lostcarnival | ⇨ EDEN PT. 4 (FINALE)

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⇨ EDEN PT. 4 (FINALE)

Who: Everyone!
When: Day 89
Where: Eden
What: The Mirror is taken by the carnival, and several people from the carnival have been taken by Lilith. As Eden's Architects take sides, the battle for Eden's future is set to reach its conclusion.
Warnings: Violence.

INFINITE↴

When the Silver Mirror is taken, the war truly begins. Lilith had seen fit to take her time, gloating over the enemies she perceived as being no challenge to her power - only to sense the moment that the Ringmaster claimed the Silver Mirror and took the skies in challenge. The Ringmaster has taken on her half beast form, black scaled, winged, and horned, and wielding the Silver Mirror as some kind of shield. Only moments ago, she used it to blast a whole clear through the cathedral.

Lilith, realizing her mistake, has swept up the darkness created by Bezaliel and begun using it as a weapon against the Ringmaster. She has six silver wings that reflect light like mirrors, as well as strange, geometric horns. Ostensibly, part of the Silver Mirror's magic has been taken into herself, which means that even though the Ringmaster has the Mirror, Lilith still has control over it. She scatters the prisms containing her prisoners across Eden while she counters her foe, drawing on their strength to aid her.

Two godlike beings clash in the sky above you. On the ground, a war begins. What do you do?

► FAE VS NEPHALEM: While all of this is going on, the Ringmaster and Lilith are essentially fighting over the Silver Mirror in the sky. It is all very cyclical and unending, and just as outrageous looking as it sounds. They both currently have some degree of hold over the Mirror right now, which means the advantage is wildly vacillating between the two of them. You probably don't want to directly interfere with this, but who knows? Maybe you'd got something really cunning up your sleeve.

► EDEN'S ARCHITECTS: In the aftermath of the Silver Mirror being taken, the Architects of Eden are being forced to choose sides. At first glance, it would appear that Saraqael (wolf), Samyaza (hare), Araqiel (stag), Penemue (raven), and Armaros (spider) have chosen to fight with the Furies of Eden in an attempt to cast Lilith out for good. Bezaliel (bear), Shamshel (tiger), Azazel (crocodile), Chazaqiel (eagle), and Baraqel (stingray) have, alternatively, chosen to defend Lilith, and are attempting to convince as many Honorables to follow in their path as possible. Gadreel (dolphin) and Kakabel (axolotl) seem to be uncomfortably remaining neutral for the moment and seeing how things play out.

Not all Honorables or Scholars have followed the choice of their Architect. Many have been pulled one way or the other regardless of their kind, and are generally being accepted into the fight on their claimed side. You can NPC conflicts with random Honorables, but not the Architects. To interact with those guys, you need to do an investigation.

► PRISM BREAK: All of the carnival members that attended Samyaza's garden party (except Herbert) have been captured by Lilith after falling prey to a trap set by Bezaliel. Each of them has been trapped inside mirrored prisms that are now scattered around hard to access areas of Eden, defended by both Honorables supporting their maker and by mirror eyed dopplegangers. The infinite reflections of the characters inside the prisms are being fed on by Lilith, and she is tearing out as many of those reflections as necessary to do her bidding in the meantime. Each reflection is functionally a magical clone with no true will of its own, but will be able to fully mimic the emotions and powers of the characters they're taken from. They serve Lilith above all.

Each reflection spawned from a prism take a fraction of their host's spiritual energy with them, meaning the more clones that are spawned, the weaker the real version will become. The more powerful a character is, the more energy each reflection takes to make - so if you have a character with lots of powers, they will probably have something like 1-4 dopplegangers spawned, while characters with few or no powers will be going completely quantity over quality and spawn potentially dozens of mirror clones. Clones shatter and vanish when destroyed, though the prisms will keep spawning new ones until the captive is set free.

Captives, it's your job to NPC these clones. Captives will have no idea what's going on outside of their prism besides the abstract idea that these reflections are being harvested from them, and that's bad. The mirror clones will be attempting to protect the source prisms from disruption, as well as generally trying to destroy all enemies. NOTE: all captives will have returned to their natural forms by now (IE are no longer animals) and their clones will reflect this. Those missing "darkness shards" from their chest will also have had those returned.

► EDEN'S FURY: The Furies of Eden are striking back against Lilith at last, and it turns out a lot more of them have lingering rebellious ideas than previously though. Those that take up the cause of the Furies will be fighting on the carnival's side, so you are free to NPC some allied Honorables as well. You can also use the Investigations section to interact with named rebels, if you want, or to get an idea of what they are generally doing. Another potential avenue of investigation is trying to get the Serpent out here, as she'd be undoubtedly a powerful ally if cured of her curse.

You might need it. Now that they know of the fae, the Honorables and Lilith-supporting Architects have no qualms using iron again you! They will be utilizing iron in all possible weaponry.

► NEW, CONFUSED, OR BOTH: Did you just get here? Did you fall behind and now you're terribly lost? Don't sweat it - let your character be as confused as you are. Take the opportunity to make top levels asking other characters what's going on in-game, or check out the original setting info post to catch up. The short version is this: the carnival wanted to steal a powerful artifact called the Silver Mirror from Lilith, which was stashed in her realm called Eden. They did just that, and now Lilith is back and she's pissed!

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"O-oi!! Wait!"

Ugh, stupid... kid! He didn't mean for him to RUN RIGHT UP THERE.

He'll beat them off with a stick if he has to. He growls and sheathes his sword before disappearing again.

Whichever doppelganger is closest to Yuya, Zangetsu attacks from above, aiming a shark-finned tail slap at the back of its head.

Gongenzaka in spirit does not answer. Rather, he's still blasting the feeling of utter fear and clinging desperately to what's familiar. The clone that had been meditating just opposite Yuuya on the other side of the prism however?

With astonishing agility, he's leaped over the damn thing to CHARGE.

"Yuuya! I, the man Gongenzaka, didn't think you would come here!" The voice is hollow. The clone's smile is hollow.

And the clone charges within a hair's breadth of his 'friend' until a tail slams across his head. There is no growl in reply, no response to pain or similar. But the force certainly knocks him down, buying Yuuya time to get around.

Unfortunately the two that had been aiming to grabble and tag-team with Zangetsu are now converging on the spirit at the same time...and the others are on their way.

At least one is going to try and get to Yuuya for that matter.

Yuya's attention snaps up, caught off guard enough that he doesn't manage to move in time... but Zangetsu puts a stop to the clone before it manages to hurt Yuya. He stares, wide eyed as a chill runs through him at that voice.

But it makes him more acutely aware of his surroundings now, and he takes a circular look of the area. More are coming. He has to be careful. If they break Gongenzaka out, do these weird appirations stop?

"I'd always come for you," it's probably pointless to respond, but Yuya does anyway as he grips the pole and backpedals from the fake Gon and Zangetsu.

"Sorry! Just--I'll definitely get him out, just keep them busy please!" Maybe they can be knocked out?

Yuya catches the position of the clone coming for him, and circles around the opposite end of the prism to try and buy himself some time as he projects his shield outward to slam against the glass again.

Edited 2018-08-16 13:40 (UTC)

"Hrrrnngh! I'm workin' on it! Just hurry up! Put your back into it!"

Standing on the back of the downed clone, he can sense the others moving toward him. The name of the game now is blunt force trauma. Cracked skulls don't always result in death, right? He grabs the clone by the hair and leaves on the back of it's head and smashes its head on the street. He reels in his strength so it's more a "concussion and broken/bloody nose" than "skull opened like an egg". God. Fighting when you're trying NOT to kill is hard!

Then, he turns to face one of the clones coming his way and leaps, like a pouncing cat, tackling the clone at full force. He digs in all four sets of talons and sinks his shark's teeth into the clone's shoulder.

Suffice to say, Zangetsu is doing a good job. Between one crashing into the ground and the other having to move out of the way, two Gongenzakas are unable to retaliate- the next snarls minutely as claws dig against him. It is all temporary however, as another from the distance finally arrives. It charges from above another building, racing down the walls with a snarl.

But through all of this Yuuya has not failed...mostly. A spiderweb of cracks appears across the glass- he just needs to try again, harder! Gongenzaka seems to recognize that, and briefly he manages a wave of encouragement from inside. Keep going, guys...

It cracked! Yuya sucks in a breath, and as long as a clone isn't breathing down his neck he pushes his shield out again, with all the speed and force he can muster in it, driven by Gongenzaka's encouragement. If they can just get him out--!

Zangetsu rips with his claws and his teeth, leaving deep gashes in the clone and making hamburger meat of the shoulder. He releases that clone and opens his palm toward the incoming Gon, spidercrawling the wall.

A ball of red energy forms in his hand with a familiar whirr. But instead of firing the Cero as a beam, Zangetsu recalls the trick that the Arrancar Yammy used -- Bala. He releases a volley of red orbs of explosive energy toward the other clone.

Unfortunately, he's never done this before, and he's not the best at it. The shots go wild, missing the clone completely and leaving craters in (and destabilizing) the building itself.

"Dammit!"

For all that Zangetsu misses, he also succeeds. In destablizing the building, the incoming clone is forced to retreat...and the blasts and shrapnel force the others back as well.

There is another cry of the soul however, as the shredded clone collapses- and in moments scatters, now useless. The one trying to be created is successfully smacked in the face with a shield meanwhile- the repulsor blast it prepared failing terribly. And while it prepares to redouble efforts on Yuuya as the prism cracks minutely...

Well, it happens to be right near Zangetsu.

Two clones are dead. One was forced to retreat completely. But the two who were only somewhat scared off grunt and come slowly forward again before breaking into a charge. And with a feral roar, another makes to join from near opposite the ruined building.

Yuya stumbles back as the clone materializes right in front of him. His shield is the only thing that keeps it from crushing him there, and Yuya takes the moment of confusion to duck down and run around the prism.

He accidentally hits the clone with his pole as he moves, tripping--but he still pushes the shield outward as he hits the ground with his knees, trying to hit the prism.

Shit. Shit. Shit. Fuck. A reflection in the prism turns three dimensional, and there's another clone. The one he savaged is dead. this was going badly.

He has an idea, but he needs to get to the kid first.

"YUYA! HOLD ON TO SOMETHING."

Zangetsu helps a bit with that by snaking his tail around Yuya's ankle and wrapping tightly. Wisps of black and red energy form around the Hollow, swirling ominously as he prepares an attack. Then, the sword spirit reaches down, deep, and throws that energy outward.

He roars inhumanly, "GET.... AWAY!!!"

The result is a huge, blistering blast of his spiritual pressure, blowing like a hot, black and red, hurricane-force gale outward, with Zangetsu (and the tethered Yuya) at the center.

The clones are sensitive- though they lack true souls of their own they carry the mark of Gongenzaka's own, and againat the force of Zangetsu's will even the one righr at the prism is blasted back. Most will take time to get there- the one that was nearest, well, it's trying its damndest to get back.

But they have bought time. Gongenzaka's soul struggles to recover, but as pieces of glass crackle and flake further thanks to the earlier force, his spirit touches Yuuya's. It carries encouragment, as well as longing, the worry of his sudden capture weighing upon him. His hold is frail, and yet...he tries to convey their usual hug.

He can do this. He can..!

Zangetsu will also feel something, but it is more along the lines of flat out cheering and encouragment. The sword no doubt has time to spare for sappier stuff.

It's honestly a good thing Zangetsu grabs Yuya, because he's very easily blown over and almost blown away.

He's stunned briefly against the ground, until the wind dies down and he feels Gongenzaka in his heart again. Yuya's expression steels, and he pushes himself up and shakes his ankle free.

With the space Zan's given them Yuya reels back his arms and slams the pole hard into the cracked face. Again, and again, alternating metal and his shield as he breaks away at the prism.

Good. That gave them some space -- and therefore, time. Gongenzaka is alive in there and doing... well enough to send soul messages. So he'll chalk that up as a win. The cheers he feels in his soul are quite encouraging. It means he's still going in there. He just needs to buy a little more time!

He releases Yuya's ankle and drops down on all fours. He snarls and starts charging toward the closest clone in a game of chicken. Right before colliding, Zangetsu leaps over the taur, landing neatly behind him...

... and grabbing that stupid tail of his, digging his foot-talons into the ground.

YOINK.

The clone fell for that MAGNIFICENTLY. Enoigh that Zangetsu will have some fun while Yuuya finishes this. It even shouts in that eerie hollow mirror voice- crying for Zangetsu to knock it off!! He means it!!

It won't work of course but still.

Yuuya meanwhile begins to make progress. With each jab the mirror fragments more, and Gongenzaka's weak connection beckons for Yuuya to keep going. He surrounds the other in apology and encouragement, and finally...

A hole. A hole cracks through and the clone Zangetsu has wavers. And from inside...

Was that a grunt? A whimper, maybe?

There it is. Yuya pulls back the pole and swings with surprising precision right for the hole. Just to get it a little weaker. And then it's all on his shield and he runs up to the prism and presses his hands against the glass, pushing and rolling waves of his shield over and over. It's starting to make him dizzy, the constant rebound, but he can't stop. He's so close.

"Gongenzaka!"

Zangetsu cackles, his laugh unhinged and creepy, as he yanks on the clone's tail to knock it off its feet. It's a good thing these clones don't have Gon's steadfast belt; that would make this impossible.

He actually starts to spin in a circle, dragging the clone along as he goes. He saw this in a video game once. Super Mario something or other? There was a big spiky tortoise involved.

Zangetu spins and spins in a tight circle until he has the clone in the air with centrifugal force. When the clone is at the highest velocity that the Hollow can manage, he... lets go.

He sends the clone flying away from the prism.

And hey! If there just so happens to be another clone running this way? Well, then the collision will be all the sweeter.

What happens next is a little like watching fireworks. As the prism is shattered from the inside out by Yuuya's shield, the clones each systematically scatter into fragments in a similar manner. The one Zangetsu threw does so in the air- a nice treat.

Gongenzaka himself does not look so spectacular. Choking and coughing, he holds the connection of souls less because he desires to and instead because it feels he could be afraid to let go. Words cannot come to him- and with good reason.

As Gongenzaka uncurls from the mere act of falling from his cage, it is clear he has changed. But the shift of the marks upon his face is not what will catch their eyes. Rather, from the somewhat torn, somewhat loose edges of the sacrifical robe, something black seems to...melt from him.

The fact that one can see leaves through the resulting hole probably won't help anyone's mood. But there are bigger things to worry about. Gongenzaka's soul broadcasts nothing but relief and gratitude, and in Yuuya's case a significant warmth akin to that private emotion shared earlier within Eden.

But Gongenzaka is clearly in pain. And the iron shackles binding him are no doubt a significant part of that.

"Gongenzaka," Yuya breathes out his name with short lived relief. He's awful--as bad as the Manor left him. Worse?

Yuya drops the pole and scrambles to Gongenzaka's side as he unfurls, kneeling. He scoops his arm behind Gon's head, gently shaking him once as he cradles him against his side. "Gongenzaka! Gongenzaka, it's okay, you're okay now."

His gaze is so focused on seeing Gon respond that he doesn't look down at his chest to see the melting black wound. Not yet. Right now, he needs to make sure Gongenzaka's here.

The airborne clone explodes in a rain of glass and Zangetsu lets out a whoop. He turns around to see the prism in a similarly shattered state and Gongenzaka...

.... Oh Gon.

He feels his not-heart sink into his stomach as he spots the hole. It looked... it looked just like...

His hand goes to his own chest, feeling the soft-ball sized void in his breastbone.

But his reiatsu hasn't changed, he tells himself, reassuring himself. It's just some weird change. He's fine. He's not...

Zangetsu rushes over.

"We have to get these shackles off of him."

Gongenzaka is far from fine. His breathing is shallow, and he barely has the strength to even cough- what voice he has may well be a whisper, a mutter as he tries to speak. 'Yuuya', perhaps he says? It's a good guess, though perhaps the start or end of Zangetsu's name is in there as well.

He should save his strength- it's a miracle he still has it.

Either way, there is a weakly pulsing 'affirmative' at Zangetsu's statement- and for both of them an image of rashes, metal...'Iron', but then that was obvious enough wasn't it.

Next image- the Healing Temple. That...that should be fine right? If they're here, like this...then it should be fine, and they won't need to hide.

He tries to comfort his friend. Sending the sensation of reassurance through, but...

It's weak. It's tired...

Edited 2018-08-17 01:19 (UTC)

Yuya's expression slips at the lack of answer, and his gaze drifts over the rest of Gongenzaka's body. It's too much to take in, all at once, he can't focus on the individual wounds as much as the whole. God, it's so bad.

His grip tightens as panic grips his heart again and he looks up at Zangetsu, pleading.

"Can you carry him?" They have to get help, but he doesn't want to leave him here.

Well, he's fine in that his heart hasn't collapsed into a dark empty void of endless hunger and pain. He is definitely not fine otherwise-- Zangetsu can tell that those parts of Gon that were in the clones he destroyed are gone. Souls can recover, regenerate, just like tissue. But it takes time.

He looks at Yuya and nods.

"I can, as long as you can pick up his back end so it doesn't drag."

Zangetsu crouches in front of Gongenzaka and pulls the arms on his human torso around his neck and shoulders. The iron shackles burn Zangetsu's skin a bit, just a bit stingy. Then, he grabs Gon's taur forelegs under his armpits and wraps them around his middle, holding them tightly around the wrists.

"Gon, I'm gonna need ya to hold on to my neck as best ya can. Yuya, grab his back legs and let's go."

Can Gongenzaka actually hear the guy? God only knows, because he's sure as hell not responding more than a wheeze of acknowledgement. And if he tries to hold onto Zangetsu's neck it....well, he's not really doing a good job of moving his arms to do so.

At all.

So have fun with that.

Yuya relinquishes his hold, albeit reluctantly, and just about latches into the task at Zangetsu gives him. It's something he can do to help, so he nods before getting up. "I can do that."

For the record, he actually can't, as Yuya is either big enough nor strong enough to manage Gongenzaka's fae-altered taur rear. He barely lift one leg, and fumbling around proves that trying to just push his backside up is even less successful. But he's.

He's trying.

Oh good fucking god. Both of them are useless. Completely useless.

After dragging floppy worthless Gon (and Yuya) for about a hundred feet, Zangetsu finally swats Yuya away with his tail.

"Just let go...! I'll meet you at the healing temple."

He's going to be so tired after this. With a grunt, Zangetsu hitches Gon up higher on his back, wrapping his tail around his taur-middle.

Then, he takes to the air, standing on invisible platforms of air and using Sonìdo to clear distance more quickly.

Upon arrival at the temple, Zangetsu will be quite out of breath.

"Heh.... haaaa.... stupid... fat-ass... bear... fox... kid....!"

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