Nariko/Bless the Child: Chapter Two
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
I wish I had a metal heart
I could cross the line
I wish that I was half as good
As you think I am
But now that we know for sure they're telling lies when they say
No one gets hurt, and therefore nobody dies
You know it's hard to believe anything that you hear
They say the world is round
Wish I was as big as you
You'd have to tell the truth
I'd be nothing you could hurt
Nothing you could use
But now that we know for sure they're telling lies when they say
No one gets hurt, and therefore nobody dies
You know it's hard to believe anything that you hear
They say the world is round
The world is round?
I want to be dependable, I want to be courageous and good
I want to be faithful so that I can be heroic and true
I want to be a friend you can rely on, you can lean on and trust
I want to understand so I can forgive and be willing to love
I wish I wasn't flesh and blood
I would not be scared
Of bullets built with me in mind
For then I could be saved
My sweet Lord, take care of me for I think I'm done
Kiss my mother on her cheek and lay my burden down
But now that we know for sure they're telling lies when they say
No one gets hurt, and therefore nobody dies
You know it's hard to believe anything that you hear
They say the world is round
The world is round?
The world is round?!
Garbage - Metal Heart
Bless the Child: Chapter Two
After the madness of the Rikti invasion, and the incidents around it, Nariko kept to herself, working on the things bothering her. Then, September 12th, she vanished, at least so far as her friends could tell.
Keeping low, she flew out into the Atlantic, then circled around, entering the Rogue Isles the back way. She made her way to Sharkhead, tracking down one of their mages and taking his robes. Then she tried something new: manipulating her own aura to be practrically unnoticeable. It worked well enough, as she was able to watch the Circle of Thorns well enough to know how to pass herself off as one. Ovehearing their conversations, she knew where to go to find her questions answered: Primeva, in the Nerva Archipelago.
Through further aura manipulation, she was able to pass herself off as a mage named Domi whose work brought them in new and interesting directions, and so she began the descent to Oranbega. Immense ruins were found everywhere, looking less and less destroyed. Each pass down brought her into more knowledge, and further from the world she knew. Each new being brought strange questions to her, which she answered or bluffed to the best of her ability. Still further she went.
Finally, she met a very high-ranking Death Mage named Veratzu, who treated her like an honored guest. Nariko explained that she had discovered the book she held in her hand, and had studied the one known descendant of 3 gods from a distance, to learn what she could. Veratzu was impressed, and Nariko was quickly brought under his wing.
Almost 2 months went buy, and still Nariko was no closer to finding the truth about where her father's blood was obtained. Various attempts on her part to find out kept on being deflected. Then, one day, Veratzu came to her.
The room Nariko had to herself was an ornate ritual room and library. Veratzu entered without knocking, and looked at Nariko. "Baron Zoria has heard of your efforts, and wishes to see for himself." Nariko's stomach felt like it had just dropped out, but she nodded. "Very well, let us go to him." She walked out, by now almost used to the bodyguard of ghosts and one demon that followed her wherever she went. As such, she was unready when the demon turned and grabbed her hand, pricking her finger then holding it over a book Veratzu was now holding. She pulled her hand back. "What do you mean by this?" Veratzu smiled as the drop hit the book. "Checking a hunch, Nariko. You had us fooled, until Domi took another body. It took him a while, he hadn't died before." Nariko quickly turned her panic to planning. "Now, we'll take you to-" Veratzu was cut off by a sudden blinding burst of energy that knocked him off his feet. Getting up, his vision cleared just in time to see Nariko running off. "What are you waiting for? Chase her!" The demons and ghosts ran after her, following her as she made her way upwards.
Nariko had long since changed into her actual clothing, glad she had kept it with her fo so long. It had been almost 3 weeks already, and still she couldn't reach anyone with her communicator. Suddenly, a burst of static greeted her ears. "Hello?" She heard a voice or two through the static, and thought she recognized one. "Cherish? Is that you?" More voices, hard to make out through the static. "I'm in Oranbega, and my cover's blown... I went undercover in the Circle of Thorns to find something out." More things she could barely make out. "Hello? Anyone hear me? I'm in Oranbega, and I'm trying to get out." The static continued, then she heard footsteps coming. "Shit! They're here! I'll call back!"
It was a day later when she could again get through. "Hello? Anyone there?" More static, some voices. "I'm in Oranbega, trying to get out. I went undercover to find some things out. I have no idea where I am now, I'm sort of lost. I just keep heading up, hoping that gets me out." Some voices, encouragement. "Crap, here they are again."
The next day, she got through far better. And she got out, determined to find out where her father's blood was taken. As for Veratzu, she'd meet him again. And win.
