☆ Event Log: Snatched, Part Two

[faileas]

Event Log: January, Snatched - Part Two

I. A Great Escape (20th, Evening) It's been a miserable six days for the Mirrorbound and refugees kept locked away in a basement cell block, subject to all kinds of torment and experimentation. They're a resilient sort, though, and their efforts to organize and bolster each other are not in vain. As the time passes with no sign of the City Guard drawing close to their operations, the Rathmore family grows overconfident, and characters can hear them talking to each other about another mass-kidnapping in the works. The best opening comes late on the night of the 20th. A few of the family's numbers are out - notably, Thomas Rathmore, his wife, and his mother are attending an emergency meeting of Parliament, and Constance is making an appearance at the Coven. This leaves the more inexperienced cousins in charge, the lesser known Rathmores with no particular skill outside of cruelty. Changing of the guard begins as usual, a handful of Rathmores delivering some sparse rations and taking their time to choose a few prisoners to remove from their cells, but this time, the Mirrorbound bite back. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of Daenerys and Asura, along with the prisoners preparing an organized revolt, a fire started in the torture room provides chaos and cover - and one dead Rathmore cousin, whose body gives up some of the keys to a handful cells. Time to play the cards you've held close to your chest over days of torture, your held-back spells, your tricks, your items that weren't confiscated. A mass escape isn't likely, with so many people still present in the building and so many of the captives injured and tired, but with enough of a distraction in the form of a prison riot, which may be enough to overpower the three Rathmores initially left in the cell block, a handful of scrappy Mirrorbound may make it out to safety before reinforcements arrive. a. The Escape Attempt There is one door out of the cell block, the main, heavy, warded door that the Rathmores enter and exit from every few hours. It's locked down tight - but it's possible to power through it, pick the lock, or charm it open. On the other side of the door, in the greater basement area, they'll find themselves free of the Bond dampening. Witch magic make take some time to return, depending on whether they were drugged or only charmed, but it'll be important to move quickly. The Rathmores' basement area is large - the size of the mansion above and the grounds put together, and they'll find themselves on the lower of two levels. The cellblock turns out to be a room within an even bigger room, with the stairs at the opposite end. The dangers are numerous: magical and mechanical traps set in areas marked off-limits, illusions intended to confuse and turn people around. There is only one completely safe path from the cellblock door to the stairs, unless they take the time to disarm the traps and illusions with their returning magic and abilities. That safe path is faster but more exposed, with two or three Rathmores in pursuit, and also the other people that could occasionally be heard outside the door - young aristocrats in on the kidnapping, who thought the Mirrorbound would be sent home. They're just as surprised to see you as you are them. In fact, it's not difficult to overpower these non-Rathmore kidnappers; they're obviously shocked to see Mirrorbound still here, in such states, and some are quite angry, or scared to learn what they've inadvertently gotten themselves into. A good handful flee instead of fight, but some others follow through on the shouted orders to go after you. Use the chaos your appearance causes to your advantage. Once escapees reach the upper basement level, up the stairs and through a hidden door, a few more traps remain, but up here, it looks more like a normal basement; servants' quarters, empty for some time now, storage rooms full of antiques, and winding hallways connecting them. It's easier to hide in this dusty maze to escape any pursuers, and eventually, they find the servants' exit out onto the back grounds. From there, freedom is just a run and a decorative, wrought-iron fence away. b. The Chaos Back in the cells, everything descends into chaos. The Rathmores are furious; while two or three of the cousins go after the escapees, the rest begin to gather down in the cell block, put out the fire, and the interrogations begin. They don't bother taking prisoners out to torment them now - they can't, with their torture room charred and smokey. Their main focus is forcing prisoners back in, and locking everything down with magic and heavy chains, to ensure no one else gets out. They grow more vicious now, and they begin speaking directly to the captives - they want to know which ones got free, how they managed it, who helped them, where they're going, who they're going to tell. Those who refuse to talk will be gagged or muzzled or simply beaten without finesse, and they'll move on to the next captive. Preying on the Mirrorbound's camaraderie with each other is the tactic they quickly turn to, hurting one to try and make another talk. The talk outside the main door grows louder in these few hours, angrier. Occasionally one of the Rathmore cousins will go out to spin some lies, or simply shout down any protesting. Some of the enchantments were damaged in the riot, though - they can hear you, just as well as you can hear them, muffled but still mostly clear. The more they hear from within, the more the confusion outside grows; all the better for the escaped Mirrorbound. ..."What's going on? Those were Mirrorbound that got out-" "We thought you were sending them home!" "You told us there was no risk, that this would make them leave-" "You don't need to worry about that! Go back upstairs!" "Someone needs to get a message to our Uncle Thomas immediately-"... They're all panicking as their grand plans, flimsy as they may have been, start to crumble around them. It's just a matter of time, now. The OOC post for the escape plotting is here if anyone needs to refer back to it! Eight characters will be escaping first thanks to a joint effort. The rescue will be underway within two hours of their escape, but those two hours are likely to be unpleasant for characters who remain in captivity. Any NPC maimings or proposed deaths need to be reported on the City Tracker; please note that mass murder / killing NPCs will still have consequences and needs mod approval first, but we're happy to work with players however we can.

II. The Cavalry (21st, Very Early Morning) The City Guard is closer than the Rathmores think. Thanks to Mirrorbound investigative help, not always strictly legal but still appreciated nonetheless, they've all followed the clues back and determined a possible address. By the evening of the 20th, several members of the Guard and Witches from the Coven, along with any Mirrorbound who followed the trail, are camped out at a manse nearby, the home of a wealthy widow eager to see her nasty neighbors knocked down a peg. Without solid evidence, the Guard can't get a warrant cleared to search the property owned by a Mr. Barclay, assistant to Thomas Rathmore, but solid evidence comes as soon as eight Mirrorbound manage to fight their way out of captivity, returning to friends and Bonded. They are the last piece of the puzzle, and now legal action can be taken. Theodore Rosethorne, leading a small group from the Coven, sends out a magical message to just the Mirrorbound - they've been found. Anyone who wishes to help bring their missing fellows home, anyone who can help with much-needed healing, or anyone who wishes to bring their captors to justice needs to show up now, because time is of the essence. The Guard can't mobilize more men quickly enough in the middle of the night to be useful and they need all the hands they can get, without a floor plan of the mansion or solid ideas of the captors' numbers. They can barely wait an hour for more hands to arrive before it begins. a. The Rescue Sowilo, Theodore's Bonded Fae and a skilled hand at illusions (and seeing through such), leads the rescue efforts, along with some of Theodore's Witches from the Coven. With information from the escapees, they plan to go through the back, take the servants' exit, and make their way down to the basement levels, while Theodore's assault team will go through the front doors, making as much noise as possible. Sowilo's illusions will keep their presence masked at least until they get into the house. The aim is to get through as quietly as possible, find the cellblock, and secure a safe route to take the prisoners out without them getting hurt any worse than they are. It's easier said than done. Magical and mechanical traps of various types litter both basement floors, and heavy illusion work has been placed to obscure the way. Splitting into smaller groups to disarm the traps and deal with the illusions will be necessary, as the entire group will make its way down to the cellblock as quickly as possible. Sowilo hopes they face little to no resistance, with Theodore's group doing their job, but a few, Rathmores and otherwise, are bound to try and stop them; in that case, they will have to fight. "Make sure you can argue a case for self-defense, if you have to hurt them," Sowilo will tell the rescuers and later the freed prisoners on the way out, wings fluttering agitatedly. "Let them be arrested and publicly humiliated in court - ruin their whole family line for generations to come." He's not happy about it either, and will overlook some of the captors getting a taste of what they deserve, but deaths are not permitted on his or the Witches' watch: anyone who takes things too far will find that the person they're attacking has simply vanished - a convincing illusion - before they're handily knocked out with a spell. They face less resistance than the assault team, but less is not none; a few of the Rathmores are determined to salvage their efforts, and some of their unwitting aristocratic cronies have sided with them. Once they reach the cellblock, dismantling the enchantments that keep the prisoners restrained and addled is the first order of business for some. Others can start unlocking cells and helping people out of their restraints. Protection for the escapees on their way out will also be necessary, as well as medical attention back at the temporary base camp. The main focus has to be on those lost friends and loved ones, bringing them back out to freedom and making sure they're tended to - not on revenge. b. The Assault Theodore Rosethorne, along with some members of the City Guard and some Witches from the Coven, leads the assault. While the rescue team goes around the back, they plan to go through the front door, as loudly and conspicuously as possible. The mansion is large and needs to be swept from top to bottom for perpetrators and evidence that can be used in court. Those joining up with this team are warned that it needs to remain legal - the Mirrorbound and the refugees, all of them, have a very shaky, uncertain legal status within the city, and a mass murder could severely harm what good will they have from the locals as well as their status here. After all, many are still neutral to positive on the Mirrorbound, but that could change in an instant. The Coven will take as much responsibility as they can, but they cannot accept the blame for a senseless slaughter. Splitting into smaller groups will be necessary in order to cover more ground quickly. The aim is to locate, subdue, and arrest as many of the culprits inside as they can. The Guard provides magic-suppressing cuffs, and the Coven a basic knock-out spell, but since many will not go so willingly, some degree of force may be unavoidable. If there's one thing the rich fear, it's a legal black mark on their family name and reputation - the Rathmores will fight back harder than their underlings, but they're also the ones they need alive to face the justice system. Those outside the family, those who only knew about the kidnapping portion, are a mixed bag - some might fight back, siding with the Rathmores, but some might give themselves up once the realization of what happened in that basement sinks in. Once they make their entrance, things move quickly. Several wealthy aristocrats either flee or fight, but their attention is thankfully pulled away from the basement and toward the upper levels. There are dozens of rooms to search, and many are cluttered with an old hoarding family's antiques, furniture piled against doors and windows blocking access to some areas, hundreds of nooks and crannies among the sheer amount of stuff provide cover for culprits to hide in. It's going to be work to ferret them all out and bring them in. Worse still, the Rathmores have collected dozens of cursed or enchanted objects that may be used as weapons against the forces of justice. Some degree of force is expected, but still if anyone tries to take things too far, they might find themselves slapped into cuffs or knocked out with a spell themselves. Any NPC maimings or proposed deaths need to be reported on the City Tracker; please note that mass murder / killing NPCs will still have consequences and needs mod approval first, but we're happy to work with players however we can.

III. The After (21st On) Activity continues all through the night and late into the morning at the former Rathmore estate. All the Rathmores and a couple dozen other wealthy aristocrats are brought out in cuffs over the course of several hours, while all the prisoners are liberated to receive medical attention and reunite with their loved ones. The Guard take statements from everyone who will give one - what they witnessed, what happened to them, what they know - and all who were affected are told they will be invited to testify at trial. A gathering crowd forms at the end of the street, wealthy neighbors aghast at the horrors they're learning had occurred right in their District. Most are disgusted with the once-prominent family. On the steps of the Parliament building, Thomas Rathmore, his wife, and his mother, all sitting members of Parliament themselves, are publicly arrested in front of colleagues and on-lookers early in the morning. Constance Rathmore is taken out of the Coven roughly in magic-suppressing cuffs, surrounded by a small group of furious Witches, students of the Coven who spent the week trying to find the missing Mirrorbound and refugees with Divination. They escort her to the prison themselves. All who are arrested are transported to holding cells of their own within the City Guard - all except those requiring urgent medical attention, who will remain cuffed to their hospital beds until trial. Nessie and Mhairi make an appearance at one point to give the Mirrorbound their sincerest apologies for what happened, and Mhairi delivers the news that they're pushing for an expedited trial in Parliament, in order to keep Thomas Rathmore from bribing any contacts. They, along with Theodore and Sowilo, and the Guard, are all open and forthright with what will happen next: public trial and a certain conviction, followed by sentencing. They don't expect that the Rathmores will get away lightly; what they did is too public and too horrific for even the anti-Mirrorbound wealthy to stomach. Those others who were involved, who weren't aware of what was going on behind that metal door, they'll still face justice themselves, no doubt. In the meanwhile, those kept hostage will need all the help they can get to reach something resembling normal again. Hug your loved ones, nourish your Bonds with each other, and begin trying to heal together.

Welcome to Part Two of January's event log, Snatched! An aftermath summary of the trial and sentencing will go up on Feb. 4, the day after the City Tracker deadline, so get your submissions in if you have them! More politically-oriented characters may find an opening in the near future to enact change within Parliament and provide their own representation within the city...

And as a general reminder, please make sure to use content warnings where necessary in your headers!

Comments

flat escardos | witch | rescue team | ota

[escardos]

i. break in (a)

[ flat’s head feels clear in a way he thinks he hasn’t felt before in the past few days. like the surface of a tranquil, clean pond, he doesn’t seem to have any troubles at all with following the orders of the leader.

he doesn’t even flinch as they quietly enter the cells, the smell of blood and the sight of the poor refugees and other mirrorbound filling his senses. he looks onwards with a small smile, almost like as if it were glued to his face. ]

What a terrible place, huh? [ he whispers to someone, as if he were simply talking about the weather. ] To think that humans would be able to be this cruel. Isn’t it funny?

ii. searching for someone

[ he had to find cu.

among the many, many victims of the horrible kidnapping, flat only had one person in mind right now. waver was safe—safer than his bonded, so he could cross him off the list. ciaran cu, however—

he’ll enter into every cell that seems to have someone inside, peering in with a blank look. he doesn’t look neither sad or worried—his expression is blank, though shrouded by the hood over his head. ]

Have you seen Cu? Ciaran Cu, he’s a large dragon that got kidnapped.

[ a pause. ah right, he was here to rescue, right? ] Do you need help?

iii. lost and found (closed to berserker)

[ when he finally finds berserker, flat stops in his tracks. from the way he stops in his tracks, the hood basically comes off his head and falls on his shoulders as he barely recognizes the broken form of his bonded.

for a second, flat cannot breathe. he cannot think. his mind is blank, the sight of berserker far too much to process in a natural way.

and then, he restarts.

he quietly steps into the cell, approaching the dragon—if he could even be called that anymore—and tilts his head. and he smiles, serene. blank. ]

I suppose that explains the pain. [ a pause. ] Hello.

iii

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ Their Bond is still dampened, but he recognizes that familiar pulse, brief and muted though it may be. Berserker slowly raises his head, the abuse he's suffered evident on his face and body. Where scales once were, there are raw, bloody patches of skin. His wings are tattered and mangled. Bruises and cuts litter his bare torso and the familiar wounds from Dorchacht are starting to fester. His hair is matted and thick with dried blood. Even if he wanted to stand up right now, he can't, too weak to do so.

The restraints make him look that much more a shell of his former self; arms bound behind his disfigured back, muzzle on his face, heavy collar attached to a chain tethering him to the wall. The chain only give him a few feet of distance, if that. He doesn't look at Flat, ashamed that he wasn't able to protect himself. ]

...You shouldn't have come looking for me.

[ Quiet, weak, and completely uncharacteristic. ]

[escardos]

Is that so? Should I leave?

[ flat's expression is unreadable as he continues looking--no, staring at berserker. through berserker. the tone of voice he poses the question with is earnest, like he will leave if cu simply gives the command.

he pauses as he approaches the fallen dragon, looking at the chains with little interest. ]

No, never mind. Flat wouldn't like it if I just left you behind like that. [ they shake their head to themselves. ] But I can't unchain you. I'm just not strong enough.

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ Of all the unsettling things he's experienced lately, Flat's sudden change in demeanor is the one that bothers him the most. Berserker slowly turns his head to look at the witch, his brow furrowed for a moment. ]

...Are you alright, Flat?

[escardos]

It's not--

[ whatever flat was going to say gets cut off by the sudden sound of loud, angry steps approaching the cell.

one of the torturers, not a rathmore, but an underling with the cause, spots the two of them, and makes his way there, practically exuding wrath from every pore. ]

You fuckin' little brat! You think you can really save that disgusting thing? You think you're doing good?! [ he approaches flat, their height and build differences very visible. one hand of his could probably wrap around flat's throat, easily.

and yet, the witch stays still, not shaken in the least. ]

I'm not too sure about 'doing good', sir, but yes. I suppose that you're one of the torturers, right?

[ the man does not confirm with with any words at first. instead, he lunges towards flat, hands wrapping around the witch's neck without any resistance. only then, does the man scream, venting all their anger on flat. ] You goddamn pest!! If I'm gonna go to jail, then I'll fucking take you down before then

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ The sudden attack makes Berserker suddenly more lively. He snarls at the man, ignoring the pain that surges through his body as he lashes against the chain. The collar tightens against his throat, rubbed raw already, but it doesn't deter him. A thick, black liquid drips from his mouth as he fights harder against his restraints. It hurts, every bit of his broken body screams in pain as he tries in vain to protect Flat.

... Of course it's in vain. He couldn't protect himself, how could he protect his Bonded? ]

Let him go... [ Firm. Harsh. Loud. Poison drips to the floor from his muzzle. ] Now.

[escardos]

Shut up you fucking mutt! Know your damn place!!

[ the man barks the order, his voice drowning out the choked noises that flat makes as his hands squeeze harder around their windpipe.

and yet, flat does not resist in the slightest. not even when the man slams him against the wall, their feet dangling over the ground slightly. ]

Do you think you're all high and mighty now?! I'll snap your fucking neck! I'll kill you in front of him-- you think he'll like that?! I bet he'll--eh?

[ what the man did not notice, was that flat's lack of resistance had a purpose. sowlio's words rang in the witch's hazy mind--"make sure you can argue a case for self-defense, if you have to hurt them."

a bruised neck would be good enough, no?

the spell was a muted, choked whisper--intervention start.

as if burned, the man suddenly releases his grip on flat, placing a hand to his face. ]

I...I can't see...I can't see! What the hell did you do?!

[ flat falls on the floor, coughing and wheezing a couple times. what cu will notice, though, is that he is smiling. ] I am defending myself.

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ Berserker fights the chain harder with a furious roar. Sense has left him, only his instincts remain. He tries to spread his broken wings to make himself larger, but it only causes him crippling pain. It doesn't deter him; his only purpose is to protect Flat.

And he can't. How worthless.

He only stops in his struggles to defend Flat once he frees himself. That smile doesn't feel right...Nothing about this does. It doesn't bother him, though; whatever Flat's illusion magic is capable of is not enough punishment for the swine. ]

...Do as you will.

[escardos]

Let's have a chat.

[ flat continues smiling serenely at the man in front of him, who is staggering backwards. he's still quite angry however, shakily brandishing a knife and swinging it wildly. flat moves away from it with ease, moving to the edge of the wall. ]

The fuck do I have to chat with--aAAAAAGHH-!

[ the man doubles over, collapsing on the ground on both knees. he's screaming now, but flat looks down on him with an unreadable expression. ]

They say that pain is all in the mind. Sometimes, people don't even feel pain when they're injured. The inverse is possible as well-- sometimes, you can feel pain that doesn't have a source in the first place. And yet it's so, so real. That's how Flat felt, you see? The emptiness, they could deal with. Even the flashes of pain, he could withstand.

[ they tilt their head down at the man who continues screaming. the illusion of pain is a powerful one, as he makes the man believe that the bones in his legs are breaking. ]

What he could not withstand, however, was the knowledge that the humanity he loved so much could do this to two of his most precious people. [ their brows knit together, his gaze far away and lonely ] I couldn't either, really. Even now, I'm not really sure what to think. Is loving humanity still worth it? [ they glance at berserker head tilted to the side ] What do you think?

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ Berserker doesn't have an answer. Humanity was never really worth anything to him; his Master was tasked with ensuring its survival and he acted according to their needs. It was not his task, however, and he had no stake in its outcome. He simply went along with his Master's wishes because that's what Servants are meant to do: fulfill a purpose.

Berserker does say something after a long silence. He spits out a mouthful of his poison, the remnants of which still clung to his face. ]

Humanity is capable of great cruelty... [ He'd been witness to the worst of it and he'd been the worst of it, too. ] But also great kindness.

[ His voice is weak and apathetic. The pain of his attempts to break free take their toll and he curls in on himself. It doesn't make the pain better, but it makes him feel better. ]

It's up to you to decide whether or not the actions of a few define humanity as a whole. My opinion doesn't matter.

[escardos]

....

[ for someone who says that their opinion doesn’t matter, cu’s words seem to slice through flat—or whatever they are— like a butcher’s knife.

part of them want to argue it. what they—what flat had felt those days had truly been painful, a concoction of negative emotions that he thought he never had to feel again. he felt like he was nine again, rejected by his parents and every professor that he cycled through. was this not another proof of how cruel humanity was?

but he doesn’t argue. he doesn’t argue because, part of him believes in cu’s words. the false smile falters, fades, and, along with the illusion, absolutely shatters. when flat speaks, it sounds like he is barely holding himself together. ]

Leave.

[ the man does not need to be told twice. still gasping from a fading phantom pain but fully able to see, he bolts out of the cell, leaving cu and a witch who could barely be described as human.

oh, how he wished he could be human. even the dragon in front of him was more human than he could ever be. ]

It was so scary without you two. [ his voice is meek and shaky when he speaks up again. ] Cu, I was so scared. I’m so sorry.

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ Berserker hears the shift suddenly and grows quiet once again. Whatever caused the shift doesn't matter, he responds to the painful vulnerability Flat shows now. The urge to comfort his Bonded is strong, despite the fact he really can't like this.

He turns to look at the witch with some effort. ]

...Come closer, Flat.

[escardos]

[ flat draws in a shaky breath when asked to approach. he could feel the tears begin to prick at the corners of his eyes. he has caused so much trouble to berserker, and flat knew this would only continue to be the case in the coming weeks and months.

and yet he does come closer, as asked, desperate for whatever scraps of comfort he could get. uncaring of getting himself dirty, flat sits down next to cu, hugging his knees. ]

They meant it, you know. I can’t help you. All I’ll do is continue to cause you trouble.

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ Berserker wants to offer him any kind of comfort he can, but restrained as he is, he can't do much. Still, he tries to shift closer so he can at least lean on Flat. It's painful, yet he can't care. His tormentors were especially cruel -- he can't even be touched without pain. ]

...If you're trying to drive me away, stop now. You've earned my loyalty and nothing aside from you betraying me will turn me away.

II

[kuroi_taiyo]

[ Ah. Ciarán. That was a name he hadn't heard in a hot minute. Someone bursting in to find the dragon... Well, it's not surprising that even that guy could find someone to be attached to. He wanted to get out for a reason, and here's the reason right here.

Judar had plenty of injuries, but they weren't of the biggest concerns right now. Not for someone searching... ]

Yeah, I know who he is.

[ From the Parlor that was being worked on, sure, but there was a more recent crossing of paths. The black stains from the dragon's poison was still on the crook of Judar's neck, and all along the mangled hands. Healed just enough to not cause a serious bleeding issue, but given as much care as the broken legs and other things. The faun wasn't about to get up on his own- However, he seemed to be ready to turn down people's help, if they were looking for particular people. ]

The cleaner cells are closer to the main 'chamber' they used for extractions. They've been keeping him there to avoid scale rot. You Bonded, or just a friend?

[escardos]

Ah, that would make sense.

[ flat is only vaguely aware of how valuable and rare dragons are in aefenglom, but enough so that he’s not too surprised about the concept of them trying to harvest cu the same way poachers would take animal parts.

how worthless. inefficient to a degree that flat could not even begin to comprehend. but he’s not surprised—perhaps he can’t really bring himself to feel that way anymore. ]

I’m one of his Bonded. [ he beams at the stranger, perhaps a little too brightly for the situation on hand. ] My name is Flat!

[kuroi_taiyo]

... Course. Flat.

[ Not the kind of personality Judar imagined that guy bonding to, or maybe it's the exact one that he couldn't help but be drawn to. While Berserker never confirmed it, he knew the stubborn idiot had someone to get out and survive for. ]

He's probably stable now, too, but check how he is before getting close. You'd already know how unpleasant getting snapped at could be.

[ Literally snapped at, that is. Judar imagines by this point in their stay, they've been keeping the dragon in a good condition, for easier extractions, but after so long in captivity... ]

[escardos]

Oh? You think he'll bite me?

[ flat leans against the wall, speaking casually to the stranger in front of him. he can tell that the faun's legs were quite broken and, while that was somewhat worrisome, he couldn't bring himself to care past that. there were other people that could help him.

he needed to find cu. to flat, that was the person that mattered. ]

But then again, I bet they probably have him muzzled. I can imagine that he must have tried to bite a couple of the captors before they realized what they needed to do.

[kuroi_taiyo]

No clue how he'll be. Either rabid or despondent, probably.

[ And there's something to his tone to make it seem like Judar could more easily imagine it's the latter by now. They played with making him that way in the earlier days of torture. ]

After the illusion and hypnosis stuff they've done... I'm positive that the last person he's bitten was a prisoner.

[ Maybe not him, but someone. Those guys were far too ready to not get caught by a dragon's mouth. ]

Anyway, it's just a heads up.

[escardos]

Ahaha, well that's fine. I wouldn't mind being torn apart by him.

[ is it a joke? is it serious? from the way that flat says it, with such a bright laugh, it could possibly pass off as a joke. but he is also not a liar--he is a rather straightforward person.

therefore, he means it. ]

Do you think anyone's gonna pick you up, mister faun?

[kuroi_taiyo]

[ .... Well, it's not as if Judar was in a position to judge someone else's kinks. This isn't the first he's met that was into that. This also meant that Judar couldn't rule it out as the truth, instead of a joke to lighten the mood. ]

Probably. No one would've come here to do so, but there's probably enough people that'll finish going through and getting the prisoners out.

[ Judar's expecting people to run for those they're Bonded to, and others they're close to first. ]

Feeling that anxious to get to him? Not like I could stop or blame you.

[escardos]

Anxious...? Hm...

[ flat thinks about it for a moment--or at least appears to do so--with his hand on his chin as he hums thoughtfully. ]

I guess I do want to see him pretty badly. The other person that I really wanted to see got out-- do you know him? His name is Waver. So he's the only one that's left.

[kuroi_taiyo]

Waver...

[ While technically he's never met him, they have enough crossed paths for Judar to know who that is. It takes a few seconds, though, just for not having interacted with him directly. ]

Ah. The puppy that's working with Cú to put Inkchanted together, right? Like, the other founder.

[escardos]

The very same! He's incredible, isn't he?!

[ it's rather jarring how the two of them can be discussing this while one of them has a set of broken legs. but perhaps it's for the best. it keeps flat's thoughts distracted from the horror that is unfolding around them. ]

Well, I guess you all are for surviving this. The strength of a human is incredible!

[kuroi_taiyo]

[ Broken legs, broken and mangled hands, among other things that are various levels of awful or just gross. ]

Nah... They were making sure everyone survives as long as possible, for the most materials and a chance to sell us to someone else away from here when they were done. It's part of their wonderful design.

[ Meanwhile, he let it be, and act like nothing was too wrong with himself, just for spite. Well, spite and exhaustion. ]