Polarized

[21:15] Those sobs come in droves until they choke her up. Everything she had seen wasn't something she'd so easily forget. To watch her beloved be turned to dust, melted before her eyes until he was nothing more than a lifeless skeleton.

She couldn't shake the horrible image from her head.

There was no calming down for his cosmic magi, because the moment he grips her by the shoulder, she suddenly lunges. Not in a violent way, mind! But she reaches up, gripping him by the fabric of his shirt.

"It should've been me!" She cries, the look in her eyes screaming insanity. There was something wrong with her, but it wasn't on a physical level. In those eyes, he could see that this wasn't something a mere potion could fix.

"Sors should've killed me! Why didn't he kill me!? He took his soul!" She shakes him with every word, but when she speaks those final ones, she lets him go, only to crumple against the ground again, heaving once more.

"I'm a failure. I couldn't-... save him..." Those words bounced in her head, the Ultovex's curse dragging her further and further into despair.
(Maisie)
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[21:15] The girl was wandering towards the dreadwoods, to walk to Huangzhou, but then she paused, staring at the two, having previously passed them by. She stumbled backwards, covering her mouth, not saying a thing.
(Joan Caelum)
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[21:26] The girl gulped, nodding her head and stumbling- hurrying down the steps once more, going to scramble back towards the square, in search of someone who could heal the poor woman. She seemed to be unsure of what was going on, but darnit she was told by her … Cousin? To help!
(Joan Caelum)
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[21:27] Azarashi exclaims, "Maisie!!"
[21:28] Dario asks, "Hey, uh- What's goin' on? Whose hurt?"
[21:33] Adrian Rowan says, "This isn't the clinic..."
[21:33] Eshmun Hirai says, "That's because it happened near the Dreadwoods."
[21:36] Azarashi whispers something.
[21:37] Sumiye whispers something.
[21:37] Azarashi whispers something.
[21:42] A set of pitch black onyx hues dug into the obtuse image. Never before he had seen the alchemist truly panic, not even during the final leg of the expedition to the spire. This was an aspect of her yet unknown, almost unnatural. Had his heightened sensibility touched upon something or not was yet to be seen.

As the bizarre exchange between her and the demi angel ensues, Adar waltzed forward at a slumber-like pace, almost like an eerily drowsy dance.

An air of hypnosis had taken over the scenario. Maisie was out of it, her words barely tied into a narrative. Perhaps he had only caught the bitter tail end of it. His eyes widen, his mouth becomes dry. It was not only the suspicion of having feared the worst, but the poignant aura of dread surrounding the star magi.

"Maisie…!" Adar muttered so as to call her attention. In awe, in shock, yet completely lost. He was no stranger to the sensation, it's very clearly there to be felt. She oozes with it, but for whatever reason, the navigator can't bring himself to make it his first and foremost guess. He couldn't bring himself to believe the scenario to have transpired.

"Kill who…?" Awaiting the dagger, he'd clench his jaw and breathe in, now taking a proper glance at the gravity mage's poor shape. "Maisie… what the hell happened?"
(Adar)
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[21:44] Regardless of what Sima might've told her, it was her fault. "If I just left... Tobias would've kept running. He was free! But he came back for me! I wasn't fast enough..." But why did she stay? There were pieces to the puzzle still missing that she hadn't yet told. Not that she could, given her incoherent blubbering that made it damn well near impossible to hear what she was saying in the first place.

She snivels, the thought of him being truly gone breaking her heart. Those words she'd never get to say again? That wedding that they'd never have? All those promises turned to dust along with the rest of his body.

There were no more words to be said. Even with the gathering crowd, the poor broken witch continued to wail for all to hear. The sound of anguish and despair would likely tug at a few heartstrings.

The sound of someone who had just lost everything near and dear to her.

When Sima coaxes her, she doesn't stand. She doesn't have the willpower or the strength anymore to. Adar's words reach her, but she doesn't say a word at first. She just continues to heave. Would he really make her say it again?

"Tobias…" She croaks out. "Dead-... because of me... S-Sors…"
(Maisie)
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[21:50] With little known of what exactly was going on, the man strolled into whatever was going on alongside Adrian. Amber-hued eyes looked through the small clearing. It seems they weren't exactly wrong when a injury happened near the dreadwoods, as everyone was gathering.

Though they were mostly casual in their stride, thinking it was all just another assault that left the one attacked alive at the very least. Yet as they finally saw the scene...Their expression fell. One from mildness, all the way down to an abrupt bit of despair and anger.

It didn't help once they heard the small whisper given by the woman. Tobias, dead? The cosmic magi that he was indebted to in the final aspects of his heart, now deceased himself? Little could be said, even less could actually be done by the authority figure.

At first he only planned to ask for a report, so that they could send one in, but, that could very easily wait. It was time for grieving, and only a small grieving smile was given to Ardith who he saw upon the stairs.

But with no words told to his wife, they'd simply turn around and look at the peanut gallery, "If anyone here is not 'part' of this and here for watching...Please disperse, this is not a public spectacle." It was a simple statement, one quietly said alongside a vivid frown.

Before any response was given to him however, Eshmun could be seen making their way past the grouping once again, moving back to the square.
(Eshmun Hirai)
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[21:51] Kimiari tugs on Mutt's arm sleeve.
(Kimiari)
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[21:52] Dario lightly bumps Joan's shoulder with the flat of his hand, gesturing off with a questioning flick of his chin.
(Dario)
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[21:52] Mutt whispers something.
[21:52] Kimiari whispers something.
[21:53] Joan turned around towards Dario, seeming confused. She looked to the side, before hurrying away from the area, not wanting to linger around the area.
(Joan Caelum)
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[21:55] Ardith arrives at an awkward time. She trots along, face in her book, until she hears the unmistakable sounds of mourning, of despair. Her eyes look up and there's a pang even in her coal black heart.

While part of her wants to take a step forward, to comfort...it doesn't feel her place. She is not 'part' of this. If anything? She might make it worse. As she passes by she gives an apologetic look to Sima, and a deeper one to Maisie.
(Ardith Hirai)
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[21:56] What was there to say? No proper song to sing for this occasion, no proper words that could reach anyone, or fix any of this.

Adar had the ominous feeling first, somehow. She didn't know how. But as soon as Maisie's feelings reached into her, she knew it was the wild grief of a life forever changed.

Over and over again. Vetani hates it, Vetani hates it so much. No purpose, no meaning: yet those that she cares about are cycled through Sors, struck out by the man on the mountain, over and over again.

Maybe she wished for the days that Dawn and Dusk still lived, if only to stave off this.

Rindou was taken and retrieved by a miracle, but her light was taken forever by Void. The little Occultist girl was shaped into a person she was not, where clarity was only shown for brief seconds. No hope.

There is no hope. Vetani thinks that with wild emotion, (yet not even as wild as Maisie's.) All it takes is one man's will, and people die.

Vetani flees, somewhere. She wasn't even sure if home was a safe place.

She wished Tobias' face was there, as she ran past the square. The wish was so strong as to turn her stomach and clench down all her bones and muscles that grind together.

They were going to improve Gehenna, weren't they? She was going to bring potions and foreign ingredients on over to the cute pair, and they were going to study, and it was going to be fun...

It was. It isn't.
(Vetani)
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[21:56] Upon hearing of an injured person by the Dreadwoods vicinity, the dryad scraped himself off the bench and hurried his way towards the scene.

Never would he have expected to see the bright Maisie so dampened and dour. His feet slowed to a halt, rooted in their place as the gravity of the situation suddenly fell on him. From what little he could make of the cosmic magi's incoherent babblings, the circumstances were made plenty clear.

Azarashi sharply sucked in a breath, unable to take another step forward. Even with bad eyes, he could see with extreme clarity. His head pounded with myriad possibilities, hoping to find something he could do to help.

Tobias dead? I can't fathom this.

How he wished he could get closer, but the dread froze him in place. And he could only wonder what Sumiye was thinking.
(Azarashi)
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[21:57] Joan had come seeking a medic. The square had remained empty, void of the voice that would speak up to aid someone. Pulled from her work, the little Kitsune would huff and pass the blade over to the girl before following after the Caelum.

Past trees and houses, her eyes take in the scene before her. A familiar face crying, covered in what she figured was minor injuries? It was hard to tell from this distance. An angelic figure stood before her, trying to soothe them.

What had happened here..?

Looking around nervously, Sumiye eventually spoke up. "Uhm...Someone called for a medic..? No one around had the ability but I've been studying to become a doctor. I thought perhaps I could help, at least a bit..?"
(Sumiye)
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[21:57] Getting her to stand was fruitless, and the continued wails cause some deep sorrow to pull on up from his heart. Letting his lips pull into a heavy frown he'd glance up towards Adar. Kraus, this was beyond a potion at this point.

"Let's... Get the whole story in a moment." He'd mutter, shifting the gaze upon Maisie once more. "We're going to get you into the clinic, check you over, and then we'll talk about this more alright?"

Sima knew little of Tobias beyond his work being done within the Lighthouse. Another cosmic magi that was far beyond his own capabilities had fallen. It formed a pit in his stomach, his nose scrunching up as he lightly shook his head.

There wasn't time for him to dwell on it right now though. They had to keep marching forward; First came the poor woman's wellbeing. He'd attempt to heft her up in his own arms. Those gathered are free to stop him, even the sobbing wreck of a woman, and unless stopped?

He'd move towards the clinic. "If someone has access to a kit I'll help pay for it." The Kang spoke calmly as the air about him grew colder, betraying the moist air of Gehenna. Cancri kept him calm and collected during these moments.
(Sima Kang)
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[21:58] Yandir whispers: What is going on?
[22:00] Sumiye whispers something.
[22:01] Azarashi whispers something.
[22:01] Sumiye whispers something.
[22:01] Azarashi whispers something.
[22:01] Sumiye whispers something.
[22:02] Azarashi whispers something.
[22:06] Soon, the dagger came. Shot at full speed, aimed for his heart. Even in disbelief, he'd ache. The vacuum in his chest grew larger, soon becoming a prison in itself.

"Tobias..." Adar mouthed, lost on the sparse, barely articulate tale. Unable to bring himself to the core of it, he'd almost bite into his lip with impotence. But, still unnerved by the halo of dread surrounding the alchemist, the navigator approached his friend with a hint of contentive swagger.

"Maisie, Maise... I need you to concentrate. Breathe in." To her lethargic lack of responsiveness and mania, Adar drew a strong parallel. He had seen this before, absolutely. Breathing in, and pacing his struggled, spastic swirl of emotions, he'd bolt his bleak gaze to Yandir in utter silence, before returning it to the two.

"Sima, we need to check for marks." He remarks, sternly. "Tattoo's."

This last word is sluggish, almost painedly so. An exasperated sigh comes through from the bottom of his lungs, hoping this would be naught but an illusion. One of the wildcard's illusions. Her often warm, vivid halo of flare now felt caged, cold, dismal. Almost like it had been thoroughly adulterated. The presence of the occult and transmundane had become a stench in her, Adar could resonate.

"She may have been cursed." He diagnoses, being unfortunately too familiar with the cause. What Maisie had seen could've been nothing but an illusion, but in lack of security, he'd make no comment. Instead, the scholar assured her. "You're safe now, Maisie. Don't think, just breathe."

Then, turning on his heel, he'd face the infant. An approving nod was shot her way before echoing Sima's plan.

"To the clinic, yes."
(Adar)
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[22:09] The odd mechanic who traveled along the southern borders of Agartha found herself on the outskirts of Gehenna, where it seemed fate had brought her to arrive with perfect timing. Hearing the word 'clinic' was all that was needed.

"There's need of a doctor?" inquired the masked woman.
(Elaine)
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[22:09] And so she arrived - Caira had heard of what transpired from Eshmun and was inclined to go and do her job. For she was trembling the entire way, no real way of stomaching or swallowing the idea of another death. So long ago she'd be unfazed. A slow look is given to Ardith for a time while Caira shows vulnerability in just a stare.

.. Resolve and willpower remained within, but there had been a transition from being a soldier - To being a real human being - Somewhere in the mix.

She speaks up now but only in half-whispers that are hard to tune in on unless most of one's attention was on Caira. Ardith probably heard them loud and clear.

"I have medical kits and I have mythril kits.. Which does she need more right now?"
(Caira Vindict)
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[22:10] Yandir frowns, very clearly reciprocating Adar's mute gaze with a quizzical, but nonetheless dissident glare of his own. The heavy atmosphere that permeated the entourage and the mentions of Tobias' name and a tattoo, however, are somewhat enough to allow the sarradian to draw whatever had transpired unto the otherwise featureless canvas of his fruitless curiosity.

"I see."

He cruxes both arms over his chest, evidently choking whatever outrage had built within his gullet into a low, rebounding snarl.

"Maybe it is time for the dogs up the mountain to do something."
(Yandir)
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[22:11] Normally the Accursed looms large and protective behind a certain Hirai.

Today? Caira is the one she looms over, a protective and solemn horned watchdog. It gives her no pleasure to see this suffering in someone else, especially when her own had been so recent.

She knows, and from experience, such loss is not a kind thing.
(Ardith Hirai)
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[22:11] Ardith Hirai whispers something.
[22:11] Ardith Hirai whispers something.
[22:11] Sima Kang says, "Guess is a Mythril kit but uh... Clinic."
[22:12] There's nothing more to be said. When Sima goes to pick up her battered body, she doesn't move or fight it. She just snivels beneath her breath, any further crying now made faint. She'd likely already cried as much as she could have.

Yet, she still felt as if there were plenty of tears left to shed.
(Maisie)
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[22:13] Caira Vindict says, ".. Yes.. Clinic.."
[22:13] Adar says, "Yandir, enough. We'll handle that side later."
[22:13] Ardith Hirai says, "...Least I can do."
[22:13] Caira Vindict says, "Bed on the right.."
[22:13] Adar says, "Thanks, Ardith."
[22:13] Ardith Hirai says, "I ain't the doc...But I can try to help if it's needed."
[22:14] Name: "Depression"

Desc: "You will fail."

"That boy is dead. You will not save him. Here he will meet his head, not for you to save him. He will be felled so his soul can serve my further inventions. The disciple of Siegfried will not meet their master."

The words themselves seemed to be aided by the Void, making them play over and over in her head. As he spoke, it would all become painful. The world was bleak. The desire to give up would be forcibly implanted into her mind.

Inflictor: Despair

Class: PERMANENT

Nerf: --10 VIT
(Maisie)
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[22:16] Adar winces. "Famfrit. Outside."
(Adar)
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[22:16] Famfrit asks, "Hmm?"
[22:16] Adar says, "I'm listening."
[22:16] Famfrit asks, "Listening?"
[22:16] Adar says, "Tell me what you know."
[22:16] Famfrit asks, "Am I supposed to know something?"
[22:17] Adar says, "Tell me what you know."
[22:18] Famfrit asks, "About...?"
[22:18] Adar says, "Tobias. Sors."
[22:18] Famfrit asks, "Ah..? Is that what happened?"
[22:18] Adar says, "I'm the one inquiring."
[22:19] A base shrug is given.

"When you use those names together, I can only make the worst assumptions. I know nothing about what happened, Adar."
(Famfrit)
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[22:19] Adar blankly nods. "If you find anything out, run it by me. It's important."
(Adar)
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[22:20] Famfrit asks, "Why don't you ask them?"
[22:20] Famfrit says, "The ones inside."
[22:20] Adar says, "They know nothing, Famfrit."
[22:20] Adar says, "They just got here."
[22:20] Adar says, "Maisie is delusional and the rest are not too far off."
[22:20] Famfrit asks, "What'd she say?"
[22:21] Adar says, "Tobias is dead."
[22:21] Famfrit says, "Well. There's your answer."
[22:21] Adar says, "No."
[22:21] Adar says, "Famfrit. Find that out."
[22:21] Famfrit says, "I don't want to accept it either. He was /my/ hunt."
[22:22] Adar says, "Then we share a common goal."
[22:22] Famfrit says, "Accept it Adar."
[22:22] Adar says, "Eat me."
[22:24] Adar storms back in with a strained grimace on his face.
(Adar)
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[22:25] A disappointed hum sounded from the stranger as the exorcist stepped to the bed to handle the curing of this odd curse. Fate was a silly concept to believe in, ultimately.

The woman rest her cheek in her hand and watched as the duo went to work. It was a missed opportunity, but perhaps still a chance to learn. To observe.
(Elaine)
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[22:27] The Accursed recoils visibly from the introduction of holy magic. In instinctive reply her own aura redoubles, as if to protect her from onslaught. A difficult thing to quell, but her friend has made a request.

It's not one she can precisely ignore. Flinching the entire way, Ardith sets to work. The magic makes her feel queasy and ill.

With a bottle and brush already on her person she begins drawing the runes on the obelisks in pungent, sulfurous ink. It smells absolutely foul yet adheres well to the stones. At each obelisk the lanky occultist has to crouch to set the sigil into its base.

She works quickly, slogging around the outer edge of the circle in spite of the clawing nausea in her belly.
(Ardith Hirai)
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[22:27] Yandir slowly turns to his right, blatantly and directly staring at Elaine, perplexed. He may have been prejudiced, but on the surface, the woman did indeed look... ominous. He does not oppose, however, taking her earlier offer for succor into consideration.
(Yandir)
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[22:32] Elaine glanced back to Yandir through an eyeless mask.
(Elaine)
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[22:33] As she's carried and laid to rest upon the pedestal, she's as lifeless as lifeless can be. No words were left to be said. They knew what happened, even if in bits and pieces. In her current state? She thought that was enough.

Her half-lidded eyes could only stare up at the ceiling, unmoving and barely blinking. Those thoughts that he put into her head continued to play on repeat. It drowned nearly everything else out in the room.

She remembered his words before he departed with Tobias's belongings. When you have a deal worthy for the devil, you can have his soul back.

Maisie blinks once. Twice.

"My soul for his…" She mutters, barely audible.
(Maisie)
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[22:34] Adar says, "..."
[22:41] "That'll do, Ardith. Thank you." Caira takes in one final hum of breath as the obelisks surrounding Maisie begin to turn as if they're part of a large focusing array. Some kind of spinning centrifuge to boil holy magic to the absolute pinnacle of its operating facilities. For this to be possible, it'd need a chunk of Caira's stamina. It'd need a little bit of her to fuel the mix.

But that's not important. It never was to the Vindict. Caira turns around now as the large pseudo-generator of exorcist force is humming, turning and building power.

"If you are an exorcist and don't want to pass out, I recommending getting against the back wall immediately. This isn't going to be fun for you." And so Caira pools all of her holy energies, every drop of valor and every ounce of purification into the rotating obelisks. All twelve of them light up with a fierce gold and all twelve become their own pillars of righteousness when they hit the rune.

".. I'm sorry, Maisie. But he gave everything up for you. It isn't easy. It will never be fixed, but it will become easier. Understand that we shouldn't focus on the Ultovex.. We should focus on that he did everything so that you can live your life."

All twelve fire off beams of force into Caira as she reached in and put a palm on Maisie's head. The words uttered to her by the Ultovex would remain, but there is an addition of the holy woman's own. Comfort, however blunt, follows briefly after. The feelings of crippling sadness don't all disperse, but they no longer chain her down to the crushing depression she had felt earlier.

.. She was free from their forced clutches - But this freedom comes at a cost. Maisie was free to interpret the moment as she wanted. If she couldn't beat the sadness herself, the healing may as well have been as useful as none at all.
(Caira Vindict)
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[22:42] Ardith Hirai says, "*gets the hell out of the way. She's already miserable. As the apparatus charges up she retreats to the FARTHEST edge of the room.*>"
[22:42] Ardith gets the hell out of the way. She's already miserable. As the apparatus charges up she retreats to the FARTHEST edge of the room.
(Ardith Hirai)
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[22:42] Yandir pinches the bridge of his nose, heading out. "I think I've heard enough. Take good care of her."
(Yandir)
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[22:42] Adar says, "I-..."
[22:43] Elaine says, "Mm. Perhaps another day."
[22:51] There was only so much Caira could do to help bring Maisie up from the dredges of her own mind where Sors had cursed her to stay. And while those words of his that played on repeat would only be made quieter? The chains that kept her from forming a single coherent thought released her.

Where Sors's words tried to pierce her heart, Caira's own would act as a shield against them, blocking arrow after sharpened arrow.

That 'curse' would lift, but Maisie? Maisie would not feel like her old self. There'd be no pep in her step and there likely wouldn't be for a long, long time. No one likely expected that, though.

Her thoughts gather and those thoughts of recklessness subside, at the very least. She wouldn't throw her life away to try and save his soul. Not yet, at least.

Maisie opens her eyes to peer at Caira. Where once they were full of life, they were now sullen and distant, but she was visibly better off than what she had been just moments ago. "... Thank you, Caira." It's all she could say.

And all she wanted to say, knowing they were about to likely ask for a recanting of the tale.
(Maisie)
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[22:56] Adar remained eerily silent for a while. Though monotonous, he spoke with heart. "I'm glad you're safe, Maisie. i really am..."
(Adar)
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[22:58] Ardith is somewhere in the corner. Feeling like /garbage/.
(Ardith Hirai)
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[23:08] It's something akin to a miracle in the Kang's eyes. He's seen works of wonder done within the Lighthouse, but for curing whatever may be within Maisie's head? That was something he could most likely never do.

Collecting his arms on the small of his back he'd mull over his thoughts. Should he even ask for details at this rate? It didn't feel right, not at all.

Thus, the man surrounded by the calm chill flicks his attention towards the others gathered. "I don't... Want to ask what exactly happened right now. Honestly, I don't think there's a soul in this room that wants to push you further if need be."

"I'd like to know where, though, if possible. If we can keep tabs on Sors we can maybe catch him in time." It's the only thing he'd push for today. Kraus knows there was probably a barrage of questions heading the fellow cosmic magi's direction in the months to come.
(Sima Kang)
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[23:10] The process is not at all dissimilar to the lighthouse. A spinning centrifuge, the build up of energy, a focal point, and plenty of rune work to amplify the magic to reach something as far off as void-cursed Ultovex magic. Caira doesn't comment but part of her feels like a hypocrite.

She'd been depressed for years now, but all of a sudden she had a miracle cure for Maisie? What kind of garbage was she? Caira nods her head and steps back now, getting the marble to go back down into the floor as hands fall into her pockets.

With no actual civic duty needing completion, the unbreaking bastion of fierce determination fades once more. Just Caira.

.. Just her.

".. Please let me know if there's any issues in the future. Everyone here." Caira makes very slow steps for the door.
(Caira Vindict)
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[23:11] Adar says, "... will do."
[23:11] Adar says, "Thank you, Caira."
[23:12] Ardith crawls out of where she's standing in the corner of the room, following a few steps behind Caira. She gives Adar a nod as she passes.
(Ardith Hirai)
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[23:13] Sima Kang says, "Thank you Caira, Ardie."
[23:15] What had happened was fresh in her mind. It all played on repeat even with the curse having been lifted. She still blamed herself, after all. That wouldn't change. Tobias didn't have to safe her. She could've left and waiting for Tobias back at home.

But she didn't.

Maisie flinches, the heels of her palms coming to press against her eyes. "He has his soul." Maisie abruptly spoke. "He took it so he wouldn't be reunited with Siegfried. His staff-... It needs to be destroyed. At all costs." To release the souls of those who had been captured by the mad Necromancer.

"... In the forest just when you leave the swamp. The same path you'd take on the way to Levengard or Huangzhou."
(Maisie)
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[23:15] Ardith Hirai says, "...No sweat."
[23:16] Caira Vindict says, ".. It's no problem. I know you'd all do it for me."
[23:24] Adar sighed, likely bubbling some of that emotional strain in. A façade, perhaps. Not unlike Setsuna, the Qilin, he'd have to bare through it to ensure the wellbeing of his peers.

He hadn't… fully embraced the idea of having lost his dearest friend yet. The idea seemed foreign to him as of now, surreal, fiction. Surely in time, it'd sink in properly.

Priorities, however. Now ridden of the curse, Maisie laid in bed. Somewhat blankly, the navigator floated on towards the chair nearby, resting himself on top of it.

He wouldn't pry. The scholar merely stared at her somewhat softly for a few seconds before eyeballing down to the stone-brick floor.

"You're staying the night, right? I'll be right here in case you need anything, Mai."

A comrade, a friend. Though, most of all, a shadow. Adar's presence was dim.
(Adar)
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[23:32] Northern forest. Destroy the staff.

The Kang grinds his teeth for a time as he slowly nods. He despised putting another through pain, especially mentally, and this was definitely crossing that comfort line of his. Curling the Mythril digits of his left hand against one of his sleeves he'd nod.

"We'll get him. Don't care how long it takes us, but we'll catch the man out... I'll craft something with what I have if I have to." It's a reassurance, but how many times has those of Agartha heard such a promise?

Sima seemed a bit more relieved as Adar stayed stationed near the woman. Nodding towards the two he'd turn slightly towards the door. "Both of you please stay safe. Take it slow for a time-- I'm about Gehenna if you both need someone to speak with."

What else could he really say? There was information to share now, a death to avenge in the time to come. All they could do was plan, test, and prepare.

Turning towards the door fully now he'd make his way out, intent on doing so.
(Sima Kang)
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[23:33] Adar says, "Sima. Be careful, please."
[23:34] Adar says, "Blessings be with you."
[23:34] Sima Kang says, "D'oh... I lost my hands already. I'll be fine-- As with you, Adar."
[23:37] The heels of her hands to continue to grind at her burning eyes. She'd gone and shed so many tears, and again, those memories rise.

She was haunted even with the Ultovex's curse.

"I watched it all happen. He's-..." She realizes a horrible, daunting fact. "His skeleton is-... Still there." She nearly chokes on the words. They burn the back of her throat when she speaks them.

"Sors made me watch. I can't-... I can't get it out of my head." No amount of exorcising would change that fact. "Why did he have to turn around? He would've be fine. I would've been fine. We'd still be-..." Together.

Those tears well again, but she doesn't start bawling just yet. "I need to go talk to Calael…"
(Maisie)
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[23:49] He's quiet. Too quiet.

Adar knows he's lying to himself. He hasn't dissociated himself, however. His better bits of conscience haven't allowed it - he's better than this, or so he tells himself, quietly.

"Sors… is a monster." The navigator agonizingly whimpers, now struggling to bare with himself. "Had I been there… I could've…" He laments, his tongue being his earnest weapon when it came to handling the mountainfolk.

"It's not your fault, Maisie." He affirms, outstretching a pale, lanky hand. "He wouldn't deem it so - I know this."

To come into contact with another was a struggle of the highest degree, yet Adar pulled through, only if to make Maisie feel the weight of his hand on her shoulder. Her past words of trauma ringing on the back of his head, those shouldn't prevail.

"... You're hurt. You did more than watch - be fair to yourself." The navigator suggests, then mourns once more. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Maisie."

The two were a beacon. Adar, who lacked faith in the day-to-day, saw them as a lighthouse to guide him ashore. If Maisie's glimmer were to die out, it would've meant the end. The odds were cruel. Too cruel.

"... Should you not rest?" The astronavigator questions, though mostly in doubt.
(Adar)
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[23:54] "I know he wouldn't but I stayed. I wanted to make sure he came back through that portal-- and he did! He blitzed off and I tried to follow, but Sors turned to me and Tobias turned around. If I'd gone home to wait for him instead..." They'd be there together. She'd be helping to bandage his wounds. She'd be scolding him and telling him how reckless he even was to follow Sors like that.

She grimaces. She wants to cry again, but she bites back those tears. Adar's hand is given little to know attention, but she does appreciate the gesture, at the very least.

"I can't. I'm not going to get any sleep anytime soon. I'd rather talk to Calael first..." She mutters. "These thoughts are going to make me restless and I-... I don't want to go home right now." Walking into that house would bring only heartache.
(Maisie)
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[23:56] Adar nods twice. Then sluggishly stands up. His often lethargic mojo had seemed to become twice as pronounced, making him appear even more listless in nature. "I won't stop you. I'll come with, however. I worry."
(Adar)