The Search For Kathea, A Leap Into The Dark Side

 The Search For Kathea, A Leap Into The Dark Side

       "Do your worst!"

     "Continue. Start with him."

     "As you will, Great One."

     The mindflayer walks up to the man chained against the wall, taking his head in his sucker-tipped fingers. Holding the man's head perfectly still, while his body thrashes against the chains. The Illithid extrudes his tendrils and all watch as they begin boring into the prisoner's skull and soon into his brain. As the process continues, the prisoner's thrashing slowly lessens, his physical body shutting down as it no longer receives signals from his brain. The memories are being collected and stored within the mind of the Illithid. Finally, the prisoner's body can take no more and it dies, the Illithid removes its feeding tendrils, releases his hold on the body, and it immediately drops into a limp slump held up only by the chains and shackles.

     Iriisii then turns to the other prisoners, looking them squarely in their eyes. "I am not in any way pleased or gratified to have to use these tactics to obtain the information I want. But you placed yourselves into this position by infiltrating the city to observe and pass information to those who you either follow or who paid you. Information that will lead to the obstruction of what I must do. 

     I am not doing this for my own sake, but rather for the survival of all Creation, one step at a time, all of my actions building one on top of the other until I can bring my plans to fruition. The Scroll has been here for thousands of years, waiting for me to come and awaken it. I had no knowledge of it before coming here, although I have read other Scrolls of Skelos. In fact, I have met the prophet himself, stood by, and watched as he spoke a prophecy that was written within a Scroll.

     It is because of this, that I know of its authenticity, and its importance. I will complete the 'reading' no matter who comes against me or for whatever reason they try to stop me. For a handful of lives, your lives, placed on the Scales of Balance, do not equal all of the lives that will be saved across the whole of Creation if I am successful. I am not a tyrant, no matter what or who has said this of me. If this could have been given to other hands than mine, I would have gladly relinquished it long ago and gone about a more simple life with family and home.

     Sadly, I know it is not to be that simple for me. I must do as I must do, to allow Creation to continue on its way, threading the path between absolute good and absolute evil. For that is the only path that does not lead to absolute death and destruction. Now will you tell me what you know, or must we continue down this road?"

     Several of the prisoners give sidelong glances all toward a single prisoner. As he notices their glances, he starts swearing at them, cursing them and their families. Iriisii listens and uses her senses to see if the prisoner's curses have any power. They do not.

     "Your curses toward the others have no power to inflict harm, even if they had, I would have stopped them."

     One of them pipes up, "what of us? Do you intend to feed us to that 'thing'?!"

     "He is an Illithid, and his name is ....." The name she speaks is a series of syllabant hisses, punctuated by carefully placed clicks. The Illithid is amazed, first that she could even correctly speak his language, and then get his name correct. His respect for her has taken a large jump upward. "He is not a 'thing', but a living being who has a place in this Creation just as you do. But to answer your question, if I get the information I need from the one all of you have singled out to be a 'leader', then no, you will not be given over to him."

     "Then what will you do with us?"

     "I will erase your memories of this day, back to when you first were hired to come here. Then put you back where you were taken from so you may go on about your lives. And I will undertake the memory removal myself, you will not have to fear the Illithid doing it."

     "And you clowns believe her!! She will say whatever it takes to get her way!"

     There is a fluttering of wings, and a quadrulple-winged male appears in the prison room.

     "She speaks the truth, so says the 'Mother of the Cosmos', you can accept her offer or you can submit yourselves to the Mother's judgment. The choice is yours, so choose wisely."

     "What will happen to us if we choose judgment?"

     "The 'Mother' will determine guilt or innocence, those found guilty will institute punishment to coincide with the degree of guilt. After the punishment is complete, your soul will be sent through the final gate, into the Great Beyond."

     "What if we are found innocent?"

     The soul hound gazes at each of them in turn, "none of you are innocent, and you know this."

     "So if we choose judgment, we are going to die?"

     "Your soul will have another chance of life in a new Creation, a new life to begin again, take a different road than the one you took in this Creation."

     "And you idiots believe this!! No one comes back from the Final Gate, so how could they know what is on the other side!"

     "There are two who have been on the other side and returned. One is the Aspect of Death, he is the one who escorts those souls who cross over. The other is the Elder Goddess before you now, Iriisii Dovahkiin. She knows what is on the other side."

     "Lies!!! No one comes back from the other side!!"

     "And you know this by what means? I am a Soul Hound, bound to the service of the 'Mother of the Cosmos'. I cannot lie. What Iriisii Dovahkiin did to be allowed to crossover and return was so extraordinary that only such a gift was deemed worthy of her. But what she did was done without the expectation of any gift, it was done because it had to be done. And the gift was to help her heal from the pain and suffering she endured because of what she had to do.

     Pray you are never called upon to make such a sacrifice as she made that day. Now choose what fate you each desire for yourself."

     To a man, they chose to give up their recent memories and return home. And so she went into the memories of each one, found the beginning of where they began this task, and wiped those memories clean. They were still dazed as they were unshackled and the soul hound transported them back to where they had come from. Then he returned to the prison room to stand witness to the fate of the last prisoner.

     As she stands and listens to the cursing and vile epithets he throws to all within the room. Iriisii is about to give him over to the Illithid when she catches a fleeting trace of a thought. One that carries a scent she knows well. Wondering why 'he' would be here, did 'he' have a hand in this? Well, there is only one way to find out. She shuffles over toward a particularly dark corner of the room, the shadows seem to be deeper here than in the other corners. Then in a lightning move, she reaches into the shadows, grasps ahold of what feels to be robed, and pulls them and the body wearing them into the light of the torches. Instructing Dettlaff and Reaper to hold onto him tightly, she only needs a few seconds to confirm it is who she first suspected.

     Dettlaff looks at her questioningly, seeing that she recognizes who he and Reaper are holding.

     "I should have suspected you could have something to do with this! I thought you would have given up after the last attempt."

     "You will never escape my master's grasp. You should just accept that he will have you and you should just surrender yourself to him."

     Dettlaff's grip tightens at the words of the masked and robed figure.

     "Calm yourself, love. He works to arouse your beast, to let go of him so that he can make an escape."

     "Who is this piece of scamp excrement?!"

     "You and Reaper hold the infamous 'King in Yellow', one who boasts over a thousand names.

I know him better, as Nyarlathotep, and this is the third time he has tried to persuade me to give myself over to the 'Blind Dreamer', his master. He knows this will never happen, but his master will not take 'no' for my answer and so continues to send his servant, because he himself cannot leave his prison, can he? He can only send those he can influence to try and do his will. He should have chosen his allies better, then perhaps he would not have been scooped up and imprisoned along with the other Great Old Ones."

     "He will be free, once you submit to him. Then he can take revenge for his imprisonment."

     "I have twice asked if you would accept my removing the chains that bind you to him. I now know why you refused me then, it was because it was not the right time, nor the right place for the prophecy to be fulfilled."

     "What prophecy are you speaking of? There is no prophecy where you release me from 'him'."

     "Oh, but in that you are wrong. There is just such a prophecy, it is that I am the only one who has read it. You see, it was written on the Scroll of Skelos, that I found here on this world. One written in 'Dragon Letters' in Dovahzul, so that I am practically the only person who could read it."

     With that Nyarlathotep begins to fight against Dettlaff and Reaper, but together they are too strong for him, and with the combined Celestial power present in the room, he cannot use his own to either change form or escape.

     "What are you going to do with him, then?"

     "In order for me to restore the minds of the 'Great Old Ones', I need a 'key', and 'he' is that key. Or rather once his own mind has been restored, he becomes the 'key' I will need."

     "It looks like you know what you are doing, so just tell me what you want me and Reaper to do."

     "Just hold him. Hound, I will need you to act as a witness to this."

     "I will be honored to assist in this unprecedented action."

     Iriisii walks up to him and places her hands on either side of his head, then she lets her own mind slowly wind its way in through the cracks of his insanity. Then she is inside, she does not care to make sense of what is there, what she wants is the ghost of his previous mind. Deeper and deeper she goes, ignoring what she sees, hears, feels. Then she gets a glimpse of what she is looking for. Quickly she opens a small part of her own and sends a whisper to follow the ghost.

     When the ghost hears the whisper, it knows it is not a part of the insanity it has had to avoid and run from for so long. It turns and follows the whisper back to Iriisii, who extends a mental hand and draws it inside her own mind to safety.

     "Who are you to come to my aid after so long?"

     "I am Iriisii Dovahkiin, and I come to begin the fulfilling of the prophecy."

     "What prophecy do you speak of?"

     "One of those spoken by Skelos of Acheron, One will come, who will hold the power to heal, heal not only the body but the mind as well. That one will restore those whose minds have been lost. Bringing them back to the fold of brothers and sisters, to lead them all in a battle against their arch-nemesis. And then to bring life once more to the gardens of Elysia."

     "You!, you are the one, you have come at last! I...I thought the prophecy would never be fulfilled. But I have never met you before and yet, you seem familiar to me."

     "I am by 'flesh and blood' daughter of the line of Kthanid."

     "Kthanid! then he survived our fall!"

     "Yes, he did. They succeeded in sealing the gates to Elysia before the Ravenous Darkness could escape. Then tracked you who lost your minds to the true face of the Ravenous Darkness, caught and imprisoned you in different places, until the time came for my appearance to heal and restore your minds, then gather all together and lead you into battle to defeat the Ravenous Darkness and bring Rebirth to Elysia."

     "But how can you do this if we, the Gods of Eld could not?"

     "I build a Celestial Army greater than any known before within Creation, as I have climbed the ladder of power while doing this. I have been elected Harbinger of the Gods of Eld and their Battle Mistress. I have climbed the heights to greater steps than any God of Eld has reached before, I now stand as an Elder Goddess, daughter to the 'Mother of the Cosmos', and I have been summoned to restore the 'First Ones' the Draconic Divines and take my place among them."

     "But still..."

     "I was gifted with entrance to the Forge of Stars, where the Consort of the Mother worked with me at the Forge. With his help, I forged arms and armor, the likes of which have never been seen before. Both the Poison of Transcendence and its Catalyst were used in the forging to give protection from the insanity of the Ravenous Darkness as well as give the arms the power to hurt it."

     "Then it is true! You are the one!"

     "And you are the 'key', or rather you will be when I restore your proper mind to your body. I came in search of you, the ghost of his mind. To use you to help me reach the place where his mind is held captive."

     "Do you know where it is?"

     "Elysia."

     The mind ghost takes on a crestfallen feel to him.

     "Do not worry so, I have a plan worked out how to get your complete mind free and returned to your body. But I did need to find you in your current form to give me direction. I can use sympathetic magic to locate exactly where your lost mind is, then we go there and see what it will take to free it from whatever it is stored in, then get back out."

     "How can you get in and out without reopening the gates where the Ravenous Darkness can then escape?"

     "Trust me, there is a way. I can do it because I have a greater power I can call upon for help. One so great our universe could not withstand the power of her birth and she was placed in a parallel dimension. I still have a tie to her and we have become close. She has helped me in the recent past when I gave Rebirth to the entire 'second Creation'."

     "You gave 'Rebirth' to a Creation that had been destroyed?"

     "Yes, 'she' watches over it in the dimension where she resides in, mentoring its old Gods until they can take up their previous positions as guardians. That Creation was originally destroyed by outside intervention. I changed the parameters to allow for its Rebirth, but as a consequence of that, it had to be relocated outside of our dimension or the third Creation, our Creation, would not have been born. I am sure you can see the paradox that could have come about from that."

     "Indeed, a very elegant solution. I can see why you were elected 'Harbinger' and I agree with the decision. But although I do not know a great deal about Celestial Magic among the greater powers, in order for you to bring Rebirth to an entire Creation would you not have to have been the one..."

     "to bring about its destruction? Yes. The original intervention was by another, I interposed myself and took the destruction event upon myself, initiating the Rebirth immediately after the destruction. It was done such that the Creation was reborn directly into its new home. So that the other force involved still has no idea it still lives. Now I have to decide if I am to go back to the 'first' Creation and see if the same could be done for it."

     "Remarkable, to think that one of ours could grow to do such things, that any God could grow to that point and avoid falling to the temptation that kind of power has."

     "If I had traveled this path alone, I doubt I could have, truly. But I had several who have helped me along the way and acquired many more who watch over me and help guide me. I could spend years and not tell the whole story even just to this point. But I do not have to, Shai-Hu'luud has taken on that monumental task."

     "I do not know of this Shai-Hu'luud."

     "Once we are further along, ask me and I will introduce you to him. He would like nothing better than to show off his 'Hall of Remembrance'. I would have to warn you, it is far larger than it sounds, for it is a hall of truly immense proportions and continually growing. It is not only about my life and deeds, but all those who help me in any way are also showcased within, their lives, how they helped, and what they too, went on to accomplish. It is a source of inspiration for all who visit it, and I am told the line of visitors once it began has never stopped."

     But let us go now and find your whole mind then reunite it with your body. But first, I have unfinished business."

     Iriisii thinks for a minute, that she cannot let Nyarlathotep go at this point, but how to keep him restrained? Of course, she looks around for a pair of manacles hanging from the ceiling, yes, there is a pair. As she points them out, "shackle him to those hanging manacles, while I prepare the holding wards around him."

     Reaper and Dettlaff haul him over and attach the manacles to his wrists. "These will never hold me, I will get loose soon enough and come back for you!"

     "I do not think you will be going anywhere unless I want you to", as she draws a pentacle around him. "You think that paltry bit of stage magic will hold me?"

     "Not really, not by itself anyway, but use some sympathetic magic to bind with it, and it becomes quite capable of holding you." Iriisii reaches into an extradimensional storage and brings out a bag of Mnarian Starstones. She places the starstones along the outer lines of the pentagram, one point in contact with another as they go around, at the intersections, she places 'filled' soul gems as the power source. Once done, she places a fingertip, gently on the line of starstones, and quietly speaks a 'holding' spell.

     A bright light flashes as the pentagram prison activates. "This will keep you for a while, long enough for me to locate what I seek, get it, and return with it."

     "What are you seeking that requires me to be strung up like this?"

     "You will find out when I get back, not before. Now one more thing to take care of before I go." She walks over to the remaining prisoner, "hoping I had forgotten you? Not a chance! Now, are you going to tell me what I want to know, right now?"

     In answer, he spits in her face. Both Dettalff and Reaper draw weapons and advance toward him with murder in their eyes. She motions them back, "he is deliberately trying to inflame your passions so you will kill him and so deny me the information I want. This tells me that he does indeed have the information I will want. But just so you know, you would not get away that easily. I do not like to use necromancy, but I am well versed in how to use it nonetheless. I am more than capable of letting them cut you into little pieces and then resurrect you, to do it all over again and again and again, until you tell me what I want to know.

     Or I can just let '.....' have you and he will then give me what I want. Hmmm, on second thought, let me see," and she runs a poison detection spell, a magic trap detection spell, and a deep body scan spell. With the last, she sees what she suspected. His whole body is a pestilence trap, only needing to be triggered to spread a very virulent plague. If anyone tries to force him to speak of what he knows it will trigger the release of the plague.

     It would not harm her or the others with her, but everyone else in this world would be in peril. But how to get around it, thinking of the possibilities that might have been left unguarded in his mind. The main thing is how to get him to reveal what he knows of his own free will. And then something comes to mind that would work, but at what cost to her personally.

     She swore never to use it herself on anybody else as it had been done to her. But is there really any other way to get at what he knows quickly without triggering the plague? She takes a moment to consult with those inside to ask their advice and they may have an alternate idea.

     "Before this goes too far, can any of you come up with anything different to do that will work?"

     "There is one possibility, but it is almost as bad being used for this purpose, and I do not know how you would feel using it in this manner."

     "I am open to anything that will work that does not involve using 'Black Lotus', so tell me what you are thinking."

     "The Illithid has the power to cloud minds telepathically, essentially it is a power of the illusion class."

     "So he could take on the illusion of an alluring female taken from the prisoner's mind, seduce him with that illusion while at the same time feeding off of him and so then be able to pass what information he finds to me, and kill the prisoner without triggering the plague."

     "Would the prisoner have to be killed?"

     "Not knowing how much of his brain would be left, I would say better that he die than be returned as a mental vegetable. Besides I would say he knows far too well he has been trapped with that plague and is willing to sacrifice himself to trigger it. The loss of life would be very great before we could bring it under control and get rid of it. This action is 'dark' yes, but because of circumstances, not 'evil'.

     You do not do this for your pleasure, or to feed your ego, you do this to save the entirety of Creation. That does not mean the 'end' justifies the 'means', you searched for an alternative, and sought counsel to find another way. But the circumstances in this instance deny you any other way."

     "But it is always said there has to be another way, you just have to find it."

     "Yes, but where are the ones who would say such? Are they here, facing this situation, having to make this decision? They are not, while we are. The decision is given to us to make, not them. We did not put ourselves in this decision, those who came into this, and those who sent these into this, did it. We must be the ones to deal with it, in the best way we see, in the best way we can. We do not have time to spend debating this. We could go round and round till the stars fade away and not arrive at an answer. My, love, it is your decision to make, but know that I, and I feel those of us who follow you will stand with you in this, whatever you decide."

     And at that moment, she decides what to do, and the path through a major crux is laid out for her and hers to tread through, as she turns to '.....' and gives her instructions as to how to deal with the prisoner.

     The shape of the Illithid, changes, taking on the shape and form of a woman. But a woman of such depth, such still beauty, that those watching both male and female cannot help but feel their emotions stir.

     "Now I see why they are feared so if this is what they are capable of."

     "Yes, and unfortunately for them, it is why they have been reviled and hunted almost to extinction. They deserve the right to live, as do others who are of the 'dark', for all have a place and purpose within Creation. To bring balance, harmony, to it. You cannot truly know the 'light' if there is no 'dark' to compare it to. And no way to know how there is love and life within both sides if you only see one side."

     As the Illithid brings his powers of illusion to bear on the prisoner, he and his mind are captivated. He is strong, yes, but not strong enough to turn aside the image drawn from the deepest desires of his own heart and mind. And in the end, that deep desire proves to be the means of his own destruction.

     Once the Illithid is done, he rises from the body of the prisoner and approaches Iriisii.

     "Great One, please to take from me the memories I took from the prisoners at your behest. I am not capable of dealing with the concepts they represent. They are abhorrent, even to one such as I. But before, please know, we the Iliithid race, stand in awe of what you represent, what you wish to do for all races of Creation. 

     The burden you take upon yourself is one we could not envision or understand. And so I have been given authority to extend to you the right to call upon us for any task you may ever need of us. This authority will last for as long as you stand for the 'Balance', as long as you stand for all who live within Creation. So speaks the High Council of the Illithid Race."

     "I thank you for the gift you present to me. Know that I will use it only when it is for true need. That I do what I do, for all, 'light' and 'dark' within Creation." Then she extends a hand to touch the Illithid's face, drawing the memories he took from the prisoners, taking the burden of that knowledge as well. Once done, "do you require transport to your 'home'?"

     "You can do this? It has been so long."

     Iriisii creates a portal for the Illithid, and as he sees through to the other side. He sees others of his clan waiting for him. He turns to her, bows, and then proceeds through the portal to 'home' and 'clan'. She closes the portal and turns to Dettlaff and Reaper.

     "I will need the two of you to come with me", then another voice chimes in, "and you need to take Byrsael as well."

     "Rigmor! What..., are your 'Seer' abilities kicking in once more?" 

     "Yes, they are, and like I said, it is important that you take Byrsael. Also, you should go to Asgard and ask to use the 'Rainbow Bridge' to access Elysia. As long as you stay on the 'bridge', the Ravenous Darkness will not know of your presence. This is the advantage you need to be successful."

     "Then I will do as you say, I have never known your 'Seer' pronouncements to be wrong."

     Rigmor walks right up to Iriisii and says, "one last thing, I have to ask."

     "You know you can ask anything of me."

     "Bring yourself back to me, please."

     "Of course, I would not dare to fail you in that!"

     Rigmor reaches up and pulls Iriisii's head down into a kiss, then turns to walk away. As she does, Iriisii gently slaps her rear, holding her hand there just a little bit longer than necessary, drawing a moan of pleasure from her. Rigmor quickly turns her head to look at Iriisii and the smirk on her face. She then turns back and walks to Dettlaff, reaches up, and pulls him down into a kiss. When done, she whispers to him, "I want you to come back to me as well. I need both of you in my life." Then reaches down and grabs hold of his rear, gently squeezing, until a male response is noticed. She grins as she makes her way to the door, "see you both, soon I hope!"

     "She has something up her sleeve, I know just know it! She would not do something like that unless she has something in mind."

     "What do you think it is?"

     "I will have to think about it, but we likely will not be sure until we return."

     Iriisii turns to the Soul Hound.

     "The 'Mother' approves of your actions this day, you have stopped the release of a plague that would have devastated this world. Removing it from becoming a stalwart piece in your Celestial Army. And have acquired information needed to further your efforts in restoring the minds of those among the Gods of Eld whose minds are lost. What you will do further here, will set the pace of how things will progress. 

     When you summon the 'Souls' of the 'First Ones', and they make known their declaration, the 'Gauntlet of War' will be thrown down at the feet of your adversaries. And the flood flowing into your forces will begin. Well done and well played, my daughter."