![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
apocalypsehowmods) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
apocalypsehowcomm2023-06-16 07:57 am
Event - The 25,000 Light Year View
The atmosphere in the lower level gym at ADI headquarters is… tense, to say the least. Nia, Neil, and Rae are present with the rest of those remaining at the organization (or willing to come when called by Neil and Rae for a final statement) seated in benches and chairs that have been dragged in. It's not the usual, orderly meetings that some might have gotten used to for mission briefings.
Neil speaks first. "Thank you, everyone, for coming in. Lot's been happening, but we've come to… an understanding about where we need to go. The artifacts that were in the Vault have all been accounted for or noted as destroyed in some manner with a few exceptions. We're still chasing- ADI is still chasing those down with help from anyone who might want to give it. Won't pretend this is going to be a kumbaya moment, so let's get down to brass tacks. There's an apocalypse on. Whatever this organizations stands for now, its original mission was to uncover and stop those. That's still my mission."
"Mine, too," Rae chimes in.
"It's one we all share," Nia adds.
Neil nods before continuing. "So, we stop this, and we go our separate ways. I'll be leaving ADI and starting my own organization. We've seen a large number of threats in the Appalachian region and a lot of folks heavily impacted by decisions ADI's made. I'll be taking my organization there. Already been in touch with our- with ADI's field agents in the region. Some will be joining me. Along with a certain newsperson who keeps sniffing around. We'll do what we can to do right by the people who've been hurt most. That's going to be our focus. Support and security. We're not feeding the Hunt anymore by running down threats."
Rae steps up next. "And I'll be going where I need to. Lot of threats out west. If you're looking to do some good that won't be working for the Hunt… maybe think about heading that way."
Nia is the last to speak. "And I'll be staying here in Gloucester. ADI will be staying. And I will be its final Warden. We're stopping Zyrian, then we're figuring out what the hell is going on with Dogtown to get all of you people from other worlds home. Or at least stop anyone else coming in. After that? I'm out. What happens after that is still in the works. But Neil's agreed to stay in touch to help with everything… once I'm gone." There's a flicker of emotion across Neil's stoic expression. Regret, frustration… grief. "But right now, we look to Wolf Trap. I-"
There's a pause, and Neil and Rae look to Nia in concern as she puts a hand to her temple. She recovers, though. "Huh… We look to Wolf Trap, Virginia. We'll have buses to get everyone down there. We'll be arriving just as Copernicus' launch of the New Horizon's project is underway. That's where Zyrian Steel's going to do his ritual. We need to find the server rooms at the event. Those are important."
Rae squints at Nia, "You sure?"
Nia nods. "Yeah. I'm real sure about that. It'll be dangerous, though, and that's not the- it's not the only threat that's gonna be there."
Neil's looking wary. "Nia?"
"There's something else. The Web? It's not just the Vast that's involved in this, I don't think. It would make sense, right?" She shakes her head. "We'll be facing multiple Entity threats down there, not just the Vast. And I'm sure Zyrian's gonna kick the ritual off on the last day, once he's had time for-for something… not sure what. But he's a dramatic bastard, if nothing else. And timing's everything."
Neil and Rae exchange uncertain looks before Neil speaks up again. "Coming is voluntary, like always, but we'll want boots on the ground to cover as much ground as possible. They'll be holding the biggest events and productions at the Filene Center stage. But we're expecting tech booths scattered all throughout the park. Be on your guard."
"And bring a gun," Rae advises.
(click the map for a larger version)
Elidibus | Final Fantasy XIV | OTA
[I. Wired - The Drive for the Salvation of an Army of Toys (And it's not even Christmas) ]
Elidibus slowly works his way through the wonders of technology. Most, easily enough to avoid the temptation of testing for the sake of the mission, though there is a pause to regard the tiny robots and their repetitive messages that 'voice' the pain and need for succor.
The Children's Theatre-in-the-Woods. What an irony. If only they could hear the voices.
So few are bothered, moving about their lives either unable to understand the morse code or otherwise oblivious to the message. The resurgence of his gifts, thanks to 'feeding', has reawakened his universal understanding of language with the intent to communicate.
You may catch him as if briefly frozen with uncertainty, looking toward the display of parts and bits waiting to be assembled and the excited faces of those who have partially or completely built their own little 'friend'.
The man's hand is clenched and he would be surprised- shocked even- to have it pointed out or discover on his own that it is so tight as to have left welts from his nails against the base of his palm. But it clearly is.
Just as Elidibus is mentally caught by the calls seeking salvation. Why does he care? Or is it just a memory spurred by an analogy to how his brethren called to him?
But even more shocking may well be just how far astray he's been drawn from the center they all seek. Perhaps someone can shake him out of it or the passing by of someone will drag him back to his senses?
[II. Wired - The Server Maze, Copper Danger Noodles, Spaghetti Code Alert, You'd Think a Sword and Shield Fantasy Character Would Not Be Found Here. And You Would Be Right To Think That. But Final Fantasy Says You Are Also Wrong. ]
In the passages of the server maze, Elidibus has shed modern earth attire. To be replaced by a white robe might seem to be a step backward in practical responses to reaching wires and copper snakes and yet his movements are as smooth as those that would be unfettered by loose garments. A deceptively simple red mask hangs near his chest as if ready to be worn.
This meant he didn't have to be burdened by a cumbersome backpack, giving his body less restriction of movement. It would be easy to wield sword and shield he conjured temporarily. Without sunglass to hide his unusual eyes, the blue glow is in sharp contrast with the environment's dim light. The man is not worried about what the civilians will see here.
Sword and shield seem quite fanciful but the former's sharpness and function is knowable with how easily he slices through snake and wire alike. Elidibus is clearly no stranger to the martial form and seems to have an uncanny sense for where the copper snakes are underneath the piles of wire they sneak through.
You may find him considering whether - and how - to free one that has succumbed to the wires. Perhaps cooly walking away from someone already long entangled or pausing over the body of someone that doesn't seem to have been trapped as long. A familiar face? A stranger? Will it only damage the mind if he were to act? Elidibus wonders. Perhaps distracted by the fascinating temptation on occasion to find out for certain regardless of what the effect on the victim or the need to use his personal reserves here rather than on the goal of stopping the beating 'heart' of this edifice.
But the encounter could be a little more mundane... if anything in between the racks of servers could be considered such. The sweep of a blade to cut through wires about to ensnare as Elidibus turns a corner and makes a timely arrival.
"Take a moment to find your bearings. I will stand guard."
Or likewise, finding him encircled by snakes that he seems to be slowly dealing with, yet would certainly not turn away a helping hand about.
"My thanks."
[III. Wildcard]
[Elidibus will be in various places but ultimately ends up at the end of the server maze to encounter Steel's real body with Cortana and Yelena. Other than that theme, everything goes!]
I.
Even if putting the little robots together actually looks kind of fun, to be honest. Any other time she might actually try building one. As it is, she's just curious whether there's anything off about them.
She hasn't spotted anything herself, but she can't help noticing that one of her co-workers looks upset. It takes her a moment to remember his name, but she remembers meeting him at the festival, and seeing his little pamphlets around. Raine said something about talking to him, too.
"Hey. Are you... good? Something up here?" she asks, gesturing at the little machine toys.
no subject
"I... don't know," Elidibus answers. He recognizes her and perhaps with a little less effort can remember her name. Eda. It's come up again more recently than the festival, when he spoke briefly with the person named Raine.
His gaze is finally fixed on the little robots again. But he's more aware and also nods slightly at the nearest of them.
"They seek salvation. I hear their cries. Yet... I find myself at a loss for what to do. Or whether I should do anything at all."
no subject
"You... sure about that? I don't hear anything," she muses, though her glamoured ears twitch as she leans closer.
"Unless all that clicking means something," she adds. Then again, it's also possible he's just genuinely hearing something she can't; people here can certainly do much weirder things after all.
For the moment, she seems more curious than actually concerned.
no subject
"It is a language and there is intent behind it."
It is certainly fleeting and ephemeral in a way, but the 'words' come through clearly. It doesn't appear to surprise him that Eda doesn't understand or hear what he does. And Elidibus does seem to be recovering himself and getting his emotions in check. Only now does he notice his clenched hand, opening it and turning the welted palm upward for inspection. Then he once again looks to the woman.
"It seems I have troubled you." His expression is calmer. "I apologize for my lack of decorum. Thank you for your concern."
Let's pretend it didn't happen, yes.
"Have you discover aught in your wanderings?"
no subject
Well, curious as she is she's no stranger to pretending to be fine. She might circle back, but for the moment she moves on without a fuss.
"Honestly? I'm not sure. There's plenty of weird stuff that seems like it's probably cursed, like those mirrors," she begins. She's not in the mood to mess with those much herself.
"And some weird advice... but not Steel or--where he's gonna be testing his whole thing from."
no subject
It may very well be easy to get back to that topic.
"Everything should be considered suspect here." Even the laughter of children. Or a cry for help. Elidibus then hears something of interest from Eda.
"Advice you say? May I inquire about the nature of it?"
no subject
"It was... someone who says she also wants to stop Steel. But I'm not sure that whoever she was she's actually on our side, either." Because, well, everything is suspect.
She's been turning the conversation over in her head as she explores; it could be a waste of time, but then again so could any other lead.
no subject
"An outsider to the ADI's organization or our own number?" Color him intrigued enough to give it further thought. But as much as he'd like to find this person and find more about them, he's not sure if he has the time himself. The priority is stopping Steel.
And perhaps these robots? There's his attention again, straying to the nearest clicking sound. He might sound like he's entirely focused when talking to Eda (in a sense he is, being quite capable of multitasking), but his gaze suggests a different story.
"I understand your concern. Enemies may be temporarily aligned to a common goal against a mutual conflict, it does not necessarily mean they are any less enemies during that time."
He seems to pause and refocus, bringing curled fingers to rest against his chin with contemplation.
"Though it is not certain this person you met was an enemy at all? It would be worth learning more of them regardless. What was your impression?"
no subject
Eda glanced at the robots again herself, still not sure if there was really anything to worry about in regards to them.
"My impression was they think they know more than us, and they think it's funny. And that they're working for something." After all, 'part of a glorious whole' had implications, even if they were vague ones.
"But they wanted to see Steel's plans collapse around him and they think that would be funny too. Which I can't argue with." It would be, especially after how patronizing he'd been.
II.
Mercy's first weapon has always been her dirk, in spite of her efforts to learn Garner's glaive. It's that blade that she has with her now, an equally anachronistic artifact amongst the gleaming copper and complex collection of wires. Her strike had been quick, severing one of the snakes in half before moving to place her back to the other man.
"I been cutting through these snakes and wires for what seems like hours. Don't think I'm getting nowhere fast, specially not for some of the folk I seen caught up. How about you, sir?" His more ethereal appearance doesn't faze or frighten her in the moment. They are on a mission and any extra firepower he might have would be more than welcome.
no subject
Perhaps he has developed some fondness for his fellow otherworldly travelers. But also it could simply be a result of so long in the maze and finding only squirming and succumbed victims to the machine.
"I too have been here for some time. If indeed I may trust my sense of its passage."
The space itself is strange and vast and might well be liminal in some respects. Who knows how much time truly passes in the 'real world'. Elidibus doesn't stop striking at their foes. Many of the snakes are a risk during their death as much as 'alive'.
"I am searching for the path through. Though I fear my skills are impeded by the constant efforts of the enemy to ensnare me." After a second's pause he adds a pointed.
"One approaches to your left."
It is not at all visible, this particular snake. At least until there's just a sliver of coppery wiggle under the camouflage of wires that may have been missed had Elidibus not drawn attention to it.
With his back turned. There are certain advantages to having even some of his potential returned and it is a mercy, if you excuse the pun, that Mercy is pragmatic about it.
"Have you attempted to free anyone from the machines' embrace?"
no subject
"Don't know there is a path through. Or even back. Not unless we can figure out some trick they got here." Mercy shakes her head and lashes out at another snake she sees trying to sneak in from some of the higher servers. "Tried pulling a few folk out of the wires, but all of 'em are... it's like their bodies is there, but their souls is fled. Corpses who ain't died. I don't know what to do with that."
Kill them to end the misery? It would seem a kindness, but Mercy hadn't been able to bring herself to do that without verifying there was no coming back.
no subject
"There is a way forward and one to return, for now." Elidibus is at least confident he can trace his way back and that he has made progress even if he can't see more than a little of the way at the time. And with the added difficulty of being fettered by combat and cost of power...
Well a step by step. If he were to rush, then he would fall and lose all he had gained. Patience is more than a virtue; it's a downright necessity.
"Then it would be best to leave them be for now," Elidibus offers. "If their souls have been drawn elsewhere, what path remains for their simplest return may lie in those wires."
The timbre of his deep voice suggests a confidence that matches his knowledge of where that snake was underneath the tangle of wires. He has seen souls pulled to other worlds while still attached to their physical bodies.
He has aided souls travelling to other realities. But the method he knows is not easily applied to bringing these captive souls... ahem souls back home for a lot of reasons. Even if it would work at all.
So it's best they remain 'connected' to the same path that was probably used to remove their awareness to another place if they can come back at all.
"I do not have the resources to divert my attention to confirming they remain tethered. But so long as the body functions, the souls should may have some chance. Is there aught else you have discovered worth mentioning?"
At least that wouldn't be exceedingly obvious two minutes upon entry to the server maze.
no subject
Elidibus speaks of tethers, and Mercy can't help but imagine the souls themselves bound to the copper wires. Are the snakes they're fighting confused and terrified people? It won't stop her parrying one and then slicing it in half, but it makes things rather more grim.
"It feels like I'm getting farther when I crush those little..." She looks quickly over her shoulder to check what's in his sight line. "There! See 'em tucked away down the lane?" There are small, silver baubles amongst the wires. "Fewer snakes turn up. And it just feels like I'm doing something right once I've crushed 'em. Don't know if that's true or just a feeling, though."