Remove ads

Mare Internum: An Exalted Quest

Reader mode
Remove ads
Now That You Are Pure 67
  • Threadmarks
    • Corpusvoyeur said:
    [X] (Offer a hug)
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    You open your arms, offering a hug.

    MEI: "What the fuck."

    "Come on now."

    She stands frozen, staring at you. Then she blurs into motion.

    ATHLETICS: LEGENDARY
    2 3
    CHECK FAILED

    A bow-wave of furnace heat hits you like a slap across your body an instant before her hand strikes your throat. Her fingers feel like hot metal digging into your larynx. She doesn't stop moving, bowling over your whole body and slamming you shoulders-first into the wet ground. Your hands close around her wrist, trying to pry loose her grip, but it's like trying to shift a pillar of iron.

    Her eye burns. It is not a metaphor. It shines with the incandescent light at the blinding heart of flame. You feel steam wisp around you as the puddle you are lying in starts to boil.

    MEI: "You think this is a game. You think this is fucking funny?"

    "I didn't... I-"

    MEI: "We could have done anything." she hisses. "Anything. And this is where we end up."

    The burning eye is vivid in your memory. You see it through time, on the face of a scared, resentful girl, a smiling young woman, an enemy. You feel it searing the hole that still aches in your chest. You see with absolute clarity that it will kill you. Your every instinct screams that you are a heartbeat from death.

    LOGRIS: "Dragonlord!"

    Mei blinks, and the killing heat abates.

    LOGRIS: "Dragonlord, I must insist that you release the magistrate immediately."

    MEI: "Or what?"

    LOGRIS: "Are you going to kill me too?"

    Mei stares down at you.

    MEI: "No."

    She releases you and stands, slowly. She looks tired, spent.

    MEI: "I believe you. You must have forgotten." she looks up to the looming tower of the manse. "I'll be up there before dawn for the beacon, looking for survivors. If you want to know what I know, meet me there. Bring a weapon."

    LOGRIS: "Dragonlord, I must object. An illegal duel, at... at a time when-"

    Mei's glance silences her. The dragonlord walks off, deep in thought, without looking back.

    You remain lying in the puddle. Logris comes into your view, more flustered looking than she seemed previously.

    LOGRIS: "Dragons. Do you know, I half-thought she was going to say 'yes' and kill me then and there."

    [ ] Thanks for the help. I guess we're even.
    [ ] I don't think she's like that.
    [ ] Were you following me?
     
  • Threadmarks
    • I mean doesn't exaltation allow the impossible to be made possible. Granted nobody said it would be made probable :V.

    On the other hand, this does give a glimpse into how exactly Vesper may or may not have fucked the dog with the Dragon Waifu of the Burning eye. Maybe it's her that (XXVI) THE SUN mentioned leaving or the betrayed one. Also, this has started a bit of a brain spider with the dented water satchel and our Immaculate or Religious faith we sent to the depths.
     
    [X] I don't think she's like that.
    -[X] You'd be safe.

    That went well, but let's not go confront her until we have The Opening Gate thought fully unlocked. Mayyybe also until we get our daiklaive back, if that's possible.
     
    I don't know if coming to the duel actually prepared for a real serious fight is the worst or the best thing we could do to/for the Dragonlord Mei.
     
    Now That You Are Pure 68
  • Threadmarks
    • Gazetteer said:
    [X] I don't think she's like that.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    "I don't think she's like that."

    LOGRIS: "What do you mean?"

    "I just... don't think she'd hurt anyone else. Just a feeling."

    LOGRIS: "Oh, well I am very glad that your feelings give you such a keen understanding of her character now. We have ascertained that her temper lies somewhere between 'really dislikes hugs' and 'willing to murder everyone', well done."

    LOGRIS' FACE: You are an idiot.

    "Your face is so harsh."

    LOGRIS: "Do you have a concussion? Come on now, get up." she offers her hand.

    [ ] Take the hand.
    [ ] Ignore it and stand on your own.
    [ ] Ignore it and just lie there.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Gladi said:
    I don't know if coming to the duel actually prepared for a real serious fight is the worst or the best thing we could do to/for the Dragonlord Mei.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Oh, I definitely think the best outcome for fighting her would be 'letting Mei win in such a way that is cathartic to her and won't kill us'. But I think our odds of surviving Mei will go up if we remember how to properly apply self-defense and have an artifact weapon to parry with.

    The problem is, I think we could absolutely win if we didn't care about letting her live - but that's exactly what Logris warned us about, the whole thing about becoming a slave to victory. It'd be a decision that can't be unmade and which we absolutely could never take back. Afterwards, it'd be so easy to go 'you know what, we killed a woman who we wronged in the past while we were amnesiac, lets just keep going and see how far we can take this'.

    So really, it's a toss-up between 'fighting her in a very prepared way' and 'stay away, do not engage'.
     
    We could also Not avoid her, and not try to best her up.

    Defending yourself is easier than defending yourself and trying to beat someone.
     
    Now That You Are Pure 69
  • Threadmarks
    • CogAndStar said:
    [X] Take the hand.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    You take the hand, too late remembering what Fincher did to you... was it this morning? Gods, this has been a long day. You almost try to withdraw your hand, but decide that you are committed now.

    Luckily, Logris seems to have no immediate ulterior motives for offering to help you up. She takes your wrist with her other hand and tries to haul you up with limited success.

    PHYSIQUE: This woman is unacceptably skinny.

    SAGACITY: I think this is what you call a scholar's constitution.

    LOGRIS: "I am going to need a little bit of help here."

    "Maybe I should just keep lying here. I deserve it."

    LOGRIS: "Oh, get up, stop being such a baby."

    With renewed vigor she pulls you into a sitting position. You stand on your own from there, sparing her continued exertion. Lukewarm muddy water drips from your hair, and runs down your back, under the cloak.

    "What's gotten into you? You were so polite earlier."

    LOGRIS: "I just came across an attempted murder! Excuse me if my nerves are a little jangled."

    LOGRIS' FACE: How can you be so calm about this?

    LOGRIS: "So what are you going to do now?"

    [ ] Die, probably.
    [ ] I'm thinking I should run.
    [ ] I'm thinking I should let her stab me so much she gets tired.
    [ ] Maybe I should do some training for this.
    [ ] I'm going to win.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • [X] I'm going to win.
    -[X] But without becoming a slave to victory.

    Like, hopefully. If it's valid.
     
    Last edited:
    i don't want vesper to be fighting mei before we've had another fight scene to show off how ridiculously strong vesper is in normal conditions so that when mei absolutely crushes us it's even more impactful

    therefore, we have to be a coward and not take that option
     
    That's not a bad point. Proper setup is important. Maybe we should try going with Logris into the fortress manse first? Get in a fight against some, I dunno, robot guardian and show off our prowess. We already know that Vesper is pretty badass, even when fighting in the absolute worst conditions.
     
    Reader mode
    You must login or register to reply here.
    Remove ads
    Back
    Top