red

[aunter]

R E D > You enter the door and find yourself in a glass box, suspended in the sky. Bright blue skies, white fluffy clouds, even birds pass by in the air around you. One look down and you see grass fields and sprawling lakes as far as the eye can see. Some wild horses running across the fields, some cows, just exactly what you'd expect. It's idyllic as fuck. Then the words appear:

Comments

[lost_first]

[ The thing of it is... it's a puzzle.

It's a puzzle... and they were provided two items. The die, they've already seen the results of. He's seen what happened to Peter and to Sebastian. He can guess on Sara. And he doesn't want to see it again.

That's why it's the knife that preoccupies him, thus he takes the die and shoves it in his purse for the moment before reaching over for the knife.

He addresses the air. ]

Fine. You want a sacrifice. I will not leave it to choice. What do I use this knife to do that will let us proceed?

What piece of me will I carve out for your pleasure?

[aunter]

[ There's no answer. ]

[cutlery]

[ As Peter has his crisis, Sebastian quietly folds the box closed. He places a hand lightly on top of it, then goes through the rather odd gesture of pulling off one of the leather gloves he wears as Peter apologizes. He looks at the back of his hand, clearly as if he was expecting something to be there.

(Also, his nails are black? weirdo)

He barks out a sharp laugh, then stands as he brushes off the hem of his changshan. ]

You should be. But luckily for you, I am inclined to save my ire for our host.

[ If that's harsh, he doesn't particularly care, but he at least looks to Jamie rather quizzically. ]

Not something too useful, hm? Presumably if we have to pay a toll to continue forward, I would rather it not be one that hampers proceeding in the future.

[wheatcake]

Give the knife to me, [Peter says, still from his place on the floor,] I still have two hands.

[lost_first]

[ James shakes his head. ]

And I have killed more people with one than you've probably met. [ He's Really Really Old, Peter. Really goddamn old.]

But the fact remains that there is no answer. So-

[ He will take the knife (God, it's been ages since he just used a knife, it feels good in his hands, proper, familiar) and goes to the wall. First the corner, then the flat of it.
To see if he can cut through.]

The knife must have a use.

[cutlery]

[ lol in demon ]

[ Sebastian is pretty doubtful that it's going to work, since considering the game they've played so far, it couldn't possibly be as easy as that. But, sure. Go ahead. He won't say a word. ]

[wheatcake]

Six, [Peter offers from the floor.] There are six walls to this cube, and the box Sebastian got. Whatever you do, do it in a multiple of six.

[Rubbing at his face. Rallying his spirits. He doesn't know who they were, but they were important. They still might exist. They need him. Stay strong, Peter. He stands.]

I don't think it'll do anything, but if it does, it'll have to work that way.

[lost_first]

[ First he taps the wall six times. Then taps the line of the corner six times. After a moment's consideration, he moves aside his shirt sleeve and scores six lines on the back of his arm; he's had so much worse, can still fight with that kind of pain, and he always keeps at least a bandage or two on his person.]