[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]

[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.

[direstnews]

The Tellers... they dwell beyond the tales we live. They craft the stories of ones such as us.