The racing thoughts briefly paused their counsel to hear Master Vargas speak. Madhukar realized if she were to take this route, she would be talking to more strangers. Consulting monsters, creatures perhaps similar to Draconua, in the hopes that this past... person could be revived anew. Madhukar felt a familiar bitterness towards Twisted in that moment, one she knew she would regret. You never should have followed me. I can't offer you peace. Even though Madhukar wanted to, had a responsibility to. Shouldn't someone who died fighting, live resting? Without obsession, without Madhukar's...

But some part of Madhukar had already convinced her of the concept that that was impossible. She was not a safe person. She was a bad influence. Her friends became killers, or they nearly got killed, or she nearly killed them, or— there was no winning. So Twisted would have to live, again, with the truth that Madhukar existed somewhere out there in the world, and was involved in her life, in her revival. Madhukar could give the stone to a member of this Forge to look after, and perhaps she could visit. Perhaps she would have to, occasionally. Perhaps... If death could change the course of time and fate, if death could rewrite stories and regenerate bodies from a single scintilla, if death were that powerful then... perhaps there was a chance, at inventing a peace Twisted had never had in life.

Madhukar almost wouldn't allow herself to think it, for fear of lashing out in anger someday and killing it with her own heart and hand.

And Madhukar was offered a place to stay. It did not fall on deaf ears, although it looked as if it did. She immediately declined, although did not vocalize or even pantomime that answer. She was not truly of any use to the Forge. If she was a monster, she was already defective. Ineffectual. And if they let her stay, the first thing she would do would be killing their demon rottweiler. Madhukar was in no mood to imagine that murder. The thought of conflict was sickening, the aftermath even moreso, thus the train of thought was quickly abandoned.

So Madhukar nodded quietly, managed a creaky "Th-anks," and stretched out a paw expectantly, like the statue of a begging person inviting the presence of a gemstone with its form.

Once it was returned, Madhukar would turn away and begin whatever this was to be. Perhaps nothing. Perhaps a disaster. Perhaps a—

- exit -

@Vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

There was not much more, it seemed, to say.

The Leviathan gave a soft rumble of acknowledgment, a sort of thoughtful hum if the thoughtful hummer's voice was deep within the range of bass, and delicately held the stone back out. Placed it in Madhukar's palm.

"Good luck," was all he said, and it was genuine enough.

Good luck in making your decision, perhaps. And good luck with the results.

exit Vargas

@Madhukar