KAIJU FIGHT #5

[synfluxmods]

KAIJU FIGHT #5

CONTENT WARNINGS: cult-like symbols and implications, brainwashing.

▶ 001. LORD OF THE FOREST.

Throughout the days leading up until October 15th, the captives will be forced down to the dungeons for their “punishments” to be doled out. All of the punishments seem to be completed methodically, almost as if the followers of the Lord of the Forest had centuries of experience. While no explanation is given, it becomes clear that the sacrificial ritual has begun. While the Outsiders may not be privy to what this entails, there is one rule that will be have made clear to them: once the ritual begins, it can no longer be stopped. However, there is still a sliver of hope. On the morning of the 15th, a small message will have been pushed out by LILITH. While they haven't completely reestablished their connection to the network, they are able to get something out.

█ █ █ MONSTER DEBRIEF SHEET
NAME:
HEIGHT: Ư̴͚͈̓͊̅͐́̇͛̂͌̏͠Ņ̷̧͕̣̦͉̟̣̽̽̌̓̈́͒̈́́̔̊̚͜͝K̷̗͖̜̟̮̬̜̳̍̈́̽͝Ǹ̵̠̳̯͕̠̻̖͔̹̖͑ͅỎ̶̖̲́̒͒͒͜W̵͈͍̻̞̮̻̏̍͠N̷̥͚̳̳͙̟͓̹̆̃
WEIGHT: Ư̴͚͈̓͊̅͐́̇͛̂͌̏͠Ņ̷̧͕̣̦͉̟̣̽̽̌̓̈́͒̈́́̔̊̚͜͝K̷̗͖̜̟̮̬̜̳̍̈́̽͝Ǹ̵̠̳̯͕̠̻̖͔̹̖͑ͅỎ̶̖̲́̒͒͒͜W̵͈͍̻̞̮̻̏̍͠N̷̥͚̳̳͙̟͓̹̆̃
CLASS: Ư̴͚͈̓͊̅͐́̇͛̂͌̏͠Ņ̷̧͕̣̦͉̟̣̽̽̌̓̈́͒̈́́̔̊̚͜͝K̷̗͖̜̟̮̬̜̳̍̈́̽͝Ǹ̵̠̳̯͕̠̻̖͔̹̖͑ͅỎ̶̖̲́̒͒͒͜W̵͈͍̻̞̮̻̏̍͠N̷̥͚̳̳͙̟͓̹̆̃
LOCATION: BRAȘOV, TRANSYLVANIA.
ABILITIES: Ư̴͚͈̓͊̅͐́̇͛̂͌̏͠Ņ̷̧͕̣̦͉̟̣̽̽̌̓̈́͒̈́́̔̊̚͜͝K̷̗͖̜̟̮̬̜̳̍̈́̽͝Ǹ̵̠̳̯͕̠̻̖͔̹̖͑ͅỎ̶̖̲́̒͒͒͜W̵͈͍̻̞̮̻̏̍͠N̷̥͚̳̳͙̟͓̹̆̃
WEAKNESSES: SUNLIGHT, HOLǸ̵̠̳̯͕̠̻̖͔̹̖͑ͅỎ̶̖̲́̒͒͒͜W̵͈͍̻̞̮̻̏̍͠N̷̥͚̳̳͙̟͓̹̆̃Y REǸ̵̠̳̯͕̠̻̖͔̹̖͑ͅỎ̶̖̲́̒͒͒͜W̵͈͍̻̞̮̻̏̍͠N̷̥͚̳̳͙̟͓̹̆̃S, GK̷̗͖̜̟̮̬̜̳̍̈́̽͝Ǹ̵̠̳̯͕̠̻̖͔̹̖͑ͅỎ̶̖̲́̒͒͒͜W̵͈͍̻̞̮̻̏̍͠N̷̥͚̳̳͙̟͓̆̃
EXTRA NOTES:

It is an incredibly sparse message. It seems to be working with any information the ocular implants were able to detect in that second, and the information gets fed back in the form of a distorted debrief sheet. However, it does act as a sign that LILITH is still actively working on gaining access to their communication lines once more, and are tirelessly working to send help. With this sudden jolt of a message, they will feel an extremely heavy disturbance composed entirely of rift energy—it appears that whatever kaiju is dwelling here is able to effectively work with the rift in order to negate abilities. But perhaps the clues all strung together have already painted a similar picture as to what is to come, and to what to continue to expect.

Now that the sacrifices have all but been made, it is time for the Lord of the Forest to be summoned.

All captives who have been forcefully dragged, or psychologically drawn to the dungeons, will find themselves face-to-face with the Lord of the Forest, also known by their title of PRICOLICI. The creature is a bit difficult to make out due to its ability to shape-shift: at times mimicking a human wearing some sort mask in the form of a wolf’s skull, and at others, taking on a form of a monstrous wolf-like creature that awaits all Outsiders— those presently within the dungeon, and those that exist outside of it, ready to be lured in.

Or that should be the case, but The Lord of the Forest appears to be a kaiju unlike all others. While it is summoned for a brief period in which the Outsiders bear witness to its true form, it seems to disperse back into the rift soon afterwards, much like savoring each of its sacrifices in a temporary state of hibernation.

(Note: Details of the specific events that happened leading up until this point can be accessed on the kidnapped log. Please be advised that there are heavy trigger warnings for these topics.)

▶ 002. FIND THE CAPTIVES.

Due to their brief communication and joint efforts following the network post, it becomes clear that all signs point to Bran Castle as the place where the captives are being held. This becomes ever more apparent as the fog gradually begins to lift, and the outline of the castle can finally be seen from the distance of the forest’s perimeter.

If there were still any doubts surrounding Bran Castle as a place of interest, many of the villagers will instantly form large groups in order to stop Outsiders from heading towards the castle. They will spare no effort to achieve this. What initially starts off as peaceful dissuasion and psychological tactics, such as using the children to cling to the Outsiders leg and crocodile tears… quickly escalates to outright fighting with pitchforks and other makeshift weapons from the farm. Additionally, Outsiders who have purchased the poison dagger from LILITH will find that the “safety” on it is released, and they can be utilized on the locals with no need for additional clearance. It looks like the network wasn't the only thing affected by the spotty connection.

In this skirmish, the Outsiders trying to make their way to the castle will find that a handful of these villagers aren’t your run-of-the-mill farmers. They’re stronger, faster, and the Outsiders will discover that they have incredibly sharp teeth. They are vampires! Or, an entity that seems close enough to the ones of legends. They will not only be attempting to fight Outsiders off, but will also resort to biting them. If an Outsider is bitten, their bodies will feel almost feverish, as if an incredibly slow-acting poison has entered their bloodstream. But, being bitten by a villager does not guarantee one to be turned. While it is possible, it is a much lower chance.

Once Outsiders do make it to the castle, they will find that there will be several more attendants from the castle waiting for them at the gates, all prepared to fight tooth and nail to prevent their entry. It’s clear the objective becomes to break past them and find the dungeons below the castle!

▶ 003. THE DUNGEON OF CASTLE BRAN.

Following the pathways of the castle to the dungeons below will not be easy. All the attendants present seem to have been waiting for them behind every nook and cranny of the castle. Outsiders will be met with their fervent attempts to stop them. It is a matter of life or death for the attendants and like the villagers, they seem to have no issue with throwing their own necks out in order to preserve the sanctity of their ritual.

Outsiders will also find various areas in which wolfsbane will be in bloom. Unlike typical wolfsbane these seem particular potent and will make the air taste bitter, and cause tingles, nausea, and hypotension if exposed to for too long. It appears even the attendants avoid them to a degree.

For those who make it to the dungeons, they will find that it is a lot bigger than it appears on the surface. A lot of its structure seems to lead deep underground, suggesting that it may even extend further out from the perimeter of the castle itself. There is a certain smell to the place that cannot be masked, years of sacrifices evident in every inch of its walls. There are over hundreds of cells, some still holding skeletal remains, alongside other ancient looking items: an old book, a worn out doll, a bloodied servant’s apron—they all appear to be pieces from a past that was long forgotten.

The Outsiders will not get to explore easily, however. As soon as they make their way past the threshold where the cells are all lined out, they will feel a chill up their spine. It's almost as if eyes are watching them in the dark, and they are. If they look up, they will realize there are hundreds of bats with glistening teeth that are all lining the ceiling, all lying in wait. They are minions of the Lord of the Forest, and their supersonic screams can stun and cause momentary deafness.

To make matters worse, it is not just their sharp teeth that hurt on impact, but they have a keen thirst for blood similar to the villagers. Being bitten by one will cause the Outsider to potentially begin to lose control of themselves and will have an insatiable thirst for blood, even at the expense of their fellow teammates. Additionally, those who are bitten will find themselves moderately more susceptible to psychic brain washing, and may cause them to momentarily join the enemies side.

▶ 004. THE FINAL RESCUE.

While the battle has already started within the village and the castle, suddenly the familiar ping of their oculars will alert them to the following message from Yamakawa—

"Angels of LILITH, we have connection. Rescue your team mates no matter the cost!"

With the connection reestablished, the main objective of the mission becomes one thing: RESCUE. For Outsiders who may have still been left at the village, or engaged within their own horrors, they are all advised to head to the dungeons as soon as possible. The coordinates for the deepest cells are sent alongside directions, with a constant warning to avoid direct contact with the kaiju there. The kaiju has long been absorbing rift energy and LILITH strongly advises against any attempts to engage with it until more information is known.

After half an hour, LILITH gives formal clearance to kill anyone interfering with the mission. Villagers, cult members, anyone. This includes Outsiders who may have temporarily been brainwashed, with the caveat of bringing back their bodies as they may be able to save them.

As they get further into the dungeons, they will find themselves susceptible to the side effects of rift poisoning. It is far more potent with each step, and will take laser focus to make one's way all the way to the last holding cells. There they will find the several of the castle’s most devout followers desperately calling out for The Lord of the Forest, as if summoning its presence.

…


…

…

… and The Lord of the Forest answers the cries of its followers. The initial part of this battle is difficult as the kaiju's abilities paired with the abnormalities of the rift result in weakening the powers of all living organisms around him, including the powers of the Outsiders. However, due to the phases of the moon, its abilities to nerf powers seem to have diminished slightly - they are able to use their abilities at a lower output, or at times they will find their abilities can cut in and out. After five to ten minutes of the Outsiders actually engaging the creature, they will find LILITH has effectively sealed the rift below the dungeons. It is far from perfectly done, but will allow the Outsiders the window of opportunity to use their all in their battle with the Lord of the Forest before backup arrives.

█ █ █ MONSTER DEBRIEF SHEET
NAME: PRICOLICI
HEIGHT: VARIES
WEIGHT: VARIES
CLASS: EXTREMELY DANGEROUS
LOCATION: BRAȘOV, TRANSYLVANIA
ABILITIES: SHAPESHIFTING, IMMORTALITY, NIGHT VISION, SUPER STRENGTH
WEAKNESSES: SUNLIGHT, HOLY RELICS, GARLIC, WOLFSBANE
EXTRA NOTES: This kaiju has a malicious intent to all humans besides those who praise it. It's said it will bless all of its followers abundantly on this Earth and grant them immortal life.

The battle against the PRICOLICI will not be made easy, especially as its weaknesses are not as straightforward to tap in as most elements. However, LILITH will provide utmost support for the Outsiders who want to try their hand at defeating it. While it was once believed to be immortal, perhaps due to the disconnection of the rift and the moon, it does seem weaker the longer the Outsiders engage with it. There are also pockets in which wolfsbane bloom in secret in the dungeon, and the PRICOLICI will evade these specific areas, as well as any places containing holy relics.

▶ 005. AFTERMATH.

The remaining villagers do their utmost in attempting to ground the LILITH medical cruiser, using cannons and other primitive weapons against it. Fortunately, they do not succeed. With the LILITH medical crew all present, they begin their work promptly. Outsiders can not only use the medical cruiser as a temporary base and resting point, but those with severe injuries are ushered in for emergency surgeries and other necessary procedures. Those who can heal are encouraged to take care of the ones with less major injuries in order to lighten the load on LILITH’s medical robots... and Dr. Spim, of course.

When the final battle finally winds down, several more mission objectives crop up. While no formal decision is pushed on the Outsiders this time, they are given several choices.

Although LILITH has permitted Outsiders to take their own stance in whether they want to kill those involved in the ritual, including the villagers, they do state the final request to spare the children, which they plan to bring back to Neo Tokyo. Those who do not wish to engage in the taking of lives will be encouraged to continue assisting and escorting any injured Outsiders. Finally, all Outsiders are tasked to take with them any goods that LILITH could benefit from, including any sources of food.

Once this has all been completed, they will all be encouraged to leave Transylvania behind.

Back at base, they are presently working on the cure for those who were bitten and turned. While the brainwashing element has been resolved through persuasion tech, it wasn't possible for them to fully reverse the other side effects. LILITH staff are requesting those affected to remain indoors until they figure out what they need in order to completely rid them of this ailment.

(Note: The above mission objectives in this section are all optional! Please remember that you only need to engage in the plots and ideas you are comfortable with. If you would prefer your character to leave early to take the others back to recover at base, that is completely fine. We want this to be flexible and for people to play with what inspires them. You are also free to come up with other ways your character can help during this time, as long as it does not break any game rules.)

▶ 006. AFTERWORD.

Welcome to fifth kaiju log!

Thanks to the Outsiders' efforts, they were able to engage with the kaiju in this fight. Due to them piecing the clues of the skulls helping to destroy the fog, they were able to gain access to Bran Castle. As they have also kept their suspicions of the villagers, some even including to sacrifice them, they were able to unearth them being associated with the cult, and able to uncover their involvement. Outsiders were also able to add wolfsbane as a weakness to the kaiju due to the messages exchanged between the kidnapped and non-kidnapped - and so this detail was also added into the log. We appreciate everyone’s engagement in this and hope you have fun with this outcome!

Feel free to NPC your characters' fights with the minions. The main fight with the largest one will be determined via a HP-based system (See below). Feel free to ask any other questions below! Additionally, we did clarify some questions in regards to vampires/general weaknesses here, as well!

For the vampire prompts, feel free to work with the setting in how you want your character to experience being turned, and potentially turning others. It was made vague to allow flexibility, so if you'd like to have your character just feed off of people without turning them, that works. If they want to turn all their friends, that is also 100% okay. Those who have been turned are welcome to play with that as they see fit. As mentioned, LILITH will be actively working on the cure, and this will be something revisited in the TDM, or on our quest board, so be on the lookout for that!

All tags on this log are worth 2 points and will count towards October AC.

EVENT BREAKDOWN/RECAP (CLICK TO EXPAND)

1. LORD OF THE FOREST: On the days leading up to the 15th, kidnapped characters are brought to the dungeons to receive their punishments. The punishments are administered in a way that suggests that the followers have many years of experience, and that they are all part of a sacrificial ritual to summon the Lord of the Forest; once the ritual begins, it can't be stopped. On the morning of the 15th, LILITH is able to send out a distorted monster debrief sheet that the captives will be able to briefly see before experiencing a heavy disturbance of rift energy. Captives in the dungeons will also be able to see the Lord of the Forest, but it will disperse back into the rift after being summoned.

2. FIND THE CAPTIVES: The Outsiders figure out that the captives are held in Bran Castle; the fog gradually lifts and the outline of the castle will be visible. The villagers will do everything they can to prevent the Outsiders from reaching the castle, from using the children to persuade them to stay to more violent means. Outsiders who have a poison dagger from LILITH are able to use it on the villagers without prior clearance due to the spotty connection. Vampires are among the villagers attacking the Outsiders; if they are bitten, their bodies will feel feverish. Once Outsiders reach the castle gates, they will have to break through the castle attendants to reach the dungeons.

3. THE DUNGEON OF CASTLE BRAN: Outsiders must fight through more attendants inside the castle as they make their way down to the dungeons. The layout of the dungeons is much bigger than it may seem on the surface—with over hundreds of cells, some of which still contain the remains and personal effects of previous villagers who have been sacrificed. Bats, minions of the Lord of the Forest, will attack the Outsiders and those who are bitten may begin to lose control of themselves with a thirst for blood. Bitten Outsiders may attack their teammates as a result, and may also be more susceptible to psychic brainwashing.

4. THE FINAL RESCUE: LILITH confirms the main mission objective of rescuing all the captives and gives formal clearance to kill anyone interfering with the mission, which includes any Outsiders who may have been temporarily brainwashed. The bodies of any fallen Outsiders must be brought back as LILITH may be able to restore them. Going deeper into the dungeons will cause side effects of rift poisoning to manifest. The Lord of the Forest appears to engage the Outsiders; its ability to weaken abilities is diminished slightly due to the phases of the moon. Five to ten minutes into the battle, LILITH seals off the rift below the dungeons, allowing Outsiders an opportunity to go all in on attacking the Lord of the Forest.

5. AFTERMATH: LILITH's medical crew arrives to begin treating injured Outsiders. Those who are able to heal or have medical experience are encouraged to treat Outsiders with minor injuries to lighten the load on LILITH's medical staff. Once the battle winds down, Outsiders are given several options on what to do next: kill the followers and the villagers, but sparing the children (who will be brought to Neo Tokyo); continue assisting and escorting any injured Outsiders to safety; taking any goods from the village that will benefit LILITH, including food sources. Once completed, Outsiders will leave Transylvania to embark on the journey back to Neo Tokyo.

code

Comments

Ereshkigal || Fate/Grand Order || Redemption

[queenofkur]

I/ The Final Rescue: Dungeon

[ Upon entering the dungeons, you are welcomed by three cultists rushing your way - as expected, really. But before they can attack you, they are struck down by lightning. And upon collapsing, they reveal the one who struck them down: Ereshkigal standing some ways behind them, hand extended forward.

To say she looks like hell would be an understatement. Never has anyone before seen the goddess with her hair so messy, and only her fellow kidnappees have seen her without her twintails. There are broken chains tied to her wrists and ankles - after her powers returned she managed to break free. At least the blood-stained white linen she is dressed with does manage to hide most of the cuts and wounds on her body - except for her arms and visage where they are plain to see.

Most worryingly though? Her eyes. Empty and devoid of any light. She's struggled so much against the brainwashing, to no avail. And she's still struggling. ]

I won't... [Everyone is an enemy. That's what she sees. That's what she has to see unless she starts praising the Lord of the Forest once more and uses her powers for his sake. To kill, like they had her do with Taryon. Never again... She will not be used again to hurt her comrades.] I won't let you hurt anyone else...!

[ She prepares to attack the outsiders who came in to rescue her...

... Only to promptly collapse on the floor. The poor goddess is unable to keep standing any more, exhausted as she is. ]

Ugh...

[ How terrible, how dreadful. Even her corruption arc is a total failure! Will anything ever go right in her life? Regardless, she does need rescuing and she can't attack with her lightning any more. How she'll react to the rescue is all dependent on the path you decide to take: ]


a) my hero [She is still out of it, but will try to give directions to escape the dungeon faster since she memorized its layout. She'll be very thankful too and appreciative of the bridal carry used to save her (because you'll bridal carry her, right?).]


b) villain! [In this one however she totally wants to stay down there. She will scream and kick at her rescuer because how dare they take her away from the place she belongs to? Villain! Criminal!! A-rank strength kicks and slaps may hurt a lot, but ultimately she's too exhausted to cause real harm.]


c) catatonic [For this option she's stuck between having snapped out of it and still being brainwashed so... There's not much in the way of reactions from her. But hey, at least that makes carrying her out easy.]


d) vampirism? [That's a lot of blood on her, that probably makes it very hard for those affected by vampirism to resist the urge of taking a tiny bite just to satiate the hunger. Especially since hers is divine blood, which is supposedly very good to vampires! So maybe she won't complain if her rescuer feeds just a little bit. Maybe she'll even think they're in love with her!! Or maybe she'll just panic. Who knows what the future holds?]

II/ Aftermath: Medical Cruiser

[ On the cruiser, Ereshkigal is bedridden with a bunch of medical robots surrounding her. The clearest sign that the brainwashing has been undone is when she protests at the robots and asks them to go treat other outsiders instead. ]

I-I said I'm fine...! [She waves dismissively at them before crossing her arms. She lifts her nose up and closes her eyes indignantly.] Please give your assistance to those who need it more than me!

[ Which is literally everyone as far as she's concerned. The last person those robots should worry about is her! And thankfully, they disperse after she's done complaining. Goodness.

At least she appears to be very spirited and totally back to her normal self. Why, she's perhaps even more spirited than before! Maybe the punishments didn't affect her as much as it did the other outsiders. She's a goddess, after all. Maybe for her it was nothing.

Or maybe she's trying harder than usual to hide how she really feels. ]

III/ Aftermath: Breakdown

[ Ereshkigal is supposed to stay in bed until all of her wounds are treated. And yet, she's nowhere to be found. Not on her bed, not with the other outsiders.

Should someone look really hard though, they'll find her in what may just be the most forgotten corner of the base. She's sitting and hugging a pillow (the best replacement she's found for her emotional support golden sheep). Most importantly though? She's crying loudly. Or she would be loud if she wasn't using the pillow to try and silence her sobbing.

She doesn't want anyone to hear her. She doesn't want anyone to see her.

She'll get it all out now, and then she'll be strong for everyone else. She doesn't have the right to linger on her emotional distress in front of the others, not when she's failed to resist the brainwashing. Not when she killed Taryon. Everyone else suffers so much more than her - why, many suffer because of her. It would be evil for her not to hide her suffering. ]

...

[ Pull yourself together, Ereshkigal!

But that's no use. The tears won't stop flowing. No matter how hard she tries, she can't stop thinking about what happened. She can't stop hurting when thinking about it.

The way they twisted her mind, the way they made her say and do those horrible things... She remembers it all, every single agonizing second of it. She hates it hates it hates it hates it. She hates them for having done that to her. She hates herself for having been so weak. She hates herself for being unable to redirect her thought elsewhere. Why does she have to keep reliving those horrible moments? ]

I.b

[intertwinedfates]

[Three more. Three more obstacles in the way of finding their friends, of finding Hiyori. By this point Yato's spattered in the blood of cultists and villagers who wouldn't heed his words of warning. Not quite as bad as Ereshkigal, but messy nonetheless. So it is that he raises his swords yet again when his path is barred, only to have them struck down by divine lightning from behind.

For a moment Yato prepares to strike whoever is the source of the attack, at least until he belatedly registers it as Eresh. She looks so different, with her hair down and clad in white and red. Yet she's not the only one with a change in appearance: for Yato's entire form seems to be emanating dark, jagged wisps of energy, as if he himself is turning into a demonic spirit. Even his eyes look bloodshot thanks to the red of his sclera.

The aura follows his footsteps as he slowly makes his way towards his friend, breathing hard and heavily. "Rescue." That's his only goal in mind at the moment. Hiyori, Eresh herself, Wriothesley... They need to get them all to safety, whether it's what they want it or not.

So when Ereshkigal collapses, Yato takes both his swords in one hand and uses the other to try helping her sit up. If he can just get her back to the entrance... Then he can continue to look for Hiyori. First thing's first, though.]

Eresh... Eresh. Ereshkigal! C'mon, talk to me!

[Don't be brainwashed as well, please... He doesn't want to hurt her. She's in bad enough shape as is.]

[queenofkur]

[ Everything hurts - mind and body alike. She'd felt so peaceful mere moments ago, when her mind had totally been under the kaiju's control. It had quite possibly been the first time in her entire existence that the fears, worries and anxiety that always accompany her had been gone.

She had not been worried about her responsibilities. She had not feared others hating her for what she is. She had not been lingering on all the things that hurt her so much. She had only needed to follow whatever orders she was given. She'd felt accepted and loved. The past and future had not existed. There had been nothing but happiness.

A happiness so hollow and empty, they had brainwashed and tortured her over and over again because she kept rejecting it. ]

...?

[ When Yato helps her sit up, she catches a glimpse of him through half-lidded eyes. She recognizes him. Hiyori... She should tell him immediately where Hiyori is. Where she thinks Hiyori is, as she's not sure as to her specific location.

But what if she's dead...? What if someone killed her the way she killed Taryon? What if she killed her and forgot...? What if Yato is helping the one who murdered his beloved right?

It'd been so nice mere moments ago when those "what-if" hadn't existed. When there had been only happiness and nothing else, hollow as it had been. If she killed Hiyori, if she deprived them of their chance at happiness, that's... That's too much to bear. And so - unconsciously - she gives up and relapses.

Her hand goes flying to try and slap him away. ]

L-Let go of me! I'm home here...!

[ The slap may hurt, but that's about as much struggle as she's able to put up. On the bright side that means she very clearly lacks the ability to hurt him. ]

i! your choice on a/b/c

[fursuit]

[ Some Outsiders might have problems with the massacre they’re undertaking, but Tezcatlipoca certainly isn’t one of them. As soon as the village and this castle declared themselves to be enemies, it’s simple. Anyone that stands in his way will die. They just need to put up a good fight, but otherwise, their lives are forfeit in his eyes. Simple. Brutal.

And in truth, he’s looking for the kaiju much more than his fellow Outsiders. It’s a deep principle of his to not exactly offer his help readily, since it’s up to the individual to survive the trials they’re given. It’s not actually his place to intervene. But luckily (?), the kaiju isn’t exactly easy to find, and the commotion of the Outsiders being found in the dungeon draws his attention.

When Tezcatlipoca steps into the dungeons, he’s already wet with blood. The armor itself, the claws, even drying, matted in his hair. Getting here hadn’t been straightforward, but it’d been no bother for him to carve his way through. It’s a little bit of a surprise when he sees Ereshkigal first, and it shows on his face, but as she readies an attack, his surprise turns to a smile. He has no qualms with having a serious fight with her—

…But, no. Looks like she’s out of juice.

His barbed tail whips back and forth as he otherwise relaxes, but he approaches with measured steps. ]

Good. You're not dead yet.

[ you know maybe staying in the castle isn't so bad after all ]

[queenofkur]

[ You know what would make this nightmare she went through somewhat worth it?

A fairy tale rescue. In an ideal and perfect scenario, she would be carried away in the arms of her destined lover! Someone who passionately declares their flame for her as soon as they're both safe - alone together under a tree. It would be so romantic... Of course, beggars can't be choosers. If she can't have that, she'd still settle for a friend who braved the dangers of this castle just to find her and who will take it upon themselves to take her to safety.

Unfortunately, fate doesn't have such kind plans for her. One of the most insufferable outsiders has to be the one who finds her. Is he even going to carry away or just deliver snarky comments? She weakly tries to look up and-- W-Why does he even have a tail? Is it waggling? Like a dog who's happy he just found an old toy to chew on?!

The way she looks at him is akin to a child who's just been told Santa Claus doesn't exist. Her face lands back on the ground, it's better than looking at her "rescuer." ]

I told you... [Putting words together is tough after what's happened to her.] I told you... To stop stalking me...

[ Is she still brainwashed? Is she recovering but still somewhat delirious? Or is her primary concern now of all moment that Tezcatlipoca is stalking her even as she's kidnapped by a kaiju?

His guess is as good as anyone else's. ]

III

[the_fourteenth]

[Since returning to base, Raidou has been like a ghost. He's not hiding away, as he was after the last mission. It wouldn't help. Nothing will help. It's a new level of despair that he doesn't know how to cope with, grief he's not experienced before, and decides to simply move through the motions of life with mechanical motion. He prepares food in the kitchen and leaves it for whoever wants it, he cleans and straightens up the base, unable to focus on things like training and studying.

On his way back to his room, he catches sight of one of the familiar roombas attending its little chore, and a pang of sadness hits him again. He follows it down the hall, before it bumps off a wall and turns the other way. Raidou stops, because down this corridor he can hear some muffled noises.

He stands there, silent as a shadow, almost for a moment deciding to leave Ereshkigal alone. She wouldn't be tucked away in such a place if she wanted company. Ultimately, he can't. Everything about him feels broken right now, but he still can't help but care.

Raidou quietly steps toward her, taking a seat next on the ground and, if she'll let him, wraps an arm around her shoulder.]

[queenofkur]

[ When she hears someone walking towards her, Ereshkigal doesn't look up to see who it is. It's a person, she knows as much. But she doesn't have the energy to look up and say something. She doesn't have the energy to live and exist right now. It takes her back to when she'd been in the abyss, when Nergal had convinced her to dissolve her existence...

It's the same kind of dread she feels right now. The inescapable past and that desire to end it all because it's too painful to bear.

Only when he sits next to her and wraps his arm around her shoulders, does she recognize the presence. Raidou. Every soul has a distinctive feel to it. Normally things are too noisy for her to tell without looking up, but absorbed as she is in her own thoughts, she can feel the presence of his soul all too keenly. The blinding bright light of a human soul who has the potential to go above and beyond. Like Ritsuka.

She should do something. Or perhaps say something, at the very least.

"Thank you"
"I'm sorry"
"Please help someone who deserves it"
"I don't deserve it"

Unfortunately - or fortunately perhaps - no words escape her lips just yet. Instead she shifts just the slightest bit as she keeps crying, head resting against his shoulder instead of the pillow. ]

I....... also for you to pick abc

[redsoil]

[ Despite not being part of the forward charge to the castle ( he's much more interested in that dratted kaiju ), Set finds himself in the halls regardless. Playing support to those whom seek their stolen numbers leads him on his own languid chase, bumping against half-brainwashed, mutilated Outsiders now and again. A corpse, briefly. ( One he recognizes, but must turn away from. They weren't anything to one another in the way that others were, but the ugly drawing hanging on his wall will have sentimental meaning now. )

There are cursed weapons in his hands, the elegant curve of khopesh made of black sand and wrathful-agonized soul scraps serving him well enough against the flesh and teeth of the empowered cultists. Serving him even better against the normies that he'd left behind; upon his wrists, shredded ropes remain forgotten and ignored. Discarding them would be easy, but he leaves them as a mark to the eyes of other Outsiders that he, too, can become a danger. The bruise-black mark of brainwashing burns on his throat with every cultist he claims, and sparks in recognition when finally, he turns a corner and spots Ereshkigal at the end of a long hallway.

He wastes no time, heading for her. They'll either reunite as Outsiders, or as individuals struggling with the poison of the Lord in their minds. Or one of each, maybe. That'd be the fun option, to him. Ereshkigal might be a false goddess in his eyes, but he knows she's got strength aplenty from when she'd bear-hugged him during the masquerade. ]

Hey. [ He calls out to her, so she knows he's coming. She's on the ground and looking pretty fragile ( carnivorous intent sings inside of him, naturally ). ]

The others are looking for you.

[ ok but which "others" does he mean? the cultists? the outsiders? CYOA ]

[queenofkur]

[ She recognizes that voice.

Set. The Egyptian God who bears no love for humans. One of three whom she is afraid will endanger their operation in this world. Quetzalcoatl's boyfriend.

But right now, he is none of those things. He is just another noise in her mind, one more factor adding to the confusion she's been fighting against that entire time. How did he get here? The way he's talking, he's not here to rescue her. Was he together with the cultists all along? Was this his ploy to turn her against humans?!

Could he do something that evil?

Yes. ]

...

[ She manages to pull herself together and sits on her knees, head in her hands. She's not sure what to think, what to do. Others are looking for her? The cultists? Are they going to subject her to the torture and treatments all over again and he's supposed to be the last straw that breaks her? ]

... But not you?

[ That's kinda rude really. ]

iii

[lostdestiny]

[ LILITH does not have enough good spots for moping if they are all bumping into each other like this. Shinn adds it to the list of things he hates about this place, but it’s something he’ll have to act on later, because “girl crying” is one of the few things that can cut through his own miserable mix of emotions (anger, frustration, inadequacy, regret, loss, confusion, back to anger all over again).

Shinn doesn’t know who this is, but he knows he didn’t see her in the village after the bonfire — which means she was in the castle, which means she … probably has plenty to cry about, whoever she is. ]

I’m —

[ He’s going to say I’m glad you’re okay, but she’s clearly not. I’m glad you’re safe doesn’t work either, because if physical safety were all that mattered she wouldn’t be crying into a pillow a whole world away from Brasov. He sinks to a knee in front of her, shoulders bowed. ]

I’m glad you’re here, [ he offers, quietly, inadequately. I’m glad you’re alive. ]

[queenofkur]

[ LILITH really needs to rework the base to account for introverted social disasters who don't want to bother others with their emotions... That's like, a critical design flaw! Nearly as if the AI did it on purpose to force them to bump into each other! Truly evil and devious.

Regardless, Ereshkigal doesn't look up when she hears the footsteps. She figures it's someone who stumbled upon the truly pathetic spectacle that she is unfortunately offering - and there's no way they'll stick around. And yet, he does. Not only that, but he speaks. ]

...

[ She doesn't recognize that presence. That voice. It's probably an outsider she has never spoken with before. There are many of them what with how she tends to keep to herself and rarely leave her quarters outside of her job.

I'm glad you're here.

Would he say that if he knew what she's done? What she hasn't done? For a long moment, she keeps on crying, as if she hadn't noticed her presence. But then, a weak and broken voice emerges from behind the pillow she's crying in. ]

W-Who are you...?

Aftermath. I'm here for that comfort and bonding

[curingidiocy]

[ He remembers Ereshkigal reaching out to him in an attempt to soothe his pain, in the moments after the consequences of Seoul had been realized. He remembers how poorly he'd handled that, nearly fracturing the uneasy bond they'd somehow developed beforehand. It's not like him to reach out to people when they're suffering, because he has never considered himself the kind of person who could offer the comfort they needed. He has never wanted to be the person to offer comfort.

—No, it's not that, truly. It's merely because he's never been close enough to anyone to want to reach out to them. But it's different, here. And Ereshkigal is someone Ratio can say he... perhaps like is too strong a word, but he holds her in positive regard, so to hear her muffled wails in some corner of the base when she's meant to be on bedrest is... unpleasing.

Of course, upon finding her, the first thing Ratio does is—turn around and leave. Because what would you expect from the aloof scholar? Except he returns fairly quickly, coming even closer until he's standing in front of Eresh. And then—

A fluffy blanket settles over her head and shoulders, pooling around her and creating a barrier between her and the rest of the world. Ratio kneels down to arrange the blanket neatly, and then waits patiently for the goddess to finish crying her heart out. ]

how far they've come...

[queenofkur]

[ Someone accidentally stumbled upon this pathetic spectacle and immediately decided to leave.

That's what Ereshkigal imagines happened after the sound of the footsteps grew distant and fade. It's for the best really. She doesn't want for anyone to see her that weak... She's the one who look after the souls of the dead. She's the one who offers comfort and reassurance to those who are lost.

And with what she's done in the castle... She's a goddess, and she failed in every way. She is the last person deserving of sympathy and ]

...?

[ Who- What? Were it any other circumstances, she would open her eyes wide and look around in surprise. But she doesn't even have the energy to look up. She doesn't need to, for she recognizes the presence next to her who's covering her with a blanket. Normally, both the world and her mind are too noisy to really perceive people's soul on an instinctive level, but here she can feel it clear as day. Veritas Ratio.

Is he... Is he caring for her? For an old and undeserving goddess like her? She would start crying if she wasn't already busy doing so! S-She knew he had it in him to be sweet and considerate, but she would never have imagined he would come to comfort her like that.

Finally, the crying slows. She still doesn't look up, she still doesn't want to be seen like that. But... Amidst all the misery, she feels something warm inside. The kind of warmth only a dear friend can bring to you, simply by being there for you. The kind she's only felt around a few people before - and even with Ratio being added to their number, they can still be counted on the fingers of only one hand. ]

T-Thank you...

II/ Aftermath: Medical Cruiser

[blastedass]

[One after another, cells broken or torn or melted or whatever the fuck force they were opened with. Some of the Outsiders managed to escape and had to be tracked down, or luckily run across during the castle storming, but the majority of them are there. Bound and mangled, injured and suffering, or worse... or perhaps that was better? No, he'll never think that finality is ever better than temporary agony.

And yet, having to confront that reality down in the bloody depths of that damn castle continues to gnaw at his soul. LILITH says to bring their bodies back. Right, like they would've left their remains in this shithole. The Outsiders would've torn the castle to the ground if that's what it took to regain even pieces of their comrades. If only for closure.

Bakugo glances up from his current place beside Denji's bed. Despite his own injuries, he's done nothing since finally emptying the castle of its victims but remain here next to the other Outsider. Medical robots are snarled at and brushed aside, forced to tend to people who actually need their help. It's impossible to miss the woman doing the same. He thinks he recognizes her. Something something death goddess on the network, right? Her haughty yet generous dismissal despite her own injuries is pretty telling.

She's not as well as she seems. Bakugo can never know the depths of what went on in that gory place. But none of the Outsiders who survived it could be "fine" upon their rescue. He's seen that before. As Denji once reprimanded Bakugo for: are you really fine, or are you hero fine? ... There's a big difference.]

You should let them treat you before you bleed out somewhere.

[queenofkur]

[ Upon hearing the words, Ereshkigal turns her head to look in his direction. Ah, both he and the man on the bed look vaguely familiar... Yes, he had been the one using nicknames to refer to people, wasn't he? As for the other one--

She's not very familiar with Denji besides a few conversation on the network and their time together in the castle... But she dreads to think what they had him go through if he's still unconscious. Her gaze lingers on him for a moment, then back to Bakugo as she shakes her head. ]

I'm more resistant than most.

[ ... Technically her current body is absolutely not more resistant than anyone else's, but details. Mentally she can take being in pain for a little while longer. She's been internalizing mental and physical pain since the dawn of mankind, sh can handle doing it for a couple more hours.

She looks for bandages and a scissor on the bedside cabinet next to her. She cuts two pieces long enough to tie her hair together, and proceeds to put her twintails back together. She's had to spend enough time with her hair down, and it's keeping her busy while she's on the bed. ]

He needs the attention more. [She tilts her head towards Denji when saying that. ] But fear not, I will let them- After everyone else's been treated.

I. also also your pick on a/b/c/d o7

[30storieshigh]

[ More humans to slaughter, more humans to punish for taking his Friends. Godzilla is almost eager for the clash that's about to happen. The big guy's been reduced to crawling on all fours as he navigates the dungeons and he's a sight like something out of a bad horror flick. His front fangs have elongated, his face, claws, arms, and tail are coated in blood, and his spines and eyes are in a state of solid, permanent pink glow. A crocodilian like hiss escapes him as he begins to gallop forward towards the charging cultists... and then they're flash fried! Disappointing!

He's almost on edge enough to mistake the lightning strike for an attack of his oldest rival, but the person standing ahead is instantly recognizable. Friend Ereshkigal! One of the two who's rescue is his greatest priority. She does not look well, she looks entirely the opposite of well, but she stands and still has fight in her-

Alright never mind, down she goes. Godzilla's not feral enough to not be concerned by that! Once more he's galloping forward, fighting down is newest instincts that scream at him to pause to feast upon the dead cultists, and stops next to his friend. ]

Friend Ereshkigal. You must stand, it is unsafe here.

[ The big guy tries to help her at least into a sitting position with one hand. Good thing he has a tail, makes it perfectly reasonable for him to balance with just three limbs on the ground right now. ]

[queenofkur]

[ Alas, he's getting the catatonic Ereshkigal! He can blame Kabru for calling dibs on the vampiric snack one. It's okay, to compensate he may get the super energetic & introverted drunk Ereshkigal next time.

Unfortunately, right now she's as far removed as can be from energetic. She looks more dead inside than ever and when he stops next to her, she does more than looking dead inside. Granted, she's always pretty pale and her body is always cold. But if it wasn't for her breathing, she could be mistaken for one more corpses amongst the many that now fill this castle.

Her eyes remain wide open though, staring absently into nothing. When he helps her into a sitting position, she does nothing to stop him but doesn't show any reaction either.

A-At least unlike Yato he's not going to get punched? ]

3

[saudadist]

[ Nyuu can't remember how she got back to the base. She doesn't remember much beyond the castle. Everything else before then? She very much doesn't want to remember.

So then, why did her feet bring her here? Why did she follow the sobs of a familiar voice? She wanted to avoid sorrow, and yet... ]

Ereshkigal...san...?

[ She doesn't approach too quickly. She stays a respectful distance away, not wanting to scare her by appearing so suddenly. ]

1 (ALSO A-D idk go for what your heart tells you i assume he's going to fail/upset her ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[zauneyete]

[ The supersonic screeches of the vampires roosting up in the rafters had been truly too much, stunning him slightly, but what was worse was the feeling of — something else — winding into his brain, making foe and... well, not friend (but you know... vaguely aligned ally) confused. It was so easy down here in the depths of the dungeon, wasn't it? Where bloodhaze mixed with waves of something that made meshing in with the locals seem a better idea.

That is, of course, until a wide arc of lightning rocketed through the entire crowd of attackers — Silco included — which truly is enough to send the man to a straight shock out of the memory of lightning stopping him in his tracks. Why didn't it kill him? Probably because he was on the outskirts, but you know. Maybe vampiric toughness got him. Whatever.

He tipped his head searching for the source — he knew the source, but where was she? — before he saw her across the way. He smiled at her, and it's sharp, and fanged. ]

Never thought you would be the one to help me.

[ He's clearly not here to rescue her, but heckling? Yeah, that will do.]

ii-iii. hope this okay...

[uncourteous]

[ while he's briefly been in and out of the medical cruiser earlier, his brain wasn't necessarily in its best state to comprehend what was happening around him. he may have heard her briefly fighting off the robots, actively attempting to brush them off, only for his attention to inevitably be faced back towards the battlefield. in it, despite his brief periphery glance her way, he's relieved to see that his "instructor" was safe. albeit, it's a brief consideration.

perhaps, it's due in part of this that he makes a point to check back in much later. hopefully when she was settled and was able to regain her wits about her. hence, he doesn't think much when he enters her space in the medical cruiser. his mouth opening before the rest ends up processing— ]

So you finally accepted their assistance? Or do you still require—

[ oh...

that was definitely crying. he stops in his tracks. while he meant no real malice, it's clear he's created some sort of misstep and so he seems to drag his eyes elsewhere, as if letting the silence fill the space. to be honest, he may have been able to come a bit earlier had he not been so consumed.... in anger amongst other emotions, and he does feel a bit regretful he didn't make the trek here sooner. he remains silent for a long while, before he asks: ]

Are you in that much pain? [ he asks, if just because wouldn't this be the easier of all the things to presume? ]

iii

[cranekin]

(It's late at night and everything feels more quiet than usual. Maybe it's because more people are being kept to bed and others feel less willing to venture out these days. Tsurumaru himself could benefit from spending a little time alone but as usual, when it's too quiet and still, he feels so restless he could die.

He pokes his head into the infirmary first to see if he can bother anyone in that miserable place. Maybe someone needs a distraction, company, or someone who can help them fetch things in the night. However, when he arrives, he sees that most people are either already asleep or have someone tending to them already. He also notices quite a few people are missing and while he's certain some of them may have been discharged earlier in the day, he knows that can't be true for everyone.

It takes him a little while to find her but once he hears the sound of quiet sobs, he changes direction. It's quiet out here. If she hadn't been crying, he doesn't think he would have found her in the dark.

Approaching quietly, he removes his robe from his shoulders and drapes it over and around her. He crouches down next to her. Reaching out, he pats her on the head gently but doesn't say a word. He'll let her get her tears out.)

aftermath.

[lifeprice]

[ Aki doesn't know Eresh that well, but he does know one thing: she's important to Tsurumaru.

What that means is that he feels as if he should do what he can to help her - not out of obligation, as if it's his job or something to step up and try and help her out, but because it feels like the right thing to do.

He's not particularly good at it, he thinks, and he might make things worse instead of better, but he feels the urge to try to ease some of her hurt, some of her pain.

He'd been there, after all.

A cup of tea in hand, freshly brewed, and hot chocolate in the other, he steps over to sit down beside her, to offer her the cups without a word. ]

III

[coordination]

[ As established many times before, Yzak is awkward when it comes to physical gestures that aren't grabbing someone by the collar and shaking them or having Dearka hang off of one of his shoulders. Not having a voice at the moment complicates things there when it comes to communication! That and his ocular device being temporarily broken due to the injury to one of his eyes. Said eye is bandaged, his neck is wrapped, and likewise his exposed arms are, disappearing and hinting at much more beneath the rest of his clothes. But he at least feels good enough to stand and get around. He's a little more slow moving, his posture not at its usual 'perfect' because his legs have injuries, too, so at least there's that consideration for himself while he gets back on his feet in a manner of speaking.

By now, someone's had to have caught Yzak up on what happened since they were all dragged to those chambers, filling in a big gap of knowledge he lacked once he properly regained consciousness. So when he picks up the sound of crying nearby (sorry, Eresh, he's got that genetically enhanced hearing), it's familiar to him because he's heard it before in a shared dream. He frowns when he follows it and spots Ereshkigal in the corner - and yet he's not shocked to see her in this state, given what he's heard. ]

...

[ He scowls, because he can't let his presence be known, not even by messaging her! And she's crying so much that she's probably not paying any attention to sounds around her - even footsteps.

Still, Yzak isn't so much of an asshole that he's just going to continue on his way - especially because for all he knows, she's here like this crying because she's been hurt again. So he walks over to her and touches the tips of his fingers to one the arms she has wrapped around her pillow - extremely light and careful sos not to startle her, but to still grab her attention. ]

III

[harboredfeelings]

[ Even without fox ears it'd be hard to miss the faint sounds of sobbing echoing from the little corner of base Kaga managed to wander herself into. Her ears lead her right to the source of things, the blonde girl who accidentally confessed undying love for her when she was hallucinating.

She looks miserable, they're all miserable, as a "loyal" follower of the cult at one point Kaga is vaguely aware Ereshkigal played some part in their rituals but she has no idea the full extent of what the other Outsider went through. Whatever it was it was far too much by the look of things.

It hurts to see her like that. They don't really know each other but that state of absolute pathetic brokenness? You'd have to be heartless to not respond to it.

Kaga comes to sit down beside Eresh and reaches out to her with her tails, three of them gently resting across Ereshkigal's back and shoulders like a comforting arm would. They are soft, fluffy, and warm. ]

You should be resting in your room. [ Said with the stern concern of someone expecting a stubborn depressed response. She doesn't try to move her though, just sits there with her. ]

III Here's. A noodle

[lunarchivist]

[Eresh is probably too deep in her grief to see a. Dragon? It's the size of a small cat-- approach her...it wiggles through the air, three of its limbs wrapped in bandages, the fourth paddling as if swimming.

It alights near Eresh's hunched form, seeming to tug a water bottle out of nowhere and push it toward the weeping goddess. If she doesn't notice, it'll gently headbutt her arm, giving a soft trill that may be worry.

Eresh will...not know this, but this is Dan Heng. A reduced form he's stuck in for now to help his own recovery. It's...made checking on those he's worried about a bit difficult, but he can't just ignore Lady Ereshkigal's sobs. She was sick and delirious even before the rituals started, he can't even imagine how hard the rest of it was on her...]