Shrike's Heart (#4)

[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

[forgottenmercy]

...[that is definitely a man he wants to murder too.] I, ah, see. Of course he is.

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[softlyfalling]

[ though, funny you should mention that, because there's some sounds of scuffling from inside the mansion, and a little bit of shouting, and then there's a creak and the doors open—

people come pouring out, some making a mad dash past you, others looking around uncertainly. some are children or infirm. there's one man calling after them, leaning on the door frame, at the end. ]

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[forgottenmercy]

[turning to face him, at the end]

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[handpuppets]

[ he looks at all of you, blood on your weapons, and... recoils, a little bit. ]

Ah... who... who are you? I should—I should thank you, of course...

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[worthathousand]

[ answering smoothly ]

I am General Amakura, of Tsubaki Province. [ is she famous, here? can't hurt to check. ]

This— [ gesturing to P̨̕͠҉e͏̢̀r҉̵̢s҉̸̕é̛p̢͝h̷́͜o̵̶̢͠n̶͠e͞͞, C̀͘̕͘͟á̷́̀͟r̷̢͘͝d̴̶́̀͜i͟͏ģ͘͘à̷̛͜͝ņ̷̧, Tsuba respectively ] —is my son [ the shotgun cocking noise is implied; no funny ideas mister ], my honored spouse, and my son-and-law; I leave it to them to introduce themselves further.

But our priority is not recompense—not while an army is yet at your gates.

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[gigadevilbreaker]

[Just kinda stares at her, bug-eyed, at the 'son-in-law' part.]

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[forgottenmercy]

[inclines his head gracefully at him but says nothing else.]

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[handpuppets]

I, ah...

[ he looks faintly afraid of all of you. ]

Well, ah, if you wanted to help with the army, as well! You'd be hailed as heroes by the capital, I'm sure.

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[inspiteful]

[ And Eclipse is emerging from the manor, having gotten in through the window instead. ]

We're not looking for glory, I don't think.

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[worthathousand]

Though the army will have to be dealt with, it is true.

[ she considers their group: four exalts versus a necromancer and her army? a straightforward enough fight. ]

But your fields are badly damaged, so your personal stores are of course invaluable, now.
[ with extra emphasis ] To ensure your people do not starve.

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[handpuppets]

That's, ah...

[ he licks his lips, nervously. ]

...er. Yes. Of course.

[ he's not quite subtle enough in trying to surreptitiously look around to see if he can escape. ]

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[gigadevilbreaker]

[Griffin very casually slings his arm around the prefect's shoulders, in a gesture that would be the image of brotherly camaraderie if it wasn't so implicitly a threat. No running away from this, guy.]

What're you lookin' so nervous for, Scrooge?

Re: THE BATTLEFIELD

[worthathousand]

[ offering a smile that would be sympathetic if it actually reached her eyes ]

Surely the Lord is merely worried at the scope of the task. I am sure that several assistants from among these women [ gesturing briefly towards some of the others who had been holed up with the prefect ] will ease the burden of it and help assure that all get their share.

And we will deal with the necromancer.