EVENT #10: AFFLICTION - IC POST

[abraxasmods]

Event #10 - Affliction

go to the OOC event info & plotting post

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With tensions heavy across Abraxas and all the destruction that's happened, it's no surprise that the dark shadows which sweep over the land go unnoticed...at first.

Winds initially stir in Solvunn, where the influence of the Old Gods remains the strongest. Slowly each Herald infects Thorne and the Free Cities, as well. The Summoned are the first to feel its effects and are the most heavily impacted.

Though no one will realize it until well afterwards, Nocwich remains unaffected. After all, the Summoned don't reside there.

NOTE: This event will deal with themes of death (people and animal) and horror imagery.

Emergence

It begins sometime in mid-October, around the 18th. Not everyone will experience it at the same time. You might even believe you're spared until days afterwards when you're visited by an unusually vivid dream.

The dream starts the same for everyone: you are going somewhere, anywhere, walking to your bedroom or enjoying a stroll on the beach. You might be driving down a familiar neighborhood. Wherever you're headed, you eventually come upon a stone tablet engraved with your Arcana. Laid on the tablet are three objects:

◎ A dead moth trapped inside a wilted rose, symbolizing Koth of Festering Lands
◎ A teacup inside which sits a single nightshade berry, symbolizing Adlewyrd of Poisoned Tongues
◎ An ornate cracked hand mirror that contains no reflection, symbolizing Sannleikr of Many Faces

Make a choice. Something inside your soul will be drawn towards one of the objects. Maybe you spend hours in the dream deliberating, but sooner or later, you'll pick one of the items up. The moment you do, the other objects vanish and the chosen Herald appears before you. Where one might expect a god to seek subservience, the strange figure instead extends a friendly hand towards you - as though it's greeting you as an equal.

Whispered around you, you hear its name. Then it fades and with it the dream. You awaken.

Affliction

You go about your day as usual. That's when you realize something isn't right. Creatures and people around you behave strangely. You begin to sense that you are the cause.

Depending on your chosen Herald, you'll experience at least one of its afflictions. The effects might start small, then grow. They might rush you all at once. You can't shake what haunts you, though you can try. Spells, potions, and willpower can help keep the afflictions at bay but you won't ever be completely free.

As the afflictions seep into your mind, you start to find shadows of it following you: a dead moth here, a nightshade bloom there, a cracked mirror elsewhere. You may even wonder if it's following you in the first place. What if instead, you are the one leaving these signs behind?

Corruption

The first time you inflict your ability on someone else, you don't mean to. It might be a stranger, some unsuspecting soul, or it might be another Summoned. Regardless, the afflictions that ail you seem to spread through you into another. Someone falls down as if in the throes of an invisible death or secrets spill. You brush by someone and they're suddenly upset and confused.

The more this happens, intentionally or not, the better you feel. You may grow full of life and energy, gain a renewed strength of heart, or radiate a charm that turns heads and garners compliments. The afflictions haunting you could even start to fade or completely vanish. And if you use your newfound power deliberately? You'll feel better even faster for longer. Of course, these boons are temporary, lasting at most an hour or so. When the feeling wanes, you might miss having it.

You are not possessed. You can't control this power that spreads through you, but how you respond or behave is up to you. You could be attracted to the allure of power, enjoy the boons you are granted, or realize you can gain relief from your afflictions if you choose a victim. Not everyone will fall headfirst into the pull. Some are not easily swayed by power, some struggle to overcome their dark impulses, and others would rather endure their suffering than inflict it on someone else. But others still might succumb to temptation and turn on those around them with purpose: once, twice, multiple times. The choice you make is yours alone.

Blight

With the call of the Herald at your fingertips, the world around you twists. No one knows whether this stems from you and your newly imbued afflictions, or if the Heralds are exerting power on their own. It's for sure easier to think of what occurs as the influence of something monstrous beyond your control. No matter the cause, the earth is changed all the same.

Omens

The omens arrive shortly after the initial Summoned receive their dreams, but they don't come to every faction at once. SOLVUNN is first, being home to the Old Gods' shrines, before THORNE and the FREE CITIES follow only days afterwards. Depending on where you are, the omens will affect things a bit differently.

Solvunn

In Solvunn, the ground stirs. A desiccated hand breaks through the grass, a cloven hoof. Human or animal, they crawl forth, animated against their will. Some might attack, but most do not. At the same time, crops around the settlements begin to fail. Some chickens lay rotten eggs while cows produce spoiled milk. Any livestock that perishes overnight will surface in the mornings with empty eye sockets - pecked out by crows or gnawed on by rats. From a distance, the ocean can be seen bubbling as leviathans beneath thrash.

Worth noting is that many of the dead are concentrated around the shrines, especially the ones deep in the woods. They're too decayed to recognize, and some might not even move from the site, as though they are waiting for the earth to take them again...or as though they once chose to give up their life at this very spot.

Summoned can assist by helping to cast spells or place warding charms around shrines, farms, and gardens to protect crops and livestock. As a commune, the Solvunnites will share their resources as much as possible and would appreciate those who might lend a hand bringing supplies, herbs, and offerings to neighbors who are lacking. The Summoned can also brew a common herbal remedy to aid any animals who have fallen ill or to help purify the well water.

Free Cities

In Libertas, the dead buried under the rubble dig themselves out. More crawl forth from graves in Cadens' cemeteries. Beasts and bandits slain in the desert wilds rise, hungry or searching for the ones who killed them. At the same time, dead fish wash up onto the shores of Aquila while birds fall dead from their perch, dropping like flies from an unknown illness. Vultures and other scavengers begin to prey upon the eyes of the dead, leaving behind hollowed-out corpses.

Worth noting is that in the Badlands, a few very old and skeletal corpses rise with a metal plate or two screwed onto their bones, which are also oddly elongated. Only one or two make their way near the city. The army is quick to dispose of them before many can notice. They will not disclose any information about this and will claim these are just monsters like anything else.

Summoned can assist by going on patrol with the soldiers to put down any risen dead. Merchant caravans are also hiring escorts for their journeys. Additionally, they can help look through any received supplies and packages to make sure the food isn't rotting or worse, use a special dissolving compound to purify the waters, and donate staple food items to refugees and the less fortunate who can't afford the rising prices.

Thorne

In Thorne, the dead emerge only from the outskirts of the castle city. Thanks to information from one of their Summoned and their recent monitoring of the Singularity, Thorne was able to act swiftly and was able to ward any royal or otherwise significant burial sites. Graves and tombs of less importance, though, will not be protected in the same way. There are fewer encounters with eyeless corpses, though some animals might appear outside the castle in such a state. Normally extravagant dishes from the Castle's kitchens use simpler ingredients as they struggle to ration their food stores.

Worth noting is that a few unexpected corpses make their way up from deep under the castle in places beyond the dungeons. These are twisted and mangled, missing limbs, heads, fingers. The castle guards are quick to dispose of them before they get too far into the rest of the castle, but one or two may be spotted.

Summoned can assist by contributing to the wards around Castle Thorne and the city, using spells to put down the dead without mangling the corpse, and taking inventory of food stores. Further, in Nott the situation is more dire for anyone who is traveling there to continue assisting with repairs following the attack. Nott will welcome help with any problems caused by the omens. It'll be clear the kingdom has neglected the city somewhat. Thorne will claim the Castle takes priority, of course, due to King and Queen residing there along with the entire royal court.

Apprehensions

Across the factions, locals are beginning to catch on that something isn't right with you, the Summoned. No one will say it outright, but there's an air of caution and wariness around you where you go. Merchants might be quick to hand you your wares so you'll leave or locals give you a bit of space when they walk by. Chatty innkeepers are more reluctant to hold lengthy conversations.

Much of the time, it may not be conscious. The natives might simply sense something off that instinctually makes them want to put some distance between them and you. The only exception? If you've chosen Sannleikr of Many Faces, you'll continue to exude your charm towards people you encounter. At least for as long as you continue to inflict that ability you've been gifted.

Displacement

Everyone responds differently while in the Horizon. You might exert better willpower over your afflictions or you might feel its effects more strongly. It all depends on the individual and their mindset. Regardless, the Heralds are only one part of the equation. There's a much bigger disturbance going on.

It could happen as soon as you enter or it might be as you're stepping over the threshold into another's domain. Whatever the case, you are suddenly not where you're supposed to be. Instead, you're in one of two places depending: transported into a domain you never meant to go into or in a foreign setting altogether.

Visitation

Whether you're the one transported or someone teleports unexpectedly into your space, the Horizon becomes unpredictable for the next little while. Rooms normally locked to strangers, areas you yourself may not even realize exists - you and your fellow Summoned continue to pop in and out despite your intentions.

The effect isn't painful, just disorienting, like missing a step you didn't see or stumbling through a door into a too-bright room. The person whose domain you've inadvertently visited might sense an unwanted presence, whether they're inside the Horizon or not, or they may be completely oblivious. This will depend on the strength of their connection to the Singularity and the Horizon.

Not to worry. You won't be trapped or anything in these cases...unless the domain you land in happens to seal from the inside. You might stumble on secrets you weren't meant to find, though, locked away in someone else's mind.

Ensnared

The less fortunate will be pulled into a space that they've never encountered before. The bizarreness of it resembles the glitchy visions that flashed through a few months ago, but rather than an image flickering by, you are now inside the space itself.

Trapped between minutes to hours, you can't use the Horizon's creation magic as normal. Attempts will falter or go sideways: trying to fly out might cause you to tumble, tools and objects are broken or not quite right, wounds don't vanish or heal completely, etc. More significantly, you can't seem to send or receive messages through your connection. Anything that manages to come through will be garbled and distorted. It's as though the place you are in is just out of the reach of your control.

Luckily, you may not be alone. Someone else may have gotten lost alongside you. They might already be there when you stumble through or they might arrive after you do. They might even fade out sooner than you, unintentionally leaving you behind.

Eventually, you'll be released back into the Horizon proper, spat out in a random place in the Horizon. While you're stuck, though, you can try to survive, explore, sit and wait it out, or make friends with your fellow trapped partner. Each area has its challenges and quirks that you'll need to deal with.

Scenes to Explore

JUSTICE ◎
FULL IMAGE

High in the clouds, these snowy peaks are as cold as they look. Giant marble hands reach out, though their sheer scale means you might not recognize them as hands from up close. You can scale the mountain, but if you try to go down, the hands will flip the mountain, which sends you tumbling to the top again.

It's up to you whether you can be injured when you fall. Maybe the snow will feel like marshmallows, or you'll break a bone on the jagged rocks. No two experiences are the same. If you have a partner, they could end up faring better than you despite being in the same place.

Conjure some warm clothes or a log cabin even if you wish - they might not manifest perfectly, but it'll be better than nothing. At least the view's fairly nice...while the sun is up. A blizzard will come through by nightfall. With it arrives a strange hovering light that entices you or your friend to follow it into the frozen darkness. What draws you out depends on you. It could be a familiar voice, an image, or a simple compulsion. If you're lucky, the person with you is unaffected and can try to stop you. Or maybe you're the one desperately chasing after the other person?

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THE CHARIOT ◎
FULL IMAGE

From a distance, it's hard to tell if they're shipping containers or houses stacked atop each other. A gooey mess covers the ground below. Oddly, the smell isn't as unpleasant as the goo looks. It smells like bubblegum or cotton candy, artificial and sweet. When you first fall in, you might land inside one of the homes, on top of the stacked structure, or the ground. You can try to reach anyone else who's there with you, but be careful: the ooze is spreading. Climb if you must or move from room to room. If you don't keep moving, you risk getting sucked into its sticky mass.

Each block of a home is different. Some are furnished, whereas others are empty or filled with strange knickknacks. Some might even have subconscious creations spawned by you. Keep ahead of the gloopy substance, and you'll be fine, probably. Or you can try to fight it back or block its path by sealing yourself in a room or otherwise, which can slow it down significantly. Mostly, you'll have to hope you fade out before the pink mass completely consumes the landscape.

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THE WORLD ◎
FULL IMAGE

The hazy neon glow obscures a nothingness that seems to extend forever. In the middle of the wet ground are several stacked television sets with wires plugged into nothing. Inexplicably, there's also a cat. At first, it appears perfectly normal, but keen observers will notice that its behavior is on a loop where it will walk a certain path, pause at specific intervals to lick its paws, and meow at set points. It does not acknowledge any of its intruders. You can break its loop by picking it up, at which point it'll go limp as a ragdoll. As soon as you set it down, it'll resume its actions as before.

While you can see the same images as someone else on the screens, it's also possible you'll each see something different despite being in the room together. What you see is up to you. It could be an old fuzzy movie, home videos of your childhood, trivia questions you have to answer correctly, or even a memory or vision you wouldn't want to share. Words or faces taunting you could appear between staticky flickers, or maybe your very thoughts are projected onto the screens for anyone with you to read.

Break the televisions if you want, but given a few short minutes, they'll reform between one blink and the next. Looks like you'll have to keep watching until you're released.

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THE FOOL ◎
FULL IMAGE

Sprawling and massive, you're unlikely to recognize at first that you're trapped in a labyrinth. Stone walls rise around you, and your surroundings are pitchblack. Manifest a torch or a flashlight if you can, though these will be prone to going out at inopportune times. Escaping over the walls will only send you into another section in the maze.

As you navigate the twisting corridors, you'll encounter any variety of trials and troubles: gaps in the ground, spiked traps, haunting whispers, monsters, decaying corpses. Some of these might've formed from your mind, others might've spawned from anyone else who's trapped with you.

If you aren't alone, do your best to locate your fellow Summoned. Voices do carry and echo over the walls, and there could be landmarks that help you find each other. Finding the exit, however, is another matter. Walk and climb all you want. A way out is impossible until the Horizon chooses to set you free.

Players can pick any scenario that interests them from the four choices above. Unlike the visions from before, characters can accidentally be trapped in as many of the scenes as you want, as many times as you want. Another option is that they can stay trapped in only one scene while a variety of characters fade in and out to join them, or some combination of the two. Choose what works best for your plans.

Each scene will once again carry an associated Arcana etched somewhere inside it, which can change from person to person or instance to instance. It might be on a wall, a table, or on the ground. Characters with a stronger connection to the Horizon are likely to be trapped for longer but the extent of this is your choice and it won't ever exceed a few hours. It's also your choice whether the afflictions continue to haunt them or not. If you want characters to deal with both problems while stuck together, you're welcome to!

Generally speaking, there are no restrictions other than that they won't be able to communicate with anyone outside the area, they can't escape it until the Horizon chooses to release them, and their creation magic will go wrong just enough that it'll make things tricky.

Comments

[techmaturgy]

[Viktor is just seconds away from full-on panic, knowing full well how useless he is in a situation like this. He can’t even, in good conscience, let Alucard go ahead, because he’s frozen up and Viktor isn’t about to leave him here. With no real way to fight the tendrils, and the creation power of the Horizon on the fritz, all he can really do is try to free Alucard himself.

He does the first thing he can think of—reach forward and try to grab at the tendril that’s currently pulling Alucard further away.]

I’m going to get you out of here—- [Actually, he’s not sure he can do that, but he has to say it because the alternative is not acceptable.] —-But I need you to help me. Alucard?

[cryptsleeper]

If it is, we take it seriously.

[Alucard can't think of a rhyme or reason for any of this, but logic stopped some time ago.

This time, the spot does not wiggle like set gelatin. Instead, it gives way entirely, the piece of wall shattering as if made of glass. From behind it, there's nothing but a blank, white space.

The dhampir stares.]

Speak of something and it manifests. Make it bigger, we'll get out this way.

[cryptsleeper]

--Here.

[Alucard can manage a word, but only just so. The tendril around his neck has tightened just with his saying a single word. His legs are no longer visible, and that realization fills the dhampir with the sudden and pointed need to thrash. To try and bolt, even if it makes the thing hold him faster. Tighter.

This need to end. Now. Now. He keeps thinking of swords sweeping in out of no where, of sloughing chains, of burns instead, and none of it helps.]

[assembles]

[ A shower also sounds good, given how much they've been tussling with decomposing bodies. Steve finds some relief in Matt agreeing to the drink even before that, though. It speaks to the fact that he's not unused to being covered in grime.

Which really only brings up more questions.

Steve leads the way, though both of them know where they're going by this point. There is some relief that hits him when they seem to cross from the dead part of the city to the section that's still living. The streets are more or less deserted, but he does see lights coming from buildings and hears signs of life.

Including from one of the open taverns. It's hardly at capacity when they get inside, but Steve directs them to a tucked-away table. Someone quickly comes over to take their order, noting from their appearances that they've been hard at work today.

"What'll it be? I'd like to say it's on the house, but..." ]

That's all right. [ Steve sets a few coins on the table, then orders himself a beer. ]

[assembles]

[ It's not as if Steve has seen Ciri's magic in action yet, save for the way her hand had been lit up with it when they first ran into each other. He's used to fighting alongside people equipped with the pinnacle of his world's technology, not to mention gods and beings powered by Infinity Stones.

The blast that Ciri shoots from her hands therefore only shocks him in that he hasn't seen many people in this world with that level of firepower. It lights up all of the undead that stand between them, sending their bodies collapsing to the ground as what's left of their skin burns up. Some of them screech with pain, others remain silent.

As for the shield he's using to protect him, it heats up pretty damn quick under the pressure of the flames. Soon enough Steve has no recourse but to duck and roll to the side, sliding the bright hot piece of metal away from him. It isn't completely destroyed, but he's going to need to give it some time to cool down.

Still in a crouch, he looks back to Ciri as the corpses continue to ignite. ]

Needs some workshopping, but I'd say that was pretty good for a first try.

[ordinar]

[When it becomes clear that no dragon is about to spill fire on their heads, his shoulders release the tension they've been holding. He slowly pushes his hands through his hair, pulling it back from his face.]

I'm sorry.

[An awkward apology, when he's not really sure what he's apologizing for. The fact that somewhere important to Sylvain had been destroyed. The fact that he had to endure it again, his memories marching inexorably out of his head and into the Horizon. Grasping for something else to say, he offers:]

I did see a dragon here once. [Here meaning the Horizon in general.] That one was way too little to do all of this, though.

[satanicpanics]

[ If Eddie knew any of the group better than he does, he might recognize that he is also part of that problem. He doesn’t really talk about things either. He files those memories away, telling himself that he’ll address it on another day, but he never does. Instead, he tiptoes around the trauma, refusing to think about it too deeply, because thinking about it means having to make it real again and find something to do with the information.

Kind of hard to hide when it’s all laid out in front of you like this, though. He doesn’t blame Steve for not discussing it. It’s a lot, and he wonders if something like this might be hidden somewhere in his domain, a little alcove of trauma in what would be an otherwise light and welcoming place. There’s definitely some shit they need to discuss, but maybe not here.

When they board the elevator, Eddie wincing as it creaks beneath their weight, he sneaks a glance at Steve. To make certain he’s okay? There’s not really any “okay” in this situation, but if he’s holding up, it’s a start. He wants to make a joke, wants to do something to lighten the mood and put a little humor into something dark and horrible and beyond their control, but it doesn’t seem like the right environment for a joke. Instead, he aims for something else, weighing his words carefully. ]

So, uh...if it’s any consolation? I’m starting to think you’ve surpassed Ozzy when it comes to metal levels. And he’s like, the king of metal? So…congratulations on the usurping.

[ And yes, he actually means it. ]

[satanicpanics]

Even in the situation they’re in, Eddie can’t help but grin at Mat’s reaction and feel a sense of pride that something he managed to create is going to be of use. The light is likely to flicker and the beam isn’t the brightest thing in the world, but it offers something to guide at least some of the way.

Eddie peers up at the wall, doing his best to judge the distance—an impossible feat. He isn’t particularly strong or athletic, but he thinks his noodle arms are capable of the climb. Driving the torch into the ground, he ties the sash to his belt

“We go down together or not at all. Got it.”

That is not what Mat meant and he knows it, but it’s what comes out of his mouth. He tugs on the sash, making certain the knot is tight, and gives a double thumbs up.

“Ready when you are.”

[thearchangel]

"Shepard-"

He tries to jerk his head back, he really tries. It doesn't go well. She's too sure of herself, the motion too pointed and quick. The last thing he wants is to hurt her again. Shepard being injured is nothing new - out on the battlefield, in any kind of combat, that's something they're used to. It's not something he likes, but it's something he accepts. This, though? This is - this is his fault. He'd hurt her. Not an enemy.

And she was letting it happen again?

Her hand doesn't move. His own hover, ready to try and catch her, should she have another episode. Or seize up again. Somehow she doesn't - some miracle of stubborn Shepard keeps her on her feet. She also doesn't pull away. He tries not to gape. Tries not to trip over his words.

What she says makes sense. Logical Garrus knows this. Emotional Garrus - who has always had more say than a turian's emotions should - doesn't want to see her hurt because of him ever again. But Logical Garrus wins out. He exhales. His gaze dips, despite the hand pressed to his mandible, avoiding, just for the moment, while his brain sorts itself, gets everything back into reasonable order.

"So how are we going to train a magic seizure touch?" he manages, finally. The vaguest trace of his own brand of sarcastic levity in the words. "Kind of hard to throw it at the enemy. I'm not exactly aerodynamic."

[shadowthief]

She doesn’t mind the hug because it’s Sam and he’s objectively safe, and returns it in kind. “Did you have a strange dream, too?” She asks curiously. She picked the mirror, and she's regretted it ever since.

“I’m fine,” she insists with a nod. “We should… try to find some sort of shelter.” Time like this makes her miss the Sikurzoi. At least there was always shelter there, thanks to Sankta Marya. With that thought, she makes a religious sign across herself and sends a prayer to the Saint.

[catholica]

Well, that's good to hear.

( that the guy wasn't going to go around just killing people off for money. it would be something to keep an eye on and watch no matter what.

but he's been out a lot already and he doesn't think he's seen this guy. )

Is what you do — is it something you can do here in some way?

[bealufull]

He snorts then, making a face. Maybe he should have done it himself but there was a delight in what he had done to her instead. He hoped she never recovered, that she lived in misery of people thinking that she was always a risk. Dead was quick... but not a bad thing.

"Inej."

Seeing her like this hurts and he hesitates before moving to sit beside her on her the bed. He knows he should wrap his arms around her, pull her in close and he can't do it. Maybe he had been getting there but after the rot and the way it wraps around him, he can't.

So instead he does what he can. He slides his hand closer to her, palm up, offering before he can stop himself.

"Then we stay here as long as we can. There's no rot, no hauntings. Maybe draw Jesper in and wait it out. If it's gods or powerful beings or whatever you want to call it, I'm not sure we can defeat them without knowing more and... and I would rather protect you in this moment."

[godshattering]

[ Huh. There's a small flicker of surprise that crosses Claude's face, there and gone in a second, because that answer was unexpected. Not the part about not making lists since he'd like to think he could've guessed that and it was part of why he thought he'd joke over the idea of either of them making one. The bluntness doesn't factor in either - he's always appreciated someone being direct even if he doesn't always manage it himself - but. It slots another something else into place fitted up against things they've spoken of before, however briefly, and rings a distant bell back to monastery days. Maybe he'd known that once and forgotten it.

He knows better than to pry into it right here and now, though. That gets pushed aside with everything else to laugh at Sylvain's next proposition. ]

Kinda think that one only works out well when it's written into the pages of some novel somewhere, but it would be an interesting challenge to juggle it all. [ Now he'll look faux thoughtful as if he's actually considering it. From the supposed vaguely (if one squints) romantic angle, anyway. ] That also sounds a lot like having to stroke the egos of the Roundtable lords, and I've already made that my full time job once. Then again, anyone in Cadens would probably be less frustrating than them so it'd surely have better immediate results.

[ Remembering his drink, Claude reaches for it but not without sending a smirk Sylvain's direction simultaneously while adding, ] Do not take any of that as an excuse to start up with another round of your flirting seminar again. I'm good.

[shadowthief]

She looks up when he says her name like that and pulls her lips in a tight line in an effort to keep building tears at bay.

Her words come as a hoarse whisper as he settles next to her, "When do I get to be free of her?" she hesitates at the proffered hand, glancing up at his face, trying to see any hesitation or doubt, anything at all that tells her he's doing this because he thinks he should and not because he thinks he can handle it. Finding nothing all that telling, she carefully threads her fingers through the spaces of his. A light hold, gentle, easily broken free of if he needs to. But close. Palm to palm. Comforting for her, too.

"I don't know how long we can stay..." she admits softly, pressing her cheek to the tops of her knees, face tilted up slightly to look at him. "we don't have to eat here, but our bodies out there- they still need food and rest... but however long we can? Maybe, yeah... maybe it's for the best." Even if it's just a temporary balm on a longer-term issue.

[catholica]

( matt orders the same, sticking with the tried and true beer before he sits back. he can feel some of the exhaustion from all the fighting weighing down on him but it's not unfamiliar.

he waits for the attendant to slip away before he glances in steve's direction. )

You figured it out. Figured me out.

[carmesi]

There is panic in young Wanda's eyes when Istredd admits that there is not much that he can do for her brother, but it is good that he takes charge. It is good that he holds tight to her hand and yanks her out of the metaphorical realm of delusion, of her magic trying to keep her safe. This pain she lives with is cyclical—it never truly disappears, and Wanda is just one bad day away from reliving everything again and again.

His hold on her, both mental and physical, keeps her from fluctuating back into the dense platitudes of her magic. Wanda as a child is no more, and as they find themselves landing back inside her house within the Horizon, in the cold and dreary plant nursery, seemingly devoid of any colors brighter than toned-down grays, the surge of lived-in memories bounce from her to him, through their empathic bond.

The tight squeeze of Pietro's hand in her own. Glances between the two that speak their words without saying them. The comfort of his presence and his arms wrapping around her, keeping her safe. A world that's lost it all. Immeasurable pain as she looks down at his body on a slab, his eyes lifeless. How desperately she clung to him, how cold he felt, how he never raised his hands to brush her tears away.

Wanda gasps, feeling her lungs constricting, trying to breathe in. She hears Istredd's apology, she feels the coldness of the memory ripped from her, but she also feels the warmth of his arms around her. She clings tightly to him, painfully aware that no matter how much others hold her and try to comfort her, it will never be Pietro. Not ever again. Not Vision, not her boys.

She is always fighting her grief, never giving herself enough time to properly work through it.

Tears still streak her face, a sob caught in her throat, as she starts pulling back.

"I have to fix it."

Her magic, is what she means. Never a moment to properly process what she feels.

[carmesi]

[steve tells her a lot but also not enough. it's like trying to put together the pieces of two different puzzles together, and she can't help but feel silly for thinking that steve was from just indiana, a teenager simply working his way into whatever came after high school.

clearly, she was sorely mistaken. of course no one summoned gets to just have a normal, happy life with no conflict and horror.

after his half-explanations, wanda reaches a hand out to press against his temple, fingers feather-light, pushing back some of his hair. he's got a bruise there, a cut, perhaps from fumbling around the place, trying to escape whatever 'these things' are. she frowns.

(at this point in her magic, she really does not need to touch him to reach into his mind. the upside down stands out. demogorgons.)]

It has been acting up. [to reassure him that it's not something he's done unconsciously. she draws her hand back, looking at the trinkets around, the headphones, the radio. they feel like someone else's.] I have a feeling I've been followed.

[she turns back to him.]

Demogorgons. Are those the things out there?

[techmaturgy]

Viktor doesn't want to be carried--Viktor wants Jayce to stay here with him, because he made a promise. If he can't do this, when they're ostensibly not in any real danger (well, he can't be sure of that, but his apathy makes him largely unconcerned, at the moment), how can Viktor trust him to fulfill his most important request, if the time comes?

"You don't understand. I don't want to--to fight anymore."

But, again, if Jayce wants to physically overpower him, there's not much he can do about it--even less when he materializes the hammer. This close, he wants to marvel at the intricate construction of it, but all it does is rekindle the well of anger in the pit of his stomach.

"What are you going to do with that?"

[gynvael]

[ He should hope not. Concerning, otherwise. Still concerning, but he'll question Steve about what the fuck infested his domain later. What those monsters were, and exactly what Steve has been swinging his bat at. Once they've made some ground. ]

No. [ He hasn't got an answer for why this is happening, so Steve simply does not receive one. Only confirmation that yes. It is wrong. The Horizon has acted up before, but not across nearly every domain he can see. ] I've fallen into a similar space. With another.

[ He pauses beneath a thin string hanging from the ceiling. Gives it a pull to unfold a ladder that extends into the attic above. Or. He presumes an attic. Hard to predict what lies around the corner in a place that's ever shifting.

As for what's above— ]

Not exactly. [ It's about what's below. He indicates the window overlooking the ground. If Steve looks out, he'll see what Geralt means: full of the same sticky ooze that's creeping over the walls of the box-like homes. Down there? Not an option. ]

[hextechhead]

That sort of attitude only gets Jayce to panic more. He's the one who lived through Viktor making him promise to destroy the Hexcore, through Viktor giving up on any kind of cure, and the certainty he was going to lose him. No hope. He has been frantically grasping to any hope he can now. He refuses to acknowledge it now.

He reaches over to cup Viktor's cheek and kisses him firmly, before pulling away to look into his eyes.

"Then I'll fight for you."

If Viktor wants to lie down and die, it's not going to happen. Jayce will carry him out of here if he has to. He knows the hammer is a source of tension between them but he needs it.

"Getting us out of here!"

He answers and steps away so Viktor is safely behind him. Jayce swings with all of his might and the hammer glows that brilliant Hextech blue so when it slams into the labyrinth wall next to them, the stone it is made of shatters instantly and creates a large hole so they don't have to keep going blindly down paths.

Usually, he is too guilty about everything the hammer represents to use it, especially anywhere near Viktor, but he is not in a state of mind that gives a shit currently. He swings the hammer into its cannon form and simply blows a hole through an entire string of walls to the side, the blue energy zipping through and through and through, causing all of the caverns to glow with it.

"Let's go, we can do this."

[carmesi]

A castle guard. Chthon's spawn.

[wanda knows that these words will make no sense to ciri, but she doesn't know how else to explain it, not without getting into a long, weary story she isn't sure they have the time for anyway.

the beast buffets its arm to the side, breaking apart the furniture and part of the wall that stood on its way, approaching wanda. it should respect the scarlet witch's command, but wanda knows that this one isn't, truly, the creature from the darkhold castle. a flare of red magic circles her hand as wanda holds back its hands so it doesn't strike, using her telekinesis to keep them apart. with a forceful swing of her arm, wanda pulls off one of the creature's arms; it shrieks in pain, black blood tainting the floor and walls.

ciri, however, is not altogether ignored. tentacles rip out from the carapace back of the beast, reaching for the white-haired woman.]

[carmesi]

[if they do—? should there even be room for questions, at this point? wanda doesn't want to use her magic because she's grown wary of it, as stephen knows. any false move, any spell that requires anything just a touch darker than surface-level spellcasting runs the risk of enveloping her in what darkness the darkhold has left behind within her.

even in the horizon—even in this space—wanda is not without being affected.

in many ways, she and stephen are alike. but it is in many other ways that they are different—which is why they constantly butt heads, unable to see eye to eye on the same matter. now is one of those times, when stephen just thinks and thinks, logically, when wanda's gut just tells her to go for it. how many more alternatives must they consider before he deems one the correct one? the one in fourteen million?

one of the crawling corpses reaches her, grabs at her boot, and all but sends a pulse of chaos to the ground. stephen may very well have choices, but wanda always feels like she's between a sword and a hard place.

always, always. well, if they won't fly, then—

tendrils of dark red magic conspire in the air around them, wanda's fingers moving in a dance of strict and cold movement, like holding onto puppeteering strings, straight bullets into the hivemind of the corpses. inky black ensnares at her fingertips, barely noticeable, for now.]

Get rid of them, then.

[her magic, like this, can buy them time, as she controls their entirety, delves into the hivemind, the urges and the unspooling miasma of unintelligible desires: feed, kill, feed and kill.]

[carmesi]

[lucifer should not suffer being cross with her, as wanda follows close behind him. it's probably for the best that he leads, too, seeing as he has no trouble seeing in the dark. the sparks he creates help, but wanda is far too aware that the create is chasing atop them, clumsily clawing and hanging onto the walls of the maze.

—and there it is again, the arcana that she had seen with stephen strange. are they close to where she had been, before?

that theory is immediately proven wrong when suddenly the world caves in. in this darkness, to find no surface for her feet can be incredibly disorienting. wanda fumbles, grabs onto lucifer's coat, illuminates the abyss below with her magic. it's the sight of sharp spikes that pulls at all the panic buttons in her head. good thing that she's got her magic, turning the spikes into a thicket to cushion their landing there.

above them, the ground shakes, the grotesque creature having landed just over the ledge of the pit, reaching its hand down to grab at them.]

[hextechhead]

[ Jayce is always something of an over-sharer which Alucard is well aware of, their first conversation he was already rambling about his past and personal business. He is not great at holding back his thoughts or feelings. But the heralds have mostly put him past the point of actually caring about it. He's tired and miserable and he can't touch Viktor, who is going in the opposite direction when it comes to feelings.

He deflates and rubs his hands over his face. ]

I appreciate the gesture.

[ Mostly because Jayce hates being a burden to others and that's what this feels like currently. These are his problems to worry about. Sometimes he's pulled people into his nonsense when he doesn't know what else to do, but he shouldn't with Alucard. ]

I think I should try to get to our tower, I want to make sure Rio is okay.

[ She may be a creation of Viktor's, but she's very real to the two of them, and anyone who visits. Jayce gets out of the chair. He can see the tower from here, so maybe walking instead of trying to teleport will help. ]

Thank you, Alucard. For everything.

[aquaveiled]

[ Doesn't want to test a shiny new weapon? Odd...he had the stance of an adventurer and everything. Mayhaps he's a true pacifist?

Well that will need to be set aside for survival at this point. Hopefully he won't mind too much. Her answer is clear: ]

Fight, of course! It's only one enemy, how hard can it be?

[ Those aren't famous last words or anything.

But in case he doubts her confidence, the little fireball triples in size as she flings it at the monster like a baseball. It's go time! ]