❪ 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

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[jesus_is_gundam]

[He opens up his eyes, his senses coming into focus. Granted, he already sees the world in 4k, but there's still an added crispness and clarity afforded to him to by Barbatos' sensors being fed into him. It's not dissimilar to what he experiences already, but there is a stark difference: The ELS tend to be passive, quiet, often only making their presence known when they feel it necessary. Barbatos, however, is demanding to be heard.

For a moment, he wonders if this is what Hallelujah feels like.

Setsuna knows that nothing can be had without sacrifice; this beast he sits in will get its chance to sink its teeth into him, to tear its pound of flesh straight from his limbs. But it won't be here, and it won't be now.

He grips the controls and, both in motion and in mind, he instructs the suit to stand tall.]

Setsuna F. Seiei.

[The steel in his voice isn't because he's part ELS. It's a response, an answer to the unceasing howl that Barbatos gives. Learn his name because he's taken the reins.

One step.

Two step.

He exerts his will, even if Barbatos is going to fight him every inch of the way.]

[sparsity]

[ Hundreds of years of history echo in Barbatos's frame, whirring, thundering loud with the sound of its twin reactors heightening its power, even if it strains and gnashes against the invasion of the ELS. It hears its current pilot, all of its howling coming up against a wall of living steel. That wall keeps it from taking from Setsuna as it had taken from Mikazuki — it identifies Setsuna's unwillingness and runs that data alongside what Mikazuki had given up of his own free will. That alone keeps the suit from running perfectly, sleek, bright, and agile in the hands of its other pilot. Instead, the frame groans under its own armor, tugged by a leash.

One step, two.

It may be made of the comparable things to any other mobile suit, space-derived alloys and propellant, but Barbatos behaves as though it feels, intuitive enough to the presence of a human pilot that it has a mood of its own.

Which is not pleasant. It chugs, the retinal projection fracturing petulantly. ]

[jesus_is_gundam]

[Left foot. Right foot. Three steps. Four.

He moves, but he knows his control is incomplete. He can feel that fraction of a second he loses with each step, he can feel his balance is the smallest bit off. Individually, they're minor things; he can still pilot in spite of it, and he has enough talent and skill to compensate for it. But he's seen Mikazuki fight before, and compared to him... Well, he's not even five steps in by the time he's done the math on that one, the numbers steadily trending negative.

Hm.

There's an itch in his back, but not from where he connects to the Alaya-Vijnana system. It's inside him and on him, it's presence almost a phantom. It isn't until Barbatos' tail blade registers an error that he understands what he's feeling.

... ]

We're heading out.

[The meister. The Gundam. And the alien trying to bridge the two.]

[sparsity]

[ Limbs lumber along, disjointed rather than the well-coordinated monster that Barbatos usually is. Still, it moves forward, as it was intended to, as Setsuna wills it, begrudgingly answering his skill as a pilot, the alien influence that invades and attempts to mesh with it. As advanced as it is, it's still a machine, susceptible to the pressures of outside commands. Like stubborn pilots.

So while its tail stays dormant, a feature operated by muscle memory and experience Setsuna doesn't have and Barbatos is unwilling to teach with its data, it does as instructed via controls, wolf-like legs trudging along

Bit by bit, the flow of information eases, though it doesn't needle any less at the presence of the ELS. ]

[jesus_is_gundam]

[It's a trudge to the linear catapult, and even then, it still takes a few tries to get the suit situated perfectly. The Alaya-Vijnana substitute and Barbatos' stubbornness refuse him precision control, though he can still manage to keep it from lumbering too much.]

Launching!

[The thrusters still fire on command, but its still an uneven burst. When he leaves the station, the suit pulls off course, refusing the flight path set. Even when he can set it back on course, Barbatos still rolls and yaws, forcing one course correction after another. If Mikazuki is curious enough to watch, he'd see Setsuna, with a whole lifetime of piloting, looking like a complete novice out there, like he's just one breath away from the suit spiraling out of his control.

It doesn't, though.

He's learning how to handle the beast, even if its caged and muzzled and thrashing against his restraints the whole time. Every moment, he's taking in more information. He's already figured out where the mismatch in thruster output is coming from, but its the smaller things he still takes note of. From the way the Ahab waves blunt the kick of the g-forces as he speeds up, the amount of propellant he uses each passing second, the amount of telemetry data still being shove at him, even if it bumps up against the ELS firewall. He can even hear the hum of the pair of Ahab reactors in the chassis behind him.]

A twin drive system...

[He compensates for the shortcomings, though its still a far cry from having control. He still presses, however, and challenging both himself and Barbatos as he heads straight into an approaching asteroid field. Going through it should be child's play for him, and he can already spot several different routes to take. But as he traverses it, the difficuly ramps up on him, and the lag between himself starts to have a greater effect. What should be a clean pass around an asteroid becomes a near miss, and because he has to compensate for it, it throws off the next turn and the next. A near miss becomes a narrow scrape, and as he pulls away from that, the shoulder of Barbatos smashes through a hunk of space rock.

The spiral he gets sent into after that could've ended in disaster, but he knocks another smaller asteroid out of the way, before using his claws to dig in and drag along the surface of a larger asteroid, the friction draining and absorbing enough of his momentum that he ends with a hard landing on the surface of a meteorite.

He's quiet for a moment as he takes full stock of the situation. With time and practice, he could get better, and master all of the faults of the suit. But time isn't something he has right now, and rather than simply overcome the faults of the machine, he decides to address the root cause of them directly.

The ELS inside him, he can feel their concern. They worry about him, and worry that his quantum brainwaves won't be able to handle what he's asking them to do. But they know him well enough to know when he's made up his mind about something. So, bit by bit, they start to break down the firewall between Barbatos and Setsuna, allowing the free flowing of data between them.

The Meister may not believe in God, but he's willing to give this devil what it wants.]

[sparsity]

[ Barbatos fares better on launch, though anyone who'd previously seen either the suit or the pilot in action could tell that "better" was a bare minimum. This Gundam doesn't have humble roots, and it shows in every failed pass and turn, until its shuddering gives off the impression of lungs that have betrayed it, like labored breathing in the dead of space.

There's something more that it wants, that it needs sacrificed. While wearing the visage of a devil, its clockwork parts still attempt to find a way around the foreign bodies of the ELS, not finding the Alaya-Vijnana's nanomachines, but a sentience that wars with its own, an instinct not part of its protocol. So when the shift registers, Barbatos is howling at the gates, dark claws and strident noise through a silver veil. That is a pact it recognizes, and it's quick to surge over the weakness, slamming into Setsuna's offered brain and nervous system with the data it's accrued over its lifetime.

Optics fire and the twin reactors come to a low hum. It's a beast hundreds of years old, used on Earth, in space, on Martian soil, where it later came to rest. Its first pilots were nothing more than processing mechanisms, human brain stems monstrously attached to a cockpit much different than its current one. Setsuna might feel it, the plunge of liquid, body parts missing, a retinal projection in place of a line of sight. A clear line between human and machine doesn't exist.

But it doesn't stop there. There were the armors, first. Decades of inertness — then Kimaris, the knight. A black suit as loud as it was tall, that moved like a wraith. It crashes through with its more recent years of battle data: every piece of destruction and renewal, Hashmal, Arianrhod, Julia.

There doesn't seem to be an end, until suddenly there is. Data sensors blaring from an orbital attack, too swift to escape. Dáinsleif. ]

[jesus_is_gundam]

[On the surface, Setsuna is clearly in pain. He doesn't scream, but again, his skin distorts again, crystal spikes rapidly protruding and dissipating at the disturbance. Underneath the surface was where the real suffering was happening, however.

It's a lot of information to process. Even with his quantum brainwaves, it takes all he has to hold on to who he is as Barbatos sinks its teeth into him. He holds, though, holds himself together as this deluge of information washes over him and through him. And its not just knowledge either, he can feel Barbatos rewriting some of his neural pathways, trying to build what the Alaya-Vijnana nanomachines would have already had in place.

The ELS don't like it, but they bend anyway, as its Setsuna's will to allow it.

It only takes several seconds, but it feels like an eternity before its finally done. When it subsides, Setsuna allows a moment for it all to settle and for the everything around him to come back into focus. He flexes his fingers once, as if testing them out, before gripping the controls again. He feels different... yet not. Despite being partially in his head, Barbatos isn't a part of him, not like the ELS are, but Barbatos is an extension of him. It's a subtle difference, but one he's aware of.

Still. Let's see if they work together this time.]

Gundam Barbatos, Setsuna F. Seiei; Engaging!

[sparsity]

[ Barbatos has spoken its piece and been heard, thrashing settled into a complacent murmur as it slides through Setsuna's veins and synapses, not quite accepting the ELS, but content to run alongside them for the time being. It had never accepted half measures from Mikazuki, different as his wiring was from pilots past, and anyone who steps into its maw is regarded with the same eerily discerning protocol, as if it judges the soul it releases its name to.

And its power. That's what breaks the seal on a demon so ancient, who has never once forgotten its purpose. Time, dust, judgment. None of them are as strong as this machine.

Setsuna settles into his role as the heart of this beast and Barbatos responds now, not quite as mercilessly smooth as it might be beneath Mikazuki's command, but not chomping at its bit now either. Angles rework themselves, now carrying a nearly living finesse to them as they loosen and ready for the next launch.

With a swell, the whole suit intelligently coiled as if all Setsuna has to do is think about what his next action will be, it waits for an order. For guidance. ]

[jesus_is_gundam]

[He moves. He doesn't actually recall giving the command to move, but Barbatos goes exactly where he wants. His hands still remain on the controls, but he isn't exactly piloting anymore. But is the Gundam an extension of him? Or is he now a part of the Gundam?

Perhaps the truth is somewhere in between.

But he still moves, guiding the suit through the asteroid field with guidance and skill. He almost feels as if the suit is testing him now, that its willing to show him more and give him more, but only if he can prove he can handle it.

So be it.

He targets one of the smaller asteroids, Barbatos claws ready to attack. When he doesn't its here that the differences between the two pilots comes into its sharpest focus.

Mika is a brawler; what he has in power, he lacks in finesse. He attacks without restraint, smashing, bashing, and crashing his way through obstacles. In his hands, Barbatos' claws rend and tear, leaving a mess in their wake. His mace bludgeons and pulverizes all that stands before him, and Barbatos is every bit the demon of legend.

In Setsuna's hands, however...

The movement is swift, just a single strike, but the rock is rendered in two. He may not be able to target and fire beyond the stratosphere, but there's a focus, an accuracy that Mika may or may not have, but definitely one that he eschews. They're similar in their strength, their intensity, and their will to destroy, but Setsuna refines that down to a singular point. Five fingers can make a fist, but five claws can become one hell of a blade.

One after another, he slices through a piece of space rock, leaving it smoothly and perfectly cut in two. A single swipe is all it takes each time, before he quickly moves on to the next. Even the tails is used differently, more as retractable dagger than as a battering ram. A singular lethal puncture is all he needs.

But all of that is simply what occurs on the surface, beneath that, something stranger is going on. For as much as Barbatos has wormed its way into Setsuna's brain, he, using the ELS as a digital conduit, is forcing his mind deeper into Barbatos programming, looking into all of its secrets.

The first thing he discovers is that he was right all along, that even with this connection, there's still a limiter holding the machine back, though t this one is on Barbatos side of the deal. On the other side of that, it isn't trans am, but... but whatever it is, the ELS warn against it. His quantum brain might be bale to handle that kind of data, but they warn that his human one would suffer dire consequences. There's a heavy cost for that kind of power, and there's a limit to how much they can rebuild in him if that cost is paid.

Setsuna already has power, though. What he wants is to understand this machine, and through it, to understand Mika. So, for the time being, he leaves the limiter alone, instead starting to rifle through all of the data being pushed into his brain.

As he splits his attention, somehow still managing to get through the field with a cold, calculated decimation, he still searches for answers. Has Mika ever taken the limiter off? And what was the cost to it?

What did Barbatos extract from him for it? he needs to know.]

[sparsity]

[ Like this, Barbatos is a different beast than the one who'd dug its claws into the ground and pulled back with unrelenting fervor. It's a system reworked now that it has what it needs to build its fearsome repertoire between man and machine — hellish claws and limbs bearing the shape of an animal's more than a human's.

However, for as well as it performs now, there's something cursory about it. As if its systems fall into line, within expectation, if the expectation couldn't afford anything less than flawless. Mistakes wouldn't win the war that rioted across the Earth Sphere, the blight of the angels. Only monsters would win that war, humans summoning what they feared most to aid them, to acquire their power.

It's there, hidden within its security protocol. The limiter that clashes with this Gundam's purpose.

It's there, within reach.

Barbatos hums, a punishing curiosity flowing through it. Will Setsuna access that data? ]