Part 118: Waking the Dead

Chapter 24: Waking the Dead

The people have spoken, and by a fairly wide margin.


I demand the soul of Katrina.

Oh, whoops, wrong Quest series.



So be it. I commend the soul of Erana to oblivion. May she one day find true rest.



Though you have earned the right to Katrina’s soul, there is still a price which must be paid. The soul does not lightly leave the silent sleep. The dead do not lightly leave the grave. You can restore Katrina to life, but the cost may be more than you are willing to pay. Will you give your life to give this soul life? Are you willing to sacrifice everything for love? You have entered the realm of the dead. Now, will you remain in eternal darkness, so that she shall be free to know the joy of life once more?

Will you give your life to her?

Oh, come on! Now I have to die so she can live? That’s just plain stupid! Seriously, you heard her, right? The only reason she wants to be alive right now is so that she can be with me again. Hell, I could see her coming down here looking for me, and then we’d end up in some sort of silly revolving door nonsense. Honestly, between the two choices, I’d probably be better off just killing myself to avoid the mess entirely.

Oh, don’t be such a big baby. It’s not like we’re asking for anything you can’t get back with a few hours of exercise.

What?


*Thwap* *thwap*


…Ow.

That wasn’t so bad, now was it? You have given some of your life to bring life to death. Her soul shall soon be free.

I see light before me. I am awakening from this nightmare at last. I can see you now, Nike. I can see all of Silmaria above us. Meet me on the island known as Zante. I will be awaiting you there.


And that’s it, really. Nothing left of Hades but some backtracking.


Here you can see what was taken. When you accept the cost of bringing Erana or Katrina back, your Vitality gets cut in half. This makes the trip back up rather more hazardous, but I still manage to run past everything without too much difficulty. And (thankfully) going back up doesn’t require finding a way back up that ledge.





And good riddance.


Katrina can be found on the island just north of Hydra. She’s no longer undead, but she’s still something of a night owl, so don’t bother showing up before 6 PM.


Katrina

Nice place.


Well, that’s an odd place for a door. Where does it even go?


Ah. I see.


Better just knock.



The trick with romancing Katrina and Erana is that you need to visit them before turning in the Styx water. And not only that, but you have to visit them twice in order to get the required “Tell about Self” dialogue option. For convenience’s sake, I’ve rolled both visits into one conversation each.

Looks like you’ve been busy.
I have. Welcome to my new home. Forgive me for not meeting you in the daylight, but I’m still not used to such brightness. It sure is nice to see it again, though. I was undead for so long, it is wonderful to be alive again.
So how did you get turned, anyway?
It was a long, long time ago. There was a man whom I thought I loved, until he betrayed me and killed me. And then he treated me like the slave he turned me into. It took me many years, but eventually he made a mistake and I got my revenge. And if you don’t mind, I’d rather not talk about it any more than that.
Fair enough. So where’d the castle come from?
Do you like it? I’ve been rather busy working on it since I was reborn. I may have been…lonely at times, but I still value my privacy. Perhaps when I’m finished, I’ll invite you in for a visit.
It’s not done yet? Sure looks finished from here.
Getting the outside up was easy, but I’m having trouble getting the interior just right. You know, I’m still amazed at what feeling alive is like. I was undead for so long, I had forgotten what it was like to be warm, to eat, to watch the sunrise. And I have never lived this close to the sea before! I’ve found out that I love the smell of the sea and the feel of the spray on my face. And this island is such a place of beauty. It is in constant battle against the sea for survival, yet stands defiantly and proudly. I have so much to thank you for.
Well, it’s not—I was returning the favor, is all. You saved my life, too.
I did, didn’t I? I’m still not quite sure why I did it. I don’t regret it, though. Even when I was trapped in my nightmares in Hades, I didn’t regret saving you.
That’s…well, thanks.
What happened in Mordavia after I died? Everything after Avoozl drained my essence is just a blur of darkness and nightmares.
Let’s see…Ad Avis gave me an “I have you now” speech, I told the Ultimate Joke to throw him off guard, and then Erana’s Staff turned into a stake, so I jumped over to the asshole and stabbed him right through the fucking heart. Then I touched the Staff to Erana’s soul and she finished her banishment spell. I’m still a little sad I couldn’t bring her back too. The Dark One is gone permanently now, though, so it’s not all bad. You do realize it would have killed everyone, right?
Yeah. I think I really did know, somewhere inside. I just didn’t want to consider it. It would have meant I had wasted decades of research and preparation, and I just didn’t want to feel helpless anymore. I suppose it’s for the best that I failed, isn’t it? I didn’t really want the townsfolk to get hurt. I…I didn’t want you to get hurt.
Heh, could’ve fooled me, with all the rituals you made me go through. You ever get sucked into a diaphragm? It’s not very fun.
Were the rituals really that bad? I’m sorry.
It’s fine, really. I made it out the other side okay, after all.
Thank you. So what else has happened? I think I’d like to know why we’re in Silmaria now.
Funny story. So there I was, enjoying myself at a party Dmitri was throwing in my honor—oh yeah, he’s the new boyar, since you left the castle—when suddenly…

*Hours Pass*

So you finally got that vacation you were talking about?
Sort of a working vacation, but honestly, I think I prefer it that way. People to help, stuff to get, places to explore, and all of it on my time schedule. That’s really what the big sticking point is, I think…

*More Hours Pass*

It sounds like you really miss him.
He always had my back, you know? I mean, sure, he was never able to help directly, but I knew he wanted to, and he would always have some advice to give me about the situation. And I know he’s not dead, but it still feels like he’s gone someplace where I can’t reach him. I really hope Salim and Julanar can figure out the poison soon. So after I talked with Logos, I made a promise to myself…

*Even More Hours Pass*

…Which brings me to Hades. You know the rest there.
I see. You know, I’m not sure if you’ve realized it, but you are quite capable of ruling this kingdom. Silmaria would benefit from your courage and strength.
Whoa, hang on! I’m not all that courageous. I made Elsa do all the chopping at the Hydra, remember? Besides, you need a lot more than physical strength to rule a kingdom. You’d need, oh, say, intelligence, decision making skills, diplomatic ability, a mind for finances…
But you have those things, too! Not to mention plenty of caution and discretion. You would be a great king, especially if…but I shouldn’t presume.
Presume what?
Never mind, just a passing thought. Isn’t it getting late for you? You should probably go sleep soon.
Hang on, there were some things I was meaning to give you. Did you want some flowers? Doesn’t look like anything around here is in bloom at the moment.
Flowers? I wasn’t able to smell flowers when I was a vampire.
I also got some chocolates here, if you’d like them.
Oh, candy! Ah, sensuous, smooth, and so sweet…Thank you. Thank you for everything you’ve given me.
Any time.




Erana’s island (Limnos) is just northeast of Silmaria. Just align yourself with the peninsula to get there quick.


Erana

Funky.


Oh, there you are.
Welcome to my new home. As you can see, I’m starting to make this island into a place of peace and beauty.
I can believe that.
I thank you deeply for restoring me to life. It is such an incredible joy to be alive after so many years trapped in the darkness, and the restless drifting in Hades.
I’m just glad I can finally meet you for real.
This is the first time we’ve seen each other in the flesh, isn’t it? Then we should properly introduce ourselves. Greetings, I am Erana the wizard. And you are?
Heh. I call myself Nike von Slartibartfast. I am a hero of four lands, working on a fifth, and I am a paladin of some ability. And I am honored to finally meet you. I’ve seen your work just about everywhere.
Really? Where have you visited?
I’ve been to Spielburg, so I know about your spell on the town, as well as the Peace meadow to the north. I’ve been to the Pool of Peace in Tarna, and I’ve visited your Garden in Mordavia. Didn’t see anything in Shapeir, though.
Shapeir? Have you been to the Wizard’s Institute? How are they doing these days?
The what? No, I got my spell power after I left Shapeir.
You know magic? Would you like to learn a new spell? I could teach you the spell of Healing.
Sure, sounds fun.

No need for a screenshot on this one. It works just like the paladin’s healing ability, but draws from Mana instead. Not terribly exciting.

If you don’t mind, could you tell me what Hades was like?
It is a peaceful place for most, but I couldn’t rest. There was too much I had left undone, too much I still wanted to do. Life is so short when weighed against eternity. And there was someone…I’m so glad you brought me back. I love the feel of plants growing in sunlight, the smell of freshness in the morning breeze. My being is filled with magic again, and I can’t remember being so joyful.
I’m glad to see you so happy.
And I am for you. It’s been so long since the last time I could enjoy the beauty and the fragrance of a flower. Looking back, it seems like I spent so much time making gardens full of peace and flowers that I never stopped to enjoy them myself. Life is too short to forget about such simple pleasures.
If you weren’t enjoying them yourself, then why did you go around making so many gardens?
Because I love gardens and flowers, and I wanted to share this love wherever I could. I knew that others would need the peace I could grant, and I hoped they would appreciate the plants the way I do. I guess I just got so caught up with making more areas of security that I forgot to try them out myself.
I appreciated them, at least. What sorts of magic do you know, anyway?
I specialize in the magics of healing, nature, and protection. It’s strange, isn’t it? It feels like we’ve known each other for years, but we still know so little about each other. Tell you what: you tell me a story about yourself, then I’ll do the same. How does that sound?
Sure, I’ll go first. I actually grew up in Mordavia, although I didn’t know about what you’d done there until a few months ago. It always felt so peaceful by your staff, though, and…

*Hours Pass*

I’m glad that you didn’t have to kill the brigand leader, but it’s so sad that you had to kill so many brigands just to get in. I’m not so naïve that I think every conflict can be ended peacefully, but are you sure there was no other solution?
Well, maybe. I wasn’t really the most patient kind of guy at the time, and I didn’t think my assault through all the way. Well, nothing we can do about it now. Your turn again.
Where did I leave off? Oh yes, I had just finished my magical training at WIT. By then I was just sick of all the organized little rows of plants they had for study, and I was longing for even just a glimpse of a field of wildflowers. That’s why I teleported to…

*More Hours Pass*

…Of course I love flowers, but the savanna has so much beauty on its own I just couldn’t bring myself to spoil it with an enchanted field.
I think I understand. I spent a few days just wandering through the savanna myself when I was down there. Oh, that reminds me of this other thing I met in the wilderness. I call it “the Waffle Walker.” What happened was that I was out of rations, and…

*Even More Hours Pass*

…So basically, that’s why I was in Hades. I didn’t realize you would be there waiting for me, but I’m really glad you were.
After what we shared, I could never forget you. From what you’ve said, it seems like Silmaria can really benefit from your skills. That’s why I’ve decided to help as well. I shall find out what I can from here, and if you ever need my assistance, you only need to ask.
Thanks, Erana. Oh yeah, I’ve got a set of magical seeds here. Did you want them?
How wonderous! It’s so sweet of you to give me these seeds.

This is where the second set can be used. In fact, she likes them so much, they count as two gifts towards the three gift requirement.

I’ve also got this box of chocolates here. Did you want some?
Bonbons! I love these. Thank you. You’ve been so generous, and I have so little I can give in return.
You don’t need to give me anything. It’s enough that you’re happy.
But that’s not enough for me. Maybe later I’ll figure out something to give you. Until then, peace be with you, wherever you go.




I thought you’d never get here. It’s a little cold out tonight, and I was hoping you could warm me up.
Up late again, Nawar? Perhaps you’re the one who needs someone to keep you in bed at night.
Is that a sword in your sheath, or are you just happy to see me?
I saw you dancing the other night. It was quite…invigorating.
Thanks, I know all the right moves.
I’m sure you do. I was wondering, though. The other night you said you were waiting to know something. What is it?
You still don’t know? Sorry, but you’ll just have to figure it out for yourself.
Don’t I get a hint?
No hints. And no kisses until you find out.
Why not?
I’d love to see if your lips are as sweet as your words, but I’m afraid I might be tempted to go further. I can’t resist temptation.
What’s wrong with giving in just a little?
Plenty. Goodnight, sweet hero. I’ll be thinking of you while I’m in bed…asleep.


Dude, check it out! I took that black lotus you brought me and mixed just a little pinch into my poison cure pills. Now they’re cosmically attuned to that poison and can finally shut it down. I can swap them for any you’ve got on you right now.
You mean you’ve finally got the answer?
I’m totally jazzed right now. That black lotus was just exactly what we needed! Somehow that was the main poison ingredient, though I’m not sure how, since I don’t think you can find black lotus anywhere except where you got that one.
What do you mean? It was just lying in a pond on Delos. Why wouldn’t an assassin have an ingredient from around here?
Oh yeah, right, that makes sense.
Sorry, Nike. Salim has been dipping into his “celebration” stock. We are both very happy we finally found an antidote to the assassin’s poison though. Perhaps now we can start to turn the cycle from death back to life.
Yeah. Anyway, I used the principles of contagion and sympathy to fix up my poison cure pills. They’ve got a little bit of black lotus in them now, ‘cause when you take just a little bit it makes the big amount not hurt you.
We’re using them on Ugarte and Rakeesh, and they are both showing a remarkable improvement. Sadly, both have been under the poison’s effect for a while now, so it may still take several days before they awaken. It’s only a matter of time now, though.
That’s great news. Oh yeah, and I scored a bottle of Lethe water for you, too.
Sweet. Purest river water, just like nature made it! Or the gods. Something like that. This should be just the ticket for curing Erasmus and Shakra. Right, Julanar?
I’m still not sure if even Lethe can bring them out of their coma, but at least it will let them sleep properly, and maybe in time the drug will cleanse itself from their bodies. Thank you for bringing this, Nike.
Anything for a friend. Oh yeah, and I also got some dragon scales for the fireproofing potion.
Finally, something I can get to right away. You wanted any potions before you leave?
Sure.


*Plenty of thorough exercise later*



The Underworld is a place of death, and few that live return to speak of its darkness. Do you, Prince Nike of Shapeir, swear an oath by the river Styx that you have entered the gates of Hades?
I swear by the river Styx that I…well, that I brought some of it with me.
An oath by the river Styx cannot be a lie. Prince Nike of Shapeir has won the Rite of Courage.

*You are dismissed to rest up for the next Rite.*

You may now feel free to voice your opinion on who you think thief Nike should end up with. Erana has been voted out of the running, but Elsa, Nawar, and Katrina are still options. Make sure you bold your choice, because I’m not going to bother reading every response to figure out who you prefer.

Also, feel free to take your time or change your mind. The moment of no return is still a few updates (and some character development) from now.