Re: The Search Decoded (Closed)

[Zienna]

When the other girls passed up on the canteen, Zienna just shrugged and tied the cord around her waist and carried on, glancing back as the guard disappeared around a corner. He'd definitely make for a satisfying meal. From what she got from her demonic senses, she rated him around an eight. A little bit above the rest, not too experienced nor ignorant, but held a strong will. She'd enjoy breaking that. The succubus couldn't help but lick her lips as her thoughts raced on how she was going to do just that.

With the object of her interest gone, she turned to the blue-haired shorty with the crush on her 'brother' to address her earlier question. Though she had no problems simply telling her what she was, Zienna felt it would benefit her side of mischief to be a little bit dodgy this time. Giving the girl a playful look, she answered her with a hushed voice, saying, "When we're alone together, I'll tell you~"

As they stopped before the red-head, Zienna had to give him a sultry smile and a gentle, innocent wave when he used the same word she had used to describe their group, which invoked the same emotions coming from the others. Comparing what she had seen here to the sights of her travels before falling into the portal, she expected the Sultan to be familiar with the word. Giggling quietly to herself, Zienna wondered how his harem looked, and if his girls also wore those puffy silk dresses. Awaiting for things to unfold, the demoness held her hands behind her back, slightly covering her hind.

[Iscor]

Iscor stood up and walked past Veara, snatching up the map. He looked at it as he circled around the group of newcomers. As he walked, he said, "This isn't so much a map as it is a set of directions. Or riddles. Some of this is jibberish written by somebody else, probably trying to decode it." He returned the map back to Veara and returned to his throne. "You're in luck, though, as I am able to read and understand it. I will reveal the contents of your map if you agree to do one thing for me. Bring the item that you seek back to me. It is an item of immense power, but only of limited use per person."

[Veara]

The moment Iscor took the map from Veara, his eyes flicked for a second from pure white, however just as quick as the boy lost himself. He quickly regained his composure and the green returned to his eyes. While Pac circled the group Veara stayed with eyes forward listening to his words, apparently there was directions and riddles and also jibberish written on it by those attempting to decode it in the past. Perhaps that was Zyv....or someone else who had the map before her...regardless of this Veara felt Iscor come towards him once more and he held out his hand as the map was returned to him. Looking up at Pac who apparently already had the map decoded in his head. Veara looked at him tilting his head and after thinking for a moment about what exactly the catalyst was he nodded his head. "Very well, I'll accept those conditions." Veara said still speaking seriously as he moved forward slightly towards Pac. "Whatever we find I assure you will be brought back to you."

[Wielder Luna]

An item of immense power?

The way the red haired man described it, it rang a bell in Aqua’s head. She’s heard that description before, back on Neverland to be precise, while she was learning magic from the odd man, Vilmar.

“Catalysts you see, it’s more of a blanket term. They go by a lot of names: artifacts, relics, treasures. All go down the line to catalyst: an item imbued with arcane power. There’s a lot of ways to create a catalyst, most of them being through the sealing arts. Personal favorite of mine really, been studying it all my life. The Nine Chain Beast Seal I made, used that to bring down a dragon, eh, but I digress. One can only use a catalyst so many times or it can only be held for so long. Most seals can outlast time, so time limit catalysts aren’t really all that common. Yet, when the power is completely expelled from within the seal, that’s when the catalyst breaks.”

So, this really is a catalyst we’re after.

It seemed Zyv was right in her initial dialogue on Radiant Gardens. Yet Aqua couldn't help but wonder what sort of power was going to be within this catalyst, and whether or not it would really be right for them to use it like this. She trusted those who were with her, though, and she hoped if worse came to worst, they would understand what was right. The bluenette nodded when Veara accepted Iscor's terms, keeping her doubt within her.

[Marigold Darkson]

A deep sigh, followed by an unseen eyeroll on Schwartz's part, was all the response she gave to Zienna's teasing. There was no way in hell she wanted to be caught alone with her. She knew that if it ever came down to that, she'd end up repeatedly stabbing the winged-woman, for a multitude of reasons. Not all of them rational, of course.

So they were after an item of extreme power? The petite assassin cursed herself for being set up on this mission, wanting it instead the responsibility fall to her queen. There was a reason for this thought process and yet, she kept it all to herself, understanding that there was no point in bitching about it, since she was already there. The red-head would be able to tell them what the complicated piece of paper would say and in return they bring back the powerful relic. Something about that deal didn't sit right with Schwartz. She didn't like the thought of some stranger in a land like this coming into an immense amount of power within a short time normally didn't spell good intentions. The petite assassin had the right mind to plot double-cross, but knew that wouldn't fly with Blonde, James Blonde, over there.

[Zyvonia]

Pac Iscor confirmed two things. The first, that he can decode the map. The second, the treasure was real, a worry that Zyv had had in the back of her head since this quest started. He hadn't even hesitated when he looked at the map, which meant this quest was worth while. Zyv felt herself getting excited. An actual treasure hunt. And the cost of getting his help didn't seem too steep. All they had to do was share the wealth, so to speak. Indulge in the benefits before handing it over to him. It seemed fair to her.

[Zienna]

As Pac circled the party, Zienna kept her hidden eyes on him, tracking his moves with desire. He really wasn't that bad looking. Despite what she was feeling though, she knew she had to keep herself under control. At least until they got what they wanted... As he went on to say that what they were looking for was something powerful with limited uses, her mind ticked away, the mental gears turning to dig into past knowledge.

She knew there was something in her memories about that sort of thing. In fact, she learned a lot about powerful magical items that fit the description. One of her favorites being a love potion she used on a snake to get back at Nero for doing something she had long forgotten about. Arguably, that wouldn't have been on the list, capable of being replicated with the right ingredients, but taking into account the hazards one would need to face just to get the ingredients, it definitely earned a spot. Unfortunately, they didn't yet know what the object was supposed to do. It could have been a stone that stole people's hearts, or a dagger that could turn back time, or even a dismembered primate paw to grant wishes!

Zienna hummed when the last thought hit her. If they ever did get wishes at the end, and it was from a monkey's paw, they should just throw it away. She heard the tales of how it would grant one their wishes, but at the cost of having something happening as punishment for interfering with fate. Though she'd definitely be lying to herself if she ever said she didn't want to try it.

But going back to the point, she still didn't know what this thing was supposed to do. Pac would know, wouldn't he? He was the one who gave a hint on what it was. She skipped over to Veara and Zyvonia, feeling like they would be better suited to ask the questions. "Could you ask him what the thing does, or what it is even? We wouldn't want to bring the wrong thing back."

[Iscor]

"I will tell you everything that you need to know," Iscor said, answering Zienna's question before it could be reiterated by Veara or Zyvonia. "And I assure you, once you find this 'Catalyst', you will know. The less you know, the better." His tone wasn't harsh or teasing. It was neutral, as if every word was carefully pick out to hold a certain meaning. He snapped his fingers and a contract appeared in front of Veara. The contract just outlined the details of the deal. Iscor gives them the directions and they bring him back the Catalyst. If the group failed to bring him the Catalyst, then they would be eternally in debt to Iscor, until he deemed they were free of it. Their souls would be his. Literally. And, if his directions failed to lead them to the Catalyst, his soul would be theirs. It was fair, both ways.

"Now, you can either all sign it, or designate one person to carry the burden of the deal. I do not care either way," Iscor explained. "To sign it, simply stain the paper with your blood. Only sign it if you understand and accept the conditions."

[Veara]

Summoning Foudre to his hand and once again having a contract appear before him the blonde already saw this next segment coming having to do this once in the past. "I'll be the only one signing." Before anyone could speak up, Veara stabbed Foudre into his the top of his pointer finger the blood easily starting to flow. With Foudre disappearing Veara simply made a V with his blood, rather then the blot of blood he left on the last contract that he had to sign. The blonde activated his telekinesis sending the contract back to Pac Iscor. Wiping the now currently bleeding pointer finger onto his pants every now and then he simply awaited for the map to be returned to them. Not wanting anyone else to possibly have their souls taken should they fail. The only reason Veara would only allow himself to sign was because, A, he didn't trust Iscor and also another reason being he forgot to tell them or rather he thought it'd be better if they didn't know. Feeling their presences behind him and next to him he couldn't allow any of them to even possibly undergo something like owing your soul to someone else. Best to not let them know that tidbit of information which was the main reason why he quickly sent the contract back to Pac Iscor .

He needed everyone talents for the mission. Not for them to possibly give up their souls. Especially not....well especially not little.

[Zyvonia]

Before anybody could read the contract, V snatched it up, signed it, and gave it back to Pac Iscor. Zyv narrowed her eyes. They knew what the deal was, that was already established. What they didn't know were the stakes. What happened if they failed? What happened if they chose not to keep up the end of their bargain? Considering how quickly V signed, he didn't want anybody to possibly fail. How much was he risking?

"So, now that your deal has been signed," Zyv said, speaking up for the first time. Her tone had an edge to it and she looked coldly at Pac Iscor. She was a bit pissed about what happened. "What are the instructions? Where do we go from here?"

[Wielder Luna]

As Iscor presented the contract to the group, Aqua considered what should happen. She didn’t want the burden to fall upon any of these other people, but she didn’t want to make them feel left out of such a decision either. Yet almost by the sleight of irony, before she could think on it more, Veara took the contract, signed it himself, and sent it back to Iscor with only his declaration to go by.

Aqua’s face flushed red, thoughts running through her mind faster than she could keep track of. She didn’t know what the contract said. Hells, she didn’t think anyone else besides Iscor and Veara knew either ('Hells'? she thought, seems like Vilmar’s lessons rubbed more than just magic on me…). She balled her fists, only to loosen them right after. She remembered that Veara did say that he had some history with Iscor. If anyone knew how to deal with the redhead, it was him. Yet at the same time, she knew that doing this put a little dent in her trust with him, despite that trust being the deepest in her heart. He had to have his reasons, but what happens after this interaction depends on how he explains himself, if he even does at all.

[Marigold Darkson]

Schwartz had been in the middle of attempting to read the contract, when Veara had suddenly snatched it away rudely and ended up signing it himself. Annoyance stained the tone of her voice, as she let out a small hissing noise. Her eyes darted over to the young man, but what she saw was total seriousness. Something about the contract deeply bugged the blonde and that same feeling was shown by Zyvonia, who had been quiet the entire time. Hearing her speak up with mostly the same amount annoyance as him, was exactly what made the assassin's stomach churn. The air was definitely thick with some form of trickery that was afoot. Just from this small interaction alone, Schwartz had her doubts about the red-haired man and wondered what his angle was.

"Yeah, I'm ready to get this formal crap out the way already." She finally chimed in, letting it be known that they were ready to get the show on the road. All of the dramatic walking around the group and signing of a contract was pissing her off. The time wasted in there could have been spent out on the field, where the real fun was to be had. Of course, this didn't mean that the blue-haired woman hadn't kept herself aware of the seriousness of things. She was all there, just bored and annoyed.

[Zienna]

Her frown had been concealed by her hair and blindfold, leaving only her shut lips to express her disappointment and annoyance. He was only going to tell them what they needed to know, and skip on the details? That was a shady deal right there. Whatever this 'Catalyst' was, it no doubt spelled trouble for the party. It gave her a few mixed emotions about the quest, but most of them were all positive. A few dangers here and there would give them all the bonding they'd need. Or all the excuses to use the Catalyst on each other. With these two situations all having ample entertainment values, it was difficult not to see this whole thing through. And she'd be damned for skipping out on this.

And yet, something told her, that this would be more than she bargained for. After Veara hastily signed the contract without letting any of the others to review the terms, she felt something coming off from the blond, something that suggested that he was being valiant instead of just being hasty. He didn't put a lot of faith in the red-head, and yet he signed anyway? The succubus could feel the others' irritation at his actions as well, so she kept herself from expressing hers, however she did stare at the red-head again. Her face showed no visible signs of her emotions, but on the inside, she was contemplating ways on how she would get back at him if something happened to her adoptive brother because of this contract.

She was confident in her own skills as well as Veara's to get the job done, and the others were also here for their own contributions as well, so there was no real threat to failing. In an attempt to lighten the group's mood, she had giggled, thinking of a hilarious fine print that might have been in the contract, which would also--hopefully--make the blond understand what he could have gotten himself into. "You know, Veara, you should read contracts more closely before signing so quickly. I mean, you might never know if it had something written there that required you to do a striptease in front of an audience. Don't worry though, if it comes to that, I'd give you a few pointers~"

[Iscor]

"Unfortunately, there was no striptease in the clause this time, Zienna," Iscor said with a smirk, ignoring Zyvonia's glare. It seemed as though Veara wanted to take this burden upon himself, saving the others from the trouble. Iscor was sure that they would succeed in this quest and fulfill the deal, one way or another. But Iscor had become familiar with what kind of person Veara was. He was the type of hero who didn't really want to be called a hero. Some would call him a fool, but Iscor saw value in Veara. One day, he would become very useful.

"There are two pieces that you must gather first, each incomplete without the other. They are scattered across the worlds. The first place is apparently a world of ancient times, overseen by beings that supposedly far exceed us in their existence. Some would call them myths. Other would call them gods. The second place is a world filled with Darkness. This piece shines dimly within the deep depths of this darkness," Iscor explained. "There is a more in depth, lengthy hint as to where they are, but that's the shorthand version."

He paused for a moment before snapping his fingers. A Corridor of Darkness opened up next to the group "As much as I am a fan of riddles and puzzles, we will be wasting our time if I wait for you five to figure them out all day. Part of the deal was me telling you where to go, so there is also that. The first location is in the world where the Olympus Coliseum is, on an island where a Cyclops lives. Your first piece will be there."

Iscor pointed at the map. "Once you are near the piece, it will glow brighter and brighter the closer the map is. Keep that map safe if you want to find it. Or you can wildly guess," he said with a shrug.

"Once you've found the first piece, you will need to travel to the End of the World. The map didn't specify a specific location, however it mentioned that if you have both the first piece and the map, it will reveal it."

He snapped his fingers again. Five bags appeared beside each of them. "And here's a cherry on top, courtesy of me with no strings attached. Inside those backs are food, sleeping stuff, and other survival supplies. I have no idea how long this quest will take, but it's better to be prepared," he said with a wave of his hand.

"Any questions?"

[Veara]

Listening to every word that Pac spoke Veara actually shivered when he mentioned the End of the World...

Putting the map in his front pocket, Veara looked up and smiled at Pac Iscor. The boy looked up towards the ceiling thinking about the possibility of what exactly could happen...though the talents and abilities of his teammates, honestly they were great.

Really great enough that he didn't have to really worry about anything. "I understand the terms and conditions of the contract and none of them can be affected by it right, my soul is the only one up for grabs here right?" Veara spoke to him taking the bag and putting it over his left shoulder.

The boy understood in saying what he did, he was letting the others know the terms. However, he had to...if they found out in the future after this he could already see the trust between both him and the others crumbling. The last thing he wanted was for any of his new found friends, sister, have odd feelings for or childhood friends to suddenly hate him, especially for all the wrong reasons. Veara simply at this point looked down towards the map. Taking his hoodie off once again and putting it back on though he left it unzipped, the boy covered his head with the hood and simply looked up towards Pac a smile on his face.

They were going to find this catalyst no problems at all.

The real question was...what happens when they get it.

[Zyvonia]

A soul.

It was his soul that was put on the line.

Zyv's heart skipped a beat, weighed down by sudden guilt and rage. But she didn't yell or even let out a whisper. She didn't think this was worth his soul. Not some quest like this. Clearly, though, Veara had faith in them that they would succeed. If he trusted them with his life, then she had to do the same. She couldn't doubt herself. Not even for a second. And if they failed...well...then she would feel the guilt and rage.

She grabbed her orbs out of her bag. She shoved one in her pocket and the other two in the bag Iscor provided. She then tossed her bag to Iscor. "Keep it safe for me," she said coolly.

[Wielder Luna]

Aqua listened closely to what Iscor said. The first place he mentioned interested the bluenette. A place that was close to the gods? It reminded her of the stories she read when she was on Destiny Islands. Tales of heroes that fought against evils and triumphed against the odds. The second place however sent a chill up her spine. The End of the World, the name itself was ominous.

Yet when Veara mention that as per the agreement that his very own soul was on the table as a condition of their failure, that chill outmatched the previous by far.

She was shocked, He put his soul on the line for this?! Without even letting us even know beforehand?

Her heart plummeted. Was any of this worth what they were going through at this moment? Is this catalyst really worth the soul of her closest friend? Whatever doubts she had, she needed to cast them aside for the time being. Now more than ever, they needed to stick together. Now that the soul of her friend was on the line, success was their only option.

She took one of the bags Iscor provided, saying nothing as she slung it over her shoulder.

[Marigold Darkson]

Veara's act of putting his soul on the line was something Schwartz couldn't vibe with. Beyond her initial feelings of him from the beginning, she still cared about the blonde and felt annoyed that he signed away his life so easily. Being around a person who dealt in literal soul-binding contracts, the petite assassin understood the full concern of the situation and knew they couldn't fail at that point. That threw all of her plans of double-crossing out the window and she rolled her eyes in annoyance. She really didn't like this Pac Iscor guy and had a sneaking feeling about him ever since they entered his office.

"Dammit, Veara, how can you be so reckless without concerning us all?" She asked herself and looked towards the young man, knowing she'd have to fight twice as hard to cover his ass. Either case, it was time for them to head out. She was both relieved, yet irritated by the turnout of the situation. A pack was left behind for her, along with four others for the rest of the party. Schwartz picked hers up and tossed it over her shoulder, turning towards the Corridor of Darkness. She was ready whenever they were.

[Zienna]

Zienna feigned a disappointed sigh and shrugged after learning that there was indeed no striptease within the contract this time. Possibly a hint that it had happened before? "A girl can dream, can't she?" she thought aloud, returning the sultan's smirk. A few moments ticked by before something in what he said caught her attention. However, before she could ask the man, he had already begun telling them the directions they needed to take, and not wanting to be rude, the demoness waited until all was said and done. So their first destination was a Coliseum. Or at least a world with a Coliseum. After that, they'd be going to the End of the World, the name of which inspired a few nervous and jittery sentiments from her companions. The succubus didn't really get why they felt that way, but then again, she was a bit disconnected with what was happening in the worlds.

When she heard the boy mention something about his soul up for grabs, relating to the contract, she felt a discomfort that was mutual with the rest of the group. "You know, Veara, as your sister, I'm entitled to slap you silly for doing something like this without telling me." Her voice was authoritatively strict at first, but soon turned somewhat sweet as she continued. "But instead of doing that," she wagged a finger at him teasingly, "I'll let you off, but on one condition. You're going to be treating us to ice cream when this is all over." She then giggled, patting the boy's back as she gave him a smile. It was a stupid thing to do, yes, but Zienna felt his reasoning. If only the others could as well.

She then picked up one of the bags the sultan provided for them before she turned to face Pac with a questioning look. "By the way... how'd you know my name? Have we met before?" It would have been strange if they had. She'd surely remember such a handsome face.

[Iscor]

It seems as though tension arose in the room when Veara revealed the contents of the deal. Iscor found it very amusing, though he kept his face blank and expressionless. "You are correct, Veara. If you guys failed, only you will have to pay the price. But I'm sure you knew that already," he replied. He caught Zyvonia's bag and dropped it to the side of his throne. His eyes moved to Zienna when she asked him her question.

"I know many names and many faces, though I do not always know who exactly I know," Iscor said, talking in circles.

[Veara]

Veara stared up towards Pac Iscor until Zienna called out too him. Turning to the girl and listening to her voice he simply smiled at her despite her authoritative tone that obviously meant she was mad with him though he couldn't really blame her for being angry. All of them definitely had a reason to currently be angry at him, however Veara knew that he had to let them know before it spiraled out of control later and crumbled the trust between them. "Don't worry I'll definitely follow through with that." He smiled wider and nodded to the girl, though the smile broke the moment he looked back over at Pac Iscor while he got his assurance that in this case only his soul would be up for grabs.

A sigh of relief escaped from the boy being reassured this as he simply nodded up towards Pac. "In that case I guess will be going thanks for the portal and all of your help." Veara spoke and then walked into the portal cracking his neck while he did so getting ready to get all that they needed in order for them to find the catalyst.

[Zyvonia]

Zyv shouldered the bag that Pac Iscor had supplied and followed V into the portal.

[Zienna]

Zienna tapped the corner of her lips that had curved into a salacious smile for the sultan. "A man who prefers mystery, hmm?" A soft chuckle escaped the succubus' lips as she slung the bag she had been holding over her shoulder. "Well, if you ever need to know more about me, don't hesitate to ask next time we meet~" After blowing a kiss to Pac, she jumped through the portal, following the others, her raven following soon after.

[Sponsored content]