Wingram Clinic@Nanaya
"Apart from Ventura, the rest of Compact 3 is free to go for the night.”
Ah, figured. Not like she could really move from her bed, anyway. It was probably for the best. What on earth would she say to Iraleth in their room…? What on earth
could she say…?
"All of Compact 3 will be required to wear one of these rings until the end of Ventura's judgment. They each bear a curse of nullification…”
Ciara eyed the rings from her bed.
Jewelry?
”You're still high as ever. Those are obviously torture devices.” The Voices spoke lazily within her.
Ciara's brows furrowed.
”Noo, they just stop essence use. Hey, you think they'll shut ya up?””Oh shut uuup, little Hunger.” Came the lazy reply.
When the principal turned back to Ciara with venom dripping from her words, enumerating all the ways she could be punished, one of which being death, Ciara couldn't help the darkness and shame that sunk in her chest. Even the euphoria couldn't keep it at bay.
It was over, wasn't it? Her life?
Ciara's lips pressed. The least she could do was do this gracefully. If she was walking to her death, she would simply tell the High Bishop ‘I have come hither to die.’ And that would be that. She didn't want to die, no. She didn't want to suffer. But her entire life had been suffering up to this point.
She would hold her head high, and keep whatever dignity she had left. So as the principal continued to beat her with her words, Ciara simply laid there, her eyes tight, and was silent.
"She speaks the truth, yet also lies. Eternal imprisonment or death are possible, but a better future is not out of grasp. It would be suboptimal to idealize a bloody outcome.”
Ciara recognized her. How could she not. This was the doctor that healed her just recently with the page. And now, this was the doctor that was sending out a lifeline so she wouldn't drown in her despair. Was it fake? Was it idealistic to even entertain the possibility of not suffering or dying over this?
”...Thank you, doctor.” Ciara said softly, doing her best to concentrate.
”I'll fight for my case, and accept whatever the High Bishop decrees.
“Also, I uh- I can't move.”And she was content with that. That was, at least, until the shadow imp decided to sink into the gargoyle. Ciara's eyes shot wide, and she opened her mouth-
Before shadowy hands in her mind reached out, and controlled her body, making her freeze.
”Let me talk! She's gonna kill the imp!” Ciara said, thrashing about in her mind.
”Silence, fool! Anything you say now will be used against you!” The Voices bit back.
And so Ciara was stuck in that frozen state on her bed, staring in fear and disbelief, at what could be the final moments of the shadow imp.