bravenewworld | 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.]

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Lux? Her mind felt muddled. Right, she preferred people call her that over her full name. Somehow that felt like a bit of a dream, the real world falling away in her own mind.

The blond looked up. That voice sounded familiar. One of her handmaidens? "You... did my father send you here?" She held her knees closer to her. "You can tell him that I refuse to come until he calls off this silly engagement."

It wasn't hard for Mami to put the facts together from that. An arranged marriage that her father had made. It was the opposite of how things were done in Citadel for her family. It was strange to consider, but it seemed unfair in the extreme. She hesitated, before she knelt down next to her.

"No, I... we met once before on a trip," Mami said. Did she not remember her? She supposed that was how this place worked. "Your father didn't send me, though. I'm sorry about the engagement."

"A trip?" Lux asked, looking up a bit and tilting her head slightly. Her brow furrowed a bit, and she put her head down again, blue eyes focused on the opposite wall. "You must be mistaken, then. My father would never permit such a thing."

She was lucky if she could go to and from the library on her own. Lux frowned a bit at the mention of the engagement, but stayed silent.

Still, the child considered it for a moment, turning her head toward Mami. "But if it was true... Where did we go? What did we do? What sorts of things did we see?"

At first, Mami hesitates. She isn't sure that explaining Sanctuary to a child version of Lux is such a wise idea. But then she thinks on it for a moment, and considers what she spoke with Lux and later Robin about. She didn't need to speak about Sanctuary specifically. She didn't know everywhere that Lux had been, but she could guess.

"Many places and many things," she says. "You've seen cities -- ones your father doesn't knows exist yet -- and the many wonderful people in them. One atop a great tree, and another in a desert. You met comrades and friends from lands you couldn't dream of."

She smiles at that, but it's sad.

"You've helped people a with many problems. Helped them find their past and secure their future. A great many wonderful things, that you can't quite imagine yet."

Lux's eyes lit up with Mami's words, the young girl looking up with rapt interest. Cities other than Union? Great mighty trees? Large, expansive deserts? She could hardly imagine.

"I did that?" She asked, in awe. It seemed nearly impossible to believe, but she wanted to. Would this woman lie to her? What would she get from that?

"You did. Some times were hard, I'm sure. They always are. But I only came to Union a little after I met you," Mami says. Her smile doesn't falter now. "But the things I've seen, that you helped discover, were amazing. And worth any trials you had to put yourself through."

A pleased smile crosses her lips, and she slowly draws her knees to her chest. She wasn't entirely sure if she believed it, but hearing those words made her feel warm. "I... would like to believe I can do something like that, one day."

She raised her chin a bit, looking toward a window. "I want to see the world one day, and learn everything that I can about it. I want to be able to make people happy. Maybe... be happy myself."

Lux looked toward Mami. "Do you think something like that is possible?"

"I know that you can," Mami answered. She didn't seem unhappy, at least, when they met. And something in there -- the desire to make others happy -- resonated with what Mami had felt many times before.

"You'll make many wonderful friends, I think," she said, "and meet people who will add much to your life. That... I think having them will bring you happiness. I don't know you so well to be certain, but from what I've seen... I think you have many people around you, who will help bring you joy--and help others, besides."

With a small smile, the younger Lux rested her head on her knees, seemingly content. She felt warm inside, hearing Mami's words, and somehow that seemed to at least somewhat break through a bit of the illusion.

The world suddenly painting in more muted tones, the young girl hadn't seemed to notice yet, looking straight ahead. "I want to live like that. I want to live like that right now, but my father... He wants me to marry. He... he would not approve of me leaving. I'm not sure... that I could."

"...mm."

It was hard for Mami to imagine, on several levels. On the simplest, Citadel was a culture of herdsmen and Valkyries. They prized personal freedom. Mami had never had her life set like that, and if she had, she could have taken action to change it. Union didn't have that chance. But, on a deeper level, she didn't have parents to tell her what to do. She never knew what that was like -- if her thoughts on Citadel's culture came from the lack of authority figures in her life -- and she never would. It was hard, for a moment, to relate.

But then, she realized, she could. She was tied to her own duty, after all. She knew that feeling. She had made herself do what she had to many times, because it was expected of an ace Valkyrie. Because it was her duty. Her wishes hadn't -- couldn't --- enter into it.

"It's frustrating," she admitted, softly. "But... we have to do what we think will let us do the most good, for ourselves and others. Does marrying let you live the life you want?" she asked. "The life that would do the most good for you, for the others in your life, and the world?"

"Marrying someone that I love like a brother?" Lux asked, looking up at Mami. Thinking for a moment, the blond shook her head. "No, no it would not. It would make my father happy, perhaps, and Fai's family. But me..."

"Then you shouldn't," Mami answered, gently. She hesitated a moment, before she added clarification. "Maintaining our own happiness... it isn't a selfish act. If we are unhappy, we become distracted -- we become weighed down by that feeling. We have to try, as much as we can, to make sure that we can keep going on. A marriage that you don't believe in will hold you back from what you could become."

"Then what should I do? Should I run away?" Lux looked up, looking unsure. She had tried in the past, but was always found. But perhaps if she had help...

"No, I don't think so," Mami said. "Be firm. Be yourself. When the time comes, you can say no."

Because she might not be able to when she was little. It would be different, when she was older.

Descent into Darkness

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