The Night Abridged

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<<set $gamechapter to "Prologue">>\ <<set $chapterno to "00">>\ <<set $postprologue to false>>\ Before we begin, there are two gender selectable romanceable characters. Would you like to set them all to a single gender, or choose individually? <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link '<div class="choice">Set them all to single a single gender.</div>' 'singlegender'>><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>Set them individually.</div>" "individuallygender">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

You chose to set them all to a single gender. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>Set them all to female.</div>" "custardmango">> <<set $igen to "female">> <<set $ithey to "she">> <<set $ithem to "her">> <<set $itheir to "her">> <<set $itheirs to "hers">> <<set $iwoman to "woman">> <<set $igirl to "girl">> <<set $rgen to "female">> <<set $rthey to "she">> <<set $rthem to "her">> <<set $rtheir to "her">> <<set $rtheirs to "hers">> <<set $rwoman to "woman">> <<set $rgirl to "girl">> <</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>Set them all to male.</div>" "custardmango">> <<set $igen to "male">> <<set $ithey to "he">> <<set $ithem to "him">> <<set $itheir to "his">> <<set $itheirs to "his">> <<set $iwoman to "man">> <<set $igirl to "boy">> <<set $rgen to "male">> <<set $rthey to "he">> <<set $rthem to "him">> <<set $rtheir to "his">> <<set $rtheirs to "his">> <<set $rwoman to "man">> <<set $rgirl to "boy">> <</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>Set them all to non-binary.</div>" "custardmango">> <<set $iplural to true>> <<set $igen to "nb">> <<set $ithey to "they">> <<set $ithem to "them">> <<set $itheir to "their">> <<set $itheirs to "theirs">> <<set $iwoman to "person">> <<set $igirl to "child">> <<set $rplural to true>> <<set $rgen to "nb">> <<set $rthey to "they">> <<set $rthem to "them">> <<set $rtheir to "their">> <<set $rtheirs to "theirs">> <<set $rwoman to "person">> <<set $rgirl to "child">> <</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

What gender would you like Ilya to be? <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>female.</div>" "inrhian">> <<set $igen to "female">> <<set $ithey to "she">> <<set $ithem to "her">> <<set $itheir to "her">> <<set $itheirs to "hers">> <<set $iwoman to "woman">> <<set $igirl to "girl">> <</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>Male.</div>" "inrhian">> <<set $igen to "male">> <<set $ithey to "he">> <<set $ithem to "him">> <<set $itheir to "his">> <<set $itheirs to "his">> <<set $iwoman to "man">> <<set $igirl to "boy">> <</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>Non-binary.</div>" "inrhian">> <<set $iplural to true>> <<set $igen to "nb">> <<set $ithey to "they">> <<set $ithem to "them">> <<set $itheir to "their">> <<set $itheirs to "theirs">> <<set $iwoman to "person">> <<set $igirl to "child">> <</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

What gender would you like Rhian to be? <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>Female.</div>" "custardmango">> <<set $rgen to "female">> <<set $rthey to "she">> <<set $rthem to "her">> <<set $rtheir to "her">> <<set $rtheirs to "hers">> <<set $rwoman to "woman">> <<set $rgirl to "girl">> <</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>Male.</div>" "custardmango">> <<set $rgen to "male">> <<set $rthey to "he">> <<set $rthem to "him">> <<set $rtheir to "his">> <<set $rtheirs to "his">> <<set $rwoman to "man">> <<set $rgirl to "boy">> <</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>Non-binary.</div>" "custardmango">> <<set $rplural to true>> <<set $rgen to "nb">> <<set $rthey to "they">> <<set $rthem to "them">> <<set $rtheir to "their">> <<set $rtheirs to "theirs">> <<set $rwoman to "person">> <<set $rgirl to "child">> <</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

What are the Vessel's pronouns? <<if $set_pronouns is false>>\ <<link '<div class="porp">SET HERE.</div>'>> <<dialog 'Set Pronouns '>>\ <div id="dialog-container">\ <span id="autofill">\ <div class="info-icon"><span>Type in lowercase.</span></div> SUBJECTIVE: <<textbox "$they" "they">><br> OBJECTIVE: <<textbox "$them" "them">><br> DETERMINER: <<textbox "$their" "their">><br> POSSESSIVE: <<textbox "$theirs" "theirs">><br> HONORIFIC: <<textbox "$ms" "Mx">><br> Is this a plural pronoun? <<listbox "$mcplural">> <<option "No" false>> <<option "Yes" true selected>><</listbox>> </span> <div class="border"></div> <div class="presets">Presets: </div><<link '<span class="preset-choice">he/him</span>'>> <<set $woman to "man">>\ <<set $they = "he">>\ <<set $them = "him">>\ <<set $their = "his">>\ <<set $theirs = "his">>\ <<set $ms = "Mr">>\ <<set $mcplural = false>>\ <<replace #autofill>>\ <div class="info-icon"><span>Type in lowercase.</span></div> SUBJECTIVE: <<textbox "$they" "he">><br> OBJECTIVE: <<textbox "$them" "him">><br> DETERMINER: <<textbox "$their" "his">><br> POSSESSIVE: <<textbox "$theirs" "his">><br> HONORIFIC: <<textbox "$ms" "Mr">><br> Is this a plural pronoun? <<listbox "$mcplural">> <<option "No" false selected>> <<option "Yes" true>><</listbox>> <</replace>><</link>> <<link '<span class="preset-choice">she/her</span>'>> <<set $woman to "woman">>\ <<set $they = "she">>\ <<set $them = "her">>\ <<set $their = "her">>\ <<set $theirs = "hers">>\ <<set $ms = "Ms">>\ <<set $mcplural = false>>\ <<replace #autofill>>\ <div class="info-icon"><span>Type in lowercase.</span></div> SUBJECTIVE: <<textbox "$they" "she">><br> OBJECTIVE: <<textbox "$them" "her">><br> DETERMINER: <<textbox "$their" "her">><br> POSSESSIVE: <<textbox "$theirs" "hers">><br> HONORIFIC: <<textbox "$ms" "Ms">><br> Is this a plural pronoun? <<listbox "$mcplural">> <<option "No" false selected>> <<option "Yes" true>><</listbox>> <</replace>><</link>> <<link '<span class="preset-choice">they/them</span>'>> <<set $woman to "person">>\ <<set $they = "they">>\ <<set $them = "them">>\ <<set $their = "their">>\ <<set $theirs = "theirs">>\ <<set $ms = "Mx">>\ <<set $mcplural = true>>\ <<replace #autofill>>\ <div class="info-icon"><span>Type in lowercase.</span></div> SUBJECTIVE: <<textbox "$they" "they">><br> OBJECTIVE: <<textbox "$them" "them">><br> DETERMINER: <<textbox "$their" "their">><br> POSSESSIVE: <<textbox "$theirs" "theirs">><br> HONORIFIC: <<textbox "$ms" "Mx">><br> Is this a plural pronoun? <<listbox "$mcplural">>\ <<option "No" false>>\ <<option "Yes" true selected>><</listbox>> <</replace>><</link>> <<link '<div class="next">next</div>' 'custardmango'>><<run Dialog.close()>><<set $set_pronouns to true>><</link>>\ <</dialog>> <</link>>\ <<else>>\ *The Vessel uses <span class="porp">$they/$their</span> pronouns. <</if>>\ What gender is your Vessel? <<radiobutton "$gender" "female" checked>> Female <<radiobutton "$gender" "male">> Male <<radiobutton "$gender" "non-binary">> Non-binary What is the Vessel usually referred to as? <<radiobutton "$woman" "woman" checked>> Woman <<radiobutton "$woman" "man">> Man <<radiobutton "$woman" "person">> Person <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "cm2">><</link>>

<<if $set_pronouns is false>><div class="info-icon"><span>ERROR: It seems you have forgotten to set your pronouns! please return to last page and set them. It should be the first thing you see when customising your MC!</span></div><</if>>\ How tall is your Vessel? <<listbox "$height">> <<option "short">> <<option "average">> <<option "tall" selected>> <<option "very tall">> <</listbox>> What colour hair does your Vessel have? <<listbox "$hcolour">> <<option "raven" selected>> <<option "light brown">> <<option "dark brown">> <<option "honey blonde">> <<option "strawberry blonde">> <<option "fiery red">> <<option "golden">> <</listbox>> What hair type does your Vessel have? <<listbox "$htype">> <<option "straight">> <<option "wavy" selected>> <<option "loosely curled">> <<option "tightly curled">> <<option "coily">> <</listbox>> What hair length does your Vessel have? <<listbox "$hlength">> <<option "short">> <<option "chin length">> <<option "shoulder length">> <<option "chest length">> <<option "mid back" selected>> <<option "waist length">> <</listbox>> Does your Vessel have any facial hair? <<radiobutton "$facialhair" false checked>> No <<radiobutton "$facialhair" true>> Yes <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "cm3">><</link>>

<<nobr>> <<if $gender is "female">><<set $child to "girl">><</if>> <<if $gender is "male">><<set $child to "boy">><</if>> <<if $gender is "non-binary">><<set $child to "child">><</if>> <</nobr>> What colour are your Vessels eyes? <<listbox "$eyes">> <<option "amber" selected>> <<option "grey">> <<option "blue">> <<option "green">> <<option "brown">> <<option "hazel">> <</listbox>> What colour skin does your Vessel have? <<listbox "$skin">> <<option "porcelain">> <<option "ivory" selected>> <<option "rosy">> <<option "sun-kissed">> <<option "olive">> <<option "bronze">> <<option "cool black">> <<option "warm black">> <<option "deep black">> <</listbox>> Does your Vessel have any notable marks? <<checkbox "$freckles" false true autocheck>> Freckles <<checkbox "$moles" false true autocheck>> Moles <<checkbox "$dimples" false true autocheck>> Dimples <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "cm4">><</link>>

Does your Vessel have any notable scars? <<radiobutton "$scars" true checked>> Yes <<radiobutton "$scars" false>> No Does your Vessel have any notable tattoos? <<radiobutton "$tattoos" true checked>> Yes <<radiobutton "$tattoos" false>> No <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "cm7">> <</link>>

Does your Vessel have any notable facial scars? <<checkbox "$foreheadscar" false true autocheck>> a slash scross the side of their forehead <<checkbox "$eyescar" false true autocheck>> across their eye <<checkbox "$lipscar" false true autocheck>> on their lower lip <<checkbox "$nosescar" false true autocheck>> across the bridge of their nose <<checkbox "$browscar" false true autocheck>> through their eyebrow <<checkbox "$cheekscar" false true autocheck>> along their cheek <<checkbox "$jawscar" false true autocheck>> claw marks by their jaw Does your Vessel have any notable scars on their body? <<checkbox "$neckscar" false true autocheck>> On the side of their neck <<checkbox "$throatscar" false true autocheck>> across their throat <<checkbox "$backscar" false true autocheck>> whip lashes across their back <<checkbox "$abdomenscar" false true autocheck>> shrapnel mark across their abdomen <<checkbox "$upperarmscar" false true autocheck>> claw marks along their upperarm <<checkbox "$cuffscar" false true autocheck>> cuff marks around their wrist and ankles <<checkbox "$handscar" false true autocheck>> burn marks on their palms

What tattoos does your Vessel have? <<checkbox "$sacrificetat" false true autocheck>> the word "Sacrificial", written by Faustus <<checkbox "$serpenttat" false true autocheck>> a serpent, drawn by Tiberius <<checkbox "$altat" false true autocheck>> a crow, suggested by Alzurahm <<checkbox "$koitat" false true autocheck>> koi fish encircling each other, drawn by Ilya <<checkbox "$uglytat" false true autocheck>> a horribly drawn tattoo of a raven, as per Alzurahm's request <<checkbox "$wrongtat" false true autocheck>> a tattoo in chinese characters but wrong. It now says "idiot" instead whatever special meaning it was supposed to have <<checkbox "$origamitat" false true autocheck>> a tattoo of an origami crane <<checkbox "$dragontat" false true autocheck>> a dragon tattoo <<checkbox "$trampstampstat" false true autocheck>> a tramp stamp tattoo <<checkbox "$cosmictat" false true autocheck>> a tattoo of the moons phases <<checkbox "$turgtat" false true autocheck>> a Turgpickens wii tattoo <<checkbox "$sleevetat" false true autocheck>> a full sleeve tattoo

<<if $scars is true>>\ <<include "cm5">> <</if>>\ <<if $tattoos is true>>\ <<include "cmtats">> <</if>>\ <<include "cm6">> <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "cm8">><<set $mcjewllery to true>><</link>>

Does your Vessel have any personal items? <<checkbox "$lighter" false true checked>> An onyx zippo lighter with golden engravings that belonged to Tiberius <<checkbox "$necklace" false true checked>> a necklace holding a ring engraved with the words "Till the End". You don't remember where you got it <<checkbox "$rings" false true autocheck>> a few rings <<checkbox "$singlering" false true autocheck>> a single ring <<checkbox "$bracelet" false true autocheck>> a thin chained bracelet

Now, to customise your Vessels personality. <div class="info-icon"><span>There are no stat checks, these are mainly used to unlock bonus dialogues.</span></div> Do people find your vessel to be impassive at times or charming? <<radiobutton "$stoic" "60" checked>> impassive <<radiobutton "$stoic" "50">> charming Do people find your Vessel to be sarcastic or genuine? <<radiobutton "$sarcastic" "60" checked>> sarcastic <<radiobutton "$sarcastic" "50">> genuine Do people find your Vessel to be kind or dismissive towards others? <<radiobutton "$kind" "60" checked>> kind <<radiobutton "$kind" "50">> dissmisive Do people find your vessel to be more cautious or daring? <<radiobutton "$cautious" "60" checked>> cautious <<radiobutton "$cautious" "50">> audacious What is your Vessels main skill? <<radiobutton "$mainskill" "combat" checked>> combat <<radiobutton "$mainskill" "knowledge">> knowledge <<radiobutton "$mainskill" "perception">> perception <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "cm9">><<set $postprologue to true>><</link>>

<div class="middletext">\ What is your Vessel's forgotten name? (Real name) <<if $gender is "female">><<textbox "$name" "Val">><<elseif $gender is "male">><<textbox "$name" "Val">><<else>><<textbox "$name" "Val">><</if>> <<textbox "$surname" "Valentine">> </div> <<link "<div class='next'>begin</div>" "00 real start">><</link>>

<div class="chap-cont"> <div class="chap-title">00</div> <div class="chap-sub">"Mother of All grief, hear me and have pity"</div> <<if settings.content_warning>>\ <div class="cw"><b>CONTENT WARNING:</b>violence</div> <</if>>\ <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "prologue">><</link>> </div>

<<nobr>> <<if $woman is "woman">><<set $daughter to "daughter">> <<set $sister to "sister">> <<elseif $woman is "man">> <<set $sister to "brother">><<set $daughter to "son">><<else>><<set $daughter to "child">> <<set $sister to "sibling">><</if>> <</nobr>> <div class="middletext">\ This is how you <<if settings.glitch>><div class="glitchy glitch layers" data-text="die:"><span>die:</span></div><<else>>die:<</if>> Staring into an abyss. A void ready to swallow you whole and leave nothing of yourself behind. As if you never existed in the first place. It's what you deserve. Right? You remember the things you've done. Even if you tried to forget now, you wouldn't be able to. They've been etched into your mind. Every action you've taken. Every time you close your eyes...you'd edge just a little closer to madness. This is not a story with a happy ending. This is a story of how you die. <div class="voice">But this isn't the first time you've died. Is it?</div></div> <<link "<div class='next'>no, it isn't</div>" "00 2">><</link>>

The first time you died, there was ash and rain in the air. You remember watching them fall into your palms. Your palms, you recall, were sticky too. Stained red with a distinct smell of copper. There was a voice you heard too. A woman's voice. You don't remember her face though. You could never remember her face. You recollect a man close by who had the same $eyes eyes as you right before they went glassy. You don't forget about the boy that was with them either. He was just a few years older than you, you think. He was far away from you, only a speck in a scene of ruins. Apart from that, you don't remember much about anything else. That and then waking up in a shallow grave with a man standing over you. <div class="voice">What did that man do to you?</div> <<link "<div class='next'>what did he do?</div>" "00 3">><</link>>

<div class="middletext">He...saved you. He gave you shelter, taught you, trained you. He gifted something to you when you were young. Said that you had earned it through hard sweat and blood. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>He gave you a gun with a suppressor. Quiet, efficient and lethal.</div>" "00 4.6">> <<set $weapon to "gun">> <</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>He gave you a sword, it\'s tip curved inwards.</div>" "00 4.6">> <<set $weapon to "sword">> <</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>He gave you a keris dagger, its wavy blade guaranteed to cause fatal damage.</div>" "00 4.6">> <<set $weapon to "dagger">> <</link>> </div> <</nobr>> </div>

<div class="middletext"> He was the reason you met Ilya. A friend you trusted to have your back. A friend whom you trained beside. Fought beside. //A friend.//</div> <<link "<div class='next'>Next</div>" "00 4">><</link>>

<div class="middletext">But those were the simpler times. That's no longer the case.</div> <<link "<div class='next'>It's time for you to get back to the present</div>" "00 4.5">><</link>>

<div class="middletext"><<if settings.glitch>><div class="glitchy glitch layers" data-text="Liar."><span>Liar.</span></div><<else>>Liar.<</if>> Every word $ithey'<<vei>> ever spoken. Utter lies. Those were the first thoughts that came into your mind when you saw Ilya standing at the end of the burning room, skin slick with sweat and hands stained with blood. </div> <<link "<div class='next'>Liar.</div>" "00 5">><</link>>

<div class="when-where">The Depositary <span>South building, blackhaven</span></div> Smoke fills your lungs. Yet you don't dare to let out a cough that builds within your chest. Above you, the ceiling burns. Bright orange embers beginning to spread across you like a blazing sky. You could feel the rush through your blood. The utter rage that burns just as brightly as the flames around you. Despite that, you feel yourself to be calm. Eerily so. There's only one thing you want. One singular goal. To kill. As you stare ahead, bearing your eyes into grey, you see a storm raging within. It's so undeniably full of lies. <<= $itheir.toUpperFirst()>> chest rises and falls in rhythm to yours. Fast and quick. Blood has been smeared on $itheir face from dragging $itheir arm across $itheir face. It happened when $ithey <<iwere>> trying to clear the blood from $itheir face in the first place. In $itheir hand, there's a gun where fingers twitch around the hilt. It mirrors the way your hand is around your own gun. "You weren't meant to be here," $ithey croak<<si>> quietly. Even over the roars of the flames, you could hear $ithem loud and clear as if $ithey <<iwere>> screaming right into your ear. "You <i>aren't</i> supposed to be here." A laugh almost tears through your throat. It's ironic, really. <<= $ithem.toUpperFirst()>> telling you this. "I could say the same thing about you, Ilya," Ilya. The name tastes like ash on your tongue. It makes you grimace. <div class="voice">Traitor</div>\ <div class="voice">Liar</div> You sneer at $ithem, spitting out that bitter taste in your mouth. "You really are something else, Ilya. The way you were able to fool everyone the way you did." <div class="voice">Traitor</div>\ <div class="voice">Liar</div> <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> made a fool of everyone. Of you. The trust $ithey built between you. All chagrin. The assurance that $ithey'd be by your side. Meaningless. <<link "<div class='next'>All meaningless.</div>" "00 6">><</link>>

"You don't understand, V-" You interrupt $ithem with a scoff. "I don't understand? I understand perfectly well, <i>Ilya</i>. You're a traitor. A liar," you spit, a venom so poinsonous in your voice that it stalls $ithem still. Whatever words sitting on $itheir tongue is swallowed back down $itheir throat. There's a look on $itheir face. Sadness you think. <div class="voice"><<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> ha<<vei>> no right.</div> You take in a breath, suddenly regretting it when a plume of smoke makes its way back into your lungs. You steel your nerves. "Just give me what you stole, Ilya," you tell $ithem, surprising even yourself at how steady you manage to keep your voice. "Maybe then, Faustus will take mercy." "I can't do that, V." "The hell you can't!?" you growl. "Just give me the goddamn piece of paper that you took so this can all end!" <div class="voice"><<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> won't listen. Do what you must.</div>\ <div class="voice">End $ithem.</div> //Shut up. // Your jaw clenches, teeth grinding against each other hard enough that it could turn to sand. You'll be surprised if it doesn't. You can't leave without that scroll. You won't. Ilya knows that too. <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> plead<<si>> with $itheir eyes for you to stop. <<link "<div class='next'>You don\'t.</div>" "00 7">><</link>>

<div class="middletext">\ One minute you were standing as still as a statue, and the next, your surroundings went by in a blur. You fight. Viciously. Guns raised at each other. </div> <<link "<div class='next'>There\'s a roar of gunfire</div>" "00 7.5">><</link>>

<div class="middletext">\ <style> #passages{background:none} </style> <<if settings.fadein>><<fadein 1.5s>>Then a scream.<</fadein>><<else>>Then a scream.<</if>> <<if settings.fadein>><<fadein 2s 2.5s>>But you can't tell whether it was yours or Ilya's.<</fadein>><<else>>But you can't tell whether it was yours or Ilya's.<</if>> </div> <<if settings.fadein>><<fadein 2.5s 6s>><<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "00 8">><</link>><</fadein>><<else>><<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "00 8">><</link>><</if>>

The gun you had in your hand is gone, kicked away somewhere when you and Ilya were fighting. There's a sore spot by your jaw, a cracked tooth maybe from the time $ithey managed to land a solid blow against you. You find yourself on the ground, lying on the ground. Parts of the ceiling had intervened your struggle, forced you to take a step back. You fell. A dull ache rings in your head, pulsing. It's the worst kind of pain you think, the ones that are dull and long. You think you prefer it sharp rather than have it dull. You try to gather your thoughts, shaking off the remnants of the pain that pulses, still on the ground, dazed by the fumes around you. You manage to catch a glimpse of your gun, just an arms-length away and you don't waste much time before grabbing it and rolling on your back with the barrel aimed right at the $iwoman you're fighting. When you come to, training the gun at Ilya, you realise that $ithey'<<vei>> had $itheir gun trained on you for a while. At least you imagine $ithey would have. <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> stand<<si>> over you, pointing their gun down at you while yours points up. You're both at a standstill, just waiting to see who pulls the trigger first. The taste of iron crawling up your throat only seems to get stronger at this point. <<link "<div class='next'>You wait.</div>" "00 16">><</link>>

"You don't have to do this, V," Ilya tells you, hating the way $itheir voice trembles. Your voice, on the other hand, is firm. Unyielding. "You're not giving me much of a choice, <i>friend</i>." Ilya doesn't fail to notice the tone in your voice when you say "friend". It makes $ithem flinch. <div class="voice">It shouldn't</div>\ Your finger practically itches to pull the trigger again, a tiny voice in your head practically begging you to. <div class="voice">You. Not me.</div>\ <<link "<div class='next'>shut up</div>" "00 17">><</link>>

Ilya sees it on your face. The urge to pull the trigger. The utter rage and fury that bellows inside you. And you know just as well, that $ithey'<<rei>> just as prepared to pull the trigger. <<link "<div class='next'>You almost do</div>" "00 18">><</link>>

But before you could get the chance, the flames finally eat away the last of the structures that hold the ceiling. The moment your gaze flickers up, towards the ceiling, all you see before your vision turns dark is a beam of flaming wood falling, the orange flames around it growing brighter. <<link "<div class='next'>this is how you die</div>" "00 19">><</link>>

<div class="when-where">The aftermath <span>the ruins of the depositary</span></div> Faustus has never liked fire. Never liked it one bit. Fire, he learned, was unpredictable. Difficult to control. He didn't like things he couldn't control. Ilya is like fire, he notes. <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> used to be just a tiny spark, but now $ithey'<<vei>> become a raging pit of uncontrollable flames that swallows and burns everything $ithey touch<<esi>>. But if there was one thing he hated the most, it was having something that belonged to him taken away. Three things now, someone has taken something from him. One: his building. One he spent so many credits developing to house his personal prized objects. Now they've been reduced to what? Rubble. Two: The most important thing that was supposed to be safe inside. The very thing he spent his entire life procuring. The fucking scroll. And three? The reason for him doing all of this in the first place. His- "We got another one!" a voice interrupts. Faustus snaps his gaze towards the shout. It's a frail-looking boy, too small and skinny to be of real use to him. "Someone help me move these!" he yells, drawing the attention of the others nearby. Slowly, piece by piece, they begin to dig beneath the rubble in tandem, pulling out another corpse. Faustus doesn't move, he barely even looks at it. He's breathing too hard from the rage radiates he feels. He keeps his eyes forward, paying the bodies little to no mind. What he does is stare at the spent credits reduced to ashes. He doesn't even move when a hand grips his shoulder. <<link "<div class='next'>Tiberius</div>" "00 21">><</link>>

His closest friend and confidante. "Is it the traitor?" Faustus asks, eerily calm for a man so easy to throw away anything that displeases him. And by the looks of his ruined building and dead employees, he ought to throw away anything and anyone who so much as glances in his direction. Behind him, there's a sigh. One that Faustus is all but too familiar with. "No, not $ithem. Another fallen comrade, I'm afraid," he answers, sympathy laced over his words. Sympathy...Faustus can't feel that as of now. He'd lost that ability years ago when everything was taken from him. Faustus shrugs off the hand on his shoulder. A fallen comrade means little to him. There's always another to replace them. There's only one thing now that he cares about. "I want the traitor's corpse," he says. "And the thing $ithey stole from me." "We still haven't found V," Tiberius says, as if not hearing a single word he'd just said. Faustus hums lowly. "The vessel," he corrects. Faustus had never been fond of the way his friend would call his pet project "V". Not one bit. Once again, ignoring him, Tiberius continues, a strange anxiety in his tone. <<link '<div class="next">\"There\'s no sign of either of them.\"</div>' '00 22'>><</link>>

It was until hours more of scavenging did anything promising was found. "Over here!" Someone shouts. "We found another one!" Faustus, still never once moved from his original position, watches as they pull another person from beneath the debris. Somewhere among them, Tiberius helps in his own way, tending to those who've suffered injuries in the collapse of the building. "It's the vessel! <<= $they.toUpperFirst()>>'<<re>> alive!" This draws Faustus's attention. And for the first time, in hours, he moves, taking achingly slow steps towards the group who pulled the vessel out to freedom. By the time he reached them, Tiberius had already made his way there, politely shoving people out of his way to get closer to that pet project of his. Silently, Faustus watches as his friend examines the vessel, checking to see if $their injuries were as severe as they looked. <<= $they.toUpperFirst()>>'<<re>> covered in dirt and soot, red and splotchy patches of burned skin littering $their arms. There's enough of it that makes him wrinkle his nose in disgust. When he sees that the vessel's chest rises and falls ever so slightly, he turns his attention elsewhere, grabbing the sleeves of the nearest person and pulling them close to his face. He could practically smell the initial shock that turns into fear radiating from being so close to him. "Y-yes sir?" "The traitor. Have you found $ithem yet?" Faustus asks- no, //demands//. "N- no sir. We haven't yet," they respond, gulping down the fear building in his troat. "Put all priority into finding $itheir," Faustus orders, a threat underlying his words if they fail. He wants that traitor found and he wants what is his. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "chapter 01">><</link>>

<div class="chap-cont"> <div class="chap-title">01</div> <div class="chap-sub">"Within the web, a lie is spun"</div> <<if settings.content_warning>>\ <div class="cw"><b>CONTENT WARNING:</b> Death, Violence, Drugs, Sexual Content.</div> <</if>>\ <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "begin 01">><</link>> </div>

<<set $gamechapter to "Chapter 01">>\ <<set $chapterno to "01">><<set $codextheinstitute to true>>\ <div class="when-where">Winter, one month later <span>the underkeep, Tiberius's workshop</span></div> The <<link 'institute'>><<notify 5s>>''unlocked file:'' the institute<</notify>><</link>> is where all the magic happened. You train in the institute, eat in the institute, and sleep in the institute. Everything you've ever done, everything you've been told, was done in the institute. It is your home. Whatever a home may be. You spent most of your time in the underkeep. Where Tiberius' workshop is. He liked to create odd little trinkets that prove themselves to be useful now and then. He's even improved a smoke bomb based on Providence schematics. And often than not, you'd hear the quiet whirring of a machine in the background as he worked. Its soft hum replacing the silence. You hear it now, as you sit in the corner of the room, watching as Tiberius tinkers with his latest project. It's the dead of night and instead of sleeping, you were here, observing. Documents were strewn across one side of his desk in an organised mess. On the other side, lab equipment was set up, several round beakers bubbling with something inside. Seeing things like this made Tiberius look somewhat like a mad scientist. While he worked, his augmented arm would clink quietly. It happened mostly when he'd bend his arm in a certain direction. The other times you would hear it when he works on it to make sure his arm won't seize up at odd times while he's working. It's relaxing, watching him work. He'd take things apart and then put them back together again with great care and knowledge. When it isn't relaxing, it's when you'd get that familiar dull ache in your head. Familiar dull aches that have grown a habit of becoming more and more frequent. Sometimes when the headaches come, you'd shut your eyes and squeeze them tight in a fruitless attempt to drive them away, but you learned that it only made people look at you strangely. You didn't like that, so you made it into a habit of clenching your jaw instead. It almost always escapes the eyes of others...almost. <div class="voice">You're fooling nobody, child.</div> You groan, rubbing your temples. "Another headache?" Tiberius asks, glancing up from his tinkering. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>\"It's nothing to worry about,\" you mutter, clenching your jaw.</div>" "01 fine">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>\"Yes,\" you answer, pinching the bridge of your nose.</div>" "01 yessir">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>\"No...\" you mumble, trying to keep any sort of pain from showing on your face.</div>" "01 nosir">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

Tiberius scans the sour expression on your face for a brief moment, turning away with a sigh as his gaze softens ever so slightly. "Are you sure?" he asks. You hum. "Nothing I can't handle." You've endured worse. Far worse. A headache was nothing. <<include "01 02">>

The man's gaze softens ever so slightly as he addresses you. "How bad is it?" You muster the strength not to wince, holding your tongue between your teeth. You've endured worse. Far worse. A headache was nothing. "It's not that bad. Just...it's not bad." A small lie. But a lie nonetheless. <<include "01 02">>

The man raises his eyebrow. He knows you're not telling the truth. "Are you sure?" he asks after a brief pause, his gaze softening. You hold your tongue between your teeth, ignoring the ache between your eyes. You've endured worse. Far worse. A headache was nothing. "I'm sure," you reply despite knowing he wouldn't believe your words. <<include "01 02">>

"The medication isn't as effective anymore," the man states with a heavy sigh. It's only been six months since the last adjustment to your medicine. You don't remember a time when it lasted more than a couple of hours. Maybe using it too much has caused you to become resistant to it. "It'll need to be adjusted again," he says, scribbling something onto a random sheet of paper. "Give me some time to develop it." You hum, rubbing your temples again. "In the meantime, can you pay a visit to that informer of yours? See if he has any insight as to where Ilya may be holed up." He's trying to distract you. But at this point, any sort of distraction is welcome. You nod. You had always intended to pay Roman Evergreen a visit. The man was Blackhaven's most notorious informer, or in other words, Blackhaven's most hated rat.There are things only he knows, things he'd found useful. It's what makes him a great blackmailer too. Being a blackmailer is the only reason he isn't dead yet. <<link "<div class='next'>daybreak comes just as quickly as night had fallen</div>" "01 roman">><</link>>

<<set $codexsnakeskin to true>>\ <div class="when-where">Snakeskin's<span>outside the bar</span></div> You were standing at the edge of the curb, hands flicking a lighter open and shut as you breathed hot air into the cold. You yourself weren't cold though, in fact you found yourself enjoying the bitterness of the cold weather. That couldn't be said for the others that stride along the street with their hands stuffed in their pockets, trying to keep what little warmth they had safe. As time ticked by, a couple of odd strangers would walk past you and throw you strange looks. Maybe it was because unlike them, you were wearing nothing but a loose shirt with a cotton collared jacket paired with dark trousers, rather than wearing proper winter attire. You were waiting across the street, staring at the entrance to a familiar bar, <<link 'Snakeskin\'s'>><<notify 5s>>''unlocked file:'' snakeskin's<</notify>><</link>>. The place that The Rat frequents, along with many other people. Dear old Roman always did enjoy a good pint of bitter beer first thing in the morning. There wasn't any doubt that you'd see him strolling through the doors of his favourite bar soon enough. Not a minute too late, you're proven right about the man when you catch sight of the rugged man, stumbling through the doors of the building. The second the doors had closed behind him, you snap your lighter shut, stuffing it into your pocket and follow him into Snakeskin's. When you first step foot inside, there's that distinct smell of cheap alcohol mixed with sweat. You do what you can not to scrunch your nose in distaste. Roman, who sits in his usual spot by the counter, has a drink in his hand, half-finished already. You sidle up beside him, staring ahead at the shelves where various bottles lay neatly in a row. <div class="voice">Dear old Roman looks like he's had a fun time last night.</div> By fun, you mean horrible. <div class="voice">Absolutely revolting.</div> You turn to look at Roman. Dark bags hang under his eyes, his hair unkempt and greasy. He looks worse than usual. "Cold morning isn't it, Roman?" you say, tapping your fingers against the wood of the counter. From the corner of your eye, you see a number of stares of other patrons, wary of you. Beside you, Roman takes a large swig of his drink, swallowing down hard in a way that makes his throat bob. His shoulders are tense, bunched up together. Nervous. "Sure is," he replies after a long pause, a tight smile at his lips. "Need somethin?" You tap your fingers against the counter again, fully aware of how loud it is and how quiet everyone else around you has fallen. You smile. You can't help it. It's not a threatening smile, nor is it one that shows any particular kind of kindness. It's just smile that holds absolutely nothing at all. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "01 chat">><</link>>

<<set $codexstingdrop to true>>\ "Surely someone like you has heard the news, hm?" Ever since the disaster at the depository, word about The Court reeling had spread like wildfire. Not that it's a lie. Roman swallows thickly and he takes another sip before answering you. "I've heard the rumours." "Did you?" Whatever confidence he has, slowly crumbles at your tone. But he's a stubborn fool and tries to keep his composure. "Rumours have it that The Court has been dealing with a...//rat// of their own. Of sorts." You hum, continuing your rhythm of tapping the wood. "Something like that." "I'm guessing you're here to ask if I've heard anything about a certain //rat//." You smile again, this time it holds something less than friendly. "You've always been a clever one, Roman." Before you get another word out, Roman cuts you off with a short sentence. "I don't know nothin' bout no rat." You knew he'd clam up, you expected as much. So it's a good thing you've brought an incentive to loosen his tongue. You pull out a small tincture from the insides of your coat pocket. The contents of the tincture swirls with a crimson liquid. When Roman catches a glimpse of it, he's practically frothing at the mouth, reaching out for it. You snap it just out of his reach, letting his fingers brush past the cool body of the vial. "You sure you don't know anything? Nothing about a silver-haired $iwoman with grey eyes hanging around?" you ask, glazing your eyes over the tincture between your fingers. You can already feel the dozen of eyes peering at you and the tincture you hold in your grasp, almost just as hungry for it as Roman. Roman licks his lips, a certain glint in his gaze that tells you've broken him just a right amount. You know damn well the lengths he'd go for only a small drop of Sting. His breath trembles, staring at the tincture greedily. He clears his throat, sitting up straight as he runs a hand through his greasy unkempt hair. "Haven't seen em personally, but I've heard someone fittin' your description loitering about The Lanes, asking for Axel," he tells you, reaching for the vial in your hands before he even finishes his last word. You pull the tincture full of <<link 'stingdrop'>><<notify 5s>>''unlocked file:'' stingdrop<</notify>><</link>> out of his reach again. You swear you hear a quiet growl from the man, and it makes you raise a brow, daring him to try it again. He doesn't. Instead, he sits back in his seat, eyes never once straying from your hands and the thing you hold. "Swear, it's all I know. Whoever it is that caused you trouble is probably lookin' for Axel for a way across the border without gettin' their head shot off by Envoys on patrol. Axel's a smuggler. Takes a whole lotta things in and out of the city and into Providence. People or whatever, he's your guy. It's all he's good for." He glances at the vial, expression turning desperate. "Can I..." You shrug, tossing the vial over without care and watch as Roman scrambles to catch it before it hits a hard surface. He cradles it as if it's the most precious thing in his life. A precious thing you know that will last him not even a day. You get up then, striding towards the exit and you hear Roman calling out to you. "Nice doin' business with ya," he says. <div class="voice">and the same to you.</div> <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "01 outside bar">><</link>>

The second you step outside, you pull out a pack of old cigarettes that you keep in your jacket. It doesn't take long before you slip one between your lips and light it up. It's a terrible vice, you know that but it helps stave away your...other condition. You use the term "condition" loosely. Somewhere, deep in your mind, a voice snorts. Besides that utter annoyance of those headaches, you'd get an itch every once in a while. It's not a literal itch, no. It's the kind of itch that doesn't go away until blood is shed. Bloodlust, Tiberius calls it. You call it a rather unsavoury urge that could land you in unnecessary trouble. It's a side effect of...you don't even fucking know. All you know is you'd get an itch and it doesn't go away until you find a way to scratch it. Smoking an unholy amount of lung-blackening cigarettes are the only way that even comes close to relieving that incessant itch, even if it doesn't last too long. When the cigarette reaches its end, you drop it onto the ground, grinding it under your heel before walking away. You don't want to be late for your date with a certain smuggler. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "01 thelanes">><</link>>

<div class="when-where">The Lanes<span>Border's edge</span></div> The Butterfly Lanes, better known as The Lanes, is where Blackhaven's finest industries are held. You don't even need a map to find it when the plumes of smoke in the air direct you right towards it. It's the kind of place with air so toxic that if you didn't wear some sort of mask, you'd be coughing out black blood within hours. Not wanting to make things worse for yourself, you patiently wait in your vehicle, right outside the border that leads into The Lanes. You didn't have your mask with you, Tiberius had asked for it before you left. Now, you were sitting in an unsuspecting car, waiting for Tiberius to send someone to hand you your things. All you can do now is sit and wait, watching and taking note of anyone who comes in and out of The Lanes. <div class="voice">I'm quite bored.</div> <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>You\'re fucking bored too.</div>" "01 mask">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You like to think of yourself as a patient person, but by god you\'ll be lying to yourself if this wasn\'t soul-draining.</div>" "01 mask">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>It\'s part of the job, being patient. You deal with it and then you move on.</div>" "01 mask">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

You wait in your car for a little more than an hour before there's a knock on your window. Slowly rolling it down, you see a kid no older than eight, carrying a briefcase. He's small, skinny. Practically a living skeleton. "$ms V?" the kid asks, voice small, nervous. You nod your head and at the confirmation, the kid suddenly lights up, grinning and holding up the briefcase with two hands. It's bigger than the entirety of the child's face. "Mr. Tiberius says this is for you." You take the case, plopping it onto the passenger seat beside you with a soft thud. When you turn back to your window, the child looks at you with wonder in his eyes. Your eyebrow raises. It only makes the grin on his face wider. You're baffled for a moment, wondering why this kid seems so enthralled by you, though before you can ask, the kid scurries away. <div class="voice">What an odd child.</div> Yes, what an odd child indeed. <<link "<div class='next'>You open the briefcase</div>" "01 yurt">><</link>>

The briefcase opens with a sharp click. Encased within some foam is your mask and a few vials of your remedy sitting in rows beside it. You pluck a vial out of the case, holding it up to the light. It has a shimmering hue of dark violet. If you didn't know better, you would think it to be a kind of poison. But no, they weren't poisonous. These vials were the only barrier against you truly collapsing from the worst of the headaches. You sigh quietly before turning your sights to the mask beside it. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>It is onyx with golden accents.</div>" "c1 8">><<set $mask to "onyx and gold">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>It is obsidian with crimson accents.</div>" "c1 8">><<set $mask to "obsidian and crimson">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>It is coal black with purple accents.</div>" "c1 8">><<set $mask to "coal black and purple">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>It is dark raven with silver accents.</div>" "c1 8">><<set $mask to "dark raven and silver">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>It is an ethereal navy blue with dark golden accents.</div>" "c1 8">><<set $mask to "navy blue and gold">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

You twist open the chambers on either side of the mask, slipping in a vial in each chamber before screwing the lid back on tightly. When you hear a slight hiss from the chambers, you know you've inserted the vials correctly. Tiberius had told you to always keep the mask on while you were out on assignment. You couldn't risk collapsing in the middle of something important because of the pain. The second you put on the mask and take in a breath, the cloud in your mind clears and a mist of violet vapour releases through the vents of the chamber. <div class="voice">Time for that date, I suppose.</div> No better time than the present. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "01 axel">><</link>>

Making your way into the main factory was easier than counting to three. You had quite literally strolled through the front entrance. No one had paid you any mind despite being so out of place. Unlike you- who was free of soot and grease- the workers of The Lanes were covered in it. Their skin was painted in dark tar, their clothes stained with permanent grease. Even from a distance away, you could see beads of sweat glittering on their foreheads, occasionally seeping through the crevices of their masks that filtered out the toxins they worked with. They were all too busy caring about their own work to care for a stranger invading their space. They simply carry on with whatever they're doing. With them, was the sound of hammering and barks of orders filling the air. It was enough to bring that headache back. "Can I help you?" You snap your head to the side, towards the voice. Your gaze meets with a pair of dark eyes belonging to a woman, looking rather unimpressed by your appearance. She shakes her head, sighing as she glances down at the clipboard in her hands. "You must be the new blacksmith. You're in the wrong wing. Head straight and turn left. Smelting factory is over there." You clear your throat. "I'm not an employee," you correct. The woman appraises you. "Why are you here then?" <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>\"I'm looking for someone,\" you answer. </div>" "01 who">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You get straight to the point. \"The smuggler, Axel. Where is he?\" </div>" "01 who2">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

The woman remains silent, patiently waiting for you to continue. "Axel," you say. "I'm looking for a smuggler by the name of Axel." <<include "01 who2">>

Immediately, all the noise that once filled the room stops, save for the whirring of the machines in the background. Everyone looks up, staring between you and the woman. Waiting. The woman looks past you, sending a hard glare to the rest of the workers that tell them to continue with their jobs. They do, after a long pregnant pause. The shouts and barks of orders resume, as does the hammering and you're left standing in front of the woman who turns her glare on you. Though the noise is different from before. You could sense the tension in the air, ready to snap at a moment's notice. It puts you on edge and instinctively, your hand moves to where you keep your weapon hidden from sight. Keen-eyed, the woman notices the slight movements of your hand and glowers. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," she warns. From the corner of your eyes, you see the odd few workers who keep their eyes on you as they work. They're even more wary than the patrons from the bar this morning. You keep your hands still, but not far from your $weapon. "Axel-" "What do you want with him?" <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>\"I have business with him,\" you say. Though how the conversation goes depends entirely on him. </div>" "01 totalk">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>\"Whatever business I have with Axel is between me and him, no one else.\" </div>" "01 meandhim">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

The woman sneers. "That's not going to cut it. You want to talk to Axel you tell me why or you find your way to the nearest exit." <div class="voice">I like her.</div> You narrow your eyes, appraising her just as she did you. You've known people like her. Stubborn and doesn't take no for an answer and if told no, she'd beat you to a bloody pulp until she gets what she wants. "Business," you answer curtly. <<include "01 totalk">>

"What sort of business?" the woman asks, agitated. <<include "01 liar">>

You lie through your teeth. "A proposal. One he can't refuse." She opens her mouth to say something but is stopped by the hand that finds itself on her shoulder. A man stands behind her, wearing formal wear. A business suit. You can only assume it's Axel. "It's alright, Cleo. I'll take it from here." The woman grunts and shrugs off his hand, glaring at you as she walks away. Axel looks at you with a smile, charming. Fake. There's malice hidden beneath it. Trickery in the brown of his eyes. "So I hear you've got some business you'd like to discuss with me." <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "01 office">><</link>>

<div class="when-where">Axe's Factory, Left wing<span>Main office</span></div> Axel leads you to his office, a small room in the left wing of the facility. It's practical, with no more space than needed. He's the first to walk through the door, taking a seat in the chair behind the desk while you're left standing. "Shut the door, will you?" He says, waving his hand at the open door. You don't argue. You just shut the door behind you, quietly and swiftly locking the door behind you. You don't think the man notices what you've done. Should things turn...negatively, you can't just have him walking or running out of here. He gestures for you to take a seat in front of him. "Please, sit." Your walk towards the empty chair is short. It's not too far from the door, perhaps only five steps away. Pulling the chair out, it screeches against the polished floor. Finally, Axel leans forward, hands clasped as he looks at you expectantly. "So? This proposal of yours..." He flashes a sharp grin, like a wolf that hungers, ready to pounce on prey. It's then you realise. He has no idea who you are. Not a single ounce of knowledge of who you are or the things you've done. To him, you are nothing but a way of profit. You wonder how that will change. Will he fear you like the others when it dawns on them that you are from The Court. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>You match his smile, mimicking his movements as you move forward. </div>" "01 mimic">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You lean back in the chair, relaxing into it. Your face holds nothing. Not a single care in the world.</div>" "01 relaxed">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You despise people like him. Manipulative. Greedy. But you don't let it show on your face.</div>" "01 ew">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You do nothing to hide your true intentions. You've wasted enough time. You get straight to the point.</div>" "01 imlooking">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

There's amusement in his eyes as he flickers his gaze over you. "I think what I have to say will interest you very much," you say. The grin on his face widens, feral. And oh so full of greed. "I'm all ears. So tell me, $ms..." "V." Just V. "Well, $ms V. What brings you to the Lanes?" You ease into the conversation, once again lying straight through your teeth. <<include "01 imlooking">>

His brow raises, slightly taken aback by your utter casualness. Your ability to act as if he is no threat and as if you have been friends since time began. "Relaxed are we?" he hums. "Of course," you answer. "There's not much here to make me tense." It's a small insult, but an effective one. The corner of his eye twitches. He's not used to people not being the slightest bit intimidated by him. "How can I help you?" he asks, glueing his cracked composure back together. You ease into the conversation, once again lying straight through your teeth. <<include "01 imlooking">>

He's a snake. One who swallows up any opportunity given that would benefit no one but himself. You're sure, with the right incentive, he'd be more than willing to help you with whatever it is you want. You ease into the conversation, once again lying straight through your teeth. <<include "01 imlooking">>

"You're a money-maker, Axel. I know a very easy way for you to make more than you usually do. All you have to do is answer a few of my questions." You absolutely do not have the money with you. You only needed something that would loosen his tongue and what better way to do that than to offer a greedy man a promise of riches? Pleased, Axel remains silent, telling you that you've gotten his attention. "I'm looking for someone and given your expertise, I have no doubt $ithey'<<vei>> come here looking for your help out of Blackhaven." The man barks a laugh. "Plenty of people come to me to get out of Blackhaven, even for a day. I don't always nor do I particularly care for who they are. I'm afraid I may not be of use to you here." You hum, falling back against the chair, arms resting on either side. "I think you will remember this one," you say. You know Ilya. You know the kind of effect $ithey can have on a person. He will remember $ithem. <div class="voice">And if he doesn't?</div> <<link "<div class='next'>then you will make him</div>" "01 chatty">><</link>>

"I can't help you," Axel repeats, on and on like a broken record. A disappointing result. You had been hoping for an easy and smooth conversation. "Silver hair, grey eyes. Skin like porcelain with carvings in $itheir palms. You sure you haven't someone like that asking for help?" "No," he says, pressing his lips into a thin lie. To others, that lie may have fooled them, but it doesn't fool you. You sigh at his answer, deeply disappointed. For a moment, you think you see relief in his eyes, believing that you've relented. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>The hard way it is. </div>" "01 hardway">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>Perhaps one last nudge would finally get him to loosen his tongue. A small threat maybe. On his life and on the factory he holes himself up in.</div>" "01 threat">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

You barely give the smuggler a chance to react before you surge forward, grabbing the back of his head and slamming it down against the surface of his desk. There's a sharp crack that echoes when his face touches wood. Then comes the yell and the flailing of the limbs. He claws at your hand that keeps his face pressed against the table and every scratch he makes on your skin only makes you press his face harder against the wood. "Do you want to tell me what you know now?" you ask, staring down at the man. Of all things the man does, he growls at you like a wild animal, still clawing at you in an attempt to get free. "Fuck you!" he spits, saliva flying out of his mouth. "You're fucking dead." You push harder, so hard that you're beginning to worry that you might crack the table he's under. Now you're glad that you're in a building filled with noise. At least you have some sort of buffer that would put his screams into the background. "Ilya. What. Do. You. Know." He grumbles. "I don't know who the //fuck// you're talking about." "I gave you $itheir description." You doubt there are many in Blackhaven who fits $itheir description. "//fuck you.// I don't snitch on my clients." You sigh. <<if $weapon is "gun">>You take your gun out, laying it flat beside Axel where he can get a good look at it. <<elseif $weapon is "sword">>You can't very well just pull out your sword to help you this time, but you do always keep a blade handy in your boot just in case. Now seems like a good time to use it. You lay the blade flat against the table, right where Axel can take a good look at it.<<else>>You take your dagger out, laying it flat beside Axel where he can get a good look at it.<</if>> Suddenly, the man freezes, quiet and you wonder if he's still breathing or if you've scared him to death. You lean down, whispering into his ear. <<link "<div class='next'>\"Do I have your attention now?\"</div>" "01 snitch">><</link>>

"This is a nice building you've found yourself in," you say, taking a look around the office. "I can help make it better. Or I can make it worse." He narrows his eyes. "Excuse me?" "It's simple really. A factory like this, with all the machines. A faulty wire could light the whole building ablaze. You'd barely get the chance to fight it before it engulfs the place with you in it. The authorities would rule it as a manufacturing error." "Is that a threat?" he asks firmly. "I've told you what I want. Once I have what I need I will leave you and your business alone. That's all." The man is quiet and cautious. He tries to hide it, but you see the way his hand slowly reaches for something underneath the table. A gun, perhaps. You don't move. Simply watch. "I believe it's a fair deal, a win-win." Though you don't think he feels the same way because the second you finish your sentence, the man, who has surprising speed, whips out a gun. He barely has time to aim it properly before you lunge at the man, grabbing his wrist with one hand and slamming his head against the surface of the table with the other. A loud crunch of his nose follows soon after the impact. Taking it a step further, you twist his wrist and snatch the gun out of his hand. He yelps at the sudden twist, growling, "//fuck you,// You're a fucking dead $woman." You stare down at the man, the gun trained at his head. "I'm not the one with a gun pointed at their head." He falls quiet. <<link "<div class='next'>\"Do I have your attention now?\"</div>" "01 snitch2">><</link>>

"What the fuck do you want?" "How many times do I need to repeat myself," you sneer. "You're a clever man. //Think.// What do I want?" He mumbles. "I tell you about that Ilya person and you'll let me go?" "You tell me about $ithem and //maybe// I won't give your office a new paint job." Your tone is eerily calm that it surprises even you. After a brief pause, Axel finally gives in. "Look, yes a silver-haired $woman came to me looking for my help but I don't know much about $ithem." "What did $ithey want?" "Safe travel out of the City," he tells you in a hurry. "And?" you prod. He's not telling you something. Silence. <<if $weapon is "gun">>You cock the gun.<<else>>You press the blade against his cheek.<</if>> "<<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> needed protection. Protection I couldn't give $ithem so I directed $ithem to someone who could." You're silent, waiting for more. Axel knows this too. He swallows thickly, growing nervous. "I told them that if $ithey wanted protection, Dakota was the one $ithey needed to talk to. You know...Dakota-" "I know who she is," you interrupt. Everyone knows who Dakota is. She's one of the biggest Kingpins of Blackhaven. Nothing goes without her sayso. She controls more than half of the illegal operations in Blackhaven, including the production of Stingdrop. That woman is practically untouchable. So untouchable that not even The Court or Providence would risk having a conflict with her. If Ilya went to her looking for help, it's going to cost $ithem more than a cheap penny. You've got what you wanted for Axel. Now you just need to decide what to do with him. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>Axel is a loose end. You don\'t leave loose ends. You kill him.</div>" "01 killaxel">> <<set $killedaxel to true>> <</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>Perhaps one last nudge would finally get him to loosen his tongue. A small threat maybe. On his life and on the factory he holes himself up in..</div>" "01 nokill">> <<set $killedaxel to false>> <</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

"What the fuck do you want?" "How many times do I need to repeat myself," you sneer. "You're a clever man. //Think.// What do I want?" He mumbles. "I tell you about that Ilya person and you'll let me go?" "You tell me about $ithem and //maybe// I won't give your office a new paint job." Your tone is so eerily calm that it surprises even you. After a brief pause, Axel finally gives in. "Look, yes a silver-haired $woman came to me looking for my help but I don't know much about $ithem." "What did $ithey want?" "Safe travel out of the City," he tells you in a hurry. "And?" you prod. He's not telling you something. Silence. You cock the gun. "<<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> needed protection. Protection I couldn't give $ithem so I directed $ithem to someone who could." You're silent, waiting for more. Axel knows this too. He swallows thickly, growing nervous. "I told them that if $ithey wanted protection, Dakota was the one $ithey needed to talk to. You know...Dakota-" "I know who she is," you interrupt. Everyone knows who Dakota is. She's one of the biggest Kingpins of Blackhaven. Nothing goes without her sayso. She controls more than half of the illegal operations in Blackhaven, including the production of Stingdrop. That woman is practically untouchable. So untouchable that not even The Court or Providence would risk having a conflict with her. If Ilya went to her looking for help, it's going to cost $ithem more than a cheap penny. You've got what you wanted for Axel. Now you just need to decide what to do with him. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>Axel is a loose end. You don\'t leave loose ends. You kill him.</div>" "01 killaxel2">> <<set $killedaxel to true>> <</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You should kill him. But you don\'t. There may be a time when he will be of use to you.</div>" "01 nokill">> <<set $killedaxel to false>> <</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

Your silent contemplation is enough to tell Axel that he's doomed, yet he still tries to plead with you. "Wait wait wait. I can help you. I can-" It's a swift kill.<<if $weapon is "gun">> A single shot to the skull and he lies there, motionless on the table.<<else>>A clean cut across his throat. He bleeds out right there on the table.<</if>> You stash your weapon away, wiping away the specks of blood that managed to get onto your skin. Now, you only need to leave, which comes easier than you expect. There's a window, right there behind the corpse. One you could easily fit through. You don't worry too much about the workers in the factory. You doubt it's the first time they've seen things like this. <<link "<div class='next'>Afterall, this is Blackhaven.</div>" "01 car">><</link>>

Your silent contemplation is enough to tell Axel that he's doomed, yet he still tries to plead with you. "Wait wait wait. I can help you. I can-" It's a swift kill. A single shot to the skull and he lies there, motionless on the table. You stash your weapon away, wiping away the specks of blood that managed to get onto your skin. Now, you only need to leave, which comes easier than you expect. There's a window, right there behind the corpse. One you could easily fit through. You don't worry too much about the workers in the factory. You doubt it's the first time they've seen things like this. <<link "<div class='next'>Afterall, this is Blackhaven.</div>" "01 car">><</link>>

You release the man, who immediately brings his hands up to cradle his broken nose. "Consider yourself lucky today, Axel," you say. "I'll look forward to our next meeting." Axel hisses at you, backing away, but he doesn't do anything else, only watching as you unlock the door to his office and step right out, walking in the direction from where you once came. As you leave, you earn yourself a couple of stares. None that you pay any mind to. You should be used to it. You //are// used to it. <<link "<div class='next'>Afterall, this is Blackhaven.</div>" "01 car">><</link>>

The car door slams shut after you and you make yourself comfortable by leaning back against the leather seat, tossing your mask to the passenger seat. So now you've got yet another date, only this time it's with Blackhaven's notorious Kingpin, Dakota. You've never seen her in person but you've heard of her work. It's not...pleasant. You can't confirm it yourself but you've heard rumours that she'd skinned a man alive because he'd skimmed a small amount of money from her business. You even heard that she has an entire army at her disposal ready to give their life up for the woman. She's as ruthless as they come. Utterly and completely unforgiving. Ilya must have lost $itheir mind if $ithey'<<rei>> willing to turn to her for help. A sigh leaves your lips. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>You\'re tired. So goddamn tired.</div>" "01 theinstitute">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>Fatigue be damned. You have a job to do and you\'re going to finish it.</div>" "01 theinstitute">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>Whatever you feel, it doesn\'t matter. It is what it is. You just have to keep going.</div>" "01 theinstitute">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

The first thing you did after learning about Dakota is head back to The Institute. If a Kingpin is involved, you'd doubt Faustus or Tiberius would want you going in without being given the heads-up first. Faustus didn't take the news particularly well. He didn't blow up or start throwing things around, but you could tell from the look on his face that he was furious, agitated. He stood there, as still as a carved marble statue with his arms crossed and lips pressed into a line so thin you'd think his lips would disappear entirely. "You're sure this smuggler told you that the traitor went to Dakota for...assistance?" Tiberius asks you. Unlike Faustus, your mentor was perfectly calm. If he wasn't, he didn't let it show otherwise. He was standing beside Faustus, arms hidden behind his back and standing tall. There wasn't a single shred of nervousness to be shown. You, on the other hand, while standing just as tall with your hands clasped behind your back, couldn't help but fidget with your fingers. You nod, sure of yourself. "Yes. He didn't have a reason to lie." <<if $killedaxel is true>>If he did lie to save his skin, the lotta good it did him, he's still dead.<<else>>If he did lie to save his skin, you may pay him another visit and you won't be as kind as you were before.<</if>> Tiberius looks to Faustus, silently exchanging words. The silence seems to drone on for a while, longer than you hoped. You don't know what to do during that time except for continuing to fidget with your fingers and stare ahead at the wall behind them. Finally, the silence is broken by Faustus' gruff voice. "Find the Kingpin. It's more than likely she'll be at her restaurant. Talk to her. Be subtle but honest. Pry any information you can from her about the traitor." "And do not engage in any conflicts," Tiberius adds. "It's bad enough that a Kingpin is involved, but for the Kingpin to be Dakota? Best we don't do anything to anger her." Faustus hums. "Yes. Despite our resources, Dakota will still become a thorn in our side that we won't have time to deal with." He passes you a look that says //do you understand.// <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>You nod silently.</div>" "01 restaurant">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You reply with only one word. \"Understood.\"</div>" "01 restaurant">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You say nothing. Do nothing. Faustus doesn\'t care whether or not you understand. He knows you\'ll follow orders. He doesn\'t need your confirmation.</div>" "01 restaurant">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

<div class="when-where">PitchFork<span>Dakota's restaurant</span></div> Finding Dakota isn't a hard thing to do. She doesn't do much to keep her location a secret. Almost everyone knows that she's always at her restaurant, Pitchfork. You never visited the place in person until now. It's comfortable. Bustling. As you sit in the waiting area, you can see people chatting amongst themselves, enjoying a hearty meal. "Can I help you?" A woman asks, a waitress you presume from the way she carries menus in her arms. You stand up, shuffling closer and offer a friendly smile or at least one as close to that as possible. "Table for one," you say. "Do you have a reservation?" Shaking your head you answer, "No. Just happened to pass by and wanted to grab a nice meal." The woman hums, frowning slightly. "I'm afraid we don't have much space at the moment. We're all booked up." Well, that's a shame, but you don't let that deter your smile. "No worries, I can wait." "Are you sure? It may take up to an hour or two?" You nod. It's not like you have anything better to do. You've got plenty of time free. What better way to waste time than by waiting? The woman smiles at you robotically, practised like she's done so a hundred times before. "Alright, please make yourself comfortable and help yourself to the magazines on the table," she tells you. Now, you wait. You sit back against the wall, throwing a leg over. There are piles of magazines and newspapers sitting at the edge of the small table. Would you like to look at one to pass the time? <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>You pick up the most recent newspaper.</div>" "01 newspaper">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You search through each magazine.</div>" "01 magazine">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You don't do anything but sit and keep watch of your surroundings.</div>" "01 watching">> <<set $watching01 to true>> <</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

<<set $codexal to true>>\ The paper you pick up is about Providence. The title reads: The Golden City's Favourite Paladin strikes again. Saves people from a burning building. There's a picture of the Paladin printed beneath the title. It shows a young man, maybe a few years older than you. He has $eyes eyes like yours, $skin skin too. His hair, while $hcolour, has a streak of grey along the right side of his head. There's a smile on his face, though it's strained like he doesn't want to be there in front of a camera. He dons armour, carrying a shield and a sword. He's confident, that you know from the way he holds himself. But you can't help but notice that tiny hint of sadness in his eyes. //Elias $surname, as always, has managed to prevent many lives from being lost by risking his own and storming into a burning building where all residents inside had been carried to safety. A true hero, that he is!// <div class="voice">I don't like him.</div> You peek over to the side, finding a figure sitting next to you with his legs crossed in the same manner as you. <<link 'Alzurahm'>><<notify 5s>>''unlocked file:'' alzurahm<</notify>><</link>>. The foreign being in your head. There's a frown on his face as continues reading the contents of the article. <div class="voice">There's something off about him.</div> You hum, moving on to the next page. <div class="voice">I haven't finished reading that.</div> You snort, speaking quietly enough that no one else can hear you and think that you must be losing your mind. "I've read it. You can just go poking through my memories if you're truly that bored." It's been some time since Alzurahm has quite literally occupied your mind ever since the deal you made with him. It's been so long since then that you could barely remember how you even came to make that deal with him in the first place. <div class="voice">How long must we wait until a table is free?</div> Alzurahm looks bored, right out of his mind bored, even going as far as blowing a raspberry to let you know just how bored he is. "Have patience," you tell him, flipping to the next page. This time about a winning piece of contemporary art. <div class="voice">Absolutely appalling. Move on to the next page.</div> You lower the newspaper, not moving a muscle to do as he says and cast him a look. You should be used to his antics by now and yet, here you are, still unused to it. <div class="voice">Still that stubborn child from all those years ago I see.</div> <<link "<div class='next'>\"Excuse me?\"</div>" "01 meetdak">><</link>>

<<set $codexal to true>>\ The first thing you see on the cover of the magazine is "Disaster and mourning in the Westside." //With Stingdrop overflowing the streets of Blackhaven, it's inevitable that it would fall into the hands of one of Blackhaven's most beloved fashionista, Elodie Young. Known for her eccentricities and beauty, yet another beloved of Blackhaven has fallen prey under the influence of Sting. Fans of the young model have been in mourning, most even advocating against the distribution of the popular opiate. However, their voices are lost within the hoards of the addicted. Will Blackhaven ever see the light again or is it too far down the stomach of darkness?// <div class="voice">That's a pity. I was becoming a fan of hers myself.</div> You peek over to the side, finding a figure sitting next to you with his legs crossed in the same manner as you. <<link 'Alzurahm'>><<notify 5s>>''unlocked file:'' alzurahm<</notify>><</link>>. The foreign being in your head. There's a frown on his face as continues reading the contents of the article. You sigh, flipping over to the next page. <div class="voice">I haven't finished reading that.</div> You snort, speaking quietly enough that no one else can hear you and think that you must be losing your mind. "I've read it. You can just go poking through my memories if you're truly that bored." It's been some time since Alzurahm has quite literally occupied your mind ever since the deal you made with him. It's been so long since then that you could barely remember how you even came to make that deal with him in the first place. <div class="voice">How long must we wait until a table is free?</div> Alzurahm looks bored, right out of his mind bored, even going as far as blowing a raspberry to let you know just how bored he is. "Have patience," you tell him, flipping to the next page. This time it's a piece on contemporary art. <div class="voice">Absolutely appalling. Move on to the next page.</div> You lower the magazine, not moving a muscle to do as he says and cast him a look. You should be used to his antics by now and yet, here you are, still unused to it. <div class="voice">Still that stubborn child from all those years ago I see.</div> <<link "<div class='next'>\"Excuse me?\"</div>" "01 meetdak">><</link>>

<<set $codexal to true>>\ The restaurant is comfortable, you think. It's large, has plenty of tables and every single one of them are filled with no seats left empty. You don't even think half the people there are eating, only talking. Every now and then, their gazes would fall on you before returning to their own business. <div class="voice">It seems you've caught their eye.</div> You glance to your side, finding a figure sitting next to you with his legs crossed in the same manner as you. <<link 'Alzurahm'>><<notify 5s>>''unlocked file:'' alzurahm<</notify>><</link>>. The foreign being in your head. It's been some time since Alzurahm has quite literally occupied your mind ever since the deal you made with him. It's been so long since then that you could barely remember how you even came to make that deal with him in the first place. Nodding, you turn back to the people in the restaurant, glazing over the numerous tables filled with eaters. The woman in the far corner of the room drinks her tea, a book in one hand. But she isn't reading it. She's looking at you, not at the book. Your eyes dart to the other side of the restaurant to where a family sits. A child is playing with the napkins folded into a plane. Their mother watches fondly, though she flickers her gaze at you in irregular intervals. And the father, who tears through a steak with a bloody knife, doesn't so much as attempt to hide the fact that he eyes you as the meat. <div class="voice">Aren't you popular?</div> <<link "<div class='next'>\"Excuse me?\"</div>" "01 meetdak">><</link>>

You look up, staring at the waitress from before. "There's a seat available for you," she says, gesturing to the only empty seat in the restaurant. It's in the dead centre of the restaurant. <div class="voice">That was quick.</div> Yes, it was. Though while looking at the empty seat, you find that the one directly in front of it, is not. A woman sits in it, fiddling with a pen. She glances at you, aware of your eyes on her. You raise a brow. Then you swear you see the corners of her lips quirk in what you think is amusement. <div class="voice">Didn't you ask for a table for one?</div> That, you did. You're pulled away from the woman when the waitress addresses you meekly. "She is waiting for you." <div class="voice">Dakota.</div> She knew you would be coming, practically waited for you to come. She knows exactly who you are and who you work for. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "01 helldak">><</link>>

You approach the empty chair, pausing for a moment before finally sitting in it. Dakota wears a red suit, dark like blood. Her lips are painted red too, as are her nails. The only part of her that isn't red is her long, inky hair and pale skin. Though her eyes are a dark amber, akin to a shade of red. She doesn't waste any time before getting straight to the point. "You're here for Ilya, yes? So much for being subtle. She doesn't seem like the type of person who dances around topics. You nod slowly, confirming. "Then I'm afraid you've come all the way here for nothing. I can't help you," she goes on. Your eye twitches and carefully, you ask, "//why?//" "That," she says. "Is privy only to Ilya and I." You suck in a sharp breath, starting to feel another headache drilling through your head. "The Court-" She interrupts you. "//The Court//, is clever. They'll know not to make an enemy of me. I won't be turning Ilya over and should I see //anyone// poking through my things looking for $ithem, I'll have their heads sent to your doorstep." Her voice doesn't hold any hostility in it. Nor does it hold any sort of threat. She merely states a simple fact of what will happen. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>You can\'t help but laugh. Of course she isn\'t going to make this easy for you.</div>" "01 laughs">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You sigh, leaning back and running a hand through your hair. Of course she would deny you.</div>" "01 tired">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You say nothing. Do nothing.</div>" "01 nothing">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

Your sudden burst of laughter does nothing to Dakota except make her raise a single, perfectly trimmed brow. //Gods,// you just need some sleep. You can't remember when you last slept properly. During your laughter, Dakota surveys, watching you as if you're something that interests her a great deal. You don't know if that's a good thing or not. When you finally stop your laughter and pull yourself together <<include "01 newjob?">>

"It's tiring, isn't it? Working for The Court?" Dakota asks you. You don't offer a reply. //Gods,// you just need some sleep. You can't remember when you last slept properly. <<include "01 newjob?">>

Your silence seems to amuse Dakota. She surveys you quietly, watching you as if you're something that interests her a great deal. You don't know if that's a good thing or not. <<include "01 newjob?">>

Dakota smiles gently. "I've heard of you, you know?" she says, and you pause, looking up at the woman in red. "The great Devil's Beast." You frown. You've never once heard anyone refer to you as "The great Devil's Beast". "I like you," she confesses, tapping a red nail against the table. "I really do. That's why I want to offer you an opportunity." "Excuse me?" Again, she smiles, drawing closer to you. "I want you to come work for me." She must be joking with you. You think she's joking with you, but then she repeats her sentence again. "Leave The Court. Come work for me. You'll be paid //and// treated fairly." <div class="voice">//no. you cannot trust her.//</div> The answer leaves your lips before you could think it. "I decline," you reply. Dakota sighs, sincerely upset by the fact. "Well, that's a shame. But I suppose I can't force you to work for me," she says, meeting your eyes. It sends a chill down your spine. After a moment, you snap yourself back to reality. You came here for Ilya, not for a new occupation. <<link "<div class='next'>\"I can't leave without Ilya\".</div>" "01 leave">><</link>>

"I'm afraid that you must. And I hope you'll do so willingly. I do not wish any harm upon you," she tells you, encouraging to leave quietly. Your hand curls into a fist under the table. "I can't leave without Ilya," you repeat. This time, Dakota's brows furrow and somehow it still looks gentle, as if she is concerned for you. Concerned //for// you. It's laughable. "Can't? or won't?" she asks delicately. //Can't? Won't? What's the difference?// Your lungs swallow the air and you force yourself to calm your nerves. You steel yourself, voice growing cold. "Where is Ilya?" No answer, save for a look of pity. You wonder what Ilya has told her about you. What weaknesses $ithey'<<vei>> shared. You stand abruptly, the legs of the chair shrieking below you. In an instant, every single person rises. Every diner, every man and woman. They all stand, pointing a gun straight to your head. <<if $watching01 is true>> The people you saw earlier are those included, each one of them aiming some sort of weapon at you.<</if>> Hell, even the waitress you spoke to is holding a shotgun. They all look on patiently, waiting for you to give them a reason to pull the trigger. The only person who remains sitting is Dakota, who looks barely even phased. She hadn't so much as blinked when the whole thing transpired. "My people scare easily," she jokes casually. "I think it's best you take your leave now, unless you change your mind about my offer?" she says, awaiting your answer. You can't. You won't. You refuse. Gingerly, you take a step back, careful not to make any sudden movements that could cause an unwanted weapon to go off. You can't fight them all even with all of your abilities. You could try, maybe, but you remember Tiberius' words. //Do not engage in any conflicts.// You don't need to start a war with a Kingpin. Dakota sighs, disappointed. <<link "<div class='next'>Tonight, she lets you leave with your head intact.</div>" "01 backatit">><</link>>

<div class="when-where">The office<span>Faustus & his wrath</span></div> Standing at a particular spot, you endure Faustus' rage. He throws a glass vase that was on his shelve across the room, barely an inch away from your head. It shatters into pieces, a wild shard cutting the skin of your cheek. You don't flinch. You don't move. Only stare ahead as you wait out the rest of Faustus' fury. Normally, Tiberius would be here to calm him before he acts on his anger, but Tiberius is not here this time. It's only you and one very angry man. The warmth of your blood trails down from the cut on your cheek, dripping until it reaches your jaw. You don't make a move to wipe it away. After the moment of rage passes, Faustus directs a searing glare at you. "''Tell me again, //exactly// what you did.''" And you do just that. You retell the event of what happened at your meeting with Dakota, however, you fail to mention the part where she offers you a place with her. You doubt Faustus would be pleased that another would try and leech you away. "And that is //all// you did?" he asks coldly. You nod. You did that a lot today, nod. It's beginning to form a dull ache by your neck. Faustus doesn't spare you a glance before he dismisses you with a wave of his hand. "Go to the infirmary after you leave. That cut on your cheek is not to be infected." It's not an apology and you don't mistake it for one. You simply nod for another time and make your leave. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "01 tiberius">><</link>>

The infirmary, when you get there, is empty. You sigh, dragging your feet to the first aid kit hanging by the wall. It's only a small cut anyways. No need to use anything besides an alcohol wipe and a plaster. You fix yourself up and let yourself fall onto an empty bed, lying flat on your back as you stare up at the flickering overhead lights. There's not much you can do at the moment. You can't storm any of Dakota's facilities in search of Ilya unless you wish to wage war. There's utterly and truly, nothing you can do until Faustus or Tiberius gives you the go-ahead. <div class="voice">You're tired.</div> "Like you wouldn't even believe," you mumble. Failure after failure, everything since Ilya's betrayal has ended up with you on the short end of the stick. You wonder if Faustus would tolerate your next failure. It all started with Ilya. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>Gods, even thinking of $itheir name makes you angry. The memories of what $ithey'<<vei>> done just fills you with seething hatred.</div>" "01 ticomes">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You...you want to know why $ithey did it. Fuck, you just want to know why?</div>" "01 ticomes">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You don\'t care. You don't care for that traitor. You just...you don't care anymore.</div>" "01 ticomes">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

A knock on the door shakes the room. It makes you jolt upwards, standing on your feet. Gently, the door to the infirmary opens and you come face to face with your mentor, a deep frown on his face when he sees the plaster on your face. "It was Faustus wasn't it?" he asks even though he already knows the answer. Your silence only confirms it further. Tiberius sighs, clicking his tongue disapprovingly. Not at you, but at the consequence of Faustus' action. "That man," he says while shaking his head. "I swear..." he trails. "Are you alright?" You shrug. "Survived worse, remember?" Another sigh. "I remember." He assesses you momentarily, then gestures for you to follow him out of the infirmary. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>You linger a short distance away from him.</div>" "01 linger">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You walk beside him steadily.</div>" "01 beside">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

Your footsteps echo softly through the hallway as you remain a step or two behind the man. Occasionally, he'd turn back and glance at you to ensure that you were following him. But his gaze would always fall upon that covered-up cut on your cheek and his brows would furrow again. <<include "01 backtoworkshop">>

Your footsteps echo softly through the hallway as you stride next to the man. Occasionally, he turns his head to the side, brows furrowed every time he glimpses at the covered-up cut on your cheek. <<include "01 backtoworkshop">>

It's silent as you walk, nothing save for your footsteps until you reach his workshop. It's messier than you last saw it. More lab equipment had been set up while his other projects had been pushed to the side in a cluster. As you lurk close to the door, Tiberius strides towards the fridge across the room, a plume of mist escaping it when he opens it. "I've developed a more potent version of your medicine," he says, pulling out a rack of familiar violet vials. He sets it down onto the only clear space on his worktable, taking one into his hands and showcasing it to you. It's a darker shade of violet, you notice. "Hopefully, it should last longer than the last version." He flicks his chin at your hand, carefully setting the vial into your opened hand. "I've also adjusted the setting of your mask to release it at longer intervals while you wear it, so it shouldn't run out as quickly." "I...thank you," you whisper. The man smiles sadly at you. "You should get some sleep. It's late and dark out. I have no doubt Faustus will have another job for you so it's best for you rest." <div class="voice">He knows.</div> //Knows what?// <div class="voice">He knows you haven't been sleeping.</div> Before you could reply, the sudden burst of the door interrupts you. You recognise the intruder as one of the other members of The Court. They're dishevelled, short of breath from the way their hands fall on their knees and from their ragged breaths. "What is it?" Tiberius asks, concern evident on his face. The intruder takes a second to catch their breath, swallowing the air as they finally manage to compose themself. "We've found $ithem," is all that they say. At that, Tiberius' eyes narrow dangerously. "Who?" <<link "<div class='next'>Ilya.</div>" "01 hello ily">><</link>>

//We've found $ithem. We've found $ithem.// <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>>'<<rei>> here. Ilya is //here//. You can't breathe. You can't...You- <div class="voice">Breathe.</div> The intruder continues in a single breath. "Our scouts caught $ithem leaving a warehouse close to the Kingpin's restaurant. The traitor didn't even put up a fight when we had $ithem surrounded. //We have $ithem.//" <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>You don\'t stay another second before you're running out the door at a speed that surprises even yourself.</div>" "01 running">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>Your limbs don't work as they should. You're frozen.</div>" "01 frozen">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

All you hear a distance away is the yell Tiberius lets out, calling your name. It doesn't stop you. Your feet drag you up the stairs towards a cluster of people who've gathered to find out what all the noise is about. You push past them, weaving intricately through that doesn't slow your pace. The only thing that stops you in your tracks is when you find yourself directly in front of the very reason for all of this noise. That silver hair and raging grey eyes. You swallow what little spit is in your mouth, finding it dry. Ilya is right there. In front of you, barely a metre away. <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>>'<<rei>> stunned by your sudden appearance, though it doesn't take long for it to change into something else. Something you just can't decipher. Your eyes fall to the chains around $itheir wrists, $itheir hands dried in blood. When you look back to $itheir face, you find $ithem looking at you with that same unreadable expression. <<= $itheir.toUpperFirst()>> mouth opens briefly to say something but no sounds come out and $ithey close<<si>> it shut again. Then $ithey'<<rei>> walking past you, shoved forward by the people guarding $ithem. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>You don\'t dare to look back.</div>" "01 dontlookback">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You turn to look back at $ithem.</div>" "01 lookback">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

The only thing that snaps you out of your state is Tiberius, who gently calls out your name. "V...V?" You wordlessly turn to look at him, waiting for him to tell you to do something. "Come on," he says, calmly walking towards the door. And like a robot being fed instruction, you follow him, walking right there beside him. Calm. When you reach the main foyer, clusters of people have already gathered coming to see the cause of the commotion. You stop at the edges of the walls, standing next to the countless other people who watch. That silver hair and raging grey eyes. You swallow what little spit is in your mouth, finding it dry. <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> don't see you at first, the heads of others covering yours. But as they walk closer, restrained by guards, $ithey finally catch a glimpse of you. It's enough to make them stop dead in $itheir tracks and suddenly, you find yourself directly in front of $ithem. Ilya is right there, barely a metre away. <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>>'<<rei>> stunned by your appearance, though it doesn't take long for it to change into something else. Something you just can't decipher. Your eyes fall to the chains around $itheir wrists, $itheir hands dried in blood. When you look back to $itheir face, you find $ithem looking at you with that same unreadable expression. <<= $itheir.toUpperFirst()>> mouth opens briefly to say something but no sounds come out and $ithey close<<si>> it shut again. Then $ithey'<<rei>> walking past you, shoved forward by the people guarding $ithem. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>You don\'t dare to look back.</div>" "01 dontlookback">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You turn to look back at $ithem.</div>" "01 lookback">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

<div class="middletext">You stare at the spot $ithey once stood in front of you, completely still. Ilya is here.</div> <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "01 go to sleep">><</link>>

<div class="middletext"> Your neck cranes to the side, staring at Ilya's back as $ithey'<<rei>> being led away. <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> do<<esi>>n't turn back to look at you.<div> <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "01 go to sleep">><</link>>

Tiberius asked you to go back to your room to sleep though it sounded more like an order. During that time, you felt as if you were a child who was scolded for breaking something. You did what he asked and dragged yourself to your quarters without much question. Ilya was escorted to the dungeons soon after. You don't know what will happen to $ithem. You don't //care// what will happen. The fatigue of past events is finally getting to you and you only want some rest. You lie in your bed, counting the invisible stars on the ceiling. Sometimes, you find that it helps you sleep better, counting. Your room is bare. There's nothing here that you don't need. Faustus says that any unnecessary items make it look too cluttered. Gods, you're so tired. Maybe a couple of hours of rest really will do you some good. You turn on your side, curling into yourself. And then you count until slumber takes you. But you should've known... <<link "<div class='next'>that not even slumber would be kind to you.</div>" "01 nightmare">><</link>>

You wake up with moving flickering lights overhead. The skin around your wrists is cool, bound in metal while your back is pressed against a colder surface. The clothes you wear are thin and rough. A hospital gown. You're being wheeled away, the squeaks seemingly the only thing louder than your pounding heart. "Alzurahm?" you whisper. "Alzurahm where are you?" No answer. Your head snaps to the side, your eyes catching glimpses of a series of steel doors running along the hallway. A hallway that seems never-ending. On the other side, right across from the steel doors, is just a wall made of stone. If you look hard enough, you'd see barely visible scratches made in the stone. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>You want out. You want out. You want out.</div>" "01 wake">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>This is just a nightmare. It's not real. You just need to stay calm. You //are// calm.</div>" "01 wake">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

It's harrowing, the noise of the wheels squealing beneath you. It never ends. You can't see who's pushing the gurney but you can hear the way their breath rasps with severity and fatigue. "Who are you?" you ask. "What do you want?" The wheezes only grow louder, drowning out your questions. The person wheels you into a room, cleaner inside than it looks outside. Finally, the screeches of the wheels end and you find yourself stopped in the centre of the room. Beside you are instruments laid out ordered in a tray beside you. They range from a scalpel to a saw. What do they need a saw for? "Will $they survive?" a distorted voice speaks. You snap your gaze towards it, seeing a man wearing a surgical gown. You can't see his face and it's not because its obscured. You can't see his face because he has none. Where all features of a face are supposed to be, is nothing more than skin. He faces you, looking down. You can't tell what he's thinking of you. "<<= $they.toUpperFirst()>>'<<re>> just a child." "A survivor who has already survived," another faceless man corrects. "You saw the way $they <<were>> the only one left standing." "<<= $they.toUpperFirst()>>'<<re>> a //child//." They're arguing...the two faceless men are arguing, their words muffled by a sharp ring in your head. You grimace. The faceless man, the one who claims for you to be a survivor, snaps his head at you, the skin of his face rippling. He moves to you, appraising you before he turns to look at the instruments on the tray and picks up a syringe. You barely get the chance to stutter out a word before the sharp sting of a needle pierces the flesh of your thigh. You could feel whatever was inside the syringe flowing into you. And you grow numb, paralysed and unable to move. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>What's happening? Where are you? What do they want with you? Please, you just want to leave.</div>" "01 nm2">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>Calm yourself. It's not real. It'll be over soon.</div>" "01 nm2">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

The ring in your head withers, but the grimace on your face stays where it is. You can't feel your face. The cuffs around your wrists release. But you can't move your arms to get away. The voices fades back into your hearing. "It could kill $them." "It won't." "You can't be sure!" the first faceless man exclaims, throwing his hands in the air. "<<= $they.toUpperFirst()>>. Will," the other strains. "Pick up the scalpel. Continue with the operation." Operation...no...they're going to cut you up. Bleed you out. The faceless man doesn't move. It irritates the other one. "Pick up the scalpel or so help me I will perform it myself!" There's a sigh. Long and drawn out, shaky. He's hesitant. But he obliges, his steps echoing through the room as he steps closer to you, plucking the scalpel from the tray beside you. He looks at the blade in his hands, then at you and takes a step closer. The other man stands by the door with his hands clasped behind his back. You can't tell if he's looking at you or at the man who holds the blade. There's nothing on his face that can tell you. "Try not to move," the man with the scalpel tells you, pushing you to your side. "It'll hurt less if you don't." It's not like you can move after what's been injected into you. You can't move. Can't make a sound. But you can feel. And you feel as the cool metal of the blade slides over the skin at the back of your neck, the warmth of your blood rushing out. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>You scream. But no one can hear it except for you.</div>" "01 nm3">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You endure. You endure. You endure.</div>" "01 nm3">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

Your vision fades to black, that awful ring in your head coming back tenfold stronger than it was before. It pounds against your skull, ringing, screeching...just loud. Painful. <<linkappend "You wake..." t8n>> A bird tweets. Slowly, you begin to open your eyes. There's a bird sitting outside a window. You sit up, bringing a hand to the back of your head, waiting for a pain that never comes. You're in another room but it's not the same one as before. You sit in a soft bed. The covers thrown over your legs. Where are you now? The bird sings again, tapping its beak against your window. Despite yourself, you reach over to the latch of the window, hearing it click as it opens. When it does, the bird flies towards you. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>You yelp, throwing your arms up.</div>" "01 nm4">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You throw your arms up to protect yourself.</div>" "01 nm4">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>> <</linkappend>>\

The bird flies around the room, crashing into things, knocking them to the ground. Suddenly, you hear footsteps run up the stairs, loud and thundering. Instinctively, you reach out for a weapon but there's nothing here you can use. There are only toys laid out on the ground, barely hidden over by a blanket thrown on top of them. The door to the room flies open. "What happened!?" It's another faceless man, his voice just as distorted as the last. His head follows the flying bird in the room and he chuckles lightly. "Seems that stupid bird has gotten in again," he says. "Did you open the window again?" You blink. "Who are you?" you ask. The man speaks as if he doesn't hear you. "Go on downstairs. Your mother has cooked up a nice breakfast. I'll take care of the bird while you eat." He holds a hand out to you, ignoring the bird that flies around. You don't think before putting your hand in his. His hands are rough, calloused. Somehow...you find it comforting. He leads you down the stairs and as you look around the place looks...homely. In the kitchen, a woman stands by the stove and you can smell bacon being seared. She turns her head when she notices your presence. <<link "<div class='next'>she too, is faceless</div>" "01 nm5">><</link>>

You look around, staring at the pictures hung on the walls. They're all faceless. A man, a woman and a boy. There's another child in the pictures. <<= $they.toUpperFirst()>>'<<re>> the only one there who's face holds human features. You don't recognise $them but $they ha<<s>> the same hair colour as you, $hcolour. Even $their $eyes eyes are the same. They're huddled together. The faceless boy stands beside the child, an arm thrown over $their shoulders while the man and woman stand behind them, an arm wrapped around each other. "What is this?" you mutter. Again, as if not being heard, the woman ignores your questions when she speaks. "Come sit down dear, I made your favourite." <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>Waffles with whipped cream and fresh fruit.</div>" "01 nm6">><<set $favefood is "waffles plus cream">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>Eggs, bacon and toast.</div>" "01 nm6">><<set $favefood is "eggs, bacon and toast">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>Pancakes, drizzled with honey with a thin slice of butter on top.</div>" "01 nm6">><<set $favefood is "pancakes">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

You stare down at the plate, not knowing what to do with it. Looking back up, you find the woman's featureless face staring back at you. Behind her, something burns but she doesn't seem to notice it. "Go on, eat." A chill sends down your spine. You pick up a fork laid out beside the plate, cutting into the food, forcing yourself to swallow it. You think the woman is smiling at you. "Come on, eat the rest. Don't leave a crumb." You down at your food again, cutting up another piece and putting it into your mouth. The fork scrapes against your teeth. You eat and swallow until you can't anymore, the burning smell growing stronger. When you finally eat the last of your meal, you look up to the woman, only to find her on fire. <<link "<div class='next'>The whole room burns</div>" "01 nm7">><</link>>

You scramble back, the high pitch screech of the stool reverberating when you stand too quickly. The fork drops to the ground with a ping. The woman looks barely phased as her hair is set a light, as the flames eat at everything. "Is something wrong dear?" You ignore her, looking around you. Everything burns. They all burn. Orange lights of the fires engulf the whole room and the woman stands there, unaffected. You can't let a sound out. A hand grips at your arm, strong. When you turn to look at the person who has taken a hold of you, you see the faceless boy from the picture. "We need to go!" he shouts over the roar of the flames. "Cover your face!" He tugs at your arm, dragging you along with him. As you run, the ceiling creaks, falling apart. "Come on!" the boy yells, pulling you, his grip around your arm tight and bruising until you're out of the house. <<link "<div class='next'>safe from the flames. You watch as the house burns</div>" "01 nm8">><</link>>

You stagger back, eyes wide as the fire swallows the house whole. The roof crumbles...and you hear a scream from inside. The boy clutches at you, forcing you to look at him. "Stay here!" he says before taking off back into the burning house. You take another step back, breathing hard, watching as the figure of the boy disappears into the house. You keep stepping back, moving further and further away until you hit something solid. You whip around, finding the cruel faceless man from before. He looks down at you, a couple heads taller than you. His arms shoot out, grasping at your hair. You tugs you off your feet, leaning forward to meet his eyeless eyes with your own. Then he drags you away by your hair, away from the burning house. Your heels digs into the dirt below, dragging lines across the ground as you're being pulled away. You're screaming, hitting at the arms of the man that pulls you along. It does nothing to deter him. You helplessly watch as the orange flames become nothing more than a speck of light in the distance. <<link "<div class='next'>there's that ringing in your ear again</div>" "01 nm final">><</link>>

You find yourself inside a dark tunnel, cobwebs hanging on the walls as you're dragged deeper into the tunnel. The man throws you forward and you fail to stop yourself from hitting the ground. You plant your palms on the gravel, on your knees when you suddenly freeze, seeing something that makes your stomach fall. There's a pit in the ground in front of you, wisps of smoke and shadows bleeding out. It whispers. You scramble back, clawing further away from the pit. You're stopped when your hands find themselves on top of hard leather shoes. You look up, slowly. The faceless man stares down at you. You swallow. And he grabs you once more, dragging you back to the pit. You kick at him, scratch at him. Yell, scream and shout. But he continues to drag you back to the pit until he forces your head down to stare down into it. A hand emerges from the pit of shadows. A blackened hand, thin like bones. It looks wrong. So wrong. Their fingers are gnarled; nails sharp and pointed. It reaches for you. You struggle to get away from it. The man only adds more strength as he pushes your head down. The blackened hand claws at your face, digging their nails into your cheeks, muffling your screams. <<link "<div class='next'>It drags you down into the pit.</div>" "01 no more dream">><</link>>

Your eyes fly wide open, wild as you try to steady your racing pulse. You're fine. You're fine. You're //fine//. You taste iron on your tongue. You run a trembling hand through your hair and a shaky breath. Your hand doesn't stop trembling and you have to clamp a hand over your wrist to force it to stop. <div class="voice">Bad dream?</div> You laugh sardonically which comes out more shaky than desirable. "When have I ever had a //good// dream?" The sky is still dark outside the window. The hues have barely even changed since you last saw it. How much sleep did you get? You glance around the room, trying to remember where you had put that clock of yours. Lightly, the bed creaks as you slip off of it in search of the clock. You find it in the corner of the room, sitting on the floor. 3:55. Barely two hours worth of sleep then. A new record. You sigh, plopping back down onto your bed with the clock in your hand. No one is going to be awake for at least another two hours. What the hell are you supposed to do for the time being? As you lay there, contemplating, you hear the quiet clinks of chains clashing outside. It's like a whisper, but you hear it. You don't even bother changing into fresh clothes before your hand finds its way over the handle of the door. As carefully as you can, you pry the door open and look out into the hall. Nothing. You must be losing your mind. But then you hear it again, that same quiet clink of chains. It comes further down the hall. <<link "<div class='next'>Your step out of the threshold of your room.</div>" "01 follow">><</link>>

You're cautious enough not to make a sound as you walk, taking careful steps towards the noise. Gradually, it gets louder, a sign that you're getting close. You wonder if anyone else can hear the noise, or if it's just you. No one else has left their room to investigate so either they don't care for it or you have lost all your sanity. The noise leads you to the basement, in front of a door. A door that leads straight to the dungeons. You almost laugh. You aren't going crazy. You're being driven crazy...by Ilya. The rattling chains. The door to the dungeons. It's not your imagination. It's Ilya doing god knows what while being locked up. You should head back to your room and attempt to go back to sleep. It's the only sane thing to do. ...Yet your hands wrap themselves around the handle leading to the dungeons. What are you doing? This is stupid? <div class="voice">Is it? you want answers don't you?</div> <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>You...oh to hell with it. You open the door.</div>" "01 dungeons">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>Answers? What good will answers do you now? however, your arm moves to open the door without your knowledge.</div>" "01 dungeons">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You want to know. You want to //understand//. You open the door.</div>" "01 dungeons">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You want to see Ilya. You want to look $ithem in $itheir eyes and you want $ithem to see just how far $ithey'<<vei>> broken you.</div>" "01 dungeons">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

The door opens with a terrible screech. It's hard not to wince at the sound of it as it opens. The first thing you notice about the dungeons is that it's cold, biting and unforgiving. There's mould growing in the corners of the ceiling and the only thing that lights the place is a barely lit lantern hanging on the damp wall. Rows of cells are connected. All empty except for the one in the middle, where a figure hangs $itheir head, $itheir wrists bound and chained into the ground. <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> do<<esi>>n't bother looking up at you before spitting out whatever words $ithey ha<<vei>> to say. "If you're going to beat me again, I suggest you find someone with a little more strength." <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> laugh<<si>>. You've heard $ithem laugh before, but not like this. This...it's a terrible laugh, you think. Chipped. When Ilya doesn't get a reply, $ithey finally look up and is stunned into silence again. "V?" $ithey breathe out. Almost inaudibly. You don't deign a reply, too distracted by $itheir appearance. There are cuts on $itheir face. Ones that weren't there before when $ithey were first brought into The institute. They've been inflicted upon $ithem recently. There's one across $itheir cheek though it doesn't look deep enough to scar. <<= $itheir.toUpperFirst()>> bottom lip seems busted too, a small thin line of blood dripping down $itheir chin. "V, what are you doing here?" Ilya asks you, $itheir voice small. You reply with a curt, "I live here". That manages to get a short breath out of $ithem, something akin to a laugh. But there's no humour in it. Nothing about this is funny. The silence comes back and you're both left there with tension hanging in the air. You stare at each other, neither of you willing to speak up. <div class="voice">Are you going to say something?</div> You swallow. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>Your voice is equally small, barely above a whisper. Desperate for an answer. \"Why?\" is all you manage to say.</div>" "01 desperate">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>The silence that lengthens with time only serves to make your anger grow stronger. You can't help but let a scowl form on your face, hatred painted all over. Your voice is dripping with venom. \"Tell me //why//.\"</div>" "01 angry">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>When you speak, your voice is devoid of any emotion. It's calm. So calm that it frightens you.\"Why did you do it?\"</div>" "01 calm">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You can't bring yourself to say anything. What do you say?</div>" "01 silence">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

You hate it. The way desperation bleeds into your words. You want to know so desperately //why// $ithey threw everything away so blatantly without a care in the world. Everything was good. //You// were good. So what went so wrong? "//Why?//" Ilya looks away, chewing at $itheir broken lip. <<= $itheir.toUpperFirst()>> head hangs low again, sucking in a sharp shaky breath. "I'm sorry," $ithey whisper. "I'm sorry." <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>>'<<rei>> sorry, $ithey say<<si>>. Sorry? "No...you aren't," you croak. "Because if you were sorry, you never would have done it in the first place." <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> gulp<<si>>, forcing down $itheir sorrows. "You don't understand..." $ithey trail off, letting the silence take over again. "Understand...How can I when you just suddenly decided to throw it all away?" you tell $ithem. Your voice quavers despite yourself. "How can I understand?" <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> look up at you once more, stricken, a pain so raw on $itheir face that it shocks even you. There is a message hidden underneath it, a silent plea, a desperation built up on top of a hundred more layers of emotion, just begging for you to understand. <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> never "suddenly" just woke up one day and decided to betray you. You stagger back, eyes widened. <<= $itheir.toUpperFirst()>> betrayal had been //years// in the making. <<link "<div class='next'>$ithey had never once been on your side.</div>" "01 never once">><</link>>

Ilya flinches at the anger piercing in your words. <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> expected it, your anger. <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> steeled <<= $ithem>>self for it. Ran over every insult you could have thrown at $ithem and prepared for it. So why does it still hurt so much? "Answer me!" you growl, taking a step forward. You think that if it wasn't for the cells keeping you apart, you would have grabbed $ithem by $itheir collar and slammed $ithem against the wall behind $ithem. <<= $itheir.toUpperFirst()>> head hangs low again, sucking in a sharp shaky breath. "I'm sorry." Sorry...//sorry?// <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> say<<si>> $ithey'<<rei>> sorry... "Too little too //late//," you snarl. "Your apologies are //worthless//." <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> gulp<<si>>, forcing down $itheir sorrows. "You don't understand..." $ithey trail off, letting the silence take over again. You only grow more angry. "Then //make// me understand!? Explain to me why you decided one day to suddenly throw //everything// away!" <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> look up at you once more, stricken, a pain so raw on $itheir face that it shocks even you. There is a message hidden underneath it, a silent plea, a desperation built up on top of a hundred more layers of emotion, just begging for you to understand. <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> never "suddenly" just woke up one day and decided to betray you. It makes you take a step back and widen your eyes beyond measure. <<= $itheir.toUpperFirst()>> betrayal had been //years// in the making. <<link "<div class='next'>$ithey had never once been on your side.</div>" "01 never once">><</link>>

The lack of emotion in your voice strikes $ithem like a whip. <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>>'d prepared for your anger. For your hatred. But $ithey didn't expect //this//, for you to be so utterly calm after everything $ithey'<<vei>> done. Yell at $ithem. Scream. Shout. Tell $ithem you hate $ithem. Tell $ithem you never want to see $ithem again. //Anything//. Anything but //this//. <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> hang<<si>> $itheir head low, sucking in a sharp shaky breath. What do<<esi>> $ithey say? "I'm sorry." You look down at $ithem, echoing $itheir words back to $ithem. "You're sorry..." You almost laugh. <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>>'<<rei>> sorry. <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> gulp<<si>>, forcing down $itheir sorrows. "You don't understand..." $ithey trail off, letting the silence take over again. "Then explain it to me?" you ask. "Can you? Can you explain to me how you just decided to suddenly betray us the way you did?" <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> look up at you once more, stricken, a pain so raw on $itheir face that it shocks even you. There is a message hidden underneath it, a silent plea, a desperation built up on top of a hundred more layers of emotion, just begging for you to understand. <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> never "suddenly" just woke up one day and decided to betray you. It makes you take a step back and your eyes widen beyond measure. <<= $itheir.toUpperFirst()>> betrayal had been //years// in the making. <<link "<div class='next'>$ithey had never once been on your side.</div>" "01 never once">><</link>>

The silence...//god// the silence is unbearable. <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> can't take it. Please. Yell at $ithem. Scream. Shout. //Anything//. Just don't let the silence swallow the both of you. Ilya hangs $itheir head low, sucking in a sharp shaky breath. "I'm sorry," $ithey say<<si>>. You stare at $ithem, wringing your hands. "You're sorry?" you whisper, almost choking out the words. "You're //sorry?//" //Gods//...You think you're going to be sick. What is an apology going to do for you now? It changes nothing. Nothing at all. <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> gulp<<si>>, forcing down $itheir sorrows. "You don't understand..." $ithey trail off, letting the silence take over again. "Understand?" you say, hushed. "How can I understand how you could suddenly decide to betray us- betray //me// like that?" <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> look up at you once more, stricken, a pain so raw on $itheir face that it shocks even you. There is a message hidden underneath it, a silent plea, a desperation built up on top of a hundred more layers of emotion, just begging for you to understand. <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> never "suddenly" just woke up one day and decided to betray you. You take a step back, your eyes widened beyond measure. <<= $itheir.toUpperFirst()>> betrayal had been //years// in the making. <<link "<div class='next'>$ithey had never once been on your side.</div>" "01 never once">><</link>>

"V?" You have to pry your gaze away from the traitor, directing your widened eyes at the source of the voice. Tiberius looks at you, a frown covering his expression. He darts his attention between you and Ilya, noticing the awful tension. He never once looks away from Ilya when addressing you. "You shouldn't be down here. Go back upstairs, //now//." You don't need to be told twice before you're dragging yourself out of the dungeons. Your pulse is racing again and you have to slam your hand against the wall for stability. You lean into it, hoping that the immovable wall of stone is enough to keep you upright. Ilya...$ithey- You can't breathe. Fuck you can't- <div class="voice">breathe.</div> You need air. You need to get out of this place. You just need out. <<link "<div class='next'>And you know just the place to go</div>" "01 back at snakeskin's">><</link>>

<div class="when-where">Time: 4:45<span>snakeskin's main area</span></div> The bar is the only place in all of Blackhaven that's truly open all night long. Though given the time, there aren't many people in the bar with you. There's a man in the far back of the room, unconscious, his glass tipped over the table, empty. Close to you, at the counter, is a woman with dark raven hair. She plays with her glass, swirling it, watching it as if it mesmerises her. "Can I get you anything?" the bartender asks. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>\"Club soda, please.\" You don't drink alcohol.</div>" "afterdrink">><<set $nodrink to true>><<set $drink to "club soda">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>\"Seedlip grove margarita, please.\" You normally do drink alcohol, but you don't feel like it today.</div>" "afterdrink">><<set $drink to "seedlip margarita">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>\"An absinthe drip, please.\" You have no problems drinking alcohol.</div>" "afterdrink">><<set $drink to "absinthe">> <</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

<<if $drink is "absinthe">> When your desired drink is poured out for you, you down it in one go, letting the alcohol burn down your throat. You smack your lips, flicking your chin at the bartender, asking for a refill. Another is poured for you without question. You want to forget. You //need// to forget. <<else>> You drink the whole thing in one go, then flick your chin at the bartender, asking for another. They comply without question. And you drink it all in one go again like there is thirst in you that doesn't seem to want to be quenched. <</if>> "Rough night?" the woman nearby asks you. You let out a short laugh, one that's forced out. "Something like that," you mutter. You turn to look at the woman, observing the way she swirls her glass. "You too?" She hums, a strained smile on her face. She looks back at you, lifting her glass slightly. "Something like that," she answers. "A kindred soul then," you say, nodding approvingly, trying to make light of the situation. "A kindred soul," she echoes. There's sadness in her voice. A small hint of it, but it's there. As if suddenly remembering herself, she straightens her posture and watches you appraisingly. She hesitates for a moment, thinking about asking you a question. But whatever it is she's about to ask you, she shakes the thought away and offers you another one of her strained smiles. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>\"Would...would you like to talk about it?\" noticing her turmoil. Though you have your own selfish reason for asking her. You'd use just about anything for a distraction right now.</div>" "01 talk">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>\"That rough of a night?\" you ask, curious about the cause of those strained smiles.</div>" "01 roughnight">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You carefully watch the woman, the same way she looked at you before, appraising.</div>" "01 appraising">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You let the silence drone on, comfortable in the silence.</div>" "01 vsilence">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

The woman turns to you, resting her cheek against her palm. She sighs. "You ever have a sibling who just refuses to listen to you?" You...you wouldn't know. You've never grown up with anyone except for yourself. And you tell her so. "I don't have a sibling, no, but I do know how frustrating it can be when no one listens to you." She smiles sadly. When you said you had hoped for a distraction, this isn't what you first had in mind. But...you find yourself enjoying talking to the woman. As you said, you're both kindred souls. Both with each of your own troubles. <<include "01 nightstand">>

The woman snorts quietly. "Is it that noticeable?" "Kindred souls," you answer. Both with each of your own troubles. The meaning is not lost on the woman and she smiles sadly. "I suppose it's inevitable, hm? A kindred soul finding another just like them." You don't argue with that. <<include "01 nightstand">>

There is something about her that strikes you. Something about her that just tells you she isn't from around here. Providence, maybe, but not here. Not Blackhaven. You would know. She's observant too, watching you watch her. But aside from that, this woman, you think, is a mystery. A true and complete mystery. <<include "01 nightstand">>

The silence is interrupted by the ping of a phone. The woman's phone. She takes it out of her pocket, frowning when she reads what's on the screen. It doesn't take long before the phone is shoved back into her pocket and she gets up swiftly. Whatever was on her phone is enough to get her to rush out of the bar without so much as a word. Then it is only you, a bartender, and a drunken man alone in the bar. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "01 ilya's gone">><</link>>

<<if $gender isnot "male">> Carefully, she sets her glass down, as if afraid to break it. She glances at you, quirking her head. "It seems we could both use a distraction." The suggestion in her words doesn't fly over your head. A distraction...isn't that why you came? To get away? <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'><span>Yes, it is.</span></div>" "01 yesnightstand">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>It is...but you can't. Not like this.</div>" "01 nonightstand">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>> <<else>> You fall into silence, only for it to be interrupted by the ping of a phone. The woman's phone. She takes it out of her pocket, frowning when she reads what's on the screen. It doesn't take long before the phone is shoved back into her pocket and she gets up swiftly. Whatever was on her phone is enough to get her to rush out of the bar without so much as a word. Then it is only you, a bartender, and a drunken man alone in the bar. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "01 ilya's gone">><</link>> <</if>>

Your mouth opens, ready to decline the woman's offer, but you're interrupted by the ping of a phone. Her phone. She mumbles a quick apology and takes out her phone, frowning when she reads what's on the screen. It doesn't take long before that phone is shoved back into her pocket. "I'm sorry," she says. "It's an emergency. I- I have to go." She mutters another apology, that same frown still clear on her face. Whatever was on her phone was enough to make her rush out of the bar in a hurry. Then it is only you, a bartender, and a drunken man alone in the bar. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "01 ilya's gone">><</link>>

<div class="middletext"><<link "<div class='skip'><span>continue to scene</span></div>" "01 vscene">><</link>> <<link "<div class='skip'><span>fade to black</span></div>" "01 vscene after">><</link>></div>

The distraction does its job well to keep your mind off things. One minute you were in Snakeskin’s and the next, you're in a shabby motel room, your bodies pressed together as you first enter the room. The only thing that keeps you apart is the material of your clothes. She moves closer into you, forcing you back until your legs hit the end of the bed and you lower yourself onto it. Her breath is warm against your skin, but you still shiver against the touch of it. "Is this okay?" she asks you, her nose skimming the skin of your neck, lips right above your collarbone. You nod your head, moving to lift her chin until her lips are above yours. "Yes." Your voice comes out in a whisper, desperate. Your chest falls and rises in rhythm with hers. That "yes" was all she needed before she moved to meet your lips. She captures your lips in a kiss so gentle that it stirs an odd feeling of warmth inside you. Or is that just your lust speaking to you? Your hand trails up her sides, getting caught in her clothes and you're suddenly aware that you're both fully clothed. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>\"Take off your clothes,\" you whisper. (you take the lead)</div>" "01 mcinlead">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>She doesn't waste time before tearing her clothes off. (she takes the lead)</div>" "01 mcissub">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

You feel her smile against you, this time with none of that sadness from before, but with pure unaltered lust. She tears off her clothes, tossing them to the floor before she captures you into another kiss. She straddles you, her chest bare as she curls her hand into your hair. And you keep your hands firmly against her sides as she hovers over you. You roll over until you're the one who's above her. She doesn't protest the sudden switch in positions but raises a brow. "Your clothes are still on," she says, the lust loud in her voice. You pull your shirt over your head until you're bare to her and toss the shirt away in the same manner as she had before you pull her into another hungry kiss. As you do, you roll your hips against hers without meaning to, building friction. You swear, for a moment, you hear a groan from the woman and it makes you want more. Her breath starts to quicken and she pulls you closer, right until the heat of your skin together feels like the touches of burning flames. Her hands fall to the waistband of your trousers, tugging at it like the obstacle it is. When you pull away, you feel the heat of her breath chasing your lips. A brow of yours rises, a smug look on your face until you lean in close, pressing your lips against her ear. "Your pants are still on," slightly echoing her words from earlier. She shivers at your words. Then you both scramble to get the only piece of clothing that remains a barrier. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>You won't deny that you're feeling wet.</div>" "01 mclead2">> <<set $sex to "wet">> <</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You won't deny that you're feeling hard.</div>" "01 mclead2">><<set $sex to "hard">> <</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

<<if $sex is "wet">> Fully bare, the hunger that gnaws at you only seems to grow hungrier. You press yourself against the woman, rolling your hips against hers. It brings a gasp out of her and your breath hitches at the sound, moving faster. She bucks her hips into you and you can't help but let out a groan of pleasure when it happens. She groans louder, clinging to your shoulders as you add more pressure. She clings to you hard, nails digging deep into your skin like claws and bites her lips, trying to contain any more noise from coming out. You're breathing faster now too, your skin searing hot, slick with sweat. You press your lips against her neck, nipping at the flesh and her grip on you tightens more. "Right there," she moans. "Fuck." Her breath is ragged, just as desperate as she moves herself with you, drawing you closer and closer. You keep your pace, grinding against her, hands on either side of her, planted on the bed, building to a climax. You struggle to contain the urge to groan, biting down on her shoulder in an attempt to stop yourself. "Don't stop," she pleads with you and you don't. You keep going, keep building to that climax, until with the last roll of your hips, you both finally snap and the climax comes hard, hitting you both at the same time. You lower yourself onto the woman, panting against the crook of her neck and take a minute to gather yourself, slowing your breath to a steady pace. Then you press your lips against her ear again and whisper. <<link "<div class='next'>\"Turn around.\"</div>" "01 mclead3">><</link>> <<else>> Fully bare, the hunger that gnaws at you only seems to grow hungrier. You press yourself against the woman, accidently rubbing your cock against her. It brings a gasp out of her and your breath hitches at the sound. You lean back, still on top of her. Carefully, you start to tease the shaft of your cock into her entrance, earning you groans of pleasure. You start slow, moving in and out of her at a steady pace, rolling against her every so often that brings a noise out of her. You find it difficult to keep quiet too. Despite yourself, a grunt is forced out of you as you move within her. She groans louder, clinging to your shoulders as you add more pressure. She clings to you hard, nails digging deep into your skin like claws and bites her lips, trying to contain any more noise from coming out. You add to your pace, breath quickening as your skin sears hot. You press your lips against her neck, nipping at the flesh and her grip on you tightens more. "Right there," she moans. "Fuck." Her breath is ragged, just as desperate. You keep your pace, moving in and out, her core tight around you. When she bucks her hips into you, you can't help but let out a grunt of pleasure. "Don't stop," she pleads with you and you don't. You keep going, building to the climax, until with the last thrust, you both finally snap and the climax comes hard, hitting you both at the same time. You lower yourself onto the woman, still inside her, panting against the crook of her neck. You take a minute to gather yourself, slowing your breath to a steady pace. The woman bites her lips, containing herself as you pull out of her slowly. Then you press your lips against her ear again and whisper. <<link "<div class='next'>\"Turn around.\"</div>" "01 mclead3">><</link>> <</if>>

<<if $sex is "wet">> The woman doesn't argue and rolls to lie flat on her stomach, the muscles of her back rippling. She's slender, but with well toned muscles. You can't help but trace your lips down her spine. She sucks in a breath. You notice a mark on her back, a golden ring. There's a sense of familiarity about it, but your mind is in too much of a daze to think hard enough about it. You lean into her again, pressing her body against her as you lower your lips to her ear. "Lift your hips." She looks back at you, curious and raises another single brow. You match her look, challenging her. After a brief stand-off, she lets out a short breath and finally lifts her hips. You trail your hand across her stomach, feeling her muscles tense under your touch. Moving further down, your hand reaches a spot of dampness. "Relax," you whisper, teasing her folds. She pushes herself into the comforts of the bed,leaning into your touch, muffling any noise that comes out against the pillows. She grips the covers of the mattress when you slowly insert a digit, pushing in deep. She bucks against your hand, groaning. You add another digit, starting slow at first, teasing her. Your free hand wraps itself around her chest, cupping her breasts, teasing her again. You continue your slow pace, moving your digits in and out of her before gradually speeding up. She presses herself further against the pillows, her knuckles turning white as she grips the covers. You move faster, pumping harder until her breath runs ragged, building her climax. You plant a kiss against her spine, leading up until you meet her shoulder where the teeth marks you've left on her become clear against her skin. It doesn't take long before she reaches her peak. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "01 vscene after">><</link>> <<else>> The woman doesn't argue and rolls to lie flat on her stomach, the muscles of her back rippling. She's slender, but with well toned muscles. You can't help but trace your lips down her spine. She sucks in a breath. You notice a mark on her back, a golden ring. There's a sense of familiarity about it, but your mind is in too much of a daze to think hard enough about it. You lean into her again, pressing her body against her as you lower your lips to her ear. "Lift your hips." She looks back at you, curious and raises another single brow. You match her look, challenging her. After a brief stand-off, she lets out a short breath and finally lifts her hips. You trail your hands across her stomach, feeling her muscles tense under you. You slide your hands to her hips, pressing your fingers gently into her before tugging her closer. "Relax," you whisper, teasing her folds with your cock. She pushes herself into the comforts of the bed, muffling any noise that comes out against the pillows. This time, you push yourself into her quickly, letting her take all of you at once. She gasps into the pillow, surprised by the sudden move. You grind yourself against her, watching as her knuckles turn white from gripping the covers tightly. You start to move in and out, going faster, pumping harder until her breath run ragged, building her climax. You plant a kiss against her spine, leading up until you meet her shoulder where the teeth marks you've left on her become clear against her skin. It doesn't take long before she reaches her peak. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "01 vscene after">><</link>> <</if>>

You feel her smile against you, this time with none of that sadness from before, but with pure unaltered lust. She tears off her clothes, tossing them to the floor before she captures you into another kiss. She straddles you, her chest bare. And you keep your hands firmly against her sides as she hovers over you. "Your clothes are still on," she says, the lust loud in her voice. You pull your shirt over your head until you're bare to her and toss the shirt away in the same manner as she had. She pulls you into another hungry kiss, falling deeper into you. She rolls her hips against yours, slow at first, then desperate, craving friction. You swear you hear her groan, her breath quickening to a pant against your neck. It's all too clear that you're still clothed from the waist down. The woman lets her hand fall to your waistband, tugging at it like the obstacle it is. She pulls away and you can't help but chase her lips. When she does finally manage to put a distance away from you, she raises a brow, smug for a moment before she leans in close, pressing her lips against your ear. "Your pants are still on," slightly echoing her words from earlier. Then, you both scramble to get the only piece of clothing that remains a barrier. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>You won't deny that you're feeling wet.</div>" "01 mcsub2">> <<set $sex to "wet">> <</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You won't deny that you're feeling hard.</div>" "01 mcsub2">><<set $sex to "hard">> <</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

<<if $sex is "wet">> The woman presses herself closer into you, still rolling her hips against yours. You force back the urge to groan, clinging to her shoulders until your nails dig deep into her. If she's bothered by the pain, she doesn't make it known. She only moves faster and harder until both your breaths are running ragged and your skin is slick with sweat. Your grip tightens around her as she continues to grind against you. "Fuck," you curse when the sudden increase in friction forces you to buck your hips. "Fuck, right there." You struggle to contain the urge to groan and in an attempt to do so, you bite down on her shoulder. //Gods,// the way this woman moves against you, building that friction. You crave it. "Don't stop," you manage to say between breaths. She doesn't. She keeps going, building that pressure, until with the last roll of her hips, you both finally snap and the climax comes hard, hitting you both at the same time. She sits up on top of you, leaning back on her hands with her chest fully exposed to you. As she runs her hand through her hair while her chest rises and falls. You can't help but watch her. She catches you looking at you and smiles, not with kindness, but with pure lust. She leans down to you, just until she's barely an inch away from your face. You could feel her hot breath on your lips. "Give me your hands," she whispers, leaning back again, waiting. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "01 mcsub3">><</link>> <<else>> She takes your cock in her hand, teasing the tip before she looks at you, that desire full in her eyes. She never once takes her eyes off of you, watching you watch her as she lifts herself above you, teasing you into her folds. You bite down on your lip, hard. It's agonising, the way she teases you and the way she teases herself. You can't help but buck your hips, pushing yourself into her until she takes you fully. It brings a gasp out of the woman and she falls forward, saving herself from colliding against you by planting her hands firmly on either side of you. But you hear a gasp of pleasure from her, a hitch of her breath. //Gods,// she's so tight around you. She leans back until she's looking down at you, moving her hands to your stomach where your muscles tense under her touch. She looks at you, watching the way your gaze trails to her hand on your stomach. Then she moves. She rolls her hips against you and you bite back the urge to groan. Your hands move to grip her sides, pressing your fingers against soft skin. There's a desperation in her gaze as she stares down at you, chewing at her lips. She starts slowly, grinding against you with you inside her while her hands grasp at your stomach and your hands grasp at her sides. Then she quickens her pace and you both groan at the feel of each other. She rides you delicately, tantalising. And you just become greedy for more. You tighten your grip on her, moving with her until your climax builds. Your breath runs ragged, sucking in a sharp breath as she tightens around you, and her, with her head thrown back, taking in the pleasure of you inside her. "//fuck//," you curse as she moves. She's enjoying it, pressing herself deeper into you. After the final roll of her hips, and the sharp breath she takes in, you both finally snap and the climax comes hard, hitting you both at the same time. She leans back on her hands with her chest fully exposed to you, letting herself ride out the last of her pleasure. Her chest rises and falls and you can't help but watch her carefully thread her fingers through her hair. She catches you looking at you and smiles, not with kindness, but with pure lust. She leans down to you, her lips above yours, teasing. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "01 mcsub3">><</link>> <</if>>

<<if $sex is "wet">> Tentatively, you lift your hands, offering them to her. She takes your wrists in one hand, pushing them over your head, her chest grazing over you as her grip tightens against your wrists. She presses another kiss on your lips, smiling against you. With her other hand, she traces a finger down your stomach, feeling the way your muscles tense under her touch until she reaches a spot of dampness. Your breath hitches at the touch, your muscles tensing further as she teases your folds. Slowly, she adds a digit into you and you gasp, rolling your hips into her hand. "Relax," she whispers, pushing your wrists hard into the pillows. You bite down on your lip when she adds another digit, tantalisingly slow. She curls her fingers in you, pressing them against your walls and you let out a low, drawn-out groan. It's agonising, the pace she moves at, but gradually, she speeds up, moving in and out of you slightly faster than before. She grazes your neck with her teeth, sucking hard at a spot before swiping her tongue over it. She continues to pump into you, going faster, deeper. A groan builds in your throat but before you could let it out, she muffles it, taking your lips in hers. You could feel her sigh on you, her breath hot and sweet. She moves faster. Harder, until your knuckles turn white from clenching your fists too tight. She runs circles around your wrists with her thumb, pressing you down as her other hand makes a ruin of you. Your hips buck again and you press your face against the crook of her neck, panting hard. The smile on the woman's face only widens. It doesn't take long for you to reach your peak. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "01 vscene after">><</link>> <<else>> Carefully, she lifts herself, letting you slip out of her. She trails kisses along your front, dragging her lips across your stomach until she reaches your cock. You breathe heavily, watching as she slowly wraps her hand around your cock again. She looks at you while she leans down, running a tongue over your tip, tasting herself on you. You throw your head back, biting your lips with an arm covering your eyes. "Fuck." You feel the heat of her breath on you. //Fuck.// You're breathing harder now, digging your teeth into your lips as she takes you in, running her tongue along your length. ''Fuck,' you mutter, biting the flesh of your arm now. She presses a palm into your stomach, tracing the lines of your abs and dragging herself against your leg. You could feel how wet she is, how hot she is. You twitch when she teases you, that agonising pleasure building again. It doesn't take long until you reach your peak. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "01 vscene after">><</link>> <</if>>

<<set $vnightstand to true>>\ You ended up falling asleep right then and there with her beside you. When you wake up, with light blazing through your eyelids. Your eyes flutter open and you let out a long groan of fatigue, rubbing your eyes. Finally coming to, you turn your head to the side, finding the bed empty save for yourself. The woman's gone. You didn't expect her to stay. The woman...you realise you never even got her name. You push yourself up onto the bed, moving to rub the back of your neck now and squinting as the sun shines on you. The sun is out... "//Fuck//," you hiss, jumping out of the bed. You need to get back to The Institute. <div class="voice">Good night?</div> Gods you could hear that smirk in their fucking voice. You mutter a string of curses under your breath, scrambling to gather your clothes from the floor and running out the door the second you dress. Faustus won't be happy that you decided to spend your time in bed with a stranger instead of doing something to help in The Institute. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "01 ilya's gone">><</link>>

<<if $vnightstand is false>> When you make it back to The Institute, day breaks and you're lugging yourself through the entrance tiredly. You don't know what you expected when you arrived, but it wasn't the total and utter chaos of everyone running around and shouting. You stand there, in the centre of a storm, not knowing what to do. "What's going on?" you ask, but your words are lost amongst the waves of chaos. You look around, observing the panic on people's faces. Behind you, a hand clasps over your shoulder, his voice hushed. "Where have you been?" You turn around, shrugging off the hand. Tiberius stares at you, awaiting your answer, but it doesn't take long for him to figure out where you've been when panic breaks out. He sighs softly, shaking his head. "What's happening?" you ask him. He presses his lips together, forming a thin line. <<link "<div class='next'>\"Ilya is gone.\"</div>" "01 oops">><</link>> <<else>> By the time you make it to The Institute, you're lugging yourself through the entrance tiredly. You don't know what you expected when you arrived, but it wasn't the total and utter chaos of everyone running around and shouting. You stand there, in the centre of a storm, not knowing what to do. "What's going on?" you ask, but your words are lost amongst the waves of chaos. You look around, observing the panic on people's faces. Behind you, a hand clasps over your shoulder, his voice hushed. "Where have you been?" You turn around, shrugging off the hand. Tiberius stares at you, awaiting your answer, but it doesn't take long for him to figure out where you've been when panic breaks out. He sighs softly, shaking his head. "Your shirt is inside out," he notes. You swallow. "What's happening?" you ask him, subtly fixing your shirt. He presses his lips together, forming a thin line. <<link "<div class='next'>\"Ilya is gone.\"</div>" "01 oops">><</link>> <</if>>

"What do you mean $ithey'<<rei>> //gone//?" You all but growl. You were only gone for a few hours. A few hours! Tiberius pulls you into the closest room, slamming the door shut behind you. He pinches the bridge of his nose, crossing his arms. "When breakfast was being sent to $ithem, the cell was empty," Tiberius explains. You shake your head. "That's not possible. That's //not possible//." You saw $ithem. You //saw// $ithem, $ithey'<<rei>> not gone. <div class="voice">Yet everything points that $ithey <<arei>>.</div> Your brows furrow, a dark look falling over you and your voice grave. "//How?//" Tiberius sighs. "We don't know how. <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> <<iwere>> just gone." You scowl, turning away and walking out of the room. You slam the door so hard that if it was made of glass, it would shatter. You march to the dungeons, where Ilya was held. As you walk, the gaze of others follows you and moves out of your way, afraid to see what would happen if they stood in your way. When you make it to the dungeons, the cells are empty, with only loose chains sitting where Ilya was last seen. Your fists curl at your side, staring at the empty chains in silent fury. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>You force yourself to calm. You need to be calm. You //need// to be calm.</div>" "01 calmdoesn'twork">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You let out a roar of rage, slamming your fists against the wall behind you.</div>" "01 slamfist">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You stare. Numb. You just stare.</div>" "01 numbstare">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

<div class="voice">You're hyperventilating</div> "No. I'm not," you snarl, feeling your pulse race, blood rushing in your ear. <div class="voice">Breathe</div> You are breathing. You are. You are. You are. You are. <div class="voice">Calm down</div> Calm? You are calm. You are. You are. You are. You lurch forward, slamming your palms against your knees, breathing heavily. "Fuck," you croak. "God- //fuck.//" You should've been here. You could have stopped this. You should- <div class="voice">//Stop.// Take a breath. Steady yourself.</div> Slowly, you force in a breath. It's shaky, but a breath nonetheless. You straighten yourself, leaving your hands clenched at your sides, trembling. <<include "01 passageway">>

The impact isn't enough to hurt you, but it is enough to shake the whole room in a rumble. Your hand trembles as you pull your fists back to your side. The anger doesn't go away though. It only builds. <div class="voice">Are you alright?</div> "I'm //fine//," you grind out through gritted teeth. <div class="voice">Are you sure?</div> You don't repeat yourself, swallowing the fury down until it simmers. At least you try to. <<include "01 passageway">>

You're still, silent. Numb. Your breathing is surprisingly steady, but your vision blurs. <div class="voice">Are you alright?</div> "I'm fine," you murmur. <div class="voice">You're sure?</div> You hum mindlessly. <<include "01 passageway">>

Your eyes scan the cell Ilya was held in, searching every square inch for a reason, a //cause// as to why and //how// it's empty. "<<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> had help." You snap your head towards the sound, finding Faustus standing by the door with his hands clasped behind his back. He doesn't look at you. He looks at the empty cell in front of him. He continues. "It seems Ilya is not the only traitor within our midst." Wait...he isn't- he isn't suggesting that you- "I am not accusing you," he says, sensing your unease. His words don't do anything to dissuade you. "I want you to do something for me," he asks you, speaking delicately. His calmness only serves to unnerve you further. He isn't yelling like he usually does. You swallow hard, following his gaze to the empty cell. "What do you need me to do?" You could almost hear the smile tugging at his lips. "Ilya," he says, testing the name on his tongue. It's a bitter taste. "Before $itheir escape, I had the pleasure of speaking to $ithem. As I asked my question I may have struck $ithem once or twice. <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>> were stubborn. Refused to answer my questions." So that explains $itheir injuries when you saw $ithem. You listen on. "I do not doubt that $ithey'<<vei>> gotten <<=$ithem>>self captured on purpose." That causes you to snap your head towards the man again. "//What?// Why would Ilya let <<=$ithem>>self get caught on purpose?" The man hums, keeping his focus on the cell. "To gain access, what else?" "Access? To what?" "We have a vault close by, close to the dungeons that house several...artefacts from the Depositary. I believe Ilya wanted something from it." Your eyes narrow. <<link "<div class='next'>\"How would you know that?\"</div>" "01 faustusvault">><</link>>

For the first time since stepping in the room with you, the man finally turns to look at you, an unreadable expression plain on his face. You don't even see fury. "I have... a friend. A new friend who tells me things. A friend who was right about Ilya and $itheir reason for being here," he says. "I checked the vault shortly after news of Ilya's escape. An artefact is missing. An important one." You hesitate to ask what artefact. Though it's no matter, Faustus tells you what it is anyway. "It's an old compass, one we found during an excavation. It's rumoured to lead you towards a deity, Ikarius. You've heard of them, yes?" Ikarius? You frown. "The deity of memories?" Faustus hums. "We never truly figured out how it worked but I suspect Ilya has. I took the liberty to put a tracker on the artefact shortly after my friend told me of Ilya's intentions. I'm certain Ilya has it with $ithem right now." You wring your hands. A tracker? What does he want you to do? He reads your question on your face and smiles. "I want you to kill $ithem." <<link "<div class='next'>What?</div>" "01 faustusvault2">><</link>>

"Don't you need Ilya?" you ask. "Don't you need $ithem to lead you to the scroll $ithey took a month ago?" Faustus shakes his head. "I have no need for $ithem anymore. My new friend will provide us with all the information we need to find it." This new friend...Faustus certainly has a lot of trust in them... "Can this friend be trusted?" "Yes." A lump forms in your throat. "Does Tiberius know about this friend of yours?" Faustus' gaze darkens, a single answer uttered past his lips. "//No.//" You don't miss the silent //you are not to tell him about this. About any of this.// And you know exactly why. He doesn't trust him. Ilya couldn't have gotten free without help and Faustus doesn't trust a single person here...except for you. It's why he's telling you in the first place. Because he trusts you. He //trusts// you. "Do you understand me?" he asks. You nod. He smiles approvingly. "Good. You leave today." He never told you where Ilya is... "The Lanes," he says, reading you again. "Ilya is at The Lanes." <<link "<div class='next'>\"Now go.\"</div>" "01 piccolo">><</link>>

<<set $codexpiccolopeak to true>>\ The Lanes is a vast area. Too large for you to run around and chase Ilya. Too public. If you are to kill $ithem, you risk being seen. So you move yourself to a place that gives you a good vantage point over all of The Lanes. <<link 'Piccolo\'s Peak'>><<notify 5s>>''unlocked file:'' piccolo's peak<</notify>><</link>>. It's tall enough that it oversees all of The Lanes and far enough that you won't be seen by any workers. It's essentially the perfect place to be, excluding the fact that the area is mountainous with jagged rock all around. One slip of the foot and you could find yourself tumbling down to your death. Not to mention the hounds that lurk. <<if $jawscar is true>>The last time you saw a hound, you were gifted with a scar by your jaw.<<else>>The last time you faced off with a hound, you almost had your limbs torn off.<</if>> You follow the trail of The Peak, never straying from the path. Staying on the trail is the safest, most reasonable thing to do. You don't need any surprises of the ground crumbling under you. You only need to do one thing. Kill Ilya. You plant the case you lugged with you up the trail, setting it to the side as you stare out over The Lanes, taking the entire layout to memory. Turning back, you lower yourself to the ground, crouching as you press your palm against the rock, focusing your mind on the shadows within The Peaks. Energy begins to thrum beneath your fingertips, small pieces of gravel shaking around you. The shadows begin to bleed down the face of The Peak, pooling under your hand. You only stop when you feel a cool metal touching your palm and you stand. You grasp at the cool metal, pulling it free from the shadows. In your hand is your mask. You cover the lower half of your face with it, the chambers hissing when you do as that familiar colour of violet mist escapes through the vents. Faustus had provided you with a rifle suited to complete the job. It doesn't take much effort to put together after taking it out of its case. Within minutes you're set up completely and you position yourself, down on one knee with the stock of the rifle resting against your shoulder. <<link "<div class='next'>Now all you have to do is wait.</div>" "01 gungungun">><</link>>

Before you left, Tiberius had caught you with the case and asked you where you were going. You told him Faustus gave you a job. You didn't elaborate further. Tiberius didn't stop you. As you look through the scope of the rifle, a figure emerges from a building ten minutes later, wearing a hood. Their face is obscured by another person standing in front of them. You can't tell if it's Ilya. You steady yourself, waiting for the right moment. Waiting to see $itheir face. "Move," you say, addressing the person blocking your way to the one in the hood. You can't make a shot until you see the hooded person's face. They don't move. They just keep on talking, talking about something that frustrates them. They throw their arms in the air and the hooded person has to reach out to them, putting a soothing hand on their shoulder. <div class="voice">Be careful</div> You flicker your gaze to the side for a split second, noticing Alzurahm has decided to situate themself on the top of the case, watching eagerly. You turn back to the figures by the building, watching through the scope of your gun. "Come on, //move//," you mutter. Then, as the sky parts ways for you, your prayers are answered when the person moves, finally showing you the face of the one in the hood. As the wind blows, their hood falls away. Strands of silver hair drift along the course of the wind. You see $itheir grey eyes, $itheir skin of porcelain. "Ilya." You tense under the weight of the gun, heavy in your hands. <<= $ithey.toUpperFirst()>>'<<rei>> right there. Out in the open. Faustus told you to kill $ithem. //Ordered// you to. You force yourself to take in a breath, holding it still and count your heartbeats, prepared to fire in between. One... Two... Your finger begins to move against the trigger, ready to send a roaring bullet through the air. ''*Click*'' You pause, your finger cold against the trigger, but you don't pull it. Something stops you: the familiar sensation of the cold barrel of a gun pressed firmly against the back of your head. <<link "<div class='next'>\"I wouldn't pull that trigger if I were you\"</div>" "01 vira">><</link>>

That voice. You recognise that voice. <div class="voice">Oh dear. Is that-</div> The woman from the bar. <<if $vnightstand is true>>And the woman you slept with. <</if>>\ <div class="voice">Well...that is unexpected.</div> "Lower your weapon," she warns you, her tone bitingly cold. "I won't say it a second time." You don't move, finger on the trigger, still staring at Ilya through the scope. Your mask hisses a violet mist. When you do nothing to follow the woman's request, the gun against your head is pressed harder into your skull, forcing you to lean forward. Faustus told you to kill $ithem. He //ordered// you. You remain still, watching as Ilya begins to walk away. You won't get another chance to do what is asked of you. <div class="voice">You won't get another chance if you're dead either</div> You grind your teeth. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>With no other option, you begin to slowly lower the gun.</div>" "peak fight 1">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You're not letting Ilya get away again. And you're not going to let that woman stop you.</div>" "peak fight 2">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

Your mask hisses again and steadily, in a slow pace, you begin to lower the rifle, its barrel dipping towards the rock. You start to focus your mind on the shadows again, centring on the shadow the woman casts over you. Energy thrums through your fingers once more, a rush surging through your nerves and cells. You bend the dark to your will, commanding it as you would an army. Beneath you and beneath the woman, your shadows begin to darken merging into one. You only need to snap your fingers before a tendril shoots out from the pool below you, snapping around the woman's wrist. It catches the woman off guard greatly, making her fall back hard against the ground when the shadows pull back into the pool, dragging her along with them. In the wake of the struggle, her pistol goes off, its sound reverberating through all of The Lanes. You only need a second. As fast as the pistol went off, you revert to your original position, weapon raised. When you search for Ilya through the scope, your breath catches, finding $ithem staring back at you, sorrow in $itheir eyes. Despite having heard the shots, $ithey stand there, as still as the air around you. The chambers of your mask hisses. And you pull the trigger. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "01 aurius">><</link>>

One second. You only need one second without the woman hovering over you with a gun pointed at your head. You suck in a breath, counting the beats within your chest before abruptly turning to face her, using the length of your gun to knock hers away. The sudden impact between your weapons stuns her, causing her to fire her pistol. The sound of gunfire reverberates through The Lanes. Ilya would have heard it, but you don't think long enough about it before swinging your gun at the woman again. She dodges it gracefully much to your chagrin and the way she recovers just as fast as the first time you hit her only serves to irritate you further. She barely takes a second before aiming her gun back at you and pulling the trigger. <<if $mainskill is "combat">>You tilt your head to the right, letting the bullet skim right past your cheek.<<else>>//''Dodge right,''// Alzurahm says, and you listen. You tilt your head to the right, letting the bullet skim right past your cheek.<</if>> You need that one second. Now. With a quick snap of your fingers, a tendril shoots out from the pool of shadows below you, snapping around the woman's wrist. It catches the woman off guard greatly, making her fall back hard against the ground when the shadows pull back into the pool, dragging her along with them. There, you have your one second. Swiftly, you return your focus to Ilya. Your breath catches when you find $ithem staring back at you, sorrow in $itheir eyes. You pay it little mind. The chambers of your mask hisses. And you pull the trigger. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "01 aurius">><</link>>

The bullet never hits its target. Before the bullet could even leave its chamber, the steel of a blade comes crashing down on top of your gun, cutting it cleanly in half as if it was butter. You watch in quiet surprise as the top half of the rifle falls, tumbling over the edge of The Peak. You hadn't expected that. But you're quick to adapt. Dropping the now useless rifle, you press your palm against the ground, <<if $weapon is "gun">>drawing your gun from the shadows right as the glint of a sword swings towards your face.<<elseif $weapon is "dagger">>pulling out your dagger from the shadows right as the glint of a sword swings towards your face.<<else>>pulling out your blade from the shadows right as the glint of a sword swings towards your face.<</if>> You fall to your back, letting the blade swing past you before jumping back to your feet. When your feet meet ground again, you see a man wielding a sword made of black steel, his own features similar to those of the woman's. "Vira, are you alright?" he asks, his gaze never once straying from yours. You quirk your head to the side. //Vira//. The woman's name is Vira. She recovers nicely after the dirty trick you played on her with the shadows. She drags her arm across her nose, wiping the blood that came after her fall. "Fine," she assures the man, watching you. She blocks your path off The Peak. The corner of your eye twitches at the revelation. You'll need to get through her to get to Ilya. <div class="voice">Above you</div> You roll to the side, barely avoiding the figure that lands where you once stood. When you get back up again, your feet slide to the edge of the Peak, small pieces of stone tumbling off the edge from where you stand. You glance over the edge, finding it to be a long drop. The figure, a $rwoman now standing in your old position, smiles at you. <<link "<div class='next'>\"Hi there\"</div>" "01 rhian">><</link>>

You're surrounded. Left, right and centre by a swordsman who had cut your rifle in half, a woman whom <<if $vnightstand is true>>you slept way just last night<<else>>you met at Snakeskin's<</if>> and a $rwoman who would have likely crushed you if you hadn't rolled away. This was supposed to be a simple job. Completed with ease. This...this wasn't supposed to happen. //Isn't// supposed to happen. A fist clenches by your side as your grip around the handle of your $weapon. You could shadow-walk back down and avoid the three of them altogether. However, that will leave you drained and on low ground, giving them the advantage. Alternatively, you could stay here and kill them with a snap of your fingers. Though it will put you at the risk of not having enough energy to handle any more surprises that may drop out of the sky. //Or// you could stand your ground and fight them with skill alone and hope that's enough. When push comes to shove, you'll use your powers. But only as a last resort. <div class="voice">I have your back</div> <<if $weapon is "gun">><div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>You aim your gun at Vira.</div>" "01 shoot V">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You aim the gun at the swordsman.</div>" "01 shoot A">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You aim the gun at the other $rwoman.</div>" "01 shoot R">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>><<else>><div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>You throw your blade at Vira.</div>" "01 knife V">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You throw your blade at the swordsman.</div>" "01 knife R">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You throw your blade at the other $rwoman.</div>" "01 knife R">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>><</if>>

You're quick to raise a gun at the woman, pulling the trigger without so much as a thought. But the woman is fast, annoyingly fast. She miraculously dodges the bullet that fires from your gun, leaning slightly to the side when she returns fire not even a millisecond later. It's impressive, you admit, being able to fire a weapon so perfectly all while dodging. Most would have waited until they regained their balance before firing back. But not her, no. She takes the opportunity the second she sees it. And she doesn't miss. You fire your gun again and watch as your bullet collides with hers. The collision splits your bullets through its centre, spraying the fragments right past you in a sharp whistle. Neither of you so much as flinch when the splintered pieces land. "Not bad," you compliment, your voice distorted by your mask. You're certain that if the bullets didn't split in half, hers would have found itself right between your eyes. You can't deny that her accuracy is that of a professional. It could surpass even yours if given the time to cultivate. You snap out of your admiration not long after, pulling the trigger again. The bullet is intercepted by the swordsman, who slices it straight out of the air with grace and speed. The sound of metal against steel is something to behold in itself. Once he'd ricocheted your bullet, the man stands beside Vira, holding out a protective hand. "Do not shoot at my //sister//," he advises. Siblings. That would explain their similarities in terms of their speed. A familial trait. "Very well," you say. He asked you not to shoot at his sister, it's only fair you do as he says since he asked so nicely. You train your weapon towards him instead. Though before you could fire, the gun is knocked out of your hands by the other $rwoman, the one who smiled at you. You snap your gaze at the $rwoman and $rthey give<<sr>> you a little wave of $rtheir fingers, swinging a fist at you while you keep your eyes on the little wave. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "01 catch these hands">><</link>>

You're quick to raise a gun at the swordsman, pulling the trigger without so much as a thought. But the man is surprisingly quick and with a swift swing of his blade, he cuts your bullet straight out of the air. It's impressive, you admit, being able to slice a whizzing bullet so perfectly with skill. Most wouldn't be able to do such a thing in the first place. "Impressive," you say, your voice distorted by your mask. You fire your gun again, waiting to see what he'll do next. You don't get to see what he does when unexpectedly, a foreign bullet tears through your own. The collision of the two bullets splits each other through the centre. Your head quirks to where the other bullet originates from as the fragmented bullet whistles past the swordsman. In the line of path of the second bullet, stands Vira, a gun in her hand. She stares at you with a piercing stare, a bitter coldness in her gaze. "Do not shoot my brother." Brother...the swordsman is her brother. It's no wonder they look so alike. It's a familial trait. "Very well," you say. She asked you not to shoot her brother. It's only fair you do as she says since she asked so nicely. You train your weapon towards her instead. Though before you could fire, the gun is knocked out of your hands by the other $rwoman, the one who smiled at you. You snap your gaze at the $rwoman and $rthey give<<sr>> you a little wave of $rtheir fingers, swinging a fist at you while you keep your eyes on the little wave. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "01 catch these hands">><</link>>

You're quick to raise a gun at the other $rwoman. <<= $rthey.toUpperFirst()>> ha<<ver>> no weapon, at least none you can see. And $rthey<<rer>> the closest to you. Shooting at them seems like the easiest logical choice. Right? Wrong. When your gun fires, the $rwoman is quick to dodge, ducking underneath the line of fire with ease. <<= $rthey.toUpperFirst()>> barely wait even a second before slipping $rtheir hand into $rtheir jacket. Before you could even process what was happening, knives are thrown in your direction. <div class="voice">Three of them</div> You let out three shots, one bullet for each knife that heads towards you. "That was impressive," you compliment, your voice distorted by the mask. Not many would be able to throw knives with such precision, let alone three of them simultaneously while dodging a bullet. Upon receiving the compliment, the $rwoman dips $rtheir head in a thankful manner. "I aim to please," $rthey say<<sr>> in a rather lax voice. It's irritating. You prepare to pull the trigger again, but before you can completely, the gun is knocked out of your hand by a hard kick from the $rwoman. By the time you recover, a shadow of a fist comes towards you. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "01 catch these hands">><</link>>

<<if $weapon is "dagger">>You're quick to let your dagger fly out of your hands, letting it go without so much of a thought, aiming it right at the woman.<<elseif $weapon is "sword">>You don't think twice before launching your sword towards the woman, throwing it as if it was a javelin.<</if>> The woman is faster than you imagined. Much faster. She dodges the oncoming blade, twisting to avoid it before reaching out and grabbing it out of the air. Much like what you did, without so much as a thought, she launches it back at you, the accuracy of her throw practically flawless. However, you move faster than she does. You catch your blade between your palms, the tip just a hair away from piercing the area between your eyes. "Impressive reaction time," you compliment, lowering the blade from your face, your voice distorted by the mask. You toss the blade between your hands, making a show of it. "I wonder if you can do it a second time." The blade is thrown again, this time at a faster speed. This time, however, the woman merely stands there, as still as can be, completely unbothered by the fact that there is a blade flying towards her. It's a second later when you realise why. Your blade is knocked out of the air by another, a sword. The contact between the two blades was enough to knock yours off its course and it hits the wall behind the woman instead. The man whose sword was thrown, moves to stand beside Vira, holding out a protective hand in front of her. "Do not throw your blade at my //sister//," he advises. Siblings. That would explain the similarities in terms of their speed. A familial trait. He asked you not to aim at his sister. It's only fair you do as he asks since he asked so nicely. You think he'll make a fine substitute. You snap your fingers. The siblings narrow their eyes at you. Behind them, the shadows of The Peak begin to swallow your blade. You don't waste a second before crouching at an unnatural speed, grasping at the shadows below you. When you feel the cold of your blade within the shadows, you grab at it, pulling it free from the dark and launching it again. It's caught out of the air before it reaches its target. The $rwoman from before, the one who smiles at you, catches it, flipping in $rtheir hand<<sr>>, testing its weight. She throws it back at you, just as quick, just as accurate. And you dodge it, reaching out for it again as it flies past you. But you're stopped from grabbing it when out of the corner of your eye, you see a shadow of a fist coming towards you. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "01 catch these hands">><</link>>

<<if $weapon is "dagger">>You're quick to let your dagger fly out of your hands, letting it go without so much as a thought, aiming it right at the woman.<<elseif $weapon is "sword">>You don't think twice before launching your sword towards the woman, throwing it as if it was a javelin.<</if>> Though the man is quicker than you first imagined and he dodges your blade with ease and with grace. It's almost like a dance, the way he dodges. Serene with immense control. Your weapon hits the wall behind him instead. "Excellent reflexes," you compliment, your mask distorting the sound of your voice. "Thank you," he says earnestly. In your brief moment of distraction, the woman, Vira, cocks her gun at you again and pulls the trigger without so much as a word. It seemed like it was natural for them to do it. The man would draw the opponents attention and as a consequence, the woman takes the kill. Their own dirty little trick. You tilt your head to the side at the last second and the bullet brushes past the side of your head. "Do not throw your blade at my brother," Vira warns coldly. Brother...the swordsman is her brother. It's no wonder they look so alike. It's a familial trait. "Very well," you say. She asked you not to shoot her brother. It's only fair you do as she says since she asked so nicely. You snap your fingers. The siblings narrow their eyes at you. Behind them, the shadows of The Peak begin to swallow your blade. You don't waste a second before crouching at an unnatural speed, grasping at the shadows below you. When you feel the cold of your blade within the shadows, you grab at it, pulling it free from the dark and launching it again. It's caught out of the air before it reaches its target. The $rwoman from before, the one who smiles at you, catches it, flipping in $rtheir hand<<sr>>, testing its weight. She throws it back at you, just as quick, just as accurate. And you dodge it, reaching out for it again as it flies past you. But you're stopped from grabbing it when out of the corner of your eye, you see a shadow of a fist coming towards you. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "01 catch these hands">><</link>>

You're quick to aim your blade at the other $rwoman. <<= $rthey.toUpperFirst()>> ha<<ver>> have no weapon, at least none you can see. And $rthey<<rer>> the closest to you. Going for them seems like the easiest choice, right? Wrong. When your weapon is launched at them, the $rwoman is quick slipping $rtheir hands into $rtheir jacket. Before you could even process what was happening, knives are thrown, knocking your blade out of its course. It only causes your $weapon to drop right before $rtheir feet. You can't help but quirk a brow. "Impressive," you compliment, your mask distorted the sound of your voice. Upon receiving the compliment, the $rwoman dips $rtheir head in a thankful manner. "I aim to please," $rthey say<<sr>> in a rather lax voice. It's irritating. You snap your fingers. Behind the $rwoman, the shadows of The Peak begin to swallow your blade. You don't waste a second before crouching at an unnatural speed, grasping at the shadows below you. When you feel the cold of your blade within the shadows, you grab at it, pulling it free from the dark and launching it again. It's caught out of the air before it reaches its target. The $rwoman from before, the one who smiles at you, catches it, flipping in $rtheir hand<<sr>>, testing its weight. She throws it back at you, just as quick, just as accurate. And you dodge it, reaching out for it again as it flies past you. But you're stopped from grabbing it when out of the corner of your eye, you see a shadow of a fist coming towards you. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "01 catch these hands">><</link>>

You snap your hand up, catching the $rwoman's wrist, and gripping it tight. <<= $rtheir.toUpperFirst()>> fist stops an inch away from making contact with your nose. <<if $stoic <= 50>>You pause for a second, carefully watching as $rtheir eyes are blown wide before jerking $rthem over the edge of the Peak.<<else>>There's a knowing look in your eyes and you see $rtheir own widen before you jerk $rthem over the edge of the Peak.<</if>> There's a yelp from the $rwoman before you hear nothing. "Rhian!" the swordsman shouts, rushing towards you, sword raised, an odd look of fury in his gaze. So $rtheir name was Rhian. <div class="voice">Duck</div> You listen dutifully and duck right under the swing of the swordsman's blade. Snapping your fingers again, a tendril of shadows shoots from the ground, coiling around his legs, stopping him in his tracks. It takes him aback, being suddenly halted. When he looks down and sees the sliver of shadows, he darts his gaze back at you, curiosity now replacing that fury. You rush past the man, ignoring him for the time being and lunge at the raven-haired woman. She raises her gun at you. This time, instead of dodging, you seize the hands gripped tightly around the gun and force it out of your way just before the trigger is pulled. A crack of the bullet whips through the air. <<link "<div class='next'>The silence thereafter is deafening</div>" "01 grazed by the gun">><</link>>

You stare at the smoking barrel of the gun. Silent. <div class="voice">You're bleeding</div> Warmth trails down the side of your face, the lingering burn of a bullet right by your temple. The bullet...the bullet grazed you... You're //bleeding//. As you keep your grip tight around the woman's hands, keeping them from moving closer to your face, you reach up to the side of your head. Your blood is thick between your fingers. She pushes against your hold, muscles straining as she attempts to get you staring directly down the barrel of the gun. The gun shakes against your struggle, trembling as it moves closer to you. She's strong. But you're stronger. You put in just as much strength, staring down at her as you gradually force the gun further away from you. The look on her face has a certain sternness to it, one that tells you she isn't one to give up without a hard fight. <div class="voice">behind you</div> By instinct, you snap your free hand behind you. There's the touch of cold steel against the palm of your hand, warmed only by your blood. The edge of the steel cuts deep into your skin, spilling your red ichor until it trails down the black steel. Looking back, you see the swordsman free of his shadowy chains. He looks at you in shock, not expecting your hand to still be intact after his blow. Perhaps it's due to sheer luck that his blade hadn't cut through flesh and bone. You remain in between the two siblings, facing a dilemma. You take a minute to think of a way to get out of the situation. It takes little time for you to think of a solution. You begin to push with all your might, against the gun held by your head. You have to lean your head to the side only slightly before the barrel lines directly in front of the Swordsman. Just a little further and the Peaks would be gaining a new paint job. Vira, the clever woman she is, realises what you're attempting to do and she fights back, pushing against you. By the time the swordsman realises the same, the gun goes off. <<link "<div class='next'>And another crack whips through the air</div>" "01 done for">><</link>>

Luck, you're beginning to believe, is something which you don't have. At all. It always seems to find a way to make you think you're fortunate only to take it away at the last possible minute. Just as a gunshot rings through the Peaks, a solid kick to your back pushes you forward and you stagger forward, loosening your grip on both the sword and the gun. The bullet only misses the swordsman by a hair. A low growl is let out from the depths of your throat. Angry and full of annoyance as you grab a hand full of gravel. Slowly, you push yourself off the ground, still clutching rock sand in your fist. Turning around, you find that the duo has become a trio again. The $rwoman you threw over the edge has managed to crawl back up, though not without looking dishevelled in every way. Dirt coats $rtheir clothes, $rtheir face and $rtheir skin. A few more scratches on $rtheir face than before. <<= $rthey.toUpperFirst()>> wave<<sr>> a little wave at you, an innocent smile on $rtheir face, perhaps a little too chirpy for a person who had just been thrown over the edge. "Miss me?" $rthey say<<sr>>. You narrow your eyes, speaking gravelly. "Very much." You throw the handful of gravel at the $rwoman but $rthey duck<<sr>> under it. You see $rthem smile at you, sharp. Just like the knife $rthey throw<<sr>> at you not a moment later. You snap your hand up, catching the blade between your fingers before it hits your eye. You almost throw $rthem a look that says "really?" but a quiet beeping preoccupies your mind. The knife is beeping. Knives aren't supposed to bee- Suddenly, a bright white light explodes in your face and by reflex, you shut your eyes, stumbling back as your hand shoots up to shield your eyes. You hear a ringing pulse in your ears, making it hard for you to focus on the others around you. Every noise begins to sound muddled together. You snarl, the ring in your ear becoming sharper, a sharp ache in your skull. You crumble then, falling to your knees and you jam the heel of your palm between your eyes. By the time the ring fades and the ache in your head dulls, you come face to face with a gun at your skull, a knife by your throat and the feeling of a sword's tip pressed against your spine. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>Fuck.</div>" "01 fuck">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>//Fuck.//</div>" "01 fuck">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>''Fuck.''</div>" "01 fuck">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

You're beginning to get another headache, only this time, they're in the form of three human beings. You stay as still as you can, the sharp edges of the knife pressed against your throat cuts a little deeper every time you swallow. Every little move you make, from the blink of your eyes to the twitch of your fingers, the gun gets ready to fire a little bit quicker. And with every tiny shift you make, the sword pointed against your spine digs deeper into your flesh as if waiting for an excuse to sever your nerves. You are, in simple terms: fucked. <<link "<div class='next'>Next</div>" "endofdemo">><</link>>

<<set $gamechapter to "Chapter 02">>\ <<set $chapterno to "02">>\ <div class="chap-cont"> <div class="chap-title">02</div> <div class="chap-sub">"For The Burning Sun"</div> <<if settings.content_warning>>\ <div class="cw"><b>CONTENT WARNING:</b> Violence, Blood, Death, Torture.</div> <</if>>\ <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "chapter 02 begin">><</link>> </div>

<div class="when-where">Twelve years ago<span>Training day</span></div> You always hated training day. Tiberius never understood the term "rest" whenever it was time to train. He'd push you until you ran ragged, or until you've beem beaten black and blue. It only ever really stop until you win only once. You've been at it the entire morning and afternoon. And out of the //many// rounds, you've lost every single one. "Again," Tiberius orders, standing at the side of the room, watching you clutching to the mat. You couldn't do anything but let out a rough breath of air. It sounded like a growl against the mat. You would ask to take a break, but you already know the answer. There's no break for you until you win. "Focus." //Focus.// It's hard to focus given just how tired and worn out you are at the moment. Another breath leaves you as you push yourself up, your sweaty hand leaving prints on the mat. You drag your arm across your forehead, wiping the remainder of the sweat that trails your skin. A nice hot bath would be nice right about now. "Take position." You sigh, taking position. The same one you've taken every single time Tiberius uttered those words. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "02 training">><</link>>

In front of you, there were five opponents, members of The Court. They all have their faces hidden in a hood. You wonder if they're sweating just as badly as you. In their hands, they hold a wooden stick, thick enough that if you were hit hard enough you'd end up with broken bones. You think you're ribs are already broken, or bruised. Maybe both. You don't know. All you know is that it hurts to breath. The five in front of you take their position, almost mirroring you. The only difference between you is that you're unarmed, badly beaten and goddamn tired. "This is unfair," you mutter, watching the five. To your left, Tiberius sighs and you can see from the corner of your eye that he shakes his head. "This isn't supposed to be //fair.// This is supposed to prepare you for worse times and you find yourself alone with no one to help you. Your enemies will not fight you with sticks. They will cut you with steel, bleed you out with a single well placed bullet." It still would've been nice for him to start with something more...easy. Build up your skill and everything instead of diving straight into something you have little to no experience with. Before this, you fought two of them simultaneously. It took some time, but you managed to beat them. But to suddenly add three more to the group? How the hell are you supposed to win against them? It's five grown adults vs you...you barely just turned fifteen. "You have something they don't. Use it." <<link "<div class='next'>Begin</div>" "02 fight 2">><</link>>

The five charges at you all at once, leaving you little time to even prepare yourself for the first blow. You catch the blow with your forearms, the shock of it pushing you back. You can't put hiss at the pain that follows and rub at your arm, pressing your lips together. Tiberius sighs again. "You're faster than this. Dodge and coutner." On a normal day, yes, you are. But on days where you've spent the entire morning and half of the afternoon doing nothing but training, you're bound to become a little sluggish. <div class="voice">perhaps if you delude yourself into thinking you are not tired?</div> You roll your eyes. Because that is so helpful. <div class="voice">It was only a suggestion.</div> What you //need// is a break. Even five minutes will do. Maybe even two. "Try again," Tiberius says. "Try to predict what they'll do next." You rub your arms again. The ache doesn't fade. Nonetheless, you get into position. They rush you once more. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>When in doubt, duck and roll.</div>" "02 duck and roll">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You take them head on, striking back as hard as you can.</div>" "02 strike">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You dodge them when ever you can, only striking when an opportunity presents itself.</div>" "02 graceful">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

Miraculously, it works. For a time. You manage to dodge the first few attacks, allowing the wooden stick to fly past your head as they swing towards you. But after a couple more of ducking and rolling, it gets tiresome. You can't keep avoiding them forever. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>You take them head on, striking back as hard as you can.</div>" "02 strike">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You dodge them when ever you can, only striking when an opportunity presents itself.</div>" "02 graceful">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

You take the brunt of the blows that comes at you, grunting and flinches when they come into contact but you bear the pain and return with hardened blows of your own. There are cracks every time you make contact, but you're unsure if its the sound of your own bones breaking or theirs. Still, you keep going. You manage to dodge a few swings, countering them with a kick to their stomach or a sharp jab to the softest most vulnerable parts of their bodies. A few of them stagger back at the impact, clutching the parts where you manage to land a blow. However, they get back up just as quick as they fall. <<include "02 fight 3">>

You're careful with the actions you take, dodging whatever you can and attacking when they fail to protect their vulnerable spots. A quick, sharp jab to their stomachs is enough to send them keeling over and while they're busy attempting to gather themselves, you don't waste the chance to send another blow, kicking them back until they stagger, However, they get back up just as quickly as they fall. <<include "02 fight 3">>

You're surrounded. Pushed into the corner like a dog for the nth time today. Gods, the things you'd do for a break. The five don't show any sign of slowing down. Their weapons are raised, about to be brought down onto you. You wonder how many blows it will take for them to break all your bones. Five good hits? Maybe less if they're stronger. Five would be a good guess. The wood swings down all at once. Unconsciously, you bring your arm up to protect yourself. The first impact you feel is the one that connect against your already battered arms. You can't help but wince at it. The second finds its way against your leg, forcing you on your knees. The third by your back and it makes you fall flat against the mat this time. The fourth blow comes towards your head, and you draw your arms up again, protecting your skull. It makes contact with your hands instead and its difficult not to let out any noise of pain. The final blow comes, but its not from the expected touch of a wooden stick. Its the feel of a boot, striking at your stomach. "Enough!" Tiberius shouts. You could hear the disappointment in his voice. All at once, the beatings stop and you're left with the echoeing ache of the strikes made against your body. The five shuffles away from you, but you remain where you are, curled into yourself, breathing heavily. You peak out through the gaps between your fingers. Tiberius is looking at you with his brows furrowed. "All of you, take a break. We'll continue later," he says, waving the five off. If it wasn't for the sharp pain in your chest, you would have let out a breath of relief and if it didn't hurt so much you would have rolled onto your back with your limbs sprawled out. "Can you move?" Tiberius asks, oddly gentle. He walks over to you, to your curled form and crouches. "We can continue tomorrow if you truly can't go on today." You mumble. "I just need a minute." If Faustus learned that you've been skipping out on the rest training day for a bit of rest, you doubt the next day would be made any easier for you. He's always been like that. If you take it easy one day, the next would be made twice as hard. Slowly, you begin you uncurl yourself, grimacing as your limbs have grown stiff. It hurts, but you manage to push yourself until you're sitting instead of lying on the ground. <<link "<div class='next'>you only need a minute</div>" "02 a minute">><</link>>

A minute turns into two. Then to five. You still sit there, attempting to gather yourself. Every time you touch a spot of where you've been hit sends a jolt of pain through your nerves. It's going to bruise. But none of that compares to the sharp pain when ever you take in a breath. It feels like you've been stabbed four to five times when you do. Five minutes turns into ten... You need to get up. The longer you prolong it, the worse it'll get. Gradually, you push yourself on to your feet, staggering a little when you feel another sharp pain by your legs. You huff, running a a bloodied hand through your hair. Your knuckles have split open. That's going to be a big pain too. Tiberius watches you, the furrow between his brows never once relaxing. You don't know what he's thinking. "Let's get this done," you breathe out, unable to hold back the fatigue from you voice. The man nods and calls for the others. They gather without a word, clutching the wooden sticks as if they were a lifeline. <<link "<div class='next'>Begin</div>" "02 part 2">><</link>>

Like vultures, they circle you. Unlike before, they don't rush you. They only watch, observing the way you move and how you breathe. You can't shake that feeling of unease as they do. Their gazes pierce into you, sharper than the edge of a blade. <div class="voice">Breathe</div> You can't. It hurts too much. <div class="voice">You can. Take a breathe. Make it slow.</div> Slow...you can do slow. You take a breath, ignoring the slight ache of your chest. <div class="voice">Feel the air around you. The displacements they make with their bodies</div> Their walk is slow, taking careful quiet steps. <div class="voice">Note when they pause, the shadows they cast in the room</div> In a steady rhythm, they slow down more than usualy every two seconds or so. The shadows they cast darkens the room, all around, taking space. <div class="voice">With only a snap of your fingers, you can end it</div> <<link "<div class='next'>//end it//</div>" "02 end">><</link>>

Impatience. You can see the impatience in their eyes. They're tired of waiting for you to do something. Then again, just like before, they all rush towards you. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>Snap your fingers.</div>" "02 snap">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>Snap Your Fingers.</div>" "02 snap">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>''Snap. Your. Fingers.''</div>" "02 snap">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

Like a switch that's been flipped, the room goes dark. As if the sun no longer existed. The windows, where the light shines, have been swallowed by the dark. Tiberius, who previously had his arms crossed, suddenly lets them drop to his side and takes a step forward. He's only stopped when his boot steps in a sleek puddle, too thick to be water. His mouth opens, but not one sound comes out. Whatever words that sat on his tongue is swallowed back down when that switch is flipped again and light begins to fill the room. It comes slowly, the light. Only let back in as the shadows bleeds away. Beneath his feet, is a pool made of scarlet. He doesn't take another step forward, taking one back instead. The scarlet pool only follows him, seeping across the floor until it reaches his feet again. In the centre of the room, only one figure stands, breathing heavily and trembling. Surrounding $them, lies the motionless five, their eyes wide open with blood trailing out of their orifices. Their limbs, that once looked normal, have been twisted in unnatural directions. Like they've been wringed like rags. "Child," Tiberius says carefully, cautious not to agitate the $child. <<= $they.toUpperFirst()>> do<<es>>n't respond, heavy breathing intensifying. The man steps over the bodies of the five, taking small steps at first, then bigger ones, just until he's an arms length away from the $child. Slowly, he reaches his hand out to $them, testing the waters to see how $they'd react to his touch. When $they do<<es>>n't show any signs of moving away, Tiberius lets his hand fall flat against $their shoulder, squeezing lightly. It's only then does the $child freeze, slowing $their breathing to a stop. <<= $they.toUpperFirst()>> do<<es>>n't tear $their gaze away from the bodies that lies around $them. Instead, $they take<<s>> them in, disbelieving at the fact that damage done was by $their own hand. "Get some rest," Tiberius says. "I'll take care of things here." The $child doesn't argue and nods $their head stiffly, $their gaze lingering over the five as $they begin to stagger away, a hand clutching at $their stomach - sick at the sight. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "02 surrounded">><</link>>

<div class="when-where">Present time<span>Piccolo's peak</span></div> If someone had told you that one day you would end up having the fate of your life controlled by three skilled fighters, you would have laughed. If someone had told you that the reason your life was in their hands was because of the traitorous act committed by your close friend, you would have laughed harder. You aren't laughing now. You aren't laughing. Not even a little bit. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "02 not laughing">><</link>>

//Gods,// how the hell did you end up here. Was it because of your own foolishness or were you too overconfident in your abilities? You can't so much as move without having them draw closer to ending you from where you stand. Even the slightest twitch puts them on high alert. But you only need a single snap of your fingers. Just the one. "Don't," the swordsman warns, digging the tip of his blade deeper into your spine, ready to sever it at a moments notice. He knows what you're thinking of doing. Your mask hisses and underneath, you grimace. "So...what do we do with $them?" Rhian asks, pressing $rtheir lips together. There's a long silence that follows before $rthey continue<<sr>>. "I vote we get rid of $them the permanent way." The swordsman is quick to rebute the suggestion. "No, we should take $them back to The Hague, let $them stand trial." "<<=$they.toUpperFirst()>>'<<re>> obviously too much of a danger to be left alive. It's better to kill $rthem and be done with it," Rhian argues. "We are not judge, jury and executioner, Rhian we can't-" "I love you, Aurius, but stick that high and mighty attitude up your ass. You do know who this //is//, yes? The great Devil's Beast. We've lost countless men against $them! Good men." "The decision is still not up to us." They argue as if you aren't even there. "The world will be better off-" "We can't-" "Enough! Both of you," Vira snaps, annoyed at their bickering. She sends a sharp glare towards the swordsman and an even sharper one towards Rhian, a glare that says that $rthey should know better. "We take $them with us for now. Elias will want to speak with $them before sending $them to The Hague." Rhian mutters something under $rtheir breath, too quiet for you to hear, but $rthey do<<esr>>n't argue. <<link "<div class='next'>you can't win</div>" "02 whatcha gonna do">><</link>>

A silence drills into the air with only the occasional hissing of your mask interrupting. "Take off $their mask," Vira says, speaking to Rhian. She flicks her chin at you. Your gaze snaps towards the woman, eyes narrowed, staring her down. "If you know what's best for you, you wouldn't," you tell her, pronouncing every word delicately, making sure that each word is said clearly enough for her to be unable to mistake the underlying threat. She raises her brow at you, daring you to attack her, to do anything to stop her. She knows you can't do anything, not without risking injury to yourself. Not without risking failure. "So...should I?" Rhian asks, looking between the lot of you. Vira nods, telling $rthem to ahead. Complying, as one hand is on the knife pressed against your throat, Rhian reaches towards your mask with the other, grasping either side. Your jaw clenches, another hiss of purple gas escaping through the chambers as you breathe. "I warned you," you hum quietly. You ready yourself for what's to come. When Rhian begins to tug at your mask, you can't help but clench your jaw, counting down the seconds. The second Rhian pulled at a certain strength, a strong jolt of electricity surges across your mask. The $rwoman drops the knife in $rtheir hand, the force of the shock forcing them back. Before $rthey even manage to it the ground, you lunge forward at the $rwoman, ignoring the sound of gunfire as you snatch the knife from the ground and rush the $rwoman. "I warned you," you echo, grabbing Rhian by the collar and pulling $rthem close, using $rtheir body as a shield against the others before pressing $rtheir knife against $rtheir throat in the same manner $rthey did to you. You told them it wasn't a good idea. It's not your fault they didn't listen. As the adrenaline from the sudden lunge fades away, you're faintly aware of a throbbing pain in your shoulder. A warmth trailing down your side. You suppose the bullet finally managed to hit its target. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>\"How about we all take it easy?\" you say, calm.</div>" "02 react 1">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>\"Take another step, I dare you,\" you spit out.</div>" "02 react 2">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>\"If you care for friend's life, you'll be wise to keep away,\" you warn.</div>" "02 react 3">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>No words are needed to be said for them to understand you.</div>" "02 react 4">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

You're calm, but keenly aware of just bad the situation has gotten. You're still outnumbered, still tired and still bleeding. How much longer until you bleed to death? Aurius - the swordsman's name you've learned - takes a small step forward. You take a step back, dragging Rhian with you. "You can stop right there," you warn, pressing the knife against the $rwoman's throat. "I'm getting twitchy. Wouldn't want to accidentally hurt your friend here." None of this would have happened if they'd just minded their own business and let you do your job. Rhian tenses against you, holding $rtheir palm up. "You know what, Aurius. We should do what this nice $woman says. It //would be// a damn shame if $they hurt<<s>> your pretty friend." <<=$rthey.toUpperFirst()>> chuckles. You can't tell whether $rthey'<<rer>> nervous or not. A short distance away from the swordsman, Vira stands quietly, eyes narrowed, calculating. "Sorry, Rhian," she says. Rhian can't help but quirk $rtheir head slightly. "What-" <<link "<div class='next'>another shot rings</div>" "02 fucking shot">><</link>>

You're goddamn angry. You think you've earned the right too. This entire thing is a fucking disaster. You're tired, outnumbered and bleeding. In front of you, Aurius holds his palms out. "How about we talk about this?" You press the knife against Rhian's throat deeper. "I'm not in the mood for a //talk//," you snarl. What you want is what you are owed. Ilya's life. None of this would have happened if they had just minded their own fucking business and let you do your job in the first place. "You sure we can't talk about it?" Rhian says, chuckling. You can't tell whether $rthey'<<rer>> nervous or not. You answer by nicking a small part of $rtheir neck, drawing a thin line of blood. "Jesus, alright. Alright!" $rthey say<<sr>>. A short distance away from the swordsman, Vira stands quietly, eyes narrowed, calculating. "Sorry, Rhian," she says. Rhian can't help but quirk $rtheir head slightly. "What-" <<link "<div class='next'>another shot rings</div>" "02 fucking shot">><</link>>

Aurius - the swordsman's name you've learned - takes a small step forward. "If you care for your life, you'd be wise to let $rthem go." You take a step back, dragging Rhian with you, pressing the knife deeper into $rtheir throat, drawing a thin line of blood. You don't miss the way he speaks as if pleaing with you. This would have never happened if they had just minded their own business and let you do your job. "You know what? Why don't we all take a nice deep breath and talk about this like the civil people we are?" Rhian says, chuckling. You can't tell whether $rthey'<<rer>> nervous or not. A short distance away from the swordsman, Vira stands quietly, eyes narrowed, calculating. "Sorry, Rhian," she says. Rhian can't help but quirk $rtheir head slightly. "What-" <<link "<div class='next'>another shot rings</div>" "02 fucking shot">><</link>>

Aurius - the swordsman's name you've learned - takes a small step forward. "Let's talk about this," he says. You take a step back, dragging Rhian with you. You're in no mood for a talk. None of this would have happened if they had just minded their own business and let you do your job. "I agree. Surely we can talk about this like civil people?" Rhian says, chuckling. You can't tell if whether $rthey'<<re>> nervous or not. But as you said before, you're in no mood to talk. You press the knife deeper against $rtheir throat, drawing a thin line of blood. "Jesus, alright. Alright!" $rthey say<<sr>>. A short distance away from the swordsman, Vira stands quietly, eyes narrowed, calculating. "Sorry, Rhian," she says. Rhian can't help but quirk $rtheir head slightly. "What-" <<link "<div class='next'>another shot rings</div>" "02 fucking shot">><</link>>

You stand there in utter shock. Following the shot, there was a tension in the air that was ready to be snapped. Eventually, it would be...when Rhian lurches forward, crumbling to the ground. Vira just shot her own team member. She just- She trains her gun back at you, barely even phased that she's shot her friend. "Vira!" Aurius growls, more annoyed than anything else. Like it was an inconvenience for her to shoot Rhian. He doesn't even sound upset at the fact that their friend remains motionless on the ground. The woman only answers with a glance. What do you do now? You do what you only know what to do. <<link "<div class='next'>You fight</div>" "02 fight again">><</link>>

With the knife still in your hand, you lunge at the person closest to you, the swordsman. He doesn't expect you to suddenly dash at you, certainly not at the speed in which you do. The man brings his sword up, blocking your attack. You won't lie that it's frustrating, getting blocked again. In your frustration, you throw a kick at his hand clutching the sword, dropping down and swiping at his feet. When he's knocked over, you take the opportunity to throw the knife towards Vira, not bothering to look to see whether you hit your target before turning your attention back onto the swordsman, who hadn't even been given the chance to fully fall before you bring the heel of your foot down onto him. He's stunned from the sudden blow and in that moment, you snatch his sword away from him and turn towards Vira before he gets the chance to gather himself. She has her gun back on you and you snap your fingers, a tendril of shadows latches onto her wrist, pulling her down. You snap your fingers again and more tendrils latches onto her, coiling around her and then around Aurius, preventing him from reaching you. And you bring the sword down. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "02 whoopa">><</link>>

You're beginning to think that the world is working against you. Because like so many times before, you've been interrupted again. This time with a hard shove to the your side. You practically let out a savage growl by the time you get back to your feet, spinning on your heels only to see a very live, very annoyed Rhian. Though it's less so targeted at you and more towards the woman on the ground, wrapped up in shadows that are beginning to dissipate. "You fucking //shot// me!?" $rthey bellow<<sr>>, deeply annoyed. More annoyed than angry despite the fact $rthey'<<ver>> been shot. You get the faintest impression that this isn't the first time it has happened. There's a cut on $rtheir arm from where $rthey'<<ver>> been shot. It was only a graze. Vira, finally free from the clutches of the tendrils, grunts as she pushes herself up. "I did," she answers, turning back her attention on you. With Vira free and the tendrils gone, you're not surprised to see that Aurius has made his way to her with a frown. God this day keeps getting better and better. You prepare yourself for another round. What round would it be this time? Three? Four? Why won't they just give up? It'll be better for everyone if they did. Your finger twitches, intending on snapping them again. Maybe you should just make things easier for yourself and kill them all where they stand. It wouldn't be hard for you, but it would take a lot of your energy to do so. Is is something you can risk? <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>You've had enough of this. Best you end it here and now regardless of how much it takes from you to do it.</div>" "02 collar">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You should, shouldn't you? But you can't help but run through the different consequences that could follow if you do. </div>" "02 collar">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

Whatever you decide, however, doesn't matter. You're not given the chance to act before something clamps around your neck; a cool steel that locks around you. And then you feel it...the excruciating pain that burns around the skin of your neck. It forces you to take a knee and you bite your tongue trying to stop yourself from yelling. You only snarl and growl as you attempt to pry it off your neck. But despite mustering whatever strength you have left, it doesn't move. It only burns your fingers when you touch it, the smell of burning flesh searing into your nose. You've been collared. Like a fucking animal, you've been collared. You certainly feel like one at the moment, breathing so heavily through your teeth that if you weren't wearing a mask, they'd be able to see just how badly you're frothing at the mouth, rabid with anger. Completely and utterly enraged. You snap your head back to get a look at the person who managed to collar you. There, staring at you and swallowing hard with remorse, stands Ilya; a remote in $itheir hand with a finger pressed on the button. Uncrontrollably, you lunge at the $iwoman, only to fall short at $itheir feet when the burning intensifies. You writhe, snarling and growling as you trail your hands to the collar, desperate to get it off. You can't. <<link "<div class='next'>and you burn until your vision fades</div>" "02 flashback deux">><</link>>

<div class="when-where">Twelve years ago<span>Quarter hall, room 614</span></div> You stagger into your room, grunting and as soon as you shut the door behind you, you peel off your shirt, taking note of the blood stains on the fabric. It's not going to come out any time soon. Your ribs don't fare any better. Already, your skin has begun to yellow and darkening to black and blue. Even the littlest movement you make has you wanting to bark out a curse. But you hold your tongue, taking in a deep breath every time you feel that urge. You're going to need to bandage...practically you're entire body, though not before putting on an ointment, which is going to be difficult all things considered. You're knuckles are still throbbing. A sigh leaves you while you lower yourself onto your bed, wincing when a sharp pain shoots through your chest. Then there's a knock on your door and you blow another breath out, standing again and loosely throwing a button shirt around your shoulders before heading towards the door. You crack it open slightly, hiding yourself behind the door. You see Ilya standing there, who frowns when $ithey notice the split knuckles on your hand. "Hey, you okay?" $ithey ask<<si>>. "Training day," is all you reply with. You don't need to say much else f $ithem to know what you mean. It's not the first time Ilya has seen you split knuckled and broken ribs. "You need help?" $ithey ask<<si>>. "I heard you had a pretty rough day today." Rough as in you've been beaten repeatedly and then proceeded to murder them all without even batting an eye. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>You can't bandage yourself on your own. Not with the injuries you've sustained; you step aside, letting some room for Ilya to come in.</div>" "02 ily bandage">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You shake your head. You're stubborn enough to want to do it on your own.</div>" "02 ily no bandage">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

"Are you sure?" Ilya asks, looking over you. You probably don't look good. And with the injuries you've gotten, it's going to take a while if you are going to try and do everything yourself. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>You're sure.</div>" "02 ily sure">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You pull your lips into a thin line and step aside, letting Ilya into the room. You can't do it on your own.</div>" "02 ily bandage">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

Ilya pauses for a moment, as if waiting for you to change your mind. When you don't, $ithey hum<<si>> quietly. "Alright, but if you do need me, I'll be outside. Just give me a shout, kay?" You nod. "Yeah, got it." Before Ilya turns away, you call out to $ithem again, scratching the back of your head when $ithey look at you curiously. You clear your throat, unable to stop yourself from looking away. "I uh- thanks for offering." <<=$ithey.toUpperFirst()>> throw<<si>> you a bright smile. "Of course," $ithey say<<si>>. "Remember to holler if you need help." "Yeah yeah," you mutter, gently shutting the door. You could hear $ithem chuckle behind the door. You stalk over to the bathroom next, taking a second to search through the drawers for an ointment Tiberius gave you. It was a formula he made himself and it was effective too. You find the ointment tucked away at the back of the drawer, a thin little label reading "Tiberius' special ointment" slapped onto the lid of the tin. You head back to your bed, sitting at the edge and immediately twist open the lid of the tin, swiping at the ointment before applying a thin layer to your bruised ribs. You chew your lip as you rub it into your skin from the stinging, but soon, it fades with a cool sensation replacing it. You apply the ointment where you can; your arms, legs- all the places you can reach until it's time for you to apply it onto your back. That's the more difficult part. Ususally you can get to the more reachable parts by stretching though considering how much it hurts to move in such a way... You press your lips together, turning to stare at the room to your door. Ilya did say that if you needed help you could holler for $ithem. "Hey, Ilya?" you shout, hoping $ithey ha<<vei>>n't left yet. You get an answer almost instantly. "Yeah? You okay?" $ithey ask<<si>>, the concern in $itheir voice palpable. "Could you...could you help me out? Please," you say, the last part in a whisper. "Of course. Can I come in?" "Yeah, doors unlocked." <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "02 ily bandage 2">><</link>>

The door creaks open and you see Ilya peek inside, looking around before stepping inside. "Gods, you got hit hard, huh?" Ilya says, walking over to you with $itheir palm open towards you. You toss the ointment over. "Multiple times too." Ilya hops onto your bed, letting out a long whistle when $ithey see<<si>> the full picture of your back. "They really did not hold back." "That bad?" A pause. "Ahm...no- no. It's not //that// bad. It's just...mm how do I say it?" "Like I've been beaten up by five people?" "Yeah, that just about describes it," $ithey chuckle, hoping to make light of your situation. "Take a breath for me? It's gonna be cold." You shrug, waving off the concern. "I'm sure I'll be fine." "If you say so..." You were wrong. The second that ointment hit you skin, Ilya had to clamp a hand over your shoulder to stop you from jumping off the bed. It felt as if that part of you had been dunked into a bucket of iced water. "I told you," Ilya says, the smugness in that voice of $itheirs loud. You can practically imagine the smile on $itheir face. You mumble a curse under your breath as Ilya continues. <<=$itheir.toUpperFirst()>> gentle while rubbing in the ointment, careful not to put to much force that it would hurt you. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'><span>A familiar warmth bubbles in your stomach and despite knowing how bad of an idea it is, you can't help but lean into $itheir touch.</span></div>" "02 crush soft">><<set $ilya_crush to "soft crush">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'><span>You swallow, digging your nails into skin as you have it clamped over your knees. There's that familiar warmth in your stomach again. You've had these...//feelings// for some time now.</span></div>" "02 crush denial">><<set $ilya_crush to "pls no crush">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>This reminds you fondly of the times you'd always turn to each other for help whenever one of you get hurt.</div>" "02 all done">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>This isn't the first time you've been bandaged up by Ilya. You could always count on $ithem to help you</div>" "02 all done">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

"Gods, you got hit hard, huh?" Ilya says, noticing the bruises on your body while following you into the room. "Yeah, and multiple times too," you reply, stalking over to the bathroom, intending to look through the drawers for an ointment Tiberius made for you. You find it tucked away in the back of a drawer, where a thin little label reading "Tiberius' special ointment" is slapped onto the lid of the tin. The minute you step out of the bathroom, you toss it over to Ilya, who catches it swiftly. <<=$ithey.toUpperFirst()>> pat the edge of your bed. "Come on, sit and take off that shirt." You groan, hobbling over. "Stop your moaning, you're the one who asked for my help remember?" You wave your hand dismissively. "Yeah yeah. I know-" you snap your hand back when Ilya reaches for it. <<=$ithey.toUpperFirst()>> raise a brow, amused and you hiss, slowly holding out your arm. "Just be gentle." Ilya's gaze soften, but $itheir concern in $itheir voice is palpable. "Of course," $ithey assure<<si>>. <<=$ithey.toUpperFirst()>> twist open the lid of the tin, swiping at the ointment before applying a thin layer of it onto the worst of the injuries first; the parts that have already darkened into black and blue. Though it doesn't compare to your ribs. They don't fare any better with splotches of red, yellow, black //and// blue. "You good?" Ilya asks, noticing you chewing on your lip. You mumble. "I'm good." You fail to leave out any sort of strain out of daying those words. Nonetheless, Ilya doesn't argue and continues to apply the ointment. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "02 bandage 2">><</link>>

After adding a thin layer to your front, Ilya moves on to your back next, hopping onto your bed and letting out a long whistle when $ithey see<<si>> the full picture of your back. "They really did not hold back." "That bad?" A pause. "Ahm...no- no. It's not //that// bad. It's just...mm how do I say it?" "Like I've been beaten up by five people?" "Yeah, that just about describes it," $ithey chuckle, hoping to make light of your situation. "Take a breath for me? It's gonna be cold." You shrug, waving off the concern. "I'm sure I'll be fine." "If you say so..." You were wrong. The second that ointment hit you skin, Ilya had to clamp a hand over your shoulder to stop you from jumping off the bed. It felt as if that part of you had been dunked into a bucket of iced water. "I told you," Ilya says, the smugness in that voice of $itheirs loud. You can practically imagine the smile on $itheir face. You mumble a curse under your breath as Ilya continues. <<=$itheir.toUpperFirst()>> gentle while rubbing in the ointment, careful not to put to much force that it would hurt you. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'><span>A familiar warmth bubbles in your stomach and despite knowing how bad of an idea it is, you can't help but lean into $itheir touch.</span></div>" "02 crush soft">><<set $ilya_crush to "soft crush">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'><span>You swallow, digging your nails into skin as you have it clamped over your knees. There's that familiar warmth in your stomach again. You've had these...//feelings// for some time now.</span></div>" "02 crush denial">><<set $ilya_crush to "pls no crush">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>This reminds you fondly of the times you'd always turn to each other for help whenever one of you get hurt.</div>" "02 all done">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>This reminds you fondly of the times you'd always turn to each other for help whenever one of you get hurt.</div>" "02 all done">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

You remember exactly when it first started: those //feelings//. It was in Spring. You were both sent to the forest for survival training. It started off as normal; you collecting twigs for a fire and Ilya by the river bed, refilling our canteens. Ilya had taken longer than usual to get back and you got worried and decided to look for $ithem. When you did, you found $ithem ankle deep into the water, holding out a handful of berries out for the swans in the river, smiling. You couldn't help but become utterly and completely entranced with $ithem. You've never seen $ithem so...//free//. After catching a glimpse of you, $ithey beckoned you to come closer, holding out some berries for you to feed to the swans. When you refused, $ithey had that smug smile and grabbed you by your wrist. You didn't even try to fight $ithem. You found yourself unable to and not a second later, you were feeding the swans together, smiling. //Free//. Every day you spent with Ilya after that, you couldn't help but yearn for more time. Even though you know it can never work the way you want it to. It just wouldn't. //It can't//. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "02 all done">><</link>>

You remember exactly when it first started: those //feelings//. It was in Spring. You were both sent to the forest for survival training. It started off as normal; you collecting twigs for a fire and Ilya by the river bed, refilling our canteens. Ilya had taken longer than usual to get back and you got worried and decided to look for $ithem. When you did, you found $ithem ankle deep into the water, holding out a handful of berries out for the swans in the river, smiling. You couldn't help but become utterly and completely entranced with $ithem. You've never seen $ithem so...//free//. After catching a glimpse of you, $ithey beckoned you to come closer, holding out some berries for you to feed to the swans. When you refused, $ithey had that smug smile and grabbed you by your wrist. You didn't even try to fight $ithem. You found yourself unable to and not a second later, you were feeding the swans together, smiling. //Free//. You recognised what you were feeling almost immediately, and it brought a pit into your stomach. It just won't work. Not with your disposition. It's a danger to you and to everyone around you. What you want, you simply can't have. So it's better not to want it at all. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "02 all done">><</link>>

"All done," Ilya says, setting the ointment down. "...Now onto the bandages." This was the worse part of whole thing...the bandaging. The part that hurts the most, minus the reason you needed bandages in the first place. They can't be too tight or too loose. It's always annoying to get right. You can't help but let out a groan, but luckily, Ilya makes quick qork of it and it's all thanks to you. Because if it weren't for you and your awful training regiments, Ilya wouldn't haven gotten so much hands on experience in bandaging. "It's a good thing you heal faster than we do," $ithey say<<si>>, wrapping the bandage around your arm. "Otherwise some of these injuries might end up being more serious." "Perk of being a...whatever I am, I guess," you mutter grimly. "Hey, chin up. Things will get better. I promise," $ithey say<<si>> <<link "<div class='next'><<=$ithey.toUpperFirst()>> lied</div>" "02 wake hup">><</link>>

<div class="when-where">Present time<span>Unknown location</span></div> Consciousness doesn't reach you kindly. You wake on the ground with a terrible pounding in the side of your skull, an even worse pain around your neck. Your neck still stings from when the collar last activated and you notice that your shoulder has been bandaged delicately. <div class="voice">you're awake</div> You push yourself into a sitting position, craning your neck to find Alzurahm sitting at the side, hanging his arms over his knees. "How long?" you ask. <div class="voice">A couple hours</div> "Do you know where we are?" <div class="voice">...//No//. But I know we are trapped.</div> You could hear the utter contempt in thier voice, the complete restlessness of them from how their eyes darts back and forth from looking at you to the cage you're trapped in. Because that is what you are in: a cage with walls made of a familiar polycarbonate glass. Practically unbreakable. And it's beginning to make you feel...too confined. You can't breathe. You kick at the glass wall, stomping the flat of your foot against it. Kicking once, then twice and more. When kicking the glass doesn't work, you move on to slamming your shoulder against it. You don't know why you'd think it would work. You know it won't. But you still continue doing it. You don't even care how much it hurts your shoulder. Even if you don't actually use your bad shoulder. You just need out. You //need// out. <<link "<div class='next'>//you are caged//</div>" "02 stop">><</link>>

<div class="voice">You're going to worsen your injuries. Stop</div> You snap your gaze towards the Elritch, who still sits in the far corner of the cage, sticking as close as he possibly can to the shadows. "We can't stay here," you shout, kicking at the glass once more before finally stopping. You pace back and forth in the little space you've been given. "We can't stay here," you mumble. Having calmed yourself slightly, you take a look around. You're in a bare room with nothing but the glass box that holds you and a few monitors; the screens static. The only source of light in the room are the number of overhead lights drilled into the ceiling of the room. The windows here are practically useless, seeing as it's completely pitch dark outside. "You're awake," someone says. You recognise that voice. You don't think you could forget it even if you tried. You turn to look at Ilya, holding a new kind of fury in your eyes as you stare at $ithem - pure unaltered rage. <<=$ithey.toUpperFirst()>> do<<esi>>n't dare look you in your eye, opting to stare down at the marbled tiles of the floor instead. <<=$itheir.toUpperFirst()>> hair is in a mess, wild strands of silver hair sticking out. Like $ithey'<<vei>> just woken up from a long slumber. But from the dark bags under $itheir eyes, you doubt $ithey'<<vei>> slept any more than you have. "Where are we?" you demand, keeping your voice surprisingly firm. Ilya combs a hand through $itheir hair, evening out those wild strands before finally, looking up to meet you gaze. "You're in Providence," $ithey say<<si>>. Providence... "Are you kidding me?" Ilya frowns, furrowing $itheir brows. "If you co-operate with us-" <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>\"Have you lost your mind?\" you tell them blankly, utterly calm without so much of anything in your tone.</div>" "02 talk 1">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>\"Have you lost your fucking //mind!?//\" you snarl, letting your resentment leak through.</div>" "02 talk 2">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>\"Don't you dare finish that sentence, Ilya,\" you warn.</div>" "02 talk 3">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You scoff.</div>" "02 talk 4">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

"You don't believe that I would actually agree to help you after everything you've done, do you?" you ask, patiently waiting for an answer. "V, //please//," $ithey say<<si>>. "I'm trying to help you." "Help me?" you drawl. "If you want to help me, you can start by letting me out of here." Ilya bites $itheir lip, chews at it really. "I- you know I can't do that, V." "Can't you? You could simply set me free and send me on my way?" "Or you could take the opportunity to kill me," $ithey pause<<si>>. "Because that is your mission, isn't it? To kill me? That's why you were up there on The Peaks. Faustus told you to, didn't he?" If not Faustus, then who? Your silence is enough of an answer for $ithem. <<=$ithey.toUpperFirst()>> sigh<<si>>. "Faustus isn't who he says he is. He isn't a man worth following, V." <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "02 faustus">><</link>>

"You think after everything you've done that I would help //you//?" you shout, slamming a fist against the pane of the glass. "You have some fucking nerve, Ilya I'll give you that." "V, //please//," $ithey say<<si>>. "I'm trying to help you." "Help me?" you bite out. "You want to fucking help me? Then let me out of this fucking cage!" Ilya bites $itheir lip, chews at it really. "I- you know I can't do that, V." "Can't you? Just open the fucking door to this cage and send me on my way?" "If I do that, you'll just kill me, won't you?" $ithey pause<<si>>. "Because that's your mission, isn't it? To kill me? That's why you were up there on The Peaks. Faustus told you to, didn't he?" If not Faustus, then who? "Of course Faustus sent me to kill you! He has good reason to," you berate $ithem, throwing your hands into the air in frustration. "You betrayed The Court- hell I can't even call it that since you were never a part of The Court in the first place! But you //stole// from us and ruined //everything//." <<=$ithey.toUpperFirst()>> swallow<<si>>. "Faustus isn't who he says he is. He isn't a man worth following, V." <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "02 faustus">><</link>>

"Don't you //dare//. After everything you've done, you have the brain to know what my answer will be." "V, //please//," $ithey say<<si>>. "I'm trying to help you." "What the hell kind of help do you think you're giving?" you shout, throwing your hand into the air in frustration. "You betrayed The Court- hell I can't even call it that since you were never a part of it in the first place! You want to fucking help me? Start by letting me out of here!" Ilya bites $itheir lip, chews at it really. "I- you know I can't do that, V." "Can't you? Just open the fucking door to this cage and send me on my way?" "If I do that, you'll just kill me, won't you?" $ithey pause<<si>>. "Because that's your mission, isn't it? To kill me? That's why you were up there on The Peaks. Faustus told you to, didn't he?" If not Faustus, then who? "You're damn right Faustus sent me to get rid of you. Did you think he'd send anybody else after the mess you made!?" <<=$ithey.toUpperFirst()>> swallow<<si>>. "Faustus isn't who he says he is. He isn't a man worth following, V." <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "02 faustus">><</link>>

Ilya sighs, shaking $itheir head. "Please, V. I'm trying to help you." You let out another scoff. "Help me?" You gesture around you. "Some lot of help you are, Ilya. If you can't tell, I'm locked in a fucking unbreakable cage. If you want to help me, let me out." Ilya bites $itheir lip, chews at it really. "I- you know I can't do that, V." "Can't you? You could simply set me free and send me on my way?" "Or you could take the opportunity to kill me," $ithey pause<<si>>. "Because that is your mission, isn't it? To kill me? That's why you were up there on The Peaks. Faustus told you to, didn't he?" If not Faustus, then who? Your silence is enough of an answer for $ithem. <<=$ithey.toUpperFirst()>> sigh<<si>>. "Faustus isn't who he says he is. He isn't a man worth following, V." <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "02 faustus">><</link>>

"You don't know what you're talking about, Ilya." <<=$ithey.toUpperFirst()>> do<<si>>n't know anything. He helped you and now you're repaying him by helping him. <<=$ithey.toUpperFirst()>> take<<si>> a step closer to you. "Don't I?" $ithey say<<si>>. "I know he is cruel. That he'd do anything, //sacrifice// anything to get what he wants." <<=$ithey.toUpperFirst()>> apparaise<<si>> you for a moment, pointing to $itheir cheek. "Did he give you that cut on your face?" You don't answer. "You don't deserve to be treated like that, V. No one does. All Faustus is is a selfish man who cares for nothing and no one. He'll have you lay down your life just to get whatever it is he wants." "Shut up." "You know I'm right. You know that-" "SHUT UP!" You bellow, slamming your fist against the glass. It surprises Ilya, your sudden outburst and it makes $ithem take a step back. "I don't want to hear a word from that traitorous mouth of yours." "Traitor...you say that word a lot. Is that your word of his?" Ilya asks, the line between $itheir brows deepening. You keep your fist steady by your side, a slight ache throbbing from where you slammed it against the cage's wall. You don't answer. And Ilya sighs again. "Please, V. Just think about it. Really think about it. Faustus doesn't care about you. He only cares for what you can do //for him//." Your arguement is interrupted by someone clearing their throat behind Ilya. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>It's Vira</div>" "02 vira 1">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>It's Aurius</div>" "02 aurius 1">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>It's Rhian</div>" "02 rhian 1">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

She looks at you with a hardened gaze briefly before turning to Ilya. "The Commander wishes to speak with you, Ilya. He's on call for you," she says. Ilya's lips tightens into a thin line, imperceptibly chewing at it. "Yeah, okay," $ithey say<<si>>, letting out a breath. "I'll get right on it." <<=$itheir.toUpperFirst()>> footsteps bounces as $ithey step<<si>> away. You barely see it, but you catch $ithem glancing at you through the relection of the marble pillar in the room right before $ithey step<<si>> out of the room, leaving only you and Vira alone in the room. She doesn't speak at all and only sends you that same cold stare, watching you. <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "02 out the room">><</link>>

He holds his hands behind his back as he speaks to Ilya with poise. "Commander is on call for you, Ily," he says. Ilya's lips tightens into a thin line, imperceptibly chewing at it. "Yeah, okay," $ithey say<<si>>, letting out a breath. "I'll get right on it." <<=$itheir.toUpperFirst()>> footsteps bounces as $ithey step<<si>> away. You barely see it, but you catch $ithem glancing at you through the relection of the marble pillar in the room right before $ithey step<<si>> out of the room, leaving only you and the swordsman alone in the room. "Are you hungry?" he asks you, stepping over to look at the static monitors.

<<=$rthey.toUpperFirst()>> stroll into the room casually with a coffee cup in hand. "Hey boomba," $rthey say<<sr>>. "Commander's looking for you. He's on call waiting for you in the other room." Ilya's lips tightens into a thin line, imperceptibly chewing at it. "Yeah, okay," $ithey say<<si>>, letting out a breath. "I'll get right on it." <<=$itheir.toUpperFirst()>> footsteps bounces as $ithey step<<si>> away. You barely see it, but you catch $ithem glancing at you through the relection of the marble pillar in the room right before $ithey step<<si>> out of the room, leaving only you and Rhian alone in the room. "You know I'm still aching over from where you threw me over the Peaks." <<link "<div class='next'>the alarm blares</div>" "02 out the room">><</link>>

You stagger out of the prison. One step and then another as glass crunches beneath your shoes. As you walk, wisps of shadows are left in the wake of your steps, slowly dissipating the longer it's left alone. In your new-found freedom, you head towards the window, ignoring the blaring noise of the alarm. fittin your fingers under the frame before prying it open. The wood around it splinters, fracturing into tiny pieces where some manage to pierce the tip of your fingers. Once the window is open, you look down at your fingertips, picking the splinters from your fingers and blood the size of pin needles seeps from your finger, bleeding into your prints. <div class="voice">it's time to go</div> "Agreed." You look out the window, still aware of the alarm that blares and the distant shouts of people that only seems to get louder the longer you stay. It's time you leave. And you do so with swift care, stepping out onto the ledge outside. From where you stand, you are able to see the vast region of Providence. You close the window behind you, letting it drop onto your foot before carefully sliding it out from under the window. It shuts with a quiet thump. Looking down from where you are now, you find yourself far from solid ground. Getting down from where you are now is not an option, not with the collar still hindering your ability to use your gifts. To your left, there are shorter buildings, lined in perfect rows with rooftops clear from dirt and all the likes. It's been painted white, framed in gold. You'd have to thread your way across the ledge and jump down onto the roof of the buildings. You think it might lead deeper into the heart of Providence. To your right, the buildings are tallers, around the same height of the building you're trapped in. You could climb up to the roof of the building and jump across to the next building. It could lead you away from Providence. <div class="voice">That's a long way down. If you fall-</div> "I'll die...yeah. I know." <div class="voice">As long as you're careful, choose which way you'd prefer to go.</div> <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>You go left. To where the shorter buildings.</div>" "02 short buildings">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You go right. To where the taller buildings reside.</div>" "02 tall buildings">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

You take careful steps across the ledge, steadying yourself against the walls until you reach the edge. You need to jump across. <div class="voice">that's a wide jump, child</div> You hum in agreement. It is rather...wide. If you miss the jump- <div class="voice">let's not miss, shall we?</div> Let's not waste any time then. <<link "<div class='next'>You jump</div>" "02 jump">><</link>>

It's not going to be an easy climb, not with your injured shoulder and the collar preventing you from making things much easier. You need to be careful not to lose your grip on the ledges as you climb up. But anything is better than staying here. You look up at the ledge above you, taking in a deep breath before you grab hold onto it and lifting yourself onto it. It's more of an effort than you'd like and the ache in your shoulder doesn't help. Though you don't have the time to wallow in your pain. You continue to climb, grabbing onto the next ledge but you lose your grip on it. Your blood making it slippery and hard to hold on. "Fuck!" you curse out, quickly swiping your hand against your shirt before trying to hold on again. This time, you're able to pull yourself up without much trouble. And you keep climbing until you reach the rooftop. When your feet reaches a wider area of concrete, you don't waste time heading to the edge of the roof at the other side, a jump away from the other building. <div class="voice">that's a wide jump, child</div> You hum in agreement. It is rather...wide. If you miss the jump- <div class="voice">let's not miss, shall we?</div> <<link "<div class='next'>You jump</div>" "02 jump">><</link>>

As you move through the air, an arms length away from reaching the roof of the other building, you hear it. A familiar shot of a rifle ringing in an echo. The shock of the gunshot startles you, the sting of a bullet grazing your cheek. Instead of landing onto the roof as you hoped, find yourself falling middair, the ledge to the roof getting further away as you fall. You can't stop a yelp from coming out of your throat as you scramble to grab hold of anything. Anything to stop you from reaching the bottom. During your fall, your hand scrapes against the brick of the building, cutting skin. Gods, you really do have the worst luck in the world, don't you? There's nothing around you can hold on to to save yourself. Nothing at all. And so you fall, catching a glimpse of a light shining on the top of the roof the building you jumped from, a reflection of a woman with raven hair carrying a rifle, its barrel pointed straight at you. Another shot rings out and this time, you feel it. The presence of steel bullet piercing your abdomen. And you keep falling. Until your fall is broken. <<link "<div class='next'>by an open dumpster</div>" "02 dumpster">><</link>>

You've imagined your death before, imagined all the ways you could go. From being executed to simply dying in your sleep or poisoned by a foe. Bleeding out in a dumpster with a bullet sized hole in your stomach was at the bottom of your list. <div class="voice">get up</div> You groan. Could you ask for five more minutes? You're understandably quite fucking tired at the moment. <div class="voice">//get up, child//</div> Another groan leaves you, neck stiff as you look down to your stomach where the bullet resides. You could still feel the metal burrowed in your stomach; the warmth of your own blood as it flows, seeping through the fabric of your shirt. The rancid smell of trash around you doesn't help either and there's a sour taste in your mouth. You really hope it's just the taste of your blood and not anything from the dumpster. <div class="voice">you need to move. They will be coming soon</div> You know that, but still. A break would be nice. <div class="voice">that's the blood loss talking. Get up.</div> "Yeah yeah," you mumble, biting down on your lip hard as you push yourself up. Though your motions only serves to agitate your injury more, a harsher stream of blood gushing out from your wound. "Oh fuck." That...is not good. <div class="voice">oh fuck indeed. You need medical assistance.</div> Considering where you are and //who// you are, finding help may prove some difficulty. The only thing that resembles even a slight amount of good news is that it's dark out. Which mean you can stick shadows, away from prying eyes as you try and figure a way out of here. You climb out of the dumpster slowly, dropping to the ground like a ragdoll with a thump when you fail to land on your feet. The ground of cold. Damp with what you hope is rain and not piss from a stranger. <<link "<div class='next'>you need to move</div>" "02 move">><</link>>

For the second time in a row, you push yourself up, first on your knees with a hand clamped around your stomach before staggering onto your feet. You need to get that bullet out of you. You take in a deep breath, holding it in as your hand hovers above the entrance to the bullet. You fully intend to dig it out with your own two fingers. <div class="voice">are you sure that is a good idea?</div> Absolutely not. It's a stupid idea, yes. But what choice do you have? You need to move and you can't risk the bullet causing more damage than it already has. Might as well get it over and done with. With trembling hands, you start to dig into the bullet hole, searching for the metal piece. All the strength you have is used trying not to scream as you dig around for it. You can already taste the blood that's in your mouth from biting down on your tongue. It takes a while, trying to reach the bullet. But you do find it, eventually and you pull it out of yourself like you're picking a berry off a stubborn stem. Once the bullet is out, what seems to be an endless amount of blood begins to flow out and you clamp a hand over it in an attempt to slow the bleeding. It seeps through the gaps between you fingers, your blood and you press your hand harder against your stomach. In your other hand, a bullet the size of a stone lays in your palm. What a wonder it is that such a small thing can do so much damage. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>You let the bullet drop onto the ground with a ping.</div>" "02 move along">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You pocket the bullet.</div>" "02 move along">><<set $keptbullet to true>><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

You stumble down the alley, dragging your feet along as you press a hand against the wall to balance yourself. "Gods, I'm going to need a hot bath after this," you mutter to yourself. <div class="voice">you should worry about being able to get out of here alive first</div> You let out a weak laugh, continuing forward. You need to get of the streets first and foremost. It wouldn't do you any good if you're caught again. Or killed. Behind you, you hear something topple over. A can maybe. Whatever it is, the noise is enough to send you turning around. You hear quiet meow. A cat bumping its head against an empty can, looking for food. It was just a cat. Just a cat. You carry on, taking slow careful steps until you come to a stop in front of the backdoor of a building. You tug at the handle, hoping to get it open. But it remains stiff, locked from the inside. Though there is a window not far from it. With any luck, you could reach it by climbing on top of the dumpster and breaking the glass pane. Or you can look for something to pry the door open. <div class="border"></div> <<nobr>> <div class="choicebtn"> <<link "<div class='choice'>The window it is.<div>" "02 alley window">><</link>> <<link "<div class='choice'>You look for a tool to pry the door open</div>" "02 alley door">><</link>> </div> <</nobr>>

You climb on top of the dumpster, muttering out a string of curses when a sharp pain shoots through you. Though it doesn't last long, stopping when you get both feet flat on the cover of the dumpster. You reach towards the window above it, hollowly praising the gods when you find that it's unlocked. The space is smaller than you'd like, but it's easy enough to manoever yourself through it. Ignoring the insurmountable pain in your stomach, you climb through the window, landing on your feet that sends a shock through your bones. You understandably stumble forwards at the shock of pain, grunting as you press a hand against the bleeding hole in your abdomen. At least you're inside now. <<include "02 inside">>

You search the alleyway, scanning the area for anything that can help you pry open the door. Hiding behind the dumpster, you find a metal bar, thin enough to slip between the crack of the door but not so thin that it would snap when you use it to pry the door open. You slip the metal bar into the tiny space between the door, wiggling it slightly before adding your strength into prying it open. While trying to get it open, the struggle to opening it sends a shock of pain through your body. But eventually, after the door cracks and splinters, it opens. Once that's done, you toss the metal bar to the side, having no use for it any more and clamp a hand over the bleeding hole in your abdomen, grunting as blood spills between your fingers. At least your're inside now. <<include "02 inside">>

The lights are off, and with the outside being pitch dark save for the dim lights of the street lamps, you're practicaly walking in the void. Luckily for you, you never had much trouble finding your way around in the dark. Still, you feel the walls around you, searching for any sort of switch that could illuminate the room. You find it eventually, after exploring for a minute or two. The lights flicker on like ghosts, dimly lighting the room you're in. It takes a moment for your eyes to adjust from the light. When your vision clears, you find yourself in a kitchen of a restaurant. You could work with that. There has to be some sort of first aid kit here somewhere.

<<set $gamechapter to "Chapter Three">>\ <<set $chapterno to "03">>\ <div class="chap-cont"> <div class="chap-title">03</div> <div class="chap-sub">"The River Has Eyes"</div> <<if settings.content_warning>>\ <div class="cw"><b>CONTENT WARNING:</b> Death.</div> <</if>>\ </div>

<<set $gamechapter to "Chapter Four">>\ <<set $chapterno to "04">>\ <div class="chap-cont"> <div class="chap-title">04</div> <div class="chap-sub">"Ignition"</div> <<if settings.content_warning>>\ <div class="cw"><b>CONTENT WARNING:</b> Violence.</div> <</if>>\ <<link "<div class='next'>next</div>" "chapter 04 begin">><</link>> </div>

<div class="middletext">\ <div class="end-demo">\ you've reached the end of the demo! </div> Thank you so much for reading! It means much to me that you took the time out of your day to read this little project of mine. If you have any questions or bugs to report, feel free to send me an ask on Tumblr and I'll try my best to answer them. Hope you have a great day and stay tuned for more updates on The Night Abridged! Chapter Two is in the making! </div>

<div class="page-title">archive</div> <div id="archive-cont"> <div class="archive-box"><div class="archive-title2">Blackhaven</div> <<link "<div class='archiveitems'>The undercity</div>" "undercity">><</link>> <<link "<div class='archiveitems'>The court of night</div>" "court of night">><</link>> <div class="archive-title2">Areas:</div> <<if $codextheinstitute is true>>\\ <<link "<div class='archiveitems'>The Institute</div>" "institute">><</link>> <<else>><div class='locked-archive'>The Institute</div><</if>> <<if $codexsnakeskin is true>>\ <<link "<div class='archiveitems'>snakeskin\'s</div>" "snakeskin's">><</link>> <<else>><div class='locked-archive'>snakeskin's</div><</if>> <<if $codexpiccolopeak is true>>\ <<link "<div class='archiveitems'>Piccolo\'s Peak</div>" "piccolo's peak">><</link>> <<else>><div class='locked-archive'>piccolo's peak</div><</if>> <div class="archive-title2">Eldritch Horrors:</div> <<if $codexal is true>>\\ <<link "<div class='archiveitems'>Alzurahm</div>" "alzurahm">><</link>> <<else>><div class='locked-archive'>Alzurahm</div><</if>> <<if $codexkori is true>>\ <<link "<div class='archiveitems'>Korian</div>" "korian">><</link>> <<else>><div class='locked-archive'>Korian</div><</if>> <<if $codexgeishel is true>>\ <<link "<div class='archiveitems'>Geishel</div>" "geishel">><</link>> <<else>><div class='locked-archive'>Geishel</div><</if>> <div class="archive-title2">Other:</div> <<if $codexstingdrop is true>>\ <<link "<div class='archiveitems'>stingdrop</div>" "stingdrop">><</link>> <<else>><div class='locked-archive'>stingdrop</div><</if>> </div> /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------- P R O V I D E N C E -------------------------------------------------------------------------*/ <div class="archive-box"><div class="archive-title2">Providence</div> <<link "<div class='archiveitems'>The golden city</div>" "gc">><</link>> <<link "<div class='archiveitems'>The order of solitar</div>" "order of solitar">><</link>> <div class="archive-title2">areas:</div> <<if $codexsanctum is true>> <<link "<div class='archiveitems'>The Hague</div>" "sanctum">><</link>> <<else>><div class='locked-archive'>The Hague</div><</if>> <<if $codexnecropolis is true>> <<link "<div class='archiveitems'>necropolis</div>" "necropolis">><</link>> <<else>><div class='locked-archive'>necropolis</div><</if>> <<if $codexsinnerslament is true>> <<link "<div class='archiveitems'>sinner\'s lament</div>" "sl">><</link>> <<else>><div class='locked-archive'>sinner's lament</div><</if>> <div class="archive-title2">Deities:</div> <<if $codexsol is true>>\\ <<link "<div class='archiveitems'>Sol</div>" "Sol">><</link>> <<else>><div class='locked-archive'>Sol</div><</if>> <<if $codexik is true>>\ <<link "<div class='archiveitems'>Ikarius</div>" "Ikarius">><</link>> <<else>><div class='locked-archive'>Ikarius</div><</if>> <<if $codexalthea is true>>\ <<link "<div class='archiveitems'>Althea</div>" "Althea">><</link>> <<else>><div class='locked-archive'>Althea</div><</if>> </div> /* ------------------------ undercity --------------------------*/

<div class="archive-title">the undercity: blackhaven</div> Blackhaven, otherwise known as "the undercity", lies just far south of Providence. It's connected to the Golden City by a single bridge, where it's guarded by the envoys and court militia alike. Anyone from Blackhaven who wishes to cross the bridge to Providence will have to go through a check by the borders. But for those who like to be a bit more discrete, they tend to sneak by climbing on top of the Undercity's network of pipes that run all throughout the city. Though it does have its dangers. Just one wrong step or a tiny slip of the foot may very well lead you to your demise. What little light that comes from above, is made up by the pioneers and machinery created. It is the artificial light that keeps the city from truly falling into darkness. Along with the pipeworks where gas fuels the city, are the tunnels and narrow routes that allow quick access to all over Blackhaven. Every nook and cranny leads to somewhere, even to a place you very well least expect. It's a wise decision to explore them. There are societies within the Undercity you best make sure not to make an enemy of. Sometimes, the wrong comment may lead you to having a warning delivered to your doorstep. Make note that not all the societies are in tandem with each other. Some might even say that there are a series of rivalries between different groups. Choose wisely who you wish to have as a friend or foe, it would be a shame for a ripe limb of yours to be replaced by augmentation. Speaking of augmentations, please do be careful. If you end up with one too many let's just say you'll lose just a tad more than a little bit of yourself. <<link "<div class='next'>return</div>" $return>><</link>> /* ------------------------- the court --------------------------*/

<div class="archive-title">the court of night</div> The court, you could say, is one of the most feared organisations in both Providence and Blackhaven. Where they originated from is difficult to pinpoint, some say that they had always existed form the even before the city was built. Unlike the societies in Blackhaven, The Court is very much more powerful. Their members are hidden, their names are fake, but their beliefs are real. Wherever you may be, whether you know it or not, The Court watches, hiding in the in plain sight and listening. If you do so happen to come across a member of The Court, it's best you just listen and do as they say. No one enjoys having their tongues cut out. Though the most important members are kept secret, the court militia, is not. Made up of a number of people who simply wish for the future of Blackhaven to change for the better, there is no telling what they are truly capable of with the right leadership. They tend to patrol the streets in groups, with bands of the courts insignia worn around their arms. They are simply the footsoldiers of the court. Any real information you need, they don't have. It's best to uncover the identities of those of real importance if you want to get anything about the court's true intentions. It's not a surprise that The Court of Night and The Order of Solitar meet each other with no small amount of bad blood. For as long as anyone can remember, both organisations have been at each others throats, just waiting for the day a full scale war breaks out. Be careful around The Order. While they mainly reside in Providence, it's not uncommon where they step into the Undercity to conduct raids and patrol the streets. And it is certainly not uncommon for the court militia to clash heads with the envoys. You should also know, that if there's one person you should trust while navigating the ways of the court, it is yourself. <<link "<div class='next'>return</div>" $return>><</link>> /* -------------------------------- the institute --------------------------------- */

<div class="archive-title">the institute</div> Hidden from non-members, The Institute is a building of great magnitude. Previously designed in the early 1700s by a brilliant but now forgotten architect, Magnus Cidi. It served as an institute for education for some time, however, after unforseen events that lead to his death, the building was shut down until it was later sold to a family of unknown wealth. Now, after going through renovations over the years, the building has become a modern fortress, capable of defending itself against anyone who dares to lay siege upon it, even including a dungeon. It has been the building where you grew up in. Everything you've ever learned, the good and the bad, it has been learnt within the walls of The Institute. It is what you call your home. <<link "<div class='next'>return</div>" $return>><</link>> /* -------------------------------- piccolo's peak --------------------------------- */

<div class="archive-title">piccolo's peak</div> If not for it's dangerous position, Piccolo's Peak could have been a popular area for an attraction tourist attraction. It's beauty certainly would have made it so. But with its beauties, comes with its dangers. As the jagged rocks and hidden dips within the walls make for a suitable shelter, most, if not all parts of the Peaks are a territory belonging to the Hounds- beasts who are ruthless in nature. They dislike sharing territories and are difficult to get rid of. Previous attempts by animal control has only lead to death and loss of limbs. Should you ever come across two ruby jewelled like eyes with a mouth full of sharp teeth, chances are you've found yourself in the sights of a Hound! While the Hounds are mainly active during nightfall, it remains a possibility to run into them during the day and if the Hounds do not get you, the loose stones and high heights of the mountains will. If trekking The Peaks...don't. <<link "<div class='next'>return</div>" $return>><</link>> /* -------------------------------- snakeskin's --------------------------------- */

<div class="archive-title">snakeskin's</div> What better way to relax than sitting back back against the comforts of a booth at Snakeskin's? If you ignore the occasional rambling of the drunks or the lingering presence of patrons, the bar is the place to go to unwind. Despite the chaos that could ensue in a bar, Snakesin's is not your regular run of the mill nightspot. Snakeskin's as infamous as it is for its mix of drinks, it is one of the only places where you are granted true amnesty. Snakeskin's serves as a refuge for those within Blackhaven. Assassins, politicians, Kingpins and the likes, all are welcome and safe so long you are on its property. There is to be no violence, no death, no killing inside of Snakeskin's. It the only rule that is reinforced by all. The //only// rule. As long as you follow that rule the patrons of Snakeskin's care very little for what else you do inside their building. Killing is absolutely not tolerated within the walls of Snakeskin's and if that rule is broken...pray that the gods will be on your side because the people will not. <<link "<div class='next'>return</div>" $return>><</link>> /* -------------------------------- stingdrop --------------------------------- */

<div class="archive-title">stingdrop</div> A popular opiate produced in Blackhaven. It stems as a result of an experimental drug that was developed by Providence. When it was proved to be too dangerous, the formula was supposedly destroyed. However, someone on the development team was quicker. They had saw the formula as a chance to make a quick buck and sold it to the highest bidder. Now stingdrop floods the streets of Blackhaven. However there are higher rates of stingdrop being reported to be used by those in the more underdeveloped areas of the city. Regular users of the opiate has since gained the nickname as being a "Stinghead" Inside a scorpion stickered tincture, is a crimson red shade. If held up to the light, it shimmers with a silver gleam. Along with the tincture, comes a scorpiontail-like dropper. The opiate has a sweet addicting smell and even sweeter taste, often said to give off an extra kick of euphoria once a drop settles on your tongue. Just a taste and you'll be pulled out of a miserable reality and into one of pure luxury with a euphoric sense taking over. Duration of this drug varies, depending on how often it is used. Effects of Stingrdrop includes: * Euphoria * Hallucination * Time dialation However, too much of a dosage will possibly lead to extreme paranoia, psychosis, receptiveness and potentially, death. It is advised to be taken in moderation. <<link "<div class='next'>return</div>" $return>><</link>> /* -------------------------------- alzurahm --------------------------------- */

<div class="archive-title">alzurahm: the void</div> A horror of smoke and shadows. Your relationship with the Eldritch is a complicated one. After the deal you made with them all those years ago, they've become a passenger in your body, watching the world as you do. He feels what you feel, fear what you fear, sees what you see. Sometimes, you find yourself recoiling at the faintest lick of a flame. A weakness you've come to learn from spending time with the Eldritch. To you, when he feels like showing himself, he looks like any ordinary person. The only thing that sets him apart from them is the fact that his eyes glow a deep crimson shade, black surrounding his eyes where white should be. Their skin is pale like death, their hair dark like charcoal. You don't know what he looks like, their true face. You only know what he tells you. They tell you that his true form is of that of a demonic knight, a helmet with gnarled horns made of dark steel obsuring his true face, showing nothing but pinpointed red eyes and an armour with thorns on his shoulders. They used to carry a weapon too, an intricately designed spear made of black imperial steel with golden accents and a single violet gem between the blade and staff. He told you if he desired for it, the spear would turn into a tridents, it's forks made of hardened shadows. If there is one thing he hate most in the world, it is that of a burning sun. It is their presence that keeps you alive. Their power that makes you strong. You don't remember a day where they were not with you. Without him...what are you at all? What will you be? /* -------------------------------- korian --------------------------------- */

<div class="archive-title">korian: the deranged</div> One of the three Eldritch Horrors. Insanity is what they drive people into. One whisper into your ear and you'll be sure to go mad. Korian is the youngest of the three Horrors and has a strong desire to find entertainment, something that would leave a buzz of excitement in their veins. They enjoy making bets, and winning them. Lose and you'll go mad. Win and you'll earn a favour. Someone has yet to win against the Eldritch Horror and Korian awaits the day they lose. Their true face is simply void, a darkness that swirls infinitely. They hide it with a darkened veil of shadows as staring into it directly can drive a person into madness too quickly. Their body is structured like a skeletons, though their bones are of gold that shimmers even in the pitch dark. Their attire is made of shadows that cover them like a cloak, making it easy for them to slink back into the darkness to swiftly find their next victim without detection. Korian likes to linger around their victims, relishing in their slow descent to madness. They are always close by when driving madness into one's mind, often whispering quiet words of lunacy into one's ears before slowly drifting off to watch as they grow mad in the background. Sometimes, they assume the form of a feline and situate themself inside the home of an unsuspecting family, quietly whispering in the night and driving each member to madness until they become bored. The whereabouts of the Horror of Madness is currently unknown, having fled millennia ago when the gods had struck the others down. They remain somewhere, everywhere, always driving people mad, seeking a thrill. <<link "<div class='next'>return</div>" $return>><</link>> /* -------------------------------- geishel --------------------------------- */

<div class="archive-title">geishel: the uncaring </div> As the Eldritch of unseen punishment, screams of pain is the music to their ears. One touch against your skin and you'll feel an endless amount of fear seep within your bones. Geishel is the second youngest of the three Eldritch Horrors, the middle child if you will and the cruelest of them all. Unlike their youngest sibling, Geishel does not outwardly show what it is they feel, that is, if they can feel at all. They don't hide their true face, half of them rotted away with flesh hanging off the bone. All they have to do it have one touch against your skin and they'll know everything they need to know to torment you. What you fear, what you love. They'll know it all. And they'll use it against you. Sometimes they like to tug on a person's limb, tearing it from their body before eating the flesh off their bones and snapping them in half to use as toothpicks. Hearing people wail and watch them cry is their way of curing their boredom. Geishel especially prefers the cries of a sinner, though they'll settle for an innocent if they are truly bored. Their body is loosely wrapped with old bandages stained with blood and salted tears. They drape along the ground, a large double-sided axe by their side. Unfortunately, the axe is not for chopping firewood…only for torment and punishment. A crown sits on their head, made completely of fragmented bones and dried flesh of the people they tormented. It is spiked and jagged like the thorns of a rose. The Horror of Unseen Punishment is currently in the lowest level of the Netherrealm, caged by the gods for trying to swallow the world in darkness. Now, they lay in the realm, inflicting pain and madness onto beasts of their own creation as there is nothing else for them to torment. Once they have you in their sights, don't bother pleading for your life. Love, compassion and empathy? They have none. <<link "<div class='next'>return</div>" $return>><</link>> /* -------------------------------- golden city --------------------------------- */

<div class="archive-title">the golden city: providence</div> /* -------------------------------- order of solitar --------------------------------- */

<div class="archive-title">the order of solitar</div> /* -------------------------------- sanctum --------------------------------- */

<div class="archive-title">The Hague</div> /* -------------------------------- necropolis --------------------------------- */

<div class="archive-title">necropolis</div> /* -------------------------------- sinners lament --------------------------------- */

<div class="archive-title">sinner's lament</div> /* -------------------------------- sol --------------------------------- */

<div class="archive-title">sol: the lightbringer</div> /* -------------------------------- ikarius --------------------------------- */

<div class="archive-title">Ikarius: the unforgotten</div> /* -------------------------------- the institute --------------------------------- */

<div class="archive-title">Althea: the unyielding</div>

<div class="header"> <div id="header-text" data-passage="header-text"></div> <div id="crayfish"> <span id="backwards">go back</span> <span id="settings">settings</span> <span id="saves">saves</span> <span id="restart">restart</span> <span id="archive" data-passage="ohno"></span> <span id="profile" data-passage="ohno2"></span> </div> </div> <div id="story"> <div id="passages"></div> </div> <div id="lobster"> <span id="lobster-back"><i class="fa-regular fa-circle-left"></i></span><span class="lobster-chapter" data-passage="lobster-yuh"></span><span id="minicray-menu" data-passage="minicrayfish-menu"></span> </div>

The Night Abridged

Chapter $chapterno

<<link '<span id="top-links">archive</span>' 'archive2'>><</link>>\

<<link "<span id='top-links'>profile</span>" "profile">><</link>>\

/* <<link "<span id='top-links'>relationships</span>" "relationships">><</link>>\ */

<<link '<span id="lobster-menu"><i class="fa-solid fa-bars"></i></span>'>> <<dialog 'Mobile Menu'>> <div class="crayfish-trap"> <<link '<span class="crayfish-food">settings</span>'>><<run UI.settings()>><</link>> <<link '<span class="crayfish-food">saves</span>'>><<run UI.saves()>><</link>> <<link '<span class="crayfish-food">restart</span>'>><<run UI.restart()>><</link>> <<link '<span class="crayfish-food">archive</span>' 'archive2'>><<run Dialog.close()>><</link>> <<link '<span class="crayfish-food">profile</span>' 'profile'>><<run Dialog.close()>><</link>> </div>\ <</dialog>>\ <</link>>

/* Do I even need to explain? */ <<set $control to 100>> <<set $sanity to 100>> <<set $ruthless to 0>> /* personality shit */ <<set $stoic to 50>> <<set $sarcastic to 50>> <<set $kind to 50>> <<set $cautious to 50>> /* idk pronouns */ <<set $set_pronouns to false>> /* ilya */ <<set $iplural to false>> <<set $igen to "female">> <<set $ithey to "she">> <<set $ithem to "her">> <<set $itheir to "her">> <<set $itheirs to "hers">> <<set $iwoman to "woman">> <<set $igirl to "girl">> /* rhian */ <<set $rplural to false>> <<set $rgen to "female">> <<set $rthey to "she">> <<set $rthem to "her">> <<set $rtheir to "her">> <<set $rtheirs to "hers">> <<set $rwoman to "woman">> <<set $rgirl to "girl">> /* <<set $meti to false>> <<set $irel to 50>> <<set $irom to 50>> <<set $metr to false>> <<set $rrel to 50>> <<set $rrom to 50>> <<set $metv to false>> <<set $vrom to 50>> <<set $vrel to 50>> <<set $vhos to 50>> <<set $meta to false>> <<set $arel to 50>> <<set $arom to 50>> <<set $erel to 50>> <<set $ehos to 50>> */ <<set $vira_romance is false>> <<set $ilya_romance is true>> <<set $aurius_romance is true>> <<set $rhian_romance is true>> <<set $ruthless to false>> /* --------------------------------- ARCHIVE ----------------------------------*/ <<set $codextheinstitute to false>> <<set $codexsnakeskin to false>> <<set $codexstingdrop to false>> <<set $codexpiccolopeak to false>> /* --------------------------------- CHAPTER 01 ----------------------------------*/ <<set $killedaxel to false>> <<set $watching01 to false>> <<set $vnightstand to false>> /* --------------------------------- CHAPTER 02 ----------------------------------*/ /* $ilya_crush - "soft crush" or "pls no crush" */ <<set $keptbullet to false>>

<<widget "are">><<switch $mcplural>><<case true>>are<<case false>>is<</switch>><</widget>> <<widget "re">><<switch $mcplural>><<case true>>'re<<case false>>'s<</switch>><</widget>> <<widget "were">><<switch $mcplural>><<case true>>were<<case false>>was<</switch>><</widget>> <<widget "s">><<switch $mcplural>><<case true>><<case false>>s<</switch>><</widget>> <<widget "es">><<switch $mcplural>><<case true>><<case false>>es<</switch>><</widget>> <<widget "re">><<switch $mcplural>><<case true>>re<<case false>>s<</switch>><</widget>> <<widget "ve">><<switch $mcplural>><<case true>>ve<<case false>>s<</switch>><</widget>> <<widget "self">><<switch $mcplural>><<case true>>self<<case false>>self<</switch>><</widget>> <<widget "arei">><<switch $iplural>><<case true>>are<<case false>>is<</switch>><</widget>> <<widget "rei">><<switch $iplural>><<case true>>re<<case false>>s<</switch>><</widget>> <<widget "iwere">><<switch $iplural>><<case true>>were<<case false>>was<</switch>><</widget>> <<widget "si">><<switch $iplural>><<case true>><<case false>>s<</switch>><</widget>> <<widget "esi">><<switch $iplural>><<case true>><<case false>>es<</switch>><</widget>> <<widget "vei">><<switch $iplural>><<case true>>ve<<case false>>s<</switch>><</widget>> <<widget "selfi">><<switch $iplural>><<case true>>self<<case false>>self<</switch>><</widget>> <<widget "arer">><<switch $rplural>><<case true>>are<<case false>>is<</switch>><</widget>> <<widget "rer">><<switch $rplural>><<case true>>re<<case false>>s<</switch>><</widget>> <<widget "rwere">><<switch $rplural>><<case true>>were<<case false>>was<</switch>><</widget>> <<widget "sr">><<switch $rplural>><<case true>><<case false>>s<</switch>><</widget>> <<widget "esr">><<switch $rplural>><<case true>><<case false>>es<</switch>><</widget>> <<widget "ver">><<switch $rplural>><<case true>>ve<<case false>>s<</switch>><</widget>> <<widget "selfr">><<switch $iplural>><<case true>>self<<case false>>self<</switch>><</widget>>