Chapter Text
Imogen Temult hates Bassuras.
The hot and humid climate… The loud drumming of the Crawlers that seem to never die down even in the dead of night… And of course, the constant barrage of thoughts hammering against Imogen’s mind from all the Paragon’s Call members that reside in the same building as her…
Imogen Temult really hates Bassuras.
Imogen pinched the bridge of her nose, taking a deep breath in, brows furrowed, already feeling the telltale signs of a headache starting to form as she prepared herself for another day in this hellhole. She breathed out, sighing with her entire body.
Despite it being so early in the morning, a small sheen of sweat has started to form on her forehead and she used the back of her hand to deftly pat them away. The hot arid air wafted in through the open windows of Imogen’s quarters at the top most floor of The Seat of Disdain. Exhaustion enveloped her features as she adjusted the sheer fitted sleeves of her white tunic. Her eyes falling on the deep red lightning pattern scars all along her arms that lay contrasted against her pale skin and the sheer white sleeves.
These red, vein-like scars that are visible starting from the base of her chin, all along her neck, covering her entire upper body to the tips of her fingers, and crawling out from underneath her brown leather shorts, till it stops right before it reaches her knees. And still growing…
Otohan tells her that the marks are a gift. A reminder of her destiny. A reminder that she was meant for something greater. But what that is? Imogen has no idea. Not for lack of trying though. Otohan likes to keep things close to her chest, even Imogen’s mama—Liliana—who Otohan works very closely with, has no idea of the full scope of the plans.
This irritated her an immense lot. Though she’s not sure whether the irritation stems from her lack of knowledge for something that she’s supposed to have a huge part of, or if it stems from her mama’s casual indifference to it.
They called her Predathos’ Chosen. Even among the Exaltants—some of which include those that adorn similar lightning markings as her—they would look to her as something more… something special. But Imogen’s only ever felt like a prized pony. The one with the most colorful markings and the most flashy abilities.
“Just one more week.” Imogen reminded herself. Meticulously smoothing out the creases around her wrists from her leather fingerless gloves. Unable to stop her eyes from roaming over her hands, hands that haven’t been clean in over a decade; not since she started accompanying Otohan Thull as her right-hand.
Imogen clenched and unclenched her fists, testing the tightness of the gloves. The brown leather of the glove along with her lightning marks, both rippling against her skin.
Just one more week until her purgatory is over.
At least that’s how she sees this job as. But according to her mama, this was “a huge honor”… To be asked to keep watch over the Paragon’s Call on Otohan’s stead while the two of them had to take a trip with Ludinus. Their plans have been escalating fast within these last few years, and its only a matter of time before she finds out what Otohan’s been preparing her for the last decade.
Bang!
A loud explosion coming from right outside the building, snapped Imogen out of her thoughts, the noise is followed by another loud skidding sound then a crash.
Imogen lets out sigh.
Just another day at the Hell Catch…
Steeling herself at the unwelcome arrival of her day ahead, Imogen stalked towards the window to try and catch a glimpse of what’s waiting for her to deal with.
But right as she approached, a long and lithe figure draped in black garbs, came careening though the open window of her room, almost crashing into Imogen. Imogen jumped back in alarm. Her well-trained reflexes, immediately conjuring a lightning bolt in the palm of both of her hands as she watched the figure, crouched by the window, stared back at Imogen.
With its unnaturally pale skin, long lithe limbs, dressed in what Imogen is now realizing is a black gown with red patterns around the dress on her waist. Long black stringy hair with a shock of white at the front, draping over most of her face. Dark bulbous eyes, peeking out from underneath her hair as she watches Imogen with a mixture of shock and fear.
Imogen realized that this figure was as surprised as she was. And taking advantage of the fact, Imogen raised her hands glowing with purple energy and intended to shoot the lightning bolt at the intruder before she had a chance to react.
But the intruder appears ready for her attack, for in an instant, Imogen’s vision turned black, obscured by pitch black darkness.
She glanced down at her palms where the purple lightning energy should be, they appeared to have been snuffed out by the spell as well. But she could still feel the pulse of energy thrumming through her veins, desperate to push back against the darkness spell.
Breathing out a slightly arrogant chuckle, Imogen closed her eyes and reached out with her mind around the room; mentally preparing herself to be assaulted by the barrage of thoughts from all the people in the floors beneath her.
Discordant voices entered her mind almost immediately, a cacophony of whispers and shouts all echoed, rebounding inside her head all at once. Brows furrowed in concentration, Imogen focused on her breathing like she was taught, and sifted through all the dissonant voices in search of the thread that belonged to the intruder.
It wasn’t hard. Painful? Yes. But not difficult. Once she located the thread, she followed and managed to pinpoint the intruder’s exact location. It appears the intruder somehow managed to crawl up along the walls of her room and now stood upside down, directly above Imogen’s head.
Imogen’s lips curled into a smile.
Amateurs…
She had woken up this morning in a bad mood, nightmares plague her sleep which only seems to get worse each night. And with less sleep meant that Imogen couldn’t properly put her walls up from all the minds around her from people that only had terrible opinions associated with—in their own words—Otohan’s pet. And now this intruder, invading her room bright and early in the morning… Suffice it to say, Imogen isn’t in a very forgiving mood.
Imogen easily forced the energy thrumming inside her veins to flow back out and pool inside her palms, the bright purple energy reigniting against the spell that was supposed to shroud it in darkness, now glowing even brighter than before as Imogen prepared to vaporise the intruder where she stood.
Imogen focused on that thread again, making sure the intruder haven’t moved, her hands thrumming with intense lightning energy, but before she could aim her lightning bolt at the intruder, she froze.
Usually when she connected with people’s minds, their thoughts would always feel like an invasion inside Imogen’s own head. Not dissimilar to a bunch of fucked up Crawlers crossing the finish line at the Deathwish Run; loud and grating.
But this person’s mind… Their thoughts felt warm and inviting somehow. As if they themselves invited Imogen inside her mind with tea and cookies laid out for her arrival. Instead of being an intruder, it was as if Imogen was a welcome guest.
Taking a seat inside the creature’s mind palace, she felt warm and comforted. Fairly reminiscent of the times when Imogen and her mama would take week long vacations to their ranch—which Liliana managed to buy out in the middle of nowhere so that Imogen could give her mind a break—and Imogen would take her horse, Flora, out on rides deep into the woods, just the two of them. She would make it a challenge to see how far into the woods she could travel before her mama would send her a message, asking her to return.
It was back when things were still simple and Liliana didn’t spend most of her time with Otohan.
It was the only time when Imogen truly felt peace. They haven’t been back there in years. She hopes Flora is well taken care of.
No.
Imogen shakes herself off. It could be a spell. A thrall to lull her into a false sense of security.
With the ball of energy still swirling inside her palms, Imogen cocked her head sideways, as if it would help her glean more info from the intruder. And she focused again on that thread.
Imogen concentrated on reading the thoughts that continued to flow inside her mind. Gentle waves cresting the shore as Imogen tried to make sense of the sporadic words and sentences that made their way to her.
From what information Imogen could glean through those thoughts, she learned that the creature was indeed panicking above Imogen. And something about trying to plant a ring…?? On Otohan, it seems. Imogen also learned that they had friends outside the building as well. Who no doubt were the cause of the explosion from before.
But she could sense no intentional sabotage to her telepathic abilities.
It was truly a marvel. The intruder’s thoughts felt almost… musical in a way that Imogen has never felt before.
Another loud explosion shook Imogen out of her thoughts, the entire building trembling underneath her as Imogen braced herself on the balls of her feet. She could hear bits and baubles falling to the ground all around her, along with the slight hiss from the intruder hanging from the ceiling above her.
Imogen lingered on the woman’s mind longer than she should. They were still on the ceiling right above Imogen and had no idea that Imogen was aware of her exact location… It would be so easy to take her out.
But curiosity got the better of her. Imogen has never encountered anything like this her entire life. She needed to know more.
Letting out a sigh, Imogen willed the lightning energy inside her hands to dissipate just a bit, the ball of light dimmed as the power was reduced to merely knock the intruder out. Without any warning, Imogen then shot it right above her, hitting her target square in her chest.
Darkness immediately dissipated. Imogen took a step backwards as a tangle of white limbs and dark garbs fell from the ceiling right where Imogen previously stood, impacting the thick red carpet with a dull thud.
Imogen took a thorough glance over this creature. She was a lithe and thin, almost stretched figure with milky, chalk-like skin. Appears humanoid, but there is definitely an otherworldly presence to her.
Imogen frowned as she realized the figure was almost too still for someone that’s only supposed to be knocked out. She should still be alive, but Imogen couldn’t find any evidence of breath on her chest or her neck. Keeping her watchful eyes on her, she carefully reached down and pressed her fingers against the side of the intruder’s neck… Her skin felt unnaturally cold, but she felt nothing else. No heartbeat.
Maybe Imogen miscalculated?
Bang!
Another explosion.
She had no more time to dwell on it right now. There’s something going on outside and her duty to Otohan, and to the Paragon’s Call comes first.
Imogen turned her attention towards the window and rushed towards it. Finding a bunch of people engaged in combat around an upturned Crawler. She recognized some of the Paragon’s Call members on one side and Imogen assumes the opponents would be this intruder’s own crew who all appeared to be holding their own against seasoned mercenaries employed by the Call. They’re definitely going to need her help.
Imogen took one last glance at the creature lying dead in her room. Then back at the battle occurring right outside. Imogen’s eyes flashed red, she closed her eyes, and when she reopened them again she was outside, standing right beside one of her Generals-a fairly large and muscular human that goes by Devin.
He was pinned to the ground by a werewolf-like creature, snarling and slashing at him with its claws as he struggled in vain to keep its limbs away from him. Imogen sent a massive bolt of energy at the creature, the creature flew backwards into the air as it lets out a yelp upon hitting the underside of the Crawler lying on its side about 30 feet away from them, and dropped to the ground, unmoving.
“What’s goin' on?” Imogen reaches a hand towards the bloody man, Devin appeared affronted at having to accept Imogen’s help. But nevertheless took her arm and shakily pulled himself up. He was bleeding out of a large claw mark on his chest. Sweat, dirt and blood covered his face, matting his dark brown curls.
“We were betrayed.” He huffs out between pants. Looking around everywhere but Imogen.
“This group came in yesterday… Ratanish approved them, so we gave them a room.”
Imogen’s eyes narrowed and he ducked his head down. Without Otohan here, new recruits have to be cleared with Imogen first, not Ratanish. But of course the old man always likes to pretend he has higher authority than Imogen.
“And why wasn’t I made aware of this?” Imogen pressed pointedly, her voice taking on a lower timbre. Her eyes flashed red as angry red energy was starting to appear in her palms, her lightning marks glowing deep red all along her arms as well.
The large man almost shrunk to half his size under Imogen’s glare. He hung his head. Imogen breathed out an annoyed sigh, shaking her head.
“I’ll deal with you later.” Imogen says. The battle was still raging around them. Imogen noticed a halfling charging straight at them, his sword and shield in hand.
“What did they do?”
“They took Treshi Ma’am.”
Imogen held one arm out, the red Ruidian energy jumped from her hand and flew straight at the halfling.
The halfling sidestepped the red energy, barely catching him on his side, he kept his pace and took a leaping jump, swinging his blade down at Imogen, Imogen managed to misty step out of the way at the last second. He lost his footing as his blade cut through air, Imogen appearing a few feet away, barely breaking a sweat as she shot a smirk at the halfling.
Devin jumped into combat with what Imogen assumes to be an Earth Genasi weilding a massive hammer. Though one side of their head was flashing different colors of light for some reason.
“You’re her.” The halfling spat. His soldier-like demeanor fell away as his eyes narrowed, hatred visible on his face as he flexed his grip on the sword. His knuckles turning white from how tight he has been gripping it.
Nothing new there. Though she can't help but wonder which of his loved ones fell on the wrong end of her spell.
“You’ve heard of me then. Good.” her lips slowly curled into a cruel smile, deciding to play into that persona. If a monster is what they see her as, a monster is what they’ll get. Her eyes flashed red and her scars lit up as red energy formed in her hands once more, Imogen could feel the presence of Ruidus in the sky backing her up as usual.
“I’ll only say this once. You people came into our house and took what is ours… But I’ll be lenient. Return Treshi to us, and maybe I won’t kill all of you.” Imogen gestured around at the battlefield. Most of her people aren’t doing well but she knows she can easily take them all down by herself. She frowns as she notices a small automaton shooting a grappling canon, hitting one of the mercenaries.
This crew is definitely something...
The halfling’s jaw clenched as he glared at her. Boy if looks could kill… And without bothering a response, he charges again. Imogen sighs, before sending the red Ruidian energy his way.
He tries to duck and weave out of the way but all it took was one graze and he dropped to the ground, his sword flown to the side, the side of his leg charred and red, wisps of smoke wafting off of the wound. He gritted his teeth, grasping and clawing at the ground to try to get back in the fight, but to no avail.
With a casual countenance, Imogen slowly strode towards his writhing body, picking up the halfling’s own sword along the way then, without blinking, shoved his sword right through his chest.
His eyes rolled back in his sockets, hands coming to clutch around the blade before his head fell back.
The next person that met their end by her hand was a Faun creature that came at her screaming once she saw the halfling go down. She sent a scorching ray of energy from her staff but Imogen deflected them easily, and shot back one of her own, laced with purple lightning. It cut right through the faun’s chest, burning a hole through it.
The fey froze in her steps, almost stupefied, her doe eyes widened with shock, she looked down at her chest.
“Oh boy.” She breathes out, staring at the hole that now adorned her chest. Then almost as if her strings were cut, she dropped to the ground, her hulking figure falling backwards onto the gravel, the staff rolling out of her limp hand.
Imogen shook away the bubbling feelings of compassion that are wanting to find purchase inside her chest. Having to remind herself that these people started it by stealing from her. Imogen is simply doing her job and defending her charge.
Imogen looked around, Devin is still in combat with the Genasi but he doesn’t seem to be fairing well. And the rest of Paragon’s Call have either retreated into the building, or are lying dead on the ground. The robot is still standing, but a ways away. The closest of them to Imogen was the werewolf leaning against the upturned Crawler, now reverted to his smaller gnomish form, blood covered his bare chest as he looked around, barely standing.
Imogen easily stalked towards him, he noticed Imogen coming and stumbled to grab a weapon from the ground and held it up between them with shaky hands. But all Imogen had to do was reach her hand out and with a resounding crack, the werewolf’s head snapped to the side, and he dropped to the ground.
Imogen turned back towards where Devin and the Genasi had been facing off moments before, the Genasi had managed to take down Devin, and he now has his foot on Devin’s chest for purchase as he yanked his hammer back out from the corpse.
Locking on her new target, Imogen started making her way towards the Genasi, walking over the halfling’s dead body.
“No!” Imogen heard an eerie, discordant voice from a distance. The woman that had jumped into her window earlier had somehow returned back to life, and was skittering down the side of the tower. As she reached the base, her features started morphing, her figure growing in size as Imogen watched. Her already lithe features stretched and elongated, eyes turning completely dark, her lips pulled to her ears with her sharp teeth forming a nightmarish smile.
The creature raised her long stretched arms towards Imogen from a distance, and what appears to be a mourning veil apparated across her face, enshrouding her ghastly features.
Imogen couldn’t help but stare at the macabre beauty of this creature. Her curiosity was already piqued by the musical nature of this woman’s mind, and this only adds to it. Imogen has never been so intrigued to find out what this woman’s story is.
Distracted by the creature’s appearance, Imogen didn’t realize that a circle of dark purple magic had materialized around where she stood, surrounding both Imogen and the fallen halfling. Once she finally realized what was happening, it was already too late. Pain seared through her entire body and Imogen dropped to the ground, her hands and knees catching her fall. It wasn’t enough to knock her out, but the impact dazed Imogen for a brief moment, her ears rang loud, and her vision blurry as she fought to regain her senses.
Imogen managed to stumble back to her feet. Looking around to see that the halfling’s previously dead body, was now slowly moving on the ground, having brought back to life by the same magic that brought Imogen down. But he was still on the ground and had barely regained his senses, so Imogen drew on the power of Ruidus, her eyes glowing red as her entire body thrummed with a rush of energy. But before Imogen could finish the halfling off, she was thrown to the ground by a solid hulking body that tackled her. The Genasi used his entire body weight to keep her pinned to the ground, his forearm pressed against Imogen’s neck with crushing force.
Imogen gasped for air against the force of his rock solid body crushing against her windpipe, she grabbed hold of his hand with hers, trying to pry it off to relieve some pressure. But it was useless. She grasped the Genasi’s forearm using both of her hands, and conjuring what last bit of strength she had left, lightning springs from her palms and flowed into the Genasi’s body through his arm.
The Genasi yelped in pain, and fell over sideways, clutching the arm that received the brunt of Imogen’s spell, Imogen’s hand-print burned into the rock solid skin.
Disgracefully, Imogen scrambled to her feet, conjuring another lightning bolt in her hands to finish him off. She could feel the warm tingling feeling as she started lighting up with purple energy, drawing more from what little reserves she has left.
And that's when Imogen felt a hot searing pain coming from her chest as the tip of a blade came piercing out of her chest, covered in blood. Imogen gasped, eyes wide with shock as she stared down at the blade poking out of her own chest.
Her Ruidus energy dissipating as soon as it appeared, snuffed out in an instant.
“This is for Will.” She hears a spiteful whisper from behind her, she glanced behind her to find the halfling on the other end of the blade. He sneered and Imogen yelled out in intense agony as he yanked the sword out of her back.
Imogen pressed against the now gaping hole on her chest. Crimson blood flowed through her fingers like a waterfall and she dropped to her knees.
Helpless, she searched around for any assistance.
Right…
Imogen fell backwards, the gravel crunching underneath her as her body dropped weightless to the ground, her consciousness waning. Imogen finds herself staring up at the clear blue sky, her eyes immediately drawn to the spot in the sky where she knows Ruidus is. The draw that was always there, now feels even stronger, as if they’re telling her not to give up. Letting her know that they still need her.
I’m sorry. Imogen managed choke out despite the blood pooling inside her throat.
An onslaught of thoughts enters her mind, now that she doesn’t have the strength to hold them back any longer. It’s getting harder and harder to tell the difference between what’s in her head and what’s outside.
Her vision becoming more and more blurry as blood pooled underneath her body, her limbs starting to feel cold as she laid there, her hands clutching her chest. Every breath felt hard fought. It won’t be long now.
The Genasi’s face appeared over Imogen’s hazy view as Imogen laid there motionless, on the brink of death. His face impassive as he stares into Imogen’s eyes, his lips moved but Imogen couldn’t make out any word, every noise around her appears muted, as if she was underwater.
The Genasi brought his hammer over his head. This, Imogen could understand. Imogen blinked, a few stray tears making their way down the sides of her temples as she forced herself to stare death in its face.
But he didn’t bring his hammer down to finish her, he looked out to the side, his lips moved again. A frown appearing on his face. Imogen realized he’s arguing with someone. Then with a last disappointed look back at Imogen, he dropped the hammer to his side.
The halfling’s face appeared within Imogen’s view frame as well, both of their features covered in red spots but she could still make out who they were. She could see them talking back and forth. Imogen tried to focus, blocking out the stray thoughts making her way in her head and just tried to focus on the voices of the two people deciding her fate.
Imogen managed to make a few stray words but could make no sense of it.
“… can’t…”
“… need her…”
“… dangerous…”
”… Tempest…”
Then she sees the halfling look out to the side, his hand gesturing for someone to come over.
“… Letters!”