Faerzen, Lily, and Maskwraith heal, talk, and part ways

<Maskwraith> "Ooh, a feisty one!"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I know who you used to be, and now I only know fragments of the person you have become."
<Maskwraith> "Would you like to get to know more?"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Those fragments have been more than sufficient to disgust me as you are already aware and as is already plainly obvious."
<Maskwraith> "Specifically, what's underneath this cloak of mine?"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "In an alternate realm where we both made different decisions, yes we were lovers, and here in this timeline that is still the case, but not with you."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I know that which used to be your persona and identity still remains."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "However, now it has been battered, blackened, and besmirched too significantly to hardly be recognizable."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I do not love you, and your attempts to convince me otherwise shall be fruitless."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Nothing that I have considered you could have under your cloak would alter that perspective or mental decision."
<Maskwraith> "...and yet thine voice is like thine wings, angelic...."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "You deserve to know that I, above all others, wish for this current impasse that is a result of your present state of mind and past actions to not be the case."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "However, at this point, you are beyond even my help."
<Maskwraith> "There's a way out."
<Maskwraith> "The gods have gifted me one."
* Faerzen_Norstov raises an eyebrow
<Maskwraith> "When I participate in their plan, they offered me a different reward."
<Maskwraith> "Great power over a realm to be shaped to my choosing."
<Maskwraith> "We can rule together."
<Maskwraith> "King, and queen."
<Maskwraith> "Er, king."
* Faerzen_Norstov rolls her eyes
<Faerzen_Norstov> "And, may I ask, what in Jurgen fuck do you possibly think could achieve the end result of me agreeing to this absurd plan of action?"
<Maskwraith> "We could escape from this cruel game, live out our lives in a paradise of our design!"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Your design."
<Maskwraith> "We could be with each other for all of eternity!"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "In doing so, you would also destroy all else that we know. The few fragments of Earth and our previous lives, annihilated in a maelstrom of void, all for your selfish ambitions of ruling over a realm and ruling over me."
<Maskwraith> "Every time I wake up, it would be next to your angelic, blonde hair, your beautiful blue eyes, and your sweet, succulent lips!"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I have little reason to believe any of this would facilitate an enjoyable existence for myself."
<Maskwraith> "Am I that bad to you?"
<Maskwraith> "Such that you can resist me?"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Why do you believe I would abandon all else that I hold dear, kill and destroy all of it, and abandon the remains, all to spend an eternity with a corrupted version of the young man I hold dear? One that, I should add, would be killed as a result of this?"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I care for Nickolai."
<Maskwraith> "I'm Nickolai!"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "And I care for you, as you are also Nickolai."
<Maskwraith> "And yet I'm not, my identity abandoned, reduced to a husk of a man, a mere wraith with a mask."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "You are most certainly Nickolai. However, you are not the Nickolai I became acquainted with and subsequently felt amorous affections towards."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Your actions have altered your personality, your interests, your actions, your philosophy, and your attitude towards me."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I will not spend eternity alone with a man who sees me simply as an object for his personal sexual fantasies."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Just as you are more than 'a crazy murderer', so am I more than that which you so desire."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I am not an object to be captured as prize to be solely in your possession."
<Maskwraith> "...am I? It's been so long."
<Maskwraith> "But if you so choose."
<Maskwraith> "For if I can't have you...."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Yes, you are more than simply the shell even you claim to be."
* Maskwraith 's eyes flash behind the mask.
<Maskwraith> "Nobody can."
* Maskwraith points his hand at the ground, projecting a strange, rotating symbol of an icosahedron.
<Maskwraith> The same one you saw on the scroll.
<Maskwraith> Twelve: "Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap...."
* Faerzen_Norstov takes a single step backwards away from the glowing symbol
* Faerzen_Norstov turns her head towards Twelve, slightly surprised
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Glad to see you decided to return and grace me with your oh so wonderful presen--"
<Maskwraith> "Oh, mighty Overmind, I call upon your power to reclaim this desolate instance in the name of the Furthest Ring!"
* Faerzen_Norstov 's mouth opens in surprise
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Lily?"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Never mind that, we have other matters to attend to."
<Maskwraith> Twelve: "Maskwraith-- Nick-- Stop it!"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Do you believe you might be of some assistance here, Lily?"
<Maskwraith> Twelve: "This isn't what I meant when I said you'll get a damn purpose--"
* Lily_Miller shakes her head out of shock
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I do not mean to pressure you, you likely haven't the slightest clue what the purpose of the current events is."
<Lily_Miller> "I... I might be."
<Maskwraith> "What do your words mean?! They mean nothing at all, you lying suited madman!"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I am ashamed to say I am not quite as prepared for this as I would like."
<Lily_Miller> "That's why I'm here, I think."
<Lily_Miller> "To help."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I was not expecting to time travel and meet *him* here in this desolate land. We can discuss these details at a later date, however. Imminent events demand both our attention and our action.""
* Faerzen_Norstov turns to Maskwraith
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Is this what you would seek to accomplish?"
* Maskwraith raises his hand perpendicular to a wall, as the symbol rises with him, to a floating wireframe of an icosahedron.
<Faerzen_Norstov> "To deprive the one version of yourself that has thusfar succeeded in achieving an amicable and amorous relationship of me... of the one prize of his present life?"
<Maskwraith> The wireframe turns into a slowly expanding dark void.
<Faerzen_Norstov> "As you said, you are him. That also implies the converse. He is you. He is also Nickolai, and in doing this you are depriving him of a person he cares for as dearly, if not more, than you do myself."
<Maskwraith> "DON'T MANIPULATE ME ANY LONGER!"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Your attempts here to accomplish such an end will accomplish nothing, and will provide no relief to your current anguish."
<Maskwraith> Twelve: "Psst! Lily! Do the thing!"
* Faerzen_Norstov walks around next to Maskwraith
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Nickolai."
* Lily_Miller reaches out towards Maskwaith's mind
* Faerzen_Norstov wraps a wing around Maskwraith's shoulder
<Maskwraith> "Wha--...."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I am doing no such thing."
<Maskwraith> "N-n-"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I simply speak the truth."
<Lily_Miller> "I'm sorry about this," I whisper.
<Maskwraith> Lily feels a great darkness within Maskwraith.
* Lily_Miller does the thing
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Let me read you a poem. I sincerely desire this experience shall not pain you. It is for the best, and it is for your freedom."
* Faerzen_Norstov gently rubs Maskwraith's arm to try and calm him while Lily does the thing
<Maskwraith> The darkness within Maskwraith begins to dissipate.
<Maskwraith> "L-l-"
<Faerzen_Norstov> Do not go gentle into that good night
<Faerzen_Norstov> Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
<Faerzen_Norstov> Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
<Faerzen_Norstov> Because their words had forked no lightning they
<Faerzen_Norstov> Do not go gentle into that good night.
<Faerzen_Norstov> Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
<Faerzen_Norstov> And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
<Faerzen_Norstov> Do not go gentle into that good night.
<Faerzen_Norstov> Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
<Lily_Miller> I pull at the darkess, the hurting, and the pain, trying to heal what shouldn't be there
* Faerzen_Norstov continues to try and calm and comfort Nickolai
* Faerzen_Norstov focuses his mental energies on Lily
<Maskwraith> Lily pulls away at the darkness, revealing only a feathered mask at the center.
* Faerzen_Norstov pours all of the good fortune and insight of information he can into Lily and her efforts
* Lily_Miller reaches toward the mask
<Maskwraith> Maskwraith puts one hand on his face.
<Maskwraith> You grab the metaphorical mask.
<Maskwraith> Maskwraith's hand drops.
<Maskwraith> The mask falls to the floor.
<Maskwraith> "...."
<Maskwraith> Maskwraith looks up at Twelve.
<Maskwraith> "Oh god...."
<Maskwraith> Maskwraith turns to Lily.
<Maskwraith> "Oh god...."
* Faerzen_Norstov continues rubbing Maskwraith's arm and embracing him with one of her wings
<Maskwraith> Maskwraith finally turns to Faerzen, and recognizes her face.
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Shhhhhhh..."
<Lily_Miller> "I'm so sorry."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "It shall all be okay."
<Maskwraith> Tears form in his eyes.
<Maskwraith> "I'm sorry...."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Shhhhhhhhh......"
* Faerzen_Norstov puts a finger gently up to his lips
<Maskwraith> Maskwraith collapses to the ground in tears. The dark void in the center of the room disappears.
* Faerzen_Norstov slowly kneals beside Maskwraith, wrapping both her wings around him this time, and embracing his shoulders from behind
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Shhhhhhh..... I am right here."
* Maskwraith continues to cry.
<Maskwraith> He can barely form words.
* Faerzen_Norstov closes her eyes tightly from time to time to retain composure
<Faerzen_Norstov> "You needn't worry anymore...... You are free."
* Faerzen_Norstov looks up to Lily, giving her a smile
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Shhhhhhh.... you have no need to say anything at the present. No explanations.... no apologies......"
* Lily_Miller refuses to meet either of their eyes, instead staring at the ground
* Maskwraith sobs harder at the thought of freedom.
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Just myself and Lily. Right here in this present with us."
<Maskwraith> "I'm sorry for everything...."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "There is so much more for you, for us, than what you have been embroiled in the past years."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Apologies will nowhere near suffice for your actions and words."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "They are, however, a start."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "A start to a journey that will take time, and a journey you need not worry yourself with at the present."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "At the present, simply be still."
<Maskwraith> "The past...present...the timeloop...."
<Maskwraith> "The timeloop!"
* Maskwraith starts to clear up a bit.
<Maskwraith> "I...I guess my fate here was sort of inevitable...."
<Maskwraith> "But...I still have to die."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Not now."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Shhhh...."
<Maskwraith> "The mask is too strong."
<Maskwraith> "It will reclaim its hold from afar."
<Maskwraith> "It's too late for me now."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "The mask?"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I have the mask."
<Maskwraith> "Yes, my mask."
* Faerzen_Norstov turns to the mask Maskwraith dropped on the floor
<Maskwraith> The mask radiates a dark aura.
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Now, both of them."
* Faerzen_Norstov leaves the mask on the floor
<Faerzen_Norstov> "What was it that you did to unlock the power inside that particular mask?"
<Maskwraith> "I fed off of it...and it fed off of me...."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I have spent a great deal of time with your previous mask, and have thus far not seen such exhibits of darkness, though it has been quite traumatized."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "You did not damage it beyond repair."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I know not of this Abyss."
* Faerzen_Norstov turns to look back at the mask
* Faerzen_Norstov flips the lenses on his glasses to the Oracle's Oculus lenses to gain information on her target of vision
<Maskwraith> ERROR: Data corrupted.
* Faerzen_Norstov flips the lenses back
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I see."
* Faerzen_Norstov looks up to Lily
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Lily."
<Lily_Miller> "Yes?"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I must sincerely apologize for our circumstances of meeting again. An emotion-filled drama culminating nearly in your death was not my desired concept of an ideal greeting."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Despite such circumstances, and despite the immediate pressure put upon you, you have once again proven to be a fierce friend."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Thank you."
<Lily_Miller> "Of course."
* Faerzen_Norstov pats Maskwraith on the back a couple times before slowly standing and turning towards Lily
* Faerzen_Norstov lightly kicks the mask further away from the three of them, out of reach of Maskwraith
* Faerzen_Norstov extends her arms towards Lily
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I do believe we discussed an embrace would be mutually desirable upon meeting one another in person?"
<Lily_Miller> "Yeah, we did."
* Lily_Miller reaches back for the hug
* Faerzen_Norstov embraces Lily tightly
<Lily_Miller> "It's nice to meet you in person."
* Faerzen_Norstov whispers in her ear "I owe you my life. Again."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Indubitably."
* Faerzen_Norstov smiles
* Lily_Miller smiles back
<Maskwraith> Twelve: "Whoa, thought that hugging was reserved for Lyra."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Nonsense."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Lyra claims a great many things are only for her."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Lily is certainly not one of them."
<Lily_Miller> "There's nothing wrong with hugging other people, Twelve"
<Maskwraith> Twelve: "Hehe."
* Faerzen_Norstov smirks
<Maskwraith> Twelve: "Glad to see her get shown up somehow."
* Faerzen_Norstov returns to kneeling next to Maskwraith
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Nickolai."
<Maskwraith> "I'm not worthy of the name."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Also nonsense."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "If you would prefer me use another name, I shall respect your wishes, but do not think such things of yourself."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I have spent much time since entering this game with traumatized powerful entities who have a significant negative value of themselves."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "All of them have made significant progress towards recovery, and you shall be no different."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "We all have portions of ourselves we despise, that we fear."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Some are darker or more tangible than others, but you are not unique in this struggle."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I am still here, and I will not abandon you despite what you may feel you deserve or what others may have already done."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "We can do this together."
<Maskwraith> "I don't think it's possible for me."
<Maskwraith> "Putting on the mask felt like...like a binding contract."
<Maskwraith> "Any minute now, I far, it shall grab hold of me once more, and..."
<Maskwraith> "and..."
* Maskwraith starts to cry again.
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Shhhhhhh....."
* Faerzen_Norstov puts her arms around him again
* Faerzen_Norstov has a troubled expression
<Maskwraith> "The trial is my doom."
<Maskwraith> "I must go to it, to not ruin things further."
<Maskwraith> "Thank you for freeing me during my last moments."
<Maskwraith> "Thank you for giving my alternate self a chance."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "You are departing so soon?"
<Maskwraith> "Is there anything else to say?"
* Faerzen_Norstov looks legitimately quite sad
<Faerzen_Norstov> "There is always more to be said."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "The trouble is identifying when enough is enough."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I know portions of what lies beyond the trial for you."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I know how it is that your fate is brought about upon you."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "And I also know where I can find answers."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Do not for a moment think you are done forever or that this is the end."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "This is simply the next chapter in your journey."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "You may find yourself alone with Abyss, but do not despair."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "You are the Page of Rage. You are Maskwraith. You are Nickolai."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I know the other Abyss, and he has his limits as well. He can be persuaded, and he can be limited in power."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "He draws power from others, and I know you can overcome."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "You may have emerged from great darkness just now, only to plunge into a different dark tunnel, but it is as I said."
<Faerzen_Norstov> Do not go gentle into that good night,
<Faerzen_Norstov> Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Whatever it takes, your rage, your passion, your inner self can overcome."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Your light may seem to be fading, but do not walk into that good night so complacently."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Rage, rage against the dying of the light."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I will find you, and you will overcome."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "This is not the end."
* Faerzen_Norstov decaptchalogues her notebook (H - HYDROGEN) and flips to a particular page filled with neat scrolled handwriting
* Faerzen_Norstov carefully tears out the page, recaptchaloguing the notebook and taking out her fountain pen (Co - COBALT)
* Faerzen_Norstov signs her name with a flourish and kisses the bottom of the page so that her magical lipstick leaves an imprint
* Faerzen_Norstov hands the poem to him
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Be brave."
* Maskwraith reads the text on the page.
<Faerzen_Norstov> ((https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/do-not-go-gentle-good-night))
<Faerzen_Norstov> ((the poem also appears here https://youtu.be/3_nprPycZow?t=33s))
* Maskwraith begins to smile.
<Maskwraith> ((hey who wants to listen to https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/conclude ))
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Rage against the dying of the light, my Page."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "For Knight and Page shall be reunited once again, once our trials have been overcome."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "You must face yours, just as I ought to face mine."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "This is not the end."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Be brave."
<Maskwraith> "...thank you."
<Maskwraith> "I don't know where I'll end up next. Hopefully it's somewhere safe for the all of us."
* Faerzen_Norstov cracks a smirk
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I know more than you might think on that matter."
* Faerzen_Norstov winks at him
<Maskwraith> "Hmm?"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "As I said, I have answers, and I will find you once you have overcome your trial with Abyss."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Those answers are not for you to know at the present though. You have your own demons to face."
<Maskwraith> ((wait where))
<Faerzen_Norstov> ((?))
<Maskwraith> ((where will he end up))
<Maskwraith> ((or is faerzen just saying that to comfort him))
<Faerzen_Norstov> ((far away in another part of paradox space, potentially in an alternate dimension))
<Faerzen_Norstov> ((Regent Book said he didn't want to talk about the details at the time Faerzen asked))
<Faerzen_Norstov> ((but he still knows since he was the one who send Maskwraith there))
<Faerzen_Norstov> ((he also said it will be 'very very hard' to get there))
<Maskwraith> ((gotcha))
<Maskwraith> "...alright."
<Maskwraith> "thank you."
* Maskwraith extends his arms to Faerzen.
<Maskwraith> He begins to slowly drop them after a short pause.
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Cease."
* Faerzen_Norstov reaches out and pulls his arms back up
* Faerzen_Norstov gives him a tight hug
* Maskwraith hugs back.
* Faerzen_Norstov pecks a kiss on his cheek
* Maskwraith blushes.
* Maskwraith steps back.
<Maskwraith> "It's time."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "As time always does."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Farewell, for now, Nickolai."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Be brave, do not go gentle, rage against the dying of the light."
* Maskwraith steps towards the mask.
<Maskwraith> "Goodbye."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I shall see you again."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Good luck."
* Faerzen_Norstov send some luck his way
* Maskwraith puts on the mask for the last time, and teleports away.
* Maskwraith is now known as Twelve
* Faerzen_Norstov 's smile immediately disappears
* Twelve snaps his fingers, and a barren wall turns into a view of the trial once more.
* Faerzen_Norstov collapses to the ground in a sitting position, heaving a weary sigh
* Lily_Miller attempts to comfort Faerzen
<Faerzen_Norstov> ".....what have I done?"
<Twelve> "Look."
* Faerzen_Norstov looks up
* Twelve gestures to the wall.
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I remember this scenario perfectly well, complete with all of its immense unpleasantries."

((the following lines are taken from here: http://pastebin.com/SvCmqkjP))

* Faerzen_Norstov watches the whole exchange with dull disinterest and quite a bit of guilt
* Faerzen_Norstov closes her eyes and takes several deep breaths throughout the proceedings, calming herself
<Twelve> Maskwraith: "You're doing a perfect job. Have you thought of letting him do that for you?"
<Twelve> Past Faerzen: "WILL YOU SHUT UP?!"
<Twelve> Maskwraith merely grins.
<Twelve> Past Faerzen: "I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU. EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU."
<Twelve> A mask tries to call order, but is met only with objections.
<Twelve> Maskwraith: "There's no place for order right now. And who's going to make me go?"
<Twelve> Maskwraith: "I'd GLADLY LEAVE VOLUNTARILY, if Faerzen actually paid attention to the note...."
<Twelve> Maskwraith mouths the words "goodbye".
<Faerzen_Norstov> ((the note is a pieces of paper telling Faerzen when Nick's birthday is, btw))
<Twelve> He disappears for the final time.
<Twelve> "Lily."
<Twelve> "It's time to go back.
<Twelve> "
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Already?"
<Lily_Miller> "I..."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "You clearly traversed across sessions and across time to find yourself here."
<Twelve> "You shall meet again soon."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "What does a little longer matter?"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Am I to be forced to be left reeling from an unexpected encounter with my own rapist and murderer such that I cannot enjoy the company of a good friend?"
<Twelve> "Lyra seems just as unstable without Lily."
<Twelve> "..."
<Twelve> "You know what? She can stay."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Not for long though, I must qualify my previous statement."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Lily, I am currently in the past. Were you to stay here for a longer period of time, you would be trapped traversing time at the slow rate of 1 second per second."
* Faerzen_Norstov turns to Twelve
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I understand she has many who care about her, likely more than myself, and that there are other matters she most probably ought to attend to."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I simply request a moment to catch up with her as a friend."
* Faerzen_Norstov turns to Lily
<Twelve> "I said she can stay."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Are you at a point in your timeline where I have ceased communications with you?"
<Lily_Miller> "Yeah."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I see."
<Lily_Miller> "I haven't heard from you in a while."
<Lily_Miller> "...I was worried."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Now you know why that has been the case. I sincerely apologize."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Conventional computing devices were not intended for time-travel, and as such I have been unable to communicate with you."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I dare not now that I am in the past, lest I cause some form of temporal paradox."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "This is not my area of expertise, and as such I shall endeavor to interfere with the timeline as little as possible lest I create even more problems than I already have."
<Lily_Miller> "I understand. But it's good to know you're not... gone."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "When you return to your time, send me a message with a single word."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Hilsener."
<Lily_Miller> "Okay. I can do that."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "It is how I shall know I am able to resume communications with you whilst avoiding temporal paradoxes."
<Lily_Miller> "...What does it mean?"
<Lily_Miller> "Okay."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "It is Norwegian for 'Warm Greetings'."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "A way of conveying "hello" to a friend."
* Lily_Miller smiles a little bit
<Faerzen_Norstov> "What has been the recent occurrences in your timeline and spatial location?"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "How have you been holding up?"
<Lily_Miller> "I've been... okay. We beat the Black Kings, and the Horrorterrors controlling them, but..."
<Lily_Miller> "...But we've lost people because of them."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I am quite anguished that I abandoned you at such a juncture in your personal story. I apologize for any worry it may have cause you on top of the already significant degree of drama you have been dealing with."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I am sorry to hear that."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "If you do not mind me asking.... who?"
<Lily_Miller> "Aran and Wallace died the battle started."
<Lily_Miller> "Kara..."
* Lily_Miller goes quiet
* Faerzen_Norstov walks over to Lily to give her a hug again
<Lily_Miller> "She... she's the reason we won. Whatever she did, it got rid of the Horrorterrors, but she also..."
* Lily_Miller hugs Faerzen back
* Faerzen_Norstov remains silent
<Lily_Miller> "...She died to finish them off. The rest of us are safe because of her."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Her sacrifice was great indeed."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "How are *you*?"
<Lily_Miller> "Me?"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Yes, you."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Your wellbeing is still significant amidst all of this."
<Lily_Miller> "I... um..."
<Lily_Miller> "I might have gotten hit with a few falling chunks of planet."
<Lily_Miller> "That happened during the battle, though."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I am pleased to see you seem to be physically well at the present."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "However, that is not entirely the inquiry I was presenting."
<Lily_Miller> "...I know."
<Lily_Miller> "I'm doing okay."
<Lily_Miller> "Talking with Lyra helps a lot."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I am glad."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "What, in your opinion, has been most difficult or challenging for you?"
<Lily_Miller> "Why do you ask?"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Because I believe there is value in knowing and understanding more about the true selves of others beyond what they seek to portray on the surface."
<Lily_Miller> "I'm... not sure, really."
<Lily_Miller> "There has been a lot of stuff that has been difficult, but I don't know if I know the worst off of the top of my head."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Understandable. One of the more difficult aspects then?"
<Lily_Miller> "Figuring out how I can be helpful, I think."
* Faerzen_Norstov nods understandingly
<Faerzen_Norstov> "How has that endeavor been progressing?"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "For what it is worth, I can assure you with a high degree of certainty that you were more help in the recent series of events than I ever could have hoped for."
<Lily_Miller> "It's been going well, I think. One of my God-Tier powers, the one I tried to help Nickolai with, has made it much easier for me to help people."
<Lily_Miller> "...Almost too easy," I mutter under my breath,
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Great power is also quite weighty, in duty, in responsibility, and in burden."
<Lily_Miller> "...Yeah."
* Lily_Miller grows silent
<Lily_Miller> "I... hope he can forgive me for going into his mind without asking."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "You have much to learn about yourself and your abilities I would presume, but you have made quite a solid start. One I would seek to encourage you with."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I would venture to say that it is probable he already has, or that he never even considered the deed as something requiring an apology in the first place."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "You have given him a second chance."
<Lily_Miller> "I hope so."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Perhaps the ease of your success was due to your strength of your abilities, perhaps it was due to the fact that I was attempting to assist you with mine."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Or, perhaps it was simply because deep inside himself he truly desired to be free."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I find this last case most probable."
<Lily_Miller> "I'm not exactly sure myself. But I think that sounds like a hopeful possibility."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I know Nickolai and his innate disgust, horror, and fear of what Maskwraith had become."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "You saw with your own eyes his reaction after being freed from his own mind and from the grasp of that mask."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "He was not his true self prior to then, and you were able to mend some of the pain."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "He has a long journey ahead of him, but you have provided him with the opportunity to make the first step."
<Lily_Miller> "That's good, then."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "And, in doing so, have saved my life."
<Lily_Miller> "I'm just glad I could help."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I know not what your understanding of his past deeds are, but my death resulting from the previous course of actions was highly probable."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "It had already occurred in at least a hundred other instances by my calculations."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I cannot thank you enough."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "How was it that you found yourself here in the first place?"
<Lily_Miller> "Twelve. He said that there was someone who needed my help, and then he teleported me here."
<Lily_Miller> "He's... an interesting person."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Indeed."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "The word 'interesting' may be an understatement, but I understand your sentiments."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "He has been surprisingly helpful, despite being a mysterious powerful being from beyond."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "The track record in our session for that to be the case has not been excellent, as I am sure Lyra has informed you."
<Lily_Miller> "I... yeah."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Is it true that you and her have properly met one another now?"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Twelve implied that you had left her."
<Lily_Miller> "Yes, we have."
<Lily_Miller> "It's been really nice."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Excellent!"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I am quite pleased to see that intersessional transportation is possible via our own means."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I have been researching this for some time, and will continue to do so."
<Lily_Miller> "I think she used her power to cross sessions."
<Lily_Miller> "But there are probably safer ways to do it than that."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "This additional piece of data supports my assertion that it would be possible to break down the spatiotemporal barriers in Paradox Space to allow our two groups to join more permanently."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I have some hypotheses, but they will require additional data and research to verify their safety prior to implementation."
<Lily_Miller> "I understand."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Time, however, is something I have at the present, unlike usual."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Does Lyra still have her frog?"
<Lily_Miller> "Tadpal?"
<Lily_Miller> "Of course she does."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Good."
<Lily_Miller> "She wouldn't hurt him."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "As we discussed previously, I ensured the temporal veracity and physical existence of aformentioned frog."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "That is one of the reasons why I am here."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "It took a great deal of time and effort to create the frog, but it is complete and as we can both see, she is still in possession of said frog."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I intend to safeguard it until the time when she comes to retrieve it."
<Lily_Miller> "That's good."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I sincerely appreciate the trust and friendship you have shown her. It has been one of the primary reasons I have been able to attempt this act of trust myself, though it pales in comparison to the exchanges you and her have had I am sure."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "There is a message that I believe would be beneficial to pass on to her, by the way."
<Lily_Miller> "What is it?"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "The Black Queen that captured and tortured her and Alex?"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "She is dead now."
<Lily_Miller> "I... think she knows."
<Lily_Miller> "Something related to her power, I think."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I dissolved her body slowly in a pool of etching acid and carapace-dissolving enzyme in a display of grotesque gore that I believed she would have appreciated were she there."
<Lily_Miller> "..."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I know you may not approve, but was efficient and effective."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I was able to extract useful information in conversing with her before she died."
<Lily_Miller> "That's good, at least."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "What are you and your group endeavoring to do now that the Black Kings have been defeated?"
<Lily_Miller> "Nothing, really."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "How are your teammates faring with the recent series of events in your spatiotemporal sphere?"
<Lily_Miller> "Minali was... really upset when Kara died."
<Lily_Miller> "But now, I think we're just waiting for the game to end"
<Lily_Miller> "There isn't much left for us to do."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I hope that, when I am able to return to our original time, that we are able to work together to bring about that completion."
<Lily_Miller> "I hope so, too."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "The frog Lyra has in her possession is one crucial piece of that, but there are other devices and instrumentation that must be put into motion."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "It will require coordination on all of our parts."
<Lily_Miller> "I understand."
<Lily_Miller> "But first, we need to make sure the sessions merge."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Indeed."
<Lily_Miller> "I don't think we can win separately right now."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Did your session ever go about the process of creating a frog such as the one I created here?"
<Lily_Miller> "No, we didn't."
<Lily_Miller> "No one knows how."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Then your assertion would be correct."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "It took a great deal of time, research, and effort, but I was able to perform the task here."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "It would not be so easily reproducible in your session."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Particularly with... Kara no longer being with us."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "We find ourselves at a crossroads."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Should those in your session engage in commencing the victory condition, the remainder of us in this session will be trapped indefinitely."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "We could attempt to do otherwise, but Lyra is currently in the possession of the frog and I would rather not resort to further time travel to convolute matters to an even higher degree."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "What is the present state of your Battlefield? The checkered land in the center of Skaia?"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Has it been damaged by meteors or other forces?"
<Lily_Miller> "The Reckoning ended a while ago, and there were planet chunks being hurtled into it during the battle."
<Lily_Miller> "It's heavily damaged, but still intact."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I see."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "We may need to explore possible avenues of implementing both of our Battlefields. We shall find out."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "In the meantime, our proximal endeavor out to be conjoining our respective teams."
<Lily_Miller> "Right."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I shall be in touch shortly from your perspective on that matter."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "In the meantime, I have work to perform, and you have a team to abide with and a frog to protect."
* Faerzen_Norstov heaves a weary sigh
* Faerzen_Norstov brushes some of her hair out of her eyes
<Faerzen_Norstov> "This longer hair can really be quite the annoyance."
<Lily_Miller> "Heh..."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I can say I am anticipating the moment of reversion to my previous gender with fond eagerness."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "My appearance must have been rather... unusual compared to your expectations when you arrived I would imagine."
<Lily_Miller> "I knew a little bit about... this, actually. I didn't expect to see it right away, though."
<Lily_Miller> "Do you know why it happens?"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I see. Regardless, I appreciate you not making a grand scene of it as some others have been known to."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "No, I still do not."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "For whatever reason, SABATH decided it would provide me with a female dream self."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "That has been the root of essentially all of the resultant confusion and reversals."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "As for why it chose to do so, I cannot say for sure. It is possible that it was simply some more trivial glitch, but I am not prone to accepting coincidence so easily."
<Lily_Miller> "It must be confusing sometimes."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "It is."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Before I entered this game, had you told me I would become ambigendered, winged, and flightful, and that I would meet and fall in love with my personal murderer, I would have scoffed you out of my residence."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "SABATH never fails to exceed expectations in the ridiculousness or sadism department I am afraid."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "This has simply been, as has everything else, yet another learning experience, and learn from it I have."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I have much more to learn, but it has been valuable to come to terms with the limitations of my own knowledge."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "And even then..... I still make severe errors."
* Lily_Miller notices the change in Faerzen's feelings and puts a reassuring hand on her shoulder
<Lily_Miller> "It happens to everyone sometimes."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Indeed."
<Lily_Miller> "But what you do to fix it, and how you move forward afterward is more important to who you are than the mistake you made."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "That is what I have sought to do, to varying degrees of success."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Here, you have provided me great help in amending one of those such greivous errors."
<Lily_Miller> "And that's the important part."
<Lily_Miller> "I'm glad I could help."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I am grateful, again."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I do not wish to keep you from the other more important matters you must attend to."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Lyra and your team need you."
<Lily_Miller> "...Yeah. You're right."
<Lily_Miller> "But I"
<Lily_Miller> "I'll see you again soon, right?"
* Faerzen_Norstov smirks
* Faerzen_Norstov raises a hand and a couple glimmers of bright light twinkle around her fingertips
<Faerzen_Norstov> "You can bet on that with certainty."
* Lily_Miller smiles back
<Lily_Miller> "Good."
* Faerzen_Norstov places her other hand on Lily's shoulder reassuringly
<Faerzen_Norstov> "We both are headed up against great powers that would seek to dismantle this place from very existence."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "You and your team have dealt with half of the threat in your session, and we have addressed the other half here."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "That being said, They will not go so quietly into the good night of the immiment doom they face in the Furthest Ring."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "They will rage, and we must be prepared. We must stand together, armed with knowledge and resolve."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I shall see you soon, and in the meantime, stay strong despite your weaknesses."
<Lily_Miller> "You, too. Okay?"
<Faerzen_Norstov> "You have Lyra and a team of friends who need your help and who can help you in turn."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Of course."
* Faerzen_Norstov smiles
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I have a special little someone over here to keep me going."
<Lily_Miller> "Good."
<Lily_Miller> "I don't think anyone wants to lose anyone else to this game."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Excellent."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "We are so close. I know it."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "You ought to have Twelve return you to from whence you came lest something else befall the session whilst you are absent."
<Lily_Miller> "You're right."
<Lily_Miller> "But I'll see you again soon."
* Faerzen_Norstov steps back
<Faerzen_Norstov> "With a probability approaching one hundred percent."
* Faerzen_Norstov smiles
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Not that you will need it....."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "But"
* Faerzen_Norstov waves her hand with the glimmers of light through the air, cascading them around Lily
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Good luck."
* Faerzen_Norstov smirks again, giving her a quick wink
<Lily_Miller> "Good luck to you, too."
* Lily_Miller smiles again
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Farewell, and from your perspective, see you soon and speak with you even sooner."
<Lily_Miller> "Right. See you soon."
<Lily_Miller> "I hope it's not going to be too boring for you here."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I have work to keep me company."
<Lily_Miller> "That's fair."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Honestly, some peace and quiet to actually achieve some degree of productive and coherent thinking has been quite pleasant."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "I chose this, and I am perfectly happy with the associated consequences."
* Faerzen_Norstov smiles
<Lily_Miller> "I hope you can enjoy it, then."
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Likewise."
<Lily_Miller> "See you soon, Faerzen."
* Faerzen_Norstov waves before turning to clean up some of the mess in the room
<Faerzen_Norstov> "Farewell, Lily, and thank you again."
* Lily_Miller disappears back to where she came from