7.6A - The Eye of Regulos

So I will get to hurt the Endless, and destroy the Eth machines making this possible all in one go. Anneleigh though.  I am a lucky girl indeed.

She walked into the eye of the rift, left alone by the Cultists she passed.  Maybe they saw my attunment and believe I have changed sides. Anneleigh wondered.  Whatever the reason, it is another stroke of luck.

Anneleigh entered the rift and surveyed the scene.  The foci were placed in the corners of the rift, along the outside.  Inside she could see two large towers soaking energy from the rift, as well as four altars protected by magic.  Anneleigh approached the first foci.  The sound of Alsbeth laughing came from above.  Anneleigh turned her head to see the Endless leader perched in a protective bubble high above the rift.  

“So you’ve found a way to pass into the rift.  Clever girl.  But you’re too late, Little Ascended.  Regulose will walk Telara once more.”

With her dagger, Anneleigh pierced the glassy surface of the foci, tearing easily through its human made metal.   Energy poured from the tear and as it did so less energy was focused on the rift.  

 “Meddlesome fool!” Alsbeth cried.  “I should have taken care of you in Gloamwood before you discovered our plot.  No matter, my pets will take care of you now.”

With a wave of her hand Alsbeth released countless undead.  They rose up from the earth and settled around the altars, but when Anneleigh approached she was blasted backward.  She looked for a weak, unprotected spot, and her eyes found the towers.   They sparked with energy, apparently producing or focusing power, but she was able to reach them.  Cutting the power cords and jamming the receptor at the peak of the tower seemed to weaken the protective spell surrounding the altars.  She preformed the same task on the second tower.

Alsbeth’s temper grew, and she opened the rift further, but with one foci damaged, and the towers out of commission, it was not powerful enough to pass the ward.    “Guardian, you only delay the inevitable and now you will pay for your crimes against the Endless Court.”    Alsbeth shouted as her bubble flitted away. 

The endless undead circled Anneleigh.  “My only chance is to close the rift.” Anneleigh thought to herself.  She thought of the other rifts she had seen in her journey.  He closed the fire rift in Rock Ridge, but the only death rift was closed by Gwyddon in Gloamwood.  In both cases the rift sealed when the planar foes were dead.  Fighting first with her arrows, and then her daggers, she dispatched the undead protecting the altars.  With the protectors and power towers out of commission she was able to approach the offerings.  Placed on top of the altar was a bone fragment.  Anneleigh smashed it with the blunt end of her dagger.  At the same moment a woman, dressed in court finery, appeared beside her, reached out and grabbed her by the throat.

Noble bones and noble grudges?  Anneleigh wondered?  Alsbeth has protected this rift with the tormented souls of long dead Mathosian’s who blame the Ascended for their deaths?  Anneleigh considered the implication but then drove her dagger into the belly of the woman.   Anneleigh destroyed the other bones, causing three more deaths of three more nobles.    When the final nobleman was done, the rift sealed.   Although drained of energy, and the rift sealed, Anneleigh still went to each of the other foci, now uninterrupted, and shattered them for good measure.  They released their stored death energy, tainting the ground for a few minutes, before everything in the eye was still.