Void Rift (rp) - Intermission

"Her parents are really nice, they even helped her set up this home," Katie says, "They're not mean or anything."


Noting this, the faerie does another five measurements, always seeming to follow the same path each time.

 

Scurn seems a bit annoyed with being in the realm of shadows, wary as he follows you.

________________________________

“Is she just always this stubborn? Persistence is good, but... she seems a bit out there. Even as far as guardians go.”


They get even more refined, but their efforts are receiving diminishing returns.

 

"Just, ah, y'know... mind your manners."
I say as I approach the gates to the shadow palace.

 

Scurn doesn’t say anything, following you very closely.

 

"No, she loosens up around people she trusts and knows well," Katie says cheerily, "You are a human, too..."


Once the measurements are accurate enough, the faerie stops, flying over to the half-spiders web and passing out immediately; sticking to it. The half-spider shoots awake, looking straight toward the source of the disturbance, before grinning and going back to sleep.

 

“I wasn’t blaming her, I expected her to gut me at the arcade.”


By the time the duo wakes up, the succubus and incubus come to. They seem to have been laid near the half-spider’s web since their recovery.

 

@Nepeta Leijon
I walk up to the gates of the Shadow Palace, Scurn in tow, walking until I'm stopped.

 

"She'd probably get in trouble in the arcade if she did that," Katie says, "Killing people makes a mess."

The guards seem happy enough to let you pass, though stop Scurn from entering.

"Who's your friend?" One of the guards asks, suspicious.

 

I sigh.
“Anyhow, I don’t trust her on her own. She’s hurt and now apparently depressed. Are you coming or not?” I say, getting up and heading to the front door.


Scurn seems to become frustrated by being stopped, though says nothing.

 

"I think she's just in her volcano," Katie says, staying where she is, "I...don't want to risk falling in if she isn't around to see me though..."


The half-spider blinks a little, looking at the extra couple of demons next to her.

"Are you two alright?" The half-spider asks, glancing down her web as the faerie forces himself out of it's sticky string.

"Yes, I think we were healed by the people here. I didn't sustain too much injury, though." The incubus says.

"I broke a few bones, but I think I'm better now." The succubus says, getting up.

"I, uh, should be getting back to Temporus now." The faerie says, wiping remaining bits of web off of him.

"Don't forget about our deal, now." The half spider says, giving a sharp-toothed grin as she easily crawls out of her web, grabbing the faerie and catching him by surprise. She calmly places him on her head, looking at the succubus and incubus who seem ready to leave. The half-spider grabs the box of remains from her web before departing with the rest of the demons.

 

I hesitate.
“I’m the problem here, yes, but I’ve only ever left a friend sulk alone once before. It’s a mistake I don’t intend to repeat, even if Abigail’s your friend not mine.”


The guards near the door part to let them pass more easily.

 

"Well...I think she might just need some time on her own," Katie says, concerned, "She'll probably come back soon."


The succubus blows the guards a kiss as they pass, the group heading back through the rift.

A short while later, a small bag of money drops through the rift with a tag attached, reading "Hospital Fees/Thank You", with "10 Diamond" on the other side.

 

I open the door, a smaller dragon seeming to wait for me.
“Find her soul. Check around here, then the arcade. If she does anything crazy, stop her.” I say before the dragon takes off and tries to locate Abigail’s soul.


Emerald moves the bag beneath the front desk, otherwise ignoring it.

 

Abigail seems to be at the bottom of her volcano, staying where she is. Katie nervously comes to the door, though stays far away from the edge of the platform.

 

“A guest. Don’t worry, I’ve already assumed that it’s my head if he does anything stupid.”

 

"It'll be his, too." The guard says, still suspicious as he lets Scurn pass.

The grassy gardens beside the path leading up to the palace itself seems to be tipped with frost. Forest guardians seem to be working on keeping plants alive in the winter cold, as well as themselves. The doors of the Shadow Palace remain tightly shut, likely to keep the cold out; the guards standing by it appear to be unaffected though. They too give Scurn a suspicious look, though seem less inclined to chat than the ones at the gate.

 

I seem like I want to head inside the Palace, equally uninterested in chatting.

 

The guards open the doors, letting you and Scurn in, though they keep a close eye as they do so.

The palace is far warmer than the cold outside air, and there appears to be a small queue of guardians and Shadows waiting outside the throne room.

 

I keep an eye on Scurn as I go to wait in the queue.

 

Waiting in the queue takes what feels like an eternity, one person entering at a time the command of one of the guards; though people only seem to leave half the time. A gross smelling smoke occasionally rises from the guardian in front of you, seemingly a byproduct of whatever they're smoking to keep their nerves down.