Trial of Trials : Act 2

[thequestgiver]

There's something uneasy that can be felt in the city, and seemingly no end to the rumors springing up in the wake of the downtown explosion that leveled BOARD's headquarters. Stories of an odd sickness where the afflicted suddenly winds up anemic, their blood levels dangerously low, despite feeling fine that morning have already taken root, others of strange animals seen roaming at night, and horrible screams and gunshots in one of the parking garages....

The space where the ill-fated headquarters lays silent, an empty patch of dirt and gravel that seemed to attract those drawn to stories and rumors. Police have already had to shoo away opportunists with metal detectors, hoping to find something interesting in the impressively quickly cleared wreckage, and others have reported something that just feels... wrong, when they walk by the site. The ghosts of those who hadn't made it out of the collapse? Or something else? Noone can really put a finger on it to explain.

And meanwhile, under the cover of shadows, things unknown to those who still walk in the light continue to move. Whispers of the rogue mage and a treasure trove of information, of upsets in the vampire hierarchy, and sworn revenge on the mages who had used one of their own for their gain.

And deep in a hidden lab, BOARD's remains and allies continue to work, twisting all they can get their hands on to create the perfect weapon; made of the very things they wish to cleanse from the world. The loss of the incapacitated vampire elder was only a small one, with how much they had already extracted and drawn from it. And if the rumors of their knowledge being in the hands of their enemies were true? They would just have to speed up their projected timeline. Or simply slow down that of the world. After all, they were mages. Reality bended to their will, not that of those who opposed them....

Comments

[dangerouslyinlove]

Ryoji laughs quietly. "Yeah, I guess most people wouldn't." Which is not to say he wouldn't, but he's also literally faced one of the bigger fears people tend to have. "...Change can be kind of scary." Like changing into a vampire, say.

[grapeeater]

"It can be. It depends on the change." It depends also if you were expecting to die rather than get turned into a vampire.

[dangerouslyinlove]

"Yeah. Moving to a new place isn't so bad. It's a little scary, since you're kind of starting over. But there are some fundamental things that are the same. There are other things that kind of... turn your life upside, and it seems like it's all changed all at once, though."

[grapeeater]

"... True. But you move on. You deal with it." They're now closer to the warehouse district, with fewer people around. Definitely since there was that incident a few weeks ago with dead... well, most people didn't know they were mages.

[dangerouslyinlove]

...huh. Ryoji's eyes fall on a couple places that feel... off to him, that probably have ghosts still inside. He's going to have to check that out later. Depends a bit on how this goes. "Right. But it can be hard. And sometimes, there are still things that are the same. It just feels different, because of everything else."

[grapeeater]

"Maybe." He stops, looking out at the water, the lights glimmering off of it. There's no one else around right now. He should strike. He should just take this person down. He's inching too close, he needs to go, he needs to stop -

"What is it you really want?"

[dangerouslyinlove]

Ryoji smiles. "I want to be friends! And to help, if I can." It may seem like he's lying, but he's... really not. He is actually that earnest.

[grapeeater]

"... No." He looks over his shoulder at Ryoji, expression serious. "To both, that is. Just... no."

[dangerouslyinlove]

Ryoji is not the least bit dissuaded by this. "Why not?"

[grapeeater]

"Not every person you meet is so kind. You should leave before things get dangerous." But he can't let this person leave. He knows too much. He has to. Why else would he be here? Did someone send him?

[dangerouslyinlove]

The boy just laughs a little. "Being alive is dangerous, in its own way. I know the risks... well, most of them, anyway."

[grapeeater]

"I don't know that you do." He takes a step towards Ryoji, hands clenched into fists. "I don't think you really understand at all."

[dangerouslyinlove]

There's a pause, Ryoji considering his options for a moment. And then, just for a brief moment, Micchy will be able to see something else there with them. A looming, foreboding shadow hovering just behind Ryoji, face like a metal skull and wings made of coffins, stretched out wide and daring him to even try anything.

The figure vanishes, and Ryoji casts the boy another small smile. "...Are you sure about that?"

[grapeeater]

There's something there - a hallucination? He's not sure, he's seen so many weird things lately. "Yes. The power you're dealing with... it's not -" He's hungry. He's so hungry.

"It's not something that's easily held back."

[dangerouslyinlove]

"I know." Not the exact same, but he and Thanatos had some... trouble, when they first joined together. "...If you can be sure you won't kill me, I don't mind if you take a little. It might not taste very good, though."

(Thanatos is not ok with this plan and makes it very well known, but he can probably do something if Micchy does go too far.)

[grapeeater]

"... How do I know you won't go around telling people where I am?"

[dangerouslyinlove]

Ryoji taps at his chin. "I guess you can't really know for sure," he admits, "But if you're not trying to hurt people, and don't kill anybody, then... I don't really have a reason to tell anyone."

[grapeeater]

"... If you know what I am, then you know that I hurt people by my very nature." As for not killing them... well. He has. But he knows better than to say that.

[dangerouslyinlove]

Oh, Ryoji imagines he's killed someone, at least. New vampires tend. But it doesn't have to last that way. "Right now, maybe. I admittedly don't know a lot about the specifics of it all... but I know there are some things that can at least make it less likely you'll really hurt someone."

[grapeeater]

"... I don't think you really understand what you're dealing with." He's not sure he can stop if he starts...

[dangerouslyinlove]

"Then, can you explain?" Ryoji suspects the answer is going to be 'no,' but... he's still there. Not planning on leaving.

[grapeeater]

"I'm not..." He's not entirely himself, but that sounds stupid. "I can't control how much I take, sometimes." That's... closer to the truth.

[dangerouslyinlove]

Ryoji nods. He can... see how that would be a problem. "...Do you just need practice?"

[grapeeater]

"... Yes, because people are so happy to have me practice on them while doing something like that."

[dangerouslyinlove]

Ryoji shrugs. "I don't mind!"

(If Thanatos could facepalm it would be.)