Work Text:
Dark. Pain.
QuietMummering
Mumbling Sounds
We do not know what had happened. We do not know
who
what had changed.
We only know that we should not be here.
openopenopenOPENOPEN OPENOPEN We awaken.
We do not recognize where we are. The water is unfamiliar. It
flickersfades
falls.
We can not move.
Could
should we move?
YesNo
Notquite.
We are trapped. We are not meant to be here.
Where is here?
Sounds. More sounds.
LoudScary
Violent sounds.
The water
disappearsparts
stops. The light turns to dark. Some
thing
one comes through.
A
beastcreature
human. The
weapon
bow is up. It goes down. The
hat
head goes up.
Its
His eyes are
sharpkind
confused. "Is this...is this the test?"
Test?
He comes closer. The bow stays down.
We watch. His hand comes close. We shift back.
DANGERDANGERDANGERDANGER
He stops. He puts the bow down.
"Hey, I'm not trying to hurt you. I promise."
His voice is
nicecozywarm
comforting.
More sounds. LouderlouderlouDERLOUDER
The light turns to dark. A great rumbling fills the air.
There is
metal
blood in the air. There are
creaturesbeasts
humans in the opening.
There is violence in the air.
He turns. We shift.
He is safe.
THEY ARE NOT.
THEY
WILL
GO!
They are gone. He is safe.
He...falls?
washehurtdidwemiss
He is...
shivering
shaking?
"No...they..."
We turn. He
moves
flinches.
"No! Stay back!"
The bow is up. The
bow
arrow shakes.
We lower. Safe?
The bow lowers. "Safe? D-did you speak?"
Did we speak?
The bow goes down. "Are you...conscious?"
He raises his hand.
It moves. We shift. Left.
Right.
Up.
Down.
Forward.
Back.
Forward.
Forward.
Back.
He stretches forward. We shift closer.
He gasps.
He now bears our mark.
Sounds. More sounds. Light turns to dark.
He turns.
"Sir, these are not mindless creatures!"
He is grabbed. He is
movedtaken
dragged out.
Someone comes close.
ItHe
THEY took him away.
"Why would anyone think this confounding mess would have any sentience? He is not suited in the fight of the Corruption Beasts."
He is
meanrude
arrogant.
"See to it that Josuiji is thoroughly punished for his inability to protect his team."
"But sir, Shinri-"
"Don't question me, Dean. You know that we must remain strict with our recruits if we are to fight against the Corruption!"
Shinri.
Shinri is safe.
...
Shinri is not safe.
They took Shinri away.
We shift.
Left.
Right.
Up.
Down.
"Uh, sir?"
"What is it Dean?"
Forward.
Back.
"The gate, sir. It's...moving?"
"What?"
Forward.
Forward.
Back.
"That's impossible! The gate can't move!"
"I don't know how else to describe this sir!"
Forward.
Forward.
Forward.
"Im- Go check the seals!"
"The seals are still active!"
"Then why are they-"
ForwardForwardForWARD FORWARDFORWARDFORWARD
We move. There is
fearscreaming
terror in the air.
They are not safe.
They took us from our home.
They have taken Shinri.
So we
WILL
TAKE
THEM!
There is nothing left.
We leave.
Shinri is
gonemissing
nothere.
'...We can look for him.'
One within us?
'There are marks on the ground. We can follow them.'
'That's true!' 'We should be able to find him!'
Many voices.
We are becoming multiple.
'It can't be too hard to find him.' 'Yes, he is the only one with the blue arm now!'
We are still one.
We search.
For Shinri.