maskormenace | [voice] - First Ritual

[It's late in the evening when Anastasya addresses the network, and her voice is buffeted by the hum of machinery and cars in the background.]

So I have a question for others who have arrived here.

[There's a sudden squawk in the background, distinctly a large bird, though the tone seems tinted by something that makes it somewhat distorted, almost ephemeral.]

Oh right, yes Bluebeak. Sorry. Ah...my name is Anastasya Griffin. I'm...well, new. [A beat, and she almost sounds amused.] Hi.

[And moving on.]

Anyway. From what I've discerned, there are people here who have died wherever they came from, but they're alive here. Genuinely alive, not simply risen via magic.

So I understand that, but...has anyone else encountered a 'power', for lack of a better term, where you're...both?

Alive, yes. But then, at times, not. As though whatever force revived people in the first place just...keeps acting upon you?

[The bird in the background squawks again and Anastasya draws in a breath.] I'm not asking this right, am I. Mm. Okay.

Does anyone else have a power that involves death? In any form, I'm not feeling terribly picky. I'd just...like to discuss it with you.

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The transition itself is...I didn't even realize it happened the first time.

I think that's the problem. If I were alive again, for good, I could adjust. But this...sometimes I am, sometimes I'm not.

I don't really know.

And i'm guessing not using your magic isn't really an option. Because that seems like the only way you'll be able to stay alive, unless you can do magic 24/7.

I can't imagine simply never using my magic. It's as much a part of me as...well, I want to say breathing but that's actually new again.

[She laughs softly.]

Then all you've got left is to get used to it.

What changes? I mean, when you use your magic? How do you know?

It-

[That was a more complicated question than it seemed.]

Being alive and being...dead. Well. They feel nothing alike. But usually I notice the cold first.

I mean, I've died but it wasn't.. the same kind of death. It was actually dead, not vampire-dead. So I can only sort of approximate the feeling.

I've done that too.

But that didn't feel like anything.

Just feels like nothing. Not really worth the comparison.

Yes...

So I was hoping someone else might have experienced this and know of some way to manage it. Or prevent it while still using my magic.

No such luck yet, though.

You might be the only lucky one of your kind.

Gee, how wonderful.

I always wanted to be special.

Not all it's cracked up to be, huh.

[voice] - First Ritual

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