un: civil serpent | video.

[inferus]

( The video opens on the largest fissure in the Room of Seals, revealing the stairs that lead into the dark. Black eyes dart into view and then fade. The imagery shifts to the many other cracks filling the room. Wrath speaks, voice hard and ancient in the way of war: )

This version of Hell grows more restless by the hour. The dark water we've encountered before infects it. Every act of violence and rage, every death and spirit feed it further.

( Wrath's hand dips into the largest fissure. The dark liquid smoke pouring out of it wraps around his palm and the length of his arm. As if greeting an old, almost-familiar friend. He spreads his palm out and the smoke obeys, skittering back in through the crack.

The temperature in the room dips then. Ice pours from him across and within the fissure, sealing it. The ice continues to spread from his point of contact across the floor and walls, spilling into the hallway. The ground quakes as he pushes back against the power attempting to shove its way out.

The video then turns to Wrath: his gold eyes flash with anger, with violence that he pulls back within himself. His jaw locks as he surveys the room. )

...this will not hold long. These fissures will split the room open, but we may buy them time to replenish their forces and allow for more of their people to escape.

If you have magic or power, if you are capable of guarding and sending messages in the days to come, go to the Room of Seals. I will be waiting.

Comments

audio;

[reparo]

[She's stunned, for a moment - having defended a tower in Taravast once, she knows already that Wrath is a magic caster, but the extent of his power had always been rather a mystery; it's not as though their interactions have allowed for much comparing of gifts, since they've tended to be rather to the point. (Or with her feeling vaguely scolded.) So now she knows - that's power.

After a bit of static, there's the clearing of a throat.]

We've been fighting Rathakku's army for days now, each new attack more vicious than the last - so that's a lot of violence to feed the rifts...

audio;

[inferus]

It is why I said the fissures will split open the seals, because the war cannot be stopped. This army must continue to fight. Rathaku will not stop until he has what he wants.

( Even if they lay down their weapons now in an attempt to stop strengthening Hell, the undead warlord's army would remain. They would all be overrun, and the deaths that followed would only feed Hell further, open the cracks wider. )

un: headless ragdoll | video (private)

[matermali]

[ She's already seen the room; she's already been tempted and only been diverted by the surprise of others. Seeing him touch the fissure does something wholly unpleasant to her.

No matter what level of power he has, and it's enough to concern her, he should be the last individual to be allowed near the openings to Hell. ...One of the last. If she looks suspicious, well... ]

What game is this? I would never believe you to want for any manner of Hell to be sealed away.

audio. private.

[inferus]

( The room remains frozen. Wrath is attempting to calculate how long his ice might hold against the anger and the heat below, batting at the hatches. )

Further evidence then that you do not know me. ( It is bad for all of them - for their group, for these people, for this world if Hell is allowed to spill forward so freely. They need the beacon lost somewhere in this castle to even consider returning to his own Hell where he has the task of keeping the balance between realms, between worlds, between the living and the dead. )

You are one to speak about wishes in regards to Hell.

video | un: mansbane

[bravelyrunsaway]

This isn't sending messages right now? Relays can be more efficient with these stormstruck pendants, we know that.

audio.

[inferus]

It is. However, not everyone looks at their pendants in the heat of battle. The concern is more for guards who can keep an eye outside of the room as well as communication with those outside of the group as needed.

( Like with the royal family, the guard. It is unclear how much access they have to the network as always, but nonetheless. )

[ Private ]

Your particular ability to greatly enhance and strengthen magical power would be of use here.

un: absterge

[downswing]

You are

( Ah, how can he be the man who asks this. )

in sustained health?

[inferus]

( It is certainly not a question Wrath was anticipating receiving so it gives him pause before he responds. )

Yes. ( But that is always true. ) However, my seal will only last so long, and it is unlikely I will be able to cast it again for days.

The seals will break.

video | un: yiling laozu

[weifinder]

Shifts?

( ... asking wrath directly, with the anticipation that emilia is on hand for this as well. )

[inferus]

( Wrath so dislikes his own limitations in this world. He must rest and recover. He must sleep. How frustratingly mortal of him. )

Yes. Emilia will be ready to take a shift of her own, I am certain.

un: Black Prince; text

[blackscales]

I have some other things to attend to, but should all go well I can offer you some of my time. It's certainly a problem that isn't going away. There's nothing more permanent we can try? I assume the ice is doing little. It seemed to help to cool to dark water in the volcano, but that wasn't being additionally driven by an escaping hell.

[inferus]

It is more than ice magic or it would not last at all with the heat of this Hell beneath it, correct. However, this seal as it is will last perhaps two to three days at most but severely weaken as it goes. I would appreciate your assistance.

The issue is the siege feeding and powering Hell. There is no stopping this war nor the deaths and violence as a byproduct of it. The dark water adds another factor which is more difficult to account for, but is likely worsening the situation below.

un: ut malum pluvia | audio

[somebadnews]

[ When Wrath's voice comes over the communicator, Five already knows what he's going to say. They can only buy time until Hell breaks loose. Anyone else and he might have reacted differently, but he trusts Wrath's experience. It doesn't surprise him that he kept his word and is still trying to do everything he can to prolong the inevitable.

History tells him he shouldn't meddle in anything resembling an apocalypse unless he wants to make it worse, but he can't help himself. ]

Whatever you need. I'll meet you there.

audio.

[inferus]

( Wrath trusts Five to help or he would say otherwise, and he could use someone else he trusts to keep an eye on things. He will be fairly focused on the magic, on making certain it is sealing those cracks and powering them instead of filtering into Hell. )

Thank you. My focus will be on the magic and the sealing, and we will need eyes on the outside too.

( There is a pause as he looks over at the ice surrounding the floor - it has no effect on Wrath, but: )

Be careful teleporting in.

video | un: relic

[starscollapse]

You possess a great power. I wish to understand it better. Another time, of course.

[ She would not waste what little they have in seeking out his life's story. Though she has never seen anyone wield power in the same way that he's demonstrated, she's reminded not for the first time since arriving here that the universe is far more vast than she'd ever imagined. Before coming here, she'd never heard of Hell, either, but recent context has better explained it. Lacking reference to relate to it, Merrin at least understands it to be...a very bad thing were it to be unleashed. ]

I have duties attending to the watch towers, but I can move between places quickly. You will have my support and I can manipulate the ground to keep the cracks from spreading. I will try in any case.

[inferus]

Of course. ( Wrath appreciates she gets directly to the point. They are in the middle of a siege, which leaves little time for discussion - not that this group rarely ever has the time for such things. )

The duties at the watch tower are of equal importance to what is needed here, but I would appreciate the assistance.

I have experience sealing Hell. ( so does his wife who will also be taking shifts down here ) I should be able to ensure your own power does exactly that - keep the cracks from spreading at least for now. This is all temporary, but time is valuable here.

un: magic wand | audio

[faceblocker]

[ 'Every act of violence and rage' uhhhhh... How does... How? How's she supposed to— What's she supposed to do with that information? Fight her enemies peacefully? ]

So I'm making things worse out there? Great.

[ Story of her life haha. ]

I'd try to make up for it by playing guard when I've got an opening [ somewhere. ] but I can't send any fancy magic messages without using the pendant.

[inferus]

You are doing what must be done. There is no other alternative but to fight back. ( If they lay down their weapons, the Undead will overtake this place, and Hell will be fed either way. It is why this is all inevitable. The seals will break completely, and Hell will open up. )

Your assistance as a guard would be appreciated. It is unclear how comfortable the paladins will be with what we intend to do, and at any time, Hell could spit out a creature from within.

( They have to be cautious. )

un: white pawn; video

[chosenbylight]

[Anduin's expression is grim as he considers this news.]

How far do the fissures reach at present?

[inferus]

They remain in the room at present - no further. The one I featured is the deepest and widest by far, but there are many.

( Wrath will show some of the other fissures which are less visible through the ice encasing them, but are still there underneath in the walls and floor. )

video, un: strange

[rehandle]

[ In the background, chaos. Stephen, freshly woken into a new bout of war, spares moments to answer a summons as urgent as the screech of harpies and the screams of soldiers. ]

I'm needed here, but I have magic to lend as a last resort. If the towers fall or you run out of fuel [ magic, power, people ] I'll shift priority.

[ There's no point in maintaining the tower above if Hell opens below, but likewise there's no use letting another hell crawl in from outside while others can still hold the one within. Important, at least, to make it known he's a resource. ]

[inferus]

The battle at the towers is of equal importance. I would not ask you to shift focus unless it became necessary and not without shifting some resources to the towers to attempt to compensate in some way.

( And he includes himself on that assuming his wife has taken over his shift, helping to be certain Hell is sealed away. He is limited on casting the ice spell due to this place, but he still is capable of fighting. If the Towers are overrun, there will be many more deaths, more to feed Hell itself - greedy as it is, wrathful and greedy for more of what this siege provides. )

I appreciate the offer to assist and will keep it in mind should we have need below.

video; un: yuheng

[wooden_one]

I have a means to send messages though I will need to prepare them.

[Which shouldn't take long as long as not too many were needed.]

I have some experience maintaining a barrier where I'm from that serves a similar function. Obviously, it's not the same but perhaps there is something that can be done to make it hold a little longer.

[He's expended a lot of energy defending the tower but he can spare some more for other things.]

[inferus]

We currently have an efficient way to send a rudimentary message to everyone at once.

( Hermione's coins should work to quickly inform everyone that the barriers are failing and Hell has broken through. Which was Wrath's primary concern as well as having those who could relay information or find supplies as they were needed immediately without having to wait for people to look at their pendants. )

If you have a similar experience using magic, I imagine your barrier would work well to strengthen the seals holding Hell back for now. With help, I believe I can freeze it over once more in a few days.

( It is only buying them time, but that is entirely valuable. )

[video, un: long rope]

[eyeofthavnair]

I am capable of creating a magical barrier...but I must remain nearby to do so.

How long do you believe we can remain in the Room? When I last visited, the paladins were not keen on allowing us in...

[inferus]

I intend to speak to Galatea. At the moment, the paladins cannot enter.

( Due to the door being frozen over - granted no one else can enter either. ) Otherwise that is what the guards are for. ( To keep an eye out. ) A magical barrier would be of great use. A great deal of magic will be required to buy what time we can.