[ The emptiness in Gustave's eyes had crossed into unnerving a while ago, but given everything he's just seen and been through, maybe utter shock is the only rational response. All Verso can do is watch, keep him from too much danger, and hope that eventually he starts to come into himself again. He's seen Expdeditioners go through similar. Some don't come back. But Gustave will, he thinks. Of course he will.
Verso knows this half of the Continent like the palm of his hand. Most Expeditions don't make it too far. These fields he visits less, but he still knows enough that when Gustave starts to wander through the paths a little, a horrid shudder goes through his spine. One thing he does try to remember about the Expeditioners -- is that back on Lumiere, the dead don't pile up. They vanish, dissipate into flower petals or into chroma and dust. A horror to some. A mercy to others. But here . . .
Here, they stay. Perfect and frozen. Piled upon each other, stinking of death and blood. Eternal monuments to their suffering in the moment of their deaths. Warnings for any Expeditioners in the future. Their bodies themselves lining the way, for those that come after. He's seen Expeditioners react to their first sight of this a number of ways. Confusion. Revulsion. Fear and denial, especially if they stumble onto something where there's just more bodies than think there could have ever reasonably been. But Lumiere's been throwing bodies at the Continent in hopes of reaching the Paintress for decades, now, and.
That cave isn't going to be a pretty one.
Verso's not following in the trees anymore. A bit more in the open, knowing he doesn't need to stay too hidden, and still working to try and pick up the trail of any other survivors. The Expditioner he'd been tracking before seems to have -- disappeared, their tracks vanishing earlier on in a way that didn't make sense. Snatched up by something, maybe. Hopefully still making their way to the Tree.
Gustave starts to take his first steps into the dark. Verso curses under his breath, and carefully, staying a good distance behind, he stars to move into the waiting maw of the cave after him. ]
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Date: 2025-05-30 06:36 pm (UTC)Verso knows this half of the Continent like the palm of his hand. Most Expeditions don't make it too far. These fields he visits less, but he still knows enough that when Gustave starts to wander through the paths a little, a horrid shudder goes through his spine. One thing he does try to remember about the Expeditioners -- is that back on Lumiere, the dead don't pile up. They vanish, dissipate into flower petals or into chroma and dust. A horror to some. A mercy to others. But here . . .
Here, they stay. Perfect and frozen. Piled upon each other, stinking of death and blood. Eternal monuments to their suffering in the moment of their deaths. Warnings for any Expeditioners in the future. Their bodies themselves lining the way, for those that come after. He's seen Expeditioners react to their first sight of this a number of ways. Confusion. Revulsion. Fear and denial, especially if they stumble onto something where there's just more bodies than think there could have ever reasonably been. But Lumiere's been throwing bodies at the Continent in hopes of reaching the Paintress for decades, now, and.
That cave isn't going to be a pretty one.
Verso's not following in the trees anymore. A bit more in the open, knowing he doesn't need to stay too hidden, and still working to try and pick up the trail of any other survivors. The Expditioner he'd been tracking before seems to have -- disappeared, their tracks vanishing earlier on in a way that didn't make sense. Snatched up by something, maybe. Hopefully still making their way to the Tree.
Gustave starts to take his first steps into the dark. Verso curses under his breath, and carefully, staying a good distance behind, he stars to move into the waiting maw of the cave after him. ]