[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]

[ honestly, watching all of this, Minato barely dares to breathe. He doesn't entirely know what's happening, but... what's most important is that this sounds like Nessa's decision--both of them, coming to a conclusion, making something happen.

Wasn't that the point of this Palace all along?

He won't interrupt--this is Sprezzatura's moment, because Sprezzatura is every inch the guide he always knew she could be--but he is watching very closely, eyes wide. ]

[warpweft]

[Shadow Nessa glances at Minato. She lets out a sigh.]

Hmph.

Sorry, Minato.

Looks like I told you that you were going to have to make a choice. But I'm giving you a job, instead.

I'd say I was sorry, but frankly, I think a disgustingly optimistic person like you would prefer completing an impossible task to making a cruel choice, anyway.

[messianic]

[ Yeah. Minato just smiles a little at that, dipping his head a little in acknowledgement. ]

It was never my choice to make, you know?

[ This is Nessa's choice, Nessa's life, and Nessa's ultimate decision--just as it should be. ]

But... you can count on me. No matter what... I'll make sure that this happens. I'll make sure that both of you can live.

[warpweft]

Good. Because I could take or leave you, personally. But.

[...]

...Nessa thinks you're one of the most dependable, brave, kind people she's ever met.

[She raises a hand up and gives Minato a pet on the shoulder.]

And she really wants to see you again.

[messianic]

[ ... his heart aches so, so much at that--but he just dips his head, with a little half-smile. ]

I... really want to see her again too.

But I hope--someday, somehow, I'm able to get to know you better too.

[ even if he knows that with his own circumstances, that's not likely either. ]