⏳ 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

kaeya alberich ◆ zenith ◆ advocate

[subsist]

( ooc. closed starters go here! feel free to ping me if you'd like one. 💙 )

ʜᴇɪɴᴇ.

[subsist]

— things left uncovered.
library

[ A game to play is a game that needs to be won.

That's the only outcome that Kaeya thinks is acceptable, especially when the fate of a precious Shard rests on which side will be the victor or not. However, such is an outcome that he's in no rush to push towards, not after his harrowing experience with an attempt to commune with the Great Tree. The cacophany of screams still rings quite loudly in his ears, and if he isn't careful, he thinks he might lose his balance once more.

So — he takes it easy for the time being, opting to explore what the Library has to offer in terms of any information that might prove useful in this endeavour (and others). After all, just because they're on a different island doesn't mean he's going to stop caring about whatever is going on with the possibility of artificial Shards and such, but there's a part of him that doubts he'll find anything noteworthy here.

Still, this gives him something to do while he attempts to power through the dizzy spells that come and go. It's not long before he recognizes someone who stands out amongst the rest — white hair and red eyes are about as unique as a combination can get. ]

Oh, hello. So you've managed to escape safely from the Below.

[ You know, he would say Heine's name, but they never did introduce themselves to each other, did they? It figures. ]

[halsband]

[The designation of the library as a place where violence is prohibited should mean it's the last place for Heine to spend time in, but he's been here for a while, looking through books and being careful to put them back where they don't belong. He's sitting slouched in a chair with his feet up on the table, a small uneven stack of books next to them and ready to topple over. He stares blankly at Kaeya as he approaches, obvious boredom seeping out into the atmosphere around him.]

Wish I hadn't. Better than dealing with that fucking dickface otter and this oracle bullshit.

[Heine moves his foot slightly, knocking over the books pointedly.]

Nothing interesting in there either.

[subsist]

[ If only Kaeya can share Heine's (lack of) enthusiasm, then perhaps he would be dealing with fewer headaches right now. Alas, he cares a bit too much for his own good, but he has his own reasons. He's sure Heine does too.

The books topple over when Heine moves his foot. Kaeya blinks at them, but he picks up the one that fell on the floor, flipping through its pages casually. ]

I suppose that all depends on what you consider interesting, hm? Are you looking for anything in particular?

[ It's not like he has anything better to do right now. He might as well help someone find what they're looking for, maybe. ]

[halsband]

[Heine shrugs a little, and tips back even further in his chair.]

You were the second person to mention experiments in the Below. I've got reasons to be interested in that.

[He reaches behind him to pull another book off a shelf without looking, shifts through it lazily, scanning for anything that grabs his attention.]

Whatever else, I'll know when I see it.

[There's a more focused look at Kaeya then.]

What are you looking for?

[subsist]

[ How Heine is managing to avoid tipping himself completely over is a miracle by itself. Kaeya takes a moment or two to marvel over that before getting back to the topic at hand. He returns the book he'd grabbed off the floor back on the shelf — probably the wrong place, but eh — and proceeds to pick another one to read through. ]

The second person, huh? I do wonder who else is interested in those things.

[ He can think of a few people. Maybe Silco? It wouldn't surprise him. ]

As for myself, I'm looking for the same thing as you. I have my reasons too.

[ A side-glance is tossed Heine's way. ]

Have you heard anything about what happened to a Zenith Shard-bearer named Manon?

[halsband]

[RNGing which tag that happens in now]

Weaselly guy with a robot eye.

[He taps underneath his eye for emphasis. It's Silco. Heine knows Kaeya had some kind of similar interest since the barfight, but having that confirmed as something he's specifically looking for means they might share some information if they find it. He doesn't care why Kaeya's interested, at least for the moment, so he doesn't ask. At the man's question, he sifts back through any conversations he'd had in Highstorm, but nothing's coming up.]

Nah. Never heard that name. Who is he?

ʙʏʟᴇᴛʜ.

[subsist]

— beyond the reflection.
hall of mirrors ✧ cw: choking

Traitor. It's no wonder he will never forgive you.

[ Every harsh whisper cuts through the silence. Like a dagger straight to the heart, Kaeya can feel those words dig into him where it hurts the most. He doesn't know how long it's been since he first step into this hall filled with mirrors, pieces of himself reflected through the glass surface where they can judge and admonish every single one of his missteps. It takes him a while to realize that there's really only one of them that he has to worry about, but with many other Kaeya's looking right at him, it's difficult to tell which one is real and which one isn't.

That's practically the last thing on his mind, given the hands around his throat that gradually tighten with every attempt to knock his doppelganger right off him.

He thinks he might have fought way harder earlier on. There was a desperate need to win, no matter how much the odds were stacked against him, but after many repeats of the same lines he'd told himself — that Diluc would never trust him again, that Diluc would never save him even if he was here — he shifts gear and focuses on countering what the spectre is saying instead.

He knows Diluc, he'd say. That man would never believe the things his doppelganger is insinuating. If his voice wavers and sounds uncertain, he'll blame it on the chokehold he's currently dealing with.

He'll find a way out of this mess. All he needs is an opening. ]

[fishfearme]

[It was a mere whim that Byleth had decided to explore this peculiarly out of the way door and descend the stairwell. After being told their mission - secure an Oracle before the Zenith faction - he had wasted no time conducting reconnaissance the moment they had free reign over the castle, and so was throwing himself at any nook and cranny with intense focus.

The moment he reached the bottom of this dark stairwell, however, he heard a voice - no, two? Multiple? That all sounded almost identical... either way, judging by the heightened emotions in them, it sounded as if some sort of fight was happening. Perhaps two parties had found a clue about the Oracle and were squabbling over it?

He lengthened his stride, entering this bizarre, mirror filled room - reflecting an image of an unknown man. Byleth's gaze skipped over the reflections, until he found two that looked rather corporeal, and... in the middle of murdering each other? Or, rather, one was attempting murder, and the other was trying - and failing - to fight his doppelganger off. Ah. Likely this room had some magical trap embedded in it. Well then.

Byleth didn't hesitate. In one smooth movement he unsheathed his blade and swept his free hand out, summoning a highly controlled burst of flame that snapped at the doppelganger's side and forced it to spring away from its victim to avoid nasty burns. Taking advantage of the newly formed space between victim and enemy, Byleth quickly bolted forwards and inserted himself between them, his blade angled in a guard position.]

Are you alright? [A quick glance over his shoulder, his blank expression conveying no concern despite his actions and words] I can protect you, if you need it.

[subsist]

[ There would have been more of an attempt at murdering the doppelganger if it hadn't gone after one of Kaeya's weaknesses. Diluc will always be a sore topic no matter how much time has passed (nevermind the thought of him basically being lost to the void—), a scar that never quite healed right. Stitched together as it is, Kaeya feels like he's about to fall apart at the seams.

This quickly turns into a looming possibility when a rush of flames (bright, burning, and alive) scares away the one on top of him, making it hiss as it reorients itself away from Kaeya and his saviour. For one, desperate, and pathetic split-second, he thinks to himself Diluc? and then quickly realizes the lack of red hair, red eyes. This is not the coming of dawn but rather smoke and ash, and Kaeya can taste the bitterness in his mouth.

His usual facade snaps back into place. He won't come undone here. ]

—my hero. [ He injects amusement into his voice, as if he didn't just come close to dying mere moments ago. ] I'll be just fine. You needn't worry about protecting me.

[ After all, this is his burden to bear.

His doppelganger takes the opportunity to dig into an opening. ]

You thought it was him, didn't you? Why would he bother saving the likes of you?

[ In order to shut it up, Kaeya sends a blast of pure Cryo energy down its way, hoping to freeze its mouth shut. All it does is send his spectre scurrying back into the shadows.

He turns to the other man. ]

Really, I can handle this.

[ Please be on your way. ]

[fishfearme]

Is that so? You were struggling before.

[Byleth's words and tone were blunt enough to bruise, but he eased out of his guard position and side-stepped a fraction, so he was standing at the man's side rather than standing protectively before him. His eyes scanned their surroundings, but the mirrors made it difficult to tell where their foe had slithered off to - no doubt scurrying about in the shadows, waiting for the time to strike like a viper in the grass.

Byleth could leave the man to it. He wasn't entirely helpless from the looks of it, but the nature of this magical trap seemed to work on psychologically torturing the individual to impair their rational thinking, and thus leave them vulnerable to attacks. Likely the man was concerned at whatever deep dark secrets the doppelganger would spill, or some other pride thing, but Byleth was unbothered by it all. If need be he will simply promise to forget all he saw and heard here after the situation was resolved.]

In any case, it's in my best interest to help you neutralise this threat, to ensure it doesn't endanger anyone else. I'll aid you, as and when you need it.

[subsist]

[ The spectre appears to have left them alone for the time being. Kaeya remains on high alert, keeping track of every mirror nearby, every reflection that might just turn on him once more. So far, nothing seems to be out of place so that allows him a moment to exhale slowly. He also takes the time to reorganize his thoughts, and think about what he wants to say. ]

I doubt it's interested in hurting anyone else. It might try to go after you, however, now that you've aggravated it.

[ He can't argue against the notion that it's probably a good idea to stick together for the time being. Not that he thinks he wouldn't be able to handle the spectre if it tried to attack him again, but if it continues to prey on things he'd rather keep close to his heart, then... ]

If you insist on sticking around, then I'd advise you to be on your guard.

[ Slowly, he finally rises to his feet, dusting himself off. There's some light bruising on his neck from the looks of it but he can only hope that will fade in time. He looks toward the path ahead of them. ]

I don't suppose you know the way out, do you? [ This maze is a nightmare. ]

[fishfearme]

[Byleth eyed the bruising around the man's neck before turning his gaze to their surroundings. He thought he would recall the path he took to get here - he had a very keen sense of direction - but the mirrors made him doubt his memory. This place was designed to disorientate. Very fiendish.]

I believe I came from this direction...

[He thinks. Anyway, it was better than standing still, waiting for the doppelganger to come at them again. However, he didn't move off immediately. He turned back to the other man and asked:]

Is your airway impaired by your near-strangulation? I can ease the swelling with my magic, if need be. It should only take a moment.

ᴛʏᴋɪ, ᴅɪᴍɪᴛʀɪ, & ᴄʜɪʟᴅᴇ.

[subsist]

— misunderstandings.
somewhere in the castle

[ Kaeya has always been affected by the cold more terribly than others despite having a Cryo Vision. One would think that he would be less bothered by the sudden drop in temperatures, but it's like nothing he does — no amount of bundling up or staying close to open flames — can ever soothe the chill that goes bone-deep. He's learned to live with it over the years. It's all he can ever do.

However, being here at the Scorching Isle (what an unfortunate name given the unfortunate circumstances) has reminded him of why he can't stand the cold. He hates it so much that he wishes he could be somewhere else, but alas, they have an Oracle to retrieve and an opposing faction to stop from succeeding. At least he has his priorities in order for the time being.

So there he goes, wandering down the castle halls in search of more sand to take. Trying to uncover the mysteries of what befell this particular island hasn't led him anywhere so he's focusing his efforts on gathering enough sand to figure out what resources will be valuable later. It doesn't take long for him to stumble upon a room that has a clustered group of frozen people gathered around what looks to be... an Hourglass?

There's no easy way to grab it either. He can't just reach in to take it for himself, not with the way some of them are holding onto it as if they're protecting the little thing with their very lives.

A wicked idea comes to mind almost immediately. The temperature in the surrounding area drops to an all-time low as pure Cryo energy manifests itself in his hand, something that would have frozen the Atirat holding onto the hourglass completely, making it possible for him to break them apart and take what he needs —

But the sound of approaching footsteps stops him from going through with it. He barely spares the other person a glance. ]

I found it first. I wouldn't try stealing this one from me.

[ A warning, just so it's out there. ]

[joyd]

[It is incredibly cold. Tyki had not expected the chill, and while he's resilient to most elements by a matter of nature and self-will, this is different. It doesn't seem to carry the same worldly impact he's used to; it's almost unnatural how it bleeds beneath skin, solidifying in muscle and bone. Worse, he can feel the presence of Joyd shifting restlessly beneath the barrier of his mind, clearly agitated — and his scars are burning in direct protest to the heavy burden of moving around in this place.

It's not an ideal situation in which to find himself.

Perhaps that's why he's in a bad mood. Or a reckless mood. It's a game they've been cast into, that much is clear to Tyki, and he's competitive enough to wish to win it. So when he enters the room and sees the hourglass, crowned by several hands frozen in time, the goal sets itself.

Yet he's not alone. Tyki's eyes flicker over to the other man, surveying, unable to quite mask the dark smirk that warps his lips. An opponent at last? The Pleasure in him is almost consumptive, overwhelming, at the thought.]

Finders keepers, eh? You sound pretty confident you can stop me. [It's only then that he notices the ice in that hand, calling to mind a couple of conversations now, as well as a familiar voice. Tyki's brow arches.] ... Hold on. Are you that frosty one? In that case, it seems we're on the same side.

[subsist]

[ Kaeya is ready to fight tooth and nail for the Hourglass if he must. It hardly matters to him if his opponent is powerful. He's faced a terrible dragon once before— little else can faze him. If it's a matter of losing the Oracle to the Meridian, then it's obvious what his next actions will entail, regardless of how much of a disadvantage he's in.

However, upon the revelation that this man is Tyki Mikk, his demeanour shifts minutely. An amused smile blooms carefully on his lips. ]

Is that so? Then, you better make yourself useful.

[ He isn't about to let his guard down just because he's with an ally. Trust is a precious commodity that he isn't willing to give up, especially when he knows little else about the motivations of other Zenites. There's no telling when one will stab him in the back so he gets right to work before the other can say much else.

A bright, blue hue gathers around the ice in his hand, forming a bigger spike. He approaches the clustered group, and without warning, he drives the spike right through the shoulder of one of them. It's there that the ice spreads outwards, a slow crawl that will gradually freeze the helpless Atirat and those right next to him.

He's just making it easier to break those hands, okay? ]

[joyd]

[Recognition well met, then. Tyki comes further into the room once that crackle of tension dissolves, no fight seemingly needed. Better for his stamina; he's feeling more tired and distracted than he'd like, given the dire circumstances of their task.]

Already bossing me around, I see.

[Kaeya is lucky that he doesn't mind it much.

The cold gathers, ice growing as it engulfs the group of Atirat, a display of power that's fascinating to watch. He's never seen someone else wield an element. Tyki waits a few moments as it solidifies — crystalline, brutally blue where it imprisons its victims — before he circles around the other side. Make himself useful appears to the goal. A sheen of black fluid appears, covering his own hand like a glove all the way to the elbow, encasing it like armor.

Then he reaches out and cracks off one of those hands as easily as if it were made of wet paper. The noise is loud, almost sickening in the amphitheater of the room, a domed ceiling far above their heads as if this Hourglass had sat in some grand display a time ago.]

I almost feel bad for them. But at least like this, they don't feel any pain. [...] Probably.

[hauntedking]

[ Dimitri has likewise been searching the castle for resources and investigating the mysterious place. It's empty and echoing in some regards, but also frozen in the middle of life. That saddens him - he can see glimpses of his own home in these people and he doesn't particularly want to see them hurt. So when he enters this particular room, he comes up short, his gaze sharpening as he takes it all in. Kaeya he knows. Tyki he does not - but what's more evident is what they're doing.

His voice booms out, carrying through the room. ]

What are you doing?

[ Dimitri is a large man - over six feet tall and broad - and perhaps more importantly, carries a wicked-looking lance on one shoulder. ]

Leave these people be! Kaeya - you cannot mean to kill them over this?

[subsist]

[ Tyki speaks, but Kaeya barely processes any of it.

Ice has always been surprisingly fragile despite how sturdy it could be. It's all too easy to break and shatter if you know the right way to do it. He watches as Tyki snaps off the Atirat's hand, showing neither regret nor disdain for what's about to transpire. It makes him think back to what happened at Venera several months ago, how much he hesitated to do what was asked of him then, and now—

A booming voice cuts through the rest of his thoughts. He turns to face the source, not at all surprised that it is Dimitri who found them. Fate is amusing when it comes to how it chooses who gets to intervene. Back then at Venera, there had been someone who stood in his way too. ]

Does that matter? They're as good as dead anyway.

[ Does he believe that? It's hard to say.

Before Dimitri can get another word edgewise, he positions himself in front of the group of Atirat. And with a snap of his fingers, jagged pieces of ice shoot up from the floor, forming a barrier between them and the other man. Just as bitter and cold as he is. This should prove to be enough of an obstacle while Tyki continues to work on getting that hourglass.

(And like this, Dimitri doesn't have to get hurt.) ]

Now, if you'll be so kind as to wait, we'll be done here soon enough.

ᴛʏᴋɪ.

[subsist]

— nowhere to go.
somewhere in the castle

[ One way or another, Kaeya manages to drag Tyki's unconscious body away from the chaos. It hadn't taken much for either of them to decide that it was better to retreat than continue to fuel the altercation, because once Childe had joined the fray, it hadn't been worth it to keep going anymore. They had what they wanted — the Hourglass — and so there was no reason for them to linger for much longer. If they had stayed, then Kaeya wouldn't be able to guarantee anyone else's actions. It's already frustrating that Childe bothered to step in, but he supposes that's a problem to deal with for later.

All he has to do for now is to make sure they aren't being followed.

He carries Tyki on his back, some haphazard way of a piggyback that's pretty difficult considering the man is passed out, but he deals with it. He has to. It's a miracle that they hadn't run into anyone else along the way, but soon enough, he stumbles into an empty room that looks as if it had been unfrozen by someone else. Good. At least this means neither of them will have to give up the extra Sand they just acquired to make this area usable.

He wastes no time in putting Tyki on the bed, the covers pulled upwards to cover his body somewhat. The man doesn't look injured or anything once he gives him a cursory glance. Simply out as a light. Did he use up too much energy back then? Maybe he had. Nothing a few hours of rest won't fix, or so Kaeya hopes.

He glances at the rest of the room. He might as well check if there's anything that can be salvaged here.

—

After a while, Kaeya finds warmer clothes to slip into, and more blankets to pile on top of Tyki. He's taken to looking out the window once he's done, a lit cigarette placed neatly between his lips. There are a million things running through his mind right now. It's difficult to tell what exactly he must be feeling.

But there's nothing else for him to do besides trying to process what happened. He might as well try to make sense of it while he has the time. ]

[joyd]

[Overall, except for his own insufficiency toward the end of the battle, it was a mission accomplished. Tyki rouses a short while later, eyes blearily turned up on an unfamiliar ceiling — and his first instinct isn't panic, but there's a quick catalogue of his physical state to determine everything is at it ought to be. No wounds, no glaring or distracting hurts; so they had escaped the altercation with those other two men. He isn't sure how, as the last he remembers is a dizzying tilt of the world before his consciousness slipped out from beneath his feet.

Perilous circumstances, given the game they're playing. He doesn't like that it happened. The drain of energy was unusual, and although he's been feeling under the weather, he doesn't understand what caused it.

With a groan, Tyki sits upright — immediately impeded by a pile of blankets. No wonder he's so warm. Narrowed, cat-like eyes cross the room to figure out where he is, spying the young man by the window, a lean figure with the long, blue hair and covered eye. The scent of cigarette smoke is sharp in his nose.

Kaeya Alberich, he'd said. The one so touched by cold and ice. He had put on quite a show back there; he must be the reason for their successful escape.]

You again. [His tone is low, thready and thick from sleep.] You got us out of there? And the hourglass?

[It seems the primary concern.]

[subsist]

[ If the roles had been reversed, the Hourglass' fate would be the first thing Kaeya would ask about too. It's the most important thing as far as he's concerned.

He takes in a long drag of the cigarette before exhaling, the smoke dispersing into the bitterly cold night air. The sequence of events that led them here is too much of a mess to go through in great detail, and he doesn't think it'll be all that important anyway. What matters more is that the Hourglass didn't end up in Meridian's hands. ]

Would you have preferred if I had left you there?

[ It's supposed to come across as a light tease, but it falls a little short. He decides to move on, hoping it wouldn't be questioned. And with his free hand, he waves it in the air. The Hourglass manifests in a glimmer of golden light before it disappears again when he sweeps his fingers forward. There's the answer Tyki is looking for. ]

It's safe with me. [ Next, he spares the man a glance. ] And you? How are you feeling?

[joyd]

[Eyes follow the plume of smoke, finding its presence faintly nostalgic. He can almost taste it on the tongue, a sharp tang that lingers on the lips, the fingers that held the cigarette. Tyki sighs, shuffling the blankets off his lap as he brings long legs over the edge of the bedside by that window. The view — what he can see of it — is all blue crystal swathed in fog. He can only guess at what lies beyond the Castle where they're currently kept.]

Of course not. So thank you for that. [Smoothing one hand through bedraggled hair, his gaze returns to the man before him. He's satisfied by the answer that the Hourglass is safe.] To be honest, not very well. I don't know what happened back there, it was pretty strange... It feels like this place is draining me. I'm usually stronger.

[A frown curves his mouth, brow knitted. Then it passes, and he's back to assessing Kaeya.]

But I think I should be asking you that question. Clearly there was some... relationship there with that other man, eh? Yet you still decided to save me, even though I tried to kill him.

[subsist]

Then, it's a good thing I've found you a bed. Rest there until you've regained your strength.

[ As soon as Tyki's focus shifts onto him, Kaeya turns back to what can be seen out the window. He takes another drag of the cigarette, relishing in the bitter taste of nicotine and smoke. It's difficult for him to tell when this became a source of comfort. He wonders if it all started when Silco offered him his very first cigar, right after...

(In a flash, the rush of cold water and the lack of air slammed into him with a force that was surprising.)

He's left with a faint, amused smile ghosting his lips. ]

And people like to attach meaning to things when there is none. That man and I barely know each other, if anything. So I'm fine.

[ Is he? Probably not, but it's not like he's going to elaborate on it much further. ]

Besides, even if you did kill him... he's a Shard-bearer. He'll come back.

[joyd]

[Kaeya tells him to rest, but it isn't his desire simply to lean back and take advantage of the bed to sleep. At least not yet. Tyki's elbows brace across his knees, noticing when those cool eyes avoid the slant of his gaze. Hmm. He may not know him well, but there's something evasive in that body language, that tone, the clear way concern is deflected.

So the two had no real prior relationship, yet that other man had vocalized a betrayal. And Kaeya's attacks had avoided true harm being done. If it wouldn't have killed him — a fact that causes Tyki's brow to rise — all the more reason to go for the assault that would, at the very least, paralyze their opponent temporarily.]

I've heard about that. Wasn't sure it was really true.

[It's not often the people he kills come back to life. In fact, it's only happened to him once.]

Are you normally this cold? I can feel it from here. [Tyki leans a little closer, one hand coming out while Kaeya is preoccupied with the cigarette and the window — fingers gently graze the glittering blue emblem of a snowflake at his waist.] Is it because of this thing? I saw it flash when you were fighting.