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

[badassfreakingoverlord]

Well, apparently they don't respond to pokes while floating face-down. Now Peresephone has learned something about a fellow train passenger. Think fondly of him when enjoying whatever those extra points get you out of the shop.

[springforth]

The points will go towards her growing earring collection, for eventual ear piercing. His sacrifice is greatly appreciated. But--worrying. Persephone hesitantly flips him over, still hovering uncertainly above the waves.

"Are you alright? You didn't drown? You can't drown right?"

[badassfreakingoverlord]

Sorry, Persephone -- as soon as she flips him over, the book practically exploded in a litany of angrish, flopping around on the surface of the water like a fish.

"...stupid minions!" he finally finished, the first two intelligible words he'd uttered in that whole rant.

[springforth]

And up goes Persephone, now hovering a few more feet up in the air. Look, don't scare her like that.

"...Well they're definitely not paying you any mind, that's for sure." She drifts down, mostly horizontal at this point as she reaches out to give him another poke. "Need help?"

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"They're lucky I'm not actually subject to water damage." Zetta looked like he was working himself into a fine sulk about his damaged dignity. "But I'm freaking soggy. If you want to try and haul me up, don't throw your back out."

[springforth]

"I'm not sure how much I can actually throw out my back. Seems like a mortal thing to do."

Still, it wouldn't be a fun experience to have and advice is worth taking. Persephone leans down and gently pushes him towards shore, using the fact that he floats at least to make this much easier.

"They're definitely enjoying themselves."

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"Oh yeah. Be sure you enjoy yourself too." Yeah, this -- yeah. Definitely not his finest moment. "Have I mentioned lately how much being a book sucks?"

[springforth]

"I can tell. You haven't made some silly remark about my outfit yet, which is either restraint you have yet to show so far or you're feeling awful. I'm sorry you're having such an awful day."

When they reach the edge of the water, she nudges him up onto the sand and sits down beside him.

"Do I need to--do you need to spread out to dry out?"

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"I'll be fine." The book shuddered, shedding some water. "Also I figured shamelessly hitting on you was pretty likely to get me flipped back over and left to float again. Even an Overlord can make necessary sacrifices in the face of extreme circumstances!"

The upper half of the book leaned upwards slightly, the better to get a new and less wave-jostled view. "You DO look really hot though."

[springforth]

"Oh look, you can be taught."

And there he goes and makes a remark anyways. Without even looking at him, she reaches out and pushes him back flat on the sand.

"It's what you wear at the beach, it's nothing special." Then a pause, "But thank you, I suppose."

[badassfreakingoverlord]

Zetta smirked, because he knew he had 'Sephe at a disadvantage in this duel of words. "Yeah, the outfit itself is nothing special... it's the person wearing it that is, and the outfit just highlights ways!"

This clever statement might be slightly spoiled as he started rocking back and forth, trying to muster the strength to get upright again.

[springforth]

Persephone rolls her eyes, pulling her legs up under her chin. There's no attempt to keep him prone this time, it feels a little mean a second time, but she's certainly not assisting either.

"You're entirely predictable, you know."

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"That just means I'm consistent and reliable!" In the strictest sense of 'reliable', as in you could always rely on his actions. "I consider that a plus!"

[springforth]

"Consistent, oh sure, absolutely. I think reliable is stretching the truth a touch."

Raised eyebrows. Then she starts to say something and stops herself, shaking her head.

"I take it back, you're not precisely predictable. Just obvious."

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"Hyaaaha ha ha ha ha! I don't need subtlety! I'm an Overlord!" Her words were a compliment, intended or not! "I think you're starting to get it!"

[springforth]

"I guess I never have to wonder where I stand with you then, huh?" A bit of an eyeroll as she tucks her chin in her hands, elbows propped up on her knees.

"What a novelty."

[badassfreakingoverlord]

Well, she wasn't wrong, so long as she understood that Zetta was to be judged far more by his actions than his words.

"Divinity's a hotbed of politics where you're from?" This was his first thought, not, 'hey people around 20 can be turds'.

[springforth]

"Oh it's nothing. I just have trouble figuring people out sometimes. And I--I guess I know where I stand with some, it's just not where I want to be. It's complicated. And not really important."

It's a little bit of both. Politics and dumb 20 year olds.

[badassfreakingoverlord]

Yeah, it did sound complicated, but -- "Not really important? That's the same as saying you're not very important! And if you're not important to yourself, you're totally screwing yourself over!"

[springforth]

"Oh my gods, can't something be not important without it reflecting on me personally and how I see myself? I didn't say it was unimportant to me, just not for this conversation." She flicks a little sand at him.

"I'd have to explain weeks of nonsense and I'm just not going to do that."

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"If it's important period it's important period!" No, Zetta was going to double down.

Of course, now the Sacred Tome had sand on it, which all the twitching it did couldn't dislodge. Thanks for that.

[springforth]

Persephone lets him rage, finding a shell nearby and picking it up to look it over.

"Is there a point to saying that? I just said it wasn't unimportant to me. I'm not going to recount all my troubles to you to get judged for how I reacted."

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"Well how the hell else am I supposed to get to know you than by hearing this stuff?"

That might be the least self-absorbed Zetta had ever been, even if it was entirely focused on him.

[springforth]

"You could, I don't know, try asking me things in a way that doesn't imply you're looking down on me for not being some--some super confident adult who has all her stuff together. I was stuck in the mortal realm with flower nymphs following me everywhere every moment until earlier this year. My mom tried to keep me from moving for University because I shouldn't want more than I had in her paradise. I'm just now getting to be in the real world and now I'm--I'm here."

She gestures out to world around them in general and the train in the distance specifically. Not what she was after in life.

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"I wouldn't have known to ask stuff like that!" About a billion things in that sentence came out of nowhere, so far as he was concerned. And hey, he'd just learned a whole bunch from what she'd said. "Okay, how about, do all gods have a human-ish shape, or is there variety?"