who stole your heart and the key?

[steelmyself]

In the dark, you taste something sweet and tart on your tongue, almost like apple but not quite: pomegranate juice, out of nowhere. A hint of something metallic accompanies it.

You fall down.

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Comments

THE CHASM

[steelmyself]

You really are approaching Hell now.

In front of you, a deep, jagged chasm yawns open, with a dull, flickering red light dancing far away within it. There appears to be no way across it save for one.

It isn't even a bridge: merely six swords laid end to end, somehow suspended across the gap in the stony earth.

Re: THE CHASM

[unaffective]

[Uh.

Well, nowhere to go but over. She approaches it slowly so she doesn't slip.]

Re: THE CHASM

[steelmyself]

It bears your weight just fine.

The moment you step out onto the tenuous bridge, though, a cacophony of wails of despair and rage erupt around you, coming from below. With them comes the powerful desire to fling yourself into the abyss.

Re: THE CHASM

[unaffective]

[She bites down on her lip hard enough to draw blood, to distract herself with the pain. Why should she care about other people's screaming? Who helped her?

When she gets out of here she's going to stab Haku for making her feel things.

She can't put a name to that idea, or to whatever made her ask that question, but she knows what she felt to cause both - it's not hers so she can identify it.]

Re: THE CHASM

[steelmyself]

Despite the wailing and screaming, and worse, the urge to join those who suffer below, the bridge of swords remains steady beneath your feet. Do you continue?

Re: THE CHASM

[unaffective]

[It's not her urge. It's someone else's. She doesn't want it.

> Continue.]

Re: THE CHASM

[steelmyself]

Eventually, you make it across.

The ground grows warm beneath your feet as it slopes down, and the air smells of fire as you continue onwards.

Re: THE CHASM

[lonelydemon]

...Welcome to Hell, I guess...

[starts... to cross...]

Re: THE CHASM

[steelmyself]

It bears your weight just fine.

The moment you step out onto the tenuous bridge, though, a cacophony of wails of despair and rage erupt around you, coming from below. With them comes the powerful desire to fling yourself into the abyss.

Re: THE CHASM

[lonelydemon]

[stops dead. don't do it don't do it don't do it don't do it don't do it--

shaking with the effort it takes to fight that urge.]

Re: THE CHASM

[steelmyself]

The swords stay stable beneath you. No force keeps you from crossing the chasm save that permeating urge.

Re: THE CHASM

[lonelydemon]

[...he takes a few minutes to assure himself that he's going to move forward and not sideways, before he keeps edging forward]

Re: THE CHASM

[steelmyself]

Eventually, you make it to the other side, and the urge subsides, just like that.

Ahead of you, it looks like the ground slopes down, and the scent of flame drifts back here.

Re: THE CHASM

[lonelydemon]

[sits down hard on the other side.

b. breathes. it's okay to live. really, it's okay for someone like him to live. ferris said so.

picks himself up and starts down the slope.]

Re: THE CHASM

[steelmyself]

The ground grows warm beneath your feet as it slopes down, and the air smells of fire as you continue onwards.