Descent into Darkness

[bravenewmods]

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.]

Comments

[punchesyu]

What the hell is your deal? [He yells at the Magus, really irritated now. If he didn't already dislike how Sanctuary was run, he really didn't like it now.] So what if he's not some stupid royalty or something? That doesn't mean shit! You seriously denied someone just because of your stupid social class rules?

[He understands that kind of thing. But on the other side, men in Valkyrie culture were not trained to be warriors, but they still could be.]

Who needs you. [He waves his hand dismissively to the Magus.] He can just study on his own.

[untalented]

[Waver blinked, dumbfounded by the conviction that he heard in Yosuke's voice. He wasn't terribly familiar with Citadel's culture and society yet (because there was so much else that he needed to learn first), but it almost sounded like Yosuke knew what he was speaking of.]

--I already am studying on my own, [Waver said softly,] and I've been doing so for a while too!

[The apparition seemed to chuckle-- a low, throaty sound that was bone-chilling.]

"And this is where the problem lies. You know how the Magi feel about children touching their life's work-- Don't think that we don't already know what you've been up to under the cover of darkness.]

[punchesyu]

[He seems unsurprised that Waver admitted to studying on his own. In fact, from how dweeby the guy was, Yosuke almost expected it. What is surprising is what the Magi said next, which makes his eyes widen. He doesn't know what the life work the old fart was speaking of, but what he does know of Sanctuary isn't good.]

Dude...what's he talking about? You haven't been messing around with that Homunculus crap too, have you? [Not that Yosuke is still giving the older Magus the time of day, but it was a question worth asking even if he should of kept his mouth shut.]

[untalented]

What? No! [Waver shook his head, emphatically.] It took me months to mimic a basic Heal Pulse-- and why would I want to mess around with dirty arts like that?!

[The fact that he was questioned about it at all was an insult. He would have argued the point further, if not for the smooth voice of the apparition interjecting once again.]

"Just a Heal Pulse?" [The ring of suppressed laughter echoed in his tone.] "And this is exactly why you're an embarrassment to the community-- you haven't even made an attempt at the art f spellcrafting. What makes you think you can even succeed, at this rate?"

[punchesyu]

[He almost shoots his mouth off to Waver, but it cut off by the elder Magus. Yosuke has no idea of what the standards of spellcasting entails, only that of what it is to be a warrior- something he doesn't think he'll ever reach even with his powers. So the significance is lost upon him, and his glares once again at the old man.]

Shut up! Who gives a shit about your stupid academy and your freaking town! You guys are the embarrassments!

[untalented]

"Are you certain that's a wise question, oh child of Citadel? I recall there being rules not dissimilar to these where you come from."

[Waver's hands were balled into fists at this point, and he clenched his teeth to keep from verbally lashing out at everyone else in the room.]

Just...shut up, [he hissed, closing his eyes so he could shut out the image unfolding before him.] All of you, just...shut up!

[punchesyu]

[Yosuke's fists fall, and his steps back when Waver yells. It silences him, surprised, but he does as he's instructed and shuts his mouth. That doesn't keep him from giving the magus the stink eye, however, unrelenting in showing his annoyance with the older man.]

[untalented]

"Oh?" [The apparition seemed surprised that Waver had raised his voice to such an extent.] "Do you have something to share with the class?"

[Brows furrowed in agitation, Waver glowered at the shadowy Magus with everything he could muster.]

Yeah, [he said, drawing in a deep, calming breath.] Who cares about what the rules are, and who's embarrassing who? I was telling people that this day would come, but did anyone listen? No! So, I'm going to say it again:

[He lifted an accusatory finger and pointed it directly at the man, clearly making the apparition the target of his words and his frustration.]Sanctuary has to change it's traditions, especially now that the walls have come down. Who cares about ancient rituals that have got to be five hundred years old now-- what happened to the techniques from before? What happened to the times when we worked with Caldera to forge the finest weapons seen on the continent? Why is that only restricted to those on the 'inside?'

[He took a deep breath--]

None of it even matters anymore!

i'm so sorry he's not doing much right now

[punchesyu]

[Yosuke moves, to stand next to Waver. Whoever this guy was, it was obvious that it freaked him right out. Someone important, someone who barred Waver's way to what he wanted to do. But Yosuke isn't going to let this old guy boss his friend around, since he has no respect at all for the Magi of Sanctuary. He agrees completely with Waver, staring the Magus down with determination.]

it's okay, we're breaking things

[untalented]

[With Waver's forceful declaration, the illusion started to disintegrate into the very same dust that covered every surface of the library-- but, not without a few parting words:]

"You'll see that it does matter one day, you ungrateful whelp. And, upon that day, you'll come crawling back to Sanctuary and you'll find that nothing has changed..."

[And with that he was gone. Adrenaline spent, Waver sagged onto the ground and buried his head in his hands.]

....Sorry, [he murmured, voice cracking,] you didn't need to see that.

[punchesyu]

Don't sweat it, dude. [He doesn't seem upset, smiling down at Waver. He can tell how badly this affected the other man, and if Yosuke can be anything, it's a fount of support.]

He totally had a stick up his ass! Who the hell did he think he was anyway?

[untalented]

[Waver looked up at Yosuke, uncertain about what to make about the show of support.]

He's only an Archmagus in Sanctuary, and one of the senior lecturers in the academy. He has plenty of reasons to act as he does.

[punchesyu]

I don't care who he is. Just because he thinks what he does about you doesn't make it true.

[Yosuke sort of looks at himself in this regard. He's been told all his life he's pretty much the provider, where the women did the battling. But now, he's grown and knows that isn't necessarily the case. He doesn't understand why it shouldn't apply to Waver too.]

[untalented]

Actually? It sort of is, from a perspective.

[He sighed, a long suffering gesture of someone who has been putting up with this crap for too long.]

People in my family have only had any kind of power for three generations. My mother mentioned off hand a couple of times that my grandmother kept a certain magus company in the evenings, and discovered her own potential that way. Mom never really tried to practice herself-- she didn't approve, for one. So, from the perspective of the older families in Sanctuary, we really don't amount to anything special.

--not that I plan on letting that stop me. That's why I came here, to Union. The rules are different.

[punchesyu]

Well, if you wanted a place to go so you could practice magic, Union was definitely the spot. [It was nice to see that resolve in Waver.] I'm just glad you're not letting that old fart get in your way. That place is totally messed up anyway.

Besides, despite everything that happened over there? I'm glad you ended up in Union.

[untalented]

[He glanced away, as if embarrassed by the offhand compliment, and quickly shook his head.]

Well, it was nothing special. Anything is better than a set of traditions that are so old that they no longer make sense in the world-- and Union looks like the place to be. Everything's changing, and this place is at the center of it....

I think there might be plenty of others coming here from Sanctuary in the future. There's got to be others in similar positions.

[punchesyu]

Hey man, you'd know better than me. That stuffy old magus sure as hell made it sound like there could be a lot of people stuck in your situation.

[He shrugs, trying not to think about how much Sanctuary just bothered him.]

Guess we'll just have to get them all outta there and let them practice in Union. Then we'll see who's the disappointment, huh?