video. un: a_civil_serpent

[inferus]

This is what lies beyond the living-but-not walls in Chricter's secret room. ( The video starts with the sharpness of Wrath's voice in the dark cavern. Wrath and Fei continue forward with dim magical. Fei's sword is drawn, Wrath's serpent-dagger is in his hand. There are 20-25 mannequins in various states: burlap to human-like with defined features and soft skin.

A splash is heard as they step into dark water, and Wrath's jaw clenches at the realization they are being drained from the contact, but they have little choice but to push onward. Fei looks similarly displeased but determined. ) It is the dark water as it was in the volcano, as it was under the sea, infusing into the burlap sacks and making beings who are-

( Wrong. Unnatural. The video lands on the dog tags on the mannequins with a name on one, with a phrase on the other: hello, birdie, squirrel, eat your nuts!, the train goes, choo-choo on the other. ) Like the phrase left for Arabella.

( Before more can be said, chaos. The mannequins wake in a panic. They attack, rushing forward. Wrath and Fei work together to fight them off. She has been drained of stamina, and he has been drained of magic. They are worn from the waters, but they work in tandem - two experienced fighters, slashing through the burlap and false skin. It'll be difficult to tell what exactly is happening through the flurry of movement and sharp blades and burlap and skin and blood and features but not.

The mannequins rush out through the opening. Screams and shouts are heard from outside the room - distant. Fei and Wrath (bloody, torn, dripping dark water) step out of the wall. Fei spits out blood and wipes it from her chin, and then the video focuses on Magnus and Xingchen, waiting on the other side. The two were protected by Xingchen's talisman, which prevented the dark water from going any further. Magnus has his portal ready, and he speaks sharply: "Everyone into the safety hole now," and through it they go.

The echoes of chaos are left behind, and then there is darkness and silence. )

Comments

@taken for granite | voice

[rumorate]

[Allison watches this intently, nerves flaring, and only exhaling when she sees the three of them escape. But that won't stop her from making a very pointed comment, mostly in Wrath's direction as this is twice in one narrative arc.]

You really have to stop doing shit like this on the network.

[You're going to give her an ulcer.]

un: Black Prince; text

[blackscales]

[ We're just going to... paper over the chaos of the end of this transmission and focus on the important part. ]

The dark water in its coldest form seemed to heal, it was only when warmed up that it caused mutations. However, it was equally used to form that mirror in the volcano which held back spirits if I recall. I wonder if it is this ability to... restrain or control spirits that is at play here.

un: absterge

[downswing]

( No second wasted, no time to write — )

Healers stand among us. Where do we reinforce you?

un: dollhouse | voice

[thedreamer]

[ There's so much to process in what they've just been shown; the clues, first, which he takes diligent note of. Every little detail serves to aid them in their cause, to move them further along.

When everything erupts into chaos, he's more unsettled than anything else. He rarely feels fear and he doesn't actually feel fear now, either, since they've made it out safely, but he is worried about those in their group and the risk of harm that was all too close. ]

Where are you now? Is everyone alright?

un: eclipse | audio

[soloritur]

[ The early days here when Marcos was enjoying a reprieve from the constant Weird Shit is a memory now. Most of what he's seeing and hearing on the network is secondhand, but clearly it's a matter of time before it spreads.

He didn't think that the next time he saw Fei, she'd be fighting for her life on a video transmission. Thank God they've got their own version of Clarice on the team to get them out of there.]

This keeps going from bad to worse. [ He's not a healer, but... ] Are you somewhere safe? Do you need help?

un: ut malum pluvia | audio

[somebadnews]

[ Of course they went back to that room. Nothing like getting this message while Five has been searching everywhere for his missing brother. Apparently he needs to pay more attention to where Wrath goes during the day.

He saw the other mannequin in the earlier transmission, and seeing these others... he doesn't know how to feel. ]

They're alive?

[inferus]

( Wrath is generally not accustomed to anyone worrying about him. Given what he is, there is usually no need to especially when it comes to physical harm, but he can tell Allison is and that her comment is aimed at him. )

The first was Emilia's device. ( So he takes no responsibility over that instance even if he was involved. )

In this particular case, I doubted words would suffice to describe what was beyond the pulsing membranous walls.

[inferus]

( It doesn't take long for Wrath to respond. His intention had been to give everyone as good a look of what lies within the walls as he could, but he knew there would be questions. He is sighing as he stares at the tears in his clothing. )

It is possible. However, I did not currently sense any spirits within the dark water we stepped into. It had draining effects on Fei and I, but obviously, it has an opposite effect on the burlap mannequins. From what Kirk showed in his own video, it appears more than dark water alone is needed to complete the transformation. ( Otherwise why bother chaining the mannequin to the table as theirs had been? Why not keep it in the dark water? Not to mention the walls that appeared to be like that of an organ. )

[inferus]

( Wrath's shoulders roll back with unresolved tension. ) I am fine, but I will point Fei to this. ( And she can decide for herself if she would like healing. His accelerated healing is much slower than usual especially after that dip in the dark water, but he would prefer no one else see him in his current state of disarray - one of the benefits of being the one recording, the video was rarely on him. ) Magnus' portal led us to Emilia's house in Eidris for the time being.

( She is still with the dragons on their trip, but the house is safe, and Magnus stays there on occasion so he knew the location. )

[inferus]

( Wrath sighs at the outfit that he is currently wearing. Once again, he finds himself lucky that none from his House or his brothers Houses are here to witness him with his suit in such disarray. Ultimately, he would have preferred to include an explanation, but it was more important to show what lied beyond than attempt to put it to words which likely would have failed. A visual might spark knowledge in someone else more. )

We are safe in a home in Eidris. No grave injuries to mention. ( Wrath's healing will kick in as soon as he spends enough time out of the dark water, and he is certain it isn't Fei's first time with injury either. But they will heal. )

[inferus]

Magnus' portal was able to safely take us to Emilia's house in Eidris. ( She remains on her trip. He has not heard from her since he went down to investigate the group below, but today was supposed to be busy. )

The mannequins appeared to primarily be frightened and lashed out at us in an attempt to run more than do any harm. ( And both Wrath and Fei are experienced enough fighters even with the dark water taking its toll that they were not injured badly. )

[inferus]

They only feel alive when they are more flesh than burlap. ( But there is a distinct feeling of them being alive, which he dislikes. It's more mortals playing god, creating false life. ) It's as if they transition between the two states: inanimate and alive.

( Private. )

( Wrath does not ask for help easily or at all, but he is... in need at the moment. Five is at least one of the few people who he would willingly ask for help from or indicate any vulnerability to. ) Could you please bring an outfit from my room to Emilia's house?

[soloritur]

[ That's an upsetting thought. If they're giving them life, they can't just leave them there. ]

I know you haven't had time to process everything, but the way they were looks intentional. Almost like they were being manufactured there.

Do you think there's more of them?

Private

[somebadnews]

[ He's silent for a while, but it's rare Wrath asks for anything, and that distracts him from getting stuck on the mannequins. He didn't ask for his help infiltrating the room, but he'll ask for a delivery. Luckily, he's one of the few he'll give the benefit of the doubt to. Not like Five hasn't been busy.

And he understands the request, somewhat. He's never liked the feeling of being covered in blood after the fact. ]

Sure. I'll be by in a few minutes. [ A pause. ] You're all gathered there?

[inferus]

I believe there may be many mannequins living throughout the city. It would explain the strange behavior we have seen from multiple citizens. They have not acted precisely human.

( Wrath had assumed perhaps they were an android given the prevalence of those machines, but now it seems like these mannequins are more likely. ) And here they can potentially make the mannequins to act in whatever way they wish. ( Though if Arabella is a mannequin - she does not wish the cities to be placed together, but this group claims to want that. It doesn't add up entirely. )

Private

[inferus]

Thank you.

( The dark water stains his clothing still, and he is certain its draining effects on his magic remain in place as well, which also means he isn't healing yet from what damage the mannequins managed to do which is more annoying than anything. He wants to transvenio back and watch what the group will do once they realize they've been found out. )

The four of us are. Emilia is still on her trip, and the rest of her housemates do not appear to be here at present.

[downswing]

What do you require?

[inferus]

Nothing presently. We are all accounted for, and the house is safe. ( And Five is bringing him new clothing while he gets out of these ones that are torn and stained with the same dark water that drains. )

My focus is on stopping this from happening again. ( So he will return as soon as he has recovered enough to do so, but he won't be surprised if they've left. The mannequins were rushing out the unlocked door into the rest of the headquarters. They'll know they've been found out. )

[soloritur]

[ That's almost creepier than dealing with the undead. Which only leaves the question of why? They already made droids to keep their city running. ]

Do we know if it's spread to Eidris? There has to be some way to tell.

Private

[somebadnews]

[ Still on her trip... he'd wondered why she wasn't keeping an eye on his brother. All of this makes him unusually anxious, but he can talk to him more about it when he gets there.

Of course he expected the rest of them to hang around. They're probably all settling in to discuss what they saw. ]

I'll meet you outside.

[ Five doesn't take long to collect his things and find a bag to put them in. There might have been a nautical-themed suitcase hidden away somewhere if he'd taken more time. As it is, he'll show up at their door before long with his sack of clothes. He'd rather not deal with the crowd inside if he can help it. ]

[downswing]

These are lives contorted. Forcibly animated. ( Disgustingly shaped. ) Their existence appears agonised.

[inferus]

I would imagine it has though I have no evidence other than what was observed within that room.

( And the strange behavior they have seen from citizens, from Arabella as well. )

If they can successfully implant these individuals into Minaras, why wouldn't they do the same in Eidris? They can control both sides of the city this way. If that were the case though, why wouldn't they use that control to bring the city together as they claim their goal is?

Action.

[inferus]

( Wrath is the one who answers - bloody and wet still, clothing torn in spots. The mannequins were surprisingly strong though not anywhere as strong as Wrath. He steps outside, grimacing at the dark water that pools under his shoes still and stains the steps. Wrath shuts the door behind him. )

Thank you. ( It is spoken again genuinely. Demons are nothing if not polite, and he does appreciate him bringing these clothes without any hesitancy. He opens the bag to pull them out and then glances at Five again before his own gaze grows sharp. )

...what is it? ( He can sense a level of anxiety there, which Wrath only associates with one thing with Five. )

[inferus]

Exactly. ( It is unclear what happened to the ones who escaped through the hole, but he doubts they would have been destroyed, which in the end would have likely been a mercy. ) Someone believes they are a god and has enjoyed playing with forces they shouldn't for too long. They won't stop here. They'll continue.

The group worried about an attack during the Unwinding.

[somebadnews]

[ Five isn't used to seeing Wrath bleeding this much. He eyes him critically when he takes the bag and nods at his thanks. Of all the things to give him trouble. Something with the water again?

At his question, the pit in his stomach grows. He hadn't planned on leading with this, but he doesn't beat around the bush. Maybe Wrath heard something.

It's just hard to get the words out with how tightly he's clenching his jaw. ]

Diego's missing.