⏳ THE SCORCHING ISLE: Oracle Event One ⏳

[beleos]

ARRIVAL

All Bearers have heard whispers of them - the Oracles. Mysterious and unknown entities of an abstract nature, they serve as the heart of each faction’s cause - both as a means to an end and a very real stepping stone in achieving their objectives. To claim an Oracle means growing ever closer to victory: to see your homes restored as they were, or to herald in a new one of your making.

So you go.

A Cornerstone has been set up for each faction; one for the Zenith and one for the Meridian in Yima’s manor and Heliopolis, respectively. They warn you that upon transportation, your safety cannot be guaranteed and there is no telling what waits for you beyond - to be prepared. To make sure you have whatever you deem necessary with you before you go, as there is no telling when - or how - you will be coming back. CONTINUED HERE...

NOTES

Upon your arrival, you woke up with an HOURGLASS NECKLACE. Please refer to the Time Mechanics on the OOC Summary and bottom of this post for details on its usage.

The COURTYARD is frozen in time. Player Characters and the Great Tree are the only signs of moving, free life in the courtyard. During the intro, time magic does not work.

Characters are free to investigate but cannot move beyond the courtyard if you choose a prompt during the intro. You may mingle among your fellow Bearers or speak with [MR. TIBBS] if you so choose. (Also? LOOK AT HIM HELP)

Iconoclasts and Stargazers will notice Aspect benefits/detriments now.

All characters will be weak for the 24 hours - think like mild flu - and unable to leave until Mr. Tibbs has dispersed them. This is the time in which any threads with the NPC will be carried out.

The INTRO concludes with said dispersal of PC’s once interactions concluded. They will be sent to a location around the castle of your choosing; they are free to move about freely from here. Your prompts can start with you waking alone or in the presence of others - whatever you’d like!

Your character will innately understand how to use time magic from this point forward. It will come naturally to them, like a skill they were born with.

CASTLE: OVERVIEW (p a s t)

The Scorching Isles is home to the Atirat, a people of sea-dwellers who have the ability to walk on land. (Think mermaids with the ability to shift back and forth between human and mermaid forms.) As such, much of the Scorching Isles is covered in large bodies of blue water and glistening pieces of ice to accommodate their lifestyle.

THE CASTLE, however, is what dominates the landscape and it's where the Shard-Bearers will be spending their time. The white castle with colorful glass windows is obscured by a thick layer of clouds and fog. Nearly every location on the island has a thin layer of fog that rolls through it, which gives the entire Island an inescapable chill. The castle has artfully built rooms with a CAVALCADE OF DECORATIVE ICE, lavish mirrors, and white plants accented with blue decorations. Several portions of the castle are submerged due to the aquatic nature of the native residents.

And everywhere you go, you find them - STATUESQUE BODIES FROZEN mid-movement. They are haunting reminders of the power in your Hourglass - the very real power to decide their fates.

The castle has many winding paths to explore, as castles often do. There are sleeping quarters, HALLWAYS, a wine cellar, and a few large rooms presumably for diplomatic affairs. Players can use these rooms at their own leisure for whatever purposes they see fit. (Exploration, combat, or supply gathering.)

However, many of these rooms will require some strategy to access their full potential! Atirat were much more comfortable being underwater than many Kenosians may be. Therefore, rooms of higher importance may be COMPLETELY SUBMERGED or require swimming through an underwater pathway to reach them. Very minimal supplies will be kept out in the open for all to reach. More desirable supplies - such as warm clothing, small weapons, treasure, and the like - will be located past or within one of these flooded areas.

Players may gather supplies within and preserve their Sand or use their Sand to make other rooms accessible and gather whatever lies within! The larger the asset you attempt to unfreeze, the more Sand it costs - and the more drained/vulnerable you will be as a consequence, so choose your path ahead wisely.

Currently, a pervasive fog is preventing you from wandering beyond the Castle's limits. Should you try to venture past it, your Sand will rapidly be stolen and you will find yourself suffering the same fate as the islanders if you don't move back to safety quickly... However, if you ask Mr. Tibbs what lays beyond the mist - he will tell you about the thriving farmland, the once-bustling village surrounding the castle, and the beautiful coral reefs beneath it. Sadly, they're beyond your reach - but maybe if the Bearers decide to unfreeze them when the week is up...

LIBRARY (s a f e z o n e)

The ROYAL LIBRARY - A treasure trove of knowledge, history, and glimpses of a fractured past scattered throughout. The lower floor of the Library is void of much reading material and contains several intricate-looking art pieces on decorative pedestals.

A spiral staircase dominates the center of the room, with its once delicate structure overtaken by sheets of formidable ice; it leads you toward the upper levels where a sea of books awaits. There are isles and isles of books, most perched on intricately carved shelves. Many books lay in piles or are discarded onto the floor, and scattered papers are common throughout.

Curious Kenosians may pick out books from the shelves and read on various topics, but players may also pass through this room on their way elsewhere. This area will function as a safe haven where violence and the taking of others' Sand is not allowed; do not disturb the books or Mr. Tibbs won’t be happy!

NOTES

Characters who wish to receive a book with lore specific to the island may comment [HERE]. You will be RNGed a book from a pre-written list of topics. The books may give you a deeper look into the island, its inhabitants, and its history! (Only 1 book per player! Please assume all other books they read are about commonly-available topics.)

THE EATING PARLOR (p a s t)

There are no basic amenities on the island. No hot water, no warm beds, and no salacious magazines (that you know of. heh heh). That would make the Eating Parlour a wise stop for anyone. After all, this could be the perfect chance to procure some provisions!

The EATING PARLOUR has all the equipment one would need for meal preparation. Dried plants hang from the ceiling, and the walls are lined with mason jars filled with every strange manner of presumably edible thing (Is that a head over there? Hmm… maybe you should check).

The parlour also comes with a garden under a massive windowed dome so that the inhabitants could have fresh produce at hand. Many plants have withered, but there are some salvageable plants if you know how to look for them. But beware… Some of the plants have a strange blue glow. These plants can spell potential disaster.

If someone should make contact with these glowing plants, they will crumble into glass shards - glass that will quickly burrow its way under the skin and curse that person with Blight. Blight will make all resources within that person's vicinity slowly age and eventually crumble to dust. (Which I relate to on a personal level tbh.) Iconoclasts will be immune to its effects.

NOTES

Please see the "Blight" section below for more information on its effects.

TREASURE ROOM (f u t u r e)

Faint singing can be heard coming from this room. Once you hear the song, it dulls your senses and leaves you in a haze. There is no stopping your feet from guiding you to it through the doors and into the Treasure room. The door slams shut at your back, sealed with a wall of ice and magic.

Players will find themselves lured to an icy chamber bordered by a ring of cold blue fire. There is a deep pond that surrounds the platform you’ve found yourself standing on. Beyond its glassy surface and crystal clear water, one can glimpse all manner of treasures - from crowns, jewels, ornate statues in various statues of repair, scepters, spears, and books that seem impervious to the water's cold chill.

As you come to your senses, you will find yourself frozen in place and at the mercy of a large statuesque being before you. This beautiful and horrifying figure in a perpetual song is the SIREN, the only Atirat you’ve seen in person. She measures nearly 20 feet (6 meters) from her head to the tip of her long-finned tail. She cradles an icy shard in her arms, singing to it as if it were a child.

She sits serenely in front of a large hourglass filled with white sand, which is bordered by a spear and a lance. Emblazoned in faint text at the base of where she sits reads: “The future lies in our hands.”

NOTES

Welcome to the Siren’s Chamber! Players must use their wit, charisma, or some good ol' fashioned elbow grease to escape the room or break the Siren’s magic. The Shard that the Siren holds contains dormant time magic that players may activate by using the Sand within their necklace. Players can access the future in 5-second intervals and use whatever they find in that time period to escape their predicament.

For example, if they activate the shard by using their time magic, that shard will begin to glow blue. The room around them will shift, and it could change to a point in the future where there is a sword nearby. If you can grab it, now you have a weapon! When the 5 seconds are up and time returns to the present, you will still have that weapon on your person. You may also try verbal communication if you’d like. If your character is someone who would try and talk their way out of a situation diplomatically, they may give it a try!

It is up to player discretion/creativity to think of a scenario you’d like. Each “future" does not have to be the same across player encounters! What one group experiences may be tailored to the player wants (because branching timelines exist). Let your imagination run free!

HALL OF MIRRORS (p r e s e n t)

Should you reach the rightmost wing of the massive castle Library, you will find a door hidden in the very back of one aisle against a wall; it looks as though the door used to be concealed by magicks that have since dissolved.

The stairwell leads down and into darkness. Once you reach the bottom, shimmering light cast from an unknown source beneath sheets of glistening ice will illuminate your new surroundings; you are in a maze of mirror-like ice. This labyrinth is silent save for the quiet creaking of shifting ice that may disquiet you and leave you uneasy regarding the stability of this area… but it holds beneath your feet.

Mr. Tibbs had told you that the “Kaleidoscope” - where your Sand is counted - rests through here, so eventually, you must brave the journey. Is it a trick of the light? Maybe the product of an especially active imagination…?

Did you just see one of your reflections move without you?

NOTES

Please refer to the OOC Summary for details on the Hall of Mirrors!

THE BLIGHT and TIME MECHANICS

BLIGHT

Blight is an infliction that will age supplies and infect people with a creeping disease that steals their Sand. For objects, this includes weapons, food, and items like cloth. It will take a few days to deteriorate things beyond use - so watching your supplies and acting accordingly is in your best interest. Generally, it will make it more difficult for PC's to get by given that their already scarce resources will dwindle and deteriorate - especially since it's 'contagious' through touch.

The Blight will not act quickly enough to severely hamper infected persons, but repeated exposure will cause effects to a person's body - notedly protruding VEINS in the face and extremities, a lower body temperature, and increased agitation. These effects start out mild and grow more severe with each 'dose.'

Characters must touch an object/person that is Blighted to become inflicted with Blight themselves. When that happens, it will become easily identifiable as Blighted from the faint blue, shimmering outline around the infected subject, as well as the WITHERED, FROSTBITTEN or ashy appearance it takes as it progresses.

However, there is one single perk with Blight. (Or is it a perk?) Players will feel reduced impact by the cold surroundings, making the climate around them somewhat more hospitable. Beware of falling victim to a chill you can't feel...

TIME

To use your Sand, each character is granted access to and innate knowledge of a spell they channel from their Shard that automatically manipulates their Hourglass. This allows the remote control of Sand (aka gathering and dispersing), as well as the ability to pull Fragments of time from Shards.

Fragments are literal pieces of you taken from your Shard. They manifest as memories or images displayed on little shards of broken glass (think of the memory being played out in real-time on the mirror's surface), and can be crushed to convert into Sand automatically, either voluntarily or by force. The only stipulation is that the parties must be close to one another, and the Fragment must be exchanged while both Bearers are still. This means someone has to give it to you, or you need to immobilize them before you take it - one way or another.

Once the Fragment is crushed, the memory and associated time of that person's life is lost and your character will suffer amnesia until the Oracle is claimed. How deep this goes is up to you; they could lose a large chunk of time - even all their memories surrounding a person or place for a big payload of Sand, or they could lose very little for a meager net gain.

Sand is automatically gathered or distributed by your Hourglass and added/subtracted to your running total. No need to micromanage. Convenient!

Please note that using Sand to unfreeze anything (resources, a door which can be then opened, etc) is an unpleasant experience. Each time you use Sand in this way, your character will be left feeling weakened and flu-like for an hour or two, which will leave them vulnerable. This effect stacks and scales up to outright KO-ing them for a few hours if they go crazy, so unfreezing too large of an area is off the table!

NOTES

• An OOC POST will be coming shortly explaining how Sand is going to be tallied and the Oracle claimed.
• Should your character attempt to unfreeze any NPC's, please respond [HERE]. NOTE: unfreezing NPC's may result in physical violence with CW's for severe mental instability/illness and a potential reference to self-harm.
• HAVE FUN!!!

CODING

Comments

[subsist]

They were rather eager to get started, weren't they? [ get started with BLOODSHED, sure, ]

That's too bad though. I would have loved to hear what sorts of embarrassed responses you managed to get.

[wolof]

[ Akua watched as Hayame reared back, as powerful as any Liessen Charger, and the glass shattered to pieces under her hooves. She had... rarely had the opportunity to see Hayame in battle, or truly observe her. Their paths had often taken them toward different goals, but seeing it now --

My.

Akua knew and appreciated power more than anything else, she always had. The pursuit of it was inherently Praesi, inherently villainous, but more than that, she could appreciate what a powerful ally Hayame represented at that moment, in watching her crush underneath her hooves. It's one thing to know, and it's another to see it, and understand.

Her lips curled, though, because Hayame's words -- the other Hayame's words -- cut deep, not just to the woman they were directed at, either. She had believed such a thing too, that people made one weak, and relying on them even more so. She had nursed at the altar of iron sharpens iron, and had killed a girl she'd been close to with her own two hands, to remind her that she must never be close. ]

Do you really think having allies is pathetic?

[ She asked -- it is not directed at Hayame, but at the mirrors. ] Or a lover?

[ She had, of course. She snapped a finger, and an entire line of the mirrors shattered, in sequence, as if affected by an earthquake, even though the ground was still. ]

It is no such thing, to find support to fill those gaps we each hold, and a hard lesson that we must learn.

[ Her eyes slid to Hayame then, as if it were for her. ]

[wolof]

[ She laughed, a soft note, as she nodded. ]

Indeed. I harmonized rather quickly. I would not see myself without my gift for long. It is... unpleasant. And besides, we should really only deal with one measure of powerlessness. To experience more...

[ She could deal with the powerlessness of purpose. She would make her own, after all. To have not her gift and no purpose though... she could not imagine such a thing.

She'd lived without her magic once before -- well. Lived is not quite the right term, but... She did not intend to do so again. ]

I suppose, at the end of the day, we must find our purpose, regardless of what Yima or Cyrus ask of us. [ Her Sunbeam bead rest in her hair, an announcement to all as to who she supported. She made no secret of her alignment. ]

I found that the promises of one were too far even for me, but... I do not intend to follow along like a horse on a lead. Do you?

[cutlery]

[ The question is a surprise to him, and it’s open in his expression. He had expected something about how the cold wouldn’t effect him or some little hints he had dropped while they had been speaking. So, just in that reaction, it probably answers Douman’s core curiosity about whether the word is capitalized or not, but he hums out a thoughtful note before he answers. ]

Well… A person in the employ of another, but with a particular power dynamic behind it. A servant need not feel loyalty in their heart, but they are expected to at least make a show of it.

[ It’s a perfectly earnest answer, and even in the more loaded context of Sebastian’s Covenants, he wouldn’t phrase it any differently. The stakes may be more intense, but how he carries himself will always be the same. So, naturally, he’s curious why Douman would ask. ]

If I may, does it ring differently for you?

[cutlery]

[ It’s not the question that he expects in response, but rather than surprise, his expression just turns thoughtful as he thinks about it. But the more he explains, the more it definitely shifts to one more appropriate to a harried babysitter… ]

…Well. I shall say that the young master was extraordinarily demanding. I had to learn very quickly as a necessity for his goals, but also for a lack of anyone else to tend to him, at least at the beginning… There were some things I knew a bit, but he still had a high standard. I would say mastering everything he needed took three months or so? I learned cooking the quickest, as it is inconveniently so necessary for humans. To think, they want three meals a day.

[ No wonder they were so weak, he’d joke, but he keeps that to himself. With his garments neatly folded by the time he’s finished up his explanation, he turns back to Teacher and gives a little shrug. ]

Why do you ask?

[cutlery]

[ He is indeed being sized up, and Sebastian makes no effort to hide it. His gaze is casual as he takes in details: David’s stance, the odd lines on his face, a guess at how strong he may be through his musculature… It’s not openly hostile, but still. There’s something to just how casually Sebastian seems to take this that’s definitely arrogant. ]

I may. Or I may be collecting it for those that have a bit more difficulty making the dive.

[ Sebastian cants his head as his attention refocuses on David’s eyes. He is curious how he managed. It’s not something he thinks impossible, but it’s definitely interesting. However, business being business, he has to set aside his curiosity for the moment. There’s a more practical question at hand. ]

I do not believe we have met. If you are newly arrived, have you made your choice of alliance?

[cutlery]

[ Sebastian makes a lightly interested noise as Reigen offers the card, and he takes it with a polite bow of his head. His brow draws together as he starts to read it. Or, more accurately, attempts to. He has a little familiarity with Japanese thanks to Mr. Tanaka and a bit of personal interest what with the interest at the time with the country, but it’s still not immediate. There are characters that he knows, some he doesn’t, and naturally things like “fax” and “email” are right out. ]

Indeed. I would call my work contract work, essentially, since it is has been very broad in my life… Most recently it was much more literally the service industry, though, as I was the head butler of the Earl of Phantomhive.

[ It’s about then he has his best guess at what the card is saying, so he looks up from it with curiosity. ]

Do forgive me, as my Japanese is at a novice level at best… This is something about spirits, is it?

[goldendeceiver]

[ Whether they got some good pulls or not really remains to be seen with these books, but the otter picture in Zhongli's book is certain interesting. Ernesto will, in fact, take that somewhat subpar available chair as he looks over that image. ]

Mmm, I'd guess a good long while.

[ Ernesto sets down his own find, quickly flipping through the completed looking images, until he gets to the back with a very similar family photo of the royals and their otter friend. ]

[wolof]

[ Akua's spell, half-formed though it is, lacks the bite yet to do more than weather Misa's mage hand slipping through it. The letters are the manifestation of High Arcana, and if Misa tries to remember the shape of them later, they will literally not be formed. The beauty of High Arcana was that they couldn't be known by anyone who didn't know it to begin with -- which made it difficult to teach of course -- and really, most mages couldn't learn it anyway.

They vanished from sight, and Akua looked the hand over, before she smiled, and touched it lightly. ]

Funny? I can imagine this could be used to devastating effect. Imagine... [ She says, and she pointed to her hourglass, and the mirror-glass shard with it, a reflection of memories from Calernia, the flash of dark wings across the surface, for the briefest of moments. ]

You could simply reach in and take it, if I weren't prepared for that, yes?

[ Her golden eyes met Misa, and she snapped her fingers, the working sealed into place, a small glyph shone on the ground, before it vanished from sight. ]

Don't worry though, dear. I am not so militant to simply take for no reason.

[ Well, she wouldn't, but her hourglass and shard were exposed, weren't they? ]

[wolof]

[ Akua -- the real one -- is encased in a wreath wiggling letters and magic, the seeping, creeping flow of magic closed first the hole her other self had crafted in the air, so they wouldn't continuously gain velocity over and over. Beneath Amos, he'll see a slight shimmer, like something was there to catch him, and slow his fall, while her other self slammed against a surface. The doppelganger's lips were moving, a flash of letters -- squiggly, undiscernible -- spread before her, and Akua, who knew High Arcana felt her breath leave her in a rush.

She wouldn't? Would she?

It was difficult to summon what she was trying, but she was the Diabolist, and summoning Demons was a dangerous art that she knew all too well. ]

Fine her source.

[ She bit out, as a binding of magic was flung at her younger self before it was swallowed. ]

She's going to summon a demon, and I will not be able to wrest it from her!

[ Her voice picked up over the howling sounds of wind, of an electric fire splitting in the fabric of a reality beyond a mirror, like she was summoning it from the mirror itself. She hissed, and threw another blocker, another few spells in the way, the magic whipped into a torrent as Akua tried to drain the magic itself from her younger self, but it only served to increase Keter's Due, and Akua's doppelganger forced more power into it.

The shadow that started to pool from the mirror was vile, as if the very ground it touched hissed and bubbled, like it was corrupting from its very atoms. ]

[zauneyete]

[ Silco may be no warrior, but he grew up a street kid from one of the meanest cities on Runeterra. He only flipped a glance toward the loosened grip. The man had heard him coming and reacted accordingly. He's trying to play on Silco's over-confidence. Thankfully, he's cautious, and he straightened, his knife still in hand, but he played with it, instead of circling. ]

I don't really care about the benefits.

[ He admitted, bluntly. ]

The place I came from is gone, and recreating it would be an insult. They would rather stay dead, than recreate the world around them. What purpose is better than sealing the deal?

[ After all, Silco wouldn't be caught dead recreating Piltover along with Zaun, even if he is putting words in their mouths. ]

Besides, what interests me isn't Highstorm, here.

[ It's Kowloon, obviously. ]

[epiprocta]

[ Sand procured, Gen simply doesn't think about Reigen very much for the next two days or so. In fact, he almost forgets about Reigen entirely. No offense to the man, but he has plenty else to worry about -- like fucking survival -- and the too-chatty ramblings of a clearly delusional, insane man aren't worth the mental real estate they'd take up.

So it's not until he's making his way through the library later on during this whole fiasco, when he turns a corner in search of a quiet corner and finds himself staring at Reigen walking down the aisle in his direction, that he remembers what a fucking pain in the ass this guy was. ]

-- tch.

[ Was that a click of the tongue? It sure was. Gen isn't even subtle about it, his expression clearly crinkled in distaste and that dismissive noise practically echoing through the aisles as he immediately does a 180 and starts to leave.

Except it sure is hard walking away from someone in disgust when you've just gotten your ass beat, and you're limping so bad you're forced to lean against the shelves just to stay upright. ]

[epiprocta]

[ Unfortunately, the other person stuck duking it out in the labyrinth is not the adorable Mr. Tibbs, who (hypothetically) would have provided a good show whether he was winning or losing his fight.

It's Gen. And he's losing.

In his defense, he's fucking exhausted. He's resilient against the cold, but only to the extent that a normal person is, and this place is cold. Not to mention the scarcity of food, and the constant threat of someone coming for his sand whenever he comes out foraging. He'd already been worn-out by the time he'd stumbled upon this labyrinth, and when a fucking doppelganger had starting gunning for him, his day had only gone from bad to worse. ]

-- so much for being a protector! [ The doppelganger's taunts echo off the countless mirrors, lending that simulacrum of Gen's voice an extra eerie edge. Heavy boots thump off the ground as it lunges in, giving a wide swing of its mace; a blow that Gen just barely dodges, gasping for air as he stumbles back, wide-eyed and clearly frazzled. ] Couldn't protect him and can't even protect yourself!

[ There's another swing of the mace that crushes into the floor, followed by the scrabble of bootsoles against the ground as Gen scrambles to put some distance between himself and his copy, if only for a moment, so he can regroup. But the moment he rounds a corner, it brings him almost face to face with Han Sooyoung.

The series of emotions that crosses his face are both very vivid and easy to read. Shock, that someone is here. Relief, that maybe they can help? And then -- confusion and disappointment, because why the fuck, of all people, does it have to be that porn thief that's here. Hence, his indignant hiss of: ]

-- the hell're you doing here?!

[epiprocta]

[ The kick definitely catches the doppelganger off-guard. So much of its focus had been on tracking the gleaming edge of Dextera's sword, wary of the damage it could cause, that it had underestimated Dextera's next movement. Even if it attempts to dodge back, it's not quite enough; Dextera's heel ends up catching it just below the ribcage, and it buckles as it staggers back a step.

Of course, with Dextera left so wide-open in the follow-through of that kick, it's quick to lunge back in afterwards, aiming to bash Dextera's head in.

Lucky, then, that Gen's recovered enough to deal some damage of his own, by now.

His own mace swings heavy to strike the doppelganger's side, the impact weighty enough to knock it off its feet and send it skidding across the ground. It coughs, retches, and its voice comes strained when it speaks again; the jerkiness of its movements suggests it's definitely capable of feeling pain as much as the original. But even so, it's quick to stubbornly stagger back to its feet, leering at Gen and Dextera both even as its expression contorts with pain. ]

... are you sure you want this? [ It speaks to Gen, first. Gen, who looks slightly sick, still breathing in halting gasps, watching this monster wearing his face continue to speak. ] Bet you're going to be jealous. [ Its gaze slides over to fix on Dextera, focused and sharp and oddly bitter, even as it continues to speak to its original. ] Whether he kills me, or I kill him ... you'll be jealous either way, won't you. Sick fuck.

ii

[zauneyete]

Was the opener necessary?

[ Ugh Jiang, that got to be...a lot. ]

Thankfully, and I'm sure if you haven't figured it out by now, you will: death can also be cured.

It just takes a little extra time.

As long as you aren't shattered, at least.

[goldendeceiver]

[ Curious about literature in a way, sure. Ernesto really is just interested in the content of the books, in a vague hope that one of them might answer some of the questions regarding their current circumstances.

Not curious in the same was as this guy though. One ear twitches as he cants his head to the side, giving the book in David's hand a curious look. ]

The one I picked up didn't smell weird to me. Something off about that one?

[exhound]

[Amos’s successful strike is somehow both satisfying and dismaying. The most base instinct driving him to fight is pleased that they have gained an edge in this fight, proven that they have a chance to turn the tides before her strange magic sweeps over them again. Yet the more rational voice in the back of his head reminds him that he wanted to save the people of this island, not fight them, and seeing that dark blood splatter goes in direct opposition of that.

But that shriek of hers reminds him of what they are dealing with—that they need to focus on the here and now. If she catches them with her song it could be the end of them.

Vander rushes forward, his unadorned hand darting forward to grab that spear she barely managed to hold onto, his armed fist held at the ready if she tries to retaliate. It’s a hell of a gamble, banking on the chance at disarming her even if it puts him in the dangerous position right before her with the threat of her song imminent, but there's no time to think it through. Internally, he is flinching at the thought of being frozen in such close proximity, even as he speaks once more.]

You don’t need to do this! We can stop this right here and now.

[The conflicting aim of one last plea, one more chance to buy Amos time as he raises his sword from his conspicuous mid-air position.]

[zauneyete]

[ Silco had been following the two of them. He'd not seen the man since that first day at the party for Zenith's new potential recruits, and so he'd made the assumption -- perhaps accurately -- that he'd gone elsewhere. No matter for Silco, not everyone is perfect, and not everyone has the mettle to destroy and rend the world around them. Silco, for all of his flaws, knew what cost that had. Knew it better than most, to give it up, even if he thought that it was for the best -- after all, letting Zaun float to the bottom of the river that was oblivion was far better than bringing Piltover back with it -- and tucked away in his rooms in Highstorm was...

The only thing that actually mattered, regardless.

He crept closer, invisible, silent, his feet padded on the ground with his soft leather boots as he came close, ignoring the pack of people close by, all of them machined, electric, and neon. It's almost like Zaun, if perhaps it were in a book of futuristic technology and excess. One of them, he eyed with a quirk of his lips, before he reached up, that prize so obvious on David's neck.

Silco is careful though, he isn't a fool. Down the hallway, there's a soft thp thp of steps, before a howling cacophony highlighted the frame of three of these guys, big-daddy looking motherfuckers lit in neon green and a sickening, ill looking purple smoke in their helmets, obscuring their faces, and they surrounded a woman, big, but not that big, a cape covered one of her arms. I'm sure it's nothing. She had a cigar in her mouth, as she took a final drag, before she tossed it aside, and tipped her head silently toward the group.

The sand was worth it, he suspected. He'd collect it at the end, but more importantly, as they were turning toward them, Silco reached out, to try and snap a piece off of David's mirror-shard.

But how fast does David turn toward the commotion? ]

[ktizo]

"Of course... I shall free only one, and if they're entirely uncooperative then we needn't unfreeze any more."

He wishes he could help these people, of course. But he knows better than to think he can unfreeze everyone.

"I think between the both of us, we can handle them." Not that he knows if Byleth is capable in combat, but... something about him seems to suggest he is.

"Where would be the best place to do this, do you think?" Where would the most relevant person be?

[exhound]

[There’s a flash of surprise—almost angry—as the gauntlet collides with an invisible force. So, Silco had that little trick up his sleeve too? Vander knew he wouldn’t be the only one keeping busy during these last few months, and it served as a reminder that he didn’t truly know what Silco could be capable of in a world like this. He needed to be on his guard.

He took a careful step back, then another. Winced as that wound in his back sang a pointed reminder of its presence. He needed to get through this before things got any worse.]

There’s no justifying any of this—this pointless feud.

[The words were both angry and so damn exhausted. What the hell did they have left to fight over with everything gone? Old memories, old mistakes perpetuated over and over again? (He already knew the answer, loathed to acknowledge it—they wound up on different sides of this budding conflict for a reason, after all.)

His wounded hand slid over to rest upon the other gauntlet that remained on the table beside him, though his gaze never left Silco.]

We can do this song and dance over and over, but it’s not going to get us anywhere.

[He knows he may as well be trying to persuade a brick wall, but Vander wouldn’t be Vander if he didn’t at least try.]

[ktizo]

[It is a strange sight, one that has Hythlodaeus staring for a good moment before he takes a step forward. He doesn't manifest his bow, not yet, but he's ready to should he need to.]

Perhaps. Do you need assistance?

[He eyes the mirror- he doesn't like the sound of those insults, but perhaps more disturbing is the smile Douman wears as they're sent his way.]

You should not heed the mirror's words.

[Or should he? Hythlodaeus wouldn't know what kind of man Douman is, but somehow... it doesn't seem like listening to the insults is doing him any good.]

[ktizo]

"I found a book that concerns the use of time magic on livestock, for meat." He hands over the book in question.

"So no, I didn't spend all of it dozing. Just most of it." He chuckles, rubbing his eyes. He wishes he could wake up some... well, that nap seems to have helped a little, he supposes.

[ktizo]

"Hm! He must be quite powerful indeed." Hythlodaeus certainly couldn't manifest anything out of water. Not that he really needed to, of course.

"That will do just fine, I think." Taking the cup, he unfreezes something to strain the leaves with and also a spoon. Then he closes his eyes briefly, leaning against a counter as he tries to shake off the wave of tiredness that envelopes him. Why must this trip be so difficult?

"Forgive me... I need but a moment."

[ktizo]

Interesting! I have never heard a name quite like yours before.

[He nods- she has a point.]

The library would indeed be where one would look first for information. Alas, I am still more used to exploring than this.

[Her happiness doesn't feel quite right, but perhaps she's simply scared in this castle. To try to make her feel more at ease, he pats her arm gently.]

Pray do not worry yourself here. We may be tired, but this is a safe area. And even if it were not, I can certainly defend us both!

[He wonders if Ruby can fight... but surely if she could, she wouldn't be so frightened?]

no worries!! dw truly loves eating notifs and for what

[sanguinary]

[At least one of them is vibin with the idea of Exciting Things (and maybe otter murder) Happening on this trip. Matsui picks up the bookmark, pinching it between his thumb and forefinger and gazing at the red-which-may-be-blood.]

I am unsurprised to see that the otter has made enemies in the past, given the greeting we received... I wonder which of them thought to write this.