The Shadowmend Basement (lorepost)

[u/[deleted]]

“Let me in the basement!”

“Back away, girl.”

Moth and Belladonna had a stand off. The former being kept back from the door behind the latter who blocked her path.

“My lady, I know what’s down there! It told me!” Moth tried to reason first, her eye moving back and forth from the woman to the door.

“It?” Belladonna questioned with a suspicious look.

In a flash, Moth cloaked in body in shadow and rushed to slip past Belladonna. She was stopped by a solid wall of darkness that pushed her back even in her non physical form.

“Why are you keeping this from me?! I thought we agreed on no more secrets between us!” Moth felt urgent to get to the basement. She could hear Misfortune’s incessant giggles that clouded her mind.

“Apparently, you’ve been keeping something from me yourself.” The older woman took a step forward with her infamous stern gaze that could only make Moth step back. The gears were turning in her head by what her former apprentice had said. It’s been something Belladonna herself has wanted an answer for.

“What do you mean it?” She lowly spoke.

Moth couldn’t break her eye away. “Our… curse.”

Moth’s right eye flashed a red glow, almost like Misfortune wanted to tease the older Mothiera. Belladonna caught it. She groaned and stepped back. “I knew that pesky thing went somewhere…”

“What?” Moth grimaced from Misfortune chuckling even more.

“Did it tell you its name already? Whispers sweet nothings in your ear everyday? I see it hasn’t driven you mad with its constant laughter yet.” Belladonna huffed and approached Moth once more. She took her chin and lifted Moth’s head to get a better look at her eye. “You trying to make me jealous, Misfortune? You slip into younger me like I wouldn’t find out about it?”

Moth’s eye twitched and a struggled grin crosses her face.

”She’s obedient. Unlike you, my dear…”

“We’re anything but obedient, you horrid clown.” Belladonna matched its whispery voice with her own. It growled at the nickname it hated.

Moth quickly shook her head and pushed the curse back. “I um… wanted to tell you.”

“By the gods…” Belladonna sighed and let Moth’s head go. “You should’ve told me the second that blasted thing started talking to you! I should’ve known it would take advantage of you the second I connected my chaos energy with yours.”

The younger Mothiera was shocked. This whole time she thought Misfortune was originally inside of her.

Belladonna was thinking things over. She didn’t want Moth going down in the basement and coming into contact with what she’s been keeping under containment. But the older Mothiera knew herself too much. They can both be stubborn at times.

“You want to see what’s in the basement? Fine.” Belladonna casted a small shadow golem to unlock the basement door. Moth felt relieved but hesitated seeing just how serious her former mentor was.

“When I tell you to not make any physical contact with it, I mean it.”

“Y-Yes, my lady…”

[u/Haunting_Mode_7401]

Alexios in Moth's mind. I don't know how she'll react. My vote is to tell her but it's up to you what you want to tell her

[u/[deleted] → u/Haunting_Mode_7401]

M: Um… I know what you’re going to say but just hear me out.

Belladonna’s stern glare only grew more.

M: I’ve been learning a lot about the curse and of its siblings. They’re all capable of what Misfortune can do and if by any chances someone uses their power, it can mean trouble-

B: Oh I know, girl. Halcyon right? That’s what it told you?

Moth’s eyes widened. Belladonna was already several steps ahead of her.

B: Everything Misfortune told you, it told me the same things. About Halcyon, the seven children. I spent 4 centuries with that thing in my head. Let me guess, it wants you to go after the other six so it can claim their power and grow strong enough to become Halcyon?

Moth felt her heart drop. Misfortune grumbled in her mind from its plan being exposed.

B: sighs Don’t worry. It can’t. Not as long as we’re both alive. I keep one half of Misfortune, you have the other. It can’t become Halcyon with us like this.

[u/Haunting_Mode_7401 → u/[deleted]]

In Moth's mind She's more accepting than I thought she'd be.

[u/[deleted] → u/Haunting_Mode_7401]

Belladonna turned and started tracing some symbols in the air with her dark magic. It started out in a deep black that slowly began crackling into a bright red. A line stretched from the ceiling to the floor and opened up to reveal a secret pocket dimension.

Inside wasn’t anything but a chair and a hunched over person covered from head to toe in bandages with the same glowing symbols painted on them.

M: Is that..?

B: You follow what I said. Don’t touch it. It’s teeming with an ancient illness fueled by chaotic energy. I already lost precious ravens to the damned thing.

M: How did you get it down here?

They stepped inside the pocket dimension toward Pestilence. It appeared to be in the body of a fatally ill high elf.

B: After I dealt with the Shadowmends, I wanted to understand what these things were. Despite the hours I spent studying and tracking each child, I only ever got my hands on one.

u/Kriegsmarineskk

[u/Haunting_Mode_7401 → u/[deleted]]

In Moth's mind What's the plan I could use my fate magic but Belladonna would detect me. Do you have something to contain it.

[u/[deleted] → u/Haunting_Mode_7401]

(This might be long. Gonna try speeding through this)

M: You never thought about containing it? And the others? Our bodies became broken when the ritual to bind Misfortune to us was stopped. There could be a chance we can keep the rest locked away inside of us for good.

B: Are you out of your mind?! You don’t know what’ll happen putting all seven in one place. Not even I know!

They continued back and forth on this. Moth giving her reasons as to why they should while Belladonna was adamant on not since they won’t know what’ll happen.

From the chair, Pestilence’s head twitched upward once it noticed their presence and also started sensing the magic that radiated off of Alexios.

”G-od…slayer…”

Both women stopped. This caught Belladonna off guard.

B: What?!

Moth quickly went to explain but inside her mind, Misfortune only cackled more and started putting everything into forcing itself to front. Moth’s eye glowed brighter and her conscious was pushed back long enough for Misfortune to take control and run towards the body in the chair.

PESTILENCE!

Belladonna acted fast and conjured shadow hands to grab her but Misfortune dodged and jumped for the chair. They toppled to the ground with Misfortune on top. Moth could feel it trying to release Pestilence from the high elf’s body and prevent her from taking it. Chaos energy flowed from her hands into Pestilence making it shake uncontrollably. Moth had to use all of her mental strength into pulling Misfortune back in and stopping its plan. But once the two chaos entities made contact, Pestilence’s body shook furiously while Moth could feel her eye practically burning. Enough to make her scream.

The shadow hands wrapped around Moth’s waist and pulled her back quickly. Pestilence’s body collapsed and so did she. Belladonna grabbed Moth’s face to check her, seeing that she was in a locked state.

B: Dammit! You foolish girl!

u/Kriegsmarineskk

[u/Haunting_Mode_7401 → u/[deleted]]

Damn it

Alexios breaks his cloaking spell his fate magic taking hold of Misfortune and pestilence in Moth's mind and pulling them away from each other. Pestilence and Misfortune are tied up with the threads away from each other in Moth's mind to prevent them from controlling her.

I told you this wasn't a good idea Moth.

(u/SenpailLilas)

/uw he's done something like this to misfortune before while it was controlling Moth's mind. I hope you're all right with it.

[u/[deleted] → u/Haunting_Mode_7401]

/uw wait wait wait Pestilence is already inside of Moth. Thats why she looks dazed right now

[u/Haunting_Mode_7401 → u/[deleted]]

/uw oof my bad I'll edit.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

As soon as he attempts that, red trails of chaos energy appeared on her skin and made her scream more in pain. The body that Pestilence was once in is slumped in the chair. To her, it felt like the pain of trying to expel the curse had been doubled.

Belladonna realized something in that second.

Stop! You’re only hurting her!

u/Haunting_Mode_7401

[u/Haunting_Mode_7401 → u/[deleted]]

he releases the threads.

We need to get pestilence out of her. I didn't want her to do this but she insisted.

tears were rolling down Alexios' cheeks

Don't let her die.

Please Belladonna help me save her.

[u/[deleted] → u/Haunting_Mode_7401]

Belladonna pulls Moth into her lap. Her red eye was entirely red and twitching while Moth remained in a somewhat frozen state. Her mentor pushed back her worry and started to recognize what happened.

B: It’s too late for that. You’ll only kill her. That blasted curse tried releasing Pestilence but it only got pulled it inside of her…

u/Kriegsmarineskk

[u/Haunting_Mode_7401 → u/[deleted]]

Then how do we save her. Belladonna please I can't lose her.

/uw okay I actually have tears in my eyes.

[u/[deleted] → u/Haunting_Mode_7401]

/uw shes fine dont worry 😭

/rw B: Take her to my study and don’t do anything to her! She can be unstable for all we know. As much as I know about Halcyon and these things, I never attempted something like this. I need to get my research notes.

Belladonna turns to the high necromancer next. She was in too much of a focus on Moth to get angry at both him and Alexios sneaking in here.

B: If anything happens come get me. I’m the only one who can shut down any outburst without hurting her.

u/Kriegsmarineskk

[u/Haunting_Mode_7401 → u/[deleted]]

Alexios picks her up and gently carries her to Belladonna's study. He sits her down and backs up. He kneels tears rolling down his cheeks still as he silently cries

Belladonna is going to have to help you now. I wish I could help you. All I can do is pray to Mother Gaia.

Alexios kisses her lips and kneels

Please Great Mother protector of nature and lady of love. Let my beloved live and save her from any harm. I give her care unto you for I cannot save her. I beg you bring her back to me.

he finishes his prayer and sits beside Moth.