-- plotHooked [PH] The gate from the Land of Tempests and Flames to the Land of Falls and Radiance is located somewhere appropriate. This likely means somewhere one wrong step will send the unwary troll plummeting to his or her Certain (?) Doom. It wouldn't be difficult to die; even the crumbling stairs, remnants of a better time, of a more legendary age, are apt to be illusions thrown by the cascades of pure light or pure shadow which pour down steep sides of cliffs, thrown by cascades of jewel-hued waters which drag rainbows out've the roar, and also fall forever downward. There are a few narrow 'bridges' the like of which Trollywood location scouts would've lusted over because they look so utterly dangerous.
-- plotHooked [PH] Some of the bridges are rocks; some of them look like they might once have been part of structures; others are illusions, drenched in rainbows. Everything is dramatically lit. The sky is full of stars and smokey darkness, smeared blues and maroons and purples. Looking down, it looks like more stars, more darkness, more cliffs, random pools of light. --
-- plotHooked [PH] The sharp-eyed troll (or protagonist?) might well notice that bird-winged creatures can be seen roosting in some of the old ruins, the higher the better. Maybe one lifts its head to blink at him. Its head is not avian; it looks almost like a troll, but without horns, and long, flowing hair. --
-- plotHooked [PH] The only thing familiar is Arethusa's hive, but that's different too. Someone has modified it, building precarious stairs and platforms up and up and up just short of a particularly tall cliff and just short of a flashing (familiar) sigil. Inside, the hive looks pretty thrashed. There is a GIGANTIC MONSTER'S headless corpse in a puddle of indigo blood. There's a housetop running. There's the CRIME TO THE FIRST DEGREE of a machine blocking Arethusa's PRECIOUS SEA TROLL POSTERS (they're educational, okay, just, shut up).
-- plotHooked [PH] There's no sign of life beyond the bird things. However! --
-- plotHooked [PH] There IS a trail of grist. And - well. The imps. Maybe the unwary troll coming through the gate would initially have thought they were just another patch of darkness that LoFAR seems to play with. But no: a river of imps, boiling up in one par-tic-ul-ar direction: a slender cliff riddled with ridiculous holes and a series of stair-bridges. One collapses. Thunder, roar! --
-- facetiousAnimus [FA] adjusts his cloak, and pulls out his new blade, Caliburn. He stands tall on the great shoulders of his Lusus, its golden crown shimmering. He pulls on the makeshift reigns around its neck, and beckons it forward, towards the strife. --
-- facetiousAnimus [FA] yells a battlecry as they leap into the fray. --
-- plotHooked [PH] Let's be honest. The imps? Totally not going to go down in the mythology books as the Bad Guys To Be Frightened of. Ezreki and Salamander!Dad stampede toward the strife and imps go falling this way and that way. Some of them actually leap off to their not-as-certain-as-being-squished-by-a-giant-lizard-ridden-by-a-troll-with-a-weapon-screaming-like-an-idiot doom. The ones ahead? Scatter, too, like rats before the cat. Arethusa is, of course, at the end of the 'strife.' Arethusa is currently climbing a cliff, pen between her teeth, trying to grab ONE PARTICULAR IMP, who is waving something mockingly. Her hair is wild, and she is not having a good time.
-- plotHooked [PH] She is not having a good time at all. She is apparently beginning to hallucinate that she can hear Ezreki, too. Hallucinating is what she has to be doing, because Ezreki is DEAD, and she does not have the power to hear the spirits of the dead. --
-- facetiousAnimus [FA] observes his comrade, and throws down his sword, the blade impaling an imp through the skull, and it impacts into the ground below. --
-- facetiousAnimus [FA] considers for a moment, and draws out a lantern. --
-- facetiousAnimus [FA] it's surface is a dull black sheen, but its lustre has faded over time. Cracks mar its shape, but a light of indescribable hue hums from the core. --
-- facetiousAnimus [FA] holds it up, and grins. The imp who is the subject of the troll's attention stops, and begins to claw at its face, as its body begins to rip apart, black liquid pouring from its form and floating lazily through the air towards the upheld lantern. --
FA: > Need a HAND, my DEAR? >;D -->
-- plotHooked [PH] When the imp begins to -- dissolve, thaw and resolve into a dew or whatever, jaw unhinged in a SCREAM -- Arethusa is. . . taken aback. This doesn't stop her from using the opportunity to steal back what was stolen from her. But once she has it again (an earring, it looks like -- an ear piece, which she reattaches, unhanded). The inky splatters float past her toward the lantern and -- and then the voice. And then -- and then a very Ezreki looking Ezreki. Arethusa is startled enough to drop off of her perch.
-- plotHooked [PH] She hits the ground in a crouch. And stares. And stares. And stares. Her eyes could not be wider. She could not look more bewildered. --
-- facetiousAnimus [FA] the black liquid circles the orb like core of the lantern for a while, then is drawn inside, the black glow from within growing for a moment, then as the last of it has entered, it fades once more. Ezreki smiles, and casts it away once more. --
-- facetiousAnimus [FA] steps down from his mount, pulling out the Caliburn and using it to gut a few cowering imps in his path, walking towards Arethusa. He stops before her, and places the sword to the side carefully, as he kneels down to meet her eye level. He offers a hand. --
FA: > Surprised to SEE ME? -->
FA: > the RUMOURS of my DEATH were SOMEWHAT EXAGGERATED. -->
FA: > I ASSURE you this is REALLY me. not that ANY ILLUSION could MEET THESE STANDARDS. -->
FA: > Take my HAND, CUT it if you WILL, as you HAVE in FAUX COMBAT so MANY TIMES BEFORE -->
FA: > WHATEVER it TAKES to PROVE that I did not KICK THE PROVERBIAL BUCKET -->
FA: > because LET'S BE HONEST, it's QUITE EMBARRASSING for a PROTAGONIST. -->
PH: ...
-- plotHooked [PH] draws her eyebrows together, and does not take Ezreki's hand when he kneels down. Or when he monologues. Although she does not interrupt the monologue, no. Ezreki certainly sounds like Ezreki. If this were a SILLY COMIC instead of REALITY, one might see two rapidly flickerflashing symbols over Arethusa's head. (It should be noted, too, that she blushes at the inappropriate and completely salacious imagery of kicking buckets and death.)
PH: Okay. A question, then.
PH: Three questions. Because this sort of thing should have three questions.
FA: > go ON. -->
PH: >:| What limb of yours was almost devoured by the sea kangiger horde?
FA: > don't be RIDICULOUS, everyone KNOWS you don't stick your LIMBS anywhere NEAR THOSE. I KILLED them from a RESPECTABLE DISTANCE while you WATCHED. -->
FA: > I STILL don't KNOW HOW you PERSUADED me. -->
-- plotHooked [PH] remains unwontedly serious and she doesn't blink. --
PH: Retgar Adrisk or Jennet Myro?e?
FA: > Retgar. -->
-- plotHooked [PH] smiles! just a little. Because, hee! Retgar. Too bad he's dead now. Like every other troll. --
PH: ...What book was I afraid of when I was a ?athetic little wiggler?
FA: > THE TALES OF THE BIR-oh no, that was someone ELSE. -->
FA: > hmm. -->
FA: > ah YES. -->
FA: > the LONELY MUSCLEBEAST and OTHER STORIES. -->
FA: > I don't know WHY you were ALLOWED to READ that. -->
FA: > quite a HORRID BOOK. -->
PH: …the illustrations. I didn't like them. They were so -- none of it looked like fun violence. But you know Croc!?o?. He was just trying to --
-- facetiousAnimus [FA] ruffles her hair. He knows she hates it but, hey. It's what he did when they were young. Until she stabbed in in the hand and then he stopped. --
-- facetiousAnimus [FA] also was scared of pens for the following half sweep but no-one needs to know that part. --
-- plotHooked [PH] seems unmoved by the hair ruffle. Then. Oh, then. Then? Arethusa grabs Ezreki's hand. Y'know, the one he'd been holding out before making his obnoxious monologue. And Arethusa yanks Ezreki forward and kisses him with far less innocence than that included in a happy childhood memory of hair ruffling. And pen stabbing. (That part is also happy, y'see, at least for Arethusa). The kiss is -- or will be -- or should be -- followed by a TIGHT HUG. Which will, in turn, be followed by a SHOVE BACKWARDS.
-- facetiousAnimus, [FA,] taken aback, pleased, confused, and distracted by the kiss and hug is unprepared for the shove, which, given his crouching state, causes him to fall over, rolling backwards with enough force to flip him over his own head, resulting in a loud 'FWUP' as he lands on his face. --
FA: > ... -->
FA: > OW. -->
PH: Tell me how you are not dead. Because. I saw your hive get smashed to smithereens by the meteor! I felt the mountain tremble; I saw, I literally saw, not on the stu?id game screen, but with my own two eyes (aided, of course, by a sweet ?iece of equi?ment) the smoldering crater of wreckage and nothing! And you know what? That same nothing was on SGRUB! Everybody else could still see everybody else after entry! Everybody else's Trollian worked!!! Why the fuck is yours a s?ecial shining ice crystal construction!
-- facetiousAnimus [FA] pushes himself up, dusting off his face, and pulls himself around into a more comfortable sitting position, butt shuffling forward until he is sitting just in front of Arethusa. --
-- facetiousAnimus [FA] then proceeds to point his thumb back at his lusus, who is currently chewing on an imp's head. --
FA: > this SILLY old CHAP. -->
PH: If you are telling me he ate your com?uter, I am going to kill him.
FA: > ATE my PC. -->
FA: > I MANAGED to POWER UP my HUSKTOP -->
-- facetiousAnimus [FA] began pestering plotHooked [PH] at 17:36 --
FA: > but that was a WHILE AFTER I ENTERED my REALM. -->
FA: > and I'd RATHER you DIDN'T kill HIM. -->
FA: > he IS the KING, after ALL. -->
-- plotHooked [PH] doesn't REALLY lie. She deceives. She tricks. She schemes. She confuses the matter. But she doesn't lie, and the Look she gives Salamander!Dad is definitely not promising of anything other than eventual painful death. --
-- plotHooked [PH] However. --
-- plotHooked [PH] She doesn't kill him now. --
FA: > Arethusa, my LUSUS is INTEGRAL to the GAME. you CANNOT KILL HIM. -->
FA: > it would SPELL DOOM for ME, and PROBABLY the REST of YOU, TOO. -->
PH: ...
PH: LAMIA! Have you -- did you go on Trollian now with your ?owered u? huskto?? Did you talk to her?????????????????
-- facetiousAnimus [FA] flips a husktop out from under his cloak, and opens it, displaying a screen upon which is an image of Lamia's hive. --
FA: > SEE for YOURSELF. -->
FA: > the WORDCRAFTER is FINE and WELL. -->
-- plotHooked [PH] gives Ezreki a Look that is quite similar to the one she just gave the Salamander. Then she peers at the screen. And Lamia, who is at her computer, trolling someone not currently in LoFAR. --
-- plotHooked [PH] totally does the 80s movie thing where you sigh and blow up a RANDOM STRAND of bangs which just HAPPENS to have been in the way to make the sigh more dramatic. And relieved.--
FA: > HEY, Appellöf. -->
-- facetiousAnimus [FA] pulls out his battered sickles. --
FA: > LET us CLEAN up your HIVE, SHALL WE? -->
PH: >:)
FA: > but uh... -->
FA: > BEFORE we do... -->
FA: > a question. -->
PH: Okay, but -- wait. No. Another thing. How did you GET here?
PH: ... Yes?
FA: > do you hear a... beating? -->
FA: > as for how I got HERE -->
-- facetiousAnimus [FA] points towards the gate. --
FA: > THAT. -->
PH: I meant how did you get to THAT. Is it not -- I mean, shouldn't -- didn't you need someone to build for you?
PH: ....Annnnnnd...
PH: ...As for what I hear. Even though I'm fairly certain, nay! Entirely sure! Resolved, entirely, that it is not the one who disa??eared who should necessarily get to ask the questions ...
PH: I don't hear any beating, no.
FA: > hmm. How ODD. -->
FA: > maybe it IS just ME. -->
FA: > BUILDING? -->
FA: > ME? -->
FA: > I have a CHAIN and an ACROBATIC LIZARD LUSUS -->
FA: > reaching GATES in the SKY was NOT a PARTICULAR ISSUE. -->
PH: If you are hearing a random beating, you may want to investigate. ?erha?s you have been infected, and your heart is going to ex?lode.
FA: > no NO -->
FA: > I made SURE not to TOUCH the BLOOD of the INFECTED -->
FA: > it ALL went in the LANTERN. -->
PH: Or ?erha?s some malicious entity is --
PH: The lantern.
FA: > no NO. -->
FA: > I had that BEFORE we ENTERED. -->
FA: > only once I ARRIVED did it START. -->
FA: > I SIMPLY use it as a VESSEL for the BLOOD of the UNDEAD creatures. -->
FA: > it seems to HOUSE it quite EFFICIENTLY. -->
FA: > that SAID... I suppose I could LEAVE it at the HIVE next TIME. -->
PH: My, yes, it seems the most natural thing in the world to house the blood of the undead creatures in! A glowing lantern! Which has never worked before.
PH: I mean, it hasn't, right?
PH: You didn't -- didn't store anything in it back home on Alternia, did you?
PH: ... I su??ose what I'm saying is ...
PH: ... You're sure there are no, er, sinister voices emanating from the lantern? ?ossibly a bathum?, bathum? of dread?
-- facetiousAnimus [FA] pulls out the lantern and starts peering at it quizzically. --
FA: > HMM. -->
FA: > you have a POINT. -->
FA: > but no VOICES. -->
FA: > NO. -->
FA: > and if I KILL STUFF the BEATING goes AWAY a LITTLE. -->
FA: > I THINK SO, ANYWAY. -->
FA: > it's HARD to TELL -->
FA: > it's very SUBTLE. -->
PH: Of course I have a ?oint. >:) I have all the ?oints ?ossible to have, and they are also the shar?est of ?oints.
FA: > VERY TRUE, DEAREST ARETHUSA. -->
PH: ... Does it seem stronger after it 'goes away'? When it comes back?
FA: > but ENOUGH TALK. -->
FA: > it DOESN'T so much COME BACK -->
FA: > as it BECOMES QUIETER. -->
FA: > PERMANENTLY -->
FA: > it MANIFESTED MORESO when I ENTERED your WORLD. -->
FA: > shall we BEGIN the SLAUGHTER? -->
PH: >:/ I --
-- plotHooked [PH] is torn. As usual. Because she enjoys slaughtering things very much, but at the same time, wellllll. Maybe she's just tired. Yeah. Tired. That's it. --
PH: ...Okay. But one final question!
PH: Final, as in, for this moment, before climbing the echeladder like a cou?le of badasses.
PH: What's your title?
FA: > what do you MEAN -->
-- plotHooked [PH] facepalms. --
FA: > PROTAGONIST -->
FA: > OBVIOUSLY -->
FA: > OF THE UNIVERSE -->
FA: > EVEN -->
FA: > everyone KNOWS THAT -->
FA: > come ON -->
PH: No! Your game title. The title that the game has given you -- the mantle it has ?laced u?on your shoulders.
FA: > oh RIGHT -->
PH: Aascam is Seer of Time. Cymoth is Envoy of End. You are -- ?
FA: > well LET'S SEE -->
FA: > I have... -->
FA: > SLAYER of the BLACKENED ONES -->
-- plotHooked [PH] stands up and folds her arms, one eyebrow raised. --
FA: > KING OF ALL LIZARD KIN -->
FA: > BEARER of the DRAGONBLADE -->
FA: > and HERO -->
FA: > I THINK that's ALL of THEM. -->
PH: Those are ?retty good, but I don't think those are the ones I mean. I want to talk to your s?rite!
FA: > OH! -->
-- plotHooked [PH] looks around nervously, as if mention of 'sprite' will bring hers swooping down upon them. --
-- facetiousAnimus [FA] turns his head --
FA: > KAEPORA! -->
-- plotHooked [PH] would rather not explain about her sprite right now. --
-- facetiousAnimus [FA] a large owl materialises out of the ground behind Ezreki. --
-- facetiousAnimus [FA] turns around, and appears to make motions as if talking, opening his mouth and closing wordlessly. --
-- facetiousAnimus [FA] then swivels back to Arethusa. --
FA: > my TITLE is... -->
FA: > ROGUE OF BLOOD. -->
PH: I see.
PH: Fine, let's go kill things! Bet I'll climb higher than you, and faster!
FA: > you DO realise I've been GRINDING LEVELS since I GOT here, RIGHT? -->
FA: > I'm ALREADY like 20 LEVELS your SUPERIOR, SILLY! -->
PH: you DO realize I have too eeeeeeeven if I? have ALSO had the courtesy to hel? my fellow trolls in their romantic hours of need
PH: and, you know, their other hours of need.
PH: Because I am just that skilled.
PH: >;)
FA: > and WHAT would we DO without YOU. >;D -->
-- facetiousAnimus [FA] playfully nudges Arethusa on the shoulder, before throwing his sickle and evicerating an imp. --
FA: > AFTER YOU, DEAREST ARETHUSA. -->
-- plotHooked [PH] flips her hair nonchalantly, examines her nails, then enacts the Sneaky Cunning Walk Past You And Then Kick You In The Back Of The Kneecap To Make You Fall --
PH: I'm glad you're alive, Ezreki.
-- plotHooked [PH] Then? She's off like a shot -- toward bad guys! Bwaha! --
FA: > I am ALSO GLAD I am ALIVE -->
FA: > it would be BORING without ME. -->
-- facetiousAnimus [FA] says from his position on his back. --
-- facetiousAnimus [FA] on the ground. --
-- plotHooked [PH] has totally left Ezreki behind. Hey, look. An ogre! Wee! The pen comes out. --
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