❪ 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

[shikomizue]

[Rather than coil the refreshed digits, Takasugi glides his thumb over seamless joints. Divots in callouses, the same as always, are all that pass under the pad of his finger. A quick flick of broken nail over skin confirms that sensation remains.

As if he'd hallucinated the entire loss.

Unfortunately, a mad doctor piques Takasugi's interest more than a law-abiding one. Strange abilities sweeten the deal, but a shit attitude? That may be his favorite part.]

We're both lost causes, then. [A chuckle; he thinks about pressing his hand against the unconscious man once more, but tempting that beast is better left for later.]

What about this guy? [Takasugi would leave such a severe case for dead-]

[kikoku]

That dragon, it seems the people who were closer to it suffered some sort of... necrotic infection in their injuries.
[It is a death dragon, after all. Whether it was a bacteria or just some sort of foregin matter sloughing off a decaying hell monster, an infection is an infection, and he knows how to deal with it. Despite his bad attitude moments later, he seems willing to explain his work. After a moments pause, he turns his full attention to the scalpel in his hand.]

I don't have a lot of access to antibiotics here, so with my ability it's easier to just remove the contaminant.
[And he sets about his work, slicing open veins bloodlessly, while gesturing with his free hand. It should become apparent that his hand movements are connected to the dark substance slowly collecting in a bowl next to the arm. Most people would probably be horrified, but Takasugi isn't most people, is he.]

Of course, the dead skin on the top layer can't exactly be salvaged, so it'll need to be removed and the fresh skin underneath I'll wrap with antibacterial bandages.

[shikomizue]

[With all of the festering wounds, and rotting bodies, still littering Olympia's streets, the city itself seems to be succumbing to the rot that's taken hold of this man's body. Curing the wound gives him a second chance, supposedly.

But there's little to return to.

Takasugi looks up - acknowledging the rubble around them before returning his attention to the invalid between them.] Heh.

You're quite the miracle worker. [He watches the process before him without bewilderment, but his attention remains close. There's no discerning how this man works, nor the extent of his abilities.

Which gives Takasugi cause to witness it again - an opportunity he'll carve out for himself, if necessary.] Think you can save them all? [Less of a question, more intentionally dragging into view insurmountable odds.]

[kikoku]

I don't. You can't save everyone, even in ideal conditions, let alone this disaster.
[He answers almost immediately, flatly, without stopping his work, slowly and meticulously drawing out the infection with his weird, weird magic. It's hard to ever develop an idealized concept of what it means to be a doctor when you grow up in a clinic with doctor parents who start your medical education as soon as you're old enough to read. If you asked Law, though, he thinks he was better off that way. He always planned on being a doctor, but it was something he'd decided with no false ideas about what that entailed.]

The other doctors and healers around here can tend to lost causes if they want, I'm focusing on the ones that have a chance.
[To punctuate this he seals back up the veins he'd opened, before starting on cutting off the sickly layer of dead skin that remains on the wound.]

[shikomizue]

[Audible separation of skin and flesh beneath doesn't sicken Takasugi. He watches the man work in carnage with a completely impassible countenance, not fascinated by the tangled network of veins.

His attention is captured by the magic, seemingly endless in its potential. And how that awe inspiring technique clashes with the doctor's recognition that not all can be saved.]

Can't revive the dead yet? [Coy, he looks up from the work nearing completion to look at the man performing the procedure.] To the healers who can, I wonder what a lost cause looks like. [He hasn't seen a revival first hand, but the Natha are capable of it, though they haven't shared their methods.]

[kikoku]

[Law scoffs, even as his cutting hand doesn't waver from it's task.]
I wouldn't know. I'm a doctor, not a magician.

[He continues his work, sinking into silence for a few moments, before it occurs to him that maybe he should clarify that what he's doing does not, in fact, make him a magician.]
My ability just lets me manipulate matter. I can't change what sort of matter it is. So if someone's brain cells have died, there nothing I can do.

[And he removes the last bit of dead skin. The man's arm doesn't have any trace of the dark infection, replaced simply by raw, red skin. Law pulls a few packages of some sealed wrap bandages, sterile and sanitized, to start applying to the wound.]

[shikomizue]

[This doctor talks like he's a layman, a simple practitioner instead of someone who stands out. A magician isn't too far off, though surely there are those who would cower and call him a monster.

As he'd already demonstrated, his ability can be used for more than just mending the weak.] You can do something like that, and you choose to practice medicine.

You must be nicer than you look, Mr. Doctor. [Absolutely teasing, but he means it. Takasugi's attention is split fully from the procedure, all blood and flesh covered by irritated skin that doesn't hold his interest.]

[kikoku]

[At this point in his life, Law's been called a monster so many times it's lost its meaning. Also, if you want to get technical, as a notorious pirate he probably doesn't have a medical license, so he's barely even really a doctor, isn't he. Either way, he seems amused by this accusation, if anything.]

You say that like my ability isn't deeply useful to my medical practice.
[He could correct that he learned medicine before he had this ability, but he won't, no need to go revealing even a snippet of his Depressing Backstory. Regardless, he fastens the last bandage in place, and finally looks up at the other man properly.]

Also, if you're going to address me by a title, it's "Captain," but my name is Trafalgar Law. Most people just use that.

[shikomizue]

[There's no one other than a doctor who would cleave a man's fingers from their hand for daring to interfere with their work. That little outburst speaks to passion - Takasugi may be coy, but he believes the man's commitment to his work.

Even if it's all in vain.

Much like Law trying to get Takasugi to use a proper name for him - he's not so easily dissuaded from being coy.] Aa. [Duly noted. Takasugi doesn't return the formality.] It'd be useful for taking someone's head off, too.

[kikoku]

[That's fine, the next time he sees you he'll just address you as "eyepatch-ya," it's nice and detached. In any case, the slight smirk on his face only deepens at that suggestion. In a way that says he's well aware of the idea and has absolutely done so before.]

If you want to sow confusion, sure. The cuts I do with my ability can't kill people directly.
[That "directly" adds an extra odd layer of suspicion, doesn't it.]

Since we're working for the same people, I suppose you won't have to worry about it, though.

[shikomizue]

[An element of intrigue - Takasugi imagines a talking head, disembodied but still smiling. A demon who holds his head at his side, lamenting in the moonlit night the days when he was still together. Now, he's lost his mind.

What an interesting story.]

I'd like to see that. Cuts that don't kill - sounds like torture. To be strewn about in pieces, undying. [He's into it.]

Elise his romanticized goth vision of Law's powers killed me

[kikoku]

[The more rational, normal part of Law's brain is definitely picking up on the Weird Vibes that Takasugi is giving off. His weird antisocial mad surgery brain, however, totally gets it.]

Mm. It's more effective than people expect it to be. You should watch what you say, though, or I might take it as an invitation to demonstrate on you.
[It's... mostly a joke, but his typical deadpan delivery as he starts to pack his supplies up makes it kind of hard to tell.]

you can just say edgelord its ok

[shikomizue]

Oh? [Takasugi tilts his head, as if he's considering the threat some sort of invitation. His jaw keens to the side, revealing neck stretched taut to tempt the knife in the man's deft hands.

He's not intent on being decapitated, even if it'd only be a temporary state.

But the danger of it is enticing.]

You should be careful too - my cuts aren't so clean. [The threat is mutual.]

they can be edgelords together

[kikoku]

[It shouldn't be surprising at this point that Law is entirely unfazed by this very thinly veiled threat.]

If your cuts aren't clean you should look into having your blade sharpened, eyepatch-ya.
[He doesn't need to know your name to throw needless shade. He does take a pointedly long look at the bared neck though, scalpel in hand, as if strongly considering the temptation. But then the moment passes and he packs away the rest of his supplies and stands up.]

Now, unless you plan on following me on my rounds, we'll have to talk more some other time.

//end?

[shikomizue]

[Maintained or not, Takasugi's blade leaves everything in tatters. The edge and his technique could sever anything cleanly, but he's too predisposed to mauling. When he kills, he leaves blood. He leaves distorted faces and strewn limbs.

Would Law be able to put someone like that back together?

Maybe they'll find out.] I'll get in your way some other time, Doctor.

[Nickname for nickname, acknowledging what of each other they care to and nothing more.]