Gate of Memoirs/Zeis' Log

These black boxes are pretty sturdy, to be able to record a demonic summons.
Portrait 	Dialogue
Music: "Demon Slayers"	Music: "Demon Slayers"
 	
*That could have gone better, you think.
*You've been through hell AND high water, so a jungle much like those in the upper parts of Orebus shouldn't be a problem...right?
*The sheer amount of energy a Revenant has to siphon from the earth to reach such an amorphous form of rock and gale is mind-boggling.
*Strangely enough, you seem to be doing better than before with every new challenge, so you're not quite in danger of passing out just yet.
 	
*It doesn't stop Elise from looking terribly worried, of course.
*Elise: Are you sure you don't need to go to the medical bay?
 	
*Maybe it's what Noel said about having a good feeling, or maybe you're just delirious from the adrenaline,
*but the Battle Log you recovered seems to be humming with the promise of some momentous discovery.
 	
*Noel: Hey, there you a— Wow. Are you okay?
*Noel: Uhh. Well, okay, if you insist. I see you've retrieved another Battle Log.
 	
*Giselle: Since you're here, why don't you hang around the lab?
 	
*Giselle: I'm sure Noel could use someone to talk to.
 	
*Noel: I prefer to work in silence, thanks.
 	
*Noel: I'll let you know when it's ready. We've already done this a few times, so it shouldn't take too long now.
 	
*You nod and head out of the Inquiry, Elise still throwing concerned looks your way.
*You find yourself back in the Inquiry hall after a few days.
*You're well rested, but Noel, by contrast, seems pretty worn out. 
*To his credit, he still looks the same as ever, but he doesn't look like he's slept very much.
 	
*Noel: Hey, good to see you. So, about that Battle Log you retrieved...
*Noel: The sheer amount of incredibly unrelated data can only mean one thing: this belonged to the one we call the Arcanist of Orebus.
 	
*Giselle: Zeis Xelhenn, was it? We only know of her because some of the scouts stumbled upon what seemed to be Xelhenn camps.
*Giselle: And several rooms in particular were just packed with hundreds and hundreds of rotting arcane reading material.
*Giselle: I'm not at all surprised her Battle Log is filled to the brim.
 	
*Noel: Well. Yes. It took me several nights of working overtime just to find something that isn't half-whispered rambling.
 	
*Giselle: Funny you should say that. I thought you'd be more empathetic.
 	
*Noel ignores Giselle and sets the equipment up to play.
Portrait 	Dialogue
Music: "Dark Pursuit"	Music: "Dark Pursuit"
 	
**whiirrr* *click*
*A short shuffling sound, followed by a neat clack of books, echoes within what sounds like a large, empty chamber.
*A feminine voice mutters something under her breath and flips through some of the pages, before pausing.
*Zeis: "I don't know if this will work, but it's worth a try."
*Zeis: "I will tell the others if I manage to make something of it."
*Zeis: "If not, well..."
*A pregnant pause, before Zeis gets up and begins scratching something into the floor.
*Zeis: "O k'ora aem sazz..."
*Zeis: "Xnirdh siz qae za..."
*The three of you listen in uncomfortable silence as Zeis struggles to enunciate some sort of demonic script.
*Snippets of a deeper voice overlays her words at times, before it begins to swell in volume.
*A burst of something—flame, perhaps—shakes the device and causes Zeis to cry out in surprise.
*The deeper voice you heard before—guttural, harsh—gives a small chuckle.
*?: "Aye. I heard ye."
*Zeis: "I...The incantation..."
*A scraping sound, as if Zeis had reached out to drag the device closer to her.
*Zeis: "The incantation was a success. Standing before me is this large...humanoid figure."
*Zeis: "Can't see its face. Wearing a black faceplate. The fires don't seem to hurt it."
*Zeis: "I mean, he...I think. And he is armed. Heavily armed. With some sort of high-powered cannon."
*?: "I have a name, ye know. It's ・・・・・・"
*Zeis: "Uh. I can't...pronounce that. Zo...Zor..."
*Zeis: "Zohrack?"
*Czorag: "Close enough. Ye can settle with Czorag. At yer service, little lady."
*Czorag: "So. Ye weren't expectin' me?"
*Zeis: "Honestly, no."
*Czorag gives a loud guffaw, the kind that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. 
*Its growling quality lends a touch of danger to his apparent amusement.
*Czorag: "S'only a matter of time."
*Zeis: "What do you mean?"
*Czorag: "Nothin' ye should be concerned about."
*Czorag: "A'right, let's talk business."
*Zeis: "...Yes. There is a...war, and we have need of help."
*Zeis: "Normally I don't care for such things, but *some* people make it impossible."
*Czorag: "Gahaha! That's what always happens, eh."
*Czorag: "The Seventh Circle Fiends are here to serve."
*Czorag: "What have ye t' offer?"
*Zeis: "Offer? ...Right. The books on this subject did make mention of it."
*Zeis: "... ..."
*The recording ends abruptly here.
Portrait	Dialogue
 	
*Giselle: They always cut off at the most convenient times, don't they?
 	
*Noel: For better or worse, I suppose. We'll just have to work with what we have.
*Noel: Besides, I'm not so much interested in what Zeis traded away as I am in what role that...mercenary played.
*Noel: Never thought a civilization as advanced as Orebus could still take an interest in ancient rites.
 	
*Giselle: Didn't she say Czorag had a "high-powered cannon?"
 	
*Noel: Wait, what's that noise?
 	
*Although the device appears to have run its course of recordings, it gives several whirring clicks and begins to play static.
 	
*Noel: Don't tell me this is set to self-destruct.
Portrait 	Dialogue
Music: "Creator"	Music: "Creator"
 	
*The dissonance makes it seem like you've all been transported to some kind of hell.
*The same guttural voice speaks clearly and calmly over this noise. 
*You get the feeling Czorag is very used to these sorts of things.
*Czorag: "That what ye after?"
*Zeis: "Seems like it. This is the crux of their entire operation."
*Zeis: "If we blow it up, we'll put a stop to all this madness."
*Zeis: "Without the superweapon, the Greherd and the Forshu have no reason to continue."
*Zeis: "...This is where I need your help. My arcane magic alone is not enough."
*Czorag: "Well, I ain't jumpin' in there after ye. But if firepower's what ye need..."
*A menacing whirring begins to fill the air, along with what sounds suspiciously like ominous wailing and howling.
*Czorag: "...Then get ready for the blast of what's left of ye lifetime."
*Czorag: "Gahahahaha!"
*Zeis: "What are you-"
*Zeis: "... ...!"
*Czorag: "Ye paid me t' help. This is it."
*Czorag: "With our combined attack we'll hit 'em like a fallin' meteor. Got it?"
Portrait 	Dialogue
Music: "Demon Slayers"	Music: "Demon Slayers"
 	
*Giselle: ... ...
*Giselle: So...there's a new faction that seemed to be on the side of the battle-crazed Greherd, the Forshu.
*Giselle: And this Czorag, some sort of demon I assume, was here sometime during the civil war.
*Giselle: AND, none of the other logs we've had so far had any mention of him at all.
 	
*Noel: I would say it's more likely that those we've retrieved were from either earlier on in the timeline of events,
*Noel: or that he associated only with the Xelhenn, and never showed himself elsewhere.
 	
*Giselle: Somehow I'm expecting to see more of these Seventh Circle Fiends around.
*Giselle: I'm not quite sure why. Just a good feeling, I guess.
 	
*Noel opens his mouth and starts to say something, but he catches your eye and pauses.
*Noel: ...Yes, that does happen.
 	
*Giselle: We can safely conclude that the Greherd were not alone in their...obsession with the Vardket.
*Giselle: That does leave the question of why Zeis had to turn to demonic pacts.
 	
*Giselle: That last bit about that "help" she received...
 	
*Noel: Hmm. There could be a possibility that something synchronized between their respective...powers, if you will.
*Noel: And as we know, Zeis Xelhenn was quite the talent with fire arcane magic.
 	
*Giselle: So when you put a demon and a fire-mage together, even a superweapon will explode, huh?
*Giselle: That's pretty neat. Wonder if this has to do with the energies of Orebus itself, or if it's something we've never fully looked into...
 	
*Noel: Well, I'm taking this back to the lab. I have no idea that last recording was even in there.
*Noel: Better run some more checks on this.
 	
*You and Giselle watch Noel pack away the equipment and shuffle off, muttering about the Battle Log.
 	
*Giselle: Noel had kind of a weird face on. I think he needs more sleep and less coffee.
*Giselle: Coffee is terrible for kids.
 	
*Noel's Voice: I heard that!
 	
*Elise: Sorry, Giselle. I couldn't help but overhear when I was passing by...
 	
*Giselle: Elise! Come over. 
*Giselle: And not to worry. That din was bound to wake the entire Inquiry anyway.
*Giselle: How much have you heard?
 	
*Elise: Something about a demon that was a...mercenary?
*Elise: It's strange, because in all my time running the requests counter, I've never really heard of such a...civil demon.
 	
*Giselle: Maybe only in Orebus, which is certainly saying a lot.
 	
*Elise: Well, anyway, I came by to tell you I got your paperwork sorted, .
*Elise: As always, come back again when you've got a new investigation on your hands.
 	
*Elise: Keep up the good work!
 	
*Giselle: You've been a big help. I'm going to pull my weight, too!
*Giselle: Now, where's that book on arcane texts I bought while on holiday in Reng...?
 	
*The Seventh Circle Fiends...
*Like Giselle, you get the feeling you'll see them again soon.
*Noel's "good feeling" about finding something big was pretty spot-on, too.
*Looks like there's a new dimension to what was previously known of the war now...