Audio | @silent, @parker, @riku | open

[callada]

[ It has been hours since the lighthouse crew returned to Beacon. You may have seen them around already - checking up on friends and strangers alike, making sure people are safe from the forest spirits and their violence. So it’s some time after that the audio file is posted to the network. ]

Riku: It’s done. The lighthouse is connected.

Peter: That’s the good news. [ a beat; frankly, peter’s tired and it’s reflected in the audible exhale of breath that follows the brief statement. ] Which means we can now communicate with the Lighthouse Keeper and she can communicate with us. I know— things didn’t exactly go as planned, at the lighthouse or — here, but Winters said there’d be a risk. [ the word’s enunciated carefully, with weight; it’s accompanied by the brief sound of movement. that they all knew there'd be the risk of death going into this doesn't change the gravity of what had happened, and though there's more to it than this, peter continues with: ]

—The spirits attacked once they figured out what we were trying to do. [ breath of a pause; amendment. ] Once they thought they figured out what we were trying to do—.

[ in person, peter's attention flickers between rosinante and riku. ]

Rosinante: They came for us immediately when they found us. We ran, but Winters was at the rear and they got him first. Five was first to try and help him, and they killed him too.

[ Said bluntly, matter-of-factly. There’s no desire to beat around the bush, though he does sound solemn as he continues. ]

I can’t speak for the others, but I’ll be here at the Invincible for now if anyone has questions, or needs somewhere to hide.

[ For now, all three are there around the tables by the bar, looking tired and covered in blood and dirt. Worse for wear, but alive. ]

((Feel free to either reply via network or come find them in person!))

Comments

[callada]

No. The foghorn sounded first, and we were attacked almost immediately after.

[pure_havoc]

I see. Then it was in fact a signal.

The attacks were not instantaneous here, but the sense of panic was, as was the appearance of unknown spirits in the trees around the town. Many spirits fled at the sound.

None of this sounds good in any sense. Whether you take it as betrayal from the lighthouse keeper or merely a mistake in communication, I have significantly less confidence in our holdover residents - as well as the spirits.

[callada]

The only good to have come out of this is that the keeper is now on the network. We should be able to question her if we can figure out what her contact name is.

Captain Winters must have understood this was something she might do. Doctor Ingram suggested as much a few minutes ago. Winters felt it was important anyway.

[pure_havoc]

Yes, so I heard. [WILL, PLEASE. He sounds entirely unimpressed and vaguely judgey] He did express his misgivings before this whole thing, didn't he?

Success is not to be taken lightly, but it seems we've learned more and left ourselves with even more questions from the snags rather than the success.

[callada]

That's how it always is, though, isn't it.

I'd like to see if we can get an idea of who's accounted for right now and who isn't. Do you have anyone with you?

[pure_havoc]

At the moment, no, but I have been ushering anyone I see outside to safety, and fighting on and off alongside Master Kuai Liang. It is better for everyone to simply stay put until these creatures calm down and leave us alone.

[callada]

If you run across anyone who can get to the Invincible easily, feel free to send them our way. I'll head out again in a few hours for supplies to make sure we can feed everyone and treat injuries if we need to. Definitely best to keep people from running off and getting lost until we know what's going on.

[pure_havoc]

I don't recommend going anywhere near the darkness of the forest if at all possible. [it's rare he allows himself this much emotion but he definitely sounds concerned. Wary. Dread, even.] Upon the sound of the horn, we could see different spirits out there, by their eyes alone. I feel as though the spirits at the party who panicked were afraid of them, not of us.

[spirits that frighten other spirits can't be good]

I am glad to hear the rest of you made it through the gauntlet alive.

[callada]

Wasn't easy. The spirits they were afraid of - that might have been some of the ones we encountered ourselves. Tall and thin with long limbs?

[pure_havoc]

[OH SHIT SON] ...you saw them, then.

[callada]

A little too well. Not going to forget them any time soon.

[pure_havoc]

I want to know as much as I can but...it can wait. Our priority should be making sure no one else falls victim right now. Stay vigilant.