Dissonant Sacrifices

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"AAAAAAAAAH!" The surprised Faerin screamed while abruptly waking up... He breathed deeply and touched all his body, squeezed his cheeks, slapped them, blinked several times and looked around. Hanno was alive, completely alive, 100% alive.

He felt like he just died and came back from the death, which was pretty much what just happened, but he didn't notice that yet. Something felt different inside of him... That death had a consequence, but he didn't know what it was yet. That game... Death wasn't something trivial, huh? Even his mind changed about death, because he felt it, even if it was simulated, that was the closest experience he ever had of it.

After calming down, Hanno's expression became soft and relaxed, like his usual self, until he remembered why he was there, that horrible creature! Could it be that they won? That abomination was dead? Did their 'Friendship Combined Attack' work?! Wait, something was much more important, was his friends fine?! He stood up with shaken legs, looking around. "@Rivers Asteire?! @Aristides!" His eyes got a little teary, he knew that was a game. But it was the first time he died on it, what was the consequences for it?! If his friends died, did they come back?

"RIVEEEERS! ARISTIDEEES!" He yelled for their names, they should be here right? Unless they were alive, but if they weren't... Would they come back too? Death indeed had consequences, even if it was a game! The Faerin held his chest... He was supposed to be the tank, right? He used his skills to protect Aristides, and Rivers was completely fine, wasn't him?! But... When Hanno charged with all his might on the enemy, even if he striked him with a powerful attack, he died instantly... And from his friends, he was the one with most HP.

"WHERE ARE YOU?!" He didn't care if it was dramatic, he just wanted to see if they were fine.

 

"Joyce, why did you send me this game?"

The voice was certainly her own, but she didn't remember speaking aloud. It had just been a thought she'd had, back in the very first fight against those awful wolves. Back when her throat was being crushed and terror bleeding into her features. Or, rather, Aristides' features. They weren't all that different. Still, the words echoed in her ears as she lay there--he lay there--somewhere between awake and not. Everything was dark and quiet. Her body felt numb.

Again.

"Joyce, please...this isn't fun. You said it was fun. I...I died, Joyce. It hurt. I don't want to play anymore."

"Just let me see you."​

"Ah, ma chère petite soeur. Don't be frightened. It's only a game."​

Aristides jolted from the floor of the temple with a sharp, painful intake of air, his hands reaching to grab the center of his torso. His nails dug into...skin. His skin. No tentacle piercing through his body, no hole from which blood gushed out like water from a stream, no pain. No numbness. His breathing was hard and his whole body shaking as he slowly began to realize that he wasn't dead. No, more accurately, he wasn't dead anymore. He'd come back, just as he had expected he would, and yet nothing in the world could have prepared him for what had just happened. Had it just happened? How long had he been dead? Was the fight still raging on somewhere far from here? Had they won? Lost? Was the fate of everything still unknown?

Oh, God, he felt like he was going to be sick.

Was this really just a game? A game hurt this much, felt this painful? Why would anyone make such a thing? Why the fuck had Joyce--

"RIVEEEERS! ARISTIDEEES!"

Aristides' ears perked up and turned toward the familiar voice crying from not much further into the temple, echoing off every surface of stone and moss. @Hanno Futaba. Oh, God, Futaba and Rivers. He remembered just hearing Rivers scream before...before...his stomach twisted up and threatened to force itself up through his throat. But how had Futaba died? He thought they were safe. With trembling legs and very poor balance, Aristides stood up to almost full height and began wobbling towards the voice.

"WHERE ARE YOU?!"

Rounding a pillar, Aristides' eye went right to the small form of his Faerin friend, and immediately he felt his eyes grow wet. Maybe it was just that they had all died fighting for one another. Maybe it was how sad poor Futaba was. Maybe it was how much his stomach still felt like it was practicing gymnastics. Regardless, he went up to him as quickly as his shaking legs allowed before collapsing into a kneel next to Futaba and tried to pull his friend into a hug. He didn't know what else to do, or say, or anything with everything that had just happened. This was all he could think of. Shouldn't he say something?

"........hi."

Eh, maybe silent hugging wasn't that bad. Stupid mouth.

 

Lycia laid very, very still.

She hadn’t understood death. She had never asked any questions about it, never wondered about what came after life, never was forced to a church service or any ceremony that looked upon a benevolent God (or Goddess) and gave praise. Her grandparents were still alive, and her family lived in a relatively safe neighborhood. Yes, there was the news overrun with tragedies and misfortune, but it wasn’t at the forefront of the girl’s mind. Death just didn’t exist in her world.

And now, it did.

Now she knew the feeling of breath leaving her lungs, of sharp, mind-numbing pain and then blissful release. She knew the floating feeling of nothing, the calm sea upon which she could float until time folded in on itself and the universe ceased to be. There was no sound, no light, no smell; and the absence of these things, of mere thought, was…blissful. If this was death, then it was a welcomed state of being after a long and tiresome life.

The kitten Felis swallowed, scared by the thoughts crowding her mind and more scared to get up and move. She could feel the crisp air trickling into her lungs, the hard ground against her back, and hear the soft sound of feet meandering around somewhere to her right. Her ears twitched at the noise. They were far, far away to her right. She wanted to turn her head, but found that same fear coalescing in her joints, making her muscles stiff and her brain foggy. It was such a quick shift, from nothing to something.

Her consciousness shifted to her hand, her soft palm touching the skin of her twin, their fingers linked even in death. She exhaled, the weight of everything in her mind leaving from her through her lungs with the expelled breath. She blinked, clearing away the water that gathered on the edges of her vision. Milah was here, everything would be alright. She swallowed again, her mouth dry, her throat parched, but she was alive. She was once more Lycia and she could breathe, she could see, she could feel. The ocean of nothing was gone, forever to crowd a dark part of her memory, but erased for the time being.

She was thankful.

@Milah , she whispered, slowly turning her head to the left. Her joints ached and something gave a small popping noise, enough that the girl winced in pain.

There was her twin, laying beside her, quiet and still just as Lycia had been. The girl gave a small sniffle and gently squeezed her sister’s hand. Forcefully, she pushed out the thought that Milah wouldn’t wake up, that she’d be left here – wherever here was – alone, without her. She had had only ever been alone in life for five minutes and those five minutes was enough to last her the rest of her days.

Wake up, she whispered, her voice a quiet whine of worry. We…I dunno where we are. You…gotta wake up.​

 

"Just another second longer, my friends. Just one more--"​

The dark felt like a peculiar kind of home. It was so very unlike the darkness of Titanius during the war waged on it. It was distantly akin to the darkness of Titanius as it fell, nothing but a shattering coffin. The soft and breathy voices of the things that were other had carried on in the still air, beneath the din of the players who remained, up until the very end. He was conflicted. Feryn could not tell if it was their relief or his own that both had drifted together, fallen together, slipped at last beyond the black into the nothing.

It had been so cold at the end. Fingers that were not there guiding his motions, directing his gaze to the corpses and soon to be ones around him, whispering little lies or truths or tall tales about those around him. He missed them. Or they had missed what would be and it lingered with him? An echo bouncing in the hollow of his chest.

Feryn finally gathered himself together enough to open his eyes. Something in him ached. He hoped they found their rest. They had been trapped for so long, half-mad in the miasma of dissonance. The harmony shook and pried and torn out of them. He hoped they found some harmony in the space between earth and sky. In the cradle of the rubble their bodies now littered.

He did not want to think about it anymore.

The livewire of sensation returning to his body was enough to force him up, ramrod straight. The Caenis scanned fearfully over the others, but relaxed in increments as he realized there was no fighting to be seen. And no one directly near to him. The plush feeling of the moss underhand between him and the ruined stone of the temple was comforting. The faint chill of the water soaked into the plant and the gentle breeze lulled him despite the number of strangers present. Despite the strange location he found himself within.

The screaming ruined it. He flinched hard and curled his shoulders in, head ducking low as wide eyes snapped to the one responsible. Feryn's lips twisted into an unsure frown. Maybe it was better to just. Go?

He rose to his feet at last and quickly tried to find his way out of the temple, keeping farther from the strange people and his own gaze down at the floor to avoid catching another's. The mage froze when a man peeled away from the outer sights of the temple and into view. He spoke reassuringly to the players present, but Feryn only half caught what he said.

The Caenis tilted his head curiously, both ears perking as much as folded ears could. Research? The ruins certainly were interesting. It was a beautiful place despite being so abandoned. Who would leave such a place well enough alone? He was tempted to return and see what he could puzzle together, fishing for spirits and echoes... but he was not good enough yet. Not at all. Maybe the man would know more? About who built this place, who left it behind, about the history of it. Or maybe he would know where to look in it to find just stories? No knowing without asking.

Par- pardon me, Sir. You said you were, ah, here for r-resear- research, yes? Yes. You said that. Just now. That is a- a stupid question. Rather.

Rather, what do you k-know about this plah-ah-ace? I would very much l-like to know more. About here, but also in general. If tha-at is alright. Maybe help? Or no- I do not- Anyway, it is very, um, peaceful. Very much not li- ah like... like...

Feryn waved a hand dismissively, smiling wrly as if cringing at his own reluctance before he awkwardly laughed away the pause.

Titanius.

@Zero​

 

Her second death, it wasn't pleasant for sure. All things considered, it wasn't that bad. Much better than what happened the first time she kicked the bucket. No more weird glitches or whatever, for now at least. She'd heard about some players that changed after they died in game, but that was a concern for another day. She barely remembered what exactly had happened, but knew that she went down fighting all the same. That was good enough for her, the finer details probably didn't matter all that much. As nice as it was to lie around after a harsh battle, she had things to do.

Sitting up, she could see that her lances had somehow managed to make the journey with her, that was good as well. It would have been a pain to got them replaced and now that they were stained with the blood of whatever Titanius was, they were practically priceless relics. Her armor seemed to have been repaired which was also very good, she remembered the pieces of metal being spattered with acid and blood alike. Such a state was not very conductive to keeping her alive, though it didn't save her this time. Deciding to not go with any UI assistance for now, she had a desire to explore a bit. She hadn't felt such a feeling since the start of her adventure, but she was in no mood to say no to it.

Standing up fully, she gathered her equipment and did her best to politely ignore the old man talking before slipping out. It would be a long walk back, but she had the time. Now that she was in the outside proper, she could see that the weather was pleasant enough. A better view than what she could get back home, that was for sure. As much as it would be nice to sit back for a bit and rest for a little longer, she felt like she had gotten enough sleep to last her for weeks. No rest for the wicked.

 

Waking up felt-

She didn't know. She didn't- she couldn't- feel anything, what was-

Awareness slammed back into Ashiore and she gagged and rolled onto her side, hands pressing hard into the mossy stone as she shook, tried reflexively to expel anything from an empty stomach. The tang of bile lingered on her tongue as her fit died down, and she struggled to push herself up with scrawny arms. For now, she ignored the scraping sound when the pads of her fingers scratched against the rocky floor, too caught up in a vivid half-remembered trance to pay attention to that, or even the dozens of other players nearby.

She remembered softness at her back, fragrance in the air, a gleaming gilded radiance all around her before the world went black. Where was that now? Where was the goddess in the form of a young girl that appeared before her? There was cold stone beneath her knees, the cloying humid stench of rot surrounding her, shadows flickering on the ground from the swaying branches overhead. What... where...

Calm down. Slow down. Think. Wait- No! She couldn't just calm down, pretend that everything was all right, couldn't wait as if- as if this was still just a game, still just some crazy adventure she could go on for fun.

She wasn't supposed to wake up! Not here, not as Ashiore, not stuck like this in a body sluicing away. She was supposed to be home!

A trail of mostly clear, slightly yellow, fluid dripped down the side of her face. A drop landed in a nearby pool, a tainted ripple in the otherwise immaculate water. The slight movement drew her gaze, but she found herself unable to stare at the abomination she was becoming for long. Scrabbling back (why were her fingers making that sound, it was like stone scraping on stone, or like bone-) she tried to find somewhere she could just. Stop. Curl up into herself, despite the reek. Disappear, maybe. That sounded nice right about now.

 

Fear. Worry. Uncertainty. Anxiety.

All the same.

Emotions Seigi did not feel.
Was not supposed to feel.

Seigi Ling Ling was a Hero. A Bulwark of Justice. A Martial Artist with childish ideals. Gutsy, happy-go-lucky, friendly, willful, fearless, and much much more. The person she wanted to be.

Seigi Ling Ling was just a fictional character.

Raina Raythean, on the other hand, was just a child. A rich kid with first-world problems. She feared for her life. She worried about Wendy. She was uncertain about her future. She was anxious about disappointing her family. Normal problems. Normal struggles.

Raina Raythran was just a child — but a damn good liar able to convince even herself.

But what if fiction turned into reality?
How long has it been since the first die had been cast? Since she lost her UI?
Two weeks? Three weeks? Month?

Seigi Ling Ling was like medicine for Raina Raythean.
Drowning out the Noise. The Fear. The Bad Things.
A Persona she could wear, without worry, in this world called Terrasphere.
Step-by-step, Seigi gave Raina confidence in the real world.
Step-by-step, from a Fake to the Real Deal.
Step-by-step, it was supposed to be easy...

But life was never easy.

Her third Death happened — and the medicine turned into poison.
One day, two days, maybe they would fix it.
Three days, one week, still nothing.

It had been back then, that Seigi and Raina had her first break-down. Complete despair.
It had been back then, that the mask she wore became so uncomfortable, it nearly suffocated her.
It had been back then, that the lines between truth and act started to blur.
It had been back then, that Raina got thrown into the fire.
And survived.

Stronger than ever before.

But what if...

...the second die would be cast?

What if *** **** ***** ***** ** **** **** **** * ** ***?

A question that Seigi never bothered with. Things happened, and others things didn't. There were no branching paths. Only one way forward.

What if **e *e*t ****h *o*** be mo** ***n **s*t a ** **g?

Yet, as time went on, the noise had gotten louder and louder. When she had met Wendy again. When she had enjoyed some fun time with Des, Cain, and Ashiore. When she snuck into Roland's Manor.

What if *he *e*t **a*h *ou*d be mo** *h*n *us*t a U* b*g?

And then, Titanius happened. Seigi fought the Core. Carefully, but with purpose. Gutsy, but not suicidal. Everything was fine...

...until Seigi had died, and everything went silent. Silent enough that, in her last breath, she could hear it loud and clear:

What if the next death would be more than just a UI bug?

Fear. Worry. Despair.
Feelings that Seigi had never felt before.
Feelings, well known to Raina.

Yet, she had been granted a second chance. A revive, right after. The Battle, not over. The only way, forward. Act now, think later. It couldn't have been that bad again, right?

And then she just died all over again. Willingly.

This time, there was no revive. This time, there was no temple.

Mere seconds ago, there was only a dream.
And now she was here, with a few tears in her eyes.
Despair and Hope.
The first thing the orange hair made was the still well-known hand-motion to open her UI.

"..."

The expected result.
Despair.
More tears.

'Stop drowning in those silly emotions and move forward, Raina! GUTS AND....'
Raina heard Seigi talking. She smiled.

"...Effort."
A weak smile, fitting a weak voice.
Think, don't act.

The dream. Her dream. Reality or...? It seemed real. Very real.
Mhm.
Guardian Angel, or a Warning?

Seigi had still been alive by the time Titania fell, but now? It didn't even matter. All she wanted was wrap her arms around her knees and cry.

Yet... so many people. Be strong. A Hero. She could cry later, alone. Without anyone seeing.

She needed answers. Other answers.
It didn't matter if this was a game or reality.
She was real.
Seigi had seen her.
Raina had never been much for religion but, at the very least, she had known her name and purpose. ...Sister?
Raina needed more information.
Seigi had to meet her again... the not stupid way.

Standing up on her weak legs, Seigi looked around. A truly amazing place. There were others but... right now... Raina was allowed to be selfish?

No. A Hero is never Selfish.

Ashiore. The woman that had met the same fate as Seigi. Ever since the zombgirl supported Seigi's cause, she had wanted to talk with her. Just like Seigi, the woman had been apparently in acceptance about what happened to her. But now?

Now she looked different.

"A—" The voice, still weak.
A Hero, strong. Seigi closed her eyes.

Guts and Effort. Guts and Effort. Guts and Effort. Guts and Effort. Guts and Effort. Guts and Effort. Guts and Effort. Guts and Effort. "Guts and Effort..."

Wiping her tears away, Seigi reached out to @Ashiore Evretto with a stable and firm voice. "Yo!" A bright smile. "How are you doing?" A silly question, stupid! "Need a hug?" A simple gesture.

 

"Ahh!"

Majolica woke up startled. Her muscles ached like every fiber in her had been torn apart and hastily annealed back together. She tried to move but couldn't. Her body wouldn't respond. All she could do was stare upwards at a strange ceiling as pins and needles raced through her as her arms and legs twitching as if they had recently been electrocuted.

"Get up! Hehehe."

Struggling, feeling began to return to her . First her fingers, twitching as she tried to close her fist. It was painful and her body fought her every step of the way, but finally, her arm formed into a ball.

"Hehehe, just a little more... hehe I can do this..."

Now onto her arm. Her joints were stiff, but eventually with great effort, her arm began to bend.

"Hehehe, that spell took more out of me than I thought it would."

As she spoke she experienced a shooting pain through her head.

"Oww... stupid spell. Come on, hehehe, keep moving. Get up!"

Now that her arm was moving, she began to lift herself up off the ground. A numbness ran down each of her legs. Looking down, she noticed them twitching, but could feel nothing.

"Hehehe... that's not good."

Now that her right arm worked, she began to work on her left. Slowly but surely, feeling returned.

"Good, hehe. Now I can move both my arm... but my legs..."

Majolica breathed heavily. Forcing her body to move was painful, and even with all the effort, her legs still wouldn't respond. Majolica was beginning to panic, but then calmed herself down. She needed to look at the problem logically, she could fix the problem if she could understand it. Just like magic, this world was build on rules. She just needed to figure out which ones were governing her body.

"Hehehe, first relax. The spell probably tore me apart at the smallest levels. Hehehe, well at least it kind of worked. I'll have to work on that backlash though... hehehe.... ouch. But, hehe, if I got put back together messily, then maybe some wires got crossed when I did? Hehehe, maybe that's why everything hurts. Hehe, it's a glitch in me. Hehehe, but how to fix it..."

As she thought up a solution, Majolica noticed all the other adventurers around her. Some were now getting up and moving. Much the same as her, many looked like they had, had a rough time with the boss.

"Hehehe, well maybe just a hard reboot will work... hehe, I can't think of anything else right now anyway."

Majolica tried to form an electrical arc between her fingers, but nothing happened.

"Hehe, that's also not good. In fact, hehehe, that could be very very bad. Hehe."

She tried again. Nothing.

"Come on, come on, come on, come on! Hehehe!"

Once again, nothing.

"Oh, work you dummy body! You're the Grand Witch, DO WHAT YOU'RE TOLD!"

Pain like an acute migraine shot from the front to the back of The Grand Witch's head. She yelled out as it hit her like an anaconda coiled and constricting around her brain. The pain was intense but she wouldn't relent.

"Hehehe... COME ON!"

With a final push, the excruciating pain in her head dissipated instantly. Sweating and taking deep breaths, Majolica look down at her fingers. Electricity surged between her digits.

"Hehehehe, now we're getting somewhere."

Holding herself up with right arm, Majolica placed her left on her leg.

"Hehehehe... CLEAR!"

Channeling as much electrical power as she could, Majolica watched as her leg shook wildly. Then, slowly, she began to feel pins and needles in the leg.

"Hehehe, it's working!"

As she continued to channel electricity into herself, feeling finally began to return, and with that feeling... pain.

"Arg.... dang it... hehehe. But it's working now."

Though shakey, her leg would now obey her command.

Hehehe, now for the next one....

Performing the same maneuver, Majolica's finally gained control of her extremities. She was still in pain, but she decided she needed to get up. She had to find the other Witch Ops members. She needed to find them a way out of wherever they were.

Through sheer willpower and fighting through the agony, Majolica succeed turning over onto her stomach. Moving carefully, she scrunched into a fetal position then very slowly began to lift herself off the ground. The process was slow and arduous. A few times, The Grand Witch thought her extremities would give out, but they held. Finally, she was up.

"Hehehe, just need to walk it off..."

Majolica took her first steps. Her body was crooked as she walked while trying to adjust to minimize the pain. After a few steps pacing back and forth, she began to straighten up. Though limping, she could move.

"Wowza. Hehehe... good. Now where is everyone."

Wiping sweat form her forehead, Majolica mustered her strength and shouted.

"WITCH OPS, ASSEMBLE!"

Panting, she waited hoping that the others would respond.


@Haru @Janet Reilly @Corvella @Iván Carl @Rias @Bradwynne

 

Milah couldn't remember a time when such quiet and solitude had been presented to her, after all even in their mother's womb the teen had always shared the space with her sister. Their only time apart had been the 5 minutes it took Francine to join Amelia in the real world on their birth, and honestly speaking the girls couldn't even count that moment--it wasn't like the actually remembered the feeling after all.

It was true that Amelia was more secluded than her twin, largely more independent as well and rarely relying on others even from a young age. But she had never truly been alone, Francine had always been there one way or another and always just a touch or a hand squeeze away. Never had the brunette considered the possibility that her twin might not be there one day...

... and yet this time Lycia wasn't here, with her.

She was alone, drifting in a void of nothingness and darkness in which Milah was unable to tell up from down or left from right. Unable to see or even physically feel her body the Felis was left with only her thoughts and the slow panic creeping up as the seconds ticked silently by.

Milah wanted to breath but couldn't, wanted to fill her lungs so she could shout out for her twin, find her amidst all this darkness. She'd always told Lycia she'd be around with her, always assured Lycia that she'd protect her--but the last few events within this game had been a rude awakening. Try as she might she couldn't protect Lycia--honestly she had barely even been able to protect herself--and as time would go on there would probably be more events that would separate the twins from one another.

No matter how mature and independent Amelia always acted, being apart from her sister was one thing that always scared the teen.

The gentle squeeze on her hand was the first sensation Milah felt in the darkness, and while her actual body was still and motionless besides Lycia the Felis' mind continued to work overtime. It held on to the familiar feeling with force and tenacity, like a drowning sailor that had found salvation in a piece of driftwood amidst the turbulent sea, and little by little the feeling spread through her body until Milah could take a hold of it once more.

Eyes fluttered open in an instant, gasping for breath as Milah suddenly found herself sitting upright--her freehand moving to press against her forehead slightly as she felt the dullness of a headache slowly ebbing away, while her other hand remained laced with the fingers from her sister.

"Where... Where are we...?" Everything still looked unfocused, Milah's eyes still needing a few more moments to regain their full vision, though she could still make out the familiar features of @Lycia besides her. "Are y-you alright, Lycia?"

There were still many thoughts fleeting int he back of her mind, but for now the main concern was to make sure that her sister was safe and sound. Milah could spare a thought to the things that worried her later on...

 

In a way, awakening felt worse than the dying.

Ash sat up, a hand clenched on his chest. He was already breathing, in through the nose, out through the mouth, trying to still the pounding of his heart through will alone. Little by little the panic faded. Little by little, he found space in his thoughts to process the most complicated of all of them.

He had died. And he had come back to life. It had been a game death, but... it had felt like something more.

"Is... is it done? Did we win?"

There were others in the temple... how many had fallen? Most seemed lost in thought, or were seeking out allies. Some of their faces seemed familiar in passing, but he had no names to put to them. Now that he thought of it, he hadn't asked anyone their names, had he...?

Well, he couldn't be in the camp of looking for friends, so lost in thought it was. At least this was a good place for it. It was as far from the innards of Titanius as it could possibly be, a place awash with light and life and clear water. The temple itself caught his eye and he entered it, footsteps echoing as went deeper in.

Ash didn't know what deity or spirit the statue portrayed, only that it was clearly honored, and recently as well. He found himself kneeling before it, a hand over his heart in some facsimile of a prayer.

"...thank you for your hospitality," he said, already feeling silly. This... this was really just some self-indulgent roleplay at this point, but there was nothing wrong with it here, where no one was watching. A bit of personal fun.

This place... really was pretty, wasn't it? Despite all the pain and fear and who knew what else... it was things that like that ultimately made things like that worth it.

 

Is this what it felt like to die?
Did it always feel like this?
Did it hurt this bad for everyone?
At least...at least it was over.
You cannot escape the void.

"NO!"

Rivers woke up with a shock. He was surrounded by warmth. It was a stark contrast to what he'd most recently experienced. Hell...having his head attached to his body was a stark contrast to what he'd recently experienced. His fingers lingered on his neck. He didn't feel any sort of scar or mark, but he'd need a mirror to be sure. At least he wouldn't have to worry about covering up any scars. But maybe he should consider getting some protection for his neck. Rivers stood shakily. It was odd how easy to stand after what he'd just been through.

"RIVEEEERS! ARISTIDEEES!"

Futaba? That was Futaba's voice. His friend was calling for him.

A friend you let die.

Rivers needed to go find him. Aristides too if he could help it. He began walking around the temple looking for his friends. He couldn't find them. Would he ever be able to find them? Was he even really hearing their voice? Was his mind playing more tricks on him? It wasn't the first things he'd heard since he'd woken up.

Never trust your eyes.

Oh God, he was lost. There were so many people waking up, it would be impossible to find Futaba like this. He needed another clue or hint where he was going.

"WHERE ARE YOU?!"

Thank God another clue. Rivers moved as fast as he could in the direction of his friends' voice. Hopefully, Aristides would've also followed the sound of Futaba's voice and the trio would be reunited. The sound of his footsteps echoed through the halls as he came round and saw his two friends in a hug. He would join them. They all needed to reconnect and get their feelings out. Get some closure. That'd be good; that's what they all needed.

"Guys, I..."

You lead them to their deaths

"I..."

They died because of your stupid plans

Rivers fell to his knees in front of them and bowed so low that his forehead touched the floor. He had to avert his eyes, he couldn't bear to look at them. Whenever he pictured them, he just saw Aristides, pierced through the midsection, and Futaba, smashed to a bloody pulp. He...he couldn't stand it.

"I'M SO SORRY!"

His words had lead them to action. He lead the charge against Titanius. Goddammit, he couldn't even look his friends in the eye anymore. This was awful. Before they could stop him, Rivers climbed to his feet and turned. Rivers ran. He ran until he couldn't run anymore. As far away as he needed to be to where he was sure they couldn't follow him. Until he was sure that he wouldn't have to see how'd looked when they died. He couldn't see it again.

 

Gravity welcomed her body, limp with acceptance, with heavy hands. There was no way of knowing how far down the dark abyss went; no way of knowing when her falling form would collide with the bottom. Instead she was left amongst the wreckage of the monster they had slain without a parachute. Despite the situation, despite her screaming instincts, Shangri La couldn't help but smile as she thought of her father.

A memory of him singing karaoke (badly) to an ancient song fluttered across her mind. It was a song about free falling, or something like that. A tune that she had long since forgotten but now rang true throughout her head. Unfortunately, she only remembered a few words and the simple parts of the melody so she was stuck with the same parts on repeat. Oddly enough she did not mind. Maybe this was the tranquility that washed over so many elderly who accepted their death and claimed they were ready to move on to the next phase of their live.

"Yeah, I'm free.. free falling.."

The faint sound of dripping water urged her to awaken from her slumber. A gasping breath drew from her now beating chest. There was a light pounding in her head, a dizzy feeling causing her world to spin as if she had been holding her breath for far too long. Slowly, eyelids heavy with sleep opened.

For a while she laid there, puzzled and unable to grasp her surroundings. Surfacing thoughts caused her to stir more and more with each recollection. That was right.. she had died. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. Shangri La struggled to remember the moment she hit the ground but she couldn't. She had been falling and then.. nothing. Darkness had claimed her consciousness. Perhaps that was for the better. No, she knew it was for the better.

As she struggled to stand, her previously dead senses were overwhelmed her new surroundings. In any other circumstances she would be in awe. The urge to explore was outweighed by the need to understand what the consequences of her actions meant.

A large man flanked by a wolf grabbed her attention. He supplied her, along with the fellow players whom had faced the same fate, with the information her brain desperately needed to settle down. Quietly, she began to process what she was told, distancing herself from the others. However, when @Feryn Crozier approached Ornson the woman seemed to break off from her trance and stepped forward.

I am also interested in the tales this place has to offer.

Shangri La was beginning to come to terms with the fact that she was indeed alive which allowed her brain time to wander. When she spoke her voice sounded distant,

As for our tale.. I believe most of us, at least I can say for myself, are those who stayed behind when Titanius, a monster capable of controlling dissonance, came crashing down. A portal was opened but only so many were capable of entering. We allowed the non-p- I mean- those who were capable of reviving like us stayed behind so that those with only one life would be able to cross over.

​

It was a short version but she hoped for now it was enough to suffice. Much of the battle had been a blur and her mind had far too much to deal with to fully process the events.
​

@Zero @Raid Master
​

 

No senses. No feelings. No thoughts. Nothing.

Nothingness.

The dead sleep and do not dream.

For death, is the end of life.

And yet…

And yet…

She could feel. There was warmth wrapped around her, guiding her, pushing and pulling. It chased away the pain, it chased away the worry, even as her thoughts were slow; as when she woke from a very deep sleep.

But, she could think. No matter how slow.

Death had happened. She had died. A great hole in chest that destroyed majority of her lungs, her spine. A large hole in her body, not something one could survive.

Ilusa(Nadia) tried to open her eyes… It worked not. The eyelids were too heavy. Thus she used her other senses. She could hear and feel. Thus she moved, steps faltering in the darkness, in accompaniment of droplets falling. Down, down, down.

A torrent of power, of energy slammed into her. It was sudden. It was powerful. It filled every crook-and-nanny of her body-soul.

“Hah!” And with gasp, Ilusa truly woke, jolted violently.

Various sensations were transmitted to her. Her eyes drank in the sight, a nature reclaimed temple, greens and stone, light of sun. She felt grass and ground under her, there was a delicate wind blowing here and there. With each breath she could feel the air, the moisture in it. She saw unusual bridges and vast green forests, gentle green energy flowing through structures and angels held crowns.

Her heart that beat harshly, slowly calmed down.

A shudder went through her and she moved to touch her chest and abdomen area, as if to reassure herself that the hole was gone.

Intellectually she understood what happened; Ilusa had died in the game. It was her first death and now she was revived somewhere, in a temple of sorts. Nadia struggled with accepting it; she had felt the death approach, felt the way her lungs drowned in the blood and withered when exposed to the air. She had felt the blood leaking, felt her spine being crushed, felt herself being paralysed. It had felt real. Even more so to her who had brushes with death, who dealt with death. It felt real.

And so the fact that it was not was unsettling; as if the order and laws of the natural world were upset.

Shivers run through her body, she was not cold, could not be in such nice place and with the cloak wrapped around her; but yet she shivered and had to wrap her hands around herself. Her ears flattened on her head, her tail laid still and she simply.. Tried to assimilate the situation. The feelings.

She shook her head a little and looked around. There were many players she had seen dying laying there, or waking up. There were even more she had not seen die; they probably died after her. At the same time, a memory of words replayed in her mind

Three words, that the golden-haired man spoke. Three words that shook her world, shook her soul, that made a flush spread through her cheeks and confusion reside in her mind. Three words that made her abruptly stand and look around for the red-eyed king.

The felis started to walk around from player to player (there were emotions, outbursts, yells of relief and laughter), looking for the man who unsettled her heart so. Doing so, she saw bodies of water, pure and crystal clear… Yet as she neared it, her eyes spotted an ethereal glow in it.

Her curious nature fought with need to see him and make sure he was fine, but it lost as it did not take long to take an empty flask from inventory and get some of the clean water into it.

The decorations made her think of her patron Goddess, Iedi and she almost started to walk closer to the statures, to the crowns, but-

First she had to find him. Then she could satisfy rest of her curiosity and give offerings.

Before she could continue her search, a man came over. A very tall man, an NPC, a druid. He shared some things, some interesting things, like where they were and gave a way of returning… Her mind also started asking questions of the nature if they did manage to win, what was the situation.. She did in fact open a communication service… But she first wanted to find @Astor Balthas.

Emotions were after all not rational and she did not think to message him, but kept looking for him.

..And yet part of her mind concentrated on what the druid said and what players asked, shared spoke.

 

Speaking was difficult.

The wave of relief that washed over Lycia when her twin finally turned and addressed her was unlike any feeling she had ever experienced before. She hadn’t know how much Milah’s movement kept her heart pumping and her lungs breathing.

She opened and closed her mouth in an attempt to speak, but nothing came out. Her cheeks ballooned up in frustration before a sigh worked its way past her lips. Instead of attempting to speak a third time, she frantically nodded her head. Her movement was mostly unbalanced but she somehow managed to get herself up on hands and feet and wobble closer to her other half. Without hesitation or preamble, she threw herself at her sister and wrapped her arms around her shoulders, hugging the girl close.

No more dying, she whispered, her tone morose. This was too scary and not fun. So, no more dying.

Lycia was content to experience everything that TerraSphere had to offer. Now, she had experienced death and unlike guzzling down the food and drink that this wonderous place had to offer, she wasn’t up for a repeat. As she pulled away from her sibling, she made a quick swipe at her lavender eyes, clearing away the tears there. A tiny sniffle made the tip of her nose move and then she brightened, like the sun pushing through grey clouds.

This place looks amazing though, right? Her tone was upbeat and brimming with life and laughter…but Milah would be able to hear the catch in her lyrics. Lycia was still processing everything, but she wasn’t going to allow it to rain on her parade. Because that’s the kind of girl she was.

Turning away from her sister for a moment, her looked out over the beauty that met her…body? Was this her body? She gently poked herself in the leg and found substance and a tiny pinprick of pain. It wasn’t her soul, that was for sure. She couldn’t force her hand through her leg or anything.

Oh, they’re gathering up over there, Lycia commented after a moment of further testing, her free hand pointing to the group that seemed to be standing near a man and a giant wolf. Whoa. That’s a pretty dog. Do you think he’ll let me pet the dog? I don’t have any cookies though…

She stood slowly, her balance as miserable as a newborn fawn, her legs barely able to hold up what little weight she had. She slapped at her thighs, urging the feeling back into her muscles even as pins and needles raced up and down her extremities. Arg, everything is asleep. I hate this feeling...​