Vescrutia: Legacy

[– Continued From –]

Khei drifted between the edges of unconsciousness, her body weightless in the void of sleep. A dull, throbbing pain pulsed through her skull, and for a moment, she resisted the pull of waking. But the world was persistent. The scent of old parchment and burning incense stirred her senses, dragging her back into herself.

Her fingers twitched against soft fabric. Not tattered rags. Not the bloodied remains of her battle-worn attire. Something new. Smooth, silken. Her eyes fluttered open.

A canopy of deep crimson stretched above her, draped in heavy, elegant folds. The bed beneath her was absurdly plush, layers of fine sheets and thick blankets cocooning her in an unfamiliar warmth. She inhaled slowly, the air thick with something rich and spiced—like wine left too long in the dark.

She sat up with a sharp inhale, her body stiff but whole. No open wounds. No shattered bones. Just a deep, lingering ache that settled into her muscles like a brand. The last thing she remembered was fire—blinding, all-consuming—followed by a silence so vast it swallowed her whole. Her battle with the A'morath..

And Aerys Hellgate

Her breath hitched as flashes of the battle returned. His flames had burned bright enough to rival the gods. And Ul’duin—she had felt him breaking apart and reforming, adapting, growing. The impact of their final clash had been the kind that reshaped landscapes, that shattered the sky itself.

She didn't think she had enough energy to endure the battle with him.. but she must have underestimated how strong Ulduin had grown after devouring the Sunderer.

Khei sat up slowly, gritting her teeth as her limbs protested. The weight of her fatigue was apparent, a physical burden that would linger until whatever strange metamorphosis was taking place inside Ul'duin ran its course. She let out a quiet groan, shifting herself to the side of the bed, her feet touching the cold floor.

The room around her was massive, its walls lined with towering bookshelves and heavy velvet curtains. Candles flickered in iron sconces, their flames casting long, wavering shadows. There was an ornate vanity, a grand mirror reflecting the dim light.

And a wardrobe.

Her hands brushed over the fabric she wore—a dark, intricately embroidered gown with matching shorts. They were finer than anything she had worn in years, too pristine for someone like her. A weight settled in her stomach.

Someone had dressed her.. though, she wouldn't give a voice to the annoyance.

She stood slowly, testing the steadiness of her limbs. Despite the soreness, her body obeyed. She crossed the room toward the nearest window, pushing back the heavy drapes.

Beyond the glass, the world was shrouded in twilight. The castle loomed over a landscape lost in mist, a sprawling expanse of darkness stretching far beyond what her eyes could track. The sky was painted in deep purples and blacks, void of stars. Void of the Sun.

She knew exactly where she was. This was Qarinah's Castle..

Khei exhaled through her nose and pushed back the tangled mess of hair that fell over her face. "How long have I been here?", she said aloud as if the walls were listening and she expected them to respond.

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Current Energy Level: 15%
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The door glided open without a sound. A deliberate touch—one befitting its keeper.

Qarinah stepped through, her silhouette framed against the dim candlelight spilling from the corridor behind her. She had discarded the regal overcoat she typically wore in favor of something more unguarded—though no less imposing. A flowing, deep crimson gown draped over her form, its fabric pooling like liquid dusk at her feet. The dress clung to her figure in certain places, accentuating every calculated movement as she crossed the threshold. Her long, jet-black hair cascaded in thick waves down her back, parted just enough to expose the curve of her neck, where a single obsidian pendant hung from a delicate silver chain.

Her presence filled the room before she said word. A quiet, lingering weight—like the hush before a predator pounced.

She let her gaze sweep over the bed, taking in the sight of Khei Noh awake at last. Draped in the black gown she had chosen for her, the girl was a stark contrast against the silken sheets. She was beautiful in a way that was almost unnatural—pristine despite the battle she had endured. Yet Qarinah could see it.. the way the young lady's hands braced on the windowsill, her back slightly hunched as she gazed out into the vast expanse of the dark, seemingly endless night.

She was healing, but she was weak.

A slow smile curved Qarinah’s lips as she leaned against the doorframe, arms crossing lazily beneath her chest.

"Not long dear, but you certainly took your time", she mused, her voice laced with amusement. "I was beginning to think you'd taken up permanent residence here."

Khei didn’t turn immediately, her crimson eyes still fixed on the view outside the window. She could feel Qarinah’s presence before the woman spoke a word. It was a feeling she had learned to recognize, like the faint pressure of a storm building on the horizon..

She let out a quiet breath through her nose, amused but too tired to fully play into Qarinah's jest. Her fingers traced lazy patterns against the cold stone windowsill as she gazed at the darkened horizon.

"I was considering it," Khei murmured, her voice still laced with lingering exhaustion but holding the faintest trace of humor. "Those sheets are softer than anything I’ve ever slept in. Including this frilly gown.. which is not my style, by the way.”

Finally, she shifted, turning just enough to glance at Qarinah over her shoulder. Her sharp eyes, once wary and guarded, held something else now—curiosity, perhaps. A reluctant acceptance to her mysterious benefactor.

"..but.. thank you, I guess. For finding me." Khei added, tilting her head slightly. "Not for nothing but, I half expected to wake up somewhere worse."

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Current Energy Level: 20%
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Qarinah let out a quiet, velvety chuckle, the sound slipping through the air like a silk ribbon unraveling in the dark. She stepped further into the room with the unhurried grace of a woman who had never known urgency—who had always been in control of her time, her surroundings, and the people within them.

"You wound me, dear," she purred, pressing a hand lightly to her chest in a performance of mock injury. The candlelight flickered against her pale fingers, emphasizing the delicate contrast between her porcelain skin and the deep crimson silk of her gown. "Have I not earned even a sliver of your trust?"

She moved with languid elegance, circling the bed as if inspecting the room’s ambiance before finally taking a seat at the foot of the lavish mattress. With a flick of her wrist, she smoothed the sheets and blankets, as if tidying a throne rather than a place of rest.

"Not only am I not your enemy," she continued, crossing one leg over the other with feline ease, "I’d like to think we’ve begun to cultivate a rather productive rapport, wouldn’t you agree? Offering you sanctuary in your hour of need was hardly an inconvenience." Her tone remained smooth, but there was an unmistakable sharpness beneath it—like the glint of a hidden blade just beneath velvet.

Qarinah studied Khei with an unreadable expression, her eyes like polished gold. "That being said," she went on, voice dipping into something quieter, more inquisitive, "I do hope you’ve recovered enough to indulge my curiosity; Did your little excursion bear fruit, worthy of your suffering?"

Her gaze lingered, expectant. There was an amusement in her question, but beneath it lay something deeper—something more calculating.

"Did you find what you were searching for within that wretched forest?"

Khei exhaled slowly, the weight of Qarinah’s question pressing into her chest like an unseen hand. She turned away from the window, letting the faint glimmer of candlelight illuminate her skin as she moved deeper into the room.

Crossing to the vanity, she lowered herself into the cushioned seat with a quiet grace, her movements fluid despite the soreness still lingering in her body. The polished surface reflected her face—smooth, unmarred, and striking as ever. For all the chaos she had endured, the girl staring back at her was still intact. No bruises. No scars.

As if brushing off the memory of the battle, Khei reached for a silver-handled comb and began to run it through her tangled hair with idle precision.

"If by ‘fruit,’ you mean carnage, destruction, and nearly getting torn apart—then yes," she said dryly, her voice edged with that familiar bite. "I found A’maroth’s altar. I found what was waiting for me there."

Her fingers tensed slightly against the hem of her shorts, the fabric cool beneath her touch. The act of grooming was almost mechanical—something to occupy her hands while her mind drifted elsewhere. And it did..

Flashes of her battle cut through her thoughts like blades—A’maroth’s grotesque, writhing form, twisted and wrong, a thing that had no place in this world. She could still feel the weight of its presence pressing against her bones, a pressure so dense it felt like the air itself had been warped. It hadn’t just been a fight. It had been a struggle against something ancient. Something that shouldn't have been able to die.

And yet, not had she killed it. She– Ulduin, had devoured it.

"I won," Khei murmured, her voice softer now but no less certain. She tilted her head slightly, catching her reflection from another angle, satisfied with what she saw—despite the heavy ache coiling in her limbs. A flicker of amusement tugged at her lips. If nothing else, I still look good.

Her tone shifted, a shade darker as she set the comb aside. "But Ulduin…" She trailed off for a moment, as if choosing her next words carefully. "He’s changed—or is changing—because of it."

A subtle tension crept into her frame as she turned her gaze toward Qarinah, her amber eyes locking onto the woman with quiet intensity. "Something’s happening. I can feel it."

For the first time, there was no sarcasm in her tone. No deflection. Just raw truth.

"And to be honest," Khei continued, her voice quieter but no less firm, "I don’t really know what that means."

Her words hung in the air, heavy and unresolved, but her gaze never wavered. There was a part of her that hated admitting it—the uncertainty. The vulnerability. But there was no point in pretending with Qarinah. Not here. Not now.

And, much as she hated to admit it, if anyone knew what was happening to her—it was her.

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Current Energy Level: 25%
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Qarinah studied Khei in silence, her crimson eyes gleaming with something keen and unreadable. The corners of her lips curled just slightly—not quite a smirk, but something close—an expression of mild amusement tempered by genuine intrigue.

She leaned forward, resting her forearm atop one knee, her fingers idly tracing the silken folds of her gown, the movement slow and deliberate. “So, you’ve tasted something beyond the edge of mortal comprehension,” she mused, her voice a slow, velvety purr. “And now, Ulduin stirs... fascinating.”

Her gaze lingered on Khei, searching, assessing. There was a shift in her now—not just in strength, but in presence. The air around her felt heavier, charged with something raw and unrefined, like an ember struggling to decide whether to smolder or ignite. Even if Khei didn’t yet grasp the depth of this transformation, Qarinah did.

“This change... it was inevitable.” She spoke with the certainty of someone who had seen it all before, her words languid yet laced with meaning. “As I've mentioned, the beast within you is drawn to its own kind and compelled to consume these aberrant creatures. A’maroth was known for his propensity destruction. And now, Ulduin—has taken the Celestial Blaze into itself. He is evolving, reshaping, adapting. And your body–your very fragile, very mortal body, is being forced to compensate.”

Qarinah’s lips curled further, her eyes dark with curiosity as she watched Khei for any flicker of emotion, any sign of discomfort or revelation.

“To what extent he has evolved is the question at hand. And I propose we address it sooner than later.”

“Yeah, I could have told you that..” Khei tilted her head slightly, exhaling as she processed Qarinah’s words.. Ulduin’s hunger was the driving force of her existence, and with every battle, she was feeding it, honing it. But this was different..

She leaned back against the vanity, her fingers idly tapping against its surface. “I expected him to grow stronger,” she admitted. “That’s the whole point, yes? But how do I measure that? How do I know exactly what’s changed?”

Her gaze flickered to Qarinah, searching for an answer along her calm, collected face, though she already knew it wouldn’t be simple. “He feels… different, but I can’t tell if it’s just power or something else. I can feel him— way more than I did before,” she admitted, her voice quieter now, but no less steady. “Like a second heartbeat, pressing against my ribs.”

She paused, hearing the words aloud for the first time made it feel more real.. More immediate.

“He’s... different now. And I can't help but wonder.. if I keep going—if I track down the other Primordials and he devours them—then what?” She paused again, gripping the edge of the vanity. “Will I lose more of myself? Will I even still be me? Would I even have a body left to call my own?”

She met Qarinah’s gaze, her expression firm but laced with something unspoken—doubt, maybe even fear. “Tell me, sorceress. You seem to know so much. What happens when I reach the end of this road?”

She said with a nervous smile, as if she were expecting Qarinah to respond in jest of her existential crisis. It was their current dynamic, but truthfully, Khei never had the opportunity to vent about these things. These haunting questions. It was a first. And if nothing else, it felt good to be so vulnerable.. even if she never intended to do so again.

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Current Energy Level: 30%
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Qarinah leaned back slightly, her fingers still tracing the folds of her dress, as if savoring the weight of Khei's words. Her golden eyes locked onto Khei with an intensity that could have burned, yet there was something calming in her gaze—almost maternal, in a way, as though she had seen this all before and had her own answers to offer, but was content to let Khei find them herself.

She didn't rush to respond, letting the silence stretch for a moment before she spoke, her voice smooth, almost soothing.

"Ah, the age-old question," she mused, her lips curling ever so slightly in a thoughtful smile. "What happens when the hunger grows too great? When the beast inside is fed, and the boundaries between man and monster blur?"

Qarinah shifted forward, her eyes never leaving Khei's, like a predator carefully sizing up its prey—only this time, the predator’s intent seemed far less malicious. "I will not honey my words, Khei. The path you walk is treacherous. Ulduin's evolution is not just a matter of strength, but of existential significance. The more he consumes, the more he becomes a part of you, and the less... well, the less of you remains."

Her fingers stopped moving, her hand resting on her knee, still calm and deliberate. "But to answer your question—no, I do not believe you will lose yourself entirely, not if you can keep the reins of your will tight enough. The danger, however, is in how long you can hold on. The deeper you go into this, the harder it will be to separate your desires from his. You'll become like two bodies, one soul, each pulling in opposite directions."

She paused, watching for Khei’s reaction before continuing, her voice softening, almost an invitation to trust her. "And yes, if he devours the other Primordials, your body will remain– His soul remains bound to your flesh. But even still, you will change—just as Ulduin will change. As his hunger grows, yours will manifest. And as for what comes after… well, that depends on you. Will you allow it to consume you, or will you learn to wield it?"

She allowed the words to hang in the air, her gaze never leaving Khei’s. "In the end, it’s not about the beast, Khei. It is about you. What are you willing to sacrifice? What are you willing to keep? The road ahead is yours to tread. But it’s never a straight path."

Qarinah’s lips curled into a thin smile once more, the look in her eyes unreadable. "And if none of that helped, keep in mind that the horsemen are coming.. and nothing short of Ulduin at his strongest will survive the hell that's coming.”

Khei’s gaze remained fixed on Qarinah's reflection in the vanity mirror– unblinking, as if she trying to will the sorceress to reveal more than just cryptic advice.

"Not losing myself, huh?" Khei scoffed, her voice low, almost to herself. She leaned forward, her fingers still resting on the vanity, now tapping lightly as her mind churned. "Good to know. But that doesn’t tell me much, does it?"

Her eyes shifted away briefly, a flicker of thought crossing her features. She was already deep into this—far too deep to back out now.

Khei straightened, pushing a strand of hair out of her face, and looked back at Qarinah, her expression set. "I know it’s not just about power. But what you’re telling me just isn't not enough. If I’m going to see this through, I'll need more than just your reassurances that I'll be alright– that I can still make my own choices in this and I'm not just some puppet bound to his will.."

Her eyes burned with the rawness of the question, the uncertainty she was trying to suppress creeping in.

“And I know we’ve got to be ready for the horsemen. But to do that, I have to understand how much stronger Ulduin’s gotten.. And how much control I have left.”

She exhaled, her voice dropping to something quieter but still unwavering. "So.. how can we do that?"

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Current Energy Level: 35%
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Qarinah studied Khei for a long moment, the flickering candlelight casting shadows across her sharp features. Then, a low chuckle escaped her lips—rich, knowing, as if she had been waiting for Khei to come to this conclusion on her own.

"Relentless as ever I see," she murmured, shaking her head, though there was no mockery in her tone—if anything, there was something like approval. She leaned forward, swirling her wrist and manifesting a wine glass of a mysterious crimson splendor.

"I may be able to help you, dear..” she admitted, her voice softer now, yet carrying an unmistakable weight. "But be warned, I fear once we open this door, there is no closing it. Whatever you learn, whatever you unleash, you must be prepared to face it."

She let the words settle, watching Khei carefully before taking a modest sip of her glass. "But not like this. You’re still battered from your fight with that Hellgate boy, whom I absolutely have to meet by the way.”

Qarinah smiled as she rose gracefully from her seat, smoothing the folds of her gown as she regarded Khei one final time. The air between them was thick with unspoken weight, the kind that settled deep into the bones. She exhaled, tilting her head slightly.

“In the meantime, rest, heal. I'll prepare something to help regain your strength. Because when the time comes to test your limits, believe that you will need everything you have to hold onto yourself."

With that, Qarinah turned, her presence slipping through the dimly lit room like a shadow retreating into the night. The door shut softly behind her, leaving Khei alone with her swelling ambition.. and rumbling stomach.