tornheart | AWAKENING

Entry tags:

AWAKENING

Who: Everyone
When: Midnight, June 6th
Where: Green Valley Orchids
What: It is time.

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

The subway stop near the orchards was not the type of place that most people liked to be when darkness fell. The orchards near the school were set up almost like a public park, which wasn’t so bad in and of itself, but it’s also the area where over half of the murders happened before the curfew was first put in place. It was a place people didn't go unless absolutely necessary and most had started taking alternate routes to avoid the stop. As one of the first subway stations built in the city, its architecture didn't really mesh with those that came after it. It had jagged corners where the smell of wet earth lingered, making it unpleasant even for those brave enough to continue to use it, and there had even been talk of closing it permanently once routes and nearby stations had been revamped to be better able to take care of the traffic.

Due to this, it only has the bare-bones of a shelter, fallen into disrepair as the curfew was enforced city-wide, and a couple of night guards, (probably already asleep due to the lack of activity they’re expecting), so characters arriving there will be mostly unnoticed. For a place that had such a bad history, most people rightfully avoid it.

For most of them it will be their first meeting with each other. There will be a bit of time to talk before their phones display a zero. Plenty of time to talk about what they suspect and what might just happen...and that horrible vision they had shared. Then there’s that countdown on their phones...ticking away the last few minutes.

ZERO UNTIL MIDNIGHT

The lights go out when the countdown ends. The lack of sound is, for lack of better word, worrying. Very soon, only the light of the phones serves as makeshift flashlights for the small group. But soon, even as words get displayed, a deep male voice echoes, which could be much more worrying.

FINALLY! Ahahahahah! Ahhh, damn does it feel nice to be able to speak and not
just write. Hey lambs, are you all ready?

Considering the choice of words, that might be Luci.

It's time. Can you feel your heartbeats increasing? Your mind about to explode? Questions swirling in your mind? Just make sure you don't go alone. Groups are
best, go all together and you'll never find the answers.

The voice laughs again.

Not that you have much of a choice at this point! Have fun, give them hell, and tell
them I sent you! I'll be taking care of that pesky guard problem for you.
...Let's go for a night stroll."

Communication ends just as abruptly as it started. No time to back down now, as the door where the guards are staying is quickly locked on its own before the subway system itself appears to be taken over by a virus that flashes on every available screen. With a click, the locked doors to the outside are swung open.

A voice in your mind warns you this might be the biggest mistake you'll be making in your entire life...and yet your heart feels like it's going to burst from your body from the joy you feel...

AWAKENING

It begins with a scream nearby. The same noise that they heard during the vision. The trees begin to turn grey as the sounds of hundred of creatures moving can be heard from all sides. The application opens, displaying them all in real time.

The group is surrounded.

By all logic, they should be running, but their legs feel bolted to the ground. They can't move.

The creatures begin to get closer. The trees start to rot nearby.

Breathing begins to increase. The sound of voices and memories quickly flashing before their eyes that might cause some to clutch at their head...exactly the same thing that the man had been doing back in the vision. If they look down at their hands, they will see them fading, see-through.

Yet for them, something is different. Just as the creatures are about to attack, they stop. A vision of the Velvet Room flashes before the eyes of those gathered as the two attendants silently nod. Then a return to reality as a light of color pierces the night from their hearts. A single voice can be heard, drowning out anything they might be hearing.

The time is now. I am thou, thou art I! Your mind is trapped, but I can set your soul free! My other self, will you die, or fight back?

Accept me for who I am! Forge this contract by letting go of your fears! Revolt against this world, and TEAR OUT YOUR HEART!

It laughs and fades, as time quickly returns to this world. There's only a few seconds to react before it all goes to hell. A faded hand to reach into your chest.

The choice is yours. Death...or Awakening.

THE BATTLE IN APPLE GROVE

It’s a feeling unlike they have ever felt. Never have their bodies been so alive. Their minds fill with lost memories, their bodies adapting into tools to defeat the creatures before them.

Defeat...destroy...unlock the skills of your heart and show them what it means
to cross you."

The voice is encouraging, almost. To those with navigator skills, the voice speaks up once more as well.

Lead them into battle. Hone their skills into true annihilation!"

It’s time to reclaim the night.

[OOC: For the purpose of this battle, the shadows all have 1HP and are strong against nothing. That means any attack will be able to kill them, weapons and guns included. For this log only, CHARACTERS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO COMBINE SPELLS, as knowledge of this will be unlocked later on. There are about a HUNDRED shadows to be defeated, so there are as many needed for your characters to enjoy killing off. You are free to NPC them and to create situations and close calls.

An OOC PLANNING POST can be used to ask questions or to form teams.]

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[Alucard is still getting his bearings back, no longer just a history student but a dhampir prince dressed from another era and wielding a broadsword with accuracy. He looks human but there's something either off or more about his Awakened appearance.

When he sees Lenka barreling his way, he has to throw up his sword in hasty defense.]

Wait! I believe I am like you!

[At this point, Lenka's been fighting for what feels like hours already; but is likely just a few minutes since the start of this nightmare -- trial by fire, whatever this contract is -- exclusively wielding the pair of swords that were suddenly in his hands at the start. He doesn't know or really want to know what to do with the ominous shadow following him, and he's too focused on the Shadows actually coming for him, anyway.

His focus is starting to slip a little, along with the rest of him in the precarious footing created by the rain, so when he sees something moving he's liable to raise his swords first and ask questions later; that being said. Alucard the terribly well-dressed dhampir prince is still a sight more human-looking than whatever they've been fighting so far.

Twin red and blue blades pause in their rush without contacting Alucard's, Lenka blinks once at close range, and then slides right past him on a particularly sodden patch of leaves. Smooth.]

You're... [unfamiliar, utterly, he might have seen the hair fluttering in the subway at some point but then, there are plenty of people with surprisingly memorable hair in their midst; so that's unhelpful] You're fighting them. Sorry.

[It might have been a good thing Lenka overshot his target at this point, since more Shadows are starting to appear, drawn by the sound of battle.]

I believe we are all a bit overwrought and doing the best we can, being thrown into the fire of battle. [He could not recall seeing this person before, but there's a good chance he spoke to this individual on the application, behind an unfamiliar username. Alucard hefts his broadsword and takes a large lungful of air, preparing for another wave of Shadows.]

What is your name? My name is Alucard.

Something like that...

[The other good thing about having his back to his fellow -- app victim? Shadow warrior? Something? -- is that Lenka can hide the minor rush of embarrassment beneath the night and the continuous drumming of rain. Regardless of the fact that it wasn't precisely him at all, and despite what preparations he did make... it's hard to deny that overwrought is a very optimistic term for the way he ended up here. A child half his age could have done better.

The rules Haruka plays by are not nearly the same, but he can't find it in himself to be very forgiving of someone who shouldn't exist in the first place (should he?); Lenka is the one who has to clean up the mess, and he has no time to properly understand what he's up against, why he's here or even which memories are whose.

But... something about the way the man at his back has introduced himself snags at his awareness. Alucard isn't a normal name, here or at home, so what-- Oh.]

Alucard. I'm Lenka. That's my name.

[Alucard at least has it somewhat easier in the mental confusion department. The name he'd born with had indeed been Adrian. He just doesn't go by that name any longer. How did he get here? He'd been certain he'd been ready to take another sleep through time eternal.

Except obviously that hadn't happened. What did happen is he'd had a conversation with Lenka before, the user who had sparked that conversation about Lucifer.]

It is good to meet you face-to-face, Lenka. Now then. We have Shadows to attend to. Are you ready?

[He hasn't even gotten as far as wondering how he got here. In fact, the most familiar thing currently happening is the fact that he's wielding only half-familiar weapons, being expected to go out into a battlefield he only knows in the technical sense to fight monstrosities that he's only seen the consequences of. He doesn't know their strengths, weaknesses, or anything else. All he can do is put himself and his blades between them and everything Haruka knows.

Yes, the battlefield here is probably the thing Lenka knows best in a world he can't even begin to fathom. His swords are already pointing where they should be, and he steps forward to force the Shadows to scatter a little, making a reflexive noise of assent to the voice behind him.]

I won't let them pass.

[What's left of Haruka in him lets him know exactly how many people are living within a Shadow's throw distance of the subway, the orchard; it's not just the residential areas, but the student dorms as well.]

[Alucard could stop to think about the family that may be saved by the lack of Shadows or the untold others living around that could be at risk. But there's simply not enough time to comprehend at the moment.

There is action and reaction. There is flying into the force of Shadows and ruthlessly tearing into them with a broadsword that may not have existed before a few minutes ago, but is so very welcome in his hand.]

[And there's nothing Lenka would like better than to not think at all, only throw himself deeper and deeper into the pure rage and sheer relief of battle until he can no longer tell the difference between himself and his weapon, until everything of this world melts away and once again he's back where he belongs. But that's the type of wishful thinking he should be better than. And every last shade of him has been molded to be aware of what he has his back to; what the consequences of losing ground would be.

This is one area where he cannot and will not win against Haruka: the last thing also keeping him and his blades by Alucard's side and not blindly chasing down Shadows wherever they may turn like part of him wants to do.

In the midst of battle, however, they're straying closer and closer to the subway from whence they started -- close enough to see movement inside, whether of Shadows or of their fellow fighters of the night. Lenka's head goes up at the hint like a dog seeking a scent, and though he doesn't move immediately towards it he does begin to clear what Shadows lie in that direction.]

[Alucard is very much used to plunging into the thick of the fight, taking on his father's untold legions all by himself. That's the thing. He's no longer by himself. He has chosen to fight alongside an ally.

That makes a world of difference. He cannot just attack blindly if it puts his ally at a disadvantage. He has to take at least a few spare moments to think. Where are the Shadows going? Are they trying to escape into the subway?

He viciously kicks one out of his way with his boot and follows Lenka, making sure the younger man is not surrounded.]

Do you think they have a purpose in this direction?

[Lenka is used to moving on his own -- it's simpler, after a fashion, not to have to worry or wait for those who come before or after him -- but while the knowledge remains, it's even farther away than the strange and incomprehensible time he's spent as "Haruka". Somehow, he's accepted the burden and the security of being on a team; it's good and familiar to coordinate with someone even when they can hardly see each other, moving more by sound and rhythm than anything else.

Of course, it helps that their opponents are hardly a match for two seasoned fighters mysteriously (or not all that mysteriously) experienced with their weapons. By the time they've cleared up to the dilapidated subway entrance, there's enough leeway for him to talk and fight at once as he hesitates outside.]

I don't know. I've never seen these before-- [but that's not strictly true, is it?] --before tonight. But there's guards in the subway.

[There's a brief dawning realization in the words as he trails off. The guards are safe behind their doors, aren't they? As long as they can't come out, the Shadows can't go in. But even so, they'd be letting these ones go to wander who knows where.

It is very dark in the subway, though, apart from the continuous electronic flash of the virus across any and all screens.]

So we have to save the people who would have kept us from the fight in the first place? I guess it cannot be helped.

[It's galling to find out that Alucard cannot see nearly as well in the dark as he used to. So many of the powers and abilities he took for granted are all gone, replaced by whatever he'd earned with the tearing out of his heart.

He shudders, still feeling the sensation of no heartbeat at all.]

How many do you think fled down the tunnel?

They were doing their jobs.

[It's a matter of fact remark to Alucard's dissatisfaction with their goal; had he thought the guards were in any real danger Lenka would have been somewhat less blasé about it, but the important thing is to fight together. Between the worry about civilians (Haruka was a civilian, but Haruka doesn't count) being dragged into this and sweeping as many Shadows as he can out of his way, he doesn't have time to worry about finer details.

(Except to be quietly, terribly grateful that his heart is elsewhere -- literally -- he doesn't need it or the things associated with it at the moment. When he needs to keep moving.)

Lenka moves to the mouth of the subway shelter with his back to the wall, watching the orchard they came from for more enemies until he can peer into the darkness. He's used to venturing into gloomy places like this, and earlier they'd verified that the structure is relatively sound, but...]

We destroyed a lot on the way. Less than that.

[Which isn't all that helpful, but in essence he thinks they could take them, despite the visual disadvantage.]

I suppose it cannot be helped. If the Shadows escape to the full town, they'll do more than tear one family apart.

[Alucard cannot see this himself, obviously, but in the gloom of the subway tunnel, his eyes catch on stray light and cast a bit of a glow. Like a cat or dog. He grips his broadsword with both hands for extra support.]

We can't let that happen or everything we have done here will be for nothing.

Not just here.

[He shudders reflexively at the memory-- the thought of what would happen if that vision were built upon and expanded to the scale of the whole of Eddan. All of the fruitless struggle, and somehow the only way to avoid that is to battle in fruit orchards and semi-abandoned subways with things as mysterious as the app they were given.

This is far, far beyond just them and whatever they're meant to do. (What will they need to do, to go home? It's something he doesn't think about, either.)

Lenka does startle a little when he notices the glow coming from Alucard, but the shadows and subway screens glow as well, and he wouldn't be able to see it here but he wouldn't have been surprised had his own eyes flashed gold even in the low lighting. (They don't. Not here.) It helps with pinpointing his companion's movements, at least.

They advance in silence, the echoes of their footsteps and the buzz of electronics the only accompaniment. Eventually, everything looks like the same mass of shadows, or Shadows, and while Lenka is decent at waiting -- paranoia means that when next he sees something move at the corner of his eye, he swings his swords towards it without second thought. The crash and crackle of his blade hitting one of the subway's displays is... quite loud. Whoops.]

[The sound is so loud and startling that Alucard jerks in response, bringing up his own sword in defense. With his heart hammering and nothing else happening, he sighs in response.]

Mother of God, Lenka, please be a bit more careful.

[Except now Alucard can certainly hear something crawling around in the subway. The paranoia of the dark sets him on edge, making him try to peer into the low lighting as best he can. He puts his hand on his companion's shoulder.]

Lenka, for our own safety, we may wish to fight back to back. Or devise some way that we keep a hold of each other.

... Sorry.

[There's an edge of sheepishness to it when Lenka responds, though his attention is still divided by the definite shuffle of movement beneath the continuous crackle of the display he short-circuited. No matter how many times he tells himself that he has a weapon and that he'll be fast enough (will he? he's just an ordinary--) to counter these things...

They're so small, and so fast, and he's still not entirely sure what they can do if not promptly defended against. What they've done to the trees outside and the people in the vision... How were they doing that? Can he stand against that with simple swords?

Eligor whispers in his shadow. He ignores it and focuses on not jumping when Alucard's hand appears on his shoulder.]

That... yes. That would be good. [in the heat of battle, he doesn't want to accidentally veer into friendly fire (again)] If we move single file, we can follow each other's shadow.

[In the absence of light, it might be the easiest way to keep track of each other and cover their rear at the same time.]

All right, that will have to do. [They didn't have a rope or anything to connect them so agreeing on a strategy should work.

It's not making things any easier to listen to the rustling outside their field of vision, knowing the Shadows are there and ready to pounce.]

Do you want to take point or shall I? [Alucard certainly is the larger of the two, being nearly six and half feet of dhampir.]

I will.

[A strategy is likely the more flexible of their options -- given their respective weapons, trying to fight while connected physically in any way could only result in terrible mishaps that would be funny on a twister mat, perhaps... but not in this particular setting.

That being said, it makes Lenka uneasy to have the front too blocked off even if he's concentrating on covering the sides and the back, and it gives Alucard more room to maneuver in all directions should they finally encounter the lurking Shadows. Some of the light out there must be their eyes; the same color as everything else, except the dhampir's particular glow.

Lenka has moved forward once he finishes speaking, stepping cautiously and trying to map what he remembers of the subway in his head. Luckily, it isn't quite big enough to get lost in, but remembering where the drop-off for the rails begins would be ideal.

... Of course, the one area they'd want to avoid, the area under their feet, is where there should be no light. Lenka pulls up short when he sees them below, a cluster of watchful pinpricks, and reaches back to tap at what he thinks might be Alucard's shoulder but -- given the difference in height -- might be his arm. Attack, or wait?]

[Obviously a problem lay in either action. If they just wait around, the Shadows could leave and travel down the tunnels to the rest of the town. If they leap in and attack, they'd be easily surrounded in the dark.

What they really need is a way to know exactly where the Shadows are attacking so they could respond quickly. Or to bait them. Hmmm.

Lenka's tap does reach his arm, but it also touches his cloak. His big massive cloak. Alucard's teeth flash in a smile.]

I have an idea. If it works, it will give us both all of the targets we need with none of the hunting around for them.

[Lenka glances back, startled -- he can hear the teeth bared in the smile, is acquainted with something like it, the thrill of the hunt, but hadn't expected to hear it just now with the predicament they're in -- and now he can see it as well, and despite himself he straightens because the anticipation is catching and much headier than tiptoeing where the Shadows leave them room.]

... I'm listening.

[Alucard's cloak is quite impressive, making his shoulders look even broader. However, it's something that can be removed as easily as him lifting the chain across his collarbone.]

Let's have them focus on this. Sort of like fishing for them down there. If they attack this, we'll know exactly where they are.

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AWAKENING

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