The adjacent rooftop door slams open. Witchbane, a slim young adult woman with pale skin, gray-blue eyes, and glossy black hair tied high, rushes through beside Chronical, a lean young adult man with shaggy white hair and dark roots.
Chronical throws out one hand. Telekinetic pressure catches a loose equipment case and three buckling antenna struts, pinning them safely against the concrete while the array hums beneath Dean’s grip.
Witchbane
Custody of the boy, now. Everyone off this roof before that thing discharges.
The boy flinches beneath Dean’s arm. Witchbane approaches with both hands visible, while Chronical keeps the trembling machinery suspended and watches the crimson targeting lights.
Akihiko Gushiken
No. The array is locked around Dean and the boy. Moving either of them could collapse the containment.
Witchbane
Then explain who authorized this experiment, Aki.
Akihiko emerges from the stairwell, red lines tightening around his fingers. He refuses the question with silence, leaving Witchbane and Chronical beside Dean as the rooftop vibrates harder.
✓ Quest Accepted
Convince Witchbane and Chronical that Dean and Akihiko are protecting the boy
✓ Quest Accepted
Learn who authorized the experiment
“"come on guys help us"”
FAILURE (Good Willpower, rolled -2)
Dean MacDonald
Come on, guys. Help us.
Witchbane
We are helping. But we cannot pull you or the boy free without breaking the lock.
Witchbane reaches toward Dean, then stops short as the crimson light intensifies. The array’s frame jerks against his arms, forcing everyone to hold position.
Chronical
I can keep the struts steady, but not the dish and the containment field together. Aki, find another control.
Akihiko Gushiken
There is a secondary breaker in the rooftop junction box. If I cut it from below, the lock should transfer to manual control.
A narrow access panel beside the dish flickers from red to amber, revealing a physical lever beneath its cover. The discharge path remains fixed, but the system has exposed a way to interrupt it.
Witchbane
There. We cannot move you, Dean, but we can reach the override. Chronical, clear me a path.
“"hes just a kid"”
SUCCESS (Good Willpower, rolled +1)
Dean MacDonald
He’s just a kid.
The words cut through the rooftop’s mechanical roar. Beneath Dean’s arm, the boy stares at him, blue energy flickering weakly across his sleeves.
Witchbane
I know. That is why we are getting him out safely.
Chronical
Then keep holding the dish. I’ll make the path clear to the junction box.
Chronical sweeps his hand sideways. The suspended struts drift apart, opening a narrow route across the vibrating roof toward the amber-lit access panel.
Akihiko Gushiken
Witchbane, take the lever. When the lock transfers, Dean can move the boy first.
Witchbane
Understood. Nobody is leaving him behind.