mid-july event [tdm + fourth wall].

[falsitates]

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.

  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.

Comments

[chemex]

[He's definitely seen scarier things than you, Akira, sorry. He adjusts his glasses, looking him over and taking a small step backward with his hands raised.]

Yeah? I dunno I might be more useful if I stood on your shoulders.

[mrfuckwit]

If you stood on my — shit.

_{[ What is this guy? A walking shitpost? He seems pretty intent on helping, though Akira is going to keep an eye on him. ]}

Look. I'll get these over here on the right and you can get the ones on the left. Tell me if you need help.

_{[ Do notice how he's giving Other Akira the lesser option. There's not as many on the left. With that, his little furry ass is gonna jump into the fray and grapple one of the monsters on the right. He's a little uneasy doing this, though, almost like he's apprehensive once he's gotten one in his grasp. Something about them feels entirely too human, but he's dealt with situations similar to this when he faced Jinmen. ]}

HEY! You think it's alright? Killing these things?

_{[ bro why you need a second opinion about this when you have one in your grasp, ready to break it's neck? ]}

[chemex]

[And what if he is, Akira? Maybe shitposts are the true meaning of life.]

[He nods, grinning and just about dancing his way into the left side of the shades. He does take notice that Fudou's taken the path less traveled, but given his looks, Akira assumes he's capable and doesn't really take offense to the notion of being assumed less so. He looks like a reedy normie, and for the most part he is one, just with a dagger and some wicked parkour skills.]

[He's wondered the same thing with regard of killing them, but can't seem to find a way to subdue them otherwise, so he's scaled one, perched on its shoulders when Akira asks. Having someone else think the same thing unseats him, and he kicks off from the shade's shoulders to land in a catlike crouch out of its reach.]

I don't know! They feel weirdly human, but they don't look it at all. You getting that, too?

[mrfuckwit]

<sub>[ Don't confuse him like this. He's been really contemplating the meaning of life as of late.
Akira does take notice how the smaller frame simply jumps right into the action without question. Either this guy was brave and reckless or.. stupid and reckless.. some combination of both. Though, he seems to be pretty combative and know his moves.

He also seems like he's been hanging around a cat too much. Akira can smell it. ]</sub>

Grr... I hate fucking mind games like this!

_{[ oh.. um.. just gonna snap that shade's neck.. sorry.. U M ... ]}

If they are human, they're far past redemption now..!!
_{[ mister 'i love humanity' really doesn't have time for this kind of bullshit ]}