❪ event ❫ a moment in eternity

[natha]

TO THERE AND BACK     It has been a month of chills uncharacteristic of what you might remember as summer — cold days and even colder nights. The days are short and the nights feel eternal. With the recent disruption of the network and no sign of a resolution for the world outside of Nadril, one has to wonder what the future holds for El Nysa. What of Olympia, Wyver, and their residents? The animals you cared for - are they destined to remain as frozen as wretched Ysverai forever? What will become of the sleeping ones in Thesa when there is nowhere else to go but this icy city? Yet not all hope is lost just yet. The woman that appeared at the start of the network errors finally shows up again in another network post. Greetings to you all. I apologize for my abrupt appearance and departure before… My name is Nurray, and I am the closest thing to a monarch that you will find here in Nadril. Magda is... indisposed, so I am here to speak to you in his place. First and foremost, you will notice that your network devices are fully functional once more. Should you experience any further issues, please report them to me immediately so that it can be taken care of. Secondly… Investigating the strange frequency interference we've been experiencing has brought some troubling data to light. The passage of time outside of this colony has been halted, of course, but the hold seems... unstable. Whatever it is that Darma has done to contain the calamity, I doubt that it will last for long. Time is an unpredictable force, and attempting to control it can only have adverse effects on the world. You could stay here if you so chose, outside the reach of that magic... but to do that would be to abandon the rest of this planet to an unenviable fate. ...ah, but there is no need to take my word for it. You can see the effects for yourselves, if you wish — merely look outside. "Seeing is believing"... isn’t that the phrase? Nurray has a point: refugees have not been given a chance to see the outside. The frequent snowstorm barrier of Nadril has made it impossible to see what it's like beyond the colony. Soon after the network post, as though the snow has been "turned off," clouds will clear. With the barrier created by the snow gone, the red sun shines brightly upon the dreary city with its warmth. You can see a purple haze on the south horizon, a indication that Yservai wasn’t all just a dream. He's still there, so far away, yet so close anyway. Near the entrance, a mound of snow melts, revealing steps leading towards the underground. It seems to be a part of the subway station you might have found earlier during your exploration of the colony — this time, the station has been powered on. Two trains lie in wait — their destinations read: Olympia and Wyver. — El Nysa is waiting. FREEZE FRAME     The technology found in the subway station of Nadril is truly out of this world. The combined efforts of Natha technology and alien minds have truly created state-of-the-art transportation never before seen by the typical Nysan. It takes no longer than one hour for the intercoms to announce their arrival to the outskirts of the Dranbu Kingdom — though, even with the platform available, the train never stops; it instead continues for another half hour for it to reach the North Gate of the Olympian Empire, where it sits until it's time to return to the tundra. All in all, it takes a mere hour and a half for this high-speed subway travel from Nadril to Olympia. The second train does make a quick stop at the Olympian Station, but it will be another painless hour and a half until it reaches the jungle of the Wyver Kingdom. Because Wyver is its own island, connected only by a bridge, you might notice that a small part of the travel was underwater. The trip takes only a total of three hours, but there's plenty of time for sightseeing. After all, isn't that the whole point of this trip? BE STILL MY HEART. Leaving the train, you are immediately hit with the still, warm air of the underground. It's hot, much different from the winter of the north, but perhaps a welcome change. The station is old, but it still has a fairly new smell to it, and not just because it's been unused for so long. It feels out of place compared to the rest of this world, and this is especially true when you reach the surface. The entrance was hidden under the earth right near the North Gate. Upon leaving the station, you're immediately hit with the familiar wretched smell and atmosphere of the undead. Even if you're new, you won’tt be able to miss Ysverai, the risen Great Dragon. You see this massive creature on the horizon, mouth wide and ready to blast El Nysa into nothing. Yet he remains still — as are all the terrified residents of Olympia. You've only seen this on the monitors of Thesa Station, and now you're able to experience first-hand how utterly quiet and still the world is now. The native Olympians are all over — you see most of them running away from the Great Dragon. Others equipped their armors and rode their steeds straight toward the danger in hopes of protecting their Empire. And the civilians, having lost all hope, are huddled together — at least they would have been able to spend their final moments with loved ones. Up on Thesa Station, you felt dread when you'd observed Ysverai for too long — this remains true here. That dread reaches your heart and clutches it. You feel his pain and suffering, and for those too in tune with emotions, it may be too much for you to be near him. Best to steer clear from him, or perhaps return to the underground. There is much more to be seen, after all. PRAYING WITH FIRE. Another hour and a half south on the subway, and you'll reach the Wyver Station. It's far warmer here in the station this further south, but Ysverai's dread doesn't reach here. On the surface, you are instead immediately hit with the overwhelming humidity of the jungle. With summer in full swing, the layers you've brought with you from Nadril become a burden. In Wyver, the mood is far different. The Great Dragon Yservai was once a being that was respected and worshipped by the Wyver people — not to mention that the one responsible is none other than Prince Raysc — thus his revival is met with somber resilience. Most of Wyver natives, instead of running away, had gathered around fires in prayer. Trained dragons that were unaffected by Ysverai's influence bow by their master's sides in acceptance of what they feel in their heart is to come with the Great Dragon's final blow. You may even spot your own dragon, eyes beamed up toward Thesa, like it knows you were up there at the moment time stood still. It's hard to imagine where one can go from here. You might start thinking about clean-up efforts, how to achieve proper burials for the fallen ones... but with time frozen, you will find that you cannot actually move anything or anyone. It will be dusk, as Thesa's shines across the skies, when storm cloud gather before Thesa's light. And from the clouds is a familiar figure — Once again, she has descended. TIME & TIME AGAIN     Darma is glowing as bright as the naked eye can perceive. Her massive, true form floats before the world she's built from dust. Is this world salvageable in your eyes, Refugee? We held time in hopes that we fould find a way to dissolve this Ysverai back to the ashes from which he was reanimated. Unfortunately, we continue to be unseeing, thus uncertain of the future... after all, our powers are near depleted. Nurray was correct, Refugee, in that I cannot hold time for much longer. There is... another way, however. It is not ideal by any means, but we shall do what we must to keep Ysverai frozen. As for us... we have expended far too much of our energy — Refugee, I am too aware of the misfortunes you've experienced in your time here. I have failed in my promise to provide better living... perhaps, with more time, I may yet see a better future. Until then, I leave Thesa, our hearts, in your hands. Farewell, Refugee. Her brightness dims as she says her final words — at the same time, raises her arms, palms wide, then closes her hands into a fist. In that instant, time is resumed. It's slow at first, as though time is trying to catch up with reality. It takes a several moments until the slow-motion picture before them reaches normalcy. Darma turns her attention to Yservai, whose motion is also returning, but not for long. In her true form, they are comparable in size; Darma's glow continues to dim as she draws closer to the Great Dragon, and then she coils herself around him, holding him still before assimilating into the wretched creature. By the end of it, time has completely returned to normal, and all residents were able to witness the Natha holding time still for Ysverai — The process turns the Great Dragon, as well as Darma, into stone. HIT PLAY TO REPLAY     Darma has resumed time, and Ysverai is no longer a threat. However, it comes with a hefty price for the Natha. The massive, stone statue of Darma embracing Ysverai looms in the valley between the cities of Olympia and Wyver. It's no doubt an intimidating addition to the world, but there is some peace in knowing it's all over. When civilians finally come to, they can't help but look upon the statue in awe — and their respective cities. It's much to take in all at once. Much destruction has been wrought— buildings lay in ruin, and of the citizens still alive, many look to be in poor physical condition. 1. I. The Sanctuary has sustained much damage, and with the high demand of medical care, cannot serve as the central healing place for those in need. Instead, it is up to individual citizens to find resources and establish places of care. Those with a medical inclination or healing powers may set up medical tents, or work out of their homes. Not everything has been destroyed, and it is still possible to obtain supplies from the market or request them from The Sanctuary. There is also, unfortunately, the tragic task of transporting corpses to graveyards and giving fallen citizens a proper burial. The Temples thank you for your service. II. In order to have a functioning city again, buildings and facilities must be repaired and rebuilt. It's possible your own home was demolished in the battle. With so many important buildings needing to be repaired, city officials are too overwhelmed with the coordination of such tasks to double-check that buildings are restored to their original form. What's more, they seem to encourage design innovation, believing that a new, fresh look to the city will revitalize people's morale. Now is the time to put your own unique flair on the interior or exterior of Olympia's infrastructure. Even parts of the Palace need repair. Time has resumed, yes, but the magic that Darma employs isn't flawless. As powerful of an entity as she may be, to tamper with time is difficult. Some would say it defies the laws of nature. Nature seems to agree, and in the next few weeks, El Nysa will be facing a few hiccups as it finds its equilibrium once more and citizens try to return to normalcy. Strangely enough, El Nysa natives are not disturbed by the occurrence of these events. III. Characters may find that they occasionally (or frequently) suffer from lapses in memory. These difficulties with memory may range from light to severe, although they are thankfully not permanent. Within the span of a few minutes to a few hours, difficulties in remembering people and events are resolved. That isn't to say a similar problem won’t happen again tomorrow… IV. Is it just you, or is your housemate looking a bit old lately? No, it isn't just stress making some citizens appear older. For a short amount of time, some characters may find themselves advancing or regressing in age, both physically and mentally. This particular kind of time hiccup is rare and may be particularly disturbing to the affected person’s friends. Thankfully, there have been no cases of this effect lasting more than an hour. V. At times, it seems as though objects and people in El Nysa will feel a bit out of place. These are beings and things that belong to what some may call "alternate universes." Their presence is transient, and some will only appear for a few instances before returning to their rightful existence. The ones that linger a bit longer, however, may make your day more interesting. Before you stands a pet just like yours, except it talks...? Perhaps you'll meet another version of yourself, a more bloodthirsty version of yourself. Or maybe you'll run into a version of your friend that really enjoys your company. The possibilities are truly endless, and potentially mortifying. VI. Towards the end of the month, the frequency of the aforementioned disturbances will decrease. Following this will be an increase in a different sort of disturbance: one that will either make literal seconds seem like an eternity, or force you to move and talk at a speed you never thought possible. It's as though some higher entity is pressing the fast forward or slow down button on life, and considering your mind works at the same pace as normal, the phenomenon is as frustrating as it sounds. Hope you weren't planning to be on time for anything, because it might be awhile before the universe allows you to take that next step. But these phenomena does draw to a close — and with it, you may wonder what will happen now to those sleeping ones in Thesa now that Darma has turned to stone. After all, it will be near the time of which more refugees should wake... Repairs to Thesa Station should remain ongoing so long as parts can be salvaged from Nadril, at least. And with speed travel via subway possible, it should make travel far easier than ever before. Even with Darma gone, you will have to move forward. There is still much to be done. FINAL OOC NOTES     You may acquire REP for Nadril, and either Olympia or Wyver in this log. An AC-eligible thread for ONE (1) NADRIL REP POINT may be submitted HERE BY AUGUST 26TH, 11:59 PM EST. A second AC-eligible thread for 1 REP for either Olympia OR Wyver may be submitted HERE OR HERE BY AUGUST 26TH, 11:59 PM EST. Please direct questions to the questions thread below! Thank you! QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● lore ● map ● npcs taken ● atp/emp ● application ● rep/acp calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

Comments

[thedarkbond]

Mmm, well, most of them are here one way or another... [Ren can understand where he's coming from, but at the same time, he'd prefer any of his friends awake than forever in stasis. Having to reconcile themselves to the destruction of their world doesn't outweigh continuing to live, to him.

Juno's guess isn't entirely wrong, though, and Ren laughs a little.] Well, Tetsu sort of is...he's my oldest friend, and I trust him with a lot of the administrative parts of running my company. [Read: he makes Tetsu do most of the busywork while he sits around and does only the fun and charismatic parts, while Tetsu protests heavily.] Aichi-kun is...

[Ren smiles, something soft and somehow wistful and regretful about it, though there's that touch of disconcerting hunger as well.] ...very important to me. A little like Kai, though Aichi is a lot softer and cuter than he is~

[stuns]

[ interesting... juno leans back a little more, like he's settling in for a story of some kind. he doesn't mind sticking around a bit longer if it means he gets a touch more information on ren. the display from earlier is still pretty fresh in the back of his mind, but ever the detective

juno wants more. ]

I remember you showed me those cards back at the bar - do they play that game too?

[ it seems like it'd be a logical sort of link? ren did mention it being well-known back in his world. ]

[thedarkbond]

[Ren rarely hesitates to talk about Vanguard, and some of the symbolism in deck choices might be lost on someone who doesn't play the game, so he brightens up a bit at the opportunity to explain. He's well aware of Juno's occupation and that it's probably at least in part a press for more information, but Ren supposes he can give him a tidbit or two...]

That's right. Tetsu plays a clan called Dark Irregulars, there's lots of vampires and demons and things in that deck...and Aichi-kun plays Royal Paladin. [That might already be noteworthy if Juno remembers Ren introducing his own group as "Shadow Paladin", but Ren offers a slightly knowing smile, as if gauging exactly how much he wants to give to Juno here.]

His avatar is Blaster Blade, Blaster Dark's counterpart on the side of light. [In other words, a direct mirror to the card Ren had described as his own avatar. If the game has the significance Ren's descriptions of it so far would imply, it's possible to guess that there's importance to that connection as well.]

i'm still down for it!

[chickenhearted]

Hmph.

[ Yeah "cool" is a word for it alright.

Waver's definitely seen people from his world come and go, but he never expected Rider to be among them. He thought that big oaf would sleep forever and leave him alone. But he didn't, and the thought makes him smile a little despite himself. It lasts up until he's pat on the shoulder and jostled a little by the force of it, resembling more his younger counterpart for that instant. ]

Watch it, will you? [ HUFF. ] But...thanks.

[chickenhearted]

Pretty well. I've been here for nearly a year, after all.

[chickenhearted]

Whatever!

[ Alexander or Rider, he's still the same big oaf in there somewhere! Good thing that red hair sticks out, so he's easy to follow even when he cheats and weaves through the people! ]

Don't go making trouble! Get back here!

[chickenhearted]

It's irritating, okay? [ Gah, he didn't want it to get deeper! This is turning into disaster, huff. ] You weren't being cute at all.

[sullenstallion]

There you are.

[He leans in, suddenly invading Waver's space. He can't help it. Or he doesn't want to help it. Out of all the people left here on the planet, Waver is one of the people he's most comfortable with. Unfortunately, he's still not great showing how comfortable he is with someone. He moves from the pat on the shoulder to grasping Waver's chin and tilting his face up, forcing him to look up at Dylas' face. It's a rough, almost threatening--or intimate--gesture, the tone of which starkly contrasts the previous mood.

It's hard to guess what Dylas is going to say until he says it.]

Right there. You looked like yourself again, all young and cute. Hah. It was weird.

[stuns]

[ fingers curled lightly against his chin, juno gives a nod, taking notice of these names. ren pointed out the idea of a deck being thematic when they'd first met, and while juno has no understanding of this vanguard game, it makes sense for these sorts of games to form play styles. it's like with anything else. everyone's got their own... trademark. ]

Was that done on purpose? The two of you - [ a gesture back and forth with his finger, as if this aichi person were there beside ren to compare ] - matching... in that way?

[thedarkbond]

[Ren gives a somewhat exaggerated hum, like he's having to think about his answer even though he knows it all too well, and has done for many years now. Aichi and Ren hadn't even met when that particular piece of fate fell into place.] "Done on purpose" isn't quite right...but it certainly happened for a reason.

[For a few reasons, honestly, but they're also ones he'd prefer to keep close to his chest for the moment, so he puts a finger to his lips, one side of his mouth curling up a little further.] But it wouldn't be very interesting if I told just anyone all the details, would it?

[It's far too soon to ruin the mystery...and also to talk about the things that lie in his past, since his relationship with Aichi is linked to that so tightly it can't be ignored.]

hell yeah i'm ridin this pain train all the way into the station, m'dude

[ofseraphim]

Sorey, of all people, would know personally what it’s like to be a veritable jack of all trades -- especially in terms of magic. Is it really better? Maybe. It’s a lot harder, though, too. But, moving on, there’s a small shake of his head. Yes indeed, Axel -- that choice of past tense was very much deliberate, not accidental.

“I can’t anymore, no,” and that’s both a sad truth, and something he’s long since come to grips with. “It might sound a little strange, but... my power wasn’t ever truly my own; it came from my friends.” Whoops wrong video game franchise?? “Shepherds borrow that power from another race of people, called Seraphim, through pacts with them.” It’s way cooler than it sounds, he promises. (Like, he basically goes from zero to badass in one true name.) “And, the Seraphim I had pacts with are all asleep in this world.”

But that’s not entirely true, now is it?

“...Well, except one.” There we go. “But I can’t re-forge my pact with him here, for some reason. If I could, that’d give me water magic again; but for now, at least he still has it.”

Now that all that’s out of the way, though, he’s back to watching the redhead with a curious intent -- especially once he mentions a secret. That gives Sorey pause, head tilting curiously as he follows along. “So if everyone you meet memorizes you, you become legend... and then, you live forever.” He’s impressed, truthfully; if also a little frustrated with himself. Seriously, why didn’t he think of that?? Especially growing up living in a city of immortal beings who will always be around to tell his story. If he wanted to live on forever in spirit, he certainly had the audience for it. A bit late for that realization now, though.

“It’s not silly at all! In fact, it’s... kind of ingenious, honestly.” He has to wonder if he’ll have the same fate -- or should he say fame -- in the wake of his own absence. Or passing, maybe; he can’t be so arrogant as to assume with absolute certainty he’ll win his final fight. But he’d be a fool to believe they won’t tell tales of Shepherd Sorey, even after he’s gone. He was practically an overnight sensation from the moment he first pulled on his ridiculous cloak. Will he become immortal? Hard to say. But he’ll be remembered, at least for a while. That’s--... it’s enough, for him. “And, for what it’s worth, I can say I definitely won’t be forgetting you, Axel.”

It sounds corny. Hell, it is corny. But, it’s earnest, too; and hopefully, it means something. Better than nothing at all, right?

“Since you told me a secret, I’ll return the favor.” One good turn deserves another, right? He gets to work for this one, though -- they still have quite the pile of bodies to burn, and it’s not getting any brighter out. Or warmer, for that matter. So he continues on as he brings another over.

“As soon as I go back to my world, I have to finish the job I set out to do. If I fail, then the world is lost to malevolence.” (Or the Storm, apparently? Who knows.) “But if it works, then I leave everyone I know behind indefinitely. It could be hundreds of years; it could be thousands. It’s hard to say. But it’ll take time before I can come back, if ever.”

About halfway there, he pauses to reset his grip on this particular lost soul, take a breath, and resumes.

“I know what I have to do, and I’m going to do it with no regrets. But, between you and I... sometimes I think about all the things I’m going to leave behind, all the people I’m going to miss that might not be there when I get back, and...”

As he loads that body onto the pyre, dusts his hands returns to a safe distance away, somehow he manages the most serene of smiles throughout as he finishes quietly:

“...I don’t wanna go.”

[thedarkbond]

Why would anyone take your word about what's cute or not if you won't accept that you can make cute faces too...? [Ren points at him in a somewhat accusatory manner, like a parent scolding a child.] You obviously have no sense of what's cute or not.

[ayes]

[She looks at him, and it's clear there's a disconnect here.] The marines? You mean, like... the army people?

[chickenhearted]

Wh—

[ He starts to complain, until his chin is just grasped and he's held in place, forced to look at Dylas. It catches Waver off guard and he blinks a couple of times before his cheeks start to fog over with pink. What does Dylas think he's doing?! He huffs softly and tries to move his eyes away regardless of where his face is being aimed. ]

Well of course I looked like myself. Don't be ridiculous.

[ He looks at Dylas in the eye again and brings his hand up to the one at his chin as if to pull it away. ]Come on, let's keep moving.

[ He's almost...eager to be there? But he doesn't know why. ]

[chickenhearted]

You should care whether I think it's cute or not! [ Otherwise what's the point of acting cute if you don't want people to react to it! Or something like that. Logic. ] I do too have a sense of it. You're just being ridiculous right now!

[personalwar]

A tank?

[ Jack echoes the words a little more loudly than he probably should given that Gabriel had specifically pulled him to a quiet corner where they could talk. But all of this sounds, franky, insane. And the fact that Gabe remains so nonchalant about it really isn't helping.

Jack does his best to process what he's being told anyway, his face starting to fall as some of the details sink in, if not all of them. ]

So you're saying this isn't even Earth.

[ It would explain why everything seems so... primitive. ]

[circulets]

Do you usually get big suddenly like that, too?

[personalwar]

[ If there's anything that people like them learn quick, it's to always be prepared for something else to go wrong. Sheppard's already put a lot of thought into how the situation in Nadril could destabilize. While 76 doesn't know how much Magda's presence affects the rest of the city when he lives on the outskirts of it (and what's the story there?), he doesn't blame Sheppard for preparing for any eventuality. ]

You could be right. Until all of that happens, though, the fact that it's shielded from the rest of the planet is something we can make use of.

[ Just after he speaks, an announcement comes on overhead saying that they're approaching the "Dranbu Kingdom." 76 raises an eyebrow -- are they actually going to stop in this unknown place? ]

[thedarkbond]

Mmm, why would I when it sounds like you're just trying to stop people from being cute...? [Which is clearly some sort of heinous crime that must be stopped, or at least it sounds like it is from the vaguely accusatory tone in Ren's voice.] You're the one who's making a big deal out of it, really.

[flask]

Then you obviously haven't met Caleb.

[Said very matter-of-factly, as she continues walking down the road, subtly letting him lead since she doesn't know more than a general direction.]

[sullenstallion]

You looked extra like yourself.

[There's an almost child-like pride in the way he announces it, like he's found something Waver was trying to hide. Or like he's found the hidden man wearing red-and-white striped clothes in a picture book. Triumphant. He holds the chin for only a moment longer before letting go so Waver can get back to leading the way.

This time, when he follows, there's more bounce to his step than before. He feels a bit more at ease now that he's convinced he's gotten under Waver's skin a little...or maybe he's just a little happy he touched him. He's not going to think about it.]

What kinda place is it? I'm living in a mansion, so my standards are pretty high.

[They aren't, but. Y'know.]

[kikoku]

[Ah, right. Things a probably different in other people's worlds.]
An individual country might have an army, but the Marines are the military body of the world government, since Big Blue is mostly water.

[They sound pretty important.]

[stuns]

[ if this is just another person who believes in "fate" and all that other bullshit, juno is literally going to scream. but he lets ren get through the rest of his explanation. which... isn't very much of an explanation to begin with. it's got juno's mouth twisted a little in an unsatisfied mou. ]

I mean... maybe if you live on Uranus it could be since that planet's all kinds of backwards. Right now it's just annoying.

[ oh juno... ]

[conqueredhearts]

Certainly! I have to romance beautiful people, after all.

[He laughs.

But it seems like he's serious.]

[thedarkbond]

[It's kind of hard not to believe in fate when it kicks down the door and destroys your life - or really, facilitates you to destroy your own life - at the age of thirteen-ish. As such, all Juno's remark on the whole thing being backwards gets is slight laugh that Ren only makes a token attempt to quiet down, curling one hand in front of his mouth.]

Is that how you usually get people to tell you more? I think your methods could use a little work...of course, you could always tell me a little bit more about yourself in exchange~

[Juno seems reserved enough that Ren feels that's likely to get a solid "no" and absolve him from having to explain further just yet.]