The Ever Darkening Shadow Mists

Mal stood before Voriel. The mists surrounding them, were noticeably more thick. The djinn looked at the angel and sighed. His appearance was noticeably different. The djinn now wore purple and gold trimmed armor; had piercings across his body; each of his tattoos were ablaze with a bright light that only continued to burn brighter the longer he stayed. The light reflected and caught the jewel crested hilts of the myriad of swords that now moved gyroscopically around him. His eyes were much darker than in the past but Voriel could still see sadness within though it was rapidly fading.
“I’ve put this off long enough. The rest of them are currently sleeping and in little need of supervision currently. We need to talk...I’ve got to show you some things-things they could not handle but will need you to help them with. But I need to tell you something first.”

He closed his eyes. “The closer we get to the temple and my home, the more I’m bound to change to fill my role as temple gatekeeper. This temple is a dark place Voriel. I already feel like I have been away too long. The words of that fire demon we fought by the windmill have not been forgotten. He claimed the temple had fallen...I am not sure what he meant by that, and he may have just lied...but I can’t shake the thoughts that he might have been telling the truth.”

Mal opened his eyes and a small tear formed. “But you need to know I will not be joining you in the journey beyond this Temple. Regardless of whether or not the group survives, or is successful in sealing the temple...m-my place is here. I am honor bound by both my word and my life.”

The djinn turned away and tried to continue the rest of his thoughts, “I can show you a rough layout of the Temple, but as it exists in multiple dimensions and layers and times, and beneath many enchantments and wards, you might not be able to see all of it...”

At first, Voriel did not seem to have fully listened to the djinn, as in reply he began, "Worry not, Mahlajai. This temple will be reclaimed so that the blight of . . . wait, what?"

The magnificent spiritual form of the angel vanished, and his prior mortal incarnation ran directly in front of Mahlajai, wearing an expression of disbelief.  After taking in the new get-up, he said flabbergasted, "You . . . you're . . . leaving?" Still bewildered he added, "But . . . you left this place before. Surely you can do so again? What purpose will you have sitting here if we seal this temple? You'll just be trapped inside! How is that better than the doll you were imprisoned in before?"

He shook his head, a frown breaking through the shock surprise on his face,  "No, no I cannot allow this. We will eradicate this evil- together- than there shall be no need for you to remain as a guardian. Please, share everything you know about this place!"

The djinn looked up from his thoughts as he said with a straight face, “Voriel-when I left last time, I was looking for a replacement for when I eventually die. I felt leaving temporarily with the knowledge that a silver dragon would be watching the place while I was gone would be okay. I was never intended to be gone for as long as I was. This place has to be kept away from mortal hands. Since I wasn’t able to find a replacement and don’t really have time to train one and we are fresh out of dragon allies-sealing the temple is the safest option.”

Mahlajai clenched his jaw, “You don’t understand...Voriel, this place was designed to imprison entity’s like you, those you served and worse....at least in terms of power. Things that are too powerful to be outright destroyed-things like old gods, beings from other planes, outsiders and aberrations...alien powers. The group going into the temple...they have no way to combat many of the things inside. If you try to lead them to fight some of the creatures within you will doom them.”

“You recall what happened when Rahsaan just caught a glimpse of you? He passed out. There are creatures within the Temple that if they are merely looked upon will lead the others to insanity at the very least. Others still that merely saying their name can do terrible things. I have to ensure the seal holds. If it fails or y’all die, I’m the last line of defense that stops the things inside from breaking out and overrunning multiple planes of existence. If you should succeed, you will have barred Strahd from ever having access to this place and limited his power.”

The djinn looked back away, and began creating a layout in his hand. A simple map at first, but then Mal started adding subsequent layers that overlapped one another that then stacked atop the first. After several minutes of work he turned to Voriel, “This is the outer layer of the first level on this plane. This is the simplest layer. There are five layers on the first level...on this plane.” Mal cleared his throat. “There are more than 8 planes...you might be able to see the higher planes.”
He thought for a moment and then said, “Oh yes-I forgot the wards and enchantments...” The djinn then spent several more minutes adding symbols and sigils throughout and around the magical representation of the temple. Satisfied he turned back to Voriel and gestured to the upper right quadrant. “You in particular will want to stay clear of that ward.”
Voriel could read a few of the sigils. What he saw made him recoil. Actual magical symbols that would shred off wings, strip away divinity, chain unformed celestial spirit forms in stasis as a permanent unending burning brand was wielded against them...and these were just the things he saw immediately.

Mal looked at Voriel, “Trust me when I say, the creatures within are evil. Ideas like mercy or love are incomprehensible to them. There is nothing within the Temple that has your best interest at heart-no matter what they say. They want nothing less than to see all life suffering, to devour souls, or to corrupt the will and minds and spirits of others.”

He sits back, “I have given my word to serve as the temple gatekeeper or warden. I can’t break my oath. This is the way it has to be.”

As the Djinn worked his magic, Voriel's expression grew distant as the map formed before him. Seeing a particular rune startled him from the present.

He heard Alerion calling out to him, crying for aid from the fiends that surrounded him . . .

He remembered Uriel warning him that his powers would diminish within the gates of Hell . . .

He cried out as spears that burned with the intensity of lava pierced through him again and again, all the while demons laughed at his pain . . .

Then an endless darkness envelop him . . .

Voriel managed to force himself back to the here and now, shaking his head before studying the ethereal temple, taking care to avoid the upper right quadrant.  

"I remember that all creatures -no matter good or evil, tiny or massive, insignificant or all-powerful-  avoided the mists. We just knew that anything that ventured in never returned. Even the gods held no power over it. Which is why I was so surprised to discover Ezra has some sort of sway . . . "

Refocusing again, trying to not ruminate over what creatures must be held inside,, "But we just need to get the center of that place, correct? Once Mercurian closes the seal, than the creatures shouldn't pose as much of a threat."

He seemed to get an idea as he added, "Who amongst us is the most tempting to these prisoners? An angel divided in two, a pair of Ezra devotees, a wizard who has more power than a mortal ought to be trusted with, a dwarf who has a remnant of a god, or . . . Aspen?"

Despite the angel's businesslike topics, his eyes betray weariness and uneasy.

Mal tilted his head. “Getting to the center won’t be easy. But yes, provided you survive-and Mercurion seals the temple your risks should subside. Mostly.”

At the latter questions the djinn considered each respectively before responding.

“Every one of you is a delicacy to them, but don’t get mistaken you are not temptation for them, they are more likely to be temptations for you. It’s how they grow in strength or power. Each time you give in even slightly, their hold grows tighter. Their teeth sharper, their flames brighter, everything worsens.”

He holds up his hand gesturing to each finger as he says, “You are a delicacy though because you are outside of a deity’s service. You have no protection, no one to intervene or step in on your behalf. You are at risk double though because you are tied to Rahsaan. You each have your own struggles and competing desires. You could be a two pronged weapon turned to fight for a new god or two course meal depending on who or what gets its claws into you. Or maybe entertainment-Having you fight one another to your own ruin...you both are enticing” He moves to the next finger. “The holy cleric and priest of a powerful deity if corrupted could do as much damage to the floundering faith as a dark force of invaders to a small village...or better still cause his deity to abandon this plane and leave more meals for them. A grand piece to play.” The next finger. “The bold knight if swayed in service to a dark forgotten god could restore the fallen old one to a place of power and authority and cause a religious fervor to overtake the land and return of blood sacrifices potent enough to free it from its prison and wreak havoc across other worlds. Or maybe be turned instead to release the prisoners within instead of sealing them. What bound prisoner wants anything other than freedom?” The next finger. “The bloody cursed dwarf with deities already in competition for him has drawn attention to himself and maybe even weakened his resistance to possible possession by fouler entity’s who would do terrible things through his skills and connections. Imagine a dwarven, gundarakite, Barovian, werewolf army led by an experienced blood thirsty warlord general that serves his alien deity’s will...” Mahlajai keeps counting. “The gnome wizardess who battles against magically corrupt government and is anti religious could be conditioned to see me as a magical government of sorts that imposes my own form of religious punishment upon the creatures within...given my connection to her, perhaps this would make me weak or hesitant to harm her. A powerful pawn indeed.” The djinn gets to the last finger. “The Rogue assassin hell bent on retribution with keys able to unlock any door, who wields the innocent wiles needed to sway anyone to do her bidding simply because she asked nicely...but has the potential to slay them if they refuse her charms...”

Mahlajai shakes his head. “All of you are tasty to them in the temple. Whether as servant, slave, or something more. You each have appeal. Each of you run the risk of being used against me.”

Still staring at the map, Voriel exhales as he replied, "I can warn them to not touch anything or ignore evil thoughts all day. I will do what I can to make sure Rahsaan stays vigilant against temptation, and maybe that way others will stay on their course. I would be least concerned about the things trying to attack us; the ones who want us walk back out I would fear the most."

He looked back to Mahlaljai, "And yet, talk of dead gods who want to possess your body, alien creatures who can drag us into darkness, or indescribable monters who shatter minds isn't the worst I have heard."

Instead of worry, his tone darkened,  "Ever since I have been trapped in the mist, you are the only one I felt could understand me. The priest, wizard, and the paladin could try, maybe. But getting to know them, it felt as if I am a grown man trying to befriend young children.  You can talk, laugh, and cry with them . . . but they just don't have the same concerns, understanding, or problems we do. My connection to all of them is more of curious fascination, not genuine friendship."

The pace in his voice quickens, unable to stop the words from coming out, "That, that is what I dread most. Losing the one who I could bare my soul to. Someone who could understand languishing powerless unable to complete your purpose while innocents suffered. Fighting for what you know is right, even if you know it might end in failure. Knowing who you love is beyond your reach, but running after them anyway just for a chance to stay with them . . ."

Seemingly realizing what he was saying, he stopped and attempted to resume his normally formal tone, "Sorry, I, get you may not feel the same way about me. You seem more devoted to your master than I ever was."

Voriel looked like he was about to continue further, but instead waited the djinn's reply.

Mahlajai grit his teeth as he quit focusing on the magical model. “Please hear me...there’s lots of things in the temple. LOTS of THINGS. If you have to fight them, so be it, but don’t stop. Fight on the run if you have to. There’s two maybe three places you can catch your breath but don’t linger.”

As the angels’ tone darkened, the djinn looks away. “Voriel-being around you again and getting this group past the struggles they’ve gone through has let me feel like I got to live in a dream. It’s been nice getting to see them grow and help free this land of evil, but reality and the real world have a nasty habit of shattering one into cold sobriety. I don’t like it but if I give my word, I literally have to keep it. If I don’t I discorporate. I cease to be. My word is me.”

At Voriel’s last comment he hits hits hands together, his voice raises and the mists begin to swirl around the two, “Its got nothing to do with any master! Have you been listening?! If any one of those prisoners escapes-Strahd becomes unstoppable! That’s MY problem-I freaking care about every one of them. Every man, woman, or child that lives and breathes and dies. They kill each other...great. So be it. They die of old age-fine. That’s the way things are supposed to happen. But if ordinary folks start getting their soul gets ripped from their body or they get torn limb from limb by some ancient dead alien from the great beyond that isn’t from this plane of existence-that pisses me off! They weren’t supposed to deal with forces like that. Those things are supposed to go through people like you or me. Those were deaths that didn’t need to happen. Weren’t supposed to happen. That’s why me sealing myself in the temple-I have no problem doing it even though I get stuck with the monsters, because at least there I know they can’t hurt anyone else. At least then I know the only monster left is one you have a chance to beat...”

Mahlajai shakes his head, and takes a deep breath and the wind dies down. “Voriel-you more than most know that for every victory, there’s a sacrifice that has to be made. A price gets extracted. The bill comes due. This time pal, it’s me.”

Voriel did not understand Mahlajai's sudden change of demeaner. Or he did, sort of. He knew an elemental going into a different element would change them- their personality, their powers.

You're an air spirit. The angel thought to himself, Where is this sense of honor and duty coming from? Djinn help mortals, sure. But they are as wild, unpredictable and powerful as the wind itself . . .

Sure, Mahlajai could just have a different personality developed over years of isolation and determination to eradicate evil. And Voriel wasn't about to complain about that . . . actually, he was indirectly doing that right now as he was this close to throwing himself on his knees and begging the Djinn not to go, instead asking him to stay. But he knew the answer would be an offended "no".

With a bout of realization, something clicked. Finding what he wanted to say he asked, "Are you . . . are you a Noble Djinni?"

The question froze Mahlajai mid way through his thoughts. Like he’d been struck by lightning.

Mahlajai looked up to the sky before turning to face Voriel. “I have never lied to you...you remember what I said about me be getting political? If I decide to, yes I become what you say.”

He sighs, “I was technically born one. But before being given the responsibility and power that comes with that position I wanted to experience life free of the title and restrictions that go along with it. Please don’t say anything to the others...I don’t want them to see me differently until they have to.”

"I get it now. All of it." Voriel said, the grief returning,  "That is why you are so set on returning to the temple. You are intending to lock yourself in so no one- Strahd in particular- can misuse you. That is . . . noble. Willing to put everyone's needs before you own . . ."

It was Voriel's turn to be paralyzed by realization.  

A cruel voice sounded in his mind as he recalled, All who are here belong here. The fallen angel, cast down from the heavens who clings to the prayers of mortals for power and lies to control them out of fear of what he has done

"That's what T'chazzar meant." His tone flat at first, before it sounded as if he was resisting breaking down into a sob,"I've been lying to myself. I didn't follow Alerion to save him. My own selfishness blinded me to the truth that he was lost, and he dragged me down with him."

"Now I care about Rahsaan but that wasn't how it started and wasn't my intention. I told him he could reach his potential, while pulling him away from those he cares about twice now so I could do what I wanted."

"I didn't want to destroy Strahd because he tortures and kills innocents, thus deserving of death- I wanted to for my own vanity. I wanted mortals to look upon me in awe as their savior."

Voriel actually sniffed before he took out his sword, staring at himself in the reflection, "I didn't reclaim this sword from Alerion- it abandoned me the second I abandoned my purpose. I remember my name . . . but I'm not worthy to be called it."

He stood up, looking at the temple with a distant expression, "I . . . it's a stretch but I think I know what I have to do."

Mahlajai looked on with growing concern. “What do you think you have to do?”