>>5578965You have little interest in anything this monster has to say to you. Your only concern is pressing forward, killing him, and then leaving the castle and returning to your comrades as soon as possible.
>“Elizabeth…are you going to be okay?” The cleric has regained consciousness, but she’s clearly in no position to continue fighting down here. Like it or not, you’re going to be down one of your only two healers as you progress further through Diogenes’ labs.“I’ll be fine.” She smiles weakly. “I’ve been through worse…just don’t forget to come and get me when you’re done.”
>You squeeze her hand firmly. “I’ll tell you all about it when I get back. Everyone, we’re moving forward.”Leaving Elizabeth behind to tend to her wounds, the Blackwings proceed through the open passageway ahead of them into the next room. The area you find yourself in is more brightly lit than the last, and resembles a large hallway more than anything else. All the way down on the opposite end from where you find yourself, is a raised platform that overlooks the entire hall. Underneath that platform, is the entrance to the next room. Lining the walls are various boxes and instruments, many of which you’re unable to recognize. What grabs your eye though, are what you can only describe as large, cloudy vials, filled with some sort of mysterious liquid. You approach one and take a look inside, only to recoil when you find something inside staring back at you. The subject in question is, in fact, a large eyeball the size of a human. What looks to be several tentacles are sprouting from it in a grotesque manner.
“Eww…what are these things?!” Mina whines. “They’re so gross!”
“To each their own, young lady.” Diogenes says, his voice following you into the next room. “I personally find them to be charming.”
>“Do you know what these are?” You mutter to Lysithea. The young mage shakes her head. “I…think I’d certainly remember seeing a monstrosity like this. The last time I was down here though, it was too dark to make anything out.”
“I’m afraid you’d have no recollection of my Mogalls, Lady Lysithea. They are a more recent project of mine. By now, I’d assume my esteemed guest Blair has already been made aware of the origin of Demonic Beasts. That they originate from unworthy humans corrupted by the powers of the Crest Stones. It isn’t too complex of a procedure, and it certainly has proven its effectiveness for the Imperial Army. But why not apply that same process to, let’s say, animals? The results are truly fascinating and unique depending on the subject used in question! The creature entombed within that glass used to be an ordinary squid. And the ones in front of you were simply stray dogs that wandered too close to the castle grounds!”
