as common to her as her own name.

When it was over she stood up and looked into the void. "You know the plan. I have used my last strengths to give you a way to them. But first, take the other's memories with you." 

Once again memories filled Leannan's head, this time that of the other her she had been fighting- of her foolish struggle alongside another Lara and the Lyrica that she had thought Deidre to have sliced in twain. It was much faster that the blessing thankfully.

"It is time." Runes suddenly appeared in the void and made an arch. Leannan stepped towards it. 

"Glory to Cysgod." She said.

"Glory to Sioga." The voice responded.

----------------------------------------------

Lyrica slammed into the stones, her spear being barely avoid by Zurah.

"Oh? It's you. She warned me about you. You aren't fit for the goddess. Step aside and let me sacrifice the tall one."

Lyrica glared at Zurah, "No." And charged at Zurah, moving around the spear with unnatural efficiency. Zurah found herself having to block and parry more than she was used to. She drew runes of speed to her side, just to avoid the tip of the spear as it danced just out of reach of her soft flesh.

Deidre sat up still in immense pain. Lyrica. She should help her- she vomited again. She stared at her bloody stomach contents and frowned.

Lyrica swore as she looked at Zurah, eyes frantically searching for any caster or inker on her. Zurah caught her eyes looking at her waist and grinned, sharp teeth gleaming, "Are you looking for something? I have no inker for you to use against me.  After all I am a Blessed one."

"No, you aren't. Zurah wasn't when she was like you."

"This is by the glory of the goddess, unwanted one." Zurah said drawing a rune of force. It slammed into Lyrica's stomach and did nothing. Zurah blinked, confused.

"I've fought stronger yous than yourself. I know every rune you have. Even if you can cast without an inker, I'm not going to die that easily."

Zurah laughed, "She was correct indeed. You are so annoying. But nevertheless."

Zurah clapped, multiple runes appearing on the ground. Lyrica swore as she thrust catching the shoulder of Zurah. The goat eared women smiled as the ground began to collapse and then all at once the floor beneath them gave way and down they fell. Deidre had just enough time to yell for her fellow guards and knights to get away to safety before the three plummeted to the level below them. 

They landed in the street, Deidre slamming into the ground hard, probably breaking a few bones. Zurah landed softly, runes protecting her from the fall.

Lyrica however slammed head first onto the stones, but no blood was spilled or bones cracked. Zurah focused and could see runes around her head as she landed.

"Oh? Those are some serious runes of protection. Was it the false daughter's work?"

Lyrica groaned thanking her boss for doing something useful, and Zurah began to draw multiple runes of force. She needed to break that shield and fast. Deidre attempted to crawl to Lyrica but found her legs unable to even do that much. With fifty runes now drawn she released them and had them pummel Lyrica over and over. By the fortieth the runes where crack and with the final two her body was slammed into the concrete hard. 

Zurah whistled picking up the spear and using a rune of fire on it before tossing it aside. She grabbed Lyrica and picked her up. Lyrica spat at her, to which Zurah drew the rune that she had killed Fervor with and was about to cast it when Lyrica grabbed her wrist and twisted it upwards. A bird above was effected and behind them fell down to the ground in pain unlike anything it's kind had ever felt.

Lyrica slammed a fist into Zurah's abdomen who despite it not being strong was caught off guard and in shock didn't react in time to the second one to follow. Lyrica left the fist in the stomach and frowned. She could feel something. Right by Zurah's kidney's. A gushing that was unnatural. She closed her eyes and imagined using a caster. And then Zurah screamed as she felt the magic inside her boiling over before she burst. Lyrica closed her eyes, ready to accept the death she was used to receiving. The reset would soon come anyways.

But none came. The remains of Zurah lay splattered around her when she opened her eyes. A shield of runes was in front of her.

"I am sorry, I cannot save you." A younger and familiar voice spoke behind her. Lyrica's head snapped around and she saw Leannan holding Deidre's hand, tears in her eyes. "The bruising and internal bleeding is too far already."

Lyrica jumped at Leannan, but the younger woman reversed it on her and used runes to hold her into place.

She walked over to Lyrica who was trying to draw runes of death with her eyes at her. "Calm. I am not your enemy, Ly."

"Step away from her." She demanded.

"Why? She'll be dead long before you can take her with you."

"You. I can smell him on you."

"Yes. I am blessed by his glory. And as such I am now head of Cysgod."

"Even more reason for you to get away from her."

"No. Even more reason for you to listen. The former Wild God that gave me this power told me that you would make an excellent ally. And I agree. I can smell you have something deeper to you as well. Join me. Join Cysgod, Lyrica Protothea. We can stop their games."

Lyrica laughed, "Why would I join you?"

Leannan smiled and drew some runes. 

A figure of Hazel and Zurah appeared.

They spoke on a deal, and truce to face the Empire. 

"Do you wish to still work with Hazel."

Lyrica scowled. She had known Hazel was willing to work with unsavory characters but to work with someone like Zurah... She thought for a moment. Perhaps Zurah was influencing her, or forcing her into an agreement. She knew the things she saw and heard were truth, the runes used wouldn't allow deception. And so, she began to consider- just until Zurah and her resurrection crusade was completed.

"What is in it for me?"

"I will make you happier. Lyrica can exist for a longer time, though I cannot save your parents, the fates always kill them."

"I've tried myself, against Hazel's wishes. I am aware. And what of Deidre?"

"She'll always love you, after all- you two are fated. Well, three with Lara."

Lyrica blushed. "And I assume I'll still come back at the same time."

"Not the same place. I will make sure you stay safe until then. In exchange for all of this I ask only you share with me a pact rune. And one more thing."

Lyrica held out her hand and Leannan used runes to summon a double-sided branding iron from a pocket dimension she now had access to, the same which Ci'sgo'tte had blessed her in, and using a rune of flames turned the iron hot. The two woman smashed their palms onto the iron until their fingers met. Lyrica could feel her skin burn as she held onto the iron until she saw Leannan break away.

Leannan released Lyrica from the runes. Lyrica ran over to Deidre and kissed her. "I'm sorry."

Deidre coughed and managed to spit out a laugh. "No need. I'm just glad you and Leannan are alright. I guess the mission went well if she's back- ack." She coughed up more blood and smiled as the lights in her eyes faded away. 

Lyrica wiped the tears from her eyes and faced Leannan. She could here the reset coming, slowly consuming the world around her. 

"I will keep you to your promises, Cysgod."

"As will I, Lyrica."

"Without her, you will not have all of the memories you have."

"That is fine, this is a fresh start. Besides, as long as the feelings transfer, my memories don't matter."

Leannan laughed, "You really are such an honest girl. Too bad for you that neither of you will meet the way you wish. Show me that you are willing to be more than what you are."

Lyrica grinned, "Yeah, I've heard that before from gods. Bring whatever test you may upon me, Lea."

And then with no pomp and circumstance the reality they existed in and they themselves ceased to exist forever and always.

And then Leannan became aware once more.

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