[elevator] [cerberus]

[guillotineroom]

[ When you open your eyes again the first thing that you, and your teammates, may notice is that you are confined within an iron cage, rectangle in shape. Further inspection will reveal that outside of the cage is a large structure of sorts, reaching far above you. It kind of looks like an unfinished clock tower, really... there are spots that look finished and bolted tightly, and others that look like they had been left once and the work never thought of again.

Also, it's pretty chilly. You might get to notice that.

It's foggy and windy—the kind of wind that howls and roars, jostling your cage against the tall shaft, and every so often you feel as though you might have had the ghost of a raindrop on you. The tower-like build creaks horribly ominously in the wind, and you can see the rusted metals swaying slightly. But if you decide to look around...

Flapping above you (and not helping with the wind) is a harpy-like creature, iron chains wrapped around their talons. Though, maybe it's more like a lion? The chains are bolted to the top of your cage. There are also little indicators on the structure, the same distance apart, that seem to be declaring different levels or heights. They look horribly unhappy to be here, but they're also impressive at ignoring any call you might have for them.

There's a door to the cage, but it won't open, even if it's just a simple-looking locking mechanism. If you peer out, it's too foggy on the ground to make out very much, but you can make out nine other, tower-like structures with similarly flapping harpies. Each one, including your own, has an emblazoned emblem of every team's patron monster, so that you can see where everyone is—it's just difficult to make out exactly who may be in each one. Even more difficult to try and communicate like this.

Attached to the door is an aged metal panel with a screen and four buttons; two to choose between the team names that appear on the dark green and black screen, and two to choose whether you wish for that team to go up or down.

After a moment, a little speaker in the corner starts playing an incredibly bad quality version of this.]

Comments

[lonesummit]

That it is.

[Zhongli pauses, and thinks on that. His opinion right now...?]

... I think... that we should be prepared for any team we choose to die. This game will result in death, and it will be the community that chooses who. We cannot afford to think of our choices as anything but a death sentence. And to that end, we should focus on what the aftermath will be- how we will need to help those who revive control themselves.

[cultfavorite]

. . .

[He isn't wrong, and Saturn knows it, even if he's reluctant to commit to that so early in the game. They're all holding onto their own hopes.]

Selfishly speaking. My top priority is still to protect Cerberus above all others. For the sake of all of us, but also, very frankly, if I'm alive, I have my own means to help the losers control their madness. I can't offer anything if I'm dead.

[lonesummit]

I am of a similar mind.

.... And. I do think that people would be hurt, to see us hurt. In a way where it feels more cruel to sacrifice our safety for theirs. [He doesn't want Xiao to have to fight him. He doesn't know if he even could.]

We would be in a good position to help, when the dust clears.

[cultfavorite]

I know. Honestly—when I think of Kraken, for example, Tsuruno . . . I think she would be angry with me for choosing to die over choosing to let her die. That's the kind of person she is. She would rather sacrifice herself than see the ones she loved destroyed . . . I can't take that for granted, though. I know that too. We'll see what it comes to in the end.

[lonesummit]

The people we care for are such strong-willed ones. Xiao would sacrifice himself for me without hesitation. I do not wish for him to continue to be that kind of person, but I know it would hurt him more than help at this time if I chose to throw myself away.

And truly, I would not enjoy seeing you or anyone else on Cerberus hurt either.

[cultfavorite]

Of course not. I feel the same way. I know you would all face it bravely, but that only goes so far to help.

[lonesummit]

Hahah, yes. That exactly.

We would take our punishment on the chin, but that does not mean anyone wishes for us to have to.

[cultfavorite]

Perhaps we will have to. In the end, it's likely to be anyone's decision but ours. The odds of any team saving themselves by lowering themselves is low, considering how raising the elevators outweighs it so much. But we'll find out. And if it does come to it, I'll insist we use our vote on ourselves.