Colin's posts

"Good enough." Ryker replied.

"Can we get a medic here?" he then asked.

"Because you're pretty hurt." he went on, echoing what Aly had said earlier.

"I want to make sure there's nothing wrong, or whatever. I want you to heal properly and all that." he reasoned further.

"That cool with you?" he asked.

Gregory was the one to speak up.

"They want me to detain the soul that's trapped in this statue for questioning." he said.

"And you're supposedly one that can break it." he continued. "So if you could get on that, I'll see what the one inside has to say to you all." he finished.

Illias just sighed.

"That's it in a nutshell." he confirmed.

"Can you help us?" he asked her.

"Mmhmm." Gregory muttered.

"Comes with the job." he told her.

"....the reaper is a job?" Illias asked.

"Mm." Gregory muttered.

"There's a lot about the afterlife that people don't know, even if they think they do." he said.

"I... see." Illias mumbled.

"Heh." Gregory chuckled, grinning slightly.

"Gorgons have evolved over the years to survive." Gregory said.

"They've gone from a full head of nothing but snakes, to what this kid is." he went on, gesturing at Illias.

"From what I recall, the snakes are less numerous, but more potent." he continued. "And easier to hide." he said further.

"Basically, to go all 'nature documentary', they've gone from apex front-like hunters, to ambush predators." he finished with a small shrug.

"...that's... exactly right." Illias said.

"I've been around a long time." Gregory told him.

"When you've seen as much as I have, you retain most of it."

Aly was silent, and just held him back.

"I know." she said, as Ryker replied with a water bottle.

"Here." he said, handing it to Eke.

"I mixed a bunch of the juices together to make 'swamp water' punch, essentially." he told him.

"Hopefully it's all right."

Illias just looked away.

"I'm aware how horrible my kind can be." he said.

"We were hunted to the point of almost extinction, and I can see why." he went on.

"And yes. She does." he then added.

"Helena?" Gregory asked, as a snake popped up from underneath Illias' hair.

"Helena." Illias said.

Aly withdrew for a moment when Eke said that.

"I... I was referring to a medical doctor." she said.

"That mugger might have hurt you." she went on.

"You might have some damage inside from being in the river, and almost drowning like that." she continued.

"And you should see if your ribs are okay, in case they're more than just bruised..." she added quietly, looking away.

Illias was quiet, and just looked away.

Gregory leaned against a wall, and looked at the statue.

"....mmhmm." he mumbled.

"What?" Illias asked.

"A fate worse than hell, that is." was all the reaper said.

"In theory." Gregory said.

"So who should we get?" Illias asked.

"Like... who is more convenient? Azazel? Miki? They DO work here." he reasoned.

"Just so long as it's soon." Gregory commented.

"I have work to do, and can't spend TOO long here." he told them.

"Getting, destroying, same thing." Illias replied.

"Well... the way I meant it, anyway." he then added. "I realise I COULD have worded that better, in hindsight." he then admitted sheepishly.

Gregory just sighed.

"No." he said to Kiah.

"Its drawback is... sensory deprivation, I believe." he told her. "And they've been spreading it around to the 4 of them so it's lessened just that little bit." he said further.

"So no, his soul is fine." he continued.

"...well... as fine as a soul drenched in that curse can be, anyway." he added with a shrug.

Ryker nodded, and left.

Aly was silent for a moment, and sighed.

"No." she replied.

"Not right now." she told him.

"However, I DO suggest getting a doctor here to look you over." she then suggested.

"You went through a very harrowing experience."

"No." Gregory replied.

"But I have a sneaking suspicion." he said.

"We'll find out for sure once you get that soul out of that prison." he then told them.

"Right." Illias said.

"Who's gonna do it?" he asked.

"I think we had Sydney Sherwood, Ash Fyrane, Miki, and Azazel out there getting the other ones." he added.

"Juice, got it." Ryker replied, getting up.

"I'll get you some." he told him.

"What kind?" he asked.

"We got apple, orange, fruit punch, and... some of that berry punch left." he said further.

"Oh, and they're all in those little juice bag things." he then added.

"If that matters or not."

".... I have heard of them." Gregory responded.

"Trust me, they've been keeping all of us VERY busy." he said.

Illias looked confused, but didn't say anything, as Gregory then looked over to the statue, and sighed.

"Also, yeah. There's a soul in there." he confirmed.

"Trust me, if you could hear what I'M hearing, you'd be going crazy right now." he then said.

"....why?" Illias asked hesitantly.

"Because it's making sounds of horror and agony that not even your worst nightmares could hope to aspire to achieve out of you." the reaper said bluntly.