abraxaslogs | EVENT #2 IC POST

EVENT #2 IC POST

Event #2

On July 11th, all of the prisoners and honored guests alike will be marched outside of the castle grounds, to a lightly forested area with a bright blue portal shining in the distance and flanked by a group of four Thornean mages.

Ambrose's Speech

"Good afternoon to you all. I suppose this is a little overdue and on that note, I am sorry. There's a lot to get done, and a lot at stake, and I find myself trapped between my duties to the crown and what I owe to you. I thank you all for your patience, save for one individual among you," he says, shooting a glare to Jon Sims, who is heavily guarded to an extent that the other prisoners are not, "But in light of a recent altercation I think it best that you all know what's going on."

"What you're about to see is an ancient artifact known as the Singularity. It has existed, as far as we know, since the dawn of time. Not only is it the source of all magic in this world, it is the life-force which sustains all other universes. If you've ever wondered why our magic seems so terribly powerful compared to yours, or why some of you have no magic at all, it's because the magic in this world sustains the Singularity and the Singularity, in turn, sustains every other universe that has ever existed or will ever exist."

"However, that does not mean that the Singularity in inherently good. It exists, and sustains your universes by random happenstance, not by design. In recent years the Singularity has begun to turn, and weaken, and for the first time in recorded history the amount of observable universes attached to it has decreased in number. If we cannot find a way to harness and re-energize it, we fear it may devour all that is to ensure its own continued existence."

"It is a known fact that we - natives of Abraxas - cannot approach the Singularity ourselves. We would be torn apart in seconds if we tried. People from other worlds have no such limitation. You may get close enough to touch it. So, while you may be upset that we have pulled you from your worlds without permission - an act for which I do apologize, and I truly wish there was a better way - you are here to save not only this world but all worlds. To understand the Singularity, we need you."

"We thank those among you, our honored guests and the prisoners we've chosen to release, who have behaved themselves and even aided us throughout the last few weeks. I caution you against becoming so smitten with our prisoners that it distracts you from what I have just said: for the sake of all universes, we must contain all threats. I've seen a great deal of possibilities, and there are times when even the best of intentions leads to disaster. To those of you who have been welcomed, you are a boon to us and we will accommodate you as much as we can, but you are still guests in this world, unwilling though you might be, and trust needs to be earned. Given your situation we want to treat you all with a certain degree of understanding and offer you some leeway that our own citizens would not receive. That does not, however, mean you have free reign to do whatever you please."

"Case in point, I regret to inform you that an honored guest, Jon Sims, did attack me and use a particularly intrusive form of magic in an attempt to extract confidential information that could have endangered my world and yours. This is considered high treason, and he will be executed by hanging on the twenty-third of August. Good day to you all, and I hope that what you are about to see impresses upon you the gravity of our situation."

The Horizon

Everyone is marched through the portal and when they emerge on the other side, what they'll see is a huge desert with a perfectly circular crater a few miles wide. At he center of the crater is the Singularity, and although it doesn't seem too imposing at this distance a certain power radiates from it. Some of the mages avert their eyes, as if they can't bear to look at it. Some of them seem almost drawn to it and they have to be held back by their fellows to prevent them from crossing the line and being torn apart. Ambrose stares, and though he doesn't approach it there's a certain amount of melancholy in his expression.

The newcomers are allowed to soak in its majesty for only a minute or two before they are yanked forwards and into the crater by something that feels like a rope coming from the inside of their chests. They are at once overwhelmed, and without exception they all black out...

...and awaken in the Horizon, where they will spend the next few weeks without memories of any world but this one, constantly aware of the Singularity and its power.

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The structure before her is hardly warm or welcoming, but it piques her curiosity as much as anything else. She keeps her distance at first, rounding the building, taken by how old it looks despite knowing that everything around them is quite new. She can feel the age of the place--the seeming neglect, a curious dichotomy with what must have been crafted so purposefully to make it so.

What does that say about those that created it?

It's the fog that finally invites her forward. Something about the mist feels cool and familiar on her skin and she wishes to feel more of it. Once she commands her crystal to stay outside, she slips in one of the stone openings. The sound of her footsteps echo inside the building, boots on concrete.

It's...empty. Very empty.

...Mayhaps this is really an abandoned concept?

"Hello?"

The fog is friendly. It's quiet inside it, even her footsteps gently muffled, and it's not cold, only cool and fresh, as if it were drifting over a quiet sea instead of decaying, damp cement. But it's thin - only a few paces and she's through it, into the crystal clear air inside the vast empty heart of the space. Empty except for the tower that juts up from the middle of the floor. Jon's up there, where he knows he belongs, sitting on the narrow catwalk that goes around the room at the top. Legs dangling over the edge, he looks down at his newest visitor, and lifts a hand in greeting.

"Hello. Looking for... anything?"

It's nothing like she's seen yet--which is exactly why she's here. To experience, to see new things, to discover and bare witness to the creation that is happening around her at every second. What a curious shape this one takes as well. For what purpose?

At the sound of a voice, she looks around her on all sides only to see nothing. It's only when she looks up does she see the shape of another person so high above.

"Ah, hello!" she says before realizing she's repeating her greeting. Ah well. "I'm looking for the master of this domain."

Jon glances back through the door into the watch-house, but the throne sits empty, and so he looks back down at her, rubbing the back of his neck to settle the brief feeling of goosebumps there.

"Me, I suppose."

"You suppose?" There's no judgment in her tone, but it is openly curious. She glances about as if waiting to see if someone else will appear to usurp the title. When no one does, she turns her attention back to the man up above.

"Did you stake claim to this building? Did you find it?"

"I put it here." That feels more accurate than saying he made it. "The fog might not be mine, but it's fine where it is."

She cocks her head to the side, noting the curious but particular phrasing. Does he not claim ownership, then? Strange considering the effort everyone has been putting forth in creating their own little outcroppings.

"It strikes different than most other buildings I've encountered in my travels, at least in the places that have them."

Hemera does a slow turn as she takes another sweep of the large empty room. "Then the fog was here before you?"

"No. I think I put it here too. But I don't feel like that means it's mine." Not when it felt so right for it to be here. Nothing in him felt that right.

Curiouser and curiouser. Though when she thinks on it, she does suppose there are some areas in her domains he has a greater connection and sense of ownership to than others. Mayhaps it is similar for him?

"What do you call this place, then?" she asks. "It's got so many windows but no faces peering out."

"It's a panopticon. A prison, though not any more." Distinctly not. The bars in front of all of the cells appear to be long-since eaten away by rust. "But it was designed so that just one guard could watch every inmate. Could see everything."

"A prison?" she echoes, eyes widening.

It...does have the feeling of being less than welcoming in that regard, doesn't it? Though rounded, there is an edge to the place. Though open, it does not foster a sense of community given that each window is separated by walls. Though the doors are open, they could all be shut.

"Definitely the first I have seen. I hope it doesn't need to be reinstated as such."

Conflict is brewing with some of the residents, however.

"And yet you stand watch with no one to oversee."

"I can see a lot from here." He kicks his feet idly in the air, smiling. "Come up, I'll show you."

"Oh?"

She tilts her head to the side, raising her brows. How could she say "no" to that? Of course it would be easier to conjure up some quick way to simply ascend to the landing, but she opts to take the long way around--there is something more satisfying about doing the actual legwork herself, both metaphorically and literally.

Once she has properly ascended, she mimics his pose as she takes a seat, letting her feet dangle over the edge. It's only proper, right?

"What am I looking for?"

He gestures, and the fog in some of the cells clears. It doesn't disappear, it merely flows back to join other curls and wisps, leaving them space to look out.

The view seems to be from much too high up, considering the stairs she just climbed, and she's no higher from the ground than he looked from below, but outside, the view seems to be from high, high above whatever passes for ground in the Horizon, the domains spread around like a patchwork quilt.

She watches as the fog rolls back on command, curious as to what it may reveal. And it is eye-opening--it isn't empty cells but the expanse of what seems to be all the land itself. Some places she recognizes, others she has yet to make the trek. But for a traveller such as she? It seems a blessed map.

"This is amazing," she says after a moment of quiet reverence. "Is this everything? Did you see my arrival?"

"No, I don't sit up here and watch." Though it feels so very good when he does. "From the seat inside, I can see the entire world from above, but it's- less friendly."

Her eyes widen at this. As someone who wants to see and experience the entire world, having any perch or seat from which to do so is very interesting.

She still has to wonder, though...

"'Less friendly'? How so?"

Jon looks over his shoulder at the door into the top of the tower.

"Sitting there... something watches back."

There's no way she can just leave it at that, now can she?

"'Something'...?" That's not ominous at all. "What sort of something?"

"I wish I knew." He looks up, at where the decaying ceiling has made the image of a massive iris. "But I don't like it. And it's not safe."

Hemera follows his gaze, unable to shake the new unsettling feeling making its home at the base of her stomach. There always seemed to be something out there, something that connected them all. A life force, maybe? That's what she had assumed.

Not something sentiment, as he is suggesting.

"Is this the only place you can see it?

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EVENT #2 IC POST

Panopticon

Re: Panopticon

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This is almost a month late, no obligation to reply and continue.

you will find i backtag indefinitely!

I will face god and backtag into hell.

DAMN STRAIGHT

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