Note: please be as cryptic as possible regarding any specific actions your character takes when discussing them in the game channel to avoid influencing everyone else!
Despair is natural. After all, what can you possibly do? Your childhood, your happy life, when you had everything, is over... and now you have nothing. Law is absolute. You can do nothing to change the way things are. Even if you give it your all, even if you sacrifice everyone else to achieve your objective, it may not be enough...
Not only your hand is cold; your arm is cold now too. There is no ice yet, and you can still move them, but this is definitely not normal.
However... the cold helps. Somehow. It dulls these feelings a little.
[ The feelings wash over him, extending from his chilling hand up through his body as though the despair were a physical malady taking hold of him. He watches himself stand there, unmoving.
And then, he watches himself stop.
And try to slam his hand through the window.
He has no intention of sacrificing everyone else to reach his objective. If he has lost everything, then there is no harm in losing himself— dirtied as he is; broken as he is; he might sink into the mud and be forgotten. But he will not be forgotten here, when there are footsteps out there. He had found a resolve, had he not, in his memories? To, even as he is, not stop until he had reached the point he had tried everything.
He hasn't abused his body to breaking yet. He has to do at least that much, before he stops. Then, they can look at his shattered corpse and regret their actions, that they would bring him so low. He has no idea who "they" is, but the spite is a warm ember through the cold. ]
[This heart would love to enforce common sense more strongly, but you know who else jumped out the window every time? Sol's best friend Kirito. So this heart disapproves of, but still accepts, this behavior as something Some People do.
Shu lands safely! And he also manages not to slip when he lands even though everything is covered in snow. Amazing...!!
It's very cold out here, though. Cold enough that just being outside hurts.
[The steps seem to lead outside the village! There is no one around, and no other steps to follow. It's completely silent except for the wind. Rulid village is now a ghost town.]
[There is no response buuuut if he looks up when he crosses the bridge leading out of the village, he should be able to see the top of the Tree of Life from here, and how it's becoming frozen. This is happening in real time-- ice is unnaturally spreading over the branches Shu willed into existence, trapping them in.]
[When he gets there, Sol is wearing full armor and sheathing a blue sword. Everything in sight is covered in ice. If he's seen or heard Shu, he's not acknowledging his presence. In fact, he turns his back to him, ready to go deeper into the woods.]
[ Shu's skill at reading others is poor enough, his relief at seeing Sol is enough, that he fails to register that lack of recognition. The uncertainty on his own part vanishes when Sol turns to look at him. ]
So it is you! I was certain that this place, connected to you as it is, would have spared you through this awful winter! But you shouldn't be out here. Come, let us take shelter now that we have reunited!
[ He advances, making to grab for Sol's wrist with his gloved hand. ]
[His other hand goes to the hilt of his sword, and he unsheathes it again without hurry, like he's idk, checking the time on his phone or something equally casual.]
[He can do that but Sol won't budge, not with the added weight of his armor. And while Shu speaks, the tip of his sword touches the ground.]
Enhance armament.
[As soon as he says that, a big circle appears on the ground, and then everything around them gradually gets covered in ice, including Shu's feet. The ice also starts spreading up his legs, freezing them.
[ Shu still doesn't know what's going on. Why Sol is behaving this way, how he can be the source of the ice.
But he does know what that woman told him at the start, and that he has already used the power of imagination in this place. While previous times were inadvertent, now, he is going to use it with intent ]
Sol! I will not force you to bend to my words, but do you think I will allow you to kill me in this manner, without a word of explanation? Non! I reject this frozen village, this frozen world, and the face you show before me! Wherever has this lain in your heart?
It is true I do not understand others! There might have been malice within you this entire time, malice within your memories, and I was blind to it! But if so, then speak of it so if there is anything I can do it may be remedied! This place is lifeless and bleak, and I wish for more for you than this. Surely, you, who listened to your grandfather's tales with your eyes shining so brightly, wished for a sword not to harm others but to protect them! You, who was so close to your friends, your friends who gifted you a sword and believed in your dream despite the confines of your world, and you, who eventually went on to wield one, laws be damned!
Sol, if you wish to kill me, I cannot stop you. But I will not allow you to kill me without an explanation. Melt the ice around your heart, and face me with your words, not only your blade!
Imagination: Shu's words effectively stop the ice from spreading further. In fact, the ice starts to disappear, rather than melt, all around them.
Shu's sword starts glowing very dimly again, while Sol's own sword glitches, sometimes taking on a r͟e͉͘d̮͍̬ ̶̥̞̰͎ç͇̺o̝͓̬̱ḷ͎̩͙̮or, rather than blue.
Your Life decreases by 1000.
[Their surroundings flicker and change, showing both scenes and sometimes just darkness... his feelings are as strong and invasive as before, but they are clearly foreign and move as fast as everything else, just slow enough for them to register--
there's a room, the scent of lavender incense-- Shu can't see what's on the bed, but he can feel Sol's indignation and rage
a prison, the certainty that there's no turning back, that his life is over now that he has bloodied hands and a soiled soul
a naked woman who seems to be offering absolution, and Sol falling into her embrace
disappointing everyone: his family, Alice. T̜̟͉̠̦̖͕̉a͖͉̾i̽̃͗̀̉̆s̹̮̰̜ͣ̈́̐ͥ̿hͫ̄̿͐o̼̣̪͙͌͑. His village. even himself.
walking down a tunnel, towards the light, holding child Alice's hand, relieved to be able to rest at last...]
Shut up... What good is it to wish͉̣͙̱ͅ ̞̻̰̫̼́ͮͭͥf̙̈ͩ̎̀̃ͧͦoͩ̾r̲̮̪̫̩̾̉̊ͥͤ́ ̣̫̦̗̫̼ͤ̅͗̑̈́a̪͚̠͙̩̱̯n̟̾͐̅̈́͌̎̐ything? I don't want to think or want anything anymore. If everything would just disappear...
Sol seems to be glitching. The ice is starting to spread again, but not on Shu anymore-- it's starting to affect Sol himself. His own hands are covered in frost, and the ice seems to be spreading fast all over his body.
[ He staggers, but he feels the glow and warm return to the sword. Now is not the time to stop. ]
You may be right! It may do no good, and you may end up as nothing but a sad corpse with a miserable tale left behind you! But even so, this is not a world with nothing but fairy tales and happy endings. There is beauty in tragedies; that we may be found sympathetic and vindicated years after our passing— but should you become nothing more than a weapon, you forfeit the right to your own tale, and become a mere player in another's!
This desire to undo the world is not yours!
[ And he might not know how to use a sword, but that is the tool he has. He will do his best to cut through the frost that is starting to cover Sol; as if reaching him this way will chip off the ice that has covered his heart. ]
Imagination is not activated, but the sword does help.
Shu can chip off some of the ice, but Sol seems to glitch out of existence every time the sword touches him. Notably, Sol's sword itself doesn't, it just changes colors. The ice keeps spreading and is now reaching his neck, but same as when Shu tries to cut through the frost him with the sword, he doesn't react to it.
I don't mind becoming a weapon, if it brings me what I want.
[ That's worrying— can he try to yank the sword from Sol's grasp? ]
The world may be a place of horrors, but it is the only world that holds the art I have found so precious to me! And while that may matter to me alone, I will not stand for a world subsumed by ice, emptied of all potential!
Yes he can! Sol isn't distracted though, and he's strong enough that no dice rolls will be necessary here to tell you Shu won't be able to take it away from him. However, when Shu touches it, the sword turns red... and doesn't change back.
This time, he notices.
. . . I remember you. You made the̶̻̦̬͕̞̳̅͒͘ͅ ̴̹͖̿̽͆́͐͝ḃ̵̭̀r̵̲͙̠͇̹̘͂̊͊͊̌̀͒̿́a̴̛̭̭͇̯̰̐̈́̌̈́̄͜n̶̲͈̣͍̓͆ches grow back.
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Not only your hand is cold; your arm is cold now too. There is no ice yet, and you can still move them, but this is definitely not normal.
However... the cold helps. Somehow. It dulls these feelings a little.
Your Life decreases by 150.
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And then, he watches himself stop.
And try to slam his hand through the window.
He has no intention of sacrificing everyone else to reach his objective. If he has lost everything, then there is no harm in losing himself— dirtied as he is; broken as he is; he might sink into the mud and be forgotten. But he will not be forgotten here, when there are footsteps out there. He had found a resolve, had he not, in his memories? To, even as he is, not stop until he had reached the point he had tried everything.
He hasn't abused his body to breaking yet. He has to do at least that much, before he stops. Then, they can look at his shattered corpse and regret their actions, that they would bring him so low. He has no idea who "they" is, but the spite is a warm ember through the cold. ]
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Your Life decreases by 250.
The sword is no longer glowing.
(This is still a second floor, though...)
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However, this faith is misplaced.
He's punched through the glass, next is jumping out the window. Obviously. ]
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Shu lands safely! And he also manages not to slip when he lands even though everything is covered in snow. Amazing...!!
It's very cold out here, though. Cold enough that just being outside hurts.
Your Life decreases by 10.
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He thinks he knows, and calls out— ]
Sol! If you remain here, answer me!
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Sol— you are alright! Despite the calamity that has befallen this place, you are still alive!
[ Relief and uncertainty sounds in his voice. ]
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And then he turns around slowly to look back at him. There is no recognition in his eyes, or anything else, really.]
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So it is you! I was certain that this place, connected to you as it is, would have spared you through this awful winter! But you shouldn't be out here. Come, let us take shelter now that we have reunited!
[ He advances, making to grab for Sol's wrist with his gloved hand. ]
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. . .
I see. You must have been hiding. Thank you for sparing me the trouble of having to look for you.
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now he just looks confused again, though he might be about to get murdered ]
For what purpose would I hide? I was seeking you!
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[His grip on Shu's wrist tightens a little.]
. . . I grow tired of this.
[His other hand goes to the hilt of his sword, and he unsheathes it again without hurry, like he's idk, checking the time on his phone or something equally casual.]
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[ With Sol's grip tight on his wrist, he doesn't attempt to pull away so much as tug Sol with him so they can get inside. ]
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Enhance armament.
[As soon as he says that, a big circle appears on the ground, and then everything around them gradually gets covered in ice, including Shu's feet. The ice also starts spreading up his legs, freezing them.
Of course, Sol himself isn't affected by this.]
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But he does know what that woman told him at the start, and that he has already used the power of imagination in this place. While previous times were inadvertent, now, he is going to use it with intent ]
Sol! I will not force you to bend to my words, but do you think I will allow you to kill me in this manner, without a word of explanation? Non! I reject this frozen village, this frozen world, and the face you show before me! Wherever has this lain in your heart?
It is true I do not understand others! There might have been malice within you this entire time, malice within your memories, and I was blind to it! But if so, then speak of it so if there is anything I can do it may be remedied! This place is lifeless and bleak, and I wish for more for you than this. Surely, you, who listened to your grandfather's tales with your eyes shining so brightly, wished for a sword not to harm others but to protect them! You, who was so close to your friends, your friends who gifted you a sword and believed in your dream despite the confines of your world, and you, who eventually went on to wield one, laws be damned!
Sol, if you wish to kill me, I cannot stop you. But I will not allow you to kill me without an explanation. Melt the ice around your heart, and face me with your words, not only your blade!
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Shu's sword starts glowing very dimly again, while Sol's own sword glitches, sometimes taking on a r͟e͉͘d̮͍̬ ̶̥̞̰͎ç͇̺o̝͓̬̱ḷ͎̩͙̮or, rather than blue.
Your Life decreases by 1000.
there's a room, the scent of lavender incense-- Shu can't see what's on the bed, but he can feel Sol's indignation and rage
a prison, the certainty that there's no turning back, that his life is over now that he has bloodied hands and a soiled soul
a naked woman who seems to be offering absolution, and Sol falling into her embrace
disappointing everyone: his family, Alice. T̜̟͉̠̦̖͕̉a͖͉̾i̽̃͗̀̉̆s̹̮̰̜ͣ̈́̐ͥ̿hͫ̄̿͐o̼̣̪͙͌͑. His village. even himself.
walking down a tunnel, towards the light, holding child Alice's hand, relieved to be able to rest at last...]
Shut up... What good is it to wish͉̣͙̱ͅ ̞̻̰̫̼́ͮͭͥf̙̈ͩ̎̀̃ͧͦoͩ̾r̲̮̪̫̩̾̉̊ͥͤ́ ̣̫̦̗̫̼ͤ̅͗̑̈́a̪͚̠͙̩̱̯n̟̾͐̅̈́͌̎̐ything? I don't want to think or want anything anymore. If everything would just disappear...
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You may be right! It may do no good, and you may end up as nothing but a sad corpse with a miserable tale left behind you! But even so, this is not a world with nothing but fairy tales and happy endings. There is beauty in tragedies; that we may be found sympathetic and vindicated years after our passing— but should you become nothing more than a weapon, you forfeit the right to your own tale, and become a mere player in another's!
This desire to undo the world is not yours!
[ And he might not know how to use a sword, but that is the tool he has. He will do his best to cut through the frost that is starting to cover Sol; as if reaching him this way will chip off the ice that has covered his heart. ]
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Shu can chip off some of the ice, but Sol seems to glitch out of existence every time the sword touches him. Notably, Sol's sword itself doesn't, it just changes colors. The ice keeps spreading and is now reaching his neck, but same as when Shu tries to cut through the frost him with the sword, he doesn't react to it.
I don't mind becoming a weapon, if it brings me what I want.
Why do you care that much about the world?
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The world may be a place of horrors, but it is the only world that holds the art I have found so precious to me! And while that may matter to me alone, I will not stand for a world subsumed by ice, emptied of all potential!
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This time, he notices.
. . . I remember you. You made the̶̻̦̬͕̞̳̅͒͘ͅ ̴̹͖̿̽͆́͐͝ḃ̵̭̀r̵̲͙̠͇̹̘͂̊͊͊̌̀͒̿́a̴̛̭̭͇̯̰̐̈́̌̈́̄͜n̶̲͈̣͍̓͆ches grow back.
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