FOR THEY CANNOT DIE ANYMORE, BECAUSE THEY ARE EQUAL TO ANGELS.

[cccorp]

Today, the canals of Mac Anu flow as gentle as they always do, gondolas drifting lazy through the paths of sunlight cut bright across the water. Shops and vendors line the stonework streets along the waterways, a general murmur of NPCs circulating through their preprogrammed business keeping Mac Anu, as always, feeling maybe a little more alive than a real city.

There is one particular bridge that nearly every player's taken at least once, because it connects to a great many other places of interest, and it's wide enough for easy travel. Besides, with the professions update, they've put a fishing spot on the other side of it. NPCs with fishing rods litter the spot in alternating shifts, their laughter mingling with the calls of shopkeeps advertising cheap prices for some simple plants to get started crafting with, and the clink of forks and plates at a restaurant nearby, its customers singing the chef praises.

Below the bridge, a gondolier passes, humming, his gondola drifting along its circuit through the canals, his tune in rhythm with the passing conversation. As he comes out from under it and sails further away, he glances up at the bridge, as if he were expecting something, and he seems to see it. His gaze remains fixed there until, eventually, the water takes him out of sight again.

Today, you might notice that at the base of this bridge, just before your feet, is a red sort of smear.

A little further down the bridge, about a fourth of the way along it, is a person collapsed on the ground. The red trails to him, fallen forward.

You see upon approaching his hand grasping at his throat at the singularly cut sliced deep into his neck. His one good eye wide and unblinking, he is—among all the laughter and conversation on either side of the bridge; in the shadow of the clock tower, which stands a silent witness, the sun at its back—no longer breathing, his body cool to the touch.

Perhaps this could be considered a kindness: for one who failed, time and time and again, to grasp the desire to live, maybe he found some suggestion of it in his last moments, his hand at his throat, his palm smeared with dried blood, a curious anomaly in the deathless Mac Anu. Fragment had, after all, taught him a great many things. Should he not be grateful for one more, no matter how permanent the lesson?

Mithrun is dead.

Comments

[fatalitea]

I would like to know if there is any available information regarding whether or not Mithrun-san had been visiting a dungeon or the like before coming here. I don't know if you'd have access to that sort of data as an admin, or even if you'd be allowed to divulge that to just any player, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to at least try asking nonetheless.

[Even just knowing whether or not Mithrun came from a dungeon, even if not knowing the exact one, could be helpful for the investigators, or for anyone who doesn't want to potentially stumble somewhere they shouldn't right now if they have the bad luck of somehow inserting the exact keywords into the Gate that would lead to what happened to Mithrun.]

[selfconcept]

[ See, Mami is nice and polite. This is why Hien can't exactly get cranky at her despite the lack of sleep. He also tries to subtly get in the way between her and the body so that she doesn't have to see it while she talks to him. He's at a good height of 5'10" with a long black cloak, so it's definitely doable. ]

... I can't.

[ Can't what? Divulge information to the players? Can't access the information they need? Perhaps there's a reason why he can't specify, but that is all he can say apart from this bit that genuinely sounds apologetic: ]

Sorry.

[fatalitea]

... I see.

[There's a pause as she regards Hien's current appearance with a slight frown.]

Are you... taking care of yourself, Hien-san? I know that it's important to keep an eye on the situation right now, but please make sure to take the time to eat and rest too so that you don't wear yourself thin.

[selfconcept]

Keeping an eye on the situation is not all that I'm doing.

[ Though he won't blame her for not knowing. Who knows what he's doing on his invisible UI... He usually doesn't bother correcting people, because he doesn't care about what other people think of him, but-- ]

... I'm doing a lot of things while I stand here. Head Admin stuff.

[ Because people keep saying he's not doing anything, but he is. He's not upset by that, but this is just to assuage Mami's worries. Kinda. ]

But this is the norm. I'll be fine.

[fatalitea]

Okay. If you're certain, then I will let you get back to work for now. If there's anything that I can do to help, however, please let me know.

[And unless Hien has something else to tell her, she'll bow her head again and walk back over to Oria.]

[dissimulative]

[ Hien doesn't have anything else to say, so he just nods at her when she leaves. Oria looks mildly surprised when she comes back and very visibly not looking annoyed. ]

... Are you two friends or something?

[ It's hard to accept the fact that he didn't see Hien chew someone's head off for merely asking him a question. ]

[fatalitea]

I don't know if "friends" is the right word for it, since we haven't spoken that much. But he's always been fairly polite to me, which has been very appreciated. I wouldn't mind being friends if he wanted to be.

[Mami might be too good for this sinful MMORPG...]

[dissimulative]

Well, at least he knows who to be polite to.

[ Because being rude to Mami when she hasn't done anything?? Oria would get annoyed at that for sure. ]