Karna Throne Room

"Well, if you have a several thousand-pound sword laying around id take that too, but were not done, I think. There's still what you'd ask of me, I'm not sure how much of my story will make sense to you but you're welcome too it." I rummage around in my belt pouch finding my flask i pop the stopper and take a long pull, and exhale a small puff of flame, i refit the cork and slide it a crossed the table to the commander. "Try that on for size, not as fancy as this wine but it gets the job done."

Karn Throneroom
The Commander
"I do have a rather large sword in the treasury. It's not something I'm willing to part with." Commander takes a moment to regard the flask. They shake their head in politely in decline. "As for what I need to know..." The Commander seems to trail off in thought.

There is a distant boom. Then another and another. Siege engines at war with the city defenses.

"Starting with the most pressing. Who and how many others are in your travel party? What are their powers? What weapons do they wield?" The Commander seems well collected but urgent. "How have they allied The Father's Hands to their side? How have they turned or captured my Lords to their cause? Why have they supported a dissident uprising?"

The Commanders hand is clenched to a fist. Though it cannot be seen on their face, their body language is tense. Stressed even. Their attention turns to Nevermore and Nel. "And why do you have two hands and corpse that wont stop singing?!"

Valkyrie Throneworld
Kara's blood goes cold. A moment from her childhood cuts through her mind.

"Fate. That's what does you in." The Old crone with milky white eyes fingers twisted like old battered branches. "A wretch you were born. A wretch will you live. And a wretch you will die. I've never seen a more cursed destiny. No matter how you struggle. In the end Fate will be the death of you."

She thought she could escape the crone's vision. When she went to help The Father send the entire worlds Pantheons screaming into the abyss she thought that it meant her destiny would go with it. Now with Ghaul here in her sanctuary she sees that none of it mattered. The betrayals, the lies, the lives she could have had, all of it sacrificed only to end up right where she had so desperately fought to avoid.

She raises her hand and focuses the entirety of her power on it. Pushing past her limits, the wish within her soul enkindles and roars to life gently enwreathing her in softly flickering black flames. Mjolnir blinks out of existence. With her other hand she raises her spear. The many heads converge into one and twist to form a drill like blade. At the same time her arm melds into the haft of spear which rotates with increasing velocity. Faster and faster in mere fractions of a moment.

Kara uses her power to cut away the parts of herself unnecessary for an attack that is made to kill her enemy. Her fear, her anger, her pride and shame and everything she carried with her until now. Until all that remains is a defiant Rejection of Fate.

She unleashes her attack with a direct path straight to Ghaul. A challenge and statement all at once.

Oasis Hidden Gate
The tree lets out a soft sigh.
"The Will that is Galen is no more. The Lich has destroyed It and the Vessel It inhabited. I am what remains. The Spirit of the Oasis." The tree says.

"So you can help us?" Raydel speaks up.

"I have no means by which to aid you. Neither do I have the means to halt or even impede The Lich." The tree stops to creak and groan as it shifts. "There is a system in place by which Galen ensured that no other beings would be able to seize my authority for themselves. Only a Vessel may access my authority."

"So we just need to make a new vessel." Raydel states attempting to work to a solution.

"Were it so easy. Furthermore, only Galen may inhabit a Vessel." The tree muses for a moment. "There were plans to allow others, namely Lexianna, Azriel, and Cael, to access the Authority in the event of dire emergency. But He never got around to establishing it."

Valkyrie Throneworld

Gaul watches calmly as Valkyrie begins her attack. His weapons gone, he stands tall, defiant even, as she moves straight for him, massive spear whirring like a drill. An umbral glow radiates as he raises his left hand and blocks the point of the spear. The tattoos across Gaul’s skin glow and fade, pulsating from left to right, coalescing into a formless purple-black cloud around his right hand.

“For what it’s worth, you fought well. The designs of the Weave, however, remain undefeated.” He points his open right palm towards Valkyrie. “Dark Mirror.”

Valkyrie Throneworld
As Ghaul reflects her attack Kara smiles softly.
"So it seems."
The Fate Shear unbounds her fate at the very root. Her body's bonds untangle and she disintegrates from the point of contact.

Slowly but surely the effect of her presence on the Throneworld wanes and Ghaul is left in a blank empty void.

Ghaul's Throneworld
A figure approahces from the ether. At first they are a blank featureless human. Yet as they close it is The Allfather himself, Odin.
"Hell of a fight that. Poor girl. No avoiding it though. She stood in your direct path." Odin holds up Mjolnir, turning it over in his hands. "The real question, however, do you know where that path leads?"

Odin holds the hammer out to Ghaul. "I'll answer your questions now."

Shadowhold
Karnariel is there when Kara wakes. She is propped up against a crumbling pillar.
Karnariel holds his blade out aimed at her heart.
"Hey Kar." Kara softly greets. "I'm sorry. I was a fool."
Karnariel is stopped in his tracks. "Don't try to apologize now. It won't save you."
"I know. I'm not apologizing to try and save my skin. I've since learned that it was all for nothing. All the betrayal, murder, the lies, all of it. It didn't make a difference in the end. Kar,our parents! Our friends!" Kara is openly sobbing.

Karnariel tosses his sword aside and wraps her in his arms. She clutches his blouse and sobs into him. The comfortable nostalgia of it both quenches her emotions and brings for yet more that she had long locked away. The gentle scent of cinnamon and warm coals that accompanied her childhood tears. The quiet moments of respite afforded by Karnariel. She apologizes. Even now. After all that has transpired he's still kind enough to embrace her as tenderly as in their youth.

Kara's tears have ended. She slowly relents and loosens her grip on Karnariel. "Kar, say you forgive me. Even if you don't mean it."
"I forgive you Kara." Karnariel places his forhead to hers. "You'll always have a place by my side. No matter what."
"You're kind Kar. Too kind. I've always loved that about you." Kara confesses. "But I've made up my mind."

Kara softly pushes Karnariel away and stands. Karnariel puzzled, starts to question but his blood goes cold when Kara picks up a sword.
"It's time to finish this. Raise your sword Karnason. You've a people to avenge." Kara grips the sword in her hands.
"I won't." Karnariel affirms. He knows its a lie.
"You will. You will because you still have something to fight for." Kara pushes down her urge to relent. "That's why you've fought so desperately isn't it? Your ward yet lives. You've a duty to uphold. I won't let you falter here."

Kara presses the attack. Karnariel answers in kind. The exchange is brief. Kara hadn't the resolve to fight in earnest. Karnariel's sword finds purchase in Kara's heart. And the tricksters daughter is no more.

And with that. There is only the future left to guide Karnariel.

The First Lotus ~The Oasis~

Fury rises in me and I struggle to tamp it down because of course he didn't. That arrogant, short sided, pride-blinded man couldn't get his affairs completely in order. And so here I am, cleaning up his mess. Some things never change, I think bitterly. It would be laughable if it wasn't so irresponsible of him. I swear to find him and restore him just to kill him myself for such negligence. This shouldn't be my job. I hate him for making it so.

" Any suggestions? " I ask almost flippant, trying to curb what I'm sure will be more disappointment.

Blaze ~ Shadowhold battlegrounds~

What a waste. What a waste of a beautiful woman. Even though it's a tragedy I have my own that's staring me right in the face. I don't dare look away.

I take one step then another back as she sits up. I focus on the eyes that aren't my sister's. Those eyes seem oblivious to me. It turns Flame's hands this way and that. Testing the movements. Then slowly It starts to lick the gore from Flame's fingers.

I fall to my knees staring blankly and only then does It seem to notice me.

The Fox Spirit tilts Its head and in a mixture of Flame's voice and something primordial It speaks. " Rise, King of Mine."
I shuffle back to my feet, in a daze, as It regards me unblinking. " You seem distraught. Little King."

I flinch, my teeth grinding.

The Fox Spirit tilts Its head the opposite direction. " That was meant to be a comfort. Not add distress."

" The only comfort I seek is my sister returned to me. "

"Did she not call me to save her?"

"You broke her body." I grind the words out between clinched teeth. Familiar anger rising.

"To make her stronger."

"You choke her spirit now. I cannot sense her."

" Ahh. That's your fault. She spends too much time thinking to control us because you wish her to repress her instincts when she should embrace us. Little King, do you know who I am?

I flinch a second time. "Of course. "

"No. I think not." It's smile fills me with cold dread. " But you will. "