Welcome to Gaia! ::

Many questions about the intention of Medea were appeared and she was beginning to understand the whole thing, she guessed.

"So....Eis, would you mind telling me where are we?"

After hearing her question, Eis, the prisoner Arynek was talking to, gave the shadow ghoul a strange look. She was so embarrassed, did she just asked another stupid question.

Seeing her awkwardness, the prisoner opened his moth and spoke.
"Aren't you a rebel, like one of us? Pro-Human World, saving what remains of Halloween against the Four Clans and all that. I recommend you keep your voice down though, there's no use attracting unneccessary attention."

Again, his answer provided the shadow ghoul with some useful information. Arynek now knew the Halloweeners in this world were trying to save the rest of Halloween from the Clans currently and they seemed believed in the idea of co-existence with the Human World. Oh the other hand, the Clans got an opposite belief. He warned Arynek to keep her voice down in the last.

Well, now she seemed to get more links. The three doors: the outdoor battle, the tunnel battle and this ruined world. They seemed form an ascending order. The first door was the time further away, followed by the middle door's one and lastly, the third door. In these three doors, Clans and humans were involved, on two opposite sides.

What did Medea want to suggest? " Three sentences Medea said before came into mind.

"Guidance can be found in steps, in stages, a story."
"You question yourself, who you are, who we are, what we are, and-"
"All paths lead to the same result."

Was the things happened behind the doors form a story?
Who we are? We are the same thing, we are born from human's Fear........
Paths? Same result?

Arynek was still unsure about the answer.......

Her next question seemed natural given his answer - "Where the Jack are we then!?!" her voice may have gained a slightly hysterical edge, raising slightly towards the end.

"Aren't you a rebel, like one of us? Pro-Human World, saving what remains of Halloween against the Four Clans and all that. I recommend you keep your voice down though, there's no use attracting unnecessary attention."

That wasn’t a Jacking answer! She didn’t want to stay quiet! She wanted to know where they were- why Death was showing them this! Was it-

No.

She really really hoped it wasn’t a warning. A show that we could do this and there is nothing you can do.

Surely they could see just as well what was wrong with this picture. Human, Halloween, Clan- it was a whole system. Sure they could kill a few that rebelled against it here and there and all Hunters where fair game but-

They needed Humans.

The battle with humans, cries and screams, soldiers with strange weapons, - all faded away, and very soon they were standing with Medea in front of the doors again. And there was the last one waiting for them. Something was strange about this door... Shenny had an odd feeling something bad awaits them there.

And she was correct. The whole landscape, not even a demon of fire would find it beautiful. It was hot, the smell of burning filled the sky; ruins of strange buildings surrounded them, strange items were half-buried into the ground rotting. It looked pretty much like a world after a war, an enormously huge battle that finally destroyed everything. A human world.

The sorceress still had the understanding of an illusive nature of everything around, but it was unpleasantly real. As they were walking headed by two War clansmen, she couldn't help noticing a very strange Fear: sick, weak, as like the Fear itself was dying.

The royal figure, the Queen who addressed them... Shenny was positive it should be War herself. The ghoul had never seen her, but that was quite logical to assume. Shenny shivered: were the War actually addressing them?... How solid are they in this reality?... Looks like they were quite visible, though. And.. arrested. Oh Jack. That isn't even funny. Perhaps, Medea just loves dramatic effects?..

As they were trapped in the cage, their guards walked away, and they had enough time to think over the scene that just have seen. There were a couple of prisoners in the cage; their bodies fading away from the lack of fear. Shenny thought it would be a good idea to ask them out, while she can, to get additional information. After all, isn't it what Death, or Medea, want from them?..

Shenny moved to towards one of the prisoners sitting on the floor swinging. She took a seat near trying to keep her moves soft and slow not to scare them. The ghoul had tons of questions, though she realized she probably won't get any valuable answers from such crushed and detachable creature. She touched the prisoner's hand, as if she was going to caress them like a minipet.

"What time is it?..", she asked hoping she sound friendly. The question wasn't that weird, as it seemed to be. The sorceress realized they're seeing future, to be exact, one of the options for the future. But how distant this future could be?

The prisoner rolls their eyes. His facial expression was that of an insane person, or may be just a very, very desperate one. "The time now?" "Does it really Jacking matter? How about several hours before they feed us to their little Fear-eating contraptions?", the prisoner appeared to be angry, but his anger was pitiful and powerless. "How about several years too late from stopping their Jacking Apocalypse?"

Apocalypse... Shenny heard this word before, though she couldn't remember when and where. Apocalypse... the strange word. Looks like it's useless to demand for explanations. At the very least, it would be safe to assume that was the war, and a battle, or whatever caused the death of all the humans: the result they just have seen. Interesting, the prisoner said "several years"... Does it mean several years from the moment they were visiting the islands, or?.. Several years from what exactly?...

Anyway, Shenny reminded to herself. Never trust Death. It's not the reality they're seeing. It's an illusion, it's fake. It's not even future, it might or might not be one of the possible futures, but reason to assume this is likely to happen. No reason... yet.

Shenny's thoughts finally started to form into a clear conclusion. She needed just one last more question:

"When did it start?.. All of it? The horsemen invading the human world?"

May be she was too persistent, or the moment of sanity didn't last long, but the prisoner stared at her wide-eyed and repeated his speech about "Jacking Apocalypse". Shenny stood up leaving the poor creature lying on the floor.

It was her very nature to be doubtful, especially when everything was so plain and straight. And, well, never trust the Death. Shenny was curious: okay, it wasn't hard to imagine that four clans united could defeat the humans, and invade their realm (though, according to the scene from the first door this too didn't seem like an easy walk). But well, let's pretend they succeeded. They combined their power, they unleashed the insane amount of fear (Shenny shivered recalling her feelings in the hidden lair of Famine), but it will take all they have to win. She could even imagine denizens of Halloween sitting on their asses doing nothing: after all, halloweeners mostly weren't the creatures to be interested in what's going on outside if the city. But what bothered her from the answers she were given, how could horsemen so easily defeat Halloweeners and hunt for them in just bloody several years?

The ghoul realized she hadn't seen the true power of the clans. Let's imagine: they are very, very powerful. But defeating two quite strong opponents in a row?.. Shenny had no idea about humans, aside from the scenes they've seen, but at least some of them didn't look like an easy prey. But Halloween has enough power itself: there're some very powerful creatures there, and very ancient fear in the every brick of the city. Is it even possible?..

Never trust Death, she reminded herself. Perhaps, she was wrong. From the first two doors, she made a conclusion Medea was forcing them to hate humans and preparing them to be thrown into a real battle with them. But it appeared she misinterpreted priestess' intentions. In that last scene, in the third door, there was no Death horseman. They were War clansmen, and War herself. Finally, every piece of a puzzle took its place in Shenny's head: Death is trying to solve its own problems. They are forcing them to hate other clans. If there's a fight ahead, they are being prepared to fight with other clans on the side of Death. It's simple. Medea was a good director: for those soft-hearted they were presented the images of unreasonable violence and suffering. For those reasonable, they were provided with an image of fearless future and the fall of Halloween. That's what she wants from them. Now to understand what to next... It would really help, if she knew any of the students better. Perhaps, she needs to talk with somebody.

The sorceress shook her head. Shenny really, really didn't like to be manipulated.

((WILL FILL AT WORK))

1-20: Where are we?
- The prisoner gives you a strange look. "Aren't you a rebel, like one of us? Pro-Human World, saving what remains of Halloween against the Four Clans and all that. I recommend you keep your voice down though, there's no use attracting unneccessary attention."

A shudder wracked her body, almost sending her to a knee. LW was disoriented and confused. But the sight of her...Medea, eased some of that confusion. Not by much though. And before she really had the chance to gain control of her emotions and find some anchor to solidify her will power there was the acrid scent of something burning. Of a battle. LW felt the hair at the back of her neck stand on end and if she'd been in wolf form, her hackles would have been raised. This was not the tunnel anymore. It was worse.

What...where...?

A shout had her tensing and turning to see two Four Clans members coming their way. Her tail curled about her legs, eyes watching them with a blank look while her insides felt cold. Hollow again. Where were they? What the Jack was going on?! A battle had clearly taken place. But the scents...they were just wrong! The whole scenery was lacking vital things. Like life.

If she'd been stronger, or had more courage about her, LW might have voiced an objection to just 'following' the two Clans members. But not knowing what was going on and having a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, all she was able to do was follow the others as they trundled after the warriors. Though the she-wolf began to regret that choice as they entered a crevice in the ground. Gooseflesh raised along her arms and that sinking feeling grew into one of fear. Her hands were curled tightly into fists, nails digging into her palms. What's going on?! She could feel the beginnings of panic setting in. Not good. She needed to stay calm. Calm. Stay calm-

LW jumped, a small squeak escaping as her mind rapidly tried to understand what just happened. The words the one student - that was a student, right?! - didn't make sense. Didn't register in her mind. She refused to believe them. But it all made an odd sort of sense considering the landscape outside.

And then the female killed him. The one who must have been the leader here.

Killed. They are gone? All the humans? A-And those of Halloween...?

It was too much to take in. Her arms wrapped around her and she just stared at her feet. Thank Jack they were led away from that ghoul. The alpha female. Not that where they were taken was any better. Just...it didn't have her there. Which meant they were at least not going to die just yet.

Another shudder overcame her, violet eyes taking in the others around them. Her mind was in chaos, body shivering. "P-Please...can you tell me...what is the current time?" LW whispered out to the closest individual before she really knew what she was asking.

The other prisoner gave her one of those looks. "The time now? She snorted and rolled her eyes. "Does it really Jacking matter? How about several hours before they feed us to their little Fear-eating contraptions? Or how about several years too late from stopping their Jacking Apocalypse?!"

The she-wolf stared, stepping away from the ghoul. "W-Wha...." She couldn't even form a sentence. Apocalypse? Fear-eating contraptions?! That sounded like Hunters. Not Four Clans members! Are...we going to die then...? Her mind faintly whispered.

Okay she was panicking a little bit now. Or maybe more than just a little bit. The she-wolf stepped around people, looking for anyone that could answer what was going on. But everyone looked just as confused as she was. Or at least the other students she bumped into. Panic threatening to suffocate her, LW stumbled into someone she didn't know.

"Where are we?!" She almost sobbed out, the desperate tone making the stranger give her a strange look.

He rubbed at the back of his neck, almost awkwardly. "Aren't you a rebel, like one of us?" He asked. LW just blinked, shaking her head.

"R-Rebels...?"

"Pro-Human World, saving what remains of Halloween against the Four Clans and all that." He gave her another strange look and sighed. "I recommend you keep your voice down though. There's no use attracting unnecessary attention."

LW could only nod, looking crestfallen. Backing away, she bumped into another individual. She turned to apologize and felt the words catch in her throat. Silently, she reached out and curled her fingers in the jacket the black dog was wearing. Words just failed her, but LW felt a small - very small - bit of hope. Tybalt was here, her best friend. Someone that could give her strength.

I don't...believe any of this. I can't. I want to go home.


((Permission given by Onnie to cling to Tybalt <33 ))

Whisper paced back and forth trying to make sense of it all. There really wasn't much that could be done in a cage, other then gather information. But did the the other occupants have any? The only way to find out would be to ask. She figured she would ask something simple. Something fairly easy to track. "Hey, does anyone know what time it is?"

"The time now?" The prisoner rolls their eyes. "Does it really Jacking matter? How about several hours before they feed us to their little Fear-eating contraptions? How about several years too late from stopping their Jacking Apocalypse?"

"Thanks...I guess?" Apocalypse? Had the horsemen lead them down a path of complete annihilation? From the looks of it outside that would be a pretty accurate theory. But had everyone really given up? Had no one fought at all to stop this madness? Everyone in Halloween knew they needed Fear to live...so why would they eliminate their source of life? It made no sense what so ever to the hell hound.