@halowe inquired quietly
voice no more than whisper * a trick of hallows eve . the candle's flicker . focus on decoding ! what triviality . with three machines remaining, they'd require one with kiting potential and environmental advantages ( the mercenary's returned home, the "prisoner" bled out in a corner ... what hope does a merchant have in open terrain ? what probability exists in a painter ? ) . screech of cat / a cant of head / eyes honing in on the son of valden as he approaches . pointless . within these games, there has never been a stroke of mercy . but he cannot deny curiosity in the brazenness of this display . " painter, " he greets . " this fails to comply with your rescuer's instruction. why have you come? " // in the manor, perhaps edgar's first reunion with alva in a game?
Perhaps if the team were different, they'd keep fighting this uphill battle.
You see no point. It is pointless pain to experience.
You take a deep breath as you find your way to the hunter. There was a ... strange feeling in you. Somehow you knew that this was not only meant to happen, but it needed to happen now. Your blue eyes, almost feeling as if the world is still spinning, staring at him. A familiar face, yet so very different from the last you recalled of the mentor that was supposedly killed. You suppose the dead returning to life would not be impossible for whatever this "game" is.
A exhaustingly boring game at this point. You were foolish to think that you'd find something here. It's just another fool with power that is playing with them all as if they are rats.
" Alva. " Your words were sharp as you began to speak. He only calls you "painter". The title that was very easily given to you when you arrived here. Gardener, Doctor, Mercenary, Toy Merchent, "Prinsoner"... Titles. Is it to keep things less personal? To not form some sort of attachment among them all? Not that you had much interest in many of them. You paranoia makes it hard to trust any of them truly... if you aren't careful, any of them could quickly stab you in the back and leave you to leave to save their own skin. This is the sort of world you wanted to escape, yet you stepped into one worse then ever.
" Should I not have come? How would we win when this is already a losing game. Our resources are gone, our decoder unable to recover- It is I or her to confront you. " And even if you do not wish to get close to anyone- Even if you don't want anyone to be close to you... you are observant. Anne is already struggling enough. You know sending her to confront the hunter alone would only completely leave you all to be sitting ducks... and you can imagine the mental damage it would cause to be killed. Maybe you are thinking of her as if she is weak, but you had always wished someone would have taken your place when life repeatedly took everything from you and expected you to keep living as if your heart wasn't being ripped apart.
" Do you remember me? Even if you were to send me back to the manor now... I need to know. Do you remember me? "
You already feel like you are going crazy, So please remember.