kpwlt 2023/03/24(Fri)03:35 No. 1059427 ID: 1173be
File 167965415210.png - (26.28KB , 700x700 , u36p1.png )

>Wait, Maria was in the black water, how come she didn't get affected? Demon's blessing, I'm guessing?

Probably. Nicoletta has about as much idea as you do.

>Ask him why they didn't try to exorcise the doctor, or imprison him.

"He was too far gone." The Reverend does not seem too talkative at the moment.

>Then tell him you want him to follow you as you need to keep track of him.

"Of course."

>We are just frustrated that you shot the doctor without trying to get him away from the madness first, and witholding things from us.

"Understood."

>Also, I'm jealous that you have horns and I don't.

Nicoletta decides not to say this bit out loud, but she thinks it would be funny if she did.

>Also also, since when do we have goat faces?

Since the quest began.

>Hmm, is there anything stopping us from fetching the candle to get the diving suit so we can cut the anchor? It could wait until after we check behind the locked doors...

Mona keeps an eye on the Reverend while Nicoletta and Damien fiddle with the heavy lock on it. After twisting the huge key around, the lock falls off. Inside is what can only be assumed to have once been a nice bedroom, and what can only be assumed to have once been Cookie, standing shivering and muttering.

Cookie is still alive, though he appears withered and vacant. He's bruised, his clothes have been torn. He stares at nothing in particular. He babbles incomprehensibly.

kpwlt 2023/03/24(Fri)03:35 No. 1059428 ID: 1173be
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Damien spots a pot in the corner of the room. It seems to be filled with the black water.

kpwlt 2023/03/24(Fri)03:36 No. 1059429 ID: 1173be
File 167965416543.png - (31.19KB , 700x700 , u36p3.png )

Alright, time to check the other room. Damien and Nicoletta go to the Captain's office now. After inserting the little golden key into the lock, the door swings open, revealing what can only be the Captain's bedroom.

kpwlt 2023/03/24(Fri)03:36 No. 1059430 ID: 1173be
File 167965417009.png - (26.15KB , 700x700 , u36p4.png )

Captain Lowe lies on her bed. She's pale. She's cold. She has no pulse. She's limp. She looks so peaceful.

Damien rummages through her pockets after a brief moment of silence, and pulls out three paper cartridges. He slips them into Nicoletta's pocket.

Nicoletta picks the Captain's canteen off the floor. It's open, and trickles dark liquid out of its mouth.

kpwlt 2023/03/24(Fri)03:36 No. 1059431 ID: 1173be
File 167965417577.png - (21.96KB , 700x700 , u36p5.png )

Before the pair head out, Damien comments on the strange mechanism tucked in the corner of the room. It has cranks and pipes, and is wrapped in a good measure of thick tubing.

kpwlt 2023/03/24(Fri)03:36 No. 1059432 ID: 1173be
File 167965418092.png - (22.18KB , 700x700 , u36p6.png )

Anyway, that's quite enough faffing about. Nicoletta, Damien, Mona, and Samuel pile onto the little black boat and make their way over to the window of Maria's room. After making sure that the boat is anchored tight to the sill, Nicoletta hops through, followed by Damien, Mona, and the Reverend.

They grab the candle and head on down beneath the deck. The planks they walk on appear to be blackened and mushy. Aside from that, they walk to the front of the ship without issue, and Samuel grabs the suit around the waist.

The group resurface, replace the candle, and go back around the side in the boat. Before the grapnel is even thrown up, Samuel stands, twists his torso to near its limit, and, with one almighty movement, throws the suit onto the deck.

Everyone joins it on the deck afterwards.

Shouldn't you inspect the captain's cabin a bit longer, see if you can find Kevin and Jack's keys?

>>1059427
What's that red thing hanging out the window? Last we checked there wasn't anything around the edges of the ship we could see, THAT would've been easily visible unlike the black boat.

Doesn't boil off... so, that means it can't be purified by distillation? Or was he expecting it to evaporate before the water, like reducing alcohol content via boiling? Well, the black water is caused by angels apparently so I'm not surprised conventional methods of purification don't work.

>>1059430
Captain's dead then. Odd, she doesn't seem to have died from wasting, despite apparently drinking the black water. Is this another murder? It'd be poison this time. Or maybe it's suicide by poison... Well, I don't see any obvious manipulation of the scene. Unless Samuel knows something I guess we'd have to assume suicide, which really isn't too surprising. Well, that or death by thirst.
I wonder where our clean canteen came from? We haven't found any other clean water on the ship!

Who's next in the line of command?

>>1059431
Looks familiar. Perhaps we can ask around to find out what it is.

Oh, could it be an air pump?

...Cookie could become a problem. Might want to make sure his door is locked when you're not in there. The captain locked it for a reason, after all. ...wait, who locked the captain's room? Maria had the key! That means she knew she died... I wish we could interrogate her, but she's not even speaking in the image names anymore.

Lastly, ask Samuel how to tell if someone is "too far gone".

we should use the axe to knock down a wall. I don't think it'll help but maybe you'll feel better
Wait no the axe cant cut down walls fuck

kpwlt 2023/03/26(Sun)05:34 No. 1059531 ID: 1173be
File 167983406288.png - (19.99KB , 700x700 , u37p1.png )

>Shouldn't you inspect the captain's cabin a bit longer, see if you can find Kevin and Jack's keys?

The group scour all corners of the Captain's room, and eventually Damien relieves the bookshelf of its contents to see it anything's hidden there. Nothing. It could easily be in one of the books, but it's not super practical to check that, especially as Nicoletta feels that there are more pressing issues at hand.

Perhaps Captain Lowe intended to cut the shackles off at shore, or perhaps she never intended to free them.

>What's that red thing hanging out the window?

Seems to be a scarf of some kind. Cookie's window is very, very close to the bow of the boat, which is why the group didn't spot it.

>I wonder where our clean canteen came from?

Nicoletta presumes that she had it on her before she came to in the morning.

>Looks familiar. Perhaps we can ask around to find out what it is.
>Oh, could it be an air pump?

The general consensus is that it appears to be a hand-operated air pump. This is confirmed by a turn of the crank.

>Might want to make sure his door is locked when you're not in there.

Absolutely. Nicoletta locks Cookie's door. He doesn't object.

>Lastly, ask Samuel how to tell if someone is "too far gone".

"If the demon can speak to them, there's no hope for them out here. If they start growing new bits, then there's nothing we can do, even on land."

kpwlt 2023/03/26(Sun)05:34 No. 1059532 ID: 1173be
File 167983407553.png - (17.74KB , 700x700 , u37p2.png )

>we should use the axe to knock down a wall.

...

kpwlt 2023/03/26(Sun)05:35 No. 1059533 ID: 1173be
File 167983410168.png - (17.37KB , 700x700 , u37p3.png )

The axe bounces uselessly off the wall. As expected. Still, it makes Nicoletta feel a bit better.

>If the demon can speak to them
Uh oh. Is Nicoletta aware of the coded messages?

Get the pump attached to the diving suit and prepare to use it to cut the anchor. ...what are we going to use to cut it?

kpwlt 2023/03/28(Tue)17:00 No. 1059721 ID: 1173be
File 168004803747.png - (16.21KB , 700x700 , u38p1.png )

>Uh oh. Is Nicoletta aware of the coded messages?

Absolutely. She's not going to tell the Reverend though. She'd rather take her chances getting exorcised at shore than executed at sea.

>Get the pump attached to the diving suit and prepare to use it to cut the anchor. ...what are we going to use to cut it?

The tube fastens to the diving suit very well, and Damien takes a moment to figure out how to operate the pump in a way that won't kill whoever goes inside the suit. As for what to use to cut the anchor, there are many things lying around, though the only things that come close to being able to cut the anchor are the sabre and the axe, and Nicoletta's certain that neither of those will do the job.

EUSUEDGV GOGRJMLR.
I JPAXL JCPBLP BHQ BCIDQ.
GLQDQ IK,
NOD MP JLMDV QS NLZVD.
UT NQLX CLB BANV INP SKMEX ACQKQ.

>>1059721
New cipher. For once I'm trying not to auto-solve it... ah, the key is MARIA.

SUBMERGE YOURSELF.
I SHALL SUPPLY THE BLADE.
GUIDE IT,
FOR MY BLADE IS BLIND.
IT WILL CUT BONE AND STEEL ALIKE.
Sounds like the demon is allowing us to leave, now? What was that about changing its mind, before? A lie to make us deal with Agnes first, no doubt.

Hey uh, is that a leak in the suit? I expect if there's a leak you will be exposed to too much demonic influence and become too corrupted. Or on the flipside, you could get black water in the suit and catch the wasting. Or is that a one-way valve in the chest that's meant to release air?
I wonder how we're supposed to see what we're doing once we're down there. The water's black! Or maybe... that's only a layer at the surface? But even then there's no light down there, as the black water layer will have blocked the sunlight.

>If the demon starts talking to them, there is no hope for them out there.
Oh, no.
Are we to remain behind and die with the ship? Are there others hearing the voices? Is there anyone can leave safely?
And we really should ask Samuel and Agnes how they know about this demon.

At any rate, if the demon is telling us to release the ship, it might be a good idea NOT to release the ship full of fleshy growths and black water.

We should find the means to free Kevin and Jack instead so those of us who remain can rowboat out of here, or whatever else the priest and nun have planned.

>>1059782
No, you misquoted that. The stage of corruption that allows communication can't be cured OUT HERE. At sea. The implication is don't have the resources here. On land, they can cure you unless you're at the point you start growing new body parts, like Maria.

Yes, the demon wants to let us go now, that lends support to the priest's explanation of its motives. That is not sufficient reason, IMO, to stay. Also Agnes made it clear we are far too out at sea to make it back to land with the black rowboat. Also Nicoletta's corruption might progress too fast to make it back in time for a cure anyway!

((also, the only way we can leave is with its help. If we had attacked Maria I expect it would be less cooperative. We have to play along for now, and then clean up before the ship reaches port. We have more ammo now...))

Do the paper cartridges fit in the rifle?

kpwlt 2023/03/30(Thu)02:32 No. 1059892 ID: 1173be
File 168016872390.png - (18.74KB , 700x700 , u39p1.png )

>Hey uh, is that a leak in the suit?

Absolutely not. The air is coming out of the entrance hole, which will be sealed when the user is inside.

>I wonder how we're supposed to see what we're doing once we're down there.

Nicoletta supposes that light from the surface might shine through. It's unlikely though. Anyway, she's fairly confident that she can find her way to the anchor even in the dark.

>And we really should ask Samuel and Agnes how they know about this demon.

Samuel gives an evasive answer and then nods as though he's just explained it in detail.

>We should find the means to free Kevin and Jack instead so those of us who remain can rowboat out of here, or whatever else the priest and nun have planned.

Well, we've explored the whole ship, and there still seems to be nothing capable of freeing them. Agnes also said that the ship is too far from land to row away from it.

>At any rate, if the demon is telling us to release the ship, it might be a good idea NOT to release the ship full of fleshy growths and black water.
>That is not sufficient reason, IMO, to stay.

Nicoletta isn't sure what the right thing to do overall is, but she knows that she would much rather get back to port, regardless of the repercussions it has on others.

>Do the paper cartridges fit in the rifle?

Visually, they do. Nicoletta doesn't try so as not to tip Samuel off to the ammunition surplus.

Still indecisive, Nicoletta gets in the suit and seals it off. The air is stale inside, though that is soon alleviated by Damien, who ensures that fresh air enters the suit. The suit is clumsy, though it probably gets the job done. Nicoletta looks over the side of the boat, wondering how it'll fare underwater.

>>1059892
Ah, we need to decide on a system to communicate when you want to come back on board. Two yanks to signal that you want to be pulled up, I guess? Or, two yanks to signal more air, and three to signal that you wish to come aboard? ...I'm assuming the air line is sturdy enough to pull you up with? Or is there another rope attached to the suit for that purpose?

Okay, my plan is we lock Samuel in the captain's quarters since he's being dodgy as hell and he might try to sabotage the diving operation while Damien's busy pumping. Then dive.

Once we're back on board we'll check the rifle's compatibility, then bring Samuel out for an ultimatum. Either he gives you a full explanation, no bullshit, or you shoot him AND Agnes in the head and throw them overboard.

kpwlt 2023/04/01(Sat)01:06 No. 1060152 ID: 1173be
File 168033640174.png - (20.46KB , 700x700 , u40p1.png )

>>1059894

The group discusses communication. Two yanks for more air, three or more yanks in quick succession to come back up.
The line seems sturdy enough, and Damien and Mona can comfortably lift Nicoletta in the suit with it.

Excellent. Now time to get Samuel out of the way. Still being lifted by her friends, Nicoletta declares that she remembers that there was some treatise about operating the suit in the Captain's shelf. Being the only person without anything to do, the Reverend shuffles off to go get it. The second she sees him cross the threshold, she rips the suit off and sprints over while her friends watch in awe.

The door is locked. Samuel is indignant. He sounds like he's kicking the door. It seems a sturdy piece of timber, but the aggressive noise puts stress on our protagonist.

Damien and Mona are very confused, though Nicoletta manages an explanation while putting the suit back on. Damien and Mona get into place. Nicoletta takes one last look at her friends, and disembarks the ship.

kpwlt 2023/04/01(Sat)01:06 No. 1060153 ID: 1173be
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Below the layer of complete darkness, which isn't too thick, the water is a transparent reddish colour. Something splashes into the water behind Nicoletta, but skates down past her and thuds on the sea floor.
The boat recedes into the red darkness, and a line descends from the keel into the depths.

>>1060153
Huh? Odd... my initial reaction was that was Cookie jumping out his window, but... a person wouldn't sink that fast unless weighed down with something.

Follow the anchor line (it's to your right) down until you can see the ocean floor and maybe also see what that fallen object was.

kpwlt 2023/04/04(Tue)02:57 No. 1060526 ID: 1173be
File 168060227640.png - (19.41KB , 700x700 , u41p1.png )

>Follow the anchor line (it's to your right) down until you can see the ocean floor and maybe also see what that fallen object was.

The anchor seems to be... piercing the ocean floor. The floor is black and bleeds from the entry wound.

kpwlt 2023/04/04(Tue)02:58 No. 1060527 ID: 1173be
File 168060228024.png - (29.53KB , 700x700 , u41p2.png )

Doesn't seem to be any sign of whatever fell down here though.

>>1060527
OH god, it was Maria. Turn and definitely freak out before realizing and saying hello.

Hmm, if Maria is the Blade, then she's been blind all this time? That would explain why she didn't intervene in a more active manner.

Swim as fast as you can to the anchor and hide behind ir, quick!

kpwlt 2023/04/19(Wed)06:30 No. 1061727 ID: 1173be
File 168191102128.png - (34.05KB , 700x700 , u42p1.png )

>OH god, it was Maria. Turn and definitely freak out before realizing and saying hello.

Nicoletta manages a quiet "hello" to Maria. Maria doesn't react, but saying it has made Nicoletta feel a little less terrified.

>Swim as fast as you can to the anchor and hide behind ir, quick!

Nicoletta begins swimming, but the suit is clumsy and she can only make little paddles. Luckily, she puts the chain between herself and Maria before the latter writhes towards the chain and latches her teeth onto it.

When Maria loosens her vice-grip on the chain, it's clear that she can't cut through that. Looks like she'll have to target the point of connection to the anchor.

kpwlt 2023/04/19(Wed)06:30 No. 1061728 ID: 1173be
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Nicoletta panics and is breathless for a moment, but soon feels the stale, but cool breeze coming from up above. It's a nice reminder that Damien is still there.
She uses this rush of air to propel herself down to the anchor. Her feet touch the sea floor. It is soft, and depresses slightly when she puts weight on it. Blood pours from the anchor's resting place.

Maria turns, still wearing her serene expression, and launches herself into the anchor. For a moment, she rages against the metal in an attempt to gore Nicoletta, but after a while, she realises that the anchor is nearby and clamps down on the connection between it and the chain. After this link is severed, she begins ramming herself into the anchor. Nicoletta, entranced with this behaviour, puts her hands on it and shoves it deeper.

There is a big rumble.

kpwlt 2023/04/19(Wed)06:30 No. 1061729 ID: 1173be
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Nicoletta suddenly feels the tube above constrict. Her breath catches in her throat, and the seed of a migraine pulses in her head.

kpwlt 2023/04/19(Wed)06:30 No. 1061730 ID: 1173be
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Nicoletta awakens in a lake of boiling flames. She still holds her spear and shield. Several dusky figures lay on the lake as well, with one seemingly stirring. Nicoletta has never seen this one before, but feels calm, and in good company with it. A friend.

kpwlt 2023/04/19(Wed)06:30 No. 1061731 ID: 1173be
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Nicoletta sits on her throne. It is the biggest one in the room. In the others are her friends, the figures in the lake that were obscured by the flames, but are much clearer now. There is a large hubbub between the group. They seem to be discussing which of them should embark on a dangerous journey. Nicoletta, almost by instinct, raises her hand. A cheer rings throughout the hall.

kpwlt 2023/04/19(Wed)06:30 No. 1061732 ID: 1173be
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Nicoletta crouches next to an sleeping couple. They are covered only with leaves, and look serene, and almost unburdened by the things of this world. Her admiration is interrupted, as an ugly looking toad begins to babble and drool into the woman's ear. Though the toad looks and sounds disgusting, Nicoletta somehow knows that it is to be respected on an almost political level. The toad glances her way, and beckons her while continuing to whisper in the sleeping woman's ear.

Step on the toad, whisper on woman's ear not to listen to the toad's lies. Don't eat the fruit, ere you create microplastics and credit scores.

Don't try to harm the toad. Wake the woman instead. Let her choose with her eyes open.

>>1061752
Yes, that's probably a better idea.

kpwlt 2023/04/20(Thu)06:48 No. 1061770 ID: 1173be
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>Step on the toad, whisper on woman's ear not to listen to the toad's lies. Don't eat the fruit, ere you create microplastics and credit scores.

Nicoletta has no clue what microplastics or credit scores are. Even if she did, she probably wouldn't step on the toad. It is to be afforded respect.

>Don't try to harm the toad. Wake the woman instead. Let her choose with her eyes open.

Nicoletta taps the woman. She is stone cold and does not move. Further pushing reveals that she feels immovable as well. The toad turns to Nicoletta, and says in a deep, handsome-sounding voice,
"This is not the past, Nicoletta. This is my memory. I am showing it to you in order to reach out to you. I need you, Nicoletta, we need you."

kpwlt 2023/04/20(Thu)06:48 No. 1061771 ID: 1173be
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Two striking looking men arrive through the room's opening. They strike the toad, and he returns to his true form. He is Satan. The two restrain him, and begin to drag him away. They pay no heed to Nicoletta whatsoever.
"Don't give up hope, Nicoletta. Never bow to the tyranny of heaven. We need to cooperate in order to survive. But first, you need to survive in order for us to cooperate."

Oh god, it's all coming back now.

kpwlt 2023/04/20(Thu)06:48 No. 1061772 ID: 1173be
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Nicoletta awakens in a clammy, crude diving suit at the bottom of the sea. Looking around the sea floor, she finds she has nought but her consciousness, a body full of cramps, and an unbearable headache. It also seems that she can breathe nothing from the tube above her.

kpwlt 2023/04/20(Thu)06:48 No. 1061773 ID: 1173be
File 168199851125.png - (124.84KB , 700x700 , u43p4.png )

In all regards, it is a beautiful day, except for the fact that the water is a macabre blood red. Nicoletta's lungs tell her she's about to asphyxiate.

Signal time! Three, four yanks!

>Oh god, it's all coming back now.
What is? Do you remember what you forgot?

Yeah yank on that there tube. First signal for more air. Then you can signal for a pullup right after.
If nothing happens then... uh. I don't know. Is it possible at all to swim upwards in the diving suit? Maybe Maria can drag you upwards? Taking off the suit is not an option, since the water is full of poison and it's too far to swim without it anyway. Depleted though the air is, it's still air and will probably last another minute or so, which is more than could be said for holding your breath in this state.

kpwlt 2023/04/21(Fri)07:04 No. 1061840 ID: 1173be
File 168208587768.png - (24.52KB , 700x700 , u44p1.png )

>Signal time! Three, four yanks!
>Yeah yank on that there tube. First signal for more air.

Nicoletta yanks the tube. First, a pissing fizzle of unbreathable air. It seems like Damien's return signal. A signal to say that her request for more air could not be fulfilled. Nicoletta feels herself begin to rise. Looks like Damien and Mona have decided to reel her in. Nicoletta begins kicking pathetically and rising at an aching pace.

Nicoletta can almost feel the others tiring of dragging her up. Suddenly, the line stops dragging upwards. Nicoletta tries to tug the line in query, but her arms are now too heavy. Moments before she decides to close her eyes for good, the line begins rising at a tremendous pace.

Nicoletta, half-dead, is yanked from the sanguine depths by the Reverend, (who for whatever reason has been released from captivity,) not unlike a particularly large fish being wrenched from the seas by the hardiest of fishermen. Nicoletta slaps down on the deck wetly, and Samuel follows suit, becoming a victim of momentum.

kpwlt 2023/04/21(Fri)07:04 No. 1061841 ID: 1173be
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The three quickly strip the suit off of Nicoletta, utterly mutilating it in a way that would upset her normally. Today, however, she's just happy to be out of it and in the fresh air.

The others are chattering to her, presumably asking her about how it went down there, but Nicoletta can't focus on them. Damien hugs her, and constantly checks whether she's breathing. She loses consciousness.

kpwlt 2023/04/21(Fri)07:04 No. 1061842 ID: 1173be
File 168208588535.png - (21.06KB , 700x700 , u44p3.png )

She wakes up on the deck next to the wheel. Damien crouches over her.
"Hey, Nicoletta, are you okay now? It's gonna be alright. We're going to be in port soon."
Nicoletta glances around. Jack is gone. His chains are broken. Agnes stands at his post. Agnes says nothing to Nicoletta.

The Reverend yells to Damien about a fish that Mona has spotted. Nicoletta looks over. The water is a deep, cerulean blue.

Damien says goodbye to Nicoletta and rushes off.

Agnes looks darkly at Nicoletta.
"Nicoletta. I know what was down there, and I know that it's in you now. I need you to tell me everything that you saw. I also need you to ask me any questions you have; your mind is easy prey when troubled by loose ends."
She looks at Nicoletta's expression of confusion.
"Once we get back to shore, we can think about having you exorcised. For now, you need to keep the devil contained."

"Guuuh, Nanny and Billy... first goats....credit scores....
Um, how did you know of this place? How did you know there was a ship here? What sea are we even in? Why can't I remember the last few days since before I came here? If the Devil can escape Hell from that horrible place why hasn't God destroyed it?

>>1061842
Oh, it's the devil now? Not a demon? How about this for a question: how did the Temptation of Adam and Eve really happen?
Where is Jack?
Why is Samuel so strong?
Why did they really kill the doctor? They're not killing you, despite being in the same condition.
Who killed the captain?

Why was the ship here in the first place?

"First... I want to ask what gave you the impression that I'm possessed. Did something happen while I was down there?"

"Second... How did Damien and I come to be adrift in that cursed sea? Why do we not recall what had led up to it?"

"Third... how did you and the reverend come to be here? Did you know there was a demon here? A ship? Don't bullshit me."

"Fourth... why did you go straight to killing the doctor... and why did you try to cover it up?"

"Finally... What happens if it turns out I can't be exorcised, but... also don't ever give in to the demon? Do I just live my life with an intrusive voice in my head?"

kpwlt 2023/04/22(Sat)07:02 No. 1061910 ID: 1173be
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>"Guuuh, Nanny and Billy... first goats....credit scores...."

Agnes tilts her head.
"Hmm. Sounds like you can't remember all too well. That's alright, you've got time to condense it all in your mind."

>Um, how did you know of this place? How did you know there was a ship here? What sea are we even in?
>"Third... how did you and the reverend come to be here? Did you know there was a demon here? A ship? Don't bullshit me."

Agnes gazes at Nicoletta for a moment, then begins.
"Our abbot said he had a vision in his sleep. He said that (in his vision) he was watching the world from afar, and he saw the devil fall into the ocean between Africa and the America, and stain the water with his blood. Samuel was convinced that it was a message from the Lord, and was eager to set off right away, but I was sceptical, and came only to prove him wrong. Needless to say, I stand corrected."

"We didn't know exactly what we were looking for, but once we saw the sea go black, it was fairly easy to find the ship. Once we got aboard, it was fairly obvious that it was either the source of the corruption, or directly above it. I don't know why, perhaps it was the crew's sins that did it."

>Why was the ship here in the first place?

"I could not tell you."

>"Second... How did Damien and I come to be adrift in that cursed sea? Why do we not recall what had led up to it?"
>Why can't I remember the last few days since before I came here?

Agnes scratches her head. She looks genuinely confused.
"I didn't realise you two had been adrift. I thought you were just part of this ship's crew to be honest. I don't know why you can't remember anything either. Do you perhaps recall drinking heavily before you got here?"

>"First... I want to ask what gave you the impression that I'm possessed. Did something happen while I was down there?"

"You read the Doctor's notes. After that, you went and investigated the source of the corruption. Anyone who can come out of that without at least a few demons is either inhuman or holy."

>Why did they really kill the doctor? They're not killing you, despite being in the same condition.
>"Fourth... why did you go straight to killing the doctor... and why did you try to cover it up?"

"Doctor Becker was not the most spiritually intact man to begin with. The devil immediately took his mind. Besides, I had no way of knowing how long we'd be out there after his possession. With you, I knew we'd be able to set sail right afterwards."

Agnes contemplates for a moment. She tilts her head slightly forward.
"Also, I think killing you after you saved us all would have been a bit harder to justify to everyone. I don't think your friends would have been able to trust me after that."

>Who killed the captain?

"I don't know. My guess is that she figured out that she caught the wasting and drank some poison. She was notorious for being proud like that."

>Where is Jack?

"He's looking around the ship for more food and fresh water. He's quite alright after a bit of time in a proper bed. Kevin (who I assume you don't care about, since you haven't bothered to ask) is also with him."

>Why is Samuel so strong?

Agnes grins broadly.
"Samuel has always been fond of his exercise. Most days he practices his shot put throw."

>If the Devil can escape Hell from that horrible place why hasn't God destroyed it?

Agnes winces slightly.
"God works in mysterious ways."

>Oh, it's the devil now? Not a demon? How about this for a question: how did the Temptation of Adam and Eve really happen?

"All demons work for the devil; I use the terms almost interchangeably."

Agnes raises an eyebrow at Nicoletta while considering the second question.
"You sound Italian though? Shouldn't you know this already? The serpent told the first people to eat the fruit that God had forbidden them to eat."

>"Finally... What happens if it turns out I can't be exorcised, but... also don't ever give in to the demon? Do I just live my life with an intrusive voice in my head?"

Agnes swallows.
"You'll have to stay with us. Indefinitely."

kpwlt 2023/04/22(Sat)07:04 No. 1061911 ID: 1173be
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Agnes looks out to sea again.
"Anyway, you should probably relax a bit now. Maybe have a sleep. I can't imagine you want to stay around me much longer."

Nicoletta begins to head down to the main deck to spend time with her friends. It looks like Mona and Damien have figured out how to gut the fish.

"Settle in, by the way. We're a long way from shore."

--- KEPHOQUEST ---

Thanks for sticking around! I hope you enjoyed it.
Discussion thread:https://questden.org/kusaba/questdis/res/139581.html