Void Rift (rp) - Intermission

Crystal just fools around a bit more, spinning, and I give up on trying to make an indent.
"C'mon, Crystal."
I say, flying over.
"Wait wait wait, watch."
Crystal starts spinning, boosting himself with fire.
"Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee!"
He shouts, excited, before stopping, striking a fancy pose.
"It's fun, you should try!"
"I don't think I can with the resources I have."
"You have fire, though! That's all I used."
"Not how my legs work, unfortunately."
"...Oh, right."
"You wanted to see the space ship?"
"Yeah, let's go!"
Crystal starts running on the ice, and I run beside him, occasionally flying to catch up.

 

After getting closer, it seems like an absolute wreck. Like, plummeted from the atmosphere unintentionally wreck.
It smells of death from literally a mile away.

 

"What do you think happened there?"
I ask, due to the repulsive smell.
"I dunno. People crashed?"
"I can see that, but... let's just get there. I'm interested."

 

The closer you get, the more gruesome the image becomes. There are partially chewed limbs scattered around the wreckage, and bodies crushed under twisted metal or singed beyond identification.

They seem to be some... unicorn-human hybrid? At least, that's all you can make out from the years-old corpses. Thankfully the desert preserved them a bit, but the whole scene's a bloody mess.

 

We both slow down, seeing the mess.
"What... the hell?"
"Let's go in."
Crystal goes closer, trying to find an entrance.

 

The entrance is everywhere, considering there aren't many walls left standing. What "walls" there still are seem to be mostly former ceiling.

 

Crystal hops in and looks around, me right behind him.

 

Everything is in pieces, and broken staffs, pieces from first aid kits, and red crosses stitched on vests show that about half the people had some kind of experience in healing arts.
Shame; you can count at least three hundred healers dead - and those are just the ones marked. Who knows what everybody else was...

 

"Try not to step on any bodies."
"Wasn't planning to."
I look around for places to go, while Crystal looks around for things to tinker with.

 

There's plenty of broken machine bits, lighting, and pretty much ever-
Busted up cockpit is still somewhat intact. There's a treasure trove for messing around...

You can't find much. The only things you find resemble a cockpit, research room, holographic nav (broken, of course), and surprisingly somewhat intact broken engines.

 

I head for the cockpit, but then notice that Crystal goes for the treasure trove, and follow him.

 

The treasure trove is... completely looted! Kind of. Broken weapons, and an intact flashlight powered by... something... is pretty much all that's left.

You notice bloodstain writing on the paneling, saying "ABOVE"
...a not so subtle corpse who has a piece of metal support bar impaling them is dead less than a step from it.

 

Crystal looks above like the sign implies, but I think a bit through it and look behind.

 

Above it, there's a single spot in the sky that seems to perpetually show the night sky, though the sun is still blazing overhead.

Behind, you note that the paneling is bent in an oddly... intentional way? It doesn't look random.

 

"Yes, Xlentia. You're right, Xlentia." Shadow Stephanie says, submissive.

 

"I humble myself in front of a mortal, and you have the nerve to try to kill me for it, then get away with a backhanded half-apology?! I hope you know this is going straight to Tenebrae if it keeps up! You may be mad at me, but do not try at my life!" She says, frustrated. "Now, if you have any true forgiveness in you, you'll take my apology and my compensation and you'll have Stephanie disarm the doll. Once I have proof, you are relieved of my frustration and will be granted time to speak to Ihra in spirit."

 

"I'm sorry, Xlentia. I can't get Stephanie to disarm the doll. She's not currently...alive," Shadow Stephanie says, clearly fearful and obedient, "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry."

 

"Is she unable to do it in spirit?" Xlentia asks, suddenly looking enraged.

 

"Her spirit is incapable of doing anything, right now." Shadow Stephanie says, something clicking as her apologetic nature seems to fade.

 

Xlentia seems to calm down.
"...Okay. That works differently in this... reality. I ask your forgiveness for that outburst. I would like to hold on to that doll until Stephanie recovers, however. Other than that, please let me know when you wish to speak with Ihra."