MATTERS OF THE HEART

[sticksandbonesmods]

Who: Livio, Wolfwood, Elsword, Mizuki, Add, Heimr
What: heimrquest
When: several days after the bar is built, late in the evening
Where: ???????
Warnings: mentioned child death, mentions of plague, paranoia, supernatural-driven insanity, survivor's guilt, death, possession, impersonation, body horror. more will be added as needed.

The General Store isn't always the most bustling place, least of all in a small make-shift town of only a handful of people, each one more troubled than the last. But at some point, each and every one of you has needed something from Heimr today. Maybe it was just a bag of candy. Maybe it was something more pressing, or some groceries. Regardless, one by one he's tended to your needs, and you leave the store with little fanfare save for the fact that it's unusually foggy out this evening- not enough that you can't see other buildings...

Until you can't.

All around you is a heavy mist, and the scent of a wood fire and warm spices floats through the air. There's no turning back, so all you can do is move forward.

On an OOC note, the Choose Your Own Adventure threads will eventually merge into one group thread. Once this occurs, mod tags will occur after each involved character has tagged, or after 24 hours have passed. That said, if it looks like good banter or development is happening, the Mod will hold off a bit or until dramatic irony strikes.

LIVIO | WOLFWOOD | ELSWORD | MIZUKI | ADD
LAYER ONE
LAYER TWO
LAYER THREE
LAYER FOUR
LAYER FIVE

FIN?

Comments

[sticksandbonesmods]

That seems to amuse Aldric, who can't help but chuckle.

"A'course you do. What else would you look like, son?"

[simplicitas]

[...but his hair is red? Red and styled a bit differently. And he's definitely not in the clothing he usually wears. It's a little more casual, he's realising. Something normal.]

I dunno, kind of... sad-looking? Depressed? White hair and a halo, looking all messed up and stuff.

[His eyes are bright. It's strange to look at, because Elsword can't really feel that brightness.]

I look... normal.

[sticksandbonesmods]

... Huh? Aldric frowns before glancing at the empty space in his arms and then back to Elsword.

"Elsword, you've always had red hair- and certainly no halo, however much you may deserve it. Are you feelin' alright?"

[simplicitas]

[...]

Maybe I don't feel good or something. I dunno. [Nevermind, he thinks, and shakes his head and tries to change the subject.] What're you holding?

[sticksandbonesmods]

"... Elijah? My son?"

His son, the empty space of air.

[simplicitas]

[Cool cool cool cool cool—

Elsword makes a show of scrubbing at his eye...s... god this feels weird.]

Yeah, not feeling good. Hi, Elijah. Sorry.

[This is like when you fake sick in front of your dad so he doesn't send you to school. He's like yes I'm very ill and blind today, don't worry about it—]

[sticksandbonesmods]

Aldric moves one hand to press the back of it against Elsword's forehead with a frown.

"Maybe we should head back to town. You're out of sorts today."

There's no response from the air, but- if Elsword squints, he can see faint dark veins around Aldric's eyes. He'll feel a semi-foreign concern, a weight in his stomach- a fleeting thought that isn't his yet is passes through his mind: Not again. There's a familiarity there, like he's done this before... and then there isn't, and the only thoughts present in his mind are the current Elsword, and him alone.

[simplicitas]

[Oh. Great.

Okay. Cool cool cool...

Elsword frowns, as he normally does, and then shakes his head. He'll pull himself back from that hand and look at himself back in the lake. Is he all messed up again?]

[sticksandbonesmods]

Nope. He's perfectly fine and healthy! So much so that not even the El's voice or the corruption can be heard.

[simplicitas]

[Wow, his head is unstuffed! For once!! This will never happen again. He feels a lot better, that's for sure.]

...I'm okay. [He's okay. For once, he's okay.] Don't worry about me. You came all the way out here, so it would be dumb to turn around and go back. What're you looking for here?

[sticksandbonesmods]

"Just wanted to see the lake for a while. Elijah hasn't been, yet."

Aldric smiles warmly at "Elijah", before returning his attention to Elsword. When he looks at the him, his eyes look clearer.

Also, remember those piercing lights in the water? They're closer.

[simplicitas]

[Water sparkles...]

Cool. I wish I had my fishing stuff. [Did he fish in his past life? He had to have, right? He knows from memories he got a while back that he and Tal used to go on "adventures" together aka he was 5 and had a stick and she put up with him. He's not sure if he fished. Hopefully that's not weird. Elsword has sort of puzzled together that he's in the past by now.] Fishing is fun. Elijah will probably like it.

[He turns to the water and looks down into it, like he's looking for fish, but he's looking for the sparkles. Are they in reaching distance?]

[sticksandbonesmods]

"It is a little odd to see you here without, yeah. But it's a good place to clear your head, isn't it?" Aldric asks, looking to the water.

The lights are not that close! And the area around them is much darker than the rest of the lake, even if it's hard to see what it is. But it's just two. Two little lights.

Staring. Unblinking.

It's probably fine.

[simplicitas]

[Nice. Elsword's gonna go swimming later.]

I dunno, I can fish with my bare hands. I just wouldn't teach a little kid to do that.

[WOULD YOU, THOUGH, ELSWORD... he super would teach a small child to catch fish with his bare hands.]

I could probably catch whatever's out there with the glowing bits. Do you see that?

[sticksandbonesmods]

"Glowing-"

Aldric pauses and looks to the water.



He immediately grabs Elsword's shoulder and pulls him back.

"We are NOT going into the lake while that monster is awake, oh my god."

[simplicitas]

Whaaaa— why not!

[Elboys are like this in every timeline lbr. It was his aspiration to be part of the town guard in the past, wasn't it? Did he make it, he wonders... he had to have, right? He wouldn't give up on his dreams of swinging a big sword!]

What's the monster anyway? I can deal with it!

[sticksandbonesmods]

"Elsword, you know that thing makes a game of drowning people- if it doesn't just. Death spin them for fun. But it's a holy spirit, so we can't just kill the thing, either."

Aldric is not going to let Elsword go. He is scruffed. So much so that if "Elijah" is still around, Aldric's not holding him anymore.

[simplicitas]

[Elsword... is Scruffed™. He's pouting by the riverside. ...where did the invisi-lijah go.]

Why's a holy spirit being so violent! I don't get that! We should convince it to be our friends at least!!

[sticksandbonesmods]

He sighs.

"I don't know. The Guardians aren't always going to be guardians of us, though. If it thinks we're a threat to the lake, we're as good as gone. That's all there is to it... and while I agree it'd be best to get on good terms with each other, I will not be putting anyone younger than me in charge of that. I promised you and your sister I'd keep you both safe, and I intend on seeing that through to the end."

[simplicitas]

[Oooh, this is a Guardian... makes sense. Moder was also vicious once! He wonders if she's roaming around out here.]

Well, I don't wanna be a threat to the lake, I just like fishing. [lmao.] Me and Elesis are really good at dealing with this sort of stuff, though!

[sticksandbonesmods]

"You're also young enough to be my kids."

It's said in a deadpan yet still fatherly tone, and one hand moves to pinch Elsword's cheek.

"No noodling the Guardian, and don't go near the eyes in the water. Especially at night. Understood?"

[simplicitas]

[The boy... is Pinched.]

'Kayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.

[Were this not a memory he would be at this lake at night—]

I'll leave the Guardian alone. We can go back to town if you want, since it's awake.

[Let him and his noble knightly self escort you.]

[sticksandbonesmods]

Aldric will take it, for now. With a sigh, he nods.

"If the Lake Guardian's out, ain't no reason to risk our hides. We still got plenty to do and see anyways- let's go, son."

... It seems "Elijah" isn't on his mind anymore, since he makes no gesture to hold an invisible child or even look for him.

[simplicitas]

[Where is your invisible son...]

Yep, let's go. ...what's Elijah like to do these days, anyway? [Let's get the old man's brain focused back on his son, Elsword thinks. The one that ain't him.]

[sticksandbonesmods]

Aldric freezes, eyes wide- and any signs of those black veins around his eyes are gone.

"E... Elijah? --Elsword, was I... Was I actin' like he was alive again?"

He's quiet for a moment before he suddenly grips Elsword's shoulders, almost desperate;

"Did I hurt you or say anything to you?"