retrospec | (no subject)

So here's the thing…

We have a lot of work left to do. Those of you who ventured down below got a taste of what we're looking at and hopefully that means we can make better preparations. I'm working on opening a new portal based on your energy readings and getting it to stabilize itself so you aren't stuck down there longer than you have to be. May take a few days, but I'm hoping to get a map drawn up, too.

How many of you have been out to Magatus? You might wanna compare notes…the influence started spreading even further. It's better to bring everything and everyone out there back to the city where we can put up forcefields and I can monitor from here.

So what am I saying? I need two teams, a rescue team and an exploration team. Take some time to decide, figure out your skills, organize and arm yourselves. Assignments will go out when you're ready, and when I'm ready.

Oh yeah…and if you're interested in working for me directly? Send me your résumé.

Zee Carlisle
Hiring Manager
Retr

spec Incorporated

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The village was at the bottom of the ladder? Maybe the spirits were the ones who used to live there... Did you sense any spirits in the sixth layer last month?

[just going to bite her tongue on asking questions about how he got hurt... at least until later. mostly b/c she knows she doesn't have a leg to stand on in regards to getting hurt last February..]

[Honestly, the story behind him getting hurt is both equally underwhelming and pretty stupid, though he can at least claim it wasn't because he was being reckless. Mio had been entirely to blame on that end.]

Yeah. Which is strange, since we haven't been able to access the sixth layer without Zee's help all the other times. We just... came across this on our own. But I'm assuming that was the case with the spirits-- that they were former residents before whatever happened... happened. They felt a little vague, though, and I wasn't really able to tell what it was at the time...

Anyway, I did feel some spirits lingering around the reverse Tribunal Terrace... but I felt a lot worse stuff near the third gate. Like something twisted, and inhuman, and just... not good. I didn't go in there for that very reason.

Yeah. That was prudent. It's where Vanderweele had his laboratory. I'm still not really sure what kind of experiments he was doing back there, other than it involved soul energy. And there were some monsters there as well, likely also products of some of his experiments.

Wait-- monsters? What sort of monsters?

Are you alright?

[Kind of a ridiculous question to ask, given that Li-Na could probably make quick work out of most of her enemies, but he did remember her being exhausted while they were down there...]

Um...

[insert a slightly blurry snap from her golem ~~b/c half the time i forget she has the thing~~ of a wendigo]

And yes, I'm okay.

[now]

[wwwwwwwwhat the ever loving fuck is that]

... that's horrifying.

Was he corrupting people's souls to turn them into... that? No wonder Zee wants to stop him at all costs.

[But then, the more important question--]

You didn't fight them, did you?

[something that will haunt her dreams for weeks]

I don't know if there's a connection between the souls and the monsters. The medical records I found weren't very helpful. He had... a lot of souls there though.

[And organs... ugh she really doesn't want to tell Xiaolang about those organs. Her skin still crawls at the thought of them.]

Some of them. They were trying to absorb the souls.

[Look, there are two very good puppers in the house that can keep her company if she has nightmares, and Xiaolang himself will ensure they go her way if anything happens]

Maybe he's collecting souls to... fuel those things? Though it wouldn't make sense for him to do all those tests and experiments just for that.

[Not that he wants to think about other people's souls being food for monsters... and he doubly does not want to think about Li-Na fighting those creatures, even if she made it out okay.]

You wouldn't have happened to get any more photos of the place, did you?

[bless those puppers, and Xiaolang]

He wouldn't need that many if it was just to fuel those monsters. One soul would be more than enough to fuel one.

[wow, way to hit on something almost exactly like her past life]

Yes. I took several pictures and some video with my golem.