[Day 2, Night - A House South of Town]

[direstnews]

[Written into the ground alongside one of the houses to the south of town tonight are a series of strange letters, forming a rough circle near the wall. A figure of approximately Loki's build, not there during the day's exploration, leans against the wall at the corner. The door to the house is open.]

[Some hours after the sudden switch from day to night, Loki stands in front of the door, a candle before him, a kitchen knife in one hand and a spoon in the other. He checks the mirror set carefully in the darkness, nothing yet visible in its surface. Then he strikes the knife with the spoon's handle, and he holds his breath - and he waits.]

Comments

[overclocking]

[... Glances around at the assortment of idiots, then sets the ammo box down with a heavy THUNK and a sigh.

IGNORING FALLING BUILDINGS]

Does anyone need medical treatment?

[soul_sister]

[Brushing debris off her shoulders.]

Did you catch what happened?

[overclocking]

Unfortunately, no.

[Glancing at her gun...]

How many rounds did you fire?

[soul_sister]

Two Gospel bullets, one magazine of Sacred.

[overclocking]

[Can't... even scold you because GIANT DARKNESS MONSTER.

He just sighs instead, surveying the supplies in the box.]

I used one of the grenades, too.

... We're going to have to be more careful.

[soul_sister]

I've used more on weaker demons than that.

[overclocking]

When you had a steady supply stream.

A few more days like this one, and we'll be in bad shape.

[soul_sister]

[That would require me acknowledging we're trapped. Instead, she looks at the scattered doll parts.]

Hey.. Chrono. That isn't something that's IN all of the dolls, is it? [Picking through the rubble.]

[overclocking]

No, it's not... I'm sure I would have sensed it before now.

This was something new.

[soul_sister]

I thought so.

Lets take a look around.

[overclocking]

[He hesitates for a moment, then pulls the ammo box back on.]

... Let me take the lead.

[soul_sister]

[It looks for a moment like she's going to protest. Instead, she nods and goes to pick up the emptied gun from where she dropped it.]

All right. I'm ready.

[overclocking]

[There's a flicker of relief when she doesn't protest, but he doesn't say anything more.

Instead he just starts picking his way towards where he thought he saw the beast fall, footsteps measured and careful. He keeps his attention divided between the rubble and any remaining traces of that creature's presence.]

[direstnews]

[Rubbing at his chest.]

I've escaped injury.

[overclocking]

You're lucky.

[Looking him over, just to be sure.]

What was that thing?

[direstnews]

[He's got a few injuries, but none obvious, and none new. :|b Annnnd, maybe you'd be getting a different answer if he'd had time to clean up first, but that is definitely Sherlock over there, and that is definitely you checking out the circle he drew, so:]

...not what was intended.

[overclocking]

I would say so! What was intended, then?

[............ also getting stuck inside your summoning circle

That's

A thing.]

[direstnews]

A creature of knowledge. In exchange for a price, it grants its caller what he would know of his own tale.

[overclocking]

[S. Stepping out when Rosette smudges it, feeling sheepish for reasons he's not even sure of...]

It didn't seem very knowledgeable to me... What were you going to pay it with?

[direstnews]

[Oh good. He'd been going to rub it out with his foot, but that works, too.]

It had little intelligence, by the end. It seemed almost as though the Teller was overwritten.

By way of payment... I wished to offer it an exchange. It had been cheated but recently in its dealings. I might have provided what it lost.

[overclocking]

...

No offense, but that sounds like a really, really terrible idea.

Did you not think to at least tell someone first?

[direstnews]

Had the creature remained as it ought have been, all would have been managed without inconvenience. I saw no need to trouble others when best left abed.

[overclocking]

That's the thing, though-- they almost never remain as they ought to. They have minds of their own, too, and just because they can be bound by magic doesn't mean they like it.

[... Just watches while Rosette does the ear-pulling part.]

... You deserve that, a little.

Tell us next time.

[direstnews]

[After he recovers from the ear-pulling and brushes himself off.]

There's not like to be a next time. That black substance... the Teller that came was overtaken. Until we find what had the power to do such a thing and how, I imagine other attempts will go the same way.

[overclocking]

[He frowns and shoves aside that growing sinking feeling in his stomach]

... How powerful is this "Teller" that was overcome? To get an idea of what it is we're dealing with.