So we drew our weapons and got ready to fight the demons. Or demon, rather. I rained down fiery poison arrows on the demon and his henchman. And then there were two demons again, I had somehow forgotten that. But I didn't have too much time to dwell on that as a flying sword pierced my chest and everything went black.
We awoke in a dungeon, alone in our own cells, we were there for who knows how long. All we had were rags and those amulets Marianne gave us. More time passed, and eventually someone came to our block. Someone who looked like Isha! Or rather, the Imperial Empress. She and some goons were torturing someone in another cell- Ejava! She demanded to know where the Imperial Arsenal was. Ejava had no answers for her, so she left.
After a short while, someone else entered our cell black. It was Song, who asked us if we saw what we needed to see. Eventually, when we said the Empress is in league with demons and is trying to locate the Imperial arsenal from Ejava, she was satisfied we did and became less cryptic, telling us to tell creation what we saw. We apparently were no longer in creation, but in Malfeas, hell.
Eventually she was joined by the two demons who defeated us, and elaborated on what we saw. Apparently the empress is to wed the Ebon Dragon, which fulfills some loophole which will allow the Yozi to re-enter creation. We asked Song why she would help us, if she worked for the Yozi, wouldn't they all want that? But she said she served Cecylene, not the Ebon Dragon. If his plan was successful, that would put him above her mistress, and they couldn't have that.
So she wanted us to tell the Sidereals about all this, so they could formulate a plan to stop this. Why us? Apparently we were wild cards, the demons for some reason could not divine our role in events, making us uniquely suited to the task. We couldn't exactly say no, else what, just stay here and rot?
With that, she said soon Ejava would “attempt to escape” and we could use the opportunity to leave this place ourselves. She said if we wanted to take Ejava we could. Of course we would! Why would she ask such a ridiculous question?
So the time came, and we got out, heading to an inn that Song directed us to. Eventually she met up with us again and gave us back our stuff. (But had nothing for Ejava)
She said to get out we needed to cross some desert that would take 5 days to cross, no matter our pace. We were also instructed to keep quiet, so not to draw the ire of some fatal wind that blew around here. If we heard it, we needed to take cover as quickly as possible. Song warned us no dragon blood had ever escaped Malfeas. Hey, I don't mind being a trailblazer. At the end of the 5 days, we would find a portal that led us back to that citadel. If we agreed to tell the Sidereals, Cecelyne would allow us to use that it.
We agreed and took off. It was a grueling journey, 5 days indeed. At the end of the prescribed time period, sure enough we saw the entrance, but it was guarded by some giant ape-looking demon with a giant hornet buzzing next to it. He said he was told to kill us and take the Roseblack back. He said we could pick a champion to challenge him, and if they won, he would let us go. But he was an anathema, we were only dragonbloods. He seemed confused since he said no dragonblood could escape hell.
He even let us poke around the portal. Az tried it, but it would just not let him through. How were we supposed to accomplish our task if we didn't know how to get through? Screw it, we said, we attacked the demon ape with reckless abandon, trying to take care of one problem before we dealt with the portal. It was as futile as the last fight. I rained arrows upon him, but he slammed into me hard with his iron rod, shattering my breastplate and sending me flying. I thought I was dead, but instead the orichalcum necklace crumbled and I felt a surge of memories that I could not hang on to, and intense power. I now held a glowing bow, and impossibly ran quickly back into the fray. The others were similarly empowered and we struck at the demon with might force. He was so shocked that he quickly teleported away.
We found that we were now anathema, and along with the new power coursing through our veins, we could escape through the portal and drag the Roseblack with us. So we did. Rath had a theory that the necklace was infused with Solar essence, and when we were almost slain, this power came into us, recharged us, changed us. It was an intense feeling, I think we are now more capable of fulfilling this role we are meant to play.