After the room had settled and the killing had stopped, Aiden and I moved forward to check on Taro, who was alone, holding his sister's recently slain body in his hands. Tears filled my eyes, "Kaida! … No..." My voice broke with the tears that were now strolling down my face. Aiden stood at attention in respect, but Taro was silent; the anger filling him was palpable.
The air hung heavy with grief as we gathered around Kaida's lifeless form. The once vibrant warrior lay still, a fallen comrade in the shadows' cruel dance. Aiden placed a hand on my shoulder, offering silent solace. Then he raised his head to speak, "Taro, this is the worst circumstances to meet under, but well met nonetheless, this is an unforgivable crime, and I wish you luck in slaying the person responsible." Nexus, the ever-watchful companion, lowered his head in what seemed like a gesture of mourning.
In the lavish corridor, we held an improvised funeral service for Kaida, a warrior deserving of a solemn send-off. A ceremonial Pyre was made, and Candles were lit, casting flickering shadows on the walls adorned with gears. Taro's eyes, red from tears and anger, spoke words that resonated with sorrow and determination.
"Kaida, my sister, a warrior unmatched. You fought with the strength of a hundred, yet the shadows claimed you in a harsh twist of fate. Your spirit will guide my blade, and your memory will fuel my quest for vengeance. Rest well, dear sister, in the eternal shadows."
Taro knelt, kissed his sister's hand, and lit the flame.
Aiden and I, along with Nexus, paid our respects in silence. Kaida's departure marked the end of life and the beginning of a new journey for all of us. The air was heavy with the weight of loss, and the shadows seemed to embrace us with somber tendrils.
As the makeshift funeral concluded, Aiden approached me, his gaze reflecting a mixture of sadness and determination. "Lotus, my friend, I need to tell you something. I've received a message from Rorian, an old ally of mine. He's investigating a lead that might illuminate the Echo Knights' involvement in the scrap harvesting. Now that we have found your friends and gotten this intel, I must move and follow this trail."
Aiden's words hung in the air, and I felt a twinge of understanding and reluctance. The bond forged in the crucible of danger was strong, but our paths diverged. "Aiden, we've come this far together; I trust you; we have faced this shit as one. I'll miss you, But I understand. You have your mission, and I have mine."
Aiden nodded, his expression one of gratitude and regret. "Lotus, Taro, Nexus—keep fighting. Uncover the truth, stay on the Collective, and remember, leave the door open for me, friend. We will meet again when the gears of fate turn in our favor."
We bid farewell to Aiden with a heavy heart as he left to pursue his lead alongside Rorian. The corridor felt emptier as he disappeared into the shadows, leaving Taro, Nexus, and me to navigate the path ahead.
Still seething with a thirst for vengeance, Taro spoke with a voice hardened by determination. "Lotus, dog, we press on. Kaida's death will not go unanswered. The Collective will pay for their cowardice and betrayal."
"His name is Nexus; listen, Taro, This is my fault; I should have gotten here sooner and found a way... But what exactly was your involvement with these people? I've always known you as a kind soul, yet this is a criminal organization. What exactly is happening? I need answers at some point, Taro; however, we will get revenge for Kaida first. I wish seeing you again was under better affairs, but we have a nasty affair of our own to attend to... Are you sure it was the collective? That assassin? Because someone must, and will, die for this."
Taro didn't acknowledge any questions I had with an answer. Instead, his gaze met mine. His dark jade eyes connected to my soul, and chills ran through my core. It was understood the head of the Collective must be cut off; the answers I wanted were coming.
Nexus, his teal eyes gleaming with a renewed sense of purpose, stood by our side as we stood in the doorway, about to step away from Kaida and the lair, with a new goal in mind: revenge. The dual moon's glow outside seemed to whisper promises of justice as we ventured into the ticking abyss once more, leaving behind the echoes of a fallen warrior and the vows of retribution that echoed in the shadows.
Days later, in the heart of the Clockwork District, the whispers we followed led us to a figure—a woman whose features stirred a familiar chord within me.
Brown hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her eyes hinted at recognition. I remembered her from our encounter at the Gates of Lazarus, but her name eluded me.
"Elara," she introduced herself, her voice carrying a serene authority. The sense of familiarity intertwined with a mystery lingered, amplifying the significance of her presence. "Our paths seem destined to intertwine, don't they, Lotus."
"Elara," I repeated her name, trying to anchor it in my memory. The echoes of our past meeting resonated in the air, raising questions about her role in this intricate dance with shadows. "How do you know my name? We have never spoken?" I shook my head as she met my eyes. "Never mind, listen; long story short? Could you tell us more about the Collective? Can you guide us? Word around here is that the "mystery" lady with the brown hair is where to go, so we're all in if you'll have us."
Elara's guarded wisdom seeped into her response, emphasizing the shadowy nature of the pursuit. "I can help," she answered, caution evident in her tone. "But prepare for what you may uncover. The shadows conceal more than meets the eye." not acknowledging how she knew my name.
Our alliance with Elara led us to a covert operation to capture the Collective contact in a mundane workshop. Taro and I exchanged knowing glances during the undercover mission, "Lotus, what's wrong? Why can't you focus?" Taro said, "I don't know, Taro, it's Elara; I've seen her before." I offered a moment of silence, then continued, "She's connected to something, I know it," I murmured to Taro, my voice almost lost amidst the tension. "We need to understand her part in all of this."
Taro, ever watchful, nodded in agreement. "Keep an eye on her. There's more to her than she presents."
Approaching the captive Collective contact who was now in Elara's possession, I directed my questions to her to unearth information about some mysterious Collective Archive we had heard about in passing.
"What do you know about this Archive?" I probed, seeking clues for our next move. "It's the key to unveiling the Collective's secrets; I know whatever we need; it's in there; my gut is screaming at me."
Elara hesitated, her gaze momentarily shifting, before meeting mine with a glint of apprehension. "The Archive holds knowledge that can shake foundations," she cautioned.
"Be prepared for what you might uncover—by foundations, I do not mean just for CrestFall, you mourn your friend, but if you fail, the gods will mourn the universe, you know, come to think of it Lotus, I remember a funny little poem that said something just like this."
Her words resonated within me, amplifying the nature of our pursuit. Could she mean Exodesia? She couldn't possibly mean the Ethereal? I had never seen her face with the Shamans and Tome-Keepers back home; how did she know about the Rhapsody?
Conversations with Elara only added more layers to the mystery, each moment deepening the intrigue surrounding our quests, leaving me with more questions than answers.
A few more days went by, and Taro, Nexus, and I continued to delve deeper into the intricate web of the Collective's influence, seeking answers that eluded us like untouchable clouds. The questions themselves were even more challenging to get out. Nevertheless, Kaida's memory fueled our determination. The pain of loss propelled us forward; our means may or may not have been much more violent than before.
The Clockwork District seemed to conspire against us with its mechanisms and concealed secrets. Each gear and cog whispered tales of betrayal and hidden agendas. With his heightened senses, Nexus guided us through the river of deceit, leading us to obscure corners where the truth lingered like a phantom.
Taro, driven by an unwavering desire for vengeance, honed his skills with each passing night. His sword, Rehu, once wielded alongside Kaida in graceful harmony, now cleaved through shadows with a ferocity born of grief.
Nexus, the silent guardian, matched Taro's determination with a vigilant presence that spoke volumes in the silence of our pursuits.
As we threaded through the narrow alleyways, the Serpent's Gear symbol discreetly etched into walls and clothing mocked us on our path. Yet, each trace brought us closer to the heart of the Collective's machinations.
Our investigations led us to various hidden enclaves and secret gatherings, where whispers of the Collective's influence echoed. Once reserved and alluring, the city's underbelly now revealed a darker truth—a truth that Kaida had paid the ultimate price to uncover.
In one hidden chamber, we encountered an informant who spoke in hushed tones, fear etched across their face. "The Collective's reach extends beyond Lazarus," the informant revealed. "They are a network of power, a clandestine force manipulating the very fabric of reality. Your pursuit of justice is a dangerous dance, for the shadows have eyes that pierce even the darkest veils, and the Echoes are just as bad."
Taro's grip tightened on the hilt of his sword, "Why the fuck do you all speak in riddles!" Aggravation steamed off of him. Nexus emitted a low growl, sensing the gravity of the informant's words. I leaned in, my voice steady despite the trepidation that gripped us. "Tell us how to expose them and bring their bullshit into the light!"
The informant hesitated, handed us a cryptic map, and whispered, "Follow this path. It leads to the ancient Archive you seek, a repository of forbidden knowledge. The veil may be lifted there, but beware—the shadows guard their secrets fiercely."
Finally... armed with an accurate map and a newfound determination, we embarked on a two-day journey to the Archive. The nights were cloaked in uncertainty, and the air buzzed with the tension of impending revelations.
There was no time to rest; a few hours later, at dusk on the third day of travel, we approached the hidden entrance to the Archive. The moons mixing with the sun above cast a surreal glow upon the gears that adorned the doorway.
Nexus, sensing an unseen presence, stood on high alert. Taro's gaze, fixed on the entrance, whispered, "This is where we uncover the truth, where Kaida's sacrifice gains deeper meaning, and her last will can unlock the Collective's secrets, and maybe, just maybe the man who slayed her may die, like a dog. No offense, Nexus."
Nexus whined sarcastically as if letting the comment roll off his shoulder, but that's when I noticed something that ironically brought silence to the group.
"It... Is... Way... Too damn quiet, guys." I said aloud to eerily, no echo back.
The door creaked open, revealing a chamber steeped in the musty scent of ancient knowledge. Dust danced in the flickering light of glowing crystals that filtered through narrow windows, illuminating shelves of ancient scrolls and artifacts. Taro, Nexus, and I moved cautiously as if stepping into the sanctum of a forgotten era.
The cryptic map guided us through the maze of knowledge and books, tablets, and scrolls, leading to a chamber adorned with a mural that narrates intertwining tales of shadows and gears. At the center stood a pedestal, atop which lay a weathered tome, a legend unveiling the secrets that had eluded us for so long.
Taro approached the ancient tome with reverence, his fingers tracing the faded symbols on its cover. The pages whispered with the weight of forgotten truths. As Taro began deciphering the ancient text, a revelation unfolded: it was an old but not forgotten dialect on CrestFall—the dialect of the Crimson Wasteland.
It spoke directly about the head of the Collective and the Emperor working together; there was no good or bad in Lazarus, only two sides to the same coin, and the palace had never been a place of peace in the first place.
The Collective and The Knights were the same convents, pretending to be enemies to maintain control over the people of Lazarus, using perpetual conflict as a red-herring.
Nexus, sensing the gravity of the revelation, emitted a low growl. Taro's eyes narrowed with a newfound understanding, and I felt the weight of Kaida's sacrifice again.
"The Knights, The Collective, both have veiled our eyes for too long," Taro declared, his voice resonating with a steely resolve. "We will expose the Collective's schemes, bring their deceit into the light, and bring down the fucking Emperor too if we have to."
"I don't know how we'd be able to stop a man as strong as that, but I'm willing to try; the proof is right here in front of us; this is a little too easy, don't you think?" I replied. Taro reinforced my sentiment with a sigh and a shrug as he moved past me to push on.
As we ventured more deeply, the Archive unveiled more of its secrets— Tales of ancient alliances and forgotten betrayals painted a mosaic of the Collective's dark history. The shadows, it seemed, had been masterfully choreographed by puppeteers who hid in the deepest recesses of the past.
Nexus stood by our side as we charted a course through the Archive, following the holographic projections that unveiled the path to the heart of the Collective's hidden lair.
After a few hours, we finally began approaching the hidden entrance to the Collective's Archive's innermost sanctum. Taro, Nexus, and I stood at the threshold, ready to face the puppeteers behind the shadows, armed with the knowledge and determination to unravel their intricate web of deceit.
The air buzzed with the tension of impending confrontation, and the gears of fate awaited the decisive turn once more, the turn that would end the Collective's reign of shadows.
We knew that it was too quiet, but we didn't understand exactly why; we were soon to find out.