awashlogs | Event Seventeen.

[ She enters the room, warily, noting how the torches are already lit with a good deal amount of suspicion. Was someone here before, or is this just part of the strange, mysterious magic of this place? With light to reveal the expanse of the chamber, noting the strange scuff marks that streak across the floor.

But then, of course, is the casket mounted in the middle of the room itself, as it it were a monument. The scrolls that decorate its sides must have been magnificent to see in their prime, for even now their detail speaks to how ornate it once was. The markings may be worn now, frayed at the edges, but they are no less beautiful. But still. It's a coffin. That he's excited to see. ] What are you--

[ She eyes it warily as she approaches, a hand going to her chest in worry, expression mixed between concern and surprise. ] Hold on, Wei Ying, should you... really be doing that?

This place must be someone's tomb.

[ He looks up, suddenly, at the sound of a familiar voice. Pyra. His eyes soften. Of course she's here, too, in the castle. Of course she's here to help other people. He wishes she weren't here, to be honest. He wishes she were safe at home, in the village, in no danger of disappearing. ]

Maybe.

[ He grins. ]

Let's find out.

[ He presses his hands against the coffin and his eyes glow red. ]

WAKE UP!

[ There's a strange echo to his voice.... ]

[ ...

nothing happens. His face falls. He sighs, clearly disappointed. ]

Alas. It's empty now. Whoever might have been buried here turned to dust a long time ago.

[ ...There it is again, that flash of red in his eyes. Unsettling, bold. And then he says it, a command for whatever may lie in wait to awaken as if he could command the sun to rise.

He intends to defile a grave, rob it of its information, and...

...She knows, or at least thinks she knows or understands, his way of thinking. Of where his perspective lies: that he's only intending to help others by seeking knowledge whereas some might be too afraid to try. She worries for his methods, but. It's where his heart lies that truly matters, and she believes his to be truly good. ]

...It's too bad. [ Pyra approaches the coffin, reaching out to place her hand upon its metal fastenings. There is a crystal just above her wrist as well, and it illuminates some of the faded markings of the scrolls. Still illegible, but notably there. ] Whoever may have been buried here [ (Assuming, of course, that anyone was and that this is not just some sort of trick.) ] must have been important. [ A pause, and she withdraws her hand. ] It would have been helpful for someone within to awaken so that we may speak with them. [ Again, so she assumes that that's all he would want them for. Not that she actually approves of overturning graves but, uh. Any information would have been useful. ] ...And maybe they would have liked to awaken once more, too, to tell us of their legacy, their lives... and even their families, if they could. [ A pause. ]

Your power is truly a gift, Wei Ying. [ To bring back people from the dead, that is. ] Many humans would desire to live once more.

Edited 2019-01-19 08:14 (UTC)

[ The bright glow of her crystals illuminates the coffin's inscriptions far better than the ambient light in the room. He kneels down to look; but the words don't make sense to him. He straightens up, smiling. ]

One hardly needs torches when you're around.

[ That isn't too romantic a thing to say? No, it isn't. He's simply stating a fact. To him, she'd shine just as brightly even without her crystals....ah, no. He shouldn't say that. He clears his throat. ]

I wouldn't say it's a "gift," just something I learned to do. [ He had to learn it. He'd been left with no other choices. ] The way I bring people back, it's not really the same as living again. Once I tried, but... it didn't work out too well.

[ His expression flickers. Poor Wen Ning: he'd endured two deaths, and hadn't deserved either one of them. ]

Anyway, yes. It would have been nice to hear about this place from a local.

[ "Not the same as living again".... Still, that he could even deign to accomplish reanimating the dead is nothing less than impressive, in her opinion. With magic or elementary procedures or not. Even if it goes against all the natural order of life and death. What she wouldn't give to be able to do the same--

Or. Actually. Would she? Would she truly bring back someone who has perished already? Indeed, she would; rather, she will, completely and fully, as if they had never had perished in the first place, for it is within her power. ]

Do you... desire that ability, to bring others back completely? To live again? [ Pyra says cautiously, crouching low as she examines the sarcophagus. This is a very, very important question she must ask him, and over the brim of the casket she watches him carefully with crimson, observant eyes. ]

[ He meets her eyes for a long moment; and then looks away. Slowly: ]

I would be lying, if I said I wouldn't want to. People who've died... yes, I'd like to bring them back.

[ Unconsciously, he begins stroking the top of the coffin, feeling its inscriptions and scrollwork under his fingertips. ]

But I only know one method for restoring a person's spirit to a living body. The original person who owns that body must sacrifice his own soul completely, to be destroyed and never reincarnate.

[ That poor man, Mo XuanYu, whose body he now inhabits: what depths of misery drove him not only to end his own life, but also throw away all chances for a happier life in the future? He presses a hand to his chest. His life now is possible only because of another's hopeless despair. ]

So—I can't imagine that what you say is possible, without some terrible price to be paid.

[ There is a difference between knowing someone and truly knowing them, and she supposes that to some extent it doesn't matter how much she knows him, because he surprises her all the same. His answer is honest and comes from a place of experience--... and respect, as she sees him place a hand to his chest.

It must feel quite odd to feel someone else's heart beat to keep you alive.

But she appears satisfied with his answer-- satisfied with his honesty. ] It's rather scary to think about; a spell like that could easily be abused. [ Imagine a world in which a wealthy family would force a slave to sacrifice themselves to bring back a deceased lord into a new body.... it's pretty chilling. ]

But absolute power corrupts absolutely, or so the saying goes. [ A wistful smile accompanies a shrug, and she stands as she looks over the sarcophagus. ] It takes a strong heart to not succumb to its temptation.

[ He seems to understand her point and nods, as he stands up himself. ]

That particular spell—there's a catch. The spirit has to fulfill the dying wishes of the one who sacrificed himself. So it's a bit tricky to "abuse" as such. It's still considered forbidden in my world, of course, for obvious reasons.

[ And then he adds.... ]

I'd say it's not even that simple. Even without temptation or corruption or anything, too much power just makes you overconfident, and you...

[ He trails off, unwilling to finish his thought. Several moments go by. ]

[ Abruptly he brightens and says: ]

Let's see if we can get this lid off, shall we? Even if its former owner has turned to dust, there might be some grave goods in here that could tell us something.

[ She listens to his explanation careful, his words resonating with her. Too much power makes you overconfident, and you--... well. She may not know his specific answer, but she knows the answer in general, for she's seen it a number of times. Those unable to control their power are swallowed by it. And, hell, people don't even need to have great power themselves, they could just be fighting for that power, and it will still twist every part of their being, insidiously enough that those affected won't realize their hubris until it's too late.

It's hideous how it works, it's tragic....

Before she can say anything in response, he suggests they open up the casket. He is absolutely shameless to suggest robbing graves but-- hey, they need any information this place can provided. Someone important enough to be entombed here might provide some sort of key, hopefully. ] ...Alright.

[ There's a metal fastening on one side, the other with hinges so that it might swing open. She places her hands upon its cover. ] ...Here goes. [ And with a heave---

It actually opens fairly easily, at least for her. With the lid opened, there is... nothing within the encasing, nothing at all. She's just about to speak again when she sees a fine trail of dust sprinkle down from the ceiling onto the hollow coffin, as if the earth itself has shivered. It's followed by a greater rumble from all around them, then a loud, continuous sound of something heavy scrapping over stone.

She gasps, letting go of the coffin. ] --The walls! [ They're beginning to close in on them. ]

[ He has to struggle a bit, but as soon as Pyra applies her own strength, the casket comes open easily. He looks down....and sighs. Where there are graves, inevitably there are grave robbers. He would know, after all, he was one of the most notorious. He's about to reach down, anyway, in search of a false bottom or something, when the ceiling shivers and— ]

Ah.

[ A trap. Of course there's a trap. But what for, at this point? The casket has already given up its secrets, what's the point of trapping the second set of robbers? Honestly, he'd like a word with whoever designed this. No time for that, though! He seizes Pyra's hand. ]

Let's go!

[ He sprints for the door.... and of course, of course, it slams shut, locking in place from the outside. Immediately he throws a talisman against it, which explodes on contact. There's a flash of fire and a big puff of smoke...

....but when the smoke clears, the door is cracked but intact. And the walls are continuing to close in. ]

[ She follows when he takes her hand and pulls her along, ready to burst down the door herself. She’s surprised when one of his talismans’s explosions fails to open it, her gaze traveling upwards with the smoke, and that’s when her surprise turns to worry: ] Wait, look!

[ The smoke remains swirling within the room, not venting outward. If he tries any other talisman again, she fears very little air will remain. Her own ability isn’t exactly fire and thus will not consume oxygen, but it’s hot enough to create natural flames as collateral energy that will. She considers if she should just melt the damn thing down, but— that wouldn’t work either because it would turn this place into an oven, and she would never want to roast him alive.

Whoever built this room wanted it to be completely sealed: one way in, one way out for people or air.

Pyra releases his hand to throw her weight against the door, attempting to budge it with sheer force— the slam echoes like thunder within the chamber, but the converging walls on either side of them are louder. But if she can at least get it somewhat opened, she’ll have him cross...!

It doesn’t work, and her palm goes to the door. She looks at him worriedly; the time they have left is minimal. ] ...Maybe there’s— there has to be a hidden panel somewhere, where we might escape. [ She’ll get right to work on that, peering through the darkness and testing her weight on certain stones on the floor hoping one of them will sink like some sort of switch, but although she’s working to find a solution, her tone is tense, urgent. ] Unless you have another idea?

[ He's horrified, both by the failure of the door to break down completely, and by the way the talisman smoke hangs in the air. More than that, he's horrified that his curiosity has managed to put Pyra in danger.
If he could replay the last five minutes and do it differently, he would. What was that she had said to him about bringing the dead back to life? If somebody offered him that power right now, he'd grab it no matter the cost, if it could save her— ]

Ah!

[ —then the thunderous clang of her body against the door startles him out of those pointless thoughts.

Alas, that doesn't work either. Testing the stones on the floor is a good idea, and it's one he'd endorse if they had time, but the ceiling is rapidly dropping and already he's having to crouch. Besides, from his earlier inspection, and his insight into the psyche of someone who'd surround their sarcophagus with a deadly trap... ]

Yes! I do! Come here right now!

[ He leaps into the coffin, and motions for her to do the same. It's a good coffin, with thick, strong metal walls. Someone who put so much work into creating such a heavy, elaborately-decorated sarcophagus wouldn't want to see it destroyed by their own trap. Not only that, but few people would be as twisted in the mind as Wei Wuxian, and think of jumping inside. ]

[ That is the last place that Pyra would see as a solution. ] What are you-- Wei Ying...!

[ But there he goes right into the coffin as if the tomb was made for him, confident and quick and bright, his mind is so bright to think of that coffin as the solution to this riddle-- whereas she would think it the part of the trap. He's thinking outside of the box... or within the box, as is the literal case here.

She has no choice, does she?

Pyra leaps into the coffin after him, the door shutting immediately after. There's another rumble from around them, the casket itself is moving-- sinking down into the floor below as the walls collide above. ]

[ She cracks open her eyes slowly, feeling the tension from before leave her body as they are both now safe. Within the casket it's completely dark save for the natural glow of her design accompanied by the ominous silent light of her crystal. There's little room to move when there are two trapped in a small space that is only meant for one, and of course it's already warm because she's in there. Pyra tries pushing herself up, once, but her back immediately hits the sarcophagus's top. With a heavy breath she relents in trying to budge or move any further...

...Probably for the best, because his face is buried in her chest and she hasn't quite realized that part yet. Congratulations??¿? ]

[ Once upon a time, as a youth, he laughed that he would never worry about how he might die, instead striving to live freely as long as possible. However, if at that time he'd been asked to pick his death, he might have chosen this scenario: crushed beneath the body of a beautiful woman.

Well, it sounds better than it is. He's confused at first, because of the thunderous shriek and vibration of the walls moving and the coffin moving, and his panic that she won't make it to safety in here with him, that she'll be trapped outside...

And then he's in a place that's very warm and very dark and very quiet except for the rush of blood in his ears. He's blind, because of the things pressing against his face. Soft things. Very soft. Is this part of the trap, he wonders, lack of oxygen addling his thinking. He struggles, moving his face to and fro, but it isn't enough to free himself. He shifts around a little, managing to slide his arms up, so he can grab these soft things and move them out of the way. ]

Haah!

[ He takes a giant, shuddering breath, and opens his eyes. He can see! The interior of the coffin is glowing blue! It's blue because... ]

Pyra! You're safe!

[ He's so relieved he could cry. ]

[ ...

...and then, as if in slow motion, he realizes what it is he's holding. Right, she might be safe, but he's going to die. ]

[ OH UHHH..... This is—....

An accident.

This is an accident, and obviously he can’t help it because she’s the one who climbed in after him, and this is just the way they unceremoniously wound up with his face cushioned in her chest and their legs tangled and just close, very, very close. Except it would have been one thing if he just stayed put where he was, but no he’s moving and oh Architect she feels that, and if that isn’t bad enough he’s suddenly grabbing her—

It’s not an elegant sound that she makes, but something akin to a choked, startled gasp, a very pitched noise, that’s suddenly cut short. She... didn’t expect that touch, and it catches her off guard enough to delay her embarrassment for two seconds of being surprised. But when it finally registers, she feels suddenly—... well, very self-conscious. And aware of him, how he feels beneath her. He’s quite slender for a man...

She takes a breath.

She swallows.

An accident. He doesn’t mean it, he would never, and besides what about Maya? SHE DOESNT WANT TO RUIN THEIR RELATIONSHIP...! ] Y-Yes.... I’m..... safe.

[ Safe, intact, whole, really really warm— wait what ] Thank you.

[ She’s straining to keep her body more off of his, but there’s not a lot of room to give. Still she does what she can to push herself so that she’s not at least, uh, totally suffocating him, although that does mean her lower half is decidedly more aligned with him, legs adjusting to find what room they can over his. ]

U-um, do you... mind? [ —“letting go of my boobs plz thx” ]

[ He’d been frozen in shock and so hadn’t let go of her straight away, but now that she speaks, his grip slackens. If that means he’s going to suffocate again, so be it. He’ll gladly die. But then she moves, trying to push off of him, sliding against— ]

Ngh!

[ It’s a low, guttural noise. His whole life, he'd had a reputation as a womanizer, but the truth was that he'd never touched a woman like that. Nor had a woman ever touched him where Pyra's legs are now—

Oh heavens, he thinks to himself, panicking. His body is going to betray him. Ah, no. There is no “going to.” It already has betrayed him. That is... it’s hardly surprising, right? He’s a man. Of course in this situation he’d... maybe she won’t notice. It would be sort of insulting if she doesn’t notice, but that’s fine. He’ll tell her that’s his flute or something.

“Is that my flute pressing against you?” No, that’s not something he can say. It sounds dirtier than the truth! It’s boiling hot in here, he can feel himself perspire. Coward’s sweat is pouring off of him. The longer they lie like this, the more unsurvivably awkward this is going to become. He has to do something, therefore... ]

[ Time to talk. ]

Ahahahha! It's close in here, isn't it? Somebody who thought so highly of himself, couldn't he have made a larger coffin? I don't see why he didn't! Going through the afterlife, confined in a small space, it's sort of horrifying if you think about it. N-n-n-not that this is horrifying, not at all. I've got excellent company here, haha! I'm just—

[ His best option is to lie completely motionless and hope that this passes, but he's not the sort of person who can keep still at all even in the best of circumstances, and he's so anxious right now, all he wants to do is roll around. So he moves.

!!! ]

Haaaaa-ah!

[ .................. ]

I'm sorry.

[ —he says, finally. For putting her in danger, and in this awful position. Will she be able to get married now? He has no idea. ]

[ He had saved them both by bringing them into the coffin, she can’t forget that. That had been his intention, not... this.

Oh but she feels him alright, and it’s not at all helped by how she is lying atop of him no matter how many layers of clothing are between them. Her normal attire is sparse with cloth yet it’s beyond warm right now— she feels as if she’s trying to get her mind to work through some sort of foggy haze, how is this distracting— so it must be worse for him draped in his attire. Still she can’t help but notice how uncomfortable he seems, how anxious and strained— and it must be partly because, well, she’s not the one he’d prefer to be with in this sort of predicament...

He starts talking, and that’s normal enough even if she can’t really pay attention to him. It feels like she’s fighting against her own body to not simply let herself fall and rest against him, and that she even has that draw to him is surprising enough to realize that this is quickly growing out of hand. This isn’t how it should be going, what she’s doing here is disrespecting him, him and his affection for someone else. He’s— she’s— she has to focus on fighting on getting off on him— er, no, getting off of him, getting him off, get off him, get off him, oh why this—

She had been trying to adjust herself as well, moving down along his body so that her chest would not be in such a unsavory place above his face. But then he moves as well, and her rapid-fire of thoughts are going to be abruptly cut short. It’s only making things worse, the way he squirms beneath her, and she feels all of that too, all of him, where his legs are, where her chest is pressed against his, where his hips press against hers. All it takes is one well-positioned brush from him underneath her, and a tense, gripping moment overwhelms her where her body goes completely rigid to his movements, seizing up as she suddenly feels—..... hot, yes, that’s the sensation that’s washing, rushing over her— ] Ah—

[ ....

Her hand had moved to place itself upon the side of his waist as if she could stop him from moving any further, but now it’s merely staying there because she... doesn’t.... know... what... to do... in this moment. She’s looking down at him now with wide, confused eyes, panic flashing through them, so close that her hair falls from behind her ears to brush along the side of his face. She’s heard his apology yes, but all she can think is how pale and soft his skin seems to her in the dim glow of her crystal, how his dark eyes still contain that spark of light within them, that clever, witty, trickster-like personality that gets her to smile and laugh and forget her past so easily, the way his features are framed so sharply by his cheekbones, the angle of his jaw, his lips...

One arm gives out, and now she’s partially collapsed atop of him, her head just over his shoulder, lips inadvertently brushing along his ear. Sure this might make make them practically flush, but she really can’t — can’t— look at him right now. She just can’t. ]

N-no. [ She whispers to him softly, breaths uncharacteristically uneven. Of course she doesn’t blame him for any of this; it’s just a natural reaction on his part. He’s been put into a highly uncomfortable position, he’s human. ] No, I should be the one apologizing.

[ She’s shut her eyes as if it could help block out the sensation of him beneath her, but in some ways it just makes it all worse. ] We’ll... get out of here, okay? There’s probably a timer to this trap or— or something.

[ Odd, how she feels at a loss when she’s trying to reassure him, as if she would want to sta— no, no. ]

[ He can hear how ragged her breathing is, her little gasps. The way she's staring at him with panic in her eyes...

And then she's holding his waist and flopped on top of him, her lips near his ear, and he can't bear it. But he has to bear it. He's borne more painful things in his life, after all. She is terrified and who can blame her? Trapped in a small space with a man. He'd done exactly the wrong thing, apologizing, making her feel like she has to apologize also. She's trying to reassure him? More like she's reassuring herself that she'll make it out of here with her virtue intact. He is a man after all.

But more importantly, he's her friend. He hadn't known what to do with his hands, so now he pats her back... ]

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