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

Where are you?

[Honestly, the question probably isn't necessary in the strictest sense of the question and answer themselves. Kadoc didn't ask it to get the answer, though it'll be a bonus; the clues in the video are enough to give him at least some idea of where to head (they'd run this way together, hadn't they, on that awful quest?), and the swarm of people he's sure will be heading out in that same direction soon will be another dead giveaway.

So he asks it so that she knows: he saw this, and he's coming. Even if she doesn't answer. He doesn't wait for a response to begin getting ready—dressing, pulling on his mask (also the same one from that awful quest), packing his bag with food, water, first aid materials, the potion he'd bought from Rinea. It's something to do mindlessly while he thinks about why he's doing this in the first place and what he hopes to do once he gets there. Anastasia had been dead wrong when she said he was someone who would always do the right thing in the end. But—

It was so tempting to just ignore that any of this was happening, but even if that wasn't true of him at all . . . he can't. He can't just do that, though what the "right thing" to do in this situation is a mystery even to him, the one getting ready to head out there into it anyway.

Almost as an afterthought, he does something he never does:]

. . . Hey. Kovalyov. . . . We'd better go.

[and calls for his familiar, quietly and casually, to sling around his shoulders and accompany him out into whatever this is going to end up being.]

[She's going to keep to video, typing is too much effort right now.

Kadoc...what side would he fall on, in all of this? He's a Master, so if she called a Holy Grail war, who would he choose to side with?

...

Well, she'd see.]

Are you going to fight me as well? I'm sure you recognise this place.

[A confirmation. He was good at reading between the lines, wasn't he? He'd know where to find her.]

Edited 2021-06-06 21:09 (UTC)

[...He'd know, wouldn't he?

Then, in a lower voice cracked with grief:]

You understand, don’t you?

[He doesn't respond with a text himself; it seems cruel. If she can't even bring herself to do her usual awful emotional texting right now, she's too occupied, too distraught, or both. . . . It sounds like it's probably both.

But he pauses before responding to take that in. You understand—

Does he? What does he know? She'd come here in the middle of her own Grail War against Archer and the others, and been unable to let that go. That he can understand well enough himself, even with everything else aside. She's been so brittle lately, beaten down by the agonies of this place. The Siren. Continuing battles that have already reached their conclusion. Yeah, he understands, even in these early moments of putting together puzzle pieces, like looking at the emerging image and knowing exactly what it is even with the details still unplaced on the board.

When he's ready otherwise and grabbing his tablet to pocket on the way out, he stops then to turn it on and respond by video. It's clear enough he's on his way out the door. Caster's never seen his familiar before, but it's visible now in the frame: a python-sized hydra coiled around his shoulders, with sleek black and blue scales, seven white-eyed heads with mouths full of dagger-like fangs. . . . Despite that, it looks like it's in a docile mood, resting against Kadoc's body.]

. . . Are you crazy? Not about this. About me fighting you. I wouldn't stand a chance. And I promised someone I'll never see again that I wouldn't go courting death after she was gone.

[And yet, he's leaving the little inn room as he answers.]

[Oh, a hydra... she watched it a moment with distant eyes- until he mentioned someone he'd never see again and her expression just twisted, shoulders shaking as she tried to hold herself together.]

...Then- don't stand in my way-

[She was glad half her face was in shadow. She didn't want anyone seeing the agony in her face.]

I'm going to make them burn.

Edited 2021-06-06 21:42 (UTC)

. . . Sorry.

[He doesn't look directly at the camera, but it's still on, and his face is still visible before he flicks it off to put his tablet away—it's there that he winces, fleetingly. He'd said that because it was true and relevant, but also to see her reaction. To place another piece of that puzzle on the table in front of him. And he is sorry for that, immediately after he does it, and that he can't respect her request to stay away.]

[...Sorry? What for?

But he'd already ended the call, and she didn't return it. Hopefully- hopefully he'd follow her advice and stay out of this.

Even- even if part of her hoped that in this 'Grail War', she would have a reliable Master at her side.]

Eighth: Grail War (Video; un: Caster)

private text; un: wolfcountry

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