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]

Blood Soul, Bone Soul, Breath Soul. Well, different cultures call them by different names, but that's the shape of it, as far as we know.

[bad_crowmance]

The entire concept sounds completely unfamiliar to me.

[nihilmancy]

Somehow the idea of basic metaphysical concepts only being a local point of view has ceased to be surprising to me.

[bad_crowmance]

It's interesting, though, how many different ways there are to think about things.

[nihilmancy]

The souls are real. I feel them whenever I use magic. But maybe they're only real for me.

[Floating into the air again.]

We'll race to the tree line.

[bad_crowmance]

I can't feel my soul at all, I just assume it's there. On the count of three?

[nihilmancy]

The question of whence consciousness and perception arises is a fascin-

ah, yes, the race! On the count of three.

[bad_crowmance]

[ He casually slides himself into position. ]

One!

[nihilmancy]

[Smooths her unnecessarily ruffled skirts.]

Two.

[bad_crowmance]

Three!

[ He takes off with ease, completely comfortable with himself. His legs are long and he's athletic, so he's a pretty decent runner-- but he's got human limitations, naturally. Still, he's a competitive asshole and he's putting forth a good deal of effort into surging forward. ]

[nihilmancy]

[Hlasoh flies at her normal running speed- which is to say, quite a bit slower than Crow's. But she also lacks any sort of impediments on the ground- she has no need to pay attention to her footwork, and she isn't tiring. Not any time soon, anyway.]

[bad_crowmance]

[ Crow's endurance is pretty solid, good enough to last at least for the length of this race. There are things on the ground to avoid though, and he makes minor course corrections in advance enough that they don't cause too much difficulty-- but it does slow him down slightly in the process.

He's not taking a win for granted just because she's slower than him-- he knows the old adage that "slow but steady wins the race." But he's still determined to try. ]

[nihilmancy]

[Ultimately, he will win, in fact, like she predicted- but she does exert herself as well- magical flight requires as much, and she looks rather winded by the end when she floats down.]

Ah, it seems like you were able to prevail.

[bad_crowmance]

Yeah, but you gave a good race.

[ He reaches his hand out to shake. ]

[nihilmancy]

[shakes.]

Er, likewise. Ah, I really do need to work on my physical fitness a bit more.

[bad_crowmance]

It's not a bad idea. It's important to keep in shape.

[nihilmancy]

I try to do regular calisthenics and jogs when I can, but that was in my own world. These clothes are not suited to the task- I should acquire some that are.

[bad_crowmance]

Yeah, honestly the uniforms they gave us are really impractical for... basically anything at all.

[ Which is one reason why he bought an outfit of his own choosing. ]

[nihilmancy]

They're stylish, if nothing else.

[bad_crowmance]

Maybe, but they don't offer pants.

[ That's inexcusable! ]

[nihilmancy]

It bothered you that much? Sorry if our frilly dresses bother you.

[bad_crowmance]

I don't mind the dress, I wouldn't even mind the other outfit-- if it came with pants. Just because I have great legs doesn't mean I want to show them off.

[nihilmancy]

After my glasses, my tattoos are my most charming feature, so I do like showing my legs sometimes.

[bad_crowmance]

They're nice legs, can't say I blame you for that. For me though? I like pants.

[nihilmancy]

[STOP FLIRTING IF YOU WON'T DELIVER THE GOODS this is really inconsiderate.]

Form fitting trousers are rare in most of the places I've lived. But I come from an arid land.