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veritati2021-07-16 01:45 pm
falsitates) wrote in veritati2021-07-16 01:45 pm
mid-july event [tdm + fourth wall].
JULY 16 ~ 31
The fireworks and festivities are over. It's now the middle of July. Outside, it's dreadfully dark as the sun hides behind the clouds. Cold air fills the atmosphere and the sudden change of temperature may signify the start of something ominous. Along with the cold air and strange sensation, there's a white flakey substance lightly falling from the sky. It looks like snow from a glance, but upon further inspection, it's salt.
The city streets are quiet. Those who once inhabited the city of Vitae are no longer to be found anywhere. For seven full days, the citizens and authorities will be suspiciously missing. In their place are something new.
The city streets are quiet. Those who once inhabited the city of Vitae are no longer to be found anywhere. For seven full days, the citizens and authorities will be suspiciously missing. In their place are something new.
NEW ARRIVALS
- In the distance, disfigured creature with a shadowlike body and golden eyes stands.
It doesn't appear to be particularly fast or powerful, but as soon as it detects anyone nearby, it will begin hunting and pursuing. More and more appear as you run away, breaking through windows and jumping off rooftops. Heading towards the edges of the city only brings out a more powerful wave of monsters. These larger shadows, who are equipped with a variety of spells, fire a barrage of magical bullets at you, leaving you exhausted and weak.
None of them make any attempt to communicate, and they don't seem to understand what you're saying. They attack without regard for who they are attacking and reach out with their long arms. They wrap themselves around you, holding on tighter and tighter until you start to feel weaker and weaker, your energy draining away as time goes on. Taking them out only seems to increase their numbers and force, but they can be killed in the same way that any other living being can die. With enough strength and persistence behind your attacks, they will fall, but before they vanish, red blood oozes from their bodies.
Those with the ability to sense supernatural presences and entities can feel human souls lingering within the monsters.
SURVIVAL
- There's no one left except for you, other holders of the app, and these monsters. Without anyone to run the city, things begin to quickly shut down.
The first thing to go out is the electricity. Then there's the running water. In a city the size of Vitae, there is plenty of food and supplies, but it won't last forever. The monsters appear to recognize the value of food, that it is necessary for survival, and they go after it. They destroy perishables and lurk in grocery stores, waiting for anyone desperate enough to come by.
The sun never does come back. The clouds continue to block it out, and the rain of salt never stops. It gets too cold to bear, and no explanation is given to newcomers to the app as to what is going on. They simply appear out of nowhere and are left to their own devices. They may enlist the assistance of current app users, but that depends on whether or not they are even capable of assisting themselves.
Everyone (including the newcomers) has been strapped with a watch since waking up in this hell. The voting results have been released and they appear to directly correspond to it. They're visible in the app, showcasing who picked what and who. The number represents the number of betrayals you've experienced. If you've been chosen twice to be betrayed, the number will appear as two. It appears as zero if you haven't been betrayed at all.
Those who have been fortunate enough to receive allies or no betrayals enjoy freedom and knowledge. Every hour, the display briefly transforms into a map, outlining the surrounding area and the exact locations of the monsters. It's useful for avoiding confrontations and sneaking into places, but for those who have been betrayed, they enjoy no such benefits.
The screen changes to read 'punishment time' at random intervals. It's at these times when you receive painful electric shocks. The higher the number, the more excruciating it is. There is simply no rhyme or reason as to when it will happen. They appear at the worst of times and last for indefinite periods.
There is no way of knowing when this hell will end. The app is unusually quiet, and no one can respond to your inquiries. So, what are your options? If you decide to travel, you will only find a clue to the end of your misery.
Past the forest and the shrine, there's a castle.
THE CASTLE
- At the front of the castle, there are two marble statues. In addition to this, there appears to be a magical seal preventing entry through the front door. The seal can be broken by finding the stone key hidden behind one of the statues. It's not too difficult to spot with the naked eye.
When you go through the door the first thing you'll see is a long corridor. It's decorated with foliage and beautiful flowers. But wait. When you go to the end of the hallway it just loops you right back to the start. That can't be right. The only way to escape from this place is to speak with the doves chilling right next to the fountain.
"To whom does the true form show itself? I ask: Why did humans disappear from the world? You must answer."
Answering the question will grant you access to the next room.
There's a large ballroom that gives off a strange feeling as soon as you enter. There are Shades here too but they only seem interested in dancing. The sound of a waltz might reach your ears. When you look outside the window you'll see an unfamiliar city. It doesn't look like Vitae or America. In fact, it might seem like a city from an entirely different world with how all the buildings lack colour. Off to the side, there's a spiral staircase.
Going down that route will take you to a massive library. There's a ton of books that cover any topic you can think of. The older books have writing in them but contain illegible runic scriptures. Killing all the enemies in this room will open the door. They're tougher than the monsters outside of the castle.
A strange figure stands within sight.
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This could be the rest of their lives? Are they even really in Vitae anymore? His whole life is falling apart, again, and this time he doesn't have anything to turn to. How is a teahouse going to serve a place full of monsters and no people?]
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Jun will nudge him with his foot]
Hey, get up. I know it's a lot to take in, but this isn't the time to sit around.
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I... I don't think I can stand.
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I can't fight monsters and carry you at the same time. So either find it in you to stand, or I'll have to leave you here to die.
[His tone is flat, like he's stating a fact. He very much rather NOT do that, but he's also being completely serious ]
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Yuya shifts, pushing up against the cabinet. He hasn't stopped shaking, and it makes it all the harder to stand up straight. But if he doesn't, Jun will leave and those monsters will come back, won't they?
His voice cracks, ready to beg Jun to stay--but the words already feel hopeless. If he can't stand he'll die here. He'll die.
He really doesn't want to die. But he's going to die. So instead what comes out is a sob.]
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Ah-
[He falters, looking like a deer in the headlights. He has enough sense to recognize that's a bad reaction and he said something wrong. Not enough sense to know how to fix it, but enough sense to know he did something bad. When that sort of mentality was just his reality for most of his life, it's so easy to forget the rest of the world doesn't work like that.
Nngh. Think. How would normal people handle this? Or rather- How would they handle this in an anime?]
...Sorry. I should've said something more reassuring. If this was an anime, I'm sure I would've had a nice speech all ready.
[But he doesn't. He's just a socially and emotionally stunted guy, trying to deal with someone having a panic attack - and not having a clue to what to do.]
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Or it might mean nothing because real life is not an anime.]
I--I don't... I don't want to die. [He chokes between tears, covering his head with his hands.] Don't l--leave me here... please...
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[ ...
Well this is a shitty feeling. There's a pause as he waffles over what to say- torn between his Seal Knight pragmatism and the bits of humanity and empathy he's acquired.]
Believe me, I don't want to. But if you want us to get through this, you need to pull yourself together. I'm one of the only people in the city who has a chance to resolve this crisis. So I can't stay here long.
But if you come with me, I'll try to find you someone who can stay with you, okay?
[Maybe he can track down Noah or Nier or Judai to look after this guy. They'd likely be much better for this anyway. ]
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Maybe... this is something more than just being afraid. Although it is a lot being afraid.]
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Christ, there's no time for this...
[But that nagging bit of empathy is still there. Perhaps leaving someone that was slowing his mission to die would've been something his old self would've done, but...
Ugh.
Finally his patience running out, he puts away his sword as he walks over and pick up Yuya up bridal style. Despite his own small stature, he doesn't struggle in the slightest with Yuya's weight. ]
Close your eyes and be as quiet as you can. I'm dropping you off with the first person I find.
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Something is really not right. His gaze is such straight ahead, taking all his focus to clarify this one thing through the constant terror.]
Don't--don't let them touch you. [He doesn't know what's wrong with him. But he knows when it started.]
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That warning only serves to further raise his eyebrow]
Hm? Noted. Did something happen when it touched you?
[Out of the teahouse they go. There are monsters further down the street, but not in immediate distance. Jun starts heading down a path with the intent of staying clear. Little hard to fight while carrying someone after all]
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[Well, he's not exactly sure what it did to him. But he feels so weak. Lethargic. It's not just fear, is it? When he had been trying to struggle free...]
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...It'll wear off eventually. Some Greed can sap energy from their victims, but it's usually temporary.
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This isn't my world though, so I'm not sure yet how similar these beings are. They could be something else entirely.
[In other words, he doesn't want to jump to conclusions without firm evidence- but signs sure point to it]
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I... I live in an apartment. [Home, home would be safe wouldn't it?]
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Where's your apartment?
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There are still shadow monsters along the way, at a distance. But being the weaker and slower ones, they don't gain much distance even when they spot them.]
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Directions, please. I don't know this city well.
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After a moment he points in a direction.] That way.