>>35916403
>[X] "It's too dangerous to do anything until we know more. You all stay here, I'll find out what's up."

>Waiting for a few more minutes in case there's anyone else coming.

>>35916403
>[X] "Quick and quiet. We make noise, who knows how many more will come crawling out of the woodwork?"

>>35916403
cause chaos

>>35916465
>>35916558
>>35916577
>I don't know if three mutually exclusive votes is me doing something right or something wrong.
>I'll figure it out. Typing.

>>35916403
>[X] "It's too dangerous to do anything until we know more. You all stay here, I'll find out what's up."
It's too late, but whatever.

"It's too dangerous to draw any attention until we know more." You hope you sound more authorative and certain than you feel right now. Bossing people around is easy. Bossing them around in ways that might either save them or get them killed is something else entirely. "Stay here. I'll go in first, see what's going on."

Rick nods. You can't tell if he's agreeing because he thinks it's a good plan, or just because he's supposed to, but at least he's agreeing. That's got to be a good sign, right? "And if things go tits-up?"

"I'll cause some chaos to cover your retreat. Whatever's in there isn't worth getting us all killed over." Nods come in response all around. No one's going to object to the 'don't die' part of the plan, at least.

Without another word, you crouch low, and make your way closer.

>Going to need an Agility roll to see how well you sneak around.
>To make rolls, type "dice+3d6" in the e-mail field, without the quotes. The first two will be added together and added to a modifier, and I'll take the highest of the first three rolls (barring critical hits or misses). The third die is just for critical verification, and we'll get to that when the time comes.
>And a vote to include with your roll.
>Transform? You'll be stuck in the chosen form until you get the chance to calm down and return to normal.
>[ ] Yes, Rohk - [Chariot] +1 STR, +1 AGI
>[ ] Yes, Ares - [Chariot] +1 STR, +1 VIT
>[ ] Yes, Berith - [Hanged Man] +1 STR, +1 MAG
>[ ] No, wait until you know more about the situation.

Rolled 3, 2, 4 = 9 (3d6)

>>35916715
>[X] Yes, Rohk - [Chariot] +1 STR, +1 AGI

Rolled 1, 2, 6 = 9 (3d6)

>>35916715
Yes, Berith

Rolled 4, 6, 6 = 16 (3d6)

>>35916715
>[X] Yes, Rohk - [Chariot] +1 STR, +1 AGI

Rolled 2, 5, 1 = 8 (3d6)

>>35916715
>>[X] Yes, Rohk - [Chariot] +1 STR, +1 AGI

>Rohk, with a 10. 11 total. Typing.

Covering the first few feet on your own, you get some distance from the others. From what you've heard, what you're about to do is a bit disquieting to see up close. Once you're content with the distance, you stick the knuckle of your left thumb in your mouth and bite down until you feel something crack. Adrenaline and pain flood your mind, and you can feel the power reaching out to you. Now it's just a matter of reaching back.

"Persona." Skin falls off your body in great clumps, like a moulting bird, and you tear away whatever's left. Beneath, whatever isn't covered in pale gray, bone-like armor is the dark red of coagulated blood. You take a moment to swallow, and regain some of your composure, before vaulting silently into the air.

You come down on top of the base's main barracks, instinctually softening the landing to a dull thud. None of the undead surrounding you even seem to notice. They wander aimlessly back and forth, like caged animals. There's a lot of them, more than you've seen in one place since the daycare. Maybe even more than that. If it comes down to that, you've got a hell of a fight ahead of you.

Though you didn't say it before, you know that the most likely reason that this many walkers would gather in one place is because a demon was gathering them. If there's one here, though, it's not announcing its presence like they normally do. You're going to have to look around the hard way. But where to start?

>[ ] Main barracks. You're already here, after all.
>[ ] Infirmary. Medical supplies are hard to come by.
>[ ] Armory. Getting the other survivors better-armed should definitely help.
>[ ] Storage warehouses. Whatever is or isn't going on, that's where you're going to find the most food.
>[ ] Write-in

>>35917007
>>[X] Storage warehouses. Whatever is or isn't going on, that's where you're going to find the most food.

Rolled 4, 2, 6 = 12 (3d6)

>>35917007
>[X] Infirmary. Medical supplies are hard to come by.

>>35917069
>>35917070
>Anyone feel like breaking the tie?

>>35917007
>[ ] Main barracks. You're already here, after all.

how's the crazy mormon lesbo deal going QM?

>>35917152
>>35917155
change mine to infirmary then

>>35917155
>She's been pretty quiet the last couple days.

>Infirmary it is. Typing.

The infirmary isn't too far away, so the trip is just another gliding jump onto a solid roof. It shudders with the impact, less solid than the barracks, but you're through a window and inside by the time the dust has resettled inside.

Aside from being neglected, everything seems rather undisturbed. A clipboard, with a half-finished check-up document, with no pencil, lies forgotten on the desk. The examination cot has been stripped of its sheet, but lies otherwise untouched. Glass doors reveal dusty, empty shelves, not a single pane of it cracked or broken.

With only the sound of your own breathing in your ears, you turn around, checking under and over. There's nothing. Nothing at all. It's been stripped clean, but something is very wrong here.

>What did you notice first?
>[ ] Nothing was left behind.
>[ ] There's no sign of a struggle.
>[ ] You can't hear the walkers moving outside.

>>35917393
>[ ] You can't hear the walkers moving outside.

>>35917393
>[X] You can't hear the walkers moving outside.

Only because I don't want to hit QM with another tie.

Rolled 3, 5, 6 = 14 (3d6)

>>35917393
>[X] You can't hear the walkers moving outside.

>Typing.

You've gotten so used to the sound of shuffling feet and low groaning that you've learned to tune it out almost entirely. It's a constant in your life now, not even worth noticing. So why can't you hear it now? Wheeling around, you look out the infirmary window, not sure what you expect to see.

The walkers are there, alright. Hundreds of them, just like there were before. And each and every one of them is standing perfectly still, and staring straight at you. Their mouths open and, in unison, countless raspy voices call out, the combined sound enough to rattle you and the whole building.

"HELLO, DEMON GIRL." Their gaze pierces you, grasps at your soul. The ones you can see do not blink, do not turn away. But you can feel the ones you can't see as well. Staring at you, through the walls, forcing their oppressive presence upon you. "NICE OF YOU TO JOIN US."

>Time for a Courage roll!
>And with your roll, for if you succeed...
>[ ] "Hell of a welcome."
>[ ] "Thank you, spooky walker hivemind."
>[ ] "Oh fuck."
>[ ] Write-in

Rolled 2, 5, 1 = 8 (3d6)

>>35917706
>[X] "Hell of a welcome."

Rolled 4, 5, 2 = 11 (3d6)

>>35917706
>[X] Hi I'm Shax.
>[X] "Hell of a welcome."

>>35917706
>[ ] Write-in
"Yo, you lookin for a horde master?

Rolled 5, 4, 2 = 11 (3d6)

>>35917706
>[X] "Thank you, spooky walker hivemind."

>Nine, plus 1 for your Courage bonus.
>Just enough.
>Typing.

"Thank you, spooky walker hive mind." Fear claws at your mind, trying to force its way in. It grips at your heart, trying to squeeze the life out of you, but you push it back. Your heart is pounding, but your head is clear. Or clear enough, at least. "Hell of a welcome."

"WE KNEW YOU WOULD BE COMING SOONER OR LATER."

"For little old me? Were you looking for a horde master? Good open, but I'll need to see some references." Hey, snarking through fear worked for Spider-Man, right?

"WE ARE LEGION." Of course they are.

"Shax." You introduce yourself, the name coming off the cuff. Probably best not to use your real name. "What can I do for you?"

"YOU HAVE QUITE A REPUTATION, BLOOD TRAITOR. THE ONE WHO KILLED BELPHEGOR. AND NOW YOU'RE HERE. WHY?"

"I've been feeling a bit under the weather-" You're cut off by a terrible screech, from inside your own head. Everything shifts, and you have to brace yourself against the desk.

"WHY ARE YOU HERE, DEMON GIRL?"

>[ ] "Supplies."
>[ ] "To kill you."
>[ ] "RICK, RUN!"

Rolled 6, 3, 2 = 11 (3d6)

>>35918038
>[X] "Supplies."

>Looks like we lost some.
>Alright. Typing.

>>35918220
Sorry. Too busy reading porn.
Will catch the next one.

"Supplies." The truth, but vague. The claws in your brain pry for answers, for details. But whatever you do, you can't let them know about Rick and-

"RICK. SO THAT'S THE NAME OF THE LEADER OF THAT LITTLE GROUP OVER THERE?" Fuck. "DON'T YOU WORRY, 'SHAX'. WE WOULDN'T HARM A HAIR ON THEIR HEADS WITHOUT BEING SURE YOU WERE WATCHING."

"What do you want?" You were able to keep the fear out of your mind, whatever powers Legion have that are causing it. But could all of them be so lucky?

"WE WANT YOU TO SUFFER. TO SEE THEM BROKEN ONE BY ONE WHILE YOU WATCH HELPLESSLY." The walkers snarl and snap, a dark, vengeful rage in their voices. "YOU LIVED, OBLIVIOUS TO THE EYES UPON YOU. WAITING FOR THE RIGHT MOMENT TO BREAK YOU. AND NOW HERE YOU ARE, DELIVERING YOURSELF TO ME. I WILL HAVE MY VENGEANCE. I WILL WATCH YOU SUFFER AND BEG FOR MERCY, THEN TEAR BELPHEGOR'S SOUL FREE OF YOUR BROKEN CORPSE."

>A roll will be required no matter which option you choose, but what the bonus will be depends on your choice.
>[ ] "If you kill them, I will kill you. Each and every one of you."
>[ ] "They did you no harm. I'm your enemy. Take me."
>[ ] "'I'?"
>[ ] [Charge]
>[ ] Write-in

>>35918220
Just got up i'm here now though

>>35918442
>[ ] "If you kill them, I will kill you. Each and every one of you.This is not a threat,It is a promise"

Rolled 1, 2, 2 = 5 (3d6)

>>35918442
>[X] Get to the others as fast as possible.

>Two more rolls!

Rolled 1, 2, 3 = 6 (3d6)

>>35918442

Rolled 2, 4, 6 = 12 (3d6)

>>35918442

>>35918531
That might be a pass depending on the bonus we get if any.

>Typing.

"If you touch them, I'll kill you! I'll kill you all!" All the energy you've been using to hold back your fear is twisted, turned, pushed. How dare they. HOW DARE THEY. You charge, blasting through the door of the barracks and into the crowd. They reach for you, trying to grab you and hold you down, but you twist, and leap, and are in the air, trailing two or three walkers off of you, who fall back down into the crowd blow.

Desperately, you scan across the base, looking for where you left the group, looking for where they've been hiding. But they're not there. It isn't until you're coming back down that you see them, five humans, forced to their knees, almost lost in the swarm of walkers holding them in place. You land heavily, crushing several more undead beneath you as you land. But between you and the survivors is a demon. It's shorter than Belphegor was, by a great deal. Superficially, it even resembles a tall, strong walker. But when it moves, you see the faces on the sides of its head, the limbs extended outward from its body in random directions. And when it speaks, the walkers speak with it.

"TAKE ANOTHER STEP AND THEY ALL DIE." Legion spreads its arms wide, presenting the situation to you, and looks very proud of itself. "DO YOU SEE? THIS IS STILL AN ARMY. MY ARMY. WE ARE ONE. AND WE ARE NOW GOING TO TEAR YOU LIMB FROM LIMB. FIGHT BACK, AND THEY DIE."

>This is a Moment of Consequence. Choose carefully. There's no right or wrong answer, but think through the implications and consequences of your actions.
>[ ] Surrender
>[ ] Fight Legion.
>[ ] Keep Legion talking. (Write-in required.)
>[ ] "You know what the problem with taking hostages is?"

>>35918801
>[ ] "You know what the problem with taking hostages is?"

>>35918801
>[ ] "You know what the problem with taking hostages is?"
Can I get some kind of elaboration on what this option actually means?

>>35918844
>Intimidation. It's somewhere between Fight and Keep Legion Talking, leaning one way or the other depending on how you handle it.

>>35918801
>[ ] Keep Legion talking.
So... why focus on me? How long have you been watching. Am I really all that special?

>>35918844
it means 'lol let them die' I assume

>>35918801
>[X] Fight Legion.

>A few different votes, but all of them lean semi-confrontational.
>Typing.

"This seems like an awful lot of trouble for one girl." Keep Legion talking. You've got to. Maybe you can buy yourself some times to think of something else. Some way out of this without anyone dying. Some way to KILL this fucker. "What makes me so special?"

"YOU ARE A KINSLAYER!" Legion's rage boils again, and the entire horde seems to lurch forward with it. A few close to you even snap in your face. Your head rings with the volume of the horde screaming Legion's words. "YOU KILLED BELPHEGOR AND TOOK HIS SOUL, TO USE AS A WEAPON AGAINST US!"

"You're not really doing a very good job of convincing me not to do the same thing to you." Legion tenses, and so does the grip on the survivors. One of them cries out in pain. "You know what the problem with taking hostages is, Legion? It doesn't hold water as leverage. Either you follow through with your threat, in which case I break you in half over my knee and tear your eyes out. Or you don't, in which case I'll still break you in half over my knee and tear your eyes out. Either way, this doesn't end well for you."

>[ ] "So I might as well just kill you now." (Attack.)
>[ ] "Let them go, and I walk away. That's the end of it." (Negotiate.)
>[ ] "So maybe you should think this through a little bit before you do anything rash." (Keep Legion talking.)
>[ ] Blast through, grab the hostages, and get them to safety. (Warning: VERY risky.)
>[ ] Write-in

Rolled 3, 1, 4 = 8 (3d6)

>>35919154
>[X] "Let them go, and I walk away. That's the end of it." (Negotiate.)

>>35919154
>[X] "Let them go, and you walk away. That's the end of it." (Negotiate.)

>>35919154
>[ ] "So maybe you should think this through a little bit before you do anything rash." (Keep Legion talking.)

>>35919154
>[X] "So maybe you should think this through a little bit before you do anything rash." (Keep Legion talking.)

>This works. Typing.

"So maybe you should think this throug a bit before you do anything rash." Legion opens its mouths to speak, but hesitates. Growlsing, glaring daggers at you, the horde tries to press the fear down on you again, but all the weight behind it is gone. It's hollow, and you brush it aside without even trying. "Let them go, and we both walk away. That's the end of it."

"THERE WILL NEVER BE AN END TO THIS. YOU HAVE DONE THE UNFORGIVEABLE, AND I WILL FREE MY BRETHEREN FROM YOUR BROKEN BODY." The rage returns, but with none of the power behind it. There's desperation in Legion's eyes. It's close to a decision now, perhaps a rash one. You'll have to choose your next words carefully.

>[ ] "You kill them, you'll end up just like Belphegor."
>[ ] "Try me."
>[ ] "Rick, NOW!"
>[ ] Write-in

Rolled 6, 6, 1 = 13 (3d6)

>>35919373
>[X] "You kill them, you'll end up just like Belphegor."

Rolled 1, 3, 1 = 5 (3d6)

>>35919373
>Charge now
>Rick, everyone RUN

>>35919373
>[ ] "You kill them, you'll end up just like Belphegor."

Rolled 5, 1, 3 = 9 (3d6)

>>35919373
>>[X] "You kill them, you'll end up just like Belphegor."

>Now, normally, I'd require a third roll, buuuutt...

>>35919386
>WE HAVE A CRIT
>Double sixes with a 1 to confirm is a great success that you really wish wasn't in the long-term.
>It's Pyrrhic victory time!
>Typing.

File: current emotions.jpg (26 KB, 300x470)

26 KB JPG

>>35919469

File: roll to cry.gif (53 KB, 350x233)

53 KB GIF

>>35919469

File: Spoiler Image (177 KB, 500x280)

177 KB GIF

>>35919531
A lot.

"You kill them, you'll end up just like Belphegor." Your words cut deep. The rage flashes across Legion's face, and something in the demon snaps.

"I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!" Every walker in the base roars, and charges you. Hundreds and hundreds of bodies crush down. More than you can fight off, more than you can leap away from. From every angle, claws and teeth and pounding fists. Through the rapidly closing window between the bodies, you see Legion, eyes blazing, its face twisted in rage and a grim satisfaction.

And then its middle head explodes in a shower of gore.

>Continued.

Legion stumbles and drops. Behind him, you see four figures fleeing, and one, standing firm, holding a pistol to the back of where Legion's head was just a moment before. He spits on the demon's body, and turns to you. You make eye contact with him, and he gives you an almost imperceptible nod, before being dragged backwards off his feet. A walker, again feral, sinks its teeth into his neck, and a dozen others join in. More gunshots echo. Measured, precise, even as he falls. Just as lose sight of him, you see him turn the gun towards himself.

Without Legion's coordination to keep them together, you fling yourself out of the horde, and down upon where Rick fell. Tearing bodies away, crushing heads in your hands, you find him, and wish you hadn't. Bites cover his body. His face has been half-removed, nose completely gone and teeth bared by a missing upper lip. The top of his skull blossoms outward onto the pavement, his empty gun still resting under his chin.

"N-nOW yOu sEe..." Gargling on blood, a familiar, hateful voice again speaks. "NOw YoU KNoW oUR pAiN!" Again, Legion stands, its two outward faces flopping limply as the middle one slowly and grotesquely stitches itself back together. "ANd iT'S nOt OVer yeT!"

Screams, from behind you. Why didn't you notice them before? The rest of the survivors are fleeing, desperately, from the feral mob. They're holding them off, for the moment, but only because of their guns, and they're using ammo incredibly quickly.

"WhAt wILl It BE, KiNSLayER? WiLL yOU sAVe tHEm? Or WReAk yOUr VenGEanCe uPOn Me?"

>[ ] Rescue the survivors.
>[ ] Kill Legion.

>>35919785
>[X] Rescue the survivors.

>>35919785
>[X] Rescue the survivors.

>>35919785
>[ ] Rescue the survivors.
We.Fucked.Up

>>35919785
>Kill Legion

Yeah everyone at the mall will be pissed, but whats to stop him storming the mall

>This is a big one, so I'm going to give you guys some time to debate. Anyone who wants to change their vote, feel free to do so, as long as you point to your old post so I don't double count anything.

>>35919873
It seems pretty locked in to be honest.

>Some food for thought. If you rescue the survivors you'll have to return empty handed. But if you don't go save the others, you're almost sure to be the only survivor.

>>35919848
I still think if we let him live hell get a bigger crowd and come curbstomp the mall

>>35919976
Well rescuing them really is the only option then.

>>35919919
>Just want to make sure you're making an informed decision.
>Still save, then?

>>35919976
If we didn't have any connections trading them for a dead legion would be acceptable, but we got to go back to the ranch at the end of the day.

>>35920016
Yeah. Even if he does get bigger we could take him in a fight. I'd rather not sacrifice a bunch of people to kill him now.

>>35920030
>Kill them, him living will come back to bite us in the ass

>>35920048
Yeah but letting everyone die will bite us in the ass as well.

>>35919998
>hell get a bigger crowd and come curbstomp the mall

Then he loses his only advantage of surprise and we turn his ass into goo.

>Lock the decision in, then?

>>35920071
Letting 4 dudes die < Bringing his army down on 200 survivors, including our brother and waifu to be

>>35920075
Exactly. The only reason we're in this position is because he surprised us and he won;t be able to do it again.

>>35920090
Yeah instead we can get kicked out by the group because we fucked the one thing we were meant to do.

>>35920079
Lock it. I'm not switching?

>>35920079
Yeah lock it.

>Locked.
>Typing.

You turn your gaze back and forth. They won't survive without you. But Legion surviving what he's done? To do this again? To do to Adam what it did to Rick? Can you really allow that!

A scream, as someone barely kicks away one of the walkers makes the decision for you. "This isn't over, Legion." As you leap away, you hear the demon's voice, wicked and triumphant.

"I'M CouNTiNG oN It."

You land in the crowd, harder than you have in years, and send walkers flying in every direction. Your rage and pain, everything you would have turned on Legion, you instead pour into every single attack as you massacre the horde descending on the survivors. For a moment, you debate turning back once they're clear and hunting him down, but the gunshots and the sounds of the fight have drawn more from every direction. There's no choice but to focus entirely on keeping the survivors safe.

****

It's almost dark by the time you finally make it in sight of the mall. Packs empty, ammo spent, back-up weapons lost or twisted beyond recognition. Gore drips from your fists, and the bitter taste of defeat fills your mouth. A look-out on the ceiling shouts something behind him, and security on the walls cuts loose with automatic weapons, bringing down the stragglers and new pursuers you gained in the journey.

The moment you're inside, civilians rush to the surviving scavengers, and you're buried in questions, accusations, demands. People are scared, and in their fear, they begin to blame you. For a moment, you fear they all might turn on you, until Edith steps in.

"Everyone, please, calm down! They're all here, everyone is safe." She counts heads, just to be sure. One, two, three, four, five... even the gas-masked one who you lost sight of during the event. All but one. "...Aria, where's Rick?"

>[ ] "I didn't get to him in time."
>[ ] "He gave his life for mine."
>[ ] "There was a demon."
>[ ] "..."

>>35919386
>>35919768
>>35919785
I don't really understand the point of these great successes.
Because they don't seem to be great successes at all, in this case in fact it just seems to be an average failure. Just doesn't really seem necessary considering all the ways we already have to fail.

>>35920401
It was a pyrrhic success, not a great success.

>>35920438
>Double sixes with a 1 to confirm is a great success that you really wish wasn't in the long-term.
Can you read?

>>35920401
>Let me put it this way.
>No one was guaranteed to come out of that alive.

>>35920448
That's just avoiding the question about mechanics entirely though.

>>35920467
>>35920447
It was a high lethality mission. One of those intro missions where your entire team gets wiped out and you're the only survivor with a new threat inbound.

Only one fatality *is* a great success, because it gave us a choice between ending the threat prematurely or saving the rest of our team.

>>35920467
>I'll go into more detail about what could have happened with that roll once we're done, in the after-session Q&A.
>Don't wanna sidetrack what's happening now with it, though.

>>35920534
Well considering the lack of replies, I'm going to vote for
>[ ] "..."
Since that's exactly what we're doing

>>35920394
>>[X] "It was a trap."
Want to cut off any lynch mob finger pointing asap.

>>35920534
Sure, alright.

>>35920394
>....

sorry op, i gotta sleep

>Gonna take it at that, in the interest of getting things moving again.
>Typing.

>>35920573
>>35920394
Seconding that

"..." You go quiet, looking down at your hands. Your claws. Demonic. Perfectly good for killing, but when you have to save someone...

"Aria?" Edith's face is a great mix of emotions, and you can't get a read on any of them.

"It was a trap." You finally mumble, pushing through the crowd. A few people follow for a moment, but think better of it when they see the blood drip down from your hands onto the floor. You have to get away. You have to leave, you have to... to...

>[ ] Find Adam.
>[ ] Find Glenn.
>[ ] Find Sofia.
>[ ] Talk with Edith. Away from everyone else.
>[ ] Be alone.

>>35920738
>[X] Be alone.

>>35920738
>>[ ] Find Adam.

>>35920738
>>[X] Find Glenn.

>>35920738
>[ ] Find Adam.

>>35920738
>[ ] Find Adam
Time for cuddling.

>>35920738
>[ ] Find Adam.
We need the cuddles.....

>Typing.

>>35920738
>>[X] Find Glenn.

You have to find Adam. You need to know he's safe. You need SOMETHING to make sense right now.

He's not hard to find, and for a moment, when he sees you, he hesitates. You're still a demon, and you're covered in God only knows what. But when he sees your eyes, he runs up, hugs your leg, and you pick him up in your arms.

Justice isn't too far, and despite how anyone may feel, they don't stop you when the two of you go in there to hide. Away from everyone.

It's a long time before either of you speak, and it's your brother who breaks the silence.

"Aria?" His arms wrap around your middle. "It's okay to cry if you want to."

>[ ] Put on a brave face for your brother.
>[ ] Hug him tighter, and let it all out.

>>35920936
>>[ ] Hug him tighter, and let it all out.

>>35920936
>[X] Put on a brave face for your brother.

>>35920936
>[ ] Hug him tighter, and let it all out.
As long as that means we aren't busting his shoulders or anything

File: Let it all out.gif (498 KB, 500x283)

498 KB GIF

>>35920936
>[ ] Hug him tighter, and let it all out.

>Typing.

File: startarot.png (610 KB, 753x1061)

610 KB PNG

You don't have to say anything. You just hold him close, and finally, finally let everything you've been bottling up for so long come out. Pain, fear, anger, sorrow. All of it comes out in great, wracking sobs. And Adam's there for all of it. No matter what else happens, he'll be there. You'll be there for each other. And for now, that's enough.

You fall asleep with Adam in your arms, deep and heavy, and the world fades away.

>You feel a faint bond forming between you and Adam...
>You have established a new bond!
>Adam Alistar [The Star] has advanced to Rank 1!

>Continued.

File: IGOR.jpg (104 KB, 1280x720)

104 KB JPG

You can't say how long you're asleep for. It seems to last for days. But eventually, the haze breaks, and you're awakened by the scent of lavender and velvet, and the long pointed nose of a familiar, contemplative face.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room." Igor's greeting is the same as always, but afterwards, he hesitates. "You have had a terrible trial. And more still are yet to come. Do you remember our contract?"

You don't say anything. Maybe if you're silent, he'll just leave you alone, and you can go back to sitting with your brother.

"Despite the circumstances, I do feel that some measure of congratulations are in order." The glare you give him is beyond words. "Now, now, I know how that sounds. But you've been doing very well. It's not my place to say what you should have or shouldn't have done. Only that you're weighing your choices, and considering the consequences your actions might have.

"For this reason, I'd like to offer you a gift. For the trials ahead, and to protect the people you've begun to hold dear." Igor closes his eyes, and draws in a long breath. "This will be our last meeting for some time. When next we meet, you will come of your own will."

>Your favored Arcana has changed to Strength!
>You have gained the Persona Valkyrie! ([Strength] +1 STR, +1 AGI)
>Courage XP gained.
>Diligence XP gained.
>Knowledge XP gained.
>Understanding XP gained.
>Expression XP gained.

>Continued. Typing.

>>35921336
>Courage XP gained.
Courage to fight all that needs to be fought!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HZPjgJIwBc

The night passes without incident, and in the morning, you find yourself speaking with Edith. Whether you want to or not seems to be irrelevant. There's things that you need to discuss with her. For the safety of the whole group. Things she needs to know about what happened, and how Rick died.

It's difficult to start telling the story, but once you have, you can't stop. She doesn't comment, or ask any questions, she just listens. Listens and nods and you have no idea what she's going to say or do when you're done, but you can't stop until it's all out.

Once you're done, she sits in silence for several minutes, mulling over every detail of what you've said. When she finally does speak, her voice is quiet.

"Is there anything you want to say?"

>[ ] "I'm sorry."
>[ ] "No. You heard everything."
>[ ] "We need to prepare."
>[ ] Write-in

>>35921471
>[]"Would there be any point in saying anything...."

>>35921471
>>[X] "We need to prepare."

>>35921471
>>[ ] "I'm sorry."
>[ ] "We need to prepare."
"So it never happens again."

>Typing.

>>35921607
>>35921471
Second

"Would there be any point in saying anything?"

"Maybe, maybe not." Edith looks at you over folded hands, elbows firm on the table between you. "It wouldn't change anything, but it might be something that needs to be said."

"Then... I'm sorry. And we need to prepare, so this never happens again."

"Aria..." Edith sighs. "People are going to die. Heaven or, God forbid, Hell is something that's going to happen, for all of us. From what you've told me, Rick chose to do what he did. He chose to stay, and to save you. And you need to honor his sacrifice, yes. And you need to protect the people you care about, yes. I agree, there is a lot we need to do if 'Legion' is as set on its goals as you said."

"But what?" What's she getting at?

"But you can't tear yourself apart over your failures. Learn from them. Move forward. Let's frame this another way. What did you learn at the base?"

>[ ] "That the demons know I exist, and despise me."
>[ ] "The supplies in the base were moved deliberately. They may still be there.
>[ ] "What kind of leader Rick was. And what kind I need to be."
>[ ] "Legion's weakness- its temper."

>>35921828
>[ ] "That the demons know I exist, and despise me."
>[ ] "The supplies in the base were moved deliberately. They may still be there.
>[ ] "What kind of leader Rick was. And what kind I need to be."
>[ ] "Legion's weakness- its temper.

>>35921828
>[X] "That the demons know I exist, and despise me."
>[X] "The supplies in the base were moved deliberately. They may still be there.
>[X] "What kind of leader Rick was. And what kind I need to be."
>[X] "Legion's weakness- its temper."

>>35921828
>>[X] "The supplies in the base were moved deliberately. They may still be there.

>>35921828
>[ ] "That the demons know I exist, and despise me."
>[ ] "The supplies in the base were moved deliberately. They may still be there.
>[ ] "What kind of leader Rick was. And what kind I need to be."
>[ ] "Legion's weakness- its temper."

>All of the above is a legitimate answer that I did not put on the list because it would've been too obvious.
>Good job figuring it out anyways.
>I have smart players.
>Typing!

"I learned that the demons know I exist, and despise me." Edith nods at that. You'll need to be wary in the future. Whatever happens now, if the demons know where you are, it will draw their attention towards everyone near you. "And I learned Legion's weakness. It has a very short temper, especially in regards to the other demons I've killed."

"Exorcised." Edith corrects, interjecting for a moment. "They would have to be human for it to be murder."

"When I was in the infirmary, everything was spotless. The supplies were moved, deliberately. And unless Legion sent a giant horde carrying all of them somewhere, they're probably still there." Again, Edith nods. There's something like approval in her eyes.

"Anything else?"

"I learned what kind of leader Rick was. He listened. He was patient, and didn't rush. But when it was the right time, he acted, to protect the people who put their trust in him. That's the kind of leader I want- I need- to be."

"You're further on that journey than you realize, Aria. Even if no one else sees it yet." She rises. "For now, I recommend getting some rest, and keeping an eye out for people who might be willing to listen. Not everyone is against you right now."

You rise to leave, to go find somewhere to make yourself busy. But as you do, she stands as well, and puts a hand on your shoulder.

"And Aria? ...you're doing well. Don't thow your life away."

>You feel the bond between you and Edith deepening...
>Edith Orton [High Priestess] has advanced to Rank 2!
>Knowledge XP gained.
>Understanding XP gained.
>Your Understanding has improved to Kindly [+1]!

Enough time has passed that people are out and about, and almost anyone you want to find is there. The question is who you want to talk to- or what you want to do instead.

>[ ] Find Adam.
>[ ] Find Glenn.
>[ ] Find Samuel and Sofia.
>[ ] Find a way to help with fortifying the mall.
>[ ] Write-in

>>35922172
>[ ] Find Adam.

>>35922172
>[ ] Find Adam.

>>35922172
>[ ] Find Adam.
Understanding, UP!
Yay.

>>35922172
>>[X] Find a way to help with fortifying the mall.

>>35922172
>[X] Find a way to help with fortifying the mall.

>Alright. Typing.
>As a note, I probably have enough oomph in me for another Social Link scene or maybe two, but anything beyond that will have to wait for the next thread. I need to eat dinner and have stuff to do tonight, plus work in the morning.
>Plus, I already have ideas for how to start the next thread.

You're torn, at first, between looking for Adam and finding a way to help with fortifying the mall, but this turns out to be an academic difference, as you find him glued to Samuel's hip. The old man is a bit too bent to be doing much physical labor himself, but he seems to be doing fine acting as a sort of impromptu foreman. Seems he has construction experience as well, as he keeps trying to but in to show someone how to do something and having to be shooed away by Sofia before he injures himself.

"You helping Samuel out, Adam?" You greet them both with a smile, and they return it, Adam meeting you halfway. He nods at your question, and launches into telling you about everything that's happened. He gets about halfway through a story about Sofia grabbing a hammer from his hand before you're approached by someone you haven't met before.

He's only about your height, which isn't especially impressive, and has a mop of curly orange hair that would probably be a horrible tangle even if everyone COULD shower regularly. Still, he smiles (and is missing a couple teeth, you note), and then, seeing your face, seems to work very hard to NOT change his demeanor.

"Oh, hi! Um, A-Aria, right? Okay, great, you're here to help, I hope? I mean, I'm sure you are, I'm just..." This might have continued for ages, but Samuel pats the boy on the shoulder.

"Now, now. There's no need to get nervous. Aria's a person just like the rest of us."

"Right, of course. Great! Um, we could use some help hammering up this reinforcement? We boarded up all the windows and doors on the ground floor because, you know, glass and everything, but we've never really gone through and made everything really secure. So we're doing that now. I mean, I am, and the rest of us are, and if you want to as well, that's fine, and we'd be happy for the help and-"

"Nathan, you're going to blow a gasket! Just give the lady a hammer and a board and I'm sure she can figure out the rest herself."

>Cont.

'Nathan' nods a few times, and goes through a very roundabout and wordy process of setting you up in a neglected area that could use a lot of extra wood.

"There's not enough for everything that we really want to do with it, but we can at least get started, and keep everything solid until we figure out a way to make it sturdier. I mean, it's not like you can just turn into a lumberjack demon and chop us down a bunch of trees, right?" Nathan pauses, and blinks, actually listening to himself speak for once. "You can't do that, can you?"

>[ ] "Nope. Sorry."
>[ ] "Sam was right, you're going to hurt yourself."
>[ ] "I can do a lot of things, but that isn't one of them."
>[ ] Ignore him.

>>35922720
>Write in
"A lumberjack demon? I don't think so, but if I got an axe I could give it a try."

>>35922753
Hahahahaha seconded

>Alright, sure. That works. Typing.

>>35922753
Third, I like this kid.

"A lumberjack demon?" You can't help but give Nathan a bit of a look. What kinds of rumors are going on around here? "I don't think so. But if I got an axe, I could give that a try."

A bit of explaining and a lot of chatter from Nathan later, and you're outside, one mostly-solid fire axe in hand. It's no woodsaw, but given that there's not much demand for those in a Mega Mall, maybe that's to be expected. With all of the trees near the mall either too close or too small to cut down, you have to wander a bit of a ways before you find any trees worth bringing down, and it's one in the back of what was once someone's yard.

You wonder aloud, to no one in particular, whether or not the people living here every considered putting up a treehouse.

"Maybe. Looks like they never got around to it, though." The sound of the voice catches you by surprise, and you wheel around, axe at the ready. A demon, humanoid, stands before you, its arms crossed in front of its chest. "You're the one who calls herself Shax? I'd like to have a word with you."

>To be continued... in Episode 4!
>I'm gonna go eat some food, and I'll be around for Q&A for the most of the night.
>Keep an eye on the Twitter for updates on when the next thread will be, and if you have any questions, you can ask here, there, or on the ask.fm. And thanks for playing!

>If anyone was waiting for me to return, I'm back from eating now.

>>35923570
Cool OP.

>>35923570
You do know the Shax thing is a joke related to another quest right?

>>35923639
>I assumed it was just a Charmed reference.
>I'll drop it at the start of the next quest.

>>35923639
>>35923693

Doesn't matter. Until we earn a better one it's a good nom de guerre.

In the context we're using it for it works just fine and the Demon clan calling us a name that we originally intended to be throwaway joke has a nice sense of continuity to it.

>>35923814
>Alright, cool.

...

>Someone send me something on the ask.fm. URL's the same as the twitter.

>>35923976
Sent

Jesus Christ QM that image...