{ battle against the story eater }

[dreamposts]

BATTLE AGAINST THE STORY EATER

The Story Eater has arrived.

More details on everything can be found here. We will request any thread submissions for certain prompts during AC and TDM threads will count. For more information, refer to the Game Notes.

Players who made boss submissions, if you are creating a prompt in your toplevel or wish to create a designated prompt for your boss, please comment here which will be used as a directory.

I. ON THE MOON

Those on the moon will at first feel overwhelmed, possibly even forced to the ground by the sheer enormous force of the nightmare energy that continues to pour out where the Story Eater had once stood. It feels as if they had extremely underestimated its power, and those of a weak mind will already feel the effects of the nightmare latching onto their worst fears. However, a cold air brushes over them and the ground beneath warms as it pulses white. In an instant, the oppressive feeling disappears, clarity returning to them.

It's too early to fall now, little dreamers, a sultry voice whispers in their ears with a laugh as another sighs, the softer voice like a melody. Quick, before the blessing loses its effect. The rest is up to you.

A. Tapir Calvary. The tapirs may have been hanging back for a while, but they will pop in, all eager to feast upon the nightmares that appear. Of course… Like anything, too much is dangerous for them as well. While they are able to withstand the seemingly endless amount of nightmare energy as if they are just swimming through flooded waters, after eating too much they start to wobble and complain of their stomachs hurting. This in turn makes them irritable, and instead of stopping to eat, they start eating more. Stop them before they eat themselves sick. Those that start to exude a dark mist and start turning black need to be quickly taken off the moon or sent into a dream. If they are not… They will disappear to somewhere unknown.

B. Slenderman and Cupid. There are two particularly strong foes that will be working with the Story Eater. "Slenderman" will be just like it was when it first appeared by the castle, feasting on nightmare energy and using shadows to its advantage. It will be a tough foe to kill, but explosive wisps and pure dreamotion light will be effective against it. Cupid will be insane and will try to inflict hatred upon any struck by his arrows. He is more unstable and will be more susceptible to those who try to purify it with love and kindness. (Cupid will most likely move to attack the town so he is available for On the Ground prompts.)

C. Wisped Away. With the amount of monsters and damage caused by the Story Eater directly and its creations, deaths are inevitable. Normally for those who have fully integrated into the world, like the fae and the dragons, this would have been permanent. However, perhaps due to the unusual nature of the Story Eater, they will be "graced" the same fate like the dreamers that inhabit Reverein. Their physical body may disappear, but their "soul" turns into condensed dreamotion energy and takes the form of a wisp. (Characters can and will be turned into wisps if they die so these can also apply to them.)

🛑 Because of the high likelihood of the original body suffering a traumatic event, the wisp will be extremely vulnerable and has a high risk of turning into a noctaere. They will flash red and black and the deeper the color, the closer they are to changing. Find and help purify them via dreamotion.
🚦 Escort vulnerable wisps to the portal so they can be taken to a safehouse and calm down.
💣 Some wisps will not feel negative emotions and instead will want to continue to fight. Although they are still vulnerable, because their dreamotion energy is so condensed they have the ability to explode without any harm to themselves to either inflict damage on the creatures OR to help purify those afflicted with pure dreamotion energy. These wisps will be gold in color.

II. ON THE GROUND

As soon as the Story Eater appeared, those of strong magical prowess had attempted to erect a barrier to protect the town and its surroundings from the brunt of the fallout, but it could not keep up forever, especially as those who try to keep it in place begin to quickly fall as their own nightmares take over. Thus while it's still safer than what's going on on the moon, the same afflictions can still be felt and experienced.

A. Support the Barriers. There are two different barriers currently protecting Reverein and the surrounding areas. Not only must they be defended from attacks, they also need help to stay up.

🧱 The sand walls erected earlier will stand tall and withstand most physical attacks, but eventually they will begin to crumble and create gaps. They must be quickly patched up and defended as the Story Eater's minions, creations, and those turned into noctaere start to push through.
🔮 The magic barrier is fueled with dreamotion and serves to help keep the effects of the nightmare energy lowered so that most of the people inside can withstand it. However, as those who are trying to keep it up fall, replacements are needed. To help, the moles from before bring up crystals that anyone can help channel and use to help as a power source to empower the barrier.

B. Aid Relief. Those who have been injured and brought back from the moon or from around town will be ushered into designated locations set up for healing. Be it physical or mental, they will be treated and protected by those who remain on defense. However, as the battle goes on and more people are afflicted, supplies and personnel will wear out, so additional aid will be needed. This may even require venturing out to get much needed herbs or supplies unless someone can dreamotion them up.

III. SPECIAL MONSTERS & BOSSES

The Story Eater is using its powers to take on the forms of an individual's worst nightmare or enemy. This could be anything. Below is the full list of special bosses and mob monsters that were submitted by players and can be encountered both on the moon and on the ground. Refer to the original links for more information. Players are still free to create and use anything that is not on the list, especially f their character's worst nightmare is something else. IMPORTANT! While any of these are capable of killing, those marked with the red flag (🚩) indicate that these are more likely to perform kills or destroy the individual to turn them into wisps.

A. Monster Mobs. Typical monster/mob creatures that while numerous are the weakest and easier to defeat. Physical attacks will be enough, but dreamotion or using Aspect abilities will inflict more damage.

🍆 Sinner Demons. They take on any form based on the type of sin they committed. Could take on the form based on the person they face.
😱 Devils. Takes on forms based on the fears of people.
🚨 Garlean K-9 Soldiers and hunting dogs. These soldiers aren't here to help and will be targeting anyone they come across.
👻 Cursed Spirits. Spiritual beings manifested from cursed energy as a result of the negative emotions that flow out of humans. They cause harm to humans and seek humans out to harm them.
💨 Redead. Emits a scream that immobilizes temporarily, moves towards target and jumps on back to deal damage.
🐍 Nagas. Breathe and spew toxic miasma and prolonged exposure to it can cause weaker beings to transform into nagas themselves. Archnaga's venom is corrosive in both liquid and gas forms. Can also swallow large objects. 🚩
🕶 Shadows. Shadow-like blobs and tables and headless dancers and things. Fairly weak.
💎 Zeugles. Aggressive genetically enhanced animals; must destroy the core inside to completely destroy them.
🤺 Sword Retrograde Army. Sword tsukumogami summoned for a cause to change history. Generally stronger than normal humans with some spiritual powers.
👹 Demons. Can hide their horns and wings to appear more human, otherwise their true form is more monstrous. They range from committing harmless silly pranks to more violent and murderous. 🚩
🎭 Four Masks. Drains one's sanity until they go berserk with potential to summon Atman (boss).
🔊 Noise. Affect people with weaker willpower and play on their negative emotions or nightmares.
📰 Xeroms. Monsters capable of attacking, infesting and draining emotions dry leaving the victim an empty husk.

B. Solo Bosses. Some nightmares manifest into one singular entity with greater powers and considered a higher leveled "boss." They do not appear as often or in number as the monster mobs and some may be controlled by players.

🍬 Gumball Waterson. Cartoon character turned creepy due to nightmare energy, but still on the sillier side. Body parts morphing or separating from him, getting into weird places, driving invisible cars, surviving crazy falls; basically whatever might be funny at that moment.
👂 Parrah & Nayo. Twin puppets that are not physically strong, but they're very annoying and are the "like to break people by talking" type of antagonist.
🙍‍♂️ Takaya Sakaki. Charismatic but otherwise a weaker enemy capable of standard Persona based magical and physical attacks and capable of summoning nightmare based Personas.
🐀 Rasputin. Can summon minions, destroy things, conceal nightmares within illusions.
🔥 Firelord Ozai. Can bend/generate fire and lightning, strong physical abilities.
🦋 Valentino. A charismatic moth demon capable of controlling smoke and has pheromones that can attract those to him.
🧝‍♀️ Gaea. Goddess of the Earth. Stronger when tethered to Earth. Powers include geokinesis, chlorokinesis (control of plants), creation of sentient life forms, atmokinesis (weather), control of animals, transformation.
🌱 Omega Flowey. Can grow vines, venus flytraps, plant stems that shoot, lots of plant based attacks.
🍐 Sephiroth. Sword fighting proficiency, shapeshifting, ability to cause hallucinations, telekinesis of medium sized objects, minor manipulation abilities, materia magic. Potential lethal backstabs. (Prompts available within FFVII toplevels). 🚩
⚡ Raiden Shogun. Scary lady with lightning based attacks, illusions, large-range attacks.
🤖 Shouki no Kami. Divine Automaton that uses lightning based attacks.
💃 Stella. Vile woman who thrives off mentally and physically tormenting.
👑 Paimon . Stolas' father, a powerful demon capable of shapeshifting, teleportation, grimoire manipulation, projection.
🧣 Ardyn Izunia. Has thirteen weapons at his disposal; can cast powerful magic such as striking down lightning, summoning blizzards, fiery explosions; has the power to heal; and is resilient to physical pain.
⏳ Kronos. God-like strength, specializes in sword combat, tough to take down. Has several types of kinesis magic.
💀 Nyx. Only has one main ability: cast death. However it's a slow windup so can be beaten beforehand. 🚩
😾 Wakaba Isshiki. Large sphynx with a woman's head. Heavy wind, almighty, and physical attacks. There can be riddles that are pertinent to those who engage it.
👮‍♀️ Makima. A woman who looks normal but is actually a Devil of immense strength, enhanced smell, domination, and can force manipulation that can damage weak targets by simply staring at them.
🖤 Atman. A very creepy giant mask that will disappear but then reappear after being defeated.
🤸‍♂️ Vholran. Fights with a waterblade. Acrobatic swordsman, mastery over water-elemental astral energy and can cast high power artes.
🎨 Creed Graphite. A Will Artist (spellcaster) capable of casting spells and summoning and controlling Xeroms.
🎼 Ganon. Hate and hunger for power in physical form. Can corrupt anything with darkness, will only be able to corrupt non-PCs unless players want to do something with that.
🌋 Calamity Ganon. Capable of creating Malice (poison substance that can cause other monsters or bosses to go aggro) and raising other monsters from the dead. Can be destroyed by any type of sealing dreamotion magic.
💔 Xehanorts (multiple). Control darkness and use darkness as a weapon; controlling people to his will by turning them into versions of himself, otherwise known as getting "norted" where victim gains yellow eyes and is controlled to his whims and the darkness in their heart/they will follow their darker side. Darkness meteorites can also be a thing.
➕ Emperor Demitrius (final boss form). Basically heal himself back up to full mid-fight so it will take a few rounds to defeat him.

C. Megabosses. Extremely powerful entities that may not even be defeated by conventional means and instead have powers that affect everyone instead. High chance of death. 🚩🚩🚩

🤖 Diaspora. Half the size of Dragon Island and up in the sky, it can disassemble dreamotion energy and knock someone out into wisp form without dying with a beam of blue goop. Has high regeneration, but will be vulnerable to prolonged attacks.
🐲 Dragons (Voids). Faces of dragons that coalesce in from the sky when they decide to attack with high concentrations of nightmare energy. Zhaitan will be capable of turning those who turned into wisps into noctaere in the form of Void Risen. Mordremoth will just descend and smash into small areas to inflict damage. Kralkatorrik will fire a giant beam of crystal fire breath that will encase anyone and anything in its path into purple crystal, and they must be freed before they turn into noctaere.

Comments

[lethechained]

[ A slower pace of conversation is both warranted and welcome in this situation. Naminé certainly appreciates the opportunity to just... rest, as she leaves moment open for him to process her explanation, her back settling that much more deeply against the couch. Her dutiful nod to echo his in confirmation of the words is timely, but unhurriedly committed.

Speaking of corruption...

Her eyes linger on Ferran's face as his own drop toward the darkness that follows him, both literally and figuratively. The nature of her gaze is almost searching, though it's as much for taking stock of his state as it is for guiding her mind to determine a proper method to say what she means to. ]

Yes. You and I feel the same way about that, I think.

[ Especially considering how much at risk he was of being on the wrong end of that worse at the time. Finally exhaling a slow breath, the blonde resists the urge to let her own gaze fall. She has to ask one way or another, no matter how much she might want to gentle it; her worry wins out in the end, lending a quiet, apologetic tension to her voice. ]

Did I hurt you, that day?

[noblegarnet]

[He doesn't notice her gaze on him, too caught up in his own thoughts to pay much attention. It's only once she asks her question that he looks back to her with a shake of his head.]

Not at all.

[She had landed a few spells, to be sure—but the exertion and injury caused was so minor it doesn't even register to him in light of everything else. Compared to the blood he'd drawn—and especially the wounds he saw others suffer—his troubles after the fact were nothing. Even the internal ones, in his opinion.]

Honestly, you ended up helping more than anything. [He brings a hand to the back of his neck, mood dampened by the thoughts of the whole affair. His mouth pulls into something regretful, but it passes after a moment.]

It was like you... kind of put everything back in order. Usually, I'm much worse after... [well.] After.

[lethechained]

[ The faint jump of her brows suggests that Naminé was half-expecting a different answer. Relief follows soon after as she exhales a breath, only for his later words to return the perplexity to her expression. To have helped is all well and good, but... ]

Ferran-- [ She saw the state of him - of his heart. At the time, she'd wanted to assume it was all a product of the circumstances, but that... doesn't check out. And now she's left with all sorts of underdeveloped conclusions she doesn't like and the unpleasant inkling that she won't like them once they're fully baked, either. ]

Does that - happen to you often? [ Perhaps it doesn't need clarification, but she clarifies anyway, voice lowering in concern; ] Losing yourself like that.

[noblegarnet]

[It's a question he was halfway expecting, but the answer isn't so easy as yes or no, unfortunately. He's thought and talked about it enough in the past that it's no real trouble for him to string the appropriate words together, though.]

Here... no. Though I was afraid that it would, at the beginning...

[It was why he waited so long to use his powers to their full extent. Little things here and there were fine—moments of strength, an occasional duplication, just to make things easier—but he didn't want to risk that unless he was sure he could be stopped, at the very least. And he had no way of knowing how far the peace this place had granted him actually extended.

His hands drop between his knees as he lets out a slow sigh, forearms resting against his legs.]

But back home, that's just how it is now. Whenever he tells me to fight.

[He doesn't think he needs to explain, at the very least, that he's referring to the figure that emerged out of his shadow thanks to the clash of nightmares and magic.]

[lethechained]

[ Although she nods her understanding, Naminé feels a sinking sensation in her chest as her mind fills in the blanks. It must have been happening often enough beforehand for Ferran to fear it here. That's not strictly a surprise, but it does feel like it locks away any notion she might have entertained of assisting him, rooted as the problem is in the waking world. ]

That's good, [ she murmurs nevertheless, not sounding quite as though it is, in fact, as positive as she'd like the statement to be. Quiet, she regards him as he settles, her tired eyes unconsciously following his hands a moment as she drifts through her own thoughts. They snap back up with a bit more energy at his other words, although her expression only changes slightly - to darken, of course. Because he doesn't need to name names, but... ]

How is it that... [ She might have a loose grasp of the relationship between Ferran and his guardian, but how could anyone treat him that way-- ] ... He has so much power over you?

[noblegarnet]

[How had it come to this? It's a question he's considered so many times over the past few years, but he's known the answers for some time. His reply starts in almost monotone.]

After my parents died... he was the only one I let in, for a long time. [Partly for reasons she'll find out later—his friends' denial of his suspicions—partly because he just had no idea what to do with all of the pain. Shutting himself away felt safer, but in reality it was anything but.]

He did something to me, I think, not long after that, but I don't remember. Something to do with Chaos magic, but I guess it might be like... Darkness to you.

[It's still strange for him to think in those terms, that these things go into categories, but he's had enough talks with Sora and Vanitas to get the gist of it and relate to his own situation. When Turquoise called the power she was granted by the light Spirit "purification," and it worked so well on Onyx's creations, that put their enemy on the opposite end fairly clearly...]

He has hypnosis magic, too, [like me, he keeps to himself.] Between that and the other... and mostly, my own stupid stubbornness. I just listen to him, instead of helping my friends.

[There's a deep frown on his face nearing a scowl, born from the self-loathing that often threatens to cut him off others again. He's been fighting against it much more these days, but it can be so, so hard.]

[lethechained]

[ Between the two of them, there's not a lot of energy left over for emotion after their recent ordeals. Still, Naminé's brow remains crumpled with her quiet words of troubled acknowledgement. ]

I see. He helped you when you needed it. Or... made you think he was helping you, at least.

[ Which is a perfectly reasonable source of mixed emotions; she can't help but think of DiZ, and is privately grateful that the man wasn't more powerful in his own right.

Her lips part with the mention of Darkness, but-- whatever she's thinking, Naminé holds it in. Exhaling the breath as a sigh instead, the lass sags a little, almost as if sinking physically into her thoughts. It's only natural for her to make an attempt at weaving some solution together in her mind whether it feels possible or not, but-- it's hard, not having a full grasp of the specifics. ]

So... in the real world, you still trust him?

[ That's what it sounds like to her at the moment, anyway. Hypnosis magic might render that irrelevant, but the distinction has some value regardless, and it's brave of him, isn't it, to admit that much? There's no judgement in her tone, only the desire to understand. ]

But here, you've changed your mind...?

[noblegarnet]

[Ferran's head tilts in neither a nod nor a shake. It's not quite like that, although the end result is essentially the same.]

There, I don't trust him, but... I don't trust my friends, either. I have it in my head that there's nothing they can do that can help.

[And that was what Rion managed to take advantage of, wasn't it? He'd threatened Ferran's friends, and when he tried to argue that they were strong enough, used the young man's stupid sense of superiority to break his brief moment of resolve. Garnet, who'd proven to be the strongest and most resolute, didn't stop him—so how could the rest? How could they do anything?

And the proud idiot he is, Ferran believed that line of thinking.

He turns back to Naminé's question, his gaze going to her as well as he puts his thoughts of regrets aside for now.]

But—I want to believe in them now. They're better than me... even if I'm making it hard for them.

[lethechained]

[ What a helpless position for him to be in - and more uncomfortably so, even, being trapped in anticipation of it all due to his extended stay in this dream world. Expression crumpled, Naminé listens wordlessly at first, and is quiet even after his explanation for a brief time. Then, suddenly, a few things click into place in her mind. ]

Wait, you--...

[ It all makes more sense now, why he was so eager to fight with her before in that altered state. ]

You're hoping that they'll be able to defeat you, aren't you?

[ She doesn't add the, 'permanently--?' that rises almost to her lips. Biting it back, she sits up a little straighter with more effort than the movement should take on a normal day. Her features pinch that much more, nearly in admonition, yet worried by a slightly wider margin. Some of what happened while she was under Cupid's influence is bleary, but she has recollection enough of what she recognized when her mind connected with Ferran's to add, ]

Like you were hoping I would before, when we saw each other during the battle.

[noblegarnet]

[Ferran waits for her to finish her thought fully before he replies, keeping his eyes on her.]

Yeah.

[He doesn't even pause before admitting it, nor does his tone or expression change other than the slight solidifying of his confidence; he decided a long time ago that's what needed to happen. She might be looking at him like that's a poor thing to want, but he can't forget what he's done and what he's capable of.]

That's the best way for it to go. He's not going to let go of me... so even if I could stop fighting for him, he'd just use me in a different way. But if they don't hesitate, then...

[Then they can stop him. And then, maybe, they can catch Onyx off guard. Ferran sits back on the couch, moving his gaze to the ceiling with a sigh through his nose.]

... Maybe there's still hope. I don't know.

[lethechained]

[ She is, as a matter of fact, frowning back at Ferran as though he's personally broken her heart. Truthfully, Naminé would appreciate his straightforwardness if she weren't so busy fretting - but fretting she is, no matter how silently she does so. Finally, once he's said his peace, she draws in a breath-- lets it out, and shakes her head. ]

There must be another way.

[ Rarely does she find herself insistent, but the idea troubles her. Ferran seems to have so much weighing on him already, and a sad ending seems a poor resolution to all of it. There might not always be justice in the worlds, and yet-- ]

I've met someone who was controlled by a wielder of Darkness before, and he was able to escape eventually. It wasn't easy, but... it also wasn't impossible. I know-- that sometimes when things get dire, giving up can seem like that right option for everyone's sake, but it might not have to come to that...!

[noblegarnet]

Maybe.

[He can accept and recognize that much: that nothing is a given. Sometimes, miracles can happen. He doesn't know if he's ever seen one before, though, or that he might be fortunate enough to in the future.]

I'd like to see it... if it's possible.

[He could add a but. It would be so easy to. He's... trying to do a little less of that, though, gradually. He doesn't want to be stuck in despair over the future all the time; he's had years of that by now. Not to mention that it just worsens the state he's in... and it's hard enough to keep himself together without the dark magic in his head making things worse.

He takes the opportunity offered by that remark of hers, though, of those she knows from her own world, and turns his attention from the nothing on the ceiling back to her, head tilted in a way that's less deliberate and more of limiting how much he has to move to do watch her. Despite being friends with Sora and Vanitas for so long, they've hardly discussed the complex worlds they come from. He's heard even less from Naminé, which makes him... curious, but in a cautious way. The impression he's gotten from her doesn't give him the most positive idea of her origins.]

You know, I... don't know a lot about where you come from.

[He's not trying to deflect, not really. But sometimes it feels like he focuses too much on his own problems when he gets into these conversations, and he did come here to check on her, too. He feels like he should know more, in order to really discern whether she's alright.]

[lethechained]

[ Naminé can almost hear the 'but' he doesn't say. She won't say it either, if he's decided to leave it out - like a silent agreement to let the matter rest. Her eyes are still sad, yet not unbearably so; there's time, now, before any of these hypotheticals about the future might come to be realities.

A subject change isn't surprising, though the topic seems to catch her momentarily off-guard. Blinking at him, Naminé hesitates, but seems willing to go along with the question. Leaning a little more comfortably against the couch, she rests a hand on the cushion as she tilts her own head, just so. ]

Do you mean my worlds? Or...

[ He's known the others long enough to have heard about some of their complications, she figures, but when they've not discussed the topic it's hard to know how much. ]

Where I come from?

[ Under normal circumstances, she might say, 'are you asking about my family?' but... ]

[noblegarnet]

[He's had enough of a primer from the others to feel like he can understand whatever her answer might be—or at least work towards that without too much trouble, given the state of his head at the moment.]

You, yeah.

[Worlds, he can live without the finer details, really. But knowing what's important to someone about their home and their origins... that's far more meaningful to him.]

Like... what does home mean to you? Do you want to go back?

[lethechained]

[ That opens the door to all manner of other questions about her nature, really, and briefly Naminé struggles as she considers where to start. It's made all the more difficult by their mutually weakened state, and so Naminé is grateful for the direction offered by Ferran's follow-up questions. ]

Home... Well, I suppose there are the places that I've lived in, the ones in the waking worlds.

[ At least one of them probably ought to hold that title, yet her reluctance to bestow it is palpable in her pause. Then, ]

But to me - there was never really anywhere I would call by that name before I came here to Reverein. Not-- anywhere that I can remember being, that is. This place is where I've had the most freedom, and the most time around friends. It's... where I've been the happiest. So to me, this might as well be home.

[ Perhaps that should simplify her answer to the other inquiry, but it doesn't. One of her palms curls; another day, she might have held it out to the side to emphasize her thought. Today, however, it returns to resting where it is. ]

On the other hand... I've heard so much about the future. About - what's waiting for me back in the real world. And I-- I do want to see it, it's just...

[ There's some conflict about this for her, clearly. Shifting in place, she lets out a faint breath, the corners of her mouth downturned. ]

Sometimes I wish that I could do both. Stay - and go. Does... that make sense?

[noblegarnet]

[She's had a hard time of it, then; that much is clear by how indirect she is in the way she's phrasing it. The thought draws his brows together and his gaze to the corner.]

It does. I... kind of feel the same about going back.

[His reasons obviously aren't quite like hers, given he has no assurances. He has very little hope for his own future, even though he can't deny the possibilities if just for the sake of friends like her, who can't stand to think of it as being hopeless. He gets that. He's seen others whose worlds will or already have doomed them.]

There are things we have in each place that we can't get in the other... if just because of how these things seem to go.

[Staying in some senses means a lack of resolution and a separation from something meaningful for the both of them. But on the other hand, there's the disconnection from the life they've built and the return to uncertainty about the future. It's a loss either way. He turns his eyes to her again, withholding a sigh.]

I'm sorry it took so long for you to find a "home," but... I'm glad you got to come here.

[Current circumstances notwithstanding...]

[lethechained]

[ Her brow softens at his initial words. Part of her can't help but be glad that he hasn't totally written off going back as all negative - for whatever that's worth or however he might mean it. There's an inevitability to it, for one thing, and to live in total despair over the idea would make the whole situation that much worse. ]

Mm. So often, there's no single answer that has the best of both worlds.

[ In this case literally. Seeing Ferran looking at her again, she offers a delicate smile and a shake of her head, as if to discourage any regrets on his part. ]

I am, too - and that you were able to be here as well. This place has been kind, I think, to all of us. [ She doesn't hold back her own sigh, although the tone of it is gently optimistic. ] Even on days like today.

[noblegarnet]

[He doesn't quite manage a smile in return, but there's a gentler look in his eyes, something less sad, as he replies.]

I... I guess so. [Even if he hates what he's done, and the suffering all those spirits and nightmares caused... It's been good here. This place has been a refuge.

With any luck, it will continue to be that—and they'll both get the rest they need. He knows it won't ever be a paradise, but he'll take what he can get and be grateful for it, remembering what awful circumstances he's come from before.]