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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)
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They set the toy down, hands on their hips as they quietly thought for a beat. They weren't not considering that there could be something sinister about them. Toys that are screaming out in agony might've been a thing where Raine was from, but it wasn't here. They didn't however, at the moment, feel the need to treat them as an equal threat to the mirror, or to the server room. Unless of course, they were connected to the server room, or the mirrors, or something else in some way. But there was no real way to tell.
"The only other idea I've had after I've done some looking around? I'm not sure is.. anything based in reality."
Raine shrugged, and finally over at Cortana.
"But, why are you so concerned about them? What do you think?"
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She thinks for a moment. "I've also heard about people finding themselves trapped inside machines. I wouldn't put either past Zyrian Steel."
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They'd checked. Plus, somebody else had already explained to them that the morse code was yelling.
"The only other idea I've had, after somebody else explained the morse code to me, was that maybe they were a reflection of something that was happening in the fair. I found nothing."
They put their hands up in an exasperated manner.
"I thought, maybe it's something else Zyrian is up to around here that I can't access. And if it is, there's not much I can do. Unless, of course, I destroy them. But that might make them suffer more."
Raine paused for another moment, they seem a little more frustrated. Not necessarily at Cortana but rather as they moved their head to the side to watch others mess with the robots, they feel something tighten in their chest.
The leftovers of what they'd had to go through in the past weeks- the medallion, Rue, the apartments, the 8Ball, the mirrors. The exhaustion of constant fear and terror, and the infighting in the place that was supposed to be.. relatively safe from the rest.
"Why would I want to do that? It wouldn't solve the problem. I'll just be making a scene."
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"But..." She sighs in frustration. "You're right. I hate it, but you're right."
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Raine occupied their hands by taking off their glasses, wearing the same furrowed brow as they maybe a little more aggressively than normal cleaned them off.
"Anything I can do with my abilities wouldn't help them if they are actually in trouble. You can't scare a robot out of suffering with a violin."
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She's really grown to hate it, hasn't she?
"Violin?" She tilts her head curiously at this. You have her interest now, Raine.
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"I'm a Bard. I cast magic with music. I can use any instrument I want, but I prefer using my violin," Raine explained, and gestured to the case on their back.
"But. Because of my sigil, my casting is restricted. To bard magic. I may be able to draw spell circles to summon small things, like my scroll but.."
They trail off, and idly stare down at the harp-shaped tattoo on their wrist.
"I can't cast magic unless it's with an instrument, and the magic I can cast is only Bard Coven magic. Or my palisman. But.. That's.. a different story."
Namely, their palisman was still their instrument.
"That's not to say my magic isn't capable. It just... works differently here. I haven't completely figured out how to apply it yet."
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"Music..." her sparkling curiosity transformed into a puzzled frown as the explanation continued. "There a reason for that? Does restricting magic make it more powerful or prevent adverse effects?" Everything she's experienced would indicate that it's likely-magic is terrifying-but the way Eda and Raine talk about it suggests that with magic is nowhere near as horrific as the versions she's been subjected to.
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Their expression darkened.
"The sigil brands are apart of the Coven system- nine covens, each representing what, according to Emperor Belos, the Titan.. supposedly deemed to him as acceptable. Not that it has any truth to it. Nobody knows exactly know how they work. They could restrict our bile sack from working properly but each one- except for the Emperor's Coven's- prevents us from using anything except our designated Coven's magic. Permanently."
They paused, realising that anger was seeping into everything- their stern tone, their way their fists balled, the way their jaw clenched.
"But I want to be clear- this wasn't a choice. Not really. It was join, or be hunted and ostracised like Eda was. Join, or disappear, or be petrified if you're caught. Or die. The Emperor stressed coercion."
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"Eda was ostracized for using magic? ...That explains a lot, actually." Like why she was so pro Nia and against restricting avatars, for one.
It also raises a lot of questions. Like, just, so many questions.
"Not that I can blame you, but it really sounds like you dislike this emporer guy. I'm guessing this Titan stuff is some kind of cult? I'd already gathered as much from when I talked with Hunter..." Not Hunter as he is now but as he was before, back when he insisted on being known as the Golden Guard. Not that she actually bothers to clarify this.
She makes a note to ask what a bile sack is later.
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Those were things that Raine wasn't a stranger to saying before, as much as it pained them to repeat the way that their best friend was spoken of.
"I.. don't know if I'd call it a cult. It wasn't just a group of people, it was everyone, almost. Belos was the Emperor for a reason. They started the idea that the covens were the pure way to practice magic."
Raine began to fidget with the hem of their shirt.
"You can.. you can escape a cult, right? You can't really escape an Empire when it's the only thing that's there."
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"The Covenant was a multi-species religious empire hellbent on either converting or destroying everyone else back home and I'd still call them a cult." She smirks. It's a lot more grim than a smirk should be. "Don't want my enemies getting too full of themselves."
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None in sight.
"I was working on fixing things from the inside. Stopping Belos from killing all of us with the spell he.. Somehow found to drain magic. But.. Now I'm here," They sighed, and rubbed the bridge of their nose. "I don't want to even think about how things are going to be when I get back. I have enough on my plate here."
Raine looked back at Cortana.
"What happened after you got rid of the Covenant?"