Re: Battle Royale! Round 7: The Conservatory
05-25-2010, 09:22 PM
Originally posted on MSPA by Schazer.
The light spread with the Composer's guiding hand, any thoughts on Zeke or his Creator concealed behind blank, inscrutable eyes. The multiversal current already flowing to the place she'd known full well to be the final scene, she turned and finally conceded a quirk of an eyebrow at the sight of a startled Lan trying to flee while the Grandmaster's back was turned. She seemed... calmer, though, than she had been after Itzal's death, though the assembled Creators were uneasy of assuming that was a good thing.
"Somehow, you neglected to mention your creation was already dead." The Composer sounded supremely unconcerned, examining the edge of her sleeve. "Really," she continued, tone unchanging as her fingers suddenly seized at nothing, "I wonder-" the other hand was raised just as Lan felt an unbreakable grip dig into him "-how hard it is-" the Creator tried to scream as the Composer's pantomime hands tore him apart, but to avoid interruptions, she'd silenced him "-to keep me informed. Now, get out of my sight." a casual flick of a hand dismissed the reprimanded Creator, the Grandmaster took a moment to compose herself and wipe the look of twisted glee off her face, then turned to the remaining pair with a far saner smile.
"Regardless. Shall we begin?"
The blinding white gained form and flow, as ether coalesced about the three beings into a grand building, composed of that brilliantly blue Hoodoo crystal, rising from the ground and melding seamlessly overhead in the high-ceilinged entrance hall of a ancient and venerable university building's main hall.
"Welcome to my home, Creators. The Conservatory." Motioning with one hand, a door melted into existence in the wall before Yifan and Drae, as they wondered how long this place had existed. Padding silently through the solemn, azure caverns, the Creators couldn't shake the feeling they wandered a once-lively place of learning, frozen in time and shining stone. It was a the only non-crystal details were intricate, oddly-out-of-place instruments scattered throughout the sprawling building. Their functions remained incomprehensible to the Creators, and the spirit marching ahead offered no explanation. Yifan ran a passing hand over the strings of some strand blend of guillotine, harp, and loom; the resultant thrum of the steel cords made the surrounding crystal walls glow and hum in turn. The Composer paid no heed; her most dangerous instruments were hidden in the deepest of the translucent caverns
Her circuitous stroll was not exclusively for the purpose of showing off her domain, though - the Composer appeared to be gathering her thoughts, and gathering her form in turn. By the time the end of the final hallway was reached, the Creators were no longer trailing behind a spectral mist, but an imposing, slender, inhumanly tall female human, with a shock of dark hair, dressed in a light kimono that swirled with patterns of the ether. The Composer turned, affixing Drae and Yifan with a piercing, white-eyed gaze.
"Please, make yourselves at home. I have several more guests to attend to."
The Composer walked through the gem-hewn wall, leaving the Creators to disperse to parts unknown.
"Well." The Grandmaster turned to greet a startled Mike, and a comparatively calm Whit, who had seen the transition coming. Neither had been in the featureless, dully glowing chamber until mere moments before. The solemn features quirked a little, and the stern line of the mouth softened, even if the blank eyes didn't. Then the coolly professional voice started, and neither had any doubt they were facing the madgod who had dragged them across universes purely for sport. "Congratulations are in order, I suppose, for making it to the final round. Now... Regrettably (the polite smile became a little smugger, making it clear just how regretful the Composer was) the situation has changed since I brought you to this fight, all those deaths ago. I can still assure safe passage home for the winner, however, I offer no guarantee you will remain there."
Beneath the flowing sleeves, the Composer's fingers drummed thoughtfully against her sides, before flicking out and catching several pulses of whatever spectral substance she used to forge her worlds. When the mist condensed, she held in each hand three pale, glowing orbs.
"Six acts performed... six foes bested... six boons granted before one of you leaves tonight." The Composer nodded to the contestants, and the doorless chamber began to glow, brighter and brighter, until the details of the room were eaten out of Whit and Mike's eyes. When they could see again, they were finally free to move, and found themselves alone in the glassy blue halls of the conservatory. Other than a barely audible, but persistent rushing background tone, the only sound was the rustle of blood-stained clothing, or the moan and creak of the bigger enigmatic instruments.
"Let the final act begin."
The light spread with the Composer's guiding hand, any thoughts on Zeke or his Creator concealed behind blank, inscrutable eyes. The multiversal current already flowing to the place she'd known full well to be the final scene, she turned and finally conceded a quirk of an eyebrow at the sight of a startled Lan trying to flee while the Grandmaster's back was turned. She seemed... calmer, though, than she had been after Itzal's death, though the assembled Creators were uneasy of assuming that was a good thing.
"Somehow, you neglected to mention your creation was already dead." The Composer sounded supremely unconcerned, examining the edge of her sleeve. "Really," she continued, tone unchanging as her fingers suddenly seized at nothing, "I wonder-" the other hand was raised just as Lan felt an unbreakable grip dig into him "-how hard it is-" the Creator tried to scream as the Composer's pantomime hands tore him apart, but to avoid interruptions, she'd silenced him "-to keep me informed. Now, get out of my sight." a casual flick of a hand dismissed the reprimanded Creator, the Grandmaster took a moment to compose herself and wipe the look of twisted glee off her face, then turned to the remaining pair with a far saner smile.
"Regardless. Shall we begin?"
The blinding white gained form and flow, as ether coalesced about the three beings into a grand building, composed of that brilliantly blue Hoodoo crystal, rising from the ground and melding seamlessly overhead in the high-ceilinged entrance hall of a ancient and venerable university building's main hall.
"Welcome to my home, Creators. The Conservatory." Motioning with one hand, a door melted into existence in the wall before Yifan and Drae, as they wondered how long this place had existed. Padding silently through the solemn, azure caverns, the Creators couldn't shake the feeling they wandered a once-lively place of learning, frozen in time and shining stone. It was a the only non-crystal details were intricate, oddly-out-of-place instruments scattered throughout the sprawling building. Their functions remained incomprehensible to the Creators, and the spirit marching ahead offered no explanation. Yifan ran a passing hand over the strings of some strand blend of guillotine, harp, and loom; the resultant thrum of the steel cords made the surrounding crystal walls glow and hum in turn. The Composer paid no heed; her most dangerous instruments were hidden in the deepest of the translucent caverns
Her circuitous stroll was not exclusively for the purpose of showing off her domain, though - the Composer appeared to be gathering her thoughts, and gathering her form in turn. By the time the end of the final hallway was reached, the Creators were no longer trailing behind a spectral mist, but an imposing, slender, inhumanly tall female human, with a shock of dark hair, dressed in a light kimono that swirled with patterns of the ether. The Composer turned, affixing Drae and Yifan with a piercing, white-eyed gaze.
"Please, make yourselves at home. I have several more guests to attend to."
The Composer walked through the gem-hewn wall, leaving the Creators to disperse to parts unknown.
"Well." The Grandmaster turned to greet a startled Mike, and a comparatively calm Whit, who had seen the transition coming. Neither had been in the featureless, dully glowing chamber until mere moments before. The solemn features quirked a little, and the stern line of the mouth softened, even if the blank eyes didn't. Then the coolly professional voice started, and neither had any doubt they were facing the madgod who had dragged them across universes purely for sport. "Congratulations are in order, I suppose, for making it to the final round. Now... Regrettably (the polite smile became a little smugger, making it clear just how regretful the Composer was) the situation has changed since I brought you to this fight, all those deaths ago. I can still assure safe passage home for the winner, however, I offer no guarantee you will remain there."
Beneath the flowing sleeves, the Composer's fingers drummed thoughtfully against her sides, before flicking out and catching several pulses of whatever spectral substance she used to forge her worlds. When the mist condensed, she held in each hand three pale, glowing orbs.
"Six acts performed... six foes bested... six boons granted before one of you leaves tonight." The Composer nodded to the contestants, and the doorless chamber began to glow, brighter and brighter, until the details of the room were eaten out of Whit and Mike's eyes. When they could see again, they were finally free to move, and found themselves alone in the glassy blue halls of the conservatory. Other than a barely audible, but persistent rushing background tone, the only sound was the rustle of blood-stained clothing, or the moan and creak of the bigger enigmatic instruments.
"Let the final act begin."
Spoiler
![[Image: wa3x8z.png]](https://i50.tinypic.com/wa3x8z.png)
). But really, surprise me. Go nuts. Have fun.
peace to the unsung peace to the martyrs | i'm johnny rotten appleseed
clouds is shaky love | broke as hell but i got a bunch of ringtones
eyes blood red bruise aubergine | Sue took something now Sue doesn't sleep | saint average, day in the life of
woke up in the noon smelling doom and death | out the house, great outdoors
staying warm in arctic blizzard | that's my battle 'til I get inanimate | still up in the same clothes living like a gameshow
clouds is shaky love | broke as hell but i got a bunch of ringtones
eyes blood red bruise aubergine | Sue took something now Sue doesn't sleep | saint average, day in the life of
woke up in the noon smelling doom and death | out the house, great outdoors
staying warm in arctic blizzard | that's my battle 'til I get inanimate | still up in the same clothes living like a gameshow