Chaos: Genesis

Spero makes his way back to Anshan. He sets his sights on paying a visit to the enigmatic Nefarious at his hidden lair. As Spero approaches the dimly lit chamber, it is filled with the musky scent of potions and arcane energies crackling in the air. Nefarious stands among his mystical concoctions, his sharp eyes fixated on a vial filled with an unknown substance. Nefarious approaches a table where a bird’s corpse lays still, its feathers ruffled in the dim light. Pouring the mysterious liquid over the bird's body, he utters ancient incantations causing a magical circle to illuminate the room. The bird stirs, its movements erratic and unsettling as life returns to its once-still body.

“Ooo…. spooky” a voice chimes in with a hint of amusement.

Spero stands casually to the side of the room, his presence unnoticed until that moment. Nefarious, unamused by the interruption, fixes Spero with a cool stare,

“Can’t you knock like everyone else?”

Spero steps forward with a mischievous glint in his eye as he watches the revived bird take flight, “It’s more fun this way.”

The sorcerer lets out a weary sigh, “How can I assist you?”

“I recently saw an old acquittance of yours” as Spero paces the room.

Nefarious raises a single eyebrow.

“I met with Zatara, and she mentioned some information about that Demon God, you told me about,” Spero reveals.

The sorcerer rolls his eyes and mutters dismissively, “Oh her, my old apprentice, how is that mischievous woman doing?”

Spero a bit shocked at this reveal, continues, “She said that Asto Vidatu has an item called the ethereal rope?”

“Ah yes, that is one of the main reasons I went looking into the cave. The energy properties of that rope astonish me. Similar to that of the reaper’s scythe, I would love to get my hands on it and examine it.”

Spero leans in closer, his hand resting on the table, “And how would someone grab it exactly?”

Nefarious falls silent for a moment, a knowing smirk playing on his lips, “The weapons a demon possesses is not just a tool they carry, but an extension of themselves. Demons never leave their weapons unattended.”

“Then why go into the cave?” Spero asks with a hint of caution.

“General knowledge, perhaps a scroll indicating information about the rope itself, maybe some books on demonic biology. Asto Vidatu is a scholar such as myself, we ponder the aspects of death and being able to extract life from the lifeless. Sadly, I was not able to search for long.”

Spero places his hand on his chin and inquires, “You told me that the demonic beasts should have migrated by now. If I were to bring back some information, would you be able to decipher it for me?”

A grin spreads across the sorcerer’s face, “I would gladly.”

Nefarious steps towards him. Spero instinctively steps back. Nefarious's gaze falls upon Spero's pouch as he mentions,

“Now let’s discuss what you’ve been hiding since our first visit.”

Spero is caught off guard, “You knew this whole time?”

Nefarious moves towards his chair, taking a seat behind the table. “Of course, it permeates dark energy. At first, I was not sure if it was your aura or something else.”

Spero pulls the ring out. Before he can fully bask in the glory of this discovery, Nefarious suddenly rises from his seat, eyes wide with shock. “How the hell did you get that?”

“I’ll tell you later,” Spero replies.

Nefarious holds the ring up to a flame to examine its features. “Oh my, it's as beautiful as the tales have told,” he mutters, almost to himself.

“Zatara told me not to use it, but since I’m heading to that cave, maybe you could give me some insight.”

Nefarious pauses, “Well, that is one thing she and I agree on.” Nefarious began cautiously, “This artifact is far beyond your capabilities. Solomon was a world-class mage, surpassing even the Divine Covenant in his prime. But one thing I can recommend is this: keep this ring hidden. It holds immense power, and the whispers it carries can lead even the strongest astray.”

Spero nods solemnly, tucking the ring away before preparing to depart. However, just as he turns to leave, Nefarious halts him with a final inquiry,

“You didn’t mention to Zatara who provided you the information about Asto Vidatu did you?”

Shaken by the implication in Nefarious' question, Spero meets his gaze with a steely resolve, assuring him with a slight shake of his head. "No, I didn't," he replies firmly.

“Good, I do not wish for any uninvited guests.”

Spero takes his leave.

Spero stands atop the hill outside the city, the wind tousling his hair as he calls out for Astral.

He speaks, "I’m pretty sure you already know, but I will be going to the Cave of Asto Vidatu."

Astral listens, a hint of disappointment in his expression. "And I know that no matter what I say, you will go anyway," he remarks. "But I can at least make it easier for you."

Spero opens his ears keenly to Astral's words.

Astral continues, “Magic seals from Demonic Magic are more difficult to break, so the method of traversing the mana circle is backward to what you’re used to.”

“I need to concentrate my energy flow in the opposite direction?”

“Not just that” Astral elaborates, his tone serious. “You also need to worry about counter spells and undetectable traps. Demonic magic is highly sophisticated; eons of development have made most of its properties still foreign to modern magic.”

Spero agrees, but before Astral leaves, he offers a warning, “If you happen to encounter a Daeva… do not hesitate to use that ring….”

Spero contemplates this new information with a furrowed brow, as this contradicts everything the mages spoke. He gazes down at the intricate ring resting in the palm of his hand. As Astral teleports away, Spero slowly returns the ring to its rightful place in his pouch.