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]

Nope. Noooope he does not like this. Once he leaves (since this is clearly not getting resolved now- hopefully the name he was given was real so he can find him again).

"So... no." No, you don't understand at all. Maybe he can do that, but the cost seems... awfully high.

[grapeeater]

"I understand that I hear their voices, but I also have their power. And considering my age, and the fact that people like me get more powerful the older they are... I need every advantage I can get."

[dangerouslyinlove]

"It's not just their voice and their power you have," Ryoji says, still watching the shapes, trying to see if he can at least get an idea of how many... "How do you know you're still you?"

[grapeeater]

Aside from the one that's most solidly there, it looks to be about four or five. "... Because I am still in control."

[dangerouslyinlove]

Uuuuuugh this is going to be so terrible. But at least it's probably good that he struck around to find out? Right?? "For how long?"

[grapeeater]

"Forever." Until he breaks. But hopefully forever.

[dangerouslyinlove]

Talk about over confident... "That's really not usually how that goes."

[grapeeater]

"I have enough time." He'll be fine. Totally fine.

[dangerouslyinlove]

"I'm not so sure about that..." Ryoji sighs. "Can I at least... try to help? In case something goes wrong?" He'll probably still try to exorcise those spirits but.

[grapeeater]

"And just what do you propose to do?" He's not going to trust you even as far as he can throw you, Ryoji.

[dangerouslyinlove]

"Figure out how to make them not overpower you." Look, it's worth a try.

[grapeeater]

"How?" He's not going to let you touch him until you explain. If he even does anyway. He's not sure. He's suspicious. He doesn't want to trust this guy, but these things are annoying...

[dangerouslyinlove]

"...By getting them to leave?" He frankly doesn't know more specifics than that- ghosts are tricky.

[grapeeater]

"How?" He glares at Ryoji, licking his lips. "And how do I know you won't take their power away with you?"

[dangerouslyinlove]

Please stop that. "I'd send their spirit to beyond. It should only take the spirit with it." Which might include the power but Ryoji's just. Not gonna mention that.

[grapeeater]

No, he's hungry. "'Should'. And give me a percentage estimate of how certain you are that it will only be the spirit."

[dangerouslyinlove]

Ryoji hums, tilting his head. "95%? Maybe a little lower, if you're more pessimistic..." Again, he is making no claims about the spirit not being connected to the power. That, he genuinely doesn't know, but given Thanatos...

[grapeeater]

"... Fine. Do what you can." He can't, he can't, they won't - they'll stay here, here forever, where they can live in some way -.

He takes a reflexive step back, worry in his eyes, before taking a moment to steady himself.

[dangerouslyinlove]

Oh good. At least he's listening. "Ok!" he says, cheerful once again, "Um... you should probably... not be hungry when we do this. It could take a while."

[grapeeater]

"Then let's find something to eat." Not this guy, apparently. But someone else. He's going to need to drink a lot.

[dangerouslyinlove]

Ryoji would really like him to not kill anyone, soooo he'll try and make sure that doesn't happen. "Alright..."

[grapeeater]

He turns, and heads further into the warehouse district. He happens to know where there are some homeless people that camp out - not the best source of blood, since he has to make sure he drinks from someone who's not had alcohol, but it works.

[dangerouslyinlove]

Ryoji will just... follow along then, he guesses. (One might hope he'd learn a lesson from this entire encounter, but... no, he probably won't.) "Where are we going?"

[grapeeater]

"Hunting, obviously. I'm not drinking from you, so I have to find someone else." He knows the people that part of him wants to devour, but... no. Not yet. Maybe not ever. Preferably not ever, because he doesn't want to deal with that, not with the guilt, and they're better off alive...

[dangerouslyinlove]

Please don't devour anyone. Then he might have to kill you. "Alright, but... where?"