8/3/2023 - "A Feeling of Impending Doom"

## Summary

Tovia, Caligo, Jacob, and Priya enter the Nether with the intent to capture a Wither hybrid to begin making a cure for Ophir.

Discord Link: https://discord.com/channels/1078318087306219600/1141007402351726624

### Actors & Roles Involved:

* Josie: Priya
* Marnina: Ophir, Ferris
* Megan: Tovia, Jacob, unnamed nether guards
* Sarah: Caligo

## Transcript

* *[Megan]*: Anxiously, Tovia checked on Ophir for the umpteenth time.
* *[Marnina]*: Ophir hadn't moved from his spot on the bed, still curled up tightly beneath the covers despite the layer of sweat that coated his forehead. Maybe it was the lighting, but his skin looked a little paler than usual. Upon noticing Tovia, he forced a smile which honestly looked more like a grimace. He whispered hoarsely, "Hello."
* *[Megan]*: "Hey," she murmured. And while she gave it her best effort, she was unable to return the smile. "Are you comfortable?"
* *[Marnina]*: "Enough, yeah," he replied unconvincingly.
* *[Megan]*: "Do you need anything?"
* *[Marnina]*: "No."
* *[Megan]*: She nodded and glanced at the water sitting on his bedside table. "You need to make sure you drink that, alright?"
* *[Marnina]*: "Mm."
* *[Megan]*: Tovia shifted her weight and swiftly retrieved a rag. She dampened it with warm water from the tap and returned to gently wipe Ophir's skin, gingerly washing his face. As she worked, she made a small mental note to change the sheets and blankets when she returned. "I'm going to run an errand, I'll be back really soon, okay?" she whispered, cleaning the sweat away.
* *[Marnina]*: "Okay... stay safe..."
* *[Megan]*: "Always," she hung the cloth on the edge of the sink and cast a lingering glance at him. Her chest seemed to seize up. She'd never seen him like this, not even close. In fact, she'd never seen anyone like this before. Deaths in the Nether were typically swift and bloody- people were there one moment, then gone the next. Like a candle snuffed out. She knew nothing of this agonizing impending doom Ophir was experiencing now, this horrible state between life and death. It was the most terrible thing she could fathom, a fate she wouldn't wish on anyone but Rhea. *Rhea*. The very thought of her turned the pain in her chest to a sharp sense of anger. That- that was bearable. The anger was much better than the pain. So she sunk her teeth into the feeling and held it close as she strolled back into the village. Now, she *wished* some Nether patrol would dare to search Taraxacum again. She'd follow Jacob's example and give them what they deserved. In fact, someday she'd give Rhea what she deserved, too. Right then and there, Tovia vowed she'd get to see Rhea's downfall in her lifetime. The gravel crunched beneath her feet as she strolled out. The crisp air enveloped her, and she took a deep breath to clear her mind. She had to give Earth credit for that. The Nether air did nothing but cloud one's brain even more, but this felt fresh and forgiving- healing. She took a seat on the bench below the big oak tree marked with some faded name- Quinn- and bounced her leg restlessly as she thought. She had to figure something out. Ophir would already have a plan, should their roles be reversed. They could only guess it was wither. Even if she didn't know where exactly he'd have gotten injected with a wither's venom on Earth, those black veins were painfully unmistakable. And wither, as everyone knew, was a death sentence. But everything had it's weaknesses...
* *[Sarah]*: As lost in her thoughts as she was, she almost didn't notice Caligo approaching from the path. He sent her a small, concerned smile and moved to sit down next to her. "Hey Tovia, is everything alright?"
* *[Megan]*: She jumped a bit as he approached, and her leg continued that anxious bounce. She did find herself relaxing a bit at the sight of his kind smile, however, and she deeply sighed. "I'm not sure. Do you happen to know if there's anything on Earth that causes... black veins and illness?"
* *[Sarah]*: "Uh... Black veins? I don't think so. Why? Are you or Ophir sick?"
* *[Megan]*: "I'm just fine, but Ophir..." She trailed off, frowning. "He's been injected with wither venom."
* *[Sarah]*: "Oh. I'm really sorry to hear that.. Is it deadly?"
* *[Megan]*: "It's always fatal, and it usually takes someone out within minutes. Meanwhile, he's been sick for at least two days now. It's definitely wither, though." Her frown only deepened. "Usually the death is too swift for anyone to even worry about a cure, so I'm not sure if one exists. There's an old myth that if you inject the person with wither blood, it counteracts the effects, but I've never heard of anyone actually trying that."