Gate of Memoirs/A Memory of Loss

Few things are felt more strongly than the heart-wrenching clutch of loss.
Eyinhel: Seabound Song Episode 3—Loss and Love—
Portrait 	Dialogue
Music: "Where it Rains"	Music: "Where it Rains"
 	
*—A memory of loss.
*Aoife: ... ...
*Aoife winces as she gets up, bones creaking and a lingering fever in her flesh.
*The past few days—or weeks—have been nothing short of a blur.
*Day and night seemed to blend into each other, as Eyinhel grew barren and misty.
*Even the fishermen have been avoiding their boats, as what few that dare to brave the seas return as little more than drowned corpses.
 	
*Aoife touches her face gingerly, feeling the heavy weight of the gash.
*It was only a stroke of extraordinary luck her vision remained intact, given the deep wound.
*Aoife: (...I should resume my search.)
*Aoife: (Oh, beloved. Where did you go?...)
Portrait 	Dialogue
Music: "Devil's Heart"	Music: "Devil's Heart"
 	
*You try your best not to panic, but it's hard when such damning evidence sits before your eyes.
*The mental link is still active, so you suppose Hakuzo might still be around here...
*...IF it works only with live demons.
*Your mind starts flipping through worst-case scenarios, the most pertinent of which involves you being trapped on this island forever.
*Familiar Voice: Hey...
*You school your features and whip around.
*You've had nothing but a cascade of strangers' memories heaped on you since you arrived.
*It wouldn't be out of the ordinary that you might actually be hearing things now.
*Familiar Voice: Over here, you halfwit.
*You peer into a small den tucked away from the rising tide.
 	
*A very drenched fox-demon glares back at you, sodden and sulking.
*Hakuzo: I'll thank you not to stare...
 	
*You do anyway. The tail on his hat makes a particularly funny squelch as he wrings it dry.
*His torn coat draws your attention, however, and you ask if he can walk.
 	
*Hakuzo: Probably. Give me a moment, will you?
 	
*Hakuzo crawls out, and you examine his bloodied shoulder.
*Given the length of the wound, he probably braced himself hard against the fall, narrowly escaping getting skewered.
*Without another word, you take the tatters of his coat and begin patching him up.
*The rest of your time here will be a trial if his shoulder is not attended to.
 	
*Hakuzo: ... ...
*Hakuzo: Fair. I suppose you make sense.
*Hakuzo: Wouldn't be much of a help if I'm one-armed, eh.
 	
*Hakuzo: ...Thank you.
 	
*You almost have to turn around, hearing such a strangely soft tone, but you keep walking to higher—hopefully safer—ground.
Portrait 	Dialogue
Music: "Overcome" 	Music: "Overcome"
 	
*Up here, too, the cliffs have taken on a twisted aspect of their own.
*Hakuzo speaks of Aoife with a barely veiled growl—a thorn in his side, you guess.
*Or a jagged rock spire.
*You mention offhand about your encounter at the small grave in the woods.
 	
*Hakuzo: Seems like you've more or less had an inkling.
*Hakuzo: I too figured it out while you were gone, so of course I had to look for our gracious host.
*Hakuzo: Some songs just get under your skin, no matter how lovely the songstress.
 	
*Hakuzo: ...Speaking of which, you will tell no one of my...predicament.
*Hakuzo: What a brute.
 	
*You stifle your amusement and motion for him to continue.
 	
*Hakuzo: Whatever former—HUMAN—inhabitants were here have likely been devoured beyond the point of soul-shattering.
*Hakuzo: That is to say, Aoife has maintained this illusion of mundane normalcy to trap other prey.
*Hakuzo: That's right. As the wisp told you, there are quite possibly no humans on this island at all.
 	
*Hakuzo: What Aoife means to do with this is none of my business. I'm not one for sentiment.
*Hakuzo: But I do know I'm not about to poke my nose around and end up in a pot, should she have acquired a taste for demonflesh.
*Hakuzo: Fox soup is not going on the menu, thank you.
 	
*You bring up the otherworldly location of this island; could this have anything to do with Aoife's illusion?
*Or perhaps why she had such a strange reaction to human visitors?
 	
*Hakuzo: Now that, I don't really have a clue.
*Hakuzo: Things tend to get...pretty strange when one of us starts cannibalizing massive amounts of our own.
 	
*Hakuzo: Best to just let sleeping seals lie, hmm?
 	
*Hakuzo: All right, we should leave posthaste. This tour is over.
 	
*You stand your ground. You're not leaving until you figure this whole thing out.
*The necklace in your pocket tingles ever so slightly; merely a trick of your mind, or a promise to keep?
 	
*Hakuzo: Oh, dear. I see...
*Hakuzo: You're one of THOSE clients.
*Hakuzo: Sigh. I can't tell what's worse...
Music: "Source Hall"	Music: "Source Hall"
 	
*A distant wail pierces the air, swelling in volume as it approaches.
 	
*Hakuzo: Well, you certainly owe me big for this one, so you'd better come out of this alive.
*Hakuzo: Because... Here they come.