Your head is killing you. You have the biggest headache you've ever had in your life. What just happened!?

You look around you, you're not in Rokkenjima... or at least you think so. You're not by the cliff, that much is certain. But what happened? Weren't you pushed off the cliff? Weren't you lying on the bottom bleeding and dying?

How did you get in this room?

Last edited at 14/04/05(Sat)20:56:54

""Welcome!"" You hear two voices shout at the same time. You recognize them, it is Furfur and Zepar.

"Greetings Archbishop!"

"How do you do!"

"Welcome to our room."

"We like to play here."

"And have lots of fun!"

Their way of talking is quickly annoying you.

"We are Zepar."

"And Furfur."

"We represent uncertainty for a lack of a better word. Or rather we should say we represent conflict of inner self."

"We exist as two, but we are one."

"We dance together as partners in crime."

"What just happened to you, that is surely what is on your mind."

"Well it is a little complex, you are putting us in a bind."

"But we can explain a little bit to you. There exists two of us. Zepar and Furfur you see."

"And two of you. Dlanor and Valefor."

"A wonderful dance isn't it. And with a dance you need a partner. One can not go alone."

"Oh no no."

"This is all connected to what Clair wants you see."

"She wants you to set everyone free."

"Who is she you wonder? Is she the one you believe she is?"

"Well that's hard to say, they took the name of Clair to hide they identity.

"They took the form of Clair to hide they're appearance."

"She is a mystery as well. One you can solve by the end with a simple train of thought."

"Or not!"

Both demons begin laughing.

Last edited at 14/04/05(Sat)20:55:31

"What is the meaning of THIS? Am I DEAD?"

"Nope!"

"You're in luck."

You hear someone laughing from behind you. You spin around and see another familiar face sipping a cup of tea. It is the Witch of Miracles.

"I created a miracle."

Last edited at 14/04/05(Sat)21:07:44

"Lady Bernkastel, it is an honor to see you AGAIN," I say as amiably as I can. "What brings you to this game BOARD?"

She takes a sip of her tea. "It is interesting 'that child's game had an interesting extra effect she had not foreseen. That effect is this kakera. This repeating kakera, is not something that child would have wished for. Earlier you were talking about 'where is your heart' and a 'tale of love.'" Bernkastel scoffs. "You won't find such things in this tale. This kakera is not one of love."

She cackles to herself. "And maybe that's why it interests me. I'm here because I feel slight pity for 'this child.' They did nothing to humiliate me so i bear them no ill will."

She looks off toward a window in the room. "Perhaps I am growing somewhat soft. Either way, I feel like having something to relieve my boredom. That would be this kakera. So go and entertain me. Solve this kakera for me. However as you probably remember if I grow bored I won't let things slide as is. Camphor~ Camphor~"

She snaps her fingers and someone else appears in the room, it is Valefor.

He smirks when he sees you. "Well what do you know, you're still alive. I guess I don't have to feel any guilt after all." And then he gasps in surprise at Bernkastel. "The great witch of miracles. You are truly a witch among witches." He kneels before her.

"I want you to lend Dlanor some of your gift."
He nods. Bernkastel without warning shoves her hand into his chest, but there is no blood. She pulls out a pendant with a dragon on it. "This will pendant will allow you to look into the heart of the person wearing it. It will reveal to you their deepest darkest secret. What they wish to keep hidden in the shadows. What would destroy them if it came to light."

She holds the pendant out to you.

I look at it, then at Bern. "What do you want in RETURN?"

"Just simple entertainment."

"And the negative consequences to taking IT?"

"Only the ones your conscious has for invading the privacy of others."

"I have no such CONCERNS."

I take the pendant.

"Good, don't bore me."

She snaps her fingers and you find yourself back in your guest room. The morning sun is piercing through the window of your room. It looks like the night has ended.

I walk out of the room and walk into the dining room.

You see Krauss sitting at the table, he greets you and asks if you had a good rest. You also see Kanon in the room.

"I dreamed that the demon Valefor pushed me off of a cliff and I died during a game of tag against the seven stakes of purgatory. What are we having for breakfast?"

"T-t-tag? W-what? Demons? Stakes of purgatory. Kids these days. You certainly have imaginations, haha." He laughs.

"Miso Soup, steamed rice and broiled fish." Kanon answers.

"Thank you," I approach Kanon. "Apologize to Shannon-san about my behavior yesterday. I was not in my correct state of mind."

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He nods "I'll do so."

"Thank you once more. If it's not too much trouble, I must ask I favor."

I take out the pendant. "I found this piece of jewelry on my person. I believe that it's triggering some kind of memory, but I feel that I need to see someone else try it on first to make sure. Don't worry. I'm not asking you to accept an expensive gift, I would just like to see it on you for a moment so I can tell whether or not it is truly significant."

I ask loud enough so that Krauss can hear my request as well.

Kanon is confused by your request, but he accepts and puts the pendant on. As soon does an insignia of a dragon appears in his eyes.

You hear Valefor's voice coming from behind you. "Submit yourself. Release what you're hiding to me. Show me your weakness. This is a betrayal of information. Your mind submits to me."

You see a small dragon made of green mist fly into Kanon's eye and then fly back to your chest. Your mind is bombarded with images.

Last edited at 14/04/06(Sun)00:21:29

You are inside a closet. It is dusty, cold and cramped. How long have you been inside this closed. You can't recall, it feels like forever.

You heard the sound of someone slapping someone, and then a scream outside of the closet door.

You peak through a crack in the door. You can see a little girl being severely beaten by a series of bears. You watch as she is smacked over and over again, they pounce on her as she screams and cries. Laughter echos throughout the whole area.

You grab the doorknob and try to open the door, but it refused to move. It is blocked by a chain lock. There is no escape out of the closet. You are trapped inside.

The vision ends and you return back to the dining room. Kanon's facial expression has gone pale and he looks like he about to burst into tears, well maybe.

"My apologies," I say. The event stirred me up more than I care to admit. I shudder. "I don't believe that necklace contains what I'm looking for at all."

Kanon wordlessly takes off the necklace and gives it back to you. Some of his vigor seems to have vanished. He looks kind of lifeless now.

I don't accept it. "Please discard the necklace for me. I have no desire to keep it."

Kanon nods and leaves the room like a soulless doll. Like someone who has lost his purpose.

I sit at the table. "Today is the day of your family's conference, correct? I hope that I will not be a burden."

"That is correct." Krauss answers. "My wife and Kumasawa have gone to greet everyone upon arrival. They should be back soon."

"I met a blonde haired girl before I went to sleep yesterday. Will she be joining us for breakfast?"

Krauss raises an eyebrow. "You must have been dreaming."

"I see. You are probably correct."

I sit in silence until something of note happens.

After a short while Gohda and Shannon come in with some breakfast for you. At that same time Krauss excuses himself saying he has to check up on his father.

I thank Gohda and Shannon and enjoy my delicious meal.

After you finish eating Shannon gathers up your dishes and takes them to the kitchen, Gohda goes with her.

Time flows by as you sit there in some kind of trance or something. You begin to wonder how long you've been sitting in the dinning room alone.

Minutes? Hours? Days? Weeks? Months? Years?

I walk around mindlessly until I fight something worth the interest of the mighty Dlanor A. Knox.

As you walk around you encounter a large group of people in the hallway. You recognize them as all of Kinzo's children and their spouses.

Krauss speaks upon noticing you and introduces you, and the family does the same.

"I see, so you're the uninvited guest who just so happens to be here on our family conference." Eva says as she looks you over.

"Dear, there is no reason to be suspicious now." Hideyoshi says to her.

"I hope you don't have too much trauma from your event." Rosa says to you.

Kyrie just stares at you, as if sizing you up.

"Kind of a strange outfit to wear on a cruise." Eva comments.

"You're being rude to our guest. What would father say right now!" Natsuhi shouts.

Eva's expression turns snide. "Oh? What would he say? I'm not sure, why don't we ask him?"

Krauss jumps in right away. "There is no reason to bother Father over trivial things."

"Trivial?" Rudolf questions. "Is a guest on the mansion really such a trivial thing Nii-san? I would think that this would be something that Father should know about right away."

"We already told him about this." Krauss explains without missing a beat.

"Come now, we should talk further in the parlor, rather than the hallway." Krauss suggests leading the way.

The family walks by you and heads to the parlor.

I look around for some paper and a pen, hiding them in my pockets should I find them. I do so as secretly as I can.

After a little looking around you find some paper and a working pen in a cabinet of the hallway, no one notices you do this, as there is no one around.

I write on the paper in a handwriting as unsimilar to my own as I can make it: 'Ushiromiya Kinzo will not be joining you for the family conference. Ushiromiya Kinzo is dead. Betrayers sit next to you.

-- Mordred the Damned '

I walk to the parlor, make sure nobody is around, then place it in front of the door and leave.

No one sees you do these actions.

However upon walking away from the parlor you bump into Shannon pushing a kart with snacks and a pot of tea.

She takes notice of you, but does not speak to you, or make direct eye contact as she passes by.

Last edited at 14/04/18(Fri)15:51:24

I turn back.

"Shannon-san?"

She stops pushing the kart. "Yes?" She turns toward you and smiles.

"I already told another servant to give you my word, but I'm afraid I must apologize for my behavior yesterday. It was unbecoming of me."

I wait to see what she says.

A few seconds after you finish speaking Shannon politely bows. "I apologize as well. I believe I may have gone a bit too far."

"I hope we may begin anew." I pause. "I must ask a favor of you. I have urgent need to talk to Krauss-san immediately but I have not been able to locate the parlor he said he would be inside of. I understand he and his siblings are conferencing, but this matter requires immediate attention. Can you help me locate him?"

"I'd be happy too, I was on my way there myself to bring the family some tea and snacks."

She continues wheeling the kart and gestures you to follow her.

I pretend to notice my note and pick it if it's still there. "Ah, is this something important, Shannon-san? I saw it while walking and assumed it must belong to one of the family members."

"W-what does this all mean?"

Shannon's expression changes to one of slight concern. "What? What is wrong?"

I show Shannon the letter. "Does this mean anything to you?"

Shannon's eyes go wide for a brief second before she laughs it off. "This must be some kind of prank. I don't think we need to show the family this." She starts to head toward the trash can with the letter.

I consider stopping her, but think better of it. I had no particular strategy with this move and I should think things out more thoroughly. If the time comes when I'm determined to make Kinzo's death known, then I doubt even the game master could stop me.

"You're probably correct. My apologies. I just remembered something I have to do," I walk away from Shannon before listening to her response.

You walk away from Shannon and down the hallway before Shannon can respond.

You arrive at the entry of the mansion. You see Jessica looking up at Beatrice's portrait.

She turns upon hearing you approach. "Do you believe in witches?" she asks you.

"There are people in the world that may refer to themselves at witches, and even some who refer to what they do as 'magic'. I've been around long enough to know that 'magic' exists, and there are many that harness this power for evil. What's interesting is that these individuals tend to bleed like any other human."

I pause. "Who are you?"

"I'm Jessica Ushiromiya. I'm the daughter of Krauss and Natsuhi."

"Why did you not join Krauss-san and I for breakfast? I'm sure we would have enjoyed the company."

"My family and I are not really on good terms right now. So I don't think it would have been a good thing."

"May I be as bold as to ask what happened?"

"It's complicated. There is some distance between us now. Not that we've ever gotten along that well, but now, we are so far apart we don't even greet each other."

She looks back at Beatrice's portrait. "You know, they say this witch gave grandfather tons of gold to help him out. I wonder if she could help my family out too."

I take note of the fact that she might be a ghost and look for the epitaph.

The epitaph is the same as always.

Once you finish reading it something surprising happens.

You hear a knock on the front door. Someone is knocking on the door. But who could it possibly be?

"Should you get that?" I ask Jessica.

Jessica nods and heads over to the door.

"Who can this be.." She mutters.

Just as she is about to reach for the door, it flies open.

A horrid cackle fills the room as a familiar face strolls in.

"Hello Ushiromiya family~"

Last edited at 14/04/23(Wed)23:23:41

"Lady Bernkastel," I say politely. "Is there something you require?"

"I told you, I don't handle boredom well. This is just a way for my to drum up some excitement~"

Jessica scowls at Bernkastel. "Who are you?! What are you doing here?"

"I'm here for some fun!" She tells Jessica. She looks at you. "You're method is just so boring. I simply have to create some excitement."

"Oh? We have a guest?"

You hear a voice behind you. Upon turning around you see Kumasawa standing there.

"Yes. I'd like to meet who lives here." Bernkastel tells her.

"Oh, right this way." She says.

"Lady Bernkastel," I follow her. "This is supposed to be my game to solve."

"Oh, I don't plan on taking that away from you. I've just decided to have a little fun and spice things up a bit."

Bernkastel cackles before heading down the hallway with Kumasawa.

"I....I don't like this." Jessica says.

"Neither do I."

I follow Bernkastel and see what nefarious tricks she's planning.