Under the Sea: Conclusion and aftermath

[voidtreckermods]

Ritual

The jellyfish is no more and as red team take stock of their injuries, or collapse from exhaustion the lights zip around them, singing their song of joy. They gather around the light that had been inside the jellyfish and now that it has been released it is obvious this light is different. Stronger. They surround it and the song gets even louder as they begin to move towards the plinth.

In the caverns where the purple and orange team are there is a stillness. For those in orange team still in the cavern they can only hope that the instructions they gave out had been followed. Luckily for them they have been, Purple team have done a remarkable job of defeating the crabs and cleaning the temple. The priests gather around the shell on the alter, arms linked together in prayer as they seek to re-sanctify their temple. As their prayer begins they will invite the voidtreckers to join them, though no one is forced into taking part in the ritual. They suggest that they use their strange wrist jewellery to open communication with their friends in Bui.

The monster on the beach is defeated and though the fight is still raging against the crabs, a beacon has been built and lit. The islanders who are not fighting gather around it, linking arms, drawing any voidtreckers who don't object to joining them into the circle.

The song begins hesitantly, almost as if everyone has forgotten the words and only half remembers the tune. The SCA translates, the prayer is simple, a blessing on the land and its people, deliverance from the darkness and hope for the future.

The light from the jellyfish reaches the plinth and is set upon it. The song heightens and the light shoots upwards, blinding in its brilliance.

Through the dark storm clouds a light streams towards the island, most of it towards the beacon on the island though there is a break away light that goes towards the train, where some of orange team have set up a second beacon. It swirls around those on the train roof, singing a song of happiness and bounces back towards the island.

The light reaches the main beacon and hits it with a strength that lights up the whole sky. The light splits more solidly into two and speeds off over the ocean. Light pours into the underground caverns, not caring about the ocean and rock in the way, the light pools into the shells, the caverns glow warmly.

Outside the storm calms, clouds roll back, the sun shines. The sea stills. The wind stops. The sun is rising, a beautiful dawn. Any monsters left scuttle away, vanishing into the ocean, away from Bui.

Those with any powers that they couldn't reach before find them returned in a rush. Those who can sense life find this world teeming with it. A song that dances between every plant and creature.

Some of red may have evacuated to the train but those who stayed to see the ritual through, the world around them seems to melt away and they find themselves back next to the rock pools. Among their number there are some confused looking islanders who intrinsically draw closer to those who helped free the lights.

Orange and Purple

Down underwater there's noise and a babble of voices as the citizens of Bui wake up. There's a shimmering around the city now, like a shield though they can pass through easily. Parents scramble to locate their children and all check on loved ones and friends.

The familiar voice of train announcements is heard through Orange team's SCAs. Orange return to the VoidTrecker Express. Once everyone is on board it flies low over the ocean, skimming the waves.

In the underwater temple the priests finish sealing the ritual and then it is time to begin the return trek. There are no monsters this time and after a few hours, as they emerge onto the first of the sandbanks they will find the VoidTrecker Express is waiting for them.

Red and Blue

The monsters gone, those of the island gather everyone from the rock pools and for a few hours everyone sleeps.

At about noon the islanders begin to stir, begin putting things to rights. Wood is moved from the strategic points to more communal campfires on the beach. Any dead monsters that haven't been gathered for food have been washed out to sea, disappeared into the depths. They begin to prepare food and won't turn away any helpers. Though those who have been fighting are encouraged to rest.

The islanders bring blankets and start to gather. Everyone is exhausted but the children, in the way of children find the energy to play in the sea and the sand.

Beach Day

Early afternoon the train lands on the beach and everyone gets a holographic message to their SCA.

Mission successful. Well done Voidtreckers. Enjoy the rest of your day. You will find suitable clothing in the dressing room. A new recipe has been added to the kitchen information points.

The dressing room is indeed open once more, this time it holds swimsuits of every style, shorts, t shirts, wraps and beach skirts. Sun hats and sunglasses can also be found. It's a bit of a mush mash but they should be able to cobble together something other than their uniform wet suits.

Time to laze around on the beach or for those who still have energy swim or play. A few hours later a ripple across the water brings some of those from Bui and they swim or lounge on rocks to talk.

Food and stories

Food is cooked and shared, the islanders will happily try the voidtreckers' offerings and share their own. As the sun begins to set they gather around the fires. Stories and songs are shared and there's even some dancing for the brave.

Voidtreckers can choose whether to sleep in their own beds or spend one last night on the island before the train flies off into the sunrise and into the void.

Comments

Re: Beach Day

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel smiled at him. "Really? Do tell?" His glowing intensified as he walked closer. "You don't look like you are feeling too well. Exhaustion?"

Re: Beach Day

[schrodingersghost]

Danny yawns.

"Yeah... I kind of overdid it fighting the crabs. And then that jellyfish thing."

Not to mention getting caught inside the minds of some of the trapped people. But he was determinedly not thinking about that right now.

"I'm a ghost," he says vaguely. "Some of the time."

Re: Beach Day

[laurefindil]

"I heard about the jellyfish thing," Glorfindel said. "We only had sharkbears, I don't envy you at all. But you saved all those people, good job," he added with a warm smile.

He tilted his head, "Only some of the time?" He starts glowing a bit brighter.

[schrodingersghost]

"Half ghost," he says. "Means I'm half human too." Danny takes a moment to check his current energy level, and decides that he's recovered enough for a quick demonstration. A moment of concentration later, and a ring of white light passes over him, leaving a white haired ghost behind. He glows with a faint silvery luminescence even in the bright sunlight.

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel admired both the mechanism of change and the luminescent being produced. "Amazing!"

"Does that mean that one of your parents is a ghost?" Because that's how you get half-humans in his world.

[Up to you if he gains energy from Glorfindel or not, he's putting it out there, but who is to say if their systems are compatible, right? ;) ]

[schrodingersghost]

Danny chokes a little at that.

"What? No! My parents hunt ghosts." He shudders a little at the idea.

"I'm half because I was in an accident, and I just didn't quite die. You know, all the way. Probably." Danny still wasn't 100% certain what exactly he was. But considering he was a ghost half the time now, he figured it had to be something like that.

[Let's go with him not getting much. Because the idea of energy being ghost incompatible amuses me.]

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel looks at him for a long moment. "I am going to guess then that they do not know about this side of you then?"

"Ah. So more of a part-time ghost than a half ghost, then?" Glorfindel said, trying to make sense of the situation. "That must be odd, being stuck between two states like that. When I died, I had to be given a new body by Manwe."

[schrodingersghost]

He shrugs uncomfortably. "Yeah. I think they would accept me? But they've also spent most of the last two years hunting me and discussing the best ways to dissect me. So I don't really want to know what would happen if they found out."

Danny frowns at that. "That's not quite right either. Because I can still use most of my ghost powers even when I look human. Its just easier when I change." Another shrug and a yawn. "The other ghosts call me a halfa. Half a human, half a ghost. They probably meant it as an insult, but I usually just go with it. Its not like I've got a better explanation."

Danny gave him a sharp look as that last part caught his attention. "Funny, you don't look like a zombie."

[laurefindil]

"Those who lack understanding can be somewhat overzealous," he said. "But if there is love, then there should be acceptance. And a change in their method of trying to understand. But, there will likely be yelling, if you have kept this from them for the last two years."

He nodded at the explanation. He certainly didn't understand, as it was not his world. They didn't really have many ghosts on Arda.

"No, no," Glorfindel assured him. "My original body was quite torn up. Lovely funeral, though, I understand. My soul went to the Halls of Mandos, and there, Manwe came and offered me a chance to be reborn. He gave me a new body and the powers of a Maia, and sent me back to Middle Earth on a mission. I was dead. I'm not currently."

[schrodingersghost]

Danny winces. "Ouch. I'm not sure what half of that means, but sounds painful."

[laurefindil]

"The way I died, dragged to my death by a Balrog, was very much so, yes," Glorfindel said with a firm nod. "But while dwelling in the Halls of Mandos, Este healed my wounds and allowed the memory of that pain to fade."

[schrodingersghost]

"What's a balrog, if you don't mind me asking?"

If he didn't want to talk about it, Danny would totally get it. He wasn't a huge fan of talking about his accident either.

[laurefindil]

After 4000+ years, Glorfindel has gotten past the trauma and is just fine talking about it. Comes from living with other empathetic elves that made him talk it out, perhaps.

"Once it was a being of light and beauty, then the Dark Lord corrupted and twisted it into something all-together dark, hateful, and full of rage at anything living. Several attacked my home of Gondolin. One pursued those of us who fled, the women, children, the wounded. What was left of my House and I were the rear guard and it fell to us to protect them. It was fire and heat and rage and...truly a fearsome creature."

[schrodingersghost]

Danny frowns, and instantly,impulsively, promises.

"If something like that ever shows up here, I'll help."

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel was touched by Danny's offer. "Thank you," he said, meaning it from the depths of his heart. I hope it is never necessary, but I appreciate you saying that. It is not everyone who be willing to get involved in someone else's fight."

He looked around, then, at their surroundings. "Though...that might be why we were chosen!"

[schrodingersghost]

"Personally, I'm betting on bad luck. Or one of my enemies volunteering me."

He shrugs, not really sure what to say about actually being thanked. For something he hadn't even done yet, even.

"Don't worry about it. Fighting superpowerful jerks is kind of what I do now?"

It was kind of like a job. An unpaid job with terrible hours and no health coverage.

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel laughed. "Again, we have so much in common," he teased. "What enemies do you have that would think this a fitting way to get rid of you for a while?" he asked out of curiosity.

[schrodingersghost]

"Honestly, most of my enemies would probably jump at the chance at getting rid of me for a while." A crooked grin. "I'm gotten really good at ruining all kinds of plans."

He starts counting off enemies on his fingers. "Ember, the Fright Knight, Noctourne, Vortex, the Box Ghost, Youngblood, Undergrowth, Spectra and Johnny for sure. Probably not Skulker. He just wants to hunt me down and display my pelt on his wall, which is still gross. Vlad... Maybe. If he had a way to pull me back."

[laurefindil]

"You have made a lot of enemies for someone your age," Glorfindel said, looking surprised at the list. "I hadn't even made half that many by the end of my first life!"

"And yes, that is quite gross. Perhaps you could just send him one of your cast off outfits?" He grinned.

[schrodingersghost]

Danny laughs a little at that.

"I guess I have a talent for that. I mean, most of the time I'm not even trying. Ghosts show up causing trouble, I stop them, and then the next time I see them they're out for revenge. And also to cause trouble." Danny shrugs. "He likes to think of himself as the ghost zone's greatest hunter, and he's out for trophies. So that's probably not going to work. But hey, he's not usually too hard to beat as long as I can shut down his robot suit fast."

[laurefindil]

"Robot suit? Like...Tony's?" Glorfindel asked. He wasn't sure why someone felt the need to hunt ghosts, but it was likely something from Danny's world.

[schrodingersghost]

"Tony has a robot suit?" Danny had only talked to him once, and it hadn't come up.

[laurefindil]

"I've not gotten the details, but it is a metal suit he wears into fights, sometimes? Or used to, at some point?" Glorfindel offered. "It is beyond my world's technology, however."

[schrodingersghost]

"Huh. Maybe I should ask him about it some time." Danny wondered if the tech was similar.

[laurefindil]

"In my world, the armor is powered by the person in it," Glorfindel said. "But there are no computers or tech. Just sweat soaked gambesons at the end of the day."