unknownseas | There's always a lighthouse

Entry tags:

endgame

There's always a lighthouse

And just like that, you wake up in the basement of a lighthouse in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. There's a circle of 25 pods in the middle of the room, and two more in a room off to the side, and you can imagine who is in which.

An elevator to the side of the room leads up to the ground floor (or to the first sub-basement, if you want to check out the machine that brought you here), where you can for the first time in weeks look out a window and see the sky. Its a beautiful sunny day, with a strong breeze on the grassy ground of the island where the lighthouse stands. Have you ever been this happy to hear seagulls?

You're free. Whatever comes next, you're free and you won. Take some time to relish your victory, won't you? Reunite with friends you thought you had lost, go forth and just... well, enjoy this.

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Anna, my kind were killed over their blood and flesh. I might have wondered about your motives but that I offered it at all speaks greatly of my thoughts towards you.

I suppose I'm just surprised. But I am flattered, I'll give you that. I'd thought for sure it would help break the seal on our abilities.

Yes... I saw that. [If she weren't trying to fight Kirei to get off her back on her being the second killer she would have responded to that... whole debacle.]

If we were not in a simulation it might have worked.

Probably. Not with my old magic stone. [She indicates the earring in her hand with its shattered teardrop gem.] But the one I have now, it's much stronger. Mother always said it was far more than I could handle, but I believe I'm more than qualified.

[...crying blood or not.]

You seemed quite capable but I believe... well. You may need a teacher.

[Please, don't cry blood again.]

["I'm fine" is her first reaction, but for once, she bites it back. Stares for a bit.]

Do you think?

I do, actually. Your magic may be different than mine but I do believe that it should be possible.

...Well, far be it from me to decline you. You know a great deal, after all.

The basics should at least similar between our methods. Can you sense your magic now?

Let me see.

[She closes her fist on the broken earring again, even if it's powerless now -- she's got another stone, everyone knows that now. Anna focuses.]

It feels like there's something here. Enough to let people use whatever it is they've got. I couldn't summon my ARMANOX or anything like that, it's not some concentrated hotbed of magic, but there's something. Do you feel that?

[She closes her eyes. Yes... it's there.]

Not a strong base to work off but enough just enough to feel like myself. I could feel my own natural abilities being restored. Your ARMANOX may be tied to your world.

[Rhea's curious, though, and focuses her mind as she opens her eyes. What looks like a very elaborate magic circle appears in front of her as an orb of fire flings out and... sizzles in the ocean.]

[Anna raises her eyebrows, impressed.]

It's certainly more than we had in my world outside of the seal. Even without my ARMANOX, I can work with this.

I chose a simple spell to make sure that things were working.

[She seems relieved, really.]

Again, magic usually depends on the person. I think you could be quite adept at this sort. Faith, however, might be more difficult. Ah--healing magic, I mean.

You're right, I didn't know anything like that. I've always specialized in fire and ice. My ancestor, the Carmine Witch, was famous for it.

You do seem to be perfectly suited for fire magic. My own Crest is more specialized towards the physical arts but I found that it was wise to try to expand my skills.

So Crests determine one's natural talent, then?

They can enhance talent that was already there, yes. For instance a muscular person might have a crest that gives them the strength to lift a horse or allow them to continue fighting when their body is about to give up.

[There... is something to Rhea's voice. Something that Anna should recognize as disgust.] Crests are based on crest stones. Humans only get them through consuming or being injected with the blood of my kind. Most human lineages who have them stole the blood. Though, some were given up willingly. You, for example, would have likely developed a Crest since you had some of my blood.

[...okay, note to self, never tell Rhea how she got the stone that's sitting in her chest right now. At least she didn't steal it from a dragon!]

I see. And it sounds like they've been passed down for some time now. No wonder you had so much you hated. Anyone would.

[That would be Bad.]

Yes... even by the time I had slain Nemesis, his generals already had grandchildren with Crests and some by then even had great-grandchildren with them. Most complain of the Church's promotion of them but it is only because humanity chose that path themselves.

So those without envy those with. That makes sense. It's always been like that.

Yes. Even if a new system of governance is put into place that part of nature will not change... it will only change what that 'something' is. Money, skill. Appearance.

That's always how it is. You know, I always thought I was supposed to be something great because of who my family was. But sometimes it's never enough, is it?

No, sometimes it is not. I understand... before even Nemesis I thought I understood my role. Yet things kept changing.

And then everything just ended up the way it did.

...I'll come and see you, then, if you tell me where you end up. I wouldn't say no to your help, like you said.

[Maybe she'll finally stop boiling bathwater.]

[Stop abusing bathwater!]

I may go with Mira... she seems fond of me still. I cannot say what's wrong with her.

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emberserker - 2020-06-02 15:20 (UTC) - Expand

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