Banan-chan
Previously QueOne
Kotori turned sharply at the booming voice that had very suddenly began to project through the street. Though she knew that what she was seeing and hearing wasn’t “real”, by instinct she crouched and partially hid herself. All of this, after all, was rather unnerving—Kotori was never the type to lucid dream—and she wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. She decided to just stay put and listen.
“…into a labyrinth of sounds and smells, misdirection and misfortune. A labyrinth with no exit, a maze with no prize. You have been called to the Hollow Night.”
Kotori could swear she’d heard those words before somewhere. In any case, these statements seemed rather flamboyant to her, and they begged more questions than they answered.
“…their objective is simple; to feed on your essence, the essence that makes up all living things, known as EXS.”
At this point, Kotori was beginning to feel that this whole thing was some sort of sadistic game. She wasn’t entirely opposed to it—games, after all, could be beaten.
“…Each of you has a unique ability, a gift, through which you can channel your EXS to defend yourselves—and others, should you wish to do so.”
The wording seemed intentional—implying, perhaps, that there was some benefit to not defending others. Kotori took note to keep her guard up.
“…In fact, I have a feeling you already know what each of your abilities are, don't you?”
Kotori took a moment to ponder this. Search as she could, she couldn’t feel any sort of power within herself.
But what was this…?
The scythe…she could feel it pulling, ever so slightly, so imperceptible she wasn’t quite sure if she was imagining it. Pulling, almost magnetically, towards those warm bodies out on the street.
“...profound haste.”
It was at that moment that Kotori realized, as she attempted to stand, how incredibly stiff her body had become. She felt as if her limbs had been wrapped in layers of duct tape. Her skin, she realized, was numb and cold as stone. It was as if she’d become a corpse.
Her expression barely changed—it couldn’t—but inside Kotori was panicking. She could barely move, and she needed to make a Pact with one of these other players fast. Her mouth opened in an attempt to speak, but not even a whisper escaped her lips.
A moment later, Kotori collapsed. The scythe clattered to the ground beside her.
“…into a labyrinth of sounds and smells, misdirection and misfortune. A labyrinth with no exit, a maze with no prize. You have been called to the Hollow Night.”
Kotori could swear she’d heard those words before somewhere. In any case, these statements seemed rather flamboyant to her, and they begged more questions than they answered.
“…their objective is simple; to feed on your essence, the essence that makes up all living things, known as EXS.”
At this point, Kotori was beginning to feel that this whole thing was some sort of sadistic game. She wasn’t entirely opposed to it—games, after all, could be beaten.
“…Each of you has a unique ability, a gift, through which you can channel your EXS to defend yourselves—and others, should you wish to do so.”
The wording seemed intentional—implying, perhaps, that there was some benefit to not defending others. Kotori took note to keep her guard up.
“…In fact, I have a feeling you already know what each of your abilities are, don't you?”
Kotori took a moment to ponder this. Search as she could, she couldn’t feel any sort of power within herself.
But what was this…?
The scythe…she could feel it pulling, ever so slightly, so imperceptible she wasn’t quite sure if she was imagining it. Pulling, almost magnetically, towards those warm bodies out on the street.
“...profound haste.”
It was at that moment that Kotori realized, as she attempted to stand, how incredibly stiff her body had become. She felt as if her limbs had been wrapped in layers of duct tape. Her skin, she realized, was numb and cold as stone. It was as if she’d become a corpse.
Her expression barely changed—it couldn’t—but inside Kotori was panicking. She could barely move, and she needed to make a Pact with one of these other players fast. Her mouth opened in an attempt to speak, but not even a whisper escaped her lips.
A moment later, Kotori collapsed. The scythe clattered to the ground beside her.
Last edited: