WEEK THREE: EXECUTION

[saturations]

EXECUTION: TRIAL BY COMBAT

Sunday morning starts peacefully enough, until around noon, when alarms start going off on your phones. The dreadful noise is accompanied by a reminder of the execution taking place in the Central Node. You can snooze the alarms at first, but they begin to get a little more insistent. If you're being stubborn, you can probably hold out until exactly 1 PM, when an archway opens right in front of you and pulls you in.

Today the Central Node is eerily quiet and empty. There are a few blankets laid out on the grass for those of you who wish to sit instead of standing the whole time. No refreshments have been provided, but the Residents are already there waiting for you.

As the last person enters the node, an enormous archway suddenly opens. This archway once again leads to an area which is pitch black inside, with white and grey dust falling softly like snow. The chilly air feels even colder than before, and you instinctively know you must not approach it. If you try to push through anyway, something is blocking your way. Smaller tears to the same space open in the air, at the very least. You can see what's happening, even if you can't follow.

Because - once the archway is open, Percy and Vax'ildan alone will begin to walk through as though drawn. All you can do now is watch and wait.

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[petalbursts]

[ she watches percy, frowning at the state of him...his gore covered clothes from the invest yesterday. the way his face seems to change completely and how he says: I won't make this easy for you.

her grip on jiuqing's hand tightens. ]

[countermeasures]

[mm.

well, their battlefield is changing - and so are their weapons. jiuqing tenses as the new gun settles itself in percy's hand.]

[petalbursts]

[ ruby freezes, eyes wide as the new gun percy holds.

she opens her mouth to speak, but then immediately closes it... ]

[countermeasures]

[jiuqing has decided that she does not like guns actually]

[petalbursts]

[ it's the That's how I know it's not you! comment that makes ruby jerk, squeezing hard onto the two hands in hers.

quietly: ]

...Vax.

[countermeasures]

[she squeezes ruby's hand back.]

...he'll see this through. We have to believe in him. This is what they both wanted... I'm sure it was for a reason.

[petalbursts]

[ the black smoke is familiar and she's about to voice that, but when vax points the gun at himself...she tries to lunge forward, but clearly does not move. ]

No...

[ then vax has wings and is taking to the air and she just. stares, wide eyed. shoulders slumping. ]

[countermeasures]

That's...

[...he moves so confidently, in the air.

maybe this will give him the advantage he needs.

black smoke seeps out from between her lips. she ignores it.]

[petalbursts]

[ the shrieking makes her wince, closing her eye for a moment, before opening them again. watching in horror as percy conjures a new gun and uses it to yank vax out of the air.

she gasps as he's thrown into the statue.]

[countermeasures]

[this is bad actually

she winces as vax is sent crashing into the statue, her grip briefly tightening on ruby's hand.]

...he'll get up.

[he has to get up. no way would that be enough to keep him down. there's too much riding on this.]

[petalbursts]

[ her heart is pounding. holding tight to jiuqing's hand and nodding. ]

He will...he's too strong, to stay down...

[ she believes in him. he will see this through to the end. he can do this. ]

[countermeasures]

[he's up again, and while that does take some of the tension out of her...

she won't truly relax until this is over.]

[petalbursts]

[ she watches as vax is hit, tumbling in the air. her breath catches and she grips a little tighter onto jiuqing's hand. ]

[countermeasures]

[vax is hit, but he's quick to retaliate, too, and jiuqing watches with concern as his dagger cuts through the smoke.

please—

...she's not really sure what she's hoping for, exactly.]

[petalbursts]

[ the cries make her try and step forward again, to no avail...of course.

without realizing, tears have already started streaking down her own cheeks, as she watches percy fall apart.

and she tenses as the last shot lands, the purple lightning following...

dodge it. dodge it, please. ]

[countermeasures]

[jiuqing lets go of ruby's hand.

...but it's only so that she can wrap her arm around her shoulders, instead, holding her gently. this is hard to watch, and she keeps her gaze fixed firmly ahead because she's not entirely dry-eyed, either, but she has to watch this, she has to see—]

Please...

[free him. end this. come back safe.]

[petalbursts]

[ her shoulders tense, her newly free hand clenching into a fist. as she watches vax get struck and crash into the pool of blood.]

No...please. Please!

[ get up, vax, please get up. ]

[countermeasures]

Oh—

[...and they're out of the pool, now, close to each other. there's some kind of an ending on the horizon, one way or another, and she watches carefully, her heart twisting.]

[petalbursts]

[ her hand flies up to cover her mouth, she's shaking in jiuqing's arms. and the tears just rush out. ]

[countermeasures]

They're—?

[


i'm living in fear of whatever the next thing the mods have planned is but jiuqing is crying of relief right now jesus christ]

[petalbursts]

Alive.

[ she chokes that out, reaching her arm to wrap around jiuqing, carefully.

they're both alive. ]

[countermeasures]

Th-thank goodness...

[they're alive.

jiuqing is shaking with relief, and she hugs ruby back tightly. meanwhile, i warily refresh flatview and keep looking at the announcements channel, waiting for more deets and/or our cr chart.]