A Sliver of Burning Ice
Overview
From the Story Arc "Blood Begets Blood" given by Vanessa DeVore.
Souvenir's Text
A Sliver of Burning Ice
After Sorceress Serene was consumed by the power of the Furies for her failed attempt at seizing their power you found a shard of Burning Ice left over from her elemental weapons. You remember well the vicious wounds those twin swords inflicted and whenever you see the burning sliver you remember the lesson of the Furies...
Blood Begets Blood
Vanessa DeVore had been patiently bidding her time to strike back against the Talons until she knew for sure what their leader, Sorceress Serene's plans were. The first step to stopping Serene was to reactivate the Seer Network in order to prevent the Talons from preying upon the Seers while they were vulnerable, but Serene had other plans. The Network was a charnal house, as the former Seers and their Carnival of Light allies were cut down by the Talons of Vengeance. Inside you were met by Katie Douglas who had given in to the temptation of the Furies and vowed to kill you before she would see it restarted. Ultimately Katie was reintegrated into the Network to cleanse her mind of the Talons influence, an act which Sorceress Serene gleefully mocked you over.
With the Network reinstated you met with Master Midnight who had been pouring over the Chronicles of Doom looking for some hint as to Serene's overall plan. What he had discovered was disturbing. Serene planned to sacrifice her arch enemy, Diabolique, to the Furies and make the Talons even stronger. If Diabolique could be destroyed before then, then the sacrifice would fail. The problem was, Diabolique was bound to a talisman, the destruction of which was the only way to destroy her. The Talisman belongs to none other than the Praetorian Emperor, Marcus Cole. A daring raid was launched against the Magisterium allowing you to gain access to Cole's Tower where you navigated its depths and eventually found the Talisman in the possession of Praetor Duncan. In a bizarre exchange she gave you the Talisman and sent you on your way where you had to race to the surface in order to be teleported to safety by Master Midnight before Praetor White could find you.
Master Midnight set to work on studying the Talisman to see how to destroy Diabolique while Vanessa DeVore requested your presence at the Chapel of Enduring Light. The Talons were preparing to attack. The only thing keeping back the hordes of Apparitions from overrunning the last remaining Carnival members were Blind Makwa's Spirit Wards, and they had no effect on the Talons of Vengeance. Together, you, Vanessa, Blind Makwa, and Mistress Nadia, fought to keep the Wards up against an onslaught of Talons. As a final push, Sorceress Serene appeared and revealed that Master Midnight had been working with her all along. With the Talisman now in her possession she left Midnight with one chance to stay in her good graces if he could finish the Carnival off, you made sure he failed.
With Midnight's treachery giving Serene the one thing she needed to complete her sacrificial ritual, there was only one choice; Make Midnight talk. Katie's ability to teleport anywhere someone has seen came to good use once more, as you were able to infiltrate the Midnight Mansion and confront Master Midnight once and for all. Defeating him you forced him to tell you everything about Serene's plan and where you could find her and then left Midnight to simmer in his own misery. With no time to lose you tracked Serene and the Talons down to the Forbidden Crags on a rescue mission to save Diabolique and the world. Ultimately, it wasn't your strength that turned the tide, it was Master Midnight's misplaced notion of love that undid all of Serene's plans at the crucial moment and gave you and Diabolique a chance to avenge all of the people that the Talons of Vengeance had killed in Sorceress Serene's insane quest for power. With her Talisman in hand, Diabolique left, more powerful than ever and free at last from the Tyrant.
