Shrike's Heart (#3)

[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

[irregular]

[This may be a good time to find out what's going on.

[Gonna try flagging down a soldier or something and attempt to look like he is actually the person they think he is, which is tough because he's sure that's Shrike and she's not only a lot taller, she's a woman.]

Um... ssssso what are we supposed to do now?

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[handpuppets]

[ The soldier turns, and gives a bow; it is notable that their face is a mess of scars, and there's one perpetually unhealed gash extending the side of their mouth. Their skin has a sort of ashy pallor to it—not unlike Shrike's but notably worse.

It doesn't seem to bother them, though. ]

Sir, we've secured the city. The city and the fields should be safe to traverse if you wish to survey them—not that anyone would doubt your ability to defend yourself, of course.

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[irregular]

[Well, it definitely bothers K!

[It bothers K QUITE A LOT, actually.]

Um, are you gonna get that seen to...?

[You know, the face... thing.

[He touches a finger to the comparable location on his own face, just so there can be no mistake.]

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[handpuppets]

[ the soldier looks mildly put out. ]

It's an old wound, sir.

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[irregular]

Really? It looks pretty new.

[Tact is NOT K'S STRONG POINT.]

... anyway I'm gonna go explore the... city...? I guess?

See what it's like?

[Maybe he needs a bigger knife first.]

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[handpuppets]

[ They rub their face, self-consciously. ]

Let me know if there's anything you need, sir, but you should be able to go right ahead.

[ there are so many bladed weapons in that pile, friend, and no one is going to object if you swipe one. or five. ]

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[irregular]

Sure. Um, thanks?

[ARE YOU A ZOMBIE

[Are we the baddies

[K thinks maybe he should take a look round this camp first, after helping himself to a shortsword and a slightly longer knife.

[Gonna tuck this one into his belt as well, just in case.

[He'll start with checking out those seeds. Are they evil seeds? ARE THEY PLANTING EVIL PLANTS.

[Is he a zombie?

[He has a lot of questions all of a sudden.]

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[handpuppets]

[ it's a good time and place for existential questions such as those. but taking a look at the seeds, they seem to be ordinary seeds, and in good condition—probably left by a local farmer who thought he might come back to this field and... didn't. ]