suitedreams: Rupert

[battling]

don't run me over (with a horse)

Comments

[agleam]

Half of... That's horrible!

[battling]

It's only the Sage's Wizards that are ever in danger. Four from each country. Nobody else goes fightin' it.

[Moon's Dangerous. They're hermits. They're weak. They don't think it matters. There's all sorts of reasons not to get involved.]

[agleam]

And they just... Find more once something happens to you guys?

[battling]

There's a ritual to summon replacements. You saw my right flank? Every Sage's Wizard has that mark on their body somewhere.

Means we gotta fight the moon.

[agleam]

...Well, that's stupid. I mean, not that I think nobody should take care of the problem if it's a big one, but - it should at least be voluntary.

[battling]

You really think somebody's gonna sign up to fight the moon willingly? Not when there's other people who have to do it.

[agleam]

...I'd hope that if there was a problem that big, someone would do something to take of it. But - I guess it doesn't always work out that way.

[frowns]

[battling]

Sounds like ya got some experience with that.

[agleam]

[after a second:]

Yeah, let's just say this isn't the first horrifying shadow monster I've had to deal with.

[battling]

Somethin' similar back home? How's it work?

[agleam]

[he pauses for a moment, frowning, before giving a little shrug.]

It had some sort of... I don't know if it was magic or something else about it, but it was able to take people's insecurities and fears and heighten them to the point that they'd give up entirely, and - then it would kill them. Apparently it was weaker when it first got created, but it's tied to a specific person, so... Every time he tried to run from it and lead it to a new place, it got stronger because of the people it took there.

[battling]

[That's what we in the business would like to call a Yikes.

Bradley, on the other hand, listens to this with calm interest.]

How long was it goin'?

[agleam]

[he takes a minute to think about it.]

He said it started when he was sixteen, so it'd be... Seven years, by now.

[battling]

So this guy is 23 and stuck with this shadow followin' him.

Doubt it's the same shadow here, but who knows.

[agleam]

I don't think it is, either. It never really wanted to possess anyone back home... But it's definitely a weird coincidence. I don't know, I don't like it.

[battling]

Not much to like, so far.

[agleam]

Yeah. I doubt that's going to change until we get everyone back and go home.

[battling]

We need to find leads for that.

How'd it work back then... people went on field trips and came back with bits of information?

[agleam]

...Hopefully it'll be less violent this time around. I don't think anyone has any healing magic they can actually use here.

[battling]

Probably gonna be worse, considering the host's bad taste.

[agleam]

Right... Well, if - or I guess when, knowing this place, when you go on one of those, just make sure to be careful.

[battling]

I'll do what I can. But if I come back with one arm, know I tried to keep it.

[agleam]

Don't worry, I am precisely aware of how hard you try to keep yourself intact.

[horsegate......]

[battling]

Ya should be.