Threads of Magic and Memory

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Adisa huddles in her tent, sleeping through the thunder, rain, and lightning that never seem to leave this nameless land between nations. Part of her mind traces the threads of magic hanging in the air, ready to be plucked and played. A voice awakens her, speaking to her mind from beyond this world. "Adisa," it says. "You've no time for sleep." And just like that, Adisa awakens. She looks at the sky: gray and bleak. Through the rain-haze, she can see a high shadow piercing the clouds. (link: "She'll be there by nightfall")[The rain stops by the time Adisa reaches the Tower. She'd felt its magic for miles, threads weaving thick through air and grass and mud, bending streams back on themselves and softening rocks. The door stands open, a sign carved above wtih black shapes that echo without being read: "There is no purity but in a mind scoured bare." Adisa feels a subtle unraveling in her mind, as though seeing her past through a glass of wine. It's the only warning this place gives. For most, it's enough. (link: "Adisa checks her bag")[Adisa kept little from her old life: ===| A sword, sharpened down to half its width. Who knows how long it'll last? A firestarter, etched with a name she hadn't heard in years. A knife, slender and delicate. |==| [[Enter->chamber 1]]]]

(if: $flg's "firstChamberIntro")[There's footprints and a feather on the floor. A simple door with two keyholes blocks Adisa's path. Two passages lay on either wall: the left is straight and clear, the other is topped with a faded sign.](else:)[The room is simple, like any other dungeon. Four walls, all stone. Cold and murky. But the Tower's magic still winds through the air, bending it like hot glass. A simple wooden door stands in front of Adisa, keyholes carved into the wall on either side. She knocks and it pushes back. The first test, then. Looking around, there are two passages, one on either wall. The left is straight and clear, the other winding with a faded sign above its arch. She's not the only one here. The floor is scuffed with bootprints and a feather (fresh or preserved) lays near the door with the sign. The door she came from is gone. (set: $flg's "firstChamberIntro" to true)] (link: "Check the simple door")[The door is simple. Wooden. Magic drifts from it, making Adisa feel as though she's being lightly pushed away. (if: $flg's "chamberOneHasKey" is true and $flg's "chamberOneLeftClear" is true)[There's a key jammed into one of the keyholes, already turned. Along with Atticus' key, that should be enough to [[unlock the door.->chamber 1 bridge]] ](else-if: $flg's "chamberOneLeftClear" is true)[A key is stuck in one of the keyholes, already turned. Adisa tries to remove it, but it doesn't budge. ](else-if: $flg's "chamberOneHasKey" is true)[Atticus's key probably fits in one of the keyholes. Now, she just needs to find the other. ](else:)[There's still something missing. Best to check the other rooms. ]] [[Go through the straight door->chamber 1 left]] [[Go through the door with the sign->first chamber right]]

(if: $flg's "chamberOneLeftClear" is true)[Adisa looks at the iron gate, hanging limp in the tunnel. There's nothing left there worth risking getting locked inside. [[Back->chamber 1]]](else:)[Adisa smells something familiar in the tunnel: lavender. Her daughter—the first—loved it. The second couldn't love anything. The memory distracted Adisa, kept her from noticing the trap until she heard it snap. She leapt forward and a gate crashed down behind her. She couldn't let it lock! |hand>[Adisa's hand shot to her(if: $inv contains "knife")[... (link: " knife!")[(replace: ?hand)[](show: ?knife)] ](link: " sword!")[(replace: ?hand)[](show: ?sword)]]|knife)[Adisa jams the knife under the gate, wedging it between the stone. She heaves and hears something snap within the walls. The gate goes limp. She must've broken its drop mechanism before it could lock. She lifts and drops it a couple of times, ensuring that she'll be able to return. (link: "Onward")[(show: ?room)]]|sword)[Adisa jams the sword under the gate and heaves. Something snaps up from her sword and she pushes harder. The gate's mechanism breaks just as her sword shatters with a short, tinny sound. She looks at its broken hilt and tests the gate with her foot, making sure it moves. "Damn." (link: "On to the room")[(show: ?room)](set: $inv to $inv - (ds: "sword"))]|room)[Adisa blinks, reaches out for threads of magic, expecting to clear away the delusion. No use: this is real. She stands in a bedroom covered in pink sheets faded almost to white, a few flakes of cream paint along the walls and desk. The room has been ransacked. Bootprints cover the clothes strewn about the floor. Whatever there was to find in this room is long gone. Adisa takes a look at the desk. A portrait of a young girl sits in a frame, preserved by a magic that winds through the air round it. *Immortality by other means*, thinks Adisa, with shame and anger. *A pursuit best left alone*. [[Back to the Main Room->chamber 1]] (set: $flg's "chamberOneLeftClear" to true)]]

(if: $flg's "chamberOneHasKey" is true)[The library seems thin without Atticus. Empty books sit on their shelves, lifeless. There's nothing else here. [[Back to the main chamber->chamber 1]]](else-if: $flg's "chamberOneRightTestSeen" is true)[(goto: "chamber 1 right test")](else:)[Adisa walks into a small, overstuffed library and spots someone at the shelves, looking through the books. For a moment, Adisa thinks him a massive bird: he wears a ragged cloak of black feathers that stretch to the ground and his fingers are long and bony. He turns to Adisa with beady eyes that hold *something* reminiscent of humanity. Madness, maybe. Or wisdom. The mind of an animal is too pure for either. Adisa draws her sword. "You won't be needing that unless you make a habit of skewering old men," he says. Then, holds out his hand. "Atticus Wren." |choice1>[(if: $flg's "chamberOneLeftClear" is true)[(link-reveal: "\"Did you ransack the other room?\"")[ Atticus raises an eyebrow. "Not me, I'm afraid," he says. "Wasn't interested in that trap, there. Places like these suit me much better. Now, could you please put that thing away? ] ](link: "Sheathe your sword")[(show: ?sheathe)(replace: ?choice1)[]] (link: "Keep it drawn")[(show: ?drawn)(replace: ?choice1)[]]]|sheathe)[Atticus breathes a sigh of relief. "Sensible. What brings you to this place?" Adisa thinks about her answer. About her daughter. Atticus spots something on her face. "Ah, I see," he says. "A shame. I was hoping for a kindred spirit." (link-reveal: '"Why are you here?"')[ "Trying to use this place for its original intent," he said. "To tear away all the lies. A rare goal, these days. That door's in the way, though..." Atticus fumbles at his feather-coat, eventually pulling a pipe. He fumbles again, then frowns. "Lost my light, it seems. Would you happen to have one?" |choice2>[(link: "Light his pipe")[(show: ?light)(replace: ?choice2)[]] (link: "Shake your head")[(show: ?noLight)(replace: ?choice2)[]]]|light)[Atticus takes a few puffs, his mouth puckering at the taste.(set: $flg's "litPipe" to true) "Friendlier than I expected," he says. "Strange for someone coming here." Adisa shrugs. "Doesn't cost me anything." "True," he says, "But it can certainly reward you. **Are you looking for the keys?**(show: ?pretest)]|noLight)["No offense meant," Adisa says. "But my firestarter won't last forever. I can't afford to waste it."(set: $flg's "noLitPipe" to true) Atticus raises an eyebrow and scoffs. "You're right, you're right," he says. "It's a bad habit, anyway. I assume you're looking for the keys?(show: ?pretest)]]]|drawn)[Atticus stares at the blade, shrugs, then laughs.(set: $flg's "keptBladeDrawn" to true) "And they call *me* mad. Do I really look like a threat?" "Even an old man can use poison. Or spells." "I can use both, in fact. But I won't. I haven't come here to fight." Adisa looks the man over. Some sort of distortion surrounds him, though she can't place its source. (link-reveal: '"What are you doing here?"')[ "Why should I answer you?" he says. "I don't even know your name, and you've been pointing a sword at me since the moment we met." "I'm Adisa. And some would say the sword's a great reason to answer. Start talking." Atticus cackles, sharp and bird-like. "More fond of the stick than the carrot, I see. I'll remember that. I'm here seeking enlightenment." Adisa scowled. The last person who told her he was searching for "enlightenment" did so over a city he'd ruled and put to flame. "Here? I think you've found the wrong place." "I think I've found the *only* place. And, if you're here, I imagine our goals point us in the same direction." "The way is blocked, unfortunately," Adisa says. "I'm looking for the keys." "I figured as much.(show: ?pretest)]]|pretest)[ I'm looking for one in here, myself. Apparently there's some sort of riddle. A way for the builders to test a visitor's worth." [["Whats the riddle?"->chamber 1 right test]]]]

{(set: $books to (dm: "A Dragon Burning Bright", "Adisa flips through the pages, finding nothing but brilliant illustrations. \"Dragons? Romantic imagery. I never got tired of them.\"(show: ?again)", "The Voicelessness of Children", "Adisa shakes the book violently, and nothing but dust comes out. \"An answer close to home, perhaps?\" Atticus asks.(show: ?again)", "The Blood of the River", "The book is empty. \"Rivers of blood,\" Atticus says. \"Violent image, `don't` you think?\"(show: ?again)", "A Butterfly, Caught", "There's nothing inside the book. \"Would've been my first guess, too,\" Atticus says, shaking his head.(show: ?again)", "The Winds of the East", "Adisa opens the book and the key falls out. She snatches it before it hits the ground.(set: $chamberOneHasKey to true)(show: ?correct)", )) }|core>[(if: $flg's "chamberOneRightTestSeen" is false)["Well, the key will be in one of those books," Atticus says, pointing at the bookshelf. "Pull them all down until you find it, then." "Funny that: I tried. I forgot which books I'd checked and, when I looked away, they found their way back onto the shelf. I did, however, find a slip of paper on the desk. A clue." Atticus hands the note to Adisa.](else:)["Ah, you're back," Atticus says, a shine in his eyes. "Here's the riddle..."] ===| Voiceless it cries Wingless flutters Toothless bites Mouthless mutters |==| Adisa (if: $flg's "chamberOneRightTestSeen" is false)[nods, repeats the poem in her head. Then, ]eyes a few books on the shelf. |book>[]|choice>[(for: each _book, ...(shuffled: ...(datanames: $books)))[(link: _book)[(replace: ?choice)[](replace: ?book)[**_book** (print: $books's (_book)) ]] ] ]|again)[(link: "Look in another book")[(replace: ?core)[(display: "chamber 1 right test")]] ]|think>[(link: "\"Let me think about it.\"")[(set: $flg's "chamberOneRightTestSeen" to true)(replace: ?again)[](replace: ?choice)["Let me think about it." "Take your time, my friend," Atticus says, pulling a book from a shelf. "I have plenty to keep me occupied. I'll forget the damn thing when I put it down, anyway." [[Back to the main room->chamber 1]] ]]]|correct)[(replace: ?think)[]"Nice catch," Atticus says. (if: $flg's litPipe is true)[(if: $inv contains "sword")["I imagine that will help." "It will. Thank you." He moves to leave the room... then stops. "Say, I know it's much to ask, but would you happen to have a knife? An old man like me can feel defenseless in a place like this. And with that sword, I don't see you needing that knife, much." |choice2>[(link: "Give him the knife")[(show: ?give)(replace: ?choice2)[]] (link: "Don't give him the knife")[(show: ?keep)(replace: ?choice2)[]]]|give)[Atticus smiles and his wild look seems to fade. Adisa forgets about his talon-like fingers, his cloak of feathers. "Simple tool, with many uses," he says. "You're a kind soul. I hope I can reward you for catering to my paranoia." "It's not paranoia. The world's a dangerous place." Adisa knew that better than most; the stronger she became, the more fragile she realized everyone was. "That it is. Stay safe, Adisa." With that, Atticus leaves. Adisa looks at the ground. His footsteps don't match the bootprints from the entryway. [[Back to the main chamber->chamber 1]](set: $flg's "chamberOneHasKey" to true) (set: $inv to $inv - (ds: "knife")) (replace: ?keep)[]]|keep)["You won't find much use in it, I'm afraid," Adisa says. "It's a tool, not a weapon. Besides: I doubt you made it here unarmed." Atticus laughs. "Not a fool, are you? Good to know. I wish you luck, Adisa. It's the one thing wits can't replace." "You as well, Atticus," she says. He turns to leave. It takes a moment, but Adisa notices his bootprints don't match the ones from the entryway. [[Back to the main chamber->chamber 1]](set: $flg's "chamberOneHasKey" to true) (replace: ?give)[] ]](else:)["I hope that helps," Atticus says. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to investigate a few other things before you open that door." Adisa looks at the floor after he leaves. His bootprints don't match the ones from the entryway. [[Back to the main chamber->chamber 1]](set: $flg's "chamberOneHasKey" to true)]](else:)["But, your personality will need some work if you're to make it all the way through this place." [[Back to the main room|chamber 1]](set: $flg's "chamberOneHasKey" to true)]]]

For Atticus, you should make it so you find his pipe abandoned if you don't light it. Or maybe even if you do. Making it clear that it was a test. Also, maybe collect his feathers? Perhaps Atticus asks to borrow the sword. If you let him do so, he'll give it back later, but your knife will break when you defend yourself from a trap (the sword wouldn't have broken). Or you'll get hurt. Either way, he'll heal you up or give you a new knife. Nope, Atticus asks to borrow the knife and it's the sword that breaks. After, he'll give you a shiny new one. You need a way to go from the first chamber back to atticus's test.

Adisa inserts the key and twists. There's a brief pause as the magic around the door fades... then, it begins to fold in on itself, wood screeching as it tears in half, those pieces folding and doing the same, over and over. Eventually, the wood disappears and Adisa looks at a stairway. She can't tell whether it leads up or down. (link: "Climb, whichever way it goes.")[Adisa feels strange as she moves, like warm water is flowing against her skin and gently passing through her skull. She forgets why she's here for a moment and tries to lean into the sensation, to hurry it along. She focuses on her memories: her first daughter, who'd raised a sword against her, and the second, who'd never made any choices at all. The waters coil 'round these thoughts and muddle their memory, like a story once heard in passing. Then, Adisa's foot hits solid ground and the sensation stops. Some memories are missing, but the worst are still there. Scars, unwilling to heal. [[She walks onward, into the light.->chamber 2]]]

Chamber 1: Simple 1->2 Bridge: Adisa suffers from the scar of the spell cast to bring her daughter back, and hears the voice, again. Chamber 2: The Living Garden, has 2 or three paths, one will be super short, necessary to open the other two, and will take some of her memories. Or it's where we meet the third character. MC 2: Adisa remembers how her second daughter seemed to love these plants, and remembers one or two she used to bring back. Chamber 3: The Energy Room/Gears. Bare inner workings like clockwork, interspersed by emptiness. Has two rooms, maybe.

(if: $flg's "seenChamber2Gate" is true)[The scent of green life is still strong. Adisa's eye is drawn to the tree in the middle of her cage and the mysterious breadth of the man-made wilderness beyond the door.](else:)[The scents of pollen and grass suffuse the air, thick enough to touch. Little spots of yellow drift down and brighten Adisa's skin. She's stepped into a garden. A big one. Her view is blocked by the iron bars of her caged walkway and thick, glossy leaves the size of her body, but she can see its endless sky, tinted the sage of a greenhouse or jungle canopy. She walks forward into a round cage, centered around a tree in a stone basin, its branches stretching through the bars. A locked gate leads to the wider garden, while a caged walkway leads around a bend in the trees. Some sort of pipes run from it to the locked door. (set: $flg's "seenChamber2Gate" to true)] [[Through the gated walkway->chamber 2 lock room]] (if: $flg's "chamber2Unlock" is true)[[[The door forward is unlocked->chamber 2 main]]]

(if: $flg's "clearedChamber2LockRoom" is true)[The waters surrounding the inlet seem slow and the ferns hang limp. Even the etchings in the pillar have faded, the keyhole like an old crack. There's nothing else of value, here. [[Turn back->chamber 2]]](else:)[The walkway leads to a narrow inlet surrounded by a slow-flowing fountain stream overrun with ferns. In the middle of the stream is a pillar covered in inscriptions etched by the encroaching moss. Adisa can't read the writing, but she can feel its meaning. Pipes run from the pillar and out of sight in all directions. A stone wheel juts from its center. Some kind of lever, with an iron key protruding from a slot in its side. (link: "Turn the lever")[Adisa turns the lever and the pipes hiss and screech. She hears a click as the key pops out and clatters to the stones by the entrance. But, before Adisa can turn to grab the key, she hears a familiar voice. (if: $inv contains "sword")[She draws her sword and spins.](else-if: $inv contains "knife")[She draws her knife and spins.](else:)[She spins, readies for a fight.] A man stands there, holding the key. "You finally made it," he says. "Veos." "Did you think you could come here and pillage this place all for yourself?"(set: $flg's "chamber2Unlock" to true) (link: "Respond")["You've no idea why I'm here," she says, walking towards the gate. "Go home." "I can't. Door shut behind me, same as you. Now—" Veos puts a hand on his sword and holds up the key. Adisa goes still. "This looks important," he says. "You won't abandon me, this time." "Give me the key, boy." "Do *not* treat me like a child," he snaps. "I am not your apprentice, anymore!" Then, calmly: "and if you want it, come find me." With that, he jumps atop the walkway and disappears. [[Back to the room->chamber 2]](set: $flg's "clearedChamber2LockRoom" to true)]]]

(if: $flg's "seenChamber2" is true)[This spot is just as vibrant as it was, before. Stone planters, verdant plants, and a sage-colored sky scattered with copper pipes. Vines lead up to the railing(if: $flg's "chessboardDone" is false)[ where Veos ran,] and a path off to the side leads to the sound of water. Ahead, in the distance, is a standing stone pincushioned by pipes.](else:)[The sage-colored sky stretches on without end, scattered with pipes running every which way. Plant-filled stone basins outline myriad paths, some blocked by overgrowth. Every color is clear and strong; the deep gray-blue of the stone, the coffee tint of the earth, the vibrant green of the leaves. It looks more like a painting than real life. Adisa dashes into the garden, ignoring questions about how this place fits in the Tower. Far ahead is a door, set in a standing stone. The pipes in the sky run straight into it, tracing back along two different paths. One rounds a bend towards the sound of water. The other climbs a set of vines to a wide balcony, where Adisa can see Veos's back fading over the railing.(set: $flg's "seenChamber2" to true)] (if: $flg's "chessboardDone" is false)[[[Chase Veos!->chessboard]]](else:)[[[Go to the chessboard->chessboard]]] [[Go towards the water->lake intro]] [[Go to the door->door to chamber 3]]

(if: $flg's "seenChessboard" is true)[The statues stand still and quiet, a static game of chess. With the pillar active, the grass and moss seem lifeless, the marble squares dull. Veos is nowhere to be seen, and Adisa fights at her memories before turning [[back to the railing.->chamber 2 main]]](else:)[Adisa climbs the vines and hops the railing, finding herself atop a chessboard with squares of pristine grass and shining marble. Massive statues of game-pieces are scattered all about, too much for a real game. Veos stands in the middle, sword drawn. Behind him is a pillar like the one from earlier, carved like the chessboard's queen. Veos smiles and slips the key into his breast pocket. "Give me the key and leave, Veos," Adisa says. "Not a chance. You're going to fight me. I'm going to prove it was a mistake to abandon me." Adisa shakes her head and thinks. (set: $flg's "seenChessboard" to true) |choices1>[(link-show: "Dodge into the chesspieces", ?dodge) (if: $inv contains "knife" or $inv contains "sword" or $inv contains "good-sword")[(link-show: "Rush him!", ?rush) ](link-show: "Taunt him, let him come to you", ?taunt) ]|dodge)[Adisa dashes sideways and weaves through the chessmen, Veos close behind. She keeps her footsteps silent, focuses on analyzing his patterns. Soon enough, she breaks his line of sight and comes up behind him. Her shoulder brushes by the thick vines hanging from the chesspiece at her side. They look strong, but Veos also doesn't seem to see her... |trap>[(replace: ?choices1)[](link: "Blow your cover, lure him and try for a trap")["Veos!" Adisa yells. Veos spins and rushes her. Adisa dodges his swing and grabs a handful of vines, coiling them around Veos and his sword arm. He struggles and she slugs him in the gut, then smacks his head into the statue. He pulls a knife and scores a cut in her thigh, but Adisa kicks the weapon from his hand and tugs on the vines, pulling them taut against the stone. Veos struggles: trapped, fuming, and red-faced. "Too quick to act, Veos," Adisa says. "And not quick enough to think. That was always your problem." "Is that why you left me behind?" Adisa smiles and calmly takes the key from Veos's pocket. "If it helps you feel better and ends this foolishness, then yes. I'm leaving." "Your daughter was right to turn on you!" Veos yells. Adisa stops midstep. "And the other?" he continues. "Call it lucky that it was a stillborn—" Adisa spins and catches Veos across the jaw, knocking him cold. She *almost* feels bad about it, remembering the farm boy she'd picked up. A way of making up for the war that destroyed his home. A war she started. Then, silently, she [[walks to the pillar->chessboard pillar]].(set: $flg's "veosInjuredPride" to true, $flg's "gotCut" to true)(replace: ?attack)[]] ]|attack>[(link: "Attack him from behind!")[(show: ?rush)(replace: ?trap)[]]](set: $flg's "dodged" to true)]|rush)[(replace: ?choices1)[](if: $flg's "dodged" is true)[Just as soon as Adisa steps forward, Veos spins, sword at the ready. *Of course. He was always quick.* ](else:)[Adisa rushes forward and Veos readies his sword. ]Veos might be fast, but he was never the best at managing his range, whether it be too far or too close... |weaponChoice>[(if: $inv contains "knife")[(link: "Adisa pulls her knife")[(show: ?knife)] ](if: $inv contains "good-sword")[(link: "Adisa grabs her new sword")[(show: ?sword2)] ](else-if: $inv contains "sword")[(link: "Adisa pulls her sword")[(show: ?sword1)]](else-if: not ($inv contains "knife"))[Adisa tightens her gloves and rushes forward, slapping Veos's thrust away with the flat of her palm before crashing her knuckles across his face. He stumbles, then snaps back with blood seeping out of the bridge of his nose, dropping his sword and pulling his knife. Adisa grabs his wrist and twists, forcing the knife out of his hand before slamming her head into his mouth. Then, his foot whips up into her gut, knocking her to the ground. She stumbles back and dodges his next kick, then spins and backhands him in the jaw. She notices it as he backs up—the threads of magic moving around him. Adisa jumps back as Veos gives a hard yank and two of the statues fall between them, blocking Adisa's way. He's gone by the time the dust clears. "Damn," Adisa says, cracking her knuckles. "Guess he's learned to fight a little better." [[Go around->chessboard pillar lost]]]]|knife)[(replace: ?weaponChoice)[]Adisa pulls her knife and rushes forward, deflecting Veos's thrust with the flat of her blade and whipping it across his face. He snaps back with a thin line of red across the bridge of his nose, then drops his sword and pulls his own knife. Adisa swats it away and swings at him. Then, his foot whips up into her gut, knocking her to the ground. She stumbles back and dodges his next kick, then spins and backhands him in the jaw. She notices it as he backs up—the threads of magic moving around him. Adisa jumps back as Veos gives a hard yank and two of the statues fall between them, blocking Adisa's way. He's gone by the time the dust clears. "Damn," Adisa says. "Guess he's learned to fight a little better." [[Go around->chessboard pillar lost]]]|sword1)[(replace: ?weaponChoice)[]Adisa tears her sword free and swings. Veos deflects it with ease and dashes in close. *Fool*, Adisa thinks. *His sword is longer than mine*. She smacks her pommel between his eyes and swings at his leg. He jumps back and starts a flurry of attacks, Adisa blocking each one. Then, a chip flies from Adisa's blade. Veos drives in hard with the next strike, and her sword shatters. Veos rests his blade at her neck. "I win this round, master," he says. "Now stay here while I take whatever there is to take at that pillar." Adisa keeps her hands raised and lets him go. He should have taken the chance to kill her. (set: $inv to $inv - (ds: "sword")) [[Next->chessboard pillar lost]]]|sword2)[(replace: ?weaponChoice)[]Adisa tests her new sword. Its weight is right in her hand. Reassuring. She dashes forward and brings it down on Veos, and he swats the strike away. Adisa steps inside of Veos's range and presses close, turning the extra few inches on his sword to lead weights. Veos blocks the first few strikes but starts to fumble. Soon enough, she swats the sword from his hand with a heavy blow. Veos stumbles back and falls, panting. For a moment, Adisa sees the fearful face of the farmhand she'd taken in after the war. Her way of making up for a war she'd started. "Damn you," Veos says. "Damn yourself, boy," Adisa says, kicking his weapon away and leveling her sword at his neck. She motions towards his pocket and, hestitantly, he throws the key at her. Both are silent, for a time. Once more, Adisa sees the farmhand on Veos's face. "There might be a way out," Adisa says. "If you work hard enough to find one. Do me a favor: put your strength to leaving this place." "What, so you can follow me out? I'm no squire." Adisa looks at Veos for a tense moment. Then: "I've no plans of leaving here, Veos. Go home." [[Next->chessboard pillar]] (set: $flg's "veosInjuredPride" to true)]]|taunt)[(replace: ?choices1)[]"You couldn't beat my daughter and yet you think to fight me?" Adisa laughs. "Go home, boy. You were better as a farmhand." Veos screams and runs at Adisa. She (if: $inv contains "knife" or $inv contains "sword" or $inv contains "good-sword")[doesn't bother pulling a weapon; she swats his aside](else:)[dodges his swing] and slams him into the railing before kicking his stomach and pulling the key from his shirt. He pushes back, grips the railing... and back-flips over, dropping to the other side. "You've gotten slower," he says. Adisa feels a sting in her side and touches it. The wound is shallow, but long. "The key's a small price to pay for that little test," Veos says. "You'll need to be faster if you hope to reach the end before me." He hangs around for a second or two, as though expecting a response. Adisa had seen a hundred boys like him, left homeless by a war she started. She wasn't sure what made him so different to her, back then. Her mind drifts back to the present as he leaves. Adisa presses a hand against her side and clutches the key, then turns to the [[pillar.->chessboard pillar]] (set: $flg's "gotCut" to true)]]

(if: $flg's "seenLake" is true)[The lake stands still, the island a pockmark in its surface. With its magic gone, all of it seems smaller. Less alive. Adisa can no longer smell that caustic scent from before. Atticus fiddles with something on the island, out of sight. [[Back->chamber 2 main]]] (else:)[(set: $flg's "seenLake" to true)Adisa winds through the jungle path. (if: $flg's "chessboardDone" is false)[Veos can wait. ] Before she knows it, she's staring at a lake in the middle of the jungle. The plants are cut back along its shore and the water is clear, almost invisible... but it gives off a caustic, sharp scent. An island stands in the middle of the lake, with a pillar stretching skyward and copper pipes scattering off it like branches. Stones surround the pillar and a familiar figure in a feather cloak fiddles with one, his back to Adisa. A small boat sits near him. Looking around, Adisa sees two other, longer ways to the island; a wooden bridge and a side path in the distance. (link: "Ask Atticus about the boat")[Atticus doesn't hear her. She'll have to try something else. ] [[Take the wooden bridge->wooden bridge]] [[Take the long way around->side path]]]

Adisa approaches the pillar in the center of the board, in the shape of the Queen. It's much larger than the others, threads of magic flowing from its runes. It's a magic of memory, and she allows it to pull at her mind, hoping that it will unravel her burdens. It doesn't. It forces the memories and she struggles. Remembers Veos as a boy, his fear on facing her first daughter, the scars he bore from his loss. His pained look when she left him behind, the sympathy when he returned and heard about the stillbirth, the anger when she told him to leave and not come back. She couldn't ever let him know what she'd done to bring that child back. Adisa shook her head and activated the pillar, silencing its magic. A jewel shone in the center of the wheel and she took it. This couldn't be over quick enough. [[Back to the main room.->chamber 2 main]](set: $inv to $inv + (ds: "queen jewel"))(set: $flg's "chessboardDone" to true)

The Queen pillar is much larger than the others, magic flowing from its runes. It's a magic of memory, though its threads hang loose from whatever Veos did. Still, it tugs at her mind, and she sees her first days training with the boy, how horribly he lost to her daughter and his drive to prove himself, after. The look of pain on his face when she told him to leave that last time, after her second child, fearful of what he might learn... Adisa shakes her head. No use dwelling on that, now. [[Back to the main chamber->chamber 2 main]](set: $flg's "chessboardDone" to true)

The bridge is noisy, but firm. That caustic reek is sharper from above, almost as sweet as hot, spiced liqour. Atticus hears Adisa's footsteps and jolts from what he was doing. (if: $flg's "litPipe" is true)["Ah, good to see you, Adisa!" he says.](else:)["Well, hello again," he says.] Adisa's eyes drift to the stone near Atticus. She feels a bit of residual magic. Unfamiliar, more like a deep bend than Threadwork. (if: $flg's "gotCut" is true)[Atticus looks at Adisa's side. "Had an accident, I see?"|respond>[ [["Had a run-in with an old acquaintance"->mention veos]] ]](link-reveal: "\"Haven't activated the pillar, yet?\"")[ "These inscriptions are quite interesting," Atticus says, looking back at his stone.(replace: ?respond)[ ] "I can't read the language," Adisa says. She feels faded magic coming from the gibberish script. "It's an old tongue," Atticus says. But, the script *does* look familiar, like the shapes she saw on her stillborn daughter... [["What does it say?"->pillar inscription]]] [["What were you working on?"->asked about work]]

(set: $sawAtticusMagic to true)Adisa comes up behind Atticus, ignoring the sweet-liquor scent of the lake. The rock Atticus is looking at, the very world around it, seems to bend and warp, transforming or losing some part of itself. Adisa had *never* seen magic like that before. Then Atticus's head snaps up, eyes wild. (if: $flg's "litPipe" is true)["Ah, Adisa," he says, forcing a smile. "My apologies, I didn't see you, there."](else:)["Sneaking up on old men is less than admirable, you know," he says. Adisa stares at him. Whatever he was working was strong, but it wasn't worth starting a fight.](if: $flg's "gotCut" is true)[Then, he takes a quick look at Adisa's side. "Had an accident, I see?"] (if: $flg's "gotCut" is true)[[["Had a run-in with an old acquaintance."->mention veos]] ](if: $flg's "litPipe" is true)[[["What were you doing there?"->asked about magic]]](else:)[[["What are you working on?"->asked about work]]]

"Ah, the angry young man," Atticus says. "He seems to have quite a grudge against you." "You met him?" "Briefly. I'm rather hard to catch. And not worth the effort, it seems." "He was an old pupil of mine," Adisa says. "I left him for personal reasons and he took it personally." "Just a boy, then." "Careful," Adisa says. "He's strong. There's a reason I trained him." Atticus eyes her. "I'll remember that. Take a look at these inscriptions." [["What do they say?"->pillar inscription]](set: $flg's "veosWarned" to true)

"Just indulging some idle curiosity," he says. Adisa folds her arms and stares him down. "I don't believe you." He smiles. "You can't prove otherwise though, can you?" (if: $flg's "litPipe" is true)[Adisa smiles, despite herself. "I suppose not."](else:)["Hmmph. Keep your secrets, I suppose. So long as they don't get in my way."] "I suppose I'll give you the same warning. You should read these inscriptions, by the way." [["What do they say?"->pillar inscription]]

(set: $flg's "atticusMotivation" to true)"What in the hell was that?" Adisa asks. She's on-guard, ready to fight, fingers searching for the waves of inactive magic surrounding her. She could return a spell once or twice, easy. "Were we to fight, that wouldn't help you," Atticus says. "Besides, it's not a fighting kind of magic." "Then what is it?" Atticus smiles. "*True* magic," he says. "The kind that allows us to change things instead of playing with them." (link-reveal: "\"How?\"")[ "By breaking yourself of all you've learned," Atticus says. Then, he laughs, high and birdlike. "Some say I'm halfway there." "That's why you're here, isn't it? To strip yourself of... everything? How do you plan to use any magic when you've torn away the rest of your mind?" "How do you plan to use your peace when you've done the same?" Adisa snapped straight. "You don't know me." "You're right. I don't. But we aren't enemies. And what I seek is enlightenment, not power." Atticus gestures to the inscription on the stone. [["What do they say?"->pillar inscription]]]

"I'll give you the short version: it's the reason the makers created this garden. More attempts at enlightenment. They hoped that returning to nature—even artificial nature—would help strip away their learned assumptions about the world. A common mistake." "Sounds like a pointless venture," Adisa says. "Just an attempt to solve their problems by retreating within themselves." "What would you have them do, then?" "Change things. That's the role of those with power, isn't it?" Atticus stares Adisa down for a few moments. "A dangerous position to take, I think. Most are... indiscriminate about the changes they make with their power." Adisa looks away. She'd made that mistake herself, more than once. *Still; better that, than doing nothing*. Adisa looks at the wheel embedded in the pillar. (link: "Turn the wheel")[Adisa turns the wheel and, suddenly, feels all the magic leave this place. Years of built-up energy held in stasis all floods out at once. "Quite a sensation," Atticus says. "I suppose you'll be moving on? I'd like to look at these a while longer." (unless: $inv contains "sword" or "knife")[Then, he stops. "What happened to your sword?" "It broke," Adisa says. "Trying to deal with that trap upstairs. Downstairs? No matter." "My apologies," Atticus says. "Perhaps your knife might've fared better. Though... I did find something you might like." (link: "\"What did you find?\"")["What did you find?" Atticus disappears around one of the stones for a brief moment, then comes back with a sheathed sword. He passes it to Adisa and she pulls it free. It's longer than she's used to, but she tests its threads, feels the hum of powerful steel: a comfortable weight in her hand. "Payment for being so kind," Atticus says. "Thank you, Atticus," Adisa says, putting the weapon on her belt. "Are you comfortable, here?" "Until the next door opens, I doubt I'll be comfortable anywhere else," he says. "Good luck." [[Back to the main chamber->chamber 2 main]] (set: $inv to $inv + (ds: "good-sword"))]] (else:)[[[Back to the main chamber->chamber 2 main]]](set: $inv to $inv + (ds: "lake-jewel"))(set: $flg's "lakeDone" to true)]

Up close, the standing stone is massive, peppered with too many pipes to count.(if: $flg's "lakeDone" is true or $flg's "chessboardDone" is true)[ Some whistle, and Adisa feels a thick threads of magic weaving through the air, easy to touch.] The door sits in the center of the stone, leaning backwards into the rock. Adisa touches it; it's devoid of magic. A wheel juts out, the same material as the pipes. (if: $flg's "lakeDone" is true and $flg's "chessboardDone" is true)[The wheel is free of rust and looks ready to turn.](else-if: $flg's "lakeDone" is true or $flg's "chessboardDone" is true)[The pipes whistle above but the wheel looks sturdy, fused in place. There's still more to do.](else:)[The door, the wheel, the pipes; all of them look dead and fossilized, a single piece of carved stone.] (if: $flg's "lakeDone" is true and $flg's "chessboardDone" is true)[(link: "Open the door")[Adisa grips the wheel and turns it. It moves more easily than any of the others and continues to spin after she lets go. The pipes scream and Adisa feels energy flowing through them, smells that caustic alcohol scent. Then, the stone door dissolves. Behind it is a tunnel that goes as far as the eye can see. Adisa glances around the other side of the stone, then back at the doorway. The stone isn't deep, yet the path in front of her seems flat.(replace: ?back)[] (link: "Go Inside")[Things begin to fade from Adisa's mind. She feels waves gently catch the detritus atop her thoughts and carry it away to dissolve among the Tower's threads. Her mind clears and the area around her becomes sharp and distinct, as though every glance is her first. She leans into it, trying to pull *those* memories to the top: a traitorous daughter, another dead before its first breath, what she did to bring it back and the look in its eyes... But those were rooted down to the bedrock, and the waves broke against their shores. Adisa opens her eyes, blinking at the bright light. The hallway she's walked through is gone. She looks around, trying to remember why she's here. (link: "Finally, she gains her bearings")[Adisa hears a clicking noise, a massive sound that could fill canyons. She's standing atop a platform in the midst of an endless plain. Why is she here, again? Adisa struggles to remember and it comes back to her all at once. She looks around. Blinks. The clicking noise is coming from massive mechanical looms, thousands of them, their gears intertwined, their teeth catching and weaving the threads of magic that lay so thick they light the air. (link: "Move forward")[The looms shift as Adisa walks. Some drift closer. She reaches the edge of her platform and sees a sea of threads underneath, caught in millions of gears. Then, the threads around her leap. They connect to the edge of her platform and weave together, forming a bridge. Adisa walks along it as it forms. Eventually she comes to a second platform, immersed in a haze. The threads weave all about her, forming something familiar. More than familiar. She remembers this place: the mountains, the dry sky, the desolate earth that drank up the blood of the people she'd carved through, the army that'd once been hers. Her daughter stands there, sword drawn: the one they made together. [[She looks ready to fight.->daughter talk]]]]]] ]|back>[[[Back to the main chamber->chamber 2 main]]]

There's little talk. They'd talked more than enough, and less than they should have. Adisa readies to fight and her daughter tells the army to clear out. Adisa sees the look in her eye: the hate, the envy, the lust for power. (if: $flg's "gotCut" is true)[She twitches at the cut along her ribs, trying to remember when it got there.] For a flash, Adisa remembers the platform under her feet, hears the relentless clicking of the looms. She shakes her head, wonders whether she should listen closer, whether this is a test, whether this is real. But ahead of her, her daughter raises her sword. What to do? |options>[(if: $flg's "gotCut" is true)[(link-show: "Play on the injury for sympathy", ?fake) ](link-show: "Tell her to back down", ?argue) (link-show: "This isn't real!", ?reality) ]|fake)[Adisa lurches, grips the wound on her side, hoping that it'll distract Folami. Folami laughs, closes in. Her guard is down. She comes in, arrogant as ever, mocking Adisa. "You have grown old, haven't you, mother? Letting these fools wound you." She's open. Her blade down. [[Kill her->killed folami]] [[Try for Pity->veos blocks folami]] (replace: ?options)[] ]|argue)["Leave, Folami," Adisa says. "We've done this, before. You lost." "Barking orders at me like you *aren't* surrounded by an army? Arrogant as ever." Folami rushes forward and thrusts at Adisa's neck. Adisa swats the weapon aside and kicks her in the ribs. It doesn't matter whether this is real or not. It seems real enough. Adisa struggles to remember what happened the first time, what she should do. [[Kill her. Image or reality, it makes no difference->killed folami]] [[No, remember what happened. You taunted her, right?->veos blocks folami]] [[None of this is real!->dispel illusion]] (set: $flg's "argued" to true) (replace: ?options)[] ]|reality)[Adisa shakes her head hard and threads of magic come into view, tied to the outer reaches of this place. She doesn't need to grab them; she can see how they weave together, a framework for the unreality in front of her, the false sunlight she feels on her skin and the dust in her nostrils. (if: $flg's "sawAtticusMagic" is true)[And between that framework, she sees distortions in space, like the magic she'd seen Atticus use on the island. It was enough to get her mind working, wondering if she could manipulate these threads, break the frame...](else:)[It isn't much, but it's enough. She sees the bridge to the next platform in clear view, behind the now-foggy image of her dead daughter.] (if: $flg's "sawAtticusMagic" is true)[[[Break the illusion->dispel illusion]] ](link: "Run past her!")[With the illusion shaking, Adisa can hear the looms place shift and grind. But soon enough, she comes to another platform... where stands a familiar figure draped in feathers. He turns to her. [["Hello, Atticus"->run into atticus]]] (replace: ?options)[] ]

(if: $flg's "argued" is true)[Adisa skirts around her daughter's range, close enough to rob her swings of their power, and far enough to dodge. Folami begins to pant. She rushes in once more, sword raised. ]Adisa's blade curves up through Folami's chest. The blood spray's too much for a human body. Adisa shakes the blood from her eyes, looks at her sword, and sees it stuck through an embryo, blue and glowing. She throws the sword to the ground and the embryo disappears. Adisa feels a pain in the bottom of her gut, a familiar pain she'd felt only once. She hears a voice in her head whispering to her. The threads of this place come with it, weaving through Adisa's mind and tugging at the (link-reveal: "memory...")[ The embryo grows and Adisa's memory grows with it. The baby, stillborn and silent. How long had she stared at it? Too long, no doubt. As though she could do anything to change it. The first daughter she killed with her own hands, and the second? Adisa feels the threads of ambient magic around her... then senses the threads tied to her second daughter. Are they real? Yes, they are! There's something there, something Adisa knows she's felt in others, before, when they were too far gone. But maybe... maybe she can do something, here. |choices>[(link-show: "Bring her back. You have to!", ?resurrect) [[No. This isn't real->dispel illusion]] ]]|resurrect)[(replace: ?choices)[]Adisa pulls on the strings around her daughter, ties them together, and connects the threads of energy to every source of power she can: the air, the earth, the stars, herself. The souls of her crew, draining, dying, some part of her already remembering their empty faces. Finally, the body twitches. A finger, a toe. It shifts and moves. Adisa holds the threads taut, senses them flowing into her daughter as she opens her eyes. Her eyes are black, with a single pinprick of white in the center. Adisa freezes. The eyes flick to her, knowing and predatory. Then, the baby screams, a horrible noise that reverberates through the threads. Its chest crumbles inward and Adisa reaches for her, fingers breaking through the skin like dry earth as its body turns to dust. Adisa stares at it for too long. This is what she came to forget. The illusion around her dissipates and she struggles to move. (link: "Stand up. You've come this far, already")[Adisa forces herself to her feet. Wipes her face dry, only to find there wasn't a tear in the first place. The baby speaks in her mind and she quietly tells it she'll find peace for it, soon. "Adisa?" someone says, voice quavering. Adisa spins and draws steel, finds Veos standing behind her. He's shocked, eyes wide. He glances between her and where the illusion of her child had been. His sword drops from his hand. "Was that real?" he asked. "I've seen things here. Memories. Was that... was that what happened? Did you bring her back?" Adisa remembers the voice in her head. "Only part of her. A part that should have died." "And I..." he starts, putting a hand over his mouth. "And I've been angry about... good god." [["Go home, Veos."->tell veos to leave]] [["You done fighting me, then?"->veos joins]](set: $flg's "veosDone" to true)]]

"You really want to kill me like this?" Adisa says. "With a whole army to back you up, in case you fail?" "As long as I kill you, I don't give a damn how it's done." Folami swings down and Adisa brings a weapon up to block... only for another figure to slide between the two and block the strike. Then, he kicks Folami away. "How dare you, you traitor!" he yells. He carries himself as he did when he was a boy, but his appearance was the same as earlier in the Tower. But, from the look on his face... he has no idea where he is. Adisa stands.(set: $flg's "veosDone" to true) |choice>[(link: "Offer to team up")[(show: ?team)(replace: ?choice)[]] (link: "Let him fight")[(show: ?alone)(replace: ?choice)[]] ]|team)["Veos," Adisa says. "Keep your guard up. Protect my blind spots." Veos looks at her, shakes his head as if to clear it, then looks back at Folami. Adisa rushes in before anyone else can speak and swings down hard. But, her daughter has youth on her side; she sidesteps and swings down, only to have her strike blocked by Veos, who moves to attack. Folami screams and breaks his guard. He hops back and she follows... and a sword sprouts through her chest. Adisa hardly has time to register the shock of what she's done before the illusion fades, the fields and soldiers and dirt with it. They're standing on a platform, with no-one but each other. Veos shakes his head. "What is all this?" he asks. (link-show: "Talk to him", ?tellIllusions)]|alone)[Folami blocks Veos's strikes with ease, over and over. He mutters to himself, shakes his head and blocks another strike. Adisa watches her pupils fight. Finally, the two break away from one another. (if: $flg's "veosWoundedPride" is true)[Veos panics; he rushes forward, headlong, as though to make up for lost time, and the illusion sidesteps his strike... just before whipping her blade through the side of his chest. He drops and the illusion wavers as Veos bleeds into the shining platform. Folami turns to Adisa. "Three for three on the failures, Adisa" Then, she disappears, leaving Adisa with the corpse of her former pupil. A pathway opens at the edge of the platfrom. [[Go on. There's nothing left, here->jumbled room]] ](else:)[Veos waits, patiently. Folami wavers, reminding Adisa that she's looking at an illusion. Then, she rushes forward. Veos deflects and brings his sword up through its neck, and the image pauses, then turns to dust. Their surroundings vanish, and Adisa finds herself on a platfrom, alone with her old pupil. He looks around, confused. "What was all of that?" |choice2>[(link: "Explain")[(show: ?tellIllusions)(replace: ?choice2)[]] [[Tell him to leave->square off with veos]]]] (replace: ?choice)[]]|tellIllusions)["You haven't figured it out, yet?" Adisa says. "This place dredges up memories. Breaks them, if you survive." "Then... why would you come here?" "I came here to forget, Veos." "Forget what?" [["It doesn't matter. Leave."->square off with veos]] [["Do you really want to know?"->tell veos what happened]]]

Adisa grips the world around her, senses the theads, trying her hardest to work against the Tower's magic. The threads tense, grow taught, vibrate under the strain. And finally, they shatter, taking the illusion with them. Adisa looks around. Nothing but the platform and the grinding looms, but her ribs still hurt where Folami kicked her. A pathway weaves itself out of the darkness at the edge of the platfrom. For a moment, Adisa wonders if she should have confronted her demons. That's what this was all about, wasn't it? But, it was too late for that. [[Onward->jumbled room]](set: $flg's "dispel" to true)

Adisa puts a hand on Veos's shoulder. "You were a fool," she said. He looks away. "But you've recognized it early. That, at least, is more than I could do. It's time for you to leave, Veos. Find a way out of here. Can you do that?" "I can try. What about you?" Adisa looks over her shoulder, at a new path growing from the edges of the platform. "I'm finishing what I came here for. You are not to follow, understood?" Veos bites down, but nods. They say nothing more. Adisa walks away, [[leaving the man she trained behind.->jumbled room]](set: $flg's "leftVeos" to true)

Veos nods, vehemently. "Good," Adisa says. She stands still for a moment. Thinks. "What have *you* seen here, Veos?" "You, mostly. Training. A little bit of my father, here and there. Bastard." Adisa is silent for a few more moments. "You should come with me, if you're done fighting. We're stuck here, as is. May be best to stick together." "Are you sure? After I've been..." "No more, Veos. Do you accept?" Once more, Veos nods. [[Onward->jumbled room]](set: $flg's "veosJoin" to true, $flg's "veosDone" to true)

Adisa's mind goes blank as her feet land on the next platform. She was here for a reason, wasn't she? Yes, she needed to... to forget. But what? She's already forgotten so much. What else could there be? No, no, move forward, that's what she was always taught, that's what she taught... yes, Folami and Veos. They like that teaching, don't they? Or liked. (if: $flg's "veosJoin" is true)["Adisa," Veos says, holding his own head. "Let's hurry forward, master." Adisa continues on and sees a familar figure standing on the platform ahead. For some reason, her memory of him and his feathered cloak is completely clear. "Who are you?" Veos asks. [[Next->run into atticus]]] (else:)[Adisa focuses. One foot in front of the other, until she sees a familiar figure. [["Hello, Atticus."->run into atticus]] (unless: $flg's "veosDone" is true)[[[Veos stands there, staring at the sky in a daze->find veos dazed]]]]

"No," he snaps. "You abandon me, treat me like a child. You don't get to bark orders at me, Adisa." Veos squares off, sword drawn. He looks angry, but uncertain. Behind Adisa, a pathway to another platform opens up. (if: $inv contains "good-sword")[Adisa draws her sword, the new one, ready to fight.](else-if: $inv contains "sword")[Adisa draws her sword. It's chipped and worn. She wonders whether it'll survive the fight.](else:)[Adisa draws her knife. It's better than nothing.] |choices>[[[Tell him what happened->tell veos what happened]] (link-show: "\"Fine. You want to fight?\"", ?fight) (link-show: "Walk away. He can pout on his own.", ?walked) ]|walked)[(replace: ?choices)[]Adisa turns around and walks towards the edge of the platform. "Go home, Veos. This is the last time I'll tell you." "Don't walk away from me!" She hears his footsteps behind her and readies fight. Then, feels a change in the air, threads fading and distorting. Then, a crash. Adisa turns. Veos lays on the ground, fast asleep. Behind him stands Attiucs. "Adisa," he says(if: $flg's "litPipe" is true)[, smiling. "A rash boy, isn't he?"](else-if: $flg's "keptBladeDrawn" is true)[, scowling. "There always seems to be some trouble around you, I think. Why is that?"](else:)[.] [["Hello, Atticus."->run into atticus]](set: $flg's "veosDone" to true, $flg's "leftVeos" to true) ]|fight)[(replace: ?choices)["Fine. You want to fight?" ](if: $inv contains "good-sword")[Adisa brings her blade up, hard, whacking Veos's sword out of the way and cleaving through his throat. Just like that, her former pupil drops. He struggles for a few moments, clutching at his throat. Then, he stops moving. (set: $flg's "killedVeos" to true) [[Adisa shakes her head and moves on->jumbled room]] ](else-if: $inv contains "sword")[Veos brings his sword down. Adisa blocks, watches chips fly off of it as she backs up. She makes range, tries to consider her approach. |choices2>[(link-show:"Use magic", ?magic) (link-show:"Keep using the sword", ?sword) ]|magic)[(replace: ?choices2)[]Adisa jumps far out of Veos's range and snaps the threads around her. Bolts of raw energy fly towards him in rapid-fire and he tries to circle around. He closes in and swings and Adisa bounces his strike away before darting behind him and putting all her power into one, powerful blast. It catches Veos through the back with enough force to throw him off the platform and into the looms below. (set: $flg's "killedVeos" to true) [[Adisa shakes her head and moves on->jumbled room]] ]|sword)[(replace: ?choices2)[]Adisa keeps herself at the edge of Veos's range and watches his temper flare. She readies herself for a feint, hoping to catch him off guard. Then, he pulls back and swings down, hard, shattering her weapon. The point of his blade rushes towards her eye, then nothing. (show: ?gameOver)]](else:)[Adisa keeps her distance while she waits for a slip-up. Veos doesn't slip. He pushes her back, sidestepping to bring her to the edge of the platform. She feels her heel brush over empty air and raises her knife to block. Instead, his heel slams into her gut. Adisa falls, the platform fading away. The looms below click, relentlessly. (show: ?gameOver)]]|gameOver)[(link: "Game Over")[{ --- } Veos killed you. This isn't how Adisa's story was supposed to end. But, don't worry; you won't have to go through the whole game again. I'll dial the clock back a few paces, give you a chance to change things. Let's see what kind of choices you make, this time. Avoid a fight, if you can. (link-goto: "Rewind", "veos blocks folami")]]

"Do you know why I left you, Veos?" "Because I helped kill your daughter? Because I was too weak? I remember rushing back to my master's side after I heard about your second child, only to be told to leave and not come back." "I brought her back, Veos." Veos freezes. Then lowers his sword, slightly. "What do you mean?" "I mean I tried to bring her back. Magic. I drew in threads from everything around me: the moon, the earth, the stars, the rivers, my crew, and connected them to her. I don't know how many died. But, it worked. She woke up and looked at me with black eyes around pinpricks of hollow white. Then, she screamed. Her body crumbled inside itself like parched earth. She's lived in my mind, since. Talking to me, screaming, waking up in the middle of the night. I owe her rest, Veos." Veos drops his sword. "Good god. That's why you came here, isn't it? And I've been..." Veos's eyes widen and he clamps a hand over his mouth. [["You want to make up for it? Help me."->veos joins]] [["Now you know. Leave this place, Veos."->tell veos to leave]]

(if: $flg's "keptBladeDrawn" is true)[Atticus doesn't step back. He stands stone still, like a man who thinks he can't be moved. Strange to see, on someone so frail.(if: $flg's "sawAtticusMagic" is true)[ But, Adisa remembers the way he'd bent the world around him on that island. He's powerful.](if: $flg's "veosJoin" is true)[ Veos takes a step forward and Adisa bars his way, shooting him a wary glance.]](else:)[Atticus smiles and waves his bony hand, his eyes unreadable. "Good to see you," he says.(if: $flg's "veosJoin" is true)[ Veos steps forward, a hand on his sword, gaze uncertain. Adisa turns to him and smiles. "He's not an enemy," she says.]] |choice>[(if: $flg's "keptBladeDrawn" is true)[(link-show: "\"I hope you're not planning to fight me, Atticus\"", ?conflict) ](link-show: "\"Found anything of interest?\"", ?separate)](set: $flg's "atticusDone" to true)|conflict)[(replace: ?choice)["I hope you're not planning to fight me, Atticus" ]"And if I am?" he asks. "This place plays hell with memories. I wonder what's going through your head?"(if: $veosJoin is true)[ Veos stomps forward but again, Adisa holds him back.] "I've no idea what's going through yours," Adisa says. "But if you fight me, you won't come out unscathed." "Come now, this place isn't exclusive. If reaching the end is your goal, you can go on your own." (if: $veosJoin is true)[ "Master," Veos says, as though the word is still unfamiliar to him. "I wouldn't trust this man at our back. There's something... wrong, about him."] (else:)["And show you my back?"] Atticus grins, giving Adisa the horrible impression of a crow's smile. [[Fight him->fight atticus]] [[Fine. We go our separate ways->separate from atticus]]]|separate)[(replace: ?choice)[]"Found anything of interest?" "Memories, mostly," he says. "Things that were... a lifetime ago. More, it feels like. I'm not sure all of them are real, anymore. Then again, this whole place makes reality seem flexible. What about you?" "The same. Memories." She pauses. "Not pleasant ones, it seems." "Are yours?" Atticus shrugs. "I try not to let them control me, that's the best I can say." He looks around. "This place is bigger than I'd expected." |choice1a>[(link: "\"We should split up, see what we can find.\"")[(show: ?separateNice)(replace: ?choice1a)["We should split up, see what we can find." ]] [["We should stick together."->atticus last question]]]]|separateNice)[Atticus sighs. "Much as I hate to lose the company, I think you're right. Especially with the way this place plays with the mind..." "It could use us against each other." "Indeed." Atticus ruffles his cloak and readies to turn. Then, he stops. "Adisa, I have to ask: do you plan on leaving this place?" |choice2>[(link: "\"No.\"")[(show: ?wontleave)(show: ?next)(replace: ?choice2)[]] (link: "\"What about you?\"")[(show: ?askatticus)(show: ?next)(replace: ?choice2)["What about you?"]] (link: "\"I don't know.\"")[(show: ?dontknow)(show: ?next)(replace: ?choice2)["I don't know,"]]]|wontleave)["No," she says. "I'm here to cleanse my mind. I doubt I'll be capable of leaving, when all is said and done." "Then why come all this way?" "Because I owe it to my daughter. I owe her peace." Atticus breathes in. "Very well, then. I don't imagine we'll see each other again. So, just in case: I wish you luck, Adisa."]|askatticus)[ Atticus shrugs. "I've no idea. I came here to learn. To finish the quest I started as a youth, trying to understand this world around us. Whether or not I'll leave... I wish I could say. Could you?" Adisa smirks. "No. I suppose not." "Funny, isn't it?" he says. "You get to a ripe old age, live a full life... only to find out you can still hardly answer what you'll do next." Finally, Atticus turns to leave. "I don't expect we'll meet again," he says. "So, I wish you luck, Adisa."]|dontknow)[ Adisa says. "In truth, it hardly matters to me. So long as I cleanse my mind and give my daughter a chance to rest-" "What happens to you is inconsequential." Adisa nods. Atticus sighs, then turns to leave. "I understand your plight. More than you know. I don't expect we'll meet again, Adisa, so I wish you luck."] |next)[[[Next->separate from atticus]]]]

(if: $flg's "keptBladeDrawn" is true)[The two glance over their shoulders as they separate, Adisa going down one path, Atticus the other.](else:)[Atticus waves at Adisa as they separate, and hesitantly, she waves back. (if: $flg's veosJoin is true)[Veos nearly walks backwards, trying to keep an eye on the strange man.]] The place creaks and grinds, assaulting Adisa's mind, plucking at memories like threads of magic. She holds onto them, hoping to maintain her mind just long enough to get to center, to have all of this erased. (unless: $flg's "veosDone" is true)[Up ahead, on the next platform, Adisa sees something. A man, standing there, staring up at the sky. She thinks about going around, but there's no other way through. [[Approach him->find veos dazed]]](else:)[The path ahead is clear.(if: $flg's "veosJoin" is true)[ Beside Adisa, Veos scans the horizon, ready for any surprises, the attention of his youth present, and stripped of its fire by his age.] Soon enough, they reach a platform with no end. With nothing, in fact, but a single door, set dead center. [[Approach it->final door]]](set: $flg's "leftAtticus" to true)

(if: $flg's veosJoin is true)[Atticus grips the threads around them and tears them apart, hurling the snap of energy towards Adisa. She grabs the thread of the attack and sends it away as he throws another shot. Veos skirts off to the side as Adisa ducks and charges in. Atticus' hand snaps forward and Adisa sees the world in front of her bend with some strange sort of magic(if: $flg's sawVeosMagic is true)[, the same she saw on the island]. She nearly stops, wondering whether she should dodge, or kill him before he has a chance to work. But, she doesn't need to. Veos's sword comes flying towards Atticus and the man stumbles back. Adisa takes her chance, rushing forward and running her blade through the bird-man. He grips its hilt and looks up at her with wild eyes. Then, the man crumbles, as though he were nothing but a shell. Adisa walks away without a second glance, and Veos jogs to catch up. The walkway seems short but she spots something on the platform ahead; a door, standing alone, leading nowhere. [["Onward," Adisa says. "We're almost at the end."->final door]] (set: $flg's killedAtticus to true)](else-if:$flg's sawAtticusMagic is true)[The bolt comes fast. It's traditional magic; Atticus grips the threads around them and tears them apart, throwing the snap of energy towards Adisa. Adisa grabs the thread of the attack and sends it behind her, staggering from the effort. He throws another shot, and Adisa ducks and rushes in. Then, Atticus' hand moves and the world around him bends. Adisa's seen this before, at the lake, and dodges to the side. Before Atticus can register what's happened, Adisa's at his flank. She cleaves through his arm and into his chest, and the old man freezes. Then, he looks up at her, head tilted... and fades to ash. Adisa steps over the body and moves onward, to the next platform. [[Next->find veos dazed]] (set: $flg's killedAtticus to true)] (else:)[The bolt comes fast. Atticus grips the threads around them and tears them apart, throwing the burst of energy towards Adisa. Adisa grabs the thread of the attack and twists it behind her, staggering from the effort as she hears it break upon the platform behind. He throws another shot; she doesn't bother to redirect it. Instead, she dodges and rushes in. Then, his hand moves. The world around him begins to warp. Adisa chooses to rush in, to kill him before he can finish casting. Suddenly, she goes limp. The world continues to bend, her feet fail, she forgets to breathe or loses the strength, and falls to the ground. "Little fool," Atticus says, and it's the last thing Adisa hears. (link: "Game Over")[ --- Atticus killed you. This isn't how Adisa's story was supposed to end. But, don't worry; you won't have to go through the whole game again. I'll dial the clock back a few paces, give you a chance to change things. Let's see what kind of choices you make, this time. Avoid a fight, if you can. (link-goto: "Rewind", "run into atticus")]]

Veos's mouth hangs open, head tilted back. Adisa steps closer and he staggers and moves, taking a lackluster swing, muttering something under his breath.(if: $flg's atticusJoin is true)[ Atticus looks the man up and down. "He's lost," he says.] "Veos," Adisa says. Veos blinks and looks at her. Then, he takes a swing. She easily dodges, then backs away(if: $flg's atticusJoin is true)[ to Atticus's side]. (if: $flg's atticusJoin is true)["What do you want to do, here?" he asks.](else:)[Adisa takes a moment to look her dazed protege over, figuring out what she should do.](if: $inv contains "queen-jewel")[ Adisa feels resonance from the jewel in her pocket, the one she took from the pillar upstairs.] [[Help him->helped dazed veos]] [[Leave him here->left dazed veos]] (if: $inv contains "queen-jewel")[(link-reveal-goto: "Try and use the jewel", "Veos Success")[(set: flg's "use-jewel" to true)]](set: $flg's veosDone to true)

|both)[Adisa takes a breath as she looks at the door. She reaches out to touch the threads around it but there are none. No locks or keys, no wards or traps. The whole thing is impossibly devoid of magic. "Are you sure this is the place?" Veos asks. "It seems so... unremarkable." "It's the place," Atticus says. "Trust me. Just because it's not the magic you know doesn't mean there's no magic." Adisa walks up to the door. Stares at the handle. A simple thing, like the one from her childhood home or any ship she'd sailed upon. She hesitates and feels the door tug at her mind, unspooling it like sand in a river. "He's right," she says. "It's the place." "Guess this is my stop, then," says Atticus. (show: ?atticus2)]|veos)[Adisa takes a breath as she looks at the door. Veos twitches. "It seems so unremarkable," he says. "Is this really what you came here for?" Adisa reaches out to touch the threads around the door... but there are none. No locks or keys, no wards or traps. No nothing, impossibly devoid of magic. Adisa stares at the handle. A simple thing, like the one from her childhood home, or the castle she conquered. She hesitates, feels tug at her mind and unspool it like sand poured into a river. "It's the place," she says. "This is what I came here for." Veos looks at the ground. Avoids her eye. "So... what are you going to do, now?" he asks. |veosChoice>[(link-show: "Go in on your own", ?veos2) [[Leave with Veos->leave with veos ending]]]|veos2)[(replace: ?veosChoice)[]"I'm sorry, Veos," Adisa says. His face falls and he doesn't speak for some time. Then, he forces a smile. "Thank you, master," he says. "For forgiving me. I hope you find what you need in there." "You'll find a way out of here, Veos?" "I will. I have to, don't I?" "I suppose you do. Good luck, boy." "You as well." With that, Adisa turns to the door steps inside.(show: ?notAlone) ]]|atticus)[Adisa takes a breath as she looks at the door. She reaches out to touch the threads around it, but finds none. No locks or keys, no wards or traps. No nothing. "It's the right one," Atticus says, mania in his eye. "Trust me... this is what we're looking for, Adisa. This is what we need." Adisa walks up to the door. Stares at the handle. A simple thing, like the one from her childhood home or the place she learned her magic. She hesitates, then feels the door tug at her mind and unravel it like sand pouring into a river. "Well," Atticus says. "I suppose this is what I came for." (show: ?atticus2)]|atticus2)[Atticus opens the door, turning to Adisa. "I hope you follow," he says. "Though I imagine our experiences will be... very, very different. How you see the world will change what it does to you." Adisa nods. Atticus says nothing more. He walks through the door and disappears. (if: $flg's "veosJoin")[ Veos sighs. "That was a very strange man," he says. Without speaking, Adisa grabs the door-handle... then stops. [[Leave with Veos->leave with veos ending]]](else:)[ After a few moments, Adisa grabs the doorhandle and stops. It's time to make her decision. [[Leave->leave ending]]](show: ?notAlone) ]|notAlone)[(if: ($flg's "veosJoin") and ($flg's "atticusJoin"))[[[Go in->peacemaker ending]]](else-if: ($flg's "killedVeos") or ($flg's "killedAtticus"))[[[Go in->bloodshed ending]]](else-if: ($flg's "leftAtticus") or ($flg's "leftVeos"))[[[Go in->avoidant ending]]](else:)[[[Go in->lonely ending]]]]|alone)[Adisa takes a breath as she looks at the door.(if: ($flg's "killedVeos") or ($flg's "killedAtticus"))[ She drops her bloody blade on the floor.] She reaches out to touch the threads around it. She hardly remembers how, with the way this place has messed with her head. But, there are no threads. No locks or keys, no wards or traps. This place is impossibly devoid of magic. Adisa walks up to the door. Stares at the handle. A simple thing, like the one in her childhood home or the house she made for herself. She hesitates, feels the door tug at her mind and unspool it like sand poured into a river. The looms around her click. And, for a moment, she wonders if she's really earned the right to forget. But she has to decide. Now. Will she open it and step through? (if: ($flg's "killedVeos") and ($flg's "killedAtticus"))[[[Go in->butcher ending]]](else-if: ($flg's "killedVeos") or ($flg's "killedAtticus"))[[[Go in->bloodshed ending]]](else-if: ($flg's "leftVeos") or ($flg's "leftAtticus"))[[[Go in->avoidant ending]]](else:)[[[Go in->lonely ending]]] [[Leave->leave ending]]]{ (if: ($flg's "veosJoin") and ($flg's "atticusJoin"))[(show: ?both)] (else-if: $flg's "veosJoin")[(show: ?veos)] (else-if: $flg's "atticusJoin")[(show: ?atticus)] (else:)[(show: ?alone)]}

Adisa walks up to Veos and shakes him. "Veos," she says. "Wake up. Whatever you're seeing, it isn't real." Adisa tunes to the magic around him and catches a framework, a coccoon of closely-woven threads. She gets halfway through unwinding them before Veos's eyes refocus and he knocks her away. (if: $flg's "atticusJoin" is true)[Atticus puts himself at Veos's back.] "What are you doing to me?" Veos snaps, fear in his voice. He clutches at his head, expression shifting and shifting and shifting; one moment he looks like the farmer boy she first met and the next, he looks like the man who hunted her mere hours ago. He draws his sword, ready to fight, and Adisa draws her (if: $inv contains "sword" or "good-sword")[sword](else:)[knife]. (if: $flg's "atticusJoin" is true or $inv contains "good-sword")[[[Fight him->Veos Success]]](else:)[[[Fight him->fought veos later]]]

(if: $flg's atticusJoin is true)[They walk](else:)[Adisa walks] by Veos, tense and waiting for him to attack. He doesn't. The man is too lost in his dream. (if: $flg's atticusJoin is true)[ "We could help him, you know," Atticus says, suspicion in his eye. "He's stuck here the same as us," Adisa says. Better he face his fate, now.](else:)[Adisa wonders if she should turn, and do something to help him. But no, he's stuck here all the same.] (unless: $flg's atticusDone is true)[She walks across the walkway to the next platform and, soon enough, sees a figure standing there. A familiar one, wearing a feather cloak, fingers too long for comfort. [["Hello, Atticus."->run into atticus]]] (else:)[In the gloom ahead is the final platform. A door stands in the middle, leading to nowhere. [[On to the end->final door]]] (set: $flg's leftVeos to true)

Adisa draws her (if: $inv contains "sword")[sword, the beaten piece of metal she carried into this place](else:)[knife, hoping she can be quick enough to outwit him], and blocks Veos's first strike. She rushes forward, driving a palm into his nose and knocking him back. "Back off, Veos," she says. He doesn't listen; he swings again, and she dodges, slashing at the back of his leg. He stumbles, but swings again. Adisa makes range and tries to think. |choices>[(link-reveal-goto: "Use magic", "Veos Success")[(set: $flg's "use-magic" to true)[[Veos Success]]] (link-show: "Keep it physical", ?physical)]|physical)[(replace: ?choices)[]Veos rushes in and attacks, and Adisa keeps at the edge of his range. Chips fly off her weapon and she readies for a last feint... then, his strike shatters her blade. She grabs at the threads around him and tears, but he doesn't give her enough time to keep hold. She glances up as his weapon comes down on her head. (link: "Game over")[{ --- } Veos killed you. This isn't how Adisa's story was supposed to end. But, don't worry; you won't have to go through the whole game again. I'll dial the clock back a few paces, give you a chance to change things. Let's see what kind of choices you make, this time. Avoid a fight, if you can. (link-goto: "Rewind", "find veos dazed")]]

Adisa offers a hand to Veos, still gripping her weapon. Reluctantly, he grabs hold and she lifts him up. He stares at the floor, shamefaced. Then, Adisa smacks Veos in the back of the head. "You damned little fool," she says. "I'm sorry," he answers. "You came after me like I owed you something, tried to fight me. I should have killed you." "I know." "I didn't. And you should be *very* thankful." Adisa turns and readies to stomp away(if: $flg's atticusJoin is true)[, Atticus glancing back and forth between master and student]. Then, Veos calls out. "Master. Why did you abandon me, before?" [[Tell him->tell dazed veos]] [["Go home, Veos."->tell dazed veos to leave]]

Adisa closes her eyes and drives her sword down through Veos's chest.(if: $flg's "atticusJoin")[ Atticus recoils from the splatter of blood. "That seemed unnecessary," he says. "He wasn't going to make it out of here alive," Adisa said. "Better this than starving to death. And I wasn't about to let him die in that confusion." [[Forward->final door]]](else:)[ The boy sputters, then goes still. Adisa feels the muscles in her back relax. *At least he died lucid,* she thinks. It's better than anything else he would get, here. She marches onward to the next bridge, alone.(unless: $flg's "atticusDone")[ On the other platform she sees a familiar figure, wearing a feather cloak with fingers too long for comfort. He glances at her and she looks at him. [["Hello, Atticus."->run into atticus]]](else:)[ It's a short trip. The platform comes into sight and in its center is a door, standing still and leading to nowhere. [[Forward->final door]]]](set: $flg's "killedVeos" to true)

(if: $flg's atticusJoin is true)[Atticus stands back politely, letting the master and protege handle their own issues. ]"Because I helped kill your daughter?" Veos asks "Because I was too weak? I rushed back to your side after I heard about your second child, only to be told to leave and not come back." "I brought her back, Veos." Veos freezes. Then lowers his sword, slightly. "What do you mean?" "I mean I brought her back. Caught her threads before they vanished, wove them with mine and the earth and sky. Her eyes opened, pitch black with a a pinpoint of white. Then, she screamed and crumbled like an empty shell. Like dried mud, Veos. Its spirit still hangs around. I owe it rest, Veos." Veos drops his sword. Now that she's told him, she can't leave him here. [["Come with me, Veos."->dazed veos joins]]

"It doesn't matter, now, Veos. Go home." That's all she says. Adisa leaves her protege behind(if: $flg's atticusJoin is true)[, Atticus following her wordlessly. "Rather cold," he says. "It doesn't matter. It's for the best." "What *did* happen?" Adisa remembers the look of her stillborn daughter. The way the threads resisted her as she tried to bring the girl back, and the monster's inhuman scream. [[Forward->final door]]](else-if: $flg's atticusDone is not true)[. Moving ahead, Adisa finds another platform and another familiar figure. Dressed in a feather-cloak, with fingers too long for comfort. [["Hello, Atticus."->run into atticus]]](else:)[. She thinks about why she left, remembers the look of her daughter, stillborn. The way the threads resisted her as she tried to bring the girl back, and the monster's inhuman scream. The thought is still in her mind as she walks to the next platform and sees it standing there; a single door, set dead center and leading to nowhere. [[Forward->final door]]](set: $flg's leftVeos to true)

(set: $flg's "veosJoin" to true)"Are you sure?" he asks. Adisa nods. (if: $flg's "atticusJoin" is true)[She looks over at Atticus, who says nothing. No matter. His objections wouldn't change her mind. ]"Just come with me," she says. "And we'll leave it at that." (if: $flg's "atticusJoin" is true)["Perhaps we should get moving?" Atticus says. Veos glares at him, but says nothing. The group moves onward, towards the walkway, and the sole platform beyond. [[Onward->final door]]](else:)[Veos nods, the gesture much like his master. Then the two continue on, towards the walkway leading away from the platfrom.(unless: $flg's "atticusDone" is true)[ The surface of it comes into view, and Adisa sees another familiar figure standing there in a feathered cloak, with fingers too long for comfort. She knows that he sees her, too. [["Hello, Atticus."->run into atticus]]](else:)[It seems shorter than the others. On the other side is a door, standing still in the middle of the platform, leading nowhere. [[Forward->final door]]]]

Adisa lets go of the handle and, as she does, everything comes back; her daughters, Veos, the kings she's felled, the empires crumbled, the friends saved and killed and left behind. They *are* her. They're painful, but they're part of her. It's not that she hasn't earned the right to forget them; it's that she can't. Without those memories, all of this meant nothing. Adisa turns around and leaves the door behind, her memories flooding back. The place begins to look clearer; the looms are sharp, the platforms normal. She doesn't see a way out of the maze but... it's a start. THE END

Adisa lets go of the handle and as she does, everything comes back; her daughters, her time with Veos, the kings she's felled, the empires she crumbled, the friends saved and killed and left behind. They're painful, but they're part of her. She can't forget them. Without them, all of this meant nothing. "Is everything alright?" Veos asks. Then, he blinks. "My head is starting to clear." "Hm. Funny, that." "Aren't you going through?" he asks. Adisa pauses. "No. No, I'm not." Veos looks confused, but brightens. "Really? If you aren't going through, then... what are we going to do?" Adisa turns around and leaves the door behind. Memories flood back and this place clears. The looms are sharp, free of haze. She doesn't see a way out of the complex maze but... "We'll have to figure that out," she says. THE END

Adisa steps through the door and blinks. The world around her is dark, and smells of rotting meat. Her foot sinks into something wet. A light appears from above, and Adisa looks down to see herself knee-deep in blood. It's a familiar feeling. Then, a voice speaks to her. It's the voice she came here to silence, though it's tone seems to unravel. Adisa feels things flow into her mind: knowledge, the kind unbound by structures and assumptions. Suddenly, she knows how to stop the flow of air, to still the beating of a heart and open a vein without effort. "If you want to be a butcher, then a butcher you shall be..." says the voice. And slowly, a door opens in front of her, leading to the world that left her with nothing. THE END

Veos is silent as Adisa takes a step towards the doorway. She stops at the edge and turns around. "Good luck, Veos," she says. Strength finds its way back into his face and she hears his foodsteps fading away as she goes through the door, feeling warmth on her skin. She hears Atticus's voice in the aether and Veos's voice behind her, changing with each word until it becomes the voice of the boy she met. The warmth on her cheeks grows. Her daughter, the first, smiling at her. Adisa opens her eyes and sees a sea of threads ahead. Not the threads of magic, but the threads of time, of causality. She sees all the branched paths she took, all the moments where she nudged her life towards what it is now. And, hard as it is, she watches the paths leading to her daughter's betrayal and the other's death. It was painful to see all the places she could have changed things, all the places other people's mistakes nudged her towards misery. The vision grew into a vast web, each action meaning nothing and everything. Then, her memories faded. She heard her second daughter's voice as a sharp cry. It softened into a whimper, then a coo. Then, like all else, it faded into the same nothing. THE END

Adisa steps through the door and the sounds around her cease. She hears nothing; not her own heartbeat, not the creak of the looms or the sound of her breath. There's a baby's cry, familiar, but distant and soft. She steps forward, soundless, and with each step she questions less. She remembers her student, left behind. Remembers her daughters and her friends, the people she's loved, the people she's hated, her triumphs and travesties. But only for a short while. The faces fade and meld together, and events take on the same shape and sound: a singular hum that mutes into nothing. THE END

Adisa, hesitantly, steps through the door. This place tugs her mind this way and that, leaving her so lost in thought that she misses when the world around her falls away. She's in a room, dark and alone. She steps forward and something pushes her back. The darkness in front of her is solid, pulling painful memories to the front of her mind. She pushes forward and, in the flash that follows, sees dozens of walls. Problems she ignored, problems she forgot about. There is a door, at the very end, but the maze stretches on and on. Adisa clenches her fist and steps into the maze. THE END

Adisa steps through the door and feels tension in the air. Feels the fear of others hanging in the air, ambient and strong: ruddy threads that weave all about. She looks down and sees a sword in her hand. The threads block her path, and Adisa slices through them. They fall away for long enough to move forward, until another blocks her path. She forgets why she's fighting, remembering only that she *has* to. That's how it always was, wasn't it? She had to kill to survive. She tried to remember the names, as she did, but this place tore at them, made her forget. She centered herself on that violence, used it to move forward as it stripped her mind of everything but the need to keep moving. THE END

Atticus hums and looks away. For once, he seems completely and wholly human. Enough that Adisa wonders how she could've ever thought otherwise. "Assuming I do go with you," he asks. "Tell me: what happens if this place only accepts a single user? If only one of us can go through whatever lays at the end?" |choices>[(link-show: "\"I go through.\"", ?adisa) (link-show: "\"You'll go through.\"", ?atticus) (link-show: "\"Does it matter?\"", ?ambivalent)]|adisa)[(replace: ?choices)[]"I go through," Adisa says, plainly. "I don't think there's any argument to be had on that point. I owe that peace to my daughter. And more than that: to myself." Atticus eyes her for a moment or two. Then, he sighs. "I suppose there's nothing I can do to change your mind, then." (link-reveal: "\"Then come with me.\"")[(show: ?friendly)]]|atticus)[(replace: ?choices)[]"You'll go through," Adisa says. "I imagine there's other options out there for me. I've lived this long with this burden. I can find another way out. It would shame everyone I've killed up 'til now to be selfish at the very end." "Selfless of you. But who knows?" Atticus says. "Perhaps I'll change my mind, when we get there." (link-reveal: "\"So you're coming?\"")[(show: ?friendly)]]|ambivalent)[(replace: ?choices)[]"Does it matter?" Adisa asks. "There are too many unknowns. I don't care about them. If the question comes up, then we'll answer it. 'til then, let's focus on getting there."(show: ?friendly)] |friendly)["Yes, yes," he says. "Might as well. Better we have an ally to make sure we get there in the first place."(if: $flg's "veosJoin" is true)[ He looks Veos up and down and smiles, though Adisa's protege seems uncomfortable with the look. "It's likely got room for you, too, boy."] "My thoughts, exactly." (unless: $flg's "veosDone" is true)[Up ahead, on the next platform, the pair sees something. A man, standing and staring at the sky, mouth gaping. "That doesn't seem quite right," Atticus says. Then, he looks around. "No way around him though. Would you like to go first?" [[Adisa strolls forward.->find veos dazed]]](else:)[The (if: $flg's "veosJoin" is true)[trio](else:)[pair] walk from platform to platform in silence, pierced only by moments where the magic of this place leaves one dazed, forcing another to nudge them awake. But soon enough, they come to the last landing. There's no pathway out of this, and the one behind them falls away. A doorway stands in the center of the platform, with nothing but air behind it. [["After you."->final door]]](set: $flg's "atticusJoin" to true)]

(unless: (passage:)'s tags contains "noDebug")[(set: $body to (passage:)'s source) (replace: ?passage)[{ (for: each _tag, ...(passage:)'s tags)[ (if: (substring: _tag, 1, 4) is "inv_")[ (set: _Item to (substring: _tag, 5, -1)) (link-repeat: _Item)[ (if: $inv contains _Item)[(set: $inv to it - (ds:_Item))] (else:)[(set: $inv to it + (ds:_Item))] ] -] (else-if: (substring: _tag, 1, 4) is "flg_")[ (set: _Flag to (substring: _tag, 5, -1)) (unless: ($flg contains (_Flag)))[(set: $flg's (_Flag) to false)] (link-repeat: _Flag)[ (if: $flg's (_Flag))[(set: $flg's (_Flag) to false)] (else:)[(set: $flg's (_Flag) to true)] ] -]]} (align: "==>")[(link-repeat: "reload")[(replace: ?body)[$body]]] --- |body>[$body] --- **Passage** - (print: (passage:)'s name) (live: 0.5s)[**Inventory** - (for: each _item, ...$inv)[(print: _item + ", ")] **Story Flags** - (for: each _flag, ...(dataentries: $flg))[(print: _flag's name + ": " + (str: _flag's value) + ", ")]]]]

{(for: each _tag, ...(passage:)'s tags)[ (if: (substring: _tag, 1, 4) is "flg_")[ (set: _Flag to (substring: _tag, 5, -1)) (unless: ($flg contains (_Flag)))[ (set: $flg's (_Flag) to false) ]]]}

(if: $flg's "use-jewel")[Adisa grips the jewel and threads burst out, latching onto those surrounding Veos. The air bends(if: $flg's "sawAtticusMagic")[, a sensation so like what she saw around Atticus on the floors above]. Then, she dodges Veos's swing and tears the jewel away, taking the threads with it. Veos goes limp and drops to his knees. (if: $flg's "atticusJoin" is true)[Atticus looks down at him. "That was quick," he says. ]After a few moments, Veos blinks and looks up at Adisa.](else:)[(if: $flg's "use-magic" is true)[Adisa jumps far out of Veos's range and snaps the threads around her. Bolts of raw energy fly towards him in rapid-fire and he tries to circle around. He closes in and swings and Adisa bounces his strike away before darting behind him and putting all her power into one, powerful blast.](else:)[Adisa draws her (if: $inv contains "good-sword")[sword, the glistening piece of metal given to her by Atticus](else-if: $inv contains "sword")[sword, the beaten piece of metal she carried into this place](else:)[knife, hoping she can be quick enough to outwit him], and blocks Veos's first strike. She rushes forward, driving a palm into his nose and knocking him back. "Back off, Veos," she says. He doesn't listen; he swings again and she dodges, slashing at the back of his leg. He stumbles, but swings again, the strike strong enough to knock Adisa off-balance.] She grabs at the threads around Veos and tears, but he doesn't give her enough time to keep hold. Finally, she grabs at a thread, allows him to rush forward... (if: $flg's "atticusJoin" is true)[and the world around them distorts. Veos is distracted for long enough to slam a pommel into his head, giving her and Atticus time to tear away the threads surrounding him. A few minutes later, he wakes up.](else:)[then deflects the powerful strike and slams her pommel down on his head. She's torn the threads apart before he wakes up. When he does, he blinks and looks up at her.]] "Did you just save me?" he asks(if: $flg's "use-jewel" is true)[, without letting go of his weapon.](else:)[(if: $flg's "atticusJoin" is true)[, blinking at Atticus]. Adisa looks at her (if: $inv contains "good-sword")[brand new sword, chipped and beaten](else:)[weapon, chipped and beaten].(if: not ($inv contains "good-sword") and $flg's "atticusJoin" is true)[ If Atticus wasn't here, she may have lost.]] [["Yes. I did."->talk to dazed veos]] [[Kill him->kill dazed veos]]

--- (align: "=><=")[//beta test debug info - include with error reports//]**Passage** - (print: (passage:)'s name) (live: 0.5s)[**Inventory** - (for: each _item, ...$inv)[(print: _item + ", ")] **Story Flags** - (for: each _flag, ...(dataentries: $flg))[(print: _flag's name + ": " + (str: _flag's value) + ", ")]]

{(unless: $flg is a datamap)[(set: $flg to (dm:))] (unless: $inv is a dataset)[(set: $inv to (ds: "sword", "firestarter", "knife"))]}

(align: "=><=")[<div class="title">Threads of Magic and Memory</div> <div class="duty">Story / Writing / Narrative Design</div><div class="name"><a href="http://connordjohnson.com" target="_blank">C.J. Wilson (Connor D. Johnson)</a></div> </div><div class="duty">Programming / Layout</div><div class="name"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/chad-h-finch/" target="_blank">Chad H. Finch</a></div> <div class="play">> [[Start Game->Intro]] <</div> <div class="copyright">*Copyright 2019 by C.J. Wilson (Connor D. Johnson) and Chad H. Finch*</div>]