Sympathy for the Devil

[Brian]

There's not much further to go.  Caber was awaiting the group before the shrine.  The shrine is small, not actually a building.  Just a tiny shelter to cover some religious artifact or another.  Prayer-ropes and papers adorn it liberally, and there's a plaque with information about Fuji-san to one side.

A low fence keeps you from stumbling into the crater.  The crater itself looks pretty steep, though here is mostly lined up with the doubled-vision.  Mostly, because while mortal eyes reveal a snow-covered expanse, basically just a pit, the other image is of a seething lake of fire.  No heat can be felt from the image, however.

Not long after the Cabers reach the path below, and then vanish behind a switchback, Prometheus steps out from behind the shrine, casting a wary glance downslope.  "Idiot," he pronounces.  "Well," he says, turning his attention back to the party.  "You made it, so all seems to be well.  You are prepared, I hope?"

[Bjorn]

"Actually, I need to go to the bathroom. Number two.  Where's the facilities?" Bjorn says.

Well.  That's what he wants to say.  But it's probably not appropriate.  So instead he just nods.

[Rezantis]

"As ready as we can be.  I should have shot the bastard, though."

[Brian]

Prometheus ignores Nathan's comment, his golden eyes hardening.  "Very well," he intones.  "This is where Fire sleeps.  You've come too far to back down."  He flexes, and a pair of enormous wings spread from behind him.  "As I was cast down, so too shall you.  Step within the circle of the crater."  He gestures to the volcano.

[Bjorn]

Bjorn steps forward as Prometheus indicates.

[Rezantis]

Nathan nods and steps over the fence; moving as quickly as he dares down the crater wall.

[Carthrat]

"I have a really, really bad feeling about this," opines Tom. "So, nothing new here."

He steps forward as well!

[Dracos]

"That means something is going right, Tom." Dracos follows his comrades down with the expectation of pain, suffering, etc.

[Brian]

Once everyone steps across the barrier, Prometheus intones, "And as it ends, it begins."  There's a pause, as everyone feels a wing buffet them out over the caldera.  Flailing wildly, the sense is not of falling, but tumbling through the sky ... and looking down, the lava seems to somehow clear.  It's still there, but the senses go through it.  A nest of serpents ... or maybe a single serpent with multiple heads -- an orochi? -- slumber, sinuous necks tangled like cable or piping.

For those who went to the Earth Dream, the sensation is familiar.  For Tim and Tom, the experience is new.  For everyone, it is unpleasant.

The border of life and death stretches beneath you, and then slowly gives way, letting you fall down -- through the lava, beyond the serpent, into a rushing torrent of blinding sensation.  A relentless assault of sound, scent, touch, smell, taste ... everything melding together until awareness is entirely washed away.

Then, nothing.


This ends Chapter Two.


Tom goes now goes to Uphill Battle.

Nathan now goes to Insanity.

Bjorn now goes to Spirits in the Material World.

Tim now goes to Boring Machines Disturbs Sleep.

Dracos now goes to Atheist Peace.