[Text] @zobrien

[flying_fish]

[Zed isn't in the best of moods since another person he cared for disappeared, so he's taken to drink. Not that the alcohol has ever helped him, but it has him thinking about home...and some not so pleasant business back there.]

There's an item back home that operates like the Chinese gu. Except instead of venomous creatures, you insert humans. It is said that once the ritual is complete, it will lead to the destruction of the world.

The humans inside are forced to kill each other and mix together until becoming one being. The skin disappears while the skeleton, muscles, and organs fuse together. They're neither dead nor alive because of the magic that binds them.

Let's say the item broke, and a part of the conglomerate was separated from the whole. The humans that make up this "specimen" are children. Do you destroy it to prevent the ritual from being completed?

Comments

[allegedprisoner]

[There a pause in between replies.]

Wait, it's existed for thousands of years, and it just now activated?

I might need some more information.

[flying_fish]

If it had been activated before, it would have already destroyed the world. In theory, at least.

[allegedprisoner]

Its existence is still a huge concern.

Even more so are the humans trapped inside. Were they captured or did the so-called specimen create them somehow?

[flying_fish]

It is, but I do not think it exists in this world. So you don't have to worry here.

I assume they were captured. I don't think anyone would willingly put themselves through that.

[allegedprisoner]

That's a relief.

That's a fair thought, unless they were lured in with false promises somehow.

[ Luca may or may not have some experience with that... ]

[flying_fish]

That could be possible, but that does not change the state they were found in as part of the specimen.

[allegedprisoner]

Should I ask what sort of state that was?

[flying_fish]

Please review my original post.

[allegedprisoner]

Sorry, I must have forgotten part of it.

[ A few minutes later... ]

That's still a horrible thing to put children through... To cause the end of the world, as well. I can't say I'd know what to do in this situation myself.

[flying_fish]

It's a horrible thing to put anyone through. Hopefully we do not have to make any daunting decisions such as that here.

[allegedprisoner]

Right. It could be a lot worse over here.