middleofsomewhere | Fissures of Time: Ongoing

Fissures of Time: Ongoing

FISSURES OF TIME: ONGOING

... POI 10-12

FOR SOME, THE MISSION HAS BEEN MORE MENTALLY EXHAUSTING THAN PHYSICALLY. Distortions sprout around the domain without rhyme or reason, and the camps must be moved every new day to meet them, as well as stopping a distortion from deciding to form under them from their presence.

While there's bare-bones vegetation, at least they have their own resources to help one another, as well as what can be retrieved from the Ministry base during return trips to take misplaced civilians to safety. It's straight-forward so far...

...but that wouldn't be standard for the Voidtreckers, and some in their ranks don't want straight-forward. Starting during the early hours of Poi 10, there will be occasional rumblings throughout the land. They last for a few seconds and then stop, seemingly for hours; but then they return, and as the days go on, so do the tremors increase.

It seems the distortions too have become affected...

THE UNQUIET CITY. (CW: People unable to die/rising from the dead, body horror)

A city of rubble and ruin stretches far out around them, where once there were hills and vegetation. Much of the rubble is still smoking as fires smoulder. The fighting isn't over, heard before it's seen.

It must be connected to the same skirmishes seen in other distortions, and so most of you are prepared to meet warriors on foot and mount. But what awaits isn't only the horror of bloodshed. No: the reason that the fighting still continues even as the city lies in ruin is because fighters fall and rise again, as if death were nothing but a short rest.

Puncture marks litter skin and armour, holes from weaponry and blessed-magic visible in torsos, even the spaces of where portions of one's skull and brain should be.

Yet they cannot stop fighting. They cannot fall to the ground, rest. Whatever drove them to fight this war still inspires them to continue, screaming as much in pain as in some sort of twisted ecstasy. Perhaps they are too shocked to do anything else. A city locked in eternal war, distorted in time, doomed to repeat itself.

It's hard to set the equalisers here. Not much is stable and fights are likely to break out wherever there are people. The people of this city have their factions, but they will not hesitate to band together to fight intruders.

EYE OF THE STORM.

They might feel this distortion before they enter it. A spine-chilling thrill, the feeling one might get at the edge of a storm.

—For a storm it is. The moment they enter it their vision will be obstructed, winds howl around them and rain lashes down furiously making a swamp of the ground below them. It's freezing cold and as they walk they will feel something in the storm. Almost as if there are icy hands, reaching out to grab at them, to pull them further into the worst of the weather.

It's hard to know where to place the equalisers, hard to see where the edges of this distortion are. Easier, not by much, to move further in, to find the epicentre and try and take it down from there.

It's a treacherous journey, but the centre truly is calm, water frozen like crystals. Yet temperatures are dangerously low, so it's in everyone's best interests to set the equalisers quick and get out.

MEAN AND GREEN. As the rumbling continues, there comes a strange and worrying distortion. Worrying, as this distortion can be seen from the outside. A hazy blur that seems to move across the countryside, along the left side of the camp you're stationed at. It gets dangerously close at times, and when it does...

Green tendrils of plant life burst out, entangling people to pull them into the distortion. Or chains of flowers spread from the distortion out across the countryside. Beautiful and colourful in the otherwise sparse environment, but those flowers work as anchors, spreading the distortion, expanding it.

To get rid of it they will need to enter, and inside is a thick jungle of vines and bright colourful flowers awaiting them. The foliage is thick and the air musky and sweet. It's easy to get separated, and getting lost is only a matter of getting turned around. The leaves are sticky and vines move seemingly on their own, curling around unsuspecting limbs, trying to trap people in this colourful paradise forever.

And up in the sky above, a woman's laughter can be heard, the heat of the sun bearing down that becomes uncomfortable quick. But don't look up - you may find a large yellow eye - yellow iris, yellow pupil, golden yellow everything - peering back at you, and find yourself being pulled in by the very ground itself by a powerful force.

NO SANCTUARY. Protecting the camps hasn't been difficult, despite it being a Purple task. Other than rowdy refugees breaking out into fights, little else has appeared to disturb them.

'Eiiiiliiifii.... Siiiiliiifiii...
Merios? Herios?
Don't hide... don't hide...
Everything will be so perfect soon...'

People are woken abruptly in the early hours of Poi 11. If by some special sense, or by a grab at their throat, by a body falling on top of where they sleep, someone else stopping the refugee who was about to take a knife to them.

The refugees have become uncontrollable, raving about wanting 'their Gods back'. The ground rumbles as the woman's voice from the hazy jungle - ethereal, so divine - speaks from below. Grass rises and the sky above burns with a brightness like an approaching sun.

Setting an equaliser will calm the refugees, but only those in the camps. Starting from lunchtime, more warriors and civilians will be found appearing from the distance and from thin air, seemingly knowing where to find the Voidtreckers' camps - and after some very specific people.

Those with divinity, control over weather, nature, and death will be especially targeted, along with anyone who received blessings from the Gods.

OOC NOTES

OOC post. Ask questions here. Let us know about shenanigans here. NPC requests here, set up a thread here. Rewards go here.

TL;DR: Starting on Poi 10, there will be odd tremors around the domain, and more aggressive time distortions. From Poi 11 refugees will lose control of themselves and start attacking Voidtreckers, in and out of the camp.

It will happen abruptly to begin with, but some keen to reading energy will find that it is shifting; like something is breaking in from somewhere else (similar to the time distortions).

Extra equalisers can be picked up from the Ministry base and they will be there to help, but there are also more distortions happening around the domain, so they'll be dealing with those. The Ministry will advise that any non-combatants should stick to the base, and even use the scouting drones to help from afar, if they really need to help.

Undead warriors can be found outside of time distortions, and not all of the people outside of distortions will be 'permanent' people. Equalisers can be kept going for a few hours to keep these people away, but will also need go into recharge/cooling mode.

Don't worry if you're still busy with the Starting log! Or if you've been meaning to tag, jump in here!

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"More often with me than most," Soldat says, a little sourly. They rub their temples briefly, maybe kind of trying to wipe away the ghostly feeling of the Chair coming down around them. "I'm okay. I've had worse memories pop up at worse times."

He kept close! This storm was really bad but he was sure that if they worked together they would get through it!

Those rocks looked like they could shelter from the wind at least so it was a good idea to head to them. Once they were there Romeo pressed up against them, sighing in relief that the wind wasn't stinging his ears anymore.

"Thanks for finding me Mina! We got to find a way to get out!"

Though hopefully their friends were trying to bring the distortion down.

"Oh!" He looked at them, they were an interesting fruit. Romeo hadn't seen them before either. "I can give them out!"

And try one for himself if Ryo said it was alright. They looked very tasty.

He took the bowl with a grin. "I'll make sure everyone gets one!"

All the kids from the distortions were bound to be frightened so some tasty fruit should help get their spirits up! He skipped off, fruit held carefully so he didn't spill any.

"Mister Tidus!" And Gibbs! He was relieved to be found, even more relieved to be found by some good friends like this!

He stepped forwards, through the rain towards them when he felt something behind him. A hand, cold and icy on his shoulder, pulling him backwards, further into the storm.

"Ack! LINE!"

The borderline just spins right through the stormy hand, doing nothing to stop Romeo being held in the swirling storm.

"Let me go!"

"I will sir!" They were a team after all and it was important a team sticks together and makes sure they are all alright. "You shout too if you need me!"

He rushes off into the tent, calling for people to follow him, helping people up off the ground, encouraging those who seemed a little nervous or frightened.

It was a very frightening time but it was important everyone kept their spirits up and did their best!

He darted in and out tents, glad to see Estaban every few trips, glad to see he was alright. He knew the other man was frightened too, grown ups got worried too a lot of the time. So he made sure to reassure him whenever they met up.

"I found four more people!" Or "I heard some people gathering over there!"

Soon enough working together they managed to clear a whole bunch of tents.

He would do his best! He always did his best but especially when his friends were hurt! And Madoka really was hurt, there was a lot of blood and her whole hand was red now. That was really worrying!

"You are being so brave, Madoka!"

She wasn't crying or even pulling a face even though it must hurt a lot! He dipped the cloth in the water and began cleaning her hand, finding the cut under all the blood. When he did he dipped the cloth in the water again and pressed it to the cut. He knows you have to put pressure on a wound to stop it bleeding!

"Tell me if I press it too hard, Madoka!"

"Okay! I'll clean it up for you! Because if you don't clean it bad bugs will get in it and make you sick."

Being sick was no fun, not at all. He found some water and a cloth and began heating the water, it was better if it was warm!

"When it's clean we can wrap it up and then it will get better."

"Net? Like a real net?" Was this a magic of his own, or just a place he was hiding an abundance of actual netting? Unless his mop of a tail counted as such - either way, Tidus isn't against a less painful tactic.

"If you can pull out something I can touch, I'll try and make the spell work!"

He's not sure if they're on the same wavelength, but relying on an object is always safer than his own hand.

(Is he going to end up accidentally knocking himself out just once today? Absolutely.)

It's a comforting gesture, one that Tidus easily recognises; the kind of support from a teammate in a blitz game. He's trying to steel himself for what he's witnessing, the faces of people (what's sometimes present, not always is). He's gone up against people before, as much as he would've avoided it, but this is- this is something else.

And raising and pointing the weapon in his hand is difficult, so for as short a time it's out - it's gone again. His stomach is a sinking pit, but he steels himself, brings in his hand to conjure a spell.

"Fiends I can deal with," he grits through teeth, "not-- dead people!"

And he unleashes a thunder spell, a spark of a bolt appearing above head and down on the ground that some warriors try to step into. It catches one and knocks them back, not entirely off their feet, but it does delay them and the other with them, making them easier pickings for Soldat.

"This is sick!"

He's said as much already, but he'll say it again, whatever helps him feel like he won't burst inside out.

we already told you amar doesn't have legs

"I can't believe...a living pillow..just attacked me!"

This is the lament as Tidus struggles to get himself back up. But there's an added difficulty here than just from getting bulldozed by our favourite ball of wool: it was the misfire of his sleep spell. A sleep spell that needs a target, that he should technically conjure into an item other than his own hand.

Usually, it isn't a problem. The person he's helping to go to sleep isn't in the middle of a battle!

But this isn't a usual nor common occurrence. And so as Tidus manages to get as far as his knees and hands...

"IIihhhhh..."

The world isn't wooloo, but it sure is woozy, his limbs turning to jelly and his eyelids weighing heavier. Let's just...let's just lower back onto the ground.

...

...

.....ssssnzzzzzzzzz.........

"ROMEO!"

Tidus springs forward when he sees Romeo pulled back, but something catches at his foot and he falls, Gibbs bouncing and rolling with a squeak. The rain returns to splatter them, fingers tugging at Tidus's own shirt, yanking at him as he struggles to find his feet when he can barely see where he is.

"Hold on," struggles out, too low, but rising as he does back on his feet. "Hold on!"

Pain tears into the sides of his arms, stings he refuses to look at, unguarded without a hoodie or else to cover them. But all Tidus has on his mind is Romeo, reaching for him and grabbing for him, willing to tug of war at the kid, so long as he can get his arms around him, pull him to his body and be a shield around him.

"L-let--go of him!"

Magic, tricks can come along in a second - but he wants Romeo first, to get him safe.

"How long have you had this..." She nearly used the word 'gift', but she wondered if that was appropriate. "Ability."

The flying part she could understand, after all she'd inherited her father's shadow kick, and of course the Cage green halo was of her own energy as well, so that could just be an extension. Growing sensitive enough to pick on other forms of energy though, that was a new one for her.

Or perhaps it wasn't even related; Sonya figured the 'ability' could've just as easily been honed through experience.

“A-agreed…” Mina said. Fighting the pain, she stood up and grabbed Goligan, sliding him between her sword’s scabbard before shouting at Najaran.

“Najaran, STOP!” She shouted again. She rushed at her, pulling her into a bridal carry and used her super speed to rush off away from battle. “Najaran, calm down!”

The idea of dismembering a corpse should've disgusted her. Looting for supplies she could understand the dead didn't need boots or weapons or anything of that nature (so long as personal belongings were reserved for next of kin), but destroying a corpse when it had already been through hell seemed disrespectful, even if it was for a purpose.

But they were here, and the corpses could possible become more active; might as well cut them up. She told herself it would've been no different than an autopsy.

"You have anything to wrap them up in. Pretty certain a number of others would disagree with having a trail of broken corpse bits on the train."

“Hey, what are friends for, Romeo?” Mina said, glad for the relief the rocks provided. “Don’t worry, big sis Mina’ll watch over you!”

A brief pause before adding “Well, tiny-sized big sis Mina?”

He understands enough about different worlds to listen to the whole explanation. Demons seems to be their word for a powerful being. Powerful beings that exist through belief like gods and such.

He tilted his head. "I... A little. It will take a while before I recover but it is something I am used to, I know how to handle it."

Being in the fresh air certainly is helping. "Um... You are cursed?"

He didn't move. He can't move. There's blood and he can feel a fever starting but mostly he is just sad. Sad and scared and he can't explain anything to Xion...

He can't even find the presence of mind to ask her questions, ask where her corridor will take them. Her fear is still feeding his and he has to try and get it under control.

He don't fight if she drags him though.

Jingyi often required certainty. It was something Taiki found difficult. He isn't a certain person. Confidence is not an easy thing for him but he can understand why Jingyi needs to know. He needs to know if Taiki can make the journey.

"Yes... I... Yes. I will."

He's used to pushing through blood sickness. To not letting himself collapse until it is safe to do so.

He smiles back, it's a tight, worried smile but a smile nonetheless. He trusts in Tidus and knows that he will keep the roots and vines back as Taiki works on the equaliser.

He works as quick as he can, fingers pressing buttons as he places the machine in the right place and adjusts the controls. It begins to hum, so far so good... He can see Tidus being rushed by the vines and wills the machine to hurry, holding the controls still.

At least until a vine wraps itself around his ankle, pulling him backwards. Taiki tries to wriggle his leg out, holding onto the equaliser, trying to keep everything in place.

It is awkward and Taiki doesn't really know how to navigate it. He knows Inigo feels bad and he doesn't want him to feel bad but all his usual strategies for cheering Inigo up involve touching him, which will probably make things worse.

So he focuses on building the fire up and putting the soup on, stirring it with intensity.

"Would you like tea as well? I think we have some. Or um..."

If he can't hug him then he will feed him.

Taiki had managed to get back, shower and sleep. He had been sensible, showered before he had went into his cabin, not taking his clothes into the cabin. Everything inside was as blood free as he could manage.

With the train so quiet and empty he had slept a long time and though he was still feeling feverish he felt a lot better than he had at the camp. He's mostly worried. About his friends, about everyone in the camp.

What had happened? Why had the refugees attacked? He has many questions but doesn't want to bother anyone when they must all be so busy figuring things out and helping fix the mess that had happened.

He's very glad to hear Tidus' voice and he moves quickly to the door, or as quickly as he could with shaking legs. The door opens with a press of a button and he is basically falling into his friends' arms, glad to see them and needing to hold them, to check they really were alright.

"Taik--" The name isn't finished as the other young man collapses against him, close to both him and Inigo. His heads are ready around him though, a rising worry as he inhales. He's not touching any particular part of him, but heat radiates off Taiki in that tell-tale way. That way he mostly does after a mission.

"Hey hey, it's okay, we've got you-" Tidus turns his head to Inigo, glancing at Taiki in a meaningful way and then nodding towards the room. Will the silent bro communication work? Will he understand, help me get him inside?

"--Let's get you back into bed. We're coming in. Eaasy does it; we're going together."

With maybe some shuffling and awkwardness, but that's alright. It should take too much to into the room, Tidus holding Taiki around the shoulders and another hand holding an arm.

"Trunks taught me how to do it," Cassie says.

"I bet you could do it too, with some practice."

That managed to get something of a smile. Patrol duty was never meant to be fun, but too much stress or boredom could cause troops to become lax; so talking with Cassie like this wasn't exactly being lazy, it was just keeping alert.

"How much practice?" She always fingered 'chi and energy' readings..or abilities in general were more for other warriors. Perhaps not the most practical in their line of work, but she always prided herself on 'not' needing them, that it was her own skill and adaptability that allowed her to survive.

But she knew well enough that in this area, adaptability worked both ways.

"If it means years of practice, when we don't know if we even have a month, might have to decline."

"I ended up in command of my childhood best friend, so I guess it balanced out."

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Fissures of Time: Ongoing

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Re: Eye of the Storm

wrap!

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Re: No Sanctuary

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Re: Eye of the Storm

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sure!

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