chapter five ♔ it'll be a day like this one when the sky falls down

[eldritchweaver]

the blues - switchfoot

WHO || The Knights
WHAT || Failboat returns from the disaster in LA as the Knighthood goes on lockdown
WHERE || The castle, London
WHEN || Directly after this, Fall 2017
HOW || Actionspam

Hasmed's announcement does not brook any rebuttal: all Knights are recalled to the Castle, where they must remain until the Section Heads and Jack Chessing have spoken about the events in Los Angeles that have left the Knighthood without their usual leader.  

The entire Los Angeles area is now covered with a dark miasma that has interfered with any signals that might be sent out from phones, etc., leaving the whole world wondering what exactly is happening down there.  Final images showed horrendous monsters, a panic of citizens, looting and violence from humans and Shadowkind alike.  

Hasmed has warned of extra magical wards on the castle, and anyone arriving will immediately take notice of one very prominent one: above the entire roof of the excessively large building hovers a black and red sigil in the air, a pentagram in a circle surrounded by runes or words in an unknown language, stretching for miles.  

[ This is the social log for post-LA lockdown.  Failboat must complete the top log before being allowed to tag outside of it. ]

Comments

[slay]

[ the strangeness draws her out of her tearful fit. her weeping slows. she waits until her breathing is level. then she slowly pulls back, studying his expression (sense motive 27). ]

Yeah. [ her voice sounds distant somehow, her face red. something about this is just hard to believe. too convenient. too well-timed. she can't help but think about the shadow cast over everything, the paranoia of the mind master's insidious influence. ] Tomorrow.

[romanticidal]

[ there's nothing here that signals any red flags, nothing to make her doubt as she searches his face. he picks up on her moment of uncertainty, however, and his eyes search hers with concern ] What is it?

[slay]

I had a run-in with the Mind Master today.

[ she lets it speak for itself. she hasn't forgotten the story he told her about nadia acting as jade. not by a long shot. ]

[romanticidal]

[ wow what a good wisdom check, the trauma is strong. ]

... You doubt all this. [ his hands slacken a bit ] Did she hurt you? Any of you?

[slay]

It's nothing you need to worry about.

[ She reaches for his hands, folding both of hers around his. ]

I'm handling it.

[ just like she handled getting felicity killed. she doesn't want to think about it though. ]

[romanticidal]

[ he looks down at their joined hands, nodding once slowly ] We do not have to-- [ he stops himself ] Just to stay with you is all I need. Please.

[slay]

Staying is good.

[ She nods at that, leaning into him. She huffs out a sigh. It's discontent. Not with him, not with this, but with her own paranoia. Everything is so wrong. ]

[romanticidal]

I don't know how long we have. [ he draws her towards the edge of the bed, signaling her to sit beside him with a gentle tug of her hands ]

[slay]

[ Another nod, and she moves to join him. ]

I'm grateful for what I can get. [ she leans her head on his shoulder, but it's a stiff moment. she can't fully relax. she can't fully convince herself this isn't some specter. ] I'm sorry. This never would have happened, if I had just— [ no, that's not the right wording. ] I dragged you back into this.

[romanticidal]

You have done nothing but allow me the chance to become a better man than I ever could have been. I would not have had that without you.

[slay]

How can you say that, now of all times? How can you not regret all of it?

[romanticidal]

Because I would rather die the man I am now, than live as I was.

[slay]

I wouldn't. [ it's frail and broken and nigh sheepish. ] Any version of this world where you live, that's the only one I want to be in.

[romanticidal]

[ it can't rain all the time - jane siberry

his eyes drag up to hers, and there's a level of concern in his eyes at the sentiment, but a deep appreciation for the love inspiring it. he reaches out to place his palm against her cheek. ] One more reason, then, for me not to give up.

[slay]

Exactly. Just hold on. I'll do the heavy lifting.

[ though she's not doing a great job so far. while she's trying to put one fire out, four more pop up. how is she supposed to juggle hell, keijen blade, and rafael's kidnapping all at the same time? it seems like an impossible gambit, and she knows with a grim certainty which one has to be her priority.

it's not rafael. ]

[romanticidal]

Just know that there is not much time, carina. But I will not give up hope. [ he falls silent then, but if he is aware of her internal conflict, he does not show it. he simply leans against her, closing his eyes and seeming to take strength from her presence ]

[slay]

Good.

[ She leans up to kiss him on the cheek. It's chaste, still reserved, but shoots for somewhere in the zone of encouraging. ]

[romanticidal]

[ time doesn't seem to be passing, while also seeming to slide by too quickly. eventually, he draws her to lay down against him, holding her close but attempting nothing that would escalate things. he seems to be beyond a point where words will solve anything, and neither of them have much to say that will do more than demoralize.

but there's comfort to be found in each other's presence, and the unearthly light streaming gently through the slightly stirring curtains here in this place outside reality.

she can feel an end coming, feel the dream about to expire, in a way that she can't express. but it's clear he shares that same knowledge, from the way he tightens his embrace slightly. whispers against her skin that he loves her. ]