Keine Quest (Part 6): Broken History (Complete)

[Hello Purvis]

>"It's what I'm trying to do, though finding anyone, even other aspects of Gengetsu would would welcome."

[DracoOmega]

>"It's what I'm trying to do, though finding anyone, even other aspects of Gengetsu would would welcome."

>"Let's see..." Maribel frowns and looks at the shadow. "I wonder if I could use the fragments of consciousness I shared with that to search for other aspects?"
>She closes her eyes, concentrates, and opens the door in front of her again. This time the lakeshore lies behind it.
>"No, that's just where we first met," she says, opening her eyes again. She closes the door, frowns, then opens it again. This time there is a grassy and apparently empty field.
>"I don't think there's anything here, either," she says. "I... don't really understand how this works. I can get us somewhere. I'm just not sure what somewheres are out there. And if I'm just creating this as I go, wouldn't there be an infinite number of possible somewheres?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Likely. Especially if unused portions just fall away. ...But I might be able to give you a clearer idea. You saw some of our shadowy friend's thoughts when you touched it, yes? Perhaps if I touched it, with the images of those we need to find in mind, and you did afterward, you might see them? ...Regardless, perhaps I should show them to Gengetsu, in any event."
>Presuming she does not object, kneel down and pat the shadow whilst thinking of Mugetsu and Marisa. As well, try to add an imperative to share this with Maribel.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Likely. Especially if unused portions just fall away. ...But I might be able to give you a clearer idea. You saw some of our shadowy friend's thoughts when you touched it, yes? Perhaps if I touched it, with the images of those we need to find in mind, and you did afterward, you might see them? ...Regardless, perhaps I should show them to Gengetsu, in any event."
>Presuming she does not object, kneel down and pat the shadow whilst thinking of Mugetsu and Marisa. As well, try to add an imperative to share this with Maribel.

>"I'm willing to try it," Maribel says. "I'm not certain that knowing what I'm looking for will help me know how to look for it, but I'll do my best."
>You kneel down, focusing on thoughts of Mugetsu and Marisa and trying to keep them foremost in your mind. You reach out and touch the shadow for a third time. In a strange sense, you think you may be almost getting used to this. Each contact feels less alien, less overwhelming. You feel the the shadow touch the image of Mugetsu and Marisa, then reach out into more memories you hold of these beings. It doesn't understand why they're important, but it understands that they are. The other being can change things. Maybe she can change things so that you can find them?
>You withdraw your hand, feeling hazy and disoriented, though somewhat less than before. You dimly notice Maribel put her hand in as well, eyes focusing on something distant which only she can see. She reaches out towards the door unsteadily with her other hand, then turns the handle and pushes it open. You see only blackness beyond it.

[Hello Purvis]

>Look into the blackness.
>"Hello?"

[DracoOmega]

>Look into the blackness.
>"Hello?"

>You look into the blackness. It seems formless and total, reminding you a great deal of when you were fighting the first nightmare, before it pulled you into the lake.
>After a moment, you hear a distant reply: "H- hello?"

[Hello Purvis]

>Who does it sound like?
>Presuming it's not Violent Gengetsu, say, "Follow my voice. We've opened a door. What's it like in there, I can't see a thing!"

[DracoOmega]

>Who does it sound like?
>Presuming it's not Violent Gengetsu, say, "Follow my voice. We've opened a door. What's it like in there, I can't see a thing!"

>You... think it may sound like Gengetsu. It's very faint, however. It sounds more tentative than angry.
>"I- I can't," the voice replies. "But you can hear me? Who are you?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"I'm Keine. And, why can you not?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I'm Keine. And, why can you not?"

>"I can't move," the voice says. "I can't see. I can't even be sure where your voice is coming from, or that I'm not imagining it."
>You see Maribel pull her hand out of the shadow, clearly disoriented. The shadow itself is confused by the space in front of it, though it thinks it feels something familiar within.

[Hello Purvis]

>Look to Maribel.
>"Can you lighten things up in there, just a little bit?"

[DracoOmega]

>Look to Maribel.
>"Can you lighten things up in there, just a little bit?"

>You look towards Maribel, who seems to still be trying to clear her head.
>"Wha..." she says weakly, trying to focus her eyes on you. "Oh, in there?" She squints. "I- I'm not sure. Doesn't feel like there's anything in there to change. Just... lots of nothing."
>"Is there someone else out there?" the voice calls.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Yes, a friend of mine."
>Test the darkness with a foot. Hold into the door frame for balance.

[DracoOmega]

>"Yes, a friend of mine."
>Test the darkness with a foot. Hold into the door frame for balance.

>"I thought there was nothing here but me," the voice says. "Are you lost, too?"
>You hold onto the doorframe, and test the darkness with your foot. It passes through it like open air.

[Hello Purvis]

>Call inside: "Can you see the light from the open door at all?"
>To Maribel: "Do you think you could make a bridge into there?"

[DracoOmega]

>Call inside: "Can you see the light from the open door at all?"
>To Maribel: "Do you think you could make a bridge into there?"

>"I can't see anything," the voice replies.
>Maribel stares into the darkness, then frowns. "I haven't really tried to make anything. Just tweak things that were already there. I could try..."
>She furrows her brow and focuses her stare on what would be the 'ground', were there any spatial markers to see. You don't see anything change.
>"I thought I felt something happen," Maribel says. "I'm not sure..."

[Hello Purvis]

>Test the darkness again.
>"Who are you? How did you end up in there?"

[DracoOmega]

>Test the darkness again.
>"Who are you? How did you end up in there?"

>You test the darkness with your foot. It feels fairly solid now, although you can't see what your foot it hitting.
>"I... don't know," the voice responds. "To either question."

[Hello Purvis]

>Smile to maribel. "You did something. Could you make a coil of rope next?"
>To the voice. "That's alright, this is kind of a strange situation. Do you have any idea how long you've been there?"

[DracoOmega]

>Smile to maribel. "You did something. Could you make a coil of rope next?"
>To the voice. "That's alright, this is kind of a strange situation. Do you have any idea how long you've been there?"

>Maribel smiles back. "Well," she says, a hint of a lilt in her voice, "I'm sure a mansion this size must have a supply closet, mustn't it?"
>She walks to a nearby door, opens it and steps inside. She returns a moment later with a coil of heavy rope. "And what do you know? It was right next to us all along."
>"I'm... not sure," the voice says. "It feels like a very long time. I didn't expect to ever see anyone else again."

[E-Nazrin]

>"I don't suppose you could get a lantern, as well? This feels like a darkness puzzle."

[Hello Purvis]

>Tie one end of the rope to the doorknob. Take the other in hand. Wind it around out arm once.
>"Alright, I'm going to come in after you, okay?"
>Look to Maribel: "Don't get too distracted. And let me know what you see."
>To the voice. "I want you to keep talking to me. I'll have to find your by sound."
>Enter. Be ready to fly if the ground seems to stop being solid. Follow the voice.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Tie one end of the rope to the doorknob. Take the other in hand. Wind it around out arm once.
>"Alright, I'm going to come in after you, okay?"
>Look to Maribel: "Don't get too distracted. And let me know what you see."
>To the voice. "I want you to keep talking to me. I'll have to find your by sound."
>Enter. Be ready to fly if the ground seems to stop being solid. Follow the voice.

>You tie one end of the rope to the doorknob and fasten it with the best knot you can muster. You give it a few experimental tugs; it seems secure. You take the other end in hand, and wind it around your arm.
>"Ok," the voice says. "Please be careful. And... thank you."
>Maribel nods, a focused expression on her face. "I will."
>"O- ok," the voice says. "...I don't know what to say."
>You take a few steps into the darkness. It still feels like ground beneath your feet, although it's a bit disconcerting walking on ground you cannot see. The air around you feels fairly normal, and you can still see yourself, in any event.
>"Uh... do you know how long I've been here?" the voice asks. "Or why I can't remember?"

>"I don't suppose you could get a lantern, as well? This feels like a darkness puzzle."

>It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a Rumia.

[E-Nazrin]

>"How long you've been here is a difficult question. I'm inclined to say two or three days, but I wouldn't be surprised if it felt much longer to you."
>"As for why you can't remember, I have a guess or two. Why don't you tell me what you can remember, so I know where to start?"
>Press on, carefully.

[DracoOmega]

>"How long you've been here is a difficult question. I'm inclined to say two or three days, but I wouldn't be surprised if it felt much longer to you."
>"As for why you can't remember, I have a guess or two. Why don't you tell me what you can remember, so I know where to start?"
>Press on, carefully.

>"Two or three days?" There is disbelief in the voice. "That's... It's felt like a lifetime. Maybe... maybe she's still okay."
>"I... remember my sister," she says. "I am terribly, terribly ashamed that I cannot remember her name. All this time, she's been the one thing clearest in my mind. How I've failed her. How I've left her to suffer without me. How I... miss her. My existence has been nothing but this."
>You continue forward, trying to follow the voice. It's more difficult than you'd expected. Sound seems simultaneously muffled and echoey in this space, so that it's not always clear exactly which direction she's in, or how far away. Still, she does seem to grow generally louder as you proceed. You suspect this may grow more difficult as you get closer.
>"I can't see you anymore!" Maribel calls out. It is even harder to tell where her voice is coming from than the fragment of Gengetsu. She sounds much further away than the distance you've traversed.

[Hello Purvis]

>Check the rope.
>"I'm still here!"
>Look toward where the voice is. Can we see anything?
>"Can you see me?"
>Failing that...can we sense its history?

[DracoOmega]

>Check the rope.
>"I'm still here!"
>Look toward where the voice is. Can we see anything?
>"Can you see me?"
>Failing that...can we sense its history?

>You check the rope and give it a tug. It's still quite visible, and responds like you'd expect, although staring off at where it lies along the 'ground', it appears to fade out of view far sooner than it normally should.
>"Yes, I can still hear you," Maribel calls out. "But you said to let me know if I saw anything."
>You still see nothing but blackness around you in all directions, with the exception of a short length of that rope.
>"I see nothing," the voice says. "I remember only vaguely ever seeing anything at all."
>You attempt to sense its history, but the entire environment feels alien to this sense and hard for you to understand; things here don't seem to have history in the conventional sense.
You aren't sure how to interpret the impressions you detect.

[Kasu]

> "I can assure you that your sister is okay, although we seem to have lost each other recently."

[Hello Purvis]

>Keep following the voice.
>"Do you feel anything, physically speaking? What are you touching at the moment? Can you feel the air?"

[DracoOmega]

> "I can assure you that your sister is okay, although we seem to have lost each other recently."

>"She- she is?" the voice cries. "She was with you? ...it's almost too much to hope."

>Keep following the voice.
>"Do you feel anything, physically speaking? What are you touching at the moment? Can you feel the air?"

>You keep following the voice. You're definitely getting much closer now, but at the same time, the voice is beginning to sound like it's coming from all around you. You're not longer quite certain what direction she's in.
>"I can barely sense anything," she says. "Aside from your voice, I've been held with nothing but my memories for company. And even those are mostly missing. I remember enough to know I have lost something, but not enough to know what it is. But I don't matter, as long as she's safe."