lostcarnival | ⇨ THE WYLDLANDS

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⇨ THE WYLDLANDS

Who: Everyone pursuing the Huntsman.
When: Day 134 - Day 140
Where: The Wyldlands
What: Working as scouts from the Summer armies, the carnival makes a dangerous trek into the Wyldlands to find the Huntsman, defeat him, and save the Ringmaster from the Hunt. The day descriptions below are an outline, and details may change based on actions earlier in the week. Overall, though, it will keep the same general locations. You can make up encounters with Wylderkin at any time.
Warnings: Probably violence and gross Huntsman stuff.

HUNTING THE HUNTER↴

Upon first arriving in the Wyldlands, the carnival will find themselves in a scene much like the picture above - strange mountain ranges rise up around them, while thick forest cling to the land between. Every so often, giant silhouettes of Wyld Fae will fly overhead. Thankfully, the Summer Fae have picked an area with plenty of cover to hide in to begin their infiltration, and as the carnival is arriving via teleporation, there will be squadrons of Summerland and Summer Court Fae spreading out and concealing themselves within the trees. They will be following the carnival's trail as they move deeper into the Wyldlands, looking for their guidance to avoid the maw of the Hunt.

The carnival Supervisors will be given several golden scrolls that unfurl into small light elementals. These will transmit information between the Summer armies and the carnival at speeds similar to sending a text message. They takes various forms, but most of them are abstract motes of light with wings and tails. When delivering messages, they take the form and voice of whoever gave the message, like a custom hologram that disappears immediately after finishing.

After the carnival has been debriefed one more time, they will be sent off ahead to begin their scouting duties. Through a mixture of augury and expertise, the Summer Fae have narrowed down an area the Huntsman should be, as well as designated a general route that will mostly have ground cover. Who knows if it will stay that way, though, with how quickly the Wyldlands change. Much like in the Summer Court, time here is subjective - all sense of time varies between individuals, and the only solid way of knowing when a day is over is to have the light from the sky disappear. All time pieces will perform erratically while here.

The carnival will still need to eat and rest, as well, which means that they will have to figure out the best times to set up camp. They have sufficient rations, at least.

► DAY 134: The carnival heads deeper into the forest on the first day of their scouting mission, told to head for a giant tree that they can see on the horizon. Apparently, this tree is a landmark that will remain consistent for the time being. Someone will have to check above the canopy every so often to keep everyone on target, which risks gaining the attention of flying Wyld Fae. There are plenty of Wylderkin around (lesser Wyld Fae that behave more like standard fantasy animals) but overall the journey through this section will not be hugely perilous, as long as they remain cautious and hidden. There will be a Megathread on this day, dealing with some optional and only mildly important Summer Court NPC interactions.

► DAY 135: Early during the next day of travelling, the forest will begin to fill with more and more magical fungi until giant shrooms have almost completely replaced the trees. At first they will seem innocuous, but as their presence becomes more inescapable, it will gradually become apparent than many of the mushrooms are poisonous to the touch - and eating them will be far worse! Those with empathetic connections to plants may be able to determine which are poisonous and which aren't, while some fungi may even have beneficial effects, if they get lucky enough to find and identify them. Generally speaking, though, there are few non-plant creatures around here, due to the fact that everything is toxic, including the swampy water that covers large sections of the ground. There will be no mod directed interactions during this period, besides handling general investigations.

► DAY 136: During the middle of this day, the carnival will finally reach the giant tree. On one hand, the plant-life has become relatively safe again. On the other, the giant tree is the lair of several neutral Wyld Fae who probably won't like the carnival's presence. On the other other hand, maybe those Wyld Fae might be willing to help or offer them directions? It's up to the group to decide if they want to attempt diplomacy, or to stealth past the tree and find their own way. There will be a Megathread on this day, based on however the team decides to handle it.

► DAY 137: Past the area surrounding the big tree, the lush foliage of the forest will begin degrading until nothing is left but dark naked trunks filled with glowing pods of various sizes. It's here that those with a connection to the Hunt will start to get a sense of the Huntsman's presence, and will be drawn in a vague direction. Unfortunately, this will also be their first major brush with the Hunt itself. Hunt patrols skirmish with neutral Wyld Fae in this forest, and the collateral damage of their warfare can be seen all over. The carnival will want to either map out a path through the trees that the fighting can be avoided for the sake of the Summer troops, or give them enough data to be able to handle the threat. How this portion goes will partly depend on the outcome of the previous day's Megathread.

► DAY 138: The forest will open up into the beginnings of a mountain range, with flowing water, luminescent plant life, and the occasional cluster of crystals sprouting from the earth. There are large parties of Hunt controlled Wyld Fae patrolling this area, and so making it through will require careful navigation. As the path becomes more and more mountainous, it will be possible to find routes that mostly avoid the patrols - this information will need to be communicated back to the Summer troops. There will be a Megathread here dealing with a Hunt patrol encounter.

► DAY 139: The mountains will continue to steepen, and the crystal formations will grow more huge and consistent. The air is always cloudy, and the air condition is bad, making it harder to breathe. Weather will become more and more unfavorable the higher into the mountains the carnival gets, with cold winds and lightning that frequently strikes the crystals and causes them to send out bursts of destructive energy. Paths will occasionally crumble. There is still a heavy Hunt presence, here, though they keep to safer trails - the best way to avoid them may indeed be taking the most dangerous routes. It's probably better than being mauled to death by beasts, though. Some distant mountain tops look like the might be volcanoes. There is almost no plant-life here, besides the most stubborn of brambles. By this point, the pull of the Huntsman has grown much stronger.

► DAY 140: The sky clears enough to show a deep red skyline. Barren cliffs are punctuated with rivers of lava, and paradoxically vibrant trees and foliage in erratic spurts. The those in the carnival with a connection to the Hunt will find themselves drawn to a valley in the center of the rocks, absolutely filled with Wyld Fae and other slaves gathered from around the multiverse. This will be the final encounter, and the carnival may have to trust in their Wyld Fae disguises to make it through. There will be multiple Megathreads here, detailing the encounter with the Huntsman and bringing this log to an end.

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As the fire rises around them, Childermass can only close his eyes against the light of the fire and, at first, hope for at least a peaceful end where he lays, still collapsed against Lambert. There is no end, though. Only warmth, chasing away the cruel, killing cold of the shard jammed through his shoulder. Once that goes, he's not completely surprised to find energy and life returning.

"About time," he grumbles aloud, opening his eyes again to give the restored Ringmaster a less than impressed look. Of course, he doesn't often look impressed and doing something like 'fixing this shit' doesn't really rate congratulations here. "I thought you really were going to let us die for a moment there, you dodgy old lizard."

Amethyst's head slowly rolls back across the floor as her neck returns to its usual length and width.

One moment, it was all dark. No, more than dark. There was nothing. Everything had simply...ended.

And then suddenly he's coughing- not because of anything in his lungs, not because of any pain even, but because they didn't quite expect to be in use again. Gongenzaka chokes and wheezes as he blinks and regains his breath, trembling as he realizes he's. Well.

There.

And naturally, his first thought- "...Yuuya-" He rolls, trying to sit up. "Yuuya-!"

Limbs are not quite cooperating yet, as much as everything down to the soul has just been healed over.

Yuya sucks in a sharp breath as the warmth rolls through him, eases the pain and clears his head and the wound through his stomach. He jerks, pushing himself up with his hands and a cough.

"Gongenzaka!" Yuya responds, flipping himself over and scrambling to Gongenzaka. He's no help getting him up, but he settles on his knees while he cradles Gon's face.

Whatever he tries to say next falls apart in a sob of relief, and then he kisses Gongenzaka. Desperate to have him, to not lose him again, again, happy he hear him speak, hear him breathe.

He throws his arms around him and grips tight and refuses to let go.

In the end, Rin had chosen to end his own life with fire, rather than succumb to the icy wound. He's only barely conscious when his attack deflects off of Frost's shield. All of that, and it hadn't even mattered. The flames crawled through his body from the wound in his gut, eating up his body like dry tinder in a forest fire. When he fell, there was naught but a body-shaped hunk of charcoal with vaguely glowing blue embers -- fingers and tail and wings break off like scorched branches.

At least he did it his way.

A little blue ball of flame rose from the charred body, and an identical one from the discarded sword rose to join it. The two combined into a single mote of flame, burning brightly before going out completely...

But then, new fire — warm, red, brilliant. Like blood coursing through veins. It bathes them all, Rin’s charred corpse included. It turns the clock back, brushing away the ash and healing the ulcers, drawing snapped limbs back on. The blue light returns, but doesn’t break in half — instead the whole thing reenters Rin’s form. When his hair regrows, it’s no longer blue-black — instead, his hair grows back in a gentle ombre from light blue to snow white. The fur, too, on his wing arms and tail — brilliant white with a hint of blue.

He grumbles and sits up.

(Hey, you know what doesn’t get fixed by magic life fire? Clothes.)

“Nnnngghhh… Yukio…? Everyone….”

A lot happens in such a short span of time. Peridot hears Steven's admission, and though she won't turn her attention from Amethyst to look at him, her expression upon hearing it is one of sheer agony.

She can't hold it together anymore. The damage the poison has done to her is a contributing factor, but more than anything else it's the deep emotional blow that comes with knowing she and Steven are both about to lose Amethyst which seals the deal. It's rare, but not at all unheard of for a gem to dissipate out of severe mental and emotional duress. Her form shimmers more violently than ever and compresses, almost like the picture on a TV screen being abruptly cut out, and at last expands in a puff of green smoke. Her gem clatters to the floor, the light in it slowly fading, leaving Steven alone to comfort the dying quartz.

...and then that curious fire starts to spread. All in all Peridot is probably only out for a little less than a minute, but it feels so much longer. The Ringmaster's magic sends a revitalizing surge of energy through her gem, which levitates up off the floor, the silhouette of light shifting through her handful of previous shapes. It starts with her base outfit from her days with the diamonds, and only flips through the two or three more shapes she's had since joining the carnival, adding on a tail and then horns and other beastly bits. When the shape settles, she drops back to the floor looking completely baffled, dressed in a brand new waistcoat and jacket in standard shades of green, complete with a little yellow bowtie. It's of a fashion similar to the kinds of material carnival clothing that she has been wearing over her old diamond uniform for so long, but much more dapper, and like. Actually a part of her now.

Peridot first gapes at the Ringmaster in sheer awe, and then jerks to look back at Amethyst, just in time to see her pull herself back together. Tears sparkle in the corners of her eyes like she's a certified anime character, and she dives in to tackle both her and Steven into the most aggressive hug she's ever given.

The white flames making up Rita's body die down and give way to her normal, flesh-and-bones form. She uses her wings to ease herself down to the floor, then starts walking back to the group. With wide eyes, she looks over the people she saw mortally wounded just a minute ago. Childermass, grumbling like his usual self. Yuya... did he just kiss--? Whatever. If he's okay, then good.

She ends up gravitating to where Ignatius is. "He got away," she says with a frown, but her gaze soon falls to the fae's side, where he'd been impaled. "Your wound... is it...?"

She'd like to think that whatever miraculous effect the Ringmaster's magic is having on the rest of them applies to him as well, but she'd rather check than assume. Not because she's worried or anything, but... you know, just to be sure.

Papyrus clumsily raises a hand up to lay on top of his brother's, increasingly aware of the sound of powder as everything gets numb. Not completely, he can still dimly feel things - as though the metal itself really is part of him.

But even the metal is crumpling, and he's only still kneeling because it's studier than monster bone.

A dry observation passes through his mind, right after Sans' words. It seemed he was dying, not long after his stubborness in the storm... A sharp, lethal object, wedged within his armor, where he couldn't pull it out... even as he dissolved around it. There was something... full circle, about that.

"No, I'm... I'm not dying for real," he protests slowly, trying to pat his brother's hand as he sags. "Not... yet..."

He trails off as red fire blossoms and burns through the fog, red light spreading over them... and within, an orange light - one never stopping, always moving to avoid certain pains - answers the appearance of the red fire.

A crackling spreads through his legs as suddenly he can feel them again, the warmth of the fire just barely soothing it from being as painful as the fog had been. He stares down at the puncture on his hip as streaks of orange crystal and bone grow within, filling the complicated metal shell out again, and the thickest of the crystal scars bleeds out with bits of metal mingling in the stone. And suddenly, he feels whole again.

"...Not yet," he says again, a little more confident and wonderingly, and looks up to see what's next.

Lambert had let his eyes slip shut with exhaustion, still cradling Childermass back to chest. It takes a moment to register the the Ringmaster raising her head to cry out, the building heat, and the warmth that follows, washing through him and coaxing strength back into his limbs. He knows he should try to figure out what's happening, but lying still and experiencing what might or might not be death seems almost preferable. It's gentler than his last, in any case. It's not until the magician stirs against him and gives that pithy grumbling that his eyes fly open, twisting around to gape at her reborn form.

"You..." His arms, wrapped around Childermass, abruptly tighten -- and then Lambert laughs, hauling the magician up with him with dizzying speed as he gets to his feet.

"She's back!" He spins him around so they're pressed chest to chest instead, and swoops down to give the magician a sound kiss on the mouth, exhilaration too much to care about petty things like 'propriety' and 'subtlety' and 'giving his lover a bad case of vertigo.'

Edited 2019-02-20 08:53 (UTC)

A sigh of relief - of joy - falls from Yuusei's lips as he bears witness to the Ringmaster's bright new form. He can't help but bear a wide grin. They've all gone through so much pain to get here, and finally they've gotten their payoff. This is wonderful, delightful...! Though there's still much to do in the long run, this right here is very very good, and everyone deserves to relish this moment.

He approaches those closer to the great dragon and kneels down next to Herbert, offering his back to him. "Need a lift?" he asks as he offers a hand.

(Carly's having her moment with the Ringmaster and he dares not step in the middle of it.)

Yeah, the giving him a case of vertigo part is frankly the part Childermass protests the most to. Lambert will get his kiss in before the magician manages to wedge a hand up between their faces and shove him off again with an embarrassed sputter.

"Lambert!" Not that he'll actually draw himself away from the witcher, seeing as he's still leaning on him to keep his balance. "Not here, you big oaf..."

Whatever just happened, it seems that it has cured Ignatius, too. Basking in flames like that is actually pretty much ideal for him, so he looks pretty vibrant afterwards. The shard that was speared into his ribs is gone. He rubs the spot where it's hit, and then shows it to Rita so she knows it's healed.

"That's fine," he says to Rita, getting to his feet. There's a nervous but excited energy there, like he isn't quite sure what to expect but it seems good to far. "You did well."

This is where he would hug her or something but he still feels like that would be presumptuous.

He's barely even cognizant of what happens here, in the end. Peridot poofs, and Amethyst seems like she's done for... but then fire rolls through, and he feels his strength returning, and his tears dried-

-Which basically means he's just ready to cry again when he sees that Amethyst and Peridot are back and okay, and everyone okay, and oh my gosh. It's a lot to take in at once and Steven buries himself in the hug with his family, overjoyed.

"We did it!" he sobs happily. "She's back! We're okay!"

Even if there is still a major threat remaining - one that lingers on the fringes of his mind. The Huntsman.

Sans can feel it when the souls he's so desperately holding onto come back to themselves- most of all, his brother. The mood is contagious, even for him. He's not usually about this sort of thing...

But you better believe he's hugging his brother, his angels wings fluttering happily.

The more coherent he becomes, the more optimism overflows him. Yuuya has his face in his hands but in mere moments Gongenzaka has Yuuya in his arms, the beast rolling onto his back as he laughs warmly. "AhahaaAAAAAH!! WE SUCCEEDED..! YUUYA, WE SURVIVED...!" He cheers, nuzzling his face against the other furiously as he holds tight (but not too tight). Tears, as expected, are part of the embrace- but it would hardly be a hug from Gongenzaka without. And then-

"Mnnf-!"

And then there's a kiss- as best as he can manage with this face anyway.

What happens next is probably not unexpected. With the Red Beast freed, the Huntsman must already know that his entire operation is at risk. There is only one thing to do - and that’s to put her down a second time.

As the fortress burns away, the melted remains begin to sprout and grow plant life. The bones change to trees, and the flames leave behind equally vibrant red flowers of all kinds. Things are changing, and they are not in the old king’s favour.

He appears in a miasma of his power, the black serpent already changing into a long jagged spear. He’s been pulled away from leading his army to deal with her once more.

"Beast!" he yells. "You would do well to learn your place!"

He hurls his spear. The Ringmaster snaps her jaws, swallowing the weapon whole.

"No," she growls, and lunges for him.

It’s a sight some of them will have seen before - the Ringmaster tangling with another great foe, titanic forces unleashed. Now, however, there will be no containing her. She tears him apart in her claws, bleeding the death from his body of trophies. She is Death, but also Rebirth - and she would much rather see his power born into something better.

The Huntsman is consumed in the fight that happens overhead, and it’s only after that the Ringmaster returns to them. The flames are still spreading, but they mingle with the new plant-life without causing harm. She lowers her head.

"I’m sorry," she says, finally. For a lot of things.

Edited 2019-02-20 17:38 (UTC)

Yuya's easily pulled along with Gongenzaka, finally breaking the kiss with a teary laugh, smoothing his hands over Gon's cheeks. "We really did it! Ah--"

His attention snaps up when the Huntsman appears, and throws the spear again. Maybe it's because she remembers her nature, now, but it's clear she has nothing to fear when she consumes it and battles him back.

When it's all over, when she bows and apologizes, Yuya gives Gongenzaka a gentle, easing look as he pulls himself out of his hold. Yuya gets to his feet, approaching the Ringmaster and staring up at her.

Then he smiles wide and holds his hand out to her.

"Welcome back, Ringmaster."

"Yeah!" Because people are having moments, so Yugo keeps back from the thick of it (more specifically the boyfriends) until it's time for more hugs.

"It's okay, the only thing that matters is you're back!"

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⇨ THE WYLDLANDS

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