MASKTOURN

A babbling creek cuts through the forest and the fields. By the forest, it’s rocky and almost rapid, though it mellows out by the time it reaches the easier terrain of the farmland. It’s a good spot to find a variety of fish, frogs, salamanders, and in the evenings, even fireflies!

Leaping though some bushes, Levi pants. Grinning - well - for once not madly or anything. Just grinning from the lack of anyone controlling him, walking to the water to drink from it when he notices the creek. He knew he could die. He's sorta pissy it was while he was running for the spear to stab the brat, but he did say he mainly wanted the fight. The pumping of his blood during a hunt. As he leans down to drink though, he finally sees his reflection.... and very loudly curses up a storm of every curse word he learned from the guards back in his original location.

Armand would wake from what felt like an incredibly deep sleep, only to find he wasn’t in the arena anymore. He was alone, lying on his back on the banks of a slow-moving creek. He’d feel perfectly fine physically- not that the fight had taken much of a toll on his body in the first place. The creek was rather pleasant in the evening air- he could see fireflies dancing in the air, and hear the croaking of frogs. Above him was a picturesque rural sunset, and around him was wilderness, and, in the distance, what looked like agricultural fields, and a small town. Armand was back in whatever clothing he had been raptured with, with nothing indicating he had even ever been to the tournament, besides his memories. His powers were also suppressed- not entirely gone, but not entirely there. He'd feel as if they were there, he just couldn't muster the strength to actually use them. @Gab || Armand 🐠|Zhi-Yin 🌬

Armand groaned as he sat up. As he came to, he could immediately feel the difference, even before the memories flooded him. His hands instinctively shot up to his ears. Well.. now they were fins. Looking down, he saw his skin was a muted green-blue color, not unlike his dear cousin's. "So there is an afterlife..." He looked around as he stood, slowly inching towards the water. "Not exactly what the elders said would happen, but I guess that's what happens when you have a different god in command."

Levi whipped his head over towards the new voice. His pissyness over his not so monstrous appearance- which to anyone else would be a relief - was temporarily diffused. While looking more than the same, there were some differences here and there. His hands were not as claw like as before. His muscular form wasn't as unrealistic, softened actually in some areas. The main things that hinted at his inhuman status was the jagged lines on his shoulders that went up to his mouth. "Oi." He finally speaks, not moving from his spot near the water as well. "Looks like you bit the bullet too, huh?" @Gab || Armand 🐠|Zhi-Yin 🌬

Madelyn woke from what felt like a restless sleep, to find she was indeed somewhere else. She lay on the shores of a creek, and could hear the croaking of frogs and the rippling of water nearby. It was midday, and the sun beat down warm upon her. She felt.... strange. Somewhere in between life and death, like she had been for the past four hundred years, but not in the same way. Her body was... whole. She appeared as she had in life, like she had before Persis had died. She was even in her knight uniform. She couldn't access her powers. They were there, somewhere inside her, but limited. Albanes's doing, no doubt. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

It felt almost pleasant. It was almost enough to convince her to just keep laying there. To let the water rush over her feet and the croaking of the frogs lull her back in to unconsciousness. But there was something different now. Something wriggling in her chest- someone who she hadn't felt in quite a long time. She slammed her hands on to her chest plate, over her heart, where the little creature had found its home again. She was whole. But something still wasn't right. Melinoe only seemed half as active as usual. She should have been mad- she should have been RAGING! She should be destroying all the forest around here and screaming about how unfair her life was. But she wasn't. She was glued to the shore as her anxiety began to spike. ... But no rot spread on to her hands. Melinoe wasn't altering any of her feelings. It wasn't forcing those strong emotions outward. They swirled in her chest and stomach and lungs and brain relentlessly. What was one breath broke in to many more in rapid succession and tears pricked at the corner of her eyes. No one was here to help her. She couldn't use her powers. She was defenseless. A declawed cat in an unfamiliar place. These frog calls weren't anywhere local. They weren't from any geographic location she had traveled to. "D-ad-" Madelyn choked out between gasps for air. With great effort she managed to heave herself on to her side, and pulled her feet out of the water. "Alb-anes.. help.." But who would be around here to help her? She just laid on the shore as her panic attack set in. Alone.

It was warm and sunny outside today, perfect weather to go fishing. Thankfully for Persis, the creek wasn't too far from his farm. He had woken up early like usual, tended to his flowers, and made some breakfast for himself and Aarni. Aarni had decided to wander on his own today, so Persis was left with plenty of spare time. Fish for dinner sounded nice, so that's what he set out to do. He hummed a small song to himself as he walked along the trail, the peaceful running water singing along in the distance. It was another normal day. Or at least, Persis had thought. A slight rustle of leaves in the wind caught his attention, and Persis stopped in his tracks. Something felt off. He quickly glanced around, suddenly aware of his surroundings. D-ad- Almost instantly, Persis dropped his fishing rod and sprinted towards the creek. Was he just hearing things? Hallucinating, even? Persis wasn't sure, but his body moved before he could think. He ran until he came upon the shore, his heart sinking as he saw a familiar form laying on the sand. "M-Madelyn..?" He called out, unsure. Persis slowed down and knelt beside her, carefully examining her for wounds and cupping her cheek. "Madelyn..? Sweetheart, a-are you okay?" @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Well, it was unmistakably her, between her bright green hair and frog themed crest, there wasn't another knight who dared copy her style. Only half paying attention to her surroundings, she quickly refocused as Persis approached. A face she hadn't seen, and a voice she hadn't heard.. For over four hundred years. As he held her head she weakly tried to move away, but her panic attack made it hard to do much of anything. She had no visible injuries, and her powers seemed to not be a threat to anything at the moment, but she couldn't control her crying and pathetic whimpering. @Aj | Invo + Ryunoske

"Oh, baby, it is okay. I am here," Persis quietly reassured Madelyn as he scooped her up into his arms. Persis held her protectively as he got up with Madelyn, worried, but not panicked. He started to jog back towards his farm, keeping Madelyn as steady as he could... (Moving us to #persis-home )@Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Madelyn didn't protest getting picked up, something she would usually shove him for..

Darcy woke from what would feel like an incredibly deep sleep. There was still ringing in his ears, but it was fading. He... felt fine. It felt wrong to feel fine. He soon realized he wasn't in the arena. Was this the fold? What a weird afterlife- what looked like a small mountain town. Naiyta wasn't anywhere to be seen, which mean the plan had likely failed. He felt a strange apathy when considering that. Did it matter? He was dead now. He laid out on his back. He was in his day clothes, now- the rough suit and overcoat he'd been taken in. He felt all kinds of heavy, but equally immaterial. When he held up his hands to look at himself, they were silvery and almost transparent. All of him was, now. The ten billion words that made up his existence couldn't form nonexistence. And how nonexistent he was, now.

It would be 45 minutes to an hour after Darcy appeared that another figure would emerge along the creekside. The running water and soft ground hid Isi's hoofsteps, especially as she started to slow down, idly looking at the water. She could not see Darcy yet, wasn't really looking honestly. Occasionally she still tried to talk to any creatures around- out of habit, mostly, and it continued to make her feel bad but here she was, pulling that ocarina out, pausing and playing towards the creek as if anything was there to listen. The notes rang through the air, above the rushing water. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

As he heard the familiar song, Darcy slowly sat up. He scanned the area for her, and couldn't help but sigh in relief as he saw her. "Isi?" He called out. His voice sounded like multiple voiced speaking the same words, all at the same time, but they all conveyed the same hope, the same love. @sketti | Isi 🦌

The music sharped abruptly, cutting off without resolving. She whipped around, finding Darcy easily through the origin of his voice. She looked hopeful, relieved even, voice reflecting the same love as his. "Darcy!" -then just as quickly, horrified. "Darcy?" Her voice caught at the end. She stumbled forwards as if against her will, then far more certainly towards him- though it was clear her steps were unsteady, like the sight of his new form stole her strength. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Isi-" He stood up to greet her, and embraced her as she approached. Despite the transparancy of his form, he was still solid and real, and hugged her firmly. "Isi, it's me- I had my fight-" "I had my fight. It was... it was rough. Is this... the immaterial fold?" @sketti | Isi 🦌 (edited)

Isi fell into his embrace easily. "No- no, no no no you're not supposed to be here!" Her voice was high and quiet. Despite her words, she was hugging him incredibly tight.

5:50 PM

@innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He said quietly, holding Isi tight. "I tried. I really did. I killed him- but.... Naiyta killed me anyways. I couldn't stop it." How wrong that felt. The confession he was truly dead. @sketti | Isi 🦌

Isi shook her head as he apologized. "I know. I know" she tried to pay as little attention as possible to the way she could stare through his neck. She hardly seemed to register that he said he killed someone. It took a few, slightly sniffly moments before she spoke again. "I just never wanted to see you again, not for decades, not unless you were all old or I got out of here- I never wanted to see you again" Isi told him, words tumbling out one after another. The last statement was in the tone of disbelief. If she told herself only a few days ago that she'd be telling Darcy that, she'd never have believed it. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Isi.... I wasn't ever going to live that long." He sighed. Maybe in death, they could both be honest about it. @sketti | Isi 🦌

Isi's hold went a little bit weak as she herself did. "You could've" she insisted, if half-heartedly. "I don't know, at least- you didn't deserve to die here" She leaned back, hands on his shoulder's still, to look at him. "What happened-? Why do you look so..." She trailed off. She knew, really. She knew it had to do with what he told her, but it only really settled in her mind when she'd already started speaking. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

".... yeah, I guess not." He sighed. He looked down as Isi started asking questions. "Well.... it was my fight. Against Peregrine. I... don't really want to get into details, but- but I managed to kill him. But- but Naiyta killed me too, I don't really know why." He adjusted his coat. "I... don't really know why I look like this now, honestly. Or why my voice is weird. Must be... something about dying changed me, I guess. Hm." @sketti | Isi 🦌

Isi's brow furrowed. "So you won but he- killed you anyway." She finished. A statement that would've inspired defiance in her before just made her sound a bit defeated now. What had she expected? It was Naiyta. She looked to Darcy as he spoke, taking in his new appearance, his voice. "Guess so. But it's better than- I dunno, sometimes I got worried that..." She trailed off, evidently failing to phrase her thoughts. "Doesn't matter. I'm just sorry. This sucks." She met Darcy's eyes again. She'd wanted to ask if he was okay, how he was doing, but that was stupid right? Of course he wasn't okay. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Mhm.... yeah. It did." Darcy sighed heavily, and looked to the ground. "Mhm. It does." He blinked away tears."Uhm- are all the other losers here? Asha and Aarni and Ace?" @sketti | Isi 🦌

Isi nodded, blinking hard. "Yeah, yeah I'm pretty sure we're all here. I've met Asha, she's- sorta kept me sane here I think. Wants to get us out of here somehow." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Is that even possible? Getting out?" It felt wrong. Something about him had fundamentally changed through death- could he go back? @sketti | Isi 🦌

"she thinks so, and I really want it to be" Isi replied with a shrug, and little real conviction. She'd had too much time in her head and the more time she spent here the more unreal the idea of going back felt. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Mhm." Darcy hummed, but didn't move from Isi. "I guess... we can only hope." @sketti | Isi 🦌

Isi was silent again. Her brow furrowed. "Do you... want to be able to get back?" She asked quietly. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I... I don't know. I don't know if I even could go back..." He sighed. "I don't know what I have to go back to." @sketti | Isi 🦌

Isi pondered that reply for a moment, eyes glancing to the side. She had many unkind thoughts about Darcy's father, but- they had friends, right? There were people who would want them to come back. There was so much she wanted to do, so many places to go. She promised she'd help Darcy live if they both got out. It was nice here. It sucked and she hated being trapped in this town, she'd probably get tired of running in circles but it was nice. Nothing to worry about. She hadn't had a reason to be scared of anyone or anything since arriving, for a change. Why did that make her feel so guilty? "Maybe it doesn't matter much, yknow? We probably don't...have much of a chance anyway." ... "The village is pretty. I bet you'd like it" She mumbled, hands going a little tighter around him briefly.

8:33 AM

@innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Yeah.... it probably doesn't even matter what we think." He sighed heavily, still holding onto Isi. "Mhm. That's nice. I've always wanted to go to the countryside. All peaceful and quiet..." @sketti | Isi 🦌

"it is- peaceful" Isi replied. "It's strange. None of them seem to think we're all dead. If the other losers weren't here I think I'd go crazy" Isi told him, a bit of a nervous if-i-dont-laugh-Ill-cry sound to her words. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs (I'm so sorry

)

"... yikes." Darcy grimaced. "That's... weird. But... I'm glad I have you here. I thought... I thought I might never see you again." @sketti | Isi 🦌 (no worries!!)

"I'm-" She hesitated. "I'm not glad you're here but I'm glad I can see you again. I thought I wasn't going to either" She replied. Felt like theyd' been saying that kind of thing a lot lately. Maybe if they could've still been alive, they'd get to make a point of meeting up when they could get the luxury of being glad to see eachother. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Mhmmm..." Darcy fell silent for a long, long while. "Isi... was it wrong for me to kill Peregrine?" @sketti | Isi 🦌

During the silence, Isi relaxed mode while still holding onto him, like she was tired and drifting off. She tensed a little in thought while considering the question. "...I don't know" she admitted, sounding like there was a lump in her throat. "But if it was, I'm not holding it against you." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I thought.... mhm. I had intially justified it as something necessary. It was either him dead, or me. I had to do it." He let out a heavy sigh. "But we both died anyways. So I guess it never mattered." @sketti | Isi 🦌

"I don't think he would've lived too long anyway" Isi replied slowly. "He's- here then, right? Since he died?" She didn't seem too enthused about the idea. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

".... yeah." Darcy sighed. "Maybe... this was better than him going back to what he had before." He sighed heavily. "I guess so. I don't... really want to go find him to confirm." @sketti | Isi 🦌

Isi nodded, frowning. a bit more. After a short silence in which she seemed to be collecting her words, she spoke again. "Maybe we don't have to worry about that right now. Maybe you don't" She replied. "I don't know how you keep your head level but I know its probably really hard. You're so- you seem so calm about being dead and, I don't know if you are or not but I don't want to add more bad things in either way." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I.... I just feel kind of empty now." Darcy sighed heavily. "Like.... none of it matters anymore." "... I'd like, not having to worry about it right now." @sketti | Isi 🦌

Isi nodded. "Then lets not" She seemed to have little to say immediately after that, and despite the technical lack of exhaustion that came with being dead she really did just look to be so tired. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"... I don't even know what to do now." He sighed heavily. "I... I spent all my life working towards- towards *something^, and now it's all... gone." @sketti | Isi 🦌

"Maybe you could have some kind of life here, still" Isi offered. "I don't know if I can, I feel so- caged, but theres enough here to still make something of" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"A life... that would be.. nice. If a bit ironic." Darcy parted from Isi, just to get a look around. "It is quite pretty here." @sketti | Isi 🦌

Isi gave a rather half-hearted laugh. "If I ignore how- surreal it feels, yeah" She looked around in tandem. "I can run forever here, you know that? in circles, but forever"

"At least there's that..." Darcy sighed again. "Do you get tired at all here?" @sketti | Isi 🦌

Isi shook her head. "I tried to. I kinda started panicking when I couldn't. Makes me feel like I'm dreaming or something" She replied half-heartedly. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"That's... honestly really freaky." Darcy managed a weak chuckle. "This all feels... kinda like a dream..." @sketti | Isi 🦌

armand wakes & levi at the creek

madelyn wakes

darcy wakes

darcy and isi in the fold