Fissures of Time: Ongoing

[voidtreckermods]

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FISSURES OF TIME: ONGOING

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... 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!

Comments

[fennu]

The things that has improved is their ability to communicate - yes, it had taken shouting, and anger, and grief, but all things between them had been much like that. The notion of things getting better without that is not something he had ever really considered, not for a moment.

Jiang Cheng knows himself, recognises his own failings better now as an adult than when he was younger. He is trying, and maybe that would be enough.

In his proper robes, looking a little more fancy than he had been before, he leans over to look at the fruit.

"... Have you seen them both? The two different a-Ling?" He takes one of the fruit, immediately making a note to find both his nephews and Madoka to ensure they get to have them.

Something good ought to come after the horrors of a mission.

[xue_yang]

"They will never know. Once they are dismantled and turned to dust they will get stored away." The little pouch within his robes that also hides his swords will be where he keeps the containers of the poison. As long as no one goes snooping in his belongings then they will never encounter it.

The last thing he needs is the train giving him a hard time for causing problems again. He is going to make sure that everything is prepared perfectly and they don't have a reason to give him a hard time about it.

[blitzcheer]

Well, that was clever. Where can he get one of those?

(By training? pah, nevermind.)

"Yeah-" He's looking at it, he's seeing it, brows raised between being impressed and intrigued. "Yeah," he repeats, this time with more vigour as he looks at Jingyi, and there's a better idea formulating.

"Can you make them flying in the air? I'll track you from ground, and I'll find the people you catch!"

It'd be easier not to mess around with Jingyi moving heights or Tidus hopping on and off. He can protect himself - and Jingyi might be able to see better for the both of them.

"Let's do it!"

[lucklessgege]

"It is hard to prepare for a situation like this." How many times does one say that they required the help of other worlders to fix the fact that reality is going a little wild? But the train people and the people of this world are doing the best that they can.

"Is there anything you think I can help with?"

Not that he has any spiritual energy that can help with much but perhaps there is a way he can support Jingyi in some way.

[weisexual]

He does what he can with just the instrument at first. But then there is just too much to be staying stationary. The sword quickly replaces it as he starts to take care of some of the beings that get a little too close. It is a flurry of movements, fluid and practiced as he uses muscles and skills that haven't been needed since his arrival.

This is familiar and comfortable. Nothing in his expression or movements gives away any sort of unsettled feelings. One always has to stay focused when dealing with any enemy, but especially when the numbers of them are this high. But his focus is still on making sure that no one gets close to the area that the equalizer is being set.

The harder issue is the long distance weapons that keep being fired in this direction. There is little he can do to stop them and simply has to try and avoid a best he can. A difficult task when his attention is being split in so many ways.

[flatteries]

"No, no, you stay like this."

If Inigo didn't sound as serious as he's sounding right now, then it'd be easy to imagine that he was just saying it because he doesn't want to spend even a single second seeing Jingyi naked.. Please, his heart might not handle it. He's already been through so much. Please let him cling onto that very last shred of peace of mind he has, thanks.

"Just prepare yourself to make a big net."

Inigo glances back at him.

"Do you think you're ready for that?" Because Inigo is ready for his part of the plan. He'll get those people here, Jingyi, you just prepare your.. your odd net-making powers.

[blitzcheer]

He's gripping onto Romeo as tight as he can, worried for the boy, but not as much as he would be if he let go. The back of his mind frantically searching for other options, but his hands are slowly managing to round around Romeo's back, to drag him in closer.

Gibbs! He calls out with his heart, desperately hoping on the little guy. There's no looking for him now, pulling Romeo closer to himself, except--

The rain freezes, pausing with it is, a small glowing blue light where the high higgledy is in the air, caught in its thrashing. It doesn't stop the wind, but it gives Tidus a chance to bring Romeo to him fully, cradling him close.

Just now, they have everything else to worry about - like getting through the damn storm!

"Romeo! Can you make us invisible?"

figure ryo can just set it off and then we can wrap it!

[flatteries]

"Might as well try here."

Inigo isn't too sure about the range of these devices.. But if one of them can break up a distortion, then surely it shouldn't matter too much where they put it here, right? The camp isn't even that huge, Inigo thinks as he glances around.

And it sure beats having to fight their way to another spot in camp, especially when they don't even know what spot that would be.

"If nothing else, it should at least influence the people closest to here."

And Inigo can see a few of those. They're not too close, so they thankfully don't bother the two of them, but they're close enough that Inigo is pretty sure he'd be able to see a change in their behaviour if it'd work.

[happyends]

Honestly, he has no idea just how reassuring it is to Madoka to be able to hold that hand. It's the sort of thing she really wanted to do in the middle of this situation, yet at the same time is unable to ask for - because she fears it's too selfish, or that she might get into his way during an important time like this.

But.. behold. It's Wei Wuxian himself who is offering her the hand, without her having to ask for it. So of course Madoka doesn't hesitate to grab it in turn, allowing him to guide her through the camp. Her heart is pounding so hard in her chest that she can hear it in her ears - mostly from the suspense of this situation, from not knowing whether or not they might get attacked while they move throughout camp.

"A--"

She speaks up during the time they're moving, pausing as she needs to suck in a breath.

"A-Are we getting close?"

The tension is audible in her voice too.

[happyends]

She nods at the other. "Thank you, miss..!"

Apparently Madoka does have full trust in Leia, since she doesn't even question how the other will do that, or whether she's sure she can do it. You don't question adults like that, especially when they sound confident..! Or, well, Madoka doesn't, at the very least.

"Let's go..!"

So she nods and starts to run across camp in the direction of the supply tents.

Thankfully it's not like Madoka can run too hard with her tiny legs, so she figures Leia can keep up.

[deferences]

It's more than enough of an answer for Sizhui, who adjusts the placement of his feet ever-so-slightly whenever Jingyi starts hovering. He averts his gaze toward Jingyi's claws then, watching intently, attention redirecting once brilliant blue brightens the ground, forming a net that arcs upward and captures each person safely within its confines. Huh... That's convenient, and with the hand (talon?) gestures committed to memory, he nods.

“Knocking them unconscious may be for the best. That way, they don't possibly injure one another while trapped in the confined space.”

Sizhui's quick to clarify, “I can handle that if you're able to gather other freed ones and keep them contained,” then he hops down, landing just as some butterflies disperse, the remnants of which he uses to his advantage for extra disorientation against their closest attacker; it allows him to disarm the refugee and swiftly deliver a hand-strike against their neck that will leave them effectively senseless.

...only brief problem is steadying them long enough to carefully let them slump down so he can move on to the next one. (But it's fine, nothing he can't handle!)

CW: Violence

[marvelous_murderbot]

It'll take her a moment, as more pile onto her, trying to stop her. Her face contorts, and she reaches up a hand to the one on her back, gripping his chest and simply squeezing with all her might. His ribcage collapses and the sound from his chest changes abruptly.

She'll break free. She'll get there.

She just has to wonder if it'll be too late by then.

sounds like a plan

[fivemilesdeep]

"Okay." It's all the reassurance Ryo needs (the confidence of the blind leading the blind, but nonetheless), and he takes a knee and starts setting up the device. It takes a minute to drag the correct sequence of button presses from his memory - this isn't exactly intuitive for him - but he finally manages it, leaning back a bit as energy washes over the camp.

The noise nearest to them dies down, replaced with confusion, and Ryo looks up at Inigo. "Did it work?" What does he see?

[fivemilesdeep]

"Maybe? I don't know!" He has no idea why this is happening - only that it's chaos and that he really doesn't want to die. The person he'd stabbed hits the ground hard after Kairi's blow - they're breathing, but they're not getting back up, and Ryo darts over to retrieve his knife from their shoulder. He is not doing this unarmed. "Check the tents - there might be people who need help!" He sure would have if Lagos hadn't woken him up.

[fivemilesdeep]

If 'how can someone always be on duty' is the question, the answer is 'have you met Ryo?' It's not a good thing, but it's how he operates in situations like this.

(This is why people worry about him.)

"You already said that-" is about as far as Ryo gets before he sees the damage- or rather, what's left. A scrap of paper on the ground. A small piece of towel, thoroughly chewed.

There's a reason that sheep looks so happy, isn't there.

"...they ate my shrine."

[myblueskies]

Gibbs to the rescue! He's a good friend. Romeo clung onto Tidus as the higgledy stopped the rain for a moment, making their sight clear and letting them get closer, hold tighter.

Romeo's hair is plastered to his hair and his clothes are dripping, Tidus is in a bad state as well and they still need to figure a way out of this mess!

"Yes!" He nodded into Tidus' chest. He took a breath. He could do this! He could make them invisible.

"Tidus! Umbra!" He calls, waiting to feel the spell take place and Tidus go invsible. "Shosoki! Umbra!" He vanished as well.

"Um... It might work on Gibbs... What's his real name!"

Tidus should be able to hear him, if not see him. Luckily Romeo could see Tidus fine since it was his spell!

[myblueskies]

"Oh..." He was staring at the blood on his hand and then up at Madoka and then back at their hands. Very carefully he pulled away the cloth and his eyes widened when he saw her hand. The cut was gone! Healed shut like it had never been there but on Romeo's hand there was a cut, exactly as it had been on Madoka's!

"Wow!" He looked at her in awe. "I fixed your hand!"

He remembers this from Diagad, being able to stop people hurting and taking the wounds onto himself. He hadn't thought he could still do it now.

"Does it not hurt anymore?" He hopes not! His eyes are wide in awe at what he's just done.

[myblueskies]

"Yes! I can lead them there!" He looked at them, fourteen people. "I don't think I can make them all invisible..."

He could try, but he's not sure he's got enough energy. "But if anyone needs help being sneaky I can do it for them, to make it easier!"

And then those who were already good at sneaking could do it themselves! That would be better because he's never tried to make more than two people invisible at the same time before!

"I know where it is though!" He could get them there.

[myblueskies]

"Maybe!" He would think so anyways. "Once everyone got sick on the train and everyone was sad. Normally we are okay but I think we should be careful especially with cuts because the alien bugs can get in really easy."

"But I'll make sure it is clean so we don't got to worry about alien bugs."

[controlsthedie]

Thanatos puts Ryo safely on the ground, making sure his feet are steady, and takes off to the sky once more. His scythe spins into existence. He'll use it to sweep down on enemies, but if they risk getting overwhelmed before Ryo gets the equalizer working, then he'll use his power. Hopefully, that won't be the case since using his power may only create another distortion or attract more of these wretches.

[blitzcheer]

Please, Wei Wuxian. Tidus would watch the affair beside him, if he wasn't attempting to keep the drone airborne. He told Kitty to practice landing it, didn't he? But now that it's his turn (what if he tried on top of a tent, he wonders, perhaps dangerously), he's experiencing the nerves that comes with it.

Rikku would love this more than him. But, hey - he's not so bad himself!

But it turns out he'll need to look, the hand that presents his required addition, but Tidus makes it hang there while he figures if he can leave the drone hovering without any touching. It does - which only brings a certain amount of relief as he lets the control sit on his lap so he can take the headwear, small clicks as the unfolded pieces sit into place.

Now this is a new fiddly job, figuring how to rest it on the side of his face. He blinks at the new screen directly in front of his eye, a perspective he was both expecting, and not. It's the kind of disorientation that might need a minute or two to adjust.

"Always!" But who wants to say that? He's got the controller back in hand, and does a twirl with the drone, for his new vision. Okay, okay, he's got this! "Just lemme find the guy. Lessee... -- want me to bump anyone in the back of the head?"

He's not getting distracted.

[crowneddragon]

Of course, the snicker that escapes him is bright and cheerful, somehow very proud of his friend's accomplishments, even through a retelling. He knows the struggles of living on the road, and the fact that Allen turned it all in his favour by stealing from pirates is all the more entertaining to him. His companion is resourceful, for sure, and he tucks the new sliver of information away.

"Nice one!~" he cheers, bumping his shoulder against his companion's lightly. "Remind me not t' gamble 'gainst you, I'd lose for sure!" Esteban isn't one for gambling to begin with, and he's pretty sure Allen would be able to read him like a book, even if he tried his best to be discreet.

[firewalled]

Rich catches a glimpse of Trunks, and he lets himself feel a bit of relief. He hasn't seen Trunks in a while, though that's probably due to Rich moping for a while. Still, it's always good to see a friend, and especially to see him relaxed. Maybe thanks to Rich? He's hopeful that his talents actually amounted to something.

Once the refugees seem to have settled enough to talk casually, without arguments sprouting up, Rich hops down from the crates he piled up into a makeshift stage and approaches Trunks.

"Hey, how're you holding up? Looks like you kind of need a nap."

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"And see it." Zetta reached out to smack away a branch, not gently. "And if someone's around here doing this," he added, raising his voice to a notch just below a shout, "they better cut it the hell out!"

Re: poi 11

[firewalled]

Everything seems to be a mess, enough that Rich isn't sure who's coming towards him until Alice speaks. His hands jerk, a warbling note coming from the strings on his guitar, but he settles once he realizes who it is.

"Alice! I'm fine, someone just tried to..." He swallows and shakes his head. "Doesn't matter. If I can play more music, I might be able to convince people to stop fighting. It worked in Diagad!"