>>42848729

Although, speaking of leaving, you wonder if that's really what you want to do right away. True, there's not really anything for you here – any thoughts of this place becoming a second safe haven have long since vanished – but you're tempted to take a look around anyway. Maybe you could find some other human beings, sane ones perhaps, and ask for their opinion on the New Way. Even if Joseph – the unofficial leader of the group, you realise, now that he's poisoned his superiors – is under the thumb of an erratic, irrational angel, the rest of the people might be reasonable enough. Maybe.

That angel – Mastema, he called himself – bothered you. True, all the angels you've encountered so far have been somewhat unusual, from Raphael's anger to Uriel's violent insanity. Even Gabriel had been strange, as though she had been tainted by her time spent among humanity, but this Mastema... Cursing mankind for their free will while scheming and planning, denouncing humanity for having ambition while trying to claw his way to a higher place in Heaven – nothing about him made sense. Even his ink black form is a far cry from what you've seen in other angels. He'll be trouble later on, you sense, despite his claims towards being trustworthy.

Well, no matter. You've killed angels before. When he stops being useful, you'll just get rid of him and move onto the next hurdle. No big deal, right?

“We going home?” Cassandra slurs, still reeling a little from the sedative she'd been given. Her voice snaps you back to reality and draws your attention to the elevator controls. Your finger is poised over the ground floor button, but... you could always look around for a bit.

>Ground floor
>Top floor
>Pick another floor at random

>>42848732
>Ground floor
Get the hell out of here, explore later when we're in better condition.

>>42848732
>>Ground floor
Eh good point. Let's hope this place is still doing okay after we kill Mastema.

>>42848835
>>42848887
Gotta agree with this. We just got poisoned after all.

>>42848732
>Pick another floor at random
I don't think we need to see a circle of dead bodies, but

>thinking that this isn't the safest time to check this place out, before the metaphorical cracks start appearing and this place is toast

>>42848732
>>Pick another floor at random

>>42848941
Are we expecting something bad to happen here? Yeah I don't trust Mastema either but he wants to keep the people here alive. That's what he says at least.

>>42848986
in general, something bad WILL happen.

But really, Mastema doesn't seem to be doing so hot in the sanity department, and his flunky is even worse. I don't see them maintaining the "spokesman for the council" facade for much longer before people start suspecting.

That, and claiming the last cornerstone might cause ANOTHER huge shift in the world.

>It looks like returning home has won this one, but there will be the option of returning here soon. I'm writing the next post now, but it might be delayed slightly.

>>42848835
>>42848887
>>42848916

Sure Cassandra, you tell her, you're going home. She can sleep it off, and you can see if Carnby has dug up anything useful on the final cornerstone. You've got Joseph's ring, so you can come back here whenever you like – if there are people here, they'll have to fend for themselves for the time being. Hopefully Mastema doesn't provoke Joseph into doing anything too crazy – the last thing you want to return to is another Jonestown. Josephstown?

A few seconds after you slap the button for the ground floor, the elevator grinds into life and starts a juddering ascent. Judging on the lights above the door, marking down each floor you pass through, Joseph had been holding you in some kind of sub-basement – his very own dungeon, how cute. At least the elevator manages to reach your destination without anything you could call a catastrophic failure, although it did groan like a dying animal at one point. Suffice to say, when the doors open you waste little time in dragging Cassandra out of it and hurrying on your way.

You pause for a moment before heading off to slide the thin gold band onto your finger. The air around you seems to shudder briefly, as though a sudden wave of heat distorts the air, but nothing seems to change. No nightmare world hiding behind an illusion, no horrific truth revealed in a flash of insight – just the same buildings and bored looking guards. Those hooded guards still pay you no mind as you half-carry your companion outside.

“I'm fine, I'm fine,” Cassandra murmurs, slapping your shoulder as you drag her along, “I can walk, come on...”

Not yet she can't, you tell her sternly. The last thing you need right now is your friend lagging behind and getting lost in this maze. Why couldn't Joseph just give you two rings? It's inconsiderate, is what it is!

>>42849201
>Why couldn't Joseph just give you two rings? It's inconsiderate, is what it is
we could have switched one out for a dud or another ring that triggers anti-poison or an explosion, though. Maybe best that we weren't given a second ring.

>>42849201

Riding out of here would be faster, though. You take your phone out to summon Eligor and Valkyrie, but pause as you glance back at the armed guards. Maybe wait until you're out of sight before calling up a devil. It's a few streets before you feel safe summoning your demons. Your finger is hovering over Eligor's icon when a sudden – and familiar – light fills the sky. It's unmistakable – the descent of an Archangel, and there's only one candidate remaining.

“Hear me, children of God, and tremble!” a terrible voice roars out, “I come not to bring you peace or mercy, compassion or forgiveness. No, I come to bring WAR to this city! In my right hand, I carry a spear and in my left, a torch. Through me, you shall know discipline, and through discipline you shall know the Lord's love!”

None of that sounds even remotely good, yet it is what comes next that sends a shiver of fear running through you.

“And for those whose hands are stained with the blood of the Lord's servants, there can be NO forgiveness! No mercy, and not a moment of respite. You will be hunted for the rest of your days, and when you are put to the sword you shall be cast into the pit of fire! Hear these words, rebellious children of God, and know fear!”

Then, abruptly, the sound and thunder of Heaven's top soldier cuts off completely, leaving you understandably shaken. That message was meant for you – no doubt about it. The Archangel Michael, announcing his intention to hunt you down and throw you into Hell, there's no way of hearing that and NOT being at least a little worried.

Home. Just focus on getting home for now. Without wasting any more time, you summon your two mounted demons and, after wrestling Cassandra onto the back of Eligor's horse, you begin the trek home.

>>42849275
Cass is going to die at this rate

>>42849286
Hmm? At what rate? We are just as likely to die. In fact I think they are gunning for Amelia much more than Cass.

>>42849286
Don't get my hopes up anon

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>>42849420
>Wanting your friend to die.

Don't you want to make them proud, doing what they couldn't?

File: CuChulainn.jpg (104 KB, 566x800)

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>>42849275

Cu Chulainn is waiting for you in the foyer when you arrive, his face set in a grim mask. More trouble, you realise with growing dismay. It's just one thing after another, isn't it? Just once, you'd like to have a day to yourself, a day to do nothing but waste time in the most pointless way possible.

“It seems that Heaven has made a move,” the hero warns you, “You're in their sights now. Don't get me wrong, you're safe here – queen Titania promised you safe haven, and I'll hold her to that promise until the end of the world if need be. Still, if you're venturing outside, be sure to stay on your guard.”

You'll do that, you promise him. He, uh, he knows then? Did he hear that dreadful announcement, even in the depths of the fairy kingdom?

“I'd wager the whole city heard it,” Cu Chulainn nods sagely, “The whole world perhaps, although I wonder if those two things are much the same.” Then, as his eyes fall upon Cassandra's limp form, his face pales. “Is she... injured?”

Drugged, you tell him as you heave Cassandra into your arms and dismiss your demons. Whatever you were drugged with, it hit her a lot harder than it hit you. She just needs time to rest – at least, that's what you hope. You've heard stories of allergic reactions, of people just flat out dying from what should have been a harmless drug.

“I'll have someone check her over,” Cu Chulainn promises you, taking her gently from your arms. He holds her like a man cradling his new bride, with one hand carefully supporting her head. Looking at the pair of them, you can't help but feel strangely jealous. “Get some rest as well,” he tells you, “You look hurt, your head...”

Of course, Joseph's “gentle persuasion” had left you with a split scalp – you must look horrific.

>Rest can wait. Find Carnby
>He's right, you should rest
>Other

>>42849471
>Rest can wait. Find Carnby
Have Undine take some of the damage off.

>>42849491
>>42849471
This

>>42849449
>friend
In character she's clingy and useless. OOC, she's obvious waifu pandering

>>42849548
What?

>>42849557
Cass. She's a pretty blatant attempt at getting the yuri subtext audience. Embarrassing tbh

>>42849593
Eh. Whatever you say buddy.

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>>42849491
>>42849532

It's nothing, you tell Cu Chulainn as his eyes linger on the dried blood crusting your face. Just a scratch, a flesh wound. You'll get a wash and a little bit of magical healing and that'll be enough for you. There's important work to be done, after all – he heard that announcement, didn't he?

“Very well, I won't insist,” still, Cu Chulainn gives you a concerned look, “But don't push yourself too hard. If you work until you pass out, there won't be anyone to save the world.”

You laugh hollowly. He's really matured, hasn't he? You still remember when Setanta was boasting about being the greatest warrior in the kingdom and plunging headlong into battle. Now, at long last, Cu Chulainn sounds like a true leader. Still, you'll do your best to take a break – eventually. When you're not too busy.

“Suit yourself,” the fairy hero shrugs with an exasperated sigh, “I believe your teacher is still in the archives if you wish to see him. He seemed... agitated earlier.”

Is that so? Then you'd better get to work. Bidding farewell to Cu Chulainn, you hurry off down the hallway. On the way, you call up Undine, who follows your hasty steps with a leisurely levitation.

“In a hurry, boss?” she asks playfully, “You've got red on you, by the way.”

Yeah yeah, you tell her, can she do anything about that?

“You'll want a wet cloth for that,” the little demon teases, before drifting closer and touching a chilly finger to your forehead. A brief itching sensation crawls across the wound as your skin knits together. “There, all better!” she announces, pleased with herself.

You pause, Undine shooting past you for a moment before backtracking to your position. Touching two fingers to your temple, you test the new skin. Not even a bruise – very impressive, you tell Undine. Now that you don't look like a zombie, you can deal with Carnby.

>>42849784

You see his back almost immediately, bent over a desk covered with old books, scrolls and loose sheets of paper. Hard at work, you think to yourself, although sometimes you wonder exactly what it is he does – does he just read these scrolls, or is he working towards some grand project? Maybe he's just compulsively gathering as much information as possible, driven by some obsessive desire to know everything there is to know about his beloved fairies.

When Carnby doesn't look up at the sound of your entrance, you call out to him. When he doesn't respond to that either, you shout his name, wincing at the sound of your voice echoing off the looming bookshelves. That, at least, gets his attention – more than that, it seems to send an electrical shock running through his entire body, causing him to straighten up and yelp in fear.

“Ah, Amelia!” Carnby turns around in his chair, nearly knocking a stack of books to the floor, “Not so loud please, this is a library.”

Sure, right. You'll make sure to keep your voice down. Still, you thought you'd better check up on him – you heard there were some problems, is that correct?

“Uh, no no!” the professor insists, “No problem! Well, I've not made much progress, which is a problem in of itself, but nothing special. No special problems, I mean.”

Right. You believe him – thousands wouldn't. Moving on, you ask him if there's been any progress with the search for the final cornerstone. You don't know if he noticed the noise upstairs, but things might be in motion. You need to get this done before Michael gets his hands on the last source of power in the city. Heaven doesn't need any more advantages than it already has.

“No,” Carnby tells you quickly, “Nothing. I've found nothing.”

Huh.

>I don't believe you
>Fine. Don't work too hard
>I'm worried about you, you know
>Other

>>42849957
>I don't believe you
"Whats up?"

>>42849957
>I'm worried about you, you know
>I don't believe you

>>42849957
>>I'm worried about you, you know
"You need to come up for air every now and then dad. What are you looking for here that has got you so...reclusive? It can't be just the cornerstone location."

>>42849957
>>I don't believe you
>>I'm worried about you, you know

>>42849993
>>42850057
>>42850135
>>42850254

You take back what you said – you DON'T believe him. Sighing wearily, you lean on the one empty corner of the desk and fold your arms. It feels, absurdly, as though you've swapped roles – you've become the responsible parent, while Carnby has become the evasive, easily distracted teenager. Was he always this scatterbrained, you wonder, or has this obsessive research unhinged something in his brain? You feel a twinge of guilt at the possibility – he's doing this for you, after all.

You're worried about him, you tell your father gently, he needs to come upstairs more often and get some fresh air. All this dust and dirt down here won't do his lungs any favours, and you're pretty sure he doesn't eat enough.

“I know, I know,” Carnby forces a smile, “But I'm close to something. A breakthrough.”

You've heard THAT before – the last breakthrough was some vague theory about the prophecies stored here. Is that really what he's looking for, or is there something else? Something he's looking for that's made him elusive and isolated – something other than the cornerstone?

Carnby opens his mouth, closes it again, and then pushes a scroll across his desk. “Read this, just look at it, I mean. Tell me what you can understand.”

Frowning, you take the scroll and unfold it. You can't understand anything, you tell him as you look at the strange symbols burned into the paper. None of this is written in a language you can understand.

“Keep reading,” Carnby insists, “It's lower, at the bottom. You'll see what I mean.” As he urges you on, you wind the scroll down some more, scanning the rows of angular “letters” until you gasp, nearly dropping the parchment. Written in English – in block capitals, in fact – is a harsh, hostile warning.

>SHE IS CHASING SHADOWS. THE TRUE ENEMY HIDES IN PLAIN SIGHT

>>42850330

“You see, don't you?” Carnby murmurs, suddenly looking around in a fit of paranoia, “That's a prophecy, and I'm certain it's referring to you. Not just that, but this was MEANT for you – that's why you can read it as well. Part of this prophecy involved me finding this and showing you, I'm sure of it, but I don't know what it means.”

You don't know either, although you could make a guess. Could it be talking about the Outsider – the “true enemy”? It used a disguise – that could be considered hiding in plain sight, true enough – but that would make the prophecy out of date. You've already realised that the Outsider is the real enemy... right? Unless you were wrong about that, jumping to an incorrect conclusion without thinking about what you were doing.

Staring at those bold words, you feel your stomach churning in sudden panic. If the warning isn't talking about the Outsider, what could it mean? Who is this “true enemy” that you should be looking for?

“You see?” Carnby asks in a conspiratorial whisper, “I don't know who I can trust! Who any of us can trust!”

Well, you begin slowly, he's obviously not in on it – why warn you if he was? - and you can't be your own enemy, so you're not in on it. That means, straight away, you can trust each other. That's a start, right?

Carnby is silent for a long time before carefully taking the scroll from your hands and rolling it up tightly. “I think I'll just... sit on this for the time being. Tell, uh, tell nobody. You keep an eye out, okay? Wait and see if somebody... lets something slip.”

That's his plan – wait and see who tries to kill you first? Well, at least you won't be waiting long, given recent events.

>Tell Titania – she knows about prophecies
>You're right, keep this between us for now
>I'm going to tell Cassandra. We can trust her
>Other

>>42850512
>>You're right, keep this between us for now
Tag him with Oracle, just to be sure.

>>42850512
>You're right, keep this between us for now
No need to have Cass constantly looking over her shoulder too. We are paranoid enough for the both of us.

>>42850561
>>42850566

No, Carnby's right – it's best to keep this between the two of you. You considered telling Cassandra – you trust that girl about as much as you've trusted anyone in your life – but in the end you decided against it. Not because you worry about her letting something slip, but because you don't want her to worry needlessly. She'd be looking over her shoulder every few minutes if you told her. That, as much as anything, would be a clear sign to your unknown enemy that you suspected them. They'd go to ground, and any chance of them giving themselves away would vanish.

“Right, uh, I'll just...” Carnby takes the parchment and buries it in a pile of identical scrolls, “I didn't see anything. Just doing my, uh, research as usual. Nothing out of the ordinary. So, ah, you were here about the cornerstones, weren't you?” he almost shouts that last bit, just to make sure that anyone listening in would be absolutely sure that there was nothing suspicious going on.

Nothing suspicious at all. Right. Yes, you sigh, you were here about the cornerstones. Can he tell you anything – absolutely anything – that might help you?

“Not a thing!” Carnby replies immediately, in his mock-casual voice. Jesus – is subtlety a dead art?

Well you'll just go then, you tell your father, before hesitating. You really weren't kidding about being worried about him, you say, he should come up as well. Take a break from all this book reading and have some fun. As for what “fun” would involve, you're not quite sure, but still – fun!

“Reading is fun,” Carnby mutters, causing you to grimace. You give up.

Now, you're going to go upstairs and, you stress this last bit to Carnby, do something fun. FUN. What, though?

>Check on Cassandra – that's fun, right?
>Explore the New Way enclave on your own
>Do something else (Write in)

>>42850769
>>Check on Cassandra – that's fun, right?
See how she is doing then tell her we are going to...
>Explore the New Way enclave on your own

>>42850769
What >>42850801 said: check Cass, then explore Mastema's place

>>42850801
>>42850865

You don't want to leave the New Way enclave too long – you couldn't say why, but you've got a bad feeling about that place – but if Cassandra is fit enough to move you'd rather not go alone. You'll check on her first, and then you'll take a stroll over there and see what's what. It doesn't have to be anything exhaustive – just get in, take a look around and leave as soon as you spot trouble. Yeah, that sounds about right.

“Be careful!” Carnby calls after you as you leave the archives, “You know, considering the, uh...”

Of course, you reply quickly, cutting off anything else that Carnby had to add. He might as well start putting up posters at this rate. Maybe rent out a billboard back in the city if he really wants to make an effort. Honestly. You're still shaking your head in despair as you follow the winding corridors the Cassandra's room. That's where she'll be, you're sure. You've never seen anything like a hospital or a medical wing in the palace, after all.

Your guess was right – Cassandra IS here, but she's in a deep sleep. She looks peaceful like this, calm and free from stress. It makes her look... younger, somehow, and you feel almost guilty for constantly dragging her into your messes.

“She'll be fine,” a low voice from behind you says, “The stress of the past days has taken a toll on her, that's all. A bit of rest and she'll be back to normal.”

Cu Chulainn, you realise as you turn to face the fairy. Was he waiting for you, or watching over her? Doesn't he have anything better to do, you ask with a weak smile, or is he playing nurse now?

“Yes, I suppose I should be out there, building my legend,” Cu Chulainn matches your attempt at a grin, “In truth, I've rather lost my appetite for heroics since returning. If the queen gives me an order, I shall obey, but...” he trails off, finishing with a shrug.

>>42851103

Well, you tell him, your offer is always open. If he gets tired of life at court, he could join your gang. Or, you add as an idea occurs to you, he could tag along with Cassandra – she could use the help, and she'd certainly appreciate the company. Just something to keep in mind, at least.

“A tempting offer,” he admits with a rueful smile, “Perhaps I shall take you up on it, before the end.”

...Before the end?

“Ah, ignore me,” Cu Chulainn shakes his head, “There is talk, that's all. Nobody knows what will happen when the Tower rises. Everything will change, but that is the only certainty. It may be that I can better serve the court out there with you, than I can by remaining here. Who knows?”

Right, you reply with an uneasy nod, time will tell. Can't do anything until you know what the situation is.

“Exactly,” Cu Chulainn smiles, a genuine offer this time. If he is concerned about his fate, he doesn't show it, “But please, Cassandra needs to rest now. We could talk outside, if you wish, but otherwise...”

No, that's fine. You were heading out anyway – places to be, things to do and all that. You and Cu Chulainn exchange strangely solemn goodbyes, and you walk in silence back to the real world. Maybe it's just Michael's threatening announcement, but the city seems to be a much more threatening place – more than usual, at least. Nothing you can put your finger on, but you're still that much more alert as you walk, hurrying along with nervous glances down each alleyway you pass.

The ring on your finger tingles slightly as you enter the vicinity of the New Way enclave, but that's the only sign that the magic within has taken effect. Still, you fiddle with it as you approach the building, passing the typically silent guards without incident. Perhaps they rely on their border to protect them more than physical force, or maybe they've accepted you as one of them. Either way, convenient. Too convenient, perhaps.

>>42851344

There's no sign of Joseph, either. You have no idea where the crafty poisoner could be hiding – still in the basement, brooding over his sins? Maybe he has some private quarters higher up, possibly even next to whichever floor the council is on – you'd bet they'll be at the top of the building, looming over everyone else like third rate comic book villains. Or you could just test your luck and pick a floor at random – it's as good a place to start as any.

You keep your phone close to hand as you approach the elevator, summoning the tenuous metal box with a tap of the button. Immediately, as though it had been waiting for you, the doors judder open and the light inside flickers on. Grimacing, you step inside the ominous device and look at the rows of buttons. Where to, then?

>Top floor
>Sub basement
>Pick a floor at random

>>42851502
>>Top floor
Weren't we just at the sub basement?

>>42851519

>That's right. It's the dungeons down there, and that's the last place we saw Joseph

>>42851548
Oh, I deleted my vote so change to top floor then.

>>42851502
>>Top floor

>>42851519
>>42851605
>>42851634

The button for the top floor lights up as you press it and the elevator doors shut with a metallic crunch. All the while the elevator grinds its way towards the top floor, you try your hardest not to think of accidents, or everything that could go wrong with elderly, unmaintained machinery. Don't think about a cord snapping – it's harder than it sounds.

In the end, you reach the top floor without incident. You take a few steps out of the elevator and then stop, amazed at what you see before you. It's nothing like what you expected to see in a normal, human building – unless you were dealing with some kind of decadent temple, or something from an insanely rich despot's palace. It's a large set of double doors, apparently crafted from gold. This has to be some kind of corruption, some part of another world – Heaven, perhaps? - creeping into your familiar reality. The doors stand slightly ajar, and you approach them tentatively.

As you lean through the opening, you are struck by an awful stench, a vile mixture of filth and decay. Something died in here – maybe a great deal of things, in fact – and their bodies have been left to rot. Clasping a hand over your mouth, you enter the dark room and wait for your eyes to adjust. The first thing you see, once your eyes have adapted, is a corpse leaning against the door. There are... markings above the slumped body, dark stains where the nameless victim pounded their fists against the unyielding metal.

The rest of the bodies – yes, there are twelve in all – are much the same. Twisted and contorted, frozen in the act of clutching at their throats or scrabbling at the floor. The mouldering remains of spilled food lie unnoticed around the table, the smell masked beneath the more obvious reek of decaying flesh. That was it, the last meal these people ever ate. You stare in revulsion for a moment longer, before a hollow chuckle rings out through the room.

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>>42851835

“Come to seek more of this old heretic's wisdom, child?” the voice croaks, before it changes slightly, taking on a more curious tone. “Hmm, no. You are not the one I expected. Interesting... let me take a look at you, human.”

A demon of some kind, you assume, not making a move. The voice doesn't seem to come from any one source, echoing out from the air itself and making it impossible to find a source. You look around for a moment longer, and eventually the tiny sound of a bell draws your attention to the speaker. Sitting, legs bent like a monk in the middle of their meditations, the hooded figure's shoulders shake with another hollow laugh.

“Yes, not who I expected at all. A fanatic, perhaps, but not the fanatic I expected. Nevertheless,” the monk raises his hand – bones, you notice, his hand is nothing but bone – and rings the little bell he holds, “You, who will lose everything, why have you come here? Do you too seek the wisdom of the dead, or have you merely come to gaze upon those who have shed all desire?”

Taking a step closer, you kneel before the monk and look at his face. Beneath the pointed hood, his head is a leering skull, teeth grinning at you in a grotesque parody of mirth. After a moment, when the monk realises that you're not about to flee, it seems to take a new interest. Even without eyes, you can tell that it's peering carefully at you.

>What do you mean, I'll lose everything?
>The wisdom of the dead?
>These people have shed all desire?
>Other

>>42851967
>The wisdom of the dead?

>>42851967
>What do you mean, I'll lose everything?
>The wisdom of the dead?

>>42851967
>What do you mean, I'll lose everything?

Sounds like Chaos girl whose name I forget has been here,

>>42851967
>>What do you mean, I'll lose everything?
>>The wisdom of the dead?

Buddha?

>>42851993
>>42852045
>>42852127
>>42852302

What is this... wisdom of the dead? You look around at the piled corpses, breathing shallowly through your mouth so that the stench is bearable. Something these... people know? Knew? Or something that this monk thing knows? At the monk's behest – a slow nod that reminds you of Ankou – you cross your legs in imitation of his pose and wait as he puts a finger to his mouth – his lips, if he had any – and hushes you. Then, raising his bell, he lets a shrill chime ring out through the room.

As you watch, balls of blue light rise up from the corpses, hovering in the air. A moment later, you hear the vague echo of voices, overlapping and running into each other. Most are just... groaning and sobbing, the guttural sounds of dying men, but some manage to choke out words.

“Poison!” one of them gasps, “That snake has tricked us all – but why!”

“The devil is within him,” another sobs, “And now mankind falls into his clutches!”

“Joseph!” the next voice – this one coming from the door, with the voice mingling with hollow thumps, “Let us out Joseph! Please, I'm begging you, please!”

Enough, you snap, shaking your head until the chorus of voices stops, what the hell kind of wisdom is that?

“A poor kind,” the monk admits, “But look at them, at their fate. Do they look wise to you?”

...Maybe he has a point. But, other than a warning of what Joseph is capable of, what was that supposed to tell you? What was it supposed to prove?

“The dead speak,” the monk says with a shrug, “What you do with their wisdom is up to you.”

Wonderful. You're so glad you endured that experience. If he really wants to share some wisdom, he can start by explaining what he meant when he said you'd lose everything.

>>42852411

“This path you're on,” the monk croaks, dismissing the spectres with another chime from his bell, “It will ruin you. You will lose your friends and your family. Your home and your humanity. In the end, you will lose your life. In other words...” the skeleton tilts his head to the side slightly, regarding you with a strange kind of amusement, “Your fate is no different from any other one. It might come sooner than most, but in the end - all men lose all things.”

No way, you reply flatly. He's wrong – you're fighting so you don't have to lose everything. He doesn't know where your path leads because you're carving a new path.

“Is that so?” the monk laughs, “You speak with a great deal of confidence, for one who knows nothing of loss. Amusing.”

Your mouth, already set in a hard line, grows rigid. This spooky son of a bitch is saying you don't know anything about loss? You fight down the urge to stand up and punch his skull right through his pelvis and, with a great act of will, remain sitting. You force a more neutral expression onto your face and ask for a little more detail. How, exactly, are you supposed to lose everything?

“You oppose not just Heaven and Hell, but those which dwell Outside,” the monk leans forwards intently, “Do you really expect to do this without sacrifice?”

>Hell yes
>I might, with your help
>I'll sacrifice whatever I need to
>Forget this, I'm leaving
>Other

>>42852586
>>I might, with your help

>>42852586
>I might, with your help
We gunna maybe get Daisoubro?

>>42852586
>I might, with your help

>>42852643
>>42852667
>>42852773

You might, you say carefully, if you had help. You can tell that this monk is a powerful demon – perhaps he'd be willing to join your cause? You say this with vague hope, not quite sure what you're expecting as an answer.

The monk laughs, long and hard, “Amusing, human. You approach the Fiend Daisoujou with an offer of cooperation?” another laugh, “Although admirable, your efforts are futile. You could not hope to control me. Not without the Deathstone, at least.”

Well, then you'll get this Deathstone, you announce, and then he won't be able to refuse your offer! So... what is this Deathstone, and where can you find it?

“Hmm, perhaps this is fated. The Deathstone is close – very close,” Daisoujou touches his jaw with a skeletal finger, “The Deathstone is, as the name suggests, the essence of death itself, distilled into a physical form. The bearer, assuming the stone is properly prepared, can command us Fiends – the incarnations of death. It is currently held by a human girl, one who has become lost within the labyrinth these humans created. She too seeks the Deathstone's power, but she does not know its secret. It must be bathed in blood before it will awaken.”

Well, that doesn't sound so bad. Plenty of demons around here, you say, shouldn't be too difficult to find one and cut it open. Right?

“Human blood,” Daisoujou rasps, “Fresh. Still vital. Enter the labyrinth and find this girl. Take the Deathstone from her, and anoint it in her blood. Only then, will you have the power to command death itself!” The Fiend devolves into another fit of cackling, “Now go! Remove that ring, and you will find the entrance easily enough. Wear it, and you shall be guided to the exit. Do not return here until the deed is done.”

With that, Daisoujou vanishes into an uncoiling pillar of smoke, leaving you alone among the dead.

>>42853020

It is with a heavy heart that you return to the elevator and ride it to the bottom, scarcely noticing the various creaking noises it produces. He wants you to find this girl and kill her – is that really something you're prepared to do? You exit the building and stand, looking out over the clearing. All you'd need to do is slip the ring from your finger and walk out there, into the streets. The maze will take you and, before long, you'll come across your prey.

Target. Your target – you're not some carnivore hunting down a wounded beast. Hell, you've not even decided if you're going to go through with this. You could walk in there and find her, only to guide her back out again. Objectively speaking, that's the “good” thing to do. The “nice” thing.

Then again, there's nobody else here. You could do this, and nobody would ever have to know. There's some small semblance of comfort in that idea – although perhaps that's not a good thing. Maybe you should just walk away and leave her to her fate – she blundered into the maze in the first place, it's her problem. Nothing to do with you.

Right.

>Remove the ring and enter the labyrinth
>Keep the ring on and return home

>>42853053
>>Remove the ring and enter the labyrinth
Anointed in blood, but he didn't say life's blood.

Ehhh Petra is crazy but outright killing her for some extra power leaves a bad taste in my mouth, even if Fiends are cool.

>Remove the ring and enter the labyrinth
With the intention of getting her out of there.

Or maybe...we can recruit her. If this is Petra she shares our animosity towards angels and Devils. Killing Michael might interest her.

>>42853084
>>42853175
You think she can be trusted? She pointed a gun at us the last time we met and she's probably even more desperate now

Though my vote still goes for find her and talk to her. See what she's about at least

>>42853256
For sure, just an option to consider.

>>42853074
>>42853084
>>42853256

Hell, you can't just leave her in there to starve to death, or fall victim to whatever other threats might lurk within the labyrinth. She might even be dead already, and you could just stroll in there and take the stone from her body. That would make things easier, that's for sure.

But you hope you find her alive. Of course.

Frowning deeply, you take a deep breath – cleansing the last trace of that rancid dead air from your lungs – and slide the ring from your finger. Nothing seems immediately different, but that's about what you expected. It's only when you start walking that things start to change. The buildings around you start to blur, growing indistinct and devoid of anything that might be used to mark your path. Soon, even the buildings themselves have faded out into little more than blocky shapes that stretch up into the sky in blatant defiance of natural physics. The ground beneath your feet drops away, leaving nothing but a glowing pathway that you walk upon, each footstep sending out ripples like a pebble cast into the water.

All in all, it's not the kind of place you'd like to get lost in forever. You tuck the New Way ring deep into your pocket and button the flap. If you drop that thing, you're done for. Dead meat. Still... you look around you, focussing on the path ahead. Where to go now? With no way of judging your location – or even how far you've travelled – you've got no indication of where this lost girl might be. Just walk until you find some sign of her?

Well, you've had worse plans.

>I'll stop here for tonight. I'll run the next thread on Sunday, and I'll hang around in case of any questions. Thanks to everyone who took part!

>>42853398
Thanks for the run boss.

>>42853398
So is it really Petra in here?
Can we trust her?

>>42853479

>So is it really Petra in here?
It is, yes. Seems like everyone guessed that by now though!

>>42849593
>>42849548
You're a nigger. I'm for fucking Cu Chulainn as one of these fine ladies.

>>42853751
Pls no romance. We've got better things to do with our time

>>42853861
Fucking ain't romance

So who wants to talk to Leon?

I imagine we'll find a LOT of conversation partners in the vicinity of the Hellfire Club.

>>42854517
>Leon
That nigga dead

>>42854581
Did you forget the part about "The Wisdom of The Dead"?

>>42854616
Sheeeeit, I see what you mean. Good idea but we'd need to get Daisoujou on side first. Hopefully Petra's willing to hand over the stone

......WAIT

HOLD THE FUCK UP

>>42850330
>SHE IS CHASING SHADOWS. THE TRUE ENEMY HIDES IN PLAIN SIGHT
.....ALICE!?

>>42854757
It's possible I guess? She's a powerful death spirit or maybe a goddess I can't remember and she's been here from pretty much the start.