With the used Messenger loop back in inventory, Julia waited in the Temple square. The weight of the guards’ gaze on her felt less suspicious than before; though they'd singled her out the moment she'd entered the square.

Did I break their detect the Demon charm by fighting clean?

I'm sure Farhad could have wiped the floor with me. His air step tricks are pretty wire-fu cool.

Livia came skipping into sight, running at Julia the moment she saw her.

“Why are you leaving so soon?” Livia asked as she wrapped her arms around Julia's midsection.

“There are things I have to handle. I wish I could stay longer,” said Julia, crouching to hug her properly.

“But you just got here. Can’t someone else handle it?”

“Unfortunately, it’s not a place that’s safe for most people to travel. There are folks within who need rescuing,”

“It’s not fair,” Livia said, squeezing her arms about Julia as if she didn’t want to let her go.

“Life isn’t fair, and remember its important to help when you can for exactly that reason.”

“Are there more evil men there?”

“Yes, honey, there are,” said Julia, her hands rubbing the young girl's back as she clung to Julia.

“My name isn’t honey,” Livia said, shaking her head.

“Sorry, Livia, it's a term of affection I’m used to, means you’re sweet,”

“Okay then, that’s fine, HONEY. But why can’t you stay longer?” asked Livia, pretending to pout.

“All that is necessary for evil to succeed is that the good do nothing.”

“So the longer you stay here doing nothing, then the closer evil gets to winning?” asked Livia, her face growing serious as she spoke.

“While staying here wouldn’t be doing nothing, and certainly I’d love to do so. It’s a saying about doing whatever you can to help. Even little things can matter, handle what you can, don’t hope someone else will deal with everything. Regrets can poison things in people,”

“Will you come back?”

“I will try my best, but even if I can’t. I want you to remember that I’ll be thinking about you okay,”

“So you’ve more people like me, and Moke need rescuing?”

“I hope I can rescue them,”

“You will! Moke’s pretty funny, though Torm looked cross with him.”

“What’s the tally?”

“Twelve for Moke and I’m not sure how many for you. Some images are under his cloak. He kept touching the cloth in a funny way. Torm asked where he’d got the clothes, and Moke said he was in your pants, which made Torm cross. Do those count?”

“Yes, they do,” said Julia

{{We’d have to wiggle tight together for both of us to fit. Best return his staff to the upright position. }}

((It seems he takes his Goddess’ teaching about joy to the heart, at least for himself. ))

“You're likely even then. I’ll get back to you,” Livia said, nodding seriously. The solemn gesture reminding Julia of Verdandi.

It seems she’s got at least two mentors.

Julia just smiled and leant down to give Livia a kiss on the forehead.

“You pay attention to Master Farhad,” Julia said, giving her a hug.

“I will pay attention to them. If I don’t, then lessons stop, we’ve agreed,” said Livia.

“I’ve got to go. I won’t look back when I do, because otherwise, I won’t want to leave,”

Julia planted a kiss on her cheek and rising, moved away, fighting off the temptation to stay longer even though she didn’t look back. With her eyes straight ahead, she didn’t see when Torm came up and placed his hand on Livia’s shoulder as both watched her leave. Once beyond the Town’s outer gates, Julia teleported away, not worrying about who might see.

Visualisation from Moke’s description had Greater Teleport place her just beyond the barrier.

Even as sentries raised the alarm, she recognised the energy beyond the threshold. Darkness wasn’t consuming the light, rather as Moke said, the light itself looked dying. The same darkness that Lêdhins had led her to lay across the compound's interior. As troops called for her to stop, Julia walked towards the energy pane into the complex’s gateway. The energy struck skin harmlessly, pushing with a waterfall’s force.

Army says No!

In an instant, the force of the waterfall’s energy vanished, and reality transitioned differently than between Ternòx and Necropolis. Instead of a smooth change, a scorching hot wind sent sand against her unblinking eyes and the walls to either side vanished. The main Temple building looked to be the only structure still ahead, the ground between looked pitted with open graves, and scattered bodies lay everywhere. The bodies Julia could see looked clothed in simple garb, and among the hacked corpses, none appeared to be combatants.

Where the complex’s wall had been was now a massive stone slope. When Julia turned to follow its surface, she found it slid away for kilometres before ending in a dry river bed gouged out of the landscape. Despite the wind’s heat, even further in the distance beyond the base stood a massive wall of ice. The glacier stretched well above the plain’s height, the upper lip of it curving towards her as if a frozen inland wave.

Teleport carried her to one corner of where the complex walls had been. There, two angled slopes of flat stone met at the corner. The slopes looked perfectly smooth, running down to ground level some three hundred metres from the river bank. Everywhere Julia looked, the massive river bed seemed coated in rocky debris and mimicking an eagle’s eyes; she scanned over it. As the distance closed and shapes became apparent, Julia turned away from the fly-infested mass grave.

Fuck! Barf Bag aisle one! Oh right, I don’t even get that relief!

Damnation without relief.

Julia had teleport shift her along each edge of the former complex’s square to see the bigger picture. Open graves and scattered mutilated bodies littered the upper surface of a pyramid with its top cut off. Away from the glacier, Julia could perceive Souls slowly floating into a massive gem-encrusted glyph. On the glacier’s side, was an embossed gold icon of Set, with eyes radiating darkness. The only entry point unless bodies or a grave hid it had to be within the Temple itself. Of the complex, she had seen outside the barrier, within only a single building remained standing. A long rectangular Temple at the strange plateau’s midpoint.

{{Have you found a Temple of Doom? First dibs on the glowing rocks. }}

((There are more than decades invested here. ))

With a theme song playing within her mind, Julia teleported towards the entryway of the Temple. When she appeared, the sound of cries carried to her from within the complex. They weren’t the wailing of the damned; instead, they sounded like the screams of the living.

Double Fuck! At this rate, I’m going to hit a double cluster of fucked up.

In the Temple's entryway, swirling Zephyrs made it impossible to determine if anyone entered recently. When she checked with Mana Sense, it showed every stone of the structure looked alive with power. However, no wards were blocking the entryway, and Julia could see a courtyard full of fancy pillars lay ahead. Mentally directing more Ki to wrap around Setau’s Soul, Julia eased within the structure. Telepathy’s net providing no sense of Demonic or living minds within its range.

Where are the screams coming from?

Pillars blocked her view in all directions except straight ahead or following the room's edges. Flight lifted her off the ground, and she moved to follow the wall to her left, tracing the outside of the courtyard. There seemed little purpose for the pillars that stretched up towards the courtyard's open ceiling except for pure decoration. The smooth stone columns banded with hieroglyphs and icons of Set, mosaics of his attacks on Osiris and Horus alike, decorated the courtyard's inner wall. As she followed the wall around the corner, the stone pillars shone briefly with increased power. Around the corner, the wall now stretched ahead for twenty metres or more. An archway some four metres or more across in its middle, while in the corner farther ahead, a much smaller archway led deeper still.

The screaming seemed clearer, an irregular wave of noise that ebbed and strengthened as different voices joined or faded amongst the chorus. A coppery scent coated her tongue as she drew closer to the archway. As the sound of flies grew under the chorus, it strongly hinted at what she’d find. When Julia drew level with the archway, a stream of decaying bodies stepped forth, their eyes glowing with a sickly yellow flame. As the first of them stepped forward, a pungent miasma of decay assaulted her senses, a foul an acidic odour that seemed to burn at her eyes and nose.

Motion triggered reaction and a backfist strike crushed an undead's face as its hands rose. The impact snapping its neck even as it continued to shamble forward. Its head leaned down on its shoulder as others tried to push past it. Quickly teleporting back to gain space, Julia looked over those now clearly in pursuit.

Analysis

[Dedicated of Set

Species: Undead Human

Class: Warrior

Level 40 / 10

Health: 624 (700)

Defence: 40

Melee Attack Power: 80

Combat skills: Claws [Ad] (23).

Condition: Blessed by Set - Undead with Imprisoned Soul; Regenerating.

Details: This servant of Set has committed to serving them in life and death, denying Osiris’ judgement of their Soul. They feel every moment of their body's decay. When at last only its skeleton remains, its flesh is renewed, and the cycle resumes. Their fingernails continue to grow and thicken, providing them with effective claws.

Special Powers: Rotting Touch [Ad] (1), Pestilence [Ad] (1), Fearful Gaze [Ad] (1)]

I sure hope Demonic flesh makes me immune to those powers.

[Analysis [J] (37->38)]

{{Well, you guys were stupid. You should have asked for regular manicures. }}

((These are those blessed by him? ))

((What other abominations are here? Cleanse it of filth. ))

As the first of the Dedicated moved forward, its broken neck slowly straightened, and the facial bones reformed.

Great, so regenerating Undead, or is this place healing you?

Everything that serves them seems to include its name in Analysis. As if I had any doubt that Set was a narcissistic arsehole.

Ki Armour activated, and as Ki Infusion drew in Mana, Julia felt lines of energy rippling under the surface of her form. The drifting Ki, instead of pressing mist, seemed to course through channels. The Jade Court Mana joined with Ki, and both ran awash with flames. As the one she’d injured pressed forward, others pushed past into the open area of the courtyard. With a reaction resembling champaign’s eruption, more hurtled forth, and foes surged in her direction.

Inspired by the exchange with Farhad, Julia met them in her mortal form. Clawed hands lashed out as they pressed on her defences. Yet even Julia giving ground still left rotting flesh burning on the stones. Ki Armour’s infused flames no longer cold, burnt with swirling force. As its Mana burnt flesh, blackness drank the Souls within. Claws slid from Ki’s flames, and a striking palm would smash another face. A wall of flesh crashed her into stone, only to break against burning power. Demonic strength drove fists through rotting flesh, only for her to slip away as yet another struck. As more bodies fell to ash, Julia drew them out onto the barren land. Superior numbers crushed against striking hands and flashing feet. The slaughter picked up pace as the enemy’s habits became known. As Mana strained low, the burning ceased and Julia at last needed to retreat.

Teleport set her high above, while Flight held her aloft Julia watched the horde below. As wounds healed, she took in the rotting flesh carpeting the top of the truncated pyramid. The surging numbers still trampling the ashes of their fallen brethren into the dusty landscape. Foes below provoked by the screams from within her flesh. Unlike the others Julia had harvested in the past, they weren’t singing or screaming in fear. Those souls she had gathered here screamed in rage and hissed with contempt instead.

Is this just the cannon fodder? How many was that?

[Combat Summary:

Dedicated of Set x 215

Total-Experience for distribution: 387,000

Blood Monk : +193,000

Succubus: +64,500

Assassin: +193,000

Assassin Level Up! x12

Silent Kill Unlocked.

Silent Kill (1).

Death Strike Unlocked.

Death Strike (1)

Additional experience awarded for contract completion: x2

Assassin: +2,000

Harmony [Ad] (45->46)

Ki Infusion [Ad] (44->45)

Ki Armour [Ad] (34->36)

Ki Movement [J] (17 -> 20)

Ki Strike [Ad] (44->45)

Protean [Ad] (23->24)

Agile [Ad] (2->3)

Battle Trance [Ad] (35->36)

Undead (5->7)]

Okay, fine, now you tell me. Guess I should have asked for a bell chime per kill.

Silent Kill is what Lêdhins mentioned. What does the other one do?

Analysis

[Silent Kill: Initially, this power deadens physical sounds caused by a user’s presence, enhancing stealth in approaching a target unheard. As the power’s effective level increases into Journeyman ranks, it muffles the sounds of the kill itself. At Adept rank and above, it suppresses with increasing effectiveness of the Danger Sense skill before any attack, whether or not they are aware of the user.]

Analysis

[Death Strike: This power improves the chance for any attack to deal critical damage, and when successful in inflicting it also increases the severity. While some entities are unaffected by such, this damage can result in an organ or vital location being destroyed, a crippling if not fatal event for living foes. This power is useless against targets who possess powers allowing advanced body control or malleable physical structure]

Now let's see if we are actually part of the Necropolis plane.

Remembering the gateway of the mausoleum, Julia willed Teleport to carry her there. In response, she suddenly looked out through the arches across the lightning blasted field. Soul Sight picking out the foes she remembered, the closest not reacting to her presence. A glance behind confirmed the closest misty clouds in the mausoleum’s corridor were still empty of Souls. Their greyness also showing no sign of the Lightning Golem’s presence.

So they linked to the Necropolis’s plane. What effect will that be having?

Analysis

[Mass Grave:

Species: Giant Undead Abomination.

Level: 100

Health: 2,400

Defence: 90

Melee Attack Power: 320

Combat skills: Slam [Ad] (45), Grab [M] (5)]

Powers: Engulf [M] (1)

Details: The very earth of the mass grave is teeming with the cursed Souls of those buried within. Flesh and earth, empowered by the melding of Souls, is malleable to their combined desire to seek retribution against any but Undead nearby.]

[Analysis [J] (37->38)]

Analysis

[Genocide Grave

Species: Giant Undead Abomination

Level: 150

Health: 4,500

Defence: 130

Melee Attack Power: 500

Combat skills: Slam [M] (15), Grab [M] (18)

Powers: Engulf [M] (12), Acidic Corrosion [M] (20)

Details: An evolved form of the Mass Grave, these come about when a mortal race ceases to exist on a planet. The melded Souls of an existing Mass Graves feeling the demise of their last blood kin can gain additional power in their thirst for vengeance.]

[Analysis [J] (38) -> [Ad] (1)

Undead (7->10)

Soul Sight [J] (19->21)]

I assumed those who moved closer were also Genocide Graves, but the soil was lighter, and the Soul energy was not as dense.

The way it words those details. Does it mean there are multiple planets with mortal races in the Titan’s playpen?

Wonder if the lightning would have killed a Genocide Grave.

It seems Analysis likes to learn about powerful things, too much using it on gems and stuff, not levelling it.

My little musical earworm is still going, glad it didn’t cause Battle Trance any issues. Seriously, of all the songs, why the Indiana Jones’ theme. Any FFDP or AC/DC much preferred.

{{We already are on the wrong side of Heaven. }}

((Your choices will determine where you stay. Be careful you do not seal the exits yourself. ))

Julia mentally shivered for a moment and tried to gain information on the other foes ahead. Though it seemed as much as she’d grown, the Skull Mounds and Brocken bows were still beyond her current capabilities. When Julia tested Greater Teleport again, it returned her to mid-air above the still swarming Pyramid, and then she jumped back to the mausoleum’s gateway again.

Well, at least I can move about easily here.

The Temple didn’t look wide enough to store that horde?

So Spatial magic or from a chamber below? Both?

It’s not much wider than that central courtyard, maybe an extra ten metres on either side. It's a hundred metres long, if not more, and except for its courtyard, the rest is all enclosed. No window, no other doors, no way to see what’s inside. Will they know if I’m in another form? Dark Sight to scout? Lots of lights and shadows.

Taxed by the combat with the horde, Julia knelt to meditate. In Ki's calmness, Julia cycled the remains of Mana and Ki until they recovered in full. As the Ki restored within her, the enraged screaming from the Souls ceased.

They don’t act like the Souls that Usd’ghi wanted. Nor like the Slaver’s Souls, they’re not afraid they seem pissed.

At me, or their boss?

I could see about getting the ones she wants before I head back.

Cursed and ‘Blessed’ at the same time? Let us keep the transport runs separated.

Maybe I should take these back, offer her some appeasement, given the concerns Verdandi expressed.

There were people still alive in there. Are they being tortured or just scared out of their minds? Isn’t that torture as well?

Chill J, rushing in and getting yourself destroyed will help no one. Maybe trade these Souls for something useful.

[Ki Meditation [Ad] (38->39)

Mana Manipulation [Ad] (46->47)

Mental Hardening [Ad] (3->4)]

Oh meant to check those objects from the Setau's Succubus.

Analysis

[Bracelet of the True Faith: The enchantment on this serpentine bracelet provides protection for one faithful to Set. While any can wear it for protection, and gain defences equivalent to a Legionnaire armour with no physical weight. If a faithful of Set attacks them, the bracelet will cause the attack to deal critical damage, the longer they have worn it the more inflicted.

After owning this bracelet for a year, dreams will begin tempting the owner to convert faiths. Subtle at first as its influence grows, this temptation is harder to resist. Faithful of Set wearing this bracelet are harder to convert to other faiths, no matter the method of conversion attempted.]

[Necklace of Desire: Enhances any power used to alter, influence or outright subvert the desires of another. The more subtle the change, the greater amplification and extension of effect. This item allows those with a subtle touch, significant ability to alter the target's natural desires over a length of time. ]

I need that Bracelet destroyed.

Teleport responded to her will and carried her to the passageway that led to the Crevice, and glad the undead had dispersed, climbed through. After ensuring Dominion was off, Julia changed to her sharp-featured form, and Teleport moved her again. This time setting her down outside her initial entry to the city instead of the busy docks. As she came into view of the guards, though, their normal slackness altered, and they regarded her intently. While none confronted her, as Julia’s gliding movements took her past, the eyes set in her wings noted them relaxing only when she was well past.

Though the Treasury had Demons present, both Hags at the gate stared at Julia as she came inside. As they focused on Julia, those behind the gate ignored the Demons in front of them. After glancing at each other, the one closest to the door waved her forward.

“Come through Viper; she wishes to see you at once,”

Cause that didn’t feel creepy one bit.

While the hags efficiently ushered her through, none of the waiting Demons seemed to want to risk their ire.

“The stone will let you go through; she already knows you’re here.”

Red carpet treatment, I only hope she doesn’t plan to wrap me in it afterwards to dump the body.

“Appreciated,”

“Hurry along now,” the Hag said, waving at the stone archway before re-securing the gate.

Don’t get the boss pissed at us for making you wait?

Julia found the archway did indeed raise the moment she approached and walked with quick strides towards Usd’ghi’s office. If her own family was jumpy, Julia didn’t want to risk any delays, especially considering she didn’t have exactly what she wanted.

{{ Wonder what happened to Uelian’ghi. Did she get smacked? }}

(( Hags have no mercy for those that annoy them. Careful Child. ))

“Well, youngling. That didn’t take you long to bring some back, after your initial delay,” said Usd’ghi, as she set aside a book on her table.

“My apologies for that. I lost track of cycles in the tunnels. I found something different from the others. Thought I should ensure gathering them wasn’t a waste of your time,” Julia said as she came fully into the office.

“So you don’t have the cargo agreed.”

“Not yet, I wasn’t expecting what I acquired and wasn’t sure how they’d mix.”

“Very well, child, I’ll see what they have to show me.”

Julia drew back the Ki, and when the voices screamed their rage and contempt again. Usd’ghi’s eyes widening in concern had her force them back to stillness.

“God touched. You bring the most interesting surprises,” Usd’ghi said, clicking her fingernails together. “Here, I thought you wouldn’t be topping those new coins of yours soon.”

“There is a Soul among them I’d like to keep as I was hired to kill them. Need to ensure they don’t get raised.”

“As long as it’s but a few, the Titan’s servants won’t care.”

“That’s fine. I only want the one,”

“Let us get started then, shall we? Though we’ll need to take greater care,”

“What’s the issue?”

“They’re screaming for their God youngling. It wrapped the power of its blessing about their Souls. Their God was careless to let such Power loose in the wilds where you could gather them. I'd ask how you even could, if I wasn't sure, you wouldn't truly know. Such a useful delight you are, youngling. Where did you find them?”

“In the Necropolis,”

“Really. That doesn’t seem right at all,”

“Why is that?”

“God touched normally keep to the Power’s home planes, but no Power I know of claims the Necropolis. If they are off their planes, something important is happening.”

Usd’ghi directed Julia to push the containers towards the middle of a large multilayered circle engraved on the floor.

“What’s the circle do?”

“So sensibly suspicious youngling, it's for concealing the scream of your passengers and making sure nothing leaks away,” said Usd’ghi, the amusement clear on her craggy features.

“If I become a Succubus in a bottle, I can’t get you more goodies,” Julia said, stepping into the circle. Even as she withdrew the Ki from the Souls, Usd’ghi stepped inside with her, carrying the now familiar processing container of coin blanks.

“Indeed, you couldn’t, so don’t get stuck in the bottle of this plane either. I have added some larger processing containers into the warehouse. I'll need to get a circle engraved around them. Since they aren’t portable like these,”

“Oh. I’ll bring in a bunch of shipments to make it worthwhile.”

“How many more of these are present?”

“At least five or six hundred, they flood out of a Temple atop the Pyramid. There could be many more. I injured more than I harvested, but the swirling melee meant I couldn’t finish them before I needed to withdraw,”

“You are a patient hunter, It is good to see; we’ll go far together,”

Again J, remember less is more. I’ll go far while she has a use for me.

“Not to fret; it is good to see you possess the qualities I seek. Many within the Abyss want but momentary release for boredom, even with their long existences. Few look to establish what will ease their boredom for eons.”

Reads me like an open book.

[Perception [J] (35->36]

Thanks!

The first coin came out a bone white colour, an Ankh crossed by an odd-looking staff with a forked end embossed on its surface. Usd’ghi raised an eyebrow before tasting the coin, her toothless mouth became set in a tight smile.

“Death, old death, and bone, with a hint of his Power.” Usd’ghi said, smacking her lips, “I recognise the taste of this one. I’ll keep these for myself, but you'll receive proper compensation.”

God touched what’s left behind on their Souls that Usd’ghi senses.

“As you wish, Lady Epochē,” said Julia, nodding politely to Usd’ghi, causing the Hag to look up from her consideration of the coin.

“Where did you hear that name?”

“Isn’t that what some mortals name you in the ten kingdoms? The Demon Lady of dark changes, demise, and destruction of belief. This business is even a nice play on your name since you make the Abyss' change,” Julia said. A smaller denomination coin summoned from inventory spun on fingertips before vanishing again.

[Abyssal Lore [J](37->38)]

Usd’ghi clapped her hands together slowly, and her smile broadening from her tight smile.

“Every time we speak, you’ve learnt. Let’s finish up processing these as quickly as we can.”

“Of course, Usd’ghi. I take it these are an acceptable acquisition?” asked Julia

Verdandi was right, and Set has destruction as one of his aspects. I wonder what else the coins taste of since these Souls have his touch upon them.

“The other buyers can wait for their trinkets. Gain as many of these as you can,” Usd’ghi said, her tone firm.

Valuable collector items are now trinkets. Wonder if I’ll weaken Set with what she’s doing? But will things get worse for people?

“I shall even give you some advice, youngling, for setting a trap. For challenging prey, set choices that seem impossible to get, the prideful will go for them. Ensure that by the time they stick their head into place, their pride and lost resources will help ensure they stay for the feast.”

“Are you laying a trap for me?” asked Julia.

“You are my trap for Lady Balnérith, youngling,”

The Titan’s class choices placed what I wanted in sight but not in reach. If Monk hadn’t been on offer, I would have picked Scout. If so, where would I be? Certainly not bound by the Sisterhood.

Am I his trap as well? Or was it to ensure that I’m trapped? Am I actually Usd’ghi’s trap or just the bait?

Is there ever truly free choice or merely what the more powerful allow?