avalononline | Eighth: Grail War (Video; un: Caster)

(TW: Arson, Kidnapping, Death Threats, Magical Torture, Grief)

[The video starts with smoke billowing into the night sky, and as the camera pans down, the source becomes plainly clear. The edge of the Brocéliande woodland is ablaze, and the fire is starting to spread. Silhouetted against this ominous backdrop is the figure of Caster, using subtle magical manipulation to make her usual, heavy cloak cast an even darker shadow than it should as it billowed out around her.

Her eyes can't be seen under the hood of her cloak, but even in this darkness a broken smirk can be seen across the Witch of Betrayal's face. The twisted ritual dagger she held gleamed a sickening red in the light of the flames.]

Archer... we need to talk.

[For what sounded like a declaration of a grudge, it wasn't entirely clear whether or not she realised she was broadcasting to the entire network.]

You enjoy continuing battles that have already reached their conclusion, don't you? Well, it's time that I do the same.

The Holy Grail War isn't over. Our battle hasn't ended, not so long as I exist in this world... haha, I was a fool to delude myself into thinking otherwise. Hahaha...!

[She could hardly contain that bitter laughter, coming out in bursts, but she forced it back enough to continue.]

You know exactly what you did.

And I will have my revenge... I'll destroy anyone I have to until you come and face me. Oh- you won't crawl out of your hole without any motivation, will you? Well, I do have a little something to help convince a heroic sort like you.

[Caster flipped the picture on the camera, directing it to where she'd got an unconscious Darin tied up against one of the trees, a strange dark mist flowing around his body. And with a flick of Caster's wrist off-screen, the shadows intensified- sinking into him. Even unconscious, he started to writhe in pain.]

Hmhm, I don't know how long he'll last with my curses... so I suggest you hurry up. I'd hate it if I had to dispose of a body.

I will burn it all to the ground- and make you watch them all suffer for your choices. You know I will, Archer, it wouldn't be a first for me.

[She flicked the camera back to herself, now holding what appeared to be dragon fangs, hovering over her palm and pulsing with a strange, dark energy. Her familiar - now much larger than the housecat size it usually appeared - rested its head on her shoulder, watching the magical items with a fierce intensity.

And then, her carefully planned stagecraft started to crack, as a crazed grief started to inch it's way to the surface.]

I just want you to suffer. Do you really think I care what becomes of me in this world? Of what fate befalls the other realities?

They can all perish for all I care-!

Hecate curse you all!

[Before her composure can crack any further, she ends the broadcast.]

[ooc: The log itself will go up tonight/tomorrow for getting involved stopping this mess- note that if you have a heroic character who'd ICly get involved but you don't want to deal with this mess OOC, she's recording late at night in somewhere with ropey network signal, so feel free to assume the memo didn't get through or that your character couldn't track her down in the chaos.

Also- threadhopping totally welcome for this one.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

( you ever been scrolling through the network to find one of the people whose company you appreciate is apparently having a full breakdown on it?

yeah. this is... interesting. )

you know everyone can see this, aye?

( oh boy, she has Thoughts about that last part, but first things first: seeing if Caster will even respond to people. )

[She definitely isn't in the right mind to type a reply, so she'll stick to video.

And hey, if Kate's world had Greco-Roman mythology and she knows of it, there's sure some things that can be drawn from that response.

Still... she wasn't going to admit whether or not she had intended to broadcast this to everyone- but at least she was replying?]

Is that important?

( well. she doesn't normally switch off text, but given the circumstances...

the next message Caster receives is a video, Kate in her flat, sitting cross-legged on her bed, hair loose around her shoulders. if the reason for chatting was different, she'd look relaxed, but.

well.

obviously not.

she's not gonna pretend she knows Caster (or myth) well enough to understand what's going on, but she does know that Caster, usually, is smarter than this. )

S'pose not.

( but, hoo boy, this is spiralling badly. )

What's your plan if you survive this?

( not that it seems like Caster has really planned any of this, but maybe if she has to think about existing outside of this moment...? Kate doesn't know. she's not the one people call when they need emotional support. )

[Oh...she was actually responding by video. That was a surprise- one Caster was grateful for, in the chaos.

But the question?

She didn't know if she could answer that. Instead, a small, bitter laugh escaped her.]

Haha...I don't know. Wonder this world as a true witch for what time I have left, perhaps, so long as I have my vengeance-

That's all I have.

( she can't say she's got any particular experience in wanting nothing more than vengeance. sure, she'd love to know that her parents' killers are rotting in a jail cell somewhere, but she's never tried to make it happen the way Marc is. she didn't have the luxury of doing that. she had to make sure Marc was alright. keep him safe like she was supposed to.

he's already had a hard life, Katydid. we have to do our best to make sure he's happy and safe.

and, when she was the only one left, that's what she did. catching them is what he wants more than anything, so she bit her tongue on how she thought he could do much better work than simply being a detective. she stared at the prices of universities and accommodation and the amounts of student loans provided and realised he'd need her to offer assistance so he could study unencumbered.

so she ended up in the military.

but she never did any of it for her own vengeance. never asked the question of Marc — what are you going to do after this?

Caster makes her wonder if perhaps she should. )

... You want company for that journey?

( she's not going to stop Caster. how could she? but she doesn't mind standing side by side with a friend. )

[Caster seemed...noticeably taken aback by that response, staring at the video for a long moment.]

...You'd stay by my side, even after seeing the sort of woman I really am?

[A wide, sweeping gesture to the fires- but the hand holding the phone was trembling. She expected to be condemned by all of Avalon for her display, but to have someone willing to stand by her? That was a first.]

( is Caster showing great judgement right now? nope, but all things considered... )

Is it any different from anything else you've done?

( they've burned down buildings together. she doesn't doubt that Caster is no stranger to the Dark Web tasks, and the only difference between some of those and this is that people know the guy being tied up and the one being called out. she and Childe picked off several targets in a mansion just for the cash last month. how the hell can Kate judge Caster's choices here? )

No... I suppose not. Certainly not compared to all I did in my lifetime, either.

[The picture was shaking, as the hand holding the phone trembled. She had allies, still, and although she hadn't given a thought to what would become of her after it was all done.

...She didn't want to die out here.

She didn't want a sad, lonely death. To disappear alone with nothing. At the very least a small part of her consciousness realised that.]

...I thought I'd burnt it all to the ground.

( it's hard to see Caster like this. she's usually so assured, so sly and really anything but the trembling, desperate mess on the network right now. they might not be bosom buddies or anything, but Kate genuinely does enjoy her presence, and that's not something she takes lightly.

so yeah, she'd offer Caster company after all of this. or rather talk to her than try to fight her on this. she's not here to protect random guys she's never met or pretend she hasn't done worse shit for lesser reasons than revenge. )

... It being?

( all her bridges with people here? or what she mentioned about this not being a first earlier? )

Everything...Archer took everything. I just burned what was left.

[But even before that, too. Everywhere she went, she left burning bridges in her wake, fire following her as closely as her legend did.]

...If I can make him feel even a little of that pain, I will.

( this is where other people, better people, might try to talk Caster down from her attempts to enact vengeance. but Kate isn't a better person, not by a long shot.

instead, she simply says; ) Don't do anything too stupid and I'll buy you a drink.

[A pause at that. A thought as to what might come tomorrow, once it had all burned out.]

...I'll hold you to that. By the Gods I could use one.

[A pause, before the confidence in her tone started to waver.]

I don't...want to die tonight.

You better not.

( she'll revive you and kick your ass if you do, Caster. )

[The Witch gave a small nod, but couldn't seem to find her words then and there- but she didn't seem to want to end the call either. For just a moment, she wanted to cling onto the presence of someone who actually seemed to be on her side.]

...

[Her expression faltered, and in the background, the fire raged.]

Eighth: Grail War (Video; un: Caster)

private text; un: didnot

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ha... this spiralled.

Spiralling fast

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tw death mentions

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