open | an alenroux press release

[sterngaze]

[A couple weeks after the conclusion of the Exalt Oracle trial, a communion message goes out to all Kenos’s shard-bearers — at a brisk mid-morning hour for Springstar residents, and evening for those night owls in Highstorm. Surely an agreeable enough time for all, yes? The voice will be familiar enough to anyone who listened in on the ambassador talk a Kenos month ago; it’s Liem, mayor of Alenroux Meridian’s resident straight man.]

Greetings, everyone. I have some updates to share regarding efforts to make Alenroux fully and safely inhabitable, which I hope you will be pleased to hear.

Last month, prior to the events surrounding the Oracle, a contingent of Springstar military overseen by several shard-bearers launched a multi-pronged expedition north into Alenroux’s forests, in order to locate the source of the monsters that continue to infest the woods. While I’m sure those of you who frequent Alenroux will have noticed that the flow of especially dangerous, augmented creatures mostly died off after the dismantling of Aetós’s underground facility, we have not been able to expunge the general monster population from the forest despite ongoing efforts, so this was an attempt to remedy that.

These expeditionary forces succeeded in locating three separate cornerstones and portals that were previously disgorging monsters. At this time we think it likely that they were connected to the timestream in some way that allowed creatures from other worlds to come through, but the portals themselves proved extremely hazardous to life attempting to breach from this side. All three have now been destroyed, and while we cannot say with certainty that there are no further portals out there, we are optimistic that this will allow the danger to those living in Alenroux to be further reduced by the joint forces still stationed there.

If you have further questions, you may direct them to me, or to Hayame, Akua Sahelian, Keitaro Miura, Gray, Byleth Eisner, Link, Kim Dokja, or Dee. [He means D.]

Comments

[cutlery]

Fascinating. It is something I have no experience with, so do pardon me for perhaps a simple question... But what was it like?

[damnpire]

Reliving a memory, only it had been altered slightly.

[cutlery]

...Altered? How do you mean?

[ Somewhere out in the ether, Ciel can take satisfaction in knowing there is at least one thing that totally baffles Sebastian and he doesn't have any good grip on. Which is to say, after a moment and a little "ah" of recognition as he realizes what it sounds like he might be asking, he elaborates: ]

You needn't say any specifics if you do not wish to. It is all a rather odd concept to me, so I am trying to wrap my head around it all, so to speak.

[damnpire]

[Ciel would take immense satisfaction in Sebastian feeling a bit stupid, yes. A SMALL VICTORY FOR HIM!!

Unfortunately, no matter how cautious D is about slinging information around, he is still very much a nerd at heart, so he doesn't mind the bit of open discussion.]

Energy on the other side passed through the shard. The experience was more like a memory of home, except a small detail had been different than what really happened. Passing through the portal did age my hand.

[cutlery]

[ Sebastian responds with a thoughtful noise, but he’s not sure he can take any of the guesses that come to mind as certain. It really feels like they are simply that, for magic was just… Unpredictable. How bothersome. ]

And how is your hand now?

[damnpire]

[Please follow strict rules of the scientific world, thank you.]

It's normal so far after we've returned.

[Left Hand is also not shriveling up and dying, much to his previous horror, but D does not say this for now.]