[X] Equip Detuned Piano (+2 Strength, -1 Sound, 2 Accessory Slots) on Clara?
[X] Apollo
[X] Delay Cadence with words, demand to know what the point behind all this is.
Okay, we could use a tiebreaker between the names 'Gabriel' and 'Apollo'. I did consider holding a name vote for him earlier on, but thought it'd be better to wait till you'd met him in person
[X] Equip Detuned Piano (+2 Strength, -1 Sound, 2 Accessory Slots) on Clara?
[X] Delay Cadence with words, demand to know what the point behind all this is.
[X] Gabriel "Cadence, why?!" You stood off your chair and yelled at him, even placing your own hand on Gabriel's shoulder, "This- this is inhumane, what could possibly possess your town to stoop to this?! We- we don't act this way anymore!"
"Oh, really Clara?" Cadence said, his eyes staring right at you even as his smile remained, "In our modern world, we make sacrifices in the name of art all the time. It's shameful that I have to explain this to you, for the reality that true art cannot exist without pain should be something every artist knows."
You gritted your teeth, your nostrils even started flaring. "Is that why you want to kill Gabriel, just to make people miserable?"
"If people don't experience pain, people cannot take that pain and from it create art," Cadence kept going, "And no great compositions will again be made to rejuvenate our world born from song. Now, do unhand Gabriel, so that we of Sortita may fulfill our duty to the world."
You glared back and hissed, "Make me," and from there held Gabriel tight and bolted.
[Gabriel has joined the party. Cadence has left the party]
Not that you could simply run on out of this cultish town, as you and Gabriel were quickly jumped by the masked townsfolk. While you didn't hesitate to try fending them off with blows from your keysword, Gabriel just stood there and shivered.
"M-Miss Clara, I…" he tried to find the words, "I-I am scared to die, b-but… I don't want to fight my own townspeople."
"Gabriel," you only had time to mutter as, in the dark off the night, you launched a Virtuoso Vice assault on the masked man in front of you, only to then get jumped by two more. Knocked to the ground now, you felt the light of an ablaze torch upon you, which let you push back up with a rising Glissando Storm, knocking back the two townsmen. "Gabriel, anyone who tries to sacrifice you aren't 'your people'!" you got the chance to finish saying.
As he saw you being continuously wounded fending off the would-be sacrificers, Gabriel ran up to the same torchlight himself and said, "Miss Clara, y-you're right. This won't be the end, Miracle Heal!" He played an angelic melody on his trumpet, musically restoring you to full health.
[+1 Melody to Clara and Gabriel]
Breaking on through another wave of townsfolk, you headed with Gabriel over to a low-lying roof, which you strained to lift yourself up onto. "We can't get out of here across that bridge, there are guards there," you glanced down and told him, also having to check for any possible townsfolk springing up behind you.
Gabriel gulped but took your hand anyway so you could help him up onto the roof. Your adrenaline having fully kicked in by now, you then lead him from rooftop to rooftop trying to lose your masked pursuers.
"B-but, if we can't get out across a bridge, how can we get out?" Gabriel tried asking between the leaps you had to do.
You nearly stopped running, as you hadn't really thought any further beyond not taking the bridge. "We-we'll swim across the river once we've lost them over these roofs. I'm not sure of any other way out," you eventually said, but kept quiet on not even knowing if this boy could swim, or that the river wasn't so slow-moving.
[+1 Terrain]
Reaching a roof overlooking the River Flow, a panting Gabriel following, you breathed a sigh of relief as it seemed any townsfolk had been long delayed by that rooftop chase. Well, all but one…
"Clara, Clara, you have been such an ungrateful guest," Cadence's words then rang in your ears, as the moonlit conductor steeped in between you and the river, "I brought you in from the river, showed you around town, taught you everything you know about our world, saved you from those Demons, and arranged for you to perform at our Festival. Yet this is how you repay us?"
"And you deceived me the whole time, hiding your murderous intent," you seethed as you tried striking him, only for Cadence to step out of the way and spin around at you with his baton.
"I never lied, Clara, you were simply incurious," Cadence laughed before sweeping at you from behind with his baton, "If you wanted the full details of the Festival, all you had to do was ask."
Standing back in the shadows, Gabriel then held forth his trumpet-pistol and tried firing at Cadence, only for the conductor to barely seem scratched. "As for you, Chosen One," Cadence said as he looked at Gabriel, "Despite this setback, I can ensure you will not survive the night, even if I must commit the deed myself."
Cadence now launched one of his attacks against you, calling on a Percussive Quake to pound both Gabriel and you into the tiles below. As you struggled you pick yourself up, he laughed down at you and pulled out a skill fully new to you, a more sinister skill that may've warned you of his true nature.
"Obey my every order, Chain of Command!" Cadence proclaimed as he pointed his baton right between your eyes, enthralling you for long enough that, with another wave of his baton, he controlled you into trying to slash at Gabriel, the boy scurrying away but not unscathed.
Even when you regained control of yourself, knowing that you attacked Gabriel stung you so much that for a second you were paralysed. The instant you could again move, you sped over to slash again at Cadence, only for him to spin to face you and parry with his baton.
Gabriel had at least managed to get around to the side of the roof facing the river, and yet looking down and knowing the only way out of here was to jump made him freeze.
You tried hurrying over to him, only to hear Cadence chant at you, "A thousand wires be your cage, String Vivisection!" Each movement of his baton then drew up a razor-sharp wire around you, caging you in a web of strings, a cage you could only break through by enduring what felt like a thousand cuts.
Your bleeding body nearly collapsed right by Gabriel on that side of the roof, Cadence howling with laughter as he loomed above you. You looked at Gabriel and offered your hand, and with him trembling as he then reached to take it, the two of you then chanced the leap down into the River Flow over the certain death of Sortita's Festival.
"Hah, then die in the water, give us the death we wanted!" were the last words you heard Cadence say as you leapt with Gabriel. Per those words, the river was freezing cold, and with you beaten so badly that you had no strength to struggle against the current, you soon fell unconscious as you were washed downstream.
You slowly awoke, having not the slightest idea how much time had passed since you'd escaped through that river. At least the first person you could make out being Gabriel meant that you hadn't been recaptured by Sortita, him still being alive.
"Are you okay, M-Miss Clara?" his trembling voice asked immediately upon you waking up. "I-I used my melodies to h-heal you, but…" he then wheezed, having clearly put himself out of breath doing so.
It was good you still had some spare Floral Powders to heal him with in return, but now you faced the question of just where you were. Slowly picking yourself up, you looked around to see you were in an ashen landscape, surrounded by grey, burnt trees like records and clarinets set ablaze.
"Y-Yeah, it would, but I guess we're deep in, since it's… not any part of it I know," Gabriel mumbled, "Sorry, Miss Clara, all my life I've never been that far from Sortita, never been allowed really."
"Gabriel, that's-" you began, "That's okay, it's nothing you need to apologise for. And well, I'd be Missus Clara, Clara Schumann."
"Oh, sorry Miss- Missus, I didn't know," Gabriel squeaked, "Um, I imagine your husband must be really worried about you."
You blushed at the thought, then said, "Really, I'm just as worried about him."
Gabriel then looked back upstream, and of all things said, "I- Do you think I should go back and apologise? To Sortita?"
You gasped. "Absolutely not!" you told him, "Even if you've known them all your life, those people still tried to kill you. Again, you have nothing to apologise for!"
"Y-Yeah, you're right," Gabriel said, but still looked down, "I guess I said that because, well, after that time I saw angels as a child, they made me spend the rest of my life preparing for- for that day. Now I'm free, but… I don't know what to do now."
"Well, you can always come with me to Haupstimme, I believe it's to the north of here," you said and smiled, "I received an invitation from, uh, two gentlemen there, they're ah, how do I put this, friends of my husband. First thing we're there-"
[ ] We'll try finding those two right away.
[ ] We'll alert any authorities about Sortita.
[ ] We'll stock up on supplies, to head further away from Sortita.
[ ] I'll let you decide what we should do.
[ ] Write-in Score Piece x1!
Heading out, the first thing you found was not a pleasant sight to wake to. It looked like a cross between a mushroom and some sort of lizard, draconic even, with the fungi along its top an array of swirling rainbow colours. This creature did appear to be slain though, so no threat to you, from a… crossbow bolt in its back?
You asked Gabriel, "…Are crossbows that common in Sortita?" Or whatever the instrument crossbow hybrid was around here.
"Not really, I've never seen people in town carry them. Although," Gabriel said, twirling his fingers, "They do say there's a Warlock, a Demon Summoner, who roams around here with a Violin on him," and there was your hybrid, "Everyone says to stay away if you see him."
"Still, he did take out that monster near us while we weren't conscious, and didn't try to steal our possessions," you said, "And I wouldn't exactly trust the word of Sortita right now. Hmm, did you ever hear his name?"
[X] We'll try finding those two right away.
[X] Solomon
"Solomon, huh? Well, if we do cross paths, I'll be the one to talk with him. You've been through a lot already, I wouldn't want to strain you further," you smiled at Gabriel.
Gabriel smiled back at your words and said, "Oh, thank you, but really I think I'd be most comfortable if we just- just stayed away from that sort altogether," he then looked downcast again. "A-Also, Missus Clara, I do r-realise it may not be my place to say this, but… you've just been through as much as me, s-so wouldn't you already be 'strained'?"
"That's…" you tried to say, before you settled on, "That's different. I may not look it, but um, I'm nearing forty, so I have more life experience with such situations." This world has demons out in the open and magic heart signature… things, so you didn't think not looking at all your age would seem that strange.
"Guess you haven't spent all your life in Sortita either so, um, there's that," Gabriel nodded in response. "Though er, beg your pardon for saying this, Missus, but you don't know this area either…"
"I can learn," you said simply, smiled, and patted Gabriel on the head, "Now come along, best we head north before" Before Cadence or his townsfolk find us, was what you were about to say, but given what Gabriel had gone through you changed those words to just, "Before too long."
Walking north through this petrified forest, it wasn't long before you came across drifting clouds of smoke passing by. Both choking on ash and not being able to see made trying to head through them a low priority, so that left either looking for a path nearby that wasn't covered by them, or just waiting for them to move on. Spend too much the time on the first choice, and it may lock you into the second.
[Roll 4d6 for Terrain: 2,5,1,6]
You had the luck for an unclouded way through to show itself soon enough, when a fallen, gnarled tree trunk gave you a makeshift sheltered tunnel through. However, a pair of Demons, one of those little mushroom-dragons you'd seen earlier and what looked like a tree stump… with glowing red eyes and a crooked mouth, had taken the initiative to block off the other end.
Both moved into attack, the mushroom lizard exhaling noxious, multi-coloured breath at you, which both sent you into a coughing fit and made you see visions, like that of a second mushroom lizard who, when you swung your sword at it, you only then realised wasn't real. But then, what technically is in this world?
Gabriel at least had distance on his side, able to get in a string of trumpet-shots on that stump monster. That the lizard's illusion had made you move to the side helped in that regard, as you'd given Gabriel a clear line of sight. But then the stump, though you wouldn't have thought it capable of doing so, pulled out a ranged attack of its own, as it somehow conjured the ghost of a tree growing from it, which it sent crashing down onto Gabriel, knocking him right onto the forest floor.
Luckily you were then able to launch a counterattack upon that mind-boggling mushroom lizard as you chanted out "Virtuoso Vice!" and launched its flurry of slices. The lizard, though now staggered, still had its own retaliation up its own proverbial sleeve, when it launched several of the mushrooms on its back up onto you, making you swat furiously to get them off before their neurotoxins started seeping into you.
Gabriel was at least slowly getting back up, only to find that stump had been slowly moving up to him in the meantime. His whole body shaking in panic, he immediately pulled out one of his own Signature attacks with a shrill cry of, "O Saints, banish the evil: Holy Horns!" Clearly meant as a long-range attack, Holy Horns was still able to unleash destructive bursts of noise up close, trumpeting back the stump-fiend.
[Roll 4d6 for overall battle: 3,3,2,2]
While these two monsters occupied you though, a third appeared on the scene, blocking off the other end of the overturned tree. You glanced back for a second and saw it didn't look like more than a faint Will-o-Wisp, yet as it touched the forest floor, it created a blaze that in seconds blocked off the way you came in.
The stump, having gotten back up, tried to jump up and land on top of Gabriel, who was already coughing fiercely from that fire's smoke. But that stump now being behind you, that gave you the chance to turn around and slash at it from behind, preventing its pounce attack. One good thing to come from that blaze behind being you is that its light let Gabriel use his healing melody, him chanting "Miracle Heal!"
The Wisp however was moving further into the log-tunnel and spreading its own bushfire with it. But in that moment, a voice from behind and outside uttered "Abandon Hope", conjuring up what looked like a swirling portal that sucked the Wisp straight in. It was only on its defeat when you saw that, beneath its glow, the Wisp resembled a piece of singed music paper floating around.
This left you free to finish off that stump, the creature short enough that you were able to plunge your sword right on top of it, making it cackle in pain before it collapsed into a pile of ashes. This just left that mushroom lizard, and while it being behind you gave it the chance to launch more mushroom spores, some in range to also hit Gabriel this time, it was still now three against one.
"Ricochet Spark," your new ally intoned, firing a bolt that bounced off both side of the log, gaining energy with each ricochet, until it pierced the lizard, with only a few more sword swings from you finishing it off. With one last Miracle Heal from Gabriel, that battle was over.
[+1 Melody and Harmony for single combat and teamwork]
[Roll 4d6 for loot: 2, 2, 1, 5]
[Found Mystery Mushroom]
That left you finally able to get a good look at this unknown crossbow-violinist who'd stepped in, him presumably being the one who finished off that previous mushroom lizard at the riverbank before it could attack your unconscious selves. Gabriel already inching his way behind you, you stepped forth to greet him with, "Ah, why hello there, Sir. We both thank you for your help, ah, and presume you're that Solomon we've heard about?"
"It was hard going for a while, but we seem to be fine," you smiled at him, nudging Gabriel out from behind you, "We take it you also saved us from that monster by the river?"
Again, no words, he just nodded. Gabriel though, now in the grip of hyperventilating, blurted out, "Y-You're not a Warlock, are you?!"
"Ah, do forgive Gabriel his rudeness, he's quite a sheltered boy," you swerved in, giving a nervous laugh.
"No, it's alright," Solomon said, "Most think that. I'm a wandering exorcist, word just has it I'm a demon summoner because…" he started, but somehow couldn't finish that line.
"Because you're not good at communicating?" you tried to finish for him, biting your lip and flinching once you realised your own rudeness in front of Gabriel.
However, Solomon didn't seem like he took any offence, not like he was displaying that wide an expression range though, as he told you, "Yes, you'd be correct."
"Well then, Mr. Solomon, we were just heading north to Hauptstimme and, ah, perhaps would like to come with us? Stock up on supplies and whatnot? It's a bigger city, so I doubt people would be as quick to superstitious fear as out in the countryside," you asked him. Looking down at Gabriel, you then whispered to the former Chosen One, "See, you'll have nothing to fear, I'll keep an eye on him." That made Gabriel smile at you in return, like he was easing up already.
"I'm not used to travelling with others," Solomon began but then had to admit, "But I see your point, that would be convenient."
[Solomon joined the party]
While Solomon was still mostly unscathed, you and Gabriel weren't so fortunate, as getting through the forest had taken quite a bit out of you. You still had one Floral Powder one left, but cautious of your stock and how much breath Gabriel had left to keep healing, you took a chance on saving it. Score Piece x1!
With that, your now-a-trio was on its way. The rest of the trek to Hauptstimme was relatively uneventful, to your relief. The most notable incident was when you started walking up what looked like a hill with a (non-demonic) stump on top, only to then find out it was really a giant pile of ash with a tree buried within.
[Treasure Found in Area: Poison Whitecap and Shadow Tail]
Upon making it to the city walls, you still had to travel along them some ways to find the nearest gate. You guess that made sense, as having a gate leading right into a burned forest didn't seem the most fruitful idea, since who'd take that route? Er, other than you three. And the people of Sortita you supposed, but they were… their own thing.
At the gate, you realised though that, as both Gabriel and you were unfamiliar with the area and Solomon's reputation may not be the best, and that you'd all come from an unlikely direction covered in soot, that being let in by Hauptstimme's guards might not be so simple.
"Hello there. We've come here to Hauptstimme at the request of Florestan and Eusebius, but with Inner Demons around, it's… not been easy out there," you said to get them to let you in.
"True, true," one of the guards said, "We had to fend off a demon attack at the gates just yesterday. Hmm, and you know Florestan and Eusebius? They're an interesting 'duo', I'll grant you, so it makes sense they'd attract all sorts."
"Ah, that's the 'exorcist' Solomon, I take it?" the other guard said, "I've heard some nasty rumours about him, but I admit, I've never seen actual evidence for anything people say about him. Well, we suppose we can let you into the city, but with a warning, you hear?"
"Oh my, thank you," you beamed, before strolling straight into Haupstimme. Dwarfing Sortita, its myriad medieval-to-modern houses where largely a light brown with orange and purple sloped roofs, a diamond-shaped pattern decorating its main street. In the distance you could see two looming buildings, positioned like a conductor and soloist over the town's orchestra. They were a Concert Hall whose golden roof reminded you of a harpsichord, of all instruments, and a massive arched railway station, skytrains soaring in and out.
"Why, Chiarina, there you are!" you heard Florestan's voice exclaim as he ran up to you, only for him to then narrow his eyes, "And… who are these two you've got with you? They look nothing like that fellow you were with earlier."
"That's, well, a long story," you gulped as you said, nor one I'd wish to go over on a city street, "But in short, these are Gabriel and Solomon, trumpeter and violinist companions of mine."
"Hmm, I see," Florestan muttered, "Wait, Solomon, I've heard that name. Well, if you have Missus Chiarina's approval, I trust then you're an alright sort, least with a watchful eye on you, eh?"
Solomon again kept silent, but Gabriel had to ask, "Wait, Chiarina? B-But you're Missus Clara, right?"
That's an even longer story. "Chiarina's a nickname, that's all, 'Clara' in Italian. Florestan and I go way back, you could say," you told him the simplified version.
"Italian?" asked even the reserved Solomon.
"…I'll explain later," you were brought to saying.
"Ahem, anyway, shall we be off?" Florestan had to cut in, "No doubt you have your questions, Chiarina. Though would you like to head straight to our League office, or let us treat you to the sights and sounds of Hauptstimme?"
[ ] Head to the League office.
[ ] Head somewhere to eat.
[ ] You'd like to see that Concert hall.
[ ] You'd like to see that Skytrain station, it's something entirely new to you.
[ ] Ask Gabriel and Solomon if they'd like to go anywhere.
[ ] Write-in Score Piece x1! (Multiple questions can be asked)
[ ] Ask Florestan and Eusebius about where is Robert is.
[ ] Ask them how you're in Robert's dream.
[ ] Tell them everything about Sortita, and ask why that would be Robert's dream.
[ ] Ask them how long they think Robert has.
[ ] Ask them why Robert hasn't shown up directly to you in this dream.
[ ] Write-in
[X] Ask Florestan and Eusebius about where is Robert is.
[X] Ask them how you're in Robert's dream.
[X] Tell them everything about Sortita, and ask why that would be Robert's dream.
[X] Ask them how long they think Robert has.
[X] Head somewhere to eat.
[X] Ask Florestan and Eusebius about where is Robert is.
[X] Ask them how you're in Robert's dream.
[X] Tell them everything about Sortita, and ask why that would be Robert's dream.
[X] Ask them how long they think Robert has.
[X] Ask Florestan and Eusebius about where is Robert is.
[X] Ask them how you're in Robert's dream.
[X] Tell them everything about Sortita, and ask why that would be Robert's dream.
[X] Ask them how long they think Robert has.
[X] Head somewhere to eat.
[X] Ask Florestan and Eusebius about where is Robert is.
[X] Ask them how you're in Robert's dream.
[X] Tell them everything about Sortita, and ask why that would be Robert's dream.
[X] Ask them how long they think Robert has.
Wanted to give a heads-up that courses have started again for me, so the update rate of this Quest should certainly be affected. Votes will be open a little longer
[X] Head somewhere to eat.
[X] Ask Florestan and Eusebius about where Robert is.
[X] Ask them how you're in Robert's dream.
[X] Tell them everything about Sortita, and ask why that would be Robert's dream.
[X] Ask them how long they think Robert has.
"Ought to have a bite to eat first, having no less than to walk all the way through a bunt forest leaves one awfully out of it," you decided on. That is, you had to think, if one even needs to eat inside a dream.
"Ah, then I know just the place!" Florestan said in an instant, as he began to lead the three of you down the street. However, when Gabriel and you followed, Solomon stayed put.
"It may be unwise of me to come with you," came his explanation. He sighed as he stepped back and said, "I wouldn't want make the city-dwellers suspicious of you by association with me, it'd be best if I just stuck to myself."
You narrowed an eye at such words, before you strode up to Solomon and said, "Well, Mr. Solomon, I do appreciate your courtesy but really, I could argue the opposite. Once such people see you in respectable company, they'll likely change their opinion, and if not then I question if they themselves are so respectable."
"Still, I'd be fine on my own-" Solomon tried to say, only for you to then drag him along. As predicted, you did get more than a few stares as you walked along, though you tried to brush those off as being due to what a motley collection of individuals you were.
After taking a seat just outside the café Florestan had shown you to, you started by casually asking what everyone felt like, as you felt it'd be better to ease in before asking the heavier questions.
Solomon just pointed to an item on the menu, back to not saying a word, while Gabriel, er, didn't seem to know what you meant. "Y-You're asking me what I want to eat?" he made himself say out loud.
Puzzled a bit, you tried to keep calm and told him, "Well, that is what you do at cafes, hmm, unless you're paralysed by indecision."
"Oh, n-no, it's not that. It's just…" Gabriel muttered, "I haven't really been to any cafes, people in Sortita mostly brought all my food to me."
You winced a little, realising you hadn't taken Gabriel's past into account at all. "I see. Then, in the case, how about you just ask what they recommend?" were the words you settled on. Score Piece x1!
Out of curiosity, you looked to around to see if this café had a piano nearby, and this all being your husband's dream there naturally was. You then asked Florestan, or now Eusebius you took it since he'd put his hat back on, "Oh, do you think it would be possible to arrange for me to perform here?"
[Roll 4d6 to ask to perform: 2, 2, 5, 2 +Etiquette 6]
"Sorry, I'm afraid this place can be stringent about that. Ooh, but I can certainly put a good word in and get you booked sometime soon, er, not sure when that'd be though," Eusebius went over, shrugging a little.
You only nodded on the outside, but inside you thought, it'd be wisest to keep moving and stay ahead of Cadence, so we might not have 'sometime soon' here…
Plus, this was yet another reminder that, for how similar these places looked to Leipzig or Zwickau, you were still an unknown here, the first time you'd been an unknown since, well, ever.
"But wait, why wouldn't the people here know me, if this is all Robert's dream?" you found yourself saying out loud, then freeze once you realised both Gabriel and Solomon had heard you.
"M-Missus Schumann, w-what do you mean by that?" Gabriel then looked up to ask you.
Eusebius, reverting back to Florestan, then looked at you and said, "Right, knew such a topic would come up. Think it might be best if we talked about this in private, hmm?"
He took your arm and led you a few paces to the side, then looked from side to side to make sure you both were just out of earshot. After doing so, you started asking what you'd been meaning to ask them this whole time. "How am I in Robert's dream? I mean nobody, not even husband and wife, can outright enter another person's mind… can they?" you spoke out.
"There is another explanation," Florestan then said but under his breath, before he had to remark, "I'm not sure you'll like hearing it though."
"There has, ahem, been quite a lot I've not wanted to hear but did so anyway, so just say it," you told him straight up.
Even then, it still took Florestan, the 'fierier' half, a while to say the exact words, "There's the possibility you aren't the flesh and blood Chiarina, but rather, Robert's mental image of you, likely his memory of you given your sudden youthfulness."
You twitched. You could see why even Florestan had hesitated, for what sort of person would ever want to be told they weren't their 'real' self? However, you did have to draw attention to how "You called that a 'possibility', didn't you? So, me being nought but a memory of Clara Schumann might not be the only explanation then, hmm?"
"Perhaps not, but you know, Occam's Razor and all," Florestan just said back to that.
You then glanced back over to Gabriel, bringing the threat of Cadence back into your head in what'd barely been minutes. That did lead into your next question, "Florestan, you remember that man, Cadence, I was travelling with before, don't you? Reason that's no longer the case is because, well, he wasn't what he seemed to be…"
"Huh, I suspected something had happen, but your point is?" he had to put it like that.
"Gabriel, the boy accompanying me now, was…" you tried to say, but you tensed up recalling that prior night. "A sacrifice, Cadence and the rest of Sortita tried to sacrifice him for- for their own twisted reasons!" you then spat out. "How-how could something like that be in- be in Robert's dream?"
"My, you mean you've never had a nightmare, Chiarina?" Florestan put it a little too lightly for your tastes, but then again, he hadn't been there, "Well, recall the nightmares you've had, but imagine them amplified by you being on death's door, and after all those angel and demon visits too."
"Death's Door? Oh, right, of course…" you then started muttering, as the next difficult question struggled to make its way up your throat, "How… long do you think Robert has?"
Florestan bit his lip, then apparently found it easier to revert to Eusebius. "Wish we knew, but well, maybe a couple of months? Er, if we're lucky."
You then looked back, and for a second thought you saw Solomon make eye contact with you- no, that was probably just coincidence. "Eusebius, is- is that why Robert hasn't come to directly me see in this dream of his? I mean, if I can, through whatever means, appear here, surely he could too?"
"You're his wife, Chiarina, so you could probably answer that better than I could," Eusebius had to admit to you, "I know, I didn't mean to disappoint you, but that's likely the truth. But as everything here came from his mind, well, maybe there's a greater message that can't be found out unless you explore the dream in full. Ah, sorry, think I might've gotten too poetic there," he then mumbled.
"N-No, that's okay, I think I see what you mean," you told him, "Think maybe we should get back to our table now, that's… about all I wanted to ask."
"Actually, if you don't mind," Eusebius then said, "I did have one question for you this time. Namely, um," he paused then only slowly said, "Your two travelling companions, have you- have you thought to tell them about this, well, all being a dream?"
A chill ran all through you. That was the question of questions, wasn't it?
[ ] You'd tell them, they had the right to know, however disconcerting the truth may be.
[ ] You didn't want to tell them, but felt you'd have to, as chances were they felt something suspicious was going on with you already.
[ ] You'd tell them eventually, when you were all more familiar… if you even had that time.
[ ] You'd tell Gabriel, he may be more primed to accept this, but not Solomon.
[ ] You'd tell Solomon, he seemed more emotionally sturdy, but not Gabriel.
[ ] You didn't wish to tell them
[ ] Write-in
Afterwards: Score Piece x1!
[ ] You'd find lodgings for the night.
[ ] You'd move on as soon as you could.
[ ] You'd see if you could perform at least somewhere here.
[ ] You'd see what Gabriel and Solomon felt like doing.
[ ] You'd try to report anything you could about Cadence and Sortita.
[ ] Write-in.
[X] You didn't want to tell them, but felt you'd have to, as chances were they felt something suspicious was going on with you already.
[X] You'd find lodgings for the night.
[X] You didn't want to tell them, but felt you'd have to, as chances were they felt something suspicious was going on with you already.
[X] You'd see what Gabriel and Solomon felt like doing.
[X] You'd tell them eventually, when you were all more familiar… if you even had that time.
[X] You'd see if you could perform at least somewhere here.
