Episode 95 - Ashes to Ashes

## Synopsis

Integrity backed away from the newly emerging Neska, and failed to incapacitate the original snake with laughter. Mira ran to her badly hurt friend, healing her a little from the bite before retreating again. Yog threw Poji, who sprinted to peck the open wound, failing to pierce the hard scales around it.

The human Neska pulled herself from the sand and glared at Integrity, who noticed a copy of the orb was also embedded in this Neska’s head. Reaching out her hand, she pulled the jade dagger from Integrity’s grip and ran to stab her. As the dagger pierced her shoulder, Integrity pointed her finger and surrounded human Neska in hellish flames.

Serinpeth, still stuck between a rock and a snake, stabbed Neska with her trident, and used it to conduct another blast of lightning into her. Stealing her move, Neska then shot lightning at Mira who managed to avoid the worst of the effect.

Winsler returned to normal size, and ran over to Yog. He conjured a barrage of water that crashed into both Neska and Serinepth, knocking his friend unconscious. Artis ran to her, attempted to pull her out but ended up falling and joining her being crushed by Neska.

Integrity stared down the human Neska in front of her, drew her Squall and attempted to pry the orb out of her head. The orb popped out with a loud crack, as the orb in snake Neska’s head also disappeared. The human Neska fell to the ground saying, “*You don’t understand what you’re doing, you’re ruining-*“ before crumbling to ash.

Integrity grabbed both the orb and the jade dagger. Mira, Yog, and Poji ran over to pull Artis and Serinpeth from beneath Neska. She slithered around the chamber, breaking all the remaining columns and causing more rubble to fall onto those trying to help Serinepth. Now seeming desperate, she yelled at Integrity to give her the orb, and lunged to bite her again.

She missed, and demanded Integrity return the orb, saying she was a fool for taking her god-given relic, and that she would spare her if she did. Integrity responded that she didn’t trust her in any way, and that she would not return the orb.

As Serinepth and Winsler edged closer to death, Artis sped Mira up and ran to move Winsler out of danger. Neska grazed Integrity’s shoulder, and cast *Contagion* on her. As Integrity began to shake uncontrollably from the disease, she lunged and stabbed Neska in the same place she had previously wounded her. Her underbelly ripped open and numerous hearts spilled onto the floor. She hissed one final threat before collapsing to the ground. Neska the Ascendent crumbled to ash, and died.

Mira rushed to heal her dying friends, and Integrity managed to shake off the disease Neska had inflicted on her.  As Serinepth woke up, she felt the tingle of electricity running through her from all the lightning magic she had used, her scales were glowing and sparks of lightning were flying off her. Winsler picked up his red die, and the group slowly started to search the chamber for urns.

They were unable to find anything of note, and ran back through the hallway to the Old Chapel. The skeletons of each side of the path were crumbling to dust. They made their way to the Concourse, and found the attendants booth had been smashed open with the attendant lying dead on the ground, a gaping bite wound in their neck. Artis' wicker door was still open in the stone wall. Serinepth left the group to check on Phillip in the Infirmary, and the rest of her friends rushed inside the cottage.

The wall that separated the entrance to the main room of the cottage had been smashed in, the portrait of Artis and Fidan flung across the room. The inside was wrecked, and there was a massive hole in the roof through which rain was pouring in. Artis ran out to the garden behind the house, towards the curled up and unmoving body of Teb. Thrown to the side of the room, with bloodshot, sunken eyes and grey skin was Delnys. She was alive and looked relived to see them, though it looked liked something had bitten her arms, cut her neck, and ripped at her stomach. Mira immediately rushed over and healed her the best she could. Delnys hugged her and cried into her shoulder. "I'm so sorry."

Outside, they heard Artis crying over the sound of the storm, his whole body shaking as he knelt over Teb's dead body.

Delnys, still crying, said to Mira, "*I did everything I could."*

*"It's ok, it's not your fault, it's going to be ok."*

*"Why did you go back?"*

*"I'm sorry, I didn't want to. We had to stop her. I didn't know she was going to come after you and Teb, I'm sorry."*

*"Did you?"*

*"Yes, Integrity got her, Integrity was amazing."*

As Integrity looked at the destruction in front of her, she felt a pull on her mind, as she fell once again into the Progenitor's lair.

*"Now that you've killed one of the other holders of the orbs, the holder of Reverence. Now you've actually done what I asked you to do, killed the Ascendant, taked the orb for yourself. You asked me for power, I think you are very deserving of it."*

The Progenitor reached and and touched Integrity on the forehead. She felt as a horrible power began to fill her body, infusing her with the might of her new patron. Integrity had become a warlock of the Progenitor.