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[Pardon our mess. Typewriters may have existed in Hieron once, but certainly not within the past few generations. This technologically useless man rapidly accidentally posts several times, twice with text, once with blank audio, and twice more with some quick flashes of a dark-haired man's face squinting at the camera, looking exasperated with either himself or unknowable technology. Likely both.

After a few minutes pass and it seems like he may have given up, a steady stream of video settles at last. The man takes a moment to figure out it's sending something out, seeing the playback. Alright. He can work with this. Maybe.

Now that the image is steady, everyone can clearly see an image of a heavily armored, very large man, who might look imposing if he didn't look like he felt so out of his depth. He has dark skin and dark, short hair, greying at the temples -- he could be around 50 -- and a white wolf fur cloak hangs from his shoulder, with golden patterns emblazoned on his armor in a symbol of the sun.

He sighs.]

I am Hadrian, Sword of Samothes, Defender of the Undying Fire, Officer of the Order of Eternal Princes. I am a paladin of the church of Velas. Ah, from the surface. I came to the Buoy with Exarch Alyosha as well as some companions of mine, but, uh... we've separated, some intentionally, some not that intentional. I don't know if I'm still in the lighthouse, but since I've found in my possession what might be a communication device... Or just a toy. I can't be sure either way. It must be pre-Erasure...

Um. Anyway. [Ahem.] I imagine I must still be in the Buoy. If... our Lord is still... No. I must have lost the opportunity. [Hadrian's eyes wander as he gets lost in thought for a second. When he catches himself, he clears his throat once more.]

Sorry. A lot has happened lately. I'm sure we all have plenty on our minds. If someone could point me in the direction of the Topgallant, or at least back to the main city, please. If there's no way back, then... I guess I'll just have to contend with that once it happens.

Thank you.

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[CHURCH, EH? There's a lot of information there, but this religion stuff is what she's latching onto.]

What...does a paladin do for the church?

[She's never heard of it. Some kind of prophet, maybe?]

[He's sure there were paladins of the Buoy. Dark Son, yes, but still paladins. Maybe not as high ranking as him, but...]

I am mainly sent on expeditions too dangerous for those untrained with a weapon, as an agent of Samothes. My will is my Lord's, and I am blessed by Him.

Um... Were we not going to bother with the directions, or...?

[Some kind of apostle or missionary, then...? Hmn.]

Oh... I'm sorry. I've never heard of any of those places. I haven't really gone anywhere before now.

[She's only thirteen, dude, why were you expecting good directions...]

[Right. He's talking to a child. Okay. Okay. This is fine.

It's not very fine, but it's fine.]

...It's okay. Do you need help finding your parents? You know, uh, I've got a boy, not much younger than you.

[He tries to smile, but he looks mostly distressed. It's kind of pathetic.]

No... My parents...are actually dead. They were taken away from me.

[I'M SORRY HADRIAN, YOU JUST CAN'T WIN, APPARENTLY...]

Dad would work a lot as a policeman. But I think I probably saw him more than your boy does you, if you're really like a missionary.

[HOLY SAMOTHES AS HE WALKS THE EARTH, HOW DOES HADRIAN CONSTANTLY MANAGE TO SAY ENTIRELY THE WRONG THINGS.

Excuse him while his brain catches up with the foot that's placed itself directly in his mouth and recover from the dig at his son, why did he mention his son, fuck.]

I'm... sorry for your loss. Sorry, how did you... get here? I'm...

[Lord. Lord. He's just going to ignore the (possibly? unintentional??) drag about him never seeing his son. Even if it's true.]

Sorry, I'm very out of it right now. I was transported here very suddenly, and I'm sort of... Alright. Yes. Where are you? Do you live in this mansion alone, or maybe... with a guardian?

[IS THIS AN ORPHANAGE... WHY WOULD SAMOTHES SEND HIM HERE.]

[She has zero expression to judge on whether it was intentional or not. Could just be stating facts. Could be a secret, cruel sassmaster.]

I think we all came here the same way. It's...hard to say. This place doesn't seem to care about making sense.

[Anyway... She moves her gaze up, like she has to consider something.]

...I don't think Zack counts as a guardian... But he's very important to me, and he's here.

[While Ray is talking, a man with bandaged arms wearing a hoodie passes by in the background. He seemed to be minding his own business, casually drinkng from a can of soda, when he notices Ray talking to someone. Huh. He's just gonna stare from afar for a second, then walk up behind her.]

[As he gets closer to the camera, Hadrien might notice a few things.]

[One, this man is a lot taller than Ray, so he has to lean in to look over her shoulder.]

[Two, his face and chest are also covered in bandages.]

[Three... Parts of his hoodie look like they have blood stains on them.]

Hey, you've been doing a lot on the network lately. Who are you talking to?

[... He's creepy looking, isn't he?]

[Hadrian opens his mouth to say something, and then he sees Zack's whole... business, and his mouth just hangs open for a minute.

While he just. Processes this.

Yeah, okay, he may or may not be in an orphanage, he's nowhere near these people to check if something's up with them because of this weird... instant communication tool, and that man definitely has blood stains on his clothing. Which could be nothing, it could be his own blood, he's covered in bandages, so. Once he takes a second to think about it, it's not... that big a deal, really.

Hadrian finally closes his mouth. Coughs slightly. He is not a fan of this long distance communication thing. Call him an old man.]

Ah, hello. Am I correct in assuming you must be Zack? [Hadrian puts on a polite smile.] I am Hadrian. I am... very turned around right now, and I was trying to piece together what was going on with the help of, uh... this young girl here.

[She didn't offer her name, which, yeah, kids don't really always have the sense to go through the motions of polite conversation, so it's understandable.]

I was worried for a moment that she had been left to fend for herself. I'm glad that's not the case.

[god zack who are you her DAD, let her...have conversations with strange old men on the internet? no, that one doesn't seem right... anyway.

She looks between the two, then carefully scoots over so Zack can sit next to her if he wants and adjusts the camera angle to show both of them. And the giant grim reaper scythe leaned against the wall. Cough.]

...Rachel. [It might be a bit before she's comfortable enough with, uh, life in general...to introduce herself as Ray, even if she likes that better, by now.] Zack and I...take care of each other?

[???? Does that sound right... She glances over to Zack as if she's consulting him on that one. It's not a lie.]

This man works for the church. [It's great. c:] I don't think you're ever going to be...not turned around, here. Rooms change sometimes. A Lake just appeared for no reason... It likes to not make sense.

[Hey gurl, he was just curious. Give him a break.]

[Zack's also gonna stare at the screen for a moment because holy shit, there's a real fucking knight from fantasy land on the other end. What. The. Fuck.]

[Oh, Ray's asking him something. Um.]

Uh... Yeah. Sure we do.

[He totally wasn't spacing out for a sec. Nope.]

This guy works for a church? What does he do, dress up in weird costumes and entertain little kids? [Because normal people don't wear plate mail.]

[The smile on Hadrian's face just sort of freezes.

Alright. Clearly Zack's not one for manners.]

No, I travel as a hand of the church and carry out dangerous missions, thank you very much.

[Honestly... the fact that this place is just fucking weird and changes constantly is somehow not that surprising. Gods just sort of do these things, if they feel like it. Remember Samot's tower? Shit was wild.]

Anyway, Rachel, [he specifically addresses Rachel now because clearly she's the more polite of the two] what do you call this place? Are we still underground?

[You'd think that'd be obvious, but only if you've never actually been underground. They've got skies down there.]

[Zack is in no position to critique someone's work attire, but she'll keep that one to herself for the time being. Maybe later, when some church dude wasn't around to judge his line of work. He used a lot of specific words, so he probably was a judgey sort? Which was good, really.]

Oh... No. If you go up to the roof, you can see the sky... [Interesting that he was underground too, though. At least...she assumes they'd been underground. They were labeled like basements, after all.] This is Wonderland. Ah, but there are underground parts, if you want to go back...

[for some reason.]

[No, he's not. Thanks for noticing.]

[And that's a weird thing to hear.]

Oookay? What are you doing, trying to convert cannibal tribes to religion or slaying dragons?

[Hadrian is about to ask Rachel more questions, since she seems intent on actually being helpful, but what Zack says is so abnormal Hadrian is honestly taken aback.]

No? Wh... If you must know, I carry out the will of the church -- investigate powerful relics of the time before the Erasure, protect the interests of our Lord abroad, and, if I encounter it, yes, slay evil. It's not my job to convert anyone, as I'm not actually a missionary. There are others that responsibility falls to.

[She sighs a little, and she lowers the view of the video for a brief moment so she can chide him. Even if it...comes out more like a plaintive whine than an actual admonishment.]

You're not funny...

[But...fine... Something Hadrian says catches her attention now, and when she flips the view back up to her face, her eyes are quite a bit dimmer than they already were.]

Slay...evil...?

I'm not trying to be funny!

[He complains to the girl. Geez, why is it that the older, scarier man is less mature than the 13 year old?!]

[The knight's answer does not help his confusion.]

Wait, what? That sounds like a weird Game of Thrones kind of plot there.

Yes. Slay evil. Protect others from vicious monsters, upset the hold of cults, intervene in the operations of violent criminals. Those are only some examples. Evil plagues the world all over, in many different forms.

[He can't help but let his displeasure with Zack show on his face. When the child is far more polite than the adult...]

I don't know what you refer to, and I don't know what else to tell you. I've explained myself as much as I can. You may believe me, or don't -- whatever you wish. It is not my business.

[Ray would almost be impressed by the fact that Zack knows what Game of Thrones is -- her family's tv had rarely worked in the past few years, so it was mostly hushed talk of gossiping boys when the teacher was out of the room, excited over topless girls -- but Hadrian's explanation is still getting her down. Violent criminals... But intervening in their operations. Did that mean someone had to be currently doing something for it to count as evil, or was that just splitting hairs...?

No matter what the case may be, she's fallen silent for the time being.]

[Zack glances at her for a moment, wondering if he kind of said something wrong, before he decides to address Mr. Fantasy Guy over here.]

You know what? With the crazy shit I've already seen in Wonderland, someone like you would not be out of place.

[Still. WTF.]

[Hadrian just. Squints at Zack, at that.]

Thank you???

[Only not really. He's more concerned about Rachel, who is a very pleasant girl in comparison, and she seems to not like the general tone of the conversation.]

--Rachel, I'm sorry for arguing with your friend. Are you feeling alright?

[He glances at Zack again, like... are you gonna do something about this upset child, or...]

...

[She sighs.]

...I'm fine. [Physically, she is. Not a lie, Zack. She's good.] ...We aren't able to return home on our own. We don't know how we arrive. But...you can find a room...

[She was eager before, using...her shorter range of emotions, but now she's back to empty. Sucks to realize both you and your friend are in potential danger and to consider what you'll have to do in defense of said friend. Just because death isn't permanent, it doesn't mean she can accept someone bringing harm to Zack just because he might be a violent criminal.]

You're lucky. Things have gotten quieter again.

[Zack's gonna keep quiet for now. He crosses his arms and rolls his eyes.]

[Yeah, okay, roll your eyes all you like.]

Quieter? What was happening before?

[children]

We have mirror people... Some of them were around. They're supposed to be dangerous, but I never met one. Did you, Zack...?

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