FINAL TRIAL

[strangerpeople]

FINAL TRIAL

[The Strangers manage to escape. By the time anyone has realized they have left, the Analemma is already on a course to a new destination, one not intended by their Conductor-who was certainly surprised to find their ride gone, hours later.

Cardia has turned off radar and other equipment that would allow anyone to find the train easily. There is no barrier around this train, so everyone can see the Clockwork Sun as it gets closer and closer.

They aren't going to London, obviously. Cardia manages to explain that, originally, the Throne of Hours was located there, but after Victoria became Twice-Renewed, the Throne was ordered moved closer to the Sun. Now, it is connected to the station called Sunspur-a desolate place, formerly an exhibition hall, where only the Sun's engineers and wayward captains now go. No one dares to cross the bridge that connects the Throne to it, when they are there.

That will change, but not immediately. Even at top speed, it will take several hours for the train to reach its destination. Cardia suggests everyone relax in the Lounge of this new train. Apparently, this one was going to pick up its newest passengers very shortly, and so the bar and kitchens are stocked with food and drink, at least.

There is much to talk about. Much to look through, and much to consider. The past four weeks have been difficult to process, but the evidence from Perdurance has been especially daunting. It only shows just how stark the situation is-and it's up to the Strangers to figure out just what they will do when they do, at last, confront Her Enduring Majesty.
After all.

Whatever happens, a reckoning cannot be postponed. Not indefinitely. And the bill is almost due...]





[It's time! The objectives are simple in this trial: untangle the story of this place and decide what to ultimately do when they finally confront Victoria, the Mastermind of the Little Courtesy! It will not be easy and the truth, as ever, will not be a light one.

Will they triumph? Will they go home? What else might happen? What else could be in store? There's only way to find out!

Have fun, and good luck! And remember-

All shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.]

Comments

SUNLESS SKIES SPOILERS

[thricerenewed]

[A silence.]

{ I share it with the Clockwork. But on a Throne, a Judgement takes precedence in the end.

The wefts. . .in the time before we were here, it was what first created the wefts.But they only unraveled time in one spot. Not space.

Not as it is now. }

[katzenpfote]

[He lets out a long breath.]

So what changed?

[thricerenewed]

{ The Replacement.

It ripped the firmament. It invited the concept of space of other clusters into this universe. Now there is no stopping it.

Wefts have begun to appear beyond Albion. Even in the Blue Kingdom there are...reports. }

[katzenpfote]

[Think. Think, think, think...]

Is there anything that can plug the hole?

[thricerenewed]

{ ...No. Not even a contract could stop the wefts. What can be done...it must be done with the Sun. }

[katzenpfote]

And what is your plan to finally end this?

[thricerenewed]

{ I have considered it for many years.

My last resort...to make a wish. But if I do... }

[technicolourdifficulties]

...Then there will be a steep price to pay, I assume.

[katzenpfote]

... Will it consume you?

[15unknowns]

No.

[Wait, that wasn’t-]

She will become a magical girl.

[One pair of red eyes open. Then another. Then another. In the dark it is hard to tell what this speaker looks like.

But there are hundreds of glowing eyes, all through to the top of the Throne room. They open and stare.]

The most powerful in this universe, in fact!

[katzenpfote]

[That's... not a good sign.]

From what I understand, that's not always desirable...

[15unknowns]

She desires to save this universe and those who are her humans. Isn’t it only logical to sacrifice herself for it? It might even save all of you from the Great Malfunction! You and other universes.

[technicolourdifficulties]

[Okay, okay, he's calm, he's calm, he can at least ask questions-]

...And what, pray tell, would the cost be?

[15unknowns]

A very simple one. She will gain a Soul Gem, and she must fight Witches.

[technicolourdifficulties]

[Excuse him, he's going to shriek for a second here. Sorry for your ears, everyone.]

[otherworldlyking]

[ What is this shit.

He doesn't like it!! ]

Magical girl?

[biddentodance]

Magical girl-- [He's heard this term, since arriving here, one of his spying jaunts as a shadow, when...

Victoria's Chasm. Eliza and Mithos.]

...Kind that need Grief Seeds or turn into Witches? [Spying is useful.]

[15unknowns]

[The eyes turn to him.]

That’s right. Even though this isn’t our universe, our system still works here. The results show some merit.

[biddentodance]

...Based on what I heard Eliza-chan telling Mithos-kun.... Don't think that's a good solution.

[Plus, with his own contract so prominent in his mind these days....mmrgh.]

Can't be the only way.

[15unknowns]

You assume hope based on your own misconceptions. Chaesun Moon has exhausted every avenue which this universe might offer to rectify the situation, including the expertise of the wefts pulled in. But the Sun, even artificial, even with the soul of a human as its dominant personality, will die. It was made defective by accident, and hates everything for its imperfections. She knows the Little Courtesy is a stopgap.

Now, when V, the Sun dies, unless it is stopped, the malfunction of time and space that will result due to firmament instability started by the Replacement will cause the collapse of this universe within a mean time of 23 years. Wefts will suck other worlds into the extinguished void for several centuries more.

Tell me, Minato Arisato.

What would you knowing it was your universe’s fault and it was someone you knew who did this? Would you not try for a miracle?

[biddentodance]

An act of naked greed.... "What is existence to these things, but a means to sate their hunger?"...

[The visions are still burned into his mind. The knowledge of what the Sapphir'd King does, the image of the looming Earth...]

Has to be a way to stop it. Torn fabric can be sewn back together, just takes someone skilled with a needle... Otherwise - doubt this universe will be the only one destroyed.

[charmingheroine]

You'd need all three fates spinning triple-time to meet that thread quota....

[He's not alone in thinking in textile metaphors, at least. If that helps.]

[technicolourdifficulties]

Or a particularly industrious hedgehog, provided one has the proper payment and is willing to lend her the power required to mend the fabric of reality. She would almost certainly be insufferable afterwards, but I suppose that's hardly my problem anymore...

[He swears that it makes sense in context.]

[charmingheroine]

If you actually know somebody who can fix this, I'll be the battery myself!

[overworker]

Firmament... oh. Right. I heard that once before.

[She's finally coming back to her senses a bit. She's been listening quietly this whole time, getting her energy back.]

It was part of the Correspondence that Lilac translated for me.

You've been looking for a solution to something that large all this time...