teleology of death.
fhirdiad is in ruins. the capitol is much different than linhardt remembers it to be as he’s rounded up by beruka and sharena: hadn’t it originally been desolate? the city bleeds scarlet now, a land of rubble and ash as pillars of smoke pollute the skies. every so often there’s a tremor, a monstrous cry, or the distant plea for help. miasma has thickly spread in the castle, saturated its interior to the point of bursting as murk oozes from the castle’s wall. inside, half their original team remains. linhardt can only hope they make it out alive. in the meanwhile, he and his companions have a different task now to undertake.
his boots scuff the cobblestone path of the district, linhardt stifles a yawn as they creep about. ever since the crest stone had been implanted in his chest, the heir has realized: there is a plethora of knowledge waiting at their fingertips. the appeal of crests outweigh the harrowing experience of what he had become an hour or so ago; linhardt finds that he has to advance. the aspect of scoping the district comes in shockingly easy agreement from the adrestian noble, he claims it to be beneficial to his research. (though, reality is, perhaps he’s running. if he takes that moment’s worth of reprise, he fears of what will devour him. guilt? trauma? the heinous sensation that had penetrated his consciousness when he had been alone at the tunnels?)
apparently, he’s not the one one who has been affixed with a crest stone. members of the imperial army trudge towards the castle with hollowed faces and soulless eyes, cerise shards the only splash of vibrance seen upon them. they are almost marionette-like, shallow dolls that twist under the manipulation of a puppeteer; it almost drives a shiver down his spine. this is what was to behold within the power of crest stones? no, there has to be more.
as a soldier nears by, the three of them take cover behind the remains of what seems to be a bakery. the ground rumbles once more, before a deafening shriek echoes in the sky. linhardt winces, his hands coming to cover his ears before he peeps from the corner. there, a beast surges from rubble. it howls, shaking off debris from his back, then lunges back into rampage.
“seems like we’ve found the beast,” linhardt comments shrewdly as he dips back behind the wall. he gives beruka and sharena a once-over, “seeing how you two masterfully executed your encounter with my monstrous state… surely, this will be a piece of cake, no?” behind them, the fiend shrieks again. “while the two of you do that, i’ll just… stay over here.” where it’s safe and where he’ll certainly be away from the carnage. “my spells can reach.” @fenrena @xkanjou
