Domitorem Corvo

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Seaside Blackout
Omega furrows his brow.
"I guess that could work. I wish we had something more... discreet." Omega says

"I could teach her the protection prayer." Maya says. "It's easy to modify for use on ones self. Sorry only works for women though."

"That's not a problem." Omega takes a moment to focus. Ever so slightly but undoubtedly his features become feminine. "Will that work?"

Maya is speechless for a moment. She mutters to herself before speaking up. "I guess we'll find out, come over here, the both of you."

Maya makes a small incision in Galen's wrist and collects the blood in a small bowl. "This is supposed to be done with sacred water blessed by the priesthood. So don't mind my repulsion."

Maya dips a finger into the blood and begins to mark her face and arms. As she goes she instructs Lotus and Omega on the prayer and the meaning of the markings. Finally she finishes and clasps her hands.

"Oh divines, hear my voice and be merciful. Grant this land your protection and shelter the souls within." Maya unclasps her hands and claps. As she does the Umbra within her comes to life and seems to clench. It digs deeper into her being and spreads across her arms and face. She groans. The Umbra relents and vanishes from her body once more. The blackout seems to go slack then tighten into an impenetrable dome once again. "Go on you two. Like I showed you. Make sure to change the prayer like I said."

Omega clasps their hands. "Oh divines, hear my voice and be merciful. Grant this body your protection and shelter the souls within." Omega claps and the blood seeps into his skin. In that moment his face is overtaken by revelation. As though he were in comprehension of some great and terrible secret.

The moment passes. The Umbra becomes a second skin weaving together over his existence.

"Well slap my ass and call me The Maiden, it worked." Maya stares at Omega. "Do I call you a women now?"

"Call me what you want." Omega pauses a moment. "Raydel if you insist."

"Alright, she's ready. Your turn girly." Maya gestures to Lotus."

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Karna Throne Room
The Commander takes a moment to appreciate the straight forward request.
"Safety I can assure so long as you remain in within the palace walls. With the armies garrisoned outside the city guard has enforced a strict curfew and been ordered to detain any suspicious persons. As for a detailed map," Commander waves a hand and a servant nods and scurries away. "I'll have the royal cartographer copy you our most recent maps of the land."

The Commander finishes their glass and their second glass, lets their helmet fall back into place, and pours more. Though their lower face has been observed it does not stay in the memory. Reaching for the recollection of their features only muddies them even further. What does their voice sound like? Are they a man or woman? Are they even Human? Nothng but the knowledge of their actions remains in the mind.

"Is that all that you want? Nothing else to ask for? Just safety and a map?" Commander laughs. "I wish all my problems could be solved so easily."

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Shadowhold battlefield
Karnariel approaches Gaul. He levels his gaze at the large man.
"Let me fight Kara. I have to be one to end this." Karnariel says plainly.

The fighting has died down significantly. With Kara present to allow her forces to skip the time constraint of the resurrection the battle has screeched to a crawl. A few holdout have gathered in the wreckage of fallen ships and attempt to repel the battered alliance forces. Most of Kara's forces are willing to fight until the last.

Shadow speaks up.
"You should stay here." He says to Kar, who wheels around to face him already furious.

"I don't take orders from you." Kar bites.

"Not an order. Just a suggestion." Shadow sets himself down on a rock. "The Viking should go. He's not of this land. But he still represents a part of herself she has abandoned. A defeat at his hands would do considerable damage to her mental state."

"I want-no, I have to be there when she dies." Kar's hands tramble. "It has to be me."

"And it will." Shadow says. He sets his gaze on Kara's body resting against a toppled wall. "She has a vessel in this world to return to. And you'll be here. Waiting. To decide her fate."

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Valkyrie Throne World
Kara grunts as her arm is severed but smiles as a devious idea takes hold. A new arm grows instantly, replacing the one she lost. Her severed arm clenches into a fist and begins to replicate at a staggering rate. Many of which collide with Flames blood attacks nullifying them mid flight.

Others still begin to attach to her spear. Slowly they fuse to it creating a macabre and horrifying instrument of twisted metal, bone, muscle, tendons, and flesh. The blades warp into many toothed tentacles that whip and writhe eager for violence. Kara laughs. Thousands of her arms fill the air. They skitter in all directions across the cold hard marble like ground casting eerie shadows from the source-less light of this world.

The swarms of limbs begin to chase Flame down. Being moved at the speed of thought they cascade into Flames barrier like railgun rounds and scatter gore in all directions from the force of impact.

At the same time clutches of yet more limbs begin to align themselves into a grand formation. As though they were assembling themselves into a terrifying machine ring hovering in the air.

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Seaside Village Blackout
Maya leans against the dias.
"Awfully intimate for someone who isn't your man." Maya muses.

The echo that comes back to Lotus is subtle. Quiet even. It is a location that doesn't make sense. The garden in Castle Sanctus. Specifically an old tree from before the castles founding. Dangerous territory with Zaak brooding about.

Omega scolds Maya who gives him a apathetic side eye.
"Did you get anything Lotus?" Omega asks. Maya has produced a set of tools used to prepare and care for the dead. She sets up to perform a ritual.

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Seaside Village Blackout
The Elder approaches holding her hand out to Lotus.
"I'm no one special. As a little girl I was told that I'm a reincarnated Goddess of the Harvest. But I've never been much of a farmer. Too pretty." Maya regards Galen. "This one. He's quiet. And not dead quiet. Empty. He's like gaping wound in the world."

"I'm not familiar enough with how Galen operates to say what the situation is exactly." Omega muses. "Why is this here?"

"At least he's useful. And this Umbra. It's like Mana, or chakras, if your from out north. Difference being it's... hungry. Like it's looking for a meal that'll satisfy it. Every thing it gives is in pursuit of whatever it's looking for." Maya taps Galen with her walking stick. "This guy resonates with it. But it's just that. Empty resonance."

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Valkyrie Throne World
Kara slams down into the pool of blood and frees it from being able to harm her body. As Flame bites into her arm that same hand comes up to trap her neck in its crushing grip. Kara towers over Flame and her hand easily finds purchase around her throat. The blades of Kara's spear retract and quiver with appetite for conflict.

"Stupid girl! This fight ended the moment you made it hand to hand!" Kara tightens her grip even further. Then draws up her power and strikes Flame's entire body liberating the blood inside it from the physical confines of her circulatory system. The result will be horrifying internal bleeding, rapid asphyxiation, muscle failure, and complete organ failure as the body struggles to operate without something to circulate oxygen and critical nutrients.

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Valkyrie
Throne World
Kara turns her power on her mind. Freeing the speed of her thoughts and information processing. Next her power flows into her body. Allowing it to push beyond any physical limitations, be translated through space by her will alone, and allowing it to regenerate as fast as it needs to. Finally she turns the power on the three blades of her Spear. They are freed from their solid state and begin to ripple like water allowing them to become living blades that conform to Kara's will.

She raises her spear up above her head. The blades lash out like bladed whips morphing mid swing to find the perfect cutting edge at the moment of contact. Each blade moves along a vector to cut off evasion and defense as they close in on Flame.

"Grovel! You pitiful mortal shell!" Kara laughs. "This is the power bestowed to me by my father!"

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Commander
Citadel Throneroom
Commander tips their glass back.
"Your hardly in a position to negotiate." The Commander starts the negotiations from a position of strength. "What assurances would you ask? We may be able to find a common ground to stand on." The command spell Razz was targeted with releases giving him back his agency. The Commander nods and tips their glass. "A show of good faith." Nevermore is released as well. She seems to have calmed a bit. She takes Nel's hand and guides her to a table with Razz and commander.

"I hope you know what your doing Razz." She says sharply. Nel snacks on a cake brought to the table. Nevermore stares intently at Commander. "For all our sakes."

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Omega
Seaside Village
"Raydel isn't my name. The children gave it to me when I told them I don't remember my name." Omega observes Galen. "And I can only assume that death changed all of us somehow. It's interesting. All the things that held us hostage in life didn't matter in death. We're free now. Well as free as an engram can be."

"Zaak has changed too. Not for the better,somehow. He's obsessive to the point of mania. Almost like a parody of himself. Like he's trying to prove he's still himself." Omega sighs. "We've this small advantage. To be honest we don't have much of a plan. No one but Zaak can wield the Umbra. And he's nigh invincible with it. Any Umbra we find we've brought here. The elder in the village agreed to help. Using Galen's blood as a medium the Elder is able to erect a barrier to hide this place."

"But it's killing me." An elderly lady approaches from the entrance. Creeping up the side of her face is an ominous pattern of Umbral Seals. Their jagged, stabbing angles cut across her hands as well. "Raydel here has said your man is going about scheming most nefarious. I swear you young girls can't handle your men right."

"She's older than you, Maya." Omega corrects.

"Then she should damn well know better." Maya snaps.

Omega turns to Lotus. "Sorry about her shes"

"A bitch?" Maya cuts in. Omega sighs deep signifying he's 1000% done.