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

Comments

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[justfuckingtryit]

Right.

[And he sure does turn on heel and run for the manor.]

[Something tells him there isn't much time.]

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[handpuppets]

[ you absolutely run for the manor.

When you cross into the main square, a man with sallow skin, black hair and bird-like features greets you, waving you over, while twirling a knife between the fingers of his other hand. ]

Eyyyyyyooooo, it's about time you showed up. They barred the doors; isn't that inconvenient? If you're strong, help me out.

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[justfuckingtryit]

You're Crow?

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[handpuppets]

Crow that Heralds the Red Rain, that's me, but also that's a real mouthful. Life's short, right?

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[justfuckingtryit]

Right.

Lucky you, you've got some free time.

Stand down; your orders have been revoked. We'll take it from here.

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[handpuppets]

They what.

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[justfuckingtryit]

Revoked your orders. Stand down, soldier. You're needed elsewhere.

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[handpuppets]

Ha ha ha, that's mighty funny, friend! See, a weapon's a weapon no matter where it goes. We can't really stand down, and isn't it more fun to not really want to?

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[justfuckingtryit]

This is a war, not a play date. Orders are orders.

And we are not standing down; you are. Like I said, we'll take it from here. You're needed elsewhere.

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[constellationprize]

It's - "Crow," right...? I'm not really, but -

If we can get the doors open, then I want to try and talk to him...

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[handpuppets]

That's me, that's me! A lot of people who want to talk today, it seems like, but that's not really my style, you know?

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[constellationprize]

That's okay. I'll do it...

[ ... ]

. . . I'll... take responsibility for whatever happens, too, so please don't worry - okay?

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[handpuppets]

I can guarantee you that I'm zero percent worried at all times and never take responsibility! So that works great.

But between you and me, I hope it doesn't work.

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[constellationprize]

... Why not - ?

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[handpuppets]

Becauuuuuuuse if it does I'll get bored.

Besides, once war starts, you can't really put an end to the bloodshed, right? The only way is through, right?

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[constellationprize]

I -

[ an inhale, ]

I don't think that's true. It's a conflict started by humans, so it can be solved with human language, right...? There's definitely a way to make sure everyone is okay, isn't there...?

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[romanticlove]

[Running to the manor actually made her miss Quick as a Wink, not that she was complaining.]

Crow?

[Just a guess.]

Can we convince them to to end this peacefully?

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[handpuppets]

Wow, I'm popular today! Crow that Heralds the Red Rain, that's me.

I already gave him a chance to turn himself over, but of course he's decided to make this exciting by gathering a lot of the people here to use as meat shields.

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[nihilmancy]

[Yeah, she saw this person in another memory. Not a fan.]

What will happen if they surrender?

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[handpuppets]

Don't you listen to orders?

...well, I only sort of do, but I know what question you're asking! You seem like the type to want to bleed for others, don't you?

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[nihilmancy]

Obviously you do not.

I'm the type that despises inefficiency.

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[handpuppets]

[ he stares at you for a second, and—

bursts out laughing. ]

Lies don't suit your pretty face, miss! You don't really seem like that type at all. I'm an instrument of death, not an idiot.

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[nihilmancy]

Flirting is inefficient!

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[handpuppets]

Oh, that's not me flirting. You're cute but you're not my type. Probably! Unless you've got a lot more knives hidden somewhere.

But if we gotta talk about efficiency—which, does that seem like my kinda argument? Just saying!—what does it matter if someone dies here or in a year or when the whole world crumbles and falls into the abyss in the time soon to come?

Right?

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[nihilmancy]

[She suppresses a shudder. This all really is horrifying, and all the worse, there's something in it that resonates with her, that's seductive.]

You think that our lord will be happy to hear that we wasted tactical and strategic advantages, not to mention time on self-aggrandizing spectacle? We're fighting a war.