Name: Johnson Avery

Backstory:

The MC is a civilian trapped in a perpetual conflict between two nations who hate each other. He has no families left because they were all killed in the war. Tired of the violence around him, he prays for a world of eternal peace.

Personality:

He’s a meek guy with a tendency to avoid any conflict in his way because he’s too cowardly to take them head on. He hates any kind of violence and prefers to let other people step on him if it can keep the peace.

[X]Eientei
[X]No

[X]>>149151

Name: Tyrone Jefferson

Backstory:

The MC is a pimp trapped in a perpetual fight Between rival gangs. He has no hoes left because they were killed in gangfights. Tired of not making any money, he prays for a world filled with skanky hoes.

Personality:

Tyrone is the realest nigga on the block. He is the last of the dying breed of real gangsters. He loves violence and will Murk anybody dumb enough to get in his way.

[X] Palace of Earth Spirits
[X] Yes

This has the potential of becoming the greatest story ever told.



And now, for something completely different.

All right, proofreading now.

>>149172

Too many serious overly dramatic stories saturating the market right now. I'm throwing my vote in Tyrone's corner.

>>149175
... There's only three votes and most people arent awake now. You really should wait for more votes.

>>149180
Well, sorry about that. I'll be busy for the next two days so I'm trying to write now. Besides, the proofreading is almost complete.

War… war never changes.

Throughout the history of mankind, there had been many wars. Some of them were fought over differing ideals yet the others were fought for petty things such as riches or lands. There were even some that were fought just for glory.

In your eyes, they’re all the same, a mark of humanity’s failure to lead itself to a better future. With their arrogance, they keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again.

“When… when will this war end?”

You are a man living in some kind of abandoned warehouse. You have no home to return to because you are forced to run away from it because of the war. You have no friends or families left because they’ve all died, leaving you alone in this terrible and harsh world.

You live in the warehouse together with the other refugees from the war. Their conditions are the same as you; hungry, tired, and sick of war. They can only hope for the day when everything goes back to normal.

Yeah, like that would ever happen.

You and the other refugees have been living in the warehouse for about 3 months without any kinds of support from the government. You and they are forced to sell your belongings just to get a bit of food and water because recently their prices have skyrocketed. Now, you only have simple rags to cover your body. Come to think of it, you haven’t taken a bath for quite a while. You must be really stinky right now. Fortunately, your nose had adjusted to the smell so that you don’t even notice it.

Your stomach slowly releases a growl that you’re all too familiar with. You haven’t got anything to eat for the last couple of days. You have tried to beg on the streets for food but nobody even takes a glance at you. You have tried to find a job but nobody wants anything to do with a smelly beggar such as you. You can only return to the warehouse and sleep your days over, hoping that the hunger would disappear, somehow.

"Sigh... another day of hunger, loneliness, and boredom. There is nothing to look forward to."

You remember the days where you still live happily with your family. You wake up, go to school, chat with your friends, and return home where your father, mother, and your little sister are waiting. Then, the fateful day came.

You still remember freshly the sound of those sirens alerting of the enemy’s attack. Planes flew around the city, dropping bombs wherever they went. You immediately ran to your house to take your family to safety. The government ordered everyone to evacuate.

You escaped from that city with your mother and sister. Your father was forced to stay behind by the Army. You haven't heard from him since. They said that he’s going to be in front lines.

While moving from town to town, trying to evade the invading army, your mother fell ill. You tried to bring her to the hospital but those bastards refused to treat her. They said that it’s because you don’t have enough money to pay for her treatment.

Then, the inevitable happened. Without medication, your mother passed away while being held in your arms. You still remember her dying words.

“Please, take care of your sister, Johnny. Keep her safe. You two must live until this nightmare ends. Then, you could have… families and … kids. That’s… my wish… as your mother.” She draws her last breath with a smile on her face.

Your gaze shifts towards your sister who’s sleeping besides you. She sleeps with such an innocent expression on her face that you really feel guilty for her, having to live a life like this.

Being raised by a religious family, you have a strong faith in God. You always pray to Him everyday. But, your faith in Him has been dwindling nowadays. You feel that He never answers your prayers. Sometimes, you even blame God for what has happened to you.

Oh, God. If you exist, please save us or at least save her. She doesn’t deserve this. Please, take us to a place where this nightmare won’t ever happen again.

“Rejoice human, for your prayers have been answered.” said a booming voice.

Then, an amazing thing happens in front of you. A beautiful angel appears, covered in a soothing light.

You notice that the other refugees in the room don’t even notice her appearance. You can only stare at her in awe, wandering if what you’re seeing is real.

“You have been chosen to partake in the creation of a new world. Choose what that new world will be.”

“Wait, what’s going on? Who are you? Is… is this a dream? Am I hallucinating?”

“I am Sariel, an angel of God. You have been blessed of this opportunity because of your faith in God. I shall send you to that world now.”

While you’re talking to the angel, your sister slowly opens her eyes. She stares at the angel before interrupting your talk.

“Brother, what… what is going on?”

You can only give her a confused stare because you too have no idea what’s happening right now.

“It is time for your departure, human.” said the angel.

“Wait a sec. I know nothing about that place. What will I do there? Besides, I have to take care of my sister. If you’re going to take me to that place, you must bring my sister along. I can’t just leave her alone.”

“Don’t worry. I will send you two to the people with the same ideals like you have. They will explain everything.”

The angel raises her wand. The last thing you see before losing your consciousness is the shining light coming from it.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

“Wake up.”

You feel somebody shaking your body gently.

“Please, wake up. We’re going to have breakfast soon.”

Slowly, you open your eyes. You see a purple-haired girl staring at you. She wears a business suit with a short skirt along with it. But, her most peculiar feature is that she has bunny ears on top of her head.

“Ah, finally. We’re going to have breakfast soon so you better take a bath and change your clothes. You must be presentable in front of Lady Kaguya.”

“Wait, who are you? Where am I? Where’s my sister?”

“Your sister has already taken her bath. Currently, she’s trying out clothes with Lady Kaguya. As for your other questions, my master will answer them for you while we’re eating. Now, I shall guide you to the bathroom. I’m Reisen Udongein Inaba. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Ah, I… see. Well, I’m Johnson Avery. Nice to meet you too, um… what should I call you?”

“Just call me Reisen.”

“Ah, right then, Reisen. Please lead the way.”

You follow her around in what you think is some kind of Japanese-styled mansion. It has multiple rooms that lead to more rooms. You think that it’s going to be easy to get lost in it. Luckily, you have Reisen as your guide.

After arriving in the bathroom, you notice that it’s filled with so many luxurious bath-related things. Somebody living here must really love taking baths.

“Here we are. Now, could you take a bath by yourself? Or, would you want my assistance? My master orders me to help you.”

You see that she’s blushing while saying that last statement. You are pretty embarrassed too. You’ve never taken a bath with another girl before, well except with your sister but that doesn’t count.

What will you do?
[ ] Accept her offer
[ ] Refuse her offer

Insert your sister’s name (write-in)

[X] Accept her offer

[X] Tyrone restart

Do not want faggot MC.

Sage cuz some other dude just updated a min ago

[x] Accept her offer

[x] Lily

because I cant think of anything else

[x] Refuse her offer

[x] Ananta

[x] Accept her offer
[x] Lily

[x] Accept her offer
[x] Lily

I mean, hell, it's Reisen offering it.
Of course I'm going to agree.

But be gentlemanly about it!
We don't want to upset her, or anything!

While waiting for the next update, why don't you guys vote for the name, personality, and background of the other Reasons' Outsiders?

There are Musubi, Yosuga, Spell Card (Neutral), and a new one for Miko's faction. Her Reason is to turn all youkai into humans.

Each Reason can have up to 3 Outsiders but the more Outsiders who share the same Reason, the weaker they are individually.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot.

Those votes won't be counted until you'll about to meet them.

>>149292
you might be better off thinking of that yourself as anon isn't that creative these days, that and/or not willing to do work the writer should do themselves.

Not really familiar with SMT outside of Persona**, but let's give this a shot.

[x] Katherine Z
Reason: Spell Card

A postgraduate university student, working on her PhD (computational chemistry, specializing in fullerene structures). She's led what some (certainly Avery) would see as a sheltered life -- the closest she's been to poverty is the occasional ramen-for-a-week, and she's never had to live in fear -- but it's not as though she was just given her scholarship and research grant on a silver platter, either.

She opposes all three canonical Reasons as being horrifying -- Musubi less obviously so, but if you think about it, what's the difference between a solipsist paradise and destroying everything but you in the entire universe? You'd never be able to tell the difference.*

As for her last name? "It used to be something Polish and unpronounceable, but Granddad shortened it. A lot."

* (A plausible view for a scientist, I think -- even though it marks her as an experimentalist at heart, rather than the theoretician she's ended up being.)

** I admit I was tempted to swipe Ryotaro Dojima from P4. Maybe I should have.

>>149298
What this guy said. Otherwise, best case scenario, you end up with crap like the above.

>>149292
>and a new one for Miko's faction. Her Reason is to turn all youkai into humans.

... Doesnt that mean that Reimu's going to win and make the spell-card system? Or are we going to do that?

>>149298
Well, here’s my idea.

Musubi

A hikkikomori living alone in his apartment. He keeps playing his games, visual novels, etc to live his fantasies. He desires a world where he can do anything he wants without repercussions so he chooses Musubi.

Yosuga

A war veteran convicted for his war crimes. Of course, he thinks he’s done nothing wrong because in his view he’s already done a great service to his country by winning the war. He views the people who convicted him as weak and don’t know how a war works. Obsessed with battle, he chooses Yosuga for a world that thrives in conflict.

Miko’s Reason

An old couple with a paranormal detective on their aid. The detective is tasked to find their missing grandson who disappears without a trace from his home. Using his skills, he deducts that he’s been taken to Gensokyo and eaten by the youkai there. They desire to turn all of Gensokyo’s youkai into humans for revenge and because they think that all youkai are monsters and beasts that must be eliminated for humanity’s survival.

Neutral

Maribel and Renko

“Sure, why not?” you said.

“Then, I’ll fill the bathtub first. Do you want the water to be warm or cold?” said Reisen.

“Warm please.”

---------------------------------

After Reisen finishes filling the bathtub, you take off your clothes behind the curtains.

You slip into the bathtub, relaxing your muscles and joints in it.

Ahh, this feels nice. I haven’t felt like this for a long time.

“Sorry, are you in the bathtub yet?”

“W… well, yes. You can come on in now.” You turn your back towards the curtains, not wanting to show Reisen your naughty bits.

Slowly, Reisen opens the curtains. She brings some kind of bottle in her hand. She pours some kind of liquid onto your head from the bottle. She rubs your hair alongside that liquid with her hand.

Oh, I see. It’s a shampoo.


You close your eyes, trying to enjoy Reisen’s gentle massage. You feel very relaxed, making you slowly lose your consciousness.

“Um, I’m sorry, but can I ask you something?”

Alerted by Reisen’s sudden question, you stutter while replying to her.

“Y…yes? What is it?”

“Can you tell me… about yourself?”

“Wha… what do you mean?”

“I want to know more about you, Johnson. You come from the Outside World, don’t you? What is going on there? You look… horrible.”

You fall silent for a while, thinking the correct way to answer Reisen’s question.

“Well, you see…”

--------------------------------

“That’s horrible!”

While you are telling your story, Reisen finishes massaging your head and now she’s scrubbing your back. She seems very sympathetic towards you.

“I’m sorry for what happened to your mother and father.” said Reisen.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s not your fault.”

“Well, I can understand what you’re going through. I hate war, too. I was a soldier in the past. When I was assembled to fight the invading enemy, I ran away. I don’t know what would happen back there if I had stayed. What I know is that I probably would’ve never met my master and the others.”

“I see. I wouldn’t blame you for that. I dream a day where there’s no war or conflict again. Isn’t that the ideal way to live?”

“Yes, I agree. Thank you, Johnson. Now, let’s finish this up, shall we? They must be waiting for us by now.”

----------------------

After Reisen finishes washing your body, well except the lower parts of course, she gives you a towel to dry yourself up while she’s getting your new clothes.

After a while, she returns with a kimono on her hands. She helps you tying up the kimono until finally…

“Ah, there you are! Now you look much better! Well, let’s go now!” said Reisen.

----------------------------------

Reisen leads you to the dining room where you see your sister and two other people sitting around the table.

“Brother! You’re here!”

Your sister rises from her seat and runs towards you, hugging you when she’s near you.

“Oh, Brother, I miss you! I was worried that I’ll never see you again!”

“C’mon, Lily, this is embarrassing.” you said while trying to hide your blush.

“Now, now, don’t be shy. It’s good for siblings to get along together.” said the black-haired girl near the table.

Noticing your confused look, Lily releases you from her hug and points at the black-haired girl who just speaks to you.

“Oh, that girl is Kaguya, my new friend. She gave me this dress to wear. What do you think, brother? Do I look cute in this?”

She swirls around in front of you to show you her new clothes. You must admit that she looks pretty cute on those, especially with her long brown hair.

“Yes, you look cute in those, Lily.”

Her face turns bright red after hearing your compliment.

“Alright, that’s enough chit-chat from both of you. Take a seat please. I’m sure you have many questions wandering in your head.” said the silver-haired lady who’s sitting near Kaguya.

You obey her order and sit in front of the table alongside Lily. You find that there are various kinds of food on the table. Your mouth begins to water just by looking at them.

“Feel free to eat anything you want. All of them are made by Udonge, so if you have any complaints just talk to her.” said the lady.

You decide to take a bite at the nearest food on the table, which is some kind of bread. You find out that the bread is very soft yet crunchy at the same time. You taste a mix of various kinds of vegetables in your mouth, making a very strange yet somehow delicious sensation.

Reisen looks at you with a worried expression on her face before saying, “How about it? Is it delicious?”

“Yes, yes, this is really tasty! I’ve never eaten something like this in my entire life! You must be a really good cook, Reisen!”

“Umm no… not really.” answered her sheepishly.

“Alright then, let’s begin. My name is Eirin Yakogoro, a pharmacist employed by Lady Kaguya Houraisan, the owner of this establishment, Eientei.” said the silver-haired lady while glancing towards Kaguya.

“This land is called Gensokyo, a land filled with all kinds of fantasy creatures which the Outside World, your world, thinks never existed.”

“Wait, are you one of those fantasy creatures?” you said.

“Well, not exactly. Kaguya, Udonge, and I are not native to this land. We came from the Moon. You could say that we’re aliens.”

“Wait, you three are aliens? You don’t seem to look like it. You all look like normal humans to me, well maybe except for Reisen because of her bunny ears.”

“Kaguya and I are Lunarians whereas Reisen is a moon rabbit. Lunarians are humans that had abandoned the Earth because of its impurity and fled to the Moon a long time ago. Moon rabbits are, well, rabbits that live on the Moon. They became the servants of the Lunarians and still doing so until this day.”

“Hold on. There’s too much information for me to process right now. First, how could humans flee to the moon ‘a long time ago’? We just succeeded at landing on the moon recently, you know with those rockets.”

“Ah, that’s a good question. Well, let me ask you a question first? Do you know about an angel called Sariel?”

Your thought flashes back to when you’re still in that warehouse. Even though it’s only a while ago, you feel that it’s been a long time since those days.

“Yes, I remember. That angel, Sariel, is the one who sent us here, to Gensokyo. She said something about ‘creating a new world according to your ideal’ or something like that.”

“I see. Then, I shall tell you how our society, the Lunarians’ society, came into being. There was a sage called Tsukiyomi living on the Earth a long time ago. He detested the violence and war that ravaged the Earth at that time so he wished a place where there’re no more conflicts, no more war, just an unchanging, eternal peace. That wish was granted by God, in place of His angel, Sariel. She told him to build that place on the Moon and granted him power to do so. But, there’s a catch. When the other humans reach the Moon by their own power, he must abandon that place to the dominion of humans. Of course, he agreed at that time. He brought his closest relatives, including me, to the Moon to build that place. Thus, the first Lunarians were born.”

“I… I’m not sure if I could believe all of this. I mean, this is like some kind of weird sci-fi story or something. How could humans survive and build a civilization on the Moon? That place is just a rock, isn’t it?”

“Ah, that too is the power given by Sariel to Lord Tsukiyomi. He’s granted the power to keep a perfect moment unchanging for all eternity. He used that power to create humans that stay perfect forever. Those humans were no longer humans because they’ve lost all their flaws. They were called Lunarians. You could say that we are how a perfect human should be.”

“Perfect humans? I can’t believe such nonsense. Humans are filled with flaws. We make mistakes and we will try to do our best to fix them.”

“I see. So, tell me now, oh imperfect human, what problems that have your kinds caused and what problems that have they fixed? All this time, I can only see them repeating the same mistakes over and over again, just like the war in your country.”

“Wait, how did you know that?”

“Udonge told me, of course. She also told me that your ideal world is where there’s no conflict whatsoever. Well, you’re in luck. We share your sentiment. Why don’t we work together, hmm?”

“What do you mean?”

“This land… will soon be recreated by its creator, the Dragon. He gives us an opportunity to create it according to our ideals. To do that however, we need to crush the others that have different ideals than us.”

“I… I don’t know. I can’t fight at all, you know. I’m just a normal person.”

“I’ll fight!”

The voice comes from Lily who’s sitting beside you. You can see the determination in her eyes.

“Brother, we can’t run away forever! This is our chance! We can finally live in a land without war! You wish for the same thing, don’t you?” said her while glaring at you.

“But…”

“No buts! I’ll help her even if you don’t want to! I’m sick and tired of all the conflicts… the fighting back home!”

“Thank you, Lily. I am glad for your enthusiasm to help us. Now, your sister has already agreed to help us. Why don’t you do the same, Johnson? That’s your name, isn’t it?” said Eirin with a smile.

“Uh, yes, my name is Johnson. But, even if I want to help you, I can’t fight at all and neither can my sister. We’ll just be deadweights to you.”

“That… won’t be a problem. You see… you are among the ones chosen by the Dragon as a judge for the recreation of this land. I’m sure he won’t bring you here without giving you some kind of power first.”

“What power? I don’t have such a thing!”

“Be patient. When the time comes, you will realize it yourself. Now, would you join us?”

Eirin stretches her hand towards you to offer you a handshake. You look at Lily to ask for help but she just glares at you.

“Fine! I’ll help you out. I’m only doing this for Lily, you know.”

You accept Eirin’s handshake reluctantly.

“Great! Now, let’s finish our breakfast, shall we? We have a lot of things to do after this.”

You spend the rest of your breakfast in silence while Lily is chatting eagerly with Kaguya. They look like they’ve been friends for a long time. Well, your sister always makes friends easily.

--------------------------------------

“Ah, Tewi’s report has finally arrived.”

After breakfast is over, you see Eirin taking off a piece of paper from a rabbit that just entered the room. She reads the paper with a serious expression on her face.

“I see. Well, my theory is right. The onis have began to gather on Youkai Mountain. They’re preparing to fight for their Reason.”

“Onis? What are they?” you said.

“They’re a bunch of violent creatures living underground. They love violence more than any other youkai in Gensokyo. They only care about the strong and have no mercy for the weak. Basically, they’re barbarians.”

“Youkai?”

“A catch-all name for any kinds of fantastic beings not found in the Outside World. Anyway, it seems that there’s an Outsider with them already. It seems that he or she has already joined forces with them. This is not good.”

“Why would anyone want to join them? If what you’ve said is true, then they are no different than monsters, sewing conflicts and preying on the weak like that!” interrupted Lily.

Eirin doesn’t respond to her statement. Instead, she reads the paper again, this time with a smile on her face.

“Ah, Byakuren has already agreed to help us. She’s on the way here now with her followers from the Human Village. Hmm, there’s a chance for trouble along the way? The Taoists? I see…”

“What happened?” you said.

“There’s this bunch of Taoists who just recently moved here, to Gensokyo. They’re basically bigoted people who view all youkai as evil and must be exterminated. Their view contradicts Byakuren’s view, the monk who lives near the village. She wants humans and youkai to coexist and live in harmony. It’s to be expected that they will fight each other sooner or later.” explained Eirin.

“So, what should we do?”

“Well, I’ll go there personally. We have to help our allies, you know. In the meantime, I’ll send Reisen to the Scarlet Devil Mansion, a place owned by vampires. We could use their help if they share the same sentiments as we do. You could accompany either one of us or just stay here and scout the surrounding area. There’s this bum that you could persuade to join us but I doubt she’ll agree.”

“Ah, about that bum, I’ll talk to her. Maybe she’ll listen if I go there personally. What will you do, Lily?” interrupted Kaguya.

“Well, I’ll go with my brother, of course!” answered Lily cheerfully.

What will you do?
[ ] Go with Eirin to meet with Byakuren
[ ] Go with Reisen to the Scarlet Devil Mansion
[ ] Stay near Eientei and talk with the bum

Warning: This vote will determine your future allies. Choose wisely.

Last update before calling the votes for the Outsiders who side with Suika and the other ones who side with Miko.

For Musubi, the Outsider could be an artist whose arts are underappreciated in the Outside world. He/she dreams for a world where nobody could criticize him/her and where he/she could use his/her imagination without any kinds of limits.

[X] Go with Reisen to the Scarlet Devil Mansion

We are not letting Reisen go alone to that place.

She gave us shampoo, and washed us, and she's been very nice to us, without having to.

[x] Go with Eirin to meet with Byakuren

[X] Go with Reisen to the Scarlet Devil Mansion

Works for me~!

After some consideration, you decide to go with Reisen. After all, a mansion with vampires sound really dangerous and you don’t want her to go there alone.

------------------------------------------

“Wow, we’re flying, we’re really flying! This is awesome!” said Lily excitedly.

“Hey, don’t move too much! You don’t want to fall, do you?” replied Reisen while glancing worryingly to her.

“Listen to her! This is really dangerous you know!” you said.

You and Lily are currently flying above the bamboo forest that covers Eientei by holding Reisen’s hands. She told you that this is the fastest way to reach the vampires’ mansion. You refused at first because, well let’s face it, you’re afraid of heights, but Lily forced you to accept her offer.

“Isn’t this fun, brother, flying like this? We’re just like Superman!” said Lily cheerily while imitating how Superman flies with one hand.

“Hey, don’t do that! Hold on to Reisen tightly!”

“Geez, bro~, you’re such a worrywart!”

“Alright you two, listen up! I’ll need to tell you about those vampires first!” interrupted Reisen.

“Sure, go on ahead.” you said.

“There are currently six people living in that mansion right now, not including the innumerable fairy maids that they employ there. The head and the owner of that mansion is Remilia Scarlet, a vampire and the infamous scarlet devil, where the mansion got its name from. They say that she could control fate. Nobody really knows what she’s capable of doing by that power. Because she’s a vampire, she has amazing strength and speed, but her major weakness is sunlight. If she’s exposed to it, she will lose all her powers and burn to ashes.”

“Wait, control fate? How do we fight against a person with that kind of power?” you said.

Reisen just ignores you and continues her explanation.

“Her loyal servant is Sakuya, a maid with the ability to stop time. Her main form of attack is to throw countless knives at you. Using her power, she can teleport behind you and slit your throat instantly. She can also summon knives seemingly out of midair using that power. She claims that she’s a human but nobody knows who or what she really is.”

“Wow, stopping time? That sounds like a cool ability! I want to meet this person already!” chirped Lily happily.

“There are also Patchouli and her familiar, Koakuma. They mainly live in the library of that mansion, spending their days researching magic. Patchouli is a magician with mastery over the seven elements, which are fire, water, earth, metal, wood, moon and sun. Her weakness is that she’s asthmatic and has a very low stamina. If you manage to get close and punch her, she will surely be defeated. Her familiar, Koakuma, is a little devil. She’s not very strong but can be quite mischievous.”

“I see. A magician and her familiar… So, who else lives in that place?” you said.

“There’s a gatekeeper named Hong Meiling. She’s very good at martial arts and very dedicated to her job. The safest way to deal with her is to never engage her in melee combat. Incidentally, my specialty is to snipe an enemy from afar. She shouldn’t be much of a threat.”

“Wow, so you have powers too, Reisen? Show me!” said Lily with a curious expression on her face.

“Umm, I can’t show you right now, not when I’m carrying both of you like this. Basically, I could shoot laser beams with my index fingers when I shape my hands like a gun. I could also cause anyone who sees my red eyes to have headaches, illusions, and if they stare long enough, madness.”

Hearing her explanation, Lily averts Reisen’s gaze by looking downwards. Reisen obviously notices her fear so she says reassuringly, “Don’t worry. I can control this power, you know. You have nothing to worry about.”

Lily looks up to Reisen again and smiles in return. It seems that she’s recovered from her shock.

“Wait, who’s the last one? You haven’t told us about him or her, have you?” you said.

“The last one is… Flandre Scarlet, the sister of Remilia Scarlet. She’s also a vampire just like her sister. The problem is that she’s not really… well, how should I put this… mentally sane. She can’t control her insanely destructive power which is to destroy everything and anything that has an ‘eye’, that is the point where the object has the highest tension. She will pour her power into it and the object will explode into a million pieces in an instant. Once, she destroys a meteor just by using that power.”

“W… what? That’s just impossible!” you exclaimed.

“It’s very possible. That’s why she’s kept in the basement of that mansion for her entire life. She will usually ask strangers to play with her only to ‘break’ them when she’s bored.”

You gulp in fear while imagining what will happen when you meet her.

“Well, I think that’s everyone. Let’s make haste, shall we? We don’t want other people to bring their Reasons first in front of her.”

--------------------------------------------------------

After flying for a while, you arrive at a lake. In the far reaches of it lies some kind of Western-styled building. You think that it must be the Scarlet Devil Mansion that you’ve been looking for.

“Hmm, that’s odd. There are no fairies at all in this place. Usually there are lots of them here, just hanging around with nothing to do. Oh well, they’re not that important anyway.” remarked Reisen.

“Fairies? I want to see them! They must be cute, right?” said Lily.

“Don’t worry. You’ll see loads of them at the mansion.” replied Reisen.

---------------------------------------------------------------

You finally arrive at the mansion. At the gate stands a long red-haired girl with green Chinese clothes. She stares at you sternly before saying, “Halt! Who are you? What business do you have with this place?”


“We are emissaries from Eientei. We bring an offer for your mistress, Remilia Scarlet. We seek to establish an alliance between Eientei and the Scarlet Devil Mansion for the upcoming battle of creation. Your mistress should already hear the announcement from the Dragon himself.” said Reisen confidently.

The girl stares at Reisen for a while before answering, “Fine. You may pass. Our maid, Sakuya, will lead you to her once you’re inside.”

She opens the gate slowly, allowing you and the others to enter the mansion. You see that the garden in front of the building is very well-kept and clean. Whoever takes care of it must be really skilled.

After you’ve entered the building, you are greeted by the sight of a silver-haired woman wearing a maid outfit. This must be the Sakuya that she told you about. She bows at you before speaking in a cold, emotionless voice.

“Welcome to the Scarlet Devil Mansion. I’m Sakuya Izayoi, the head maid of this establishment. I shall take you to our mistress. Please, follow me.”

You and the others do as she said and follow her around the mansion. While on the way, you see a lot of fairy maids floating around. Lily tries to approach one of them but Sakuya just stops her by giving her an icy glare. She never speaks again for the rest of the journey.

After walking for a while, you finally arrive at a large room. It’s a really luxurious, neat, and elegant room. At the end of the room lies a girl with huge bat-like wings sitting on a throne. She gives you a mischievous smile before speaking in an elegant voice.

“Ah, guests! What is your business with me, Remilia Scarlet, the great Scarlet Devil?”

“You already know why we come here. We offer you an alliance for the upcoming battle of creation.” said Reisen.

“Hmm, interesting. Sakuya, leave us alone.” said Remilia while dismissing Sakuya with her hand.

Sakuya gives a last bow before closing the door behind her. Then, Remilia resumes her speech.

“So, what is your Reason, hmm? Explain it to me.”

“Very well. We desire a world where everything and everyone is at harmony with each other. As we all know, there have been many conflicts happening in Gensokyo. We will create a new Gensokyo where there’s no conflict whatsoever and everyone will live in eternal peace.” explained Reisen.

“Nice speech, rabbit. Your master must have taught you well. So, let me ask you a question. How will such a world benefit me? After all, I am the cause of one of those conflicts. There will be no joy in that boring world where everyone is forced to live in harmony. Conflicts aren’t always bad, you know. Sometimes, it’s necessary for a change of pace from our boring routine. What about you two, humans who came from the Outside World? Do you agree with her?” said Remilia while leering at you.

Hearing Remilia, Lily grits her teeth in anger before saying, “Shut up! You don’t anything about us! We came from a place filled with conflicts! You don’t know how much pain and suffering they had brought to us! Conflicts are vile things that shouldn’t exist in this world!”

“Hah, you’re all just little kids! That girl is right! Conflicts are the things that keep us alive!”

The gruff voice comes from behind you. You turn around to see a middle-aged man wearing a soldier uniform. Alongside him is a green-haired girl wearing what you think is a shrine maiden’s outfit.

“Oh, another guests? Do you come here to seek audience with me?” said Remilia.

“Yes. We come here to offer you a place in our army to bring our Reason to fruition. The whole mountain has agreed to help us including the banished youkai from the underground.” said the green-haired girl with a smile on her face.

“So, what is your Reason, or rather those two goddesses’ Reason, Sanae?” replied Remilia.

“We will create a Gensokyo where there would be a caste system where the strong are on the top and the weak are on the bottom. To rise to the next caste, you must compete with others that share the same goals with you. Gensokyo shall thrive with endless conflicts and competitions! You are among the strong, are you not? Why don’t you join us?” said Sanae cheerily.

“I see. Those two only want more faith for themselves, after all. Do you agree with this, Sanae?” said Remilia.

“Of course! I find it really fun to solve conflicts after all! It’s really satisfying when you beat your opponents to a pulp. I never had that much enjoyment when I lived on the Outside World.”

Hearing those words, Lily runs towards Sanae and slaps her in the face. “You… you used to live in our world. How could you have such a ridiculous idea? Don’t you see the news? People suffer because of the existence of conflicts. They’re not fun or enjoyable at all!”

The man beside Sanae punches Lily to the floor in retaliation. “Hmph, shut up little brat! You don’t know anything about the glory that you can achieve in conflicts! I, too, come from the Outside World just like you are. I was a soldier there. I had fought in countless wars and I always triumphed in the end. People like you who whine about the existence of conflicts can never earn the true enjoyment that one can earn from them.”

“Hey, d… don’t you dare harm Lily!” you said.

“What’s up, kid? Too scared to come here and fight like a man?” replied him with a smirk on his face.

“Enough! Don’t you dare fight in front of me when I’m still talking!” said Remilia, anger evident in her face.

You run towards Lily to help her rise from the floor. You can see the mark on her face from that guy’s punch. That must really hurt.

“Now, rabbit, what could your Reason give to me? That girl’s Reason could make me one of the rulers of Gensokyo. It’s pretty hard to top that, wouldn’t you agree?” said Remilia with a mocking tone.

“But… with our Reason, everyone will get along with each other nicely…” replied Reisen nervously.

“Hah, sounds like mass brainwashing to me!” said the man.

Damn, this is not good! Remilia will join them if this keeps up. I must think of something. Who is it? Who will benefit the most in a world of perfect harmony?

[ ] Remilia
[ ] Flandre
[ ] Patchouli
[ ] Sakuya
[ ] Meiling

[x] Patchouli

She wouldn't be a bad choice, provided that the plan doesn't interfere with her studies or such.

I've been thinking, should I write the alternate endings to the old story, which are Sariel's and Shinki's endings?

They're going to be quite short but there will still be some more choices until the end.

>>149941

Don't see why not as I'm still digesting the first run.

>>149947
Well, which one's first then? Sariel's or Shinki's?

>>149948

Thought you'd do both at the same time back to back but I'll been wondering about choosing Shinki's side more so.

[x] Flandre

>>149952
Should I post both of them in one thread?

[x] Flandre

[x] Flandre

Yeah, Flandre and harmony make a good pairing, though more out of necessity than anything else.

>>150005
NOt sure if She'd get along with the idea that easily or not.

“How about your sister, Flandre?” you said.

Hearing your words, Remilia’s smirk disappears. She glares towards you before speaking in a dangerous tone, “Explain it, human.”

Knowing that this is your chance, you muster your courage and answer her question with a clear voice.

“In our world, everyone shall live together in harmony. That includes your sister, Flandre Scarlet. I know that you’ve kept her locked in the basement of this mansion for as long as she lives because you are too scared to let her out. That’s because of her immense destructive power, isn’t it? She can’t control that power. But, if our world comes into being, she will suffer no more. She can go out and make friends with anyone she likes. You do wish that as her sister, don’t you?”

Remilia falls silent after hearing your explanation. She purses her lips, thinking about what you’ve just said. After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, she finally speaks up.

“I have decided. I’ll join Eientei in the battle of creation. Sanae, leave this mansion at once. Your presence is no longer wanted here.”

The man beside Sanae clenches his fists in anger. He seems unable to accept her decision.

“So be it, then! Today, you have made a powerful enemy! I won’t give mercy to any of you on the battlefield! C’mon Sanae, let’s leave this place!”

He grabs Sanae in the arm and storms out of the mansion along with her.

Remilia releases a snort of laughter in amusement after witnessing his outburst.

“Sakuya, tell Patchouli about my decision. Order the fairies to start fortifying this mansion. They will be back sooner or later.”

Sakuya, suddenly appearing out of nowhere near the door, bows toward Remilia before disappearing without a trace.

“Now, tell Eirin that I’ve accepted her offer but we won’t move away from this mansion. She’s welcome to send any reinforcements that she deems necessary but I doubt they will be useful.”

Her voice turns deadly as she speaks her last words.

“Human, if you’re lying about Flandre, I swear by my name that I will hunt you down and kill you personally.”

-----------------------------------------

“Whew, that was close. Thanks, Johnson. You’re a big help there.” said Reisen.

You, Lily, and Reisen are currently heading back towards Eientei to report your success in persuading Remilia to join you. You notice that Lily is still sore with the guy that punched her.

“How dare that man punch me? Has he no shame, doing something like that to a girl? Hey, bro! Promise me that you will kick his ass for me!” said her with a reddened face.

“Um, well, OK. I’ll… try.” you answered hesitatingly.

“C’mon, bro, have more faith in yourself! When you get your superpower, I’m sure you can beat him!” said her while grinning widely.

“Hey, I’m not a superhero!” you protested.

-----------------------

After flying for a while, you finally reach the bamboo forest covering Eientei. You notice that there are some humans in there. There’s also a girl with strange dog-like ears. They seem to be busy putting some kind of device on the bamboo trees. Your curiosity overtakes you so you ask Reisen if she knows her.

“She’s Kyouko Kasodani, a mountain echo youkai. She’s one of Byakuren’s followers. I think she’s currently placing some sensors on the trees. Let’s just go. We don’t want to disturb her.”

After nodding in acknowledgment, you continue your journey towards Eientei. When you land in front of Eientei, you see a blonde-haired girl holding a spear talking with another girl who strangely has mouse ears and tail attached to her body. Noticing your arrival, the blonde girl approaches you and greets you politely.

“Good afternoon. You two are the Outsiders that Eirin told us about, right?”

“Yes, that’s us. My name is Johnson and this girl behind me is my sister, Lily. We just arrived from the Outside World this morning. You two are Byakuren’s followers, are you not?”

“Yes, we are.” replied the blonde-haired girl. “I’m Shou Toramaru and the mouse girl over there is my apprentice, Nazrin. Hey, Nazrin, come over here.”

The girl named Nazrin walks towards you and greets you with a deadpan voice.

“Yeah, yeah, nice to meet you.”

Shou glares at her before speaking, “I’m sorry for her impoliteness. As punishment, she will bring you to Byakuren. I think she wants to talk to you.”

Nazrin lets out an exaggerated sigh before saying, “Fine, I’ll do it.”

“Sorry, I’m not going with you all. I need to report to my master first.” interrupted Reisen before entering the mansion.

Nazrin looks at you with narrowed eyes and says, “I don’t have much time. Just stay behind me and try not to get lost.”

-------------------------------------

While walking behind Nazrin, you can’t help but notice that Lily is looking attentively at her wagging tail. Crap, is she going to…

Before you can do anything, Lily grabs Nazrin’s tail, causing her to gasp in surprise.

“H…hey, what are you doing?” said Nazrin while blushing furiously. It seems that her tail is a very sensitive part of her body.

“Sorry, it’s just that your tail looks so fluffy! I just can’t hold myself!” replied Lily cheerfully.

“You can’t just do that, you know!” Nazrin pulls her tail away from Lily’s grasp, inspecting it to see whether it’s still in good condition or not.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to hurt you!” said Lily apologetically while bowing to her.

Nazrin just scowls at Lily after hearing her apology. “I’ll let it slide this time. But next time, I won’t be so merciful. Now, just keep your distance from me.”

-------------------------------------

The rest of your journey has been pretty uneventful. Lily stays quiet with a regretful expression on her face. She’s not used to be shouted at, especially by a friend of hers. Well, Nazrin doesn’t really see her as a friend, at least not yet.

“Ah, here we are. She should be here right now.”

Nazrin knocks politely at the door before saying, “Lady Byakuren, I brought you the Outsiders.”

“Thank you Nazrin. You may come in.” replied a gentle voice from behind the door.

Behind the door, you see a beautiful woman meditating in the center of the room. She’s holding some kind of weird transparent scroll. It seems that she’s just reading it a few moments ago. She has long, wavy, light brown hair and hazel eyes. She wears a black and white dress with long strips of black fabric going across the middle and white fabric across the arms. Along with this dress, she wears a long cape.

She smiles at you and greets you with a beautiful voice. “Welcome. Please, make yourself at home in this humble room of mine.”

Nazrin bows politely before saying, “Sorry Lady Byakuren, I need to return to Shou as soon as possible. If you’ll excuse me…”

She leaves the room immediately, leaving you and Lily alone with Byakuren.

“Please, take a seat. It’s not good to chat while standing.”

You and Lily follow her request and sit down on the floor near her.

“First, let me introduce myself. I’m Hijiri Byakuren, a Buddhist monk and also a magician.”

“I’m Johnson Avery and this girl beside me is my sister, Lily Avery.”

“Nice to meet you!” said your sister cheerfully.

“So you two are siblings? Good, that’s very good. Make sure you get along, alright?” replied Byakuren while smiling widely.

Those words, they…

Mother…

Noticing your sudden change of expression, Byakuren speaks, “Why the sour face, Johnson? Did I say something wrong?”

“Uhh… no, it’s nothing. It’s just that your words remind me of my mother.”

“Your mother? Did something happen to her?”

------------------------------------

Byakuren hears your tale passionately. She doesn’t interrupt you at all while you’re telling your story.

After you’ve finished talking, she speaks to you with a soothing tone. “I see. I’m sorry for the lost of your mother and father. Indeed, the humans in the Outside World haven’t changed at all since then.”

“Huh?” said Lily.

“They sealed me a long time ago because I sought coexistence between humans and youkai. They feared my power because they thought that I had betrayed them.”

“That’s horrible! I don’t see why they feared you, you’re a good person!” remarked Lily.

“Thank you. I’m glad that you understand my cause. You two will help me to realize that goal, right?” said Byakuren with a hopeful look on her face.

“You mean…”

“Yes, the recreation of this land, Gensokyo. I shall strive to recreate it according to my ideals, a world of perfect harmony. That is my reason, Shijima, to return to silence the desires of all creatures. I shall deliver Nirvana to everyone in this land.”

“A world without desires… I don’t know about this. I’m not really sure this is a good thing.” you said.

Hearing your disagreement, Byakuren slowly raises from her seat. With a smile on her face, she begins to walk across the room while giving her speech in a calm yet serious voice.

“A being’s desire is like fire. While it is small, it is warm and comfortable. But, fire eventually grows into flames, devouring everything in its path. Humans and youkai alike grew to covet fire. They became dependent on its warmth and averted their eyes from its destructive nature. Those wars… those conflicts… they are the proof of the disaster it brings. So why… why can’t you let go of your desire and become one with the world, living in perfect harmony with others?”

You can’t answer her question. It is true that the war at your country never stops because of everyone’s desire for revenge. That desire creates an unbreakable cycle of hate and destruction. Perhaps there’s a truth to her statement.

She watches you closely, still with a smile on her face. Then, she speaks with her usual, gentle tone. “I’ll let you think about it for a while. If you still have any doubts, feel free to speak with me here later. Now, I think it’s time for us to meet Eirin.”

---------------------------------

While walking to Eirin’s room, Byakuren tells you about her confrontation with the Taoists. Apparently they have persuaded some villagers to support their Reason, which is to turn all youkai into normal, ordinary humans. They even have some Outsiders to help them.

Those Outsiders consist of an old man, an old woman, and a middle-aged male detective. They accuse the youkai of Gensokyo for kidnapping the couple’s grandson and eating him. The guardian of the village, Keine Kamishirasawa, only replied that there’s a possibility for that to be true because there are rumors that some youkai frequently goes to the Outside World to eat humans.

-------------------

In Eirin’s room, you see her discussing something with Reisen. Alerted to your appearance, she turns around and greets you with a smile on her face.

“Ah, you finally arrive. First of all, I want to thank you for your help in winning Remilia over to our side. She and the rest of her mansion will be a great asset for the upcoming battle.”

“No problem.” you said bashfully.

“Because they insist on staying in their mansion, I think we should send some people over there, just in case. Currently, we have seven people at our side, not counting Kaguya and me. Tewi is still scouting around Gensokyo while Nue and Mamizou are investigating the Taoists.” explained Eirin.

Noticing your confused look, Eirin slaps her forehead and says, “Ah, how could I forget that you don’t know anything about those people? Let me introduce them first then. Tewi Inaba is the leader of the earth rabbits who live in the bamboo forest surrounding this place. She has been living here even longer than we have. We’ve made an agreement to help each other.”

Byakuren interrupts Eirin’s explanation by saying, “Eirin, let me introduce the rest of them. After all, they live in my temple.”

“Sure, go ahead.” replied Eirin.

“Nue Houjuu is a youkai with a capability to hide her true form. She has a penchant to scare people with that power but I always make sure that she causes no harm. Her good friend is Mamizou Futatsuiwa, a tanuki with the ability to shape-shift any objects, including herself.”

“A tanuki?” remarked Lily.

“Just think of them as raccoons. Let’s see… the next person I want to introduce is Minamitsu Murasa, a ghost and also the captain of our Palanquin Ship. She’s currently making the blueprints to add Lunarian technologies to that ship.”

“Wait, you have a ship? Where is it? I want to see it!” chirped Lily.

“It’s no longer a ship. It’s now the Myouren Temple, where I and my followers live.”

“Well, why does she make those blueprints then?” said Lily; her disappointment clearly shows on her face.

“We are planning to remake the ship. I think it could be quite useful for our battle.” interrupted Eirin.

“The next person that I will introduce is Ichirin Kumoi. She’s a nyuudou user, which means that she can control clouds. That’s why Unzan, a giant living cloud, is always seen with her. She’s currently spreading her clouds around Gensokyo to spy on the other factions. Next one is Shou…”

“Oh, we already met her.” you cut her speech short.

“I see. So, the last person that I will introduce is Kyouko Kasodani, a recent newcomer to our temple. She’s a mountain echo youkai. She’s very diligent in her duties and she always recites her sutras every morning. Have you met her yet? She should be in the bamboo forest right now. “

“Is she the girl with the cute dog-like ears?” said Lily.

“Yup, that’s her. They’re yamabiko ears, actually.”

“Well, now that you have known everyone here, we can proceed to talk about our next plans.” interrupted Eirin.

Before Eirin can speak any further, you hear footsteps rapidly approaching from outside the room. Suddenly, a girl barges into the room. She immediately speaks to Eirin with a panicked voice.

“This is bad! Tewi… Tewi is being chased by a group of tengus!”

“Calm down, Ichirin. Tell us what happened.” said Byakuren.

Ichirin takes a deep breath before continuing her story. “Well, I don’t know what happened exactly over there. Unzan told me that he saw Tewi exiting the Underground with Satori and Koishi tagging behind her. They were being chased by a group of onis, led by Yuugi herself. Unzan couldn’t help them because only a part of his body was there. He was splitting his body to many different places in Gensokyo for spying purposes. So, those onis alerted the tengus to help them scour the mountains. They are hiding from them now. I don’t know how long they will last.”

Eirin thinks for a moment before saying, “This could be a trap. They could be using them as a bait to lower our guard before they attack us. Wait… no… their real target is the Scarlet Devil Mansion! It’s quite close from the mountain and… the time! What time is it?”

“It’s about 4 o’clock I think. The sun is beginning to set the last time I looked.” answered Ichirin.

“Damn! The Dragon will nullify the spell card rule after the sun sets; making every battle that will happen becomes lethal.”

“What should we do then?” you said.

“We need to split our forces into three; one to guard Eientei, one to guard the mansion, and the other one to rescue those three. Oh, I almost forgot. Kaguya and I can’t leave this place. Kaguya is currently sleeping in her room while I still need to prepare our defenses here.”

Do you want this story to have some RPG elements like Nocturne?
[ ] Yes
[ ] No

If it’s yes, I will post the explanation of the system and the stats of the Touhous who’s on our side in /words/.

If it’s no, just choose who will stay in Eientei, who will go to the SDM, and who will rescue Tewi.

[x] No

Isn't this closer to the first run this way?

[X] yes

[x] No

For the placement, I'll let someone else decide.

Writer here.

If you don't want to decide the placement, you could always ask Eirin for her opinion.

So...
[ ] Decide the placement yourself (write-in).
[ ] Let Eirin decide the placement.

>>150163
Adding this to my vote.


[x] Let Eirin decide the placement.

[x] Let Eirin decide the placement.

[x] Let Eirin decide the placement.

“So, any suggestions?” Eirin says.

“Hmm, I don’t know,” you reply, “I’ll just let you decide this one.”

“So be it then. I shall tell you my plan first.”

She takes out a piece of paper from her pocket and lays it down on a nearby table. Then, she uses the pen lying on the table to write something on it. A few moments later…

“There, it’s done. Come closer and take a look.”

You lean towards the table to see the writing on the paper. It reads…

The Plan for the Impending Battle of Creation
Written by: Eirin Yakogoro

Our army will be divided into three; one to guard Eientei, one to help reinforce the Scarlet Devil Mansion, and one to rescue Tewi and the others.

The army that guards Eientei will consist of:
- Myself, Eirin Yakogoro (Leader)
- Kaguya Houraisan
- Reisen Udongein Inaba
- Kyouko Kasodani
- Ichirin Kumoi
- The humans who followed Byakuren from the Human Village

Their objective is to guard Eientei from any type of threat, especially from Reimu’s army, which is stationed nearby at the Human Village.

The army that reinforces the Scarlet Devil Mansion will consist of:
- Shou Toramaru (Leader)
- Nazrin
- Minamitsu Murasa

Their objective is to defend the mansion alongside its inhabitants. There’s a high possibility that they will be attacked by the residents of Youkai Mountain due to their location, which is right underneath them, near the base of the mountain.

The army that rescues Tewi and the others will consist of:
- Hijiri Byakuren (Leader)
- Johnson Avery
- Lily Avery

Their objective is to search the Youkai Mountain for Tewi and the others stealthily. If possible, they will attempt to turn the kappas to our side, since there’s a high chance that they did not join the Youkai Mountain Army willingly.

“So, any objections?” Eirin says.

“Wait, are you sure about this?” you ask, “I mean, sending my sister and I to the base of the enemy?”

“Your negotiation skills will be needed there,” Eirin replies, “After all, you and your sister managed to turn that vampire to our side. Besides, Byakuren is pretty strong. She’ll be able to protect you and your sister easily.”

“But, we can’t even fly! We’ll just be a burden to her!”

After hearing your argument, Eirin lets out a small laugh. “Don’t worry,” she replies, still with a smile on her face, “It should happen any moment now.”

Suddenly, you hear a loud voice speaking inside your head. It speaks with such strength that you feel really dizzy just by hearing it. You notice that everyone else in the room is hearing the same voice, judging by their expressions.

“The time has come! Let the battle of creation begins! From this moment on, the spell card rule is no longer functional. It has been replaced by the existence of Magatsuhi, the essence of all living beings. If you lose all your Magatsuhi, you will die, no matter what kind of creature you are. Go now! Gather Magatsuhi to summon the god of your Reason, your view on how Gensokyo should be! Do not hesitate, for I, the Dragon, shall recreate everyone in the new Gensokyo.”

The voice disappears, leaving you panting and breathing heavily.

“Wha… what was that?” Lily says, sitting on the floor while trying to catch her breath.

“Stay where you are,” Eirin says with a harsh tone, “You should hear the voice again soon.”

Just as she predicted, the voice returns, this time much louder than before.

“You, who have been chosen as a judge from the Outside World. Prepare yourself, for I shall give you the power that you’ll need to survive in the forthcoming conflict…”

You see…
[ ] A red-scaled snake-like dragon
[ ] A mummified hand jutting out from a sarcophagus
[ ] A giant wielding a flaming sword
[ ] A winged demon wrapped by a snake
[ ] A four-armed creature whose head is lit on fire

[ ] A red-scaled snake-like dragon

[x] A winged demon wrapped by a snake

Lucifier? As these are referencing SMT demons.

[x] A mummified hand jutting out from a sarcophagus

Writer here

Let me give you a hint:
They're Nihilo demons, high-ranking ones.

Bah, last time I voted I wound up posting something that needed deleting thanks to me changing my mind and typing in the new reasoning without changing the vote. Let's try this again.

[X] A winged demon wrapped by a snake.

Mithra's ability to strip away the foe's strength (see: the Debilitate spell) and end battles in an eyeblink (see: both varieties of instant-kill magic) are a better fit charcter-wise than the other four, who are mostly varying degrees of LOLDAMAGE.

That lovely little Debilitate spell also happens to be deliciously gamebreaking in SMT:N, where buffs and debuffs not only matter, but can often swing battles entirely. Sorry, powergamer instincts messing with me again.

After hearing that voice, your sight begins to blur. Your surroundings slowly fade away, replaced by an endless red void that stretches out towards the horizon. While you are looking around at your new surroundings, a swirling mass of flowing red dots suddenly appears in front of you, making you take a step backwards in anticipation. The mass slowly coagulates and forms a creature that you’ve never seen before in your entire life. Its red, winged body is wrapped by a brown-and-yellow snake. Its hands are carrying what seems to be a crowbar. While you are staring at it, its lion-shaped head opens its mouth and starts speaking at you with a booming voice.

“Speak thy name, O one who seeks my power.”

“I… I’m Johnson, Johnson Avery,” you stutter, frightened by its appearance.

“Very well, Johnson Avery,” it replies with a dignified tone, “I am Mithra, a demon from a faraway land. I came here to assist thee in thy goal of creating a world of silence. Now, brace thyself for I shall enter thy body!”

Before you can say anything, Mithra dissolves into the state that he was in before, a swirling mass of red dots. You try to run away from him as he floats towards you. Unfortunately, he easily catches up to you and enters your body just by touching your skin, causing a mind-numbing pain that makes you lose your consciousness.

----------------------------

You’ve now acquired the ability to use Death Pact, which is the ability to force an enemy to choose whether to serve your cause or die. Unfortunately, this ability can only be used once, to one person only. You’ve also acquired the ability to summon and wield dual crowbars in battle and the ability to fly just like the other residents of Gensokyo.

-------------------------------

When you wake up, the first thing that you notice is that Eirin is staring at you closely, perhaps too close for her face is just a few inches away from yours. A blush immediately creeps to your face as you spring away from her.

“Oh, you’re awake already?” she asks with a smile on her face.

“Uh, yeah, I think,” you reply groggily.

“Good. So, tell me, what power did the Dragon just give you?” she asks while leaning towards you.

“Wait, where’s everyone else? Where’s Lily?” you ask as you look around the now empty room.

“Relax. Your sister is now currently testing her new power alongside Kaguya. You will find it… most interesting if I may say so,” she replies, her lips forming a smirk that makes you feel uncomfortable.

“What… what do you mean?” you ask, feeling paranoid about your sister’s condition.

“Don’t worry; she’s perfectly fine,” she replies with a wave of her hand, “What’s important is that you tell me what power you just got from the Dragon.”

Knowing that she won’t let you go until you give her what she wants, you decide to tell her all that you know about your meeting with Mithra and about his power, Death Pact.

----------------------

“Death Pact, hmm? If we use that power correctly, we may even be able to win this battle easily,” Eirin says, chin leaning on her hands.

“So, umm, what should I do?” you ask, scratching the back of your head.

“Just… don’t use that power for now. I think we should keep it until the moment is right,” she answers, still staring at the empty air beside you.

“Then, can I go now?” you ask, excited that your talk with her is finally finished.

“Sure, you may leave,” she replies without sparing a glance towards you, “Oh, and I think you shouldn’t go to your sister’s place just yet. She should be still in training with Kaguya. You wouldn’t want to disturb her, would you? Go to Byakuren’s room instead. I think she’s searching for her scrolls right now.”

You give a quick bow towards her and leave the room immediately.

Hmm, where should I go first?

[ ] To Byakuren’s room first. I don’t want to disturb Lily’s training. Besides, she could use my help on finding her scrolls.

[ ] To Lily’s place first. I’m really curious on what her new power is.

[ ] To Byakuren’s room first. I don’t want to disturb Lily’s training. Besides, she could use my help on finding her scrolls.

[x] To Byakuren’s room first. I don’t want to disturb Lily’s training. Besides, she could use my help on finding her scrolls.

Listen to Eirin.

[X] To Byakuren’s room first. I don’t want to disturb Lily’s training. Besides, she could use my help on finding her scrolls.

damn, that was a nice outcome. A one-use Instant Win Button is still an Instant Win Button. Let's take Eirin's advice and hold on to that until we at least have a shot at join-or-die-ing a faction leader, if not instant-killing a Reason God.

[X] To Byakuren’s room first. I don’t want to disturb Lily’s training. Besides, she could use my help on finding her scrolls.

Yeah, I think I should go to Byakuren first. I don’t want to disturb Lily’s training after all.

You walk away from Eirin’s room, looking at the endless corridor that stretches out in front of you. You try to remember the path that you took with Byakuren to get here because there’s a very, very high chance that you could get lost if you’re just wandering aimlessly, considering Eientei’s mazelike structure. Getting lost in this place would be a terrible thing to do so you’re absolutely sure that you don’t want that to happen.

Let’s see… it was left, right, straight forward, then take a turn... Yeah, I think I get it now.

You brace yourself before walking towards the direction that you think is going to take you to Byakuren’s room. Along the way, you see nothing unusual except for some rabbits running around. They seem to be busy with something. You try to ask one of them but she just ignores you and continues on her merry way. Oh well, perhaps they’re preparing the defense of this place just like Eirin told them to.

When you arrive in front of Byakuren’s room, you decide to knock at the door first. After all, you don’t want to walk on her changing or anything.

“*knock* *knock* Hello, Miss Byakuren? May I go in?”

You hear a rustling sound from the room, followed by footsteps walking towards you. The door suddenly opens to reveal Byakuren’s smiling face behind it.

“Oh, you are awake already? Great! Please, come in!” She steps away from the door, gesturing you to enter the room.

Inside, you see some of those strange, transparent, and multicolored scrolls that you’ve seen her reading before lying on the floor, alongside with a couple of wooden boxes, some of which are already opened. You try not to step on any of them as you walk towards the corner of the room.

“Ah, sorry for this mess. I’m still searching for my magic scrolls, you know, just in case if we get into a battle later,” Byakuren says as she sits down in front of you.

“Don’t worry. I come here to help,” you reply.

“That’s great!” she replies, clasping her hands on her chest, “If we work together, I’m sure we’ll be able to find them faster.”

“So, where should I start?” you ask, noticing that there are still quite a few boxes that haven’t been opened yet.

“Start from that one.” She points at the nearest box. “I’ll check that one first, on the other side of the room.” She moves her hand to point at the box in the opposite corner of the room. “We’ll make it so that we search the boxes in the corners of the room first before searching the ones in the middle.” She rises from her seat and starts walking towards her box.

Turning your sight towards your box, you open it to find some books stored inside of it. They seem to be about Buddhism, judging from the titles like “Buddha, The Enlightened One”, “Achieving Nirvana”, and “Karma and Its Relationship with Samsara”. After you’ve cleared the box from them, you notice that there aren’t any magic scrolls hidden inside of it. You turn your gaze to the next box that is sitting a few feet away from you.

“By the way, where did these boxes come from? Did you bring them from your temple?” you ask as you approach the box, just to satisfy your curiosity.

“Well, yes. Our decision to move here was so sudden that we didn’t have enough time to pack all of our things and move them here. We could only bring the things that we really needed by using these boxes. We didn’t even have the time to label them, making this… mess that we’re in right now,” she replies, not sparing a glance towards you because she’s busy examining the contents of her box.

“Oh, I see.” You open the box to find some dresses that look just like the one that Byakuren’s wearing. This must be where she put her clothes then. Carefully, you lift them one by one, revealing…

[i]Crap, are those her…{/i}

You see a pair of black panties alongside a black bra underneath, no doubt owned by Byakuren. Quickly, you put the clothes back inside and close the box, in hope that she doesn’t notice you peeking at her undergarments.

“Have you found them yet?”

“Gah!” You jump out in surprise after noticing Byakuren’s presence beside you.

“N-no, not yet,” you stutter, turning your body towards her.

“Too bad. I’ve finished checking the boxes over there so they must be around here somewhere.” Noticing the closed box near you, which you just opened a few moments ago, she reaches her hand towards it, obviously going to check what’s inside.

“H-hey, don’t open that one!” You hold her reached-out hand.

“Umm, why not?” She cocks her head.

“Well, I-I just checked that one. There aren’t any magic scrolls there so let’s just move on to the next box, shall we?” you reply, trying to bluff your way out of this… situation.

“Oh, okay then! So, how about that one?” She points at one of the other boxes.

“Y-yeah, I haven’t checked that one!” You let out a sigh of relief as she leaves your box alone. After all, you don’t want her to accuse you as a pervert.

-------------------

After a few more minutes of searching, you finally manage to find the scrolls that Byakuren’s looking for. They don’t look any different from the others though.

“Ah, there they are,” Byakuren says as she takes the scrolls from your hand.

“Are those really the ones that you’re looking for? They don’t seem different from the others as far as I can tell,” you ask, tilting your head.

“You see, these scrolls aren’t just your ordinary scrolls. Their contents are encrypted with magic, meaning that only magicians are capable of deciphering them,” she explains as she examines the scrolls.

“Oh, so that’s how they work, huh?” You scratch your chin in understanding.

Suddenly, you hear footsteps heading towards the room, followed by a knock on the door.

“Um, sorry for interrupting you two but my master wants to see both of you now. She said that there’s something really important that she wants to show to you two. Your sister is already there, alongside Lady Kaguya,” Reisen’s voice says from behind the door.

“Don’t worry. We already found the scrolls that we’re looking for. We’ll meet Eirin right away,” you answer.

“Well, that’s great! Let me lead you to where she is right now.”

-------------------------

After walking through the corridors of Eientei for a while, which you’re sure are getting more and more complicated each time you go across them, you and Byakuren arrive in a room that you’ve never seen before. Its door has a strange reddish mark on it, picturing a red cylinder inside a circle. The room itself is pitch-black, except from the dim light that comes from a strange cylinder in the middle of it. Come to think of it, that cylinder looks just like the one that’s in the mark before. Looking closely at the cylinder, you notice that it has some weird symbols on its surface. Well, this must be Eirin’s new device or something.

“It’s fascinating, isn’t it?” Eirin says, suddenly appearing from the back, shadowed corner of the room, Lily and Kaguya alongside her.

“Brother, you’re alright! I was so worried about you!” Lily says as she runs towards you and gives you a hug.

“Oh, come on, Lily! You’re a big girl now! You can’t just hug your brother like this every time we get separated!” you say, smiling as you pat her head.

“Alright, enough of the family reunion. I have something really important that I must tell to all of you so pay attention to what I’m going to say,” Eirin interrupts.

Lily releases you from her hug as she stands beside you alongside Reisen and Byakuren. Seeing that you’re ready to hear her explanation, Eirin walks towards the cylinder, putting her hand on top of it.

“This… device right here is an Amala Drum.”

“Amala… Drum?” you remark, confused as you’ve never heard those words before.

“Yes, Amala Drum. It’s a device that enables you to control the flow of Magatsuhi in the Amala Network. I don’t know the full extent of its power yet though. Oh, I haven’t told you all what Magatsuhi is, have I?” Eirin asks, noticing your befuddled expression.

“Very well then. I suppose it’ll better if I show you what it’s like first. Now, watch closely.” With one fell swoop, she spins the cylinder, or the Amala drum as she called it before, causing it to emit an eerie light that shines the entire room before releasing some substance that you’re absolutely sure you’ve seen before. It’s the same thing as the ones you saw when you received your power from Mithra.

Eirin touches the flowing substance with her hand, causing it to circle around her arm before seeping into her skin, disappearing completely in the process. “That… was Magatsuhi, the essence of all living things that exist in this world. Usually, you can’t even detect its presence because it’s completely sealed within your body. But, with its power, the Dragon breaks its seal temporarily, causing it to be able to flow freely in this world. This essence shall prove to be crucial in our effort to realize our Reason, not only because it’s needed to summon our Reason God, but also because it can grant power to anyone who possesses it, especially in great quantity. That’s why I summoned all of you here. There has been a… change of plan if I may say so. I felt the presence of some beings inside the Amala Network, where Magatsuhi flows freely and abundantly. I want you to investigate whatever they’re doing there. There’s a huge chance that they’re there to gather those Magatsuhi. They may also use that network as a shortcut for launching an assault at us. Surely we can’t allow that, can we?”

“But… what about the kappa? Could we just abandon them?” you ask.

“No, I didn’t say that, did I?” she replies, “That network has another function that can prove to be very useful for us. It can take you to the other drums, just like this one. They should’ve appeared all around Gensokyo by now so if we’re lucky enough, there’s one near the kappa.”

“How about Tewi, shouldn’t we rescue her first?” Byakuren asks, doubt evident on her face.

“Oh, I haven’t told you before, have I? They’re hiding with the kappa for now. Satori has a good connection with them after all. Well, at least that’s what I heard from Ichirin, after I told her to search the Youkai Mountain with that cloud of hers.”

What will you do?
[ ] Go along with Eirin’s new plan. Tewi and the others seem safe enough with the kappa for now. Our main concern should be the ones that are sneaking in that network. If they launch a surprise attack using this terminal, it will be really bad for us.
[ ] Refuse to follow Eirin’s new plan. Hmph, those kappa sound fishy to me. They could betray Tewi and the others at any moment if the tengu find out that they’re harboring them. We should go to their place traditionally, by flying towards the Youkai Mountain.
[ ] Ask a question. There seems to be something that I’ve forgotten to talk about. (write-in)

Hmph, those kappa sound fishy to me. [X] Go along with Eirin’s new plan. Tewi and the others seem safe enough with the kappa for now. Our main concern should be the ones that are sneaking in that network. If they launch a surprise attack using this terminal, it will be really bad for us.

[x] Go along with Eirin’s new plan. Tewi and the others seem safe enough with the kappa for now. Our main concern should be the ones that are sneaking in that network. If they launch a surprise attack using this terminal, it will be really bad for us.

[X] Go along with Eirin’s new plan. Tewi and the others seem safe enough with the kappa for now. Our main concern should be the ones that are sneaking in that network. If they launch a surprise attack using this terminal, it will be really bad for us.

The Amala Network dungeons are still one of the best examples of art design in gaming. Sure, the patterns on the walls were repetitive and simplistic, but they combined with the slight inward tilt of the walls to make the whole dungeon seem like it was trying to flow. Minimalism, ho!

“Fine, I’ll go along with this new plan of yours,” you answer reluctantly.

“Wait, are you sure about this? Tewi and the others could be in danger, you know,” Byakuren asks, hesitation shown on her face.

“Perhaps, but if we don’t do something about that network first, they may use it to launch a surprise attack on us and that’s the last thing that we want to happen,” you explain, trying to keep a confident tone on your voice. You’re still not quite sure that this is the right thing to do.

“It’s decided then,” Eirin interrupts, “I’ll send you three to the network right away. Please put your hands on the drum, all of you.”

Byakuren lets out a defeated sigh as she puts her hand on the cylinder. You cast an affirming glance at Lily, in which she responds by a quick nod, putting her hand on the cylinder as she does so. You soon follow her after.

“Now, try to relax. Don’t move too much unless you want to get separated.” Eirin spins the cylinder again, this time even faster than before. She takes a few steps back away from the spinning drum and says, “Good luck. I’ll be monitoring your progress from here. If the threat over there is too dangerous for you to handle, just run away. Our main objective is to know what the situation is like over there first.”

Looking at the spinning cylinder, you feel a strange sensation on your body, like you’re being pulled into it. Wait, you are being pulled into it. Your hand enters the cylinder first, followed by your arm and eventually, your whole body.

------------------------

You land in a long corridor surrounded by yellowish brown walls with zigzagging lines engraved on them, its transparent floor showing Magatsuhi flowing freely beneath it. In the end of it lies what you think is a circle-shaped yellow door.

“Where… are we? Is this… the Amala Network?” Lily says as she inspects her surroundings.

“Hello. Can you hear me?” a familiar voice speaks from the ceiling.

“Eirin, is that you?” you shout, trying to get her attention.

“Ah, good, you can hear my voice. I was worried that I couldn’t reach you from here. It seems that there’s something or someone disrupting our communication link. For now, try to go on ahead first. I’ll try to look up its source while you’re at it.” After that, Eirin’s voice can no longer be heard.

“Is everyone okay?” You look behind you to see Byakuren dusting off her dress, whereas Lily is admiring the wall near her.

“Don’t worry, we’re fine,” Byakuren says as she smiles at you, “I think we should get going though. I sense some magic up ahead.”

“C’mon Lily, let’s get going,” you say, shifting your gaze towards Lily who’s now crouching, looking at the stream of Magatsuhi beneath the floor.

You let out a sigh as you grab Lily’s hand, forcing her to walk alongside you and Byakuren towards the door.

-------------------------------

After you pass through the door, which oddly opened by itself, you arrive in a four-way intersection, its branches stretch out endlessly towards the horizon, not including the branch that you just came from of course.

You sigh as you put your hands on your waist. “Now what? Should we just split up?”

“No, I think that’s too dangerous. We should just pick a path and follow it until the end,” Byakuren replies.

“Hehe, no worries! I, Lily, will save the day!” Lily says with a grin on her face.

“What do you mean? Do you have a better idea?” you ask, befuddled by her confidence.

“Stand back, brother! It’s time to show you my new power!”

You and Byakuren do as she said, taking a few steps backwards towards the door that you just exited a few moments ago. Seeing you quite a distance away from her, she slowly clasps her hands on her chest. Immediately, a surge of energy surrounds her as she closes her eyes, creating three bolts of lightning that strike the floor around her. Then, a creature appears from each of the places where the lightning bolts struck.

The first creature is a large black stingray with a white crown atop of its head. The second creature is a knight riding a black horse with a silver mane. Its body is clad in a red armor while its head is covered by a red helmet that has horns jutting out from its side. It also carries a white spear on its left hand. The third creature looks just like the second one except that its armor is blue, its horse is brown, and it has no horns attached to his helmet.

“Mistress Lily, I, Forneus, have come here to serve. Please… give me your orders,” the stingray-like creature says, lowering its head in front of Lily. She responds by patting its head while saying, “I command you and your friends to scout each of these corridors around us.”

“Your wish is my command, Mistress Lily. I, Eligor, shall fulfill it with the best of my ability,” the red knight answers.

“So do I, Mistress Lily,” the blue knight interrupts, “I am Berith, at your service.”

“Then, we shall be off, Mistress Lily.” Forneus gives Lily a quick bow before floating away from her, entering the left branch of the intersection. Eligor and Berith follow suit, Eligor entering the right branch while Berith entering the branch in front of you.

“Was that… your power? Summoning demons?” Byakuren asks, curious look on her face.

“Yes! Isn’t it awesome? A voice who called himself Ahriman gave me this power. He said that the demons that I summon using this power will never betray me as long as I still seek a world of silence.” Lily answers cheerily.

“Ahriman? Who is that?” you ask.

“Well, he told me that he’s our Reason God. Dunno if that’s true though,” she answers.

“Have you told Eirin about your new power and this “Ahriman” guy?” you ask.

“Yep, I have,” she answers, puffing out her chest, “She told me that there’s nothing to worry about.”

“Interesting. As a magician, I’ve tried to summon a demon once. It doesn’t look anything like those demons though, even though their energy feels the same to me. Tell me, how does this power of yours work exactly? Is there a limitation on how it works?” Byakuren enquires.

Lily thinks for a while before answering, “Hmm, the only limitation that I can think off is that I’m only capable of summoning a few demons at a time before I start to feel dizzy and weak, causing the demons that I’ve summoned to disappear. It seems that the more powerful a demon that I summon, the harder it will take for me to maintain its presence.”

“I see. It’s either quality or quantity then. You can choose to summon lots of weak demons or a few but strong demons.” Byakuren deduces.

“So, what should we do now? Should we just wait until they come back?” you ask.

“Of course, bro! Why else would I summon them then?” Lily answers as she sits down on the floor.

--------------------------------------

After waiting for about 15 minutes, you see from afar Forneus heading towards your direction. Lily notices him as she rises from her seat and approaches the floating stingray.

“I’ve come to report, Miss Lily. I saw about a dozen of fairies standing guard beyond that corridor,” he says as he bows towards her.

“Good job, Forneus! You can return now!” Lily says as she pats his head before he disappears into the thin air.

“Fairies? That’s odd. What are they doing here?” Byakuren ponders.

Soon afterwards, you hear sounds of a horse’s footsteps coming from the other branches. You see Eligor and Berith approaching from afar. When they arrive, they immediately head over to Lily, ignoring you and Byakuren completely, no doubt to give their reports.

“Miss Lily, I’ve come here to give my report. There’s a spirit blocking the door on the end of that corridor. He said that only humans may pass through the door. Seeing that I’m a demon, he blocked me from entering the door. I tried to fight him off but he just vanished, leaving the closed door behind him,” Eligor says with a soldier-like intonation.

“What about you, Berith? What did you see over there?” Lily asks, gazing upwards at the blue knight.

“I only found an empty room at the end of that corridor, Miss Lily,” he answers with confidence.

“Nice work, you two! Now, you may go back,” Lily replies. They give her a bow before vanishing completely just like Forneus did.

“So, we can either check out those fairies or go through that door, without me though as I’m no longer human. There’s also an option to check out that empty room. Hmm, what should we do?” Byakuren ponders.

[ ] Check out the fairies. You heard that they’re harmless enough so it shouldn’t be dangerous.
[ ] Enter the door, leaving Byakuren behind. You’re curious at what lies beneath that door. Why does the spirit guarding it only allow humans to enter?
[ ] Go to the empty room and examine it closely. There must be something there, perhaps a hidden passage or some sort.

So for all intents and purposes, these thingies are a potential avenue of attack. We should at least garrison ours, the same as we would a more traditional entrance.

[x] Enter the door, leaving Byakuren behind. You’re curious at what lies beneath that door. Why does the spirit guarding it only allow humans to enter?

Fairies would most probably mean SDM.

[x] Enter the door, leaving Byakuren behind. You’re curious at what lies beneath that door. Why does the spirit guarding it only allow humans to enter?

Demons can still be summoned on the other side of the door, they just can't pass through it.

[x] Check out the fairies. You heard that they’re harmless enough so it shouldn’t be dangerous.

I suspect these are not SDM fairies but rather the lake's. So they may be either be enemies or neutral.

“We should enter that door first. I’m curious about what lies behind it, especially since the spirit guarding it only allows humans to pass,” you say.

“So, you’re going to leave me behind, then?” Byakuren frowns.

“Well, we’ll just… look around for a while. We’re not going to abandon you or anything.” You grin sheepishly.

“Fine! I’m just worried that there’s going to be a trap or something beyond that door. It’s my duty to watch over you two, remember?”

“Don’t worry, we’ll be fine!” Lily reassures her.

------------------------------------

Finally, after walking for what feels like ages, you stand before the door that Eligor told Lily about. As you expected, there’s a spirit standing guard in front of it. Its ethereal “body” consists only of a big, red, angry-looking face.

“You… who are you? What… do you want?” It eyes you and the others suspiciously.

“Umm… Mr. Spirit, can we pass through the door behind you, please?” Lily asks, using the cute voice she usually uses when begging for a favor.

“You… you and the man beside you… you two smell… human. You two are humans, are you not? So why… why do you travel with a filthy youkai?” It stares hatefully at Byakuren.

“Filthy youkai?” Her voice rises.

“You… you… I remember you. You… you are that… wretched traitor! Damn you! Revenge! I shall have revenge for what you’ve done!”

The spirit suddenly leaps forward from the door, opening its mouth as wide as possible; no doubt intending to swallow her whole.

“Get out of the way, now!” She pushes you and Lily away from her before jumping towards the spirit, landing a preemptive strike with her uppercut. The spirit roars in pain as it crashes into the ceiling.

“Damn you, accursed monk! I shall not be defeated by you, who had abandoned us to side with those monsters!” The spirit opens its huge mouth before blasting a giant fireball towards her. She lets out a grunt, blocking it with her bare hands. Seeing this as a chance to strike, the spirit leaps towards her and bites her charred arms.

“Aaaaaaah!” Byakuren screams in pain as she tries to shrug the spirit off.

“Get off her, you bastard!” Immediately, you summon the only weapon that you have, Mithra’s dual crowbars, into your hands. You use them to smack the spirit as hard as you can, making it release its jaws from her hands.

“Bro, get away from it!”

You sidestep away from the spirit before turning around to see Lily standing near one of her demons, Forneus. She must have summoned him just a moment ago, probably after seeing Byakuren getting chewed by that spirit.

“Now, Forneus! Freeze it to death!”

Forneus opens its mouth and shoots out a gale of cold wind, freezing the dazed spirit into a block of ice. You take the chance to hit it once more with your crowbar, shattering its body into pieces.

“Whew… that was close. Thank you, Forneus; you may return now,” Lily says as she wipes the sweat off her forehead.

“Hey, are you okay?” You see Byakuren cringing in pain, no doubt from the wounds she received.

“Y-yeah, I’m fine,” she replies. However, you’re not convinced at all after seeing the blood on her scorched hands, leaking out of beneath her peeled-off skin.

“No, you’re not! This is a serious wound, you know!”

“Don’t worry. I’m a youkai after all, just like that spirit said. This wound will heal in just a few minutes.” She gives a reassuring smile towards you. Somehow, you feel a hint of sadness in that expression.

“These wounds are terrible!” Lily gasps, holding Byakuren's hands gently to see their condition.

“Like I said, don’t worry about it. It’ll heal by itself.” She pulls her hands away from Lily.

What will you do?
[ ] Keep going through the door. Byakuren should be able to pass, now that the spirit guarding it is no more.
[ ] Check the other corridors instead. This place is too dangerous. If more of those spirits attack us, we would be screwed, especially with Byakuren wounded like this.
-[ ] The one with the fairies.
-[ ] The empty room.

[x] Keep going through the door. Byakuren should be able to pass, now that the spirit guarding it is no more.

Loot?

Writer here

After much consideration, I’ve decided that I’m going to discontinue writing this story (and those two alternate endings as well). The reason? Well….

really bad. So, I decided to start learning how to write properly, and man it was hard. That’s why I updated not as fast as I was before. Eventually, I felt writing less as a fun activity and more as a chore. Besides, I had already completed my original goal. So, I decided to stop writing altogether and went back to the old days where I was just an anon voting in other people’s stories.

I apologize to anyone who still cares about this story (if there’s anyone at all). I’m sure there are many stories out there that are better than this one. I don’t know if I’ll still be here though. I’m only here for Demetrious’ story which he hasn’t updated in like, a month now.

tl;dr = Writer is a lazy faggot who doesn’t want to improve.

>>151781
Too bad. Well writers come and go, so if you feel like continuing this and not having the feeling that it's work, feel free to do so. It was a quick and enjoyable story that reached a end at the very least, to me.

>>151781
I'd love to say I didnt see this coming, But I'd be entirely wrong.

However. You have proven you can write a story, and complete it, no matter how short it was. Personally, I'd say write something short here and there to stay in practice in the offchance you ever want to continue writing. Sure, The story wasnt great, But at least its completed, And that's something. And its also common sense that not everyones first attempt at something is going to be good, no?