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[thecrossingmods]

[The Crossing is coming again.

There is no advance warning from The Ferryman this time. There is nothing to draw your attention towards the message that appears on your device, whatever it may be, except perhaps the expectation that it should be appearing soon.

Whether you think to check for it or you simply stumble upon it, the words are there just as before:]

A toll to be levied for safe passage
from the desert to ǝɹǝɥʍǝsʅǝ

envision a place of comfort and safety
a haven from the wants and ills of life
be it for a moment or for a lifetime

offer it to The Ferryman
and let go

Comments

[marblenest]

I have to know if my hypothesis is correct. If I am successful, I won't get hurt, and we'll have more knowledge at our disposal.

[witnessvelama]

What measures are you taking? If you'll be successful.

[marblenest]

I will be accompanied by someone who is adept at fighting. We have struck an accord and will not be ambushed like last time.

[witnessvelama]

Mer Dankovsky, I am not experienced in fighting, but I would assume that an ambush is not something you can prevent.

[marblenest]

I was surprised last time. They used her voice, if I hadn't stopped, they wouldn't have been able to injure me. I have to at least try. The knowledge is worth the risk.

[witnessvelama]

Knowing your senses trick you and being able to remain unaffected are very different things.

Who will it be accompanying you?

[marblenest]

I am a man of logic and reason. I won't be fooled twice.

Urameshi will be.

[witnessvelama]

[Urameshi is just barely not a child, by Celehar's estimate - and his next response includes the press of pen to page in a way that darkens the letters, giving tell to his emphasis.]

Death and dreams are more closely tied than you account for, Osmer Dankovsky. I pray you do not learn that lesson the hard way.

[marblenest]

And with this action I will prove to all of you that I more am alive as I ever have been. Watch me succeed.

[ Yes, even if not intended, bringing up his death hurt his feelings, his handwriting becoming more hasty, scrawled out quickly underneath Celehar's. ]

[witnessvelama]

You cannot prove a lie. You must know this.

[marblenest]

Oh, so now you call me a liar? You have gone too far. Good day, Celehar.

[ Not that it can be seen, but he slams his book shut to go off to mope somewhere in the Dunes. ]

[hasapoint]

[Skimming over things, Need considers. It's petty, but-

she draws a tiny image of a man, too small for a close likeness but scowling and with hands fisted, lying in repose on a bed of flowers. The flowers are proportionally about cabbage-sized because she doesn't feel like going to the effort of drawing a ton of them to proper scale.

Her idea is that it's a raft of flowers in a river, specifically, coming apart at the edges. Whether it comes across...]

[marblenest]

[ Dankovsky sees this hours later and hastily writes next to it: ]

This doesn't look like me.

[hasapoint]

[for posterity I should host it on dw to put here]



[by the time Need sees that he's written a comment it's been still more hours, and he won't see it unless he's busy hurting himself rereading his conversation with Celehar, but regardless: she scribbles a carpet bag attached to one of the figure's fists.]

[witnessvelama]

[He will get the last word in - sorry, Dankovsky. He's still not expecting a response given that 'Good Day', but it must be said, in his opinion.]

I hope you will not be hurt, Osmer, but you seek an impossibility. Unless you consider yourself a living man trapped among ghosts - please reconsider.

[marblenest]

[ He does see this later, he considers responding, he really does, but the betrayal- it just hurts too much. For some reason he thought Celehar would understand.

He just can't do it. Damn it all. Damn this place. ]