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

[so_dark_a_road]

"I'll talk to Peter Parker, find out how he managed to have music piped into the Gym Carriage for his party early in the month of Egret. Maybe that was courtesy of the train entity, but I'll find out. It shouldn't be impossible to build a sound system, though. I've done it before. But I'll let you know, and you can help pick the playlist." Smile.

"Of course!" He held out his arm so that Glorfindel could feel the fabric of the jacket.

His smile faded a little when Glorfindel mentioned the crossing of the Ice. Still, he appreciated the joke, and furthermore, that Glorfindel was capable of bringing these things up in a light manner. Pun intended. "I imagine you'd have been popular indeed. Light for the sake of warmth, for cooking, and as a lantern for seeing the path ahead. Glorfindel, I haven't ever apologized to you for that situation. I knew at the time that it was a bad idea to burn the ships, and I had fantasies of taking them back to pick up the rest of you, but I was a slave to the Oath. And anyway, I loved my father too much to disobey him. But I am heartily sorry. I have offered atonement to every one of my Nolofinwean and Arafinwean cousins and their friends and followers whom I have ever come across in my post-life wanderings. I owe you, and if there is ever anything I can do, I will do it."

His smile came back. "Thanks, I'm glad you like the scenery." That is, Curufin in his denim outfit.

[laurefindil]

"I am definitely going to start that Bardic Circle we spoke about once we get back on the train. If nothing else, people deserve a distraction!" Glorfindel looked at him. "You will come play? Imagine, an entire audience full of people who have no idea who your brother is!" He grinned.

He rached out and felt the material on Curufin's arm. "Oh, that is nice! Thick, yet soft. Seems durable, as well. Like they'd last at least a decade!" Because constantly having to replace clothing is a pain most elves know.

Glorfindel smiled. It was a warm, wry smile, rather than a happy one. "I appreciate that, Curufin. In my first life it might have taken me a while to accept your apology, but," he's lightened up since then "having a chance to spend some time in the Halls, I was able to learn a few more details about what happened. I definitely do not envy the position you and your brothers were in. You do not owe *me* anything. Not anymore. But I do value our friendship."

"And the view." Now the smile was a grin.

[so_dark_a_road]

"Of course I will come and play for the Bardic Circle!" He smiled, too. "Most of the people will never have heard Maglor sing, so they won't be comparing me to him." Good to be able to joke like this, despite how much he missed his brother.

"You're right about the denim. It will last at least ten years. Far better than those wool fabrics we used to use." He clenched his bicep and the smile grew broader.

And then he listened to Glorfindel as he accepted Curufin's apology. "I thank you. It was a terrible position to be in, and yet, if I had the chance to do it all over again, I know I would make different choices. I'm grateful to you for your efforts to understand what happened. I don't deserve it, but it heals my heart to hear that you value our friendship."

His grin came back, a bright white grin. "I like the view from my part of the beach, too." He waved a hand to indicate Glorfindel's outfit.

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel knew the brothers all were close, so he was glad Curufin could joke about it. "I'm looking forward to it. And I promise to only judge a little," he said with a wink.

That was a nice bicep. Glorfindel appreciated the craftsmanship...of the jacket. "Unless properly treated, wool could be a bit scratchy too. This is quite pleasing to the touch." He finally let go. Of the jacket.

He smiled warmly back at Curufin. Hearing that his friendship helped to heal Curufin's heart made him want to be a better friend. It was a good cycle to be in, he decided. "I sincerely hope you are never in such a situation again!"

"What, this old thing?" Glorfindel's grin matched, but he hoped the slight red in his cheeks was covered by his natural glow. When one carried part of the sun within oneself, you couldn't really claim sunburn. "It was just something I threw on. I do like the color, though. Somehow yellow suits me," he said, unable to repress a laugh.

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin grinned and then made a mock-horrified face. "Don't you dare go and tell everybody the truth! -- how my singing sounds like a cat yowling, as compared to Maglor's. Or even without the comparison."

Heh, the craftsmanhip. Of the jacket, of course. "I remember. We had a small textile industry in Himlad, and the craft workers all talked about how they treated the wool yarn to make it soft. That made it more vulnerable to wear, of course. A nice scratchy sweater would last longer, but not ten years." He grinned again as Glorfindel let go of his arm.

And as for the plight of the sons of Fëanor, he shook his head. "I'll never be in such a situation again. I foreswore the Oath a couple of hours before I died, specifically to render it impossible for the damned thing to continue to curse my existence and that of other people."

Curufin's sharp artistic eye could detect the very faint blush. He smiled. "Just some old thing. Yes, I'm sure you didn't pick through the entire dressing carriage looking for the perfect color combination. Yellow, like the sun? And like the sun, you radiate light, so I guess it's appropriate." Another grin.

[laurefindil]

"What about telling them you sound like a mockingbird, then? Is that still on the table?" Glorfindel asked, completely not serious, but pretending, of course.

"I wouldn't mind getting my hands of some of that...denim. Does it come in any color other than black though?"

Glorfindel nodded. Curufin had told him so before, and he completely believed him. He could feel the change in the other person from when they had met previously, back on Middle Earth.

"Yes, well, maybe there was a few minutes spent picking through the options," Glorfindel admitted. "But yellow always was my thing. House of the Golden Flower, remember." The blush was not fading. It wasn't what Curufin said, though, because it was true, he DID glow. It was more how he grinned when he said it.