Protaquest Main Thread

[Seccom-Masada]

{NAVIGATION: PROLOGUE | CH1 START | CH1 END}

*TCHT!!*
"OW! DAMMIT! What the hells?!" a voice calls out, "What in the... Oh no... So it's one of these cases then. I better alert the overseer..."
The voice fades away. Other audible noises are heard before complete silence sets in.

...

I wake up. I'm... not dead..?
I'm... covered in blankets, too??
I look around with just my eyes, still a bit weak to move. I'm still in the temple. In the bed in the corner of the far room, looks like.
Gods... It's much softer than it looked.

Hm? There's also a wet rag on my forehead. And... a bandage near my eye? What happened after... The Amulet!!
I quickly jerk upright. That doesn't feel good. I'm definitely a little sore. But the amulet is... right around my neck? W-what?

Kanden did not take it...
H-hello? Are you guys still there?

[Mr. Fountain]

>L'takhar rashal magni- Huh?
>Oh she's awake everyone!
>Welcome back, Licia! I wasn't trying to steal your body or anything! Haha! Ha...

[Fi Skirata]

>We're here. How'd you lose like that, I thought males were sissies?

[Nexeria]

>Yeah, what the hell? I had a lot of faith in you, girl.
>Don't worry, we'll make you stronger, Sweet Licia.
>By the way, I do believe that he undressed you.
>Not that anyone's complaining.

[Seccom-Masada]

>L'takhar rashal magni- Huh?
>Oh she's awake everyone!
>Welcome back, Licia! I wasn't trying to steal your body or anything! Haha! Ha...

Ah yes. Of course YOU would still be here.
You must be one of those mad wizards who so desperately wanted to get at this necklace. Didn't work too well in your favor, did it? Heh.

>We're here. How'd you lose like that, I thought males were sissies?

Yeah! They are!! At least... they're supposed to be. I mean, I'm not the strongest, but that Kanden guy must be a freak of nature or something.
Speaking of Kanden, He appears to have left. Looks like he took his glasses and the other end of that weird spear thing.
Looking around, no one appears to be here anymore...

>Yeah, what the hell? I had a lot of faith in you, girl.
>Don't worry, we'll make you stronger, Sweet Licia.
>By the way, I do believe that he undressed you.
>Not that anyone's complaining.

Huh? ...o-Oh. Uh. Well. Looking down, I'm not actually naked, but I'm not wearing what I was when I came in. If that little bastard di-
*Snore*
I gasped. I... that scared all the hells out of me.

Gods! There was someone sitting right in front of me and I didn't even notice... Hey, wait.
That snore, that hair...
I think that's my brother, E... hm... Ve...? Uh... I can't seem to remember his name either. But it's on the tip of my tongue!



[PLEASE INPUT A NAME:>_]

[Nexeria]

>Your brother's human?
>Potential Names: Lucifer, Ross 2.0, Brota.

[Fi Skirata]

>Svense, I'm pretty sure his name is Svense.

[Mr. Fountain]

>Tristan the Traitor Knight
>Kazimierz, Kaz for short.

[Seccom-Masada]

>Your brother's human?

Yeah, he is!
Heh. He's not my real brother, obviously. His father just sorta... found me in a ruined house out in the country. Or so I'm told.
Don't remember when that was. 15 years ago, at least.

Those names.

[COMMAND ACCEPTED: PROCESSING...]

Hm. Got it now.

I hang my legs off the bed and wrap myself up in a blanket, then get up.
It's a bit of a pain, especially where Kanden stuck me in the leg... but I manage.

Moving over to him... Heh, gods, I forgot how loudly he snores. Anyway...
"Kaz? ...Kaz!" I say, pulling on his sleeve. He stirs... but that's it.
"Kazimierz Svensson Yilanoff, c'mon. Up and at'm!!" I pull harder.
"ngh... L-Liz?" he mumbles, then shoots upright, wide-eyed.
"Liz! You're alright!? You were hurt pretty bad, and you were running a huge fever! And someone... half-dressed your wounds? I finished them, by the way... But I shouldn't have needed to! Didn't I tell you not to come here?! You cou-"
"Uh. Wow. Kaz, please. Everything is fine." I say blankly. Gods... never seen him that worried before. Usually the opposite.

[Mr. Fountain]

>Gods, you're short. But of course you are in comparison to this person! I mean, look at that glorious human body in front of you! I remember when I had a body... Wait... No, I don't.
>Tell him about the voices in your head!

[Nexeria]

>You know, I feel like I had a human body once too. Jeez, that must have been such a long time ago if true.
>By the way, looking at the height difference between you and your brother, I'm just now realizing how short Kanden must have been.
>Still can't believe you lost that fight.

[Seccom-Masada]

>Gods, you're short. But of course you are in comparison to this person! I mean, look at that glorious human body in front of you! I remember when I had a body... Wait... No, I don't.
>Tell him about the voices in your head!

Uh. Yeah, I am. Have you not seen a Bremin before? On average, we're about this tall.
Heh... glorious Human body. Also Kaz is really tall, actually. He's not a very good comparison.

And yes, the scroll that told me about you said as much. You were all once people. Anyway...

"Hey, Kaz, look!" I say, trying to hold up the amulet through the blanket. "I found it!"
He looks indignant.
"You ditched me back in Emanya just so you could look for an old necklace? Liz... C'mon, we're out here to do a job. I know you want reve-"
"B-but it works!! People are talking to me in my head! Just now they wanted me to tell you!"

Uh oh, that didn't come out right. Now he's looking at me funny.

>You know, I feel like I had a human body once too. Jeez, that must have been such a long time ago if true.
>By the way, looking at the height difference between you and your brother, I'm just now realizing how short Kanden must have been.
>Still can't believe you lost that fight.

You guys are still going on about my size? You really haven't seen a Bremin before, have you? And yes, as I said before, you did have bodies.
You reall- ...hm?

Kaz stands up. He looks worried.
"...Licia, I think the desert might be getting to you. You're probably half-starved too. I know you ran up here with no provisions. Maybe you should rest a bit more and get your head on straight? I did bring food, y'know..."
He points to a big leather backpack sitting on the altar next to... some bloody scraps?

But he's right. I haven't eaten in days, now that I remember.
"And you might want to put on the clothes I bought you. They're in that bag, too. The ones you were wearing are pretty shredded and have blood all over them. What happened anyway? Did you try and patch your wounds, give up, and just go to sleep in this bed? How did you even get hurt?"
What? Half dress my wounds? And... I thought Kaz put me in that bed.
Did Kanden...? Wait, Kaz bought me clothes?? What?

"Y'know what? Nevermind. Tell me later. I don't know how long I slept. I need to go and check the cart."
He starts toward the door.
"Just put those clothes on and rest a bit. I'm not gonna have you up on The Bridge wearing nothing but a blanket and bandages."
"K-kaz? Hey, wait."
Aaaand too late, he's left the room... Cart? When did he get a cart?

Uh... Hmm. Did I lose that fight? Was there even a fight? I don't remember anything. Things sorta blur after something hit me in the chin.
What in all three hells happened up until now?? Gods, I'm confused.
What should I do now?

[Mr. Fountain]

>Well, a male, smaller Bremin came in and demanded the amulet.
>We took issue with that.
>You two fought, you lost. You shoulda won!
>You went into a crazy berserker state and he slashed you up, but you almost got him. It was awesome. Gods, I want your body...
>You should get dressed!

[Nexeria]

>Alternatively, you don't have to get dressed.
>I mean just look at us. We're nonphysical beings living on some sort of astral plane or something, we have no need for silly things such as clothes.
>We have more pressing concerns like our constant extensional crises.
>Anyways, you think about not getting dressed and search the desk on the other side of the room while I freak out over not having a physical, breathing body anymore.
>WHERE ARE MY HANDS?!

[Seccom-Masada]

>Well, a male, smaller Bremin came in and demanded the amulet.
>We took issue with that.
>You two fought, you lost. You shoulda won!
>You went into a crazy berserker state and he slashed you up, but you almost got him. It was awesome. Gods, I want your body...
>You should get dressed!

Yeah, Kanden. I remember him. But... we fought? Seemed like he was just toying with me.
B-berserker? What? I... don't remember that at all.
I remember you making me kiss him then try to bite his face, and after that he shoved me.
Then something hit me real hard in the face. That's about it.
...Now you've got me worried.

You ...want my body? Gods, you people are weird!

Aaaanyway. Yeah, I drop the blanket down to my waist so that I can actually use my arms, then move the chair Kaz was in over to the altar.
I then hop up on the chair to get a better look at the bag and... the other stuff.

Hm. A big leather backpack. Odd, this doesn't look like it was made in Nadim. Where did he get this?
But, naturally, my eyes are then drawn towards my torn up clothes. Gods, he really did get me good. So many cuts and... hang on.
There's something tucked in the collar of my shirt. It's white and untouched by the blood. Looks like a folded piece of paper.

>Alternatively, you don't have to get dressed.
>I mean just look at us. We're nonphysical beings living on some sort of astral plane or something, we have no need for silly things such as clothes.
>We have more pressing concerns like our constant extensional crises.
>Anyways, you think about not getting dressed and search the desk on the other side of the room while I freak out over not having a physical, breathing body anymore.
>WHERE ARE MY HANDS?!

Yeah. Nah. Nice try.
I think I'm gonna go ahead and get dressed anyway, pervy voice. You might not need clothes, but I certainly prefer to be weari-

Uh. Whoa. Don't have a breakdown on me, man. I already searched that desk. Remember? It was full of old paper and a broken quill.
And I'm sure you did have a body. But even if you did, it's probably been thousands of years since then. No use whining to me about it.

Anyway, enough with the existential crises. Let me get dressed in peace.
I open up the leather backpack and take a look inside. Let's see what weird outfit he's cursed me with this time...

[What did Kaz buy Licia?]
[Give me clothing ideas. Pictures, descriptions, etc.]

[Mr. Fountain]

>Did he gift you with this outfit? Clickity click here.

[Fi Skirata]

>A girl named Buddy tells me Poncho's are in.

[Nexeria]

This'll do: Click

Or we could try for this: CLICK

Pls.

Alternatively, we could go for something more like this: CLICK

Shit, I don't know, maybe give her some headwear like a bandanna, or a hat, or something. OR WE COULD JUST SLAP HER IN SOME GODDAMN ARMOR FROM GEARS OF WAR AND GIVE HER A FUCKING CHAINSAW GUN!!!

[Megantron]

CLOAK

[Seccom-Masada]

[All suggestions were combined. Except Quiet...]

After clothing myself, I raid the backpack for that food Kaz mentioned. Tearing into the side pockets, I find a bit of salted pork. 'bout damn time.
So I stuff my face and look down at my new clothes...

Hmph. Well. Definitely not something I would've picked out. Could've been worse, though. I guess.

Now I wonder where the rest of that stuff I had is, that weird magic bag and all.
Plus there's that paper stuck in my shirt. That sure seemed worth checking out.
Or I could just forget all that and go see what Kaz went off to go do.
Uh... What should I do now, then?

[Fi Skirata]

>We haven't read that paper yet?
>Holy shit read it.

[Mr. Fountain]

>Yes, read that piece of paper.
>After that, maybe look around the room for that magic bag.

[Nexeria]

>I'd also like to see you do a cartwheel.
>We should test your agility before you wind up getting your ass kicked again.

[Seccom-Masada]

>I'd also like to see you do a cartwheel.
>We should test your agility before you get your ass kicked again.

Hey! I'm much more agile than I look! I could easily do something like that!
...if my back didn't hurt. And my arm wasn't cut up. And if I didn't spend most of my days at a desk.

Seriously, though. I would, but as I feel right now, I'd probably end up hurting myself even more.
I even now notice I have a limp and I don't even remember why. Today is going to be... Interesting.

>We haven't read that paper yet?
>Holy shit read it.

>Yes, read that piece of paper.
>After that, maybe look around the room for that magic bag.

I didn't read the paper because... well, because you hadn't told me to yet. But now I will!
That sounds very odd when I think about it.

Aaaanyway. I dislodge the paper from my old shirt. It is indeed a large piece of folded paper. Unfolding it shows it's a letter actually. From... oh boy.

It's a note from Kanden. And it's very long. Wonderful.

"Greetings, Licia.

I'm sure you're as confused as I am.
Firstly: I AM VERY SORRY! I tried to patch up the damage I did, but I'm no medic.
But yes, you still have the amulet. But this is only because it would not allow me to take it. It shocked my hand as I touched it and I simply could not get it off of you. The thing is: The Amulet of Infinite Psyche has this strange thing it does where it 'bonds' to certain people, making it very difficult to keep track of and simply impossible to remove unwillingly. These people are very difficult to deal with since they start showing abilities they did not previously have, likely the work of the presence inside the jewel. Now, this is not usually a problem. My superior usually just tells me to, well, remove the host by force and take the amulet somewhere else, but now she tells me to just 'watch and see'. I fail to see the point in this, but I am now supposed to watch you and make sure you don't lose that necklace, or do some other stupid thing. And unfortunately, I am not allowed to directly help you. It is very odd.

Also I took that magic bag that you had with you. That was actually mine. I left it in the room with that old bone construct in my last inspection by accident. Thank you for finding it! And thank you again for not drinking the flask. It had medicine in it for me. By the way, I've had worse kisses.

Anyway, you had best beware, Miss Licia. You have the eye of Anija upon you. This is not a good thing.

And lastly: In case you did not already know, you are what the bremin up here call a "Sekeissa", or "Berserker". Also not a good thing. In fact, it is a much more dangerous thing than that amulet. If you don't learn to control that, it could eventually kill you. It's usually triggered by panic, so you should try and learn to keep calm in situations like before. Learning how to fight would probably be a very good idea for that. Especially if you are going to be up in this part of the continent. Just a suggestion.

I sincerely hope you can read,

Kanden Varghas
Order of Seekers
City of Rhea"

Oh. Well then.

[Fi Skirata]

>This is a probably not what you should take from this, but he is so totally into you.

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