[C.A.E. 1-5] Full-Miasma: Brotherhood

[Noctis Corvo]

Kane was a little bit nervous as he approached the boats to reach the Isle. It stood of the coast, surrounded by stormclouds, and leaving a feeling of ominous dread after he saw it. 

It was terrifying and exhilarating at the same time honestly. He shivered a little bit, the thought of horrors and unknown knowledge sending goosebumps down his back. He was honestly looking forward to how this would play out.

He slowly made his way down the pier, the cool sea breeze tossing around his beadhead hair. He had decided to pocket his hat for now. It looked cool, but he didn't want to risk loosing it on this little escapade. The dockworkers were kind enough. Many beared resemblance in dress to the Messier Sage, possibly from the same order. Kane wondered how he had never heard of this order before. They seemed to have quite a bit of influence with the people of the land. The boats weren't big mind you; they were rather simple in construction and design, their purpose to carry a small party of adventurers to the island and survive the journey, and then get them back. But the fact that the Landers would even consider lending them their boats let alone take them anywhere near that Isle was a whole 'nother thing entirely. 

As he approached his boat, he sat down. making himself comfortable and going through his things to make sure he was all set for this rather strange new area.

[Noctis Corvo]

Upon reaching the isle, Kane realized just how big of an undertaking this was about to be. The isle was massive, at least the size of a small town, and the buildings that lied on it were nothing but inhospitable ruins. He sighed, getting out of the boat onto solid land. Getting up, he stretched his arms and back, cracking multiple stiff joints from the boat ride, dusting off his suit, straightening his tie, and putting back on his hat. 

His progress was slow through the ruins, but not without its merits. He took his time analyzing the various architecture points, moldings, various old statues now crumbling upon the ground.

"Look on my works, Ye mighty, and despair..." He mumbled to himself. The isolation of the area, the storm, the very mana all felt wrong. It was almost as if he was gaining corruption just by being here. Noctis began tugging at the back of his mind.

Yes, Despair. Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust. All is fair on the devil's playing field, right Kane?

Shut it. I'm in control.

For now, but we both can feel it. The darkness in the air, The very taint of death. 

Shut up.

His mind became clouded. Indeed, this place felt cold as the grave. He began pondering it actually. So much death, and yet so little graves. Indeed, the isle was bare of life.

He kept walking, making his way around the maze-like ruins. It was when he came to a strange atrium full of ruined statues that He began hearing Noctis whisper, louder and louder in the back of his mind. The voice seemed to echo, coming from everywhere, yet nowhere, the broken statues taking on the demonic visage of his character.

You're going crazy Kane.

Coo-Coo

They'll be coming to take you away soon

Only a matter of time.

Its only you and me, and we're one in the same.

Tick-Tock

We're nothing but a couple of demons.

It began to get to him. He yelled out at the top of his lungs, lashing out and firing mana blasts with his grimoire at the voice. Stone dust filled the room he stood in, cracks forming in the already treacherous ruins. As it all settled, he stood in the center panting heavily. 

After a few seconds, he actually managed to calm down. Then there was the creaking behind him of buckling rock. He turned around to see one of the statues beginning to topple over right towards him. He quickly tried to jump out of the way, rolling on the ground as the marble structure came crashing down, launching chunks of rock in all directions.

[Noctis Corvo]

He rose from the dust, coughing as the pebbles and rocks that covered him fell off. It hadn't really hurt, but it was definitely disorienting. He stood up slowly, using the crumbled wall near him as support as he made his way to his feet. He glanced around him. He definitely caused some major damage to the room. Holes and cracks now decorated the room like a Jackson Pollock painting. He had even managed to dismember a few of the statues and behead another. 

He felt bad for destroying the art, but was soon overtaken in joy as he saw behind the statue he destroyed a large, immaculate room, upon which held in the center a massive ornate fountain. 

This was without a doubt what he had come here for.

Kane made his way up to the fountain slowly, glancing into its depths. It sat there, as clear as glass, and at the bottom sat a strange stone that glowed. It almost seemed to beckon to him. As he sat there staring at it, It glowed like a tiny star, misplaced from the heavens, and placed into this pool. 

He looked at his own hand. He had, almost instinctively began reaching for the stone. He brought his hand back to his side slowly before pondering his situation. He could definitely get it. It was deep, but he could definitely get it. Taking a deep breath, he dove into the pool.

It was much deeper than he had originally thought. As he reached the pebble, he found himself running low on air. He picked it up, its shimmering form beckoning thoughts to him.

He thrust his feet against the bottom of the pool and quickly rose to the surface, gasping for breath, and swimming for the side of the fountain. Upon reaching it, he pulled himself up over the edge and took a seat.

After catching his breath, he opened his hand, staring into the pebble. He seemed to almost stare infinitely into it, being swallowed by its light. It showed him all sorts of pictures. 

They seemed to be almost real though. They seemed almost to be memories, he didn't know of what though. He saw strange rituals, people playing, daily lives of people he could only assume long deseased. He also saw Fellow Heretics, performing rites, spells and other acts he didn't even know were possible. Knowledge seemed to flow into his mind, at an almost ever increasing rate. He began to loose track of it all. It stormed in, faster and faster, almost overwealming his senses.

And then, A bright light.