hugtopia | Video - End of Lasohm/start of Malom, about a day after the breach is resealed

[The city is still in a state of disarray, though the fighting is over. Everyone will surely need to pitch in for some extensive repair work to make Havenwell what it once was. Will is sitting on a somewhat mangled chair on a cafe's patio, disheveled and powdered with stone dust, looking more exhausted and discouraged than most people here have ever seen him--unless, of course, they happened to help him endure the agony of the battle's psychic backlash.

He's doing his best to smile regardless, and holds up a slightly rumpled piece of paper to show the camera; on it are some surprisingly good line art head shots of Akira, Akechi, and Kei done in pen. They may not be exactly artistic, but they're at least faithful to their subject matter; he's even helpfully tagged each with hair and eye colors, since he could only work in monochrome.]

Has anyone seen these three recently? My roommates all vanished during the fighting. I figured they must have had their hands full, and maybe they got hurt and needed to stay with someone, but.....

They aren't answering their tablets, and they're not at any of the temples. I've been searching around town, but I haven't found them yet, and Arche can't pick up any scent trails, either. I'm starting to think maybe they got sick, and..... got worse.

[Anyone who's seen or experienced the strange illness that can grip the newcomers may understand what he's talking about, and why he's so worried--people fading out of existence entirely is a frightening prospect. His voice is quieter now, as he reaches out to end the recording and submit it to the network.]

.....I'm not sure I want to stay in my house anymore.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It's just an educated guess right now, but that's how it feels. Hey, just a pro tip for you? When the bots around town say it's bad outside the walls, they're not kidding.

[Oooh yes fluffy girl gets pets. She gets so many pets. Lup's pretty decent with animals but she's used to the cats she knows- much more reserved and subtle in their affection. It's a bit more rare to get eager, in-your-face affection. Hey, she'll take it.]

So there was some kind of poisonous wildlife, or poison gas, or something..... No wonder they're keeping everyone inside. What was it like out there?

[Yes good, all the pets for her~ ♥ Lup can even have an exceptional rarity, a fluffy belly that isn't actually a trap. Unthinkable!]

Short version? Miserable. Think it was poison air for the most part, but seems like it's had an effect even without breathing it in, so who knows how it really works.

[She's been around cats enough to recognize the potential trap, so sorry puffball, she's not taking that risk today. Not when she's sick and needs working fingers for spellcasting soon. She will scratch under her chin and behind her ears, though.]

How awful..... It could be potent enough to be absorbed through your skin, maybe?

[Ear and chin scratching is an acceptable alternative! Your source of spell components both wags her tail like a dog and purrs like a cat, Lup. And she's currently attempting to invade your lap, so hopefully you weren't planning on standing up soon.]

Not too sure how it works, exactly. Far as I can tell it can affect someone even without skin. Which could explain why even the robots find it bad outside the walls, monsters aside.

[....O...kay, this is her life now, it seems. Crouching like this isn't very comfortable, so she just goes ahead and sits down with her legs crossed first.]

Magic poison, then? Is that even a thing?

[Lup is the expert on this sort of thing, right? Even if she's been cunningly trapped by a ferious, fearsome, and fluffy monster. This is her life now, and nobody can save her!]

Oh yeah, it's definitely a thing- there's at least a dozen spells for that kind of nasty effect. It's not my specialty, but it can fall under a similar umbrella as my school.

I guess you had to learn magic somewhere.....

[Honey, no. Wrong definition.]

[...Well. At least he makes her laugh.]

I meant school as in category, but I did learn most of the good stuff at the Institute, so you're not totally wrong!

Heh. That's fair, I guess. What's your specialty, then?

We call it evocation- mostly revolves around summoning and controlling the elements. I can work with any of them, but my best spells are fire-based.

You really must be a sight to see.....

[Every bit he hears about Lup just paints a more impressive picture. Hundreds of years old, facing down dozens of worlds on the brink of destruction, a master mage commanding the elements..... She's pretty incredible, huh?]

That's Arche's specialty, too--fire, I mean.

With a name like "Flareon" and looking like that? It's no wonder. But yeah, maybe one day I'll put on a good show for you. Fireworks have got nothing on me.

[She gives Arche another little scritch under the chin, and then a light nudge to try and urge her off.]

C'mon, furball, I can't just sit here all day. Missing people to find, right?

I bet they don't. Don't be stubborn, Arche, you'll make me look bad.

[Will snaps his fingers, holding his hand out; Arche whines in protest, but obediently hops out of Lup's lap, padding over to sit on his feet instead.]

No worries, Fluffernutter, I'm sure you'll get plenty of pets later. We'll do a trade-off with my familiar or something.

[She moves to stand up again, wobbles unsteadily for a moment... then reaches a hand out to him.]

Get a lady up, will you? I think she put my legs to sleep.

[That's totally the reason! Not the sickness! Haha.. ha... ha.]

Video - End of Lasohm/start of Malom, about a day after the breach is resealed

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