Episode 3

Episode 3: Transformations And Transfigurations.



During the night, Lunk is stolen by another strange creature while on watch. Another once extinct insect monster known as the Soulcada Hawk, a giant wasp that feeds on Soulcadas, swoops onto the farm and takes Lunk to their den, along with some Soulcada corpses. Right after Lunk is stolen, Ras has a friend appear: Xavier Litchfield, a cunning and charming Velstran. Xavier comes looking for Ras, and decides to help take care of the rest of them and get Lunk back. Rasmesus warns that the den of the wasp is probably located in the nearby Takaena Wilds, a treacherous forest owned by aggressive and territorial Etherals. Going into there at night would be far too dangerous, so they agree to stay the night at the farm and wait until morning to venture out for Lunk. However, during the night, a strange transformation occurs. While asleep, Cici transforms into a strange space elemental creature, which calls themself Matsuku. Matsuku, while appearing intimidating, is actually quite docile and curious when not threatened, and retains none of Cici’s memories. They have a different understanding of the world than Cici does, but still take to Callisto and Rasmesus quite fondly. Matsuku turns back into Cici at the rising of the two suns, and Cici has no memory of what had occurred in the morning. Despite the confusion, the group of Cici, Callisto, Rasmesus, and Xavier make their way to Takaena, while the guard Andrew stays back at the farm with the farmer. In the forest, the party sneakily passes through with the help of Ras’s magic, and an abandoned camp is located, riddled with bodies of soldiers that had their souls swiped from Soulcadas. I is found out to be a camp base for some Takaena Wilds Etheral soldiers, who were searching for Soulcadas to hunt. Xavier sneaks around and takes some of the laying weapons and gold for himself, demonstrating his rogue abilities. Aside, Cici questions Ras more about the creature she turned into that night, to which Ras could not answer. Cici admits to having a strange, glowing birthmark on her sternum shaped like a crescent moon and has no clue what it means. Ras says he will help Cici figure out what is going on with her at some point, but the main focus now is to get Lunk back and kill the infestation.