Argenti's Palace

[beautifulknight]

The stage is set they say;
They don their masks and shields,
Shadows creep and cover their minds;
Now, what beautiful role shall they play?

𝓜𝓮𝓵𝓾𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓷𝓲𝓷 𝓒𝓪𝓼𝓽𝓵𝓮


♫

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Remnants of Ena's "Dream" ~ End of a Delusion: Exploration Phase 2

[beautifulknight]

[ ♫ ]



After stepping through the doors, everyone will find themselves wandering in darkness, which feels as if it takes ages to traverse. Upon clearing the final part of the veil of darkness, everyone is brought suddenly to a field of white flowers of many kinds. Gladiolus, white roses, with an almost bare night sky hanging above them. It feels comforting...nice.

...Even with cages littered across the fields, empty as the sky above.

Still, everything about it is beautiful, and it feels as if one can lose their time away here.

More importantly, there are two people up ahead. One looks to be like Argenti, and the other is a being shrouded in darkness - the former appears to be happy, relieved, hands reaching out to rest on the being's shoulders.

When all of them draw closer, Argenti goes silent, happiness dying from his expression, and his eyes seem to haze over as he steps back until he disperses into red petals that settle on white flowers; the remaining figure turns to face everyone else.

Whoever this person is...it is not known. But, judging by the fact that there can potentially be made out pieces of armor, this individual is clearly a Knight. For those paying close enough attention, this person's armor resembles the one witnessed in the memory not too long ago.

When he speaks, the voice is horrid, like nails on chalkboard. Like a hissing misbegotten creature from the deep that has just crawled out of the void.

"Why are you here?"

It seems everyone has met the new obstacle. Perhaps the one before they can even move forward onto the confrontation. But there is the sense that it won't be long, at least.

[ Welcome to the second part of the Exploration phase! As always, if there's something you're looking to have your character do, feel free to bold it. ]

[beathollow]

( mafuyu isn't the most powerful person by far. but she doesn't waver. )

To help someone we care about.

[beautifulknight]

[ Perhaps not, but she is getting a response from this knight anyway. ]

...To help? You believe you can help a lost cause?

Someone who has strayed from their path? Someone who has fallen?

[beathollow]

Are you so unforgiving that you don't believe the lost can be found, that those off the path can reorient themselves, alone or with help?

[bloodweapon]

[The endless darkness was a little ominous, but this is... beautiful. As expected of Argenti's palace, he supposes. What's less beautiful is that knight's voice, eesh. Fray doesn't visibly react to it, but let it be known that he is trying not to cringe at the sound.]

We seek... [a brief pause] a friend of ours who has been taken from us. You are familiar with Argenti?

[He assumes so, given the brief depiction of the man in question, gone in a flurry of petals.]

[beautifulknight]

[ Fray is trying his best, and honestly he is to be commended.

Anyway, he seems to accept the first part of the sentence, at the least.

And at the question, there will be an answer: ]

I am. Or rather, was.

We were good friends. Our bonds were severed when I strayed from my Path, and he accordingly put my soul to rest.

[gardenful]

[ Ah, that's a horrible sounding voice... but Aerith's feelings don't show on her face as she steels herself. ]

To help Argenti. We're here to get him. [ A pause. ] Why are you here?

[beautifulknight]

[ Isn't it just...

Either way, he seems ready to answer the questions granted to him. ]

I am here because he cannot let go. My existence is just another proof of one of his many failures.

[fullmoonmutt]

To drag that sparkling moron home. This isn't where he belongs.

[beautifulknight]

[ The knight tilts his head at Eli. ]

Do you truly believe that he doesn't belong here?

[destage]

...We are here to find and help Argenti-kun. Do you...know where he is?

[Sayaka doesn't waver an inch.]

[beautifulknight]

[ There's a pause, though the Knight looks at her curiously, as if to ascertain the determination in her stance. ]

Why should I tell you where he is?

[imperiosity]

[That sound is definitely awful and there's a part of him that would rather not engage if only because it means hearing more of it, but after running around hunting for clues, maybe it's a blessing that there's finally someone they can question directly.]

Shouldn't that be my line? You're already dead -- we saw him kill you. So what's keeping you here instead of going on your merry way and joining the Goddess?

[beautifulknight]

[ Isn't it...

Well, at least he is amenable to also answering those questions. ]

He is holding onto my memory.

It isn't the first time my "existence" has held him back. Recently, he became trapped in a dream, because he thought I had been cured of my state, and returned from the dead. Even if it was absurdly foolish.

[bloodandstars]

[ Other people are talking to the knight, trying to dredge answers out of him. The hissing voice doesn't bother Maika in particular; perhaps that's a song too, just a discordant one.

For the moment she'll look for those red petals while she listens to the discussion in the background. Do they lead to/from anywhere, or are they just at the spot where Argenti vanished? ]

[beautifulknight]

[ Well...

The red petals scatter, almost randomly, except...they seem to separate into four different directions:

North, East, South, West. Does she pick a direction to follow? ]

[goei]

[Izou could try to be more delicate, but well. That wouldn't be authentic.]

We're here ta kick Argenti's ass and then take him back with us.

[beautifulknight]

[ The Knight sizes Izou up at this. ]

Hm...and you believe your might will be enough?

Even though he has so thoroughly lost his way?

[cirquedesang]

[If it weren't for the cages littering the scenery, it would be peaceful. It is beautiful, in its own melancholic way.

And there's Argenti already, though of course it would never be so easy.

He disappears. They're left with a facsimile of Argenti's former... companion... having clawed his way back from the depths.]

To find beauty, of course.

[Please appreciate the esoteric nonsense answer, Argenti, it feels like something your wack cult would go for.]

[goei]

You gonna keep tryin' ta win this stupid place over with dumb answers you think it wants? It didn't even work last time.

[As the other bad answer haver he would know.]

[beautifulknight]

[ Strangely enough, the Knight chuckles, as if amused, though there was a chance that would be the opposite case entirely (13) ]

...Do you honestly believe the answer you're giving me now?

After all, you insulted Idrila before, did you not?

[ Either way, the Frenchman is perceptive, isn't he? So, it appears that there is a sense that this individual is hard to convince, by the audible doubt in his tone (20). Almost as if he thinks the other is mocking him... ]

[ledbythewind]

[Oh. A field of flowers under the stars... it's nostalgic, painfully so, and for a moment Richard's own heart twists at a memory of a night bleeding over into a vivid dawn and a vow made under those fading stars.

(He wonders if Argenti feels the same way at the sight.)

But that voice addressing them tears raw, gaping holes in the beauty of the moment, and Richard's eyes narrow to flinty slits.]

... because you have something here that doesn't belong to you.

[Something, or rather, someone.]

[beautifulknight]

[ ...Well then.

Someone sure is not having it (so are not the others here, but even this fellow is ready to throw hands.) What the Knight thinks of it is unknown, though even so there is amusement in his tone as he addresses the blond: ]

Do I now? And what exactly is this something?

[vogelfrei]

[ In the grand spirit of Argenti it is time to ~*WANDER OFF*~...

Everyone else has the talk no jutsu part covered pretty well and McGillis doesn't think he has much to contribute to that to start with. He thinks being a Knight of Beauty is... not unappealing to observe from the outside or as part of a story, but fundamentally still pretty weird. Validating Argenti's choices might be a bit outside his repertoire right now.

Time to figure out the North road. ]

[destage]

[Oh, hey McGillis! You seem to have also contracted wanderitis--]

Oh, McGillis-san...! I was wondering where you went...

[Sir please don't wander off, you still have...probably injuries that Sayaka unintentionally caused...

...

That's an awkward conversation for another time--]