DUNGEON LOG: AMESTA FOREST

[phantasmods]

Hello everyone!

Up and the others think that we have enough stabilizers ready for the next expedition! We're going to the forest to the south this time, but it shouldn't be too far for anyone to walk. If you're REALLY going to complain, you can talk to Top on the roof and catch a ride on one of the drones like before.

The scenery's really nice, but there's definitely some kind of magical effect going on in there - as far as we can tell, the day doesn't progress inside the forest. It's stuck a little while after sunset - probably when the Fissure first appeared? (°ヘ°)

Be careful out there! Don't be afraid to call for help if you need it and we'll send a drone your way! o(^▽^)o And Strange says no stupid stunts this time, got it? (；¬д¬)

You'll probably see a big tree on your way there, before you're under the cover of the forest! That's the Infinity Tree, it's a really big willow. Charm can probably tell you more about the mythology if you're interested. He's gonna meet you guys there at the end of the expedition, so try to work your way in that direction as you go!

(｡･ω･｡)ﾉ See you when you get back!

After Down's message, characters will find things set up much the way they were last time on the roof. Top is making last-minute adjustments to the drones, and there's tables with food and medical supplies set out - the latter a little sparse compared to last time, so hopefully you kept your first aid kits from before. The table of stabilizers, on the other hand, is much more full.

On your way, you might also see some of what the construction drones have been putting together so noisily these last few days - there's the metal shell of a building, similar to but smaller than the Station, to the immediate west, just off your path to the forest in the distance. Nothing much indicates its function as of yet, though there are significantly more windows.

To the southwest stretches the border of Amesta Forest - about a mile distant, though still easily within sight. As promised, the Infinity Tree sticks up from the far edge, easily visible for those who need a landmark either now or later in the dungeon. If you get lost, you can probably find your way up a tree somewhere to get a perspective on it, and which direction to head in.

The silver mist doesn't begin until some distance into the forest, the time of day gradually changing to the eternal twilight mentioned as you approach the boundary of the Fissure itself. There's no distinct border, just a slow shading towards late afternoon and then sunset while the mist increases around you.

And as the mist wraps around you, and exhaustion you might have felt from the walk out here starts to evaporate... You've well and truly arrived, now. Better keep your eyes open.

Comments

[thoroff]

You're right.

[Well, it's good that he's lucid. She lets Izunia close the short distance between them, glancing around in the meantime — though pointedly not in dream-Ardyn's direction.]

[founderinglight]

[Lucid enough, at least, though still clearly upset. Now that he's aware, he kind of wants to get out of here as fast as possible.

So after a step or two, there's a scatter of light and a warp-trail, and he's through the crowd to her just that fast. He offers her a hand and a weak smile.]

Care for a ride?

[thoroff]

[She starts at his sudden appearance, if considerably less strongly than she would have were she not already familiar with his abilities. Still, she accepts his hand with a small smile of her own.]

By all means.

[founderinglight]

Fair warning, many people find it unsettles the stomach. Apparently closing your eyes helps, but I've never had a problem with it.

[He pulls lightly at her hand, indicating that she should step a bit closer, and readies his other hand to throw one of the cards she's likely seen him playing with, giving her plenty of warning if she does want to close her eyes before -

voomphf, off they go.]

[thoroff]

Duly noted.

[While she appreciates the warning, she doesn't close her eyes; she is, despite the circumstances, curious about the experience.

Upon re-materializing she staggers and blinks several times rapidly, but is overall remarkably unperturbed.]

Whew...

[founderinglight]

[It's quite a long warp, too, nearly to the limit of what Izunia can throw horizontally. Should Wren turn to look, the blue light trails after them for quite a distance.

Certainly, it's carried them almost completely away from the dream.]

Well, you handled it well.

[thoroff]

Adaptability is one of my stronger suits.

[Said matter-of-factly.]

shoop missed this one

[founderinglight]

It is certainly one that it pays to have around here, isn't it?

[Behind them, the crowd starts making noise again.]

And I do believe that's our cue to keep moving.

[thoroff]

Indeed.

[She can't resist the impulse to look back, but it's only for a split second before she refocuses on Izunia and nods.]

Right, let's.

[founderinglight]

[He leads the way a good distance away, until even the sound of the crowd is gone, and then finally sits on one of the peaking roots. It's just high enough that he has to hop up there a little, and his feet swing slightly.

He looks tired.]

...You can ask, if you want.

[thoroff]

[Seating herself opposite Izunia, Wren goes quiet. She looks up at him, but it takes a bit longer to gather her thoughts enough to actually take him up on the offer.]

That was... your brother, wasn't it?

[founderinglight]

...Yes, it was. Much as the me at the time didn't believe it.

Or - maybe I didn't want to see. I don't know.

[He closes his eyes and looks away, twofold unable to meet her gaze.]

It feels like the only way I could have no known was by choosing not to look, when I look back, but... I never wanted to hurt him.

[thoroff]

...Perhaps you should start from the beginning.

[founderinglight]

[He laughs, painfully, a single little 'heh' of sound.]

The beginning is that, once upon a time, there was a civilization called Solheim that angered a god, and was destroyed for it. And after there was a blight left upon the land, a disease that turned men into monsters that stalked the darkest places of the night, to kill and infect yet more. We called it the Starscourge.

And it was spoken in prophecy that a king of light would come and do battle with the darkness, and after ten years of eternal night, would restore dawn to Eos. At twenty years old, my brother manifested what we believed was the ability to heal the Scourge, and was heralded as the Chosen King.

...As you can likely guess, he wasn't. Was never meant to be any such thing. Exactly the opposite, for his 'healing' power healed nothing, only gathering the Scourge within his body to make of him its vessel.

[thoroff]

[Wren listens intently, her hand gravitating to her mouth as Izunia reaches the conclusion of his tale. She thinks of her own brother, imagines him with diseased skin and glowing red eyes—]

Gods...

[She doesn't know what to say. "I'm sorry"? The words feel hollow, worthless.]

[founderinglight]

...Eventually, the Scourge within him caused him to become immortal and twisted. Thinking him a daemon, I did everything I could to try to destroy the monster wearing his face.

[His shoulders are shaking, just a bit.]

But there was no monster. Even twisted as he would be two thousand years later, both by the Scourge and by my own hand - it was Ardyn all along.

My nightmares do love to remind me that I can't change that mistake.

[thoroff]

[She still can't find any words to console him, so she rises from her spot and walks over to silently place a firm hand on his trembling shoulder. She couldn't even begin to imagine the pain he must have felt...]

[founderinglight]

[He leans into the touch automatically. Touch is good, touch is grounding, touch is something outside his head that's real.]

Ardyn did many, many terrible things in the grip of the Scourge - probably more than I will ever know. But I can't stop loving him for that. I can't even blame him, really, when I know that the real Ardyn would never have done such things.

But that Ardyn - after two thousand years, my memory was the only place he existed.

[thoroff]

...But he's here now.

[Right?]

[founderinglight]

Yes, and very human.

[He reaches up and stops just short of touching the bruise on his jaw.]

A miracle that brings up emotions that I cannot begin to express. But that being human does not make him the same brother I lost - there is no way he could be, after so long in the dark.