Astrid smiled widely as she materialised back in her true home; a modest three bedroom house in Kiruna, the northernmost city in Sweden. With a population of less than twenty thousand and isolated to the extreme, courtesy of being ninety miles north of the arctic circle, Kiruna had weathered the terminus well. The people were hardy, storing food was the norm amidst the harsh winters, and gun ownership was high; that, alongside some magical assistance had kept casualties to a minimum. Some concessions had to be made for the times, of course; a night-time curfew was in effect and a few food items were being rationed, but by and large the city had stood up to the test incredibly well. High above, the midnight sun greeted her in all its brilliance, unbothered by the turmoil below. This far to the north, the sun never set as summer approached. In keeping with tradition, Astrid stared straight at the sun through the rooftop window, until her eyes began to burn, welcoming its warmth.
[Astrid Rosén - Level 12 Warrior of Light]
Only then did she look away and start tending to herself. With a snap of her fingers, her regal red dress and associated jewellery faded into nothing; all except for a singular ring upon her finger, the source of all her magic and the one item that had made her part in the performance possible.
[Don't Be a Stranger: Take on the mask and powers of a fallen ancestor (Princess Astaroth). Whilst you wear this ring, all who gaze upon you shall perceive only the mask.]
"Did I do well?"
[You did. Everyone truly believed you were Astaroth, or at least played along well enough to meet my objective. I have my suspicions about Paradox, but she wouldn't expose me over this, not when she too stands to benefit from my success.]
"About that," Astrid mentioned as she worked the kettle; whilst vintage wines and exotic cocktails were nice once in a while, her one true love among drinks was coffee. "Why did we need this whole performance, anyway? Don't get me wrong, it was nice meeting Emma and having a chance to teach our history to someone completely new to it all, but couldn't one of the instructors have replaced Astaroth for the trial after she got herself killed in Stockholm?"
[That would have been fine, if the objective was just for Emma to pass; Astaroth was needed for her to excel. None of the substitutes on hand had the right magic for it.]
"But I didn't teach her any magic," Astrid's brow furrowed. "That would've been next week, if you didn't tell me to take a dive to those assassins. You also told me to avoid using any Water magic, instead relying on the weaker Death aspect of her class."
[That's the tricky part, you see. Astaroth had to be there to serve as a catalyst, but she couldn't stay for the main event itself lest she overpower the test. You'll understand, when you meet Emma again. For now though, your reward, as promised.]
High in the heavens above, the Sun shone the tiniest bit brighter, as a spark of its radiance descended for mortal hands to grasp.
---
[Quest - Align in the Sand updated!
[Diamonds are Forever (Damaged): Absorbs one fatal blow on behalf of the wearer before breaking. Upon shattering, the wearer is sent to where this item was initially crafted.]
"So that's how she survived."
Emma didn't spare another glance at the remains; as interesting as the choice of equipment on display might have been, their wielders were no longer relevant to the trial, and thus far less concerning to her than the glowing purple pentagram carved into the chamber's floor. Emma was no mage, but even she could feel the overwhelming power within the construct; a mass of pressure that pulsed in time to a heartbeat that she no longer possessed. With each pulse, faint traces of movement could be seen; revealing flickers of something more ghost in man, eyes wide with horror as it mouthed a silent warning.
[Soul Prison: This ritual circle contains the sacrificed soul of the Paramour, the castle's original owner. The Princess was using it to amplify her magic; allowing her to maintain control of the castle's guards, as well as reanimate and sustain thousands of undead soldiers. With the Princess gone, the prison is beginning to destabilise. Seize control of its wayward energies before your trial comes to an explosive end.]
Emma didn't need to be told twice; immediately stepping into the pentagram and stretching out a hand to the fallen. It passed straight through the Paramour, to no obvious effect.
"Intangible?" Emma tilted her head. "Two can play that game."
Activating Ardent Ephemera, Emma reached out once more, ghost to ghost, to take the sacrificed soul's hand. For the briefest of moments; she saw him not as a faded spectre, but as the proud, strong man he once was. Then, the world faded into purest white, a blinding radiance far beyond anything the icy wasteland of the sixth floor had to offer, and Emma burned.
[Hidden Conditions met:
Reach Level 10.
Bind at least 1 soul in servitude.
Gain access to a Place of Power (Scholomance).
Gain control of a Leyline (Death Magic)
Earn the respect of a Magus of Death (Princess Astaroth).
Beginning Archetype formation.]