FINAL TRIAL

[strangerpeople]

FINAL TRIAL

[Soon enough, soon enough.

The ticking doesn't stop by the time everyone starts to congregate at the temple. It's ultimately not hard to find; after going north for a little bit, it becomes all too clear where the temple is.]




[The very top of the temple has a room, one of cold stone and blood. There is a stone table at the center; there is nothing on it but dried blood. There are no chairs, no food, no coffins-only small, hastily-scribbled circles to indicate where people might need to stand to face their captors.

And stand they will need to, as they wait for the Stewards to arrive. The time for what will very likely be a final confrontation is almost upon them. Now it's just a question of putting together the clues they've found-and seeing if there truly is a way out of this predicament.

Only one thing is certain-at this point, anything is possible.]



[It's time! The objectives are simple in this trial. It's time to finally answer the questions the Titled have about why they are here, and what, exactly, the route they all intend to take after five long weeks - especially when the Stewards arrive.

GOOD LUCK, TITLED!]

[EDIT: VOTING IS OPEN! This will close at midnight EST on May 25th!]

Comments

CW: possibly epileptic colors

[15unknowns]

[As the mist clears, something happens.

Strange glitches fill the mirror's relfection.]

[joinhands]

[GOD DAMN IT????

PICKS THE MIRROR UP SO IT'S NOW STANDING UP HEIGHT-WISE ON TOP OF THE ALTAR

PLEASE WORK??????????????????????]

[15unknowns]

[As she does so, she will hear the ticking noise grow in her mind, ever louder. But distorted. Strange. Echoing.

Then, suddenly, pure blackness begins to spread through the colors with each tick, followed by a faint, mechanical voice breathing. Almost salivating.

Then, the blackness completely engulfs the mirror. Nothing but a howling silence accompanies the ticking that echoes through Krone's mind-and the minds of those who might be nearby.]

[joinhands]

[CRAMS HER HANDS OVER HER EARS??? WELP???????????? Time to DIE????????]

[15unknowns]

[The ticking just seems to get louder in Krone's ears. It's like something is trying to claw into her mind, something more insidious and terrible than anything she could imagine, to take her into its fold. Something beyond comprehension. Beyond this world.

Her mind has been open to it most of all, ever since she agreed to its demands, and her actions allowed it to watch her. It is pleased with her. It is pleased with this. It wants more from her, of course. It will always want more. It wants all of her. All of them.

A̸l̀l̴ of̶ t͡he̴m t̢o t̸heir ̛l͟ast̡.̛ T̸he͜y̡ ̛w̛i̴ll c͠ome tơ it.̛]

[joinhands]

[okay well whatever the fuck this thing is it was COMPLETELY indistinguishable from Shinigami in its basic motivations, methods, AND knowledge so SHE'S SCARED BUT SHE'D RATHER GET MORALITY MACHINE'D BY ARACHNE AT THIS POINT THANKS???

WHERE IS THAT THING]

[relieable]

[what... the fuck.

Osomatsu pulls out the mirror frame, and he looks at the number on it.

he's scared, but he moves over to the mirror to blow on it. if he can, he'll enter the number he found: 4242564]

[1/2]

[15unknowns]

[The mirror's image warps, glitches.

Then.]

[2/2]

[15unknowns]

--the Scythes ready. Now that we--

[Oh. wait. Hm!]

Ah! I see. The ones on the island. How have you managed to gain my number?

I certainly do not give it out freely.

[He looks very...angry. Or maybe it's just his mask. Though he does sound just a tad upset.]

[relieable]

[WHAT. Osomatsu is surprised that that even worked. he stares dumbfounded, mouth open like a fish]

U-Uh...! Sorry. I found your number...! My name is Osomatsu! Can you... tell me who you are?

[joinhands]

IT'S YOUUUUUUUUUUU! SHINIGAMIIIIIIIIIII!

[SHE'S JUST LOSING IT AFTER THE WHOLE MADNESS INCURSION SO]

YOU'RE TOO LATE! I ALREADY SET UP THE BEDS OF NAILS AND IT DIDN'T DO ANYTHING THAT HELPED US! WHATEVER YOU WANTED OUT OF US SUFFERING LIKE THIS WAITING FOR YOU TO COME RESCUE US I HOPE YOU'RE HAPPY BECAUSE I AM NEVER, EVER OBEYING YOU AGAIN!

[15unknowns]

I am Shinigami.

[As if it should be obvious. Do you not see the scary mask?

After Krone speaks, he looks over to her. His voice sharpens, just slightly.]

Suffering? Waiting? What are you talking about!?

I have never seen any of you before this moment! What has happened!?

[yonosoymaria]

[Eric laughs, for almost too long. It's a high and wild sound, nothing like what he's loosed on everyone's ears before. Finally, he calms himself.]

There's still so much I don't know, and you claim IGNORANCE?

[relieable]

[just going to ignore Krone's outburst. okay. so this is Shinigami]

A lot has happened! We were kidnapped by some Lady who wants us all to go mad so she can use us to fight. And be weapons for her?

[15unknowns]

[The figure fixes its eye on Eric, then back to Osomatsu. Hes talking, also, to several human figures behind him as well.]

I see. Then, it is very simple. Something has concealed your presence from us during this time, and prevented us from even knowing that anything had happened again on the island until this morning. Without warning, I could sense incredible levels of madness radiating from the island.

It is the only explanation, though I do not know of a power capable of such a great venture. It is clear that it's possible now, but that is not important.

What is important is that we can help correct this wrong now.

[relieable]

[his shoulders relax. he's still scared, but maybe feeling a bit more hopeful now?]

Well, if it helps, we were trapped under... some kinda weird sky. It just started breaking and we were able to get out of the mansion. That's what probably hid us.

[15unknowns]

I see. Some kind of concealing barrier, impenetrable from the outside. It is worrying if Arachnophobia's remnants have created such a thing.

But, no matter what, do not fear, Osomatsu. We know where you are.

We are coming.

[joinhands]

COULD YOU PLEASE! NOT! PLAY DUMB!!!! I KNOW YOU TOLD ME NOT TO TELL ANYONE, BUT YOU CAN'T HIDE! YOU SENT SOUL AND HIS ANGEL GIRLFRIEND INTO THE PAST TO MAKE SURE ARACHNOPHOBIA DIDN'T STIR UP MADNESS AND RESURRECT OUR GLORIOUS LEADER! AND WHEN THAT JUST GOT THEM KILLED, YOU TOLD ME TO KARMICALLY TORTURE THOSE DEEMED GUILTY SO THEIR SOULS WOULD SEPARATE AND NOT BECOME KISHIIIIIIIIIIIIINS THAT WOULD BURN THIS TERRIBLE EXCUSE FOR A WOOOOOOORLD! I WON'T LET YOU LIE!!!!!!!!!

[15unknowns]

I do not know of these two you speak of! Send to the past? Why? Arachne is dead!

[Aaaand then Krone gets to the rest of what she has to say and]

WHAT!?

[That. That actually gets him angry.]

Karmically torturing souls!? That is a blasphemy! Never would I ask anyone to do something so cruel and so akin to what the Witch did to her victims!

That is a fool's path to destruction, for it is not just the souls of those you harm, but it is your own as well!

Who is this who told you such lies!

[incendiarize]

Arachne- the spider lady? She found a way to die that'll let her return- I experienced her death!

She was hurt and being hunted and her body dissolved into spiders, so her consciousness is spread all over the world, and I know where she put her soul!

[15unknowns]

!

[Shinigami seems taken aback, before he nods.]

I see. So then that is what happened-we should have suspected she had such a trick up her sleeve.

Young man, I am sorry that you have been caught up in this. But are you willing to tell me where her is soul now?

[necroyalty]

[Okay, the way you worded everything is ringing a lot of alarm bells in Ambrosine's head, and she doesn't even know anything about Soul Eater.]

...

[joinhands]

Someone who looked just like you! Except a little—yes, different, but basically like you! He called me through a mirror just like this! He got a mirror and phone number in here through the barrier, so I had no choice to obey him in case he sent in a bomb! Not that he was so uncouth as to threaten me, of course, he acted nice and wise and authoritarian! Like you!

[She thrusts out the photo of Soul and Maka]

You have no idea who these sweet, precious children who trusted you are? We have their poor souls with us! And one's skeleton!

[necroyalty]

I hate to alarm you, but...

I tried speaking to the skeleton. Using my own world's necromantic art.

All it could do was make what I only assumed was its last sounds in life.

They were drowning.

[15unknowns]

If they are indeed from the future, as you claim that they traveled to the past, how could I know them!

[I mean. Krone. No offense. Time travel.]

And yet, that Arachnophobia would still harm them, regardless...what a cruelty. It doesn't matter where or when they came from.That is unforgivable.