Add [ 𝙼𝚊𝚍 𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚡 ] (
subtract) wrote in
thenearshore2018-01-03 05:27 pm
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[CLOSED]
Who: Add, Rin Okumura, Zelda, Oscar, Lenneth... and more TBA!
Where: The depths of Henir's temple
When: October 1st through the 2nd
What: Doing science on the spooky chaos temple core was never a good plan.
Warnings: Various degrees of mind control/manipulation, existential horror, and at least one death. Will update as needed.
Once the formal party is over, Add is already back at his temple making preparations. A pair of messages are sent to his "assistants" to ensure that they're aware of the date—a simple reminder and directions to his temple, along with the slightly ominous "Knock first, I'm not chasing you down if you get lost."
The outside of the temple is looking especially unkempt and overgrown today, but if Add's instructions are followed the door will open up into a wide dark space, blue cubes floating aimlessly about. Star-like lights glitter distantly in the abyss, occasionally blocked out by drifting dark shapes. Even further beyond that is a giant blue orb that never quite seems to stay in the same place. It's hard to miss, at least, but trying to gauge how big or far away it is might give you a headache.
Gravity appears to "stick" to the surface of each cube—any surface—but only as long as you remain in contact with them. So, get used to floating around and jumping between them. The meeting point is at the largest cube near the centre of the cluster, as per Add's directions.
Where: The depths of Henir's temple
When: October 1st through the 2nd
What: Doing science on the spooky chaos temple core was never a good plan.
Warnings: Various degrees of mind control/manipulation, existential horror, and at least one death. Will update as needed.
Once the formal party is over, Add is already back at his temple making preparations. A pair of messages are sent to his "assistants" to ensure that they're aware of the date—a simple reminder and directions to his temple, along with the slightly ominous "Knock first, I'm not chasing you down if you get lost."
The outside of the temple is looking especially unkempt and overgrown today, but if Add's instructions are followed the door will open up into a wide dark space, blue cubes floating aimlessly about. Star-like lights glitter distantly in the abyss, occasionally blocked out by drifting dark shapes. Even further beyond that is a giant blue orb that never quite seems to stay in the same place. It's hard to miss, at least, but trying to gauge how big or far away it is might give you a headache.
Gravity appears to "stick" to the surface of each cube—any surface—but only as long as you remain in contact with them. So, get used to floating around and jumping between them. The meeting point is at the largest cube near the centre of the cluster, as per Add's directions.
no subject
That's the portal? That swirling, incoherent mass that sets her every instinct aflame? That's supposed to be their way home?
... She should have known better, she thinks, fleetingly. She should have known it could never be this easy. But she was blinded by her desire, her desperation... just as she had been seven years ago. How truly, truly foolish of her. She allows herself a moment of mourning for the hope she held, then swallows her resolve.
It's time to end this.]
... Ancient creators of Hyrule!
[Her voice rings out across the void like a bell, clear and commanding for all who might hear it. The light of her magic, once concentrated at a point on the back of her hand, now radiates from her entire being as she prays, shining brighter and more ardently with every passing second, as if her body can barely contain it now that she's decided to unseal it.]
Hear the prayer of your chosen! Hear the prayer of the blood of the White Goddess! I beseech you, lend me your power!
[She burns like a sun against the darkness of the core, for that brief moment its equal and opposite in every way. There's no way to tell if the Golden Goddesses hear her desperate plea, so far removed she is from their sacred land, but as she lifts her hand, the symbol of the Triforce is emblazoned onto the nothingness above her, glowing a molten gold in stark contrast to the pitch blackness that surrounds them all.]
Now, Kageki!
[Then-- she begins to move, pushing towards the edge of the void with as much speed as Oscar can muster. And with a cry, she concentrates her power into a beam much like the one she blasted the core with when they were still on this outside, this one obviously a much more potent force than the previous. Before, she still had hope of being able to control and contain the core's energy, but now...
If she breaks the damn thing, so be it. She only has one chance at this.
This power is hers to wield as she chooses.]
no subject
Zelda must have presumed the same thing. He sees that brilliant light consume her, and it cuts throw the darkness like a knife. Yet, she focuses her power to the outer parts of the orb. Maybe she's abandoned the plan, and decided to bore a way out of the core? If their predicament has come to this, then...was it the right time to use that override code, or was it already too late? There's no time to debate, Rin just shouts it out.]
Dynamo! Code: Paladin!
no subject
[The sudden gathering of power behind her draws her attention, and she turns slightly to see what in Asgard's name is going on back there.]
...Is she resisting?
no subject
The core is suffering, and he can feel its powers being drained away every second that light is allowed to exist. It's enough to make his smile drop into a cold glare, turning his attention away from the portal.
Allowing Zelda to enter this holy place was a mistake. If she lets her do as she pleases, she'll ruin everything. The light burns, and the grasping tendrils of the darkness can't touch her, but there's a gap in her armour. Add reaches out to it, drawing on the full power of the void to converge on that single point. He must stop her.
The darkness swirls around her and surges forward, travelling up the shadows cast by her golden light to cling to Oscar's vessel. The protection Add bestowed on them before is off, and the void bites and claws at the fibre of their beings with an intense fury. If it can't snuff out the light by drowning it in darkness, it'll tear out her traitorous shadow to stop his interference.
Add is so focused on neutralizing Zelda that he almost doesn't notice the command being called out. Dynamo shudders in response, three of them abruptly cutting off power to the orb and shaking against the darkness' hold. Add is now scowling as he turns his attention back to the orb, giving Zelda a chance to breathe.]
... You don't trust me. [His voice is cold and detached, but there's a pang of hurt in it as well. Not just Zelda, but now Rin too? He glares at the shinki as the shadows around him start to tighten, not enough to cause harm but certainly enough to prove just how in control Add is right now.] You never should have come here. You could never understand how important this is, you don't even have a world to go back to. You can't make progress without taking risks. I'm not going to lose this chance!
[He's lost half the output of his dynamos, but he turns to the orb again anyway, focusing more and more on all the power he can reach. He doesn't need dynamo for this. The coordinates are already set, all he has to do is will the void to bend to his whims. He tightens his hold on Lenneth, the shadows wringing her out and grasping for more power in any place they can reach. He needs more, more...
The edges of the space around them seem like they're starting to shrink, the orb growing ever larger as it sucks in everything around it.]
no subject
All her hopeful thoughts are cut off by sudden and excruciating pain. Zelda screams, wordlessly, in abject agony as the shadows pry at her mind, her soul, her very existence, her light sputtering and flickering as she struggles against the icy bite of the core's wrath. It's only because she's so self-disciplined that she's able to maintain any kind of focus at all, that her light isn't extinguished then and there. This is the kind of pain that leaves men hollow shells of themselves, she imagines.
It stops, eventually, after what feels like an eternity, and Zelda does indeed takes the chance to breathe. Something... is happening down there, between Rin and Add, but she can't quite comprehend what exactly, her nerves too overcome with relief that, for however briefly, the pain has stopped. She runs a mental checklist on herself instead as she recovers; she can still feel her fingers, her toes-- she can still see, for whatever value seeing has in this place, and--]
Os... car?
[Something's missing. She can't-- she can't hear Oscar's voice, she can't sense his feelings... He's still alive, she's sure of it, somehow, but she can't--]
Where... [Her voice is hoarse from her crying, but her tone is still one that demands an answer.] Where have you taken him...?
no subject
Rin cringes as the darkness around him start to tighten. It's not enough to do damage, but it did make it that much harder to breathe and relax. His adrenaline already surging with the events happening around him. Now the void is squeezing Lenneth of her power, and it makes him even more restless. Rin has nothing else on his arsenal to use against Add. The only thing was trying to reason with his god.]
I don't understand how you feel, but this isn't how you want to do this! You don't want to hurt anyone! But everyone is in pain, don't you see that?
[ This isn't Add. It's not the same person who was so unwilling for him to go, because Rin could potentially lose his life.]
This isn't worth the sacrifice of your friends, you know that!
no subject
...Is there still a chance?
no subject
Yes. It would be better for all of them to give in to the void.
The thought starts to seep into his mind... though first he has to finish what he came here to do. He needs to reach those other worlds, to pull in his friends (Jakob, and... what was his name again...?) and share this wonderful emptiness with them. So for now he brushes the thought aside, scoffing at his shinki's nonsensical words.]
You don't know anything about me. What makes you think this isn't what I want? [Of course it's what he wants. His heart is empty, it'd be different if he cared, wouldn't it?]
You're not my friend. You're just a tool. All of you are.
[The darkness shudders again, more power being poured into the orb. The whole core starts the quake like it's ready to shatter, pushed to its absolute limits by Add's command. The gravity is becoming painfully intense—even Zelda will find now that a small hand of darkness grips her in place, hanging onto whatever spot it can touch in her weakened state.
It's getting close to completion. Just a little bit more...]
no subject
It hurts.
It hurts.
Her light flickers like a firefly's between the pulses of pain that course through her body, just barely enough to keep herself from being completely caught up in the void's clutches. As she thought, she won't be able to pull off that stunt again. Despair curls around the edges of her mind, thoughts of surrender gently tempting her to give in, let go, why bother fighting anymore when you've already lost? It would be so much easier. It would make the pain stop.
She can't.
She can't.
She can't.]
He's... lost his mind...
[But what can she do? What can any of them do, when the very space around them is their enemy?
She finds her thoughts drifting to Link.
Zelda prays.]
no subject
It's true, after all. He doesn't know Add very well. It's possible this was his god's intention the whole time.Maybe, Add's showing his true colors now?
Of course, he's simply a tool. What value does someone, who doesn't remember their past, and has already died, have? He should just give up, right? There's no use fighting anymore.
As the void squeezes around his form, the resistant spirit that Rin possesses, begins to yield. The mental strain of the core paralyzes him. He closes his eyes, feeling weaken by the abyss's influence. His consciousness slips with the numb coldness of the core trying to consume him.]
no subject
[And yet, she lifts her head, then one hand, stretching it out to lay it on Add's shoulder. Not in comfort, solidarity, or support, but as a reminder she exists, and perhaps as a threat. Under assault she might be, but her body is her will, and her nature is divine. She cannot weaken until she breaks, and she is not yet broken -- which means her full strength still lurks in her muscles, waiting to be applied.]
You did not answer my question.
no subject
It's the small ripples in the darkness from her movement that draw his attention, rather, a reminder that his most useful pawn is still a person despite his efforts. He cranes his neck, peering back at her with a glazed expression. Did she ask a question? He can't recall, and it wouldn't matter if he did. She's just a tool to him anyway, and once she accepts the void they won't have to waste time on such frivolous things. Nothing will matter anymore. They'll all be in perfect harmony within this empty world. The thought brings him a peaceful bliss, and he offers her a hollow smile as he looks back towards the ever-growing orb.]
Isn't it beautiful...? Soon everything will be within my reach.
[It feels like the core has reached its absolute limit, the massive black orb occupying almost all of the available space. If it grows any larger they'll surely be sucked in or crushed against the walls of the core. The shadows around them start to get thinner, their bonds loosening, the pull of the orb impossibly strong—
There's a deafening boom through the void, cutting off all senses for a fraction of a second that feels like an eternity. When their sight returns, though, everyone is still living, and the core is still intact. They're no longer locked in place and the intense gravity is gone, along with the massive orb that once consumed the void.
Except it's not. At the centre of the core, twinkling faintly with the light of a billion worlds, there's a hole. It's barely large enough to fit a person, but the shadows grasp at its edges, scattering like dust and swirling into the gap as they come too close.
Dynamo beeps once, a small holoscreen popping up next to the machines. The glowing text reads off some long and complex readings along with a much more direct PROGRAM COMPLETE.
Against all odds, the plan actually worked.]
no subject
That second step one wasn't very precisely defined to start with. Locate Zelda and make run for it, but once they dive into the core he realizes-- the "run" part might be harder than expected. The magic in the air tastes sour, and the darkness becomes encompassing in a sense much different than just lack of light. This thing- this place gets into your head. In a different situation, he'd be properly equipped to shake this off- natural magic resistance, willpower, that kind of things- with a good, strong Master backing him up. But no one like that is here, and he has to manage his resources carefully. ]
Eh, you really overdid yourself this time. [ That's no praise, Add, just a statement ]
[ The strange hole in the middle of the core, whatever it is, Caster feels a repulsion at the sight of it. For a second he wonders if it's "worse" or "just as bad", as the thing that spilled in the doomed city he was summoned to. But such musings are unnecessary right now and he tries to locate how many people are around- or rather locate one very specific person. ]
Princess-!
[ She's too far away, and with this whole- no gravity thing going on it's not easy to move. He pulls three acorns from the sash attached to his belt. Sure he could probably write a nice and long spell, one boosting the resistance against this darkness, making him stronger, faster, who knows maybe even luckier. But what does it matter if he can't freaking move?
Resource management, right.
He throws the acorns away, wondering how much can he manage right now. A hand, or if he's lucky, maybe even a whole arm? The acorns burst into flame but don't turn into ash- they twist and grow, and form a massive wooden - wicker - hand. First hand, then part of the arm, as long as it's formed past an elbow it can move-
And it's so large, Caster can now comfortably stand on it. If Doku is nearby at this point, he gets his own spot by proxy too, free of charge.
The good old trick of summoning just parts of the giant, instead of the whole thing. The arm stops growing and never reaches the full form, but there's enough of it to move and reach forward. It can also be a good jumping off point, to gain some momentum in the otherwise zero gravity space. ]
Time to get out of here.
[ While his main target is Zelda, he's not going to deny anyone who's close enough to grab it for a ride- and a possible way of escape. Because maybe, just maybe, they can also escape with this, if he can keep the construct materialized for long enough- Here's hoping for the best!! ]
no subject
He takes advantage of Caster's free ride but jumps after Caster when he finds it convenient, landing as close to Add as he can get.]
In case you all haven't noticed - there's an army of Noise Ayakashi outside tearing the Far Shore apart, Gods and Shinki alike. So whatever it is that you're doing here, Add, it's gone too far. The least you could have done was some more tests like the scientist you're supposed to be.
[He narrows his eyes.]
I even told you I was willing to use my powers that move between Purgatory and the Far Shore. Seems as if Chikusa was right for once when he said you were the cause of all of this.
[He gestures towards the Portal.]
Did you bring these strange ayakashi through there?
no subject
But her senses come back gradually, or so she thinks because she no longer feels the pain that had strained her body just moments before. And... there's light. Impossible, silver light that has nothing to do with her own power, and for a second as her eyes struggle to focus she almost dares to hope that her prayers had been answered, delivering her the gleaming shine of the Blade of Evil's Bane and the Hero of Time who wields it.
She's wrong, of course, but she still stares with wide eyes and a slackened jaw at the twinkling light at the core's center, realization washing over her like the dawn.]
Is... Is that...?
[It... worked? It actually worked? Her Hyrule is nearly in reach? ... But what is this dread she feels in the pit of her stomach, like the portal is something terrible and wrong--
She's distracted by another voice, one that doesn't belong to anyone on this star-crossed expedition, and the warmth of fire in this frigid dark realm.]
... Caster? [And someone else she doesn't recognize, who quickly begins lecturing Add about things her mind is too frazzled to understand. Her focus remains on the man she knows instead.] What... What are you doing here?
[Despite her words, she reaches out to the wicker giant's arm, some part of her deep down seeing it for the rescue that it is.]
no subject
Rin isn't sure what it is, but he starts to regain his consciousness. While he was out, he could tell that the atmosphere has changed. The void doesn't seem as intense as it was before. He opens his eyes. Feeling groggy as if he's waking up from a deep sleep. With his blurry vision, it's hard to miss the thing in the center of the core.
Rin's eyes widen as his sight clears. Is he really seeing this? There a large hole within the space. So that must mean that Add was able to open the portal. Rin quickly looks around, noticing there's two other occupants in the core. When did this happen? He recognize both of them, although he's only met each of them on one occasion. It seems Caster is helping Zelda, while Doku is confronting Add.
Though he can only act as a spectator to how the next events will unfold. He's powerless to do anything with the portal, or even try to break out of there.]
no subject
[She recognizes the feeling better than most. A goddess, a creature of spirit more than matter, she possesses physical form only by her own will.]
[That will is no longer entirely her own. She can feel that truth in her core, as they draw closer to their goal. Power coursing through her slowly being stripped away as they try to leave behind those who have faith in them. Her very spirit seeming to erode...]
[She reaches out to grab Add once more, not out of anger but in fear and growing horror.]
Do you not feel that? You must -- if we continue forward, we are in danger. The path may be open, but we cannot survive walking it!
no subject
Add's hollow smile flattens back into a firm line.]
What are you doing here? [His voice rings loudly through the void, commanding, like it's coming from every direction at once. His displeasure is extremely clear in his tone.] Stop speaking nonsense. You have no right to be in this holy place.
[He dismisses them quickly, but it's not simply out of arrogance or anger—he really has no idea who they are or what they're talking about. All he knows is the void and those who linger here with him, foolishly clinging to their individuality. An error he will soon change, if he has his way. The summoned hand may be too large for him to eradicate right now, but the shadows hold fast around it. They cling to Caster and Doku, trying to restrict their movements with a surprising amount of strength despite the core's weakened state, chaotic energies assaulting their minds with equal voracity. Add doesn't intend to let them do as they please.
Lenneth is no longer necessary, either. He roughly shoves her away, darkness dragging her back from him as her final plea goes ignored. Her will is weak. She doesn't yet understand the beauty of this empty world. He will make them understand.
... but before he can introduce the multiverse to the void, he needs to clean this place up. Too many bright lights. He turns his attention instead to Zelda, squinting through her fading glow.]
Someone like you... will never be welcome in this place. Go back to where you belong.
[He flicks his hand, and in that moment the shadows swarm around her. It's easier to grab hold of her now that her light has weakened and Oscar can no longer defend her. He doesn't need to grab her for long, though. All he needs to do is give her a push...
Zelda is forced violently forward, speeding along a direct path towards the portal.]
no subject
No!!!
[ He feels the same as Valkyrie about the portal, she can just put it so much better into words than he ever could. Oh right- words. What else are runes if not a writing system, what else do you them for if not to write words and weave them into commands, requests, stories. Words have power, an ancient truth.
There's a spell written in the air with glowing runes- was this possibility always there, or is it something given to him? It doesn't seem to be affected by his low magical energy reserves, but it's not something he pays mind to. It's maybe a crazed idea, really, but there are objects- spells, curses, that can impose, that can write reality of an event to happen even before it actually does. The result happening first, the heart has been pierced, even before the Gáe Bolg lance was thrust-- or the result trumps the other, the mortal blow didn't kill because wielder of Fragarach always strikes first.
Both similar, and familiar concepts, both weapons related to him, but all they do is change and alter the reality as simply as erasing the previously written line and writing a new one. It's that easy
"Easy" hah ]
I am the wielder of eldest Odin's runes, taught by Queen of the Land of Shadows herself! --I will not allow this to happen!
[ But spells like these, always come with a price. Rewriting reality itself requires much more of power, skill, knowledge much more to take in consideration, more nuance than any mortal or previous-mortal could muster up. It's arguable if a god could do it- and even here, isn't what's writing the reality of gods a collective will of thousands, millions of their followers?
Yeah, can't compete with that. Can't rewrite the whole scene unfolding.
If the spell is centered around Zelda, if the spell makes her "not fall for her death into the portal" that means someone else has to fall. And it's really a headache inducing view, because the shadows does shove Zelda into the portal and she falls- but at the same it doesn't happen, because Caster teleports and pushes her away - sending her into the relative safety of what's left from the wicker arm. But that makes him the one to take that fall.
As said: a price. One that he doesn't really mind paying.
Everyone here have a place they want to return to- duties they have to fullfil. But him- there's nowhere to really place to return to. If there is someone that has nothing to lose, no real stake in this game, aside from keeping his friends alive, then, yeah, that's him.
Zelda might not be a queen yet, but that's her destiny, so she's going to be. She cannot fail and die here, that would be a shitty ending to this story, one that should not be allowed to happen. When the time is right, you will return to your home princess, and this will be one of the many experiences to shape your rule.
It was quite fun being here though, meeting all those crazy kids, and yeah, he wouldn't mind tagging along a little bit longer- it would probably look much better if he got here and defeated the crazied darkness overlord or whatever else Add decided to become. Reap the spoils, probably... make her angry, oh princess would be pissed off again. But alas, they had to get him here as a Caster ]
no subject
He was also brazen enough to think he could tap into those new god powers he'd been relying on for so long now. He figured he could reach her and immediately teleport away, back up to where the group was standing, and then whup Add for sending Zelda in. Once Caster became the one falling, he didn't change his course at all; the guy had at least been a fine traveling companion on the way here. No reason to abort when it was a matter of split seconds choice he had.
So he does manage to reach Caster's hand and grab him, turning back up to face the group and focusing his teleport powers in that general direction...
Only to discover they don't work. There's some kind of pull that's overcoming his efforts.
He then tries to craft one of those doorways to Limbo, casting his hand out with a grunt of frustration. What happened after that, he doesn't know, because the Void swept the both of them away and Dokugakuji last remembers feeling like he might suffocate to death. Whether his power helped or hurt at that point, he doesn't know; maybe the doorway got sucked into the Void too, maybe it exploded and made things worse. He'd been scrambling at the last minute and hadn't thought that far ahead.]