IC Date: 09/27/26

Under normal circumstances such a profound quiet would have been a comfort to Somniorum, a respite from the noise that vibrated the air of Destiny City, but the unnatural weight of the silence that rested over the remains of this shattered civilization threatened to extinguish him. The page struggled to steady his breathing as the reality of their surroundings fell into place. Awe he might have felt at the opportunity to explore the ruins vanished into the piles of ash and bone that littered the ground at their feet.

“I told you.” Sailor Bacchus’ voice carried none of the smug gratification that might have otherwise accompanied such a declaration. He wished there was anything close to satisfaction to be had in this midden heap. At least this section of Uinndair seemed to remain clear of spores. Not that it meant much on a planet subject to Chaos’ unending caprices. “If I say we’re leaving, we’re leaving. Step where I step and don’t touch anything unless I tell you to.” The senshi remained unused to giving orders after all these centuries, but he hoped that it was enough to get Somniorum to listen.

Right.

Nothing unsettling about commands like that.

Right.

Though it was not much different from his expectations, save for the oddly authoritative tone Bacchus had taken in the delivery of his instructions. Somniorum couldn’t decide whether that abnormality was the most alarming aspect of their situation.

“Alright. Alright, I understand.”

He flexed his fingers as he spoke, trying to focus more on that simple motion than on the dread he felt as their footfalls broke the stillness, eyes tracing the cracks in the greenless stones.
“You don’t, but you’re going to listen so that’ll have to be enough.”

He paused briefly before continuing, “If you take one step out of line I’m sending you back. Don’t bother arguing.”

It was all too easy to imagine a cloud of spores engulfing his companion and Bacchus wondered how quickly it would take effect, now that the Chaos had the planet all to itself. He couldn’t decide if it would make more sense for it to be weaker from the lack of warm bodies to be potential hosts or stronger from having expended less energy.

Somniorum nodded, even had he been inclined to speak he knew that the words would never successfully escape the noxious mire in which they sank. The page squeezed his eyes shut tightly as though he could force the sight of the shattered city from his mind.

“That doesn’t work, I’ve tried it. It’ll be stuck with you a while.”

“That doesn’t work, I’ve tried it. It’ll be stuck with you a while.” Bacchus hoped that nothing here would give Somniorum images to scar his mind but the boy accepted the risk, or said he did, when he insisted upon this visit. “At least the smell is gone.”


“It is?” A persistent odor had accompanied them throughout their walk. The bitter, oily smell that seemed to rise from every pore of the city burned his sinuses even through the material of his mask. and he couldn’t help but speculate on the intensity of the headache it would leave him with after they returned to the city. As for the reality of what took place here, he could only be hopeful that Bacchus was right about the absence of spores in this area of the city. “What is that then? I-”

“That’s not the smell.” Bacchus replied flatly. “Trust me. The smell is gone.” The odor of charred flesh, burning iron, the disgusting and unnerving sweetness that accompanied the snarls of bodies as the flames consumed them. “Let’s keep moving. Don’t want to waste any more time out here.”

The page jumped slightly, allowing an undignified sound to escape him as his shoe made contact with something solid. His hope that he’d merely grazed one of the loose stones littering the streets vanished with the sight of an unsettlingly pock-marked object at his feet.

“Try not to think about it.”

If he was the sort to pray, he would send his hope to whatever god would listen that the palace was a bit less…occupied than the streets were. Steeling himself, he followed Bacchus through the stone doors and into the darkness within.