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

[voidseeing]

Why?

You have sons right here in front of you, and from the sound of things, they love you more than anything. Are you really going to tell them that they mean nothing to you?

[daxzum]

[A hisssss.]

Stop calling them my sons!!

[exequte]

No.

It's what they are.

[daxzum]

NO!

[exequte]

You can fight it.

But....

That can't change what is, now. Even if you could change it then.... This would still affect it.

It's already changed.

They're already here. So are you.

[valkavian]

STOP PRETENDING YOU'RE NOT A SHITTY ASS PARENT, THEN!

[voidseeing]

No. If you ask me, they're better sons than you deserve right now. Or don't you realize just how much they've suffered for your sake?

[autonomousthought]

They couldn't stand the thought of it when we even implied the suggestion that any version of their mother could do all of this. They clearly remember someone kind and loving...the kind of mother people are supposed to have. Someone who did her best for them.

[voidseeing]

They wanted nothing more than to believe that it wasn't their mother who was responsible for all of this.

[autonomousthought]

...but they're facing the truth - and facing a mother who can't.

[voidseeing]

Seems pretty clear to me which one of them is better in the end.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

....

It is because it hurts less that way, doesn't it.

[Why does he suddenly sound so...understanding?]

If they are not your sons...then you will never feel like you failed them. That you were not there for them when they needed you most.

[exequte]

[Akane throws a glance at him, slightly concerned, because....

Is he okay?

She'd take his hand, but, unfortunately,

there is
no hand to take. that makes this harder.]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[Haha no lingering trauma here from the perspective the world places on you and the shit you blame yourself for no sirree do not look at the man behind the curtain

He's just going to stay there, but just say-]

It is easier to justify Evil for being the reason you suffer, after all.

[unpossibilities]

...
[Also stays beside him. He's here for ya, Pops.]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[Thanks Kaito this just hits a little closer to home than he thought it would, ngl]

[exequte]

[A pause. And then...]

Maybe.

But....

The suffering still happens. And it.... It's not always to people who deserve it, no matter what is said about that.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

....haha. Yes, I suppose so.

[He doesn't seem like talking more, though, as he just kind of stands there silently.]

[godofblood]

...

[Zagreus. Quietly drops his sword.]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[...?]

Zagreus?

[He'll look over, a little surprised.]

[godofblood]

"Death is your only family. Death, and I..."

[He's looking over at Eva, clearly thinking. Something.]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[...Ah.]

...Something your father said to you, then?

[That does sound...uncomfortably familiar. If Zag still remembers Moriarty's trial, that is...and if he notices the Shade looking away uncomfortably.]

...A tough love sort of person?

[godspiousjasper]

[ This's got his attention so he steps a bit closer to the man, if only because he's concerned something might be wrong. ]

Is everything okay?

[godofblood]

"What have I wrought, that such a witless, careless brat would be my progeny?..."

[superstylishsquid]

[...Did you hear what he apologized to Eva for, Moriarty?]