Planning for the Ritual

Adjusting himself on the cushion, the spirit opened a smile.. Now that he had enough people to work with! That is, properly planning what they would be doing.

As needed and informed many times before.

"Cherry this is Victim, Victim this is Cherry - we will be working together on this project so I expect great relations between the two of you." Basic information said, he continued - "Anyway, you guys know what spirits are don't you, in this caise, mainly Nethradins.

If not, I will explain in depth, as it will be important for the work we will be doing." The voice continued to echo, soft as ever - echoing through the room they were in.

Which, needed more decorations for sure, but Nethradin worked on it! And soon, his emporium of things from the other side would be open, for those interested in trading.

"Oh, Cherry.. This is my new home, you'll stay here instead of the tower most of your time from now on." Said,since she would work there to answer when he wasn't around.
(Rarvon)

"Hm, okay! Nice to meet you victim!"

She said, a cheerful and soft tone that severely clashed with both the act that was at hand and the two other presences.

The girl sat herself down next to the coffee table, kneeling down and placing her hands onto her lap.

Cherry eyed Rarvon as he spoke, an idle smile on her lips as she took in the information. She gave a little not at the mention of spirits.

"I think you've explained some of that to me last time."

Rubbing her own legs a bit she let out a muffled yawn, still tired from being summoned so soon from waking up. At the mention that she was to live here, she looked around for a while then gave a little nod.

"Oh, well this certainly look more spacious!"
(Cherry)

A brief nod is given towards Cherry as they were initially introduced to the pink-haired woman formally.

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance." the gauze-wrapped figure would claim.

Just a few moments before they turned their head back towards Rarvon. Nodding once in response to their query into whether or not the two of them were in the know of what Nethradin were.

Victim certainly knew. And, surely, Cherry would know as well, they thought. Considering what they were told of the woman.

"I am aware of Nethradin, and what they are, myself."
(Victim)

"Quite, I will provide you with keys soon." Informed one small detail, before nodding to both of them!

His arms were spread open before his top hat jumped down, with the part that was fitted to his head raised upwards - from this top hat came two scrolls, which were handed to them. In this ones, there were details about the spirits, but he would still explain.

As expected.

"Spirits are manifestations of the souls that go to the spirit world after their death, these are usually allocated to certain planes which are varied! And in these, they undergo changes due to the energy, the mana, the ether present in these places!

Quite the thing.

Nethradins are that, spirits that were doomed to Helheim and mutated due to the ether of the abyss plane, changing from drastic ways, taking forms to beings of negative energy. We don't know who we were in the past life and it little matters, since in Helheim we received a new life!

And we work for the Marquises now." It was a great explanation, but now it would make more sense - "So we'll do a similar procedure, but on a mortal - we won't be creating a nethradin, but something in between..

A half thing, a new thing.

Using the negative energy we collect from time to time for this process! As well as other things." A few nods from him would follow, before his top hat returned to the Wishmaker - floating until it fell back on the spirit's head.

Which was still going on.

"However, how do we do that!? Well, there's a way." But now he finally relapsed into silence for suspense.
(Rarvon)

Cherry listened to the explanation with relative quiet. In other circumstances maybe she'd have doubts, or ask questions and such.

But at this point her destiny was signed by contract and had no way of being altered, so really she had grown in a state of acceptance. She saw herself as essentially dead.

However listening to the in-depth explanation that it was mostly about negative energy, she did feel a bit of a worry, something that she had already expressed to Rarvon in private.

Would she become something she would have hated in this life, in her next? Would she be violent and cruel?

Those worries were hastily dismissed as she focused onto the task at hand, the explanation given. In truth she was half listening only, her eyes wandering over Rarvon's body in his general direction instead of having a direct eye contact of active listening.

She felt the details mattered little to her. She was the subject, the... victim of this procedure. In truth the more she heard about it, the more anxious she became. She wished deep down that they could simply pull the bandaid and make it happen but it truly never was this simple, was it.

Regardless, for now she remained silent. Lost in her thoughts, in the ethics and details of it all, of what it would entail to her.
(Cherry)

Victim propped an arm up, and promptly assumed a position with their head resting against a fist. Losing most of their posture as they sat through the brief lecture, with seemingly minimal interest at first.

She did know the basic gist of spirits, and how they come to be.

Just as well, she knew the general pecking order of Helheim, to an extent. And that Nethradin made up most of the lower ranks, alongside Demons. From the most measly of specters, up to and including the right hands of the Marquises.

Only two beings existing truly above them, in terms of hierarchy.

But? Their attention finally seemed to catch, as they mentioned doing something similar to a mortal.

Replicating the peculiar process. Supposedly in a manner that wouldn't just result in brain death.

"Seems a tad presumptuous that we'd be able to conjure that much power with a single ritual... Let alone, that it might be controlled enough to not melt brains during the process...

Unless you already had solutions to combat such."
(Victim)

The spirit's hand was raised, such began using ether and aether, to conjure glyphs in the air - before then its voice once again sounded like its due.

"That's why we'll be doing a ritual, which is a way to apply spells in a controlled way - doing equivalent exchanges! We'll be using things like tyrium and orichalcum for runes.

Negative energy and fairy dust to the most exact glyphs, the ones seen now.. And lastly, my own power for the completion of it!" After all, he was a Nethradin! Not just anyone, but one that had existed for ages.

His power, while not focused on combat like much of his kin, was still high due to what he knew and was capable of doing, his magical manipulation being his expertise to be used in a way he desired.

So yes, they could do it.

"We will make four to five glyphs in specific, one for each Marquise! Made from the essence and fairy powder. These glyphs will be inside of circles made of tyrium dust, while they will be connected by a larger circle made of blue mercury!

That later can be imbued with my energy, to activate.

In the center will be our test subject!" As he spoke, with both hands they gestured to Cherry beside him.
(Rarvon)

 It shouldn't really have shocked her. She knew that the test subject had been her all along. But having him say it so plainly while gesturing to herself made her jump a little.

Nothing dramatic, but an obvious slight flinching as she bounced from her seating, her slumping corrected almost immediately by a shooting up of her spine from the sudden attention.

"O-oh, well I hope it works! It seems to me you've planned it all out quite well."

She mentioned, a slight smile of nervousness. It did seem like a lot. Not just the fact that it was a life altering ritual that could potentially go wrong, but more importantly that it felt like it would drain resources and be somewhat of a burden onto the rest of the coven.

Cherry had always been someone mindful, and even in the face of uncertainty and undoubtedly pain untold she was having a hard time justifying being worried about anything else than the cost this would have on others.

"Are... are you sure you're okay doing all of this for me?"
(Cherry)

Victim folded her arms on the table with a soft hum. Eyes closing beneath the bandages.

Five Glyphs for each Marquis, was it?

"I don't like stroking those egotists' collective pride like that, considering they aren't even the origin of Helheim's power, yet act like it." they'd admit rather bluntly, sighing out.

But in the end, was there really any other way to do it, for the time being, without calling upon them?

Fine. It is what it is, for now.

"Other than my qualm... It's a rather genius trick. Tyrium dust acts nicely for weakening all magic-based structures. And with enough, it'd make the circuits malleable enough to alter without too great of a risk. Whilst Fairy Powder acts as the primary reagent to reshape the spiritual construct in the mortal realm...

If I'm assuming correctly.

I might need the details explained better later.

Regardless. I only have one wish, before continuing. And that's that I better not hear some cocky claim from one of those Five down the line in regards to this, as attempts at blackmail."
(Victim)

Crossing its legs the spirit continued to smile!

Certainly he had planned each detail of this, each part present in the ritual had its function due to what they planned to do - what, he wanted to achieve for his own plans.

As expected.

"Cherry, we've made a contract - you've signed and delivered your part of the contract, of course I'll do my part.. So yes, this is for your own good!" He shrugged his shoulders after informing, because after all..

If he failed to do his part, he would be punished! And it wasn't something he wanted, not at all when he was having so much fun in the mortal world - he wouldn't be returning to Hel anytime soon.

No, no, no!

"Now Victim! The symbols are just to form a connection with helheim, the plane, they won't take any credit for it, don't worry my dear!" After all, the credit would go to THEM, those who would be working on the project - not outside forces, "But YES, you're right about the use of materials, you surely is a good, no, no.. GREAT! Choice to bring along on this path of work.

Quite!

There are other things we can add, but these are the most important - Omen should provide whatever is needed for this project." He would talk to the warlock later as needed, but of course they would listen to nethradin and offer the necessary!

They loved him.
(Rarvon)

"Very well, then. I'm content to assist, if that is the case!~" they'd chime, returning to their usual, chipper tune.

"However! I have one suggestion. If Auguria were brought into the mix, not as a ritual ingredient, but as a structure to be utilized in future attempts, it would minimalize the potential of bodily harm even further, if I'm not mistake, as it will restore vitality back into the body as quickly as the tyrium took it out, if properly inscribed to interact properly with the ritual's conclusion."

Or, so they personally believed at least! Auguria was an odd substance at the end of the day, and could be a teensy bit unpredictable, considering the only two known uses for it, were restorative equipment, or fertilizer.

"Mind me rushing out quick? If possible, I'd like to record everything done in my book, for later reusage.

And, of course, I'll be sure to hide it a bit better than otherspells! It won't wind up in the hands of just any acolyte."
(Victim)

Well, it seemed she was in capable hands. Despite being a witch for a long time, Cherry herself had never partaken in any rituals beyond the sabbath which was the most basic kind.

She turned her head from one to the other, listening to their exchange of knowledge. The Coven certainly had shifted in focus over the time she was gone. In her times it was more about infiltration and politics, but lately it felt they had shifted to war and rituals... to great effect.

Cherry felt like she was seeing the fruit of their effort in action, a discussion of a complex ritual done so expertly, prior experience and knowledge marrying theory into a well made plan.

It felt weird for her to just... be there. The recipient of it all. But then again she did sign a contract. From her point of view what she had offered was so simple and little that it felt like nothing, almost.

But it seemed to have value enough for this.

"Very well then... I guess I simply have to... wait?"

Her head turned to the so called 'friend' as she slightly tilted her head in questioning, wondering if there was anything she was to do herself.
(Cherry)

"This would be the material with biological properties, wouldn't it?

Mm, maybe it should be appropriate to use an extract of this in the inner circle for stabilization of the participating individual." He pondered the suggestion, before smiling - "Good, that's a great idea! We can do it." He answered her without further delay.

It was indeed a good idea.

But now, for the rest.. That's what they had to do regarding the completion, now it was a matter of gathering the required materials and starting the making of the glyphs, the runes - that would be used.

Before, doing the ritual.

"Anyway, feel free to write down every step taken - that's what you're here for! To help and write down the procedure, so everyone can use it later.

Since it's my plan, help the Coven." And so, that concluded that moment – "Alright, that's all.. And you're dismissed for now, Victim.

I will summon you when it is time for us to proceed with this work." And now, he fell into complete silence.
(Rarvon)

A nod was offered in turn at the dismissal from the Nethradin. Victim soon bringing themselves up to a stand, accompanied by a stretch soon after!

Then? They clap their hands.

"Alrighty, then. I'll handle the Auguria. I have a small collection of it we could use in order to produce a form of extract.

Other than this, I think it should be mostly fine, myself!"

And so? They turn to walk out of the room, offering a wave to the two to mark their own departure for the time being!

"Be well, the both of you!"
(Victim)

Cherry exclaims, "Thank you for helping!"