broken heart-strings (seer x embalmer, +more ships apparently)

nineteen

"Guys she's back!"

Eli shot up in his bed at the shriek from downstairs. It was a female, but he could never be sure who exactly the voice belonged to. When he looked over, he noticed that Aesop was already gone, like usual. He was never really there when Eli woke up, which is something he noticed in the three days Aesop had been staying in there.

"Back?! Already?! The match just started!"

Eli groaned loudly, throwing on his cloak and blindfold. When his owl flew onto his left shoulder, his left hand came up and scratched her gently. Eli started to quickly move downstairs.

It had been awhile without his owl, and Eli really was devastated by it. He relies on her to see a lot, so he doesn't have to remove his blindfold or stumble around from looking through musty blue. It really was great that she was back.

When Eli got downstairs, he realized that all the commotion was just someone getting back from a match quickly, while the other players were still in. Feeling bored, Eli entered a room he never really used to go into: the spectating room.

He felt himself begin to hold his breath, as he ran to the top story of the manor and went up to the door. There were people inside mumbling and sounds from the match, so Eli just quietly let himself in. Naib, William, Lucky, Emily, and Fiona were in there, all doing something. up on the large wall were four different screens, each displaying every survivor; they were displayed on large TV screens, only those four out of the eight on. The other four were not on, as the match they were making a big deal about downstairs had ended and only one was on right now. You see, only two regular matches or one 2v8 can go on at once.

The room with no light but what was coming from the spectating screens. It. was pretty simple. it had black walls and floors, a silver table with five chairs in the middle, four big screens on the far and left walls to the door, and that was pretty much it. Most people come in here to watch a certain person or because they are bored. It's usually quiet.

At this point, everyone has the ability to turn off their cameras, but everyone playing had theirs on, which is normal except for a few people. That ability allows people to hide their playing strategies and keep others from seeing failures. Eli usually has his off, though. All the people playing usually keep theirs on all the time. It was Aesop, Tracy, Mike, and Norton.

The people in the room were all focusing on something. Naib was intently watching Tracy's screen, his hands on the table in the middle of the room, as he leaned his face towards the screen to see. he was always very protective of her. William and Fiona were chatting quietly in the back off the room, by the blank wall, watching between Mike and Norton's screens mostly.

Emily was doing what she does every match she isn't in. She was sitting at the table with a sketchbook and a cup of coffee. She was sketching out anatomy and watching the screen. As she watched, she would always take notes about physical things that happen in the matches. She catches things and points them out. It's her thing.

When Eli entered the room, Naib glanced up to see who it was. When he was the young seer in the room he never enters, he waved him over to where he was standing to watch Tracy.

The order of the screens from left to right was Tracy, Aesop, Norton, then Mike, so they were by the far wall from the door, watching Tracy's screen.

Naib was actually leaning against the wall, the room really dark, so his face and the front of his body was bright in the light from the screen. Eli noticed that he was smoking a cigarette, one arm crossed over his chest.

"She's been hit once already, but Mike healed her. They still have four ciphers left, so I'm kinda scared about this one."

Eli watched the screens closely, watching different parts of each of them. he knew this map: it was Moonlit River Park.

He crossed his arms, slumping a bit as he watched. The air around them was already musky enough from just being part of the manor, but the smoke made Eli feel alive. he inhaled slowly through his nose, before examining the screens again. He never came in here, but ther feeling of it made him really want to more.

"Maybe they have hope. I'm not sure. They're all good players, but this match might not work. Hunter?"

Naib closed his eyes gently as he took another hit of the cigarette. He blew the air out slowly before speaking again. "Gamekeeper."

As he ran a hand through his hair and sighed, Eli thought about their chances. Naib reached over to his left shoulder and gently pet the owl on his shoulder. She purred gently at the touch, a small clicking sound coming from the back of her throat.

"Nice to see you too, Hooodini," he laughed, his voice sounding raspy. Eli giggled gently at the name, looking back up at the screen.

His eyes landed on Aesop's, the crystal orbs going wide at the sight of the purple pulsating heart beating rapidly in his chest. It made Eli tense.

"Fuck me... he's gonna die."

Eli looked at his stats, seeing he was already injured as well as Tracy again. Naib snickered lightly, puffing our smoke in rings. It made Eli wonder when his friend started smoking and if he does it a lot. Even more thought went into how he got ahold of those.

"Better hope princess put down his coffin."

Eli rolled his eyes, watching the screens. It was so interesting. He wondered why he hadn't gone up here and really watched before.

He focused on Aesop, watching as the worried boy worked on one of the last two ciphers. They were all so close to getting out, and no one had been sent back to the manor yet. It was honestly great.

Aesop finished the cipher, right as a scream came from somewhere else in the match. Eli didn't catch who it was from.

"And woop, my doll is down." Naib chuckled, before putting the cigarette out on the palm of his hand. Eli flinched at the sight, looking at Naib in fear.

The taller of the two chuckled lightly, tiffing Eli's soft, brunette hair. "It's alright. Scars remind us we're alive, darling." That was all he said, as he quickly walked out of the room and probably downstairs.

Eli looked up to see that Tracy was being shot up in the rocket chair right then. He just shook his head and sighed.

Right then, the exit gates flashed open.

"Yes!!" Fiona quietly cheered, watching as Mike ran right for the nearest exit gate.

Eli watched and smiled as Aesop got smacked down and terror shocked right as the other two ran out. He couldn't help but laugh.

He started laughing harder when he realized that he never used his coffin.

"Welp. Bet you wished you used it now, huh, baby?"