un: starburst, toward the end of this arc.

[valeas]

( Emilia di Carlo has seen better days, by the look of her. Her battle leathers are torn, soot and cuts still on her face — but she doesn't give in to the exhaustion just yet, nor the bile in her throat. First, she addresses the people of Alem, dignified and resolute. )

Prince Haiva sacrificed himself and leaves his sister, the young Cle-Florens, spared.

I was witness.

( A pause, then, as she allows that to sink in. )

Hell is sealed.

You fought with valor so others might live. I'm glad to have fought beside you, and will remember your fallen just the same.

If you've yet to evacuate, the time is now. Hassir awaits.

Comments

Action!

[blackscales]

[ Who could doubt this announcement, as well, with one of the royal guards stood beside Emilia? Silent, expression dropped in sorrow.

This day is so tragic for them all, truly.

Wrathion glances sideways at Emilia, thoughtful, once people begin to busy themselves continuing with evacuations. He's just... gonna have to keep this up a minute, exploding into smoke in the middle of this group would slightly draw attention.

Nobody worry about where the original guy was for a minute, he's nobly making a sacrifice too. Under his breath, softly: ]

We should find somewhere you can sit.

[ Options are.... limited, but he assumes Emilia desires privacy to recover. He wouldn't want to just sit down and chug water in front of people himself. ]

[valeas]

( Emilia's nod is imperceptible.

She waits until they're far away enough from the dwindling crowd to lean slightly against Wrathion. She's never drawn quite so much power. From delaying the opening of Hell to venturing into the depths below to... now.

It feels odd to look toward this strange face, knowing that Wrathion lurks beneath. The knowledge of it is a comfort, though, and her own voice is whisper-light, meant to be audible only to him. )

Was that all right?

( She wanted to wield as much of the truth as she could to sell the lie. )

un: absterge | the one person who believes this

[downswing]

At last hour, he recalled honour.

May it serve.

[valeas]

( )

un: ut malum pluvia

[somebadnews]

[ Five can read between the lines just fine when it comes to Haiva. He more or less knew how he'd end up after he messed with Emilia. The only thing that surprises him is that they succeeded in something. The world didn't end.

It's a lot to get his head around, but somewhere in there he must be happy. ]

You think it'll hold this time? [ The seal. There aren't many other people he'd trust to answer that, but he'll believe it if it comes from her. ]

[valeas]

( She understands his skepticism, would share it if Wrath had not corroborated her own suspicions. )

It should hold. The Motherless lost enough of their numbers to interrupt the tectonic blows they were sending through their cords. It was long enough to seal the rifts properly. Wrath could feel it.

( Emilia knows that he can trust Wrath on these matters above all. )

private.

[inferus]

It will hold.

( Wrath will speak freely to his friend - grateful to see him on the other side of Hell where he was overcome by the vision of his brother, overwhelmed by the cursed mirror inside of him. He does not like what they had to do there - has a preference for free will always, but.

There are sometimes little other choice is available but what is required. Even now he hates he is not with his wife, but he is there at the room of seals to ensure that all rifts have closed. )

I would not be leaving with the rest if I believed otherwise.

@taken for granite | private

[rumorate]

[Good riddance.

Allison knows that Haiva likely didn't surrender himself willingly, but she can't say she's sad that Emilia did what she needed to do. But she would be remiss if she didn't check on her friend after all was said and done, even if she's already left with some of the caravans.]

Are you okay?

private.

[valeas]

I think so.

( With Allison, she bothers a little less to hide the fact she's worn. )

I'll feel better once I rest. I've never drawn on this much power before. Are you? Are you safe?

un: yiling laozu | private to all but lan wangji, sizhui, xingchen, kamala, caitlyn, (ur char here)

[weifinder]

( the look he gives the camera is an exhausted one, but also a serious one. )

I ask of you all to kindly not correct any of our number who take Emilia's words for the citizens of Alem at surface value.

Please.

( here, his hands come up, and he bows to the camera. )

I request this of you in the hopes of your kind generosity.

un: owllady

[traaaaaash]

So you want to leave them under the illusion that Haiva was anything but the scumbag he was?

un: ut malum pluvia | private to wei wuxian

[somebadnews]

[ Does everyone else know? He's a little surprised they'd be that smart, but more so that they're completely fine with it. ]

I thought you were against lying to him.

video | un: wooden sword | private to wei wuxian

[vdovy]

[ Like most, Yelena is still covered in soot and miscellaneous monster guts, literal fire and brimstone behind her, but she stops to make an exaggerated puppy-love face at the camera. ]

It's so sweet how you protect his innocence.

un: starburst, private.

[valeas]

( In the privacy of their transmission, her grimness takes on a more saddened quality, something more personal. She recalls the look of haunting Lan Wangji wore, and the cries of the shapeshifter she killed.

Her hands are full of blood. )

How is he?

un: oil change | text

[nachocheese]

[Thanks a lot for putting him up to this, Jimmy. Grrr.]

I have a question.

@taken for granite | private

[rumorate]

They won't hear about it from me.

[Not that she has any real details anyway, but she knows enough to connect the dots. And sometimes you need to do dirty things to get the job done. It's not something that Allison is unfamiliar with.]

How have things been on your end?

le private message; audio (& a tired one)

[reparo]

I didn't think he'd be the type to willingly sacrifice himself when a woman denying him something prompted him to murder in the first place, but -

[deep breath, exhale.]

Well done.

un: owllady

[traaaaaash]

[ So that's done, then. Eda won't be shedding any tears, that's for sure. And while she can about figure out what happened, she does heed Wei Wuxian's plea for secrecy. ]

Well, then let's get outta here post haste.

[valeas]

Sooner rather than later.

( The agreement comes after the bulk of her fury has fizzled out, in its place a grim and necessary composure, steel beneath the surface. ) I don't know where we'll head to next, but for now, the monastery will have us.

un : dappled peals of the parted seas (voice)

[beitangmoran]

How touching. I am sure his noble sacrifice will be looked on fondly by his people.

[Yes, yes, he knows Haiva was probably more than nudged into it, and it's fine. He's just trying to abide by Wei Wixuan's request.]

[valeas]

( Beitang Moran is a pragmatist with a mind of politics, so his answer is not surprising, but that it comes relieves her. )

It is good to see you in one piece, though I expected no less.

un: oil change | video | private to emilia

[nachocheese]

[It looks like everything that happened took a lot out of her. Nacho can pretty much feel her exhaustion through the screen.

His own expression is blank and nearly unreadable when he turns on the video feed. His voice is soft but resolute; not unfriendly, or cold, just not much of anything.]

Did what you had to do.

[Does Nacho believe that? He doesn't know. He's still figuring out how to navigate morality here. But he can't easily think of a good alternative and Haiva had started to seem like a piece of shit anyway. Better he die than the kid, that's for sure.]

I have something to ask you. If that's cool.

private.

[valeas]

( If that's cool is the sort of thing Wrench might have said were he still here, having explained to her the colloquialisms of a time beyond her. It would make her smile slightly under different circumstances.

They are hardly ever under different circumstances.

She meets his gaze, her own unflinching, and nods. )

Of course.

un: daozhang | voice;

[binghua]

[After what Xingchen had heard about Haiva's involvement in...everything, this news does feel rather sudden. But anything is possible and Xingchen still tries to believe that there is goodness in everyone, even if it may be buried deep down or difficult to find.

He tries.]

Too many people lost their lives here, but it is a relief that the child was not one of the casualties. We must be grateful for even the smallest of victories.

un: absterge | holding hands

[downswing]

Let us thank the child survived.

un: man's greatest treasure; voice

[reparo]

[ What is war without sacrifice? If they've managed to stay alive in Alem despite it all, is that good enough? They couldn't save everyone, they couldn't do it all, and Prince Haiva has sacrificed himself - whatever that means. ]

Well done.

[valeas]

( Emilia has braced herself for all manner of impact, but the tired voice of Hermione Granger is her undoing a bit. She's yet to make a proper headcount, to see for herself how others have fared, if they arrived at the monastery. )

Have you made it out yet?

private | un: slothbaby

[cosplayqueen]

I'm so sorry that creep was anywhere near you! Sacrifice or not, what he did to you and those other women was completely awful! If no one told you? Anything he did to you isn't your fault. It's all on him. The angels will hold him accountable now.

Are you okay? Is he the one who cut your face? Do you need a hug? Bandaids? Hugs and bandaids? Me to punch anyone who might have enabled his super awful behavior? I'm seriously here for you. Whatever you need.

private.

[valeas]

( Kindness is always disarming to her, and there is no one more kind than Kamala. She can practically hear the message in Kamala's trusting voice, a reminder of what she seeks to protect, however undeserving she may be of such trust in this moment. )

I'm all right, Kamala. I'd very much like a hug when we see each other, which will hopefully be soon, but I'm all right. Please don't worry. I'll heal.

What I need in this moment is for you to be safe. Have you made it to Hassir?

[action]

[inferus]

( If there was any further proof needed that this Hell is quite unlike their own, it comes in the fact that Hell seals again all too easily. In their own world, Wrath would need to use his magic and use the amulet - his wings locked away within still. Here the process was much simpler, which is why he is in the Room of Seals instead of with his wife as he ordinarily would be.

He trusts her to have this handled even if he knows how much she abhors the politics of it (in truth, he does too despite his rather endless experience at this point of choosing words carefully at all times, but it is the smartest option). Deimar lives. Haiva is with the sirens to suffer for his crimes. His wife embraced her fury again, and he enjoyed watching every moment of it, supporting her in claiming justice. Otherwise he would have escaped it entirely, reclaimed his title as king perhaps, committed genocide on the next group who he deemed should give him what he wanted.

Even though it is sealing itself, Wrath is connected to Hell. He can feel it. Wrath kneels down, sees the rifts stitch back together now that Hell is not being so well fed. )

[action]

[valeas]

( The Room of Seals is eerily silent, devoid of the sorcerers that'd once toiled day and night reinforcing magical wards. Devoid of the paladins that joined them in the levels below without question, a fervent shield to guard Alem.

Some of them reminded her of Carmine, his unwavering conviction. No doubt she'll be reminded of the brotherhood some more when they reach the monastery. It's difficult to parse through some of those memories these days.

How real were they?

He'll hear her footsteps, Wrath. The most real thing there is to her. )

Anything?

[private] audio.

[growlies]

Good fucking riddance. I hope he's having the sacrifice he deserves.

( Red has caught up, and yeah, the guy deserves to die. She doubts he jumped in there willingly, and she doesn't care either. As soon as she saw those words about needing to keep Emilia from his gaze~, she hoped he fucked around and found out. She doesn't actually know what happened, but she doesn't need to - she's glad to see he's dead. )

You okay?

[private]

[valeas]

( Hermione, Kamala, and now Red — they're not her girls, and she knows that. But they feel a bit hers, and with that last voice confirmed, she does breathe a bit easier. For all the gifts she's discovered, she isn't able to be in several places at once like she wishes. )

I'm okay. Nothing a long sleep won't fix.

( ... She thinks. )

Are you?