[a heart field trip]

[antreegonist]

*you're back on the island of Mithos's heart, on the dirt path through the meadow. the sky's still clouded and glassy, but it's no longer storming: you've arrived in the middle of a sunshower.

the freestanding door is there in its pool. the surrounding fog has thinned to translucence -- you can see a couple of large, four-legged shapes moving in it.*

Comments

[antreegonist]

*blood blood blood...at least it's slower than the water...*

[brotagonist]

[...waits to see what happens when the whole floor is covered like on the other side. :[a]

Blood and water... what the hell?

[antreegonist]

*the blood and water meet in the open doorway. there's a high chiming sound; they begin to flow into each other, combining slowly into some sort of silvery liquid -- like faintly glowing mercury.*

[brotagonist]

[oh. ...goes to dip his fingers in it...]

[antreegonist]

*it doesn't contain an emotion as much as a desire -- the need to atone.*

[brotagonist]

[............ :X goes to shift the scales carefully to the center of the table.]

[antreegonist]

*they don't quite cover the split caused by the Sword, but it'll do.*

[brotagonist]

[sits on the staircase to wait '-']

[antreegonist]

*when the blood and water have intermingled completely, the liquid dissipates, but leaves the floor washed deep silver. it's suddenly very quiet. the scale has stopped swaying.

the quality of light in both towers is the same now: soft and pale, as though the moon is shining through all the windows.*

[brotagonist]

...oh.

[antreegonist]

*that was probably a good thing to do.*

[brotagonist]

[gets off the stairs and brushes a hand along the floor]

[antreegonist]

*it's dry and warm, and thrums gently under your hand.*

[brotagonist]

[I don't know if the floor humming is a good sign, but everything else seems peaceful. goes to make sure the Eternal Sword is securely in its place on the other table — contemplates driving it in there too and then decides that probably there has been enough table vandalizing.]

[antreegonist]

*yes let's leave the poor tables alone. the AAAAGHWRONG in this tower seems to have mellowed to sadness, if that makes you feel better.*

[brotagonist]

...you know... I bet some of them might accept your apology. Maybe not all of them, and maybe not right away, but... someday...

[antreegonist]

*there's a ghost of movement in the nearest window, perhaps, just on the edge of your vision.*

[brotagonist]

[looks around]

[antreegonist]

*huh. just a window.*

[brotagonist]

Hello?

[antreegonist]

*that's all...*

[brotagonist]

[which window was it?]

[antreegonist]

*whichever was closest...if you didn't go far up the stairs, probably Undine's?*

[brotagonist]

[stands in front of it, a few feet back '-']

Please come out?

[antreegonist]

*nothing comes out, but the pieces of glass start sliding through each other to rearrange themselves into a stylized portrait of Undine.*