un: a civil serpent | video

[inferus]

( Emilia di Carlo's hair has seen better days.

It looks suspiciously nest-like, and one of her sleeves singed and torn. The further she and Wrath walk back into the village, the more she feels it: the mark of hollowed things. The withered trees and the dying river beds. ... To say they have missed out on recent developments is an understatement.

But they do not come without news of their own. )

We were able to go very deep into the volcano and discovered something in the process.

( For this rare moment, Wrath appears to be somewhat disheveled as well. His hair is out of place. There's light scratch marks upon his cheek. His suit is singed. His sleeve on the right sight has been entirely burned away, revealing a muscular arm. In his pocket, he carries with him a piece of what they found though he has little interest in mentioning that out loud just yet. He wants to understand what it is first, and so he glances at Emilia with a grim nod and then supplies further: )

At the center of the volcano, an apparent naturally made mirror is being used as a cork to hold back a mounting level of lava, a potent flow of magic, and an unimaginable number of spirits. The pressure appears to be mounting.

( ooc: vi and i had a hiatus in april, and this help explains the absence of emilia and wrath during that time. EDITED the following day when i realized i missed a detail about the volcano. it was naturally made from a large pool of dark water. )

Comments

un: man's greatest treasure (voice) 1/2

[reparo]

[tiny gasp] You're back. [there's relief in the way she says it, though it is possibly as much aimed at wrath as it is as emilia because - they're valuable allies.

and man, you missed sex ed, emilia.]

un: man's greatest treasure (voice)2 /2

[reparo]

[now to business of sorts.]

Spirits contained in the volcano...wait - the spirits of the human sacrifices over the years?

[inferus]

Yes. However, it is more complicated than initially thought. These were not thrown into the volcano's fire, but they absorbed some of the magic to relieve the pressure within. Eventually, the magic killed those who had agreed, and the spirit and magic returned.

[reparo]

[You can hear her dragging her fingers down her face in frustration, even if not see it.]

So if we do go ahead and destroy the House, like some of us are possibly thinking, that'll leave us with a big problem to fix.

[inferus]

It appears so.

To be fair, this problem will be here regardless of what else occurs while we are here. Is there a specific plan set in motion to destroy the House?

private.

[reparo]

In all honesty, I think the plan was to get to the House first. Possibly in the company of all those people who wield swords.

private.

[inferus]

I see. It is likely important to do both.

Thankfully, our group is large enough where we can split up and do what needs doing to deal with the House and attempt to stop the volcano from erupting.

[valeas]

We're back.

I'm so glad to see you're all right.

( ... relatively. business is important and she will get to it, but so is this. )

[reparo]

[bless - and yes, business is important, but.] We sustained some losses.

[Lily Evans, gone back to her place in time and whatever destiny awaits, and gods that is grim, having met the actual woman. befriended her even.] I'm glad you were not one of them.

private.

[valeas]

Oh.

( Small, contained. A tightness gathers in her throat. )

Some part of me already knew, I think. She'd otherwise be the first — the first to offer aid. ( To ask if Emilia was all right, if she needed to smack something on her behalf. The tightness seems to travel all the way to her chest as it sinks in. )

private.

[reparo]

I know. [And the tightness in her throat is mutual. But, the House. She draws in a shaky breath and clears her throat.]

I'm still here. If you need aid.

private.

[valeas]

( As Hermione gathers her resolve, so too does Emilia.

Lily may not be here, but Emilia is, and there is still much to be done. )

Lily and I, we would teach each other spells from our respective worlds. One of the first ones she taught me was a mending charm. Would it work with fractures of this nature? ( Even as she asks, she's aware it's a short-term solution. )

private.

[reparo]

[Of course! Lily, you brilliant witch.]

It might! I would love to try it, though if the damage has been sustained for an extended period of time, we might need...wards, or charms to make the mending stick.

private.

[valeas]

( Emilia is nodding along vigorously. )

It would also need to withstand the unnatural heat and magic of the volcano itself. It's difficult to explain what we felt upon reaching the core — just unimaginable. ( both in terms of potency, and the sheer level of spirits. she wouldn't be able to quantify. )