[Endgame: rise or DROWN]

[warpweft]

[How long have you been exploring Nessa's palace now? You've met her family, viewed her memories, learned how to fight as a witch and tried to find the source of her power and the Treasure of her palace: the Voidheart. And along the way, you've tired your best, with mixed success, to avoid the incarnation of her eldest cousin and the representation of her trauma and fear, the Nightmare of Esmau.]

[Wherever you are in the Palace right now, you feel the ground briefly shake under your feet. Little shakes here and there haven't been out of the ordinary - Esmau is trying to blow the place down to the studs, after all. But that felt different. That felt....worse.]

[Your phone beeps as you receive a message.]

Comments

[voidhearts]

[Things...are not good at the top of the hill. There's a big hole in the back of Agnis' house. There's fire and smoke everywhere. The garden has been blown to bits and there's little more than a giant smoking hole where it used to be...

And Agnis is on the ground in a heap, propped up against her garden's fence. She's bleeding, holding a hand over her stomach.]

...Akira...Minato....

[survivaltricks]

Ah-- Agnis--

[shit shit shit, he already has an idea of who caused this mess. . . but before they get into that, they need to take care of Agnis. in an instant, Akira is at her side, reaching out to touch the wound near her stomach. gently, so as not to hurt her]

H-- hang in there. . . I still don't know how to use this magic, but--

[but maybe. . .? he has to try?? CAN HE USE THE HEALING SPELL AGAIN]

[voidhearts]

[She holds a hand out.]

Wait.

Don't...use your energy on me. You have to...

[She points at the garden. If you look past the smoke, you can see...a staircase. Pointing down.]

...I should've told you before.

I just. Wasn't sure I could trust you yet.

Please. You...have to stop her...

[survivaltricks]

[his gaze flickers up towards the staircase, then down again, jaw setting]

. . . sorry, but I'm not taking now for an answer. You're an important part of this Palace.

[HE'S GOING TO HEAL HER IF HE CAN, DAMN IT]

[voidhearts]

[Green energy forms over Akira's hand, then a pulse of green flows through Agnis' body. She sucks in a much stronger breath, briefly sits up, then slumps over again. The bleeding slows to a stop.]

[Agnis closes her eyes. She looks ashamed of herself.]

...both of you, give me your hands. I think. I can do something for you.

[messianic]

[ ...?

Minato, standing there awkwardly and wishing he had a healing spell to use of his own, finally nods a little, lips pressed together tightly.

He offers his hand immediately. ]

[survivaltricks]

[. . . with a small exhale, Akira takes Agnis's hand as well, relieve settling on his shoulders as her bleeding begins to slow]

[voidhearts]

[She squeezes their hands, weakly. An orange aura builds around her for a few seconds. Her eyes, not covered by her eyepatch or her sunglasses, glow orange, before stopping. She lets out a breath and slumps back against the fence. She's okay, but, she's gonna need some time.]

[Akira and Minato, meanwhile, will find themselves with orange shards in their hands. The shards seem to shift in their hands, one second looking like small shards of glass, the next looking like something else. Either way, they can be placed into their Voidhearts.]

[Akira:
Name: Calling Card
Description: A red card proclaiming it will “TAKE YOUR HEART”. Make your prey know how vulnerable they are by announcing your intentions and challenge them to do something about it.
Spark: Vulcan
Facet Slots: 2
Effect:
Once per round, when you hit an opponent for damage with a basic spell, you can Challenge them.
If you Challenge an opponent, your spells inflict increased damage for the rest of the round.

Minato:
Name: Burn My Dread
Description: The knowledge that you can’t run from death without being chained to apathy and despair. Burn the fear within yourself, create a roaring flame that lights the hour of darkness and use it to cast the God of fear into hell.
Spark: Vulcan
Facet Slots: 3
Effect:
Every time you receive or deal damage, gain 3 Stoking. ]

[messianic]

[ ... oh. It feels so...

Nessa really understands them well, doesn't she?

He holds the shard close for a moment, taking a deep breath. ]

... Thank you. We'll help Nessa-san. Count on us.

[survivaltricks]

[his fingers slowly curl around the shard, before he holds it close to his heart]

. . . yeah. We will.

Take it easy, Agnis. Get some rest. We'll take it from here.

[voidhearts]

H...hurry, please.

There's not much time.

[The path down the stairs is open to you....]