[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

[messianic]

[ Minato is wincing, definitely hurting despite himself, but he starts to push himself up immediately as soon as he sees Akira. ]

I... I'm okay. S-sorry--she came at me too fast.

[ He manages a weak smile for Nell too, trying to reassure her. ]

[survivaltricks]

[light is already glowing in Akira's hands-- thank goodness Minato charged his Well of Life earlier-- as his gaze flickers almost frantically towards Nell]

Nell. . .

[anyway time to cast that healing spell Well of Life again!!]

[voidhearts]

D-do you want me to heal him again?!

[Green sparks are already building on her fingers. She might just do it on her own, tbh.]

[messianic]

[ Minato just winces, looking between them. ]

... Sorry. Is everyone else okay?

[survivaltricks]

[to Nell]

Please.

[and then, to Minato]

Yeah. . . you were hit the hardest.