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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)
Enter the Matrix (D)
Or Caitlyn is fourteen, and she's listening to her history teacher talk about the Rune Wars and the fall of Helia. Entire continents torn asunder, civilizations destroyed, mages who shed their human flesh to take on spirit forms beyond the comprehension of mortals. And that hurts to think about, too.
Or Caitlyn is fourteen, reading an adventure book about an explorer who survived the trek to the base of Mount Targon, and looked up to the peak to see the cosmos. Suns and moons, stars and comets, entire planets dancing in the sky, dwarfing the little world of Runeterra and the littler city of Piltover. No one returns from the mountain with their mind intact, the book tells her. And she can believe it.
But she also finds it all fascinating, in its way. Some small, dangerous part of her would like very much to go to Mount Targon and see the heavens dancing.
Caitlyn is fourteen, and she's never felt insignificant before. How could she, when her family crest is emblazoned on half the buildings in the city, when her mother holds meetings with emperors and kings and queens? But she's only a child, holding a gun that's so small and useless compared to the World Runes, compared to the unknowable power that lies in her world and beyond. Even the forest she's spent so much time running through seems massive and intimidating...
Only it isn't even her forest, she realizes. The trees here are strange, and the plants are stranger. The moss is watching her. And so are the portraits hanging on the trees. All of the same woman.
"Eda?" she asks curiously.
no subject
She pauses in front of one that shows her with both her children in what seems to be a quiet, domestic moment. It's tempting, but ultimately she knows her worries about them are likely to drag her back to the very things she's trying so hard to avoid.
She turns to search further back, to look for something her youth—and her ears prick up at the sound of a voice. Her first instinct is to be upset that someone is here, but she's not sure how much damage someone could do to... this version of her mind. Probably less than Steel's trying to do to everyone's, anyway.
Still, Eda heads for the voice and spots a girl who looks familiar, but not quite the version she's used to. At least it's someone she likes—and, oddly enough, someone who's been in one of her dreams once already.
"...Caitlyn?"
no subject
Eda is so tall.
"Do you know where we are?"
All the portraits on the trees are of Eda, she realizes. Some of them show a girl barely older than herself, with hair that's a shade of red she's never seen on Eda, but it's still Eda. And if these are Eda's portraits, Eda must know where they are.
"Is this another dream? Is this your dream?"
no subject
There's a moment of hesitation at Caitlyn's question, but Eda doesn't really see a point in not explaining. She already knows about the owl beast, and a lot of other things. And there are more important things to worry about right now.
"It's... not a dream exactly. It's my mind. Or some version of it." She's still not sure how much difference that really makes.
"These are memories," she adds, with a little glance at the nearest tree.
It features the young, red-headed version of Eda sparring with a slightly older girl. The stranger has frizzy, darker red hair, green eyes, and glasses; but their bone structure is similar. They appear to be using a mop and a push-broom rather than actual staffs. Eda doesn't look at it for long.
no subject
She frowns down at it for a moment before tucking it under her arm and approaching the tree curiously, staring up at the painting.
"She looks a little bit like you."
no subject
She's tempted to avoid answering, given that talking about her family isn't her favourite subject. But if Luz is anything to go by, that would just get her more questions about her 'mysterious past.'
"Yeah. Siblings are like that sometimes," she says instead, flatly. She seems a little flippant, and tired, but not actually annoyed at Caitlyn.
no subject
She looks around at a few of the other paintings, at the trees they're attached to with their red and purple leaves, and the odd plants growing around them.
"Is this what the Boiling Isles look like?" She remembers the first time Eda told her of the Boiling Isles, months ago. How much she wanted to see an island built on the bones of a giant.
The book tugs at her again, whispering at her to open it.
no subject
"Yeah, I'm full of surprises." Surprises that she wasn't about to elaborate on beyond that, it would seem.
Caitlyn's next question, on the other hand, gets a less guarded answer by far. The curiosity seems to strike a chord.
"More or less. It's what some of the forests look like, anyway." Eda glances around for a moment, first at the trees and plants and then at the nearby paintings, then back at Caitlyn with a thoughtful expression.
"...You wanted to see the place, didn't you? And learn magic."
Eda rests a hand against her chin briefly, before walking towards a portrait that seems to feature her teenage self in a narrow brick passageway, lit by small strings of lights.