❪ 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

[stuns]

Who says I'm pretending? I'm just embracing myself.

[ peter makes a good show of towering over him - it's easy considering their respective statures. but juno doesn't seem to balk at all, instead giving a laugh that sounds like he's enjoying this far more than peter is. because there's freedom in being exactly what you were afraid of to begin with isn't it? there's freedom in retreating and letting the bottle do the work, letting the meanness do all of the talking. the cruelty and the idea that the world just isn't worth it anymore.

it's here to chew you up and spit you out. that's it. that's all there is to it. ]

This is who I was meant to be.

[ finished after a bit of a pause, as if he really has to think about it, when in truth he doesn't, and it's there in the telltale smile that's not at all like juno's, the tired eyes that look far more bitter than anything juno's have ever held. he's tired and he's worn, but he's smoldering still. ]

All along, just had to learn to like it. See that she wasn't all that wrong after all. Only difference is I got myself here instead of having my kids do it for me - a lot easier this way. You could say it's a lot like cutting out the middle man. [ he tilts his head upwards. ] What's wrong, Nureyev. Don't like it? The real deal?

[rosebyanyother]

[Peter doesn't like the way this person is looking at him. If this really were Juno, maybe he wouldn't mind the way he looks excited in the face of Peter's menacing behavior. Not that he'd be likely to really try to intimidate him. But, for fun, you know. In a certain situation.

In any event, that's not what's going on now.

His eyes stay narrow and he continues to hover over the imposter. It doesn't seem like threatening him is going to do the trick, but Peter isn't convinced about taking action just yet. Better to talk for a little while longer.

Though. He still really doesn't like the way this facsimile is saying his name. In public. He might need to drag this conversation somewhere more private.]

If that's true, [And Peter's voice heavily suggests that he doesn't believe it an inch, but sure, he can pretend like he's giving it any kind of consideration.] then I think I'd like to know what happened to you.

[Because it's such a drastic shift in worldview, in behavior. If this really is Juno - it isn't - then something terrible must have happened.

Peter doesn't answer the question posed to him because, well, he doesn't feel like it. He'll ask the questions, thank you.]

[stuns]

[ this juno takes his time admiring the expression on peter's face, a smile never quite leaving his lips as he watches peter form his words, eyes fixed briefly on his mouth, then his narrowed gaze. there's a lack of shamelessness in this one, mostly because he's given up. what's the point in being ashamed of much of anything? ] So is this some kind of interrogation now? Why do you care so much? We both knew I'd end up this way...

[ but did they? ]

It's a big, mean world out there, remember? [ like their last conversation, but sharper, less massaging an insecurity, more stabbing it in the belly and beating it to itself. ] Only choice is to get mean too. That's what Sarah Steel always said. Who knew she'd be so damn right about it all? I should have just taken her advice a long long time ago after what she did to Benten.

[ he looks at the bottle slowly, takes a drink straight from the neck and thumbs the corner of his mouth almost thoughtfully. ] Paddling a boat upstream... [ a laugh ] just trying to make it through the rough current every damn day. Being so proud of all that progress you made, even though you're gonna lose it at the end of the day and have to go through it all over again. And even though every day is a fight to paddle against the current, you're still moving until one day someone comes and screws that all up for you. They take your oar, and they snap it right in two.

[ he looks at nureyev, eyes not quite his, dark and hazy. the green that's always been there is murky and awful, sinking into something that's smothering it. ] I did that, you know. I went and I took her goddamn oar and I smashed the damn thing. Me. So she went and she took mine. And you know what I realized? That there's no point in struggling against the current when you're oar's broken. You can flail and you can splash and you can try to keep your head above the water, but in the end you just drown, so. I just let it happen.

[ he takes a few steps backwards, arms opening up a little, almost like a punctuation mark. ] I let her drown me. It's a lot easier that way, Nur - oh. I'm sorry, Noble, was it?

[rosebyanyother]

Kind of you to remember.

[He hates every syllable of what he just heard, thank you very much. The implication of Juno being...well and truly broken. He's not wrong, it is a big mean world out there. Peter himself is often a part of that meanness. But--

This talk of drowning, of letting the meanness of the world subsume you. Giving up. No. He knows - a little - that all is not right with Juno. He's self-sacrifical and self-aggrandizing. Too ready to be a martyr, to die and die alone. This is...just as bad. Hopelessness and resignation.

The thing Peter loves most about Juno is his stubbornness. Even when it complicates things. To see that stripped away is awful. Even the implication of it, since he's still sure - still...sure.... - that this isn't really Juno. It does...have a lot of knowledge of Juno's life, though.]

Hold on a moment, would you?

[He reaches out, places a hand on "Juno's" shoulder that is deceptively strong. Gripping at him, just tight enough to hurt a little. There will be no getting away while he solves this mystery, thank you. With the other hand, he fishes out his phone and enters Juno's number. Let's see who picks up on the other end~.]

[stuns]

[ this one doesn't seem to mind all that much about the grip, a tired but somewhat smug look on his face as he's held in place. there's no concern about this mystery in and of itself being solved. it doesn't buckle at all under the slight pain in the grip against its shoulder, rather, leans into it and hums something indistinct. hell, it's almost like someone calling an errant teenager's mother to come and pick them up. except, you know. even weirder.

-

as for juno, he doesn't exactly expect a call from nureyev... at all. they've been giving each other a bit of a berth, time to think and space to breathe and adjust, and it's been. well it's been okay, so far. the natha-issued device rings a couple of times before finally picking up, fumbling sounds on the other end with a muffled "stupid stupid - " before he speaks on the other end, rushed. ]

Noble?

[ who knows who the hell is listening, after all, and even though most signs point to no one probably even caring who the hell "peter nureyev" is, juno isn't going to risk his name or him just because they've been spirited away by some rando aliens or whatever these things are. ]

Uh, hey... what's going on?

[ we're smooth here on this end. ]

[rosebyanyother]

[Oh, this definitely isn't that kind of call. If this isn't something in Juno's body, Peter isn't letting whoever or whatever it is anywhere near Juno. His eyes narrow even more at that hum.

And then Juno picks up the phone and it clearly isn't this one talking. The revelation sets a satisfied, dangerous smile onto Peter's lips as he meets the imposter's gaze. An eyebrow delicately lifts. See?, is the wordless question he communicates, even as he goes to answer Juno's question.]

Oh nothing really. [Peter's voice is as breezy as ever.] I just thought...well, it's been a while and I wanted to see how you were settling in. We should get coffee. Tomorrow.

[It's as good an excuse as any. He has things he needs to deal with today.]

[stuns]

Coffee. Tomorrow.

[ he repeats it, like a confirmation with a vague air of a question tapering off on the end. it's a "yes" either way because how else does juno answer something that makes his insides turn in a not so awful (but still pretty awful) way. ]

Well, I'm not that popular yet and my list of people who might want to see me dead is surprisingly non-existent, so... sure. Tomorrow.

[ what the hell else does juno really have to do okay. ]

-

[ meanwhile, the impostor peter holds by the shoulder simply tilts its head, smiling regardless of peter's brow raise. what happens on the other end of the phone doesn't seem to concern it. instead, it rests a hand where peter's wrist lies, fingers drumming faintly along the spur of bone there. it's oddly patient, humming something indistinct to itself with an oddly satisfied smile on its face, like there's something it knows that peter very much doesn't. ]

[rosebyanyother]

Good, good, I'll send you the directions.

[It's unconcerned and fluttery, even as he narrows his eyes at the imposter. Oh, they'll be having precisely none of that.]

In the meantime, I have some things to attend to. Have a nice day, Juno.

[Aaaaand click. He slides the phone back into his pocket and then plucks up the hand from his wrist, curling his fingers around the imposter's wrist instead. Tight. Tighter than the hand on his shoulder.]

Do you mind?

[There's a dangerous edge to his voice.]

[stuns]

[ there's a little spark of something awful in very dark green eyes. the impostor tilts its head slightly, doing nothing to struggle away from the tight grip. in fact, it leans in closer, perfectly content to chuckle in response and roll its eyes to the side. ]

What's next, Noble?

[ the way nureyev's alias sounds past it's lips seems to mock the two syllables it takes up. ]

Now that you've figured it out, you're gonna do what? "Dispose of me"? That easy for you, huh? [ a beat, as if thinking. ] Nevermind, dumb question, my mistake. That's exactly what you're going to do, isn't it?

[rosebyanyother]

[Peter doesn't lean away as the imposter leans in closer, because that would be admitting weakness. He doesn't really want it close to him, but he puts up with it.

Those questions, though. Peter tips his head lazily with eyes still narrowed.]

I'm still deciding what I want to do with you. Answers first, though. We can figure the rest out as we go.

[He's not answering that last question. The real truth is that he doesn't know if he can "dispose" of this entity. It still has Juno's face. But he also knows he wants to keep it out of Juno's path. And if it's in service of doing that....maybe. Maybe he can.]

[stuns]

[ it lets out a disinterested "hm" rolling its eyes just a bit. it has no qualms about cooperating, in fact it seems to live for irritating the hell out of nureyev if anything. that little flare of impatience in his grip had been indication enough. ]

Sounds real fun. [ a laugh, sharp ] Do you even know what kind of answers you're looking for, exactly?