✝ even though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death ✝ heart game

[wwjd]

**TW: please note general potential warnings for murder, rape, suicide/mentions of suicide, gore, disturbing content/imagery, death, animal cruelty, cannibalism. This list will be updated as needed! Do not hesitate to PM me if something you aren't comfortable with ever comes up!**

[You’re suddenly in an open, expansive room. It’s huge. If you’re familiar with the setting or have the ability to compare it to something similar, it’s like the interior of a church—pews surround you, all centered around an altar, and all of the normal religious paraphernalia—Bibles, baptismal tools, sacramental wine and bread—is present as well, in its expected place for a church or set up on a table before the altar. The area is for the most part so dark, however, that you cannot clearly see around you for farther than a few feet. It feels like nighttime, but, well, you can’t look beyond the shadows to spy the windows to know for sure...

In this deep darkness, the well-lit altar is like a beacon. Blazing candles encircle it, and you can perceive at least four human-shaped figures standing upon it. Are they alive? Watch long enough, and you’ll understand that they don’t move, shift, or even breathe.

Also, you are dressed like an angel. ( 1 , 2 , 3 , or 4 ) Have fun!

You are directly in the middle of the central aisle, one that leads to the altar. What will you do?]

((game notes!

1) you are welcome to tag in at any time. this heart game will be running from december 10th to december 16th! please realize i have rl responsibilities and will not always be available to tag during the mornings/afternoons of every day, but in general i will be around.

2) my goal is to get everyone to at least one "room" outside of the church, but if that doesn't happen, it's okay! c:

3) this is my first time running a game thing/heart game, so if you notice any major problems or just want to check in with me about something, please do! i am doing my best (exercise_smiley)

4) again, i take comfort levels seriously. never hesitate to pm me if something is too squicky for you. i will change it right away!))

Comments

[wwjd]

[Just at the end of the aisle, before you're able to reach the altar, you bump into a prayer rail—it wasn't there before.

More importantly, a crisp, airy but masculine voice rings out from behind you.]

Hmm, turn around for me, woman. This glorious King of Heroes demands it. I shall have you listen to my words.

[r18plus]

[Well... that's unexpected. Also, that sounds really familiar and Midnight turns to look just in case.]

What the...?

[wwjd]

[There is a blonde man sitting at the end of a pew, close to the aisle, if you look at him. He's apparently naked, but some rich, red cloth is wrapped around his shoulders.]



Good. You appear to know your place. Now... come over here to me. Spending our time indulging in the pleasures of the flesh must be much better than prayer, is it not?

[r18plus]

[... Wow.]

Are you seriously lounging around naked in a church propositioning me for sex?

[Like. This is a thing. She stares at him with a raised eyebrow, and it's so bizarre because she knows her teammate anywhere, but still.]

[wwjd]

Is it something so alluring you could only imagine it in your fantasies?

[r18plus]

[She looks amused by that, though still a little weirded out. Then again, this whole thing has been weird.]

Me? No. I never even considered the possibility.

[He's attractive, sure, but this come on is too strong.]

You sure picked an odd place for this.

[wwjd]

[He looks offended, just vaguely, frowning but it's clear he's attempting to hide most of his displeasure.]



All you wish to do is talk? I cannot believe that. You are just as boring and lifeless as this church.

[r18plus]

Heh. Give me a reason to give you the time of my day, then maybe I'll agree.

[Wow, don't look so displeased, boy.]

You know anything about this church?

[wwjd]

I am not here for your asinine prattling, woman.

[r18plus]

So you've got nothing I need. Bye then.

[Back to the altar she goes.]

[wwjd]

Hmph.



[The prayer rail is still there, but you can squeeze around it if you really want, to reach the altar.]

[r18plus]

[She turns back to Gil, a little surprised he's not doing more. Should she worry before she goes to this altar?]

[wwjd]

[He doesn't move. He doesn't disappear, either, though. Apparently, he won't do anything—at least for right now...

He's sitting lazily in the pew, with his eyes closed.]

[r18plus]

[She huffs at that, like wow what a lazy bum, but decides to leave him be because she doesn't want to walk next to a naked guy and look like a pair of perverts.

Gonna jump over that prayer rail then. Can she do that?]

[wwjd]

[Yep.]

[r18plus]

[Awesome! Jumping over it then. Hopefully it doesn't snag her new angel outfit as she makes her way to the altar again.]

[wwjd]

[You’re at the altar.

There are four stand-up cardboard displays in human form, like those oversized cutouts of celebrities for movies—if you’re familiar with those. The cardboard figures form a semicircle slicing through the center of the altar, cutting from one side to the other. They appear to be of an older man, a woman holding a baby, a man—neither too young nor too old, and a much younger man; actually, it’s Kuuha from Sakura, if you know him. Each of them wear signs that announce who they are, though you will have to step closer to really read them.

There is a message written on the platform of the altar, beneath your feet, in dried, red blood that sinks into the cracks between the polished wooden boards—having been smeared there haphazardly as if someone used their fingertip. It reads, simply,

STAB THE LIAR. ☺

And you feel the weight of a knife in your hand.]

[r18plus]

[On one hand, that's-- weird. Like, completely bizarre. When she sees the pictures, she's not sure what to make of them. People he knows? Who knows? Why is this in a church even.

On the other, she now has a knife and has to stab something. So she's not sure what to make of that.]

Huh... That's a pretty tough call. [She goes to check on them. Do they have descriptions?]

[wwjd]

[At the rightmost side, the sturdy cardboard(?) cutout of an elderly man stands. Around his neck is a placard that reads “LOVING FATHER”.

Between the elderly man and adult man is a cardboard figure of a young woman with white, almost transparent hair. She is smiling, despite her thin, clearly ill frame and the eyepatch plastered to one eye. She carries a baby in her arms, a toddling thing with hair just as pure white as hers but eyes that are cool, empty, and dull gold—the baby girl seems to be her own separate figure, and it feels like you could pluck her right out of the slot between the woman’s arms if you wanted. A placard is looped around both of their necks, and reads “LOVING WIFE AND DAUGHTER”.

Between the woman holding the baby and the younger man is a tall gentleman, with dark hair. His elegantly sculpted beard makes you imagine someone who really has his act together. His blue eyes might even seem familiar, calling up the memory of someone else—oh, perhaps he’s related to someone you saw once, in the forest? His clothing is a smooth red suit. Nevertheless, he smiles warmly, looking at you as he would a beloved student with his wine goblet in hand, and it makes sense, because the placard hanging from his neck reads “LOVING TEACHER”.

Last but not least, there is a cardboard cutout of a member of Sakura, a younger man, someone that perhaps you have seen in passing—in any case, even if you don’t know him, his appearance is distinctive enough. He has spiky, white hair that trails down his shoulders and sakura-colored robes that are designed like a priest’s garb. Indeed, he wears a cross, and he’s holding his arms open wide, smiling gently, like he welcomes the word of the Lord from the ceiling of the church itself. It’s Kuuha, and the placard hanging around his neck reads, “LOVING OLDER BROTHER”.]

[r18plus]

[... This tells her nothing about what she needs. She turns away, going back towards where she left Gilgamesh.

Maybe he can help her find the answer.]

[wwjd]

[He's still there, but he's not really looking at you.]

[r18plus]

[Wow? Stop being a lazy bum.

She comes on over, pretty much just looming as she holds the knife. Well.]

Hey, help me out here. I'm a little stumped.

[wwjd]

[He looks up at you, but it seems like a very extended, long-suffering action.]



I said I am not here for your asinine prattling, woman. If you would like to earn my ire and have your body violated for it, continue to speak so freely.

[r18plus]

[She huffs, annoyed. Well-- that was just rude.]

Quite a useless king after all. I'm disappointed in this. Are you always this incapable of help?

[wwjd]

[He stands. Something inside you immediately wants to LEAVE.]

I will not permit this.