WEEK FIVE: 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, Roxana and Clarte alone will begin to walk through as though drawn. All you can do now is watch and wait.

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[decisions]

[ percy just looks worried as clarte enters the arch, his arms folded tightly. ]

Damn it, Clarte... [ clearly unhappy ]

[daggering]

[ color vax not surprised, standing next to percy with his arms folded, expression stoic. his wings come out a little out behind him, one framing percy, but otherwise he settles there. ]

... Figures.

[ktiseos]

So it does.

[but if they chose this they better not have gone in unhealed.

he's on vax's other side, form almost entirely composed of shadow.]

[daggering]

Would've thought... [ he glances back, briefly, to wherever hot pants is standing, but otherwise returns his attention forward. ]

One or the other. [ at least it's by volunteer, though. what kind of fucked up place would it just be totally random. ] ... If they're up there, this is what they wanted, though. They better just be smart about it.

[ echoing: they better have also healed. his other wing's stretched back in this direction though it is much less cloaklike when the person standing next to you is giant. ]

[decisions]

[ percy frowns quietly. ]

Can only hope Clarte's regained some of their sight...

[ his mouth is in a thin line as he just kind of leans on bad news a bit more and just kind of ducks a little further inside the wing. he's kind of just a little overly smoky, but it just sort of sticks to him and no one else. ]

[daggering]

[ world cold and hard bird wings soft and warm.

i just wanted a better life for you. the feathers rustle a little. ]

[daggering]

[ comes back to percy for this one when the effect hits

you ever just have a con score of 11? vax ends up wavering a little when that inside eating feeling starts, and grabs onto percy and emet both half out of habit.

muttering: ] Those fucking butterflies. [ he's been eaten from the outside but not in the inside out??? terrible! 0/10 ]

[decisions]

[ hey this is pretty terrible too, but he's here even with not a fully grown leg trying to help vax stand while he uh.

yeah these are bad feels!, percy's just trying to keep him steady with leverage from his gun-crutch, though the pain is twisting like a viper, and he can taste the blood in the back of his throat. ]

Not a good sign...

[ktiseos]

[this is really just. two injured people with two fully functional legs between them trying to keep vax upright, god.

he's doing what he can, but while he would normally be steady-- well. his ribs are still broken, he's still weakened by the extent of all his injuries. his breath sticks for a few moments in his throat, at the feeling of blood bubbling up in it, and he coughs it into his robe sleeve.

....which also fucking hurts on account of those injuries so he's doing great right now.]

[daggering]

[ this is so stupid ITS FINE he just spits blood on the ground and manages to push himself up from it, gripping onto these two injured idiots so they don't fall over and die or injure themselves worse.

he's wincing a little at the kiss, at clarte falling over. ] Shit. Shit, come on.

[ we hit 20 kisses but why like this ]

[decisions]

[ no fucking clue, excellent question, but percy's eyes are locked on the scene at hand as he whispers out ]

You have to be joking...

[ because wow that??? this??? hello??? ]

Clarte, please... not like this.

[ktiseos]

Damn it all-- Clarte!

[he manages to grit that out, against the pain, as he finally gives up on the effort of standing. it's fine. dropping to his good knee just puts him closer to normal person height.]

You cannot let yourself--

[daggering]

[ vax'ildan was holding his breath with the others - emet hits the ground next to him, his wing curls out like it could be a support at the same time he tries to lunge forward, and then, just like that, the blade comes out. vax's shoulders drop, as all the breath comes out in a whoosh.

...

some people really do just walk the line between life and death, don't they? ]

Fuck. [ holy shit. ]

[ktiseos]

They are well aware of the potential outcome if they aren't.

[he says, with a quiet sigh.

his own wings are shadowy, but they're more of an actual wing shape today, feathered. one extends a little around him in turn.]

[decisions]

They've certainly gotten to see it enough times...

[ two isn't a big sample size, but it's enough for a fucking execution. ]

[daggering]

[ there go the paintball guns... he's settled here, then, with a wing shape to lean a little on. ]

Fucking wild what those things can do.

[ but, ah. watching clarte... vax gives a little nod to percy. ]

Looks like they'll get to see it this time, too. Least a little.

[petalbursts]

After everything they've been through...

[ deposits ruby next to him. ]

[decisions]

First Crow, now Clarte.

[ he rests his hand gently on her shoulder, quiet reassurance. a small yellow flower curls off of his wrist and attaches itself gently to her hair. ]

[petalbursts]

[ the flower...cute.

she watches roxana and clarte walk in, gasping. ]

Did they get their sight back...?

[decisions]

[ percy is watching as clarte speaks, and smiles just a bit ]

I believe so. Perhaps some of it at least.

[petalbursts]

[ well ruby is coughing up blood, thanks to that update.

jan's 1 is making me lose my mind. OUR CLARTE.

ruby frowns at clarte's reaction. ]

Oh no...

[ didn't they already go through something like this?? HATEFUL. JAN. ]