bravenewworld | Descent into Darkness

Descent into Darkness

As the characters arrive, they will find what appears to be a rather deep cavern. Upon entering, the caverns are quite narrow, with twists and turns everywhere and different tunnels that all seem to be interconnected. As characters travel deeper within the caverns, reality around them will start to warp, they will start to see and hear things that aren’t necessarily there - images of old enemies, past failures, voices of condemnation, visions that strike at the soul and core of the characters. Once this begins, it will only increase in power and volume, demanding it be confronted, lest they be trapped within these caves forever.

[OOC: This event will run for a week. All characters who enter the caves will be subject to some of their deepest fears, darkest demons, and most abject failures. To overcome them, characters must help each other out, finding their purpose through strength of character and resolve to move forward. In general, these visions should require characters to come to grips with themselves. Illusory images and voices can and will appear and can take any number of forms, depending on what is most appropriate to a character. Additionally, characters may thread with each other and are encouraged to help each other out to overcome these personal demons. For those who wish to take part, they are able and encouraged to narrate their own personal demons, which will be on display for everyone who enters their thread. IC threads may be made in this post.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

And this "lecturer" didn't want to share his knowledge? That seems a bit lazy.

[Waver's - and her own - fear aside, this didn't feel like this was going to escalate into a fight. Even if it did, passive-aggressive insults were never a bad opening move when someone was insulting a person who'd shown her kindness.]

Well, you see, that's not exactly--

[The apprition tutted from somewhere in the shadows, cutting Waver off before he could continue his sentence.]

"In the world of the Magi, bloodline is everything," [he declared in the annoyed tone of an academic who had answered the same question far too many times.] "This is because no one can hope to learn all of the secrets in a single lifetime. A parent passes on the result of a lifetime of training to their child, who will use it as a tool to further their knowledge. It's a principal lesson that everyone in Sanctuary learns early in their life-- except for this foolish child."

[The final words were spat with disdain and annoyance. Waver looked away, unable to tear his eyes from the dirt beneath their feet.

After all, it was the truth. He had nothing to base his work upon, and not even enough funds after selling all of his family's meager estate to gain proper entry to the academy.

Biting his lips to keep from lashing out and causing an even bigger problem for both him and Saber, Waver searched his mind for something to latch upon. This was too convenient-- why would that man be here? Unless--]

"Then again, you were never born to stand in the towers anyway. Were you, Waver Velvet?"

I don't know anything about Sanctuary. I'm not quite sure if I care to.

[Saber stands firm, the sounds of fighting ringing in her head encouraging her now, rather than frightening...which was itself worrying her, but it didn't matter.]

Waver is a good and compassionate human. If he broke the rules of your society, perhaps it's time to let him go and find a place that suits him better.

"What, and have him learn nothing from his actions?" [The Shadow laughed-- a malicious sound, akin to the shattering of glass.] "A magus, no matter how far they roam, will always return to our towers one way or another. We simply can't allow him to keep trampling on our ancient traditions with his dirty feet."

[Waver dropped his gaze, having run out of arguments to confront the esteemed lecturer with. There was no denying the truth in the words that were spat out as if they were poison. Deny it as he might, he knew that he would return to Sanctuary one day. No matter his quarrels with the system, the towers were still the greatest storehouse of knowledge in the known world.

And he......he still wouldn't be privy to any of it.

He shifted closer to Saber and reached out to touch the sleeve covering her arms.]

He's not lying, you know. I'm not that good of a Magus. And, any work I do in Union probably won't amount to anything anyway...

[Saber grit her teeth. It was verging on uncomfortable for her to say this, but she felt it needed to be said.]

Everyone in the world has regrets, I think. About themselves, about the past. If we want to...challenge these regrets, get rid of their torment, we can't let them hold us down.

"This has nothing to do with regrets, my dear." [The apparition clicked his tongue, a sound that could be translated into annoyance or distaste for the words that he uttered, as if he were tossing a lovely and valuable but overall useless trinket into the mud before their feet.] "On the contrary, it has everything to do with decorum and respect. Of which, this boy has none."

[Waver remained silent in the face of the dirt being smeared upon his name; after all, it was the truth. After a fashion.

He would never win any argument over this.]

You're talking about respect with that tone?

[Saber raises an eyebrow, her current favorite technique for using a human face.]

Waver had the courage to go and seize the opportunity to better himself, to better your society, and you still treat him like a child? That level of disrespect sets my blade on edge, sir.

[Saber's own illusions are starting to intrude as she readies her mind for a fight, the area around the arrogant Magus turning into a battlefield littered with shadows that might or might not be the dead. She...knows how battles end, and yet she's still willing to fight one. Eager, even.]

[Unnerved by the sudden shift of scenery from a labyrinthine library to a battlefield, littered with broken blades and the memories of those who fell in puddles of their own blood and lay forgotten in the mists of time, Waver inched closer to Saber until he was all but clinging to her skirts as he hid behind her.]

Be careful, Saber, [He hissed, barely daring to peek over her shoulder at the apparition of his tormentor. This was not a battle he dared to take part in.]

"His actions are meaningless. There's nothing that he can do to actually change five hundred years of tradition-- and his attempts are no longer even interesting to watch."

[Saber scoffs, but doesn't transform. Her ire is up, but she's not going to make the first move here. This human...or whatever...favored words, and she'd fight him on his own terms.]

If there's anything in the world I'm certain of, it's the power of one person to make a change, whether it be Union's Savior or a simple man like Waver. Your denying it doesn't make it untrue.

...You're really sure about that, Saber?

[Waver spoke up quietly, surprised to hear those words coming from the Honedge.]

Because people aren't known to lisen, and there's not too many people who would waste their time training someone without a letter of recommendation.

[She shakes her head.]

Something being improbable doesn't make it impossible. If you have a goal, a true goal, that you're willing to devote your own life to, you can attain it. That's the closest we Honedge get to philosophy, but I believe it to be true.

That...

That sounds like it's as good of a philosophy as any.

[And one that he had been, knowingly or not, attempting to follow in his own quiet little way. There was little difference between an academic's and a warrior's determination; they both strode toward a singular goal that was worth dedicating their lives to.

He looked up, ready to speak up-- only to find the Shadow of all of his fears had vanished. There was still a lingering uncertainty, but somehow he knew that he was on the right path.]

[Saber blinks.]

I know a few ghosts who use that sort of illusion, but it didn't feel the same...

[She turns and faces Waver directly.]

Where to now, Waver?

I think this cave is borrowing things from us, [he muttered quietly,] and it has finite limits. I....well, I've never seen that man fight.

[He shrugged, almost disappointed that he didn't have a chance to say his piece-- but, he had found something better. A friend, and the understanding that he wasn't making a bad choice in his decision to come to Union.]

....there's no guarantee we're going to find anything down here, Saber. Maybe we should try to find our way to the surface again?

[Saber presses her lips together, considering.]

That may be true...but there may still be something to find as well.

[She looks at Waver.]

I don't believe there are any enemies here, and these...illusions might be hiding something important. If you wish to return to the surface, though, I will accompany you.

[He nodded in return, grateful for the offer.]

We can keep going further in. I think I'll be okay...and, we did come down here to gather data for the researchers back in Union. We can't just leave now.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Descent into Darkness

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject