[text] ; a few days after the breach is sealed

[shroudedsecrets]

Greetings.

The conditions outside of the barrier are extremely poor, confirming what had been indicated to us previously. The atmosphere is heavy, and full of toxins, and currently uninhabitable.

I have attached some images for those who may be curious.

Be aware, however, that for those of you who might have the ability to withstand such conditions in your previous universes, it will still pose a danger to you here.


... That is all.


[And as the text indicates, attached to this fairly open message are quite a few snapshotted images, and even a brief shaky video or two taken of the outside just beyond the breach, indicating the state of the wall from the outside just before the repairs were completed.

A few shots focus on the conditions of the broken and corroded buildings, ones that indicated that the city had once been larger. One of these shots even captures an odd looking small lizard, hiding among the rubble.

There's a few wider shots of the area, revealing some bleached bones of a large, unidentifiable creature among empty expanses of dry, cracked wasteland, a little further off.

Lastly there seem to be slightly blurred images of some of the monster activity, from further away.]

Comments

[heron]

Was it Lup? Who also got infected?

[shroudedsecrets]

[oh.]

we were together.

[heron]

Yes. Obviously.

[shroudedsecrets]

if it was obvious.
then why did you ask?

[heron]

I wanted it confirmed.

[ though he gets the feeling explaining more would go over her head. ]

[shroudedsecrets]

[He's probably not wrong about that. It does take her a little time to respond again. There are distractions, delays that come from fielding multiple conversations and being too drained to remember to follow up again.]

you have spoken to Lup, then?

[So there was some reason why he had wanted that clarified, wasn't there? it seemed odd, to have left it at that.]

[heron]

I used my magic to drain some of the negative energies away.

[shroudedsecrets]

then you have my gratitude. for being able to aid her.

[heron]

It is unnecessary. I would have done so for anyone.

[shroudedsecrets]

that much is plain.

but that does not make it. unnecessary.

[heron]

No. If something is within my power, I would give it to anyone.

[shroudedsecrets]

because you see it as your responsibility to do so?

[heron]

No.

It is what people with power to act should do.

[shroudedsecrets]

not a personal responsibility, but one... nonetheless.

[Perhaps she needs to speak to Lup.]

[heron]

Perhaps.

And since I know there are people who care about my well-being, I do my best to inform all when a risk is undertaken.

[shroudedsecrets]

[...]

your counsel has been noted.

[heron]

I should hope so.

[ but he doubts it. ]

[shroudedsecrets]

[ it helps, in part, that he's not the only person she's hearing this from.

though it wasn't as if she hadn't contacted anyone at all, either; nor had she been dissuaded from taking action, even if she had already taken it. they were both capable and had kept an eye on one another. that should have been enough.

or were the reactions only so strong because they had suffered adverse effects? ]