EVENT - THE BLACK CITY

[faileas]

Event Log: August, The Black City

A STARLESS SKY You feel like you're floating. Around you, colors and sounds and smells swirl as if trapped in a whirlpool, vibrancy and hue ever shifting. The more you watch them, the less solid they are; they only become clear out of the corner of your eye. The area around you begins to feel more solid as well, until your feet are on the ground, the taste of smog and fog heavy in your lungs - and you know one thing, and one thing alone: this is a dream, and an incredibly realistic one at that. Unlike the last time this shared dream happened, only familiar faces of your fellow mirrorbound appear around you; and unlike the last time that flavor of dream happened, those native to the city of Aefenglom are nowhere to be found. Instead, an impossibly tall wall raises in front of you; along it run small windows with people peering from the edges, arrows shimmering with the tell-tale glitter of magic peeking from the darkness, with more figures standing guard or patrolling the top of it. The wall itself is made of a dark, onyx-like stone - it's reflective in the smoothness of its bricks, painting all who look into it in clear darkness, and the effect is similarly found in the wide moat that surrounds the city, the faint sound of a river feeding into it the only thing to hear in the tense silence. Only one massive door stands as the entrance to the city, chains hanging across it with the protective runes of a barrier some of you might be familiar with by now. With a groan the chains begin to pull away, the door lowering across the moat as a bridge, and a party of Witches - for they must be Witches, the pins on their cloaks the same as those found in the Coven in Aefenglom - urges the group inside. Monsters find it easier to obey the orders - compelled to, even - but perhaps that's the safety of the city calling out to you, and nothing more.

I. THE CITY ITSELF While Aefenglom is known for its dusk-hued skies, made of lustrous pinks and purples and blues, this city is dreary to the core. The streets are covered in a perpetual fog, not unlike the city you hail from, but thicker, denser, tinged with the flavor of industrial smog from the factories whose spires you can see in the distance. Magitech lights - lanterns above doors, street posts, flickering in the windows you pass - illuminate everything throughout the entire day, as if the sunshine can't reach through the foreboding fog nor the onyx walls. Even the windows are barred, offering a paranoid protection against the outside world. Doors seem hardier, and each building is reinforced and protected in a way that may feel familiar to those that have encountered the protective magic wards. They're heavier, leaving an almost ominous presence that causes unease to hang just as heavy in the air as the smog. The people of this city are just as dreary as the streets, though they do mill about with the same frequency as any city. Unlike the citizens of the dead Aefenglom that were encountered just the month before, however, these are real, living people. They can be spoken to. They can be touched. They interact with wariness and caution towards the strangers that have been heralded into their walled in world, especially those that show what they presume to be monstrous traits. Because it becomes quickly obvious that the majority of the citizens that answer a call, a question, a touch to gain their attention... They're human. a. OBEY AND SUBMIT Monsters that can be seen on the streets aren't few and far between, however. Their presence is subtle, in the fog and amidst the passing crowds of passing faces, but they're there. On a surface level, most of them seem to be fairly at ease. Passive and unfazed by anyone that tries to interact with them, as if they're disinterested by their mere presence in a way that isn't reflected by their human counterparts. A closer look shows a strained pinch to their faces, a tenseness to their bodies, a glazed look just at the surface of their eyes. Too many attempts to interact with them will cause some humans to emerge from shops, or ask that you leave their business; these are the ones that are... employed, most often seen in the shopping and industrial districts. But their movements are almost robotic in repetition, and they never speak to anyone even when addressed - even when a keen eye might take note of the sturdy leather collars around their necks, reinforced by metal and with visible places to attach a leash. Some in the industrial district can be seen with these leashes, powerful chains to keep them attached to carts, to keep them from swimming down the river, from flying away and out of the black walls of the city. All Monsters present in the city are clothed, though it's the ones on the clearly decorative leashes with the more delicate collars that are the best dressed. They accompany humans throughout the city, the same placid blankness present much like their busier counterparts. These are the aristocrats and their so-called "Bonded," though implying the same tone one would take in Aefenglom here will net a deep set of disgust. Attempting to rouse these Monsters does very little, and may even result in them jerking away and cowering behind their human company. b. GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE At one end of the city is a massive pavilion, one made of the same stone as the wall, giving off the same oppressive foreboding. Humans come and go from this peculiar town square with a casual air, an intent the same as a stroll through the stalls on the market street. Because that's, essentially, what they're doing. Monsters young and old put on display to show their abilities and strengths, tasks that range from the physically demanding to performances of artistic abilities. Some seem to be just at the surface of awareness, their glazed expressions refocusing at times with a sort of strained fear that's visible even at a glance. Many don't even react outside of doing the tasks they're ordered to do, going through the motions as a barker speaks at length about them, their abilities, how much their labor goes for and what they cost. These Monsters are purchased by the humans of the city at each display, many of them never wearing more than their basic clothes and the customary collar, a chain to keep them tied to their station with a generous enough reach. Most come and go with very little struggle, but some... it becomes obvious that they've broken through the surface and are coming up for air for the first time in a long time. Wooden posts where the chains are connected can be heard splintering with the force of their struggle, metal bending under pressure, the anxious energy of something about to happen. But the fights never last long, as attendants wearing Coven pins on their cloaks swoop in to attend to the situation - and many dreamers might notice a familiar Witch filtering in and out of the events, speaking to the auctioneers before departing for another selling. It's difficult to recall their face later, no matter how clearly one saw it before, but one thing is certain: while not necessarily prim and proper, this person is someone with a steel spine and a sharp eye. And they saw you, just the same as you saw them. c. AT BECK AND CALL With enough observation, or perhaps even experience, it becomes apparently how this is happening: any command or order issued to a Monster is taken to the most literal, and Monsters have no choice but to obey. Many Monsters employed as workers are so deep in the compulsion that they won't obey any additional commands, unless it comes from the person they have this most warped "Bond" with. Others will accept commands from anyone, even the mirrorbound Witches that have come into their city. Even the most asinine command is one that they'd obey, and one that maybe even you'll obey, too. Having a friend playfully tell them to shut up? They're forced into silence until told that they can speak again. Told to jump off a bridge? Best make sure you specify that you don't want them to jump off of a very high one, if you really want them gone that badly. Handstands, cartwheels, jumping jacks - but also, hurting someone, hurting themselves... one has to hope the Monster in question has a strong willpower, or it's a command that goes against one that's already been issued to them. But something of note is that mirrorbound Monsters of Aefenglom will find that they're also effected by this, though they're better able to fight the compulsion. Those with weaker constitutions may need help snapping out of the command, especially as a powerful command will be painful to fight against, and Witches will have to watch their words. Take care that your friends, your peers, the strangers you've arrived with, don't find themselves attending the auction block - it's a very real possibility in this place, with an unknown Monster unattended and uncollared. It should all be harmless, though. After all, this is only a dream... isn't it? No NPCs are available for this log - unlike with the midsummer dream, they're nowhere to be seen. No Nessie, no Mhairi, no one. Which means that there's no one to counsel them as they find themselves exploring the setting, and discovering that they're just as susceptible as the people in the dream...

II. THE COVEN Unlike with Aefenglom, there isn't a proper Parliament. A little investigation will lead to the discovery that the Coven of this city is the main governing body, which may explain a great deal about why there's such a massive presence of magic here. Located at the center of town - all roads lead to the Coven, a massive stone building with sharp looking spires - the grounds are notable in that there's nothing even remotely similar to the Looking-Glass House that everyone has come to know, despite its secrets. Should one gain entry to the main building of the Coven itself, they'll find that all the mirrors are within. Their main focuses of magic, rather than the more broad spectrum/free-to-study policy that Miss Nessie encourages, are enchantment and abjuration - for control, primarily. They're also heavy studiers of runes, visible across the city and with an even heavier influence in the wards of the Coven itself. They are, regardless, fairly welcoming to eager young minds wanting to learn. So long as the Monsters are left behind. But who's to say that you can't disguise a Monster? a. STUDY TIME Those curious about the Coven's library are welcome to investigate it for themselves, the Witches all smiling faces as they usher their visitors in. But they'll soon find that they aren't really left to their own devices; a member of this Coven branch is practically around every corner, and while they try to be subtle about their observation it becomes quickly obvious that they're not there for their own studies. They're stationed around the library to ensure that their guests don't make off with any of their resources, or try to get into any forbidden sections of the expansive library. Where the Coven library of Aefenglom - as well as the Undermael College's library - plays devil's advocate, with accounts and studies conducted from both sides of the anti-Monster sentiment and attempt to expand upon outdated knowledge... these ones have a decidedly anti-Monster lean in every regard. Any attempts to find otherwise will be met with bemused amusement by the Coven members, and a note that they don't carry such things here. After all, they're certainly not Aefenglom. They would never carry anything that could put their citizens at risk in such a way. Nevermind those horrid Bonds that Bell goes on and on about - it's no wonder that they're always at odds with their government. If only they'd wisen up, hm? Perhaps these new arrivals would like to transfer to their branch, instead, to better guarantee their growth. b. THROUGH THESE HALLS If one manages to slip away from the library without having somebody tailing them, they'll soon discover that the chilled atmosphere doesn't simply linger in the city itself. The halls are cold, the runes unwelcoming unlike the homey feel that Nerissa Bell's charms offer. Certainly home isn't perfect - and there's no denying that the sentiment is shared by many - but the smiling faces of the Black City's branch are at odds with the feel of their magic, the caged in weight pressing down on everything, including your shoulders. The halls are dimly lit by flickering lights, enchanted lanterns with a constantly burning yellow-white fire. Plenty of nooks and dark corners afford even large Monsters the ability to sneak through the halls, should they be snuck in for better investigation with their peers. Take care, however; there are Witches coming and going constantly. An empty room might lead to a study, a classroom, a bedroom. Locked doors don't yield easily, even in a dream, and may need to be abandoned. But a terrible, foreboding feeling emanates from large double doors that are rigidly locked. Hushed voices speak from the other side, and it's almost like the cold feeling that spreads throughout the Coven itself finds its source behind those doors. Periodically, sounds of pain escape from within - but they die out to whimpers, then silence, before they can ever get too loud. A crisp voice speaks only one word, clear even through the wood and the magic: "Again."

III. THE DARK UNDERBELLY There's always more to a city than the streets that you can see at the surface level. If you're looking, it's not hard to spot the signs. There are runes that mark walls and cobblestone streets like graffiti, and a studied eye might realize that they're not the same sort that have subjugated the more monstrously inclined of the Black City. These are intended to dispel magic, and the moment that a member of the Coven notices it - it's swept up as soon as possible, scrubbed clean or scorched off with magic. People take to the streets in small groups, standing their ground and raising their voices above the muffled din of a foggy city. They carry chains and collars that have been broken, but many of them are undeniably human as they confront something that has so obviously become the norm. Break the chains! they demand. Break the spell! Monsters go missing from the auctions with a well-placed distraction - perhaps you're one of the individuals being freed from the pavilion, or someone that's realized that there are people coming and going through the crowds, wearing the same cloaks as the Coven but without their iconic pins, dressed as aristocracy, from all walks of life... smuggling the Monsters away at the first chance. a. PARTY TO PROTEST Not every uprising can be swept under the rug at first sign, however. Witches take to the streets, looking surprised to see the mirrorbound arrivals from Aefenglom - and it's not the same wariness that most would give them. This is the calculating eye of someone assessing whether the person they've met will help or hinder, and some of them decided that you're to be help. Enchanted slips of paper are pushed into hands, runes are taught as quickly as possible in a hushed whisper and explanation, locations given out to Witch and Monster alike with a word of caution. Use the paper on a surface, any surface, and you'll see. Use the runes to break the compulsion - you might have to do it twice, thrice, however many times it takes to dispel the magic. Don't be caught. Using the enchantment as instructed - pressing the paper against a wall, the ground, a post, anything - will result in glowing runes overtaking the surface. It's the same as the runes that are taught to Witches, used to ward against the magic in place just as much as it is to create a statement of protest. If one goes to a location that is whispered to them, they'll find that they've joined an organized protest. It's small in size, a mixture of Witches and unleashed Monsters. Due to the size and frequency it's easy enough to find them, but the guards are very quick in putting them down or hiding any traces of them from the public eye, despite the protesters' best attempts. There's nothing amiss in the city, and nothing for citizens to worry about. b. REST AND REGROUP But they can't find every source of the resistance. It isn't hard for dreamgoers to find themselves swept up by these protesters. Any help is welcome, and those that show an inclination towards helping the Monsters of the city - or their Monsters that they know, regardless people that shouldn't suffer this way - will be taken into the fold. Entrances to their secret routes can be found in places that are hidden in plain sight. A storefront tended to by a Monster with eyes in sharp clarity when they look up from their robotic work welcomes a group of people in and behind the counter, to where a hatch door is hidden in the floor. A manhole cover is pried up, where people are smuggled down below. A portal is prepared, a different and darker destination on the other side. They all lead to the same location. The sewers are vast beneath this city. Much like the labyrinth that many faced in the Midsummer nightmare, it almost seems winding, endless, and the water is cold when it's crossed. But even with the stank of the runoff, the musty and moldy air, there's never the sense of dread, of death. Instead, there are signs of when you're going the right way - runes that shimmer only when looking at them out of the corner of your eye, or when you know what to look for. Three stars together - sometimes overlapping, sometimes circling each other, but always three, and always five points. While they appreciate the help, the mirrorbound aren't invited in by the revolutionaries to the main hideout. But it becomes obvious by charm bracelets, necklaces, piercings, tattoos, embroidery and stitching on shirts; this symbol, and its presence, is integral to their world beneath the city. But many are welcome to mingle throughout their circle. In the sewers, the shops, the small park where a rune gives secret announcements to those who know where to look for it on the third bench, even the homes of people that certainly don't look like revolutionaries, let alone anyone that would be a protector.

Welcome to the Black City! As a reminder, this takes place on August 18th - or rather, 3AM on the August 19th, much like the midsummer nightmare. If you have any questions or need any clarifications, you can ask them here! And as always, while we do encourage you to use this log, you can feel free to thread things out on your own log or elsewhere. Characters are allowed to try and start fights in the city, create prompts based on the information given instead of using the ones given exactly, and poke their noses where they don't belong - we encourage it, actually. But regardless of what you choose, we hope you have a good time!

And as a final parting note: If a character dies in the dream, they'll simply reappear at the beginning rather than waking up like normal.

Comments

Azura | Witch

[prayerwheel]

I-A (wandering)

[ Sadly, this sort of environment is one Azura has seen before. Lived in, for a handful of years. The Nohrian capital didn't have industrial smog, but it was similarly bleak, dark, and oppressive in atmosphere, with its citizens slinking around cautiously. She wasn't ever left unaccompanied in her trips outside the castle, so she's trying to blend in here as best as she can--sticking to the walls, pulling her cloak around her, keeping her head down as she surveys the area.

In fact, she blends in so well, you might end up mistaking her for a native of this place. It becomes apparent she's not, though, when she looks up and the look in her eyes is very...not glazed and not dead. If you do meet her eyes and it's clear you aren't someone native of this dark city yourself, she sighs in relief. ]

...how horrific. This feels more like a nightmare than a dream. I was wondering if I'd wandered into some kind of cursed realm by myself.

I-B (auction block)
[ Everything continues to be horrific. An auction? Really? She chokes back the feeling of disgust welling up in her as she watches this, and...there's not a lot she can do, really, because she has no money and she's not the type to cause a big scene.

But if she sees anyone who's clearly from the Aefenglom group get swept up to the group, mistaken for a monster about to be auctioned, she steps in. ]

Pardon. They're with me.

[ Her eyes dart back and forth between the witch and the monster in question, giving the latter a subtle eye signal. Play along. ]

II-B (library)
[ Once again, Azura's doing mostly sneaking around. Hiding in the rows of bookshelves, turning corners when she feels a witch guard is watching her, listening for any important chatter more than reading these books, though she does sneak off to an empty room to peruse a pile of them.

Eventually, though, she finds herself at those ominous double-doors. She's huddled in a dark corner, ear pressed against the wall and listening to the faint voices coming from within. ]

"Again"...?

[ Whelp. Someone's getting tortured in there. Multiple someones, she guesses. ]

Wildcard
(( Feel free to hit me up for a custom prompt, or if you want to plot! I'm on plurk as hakurei ))

i- a

[reenforces]

[Mikleo is pale enough to stick out like a ghost, which makes two pale as fuck water elemental witches who are extremely unsure about this place. He's not smart enough to have a cloak, however. Mikleo already has a good idea of what this place's deal is, though, and he's quietly furious, his eyes turned to ice and his hands balled into fists.

He nearly runs into Azura before he realizes she's not a native, and his stance relaxes just slightly.]

It's not just you. [He keeps his voice low.] What a despicable place.

[prayerwheel]

[ He's not someone she's met before, but just seeing another mirrorbound makes her feel more at ease, visibly so.

But still. Azura glances over her shoulder before she responds. ]

...I've rarely seen places with air itself that feels so oppressive. But I suppose it makes it easy to know exactly what we're all getting ourselves into.

[reenforces]

[He feels like he's being watched too. Probably something to do with their appearance... He really wishes he was invisible right about now.]

Suffering like this poisons the earth itself. [This is how true monsters are born... and dragons, on his world.] I'm pretty sure this is a dream, but still-- the suffering is real.

We need to get a good look at what we're dealing with, and then we can decide what we need to do.

[silentsavant]

[ All it took was the issue of a command for his current handler to seize control of him. Don't resist me. And now he's being guided to the cold onyx pavilion, a place where a practice one might associate with the underground set as though upon a stage in gloomy daylight, nothing to hide or be ashamed of as monsters like him are sold and collared with as little agency as livestock.

Of course he's afraid. He knows his fate. If he dares to defy, it would be like writhing in a tangle of thorny vines, pricks of untold anguish drawn however he moved if it wasn't forward and alongside. Even if he breaks the command with enough resilience, who will rush to side with him? And wherever he looks causes deep pain, too, for there are monsters all around aching just like him, the very air choked by subdued torment that can scarcely be expressed. Strain permeates the dragon's expression, twisted into that glint of fear shining deep in those vigilant ruby eyes. He has little choice but to follow until a young witch offers him hope. Sympathy for his plight. A silent bid to play along.

The dealer's stare is firm on Azura, irritation knitted into the turn of his brow. Soren wriggles a little, as much as it pains him, putting on a show of needing to "return" to her side. The witch glances at his insistence and tightens his gloved hold on the dragon's horn. ]

"Not a good idea, leaving a beast as rare and dangerous as this to roam about unleashed, uncollared, hm? Some of us might get the wrong idea. Others... well, they might not care whether it belongs to you or not."

[ His smirk is dirty. ]

He's compelling me not to resist him with an enchantment spell. You know what to do about him. [ ...Right? Abjure him or command me... ]

[prayerwheel]

[ A dragon, huh? She heard about there being a handful of them in Aefenglom, but hasn't met a transformed one yet. ]

Be that as it may, sir, you still have your hands on him. Kindly release him and I won't kick up more of a fuss.

[ Azura straightens out her posture, folds her hands in front of her, and tries to channel the authority of a snooty royal, the kind she used to see in Nohr's court. The atmosphere takes her there easily enough.

Her eyes dart back to Soren. ]

And you. Get behind me.

[ She hopes she's projecting a "don't run away again" sort of story with how she's phrasing things.

It feels bad to bark out, though. She'll apologize to Soren later once they're away from here. ]

[silentsavant]

[ He's not quite "transformed", but to her eyes, he might seem somewhere halfway there, with a crown of four conical horns jutting out atop his skull, plated in silver at the tips; red and black membranous wings folded behind him; a long reptilian tail ending in red spikes. His hands are nearly like claws, black and scaled, a deep red fin the color of his wings on his outer forearms. And some of his teeth are sharp, causing a bit of a lisp.

At any rate, the man's smirk thins at her suggestion. Azura's command is enough to negate the compulsion not to resist. It bolsters his willpower against the covetous dealer, and though walking toward her slices through him, he powers through it, moving as though slogging through mud. ]

"You...!"

[ Pain like that is really nothing. And soon enough, it doesn't hurt at all. Soren turns to the other man, chin tilted upward, effecting a similar ceremonious coldness to him as she does. ]

And you don't want me to help her kick up that fuss.

[ Here, the man pales before going red. He clenches his teeth and darts his ice-blue eyes about his surroundings as though he might be able to rally some assistance. His tension is reassuring, though: it means he believes them. ]

"Why, I...! Th-threatening me? Your monster! It... It threatened me! [ He pitches his voice to higher volumes as he sputters to gain traction in his changing situation. Sure enough, though, his cries twist some heads. ] "Yes!" [ a jab of his finger at Soren and Azura ] "A d-dragon! Uncollared! A threat to us ALL!"

[ Droves of the people back away immediately. Some of their faces are drawn in horror, others outrage. Some are in awe. ]

"If she won't handle it correctly, she shouldn't be handling it at all!!"

[ That didn't pan over well. Oh, it got him to back off, but now he's trying to kick up a fuss in his favor, rally the whole town against them. It wasn't even a proper threat. He looks to his new handler. She has far more clout than he is allowed, and anything she says will be held in higher regard by default. But they are acting, and as such, he ought to behave like she has him under absolute control, collar or no. He lowers his shoulders in diffidence and his expression melts to shame. He tries as hard as possible to look like less of a threat. It helps that he's small to begin with.

What a hassle. She really doesn't have to going through so much trouble for his sake, anyway... and yet... why? Either way, being with her seems better than with him. He wouldn't be surprised if she simply gave up on him. ]

[prayerwheel]

Did he? It seemed more like idle posturing to me, but if you truly felt threatened, then I apologize for his behavior.

[ Oh, she's panicking now. On the inside. She really, REALLY doesn't want this to result in a fight, but her expression stays tight and solemn. ]

Now, now, there's no need for you to kick up a fuss, sir. I'd like to be on my way and out of your hair, and it seems like you'd be better off for that as well. Get on with your day and such.

[ Hey, now, she's not leaving. Even if this dragon guy is...kind of mouthy, apparently. She shoots him a look, an entirely real one, that says "please shut up" because this sassing just caused them extra trouble. ]

[silentsavant]

[ The fuse of the crowd has already been lit, and now that attention has been drawn, whispers of 'dragon' and 'uncollared' rise like flames teased by a fan. It pushes more discomfort into Soren. In the waking world, he'd only just gotten a few more telltale monster traits, and even then, he could be shrugged off as a chimera. But here, with his rarity on fuller display, it's almost unbearable to be gawked at in fear and awe by people who don't even view him as a human being. It brings him back to a time when... ...

well, almost. There's an absence of raw revulsion. And he's not nearly as small and helpless. The self-important witch scoffs, indignant as ever, placing a hand on his hip, the other tapping a wand to his side like one might tap a foot. ]

"I think I'm kicking up a righteous fuss, here! No witch in their right mind would ever give so much freedom to a monster like that. What Coven did you crawl out of, hm? Aefenglom's?"

[ At the corner of the gaggle that spread in numbers quickly as wildfire sets upon dry woods, Soren notices a couple of men dressed in buttoned swallowtail coats and high top hats being ushered by a frantic woman with her children in tow, children sucking their thumbs and too young to comprehend the gravity of the situation just yet but old enough to know that their mother is scared. One of the constables procures a sturdy leather collar as he watches Soren with wary eyes. At the other end, younger witches sporting the Coven's insignia take fascination with him and the girl who tried so nobly to extract him from his predicament. And he can detect her anxiety that threatens to surface beneath waters she tries to keep still.

She's probably only just growing accustomed to appearing in a new world, let alone using magic. Even an experienced witch could not weather the threat of many closing in to suppress her. And though he may be regarded the most powerful creature in all of Talam, he has never taken the full form of one, never endured a serious battle... afraid, even, of the final transformation, what he may look like. Just how far his resemblance goes... and the ramifications? But the point is this: even a dragon like him should take heed warding off a crowd in plain sight, giving the humans even more reason to hate and fear monsterkind. But he has to do something. It must be his turn to extract her from the situation.

He backs away as though cowering behind her. His slight arms encircle her waist. He murmurs. ]

Sorry about this... but it's something I have to do. We're escaping.

[ Surprise! Guess you're riding on the Soren Express today, Azura!! With a few strong pumps of his wings, he shoots up from the ground with her in tow. His hold on her is surprisingly secure for someone who looks like the most workout he gets in a day is lifting books... but in truth, he's never carried someone like this in midair before. And luckily, she's not even that heavy to begin with. But no matter how unaccustomed he is to this, desperate times call for desperate measures, and he wastes no time gaining speed and altitude away from the situation and to somewhere far and secluded, wherever that may be. ]

II-B

[starseedling]

[Azura may have seen Steven a bit earlier - albeit in a different form. Via illusions intended to change his appearance and sometimes conceal his presence entirely, Steven has been poking through the books here for a while, mostly in the form of an agender teenager dressed up in appropriate witch clothing.

When Azura sees him as himself, though, it will be on the outside of those ominous double doors. He'd put on another glamour to turn himself invisible, but upon seeing a person he recognizes as a fellow mirrorbound, he will drop the illusion for her eyes only - revealing a young fae.

His expression is distressed to sat the least. This is worse than he was hoping to find.]

What should we do? [He mouths.]

[prayerwheel]

[ Huh. An illusion spell? Or some kind of monster magic, probably. Azura narrows her eyes and puts a finger up to her lips. She wants to keep listening.

But there's not much else to hear. Just distressing noises and groaning and the heart of that cold feeling. Eventually, when there's a high in the noises, enough to muffle her slow footsteps, she creeps over to Steven and shakes her head. She has no clue. ]

People have been going into this room, once in a while. But no one has come back out.

[starseedling]

[Steven finds himself instinctively complying with her request for silence - it's not quite as potent as a direct order, but the implication is there. He puts a hand over his mouth and waits for her to finish listening in.

Just being here is putting him increasingly on edge, though. Like the feeling of being stalked by a predator larger and more terrifying than yourself. He startles when she finally speaks to him.

When she speaks to him he finds himself pushing back against some resistance to reply. He opens his mouth and then closes it again a few times before eventually pressing his fist to his mouth, looking stressed and nodding uncomfortably. He doesn't quite realize what's happening to him.]

[prayerwheel]

[ It takes her a few moments to realize what she's accidentally done. And when she does, she looks embarrassed. ]

Ah, er--speak if you wish, my apologies.

[starseedling]

[Suddenly the pressure is gone, and he exhales heavily. It's that stupid magic again - he's thankfully avoided having it used on him much during this whole thing, and it's startling every time.

He takes a moment to focus in on his illusion, converting the sounds of their voices into harmless atmospheric sound - at least for those that can be fooled by such things.]

Do you think we can get in there? What if... it's one of us?

[prayerwheel]

I'd rather not risk it, truthfully. Not until we know we won't be harmed for sneaking in.

[ she chews on the inside of her cheek as she thinks ]

But....

IB

[integrous]

[ It's not hard to notice that Asahi is not a resident of this dream, and rather belongs to the waking world. She's winged, so obviously a monster, but not nearly as quiet yet as most of the other ones who have been forced into obedience. She looks panicked as the witch grabs her by the arm, desperately trying to figure get out of this..

.. but then freezes up when she hears someone else speak, turning her head to look at Azura. For a moment she looks baffled (wait, she doesn't even know this person) but at least she's smart enough to pick up on the signal.

Asahi doesn't say anything, since she's not sure if the monsters native to this place are just all supposed to be fairly quiet and weirdly meek, but instead just quickly scurries over to Azura's side when the witch lets go of her. ]

[prayerwheel]

[ She goes through the motions, coldly thanking the witch for returning her monster to her, and whisking Asahi away from the pavilion with what she hopes is the air of someone frustrated and offended at this mistake.

Once they get out of there, though, Azura will redirect their path to behind a building, one away from the main path. ]

...are you alright?

[ Her hands hover in concern, though there's not much she can actually do beyond exorcising what little social power she has as a witch. ]

[integrous]

[ She sucks in a deep breath, still seemingly kind of shaken up from that whole incident back there. Mostly due to the thought of what could have happened if Azura hadn't interfered, really, so instead a wave of relief is now washing over her.

It's all just still a little overwhelming. ]

Y.. Yeah. I think so. [ She will be fine in a little bit, anyway. Once she can slowly calm down a little. ]

Thanks for helping me.. That was so scary.

[ Something she usually wouldn't admit, but there's less brain to mouth filter going on right now with all the emotions. ]

[prayerwheel]

I would imagine. You aren't injured, are you, Miss...?

[ understandable, really ]

[integrous]

Asahi. Asahi Yuki.

[ Being called a 'miss' is kind of weird, but it's honestly Asahi's least concern in this current situation, so she doesn't mention anything about it. ]

And no.. I'm fine. [ Physically, anyway. Mentally is a whole different story, but one she doesn't like to get into as much. ] That person was grabbing me pretty hard, but you showed up before anything worse could happen.

[prayerwheel]

[ a nod ]

Er, do you have any place to head to, now...? [ "i doubt it" says the look on her face, just because of the circumstances, but neither does Azura. She's kind of just been wandering around. ]

[integrous]

[ She pauses before answering, as if she really wishes she could say she has a place to go. At least that'd give her some purpose. But after a moment she just shakes her head. ]

I have no idea where I can even go here. It doesn't even seem safe to wander around by yourself when you've got.. [ Her hand makes a vague gesture in the direction of the wings on her back. ] .. well, these things.

[ That's how she got into that terribly auction situation by accident to begin with. ]