MASKTOURN

A long, dark hallway, lined with doors. The tile floor is decorated with a black, woven rug, and the crown molding on the ceiling is decorated with reliefs of geometric birds in flight. The room is illuminated only by oil-lanterns placed on the walls, in between each door. Each door is a stone slab, decorated only with the occupant’s name and a small, hand-shaped plaque.

If the occupant of a room places their hand on the plaque, the stone door will rise and grant them entry to the room. If anyone else places their hand on the plaque, they will receive a painful, but harmless, shock.

(edited)

Kal made his way out of his bedroom, humming to himself as he strolled down the hall. For being sent into another realm, the guy seemed to be in a pretty chill mood. @Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

Hiding in the shadows of the wall and in the corner of the room, Invo quietly watched as a well built stranger walked by. He looked much too casual to simply be walking around, but perhaps it was because he was confident that he wouldn't be threatened by anything. That was a dangerous kind of person, Invo believed. Slowly, still creeping in the shadows, Invo decided to test out this stranger.

Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

used /r

# 13
Details:[d20+2 (11)]

@Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟 Def no damage

Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

used /r

# 21
Details:[d20+4 (17)]

@Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

Invo made an attempt to stop Kal by using his shadow, but it seemed like nothing happened. Kal would perhaps feel the slightest of tugs, however. @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

Kal likely wouldn’t have reacted much to feeling the slight tug. Holding up a hand in a wave, Kal greeted Invo brightly, perhaps even a bit too cheerily. “Hey there, man! How’s it going?” Kal asked with a smile. “Are you a competitor, too? Did you wake up in a small room like I did? Pretty crazy, isn’t it?” @Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

Invo's eyes widened a bit behind his mask and he quickly dove what little bit of his head showed back into a shadow. How could the man withstand his grasp?! Definitely dangerous. Invo was good to not approach him directly. Though, the man did greet him. Did all strong people here do that? Invo didn't need the stranger thinking he was weak. Slowly, Invo's head popped up again and he offered Kal the smallest, most awkward of waves in return. He still didn't say anything, however. @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

Definitely a dangerous man. Kal rocked on his feet slightly as he continued talking. “Ah man, I’m so rude- Good morning, first of all! Hope you slept well- I’m Kal Valdez, great to meet you!” Kal grinned. @Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

Kal Valdez... Strange name for a strange man. A strange dangerous man. Invo blinked before pulling up his hand and gestured to his hearing aids, before signing, Do you know sign? @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

“Oh snap- Yeah, I do! It’s one of the languages I made sure to learn once I was able to read!” Kal beamed brightly. He began to sign. Hey, there! @Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

The anxiety and fear Invo was hiding nearly faded when Kal started to sign back. It wasn't often strangers, or normal people in general, knew. Interesting. You may call me Invo. Kal, was your name? What is a man like you doing here?

5:32 PM

@Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

“Invo! Great to meet you!” Kal grinned. He signed every word that he spoke.

I just kind of appeared here. A fire person showed up and I tried dousing them with water, then, poof! I ended up here. Crazy, right?

@Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

Hm. Seems like this man may be dangerous, but a bit of a fool. That made him less dangerous... or did that make him more dangerous? Invo wasn't sure. I see.. Did the Lifebringer speak to you before coming here? What did it say to you? @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

It said a lot of things, like that it built this place all on its own. It also said something was wrong with this place and that it needs us to be killed or something so that way it could be fixed. Did it tell you something like that?

@Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

Well, yes, but Invo wasn't exactly going to tell Kal that Naitya told him the same thing. Perhaps. What are you going to do now? Participate in whatever game it has set for us? @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

Kal hummed as he continued to rock on his feet.

I don’t know, I thought about it a bit. Last time I was in a situation like this, all I did was lose my powers, not my life. There was a way out of the situation last time, so I’m sure there’s maybe a way out of here? Maybe.

@Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

Invo raised a brow. This man gets stranger and stranger. You were in a similar situation before? How? Why? Was it also the Lifebringer then? Invo asked back to back. @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

Kal gave a nod of his head.

Yeah! It was the Lifebringer. It was like a whole cult that I got wrapped up in. It was ran by a guy named Yeonaixho, and it was pretty wild. Not a good time.

@Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

Invo's eyes narrowed as Kal spelled out Yeonaixho's name. He had his own cult like this? It would make sense, but he couldn't understand why the Lifebringers would waste their time and resources on events like this. Yeonaixho, huh? I'm familiar. What exactly was involved in that event? Perhaps it will prepare us for this one. Invo paused. What exactly have you done to have the Lifebringers against you? @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

Aw snap, you know Yeonaixho? Small world! Kal grinned.

There were fights set up for us to fight one another, and then the losers went and lost their powers, and then were sent into the dungeon. I got sent down there. Not a good time.

Kal let out a little laugh at Invo's question.

You know, I got no idea. I thought they just liked me hanging around, but maybe they do have something against me. I don't know what it'd be.

@Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

Invo folded his arms across his chest, and since he only wore a mask over his top half, his deep frown was visible. I unfortunately know of him, yes. Your description of what happened sounds a bit... preposterous he commented.

The Lifebringers are tasteless Gods. I just did not know the extent. I had assumed they took people who had associations with them, but seeing you... it seems not. The Lifebringers are healers, but they are not forgiving. I am sure you have experienced that first hand.

@Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

Kal let out another laugh as he nodded his head.

I know, right? It sounds really crazy that all of that even happened to begin with. It really did happen, though. Honest.

Yup, I've experienced it first hand. I think, like last time, they're targeting people with powers again. Do you got powers?

@Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

Invo had no reason to believe this man, but he didn't feel any sort of hostile energy coming from Kal. If anything, it was way too much pleasant energy. It was an eyesore. What did you all do to escape the first event like this? He asked, ignoring Kal's question about powers. @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

Well, we all had to break out of the underground, that was pretty exciting. Then, we got out onto the surface, and things were- Relatively wrapped up? I don't know, it feels like we didn't have to do much, the people on the surface took care of a lot of things.

Kal smiled apologetically. Sorry I don't have much information that could actually be helpful. @Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

The information Kal gave wasn't the must useful, but at least it wasn't nothing. Information was valuable, no matter how little. Invo's eyes narrowed behind his mask before he shook his head.

Well, at least you were not completely worthless talking to. Though, you shouldn't be so forward in a place like this. Enemies lurk everywhere.

He warned. @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

Yeah, I should be a bit more careful, but you seem relatively pretty chill. Kal chuckled. You didn’t try to use your powers on me a second time, so hey, pretty chill in my book! @Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

Invo went still at that, his hand stopping midway from signing again. He narrowed his eyes at Kal, and even though he wore a mask, he hoped Kal could see him glaring. Slowly, his hands moved. You knew? He asked, his hands careful in their movement. Kal was dangerous--His initial analyses was correct. Invo was convinced of that. @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

Kinda. Kal let out an easy going laugh.

I saw the shadow move and I felt something kinda tug at me, but I didn’t think too much of it since I figured most people here have powers. It’s all good, though! I’m not mad about it or anything.

@Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

Invo's glare didn't fall from Kal. His laugh didn't ease any of his nerves at all either. Should he just go ahead and try to kill off Kal now? It'd save him the trouble later down the line, but was he even capable of bringing down the man as it was? Invo's strength was in his stealth, his surprise attack. Kal may of seemed relax, but Invo knew better. The man in front of him didn't leave much space to be attacked. You're infuriating, Invo signed. And annoying. @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

You know, I get that pretty often. Kal chuckled. He continued to rock on his feet and hum. But you seem chill!! And we’re on the same team, so hey, it’s nice to meet a teammate! Kal flashed Invo two thumbs up and a bright smile. @Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

I'm not your teammate, Invo rebutted with a huff. I work alone, and even if I did work with others, it certainly wouldn't be with someone like you, Invo added. Something about Kal made Invo's skin crawl. He couldn't put a finger on it, but it made Invo uneasy. @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

Aww, that kind hurts, Invo, hurts me right here, Kal rested a hand over his chest and tapped his heart.

Right there. And I mean, we're on the same team. Birds. Cool little guys, right? But dang! We could've made a cool duo. A whole cool tag team. We could've probably had a cool handshake, too.

@Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

Invo shifted in his stance, putting a hand behind himself and near his hip. It was an awkward move, as there wasn't anything necessarily behind Invo. It was a force of habit—He was trying to grab his machete, but with it being gone, it just looked like Invo grabbed at air. His brows furrowed and he huffed once again. Quit insulting me. I'm not weak. I don't need to be on a team or a duo. @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟 (edited)

Kal raised an eyebrow at the motion, but didn’t comment on it. I mean, you’re kind of already put on a team, Kal hummed.

And there’s nothing wrong with being in one or having a partner. Teamwork makes the dream work, you know? Sometimes we just need a good old helping hand, and that’s okay! Nothing wrong or weak about it.

@Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

I wasn't put on one of these stupid teams by choice. That wretched Lifebringer just put me here, Invo rebutted.

And only the weak need to rely on teams. I would know. I've been forced on teams before and all they do is drag you down. Working alone is the best and most efficient way to secure success.

@Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

Kal gave a small chuckle. Maybe you just haven’t been put on any good teams, then, Kal smiled.

The best teams are made with people who you can click and connect with, and actually work alongside with. Maybe you’ll find that there’s a decent team and partner or two here for you.

@Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

Somehow, Kal's endearing and happy tone just made Invo more irritated. No matter how dangerous this man was, he was a hundred times more infuriating! It just made Invo want to cut off that stupid smile on Kal's face.

There's no such thing as 'good teams'. No one is ever truly compatible in the ways it matters. Your foolishness is quite boundless,

Invo huffed. Only idiots go around parading friendship and connections... idiots end up dead. @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

There’s a such thing as good teams, Kal beamed. There are teams where people pick up at another’s weakness and support them. That’s how the best teams work. At the last part of Invo’s sentence, Kal laughed and ran a hand through his hair. He remained smiling.

You know, for an idiot, I’m still going pretty strong, I’m still kicking. I can’t say all teams and friendships have been good for me, but a decent amount of them have been good for me. I’ve grown well because of them. Maybe you’ll find someone or a group, and do some growing of your own.

@Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

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# 4
Details:[d20+2 (2)]

(INVO HAHA @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟 def)

(DJDKDJDJDJ)

Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

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# 9
Details:[d20+4 (5)]

(Idiot guy. Anywyas)

12:27 PM

Kal's laugh sounded condescending—To Invo, at least. His endearing personality and lackluster sense of distrust made Invo sick. How could someone like that exist so carefree, but still walk around with so little openings. It was one hundred percent, a contradiction. Again, Kal would feel the tug at his shadow, trying with all the strength it could to pull Kal down, but nothing happened. Invo balled his fists. "Teams never work out," Invo growled through his teeth. "A group of weaklings don't make a strong collective, they just drag the strongest to their death. Maybe you have been the lucky one to always make it out, but it's clear to me you don't know anything! A through and through fool!" @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

Kal, yet again, ignored the tug of his shadow. It’d probably make Invo mad if he drew attention to it. Or, would that make him mad if he didn’t? Would that just make him seem like an airhead? Eh, it’s not like the guy thought highly about him anyways. Kal would just ignore the use of his powers. “Like I said- Or, signed- Maybe you just haven’t been on any good teams. There are teams and people who help one another grow.” Kal hummed. “It sounds like you’ve had really, really had experiences with teams. I’m sorry about that.” Kal let out a small sigh. “Yeah, there have been bad experiences with teams I’ve had, but even then, I’ve been able to grow and learn from them. Every experience is a learning experience, even if part of the ‘learning’ winds up hurting.” @Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

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# 21
Details:[d20+2 (19)]

(He's trying one more time I'm sorry Kal

@Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟 )

(It’s okay this is fun lmao)

Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

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

(Just d5 damage pls) @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

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# 2
Details:[d5 (2)]

Third time seems to be the charm, because finally, Kal would feel the pull of his shadow bring him down to a knee. It was just enough to make him have to look up at Invo, and Invo promptly punch Kal in the chest. It probably felt like nothing to Kal, but Invo didn't care. "Don't talk to me like you know better. Growing and learning—None of that means anything if you don't win. That's why fools who preach that kind of garbage are destined to fail and die," Invo snarled. @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

Kal grunted quietly as he was brought down to one knee, but he was still smiling. Even now, his smile seemed to grow brighter. “See? Every experience is a learning experience even if it hurts a little- I just learned what kind of powers you got.” Kal grinned brightly. “Even if fools like that are destined to ‘fail and die,’ at least I can say I’ve been able to feel alive, even for a short while. That’s what matters to me.” Kal hummed. “I’m just happy to have some people by my side along the way. It must get kinda lonely just being all by yourself all the time, Invo. Maybe you’ll find a tag team partner one of these days.” @Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

Invo's eyes widened behind his mask and he immediately retreated back a good couple feet from Kal. His hold on Kal's shadow completely loosened and he positioned himself into a fighting stance, ready to protect himself. He didn't like Kal. That much was certain. "You tricked me," Invo started, thinking this was all some sort of backwards mind game Kal was playing on him. He tricked Invo into showing his powers! That's what all of this was about, yeah. "And I don't feel lonely. That's a pathetic emotion. Shut up." @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

Kal got back up to his feet. He adjusted his robe so that it was nice and neat again. He didn’t get into a fighting stance, and just remained loose and easy-going. “Technicallllly, I wasn’t trying to trick you. I didn’t expect you to try again with your powers, but it kinda worked out,” Kal chuckled as he rubbed the back of his neck. “And it just kinda sounds like you’re lonely. I don’t know you enough to know if you really are, but I just know you sounds lonely.” @Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

"You still tricked me!" Invo hissed, his fingers digging deep into his skin. "You—You-!" The assassin was never good with words, much less normal conversation. There was nothing his mouth could form for his ragged emotion. Instead, Invo slammed his fist into the wall beside them, causing some of the close lanterns to shake. "Watch your head. I'll be coming after it the moment I see an opening." @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

“I didn’t do a thing, you’re the one who got a bit huffy and puffy,” Kal held up his hands in defense. He gave Invo another easy-going smile. “Alright, alright, I’ll watch my head. Good luck, bestie.” @Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

"Urgh--Don't call me that!" Invo scowled. Definitely huffy and puffy. His fists clenched once more, before he took another small step back. "Watch yourself, Kal. I'll always be lurking," he warned as he started to sink into the nearest shadow. And with that, Invo slipped away into the darkness. @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

“Bye, bestie~!” Kal waved as Invo disappeared into the shadows. Definitely a bestie for the restie. Kal continued down the hallway, humming and bouncing slightly on his feet with every step. Time to explore, meet others, and make friends! @Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

Kairas helped Aarni drop off Kenji in his room, and made sure he was ok lying on his bed, before walking Aarni over to his door at the head of the hallway. "You rest up too." She instructed. "I imagine you've had an... eventful day. @Twig | Seki / Aarni ( @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫 since Kenji's in bed now)

️

(edited)

1

Aarni sighed heavily and nodded, leaning on the door. "You could say that..." he replied, rubbing his face. "... I feel bad. Like I've only caused trouble without meaning to." He sighed. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"It'll be alright. Kenji is... a unique contestant." Kairas reassured. "He'll be alright, he just needs some rest." @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"Yeah? Hopefully... Albanes is suppressing her, right? I guess I shouldn't go talking about her to Kenji, huh..." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"The Lifebringer is handling his... situation." Kairas reported. "It would be best if you avoided that topic entirely." @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"Alright, I will. Thanks for your help, once again. Goodnight." Aarni waved a little, before his room. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Rest well." Kairas said, and nodded to Aarni before leaving. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"Here! I think this is where you bunk. I probably shouldn't come further than this, being a "snake" and all", Seki said as they reached the hallway with Evan. @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

“Th-thanks for h-helping me g-get here, Seki..” The boy was still in tears. Still, politely, he gave a small bow of his head. “G-goodnight..” @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"No worries. Aw, sweetie... cheer up. It's no use mourn something that hasn't happened yet, ait? Like I said, we might not even have to fight. We'll try to find how we can get out of here, so we can all go home. Now, go and wash your face and try to sleep. That'll help you feel better. Goodnight, buddy", Seki smiled, waved, and left for their room. @Vanessa | Cansu🐥+Evan🔩+Kal🌟

Evan waved back. He silently made his way back to his room..

A long, long night and now a storm raging outside both drive Kenji back inside the citadel as quickly as possible once he leaves the cliffside. It’s a bit of a walk back to the bird-side rooms, so by the time he makes it inside he’s pretty much soaked. There doesn’t appear to be anyone in the hallway as far as he can tell, and the water dripping from his hair and down his mask is blurring his vision, so for the first time so far he takes off his mask to clear it as best he can as he walks down the hallway. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

There's something off in the hallway; an eery, green tint on the floor, ceiling and walls, that the oil lanterns surely aren't giving off. It seems to get stronger along the hallway, and the air feels chillier here. It seems that the odd glow is brightest near one of the doors. @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

It takes Kenji a moment to notice it—but the creeping chill that settles into him the more he walks down the hallway slowly brings him to a stop. While his golden eye remains motionless, his greyed eye blinks as he looks around, mask held loosely in one hand. The hallway hadn’t been like this before. He was sure…well. He was mostly sure about that, at least. Something about the unnatural green light brings that same sort of feeling of trepidation as the temple does, and he can’t quite shake the sensation of no longer being alone. “…Hello?” @Twig | Seki / Aarni

The light seems to flicker, even if ever so slightly. It glows brighter in the tight seams of one door. If Kenji were to look closer, he'd see it is labelled "Aarni". @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

Okay, this is weird. Kenji stops in front of the door, trying to ignore the tightness in his chest as he reads the nameplate attached to it. The auroras outside were gone, but… Something here feels wrong, and he just can’t put his finger on it. Kenji glances at the handprint panel next to the door, but ultimately, despite painfully expecting no answer, just decides to knock on the slab itself instead. Because of course that’s the smartest thing to do in this situation. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

There was no answer, but the light flickered again, stronger. It was deathly silent. Suddenly, the green glow intensified, and wisps of light started pushing through the door, the walls, filling the hallway with their blinding, shifting light and cold hues, surrounding Kenji. These were Aarni's auroras, there was no question about that, but something was different. They had... faces? Countless of green, glowing eyes flickered in and out like embers, and as the wisps roamed around Kenji like a ring of fire, he would be able to pick out shapes; grinning maws, tails, outstretched claws... constantly changing, appearing and disappearing, like flames in a fireplace. Unlike fire, though, the wisps were quiet. And even so, it was as though Kenji could hear them whispering without sound. Would he be able to understand what they said? "Who is this? Who is I know you this? ...is the pup Oh I remember. the pup from the You are from the island, island, hahaha, Amara's pup. Amara's host pup plaything little pup has grown You're bigger now horns, bigger horns too, eyes. Eyes. Whare is she? Amara? Where is Amara? @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

Kenji jolts away from the door, staggering backwards in shock halfway across the hallway as the cold light bleeds through the cracks. He turns one way first, then the other, but the wisps are everywhere around him as his breathing picks up and the eyes envelop him completely. “..What..?” He gasps out, one hand clutching tightly at his chest as it tightens, painfully, agonizingly. “Who—…?” Eyes morph into claws into teeth into tails and back again and it’s so nauseating his greyed eye squeezes shut to try and focus. The whispers, though, flood his ears and then his mind, flames flickering soundlessly but fully aware. He can’t make them out. He can’t make them out and some part of him buried deep somewhere dark knows he should but he can’t. It still hurts nonetheless. His heartbeat thuds in his throat and that fucking pressure is back, sharp and twisted behind his wide and unblinking golden eye. “Aarni?!” A stupid, useless hope, but there’s nothing else that makes sense. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Just as Kenji is unable to understand the flames, they are unable to understand him, without a human mind. They spin and spiral around Kenji, and on some level he might feel how they are laughing. They are starting to reach closer to him; claws and teeth tugging at his clothes, tails and tongues licking at his skin. Chill air turned into burning touch like harsh sun rays, when they made contact. "Play with me Play with me! with me play Play with me! play PLAY WITH ME! me play, play with Play PLAY WITH me ME! @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫 (edited)

Laughing, laughing, laughing, everything hurts and something is laughing inside and out and it hurts. Kenji chokes on a sharp gasp of an inhale, coughing harshly and trying in vain to yank his limbs away from the wisps that grab at him. Smoke—gray smoke, dull and blank just like his eye—pools around his feet towards the door and dims some of the light, but not nearly enough. This is wrong. Everything about this is wrong. It burns and stabs where they touch him and he can’t shake them off and the words-that-aren’t-words-but-should be drag the same sharp claws through his mind. “Stop— Please—…!” (He has half the sense to run, but…well. He’d learned his lesson about that.) @Twig | Seki / Aarni

The wisps seem to take interest in the purple gem hanging from his neck. They toy with it, trying to find a way to pull it off, which proved to be difficult without a tangible body. @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

Genuine fear bleeds into his eyes, and in a jerky, sharp movement he crouches low, one arm pulled over his bowed head and gasping for air. “No no no no no no no—” His mask falls from his hand as it finds its way frantically to his chest, fumbling for the crystal before grasping it tight enough to cut into his palm. “Not this— Leave me alone!” He shouts suddenly, desperately, voice climbing higher trying to catch his breath and failing. It hurts. @Twig | Seki / Aarni (edited)

"Play! Play! PLAY! Play! Aww you're so boring! boring PLAY! Play with play with ME! Play with me!" The wisps tore at his robes, his neck, tugging the thin chain connected to the jewel, and raking through his hair. The flames pushed closer, enveloping Kenji in a glowing, green and white storm. @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

Kenji huddles tighter, ignoring the way his limbs protest in favor of trying, fruitlessly, to pull them away from the ever-encroaching flames. Every time the wisps touch him it’s like tiny blades digging into his skin, and with a bitten back half-sob of a noise he squeezes the crystal tighter. The more the non-words pierce through him, the sharper the headache grows. It’s sickening. The smoke around his feet turns acrid, bitter and foul and rotten. It lunges out to smother the flames—but all it does is feed them, hanging heavy in the air as a violent coughing fit tears out of Kenji’s lungs. [18 HP] @Twig | Seki / Aarni (edited)

A first audible sound rattles out of the flames. Perhaps it was a chemical reaction between the smoke and the wisps making contact that caused the crisp, crackling, hissing noise, but it felt like a joyous cry. The flames spun faster, now fully dragging across Kenji's back, phasing through his skin, burning, burning. And the babbling, voiceless words were louder, more insistent, more filled with a wild, hungry glee. At this point, even if Kenji was able to understand, he would find it hard to discern the exact meaning of the flaming creature as its words got even more jumbled together, and more laughter laced every soundless sound. @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

A shout escapes him, flames lacing through his skin with ease. They lick at him like barbs, digging in, and it’s enough to knock him fully to his knees. His own smoke, yet somehow unfamiliar, fills his lungs and tears at his throat. The nonwords do nothing but continue to disorient him—until his own thoughts start to sound just like them. He can barely think around it. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

The noise didn't fade. It intensified and eased like rain in a thunderstorm. The flames pushed and shoved Kenji, though he wouldn't feel much of a nudge, just how the wisps phased into him, trying to dig deeper. Even deeper, trying to reach into him, to dig out his secrets. However, doing this takes a lot of energy, and something inside Kenji repels the creature. The flames let out a sudden, granular hiss, and retreat from him. @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫 (edited)

The noise rolls over him in waves, digging its sharp little claws into his mind. Wisps and flame merge and sink in, deeper and deeper and if they are at all capable of sensing anything, well. They certainly would be able to—both familiar and foreign. There’s many secrets to be dragged out, here. But secrets don’t like to be revealed, and Kenji gags on a breath as something—not that he is aware of it, but someone—forces the wisps back out and away from their goal. The flames may be retreating, but he’s still hunched over on the ground gasping for air around the smoke in his lungs. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

The wisps had slowed down now, but they were still thick and bright, circling around Kenji cautiously. Eyes still stared at him from all sides, like sparks, appearing just to fade again. Like a pack of predators stalking their pray. "Something's weird Something about you is odd. Odd, weird, dangerous, strong Presence. Amara? Amara? No. Yes Noyes. Yes no. Someone There's something.. has a grip on you. Have I met this before...? Haha! ..not just It's not only her." @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫 (edited)

Prey. Prey. He’s felt like that before. Has he? Hasn’t he? Kenji pants as he seizes the brief pause to sit up, finally lifting his head as his greyed eye darts between the wispy ones. Watching and Waiting and Never getting away— The not-voices. The..voices? Words slip past him, disjointed and fuzzy. ‘Odd’. ‘Dangerous’. Mutterings of yes and no and arguing with itself. ‘Someone’. What is happening? Then that name again, and Kenji doubles over with a pained gasp as his head feels like it splits in two. “Who’s—“ His throat is dry, the words fighting against him as he chokes them out. “What is that?! Please, you— What are you!?” @Twig | Seki / Aarni

The glowing wisps spin and twist at the sight of Kenji moving and talking. They press closer again. "Hoo speaking it's talking He's talking? to me. Are you speaking to me? saying? What is it saying? are you saying? I wonder. ..der. Wonder." Suddenly, the light washes over Kenji like a rush of wind. It burns on his skin, but again, tries to dig deeper, to form a connection. @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫 (edited)

Trapped and trapped and trapped again— Kenji grips tighter to the crystal around his neck, panicked gaze trying desperately to find the nonexistent source of the voices. Talking, speaking, saying, saying, saying, each one digs its claws in and buries tight, piling on top of the splitting agony in his head. Kenji slumps over heavily, chest heaving against his knees. “Please.. You— You can hear me, just— Stop—“ He doesn’t know what’s going on. He can’t. But that also means he’s almost powerless to stop it as just himself. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"Stop?~" Kenji could understand the flames better now, although there still weren't an actual voice. He just knew. "I won't stop. I want to talk PLAY talk with you." @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

He knows that there is a not-voice. He knows that it hurts. And he knows that he should Not Know. But could the answers be worth it? “What are you!?” Kenji repeats, louder and more desperate. @Twig | Seki / Aarni (edited)

"Me?~" Foreing images and feelings were offered for Kenji to see and experience, if he accepted them. If he tapped into them, he would find himself without a body, with a riotous sense of freedom, far above a humongous, glowing blue and green orb, starlight on all sides, the rays of unfiltered sun caressing and feeding his flaming fur. He would sense a pantheon of divine energies nearby, and know the relations to himself; he was the daughter of one, the niece of many, and a nuisance for most. His human mind would bring up images of foxes and bonfires, and combine the images into a word: fire fox. Then, he had a body again, and not all too different from his own. In a confusing way, he knew he was Aarni, looking through the boy's eyes, down at his left hand, where a flower-shaped mark softly shone its light. Suddenly he was there, inside the palm, though there was no sense of viscera or gore. He could feel himself in a cozy and warm, though crammed space, where his energy was connected to Aarni's. He was trapped, with the only way out being the nerve that connected him to the boy's heart. Such a tiny passageway, but he had a feeling he could squeeze through if he really tried. Then, the images and feelings separated from him, and he'd only sense a jolly mood of the flames around him. @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

Kenji, against his better judgement, against what Albanes had told him then and what his mind is telling him now, accepts. The images, the emotions that come with them; they sink into him like the wisps had done--sharp, and burning cold. It's dizzying and disorienting and almost too much to bear. He can't quite pin down why this energy feels so familiar--or why that thought makes his head hurt so much more. Then he's Aarni but he's not, he's deeper than that and-- No, he's Kenji-- Your heartbeat is my own-- Fountain garden rain island blurring something is missing-- The images feelings memories? bleed and mix into the ones offered to him until-- He's on his own. The barrage of images is gone, leaving behind a trembling, coughing man with more questions than answers in its wake. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"Do you know me now?~" The flames flickered and danced around him, still connected to him enough for him to understand them. @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

Should he know them? He can't, can he? There's no name, no face, nothing beyond a lingering familiarity that even now is beginning to fade. "No--" Kenji chokes out, head bowed and hair hanging in his face. The fleeting memories are already gone--though they would have seen them too. "I'm sorry, I don't.. I know-- I knew Aarni, he.. he never.." He never mentioned this. He couldn't have. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"You do. We have met. Repo's boy has talked about me as well, that brat. He doesn't like me... Ungrateful pup.~" @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

"I don't know you!" Kenji snaps, sudden anger bubbling up from somewhere he's not really even sure. His head is spinning. When he looks up, his grayed eye stares blankly, but the golden one seems almost accusing. "You-- Y-You're doing something to me, aren't you? It doesn't-- None of this makes sense!" @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"Ohh, you have forgotten? Stupid human. Silly. Funny little things. Hehe. You have memory like a moth. Lives maybe a day or two. Heehehehehe!~" The flames churned around Kenji, swirling playfully, eyes gleaming and mouths grinning. "Like that pup of mine. Dead, gone, dead, dead, OH! I wanted it to feel interesting! I wanted to see what it's like to die! But it was BORING! That Lifebringer LIFEBRINGER ouuuuuuuuuuuuuughhhhh what a killjoy! Always!" @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

That…stings. Why does that sting? Kenji recoils from the flames, shoulders hunching in on himself. “No, I— I didn’t forget, I don’t— I never knew you!” The words are grating on him, ringing in his ear like nails on a chalkboard and dragging shivers up his spine. “Wh—“ Kenji full-body flinches at the mention of the Lifebringer, his heartrate spiking suddenly, but with a short gasp and anger motivating him he pushes past it. “Y-You wanted him to die?! Did you make him lose!?” @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"YES!~" The wisps crackle again as they burst into a brighter flame for a moment, eyes shining, and a eerie, inhumane cackle fills Kenji's mind. "I am his powers! So when I heard he'd be put to death if he lost, well, hee hee~! I just played around a bit~! And now I'm free, free!~" The wisps swirled in smooth, fluid motions, and then came to an abrupt stop, and the flames burned more aggressively again. "Except I'm NOT! I'm STUCK! I'm STILL tethered to that sorry pup even though he's supposed to be GONE! It's the Lifebringer's doing, I just KNOW IT!" @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫 (edited)

No. No. “FUCK YOU!” Kenji snarls, dragging smoke out of thin air in an attempt at smothering the flames once more—and once more, it only seems to feed them stronger. He’s breathing heavily after that, arms dangling by his side as he fights back tears again. “He was my friend! Albanes’ friend! He had people that cared about him! You—“ Another hacking cough rattles him, momentarily leaving him breathless. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

The cackles ring in Kenji's head once more. "Who cares? You all live just for a blink of an eye. What's a couple seconds more or less?" @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

They’re right, Kenji thinks for the briefest of thoughts, before the following thought of That was not mine utterly rattles him to his core. “It was still his life to live!” He snaps back, Aarni’s words from before coming back to him. “You’re just a— a parasite!” The smoke in the hallway thickens nearly oppressively, crawling over a section of the flames in front of Kenji, and suffocating them to the ground. This time he’s able to manage breathing in it, and he staggers to his feet and through the gap created before turning around to face them. “Maybe you deserve to be stuck here!” @Twig | Seki / Aarni

A sound like a loud, heavily distorted and bitcrushed bass boom rattles out from the flames when the smoke smothers them. Flailing claws and tails flicker for a while before the wisps part away from the smoke and retreat. The connection to Kenji's mind is broken, and if the creature is saying something, the man cannot understand it anymore. The light gathers into the hallway, and it has the impression of a hissy kitty cat turning sideways and poofing up all its fur to look larger. Twinkling green eyes stare at Kenji in outrage, blinking in and out. With an angry, buzzing static, the greenish wisps once again wash over Kenji, except this time it really burns. The claws and fangs, as immaterial as they are, tear into his skin, leaving nasty red marks in their wake. They continue their furious attack for a while, and then they are gone. Their glow vanishes through the end of the hallway, a faint static buzzing before they completely disappear. @em || enya 💥 + kenji 🌫

The connection breaking hurts almost just as much as forming it in the first place. Kenji stumbles, gripping his head tightly with a sharp inhale. A brittle cracking sounds ripples out—he honestly isn’t sure if it’s in his head, or not. He glares into the light, narrowed gray and gold making contact with bright blinking green. This thing, whatever it was, killed Aarni for fun. He’s about to attack again, but in the end he isn’t quick enough to compete with it. The wisps strike their marks, and Kenji is once again knocked to the floor with a scream. They tear into him, unable to be swatted away, once more turning the smoke surrounding him acrid and painful. He’s not sure how long it lasts before they relent. But once they do, he drags himself into a sitting position against the wall with a wheeze—he won’t be pursuing. For now, though, he’s just trying to catch his breath. He doesn’t seem to notice or care, but the cuts…aren’t bleeding. The torn redness eventually just fades into gray. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

In the hallway, right outside of Evan's door, are two plushes; a little sledding dog, and a little penguin. The stitching no longer shines gold when held up to the light.

1

kal is not scared of invo

taking the old man home

goodnight evan

old man is so haunted its funny

byebye acey