Palace Game 6/5

[fujimaru]

The Dreamer In The Grand Temple
Humanity Foundation Value: ????

What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.

Comments

[fujimaru]

It's not a great time, that's for sure! Worse for the twins than for Da Vinci by a long shot...

...but it's maybe only a minute or two of them moving forward when there is a crackling sound, like a live wire sparking on the ground. There's the smell of ozone and cigarette smoke, which, one's mileage may vary, but it does seem to burn away the worst of the smell of the blood.

And from behind them, a voice:

"So, even the dead may rise again, when those of us bound to the Throne should only live again without any memory of what came before."

[davincible]

Avenger. [ She turns, glancing over her shoulder.

She doesn't seem surprised. ]

Unless you'd prefer your actual name? Believe me, I didn't intend to be alive again.

[fujimaru]

His gaze flickers to the two men with her, and he shakes his head. He'd rather not, thanks.

"I'm surprised that the Beast would allow you so far," he says. "When the rest of them are trapped in their walls, unable to step free. ...Maybe there is some benefit, after all, into rising unto Hell once more."

[davincible]

[ A faint smile tugs at her lips and she nods, acknowledging. She'll keep it vague. ]

Like anything, there are pros and there are cons. If one such pro means breaking Ritsuka out of here, I'd take any other negative with a smile.

[fujimaru]

He looks at her for a moment, unblinking, then throws his head back with a laugh, a boisterous sound, mocking without being mocking. "So you would! Who among those that walk in those modern halls would not do the same?! Of course! She alone may make the step into Hell, but she cannot rise to the surface on her own strength! Isn't that so?"

[davincible]

I'm gonna take that as a rhetorical question. [ dryly. She can't even be offended by the laughter; this is just how he is. ]

So, should I be assuming we'll need to sink further to bring her to the surface in the first place?

[fujimaru]

"Deeper than the rest are willing to go," he says. "Into the very guts of her legacy! The underbelly that slithers out of light of sun, that knows not the softness of moon nor star! The part that must exist alongside anyone who takes up the mantle of a hero, however foolishly, however ignorant! Hell, yes, but the Hell that was built for her!"

He flings his arm out side. The electricity around him does mean he glows faintly, which is, you know. Better light than would be available otherwise.

[davincible]

She didn't have much of a choice when she was dragged into this mess. She just kept walking.

[ Da Vinci's voice is quieter than usual. ]

The least I can do for her now is the very same. So, let's go-- Avenger.

[ And she'll be bringing the twins with her. ]

[fujimaru]

He bows low, a courtly sort of gesture. No matter how he acts or speaks, he was, once upon a time, a gentleman.

And then he sets out, striding confidently into the muck. It seems to sizzle and burn, flinching away from his presence, which means something of a clear path, and at least the smell is weaker... but boy is it noisy here, as they walk. Nothing here sounds like it's having a good time.

[davincible]

[ She inclines her head, slowly and gracefully, before she walks after him, making sure Ingo and Emmet are close. She can't do anything about the smell or the noise, but sometimes you just have to power through it. ]

Thank you, for holding this back as much as you could.

[ Not just now. She knows what this represents. ]

[fujimaru]

Avenger glances at her, a quick sharp look, and then he nods.

"It was unavoidable," he says flatly. "It was foolish to expect that even a trained mage would be able to shrug off as many as she has shouldered... and even the dumbest of demonic beasts have their own animal intelligence. We might be the sword to cut them down, but she is the hand who wields the blade."

[davincible]

I know. Unfortunately, there's very little we can do to help, beyond what we've already done. And I can't walk with her after this.

[ Not anymore. This is only going to get worse. It already has gotten worse, she's certain of it. But she keeps her chin lifted, staring straight ahead as she walks. ]

[fujimaru]

"You cannot," he says. "In the end, it will only be her choice that brings her forward! But fear not! So long as my accomplice calls for me, I shall always answer! She will not need to fear Hell! It will need only fear me!"

[davincible]

Poor Hell.

[ Good to know he's just as Edgy as ever. ]

[fujimaru]

Some things will change, but this Avenger will not.

But as they walk, there is the sound of bigger and worse moving in the distance. Da Vinci's eyes are good enough to catch sight of one particularly huge thing, dragon-winged, horned, another Beast that lurks in these depths, unmoving.

At some point, though, something IS going to make a grab for her ankle. If she's still holding onto the twins, it is going to try and pull them all down.

[derailer]

[Ingo is reflexively bracing himself to hold her still with all his strength and an IRON GRIP. But he is only human.]

[likewinning]

[ Emmet will also do the same, bracing himself and grabbing for Da Vinci. ]

[davincible]

[ Something darkens in her gaze when she spots that Beast-- but then she feels that grip and she only has a hold of Ingo's hand, Emmet attached to his other and she will let go if she can't immediately shake the mysterious assailant off with a vicious yank of her foot.

For now, she'll hold on. ]

[fujimaru]

When she yanks her foot back, the thing breaks the surface for a second. It is definitely a human hand, grabbing desperately at the air for a few seconds, like it is desperately trying to seek out something, anything, to pull it up.

[davincible]

[ She stares down at the hand, freed foot slightly raised so it can't just grab her again and now held onto by both twins. Yikes. ]

... I'm sorry. I can't let you drag us down to join you.

[ Unless the hand is Ritsuka's and um SURELY NOT ]

[derailer]

[Okay he was taking a hard-line stance against indulging this thing but... human...

Suspicious, he turns to look at Da Vinci, and then Dantes, and then Da Vinci again, looking for canon-familiar answers.]

Who is this?

[davincible]

Someone who's already passed on, very likely. It's not anyone we can do anything for.

[ Her tone is very terse now, if just because it's shaken her slightly. ]

[derailer]

...Move forward.

[His tone is similarly clipped, but in essence, he agrees with her decision.]

[fujimaru]

Well. It isn't immediately possible to tell; the arm is relatively slim, and it is covered in blood so there is no sign of the identifying command seals... but also, there is no actual sense of connection with Da Vinci in it. It's just one more restless soul, trying to reach for freedom.

[davincible]

... Not her.

[ Mostly to herself, and she keeps walking, this time being exceedingly careful with making sure to avoid additional grabs while leading the twins. ]