[ENTER THE PALACE]

[warpweft]

[You find yourself with a sensation like floating in water.]

[Above, the sky is dark. You can occasionally see things shifting, like gusts of wind, or perhaps waves of water. Is it…even a sky above you? Or is it some kind of giant ocean? Whatever it is, you can’t make it out very well. All around you, you appear to be floating in what appears to be water. It looks like a great, wide ocean of…space in every direction around you, with stars and lights twinkling in the distance. It looks like water and feels like water, but it doesn’t make you wet. You can reach your hand into it and pull some out, the purple and violet water and the tiny points of light inside it will even rest in your hands if you cup them to carry it, but once you’re not trying to hold it anymore, it’ll flow off of you, not a single drop remaining behind. You feel something similar if you go underneath the surface. The “water” doesn’t touch your eyes, mouth or nose when give the chance, it merely drifts around you, allowing you to breathe and see unabated. And you can see for a great distance, the twinkling stars illuminating the ocean of space all around you. Though perhaps less dark and empty, it feels every bit as vast as the sky above. You feel like you could swim forever and never reach the edge.]

[It’s quiet, here, with little noise around you but the starry ocean’s waves crashing back into its surface. It’s peaceful. In another situation, it might even be comfortable.]

Comments

[survivaltricks]

[huh. . . he actually gives the locked gate a cursory, curious glance, before continuing his way to the house on the hill]

[he does meander his way out back, giving the path towards the forest another curious look, but! he is going to politely knock on the door and fulfill this little task for Nessa before he goes off further exploring]

[voidhearts]

[After you knock, the door opens a crack. A woman is standing in the doorway, with a hood up over her head and sunglasses and a mask covering her face.]

Yes?

[survivaltricks]

[waves. . .!]

Hello. Are you Agnis?

[voidhearts]

I am.

[She looks him up and down for a second.]

...I know why you're here. Come in.

[She doesn't...sound too excited about it? But she steps away from the door to let him in.]

[survivaltricks]

[opens mouth. closes mouth. makes a ??? expression, but otherwise steps. . . inside?]

You. . . do?

[voidhearts]

[The inside of the house is very nicely kept. There’s a stone-top counter separating the kitchen from the living room. The living room is centered around the hearth and the fireplace in it. There’s a bookshelf next to it and a couch and a pair of easy chairs. One of the chairs has an ottoman with hinges on it. Down the hall, there’s a few doors, all of them closed. The woman pours some water into a kettle and puts it on the stove. The only light is from a small lamp and the fireplace isn’t lit. Outside, it was a beautiful Summer day, but it suddenly feels kind of. Dark and cold, in here. Despite welcoming you in, the woman doesn’t seem particularly excited about your presence, either.]

I do.

[The woman pulls her mask off.]

Forgive me, if I'm forward. I don't like to dance around things.

I know who you are. I know why you're here. I know what you're looking for. If you want me to help you find it, I need you to understand what we've already gone through over it - what she's already gone through. And I need to know that you're really here to help her.

[.....it doesn't sound like she's talking about a notebook....either way, your phone beeps.]

[You are being offered a quest. Do you accept?
> Yes
> No]

[survivaltricks]

[well]

[this is unexpected]

[and it momentarily distracts him from the quest he had already been given, back straightening as Agnis suddenly has his full attention]

Ah. . . you're talking about Nessa, right? Of course I'm here to help her.

[either way, he pulls his phone out and glances at the screen]

[and then hesitates]

[voidhearts]

I am.

She's my little sister. I hope you understand, I have to make sure for myself before I can agree to help you.

[survivaltricks]

[. . .]

[his lips twitch slightly at that]

. . . as an older sibling myself, I-- get that.

[he still isn't moving to accept the quest, but-- only because he wants to hear Agnis out first]

What is it that you think I'm looking for, then?

[voidhearts]

[She glances at him over the top of her sunglasses.]

Her Heart.

[survivaltricks]

[. . . mmm. that tracks for what he knows of how Palaces work, but--]

I'm not here to steal it, though.

Not unless doing so would help Nessa.

[voidhearts]

And if you were here to steal it, saying anything except "I'm not here to steal it" to Nessa's older sister would be very unwise indeed, wouldn't it.

[survivaltricks]

[. . . a light laugh, and his smile turns sharp]

Maybe if you weren't a phantom thief.

[voidhearts]

[She touches her chin, in thought, for a few seconds.]





A regular thief, but gaudier.

[survivaltricks]

Something like that.

[glances down at his phone again, lets out an exhale, before he officially hits "yes" on accepting the quest]

[voidhearts]

[Quest: The Sister
The story of two sisters and what being a witch means to each of them.]

[Before you see the first step of this quest....]

[Welcome to the Palace: Step 3 Completed!]

[You did it. Way to go.]

[Step 4: Collect a memory.
Experience a memory and add it to your inventory.
Shadow Nessa: Honestly, this place is in such bad shape. Memories are just pouring out of every nook and cranny right now, odds are you’ll have tripped over one before you even got to this step. Sigh. The inner sanctum of my soul really has seen better days.]

[With that handled for the moment....]

[voidhearts]

[Step 1: Bring an item or memory of Nessa’s back to Agnis.
Find an item representing Nessa somewhere else in the palace and bring it back to Agnis to unlock Nessa’s room.
Shadow Nessa: Look. Don’t take it too personally, she’s like this with everybody when the subject is me and some magic horseshit trouble I’ve gotten myself into. But she seems to find you particularly distasteful for some reason, so, take it at least a little personally. Maybe it’s an odor thing? Anyway, you should be able to find something of mine in one of the other wings.]

Show me something belonging to Nessa. Then we can get started.

[survivaltricks]

[without saying anything, he holds the Nessa-written note out to Agnis]

[voidhearts]

....

[She takes the note and looks it over.]

[She then looks at him.]

[She then looks at the note.]

[She then looks at him.]

Did you read this?

[survivaltricks]

[hand over his heart, all faux scandalized]

I'd never.

[voidhearts]

Hm.

[She walks down the hallway, gesturing for him to follow. They come to a door, which she unlocks.]

[The room is immaculately organized, as if the person that owns it gets pissed off at the mere idea of somebody seeing anything out of place. There’s a bookshelf up against one wall filled with novels and texts, a desk up against the opposite wall with notebooks, writing supplies and a little desk buddy that happens to be a black cat. Next to the desk, on the wall, is a whiteboard with a schedule for classes, a schedule for online tutoring, a schedule for studying and a to-do list which just lists a bunch of books. The bed is neatly made and the clothes hanging in the closet are all freshly pressed.]

[On the bed is a glowing violet orb. Agnis looks at it. Then at you.]

If you want to see what I'm talking about. Touch that, then we'll get started.

[She pauses for a second.]

....I'll watch your back when you do.

[Don't want any repeats of last time.]

[survivaltricks]

[IS THE BLACK CAT REAL? THIS IS IMPORTANT]

Ooooone second.

[real or not Akira is petting the black cat. I'm sorry Agnis]

[voidhearts]

[SADLY, it's just a desk buddy for holding pens, notes and other supplies. When you pet it, you're struck with a sudden bolt of insight, almost as if your third eye opened for just a split second!

...somewhere in this palace....there is a real black cat!]

[survivaltricks]

[and in that moment, Akira is struck with an urge. . . he must find that black cat]

[satisfied, he draws away and gives Agnis a nod]

Okay. I'm ready.

[and now he will touch the glowing orb]

[voidhearts]

[You touch the orb and you get just a bit woozy as images start to filter into your head, playing out as if they're happening to you...]

[When it's over, you're sitting on the bed and...Agnis isn't there anymore? It seems like she left the room.]