MISSION: UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS, PART 2

[ximilian]

● ● ● M I S S I O N   5 . 2

INTRO • NO GUILTY PARTY • HELL TO THE BEST OF US • BETTER LEAVE THE WAR WITH ME • FYI

// INTRO. BRING YOUR HOPE  

A few days after the meeting with the commanders in Sedorum, Entr’i can be found standing in the middle of the square in the Red City, the cobblestones glistening with that unexplainable moisture beneath the feet of everyone gathered there: the soldiers lined in rows at her back, the many curious faces of the common people clustered in place, eager to know what is happening. Her voice, all calm steel, carries effortlessly to even the most distant corner.

ENTR’I

Everyone, the time has come to bring down the wall that separates us from those we love, the wall that unfairly divides every Givan after our mortal life has come to an end. No soul is more or less deserving than another, and today, we will change it all! Those who will come with me to face Taeum’s army, follow me! Everyone else, go through the portals when they appear, they will bring you to Taeum. There, find your loved ones, find those with a red flower in their clothes. They will shelter you, help you. I wish I could say this transition to a new afterlife will be easy… but we all know it won’t. But it will be worth it, that I promise. Carry yourselves with honour, no matter who you face.

Good luck. May your souls be everlasting.

When she finishes speaking, she closes her eyes and waits. Suddenly, the tattoos on her face seem to begin to glow as a ghost-white, round amulet finds its way between her hands, its light reflecting against her skin. It pulses brighter and brighter until tendrils of blinding white begins to explode — and wherever the light hits, a thin disc appears like a doorway, its edges glowing but its insides neither mirroring nor reflecting anything of this realm.

Entr’i sways in place for a moment while the people around her hold their breath, confused but in awe, and waiting for their leader’s words of wisdom; and then, with a deep breath Entr’i opens her eyes again and turns to face her soldiers. The glow of the amulet dims until the light has faded, leaving nothing but a white jewel in the palm of her hand.

ENTR’I

Remember my orders ... Fight well. Fight honourably. Restrain your anger. And leave Angrial and the Highest One to me.

With that, she takes a step forward, and then another, the commanders and their troops obediently falling into step behind her for the military quarters. A rift in the space between the realms has been created, torn into the fabric of this world by spells gleaned through Remi’s notes.

For better or for worse ... the time of Sedorum and Taeum has come to its end.

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// PART I.NO GUILTY PARTY  

In secret, Entr’i has created a portal that the jailbreak team will use, one that brings them near the dungeons. When they leave the heaviness of Sedorum and re-emerge into the light and crisp air of Taeum, they find themselves in an empty hallway.

1.0   While the corridors might seem empty for now, the team must work swiftly to free their fellow crew members; there is no telling how soon they might be found out and intercepted and will need to buy themselves as much time as possible to work the prisoners out. Moiraine begins to craft a much-needed distraction through channeling a fog that obscures the team from being seen. Meanwhile, Clarke, L3-37, Shinjiro, and Zari begin to spread out, utilising their wits and quick-thinking to distract any guards that Angrial might have left behind to guard Taeum in her absence. And indeed, the guards of Taeum suspect that something is amiss — either by the strange fog itself, or the sudden appearance of all the strange portals that have suddenly pierced their otherwise bright and stable realm. Distractions will be a priority to keep the oncoming guard from running into the dungeons, or calling for back-up.

2.0   Meanwhile, under the cover of the thick fog, a stealth team makes its way towards the entrance of the dungeon. The first of the group, Andy, Joe, Yelena, and Sam (along with Redwing’s support), will navigate the maze that is the Taeum dungeons in search of their imprisoned crew-mates. No guards will cross their paths, the halls almost suspiciously empty, until they hit a wall — almost quite literally. Unseen, except for the faintest shimmering at its edges, is a powerful magical barrier that isn’t so easily torn down, allowing very strict access to the three highest-ranking officers in Taeum: Angrial, Oh’ryst, and Ruvilor.

Brute force and tough fists won’t break it, and while the second group of the rescue team apply their best efforts, the barrier still holds. Not for lack of trying, however — Peter attempts to do this with bombs and Gamora’s knife, while the Darkling, Drift, and Dean all make their own attempts to push past the wall.

From somewhere far too close, the group might hear echoes of a struggle, and the clang of metal against metal, before a steady set of steps approach. Soon, the group will see Ruvilor round the corner, stopping short to observe the ragtag team. He exhales, his entire demeanour just this side of exasperated, and begins to speak.

RUVI

What are you all just standing here for? There are guards coming here, and I couldn’t divert them for long enough. Did Entr’i give you no instructions? Typical. Just leaves all the legwork to me. Now, some of you: run and hold them off. The rest, with me.

His tone doesn’t leave much room for argument — but as he turns towards the barrier, at least one of you may have a chance to speak with him.

3.0   Having been locked up in the dungeons for longer than anyone might appreciate, Finn, Rosinante, Daisy, Yamato, and Law will wait for the right moment for rescue. Rosinante has helped the others to navigate this maze through their comms devices; Finn has been hard at work to at least free himself of his chains using his lightsaber, but the bars seem to be impenetrable to the likes of his weapon ... or perhaps that might just be the work of the powerful talismans inscribed into the bars of their cells.

Those who eventually make it in, accompanied by Ruvilor, will need to use their magic — either with the talismans, or through magic of their own — to overpower these particular spells and then cut through the bars themselves. Of course, by then, a number of Angrial’s guards will have caught up to the group and declared the whole lot of them traitors. Some might even have the idea that it’s better to kill the prisoners, and the rescue team, rather than wait for Angrial’s official orders. It is, after all, their duty to defend Taeum at all costs.

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// PART II.HELL TO THE BEST OF US  

With each new portal that spawns from Entr’i’s amulet, there is clear hesitation and something like fear that ripples among the people in Sedorum. Much as they want to leave the Red City, and yearn for the promise of what they have always known of Taeum or Giva or any other place but this (aside from Purgatory, of course), these portals are strange and dark, and there really is no telling where they might step into if they cross the threshold into the unknown. Gwen and Yennefer will join their own portals to those made by Entr’i, while Clara and the Doctor will gently persuade the people to go; after all, they’ll say, what is the unknown but a great new adventure?

Slowly, many of Sedorum’s people, holding each others’ hands and murmuring promises of something better, will brave the darkness and leap through.

4.0   In Taeum, Angrial has ordered a significant number of their military to stay within the realm to keep guard, but while her forces don’t appear to anticipate anything untoward, those common Taea who hold rooms and have developed a populace network of their own (and those who might not have been so willing to speak ill of any Sedora) start to discreetly affix small red flowers to the fronts of their shirts, the pockets of their jackets, and the chests of their dresses.

Later, H’yawal will find Dr McCoy, drawing him aside to speak with him in soft tones.

H’YAWAL

You’ve said to me once that you’d lend your help if needed. I believe we will need it now. I’ve enforced the healers’ quarters with talismans but we must bring in all the children and elderly ... no matter who they are. Get whoever you trust to help you, and tell them to bring any injured to us, too. No matter who they are.

She emphasizes these last words carefully before she rushes away, but her message is clear: there may soon be unrest, and there will inevitably be people in need of protection.

5.0   It happens without warning: numerous portals begin appearing all around Taeum, each one like a dark hole torn into the fabric of this bright realm that touts itself so free of sin. These portals might appear within rooms, around the corridors, and out into the gardens. From them figures burst through as though pushed forward by some invisible force — they are the Sedora, of course, and the apprehension on their faces is clear as they blink their eyes against the sudden light (so different from the everlasting darkness and red of Sedorum) and enter Taeum’s splendor in their worse-for-wear clothing and dirt-covered skin.

Their sudden appearance is not always immediately met with friendliness, however. Riots begin to break out, guards arriving to quickly arrest the newly arrived (or try to), while some Taea attempt to shove these invaders back through the portals they’d come through, screaming and shouting in fear. Of course, those with red flowers pinned to their clothing will notice the newly arrived Sedora and move in to quickly usher them into safer rooms, providing them with a change of clothes to help blend them into their surroundings. Similarly, they will also be seen escorting the children, the elderly, and the far less fortunate to H’yawal and her aid, in hopes of providing them with the help they so desperately need.

If you are from Taeum, you might try and help those who appear through the portals, or you might support the helpless, either by retrieving disguises or talismans for them. Or perhaps you will drop your cover as a common Taeum soul and push back against those trying to keep the Sedora out, whether they are familiar Taea faces you’ve become accustomed to, or the guards that keep watch over this place. Whatever you choose to do, you know that tearing down the walls between realms was never going to be a quiet affair.

6.0   It’s easy enough to dismiss the way the ground beneath your feet seems to tremble, irregardless of whether you’re in Taeum or Sedorum. With so much going on around you — people to protect, teammates to break free, familiar faces you need to find and be assured they’re all right — you barely notice it until it’s too late. The next step you take feels precarious as the ground crumbles under your foot, breaking apart into rubble forming a cliff’s edge that hadn’t been there a second ago. If you lean in just a little, just enough to see past the lip of where your foot had been, it’s the dark abyss that greets you, its cavernous maw seemingly endless.

From there, it becomes chaos.

No one in your vicinity seems to understand what’s going on, but it’s clear that whatever it is, it can’t be any good. Little by little, the once solid ground of Sedorum falls away into holes that seem to grow in size. In Taeum, the once ornate and pristine white walls that formed the realm’s limitless rooms start to break apart into chunks. The talismans and various other spells cast on this place seem to be the only thing holding the structure together, parts of rooms still whole enough to support a cluster of refugees — but for who knows how long? Suddenly, the divide between the vehement stances of the righteous trying to guard their borders and the desperate hands of those clinging to this new realm seem meaningless. This realm, after all, is falling apart.

It becomes a priority for those caught here to help each other and to help any soul (whether from Taeum or newly arrived from Sedorum) who veers too close to the fringes of the broken realm. Catch any soul before they fall into the darkness, and be cautious — it may just be your eyes playing tricks on you, but you might see the faint outline of a dark cloak, moving after those who fall.

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// PART III.BETTER LEAVE THE WAR WITH ME  

The path through the darkness is long, one step turning from three, to ten, to a hundred paces through a seemingly endless web of portals. Eventually, however, the darkness is sucked away by light and the two armies spill out onto a large empty plain surrounded by rockside and jagged cliff edges. Past the horizon is a steep mountain range with evergreens covering their slopes and shadowing steep ridges. Splitting the natural scenery is a stone wall that stretches its architecture towards the sky — and behind that a prosperous city stands proud, imposing and unyielding. This is R’hoan, the capital of Giva.

While the two realms that surround Giva have arrived for an inevitable battle, the moment the feet of the souls from Taeum and Sedorum’s armies touch the soil-covered grounds, they are momentarily distracted by the wings that suddenly bloom from their backs, each pair a different shape, size, colour, and plumage, reflecting their carrier’s soul. They stretch open to catch the air, an awe-inspiring sight.

“So it’s true … in the land of the living, those with the right to reincarnate do have wings!”

“Yes, it is so! I’d heard tales, but never thought I would ever see it for myself.”

Whispers quickly spread like wildfire amongst the soldiers, revealing something only those native to Giva know of — wings, for dead souls, symbolize their place in the cycle of reincarnation.

Suddenly there’s a gasp from Sedorum’s side, one that echoes throughout the battlefield as all eyes turn to their general. Entr’i, standing at the front of the Sedorum army, her eyes fixed on the Taea, carries nothing but blackened stubs that protrude through her armour on her back.

From within Taeum’s forces, there’s a ripple as Angrial pushes her way past the neatly arranged rows of her soldiers, nearly stumbling to a halt when she lifts her head and sees Entr’i. Her eyes may still be covered but there is no mistaking the shock written in the rest of her features, visible without her helmet.

ANGRIAL

You. You would give up your right to reincarnate? For people you don’t even know? You’ve thrown away your place in the cycle, and for what? Entr’i, for what?

ENTR’I

For justice. Because it was the right thing to do. Because my place in the cycle is a small price to pay for their place in Taeum.

ANGRIAL

A small price? You — you throw away everything you have. You break the rules, over, and over, and for that —

ENTR’I

— for that, I feel no regret. Your rules are rigid and corrupt, Angrial. Your rules uphold an injustice. And rules like that? They should be broken.

They stand there, surrounded by their winged soldiers, staring each other down from across the plain ... and then, simultaneously, they turn away from each other. The moment is broken.

Around them, the armies begin to move.

The battle has begun.

7.0   From the word go, it is obvious that the soldiers on the two sides are fighting under different orders. The Taeum army attacks their opponents indiscriminately, their armour pristine and strong, gleaming against the natural light of the living sun, their blades newly forged and freshly sharpened.

“We must prove ourselves before the Highest One arrives!”

“Yes, if we fight well, maybe he’ll let us reincarnate faster!”

The hopeful shouts from the soldiers are carried across Taeum’s side of the battlefield, highlighting one very important fact: the Highest One is not present today, though the soldiers seem to hope that he’ll see their efforts and grant their wishes.

The Sedora army mainly stays on the defensive: talismans fill the air with sparks as barriers flare to life, and soldiers work tirelessly to separate the Taea and to defend each other, keeping the fight going with minimal casualties. It might be noted that like the Highest One, Sedorum’s side seems to lack the presence of the high vizier V’rizz, and Him. Only Entr’i and Angrial appear to lead their troops valiantly, both standing on opposite edges of the battlefield, engaging in their planned strategies.

Additionally, a small entrusted group of Entr’i’s soldiers appear to be targeting very specific people in Taeum’s forces, with faces and names of higher importance. Perhaps you are one of them too, marking down those that Entr’i has directed to be a threat against the successful merging of the two realms.

Of course there is always the chance that while you were in Taeum, you had developed a reputation for supporting Angrial and the Highest One with unquestionable loyalty, one that might grant your name on Entr’i’s list ...

8.0   It quickly becomes clear that this battle is being fought not only on the soil of Giva but in the air as well. While the battlefield itself is barren and provides ample space to move against ones opponents, the skies provide the space for aerial combat as well. Your wings will effortlessly carry your weight upwards, and the sounds of metal singing against metal as blades clash will occur not only on the ground but here as well. What does this mean? Well, you’ll need to be able to defend yourself — and others — from attacks coming from all sides.

Your wings hardly make you invincible, however. Should they be damaged in any way, even the slightest slash or force that might break a bone, the pain will be immense. These wings, after all, are a reflection of your soul and so any harm done to them will be felt in the soul itself as well. It would do you some good to learn quickly how to defend yourself with this additional majestic appendage.

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F Y I

• The events in this log take place during the month of April. ICly, the events in the log span across exactly one day.

• If you have questions about any of the prompts or the mission in general, please direct them HERE.

• Please remember to let us know whether your character is going to Giva or staying to help the Taea and Sedora HERE. We ask that you do this by April 17.

• And finally, your soundtrack for this log: ♪ ♪ ♪

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▶ NAV

Comments

QUESTIONS.

[ximilian]

For any questions regarding the events or information on this log, ask them here. General questions about the setting or the events all go here.

[firstroar]

regarding the portals:
is the army going through first or the civilians?
and do even the civilians pass through to see the city/wall before appearing in taeum?

Re: QUESTIONS.

[bindsthedead]

Can characters use their own magic to try to stabilize bits of Taeum/Sedorum?

Also, what, if anything, could Sabriel or others sense of those cloaked figures?

SEARCH REQUEST. — closed to ALINA, SABRIEL, RHYSAND, BUCKY AND KOVACS.

[ximilian]

The small team of five, armed with talismans that open the hidden door that leads to the stairs to the Throne Room and a portal created by Entr'i that takes them straight to where the door is, get ready to sneak in.

Please start by letting us know what their plan is when they get up the stairs and to the door that leads to the throne room.

[bindsthedead]

Sabriel and Rhys will go in front, shielding themselves with magic, while trying to use their own supernatural senses to see if they can sense the orb- or anything else in the room. If the door is locked, Sabriel will try using a spell to unlock it or force it open, but she'll try just pushing/pulling it open first.

Behind them, Alina will use her own powers, and Xichen's talismans, to make herself, Bucky, and Kovachs as invisible and inaudible as possible. Those three will then slip in on the side, staying out of the way and trying to investigate without attracting as much attention.

NPC THREADS.

[ximilian]

Underneath, you will find headers for all the three NPC threads. As we want to give the chosen players the freedom to choose how to start the conversation, everyone is encouraged to write their own starter.

ENTR'I: closed to YZAK (@coordination)

[ximilian]

[firstroar]

ii.6.0
tl;dr: a psychic is staying behind in Sedorum, helping those to pass through & searching for those trapped by the eventual crumbling of the city

---

o1. - pregame & sedorum civilian support, open
[so it's begun, has it? the shifting of focus, of hope and fear...Blue can feel it. he lifts his head from the now-empty sheet of paper, his body thrumming with the warmth of chakra - energy to borrow, to keep him alert and aware...to be ready for what comes next.

the army's already moving, but he's not going with it. he's within the throng of civilians and their fear, watching as portals spring to life, causing fresh ripples of that unease. he hugs his arms to himself, watching, waiting...

...and when the go-ahead is sounded, whether it's from hearsay on the network or from the Orbers taking initiative to begin shepherding the locals, Blue will do the same, moving toward more reluctant throngs of people staggered by the sight of such dramatic change.

this comes with risks: Sedorum is as full of innocents as it is ne'er-do-wells, and a provoked person can get hostile, can grab or shove, lash out... and while Blue can shield himself with some psionics, an assist will do wonders. no one can do this alone, after all.]

---

o2. - amidst the breaking of the city, open
[the weight of the ocean of despair that Sedorum once was is becoming a tumultuous storm of so much more. Blue cannot even think about stopping to breathe at this point to stay abreast of it - physically, mentally. keep treading, keep moving.

seeing more of the place crumble, drop into...nothingness... it makes his own stomach drop. there's a dangerous feeling of force here, that sense that were he to teeter over, he may plummet regardless of his powers.

not something to entertain for very long.

he's a gleaming, pale blue beacon amidst the remaining throngs of people desperate to find the shrinking, safe ground, floating half-a height above them to not take up more of that precious resource.

to Orbers nearby who are still trying to help, a sudden vision of estranged people or routes to them may suddenly flash into their heads, followed by Blue's voice:]

Can you reach them? I can help.

---

o3. - closed to lan xichen
[amidst the chaos, there is a pocket of calm. it's not inexplicable, though it seems that way upon first detection. but when Blue floats nearer...]

Lan Xichen.

[naturally, that gentle music could only be his! he's still here? the ground is shrinking all the more by the second...

but of course he's here; there's still people here. and indeed, Blue isn't alone when he lands nearby: a girl of ten or twelve clings to his clothes through fear of falling, though there's no chance of that so long as he glows.]

Not all of the pathways that have sprung up are safe - Taea are trying to expel those we send! [he nods to the portal closest to Xichen.] Is this one safe?

---

o4. - closed to Itachi
[saving everyone...it was never going to be the case, was it? already so many have fallen into the shifting darkness spreading.

he hasn't fallen yet, though; he can still fly. he can still...keep this sliver of a land bridge together so a handful of people can hasten across into the portal remaining. it takes a great deal of focus, so he can no longer let his mind be pulled by the needle-sharp prodding of panic around him.

it's hard to avoid notions of the familiar, however: something from a portal nearby, a flash of something...]

...Itachi?

01

[bindsthedead]

[Sabriel is armed and armored- bells on her chest, sword at her hip, and a pensive expression on her face. She's not going with the army though- rather, she's been assigned a different task.

One that will, hopefully, bring things to a quicker, less bloody conclusion.]

Blue.

[But Sabriel smiles, still, trying to calm the doubts in her heart, and instead present something more soothing. They'll win. They've done so before, in even more hopeless situations. They'll manage. Somehow.]

Are you feeling well? I'm going to have to leave soon, but if there's- anything at all I can do, just tell me.

"Newton" Geiszler | GIVA | cw: violence/death

[groupiedrifter]

PART IIIA. BETTER LEAVE THE WAR WITH ME | BEFORE BATTLE

[Well, this is something. The precursors aren't particularly thrilled to be on the front lines of any sort of war, especially one not their own, but... it's not really them on the front lines, is it? In some ways, it's their business as usual: using their pieces appropriately on the board. Newton being that piece, anyway. It's not like a bullet to the head would do them any harm; they'd just be frustrated cut off from any effort to collect the orbs' powers.

Newton stands with his fortified armor and his talismans on Sedorum's side of the battlefield, as far back as they can to avoid any actual skirmish. The precursors are currently just the obnoxious doctor that engineers works to use in a fight, aren't they? People would approve of the cowardice. As 'he' walks urgently through the field, he barks orders to some of the foot soldiers — in exchange for better armor, of course. Better weapons. They just have to put up with the bossy, energized scientist that everyone oh-so-knows and oh-so-loves.]

Move it or lose it, hurry up, I've got somewhere to be; I'm guessing you all do, too. Back to your places, or whatever!

[And so here they are, building up to the great awful showdown. Newton stands thoughtfully as he watches the warriors suit up in newer inventions, his hand at his chin and two wings glowing along his back; they're rather beautiful, more like something you'd find on an insect or dinosaur than a bird — the blue lights that run long the veins in spots seem akin to those of a dancer's shawl, or... well, perhaps a kaiju's anatomy. Whatever the case, they cast a soft blue glow around anyone close by.

Every so often, though, there's a terrible tremble that shudders and shakes them, like they're seizing on Newton's back.

Much like a neurological condition. Like a creature in a sanctuary that can't help the telltale tremors in its damaged wing.

The precursors pay it no mind, really. It's not their body that is short-circuiting.]

PART IIIB. BETTER LEAVE THE WAR WITH ME | DURING BATTLE

[Try as they might, they can't completely avoid the war that is being shoved back toward them. The Taeum army is a bit ruthless in the way they lash out, and it's a matter of time before some of those soldiers break through those front lines. The creatures currently housed in Newton's neurons figure he might want to take his leave now, so they flee out from the tent he'd been hunkered down in, using the attack on one of their fellow engineers as a distraction to sneak away undetected. They keep a wide distance from any current skirmishes.

As they go, they stumble upon remains of some who weren't so lucky. Corpses with arms and legs akimbo, as if they had been struck down in the sky and plummeted to the earth below.

... A shame, to lose your board pieces, they think, and crouch down to start pilfering talismans and valuable materials from their limp forms. One or two of those bodies aren't quite dead yet, but it's not like they're bothering to check for pulses out here. They look dead? They are dead. And if they ignore the soft groan of a dying soldier, it's not difficult to play off as a trick of the wind.

As they travel under cover of debris and thorny brush, they notice a — battle? An argument? An orber, who is either struggling to strike out against a Sedorum or Taeum soldier, or attempting to talk them down from fighting them at all. The precursors can't tell which situation it is with Newton's limited human vision... but frankly, they'd rather keep orbers that could be of use as coworkers alive.

So they draw the gun they've kept on their hip now and again for safety, take very good aim at the skirmish, and fire one shot.

The bullet avoids the orber... and goes through the enemy soldier's cheek, out the back of their head, and they collapse in a heap on the battleground.

You're welcome.]

iii.b

[oiorpata]

[ it's the fucking wings that keep throwing andy for a loop; she doesn't physically feel them like she might expect, just catches glimpses of them from the corner of her eyes as she fights, her goal abandoned before this battle even started. she's adapting to them. it's just bizarre. ]

[ the taeum army are ruthless in a not quite unexpected way, based on what she's heard and seen so far. she's aiming to follow the wider sedorum plan of playing more defensively, which means avoiding as many kill blows as she can - but the soldier drops suddenly before her. the spatter doesn't disgust her, just surprises her, and she looks over to find newt behind the trigger. ]

[ his wings are glowing, which isn't a surprise based on what she knows of him, but there's a strange shudder she catches that seems to radiate through them. she doesn't think hers are doing it, but who knows? ]

You've got good aim. [ which also kind of surprises her, but she'll be nice and won't say that part aloud. ]

closed.

[construing]

WEI WUXIAN.

[construing]

[ the jewels on the watch glow bright white. a strange color in the muted red of sedorum. a preview of taeum ahead.

gwen can call to mind perfectly the day she received it—the day she learned the universe was wider and weirder than anyone could comprehend. back then, she was recruited to an army and tasked with traveling to other dimensions to protect and safely transport the spider-person there. here, she has been recruited to an army and tasked with protecting and safely transporting the sedora. the more things change.

she has changed. (comparatively) bright eyed and bushy-tailed neophyte to…well. a black hood, its edges jagged and white lie over her short blonde hair. spikes at the shoulders of her jacket, fingers ending in long black claws scream a warning to keep distance. venom does not play nicely with others.

there is no billy to provide her with guidance, no jess to impart wisdom and quips, not even spider-ham, real or imagined, to keep her company. a touch at her arm draws her out of her reverie and back a step from the edge of the metaphorical pit yawning at her feet. spider-sense did not warn her; more, neither did venom. so when she blinks at wei wuxian, lips parted, it’s more surprise that he’s still there rather than his being so close. black threads curl gently at her cheeks. ]

Are you going through?

[ the portal she opened is the same color as the jewels except even brighter. the edges swirl every color of the rainbow: now violet, now green. behind them, sedora wait, their faces caught halfway between fear and hope. the light of the portal reflects off their eyes. ]

Ziggy Berman | Fear Street | Taeum

[shadysided]

I. Prologue to War | Closed to Taeum Residence

[To say she was nervous was an understatement.

The last mission had gone to hell in a handbasket at the end, when Welford had ran into the desert and left bandits encroaching in his wake... and the rest is history. Ziggy saw the faces of the men she'd shot in her dreams sometimes — and it was always a terrible scare, one that shot her out of sleep like a cannon ball. The days leading up to the war left her pacing restlessly, checking in with trusted Taeum citizens and orbers as she attempts to keep her mind busy. As she stands in a room of books, she looks down and carefully begins to pin a red flower on her shirt, ginger hair hanging acorss a thoughtful frown and worried brow.

It'll be okay.

Right?

Everything will be just fine.

That's totally why she's wandering the halls aimlessly, arms folded. Worry paints the way she bites her lip.]

... Calm before the storm.

II. Hell to the Best of Us | cw: children in distress

[When shit hits the fan, Ziggy's quick to her place. Her goals are simple now: lead Sedorum civilians somewhere safe, keep the Taeum residence protected from those coming in who are angry or violent — there aren't many of those types, not like you'd think from the citizens of 'hell itself', but there are a few, some with good reason, some without. At some point, a small group of the more violent rioters composed of both quarrelling Taeum and Sedorum residence get too unruly, and Ziggy ends up leading a small group of scared children into one of the furthest rooms.

As the door shake and the children from both sides of the afterlives cry in panic, Ziggy shakily aims her gun at the shaking knobs of the entrance. Someone's smashing the handle off on the other side, eager to break through. She sees the bandit's face in her mind — imagines a similar face behind the locked door.]

It doesn't have to be like this; we're all on the same side! [She slips her trembling finger over the trigger.] Don't come any further! I don't want to hurt you, but I will!

III. We All Fall Down

[It's very easy to get caught up in the chaos, but that all grinds to a complete stop once the walls of Taeum begin to shake and shudder. Bits and pieces of these glorious rooms and walkways begin to topple— and Ziggy moves without thinking, throwing her body into a fellow orber so that they both are unceremoniously crashing to the ground and right out of the way of a column that was just about to smash the other crewmate.]

What's happening?!

[The world around them is under distress. It's a miracle that it wasn't just entirely broken apart in that moment, but they weren't out of the woods; as she rushes through the halls, moving to help guide confused citizens toward areas she knows are more stable, the floor opens up beneath her and she's suddenly falling with a gasp of breath. Short nails scrape down the sides of the rubble and her fingers scrape open as she clamors to climb up the debris; down below, there's an endless black expanse. Purgatory, her fuzzy mind supplies; if she falls now, she'll never stop falling. Panic hits her like a truck and she calls out:]

Someone! Down here, I'm — I need help. Someone...!

[She's sliding, adrenaline keeping her muscles rigid as she holds on with all her strength; her feet hang, her knee digging into the one space she's managed to find support on. But it's not easy to hang onto almost nothing; it's so easy in the movies, right? But here, she can already feel the weariness in her arms creeping up on her.

Hang on, Ziggy, don't go out like this.

Just hold on.]

IV. Wildcard/Starters

[If you've got something specific in mind, go for it! Or hit me up if you're unsure at simpledog]

i

[majorbiotic]

[This wait before a battle is all too familiar for him. He's already made the choice to not go along with the military into Giva, but to stay behind and protect the people. As he paces, he sees someone else equally restless]

Hey. Didn't I see you hanging out with Peter Quill last mission?

Yzak Jule | Gundam SEED | OTA

[coordination]

01. The Not-So-Calm Before

[ With things about to get started, Yzak is ready and resolute, with that thin coating of concern and the burden that always comes along with something like this, something he's gotten used to carrying as a commanding officer. He's prepared to act, to fight, the energy from the largely futile desire to avoid having to have gotten to this point being directed instead toward the next best thing: doing everything he can to avert as much loss as possible.

As possible. Yzak knows better than to get too optimistic about things while also disallowing himself to fall too into the despairing opposite, a careful line to walk for sure.

Wearing hastily made but still sturdy enough armor from Sedorum's blacksmiths and carrying a variety of weapons, (sword, couple of small blades, and always his own gun) he busies himself with some final preparations, be it speaking to Entr'i, one of the other commanders, his own soldiers he's been given to command. He'll prioritize and make time to speak to any Orbers if he spots them. For last minute plans, wishes of luck, and anything in between. ]

02. Jailbreak

[ As promised, Yzak is lending his power to aid those who are breaking their teammates out of captivity in Taeum. The soldiers under his command support the Orbers as they sneak through the portal, Yzak following suit as they hang a small ways behind and keep an eye on things to make sure the way back out will be clear for escape.

When the guards rush them, Yzak cries out in warning to the others to make it quick, because they've got to move! They manage to hold the guards back long enough to allow those working on freeing their allies to do as much, but now it's a matter of clearing the path back out to safety.

Whether it's working together to do that, or the brief reprieve that comes with a successful escape to pause, talk, or check in on each other, Yzak is here for both. ]

03. Interlude

[ Between the jailbreak in Taeum and the final destination of Giva, Yzak has a small window of time to run into anybody on the way from one to the other as the chaos of collapse begins. Are they fighting off guards and need a hand? Did they get hurt and need a bit of healing? Has it just been a while since they've seen him and want a quick hello while he pauses to catch his breath? ]

04. Winging It

[ What the fuck what the FUCK is going on here, suddenly everyone's got god damned wings!? INCLUDING HIM!? This level of fanfic bullshit is enough to get Yzak to balk once they arrive on Giva.

It makes the absolute need to snap back into focus that much more strange a transition, because Yzak needs to adapt immediately, to not only this new setting, but these new appendages. Vivid blue, soft wings tipped with a shiny silver color - the largest feather on the end hardened and sharp at the edges, able to both cut and parry.

He adapts easily because the wings are reflective of his soul, thus work in tandem with his body and mind to move as he needs to, immediately taking to the air. ]

This is weird as fucking hell! [ He exclaims loudly with a flap of his wings. But weird as it is ... it's also pretty rad? He realizes once he's up there, looking down beneath him, and then ahead of him...

And he sombers when he sees others taking to the sky, weapons wielded as they leap into battle. There's no time to dwell on that anymore, and Yzak unsheathes his own sword before throwing himself toward the soldiers on his team under his command, immediately barking out orders and formations to take. He lives in and has flown in space, so knows how to deal with all of this extra space around them, needing to watch himself and others from every angle.

As for the battle itself, Yzak moves fast in the air much like he's able to on the ground thanks to his being a Coordinator, using his own sword to slash and parry at Taeum soldiers that dive toward him. And he keeps in mind Entr'i's order to defend, but sometimes defending is attacking, and while Yzak isn't just going ham with it, he doesn't shy away from slicing and stabbing if he has to. Both with his sword and those two ends of his wings.

So if your character needs a bit of a [a. L,] Yzak is here to help get them out a jam - he sees someone familiar getting swarmed, struggling to get away or fight them off, and zips toward them. And just as one of the Taeum soldiers raises their sword and strikes, they'll see a flash of Blue as Yzak uses that sharp, hardened end of his wing to parry it away just in time. His eyes move to whoever it is he's aiding, to see if they're hurt.

And if your character needs a [b. W] instead, two stabby feathers are only a small part of this new set of wings. The rest of them? Soft and vulnerable. While moving away from one soldier that lunges at him, another that he just misses manages to get a hit in, sword cutting into a wing. ]

Shit...!

[ An automatic reaction before he feels that searing pain run through him to his very core, agonizing enough to make him see stars and cause him to writhe in the air. Yzak curses again, more desperate and breathless as he tries to recover, but he starts to plummet a few feet as a few of the Taeum soldiers dive after him intending to finish the job. ]

05. Wildcard and OOC

DOWN WITH ANY WILDCARDS!!!! Down with multiple threads at once!!! Hit me up at gaignun, Tara#1768 or DM this account for any planning/questions/etc.

01

[bindsthedead]

[Sabriel's also waiting, trying to keep her mind in that state between blind optimism and paralyzing pessimism.

It's left her with nervous energy, which she generally deals with by practicing something- swordsmanship, hand-to-hand forms, knife drills, magic, whatever's easiest to do at the moment.

And at this moment, it's magic- Sabriel's practicing shielding spells, trying to cast them as quickly as possible, before dismissing them and trying again. She's not sure how strong the Highest One is, or if he'll even be in the throne room. But she's not going to trust in luck, and she remembers the fight with Cheruvia. Best to make sure she can cast quickly, to protect the others.

Then she spots Yzak, and she pauses, breaking off her casting to offer a faint smile. She's dressed in her usual arms and armor, with the addition of her revolver from Braccia at her hip.]

I'm going to Taeum, to try to get the other orb from the throne room. Hopefully, things will go smoothly, and once Entr'i finishes her fight, we'll all be back on the station.

[And yet, Sabriel doesn't sound particularly optimistic- just grimly determined.]

Daisy Johnson | OTA

[morethan084]

3.0

[Even though Daisy was aware of a breakout happening, she was filled with a mixture of relief and worry when she hears it all start to go down. Whether it’s people chattering on comms about it or hearing fights breaking out somewhere above them. Getting to her feet when people enter the room accompanied by Ruvilor, Daisy’s heart is hammering in her chest as they start working on the talismans just as guards start clambering through the entrance as well.

Daisy reaches for her gun, even if it’s useless while the talismans are still up. The moment they are taken out of commission, Daisy shoves her hands at whoever is closest. ]

Get these off of me, quick.

[She rubs at her extremely sore wrists, her skin rubbed raw evidence of how she’s been trying to break out of them for god knows how long. Finally out of her cell, Daisy wastes no time in using her powers to knock a few soldiers into each other just as they enter the room. There’s hardly time to check in on others, but once the guards are taken care of she finally takes a second to catch her breath. She’s exhausted, and having her powers suddenly back after a few weeks of them remaining dormant was overwhelming.

Finally, she can check in with her other cellmates, and it’s almost weird to be face to face with them after so long. Any Orber who is around, Daisy thanks for their help in getting them out of here.]

5.0

[Finally out of the dungeons, Daisy finally sees for herself what she’s been hearing over comms. She stands there for a minute, taking it all in before she’s rushing to help people come through. She doesn’t hesitate to knock down the guards that try to shove people back through the portals,]

Go get them somewhere safe!

[Daisy shouts at a fellow orber once she’s helped them through again. It feels good to have an outlet for all of her pent-up rage. She’s been waiting for the moment she was finally free from her cell. Whether, it’s to use her powers on the guards. Or to use her training and take out as many of them as possible. Spotting an orber nearby struggling with one of the guards, Daisy quickly comes to their aid. Pulling the guard off of them roughly, she directs their anger onto her. It’s not long before they collapse to the floor and Daisy moves over to the Orber,]

Are you okay?

WILDCARD

[Have something else in mind? Feel free to write it below or PM/message me on morethan084!]

wildcard time

[oiorpata]

[ it's not the most conventional jailbreak andy has ever been apart of on account of all the magic involved, but it works anyway insofar as they find their people inside and successfully free them. bars broken, chains unbound, it all happens in relative easy succession and it leaves little time to catch a breath because the guards not on ruvilor's side have been alarmed, have already made their way down ready to clash. ]

[ but andy doesn't really care about them, she isn't concerned. she approaches so many of these battles and missions without as much concern as she should, despite the uncertainty and the unknown. she uses a talisman or two from xichen but it isn't until she finally sees daisy that andy actually pauses. daisy hasn't left her cell yet, her arms are chafed but free and she's stretching with her newfound freedom, but she's bound to notice andy if she looks over. ]

Zhao Tianyou | RGG/Yakuza | Giva

[essenceofdeadlybeasts]

This was it. The war was here. In this world there was no delaying it, no stopping it from happening. They had been waiting for this day since they arrived in the world and now it was here. It wasn't like with the Ijin Three where careful cooperation behind the scenes could prevent war from breaking out. It was inevitable here. It was, at least, for a good cause.

Which didn't make it any better or any less frightening as a whole. It was still war. People were going to get hurt and some of them weren't going to deserve it. People were going to die. And Zhao was going to be right there, fighting this war for these people. A part of him heard Kasuga's voice in his ear saying he could just do what they always did: knock them out, knock the sense back into them, and leave them alive with better thoughts in their head. But another part of him, the part that was winning within, said 'fuck it' because he didn't like this place and he was ready to just kill his way to his own goal.

I. Part Three - Better Leave the War with Me | OTA

7.0 ground battle
[When Zhao stepped out of the portal with the rest of the army of Sedorum his attention was first captured by the rolling plains and the majestic form of the distant mountains. It was a beautiful sight especially after the time spent in the Red City. But his attention was quickly rerouted as he took notice of the new appendages sprouting from nearly everyone's form: the various wings suddenly adorning the army troops. All were different but each held some fascinating facet to them that caught and held the mind. He didn't have time to fully appreciate each individual's wings but it became apparent that he too had a set of wings ostentatiously spreading out behind him.

His wings were brightly colored. At first sight they appeared to be feathered wings of a grand bird with brilliant red and orange plumage. Upon closer inspection, however, it became apparent that the wings were in fact made of a blazing aura that resembled flames. The feathered pattern held true and it might have made one think specifically of a vermilion bird, a regal phoenix with wings ablaze. There was even two long decorative feathers trailing behind a little like tail feathers as were often seen with the Fenghuang. Somehow, the look was very befitting of the flashy gangster.

Zhao spread his wings wide in experimentation as he looked back at them in wonder. This whole blending in thing went well over what he would have expected. This was some exceptional work right here. Also, very crazy. He had wings for crying out loud!

Well, no sense in getting caught up on the "little" details. There was a war breaking out. The two commanders were heading back to their lines and the soldiers were pushing forward now, bringing Zhao along for the ride whether he wanted to join in or not. He stilled his mind and refocused his attention on the action at hand. There was a battle occurring now and he had no room for distraction. He had to act, quickly and decisively, no time to dawdle lest he get hurt or worse. No time to think too much.

It was a little freeing. Not having to think but simply to react and counteract. To parry a blow and return with one of his own. For the first part of the battle he forgot his challenge to himself (and bet with Andy) to use only the bow. Instead he fought with his hands in the style of his various martial arts. Smooth, precise, strong attacks that were practiced to the point of perfection and easily kept the Chinese man on top of the fighting. Occasionally he would bring out his sword for a special attack. At one point his sword caught on fire and matched his phoenix wings as he beautifully twirled and cut his way through a swath of enemy soldiers, giving the term 'Essence of Phoenix Blade' a whole new meaning to his special maneuver.]

8.0 aerial fight
[At some point in time Zhao remembered the bow and arrows on his back. His bet with Andy was that he could master the bow's use while in this world, and to meet that goal he had challenged himself to use them almost exclusively while here. He needed a breather anyway; so he fell back and withdrew the bow from his back, notched an arrow, and took aim. His first released arrow struck an enemy in the chest, center of mass. A success, followed by many more. He began to draw attention as an annoyance to those fighting melee and the enemy turned its sights towards him. That's when things became harder for the gangster. This was not like firing a gun in quick succession. He was good but he wasn't perfect with the bow and he soon feared he would be overrun.

That's when he remembered the wings on his back. He had no idea how flying would work. But he was desperate enough to give it a try without much thought about the mechanics and science of it right now. His wings spread wide, sending an eruption of fiery aura out around him with the sudden movement, distracting his foes long enough that he leapt into the air to escape. And boy was this a new experience. He didn't know how it worked but it did. He flew through the air with little more than vague guidance going through his head until he realized he was mostly alone up there. He'd gone too far away from the fighting. Zhao took a moment to breath and glanced back at his wings. They flapped on their own, idly as he hovered in place, the slow, methodical movement not nearly enough to hold up his weight in the air but then nothing about this was realistic. So as long as he thought 'fly' and 'where I want to go' it seemed to be enough to get him going in the air. That worked for him. He didn't want to think about it more than that.

He had his moment of reprieve. Now it was time to get back to the fight. He took his bow in hand once more and this time he had the perfect vantage point from which to fire his arrows. Of course, this would also eventually gain attention as his arrows (mostly) found their marks and slayed Taeum soldiers both on the ground and out of the air. He would be forced to defend himself as he flew, dodging attacks from all angles. It was quite a new experience but one that he seemed to revel in. He mostly tried to stick with the bow as his weapon but every now and then close quarters combat got too intense for that method and he switched to hand-to-hand or sword combat to defend himself then resume his sniping attacks with the bow.]

II. Two Strangers About to Collide | Closed to Majima

[Eventually Zhao's exploits took him close to the capital city standing tall and imposing at the edge of the battlegrounds. He was in the air sniping with the bow at this point and he saw that some of the fighting souls in flight had spilled over the walls of the city and their battle was disturbing the crowds below.

He thought very little of it because suddenly it occurred to him: this was one place no one in their group had previous contact with. It was an unknown. But what if... what if one of theirs had gone there by mistake anyway. What if this was why Majima couldn't be contacted after the communication network had been restored. It was either this or stuck back on the station, and Zhao refused to think about a third option, so now Zhao had a new place to search for his missing buddy.

The network was a distraction so he mostly ignored it during the fighting but now he opened it to search for any signs of Majima appearing. He had sent a flood of inbox messages to Majima while they were separated and in return--Zhao wouldn't be surprised if he had some in his own from the other man. But more importantly he tried to send a new message. A quick text that said he was looking for Majima and a request for info to help locate Majima. It was closed to Majima to keep it between them. He hoped this got through and earned a reply message from his one-eyed friend.

No matter what the outcome from the network was, Zhao began searching the city for signs of the man, flying high above the city with his new fiery wings and looking below. Sadly, he didn't have eyes of the eagle to help him along and soon he dipped low to aid his search. He didn't care how long it took though, he was determined to find his friend. He hoped he got a text with info to help him or that he even just got lucky enough to spot the one-eyed man from his vantage point in the sky as he flew along. One way or another... he had this new goal in mind and the rest of the war was momentarily forgotten.]

III. Wildcard~

[[ Hit me with something! Anything goes. Zhao will be focusing on two main things: hunting down higher-ups in the Taeum army as he promised to do for the war effort; and searching for Majima when he has two seconds to breath. He'll be stronger on the ground, a heavy-hitter that stuns and weakens enemies with his martial arts attacks. While in the air he's more fragile and I would love to explore Zhao getting hurt especially of the wing variety that could knock him out of the air for a bit and leave him dazed and wondering. These are just other ideas to explore but come at me with anything! PMs to journal or AisuYoukai for anything you want.]]

🎵Falling feet by feet, Suddenly we are

[hikae]

[ Majima has been looking forward to some kind of change, true. His purpose was unknown, as he landed among the living, contrary to what their briefing prepared them for. It taught him one important truth— even with a semi-confirmation of the existing afterlife he couldn't just off himself.

What if didn't work, and he wouldn't land in the afterlife, and just died, business unfinished. What if there was some reason he was sent here and he only needed to figure when—

Then the apocalypse started. Not in the sense of the end of the world and falling fires, but in the sense of an epic battle where forces of the outside duked it out. A sight to see, definitely, but for Majima it also meant potential reuniting with the teammates. So once the brief "what the actual fuck" passed, he attempted to connect to the network again and his attempt met Zhao's.

That sending messages from one brain to another used to be weird, but now it's something he welcomes with open arms. ]

Shit— Is that really ya? Got ya long enough to get here! [ it's supposed to be cheeky, but it's also full of relief. ] Welcome back to the world of livin'!

Finn | Star Wars | Jailbreak & Taeum

[hatejakku]

I.3.0://NO.GUILTY.PARTY

[ Finn hasn't been doing too hot, probably a surprise to few people. Blocked from the Force for so long, feeling more and more hopeless by the day, isolating himself more than his cell already does- It's been hard on his mental health. Really hard.

But when he starts to hear the commotion, Finn lifts himself up to listen. He's been hearing things that aren't there. Not often, just every now and then. But this- This is real. It's happening. Right now.

He's not sure if he's relieved or scared, but Finn finally reaches for his lightsaber and clicks it on, the bright white of the blade blinding for a moment. But he wastes no time in trying to cut the chains, even if he's holding his breath the whole time, waiting for-

The saber retracts just as most of the chains fall away, the air leaving Finn's lungs as everything rushes back in. It's too much, overwhelming, dizzying- They're getting closer. No time to lose it now. No time-

He grabs and ignites the saber again, swinging for the bars, only for them to deflect it just as he expected. Dammit. ]

Hey!

[ If he looks pale, thin, exhausted, and maybe has a little touch of a nosebleed, please just... don't worry about it. He's seen better days. A whole lot of them. ]

II.5.6.0://HELL.TO.THE.BEST.OF.US

[ Once he's out of the dungeons, he doesn't stop. He feels a little like he's about to die, yeah, but to say that he has a bad feeling about this is putting it lightly.

The Force is... sensitive today. Or maybe he just is? Something like that. It's just that as soon as he thinks something, like pushing a Taeum soldier away from a screaming child, the soldier is suddenly flung across the pristine rooms and straight into a bleached white wall. The lack of control scares him a lot, but he doesn't stop. Kind of can't. Instead of freaking out, he spends the time getting the innocents to the safety of McCoy and H'Yawal.

But when the ground starts to shake, cave, and crumble beneath his feet, Finn thinks that he's the one doing it for a second and panics, trying to make it stop. It's not him, though, of course, but he's still not entirely certain when the pits begin to appear and people start to fall. ]

NO!

[ He reaches out with the Force, runs forward, hoping to catch them, catch someone-- ]

://WILDCARD

[ ooc: Finn's going through the whole jailbreak thing and staying in Taeum, so any prompt surrounding that stuff, he's available for! Thanks! ]

wildcard ish

[coordination]

[ Sometime in the immediate aftermath of the jailbreak, when the path's been cleared and the team is pausing to prepare to head wherever their own next destination is, Yzak gulps in a breath of air as he leans against the wall. He temporarily removes a couple of pieces of his armor and reaches for a small bottle of water he has on him to take a sip from it, getting what tiny bit of respite he can because he's going to be heading to Giva shortly. ]

Hey. You okay? What happened?

[ He notes the remains of that nosebleed just beneath Finn's nose, reaching to find something, a rag, cloth, whatever, to toss in his direction. ]

billy butcher — the boys

[cheapbastard]

7.0 GROUND AND POUND

( honestly, this takes him back. it takes him back to a time before supes and before his life turned into the fuckin' toilet scum it was now. it took him back to when he was younger and idealistic, looking to change the world.

that person's gone now but in it's place is the man that he is now and he is more than ready to fuck some shit up. he doesn't even know why he's fucking shit up but he knows that he got a kick out of it last time and he's going to do it again.

this is what he'd been doing in taeum on a larger scale. he doesn't hesitate to grab a weapon and he doesn't hesitate to take out anyone that looks at him sideways. but he does pay attention to faces because he doesn't want to take out someone he actually likes.

perish the fuckin' thought.

right now, he's tucked behind some kind of barrier, wiping at his face and breathing hard. there's a lot of people surrounding him but he feels pretty alone. it's something he's pretty familiar with but he hates it. )

Get the fuck over yourself.

( not you. he's talking to himself for once. )

8.0 WINGS AND THINGS

Motherfucker!

( he yells that word loud enough that anyone nearby's going to hear. he hadn't really given a damn about the wings on his back until he'd figured out that he could use them to get away from people trying to kill them.

and it had been a good time, swooping in and around, dive bombing people who couldn't get him. he could have done with these during a few fuck arounds with homelander but alas, nothing good ever stayed.

someone fuckin' shot one of his wings and he hit the ground with a muffled thump. it took the pain a second to come to him but once it did, it rushed in and he was spitting curses left and right.

he's felt a lot of fuckin' pain but never like this. billy manages to crawl behind a broken piece of rock and he stays there, contemplating cutting the wings completely off. )

Fucking fuck you fuck this place fuck!

( he's okay, folks. )

9.0 WILDCARD

( if you'd like to do anything else, feel free to toss it my way! )

8.0

[essenceofdeadlybeasts]

[The wings proved both fascinating and quite useful as the battle raged. Zhao took to the air to play with the bow and arrows he'd appropriated while in Sedorum. It wasn't his usual tactic but he'd made a bet with Andy and this was how he was handling it. Don't ask. (Or do.)

When he saw Billy go down there was a moment where Zhao sighted down the arrow shaft and almost let it fly towards the wounded soldier. What he thought was a Taeum soldier turned out to be an Orber, however, and the gangster checked himself before the shot was fired. Instead he shifted slightly and let the arrow fly--it hit a new target, center of mass, dropping the Sedorum soldier without remorse.

Zhao didn't want to fight the Sedorum soldiers. He was here to kill the higher-ups of the Taeum army. But of course the Orbers were more important than anything else going on amongst this chaos. Hopefully, no one else would spot the fallen Orber on the ground recovering from the wing trauma.

But in case anyone did, Sedurom or Taeum, Zhao had his back. He kept a careful eye on Billy as his fiery phoenix wings raised high, slowly lowering him towards the ground like some fantastical guardian from some anime-based video game, physics be damned. They folded up behind him as he touched the ground. He kept his bow at the ready, an arrow loosely notched, but not raised towards anything at the moment.]

Heyyy. You gonna make it?

[A low casual drawl, but it cut across the battlefield easily enough. Like he was used to the ruckus and being heard above it was normal practice.]

L3-37 • Star Wars • Taeum

[droide]

[ PLACEHOLDER FOR CLOSED THREADS AND MAYBE AN OPEN PROMPT OR TWO TO COME... ]

CLOSED to Clarke

[droide]

[ It's hard, being separated from half her team and feeling as though there is little she can do to actually contribute to the mission. Especially since she has no intention of joining anyone's army and fighting in a war she doesn't understand or believe in. So, when word comes of a plan to get the incarcerated Taea out of lockdown, L3-37 leaps on the chance to help. She coordinates her efforts with Clarke via the orber network, and as soon as Entr'i's portals allow her to, crosses over to Taeum to meet up with her coconspirator. ]

Are you ready to do this? [ She asks Clarke, voice low, as they sneak around to get into position to start their disruption. ]

itachi ✹ taeum ✹ closed

[blackfire]

（ pm if you'd like a starter! ）

yennefer;

[blackfire]

（ there are always moments of peace amidst chaos. no conflict is ceaseless cacophony. there are always moments between heartbeats, to breathe, to take stock. to steal snatches of cold eternity.

the world is crumbling away, but they are at least in a fortified position for now. they fall into easy camaraderie with one another — that conversation on the veranda had not, it seems, been a one-off. but now they are resting, while the void shakes and howls outside this fortified room, and the mix of souls both sedora and taea try not to mingle along the far wall.

he's taken injury. nothing significant, but it's a cut above the eye with which he uses amaterasu, and head wounds have a tendency to bleed. so, yennefer had ushered him to sit and he does so obediently, allowing her to tend to it. ）

We cannot guarantee the wards will last indefinitely.

（ a low, soft murmur, barely audible beyond they two. he is not telling her anything she does not already know, he thinks, but they have yet to speak on it aloud. ）

mccoy | taeum

[homeostatic]

4.0 - came the last night of sadness - ota for Taeum

( After meeting H'yawal, McCoy is all forward momentum, speaking quietly with families, organizing the low key movement of elderly toward the healer's quarters, and searching out those children who are without caretakers.

By the time he finds someone from the crew, he's got a whole gaggle of them: a row of fidgety kids of various ages following in his wake like ducklings, holding hands in a loosely-organized buddy system. )

You busy? Good- ( Unless they're actually and obviously right in the middle of something, Bones will be transferring a bright-eyed youngster from his hip to their arms. Said youngster knows the drill- they wind their arms around the orber's neck and cling like Spanish Moss.

McCoy flashes them a tight smile. )

We're taking a little field trip.

5.0 - the candles blew

( It's pandemonium.

It isn't the first time he's been glad for his height, but right now he's thanking any deity that'll listen, between a colorful slew of blasphemous swears. Bones shoves amid a crush of soldiers to reach for a fallen old man on the atrium floor, hoisting him up as gently as he can.

Someone else bumps up against him, then another, and McCoy is suddenly buffeted on all sides by others as he tries to hurry the man away, blocking elbows and flailing arms. They get to a break in bodies when McCoy is inadvertently yanked back, abruptly in danger of being swallowed by the crowd. )

6.0

( Later, as Taeum begins to wrench itself apart, someone is falling, and he reaches immediately out to snag them from the air-- by a wrist, an arm, the back of their shirt like scruffing a kitten. Bones digs his heels into the crumbling tile and throws all his weight backward, wrenching them into a bear hug and away from the void splitting the earth. )

That's it, ( he hears himself say, shocked, his own voice sounding distant to himself, ) We gotta go.

X.0 - wildcard

( pm me if none of these fit or hmu with a starter of your own! )

4

[morethan084]

[Daisy's barely had time to catch her breath after a pretty hairy escape from the dungeon, when there's suddenly a child clinging to her. Arm wrapped around them, Daisy smiles at the kids. Some of which look nervous, before her eyes land on Leonard.]

Where are we going?

[She asks, intentionally keeping her voice light so the kids aren't worried. There's no way she could say no when kids in need are involved.]

Peter Quill | MCU | cw: mentions of violence

[spacedisaster]

↠TAEUM

a] Jailbreak | Please stand by

Ey, guys how are you holding up? Are you injured? 

[ Peter says kindly the moment they reach the cells, thanks to Ruvilor's help in crossing the magic barrier. It took them more than he expected to get here because the dungeons are a maze, and he knows it will be complicated to leave unnoticed for that same reason. ]

a] Jailbreak | A cutting remark

[ There's not much time to talk, unfortunately. Given how the Guardian's mission tends to go apeshit after they are only 1/3 into their plans, Peter isn't that surprised when the same happens here. He seems pretty calm about everything that is going on, despite the fact that the place is starting to swarm with guards armed with very pointy swords. There's a sense of familiarity in all that chaos.

When one of the guards comes too close to an orbers with magical abilities who is trying to cut through the magic bars, Peter steps in front of them and raises his arm. The guard is sent flying backward by a well-timed electric shot, already unconscious when it hits the ground. ]

Guess who brought a gun to a sword fight, buddy. Did none of you watch West Side Story? It's timeless! [ Another guard comes towards him, this time moving fast enough that it's tricky to hit him. Peter side steps, the blade leaving a cut on his biceps that makes him curse, because fixing leather jackets is a pain in the ass. Before the guard can strike him a second time, Peter grabs the hilt of the Godslayer sword from behind his back, extending the blade and parrying the attack. ]

Annnd...guess who also brought a sword to a sword fight? This guy. [ The guard seems taken aback, which leaves Peter the chance to press the barrel of his blaster into their stomach and fire another electric shot. Two down, who-knows-how many more to handle. ]

 

↠GIVA

a] Wind Beneath My Wings

[ Peter is as shocked as the rest when, after setting foot in Giva, a pair of giant wings burst from his back. He almost stumbles forward, looking back over his shoulder to have a good look at them, and immediately shouts; ]

Oh, woah. Holy shit, that is so cool. 

[ The shape and feathers of the wings, large and now spread fully behind him, have a silvery-white outline, and their interior is not a solid color. There are stars, cosmic dust, and nebulae shifting inside the wings, like living things.  It is almost as if one is staring into the vastness of space. Fitting, one would imagine, for a galaxy traveler who is as in love with the universe as Peter is. A cosmic child.

After seeing them, the surprise gives way to excitement, and Peter looks around, staring in admiration at the wings of his fellow orbers. He's clearly enamored with the view and momentarily forgets that they're supposed to stop a war. ]

Had I known that we would get wings while in Giva, I would have given my jetpack to those who stayed back to help the citizens. But these are pretty cool, uh? I wonder just how high we can go with them. 

b] Another one bites the dust

[ After that brief interlude, Peter joins the fray, his blasters ready and set to stun. He takes to the sky easily, as if it's second nature, the pleasure of being in the air a familiar one. The focus required to fight, while up there, is also something he knows well.

He's trying not to hurt anyone, so when he stuns one of Taeum's soldiers, he catches them in mid-air and lowers them to the ground before they fall and break their necks. If that's not a possibility, he tries to make sure not to hit anybody who is flying too high up.

The downside to his wings is that they're very large, and while they help him move faster and hit enemies that get too close, they also make him an easy target. A blast fires through the air, far too close to him for comfort, and Peter backtracks, wings flapping like a startled bird and...ooops, probably hitting another orber who was close to him in the process. Sorry, pal. ]

↠ WILCARD

[ If you'd like to do anything specific that isn't listed here, go wild. Just remember to add the appropriate warnings. Or contact me on Lylith]

b.] another one bites the dust :))))

[groupiedrifter]

['Newt' happens to be attempting to use these half-assed wings when he's bumped into mid-air, and the precursors must quickly readjust their balance as their glowing blue wings beat against the wind beneath them. They glare up at the culprit, and — oh, of course.

Channeling an inner New Yorker, they bicker:]

Watch where you're going!

[Of all the luck. They've been trying to avoid this idiot all month, and now they're literally getting smacked in the face by his wings at the end of this mess; this is practically criminal.]

lan xichen | sedorum

[calmness]

sedorum; pre-jail break & sneaking over to find the high one missions

[xichen can be found near the training grounds, where entr'i's soldiers normally train. today he is not there train, to fight. instead he is resting, waiting for those who may have been interested in his offer to provide talismans for their upcoming missions to arrive.

he'd sent out a message to the network with his location, what he has to offer. silencing talismans to help those wishing to sneak around, others to unlock doors or seal them closed for a time. there are more things he's capable, yes, but for now there are limitations to his own magic. there are talismans made by wei wuxian amongst the batch, distinguished in the difference of handwriting (his own neat, the yiling patriarch's.... less so. xichen's not surprise he hasn't improved my since his time in cloud recess, where xichen was amongst his teachers). the ones not of his own hand are stronger, xichen thinks but for the purposes of their mission both will do.

when he's approached, xichen looks up and pulls a white pouch from his belt. he loosens the strings, then sticks up to his forearm inside to pull out the paper talismans.] Which do you need?

sedorum; staying behind and ushering people over

[xichen's music can be heard as the ground collapses, calming those he guides to portals to the other side. he's quick, using what energy he has to jump from what remains of the group to rescue those needing to make it to a portal.

when the ground collapses under an orber or poor civilian's feet, xichen hops on his sword and glides to catch them. it is a quick swoop in, a rescue that's timed so he makes it just in time. his own energy reserves are low, his hands shaking as he holds whoever nearly took a dive around the waist.] I've got you!

[when not saving those nearly tumbling into an abyss, his focus is getting those to safety. music continues to play, xichen stops in front of a portal and turns to the orber closest to him. he has a group with him, scared sedorum that have been soothed by his tune but not wholly ready to cross.] Is this portal safe? There are others that have been collapsing or those trying to get through pushed back.

wildcard.

[ooc: feel free to tag in with anything or hit me up in pm/cloudrecess to chat through an idea!]

staying behind + ushering people over;

[choicely]

[ Portal creation, in and of itself, does not demand significant amounts of chaos; it is the repetition of it that begins to drain Yennefer's reserves of energy the longer she persists, especially in light of the fact that she can only usher through a certain number of people at a time before being forced to let it shut.

It's not a wholly pleasant experience either, for the ones crossing, and she idly recalls Geralt being none too eager to do it himself because he didn't enjoy the feeling. Those who step through are more likely to feel a little ill in being transported from one realm to the other, which simply can't be helped, but it's not as though they've had to walk through several portals in succession — a sensation that has even left Yennefer herself with some queasiness in her guts.

She's looking wan in a different sense now as she works to keep the portal open this time, barely sparing a glance for the orber who approaches her as she keeps one hand outstretched, Taeum made visible through the circular opening with wisps of vapor around its perimeter as though she's conjured it from the very air itself. ]

It's safe for as long as I can hold it. [ Her voice is only lightly strained before she ventures a brief glance in his direction. ] They'll have ample warning before it closes, but you may want to get them to hurry the fuck up.

Rosinante | OTA | Jailbreak + Giva

[callada]

Jailbreak

3.0aSympathy is a funny thing. These guards, these people of Taeum, they're not his Marines. But he sees so much familiarity reflected in them, and their pursuit of a higher justice - and the failures, the zealotry, all the evil that can befall people under pressure to do great things.

So he's fighting less effectively than he could be, for once; keeping guards at bay with his glaive and using the shaft in defense, rather than taking more lethal measures. "Keep going, I'll hold them off," he calls out - and admittedly he's not doing a bad job of that either. Long arms and a long reach do wonders. Still, he's going to get overwhelmed if anyone actually leaves him to it for too long.

3.0b Finally, an escape has been achieved, and Rosinante takes a moment to breathe. He lights a cigarette (and some of his hair, which he apparently hasn't noticed) and then checks himself over.

"You got bandages?" he asks with a frown - because yeah, he took a few pretty bad slashes and magical burns back there, and the armor only helps so much. Now that there's a moment for the adrenaline to wear off, the blood is a lot more obvious. Enough to slow him down for the upcoming fight if someone can't lend a hand.

Giva

7.0 Given his injuries, Rosinante keeps to the flank of the battle, and mostly on the ground. He's just not the most graceful in the air, and these broad black wings are a type of magic he doesn't seem like he's going to instantly master.

He winds up taking part in a defensive line on a city wall in front of a crowd of civilians, who mostly cower in fear, but occasionally make efforts to sneak forward.

"No, you can't get in there, they'll kill you," he growls, and grabs one especially persistent man's shoulder and pushes him backward, causing the guy to stumble back wide-eyed before scampering off.

"Actually, I have no idea if that's true," he mutters to whoever is nearest and keeping an eye on locals as well. "I'd hope they wouldn't."

wildcard: choose your own adventure! Rosinante's temper is a little short right now, especially after all that jail time and now with a war he really doesn't want to be part of. He's in Taeum armor still and will try to hold off anyone who looks like they might be taking a roundabout route to go after Angrial, but he's keeping to the edges otherwise himself because Taeum has labeled him a traitor and probably wants him dead anyway. Fun times here on Giva.

Wildcard: audio

[kikoku]

[With the way chaos was rapidly descending on Taeum as soon as they got out of jail, the group of them ended up completely separated without even meaning to be. While Law had given some fleeting thought to it, he felt it necessary to focus on the situation at hand. Rosinante could take care of himself. He'd been on more of these missions than Law.

But once he finds a spare moment of downtime, tending to some of the injured in the Healing Quarters in Taeum, he's checking in.]

Cora-san, where are you right now?

Malleus Draconia | Twisted Wonderland | OTA

[elude]

II

5.0 in Taeum

This way!

[Malleus calls after the people coming in through the portals, trying his best to keep the recently arrived people safe from those trying to shove them back. Someone pushes him, and he uses a small gust of wind of push the person back, who screams some curses at him.

Someone yells in his ear and his eyebrow twitches. He can't keep everyone calm, no matter what he tries, but he can ask for someone to help him. He doesn't want to do it, but something has to be done.]

You. Stop standing around, help these people.

6.0

....This isn't good.

[Malleus, while trying to get people into the rooms that are still standing, almost falls into the abyss. His penchant need to levitate everywhere is the only thing that keeps him from falling, but he does seem some residents of Taeum and some of the newly arrived people from Sedorum falling. It gives him a shiver seeing this, so he turns away, floating onto safe standing, and signals the people that are too scared to move.]

Move back! Or I'll use magic to push you!

[Some people listen to him, but others just stare and Malleus sighs. They're in the middle of the biggest trouble he's seen in his life and yet they're not moving to safety. So he does as he said he would, and creates a gust of wind to push the people back. Some yell and scream at him, but at least no one is falling. He hears the ground rumbling and clicks his tongue.]

Farther! Move farther!

[He feels panicked, a feeling he doesn't like at all. He looks around, trying to figure out what the situation is like, before he spots someone who seems to be helping too.]

Can you help put these people out of danger? I can't keep pushing them or they'll end up getting hurt.

Wildcard

(You can start a prompt and I'll follow through! If you prefer talking about it first, drop me a line at danybel))

6.0

[bindsthedead]

I can stabilize the ground. That should last for- [Sabriel's not sure how long. Hours at least, probably days, weeks if they're very fortunate.]

Long enough.

[And she's already casting. It's almost a relief to immerse herself in the Charter, to let magic flow over and through her, to draw out the marks she needs and trace them over white marble, where they spiral outward, filling in the cracks with golden light and allowing everything to stabilize- for the moment, at least.]</small.

[starer]

[Starters to follow. Hit me up at rebelled if you want anything specific. And no, you didn't see me somehow accidentally delete everything shh]

closed.

[starer]

[prev.]

What, and make your life easy? You'd get bored too quick.

[There's a quirk to his lips to accompany his words, his dislike of the balloon being pushed aside for the time being. Though, yet again, there's a pointed refusal to take it off him. He really will break out a knife if he has to. But before he lets things go any further, his expression softens out as he continues-]

Look, if you're second guessing it, I won't be mad. Wasn't expecting anything anyway.

[And besides, having Sam back in the first place really is enough.]

closed to Moiraine

[winscenario]

[ Things don't really wind down here, but between his rough landing coming through the portal, fighting the guards trying to lock him up, reuniting with Bones and Finn and then running around helping people, this is as close to quiet as it gets.

There are still sounds of fighting outside, but it's more distant now, not as many people crying out for help. Jim has helped Bones gather a good number of children and injured people into the relative safety of this place, and he's currently doing the rounds to make sure everyone has what they need when he sees Moiraine stir from her sleep.

He makes his way over and kneels beside her, leaning over so she can see the smile he offers. ]

Hey. How're you feeling?

[cairhien]

( if lan were here he'd be grateful to bones and jim, for doing the job he usually does. it's not the first time that moiraine's channelled herself to exhaustion, far from it, and even now her mind isn't on stopping )

How is everything?

( though she hasn't yet started moving she's about 60 seconds away from it, even if those movements would be sluggish. she's slept, recovered some strength though she's still physically exhausted and needs more rest. though it's others she's putting before herself, if they needed healing or other help in this situation )

closed threads — ;

[lateness]

[ stay tuned for closed threads here!

if you'd like to do something with the doctor, hit me up over thwip! ]

for harley —

[lateness]

[ It's extremely lucky — very, extremely lucky, actually — that Harley is around when she is, if only to avoid getting a literal knife-y stabby thing pushed into him from the front. He's quite sure it was meant to kill him.

Of course things are always rather contentious here, it's Sedorum after all, but one certainly doesn't expect to be stabbed in the middle of a busy street corridor when they're only trying to help someone. (Or someones.)

He lets out a breath and pushes back his hair, understandably cross at the whole situation. But the fellow who had made an attempt on his life has also understandably decided to take off, disappearing into the narrow space between buildings cramped in together. He turns now to his rescuer. ]

Haven't got a clue where they've gone off, have you? [ He can only hope that in the chaos, she'd managed to pinpoint the place he'd disappeared to. ] That was very rude!

The Darkling/ Aleksander Morozova - Shadow and Bone.

[cruelyethuman]

8.0 Arial fight.

[Stepping out of the portal, he is greeted once again with the cacophony of war. The flash of weapons and the sharp clash of steel, the grunts and screams of those wounded and the Darkling only spares a second to stare at the wings sprouting from his back.

Flowing through gaps in the black Kefta, they look- wrong. Huge and feathered, as he stretches them towards the blue sky, and they bleed black feathers. Tattered and battle-worn, even before he had a chance to join the fray, the bones looking as if they'd been broken too many times to count. Bare patches of skin showing through the dark plumage, ropy scars twist up the both of them and as he watches the wings of his comrades and the advancing army from Taeum, he manages to thank the Making for not having the leathery ones from the cursed first mission, before he flings himself in to the air.

Wings beating as he claps his hands together, gathering the shadows from around them - from the shade of the trees and from beyond the stars, it comes as he calls them, a thick swath of them and hovering, he starts sending them out to blind.

The shadows wrap themselves around the faces of those nearest, indiscriminately, to stop the war from escalating.]

Wildcard

[If you want something else, feel free to hit me with it, or talk to me on ireth]