"...Kierah..."

Shooting straight up from underneath the covers, a small cry escapes Kierah's
mouth, her chest heaving as if she'd just been running for her life, complete
with a sleek layer of sweat coating her forehead and face. Her sheets and
nightshirt completely soaked, a small shiver ran up her spine as a cool breeze
of crisp, early morning air stole into the room through the open window in her
upper floor room of the inn. Her breathing slowed as she slowly realized that
she was still in her own, cozy room, reality setting back in. A dream, she
thought to herself, thank the gods it was only a dream. Another tremor shook
her body, only this time she was sure it wasn't from the cold. She pulled off
the covers the rest of the way and made her way to the stone basin in the
adjoining room. The water was ice cold, but felt refreshing as it washed away
the sticky feeling the drying sweat had left behind on her. She changed into
her midnight colored robes which provided more than enough warmth as she moved
to the window, looking out on the city. For a third time she shuddered.
Magnagora - the Engine of Transformation. Never in her life had she thought she
would set a single foot within its gates, much less walk its streets and live
inside its walls. She'd always said that the only way she would ever stand
before Magnagora, is if she was about to tear the city down.

Thoughts of the dark city brought her back to the dream that so abruptly woke
her from what had already been a restless night. Despite her efforts, she could
not rid herself of those images that now run through her mind continuously, nor
block out the voiced that burned in her ears. She didn't know what to make of
it. Part of her wished that she's chosen to learn more about astrology and not
so easily dismissing it. Whatever the dream meant, she'd have to figure it out
on her own. It would be too dangerous to ask any of her brothers and sisters"
to help her as the meaning might reveal her true identity, or worse yet her
true purpose.

Resigning herself to the fact that no progress would be made standing around,
she strapped on her belt and grabbed her textbooks, heading out the door
swiftly. She wound her way through the city streets, passing by the various
shops, most of which were still closed at these early hours. She was not alone,
however. Each street, as always, teemed with Ur'Guard Grand Marshals, their
presence not only always visible, but felt right down to your very bones. Each
one eyed her with suspicion as she passed by. When she'd first arrived in the
city they way they considered her had her convinced that they already knew who
she was. Their gaze made her feel like she was naked in front of them, with a
giant image of the pool of stars tattooed on her chest. She'd become accustomed
to their unnerving glares, though, realizing that they scrutinized every citizen
with equal suspicion. She quickly ran past the terror that is the Megalith,
reaching the tower in short order.

Kierah was struck with the same sickening feeling in her stomach as she
approached the doors of the guildhall that she had gotten everyday since she'd
arrived here. The was something unholy about the place and thoughts would
strike into her mind of what she'd heard goes on behind these iron doors,
leaving her nauseated. Taking a deep breath, just like every other day, she
continued forward through the doors, shutting them tightly behind her. She
walked through several corridors, glancing to the rooms on her left and right
as she passed by, seeing all manner of things that she was quite sure could
cause anyone who was unfortunate enough to get caught in here pain that goes
beyond the imagination. Finally arriving at her destination, she curtsied
gracefully to *nihilists tutor*.

"Greetings, Master Veritus. I am here, as you requested." He returned the
formal greeting with a slight nod, his nose buried deep in a heavy tome.
Although Kierah could never call any Nihilist friendly or warm, Master Veritus
always struck her as particularly cold, even to his own - perhaps even more so.
Other students had told her that a smile never crossed his face, not even when
he was doing that which he most loved, gaining information. While books were
fine for this task, he preferred gleaning the information from live subjects,
especially those who were unwilling to give it. Every time she saw him, she
thought about that story. In the back of her mind, she always knew that if
someone were to catch her, it would be him. Stark fear that bordered on
insanity welled up in her every time she thought about it. His unsmiling face
staring into her terrified eyes as he masterfully worked his knife, filleting
the skin off of different sections of her body, novices watching her naked body
being mutilated with studious interest as she screamed out. That was the price
of failure, and for that reason, she reminded herself to always be alert.

"What do you wish from me today, Kierah?", his raspy voice hissed out, his eyes
never leaving the pages that held his interest. She curtsied deeply again,
staying down as she made her request.

"I wish to learn more of the great Demon Lords and Ladies, Master Veritus. The
ties that bind us to those great beings greatly interest me." He nodded
offhandedly, his attention seemingly not diverted. She held her low curtsy in
silence, patiently waiting for a response. She'd played this game before.
Sometimes he like to keep his supplicants bowing for hours in silence as he
read. Once the request was made there was nothing you could do until you
received a response or another member called you away for a task. It was
rumored that he actually drove a student mad once, keeping him bowing for days
without food, water, and not so much as a syllable uttered. She didn't think
this would ever happen to her, though. From the outside, it seemed all students
were treated equally, or mistreated equally, depending on how you looked at it.
But the gifted and hard working students were naturally favored by all of the
instructors, that their looks of mock contempt for these special students was
so translucent they could have just as well been smiling. She received these
false looks of hate, she knew she was one of the few seen to be a head above
the rest. It gave her a sick sense of pride in knowing that one not of their
beliefs could make such good impressions.

"Do you want me to lecture you about all of them, girl? I haven't the time!",
his harsh voice broke her thoughts and she blinked in surprise. "I shall allow
you the honor of being taught about one today."

She thought a moment, her mind quickly calculating something suiting. A hint of
a smile crept upon her face as she curtsied even lower, "Perhaps you could tell
me more of Lord Baalphegar, Master Veritus?" She thought it quite funny,
considering her current position. A Celestine posing as a Nihilist, taking
interest in the demon lord who teaches you that all knowledge is power, and
that you should always discover your enemy's secrets, and hide you own. It was
all too perfect, and yet scary at the same time. She actually felt some sort of
connection with the way this Lord thought. Quickly shoving that thought away,
branding it as ridiculous, she lowered her head as she felt Veritus' eyes upon
her.

"Very fitting, girl...", he said slowly, "You have always been the curious one.
Very well, you shall learn more of him!"

Despite his rough demeanor, Veritus was smart. For hours he talk of Lord
Baalphegar, the great deceptions he inspired. In his excitement, Veritus even
wandered off course and spoke of some of the other Lords. Over the months she'd
been here, she had come to an understanding. Even though these tainted, twisted
people were morally bankrupt and without mercy, their thirst for knowledge and
ingenuity could not be denied and had to be respected. After the usual parade
of curtsying out the door, Kierah made her way back through the streets. She
stopped at the square and looked around for a moment. She told herself she
needed to by some things, but she knew she was only lying to herself. Where was
he?

Those first steps she took through the gates of Magnagora almost a year ago
only happened because of a young Geomancer. In truth, she fell through the
gates after he knocked into her from behind. He had turned bright red and said
a thousand apologies. It nearly scared Kierah out of her mind, being run into
like that just before entering the lions den. He helped her up and introduced
himself, his fingers covered in writing ink and a pack on his back that
possessed the telltale jutting corners of numerous books that had been shoved
inside.

"Bastion... where are you?", she quietly muttered to herself. He was so very
quiet, and practically a shut in. Extremely studious, after their chance
meeting, she'd visit him in his study and they would talk of all sorts of
things. It was strange at first, he felt like a friend, despite his tainted
nature oozing out of every pore. He wasn't as extreme as many of his kind, and
she supposed that this place was so stressful that she needed a friend in it,
even if it was under false pretenses. But she'd not been able to find him for
almost two weeks now. He was prone to hiding in stacks of books and rarely
travelled, so for him to be gone for so long was cause for quite a bit of
concern. She wandered down the streets, thinking about what she'd learn today,
and about Bastion. She didn't love him - that was impossible. But he was a
comfort after a day of carefully prodding for information, crawling forward
ever so slowly towards her ultimate goal. She suddenly realized that she was
outside her inn. It was getting dark and while the Grand Marshals patrolled the
streets around the clock keeping Maganagora's streets safe, it was better that
she was in before the sun went down, if nothing else than to avoid being
questioned about her business out in the night.

She walked up to her room and close the door, locking it behind her. Undressing
into her nightgown, and reached underneath the small table in the corner of the
room, retrieving a small journal which had been attached to the underside.
Moving to the bed, she penned the days events and all that she had learned. It
didn't take long. This book was meant for short, precise reports. Putting the
book back in its place, she lied down on the bed and snuffed the candles out,
blanketing her in comforting darkness. She'd grown to love the darkness. She
felt like it hid her lies from an entire city, from the entire Basin. Her eyes
closed, and she slowly drifted off into sleep.

"...Kierah... Join me...", the silk smooth voice echoed in her mind. She knew
she was dreaming. It was only a dream... it was.

Flickering in her mind with great speed, images flashed through her mind.
Despite their speed, they were crystal clear, each permanently burned into her
mind. One of her dressed all in black, her skin dead, but not. She stands over
a man chained to a table, shoving a knife with a wavy blade through both his
cheeks.

The images shift. She sits in a basin, filled with a red liquid, being embraced
by a disfigured male Viscanti. She watches herself laugh with pleasure as their
bodies move, her mind screaming as she realizes the thick liquid they're
bathing in is the blood of angels.

Another shift. She sits on a throne, the skulls of those she has conquered
surround her and a council from the various ministries of Magnagora surround
her. She smiles with satisfaction knowing that each of these Lords and Ladies
would plunge a knife in one another at her command.

The images increase in speed, now moving to fast to discern exactly what they
are, but the sickening emotions are as strong as ever. With a silent pop, her
consciousness is surrounded in blackness. She feels like she's floating in
nothingness.

"Kierah... Power... Knowledge... Everything can be yours. Join me.", the
haunting silky smooth voice echoes in her mind enticingly.

With a snap, Kierah shoots straight up from underneath the covers. Her sheets
and nightshirt completely soaked, a small shiver runs up her spine as a cool
breeze of crisp, early morning air steals into the room through the open window
in her upper floor room of the inn. Tears streaming down her face, she sobs
silently in the twilight.

"...Get out of my head... I'm not that person... I'm not like them." Slowly,
she gets out of bed and walks to the basin in the adjoining room, splashing her
face with cold water, her day once again begins.