Intro Log: May

[moustre]

Intro Log: May, Game Start

I. ARRIVAL Out of nowhere, a glint of light catches your eye; your heart thunders in your ears as your body moves on its own, your mind consumed with inspecting the source. Your reflection stares back at you, just as curious from the surface - a mirror, a pool of water, your most trusted sword, something fleeting that your mind can barely remember - then ripples at your touch. A moment later, you feel a tug, and you find yourself stumbling into a dark, musty room. Behind you, a mirror stands ornately decorated with reminders of home wrought in brass and wood: the faces of people you know, and symbols important to you; all things that send a pang through your chest with the desire to return to them. Touching the mirror's surface does nothing but leave the stain of your fingerprints. When you turn turn to survey the room, you find there are hundreds of other mirrors. None of them are as decorated as yours - they're plain and dusty, speckled with age. Then you realize a second thing: You're not alone. Distantly, the ringing bell of a clocktower can be heard. But no matter its distance, the time is clear to make out: it chimes three times, stark, resonating like a pulse of something in this mirrored hall that you and many others have found yourselves in. For those familiar with magic, they might feel the power of the witching hour upon them, though it will feel different from what they're used to - in fact, everything does. Besides the new arrivals, however, there's one more person in the building, and only one. A young teen stands; previously bored and mulish, he's now owl-eyed and slackjawed as he takes in each arrival, either from the mirrors or coming from another floor as you try to get your bearings. In his hands he's clutching a broom like a security blanket, until - "M... Miss Nessie! Miss Nessie, something's happened!" he yells, as he drops the broom and turns tail out of the building. Leaving the Looking-Glass House makes it obvious that the clock striking three was for 3 AM - the night sky is clear, but the stars are dim in the face of two moons, regardless of their waning crescent phases. Follow, or explore the rest of the mirrored halls you've now found yourselves in? The Looking-Glass House is rather nondescript two-story cottage made of grey brick, sitting at the edge of The Coven's courtyard; stones which glow as you step on them mark the path to and from the two buildings. While fairly small and plain on the outside, the inside has been enchanted to be the size of a large library, with hundreds upon hundreds of mirrors hanging, standing, and resting inside its walls. Some are broken, some are cracked, and some seem completely uninjured - but all of them are just as plain as the cottage itself, showing age in the silver beneath their glass and in the greening of their metals... Well, all except a character's personal mirror; to characters, one mirror - the one they came through - will be decorated lavishly with metal-and-wood-wrought reminders of home, and the surface will be as clear as a brand-new mirror.

II. "MISS NESSIE" Whether you've decided to follow the hapless young man, or decided to explore the rest of the Looking-Glass House - and perhaps finding a few familiar faces among the crowd - you feel a pull towards the foyer of the first floor. It's like a firm suggestion, as if to take you by the hand and draw you to where it begins, and the source of it becomes quite apparent upon finding one's way to the front room: a tall, comfortably-dressed older woman and her even taller wolfish companion. The woman covers her mouth with a soft "Oh my!" as she surveys those who begin to crowd in, and she turns to the werewolf (?), lowering her hand once more. (The handful of others who'd come with her peer as best they can from a ways behind her with unconcealed curiosity, closer to the door out than not. The boy previously seen before he ran off can be spotted at the very back of the group.) "This is right unexpected, isn't it?" She not-quite whispers, delight and confusion in equal measure in her voice. Her companion makes a quiet noise in her throat, unscarred eye narrowed - it's hard to tell if that delight is one shared by both parties. "Well, they've always said the veil is thinner during Boaltinn... We'll have to talk to James and see if he was doing anything other than cleaning, we will, but for now, we've got a full house to attend to, don't we? Ah, if they're all Witches, that'll be something, it will!" Without wasting another beat - much to the fond irritation of her companion, certainly - the woman turns back to the newcomers of Aefenglom, clapping her hands together in glee. "Well then! I'm certain you all have many, many questions... As do we! First thing's first, though, first thing's first! I am Nerissa Bell, the Head Witch of the Coven - that's where this house is located right now, on Coven grounds - and this is my Bonded, Mhairi Ainsley. Don't worry, she's a right softie despite her looks! You can simply call me Miss Nessie - everyone does, short of those stuffy folks up in the Parliament, but, well, that's just how things are with them, I suppose." She pauses a beat, for breath, before continuing with a wave of her hand; dozens of chairs and stools, all surprisingly comfortable despite their wooden looks, are conjured in an instant, and Nessie smiles wide as she gives a small bow. "Take a seat, and let's get familiar with one another for a spell! The city'll celebrate without us one way or another, and we've already finished our business for tonight anyway. Isn't that right, Mhairi dear?" Despite the onslaught of information and excitement at three in the morning, Mhairi inclines her head slightly after a huge sigh; her voice is likely exactly as expected, low and akin to a growl. "Best to take advantage of the distraction. Let's begin, before I have to report this to Parliament." NOTE: If you wish to interact with Nessie and Mhairi, please comment here. You have the option of handwaving the IC interaction to OOCly ask what questions your character might have for them, for us to summarize an answer for, or you can request an IC thread. Simply specify in your comment's subject and we'll respond accordingly.

III. THE COVEN After an hour or two of general chaos, questions that the natives attempt to help with, and injuries tended to for those who arrive in poor condition, a solution is presented. Though they certainly can't answer every question, Nerissa and Mhairi promise to help find the answers, and open the doors of the Coven to all new arrivals in the Looking-Glass House. The walk from the quaint cottage to the imposing structure ahead is lit only by magic provided by Miss Nessie and the Witches accompanying her, as well as the path of stepping stones coming aglow with each step that's taken across them. Beyond the courtyard, with its high, opalescent walls, a city can be seen. There are torches accompanying the flickering light posts outside, and the sounds of life clear even this far from the heart of Aefenglom, something that sounds like... merriment? Festivities are in full swing, even this close to dawn. The rest of the world continues on, even though you've arrived, confused and perhaps missing a few aspects of your usual persons. But while they certainly weren't expecting to spend the festival like this, the Coven has worked as quickly as it can. Their doors, decorated in cowslip flowers, are wide open - welcoming to the public, and to new arrivals as well. The Coven's main building has a surprisingly large front room, compared to its outside; the ceiling stretches ever onward, with stairs of the solidly-flush-against-the-wall variety and floating-ethereally-in-the-middle-of-things variety both. Magic and mundane intermingle as if meant to, with brooms inscribed with runes to clean making quick work of dirt and dust, shadowy figures opening and closing doors as people enter and exit, plates of snacks drifting around as if carried by invisible servers. The brooms are especially attentive to the door as new arrivals step in - they don't apologize for knocking into anyone, and really, anyone particularly scruffy will get swept at until the brooms are satisfied. None of this seems to mind the Witches coming in, with small murmurs of gratitude given to the busybody brooms instead of reprimands. Doors lead this way and that, on higher floors and on the ground floor, but runes glow by their frames in indecipherable patterns. Peculiar-looking devices - watches, the native Witches explain, compliments of Parliament - are passed around to all the new arrivals; they're given a quick rundown on their functions and bid to test them out when they can, and Nessie waits for things to calm before she steps up the floating stairs and addresses the room. "We'll see to it you all have lodgings for a bit, we will, but for now, the festival's still going on - if you couldn't tell!" She laughs a little, hands on her hips. "There's nothing we can do about things right now, so you might as well enjoy yourselves, you might. If any of you want to stay in 'til morning though, well, we can provide - just mind your manners, magic's real particular about them. At least," she winks, head tilting with the motion, "that's how I teach all my classes, it is." Those deciding to stay will be lead to doors that seem to follow no real pattern by native Witches; the rule is "two to a bed," so get cozy with the person next to you. They're the ones you'll be sleeping with tonight. The beds aren't too small - enough to accommodate at least three humans - and they're fairly comfortable too, for their old-looking age.

IV. BOALTINN For those who journey out into the city, they'll be sent off with a word of warning to keep out of trouble from Mhairi, to find everything still quite lively - and still quite unaware of what's taken place. There's very little left to the shadows, with dim light filling in the gaps between the flickering streetlamps and the extra candles and such people have put up themselves. Curiously, small bonfires seem to follow a pattern, culminating into a wide plaza in the center of the Residential District where a larger, brighter one burns, with people dancing around it, their clothing jingling softly with little bells hanging from their hems. The same is mirrored on the direct other side of the city - the only difference is in who's dancing. The Eastern Bonfire has more visibly humanoid beings enjoying themselves, while the Western Bonfire has creatures more monstrous in looks. Regardless, they all seem to be happy- And the reason is this: Boaltinn, a festival lasting the next two dusks. The nights and early mornings are filled with flickering firelight, while the morning and daytime have all but the small fires leading the way to the giant bonfires extinguished; the bonfires, however, stay lit. - and in general, it seems the city is quite happy, quite cheerful, and quite close. a. The Bonfires The main attraction of Boaltinn, as they are with any fire festival, the bonfires on each side of the city are tended to by various Monsters every hour of the day. While much of the scenes are similar - there's plenty of food to be shared, with those partaking in it cowed into sitting with someone else regardless of how familiar they might be, and children of all kinds play together and invite those sitting or watching to come too, in all manner of games, such as jacks, hopscotch, and running ribbons around the tall poles at the bonfires. But there are marked differences, too. The Eastern Bonfire primarily has humans or those that can pass as humanoid in attendance, and they're much friendlier to those who look similar to them; to those that look a little more monster-like, though, their replies are far more curt and their shoulders colder. The area around the bonfire is also littered with trinkets and baubles, all shiny and new and utterly forgotten by their playmates; the ribbon poles are similarly new, made professionally as if by commission. Characters are invited to try and jump through the bonfire's flames to burn away any poor relationship experiences, be it romantic or platonic, past or present; to aid them in this, those at the Eastern Bonfire will give those participating rune-etched accessories to protect them from the fire. Meanwhile, the Western Bonfire has primarily those who are more monstrous in looks, and they're similarly friendlier to those who resemble them, with a similar brusque and cold manner to those who look more human. The area around the bonfire is carefully kept clean, however, and the ribbon poles look handcrafted from lumber and grass, with tightly-woven knots and clumsily-made paper decorations. Those attending here are also invited to jump through the flames, but no such protection is offered; it's simply assumed that, as a Monster, you're likely much better at handling a little fire. b. A Little Entertainment It isn't only the bonfire celebrations that one can participate in, however. All throughout both the East and West Residential Districts, as well as a portion of the Shopping and Entertainment Districts, there's a number of stalls, stands, and stores available for perusal. Take a gander at the rest of the city and find something to do. Of note: Divination readings are available in various stalls, set up by Coven-official Witches as well as homegrown ones, with tarot cards that vary from pristine art pieces that one would almost hesitate to touch to the personally drawn and cut. They offer free readings, enticing all who pass by to join them at their table. Good or bad, the cards seem to bring with them lessons and words of wisdom, interpreted expertly by those handling them... or as expertly as possible; some readings seem a little unsure and muddy. Regardless of belief, those who take part in these readings will suddenly find their day going either exceptionally well or incredibly poor, depending on the overall feel of their reading. Carts and booths are available for one to partake in more food, however there's a stipulation to taking anything from these vendors: one must share this food with others, either in pairs or a group. While relations between humans and beasts seem to be a little frosty, they can be seen intermingling a tad more freely when it comes to this portion of the celebrations, sharing the treats and small meals that are being offered to everyone. The food available all seem to be those easy to hold in hand, not unlike modern-day food trucks; of note, the thin pancake wraps seem to be the most popular, with a bubbly drink similar to a milkshake filled to the brim with drinking straws for best sharing experience coming in second. Flavors are plentiful and varied, though they err closer to the fruits, vegetables, and spices side of the spectrum. Finally, the more pleasure-based businesses offer the chance to relax one's weary feet and take a chance with a little aromatherapy with their rose baths. While traditionally this had its roots in imbuing the bather with good tidings and blessings for the upcoming seasons (or so they'll say when asked), nowadays, it's simply become a luxury treatment for those needing a little TLC. The waters here do have the added bonus of making those who share them friendlier and more talkative with their partner(s) - and yes, all baths are a shared experience. Rather than being split by sex, baths are split by monster and human; co-ed bathing exists for those who don't mind mingling with the opposite species, and if really pressed, they can offer separate baths for different sexes, but their focus seems elsewhere. c. Impulsive Compulsion Throughout the whole festival, new arrivals, particularly those with magic talent gifted to them by the world, will feel like they can do anything and will push themselves to the limit. While not inherently detrimental, those who feel it will become more reckless, their inhibitions lessened and impulses heightened; trying new things is easy as pie, with any thoughts of fear left far in the back of their minds. While magic is highly discouraged on festival days, given their rest day quality, those under the spell of Boaltinn's madness will feel the temptation to try some anyway, regardless of knowing the proper way of performing it - perhaps it's about time to try out what one discovered in that strange dream... Those found doing magic will get a firm scolding, but no actual punishment; it's only looked down on, and they'll be cautioned against using too much. If any property damage occurs due to reckless magic use, however, there are fines; those without any money to their name can be recruited to pay it off by working at the buildings and stalls they may have accidentally damaged, serving people, looks, or whatever else the business might offer.

Welcome to the intro log! While mingling on the log itself is highly encouraged, feel free to make your own logs; take the prompts offered and go wild, go crazy, go stupid, have fun. The network system is free to use once characters have their watches as well; information on that can be found at the bottom of the Setting page, while any extra questions about it can be found in the FAQ index. Quests can be picked up now as well! While technically most of them won't start until after festivities, you can go ahead and put your name on some by replying to the May Quest Pickup thread on the Quest Board. Finally, if your character is getting into any Shenanigans, let the mods know and if you have any questions about the log, ask them here!

Comments

[usurpers]

The good kind.

[ you can feel that he’s loosening up around the shoulders. a little rough around the edges of one didn’t know how to deal with him, but— eren wasn’t a lone wolf. he thrived better with familiars, and considering he’s alone, he won’t mind.

even if he doesn’t quite know mikleo all that well. it’s a good start, and the creases on the young soldier’s face that makes him look too grave for his age lift some. as they start walking, eren digs his hand into his uniform’s coat pocket, unfolding a sheet of sketchbook paper. when he holds it out, there’re some drawings, rather good ones, of both western and easter dragons. no wyverns, but. ]

Is that what they look like for you?

[reenforces]

[Mikleo isn't expecting that remark but it draws a smile to his face, a soft thing pulling up the corners of his mouth and pinching the corners of his eyes. He hasn't really smiled since he got here. Congrats, Eren.

The smile fades somewhat when he sees what's on the paper, replaced with scholarly concentration.]

These are very good drawings. Did you do these?

[He pauses, then points to the western dragon with its sleek head and huge wings.]

This is what the dragons I've seen look like. There are different classifications of dragons depending on how old and powerful they are, so I think you resembled one of the lesser ones in the dream.

[usurpers]

[ nothing too deep was meant, but— on an endearing and genuine level that leans more toward its literal sense, mikleo was good company to have. he wouldn’t lie about only good things so far, even if half of it was . . . some sort of dream. premonition. whatever.

mikleo was a good bean, so far. ]

I can’t draw for shit. [ someone named izuku, he says, with a little bit of gratitude in saying it. a nice kid! and, you know, he may be one of the nerds that sits in the front desk everyday in the same spot, and probably frowns when someone has taken it, but, no, eren is not good with pens. izuku on the other hand, is another good bean. ] Someone around the fire said it wasn’t a real dragon. The ones with arms for wings.

[ a pause, but it’s brief— and mikleo is welcomed to take the drawing to look at as its being offered. eren stared at the accuracy for a while when he first saw it too, but maybe that was just out of mad interest. ]

But they’re still the same to me. Giant lizards that fly and breathe fire. [ it’s said fondly, at least, with some wonder, but . . . there’s just overwhelming question from him, too. why did he dream he was one? if it’s a premonition, like paths offered, then . . .

what of him in the future? ] I’ve never heard about them back home, not even in legends.

[reenforces]

[The bluntness of that remark earns a snort.] I'm mostly a technical artist. I need to be looking at something to draw it. [Most of the drawings on the Celestial Record were done this way, so it's no surprise, really.] Maps are... slightly easier. Drawing dragons from memory, not so much.

[Mikleo will definitely look at this for a while, but he passes it back before too long.]

If it looks like a dragon and has dragon breath, it's a dragon. Whether it has wings on the arms or back is splitting hairs, in my opinion.

[He glances away, expression darkening.]

Maybe the legends were long enough ago that they were forgotten by your people. But for my home, it's... very recent history. Dragons serve as a warning that if we don't take care of our world and each other, we could lose everything.

[usurpers]

[ hah. mikleo seemed like the type, to be a technical artist, and eren wouldn’t be above watching him map things out like armin would, he was a pro at those. but then— yea history is complicated back on titan-earth. pacts with the devil are what’s all the rage.

but ]

They’re omens?

[ not that eren . . . has given much thought to omens as a whole, but to each their own world. he’s willing to keep his mind open. ]

[reenforces]

[He'll have to show Eren the book he's been carrying for a hundred years with all the maps and drawings made by three different people. He left it somewhere safe to go to the festival though.

He shakes his head.]

Not only an omen. Dragons are the heralds of calamity. They'll indiscriminately destroy a battlefield, a city, a country. All they know is pain and suffering because that's how they're born.

They're not a wild animal or a person with a curse. It's not anything like this world at all. It's worse.

[usurpers]

[ please????? have u ever seen a boy excited.

you’ll see that later though, not now. not when he looks a little . . . concerned. he doesn’t want to make too many assumptions and associations that may not really be there— ]

They’re death. [ that’s the conclusion he’s getting. ] . . . Do you think it meant anything? [ a beat, because even after all the stories he’s heard now, about dragons, from good things to bad— there was still the fact that eren was not a dragon and didn’t want to be. he was human. he was eldian. and he had to stay that way. ] Me being like that.

[reenforces]

[Unfortunately, the association is pretty apt.]

Death is the only mercy for them. They... aren't aware of who they used to be before the corruption took over.

[He shakes his head at Eren's following question, because Mikleo doesn't think this world's whims have anything to do with his own.]

I don't think it meant any more than my resembling a witch. Everyone has innate magic here, or so I'm told. Maybe some people were also given innate bestial qualities when we passed through the mirrors.

[He curls a hand beneath his chin.]

... Eren. Why don't we research what dragons are like in this place? It may shed some light on the mysteries of the shared dream.

[usurpers]

[ eren nods, pulling back the information he got from mhiari while the rest is sort of . . . lost. humans wouldn’t answer him correctly, and monsters even less. he still looked as human as the next person. ]

Mihairi said a few things when I asked. [ apparently it just wasn’t . . . enough. for eren. ] No one else wants to answer.

[ and . . . after a moment: ]

. . . We have things like that, too. [ just a small thing that he ends up . . . absently adding. he almost doesn’t realize he’s sharing until he’s finished. ] For the person who’s turned, it’s like living a nightmare that doesn’t end. The best thing for everyone is ending it.

[ they’re already dead, anyway. at a point of no return that has very specific ways to go back, and that’s not always the best thing. and, after another beat with a mildly solemn look in his eyes. he only knows it’s a nightmare because . . . he’s lived it. for a few moments, but he has. ymir mentioned living the nightmare for sixty years until she woke up. ]

They’re called mindless titans. Giants. They don’t know who they are anymore and only focus on eating other humans.

[reenforces]

[Mikleo looks at him with some alarm when he says that he has things like that too. A living nightmare that doesn't end... He thinks of Eizen, and he thinks of Tiamat, and he thinks of the people that were left behind. It could happen to anyone if they don't take care of themselves.]

I... I understand that. That's exactly what dragons are like on my world.

[He bows his head for a moment. Normally he wouldn't have said anything, but Eren was so honest...]

There's corruption on my world similar to what we've seen called malevolence. Those who are affected can be purified and returned to their normal forms-- forests regrow, famines and plagues disappear, animals return to being animals, people become people and can learn to heal.

[He looks up.]

But when a seraph falls to malevolence, they don't turn into simple monsters. It's constant pain and suffering that they can't fight by themselves, and it turns them into mindless dragons. They can't be purified once they've reached the final stage. They'll go on for eternity just destroying everything in their paths, only knowing that pain and suffering that drives them.

That's part of the burden of being a seraph. And it's why we all have to take care of each other.

[usurpers]

[ an ear is given, again, with attention, with more than simple curiosity pinning forward. and he understands. he understands that he understands? such a grand universe, yet, worlds all hold their similar evils. ]

You sound responsible with yours. [ the burden, he means. and understands it on a mildly personal level. he could mention it eventually? he doesn’t want . . . to bombard him, but the information sharing is appreciated on a level of. trust being built, he supposes. ] That . . . Malevolence. It sounds a lot like the Cwyld.

[reenforces]

[Mikleo rubs at his arms, a lingering chill settling in with the discussion of a fate worse than death. Eizen had been an incredible seraph, to hear the stories. Mikleo and Sorey only knew him as a massive dragon guarding the mountains who gobbled up hellions, seraphim, and human adventurers alike. And they'd ended him after hundreds of years of this.]

I have people I can depend on. It's important to be able to lean on them and confide in them when you need to.

[He nods at the comparison, though.]

The things we saw in the dream weren't exactly what I'm used to dealing with, but they were obviously corrupted. And the... burning sensation in my chest, the pain-- that felt so similar I thought I would lose myself.

Malevolence doesn't just manifest out of nowhere. Do we know the source of the corruption in the Cwyld?

[usurpers]

[ when your canon specifically breaks the power of friendship can defeat anything trope and you just want to cry. but knows and understands where that’s true. sometimes, if not all the time, you can do things alone (further ahead, eren will learn that friends aren’t always the dependable ones). ]

They said it was more like a disease. A magical one. [ something something about blood being a powerful ass thing that eren apparently didn’t take into account considering ] They have treatments, but it still isn’t full proof. There are points of no return.

[ . . . ]

Maybe that’s something we could ask. Where it comes from.

[reenforces]

[Mikleo has been without a partner for a long time. He leans on his friends when he needs to, but he often leans on his memories instead. As long as he doesn't despair, it doesn't matter.]

If we know where it comes from we'll be that much closer to treating it. Until we do, we can only ever treat the symptoms and not the cause.

[He pauses. He's not divulging this so he can throw shade on humans but it might sound like it.]

... Malevolence comes from human hearts. When someone denies a negative emotion so strongly that it rots their soul, that's when malevolence spills forth.

The Cwyld might be the same.

[usurpers]

[ no sweat dude eren knows full well how shitty humans are?? he’s one. haha.

It is not something that sounds so far out of the ballpark— for something that dips deeper into an understanding he didn’t comprehend in the slightest. the similarities were there. ]

Is it as contagious? Mihair sound a touch was all it needs to spread.

[ it’d make sense if it came from humans and then passed over to seraph— magic is weird. ]

[reenforces]

[Mikleo hums a little in thought.]

Malevolence comes in many forms. Sometimes it takes the form of a plague, but it's not instantly fatal. It honestly depends on your mental state as much as the strength of the malevolence.

The anger of a man with a grudge won't corrupt a whole forest overnight, but a group of angry protesters could all feasibly turn into monsters within moments. On the other hand, someone who realizes his mistakes and tries to make things better can get rid of his own malevolence.

Seraphim don't have that choice, though.

*mihairi said, autocorrect was brutal 😭

[usurpers]

[ that is sad as it is brutal. when one has no choice in their actions, that’s— completely conflicting to freedom. there have been a few times where eren has found himself thinking like a caged bird; he had no say, no chance to live a life he would’ve liked. the situations are vastly different! but . . . he finds himself picking out a choice somewhere.

take care of yourself very, very well. surround yourself with good people. as much as . . . that’s wildly relative. ]

Seraphim don’t deserve the trash people plant. [ he’s— far beyond the hate he’s cultivated for years. but such was powerful. blinding. it’s a new concept to think it can affect people, things, differently compared to the conventional, physical cause and effect by action alone. ] If you feel someone’s hate— then it affects you?

i knew what you meant ♥

[reenforces]

[Mikleo is somewhat troubled by this dark line of conversation, though he isn't resentful. He's slowly but surely learned to love humans as he's spent time with them, fought alongside them, watched over them, held their children... As with many things, simply getting to know them was enough to teach him acceptance.]

It's not all bad. Their prayers and offerings give us power, and we can use that power in turn to protect them. A seraph's blessed domain keeps malevolence from taking root like a bad seed-- but we couldn't do that without humans.

[He smiles a little, though it's brief.]

... Yes. Fear, anger, sadness, those are all things that are perfectly normal to feel. But when someone holds onto it tightly and refuses to let go, that makes it strong enough to take on a darkness of its own.

[He places a hand on his chest.]

At first it feels like a pressure in your chest, and it gets tighter the longer you're exposed to it. And then it becomes a sort of... whole-body ache. It feels like the weight of all those emotions bearing down on you so much that you can't stand up, and you think your bones will break if you try. Malevolence pulls you in and makes you think it comes from your own heart. It tries to pull all of those things out of you and grow even stronger.

[usurpers]

( here )