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"I can actually slip inside through the shadows...so me and Kai can try to scout inside first." Hei gave Kai a miffed faced. "I've learned a few tricks of my own, Kai. You're not the only one who can walk through walls now"
"Should we start?"
SPOILER! :
Kai rolled his eyes, "Hei, you aren't listening.
It's not about accessibility, it's about the fact that that thing was controlling the priest from a different room, in impenetrable darkness, and was able to see. It must be useing some other sense to see with. Telepathy, maybe? Something that no matter how good at hiding you are it'll still 'see' because you'll still be there. When I'm etheral I'm not actually in the room. It's... complicated. I'm not patronising you. If this was an ordinary surveillance mission then you'd be more use than me. But you weren't there, Hei. You didn't feel it, didn't see the way that priest was controlled. You didn't feel the monolith."(faceless...rotting) "I'm not being condecending, I'm being cautious." He smiled weakly, "Ninja you know. Caution is an occupational hazard."
After a second, he nodded. "Okay. Hei and I will go in through the animal doors and check if the coast is clear. Then Hei- you don't have a daily limit on your talents do you? I'm wary of running out of ki- or I can come and let you in." He hesitated, then nodded to himself."Okay Hei, you won't be able to sense me or knwo where I am, but when/if the coast is clear I'll rematerialise."
With that he went etheral and went through the animal doors.
It was dark in here. Completely, totally, and utterly dark.
And It was in here, with him.
Hei took that as a mild offense, being the Hei she is, and all...
Circumstances convinced her otherwise, though, and she didn't push it any further. "Alright. I suppose you know more than me...I'm sorry. I'll hang behind. I can see in the dark well, so if it's possible I'd like to have line of sight of you all the time while you're material. Could that be reasonably arranged?"
"I'd hate to be helpless if you're in trouble..." she finished with a murmur.
Well, shoot. Kai went ahead.
Hei skipped into the dark, and reappeared in a cloud of shadowy vapors inside the slaughter house. As the sense of growing dread washed over her, she almost regretted being so confident.
Hei couldn't see anything. At all. But It was in here, with her. She felt It. It was horrible.
And it knew she was here.
It was raping her mind. She could feel it. Horrific tendrils of mental energy scratching, tearing, pulling. She wanted to scream. To vomit. To curl in a ball, cry, and never face It again. Somehow, summoning every ounce of willpower she had, Hei managed to resist it, to repel the horrible, horrible, presence in her mind.
(1d20+5=25 Hei failed originally, but nailed the re-roll
A voice came out from the darkness now. A woman's. It was calm, reassuring, and compassionate.
"I am sorry for that. I detected your presence and was alarmed. No insult nor injury was intended. You have my apologies."
"I mean you no harm. I am here to help. Please lay down your weapons and I shall be happy to answer your questions."
Hei wanted to scream for help. But the fear gripped her hard, and she dared not to make any sudden burst of noise or movement. She slowly, with her trembling lips, spoke to the voice.
At least it was better than silence...
"I don't know ...w..what you're pulling. But..I'm haven't fal..fallen for your tricks."
Kai....Kai!....
She produced her weapon from the ring on her hand, ready to blindly lash it out if need be. She needs to get out of here...
It was closer to her, now, she could tell.
"There is no trick, my child. I know you are scared, and I am sorry about that. My true form is something you would find even more horrifying, however, and thus I remain hidden to save you from that fear. This woman has graciously offered herself to serve as my mouthpiece."
"I know you are scared, but look at things logically; you are in total darkness and cannot see me. I can see you. If I wanted to harm you you would be powerless to stop me. I ask you to put down your weapons as a show of good faith, so that I know you are someone I can reason with. I only want to help you."
EDIT: I forgot to mention, but the place reeks. It is a slaughterhouse. Hei, make a fort save against being sickened/nauseous. DC15. And get on AIM!
Shit fuck it even reasoned like the fish thing in the pond.
Fuck it's logic. It could obviously see or otherwise sense them, and Kai would bet his life this woman was no more a 'willing mouthpiece' than the Princess had been.
'Show of good faith'. He'd heard that bullshit before and it stank.
Listen
Sense motive
Kai could hear the thing was getting closer to Hei. Being in total darkness, he had only audio cues to go by, and that was not enough to tell if the woman - or, rather, whatever horror was speaking through her - was lying.
SPOILER! :
If anything...I might be able to buy some time for Kai to find out more...
"She's a slave. Stop with the mild words. I'm not buying into any of your 'goodwill'"
Hei did not let go of her weapon.