Shrike's Heart (#2)

[idolpro]

The woman before you is beautiful—fair of features, with lovely golden skin and luxurious long black hair, petite. You have the immediate and distinct impression that she's just let go of your hand, and she steps back, and smiles.

It's not quite a happy smile.

"I'm sorry," she says. "There's just nothing I can do, as things are. But the way is there; it just needs to be lit."

You open your mouth—maybe to say something, or to express confusion—but you have to cough, and taste something metallic, spattering black blood onto the ground in front of you. Then you realize—blood seeps from opening wounds in your arms, your chest, your stomach, your face. It rims your eyes and trails from your nose and you feel like you're dissolving—

—and you fall through the ground like it's the surface of a lake, and go down, down, down.

> Wake Up

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[handpuppets]

[ There's another rustle, in the reeds—it's a little further back, and you have to bend some of them out of your way.

But eventually, you spot the source: there's a man lying in the reeds, dark-haired.

No—a man and a boy, though it's hard to make out the features of the youth bundled up in his arms, since his hair is slicked to his forehead with blood. The boy doesn't move, though the man's chest still rises and falls, with a soft wheezing nose. ]

[romanticlove]

[She's frozen, immediately lowering her sword to her side and moving towards the man and the boy. Dropping the blade to the ground beside her, she reaches out to gently touch the boy, to try and sense for a heartbeat. She strains her ears for it, trying to hear it. Her other hand reaches to touch the man's shoulder.]

It's okay! I'll- I'll try to help you.

[She had no medical supplies, but she had to do something.]

I can go for help!

[She wasn't sure whether or not it would be safe to leave them.]

[handpuppets]

[ He looks up at you, as you approach. Though his gaze is unfocused and bleary, there's a sharpness in his expression—a recoiling. ]

You—please, whoever you are, have mercy... my brother...

[romanticlove]

[The recoiling gives her pause. She withdraws her hands from touching them immediately.]

I'm- I'm not going to hurt you.

[One of the objectives 'Do not accept mercy' comes to mind, but she's sure it has nothing to do with this.]

You'll both be okay, I promise. I'm here to help.

[handpuppets]

[ what he says to sekhmet might shed some light on why he's worried. then he wheezes, like—maybe there's something wrong with his lungs, and starts up into a hacking cough, again, before he can say anything else.

the whispers are mostly gone, now, but they swirl around you, into your ears.

Give him the final mercy. ]

[romanticlove]

Wait- but he said to have mercy on him. I can't...

[She sucks in a breath, unsure of what to do.]

It's not right. [He was going to die like this anyway if she didn't get him help.]

What do I do....?

[She looks around helplessly, trying to ignore the smell of blood that clung to the boy and surrounded him and his father.]

[constellationprize]

Um - I can...

... I don't know how to fight, or anything like that, so - I can stay here, and watch them ...

[romanticlove]

You can help them?

[Great!]

We need to take them somewhere safe. I'll protect us if we run into trouble.

[She has a sword, even though she's more adept with guns. She'll figure it out somehow?!]

[constellationprize]

... I don't know. I don't know if I can do anything other than this, but I can stay with them...

[romanticlove]

If you stay here alone with them it would be more dangerous. Someone else could come here.

[Or she could become dangerous, the longer she stays near the smell of blood. Sighing, she swallows thickly.]

Are you able to administer first aid on them? It could be a temporary solution until everyone is safe again.

[nihilmancy]

[She approaches them, urgency in her step!]

What, ah... what happened here?

[handpuppets]

[ He looks up at the other girl, first, although his eyes don't quite focus. There's a sharpness in his expression, though—a recoiling from all of you. ]

You, you're not—I don't know you. You didn't come with them...?

[nihilmancy]

With who? I want to save you. I want to save him.

[handpuppets]

[ he coughs—a spatter of blood escapes his mouth, as he does, but he manages to speak. ]

The village—the ones who came to the village, the soldiers. I thought...

[nihilmancy]

Would there be medicine, in any of those buildings? Just nod if there is, and move your head in the direction I need to go.

[justfuckingtryit]

[...ah. Yeah.]

[He knows where this is going.]

[He steps forward, anyway.]

[handpuppets]

[ the man looks up at you and—momentarily, recoils, just as he did at your companions, but—there's a flicker of something in his eyes. recognition, almost. He coughs and sputters, but— ]

Who—who are you? Who are all of you?

[justfuckingtryit]

...friends.

[handpuppets]

If only—

[ he coughs. ]

...well. Probably for the best you weren't here earlier. Actually.

[justfuckingtryit]

What happened?

Did yu live in the village up ahead?

[constellationprize]

Um - um -

[ he's obviously unwell, but this is.

stepping forward, watching the others around him, she's not entirely sure what she could be doing - in lieu of any better ideas she kneels nearby, a hand extended towards the man's head. ]

Is there... um, is there anything that you need...?

[handpuppets]

[ he coughs again; there's a worrying sort of whistling noise that comes through. surely that's not good, right? ]

I'm—I'm, fine. My brother—if you can get him out of here...

[ the brother is clearly dead. his chest doesn't rise and fall at all. ]

[constellationprize]

[ . . .

swallows, thickly, ]

. . . Okay. We definitely will, but -

[ and inhales. when she next speaks her voice is soft, gentle, as she reaches to stroke at his hair ]

We'll do our best to help you too, okay? Don't worry - it's okay... You'll both be okay.

[handpuppets]

[ he smiles, weakly. ]

I... thank you. You're really kind...

Even in all of this.

[constellationprize]

Shh.

[ just carries on stroking his hair, touch firm but not too harsh. she is a trained headpat hand. ]

One of us is going to get medicine for you, and we'll get your brother someplace safe too, okay...?