FINAL TRIAL

[strangerpeople]

FINAL TRIAL
(1 of Hekatombaion)


[When the time comes, Charon arrives on a boat, hrrhrrhrring a little tune as he rows. No need to worry about space, even with all of the shades coming with. Fluffles, unsurprisingly, doesn't go; he does see everyone off, at least, before he falls asleep.

With a final hnnnngrrrgh, they're off. Charon is the master of the Styx, in his own way, deftly avoiding roots and branches from the Qliphoth as he guides his charges up through the layers of the underworld. From the dark and gloomy green of Tartarus, to the lava-flooded Asphodel and it's giant many-headed bone snake, sadly snarled in demonic roots (without thinking, Zack waves to it), on through the lazy rivers of Elysium, and lastly through the pitch stink of the corridors of a temple separating the underworld from the living world.

Throughout, there is eerie quiet. No shades appear to watch their procession-indeed the few wisps around seem to be fleeing, hiding. No rats try to bite Zack's face off. Aside from Lernie, there's truly nothing but tree, tree, and more tree.

Finally, though, the surface air hits, and it is...not cold, but not warm, either. Though, as everyone disembarks, that's probably not what catches everyone's attention. No-it is the barren fields of ancient Greece, just outside the entrance to the underworld-and there is only one thing alive in the area.

It is late afternoon, and the silhouette of the new moon is the only thing that emits real light now in the grey. Indeed, if there is a sun, it is blocked out by the massive, massive roots in the sky, swirling into the stratosphere. The roots in the underworld were in fact more akin to greedy branches; the roots in the sky of the world of life, however, are far more massive, and it's clear the tree is fully grown. And-if the dead grass and trees and barren lands around the Temple of Styx are any indication-it isn't simply feeding on human blood-it's affecting the life of the earth itself, greedily lapping up what it can as it further embeds itself, further spreads, further grows. Further destroys.

It won't stop. There is obsession and power, and Delta is right-it will never stop unless someone intervenes.

Wordlessly Delta points to a Spire of blood in front of them. Yup-they need to enter it to get to where they need to go. Lovely.]

Through here is the core of the tree where the fruit of the Qliphoth is being cultivated. Come.

[Well, no turning back. With luck, the Catillac has some extra towels.



So, immediately after squishing into the...blood elevator?...everyone is schllllorped on a ride akin to w water slide, going up and down, left and right, up, up, up, then down, down, down....down.......


d


o


w


n



into the depths.

And when they emerge...]





[Bright flowers grow on the vines. There is distant birdsong, and the sun shines among fat, lazy clouds. But you can see the shine of glass in the corner of your eye; the air is too perfect to breath, too cold to touch. You don't feel the grass or dirt underfoot that you can clearly see The smell of blood is everywhere.

An illusion? A dream? A delusion? Something else? Who knows. There is a patio table laid out with tea, and four seats. It's almost as if the owner simply got up and left for a moment. It's all strange, all...wrong.

Still. You're finally here. You're in the core. You freed a possible god from the grip of forced ignorance. And you have-you hope-everything you need to end this. But there is still one question:



Who is the true Mastermind, and what is their goal in doing all of this?



It is time, Strangers. By the seas, the heavens and the earth, by blood and darkness, it's up to you.




Good luck.]

Comments

Evidence And Lore Pile

[yesorwoof]

I thought we were rushing in. And why are there only four seats? [Could it be mother, father, and twins...? Or is it—Well. She's got other things to do besides ride Kira's motorcycle but the situation keeps lending itself to that, huh. Casting a skeptical glance at Hermes, and Vergil stopping him, Makima shuffles forward to start putting her share of the evidence on the table.]

If there are any true names or contracts we should know of, let's get them out in the open now.

[voidseeing]

I found the causes of death for everyone in the past two rounds of the game, if anyone wants to take a look at those.

[And he also pulls out a bottle that he's been keeping safe beneath his coat.]

I also found this. I can't shake the feeling that I need to give it to someone specific.

[somuchshipping]

...Could the redacted name be the same as the queen Hypnos kept on talking about?

[exequte]

Was there anything about the list of deaths that stood out to you?

[autonomousthought]

...I'd like to see it at some point. Later is fine, though, I don't think what I'm looking for will be helpful now.

[not_a_lego_maniac]

...

[sigh.]

Well, I guess. I guess that means me, doesn't it?

[yesorwoof]

[Makima gives an empty smile. It's only in the next moment that Akane will come over and mention the name Zagreus. Makima simply knows that something is coming. It all leads back to him.]

Welcome back.

[exequte]

Suspended in the roots near a balcony overlooking the river Styx was a winged man carrying a scythe. Possibly Thanatos, in which case, um....

I'm not sure... what would happen to us if this kills us. I'd prefer that we didn't test it though.

Suspended around him were several Google maps printouts.

[She has brought these with her, and will show anyone who wants.]

They're of specific areas....

Zagreus might be more familiar with them than any of us, though, since it's where he remembers growing up.

Besides that, in a bedroom that Delta was in, there was a crib with a baby girl, who I assume is Ayame Tenmyouji. Apparently she's the one responsible to some extent for bringing us here. I also found the coin that trapped us here in that original coin toss. Though I guess I can't really blame it. It's a trick coin, there's only one face.

[The coin has been brought as well, and, along with the maps, is free to be examined.]

[devilmehcry]

...Hey! That's my trick coin!

Son of a-

[somuchshipping]

...When she's older, she can be arrested for piracy.

[lovedthemost]

[Brain huffs at that last part, though he's leaning over to get a good look at the maps]

Of course it is.

[he sounds more exasperated than anything. But...hm]

Do we know of any correlation with these places? Aside from the lake, they're all fairly close together.

[onychomance]

This journal mentioned something like that. The handwriting reminds me of the writing found in the Captain's Cabin where I've spent the past few days. What do we make of that?

[yesorwoof]

Wait. I remember that photograph. We're in that place now, that was bloodied and torn.

It seems that Dante and Vergil may be wrong about no one left resenting them enough to do this.

[superstylishsquid]

Hades, god of the dead, and his pet Cerberus are imprisoned by the roots. Hades is asleep, but the Cerberus isn't...and the roots grow back immediately when I try to cut them. They aren't even bothered by holy water, down here.

I also found Zack, or Zagreus, trapped in a pool of Styx water at the end of the hall leading up to Hades' desk.

And since you asked about true names or contracts, guess I should get it out of the way that that guy- [Pointing at the Dante shade!] Is my master. I used to have contracts with a good few Witches, but those all voided when the mortal sides became part of the underworld. Don't think any of them will be a problem, even with our mastermind obviously being an Umbra Witch.

[onychomance]

Do you have any idea who the blonde goddess in the garden may be?

[pegasinister]

I will start with what I found today. Having entered the same room where Akane also found Delta, I spent some time exploring while she questioned him. I was able to find this book of illustrations, apparently for a poem called Dante's Inferno. Inside that book I found an image of what is clearly Zack and his family if we need any more confirmation of him and Zagreus' connection. The woman in this image's portrait was also found on the bedside table- suggesting this is her and her spouse's room.

Also in the book one of the images was torn free, though there seems to still be some left behind that I have yet to examine in full. I can also confirm anything Akane found, as I was i the room with her.

As for contracts, there is something I feel comfortable finally confessing. Though I suspect it will not be a surprise to you all. Delta and I have been allies since the start of this loop, and not simply as Fabricator and employer. He is in fact the one that caused my SHIFT into this timeline, and gave me my mission.

...though do not think we are friends in any particular way. I DID try to stab him when I first woke up. Sadly I no longer had my weapons. Oh well.

[exequte]

Something that's worth mentioning, I guess, is that Delta implied a witch, who he could not name for fear of attracting her notice, was the one responsible for all of this.

[autonomousthought]

...When you were brought to this timeline...did you wake up in some kind of pod-shaped machine?

[onychomance]

He must have sent that creature to my room then.

What are they here for?

[ Kira is addressing whichever of the two will answer this out of Delta and Hubert]

[voidseeing]

[So after a particular incident...]

I'm getting a strong sense this bottle belongs to - or should go to - Zack. It almost felt like I heard something telling me to go ahead and give it to him.

[And he's not opposed, he just wants to make sure everyone agrees on this!]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

Then I see no issues with him having it, personally.

[That's an agreement, yeah.]

[lovedthemost]

[...hmm.]

Is it a positive sense or a negative one? Or were you able to tell?

[yesorwoof]

I see no reason to avoid it even if my trust in him is incomplete. This tree can't be worse than a god. And fighting two gods can't be that much worse than fighting one.

[godspiousjasper]

I think if you feel it should go to him, then he should have it back.

[ Not that he didn't consider all options here but if it seemed like it belonged to Zack/Zag then it was probably super important. ]

[unpossibilities]

...If it's his, he should take it.

I guess as long as it won't hurt...