The full story of Angels of Nucarreo. This story was run from September 25th 2023 to December 6th 2024 and was originally posted on the Clockworksun Stories Discord server.
This story is a whopping 206 updates long, plus an epilogue, spread over 746 standard pages with a total of over 240k words. At the time of writing, it was my longest story yet, over double the word count of second place.
Note that some reaction counts may not be exact, as voters may have changed their reactions between the close of voting and the time this story was scraped from the server.
Note that some reaction counts may not be exact, as voters may have changed their reactions between the close of voting and the time this story was scraped from the server.
@Story Notifications
Alrighty then, time for some more writing! We've got two on the docket this time, which was going to be three until I decided to drop one at the last minute before posting this. I just wasn't as interested in it as these two, so you get two prompts and that's it; vote for the one you want! As usual, the one that isn't picked might come back later, be rewritten, or never be seen again. Without further ado, the prompts:
[NOVEL?] Angels of Nucarreo
Mystery / Grimdark
Steampunk(?) - Urban
[Part of the Nucarreo canon]
Congratulations. You are the newest member of the Cathedra, the order of clergy and divinely-empowered superhumans charged with keeping the city - and everyone in it - safe. You will be pushed to your limits in Body, Mind, and Soul to serve your greater purpose. The job is difficult and dangerous, but you will wield powers beyond mortal beings, commanding respect and gratitude from those you defend.
...
But where do these monsters we fight come from, really? What actually happens to new Angels during their Ascension? Why are we given these banal or seemingly-arbitrary tasks between combat duties? Why aren’t we allowed into those few hidden locations, even though we are the shining heroes of this city? What is really going on here?
[NOVEL?] Big City Witch
Mystery / Horror / ... Slice of Life?
Near-future - a big city
[Part of the Kronwae canon]
You are a witch. You see things that others can't, face dangers ordinary people never know, and wield powers rare among humanity. Moving to the big city has been a heck of a change; besides the obvious, you also see far more supernatural activity here than your hometown. And that means it's time to get to work helping people deal with it. Whether for altruism or profit is up to you to decide. Just be careful to keep yourself safe as well... both from the monsters you face and the humans who would use your abilities for their own ends.
(Winner: )
[NOVEL?] Angels of Nucarreo
Mystery / Grimdark
Steampunk(?) - Urban
[Part of the Nucarreo canon]
Congratulations. You are the newest member of the Cathedra, the order of clergy and divinely-empowered superhumans charged with keeping the city - and everyone in it - safe. You will be pushed to your limits in Body, Mind, and Soul to serve your greater purpose. The job is difficult and dangerous, but you will wield powers beyond mortal beings, commanding respect and gratitude from those you defend.
...
But where do these monsters we fight come from, really? What actually happens to new Angels during their Ascension? Why are we given these banal or seemingly-arbitrary tasks between combat duties? Why aren’t we allowed into those few hidden locations, even though we are the shining heroes of this city? What is really going on here?
[NOVEL?] Big City Witch
Mystery / Horror / ... Slice of Life?
Near-future - a big city
[Part of the Kronwae canon]
You are a witch. You see things that others can't, face dangers ordinary people never know, and wield powers rare among humanity. Moving to the big city has been a heck of a change; besides the obvious, you also see far more supernatural activity here than your hometown. And that means it's time to get to work helping people deal with it. Whether for altruism or profit is up to you to decide. Just be careful to keep yourself safe as well... both from the monsters you face and the humans who would use your abilities for their own ends.
(Winner: ) 7 2@Story Notifications
It’s time to descend into a universe we haven’t yet seen. One of steam, divinity, and darkness. Nucarreo.
Who is our main character? This story will be told either primarily or entirely from their viewpoint, so choose carefully. The information given is only their initial personality and skills; you will have a chance to change certain aspects later with training and experience. The sibling not picked will still have a role in the story (more details in the next batch of pre-story choices), but will not be an Angel.
️ - Jessamine Laura Goodall. Seth’s older sister, by about twelve seconds. Thoughtful and withdrawn; a little socially anxious and kind of a bookworm due to an extended illness and quarantine when she was little. Due to required classes for all young girls in the city, she is skilled in reading, writing, math, and other mental arts. Innately talented with magic themed around light and illumination, though she doesn’t know this yet. [Jessamine would make an excellent Angel focused around magic and investigation, though her combat ability will suffer.]
- Seth Ivan Goodall. Jessamine’s younger brother, by about twelve seconds. Dedicated but friendly; strongly protective of Jessamine (partially due to her illness) and, to a lesser extent, other young people generally. Due to required classes for all young boys in the city, he is skilled in basic combat, manual trades, and other physical arts. Is particularly compatible with Angelic physical changes, though he doesn’t know this yet. [Seth would make an excellent Angel focused around combat and conversation, though his magical aptitude will suffer.]
️ - Jessamine Laura Goodall. Seth’s older sister, by about twelve seconds. Thoughtful and withdrawn; a little socially anxious and kind of a bookworm due to an extended illness and quarantine when she was little. Due to required classes for all young girls in the city, she is skilled in reading, writing, math, and other mental arts. Innately talented with magic themed around light and illumination, though she doesn’t know this yet. [Jessamine would make an excellent Angel focused around magic and investigation, though her combat ability will suffer.]
- Seth Ivan Goodall. Jessamine’s younger brother, by about twelve seconds. Dedicated but friendly; strongly protective of Jessamine (partially due to her illness) and, to a lesser extent, other young people generally. Due to required classes for all young boys in the city, he is skilled in basic combat, manual trades, and other physical arts. Is particularly compatible with Angelic physical changes, though he doesn’t know this yet. [Seth would make an excellent Angel focused around combat and conversation, though his magical aptitude will suffer.]
And what perspective shall be primarily used?
1️⃣ - First person (past tense). “God answered my pleas. My Calling was to be an Angel.”
2️⃣ - Second person (present tense). “God answers your pleas. Your Calling is to be an Angel.”
[If you really want third person, we can talk, but I think first or second will work better in this style of story.]
(Winners: ️ , 2️⃣ )
️ , 2️⃣ ) 6 1
3
4@Story Notifications
Man, it’s a good thing you folks picked Jessamine, because I had already guessed you would and put her on the cover drawing. And boy did I not want to redo all that work with Seth instead. I think he will probably do better than Jessamine (with his personality and skills) as a non-Angel as well, so it probably all works out. Anyway, let’s determine a few more details.
Seth will not become an Angel. So what will he become?
- A constable, detective, or other cop keeping people safe within the city.
- A soldier, driver, or other operator working in the wastes outside the city walls.
- A government inspector, enforcer, or other agent brushing shoulders with politicians.
✝️ - An acolyte, deacon, or other member of the clergy helping to maintain the city’s faith.
What is the city’s primary power source? The two options are fairly similar; the main differences are whether cars and electricity exist. In either case, there will be some magical augmentation, but not for ordinary citizens.
️ - Coal-fired steam. Automobiles do not yet exist; carriages and steam locomotives move people and goods. Electricity is unknown, but networks of steam pipes transport power, of a sort, regardless.
- Oil-based products; gas, diesel, and the like. Early automobiles putter around the streets. Generators belch smoke into the air and electrical wires begin to appear around buildings.
(Winners: , ️ )
- A constable, detective, or other cop keeping people safe within the city.
- A soldier, driver, or other operator working in the wastes outside the city walls.
- A government inspector, enforcer, or other agent brushing shoulders with politicians.
✝️ - An acolyte, deacon, or other member of the clergy helping to maintain the city’s faith.
What is the city’s primary power source? The two options are fairly similar; the main differences are whether cars and electricity exist. In either case, there will be some magical augmentation, but not for ordinary citizens.
️ - Coal-fired steam. Automobiles do not yet exist; carriages and steam locomotives move people and goods. Electricity is unknown, but networks of steam pipes transport power, of a sort, regardless.
- Oil-based products; gas, diesel, and the like. Early automobiles putter around the streets. Generators belch smoke into the air and electrical wires begin to appear around buildings.
(Winners: , ️ ) 1 7 2
1 6 3@Story Notifications
Angels of Nucarreo
An older voice; Father Turner. “Jessamine, are you alright? Please leave the Calling chamber. We can discuss your results after the ceremony.”
You almost shudder at his concern, but try to shake off your growing anxiety. Maybe this is just how it works if you weren’t judged worthy to Ascend. Maybe you’re the only one who would overthink it so badly and everyone else just left like normal. That wouldn’t be too bad, right?
You take a deep breath, then walk over to the door.
And open it.
Brilliant white light washes over Seth and Father Turner, spilling out and illuminating the church proper. A gasp rises from many throats; your brother and the priest step back, shielding their eyes. From you. The light is coming from you.
You hold up your arms in wonder, staring at the dazzling glow. Father Turner shouts to an acolyte, but the younger man is already moving, running to the heavy rope behind the pulpit that leads to the church’s roof. In moments, the enormous brass bell begins to toll, signaling that the most momentous of events has come to pass. It tolls for you!
“Jessamine, congratulations; oh congratulations!” Father Turner is saying, tears in his eyes. “You have been chosen for the Lord’s greatest honor. You will Ascend to join the Cathedra as an Angel.”
As the other nearby churches begin to ring their own bells, spreading news of your Ascension throughout the city; as Seth and your parents rush to you in astonishment; as the assembled congregation breaks out into shouted celebration and fragments of song; as the world goes to chaos around you, all you can do is stand rooted in place, bewildered by your own steadily-dimming glow.
God answered your pleas. Your Calling is to be an Angel.
- Your parents are overjoyed.
- Your parents are happy, but it’s bittersweet.
- Seth is thrilled for you.
- Seth is worried about you.
(Winners: , )
- Your parents are overjoyed.
- Your parents are happy, but it’s bittersweet.
- Seth is thrilled for you.
- Seth is worried about you.
(Winners: , ) 2 4 4 2@Story Notifications
Scene 1
Your first duty as an Angel, Father Turner says once things start to calm down, is not to leave the church. You and your family - once Seth has gone through his Calling as well and come out without a blast of holy light - are sent to sit in one of the back offices to wait for someone as the priest finishes the ceremony. One of the church’s two deacons and the acolyte from earlier wait just outside the doorway, polite and pleasant... but very clear that you are not to go anywhere for the time being.
It doesn’t take long at all for the “someone” to show up; you’ve hardly had a chance to say anything to your parents before an older man in the signature blue-striped coat of a bishop arrives, converses briefly with the deacon in a low voice, then enters the room. He has to shield his eyes from your glow as he comes in; it’s dimmed a little, but it’s still far too bright to be comfortable.
“Good morning,” he says, making the sign of the matan and bowing to you. His voice is a little unsteady, as if he’s out of breath. “New Angel Jessamine Laura Goodall, correct?”
You open your mouth, but your mom answers first. “That’s right.”
“Good, good.” The bishop taps his satchel as he continues. “My name is Bishop Ashel Spencer; I’m here to get all the paperwork settled before your daughter’s official initiation. With Angels, we need to get started right away, so if you two wouldn’t mind following me to fill out some forms?”
Your parents stand at the bishop’s gesture, though your dad puts a hand on your shoulder and doesn’t step forward. “Will Jessamine be coming along?”
“Okay, okay!” You lean closer and lower your voice, not wanting the deacon to overhear. “I didn’t feel anything. I just went in, sat down, and nothing happened at all. That’s why it took so long; I was just sitting there thinking it didn’t work! Then, well, you know.”
“N-nothing? Really?”
“Keep your voice down!” you hiss, glancing at the door. The acolyte scratches his nose absently. “I don’t know if that’s normal or something weird, and I really don’t want anyone to...”
“What are they going to do? You’re literally glowing! Of course it worked!”
“I - I mean, yeah, but...” You can feel your face heating up; the glow brightens.
Seth nudges you again, laughing. “Same ol’ Jess. Some people talk about how Angels are all different from the people they used to be and I was worried for a bit, but you’re still the same!”
“Y-yeah.” You try to dampen the glow, but don’t know how. The room continues to be about three times brighter than it needs to be.
“But seriously,” Seth says, nudging your shoulder for the third time. “I’m really happy for you. I think you’re gonna be a great Angel, and I’m gonna make sure I can help!”
That big dumb grin is back and bigger than ever; you have to smile back. All you can say is “Thanks,” but that’s okay. He knows what you mean.
- You have to leave before Father Turner comes back.
- Father Turner has time to talk to you briefly before you leave.
- Father Turner will be accompanying you to the Cathedra.
(Winner: )
- You have to leave before Father Turner comes back.
- Father Turner has time to talk to you briefly before you leave.
- Father Turner will be accompanying you to the Cathedra.
(Winner: ) 1 1 7@Story Notifications
Scene 2
After a while, Bishop Spencer comes back with your parents. “I will return with Father Turner once his part in the Calling ceremony is complete, as it is tradition for the uplifting priest to accompany new Angels to their initiation.” Then, for the first time, he actually addresses you directly. “Angel, you will leave for the Cathedra once we return. Please say your farewells and prepare to depart before then.”
He nods to you briefly, then turns and leaves.
A few seconds pass. You have a question. “Wait, now? I thought - maybe tomorrow, or... How long am I going to be gone? Do I get to visit, at least?”
The bishop has left, but your dad knows. “... Yes, now. You’re important now, Jessamine, dreadfully so. The Cathedra wants to start your training immediately.” A beat; you feel your mom stroke your hair just like she did years ago when you were little. “You’ll be able to visit for holidays, but I’m afraid that’s it.”
Mom is crying. Dad is trying to hide it, but he is too. Just a little. You trade worried looks with Seth, the mood taking an abrupt turn. “I-it’s okay,” you say, trying to be reassuring while also remembering the next holiday. “Founding Day isn’t that far away.”
“It’s not just that,” your mom says, recovering somewhat. “These are happy tears too, sweetie. You - an Angel - I just can’t believe it... Please, work hard and be happy... but stay safe.”
“Jess isn’t gonna get hurt again!” Seth chimes in. “She’s sick-proof and really tough now; no more doctors or anything!”
You try to look tough. Your parents chuckle a little, but dad elaborates. “Just be careful, kiddo. You are going to be really tough, but they’re going to give you tough jobs because of it. I know you’re more than capable; just please promise you won’t ever get overconfident, okay?”
“Okay, dad. I’ll be careful; promise.”
He lets out a breath. “Good. You’ll do great. I know you will.”
The train sways as you switch tracks just outside the station. The locomotive speeds up; soon, you’ll be rocketing down the rails more than twenty times faster than the carriage. You’ve only taken the train a few times in your life, and never in such comfort.
- “A little overwhelmed.”
- “A little excited.”
- “A little sad.”
- Ask about Blessings.
- Ask about the shouting guy.
- Ask about the soldiers.
️ - Ask what happens next.
- Let Father Turner guide the conversation.
[Or something else; specify in #story_discussion ]
(Winners: , ️ > > = )
- “A little overwhelmed.”
- “A little excited.”
- “A little sad.”
- Ask about Blessings.
- Ask about the shouting guy.
- Ask about the soldiers.
️ - Ask what happens next.
- Let Father Turner guide the conversation.
[Or something else; specify in #story_discussion ]
(Winners: , ️ > > = ) 
6 1 1 2 2 3 4 1@Story Notifications
Scene 3
“A little overwhelmed,” you admit. “It’s only been... an hour?”
He chuckles gently. “I understand. It’s my first time helping anyone to Ascend as well, though my part is much less stressful than yours.” A pause; he glances at something out the window as the train continues to accelerate. “Take some time to relax here. Nothing is expected of you until we arrive in twenty or so minutes.”
You try to take his advice, settling back into the deep, plush seat. The car rattles as you pick up speed, but somehow the vibrations aren’t transferred to the chair. At least, not enough to be uncomfortable. It’s a very pleasant ride, really, and you can see out over the city in a way you’ve rarely been able to.
The fog is omnipresent, of course, blanketing every building and limiting your view to only a few blocks. You’ve heard that there used to be less of it, and that there are some places in the wastelands that don’t have any at all, but to you, it’s just a fact of life. Air just looks like that.
But what you can see still looks different from above. Smoke-stained chimneys, discolored rainwater tracks on roofs and taller walls, and the bulky steel rail infrastructure supporting your heavy train. You’re heading towards the center of the city - the Cathedra itself - so new construction grows more common as you travel. As the population grows amidst limited space, architects are building up rather than out, letting older buildings rot abandoned while converting stable foundations into tall apartment blocks reaching nearly a dozen stories high. A dozen! So tall the skeletal steel frames tower over even the elevated tracks you’re riding on right now.
True to the priest’s word, the Cathedra campus gates rise only a short walk across the street outside the station. You and the two ministers go first, nodded through by a pair of armored guards, but the rest of your group of clergy have to produce regular identification documents. Presumably another benefit to your still-dimming glow. Maybe by tomorrow morning it’ll be gone entirely. Discreetly, you try again, but you still can’t control it; you don’t even know how you would.
“The Lordstone Cathedral is just ahead and to the right,” Father Turner tells you, walking slightly behind the bishop. “You can have a few minutes to prepare to meet the Emissary, if you want, or we can go in right away. I wouldn’t worry about him either way; he’s a perfectly reasonable man.”
- Take a few minutes first.
- Just go right in.
- Your confirmation is perfectly normal, just like Father Turner said.
❓ - The Emissary finds something... odd about you. [This isn’t exactly a branch point, but it may make certain things more difficult later on.]
(Winners: a tie between and , )
- Take a few minutes first.
- Just go right in.
- Your confirmation is perfectly normal, just like Father Turner said.
❓ - The Emissary finds something... odd about you. [This isn’t exactly a branch point, but it may make certain things more difficult later on.]
(Winners: a tie between and , ) 4 4 6
2@Story Notifications
Scene 4
“Er... I’ll, um...” You can’t decide if it’s better to have extra time to prepare (but extra time to worry), or if it’s better to just get it over with. “...”
“Let’s take a few minutes, shall we?” Father Turner suggests after several seconds of silence. You nod in agreement, not entirely sure why you’re so nervous. Everyone’s telling you it’ll be fine, right?
Bishop Spencer enters the cathedral to inform the clergy there, so you and Father Turner sit down on an ancient stone bench in a secluded little garden just to the side. Thick, woody vines or roots climb its legs, carving smooth channels in the stone. Someone has trimmed away anything that would cross the top, though, keeping it clear.
“Water?” the priest offers, producing a cup from somewhere you didn’t see. “Acolytes at the cathedral gave it to me.”
You hadn’t noticed, but your throat is dry. You accept the cup, feeling your glow strengthen just a little as you drink. Wait... feel? What did it feel like? You close your eyes and try to focus, but can’t get a grip on the glow anymore; you’re not sure. A fat, fuzzy bee drifts sedately from flower to flower on the other side of the garden and you let your attention be pulled away by it instead.
“There are a lot of gardens here,” you say thoughtfully, watching the bee. “Why? The rest of the city doesn’t have this many.”
“In brief, because plants are expensive to maintain,” he answers. “The Cathedra can afford to hire a large number of groundskeepers, but extending efforts like that to the rest of the city would be very difficult. Most of the city’s budget for greenery goes to the outer farms, since they provide food at scale. Smaller parks like this just can’t do that.”
“But those look like fruits over there,” you say, pointing. “Isn’t that food?”
You’re not sure what to say, so you just bow. The bishop leaves. The strange-robed woman arrives, bowing to you in turn. “Well met, new Angel,” she says, then makes the sign of the matan to Father Turner. “And you as well, Father.”
“Sister.” He returns the sign. “Jessamine, this is Sister - apologies, I don’t believe we’ve met before?”
“Veriline Noll, Father. I don’t believe we have.”
“Glad my memory isn’t failing me. Sister Noll, then. She will help you get settled in and prepared for the start of your training tomorrow, as well as a number of other things she is much more qualified to explain than I am.”
“Are you leaving too?”
“I must get back to my church, unfortunately. We ordinary priests don’t visit the Grand Cathedra for long.”
“Ah.” It makes sense, of course. Father Turner has other duties to attend to; he can’t be shepherding you around all day. But still, with him gone, that will leave you all alone in this vast, confusing place, without a single person you know. “Well, er, goodbye, then.”
Another kindly smile. He crouches a little to be more on your eye level. “Good luck, Angel. Though I’m sure you’ll hardly need it.”
You don’t know what to say, so you just go with “... Thanks.”
And off he goes. You’re left alone with Sister Noll on the worn path just outside of the Lordstone Cathedral. Your new life begins tomorrow, and you only have the rest of the day to prepare for it. That being the case, you feel...
- Drained.
- Nervous.
- Curious.
- Excited.
(Winners: > > )
- Drained.
- Nervous.
- Curious.
- Excited.
(Winners: > > ) 2 3 6 1@Story Notifications
Scene 5
... curious, mostly. The bulk of your anxiety seems to have passed with the initiation ceremony, and after a few minutes of walking, the strange exhaustion from before mostly fades as well. So now it’s time to take in as much information as you can so you don’t make a fool of yourself tomorrow.
Your first stop is the two-story wooden general services building tucked away behind a copse of evergreens near the middle of the Cathedra campus. This is apparently where the mundane tasks required to support the campus are completed, such as food preparation, laundry, and - relevant to you right now - measuring for your new uniforms. This goes relatively quickly and you’re out the door again before too long - someone will deliver your outfits before you need them in the morning. You hardly spoke to the workers inside; you were just too nervous about their obvious deference to say anything.
“Er, Mi - Sister Noll, is everyone like that around Angels? Even here?”
She glances back at the building, hidden behind its barrier of trees. “No, not everyone. Even among the support staff, you’ll find people willing to speak up and treat you like a human rather than a divine being - if that’s what you want, of course. Many Angels prefer it the other way, which is why it’s usually safer for the staff to assume excessive respect until they know what your specific preferences are.”
“... Safer?”
“As an Angel, your word now carries immense weight. If you were displeased, you could request any of the staff you just met to be dismissed simply by speaking to a brother or sister such as myself. With even a trivial grievance, your request would likely be granted.”
“But... no one would do that, right? You don’t get to be an Angel unless you’re...” You trail off as Sister Noll shakes her head slowly.
You look back towards the sandy field, taking in the unbelievably quick jolts of frenetic energy, followed by graceful dodges and sweeping blows. Melodious chimes echo with each clash of the swords, sounding more like bells than the much less pleasant sound of steel on steel that regular blades make. You’ve never seen a fight like this - though you’ve never really seen a fight at all. Unless Seth standing up for you in the school yard counts.
“Hey, you want to go meet them once they’re done? Typically you meet your fellow trainees first, but I don’t see why not; they won’t hassle you.”
You almost panic at the thought of approaching these two perfect, holy people... but, well, you’re one of them too. Sort of. Maybe... no; you’d just bother them. Plus, what would you even say? But...
- Go meet the adult Angels.
- Stick to the plan; meet your fellow trainees first.
(Winner: )
- Go meet the adult Angels.
- Stick to the plan; meet your fellow trainees first.
(Winner: ) 2 5@Story Notifications
Scene 6
“N-no, that’s okay. I don’t want to bother them.”
“Oh, no, it wouldn’t be - ah, right. No problem; let’s just carry on.” She starts to lead you towards another nearby building, this one seemingly a converted cathedral with several modern additions and extra towers bolted onto it. “This is Illim Hall; can you guess what it’s named after?”
“A master of the Soul?”
“Got it in one. Archangel Ananiah Illim, inventor of the modern Blessing. She experimented with Soul manipulation to such a degree that some in the Cathedra dubbed her a heretic and called for her expulsion or execution, but the Emissary at the time didn’t agree. History seems to have taken her side, given the giant building named after her.”
“Soul manipulation...” you whisper. You almost agree with the detractors; it seems almost heretical to think about. The Soul is your divine, immutable, true self. To... manipulate it just feels... unholy.
“Don’t worry; you’ll learn more about it. Souls are an aspect of the self, just as Body and Mind. It’s not an inherently bad thing to change them or channel energy into someone else’s Soul - that’s how Blessings work and how Angels can cleanse corruption.” Her expression hardens a little, glancing up to a sculpture above the main entrance that depicts an Angelic woman with long, flowing hair. “Just know that there are some boundaries that must not be crossed when touching others’ Souls. You will learn where to stop. And if you don’t...”
There’s a very long pause. You almost say something, but something about her tone stops you.
“There are very few crimes that always result in execution. Purposeful damage or destruction of human Souls is one of them. But don’t worry; you won’t be at any risk as long as you follow the guidelines for how to handle your powers safely. And just remember what you’re touching when you Bless someone: the Soul is a person’s innermost self. Be respectful.”
“...”
“Or am I mistaken? Surely I haven’t forgotten any of the existing trainees...”
He almost seems to doubt himself. You’d better say something quick.
- You successfully recover and introduce yourself properly.
- You screw up your introduction and look like a dork - at least, to yourself.
(Winner: )
- You successfully recover and introduce yourself properly.
- You screw up your introduction and look like a dork - at least, to yourself.
(Winner: ) 2 5@Story Notifications
Scene 7
“Er - y-yes, I am!”
Yara’s eyes widen. “Really? You’re one of the existing - I can’t believe - I’m so sorry; what’s your name again?”
“No - no, I - my name’s Jessamine Goodall, but I - no, I meant ‘yes, I’m new’ - not...” You kind of trail off, covering your face and feeling a strong blush rise.
“Oh! Goodness, my apologies again. I suppose this is what I get for spending so much time in books; I forget how to listen properly.”
“Sorry...” you mutter.
“No, no; not your fault! These things happen!”
“...”
He stands there for a few moments; you slowly recover and look up again.
“So, Jessamine was it? Pleased to meet you.” He starts picking up some of the blankets on the floor, returning them to the chair. You’re not sure what to do with yourself, so you gather a few as well just to not be standing there awkwardly. “Ah, thanks. This is your first day, right?”
“... Yeah.”
“How’d you like the Emissary? Spookiest grandfather you’ll ever see?”
“...”
“No comment? I suppose you’ve been through quite a lot today as it is; perhaps I should shut my mouth and let you continue up to your room.”
“N-no, it’s okay...” You quite would like to go upstairs at this point, but you don’t want to be rude by suggesting he was bothering you. It seems he’s trying to be friendly, at least.
“Ah, I know that tone. No worries; I’ll be on my way shortly. It’s about time to return to work anyway.” Yara lowers his voice a little, as if he’s sharing some secret with you. “I’ve been putting off an essay for Brother Trigg by sitting around down here.”
You blink, suddenly curious again. “An essay? Like... homework?”
“Seems unbelievable, doesn’t it? Future divine guardians of Nucarreo, stuck writing papers about political turmoil in the fifth century? Ah well, it was my choice to take his course anyway; it’s worth the politics to learn about the corruption.”
“The corruption,” you repeat, cautiously enthusiastic. “We get to learn what it is?”
“That’s the spirit!” Yara glances up at a clock on the opposite wall and leaps to his feet again. “Good heavens it’s later than I thought. It has been very lovely meeting you, Jessamine, and I truly hope my terrible explanation hasn’t worried you overmuch. Please make sure you pay attention to Brother Trigg’s actually good explanation when the time comes.”
“O-okay.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow with everyone else!”
He’s gone.
You’re not sure what to make of all that, so you quickly rush into the stairwell and head to the third floor before anyone else can show up and start a conversation. It’s fully dark outside now and fog presses up against the windows with hazy tendrils, seeking the building’s light and warmth. Thankfully, no one else appears before you make it to room 302 and let yourself in.
Close the door.
Fall down against it, exhausted. Not physically, just socially. Even at school, you don’t think you’ve ever talked so much to anyone outside of your family in a single day.
It’s late, but not that late; you’ve still got time in the evening. Still, you’ve got to be up and ready to go early tomorrow morning. With that in mind, you...
- Properly investigate your room and explore a little.
- Locate as few essentials as possible, then just go to bed.
(Winner: )
- Properly investigate your room and explore a little.
- Locate as few essentials as possible, then just go to bed.
(Winner: ) 6 2@Story Notifications
Scene 8
Take just a few moments to lean against the door, then push yourself upright again and go investigate your new room.
It’s big. Your house - you suppose you should call it your parents’ house now - is larger, but only because it has a second floor. Here, all this space is just for you.
There’s a narrow hallway from the main entrance to an open area near the exterior windows. Some dark wood cubbies and hooks along the passage’s right wall seem to be for coats or shoes or the like, and some decorations hung on the left wall depict the matan as well as some other, more abstract designs. You peer up at one of the most complicated ones - it seems to contain the matan near the center, but the geometry around the edges escapes your description. You’re not sure what it is, or what it might mean.
Because you might as well make use of the cubbies, you store your shoes and light coat (Sister Noll gave it to you, as it was a breezy day and your tunic doesn’t even have sleeves) before continuing down the hall to reach the main room. There’s a sofa along the left wall - you had seen it from the entrance - as well as a low table in front of it and a desk plus chair along the right wall. A set of dark wood cabinets stands along the inner wall next to a matching door that you’ll check out shortly. The outer wall is mostly window; you peek under the curtains to look outside, but there’s not much to see in the foggy darkness. You’ll check again in the morning.
The door opener is a girl around your age, with longer brown hair compared to your shorter blonde, wearing similar white clothes to you and emitting a similar soft glow - only noticeable due to the dim light. (Was Yara glowing? You didn’t notice, but it had been brighter downstairs.) Observantly, you notice that she’s not wearing the uniform; just clothes with a similar color scheme. Still, she’s obviously an Angel - even without the glow, she’s far too pretty to be fully human. You briefly wonder when that will happen to you, but set that thought aside for the moment.
“... Ah, you wouldn’t happen to be... J-Jessamine?”
You’re not sure which of you is more nervous now. “Yes?”
“Ah, good. Yara told me about you, a little.”
“... I thought he had to go write a paper.”
“He did!”
“...”
You’re pretty sure she’s more nervous than you, at this point. You’d better put your “excellent” social skills to use before things get even more awkward.
- Use Yara as a pivot point to continue the conversation and get to know whoever this is.
- Clearly she had something else to do as she was surprised to see you; pretend you do too so you can both leave with a minimum of awkwardness.
- Screw up whatever you were going to say and look like a dork again. Maybe that’ll make her more comfortable...?
(Winners: > )
- Use Yara as a pivot point to continue the conversation and get to know whoever this is.
- Clearly she had something else to do as she was surprised to see you; pretend you do too so you can both leave with a minimum of awkwardness.
- Screw up whatever you were going to say and look like a dork again. Maybe that’ll make her more comfortable...?
(Winners: > ) 5 1 3@Story Notifications
Scene 9
“W-well, sorry to bother you I’ll just be on my-”
“Er, hang on; you know Yara? Does that mean you’re a trainee too?”
“Well, h-he knows lots of people, but... yes.” She takes a breath; thankfully you don’t have to say anything else before she continues. “I’m, uh, Serri Ambrose. The newest Angel - well, second newest now.”
“Ah!” You remember the news, though not the name; a whole season ago now. No wonder she looks so young; she’s only a few months older than you. “November, right?”
A nod. She’s standing there as awkwardly as you must have been in the room downstairs just a little while ago. If only you knew how to break the ice, like Yara had done (perhaps accidentally?) by mentioning his paper. You don’t have any homework to put off at the moment, unfortunately.
“S-sorry; I just got back and then I ran into Yara, so now I’m really late and I really need to get some food...” Serri takes a cautious step towards the stairwell, as if you’re going to jump out and stop her.
Oh, that reminds you. “Actually, where do we eat?” you wonder aloud. “During the tour, it was just in the gardens, but I don’t know where she... um, would you mind showing me?”
“Er-”
“O-oh, sorry; I didn’t mean to be... If you don’t want to, that’s totally fine; I can find out in the morning.”
“No, that’s okay. It’s just downstairs...”
“Really? I must have really not been paying attention.”
You follow Serri into the stairwell and start walking to the first floor. More questions come to mind and, despite your best efforts, you can’t stop yourself from asking. Maybe you spent all your willpower earlier. “What were you doing that meant you just got back? Does training go that late?”
“...” She looks down at the steps, though that could be just to avoid tripping. “Not usually. I was just... I’m trying to get... better. Before Brother Cobb’s magic course starts.”
- You wake up refreshed and ready to go.
- You wake up exhausted, unable to sleep well.
⏩ - Start to speed things up. [Skips through your first day and instead begins the segment I will lovingly call the training montage. We’ll still do some montaging later even if you don’t pick this; this choice is just if you’re getting impatient.]
(Winner: ) 6 1
1@Story Notifications
Scene 10
You thought being your own nightlight might cause some trouble falling asleep, but it’s dim enough not to bother you with the covers muffling your glow. No dreams disturb you either and - after a brief moment of confusion in the morning before you remember where you are and why you’re not at home - you wake up rested and brimming with energy.
Your face looks slightly strange in the mirror; you briefly wonder if you’re already changing to look more divine, but manage to convince yourself it’s still just the glow making the shadows weird. It hasn’t dimmed much at all overnight, but at least it’s only barely visible in the window’s foggy sunlight. Under mechanical lights, though, it’s pretty obvious.
The cafe is much more obvious this morning and you have to try not to stare at all the Angels while you pick your way through the crowd to get some breakfast. You’ve never seen so many in one place. Then again, you had hardly seen any at all before coming here. There are a few Angels who look younger than the rest, closer to your age. Presumably these are your fellow trainees, but no one seems particularly interested in talking to you at the moment. Maybe you just blend in.
“Oh, Jessamine, there you are.”
You spin around to spot Yara, now in his uniform and looking much more put-together than last night. Well, at least until he yawns deeply and lightly slaps his face to wake up more.
“... Up too late?” you ask.
“Brother Trigg had better be happy. You’re looking chipper, at least.”
“Sort of. I’m still a little nervous.”
“Ah, be excited! Today, you get to learn some of the most thrilling secrets that will shape the rest of your life!”
You pause, looking up from your browsing as he grabs a can of something from the shelf. “... What sort of things?”
“Oh, yes. This is the last day of match-ups between the older trainees. It’s a learning experience, yes, but it’s also a spectacle. You must have seen the sparring grounds by Forger Hall; the bout will be won and lost there. Anyone in the Cathedra can watch these more public displays.”
“... S-sure.”
“Excellent! It’ll be sometime this afternoon; I’ll try to let you know when later. Anyway, we should probably get going soon; it won’t do to have you late for your first day!”
He’s right. You finish up breakfast and head out with Yara to Oth Hall. It’s a mild, sunny day and the fog is light; you can almost make out the orb itself through the hazy grey ceiling. Of course, now you’ve got a bluish afterimage to blink away. Whoops.
... Soul transmutation. Yara brushed it off, but Etalyn clearly wasn’t happy. You instinctively go to ask him about it, but pause. Transmuting the Soul. The immutable, un-transmutable self. That’s... what the corruption does, according to what Yara told you yesterday. Should you really bring it up again? Is he going to give you a straight answer or just get annoyed? Etalyn’s a trainee too - albeit an intimidating one - maybe you could ask her instead? Or...
- Ask Yara about Soul transmutation (now).
- Ask Etalyn about Soul transmutation (later).
❓ - Ask someone else (specify in #story_discussion).
- Investigate on your own (later).
(Winner: )
- Ask Yara about Soul transmutation (now).
- Ask Etalyn about Soul transmutation (later).
❓ - Ask someone else (specify in #story_discussion).
- Investigate on your own (later).
(Winner: ) 1 1 1 7@Story Notifications
Scene 11
... Maybe you shouldn’t ask anyone, at least not yet. You’ve only been here for less than a day and you’ve already gotten conflicting information and opinions from just about everyone you’ve met. Maybe you should try to find something a little more objective first? Speaking of...
“Er, Yara, is there a library around here? I just noticed a lot of books and was wondering where everyone was getting them...”
“Ah, taking an interest in additional knowledge so quickly! Yes, it’s situated within Oth Hall, deep inside the horrifying, madness-inducing confines of... well, the first floor. And some portions of the basement, but they don’t let just anyone down there.”
“... Madness-inducing?”
“I don’t like the floor plan.”
“Well, um, can I just go in and... get whatever I want?”
“Of course! As Angels, we must be educated on every imaginable matter of magic, combat, policy, the natural world; the list goes on! You are allowed to borrow whatever you need (except for things in the basement) just by virtue of your title. There’s hardly a greater repository of knowledge in all the city.”
“You keep mentioning the basement; what’s... down there?”
“Oh, nothing much. Just some particularly exciting tomes that are restricted to those who specifically ‘need’ them for ‘research’ or similar reasons.”
“... You aren’t allowed to get something from there that you want.”
“Very perceptive, you are,” he says dryly. “Yes, the monks keep telling me that a mere trainee shouldn’t yet be concerned with certain aspects of magic, and I haven’t yet gotten anyone to sign off on a research proposal. Infuriating how even here, so much information is kept hidden away in secret vaults.”
There are monks everywhere, though most are wearing a lighter grey robe than Brother Cobb’s. Occasional priests and even less common Angels are visible as well, most acknowledging you politely as you pass. It’s a little unclear what all these people are doing with their armfuls of books and strange cases wrapped in glyph-marked sheets, but you’re not sure you want to ask Brother Cobb. He’s seemed fairly easy to annoy so far, given his responses to the other Angels’ behavior, and it seems you’re going to be with him for a while.
❓ - Ask. What’s the harm?
- File it in the “for later investigation” bin.
(Winner: ❓ )
- File it in the “for later investigation” bin.
(Winner: ❓ ) 4 3@Story Notifications
Scene 12
On second thought, he’s been pleasant enough to you so far, and it’s not like there’s anything secret about these people walking about in public. “Er, Brother Cobb, what are those people doing with the... cases?”
He half-turns, but doesn’t slow. “Research, young Angel. Tell me, what is a Mind?”
“Um...” You hesitate, trying to come up with something brief but useful. Ah, the church’s definition? “It’s the connection between your Soul and your Body.”
“A reasonable answer, but incomplete. Tell me, do animals have Souls?”
“... No?” That’s one of the church’s foremost teachings. Humankind is unique among all life on the planet in possessing Souls; they are what separate people from beasts.
“But they do have Minds. How would a chicken or a dog recognize their human master without one? But without a Soul, there is nothing for the Mind to link to the Body. So your definition needs some revision; try again.”
“...” It’s hard to come up with anything while you’re still walking, and relatively quickly to keep up with the taller monk’s strides! “Um, a Mind is what tells the Body what to do?”
Brother Cobb seems pleased; his tone changes slightly. “Better. The Mind, as best we can tell, is the aspect of the self that stores memories and personality, and the aspect that directs the Body’s conscious actions. If a being possesses a Soul, such as a human, the Mind links Body and Soul in order to channel one’s true self into their everyday actions, filtered through the lens of their personality and experience. For those with no Soul, the Mind still performs this task - merely without a higher authority to guide its decisions. Yes?”
“Y-yes.”
“So, what are these researchers studying? They are studying the Mind.”
He seems to consider the question answered, but you’re still curious about the cases. Hesitantly, you-
“Let us move on. There are a few required courses in the fundamentals, but you are able to select some that match your own interests. Take your time; is there anything here that you would like to learn about?”
[Would you like to sign up for the basic magic course starting in June?]
- Yeah, obviously!
- Maybe you should wait...
[Choose other focus area(s). If you take the basic magic course, only the top result here will be chosen. Otherwise, the top two will.]
️ - Swordplay and other melee combat.
- Archery, firearms; other ranged combat.
- History and the corruption.
- Subtlety, observation, disguise. That sort of thing.
️ - The wastelands, geography, and archeology.
️ - Engineering, machinery; the built world.
- Politics, charm, and properly representing the Cathedra.
❓ - Or something else! (Specify in #story_discussion )
(Winners: , )
- Yeah, obviously!
- Maybe you should wait...
[Choose other focus area(s). If you take the basic magic course, only the top result here will be chosen. Otherwise, the top two will.]
️ - Swordplay and other melee combat.
- Archery, firearms; other ranged combat.
- History and the corruption.
- Subtlety, observation, disguise. That sort of thing.
️ - The wastelands, geography, and archeology.
️ - Engineering, machinery; the built world.
- Politics, charm, and properly representing the Cathedra.
❓ - Or something else! (Specify in #story_discussion )
(Winners: , ) 7 1 1 2 6 1 4 4 1 1@Story Notifications
Scene 13
There’s a lot you’d like to learn about, but unfortunately there’s only one slot to fill. Well, there were two, but of course you signed up for the basic magic course immediately. So, one.
Still, after sorting through the descriptions for all the available courses, you end up picking history for... pretty much the same reasons as Yara told you he had. Brother Trigg’s description promises not only information on Nucarreo’s founding through the present day, but also how the corruption started and what happened to get to today’s relatively stable state. Given all the conflicting information around it, you’re hopeful to get a fuller understanding. Brother Cobb seems to approve.
Then, after your schedule is settled, you... go back to school. Well, sort of. It’s more like tutoring than a traditional classroom - one monk instructs either just you or a small group of trainee Angels. Aside from that, it’s basically the same mundane subjects you were learning just a few days ago. You suppose it’s probably good to make sure you still get an ordinary education too, but it’s hard to be excited about ratios and equations when you could be studying magic or the corruption.
You learn that Oth Hall has a cafe too - most of the main buildings seem to have one - and sit down for lunch amidst a number of monks, regular staff, and other Angels. Despite your best efforts to look friendly (or at least unintimidating), the staff keep their distance. Most of the monks do the same, though more out of deference than concern; these seem to be mostly the lighter-robed researchers rather than the seemingly more important dark-robed instructors. The Angels, in contrast, are more intimidating to you than the other way around (presumably despite their own best efforts!), so you end up by yourself.
Well, you do for a few minutes, at least, until Serri shows up and quietly asks if she can join you. Of course you don’t mind and slide over a bit to make room.
You didn’t sign up for any of the optional combat courses, but it looks like you’ll be getting basic training in weaponry anyway. You’re presented with a heavy steel (real! sharp!) sword as soon as you enter the grounds for Body fundamentals at Forger Hall, and spend the next hour or so learning how to handle it without hurting yourself. You’re not very good at it, and despite your best efforts (and the training guard on the sharp edge) you do somehow manage to clobber yourself with the blade and walk away with a hefty bruise on one arm. Being an Angel does not automatically make you graceful and perfect, you repeat to yourself. No, clearly not. Ow. Your instructor says you should be pretty well healed by the morning, at least; your Angelic Body is really good at repairing itself.
- Well, that was a mess. You hardly got anything right.
- You did fine; you shouldn’t expect to be perfect on your first day.
- You’ll do better tomorrow, for sure!
(Winner: )
- Well, that was a mess. You hardly got anything right.
- You did fine; you shouldn’t expect to be perfect on your first day.
- You’ll do better tomorrow, for sure!
(Winner: ) 1 6 1@Story Notifications
Scene 14
Well, you did... okay, you think. Certainly not a prodigy, but you’re just starting out. No one can expect to be perfect right away.
You close your eyes for a moment, focusing on your glow again, and try to sense how it’s reacting to the bruise on your arm. There’s... something. Similar to what you felt earlier when you were eating? It’s like... agh, it slips away. You’re not sure, but you are definitely getting better at sensing like this. Maybe in a few more days you’ll even be able to describe what the sensation feels like!
Anyway, you’re done with training for the day and the afternoon bell should ring any minute now. The fog glimmers with yellow-orange light as the sun begins to set somewhere far above. You’ve got to get to Forger Hall if you want to see the match. The, uh, fight. That still makes you a little uncomfortable, but you suppose you had better get used to it. Serri’s right; the primary duty of you as an Angel is to fight against the darkness. You are a soldier now, or at least you will be.
... Kind of a sobering thought. That promise you gave the Emissary - to sacrifice your life for the Cathedra if need be - swims back to mind, but you push it away as best you can. Not something you want to think about right now. Luckily, you’ve got a distraction.
The sparring grounds aren’t packed, but there are a fair number of Angels and Cathedra staff present to watch. You quickly spot both Yara and Etalyn on the field itself; they’re standing with a tall Angel who seems to be doing something magical, based on the whirling of wind around the trio. You assume that must be the ward to make sure they don’t die.
“Pretty much, yeah. But I’m hearing all sorts of hype about Yara’s ‘secret technique’ today; you think he’s gonna pull it off? What do you think it is?”
“Erm, I’m not sure...” You don’t even know what his regular techniques are, let alone a secret one.
“Well, I think he’s gonna put up a great fight... but still lose. I just don’t see Etalyn letting him beat her on the last day, y’know? She’s just so competitive. Oh, but maybe that’s his plan; mind games to psych her out. They’ve got such a weird rivalry; those two.” A pause; she looks back at you. With somewhat of a start, you notice her eyes are just as red (orange? pink?) as her hair. Are those lenses? Or...? “Anyway, you think he’s gonna win?”
- Yara will win!
- Yara will lose.
️ - ... Also, why are your eyes red? How are your eyes red?
- Actually, better not ask.
(Winners: , ️ )
- Yara will win!
- Yara will lose.
️ - ... Also, why are your eyes red? How are your eyes red?
- Actually, better not ask.
(Winners: , ️ ) 2 4 4 2@Story Notifications
Scene 15
“Probably... not.” Everyone else seems to agree, and you really don’t know anything about how well either of them might do. Besides, it’s not like Yara can get upset about your lack of belief in him; he’s all the way over there. “Um, by the way, your eyes are...”
“Oh, this?” She points at her face and does a long blink; her eyes are now a much more natural shade of light green. “It’s just practice! I do it with my hair, too, but that’s also to annoy Brother Cobb.” Another brief gesture and her hair fades from bright red to just regular ginger. She pulls a section of it aside so you can get a good look, then concentrates and returns its fiery color, following up with her eyes a moment later.
“Wh - how... it’s magic, I think, but is that... permanent?”
“Sort of? Not really? I’m practicing internal Body transmutation, which is kind of advanced. It usually goes back to your natural form after a while, but if you keep at it, they say you can actually make permanent changes. I think I’m making progress on brightening up my hair, so I started working on my eyes too. It just takes a lot of patience; I’ve been doing this for a year already!”
“J-just to annoy Brother Cobb?”
“Hehe; no, silly. ‘Cause I like it! But annoying Cobb is a nice bonus; he’s so drab.” A pause, she considers something. “Also, ‘cause this kind of magic is how you get wings that-”
The afternoon bell rings. Clarity cuts herself off - “It’s starting!” - and hurriedly turns towards the field. You follow suit, ready to see what the fight will be about.
The tall Angel from before stands on the opposite side of the field from the crowd. Yara and Etalyn both stand in small marked circles a fair distance apart, warily facing each other. There’s a pause, then a whistle.
“Wow!” she exclaims, eyes sparkling with excitement. “That’s the closest he’s ever gotten! No wonder she’s so mad; she ‘died’ just a few seconds after he did! If he’d been able to hold out just a little longer with that sword fight, or maybe if he’d been a little quicker getting over there-” She shakes her head appreciatively. “I’m impressed; that’s one cool trick he pulled off.”
“Th-the second light was... er-”
“Yeah, that was her ward going off too. Means her injuries were bad enough the spell thought she might die if it didn’t do something, so it blew up and healed her just like Yara’s did. Maybe part of it was the fall from his explosion knocking her around, but it must sting to have been so close to losing. New experience for her, you know?”
“Y-yeah.”
“Hey, here comes your other buddy now. Serri, what’d you think?”
You glance out to the field again as Serri arrives from the other side of the crowd. Etalyn and Yara bow to each other under the tall Angel’s instruction, then start making their slow, difficult way off the tar field. He seems to be animatedly telling her something, and you can see her responding in some way even though she still looks quite angry. What is their “weird rivalry,” as Clarity put it?
[Not necessarily mutually exclusive. Pick as many as you’d like.]
✋ - You congratulate Yara on his narrow loss.
- You congratulate Etalyn on her narrow victory.
️ - You ask about the secret technique’s... well, technique.
- You’re still wondering about their relationship.
- You’re still a little preoccupied by the violence on display.
(Winners: > ✋ = > )
- You congratulate Etalyn on her narrow victory.
️ - You ask about the secret technique’s... well, technique.
- You’re still wondering about their relationship.
- You’re still a little preoccupied by the violence on display.
(Winners: > ✋ = > ) 
4 5 1
3 4@Story Notifications
Scene 16
“Really impressive,” Serri says quietly. “That was transmutation, right? So it must have been really hard.”
“Yeah, probably! Unless he figured out how to turn sand into gloop just by pushing energy into it, and something tells me he didn’t.”
They chat a little more about magical mechanics you don’t understand quite yet, so you just listen without saying anything. You’re good at that. After a bit, Yara and Etalyn show up too and he immediately joins the conversation.
“Ah, Jessamine, you did make it after all! Well, how did I do?”
“Er, I haven’t seen any other matches, but, uh, congratulations on your, um, almost-win?” Feeling like everyone’s been emphasizing Yara’s accomplishments without acknowledging Etalyn’s skill, you turn to her as well. “And... good job to you too, on, er, your actual win.”
She rolls her eyes, but nods anyway. Yara does a miniature bow. “Much appreciated. Any comments on my brand-new secret technique? Improvements?”
“Try not to hit the spectators next time,” Clarity offers, showing off her speckled sleeve. “But it was very exciting to see; I didn’t know you could do transmutation like that!”
“Ah ha! I’ve been branching out from my traditional projections for even greater flexibility! You see, it turns out that there’s actually very little manipulation needed to adjust the ‘stickiness’ of dust like this; I happened across a manuscript a while ago that...”
You kind of lose focus. On top of not really understanding the complicated terms he’s using, you keep finding yourself glancing at Etalyn’s side or Yara’s stomach where their uniforms are torn from blades. The skin beneath is perfectly intact, but the white fabric is stained with blood. Everyone seems so casual about it, so you’d feel weird bringing it up, but...
Etalyn waves a hand and you blink, snapping your gaze back to eye level again. “Hey, you okay, new kid? Spacing out a little.”
“Er, sorry... I was just, er... it’s nothing important.”
The evening bell still hasn’t rung after scrubbing all the tar out of your hair and changing into a fresh white outfit, so you sort through some of the books the library had delivered to your room earlier that day. You’ve got plenty of shelves to organize them in, but Brother Cobb had suggested you start reading early... Maybe a few pages wouldn’t hurt.
The bell rings midway through the first chapter of Angelic Biology as you’re learning about the (actually quite startling) physiological changes to how your Body functions internally; you glance at the door indecisively.
- Go on; be punctual. The book will be here when you get back.
- Finish the chapter. Be fashionably late.
- Intend to hang out mostly with the people you already know.
️ - Intend to hang out mostly with people you haven’t met yet.
(Winners: , )
- Go on; be punctual. The book will be here when you get back.
- Finish the chapter. Be fashionably late.
- Intend to hang out mostly with the people you already know.
️ - Intend to hang out mostly with people you haven’t met yet.
(Winners: , ) 6 1 6 1@Story Notifications
Scene 17
Well, you did promise and it’s not like the book will vanish before you get back. Better get going... Still, you don’t want to be the first one there. Maybe you’ll just take your time putting the book away and getting your shoes on before finally (slowly) making your way to the door. Yeah, that’s a good idea. You’ll do that.
It turns out your sluggishness wasn’t necessary; when you emerge from the stairwell into the ground floor common area, it’s obvious that several Angels have been here for a while already. There’s Yara and Etalyn over on the other side of the room, both with hair still damp from cleaning off all the tar. Clarity is nearby, telling some sort of story to the first year you recognize as Erich and one of the Angels whose name you forgot. Finally, there’s the fifth year named Sims, one of the other Angels you don’t recognize, and... that’s not one of the trainees.
You try to slip past the closer group to make it to the people you know, but aren’t sneaky enough. It doesn’t help that there aren’t many people walking around the room at the moment, though there are a few other Angels getting dinner nearby. In any case, Sims spots you and waves you over before you can get away.
“Well met, Angel Jessamine,” he says in his deep, loud voice. Sims is just plain big, from his height to his muscles to his voice. It’s hard to believe that he’s only 16; he’s even taller than the adult Angel sitting next to him... who seems very familiar for some reason. “May you serve the Lord well.” The sign of the matan; one of the more traditional greetings. At least, so you’ve gathered after less than two days.
You return the sign as politely as you can, but stay quiet. You’re not really sure how to respond to that aside from “you too,” but that sounds way too awkward even in your head. Thankfully, the adult Angel introduces himself as well.
- Head over to your pals before anything else weird happens.
️ - Ask about the Shade or the story (specify in #story_discussion).
- Ask who the third person is; you still don’t know their name.
(Winner: ) 2 2 4@Story Notifications
Scene 18
Thankfully, that feeling starts to fade over a few minutes as Zeke chats with Sims and you sit there awkwardly, no longer part of the conversation but not having explicitly exited the interaction. Can you just leave? Would that be rude? A glance sideways reveals that Yara and Etalyn have joined Clarity and the two younger Angels, who are now watching him spin little glowing orbs from thin air. Someone else tries, but ends up just creating a momentary flame. Laughs all around as one of the orbs pops from the heat.
Maybe you can just sort of... get up and... oop. You had almost forgotten about the last person sitting nearby, who just noticed you getting up and stood as well. She’s one of the second years, you remember. A white beret on deep, glossy black hair (almost purple!) that nearly covers her eyes like a curtain. Of course, as an Angel, the effect looks more attractive than weird or asocial, which you still find unfair. If you did that with your hair, it wouldn’t look that good. Would it?
Zeke looks up from his story, but doesn’t have time to say anything before the second-year Angel speaks in a very soft voice. “Sorry; don’t let me interrupt you. I just need to get a drink. Would you like one as well, Jessamine?”
She’s offering you an opportunity to leave; you nod and step slightly closer so she can take the lead. Somehow, the situation feels almost tense again, with her and Zeke staring at each other, but then he just shrugs, looks away, and continues talking to Sims.
You’re so confused; there’s a lot more going on here between all these Angels than meets the eye.
True to her word, she leads you over to the cafe area and picks out a glass bottle of bubbly yellow-green liquid. You just go with water. She sits down to work on the bottle cap; you’re not sure if you should say something or sit as well or what is going on, really. Eventually, you decide to sit (since it doesn’t look like she’s leaving soon). “Er, thanks.”
... You could ask, you suppose.
- Quick! Go hang out with your pals before you can get caught up in another weird conversation!
- ... But bring Naoriel with you.
- Before you go, ask... something about your confused suspicions. Why are they interested in her? Or are they?
- Don’t do that.
(Winners: , a tie between and )
- Quick! Go hang out with your pals before you can get caught up in another weird conversation!
- ... But bring Naoriel with you.
- Before you go, ask... something about your confused suspicions. Why are they interested in her? Or are they?
- Don’t do that.
(Winners: , a tie between and ) 4 2 3 3@Story Notifications
Scene 19
... But by the time you work up the confidence to say anything, it’s been several minutes of unrelated conversation and she’s done with her drink.
“I’m going to head out the other way,” she says, half-nodding towards the main entrance. “It was good to talk with you.”
“Oh - okay. Er, good to talk with you too.”
Naoriel nods again and stands up, glancing one more time over towards the rest of the group before leaving the building. Entirely? Does she not actually live here, or does she just have something else to do? You... still don’t really know anything about her, even after your chat.
Anyway, you stand up yourself and (with some mental effort) decide to return to the main room. This time, you’re entering on the other side and a few other Angels have shown up to occupy Zeke, so you’re finally able to make it over to the people you know without being caught up in any other weird conversations. Serri showed up while you were in the other room as well, so the group is even larger.
“Ah, Jessamine, finally escaped, I see.” That’s Yara, of course, letting his light orbs expire as you arrive. “Truly, you are making new friends at an astonishing rate. How did you get Naoriel to go have a cozy chat with you within minutes of meeting her?”
“It wasn’t really my idea,” you admit, settling onto a proffered chair. “She just didn’t want to talk to them.”
“Mm, mm. So secretive, that girl. Well, those two can be somewhat grating, so I suppose I don’t blame her.”
“What’d you talk about? Anything secret?” Clarity this time, sliding in with a grin.
“Er, I don’t know...” You’re not sure what counts as secret and you really don’t want to leak anything you shouldn’t. Especially with the warnings about Inquisitors. “Not really.”
“Boo. She won’t even talk to me.”
“That’s because you’re a gossip, dear.”
“Slander!”
“Ah, you’ll have to work quickly; you only have three months before the course starts, and Brother Cobb refuses to admit anyone still unable to at least dampen their glow. It can get frustrating to Ascend in, say, May, I suppose.” He focuses and turns his glow back off. “Still, it usually takes competent Angels only a few months to figure it out. If you’re already getting some sensation, I assume you’ll make it.”
You spare another glance to the side. Yeah, she’s not happy. He’s not... doing that on purpose, is he? Talking about competence like that? Should you... say something?
- Support Serri; she can do this too!
- Confront Erich about his passive-aggressive comments.
- Change the subject. Tactfully, if you can.
- Don’t do anything special.
(Winner: )
- Support Serri; she can do this too!
- Confront Erich about his passive-aggressive comments.
- Change the subject. Tactfully, if you can.
- Don’t do anything special.
(Winner: ) 3 1 6 1@Story Notifications
Scene 20
Conveniently, a new question occurs to you as you glance around the room for ideas of how to change the topic. “Where are the last two trainees?” you wonder aloud. “There were only...” A quick count (remembering to include the missing Naoriel) confirms it. “Nine of us here.”
“Oh, who’s missing?” Erich looks around, but Denn beats him to it.
“Emmett and Rhysa?”
“Ah, those two. They’re training with the district constables, I believe. Should be back in a week or so.”
“What sort of training?” You want to stay away from uncomfortable topics for Serri, but you are also legitimately curious.
“It’s nothing special,” Erich assures you. “Just spending some time embedded in a precinct office to better understand how to work with regular constables. Supposedly it’s intended to improve goodwill and coordination between Angels and ordinary people. Really, though, it just helps us learn how to keep them out of our way.”
“Y-you don’t know that,” Serri interjects. “You haven’t done it yet.”
Erich shrugs. “True. But I have seen my fair share of the corruption even before I Ascended. Of course, you know that darkness tends to cling to places of suffering, and even the best hospitals are full of people in pain. I visited my father many times at work, and witnessed several incidents. Every time, the constables’ only job was to clear the area and keep people away so the real heroes - Angels - would have room to work.”
You frown, thinking back to your time in the hospital. You don’t recall anything like that happening, but you had been pretty out of it at the time. Maybe you had just been too sick to notice; it was a pretty large complex, after all. Still, you’re not sure you like how he’s talking about “ordinary” people so negatively.
“Well, th-they can’t purify monsters like Angels can, so it m-makes sense for them to stay back.”
“I never said it didn’t. Just that the constables are objectively less important than any Angel.”
Wash, change, crawl into bed. Your face definitely looks different in the mirror tonight. Cleaner; sharper, yet somehow softer. You’re already visibly changing and it’s only been two days.
So much happened today, and you’re on schedule for even more to happen tomorrow. You’re starting your history course, for one, and that’s probably going to involve even more reading. Better get started quick. Still, you’ve got so many questions you want to answer and so many people to get to know. So much to do, and you just won’t have time for everything.
So.
What do you want to prioritize?
[Obviously, you’re not going to neglect any of these to an unhealthy degree.]
- Your courses and training.
- Your personal investigations and curiosity.
- Your social relationships and friends.
[Choose however many you want. Friendship Points™®© are allocated based on the ratio of votes. Well, mostly. You should be friends with...]
- Yara.
- Serri.
️ - Etalyn.
- Clarity.
️ - Sims.
- Naoriel.
- Erich.
- Denn.
[Or suggest someone else in #story_discussion!]
(Winners: , = > > )
- Your courses and training.
- Your personal investigations and curiosity.
- Your social relationships and friends.
[Choose however many you want. Friendship Points™®© are allocated based on the ratio of votes. Well, mostly. You should be friends with...]
- Yara.
- Serri.
️ - Etalyn.
- Clarity.
️ - Sims.
- Naoriel.
- Erich.
- Denn.
[Or suggest someone else in #story_discussion!]
(Winners: , = > > ) 3 2 2 5 5 1 3 1 4 1 2@Story Notifications
Scene 21
“We will start today with a one-minute recap,” Brother Trigg calls, sliding a piece of mostly-transparent film atop the projector. You’ve never seen anything like it before, but through a combination of lenses, mirrors, and a powerful mechanical lamp, the shadows of his normal-sized images and writing are expanded to fill the opposite wall.
You’re not alone here, either. Brother Trigg himself is present, of course: a squirrely old man with thin hair and thick glasses, he couldn’t look more like a historian if he tried. But although you’re the only Angel in the room, there are about a dozen monks-in-training and other Cathedra staff learning the same history as you. You do feel a little uncomfortable at the deference everyone but Brother Trigg shows you, but there’s only so much you can do. Yara told you he has the same problem in his more advanced course.
“Genesis to year zero in one minute! Any volunteers?”
The monk always starts each session the same way, by asking a student for a one-minute recap of the entirety of history up until whatever point you’ve currently reached. It’s already getting difficult to summarize and you’ve only reached year zero so far; there are still over 1200 years to go if he intends to catch up to the present.
“Angel Goodall! Thank you for volunteering!”
You wince briefly, but you were half-expecting him to pick you anyway. He’s a lot more demanding of your work than any of the other students (even though you’re many years younger than most of them!) and he’ll often single you out if no one else is responding. Not always, but certainly more often than if he were choosing at random. Of course, he’s not picking on you; he’s just “ensuring your time in the course is as useful as it can be.”
It’s been two weeks since your Ascension and you’ve mostly gotten the hang of your new life. Your Body has continued to change rapidly; the twinges of jealousy you had felt initially at everyone else being so pretty all the time have faded as now you too look good basically no matter the situation. It’s not all looks, either - you’re already faster and stronger than before. The pile of books Brother Cobb had to get someone to carry for you now seems light enough that you were able to bring them back unassisted. (You still struggled, but at least you could!)
Your Mind hasn’t changed as obviously as your Body, though you have to assume you’re smarter than you were. It seems crazy that you could keep up with a class of highly-educated monks in their late teens to twenties otherwise, and that’s to say nothing of your other courses.
As for your Soul...
Well, you were just about to go practice after Trigg’s class, weren’t you?
- Meet up with Serri for Soul practice.
- Meet up with Yara for Soul practice.
- Actually, is that Naoriel over there? Maybe she’ll come along.
️ - No, today you’re on your own. You’re close to a breakthrough.
(Winner: )
- Meet up with Serri for Soul practice.
- Meet up with Yara for Soul practice.
- Actually, is that Naoriel over there? Maybe she’ll come along.
️ - No, today you’re on your own. You’re close to a breakthrough.
(Winner: ) 5 2 2 1@Story Notifications
Scene 22
You spot Naoriel on your way over to Illim Hall, as you often do this time of day. Seems she’s got some sort of course in there that finishes at the same time as your course with Brother Trigg, though you have so far been unable to get her to tell you what it is. You give her a wave and she waves back with a smile, but doesn’t slow down to chat.
You half-frown as you consider her. Naoriel has been fairly amenable to your attempts to befriend her, waving at you as you pass and even occasionally having lunch together. But - just as you were warned by Clarity and the rest of the trainees - you still hardly know her. Well, you know that she likes fizzy drinks and has really pretty handwriting, for example, but you don’t know anything important about her. She just doesn’t talk about herself, pretty much no matter the situation. She has a right to privacy, you suppose, but it’s a little grating for someone as naturally inquisitive as you.
Oh, that reminds you: at some point you want to bring up the etymology (is that the right -ology?) of her name with her. One of the texts you read for Trigg’s course discussed the original twelve Angels, who all Ascended at once and all took on new names after their transformations. The practice of renaming yourself fell out of favor after a few centuries and now Angels just keep their own names, but in the old days, the -iel and -riel suffixes (is that the right -ffix?) were distinctly popular with newly Ascended Angels. Nowadays, such names are very rare, as they’re still associated with the Angels of old - it’s sort of considered minor blasphemy to name your child like that? It’s like declaring from birth that your child will be an Angel, when obviously you can’t know for sure until their Calling ceremony.
Anyway, that long-winded reminiscence basically boils down to “names ending in -riel are super rare because they’re considered Angelic, so you’re curious how she got her name.”
Serri, thankfully, has made some progress as well. Her biggest hurdle for months had been that she just couldn’t consistently feel her own Soul, but when the two of you started practicing together, it turned out that she could feel yours a lot more easily. Which kind of freaked you out at first. It surprised her instructor as well, but apparently this sort of thing isn’t entirely unheard of. Some people are extroverts personality-wise, and some (very rare) people are... extroverts Soul-wise? You’re... not entirely sure that metaphor holds up, but the very broadest strokes make sense.
Somehow, in a way that she struggles to explain and you don’t really understand either, having you around (or any other particularly strong Soul, which basically means an Angel) makes it easier for Serri to sense her own. You don’t even have to do anything; just being around is enough. And, as you might expect, having her reaching out to your Soul as she practices also means you’re starting to get a vague sense of hers as well. You’ve even been able to start broadening your senses to feel other Angels’ Souls if you really, really try, but they do have to be basically touching you. Your instructor says you’ll get better at that over time.
Anyway, today you’re just working on your own Soul, since you really want to start trying to do things with it. You’re both still glowing, and you’ve only got a little over two months to stop it. You pick your favorite fish - small and silvery, with a stripe of vibrant orange - stare with your physical eyes, and struggle to open your... Soul... eyes. They’re the same eyes, you think. You’re not really sure how sensing different aspects works.
- You’re focused. Dedicated. Not distracted at all.
- Okay, no you aren’t. You’re still thinking about something. Maybe Serri has some input? [Suggest a topic. Otherwise, I’ll pick.]
(Winner: a tie between and . Options are combined.)
- You’re focused. Dedicated. Not distracted at all.
- Okay, no you aren’t. You’re still thinking about something. Maybe Serri has some input? [Suggest a topic. Otherwise, I’ll pick.]
(Winner: a tie between and . Options are combined.) 3 3@Story Notifications
Scene 23
You’re still distracted from earlier, thinking about names and history and even your earlier courses. Your arms still hurt a little from sword practice, though not as bad as last week. More benefits to your Body growing stronger, you suppose.
After a while, you manage to get your Mind under control and settle down to look inwards. It doesn’t take you long today before you have a reasonable awareness of that inner glow to match your outer one; you just try to hold onto it as long as possible. According to your instructor, you’ll need to be able to do this almost unconsciously if you want to be able to use magic in fights - and you do! - since you’ll need that focus to keep a grip on any spells you might have cast.
Many minutes pass. You feel a neighboring glow a few times and try to sort of “look over,” as it were, but get lost somewhere in the transition. You know that you’ll have to figure that part out as well if you want to do anything that affects the Souls of others around you, including the famous Blessings that Angels can bestow on the city’s population.
Speaking of which (thinking of which?), you know what a Blessing actually is now. As far as normal citizens are aware, an Angel’s Blessing is essentially a mantle of divine protection, capable of curing various ills as well as providing good luck for a few weeks. No one really knows how Angels can do that, but everyone wants to be Blessed.
Now you know that it’s a moderately advanced form of Soul magic - advanced external Soul projection to be specific - that basically involves infusing the target’s Soul with some of your own divine energy. The practical benefits are mostly the same as what everyone already knows, but now you’re aware that the good luck actually comes from the target’s Soul becoming able to nudge the world around it in order to better realize the person’s true self. A weak and unconscious version of magic, sort of?
“What a weird girl,” you murmur.
[How obsessive do you want to be about this? For options other than , you can specify particular ways to investigate, if you’d like.]
- “Yes.” Go dig up some records, ask Cobb who’s taking the course, and generally do some real investigation. You’re really curious.
- “Eh.” It’s her business and you shouldn’t get too involved in it. But maybe just a little poking around wouldn’t hurt.
- “No.” Either you respect her privacy or you’ve got better things to do; leave her alone. Well, unless she decides to tell you for some reason.
(Winner: )
, you can specify particular ways to investigate, if you’d like.]
- “Yes.” Go dig up some records, ask Cobb who’s taking the course, and generally do some real investigation. You’re really curious.
- “Eh.” It’s her business and you shouldn’t get too involved in it. But maybe just a little poking around wouldn’t hurt.
- “No.” Either you respect her privacy or you’ve got better things to do; leave her alone. Well, unless she decides to tell you for some reason.
(Winner: ) 2 5 1@Story Notifications
Scene 24
On your way back to Hearth Hall, you spot a familiar figure emerging from one of the smaller cathedrals nearby. “Be right back,” you tell Serri, then jog over to catch up with Brother Cobb before he can get away.
“Jessamine?” he says by way of greeting, slowing his pace somewhat. He doesn’t really need to - he may have longer legs, but he’s old and doesn’t move very fast - but it’s the thought that counts.
“Brother Cobb! I was just doing some Soul training with Serri and I wanted to ask who’s actually going to be in your magic course in June?”
“Hum? At the moment, only Mr Haskell is signed up. Why do you ask; are you concerned about the two of you getting in?”
You nod, though that’s mostly a lie if you’re being honest with yourself. You’re already well on track, according to your instructor, and Serri isn’t far behind. Really, you just wanted to know if Naoriel was signed up. She doesn’t glow, so she should have been with Erich (“Mr Haskell”) if she was enrolled.
Brother Cobb smiles patiently. “I have faith that God will guide both of you in time. I’ve been told you are already making good progress and that Ms Ambrose has begun to show improvement. Persevere and you will succeed.”
It seems to be kind of a toss-up what mood Brother Cobb is in whenever you talk to him. He can be pretty grouchy, like on your first day with the paperwork and course selection, but he can also be patient and gentle, like right now. You feel a little bad for sort-of-almost lying to him, but not quite bad enough to say anything besides “... Yeah, you’re right. It’s just the timing seems so tight... it’s okay, we’ll make it.”
“Indeed. Was there anything else? I do need to return to-”
“Th-that’s it. Thanks; see you in June!”
You rush off and return to Serri, who looks back curiously as you arrive. “What was that about?”
That promise still feels unreal to you. You’re still twelve years old; you still look and feel like an (admittedly not very ordinary) kid growing up at an ordinary rate. Maybe it’ll really start to sink in once you stop aging, when you can look in the mirror one day and a decade later and see the exact same face looking back. Maybe it’ll suddenly make sense when you first leave the city and come face to face with the darkness in the wastes. Maybe you’ll never understand until you lie bleeding out on the packed-hard wasteland dirt, begging for God to save you.
... You get up and pace around your room. That last image is a little too morbid for you; where did that come from?
After a minute’s break, you successfully stop thinking about it, shoving the thoughts about your immortality into the same mental compartment as the ones about perfection, fighting for real, and other hefty worries. You’ll get around to figuring them out in a more productive manner later. For now, you gotta learn your history.
[Weeks later...]
- You agreed to help Yara with a somewhat-sketchy endeavor.
- You agreed to help Clarity with a somewhat-sketchy endeavor.
- You agreed to help Naoriel with a somewhat-sketchy endeavor.
- You didn’t agree to any of this, because you’re a good Angel who would never break a rule! [The person who asked you will be the second-place choice.]
(Winner: )
- You agreed to help Yara with a somewhat-sketchy endeavor.
- You agreed to help Clarity with a somewhat-sketchy endeavor.
- You agreed to help Naoriel with a somewhat-sketchy endeavor.
- You didn’t agree to any of this, because you’re a good Angel who would never break a rule! [The person who asked you will be the second-place choice.]
(Winner: ) 4 1 3 2@Story Notifications
Scene 25
It’s now late April. The mist is growing thinner as spring trundles on towards summer. Temperatures are getting warmer and many Angels are going around with their outer coats partially unbuttoned. You have been training at the Cathedra for almost two months.
Naoriel still remains a mystery; you haven’t made much progress since mid-March. You did end up asking her about the basic magic course during lunch one day - and she did admit that she wasn’t planning on taking it in June - but she stopped short of explaining what she was going to do instead. You pushed a little, but all she did was produce a little shower of glittery sparks from her finger and say she’d be fine. So clearly she’d already had some training from somewhere, but you don’t know where or why. Well, whatever; you’ve got plenty of your own work to focus on.
You’ve made some real progress on your glow in the past month; you’re now able to suppress it entirely for several minutes at a time before the strain gets to be too much and you have to release it again. Your instructor says you should be able to get permanent control in another few weeks as long as you practice, so you’ve regularly been doing just that, flickering on and off like a broken lightbulb whenever you have the strength.
It turns out that imposing control over your glow actually works similarly to real magic - it’s all just directing your Soul in various ways - so working on suppressing it like this is exercising your magic-casting “muscles.” That means you’ve regularly been suffering from the scarily-named “Soul fatigue” as you constantly overdo it in your impatience. It’s not as bad as it sounds, though; you just struggle to feel emotions and motivation until your Soul recovers some energy. There’s no serious concern for your health; you’re not practiced enough to drain your Soul to the point of doing real damage.
You carefully follow him further into the room, looking around as you do. There’s a simple wooden stool sitting in the middle of a chalk-drawn circle decorated with many geometric symbols, including the matan in several configurations. Nearby is an odd box again covered in symbols, with a protrusion facing the chair and several openings on the opposite side. The assembly of prisms and mirrors is close behind the box, and you note a number of flexible-armed mechanical lamps carefully arranged just behind that.
“This apparatus is designed to visibly reveal Souls!” Yara states theatrically, waving his hand at the mess. “Worry not about the details - for if you understood them already, I would feel terribly incompetent - but the basic idea is that light comes in here-” He points at the mechanical lamps. “-passes through here-” A gesture to the prisms, mirrors, and box. “-and reveals the Soul of the target on the chair, there.”
“I didn’t know you could do... magic(?) with things like this.”
“Well, the mechanisms don’t provide any of the actual Soul energy; they merely focus it in a way that’s precise enough to be near-impossible to do manually. Almost every portion of this apparatus has been infused by me in some way or another to alter its properties, so please be very careful not to touch anything.”
Thankfully, you already had been.
- Hang on, isn’t this Soul transmutation? Isn’t that super not allowed?
- Okay, sounds good; let’s do it!
️ - Yara wants you to manipulate the controls.
- Yara wants you to sit in the chair.
(Winners: , ️ )
- Hang on, isn’t this Soul transmutation? Isn’t that super not allowed?
- Okay, sounds good; let’s do it!
️ - Yara wants you to manipulate the controls.
- Yara wants you to sit in the chair.
(Winners: , ️ ) 5 2 4 2@Story Notifications
Scene 26
“Anyway, enough about that,” he declares, leading you around to a small selection of levers haphazardly connected to the box and the lights. “I’d like you to operate the controls, if you please. Simply flip each lever to ‘on,’ in order, when I tell you! Easy!”
You glance over at the chair. “Then, you’re going to be...”
“The test subject, of course! There’s no better way to prove your faith in a procedure than to use it on yourself. Besides, there’s no way I would consider putting someone else in that chair before I’ve proven it 100% safe.”
“S-so you’re not, er 100% sure that-”
“Nothing is ever certain!” He gets a little more serious for a moment. “Really, it’s not going to do anything bad. The energy levels in play are simply too low to hurt me, even if something were to malfunction catastrophically. And if I ever seem in distress, you can pull the lever marked with the X there and shut everything down. Good?”
“... Good.”
“Excellent. Now, you’ll be moving from left to right on the board; just let me get into position here and we’ll get started shortly.”
Yara picks his way through the mess towards the chair and settles onto it, flipping open a different box on the way there. You hesitate. “Er, Yara, this isn’t... S-Soul transmutation, is it?”
He glances up at you. “Hm? Well, to a certain extent...”
“I-isn’t that super not allowed?”
“Oh! No, no no no. I see the problem; you’ve been talking to Etalyn too much! Or Brother Cobb; he’s just as bad.”
“...” You haven’t, really. At least, not any more than normal.
“Okay, I understand that Soul transmutation is a bit of a sensitive subject around here, but really it’s only internal Soul transmutation that’s entirely banned. External Soul transmutation, like what I’ve got here, is only mostly banned.”
“I-I’m not reassured...”
“Well. That was unexpected.”
[This is a critical point. One character’s fate will be altered.]
- Don’t tell anyone (like Brother Cobb!) what happened. Yara will definitely get in trouble if you do!
- You probably need to tell someone. Something weird just happened to your Souls; you need to make sure you aren’t corrupted or anything!
(Winner: )
- Don’t tell anyone (like Brother Cobb!) what happened. Yara will definitely get in trouble if you do!
- You probably need to tell someone. Something weird just happened to your Souls; you need to make sure you aren’t corrupted or anything!
(Winner: ) 2 5@Story Notifications
Scene 27
...
Yara didn’t want to tell anyone what happened. The experiment might have been approved, he said, but the results certainly weren’t. Things could get out of hand. Inquisitors were mentioned. But, eventually, you convince him. You’re worried about what happened to your Souls. Turning them gold? What does that even mean? You could be corrupted or damaged or have some horrible illness that could grow worse over time and end up harming not only yourselves, but anyone nearby. What if it’s contagious? You could infect the whole Cathedra before anyone catches it!
So he agreed to explain what happened, but not to just anyone. Only to his instructor. Unfortunately, his instructor isn’t an Angel and thus can’t mend Souls. Someone else had to be called. And that’s why you’re now sitting here in a cold, sterile examination room in Illim Hall, all alone and waiting for someone to show up and tell you if you’ll be okay.
A knock on the door. You’re not prepared, but you say “come in” anyway. You feel like you’re six years old again, back in that hospital as your breath caught and your lungs ached. What will be wrong with you this time?
A female Angel enters, wearing the same white uniform as everyone else. Ghostly pale hair that seems to drift as if it’s lighter than it should be. A pair of glorious, beautiful white wings folded tightly against her back. An Archangel.
“Good afternoon, Jessamine. My name is Aveline; I’m just here to make sure you aren’t hurt. How are you feeling?”
“...” You have to say something. “Fine.”
She smiles gently, like she understands. “Yara is fine, by the way. No sign of any Soul instability. I’m sure you’ll be no different.”
Well, that’s good, at least. You breathe out, relaxing just a little. “Okay.”
“If you can please just sit still and clear your Mind, I’ll get started. If it helps, you can focus on something monotonous, like counting.”
- Track him down later. You... don’t know what to say, though. Maybe you’ll come up with something.
- Get some help. Surely one of your friends knows what to do. [Who?]
- Get some help. Surely one of the Cathedra staff knows what to do. [Who?]
️ - Leave him alone for a while. You... might also need some time to think. A lot happened.
(Winner: ) 2 4 2 1@Story Notifications
Scene 28
By evening bell, rumors about the incident have become widespread. No one seems sure about the full details, but Sister Bagley’s firing isn’t exactly something that can be kept quiet. People are whispering about you behind your back; you just know it.
So it probably shouldn’t surprise you (even though it sort of does) when Clarity shows up to eat dinner with you. Serri’s here too, as usual, but Yara is conspicuously absent.
“Jess, my goodness! You and poor Yara have had quite a day, I hear.”
“You could... say that.”
“Please, let me know what happened and what I can do to help! I’ve only heard some rumors here and there, but they’re saying that Yara was delving into forbidden magic!” She wiggles her fingers in a way that you would have once considered insensitive, but have since come to understand is just how Clarity operates. Too much energy, all the time. “I can’t imagine he would be so brazen, though.”
“I... don’t know if I want to talk about it.” You’ve been distracted all day, thinking about what other people think of you - and you still have courses, too! There hasn’t been time to work out exactly what you think about what happened.
“My, I understand. But there isn’t much time if you want to offset some of this nasty gossip. Without the true details, people are assuming the worst. I’ve been doing what I can, but it’s difficult without proper information. Please, just let me help.”
“...”
“I’d... like to know too,” Serri says quietly. “Yara’s been really upset today and I don’t know how to help him. And you too, Jess.”
“No, the other Soul channeler who put his life in danger for a banned experiment.” A breath; she’s clearly very ticked off. “Yes, Yara. Haven’t seen him all day.”
Serri shakes her head. “I haven’t seen him either.”
“And I haven’t seen him since lunch,” you add.
“Great. He’s sulking or he’s doing something stupid. Come on, we’re gonna go find him.”
- Help Etalyn find Yara.
- Get her to chill out. Give him some space.
- Get her to chill out... but then track him down yourself. [What will you say if you find him?]
(Winner: )
- Help Etalyn find Yara.
- Get her to chill out. Give him some space.
- Get her to chill out... but then track him down yourself. [What will you say if you find him?]
(Winner: ) 4 3 1@Story Notifications
Scene 29
In brief, you go with her, hastily finishing your dinner and hurrying off... well, upstairs first. Just in case he’s in his room; that’d save you a lot of trouble.
You’ve got five flights of stairs to say something to Etalyn before she shows up at his door all shouty, but before that, you need to figure out why she looks different; it’s really distracting-
“I like your necklace, by the way,” Serri says. That’s it: she’s wearing a little silver necklace with a tiny yellow gemstone. That’s why it’s throwing you off, because- “You don’t wear jewelry very often; it looks good on you. Where’d you get it?”
For some reason, she seems annoyed by the question. Well, maybe not the question, but the answer? “... Yara gave it to me. Should have known what he was up to when he talked about gemstones for twenty minutes.”
“Y-Yara? Like, just out of the blue?” Serri glances meaningfully back at you; it seems your understanding of their relationship might need revision.
Etalyn seems even more annoyed (embarrassed?) by this one, folding her arms huffily in a way that is a lot more impressive when done while climbing up several flights of stairs. “No, for my birthday.”
“Your birthday?!” Serri exclaims at the same time as you ask “When?”
“... Last week sometime. I try not to make a big deal about it; not even sure how he found out. Even the older trainees should only know the month, not the day.”
“...” You and Serri look at each other again. You’ll need to chat about this later.
In any case, Etalyn seems to be a little less mad by the time you finally get to the fifth floor, though whether that’s due to the conversation or the exercise is unknown. She knocks on the door, but - predictably, you guess - there’s no answer. Either he’s not there or he’s not interested in talking, and none of you (even Etalyn!) are going to break into his room. At least, not yet. Instead, you head out into the fog.
“I, er, also need to get some reading done for Brother Trigg...” you admit. He assigns a lot of texts; his course isn’t for anyone who doesn’t really enjoy history.
“Fine, go back, then.”
Serri hesitates. You try to convince Etalyn. “He might be back at Hearth Hall by now, anyway. It’s pretty late; it’d be more weird if he isn’t.”
“Go ahead.”
“Are... you going to come back, too?”
“Not yet.”
“...”
- Stay out with Etalyn; look for Yara. But you’ll probably mess up your homework.
- Go back; finish your homework. But you’ll miss finding Yara, if he’s not back at Hearth Hall already.
(Winner: )
- Stay out with Etalyn; look for Yara. But you’ll probably mess up your homework.
- Go back; finish your homework. But you’ll miss finding Yara, if he’s not back at Hearth Hall already.
(Winner: ) 4 3@Story Notifications
Scene 30
“I’ll stay.”
“What? Jess, what about your homework?”
“It’s not that much,” you half-lie. “I can get it done pretty quick.”
“...”
“You can go back, though. Someone probably should, anyway, in case he’s already there just waiting for us.”
“Mrgh...” Serri grumbles at you, but does go back. “If you’re still out here by night bell, I’ll be really mad!”
Etalyn doesn’t seem to care one way or the other that you’ve stayed. “Well, I’m going to check the Center.”
You hurry to catch up with her, your glow mixing with the evening fog to create a shimmery wall of mist that makes it really hard to see where you’re going. It’s always like this after dark; the fog grows thicker and most lights just make things worse. Maybe you should try to suppress it again.
“Hey, uh, why are you... doing all this for Yara?”
Etalyn glances over her shoulder and you nearly stumble in sudden fright, but she doesn’t do anything. “I told you, he’s either sulking or doing something stupid. Stupid’s bad, so here I am.”
“Er...” That’s not exactly what you meant. “But you’re always, um...” How can you ask without actually saying it? She’d get mad for sure if you did! “It doesn’t seem like you like him very much.”
“Hmph. You’re right; he’s absurd and makes bad decisions. And has no regard for his own safety.”
“So, why...?”
“Look, are you going to interrogate me all night or are you going to actually help?”
“S-sorry!”
In the end, you don’t find Yara. The two of you search through most of campus - barring places you aren’t allowed into, like the Lordstone Cathedral - but find nothing of use. No Yara, no hints as to where he went, and no one who’s seen him since midafternoon. And as the night bell begins to chime, indicating that you are now very behind on your homework, you start to get really concerned.
“D-do you think maybe he didn’t do anything stupid, but something... happened to him?”
“...”
“Etalyn...?”
“Ridiculous,” she declares.
An upheld hand. Etalyn, unusually, stops. “I need to, because it’s how we will win this war against the darkness. It’s how we will reclaim our Souls and live in peace.” Another breath. “But... I suppose, for you, I can slow down. I have - in theory - forever, anyway.”
A silence. None of you want to follow that up.
“Well?” he asks, returning somewhat to his usual persona. “No one has a response? A comical follow-up where you ask if ‘slowing down’ means ‘stopping,’ and I hem and haw and refuse to provide a straight answer?”
“Yara.” That’s Etalyn again.
“Yes?”
“Stop Soul transmuting.”
“Oh, very well. If you insist. But I fully intend to revisit this once I have the ‘required experience’ that bishop wants.”
“Fine. Till then, be good. Soul projection only, if you’re doing anything Soul-related.”
“Yes, yes. Perhaps I’ll take some time to focus on physical transmutation again; I still have a match to win against a certain sword-prodigy Angel.”
Finally, for the first time today, Etalyn smiles. “Bring it on.”
You exhale in relief, the tension seemingly passed. He’ll be okay.
!
But you sure won’t unless you get to work on that reading! It’s already super late; oh noooo-
[About a week later...]
[Clarity has invited you, Yara, and one other Angel for “something special” on the Day of the Wall. She... keeps giggling about this. Who’s the fourth?]
- Erich.
️ - Etalyn.
- Naoriel.
- Denn.
(Winner: )
- Erich.
️ - Etalyn.
- Naoriel.
- Denn.
(Winner: ) 2 2 1 3@Story Notifications
Scene 31
You do a little spin, looking at yourself in the mirror. It’s now the morning of the Day of the Wall, and Clarity has invited you to a mysterious “something special” today, along with Yara and Denn (of all people). It’s not that you dislike Denn; it’s just that you haven’t really talked to him outside of a few times here and there. You don’t know much about him except that he’s laid back and he hangs out with Erich a lot. At least Clarity didn’t invite him.
Anyway, the reason you’re so concerned about your appearance this morning is that you’re not wearing your Angel uniform today. Clarity gave you an outfit yesterday, saying it was a gift for you and to wear it tomorrow because “you don’t want to stand out.” You’re not sure how wearing something different from every other Angel will help you blend in, but whatever. It’s a fashionable blue dress with a light yellow jacket, apparently picked to match your eyes and hair respectively. She even included boots and a ribbon for your hair; how much did all of this cost? You don’t get paid to be an Angel (at least, not until you graduate), so where did she get the money?
Well, whatever. You look pretty, you think, so that’s probably good enough even though you didn’t get the ribbon on quite right. Having a consistently flawless appearance just due to the nature of your Body has done wonders for your self-image.
“Good morning, Miss Fashionable,” Yara greets you as you come down the stairs to the common area. He and Clarity are already there, but Denn isn’t yet. At least you’re not late.
“Woah. It’s weird to see everyone so... colorful.” The two of them are out of uniform as well; Clarity has a green dress of similar style to yours, but with a white-and-red knit cardigan instead of a jacket. Yara isn’t in a dress (though honestly, you wouldn’t put it past him), but has on grey-black striped trousers and a fancy red overcoat. “But... are you sure we aren’t going to stand out?”
The three of you hang out for another few minutes, watching various Angels come and go. Some are in uniform, but many others aren’t; some are even disguised as humans in a similar way to you. It’s a little hard to tell who’s actually an Angel like this, but according to Yara, the disguise doesn’t work on the Soul so it’s still obvious to him. You’ll have to get better.
Denn arrives not long after in a moderately more modest outfit: a tan vest over a cream shirt and standard dark brown trousers, like any ordinary banker would wear in the city. He doesn’t quite fit in with your group, but a quick addition of a vibrant tie-like thing (you’re not sure what it’s called; it’s not quite a real tie) and another ribbon from Clarity somehow ties (heh) you all together with a splash of bright color. Now he looks more like a banker’s rich son, which probably works better if you’re going to all go out together.
After that, Clarity leads the way towards one of the Cathedra’s outer gates and your first visit to the outside world in two whole months. You know she has a whole mysterious “something special” planned for the day, but... maybe you’ll have some extra time?
- Plan to visit your family today. Try to make some time.
- Stay with the group; don’t worry about it. You haven’t planned anything and realistically don’t even know if they’ll be home!
(Winner: a tie between and )
- Plan to visit your family today. Try to make some time.
- Stay with the group; don’t worry about it. You haven’t planned anything and realistically don’t even know if they’ll be home!
(Winner: a tie between and ) 
3 3@Story Notifications
Scene 32
You’re not sure. It might be a stretch to think you can visit your family today - you had no idea you’d be leaving the Cathedra and thus haven’t planned ahead to even know where they’ll be - but it has been two months. You’d like to. Well, maybe you’ll just see what Clarity has in store first and then see if you can make some time later. Founding Day isn’t too far away, anyway, so it should only be another month at most even if today doesn’t work out.
A whole month more, huh...
“Four Angels heading out for the day,” Clarity tells the armored guards by the gate.
One of them checks each of your disguises, doing a quick once-over to make sure your Angelic appearance isn’t visible and that your clothes feel real. That’s why you couldn’t just change your clothes in an illusion the same way as your Body, Clarity told you earlier. It’s really hard to change the shape of something to that degree in a way that feels convincing, so you’d basically just be stuck with an outfit that looks like an Angel uniform but in a different color or material. Not particularly discreet. Very experienced Angels could pull it off regardless, but it’s so much easier to just wear regular clothes.
“Looks good,” the guard says. “Soul check, please?”
You’re not sure what he means until the other three begin to softly glow, displaying their Souls through light. You get the idea and quickly turn yours on as well, beyond grateful that you finally got to the point of being able to keep it turned off for most of a full day just the day before yesterday. Talk about tight timing.
“Good, good. You’re free to go; be back by night bell.” As you pass through the gate, the guard nods to you specifically in admiration. “Particularly impressive, young Miss Angel. Never seen such a solid disguise from one so young.”
“Oh, er, th-thank you,” you stammer, quickly turning to Clarity as soon as you’re out of earshot. “He thought this is my spell! Is it supposed to be?!”
He cackles and nudges you. “I haven’t the faintest idea what he’s talking about. Now let’s get Clarity away from these statues before she buys the lot of them.”
In the end, she buys the winged banana. You have no idea why.
[When you get to the station, Clarity leads you towards...]
- A local train to a downtrodden area near the river.
- A regional train to a mid-city commercial zone.
- A long-distance train to a quiet residential neighborhood.
(Winner: )
- A local train to a downtrodden area near the river.
- A regional train to a mid-city commercial zone.
- A long-distance train to a quiet residential neighborhood.
(Winner: ) 1 5 1@Story Notifications
Scene 33
Nucarreo’s central station is bustling with activity, as you might expect from the biggest rail hub in the city. Clarity heads over to the counter to buy your tickets, but waves the rest of you off before you can come with. “It’s still a secret!” she says. “Just waaiiit~!”
So the rest of you stand around nearby, watching her talk to the agent. “It’s not like she can hide what train we’ll be getting on,” Yara notes. “So her secret will last another few minutes at most.”
Okay, you’ve got to know at this point. “Hey, where... is she getting all the money to pay for this? The clothes, the banana, the train?” You pause a moment, thinking. “Don’t tell me I’ve missed some allowance I’m supposed to be getting?!”
Yara chuckles; Denn stays quiet but smiles a little. He seems content to do that pretty often, you’ve noticed. “My goodness, Jessamine, has no one told you? Everyone gets a weekly stipend - and quite a considerable one at that. Have you honestly been missing out for months?”
“Ah - er... N-no one said anything-” You can’t decide if you’re more embarrassed or-
Denn pats you on the shoulder. “Is a lie.”
“Wha - Yara?!”
A much fuller laugh this time. “Sorry, sorry. A tasteless trick, I know.”
You grumble at him for a few seconds, but don’t have time to say anything substantial before he answers again, properly this time.
“Clarity comes from a very wealthy family. Her father owns a large material processing company; it seems half the glass and steel for these new skyscrapers are provided by his business. So it’s no trouble for her to get a sizable allowance from her parents. After all; her... future career will pay them back many times over.”
Wait, the train is speeding up; you’re out of the station already. You got distracted again. What are you going to talk to Yara about?
- His past. What’s his family like?
️ - Etalyn. No ambiguity or secrets, huh? You’re not falling for that one.
- Clarity. More about her family, perhaps?
- Denn. What’s his deal, really?
❓ - Or something else! [Specify in #story_discussion. You probably shouldn’t talk about anything Angel-related on the train, though.]
(Winner: )
- His past. What’s his family like?
️ - Etalyn. No ambiguity or secrets, huh? You’re not falling for that one.
- Clarity. More about her family, perhaps?
- Denn. What’s his deal, really?
❓ - Or something else! [Specify in #story_discussion. You probably shouldn’t talk about anything Angel-related on the train, though.]
(Winner: ) 4 3 1 2 1@Story Notifications
Scene 34
“So... Yara...”
“Mm?”
“What, er, what about you...r family? S-since we were talking about Clarity’s...”
“Ah, you wanted to know if I’m also rich enough to buy banana figurines on a whim?”
“Er, not exactly...”
He seems to get it. “Fair warning, though, if you proceed down this path, I will ask about your family as well.”
“That’s only fair.”
“Hmm. Let’s see...” He crosses his arms, looking over you and out the window just as he had previously noted. That’s a little unusual; he normally looks at whoever he’s talking to. “My parents and older sister died when I was quite young. I don’t remember them very well.”
Oh. Oh dear. “I-I’m sorry-”
“No, no, don’t worry about it. I was raised by an aunt until I turned twelve and, well, you know the rest. I don’t keep in touch with her these days.”
“...” He still isn’t looking at you. And the lack of any significant detail means he really doesn’t want to talk about it. You may have spoiled the mood a little bit. “Sorry...” you repeat, not sure what else to say.
“Chin up, Jessamine; just look at me now. I’ve been doing quite well in the years since and there’s no need to feel sorry about it. After all, who wouldn’t want to be me?” A little wink; there’s the confidence back. Or at least the appearance of confidence. “Now, I believe I threatened to ask you a certain question as well. Do you have a similarly dour tale to tell?”
“Oh, er, not really.” You hesitate to share your really quite pleasant family life, but Yara waves you on impatiently. “M-my dad is a gearworker and my mom does tutoring for the school. She helps girls learn reading and writing, mostly, but sometimes some boys who are falling behind the basics too. And dad... he’s really busy because everyone needs good gearworkers to make all the technology.”
“Ah, an educated pair. I can tell where you get your talent, eh?”
“Ah, the noble cherry,” Yara says without missing a beat. “Tart, sweet, and bordering on divinity when combined with sugar and cream. Yet, set one in a boardroom chair and all you get is eaten by a bird.”
You have to stop to think about that one. “...” Nope, still thinking. “... What?”
“Onwards, noble banana!” he exclaims, picking up the pace. “To whatever nonsense she has in store for us!”
Denn seems impressed.
- The walk is uneventful, if a little boring.
❗ - “Something” exciting happens on the way. [“Something” may be good or bad. It was a 50/50 chance and has been pre-determined by a digital coin toss.]
(Winner: )
- The walk is uneventful, if a little boring.
❗ - “Something” exciting happens on the way. [“Something” may be good or bad. It was a 50/50 chance and has been pre-determined by a digital coin toss.]
(Winner: ) 5
1@Story Notifications
Scene 35
Denn walks ahead of you, alongside Clarity, and directs her to the right streets. At least, that’s what you assume is happening as he gently guides her towards or away from certain turns. Odd, you thought he didn’t know where you were going either. Maybe she told him during that “secret strategy meeting.” But then why wouldn’t she be leading anyway, as the person who planned all this? Well, whatever, it’s not like you’re going to get a straight answer out of them.
The area here has seen better days, but it’s not falling apart just yet. Most of the buildings around are three or four story brick boxes, stained with years of wear and tear but still in generally decent shape. Most seem to be offices or mixed with commercial on the bottom floor, but as you continue along, you start to deviate away from the main streets into narrower alleyways with residential-looking midrises shadowing the foggy sky. Here, Denn starts to pay more attention and often pauses a few beats at each intersection before continuing. Clarity seems content to follow a few paces behind without saying much.
There are occasional people around, but not many. Most citizens are out near district centers for the holiday, so those who remain tend to be those too old, young, or infirm to move around easily. The four of you definitely stand out more now, but no one seems to pay much attention regardless.
Finally, you unceremoniously arrive at a nondescript residential building and stop. “Here y’are,” Denn says, stepping back as if he were a coachman.
“And where exactly are we?” Yara asks. “Don’t tell me you’ve been apartment-hunting this whole time?”
“Hehe, nope! Give it a minute; someone’s coming down to meet us.”
“Watching from the windows, were they?”
“Nope! Denn told them we’re here.”
“Huh?” You glance at him; he smiles innocently. “But how did you-”
“Some things just can’t be helped. Maybe it was just my time to leave the Cathedra and experience the world of those who we serve. God has a plan for us, no matter how strange it may seem.”
“...” Yara pauses for several seconds, but eventually seems to accept it. “I suppose He does.”
You suppose He does, too. At least Sister Bagley seems okay, and so many people pitched in to help her out. This whole event could have turned out so much worse. Maybe that’s enough.
- Yeah, it’s enough. Things turned out okay. Maybe not great, but good enough. Sometimes that’s all you can hope for.
- No, it’s not enough. None of this was fair or transparent or necessary. You’re not satisfied and you know something is wrong.
(Winner: )
- Yeah, it’s enough. Things turned out okay. Maybe not great, but good enough. Sometimes that’s all you can hope for.
- No, it’s not enough. None of this was fair or transparent or necessary. You’re not satisfied and you know something is wrong.
(Winner: ) 2 4@Story Notifications
Scene 36
... No, you don’t buy that. Not entirely. God may have a plan, but He wasn’t the one to fire Sister Bagley. He chooses Angels, but humans confirm them. He provides strength and guidance, but people decide what to do with it. What happened wasn’t fair. Isn’t fair. You’re sure there’s more to it, and you owe it to Sister Bagley (and Yara, and yourself) to find out what.
But... you’re going to have to be careful in your search. Although you and Yara and the rest of the Angels may have some measure of divine protection, it’s very clear that anything you try can get other people hurt. Plus... the way she was talking about Jennan Gifford... The name sounds familiar. You don’t quite recall why, but - actually, you could probably just ask right now.
Other people have been talking about something else now. You patiently wait your turn, eventually realize you won’t find a natural break in the conversation, and sort of shelve the idea. You’ll ask later. You’ll remember.
...
You didn’t remember. It’s past afternoon bell now and the four of you are back on the streets heading back to the station. Honestly, you’re not sure where all the time went. Yara’s the only one who really knows Sister Bagley, but all of you stayed quite a while helping her get set up, exploring the immediate area, and just generally hanging out. You couldn’t point to any specific thing that took a while; you just... did a lot of things.
Clarity seems to have one more stop in mind, so (given the late hour), you reluctantly put down your idea of trying to track down your family without ever having brought it up. Everyone else just always seemed to have more important things to do. Anyway, you’ve still got two questions that you want answered before you get back on the train and you’re not going to stay quiet this time. Alright, no one’s talking now. Ready? “H-”
Clarity manages a smile again and follows Yara into the station. You do your best to do the same.
Denn’s staring at you. When you look over, he looks away.
“...What?”
“Disguise is thin. Charge it.”
“Ack! C-Clarity, hang on a minute!”
[Later, someone will remind you about a certain schedule conflict...]
- You intend to attend Cobb’s course on Founding Day. Why does he start it on a holiday?!
- You intend to go home for Founding Day. You’ll miss the first day, but come on! Why would he schedule it like that?!
(Winner: )
- You intend to attend Cobb’s course on Founding Day. Why does he start it on a holiday?!
- You intend to go home for Founding Day. You’ll miss the first day, but come on! Why would he schedule it like that?!
(Winner: ) 5 1@Story Notifications
Scene 37
Today is Monday, June 3rd, Founding Day, and you aren’t pleased about it. Well, the day itself is fine - and the fact that you and Serri are about to start your basic magic course is even better - but did Brother Cobb have to start it today? You had originally planned to go visit your family on Founding Day, but were reminded of your Angelic obligations just a week ago when you and Serri demonstrated your control over your Souls in order to formally register for the course.
Apparently (according to Yara and Etalyn since you didn’t want to ask Brother Cobb directly) he does it this way because he shows you “something that takes the whole day” and doesn’t want to conflict with any other courses. Sure, that’s fine, but he could do that on any Sulday or Sunday and not have to take up a holiday for it! Well, there’s nothing to do but swallow your grumbles and go anyway; in a class of three students, your absence would be incredibly obvious and incredibly disrespectful. The next major day off is in a bit more than a month, so it’s not that much longer to wait.
A whole month more (again), huh...
Things have settled down since the events of late April and the Day of the Wall. Yara went and talked to Sister Noll, as promised, and seems to be mostly keeping to the more approved avenues of magic. Etalyn’s been practicing physical transmutation with him recently, though she’s not very good at it yet. They both seem to be enjoying it anyway.
The weather is warm now, and most Angels are now wearing their uniforms with the coats fully unbuttoned or even missing entirely in some cases. Apparently it’s okay to just wear the top without the coat while inside the Cathedra, but you’re not allowed to leave like that. Doesn’t matter much to you, since you’re not allowed out except on holidays anyway, so you’ve been leaving your coat behind recently. It’s still kind of chilly in the mornings, but it warms up quickly.
“...” You glance over at him again and his perfectly precise appearance. You’re going to be spending a whole year with him and Serri in this course, so you’d probably better figure out how you’re going to treat him. So far, you haven’t interacted much, but you already don’t really like him. Still, with only three people (plus Brother Cobb) for a whole year... maybe you should give him another chance? Get to know him a little better? You really don’t know anything about him besides the very surface level stuff.
Or maybe not. You’re already a little grumpy today; if you talk to him too much you might say something Brother Cobb wouldn’t approve of.
- Try to get to know Erich some more. Give him a chance.
- You already know all you need to; just ignore him as best you can.
- Or maybe you could try to outperform him? He’s so smug; maybe that would take him down a peg?
(Winner: )
- Try to get to know Erich some more. Give him a chance.
- You already know all you need to; just ignore him as best you can.
- Or maybe you could try to outperform him? He’s so smug; maybe that would take him down a peg?
(Winner: ) 4 3 1@Story Notifications
Scene 38
You internally sigh and resolve to give him another chance. This week should be enough, you think. You’ll be nice for the week, see what he does, and see how well you can get along. Then you’ll make a decision.
There’s not much time to chat on the train, though. You’re back in a private, fancy carriage like when you first became an Angel and Brother Cobb seems to intend to hold class on the way out to the walls. He’s got time; even going as fast as you are, it’ll still take the majority of an hour to make it all the way to the city’s outskirts. Nucarreo is enormous, though according to Brother Trigg, it’s a shadow of what it was before the cataclysm. You find it hard to believe a city even could be much larger than this; wouldn’t it get too big to move through and manage? You’d need so many more farms than even what you have now!
“Today,” Brother Cobb announces as the train accelerates away from the Cathedra, “You will meet the corruption.”
The three of you stare at him, two in shock and one in... anticipation? Erich already knew, clearly.
“It will be safe. A group of Angels has worked hard to capture a weakened creature of Mindless darkness for us, so that you three can understand what you will fight. It will be contained and heavily weakened, though I refuse to say it will be completely safe. Keep your guard up when I say so and always be prepared to unveil your Soul and run away.”
“You m-mean like turning the glow back on?”
“Precisely. The burst of divine energy will disorient the creature, allowing the full Angels with us to dispatch it - should the need arise, of course. In all likelihood, it will stay safely contained and there will be no issue.”
“We’re going to get to kill it, right?” Erich seems very excited about the prospect.
Erich doesn’t seem to know. You and Serri look at each other, but you did the reading together and neither of you remember anything discussing this. What is the difference between your Body and the train? It has to be obvious, right? But when you think about it a little more, you’re not sure. Plants are classified under physical magic, not Body, which means it can’t just be something that’s alive. But animals are classified under Body, not physical, which means it can’t be the presence of a Soul. Is it the presence of a Mind? But how does that affect your Body when it’s its own different aspect?
- “The presence of a Mind?”
- “The ability to be corrupted?”
- “Nothing?”
- Don’t say anything.
❓ - [Or write in your own answer in #story_discussion.]
(Winner: )
- “The presence of a Mind?”
- “The ability to be corrupted?”
- “Nothing?”
- Don’t say anything.
❓ - [Or write in your own answer in #story_discussion.]
(Winner: ) 3 4 1 1 1@Story Notifications
Scene 39
Ah, maybe it’s... “Is it the ability to be corrupted?” you say uncertainly.
“Hm? Can you elaborate?”
Oh no. “W-well, people can be corrupted and turn into darkness creatures, and so can animals. But I’ve never heard of a plant or an object changing like that, so maybe that’s the difference?”
“Mmm. So what of the darkness burrowing into the planet itself after it fled our Souls? Would you consider that corruption?”
“That’s, um, more like a... carrier? Because it doesn’t affect the planet like it would a person.”
“I see. A good hypothesis, but unfortunately the planet (and plants, and objects in general) are corrupted in the same way as humans and animals. They don’t become darkness creatures because they aren’t creatures at all, but when you have seen the wastelands and the pitiful plants that reside within them, you will understand the scale of the planetary corruption against us.”
“Oh...” Erich looks kinda smug. Jerk; at least you tried. Wait, you’re supposed to be being nice.
“Apologies,” Brother Cobb continues after a few moments. “But it was somewhat of a trick question. The truth is that there isn’t a tangible difference between objects and Bodies - at least on an aspect level. They’re made of the same type of matter; we just classify them differently for convenient spell grouping, as the techniques needed to work with (usually) people are significantly different than those needed to work with inanimate objects.”
“Wait, there’s... no difference? But you can’t... a train isn’t a Body; you can’t live as a train!” Now you just want answers; you’re not worried about what Erich thinks of you.
“Why not?”
“Er-” Is this a trick question too? Of course you can’t live as a train! “It’s... not alive?”
“Ah, but it can move and act. It consumes food and produces waste.”
“B-but it doesn’t do that on its own!”
“And to preempt any further questions, yes, a human Soul can also survive its corruption - though this is enormously rarer than the already rare survival of the Mind. Such darkness creatures with all three aspects come only once in a generation, but they are by far the worst among the corruption, comparable to the strongest Angels in power. You will not have to deal with such creatures for a very long time; the one emergency I’ve witnessed like that was the only time I have seen every Archangel band together at once to destroy it.”
Ah, good. It’s even worse than you imagined.
The train is speeding past endless farmland now, but is beginning to slow as it approaches the last station before the city’s outermost wall. You’ve never been this close before; hopefully Brother Cobb will give you at least a little time to look around.
If he does, you’d like to explore the... [This is a ranked list, not FPTP]
- Farms and intriguing machinery dotting the fields.
- Wall and the guard posts atop it.
️ - Track that... passes through the wall? They do that?
- Bunker-like structures along the wall’s interior.
- Wastelands themselves. Surely just a few steps outside the wall couldn’t hurt? Just to get a look?
(Winners: ️ > > = )
- Farms and intriguing machinery dotting the fields.
- Wall and the guard posts atop it.
️ - Track that... passes through the wall? They do that?
- Bunker-like structures along the wall’s interior.
- Wastelands themselves. Surely just a few steps outside the wall couldn’t hurt? Just to get a look?
(Winners: ️ > > = ) 
1 3 6 3 4@Story Notifications
Scene 40
Thankfully, that’s exactly what happens. Brother Cobb needs to check your group in at the bunker buildings near the wall - apparently that’s your destination today - so he leaves the three of you in the care of a scarred wasteland soldier in drab brown fatigues.
Of course, even as trainee Angels, you outrank the soldier (sort of? It’s tough to know exactly how the hierarchy works when you’re outside the Cathedra grounds). In any case, he seems amenable enough to your collective requests to go look at various locations nearby as long as you don’t run off.
The train tracks you had noted earlier do indeed travel all the way through the wall and into the wastelands themselves, your guide tells you. They’re sealed off from the outside world by a pair of thick metal gates, probably even stronger than the stone wall itself and only operable from the inside. When a train needs to pass through, there must be at minimum two Angels on duty to guard the gates through the entire process. And despite there technically being three of you at the moment, he understandably declines to open them for you now.
And why are there trains passing through the wall in the first place? Well...
The wastelands are vast, travel is slow, and the air itself is poisonous. While Angels are usually strong enough to survive the poison indefinitely - and can heal the ordinary soldiers who aren’t - no treatment is perfect and it’s best for everyone involved to spend as little time out there as possible. Add that to the heavy equipment needed for ruin-delving along with recovering artifacts and you have a situation that only a powerful vehicle can solve.
You glance to either side to see how your fellow trainees are reacting. Serri on your right doesn’t seem as freaked out as you would expect, given the situation. She just looks a little uncomfortable, but kind of excited too? Maybe she thinks it’s pretty even though it’s clearly evil. Erich on your left also doesn’t seem as affected as you’d imagine. Given his reaction to the concept of killing a darkness creature, you’d expect him to be simmering with hatred against the wastelands themselves, but his expression is fairly neutral. Maybe he already knew? But how could you prepare for a sensation like this, even if you did know ahead of time? You feel like you’re almost ready to cry; it’s still battering against you even as you try to distract yourself. Surely you’re not the only one weak enough to feel it so strongly, right?
- Ask the others what they feel and admit what you feel.
- Ask the others what they feel, but play down the severity of what you feel.
- Is that Brother Cobb on the stairs? You can go back down soon; phew.
(Winner: )
- Ask the others what they feel and admit what you feel.
- Ask the others what they feel, but play down the severity of what you feel.
- Is that Brother Cobb on the stairs? You can go back down soon; phew.
(Winner: ) 2 5 1@Story Notifications
Scene 41
“Hey, Serri,” you murmur. “Did you know the wastelands were like this?”
“All full of life? No, but it makes sense when you think about what corruption does to living things. I guess the name doesn’t really fit?”
“Yeah...” If you stay up here on this wall for another few minutes, you really are going to start sobbing. Hopefully you’ll get to leave before that happens. “But I also meant like how it feels so... evil?”
“Huh? Of course it’s evil; it’s the corruption.”
You’re not getting anywhere like this. Best to just be direct. “So, uh, do you not feel... it hating you?”
“What? The plants? Sorry, I don’t get it; there’s no Mind to hate with, right?”
“Er, nevermind. Maybe it’s just my imagination.”
“It’s not.” You and Serri both turn to Erich; he’s stopped staring at the wastelands and decided to join your conversation.
“Can... you feel it, then?”
“Yes. Like a vague sense of paranoia, that something hateful is hunting you?”
Oh no. That doesn’t sound nearly as bad as what you’re feeling, but at least it’s the same general concept. You decide a tiny little lie is probably the best way to go here. “Yeah... That’s it.”
“That is the poison you’re feeling. Apparently it clings to people with strong Souls, so those with more power feel it more intensely.” He glances at you sideways. “I’m impressed, Jessamine. I didn’t think you would have reached the level where it’s perceivable yet.”
You blink. You didn’t think the door was causing that much interference; you could describe it in much more detail. For one, Erich is definitely wrong about its size; it’s at least as big as a large dog. But the sharpness... you think you could say more. But should you? Serri looks pretty uncomfortable already and you might just be showing off. Or, well, you’d also look really stupid if you’re actually wrong.
- Give the full description. Everything you sensed.
- Tone it down; just say the basics.
(Winner: )
- Give the full description. Everything you sensed.
- Tone it down; just say the basics.
(Winner: ) 3 4@Story Notifications
Scene 42
“Icy cold, but he’s right; it doesn’t feel like the wastelands as much as I thought it would.” You hesitate a moment, wanting to describe the sharpness and other details, but hold yourself back. Well, mostly. “I think it’s bigger than a chicken... maybe about the size of a toddler.” Wrong, you’re almost certain, but closer than Erich without being suspicious. Hopefully. You’re not entirely certain why you’re hiding what you can sense - to make Serri feel better, to not antagonize Erich, to not reveal something weird or dangerous about yourself to Brother Cobb? - but you’ve decided to do it twice now, so you’re committed.
“Good as well. We’ll see about the creature’s size shortly. And now, Ms Ambrose?”
“... It feels like... the opposite of a regular Soul. Cold, I guess.” She pauses a moment, eyeing you. “Everyone else said how big it is, but... I really can’t tell. How can you tell? Just by how cold it is?”
You’re not immediately sure, actually. And in the time it takes you to figure out what to say, Erich has already replied. “Yes, it’s the magnitude of the force compared to that of a human Soul. The creature in there seems to be weaker than our esteemed instructor, so given the reports on a darkness creature’s size relating to its forcefulness, it was easy to make an educated guess. I assume Jessamine must have consulted the same books.”
He looks at you in a way that makes it clear he doesn’t believe for an instant that you did. What does he think you did instead? Probably just guessed, based on what he said. But that’s not true either; it just seemed obvious to you. Like, when you look at something and see how big it is using your regular eyes. How can you explain how that works?
So instead you don’t say anything, implicitly approving his explanation.
“Jess, really? How much extra studying did you do without me? I thought you said we’d work together on all this!”
Then, without more than an instant’s warning as it tenses up, the corrupted wolf hurls itself at the glass with all its strength. There’s a heavy thud and most of you flinch, but the container holds strong. The beast claws and bites at the glass, leaving streaks of smoking saliva on the barrier. It slams itself against the wall several more times, desperate to get out and tear you apart. It hates you, just like the wastelands themselves. You can’t feel it as agonizingly strongly, but its actions are proof enough. This creature - without even a Mind with which to do so - hates you.
“Unpleasant, isn’t it?” Brother Cobb notes dryly. “Imagine what the retrieval team had to go through to get this charming specimen back here.”
You imagine it. Yikes.
“Now, you might be wondering something else that was absent from the pre-reading I assigned. Mindless creatures of darkness, as the name implies, have no Mind. They cannot think or feel or act in the same way we do. And yet, we teach that ordinary animals - such as the wolf that this creature may have once been - do have Minds, and that those Minds are what separates creatures who can move and act from those that cannot, such as plants. So, how can this Mindless creature display traits that seem to require a Mind? Such as movement, sensory processing, or motivation? Any ideas?”
↩️ - It’s not Mindless? It does have a Mind, but it’s corrupted like its Body?
- Shades have Minds, so maybe one of those influences the Mindless creatures?
- It’s running off only the instincts left in its Body? Maybe its Mind influenced them before its corruption?
️ - It’s using a Soul as a substitute? Well, not a Soul exactly, but a corrupted form of one, like the wasteland poison?
- This is another trick question? You don’t actually need a Mind to do those things?
(Winner: ↩️ )
- Shades have Minds, so maybe one of those influences the Mindless creatures?
- It’s running off only the instincts left in its Body? Maybe its Mind influenced them before its corruption?
️ - It’s using a Soul as a substitute? Well, not a Soul exactly, but a corrupted form of one, like the wasteland poison?
- This is another trick question? You don’t actually need a Mind to do those things?
(Winner: ↩️ ) 
3 1 2 2 1@Story Notifications
Scene 43
Erich doesn’t seem to want to answer questions that he isn’t confident about getting right. And Serri, despite her frustration, is still looking to you to try first. Well, you do have at least a thought.
“Is it not completely Mindless?” you guess. “When you were talking about people becoming shades, you mentioned that Minds can corrupt, break, or wither away, so maybe there’s still something in there that lets it move around?”
“Ah ha!” Brother Cobb seems delighted. “You’ve hit upon the Mental remnants theory of Mindless darkness. It’s one of the two main explanations for how these creatures work since, as you might guess, we don’t fully understand.” A breath; he refocuses on all three of you. “The Mental remnants theory puts forth that a Mindless darkness creature’s Mind is not completely destroyed, but rather leaves some remnants behind when it is corrupted (or spawned). These remnants are sufficient to allow it to act with simplified animalistic instincts, but insufficient to allow it to learn or otherwise implement complex strategies. Even animals will decide to avoid a trap if they’ve seen it triggered before, but Mindless creatures are incapable of even such basic thought.”
There’s a pause as the three of you work through the idea. Then, Erich speaks up. “And the second theory?”
“Yes, the Bodily instincts theory of Mindless darkness. That theory states that, much as the Soul can shape the Mind, the Mind can shape the Body. Therefore, the Mindless creatures’ Minds are truly gone, leaving them with only the built-in instincts and desires their Minds imparted onto their Bodies. This also explains why they are capable of movement and normal functions, as the Body would be most apt to imprint those actions, but much less capable of thought and understanding as Mental tasks alone.”
Another pause. “So, which one is more plausible?”
And finally, it’s time for the event you’ve all been waiting for. Now that the day has passed and you’re all tuckered out from working on sensing the thing for hours at a time, you get to try to destroy it. As Brother Cobb says, this isn’t about actually killing the Mindless creature - and he doesn’t expect any of you to actually do that - rather, it’s about knowing the sensation of testing your Soul against the corruption and emerging unharmed. You have no idea what that will feel like and admittedly, you are very nervous about finding out.
Erich, of course, is still determined to destroy it. Good for him. But as Brother Cobb explains the strategies you should use to project your Soul out towards it, you start to wonder how your unexpected talent at everything you’ve done today will translate to this, too. Will you accidentally destroy the creature without even trying? Would that expose you? What would everyone think? What should you do?
[What order should you go in? Most votes = first, least votes = last. Vote for multiple if you want.]
️ - You.
- Serri.
- Erich.
[And how much effort should you put in?]
- Do your best. That’s what this training is about; you’re not going to get better if you don’t try your hardest.
- Try to reduce your strength by a good amount. Still try, but try less.
- Just pretend to try; don’t actually let your Soul touch. You have a bad feeling about what might happen if it does.
(Winners: > > ️ , )
️ - You.
- Serri.
- Erich.
[And how much effort should you put in?]
- Do your best. That’s what this training is about; you’re not going to get better if you don’t try your hardest.
- Try to reduce your strength by a good amount. Still try, but try less.
- Just pretend to try; don’t actually let your Soul touch. You have a bad feeling about what might happen if it does.
(Winners: > > ️ , ) 1 3 6 5 3 1@Story Notifications
Scene 44
Well, despite your misgivings, you’re going to try your best; that’s what you should do. You’ve been suppressing yourself all day, but now... trying to do that when you’re actually touching the corruption... doesn’t exactly strike you as a good idea. So, if you somehow manage to destroy it, well, you’ll just let Brother Cobb tell you what that means. At least you’ll get to see Erich’s reacti - no, bad! You’re being nice!
“I’ll go first.” Speak of the - well, think of him, at least. Erich steps forward; Brother Cobb nods.
“Very well. Do your best and be careful.”
He steps into the room, both full Angels following close behind.
He places his hand on the glass. The darkness creature slams against the barrier, trying to break through and rip off the impudent limb.
He takes a breath, steadies himself, and clenches his hand.
“You two; take a moment to observe the Soul aspect. Watch from here, if you can.”
There’s a flare of light and heat, like a bonfire going up. Sparks fly and burn against your skin, though of course none of this is happening in the physical world. In reality, he simply presses his hand against the glass, teeth clenched as he strains against an invisible force. The fire flares higher and brighter for a few moments until, little by little and then all at once, it wanes. Erich stumbles back, caught by one of the Angels as the other wards the beast away with a swipe of invisible light.
“Excellent; excellent, Mr Haskell. The creature hesitated. You were able to press it back, even without any formal training. You’ve done very well today.”
“...”
He doesn’t respond or even look at any of you. The Angel sets him on a chair nearby to rest as Brother Cobb looks to you and Serri. “And next, we’ll have...”
Serri looks away; she definitely doesn’t want to go next. Of course, Brother Cobb will catch on and ask you to go instead. In fact, you might as well just volunteer so she doesn’t-
The Angel at your back stops humming just before she makes it around the corner. “Ms Goodall is in stable condition. I should go make my report as well; I will accompany Ms Ambrose to ensure she doesn’t get lost.”
“Very kind. Thank you.”
You’re alone with Brother Cobb. Suddenly, the atmosphere seems far more menacing than just a minute ago.
“Ms Goodall.”
You flinch despite yourself. “Y-yes?”
“Can you sit up? We should return to the others as soon as we can.”
“O-oh.” What a relief. You thought he was about to - well, you’re not sure, but something nefarious, maybe. “Let me try...”
You make it to standing up with a minimum of fuss, and are capable of walking on your own with no support. You feel basically fine physically, which is really weird given you had been unconscious only a few minutes ago. Still, you’ll take it over the usual side effects.
“I have a feeling-” Cobb muses as he shuffles along the corridor. “-that this incident was due to more than simple exhaustion. Your Soul is not depleted, at least according to those who can see it. Would you mind recounting your experience by the cage? Perhaps we can puzzle out what truly caused this.”
[This is a critical point. Two characters’ fates will be altered.]
- Explain what happened. And that you were holding back earlier. It might be important.
- Explain what happened. But that’s it. You’re not sure you fully trust him after what happened last time something weird happened.
- Tone it down. It probably was just exhaustion; you’ve done it before.
(Winner: )
- Explain what happened. And that you were holding back earlier. It might be important.
- Explain what happened. But that’s it. You’re not sure you fully trust him after what happened last time something weird happened.
- Tone it down. It probably was just exhaustion; you’ve done it before.
(Winner: ) 2 5 1@Story Notifications
Scene 45
You tell him. You’re really shaken up by this and don’t want to hide anything that could get you hurt. But, at the same time, you’re conscious of what happened the last time someone told him about something weird and - hey, wait a minute. You were just recently exposed to some sort of unknown Soul experiment and now you’re really good at sensing the corruption, plus you collapsed after touching it. Maybe there’s a connection there. But... you really hope Brother Cobb doesn’t see it if there is. Yara doesn’t need to get in any more trouble.
So you stop exactly where he asked, recounting your experience by the cage, but not that you were holding back throughout most of the day. Nor what you could feel with the wastelands. You... probably need to talk to Yara about this. Someone, at least, and he’s both knowledgeable and trustworthy. You’ll see if he’s available when you get back.
“I see,” Cobb says, after some time to think. “And you didn’t feel anything out of the ordinary throughout the rest of the day?”
“W-well, not really - I mean, I was better than I thought I’d be at sensing it, and the wastelands felt evil, but...” You kind of trail off noncommittally, unwilling to explain that you started crying on the wall or that you purposefully didn’t do your best for most of the day.
He doesn’t press. “Hum. Perhaps the incident early last month could be related...”
Drat. You consider trying to talk him out of it, but that’d just make you seem more suspicious. Instead, you don’t say anything and just hope he starts considering an alternative option.
“Yes. If you had the power to match, you would have been able to destroy the beast. I nearly had it alone, and it was therefore weakened by the time of your attempt. Now, the question remains whether this is due to the experiment or if it’s an innate talent, since it certainly isn’t due to practice... Have you noticed any difference in your perception over the last month?”
You’re almost ashamed to admit it, but his explanation leaves you feeling fairly relieved. You had been worrying about some sort of imperceptible defect in your Soul that meant you were hyper-attuned to the corruption and would cause something terrible in the future. But if what he’s saying is actually true, it’s not even close to that bad. “It’s hard to tell. I’ve been improving the whole time; I don’t know if there was a difference.”
“Of course.” A scowl. “It might be impossible to know. Perhaps if I could get a look at the schematics... But they’ve all been confiscated, of course.”
The lights of Hearth Hall loom out of the fog nearby; you’ve almost made it back and you feel so much lighter with even the chance of an explanation that means you aren’t some sort of horrible mutant. And of course, it’s entirely plausible that Yara can actually figure it out given his knowledge of Souls and the experiment. There wasn’t anything else you had to do tonight, right?
- Go see Yara and figure it out!
- ... And bring Erich. He kinda deserves to know.
- Wait, weren’t you going to set things straight with Serri instead?
(Winner: )
- Go see Yara and figure it out!
- ... And bring Erich. He kinda deserves to know.
- Wait, weren’t you going to set things straight with Serri instead?
(Winner: ) 2 2 5@Story Notifications
Scene 46
... Yes, there definitely was.
Erich leaves when you enter Hearth Hall, heading off down the left corridor without another word. He still doesn’t look happy. Well, no matter; you’ve got to find Serri before doing anything else.
Fortunately, she’s not hard to find; she’s waiting with Yara in the common room, surrounded by books and sheets of paper. He’s drawing something out as you enter: a glyph pattern building on the matan that doesn’t look familiar from a passing glance.
“Ah, our prodigy returns,” Yara greets you, doing a gesture somewhere between a nod and a bow. “Hale and hearty after today’s checkup, I presume?”
Serri isn’t meeting your eyes, but she’s obviously paying attention. “... Yeah. I’m okay.”
“Good, good! Serri told me what happened; quite a mystery! Although I swear it sounds familiar... Is there anything you’d like to add that perhaps you haven’t shared yet?”
Yara definitely knows something. That intonation on “it sounds familiar” is the one he uses when he just doesn’t want to reveal something yet. Usually for theatrical effect, but here you have a feeling there might be a different criterion. At least you were already planning on talking to her, so you’re prepared. Mostly.
“I lied about doing extra studying. Well, not really lied, but... I didn’t say anything when Erich suggested it.”
Yara nudges Serri. “See? Told you. Our dependable Jessamine wouldn’t hide that.”
She looks up at you. “So what happened, then? Why were you so good at it? And why did you pass out?”
“I... don’t know. It was just... easy for me to sense the corruption. B-but it seems like I’m also better than normal at sensing other Soul things - Erich tried something like that on the way back and - hey, you’re doing it right now!”
Yara smiles, putting his hands up faux-guiltily.
“So I think I’m just really sensitive to the Soul aspect, and that’s why trying to touch the darkness creature directly was, er, a little too much.”
So that’s your life for the next month or two, as summer grows hot and time ticks on. A stable, if tenuous, equilibrium between courses, practice, and rest. You don’t think you’d be able to manage without your friends’ help, which sometimes leads you to wonder about people like Naoriel. She has to have a similar workload to yours, but she’s always shooing off people trying to get to know her. You haven’t spoken in any depth since... gosh, it must have been your first week, right? How does she manage it?
Anyway, your routine gets an interruption one day in late July as - with her six years of training nearly complete - Clarity celebrates her 18th birthday and will soon graduate to become a full Angel.
[Clarity will be the “main character” in this next major event (aside from you, of course), but who else should be involved?]
- Naoriel.
- Erich.
️ - Sims.
(Winner: )
- Naoriel.
- Erich.
️ - Sims.
(Winner: ) 6 2 2@Story Notifications
Scene 47
The date is August 1st and you’re back in the Lordstone Cathedral. It’s early in the morning - the fog hasn’t had time to thin yet, so there’s nothing but soft grey nothingness outside - and you’re here with all eleven other trainees, as well as several of your instructors. And the Emissary himself, of course. Thankfully, you aren’t the subject of today’s ceremony; all you have to do is stand in the right place and not mess anything up.
“Angel Clarity Hendersen,” says the Emissary softly, eyes of gold glinting in the morning’s mechanical lamps. “Raise your head.”
She does. He regards her for several long seconds, eyes undoubtedly focused on her Mind and Soul as well as her Body. He can do that too, you’ve learned. It’s so much less intense when you aren’t the one being scrutinized.
“Angel Clarity Hendersen,” he repeats. “You have completed your six years of training in good standing. Your instructors have recommended you for promotion to Angel in full. Tell me, are you pure of Body, Mind, and Soul?”
“I am.” Her voice is strong; it echoes in the cathedral. The motes of light drifting within the Lordstone shift. The rhythm of the ceremony is familiar to you; a mirror of the one you underwent just a few months ago after your Ascension.
“Do you reaffirm your immortal, divine loyalty to the Cathedra and God above?”
“I do.”
“And do you promise to guide, honor, and protect the citizens of this city and this world, though it may cost you your life?”
“I do.”
The Emissary makes the sign of the matan, descending the steps to stand before her. “I witness and honor these oaths, sworn before our most holy relic. Rise, Angel Clarity Hendersen, and distinguish yourself as one of God’s most honored servants.”
“What’s that all about?” you murmur, eyeing Sims as he continues to just stand there and stare after her.
“Oh, nothing much. I was just telling him how much I was looking forward to spending the morning with my good friend Jessamine.~”
You blink several times at her absurdly girly tone; Naoriel’s voice has been much more reserved when you’ve spoken to her in the past. “Er, but I was-”
“- Just as excited? How lovely; I’m so pleased to be included before morning mass!~~”
At this point she’s actually clinging onto your arm. You have no idea what’s going on.
- Include Naoriel in your original plans, which were (as usual) more studying with Serri, Yara, and Etalyn.
- Change your plans to do something else with just her instead. [Such as?]
- She’s being super weird; go away!
(Winner: )
- Include Naoriel in your original plans, which were (as usual) more studying with Serri, Yara, and Etalyn.
- Change your plans to do something else with just her instead. [Such as?]
- She’s being super weird; go away!
(Winner: ) 6 2 1@Story Notifications
Scene 48
“Er, s-sure.” You may not know what’s going on, but you’re not going to pass up a chance to figure it out. Plus, you don’t like how Sims is looking at Naoriel. “I just need to talk to Clarity first.”
“I do too!”
“B-but you never talk to her?”
“Today’s an exceptional day, though. You only graduate like this once!”
And thus, she comes with you. This obviously derails whatever you were originally going to say, since Clarity is much more interested in what the two of you are doing.
“Jess! And Naoriel; what a surprise! I know I’m supposed to be getting over to the Center soon, but come on, I can’t pass this up. What’s going on?”
“I wish I knew,” you start to say, but are interrupted.
“Just meeting up with Jess here for the morning. Nothing special.”
“Oh? I didn’t know you two were such friends!” Clarity peers a little closer, as if she can’t quite believe who’s actually saying this. “You’ve always been such a loner.”
“Well, I was for a while. But everyone’s got to break out of their shell eventually, right? Before the stakes get too high.”
“And today is when the stakes rose?”
“Maybe a little, but Jess actually befriended me months ago. Isn’t that right?”
What. Is. Happening? “E-er... yes?” Maybe? If you count that brief chat in your first week, or the occasional times you’ve had lunch together since then? Does that count?
“So, you see? I’ve become much more personable. You don’t have to avoid me anymore!”
“Hmm! Good to know!”
Every word these two are saying sounds fake, but you can’t quite tell how. Is there a code or something? But as you’re pondering, they’re finishing up their conversation and whoever’s next in line gets their turn. You’re ejected from the crowd and start heading back towards the benches where you’ll ostensibly wait for Yara and the rest.
“Jess, didn’t we have somewhere to go after this?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah, but I need to wait for-”
She puts a finger to her lips, then her other hand into a pocket. A few brief seconds, then she nods, apparently satisfied. “Sorry. I just needed to have an excuse.”
Her normal voice: soft, but distinct. What a relief. “To... get away from Sims?”
“Well, that’s part of it. I also...” She grips one hand with the other and looks to the side, voice getting even quieter. “... needed to make it look like I had friends.”
A moment passes. “You - oh, that’s why you needed to talk to Clarity! She’s such a gossip, the whole Cathedra will know about what you said by tomorrow!”
Back to a more neutral pose; she smiles again, but less forced. “That’s right. And with an audience like that, hardly anyone knows either of us well enough to spot the fraud immediately.” A pause; she considers something. “I’ll just have to be careful to act like that around her and other talkative people for a while. Long enough for the impression to stick.”
“Okay... But, erm, why? Does it have anything to do with Sims?” Also, did you consider how I might feel about playing a part?, you carefully only think and do not say.
A slight wince. “Sorry, but I can’t say. And I do apologize for dragging you into this without warning; it was a last-minute plan. But... at least for a week or two, would you mind pretending to be friends?”
- “S-sure, I guess?”
- “Why not try actually being friends instead?”
- “I don’t think I want to be involved in this. You haven’t explained anything!”
(Winner: )
- “S-sure, I guess?”
- “Why not try actually being friends instead?”
- “I don’t think I want to be involved in this. You haven’t explained anything!”
(Winner: ) 2 5 1@Story Notifications
Scene 49
“Why... not try actually being friends instead?”
“Huh? Really? I... hadn’t even considered that.”
“You’re on a mission to look like you have friends, and actually making friends wasn’t something you had considered?”
“... No, not really.” She half-chuckles. “I tend to overcomplicate things. But... I don’t think I can do that, sorry.”
“Why not?”
She hesitates. You know you’ll have to get back downstairs pretty soon, but you want to resolve this first. “You... know why. I have too many secrets I can’t share. It wouldn’t be fair to anyone.”
“Secrets like why you need to look like you have friends? And why Sims is so interested in you? And why you went out of your way to tell me about Inquisitors when we first met?”
“Eheheh... yes. Like those.”
“Well... everyone has secrets,” you declare. “For instance, I know about - well, I can’t tell you; that’s the point! But...” A pause; you’re not used to being this forceful, but something about this whole situation just doesn’t sit right with you. “I’m not going to pretend to be your friend, but if you want to try the real thing, I’m willing to do that instead.”
Another few seconds pass. You go pick up your books, purposefully turning your back on her to get them. “And... what would that entail?”
You’re not sure. You’ve never tried to make a friend like this; like laying out a contract. “You don’t have to share your secrets, but I do want to know at least a little more about you. And, er, sometimes study or have food or just hang out together, or - I don’t know; just like what normal people do!”
“So, what I was already doing this morning?”
“But at least without the weird fake enthusiasm, please? You don’t have to force it or pretend; just be your normal self.”
“It was a little too much, then? I didn’t have time to practice.”
“Er, yeah. Just... don’t try to fake anything and I bet it’ll be even more convincing, if that’s what’s really important to you.”
Etalyn rolls her eyes. “You don’t get it ‘cause your parents are so nice. Some of us have to prove that we deserve to be Angels and we’re not wasting the opportunity.”
“Sorry; I don’t - are you saying she’s-”
“Lord above, Jess, you’re thick. Let me spell it out: I think she’s doing this cause her dear ol’ dad or mom or whoever told her to. ‘Cause she wouldn’t be a ‘good enough’ Angel if she didn’t make some friends. Get it? I went through the same thing a few years ago, ‘cept I just told my folks to get lost.”
“Erm-” You’re still not quite sure how Etalyn is making her deductions, but you suppose maybe she’s seeing some evidence you’re missing because you’ve always been on good terms with your family? “That’s an interesting idea...”
Another eye roll. “Don’t believe me if you want, Jess. You’re the one who asked for my opinion.”
“No, no, that’s not what I meant-”
“Yeah, yeah. I know. Now go put your stuff away or we’ll leave you behind.”
- Clarity’s first mission went fine and she’s in good shape.
- She got a little roughed up, but is basically okay.
- Something went pretty dramatically wrong. She’s still alive, but...
(Winner: )
- Clarity’s first mission went fine and she’s in good shape.
- She got a little roughed up, but is basically okay.
- Something went pretty dramatically wrong. She’s still alive, but...
(Winner: ) 3 5 1@Story Notifications
Scene 50
Naoriel attends mass and has lunch with your group before leaving to do something on her own for the afternoon with a vague promise to stop by again sometime. It’s kind of awkward - as you’d expected given that she doesn’t want to talk much. At least mass isn’t too bad; you’re supposed to be quiet for most of it. You’re still kind of confused about the whole deal, but you do at least learn a little more during lunch.
Using the missing Clarity as a focus (she’s still either at the Center waiting for her mission, or out in the city performing it) you steer the conversation towards parents. Etalyn seems to notice what you’re doing, but doesn’t stop you - in fact, she almost seems proud. You feel a little guilty trying to manipulate Naoriel into giving up information like that, but not quite guilty enough to stop.
It seems like the table is pretty split on how they feel about their family. You obviously have a good relationship - though you haven’t seen them in months and those occasional letters just make you lonelier - and Clarity is spoiled by her parents. Yara and Etalyn both don’t want to give any more details than you already know, but you’re aware that neither of them had great childhoods. Serri - really? You somehow never asked her before now? - anyway, Serri comes from a very large family near the outskirts, where she’s the second youngest. Apparently, many of her siblings grew up to work in some sort of farming, often in the underground caverns that wind beneath the city where they harvest plants, fungus, and the small creatures who feed on it. She’s glad she was spared having to do that.
... I’m worried, you admit, still focusing on the matan and your connection to the divine. Not just for Yara and Clarity and all the others, but just... You hesitate, but God knows what you’re thinking anyway, and He loves you regardless. The more I learn about the corruption, the more impossible it seems that we can win. Everything’s been at a stalemate for centuries, but with the darkness growing stronger. Shades never appeared until the last few centuries; did you know that? You shake your head. Of course He knew that. And even beyond just keeping the city safe, we’d still have to purify the entire planet to really win. I just don’t see how that could possibly...
Great, there’s that dread again. You try your best to ignore it - and succeed most of the time - but sometimes it just creeps up on you. God, if I am Your Angel, and I am part of Your answer to the corruption, please... tell me if we can win. If there’s hope.
️ - Somehow, you feel a little better.
- There’s no answer. Of course not; only the Emissary can directly talk with God.
️ - Somehow, you feel a little worse.
(Winner: ️ )
️ - Somehow, you feel a little better.
- There’s no answer. Of course not; only the Emissary can directly talk with God.
️ - Somehow, you feel a little worse.
(Winner: ️ ) 4 3 1@Story Notifications
Scene 51
There’s no obvious answer. No flash of light or divine voice to allay your concerns and tell you everything will be okay. But you know God won’t speak to you like that; only the Emissary can hope to do something so divine. You’ll have to look for a smaller sign. Like, perhaps, that feeling of warmth from your Ascension. If that really was God’s presence, then maybe you’ll be able to feel it again?
... Nope, nothing. You don’t know what you were thinking. You hastily turn around, breaking the triangle formed by your hands, and hurry outside, suddenly embarrassed to be thinking so brazenly about contacting God. But when you emerge, the fog is a little different. A little clearer; the sun perhaps a little brighter. You can see the belltower you couldn’t when you went in. And while the change could have happened naturally while you were inside, that doesn’t mean it did. Perhaps it’s God’s will speaking to you softly, telling you that there is still light in the world, no matter how dark things may seem.
Somehow, you feel a little better.
...
Clarity is back by dinner. She’s basically fine - just a few strange, pale marks on her arms - but she’s a little shaken up, despite all her training. Without much prompting, she agrees to tell you what happened.
The call came out before midday, about two hours before lunch. Clarity had been sitting in the Center for a while already, listening to the chatter and wondering who she’d be paired up with, when one of the operators signaled her over. A request from the tenth district, not far from the wall. Reports had come in from fishermen of strange dark shapes in the water, and one man hadn’t returned from his scheduled shift. The nearest Angels were at the wall instead of the Cathedra, of course, but coincidentally (or not!) the district was also monitoring an unusually close group of Mindless darkness gathering in the wastelands and didn’t want to leave the wall without its guardians.
You nod, still staring at the marks. The sickly grey skin is a shocking contrast to Clarity’s otherwise flawless appearance. If you look at just her hands, it almost looks like she should be in a hospital.
“But we did eventually manage to kill it and burn it away. Then, after a short rest and a report to the constables nearby, we...”
- Found the missing fisherman.
- Found a creature crawling out of the river.
️ - Found the broken grate.
(Winner: )
- Found the missing fisherman.
- Found a creature crawling out of the river.
️ - Found the broken grate.
(Winner: ) 4 2 1@Story Notifications
Scene 52
“... found the missing fisherman.” She glances away. “Well, part of him. Erm... you know what, I don’t need to describe it. Just, it was really brutal, Jess. I thought I was prepared to go out there, but I’d never seen a dead man before. Not... like that, at least.”
Thankfully, Clarity and her partner didn’t have to recover what was left of the man’s corpse; once they flagged the location and cleared another section of the river, divers were sent in behind them. Instead, they pressed on towards the wall, encountering and destroying two more darkness creatures along the way. These latter two fights went more smoothly than the first, potentially because the creatures seemed smaller and less aggressive, but potentially because her partner was more active in combat due to Clarity’s injuries.
Eventually, they reached the outer wall to find the grates closed and intact, with no signs of any corruption having infiltrated there. That was fortunate for obvious reasons, but also unfortunate, since it meant they didn’t know where these corrupted beasts had come from. They had passed one broken grate in the river itself, so presumably the creatures had been using the river for transit within the city, but the fully functional exterior grate raised some questions. Had the monsters infiltrated through some other route and found their way into the river? Had they spawned there naturally? Or was there some other route that no one knew about?
“The Endle River is connected to a few flooded caves under the city,” Clarity tells you as she recounts the last hour of the mission. “So some of the constables were worried there’s a passage under the walls we don’t know about and they somehow got in that way? But neither of us would have any idea how to even start looking for something like that, so we left after doing a second sweep of the river to make sure everything was cleansed.”
️ - Go hang out with her; be friendly and chat. Certainly you don’t have an ulterior motive. [Talk about what topic?]
- If her father is a deacon, he’ll be registered in the Cathedra records. Find him; learn about him. If she’s so secretive, you’ll go around her.
️ - Maybe Sims will reveal something about her; clearly he knows enough to be concerning. Should you just ask? [Or do you have a better idea?]
- You know she didn’t take the basic magic course, but she learned magic somehow. Brother Cobb teaches all introductory magic; maybe he knows something?
(Winner: ) 3 5 1 1@Story Notifications
Scene 53
Finding information on Naoriel’s father doesn’t take nearly as long as when you dug up the information on Zeke’s name change, which was the last time you did something similarly stalker-like. You definitely feel a little weird, keeping an eye out in case Naoriel shows up for whatever reason, but there aren’t all that many assistant deacons (at least compared to all the data you had to sift through last time) and the Cathedra is very meticulous with its record keeping.
The problem is then trying to cross-reference the list of potential deacons with birth records from the correct time. You don’t know Naoriel’s birthday, but you do know when she Ascended: January of last year, which is a problem. Cevember, the last month of each year, doesn’t have a Calling day unlike all twelve others. That means the children born in December, Cevember, or the three festival days at the end of the year are all placed into the same ceremony in January. It’s the biggest of the year for obvious reasons (and some priests are thus campaigning to add a new Calling day in Cevember), but the real issue is that you’ve got slightly more than twice as many possible birthdays to search.
Obviously, you can’t just ask when her birthday is and your friends don’t know either, so there’s nothing for it but to just hunker down and -
“Oh, Naoriel’s? December 15th. Why?”
“Er - wait, huh? How do you know that?”
Clarity winks. “It’s my job to know things! But if you must know...” She lowers her voice and flattens her tone. “I painstakingly searched through every official birth record in December and would have done Cevember and the festival days too, but got lucky to find it before then.”
“... Really?” You were about to do the same thing, so you suppose it isn’t out of the question, but still; that’s a monumental amount of work!
The mystery only deepens. Naoriel’s father seems just as confusing as Naoriel herself. Is he a secluded, extremely private man like his daughter who actually is just content where he is? Or is there something else going on?
You’re actually midway through checking the calendar to see when the next time you’re allowed to leave the campus is before you slow down and get a grip on yourself. I’m literally stalking this poor girl, you realize. What am I hoping to do by visiting her father besides creeping both of them out and probably ruining any relationship I have with her? It’s such a dumb idea; I bet I won’t even find anything useful. And... it’s just a really, really weird thing to do!
And yet...
Next Friday, August 14th, is Randolph Endle Day. The holiday celebrates exactly who you’d expect: the man who first invented practical steam power, utilizing the river that now bears his name because of it. But beyond that, you’re allowed to leave campus on holidays. You eye the train schedule amidst the horrifyingly large pile of documents you’ve gathered around yourself. It’s totally feasible. You could go.
But should you?
- Yes.
- No.
[And if you do go, you’ll need a disguise. Who should you ask? Ranked choice; you’ll ask in order until someone says yes.]
- Clarity. She helped you the last few times, but she might be busy. Plus, can she stay quiet about it?
- Yara. You’re not actually sure if he can disguise other people too or if he already has plans, but he’s trustworthy.
- Denn. He is capable of disguising others, though not as well as Clarity, and you already know he’s free that day. But you still don’t know him very well.
❓ - Someone else. [Suggest in #story_discussion. Probably not Naoriel.]
(Winners: , )
- Yes.
- No.
[And if you do go, you’ll need a disguise. Who should you ask? Ranked choice; you’ll ask in order until someone says yes.]
- Clarity. She helped you the last few times, but she might be busy. Plus, can she stay quiet about it?
- Yara. You’re not actually sure if he can disguise other people too or if he already has plans, but he’s trustworthy.
- Denn. He is capable of disguising others, though not as well as Clarity, and you already know he’s free that day. But you still don’t know him very well.
❓ - Someone else. [Suggest in #story_discussion. Probably not Naoriel.]
(Winners: , ) 1 6 1 3 1 1@Story Notifications
Scene 54
... No! Absolutely not; what were you thinking?! You’re starting to let your investigation get in the way of common sense and basic decency. Time to drop it for a while and calm down. Make sure you can still make rational decisions. But making that decision means your Endle Day is free, since Brother Cobb promised to stop scheduling things on holidays for a while and no one has invited you to do anything yet.
Which means...
You drop off the letter at the clerk’s desk directly instead of at a drop box, asking her to please ensure it gets out today. Of course, your request is treated as a semi-divine command by many ordinary staff (at times, despite your protests), so you have no doubt it will. You’ve finally got a chance to see your family again for the first time since March, more than five long months ago, and you’re not going to squander it. You’re going out next Friday, no matter what.
Now, you’ve just got to find someone to help you maintain a disguise while out and about. And, since you were pondering this earlier when thinking about being a total creep, you’ve already got someone in Mind.
“Ah, my apologies, but I’ll be busy that day,” Yara says, spinning a pencil between his fingers before setting it down. “I’m to assist Ets with something.”
“Don’t tell me it’s another demonstration match?” you ask. “She’s had one the last... three holidays; what more is there to demonstrate?!”
“Ha! As much as she’d probably enjoy that, not this time.”
“So... what is it?”
Suspiciously, Yara pauses for several seconds before responding. “Nothing in particular. Just a few errands in the city.”
You squint at him just like Clarity, to make sure he knows you don’t believe him. “You suuurreee?”
“What is this, an interrogation?”
So, what will you do?
- Accept Yara’s “there-and-back” offer. Stay at home while your true appearance is revealed.
- Ask Denn to help out so you can go out in public. This will require introducing him to your family, since he’ll have to come with you to maintain the disguise.
(Winner: )
- Accept Yara’s “there-and-back” offer. Stay at home while your true appearance is revealed.
- Ask Denn to help out so you can go out in public. This will require introducing him to your family, since he’ll have to come with you to maintain the disguise.
(Winner: ) 5 1@Story Notifications
Scene 55
“Well...”
Nothing else of particular note happens that week. Clarity goes on more missions and shares more harrowing tales of fights against the corruption all across the city, but also tales of the impacts her efforts have on the people you’re collectively sworn to protect. Not every story ends with a dead fisherman torn apart in the river; many more times, the Angels arrive in time to prevent any serious harm.
Naoriel shows up at unpredictable times, continuing in her quest to pretend to be your friend. Still, you keep learning just by hanging around with her, even if you’re trying your best to avoid actively stalking her. That white beret she wears isn’t part of the dress code, much like Clarity’s pin, but since it kinda looks like it could be, no one really bothers her about it. Apparently she had been self-conscious about her hair sticking up before becoming an Angel, and just kept the habit of wearing it even though her appearance is now flawless.
You find it a little weird that the Body transformation considered her cowlick to be a “flaw” to correct and spend some time discussing what a “perfect Body” actually means and what determines it. Turns out there’s actually some literature on the subject, but (as with quite a lot of magic’s fundamental behaviors) the best explanation anyone can come up with is “it’s God’s will.” God, so it seems, prefers smooth hair.
Finally, Friday morning arrives. You now have two non-uniform outfits to choose from (courtesy of Clarity, of course), and decide on the less-fancy one to avoid giving too much of a shock. Just a simple full-length cream dress with some darker accents to stop barely short of “too plain.” This sort of rougher, simpler outfit is what many ordinary people in the city wear, and is familiar to you from your childhood. But somehow, you feel less natural in it than you expected.
Yara and Etalyn disembark with you; they’ll have to transfer to a different route. “Alright, here we are,” Yara says, stretching as Etalyn goes to look at a departure board. “I’m fairly confident your disguise will last twenty minutes based on the degradation rate, so as long as you don’t dawdle, you’ll get there with time to spare.”
“G-got it.”
Etalyn saunters back over, pointing over her shoulder at a nearby platform. “Our train’s boarding. Hurry it up.”
“Goodness, already? What fortuitous timing! We’ll return this evening as promised; do enjoy your Endle Day.”
“Yeah, have fun, Jess. Lucky to have a family like you do. Appreciate ‘em.”
“I - I will.”
Etalyn smirks and rolls her eyes, heading off to the train she indicated. Yara grabs your arm, recharging your disguise, then waves farewell and hurries off after her. “See you tonight!”
You don’t have any time to waste. You wave just once, then spin around and walk out of the station.
[It’s really happening. How are you going to greet your family?]
⏱️ - Like nothing’s changed.
- Happily; with excitement.
- Politely. Fondly, but properly.
- Nervously. It’s been months!
(Winner: )
- Happily; with excitement.
- Politely. Fondly, but properly.
- Nervously. It’s been months!
(Winner: ) 
1 3 1 4@Story Notifications
Scene 56
The streets are familiar here. You rarely walked to the station itself from your house, but it’s surrounded by the neighborhood’s main commercial zone, not to mention your school. You know the area well.
Unfortunately, you don’t have time to sightsee. You can’t sense the disguise degrading as anything more than a vague “cooling off” of the warm blanket-like feeling, so you’re not sure exactly how long you have or at what point it will slip away entirely. Streets pass by in rapid succession as you fall back into your well-memorized route back home. Some of the signs are different; businesses have changed or moved. Homes have new shutters or doors. Life, so it seems, went on.
But... somehow, even these little changes make everything seem so different. You’re used to modern, sleek skyscrapers and traditional, ornate cathedrals now. The shabby wooden townhomes and rough streetsigns belong to a different world. One occupied by ordinary people, not Angels.
You’re discomforted by these thoughts. They don’t feel like something you’d think, right? You’re still human; you’ve only been gone for less than half a year! This neighborhood is just as much your home as the Cathedra; more so, even. Where’s this vague sense of... separation coming from?
There’s no answer to find as you continue on, winding out of the main streets and into the narrower residential alleys that make up the bulk of the district. The charred-black face of a building catches your eye and you think back to one of the few times you had seen an Angel outside of district assemblies. A townhome down the street had caught fire and, with narrow alleys surrounded by old wood on all sides, it quickly began to outspread any attempts to keep it contained.
And when your mom emerges as well, hurriedly removing her apron to avoid getting flour on your outfit as she hugs you too - even as Seth hurries down the stairs to join in - you... feel separate. You still like and appreciate your family, but...
Why?
And so you start crying in the middle of the hallway.
[When you’ve gotten yourself together, you should...]
- Pretend. Maybe it’s just temporary; maybe you’re just confused. You’ll feel better soon. Probably.
️ - Just do your best. Don’t act, but don’t say. There’s plenty of other things to talk about. You’ll figure out your feelings later.
- Explain. You’re not sure what’s going on yourself, admittedly, but you still need to tell them.
(Winner: )
- Pretend. Maybe it’s just temporary; maybe you’re just confused. You’ll feel better soon. Probably.
️ - Just do your best. Don’t act, but don’t say. There’s plenty of other things to talk about. You’ll figure out your feelings later.
- Explain. You’re not sure what’s going on yourself, admittedly, but you still need to tell them.
(Winner: ) 1 3 4@Story Notifications
Scene 57
At first, no one thinks that’s weird. You’re still young and just reunited with your family that you haven’t seen for months; plenty of people would cry in a situation like that. But after you calm down a bit and try to explain what you’re feeling (doing a very poor job of it, you can tell), mom sits you down on the nice chair and tries to help you figure it out.
The adjectives you provide don’t seem to make them understand. Disconnected, confused, a little empty. It’s natural to feel a little isolated after being away for so long, you’re told. You’ve been living in a different world since you left. Of course you’d feel a little different as well, and that’s okay. They’re here for you anyway.
You’re not so sure. It just feels so sudden; surely you haven’t changed that much. There exists magic that can manipulate your Mind and emotions. Corruption can cause thoughts and feelings to decay. It just... it’s gotta be something external, right? Something that means it isn’t your fault for losing how you feel about your family. Something that can be fixed. Otherwise...
At some point you realize your disguise fell apart and no one even said anything, even though you can tell the changes are surprising. Surely at least Seth has to be curious about that, but he’s not saying anything because you’re still a mess and he has to take care of you again just like he did for years when you were younger and even after your sickness passed he still had to protect you at school and you’re just the worst and why can’t you pull yourself together? It’s so stupid to just be sitting here all sad about nothing!
You really should be better at controlling your emotions than this, after these months of Mind training. That thought leaps into your head unbidden, which of course only makes you feel worse.
In return, you get some of the beautifully mundane tales you were craving. Dad shows you a neat mechanism he designed that fits somewhere in the motors of an upcoming model of locomotive - one of the times where his title is actually accurate. You have no idea how it works, but that’s nothing new. Mom has stories of her students’ various exploits, including a few girls you used to know from school. Apparently you’re now quite popular after your Ascension, despite your previous status, and some kids have started cozying up to Seth for presumed divine favors later. He can confirm that one, and also reassures you that he’s not listening to any of those people but that it can be fun to mess with them occasionally.
So. You’re caught up, mostly. It’s taken a while, but you’ve still got plenty of time left. What now?
- What has Seth picked for his training path and, eventually, future career?
️ - What’s been happening locally? That fire? Anything interesting? How’s Father Turner?
- Is there anything that you can help with? Maybe that only you can help with?
(Winner: )
- What has Seth picked for his training path and, eventually, future career?
️ - What’s been happening locally? That fire? Anything interesting? How’s Father Turner?
- Is there anything that you can help with? Maybe that only you can help with?
(Winner: ) 6 2 1@Story Notifications
Scene 58
Well, you’ve got to know what your brother plans on doing for his future job. While the choices made after one’s Calling aren’t completely permanent by design - you are just twelve when it happens, after all - most kids do stick with theirs. The idea is that God inspires you during your ceremony so that, even if you don’t Ascend to be an Angel, you still get an idea of what His plan for you might be. Seth has kind of been avoiding the topic in your letters and there’s really no better time to find out. So you ask.
“...”
You should have guessed. He’s taking advanced combat, tactics, and survival classes - not to mention extra training on the corruption he’ll start in two years’ time. Your brother is intending to become a wasteland soldier.
You think back to the four men in soldiers’ fatigues who saluted you just after your Ascension. The warriors you met guarding the wall and the strange, bunker-like building that (at times) houses captured darkness creatures. They’re strong, hardy people, a job granted only to the toughest and most pious of men - at least, of those who were not picked to join the Cathedra in a divine capacity.
But they’re only human, after all, and they don’t have an Angel’s blessings. Well, they do carry an Angel’s Blessings, but - nevermind. The point is that they’re far more mortal than any Angel.
You recall Zeke’s stories of his encounters with shades, and how any encounter without losing a member of the squad is considered a great victory. Descriptions of dangerous, desperate work repairing tracks or equipment as men fight and die to provide the time to do so. Of Angels too busy or too slow to save the men under their command as they succumb to darkness just feet away.
“...”
Right, of course he’d notice your expression. What’s wrong? Can you even tell him? Obviously, he wants to do this for you. If his sister has to be out in the wastelands fighting against the darkness, then by God he will be too.
You catch the implication. Seth may want to defend you, but you also want to defend him. You’re not sure how much you’ll be able to do, especially since newer Angels don’t typically enter the wastelands until they’ve gained enough experience on missions inside the city, but you’ll do your best. You’d never be able to forgive yourself if your brother...
Nope, not even going to finish the thought. In case it comes true.
...
The sun has dipped beneath the horizon and the fog is tinged with a fading orange as shadows overtake the light. You don’t know where the last hours have gone; the day is a blur. Even though it should have been a relief or a vacation, you’ve held nothing but a building anxiety since the morning. Even now, you wouldn’t be able to reproduce a single sentence uttered by anyone since you arrived; only the broad impressions. It feels like you’ve wasted the day, and you can’t even figure out how or why. What went wrong? Nothing, and yet...
A knock at the door. You jolt, having been unconsciously on edge and listening for it. You told your family that some other Angels would be arriving to pick you up, right? God, you can’t remember. What’s wrong with you?
- Nothing wrong with introducing them. Let dad answer the door.
- Probably best not to mix them like this. Go yourself; minimize conversation.
- Something’s wrong. There has to be; you can feel it. What is it?
- You’re just out of it. There’s nothing wrong besides your too-frantic Mind.
(Winners: , )
- Nothing wrong with introducing them. Let dad answer the door.
- Probably best not to mix them like this. Go yourself; minimize conversation.
- Something’s wrong. There has to be; you can feel it. What is it?
- You’re just out of it. There’s nothing wrong besides your too-frantic Mind.
(Winners: , ) 5 2 4 3@Story Notifications
Scene 59
Well, there’s nothing wrong with letting your dad answer the door again even if you forgot to mention it. His appearance will be expected for anyone knocking, whereas yours (you belatedly realize) is still Angelic and could cause problems if it’s actually not who you expect.
But it is. You overhear Yara giving a brief outline of what he’s here to do and your dad thanking them for looking out for you. So you did talk about them, at least to some degree. Well, you should probably get up and head over there. Just be careful to stay out of sight of the doorway unless they’ve closed it.
The farewells pass in the same blur as the rest of the day. You get three more hugs and some quiet goodbyes, then a pulse of magic from Yara and... out you go. Your emotions remain a mystery; there’s some of the bittersweet sorrow in there that you would expect, but if you’re being honest with yourself... there’s some relief in there as well. You hate that; it doesn’t make sense. You absolutely cannot have changed so drastically in the past few months for that reaction to be natural. There has to be something wrong. You can feel it. You just don’t know what it is.
Streets, station, platform, train. You start to feel a little more normal by the time you’ve made it into your seat - packed again due to all the people with the day off to go traveling. Start to be able to pay a little more attention to your surroundings. Yara’s saying something. You can listen now, right?
“There you are, Jessamine. You can hear me now, yes?”
“... Yeah. Sorry.”
“Goodness, you were in quite a state. One-word answers to anything we asked you; not really focusing on anything around. Did... everything go alright at home?”
“...” You’re not sure. You can’t remember the details. “F-fine. It was good to be with them again, even just for a day. And... thanks for helping make it happen.”
A gracious nod. “If that’s the case, then what was the matter?”
The mist fills you. Your Body fades; your Mind unravels. Your Soul merges with the fog, becoming merely another distant voice in the chorus.
You wake up some time before you need to, eyes wet with tears. You know the nightmare isn’t true. No one hates you. You haven’t pushed anyone away. It’s not your fault.
But those assurances ring hollow against the fading voices of those crying out from the dream’s insubstantial abyss.
Breathe. Control yourself. It’s not real. It’s Sulday; you don’t have courses. There’s mass and homework, but that’s okay. You can recover. You just need something to occupy yourself.
[Such as...]
- Investigating the paranoia you’ve just experienced.
- Continuing your Naoriel investigations. Maybe less-creepily this time, though.
- Inquisitors. They’ve been involved in a number of recent events, but you still know very little about them.
️ - Your Soul training.
- Your Mind training.
- Your Body training.
(Winner: )
- Investigating the paranoia you’ve just experienced.
- Continuing your Naoriel investigations. Maybe less-creepily this time, though.
- Inquisitors. They’ve been involved in a number of recent events, but you still know very little about them.
️ - Your Soul training.
- Your Mind training.
- Your Body training.
(Winner: ) 2 2 4 3 3 1@Story Notifications
Scene 60
So, of course, you pick one of the least accessible topics in the Cathedra for your next obsession.
Inquisitors. You understand generally what they do - hunt down any corruption (or Corruption) in the Cathedra itself and... dispose of it - but you don’t really know anything beyond that basic overview. There have been Inquisitors involved in a number of recent events and you have a feeling some of them may be getting a little interested in you. Zeke - and Sims; you’re almost certain he’s training to become one later - for a few, but sometimes full Angels seem to be watching you when you’re out and about. Not enough to seem objectively creepy, but just... enough to be disconcerting.
You start with the library, but predictably any information on Inquisitors beyond the surface level or passing mentions in other texts has been restricted. You do learn a few interesting things about the Cathedra’s hierarchy here, though, so it’s not a total loss.
Inquisitors do not report to bishops or archbishops like ordinary Angels. Instead, they are considered to have a rank roughly analogous to Archangels, though somewhat outside of the typical structure. Instead, Inquisitors report directly to the prime council or, in rare cases, the Emissary himself. You’ve heard of the prime council, but (just like Inquisitors) don’t know much beyond the basics. So you do some studying.
“... It sounds... like a hard position to be in.” You try to imagine it; being the one responsible for deciding that Sister Bagley had to be dismissed but not executed. Had the prime even been involved? You never heard from anyone higher than that one bishop. “I’d be terrified of messing up. Of hurting someone who doesn’t deserve it.”
“And yet, if you’re too lenient...” She catches your gaze again; you’re reminded that her irises are shockingly purple. Such an unnatural color. She must be using transmutation magic like Clarity. “People get hurt anyway. It’s a balancing act, and one that will never, ever be fair.”
“You’ve... spent a lot of time thinking about this.”
“...” She doesn’t respond, but quickly goes back to her sewing. Faster than before. Embarrassed? Anxious? You can’t quite tell. In any case, that’s the end of the conversation before you can even bring up more questions; she changes the topic shortly after.
- Hey, what’s Serri up to? You haven’t seen her in a bit.
- Didn’t she say she had something going on? You should probably get back to what you were doing; she’ll show up again soon.
(Winner: )
- Hey, what’s Serri up to? You haven’t seen her in a bit.
- Didn’t she say she had something going on? You should probably get back to what you were doing; she’ll show up again soon.
(Winner: ) 6 1@Story Notifications
Scene 61
Through a series of tangents, you end up talking about non-trivial medical care. How cheery the two of you are. But really, you’re not entirely sure how you got around to discussing what happens when an Angel is seriously injured out in the field, beyond their own ability to heal themself. Or - you’re more familiar with this one - they’re affected in some way and seem fine but maybe aren’t. Such as when you started glowing gold, or passed out at the wall, or even recently when you were concerned about some external influence pressing on your emotions. You didn’t get that checked out because you were worried about being thought insane, but you had considered it at least a little.
Anyway, apparently both Angels and Cathedra staff can get treated at smaller clinics in the three main halls - each specializing in maladies of a particular aspect - which is another significant benefit to working for the church.
“In the regular city, you just get regular care, and that’s usually after a long wait unless you’re someone important. But at the Cathedra (and that one hospital right near the city center) you can get magical healing from Angels. So it’s really rare for anyone in the Cathedra to die from a disease or not-immediately-fatal injury.”
You suppose you knew that, but never really thought about it. “What about just old age, though? I mean, the Emissary doesn’t get into fights, but if he could just live forever...?”
“I don’t think Angelic magic can completely stop a Body’s deterioration,” Naoriel says quietly. “You’re right; if we could, the regular staff would be immortal just like us.”
Well, whatever. There’s literally nothing you can do about it, and there’s plenty to occupy you right now. The festival days are fast approaching and the trainee Angels will be doing “something” for them. What that “something” is, you will need to decide among yourselves. Which is going to go well and everyone will agree; you’re absolutely certain. (Not!)
But before that inevitable disaster, there’s something even more exciting. You’re getting towards the end of your basic magic course and need to start thinking about specializing. No Angel can be proficient in every variety of magic right away, and even full Angels rarely attain their full strength in any more than two or three of the sixteen combinations. It’s time to choose the first path you’ll explore, with the understanding that you can always choose more or change your Mind entirely.
So. What will it be?
[The winner in each category will combine to form your initial specialization. If you pick Soul transmutation of any sort, you’ll reconsider and some second-places will win.]
️ - Internal. Affecting the self, or aspects close to the self.
- External. Affecting others, or the outside world.
- Physical.
- Body.
- Mind.
️ - Soul.
️ - Projection. Adding or subtracting matter, energy, or concepts from the target aspect. Producing wind or quelling flames; healing or creating wounds; inducing or calming emotions; bolstering or Blessing Souls. Easier than transmutation.
- Transmutation. Manipulating or changing what is already present. Repairing objects; growing wings; manipulating memories; performing delicate Soul mending. Harder than projection.
(Winners: ️ , , ️ )
️ - Internal. Affecting the self, or aspects close to the self.
- External. Affecting others, or the outside world.
- Physical.
- Body.
- Mind.
️ - Soul.
️ - Projection. Adding or subtracting matter, energy, or concepts from the target aspect. Producing wind or quelling flames; healing or creating wounds; inducing or calming emotions; bolstering or Blessing Souls. Easier than transmutation.
- Transmutation. Manipulating or changing what is already present. Repairing objects; growing wings; manipulating memories; performing delicate Soul mending. Harder than projection.
(Winners: ️ , , ️ ) 5 2 1 3 4 3 5 2@Story Notifications
Scene 62
You take some time to think about it, as temperatures drop and snow begins to blanket the city. The fog grows thicker, mixing with the snow to form a deep, muffling quiet. Sounds die away quickly; the crunching of your footsteps hardly echoes, even when you stray off the cleared paths. Somehow, the cold doesn’t bite as much as you remember, even though your uniform’s jacket doesn’t seem as thick as your previous winter coat. Another advantage to your divine Body.
“Ah, your first specialization?” Yara muses, leaning back in his recliner. Even though you don’t get all that cold going outside, it’s still exceptionally cozy to sit in front of a fire, bundled up in blankets. Which is what you’re all up to today. “Have any ideas yet?”
“A few...”
A pause. “Let’s hear ‘em, then. C’mon, spit it out.” Etalyn is the assigned firekeeper today, so she’s sitting on a precarious stack of wood. It doesn’t look that comfy, but who are you to judge?
“Well... I wanted to do something internal and with projection, but I’m not sure what aspect to choose. Body, Mind, or Soul.”
“Hmm! And you?”
Serri’s been a little distant lately, but you still have mostly the same friend group so you still hang out pretty often. She’s just sitting on more blankets. You’re not sure where they all came from, really. “Um... external Body projection. Or Soul, but...”
“Ah ha! You’re thinking about becoming a healer, I take it?”
She nods, seeming way more embarrassed than you think she should. There’s nothing wrong with that!
“Well, I think we might be able to offer some advice to the both of you, eh, Ets?”
“Yeah. Go ahead; you’re dying to talk about your Soul projection again.”
“Oh, you know me so well. Serri, I started off with external Soul projection. Of course, I’ve branched out a great deal since then - particularly in the combat department - but my original reason for picking it was to learn how to cast Blessings.”
“I see. Well, that does make sense. Unfortunately, I’ve only focused on external magic and Ets on Body, so neither of us have significant experience in internal Mind or Soul projection.” He pauses, thinking. “... But, from what you’ve been telling me about your extreme sensitivity to Soul, that might be a good one to develop. At the very least, you could learn how to better brace yourself against strong Souls or the corruption.”
“... Yeah, I could...” It would be extremely useful to be able to head out to the wall again without collapsing, or face off against a darkness creature without passing out. “But a stronger Mind would be helpful too...”
“There’s no wrong choice here,” Yara reminds you. “Well, except for Soul transmutation; Cobb would probably not appreciate that. But if you think Mind would suit you better, there’s nothing wrong with it.”
“You’re thinkin’ about Endle Day, aren’t you?”
You look up in surprise. “You’re very perceptive,” you note to Etalyn. “I know it’s been months, but I still... keep coming back to it. I just don’t believe that difference was normal. And I want to train so I can be sure of it. So I can definitely be myself the next time I go back.”
A second thumbs up. “Good. Useful. You should do it.”
You think you just might.
- Figure out why Serri’s so embarrassed about healing. Although she might not want to say...
- Start organizing for the festival “something.” Seriously, is no one in charge?
- Survey the rest of your pals for their first specializations. You’re curious!
(Winner: )
- Figure out why Serri’s so embarrassed about healing. Although she might not want to say...
- Start organizing for the festival “something.” Seriously, is no one in charge?
- Survey the rest of your pals for their first specializations. You’re curious!
(Winner: ) 5 2 2@Story Notifications
Scene 63
The talk about specializations - and specifically, Serri’s interest in healing - reminded you of something Naoriel had mentioned... gosh, it must have been months ago by now. Your memory is improving with both the general changes to your Mind from your Ascension as well as your training, but it’s still all too easy to slip up and forget things for ages.
Anyway, the two of you leave the common room’s warmth behind head out into the cold to practice tethering. Internal spells, perhaps contrary to their name, don’t necessarily have to work on something inside you. Most of them do - enhancing your Body, Mind, or Soul - but internal physical spells are actually just effects that stay anchored on you instead of the world around you. There are some external spells that can work like this too, the lines are blurry, and the categories are all made up anyway. It doesn’t matter. You’re just out here to create auras of warmth around yourselves and see how long you can focus.
It’s a pretty chilly day and the wind is strong, so you’ve got strong incentive to perform well. Deep breath, sense the world around your Body, form the connection...
“...”
This part takes a while. It’s hard to describe what action you’re actually taking when you change resonance phases, but it’s not a simple one. In any case, you get it eventually and start warming the air around yourself, neatly compartmentalizing that focus into a section of your Mind so you don’t have to think about the spell while you’re walking around. Well, you still do, just not as much. Also, you called that compartmentalization “neat” just a moment ago, but you’re lying to yourself. You’re not very good at it yet.
Another victory for self-honesty. Serri manages to bring up a similar bubble of warmth a few moments later and off you go. It’s kind of fun to look back at the melted footstep-shaped holes in the snow as you pass.
“I wonder what the shades think of us. They have Minds, right? Somehow they managed to avoid God’s will and regain their ability to think.” She stares off at the trees by Forger Hall. “Do you think anyone has ever talked with a shade? They don’t speak our language, but surely if they have Minds, we can figure something out.”
“They’re evil, though. What would they even talk about?”
“Right, evil. Sorry.”
You get the feeling you said something dumb, but in your defense you weren’t expecting her to suddenly start wondering about talking shades.
“Anyway, I don’t know. Do I want to fight? I...” A pause. She holds out her hand and grasps an imaginary sword, lowering into one of the stances you recognize from your Body course. “I don’t want to be weak.”
[This is a critical point. One character’s fate will be altered.]
- Encourage Serri to heal.
️ - Encourage Serri to fight.
- Refuse to pick a side. She needs to choose on her own.
(Winner: ️ )
- Encourage Serri to heal.
️ - Encourage Serri to fight.
- Refuse to pick a side. She needs to choose on her own.
(Winner: ️ ) 2 5 2@Story Notifications
Scene 64
You’re supposedly still just talking about your first area of specialization, but her phrasing makes it seem like the question is a lot broader. About the future generally, not just the next year or so. “You’re not weak, whatever you want to pick. But... I think you should try to make whatever decision you want to make, not just what the people around you think. If... if you want to fight, then you should.”
“... Thanks.” A pause. “But... and I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, but that’s easy for you to say.”
“Huh?”
“Has anyone actually gone up and told you what you should be? A healer, a fighter, an Inquisitor? Have you overheard one of your instructors wondering if you’ll improve enough before graduation? Jess, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m kind of a bad Angel.”
“W-what? No you aren’t-”
“I’m constantly behind in anything magical. You and the others have to help me with most of my homework. Erich hates how I keep slowing Brother Cobb down, so I don’t ask as many questions anymore-”
“Wait, I thought you were just getting better at-”
“Sure, I can do most of what people want me to do, but it always takes longer or isn’t as good and as a favored servant of God, ‘almost good enough’ just isn’t good enough!” Another pause. Both of you have lost focus on your warmth auras by now. “Sometimes I think about asking the Emissary to just turn me back.”
“Woah, okay, slow down. I... had no idea.”
“Yeah. I didn’t tell you. You’ve been too busy lately, but at least you’re best friends with Naoriel now.”
“H-hang on-”
“Sorry, that wasn’t fair.” A pause; she turns away. The warmth aura comes back up and you take a moment to restore your own as well. It’s cold. “And it’s not fair to make you deal with all my problems too. Just forget everything I just said and let’s go back to magic practice.”
“Serri, you can’t-”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“... But-”
“Jessamine. I do not. Want to talk about it.”
“...”
So, how are you going to approach this? You don’t want to discourage Serri, but you don’t really know her skill level. You’ve only really helped her with magic until today, so her proficiency in Body and physical combat could be anything. But... you somehow doubt she’s all that good. Your own skill is probably average, though you admittedly haven’t been focusing on it compared to your other aspect courses.
- Go easy on her. Don’t embarrass her.
️ - Fight at normal strength. Try to win, like you normally would.
- Use magic in combat. You’re not very good at keeping focus yet, but it will give you an edge since Serri’s even worse.
- Do not use magic. This may give her an advantage, but you honestly doubt she’d be able to keep a spell going.
(Winners: ️ , by tiebreak)
- Go easy on her. Don’t embarrass her.
️ - Fight at normal strength. Try to win, like you normally would.
- Use magic in combat. You’re not very good at keeping focus yet, but it will give you an edge since Serri’s even worse.
- Do not use magic. This may give her an advantage, but you honestly doubt she’d be able to keep a spell going.
(Winners: ️ , by tiebreak) 1 5 3 3@Story Notifications
Scene 65
...
The sparring field is surrounded by trees and covered in deep, fluffy snow. The groundskeepers usually keep it clear, but nothing is scheduled today and there’s still an ongoing dusting of light flakes, so they haven’t gotten around to it yet. With the shifting layers of partially-frozen sand and powdery snow, it’s already tough to keep your footing even just walking to the starting locations. Serri definitely could have chosen a better day. Or maybe this is part of her plan?
You grip the unfamiliar weight of your sword, sweeping it through the snow to get a sense of the drag. Hard to work with. It doesn’t cut through nearly as well as a real one.
“Alrighty, pay attention, you two.” Etalyn has found her way into a tall referee’s chair. She’s probably actually certified to sit there, given all her demonstration matches. “Standard practice rules: first to three full hits wins. Magic is allowed, but no direct magical attacks (since I don’t know that cool warding spell) and for God’s sake try not to seriously hurt each other. I know the swords are just wood, but they’re heavy enough to knock you out real fast.”
She’s right. The blade you’re holding isn’t steel or starmetal, but it’s heavy enough to handle similarly to either. If swung with your full strength, it could easily be extremely dangerous. Both you and Serri are wearing some padded training armor, but it’s hard to trust it given how lightweight it is. At least you get some at all; matches with real weapons have the wards instead.
“Also, if one of you forfeits or gets beat up too bad, I’ll call it off. Just don’t do any damage that’s more complicated than I can heal, kay?”
“...Kay...”
“Great. Let’s see... anything else? Oh, yeah, don’t hold back. It’s no fun if you guys aren’t really trying. Okay, ready?”
Again, Serri doesn’t give you a break. She can probably tell how tired you are just as well as you can, but somehow she hardly seems winded. You’re forced several steps back, barely keeping your footing on the uneven snow as you try to get some space away from the repeated, heavy blows. Your breathing is labored now; the air is so dry you almost cough. But just one more hit. Come on! You-
You can’t breathe.
Your lungs ache; you can’t get enough air. Suddenly panicked, you completely miss your next block and Serri’s sword crashes into your side, right below your ribs. Of course, that blow doesn’t make your lungs feel any better. You fall to your knees in the snow, coughing and gasping for air, feeling another tap on the head before Serri notices something is wrong.
“Two and three. Congratulations to Ser-”
“Etalyn! Something’s really wrong with Jessamine!”
This is your sickness. The disease you’ve been dealing with since you were six. Two years in the hospital, then a discharge and a return to ordinary life. Mostly. Still cautious about physical activity, still treated like you were made of glass. Like you could overexert yourself and stop breathing at any moment. Cured, when you became an Angel.
Or so it seemed.
- You’re fine. No big deal. Don’t worry about it.
- You’re fine. No big deal. D-don’t worry about it.
(Winner: )
- You’re fine. No big deal. Don’t worry about it.
- You’re fine. No big deal. D-don’t worry about it.
(Winner: ) 1 6@Story Notifications
Scene 66
Etalyn leaps down from the referee’s chair, landing in yet another cloud of snow before rushing over to you. “God,” she grumbles as she kneels to inspect you. “What did I say about seriously hurting each other?”
“I - I didn’t-”
“Yeah, yeah, I know. Gimme a minute.”
Warm healing magic flows from her touch and through your Body. Undirected, unsure of the specific issue, but rather just providing you with additional energy to fight whatever it is yourself. Luckily, you’ve had plenty of practice and the energy helps. A minute or two goes by as you just focus on trying to calm your Body down and stop the horrible coughing. It’s not one of the worst attacks like those that got you hospitalized in the first place, and you’re able to get control back shortly.
You give a shaky thumbs up. “I’m okay now.”
“... Jessamiiiiine!” Serri kneels down to hug you. She’s apparently been crying for a bit; you hadn’t noticed because you were a little preoccupied. “I’m so sorryyyyy! It happened again!”
“Wh-what? You didn’t do this. What do you mean ‘again?’”
“This is - back at the wall - with the wolf - it’s the second time you collapsed because of meeee...”
“Wha - but we agreed that wasn’t your fault. I’m just extra sensitive to Soul energy, remember?”
“But it was still madder than it would have been, and today... I don’t really know what happened, but if you hadn’t been out here at all...”
“W-well...” She’s not actually wrong, but agreeing definitely wouldn’t help anything. “You didn’t know. And I didn’t, either. I thought... I was cured.”
“This is something you’ve seen before?” Etalyn asks, done with the healing for now.
He chuckles a calm little chuckle. “Still unwilling to use my name, I see. Ah, you’ve always been pious.”
“It’s only proper.”
“Proper for God, not me. The rule to only use my title was implemented by one of my predecessors, not by the divine. Ah well, if it makes you comfortable, I see no issue.”
A bowing nod. “Emissary.”
“Very well.” He returns his focus to you. “Now, young Jessamine, I’ve been told they would like me to look into your Soul. Would you be so kind as to tell me what I should be looking for?”
- You’re coherent enough to explain.
- Aveline has to step in to explain.
- The Emissary finds a mote of corruption that everyone else missed.
️ - The Emissary finds no corruption.
(Winners: , = ️ (a tie!))
- You’re coherent enough to explain.
- Aveline has to step in to explain.
- The Emissary finds a mote of corruption that everyone else missed.
️ - The Emissary finds no corruption.
(Winners: , = ️ (a tie!)) 5 1 3 3@Story Notifications
Scene 67
You’ve come a long way from the first time you met him. It also helps that he’s so much less intimidating without the Lordstone Cathedral as a backdrop. In any case, you’re able to explain what you know without too much issue, covering the background of your sickness as a child, the recovery after your Ascension, and the recent resurgence. You even bring up what Etalyn said about the Soul smoke, though you were too preoccupied to verify that particular detail.
The Emissary nods and listens, only speaking up once you finally finish rambling your way through the information. “I understand. You’ve done quite well to mitigate this sickness’s power over your life. Let me see if I can help you further.”
His gaze changes. Not the unnaturally golden color of his eyes or anything about the shape or tone. Just... something about how the room’s ambient light interacts with his Body has changed. Sharp, piercing. He stares into you as his divine insight picks apart your Soul.
A brutally uncomfortable minute passes. Far longer than he spent inspecting you during your initiation. You don’t dare speak or even move.
Finally, the Emissary steps back with a sigh and turns away to rub his eyes. “Ah, Aveline, I understand the trouble.” Then, a turn back to you. “But I believe I can see the source. I would just like a few more details. Jessamine, can you remember anything from before your sickness? Would you please recount a memory or two, if you recall?”
“Er...” You think back. That was so long ago; before you turned six. Is there even anything there? Ah. “Sunlight. The mist was really thin one day. I think I had just started school, when everything got so bright out the window. I didn’t know what to think of it; I was just amazed by how much light there could be.”
“Good. Anything else?” His eyes are different again; is he looking even now?
And yet, it doesn’t. If you had never gotten sick, your entire life would have been different from age six onwards. You would have had a different relationship with your parents and Seth. You would have had different friends in school. You would have gone to school. It’s no stretch to believe that you would have grown into a different person with a different personality. More outgoing? More confident? Less fond of reading? It’s impossible to say.
[...]
- “...”
- “...”
- “...”
(Winner: )
- “...”
- “...”
- “...”
(Winner: ) 1 2 4@Story Notifications
Scene 68
“... one of the most open Souls I’ve seen in years...”
...
Back in the lost, ancient days - before Angels and before the corruption - humanity’s Souls were open. You learned this months earlier in Brother Trigg’s course, but the concept returned to Mind as you overheard the Emissary’s words.
Originally, human Souls could easily change phase and form to connect with each other and the world around them. Magic was commonplace; it hardly took more effort to control one’s Soul as it did to control one’s hand. Of course, you’re well aware that this ended tragically, with the corruption arising somehow (leading theories believe it was due to a random mutation that then spread too quickly to contain due to the world’s interconnectedness) and eventually causing the year-zero cataclysm.
As the corruption spread, God took drastic measures to stop it, closing off humanity’s Souls from the world and each other; preventing further direct infection. This also cut off magic, however, crippling humanity’s ability to fight back and eventually leading to the Ascension of the first Angels to compensate. These Angelic Souls were bolstered in strength to be able to handle the connection required to use magic without succumbing to the corruption that inevitably came with it.
As some scholars argue, Angels are thus more human than humans are. It’s not just Erich; there are plenty among your cohort and the Cathedra generally who believe that ordinary humans are somehow lesser after God’s change to their Souls. The loss of that connection - of that reflection of the divine’s own form - is something that only Angels have regained.
Sometimes you wonder what God is like.
You’re getting off track from your original topic, but you don’t care. It’s just easier to sit here and drift off in your own thoughts, bouncing from concept to concept whenever something occurs to you. You’ll come back to the important stuff later, probably.
The Emissary leaves and Aveline gives you the outline of a treatment plan, to be expanded upon later. It seems you’ll be doing most of it yourself, over a period of probably years. Don’t let the sickness have any impact on your life. Grow beyond it. Grow despite it. But also practice the following Body and Mind magic, templated out in texts full of physical tricks and states of Mind penned by the Angel who first cast them. Miracles, they call these prepackaged spells. Robust and powerful; easier to learn than developing one yourself. But inflexible, as you didn’t make them. Even if you read the whole book cover to cover a hundred times, you’ll never understand them to the degree of a spell you craft on your own.
But still. Useful. You’d never be able to imagine the exacting control over your organs that this author describes, accompanied by painstaking illustrations of the precise effect it’s supposed to produce on your lungs. Astonishing.
- Later, you organize the “something” for the festival days.
- Later, you don’t do that. Someone else will.
(Winner: )
- Later, you organize the “something” for the festival days.
- Later, you don’t do that. Someone else will.
(Winner: ) 1 6@Story Notifications
Scene 69
It’s late and you’re in bed, unable to sleep. Again.
You were pretty out of it for the rest of the day after all the stuff that happened. Serri and Etalyn listened to what you relayed about your sickness and possible treatments. They said some things in response, but you don’t remember. It’s kind of a blur. You feel it’s kind of unfair that you stole Serri’s crisis with your own, even though you obviously had no role in choosing to do so. You’ll probably have to get back to her about it once you’ve calmed down a bit.
The sickness is hiding again. You can’t feel it anymore, just like pretty much all the time after your Ascension until just today. There’s no sense of it lurking within you, biding its time and waiting to strike. It’s just gone. You know better now, of course, but at least it seems you’ll be able to ignore it most of the time. If its behavior is still the same, it’s only going to be during exertion that you’ll have to be careful. Still, as you get older and stronger, you’re going to be fighting more. That is to be your job, after all. It’s not like you can ignore it completely.
You hum the rhythm of some of the trigger words for the spell you’re supposed to be learning. Miracles often come with a specific ritual to perform in order to use them, primarily just to get you in the same Mindset as the creator. Ordinarily, you don’t need to say or do anything special to cause an effect; you just know what you want and impose your will on the target. You haven’t gotten this one to work yet, but of course it’s only been a few hours. You haven’t even finished the book.
Simultaneously, you feel a wave of powerful energy washing over you and - you’re certain - the rest of the building. Magic of some kind; there’s no way such a strong sensation could be anything else. You don’t know what it was intended to do or what it did - you don’t feel any different - but you do know that casting spells, on every Angel in the building, at night, while everyone should be sleeping, without anyone’s consent, is definitely not allowed.
The figure disappears from view in an eddy of misty snow. They’re heading straight for the front entrance. Something is terribly wrong, you’re absolutely certain. Even though the winter night looks the same as before, you’re absolutely wide awake and brimming with fear. Something is telling you to act, and act fast.
But what should you do?
[The next few scenes are, collectively, a critical point. Five characters’ fates will be altered. Pick one from each pair.]
- Rush downstairs immediately!
- At least change out of your pajamas first!
- Go find out who this is! Confront them!
- Go find out who this is! Follow them; be sneaky!
✊ - Wake someone else up! Get some help! [Who? Specify.]
- There’s no time for that! Go on your own!
(Winners: , , ✊ )
- Rush downstairs immediately!
- At least change out of your pajamas first!
- Go find out who this is! Confront them!
- Go find out who this is! Follow them; be sneaky!
✊ - Wake someone else up! Get some help! [Who? Specify.]
- There’s no time for that! Go on your own!
(Winners: , , ✊ ) 5 2 1 6
6 1@Story Notifications
Scene 70
“...!”
You bolt to the door and sprint into the corridor, not slowing to get properly dressed or even find your shoes. Now! Right now! You hardly have any time to get downstairs to find whoever that is before you won’t know where to look. Oh, why did this have to happen now?
It’s cold in the corridor, the mysterious warmth of your room left long behind. You hardly feel it, between your Angelic constitution and your other, much more extreme, preoccupations. Serri; gotta get help. Her room is just down the hall, unlike all your other friends’ on different floors. It hardly even occurs to you to worry about disturbing anyone as you knock loudly on her door - if anyone else gets up, that’s just more people to help you now. “Serri!” you call, caught somewhere between a desire to be as loud as possible to wake her up and a desire to be as quiet as possible so the mysterious figure can’t possibly hear you.
“...”
Nothing. God, she’s a really heavy sleeper; you forgot! She’s almost late all the time because of it! But - surely, someone else would have heard you, right? Maybe they’re just not coming out because you- “Anyone! Help!”
“...”
Nothing.
With a sudden frigid tingle down your spine, you remember the reason you and Serri had been able to claim the sparring field today. It’s the 15th of Cevember, halfway through the month, and most of the full Angels who would normally reside in this building are out in the city right now. This is the Sulday of Charity and - to the Cathedra - there’s nothing more charitable than spending a late night in the snow with most available Angels helping as many people as possible. Campus has been empty all day. And, now, so is Hearth Hall. Well, except for your fellow trainees.
Maybe someone else is a light enough sleeper to wake up, but at this point you don’t have time. You’re going to lose track of the mystery person if you don’t act fast!
No; the mystery person’s Soul is brilliantly bright, far eclipsing your own. An Angel themself, or even more. But that only confuses you more; why would an Angel give you such a horrible feeling of dread?
The stairwell door clanks open on the sixth floor and the mystery person exits. You’re only a single landing up, just above the seventh, and must immediately make a decision. No time to think; just act.
[One character’s fate is temporarily stable. Four characters’ fates will be altered.]
- Leap down to the sixth floor and slip through the door before it fully closes, therefore not making any unusual noise. Hopefully the person will be looking away and give you time to hide.
- Leap down to the sixth floor and catch the door, then peek out and choose a time to act. Hopefully the person won’t notice the door never clanked shut.
- Sneak down to the sixth floor, wait briefly, and open the door again. Hopefully the person won’t notice the sound.
↪️ - Exit on the seventh floor, run across to a different stairwell, and head down to the sixth from a different angle. Hopefully the person will stay close to the middle.
❓ - [Or something else...?]
(Winner: )
- Leap down to the sixth floor and slip through the door before it fully closes, therefore not making any unusual noise. Hopefully the person will be looking away and give you time to hide.
- Leap down to the sixth floor and catch the door, then peek out and choose a time to act. Hopefully the person won’t notice the door never clanked shut.
- Sneak down to the sixth floor, wait briefly, and open the door again. Hopefully the person won’t notice the sound.
↪️ - Exit on the seventh floor, run across to a different stairwell, and head down to the sixth from a different angle. Hopefully the person will stay close to the middle.
❓ - [Or something else...?]
(Winner: ) 1 4 1
3@Story Notifications
Scene 71
You vault over the railing and land on the sixth floor’s landing with a quiet thump, guided by your Body training both to avoid hurting yourself and avoid making too much noise. Then, you reach out and snag the door just before it shuts, carefully levering it open just enough so you can peek out into the hallway. The mystery person is close; you’re only a few paces behind them now. Still - thank God - you’ve managed to avoid them hearing you.
They’ve slowed down now, looking up to check one of the signs displaying which rooms are in which direction, then turning around the right corner and leaving the common area. You cautiously slip out of the stairwell and ease the door shut as quietly as you can, trembling at the tiny click as the latch slips in. A brief pause; you’re horribly exposed if the person returns around to check what that noise was.
“...”
Nothing. You creep to the corner, sensing Soul again on the way over to get an approximate position. It’s hard to sense Souls around corners and through walls, but you’ve been generally able to make out Angelic Souls through (one) normal wall for a few months now. Anyway, the mystery person has made it partway down the corridor and seems to still be moving away, so you figure it’s safe enough to peek around the corner normally to see what’s going on.
They’re moving slowly, glancing side to side in that muffling cloak to check the room numbers. Clearly searching for one in particular. Who’s on the sixth floor, again? It’s hard to remember with the, well, current situation, but... let’s see, there’s Denn, but he’s to the left. And besides him...
Naoriel.
[Two characters’ fates are temporarily stable. Three characters’ fates will be altered. Specify details in #story_discussion. I have a lot of liberty with writing this next scene.]
- Oppose the kidnapper. Put a stop to this. [This includes options such as directly confronting or attacking them, distracting them, forcing them to chase you, and similar plans that require interaction with the kidnapper in some way.]
- Run as fast as you possibly can. Get help. [This includes options such as attempting to wake other trainees, getting help from other Angels at the Center, and similar plans that require no interaction with the kidnapper.]
(Winner: )
- Oppose the kidnapper. Put a stop to this. [This includes options such as directly confronting or attacking them, distracting them, forcing them to chase you, and similar plans that require interaction with the kidnapper in some way.]
- Run as fast as you possibly can. Get help. [This includes options such as attempting to wake other trainees, getting help from other Angels at the Center, and similar plans that require no interaction with the kidnapper.]
(Winner: ) 5 1@Story Notifications
Scene 72
You don’t stop to think. You just do.
Somehow flipping your resonance phase in a matter of seconds - despite it taking you half a minute just earlier today - you gather the air and command it to your aid. A pause; a moment of brief low pressure as the breeze bends to your will. The mystery person looks up, finally noticing something is wrong.
Not fast enough. You release, feeling the strain on your Soul as you twist it in ways you’ve only just started to practice. Still, you’re suffused with warmth and the air obeys. A torrent of powerful wind rushes through the room, tossing loose objects around and throwing Naoriel and her assailant in opposite directions.
That was the strongest magic you’ve controlled to date.
No time to stop and marvel at it; you dash into the confused mess of air, nearly stumbling over several books or paintings you knocked to the floor. Surely that has to have been enough to wake her up, right?
No such luck. There’s powerful magic at work here; no way Naoriel would still be sleeping normally after having just been tossed to the floor like that. You kneel, grab her arms, slump her over your shoulder like you’ve seen some of the full Angels do, then try to stand. Urgh... heavy. You’ve never been particularly strong, even after your Ascension, but you can just about manage to stand up.
... Until the mystery person recovers. Their cloak has been blown away by the force of your blast, revealing them as a somewhat gaunt, unkempt man with patchy stubble on his face. You recoil as he leaps up from the other side of the bed, both due to the immediate threat and because he doesn’t look anything like an Angel. No Bodily perfection at all. But... the Soul - what?!
“That’s what I thought.” He glances briefly behind him and the window springs open, releasing frigid winter air into the room. “See you later, girls. Just not like this.”
And out he goes, plummeting six stories. Except with control over the air like he’s just demonstrated, you doubt he’s even going to reach the ground. The silencing barrier falls apart a moment later.
“...”
Neither of you know what to say. You walk to the window instead, peek outside and see no one, then close it so the two of you don’t freeze in your thin nightclothes.
“...”
Naoriel hasn’t moved; she’s still kneeling on the floor and staring at the carpet. You kneel down next to her, cautiously shaking her shoulder. “... Are you okay?” Your voice sounds unnaturally loud in the sudden silence. You’re freezing, the warmth that’s been plaguing you on and off all night having vanished again. You have to suppress a cough in the cool air.
“...” Finally, she manages to lift her head. “... Physically? F-fine.”
You get the idea. “Mentally?”
She shakes her head. “No, not at all.”
Yeah. You can relate.
A sharp breath; she focuses on your face. “Jessamine. Please. Before anything else happens, you have to promise me. Don’t tell anyone about this. I’ll explain if that’s what it takes to buy your silence, but please... if he’s telling the truth...” A breath. “I’ll figure it out. Just don’t tell anyone.”
[Four characters’ fates are temporarily stable. One character’s fate will be altered.]
- You end up telling someone.
- You don’t end up telling anyone.
- You make Naoriel explain.
- You don’t make Naoriel explain.
(Winners: , )
- You end up telling someone.
- You don’t end up telling anyone.
- You make Naoriel explain.
- You don’t make Naoriel explain.
(Winners: , ) 1 6 6 1@Story Notifications
Scene 73
“I promise.” You hesitate, but at this point you’ve got to know. “But since you offered, I do want you to explain what’s going on.”
“I was afraid of that.” A pause; she glances around the room at all the mess. “Would... it be okay to talk in your room instead, though? I need to... do some cleaning later.”
“That’s fine! Er, sorry about the-”
“You just saved my life. Don’t be sorry. Be, er, thanked. Th-thank you.”
...
It’s very late now; you get the feeling you’re not going to get any sleep tonight. At least tomorrow’s Sunday, so you don’t have any major obligations. Or is it today by now? Doesn’t matter. You’ve recounted your version of the night’s events to Naoriel, and now it’s her turn to explain.
She’s curled up in a blanket on your sofa, only her head visible. “First of all, I don’t know who that was. In fact, I’m kind of skeptical that’s even what he looks like. Did you notice how he looked all disheveled, even though he cast spells?”
“Yeah.” You’re draped over the back of your desk chair, ensconced in a blanket of your own. “I thought that was weird, since his Soul was so bright.”
“Like an Angel’s. Disguise magic, I bet. Transmutation, so it didn’t fall off, and possibly even more advanced with the voice; you heard how weird it sounded.”
You nod. You did. You’re impressed at how well put-together you’re both acting.
“And based on what you said about the sleeping magic, I wouldn’t be surprised if they cast something like that on the whole building; that might have been the energy you sensed at the beginning. To make sure no one would wake up.”
“But - don’t you need a Mental connection to your target? And why didn’t I fall asleep, then?”
“... So your dad wasn’t actually an assistant deacon; does that mean your mom didn’t actually die in childbirth either?”
She looks away. “I don’t know. I never knew her; she’s probably just some prostitute.”
Something about her tone strikes you as unusual. There’s almost... anger? “Is... is your dad good to you?”
Now she’s looking at you again. “What? Of course he is; why else would I be willing to do all this to protect him?”
“S-sorry; just something about how you responded to that last question - er, you just seemed... a little angry...”
“Of course I’m angry! Just because he’s doing his best for me now doesn’t excuse him from putting me in this awful situation to begin with! If he’d just kept himself under control, none of this would be a problem!”
“Sorry, s-sorry-” Something occurs to you. “How did you get back to your father if you were just some prostitute’s child? Surely you would have just been raised by-”
“Sh-she dumped me with him, or something. I don’t know; I wasn’t even aware at the time!”
You risk it. You’re too warm and too tired; even though you know you shouldn’t press her like this - it’s insensitive, it’s baseless, it’s plain mean - something just doesn’t make sense.
“Naoriel, you know your mom wasn’t a prostitute. Was she?”
“...” A strange expression. Fear, perhaps, but also... almost relief? “No,” she says quietly. “She isn’t.”
“-” The next question sticks in your throat. The moment is exactly right; Naoriel will answer if you press her. She’s too tired and emotionally drained to resist. All you have to do is ask.
But...
[Four characters’ fates are temporarily stable. One character’s fate will be altered. This is the end of the (quite elongated) critical point.]
❓ - Say it. “Then who is she?”
- Hold back. Stay quiet.
(Winner: )
- Hold back. Stay quiet.
(Winner: ) 1 5@Story Notifications
Scene 74
“...” It’s... not your place to ask. You’ve already gotten more than enough information; if she wants to tell you, she’ll do so in the morning when she’s more awake. “Okay,” you say. “It’s good that you know.”
And that’s the end of that.
You do end up getting some sleep after all, dozing off in the main room at some point and eventually getting up late when one of the bells for morning mass finally wakes you up. The two of you decide to go to evening mass instead of rushing for the morning one, then spend some time cleaning up Naoriel’s room while everyone else is out.
No one seems to have noticed anything weird last night, which is both convenient and concerning. Now having slept on it, you do ask Naoriel once if she’s sure she really wants to keep quiet about it, but she stands firm. She’s not going to risk getting her father in trouble; she can handle whatever this mystery person will try next. Admirable, though you’re not sure it’s smart.
But it’s her decision to make, so you’ll support her.
...
Nothing really happens for the rest of the month. Naoriel doesn’t bring up anything that happened on that night, though she does sometimes mention a tidbit or two about various Angels who were somewhere specific then and couldn’t have been involved. Clearly, she’s not just pretending it didn’t happen; she’s doing her own investigation. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to prove anything conclusively since nearly all the full Angels were out in the city, on their own, without any real way to provide a solid alibi. And asking around too obviously would get suspicious quickly. You quietly doubt anything will come of it until and unless the mystery person returns.
“...”
“I’m so excited,” Erich comments dryly.
- Things start off well.
- Things start off poorly.
(Winner: )
- Things start off well.
- Things start off poorly.
(Winner: ) 2 4@Story Notifications
Scene 75
Gate, station, train, station, gate. It doesn’t take all that long to make your way out to the cavern entrance where you’ll be working for the next two days. You and Erich don’t really talk much on the way there, though at least there is a monk accompanying you so it’s not terribly awkward. Just moderately so.
Nor does it take very long to meet your hosts - you try but fail to catch anyone’s name as the train starts pulling away at exactly the wrong time with a chorus of hissing steam - or get suited up in the drab brown outfits designed for work in the caves. It’s a weird kind of dissonance to see Erich in such plain, untidy (though clearly recently washed) attire - he’s usually so fastidious about his appearance. You’re sure your own appearance is strange as well, but there aren’t any mirrors here so you can’t tell for sure. The fabric is rough and not very breathable; of course not, as it’s supposed to be mostly waterproof. It’s not very comfortable. You’re used to finer clothes now.
But it does do the job. The supervisor has you both wade through a deep puddle to test the seals, and thankfully you’ve both done them well enough to emerge dry. Then that’s it; it’s time to go underground. You take one more look around the area - just a small cleared section along the rails between the still-dense buildings of the city - and descend into the earth.
“E-Erich,” you finally murmur, voice masked under the flow of trickling water from a nearby stream. Serri wasn’t kidding about it being wet down here. “H-”
“Yes? Did you need something? Are you having fun, Jessamine, and wanted to ask if I were enjoying this enthralling experience as much as you?”
“Wh - no? Why would - nevermind. I just wanted to ask if you noticed those people staring at us.”
“Which people?” He stands up and looks around the cavern until he spots the men you were talking about, making obvious eye contact until they look away, grumbling darkly. “Them?”
“Y-yes. But you didn’t have to do that.”
“Do what? Confront them about it, even weakly? Pah, they have no right to even look at us like that.”
“Please, um, keep your voice down...” Unlike you, he’s not making much of an effort to stay quiet and some of his remarks are definitely audible to nearby workers. More people are stealing glances at you now. Your skin crawls, and not because a bug got into your outfit.
A heavy sigh, but he does as you request. “So. I noticed them. What about it?”
️ - Mention the resentment you felt. What does he think?
- Nevermind. He’ll probably just make things worse if you continue with this topic.
... No, you’re not confident enough to try to talk to the other workers. You doubt it would be a good idea anyway.
(Winner: )
️ - Mention the resentment you felt. What does he think?
- Nevermind. He’ll probably just make things worse if you continue with this topic.
... No, you’re not confident enough to try to talk to the other workers. You doubt it would be a good idea anyway.
(Winner: ) 2 3 2@Story Notifications
Scene 76
“...” The stares. No, this isn’t worth it. You doubt he’d have anything to say you’d want to hear, anyway. “N-nevermind.”
“Really? You just wanted to know that?” A pause; you shrug nervously. “Fine, whatever. Get back to work, then.”
Whew. Normal workers lose interest and turn away after a few more moments, leaving you to just your thoughts and the mushrooms. Still, you’re now hyper-aware of not just your glow, but its effect on everyone nearby. People still glance at you, even without pointedly staring, far more than you’re used to. Like when you came back to school after your sickness receded. You haven’t had to deal with that since you Ascended; Angels are common in the Cathedra and you’ve always been disguised outside of it.
Those glares persist. Not as unbroken as when you had mentioned it to Erich, but there are still glimpses out of the corner of your eye. When they think you aren’t looking, unaware of the heightened senses that came with your changed Body and Mind. Most people just seem curious - being able to watch an Angel for such an extended period of time is highly unusual - but those glares...
What are they thinking?
Almost without realizing it, you begin to attune your Soul to the Mind aspect. It takes you the normal half a minute again; you’ve never been able to reproduce the near-instant switches from that night with Naoriel and the intruder. She didn’t have any real ideas either when you mentioned it, and it’s not like you can ask anyone. You did have the thought that maybe it was just her, acting as some sort of magic-enhancer, but a few different experiments trying to reproduce the scenario didn’t seem to work at all. Maybe you need to be in actual peril for it to work. You’re not sure; it remains yet another mystery on the pile.
You don’t get any explicit words or obvious surges of emotion. You’re not good enough for that; not yet. But you do feel something. Several things. A dull chill, like sitting submerged in one of the many puddles or streams down here. Lanterns in the distance, distractingly bright and flickery. Glitzy; glamorous. These caverns are deep. So deep that the bottom has never been found, nor even fathomed. Just tunnels after tunnels, winding their twisting way down into the corruption-festering bedrock below.
... Some of those may have been your thoughts. You pull back, letting the lingering magic disperse into the air. One of the grumbly guys looks up briefly, as if confused. Maybe he felt your touch? Even though it was so light? You hope not; he doesn’t need any more reasons to dislike you.
That... wasn’t really helpful at all. The only thing you learned wasn’t really new; just remembering that the earth itself is corrupted. How far down would you have to go before the ground starts to hate you? Is the entire city sitting atop a mire of darkness? What’s stopping it from flooding up from tunnels unknown and rising to walk the city streets?
... You, presumably.
Well, not only did you fail to learn anything, now you’re nervous about that open elevator shaft just a few tunnels over. Imagining some nebulous miasma of darkness rising from the depths to strike you down...
Oh, you’re done with the mushrooms. Time to head back up.
✨ - Things get a little better.
- Things get a little worse.
(Winner: ✨ )
- Things get a little worse.
(Winner: ✨ ) 
5 1@Story Notifications
Scene 77
The rest of the day isn’t as bad once you’ve gotten used to it. The promised break that you don’t physically need grants you an opportunity to wander the small area above and watch as workers load stacks of mushrooms onto a cargo train. Discreetly. You don’t know how they’d react to being observed, and you don’t mean anything by it. You’re just curious. This sort of thing is new to you.
No one really approaches you, including Erich. He seems content to just sit in a corner and grumble to himself while you poke around. It’s interesting how even the wispy, woody vines growing along the fence still produce little bluish berries. Every plant in the city needs to grow something edible, you know, but you sorta figured that rule only applied to things people planted purposefully. Although you suppose it’s possible that the vines are here on purpose.
The afternoon goes more smoothly than the morning. The work isn’t any different - there’s a lot of mushrooms to harvest - with the exception that you also have to tend to the ones that are still growing. It’s not hard; you’re well aware that fungi can grow anywhere, especially a place as dark and damp as this cave. No, all you have to do is sprinkle some fertilizer around, check to make sure the soil is nice and moist, and add a touch of water if it isn’t. Oh, and make sure there aren’t any pests or weeds getting too close.
You sorta get into it after a while, tending to the little ones that aren’t yet ready and extracting the bigger ones that are. It’s kinda soothing. But you can definitely understand how this job would get monotonous after doing it for weeks, or months, or years. For you, it’s a nice break from your daily routine. For the workers who do this for a living, it is their daily routine.
Everyone else experienced some degree of being set apart from the regular population and other workers, but no one reported any glares or senses of vague resentment. Although, when you bring that up, Yara’s quick to point out that everyone else had been in public or at least close to it. Sanitation work takes place in the city streets, and the various station people were either working directly with the public or within plain view on cargo platforms just across from the passenger ones. You and Erich were just down in the caverns all day with no one but the other workers around.
“But why would they dislike us?” you say, though you already have an idea. “We’re just there to help, and that doesn’t change even once we go back to our normal jobs. I’ve never met anyone who isn’t grateful that Angels are here to protect the city.”
Glances here and there. Some of the trainees seem to be considering it, like they aren’t quite sure either. Some, however, are just deciding how best to phrase the answer.
- “They hate us because we’re better than them.”
- “They hate us because we’re better off than them.”
- “They hate us because we represent the corruption, through its inverse.”
- “They hate us because they are corrupted.”
(Winner: )
- “They hate us because we’re better than them.”
- “They hate us because we’re better off than them.”
- “They hate us because we represent the corruption, through its inverse.”
- “They hate us because they are corrupted.”
(Winner: ) 2 4 1 1@Story Notifications
Scene 78
“They hate us because we’re better off than them.” Emmett, surprisingly. You haven’t really talked to him much (at all). Predictably, most of the group turns to him for some sort of elaboration.
“It’s obvious, isn’t it? We didn’t ‘do’ anything to earn our spots here at the Cathedra; we were simply chosen by God in our Callings. And just look at all the fabulous benefits we get for that ‘nothing.’ Immortality. Magic. Enhanced Bodies and Minds. To say nothing of the actual living arrangements. From the outside, the training and work we do is hidden. As is the danger we put ourselves in every day to defend the city and its population. But even with that, wouldn’t you say the rewards are worth it?”
You think about that.
And you keep thinking about it through the rest of the night. Most of the Angels had agreed. Serri hadn’t said anything, but she didn’t disagree. A few others stayed quiet as well, and the conversation quickly pivoted so not everyone got to weigh in, but the general mood was “yes.” Being an Angel is worth it. Right?
... What happens when you die?
It’s a question that the church answers, by default, in a perfectly ordinary way. Your Soul is the core of “you,” not your Body or Mind. So when your Body dies and your Mind goes with it, your Soul lingers and is eventually incorporated back into another human being. The circle of life. You don’t remember the previous lives you’ve lived, since memories are stored in your Mind. But sometimes, particularly vivid or important details get seared into your Soul and you might find yourself having moments of strange familiarity. It makes sense. It’s a clean, happy cycle.
But the Cathedra doesn’t always tell the full truth during normal mass.
You do spot a group of people emerging from the elevator around midday, though. Grimy, exhausted, hauling a large wheeled crate presumably containing the spoils from their trip. One of the men walks with a limp, a dirty bandage on his thigh suggesting that something down there did not like him very much. You would never have to deal with a wound like that; at least, not for long. Emmett’s words echo. The injured man grins as one of the others points you out, giving a little wave. You’re surprised enough that you waste several seconds trying to figure out if you know him (you don’t) and by the time you gather yourself enough to wave back, he’s already turned away.
...
Everything seems more abstract in the snow. The mist is heavy. You’ve been feeling a little disconnected lately, thinking thoughts as heavy as the mist while lying in bed and not really fully being in the waking world. You don’t know if you’ve really learned anything from your work these last two days. Maybe you just need something exciting to do. A distraction; something you’ve been looking forward to.
The festival starts tomorrow, of course. Day of Body, Day of Mind, Day of Soul. And then it’s the end of the year and the start of a new one with the Calling ceremony on the very first day. You’ve made plans, haven’t you? What were they again?
- Go home again. Your Mind is stronger now. You can face it... right?
- Explore the city events with some of your friends. You’ll need to be disguised again, but you didn’t really want to go alone anyway.
- Explore the Cathedra’s events. You don’t need to go with anyone, and the magic involved makes them astonishing. Or so you’ve heard.
⭐ - Or maybe there’s someone in particular you’d like to hang out with? [Specify who in #story_discussion ]
(Winner: > ⭐ )
- Go home again. Your Mind is stronger now. You can face it... right?
- Explore the city events with some of your friends. You’ll need to be disguised again, but you didn’t really want to go alone anyway.
- Explore the Cathedra’s events. You don’t need to go with anyone, and the magic involved makes them astonishing. Or so you’ve heard.
⭐ - Or maybe there’s someone in particular you’d like to hang out with? [Specify who in #story_discussion ]
(Winner: > ⭐ ) 1 5 2
4@Story Notifications
Scene 79
Oh, that’s right. It was this whole thing a few days ago.
“Sorry, Jessamine; I’ve already got plans for then. I can do the Day of Mind, though.”
“Yeah, I figured you might. I already tried Clarity too, before you ask, but she’s going out with her new full Angel friends and won’t have time.”
“Ah, that’s how it is once you graduate, is it? I suppose I’ll have my own excuses in a year as well. Goodness, you had better learn disguise magic quickly or you’ll never get to go out again!”
You pout at the floor, more for Yara’s benefit than because you’re actually upset. “Cobb won’t approve it until I’m a second year at minimum. Need to be more mature, he said.”
“Mature? Has Cobb met you?”
“Heh. Thanks, but I get what he means. If I can disguise myself, I can just leave on my own whenever. Well, during holidays, at least. It might be a little risky if I go off without anyone else.”
“Hmm. Well, I can give you a single charge before you head out again, but you’ll need to find somewhere out of public to spend the rest of the day before it wears off. I don’t suppose you were planning on going home again?”
“No, I was actually going to the big festival. You know, the one that couldn’t be any more public if it tried.”
Yara raises one inquisitive eyebrow. “You’re not being sarcastic, young lady?”
“Afraid not. I’ve only been to the smaller district ones; I was ‘too fragile’ to go to the main one downtown.”
“Mmm.” He ponders this for a minute, not remarking on your “too fragile” comment. You’re grateful for that; Yara doesn’t seem to be treating you any differently after word of your sickness inevitably spread around. Unlike some people you could mention.
“C’mon, Jess, don’t just stand there! You’ll freeze if you don’t keep moving.” She lowers her voice a little. “Or at least, a normal person would.” Both of you are, of course, fairly cold-resistant. “But we should get going anyway; plenty to do and not much time to do it!”
- Alrighty then. Off you go; she’s right.
- ... Nope! Nevermind; back you go. Return before the magic wanes.
(Winner: )
- Alrighty then. Off you go; she’s right.
- ... Nope! Nevermind; back you go. Return before the magic wanes.
(Winner: ) 5 1@Story Notifications
Scene 80
“So,” you begin a little bit later, now well onto the main road leading downtown. You decided to keep going. “You can’t do disguise magic either?”
It’s kind of weird talking to Naoriel like this; you can only see her eyes. Her strangely purple eyes that will totally give her away, now that you think about it. Maybe she can pretend they’re just weird, frameless, really small colored glasses? That doesn’t even make sense. “Nope. I considered it, but transmutation isn’t as easy as you might think. I’m sure I’ll have to learn it eventually, but for now, projection is sufficient.”
“Hmm. You know, I still don’t know how you learned all this or why you didn’t take the basic magic course. Are you even allowed to take the later ones without it?”
“I’ll be fine.”
“... Still not going to explain, then?”
“C’mon, Jess, you should know better by now. It’s part of my charm.” A somewhat silly-looking motion that you assume is a wink if you could see her properly. “But these more physical disguises should work just fine too. I mean, look at everyone else.”
She’s right; it’s pretty cold today. Although most people aren’t quite as bundled up as you two, it’s not far off. You pass as people who are just really cold without too much issue. Well, except for... “What about your eyes?”
“Hm? What about them?”
“... They’re purple. How long have you been transmuting them to forget that you’re - wait a minute, you just said transmutation’s too hard. Are they... natural?”
“...”
“How were you born with naturally purple eyes?! That’s not even possible! I think.”
“C-clearly it is. Maybe they’re from my mother’s side. I wouldn’t know.”
Sudden cheers and applause rise from the stage, but you’re too short to see over everyone to know what’s going on. There’s some raised seating over there that would let you see, but you’re still pretty far away. It sure sounds exciting, though. Maybe you should rush?
- You are speed. Get over there and figure it out!
- You are distracted. Get over there, eventually.
- If only you could be a little taller, you could see from here... [Secondary; will additionally use one of the other options if this wins.]
(Winner: )
- You are speed. Get over there and figure it out!
- You are distracted. Get over there, eventually.
- If only you could be a little taller, you could see from here... [Secondary; will additionally use one of the other options if this wins.]
(Winner: ) 1 5 2@Story Notifications
Scene 81
No, probably not. There’ll be more stuff later, and you’re already getting distracted by a demonstration area along the way.
There’s a small fenced-off zone in the square containing two men in stout coats, a strange-looking backpack that one of them is putting on with the help of the other, and a few large rocks. A third man outside the zone is explaining what’s about to happen to a number of spectators. You sneak a little bit closer on your way past to hear.
The men are gearworkers (which makes sense; those coats look similar to your dad’s) and they’re demonstrating a new prototype device that’s designed to augment a worker’s own strength with that of steam-fueled pistons. The power source lies within a heavily insulated backpack and connects to a pair of arm braces made of gleaming polished brass. They seem to be tailoring the speech towards business owners or supervisors - a lot of the details involve how cost-effective it can be or how much time it can save workers. A number of the spectators seem to be well-dressed middle-aged men. You almost decide to just leave, but you are kinda curious how it works.
The gearworker wearing the backpack clicks it on and flexes his arms in a few different angles, showing that the skeleton-like frame moves easily with him. He picks up some small tools and writes a few sentences, to show that it doesn’t impact manual dexterity. Then, he reaches down around the rock and, with a little hiss from the backpack, manages to pick it up with some effort. The man outside the fence clarifies that he already tried this earlier without the device - before you showed up, it seems - and was unable to lift it. Then, he sets it down again, adjusts a dial on the backpack to change the machine’s mode, pulls back, and slams his fist into the rock.
Naoriel shades her eyes as she peers closer. “I don’t recognize her, but I don’t know everyone. Do you think we should ask her later? Is this supposed to be a secret?”
️ - Ask after she leaves the stage to return to the main festival. No need to wait around.
⌚ - Ask sometime later.
- Eh, don’t bother.
(Winner: ⌚ )
️ - Ask after she leaves the stage to return to the main festival. No need to wait around.
⌚ - Ask sometime later.
- Eh, don’t bother.
(Winner: ⌚ ) 1
5 1@Story Notifications
Scene 82
“I’ll ask later,” you decide. “I kinda doubt she’d be out here fighting, er, people, but it’ll make me feel better to know that for sure.”
“Mm h - hey, isn’t that Yara?”
“Where? He said he was busy today; what’s he doing here?”
“Just over there by the side... see, with Etalyn?”
“Ah ha!” Yep, it’s pretty obvious when you finally pick out the right section of the crowd. You can’t quite make out what they’re doing from this distance, not with all the people in the way, but it’s clear they’re at least here together. In fact, given that he turned you down when you obviously could have come with him, it almost seems like... “Serri’s gonna be so mad she missed this.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Well-”
You only get a little ways into your explanation of that whole deal before the stage starts switching over to the next performance. Since you just got here and enough people are leaving or shuffling around to actually get a seat instead of leaning precariously on the railing, you decide to just stay put and watch whatever the next thing is. Which, you find out quickly, is a play. Specifically, it’s a somewhat abridged version of False Angel Erejil, the definitive work on the tragedies and unrest surrounding the titular (false) Angel’s life and death. You’ve never seen it (only read excerpts from it for Brother Trigg’s history course) so you’re on board with staying to watch it. Naoriel seems a little uncomfortable with the subject matter (it is a little gory, that’s for sure), but you convince her after a minute and settle down to watch.
Forever. Even after her father passes away, Naoriel still won’t be able to say. Maybe she’ll be fine - she didn’t choose her parents, after all - but... maybe not. “... Yeah.” It must have been some Cathedra thing. Her father is an important minister; maybe he needed to... do, er, something with the play. Even in your thoughts, you can’t quite make it make sense. But it’s close; the idea of a connection is there.
“Well, whatever. We probably should go before it gets too late. The streets can be dangerous after dark, you know.”
“... Don’t try to scare me like that; it won’t work! Besides, we’re only going a few blocks.”
“I’m just getting you back for the scaryyyyy play. And you never knowwwww; with all the confusion out tonight, someone may just try to...”
She’s grinning under there; you just know it. You honestly didn’t think Naoriel’d be the type to try and scare you like this. “No way. C’mon, let’s just go.”
You end up detouring one more time for a little scoop of ice cream each (in the middle of winter, really?) and then finally get around to leaving the main square. The street is fairly well lit, but the fog thickens fast in winter and you can hardly see the next streetlamp most of the time. There aren’t nearly as many people around here, either, given that most would be going home from a train station. So it’s just quiet enough to feel eerie, even though the crowd is still audible just behind you.
“...” You keep thinking about the gory scenes from the play. The guillotine gleaming as it falls down on Erejil. The bloody, ragged wound from his poisoned knife. Broken bodies lying in the street. The actors were good. Too good.
- Phew. Nothing happens.
- You get a little freaked out, but it’s actually nothing. A cat or something.
- Uh oh. Something actually happens.
(Winner: )
- Phew. Nothing happens.
- You get a little freaked out, but it’s actually nothing. A cat or something.
- Uh oh. Something actually happens.
(Winner: ) 
2 5 1@Story Notifications
Scene 83
The walk back is longer than you remember. It’s dark and cold and (though you won’t admit it to Naoriel) more than a little scary with your current state of Mind. One of the streetlights is even out for some reason, meaning you have to walk quickly through an area of almost total darkness. Footsteps on stone muffled by the mist. Two sets... no; three?! You shiver when you notice that, almost breaking into a run, but manage to stay just calm enough to not freak out entirely.
... It’s just a normal guy walking past, moving quicker than you with his long legs. He nods as he passes, hands in his pockets against the chill. Whew.
You return to the Cathedra without incident, returning souvenirs to rooms (you still don’t know what she’s going to do with that hat) and generally cleaning up after your excursion. Still too early to straight-up go to bed, you then return downstairs to the common area to chat and share and generally hang out with your friends. Etalyn shows up after a while (with Yara) but they both hurry off with a muttered excuse about cleaning up as well.
At some point Rhysa comes down as well, normally-floofy hair slicked down after a shower, and you start to put the pieces together. It’s still hard for you to talk to her as you’re not really friends, but curiosity helps push you forward regardless. “Hey, Rhysa... erm, did I see you at the festival today...? With, um, Etalyn?”
“Maybe? By the main stage?”
“Er, on the main stage.”
“Ah, heh heh. Yeah, probably. What’d you think of the match?”
“I... didn’t get there till the end,” you admit. Easier than trying to make something up. “I was just k-kinda surprised that Angels would be out fighting on stage.”
“Yeah, it’s like ‘how is she getting all these matches in public?’ I think one of the bishops has a thing for her, y’know?”
“... N-no?”
You dream of horrible things. Betrayals, kidnappings, bloody gaping wounds in you and all your friends. Some nebulous mastermind behind it all, cackling from the shadows. Someone is a traitor. A true Angel would never do this. Erejil. False Angel. Never again, they said. God willing.
What if He isn’t?
... You wake up before the sun, bedsheets a tangled mess and the echoes of your nightmares still clear in your Mind. You’ve got a slight cough - impossible, since you can’t get sick - that doesn’t go away until after you’ve washed up and gotten dressed. You spend some more time studying the miracle you still haven’t managed to cast properly. It hurts to try, feeling like a painful stretching on your lungs. You keep at it anyway. Apparently that’s one of the most common things to get wrong.
After a while, the mist thins as watery sunlight peeks over the horizon. Pallid dreams fade. You’re okay. It’s fine. You’re fine.
... You’re starting to hate the night.
- You and Serri decided to go on your own, since it worked so well yesterday.
- Yara will come with as well, as originally planned.
(Winner: )
- You and Serri decided to go on your own, since it worked so well yesterday.
- Yara will come with as well, as originally planned.
(Winner: ) 1 5@Story Notifications
Scene 84
The Day of Mind, similarly to the Day of Body, is centered around the aspect from which it takes its name. Whereas yesterday you had athletes, chefs, and playwrights, today you have artists, authors, and... still playwrights. It seems theater is a mix of Mind and Body - although the same could be said of pretty much everything from both days. As you’ve learned, there’s rarely such a thing as a strict categorical division when it comes to aspects (and most things, really). The lines blur. The Day of Soul will likely feature plays for a third time. People like theater.
Anyway, you’re still bundled up today, but not hiding your face now that Yara’s with you and capable of maintaining proper transmutation disguises. You did tease him a little about not having faith in his no-magic disguise plan, but really you prefer it this way too. It’s way more convenient and also much less nerve-wracking. You similarly teased him a little about being out with Etalyn yesterday, but not much. You get it.
Now... how are you going to talk with Serri? She seems to be in a good mood today, poking around at the various booths and demonstrations around the square; you can’t just go up and ask if she’s figured out a solution to her... decision? Sort of? From what you’ve heard, she’s committed to learning external Body projection as her first specialization, but whether to heal or harm (or both) is still a mystery. You haven’t really had many chats with her since the day of the duel. But, as you noted yesterday, the festival isn’t really a good place for in-depth or secret conversations. Maybe you should just give up and hang out with her normally. Plus, Yara’s here too and you don’t know how much he knows about all that.
Like yesterday, you end up making your way to the main stage just before a play starts (easier today, since there are plenty of plays around). But just as you’re making your way up the seats to your mystery performance, one final distraction sneaks in.
️ - “Portrait of God.” That’s... not forbidden, exactly, but it’s certainly frowned upon. And of course, no one knows what He looks like... right?
- “Fortune Teller.” That’s also not quite forbidden, but it’s even closer than the portrait. But... this guy doesn’t look like a fortune teller, either. Weird?
(Winner: a tie between ️ and . chosen by author discretion.)
️ - “Portrait of God.” That’s... not forbidden, exactly, but it’s certainly frowned upon. And of course, no one knows what He looks like... right?
- “Fortune Teller.” That’s also not quite forbidden, but it’s even closer than the portrait. But... this guy doesn’t look like a fortune teller, either. Weird?
(Winner: a tie between ️ and . chosen by author discretion.) 3 3@Story Notifications
Scene 85
A fortune teller? There’s a quaint little booth packed in just beside the stands, but it doesn’t look how you’d expect.
Divining the future is impossible, and so its practice is forbidden. However, there are plenty of useful and quite possible methods of predicting future events, like weather patterns or elections - or even just games of chance - to the point where an outright ban on anything to do with probability would be impractically cumbersome. So predicting the future based on mathematics or concrete events is allowed, but doing so with false magic or no evidence is not.
Fortune telling, as you’d expect, originally fell into the latter category when this rule was implemented. But its practitioners (surprisingly industrious!) spent time to devise and prove out a variety of mathematical methods related to drawing cards, marbles, or other objects. Several people did studies and found various levels of correlation between predicted and actual outcomes. Hardly any of the studies agreed, which meant (depending on who you asked) that some of the studies were correct and a correlation existed - thus validating these methods as accurate - or that more studies were needed to confirm - thus allowing fortune tellers to practice normally as long as they called their trade “research.”
Some in the city legislature have caught on, but some haven’t and most have better things to do. For now, the practice remains legal, but only just. All you need to do is have a little disclaimer on your stand - ah, like over there - and it counts as “research.” Perfect.
Of course, you don’t know any of these details since you’re not very interested in niche legislative loopholes. Rather, you’re just vaguely aware that fortune telling is more allowed than not and that most oracles tend to look all mystical, covered in silks and ribbons and weird dark candles. Not, you know, like a banker.
The card depicts a tortured-looking Angel, bloodied hands over their face as if sobbing. Their wings are dark grey and bear several bleeding cuts. The background is darkness. You swallow, nervous despite your skepticism. You’ve drawn this one upside-down.
“Betrayal. Someone close to you will turn against you. A friend, a family member, a mentor; someone like that. And, I’m afraid, the upside-down card indicates they will succeed, potentially using the broken gear to their advantage. You will be badly hurt by this, though with the sun as it was drawn, you may still recover if you dare continue to trust those you still hold dear.”
That... that one can’t possibly apply to a large number of people. Surely not.
The oracle smiles sadly. “I cannot avert this fate, but I may be able to do just one more thing to help. Choose a question, then pick one more card.”
- “... Who?”
- “... What?”
- “... When?”
️ - “... Where?”
❓ - “... Why?”
- “... How?”
(Winner: ❓ )
- “... Who?”
- “... What?”
- “... When?”
️ - “... Where?”
❓ - “... Why?”
- “... How?”
(Winner: ❓ ) 2 2 1 2 4 1@Story Notifications
Scene 86
“... Why?”
A nod. “Choose your card.”
This time, you’re done messing around with Mind games on which card to pick. Somehow, it seems appropriate to go for the most obvious one; the one directly in the center.
“The spy.”
It shows a grim-looking person mostly swallowed by a dark coat, half-illuminated by a dim streetlight. Mechanical, you note in a detached sort of way. These cards can’t be that old, since mechanical lights aren’t that old either. Alarmingly, you’ve drawn this one upside-down as well.
“Secrets will be the cause. Whether your own, the betrayer’s, or someone else’s, the upside-down draw indicates that a secret will be exposed which should have remained hidden. These fourth-card draws are notoriously vague beyond the basics, so it’s unclear whose secret, who reveals it, or why specifically the reveal will incite a betrayal. But I’m afraid that’s all I can do; a fifth-card draw simply has too many variables to grant even vague hints.”
The oracle sweeps the cards back into his deck, shuffling it quickly. “The broken gear, the sun, the fallen Angel, and the spy. You certainly are going to be an interesting one to watch. Good luck, and I hope you’ve learned something from my humble little cards.”
You stand, glancing behind you to see if anyone else is in line. Apparently not; business seems to be wrapping up for the play. But... “You’re not a normal oracle,” you inform the not-normal oracle, as if he didn’t already know. “So who are you?”
A slight grin; a shrug. “No one too important, believe you me. Just an observer.”
“Do you have a name?” Something about him makes you think knowing more would be a very good idea.
“A name? Hum, if we meet again, you can call me God.”
Literally taken aback, you step away from the table slightly. “What?! You can’t say that!” Who does this guy think he is, to pretend to be God like that?
Unfortunately (fortunately?) the play this time isn’t as gripping as False Angel Erejil. Instead, it’s a fictional story set in the ninth century full of uneasy alliances and political intrigue, focusing on the leaders of two opposing factions in the city government. A lot of it goes over your head, to be honest, though at least the others seem to be having fun. You didn’t know Serri was into this sort of thing, but it does make sense for Yara.
Instead, you do your best to pay attention, fail, and end up spacing out again thinking about the fortune teller. You can see why people believe in this sort of thing now; he was really convincing. Just the frank sincerity with which he delivered his lines really made it seem like he believed what he said. Maybe he did. Do you? If you do, are you going to be more paranoid and worse off? Or if you don’t, are you going to accidentally let something slip and cause the fortune to come true after all? And how long is the timeline here? Like, tomorrow? Next year? In a decade? Longer? More details would make it too easy to prove or disprove, you suppose.
Ugh, what a pain. Why did you have to meet this guy? You’ve got so many other things to worry about, like when you can talk to Serri! It’s already late afternoon and, although you didn’t catch how long this play will run for because you were busy with... “Phil” at the time, it’s probably going to be getting dark by its conclusion. Sure, it was another generally fun day, but did you accomplish anything? Did you need to? Should you just corner her after dinner and say you need to talk? Is that too cliche? Is this a secret? Agh!
️ - Try to corner Serri tonight and have that talk. At this point, she’s probably not going to unless you make it happen.
- Let her lead. If she wants to talk, she will. Don’t force it.
(Winner: )
️ - Try to corner Serri tonight and have that talk. At this point, she’s probably not going to unless you make it happen.
- Let her lead. If she wants to talk, she will. Don’t force it.
(Winner: ) 2 5@Story Notifications
Scene 87
“The one presiding at a feast, of course. You can’t be anything but a good baker if you’re the one producing the food, yes?”
“I still think it was the one with the two swords. Imagine how much bread you could cut with starmetal like that! Besides, just because you’re in charge of a feast doesn’t mean you’re the cook as well.”
“And just because you have two swords doesn’t mean you’re using them to slice bread. Jessamine, would you happen to have an opinion to resolve this deadlock?”
Yara and Serri have been debating the results of the “which depiction of the original twelve Angels would be the best at baking” contest since leaving the play. It’s dark now and “Phil” is gone. You didn’t really expect him to be there, and you wouldn’t have known what to say anyway, but... you kept an eye out regardless. “I don’t know; the one with the ridiculously massive wings sure could carry a lot of pastries in there...”
“Oh for - eventually we’re going to have to eliminate some of the candidates, you know.”
You smile lightly as a fresh debate breaks out about the merits of being able to carry all that stuff. It feels a little weird to be arguing about the original twelve Angels in such a silly way, but you suppose it’s been long enough and you’re Angelic enough to get away with it. Presumably, they would have been happy to know they helped create an environment safe enough where they could be joked about like this. Where the majority of people can just ignore the darkness for most of their lives and be fine.
These fears aren’t completely unfounded, is the problem. Naoriel was almost kidnapped from her bed in the middle of the night, in this very building, only two weeks ago. You know there’s a traitor hiding somewhere in the Cathedra. These dreams might not be real, but the worries definitely are. How can you possibly feel safe unless you somehow figure out who they are and reveal them to someone who can actually do something about it?
It’s just a lot to deal with.
The sun finally peeks over the horizon, turning the mist orange as it always does, and you get ready for the Day of Soul. The main festival is again available for ordinary people, but Angels have a different way to celebrate. Today, you will attend a special mass given by one of the bishops instead of a normal priest, then reflect on the year. A lot happened, so you’ll certainly have a lot to reflect on. And once you’re done with that, you’re supposed to offer your feelings about it to God (positive, negative, anything) so He can help you do your best in the year to come.
As with a lot of these reflection things, there’s not much in the way of guidelines. Some people seclude themselves for the day; others spend the time with their friends or even random strangers for that unbiased outside opinion. As for you...
- On your own today. There’s a lot to process.
- Go find your friends. It’s better to not be alone.
- You’ve never tried that “random stranger” thing, so...
(Winner: )
- On your own today. There’s a lot to process.
- Go find your friends. It’s better to not be alone.
- You’ve never tried that “random stranger” thing, so...
(Winner: ) 2 4 1@Story Notifications
Scene 88
Somehow, you’re a little disappointed in the Day of Soul mass. It’s longer than normal and it’s presented by a bishop instead of a priest, but otherwise it’s much the same as regular mass. You’ve heard most of this before. Be good. Devote yourself to serving God and the people who rely on you. Live as a beacon. As a heart. As a... sun, perhaps.
Ugh. You’re still thinking about that reading from yesterday, plus you’re glancing around the cathedral and wondering who the traitor could be. Most of the Angels are here now - not those on the walls or missions, but most others - so the odds are good the traitor is here too. Probably not one of the trainees or young Angels, given their powers, but who among the senior Angels could possibly be so twisted? Or maybe even someone above them, an Archangel? You scan the smaller group sitting near the bishop with their brilliant glows and beautiful wings. You don’t recognize most of them; you’ve really only interacted with Aveline before.
And beside the dozen or so Archangels are the two current Seraphim, the most powerful and most senior Angels in the city. They resemble golden statues, with metallic skin, glowing eyes, and permanently manifested wings shimmering with a reflective texture. It’s almost hard to believe they were once human - and still are, actually. Beneath the almost alien exterior, the Souls inside are still as human as yours. Stronger, of course, but fundamentally the same as everyone else’s.
The end of the year isn’t anything special. There are a few fireworks and the bells all toll in unison, and that’s it. The end of one year and the beginning of the next. Tomorrow (today) is now January 1st again, and in a scant few hours, another group of children will have their Calling ceremonies. One or two might Ascend.
But to you, by now, that possibility isn’t anything new. This is the tenth Calling day since your own and no new Angels have been chosen. Even though you know there’s a chance, and it would start to get really quite worrying if there remained none, you still sort of don’t believe it’ll happen.
Until church bells ring across the city, signaling a child has been found worthy. As of today, you are no longer the Cathedra’s newest Angel.
- Pull a Yara and meet them today.
- Just try to catch a glimpse today, but don’t approach.
- Leave them alone and meet them tomorrow.
(Winner: )
- Pull a Yara and meet them today.
- Just try to catch a glimpse today, but don’t approach.
- Leave them alone and meet them tomorrow.
(Winner: ) 4 2 1@Story Notifications
Scene 89
Well, you’ve got to meet them, don’t you? To start with, you check with Yara to get some advice, as you’re not sure you want to copy his strategy exactly. Plus, it might have been a coincidence anyway.
“Oh, yes, I’ve been known to do that every so often. It can be quite entertaining to meet new Angels before Cobb’s gotten to them, as you know so well. Sometimes I get distracted or they change where the tour goes, but I’ve made it most of the time. Are you planning your own greetings tonight?”
“Well...” You shuffle your shoes on the floor, not entirely sure you want to admit it. But Yara’s not dumb and you were pretty obvious. “Yeah. I’m curious.”
“Hmm! Well, I feel I can leave this one to you, then. Make sure to give me a report in the morning so I know exactly how insufferable to be for the not-party!”
“W-wait, I didn’t want to break your tradition or anything-”
“Ah, Jessamine, always so worried about others. Do you remember that I’m graduating in...” He pauses, counting up the time. “Ten months? I won’t be able to do this any longer; if anything, I’m grateful that someone will be around to carry on my silly little practice.”
“... That kinda makes it sound like you’re going away when you graduate. You’re still going to be right here; you could keep doing it.” A pause; he doesn’t say anything immediately. “Right? You’re not actually going anywhere?”
“Oh, no no. But the older I get, the stranger it seems, yes? I have less in common with new trainees now, and that’s only going to get worse. I figure it’s better to pick a sensible cutoff and leave it to the younger generation than to drag it on forever. Plus, I’ll get to meet them in a few days anyway.”
“... Okay. I guess that makes sense.”
“Jessamine.” At least your voice is stabilizing. “I’m a first year trainee too.”
“Y-yeah, you Ascended in March. It’s, um, good to meet you; Father Turner said you would be... er, he said to try to meet you.”
“Father Turner?” You’re surprised enough to forget to be nervous. “Was he your priest too?”
A nod. “He was really shocked to help Ascend two Angels in a row, heh.”
“I would be too,” you mumble. “Does that mean you were in my school and I just never met you?”
“No; I was too far south. B-but I probably saw you at mass a few times and just never knew.”
“Well, I wasn’t very notable until last year,” you admit, confidence partially restored due to the unexpected discovery of some common ground. Seriously, what are the odds for the same priest to get two Angels in a row, out of the whole city?
“S-so, were you... waiting for me?”
- Nope, just reading my little book here.
- Yeah, but I didn’t know it would be you specifically.
(Winner: )
- Nope, just reading my little book here.
- Yeah, but I didn’t know it would be you specifically.
(Winner: ) 3 4@Story Notifications
Scene 90
“Well...” Like with Yara, you kind of doubt you can get away with denying it. Seriously; there’s no one else around and you could easily have been in your room if you actually wanted to read. “Yeah, but I didn’t know it would be you specifically. One of my friends sort of has a tradition to meet new Angels early and it was my turn tonight. I’m just curious what sort of person just Ascended.” A pause. “And Brother Cobb’s introduction doesn’t really help at all, in my experience.”
“Brother Cobb...?”
“You’ll... meet him tomorrow. One of your instructors. But - oh - I should probably tell you that it’s also sort of a tradition for all the trainee Angels to gather in the evening the day after an Ascension to properly meet the new Angel. It’ll usually be right here just after evening bell, if you want to meet everyone else.”
“Okay. I’ll, er, I can go.”
“Well... good!” A pause. You’re really bad at this whole “conversation” thing. What did you even talk about with Yara? Should you just abort and leave? Are you bothering Jun; does he just want to go to bed? It’s pretty late and a lot must have happened...
“...”
“I’m, er, probably keeping you from heading to your room. I should probably go...” Aaand you lost your nerve. The situation has reached a critical mass of awkwardness.
“O-oh. Okay; see you tomorrow.”
Neutral? Still nervous? Just buried in the awkwardness too? You can’t tell; you’re too flustered. You pick up your book and hurry back upstairs, rushing to make it quickly because you remember Jun will probably be taking this stairway too and you really don’t want to run into him again on the stairs! Argh; that didn’t really go well at all, and you hardly learned anything that won’t be immediately obvious tomorrow! Maybe that Father Turner was involved, but nothing more. Yara won’t get a useful report at all.
Uneasy dreams again. Lost, confused. At least nothing murders you tonight.
You hesitate; Brother Trigg clarifies. “Of course, I would suggest something you are genuinely curious about. It should be something you are capable of researching, but nothing so trivial that a simple library visit would be sufficient to resolve any confusion. If it helps guide you at all, I can list some prior topics.”
“Er, yes, please.”
“Let’s see... ah, you’re good friends with Angel Yara, I believe. His topic was the treatment and tolerance of Soul manipulation across the ages, from the early days of immutability through the Erejil age experiments and today’s acceptance of projection. Other students have covered the introduction of shades, exploration of the caverns below the city, the origin of the River Endle, the history and future of gearworking, spawning pools, and much more. Anything you come up with, I’ll do my best to help you find resources for.”
“Well...”
[Specify in #story_discussion. Some topic categories are presented below, but these are fairly broad.]
️ - The wastelands...?
- The corruption...?
️ - Erejil...?
✨ - Magic...?
️ - Soul...?
❓ - Something else...? [Submit a topic in #story_discussion.]
(Winner: ️ )
️ - The wastelands...?
- The corruption...?
️ - Erejil...?
✨ - Magic...?
️ - Soul...?
❓ - Something else...? [Submit a topic in #story_discussion.]
(Winner: ️ ) 2 1 4 1 3 1@Story Notifications
Scene 91
Somewhat surprisingly, you do actually have an answer in Mind. “I’ve been thinking about Erejil recently,” you admit. “Ever since I saw the play during the festival. And... some things don’t really make sense.”
“Mm?”
“He was an actual Angel, right? Despite the ‘false’ title, he Ascended and should have been resistant to the corruption. But all the depictions I’ve seen show him already Mentally corrupted at his first meeting with the shade, since otherwise he surely wouldn’t accept that deal. And it can’t have been a normal sickness of the Mind because Angels are immune to those too. So... it just seems like he fell a lot faster than I would expect.”
Brother Trigg smiles. “Ah, I’m glad you noticed those inconsistencies. Erejil’s resistance has a fairly quick answer, however, so you may wish to extend your topic. Perhaps a more general approach?”
You’re not sure if you should feel proud for noticing it or embarrassed that it’s apparently not that hard to answer, so you just average out to neutral and carry on. “Erm, I’m kind of curious about corruption resistance generally. Erejil is a famous example, but everyone has different levels of resistance even now. So what affects that?”
“Now you’re getting towards a proper topic. Corruption resistance among Angels is somewhat well-studied, but more from a perspective of testing and safe doses. And of course, resistance in normal people is often considered too dangerous to experiment with beyond the theoreticals. There have been some investigations into other traits that correlate with resistance, but there are indeed still open questions.” He nods. “Consider your topic further over the next week or so, then we’ll get started once you’re certain this is what you want to do.”
“Okay.”
And you can tell she’s getting frustrated towards the end, even without your Mind senses showing you. Maybe it’s Erich’s smugness, your occasional glances (you’re really trying not to!), or just having to demonstrate her skills to everyone, but she’s not having a good time. And when it’s finally over and Cobb dismisses you to review the results with his assistant, she hurries off quickly before you can say anything. A distressingly common occurrence lately.
... You’ve got to kick that negative attitude. It’s probably not a competition and it’s not like she was forgetting how to do anything or generally being bad in any major way. It’ll be fine. You’ll see at the end of the week.
It’s gonna be a long week.
Anyway, there’s the meet-up today for Jun. You’ll probably want to get refreshed and ready for that, since you’re a little burnt out after all that magic. Or... no, you should probably go even if you’re tired. But...
️ - Nope, you don’t have to and you’re really drained.
- Go, but don’t do all that much. Nothing strenuous.
️ - Go, and make sure you chat with Jun. That’s the point.
(Winner: ️ )
️ - Nope, you don’t have to and you’re really drained.
- Go, but don’t do all that much. Nothing strenuous.
️ - Go, and make sure you chat with Jun. That’s the point.
(Winner: ️ ) 1 1 5@Story Notifications
Scene 92
But nothing. It wasn’t that bad; you’re just making excuses because you still find socializing difficult. But you know yourself better than to believe yourself... you think. Is that the right way to phrase it? Anyway, better get ready.
...
“So do they do this with all the new Angels, or is this sort of a recent thing?” you ask, tilting your head over at Jun, Sims, and Zeke. Just like during your gathering, the two older Angels have roped Jun into a conversation - though at least Naoriel isn’t involved this time, as she’s over with your group now. She tends to do that whenever Zeke or Sims are involved.
“Most of them, I would say. I can’t think of any recently who have avoided the treatment, though some were a little grumpier than others about it!”
Etalyn rolls her eyes.
“But I’m sure he’ll extricate himself before too long. I mean, it is only fair for them to get to know our newest Angel as well. I know our little group has become fairly tight-knit, but it’s not like we have a monopoly on interpersonal relations!”
Some scattered blinking. You’re not sure what he’s getting at.
“In other news!” he exclaims, heavy-handedly changing the topic. “I hear Cobb has started the basic magic exams. Confident, you two?”
You and Serri look at each other. Erich is across the room with Denn and Emmett. “You know me, Yara; I’m never confident.”
“That’s the spirit! Or rather, the opposite of the spirit. Come now; you’ll do fine. Nothing in those exams is anything you haven’t practiced a dozen times by now.”
You half-shrug. “That’s true, but it’s still being put on the spot. He’s got a scribe in there recording all the results; it’s just a lot of pressure.” Serri nods; you continue. “Plus, you could have warned us about it, you know.”
... You close your physical eyes and, after a few seconds shifting your resonance phase, open your Soul eyes. Serri’s Soul is still nice and bright, just like it’s always been. No trace of corruption that you can see, and none in any of your friends either. Your own Soul still seems a little strange in ways that are hard to describe, but that’s nothing new since the Emissary pointed it out after your collapse. The, er, second one. God, it’s embarrassing that you have to clarify. Still, no corruption. Just the sickness.
Of course, you aren’t an expert in Soul-sensing, but you are hypersensitive. It’s not like you can spot flaws with the Emissary’s precision, but you’re certainly better than the average trainee. It makes you feel a little better, but not much. Especially...
Huh?
Naoriel... what...?
You turn your head a little, trying to understand what you’re sensing. Her Soul glows the same as everyone else’s. It doesn’t seem damaged, corrupted, or otherwise different from how you’d expect. You can’t explain why you’re confused or what you’re seeing. But something just doesn’t seem quite right.
Well, great. Now you’re worried and confused. And you missed whatever they were saying about plants, because now the topic has moved on to magic generally. And Yara’s got the cards out; today is just a strange mirror of your own first day.
You join the game, still uneasy. Cards. The fallen Angel. The Spy. Argh; you have got to stop thinking about Phil’s reading! It’s just going to make you more paranoid!
[Results will be ranked by votes. This week, you will focus on...]
- The tests for Trigg.
- The project for Cobb.
- Getting to know Jun.
- Should you be worried about Serri?
- What the heck is up with Naoriel now?
❓ - Or a different priority? [Specify in #story_discussion.]
(Winners: , , )
- The tests for Trigg.
- The project for Cobb.
- Getting to know Jun.
- Should you be worried about Serri?
- What the heck is up with Naoriel now?
❓ - Or a different priority? [Specify in #story_discussion.]
(Winners: , , ) 2 5 1 5 5 1@Story Notifications
Scene 93
You spend the rest of the week stalking your friends and learning about the Cathedra’s ultimate betrayer.
The “learning” part at least makes sense. You’re investigating what Brother Trigg told you about Erejil’s resistance before delving into the topic for real. After a day or two, you figured out that the reason is probably in the restricted section; there are plenty of texts that discuss Erejil overall, but stop curiously short (sometimes in the middle of a sentence!) of describing exactly what the deal is, so to speak.
So you told Brother Trigg. He seemed pleased with your initiative and said he would put in an exception for you, to be activated later in the week. You had no idea it was that easy.
Then of course there are the tests as well. After the first day of detection, Cobb had you demonstrate basic channeling on the second day, followed by projection in various aspects for the remaining three. He wasn’t wrong when he said you didn’t need to study; you’re doing fine just from regularly practicing over the last few months. It’s a real relief to know that something about your Mental transformation is working, as you’re much more capable than you feel you should be in memorizing these complicated patterns and non-physical motions.
Okay, I should probably be used to being surprised like this by now, you think, covering the book and glancing behind you to make sure no one else is sneaking up to steal the restricted knowledge. The Cathedra conceals a lot of stuff. A LOT. But...
Angels can’t have children. Or, they can, but...? Hang on, you don’t actually know. You’re not really familiar with human or Angelic reproduction beyond the vague basics and a very strong notion that the topic is extremely improper for a young lady like yourself to be thinking about in any depth. But... one thing you do know is that Angels and humans can’t have children together.
But, well, that’s clearly wrong. According to this text, Erejil’s father was an Angel and his mother was a human worker in the Cathedra. They met, they fell in love, they had a child.
That child nearly destroyed Nucarreo.
... You’re going to need to get some more information on this. You haven’t gone through all the texts you’re allowed access to with this exception, but the titles indicate that they’re primarily about Erejil himself, not his heritage or the mechanics of half-Angels generally. Maybe there’s more stuff in your other exception about resistance, but... is this really the kind of thing you should be reading about?
Firmly shake your head. This is for research. There’s nothing improper about science or history. Come on; get to it.
Oh hey, is that Yara? Oh no, has he spotted you?
- oh jeez oh jeez hide whatever you’re reading
- “... hey, Yara, do you know anything about... er...?”
(Winner: )
- oh jeez oh jeez hide whatever you’re reading
- “... hey, Yara, do you know anything about... er...?”
(Winner: ) 2 6@Story Notifications
Scene 94
You half-panic for a moment, considering hiding all the books, but he’s already seen you and it would be far too obvious to start covering things up now. You’ll just have to hope he doesn’t-
“A lovely afternoon, Jessamine. What might you be reading?”
-ask. “Er...”
He pulls up a chair and sits down next to you, but is at least polite enough not to lean over and read your books himself. “Researching your next magic courses? I have opinions!”
“Um, not right now, no...” Maybe... maybe he can help, actually. Are you allowed to share these books with people not on the exception list? Well... it’s Yara; it’ll be fine. “I’m reading about my topic for Brother Trigg’s research project.”
“Ah, that’s happening already, is it? I suppose it would be, given your course timing. Well, what’s it about? Can I help?”
“I’m researching corruption resistance, and I’m specifically using Erejil as a starting point. Since, well...” You look for a reaction; maybe he already knows?
“Hmm. Erejil? He fell to the corruption, of course, and is certainly a very famous figure so there would be plenty of information. That seems smart. I’m afraid I don’t have deep knowledge in that particular area, though I do in the adjacent area of Soul manipulation and templates.”
“W-well, Erejil kind of fell a little faster than I’d expect, so I asked Trigg, and... long story short, there’s a really big reason why he had low corruption resistance.” You sort of struggle to say the next part, still not entirely sure if you’re allowed to tell him.
“And what is it?”
Darn; he really doesn’t know! “Er-” Maybe if I... “Y-Yara, do you, um, know if Angels can have... kids?”
He leans back, confused. “Does that have anything to do with Erejil?”
“...”
“Hum! Alright. Well, they teach you about this sort of thing in your... third year, I believe, but I suppose it won’t do any harm to learn about it early. Are you familiar with human reproduction generally?”
“Ha! Very well, you rulebreaking scoundrel. Not a word.” He shuffles the chair back and stands up again, stretching even though he was only sitting for a few minutes. “Well, since you need to do some more reading and I did come in here for a reason of my own (shocking, I know), I suppose I’ll leave you be, then. See you later.”
You return the farewell and off he goes to check out some material of his own. It really feels like you’ve stumbled onto something important here; you’re finally getting to learn some deeper, less public information. But... if Erejil was the only half-Angel and the Emissaries since then have prevented any more from Ascending like you think, then it doesn’t really matter all that much?
But that’s just a guess. You’ve still got work to do. So it’s back to the books for a while at least. Then, well, dinner, you suppose. Life goes on.
[Your next magic course will focus on...? As a reminder, your current focus area is Internal Mind Projection. You can continue to specialize in it, or broaden your focus.]
- Internal
- External
- Physical
- Body
- Mind
️ - Soul
️ - Projection
- Transmutation
(Winners: , , ️ )
- Internal
- External
- Physical
- Body
- Mind
️ - Soul
️ - Projection
- Transmutation
(Winners: , , ️ ) 5 1 1 2 3 2 3 2@Story Notifications
Scene 95
You’ve got some free time over the weekend, given that the basic magic course is over and you only get to even register for your next one next week (probably a continuation of your current focus area, you think; you don’t want to split your attention too much). So, because it seems you’re a hopeless academic, you decide to spend the time continuing on your research for the project that Trigg hasn’t even properly assigned yet. Well, it’ll be good to get the jump on it when he actually does.
You learn some more stuff, to put it succinctly.
Erejil was the first known half-Angel. You’re pretty sure of that after delving through much of the catalog you’re allowed from the exceptions you’ve been granted. But there have been others after him. Of course, none have been publicized because of the potential damage to the Cathedra’s reputation: a true, holy Angel falling from grace by conceiving a child with an ordinary human?! That sort of thing. But they’ve been recorded somewhere and, even though you don’t have any of the primary sources, there are some passing references in your various Erejil books. You wonder if Brother Trigg might be willing to grant you another exception about half-Angels specifically; that sure would make this a lot easier.
Anyway, you’re able to figure out a good amount by putting together various footnotes and asides in a large number of texts. To start with, it seems that Yara is right that half-Angels, though somewhat more perfect in the three aspects than their peers, can typically pass for regular humans until their Calling. At that point, they all Ascend. At least, all the ones you know about, which isn’t many. Maybe a few per century or so, but that still adds up to more than twenty between Erejil’s time and now.
You squeeze your eyes shut even tighter, trembling under the blankets. No, no, no no no no... It’s not real. It can’t be real. You’re dreaming or hallucinating or something. Why?! You’re supposed to be getting better at this! Why is your Mind so weak?!
Thunk. Louder. More well-defined. Closer. You can hear a squelching drip as liquid oozes onto the carpet.
“No nonono nonononono-” you whisper aloud, clutching your head. “It’s not real. It’s not real. It’s not-”
THUNK.
Silence. You hold your breath.
️ - Look.
- Don’t.
(Winner: ️ )
️ - Look.
- Don’t.
(Winner: ️ ) 6 2@Story Notifications
Scene 96
Clattering metal. It’s so close you can almost feel the blade scraping against your Body. Loud, immediate. Horrible. You can’t help it; you have to know.
You look.
A shadow stands beside your bed. It’s tall, humanoid, fuzzy around the edges, and made of utterly pitch-black darkness. Two burning-silver eyes are the only features on its entire Body, and they’re looking at you with an unreadable expression. A guillotine blade hovers abstractly behind it, dripping dark liquid onto the carpet. The creature’s arms have stopped inches from the covers, reaching out for you.
You can’t move. You don’t know if you’re frozen from fear, some sort of dream-based sleep paralysis, or the shadow’s awful magic.
The creature steps back, folding its arms in a shockingly human gesture. It considers you. Silently. The only sounds are your shaky, shallow breathing and the guillotine’s macabre dripping. Why haven’t you woken up yet?! Whatever this is, you know it can’t possibly be real. Under any circumstances.
Because that thing is a shade.
At least, it looks like how they’ve been described. Human, but made of shadow. Are you hallucinating your stresses into one of your greatest (though most abstract) fears? There’s no way a shade could possibly actually be in your bedroom right now. How would it have gotten into the city? Into the Cathedra? Why would it be carrying a floating guillotine around?!
... It’s still just looking at you. The air is freezing cold; you’re shivering even though you still can’t move. You’re transfixed just staring back at it. Training; remember your training! Cleanse outside influences! Wrestle back control of yourself! C’mon... you just have to-
[This is a critical point. One character’s fate will be altered.]
[What did you decide to do?]
- Gather a large, consistent dataset of standardized resistances, including non-Angels. None of this slapdash science from previous studies. [Large group, small testing]
- Attempt to correlate a number of factors to various aspects of resistance, among a moderately sized group. [Medium group, medium testing]
- Test a number of varied sources on only one or a few individuals, for comparison of the sources themselves. [Small group, large testing]
❓ - Or something else...? [Specify in #story_discussion.]
[And who’s helping you with it?]
- Just you.
- Some of your fellow trainees.
- Some adult Angels.
(Winners: , )
- Gather a large, consistent dataset of standardized resistances, including non-Angels. None of this slapdash science from previous studies. [Large group, small testing]
- Attempt to correlate a number of factors to various aspects of resistance, among a moderately sized group. [Medium group, medium testing]
- Test a number of varied sources on only one or a few individuals, for comparison of the sources themselves. [Small group, large testing]
❓ - Or something else...? [Specify in #story_discussion.]
[And who’s helping you with it?]
- Just you.
- Some of your fellow trainees.
- Some adult Angels.
(Winners: , ) 
1 5 1 1 1 5 2@Story Notifications
Scene 97
Brother Trigg taps the sheaf of papers on the table to straighten it, then hands it back to you. “Your plan has been approved, though with the specified caveats listed on the front here. Namely, you’ll need to have two purification-certified Angels on site whenever you’re working with the corruption, and you’ll need to do all the experimentation in one of the wall sites. We can’t risk anything getting into the city by mistake.”
You nod, accepting the papers. The plan is startlingly thick; it’s hard to believe you wrote it. Granted, it doesn’t help that a lot of the pages are just various standardized forms, but it was a lot of work regardless. “Do I need to find some Angels and a site on my own, or...?”
“Already on page two. Along with the bishop’s signature, so we don’t have to worry about anyone getting a little too... overzealous if anything goes slightly off track.”
He pauses; you know he’s referring to Sister Bagley and Yara’s experiment from last year. You were worried about that too, since your experiment is dealing with an even more dangerous substance: the corruption itself. So to protect yourself and Trigg, you made sure to clear the whole plan with one of the bishops. At least that way, if anyone gets in trouble, it won’t be someone you personally care about.
You skim the pages he’s referring to; everything seems to make sense. “Okay. I think I’m ready, then.”
“Good, good! Now, just one more check beforehand. I’ve seen your drafts and everything looks sensible so far, but is there anything about your topic that you have questions on? Anything whatsoever; I want you to be as prepared as you possibly can be before going into this.”
“... Well, there is one thing...”
“I’m all ears. How can I help?”
“Sorry, Jess, I’d rather not.”
Hm? “Why not? If you’re worried about the corruption, it’s okay; we’re only going to be working with really low doses and we’ll have trained purifiers right there if anything goes wrong.”
“I’d just... rather not. The corruption and I don’t get along.”
“Huh? You mean you have low resistance or a sensitivity or something? That’s exactly what I’m studying: what affects that kind of thing! Please? This isn’t one of those things you don’t talk about, is it?”
“...”
- Well, okay then. Not your place to keep hassling her about it.
- Try to make her agree to help out. It’s really not going to be a problem!
- Maybe she can help you run the experiment rather than being a subject?
- Pry. This is important!
(Winner: )
- Well, okay then. Not your place to keep hassling her about it.
- Try to make her agree to help out. It’s really not going to be a problem!
- Maybe she can help you run the experiment rather than being a subject?
- Pry. This is important!
(Winner: ) 1 1 7 1@Story Notifications
Scene 98
After a few seconds of silence, you try a different tactic. “What about helping me run the experiment instead? You know, record data, manage equipment, that sort of thing? Since I’m sensitive to the corruption too, I can guarantee there won’t be any risk of exposure for us!”
“Er, listen... I just... don’t think it would be a good idea.”
You tilt your head in confusion. Naoriel’s helped you out with stuff before, including some significantly more arduous tasks. Why would she be so resistant to encountering the corruption at all? She’s going to have to later on when she graduates. You all will. That’s why you’re-
You freeze midway through that thought. Something truly horrible has just occurred to you.
Naoriel seems to notice your change of expression. “Alright, alright; geez! I’ll help out. It’s not that big a deal, actually.”
“Er, right. Great; thanks a bunch! I’ll, um, give you the details later. I’ve got to... go.”
“Jess-”
Oh God no; how have you been so oblivious? Was it just because you didn’t want to notice?
No. Breathe. Calm down; slow down. Think this through. There must be some mistake; some alternate explanation. If you just think it through rationally, you’ll see.
You hide from the cold and melting snow in one of the little shrines dotted around the campus. Plus, Naoriel won’t think to look for you in here. You’ll talk to her about this later, but for now, you just need some time to think. This is the shrine of patience, you read from the plaque. Not exactly applicable to your current situation, but it’ll have to do. Okay. Think. You have to be wrong. Naoriel cannot be a half-Angel. Because if she were...
“...”
“Okay, we’re about halfway through,” you say, closing your eyes to refocus. Even though all you’ve been doing is looking, it’s a lot more tiring than you’d expect. Not physically, but holding your Soul in the right phase and using it to open your senses takes a lot of concentration. “Time for a short break; they’re gonna check everyone we’ve done so far to make sure they’re all good.”
“Sounds sensible.” Naoriel fiddles with the machine, checking its charge for the rest of the tests.
“So, um, I don’t think the glass is quite as good as they think it is. I keep feeling... sort of anger - or hate - from the plants. And that’s just dead plants. I mean, what would this do against a real darkness creature?” A pause. “Er, do you feel it too?”
“... A little.”
“Does it feel like what I said? Anger? Hate? That kind of thing?”
“...”
“Please?”
“... Don’t put this in your report, okay?”
You put the pencil down. “Okay.”
“...” But she doesn’t tell you. Another pause. “No, you’d be worried. Forget I said anything.”
“Well, now I’m worried!” You hesitate again, but your emotions are in a weird state due to all the corruption today. So you open your Soul eyes and look.
“What are you - hey, wait; Jessamine!”
“You’re... fine. You’re fine.” A relieved exhale. You were wrong. Of course you were. She’s fine.
“... You’ve been acting really weird these last few days. Is there something you want to tell me?”
- “We need to talk after this.”
⌚ - “I’ll tell you later.”
- “No.”
(Winner: )
- “We need to talk after this.”
⌚ - “I’ll tell you later.”
- “No.”
(Winner: ) 4 3 1@Story Notifications
Scene 99
“...”
“Jessamine?”
“We need to talk after this.”
She looks at you, expression somewhere between quizzical and concerned. “About what?”
“Later. Not now; not here. But, right after this. Okay?”
“... Okay.”
A resolute nod. You’re going to deal with it, and soon. Now that Naoriel knows about your intent, you can’t chicken out anymore. Only a little longer.
The remaining Angels are more varied, and mostly younger. You do get some more significant effects on their Souls, which is relieving because you’ll actually have some data to work with, but also slightly concerning to watch as the light dims or shifts. Not enough to be concerning - and no one passes out, obviously - but... it’s still uncomfortable to see.
Finally, everyone else has gone and it’s your turn to step into the chamber. With Naoriel watching from the control room, you take a deep breath, think “Whatever you do, don’t pass out this time” to yourself, and enter.
It’s... not as bad as you thought it might be. You can still sense malice from the dead plants, but it’s faded. More immediate than it was in the control room behind that glass, but not enough to harm you. No crying today and definitely no collapsing on the floor - thankfully, you’re not that pathetic. Instead, you just quickly work through the testing program you developed, standing in various places and interacting with the plants in various ways with your Soul in various phases. Then, once that’s all done, out you go again to review the results and do a final check with the purifier Angels. Someone from the wall has already come in to take the plants away for destruction. No one wants to keep them around any longer than necessary.
The first purifier Angel is looking up and already stepping sideways. Naoriel is only just beginning to look. You, further back with a wider field of view, can already see the problem: a massive chunk of heavy stone has, implausibly, broken off from the wall and is on its way down. The trajectory... too fast. You have to do something, now!
- Push Naoriel out of the way.
️ - You’re already attuned to Physical. Blast everyone out of the way.
️ - Warn Naoriel and stop that suspicious Angel!
- Do nothing. [Are you sure that’s a good idea?]
(Winner: ️ )
- Push Naoriel out of the way.
️ - You’re already attuned to Physical. Blast everyone out of the way.
️ - Warn Naoriel and stop that suspicious Angel!
- Do nothing. [Are you sure that’s a good idea?]
(Winner: ️ ) 1 6 1 1@Story Notifications
Scene 100
You’re stronger than you were just a few months ago. Even though you haven’t been specifically practicing physical magic, you still learned the basics. And you know you can do this one, since you did before. The air pulls in, drawing from all around you in a brief, powerful vortex. Then, in an instant of painful tension on your Soul as you strain it to your limit, release. A blast of wind rushes out, racing against the falling stone.
Impact. You’re almost knocked off your feet by the heavy shock as the ground trembles. Too much dust in the air. Is anyone okay? You hurry forward, hearing alarmed shouts from somewhere behind; still too far.
The first purifier Angel looms out of the dust cloud like a phantom, expression twisted into a snarl. He grabs your wrist before you have time to react, yanking you away from the shattered rock and ominous quiet. “You again. I should have known.” A pause; a glance towards the rapidly-closing voices of your friends. “Tell them this was all an accident; understand? Or I’ll have to stop caring about witnesses.”
You don’t know how to respond, but you’re absolutely certain of one thing: this is the kidnapper. The betrayer Angel who invaded Hearth Hall last time has evolved to attempting murder in broad daylight. You - you have to do something, but...
“This isn’t over,” he promises, before launching backwards into the air and rocketing upwards on wings of light. Gone in an instant, just before your friends make it around the corner. The second purifier Angel has also vanished. Was he ever actually there?
Etalyn’s in the lead, blade out, followed by Yara and Clarity. “Jess, what happened?!” someone calls. “Is anyone hurt?”
“I - I don’t - Naoriel-!”
... What are you supposed to do? Does he really know, or is he trying to get information out of you? You... you can’t say. No matter what. “I promised not to talk about it.”
The prime nods, seemingly surprised. “Determined, are you? Very well, I’ll respect that.” A deep inhale. “We are watching Naoriel because she has suspect parentage and shows physical signs of potential corruption.” You do your best not to react when he continues with the very thing you had intended to clear up with her just earlier today. “In brief, certain members of the Cathedra are suspicious that Naoriel is a half-Angel.”
“...”
“They are correct.”
You feel like you’ve been punched in the gut. Of course, you had your suspicious, but - but the head Inquisitor?! “Er - but you... aren’t you supposed to-”
“One of the primes,” she had said. Her father.
“You’re her dad.”
He nods. “Lewis Fisher, at your service. Head Inquisitor and the very man in charge of executing my own daughter.”
Everything falls into place. The reason Inquisitors have been investigating her for years, but haven’t done anything. It’s not because they’re incompetent or have secret evidence to exonerate her. It’s because her father - the head of Inquisition - is protecting her.
“Y-you... you’re - why?!”
“I frequently ask myself that. Why do I bother, when I know I will fail? Do I truly care for her, or is it just a way of extending my own life after my atrocious sin? Regardless of why, I do. I’ve heard quite a lot about you from her, you know, and it seems she believes you want to help her as well. Is that true?”
“... Yes.” You’ve completely lost control of the conversation. As if you ever had it.
“Well then. I believe I’ve spoken quite enough. Have you yet made up your Mind? Will you tell the truth?”
“...”
- Tell the truth.
- Refuse to say.
- Provide a lie. [Locked. Based on previous decisions, you cannot choose to lie here.]
(Winner: )
- Tell the truth.
- Refuse to say.
- Provide a lie. [Locked. Based on previous decisions, you cannot choose to lie here.]
(Winner: ) 6 1@Story Notifications
Scene 101
“... It wasn’t an accident. And this isn’t the first time, either.”
The prime stays quiet, inviting you to continue. With some difficulty, you do. The betrayer, their flawless disguises and wings undoubtedly marking them as an Archangel in reality. You hadn’t been sure last time - maybe they just slowed their fall? - but this time they definitely flew away. Warnings from the betrayer echo in your Mind as you speak, but surely - of anyone you could possibly tell - this man will understand the value of secrecy. As long as no one else finds out.
When you’re finished, he simply nods. “This explanation fits with some other incidents recently. It’s likely an Angel who feels very strongly that they must eliminate any hybrids, yet also feels they can’t simply reveal their information.”
“But... why? Half-Angels are always executed; if they knew, it would be so easy to just... tell someone.”
“Who knows? Perhaps they just don’t want to make a fuss.”
“... Are you going to... do anything about them?”
“Likely. Though we’ll have to be careful if their warnings to you are to be believed. And any sort of official inquiry will be... complicated.”
“Yeah...”
“Regardless, thank you for your account of the situation, and for looking out for Naoriel. Please continue to do so.”
You nod. “Er, i-if you don’t Mind... why did you tell me who you are? Just to make me tell you the truth?”
“So, just... keep an eye out if you really want to help. Anything about how to stabilize... this-” She points to her chest, where her Soul would be glowing if you had your senses phased properly. “-would help. But... if it does end like I think it will, you... might get in trouble for not telling anyone. Just, er, to let you know.”
“That’s fine. It’s not going to.”
“How are you so hopeful?”
You carefully shove down the memories of your fortune - the Fallen Angel and the Spy indicating a betrayal from a secret getting out - and do your best to stay optimistic. “I guess I’m just a very positive person.”
A lie. But, hopefully, you’ll be correct regardless.
[Over the next few months...]
- Your nightmares get worse.
- Your nightmares get better.
(Winner: )
- Your nightmares get worse.
- Your nightmares get better.
(Winner: ) 2 4@Story Notifications
Scene 102
Despite the recent revelations, nothing in particular happens - and in fact matters improve somewhat - over the next few months. The betrayer does not appear again, no one calls out or executes Naoriel, and you start your new magic course in mid March.
Sister Noll doesn’t go easy on you just because you’d met before. “Internal Mind magic is about perception and defense,” she tells you on the first day, as you stand awkwardly in the sparring grounds holding a seemingly non-Mind-related wooden sword. “Your first course taught you the basics of perception and focus, but nothing of defense.”
“Er, Mental defense, right? Not...” You gesture with the sword, hoping she gets the idea.
“Both! A competent Angel uses their Mind as much as their Body in physical combat. With practice, you can block out the corruption and still accelerate your own thinking to guide your Body with minute precision. But that will come later. To start with, let’s work on your more basic Mental defenses.”
“Okay.” A pause. You still haven’t had your implied question answered. “So, the sword...?”
“For realism. You don’t think you’re going to be just sitting in a perfectly quiet environment while having to defend yourself, do you? Come on; show me the skills you’ve built up during your first year. Focus!”
... Yeah. Things went on like that for a while. You often came back from your Mind course more beat up than from your Body one. But you have to admit it has been effective, both in Mental technique and in swordplay. Your focus is improving and you’re becoming more adept at purging external presences from your Mind. And also getting clobbered by Noll’s blade less often - though you’ve still got a long way to go on that front. It’s probably a good thing she works with Angels; it feels like you would have gotten seriously hurt if you were still a normal human. As-is, you’re usually feeling better within a few hours.
Anyway, you’re so busy with your training that the spring and summer fly by in no time at all. Before you know it, August is already here. Two new Angels have already Ascended after Jun in January, but you’ve been so distracted you’ve hardly learned anything about them. All your investigations have been on hold as well; you’ve just been so focused.
But. Here you are. August 14th - Endle Day - is almost here. It’s been nearly one whole year since the last time you went home. You’re stronger now, but are you really ready to try that again? Seth and your parents have been understanding in their letters, but somehow you feel like they’re just saying that. Like you’re betraying them by not coming home.
But returning just because of that feeling wouldn’t be fair either, would it?
- Go home.
- Don’t.
(Winner: )
- Go home.
- Don’t.
(Winner: ) 5 2@Story Notifications
Scene 103
“...”
The train feels different today. Maybe it’s because this is your first time traveling on your own, without anyone else to sit with or talk to. That makes sense.
You’re only barely adept enough at disguise magic to get out of the Cathedra under your own power, a mirror of the first time you left after just learning to suppress your glow the day before. The gate guards had to consider your appearance for longer than usual, checking to make sure you didn’t miss anything with your magic. You didn’t, but the disguise is fragile and weaker than Clarity’s or Yara’s. You have to keep your focus in order to keep it up, and you still look perhaps more pretty or graceful than an ordinary girl your age should. Still, it’s within the bounds of humanly possible. You’re fine.
The weather is hot and sunny, much like last year. You’re continuously grateful for your Angelic Body that resists the heat without even needing to sweat (at least, not much). The people around you seem almost gross by comparison, even though you know that’s just what normal people look like. It’s not like you’ve been completely isolated and forgotten what non-Angels are (your instructors and other Cathedra staff, for one) but you’ve... kind of been having similar thoughts about them sometimes. Only occasionally, though! You don’t look down on anyone, not like Erich!
So you do your best to be as polite as you can, pressed against the window due to the unfortunate girth of the sweaty gentleman in the seat next to you. It’s not his fault and he is trying to be polite by shuffling a little into the aisle; this is just the reality of too many people and not enough seats on the train. At least the windows are partially open today, letting out the heat and letting in the breeze. It’s a real relief when the train makes it out of downtown and more people start leaving at each stop than boarding.
You miss the private trains that are your privilege with the Cathedra.
The area’s also kinda empty. There are some people around, and you suppose you wouldn’t expect too many here on Endle Day, but you can often go a whole block without anyone in sight. Is there something else going on? It is a holiday; maybe everyone’s just out at one festival or another?
You resolve to ask the next person you see, and that next person happens to be a girl probably a few years older than you. She steps out of a house midway down the block, failing to turn and close the door, then wanders off in the same direction you’re going. You figure that shouting to get the attention of a perfect stranger is probably a little much, so you quicken your step a bit to close the distance. The hourly bell starts to chime; you’re now officially late. That’s not entirely your fault - the train was delayed due to hectic holiday crowds - but you should hurry up. Maybe you can just ask your family, actually, and then you won’t need to interact with anyone else.
But why is she walking so weird? You have a fair amount of time to stare (not creepily!) as you catch up, and her steps are oddly monotone. Your current attunement to Body makes it more obvious that this isn’t her natural gait, though you really wish you could dip into Mind for a moment to figure out what she might be thinking. There’s no one immediately visible in the house she just left either; no parents or siblings to get annoyed about her leaving the door open. You almost close the door, but maybe there’s a reason; you probably shouldn’t interfere, just to be safe. Maybe this is some kind of weird game, like hide and seek but you have to step in a certain way to count down?
The girl turns left at the next intersection; you need to go straight. So, you...
- Go straight.
- Turn left and talk to the girl.
️ - Turn left and follow the girl.
(Winner: )
- Go straight.
- Turn left and talk to the girl.
️ - Turn left and follow the girl.
(Winner: ) 6 1 1@Story Notifications
Scene 104
Go straight. It’s not that you don’t have any suspicion about the situation, but really, the odds that you’re just misreading something and will be butting into someone else’s business are much higher than there being an actual problem you could possibly do anything about. Plus, you’re already late and you can get information on the district from your family anyway. You leave the girl to her wandering and continue on your way.
But, even though you should be hurrying due to the time, you start to slow down a little as you get close. Anxiety. Nervousness. A bit of dissociation - that’s the same as last time - slips back into your Mind. No; you’re stronger than this now. You. Can. Do. This.
So you stop, just for a minute. Place your hands on a cool metal streetlamp. Close your eyes. You still can’t shift over to Mind because someone could show up at any moment, but you can calm yourself using nonmagical means. Focus on the texture of the stem you’re gripping. None of those abstract worries are necessary right now. Back to their compartments. All you need is yourself, right now.
... Maybe that helped a little? You can’t really tell; you’re still nervous. Okay, you’ll just cheat when you get inside; you can drop your disguise there and use Mind magic. Despite Noll’s insistence that you should only rely on the technique against the corruption or in other extreme situations, she still taught you how to directly bolster your own emotions. You’re not very good at it yet, as she’s been focusing mainly on more broad applications, but you can do it. Projection: adding or removing the aspect. You will be able to simply remove your own fear once you get out of the street.
You’ve heard of such weapons and have seen a few around, but also haven’t used one yourself. Angels typically don’t - they tend to use physical magic for ranged combat - but soldiers need ways of dealing with corrupted beasts at a safe distance. Traditional bows and arrows aren’t sufficiently damaging, so modern technology is starting to provide alternatives. It makes you nervous to think that, with something like that, anyone could shoot you dead before you even knew they were there. Your Body is resilient and heals quickly, but you’re not invincible. If the corruption were to gain such technology...
Oh, God, he wants to fight you. Just for fun, obviously, and with wooden weapons, but you’re immediately reminded of Serri’s challenge last year. You’ve gotten better since then, but he’s been training in combat for longer and with more focus than you. And of course, with your sickness... is this a good idea?
- Decline. Don’t give a specific reason.
- Decline, and explain that your sickness has partially returned.
- Accept, and don’t use magic. Keep it fair.
- Accept, and use magic. You’ll need the advantage, honestly.
(Winner: )
- Decline. Don’t give a specific reason.
- Decline, and explain that your sickness has partially returned.
- Accept, and don’t use magic. Keep it fair.
- Accept, and use magic. You’ll need the advantage, honestly.
(Winner: ) 1 1 6 2@Story Notifications
Scene 105
Well... you’ve been doing better recently and Seth seems really excited. Plus, you’re supposed to not let the sickness affect your life, because that’s how it got into your Soul in the first place. So, despite some reservations, you accept his challenge.
“But I’m not going to use any magic, okay?”
“Why not?”
“Well, it wouldn’t be fair, would it?” And, though you obviously don’t want to tell him this, you’re at much lower risk of exhausting yourself if you only fight physically. Plus, you belatedly realize, your focus is already tied up maintaining your disguise. Dropping that anywhere outside - since of course you can’t have a sparring match in the house - would probably not be a good idea.
There’s a small, relatively enclosed park nearby that probably won’t be too busy with all the neighborhood residents away at various festivals. So, after securing your parents’ (marginally reluctant) blessing, off you go with Seth to beat each other with sticks. You could probably phrase that better.
The match is under the same standard rules as the one with Serri, though with your dad as referee instead of Etalyn: minimal armor and first to three hits wins. Seth picks a sword to match yours, though his is larger than you typically train with. Starmetal weapons don’t need as much weight behind them, since Angels are so strong and starmetal is so durable that the speed makes up for it. It always makes you nervous to train with a real blade - as you have a few times since March - because the edge is so sharp. At least here the worst you’ll do is bruise.
“Three... two... one... Go!”
Something else occurs to you on the way back from the park; something you had meant to bring up but didn’t. “Hey, Seth. When I fell and you could have hit me...”
“Yeah?”
- “... That was kind. I’m glad you’re a person who doesn’t hit people when they’re down.”
- “... That was dumb. You should have ‘killed’ me; the corruption won’t be so kind.”
- “... One of my other friends hit me in the same spot. What is it about my leg that means people keep hitting it?” [Don’t say anything of substance.]
(Winner: )
- “... That was kind. I’m glad you’re a person who doesn’t hit people when they’re down.”
- “... That was dumb. You should have ‘killed’ me; the corruption won’t be so kind.”
- “... One of my other friends hit me in the same spot. What is it about my leg that means people keep hitting it?” [Don’t say anything of substance.]
(Winner: ) 4 1 2@Story Notifications
Scene 106
“... That was kind. I’m glad you’re not the kind of person to hit someone when they’re down.”
He looks back, seemingly confused. “Well, yeah. I’m not gonna try to kill my sister in a sparring match.”
Seth doesn’t seem to get it, but you don’t feel like pressing the issue. In fact, you’re faintly embarrassed you brought it up at all. Still, it’s good to know he hasn’t changed.
...
You spend more time out and about in the afternoon, being shown various changes to the area since you left and even visiting the church again. Father Turner is apparently out-
“Wait, why? Aren’t priests supposed to be at their churches for holidays?”
“Of course, Ms Goodall,” the deacon says, showing an uncommon amount of deference to you. Of course, he knows you’re an Angel since he was there for your Ascension. Despite yourself, it feels kind of good; he was always a little smug. “Father Turner is at the Cathedra today as he is participating in a bishop selection interview.”
“Sorry, he’s what?”
“My apologies; perhaps I misspoke. Father Turner is being interviewed at the Cathedra today, as he is a candidate to become a bishop.”
“A - a bishop? Already?” You quickly count it up; Father Turner couldn’t have been a priest for more than five or six years by now. To be a bishop candidate already... wait. “This - does this have anything to do with him Ascending two Angels in a row?”
“I’m afraid I do not know. The details of his candidacy are, of course, confidential.”
“Right. Of course.” You’d bet quite a lot that you’re right, though. Bishops this young aren’t unheard of - and he had been a deacon for a while before becoming a full priest - but it’s still a rare event to even be considered at this stage in his career. “Well, if I don’t see him on the way back, please give him my congratulations.”
“Of course.”
Of course.
You’re fine for magic. You’ve got plenty of energy; you just had a full dinner, for God’s sake. Your Mind is free, currently protected by your own spell. But whatever tried to ensnare you is still out there somewhere - your purge hasn’t destroyed it. And... there’s really only two things you can think of that could do something like this. A rogue Angel, like the betrayer, trying to manipulate you.
Or the corruption.
What the hell do you do?
- Tell your family.
- Don’t.
- Get back to the station and the Cathedra ASAP.
- Find whatever did this. Gather information to help take it down later.
- Find whatever did this. Destroy it.
❓ - [Or something else. Suggest in #story_discussion.]
(Winners: a tie between and , )
- Tell your family.
- Don’t.
- Get back to the station and the Cathedra ASAP.
- Find whatever did this. Gather information to help take it down later.
- Find whatever did this. Destroy it.
❓ - [Or something else. Suggest in #story_discussion.]
(Winners: a tie between and , ) 3 3 5 2 1 1@Story Notifications
Scene 107
Okay, stay calm and think about this rationally. It’s hard, with all that extra energy bouncing around your Mind, but you don’t dare release the spell until you’ve thought through a plan. Whatever was influencing you could do it again as soon as you let go of the magic. You need to leave. But what should you tell your family?
... Your mysterious adversary wants you to stay, so obviously you should do the opposite of that. And clearly if it wants you to stay, then it’s not after your parents or Seth. And even if it were, it’s definitely not concerned about you being there to defend them. So either it’s just after you specifically (most likely, you think) or it’s after everyone and you won’t be able to make a difference even if you stay to try to protect them. Or, you suppose, you could bring them with you, but that could cause even more problems if your adversary catches up along the way. What would the betrayer Angel think about witnesses now? And the corruption?
Yeah.
So it seems safest for your family to stay put, and that means you just need to not worry them. As much as you don’t want to lie, sometimes that’s just the best option. Ah, but Seth will see right through you if you try to lie to him directly, so maybe...
“I’m feeling strong enough, so I’ll head back now. I had a good time; I’ll write you soon.”
“You’re speaking all weird. Are you really okay to leave?”
So, reluctantly, you press yourself against a darkened wall just around the corner from the station and begin switching to Body. Unlike in two crisis situations before - both involving Naoriel, now that you think about it - there’s no sudden surge of warmth and no instant aspect switch. You’re on your own this time, and you have to just stand there for many excruciating seconds as you try to wrangle your Soul into the right phase. It’s made harder by your fear, which you know you could fix if you returned to Mind, but that’d just put you right back where you were! You have to just power through and make it work!
You make the switch, finally, your Soul slotting into place with almost a jolt. Now you just have to cast the spell - not a quick or easy feat on its own - and you’ll at last be able to emerge into safety.
There’s a man walking quickly down the street in your direction. He’s heading for the station... or you. Head up, but eyes in shadow from the darkness and a large cap, like some factory workers tend to wear. Your attunement to Body tells you his movements are somewhat unnatural, like that girl from earlier. The night is cold, yet he’s only wearing thin clothes appropriate for an evening at home. And a pair of incongruously thick worker’s gloves?
What do you do?
- Run for the station immediately. Try to finish the disguise spell ASAP. Hopefully you won’t make much of a scene.
- Finish the spell if you can, then run, completing it on the way if you have to.
️ - Detour into the streets around the station and finish the disguise there.
- Get a grip. This is probably just more Mind magic. Step aside so he won’t see you, finish the spell, and leave.
(Winner: )
- Run for the station immediately. Try to finish the disguise spell ASAP. Hopefully you won’t make much of a scene.
- Finish the spell if you can, then run, completing it on the way if you have to.
️ - Detour into the streets around the station and finish the disguise there.
- Get a grip. This is probably just more Mind magic. Step aside so he won’t see you, finish the spell, and leave.
(Winner: ) 1 2 1 4@Story Notifications
Scene 108
No. Stay calm. You’re probably just being influenced by Mind magic to find this man more threatening than he actually is. Just step off to the side here where you’ll be in deeper shadow, then finish the spell. Easy.
The man glances at you on his way past. “Huh?” He looks back, but you’ve finished your disguise in the second between glances. “Must’ve been imagining it,” he mutters. Then, in a louder voice intended for you to hear, “Evenin’, lil’ miss.” He shakes his head as he wanders off, obviously confused.
Too close. You pass the man again on your way into the station, though neither of you say anything that time. Get your tickets from the counter and make your way to the proper platform to await the train. Even later at night, service is still frequent today due to the holiday; you won’t have long to wait.
... There sure are a lot of people around like that man. Weird gait, though probably undetectable to someone not attuned to Body. Weirdly underdressed for the weather, though with thick work gloves. Do they all work at the same factory and are just getting done at the same time? Was there a convention for glove appreciators? You wander down to the other end of the platform, trying to look casual doing it. Some of the glove people follow you, though it’s hard to tell why and you wouldn’t have noticed if you weren’t actively monitoring them. Maybe they just think you know where the train will show up.
Well, none of them approach, harass, or attack you, so you suppose it’s fine. Just a little weird.
At last, the train arrives three minutes late and you board to return downtown. Some of the glove people get on, but some of them just wander off. The doors close and you let out a relieved breath, starting to believe you’ve gotten away from whatever might have been chasing you. Or, really, it might not have been and you were just psyching yourself out for no reason at all.
Ugh, you just don’t know enough. What was it? What was it doing? Why did it want you to stay? Was... was that even magic at all or was it just a different part of your own Mind and you’re going nuts? Were you just misleading yourself unconsciously, wanting to stay behind now that home felt so much more comfortable? Can that even happen? It seems ridiculous, but you know that magic is imposing your will on the world through your Soul. There’s enough wiggle room there for the idea of unconscious self-delusion through magic to seem possible, if not plausible.
Here you are. Push your way onto the platform, through the still-busy downtown core, and onto the somewhat quieter streets back to the Cathedra. Everything here is wider and more well-lit, in contrast to the dim, narrow alleys near your parents’ house.
The gate guards don’t say anything unusual about your late return - it’s still within the same day, so you’re fine - and you release your disguise with a grateful sigh as you pass into the grounds proper. It’s surprising just how much better it feels to look like an Angel. You’d swear there was a physical difference, even though you know there isn’t really; it’s all just an illusion. Now, transmutation...
Okay, Hearth Hall is that way. But the Center is the other way, and if you want to report what happened to someone, sooner is probably better than later...
- Tell a dispatcher what happened. Have a qualified full Angel investigate.
- Hey, why not ask Clarity to help? She can leave whenever she wants and you won’t have to bother the Center.
- You were probably freaking out for no reason. Don’t bother anyone about it.
(Winner: )
- Tell a dispatcher what happened. Have a qualified full Angel investigate.
- Hey, why not ask Clarity to help? She can leave whenever she wants and you won’t have to bother the Center.
- You were probably freaking out for no reason. Don’t bother anyone about it.
(Winner: ) 1 5 1@Story Notifications
Scene 109
... You’re not confident enough to actually go report anything properly. What would you say? That you feel like something was influencing you to stay too long and that you saw too many people wearing gloves? No, if you’re going to say anything, you should at least have some better information first. So you head back to Hearth Hall and ask around. Other people were out in the city today, presumably. Maybe you’re not the only one who encountered something like this?
None of your friends were in the same district today, and no one noticed anything particularly weird elsewhere. Which means you’re going crazy, it was a very localized phenomenon, or it was a Soul thing that you’re just better at sensing than anyone else. Yara and Serri ask several followup questions about if you’re okay and what happened specifically, so you have to kind of lamely explain that you’re perfectly fine, nothing really happened, and you’re starting to doubt if there was ever anything there at all. The surge of lucidity when you purged your Mind felt so real at the time, but now... you’re starting to wonder.
Naoriel is curious about your guess that it could have been a rogue Angel - the two of you are still hunting for information on who the betrayer might be, after all - but it was really only a guess. At least the last update you got from her father suggested that he had a good lead on who it might be, though he wasn’t sure yet and needed to gather more information. Still, even if he figures it out, the challenge of actually apprehending them without them giving away the secret is... significant. But there’s nothing you can do about it now.
Even Erich kind of surprises you with his response: “I believe you.”
“Wai - what? You... believe I think I sensed something, right?”
A pause; he nods and sits down again. “You’re right; I apologize for trying to force an answer.” Another pause as you try to digest how polite he’s being. “An Archangel? You think it could have been - ah, from the incident at the wall in March?”
“Y-yes. But I don’t know why someone like that would do anything like this.”
“And it’s obvious why the corruption would,” he completes. “A young Angel versus a shade? Easy pickings, if it could get you to stay put.”
A shiver. “A shade? Really? In the middle of the city?”
“Mindless darkness can’t use magic.”
“...”
“I don’t think you should keep this one to yourself, Jessamine. You could be in danger the next time you leave.”
“... I was kind of planning to ask Clarity to go look, since I didn’t want to bother an actual dispatcher.”
“Very well. She’s strong with Body, which could be helpful detecting the strange movements you described.”
“... Yeah. I might, er, go find her now. It’s probably not too late.”
“Alright. Good luck.”
“... Thanks.”
So, yeah, that was weird. But now that you think about it, he has been doing this kind of thing more often lately. Volunteering for your experiment, helping you learn the disguise spell; even before then, he’s only really been annoying when you’re competing. Even when it’s not really a competition, like in the basic magic course.
Well, time to find Clarity. Although it is pretty dark and you don’t know where she is; she could even be on a mission right now. Maybe you should wait till tomorrow.
- No, go now.
- It can wait.
(Winner: )
- No, go now.
- It can wait.
(Winner: ) 6 1@Story Notifications
Scene 110
... No, you’ll go now. The longer you wait, the more stale your information will be. It’s already been a few hours; it’s definitely plausible that whatever it was is long gone by now, if it ever existed in the first place.
Luckily, one of the adult Angels currently hanging around Hearth Hall is one of Clarity’s friends and knows where she is. It doesn’t take long to get to Forger Hall from there, but it’s well dark at this time of evening and even with the path’s lights, the misty emptiness around you feels foreboding. At least there are still a few people out: Angels and monks returning from late-running research or heading to the Center. You’d feel much more uneasy if you were alone.
Unluckily, Forger Hall is dark and empty. The main doors are still unlocked, but you sort of wonder if that was just a mistake as you creep into the foyer and turn on your glow to help see. It doesn’t help that this is the oldest of the halls and the wood flooring is creaky with age. Combine that with the relatively cooler evening compared to the blazing-hot day and you have a very talkative building. You try your best to not jump at any of the settling noises and hurry along to the lab where you will (ostensibly) find Clarity.
And find her you do. There’s a steady mechanical lamp glowing through the door’s window as you approach, and you can spot a familiar head of red hair as you peek through just to be sure. A knock and a “hm? Come in!” later, you’ve carefully eased the door open to-
“AGH! Wh-what is - oh.” You press a hand against your chest, trying to shove your heart back into line. “Th-that was, uhm, unexpected.”
Clarity has the gall to laugh, though at least only briefly. “Sorry, sorry. At least it’s not a person, right!”
“That’s what I thought at first!”
“Well - wait, am I not supposed to - whatever. Some of them can touch Souls directly without it being ‘technically’ magic, since it’s more just because their Body is out of phase or something rather than them having a Soul. I don’t know, but I’ve heard sometimes they’ll bargain minor magical abilities with humans for favors. No idea how common that is; I imagine it’s even more rare than the other ones I was just talking about.” Another pause; she looks carefully at you. “Jess, you’re pretty sensitive to Soul stuff, right? I wonder if maybe you were just Soul exhausted and-”
“No, it was real! I know it.” You’re surprised at your own conviction; Erich’s acceptance may have given you a bit more confidence than you’re used to.
“... Okay, maybe it was - hum, but Mindless darkness can’t use magic...” A shrug. “Well, I don’t Mind going out to look for you, if you really don’t want to tell a dispatcher, but can it wait till tomorrow? I’ve already had a mission today and I was looking forward to some sleep.”
- Sure thing; get some rest.
⌛ - Can you please go now? Just, it’s already been a while and the trail might be totally cold by tomorrow...
(Winner: ⌛ )
- Sure thing; get some rest.
⌛ - Can you please go now? Just, it’s already been a while and the trail might be totally cold by tomorrow...
(Winner: ⌛ ) 3
4@Story Notifications
Scene 111
It’s very difficult to impose, but with everything that’s happened today... it’s possible. “Er, w-would you... go now, if you can? It’s just that it’s already been a while and whatever it was might be long gone by tomorrow...”
“...” She eyes you for a few uncomfortably long seconds before grinning and patting you on the shoulder. “Look at you, Jess! That was almost a forceful request!”
“I, er, sorry...”
A laugh. “No, no, it’s good to be assertive! But you’re totally gonna owe me one for this, alright? Next time I need someone to go out at night, I’m gonna call you.”
“That’s... fair. Okay.”
“Alright, you said how many streets over from the station, again?”
You give Clarity the directions in more detail again and off she goes. Belatedly, you wonder how long she’ll be able to stay out and how she’ll get back if she misses the last train in about two hours. Despite her prowess in Body transmutation, you’re pretty sure she still can’t fly.
Well, she’s an experienced full Angel; you’re sure she knows how to handle this. And you definitely aren’t just thinking that to suppress your worry that something might happen to her and it’d be all your fault.
...
You find yourself wandering the streets near your home at night. Jolt into alertness, startled and baffled why you aren’t in bed. The answer comes, obvious in only a few seconds. This is a dream. There’s no way you could have just blacked out and gotten all the way back here.
It’s very realistic, though. You take a few cautious steps, feeling cool, slick cobbles beneath your feet. You aren’t dressed to go out either; you’re in your nightclothes. Is that what you would be wearing if this were a dream? What if you’ve been kidnapped? No, that doesn’t make any sense. Calm down; just wake up.
“...”
Yeah, you don’t know how to do that.
You can’t quite see her from here - or even if it is her - but the glow is emanating from a kneeling figure near the center of the square, just beside a large, surprisingly ornate fountain. Hands on legs, back straight, perfectly calm.
Head and upper Body engulfed by some horrible, amorphous, tar-like monstrosity dribbling from the fountain’s spouts.
W-wh-what do you do? What can you do? You don’t have a weapon, or enough training, or even much idea what’s going on! That thing is (presumably) eating (presumably) Clarity, but... but what can you do?! This is a dream, you’re pretty sure, but... what if it isn’t? Or what if it is, but it reflects reality? You just sent her out to go exactly here and look for exactly this! What-
A humanoid figure, made of fuzzy shadow with two silver eyes, steps out of the darkness just a dozen feet in front of you. It regards you with an unreadable expression, its Body near-invisible in the dark.
The shade from your previous dream. You’re frozen again, its presence locking you to the spot just like before. The tar monstrosity continues glooping its way down the kneeling Angel; almost to their waist. The shade tilts its head, as if confused or considering something.
Mind magic. Last time, you freed yourself with Mind magic. Probably; maybe? The details are fuzzy and you’re a little too preoccupied to recall them perfectly. But you’re not some helpless nobody anymore. You’ve improved a lot in the last year, and even though you’re still terrified, the idea that this is simply too implausible to not be a dream helps blunt the edge of that panic.
You focus on Mind. Your Soul begins to shift. The shade changes position slightly. The tar monster is down to the Angel’s forearms.
What do you do?
- Save the Angel! [Explain how, if you have a specific plan.]
- Fight the shade! [Explain how, if you have a specific plan.]
- Run away!
(Winner: )
- Save the Angel! [Explain how, if you have a specific plan.]
- Fight the shade! [Explain how, if you have a specific plan.]
- Run away!
(Winner: ) 6 1 1@Story Notifications
Scene 112
You switch to Mind and everything moves very quickly for a moment. A burst of energy in your head; a flurry of movement from the shade. You run forward as it leaps at you, the same as before, except this time you throw yourself to the ground to avoid its lunge on purpose instead of because you fell off the bed. After scrambling to your feet again, already shifting to Body as you go, a quick glance behind confirms the thing is gone. Where? It did this last time too, but then you woke up right away. Is it actually gone or just hiding somewh - stop that; you have to hurry!
The Angel’s glow vanishes beneath the tar and you spend a moment to release your own so you can see. With Body as your aspect, you need a physical connection to work magic. Therefore, though you’re both grossed out and very concerned about what the thing will do to you if you touch it, you have no choice. Hands in the gloop. Connected.
It’s disgustingly warm and so viscous you can barely make a dent in it with your fingers. The muck’s overpowering scent burns your nose, but you can’t quite describe what it smells like. Like burning-freezing cold, maybe. Even though it feels warm. And it hurts. A dull ache in the skin of your palms that you’re certain will quickly grow worse if you stay like this.
Your plan is very simple. Angels possess the power to burn away and purify corruption with a touch, and this tar can be nothing else but corruption. You hold no illusions that you’ll be able to destroy this entire mass on your own, but you don’t need to. You’re going to burn your way through to the trapped Angel, pull them out, and then improvise from there.
You’re still shaking when you eventually get up, and you have to check your Body and clothes to make sure there’s no evidence of anything that happened. No wounds, no burns, no tar. You’re unharmed. Was everything that just happened simply a dream? No shade, no tar, no second chance; nothing? Just a figment of your stressed imagination?
... Clarity! Is she okay? Surely none of that - she wasn’t - she didn’t get eaten by a tar monster, right? If you didn’t actually get stabbed by a shade, then... she’s got to be fine. Right?
“...”
- Go find her right now and make sure!
- Calm down and find her once you’ve gotten ahold of yourself. If she had anything urgent to share, she would have woken you up already.
(Winner: )
- Go find her right now and make sure!
- Calm down and find her once you’ve gotten ahold of yourself. If she had anything urgent to share, she would have woken you up already.
(Winner: ) 5 1@Story Notifications
Scene 113
Well... better to be sure. You hurry downstairs, about ready to start checking with everyone you run into (at least, everyone you know). But that seems to be unnecessary, since you can already hear her explaining something with great enthusiasm. But of course, the last time you heard her...
You find Clarity in the little cafe area on the first floor, cheerfully chatting with Yara. “You’re okay!” you exclaim, accidentally interrupting her.
“Oh, morning, Jess! And I thought I wanted to sleep in after all that.”
“Y-you... you are okay, right? No, erm, shades or... t-tar monsters?”
“Tar monsters?”
“...” With a careful effort, you manage to avoid breaking down at the table. The skull didn’t look that much like her, anyway. You’re fine. “I... had a dream... You were... you, um... died.” A pause. “And I did too.” Another pause. “Twice.”
“Goodness, that sounds-”
Clarity laughs, ruffling your hair as if you were a little kid. “Ah, you must have been really worried about me, huh?”
“I... guess, yeah.”
“Well, want to hear what I actually found, then? Put your Mind at ease?”
“You actually found something?”
“Can you spare her the theatrics this time?” Yara asks. “I quite enjoyed them, but something tells me Jessamine would appreciate a more sincere summary.”
“Aw, really?”
You nod rapidly, sitting down next to Yara. He stands up, saying “I’ll get you some breakfast, alright? I’ve already heard this one.”
“Okay, the boring version?” Clarity confirms. “Right. So I didn’t see any big group of gloved people around the station or nearby, but one of the ticket agents had. She saw you, too, actually; apparently you were pretty noticeable wandering around by yourself at night like that.”
“I... guess there wouldn’t be a lot of young people on their own...”
“But anyway, I wandered around for a bit looking for anyone walking weird, like you said, and I did actually find one guy.”
“Hmmm...” You frown, not sure what to think. Does that make sense? Clarity found something; something that can explain what happened! It’s a bit weird, but you still know so little about how the corruption works. It’s certainly a more likely explanation than a shade and a tar monster influencing you through your dreams.
Yara shrugs. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think this is a bad explanation. Lost Souls are strange, and they’re difficult to learn more about. It seems plausible to me, even though there are still some questions.”
- ... Okay. You suppose it could make sense.
- ... You’re still not convinced. [Specify a way to investigate an alternate explanation, if desired.]
(Winner: )
- ... Okay. You suppose it could make sense.
- ... You’re still not convinced. [Specify a way to investigate an alternate explanation, if desired.]
(Winner: ) 5 3@Story Notifications
Scene 114
“... Okay. I guess it could make sense.”
“Yep!” You still don’t know where she gets all her energy from. “So don’t worry about it too much, okay? If anything else comes up, we’ll get that too.”
You hang around with the two of them for the next quarter-hour or so, after which Clarity has to go for some meeting about a wasteland containment plan for a leak near the river. Being a full Angel sounds complicated. And busy.
“Now, about that dream...” Yara prompts, leaning on the table. “It sounded pretty bad; are you actually feeling fine? Anything you’d like to share about it?”
A blink. You’ve told Yara about some of your nightmares, so it wouldn’t be the first time to explain being murdered in excruciating detail. But it is rare for them to be this realistic, and for you to be lucid. “I saw the shade again. It was the same one as before, with the silver eyes.”
“Did it seem to recognize you?”
“... I don’t know. It didn’t attack until right at the end, at least. But it was so fast, and right after I... melted...” A shiver. “I really hope it’s just a bad dream.”
“... Jessamine, do you ever wonder why shades look like they do?”
“I... no, not really?” you admit, considering it. “They’re reflections of humans, right? So it would make sense for them to look like shadows. They’re mirrors of our darkness.”
“Mindless darkness doesn’t look like shadows at all. You’ve seen it a few times now, in a few different forms. It looks alien. Sometimes dark, but sometimes colorful. It never looks like a human.”
“But shades are born from human Minds, so-”
“Not all of them! Remember, some shades gain a Mind through processes we still don’t understand, out in the spawning pools. Only some shades rise from corrupted humans.”
“...” You glance at him. “It sounds like you have a theory. Care to share?”
“You know,” you say suddenly, catching Yara’s attention. “I have the feeling something big’s coming soon.”
“Hm? What makes you think so?”
“...” You look at him, mystified. “I... don’t know. I don’t know why I said that.”
- Well, sometimes these things happen.
- It must be the ghost of the dream-shade!
- It must be the ghost of the dream-shade! (but you’re actually almost serious)
(Winner: )
- Well, sometimes these things happen.
- It must be the ghost of the dream-shade!
- It must be the ghost of the dream-shade! (but you’re actually almost serious)
(Winner: ) 4 3 1@Story Notifications
Scene 115
“Hm! Well, sometimes these things happen!”
You suppose sometimes they do.
...
And now, it’s time. Most of the year has passed in a flash; it is now November 1st, 1225. Six years ago, Yara Ascended to become a trainee Angel. And just this morning, he graduated to become a full one. You went through the whole ritual again like you did for Clarity and Sims, standing around in the Lordstone Cathedral as the Emissary did his thing, and now you’re sitting outside in the misty, chilly morning light as he’s surrounded by a group of ministers and Angels offering congratulations. You and his other closer friends, same as the last two times, sit to the side and wait for the excitement to die down.
Unfortunately, this time there’s no one in your little group who seems willing to start a conversation. That’s usually Yara’s job, or Clarity’s if she’s here, but he’s obviously busy and she’s away somewhere. Maybe on a mission? In any case, that leaves you, Naoriel, Etalyn, Erich(?), Serri, and Jun (who you haven’t interacted with all that much, but he’s good friends with Serri now). Most of the people on that list are varying degrees of shy and typically wouldn’t start the conversation, and Etalyn seems unusually taciturn today. But... you’re curious why Erich is here and if no one else is going to say anything...
“H-” Wait wait wait; you cut yourself off quickly. You can’t just ask him what he’s doing here; that’s so rude! Quick, think of a better way to phrase it! Oh no, he’s looking at you now because you started to say something.
“So, I’ve heard it’s tradition to speculate on the newly graduated Angel’s first mission at this time,” Erich says, glancing at you and looking away in a manner you find hard to interpret. “And yet everyone here is so silent?”
A breath of relief. Someone else did it. Now you can respond and it’s so much easier than-
“Yara, why don’t we just explain what we were doing? Before things get out of hand.”
“A capital idea! Now, where to begin...”
- You can’t help but feel a little betrayed that he’d hide something like this, even though you don’t know what it is yet.
- He doesn’t have to tell you everything; he’s his own person.
(Winner: )
- You can’t help but feel a little betrayed that he’d hide something like this, even though you don’t know what it is yet.
- He doesn’t have to tell you everything; he’s his own person.
(Winner: ) 3 4@Story Notifications
Scene 116
“With the overall purpose of the work?”
“Well, it was originally inspired by our dear Jessamine, of course.”
“Huh? Me?”
“Your Soul sensitivity is extremely impressive - and extremely useful, if we can reproduce it,” Erich clarifies. “But you’ve been busy enough on your own over the last few months, so we didn’t want to bother you.”
“I wasn’t - I could have helped-”
“And you will, if you so desire, now that we’ve worked out the basic details of it!” Yara exclaims. “You see, there are two main ways we sense Soul: active and passive. Your Soul at its baseline, without being attuned to anything specifically, is able to sense other Souls around it. Everyone here should be familiar with that sort of dim, imprecise sense, yes?”
Assorted nods. Of course you are, and this is the-
“This is the sense that is particularly strong for you, Jessamine. At rest, you are able to pick out Soul activity without even trying - sometimes far too much. But the other method, where you actively attune yourself to the Soul aspect and use your physical senses, has limitations as well. You become able to detect Soul with your sight, touch, and faintly hearing and scent, but you’re naturally constrained by the same restrictions on your physical senses. It’s difficult to see Souls through mist, you must be very close in order to feel a touch, and so on. Meanwhile, your passive sense has a much more open range, but is much weaker. With me so far?”
Etalyn seems to have partially relaxed; it doesn’t seem like Yara was doing anything too dangerous this time around. “You gotta choose between range and precision, and you want both.”
“Like so many things around here, ‘it’s God’s will’ is the best answer anyone has managed to come up with so far,” Erich declares. “But the trend is real enough. We have a reasonable chance of making something work today that would have been mythical a few centuries ago.”
You think about that for a while afterwards, long after Yara heads off to the Center and the rest of your group disperses to various destinations. If Angels get their power from God, and Angels are getting stronger over time... then wouldn’t that mean that God is getting weaker?
It’s a simple equation and you’re able to come up with a few reasons why it wouldn’t be true. Maybe God is also getting stronger, drawing power from some outside source - maybe wherever He came from, if He came from anywhere at all. Maybe it is just improved training or humanity’s Bodies and Souls in general becoming more used to Angelic powers over generations of Ascensions. Maybe you’re draining power from the corruption, shifting the balance in your favor over years and years.
But what can you say? You’re a pessimist. The simplest explanation is usually the right one. And the idea that God might be growing steadily weaker is a simple (and very frightening) one indeed.
- So, of course, the concept colors your dreams for the night.
- But compared to your usual fare, this threat is so distant that it doesn’t bother you as much.
(Winner: )
- So, of course, the concept colors your dreams for the night.
- But compared to your usual fare, this threat is so distant that it doesn’t bother you as much.
(Winner: ) 4 2@Story Notifications
Scene 117
It’s very dark and everything is quiet. You shuffle around in bed, trying to ignore whatever vaguely threatening premonition woke you up this time, but it’s no use. You’re wondering about it now, and that anxious curiosity is just waking you up further. With a sigh, you sit up and turn on the - no, better not; you really want to go back to sleep after this. Instead, you just drowsily pad over to the bedroom door (left open again; you’ve mostly gone back to your old habit by now) and head to the window.
Nothing seems amiss as you peer outside, scanning the silhouettes of various Cathedra structures and the ground far below for anything dangerous or unusual. Mechanical streetlamps shine into the night, illuminating empty pathways and locked-up buildings. Your anxiety starts to settle and you move to close the curtains, already imagining sinking back into bed.
“...”
You sure could see pretty far out there.
The mist is gone.
You press up against the window, reluctantly admitting that you’re probably not going to be getting any more sleep tonight. It’s not just the mist; the stars and galaxies that everyone always says are above it - those are gone too. Or maybe they never existed; you’ve certainly never seen more than a dim glow to suggest their presence. And... now that you’re looking closer, you can’t see any lights outside of the Cathedra itself. Nucarreo is massive and - even at whatever hour of the night this is - there should be streetlamps or train lights or something visible without all the mist that usually obscures your view. Instead, there’s nothing but empty blackness.
“...”
The doors open at your touch and you step into the antechamber, nervous. Maybe if anyone else survived, they would have had the same idea? Should you call out? M-maybe not yet. Instead, you approach the second set of doors and swallow, steeling yourself to enter the main room.
- The Lordstone is gone and, like everyone else, there’s no sign that it had ever even been there.
- The Lordstone is there, but it’s a husk of its former self. Dull grey patterns drift slowly across its surface.
️ - The Lordstone is there, and there’s a man standing before it. He sort of looks like the Emissary, but taller and more regal and... and...?!
(Winner: ️ )
- The Lordstone is gone and, like everyone else, there’s no sign that it had ever even been there.
- The Lordstone is there, but it’s a husk of its former self. Dull grey patterns drift slowly across its surface.
️ - The Lordstone is there, and there’s a man standing before it. He sort of looks like the Emissary, but taller and more regal and... and...?!
(Winner: ️ ) 1 2
5@Story Notifications
Scene 118
The Lordstone is still there, but you can’t see much of it because there’s someone standing in front of it. He’s facing away at the moment, but you can tell he sort of looks like the Emissary. Just taller and more regal and with a faint glow like an Angelic Soul and... and...?!?
“Er-” You struggle to decide what to say to this mysterious figure who is seemingly the only other person left in the world. But... here, and looking like that...? “Is... are you... G-God?”
The man slowly turns to face you.
And has the gall to laugh out loud. “I said you’d call me God next time we met! Ah, those divinations never fail, eh?”
Now facing you, he doesn’t look like the Emissary - or God, whatever He might actually look like - at all. Average height, kind of pudgy, and with the Angelic glow revealed to actually just be the Lordstone’s own inner light. Plus, you recognize him. “... Phil? The-the oracle from the festival?”
“The one and only! What brings you out here at this time of night?”
“No; what brings you out here?! The city is gone; all the Angels are missing! What - what is going on?”
“Hum, it does seem that we’ve met a rather grim fate here, doesn’t it?” He taps the Lordstone and it resonates with a melancholic chime. “But I can’t tell you why I’m here; that’s a question only you can answer.”
“Why? I don’t know why you didn’t go away like everyone else!”
“You know why you know. After all, you brought this night into existence.”
“What do you-” Finally the absurdity of the situation sinks in. “This isn’t real. I’m dreaming.”
Phil sits down in the Emissary’s throne, crossing his legs in a way that would probably be blasphemous if it were actually happening for real. “So, you tell me. What are you dreaming about?”
Hang on, bright sunlight - in November? You bolt out of bed and check the clock; you are so late! How did you sleep in for so long? What happened? Agh; there’s no time; gotta get ready!
And as you rush to your second course - the first being a lost cause - the remaining details of that strange dream wither away entirely, eventually becoming lost in the day’s actual events. All that’s left is a dim sense of paranoia, but that’s nothing new.
- You agree to help out with Yara and Erich’s new spell.
- You decide to skip on that, actually.
(Winner: )
- You agree to help out with Yara and Erich’s new spell.
- You decide to skip on that, actually.
(Winner: ) 5 1@Story Notifications
Scene 119
You spend a lot of time with Yara and Erich over the next few months, helping them work on and test out their new detection spell. It’s the first time you’ve collaborated with other Angels to make your very own spell - well, it’s your first time doing that even without the collaboration aspect - so there’s lots to learn. For instance, how do you share progress or an idea with your partners?
It’s not like you can just explain the specific movements you’re making with your Soul to them - language just isn’t precise enough and you don’t have any tools to measure anything specific. Even if you could say “move X inches to Y angle at Z seconds” or something, trying to actually follow those instructions would be far too difficult. That’s one of the reasons that miracle books are so lengthy and so complicated; they have to explain the exact effects you’re supposed to be producing in such a way that you can produce them yourself. And your aspects will be very different from the author’s, so they often ask you to go by feeling or to work backwards from an effect or combination of effects you already know how to produce.
But here, when you’re trying to develop something initially, writing out that level of detail would be entirely impractical. So, you get to put into practice some of your new, more advanced Mind abilities.
Mind reading, the common people sometimes call it. The ability for an Angel to peer into someone’s head and understand them better than they could explain it in words. Sometimes people are uncomfortable with the intrusion, but in most cases it’s understood to be a useful tool to quickly gather specifics that a person just can’t articulate in any other way. As you’ve been working with Sister Noll for a while now on defenses, she’s willing to add some extra lessons on this topic - though of course she has to work swordsmanship into it somehow, too.
So you do your best. You have to break off the connection more than once when a dangerous thought worms its way into your Mind, which can get pretty uncomfortable for whoever was in your head as they get unceremoniously ejected. But of course, you suffer your own fair share of ejections as Yara or Erich think about something they don’t want you to see, so the three of you mostly just forgive each other and admit you all have things to hide.
And after all that work (and literal Mind reading), you’re really starting to get a better idea of how Erich thinks. You already know Yara pretty well, but this is the first time you feel like you’ve really started to understand Erich. He’s... actually a very hard worker, and he respects people who put in as much effort as he does. Maybe that’s why he’s been working with Yara so well; if there’s anyone to put in way more work than you’d expect on something Soul-related, it’s him.
- You and Erich have started to get along better. Maybe working towards friends?
- Even with all this time spent, you still just don’t really like him.
(Winner: )
- You and Erich have started to get along better. Maybe working towards friends?
- Even with all this time spent, you still just don’t really like him.
(Winner: ) 5 2@Story Notifications
Scene 120
It’s not like you suddenly think he’s perfect, of course. Despite that sort of attitude you’ve started to understand, and his less aggressive behavior towards you, he’s still got his fair share of flaws. For instance, Serri worked really hard during the basic magic course - and she still does! - but he never seemed to respect her. Is it because her results weren’t particularly impressive? Something else? You don’t know. And there’s still that question about his disdain for common people without ties to Angels or the Cathedra. But again, you don’t know. Haven’t asked; you have no idea how to phrase that question even if you wanted to.
But in any case, the understanding you’ve gained helps and the two of you are getting along better. Friends? Maybe, maybe not. You’re really not sure what you think of Erich overall, given all the different opinions you’ve held over the time you’ve known him. It’s better than it was, and that’s probably good enough for now.
...
“Ha! I knew I’d get you with that one!” Yara laughs, pointing at a “4” you’ve drawn on a map of the Cathedra. “I was actually in the garden behind it, in that little shed marked riiiiight... there.”
Erich leans over, comparing his map to yours. “And in Forger Hall?”
“Hum... two rooms down from yours and... one in the other direction from Jessamine’s. Looks like accuracy still isn’t great through a lot of obstacles.”
“But the range has vastly improved.”
“Oh yes! And I’m quite satisfied with that. I think at this point, we have a tool that will be extremely helpful if we can teach it to others.”
“How does it work against the corruption, though?” you ask, leaning back against the cool stone wall. Everything’s cool down here; it’s winter. “You were having trouble finding Souls you weren’t familiar with last time.”
You glare at him flatly as he picks up the binder. “You know I’m caught up. I’m always caught up.”
“Yes, you’re very responsible. That was a joke.”
“Ah! Er, okay - festival, um... I don’t know. It wasn’t all that interesting last year. I mean, it was fun enough, I guess, but I don’t think it was as special as everyone likes to say it is. It’s just kinda slushy and cold and there’s a weird amount of theater?” You look down, lowering your voice as you remember. “Plus, there was a weird guy who told my fortune and I didn’t really like him.”
“An oracle? Don’t put stock in anything they say. It’s all nonsense and mathematics.”
“I know that, but - ugh, he was just really - anyway, whatever. I’m not really looking forward to it, I guess.”
“It sounds like you’ve only been to the common festival; it’s aimed at the masses and thus doesn’t specialize in anything. If your Day of Body is free, perhaps I could show you a more interesting festival?”
Wwaaaiiittt a minute; you’re not sure if it’s just the lingering topic of Yara and Etalyn making you think like this, but he’s not - he isn’t... asking you on a date? Right? Is he? He doesn’t look like he is; maybe it’s all just normal and you’re overreacting again, like you always tend to do. That makes sense. Yeah. Calm down; don’t be dumb over nothing.
But...?
Stop it! So. What do you say?
- Sure! Sounds like fun.
- No thanks. Come up with an excuse.
- Give a noncommittal answer and think about it.
[If , do you ask anyone for advice?]
️ - Nope; just you.
- Yara?
- Naoriel?
- Serri?
❓ - Someone else?
(Winners: , )
- Sure! Sounds like fun.
- No thanks. Come up with an excuse.
- Give a noncommittal answer and think about it.
[If , do you ask anyone for advice?]
️ - Nope; just you.
- Yara?
- Naoriel?
- Serri?
❓ - Someone else?
(Winners: , ) 1 1 5 2 4 1 1 1@Story Notifications
Scene 121
“So I said I’d think about it and ran off really quick afterwards.”
Yara hesitates a few moments before replying. You found him later that night after he and Etalyn got back from wherever they were and asked him for advice. Then, after he of course agreed, you very quickly explained everything that happened after he left, leaving no room for questions. “When you said advice, I didn’t think you meant relationship advice! What makes you think I’m even remotely qualified to dispense such wisdom?”
“Um, you... and, er...” Of course it’s hard to just say it! “Etalyn...” you manage to mumble.
“What? There’s not - we aren’t-” A pause; he looks at you again, seeming to understand. “... How obvious is it, really?”
“H-how obvious?! Yara, everybody knows!”
“Everybody?”
“Everybody. Me, Serri, E-Erich, Naoriel; even Clarity, and you know that means half the Cathedra knows by now!”
“Hum.”
“... Did you really not know? I mean, just today she came to pick you up for a d-date, right in front of us!”
“Goodness, you’re quite perceptive, aren’t you?”
“Maybe you’re right; maybe you aren’t qualified to give this kind of advice.”
Yara waves his hands as if to swat away that accusation. “No no no; this won’t do at all! You came to me for help, so by my honor as a friend - and apparently quite an oblivious person - help I shall! Now, let’s see here...”
“I just don’t even know if I was overreacting or...”
“Well I’m afraid I’m quite hopeless in that regard as well. Ets had to be very direct or I never would have figured anything out. It certainly doesn’t seem like he meant anything beyond the obvious, but what is considered ‘obvious’ varies from person to person, hmm?”
“So...?”
“Goodness, Jessamine, of course not! What part of ‘or may not’ or ‘potential’ isn’t clear? I feel there’s a perfectly reasonable chance that everything will go smoothly - you two get along just fine in the lab, after all!”
“... I guess that makes sense.”
He lets out a relieved breath. “Does it? Oh, good - I mean, of course it does! Because I am Extremely Competent in All Things Social!”
You look up at him with a dumb little half-smile, still too confused to react any more dramatically.
“Well, I believe that must be my advice, then. A multitude of words just to say ‘why not?’, I suppose. But the choice remains yours! And however it goes, I very much look forward to hearing how everything turns out!”
“... If I go and tell you about it, can you tell me how that Endle Day went?”
“Insatiable gossip! As bad as Clarity, aren’t you?”
“I’m kidding. I don’t want to pry.”
“Well! Then how about this: if you go, I won’t ask you about it! And if you don’t go, as well. I shall respect your privacy regardless!”
“... Thanks, Yara.”
...
So, here you are. A familiar scenario: lying awake in bed, staring at the dark ceiling. Confused. You don’t know how you feel about him, and you still don’t know if he even meant anything by his offer! Yara might be right; you would definitely learn more about him by going, but...
You hesitate, pulling the sheets up to cover your face, unwilling to stare at the judgemental ceiling. It almost seems like you’ve been assuming it’ll go wrong this whole time. Are you really that scared of him? What if everything goes well? What if you do end up... l-liking him? You pull the sheets tighter, imagining the ceiling laughing at you.
It was one sentence! He said one sentence and you’ve been obsessing about it all evening! God, you’re such a mess. You have no idea what you’re doing.
- Say yes.
- Say no.
(Winner: )
- Say yes.
- Say no.
(Winner: ) 6 1@Story Notifications
Scene 122
Maybe I won’t even see him for the next few days and then I won’t have to say anything! Or he won’t bring it up or something. You try to convince yourself to go find him and settle it anyway, but it’s just too scary. If he shows up and says something about it, I’ll respond. Otherwise...
But of course, you quickly run into him tomorrow. You’re not in any of the same courses since the basic magic one is finished, but you often spot him in Oth Hall around lunchtime; seemingly his schedule ends up around the same place as yours at midday. Today is no exception and you don’t really have any option but to at least talk with him briefly, even if you want to pretend like you’re already done with lunch. Which would also be really obvious, so after some consideration you just give up and wait for him to come sit down.
You feel your anxiety building as he talks about normal things for a while, willing him to just ask you already but also too worried to bring it up yourself. Is he not going to bring it up? Was it nothing important to him? Did he not stay up thinking about what I meant? WAS I just overreacting after all?
“Oh, I don’t suppose you’ve decided if you want to join me for the festival?” he asks, as if it just occurred to him. “I don’t want to rush you if you’re still deciding on other plans, but I do need to place a reservation soon.”
Okay, this is it. Stay calm; you’re just doing this to learn more about him. Nothing more. “O-oh? Er, s-sure.” Your voice is very quiet.
“What was that? I’m sorry; it’s quite loud in here.”
Too quiet! You clear your throat and try again. “O-okay. I’ll g-go.”
“Oh, excellent! We can probably meet up at...”
Oh God, what did you say the other day? You don’t know how to swim! The city only has one major body of water - the Endle River - and it’s hardly a good place to swim with all the fishermen and barges and threats of corruption infiltrating from outside. There are some pools here and there, but they tend to be for upper-class people only given the resources needed to maintain them (especially in winter!). Erich is right: as a firmly middle-class household, you never had a pressing reason to spend all that effort to learn.
So...
- Admit you don’t actually know how to swim.
- Well, you wanted to learn; he probably misheard.
- Make something up.
(Winner: )
- Admit you don’t actually know how to swim.
- Well, you wanted to learn; he probably misheard.
- Make something up.
(Winner: ) 5 2 1@Story Notifications
Scene 123
“I, er, don’t... know what you’re talking about. I never learned how to swim.”
“Really? Then, did I mishear when you mentioned you wanted to go to a pool today?”
Is that one of the things I chose? I need to... I don’t even know what I need to do! You don’t hate the idea, but it’s definitely not something you would have picked if you had been in sound Mind - since, of course, the most you could do is wade around. Or drown. And that would be awfully embarrassing, among other things. “Er... did I?” C’mon, make it seem intentional! “Y-yeah; do you need to know how to swim to go?”
“... I suppose not. My apologies for assuming.”
Success! Sort of. Although of course, you’re now thinking about all the other logistical problems that could go wrong with your half-excuse. Were you supposed to bring a change of clothes? Erich doesn’t seem to be carrying anything, so maybe not? Are you just going to sit there while he has fun? Why didn’t you just admit it was a mistake? You’re so on edge already and you haven’t even gotten to the train station yet!
Thankfully, nothing else goes wrong on the way there. You get tickets to district seven and board a train not long after, finally getting to be relieved that you aren’t overdressed; Erich is also wearing a fairly nice outfit. Of course, he usually is, but... you know.
“Heh, we’re almost matching,” you point out, moving your arm next to his so he can compare the colors of your sleeves. “See? Why’d you pick maroon?”
“Hum; I’m not sure. Why did you pick maroon?”
“Because that’s the color of this sweater and I wanted to look warm.” You probably should have said be warm, but the way you phrased it is closer to the truth. It’s not really all that cold out today; you could have been fine with lighter clothes. It just would have been a little obvious.
“Well, I suppose that’s a similar reason. I don’t have a lot of clothing that isn’t... perhaps too formal.”
Oh no; he’s right. You didn’t even think about that; your definition of “formal” is way off from spending most of your time in the Cathedra or in the company of people like Clarity! If you asked her for “formal,” she’d probably give you a dress made of clouds or something! (note to self: see if that’s even possible later.) But although your cute maroon sweater seems just semi-formal from your perspective, most of the women on this train are in just their normal brown or cream dresses with a jacket on top. The color alone makes you stand out, and that’s to say nothing of the generally higher quality and the accessories you picked out. Most people in Nucarreo simply couldn’t afford to waste money on something like this.
“Erm...” You really don’t have a good answer. Are you really this out of touch with normal people already? “... I see your point.”
“Don’t feel flustered about it. I think you deserve to look nice.”
And then he quickly turns away, ostensibly suddenly very interested in a landmark on the other side of the train. You look out your own window (he gave you the window seat) and try to see if you’re blushing in the reflection. Okay, you definitely weren’t sure for quite some time and you still aren’t totally sure but... come on. This - at this point... With his behavior and... He meant for... well, for th-this to be a... d-date, right?
That thought doesn’t help with the blush. You’ve got to calm down, quick. Before you have to turn around again.
- Get this guy a poofy hat, pronto.
- Maybe you shouldn’t; he seemed a little uncomfortable.
[And also...]
- ...?
- ...?
- ...?
- ...?
(Winners: , )
- Get this guy a poofy hat, pronto.
- Maybe you shouldn’t; he seemed a little uncomfortable.
[And also...]
- ...?
- ...?
- ...?
- ...?
(Winners: , ) 2 3 1 2 3 1@Story Notifications
Scene 124
Not too long after that conversation, your train pulls into the district seven central station and you disembark. It’s a little colder here, right on the riverbank, and the station has a kind of interesting design to account for that. The platform is actually curved to match the shape of the river and you have to be extra-careful to step over the larger than normal gap. It’s odd, since there are plenty of elevated stations around the city; this one could have just gone over the river. Maybe they wanted the central station to be on ground level, or didn’t want to risk a train falling in the water.
Erich takes the lead (which is good, since you don’t know where you’re going) and shows you a neat little switchback-staircase carved into the riverbank and paved with stones. It’s just outside the station, but there’s no signage and it’s not very visible from any of the main roads. But it’s convenient, since it gets you all the way down to the water (well, mostly ice at the moment) much faster than the main path a few streets away.
There’s a gate, but someone left it open and there’s no sign telling you not to, so you don’t feel too worried about tentatively stepping out onto the Endle River itself. A lot of it is fully covered in snow, but there are some sections where that’s been cleared away to reveal ice beneath. There are plenty of people on the river today: enterprising fishermen drilling into the water beneath to catch what chilled fish still pass through, large groups of kids and their parents playing in the massive amounts of unspoiled snow, and a number of other people just walking around like you.
“We’ll be coming back here in the afternoon,” Erich informs you as he heads further upstream. “But for now, the caves are just a ten-minute walk this way.”
You’re content to stand here and watch for a while, taking in the subtle changes in color and gleam as the sun continues its rise. Clearly, Erich isn’t the only person to know about this place, as there are plenty of other people gathered around getting in your way and talking about whatever strikes their fancy. For a moment, jostled by a woman who wasn’t looking where she was going, you feel a surge of annoyance, but it’s replaced by curiosity as you spot several people disappearing into the cavern’s mouth.
With the overhanging roof starting to obscure the sun, the light show is nearing an end; the crowd starts to dissipate. “Erich, where are those two going?” you ask, pointing into the cave.
“Where do you think?” he asks in return, angrily dodging around a man backing up to get a better view. “The caves in this city run deep, and these flooded ones are connected to the main network. Some people like to explore a few rooms in and see what interesting ice formations have popped up this year.”
He stops just short of inviting you to go in, but he doesn’t have to. Of course you want to; look at this place! “How far can we go?” You take a few steps forward, straining to see past the entryway. No good; too much glare from the ice even for your eyes.
“Probably farther than they can. But not too deep; we don’t want to spend hours in there.”
You’re already moving forward; Erich picks up the pace to catch up. “Back here? Ooh, the light reflects way further than I thought! It’s like the whole tunnel is glowing!”
⏪ - See a few rooms and head back out. Don’t get carried away.
- Okay, maybe get a little carried away.
(Winner: )
- Okay, maybe get a little carried away.
(Winner: ) 
3 4@Story Notifications
Scene 125
Erich is right; these caves are massive. Even though you don’t have any equipment, your light Body combined with your Angelic strength lets you clamber up and down and all around the tunnels without too much difficulty. The only parts you have trouble with are vertical shafts where the walls are covered in ice - you can’t get any good handholds as the whole thing is just too slippery. Thankfully, there aren’t many of those and you’re able to just avoid them.
In fact, staring up at one such narrow passage in the ceiling, you kind of wonder how and why it would have been formed at all. Were all these caves formed just by the passage of water from the river? Why are they so twisty-turny if that’s the case? The river itself just keeps going over that way; how much water does it lose down these holes? And where does it all go?
“What do you think’s down there?” you ask at one point, standing on a solid plug of ice that extends down further than you can see, even with your glow at maximum strength (you don’t have any lights, so this is the best you can do). “It just keeps going down. This can’t possibly melt every year, right?”
Erich pokes around the edges of the room, his glow similarly reflecting off the walls. “I doubt it. The river doesn’t lose that much water and we’ve been going up for a while... I think. This is probably permanent.”
“I wonder if there’s a way to get below it.” You hesitate, thinking back to your time underground at the mushroom farm. That time when you stared at the elevator, wondering how deep into the poisoned earth you could go before the very dirt and rocks started to hate you. Before the wastelands stretched beneath your feet as well as past the walls around the city. “Hey, er-”
“Ah, found something!” He beckons you over. “See, there’s a small fissure here that seems to lead further down.”
“... Yeah.” You feel up to the task of standing again and help Erich up as well. “Maybe we should go back.”
“That sounds smart.”
A pause.
“It... it was this way, right?”
“... Probably,” he agrees.
As luck would have it, you were completely wrong. Thankfully, you figured that out quickly as the ground started sloping down and the ice started to be replaced by more standard rock and dirt. This way almost certainly leads into the main cavern network, and though you could maybe stumble upon a farm or elevator down there, it would be treacherous and you’re in no mood to risk any more injury than you already have.
So instead, you go the other way and are able to find your way back out with only a few backtracks and turnarounds. The light helps, once you get close enough for it to reflect again, as does the sound echoing from the outside. But mostly, it’s just the elevation. You were going up to get there, so you’re going down to get out. But not too far down.
... It’s harder than you’d prefer, but at least you don’t get lost in the caves for too long.
When you finally do emerge back onto the Endle River, the sun is already high overhead and the morning’s snow has stopped. It’s bright, even though the mist. You apologize to Erich again for all the trouble (after which he tries to reassure you there’s nothing to apologize about) and then it’s off to get some lunch before your next scheduled activity.
Which, as it turns out, is ice skating. Earlier, you saw some groups practicing or individuals flying past on sections of the river clear of snow; apparently it’s relatively popular in the wealthier section of the district around here. “Although,” Erich says as you’re eating. “I wouldn’t blame you if the spelunking this morning was enough excitement. Do you still want to go?”
- Sure.
- Maybe not. [If not, what do you want to do instead?]
(Winner: )
- Sure.
- Maybe not. [If not, what do you want to do instead?]
(Winner: ) 5 1@Story Notifications
Scene 126
“Sure,” you say, kinda confused. “It wasn’t that big of a deal, right? I didn’t actually fall in.”
“I suppose not. You haven’t skated before, have you?”
“Not at all. I’m hoping all the-” You lower your voice a little. “- Body training will make it easier. I’m supposed to be really graceful, right?”
“Yes, it should help. But don’t get too discouraged if it’s difficult.”
“Erich, it took me months to even get my glow under control. I won’t get discouraged.”
...
And thus, you don’t.
Really, that’s not a lie. You’re not immediately great at skating, but it doesn’t take you long to pick up the basics and you’re able to move along at a fairly decent - and fairly stable - pace by the end of it. It’s pretty fun to be able to glide along the ice - at least as long as you stick to the smooth parts without too many bumps. Uneven ice is not pretty fun, you decide. At least not in these circumstances.
Erich has clearly practiced this before. He’s able to turn and move around much more fluidly than you can - showing off again? - and helps teach you techniques beyond those that the actual instructor demonstrates. Since you’re both busy skating around (and fast), you don’t get much time to talk, but you do get some time to watch him.
He generally avoids the other skaters around, which are all normal humans (you assume, at least; you’re not sure if you could recognize another disguised Angel without your Soul sense). There’s not any obvious animosity you can spot unless someone gets in his way or something - he just avoids everyone but you. At some point, you’ve really got to figure out how to bring that up with him without seeming rude or creepy.
But now you’re scrutinizing your disguise again, unable to hide nearly as many imperfections (...perfections?) under clothes as before and wondering if you’re really good enough to be going into the city on your own. It takes a while to straighten everything out to a point you’re okay with, and now Erich has definitely been waiting for too long. Well, you can just explain.
Although, you should probably decide if you want to try swimming or if you’ve had enough excitement for one day. You don’t know how, but you trust Erich to not let you drown if you try. Probably.
- Obviously you’ve gotta try it.
- Maybe stay where you can still stand up.
(Winner: )
- Obviously you’ve gotta try it.
- Maybe stay where you can still stand up.
(Winner: ) 2 5@Story Notifications
Scene 127
There are a few other groups here, mostly older people or small families, but the pools (there are a few of them, of different sizes and temperatures) are large and plentiful enough that you (again) don’t have to talk to anyone else. Similarly, the constant trickle of water means you’re likely not to be overhead except by people very nearby. Erich meets you near a small, isolated pool where the whole thing is shallow enough to stand in. Probably for the best, given that you don’t particularly want to drown today.
“I had to redo my disguise,” you say as you approach. “That’s why it took so long.”
“It seems to have been time well spent; you look perfectly ordinary.”
“... Thanks?”
The pool is nice and warm and constantly filled by a faucet on one side. Where does the water go when it overfills? You don’t know; does it matter? There’s even a little ledge around the side so you can sit down and be in the water up to your chin without having to crouch or anything. You’ve rarely (never?) been so cozy before in your life.
“Good, isn’t it?”
You’re melting, but that’s okay. “Yeah...”
A few minutes pass. You feel like you might fall asleep, but you probably shouldn’t. The image of you passing out and slowly slipping beneath the water leads predictably to yet another imaginary drowning. You’re really obsessed with that today, aren’t you? Anyway, to prevent that sorry scenario, you raise your head a little bit to avoid getting water in your mouth, then try to follow up from before.
“Hey, Erich, about what I asked about your family on the train...?”
“This is later, then?”
“Er, yes. I just meant...” You hesitate, having not actually prepared at all for your second attempt. Sometimes you wonder what it would feel like to be someone for which socializing came naturally. “... When I went to...” Another pause; maybe you shouldn’t lead with that. “Okay, how about ‘do you get along with your family?’ just to start with?”
He thinks about it for a moment. “If there was some level of corruption nearby, you would have been unconsciously expending Soul energy to defend and heal yourself. And that early into your training, you wouldn’t have had much to spare. I suppose it’s possible, but I find it hard to believe that corruption could have been hiding there for an entire year or more before being discovered.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“Ah; it could have been two separate instances and just a coincidence that you happened to be involved both times.”
“That’s true,” you murmur. It would be a nice convenient explanation that means you don’t have to admit that you changed and were seriously estranged from your family for a while. Sometimes coincidences like these do happen.
“You know, we are in the sixth district again today. We could go and look around; see if there’s anything that could be causing this.”
“But Clarity just dealt with the lost Souls a few months ago!”
“And if it wasn’t a coincidence that you happened to be there both times, isn’t it possible something will have come back by now?”
“...”
- Go look around.
⏪ - Just return to the Cathedra.
❓ - Finally ask him about his seeming disdain for ordinary humans.
- No; don’t.
(Winners: , ❓ )
- Go look around.
⏪ - Just return to the Cathedra.
❓ - Finally ask him about his seeming disdain for ordinary humans.
- No; don’t.
(Winners: , ❓ ) 6 1 5 2@Story Notifications
Scene 128
“I guess, maybe?” You consider it for a few more seconds. “Sure. Let’s go look around a bit. In a bit.”
You spend a good deal more time there, drifting in warm water and occasionally moving from pool to pool for no reason in particular. Even the air between the water is so suffused with moisture that it almost seems an extension of it. Such an incredible contrast from the dry, cold winter air outside.
The two of you talk about other things for a while, but not about anything important (especially when you enter some of the larger or more central pools, where other people could hear you). You’ve basically reached the limit of how much serious stuff you want to do for the day, with the relaxing atmosphere just dragging you down to drift; almost to sleep. Well, going to hunt for corruption later will probably be serious again, but at the moment you have a hard time believing you’ll find anything. Surely a full Angel would have noticed by now. They do patrols, right?
... Clarity didn’t notice, or at least she wouldn’t have if you hadn’t told her what to look for. She’s not the most practiced full Angel around, but there are certainly some who aren’t as attentive. Whatever. Stop that; you’re getting back into your worries before you have to. Plenty of time to stress out later.
Finally, as you’re wrapping up and starting to plan where to go afterwards, a very simple thing happens. Some random girl hurries by, Erich glances up as he notices, then back down again. You’re not even convinced he made any particular expression, but something about the non-interaction triggered a question before your Mind could catch up on if you should actually be asking - or at least phrase it better.
“Erich, why do you hate regular people so much?”
“... No.” He’s right; they were being rude first. You start to doubt yourself; were you really just letting a poor first impression color your thoughts of Erich for years? Is he actually just completely reasonable, if a little driven and occasionally grumpy? Were you even misreading his “obvious” disdain for Serri?
“Jessamine, it’s getting somewhat late,” Erich says, changing the subject. You have been quiet for a while, just thinking. How long? “Why don’t we dry off, get some food, and then go searching for anything out of place in the sixth district?”
“Er, y-yeah.” That’s right; you were going corruption-hunting later. “Yeah,” you repeat, more sure of yourself. You can handle this sort of investigation much more readily than nebulous questions about social hierarchy. “I don’t know if I want to find something or not, though.”
“Hmm... Given that we’re unlikely to be able to deal with anything we do find, I’ll suggest not.”
“...” That’s right. You’re not full Angels; not yet. You still have a long way to go, even if you’re not helpless anymore. “That makes sense.”
- Erich’s reasoning about humans makes sense to you, mostly.
- You’re not sure what to think, in one way or another.
- You don’t like Erich’s reasoning, and you have a counter. [Which is?]
(Winner: )
- Erich’s reasoning about humans makes sense to you, mostly.
- You’re not sure what to think, in one way or another.
- You don’t like Erich’s reasoning, and you have a counter. [Which is?]
(Winner: ) 1 6 1@Story Notifications
Scene 129
...
“In this neighborhood? Really?”
You glare at him briefly. “What’s wrong with this neighborhood?”
“Nothing! It’s quite peaceful, in fact!”
“Mmmm... Alright.”
It’s after dinner now and you’re walking through the alleyways of the sixth district with Erich. You’re careful to stay away from your actual house (how would you explain this to your parents, for one?), but since both prior incidents happened at home or nearby, you’re searching in the same general area. Hence his comments about where you used to live.
It’s dark already and getting colder by the minute; you’ll be fine for heat a while longer, but you still really hate the dark. The fog is much worse tonight than on Endle Day, making it near-impossible to see even to the end of the block. And you’re not sure if the occasional shivers are from anxiety, the temperature, or... something else.
“I need to switch to Soul,” you decide, stepping backwards into the pool of light cast by a lonely streetlamp. Its glow forms a halo in the mist. “I can’t see anything focused on Body like this.”
“Go ahead, but make sure you cover up in case we come across anyone.”
“Mm hmm.” You pull up your scarf, get confirmation from Erich, and let your disguise drop with some measure of relief. Then, it’s a long half-minute switching over to Soul before you can open your eyes properly, peering around the area for anything out of place.
“This should be another good opportunity to test the spell,” Erich comments as he sees you start moving around again. “Sense anything out of place?”
“Hang on...” You shift your awareness, pulsing out in a ring like the three of you had designed. “... Nothing, I think. Let’s walk around a little more and try a few more places, then I want to try Mind.”
“Ah; you think it may attempt to deceive you again?”
A shrug. “Maybe. I don’t have a lot of ideas beyond just trying what happened last time again.”
He reaches back, offering his hand to help you up from your anxious crouch. Do you dare?
[This is a critical point. Two characters’ fates will be altered.]
- You dare. Help Erich confront whatever corruption this is.
- You don’t dare. Run for backup.
️ - Try to convince Erich to reconsider. [Provide an argument in #story_discussion. Will be attempted if it receives >50% of the unique votes cast. If this fails, the primary option will be your backup plan.]
(Winner: )
- You dare. Help Erich confront whatever corruption this is.
- You don’t dare. Run for backup.
️ - Try to convince Erich to reconsider. [Provide an argument in #story_discussion. Will be attempted if it receives >50% of the unique votes cast. If this fails, the primary option will be your backup plan.]
(Winner: ) 5 1 1@Story Notifications
Scene 130
“...” You take his hand and stand up. “Okay.” Confidence. You can do this. It won’t go like your dreams. You... you aren’t dreaming, right? “Let’s go.”
The building has a lock on the main door, but someone has left it propped open with a rock preventing the latch from closing. Erich leads the way into the dimly lit lobby, still holding your hand as he starts up the stairs. You’re not sure if he’s doing that to make sure you follow, or because he’s scared too.
“Jessamine,” he whispers. “What do you know about lost Souls? How to destroy them?”
A flash of anxiety jolts through your Body; that doesn’t make you feel confident at all. “Just... just purge them with Soul energy, right?”
“Yes, but anything beyond that? What happens if they’re inside of a human? Is it still safe to burn them out?”
“...” You try to recall. Brother Trigg’s history course had gone over a number of the most common corruption forms found in the city; lost Souls among them. Surely, right? What did he say? You’re too nervous to think properly. “E-erm... I don’t know... I don’t think they’re physical, though, so anything you do like that will only hurt the possessed person...”
“Can you break the possession?”
“...” Memories of the course spring up and mix with each other. Brother Trigg talks over himself as you recall him on several different days at once. You’re already on the second floor; you just don’t have enough time! “There... has to be a way, right? It’s linked... Mind, maybe? If I use the purge spell...?”
“You have to be touching them to do that, right?”
“No... not technically, but I need a Mental connection, and if I don’t know this person at all... It might be easier to touch them.”
“If you can purge the Mind, I can purge the Soul. But be careful; stay behind me until we figure out what’s going on in there. Is that okay?”
R-right! You’ve got to - to help him! God, what are you supposed to do? You need to use the Mind purge spell to break the possession, but you’ve never tried that on an unwilling target (much less one that might try to stab you!) If - if you could just get a connection, you could do it from here, but... the woman’s Mind feels all wrong. Crumbly, almost slippery. You can’t get ahold of it, and you can’t feel a connection. Even the basic ones like “human” or “female” - nothing. Which is what you said earlier, and is what you were afraid of. A physical connection will definitely (probably) work, but you’ll have to get up close, and - and-
One of the knives skates off Erich’s baking sheet with an unpleasant grinding noise. He’s already bleeding from a different cut on his leg; you hadn’t even noticed when it happened. Your breathing quickens again as you imagine the horrible pain of one of those knives sliding right into your chest. The sensation is already familiar from nightmares, but in reality... it would be so much worse, you’re sure of it. You ha-have to move. Just run forward. Be quick!
You can do it. You’ll be okay.
You can’t do it. You’re too scared.
“Jessamine!!”
- In and out. Tag the woman; do the purge. She’s not even looking. You’re fast. It’ll be okay.
- You can’t convince yourself. Switch roles with Erich. Do something else to help him.
️ - You’re right next to the bedroom. You could check on that “strange thing” he saw.
(Winner: )
- In and out. Tag the woman; do the purge. She’s not even looking. You’re fast. It’ll be okay.
- You can’t convince yourself. Switch roles with Erich. Do something else to help him.
️ - You’re right next to the bedroom. You could check on that “strange thing” he saw.
(Winner: ) 6 1 1@Story Notifications
Scene 131
You run forward. She’s not even looking. You’re fast. It’ll be fine; you’ll be okay. Erich sidesteps on the counter, feinting with the baking sheet to keep her attention. You focus through the fear, bringing your Mental connection with the woman to the front of your Mind. Wrap your hands around one arm, using your Angelic strength to hold her back as she starts to turn to face you. Focus; connect. Purge.
At last, you feel something. And the very instant that connection forms, you dump an enormous amount of your Soul energy into the spell. There’s a sudden flare of light, a blast of heat like you just opened an oven, and a raw-throated scream that cuts off as quickly as it begins. The woman collapses, skin steaming from your power. Did you overdo it?
“Is-is she-”
Something oily-dark emerges from the woman’s chest as if clambering out of a deep pit. You take several steps back, wide-eyed, as the thing unfurls to its full height. Its head brushes the ceiling.
The lost Soul is humanoid, but absolutely not human. Its mostly-opaque form is distended, with its torso and limbs shrunken to put more focus on its swollen, bruised head. Bulging like an overripe fruit. Its neck twists a dozen times like a screw, folds of ghostly flesh twitching as it moves. Its eyes are glassy white and leaking a dull silvery liquid that evaporates as soon as it touches the floor. The monster reaches towards you and lets out a rattling exhale, dribbling dots of the same liquid onto the floor. Then, as its non-eyes swivel to track you, the exhale transitions to a moan, then a ghastly howl. It takes a step towards you, then speeds up.
You scream. “ERICH!”
Erich notices you sitting up. “Excuse me,” he tells the woman, hurrying over to make sure you don’t fall back down. “Jessamine, please be careful. You’re badly injured.”
“I’m just regular injured,” you tell him. “Not that badly. What... do we do next?”
He looks at you for a moment, deciding whether to believe you. Then, a hushed whisper. “One of the neighbors has gone to get the constables, so we should have a full Angel here within the half-hour. But... there’s something I don’t understand in the bedroom and it seems to be fading quickly. I don’t think you should be using any more magic in your condition, but...”
- You should probably rest. The bleeding still hasn’t stopped, after all.
- Get up and go look. You’re in okay enough shape.
(Winner: )
- You should probably rest. The bleeding still hasn’t stopped, after all.
- Get up and go look. You’re in okay enough shape.
(Winner: ) 4 5@Story Notifications
Scene 132
You nod upwards. “Help me up. I’ll go look.” Of course, now you find your courage. After the fighting is done.
A moment of hesitation, but he does help you up. “Don’t get too close to it. I don’t want anything else happening to you.”
You feel a brief twinge of annoyance, even though he’s probably only trying to keep you safe. Why did the Soul only focus on you? Why does he get to be totally fine after that fight? A pause; you notice his uneven gait. He’s bleeding from several cuts, though it’s already slowing down. A bit of guilt mixes with the annoyance as he’s clearly not totally fine. You just go with “Okay.” Then, “Sorry it took so long to do the purge.”
“It’s fine. I... also must apologize for failing to get it off of you.”
Both of you say nothing for a moment. Then, you decide on “It was our first monster. I think we both did great, really. No one died and we got rid of it.”
“I suppose one can’t ask for more.”
Erich opens the bedroom door and quickly ushers you inside, closing it behind and making sure that the kid isn’t looking. You can very quickly see why. “What... is this?”
“I told you: I don’t know.”
The room is small and messy, but the centerpiece is definitely on the unmade bed, sheets tangled as if someone had a very restless night. There’s a depression formed in the middle, like a bowl made of blankets, and inside it is... well, you’re not sure. It’s a dark liquid substance: oily with a rainbow sheen, but glittering with a sort of silvery reflectiveness. It’s slowly moving of its own accord, churning like an invisible chef is stirring it. Though you certainly wouldn’t want to eat any such dish; you can feel the hatred pouring out of it. The liquid is heavily corrupted, to the point where you doubt you could approach too closely even if you wanted to.
And at last, well into the night, you make it onto a train (private, now that you’re on official Angel business) back to the Cathedra. The full Angel stayed behind to destroy the bedding as promised, do a last sweep, and work with the constables, so it’s just you and Erich alone in the fancy train car. Well, you, Erich, and your thoughts.
- You feel generally positive about the day.
- You feel generally negative about the day.
- Erich is a pretty good guy.
- Erich is not a pretty good guy.
- Explain your idea about the liquid to an authority, like Cobb or a bishop.
- Tell your friends, but that’s it.
(Winners: , , )
- You feel generally positive about the day.
- You feel generally negative about the day.
- Erich is a pretty good guy.
- Erich is not a pretty good guy.
- Explain your idea about the liquid to an authority, like Cobb or a bishop.
- Tell your friends, but that’s it.
(Winners: , , ) 1 5 5 1 3 2@Story Notifications
Scene 133
You don’t talk much on the way back; both of you are exhausted and have plenty to think about on your own. But towards the end of the journey, when the train starts slowing down to navigate the tighter turns near downtown, Erich eventually speaks.
“I’m glad we actually found something, despite... everything that happened.” It almost seems like he’s about to continue, but he doesn’t.
“... Yeah. We really did it, huh? Saved the day like real Angels. Even though it was maybe a little harder than expected.”
“Concerns for the future, I suppose.”
“...” A longer pause. “I think I know what the liquid is.”
“Really?”
“Well, it’s a guess. But... you know the spawning pools?”
“Of course.”
“I think that liquid is something like that. I mean, think about it: why are there so many lost Souls in the sixth district? How do they keep showing up? Maybe because they were being spawned from little pools like that one in the bedroom?”
Erich considers this idea. “Lost Souls aren’t spawned from pools. They’re Souls - human Souls - that have been corrupted. The corruption can’t create Souls directly from the pools.”
“...” Whoops. “R-right, but it could have been spawning other darkness creatures that could have corrupted all the Souls. It doesn’t need to be direct, but it’s just so weird why there have been so many problems in the district. Every time I go back there, I find another one! So... I mean, it’s liquid, it’s in a pool, it’s corrupt, it fits the data... you know? It just makes sense!”
Another pause. “We’ve never seen spawning pools in the city before.”
But finally, after what seems like an eternity of tossing and turning and wrapping yourself in the blankets, you do manage to fall asleep. And blessedly, you don’t dream. Or if you do, you don’t remember them.
So, it’s now the Day of Mind. It’s a great time to think real hard about important questions, you suppose. Questions like...
... mmmaybe you’ll put that off a little longer. You just woke up, after all; there’s no need to rush.
Maybe a little longer still; after all, it’s the festival and you can’t expect to get any solid thinking done with all these distractions.
Or maybe even a little longer; everyone knows what happens to resolutions made at the beginning of a year!
Or maybe...
❤️ - You don’t hate the idea. Maybe see where things go? If things go?
- You consider Erich a friend at this point, but that’s all.
⏰ - You are going to put this decision off as long as you possibly can, because thinking about it makes you very nervous.
(Winner: )
- You consider Erich a friend at this point, but that’s all.
⏰ - You are going to put this decision off as long as you possibly can, because thinking about it makes you very nervous.
(Winner: ) 
1 5
2@Story Notifications
Scene 134
“Ah, the hero returns!”
“Oh no, not you too.”
You flop down in a chair near Yara’s as he carefully bookmarks and then closes his reading material. “Gossip spreads quickly, you know. Although of course I’m certain it’s at least somewhat incorrect.”
“What did you hear?”
“Oh, nothing much. Just that two trainees managed to hunt down and destroy a lost Soul while they were out for the festival.”
“That’s... what happened. Among other things.” You rub one shoulder contemplatively; it still aches just a little. Your hands are fine, though. “I can, er, explain? If you want?”
“Goodness, yes! I was merely obeying my prior commitment to not ask you about it! But if you’re offering...”
You tell Yara what happened. Of course you were always going to - at least, unless something utterly mortifying needed to be redacted - but just sticking your hands in the corruption probably isn’t that embarrassing. Seems like something he would have done at some point.
“Hm! Spawning pools within the city; quite a dangerous idea.”
“So... you think I’m wrong?”
“Oh, I wouldn’t be that hasty. The corruption has been acting strangely as of late; shades in particular are being found in the most unusual places. What do you suppose one of those creatures would have been doing in a destroyed cistern from before the year-zero cataclysm?”
“Er...”
“According to the group that discovered it, studying something. Old markings on the wall, almost entirely erased by time. Are they becoming interested in ancient languages or culture? Who knows, but the simple fact of a change in behavior has everyone nervous. And your ‘spawning pool’ might fit into that as well.”
“...”
“Interesting times, it seems. I’ll see if I can spot any more of that liquid on my patrols. And as usual, I’m sure Stella will be interested.” He shakes his head ruefully. “I never get to give her any good news.”
“At least we’ve noticed it...?”
“That’s what he says, but I don’t believe it! If he had it under control, he’d have arrested them already! If he knows - not a guess, but knows - then he’s got evidence. And there’s no reason to leave someone so dangerous to just do whatever they want. So clearly he’s missing something that would let this whole thing be over already, but he won’t let me help because he just won’t tell me who it is!”
“... Y-yeah. That makes sense.” It sort of does; it is kind of strange that the Inquisitors wouldn’t have brought in whoever the betrayer is already, if they know. This person is dangerous and willing to kill - that rock last summer could easily have been the end of someone. Or Naoriel specifically.
“So. I want to ask you a favor.”
“...” A brief pause. You have a sinking feeling you know what she’s about to ask. “N-Naoriel; I can’t possibly-”
“He likes you, and you’re good at Mind magic. Can you - please - go ask him? And if he won’t say... you can read Minds now, right?”
- No way! Maybe Naoriel hasn’t noticed, but this is the Head of Inquisition she’s asking you to dupe.
- You’ll ask, but there’s not a chance you’re going to use Mind magic on him!
️ - You’ll help out. It’s a little risky, but you can take on a little risk.
(Winner: )
- No way! Maybe Naoriel hasn’t noticed, but this is the Head of Inquisition she’s asking you to dupe.
- You’ll ask, but there’s not a chance you’re going to use Mind magic on him!
️ - You’ll help out. It’s a little risky, but you can take on a little risk.
(Winner: ) 1 6 1@Story Notifications
Scene 135
“I - I can ask, but there’s no way I’m going to use Mind magic on him.”
“... Yeah, you’re probably right. That would be... bad. Dad’s good at figuring out when someone’s hiding something from him. I... sorry; I’m just frustrated.”
“It’s okay...” A pause; you struggle to come up with something useful to say. “I think you’re right to be frustrated. We’ve been trying to figure this out for ages too and the longer they stay out there, the more danger we’re in.”
“Right? And I’m sure we could help if he’d just let us - bait them out or something - but he’s probably just trying to protect me.”
“...” Something occurs to you. “We’ve eliminated a lot of Angels as suspects, though. I wonder if maybe we could work out who it is if he just gives us some details, even without the actual name?”
“Maybe... I doubt he’d let anything slip.”
Another thing occurs to you. “What if it’s someone we know? And we’d maybe tip them off if we knew, so that’s why he won’t say anything?”
Naoriel frowns. “Someone we know? It has to be an Archangel, though, since their magic is so strong. And there are so few of them left that haven’t been accounted for in some way... Do you even know any Archangels?”
“Not... really.” You hesitate; change your Mind. “Actually, I kinda do. There’s an Archangel called Aveline who does healing work; she’s been helping me with my sickness. Is she still on the list?”
“I don’t have the list with me.”
“Ah.” An awkward pause. Neither of you particularly want to go get the list. “Well, maybe check it later? Just to be sure? I’m pretty sure it couldn’t possibly be her, but...”
“Whoever they are, they’re excellent at disguise,” she finishes. “They’ve been hiding from everyone for years at least.”
“Yeah.”
“I’ll find who’s left on the list. If you can get anything from my dad, then...”
“I’ll try.”
...
“...” You feel like that was a-
“That wasn’t a rhetorical question. Tell me, Jessamine. What do you think?”
- “... They’re too strong; they’d get away or hurt someone?”
❓ - “... You don’t actually know their identity?”
- “... They’d reveal Naoriel’s secret?”
- “... You’re scared of them?”
(Winner: )
- “... They’re too strong; they’d get away or hurt someone?”
❓ - “... You don’t actually know their identity?”
- “... They’d reveal Naoriel’s secret?”
- “... You’re scared of them?”
(Winner: ) 2 1 5 2@Story Notifications
Scene 136
“...” You take a few moments to think about it, but really the answer seems obvious. “They’d reveal... why they’re targeting Naoriel.”
“Good. You have been paying attention. It’s certain they would be in trouble for their methods regardless, but Naoriel would still be executed.”
Hearing him state it so plainly is kind of a shock. Yeah, you knew she was in danger, but...
“So the challenge is determining how to proceed without giving the betrayer a chance to share their information.”
“...” You pretty quickly thought of at least one way. “Er... I know it’s a little ruthless, but... c-could you just...” Trying to get the words “kill them?” out is difficult; even for someone like that, to purposefully kill anyone, let alone an Angel...
Luckily, Mr Fisher seems to understand. “If you’re referring to killing the betrayer, that’s unlikely to work either. My Inquisitors could likely do so, but only if pushed into a battle. If the betrayer simply surrenders, we wouldn’t be able to attack. And even if a fight does break out and they are killed, they’re an Angel. They have a Second Chance. Only if they then attempt to fight again could we potentially finish the job, as it were. Too unlikely to work, even if everything goes well.”
“...” Secretly, you’re a little relieved. Angels fighting Angels shouldn’t happen (at least, not outside of training). Not since Erejil. “So... if that won’t work, and arresting them won’t either, and we can’t just leave them like this...?”
“You see the problem. There are of course other ways, such as poisoning, ambushes, traps, or sabotage in the wastes, but we aren’t assassins. There are limits to how far our methods can - or should - go. At the end of the day, it seems likely that the betrayer will have time to say what they intend to say after their arrest. I can’t see another plausible path.”
“... So it’s hopeless?”
“Erm... It, er, we... did a lot of reading. A-about tournaments and that sort of thing, and... I figured that, to handle all the spells at once during the last attack would have needed-” You quickly count them up again. “-er, four different spells at the same time. For the disguise, the illusion of the other Angel, causing the rock to fall, and f-flying away. And the number of transmutation d-domains they must know to do all that and the other attacks...” You’re getting really nervous with how intense his gaze is getting; it’s getting hard not to just trail off. “... there’s... never been any non-Archangel who’s been recorded d-doing all that.”
“You may have missed your Calling,” Mr Fisher says flatly. “You could have been a detective. Or an Inquisitor.”
“T-thanks?”
“...” He seems to be evaluating you. “What will you do?”
“Er, pardon me?”
“When you find the betrayer. Whether they are in your final two or not, clearly you don’t intend to stop until you figure it out. What will you do then?”
“Er, help you arrest them?”
“We’ve just discussed why that won’t work. No, Jessamine, if you want my help, tell me what you will do.”
- Learn about them. Figure out how to stop them in a better way.
- Talk to them, discreetly. Figure out why they’re doing this and indirectly convince them to stop.
️ - Talk to them, directly. Convince them to stop.
- “...”
- You can’t tell him, because he would stop you.
- You don’t know. You never thought you’d get this far.
❓ - Or something else? [Specify in #story_discussion.]
(Winner: )
- Learn about them. Figure out how to stop them in a better way.
- Talk to them, discreetly. Figure out why they’re doing this and indirectly convince them to stop.
️ - Talk to them, directly. Convince them to stop.
- “...”
- You can’t tell him, because he would stop you.
- You don’t know. You never thought you’d get this far.
❓ - Or something else? [Specify in #story_discussion.]
(Winner: ) 3 1 1 1 2 5 1@Story Notifications
Scene 137
Unfortunately, you don’t have much of a plan to share. The original idea had always been to just find the betrayer and then everything would be fine. After all, what they’re doing is terrible and illegal; they would be arrested and that would be that. But, when you really think about it, this problem had been there from the start. If the betrayer is targeting Naoriel because they know her secret, then if anything happens, they can always just reveal it. In fact, the only reason she’s still here right now is that the betrayer simply hasn’t done so yet.
You feel so helpless. “I... don’t know. There’s no good option.”
“I see.” You think he sounds disappointed, though his expression hasn’t changed. “Then please, just stay out of this. Let me handle it.”
“...” He doesn’t have much of a plan either; he admitted that just a minute ago. But, if you don’t have any better ideas... “Okay...”
“Good. Then, is there anything else?”
There isn’t. You’re ushered out of his office; one of the Inquisitors standing outside enters as you leave. Presumably to hear the prime’s account of what you discussed, though obviously he’ll be redacting some details. You assume.
So, back to Naoriel.
But as you walk, you start to wonder. Mr Fisher is the head of Inquisition. He’s experienced with interrogations and he leads probably the most powerful group within the Cathedra. Would a man like that really have accidentally let slip the betrayer’s gender? Or did he do it on purpose? Was it a lie, just to mislead you? Is the betrayer actually a man, like their disguises have been? Or was it the truth, and he was giving you real information for some reason? Why?
“Er-” You think back to all that time working with Erich and Yara. “Yes. Unless they’re distracted and I’m very sneaky. And even then it’s no sure thing; maybe it would be better to have an excuse? But if they know I’m in their Mind, they can definitely suppress their thoughts or just kick me out...”
“You said distracted? What about...”
You spend a lot of time talking about this. An hour at least, plus several more over the next few days. Not just the plan to Mind-read these Archangels, but also to find someone trustworthy who can do Mind transmutation magic, or for you to somehow learn it yourself. You haven’t explicitly agreed to do any of this yet, of course, but the longer the planning goes on, the more you feel like you have implicitly. And that makes you extremely nervous, because if you get caught trying to sneak into an Archangel’s head...
Maybe you should just back out. An Inquisitor could definitely do the memory manipulation, if they wanted, but... you don’t know if Mr Fisher would agree to do that. Or if the Inquisitor would. “There are limits to how far our methods should go,” he said. Or something like that. Would editing the Mind of an Archangel be too far? You feel like it probably is, even as you contemplate doing exactly that yourself. What a hypocritical sinner you are. Or at least a sinner-to-be.
But what other option is there?
- Don’t do it. It’s too risky, or too unethical, or too something.
- Mind-read Aveline first.
❓ - Mind-read Kamiya first.
⏱️ - Don’t do anything... yet. Keep training your Mind magic. Wait for an opportunity. Or something like that. [Hopefully there isn’t another attack while you’re waiting...]
(Winner: ⏱️ )
- Don’t do it. It’s too risky, or too unethical, or too something.
- Mind-read Aveline first.
❓ - Mind-read Kamiya first.
⏱️ - Don’t do anything... yet. Keep training your Mind magic. Wait for an opportunity. Or something like that. [Hopefully there isn’t another attack while you’re waiting...]
(Winner: ⏱️ ) 1 2 1 4@Story Notifications
Scene 138
Well, every plan always has at least one alternative, and that’s procrastination. As days and then weeks go by, you get less confident and more worried as additional details come up. You continue to work with Noll on how to detect meddlers in your Mind - both for actual reasons and to find out how to hide if you yourself are the meddler - and are concerned that it really does seem easy unless you’re up against a true master of subtlety.
When you’re reading someone else’s Mind, your Soul (attuned to Mind) is touching it. That’s how magic works, of course. That’s fine if you’re trying to hide from ordinary humans, because they usually can’t sense Souls at all, but for an Angel to miss such a direct touch would be implausible. This concept is one of the main reasons why everyone’s so sure you weren’t possessed by a lost Soul that one time, and why you think the Mind manipulation then was due to corruption exposure instead.
If the Angel isn’t attuned to Soul or Mind, it’s harder for them to notice - especially with your Soul in the Mind aspect instead of its native one - but it’s still pretty obvious as your thoughts inevitably mix to some small degree with the ones you’re trying to read. This isn’t usually an issue if you’re doing this consensually, as you can filter out your own thoughts near-unconsciously after some practice, but it’s a big problem for being sneaky.
But what you haven’t done before is live on your own. It’ll only be for a few weeks, but you won’t be living at the Cathedra, your parents’ house, or in the constabulary (there’s nowhere to sleep there, unless you want to live in a jail cell). Instead, you’ll get a nearby apartment and be expected to basically just take care of yourself before reporting to work in the morning and after leaving at night. Which apparently means there’s absolutely nothing to stop you from going out into the city during the evenings aside from being told not to unless you’re disguised. Which is fine; you can do that.
What you’d do in the city at night is another matter; maybe you should just stay in the apartment. You’re certainly fairly capable and far stronger than you look, but the idea of getting into trouble and having to fight someone or reveal your Angelic appearance sounds like a very bad one. It would probably be fine. The streets are pretty safe. Mostly, likely. There’s always the risk.
Still, it’s something you’ve never had the chance to do before, and probably won’t have the chance again until you graduate. How daring are you feeling?
- Yes, very. Go out at night; see some things!
- Nope, not very much at all. Stay in at night; be safe.
(Winner: )
- Yes, very. Go out at night; see some things!
- Nope, not very much at all. Stay in at night; be safe.
(Winner: ) 6 1@Story Notifications
Scene 139
Pretty daring, as it turns out. You’ve grown a lot over the past two-and-a-bit years.
Time moves quickly and before long it’s the first day of the practical. You’re taken directly to the constabulary while some porter or monk or whatever takes your stuff to the apartment. And then, you spend the day learning about the wonders of paperwork. It seems the constables are almost married to the stuff; everything needs a report or a form or at least a memo.
Your first task is correlation. You’re given a stack of incident reports and a mentor constable experienced in this sort of thing, then asked to find patterns. Are these incidents actually related? If so, how? The same perpetrator? Locations? Victims? Is the corruption involved? How much effort should we put into investigating? What additional data would be helpful, if you can’t decide based on what you currently have? That sort of thing.
It’s not boring work - at least, not in your opinion - you find yourself getting pretty absorbed in maps and charts and lists upon lists upon lists. In the latter half of the day, you draw a few conclusions and point out a few estimates for where might be good locations to survey for more information, and that’s that. Someone, presumably, will be dispatched to investigate your hunches. Maybe even you! But not today.
You didn’t really talk to many constables outside of the captain and the mentor he assigned you, but your location near the middle of the open office led to you overhearing a lot of conversations. There’s a lot more going on every day than you thought, and so many more incidents than Angels hear about. Most of it is mundane, everyday stuff like parking violations, event planning, disorder complaints, and the like, but not all. Constables are really busy. It’s no wonder the precinct offices are so huge; with all the stuff that happens in the district every day, it’s more of a wonder why they aren’t huge-r!
Okay, ready to - wait. Your hair is too smooth and, well, too pretty to match the plain dress. You ruffle it up a bit, noting as you do so that it’s gotten pretty long. You used to keep it trimmed a little past your shoulder blades, but since becoming an Angel you just haven’t cut it; it’s down to the small of your back by now. Your perfect Body means it simply hasn’t tangled, or split, or generally been a nuisance, which would be your usual cue to get the scissors out. Hmmm, it’s going to be tough to mess it up enough to look right. Maybe you should just get a hat? Can you even fit all of it under one?
You’re probably overthinking this. You could just be a normal girl with a really good hair care routine. Perfect; okay, ready to go!
But... go where?
- Somewhere big!
- Somewhere small!
❔ - Somewhere random!
- Somewhere in another district!
(Winner: )
- Somewhere big!
- Somewhere small!
❔ - Somewhere random!
- Somewhere in another district!
(Winner: ) 1 4
2 1@Story Notifications
Scene 140
Well, you’ll find out after looking around a bit. You leave through a different entrance, wrap around the building since you’re kind of curious if any of the crowd from earlier is still there (the toothless guy is, but no one else), and then stride confidently off under the railroad tracks. You figure there’s probably more shops near stations, and though you could ride the train to the next one, you figure you’ll take the opportunity to look for smaller places along the way. Plus, the tracks have plentiful streetlights on their undersides, so it’s not really very dark at all down here. It would probably feel pretty dim during the day, but at night it’s certainly brighter than on many nearby roads.
The area is pretty lively at this point in the evening, busy with workers just finishing their shift or just arriving to take over for someone in the former category. You seem to blend in well. Though there aren’t many girls your age around, there are a number of older teenagers and up - presumably employed somewhere around here, since you haven’t seen a school nearby. If you act just a little older and a little tireder than you actually are (really would be nice if that disguise alteration had worked), you fit right in.
You don’t really know where to go, so you cheat a little. Using your heightened hearing, you listen in on groups of workers discussing dinner plans until you overhear somewhere that sounds good, then casually change your path to follow them. There’s still enough people around that you can get away with this without looking weird, and before too long your unwitting guides lead you into a small restaurant built between two of the heavy pillars holding up the railway. You wonder how loud it is when a train goes by. After a moment’s consideration, you figure you’re going to find out pretty soon.
...
A few tables back, nearly at the limit of your hearing in such a crowded environment, there’s a pair of quiet teen girls, probably only a few years older than you. It’s tough to catch much of their conversation, since they’re not yelling and the loud men are, but you think it’s about working at a mill. And they seem... worried? You briefly wonder what they’re doing here all on their own, but figure that would make you a hypocrite for doing the same thing.
A man smelling faintly of coal smoke and wearing clothes stained with the stuff sits with three fellows, muttering darkly about an incident on the river today. His friends seem sympathetic, but you can tell from your Body attunement that he’s not just distressed. He was injured today - badly, you think - though his heavy coat hides it.
You’re curious and still have plenty of your (non-alcoholic) drink left as an excuse to linger, but you can only listen to one conversation in detail at a time. Whose?
- The men complaining about the constables.
- The girls worrying about work.
- The man muttering about the river.
(Winner: )
- The men complaining about the constables.
- The girls worrying about work.
- The man muttering about the river.
(Winner: ) 1
4 3@Story Notifications
Scene 141
Maybe it’s just their age or that they remind you a little bit of yourself, but you find yourself most curious about the girls’ conversation. Still, it’s tricky to hear much from all the way over here and it’s not like you can just move to a different seat; it’s far too busy for that. So you just do your best to make out their quiet voices through the general din and piece together what they’re saying.
The one on the left - with the straight but choppy black hair and very pale skin - is Mila; you learn that as the other one says her name to get her attention. Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen the other way around, so you have to keep calling the other one “the other one” or something like that. Maybe you’ll call her “freckles” for now, but that kind of sounds mean actually so maybe you won’t. C’mon, just say her name! you urge Mila, but she doesn’t. Oh well.
“... just worried about being transferred,” Mila is saying. “I don’t think you saw, but he was walking through our floor, looking at everyone and making notes. Maybe on who to move next?”
You miss some portion of the response because the not-gloved-anymore men suddenly laugh about something. When you can hear them again, “... so bad if you really did get transferred? Can’t be much worse than this.”
“It is! It pays a little more, but it’s so far away I’d have to pay for a train... or move.”
The other girl nods empathetically. “I get it. I can’t move either. And I bet that extra pay’d just go right into the train fare.”
“... Yeah. So it’d be harder work for less pay and I’d have less time at home... I don’t know how I could keep up, really.”
A brief period of quiet. You’re briefly distracted by a waiter coming by to ask you something about your drink, and by the time you deal with that, you’ve missed another sentence or two. “... what they’re looking for? Like, can we act different to stay put?”
Mila looks down; she’s clearly more worried about this than her friend. Her next sentence is slow and even quieter than the rest; you have to really strain to catch it. “H-have you... noticed anything different about the managers since this has been going on?”
“Yeah, they’re being all strict since there’s not as many people here. Like, you caused that problem; you fix it, right?”
“That’s not... er, yeah.”
The other girl nods, seemingly disregarding or not noticing the hesitation. “Too right. Anyway, if you wanna quit and try somewhere else, let me know. Don’t want you runnin’ off without me.”
You miss whatever Mila’s response might be as the waiter returns one final time and you have to leave. Well, you could maybe stay, but it sure would be rude. So you get up, clean up, and prepare to leave.
... What are you going to do about those two, if anything?
- Nothing. Doesn’t sound like a constable or an Angel problem; nothing you can do.
️ - Talk to them. [What do you want to say? Specify in #story_discussion.]
️ - Follow them a little; see if you can get some more details or locations. Check for Soul signatures; that sort of thing.
️ - Make a note and see if anything related has come up recently at the constabulary.
(Winner: ️ )
- Nothing. Doesn’t sound like a constable or an Angel problem; nothing you can do.
️ - Talk to them. [What do you want to say? Specify in #story_discussion.]
️ - Follow them a little; see if you can get some more details or locations. Check for Soul signatures; that sort of thing.
️ - Make a note and see if anything related has come up recently at the constabulary.
(Winner: ️ ) 1 1 2 5@Story Notifications
Scene 142
Well, not much for tonight. But you’ll keep an eye out. It’s unclear if there is actually anything in this situation you can do anything about - from a constable or Angel’s perspective - but you’ve been kind of on high alert for weird things after catching those lost Souls in the sixth district. Transferring people to a mystery warehousing job, never to be heard from again, definitely seems like it qualifies as “weird.” But it might just be a normal kind of weird, not corruption or illegal. You’ll have to find out. Later.
So you head back to the apartment without incident, take another bath because what else are you going to do with a hot tub in your room, and eventually go to bed. You’re feeling pretty calm today, so it catches you completely off-guard when you wake up sprawled across the floor of some dark, wooden room, utterly certain that you’re dreaming.
Uneasy, but not as panicked as if you thought this was real, you slowly stand up and look around. The floor is some sort of oddly smooth, oddly uniform stone covered in grit and dust, while the walls are ragged, splintery planks of deep, dark wood. There’s a door and a window, so you look out the window first.
Barren, snowy wastes as far as the eye can see. It’s clearly night, but there’s no mist. Stars shine brilliantly overhead, reflecting off a thick carpet of snow that drowns any details of the landscape. Shadows of taller spire-like structures indicate that the building you’re in is more than just this room and that there’s a brighter light source behind or above you (the moon?).
Even though you can, you’re afraid to move. Like if you do, the thing is going to pounce. Despite your newfound confidence, you’re still trembling. Somehow, it just seems right that the shade would appear here. Why wouldn’t it? It haunts your dreams somewhat regularly, especially when they don’t make sense. Why wouldn’t it show up here, just to surely do something horrible like try (or succeed!) to kill you again! Why not?!
“...”
What... is it going to do, actually? It’s just standing there. Its form slowly shifts, though the contours themselves never change. Menacing, despite its stillness. Or perhaps because of its stillness.
Slowly, the shade unfolds one arm. You take a half-step back, ready to react if it does anything aggressive, and it notes that movement with a fleeting glance. But all it does. Is take the arm. And very slowly.
Point behind you.
- Look behind you.
- No! How dumb does it think you are?
[And, if you have the chance...]
- Attack the shade.
- Escape the shade.
- Talk to the shade. [What will you say?]
(Winners: , )
- Look behind you.
- No! How dumb does it think you are?
[And, if you have the chance...]
- Attack the shade.
- Escape the shade.
- Talk to the shade. [What will you say?]
(Winners: , ) 6 1 1 1 6@Story Notifications
Scene 143
Hesitantly, you look behind you. What else is there to do?
There’s nothing there. Well, there’s plenty there, but nothing has changed. Still just a tangled mess of mechanical debris and ruined machines. Suddenly concerned that you’ve fallen for the oldest trick in the book, you quickly turn back to the shade, but it hasn’t moved either.
“...” What does it...? You pause. Shades can speak, if they want to. Maybe you can simply ask instead of wondering silently in your head. “W-What do you want to show me?”
The shade does not speak, but it does respond. Its silver eyes shift down slightly, and it takes a step on the pile. You match it, retreating another step, but it doesn’t come after you. Instead, it very conspicuously picks up a damaged mechanical lamp from the mess, holds it up for you to see, and then crushes the bulb in one shadowy hand. Glass shards and powder scatter to the floor. And then it points again; not behind you, but at you.
Is that a threat? Is it saying that I’m like the bulb? Does it want to crush me? But... but it could have just attacked if it wanted to do that, not... whatever this is.
The shade points behind you again. Something occurs to you. “Do... do you want me to turn off my light?”
The shade lowers its arm. It’s still looking at you.
“...” You swallow nervously. You can only interpret that as a “yes,” but to disable your glow and leave yourself completely blind in total darkness, with this creature standing right there... You shiver, imagining your brutal death at its hands.
But this is a dream. It’s not real. Even if it feels real...
You suppress your glow before you can change your Mind. The light vanishes quickly, as if grateful to return to the total darkness that is natural to this place. And then, because you don’t know what else to do, you look behind you again.
The tube itself does not assist in your decision. It makes no sound, movement, or anything else. You almost complain at it; willing it to protest its innocence or prove its villainy. The shade shifts on its pile of rubble, descending a step or two towards you. It doesn’t seem to be willing to wait forever.
W-what if...
“H-hold on,” you stammer, backing away as if to ward it off. Almost surprisingly, the shade stops. “I... I haven’t decided yet. If...” A deep breath; you feel incredibly nervous. Caught between two mysterious forces of unknown danger. “... If I don’t take it out... are you g-going to...” Breathe. No need to panic. You can’t decide how to finish that sentence. “Attack?” “Leave?” “Remove it yourself?”
The shade nods. You don’t know what you said, if anything. Finally, something moves in the tube. A tiny - miniscule, even - thread of silver liquid winds its way out of your Body and up into the ceiling. A larger streak of deep red blood accompanies it. You shudder, almost lightheaded even though you didn’t feel a thing. Silver. The color of magic. Of your Soul’s light. Of this shade’s eyes. What is it doing to you?
[This is a critical point. One character’s fate will be altered.]
- Pull out the tube. You have to know.
- Leave the tube in. It’s too risky.
(Winner: )
- Pull out the tube. You have to know.
- Leave the tube in. It’s too risky.
(Winner: ) 4 2@Story Notifications
Scene 144
Moments slip by as you hesitate. Neither option seems appealing. But somehow, this external threat - the one you know, at least to some degree - almost seems preferable to the internal threat. The one you don’t. The tube is taking something from you. Something silver. Something precious? Important?
You find yourself breathing quickly as you grasp the tube with both hands. Shaking, just a little. It’s flexible enough that you can compress it slightly with your grip. The shade only watches, nothing but a pair of silver eyes in the dark. Your heartbeat is loud in your ears. This - what if you’re wrong? What if you’re about to do something irreversible? What if-
You’ve always hated hospitals. Ever since your sickness. Doctors, needles, implements. And tubes much like this one.
You’re breathing too fast. Your heart is beating too fast. You’re thinking too fast.
You tear out the tube.
There’s a ghastly sound as the thing separates from your flesh. Wet, slimy splatterings as the clear fluid it had contained splashes onto the floor. You collapse to the ground, overwhelmed with pain. Movement is impossible; it feels like the sun is embedded in your back. You would scream, if you could.
The shade approaches. Kneels beside your head. Slips a fuzzy, shadowy hand under your chin and lifts it so you have no choice but to look into its eyes. Its form is blurry through the tears.
“Well done,” it rasps. It has no mouth, but the outline of its head vibrates with its voice: that of a scratchy, whispering elder. “Your strings are cut. You are His puppet no longer.”
It feels like you’re falling. Its words bounce around in your head, unable to find purchase through the haze of agony. But something sticks. The way it pronounced “His.” Emphasized. Capitalized. Divine.
You feel like you’ve made a horrible mistake.
“It will return.”
You wake up instantly, transitioning in an eyeblink from the dark, broken-down factory to the light, opulent apartment. There’s too much to think about. Too much you have to consider and remember and maybe even tell, but you just need to understand it first. And there’s no time to do that now; you’ve only got a few minutes to get ready before you have to meet your escort to the constabulary.
But before any of that...
You run to the bathroom and turn around so your back is facing the mirror. Grip the hem of your nightclothes anxiously. And quickly get it over with, pulling it up so you can inspect the-
Not there.
You breathe out in relief, running your fingers over smooth skin just to be sure. Of course it’s not there. Nothing in a dream has ever affected your physical Body. Just... this one felt... different, somehow.
Whatever; you have to get ready! You cheat a little with magic, both to speed things up and to make sure you still have the ability in the waking world too. Everything’s fine. You feel perfectly healthy and normal. No aches in your lower back, no strange chills, and certainly no mysterious symbols traced into your skin.
In fact, you kind of feel a little better than normal. You can’t quite pinpoint it, but there’s just something a little stronger about you today. A little calmer. A little more in control, perhaps?
You hurry downstairs to meet the constables.
- You’re very distracted today, thinking about everything.
- You’re on the ball today. Everything just clicks into place.
(Winner: )
- You’re very distracted today, thinking about everything.
- You’re on the ball today. Everything just clicks into place.
(Winner: ) 1 5@Story Notifications
Scene 145
That sensation of control persists throughout the work day. You spend some time on more paperwork, some time learning about the constables’ new rifles (so you can better coordinate with them and soldiers in dangerous situations, not so you can use one yourself), and some time following up on various leads from yesterday. Some of your inferences have borne fruit and you have more data to sift through, but that’s not what you’re most interested in. You’re looking for details on what those girls were worried about.
And, delightfully, you find something.
Honestly, given how little information you have, you didn’t really expect any results. But it turns out one of the few female constables at the station happens to have a friend who works at the same mill and knows Mila. It’s a real coincidence and she’s just as surprised as you are when the two of you connect the dots. But that helps get you names, locations, details, and even the other girl’s name so you can stop calling her “the other one.” It’s Kate, by the way.
Anyway, it’s not like the constables track every person all the time, so you don’t know if any of the people transferred to the warehouse job are actually missing or if they just didn’t keep in touch. In fact, you won’t even get a list of who was transferred unless you can convince one of the mill’s managers to give you one. But that should be no problem for a constable. Or at least, no problem for a constable who is also an Angel.
You run out of time in the day before you’re able to dig up anything else. Still, it’s a lot of progress. You’ll follow up later. At the end of your shift, you change into the normal clothes you intelligently brought to the station today and can skip the escort back to your apartment. Then it’s off to find somewhere else to eat, some more rumors to listen to (though they don’t lead anywhere today), and finally back to bed to think about everything the shade said.
What if a fallen Angel could simply live... normally? Sure, they would be corrupted, but what is the corruption associated with such a fall, actually? If it doesn’t destroy your Body, Mind, or Soul - like it would an ordinary human - what does it do? Are you turned into a monstrous version of yourself? Clearly not, as fallen Angels often go undetected for a while. Are you made subservient to the corruption? Maybe, but you’re not convinced. The stories always make it seem like the fallen Angel chooses to commit horrible acts, not that they’re being forced into it by some sort of Mind control.
Would a fallen Angel Naoriel be - somehow - healthier than a half-Angel Naoriel?
You don’t know. And you would bet anything that you won’t get a straight answer from the shade if you ask it.
God, and you haven’t even thought about yourself yet. The tube; your mysterious sense of confidence that still hasn’t quite faded. You’ve just been too distracted wondering about Naoriel to wonder if you’re going to be immediately arrested and executed after returning to campus. Are you corrupted? It doesn’t feel like it, but would you even be able to tell? Is your connection to God still okay? You can still glow and cast magic and such, but again: are you able to tell for sure? The Emissary can see all kinds of things in Souls that even top Angels can’t, but you’d be kind of super mega nervous to tell him about any of this. “Oh, yeah, I talked to a shade” all casual-like. And then you get turned to ash by his Lordstone powers.
You’re rambling now and you know it. There won’t be any true answers found just by thinking very hard. You’ll have to figure out what to do without knowing all the facts. But that’s nothing new.
- Go get the warehouse list as an Angel.
- Go get the warehouse list as a constable.
- Go get the warehouse list with a group of constables.
(Winner: )
- Go get the warehouse list as an Angel.
- Go get the warehouse list as a constable.
- Go get the warehouse list with a group of constables.
(Winner: ) 1 3 2@Story Notifications
Scene 146
You don’t dream that night, or the next, or the two after that. Another day of preparation passes, then two more. You need a lot of paperwork to actually go out and do anything, so you’re stuck in limbo and other work as approvals work their way through various levels of bureaucracy. But finally, enough people with enough authority have agreed to let you go to the mill and do some proper investigating. Remila, the constable from earlier who has a friend there, accompanies you as your partner, and you manage to decline the offer of a larger group. You want to do this as normally as you can, and a squad of twenty constables coming along to look after you would be... not that. Plus, it’d be kind of embarrassing. You can look after yourself.
So off you go in your official constable uniform, not dressed as an Angel today. It’s a little big for you (they don’t tend to have many constables your size) but with a bit of disguise magic you can make the outfit seem more presentable. It’s a little unclear how exactly this doesn’t count as transmutation either (disguise magic is just weird, okay?) but apparently you’re “adding” tidiness or “removing” wrinkles? At least it works as long as you think about it that way. Close enough.
After a brief train journey (during which you get several strange looks, hopefully just due to your apparent age), you arrive near the mill in question. As with many factories in this part of the city, it’s a large brick building with a few large chimneys for the on-site steam plant that powers the machinery. Narrow, grimy windows don’t really afford any view of the interior, even as you get up close. It feels like a place of... not despair, exactly, but certainly not happiness. You consider switching to Soul to get a better sense of any corruption nearby, but decide the hassle of redoing your disguise would be too much. You would have noticed anything egregious as-is anyway. You’ll take a Soul-look later.
The nervous thug shifts away again. “Sorry.”
You feel horrible. Not physically - you’re just a little dizzy and sore; otherwise fine. But the anticipatory fear of wherever these men are taking you mixes with a paradoxical guilt that you should have seen this coming and stopped it. The carriage stinks of corruption, even without being attuned to Soul. If you had just taken the time to look earlier instead of worrying about your disguise...!
The sense of control from your meeting with the shade has gone entirely now.
What do you do?
[You are in serious danger for the next several scenes. If the old “potentially deadly” system were still in play, each scene would be so marked. Be careful.]
- Stay quiet and still. Don’t give them any reason to do anything. Listen. Sense. Gather information.
- Use Mind magic. The nervous thug seems easily manipulated. Maybe you can make him do something...? [Describe any specifics in #story_discussion.]
- Use physical or Body magic. Try to break out and escape. [Describe any specifics in #story_discussion.]
- Kill the men with magic. Then take your time to escape. You can... k-kill someone, right? [Describe any specifics in #story_discussion.]
(Winner: > )
- Stay quiet and still. Don’t give them any reason to do anything. Listen. Sense. Gather information.
- Use Mind magic. The nervous thug seems easily manipulated. Maybe you can make him do something...? [Describe any specifics in #story_discussion.]
- Use physical or Body magic. Try to break out and escape. [Describe any specifics in #story_discussion.]
- Kill the men with magic. Then take your time to escape. You can... k-kill someone, right? [Describe any specifics in #story_discussion.]
(Winner: > ) 3 4 1 1@Story Notifications
Scene 147
Your immediate thought is to try to escape. You can use magic; you’re super strong; surely you have some way to get out of here. But as you think about it, holding as still as you can and trying to slow your breathing, there’s actually not a lot you can do physically with the chains on your limbs. Sure, if they weren’t there you could take off the blindfold and break out of whatever vehicle this is, then run away before they could catch up. Easy. But... you don’t know any spells that can help you with solid metal. You’ve been focusing on Mind, not Body.
But... you’ve been focusing on Mind.
Still trying to stay quiet so the nervous thug won’t do anything stupid, like knock you out again, you try to calm yourself down enough to focus on Mind. It’s very hard work in this situation and you still don’t seem to have the ability to instantly switch. Is it because Naoriel isn’t here? Are you still not in enough danger? Or... have you lost it somehow?
You try and fail to distract yourself with those thoughts; every shuffle or cough from the thug nearby feels like the approach of another horrible-smelling cloth. But eventually, after minutes of trying to stay calm, you finally switch aspects and hold a tenuous grip on Mind. It’ll have to do.
You... you did it. You planted the idea in his head that he had already drugged you, before he actually did it. He honestly thinks he just knocked you out, even though you’re only pretending! You - you desperately try to steady your breathing, as if you’re really sleeping. Thankfully, it takes him long enough to get rid of the rag that you can mostly calm down before he returns, and you even have enough time to bring the sense-sharing spell back up, this time being careful to activate it when the driver says something so the thug won’t feel tempted to mention the twinge behind his eyes.
They’ve brought the carriage into the nondescript garage you noticed earlier and the driver has gotten out to close the door. “Okay, unhook the chains and get ready to carry her. Move quick, before she wakes up again.”
They’re going to take the chains off! W-what do you do?!
[For all options, specify any details in #story_discussion.]
- Mind: convince the thug to help you in some way. Directly or indirectly; doesn’t matter. Use the opening to get away.
- Mind: disorient them. Confuse them. Use the opening to get away.
- Body: break out. They’re distracted and in an awkward space. Use the opening to get away.
- Do something loud and obnoxious; something that will get attention from the outside.
(Winner: )
- Mind: convince the thug to help you in some way. Directly or indirectly; doesn’t matter. Use the opening to get away.
- Mind: disorient them. Confuse them. Use the opening to get away.
- Body: break out. They’re distracted and in an awkward space. Use the opening to get away.
- Do something loud and obnoxious; something that will get attention from the outside.
(Winner: ) 1 5 1 1@Story Notifications
Scene 148
Switching aspects to Body is tempting, as that would make you stronger and faster, but you’re already on Mind and need to maintain the spell so you can see what’s going on. So... a slightly different plan. You don’t need Body magic to temporarily disable two ordinary humans. At least, as long as you can time and target everything properly.
Right away, your plan hits a snag. The thug starts working on your chains, but the driver leaves his field of view. You hear a door opening and some conversation. There are more people here beyond just these two! O-obviously, now that you think about it. They have to be delivering you to someone. But that makes your plan even more precarious; how many people can you safely disable at once? You’ve done up to two in practice, but even that is somewhat straining and it’s not something you get much training in. As, of course, most darkness creatures don’t have Minds and it’s rare that an Angel needs to subdue humans. The spell does work on shades (at least theoretically) but you’re not anywhere near experienced enough to be working on that sort of magic.
Your arms are now free, but the thug pauses to tie your wrists together with a length of rope before moving on to your legs. Another problem; your confidence (never high to begin with) lowers again. You could maybe break it with Body magic, but - you stealthily pull against it when the thug isn’t looking - it’s certainly too strong for you to break with just your normal strength. You don’t need your arms to run away, but they would certainly help!
You’re strong. You’re tough. But you aren’t invincible. By the end of it, you can hardly move but to sob into the gag. Everything hurts. And finally, someone brings over a different horrible-smelling rag and everything goes black.
...
You wake up some time later. Your head spins and your Body aches. Dried blood flakes from your nose and mouth. You are utterly miserable.
The blindfold, gag, and rope have all been removed; you’re free to move around normally. But you won’t be able to get far. You’re locked in a small room mostly made of damp, dull, weathered stone bricks. One wall seems more recent than the rest; the bricks are cleaner and have less lichen growing. And the wall opposite that is made of stout metal bars, like a jail cell. You can look through the bars into a massive, dark chamber. Flowing water splashes down from many openings in the walls into a central pool only a few feet beneath your level. Other cells line the walls of the chamber, and some of them even have people inside. Though with all the noise from the water, you won’t be able to talk to anyone.
Despondent, you tug at one of the bars, but it predictably fails to budge. Push on some of the walls; no movement there either. You’re stuck. Alongside who knows how many others. The entire place just shivers with corruption, too.
What a failure of an Angel you are.
- Continue being Jessamine.
- Be Yara. Briefly. [Requires unanimous agreement. May not happen even if selected, or may take the form of a story or flashback later. This is more to gauge if there is any interest in a non-Jessamine perspective in this story than a binding choice.]
(Winner: )
- Continue being Jessamine.
- Be Yara. Briefly. [Requires unanimous agreement. May not happen even if selected, or may take the form of a story or flashback later. This is more to gauge if there is any interest in a non-Jessamine perspective in this story than a binding choice.]
(Winner: ) 1 5@Story Notifications
Scene 149
Elsewhere...
“Yara. Over here.”
Your name is Yara Conner, aspiring Soul channeler and full Angel of the Cathedra, and you stride quickly across the bustling room. Clerks and dispatchers cross your path, but everyone is attentive enough to avoid a collision. The air strains under heavy tension; something serious has gone wrong this time.
“Afternoon, captain.” You greet Stella casually, despite the situation. That’s just how you are, and she knows that well. You’ve been working together since you graduated. “What horrible monster do you have for me today? And is it going to apologize for causing trouble while I’m supposed to be off duty?”
“Not sure and not a chance,” she responds. “I called you because if I didn’t, you’d rush after us the minute someone told you what was going on. This way; hurry.”
“Oh dear. What could that mean?” You arrange your gear as you hustle after Stella, following her towards the trains. The Center is crowded with an unusual number of other Angels and their attendants doing the same thing. “Hum. Don’t you dare tell me something went wrong with Jessamine’s practical.”
“Sorry. She’s gone missing.”
“What?! How?”
“Don’t know yet. This just happened and the constables are confused too. They aren’t saying much.”
“Oh, excellent; they were only responsible for her safety. Why would they know what happened?”
The gate guards hurriedly step aside for you and the train pulls away seconds after you board. Two more idle at the station, presumably waiting for more Angels yet to arrive.
“I’ve got the same questions. Someone’s gonna have to answer for this, but not till we find her and bring her back safe. Think you can help with that, even on your day off?”
No humor or sarcasm this time. You can only say “Yes.”
...
“Unless they crossed the river. Or went into the river.” Clarity hesitates, allowing a hint of anxiety to show on her face. “Yara, what if they took her into the wastelands? The wall is right there and the river’s even flowing the right way!”
The same thought has been bouncing worryingly through your Mind for a while. The fourteenth district is very close to Nucarreo’s outer wall and the chances of successfully finding Jessamine in the wastes are close to zero. But you can’t let that possibility paralyze you. “No one could leave without being spotted. Every section of the wall is constantly watched, and we even posted extra guards by the river exit after the last time something broke in. None of the watchmen have seen anything unusual today. She’s still here, somewhere.”
“...” She shakes her head, daring to smile briefly. “Yeah. You’re right. We’ll find her.”
“We will.”
- Return to being Jessamine.
- Keep being Yara. Just a little longer.
(Winner: )
- Return to being Jessamine.
- Keep being Yara. Just a little longer.
(Winner: ) 1 6@Story Notifications
Scene 150
But despite your optimistic words, an entire day passes without finding Jessamine. There are signs. People come forward with reports that match up with the carriage you’re tracking. The search is narrowed. You find a discarded rag with the same drug again. It seems increasingly clear that she was taken to the river, so you search there.
And you discover something strange. A number of people either living or working on the riverbank tell investigators about an odd feeling that came over them yesterday around midday. A sudden thought of the waste disposal plant. At least a dozen people mention the same thing; you and Stella swear it must have been some of Jessamine’s magic. So you go look there.
And find nothing. The disposal plant staff cooperate as best they can, but there’s no hint of anything nefarious in the building or around the docks below. Jez (who has apologized more than once that his nickname sounds so close to “Jess”) even makes a sacrifice and goes diving to see if there’s anything in the river itself. Nothing but wastewater being flushed out through the grates and into the wastes.
But on the morning of the third day, as you and Clarity are sweeping nearby buildings for anything that could possibly be useful, you find something. An unremarkable wooden garage whose owners could not be contacted for permission to search it. But unfortunately for them, you two (as Angels) don’t need permission. And there’s something about this garage that...
“Yara, do you feel that too? Mind,” she clarifies, letting you switch aspect.
“Hummm...” you murmur, sensing. “Very faint, but I swear that’s remnants of magic. Some sort of undirected blast that sank into the building too?”
“And who do we know with a penchant for Mind?”
“I’m going in,” you decide immediately. “Back me up.”
Zeke is chasing after two cloaked men to the right, one holding the broken halves of a spear - indicating what he cut. Clarity, meanwhile, is facing off against a trio of gnashing, howling wolf-like darkness creatures that have crashed out of another nearby offshoot.
You step into the tunnel, igniting an ember of flame in one hand and aiming a blast to help Clarity. Kamiya was quite clear in her orders before descending - outranking Stella, who would otherwise make this call. You are to rescue any Angel or human victims down here, if possible. Everything else - and everyone else - burns.
One of the men dies by Zeke’s starmetal sword, torso cleanly bisected by the peerlessly sharp blade. You are Angels. You swore an oath to protect the citizens of Nucarreo. Humans should never have to fear you. For Zeke, today seems to be an exception.
And if you don’t find Jessamine safe and sound, today just might be an exception for you as well.
⏪ - Be Jessamine, roughly a day and a half ago.
▶️ - Be Jessamine, now.
(Winner: ⏪ )
5
1@Story Notifications
Scene 151
Earlier...
“Jessamine...”
“Wha-?” A pause. You could have sworn someone just whispered your name, but no one’s here.
“...” You must be going crazy.
You’ve been trapped in this cell for hours now; on the surface, it’s probably well into evening or night. In that time, you’ve experimented further with attempting to break out, casting various forms of Body magic and trying to break the bars, lock, or one of the walls. No success with the bars or lock (the metal is beyond your strength), but you have managed to chip away portions of mortar from the rear wall. Flowing water is audible behind it as well as in front, so you’re fairly confident you aren’t just drilling into solid earth. Where it goes exactly, you of course have no idea, but with enough time, you might be able to make a large enough hole to find out.
Assuming you aren’t detected and stopped before then. But for some reason, no one has even come close to your cell. Maybe they’re scared of your Mind magic... or maybe they just haven’t decided what horrible torture to subject you to yet.
Other cells have had visitors. More of the cloaked men from before have approached, unlocked, and dragged the prisoner inside away to some unknown fate through a passage above you. You’ve tried to share senses or even just create a telepathic connection with anyone else in the room, but everyone is so far away and the heavy corruption makes it even harder.
That’s another problem. For some reason, you don’t seem quite as sensitive to this corruption as normal, even though you can tell that objectively, it’s quite strong. But it is still affecting you, adding even more stress on top of the already very stressful situation. The whole room watches hatefully.
“Carving a block into a beautiful puppet.” You blink; the shade is capable of considering something beautiful? “It will only make improvements. Now, grasp.”
“...” You... doubt you have a choice, if you don’t want to get turned into a shade or just plain killed. But... maybe you have a choice about how you provide the “aid” requested of you.
- Do everything wrong. Get in the shade’s way as much as you can, without being obvious.
- Don’t fight it, but don’t help it. Stay as neutral as possible; learn as much as you can about what it’s doing.
- Assist as best you can. If nothing else, a flawless procedure will probably hurt the patient less than a botched one.
(Winner: )
- Do everything wrong. Get in the shade’s way as much as you can, without being obvious.
- Don’t fight it, but don’t help it. Stay as neutral as possible; learn as much as you can about what it’s doing.
- Assist as best you can. If nothing else, a flawless procedure will probably hurt the patient less than a botched one.
(Winner: ) 1 6 1@Story Notifications
Scene 152
For a moment, the idea of sabotaging the procedure flashes through your Mind. You should, probably. Whatever the shade is doing to this poor person has to be worse than anything you could do by screwing it up. But... somehow you question that. Shades aren’t Mindless; they can reason with you. It promised to only make improvements (though you may disagree on what an “improvement” is). Besides, you’ll likely die if you don’t cooperate.
You grasp the metal rods.
They’re cold. So, so cold. Warmth flows from your hands, and arms, and chest, into the metal, heating it far more quickly than simple conduction could. You stagger, feeling like your Soul is being sucked in, but find yourself unable to let go. Your vision sways, pulled towards the aspect in question, and you don’t resist. Seconds tick by as the flow of power slows and you attune to Soul, now able to confirm that your sensation was correct. Rivers of light creep through your veins towards the tiny capillaries on your palms and fingertips. Your Soul is still anchored firmly to your Body, but a large portion of it has been pulled away. Borrowed. Siphoned into the wires. Into this person. Into the shade...?
You feel empty inside.
“Hold,” the shade commands. Grimly, you hang on. The net outflow of Soul has almost entirely stopped by now, portions of yourself leaving matched by portions returning. A closed system. Dazedly, you think about your dad explaining how cooling loops work. Your own Body is the radiator. Heh heh. But backwards. Wow, you can really see more clearly than even you’re used to.
Corrupted humans that retain all three aspects are driven mad. They become capable of casting powerful magic as their Souls are tempered by the corruption. Angels must dispatch them lest they destroy the city.
But Angels who fall to the corruption do not change, or so you’ve been told. They retain their aspects; their power; their identity. Their responsibility for their actions. They retain their divine connection, at least until it is severed by the Cathedra.
So shades... to create more of themselves with not only Mind, but Soul as well... you... you swear you had a point with this. But somehow, as you grapple with the seemingly very important thoughts, nothing seems to form into a coherent conclusion. Something about a shade’s seeming humanity, even without a Soul, despite the Soul being the very thing that makes humans... human. But it just fails to materialize and you leave yourself confused.
The shade is still cleaning its tools and seems to have no further instructions for you. Maybe you can still learn something.
[Vote for as many as you want. Conversation options will be prioritized by votes.]
- “Why are you being so (relatively) nice to me?”
- “Why do you fight Angels and kill people?”
- “Why do you look like a human?”
- “What do you plan on doing with me after this?”
- “Do you care about the person whose Soul we just damaged?”
️ - “What is a spawning pool?”
- “What will you do if you win?”
- “What is this symbol I had on my back?”
- “Who or what is God?”
❓ - [Or write-in a topic in #story_discussion .]
(Winners: > = = > ... )
- “Why are you being so (relatively) nice to me?”
- “Why do you fight Angels and kill people?”
- “Why do you look like a human?”
- “What do you plan on doing with me after this?”
- “Do you care about the person whose Soul we just damaged?”
️ - “What is a spawning pool?”
- “What will you do if you win?”
- “What is this symbol I had on my back?”
- “Who or what is God?”
❓ - [Or write-in a topic in #story_discussion .]
(Winners: > = = > ... ) 4 4 1 4 3 2 3 5 1 1@Story Notifications
Scene 153
A glyph catches your eye, stamped into one of the tools. Familiar, albeit briefly. The same design that had been burned into your back after what you’re increasingly convinced was a terrible mistake. “Er, what does that symbol mean?”
The shade hardly looks. “It is the symbol of those without strings.”
Right. You were kind of hoping for a bit more elaboration. “It... looks a little like the matan.”
“It is similar. The circle is reduced to show His limited influence over those who do not move by His strings.”
“... But it’s still there.”
“He moves even those without strings, though indirectly. The master of puppets holds power that stretches beyond His own.”
Somehow, you’re sort of reassured that even the shades accept God as divinely powerful. They even emphasize His titles when speaking. Honestly, they’ve been very cooperative so far, except for the kidnapping and when the silver-eyed shade killed you in dreams a few times. But it... stopped doing that, probably. Speaking of (thinking of)... “I... I’ve always been told that if I ever met a shade, it would try to kill me without hesitation. That... sort of happened, but...” You hesitate, not really sure how to explain quickly or how much this shade already knows. “W-why aren’t you t-trying to kill me?”
It looks at you. “Why should it?”
“Er-”
“The cut-string puppet is not moved by Him directly, though she remains His carving - one of only so many He paints at once. And she is polite and useful. Why would it destroy a puppet who serves not the master, when it would quickly be replaced by one who does?”
“...” You’re not sure if being seen as ‘polite and useful’ by a shade is encouraging or not. “S-so, when you have to move because my - er, the Cathedra comes to find me, what... are you going to do... with me? I-if it’s not k-killing...?”
But you stayed awake for the second. And the third. And the fourth one woke up.
She screamed for your help. Surely, an Angel would save her. Push the darkness away. Deliver her from this nightmare.
You didn’t. You couldn’t. The shade would have killed you.
But wouldn’t a real hero have tried anyway?
She died on the table, pleading tearfully for you to help her. Her Soul had been damaged when she woke up. Identity slipping away. True self bleeding into the air. The shade didn’t care. It hardly seemed to think of her as a person. Any of them. Not even as puppets; just blocks of uncarved wood. Puppets-to-be, perhaps, but no better than an object at the moment.
What would the corruption’s “harmony” even be? You never should have even considered helping them.
But you’re still alive. And they could save Naoriel.
Maybe.
“...”
You’re in a different cell now, on the other side of the cistern. The shade put you in here after the last procedure, not explaining why or saying when it would return. Cloaked men hurry around the cells on the other side, dragging prisoners here and there, moving them from one cell just to lock them in another. Everyone’s in a hurry. The Cathedra must be close. You hope.
... You’re so tired. You should try to escape, or at least stay ready in case one of the men comes close enough to present an opportunity, but you just can’t make yourself care. That apathy is Soul fatigue at work, you know, but knowing doesn’t help you change it.
There’s a little patch of moss or something by the very rear of this cell, shrouded in darkness. Maybe it won’t hurt just to rest your head for a little. To be more alert when you need to be.
“...”
God, you hope you don’t dream.
⏳ - “...”
⌚ - “.........”
️ - “..................”
(Winner: ⌚ )
️ - “..................”
(Winner: ⌚ ) 
2 3 2@Story Notifications
Scene 154
If you do dream, you don’t remember much of it. Just uneasy darkness; flashes of evil color. Eyes, maybe. Or a surgeon’s tools. But some unknown time later, you wake up. “Refreshed” isn’t exactly the word you’d choose to describe your state, but you have recovered enough energy to feel basically healthy again.
The first thing that confuses you is that there’s some sort of light jacket draped on top of you like a blanket.
The second thing that confuses you (while offering a potential answer to the first confusing thing) is that there’s someone else in the cell.
You sit up quickly, ready to leap up should anything dangerous happen... but it seems your mysterious visitor is asleep. She’s clearly a former mill worker, based on the jacket that you assume is hers, and seems suspiciously familiar as you scoot a little closer. Yes, you’re right. This girl is one of the two from the restaurant that one day who was worried about being transferred: Mila, you recall.
There’s no ready explanation for how or why she got in here - every cell you’ve seen only had one person in it - but it feels unlikely to be a coincidence. You briefly consider the possibility that you’re dreaming, but your dreams usually reveal themselves as such pretty quickly.
Well, you suppose she probably needs the jacket more than you now that you’ve woken up. You carefully arrange it over her, being careful to-
“AHH!”
You fumble back, barely holding back an answering scream, as Mila wakes up and scrambles away, bumping against the bars in her haste. “N-no; it’s okay,” you stammer. “I-I’m not going to hurt you.”
“A-ah, heh.” A quiet pause. “Sorry...”
“...”
Okay, someone’s got to take charge here and you’re the Angel so it should probably be you. Deep breath; you can do this. “I-I’m Jessamine.” Another breath, because the first one wasn’t deep enough. Focus. “Is this your jacket?”
“Y-yes. Sorry... you s-seemed really cold...”
Similarly, the newer brick wall at the rear of the cell is definitely weaker than the other one, and this is where you see the most potential. Some of the mortar near the left side has almost... rotted? Does mortar rot? But it’s partly missing over here, and you can feel the wall move when you give it a good kick with all your enhanced strength. It won’t be immediate, but you could probably break it down. Faster than the other one, at least. Especially if Mila helps too.
What’s back there, though? It could be anything, from a horrible deadly monster to an immediate escape to the surface to a simple dead end. You also don’t know where all the cloaked men went, or when the shade will be back, or what it will do if it catches you trying to break out. Sure, it claimed it was convinced not to kill you, but... do you really trust it? (No!) Plus, there are plenty of really bad things it could do even without going that far!
You feel a lot more motivated now that you have someone besides yourself to protect. Maybe if you can save Mila, you can atone for what you did to those people on the operating table. Sort of.
What do you do?
- Try to break down the wall.
️ - Try to get out through the bars.
- Stay put. Wait for a better opportunity.
- Hold on. What are the odds that this particular girl ended up in your cell? Isn’t that kind of suspicious...? [Not exclusive with other choices.]
(Winners: , )
- Try to break down the wall.
️ - Try to get out through the bars.
- Stay put. Wait for a better opportunity.
- Hold on. What are the odds that this particular girl ended up in your cell? Isn’t that kind of suspicious...? [Not exclusive with other choices.]
(Winners: , ) 4 1 2 4@Story Notifications
Scene 155
While kicking down the wall, you have some time to think. Specifically, you have some time to consider the likelihood that someone else would have been put into your cell (your new cell, since you were inexplicably moved to a different one), and that this person would be someone you happen to already know. Sure, it could happen, but... isn’t it a little suspicious?
So you attune yourself to Soul and take a closer look at your new companion. Fully human, as best you can tell, though with some limited, still-reversible corruption (understandable due to the environment). Your vision isn’t good enough to see the details of her Soul anymore - presumably the shade was helping you earlier - but you’re absolutely certain you’d be able to tell if she were actually a corruption monster in disguise.
Just to be sure, you change to Mind afterwards and - silently apologizing for your behavior if you’re wrong - you form a connection using the shared situation as a basis. In theory, you wouldn’t even be able to do that if she weren’t just as worried as you. But it does work, and when you peer into the upper layers of her current thoughts, you find nothing but the fear and tenuous determination you would expect. There’s nothing nefarious here, unless it’s really hidden.
A few bricks fall out of place. You wonder if maybe the problem isn’t that Mila herself is about to betray you, but that the shade put her here on purpose. That something terrible is about to happen involving her that she doesn’t even know about.
It’s only a few seconds before your power overwhelms the creature and burns it to ash. Your uniform is tattered from fangs and claws - the sleeves are almost entirely shredded. Your arms bleed from shallow scratches and a few deeper punctures that mark the thing’s bites. But you did it, and you’re still standing. An improvement over the lost Soul; that’s for sure.
... As long as it wasn’t venomous.
Mila comes splashing up to you, having thankfully taken your advice and stayed well out of danger. “Miss Angel! Are you okay?”
... Okay; there’s the pain you were expecting from having several bloody holes poked in your arms. Just took a bit to kick in. Excellent. “... Yeah. I’m fine.”
“Are... there going to be more of those things?”
Ah. There better not. “I... don’t know.” But you will keep a closer eye on the ceiling this time.
️ - Try to return to the cistern. There won’t be any more of those creatures in there, and you can investigate the pit or escape through the exit.
- Try to leave the area through the sewers. You’ll be heading away from the shade and its servants, and there might be an extra exit somewhere in the system.
(Winner: )
️ - Try to return to the cistern. There won’t be any more of those creatures in there, and you can investigate the pit or escape through the exit.
- Try to leave the area through the sewers. You’ll be heading away from the shade and its servants, and there might be an extra exit somewhere in the system.
(Winner: ) 2 4@Story Notifications
Scene 156
After some consideration and a brief discussion, you decide to head away from the cistern. The tunnel you’re in currently does have an offshoot that leads right into it through one of the many unblocked pipes in the walls you had noticed earlier, but you’re not exactly eager to head right back into the shade’s domain. You don’t even know where the exit is, and even if you do find it, it’ll probably be guarded. You also aren’t eager for a rematch with the cloaked men; not after how poorly last time went.
So instead, you venture into the unknown depths of the ancient sewer network.
Conditions certainly don’t improve as you proceed. It’s pitch black aside from your glow. The bricks are less maintained - some of them are so old they’ve fallen out of place entirely, admitting smooth slopes of dirt into the passage. And the bugs are out in full force. Again, most of the normal, little ones want nothing to do with your light, but the big, corrupted ones are drawn to it.
You do improve at fighting as you move along, and at some point you manage to pick up a length of rusted metal - probably an old iron bar from one of the grates - that can work as a makeshift weapon. But you’re not even close to perfect, and nearly every fight leaves you with another wound. I really, really wish I had learned more healing magic, you find yourself thinking regularly. Your Body does heal quickly on its own, but that healing is measured in hours or days. Not the minutes between encounters down here.
What do you do?
⏩ - Keep going. Try to find a way out before she succumbs.
⏪ - Go back. Hope to meet the Cathedra before too long.
⏸️ - Stay here. Try to last as long as possible; hope someone finds you. Specifically, someone friendly would be nice.
- Leave her here; go find help. You can move more quickly on your own.
❓ - ... Or do you have a better, more dramatic idea? [Specify in #story_discussion.]
(Winners: ⏩ , ❓ )
- Leave her here; go find help. You can move more quickly on your own.
❓ - ... Or do you have a better, more dramatic idea? [Specify in #story_discussion.]
(Winners: ⏩ , ❓ ) 3 2
2 1 3@Story Notifications
Scene 157
Minutes pass as you consider your options. You’re still resting, even with your Soul extended like this, so every moment improves your odds. But... you can tell the corruption is still growing where you can’t reach, so every moment makes her odds worse. You have to find an experienced healer Angel soon, but you don’t even know where you are, let alone where anyone else might be.
Maybe... you can find out, though. You’ll have to make this quick, as switching to Mind takes focus away from burning the corruption, but you figure it’s worth it to try. Broaden your awareness as much as possible - as far upwards as possible - and scream out a Mental scream as loud as you can. Just like you did in the garage; maybe you’re close enough to the surface to get a response?
“...”
More time passes. It was a long shot anyway, but you still feel disappointed. You’re too low, or too quiet, or maybe no one was around above you. In any case, there’s nothing to do but keep moving; the only question is in what direction.
... You’re not going back. There’s no guarantee the Cathedra has even found it at all, and it must have been hours regardless. Surely - surely - you must be closer to an exit than the cistern. You just have to believe that’s true; it’s either that or give up.
... God, if you’re there, please help me. I... I know I may have done something horrible. A few horrible things, actually. But... I’m trying to help. Please let me find a way out soon.
You pick up Mila (unconscious, by now) and start walking. God, if He is there, does not respond. He never does, but sometimes you get a sign or a sense of peace or something. Now, there’s nothing but darkness and trickling water. It makes sense; He wouldn’t answer a fallen Angel anyway.
A lapse. You find yourself in a cobbled street near the waste disposal plant. Mud and water form a trail back to the river. Someone is staring. You shout to go find a constable. They run off.
A lapse. You’re jogging through narrow, smoky streets, following a bulky constable. You’ve explained the immediate situation. Briefly. He’s taking you to the station. The constable behind you is telling you something about a group of Angels, but they aren’t reachable right now.
A lapse. You’re sitting in the back room of a district branch office. Someone has sent a pneumatic message to the Cathedra. A group of constables stand nearby, ostensibly to protect you. Everyone is stealing nervous glances at the shivering, corrupted girl lying next to you.
A lapse. You snap out of it.
Mila is dying. Your glow isn’t enough anymore; the corruption is eating her from the inside. An Angel is on the way - has to be - but you don’t know if whoever shows up will have the skills to save her. Or if they’ll make it in time even if they do. Her Soul wavers like a candle flame in a strong breeze.
If you don’t do anything, she could turn into a monster right here in the constabulary. This fact isn’t lost on the constables; several nervously grasp their weapons. None dare to question your method.
Only you do.
[This is a critical point. Four characters’ fates will be altered.]
- Operate. Remove the corruption from her Soul. Even if you don’t have the skill, you have to try.
- Extinguish the flame now, peacefully. Better that than transforming into a monster.
⌛ - Do nothing more. Anything else would only make things worse.
- ████ ███ ██████████. Sin. ███████ ████ ████. [......]
(Winner: )
- Operate. Remove the corruption from her Soul. Even if you don’t have the skill, you have to try.
- Extinguish the flame now, peacefully. Better that than transforming into a monster.
⌛ - Do nothing more. Anything else would only make things worse.
- ████ ███ ██████████. Sin. ███████ ████ ████. [......]
(Winner: ) 4 1 1 2@Story Notifications
Scene 158
“...”
You don’t have the tools. You don’t have the training. You don’t have the skill.
But you have the ability to try.
That will have to be enough.
You attune to Soul and wave the constables back. “I’m going to try to heal her,” you say, voice disconcertingly stable. “Give me some room.”
Everyone obeys. You kneel close, push your vision to its limit, and try.
It’s so hard to see any specifics. You know what the details look like now, after the surgeries with the shade, but you just can’t see them on your own. Her glow is subdued, shot through with lines of faded shadow. Only still intact due to your meddling. Your hands can’t touch her Soul directly, and you’re not practiced enough to maneuver your own Soul with enough precision. It does follow your movements, but only approximately. Good enough to fight or cast broad magic, but disastrously inadequate for a delicate operation.
You have to try.
Gently, you remove certain portions of the fuzzy, amorphous mass. Scraps of corruption burn at your touch, but it’s so hard to avoid everything else. Memories spark; ignite. Traits scrape off as you inexpertly reach for the darkness you’re actually trying to remove. It’s just so... fragile. How are human Souls so much more delicate than Angelic ones? You can fight with yours all day long and recover by tomorrow, but here if you’re just a little off the mark...
You have to try.
You’re not good enough. Your touch is too heavy. Your control is inexact. You’re just hurting her more.
You have to try.
You. Are. Not. Good. Enough.
But you have to try.
Something shifts inside of you. A deep, buried thing tugs at your lower back, right where the tube had connected. A forbidden understanding. No. You can’t. You are holy. You are an ANGEL. YOU CANNOT.
...
A lapse.
“Please help,” the corruption creature begs, clasping its hands together. “Am I o-okay? Did you s-save me?”
“-”
An Archangel enters the room, pushing past the constable that led her here. Braided-dark hair; thunderous expression. Archangel Kamiya, though she seems to have been in combat recently. Why? Where? “Jessamine. Back away from the corruption so I can destroy it.”
You’ve half-turned to look at her; not-Mila takes the opportunity to hide behind you, gripping onto your shoulders in seeming terror. Her hands are warm, like a real person’s. “Please,” she gasps. “I d-don’t know what’s going on!”
“Jessamine, move. It’s lying to save itself.”
[This scene is a continuation of the critical point from the last scene. Five characters’ fates will be altered.]
- Move.
- Don’t.
(Winner: )
- Move.
- Don’t.
(Winner: ) 4 3@Story Notifications
Scene 159
A moment passes. Soul energy - brilliant to your still-attuned eyes - gathers around the Archangel. Not-Mila begs you to stop; to listen; to show some form of mercy. You hesitate.
But in the end, you tear yourself away. Yank your shoulders out of her grasp and run to the side, out of the line of fire. There’s a blast of searing light and heat, a horrible cut-off scream, and then silence. You turn around. The creature - Mila or otherwise - is gone, leaving nothing behind but wisps of a quickly-dissipating Soul.
Archangel Kamiya sighs and marches over to you. “Good; you’re not devoid of all your senses.” She pauses, looking at you with a gaze you’re sure is as attuned to Soul as yours. “You’re in quite the state. Come; we’re returning to the Cathedra immediately.”
“... Okay...”
And out you go, led embarrassingly by the wrist to the nearest station and handed off to some other Angel. Kamiya herself apparently has pressing business here to return to. You try to ask what, but no one’s listening to you. You’re forced to sit down and stay as still as possible the whole way back, ostensibly to ensure you rest. It feels uncomfortably like you’re being sent to the principal’s office back in school, except here the “principal” has the ability to vaporize you. Still not over that, huh?
...
You’re sent to the hospital. Aveline is back to worry about the state of your Soul, then to perform several long procedures that leave you unconscious for hours at a time. You feel weak and confused every time you wake up, only able to take in brief snippets of what people are telling you. Physically, you’re fine. Spiritually...
“... Enough.”
He stands up, shuffling the chair back. “Alright, I’ll tell them. Stay positive, Jessamine. We’ll see you back in the hall later today, I’m sure.”
[Options are cumulative. Optionally, you may specify (in #story_discussion ) a trusted individual to tell the truth, should they be present.]
- Hide as little as possible; only the bits Yara mentioned.
- ... and the Tube Incident.
- ... and the surgeries the shade made you perform.
- Pretend you have amnesia.
(Winner: )
- Hide as little as possible; only the bits Yara mentioned.
- ... and the Tube Incident.
- ... and the surgeries the shade made you perform.
- Pretend you have amnesia.
(Winner: ) 3 5 1 1@Story Notifications
Scene 160
Aveline is your first visitor, telling you pretty much what Yara already said. You’re overstressed, there’s a strange but probably not harmful mutation, and you shouldn’t use any magic for at least a week. You get another brief examination and some more instructions, then are allowed to stand up and walk around for a bit. You don’t fall over, which is good and expected. But you aren’t allowed to leave quite yet.
After she leaves, your next visitor is the Emissary (and his guards). You don’t remember many details of your conversation - you’re too busy being worried he’s going to smite you into ash - but you stumble your way through an explanation of what happened. Leaving out the fact that you talked to a shade (two, actually!) and everything relating to the tube, of course. One of the guards writes down everything you say, presumably to put into some report or other paperwork later.
The Emissary doesn’t say much in response. He expresses some brief sympathy about what happened, but doesn’t imply anything about your holiness - or lack thereof. His neutral expression just adds to your anxiety, especially because it doesn’t seem forced. He’s just smiling the same little polite smile as the last time he visited you - under similar circumstances, in fact - and giving nothing away of his own thoughts. Of what his decision may eventually become.
Eventually, he leaves with a simple “Be well, Angel Goodall.” You’re left to stew on your own for a while. Every sound at the door could be an execution squad, here to take you away for lying. And when it finally opens next, you can’t immediately discount that possibility.
“Jessamine,” he says by way of greeting. Lewis Kin, head of Inquisition. Naoriel’s father, though he would surely be expelled from the Cathedra if anyone else found out. But is he here in his official capacity, or to somehow help you?
She seemed so real. So human, with the real Mila’s mannerisms. Apologizing too much, even in the maybe fifteen seconds you had to listen. Her hands were... warm.
Corruption is cold. That’s always how it is; you experience Soul energy as warmth and corruption as cold. Is a corrupt Soul still warm... or was this something different entirely? Did you let Archangel Kamiya, one of your two top suspects of being the betrayer, kill a real human? The shade was experimenting with maintaining Souls even after corruption. You don’t know what it did to her beforehand. Could she maybe... have been a success?
“...”
What would that mean if it’s true?
For once in recent history, you kind of hope to dream tonight. You have some serious questions for the silver-eyed shade, should it deign to show up.
- Sleep deeply. You’re still so exhausted.
- Sleep shallowly. You’re still so anxious.
(Winner: )
- Sleep deeply. You’re still so exhausted.
- Sleep shallowly. You’re still so anxious.
(Winner: ) 5 2@Story Notifications
Scene 161
But it doesn’t. Instead, you sleep well into the next morning, recovering from days of exhaustion. By the time you wake up, it’s already nearly midday. And by the time it actually is midday, news of the decision has anticlimactically reached you; the nurse who brings you lunch mentions that you’re free to go.
“R-really? But no one told me?”
“My apologies, but I’m telling you, Miss Angel. Archangel Mirasen asked me to bring the news.”
“... Mirasen?”
“Apologies again, Miss Angel. Archangel Aveline Mirasen.”
“O-oh!” How have I never heard her last name until now? “O-okay; I guess I’ll... just go...? After this?”
“Very good.”
And so, after a marginally less awkward walk downstairs, you emerge from a seldom-used door around the back of Illim Hall and out onto the Cathedra grounds again. Just like that; really. You... suppose you should go back to Hearth Hall? What day is it? Is anyone going to be around?
“Jess!” “That was sudden-” “You’re okay!” “Welcome back.”
Yes. Yes, they are.
It’s nice to finally be able to calm down after so long. Pretty much all your friends are around or stop by later - you get an awful lot of condolences, offers to help you get revenge, or just general gratefulness for your survival. Sometimes all three at the same time! At some point, you explain most of what happened, though - having dodged a potentially massive problem by a matter of sentences - you leave out the same bits as you did earlier. You’re in public; it would definitely not be good to immediately say anything conflicting with the official report.
Later into the evening, the topic of conversation shifts towards fallen Angels. It’s only natural, with all the context. Gossip has - as usual - spread quickly and it’s already common knowledge what the prime council had just discussed. Honestly, if you didn’t know better, you’d think someone on the council was purposely spreading this information. Hmm...
Maybe you shouldn’t think about that too much.
...
⌚ - Talk to Naoriel later tonight.
- Talk to Naoriel sometime tomorrow.
(Winner: ⌚ )
- Talk to Naoriel sometime tomorrow.
(Winner: ⌚ ) 5 2@Story Notifications
Scene 162
“So, what did you want to tell me?” you ask Naoriel, now that you’re back upstairs and without any nearby eavesdroppers. Someone has already brought your stuff back to your room from the apartment.
“What? Was it... I was going to wait a bit; you just went through so much. You don’t need to worry about my problems again so soon.”
“But I want to.” A pause; you feel like that deserves a little more explanation. “I... don’t really know what to do about a lot of what happened, and just sitting around overthinking it isn’t going to help. I could... use a distraction?”
“Really? You’re not just saying that to be nice?”
“Really. I’m being totally selfish right now, if that makes you feel better.” Well, maybe not TOTALLY, but...
“... A little.” She takes a deep breath. “Okay. I... think I know who the betrayer is. And how to find out for sure.”
“You mean out of our last two suspects? Is it one of them? How?”
“Er... Y-yeah. Maybe. Look, do you remember back when you first figured out I was... you know?”
“Yes?”
“I said I never knew my mother. But I was thinking, I know she’s still alive. I know she’s somewhere in the Cathedra. And I know she wants nothing to do with me. We know the betrayer fits those criteria too, and we know she somehow doesn’t want to just tell everyone. Why? Maybe... because that would implicate her as well? Because she’s my mother?”
“Th-that’s kind of a leap...”
“So I asked my dad. He’s always told me I’m better off not knowing who my mother is. I kind of assumed it was because I might accidentally react to her if I knew, or just because she hates me and it’d be real awkward. But this time I asked if maybe it’s because she actually wants to kill me.”
“... What did he say?”
“Well, you know him. Didn’t say anything useful. But out of our two suspects, doesn’t one of them look a lot more like me than the other?”
If you dare to tell her.
“S-so. Will... you do it? Read my Mind?”
- Yes. But not for another week or two; you aren’t supposed to be using magic until then. Plus, that gives you time to prepare.
- No. Somehow, you just don’t think it’s a good idea.
(Winner: )
- Yes. But not for another week or two; you aren’t supposed to be using magic until then. Plus, that gives you time to prepare.
- No. Somehow, you just don’t think it’s a good idea.
(Winner: ) 6 1@Story Notifications
Scene 163
“Yes. If you think it will help, I’ll do it.”
A relieved exhale. “Thanks. I know I’m always asking you for help; one of these times I’d like to do something for you for once.”
For a split second, you consider telling her about the shades. The tube; your concerns about falling. To give her a secret of yours to match the one you hold of hers. But... that’d just be selfish, right? It might make you feel better to tell someone, but it’s not like she could do anything about it. Plus, if you start talking about the silver-eyed shade, you might say something about its offer. And you definitely aren’t ready to decide if you’re going to share that just yet.
Instead, you just go with something safe. “I appreciate that. Maybe soon. But, er, anyway, I can’t do anything magical for a bit; they say I need to rest for at least a week. And I need to prepare as well, since I haven’t done something like this outside of practice.”
“That’s fine! Take the time you need! So... in a few weeks, then? And you’ll tell me if I can help you with anything in the meantime?”
“... Yeah. I’ll let you know.”
Maybe.
...
You don’t get much time to prepare over the next few weeks, anyway. You have to talk with Brother Cobb about your practical, explain things again, lie to more people. Return to your courses, work with your instructors on what you can do without magic for a week. Visit the hospital every other day to make sure you haven’t died, suppressing your anxiety every time that they’ll notice something about your Soul that they hadn’t previously. It never happens, but that doesn’t stop you worrying.
You overhear that there’s been a big reorganization in the fourteenth district’s constabulary. People have been fired; others have been promoted to replace them. It’s because of you, but the shakeup doesn’t really make any difference to you, so it’s hard to care. Administrative penalties won’t bring anyone back to life.
But finally, well past “a few weeks” and nearing mid-August, you feel prepared. Well, prepared enough. You’ve trained with Sister Noll, researched memory recovery techniques, and honed your Mental abilities as best you can. With no obvious deadline looming, you could potentially put this off as long as you want, but Naoriel is getting more antsy as time passes. Something about her dad.
So. It’s time. You’ve read that the best context to do a memory recovery is one strongly associated with that memory; ideally including as much as you can of the original place, people, scenario, and so on. But you can’t borrow an Archangel or break out of the Cathedra and sneak into Naoriel’s childhood home (seriously, you absolutely cannot do that!) so you ponder the next best thing. What might remind her of her mother...?
[Vote as many times as you’d like. Elaborate in #story_discussion.]
- Maybe if you find a building that looks like a home...?
- Maybe if you get her dad to help...?
- Maybe if she goes to sleep...?
- Maybe if you dress the part...?
- Maybe if you act motherly...?
- Maybe if you act distant and hateful...?
❓ - Maybe if you have a better idea...? [Suggest in #story_discussion.]
- Maybe if you don’t do any of that and just act naturally...?
(Winner: > = )
- Maybe if you find a building that looks like a home...?
- Maybe if you get her dad to help...?
- Maybe if she goes to sleep...?
- Maybe if you dress the part...?
- Maybe if you act motherly...?
- Maybe if you act distant and hateful...?
❓ - Maybe if you have a better idea...? [Suggest in #story_discussion.]
- Maybe if you don’t do any of that and just act naturally...?
(Winner: > = ) 1 2 3 1 3 1 1 4@Story Notifications
Scene 164
You come up with a bunch of ideas, but most of them are too complicated or don’t actually seem like they’d help that much, upon further reflection. So in the end, you decide that it’s probably best to not worry too much about any of that stuff. Well, most of it. Instead, you’ll just try to stay comfortable and calm, letting you both go into this with clear Minds.
Again, sort of.
“Okay,” you say quietly, tense despite all the effort you went through to try and relax. “Ready?”
Naoriel eyes the pale blue mixture with a slight grimace. “Is it going to taste horrible?”
“No; it should be tasteless. Just like water.” Since you had plenty of time to prepare, you made a mixture infused with Mind magic that should help prepare the right frame of Mind, without requiring you to actually expend any additional energy right now. And you’re not lying either; the ingredients were just water, directed magic, and some trace mineral powders that can somehow store power like this for a few days. Easier than you thought, and you’re pretty sure Noll accepted your excuse that you just wanted to practice.
“Okay. Let’s... let’s do it.” With a quick motion, she downs the contents of the small glass and sets it on her nightstand. Without any better ideas for a location, you’re just in her room, hoping it’d be the most comfortable. “You’re right. Just like water.”
“Feeling sleepy yet?”
“Y...yeah.” She’s already looking very droopy; she has to move quickly to lie down. “That’s... really fast.”
“It better be,” you comment. “I spent an hour afterwards staring at a wall because I used too much energy. Anyway, just try to picture her as you’re falling asleep.”
“Mmmh...” That’s probably an acknowledgement. Wow, you could be selling these drinks as cures for insomnia. At least, you could if they didn’t have serious side effects that you’re about to take advantage of. Namely, dreams.
You get up and slide to the other side of the bed, hopefully out of harm’s way, and prepare again to change the scene. But... that’s Yara at the door. Maybe even from right before you woke up? What did he and Naoriel talk about? Maybe about you?
- It won’t hurt to listen in. Might help you direct the dream, even!
⏩ - You’re in a hurry and this is a private conversation! Get a move on!
(Winner: a tie! ⏩ chosen by digital coin flip)
- It won’t hurt to listen in. Might help you direct the dream, even!
⏩ - You’re in a hurry and this is a private conversation! Get a move on!
(Winner: a tie! ⏩ chosen by digital coin flip) 3 3@Story Notifications
Scene 165
You shake your head, quickly dismissing that idea. Although it’s tempting to listen in, you’re not here to snoop on Naoriel’s memories - even if they involve you! She’s trusting you to do the right thing here, and that means not worrying about stuff that isn’t your business! So, instead of trying to overhear their quiet conversation by the door, you immerse yourself in the flow of thoughts that shapes the dream. With a few careful nudges, you can guide the stream. Change the focus. Move back in time... there.
Using yourself as the pivot point, as it were, you shift the scene back as far as you can. Shapes twist and colors bend; you find yourself back in Hearth Hall, watching a younger pair of you and Naoriel talk about Inquisitors in the cafe. This was ages ago by now - your very first day. Second? Depends on how you count, you suppose. You had been a lot more overwhelmed then, wondering about all the secrecy and hidden motives between the Angels in the common area. Now, of course, you have a good idea of why Zeke had been so interested in her, and why she had been so eager to get away. Her heritage, again. Which would be another good connecting point to use, if you can just manage to leap further back to memories you haven’t seen.
But as you’re preparing to shift the scene again, Naoriel gets up to leave. That makes sense; she had left the building shortly after this conversation, but now that you’re tied to her perception instead of your own... yep, there it goes. The cafe slowly fades to indistinct grey as the memory-Naoriel exits, losing more detail every second as people melt into featureless mannequins. It’s a little uncomfortable to watch happen, honestly; it’s just a smoothing until there’s nothing distinct about anyone. Without her conscious attention, there’s nothing left here to remember.
The flow resists you again, but you shove against it, forcing the currents of thought and emotion to obey your will. You’re burning through a lot of magic here, but that’s all going to be worth it if you come out where you think you should...
Here...?
- Here.
- Not here!
(Winner: )
- Here.
- Not here!
(Winner: ) 2 5@Story Notifications
Scene 166
... Not here! With a flash of monotone grey, you’re dumped out of the stream of memories into... well, nowhere in particular, it seems. There’s nothing around but smooth grey emptiness in all directions, aside from a rapidly-retreating point of light that was the stream you were just ejected from. This is the end of the line, apparently. Did you accidentally overshoot and leave Naoriel’s memories entirely? If you did, then... where are you?
The light vanishes entirely. There’s nothing else here.
“...” Experimentally, you float around a bit. You can’t walk, since there’s no floor to walk on, but you seem to be able to move around just by aiming where you want to go and... going. Or at least, you think you’re moving. It’s not like there’s anything here to be a point of reference. There’s no gravity either, your hair and clothes floating gently in the nothingness around you, so you can’t even determine which way is down. If there is a “down” at all here.
... If there is a “here.”
You try to shape the dream again - to return back to where you were and maybe try again - but there’s nothing to shape. Starting to get concerned, you try a more general spell, trying to move yourself around Naoriel’s Mind without having to rely on her dreams.
Nothing. You might be moving, but it’s impossible to tell without anything here.
“...”
You consider trying to just wake up and start over. It seems you’re lost, and the mixture that you’re still hesitant to call a “potion” won’t last forever. You could wake up and go back to sleep, restarting with less energy and less time. But... that would be a bit of a waste if you can find some other way out of here.
“Naoriel...?” you call into the emptiness. Your voice vanishes quickly, without an echo. “Can you hear me?”
The mother’s voice again, twisted with intense emotion. “No! Give it back; it is my decision to make; my sin to bear! Let me make it right!!”
“It’s our sin to bear, Maede. She is our child. I won’t let you hurt her.”
You hurry closer. Mr Kin is clutching baby Naoriel to his chest, shielding her with his Body. Shielding her from...
Archangel Kamiya.
You turn away, not needing to see any more of the confrontation. Naoriel was right. She was right, and it’s even worse than you thought. Her own mother tried to... is STILL trying to kill her! How?! How could she bear to...
More shouting from behind you. Holiness. Sin. Corruption. She’s shattered by her transgressions against the Cathedra. Willing - no, obsessively determined - to do anything to make it right. No matter the cost.
Even from here, facing away, you can feel the raw emotions washing over you. The hatred - for herself, and for the little child in Mr Kin’s arms. The furious need to rectify everything. The deathly, Soul-crushing shame of her sin, personified in just one person. A single life in exchange for redemption. It only makes sense, doesn’t it?
You shudder and try to move further away. Mr Kin has managed to wrestle the knife away and they’re just yelling at each other now, a screaming Naoriel caught between. This is not your moment to witness. Perhaps it’s Naoriel’s, through you, but...
⏪ - Leave. Wake up.
- “...”
(Winner: ⏪ )
- “...”
(Winner: ⏪ ) 5 2@Story Notifications
Scene 167
You wake up. Push yourself into a sitting position; make sure your actual Body is unscathed, as usual. You’re shaken, but it almost feels like it should be worse than it is. Like maybe you should be crying for her. But... you already knew who it might be. You already knew how ruthless Kamiya can act. Having it confirmed and acted out right in front of you was still a bit of a shock, but...
“I’m sorry,” you whisper. “What are you going to think when I tell you?”
...
Overall, Naoriel takes it well. You think. She listens to your halting description of what you saw, asks a few clarifying questions, and then says she needs some time alone. That’s fine. You extract a promise that she’s not going to do anything stupid, then leave her to her thoughts. No tears; no anger; no plots of revenge. It probably helps that she’s been considering this possibility for a while now, but somehow it still feels like maybe she’s being a little too put-together about this. You don’t snoop into her Mind any further than you already have, though, so she could just be hiding it well. Honestly, you sort of hope so.
... What were those shards?
“... That’s what the other shade said, too.”
“It chose other methods.”
The wind whips at you briefly, dragging a current of fog into the building. Visibility gets even worse; you have to strain to make out the thing’s eyes now. “What are you going to ask me to do, if I accept your help?”
“Break the strings of those you can. It will not hold you to a method. Simply removing more puppets from the master’s control will be payment enough.”
For an instant, you were going to ask what that meant. How to break the strings; what these methods might entail. But... in a flash... you know. Of course you do. That moment of indecision when you were trying to save Mila; that tug at your lower back. You could have broken her strings. You know how. You just didn’t know what that meant. Now, however...
You’re shaking. The understanding fades. You can’t. You don’t even know what you can’t do. You are an Angel. You cannot commit a sin like that. A sin like what?
Or...
Can you?
Dare you?
Would it really be so bad?
“It will meet with the broken puppet, if the cut-string puppet wills it. Does she?” The shade’s eyes glint and shift in the mist. “Though, if she does not, it believes the broken puppet is running out of borrowed time.”
[This is a critical point. One character’s fate will be altered.]
- You will help the shade meet with Naoriel.
- You will not.
(Winner: )
- You will help the shade meet with Naoriel.
- You will not.
(Winner: ) 4 3@Story Notifications
Scene 168
“...” It’s not easy, to choose between a grievous sin (but possible recovery for Naoriel) and her near-certain doom through inaction. The shade offers no advice as you work through the decision, seemingly content to just sit in the mist and watch.
At the end of the day, though, the choice is actually very simple from a certain perspective. Do you want to give Naoriel a chance to survive? Or do you not?
“I’ll do it. Just tell me how.”
Another gust of wind blasts through the building, this time making you stagger. Mist obscures everything. The shade’s voice echoes from nowhere, eerily flat with the fog’s dampening. “Simply choose a night. It will be there.”
“... T-then, tomorrow?” You don’t want to have this hanging over you forever; you’ve already procrastinated enough. Just get it over with, now that you’ve decided.
“It will arrive.”
And that’s it. The wind slows, churning the mist in place rather than blowing it through the building. The shade’s eyes are gone, and when you carefully make your way over to its corner, you can confirm it has definitely vanished. You’ve been left alone up in this empty tower, presumably until you wake up. Why does it keep dragging you to these weird places; what’s wrong with your bedroom, like the first time? At least then you could just go back to sleep. Well, you didn’t back then, but-
“...” You sit down somewhere on the uneven floor, staring through a missing panel into the turbulent mass of mist filling the floor below.
Honestly, you don’t know what you’ve just signed up for, but you know you’ve got to talk to Naoriel again tomorrow before she meets a shade in her dream without warning. (That’s how it’s going to work, right? It wouldn’t try to come here physically, right?) Oh no; what if she still wants more time to think and you can’t get ahold of her? Why didn’t you say like next week or something? Why were you in such a hurry?
But maybe you’re worrying too much. Maybe it can “repair” her without having to resort to such drastic measures. Or maybe you aren’t worrying enough and it’s going to do something much more horrible. Or maybe Naoriel herself won’t even agree! You’re just trying to prepare for the possibility that scares you the most. At least if she dies or loses herself, you’d know what to do. You’d be heartbroken, of course, but you’d know what to do. Destroy the corruption creature. That’s how you’ve been trained. And of course, if she can be fixed without any of this, that’d be much much better! It’s the uncertainty of the middle ground that really has you on edge.
Well. You’ll just have to tell her everything you know and everything you’ve guessed. Then, she’ll have to make her own decision.
“...” The fortune cards dance behind your eyes as you blink in the mist. Why? Why have they affected you so much? Why is Phil’s warning so persistent? It was an interaction of only minutes, with some probably-charlatan, and so long ago! Why do you still remember it with such clarity?
You sleep poorly, waking up grumbling and certainly not refreshed. You still don’t know what the shards are. You still don’t know what tonight’s meeting with the shade will bring. You still absolutely have to find Naoriel and tell her what’s about to happen.
⏩ - Tell her immediately; ignore your daily responsibilities if necessary.
▶️ - Tell her after the day’s courses, like a normal person.
⏸️ - It’s happening too fast; reschedule to get more time! ... Can you even do that?
(Winner: ▶️ )
3 4 1@Story Notifications
Scene 169
Thankfully, it’s not too difficult to do that. She still seems put-together enough when you meet up with her around midday, and doesn’t seem surprised when you ask to talk later. Probably thinks it’s about the previous day’s revelations, but that’s okay. You’ll probably need to talk about that, too. No worries; no rush.
No, what actually catches you off-guard are the rumors you start to hear in the afternoon. As per usual (and per your request), Clarity is among the first to give you a real summary of what’s going on.
“Jess; there you are! Listen, something big is happening.”
“Big? How big? What kind of big?”
“Prime big.” She sits down across from you, slowly pushing your book closed so you have to pay attention. “Ooh, memory manipulation? Sneaky you!”
You snatch the book off the table, flustered at how quickly she parsed the upside-down and quite lengthy title. “I-it’s for my Mind course. Anyway, sorry, prime big?”
“Yeah. The council’s getting together again for an emergency meeting, but guess who’s not there?”
“... Do I have to guess?”
“I suppose not. It’s Mr Inquisition.”
Freeze. “You mean, er, Mr Kin?”
“That’s the one! Head of Inquisition himself, left out of an emergency session of the rest of the powers that be. And it’s not like he’s not here either; they’re purposely excluding him. Seems a little suspicious, don’t you think? To have a meeting without the very guy in charge of policing the council?”
“Yeah...” A pause; this is supremely bad timing. And you can’t help but fear that it has something to do with what you and Naoriel just learned. “So... are the rest of the primes up to something, you think?”
“I just don’t know what to do anymore.”
“...” You have to say it. Even if you don’t trust the shade, you’ve already agreed. And now, it really does seem like it might be the only possible option. You take a deep breath... chicken out, exhale, inhale, and try again. “I might know how to repair your Soul.”
A long pause. Naoriel stares at you. “That’s not very funny, Jess.”
“N-no; I mean it! I really-” You hesitate, stumble over your words a little. You shouldn’t reveal that you can speak to shades, but... come on. To her? “I’ve... had a visitor in my dreams for a while now...”
As you explain, you try to gauge her reaction by her expression. You’re speaking nonsense. Absolute heretical sin. But it’s also a lifeline. Possibly the only option left for her. Driven into a corner by the circumstances of birth, an Angel can dare to consider it. To have some form of faith - of hope - into the corruption that all of you must fight.
A twinge in your lower back. Forbidden knowledge. You can’t.
It takes longer to leave your Mind this time. Longer for your Body to quiet down. Longer for your Soul to reject the sin. You’re terrified of the moment when it won’t leave at all.
“I’ll... listen to what it has to say,” she says eventually. Of course she does; it would be near-impossible to refuse.
The cards. The sin. The betrayal.
All that’s left now is to go to sleep.
- Encourage her to accept the shade’s offer.
- Refuse to advise her. This must be her own decision.
- Encourage her to refuse the shade’s offer.
(Winner: )
- Encourage her to accept the shade’s offer.
- Refuse to advise her. This must be her own decision.
- Encourage her to refuse the shade’s offer.
(Winner: ) 2 6 1@Story Notifications
Scene 170
...
You gasp and stumble back in surprise as you wake up to a blinding glare. Shielding your eyes and blinking away the afterimage, you quickly deduce that you’re standing on a large wooden platform raised slightly above a wider area filled with seats. A theater, and you’re on the stage. The blinding light is coming from a raised gallery near the ceiling, casting a brilliant spotlight around you. The rest of the room is totally dark by comparison.
“Jessamine!” Naoriel calls from somewhere in the darkness, but you’re still addled by the light and can’t see her.
“Naoriel? It’s... too bright. I can’t; er, where are you?”
“There are some stairs to your left. The light stops following once you get off the stage.”
You look around and quickly find the depression she’s referring to. The spotlight tracks your movements as you walk across the stage, but true to her words, it goes no further than the edge. A quick descent into the seats finally frees you from the light, allowing you to locate Naoriel further into the room. It also lets you turn back to the stage, noting a handful of motionless mannequins posed as if interacting with each other. The spotlight drifts idly between them.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” she says as you approach. “I thought it would just be me and the creepy mannequins.”
“Glad to see you too; er-” Another glance back to the stage. “They don’t... move, do they?”
“I don’t think so.”
“And the spotlight? Who’s controlling that?”
“I don’t know. It’s too bright to tell and I haven’t found any way to get up there.”
“I am.” Naoriel steps forward, but does not approach the shade too closely. “But I want to know what your ‘repair’ means first and what you want from me. In detail.”
“It provides. But it must look first. Know what the break is. Come closer.”
“...” She takes another step. The shade, potentially impatient, matches it to stand within arm’s reach. You’re honestly more anxious now than any of the previous times you talked with it. Less terrified, sure, but more worried.
The shade does not touch her, but only looks. Attuned to Soul, you can guess what it’s searching for. The strange fissures and mismatches that aren’t exactly visible to you as you are, but would be with a-
“Cut-string puppet. It requires clearer vision. Assist.” The shade beckons you over.
- Assist.
️ - Assist, but warn it to not do what the other shade did the last time this happened.
- Do not assist. Ask it to explain first.
(Winner: a tie between ️ and . ️ was chosen by digital coin flip)
- Assist.
️ - Assist, but warn it to not do what the other shade did the last time this happened.
- Do not assist. Ask it to explain first.
(Winner: a tie between ️ and . ️ was chosen by digital coin flip) 1 5 4@Story Notifications
Scene 171
You hesitate, but slowly make your way over. “You... had better not try to do anything but look, okay? It’s just, the last time a shade did this-”
“It chooses other methods. It only looks.”
Wary and not entirely reassured, you stand just to the side, forming a triangle between the three of you. “N-now what?” There aren’t any wires around to grab, and touching the shade directly would burn you both.
“Hold.” Ah, there are wires. Where did those come from? Did it have them the whole time?
Still nervous, but drawing on your prior experience to know that you can still resist - to some degree - you grab hold. The same eerie chill as a portion of your Soul is drawn through the wire. But this time, instead of a scalpel or other tool, the other end is just a circle of clear glass that the shade holds to one glowing silver eye like a monocle.
You don’t feel as empty this time as your Soul circulates through the wire and the shade inspects Naoriel. Maybe the demand placed on you is smaller when you only need to look and not cut, or maybe this shade has better control, or maybe you’re just more accustomed to it. Whatever the case, you still feel fairly lucid and reasonably sure you could drop the rods at any point, if you wanted. So you focus a little less on the shade and a little more on your friend. After all, this arrangement allows you to see more clearly too, and you want to see if you can make out whatever it’s looking for.
“...” No one speaks. You can see her Soul in more detail than ever before, but just like last time, you don’t know enough to convert the shapes to actual traits. The shade could say whatever it wants and you wouldn’t be able to tell if it’s lying. What if it wants to cut off that little corner there? Would that help? You wouldn’t know.
“What is there to think about?” she asks, shrugging for effect. You don’t believe for a second that she’s actually as nonchalant as she’s trying to appear. “I literally have no other option, and with... everything that’s going on, I don’t have much longer. There will be plenty of time to change my Mind before the actual operation, right?”
The shade nods. “It cannot be sooner than three months from cutting your strings. The puppet’s Soul must stabilize after the change, before further changes can be made.”
She turns back to you. “There; see? Three months from now is mid-November, and we’ll need a few days off to go into the city and do whatever we need to do, so it’ll actually be even longer. Let’s do it.”
“...” You actually hadn’t expected her to agree so readily, and you’re starting to wonder if maybe you managed to influence her decision anyway. Even after trying so hard to avoid that!
“The festival days at the end of the year. Can that work?”
“Yes.” The shade’s expression remains inscrutable, but you have to wonder if it’s as surprised as you.
“There. That’s when it’ll be, then. Five months to change my Mind. Now-”
She reaches around behind herself. Grasps the tube. Finally slows down for a moment.
You and the shade say nothing.
“...” She tugs it again, just a little, and gasps in immediate pain. “J-just a minute...”
Forbidden knowledge. Your eyes widen. You could cut her strings. Your arms tremble; your hands clench. The sin blossoms in your Mind; your Soul is slow to flush it out. You could do it. You could you could you could you-
✂️ - “Let me do it.”
- “...”
- “Stop!” [Requires more than a majority. And then what? Specify in #story_discussion ]
(Winner: )
- “...”
- “Stop!” [Requires more than a majority. And then what? Specify in #story_discussion ]
(Winner: ) 
2 4 1@Story Notifications
Scene 172
You can’t! Or rather, you won’t. You struggle silently against yourself for several moments before, finally, the knowledge leaves your Mind and you forget what it was you could have done. This isn’t for you to do. You can’t drop that deeply into sin. Something... you’re not sure how terrible it will be, but something will happen if you do. You will change.
Although, given how much more frequent these moments of knowledge have become lately, you’re not sure you’ll have a choice for much longer.
“Jess... could you and, er, ‘it’ l-look away for a minute?”
“... Yeah.”
The shade doesn’t say anything, but just follows your lead as you round one of the large pillars holding up a second-floor gallery. Even if you were looking that way, you wouldn’t be able to see anything.
“T-take your time,” you say nervously, not really sure how to reassure her when you have no real idea what this procedure even does.
“... Okay...”
Near-silence for a while. There’s a distracting background hum coming from the spotlight far above, still drifting lazily between the mannequins on the stage. You glance up at it again, still unable to make out any details of who or what might be operating it. Still, the brilliant glare and the obvious metaphor make you fairly certain what it represents. The force that shades call the puppetmaster. God.
You wonder what He thinks of all this.
Well, as much as He can, anyway, with His Mind still embedded in the planet. Sacrificed to prevent the darkness from gaining a Mind. And yet, standing just beside you is a creature of darkness with a Mind. God’s sacrifice only slowed it down.
So... why hasn’t anything changed? Why hasn’t He returned His Mind to the sky and done something different? Is He still preventing the majority of darkness from gaining Minds and something terrible would happen if He returned above? Does He simply have faith in you, collectively, to still win?
Or...
Can He not?
The shade leaps straight up, twisting in midair to land in the spotlight’s gallery. The thunk of a blade embedding itself in wood. Naoriel’s tube falls to the ground beside you, cut cleanly through and still vomiting clear liquid. The shade doesn’t say anything else, and you somehow know it has left the dream.
She’s stirring, a little. You know the pain must be overwhelming. “Don’t try to move yet,” you murmur. “It’s okay. You’ll feel better soon.”
And so, wishing you could do more to help, you kneel like that in the blood and fluid until the dream breaks apart and you wake up. It’s a little earlier in the morning than you would normally get up, but you do anyway because you obviously need to go check on Naoriel. Surely she won’t be injured in reality; after all, you never were.
You get dressed and hurry upstairs, knocking nervously on Naoriel’s door. A few seconds of silence give you pause; you did bring the spare key she gave you just in case, but actually using it would be-
“Just a minute!”
You exhale, relieved. She’s not dead or in terrible pain. And when she opens the door and invites you in, you get quick confirmation that her physical Body is as unaffected as yours was. In fact, she’s feeling better than normal. Energized. In control.
You doubt that feeling will last very long, with the primes’ meetings still ongoing. Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do about that and there isn’t anything you can do about her Soul for several more months. You’ll just have to see what happens and hope your operation won’t be too late.
And speaking of (thinking of) poor timing, it’s Endle Day tomorrow. You’ve gone home for it every year so far and every year has been another disaster of some flavor or another. Are you going to try again this year?
- Go home for Endle Day.
- Don’t. [And do what instead? Specify in #story_discussion ]
(Winner: )
- Go home for Endle Day.
- Don’t. [And do what instead? Specify in #story_discussion ]
(Winner: ) 4 2@Story Notifications
Scene 173
Well, third time’s the charm, or so they say.
Nothing else of particular note happens for the rest of the day. The primes continue their discussion. You don’t find anything more on the shards. You prepare for tomorrow. That sort of thing.
And then, the next morning, you pass through the Cathedra’s gates and make your way back to Nucarreo’s central station for the third year in a row. This time, your disguise isn’t bad at all (compared to “mediocre at best” last time and “not even your spell” the time before that) so the guards don’t give you any trouble. They don’t even seem particularly concerned that you’ll get kidnapped or find a corruption creature to fight, despite your alarming precedent for getting into trouble. Honestly, you kind of expected someone to object to you leaving on your own again.
But you suppose no mere human would tell you what to do.
The train is crowded, as usual, and you don’t even get a window seat this time. Instead, you’re stuck between two boisterous families who are far too excited about getting to their respective relatives’ homes. You just try to block out the noise as best you can as the train rattles along, high above the city you can’t even see because of the aforementioned seating situation. Oh well. The contrast is kind of funny, at least. If these people knew who you really were, they’d quiet down for sure.
Arrive, disembark, and start walking. The sixth district seems much the same as the last time you were here, though you’re careful to keep an eye out for anyone walking strangely or with an unusual affinity for gloves. Nothing yet, but you can’t be too careful.
“Okay, okay, I’ll be good.” A pause; everyone gets their water. “Actually, I’m glad you’re getting so strong. If you’re aiming to be a soldier, you really do need to be better than me. What are you doing in your training by now? You’re in your third year too, so halfway there?”
And so, basically by accident, you spend most of the day just catching up with your family. Not unexpected, really, but you had kind of anticipated having some time to investigate the weird gloom over the district. Although you certainly aren’t feeling it now. Maybe it was all in your head again? Mind magic doesn’t register anything to purge this time around when you try, so... maybe you’re just legitimately losing it and there’s nothing wrong this time? That might be nice for a change.
So. What do you do with the remainder of the day?
- Nothing much. Relax. You can take one day off.
- Visit Father Turner. He’s around today and you haven’t seen him in ages.
- Go looking for trouble. You’re not convinced that feeling is all in your head.
- Head back early.
(Winner: )
- Nothing much. Relax. You can take one day off.
- Visit Father Turner. He’s around today and you haven’t seen him in ages.
- Go looking for trouble. You’re not convinced that feeling is all in your head.
- Head back early.
(Winner: ) 5 3
1 1@Story Notifications
Scene 174
The answer, as it turns out, is “not much.” You consider going out somewhere - whether to catch up with people outside of your family or hunt for corruption creatures is irrelevant - but it’s kinda late and you’d need to put your disguise back on and it’d just be a hassle so...
Instead, you just stay in and relax. Listen to how the neighborhood has slowly changed in the last year, and how it’s stayed the same. Describe some of the silly things you can do with magic now, and demonstrate a few of them. Help mom with dinner, because it’s been a while and you just feel like it. You’re not very good at cooking, since your room doesn’t have a kitchen and most of your food is prepared for you, but you do know how to make a few simple things. You do your best.
While you’re distracted, though, mom asks you a somewhat concerning question. “Jessamine, are you safe?”
“... What kind of a question is that?” you ask, preparing to tell just a tiny little lie. “Of course I am. I don’t go out to the wastes for another few years.”
“I know that, but you don’t have to leave the city to be in danger.” She stays quiet for a few moments. “We... heard about what happened in the fourteenth district.”
“... Oh.”
“It was all over the news, sweetie. The warehouse, that poor constable, and... they just couldn’t keep a missing Angel a secret.”
“You didn’t write about this in any of your letters! I - I could have explained a bit if I’d known you heard about it.” You knew everyone at the Cathedra heard, but somehow it didn’t occur to you that normal people would have known too.
“We didn’t want to worry you any more. I wasn’t even certain I was going to bring it up today. But I just have to know: was it as bad as the news described?”
Five more months. You just have to survive five more months.
An eternity.
- Get one of your full Angel friends to deliver a message to the former prime. Try to keep quiet why.
- Keep your head down; don’t draw attention.
(Winner: )
- Get one of your full Angel friends to deliver a message to the former prime. Try to keep quiet why.
- Keep your head down; don’t draw attention.
(Winner: ) 1 7@Story Notifications
Scene 175
Weeks pass. The leaves begin to change as September arrives, grows old, and gives way to October. The new head of Inquisition is selected: some bishop you hadn’t heard of until recently. Arnold Athwood, apparently. A relatively young man, as far as primes go, and one who made his case for the position by aggressively pushing for more transparency and accountability in the Inquisition. That might be good for you (and everyone), but he also claims he will find and capture the betrayer by the end of the year.
That also might be good for you, if it weren’t for the fact that the betrayer will surely take both of you down with her, if he succeeds.
In any case, Inquisitors are mobilized in record numbers, and - unusually - publicly so. As someone who’s been involved with at least one of the incidents, you’re questioned again by Sims, who has apparently joined their ranks. Perhaps because he was recently a trainee, they think you’ll be more willing to trust him? If so, that doesn’t work at all; you lie about everything you want to hide, squashing your anxiety with Mind magic and desperately hoping he’ll believe you.
Somehow, it seems to work. Sims, it seems, is not very good at detecting lies. You try to push aside the thought of what would have happened if a more experienced Angel had been sent to question you instead and do your best to help Naoriel through the same experience. One of your luckiest breaks so far. But you feel that as the self-imposed deadline looms closer, they might send someone else to try again...
You hesitate a brief moment; Erich is coming to you for help? Erich? The guy who was ahead of you the entire time in basic magic, and most of the advanced stuff too? Or - the timing - surely this isn’t some sort of ploy to learn more about whatever you’re hiding from the Inquisition. You’re being too paranoid, certainly. Hopefully. If anything, this might be more related to the whole “having a crush on you” thing that you actually didn’t ever fully resolve, now that you think about it! But he hasn’t been acting weird since then; you’ve just been normal friends...?
- “Sure!”
- “You? Really? With what specifically?”
- “Sorry; too busy.”
️ - You’re suspicious of Erich trying to gather information from you.
❤️ - You’re suspicious of Erich trying to get closer to you.
- You’re not really suspicious of Erich.
(Winners: , a tie between ️ and )
- “Sure!”
- “You? Really? With what specifically?”
- “Sorry; too busy.”
️ - You’re suspicious of Erich trying to gather information from you.
❤️ - You’re suspicious of Erich trying to get closer to you.
- You’re not really suspicious of Erich.
(Winners: , a tie between ️ and ) 2 5 1 3 2 3@Story Notifications
Scene 176
... You want to trust him, but you’re very much on edge with the Inquisitors poking around. What if this is just a ploy? “You? Really?” you end up asking. “With what specifically?”
“Ah, don’t say it like that,” he grumbles. “You must know how difficult I find requesting assistance. I’m working on learning Blessings for my Soul course, and there is a related bolstering technique for Mind that seems to improve the Blessing if you can make use of the same principles. Hence my foray into Mental studies.”
You’re pretty much packed up by now, so you stuff everything into a bag and start to leave with him. “I think I’ve heard of that; Sister Noll was talking about how I could apply some of the long-lasting techniques from curses into Blessings, when I get around to learning them.”
“That’s right. It’s a similar sort of concept, just with different aspects and applications. So... would you Mind?”
“... Y-yeah. Er, no, that’s fine. I can help.”
“I appreciate it.” He glances at you curiously. “You seem very nervous tonight. Is it anything I could assist with in return?”
“N-no; there’s just... a lot going on lately.” Not technically a lie, but boy is that generalization doing a lot of work.
“Hmm. Are you referring to our new prime of Inquisition and the unending questioning we’ve been subjected to?”
Ah! This could be perfect, actually; maybe you can get Erich to tell you what he thinks of the Inquisitors. Maybe you can even believe him! “Yeah! Sims was the one who questioned me, actually, which was kinda awkward because - well, you know how he is.”
“I do.” A pause; he seems to remember something. “Unfortunately, I imagine you’ll likely get another interrogation in the next few days.”
“What? Why?”
[This is a critical point. Four characters’ fates will be altered.]
- Block, contaminate, or otherwise mask anything dangerous when they’re looking. Sneakily, if you can. [It will be difficult to hide that you’re doing this.]
- Suppress your own memories. Build in a trigger to get them back later. [You risk the trigger failing, or the suppression looking strange to an adept Inquisitor.]
- Remove your own memories. Place them in a receptacle outside of yourself to retrieve later. [You aren’t sure you can do this, and if you do it wrong, you’ll definitely lose them entirely.]
- Perform the procedure with the shade immediately, before the Inquisitors read your Mind. [You’re still a month early, and it will be difficult to hide your absence without a holiday.]
- Convince them they don’t need to read your Mind. [How? Specify in #story_discussion ]
❓ - ... Or do you have a better idea? [Suggest in #story_discussion ]
And, since Naoriel will have the same problem, if you choose to suppress or remove memories...
- Do hers first. Less risk since you aren’t messing with the surgeon (you) first.
️ - Do yours first. Less risk since you’re practicing on someone you’re more familiar with (you) first.
(Winners: / ❓ , )
- Block, contaminate, or otherwise mask anything dangerous when they’re looking. Sneakily, if you can. [It will be difficult to hide that you’re doing this.]
- Suppress your own memories. Build in a trigger to get them back later. [You risk the trigger failing, or the suppression looking strange to an adept Inquisitor.]
- Remove your own memories. Place them in a receptacle outside of yourself to retrieve later. [You aren’t sure you can do this, and if you do it wrong, you’ll definitely lose them entirely.]
- Perform the procedure with the shade immediately, before the Inquisitors read your Mind. [You’re still a month early, and it will be difficult to hide your absence without a holiday.]
- Convince them they don’t need to read your Mind. [How? Specify in #story_discussion ]
❓ - ... Or do you have a better idea? [Suggest in #story_discussion ]
And, since Naoriel will have the same problem, if you choose to suppress or remove memories...
- Do hers first. Less risk since you aren’t messing with the surgeon (you) first.
️ - Do yours first. Less risk since you’re practicing on someone you’re more familiar with (you) first.
(Winners: / ❓ , ) 1 3 2 2 1 3 3 2@Story Notifications
Scene 177
...
You wake up in the morning confused, with a throbbing headache and no memory of last night. You vaguely remember talking with Erich, and Etalyn had been there too for a bit... but that’s it. Nothing else. Even the memories you do have are vague; almost blurry. What... happened?
As you stumble out of bed and rub your eyes against the headache, you notice a neatly folded note on your nightstand. Your mood improves slightly when you recognize your own handwriting: “Note to future me: you were practicing Mind magic with Erich last night and overdid it a little. I don’t think you’ll be able to remember much of the night, but it’s nothing to be worried about; the memories should come back in a week or two. No need to bother anyone else about it unless it doesn’t get better by then. Sorry! -past you”
Ah. Well, that answers that question, you suppose. It... does sort of seem like something you would do. Practice a curse on yourself since you don’t want to hurt anyone else, screw it up, and lose a few hours of memory? You’re not entirely sure how you would have remembered enough to write that note, but suppose you’ll figure it out later, when your memories return.
... Your mood is curiously neutral today. But maybe that’s to be expected. You really hope it won’t take the full time your past self estimated to recover. You feel weird.
Nothing out of the ordinary happens for the rest of the day. You kind of float through your courses, talk with Erich briefly to confirm that yes, you were indeed practicing Mind magic with him last night, and unexpectedly run into Etalyn shortly after dinner. But all she wants is to ask if you talked to an Inquisitor today, which you haven’t. Off she goes. How strange.
Hell. The Inquisitors know about Kamiya. Even if you don’t get questioned again, this time about the vague half-Angelic thoughts that snuck through your suppression, they surely will find her. And when they do...
It could be a matter of days.
It could be a matter of hours.
It could be NOW.
Etalyn grabs you by the shoulders. “Jess. A. Mine. Look at me.”
“S-sorry. I... just... God, I really hate how tall he is...?”
“You’re such a bad liar.” She locks eyes with you for a moment before you look away. “This phrase thing seemed super important to you the other day, and it’s obviously got somethin’ to do with the Inquisition. You’re hiding somethin’. Now, are you gonna let me ‘n Yara help, or are you just going to run away?”
[This is a continuation of the critical point started in Scene 176. Six characters’ fates will be altered.]
- Tell them. Let them help. Honestly, you might really need it.
- Refuse. You’d only be putting them in danger too.
(Winner: )
- Tell them. Let them help. Honestly, you might really need it.
- Refuse. You’d only be putting them in danger too.
(Winner: ) 6 1@Story Notifications
Scene 178
“...”
You can’t. You’ve been hiding this for months - years? - now. You’d only put them in more danger, especially if anything goes wrong and Mind-reading comes into play again. It’s not even your secret to reveal.
And yet.
You and Naoriel can’t do this on your own. If the Inquisitors come back in a matter of days or hours to take her away for execution, you won’t be able to stop them. You need help. You have to trust someone.
The cards. The fallen Angel. A secret. Betrayal. You try to push that paranoia aside. “... Okay. I could really use the help, honestly.”
“Great! So, what do ya need?”
You can’t tell her now, though. Alongside the somewhat public setting, Naoriel’s heritage isn’t something you can just spread around without her permission. She has to make that decision. “We need to find Naoriel. Like, right now.”
“Her? What for?”
“I... can’t tell you. Not until we find her, okay?”
“Well,” she says. “If it’s important, then sure.”
“It’s really, really important.”
“Then let’s get moving!”
You get moving, and even split up after cluing Yara in on the search to track her down faster. You’re reminded of the time you, Serri, and Etalyn went looking for Yara after dark, though now with the participants slightly rearranged. That time, you found him in Hearth Hall having simply stayed in Forger Hall a little longer; he ended up being totally fine. This time, you can only hope for the same outcome. Surely they wouldn’t have arrested Naoriel already. Surely they would have announced something if they had caught Kamiya.
And, after about half an hour looking around the Cathedra, it turns out that’s correct. Etalyn ends up being the one to find her, late for dinner after an extended interview with an Inquisitor. You run to meet them in a partial panic, worrying about how many of your patches held or didn’t, but the fact that she’s here at all means enough of them did to avert disaster.
“... Jessamine, what are you trying to hide about Naoriel? Are you in danger?”
[This is a continuation of the critical point started in Scene 176. Six characters’ fates will be altered.]
- Trust Erich.
- Don’t trust Erich.
(Winner: )
- Trust Erich.
- Don’t trust Erich.
(Winner: ) 4 5@Story Notifications
Scene 179
You want to trust him. It’s so hard to keep lying to everyone. You just made the choice to finally tell Yara and Etalyn; it should be fine! Erich isn’t a bad guy!
But...
“I can’t tell you. Not right now. By... by the end of the year, I can,” you decide. “By then, it’ll be okay. But right now, I just can’t say anything.”
“...”
What’s that look in his eyes? “Please don’t say anything to anyone. I just need a few months and then I can explain. Okay? Just a little longer...”
“... Alright,” he says. “A few months? I’ll be waiting, then. Don’t get yourself hurt, understand?”
“I...” You can’t promise that. It should be the easiest thing in the world to agree to, but you just can’t; it’s simply not true. You’re risking so much. “I’ll try.”
“Very well, then. We’ll talk in Cevember. Or earlier.”
He returns downstairs. You feel sick. Images of the cards dance in your Mind; you’ve long since given up trying to disbelieve the fortune. The betrayal is close. It has to be. But will it be him? You can’t know.
“She returns,” Yara notes as you re-enter your room, somehow relaxed enough to lean back in his chair. “Feeling alright?”
“... Physically? Yeah. I’m okay.” A pause. You don’t want to mention Erich. “Did I miss anything?”
“We’re just trying to decide what to do,” Naoriel says, also looking surprisingly calm. Are you the only one who feels so nervous you could throw up? Or are they just hiding it? “If the Inquisitors know about Kamiya, they’re going to try to capture her soon. And when they do, she’s going to tell them about me. We just don’t know when that will be.”
“The way I see it, we have a few bad options.” Yara counts them out on his fingers as he continues. “One. I’m not saying we should, but we’re brainstorming here; everything’s on the table. We could turn Naoriel in. The three of us would be fine, but... dear Ms Fisher would certainly not be. But it would at least prevent an Erejil-style catastrophe, guaranteed.”
Naoriel slides closer to you; lowers her voice. “I’m really grateful you want to help me so much... but you don’t have to go that far. You’d be throwing away your future in the Cathedra just to try something that we don’t even know will work...”
“...” You try to visualize what that would be like, if you couldn’t come back here. If the Cathedra branded you a traitor. Would your life just be painfully cut short by an Inquisitor’s execution? Would you spend years on the run, hiding throughout the city or the wastes to avoid detection? Would you be branded a hero instead, for discovering how to cure half-Angels? Would everything be forgiven?
“Ah, it’s already getting quite late,” Yara notes as the night bell gongs sonorously through the mist. “I would ordinarily suggest we sleep on any major decisions like this, but if we’re worried about a matter of hours, there may not be time.”
Etalyn’s been awfully quiet over there in the corner, you note. She doesn’t seem happy. She usually doesn’t, but...
The cards. Fortune. Destiny. Betrayal.
Stop it. You’ve decided to trust them. You can’t keep doubting everyone
[This is a continuation of the critical point started in Scene 176. Four characters’ fates will be altered. If you have any details for any of the plans, specify in #story_discussion ]
⏱️ - Naoriel leaves the Cathedra tonight.
⏩ - Naoriel leaves the Cathedra tomorrow.
- Naoriel leaves the Cathedra this week.
- Naoriel leaves on her own. You will meet with her when it’s time.
️ - You will go with Naoriel. You’ll return when everything is fixed.
- Leave quietly. Hide where searchers will not look.
- “Die.” A dead Angel is an unnoticed Angel. Even if they’re actually alive.
(Winners: ⏩ , , )
- Naoriel leaves the Cathedra this week.
- Naoriel leaves on her own. You will meet with her when it’s time.
️ - You will go with Naoriel. You’ll return when everything is fixed.
- Leave quietly. Hide where searchers will not look.
- “Die.” A dead Angel is an unnoticed Angel. Even if they’re actually alive.
(Winners: ⏩ , , ) 1 5 2 7 1 6 1@Story Notifications
Scene 180
In the end, you sleep on it. Poorly. But you need to ask the shade some questions first.
You’re not sure how to “summon” it into your dreams, and you’re not convinced you even can. Every time it’s shown up, it’s been on its terms. So you just do what seems natural and think about it a lot, hoping that there’s some sort of mystical connection you can form and that it isn’t just some spell it has to cast, completely separate from anything you’re doing.
Whatever the case, it seems to work. You appear in the cistern, standing in the cool, thigh-deep water at the bottom of the pit. Gentle currents pull you towards the center, where the floor drops away into darkness. You hurriedly back out of the water and onto dry land, fully aware you’re dreaming and trying your best to ignore the uncomfortable surroundings to search for the shade.
“Events have moved quickly,” it hisses from somewhere above you. Silver eyes gleam in the shadows.
You’ve rarely been so relieved to see your ostensible mortal enemy. At least it’s not the orange-eyed one. “Yeah. Yes, they have. Er, d-did I bring you here, or did you come on your own...?”
“It has its informants. It believes the cut-string puppet might require guidance.”
“That’s one way to put it...” You glance around again, not finding anyone else. “Did you not bring Naoriel here too?”
The shade’s eyes shift upwards slightly. “The broken puppet is not asleep.”
“What? I told her - ugh, she’d better be rested by morning! Anyway, we’re trying to make a plan and I need to know a few things.”
“Speak. Ask.”
“Well...”
...
You’re awake before the morning bell and meet up with your co-conspirators in the misty chill of sunrise to finalize the plan. Then, as light turns the fog gold, you put it into place.
To that end, just suppressing your memories probably won’t be enough. Even though you hopefully can’t know where Naoriel is planning to go, you certainly have plenty of other incriminating memories. Chief among them are your several talks with the shade. Maybe the Inquisitors won’t look for those purposefully due to their privacy restrictions, but last night’s conversation in particular is far too connected to Naoriel for your comfort. So, you’re going to try to completely extract that memory so you can’t possibly give anything away. You might lose it if you screw up, but... that’s what writing it down is for. You don’t need to remember the atmosphere or details; just the facts.
Unfortunately, you’ve been so busy this morning that you haven’t had time to gather the ingredients yet, and your instructors typically aren’t around on Saturdays. So it’s slow going picking through the storerooms with the help of the monks who are still here, searching for materials that hopefully don’t look too suspicious. Once you’re done with that, you’ll just need an hour or two to prepare before you can-
“Angel Jessamine Goodall?”
You just about jump out of your skin as a muscular Inquisitor places his hand on your shoulder. Two Cathedra guards accompany him.
“Y-yes...?”
“I’m afraid you’ll need to come with me. We have some questions for you.”
Ah. Not so perfect after all.
- Cooperate. You literally can’t tell them where Naoriel went, and you need to save yourself too.
- Resist. They can’t do anything too bad to you (probably) and Naoriel needs all the time she can get.
(Winner: )
- Cooperate. You literally can’t tell them where Naoriel went, and you need to save yourself too.
- Resist. They can’t do anything too bad to you (probably) and Naoriel needs all the time she can get.
(Winner: ) 2 4@Story Notifications
Scene 181
You’re escorted down to the basement of Illim Hall, led into a small, metal-lined room that reminds you of a jail cell, and asked about Naoriel. When you won’t say anything useful, the Inquisitor instead attempts to view your memories. When you won’t cooperate with that either, refusing to allow him into your Mind despite several attempts, he leaves along with the guards.
Several hours pass.
You pace around the room. Knock on the door. Ask the guard outside when you can leave. He doesn’t know. Ask why you’re being held here. He says you just need to answer the questions and you can go. Say you aren’t going to do that. He says he’ll tell them.
Several. Hours. Pass.
You end up lightly dozing in one of the chairs, just because there isn’t anything else to do. This is reminding you uncomfortably of your imprisonment in the cistern, and you feel like you might just start breaking things if they don’t let you out soon. Or at least indicate that something is happening. They can’t just hold you here forever without saying anything, right? You’re an Angel, and they can’t even do this to a regular human! Right?
Voices in the hallway. You hurry to the door and peek out.
The new prime of Inquisition is walking quickly towards you, accompanied by another Inquisitor you vaguely recognize but don’t know well. At least they’ve started wearing those badges so you can tell who is one on sight. The prime is speaking to the guard in front of your room (you’re trying to avoid the word “cell,” even in your thoughts), telling him to get the door open. Keys jangle. You try to prepare yourself.
The prime enters, followed by his Inquisitor guard. The door shuts. He regards you.
“Jessamine Goodall,” he says. You don’t like his voice. It’s harsh, but dull. Monotonously threatening. Dangerous. “Do you know why you are here?”
“Missions. Punishments. Restrictions. I appreciate honesty, Goodall, so I will be honest with you. With the evidence we have, we can’t do anything reckless like execute two traitors to the Cathedra. But we can change their mission profiles.” A pause, he looks directly at you. “Conner and Mills are being reassigned to the wastelands, effective tomorrow. All future missions will be beyond the wall, until Naoriel Fisher is captured. With their help or without it.”
“You... you can’t do that. They’re not trained for the wastelands; that’s-”
“A death sentence? Good. You understand the gravity of the situation.”
Now you’re scared. Not for yourself, but...
“If you decide to share any information on the half-Angel, this will of course be taken into account for their assignments. Adequate assistance may result in a reversal of this decision.”
They’re going to die if you don’t say anything. Or Naoriel’s going to die if you do. Guilt; you knew getting them involved was a terrible idea! At least before, when it came to this, only you would be in trouble!
“Do you happen to remember anything of use now, or shall I check back after their first mission to the wastes?”
- Cooperate. Naoriel’s had a little more time and you might be able to help Yara and Etalyn.
- Resist. They’re tough and, since they’re being sent out there at all, that means they didn’t talk either.
(Winner: )
- Cooperate. Naoriel’s had a little more time and you might be able to help Yara and Etalyn.
- Resist. They’re tough and, since they’re being sent out there at all, that means they didn’t talk either.
(Winner: ) 4 5@Story Notifications
Scene 182
“...”
You consider saying something; you really do. Being sent to the wastes... if you could maybe help them escape that fate by just providing a little information, would it be worth it? But, after thinking a few moments, you realize that if what he’s saying is true, that means Yara and Etalyn didn’t say anything either. They have the same information on Naoriel as you do, and they didn’t talk. So, if you did now, you’d be betraying them just as much as Naoriel herself. Well, maybe a little less, but still.
So. You stay quiet.
“Fine. Then you get to stay right here until you change your Mind. We’ll check back in a few days.”
The prime stands to leave. You say nothing. Maybe he wants you to get upset about being stuck here, but it’s not going to be nearly as bad as the cistern. At least here, you won’t be forced to operate on anyone.
...
You dream of the shade that night, briefly. It appears for only a few moments, just long enough to whisper “she still lives” and vanish back into the formless shadows that are your backdrop tonight. It didn’t agree to ferry messages back and forth for you, and it wouldn’t be a good idea anyway if the Inquisitors do get you to break, but this was the only way you could think of to make sure she’s still okay without risking interception. Even Angels can’t interrupt whatever strange, dream-based spell the shade is using here. Not if they don’t know about it.
It’s a relief in any case. She’s still okay, which means they weren’t able to track her directly. If they had, it would have been over already. Now, it turns into hide-and-seek rather than a direct chase. Better for you; better for her. Can she make it a month? You can only hope.
... Can you make it a month? Can Yara? Etalyn?
You can only hope. Or, perhaps, pray.
You skim the paper. “I need to check in at the Center every four hours to make sure I’m not running off anywhere, huh? Indefinitely? That’s-” You pause; consider your options. “-much less annoying than being stuck here forever. I... guess I’ll just go, then?”
The guard nods.
“Well, er, thanks.” And off you go, down the excessively long hallway. Aware that the guard could be watching you walk aaaallllll the way to the staircase.
But then, after another few minutes navigating the turns of Illim Hall’s first floor, you’re finally back out into fresh air. It’s midmorning and chilly, but you don’t have time to worry about the weather. You have to figure out what in the world happened while you were down there. And you definitely have to find out where Yara and Etalyn went.
... And you probably have to go to the Center soon. Every four hours? What if you’re trying to sleep?!
- Be Naoriel, briefly.
- Be Yara, briefly.
️ - Keep being Jessamine.
(Winner: )
- Be Naoriel, briefly.
- Be Yara, briefly.
️ - Keep being Jessamine.
(Winner: ) 5 1 3@Story Notifications
Scene 183
Earlier...
“I suppose this is where we part ways, then.”
You nod, trusting Yara to read the disguise’s integrity better than you can. In a few seconds, as he noted, it falls apart. You quickly wrap a scarf around your face to cover your Angelic features. “Thanks,” you say, muffled by the fabric. “I know you’re risking a lot to help me.”
“Hum. So we are. If you want to truly thank me, though, do it by surviving and returning healthy, when the time is right. And do try to avoid turning to the corruption and making us all look like fools, if you can.” A wry grin, but there’s more than a hint of legitimate concern there too. “Good luck.”
“... I’ll do my best.”
He nods, seeming to consider that matter closed. “Well. See you in a few months. I had better get back before anyone misses me.”
He turns and walks away, not looking back.
Breathe.
Your name is Naoriel Fisher, trainee Angel. Half-Angel. And now, fugitive from the Cathedra. You check your appearance in a nearby window, making sure you’re covered up enough to look human unless anyone looks too closely at your unnaturally purple eyes. Good enough. Time to hurry.
Yara can’t help you anymore. Nor can Etalyn, or even Jessamine. She would have come with you, you’re certain, if it would have made sense. It’s still a mystery why she’s gone to such incredible lengths just to try and save you. Even working with a shade...
Shake those thoughts out of your head. You need to move. If all goes well, no one will come looking for you until Monday, but you’re well aware that’s optimistic. Angels could already be forming search parties to find you, so you need to get out of sight as soon as you possibly can. But that’s going to be tricky.
So. You go down there today. You aren’t allowed to wear your scarf into the mine due to flammability concerns (or something? He was talking very quickly) and you have to tie up your hair that could otherwise cover it. Luckily, you had thought of that previously and smudged up your face as best you could to try and conceal your features. Hopefully in the low light down below, it’ll be enough. Up here, you just try to stay out of direct sight as much as possible, keeping a careful lookout for anyone staring too long. This would be so much easier if you could just do a proper disguise, but it’s simply beyond your skill. Maybe the operation will fix that too and you can learn magic properly. Optimistic, but in a situation like this you have to be optimistic.
Before the manager leaves you to your training, though, you should probably figure out where you’re going to sleep. You’d really like to stay underground even then, for safety, but you’d be hard-pressed to find any normal lodgings that aren’t on the surface...
- In normal temporary housing nearby.
- On the streets or in an abandoned basement or something, if you can find one.
️ - Try to find a cave or something nearby, near the river.
️ - In the mine itself, if you can.
❓ - [Or somewhere else. Specify in #story_discussion ]
(Winner: ️ )
- In normal temporary housing nearby.
- On the streets or in an abandoned basement or something, if you can find one.
️ - Try to find a cave or something nearby, near the river.
️ - In the mine itself, if you can.
❓ - [Or somewhere else. Specify in #story_discussion ]
(Winner: ️ ) 1 1 5 2 1@Story Notifications
Scene 184
You’ve never actually been in a mine, though Jess did that one time you all went out to various jobs throughout the city and told you about it. Although, now that you think about it, that wasn’t really a mine so much as an underground farm - she never went down to the real depths. Here, you definitely do. At least you’re certainly out of sight from any Angels searching for you above, though that’s small comfort as the elevator just keeps dropping lower and lower. It almost feels like you’re descending into your own grave.
Finally, the descent stops and you follow the hairy older man who is your instructor into the network of cramped, hot, pitch-black tunnels. You’re both wearing headlamps, but it hardly makes a difference beyond a dozen or so feet. Side passages gape emptily in each wall and the main tunnel winds around massive chunks of solid rock a different color than the rest. You consider asking about them, but don’t want to draw attention to yourself and just stay silent.
“This is the 800 level,” your instructor eventually says, slowing to a stop just ahead of another one of those stone chunks with a massive crack blasted through it. You can hear water trickling on the other side, which makes you very nervous. You don’t know much about caves, but the river is very nearby and you know it’s above you. The idea of the torrent’s full force flooding the mine...
He retrieves a small item from a pocket before he continues explaining. It’s a little metallic orb about the size of a fingernail. Very shiny and a grainy greenish-silver color. “This is a fluxpearl. Used in manufacturing. Very expensive.”
“Okay...”
He takes the pearl back. “They form in streams like this. In rock like that.”
In brief, you’re already miserable and it’s been less than a single day. Maybe you could quit right away if you’re going to stay in a cave - the money you brought will carry you a lot further if you aren’t paying for a room - but you’ll still need food and some other supplies, and you’re not sure your Mind is up to the task of staying underground all alone for the next month. You’d go crazy, and that would seriously risk breaking your fragile Soul.
Of course, you’re not doing much better here. There’s a dark strain from somewhere within. Not quite Body; not quite Mind. You need to be extremely careful with how much stress you put yourself through if you want to even survive the next month, let alone evade capture.
Someone’s staring at you. Actually, a few people. There’s a group of boys maybe a little older than you who have been whispering and glancing in your direction for a few minutes now while you wait for the elevator with them and a few older miners who don’t seem to be paying attention. Uncomfortable, you try to shift slightly out of their sight by shuffling along the wall, but the tunnel’s too narrow for that to work very well. At least the elevator’s almost back now.
It would be nice if you could hear what they’re whispering about. Almost certainly nothing good, you presume, but it would at least help if you knew they weren’t suspecting you of being an Angel. You are the only girl you’ve seen all day down here, so maybe you’re just unusual due to that. Another potential miscalculation; you really don’t want to stand out in any way.
Elevator. Finally.
️ - Try to talk to them a little; see if you can feel out what they’re like.
- Try to get a little closer and listen in. You aren’t as good as Jess, but you can still hear better than anyone would expect.
- Just don’t get involved. Don’t stand out.
(Winner: )
️ - Try to talk to them a little; see if you can feel out what they’re like.
- Try to get a little closer and listen in. You aren’t as good as Jess, but you can still hear better than anyone would expect.
- Just don’t get involved. Don’t stand out.
(Winner: ) 1 5 2@Story Notifications
Scene 185
You get a little closer as the group rearranges in preparation for the elevator. They’re making crude comments about your appearance and presumed skills. You get a little farther away again, squeezing into the elevator to go back up. Great. This is good, you remind yourself. They’re treating you like a human girl, not an Angel. No one would dare speak like that about an Angel.
At least, so you assume. The knowledge doesn’t improve your mood, regardless.
Return above, clean up a little, and leave the mine. You hurry down cold, darkened streets, trying to focus on Soul to get advance warning if anyone is watching from above. No one, or at least no one you can detect. The river flows nearby and you make your way past a lower section of fencing to the bank. Need to find somewhere to hide. Somewhere close enough to not require a long walk, but hidden enough to not be obvious. Of course, it also can’t be hidden enough that you can’t find it, in the dark, in the cold, in a big hurry. Oh, this was such a bad idea.
It takes you so much longer than you had thought, long enough to very nearly turn back and just find somewhere normal to sleep, flying Inquisitors or not. But you don’t give up, searching through the muck and stones until accidentally stumbling on a rock and dislodging it into a deeper crevice. Further investigation reveals a passable tunnel you can just about worm your way into, widening out into an appreciably-sized fissure that eventually descends a good distance before opening into a wide, relatively dry cavern.
Indecisive, you hesitate with one hand on the winding key for the mechanism.
️ - Keep working at the mine.
- Stay in this cave instead.
(Winner: ️ )
️ - Keep working at the mine.
- Stay in this cave instead.
(Winner: ️ ) 6 1@Story Notifications
Scene 186
But after only a few moments, you wind up the clock and set the alarm properly, then collapse into “bed,” exhausted. You can’t just sit here for a month. You need something to do, even if it’s even more clambering around underground. At least you won’t be short of money this way, though gathering the courage to stay on the surface long enough to spend it won’t be trivial.
You wonder how Jess and the others are doing. You may be out of reach (for now) but if the Inquisition figures out they’re helping you, they’ll be in serious danger.
Well. There’s nothing you can do about it now except stay alive to make sure their risk was worth it.
“...”
Sleeping on the floor like this really sucks. It’s cold and uncomfortable and you can still see your glow even with your eyes closed. You’d turn it off, but then the bugs would come back and you hate that idea even more. A bit of thick cloth draped over your face helps with the light, but now you can’t turn onto your side or make other sudden moves. A drawn-out sigh. At least you have plenty of ideas for things to buy later.
Eventually, you manage to drift off to a fitful sleep. The silver-eyed shade appears briefly in your dreams, as you knew it would, but it still gives you a fright. It’s just going to tell Jess you’re still alive, though. Nothing nefarious tonight.
After that, you don’t dream of anything. You rarely do.
...
A week goes by. You don’t see any Angels. Some basic amenities appear in the cave as you spend some of your pay. You improve at spotting fluxpearls, though the squeezes required to grab them don’t get any easier. Some of the boys are impressed by your agility. Most still comment on your appearance when they think you aren’t listening, and sometimes when they think you are. No one seems to think you’re an Angel; just a pretty athletic and pretty pretty human.
Whatever. You turn to leave, too sleepy to think much more about it. You’ve been doing this for weeks now; it’s nothing new. Just supremely annoying.
The Center is still busy even at this time of night. The corruption never sleeps, and so Angels don’t either. Or at least, those with the night shifts don’t. Well, they sleep during the day, but - get it together, Jessamine. The point is, it’s not unusual for there to be a number of Angels here talking with dispatchers or rushing out to the city. What is unusual is for there to be angry shouting going on somewhere on the other side of the room. All the people here are on the same side and usually work together without much issue. What’s the commotion about?
You squint across the room, vaguely making out the back of a female Angel being very upset about something. It’s difficult to muster the energy to care; you just want to go back to sleep. But still, you’re curious.
- Go look. Find out.
- Back to bed. Sleep.
(Winner: )
- Go look. Find out.
- Back to bed. Sleep.
(Winner: ) 4 2@Story Notifications
Scene 187
“...”
You hesitate by a desk for a few seconds before resignedly turning towards the shouting. You don’t have anything terribly important to do today anyway, and it is certainly helpful to know what’s going on. First off, who is it that’s doing the shouting?
... It’s Stella, you think. You aren’t very familiar with her, but she’s Yara’s captain and you’ve met her a few times. She’s usually very composed, so seeing her like this is unusual and concerning. You sneak a little closer, though it’s not like you’re not allowed to be here or particularly hiding from anyone; you just don’t want to be disruptive.
“Fine!” she’s saying when you get close enough to hear. “Then you can cancel all my shifts, along with everyone under me, until you grow a damn spine and do the right thing!”
The dispatcher she’s shouting at isn’t one of the rank-and-file either; the golden stripes on his coat indicate he’s one of the three shift managers and thus responsible for every Angel’s assignment for a full third of the day. “You know I can’t do that,” he replies, obviously trying very hard not to shout back. As a mortal man, it isn’t his place. “I’ll forward your concerns to Prime Athwood, but I don’t expect any change.”
“To hell with Athwood.” There are a few mutters at her language, as there were just a sentence earlier, but no one dares correct her. “Why isn’t Barton in charge?”
“Prime Barton has deferred to Prime Athwood’s authority due to the ongoing investigation surrounding the half-Angel.”
“... Coward,” she mutters, but quickly picks up with more volume. “Fine. I’ll bring it up to the Emissary, then, if you’re going to let him get away with this.”
“His holiness has also already deferred to Prime Athwood’s-”
“Are you all insane?! Can no one here understand that your politics have literally killed-” Stella catches a glimpse of you standing back a bit and rapidly cuts herself off. “Jessamine! What fortunate timing you have.”
“...” Guilt. Why haven’t you done anything for the past three weeks or more? Did the four-hour thing mess you up that much? Or were you just scared? They’re still watching you; Inquisitors monitor you even outside of the arranged meeting times. You wouldn’t have been allowed to do anything. Right? But if you had just said something to Stella earlier, maybe...
“How can I help?” you ask. “O-or did you just want to yell at me...?”
“No; not just - agh, chin up. We’re going to get them out of the wastes and back here, no matter what Athwood wants to think. I don’t know about any of the half-Angel stuff and I don’t care right now. But I do need you to tell me at least the basic facts if I’m going to argue anything about what the three of you actually did. Then, we’re going to find as many Angels as possible who are willing to take a stand. Think you know anyone like that?”
- Trust Stella.
- Trust Stella, but only so far. The cards; the fortune. Have you been betrayed yet? It’s so hard to tell...
️ - Stella goes to the Emissary on her own while you focus on finding Angels.
- You go together, at the expense of some multitasking time.
- Don’t go. He probably won’t listen; it’s a waste of time.
[Suggest who you might want to recruit in #story_discussion . There is no formal vote for it as there are a lot of Angels you know, but I will take suggestions into account when it’s time for Jessamine to make her choices.]
(Winners: , a tie between ️ and )
- Trust Stella.
- Trust Stella, but only so far. The cards; the fortune. Have you been betrayed yet? It’s so hard to tell...
️ - Stella goes to the Emissary on her own while you focus on finding Angels.
- You go together, at the expense of some multitasking time.
- Don’t go. He probably won’t listen; it’s a waste of time.
[Suggest who you might want to recruit in #story_discussion . There is no formal vote for it as there are a lot of Angels you know, but I will take suggestions into account when it’s time for Jessamine to make her choices.]
(Winners: , a tie between ️ and ) 1 6 3 3 1@Story Notifications
Scene 188
You still have such a hard time trusting her. Obviously, she cares about Yara a great deal. She’s willing to look past the half-Angel... thing. She’s just trying to help... right?
The cards. Why? Why do you continue to care so much about that fortune?
“... Maybe,” you say uncertainly. And that’s the truth.
It takes time to explain the gist of the situation to Stella, though you omit most of the details about Naoriel. It takes yet more time for her to explain, in turn, to the Angels under her command. Some of them support her. Some of them don’t. Some have questions for you. Others denounce you as a sinner, suggesting you’ve fallen. You don’t argue; you can’t be sure yourself. An Inquisitor waits nearby, monitoring. Some Angels notice; others don’t. You wonder how many more people might have supported you if he weren’t there. You wonder what he’s going to report to the prime.
By the time the sun has risen and started to slowly thaw the night’s frost on grass and buildings, the Cathedra is humming with activity. Both the normal daily matters of defending Nucarreo from darkness, and the mutters of a growing showdown.
Stella goes to meet with Prime Barton on her own, since she wants to confirm his stance on the matter before going to the Emissary himself. Barton is the prime of municipal incident management, meaning he’s responsible for all Angels dispatched into the city. He should be the one making decisions on where to assign Yara and Etalyn, as they’re both too new to be sent into the wastes, but as the shift manager noted, he agreed to defer to Prime Athwood, of Inquisition, in this case.
Uncomfortable, you approach the stairs behind Stella. The Emissary sits on his simple throne, as always, though he doesn’t wear his normal kindly smile today. He’s thoughtful, or displeased. The image of vaporization again plays out inside your Mind.
This is not going to go well.
[Pick however many you want. This is not FPTP.]
- Make some sort of excuse; leave.
- Ask about the Lordstone.
- Let Stella take the lead.
️ - Explain yourself. Convince the Emissary.
️ - Be observant. Cautious. Paranoi - watchful.
(Winners: > ️ > )
- Make some sort of excuse; leave.
- Ask about the Lordstone.
- Let Stella take the lead.
️ - Explain yourself. Convince the Emissary.
️ - Be observant. Cautious. Paranoi - watchful.
(Winners: > ️ > ) 1 4 6 1 5@Story Notifications
Scene 189
“Speak,” he says, looking down at you both. “I have already been informed why you are here.”
She does, while you stand there awkwardly and try not to be noticed. Stella goes over the facts again, what you told her - you have to pay attention and say a few words at that point - and the danger that your friends are in while out in the wastes. How they could be killed. How they have been killed, at least once. How the Cathedra has no right to treat Angels like this - or even regular humans - for any reason. How a large group of Angels will not stand for it and will stop protecting the city tonight if Yara and Etalyn aren’t returned. How this request has nothing to do with absolving them of their punishment; all she wants is to make sure they aren’t killed.
You comment here and there when she asks you to, but otherwise let her take the lead; she’s clearly done some preparation and is far more articulate than you could have been. In the meantime, you watch the Lordstone. Its stillness is bothering you in a very peculiar way and you’re feeling too paranoid to dismiss your instincts like that. You feel in danger, but you aren’t sure from what. You wish you could ask someone what’s wrong with the crystal, but you can’t interrupt the conversation like that even if you could trust anyone here to tell the truth.
“I understand your concerns,” he says calmly, still without any sympathy in his expression. “But unfortunately, the punishment must be upheld as stated until the matter is resolved.”
“Respectfully, why? Jessamine remains here, out of danger.”
You feel a twinge of anxiety before he replies, like maybe the Emissary will just agree with her and send you to the wastes as well.
He looks at you severely as he speaks. “Jessamine is not yet of age and cannot be held to the same standards, even for the same acts. She does not know the gravity of the situation.”
Just for a moment, you catch a fleeting look of surprise before the Emissary returns to his neutral expression. He doesn’t even turn to look at the crystal. “The Lordstone’s patterns sometimes vary with current events. With a half-Angel loose in the city, He is certainly displeased and the crystal reflects that. Worry not, it will return to its normal state when all matters are settled.”
You’re quickly ushered out. Somehow, you don’t entirely believe him. Especially when Stella asks “What did you see in the Lordstone? It didn’t look any different to me.”
“R-really? It - er, the stars on it. They weren’t moving. It was a little subtle, but...” You assume Stella should have noticed it, if she were paying attention. She was looking right at it for several minutes.
“No; I couldn’t tell. I must have been too focused on the Emissary.”
“... I guess so...”
- Talk to Serri, like you were considering. Try to recruit her.
️ - Help Stella finish preparing for the protest.
- Try to convince them to stop. You doubt the Cathedra will bend, and it will only hurt people.
- Try to stay out of the way. If you get arrested for real, Naoriel won’t have any chance.
(Winner: )
- Talk to Serri, like you were considering. Try to recruit her.
️ - Help Stella finish preparing for the protest.
- Try to convince them to stop. You doubt the Cathedra will bend, and it will only hurt people.
- Try to stay out of the way. If you get arrested for real, Naoriel won’t have any chance.
(Winner: ) 6 3 1 1@Story Notifications
Scene 190
You find Serri in the upstairs common area, away from the bustle of the main floor one. The downstairs common area is more popular even on normal days, but today it’s additionally full of Angels discussing or arguing about the upcoming protest. You feel a little bad for dragging that up to her when she’s clearly trying to focus on something else, but not bad enough to stop.
“Oh, hey, Jessamine,” she greets you. “Lots going on today, huh?”
“... Yeah.” You hesitate, briefly observing her books and notes to determine she’s studying Body projection magic. Nothing unusual for her, except- “Do you have a few minutes to talk?”
“Sure.” Serri finishes a sentence, then gently pushes her papers away a bit, making room. “Sit down; it feels like it’s been ages since we were together like this.”
“Yeah, it has.” You’ve seen her relatively often lately, but never for long and always in a public context. Up here, it’s just the two of you. For now. “Er-” For some reason, it feels awkward to just get into what you actually want to ask, so you pivot to something you saw in her notes. “You’re learning healing now? Those books look pretty advanced.”
“Surprised after all my talk about wanting to learn how to fight?”
“Well... s-sort of?”
“If you’re going to be a warrior, you’re going to get hurt, and the people around you will too. Angels who go to the wastelands have to be very good healers as well as very good fighters. I’m working on that part, too.”
“That makes sense.” Another pause. Would it be even more awkward now? Oh, who cares? If that’s what you want to talk about, then just talk about it! “Er, speaking of the wastelands... a-and Yara and Etalyn...”
She doesn’t say anything. But she’s no longer smiling.
You know. You see. You’re close enough to touch. They’re right here. You could cut them. You could free her. You could you could you SHOULD YOU MUST.
You stand up. The sin overwhelms your Mind. Serri says something. You can’t hear her. A question? She looks concerned.
CUT ᶜᵒⁿᵗʳᵒˡ HER ʸᵒᵘʳˢᵉˡᶠ STRINGS!
✂️ - Free her.
- ᶜᵒⁿᵗʳᵒˡ ʸᵒᵘʳˢᵉˡᶠ
❤️ - Tell her. Something. You need help.
- Don’t you dare say anything. Not now. Not to her. Secrets. Betrayal. You just need another few days.
(Winners: , )
- ᶜᵒⁿᵗʳᵒˡ ʸᵒᵘʳˢᵉˡᶠ
❤️ - Tell her. Something. You need help.
- Don’t you dare say anything. Not now. Not to her. Secrets. Betrayal. You just need another few days.
(Winners: , ) 2 5 2 5@Story Notifications
Scene 191
You reach out. Voices overlap in your Mind. You can’t hear anything. Vision tunnels to a single point. You have to you must you should you can’t you NEED TO-
Something breaks.
You stumble forward, losing your balance and falling ungracefully onto Serri. She barely catches you, surprised, and says something else. Urgently. You still can’t hear anything. Everything is spinning. You can’t breathe. The sin slowly drains from your Mind once more, lingering at the end as if to say that you can’t keep doing this. You can’t resist forever. You’re too weak.
The next time this happens, you won’t be able to stop.
“...”
What was that? It’s too quiet to be sure.
“... at me?”
That’s Serri’s voice. Your heart is pounding so loud you can hardly think. You feel sick. “...” You try to say something, but can’t.
“That’s right, just...”
A lapse.
You wake up with a coughing gasp and sit up too quickly, sending the room spinning and narrowly avoiding headbutting Serri as she leans over you. “Wha - how...” You pause a moment, trying to get your heart under control. “How long was I out?”
“A - a minute? How are you feeling?”
“...” You notice shallow, lightly bloody scratches on her arms. “What happened? Did - did I do that?”
“You were trying to scratch your eyes,” she says shakily. “I had to stop you.”
You put your hands to your face. A set of fresh scratches much like Serri’s wounds stings just below your eyelids. The flesh is tender. You can smell something metallic; there’s more blood leaking from your nose. “... Thanks. I’m... okay now, I think.”
“Are you sure? I did my best to help, but... this was from your sickness, right?” She says it quietly, as if to not let it know she’s talking about it.
You shiver, briefly. How many Angels have been recalled from the walls to support those in the city? How many Seraphs and Archangels are here, doing ordinary work, instead of whatever it is they otherwise do all day?
... What if the corruption finds out?
- Speak to the Seraph. [What would you like to say?]
❔ - Speak to one of the nicer, less-busy dispatchers. Where are all these reinforcements coming from?
️ - Don’t talk to anyone.
(Winner: ❔ )
- Speak to the Seraph. [What would you like to say?]
❔ - Speak to one of the nicer, less-busy dispatchers. Where are all these reinforcements coming from?
️ - Don’t talk to anyone.
(Winner: ❔ ) 1 4 2@Story Notifications
Scene 192
What you hear when you ask one of the dispatchers those questions does not reassure you. Angels are being withdrawn from all positions and duties to fill demand at the Center. There are enough to make it up, barely, but everything else is more-or-less at a standstill. The two-Angel rule at the walls is temporarily rescinded and some districts end up with only a single Angel guarding their entire border with the wastes. Healers are recalled from the city center hospital and placed on mission duty instead. Higher ranking Angels who would ordinarily be planning, researching, or investigating are now here. Nothing else is getting done.
And you just don’t understand why the primes would allow it.
Even you can tell this situation is both not sustainable and extremely dangerous. One shade can often match even a strong Angel in power, and massive sections of the walls are defended only lightly. What happens if two shades attack at once? More? You don’t get any satisfactory answers and the shift manager on duty doesn’t seem to want to talk to you. The most you get is that the overall structure of the response isn’t decided here, which must mean someone higher up is doing the deciding. Prime Athwood is an obvious choice, but what would he gain from doing so? By risking so much?
“It might even be easier to get out of the Cathedra than normal with all the Inquisitors busy doing regular missions,” you reason. “So I can probably make it out tomorrow. But they’re definitely going to know soon after, since I still have to check in every four hours. Can I make it somewhere to hide before then?”
“I already picked out the place. It’s close to the wall so the shade can get in more easily, close to me, and not far from a train station. I’ll give you the directions and a time if you’re committed, but if you need more time, I won’t. To be safe.”
Somehow, her offering the directions makes it sink in. You’re really doing this. You’re going to leave the Cathedra without permission, let a shade into the city on purpose, then meet up with it and do a definitely super-blasphemous operation on a fellow Angel. Your mouth suddenly feels very dry. What if anything goes wrong? Will you even survive tomorrow?
Well. Are you forgetting anything? Are you ready? Once you agree to hear the directions, there’s no turning back from your fate. Whatever it may be.
- You’re ready. Meet with Naoriel tomorrow.
- You’re not ready. [What will you do tomorrow instead?]
[When you’re ready, how will you escape?]
- Talk your way out. A disguise, maybe? Convince someone that you’re allowed to leave.
- Sneak your way out. Climb a wall? Stack some boxes? Dig a tunnel? Get out unseen and unheard.
- Get some help. Ask some other people to assist in your plan. [Who?]
(Winners: , )
- You’re ready. Meet with Naoriel tomorrow.
- You’re not ready. [What will you do tomorrow instead?]
[When you’re ready, how will you escape?]
- Talk your way out. A disguise, maybe? Convince someone that you’re allowed to leave.
- Sneak your way out. Climb a wall? Stack some boxes? Dig a tunnel? Get out unseen and unheard.
- Get some help. Ask some other people to assist in your plan. [Who?]
(Winners: , ) 5 1 2 4 1@Story Notifications
Scene 193
“I’m ready,” you decide. “Whatever happens, it’ll happen tomorrow.”
“Okay.” She pauses, but not for long. “Okay. Tomorrow, here’s the route you’ll need...”
...
You wake up in the middle of the night again to go to the Center and return to bed. You’re not ready yet, and you don’t want to perform your escape without enough sleep. Instead, it’s only the second time you wake up, just before morning bell, that it’s time to put your plan into action.
It’s a very simple plan, as far as these things go. You gather up the supplies you’ll need (borrowed or requested from various storehouses over the last few weeks), go do your final check-in at the Center, make sure no one’s following you, and break into one of the smaller temple buildings near the outer wall. You don’t have to break into the building itself - it’s open to all - but you do have to use your enhanced strength and one of the tools you brought along to cut a small padlock off the door that leads to the roof.
From here, you’re fairly close to the wall and, having scouted it ahead of time, know where in the city you’ll end up when you...
Hm. You hesitate on the edge of the roof. It’s a long way down and you still aren’t good at healing magic.
Don’t let nerves get the better of you; Naoriel needs you. Yara and Etalyn need you. In an abstract sense, Nucarreo needs you. So you had better get it together and jump off that roof. Just don’t miss the landing.
“...”
A few steps back. A running leap. A loud ding as you land heavily on top of the wall before scrambling off and dropping to the ground on the other side. Your ankles tingle with pain despite the magical reinforcement you had given your Body, protesting the demands placed upon them. But nothing’s broken and you’re out. Time to go, before anyone comes to check on that chime.
You stare at the constant motion of your light clashing against the shade’s darkness. Is it too much? From whose side? Is that wave closer to you? Closer to it? Right in the middle? It’s such a complex pattern you just can’t tell.
“...”
- Ask the shade to decrease its output. [Balances towards light, decreasing the risk of transformation but increasing the risk of destruction.]
- Ask the shade to increase its output. [Balances towards dark, decreasing the risk of destruction but increasing the risk of transformation.]
- Keep it as is. [The risks remain as they are, whether they are currently balanced or not.]
️ - Be Jessamine.
- Be someone else, briefly...
(Winners: , )
- Ask the shade to decrease its output. [Balances towards light, decreasing the risk of transformation but increasing the risk of destruction.]
- Ask the shade to increase its output. [Balances towards dark, decreasing the risk of destruction but increasing the risk of transformation.]
- Keep it as is. [The risks remain as they are, whether they are currently balanced or not.]
️ - Be Jessamine.
- Be someone else, briefly...
(Winners: , ) 2 1 4 1 6@Story Notifications
Scene 194
“It looks right,” you repeat. “Keep it as it is.”
“As she wishes.” The shade offers you the cool metal rods, now familiar from several times doing this same procedure. “Let her begin.”
A deep breath, held, then released. You can do this. You have to.
You take the rods and begin.
...
“It’s time to move,” the Inquisitor says as he strides imperiously into the room. You close your books and stand up immediately, having been ready for this for weeks now. “To the east.”
“Right. Lead the way.”
Your name is Erich Haskell, and you’re currently betraying Jessamine Goodall. You know that. You hate that. But you’re doing it anyway, because she just won’t listen. And someone needs to save her before she goes too far.
“Where to the east?” you ask, running alongside the Inquisitor towards one of the Cathedra’s outer gates. “I can’t sense anything yet.”
“Don’t know yet,” he says tersely. “That’s what we’re going to find out.”
You have your own concerns about the Inquisition’s handling of the current situation, but you know it’s still the right choice to help them. Having worked with Jessamine and Yara on the new detection spell - and thus having practiced it more than any of the currently working Inquisitors - you are uniquely qualified to detect her Soul from a long distance, likely more than any other regular Angel.
The female Inquisitor pauses, sensing again. “No doubt. That cloud can only be created by darkness with a Mind. If it isn’t a shade, then it’s Goodall with the power of one. Either way, it’s dangerous enough to be cautious.”
“I’ll request an Archangel,” the first Inquisitor decides.
“There won’t be any available!”
“They’ll make an exception for this.”
As the Inquisitors go back and forth about how best to prepare for battle, you feel something else. A shift in the cloud, somehow; a wavy pattern that manifests as motes of shimmering light to your spiritual eyes. “Look; it’s not all dark. What if she’s in there somewhere, in danger from the shade? We can’t just wait here for backup if that’s the case.”
A pause. Surreally, you realize the Inquisitors are nervous. Maybe you should be too, but somehow the only anxiety you feel is that you’ll be too late.
“Let’s search for the building, at least,” the female Inquisitor concedes. “The cloud is large enough it could still take quite a while.”
“Fine. But if there’s actually a shade in there, hold back until we have the advantage.”
Agreement. You begin to search.
[This is a critical point. Three characters’ fates will be altered.]
- When it comes to it, let the Inquisitors lead. They have the experience to handle the shade, if needed.
- When it comes to it, lead as best you can. Try to resolve things without violence, if possible.
⏱️ - If you find her, don’t wait for backup. Stop this immediately, without violence if possible.
- Kill anything corrupted. If you don’t, it’ll be too late.
(Winner: )
- When it comes to it, let the Inquisitors lead. They have the experience to handle the shade, if needed.
- When it comes to it, lead as best you can. Try to resolve things without violence, if possible.
⏱️ - If you find her, don’t wait for backup. Stop this immediately, without violence if possible.
- Kill anything corrupted. If you don’t, it’ll be too late.
(Winner: ) 1 5 4 1@Story Notifications
Scene 195
...
You’re exhausted.
Your hands hurt from gripping the rods, your eyes can hardly focus on the minute detail in front of you, and your Soul strains as you continue to force it out of your Body to perform the surgery.
This has been going on for almost an hour. With the orange-eyed shade, you would have been unconscious already. It’s a staggering effort to stay not only awake, but also coherent enough to not screw up any of the delicate operations you have to carry out.
The shade, inscrutable as always, stands just across from you, its darkness mixing with your light just above the table. It shows no signs of tiring, simply wielding its strange tools with precision as you charge them with your Soul. Not for the first time, you wonder how it learned to do this. There aren’t many opportunities to practice out in the wastes, are there?
Naoriel sleeps uncomfortably as her Soul is reshaped. Unlike with the orange-eyed shade, no fragments of broken memories or burned identity litter the floor; every piece you disconnect is melded back into place elsewhere. But such drastic operations are rare; for the most part, you’re just rearranging and smoothing the strange, harsh curves of light that you still can’t quite understand the significance of. Modulating the intensity of illumination.
It’s unbearably delicate work. You can imagine how easy it would be to slip up and carve a deep gash. Death would be so simple to produce with these tools that can touch Souls. Although perhaps it wouldn’t be as easy as you think; even your Soul is fraying a little as it scrapes against hers. An Angel’s Soul is tougher than a human’s, and Naoriel has at least half of one. You’re able to arrange it such that the lost portions are temporary - current emotions and the like rather than anything important - but it still produces a dreadful emptiness. You wouldn’t have had any idea how to do any of this without the shade.
“It understands.”
“If you don’t answer, we’re going to have to break in. Please come to the door; I know you can hear me.” Erich’s voice flows through the beams of the building, carried by some magic to every room.
“Okay. Okay.” You hate the idea of leaving her with the shade. But if it hasn’t betrayed you so far... and if she’s currently suffering from too much light instead of too much darkness... and if you can keep the Inquisitors at bay for “minutes”...
... God, if you still love me... You hesitate, unsure if you should even continue with such a selfish prayer. But somehow - even now, amidst all your sin - you still believe you’re doing the right thing. That’s enough. That has to be enough. Because if it isn’t, what possibly could be?
“This is your last chance,” Erich announces. “You have twenty seconds.”
... Please protect us.
God, as always, is silent.
“...” One more deep breath, before everything comes to a head.
You open the door. Just a little; just enough to make sure he’s actually there and it’s not just some recording. He really is. Standing a few paces back, ahead of a pair of Angels wearing blue Inquisition badges. Breaking into a relieved partial smile as you finally show your face.
“Jessamine, I’m so glad you’re willing to listen to reason. Are you hurt?”
You try to answer, but you can’t. You can’t speak. You can barely hear. You...
The knowledge. The sin.
No, you gasp, horrified at your own thoughts. At what’s about to happen. No! No nononononono control yourself control yourself CONTROL-
CUT.
HIS.
STRINGS.
✂️ - Cut his strings.
- ... [You cannot control yourself any longer. But you may try, if you must.]
(Winner: ✂️ )
- ... [You cannot control yourself any longer. But you may try, if you must.]
(Winner: ✂️ ) 1 6@Story Notifications
Scene 196
Some part of you tries to hold back, but it’s impossible. You’ve been resisting this impulse for months. Suppressing the urge to the point of physical injury. Now, you’re spent. There’s nothing left with which to resist.
Distantly, you hear yourself saying something. See yourself slowly easing the door further open; carefully taking a single step outside. That’s enough. All you need. You reach out. And.
Cut.
His.
Strings.
You’re back in control as soon as you do. The sin falls from your Mind immediately, paralleling Erich as he falls to the ground. Wisps of broken... something linger in the Soul aspect for a moment before dissolving. You cover your mouth in shock.
“I - I’m so sorry; I didn’t mean to-”
But the Inquisitors were already moving before Erich even reached the ground. Now, an instant later and far too late to stop it, you catch sight of a blast of raw physical power. Dozens of metal rods like spears whip through the air diagonally, arcing from either side to avoid where Erich had been standing.
The first one pierces your left arm, grazing bone before passing through and lodging itself between two ribs. The second cracks through your collarbone, embedding itself in your neck. The third-
You fall to the ground, too, dozens of spears protruding from your Body and scraping against the pavement. You can’t even begin to describe what it feels like as your senses flee and your aspects fade into nothingness.
You die.
...
The sensation of a distant light presses from somewhere far above. Warmth. Compassion. Unbelievably powerful, though not overwhelming. No words are spoken, but somehow you know that it isn’t your time just yet.
“!!!!!”
You slide sideways down the wall, resting your head on the floor with a bump. Your breath catches with a suppressed sob. You’ve never felt more miserable in your entire life.
Eventually, you fall asleep.
- “...”
- “...”
- “...”
(Winner: ... a three-way tie? All three will be mixed.)
- “...”
- “...”
- “...”
(Winner: ... a three-way tie? All three will be mixed.) 2 2 2@Story Notifications
Scene 197
“...ear me? Je...”
A rushing, whirling noise fills your ears, like wind whipping past. Hesitantly, you open your eyes, but you aren’t anywhere in particular. It’s just dark and cold, with a faint undertone of some metallic scent that reminds you uncomfortably of blood.
“...most reach y...”
There’s a voice drifting on the wind, but it’s snatched away before you can understand what it’s saying or tell who it might be. Curious, you drift around a little bit, trying to find a spot that’s out of the wind that you can’t feel. This not-place reminds you of the grey emptiness you found yourself in when inexpertly navigating Naoriel’s Mind an eternity ago. But the not-wind is confusing. Plus, whose Mind could you possibly be inside here?
“...ference. I can’t...”
It’s maddening. Not only can you not understand the actual words, but even the fragments you do manage to catch are somehow stripped of meaning. And the not-wind just won’t stop! Where is it even coming from? You can’t feel any breeze!
“...ve up for now, but...”
The voice stops talking. After a while, the wind quiets down too, leaving you alone in the chill darkness. The tang of some sort of blood still hangs faintly in the not-air. It’s... discomforting, you decide. Not terrifying or anything, but just enough to make you feel on edge. Where is it coming from? It’s not you, right?
... No, because you’re not wearing your clothes. Instead, you’re in a white tunic near-identical to the one you wore years ago on the day of your Calling. Of your Ascension. Perfect, pure white, the better to display your own purity. Although that turned out to be a lie, it seems.
“...” The scent of blood is only getting stronger. You need to find the source.
[This is a critical point. One character’s fate will be altered.]
[What did you do?]
✂️ - “I cut your strings. I severed your connection to God.”
- “I cut your strings. I don’t know what that means.”
- “I freed you.”
❔ - [Or something else...?]
[Why did you do it?]
- “I couldn’t help it; I’ve been getting this compulsion...”
️ - “I had to defend Naoriel.”
- “The shade made me do it.”
❓ - [Or something else...?]
[Anything else you’d like to add? More than half of the unique votes: yes, otherwise: no.]
- “I... did this to myself, too.”
- “... And so did Naoriel.”
- “I’ll help you fix it... if I can.”
- [Or something else...?]
(Winners: , / ❓ , , )
- “I cut your strings. I don’t know what that means.”
- “I freed you.”
❔ - [Or something else...?]
[Why did you do it?]
- “I couldn’t help it; I’ve been getting this compulsion...”
️ - “I had to defend Naoriel.”
- “The shade made me do it.”
❓ - [Or something else...?]
[Anything else you’d like to add? More than half of the unique votes: yes, otherwise: no.]
- “I... did this to myself, too.”
- “... And so did Naoriel.”
- “I’ll help you fix it... if I can.”
- [Or something else...?]
(Winners: , / ❓ , , ) 1 4 2 2 3 1 2 3 4 2 4 1@Story Notifications
Scene 198
A breath. You’re aware of the guard presumably listening in on your conversation just down the hall. You probably shouldn’t say anything that could make the situation even worse. But...
Honestly, how much worse can it get? Plus, Erich deserves to know.
“I cut your strings,” you say. “But I don’t know what that means, exactly.”
“Then you had better explain it inexactly.”
“Well...” You hesitate, not really sure how best to arrange your thoughts and guesses. “F-first, I just want you to know that I did the same thing to myself, too. Months ago now; during my practical. I still don’t know much about strings or anything, but... it’s not going to kill you, or drain your powers, or corrupt you, or anything like that. At least... I’m pretty sure.”
He doesn’t say anything. You get it; you haven’t finished explaining yet.
“Did... you know that shades-” Another hesitation. Yara’s warning from back then drifts into your Mind. You shouldn’t reveal you can talk to them... but really, at this point, does it even matter? Another breath. “I can talk to shades. Y-you probably can now, too. Back during my practical, I had this dream about a factory...”
You don’t tell him everything. You try to avoid the fact that shades call you puppets of God, and how that metaphor might imply something very scary about your connection to Him. But you explain the tube, some of the shade’s conversations, and what you had to do in the cistern. Some of this isn’t new - your time in the cistern and the operations you performed - but some of it you’ve never shared with anyone. You just... if you’re going to die tomorrow (today? What day is it? When will it happen?) - or even if you aren’t - you just... need him to understand.
“So,” he says after you’ve talked for longer than you probably should have. “Why, then? And how, if you know.”
In the morning, three Angels approach your cell. One wears a white outfit trimmed with silver, one wears white trimmed with gold, and one wears all black with no trim. All three have neutral, ceremonial masks designed to anonymize the... the...
The hope you felt yesterday completely evaporates. Your heart rate triples.
Anyone in the city could immediately recognize the garb of an executioner.
Your executioner.
“It’s time,” the silver-trimmed Angel says. “May the Lord watch over you.”
- Resist! These guys are going to kill you!
- Scream and yell and demand answers! This is too early!
- Stay quiet and composed. Don’t give them the satisfaction.
(Winner: )
- Resist! These guys are going to kill you!
- Scream and yell and demand answers! This is too early!
- Stay quiet and composed. Don’t give them the satisfaction.
(Winner: ) 1 4 3@Story Notifications
Scene 199
For a few moments, you’re paralyzed by fear. But those moments pass quickly. “W-w-what?! Now? It’s - you have to go through the whole process! It’s too early!”
“It was a unanimous decision,” one of the Angels says flatly as they bind your wrists. “Challenges can be overruled quickly with no objection.”
“What?!” you repeat as you’re bundled into the hallway and forced into a march. “Unanimous? Of what group? What about a trial? What about process? What about the law?!”
“There’s no higher law than God.”
“But God doesn’t want me to die!”
“Tell Him that when you meet Him.”
This goes on for a little longer, but you honestly don’t know much about the law surrounding executions - just what Yara claimed yesterday. And it seems you can scream and struggle all you want, but all it’s going to do is annoy your captors and encourage them to add more restraints.
You’re keenly aware of your heartbeat. Far too fast, it demands that you find some way to escape.
You can’t.
The Cathedra grounds are eerily empty. Mist swallows any sound you care to make. The sun glares at you overhead, a dull, pale blur high above. Like God’s eye, watching over you as the silver-clad Angel said.
Half-formed ideas race through your Mind. You could cast a spell. Incapacitate the guards, like you did at the garage above the cistern. Sure, you could hardly handle three regular humans, but three Angels... nevermind. You could try saying - saying what?! Just run - where?! HOW?!
A platform has been constructed in the circular plaza near the Cathedra’s center, between the actual Center and the Lordstone Cathedral. It looms from the mist, bearing the implement that will take your life. You’ve seen it in your dreams. Your imagination. Now, in reality.
What feels like every memory you’ve ever had races through your Mind. What could you possibly say right now that would have any kind of impact? That would mean anything?
A breath.
❤️ - Something forgiving.
- Something vengeful.
❓ - Something else. [Suggest in #story_discussion.]
- ... Nothing, after all.
(Winner: a tie between ❤️ and ❓ )
- Something vengeful.
❓ - Something else. [Suggest in #story_discussion.]
- ... Nothing, after all.
(Winner: a tie between ❤️ and ❓ ) 4 1 4 1@Story Notifications
Scene 200
“I never wanted to hurt anyone... I was only trying to help.”
A shaky breath. You have so much more you want to say, but your thoughts are all jumbled up and you just can’t-
Is that shouting?
The gold-clad Angel looks up, concerned.
Is that...? What’s going on?!
...
Run. Run; hurry! You increase your speed again at the pang of anxiety, even though you’re already flying through the city streets like a pack of corruption beasts is chasing you. It isn’t, but some civilians jump out of your way like it might be. Others avoid you as if you are the pack of beasts. You’re going too fast for your cloak to hide your Body properly, but you try to adjust it with one hand anyway.
You will not be too late. You will not.
Two nights ago, you tried to reach Jessamine in her dreams. You couldn’t; the shade said there was some form of interference. So you switched targets.
“My, oh my,” Yara had said when you made the connection. “Ms Fisher, you are certainly looking... different.”
“I know,” you replied, already exhausted from trying with Jess but beyond relieved you managed to get through to someone. “It’s only cosmetic. I think.”
“Well, I can tell you have urgent business with me, considering you invaded my dream, so I won’t ask much more. What can I do for you?”
Even with your (correctly deduced) urgent business, you have to spare a moment to marvel. “You’re always so nonchalant. I just brought a shade into your dream, looking like this, and you don’t seem to Mind at all?”
“Certainly I Mind, and were we face-to-face I would have a wide assortment of questions! But given your previous explanation, I feel I already have a reasonable idea what you’re here to talk about. Would you like to know what happened to our dear friend Jessamine?”
“Yes. She’s... is she still alive?”
“Certainly. But...”
“Okay, you’re up,” Etalyn says calmly, nodding towards the crowd while keeping a careful watch on the nearest Inquisitors. “I sure hope you’re ready for this.”
“Me - me too.”
You take a step forward, letting your cloak fall fully off your shoulders. Revealing how you’ve changed. Murmurs; mutters. Discomfort; fear. What have you become, they wonder.
You’d like to know that too.
“My name is Naoriel Fisher,” you say, your voice echoing across the nearly-silent square and enhanced in volume by a nearby Angel’s magic. Another part arranged ahead of time; everyone can hear you. “I am the child of Lewis Kin, former prime of Inquisition, and... and Archangel Maeve Kamiya. I am a half-Angel.”
“What are you doing?” you hear someone half-shouting from the platform. “Kill her! Both of them!” It’s Athwood, but neither the executioners nor the group of Inquisitors move. The former because the ceremony is not yet complete, and the latter because of Stella’s group holding them back. They could draw their blades and force the matter, but that would surely lead to bloodshed. Inquisitors aren’t Mindless automata beholden to carry out orders. They are Angels too. And Angels should not fight other Angels unless there is no other option.
You have time. You made it in time. Now, you just have to be convincing.
A deep breath.
- Prove your purity, despite your new appearance. Jessamine cured you. She deserves a holiday or a building named after her, not an execution.
❓ - [I tried to come up with some reasonable alternate options, honestly, but could not. If you have a better idea, suggest it in #story_discussion .]
(Winner: )
- Prove your purity, despite your new appearance. Jessamine cured you. She deserves a holiday or a building named after her, not an execution.
❓ - [I tried to come up with some reasonable alternate options, honestly, but could not. If you have a better idea, suggest it in #story_discussion .]
(Winner: ) 6 1@Story Notifications
Scene 201
...
“I am a half-Angel.”
You can hardly believe your senses as Athwood shouts something nearby. Naoriel is here? And - and she’s-
Facing the crowd and seemingly looking right at you still locked in the guillotine, Naoriel continues to speak. “I am not a danger to anyone here. Look at me. Past my Body, which has been changed by the rite that purified my Soul. I am not going to explode or fall to the corruption. I have not fallen. Look at me and understand.”
Without much ability to do anything else, you take her advice along with (hopefully) the rest of the Angels present. You look.
Physically, her appearance is quite a shock to anyone who hadn’t seen the results of your attempt to save Mila earlier this year. Her Body is drained of color; entirely greyscale but otherwise identical to her former appearance. You’re a little too far away to properly see her eyes, but even from here you can tell they’re almost entirely black. Were you closer, you’d bet you would be able to see images of distant stars slowly drifting through them. Like what you’ve been told is above the mist.
This, you’ve seen before. You’re dismayed that the operation apparently hadn’t been as smooth as you thought - or something happened afterwards - but you were at least sort of prepared. No, the part that catches even you off-guard are the... stripes?
Arcing across her Body in strange, twisting patterns are two curves that vary in width between two to four fingers wide. One is dark, like the fuzzy shadow that a shade’s Body is made of, while the other is bright; a soft white glow that basically looks like if a shade were made of light instead of darkness. The full extent of the curves is unknown due to her clothing, but together they cover maybe a fifth of her visible skin.
“What happened...?” you murmur, but she did ask to look past her Body. So you do. Switching your vision to Soul takes several seconds, but when you do...
You should do something useful. You have to help in this crisis, but you’re not sure what to do or even where to go. Seriously, how did everyone else get away without you noticing where they went? Were you really that late to be released? At - at least the executioner was kind enough to let you out. You briefly imagine still being stuck in the guillotine, now in a mostly-deserted square, at the mercy of any random person who walked by and maybe wanted to pull the lever.
Enough thinking. Time to do something.
️ - Go to the Center. It’s the most likely place to find someone who knows what’s going on and where you can be useful.
- Go to the Cathedra gate nearest the train station. If you want to go to the wall, that’s the place to do it.
❓ - Or somewhere else...? [Suggest in #story_discussion ]
(Winner: ️ )
️ - Go to the Center. It’s the most likely place to find someone who knows what’s going on and where you can be useful.
- Go to the Cathedra gate nearest the train station. If you want to go to the wall, that’s the place to do it.
❓ - Or somewhere else...? [Suggest in #story_discussion ]
(Winner: ️ ) 5 1 1@Story Notifications
Scene 202
The Center. That’s where everyone will be. Or, if not, someone will be there who can tell you how to help. Decision made, you rush off in that direction. Outside the gates, you can hear locomotives quickly departing the Cathedra station, presumably on their way to the outer walls carrying more reinforcing Angels (without wings of their own). Maybe that’s where you’ll go, if the dispatchers think that’s best. But, honestly, you’re worried they’re going to tell you to just stay here and do nothing. Or send you back to jail. And then when everyone comes back, nothing will have changed with your situation except that they’ll trust you even less after such a tragedy. You need to have the opportunity to help! To prove that you really aren’t a monster!
There are still people in the Center, thankfully. Not many Angels - and those who remain are primarily trainees or younger ones who graduated recently - but plenty of human staff coordinating the response. You look around for anyone you know, but are spotted by someone with a clipboard before you can find anyone.
“Goodall!” the clipboard person exclaims, dramatically ticking something (you, presumably) off their list. “Where have you been?”
“Er - just outside? It - it’s only been a minute; in all the chaos, I didn’t-”
“Nevermind that! Do you currently have a duty assigned?”
“No-”
“Are you willing and able to destroy corruption creatures?”
“Yes?”
“Desk C, over there. You’re going out to the city and I don’t give two hoots what that Athwood fellow thinks about it! Go! Hurry!”
Forcibly shooed in that direction before you can respond, you hustle over to the indicated desk. Slightly buoyed by the unknown clerk’s faith in you, but similarly terrified by the scale of the disaster. They’re sending you out? A trainee? A potentially fallen Angel? Someone who was seconds away from being executed and who should probably still be in jail right now?
Several cries of pain answer his request. You’re about to head in that direction when there’s another, more severe chill. You spin, choking out some sort of warning, but there’s nothing you can say that will help. “Shade! Th-that way!”
Angels scramble to reposition as you’re proven immediately and horribly correct.
The shadow-like creature stalks through one of the broken doors and you’re immediately struck by how tall it is compared to the other shades you’ve seen. Are they actually shadows of specific people? Stop it! Focus! This is almost certainly the first shade anyone besides you has seen in-person, since no one in your group is very experienced. The oldest Angel here only graduated three years ago. Even with five of you, you’re almost certainly outmatched.
Please be the silver one please be the silver one please-
It turns towards you, snapping its legs together smartly. Its eyes are deep, dark blue. “Hello, little puppets,” it rasps. “Bad luck.”
A long, thin blade materializes from darkness - identical to its Body, except less fuzzy; more reflective - in each hand and it walks quickly forward. “It is in quite a hurry today. No time to play...”
️ - Help your fellow Angels fight the shade.
- Talk to the shade. Try to convince or trick it to stop.
- Convince everyone to run. At least that way, someone should be able to escape.
- Just run when you have a chance. This isn’t a fight you can win.
(Winner: )
️ - Help your fellow Angels fight the shade.
- Talk to the shade. Try to convince or trick it to stop.
- Convince everyone to run. At least that way, someone should be able to escape.
- Just run when you have a chance. This isn’t a fight you can win.
(Winner: ) 2 5 1 1@Story Notifications
Scene 203
“S-stop!” you exclaim, stepping forward to stand between the shade and the rest of your group. “If you’re in a hurry, then stopping to fight is only going to slow you down more. You don’t need to...” It’s a weak argument - what if its purpose is simply to kill? - but it’s the best you could come up with in the handful of seconds you had.
“You can understand that thing?” someone asks incredulously.
“Weren’t you listening before?” someone else answers. “She was working with a shade! Is this your shade, Jessamine? Is it... friendly?”
No and probably not, in that order, but you don’t dare to answer that right now.
The shade in question pauses. “Interesting. You must be the one it has heard so much about. It doubts the success of the other’s plan, but it supposes it may gain by allowing the attempt. This one may live.” It gestures behind it with one blade, through the broken-open door. “Exit.”
You swallow, already anticipating the response you’ll get. “It... says we can leave.”
“What about the wounded here? What is it doing here at all? What’s it going to do if we just leave it alone?”
Yeah. That. You look at the shade helplessly; it can understand the questions as well as you can.
“It has laid the terms. This one, and only this one, may exit. Or all may perish. It cares little for which.”
Ah. You misunderstood. “It, um, it says th-that...” That what? That only I, specifically, can leave, and everyone else has to die? There has to be some other way!
The shade resumes its walk. “Slow, slow. It is in a hurry.”
“We won’t get in your way; I promise! Just-”
“This one will be quiet or suffer the same fate.”
You can’t think of anything. It’s right; you’re just too slow. At least if you say it, maybe the others can do something with that information. “It says only I can leave and no one else! I’m - I’m sorry!”
The fight is short. But brutal.
You should help. Can you help? You can warn them, at least. But should you help, actually? This man tried to have you executed literally this morning! But, if you don’t, and if that shade shows up... Or even another group of Mindless darkness, really. If they’re the only two Angels there and they’re both exhausted already...
You hesitate at the doorway.
- Go in. Try to help heal, as best you can.
️ - Go in. Try to defend so the remaining Angel can focus.
- Don’t go in. [And do what instead? Suggest in #story_discussion ]
(Winner: ️ )
- Go in. Try to help heal, as best you can.
️ - Go in. Try to defend so the remaining Angel can focus.
- Don’t go in. [And do what instead? Suggest in #story_discussion ]
(Winner: ️ ) 4 5 1@Story Notifications
Scene 204
“E-excuse me,” you call hesitantly, slipping into the inner room and pressing the door closed behind you. “How can I help? I can’t heal, but maybe I can-” Two gazes focus on you; the remaining Angel is unconscious. You try to look unthreatening.
“Have you come to finish the job?” the Emissary asks, interrupting you. “You won’t have come alone. Where is that shade?”
“N-no; I don’t know. Like I keep telling you, I’m not a traitor. I’m really not working with them. I don’t know what’s going on either and - l-look! You present your wounded arm. “They attacked me too. I only got away because...” A pause. Why did the shade let you live, really? Because you’re important to the “other’s plan,” which you assume means the silver-eyed shade. But what is its plan? You certainly don’t know, aside from something about... cutting... strings.
Oh.
Now that you’re thinking about it, the sin bubbles just below your consciousness again. You can see the strings. Both of the nearby Angels have them, of course, but... the Lordstone... It’s a pillar of golden light; the largest string (or bundle of strings?) you’ve ever seen extends up through the cathedral’s roof. Thousands of smaller strings branch out from the sides, fading to transparency after a dozen feet and waving gently in the mostly-still air. They bend around the Emissary as he stands nearby, curling tight to his Body.
Oh. You understand now.
“Because of what?” he counters. “Because it freed you to come here and destroy everything?”
[This is a critical point. It will affect the story’s ending.]
- Stand with the Cathedra. Fight the shade... and Naoriel.
- Stand with the shade and Naoriel. Fight against the Cathedra... and your fellow Angels.
- Do not fight. Refuse to declare an allegiance. [Let the fight play out without your involvement. This is not a neutral option, but which side it favors is left as an exercise for the reader.]
(Winner: )
- Stand with the Cathedra. Fight the shade... and Naoriel.
- Stand with the shade and Naoriel. Fight against the Cathedra... and your fellow Angels.
- Do not fight. Refuse to declare an allegiance. [Let the fight play out without your involvement. This is not a neutral option, but which side it favors is left as an exercise for the reader.]
(Winner: ) 1 2 3@Story Notifications
Scene 205
You have to fight someone. You have to pick a side. Either support the Emissary and the Cathedra - and help destroy the shade, kill Naoriel, and presumably preserve the city’s fragile and imperfect status quo - or help usher in a new, uncertain era by destroying the Lordstone. You don’t know for sure that’s what “cutting its strings” will do, but... come on.
Bad, bad. You don’t want to hurt anyone. You don’t want to kill anyone. You don’t have enough information to know what will be the best option, or if there’s some third path to take.
Excuses.
No, they’re not excuses. You’re important, somehow. The Emissary thinks the shade needs you for your Soul sensitivity. The other shade thinks you’re needed for the silver-eyed one’s plan. Your opinions, therefore, must carry weight. Surely, there has to be some way that doesn’t involve bloodshed.
There isn’t.
You silence that quietly doubting voice in your head and declare it. “I’m not going to fight anyone. I’m not going to help anyone kill anyone else. If you want me to help either of you, I need-”
What do you need? Knowledge? You wouldn’t understand it. A promise? You couldn’t trust it. Peace?
... You could never broker it.
You point at the shade. “-to know exactly what your ‘change’ will be.” You point at the Emissary. “I need a promise that you’ll stop trying to execute me and Naoriel.” You step back a few paces, to the side, so you can look at both of them at once. “AND from both of you, I need you to just stop fighting and talk.”
Greedy. Idealistic. And so very naive. But you’re fed up with everything. You’re sick of the violence. The death. The shade has strong reasons for what it’s doing - you’re sure of it. But the Cathedra does too. Everyone just wants what’s best and if you could all just-
“There is no time.” The shade looks up, sensing. “Others approach. Step aside or be-”
“Nicholas, do what you can.”
“...”
[This is a critical point. It will affect the story’s ending. Several options, or combinations of options, are deadly to one or more characters.]
✂️ - Cut the strings. Destroy the Lordstone.
- Do nothing. [This is not a neutral option, and there will be consequences for inaction.]
- Defend the Lordstone. Fight against the darkness.
[If you choose to destroy the Lordstone...]
- Fight and kill the Emissary to reach it.
- Defeat the Emissary to reach it, but leave him alive.
[If you choose to defend the Lordstone...]
- Attack Naoriel.
️ - Attack the shade.
️ - You are the only one who can cut the strings. You are the only one with the proper sensitivity. You... think. So, if you aren’t... around anymore... [Are you truly certain, Jessamine...?]
(Winners: ✂️ , )
- Do nothing. [This is not a neutral option, and there will be consequences for inaction.]
- Defend the Lordstone. Fight against the darkness.
[If you choose to destroy the Lordstone...]
- Fight and kill the Emissary to reach it.
- Defeat the Emissary to reach it, but leave him alive.
[If you choose to defend the Lordstone...]
- Attack Naoriel.
️ - Attack the shade.
️ - You are the only one who can cut the strings. You are the only one with the proper sensitivity. You... think. So, if you aren’t... around anymore... [Are you truly certain, Jessamine...?]
(Winners: ✂️ , ) 4 1 2 1 4 2 1 1@Story Notifications
Scene 206
“... I’ll trust you.” Pushing aside the paranoia and dreams of betrayal, you do your best to believe that Naoriel is telling the truth. That somehow, as a stable hybrid of sorts, she might be attuned to both God and the corruption. That she learned from the shade since your capture. That... as your friend, she would never lie to you at such a critical juncture.
And that’s that.
The Emissary - leader of the Cathedra and potentially the most important man alive - is easily dispatched. How could it go otherwise? He’s a feeble old man without any combat training and you and Naoriel are Angels. All it takes is for you to duck out of the way of his first swing before Naoriel can whack the blade out of his hand. Another brief application of blunt force ends the fight and he joins the wounded Angel unconscious on the floor.
The Lordstone looms before you. An obelisk of divine crystal, displaying the gently shifting sky somewhere far above. At least, it usually would. At the moment, it’s frozen. Though you still seem to be the only one who can notice.
“I can’t see them,” Naoriel whispers. “Do it, Jess. Please, before anything else happens.”
“... I don’t know how. Not right now; you have to tell me.”
“What? But I don’t know-”
“Just say what I have to do. It doesn’t need details; I just...” You can’t describe it, really. The sin won’t manifest from your thoughts alone.
“...” One final pause. “Cut the strings.”
You know. The sin rises. You can. You must. You will.
An outstretched hand. Your fingertips touch the Lordstone. Smooth, warm... alive. Everything goes white.
“...”
You can feel everything.
It’s overwhelming. Fear and pain and fury and hopelessness and desperation and triumph and - you can’t keep up. There’s too much; you miss a million sensations in the time it takes to process one. The city churns with emotion; if you move back a little and unfocus, it feels almost like one gigantic Mind.
... Wait.
@Story Notifications
Epilogue
“You really think this guy’s gonna tell us anything useful?” Etalyn asks, glancing briefly up at the sky in distaste before stepping back under the platform’s roof. “Assuming he’s there at all?”
“Of course!” Yara answers without hesitation. “My dear, I saw him in a dream. The most trustworthy source of information!”
“So you’ve got no idea.”
“None at all! But that’s what makes the adventure an adventure, doesn’t it?”
“S’pose so.” Bells ring as their train approaches, slowing to a stop. “Damn sun,” she grumbles as they wait for passengers to disembark. “How’s it so hot already? It’s March.”
Yara only chunkles; they both know how. The mist is gone; it vanished overnight only a week after the Cathedra was invaded. Only hours after the Lordstone itself dissolved into flakes of ash. The weather has been much more intense ever since, with the sun hotter, the storms stronger, and the chill of winter fiercer. Priests urge the populace to remain calm, but as Angels, these two are well aware that the Cathedra has no idea what will happen next. At least the corruption has been fairly quiet in the meantime, with attacks few and small.
Optimistic Angels believe that enough shades were destroyed in the assault to throw the darkness into disarray. Pessimistic Angels believe it’s merely biding its time, preparing something truly devastating.
“No Ascensions this Calling Day either,” Yara notes quietly as he peruses the newspaper he picked up in the station. “That’s four ceremonies and five months of silence.”
“Wonder when they’re gonna stop trying,” Etalyn muses. “If nothin’s happened by now when we’re down fifty-some Angels, it just ain’t gonna happen.”
“... Perhaps.”
“You think He’s gonna come back?”
Yara sighs, leaning towards Etalyn (or perhaps just away from the sun). “Admittedly, no. I don’t. But if we just admit that we’ll never again have any new Angels... Hum. It feels like giving up, perhaps.”
I’ll be archiving the current #story_updates channel and creating a new one for the next story in the next few days. The new set of starting prompts will then be put up “sometime soon,” probably next week sometime.
Thanks for sticking around and engaging with what’s probably been my favorite story to date. Let’s keep it up for a good while yet!
~ Shaun / @Mxblah
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