guillotineroom | [elevator] [cerberus]

[ 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.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Ah. Nymph is where Xiao is. Zhongli looks down where Nymph fell, brows furrowed.]

.... It hurts no less, knowing that they come back. And they were only the start...

Zhongli . . .

[Saturn takes a deep breath, putting an arm around him.]

[This is a memory that he will never be able to forget, like every other. Still, Zhongli manages a stony expression.]

I... can't be certain he was there. It does not ease my heart, even so.

Of course it doesn't . . . I'm sorry. I can hope he wasn't. But it doesn't change how it feels.

It doesn't. And, even if he wasn't, those are still people who I wish would not have died.

But we cannot rewrite the past.

(no subject)

cultfavorite - 2022-11-08 04:20 (UTC) - Expand

lonesummit - 2022-11-08 04:38 (UTC) - Expand

cultfavorite - 2022-11-08 04:48 (UTC) - Expand

lonesummit - 2022-11-08 05:13 (UTC) - Expand

cultfavorite - 2022-11-08 05:55 (UTC) - Expand

lonesummit - 2022-11-08 07:51 (UTC) - Expand

cultfavorite - 2022-11-09 00:04 (UTC) - Expand

[reaches for his hand]

Zhongli, don't look.

[He will allow his hand to be taken, looking to Moon.]

It is a little late, unfortunately. The sight has been etched into my Cor Lapis memory.

I don't know what that is. Etch better sights onto it.

Ah. I remember everything I have ever experienced as if it is happening right now. Cor Lapis is the gem that is my core.

Re: DISCUSSION

eggstinction - 2022-11-08 02:40 (UTC) - Expand

lonesummit - 2022-11-08 04:45 (UTC) - Expand

eggstinction - 2022-11-08 04:48 (UTC) - Expand

lonesummit - 2022-11-08 05:20 (UTC) - Expand

eggstinction - 2022-11-08 17:17 (UTC) - Expand

It's not fair! It's not right--how does this help anyone?!

[ She is furious, vibrating with it, like she wants to shake out of her own skin. ]

[Zhongli just seems.... sad.]

The Warden has no interest in helping us. She only wants us to lash out.

She's not going to find who she's looking for this way. Everyone knows that.

Everyone knows. I think she knows on some level too, and is just determined to take it her frustration on us. Even though it will not ease her heart.

fujimaru - 2022-11-08 06:43 (UTC) - Expand

lonesummit - 2022-11-08 07:55 (UTC) - Expand

fujimaru - 2022-11-09 00:17 (UTC) - Expand

I'm so sorry, Zhongli.

I...

..... I will be alright.

You will be. But you don't have to be right now.

[How he misses his cowl at this time. He could pull it over his head and hide his sorrow there. He understands it's natural to feel, but it still seems so self-indulgent.]

I... should be able to hold it together for long enough... to get out of this.

moonlit_knight - 2022-11-08 13:55 (UTC) - Expand

... Zhongli...

[ ... ]

We'll be there for him. You'll be there for him. We just--we just have to make it through this so you can.

R-right. Yes, of course.

[There is still more to do here. He can freak out later.]

... You told me that it's okay to take a moment to feel everything I was feeling. That's... true for you too.

If you need a moment... you know we'll all wait for you. Right?

lonesummit - 2022-11-08 02:47 (UTC) - Expand

messianic - 2022-11-08 02:48 (UTC) - Expand

lonesummit - 2022-11-08 05:09 (UTC) - Expand

messianic - 2022-11-08 15:09 (UTC) - Expand

Zhongli...

[ Once she's calmer, she'll move close and near him to hold him if he'll let her. ]

[He will allow it, leaning on her when she goes to hold him. He's been holding in too much tension, and if he moves at all, he feels like he'll break.]

No matter how many times it happens, it never gets easier.

Nay.. not in the least. I'm so sorry.

[ She'll just move her hand over his to squeeze too. Xiao's on Nymph... ]

I know Kanro was in there... but was Xiao...?

lonesummit - 2022-11-08 07:00 (UTC) - Expand

menphina - 2022-11-08 07:23 (UTC) - Expand

lonesummit - 2022-11-08 08:01 (UTC) - Expand

menphina - 2022-11-09 00:35 (UTC) - Expand

lonesummit - 2022-11-09 07:35 (UTC) - Expand

menphina - 2022-11-09 12:05 (UTC) - Expand

Zhongli ...

D'you want a hug?

Ah... Miss Unisonya...

[He doesn't want to crowd her, but if she is offering... Zhongli is probably sitting on the ground already, his legs pulled up by his chest. When she offers a hug, he opens his arms for her.]

I would, indeed.