For Thine Is; Part One

[animusmods]

Characters: anyone outside of the Tower
Setting: outside
Format: any
Summary: You have been transported out of the Tower, and you must return quickly.
Warnings: psychological horror

It's pitch black here, though the ground is made of dirt and the Tower gleaming in the distance provides at least a sign that light exists somewhere. It's completely silent. It feels as if things might jump out at you--but that's probably your imagination.

Comments

[bloodyashes]

[It's the right suggestion, judging by his nod - he's not used to working with a disordered group like the one in the Tower, but he'll make do.

He should be thinking of them as civilians, but he can't. None of them are really civilians anymore, even if they're noncombatants. They've all seen too much.]

I was planning on doing a loop around the perimeter of the group and counting that way. ...At least there's the different colors of fluid to tell people apart, even if it isn't much.

[If the others have outlines, there's not much to see of them until you get close. Color is more reliable, for the time being.]

[sageprincess]

Never did I think I would be grateful to have a fake and oddly colored body.

[But it's true - if they somehow still looked like themselves but didn't have access to their powers, it would be even more difficult to differentiate one person from the next.]

I will try to keep people calm from within. Hopefully that will minimize unnecessary movement and make the process easier for you.

[And if she's concentrating on other people, she isn't thinking about her own suppressed panic, which is always a plus.]

[bloodyashes]

I don't think it will be too hard. At most, there's only a hundred or so of us still in the Tower.

[It's a depressing thought, but a fairly true one. There's not nearly the population that would require a huge effort to count.]

They'll be looking to you for leadership anyway.

[He gives her a brief smile, trying to be reassuring - he knows she's capable of that leadership, even if she doesn't believe it herself.]

If you forge the path, they'll follow.

[sageprincess]

[She doesn't get time to mull over the thought of how many of them are left, because for all that she's putting on a brave face right now, his next words clearly catch her off guard. It's so incredibly different from her own internal monologue that she is even left speechless for a moment, unsure how to respond.]

... And to think you were so skeptical when we first met.

[They've come a long way since that day in the washroom. She swallows, pulling herself together again.]

With any luck, I will not lead anyone astray.

[bloodyashes]

[There's a very slightly flush on the image in the wireframe, but she may or may not notice beneath the film of purple liquid. His voice doesn't change in tone, at least, which will probably help to throw it off.]

And you've proven yourself time and again. We've moved beyond the point where luck will do anything.

[For good and bad - he's never been the sort to hope and pray, but now it seems even less useful.]

Make the best decision you can, and have confidence in it. That's all you can do.

[sageprincess]

[Blushing is about the last thing she's expecting out here, and so Asch's does indeed go unnoticed. She's a bit busy caught up in her own thoughts at the moment. It's a rather lot of pressure, knowing people will truly die if mistakes are made here, but there is not much choice afforded to them now.

She takes a steeling breath, and nods.]

I will do my best.

[An old wizard once told her long ago she was destined to unite and lead the free people of the Tower through dark times. She's just not so certain he meant it so literally.]

Thank you, Asch.

[It's flustering and still strange to her ears, but... that kind of belief and encouragement is nice.]