un: absterge | video

[downswing]

( Dark and damp and Lan Wangji's pallor strained under moonlight. Behind him, flickers of broad, long temple columns — and the smoke smears of... ghosts, gathered. He seems short of breath, the silvered sheen of his sword half drawn from her scabbard, a spate of parchment papers littering the walls: active talismans. )

They have crowded their halls of the dead, to excess.

Here, the key withholds itself. Who hunts the other locations?

( And a pause, hesitant — whether to find his words or, absently, slap another talisman on the spirit that looms with a gaping maw behind him. ) Ke-Waihu stands safe?

( ooc: forwarded dated to the group's incursions in Ke-Waicai. Feel free to run into him in person, if you're also chasing the haunted temple key! )

Comments

[downswing]

They steer towards tomes.

[somebadnews]

[ ...Are they fucking this up already? He doesn't have time to listen to everything right now okay, he's on the actual task. ]

You let them get distracted?

[downswing]

( Excuse every part and particle of your diminutive tree stump of a body. )

[downswing]

They gather themselves.

[somebadnews]

[ Christ, why does he even have a plan A. ]

Great. Did you remind them of what happens if they get caught?

[ Background chatter gets closer again. Why can't he ever find a nice quiet spot to rage? ]

[downswing]

They are not chi

[downswing]

They are yet children.

[somebadnews]

It wasn't my idea to bring them.

[downswing]

They are conscripts.

[somebadnews]

They're exactly where they want to be.

[ Sympathy, he has none of it. ]

We need those keys, Wangji. Are they going to be a problem?

[downswing]

( Y....................... es. )

No.

[somebadnews]

[ Did you just lie to his face... Although it's just now occurring to him. ]

Do you need me to handle it?

[downswing]

They have pledged effort.

[somebadnews]

[ Note that Five did not say that he needed help. Not once. He's good. ]

You trust them?

[downswing]

What alternative?

[somebadnews]

Whoever gets their key first finds them and makes sure they're staying on task.

[downswing]

You think them incapable.

[somebadnews]

I like to avoid disappointment by keeping my expectations low.

[downswing]

You injure their pride.

[somebadnews]

[ Ask him how many times he's talked down to because he looks like a kid. In a day. He does not care. ]

They'll live.

[downswing]

Men humbled will not love you well.

[somebadnews]

[ ...Sometimes you says the strangest shit. ]

Is that your main concern?

[downswing]

One of longer-term.

[somebadnews]

Feel free to blame it on me.

[downswing]

You require more enmity?