WEEK FIVE EXECUTION

[grigori]

week five: execution i am the manager

Hopefully you got a long night of sleep? Barring that, you got whatever answers, or closure, you might have needed. Because it's strangely quiet, the following Sunday morning, the everyday background music you've all gotten used to reduced to mere echoes on the wind.

Breaking the silence, somewhere, much like the song of Friday, there is the echoing, cruel laughter of voices you should faintly recognize throughout the city. It's followed by humming of that newly familiar song. It's strongest, interestingly, out in the tundra.

As time turns to 1 PM, though, there is a change as the voices fade. While there's no compulsion to investigate it, there's a small gathering out in the snow. Your three Watchers are here with their daemons, and so are... Rochalizo, and his daemon, front and center. All damages and evidence, anything amiss from the weekend, is all gone, and replaced with the state of the hotel from the week prior.

Standing close are the Watchers. Satariel is carefully putting a coat around Rochalizo's shoulders, frowning, their daemon bear-formed and pressed close to them to keep them steady. Yomiel stands close by, offering what warmth they can before the barriers rise. Rameel seems to be expressionless as they were yesterday as they watch over what happens next.

And then, another party will be compelled to join them. Kaeya will find that his feet are carrying him to his destination, Polaris sticking close to him as they travel through the barrier. Once he passes through an arbitrarily decided threshold, opposite where Rochalizo stands, he'll find that he can't go back, and neither can his daemon.

Likewise, no one can enter the tundra further than where the Watchers are pushed back to, Satariel having to brace against the bear once more so as not to fall. There will be no interfering from outside parties, no matter what it is that's about to happen. Any attempts to do so will result in them meeting an invisible barrier, one that rebuffs them with the same amount of force used against it—so take care.

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[allyship]

[rochalizo is helpless to do much of anything as kaeya moves them both, philia flying after. he stays on the ground, trying to catch his breath, trying to see through his head spinning and spots dancing in his vision.

the despair doesn't touch him as quickly. he feels it on the edge of his soul—the emptiness, the will to give up—but at least, for a moment longer than kaeya, he can defy it.

a storm of cherry blossoms bursts around kaeya, and rochalizo thinks, ah. he knows what that one does. he can only hope it helps. maybe it's enough. but rochalizo doesn't know, and when desperation seizes him, he doesn't know if he wants to count on it.

he isn't sure of where the sword is. he could barely hear the clang as it fell, his ears ringing. even if he did, he barely has the energy to move, in pain from his lost arm and the poison, and exhausted from the fight being drained from him.

but—just a moment. he has to hold on, even for one.]

Kaeya.

[there are so many things he wants to say that he doesn't have the strength for. he can only hope his thoughts reach kaeya somehow, as futile as he knows it is. kaeya. whatever happens from here, i'm responsible for my own choices. not you.

and what i choose is not to have the both of us die here.

because what he's about to do may be imaginably cruel to kaeya, but right now, he would rather be cold-hearted than drag kaeya down with him.

his hand in his pocket, he focuses.

one, and then two.]

[callalilies]

[ somewhere, in a cave, deep and dark, where they're following after one another two by two. the light is dim, the air smells like smoke and burnt flesh, but they are alive.

they are— ]

[callalilies]

[ the shower of cherry blossoms litters the snow, a soft and beautiful addition to the macabre spatters of blood he's been leaving behind. at once, he feels it, the swell of strength from some untapped well within as the wind wraps around him, the pink petals strewn in his hair.

a cold fury takes him.

his heart is subzero.

he kicks up the hilt of the sword with liquid ease and catches it.

and with one cold look at rochalízo anastenagmós neiye-imisukin emarika antípatros apó amonlogia, as the spectres swarm, as polaris suddenly snarls and roars behind him at he plunges the sword straight into his throat, a fresh, hot gush of blood onto the snow, onto his boots.

he severs the arteries quickly.

and then spits out violently onto the snow beside rochalízo's head.

his head is bowed, his fist clenched tightly, every muscle in his body drawn tense like a bow string.

polaris lets out one, long, low howl. ]

[allyship]

[amidst the encroaching emptiness, he feels it—the flash of pain as kaeya stabs the sword through his throat without mercy. pain, and then just the briefest flicker of relief. (and an apology to kaeya, and to susato, whose last request he could not fulfill.

while I want this person caught, I also demand of you that you will show them every ounce of compassion that you once showed to me.

in the end, being kind to himself was too difficult.)

but it's a swift death, and so, in that moment, everything goes blank. no more hurting, no more despair, no more grief.

he falls to the ground, blood pooling and dyeing the snow a bright red.

rochalízo apó amonlogia is dead.]

REMEMBER -

[grigori]

remember
and dust you shall become in the end

 

 

The Watchers step forward in unison as the barrier falls, the same as they had with the verdict against Rochalizo. With their presence and a sheen of light and Dust, before the uninvited participants can weave amongst the crowd gathered, the spectres are forced to disperse from the tundra. Their reactions after the light fades vary - Satariel's fist curled tightly at their side, Yomiel frowning in quiet resignation, while Rameel doesn't have anything to say or to add and instead just looks beyond all of this, but it's clear to them that this is the end.

The cherry blossoms come to settle as blood stains the snow, a blending of petals on crisp and stark white, and Philia shimmers into golden Dust, fading on the wind before she even comes to the ground. The sword and snowglobe both disappear much like the broom had after they were chosen, and it seems like nothing will be left behind.

And that includes the executed, Rochalizo's body turning to Dust like much his daemon - and then there's nothing left.

Rochalízo Anastegamós Neiye-Imisukin Emarika Antípatros Apó Amonlogia is dead. He deserves the courtesy, at least, in death.

The laughter from before returns, echoing, before the unknown but newly familiar voices turn to song again:

to grow up selfish is to do what it takes
to get what you want, no matter the stakes.
for country or family, no cost is too great -
except, maybe, the soul, carrying all of that weight.
killing a friend to put the greater good first -
isn't that simply proof that he is the worst?
and yet, when faced with the chance to walk free,
still he fights for what's right, so desperately,
to save another friend who deserves not despair.
this is his courage, how he shows that he cares.
that bears more weight than a mere, fleeting grudge,
for all that this one ever wanted was love.

After the Dust clears, and the song ends with more of that laughter, the Watchers will disappear in a shift of time around them. Kaeya and Polaris are left alone in the heart of the tundra with nothing but anger to keep them warm.

[callalilies]

[ when the swarm of cherry blossoms lands in full, when the spectres retreat like a terrible nightmare, and when the barrier goes down and cold tundra hair kicks up once more, kaeya is left empty-handed, polaris at his side, still raised hackles and licking his jaws. he looks down at the dust as it dissipates, down at his boots, at the tumbled shape that rochalízo's body left on the ground.

he steps through it pointedly once, polaris rigid, ears pricked forward and tail straight as he follows not beside kaeya, but behind. he is growling, low and deep as they emerge slowly. ]

[bloodyromance]

[Once the barrier is lifted, Spike has a one track mind...

He rushes into the middle of this ring, to Kaeya's side...]

2/2

[bloodyromance]

[...And punches him in the face.]

You fucking moron. [His tone is cold and angry, there's no warmth to it. Not even any real heat.]

[callalilies]

[ oh wow that punch! connects! yikes! it hits him straight in the face, and his teeth clip his own lip. the blood comes down his nose in an instant and his head whips to the side. for a moment, he holds it. and then, he snarls.

polaris yelps at the contact. ]

I did it, didn't I?

[yueshen]

[ xie lian is also here, just sprinting over and yelling, immediately - ]

If someone can dispel a curse! Miss Satariel, I'll exchange with you if no one has anything!

[arcsplainist]

—I might be able to. What is wrong with him?

[yueshen]

[ a relieved, thankful look, though it seems satariel got it, so - ]

The cherry blossoms - it's a coin power, someone else had it. Save your strength and your spell in case you need it to protect yourself, Alphinaud.

[grigori]

[ the watchers have gone, and seem like they aren't going to be coming back.

but, then, there's a touch at xie lian's elbow that is not his earlier daemon companion, and a small moment of warmth follows there in all of this bitter cold left behind of the execution. satariel offers him a smile, though it's strained and angry at the edges. ]

The only payment I ask is that you take care of him, and each other. You can find me next week.

[yueshen]

[ he just looks desperate and angry and - when satariel shows up, faint relief flickers across his face, and then gratitude. he nods, determined. ]

I will. [ and immediately focuses in on that warmth. ]

[senjinrouha]

[ he just walks over to him and for a moment it genuinely looks like he wants to hit him. but...

what good would that do. ]

...

I'm sorry. That you had to go through that.

[callalilies]

[ he just. shakes his head quietly.

polaris just once, looks at yuri, face tipped upwards, like he's the moon. he lingers as kaeya lingers near him. his tail is still, but his eyes are wide and dark. ]

[senjinrouha]

[ pravda just pads over, still large and powerful in her lioness form and presses her head to polaris' -- soothing rumbles purring from the depths of her throat. ]

... Don't stay out here in the cold.

[sponsoredby]

[ he approaches, minding polaris because he doesn't want to make daemon to feel threatened. finley stays back behind kotetsu, giving plenty of space as well. ]

...Kaeya. It never should have been you.

[callalilies]

[ polaris is just... ears back, tail between his legs now. both kaeya and daemon are withdrawn, will follow eventually to come back in from the cold (for a bit.)

he looks at kotetsu, and his singular eye looks... lost. like it's looking beyond him, instead of right at him. ]

The choice was made for a reason.

[ a shuddering breath. entertainment, no doubt. feed the machine. he doesn't say it aloud. ]

Whoever poisoned Rochalízo... [ he trails off softly. ]

[evocationary]

[well, after everybody else is done punching him or yelling at him or doing whatever she comes over and very gently tucks his hair behind his ear. a little bit of comfort. and then steps back.]

Make sure you rest today.

[callalilies]

[ her touch is absolutely allowed, but kaeya is still, curled in towards her. ]

I'm sorry... I'm sorry you had to see that... Miss Lup.

[rerouter]

[...

she hangs back and watches until he's no longer super duper cursed(?), an unreadable look on her face.]

[callalilies]

[ hey monika... here's kaeya and polaris for you, uncursed and just... sort of slowly making their way back at the same pace as she is. wanna walk back together? ]

[shinetrue]

[ bends time and space.......................

diluc is frozen in place, everything in him screaming to move, and canopus is the same by his side. his gaze is fixed on kaeya as he emerges from the tundra...

then he breaks into a sprint, canopus shifting into her owl form to fly ahead and land at polaris' paws, before shifting back into mainecoon form and pawing at him.

diluc stops just a step before kaeya, hand reaching out for his arm, before changing course and gripping the front of his shirt. ]

YOU

[ and then he's pulling him into a tight embrace, but still mindful of the torn shoulder. ]

[callalilies]

[ after xie lian has graciously uncursed him thanks to satarial, after he has walked through others, he manages it. he pushes himself into diluc's arms.

and he sobs. truly now. not the soft, stifled cries into xie lian's shoulder, but loud, unbidden, a choke of cold air into the frozen waste. he clutches, careful of his back, of the wound he left behind all those years ago made by his own hands.

polaris pushes into canopus instantly, falls to the ground on his belly, like he's asking for forgiveness from her himself. ]