15strangers | FINAL TRIAL

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.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Then they aren't "free" at all!

[It would be inadvisable to grab her unless you're wearing insulated boots, of course, given the glow. She can no longer call forth the legends of her world's past to smite an enemy, can no longer call down a great meteor to end something in fire that wouldn't dare to touch her and anyone she called hers -

But she could never call those powers without him at her side anyway. And now he's trapped somewhere, some "island", some slice of their Earth, very possibly alone...

She is never going to see Jonathan Morris again, the Bright realizes.]

I can't stand this... I can't take this anymore. You call being trapped in a dying world "freedom!?" Trapped here to be... to be harvested when you run out of people to shove on trains and force to kill?! You're - did you even have a mind to be out of to begin with?!

[The glow seems to be... condensing, or somehow intensifying around her hands. She is shaking as much as her voice sounds ragged - which is to say, quite a lot. There is time for someone to stop her. Truthfully, she hopes someone will, but at the same time...

Maybe this is the Throne Room. Maybe if the power here dies, then -

Then -]

[He steps up next to Charlotte, putting a hand on her shoulder. It almost looks like he's going to draw her in -]

[- before he slaps her. It won't hurt much - he's not all that strong - but hopefully it's enough to shock her out of it.]

No. We don't solve this in that way, Charlotte.

[The light Charlotte provided is gone in an instant, once that slap lands. She looks at Caleb, looks at her hands, and then stares at Caleb as she grabs his collar, pulling herself up to stare him in the eyes more than she pulls him down. She is frantic, even snapped out and away from what undoubtably would have ended with her needle-studded on the ground, nonexistent for no reason -]

But she's - if it's like the ghosts said he'll be alone!

[She can't bear the thought of that. She has people she cares for here, yes, people she wants in the same way she's yearned for Jonathan since she realized that was allowed, but this is the longest she's ever been without her partner. To learn he's still alive, and "freed" like a marooned pirate in this hell -

She is wild-eyed and her voice is shot to hell but that, at least, means she can growl at Caleb - ]

Didn't you hear her? We can't go home!

[He just lets her grab him, expression a little blank. He's trying to hold it together, but she's not making it easy on him.]

Do you think I don't understand that? But fighting against that thing is only going to get you killed. We will think of a solution. Please do not fuck it up by getting yourself obliterated? I have started to actually... make friends. Please do not take them away.

We're going to die no matter what, right? Part of being human.

[She's still pretty far removed from reason, but not so far that she doesn't look genuinely hurt at what he said.]

I'm tired of holding back, damn it!

[She even stomps a foot as she says it, like the child she knows she is, the scared child whose monster couldn't even fit under God's own bed and has just been told she can't try to make it go away....]

[He frowns and puts his hands firmly on her shoulders.]

We will find a way. I promise you. If not, you can hit me back.

[ WELL...that's a good thing Caleb handled that.

He's ready to die if it's necessary, but that's not how he wants this to end. And he can't say he's excited to see her die either. ]

Might want to wait on that.

[She looks over at him, still holding on to Caleb's - lapels? shirtfront? whichever, really.

She sighs, and looks down, a sulky "...fine" plainly left unvoiced.]

FINAL TRIAL

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