❪ 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

[thetaintedsorrow]

Oi!! I’m not your horse!!

[THIS ISN’T HOW HE LIKES TO BE MOUNTED...

At least Mephisto doesn’t weigh anything, but that only adds to the spooky factor, and while not much really scares Chuuya, he still feels a bit unsettled when he thinks that this child is the same man as his master.

Unsettled or not Chuuya goes along with it, serving as a valiant steed as well as a familiar as he makes his way to the Noble’s district.]

You can sense it, right? Being the King of Time and all. That something isn’t right, I mean.

[meinwaifu]

Of course you're not my horse, you're my familiar!

[He says this like it's the most obvious thing??]

Hmm, but I know what you mean. This whole realm feels rather uncomfortable. Fractured, as though barely holding on as it pulls itself together...

[He slumps forward on top of Chuuya's head, arms loosely draped around his neck as if hugging him.]

...I don't think I like it.

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Horse, familiar, same thing?? Okay not really but Chuuya does feel a bit like a pack animal right now.]

Yeah. I don’t like it either.

[He doesn’t like any of this, actually. He’s felt incredibly uneasy ever since he’d stepped foot onto Olympian soil again, and the feeling hasn’t left him.

At least baby Meph is kinda cute?? Spooky, but cute. Until he does something horribly uncute, like murder several people...

Speaking of murder, Chuuya stops dead in his tracks when they reach the Noble’s district. The entire area is devastated, but that’s not the most unsettling thing. No, that award goes to the pile of blighted bodies just within the gates, as if people piled on top of one another to flee the city and never made it...]

I haven’t seen this kinda carnage in a while.

[meinwaifu]

[He can't see it with Mephisto settled up on his shoulders, but he wrinkles his nose at the sight, pressing his face into Chuuya's hat as if to cover his mouth and nose. When he speaks,it's a bit muffled.]

...disgusting. This whole city reeks of rot and decay. If piles like this aren't burned or buried quickly, I'd give the general population a few weeks, at best.

[With rotting flesh came disease, after all. And who would know that better than the angel of death himself?]

Did humans do this to each other?

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Good thing Chuuya keeps his hat nice and spotless. Not that it still wouldn’t smell better than rotting corpses even if it weren’t. He can only imagine how much worse this must be to a demon that’s sensitive to rot...]

A few of them look trampled to death, but most of them died from the dragon’s rot.

[Chuuya steps over several bodies before covering his own mouth and nose with his hand.]

I can’t believe this is the same city...

[Ah...it looks like the mansion is still standing somehow, though it definitely took structural damage. Chuuya feels a flood of emotions suddenly surge through him, and eventually he tries putting Mephisto down once they reach the front door.]

...I’m not sure I even want to go inside.

[meinwaifu]

[It's pretty bad, actually. He won't respond to Chuuya, instead choosing to hold his breath as they pass through.]

[But it would be much worse, if not for that fact that being placed in a younger body also means a healthier body. He's no longer skin and bones, and there are certainly no scars. Even his patented undereye-bags seem far lesser than usual...]

[There won't be any reason to move him down once they arrive, as he teleports down by his side the moment they stand before the door. Curiously, there's no colorful poof of smoke -- he just appears and disappears in an instant.]

Then why did we come all this way?

[It sounds like an overly simplified response to his statement -- but it's actually thinly veiled encouragement that they should press on.]

[thetaintedsorrow]

[It’s a simple question, but it does succeed in spurring Chuuya into action.]

Guess you’re right.

[He just doesn’t know what to expect once he opens that door, but he has to do it anyway, or he’ll go on never knowing what became of his home.

He opens the door to find that everything looks almost exactly the same except...decayed. Rotting wood, frayed curtains, tattered carpets, the place looks like it hasn’t been lived in in years...

And there’s no pets to be found.]

Home sweet home, I guess.

[Looks like they arrived just in time, because seconds after they enter the heavens open up and drench the blighted landscape with a downpour of rain. A fitting addition to the setting, Chuuya supposes.]

You can look around if you want. I’m gonna salvage what I can.

[Of his own belongings, at least. The first of which is located in the kitchen pantry, oddly enough. It’s a small tin of gourmet chocolates...

Okay so maybe he was just hungry. He hasn’t seen a single piece of non-rotten food since he’d arrived here, and he’s hoping by some miracle they survived....

And, lo and behold, there they are, in pristine condition. It’s truly a Christmas miracle.]

Do you want one? Might as well eat them before they rot like everything else.

[meinwaifu]

[Mephisto follows along behind Chuuya, pouting at the sight of all the nasty rot and decay surrounding them. But he won't wander far from Chuuya himself, finding him to be the most interesting thing here.]

[Well, until he opens the box of chocolates, silently holding out a hand to take one. But even once it's given, he just sort of stares at it.]

...what do I do with it?

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Just. This face.]

What do you mean? You eat it, obviously.

[Clearly that’s a joke...??]

That one should be...

[Chuuya looks at the little guide for the chocolates since they’re the assorted kind.]

Vanilla cream-filled.

[meinwaifu]

But how do I eat it?

[These are such sincere questions. He almost looks a bit irritated that Chuuya isn't explaining what he really needs to know.]

[Just gonna kinda sniff it curiously. It certainly smells better than anything else in this city so far.]

[thetaintedsorrow]

Seriously?

[Chuuya just stares down at Mephisto. He’s totally not joking...]

I guess if you don’t remember eating food then it can’t be helped.

[Chuuya plucks one of the chocolates out of the tin, a strawberry filled one, and pops it into his mouth.]

Like this.

[Talks with his mouth full nbd.]

1/3

[meinwaifu]

[Looks fake but okay]

[He eyes Chuuya a little suspiciously, but then goes ahead and plops that chocolate right in his mouth and starts to chew it up. Grossly, with his mouth open, because they're a pair of classy guys right here.]

[...]

[meinwaifu]

[OH GOSH WHAT IS THIS??]

[His whole face feels like it's tingling, nerves that don't remember being used firing up into his brain feelings of delight and happiness as the sweet chocolate and vanilla flavors swirl around in his mouth.]

[On a reflex his body remembers and he doesn't -- he swallows it, licking the rest of the chocolate off his lips.]

[meinwaifu]

Give me another!

[HOLDS OUT HANDS, GIMME GIMME]

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Well damn, now Chuuya almost wishes that he could turn back the clock and experience chocolate for the first time as well. Mephisto looks so cute munching on the chocolate like it’s the tastiest thing in the world, and Chuuya can’t help but smile as he hands over another, this one caramel filled.

...

He’s creating a monster, isn’t he?]

I’ve only ever seen you eat random junk food, so why not try chocolate?

[meinwaifu]

It's good! My whole face is tingling!

[HE'S GONNA EAT THIS ONE OUT OF CHUUYA'S HAND what is he a bird??]

[He likes this one even better, trying to find a way to convey the feelings it's giving him and not really knowing how -- so he just kind of jumps in place and waves his arms.]

--this one is even better! Chuuya is the best familiar!

[thetaintedsorrow]

[God, he’s so cute Chuuya could die. Maybe he should try to teach him how to do hand gestures and whatnot, but this is too adorable to correct.

His own face lights up at that praise, even if it’s a bit odd to have Meph eating out of his hand, and he picks up another one that’s peanut butter filled.]

Heh. If you think that’s good, try this one.

[He forgets that this one is dark chocolate and has actual peanuts in it as well. Not exactly the kind of thing a kid would like, but Chuuya thinks they’re pretty good.]

1/2

[meinwaifu]

[And he leans forward to pluck it out of Chuuya's hand like a bird again, giving it a crunch--]

[A crunch?]

[meinwaifu]

[Just lets it fall out of his mouth, making a sour face.]

...you betrayed me. That one was very bad.

[thetaintedsorrow]

Oh.

[Ew gross, now there’s chewed-up chocolate on the floor. The rotting floor...]

I didn’t betray you. I think they’re good.

[HUFF. But Chuuya offers up the last chocolate, and a wistful look crosses his face when he realizes that the confectionary he’d gotten this tin from is nothing but rubble now, and the owner slain outside it. Only now do the faces of the dead begin to become clear in his mind, and it kind of just hits him all at once.

But still he holds out the last one in his hand. This one is milk chocolate and filled with fluffy marshmallow, so maybe Meph will like it.]

This one will be better. Promise.

[meinwaifu]

[He crosses his arms and looks unsure... but two out of three was pretty good odds. So maybe this one would be better.]

[But this time, he takes the chocolate with his hand-- and bites off only a little of it to make sure.]






[And then gobbles down the rest with another cute smile.]

Ahh, I think I've really come to like these "chocolates"! Where do they do come from?

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Phew. At least he doesn’t have to worry about facing Meph’s wrath over chocolates. Chuuya sets the empty tin aside, giving Meph the tiniest of smiles.]

Anyone can make them, but I got them from a specialty shop. [A pause.] Before the dragon came.

[But he’d rather not dwell on such things. He needs to head upstairs and see if anything in his room is still intact, after all.

Except he falls through the stairs because the wood is completely rotten. So graceful. Luckily his ability keeps him from taking a nasty fall. Just casually floats back up like a nerd.]

Tch. Looks like I’ll have to float up there.

[He turns to Mephisto then, thoroughly embarrassed at his own blunder.]

You can come with me if you want, but I dunno what I’m gonna find up here, so it might be kind of boring.

[meinwaifu]

[Shockingly, Mephisto doesn't laugh when he falls, merely hiking up the stairs and staring down at where be vanished before he comes floating back up.]

[But Chuuya's words only cause Mephisto to tilt his head in confusion -- lips turned up in a pout.]

You keep saying things as if I need to be given your permission to do them. If I had no desire to follow you, I would have already left.

[Which means teleporting to the top of the stairs, waiting for Chuuya to catch up.]

[thetaintedsorrow]

[And therein lies the difference between adult Mephisto and child Mephisto, because Chuuya has no doubt that older Meph would be busting a gut laughing at him right now.

Well then, Chuuya just got told by a child. Humph. But he really has no right to order him around, even as kid, so he won’t argue. This time.

He floats up to the top of the stairs, and with a nod brushes past Mephisto and down the hall to his room. Thank god the floor up here seems to be holding up...]

This is it.

[He opens the door to his room, eyes taking a moment to adjust to the darkness before he steps further inside. He almost overlooks a small bundle on his bed, and only when he realizes that it’s in the exact same spot where Apollo usually curls up and sleeps when Chuuya is absent does he rush over to look.

What he sees breaks his heart.]

Apollo...

[No...no, was he too late?? But he got here as soon as he could!! The pets were supposed to be safe while Time was frozen, right?? But...then time had been resumed, and the animals would’ve been left to succumb to the elements...

Chuuya doesn’t even realize that he’s crying as he picks up Apollo’s body and cradles it in both hands. That beautiful plumage is as vibrant as ever, but the bird himself-]

Apollo!! Are you alive??

[A very weak peep reaches Chuuya’s ears, and upon closer inspection he sees that his bird is breathing. Alive, but barely. Shit, if only he had healing powers...!

Chuuya turns to Mephisto, pure desperation in his eyes.]

H-hey! You can still heal people, right?

[meinwaifu]

...and what right do you have to decide whether that creature shall live or die, human?

[Mephisto has lingered in the doorway, eyes having flickered to the small, dying creature sitting on the bed. Despite the little smile on his face, his gaze remains cold and piercing even as Chuuya meets his eyes with desperation.]

Death is as much a part of life as living. There is no reason to interfere with the natural order of things. One should simply embrace death as it comes, marked by an end of suffering.

[He steps closer, eyes unblinking as he stares up at Chuuya with what's most definitely a demonic grin.]

Would you beg the angel of death to prolong that suffering?