Things are getting unpleasant in here, and you’ll need all the help you can get. If that help is Ash, well, so be it. You step out and call down the hall.
“Ash! We’ve got a bit of a situation here. Nothing dangerous, but I need you to have a look.”
He starts walking down the hallway.
“Nothing’s happening,” he muses. “I heard you calling at someone. Did you stop the illusions?”
“Maybe? I’m not sure what I did.”
You lead him into the brig, and point directly at the paralyzed wizard.
“He took one look at that weird message and hasn’t moved a muscle since. The kid’s on the verge of a breakdown, since that guy told him to do something and hasn’t acknowledged him yet.”
“So what, exactly, are you hoping I can contribute here?” Ash asks. “Do you want me to get this old man moving again? Do you think I can somehow settle the Silent One’s nerves? At this point, I’m not even sure what we’re trying to accomplish.”
Well. You want to calm down this poor kid, and get Marshall and Long out of the cell.
Ash, on the other hand… this was an alliance of convenience, and if the immobilized wizard was the source of the trouble, well, there’s not much reason for him to stick to it now. It might have been a bad idea to bring him in. You’ll have to convince him that it’s in his interest to help. And also figure out just what you want him to do.
Suggestions:
(Behold, it is I, the call from the void.)
You know what? Maybe it WAS a bad idea to bring Ash in. You’re not really sure what they could really do to help at this point. Your mistake. If they were going to split, now is probably the time, since you have important things to do, and don’t need someone holding you back on account of them being incapable of doing anything useful for your situation.
or, if you don’t like that incredibly rude option:
I’unno. Maybe Ash would find it inconvenient if the ‘Silent One’ started freaking out loudly? I haven’t been paying attention. I’m not clear why Ash was in on this. But if he was gonna split, probably would have done so already? Maybe they just need a reason to feel useful and stick around. Busy work is still work.
Yeah. that’s probably more reasonable for whoever is intercepting this call from the void. Also you really need to do something about the paper. How about throw something over it? Shift the box over it? Shrug.