[ wherever you were in the village (or not?) it doesn't matter now, because you are no longer there. one minute, the fog swirls around you, and you could swear it turns oddly... blue?
your footsteps echo on the marble of what appears to be a massive chamber. right away, you can tell this space is hallowed - like walking into a church, like a temple, like a shrine. looking up, you can't even find a ceiling. in front of you is some kind of massive stone structure that could be a pool, taller than you are, though it is currently empty, and several large pedestals lit with bright blue flames line either side of the chamber, giving the room a soft glow that ought to be eerie, though the sides of the chamber are currently shadowed and hard to see. despite this, light shines through stained glass windows beyond the pool, ethereal and warm. finally, beyond the pool lies a large staircase, that leads up to a massive door.
the first thing you might notice is that...you are lacking all of your equipment. man, that sucks! i hope you didn't have anything special on you. but you are here, still in your clothes you were wearing in the village (or wherever you were). very solid, and very real in this strange, holy place.
you're also not alone! there are four of you here. whoa! you might even realize that you've got some friends here with you that you haven't seen in a long time.
have a second to get your bearings. what would you like to do? ]
well, after several weeks of watching her fellow sacrifices come back from their "trips," it doesn't come as much as a surprise when she finds herself being pulled through the fog into an unfamiliar room. even seeing camille here doesn't come as much of a surprise, all things considered.
but what does come as a surprise is the sudden appearance of—]
Iwatooshi...? Nina?!
[what the fuck. nina, your body hasn't even cooled down yet!!!]
[ ...well that's disorienting. iwatooshi blinks several times at the sudden location change, but more importantly... his hand is empty. with a sudden spike of panic, he turns in a circle, searching wildly for his missing naginata -- only to see asa and camille instead, and suddenly he understands.
(it doesn't quell the panic of suddenly losing himself, but he understands.) ]
...Asa-dono. Camille-dono. It's good to see both of you.
[ he smiles, genuinely. but if this is anything like the other trips, it'll be dangerous, so he remains in a state of casual alertness, like any warrior ready for an attack at any moment. ] Stay alert, all of you. We'll need to be prepared for anything.
[ though his eyes do linger on those bright blue flames a little longer than perhaps they should. oh, no. ]
[ all four of you step through the doors, and all four doors lock behind you.
for a moment, everything is dark. the silence feels oppressive.
and you hear a voice. it's not a voice you recognize - it booms through the room, loud, through your veins, through your body, almost all consuming. it is passive and uninterested. it speaks somewhere from on high.
Will you walk with Me? Or will you be reduced to ashes?
[ you find yourself laying first first on the ground in a room.
it's not very exciting. a simple room with carpeted floors, with big windows that show the bright light outside. it still feels so hallowed in here, so holy. it's silent, at first, and your footsteps echo as you enter the room.
you blink, laying there. and very suddenly, you realize that you aren't alone. but that's not weird for you, right?
she is so fucking mad that she told everyone to stick together only to immediately get her own ass in trouble. this sucks!!!
groaning, asa pulls herself up into a sitting position, blinking as she takes in the room and regains her bearings. every little sound she makes seems to echo off the walls, which only serves to make her all the more aware of the fact that she's been separated from the rest of the group.
but that doesn't mean she's alone.
the shock comes first, of course. it's been well over a month since she last saw yoru. she had gotten so used to being alone in her own head. it was almost easy to pretend that she had never shared her body with somebody else at all. next comes the disappointment of having to go back to this arrangement even earlier than she thought.
and then she's just annoyed, giving yoru a flat look as she pushes herself off her feet. well, well, look who's possessed by a devil again?]
How should I know? I got pushed through some stupid door and wound up here.
[ you find yourself laying first first on the ground in a room.
it's not very exciting. a simple room with carpeted floors, with big windows that show the bright light outside. it still feels so hallowed in here, so holy. it's silent, at first, and your footsteps echo as you enter the room.
you blink, however, and you realize quite suddenly. you aren't alone?
the other person in the room is a familiar face! imanotsurugi brightens when he sees you - he bounds across the room to your side in a second. ]
There you are, Iwatooshi! [ delight, delight, delight. ] What mission is this? Where are we?
[ he's not happy about this!!! the girls betrayed him!!!
but iwatooshi steps inside, stopping short at the sight of his precious partner, though it's all too natural to reach for him and drop a hand on his head, as if they haven't been separated for a while now. ]
Imanotsurugi...? [ an illusion. it's an illusion, it has to be, but iwatooshi heart aches no less at seeing his face. he misses imanotsurugi so, so much. ] I'm not sure where we are, or what, exactly, our mission here is.
[ with imanotsurugi at his side, he scans the room. any threats? any other doors? is there anything at all in here, besides the two of them? ]
[ you find yourself laying first first on the ground in a room.
it's not very exciting. a simple room with carpeted floors, with big windows that show the bright light outside. it still feels so hallowed in here, so holy. it's silent, at first, and your footsteps echo as you enter the room.
you blink, however, and you realize quite suddenly. you aren't alone?
Camille...? [ says kate, her head turning from left to right before she hurries to your side. you just saw her die in front of you, didn't you? just a few days ago. in a manner not too different than how you did, even. ] Where are we...?
[ you find yourself laying first first on the ground in a room.
it's not very exciting. a simple room with carpeted floors, with big windows that show the bright light outside. it still feels so hallowed in here, so holy. it's silent, at first, and your footsteps echo as you enter the room.
you blink, however, and you realize quite suddenly. you aren't alone?
Nina! [ caelus sounds relieved to see you - he bounds over, immediately and comes to help you up. ] Do you have any idea where we are? What's going on? [ pause. ] Hey, you're dressed kinda...
[ welcome back to the hallowed great hall! the massive door looms ominously in the distance. the cool spooky church chorale music continues. the words ONE have disappeared from the doors, which are now open seeing as how you have been traumatized by them!
returning to the hallowed hall, you might want to examine the large stone structure in the middle of the room.
save point time! talk to each other if you want! ]
[ well, iwatooshi is here now, looking somehow more solemn than before. he has a torch in one hand, a naginata in the other, and a couple of arrows sticking out of him here and there. cool cool cool.
no one else appears to be here just yet, so he goes to look at the structure in the meantime. what the heck is this thing. ]
[ all four of you have successfully returned to the main hall, with four blue fire torches in your hands. the stone structure in the center of the room is revealed to be a cauldron, the base for what must be a large flame.
at the base of the cauldron is an inscription.
IN THE HALLOWED HALL OF THE HEAVENS, THE FATHER OF ALL WATCHES OVER US. FROM THE ASHES OF BEFORE, THE MOTHER OF ALL WILL RISE AGAIN.
who knows what that could possibly mean!
you might also notice a few things. first, the massive locked door you investigated earlier has two large columns that have appeared beside it. they don't appear to be anything but decorative yet. you might also notice that the four doors you originally came through are gone, now. the side areas are shrouded in shadows once more, so it's just you all, the large door, and the unlit cauldron.
[ together, you both enter the door labeled TWO. it gives easily, and as you enter the room, just as before, the door clicks shut and locks behind you.
you find yourself standing in the same room as before. blue carpets with white walls, bright light coming in through stained glass windows. it is quiet and peaceful here.
well
except for the fact that this guy is standing there. ]
[ he's maybe 15 feet tall and built like a brick shithouse out of rocks. magical energy oozes off of this thing, and yours in particular feels... electric, almost.
behind this large guy, heretofore known as the mirror guardian, is another door. the mirror guardian has not moved. in fact, it isn't even lit up currently? but boy it is Big and it is There.
camille, in particular - you hear a voice in your head when you walk into this room. it's that smooth, soft male voice again - not the distorted one - and it says, Allow me to help. you feel a rush of something through your veins, like drinking an energy drink, and you realize inherently that you have been gifted the ability to perform wind magic. whoa! neat!
[ she squints as the light hits them, raising a hand to block it out. and it's as she turns to check that camille is indeed there, that she notices their friend.
well. she doesn't want to say anything now, out of fear of activating the damn thing early. so she just looks to camille, making sure she's doing alright.
OUR NORMIE MOM.HELP.
mouthing the words "when you're ready."
she readies her bow, however... maybe if they just act sneaky first, they can just go around this big guy? she really doesn't want to put cam in any danger, if possible. ]
[ together, both enter the door labeled TWO. it gives easily, and as you enter the room, just as before, the door clicks shut and locks behind you.
you find yourself standing in the same room as before. blue carpets with white walls, bright light coming in through stained glass windows. it is quiet and peaceful here. well
except for the fact that this guy is standing there. ]
[ he's maybe 15 feet tall and built like a brick shithouse out of rocks. magical energy oozes off of this thing, and yours in particular feels... icy, almost. cold.
behind this large guy, heretofore known as the mirror guardian, is another door. the mirror guardian has not moved. in fact, it isn't even lit up currently? but boy it is Big and it is There.
asa, in particular - you hear a voice in your head when you walk into this room. it's that smooth, soft male voice again - not the distorted one - and it says, Allow me to help. you feel a rush of something through your veins, like drinking an energy drink, and you realize inherently that you have been gifted the ability to perform fire magic. whoa! neat!
[well. surely, this big fella will be friendly and not try to murder the shit out of them.
asa startles, taking a step back when she hears the voice in her head, and then she flexes her hand. magic... okay. surely, someone who has been purely a melee fighter can handle magic.
for a moment, she's about to suggest they try to sneak past it. but then she remembers the kind of person iwatooshi is and she sighs.
[ welcome back to the hallowed hall! the massive door looms ominously in the distance. the cool spooky church chorale music continues.
the blue flames flicker in the center of the massive stone structure. they could be bigger. beyond the structure are the stairs that lead to the huge door. two pillars sit on either side of the big door. the one on the left is lit up blue, corresponding with the left half of the door, which is also lit blue.
the pillar on the right is not lit. you have torches! you know how this goes.
on the stone structure with the fire, the scripture has a new line at the bottom!
IN THE HALLOWED HALL OF THE HEAVENS, THE FATHER OF ALL WATCHES OVER US. FROM THE ASHES OF BEFORE, THE MOTHER OF ALL WILL RISE AGAIN.
ONLY THE AZURE HEART CAN WIELD THE FLAME OF AELFRIC. BY BIRTH OR BY PROOF, THE FLAMEGUARD PROTECTS THE CONTINENT IN THE NAME OF THE GODS THEMSELVES.
if you remember from before, you were able to get a minor heal by basking in the light of this flame. perhaps... were the flame a bit larger... you could get healed more.... perhaps you need it.....food for thought ]
[it would have been so funny if we just got stuck in the cave forever.
unfortunately, we are free. asa is marching (limping) her way over to the pillar on the left and immediately trying to light it on fire with her torch. let them through. there are two bitches out there who need to catch this hand.]
[ for the sake of time, all four of you can place your torches into the fire. if you remember from before, this flame was able to give you a minor heal. after the second trial, it is much stronger, and you're healed to the point that you can carry on.
once you've placed your torches, the blue fire flares up into the air - wild and bright.
at the back of the room by the massive, locked door with the two pedestals, a matching blue flame appears on the second pillar. you all hear the sound of the cylinders of the door clicking. blue flame trails from the pedestal, along the floor, and up the door, lighting up the right half of the door and sinking into the intricate carvings on its marble surface. the entire door glows blue: the words May the Sacred Flame guide you shine bright, reflecting onto the floor below.
the massive door swings open. as the large door opens, you find yourselves walking into a final room.
iwatooshi in particular - this room should feel familiar. the rest of you have never seen it before. the doors close behind you one last time. once again, there is the click of a lock.
a voice echoes through the room. it's that tripled dissonant one again - the voice of a caring or uncaring god on high.
Travelers of memory who have completed my trial. Are you worthy to walk with the Flame? Are you worthy to stand with me?
around the octagonal shape, the blue flames flicker and burn. this has been a trial since the very beginning. a trial of your abilities, your courage, your strength. your sacrifice. to walk the path of the flame is an arduous path. it responds to your willpower. your courage. it responds to your strength. very few have survived the trial of the flamebringer to tell the tale.
for a shimmering moment, you see an apparition of a figure who is larger than life. the blue flames brighten. they blaze. for a shimmering moment, you feel as though you are being judged. ]
[ - and then abruptly, all eight flames go out, and the room goes dark. terribly dark. ominously, awfully dark. it is oppressive. painful. in this moment, you feel every fear you've ever had coalesce into one single moment. every guilt. every loss.
and then, slowly, the flames come back on, one at a time, and the apparition has been replaced with the solid figure of a man with long, silver hair.]
he is dressed in simple clothing, save for the armor across his left arm, one piece on his head. his hair is long and falls in a halo of silver behind his back, and he carries a very, very, veryfamiliar sword, though magic roils off of it - blue fire. black fire. the blue fire feels almost achingly familiar. not because you've seen it a hundred times, now, but because the essence of it is not sazantos, but rather, someone else. the soul of someone you know.
the man eyes all four of you. you find for a brief moment that none of you can move. ]
It never fails to amaze me, how humanity chooses to fail, and fail, and fail again. [ his voice is low, and smooth. all of you recognize this voice, one way or another. asa, camille, and maybe nina, if only for a moment: this was the voice that promised you temptations beyond your wildest dreams. the voice that offered you a chance to fix everything. that coaxed you into rebirth. starting anew.
the man who stands before you is sazantos, bestower of all. ] Even from another world. You struggle. You desire. You want. You crave power. But that's alright - those of you who chose your desires are what enabled this to come to fruition, and I thank you for it. I will ensure that this new world you live in is the world you want it to be. Mother and I will guide your souls down the correct path.
[ behind sazantos, two of the flames around the ring light up in the accursed, poisonous black flame. asa, camille: you failed the first trial of the flamebringer. your first wishes were heard not by the god aelfric, but by someone else entirely. the bestower of all was never going to grant your desires.
rather, you have opened your hearts to the accursed flame. you feel the darkness of it in your hearts as heavy as a weight, curling, clingy.
sazantos steps before the two of you and regards you, one hand on fisteralda. ] ... However. I am not without mercy.
[ sazantos' attention turns to iwatooshi and nina, both who passed the first trial.]
As for the two of you. Your Flame will not save you. You have seen how little the gods care for anyone. They are as fickle and capricious as humanity itself.
Why don't you join me? [ sazantos says. that same, smooth, easy voice. beautiful - it's easy to tell why rondo might have been so enamored with him, before it all went wrong. this man is strength and power personified. his cool gaze does not soften a second as he offers it to you, holding out the accursed flame in the palm of his hand. ] There is nothing left worth saving in humanity. Even those who do good hide cruelty.
You could have a part in changing this place for the better, you know. I do not seek to do anything but banish the shadows from this world, as is my birthright, as is my duty as the Flameguard. I will offer you each a choice. I will not offer again.
[ the accursed flame flickers before you.
in it, you see a world where you can have what you want - whatever that might be. for camille and nina, it might be too familiar, like the twisted trial they just completed. for asa, it's a world where her mother never died. a world where she sits with a cat in her lap, beloved by friends and family, never having to worry about making a wrong choice. for iwatooshi, it's peace. his new friends from the village interact with the other weapons. you see rondo pick imanotsurugi up and put him on his shoulders. they are laughing together, joyful, unburdened by the weight of their desires.
even the two of you who initially chose the flame have your chance, here. you can fight back and say no. all four of you have the feeling that your answer here matters, for one reason or another. you all have a choice - even asa and camille, already feeling that accursed fire, have a choice.
do you take the accursed flame? do you fight at the side of sazantos? or do you reject it? you have a turn to talk. ]
TRIAL OF THE FLAMEBRINGER COMPLETE. RESULTS: MIXED.
Having faced judgement from the Sacred Flame and the nightmarish darkness of the Accurst Flame, despite it all, you have come out alive. The Bestower of All disappears into the fog that slowly climbs into the room, perhaps never to return. Or maybe to crawl into [redacted]. Who knows.
Don't worry, though, you aren't this trial leaving empty handed! You get to take:
🔥 The outfits on your backs! All weapons will disappear upon contact with the fog.
🔥 Your memories of the excursion and all injuries obtained, of course, even if they were healed. Heals from earlier parts of the trial can be as strong or as weak as you would like.
🔥 Three plush keychains on a keyring: one, two, three! maybe you want to keep these or maybe you want to throw them in the pyre. i would not blame you.
🔥 Iwatooshi and Asa: You do not regain anything you gave up back until Saturday when trial starts. These come in and out - you will recognize you lost something, or you may be able to have a sense of touch for a little while, but stabilize completely and return to normal on Saturday.
🔥 Camille and Nina: You may memshare anything about the AU world you lived in without desires as a part of the weekly effect this week! Have fun. Invent more wild stuff that could have been in there and tell me about it later. (Or don't i don't control you)
🔥 A fun mental effect: up until trial on Saturday, you may find yourself afflicted by the Accurst Flame, which will give you feelings of nihilism and despair, with a distaste for desire and/or humanity. Occasionally, you will feel afflicted by the Sacred Flame, which makes you feel hopeful, optimistic, and gives you the urge to make cat puns. These effects interchange wildly for whatever is the best at the time for your threads.
additionally, please stand by for a mod comment with your mod rewards! your return is scheduled for around 6PM EST.
thank you for playing in my fuckhaus! i hope you had fun!! ♥
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I. HALLOWED HALL
and then... you find yourself standing in a room.
( it's not a sisi cyoa without some mood music. )
your footsteps echo on the marble of what appears to be a massive chamber. right away, you can tell this space is hallowed - like walking into a church, like a temple, like a shrine. looking up, you can't even find a ceiling. in front of you is some kind of massive stone structure that could be a pool, taller than you are, though it is currently empty, and several large pedestals lit with bright blue flames line either side of the chamber, giving the room a soft glow that ought to be eerie, though the sides of the chamber are currently shadowed and hard to see. despite this, light shines through stained glass windows beyond the pool, ethereal and warm. finally, beyond the pool lies a large staircase, that leads up to a massive door.
the first thing you might notice is that...you are lacking all of your equipment. man, that sucks! i hope you didn't have anything special on you. but you are here, still in your clothes you were wearing in the village (or wherever you were). very solid, and very real in this strange, holy place.
you're also not alone! there are four of you here. whoa! you might even realize that you've got some friends here with you that you haven't seen in a long time.
have a second to get your bearings. what would you like to do? ]
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well, after several weeks of watching her fellow sacrifices come back from their "trips," it doesn't come as much as a surprise when she finds herself being pulled through the fog into an unfamiliar room. even seeing camille here doesn't come as much of a surprise, all things considered.
but what does come as a surprise is the sudden appearance of—]
Iwatooshi...? Nina?!
[what the fuck. nina, your body hasn't even cooled down yet!!!]
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(it doesn't quell the panic of suddenly losing himself, but he understands.) ]
...Asa-dono. Camille-dono. It's good to see both of you.
[ he smiles, genuinely. but if this is anything like the other trips, it'll be dangerous, so he remains in a state of casual alertness, like any warrior ready for an attack at any moment. ] Stay alert, all of you. We'll need to be prepared for anything.
[ though his eyes do linger on those bright blue flames a little longer than perhaps they should. oh, no. ]
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II. TRIAL OF REMEMBRANCE.
for a moment, everything is dark. the silence feels oppressive.
and you hear a voice. it's not a voice you recognize - it booms through the room, loud, through your veins, through your body, almost all consuming. it is passive and uninterested. it speaks somewhere from on high.
Will you walk with Me? Or will you be reduced to ashes?
Retrieve the torch, and light the Flame.
Now.
Awaken.
and then... the darkness clears! ]
ASA
it's not very exciting. a simple room with carpeted floors, with big windows that show the bright light outside. it still feels so hallowed in here, so holy. it's silent, at first, and your footsteps echo as you enter the room.
you blink, laying there. and very suddenly, you realize that you aren't alone. but that's not weird for you, right?
yoru faces you. ]
Asa. [ she says. ] What are we doing here?
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she is so fucking mad that she told everyone to stick together only to immediately get her own ass in trouble. this sucks!!!
groaning, asa pulls herself up into a sitting position, blinking as she takes in the room and regains her bearings. every little sound she makes seems to echo off the walls, which only serves to make her all the more aware of the fact that she's been separated from the rest of the group.
but that doesn't mean she's alone.
the shock comes first, of course. it's been well over a month since she last saw yoru. she had gotten so used to being alone in her own head. it was almost easy to pretend that she had never shared her body with somebody else at all. next comes the disappointment of having to go back to this arrangement even earlier than she thought.
and then she's just annoyed, giving yoru a flat look as she pushes herself off her feet. well, well, look who's possessed by a devil again?]
How should I know? I got pushed through some stupid door and wound up here.
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IWATOOSHI
it's not very exciting. a simple room with carpeted floors, with big windows that show the bright light outside. it still feels so hallowed in here, so holy. it's silent, at first, and your footsteps echo as you enter the room.
you blink, however, and you realize quite suddenly. you aren't alone?
the other person in the room is a familiar face! imanotsurugi brightens when he sees you - he bounds across the room to your side in a second. ]
There you are, Iwatooshi! [ delight, delight, delight. ] What mission is this? Where are we?
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but iwatooshi steps inside, stopping short at the sight of his precious partner, though it's all too natural to reach for him and drop a hand on his head, as if they haven't been separated for a while now. ]
Imanotsurugi...? [ an illusion. it's an illusion, it has to be, but iwatooshi heart aches no less at seeing his face. he misses imanotsurugi so, so much. ] I'm not sure where we are, or what, exactly, our mission here is.
[ with imanotsurugi at his side, he scans the room. any threats? any other doors? is there anything at all in here, besides the two of them? ]
How did you get here, Imanotsurugi?
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CAMILLE
it's not very exciting. a simple room with carpeted floors, with big windows that show the bright light outside. it still feels so hallowed in here, so holy. it's silent, at first, and your footsteps echo as you enter the room.
you blink, however, and you realize quite suddenly. you aren't alone?
the other person in the room is a familiar face! ]
Camille...? [ says kate, her head turning from left to right before she hurries to your side. you just saw her die in front of you, didn't you? just a few days ago. in a manner not too different than how you did, even. ] Where are we...?
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THE WAY FLEAS REWIRED MY BRAIN
cw for choking just in case
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NINA
it's not very exciting. a simple room with carpeted floors, with big windows that show the bright light outside. it still feels so hallowed in here, so holy. it's silent, at first, and your footsteps echo as you enter the room.
you blink, however, and you realize quite suddenly. you aren't alone?
the other person in the room is a familiar face! ]
Nina! [ caelus sounds relieved to see you - he bounds over, immediately and comes to help you up. ] Do you have any idea where we are? What's going on? [ pause. ] Hey, you're dressed kinda...
[ wow. rude. ]
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INTERLUDE | HALLOWED HALL
returning to the hallowed hall, you might want to examine the large stone structure in the middle of the room.
save point time! talk to each other if you want! ]
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no one else appears to be here just yet, so he goes to look at the structure in the meantime. what the heck is this thing. ]
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ONWARD
at the base of the cauldron is an inscription.
IN THE HALLOWED HALL OF THE HEAVENS, THE FATHER OF ALL WATCHES OVER US.
FROM THE ASHES OF BEFORE, THE MOTHER OF ALL WILL RISE AGAIN.
who knows what that could possibly mean!
you might also notice a few things. first, the massive locked door you investigated earlier has two large columns that have appeared beside it. they don't appear to be anything but decorative yet. you might also notice that the four doors you originally came through are gone, now. the side areas are shrouded in shadows once more, so it's just you all, the large door, and the unlit cauldron.
🫴 🔥? ]
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II. TRIAL OF DESIRES | CAMILLE, NINA
you find yourself standing in the same room as before. blue carpets with white walls, bright light coming in through stained glass windows. it is quiet and peaceful here.
well
except for the fact that this guy is standing there. ]
[ he's maybe 15 feet tall and built like a brick shithouse out of rocks. magical energy oozes off of this thing, and yours in particular feels... electric, almost.
behind this large guy, heretofore known as the mirror guardian, is another door. the mirror guardian has not moved. in fact, it isn't even lit up currently? but boy it is Big and it is There.
camille, in particular - you hear a voice in your head when you walk into this room. it's that smooth, soft male voice again - not the distorted one - and it says, Allow me to help. you feel a rush of something through your veins, like drinking an energy drink, and you realize inherently that you have been gifted the ability to perform wind magic. whoa! neat!
how do you want to do this? ]
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well. she doesn't want to say anything now, out of fear of activating the damn thing early. so she just looks to camille, making sure she's doing alright.
OUR NORMIE MOM.HELP.
mouthing the words "when you're ready."
she readies her bow, however... maybe if they just act sneaky first, they can just go around this big guy? she really doesn't want to put cam in any danger, if possible. ]
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II. TRIAL OF SACRIFICE | IWATOOSHI, ASA
you find yourself standing in the same room as before. blue carpets with white walls, bright light coming in through stained glass windows. it is quiet and peaceful here. well
except for the fact that this guy is standing there. ]
[ he's maybe 15 feet tall and built like a brick shithouse out of rocks. magical energy oozes off of this thing, and yours in particular feels... icy, almost. cold.
behind this large guy, heretofore known as the mirror guardian, is another door. the mirror guardian has not moved. in fact, it isn't even lit up currently? but boy it is Big and it is There.
asa, in particular - you hear a voice in your head when you walk into this room. it's that smooth, soft male voice again - not the distorted one - and it says, Allow me to help. you feel a rush of something through your veins, like drinking an energy drink, and you realize inherently that you have been gifted the ability to perform fire magic. whoa! neat!
how do you want to do this? ]
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asa startles, taking a step back when she hears the voice in her head, and then she flexes her hand. magic... okay. surely, someone who has been purely a melee fighter can handle magic.
for a moment, she's about to suggest they try to sneak past it. but then she remembers the kind of person iwatooshi is and she sighs.
quietly:]
Are you planning to attack it? It's not moving.
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CODA: HALLOWED HALL
the blue flames flicker in the center of the massive stone structure. they could be bigger. beyond the structure are the stairs that lead to the huge door. two pillars sit on either side of the big door. the one on the left is lit up blue, corresponding with the left half of the door, which is also lit blue.
the pillar on the right is not lit. you have torches! you know how this goes.
on the stone structure with the fire, the scripture has a new line at the bottom!
IN THE HALLOWED HALL OF THE HEAVENS, THE FATHER OF ALL WATCHES OVER US.
FROM THE ASHES OF BEFORE, THE MOTHER OF ALL WILL RISE AGAIN.
ONLY THE AZURE HEART CAN WIELD THE FLAME OF AELFRIC.
BY BIRTH OR BY PROOF, THE FLAMEGUARD PROTECTS THE CONTINENT IN THE NAME OF THE GODS THEMSELVES.
if you remember from before, you were able to get a minor heal by basking in the light of this flame. perhaps... were the flame a bit larger... you could get healed more.... perhaps you need it.....food for thought ]
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unfortunately, we are free. asa is marching (limping) her way over to the pillar on the left and immediately trying to light it on fire with her torch. let them through. there are two bitches out there who need to catch this hand.]
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III. TRIAL OF VALOR (1/2)
once you've placed your torches, the blue fire flares up into the air - wild and bright.
at the back of the room by the massive, locked door with the two pedestals, a matching blue flame appears on the second pillar. you all hear the sound of the cylinders of the door clicking. blue flame trails from the pedestal, along the floor, and up the door, lighting up the right half of the door and sinking into the intricate carvings on its marble surface. the entire door glows blue: the words May the Sacred Flame guide you shine bright, reflecting onto the floor below.
the massive door swings open. as the large door opens, you find yourselves walking into a final room.
iwatooshi in particular - this room should feel familiar. the rest of you have never seen it before. the doors close behind you one last time. once again, there is the click of a lock.
a voice echoes through the room. it's that tripled dissonant one again - the voice of a caring or uncaring god on high.
Travelers of memory who have completed my trial. Are you worthy to walk with the Flame? Are you worthy to stand with me?
around the octagonal shape, the blue flames flicker and burn. this has been a trial since the very beginning. a trial of your abilities, your courage, your strength. your sacrifice. to walk the path of the flame is an arduous path. it responds to your willpower. your courage. it responds to your strength. very few have survived the trial of the flamebringer to tell the tale.
for a shimmering moment, you see an apparition of a figure who is larger than life. the blue flames brighten. they blaze. for a shimmering moment, you feel as though you are being judged. ]
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and then, slowly, the flames come back on, one at a time, and the apparition has been replaced with the solid figure of a man with long, silver hair.]
he is dressed in simple clothing, save for the armor across his left arm, one piece on his head. his hair is long and falls in a halo of silver behind his back, and he carries a very, very, very familiar sword, though magic roils off of it - blue fire. black fire. the blue fire feels almost achingly familiar. not because you've seen it a hundred times, now, but because the essence of it is not sazantos, but rather, someone else. the soul of someone you know.
the man eyes all four of you. you find for a brief moment that none of you can move. ]
the man who stands before you is sazantos, bestower of all. ] Even from another world. You struggle. You desire. You want. You crave power. But that's alright - those of you who chose your desires are what enabled this to come to fruition, and I thank you for it. I will ensure that this new world you live in is the world you want it to be. Mother and I will guide your souls down the correct path.
[ behind sazantos, two of the flames around the ring light up in the accursed, poisonous black flame. asa, camille: you failed the first trial of the flamebringer. your first wishes were heard not by the god aelfric, but by someone else entirely. the bestower of all was never going to grant your desires.
rather, you have opened your hearts to the accursed flame. you feel the darkness of it in your hearts as heavy as a weight, curling, clingy.
sazantos steps before the two of you and regards you, one hand on fisteralda. ] ... However. I am not without mercy.
As for the two of you. Your Flame will not save you. You have seen how little the gods care for anyone. They are as fickle and capricious as humanity itself.
Why don't you join me? [ sazantos says. that same, smooth, easy voice. beautiful - it's easy to tell why rondo might have been so enamored with him, before it all went wrong. this man is strength and power personified. his cool gaze does not soften a second as he offers it to you, holding out the accursed flame in the palm of his hand. ] There is nothing left worth saving in humanity. Even those who do good hide cruelty.
You could have a part in changing this place for the better, you know. I do not seek to do anything but banish the shadows from this world, as is my birthright, as is my duty as the Flameguard. I will offer you each a choice. I will not offer again.
[ the accursed flame flickers before you.
in it, you see a world where you can have what you want - whatever that might be. for camille and nina, it might be too familiar, like the twisted trial they just completed. for asa, it's a world where her mother never died. a world where she sits with a cat in her lap, beloved by friends and family, never having to worry about making a wrong choice. for iwatooshi, it's peace. his new friends from the village interact with the other weapons. you see rondo pick imanotsurugi up and put him on his shoulders. they are laughing together, joyful, unburdened by the weight of their desires.
even the two of you who initially chose the flame have your chance, here. you can fight back and say no. all four of you have the feeling that your answer here matters, for one reason or another. you all have a choice - even asa and camille, already feeling that accursed fire, have a choice.
do you take the accursed flame? do you fight at the side of sazantos? or do you reject it? you have a turn to talk. ]
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cw: self harm thoughts/impulses I'M SORRY
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SAY GOODBYE
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Holy crap.
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TRIAL COMPLETE.
additionally, please stand by for a mod comment with your mod rewards! your return is scheduled for around 6PM EST.
thank you for playing in my fuckhaus! i hope you had fun!! ♥
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