YrlietThe Aeldari runs a hand over her face before turning to you. Her pale skin is tightly stretched over the bones of her skull, her eyes have lost their glimmer, and her neck is stooped under an unseen burden. And yet you still recognise her, Yrliet Lanaevyss, your former companion and the reason for your imprisonment within these dark walls.
YrlietYrliet glances at you, her eyes widening slightly, but that is the only change you detect in her tense expression. Whatever emotions she may be feeling, she is suppressing them well. "Elantach..."
YOU"Yrliet! You are alive!"
YrlietYrliet looks at you in disbelief. "Your voice... Do I hear a semblance of jubilation? But how can that be, elantach? Because of me, you..."
Cutthroat DrukhariOne of the xenos who were watching Yrliet torture the silent victim steps forward. "Did the mon-keigh come for a taste of pain? Then you must have patience: our little guest still has so much suffering to extract from her first victim... Your prey is far from empty, Yrliet! Do not hold back!"
YrlietYrliet grips the blade in her hand and immediately winces. Her spirit stone is emanating a red glow. She touches it with an expression of anguish. "The suffering... overwhelms me... No more! I cannot bear it any longer!"
YOU"Why are you doing this to her?"
Cutthroat Drukhari"Our little guest is learning the art she and her kin lost aeons ago," the Drukhari gloats in a cloying tone of voice. "The art of delight, unhampered by meaningless taboos. The art of extracting rapture from another's flesh against the will of its owner. The art of walking the path of the Drukhari. Isn't that right, my lost Asuryani?"
Yrliet"The Path... of the Drukhari..." Yrliet echoes the xenos's words, and the sound of her voice is as feeble and hollow as an echo.
Cutthroat Drukhari"Once Yrliet opens her soul to our ways, she will have a home once more — among our kind. If she refuses, well... then she will have to give up that bauble she wears as a flimsy shield against She Who Thirsts. But there is no cause for alarm... When we are done here, our little sister will need her spirit stone no longer."
YOU"Why are you doing this to her?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Yrliet, I intend to find a way out of this place. What about you?"
YrlietHer gaze is incredulous. "Are you... inviting me to come with you? Inviting me to the stars, elantach?"
Cutthroat DrukhariThe Drukhari grabs Yrliet by the shoulder. "You are losing focus, sister! Your spirit stone is at sta—"
YrlietYrliet is swift and precise: the blade pierces the Drukhari's throat, and he collapses, clutching the wound and drenching the floor with his blood.
YrlietHis kin move to draw their weapons, but freeze, transfixed by the sight of their brother thrashing in agony.
YrlietYrliet stares at you without saying a word. Her eyes, clouded with pain, ask a silent question.
YOU"Even if you have lost your way, I will be here to help you find it again."
Yrliet"[Name], you..." The pain in Yrliet's gaze gives way to another, new emotion, tender and immeasurably sad. "My eyes were blind to overlook the generosity of your soul. If only I had cast off my doubts that had coiled around me like venomous serpents. If only I had sought to share my pain with you... perhaps we would not be standing in the snare of the Dark City now." Her reply, timid and apologetic, is barely audible.
Yrliet"I know you have many questions for me, [Name]. And I vow to give you every answer. But please, let us first depart this terrible place. Away... away from the nightmares that sink their stings into the darkest recesses of my ravaged soul!"
end of branch
YOU"Your reasons make no difference to me. I forgive you."
Yrliet"Elantach, your generosity... both shames and sublimes me. For its light carries my soul over the grime of my own deeds." Her reply, grateful and soft, is barely audible.
Yrliet"And now let us walk away from the nightmares that sink their stings into the darkest recesses of my ravaged soul!"
end of branch
YOU"We will yet have a word about your deeds. Now, however, it is time to leave."
YrlietYrliet nods warily. "You are right, explanations and understanding are now ours to pursue... And yet, your willingness to take me back astounds me, elantach, and it frightens me in equal part. Asuryan heed my word, I will not fail your faith in me again!" The spirit stone in her breast flashes and slowly dims.
Yrliet"And now let us walk away from the nightmares that sink their stings into the darkest recesses of my ravaged soul!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I will take whatever help I can get to escape."
Yrliet"Whatever drives you, elantach, it takes great resolve to reach out to the star that has burned your wings once before. For that... I thank you," comes Yrliet's barely audible reply.
Yrliet"And now let us walk away from the nightmares that sink their stings into the darkest recesses of my ravaged soul!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"No. You will find no forgiveness. Go whichever way you wish, as long as I never have to see you again."
Yrliet"To expect generosity from your heart... was an undue and misplaced hope." Yrliet's gaze is at odds with the cold wind of her words as it flickers out like the last morning star. "So be it, elantach. Our paths diverge like two winding trails in the unending forest of life. May the stars shine on you and the road you have chosen..."
end of branch
YOU[Kill Yrliet] "A taste of hope before death is a traitor's just reward!"
YrlietYrliet does nothing to avert her fate — she merely lets out a muted sob. Death shrouds her glassy eyes as a tear runs down her cheek.
end of branch
Yrliet"Enough!" It is hard to tell whether Yrliet is shouting or wailing. "Enough of this senseless... aimless torture! This is not my Path, and it will never be mine!" She turns to you with a faint glimmer of hope on her gaunt face. "But first I must ask, elantach... After what I did... Drive away the night of my blindness with the morning rays of clarity. Have you truly found the strength to forgive me?"
YOU"Even if you have lost your way, I will be here to help you find it again."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Your reasons make no difference to me. I forgive you."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"We will yet have a word about your deeds. Now, however, it is time to leave."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I will take whatever help I can get to escape."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"No. You will find no forgiveness. Go whichever way you wish, as long as I never have to see you again."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Kill Yrliet] "A taste of hope before death is a traitor's just reward!"continues where this line first appears above
YrlietYrliet takes a ragged breath. "From the Dark Ones' toy to a mon-keigh's property... My Path shows me no mercy, elantach. Tell me... will your heart find the strength and resolve to forgive me? To allow me to share the path with you once more?"
YOU"Even if you have lost your way, I will be here to help you find it again."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Your reasons make no difference to me. I forgive you."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"We will yet have a word about your deeds. Now, however, it is time to leave."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I will take whatever help I can get to escape."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"No. You will find no forgiveness. Go whichever way you wish, as long as I never have to see you again."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Kill Yrliet] "A taste of hope before death is a traitor's just reward!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Lean toward Yrliet and whisper in her ear] "Suffering, you say? Perfect. Show me how much more you are willing to suffer for a chance at forgiveness."
YrlietYrliet looks up at you with agony in her eyes. She bites her lip until it starts bleeding, plunges the blade back into her victim — and screams as her spirit stone fills with crimson light. A twist of the dagger — another scream, and another flash of red. The Drukhari hungrily lean forward, imbibing her anguish.
YrlietBarely breathing, Yrliet lets out a quiet, "Please... end my torment..."
YOU"Why are you doing this to her?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Yrliet, I intend to find a way out of this place. What about you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Lean toward Yrliet and whisper in her ear] "Suffering, you say? Perfect. Show me how much more you are willing to suffer for a chance at forgiveness."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Good. Now I will consider taking you with me."
YrlietYrliet is swift and precise: the blade pierces the Drukhari's throat, and he collapses, clutching the wound and drenching the floor with his blood.continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Kill the Drukhari] "Yrliet is mine. Hands off!"
YrlietThe Drukhari is too enthralled by the victim's torture to react in time. The blade goes through his throat, and the xenos collapses with a visceral wheeze.
YrlietHis kin move to draw their weapons, but freeze, transfixed by the sight of their brother thrashing in agony.continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Kill Yrliet] "The traitor's reckoning has come!"
YrlietYrliet does nothing to avert her fate — she merely lets out a muted sob. Death shrouds her glassy eyes as a tear runs down her cheek.
Cutthroat Drukhari"Spineless carrion!" One of the xenos who were observing Yrliet leans forward and tears the radiant crimson gemstone from her chest. "At least I will savour the emanations of her soul's eternal agony. Out of my way, mon-keigh!"
end of branch
YOU[Leave Yrliet with the Drukhari] "I will not intrude in xenos affairs. Farewell."
YrlietYrliet lets out a pitiful sound that resembles either a groan or a whimper, but says nothing. Her blank gaze turns back to the bleeding victim.
end of branch
YOU"Good. Now I will consider taking you with me."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Kill the Drukhari] "Yrliet is mine. Hands off!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Kill Yrliet] "The traitor's reckoning has come!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Leave Yrliet with the Drukhari] "I will not intrude in xenos affairs. Farewell."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Yrliet, I intend to find a way out of this place. What about you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Lean toward Yrliet and whisper in her ear] "Suffering, you say? Perfect. Show me how much more you are willing to suffer for a chance at forgiveness."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Good. Now I will consider taking you with me."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Kill the Drukhari] "Yrliet is mine. Hands off!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Kill Yrliet] "The traitor's reckoning has come!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Leave Yrliet with the Drukhari] "I will not intrude in xenos affairs. Farewell."continues where this line first appears above
Yrliet(sequence)
Solomorne"I must have gone insane from my time in this xenos city, but... we should leave the traitor in the hands of her brethren. She does not deserve to be sentenced by a human being — such a death would be too swift and clean for her. Let her suffer for as long as she may last."
end of branch
YOU[Nod at the victim] "What are you doing?"
Yrliet"Learning. Mastering that which will... bring me closer... to my roots..." Yrliet's voice vibrates with tension, the blade in her hand is shaking, and her knuckles are turning bone-white.
Cutthroat DrukhariOne of the xenos who were watching Yrliet torture the silent victim steps forward. "Did the mon-keigh come for a taste of pain? Then you must have patience: our little guest still has so much suffering to extract from her first victim... Your prey is far from empty, Yrliet! Do not hold back!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Look at the Drukhari surrounding Yrliet] "What is going on here?"
Yrliet"Step back, elantach," Yrliet says in a trembling, barely audible voice. "You have suffered enough..."
Cutthroat DrukhariOne of the xenos who were watching Yrliet torture the silent victim steps forward. "Did the mon-keigh come for a taste of pain? Then you must have patience: our little guest still has so much suffering to extract from her first victim... Your prey is far from empty, Yrliet! Do not hold back!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You survived. Good. I want to deal with you myself!"
YrlietYrliet lowers her head as if unable to withstand your gaze. "That is enough words. If your decision is sown, then act without delay..."
Cutthroat DrukhariOne of the xenos who were watching Yrliet torture the silent victim steps forward. "Did the mon-keigh come for a taste of pain? Then you must have patience: our little guest still has so much suffering to extract from her first victim... Your prey is far from empty, Yrliet! Do not hold back!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Kill Yrliet] "The traitor's reckoning has come!"continues where this line first appears above