Ongoing: All Teams

[voidtreckermods]

The first few days are taken up with solving the problems in the various sectors, all the while getting closer to their goal. The Great-Winter, Great-Summer, Great-Spring and Great Autumn.

On Day 9 of the month of Jelly they will see on their map a clear indicator of where to go. As they draw near it will be obvious what they are looking for.

The Overseers

In the centre of each of the sectors there is a large metal tube, hundreds of pipes lead from it, spanning up to the ceiling above and down below, creating a field of pipes and tubes to clamber over and crawl under to reach the central tube. On the tube itself there is a panel, wrapping around it in a circle. The SCA's of the Voidtrecker show an exclamation mark, if they click on them they will see the message.

Reach the panel, enter the inner systems and give your aid.

As Voidtreckers step towards the tubes it will seem as if the world shifts around them. Instead of metal and wire they will see trees. The Great-Spring is a tree in blossom, pink leaves spreading up across the canopy. Great-Summer has strong green leaves, Great_Autumns leaves are brown and falling and Great-Winter has no leaves at all.

The panel is still there, the only part of the scene that doesn't look organic. As the Voidtreckers move towards their goal the tree begins to move, branches fighting against those trying to get through the roots. The aim seems to be to push intruders away, going as far as flinging them back with higher branches.

The branches aren't the only security measures in place. As they push forwards they will find creatures coming at them from the trees.

Strangely the creatures look like creatures from their own worlds, any creature they would expect to see in a tree. Regardless of species they attack with claws and with lazers from their eyes. They don't move far from the branches, but try and stop invaders from getting close to the trunk.

For those that get through they will find that as they draw close to the 'trunk' the attacks stop, as if they have reached an eye of a storm.

Going Further

The panel is a simple glowing screen, there are no instructions but their SCA's will beep softly and if they press their SCA to the panel they will find everything vanishes, the trees, branches and weird animals.

Or perhaps it is they themselves that vanish as they find themselves in a large white room, everyone is together here. No matter what sector they had travelled through and which overseer they entered through.

There are four tubes filled with liquid, pink, green, orange and white towering over them.

"Our systems have been compromised." The four voices ring out. "Heal what has been harmed, destroy what should not be here. Find the source and purge it from our world."

The overseers and the room vanish and the voidtreckers find themselves in a forest, a forest that is slowly being choaked by red sickly vines.

The Voidtreckers themselves will find themselves looking different, almost like the hard-light holograms of the Helpmates though they certainly feel like themselves. They are carrying a sturdy stick but nothing else and depending how imaginative they are will quickly find they can alter their appearance to fit their wishes.

Heal and Destroy

The voidtreckers will find themselves drawn towards the vines, if they touch them they will be able to soothe, a glowing blue light from their hands that runs down the vine before it fades away, freeing the trees that it held in its chokehold.

There are many pathways, many vines and it will be a long task to clear it all. It is not long also before the first threats find them. Threats that look like mongeese, small creatures that will lunge at them, teeth bared and claws out.

Luckily the Voidtreckers will quickly learn the ability to soothe is not the only power gifted to them.

On the Outside

For anyone who does not enter through the panel it will seem like their fellow Voidtreckers have entered a deep trance. The area they are sat around the tree is calm, no threats enter there. But outside that area there are still threats, the branches attack, the animals attack and sometimes Helpmates try to evict those they see from the area, claiming it 'restricted.'

Comments

[xue_yang]

He doesn't trust that it will simply be that easy. Any time anything has messed with his head it has left him more open and vulnerable to whatever is going on at the time. And he hates that.

But he follows Xingchen and makes sure none of the creatures get in their way as they travel along.

"The reason we are here is to deal with what is going on in here. But that doesn't make me want to stay."

[stardustofdawn]

He figured Xue Yang wanted to leave. This planet is really high tech and it's his first mission that he could see what robots look like and he learns how to operate it. "I know. You're here to help out on the mission with the others. I'm just here to help lead the others out and that includes you."

Taking his hand, he leads the way out on the path. He touches the vines to command them to unravel the trees, thereby freeing them and free up the path they're blocking.

"Do you want to go back to the camp? I can take you there and you can rest to clear your head."

[xue_yang]

"I can't just go back to camp. If we don't deal with this then we are going to be stuck here longer." And he doesn't want to be there any longer then he has to be. He wants to go back to the train and hope the next mission is closer to what he is interested in.

But he also knows the angrier he becomes, the less clear he will be thinking. He never does well when he gets angry. He simply gets careless.

[stardustofdawn]

"Xue Yang...we can't go back to the train yet. If you're farther away from this place, then your illusions will clear up."

He squeezes his hand and leads him away from the place, hopefully, if Xue Yang listens and follows him as he touches the vine to release the trees and clear up the path.

When he nears the exit, "This way, we're almost out."

[xue_yang]

He sighs and follows xingchen. He's probably pouting because he feels like a kid being pulled away from a fight. And what makes him feel even more annoyed is not being useful. But if Xingchen wants him to stop for now, then he will do it.

Xingchen is about the only person he will listen to. "all we have to do is push a button and the train will bring us back."

Not that he wants to do that...because the next part of this mission could be the exciting part.

[stardustofdawn]

He is already useful and Xingchen is happy for him that he tries his best. "Yes, I know. Press three times on the SCA and you return. I have to help pack up the camp and clean up first."

Once they're outside, he squeezes his hand gently. "If you're tired and wish to go, I'll meet you in our cabin room. You deserve a rest. You did well today." That's a praise from him and he sounds very proud.

[xue_yang]

He huffs and shakes his head. If he abandons the mission now he would never forgive himself. It was the cowards way no matter how frustrated he is with this place.

"I just need a little while to clear my head and figure out more of what is going on."

[stardustofdawn]

"All right." He squeezed his hand gently again and he leads him to the camp with the tent and campfire set up.

"You can rest here. I suggest you try to meditate too. If you sleep, maybe you can sleep off the illusions."

[xue_yang]

He nods and settles himself in front of the fire. Perhaps meditating really will help him. So he closes his eyes and lets out a long breath so that he can relax.

"I'll try meditating first." He waves his hand towards the spot next to him. "Are you going to join me?"

[stardustofdawn]

He sat next to him, close to the fire to warm up his hands as the fire glows warmly.

"I can join you. You just simply close your eyes and meditate and imagine a light entering to your core."

[xue_yang]

He nods and starts to envision it, trying to relax fully so that he can get back a little of the calm. He is going to need to be focused and not frustrated into order to fight whatever they encounter next.

[stardustofdawn]

He's meditating too, so the glowing light and warmth from the fire helps.

"Do you feel it? Don't try to resist it. Sometimes cultivation can be gentle like a breeze or the flowing waters of the stream. That spiritual energy is your spirit. Just let yourself be carried away and take it easy."

[xue_yang]

"I feel it daozhang." He has had to do way more meditation since being on the train then he did for a long time on their world. It isn't like this is anything new to him. He still had to train his own golden core to be stronger and using the resentful energy took work. Xue Yang was smart enough to know that even if it wasn't the most exciting of activities, it was still necessary.

[stardustofdawn]

He sounded calmer, "That's good. I'm feeling sleepy now, so work on this and think about it."

To check and make sure he is free from the illusions. "Your head...does it feel clear and empty by now?"

[xue_yang]

"Yeah it does...I'll be fine." He'll do this for awhile and then he will go back into the fight. Or he will try to figure out what else they need to do so that he doesn't get trapped in the illusion again.

[stardustofdawn]

He's stubborn if he goes back, but he won't be surprised.

In approval, "Good." And he hands him a cup of tea to go with it.

[xue_yang]

He opens his eyes and accepts the tea, lifting it up to drink slowly.

"Thank you daozhang. Are you going to get some rest?" The man didn't mention he was feeling a bit tired.

[stardustofdawn]

He drinks his tea slowly and pours him and himself another to refill.

Looking thoughtful, "I will. I will stay up a little longer to watch the sunset and the stars. I know I haven't been here for long, but I spent a lot of time thinking and meditating."

[xue_yang]

"I don't think you're going to see any stars or sunset in here, daozhang..." And if it is would it really be real or just something created by this weird place? He doesn't trust it.

"We are inside some big metal tube. It's not that much different from the train except it doesn't move." And it makes you think you are outside when in reality it is all a trick of the brain.

[stardustofdawn]

"At least I could see what it looks like. I was able to see for years." He remarked.

"Real or not, might as well enjoy it. The last world is more interesting than this one." He sets his cup down and he sits for a little while longer to meditate.

"I'm going to sleep. Don't push yourself hard, Xue Yang."

[xue_yang]

"I'll be fine, Daozhang. Sleep well." He's just going to keep sipping at this tea and then when he is sure that Xingchen is asleep then he will most likely go back to the mission and trying to figure out how to finish all of this.

[stardustofdawn]

He slips into the tent. He figured Xue Yang will be up and going on those missions, so he worries for him.

"Mm. Good night, Xue Yang."