MASKTOURN

Kallum wakes in a dark, square room. The floor is dirt, but he's sitting on a woven rug. The walls are stone brick, and enclose him on every side. There’s no way in, and no way out. The room is suffocatingly warm, dark and dry. Kallum would soon begin to feel thirst clawing at his throat. He'd wake on his side, and soon discover he's been restrained- ankle chains tether him to the ground and prevent him from moving or standing Before Kallum, sat a small, low table, covered by a rug similar to the one they sat upon. Two oil lamps flicker at either ends of the table, their small lights the only in the room. The only other objects on the table are three small wooden bowls, all filled with an unidentifiable liquid. The first is white, opaque and creamy. The second is glassy and clear, with a slight cloudy, brownish color to it. The third is just as opaque as the first, but is a deep, muddy red in color. Across from the table is the only other person in the room. A woman. She appears to be middle aged, with warm, pale skin and brown, graying curls spilling over her shoulders. She wears a simple, cream-colored dress, with a long red vest over it. Her gaze is melancholy, almost distant, as she makes eye contact with Kallum. It's actually with something more than melancholy that the woman looks at Kallum. It's grief- grief so complete she's trembling from it. But Kallum has never seen this woman before- why does she grieve? Does she grieve for him? The woman takes in a heavy breath, and finally speaks. Her trembling voice is not that of the flaming apparition. “Welcome to the Halcyon Citadel.” @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

Kallum jolts with a start, pulling against the restraints before he's even become aware of them. Once he is, he immediately pulls at them with a loud yell, trying to yank them off. He pays no mind to the person before him, only looking up at her when she speaks, dares to speak, and he doesn't keep eye contact. His grip tightens around the metal, willing angry fire to melt the chains. "Where?" He grunts it rather than says it, scrunching his nose. "Where- am I- don't look at me like that!" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"You're in the Halcyon Citadel. The domain of the Lifebringer." The woman's voice still waves and trembles. "And, I am so, so sorry you were brought here." @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

None of these words make sense to Kallum. Halcyon Citadel? Lifebringer? Sorry? "You- how did you get me here?" That thing- the fire, it wasn't his, it wasn't real. He yanks at the chains again with another angry yell. "GET ME OUT!" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I'm sorry, Kallum. I'm so, so sorry." The woman sounded close to tears. "You were never meant to be brought here, I tried to prevent it- I really, really did, but- but I couldn't, and now you're here, and you're going to die, again..." @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

"No." Kallum doesn't die. Not here. He's supposed to die a Guardian, and he's not a Guardian now, so he can't die. "NO!" His hands blaze, climbing up to his arms. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

The woman winces, though not from fear of flame. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. It wasn't meant to happen like this. I promise, it wasn't meant to happen like this. But- but when you die, I will take you warmly into my fold. I will care for you." @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

Kallum covers his ears, arms still blazing. "Not dying, not here- not until- only when I'm a Guardian." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I'm sorry. I really am. I am so sorry." The woman maintained. "But you will die. There's nothing you or I or anyone can do about it. I'm so sorry." @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

Kallum shakes his head, tightly clutched in his burning arms. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." The woman repeated. Fat, hot tears began rolling down her face, she began shaking with sobs. "Kallum, I'm- I'm so sorry." @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

He drags his knees as close to his face as he can get. "GO AWAY!" He screams, hoarse and angry, briefly engulfed in flames but they quickly vanish. "STOP IT, stop it!" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"It's out of my hands. I'm sorry." She took in a breath, and tried to wipe awy her tears, but they still came. "Oh- I'm so sorry." @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

"You- you don't- who?" Kallum tightens his arms around his head as if he doesn't want to hear the answer. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

(divine intuition pleaseeeeee)

10:13 PM

@soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

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# 15
Details:[d20 (15)]

(wow)

10:16 PM

"I'm- I'm Albanes," She pressed her hands to her chest. "You know me. Please, you're- you're my brother, Kallum." She covered her face with her hands briefly, let out a keeling sob, and refocused to Kallum. "I'm the Lifebringer. I'm the Regnant Lifebringer." It'd be... confusing, and hard to tell, but Kallum would get the sense he was talking to something... more powerful than him. @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

Kallum doesn't know her. He hates her. He hates everybody, everything, and there's no one he hates more right now than- he can't decide that, not yet, he doesn't want to, so he skips the thought, he just hates and hates and hates. But power is recognisable. He understands what power means. He jerks his head up, violently, like a spasm, then ducks it down. "Power?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

The woman cupped her face in her hands again, and only looked up once Kallum spoke. "Wh- what do you mean, 'power'?" @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

Kallum stares at the floor, all he can manage. "Your... power?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"My... power." Albanes repeated. "I- I'm the Lifebringer. I'm a God. Of healing." @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

Kallum scowls, rocking his head forward. "Useless..." Rude. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I-" Heavens, it really was him. "I'm... sorry you think that." @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

"Know it," he corrects, nodding his head up and down, not to confirm anything, just to move. "Get out. Let out." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I'm- I'm sorry, I can't let you out. Not yet." @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

"GET OUT!" He yells, kicking his legs out at the table. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

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# 1
Details:[d2 (1)]

The bowls on the table are jostled, but thanks to Albanes's quick reflexes in steadying them, they survive unspilled. "I can't. I'm sorry. I have to be here, and you have to be here." @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

Kallum glares at the bowls, something else to keep his eyes on, not the eyes always on him, always on him. "Why?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"It's just... how things have to be." @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

"Why?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I- it's how things have to be. My predecessor wants me to talk to you, and I... must obey their commands." @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

Kallum can't respond to that. He lowers his arms, tightening his hands around the cuffs. Obey. He'd obeyed, he has obeyed, and now- now he's stopped. Look where he is now that he's stopped. This is what happens. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Albanes took in another heavy breath. "You're here to compete. In a tournament." @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

"I'll win." It's instinctual to say. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Albanes let out a heavy sigh. "Nonetheless, I need to prepare you for the possibility of your failure." @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

"No." Yep. This is Kallum. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Albanes wasn't going to push it further. "I'm sorry." She apologized, again. @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

Kallum doesn't respond to apologies. He begins to actually take in the sight, scrunching his face up at the bowls on the table. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Albanes glanced to the bowls, then back to Kallum. "You will have to drink one." @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

Kallum stares at the bowls, making no move to actually look at the liquid within. "What- what are they?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Albanes took in a breath. She wasn't supposed to do this, but... She pointed to the white one, "Milk," then they cloudy brown one, "Broth," and finally to the red one. "Blood." @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

Kallum scrunches his face up. Ew, what, ew. He shuffles closer and picks up the bowl with the cloudy brown liquid. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Albanes watched as Kallum picked up the bowl, but quickly turned away. The liquid in the bowl was, indeed, broth- meaty and salty and honestly kind of bland. Wholly inoffensive. @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

Kallum hasn't really had broth before. His eyes flicker up to Albanes, staring at her with a muddle of emotions, but then he looks down at the bowl and drinks it, only realising now how hungry he is. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Albanes didn't say anything as Kallum drank, and lingered in silence. @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

Kallum just drinks it in silence. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Once Kallum finished drinking, Albanes looked back to him, with the same grief and guilt in her dark eyes. She studies him closely, trying to match him with the version of her brother that she knew. @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

There's nothing there. Sure, he had been this age when she knew him, but even then he hadn't been so tired. His eyes wear into his sockets, burrowing down, his lips are dry. The brother she had come to know hadn't glared like this in years, but now it was a part of him once again, the only expression he can comfortably wear. He'd learnt how to manage eye contact then. Here his gaze is fixed on the bowl so he doesn't have to look at her. "What?" He asks, cuttingly. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Of course. It wasn't him- not the Kallum she had known, the Kallum she had loved. She took in another shaky breath to steady herself, and stood up. @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

Kallum stares at the bowl, holding it in his hands, tightening his grip. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Albanes walked around the table, to where she stood over Kallum. She rested a hand on the top of his head, slightly ruffling one's hair- the way an older sibling might do to a younger one. @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

(albanes i'm so sorry)

soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

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# 7
Details:[d20+4 (3)]

@innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs def (he's trying to hit with the bowl)

innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

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# 27
Details:[d20+7 (20)]

PELSADSFDS

(WOW)

2:18 PM

D5 please

(HOLY FUCK ALBANES)

soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

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# 5
Details:[d5 (5)]

(KALLUM)

(kallum...)

At the contact, he yells, angry and surprised. He swings the bowl at her but misses incredibly badly. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

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# 18
Details:[d20+5 (13)]

@soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭 def

soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

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# 12
Details:[d20-2 (14)]

(he's doing so badly)

Kallum strained himself badly trying to throw the bowl- but he won't have much time to think about it, as Albanes forced him into unconsciousness before he can hear the bowl clatter. @soul | kallum 🔥 + peregrine 🎭

Good night loser.