23 // Dictated

[nothingtobelieve]

[Someone is up early today, though like the rest of the castle, claiming alertness would be a bit of a stretch. Still, he's managed a walk through town to confirm a suspicion]

Something is off.

[It might be stating the obvious, but if no one else is going to bring it up, he will.]


[Filtered to Gren]

I think we should leave.

[It might just be the castle's usual games, but it feels ominous to him. Then again, he might simply be paranoid. He wouldn't dismiss the possibility. But for the second day in a row, his bird is sound asleep in its perch, and between that and what he's seen in town, it doesn't bode well.]

Comments

dictated;

[thiefoflight]

Well then, guess you better turn it back on!

dictated;

[nothingtobelieve]

How clever.

[keelahs]

I'm new here and even I could have told you that.

[nothingtobelieve]

It's not particular subtle.

[keelahs]

You can say that again, even I'm starting to feel the effects.

[nothingtobelieve]

I suspect they're inescapable, though they might not effect all to the same extent.

[keelahs]

What could the be the cause of this? I had hoped my air filter couldn't be breached in such a way.

[nothingtobelieve]

Without more information, it's difficult to say. If the castle itself is causing the effect, I doubt anything will stop it.

[keelahs]

Oh good, something to look forward to. I might as well just give in and sleep now-- Or I would, if I wasn't afraid of what I'd wake up to.

[nothingtobelieve]

I wouldn't recommend it. These things are rarely benign.

[keelahs]

I'll do my best.

Vicious

[both_neither]

I was starting to think the same thing. Everyone in town is out like a light, and I'm not feeling very awake myself...

Gren

[nothingtobelieve]

I'm managing. [Though not in a way Gren would approve of, he's sure.] But I don't know how far the effect stretches. We shouldn't linger.

Vicious

[both_neither]

[His standards for that are getting lower, but in any case, now is not the time to nitpick Vicious' habits.]

We can try for the outpost or the woods. I'll gather up a few things and meet you in the lobby as quick as I can.

Gren

[nothingtobelieve]

I'll be there.

[He's already been gathering what little he deems necessary for such a trip, so it doesn't take long to put it in a bag and make his way down. It's still longer than it would have been without the castle's influence, however]

Vicious

[both_neither]

[It takes him some time, for similar reasons, not least of which because he had to trek all the way up from town and wanted to sit down and rest more than once on the way. But he's force-marched before. Slow and steady was the only way to do it.

He finds Vicious quickly, looking both exhausted and determined, a bad hung over his shoulder.]

Is it as bad up here?

Gren

[nothingtobelieve]

[He's not in much better shape than Gren, though he has the shorter trek and artificial stimulants on his side for now]

It's less severe, from the looks of things.

[Although now that he's been out in the castle, he has spotted a few people who seemed to be asleep on their feet]

I don't expect it to stay that way.

action forever

[both_neither]

Right. [He pauses to stifle a yawn] So what's the plan?

[nothingtobelieve]

Get as far away as we can.

[Which seemed simple enough, but might prove more complicated, under the circumstances]

[both_neither]

We have plenty of options there. Probably best to just head to the outpost, though. Can't get much farther than the Dead Zone border on short notice.

[nothingtobelieve]

That does seem the logical choice, for the time being.

[And proximity to the Dead Zone might be good if things got worse]