The Ninth Trial

[advisories]

Who: everyone
When: Day 18, starting just after dawn
Where: The Hermit's Tent, and all around

[This morning as the sun begins to pour through the train's windows, there's the tremor that signals a Trial.]

Come hither, Heroes. Prove thy worth. Or something like that!

[It's the same older man's voice from the sixth trial, and outside is the same fortune teller's stall. Today the front flap is lifted to show a normal interior -- there's a wooden table, carved with geometric patterns and painted in bright colours, lit by teal-coloured carved candles.

At the table sits a man of indeterminate age, somewhere between 30 and 60. He's wearing what appear to be monk's robes, teal with patterned trimming. In front of him is a crystal ball and a stack of bingo cards, along with a stand-up sign bearing the rules of this Trial.

Across the top in large font, it says:

Icebreaker Bingo

Good luck and have fun!]

Comments

[nihilmancy]

It's a good thing that I'm too jaded to feel real shame anymore, right?

[desirestruth]

I'm not so sure about either of those.

[You seem to feel an acute amount of shame all the time, Hlasoh?]

[nihilmancy]

[Different kind of shame.]

You want to do this or not?

[desirestruth]

Pick a square.

[nihilmancy]

...Share a meal?

Um, can I try- [She gestures towards the blood bag-]

There's something that I wish to confirm.

[desirestruth]

...[She really doesn't want to hand over her baggy, but she's unlikely to get that square otherwise, so.]

It's lukewarm, I should warn you.

[Handing it...over....]

[nihilmancy]

[She takes a sip. And then another. And another. She's really sorry Naeva.

Yeah. It tastes good. It fills her with life and energy, just like she thought. It's like a wonderful rush to her senses, even lukewarm. She loses herself for a moment, draining like half the bag, before, handing it back.]

Hahaha, just like I suspected. I really am a monster.

...Um, not that I'm saying you are.

[desirestruth]

...I am a monster, Hlasoh.

[She takes her bag back with a kind of flat look. Why did you do this to her.]

I cannot continue to exist without the life force, the lifeblood of others. If I am careful in sating it regularly, I need never kill them, nor take it by force. Which is why I had it in a baggy.

[nihilmancy]

S-Sorry, um. I spaced out for a moment. This was my first time drinking blood.

[desirestruth]

Congratulations.

[What is she even going to do with you.]

[nihilmancy]

I'll buy you some more later, how's that?

[desirestruth]

That would be the reasonable answer.

[:T]

[nihilmancy]

We could even make a pinky promise on that. But you might have to promise something too.

[desirestruth]

I promise not to tell your teammates you drank half my lunch.

[JUST SAYIN'.]

[nihilmancy]

...I said I'd recompense you. I am sorry, for what it's worth. I can just get, um, caught up in things. Physically, mentally, emotionally, etc.

[desirestruth]

You wanted a promise. And be that as it may, I am hungry.

[LIKE. THERE'S STILL THAT, HLASOH.]

[nihilmancy]

Okay, okay.

[Sticks out her pinky.]

[desirestruth]

[She'll hook her pinky around Hlasoh's--carefully, because she's wearing crow's gloves and she doesn't want to pull them right off--and does the little loop with them.]

There we go.

[nihilmancy]

[Buys two blood bags on her phone.]

There we go. One is for me.

Are his gloves a gift exchange thing?

[desirestruth]

Yes. [She'll take the bag with a nod of gratitude.]

It's a little silly, but for something like this, I can't really complain.

[nihilmancy]

Quite. But hmm. I think... I'd rather get some of the difficult ones out of the way first. Um... it's only been a few days, but I feel like I can talk to you better now. Don't read too much into that, though.

[desirestruth]

Well, it's up to you what squares you'd like to clear, then.

[She's not going to comment on the other part. There's no need to. Friendship is happening.]

[nihilmancy]

I probably don't need to work too hard, since Crow seems to be quite busy. But I'd like to do my part. And I... well, I don't know.

[She wants to unburden herself.]

Ask me something, and I'll try to answer it.

[desirestruth]

...For your secrets, or your fears?

[She considers this.] Let's go with a secret, then.

[nihilmancy]

...I've tortured people to death. And enjoyed it. And I still don't regret it, because they deserved to die. The main reason I'm still alive is to pursue revenge.

[Well, that was heavy.]