Sweet dreams are made of these...

[thespaceopera]

[ Calibration Rooms ]
( for A-M characters )

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ROOMS BY CHARACTER

A Abigail Hobbs Aiya/Gray Nightingale Adrasteius Anor'thalion Ahsoka Tano Alex Russo Allen Walker Anders Anthony Crowley Asteffiel Axel

B - D Belthazar Spellscry Beverly Crusher Bran Stark Caesar Zeppeli Cayde-6 Cheese Sandwich Clay Terran Coil Cole Davesprite Duke Pantarei

E - I Elecman.exe Elena Gilbert Elize Lutus Felix Harrowgate Fenris Finrod Haruka Tenoh/Sailor Uranus Imperator Furiosa Isabela Issac Lahey

J - M Jade Harley James Barnes/Jim James Barnes/Winter Joseph Joestar Katara Katniss Everdeen/Nova Kirito/Kazuto Kirigaya Kurt Wagner Leanne Loki Maladict(a) Max Caulfield Megaman Mordin Solus

Comments

[mortalcoil]

[Coil's brow furrows as he looks back at the rest of the room... but it's pretty clear that he can't imagine what Robin might mean.

...and then a new leak springs somewhere overhead and begins to patter off the edge of a table full of important things. so, please excuse him while he scampers over to try and move precious things to safety.]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[he's pretty sure he's right. his attention goes up when the new leak springs (wondering vaguely if this room will simply fill with water at some point--he remembers Coil's fear of drowning), but he lets Coil scamper away without helping or hindering.]

Problematic...

[he knows more about Coil than most people, but that's still not a whole lot... so now that he has an opportunity, he quietly wanders over to look at the makeshift shrine the boy's set up.]

[mortalcoil]

[the closer Robin gets to the altar, the more obvious it becomes that this is to honor something unholy. the deity behind this isn't of a religion that just happens to deviate from the norm; the whole point behind it is something wrong. it's a simple tribute of candles and small pieces of animal offerings, in the center of an elaborately-penned sigil, but it silently sings with corrupted energy... and the closer he gets to it, the more he can feel the chanting. it comes from the same place that a childhood lullaby might--in the back of the mind--nostalgic and melancholy. and the bones of this manor answer it.

it feels just like the little rites and rituals he'd perform in the clockwork tower, but more proper and settled. like the center of a worry-stone that has has been worn away by little motions over the course of years and years.]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[oh, well. that's not concerning or dangerous at all. he's never put much thought into the kinds of gods that Coil worships--if only because he doesn't bother with most people, as any gods that aren't his are not worth much of his time--but a corrupted, twisted deity?

Crow, even at his worst, was still a keeper of souls. he never unmade anything.

he's conflicted. he disapproves, and is dreadfully curious about what it could do.

so he picks up one of the little bits of animal offering, just to try.]

[mortalcoil]

[as soon as he disturbs the little pile of sparrow and mouse bones collected on the shrine, the door behind him pops open with a horrible sound as it immediately slams into the chain lock still keeping it from opening more than a couple of inches. the little gap is enough to allow a cold breeze to come sweeping in, immediately causing a few of the candles to sputter and die-- including the ones on the altar.

apparently, the doused candles are of more importance than the door, and the arcane chanting that can now be heard out in the hall, because Coil is immediately hurrying over and trying to usher Robin out of the way.

and while he does so, he urgently points back at the door... presumably ordering Robin to close it.]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[he doesn't jump, but the sudden intensity in the room sure does send a shiver down his spine. the bones are entirely forgotten, especially with Coil shoving him away from the shrine.

the door, the door... he heads to it as he's probably being instructed. the chanting is bad, yeah, but maybe this is his way out of the room, so of course he has to look through the gap first, to see if it looks any better on the other side...]

[mortalcoil]

[on the other side of the door is a host of voices chanting. some are fervent with whatever meaning is going into the arcane words, some are droning with the apathy that comes with following repeated habit, and some of the voices are very small.

whether or not it's going to help Robin out of the door at all, one of those voices is Coil's. and as young as he seems within this room, he's even younger out there. his hair is tied back and his clothes are neat, and both eyes are focused dutifully ahead.

the candlelit hall is full of people collected for some sort of religious service, seated on a few long benches, chanting through their lines. on one side of the boy sits a girl of similar complexion and age, and on the other sits a woman whose family resemblance to him could easily make her his mother. none of them seem to have any sort of significant reaction to what is taking place before them.

it's difficult to make out from his vantage point, but he can catch glimpses of some of the ritual being performed. one element in particular becomes clear as a bound, snarling woman is hauled in from the side. the men bodily escorting her in shove her down to her knees in the center of a chalk sigil drawn on the floor. she screams and hisses like an animal as they manhandle her, but once she's brought to her knees, it's as if her legs become impossibly heavy and just lock into place. the men are able to step away a moment later, and she doesn't go anywhere.

continuing to struggle, rocking back and forth against what invisible reason keeps her in that spot, the commotion continues... until a robed man steps up from behind her and rests a gentle hand down on the top of her head.

all at once, the screaming stops. her jaw falls open, slack, as her head lolls back against the man's hand. the tension leaves her entire frame, but her eyes are still wide. and if Robin has ever caught Coil performing any of his secretive magic, there is the same sort of off-colored grey light beginning to emanate from where the man's hand meets the woman's head.

and as the captive woman falls silent, the chanting fills the space and grows. those who had been yawning in the back of the room are now focused. the voices rise up, and some of them close their eyes in reverent concentration.

Coil's eyes, however, are still glued forward and watching. and the little girl beside him smiles, as the captive woman's face begins to harden into ash.]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[...that would be a no, then.

he grabs as many details as he can, just from looking and smelling and hearing. it's old habit. he'd really rather not watch, but this is the kind of thing where little details are often the only things that keep him ahead. it isn't until the woman's face begins to change that he finally decides he's seen enough, and promptly shoves the heavy door back into its frame.

he looks back at Coil after that, of course. what was it the boy told him, years ago, now. that he'd failed his family? that family?]

[mortalcoil]

[yes, that family... and here he is struggling to light the candles again.

it's still important enough to him to keep those little unholy flames burning.]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[oy. if only religion and magic were subjects with clear-cut morals.

whatever his opinions are, he sees Coil trying to get those candles lit again, and something about the situation prompts him to help. he walks over, draws a circle with his finger against his own palm, and a little flame lights up at his fingertips.]

Here. [at the very least, he's a little sorry for making these candles go out in the first place, so he'll attempt to be of help in getting them lit again.]

[mortalcoil]

[unfortunately, whatever pall is cast over this space, it's quick to smother out foreign magics. knowing Coil, this place is probably covered in smothering runes.

Coil at least sees the attempt, though. he's probably grateful.

if Robin's going to help, he's going to have to do it the old fashioned way.]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Ah-- [he actually flicks his fingers a couple of times, as if they were just a lighter that's not sparking.] Really?

[way to knock the wind out of his sails--his shoulders slump, with a sigh.]

Okay, whatever. Pretend it was cool.

[he'll find some way to help the old-fashioned way. boo.]