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Entry tags:
- !event,
- baroque: koriel xii (dextera),
- bastard!!: dark schneider,
- black butler: sebastian michaelis,
- ennead: set,
- expanse (the): amos burton,
- fire emblem: byleth eisner,
- fire emblem: claude von riegan,
- fire emblem: dimitri a. blaiddyd,
- genshin impact: tartaglia (childe),
- genshin impact: zhongli,
- granblue fantasy: eustace,
- jinba: hayame,
- legend of zelda (the): link,
- made in abyss: bondrewd,
- magnus archives (the): the archivist,
- marvel: gamora,
- oc: liem talbott,
- star wars: cassian andor,
- star wars: jyn erso,
- trigun maximum: vash the stampede
The Seeds of Unrest: the Iconoclast Oracle
RUNNING OUT THE CLOCK
The situation is bleak.
The Blight - and the massive labyrinth of roots tearing both cities asunder, spreading deadly flowers wherever they penetrate - have progressed to a point beyond catastrophe. People are dying in rapid numbers. Bearers are having difficulty keeping up with the spread of infection - even among one another. The collapse of Kenos seems inevitable; a cure will not come in time. You can do nothing but watch as each new day brings further disaster, ticking down the seconds until it all falls apart.
And then, you feel something seize your Shard. As if physical fingers have wrapped around it, as if it is being clutched through you by invisible hands, you feel invaded. You feel wronged. But before you can panic, a voice enters your mind through Communion.
“Excuse the dramatics, but there isn’t much time for pleasantries. The Trees are about to hit the point of no return. But there's still work to be done. The Tree of Life will take you where you can find it: the Oracle and the creature causing all this mess. Fix this when you find them. However you'd like.”
Have you heard Aetos’ voice before? Perhaps it is the first time; perhaps it is familiar to you. Either way, the last thing you will remember is a confusing jumble: a spell of immense and incredible power, one utilizing the Tree’s strength to shelter you. The sensation of every cell in your body coming alive, yet seeming to break apart and render you into billions and billions of tiny pieces, all hovering in different times and places across all the different iterations, timelines, and realities in which you have ever existed. A voice that speaks not through words asking your forgiveness, unspeakably sad.
And then, there is nothing.
The Blight - and the massive labyrinth of roots tearing both cities asunder, spreading deadly flowers wherever they penetrate - have progressed to a point beyond catastrophe. People are dying in rapid numbers. Bearers are having difficulty keeping up with the spread of infection - even among one another. The collapse of Kenos seems inevitable; a cure will not come in time. You can do nothing but watch as each new day brings further disaster, ticking down the seconds until it all falls apart.
And then, you feel something seize your Shard. As if physical fingers have wrapped around it, as if it is being clutched through you by invisible hands, you feel invaded. You feel wronged. But before you can panic, a voice enters your mind through Communion.
“Excuse the dramatics, but there isn’t much time for pleasantries. The Trees are about to hit the point of no return. But there's still work to be done. The Tree of Life will take you where you can find it: the Oracle and the creature causing all this mess. Fix this when you find them. However you'd like.”
Have you heard Aetos’ voice before? Perhaps it is the first time; perhaps it is familiar to you. Either way, the last thing you will remember is a confusing jumble: a spell of immense and incredible power, one utilizing the Tree’s strength to shelter you. The sensation of every cell in your body coming alive, yet seeming to break apart and render you into billions and billions of tiny pieces, all hovering in different times and places across all the different iterations, timelines, and realities in which you have ever existed. A voice that speaks not through words asking your forgiveness, unspeakably sad.
And then, there is nothing.
AWAKENING
Your eyes open, gritty with the feeling of a long, deep slumber.
Perhaps it takes a moment to shake off the heavy veil of exhaustion, to recollect what you were doing before you fell into this state of hibernation - but as soon as you do, you feel an immediate sense of foreboding around you. It is thick in the air, oppressive and pervasive, and you aren’t left long to wonder at its source. You lay beneath the branches of the Tree of Life, but as your bleary eyes focus… you see it. The Tree is all but bereft of life. Its bark has withered down to gnarled wood, the soft lichen dried up, and the grass that should be alive beneath you is long dead and gone. There is not so much as a single leaf on its decaying branches.
It has been this way for a long, long time... you realize this with a feeling of intense dread as you see it - the beautiful expanse of stars, of the cosmos, of universes scattered like starlight above the tree's boughs, gone. In its place hangs a sickly, ominously low-hanging, and dying sun ready to sing the end of everything.
You can't help but wonder how long Kenos has been in this state, but a sense of gratitude fills you as you realize that the Tree expended the last of its energies to protect you, the Bearers, during your state of rest. Had Aetos worked with the tree to see you sent here?
The next question comes quickly: how much time do you have left…? And can you find the Oracle before that time expires?
Perhaps it takes a moment to shake off the heavy veil of exhaustion, to recollect what you were doing before you fell into this state of hibernation - but as soon as you do, you feel an immediate sense of foreboding around you. It is thick in the air, oppressive and pervasive, and you aren’t left long to wonder at its source. You lay beneath the branches of the Tree of Life, but as your bleary eyes focus… you see it. The Tree is all but bereft of life. Its bark has withered down to gnarled wood, the soft lichen dried up, and the grass that should be alive beneath you is long dead and gone. There is not so much as a single leaf on its decaying branches.
It has been this way for a long, long time... you realize this with a feeling of intense dread as you see it - the beautiful expanse of stars, of the cosmos, of universes scattered like starlight above the tree's boughs, gone. In its place hangs a sickly, ominously low-hanging, and dying sun ready to sing the end of everything.
You can't help but wonder how long Kenos has been in this state, but a sense of gratitude fills you as you realize that the Tree expended the last of its energies to protect you, the Bearers, during your state of rest. Had Aetos worked with the tree to see you sent here?
The next question comes quickly: how much time do you have left…? And can you find the Oracle before that time expires?
ABANDON HOPE (DAYS 1 & 2)
The cornerstones are still active and will take you to whichever city you wish to see.
Highstorm and Springstar sit like empty monuments to the cities that were once filled with life - yet the first thing you will notice is they are strangely absent the signs of the Tree’s overgrown roots, the Blight, the catastrophic damage that you can recall all too easily. Instead, each city sits as those they were summarily abandoned overnight, leaving nothing but their shells behind. There is a stillness in the air that is unnatural and unsettling. Despite the lack of any sign of the citizens of either city, you cannot help but feel… watched.
Something terrible happened here. Best you find the Oracle before something terrible finds you, instead.
The burning of a dying sun beats down on you wherever you go, unbearable heat sending waves off the aged cobblestone streets. Perhaps it is your instinct to seek refuge in the shade - but linger too long about the shadows and that feeling of eyes on your back, of being unable to breathe, of your world closing in around you will grow untenable and drive you back into the light. If you hope to explore the ghostly shell of your city in search of the Oracle - or to sate your curiosity, some problem-solving might be in order.
And while you acclimate yourself to your circumstances, you cannot help but note you feel wrong inside, somehow…
Highstorm and Springstar sit like empty monuments to the cities that were once filled with life - yet the first thing you will notice is they are strangely absent the signs of the Tree’s overgrown roots, the Blight, the catastrophic damage that you can recall all too easily. Instead, each city sits as those they were summarily abandoned overnight, leaving nothing but their shells behind. There is a stillness in the air that is unnatural and unsettling. Despite the lack of any sign of the citizens of either city, you cannot help but feel… watched.
Something terrible happened here. Best you find the Oracle before something terrible finds you, instead.
The burning of a dying sun beats down on you wherever you go, unbearable heat sending waves off the aged cobblestone streets. Perhaps it is your instinct to seek refuge in the shade - but linger too long about the shadows and that feeling of eyes on your back, of being unable to breathe, of your world closing in around you will grow untenable and drive you back into the light. If you hope to explore the ghostly shell of your city in search of the Oracle - or to sate your curiosity, some problem-solving might be in order.
And while you acclimate yourself to your circumstances, you cannot help but note you feel wrong inside, somehow…
EXPLORATION
- If your characters choose to explore previously unreachable areas, please use THIS TOPLEVEL to report when they get there in the thread! We will get back to you with what is discoverable in that location.
- The following areas are off limits for exploration: below Yima’s Manor; below the Church of Heliopolis; Alenroux; Kowloon.
- The Great Trees of both Highstorm and Springstar are in a similar state to the Tree of Life and will not respond to Communion.
- Generally speaking, items will be of poor quality. Most will look as though they’ve aged thousands of years. Others will be in half-decent shape, but sparingly so. Oddly enough, it doesn’t seem like the whole city has aged at the same rate, so especially diligent rummagers can find worthwhile supplies. Please consider this should be rare and don’t go overboard!
NOTES
Here are some prompt reminders - see the full thing at the OOC Summary!- Characters will have a diluted connection to the Zenith or Meridian.
- There will be periods powers are weakened or non-functional during days 1-2 (up to player discretion).
- The sunlight results in scorching; the shadows cause claustrophobia and fear while outdoors.
THE RITUAL (DAYS 2+)
The place you started your journey to Kenos is also where it seems it will end. As soon as the first Bearer makes contact with the Iconoclast effigy, you are collectively drawn to the roots beneath the Tree - like a pang sent through your Shard. Your objective has been found. The Oracle awaits.
Trusting Aetos seems like a fool's errand, but you must put your hope in the Tree. What choice do you have left? It's time to find what lies at the end of this.
Bearers descend, your steps echoing in the dark, cavernous space. Once brimming with life and vitality, the roots are now dried and brittle like the bones of some ancient leviathan that died long ago. As you make their way deeper into the earth, the deadened roots twist, leading you to a vast chamber deep within it; the air here is thick with the smell of decay, and the faint glow of luminescent fungi and mosses barely illuminates the space.
To your left, the Bearers will notice what has drawn them here - and the object of their search.
An effigy sits on the ground between two darkened tunnels. The effigy is made of gnarled, dead branches woven together in a humanoid shape; its hollow, empty eyes are sightless, yet you cannot help but feel it is watching your every move. Branded on its forehead is the Iconoclast symbol carved into the rough wood.
Once all Bearers are present, the Ritual will begin. Your means of exit have been sealed off, and you are trapped, slowly deteriorating together…
Trusting Aetos seems like a fool's errand, but you must put your hope in the Tree. What choice do you have left? It's time to find what lies at the end of this.
Bearers descend, your steps echoing in the dark, cavernous space. Once brimming with life and vitality, the roots are now dried and brittle like the bones of some ancient leviathan that died long ago. As you make their way deeper into the earth, the deadened roots twist, leading you to a vast chamber deep within it; the air here is thick with the smell of decay, and the faint glow of luminescent fungi and mosses barely illuminates the space.
To your left, the Bearers will notice what has drawn them here - and the object of their search.
An effigy sits on the ground between two darkened tunnels. The effigy is made of gnarled, dead branches woven together in a humanoid shape; its hollow, empty eyes are sightless, yet you cannot help but feel it is watching your every move. Branded on its forehead is the Iconoclast symbol carved into the rough wood.
Once all Bearers are present, the Ritual will begin. Your means of exit have been sealed off, and you are trapped, slowly deteriorating together…
NOTES
- Bearers will have access to the Ritual Chamber which is a very wide, open space with the effigy situated against the far wall from the entrance. Several smaller tunnels off-shoot from the Ritual Chamber. They all run to dead ends; some are very small or narrow. This may afford you meager privacy away from the group.
- Once a Bearer steps into the Chamber, they can no longer head back out the way they came. They’ll find themselves automatically walking back into the Chamber as if of their own volition.
- For brevity’s sake we won’t list them out again here, but the complete description of effects Bearers will experience days 2+ is available in the OOC Summary.
- The effigy is impervious to damage.
- It Is Watching You.
- In a dead-end root tunnel attached to the Iconoclast’s Chamber is the Blighted statue of an Otter that may be familiar to some… Please see THIS TOPLEVEL for more information!
THE PURGE (DAYS 5+)
The sap has festered in your veins for what feels like days. It’s impossible to tell how much time has passed; this place has no sunlight. The effigy watches as you remain trapped, huddled together around it, unable to leave as you find yourself sick with the affliction of the Meridian, Zenith - or both.
And then… something finally gives.
Though it does not move and speaks no words, you feel the effigy offering you guidance. Knowledge. Much like the Tree speaks to you in impressions and feelings, you are conveyed wisdom you did not have before: a way to take what you want and rid yourself of what you do not. A way to make your convictions known to all who would hear them. A way to be known. To write your path in blood, be it yours… or theirs.
When all is said and done, only one force - Zenith or Meridian - will gain its favor.
Show it who you are. Show it what resolve looks like to you - and what you are willing to do to attain it.
And then… something finally gives.
Though it does not move and speaks no words, you feel the effigy offering you guidance. Knowledge. Much like the Tree speaks to you in impressions and feelings, you are conveyed wisdom you did not have before: a way to take what you want and rid yourself of what you do not. A way to make your convictions known to all who would hear them. A way to be known. To write your path in blood, be it yours… or theirs.
When all is said and done, only one force - Zenith or Meridian - will gain its favor.
Show it who you are. Show it what resolve looks like to you - and what you are willing to do to attain it.
NOTES
Here are some prompt reminders - see the full thing at the OOC Summary!- You can Purge your alignment through various methods: Trading, Corrupting, or using the Effigy itself.
- All characters will understand the end goal is for everyone to Harmonize; the alignment with the higher rate of Harmonized Bearers alive when time’s up wins the Oracle’s favor.
NOTES
- A reminder that the Harmonization tally will take place on Friday, the 19th and be open through Monday, the 29th. The results will be released on Wednesday, the 31st OOCly.
- Don’t forget to submit any deaths to the Death Tracker, with a gentle reminder characters will remain dead until the event conclusion!
- Reminder to fill out the SETTING POLL ASAP if you haven't already!
- Have some MUSIC if you'd like. LYRICS here!
- HAVE FUN!!
SIEGLINDE SULLIVAN (BLACK BUTLER) ❧ SAVANT (ZENITH)
[The demon that had become her caretaker is gone from her side, somehow indebted into service to Meridian, and in his absence... Sieglinde has had to rely on the kindness of others. Sebastian had given her a list of those he trusted to take care of her, (Amos and Rin, whom she knew, as well as a certain Gavial, Misa, Caren, Atsumu, or Lottie), but she is in no position to refuse anyone. At least someone has helped her leave the tree and carried her through the deserted streets of Highstorm towards the destination she wishes to reach. Along the way she located an old curtain that is currently serving as a veil against the harsh beat of the dying sun, but...]
Are you feeling alright... ?
[She cannot help but be concerned for her
rideassistant, brow furrowing as she tries to look at their face. They have been walking for some time...]Perhaps we might find some place to rest... ?
[But the choice of location will be up to them. Sieglinde, with her small and misshapen feet, cannot carry them there.]
02 ❧ THE RITUAL ❧ ÜBERGANGSRITUS
[There is little privacy to be found beneath the great Tree of Life. The roots, at least, that run along the walls have actually proven to be something of a help for her mobility, as she can hold on to them as she walks and grip at them when she wobbles or falls... but no matter where she awkwardly looks about, there is little food or proper place to rest to be found. No matter where they go, they return to the room with the effigy...]
[A.] [And Sieglinde must rest, exhausted by the war of Meridian and Zenith energies being fought within her small body. She finds a corner to curl up in, uneasily closing her eyes to try and sleep... but what comes to her is a vision instead of a dream. Images of her villagers, her manservant, her handmaidens, they all reach out to her, implore her, ask her why she has given up on them, and even the most loyal person she knew turns from her-]
Wolfram, come back- !
[She "wakes" with a start in a flurry of heavy fabrics and lace, her hair askew, reaching out... but he isn't there. Someone else is.]
[B.] [Her feet are aching. That is nothing new, in general, for the carefully bound feet of hers needed tending that they have not been receiving in recent days, but... this feels different. Seeking out a smaller tunnel for an attempt at privacy, she lumbers down to her rear and pulls one foot closer, swallowing nervously before she slowly slips off a tiny heel and rolls down a now rather dirty and worn stocking. The bandages beneath needed changing, but she has no supplies...
And there is something... Sieglinde freezes as she stares down at her foot, not even noticing the sound of someone's approach from behind her. There, sticking out from between the layers of bandages... were those roots?]
[C.] [Though she is being exceedingly careful with it, Sieglinde is examining the effigy from up close, tapping on her chin in thought. The Iconoclast symbol on its face, those empty eyes, the vaguely humanoid shape...]
Hmm... I wonder if it needs to be awakened somehow...
03 ❧ THE PURGE ❧ DAS GIFT AUSSPÜLEN
[Sieglinde may not have been present for the previous attempt at claiming the Oracle at the Scorching Isles, but she has heard the tale... and she has read all she could find about these mysterious Oracles that served as the key to unlocking victory for the respective factions. Even still, though, there was so much unknown and unwritten in the books... but the knowledge is in their heads now. They know what they're supposed to do.
The problem is... violence is such an easy choice for some. As it erupts nearby her she flees (crawls) as best she can, seeking refuge in a tunnel that is shallow but so narrow that even she, with her small stature, has a bit of trouble passing through. But she manages to successfully lodge herself as far back inside as she can, out of sight and hard to reach...
Eventually... the sound of a child sniffling and trying to hold back tears can just barely be heard through the muffling of root and soil.]
04 ❧ WILDCARD ❧ PLATZHALTER
[Hit up Sieglinde's plotting comment or contact me via
03
. . .
[ Perhaps he's particularly good at hearing, or perhaps he just understands the tendency of a scared child and where they might run to first that has him getting down on his hands and knees despite being sick and in pain from Set's antics and comes to peer in towards her. Ah... what was this girl's name? His head hurts so much from being corrupted by the Meridian on top of the fight that took place before it and the brainwashing effect that he can't remember. he can't think straight, but he still knows he's met her before.
Luckily, despite being brainwashed to the opposing side he can't put the ideals of a higher power and its faction to achieve victory by any means above the wellbeing of a child. Not that he can conscioualy make this decision since he doesn't realize he's brainwashed, but there are no influences pushing for him to hurt her that can overpower his innate (and fiercely) protective side for those that have done nothing wrong and can't fend for themselves. ]
... Hey, you hurt? [ Asking her if she's okay is stupid.
Obviously she isn't—and neither is he (or anyone else fit that matter with his things are unfolding)—but he can't look weak or vulnerable if he's hoping to help a terrified child. ]
There's no one else here right now, so you can come out if you want, but I won't make you. [ Besides the only people that might follow him or hunt him down currently won't hurt her. He's pretty sure she's a Zenite (or was if she hasn't gotten the Meridian sap out of her yet) ... and those are the people out to get him.
He'll go to slump to the ground near the entrance, half protecting it should anyone unexpected showing up but also really needing to support himself from collapsing in a heap. From the bloody mess he's making sure to injuries on top of the illness... well, he's so exhausted that even he can't think of anything else other than to try and rest for a few minutes. (He can't run any further in here, anyway: it's a dead end.)
no subject
It pains her to be so weak. To not only need others to protect her, now, when most cannot even protect themselves, but to feel so scared...
To flinch away when she hears someone call out to her down the narrow tunnel only a child could fit in to? How shameful a fate for the Green Witch. She does not know if the man is friend or foe, she can vaguely sense Meridian in the spillover of Communion that plagues them all, but-]
I am not hurt.
[The voice answers, as she wipes at her face with her sleeves.]
Are you... ?
[She thinks she smells blood in the air, but she cannot tell it for him or someone else injured in the madness.]
ABANDON HOPE [HIGHSTORM]
Flamebringer came to Highstorm purely hoping to find his friend. It didn't matter that they were on opposite sides; it would just be nice to see him before the world ends. His sword is hooked to his side. He hopes to challenge him to the death. If everything is to go, he would like to choose the way he dies. Battle is the only one that seemed best, but as always, fate (or whathaveyou) decides otherwise.
He ends up encountering a young girl with crippled feet. She won't be able to get to shelter on her own, let alone feed herself with the supplies that have to be scavenged for. There is a selfishness in him that wasn't wholly there before. It tells him to abandon her because he has his own goals and whims to appease. It tells him there's still time to try to call the Doctor here.
Flamebringer shakes these thoughts off. ]
I could be doing better. [ It is what he says as he kneels down. ] Let's do what you said - find some shelter and rest a bit.
no subject
This man was not on the list Sebastian had prepared for her of people that she might be able to trust in his mysterious absence. Sieglinde suspected, even, that he may be Meridian, which would put him at odds with the side she herself had chosen. Yet despite that... he seemed willing to lend her aid. And for that, she is grateful.]
My apartments... or, what used to be my apartments, are rather some distance away still...
[When the man kneels, Sieglinde uses her perch in his arms to look about the destruction, trying to find landmarks.]
Can you see anywhere closer we might shelter for a time?
no subject
[ What else can he say? It's best to have her be somewhere familiar amidst all this. He isn't the type to shield or protect people from harsh realities. The children of Rhodes lived it, and wouldn't appreciate candied words to ease their suffering. ]
Yeah. [ Flamebringer jerks his head towards some broken half-wall. It looks like it is shaded well enough, anyway, with how the sun's hitting it. A good place to rest before heading to the next shady spot. ] We'll stop there just for a bit. Ten-fifteen minutes, maybe, before moving on. Should be enough for both of us to catch our breath.
[ He starts towards where he gestured. ]
I'm Flamebringer. But I hope to not bring any flames right now.
2A.
[ His hand finds hers gently, as she reaches and seeks someone that has gone before her.
Despite that he is plagued by the tug-of-war between Meridian and Zenith energies, Bondrewd lacks the ability to despair — if anything, he finds it all engrossing. Every moment, he learns something new about those around him. Every moment, he becomes a little more enamored with the structure of the world of Kenos. However, others ail. They struggle and hurt, and the Green Witch he had met so long ago now is wan, exhausted before him. She "wakes" from a difficult vision, it seems. One that he sees in the way her brow knits, the way her mind and voice call for loved ones.
Behind him, the hazy, bright shape of a small girl lingers; her face obscured, her hands fastened tenderly to the end of his coat. To the sway of his tail, which moves solely because it is hardwired to his spine. If he has a spine. He has to have a spine. Maybe? ]
You are unwell. Please, allow me to fix your hair —
[ Even as he says it, he cradles her small hand in his. Folding his other palm over the top of it, awaiting her permission. ]
no subject
Master Bondrewd--
[She almost flinches away, having not expected him, of all people, to be by her makeshift bedside, but in the end the warmth and almost protective clasp of his hands forbids her from doing so. He is grounding, in that moment, when she has so little that seemed real, when she is surrounded by ghosts, and she...
Sieglinde's hand tightens on his. She swallows.]
I do not believe now is the time for that, of all things...
[But that isn't a no on having her hair fixed. In fact, she imagined it would mean he was... helping. Capable of just being a help instead of taking everything on to be the helper.]
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[ Large as he is, with hands as broad as they are, he is intensely delicate when he begins to take stray strands of her hair between his fingers and guide them back into place. Her hair is a complex, beautiful pattern that deserves to be tidied; perhaps, because he remembers young ladies of her age are interested in presenting themselves in precise ways to their peers. ]
You are stripped of the means to meet your basic needs, and thus dehumanized, in this place. No wonder you are struggling.
[ There is no judgment in his voice, as he explains this to her. It is simply a point of view, a reason that he focuses on her wild appearance instead of the obscurity of what she has seen, what she had been haunted by before she 'woke'. He aligns the stray hairs with a thumb, tucking them back among one another with great patience, without rushing. ]
Would you like to discuss the 'Wolfram' you called out to? You may count on me to attend you in the meanwhile, Green Witch.
02.A
[ Sieglinde is met by a flat reply when she wakes, Dark's expression unimpressed. The blue of his eyes move down the small stretch of her reaching arm, and after a beat, he sighs before taking her hand in his own. He squeezes it. ]
Is that your boyfriend's name? I thought there were only women where you came from.
[ It doesn't sound like a lady's name, so Dark can only guess that the little witch found a little warlock boyfriend in the woods. Something like that. ]
no subject
But she... No, she does pull her hand back suddenly, though there was a long hesitance before she does so. Who was this, they felt as if she'd met them before, they knew of her village, but by sight--]
Wh- What business is it of...
[It had to be that man, did it not? Sieglinde holds her own hand, skin still quite pale from her feverish vision, panting slightly as she tries to catch her breath. Dignified, she must... she must remain dignified, befitting her station-]
- He is not my boyfriend, he is my manservant.
[Nevermind that she had always assumed he would actually be the father of her eventual heir if no other men happened to wander into the witch wood when the time was right.]
He is the only exception...
[And, she thinks... a bit more loyal hound dog, at times, than man. A thought which leaks into their chaotically sensitive Communion whether she likes it or not.]
no subject
[ Dark thinks aloud. He senses Sieglinde’s feelings towards Wolfram, like those towards a pet, in the pause that follows, through the runny connection between them. ]
Sorry, but Wolfram’s not here.
[ Dark pays no mind to the fact that Sieglinde has withdrawn herself from him and invasively reaches to sift her bangs back in place and help tidy herself. He’s memorized how she likes to present herself by now— her usual appearance elegant, and sort of like a doll’s. ]
Better. You look more like yourself now, minus the plants growing out of you.
[ Not that Dark’s any different. A tangle of black thorns has emerged from the sides of his skull, framing his hair in a wreath-like way. He hasn’t complained yet though, because he thinks he looks sort of like Jesus. ]
How the hell did Wolfram wind up in an all girls' forest?
[ Because Dark envies him now. ]
2a
After all, Meridian warring inside of him has left him similarly conflicted, even if he made his decision in confidence.]
Calm yourself. You've been having a nightmare.
[It's not the correct term, he knows, but it's close enough.]