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Expiation Mods ([personal profile] expiationmods) wrote in [community profile] expiationlogs2025-03-11 10:18 am

EVENT #13: ADVERSITY 8765546

EVENT #13: THE BEAST INSIDE US ALL


THE STORY SO FAR (click to expand)
-Over time, characters have discovered that the world of Expiation is actually a large, elaborate simulation run by an AI that seems to be intent on helping them atone for their crimes. This news is well-known by the Chosen, enough so that any new character who wishes to handwave this knowledge is able to do so.

-In September 2024, that AI needed to be reset as a consequence of some catastrophic systems failures. So far, there has been no downside to this reset–but the AI has also been strangely absent since then.

-Things have been quiet in Aldrip since September, aside from the routine arrival of new Chosen. The locals seem less than happy with the Chosen, though, as if they have already branded them all criminals. As if they no longer trust them…

EARLY MARCH / MARCH 11TH

Something doesn’t feel quite right, does it?

There’s a strange feeling in Aldrip, something tense and strained, as if something’s about to happen. The black lines outside of the Aldrip travel further into the city and begin to spread the miasma. The fields, crops and the portion of the forest continue to wither away as a result. The signs of catastrophe. The air is thick, as if it itself is waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Very abruptly, it does.

The earth quakes as something erupts from the ground: huge, snakelike heads, towering as tall as a two-story building. These heads seem to circle the city of Aldrip: a ring of threat, keeping everyone and everything within the city limits. These heads don’t change locations, and they only attack if someone gets too close. They seem almost like they’re waiting for something. At first, however, they’re invulnerable to damage. Those who get too close may be injured or even killed if they try…
TRANSFORMATION

As soon as Fauna hears the rumblings of the Beast, detects the presence of a monster, she's off without waiting for any information. Confronting monsters is what she does, after all. She transforms and attempts to destroy the Beast with her full might, but despite the fierce fight, she's unable to land any decisive hits. Eight heads are too much to fight alone, and as the fight drags on, she's cornered, and takes the Beast's attack head-on, canceling her transformation and sending her flying. But as she's blown away, from her pockets, seeds fall- A pair of seeds to grow trees from, or something greater. The seeds, divine items with no divinity to empower them, fall to the ground, and are absorbed into the Beast's black body...


What is it you wish for, deep down? What do you desire?

Those Chosen unlucky enough to be affected by wish seeds may find this wish consuming their thoughts and driving their actions. Slowly, surely, they find themselves…changing, turning into something that is not a human. These changes may be slow and painful, or they may be instantaneous. We encourage you to be creative in these changes, both physical and mental, but also to warn for potential body horror or any body part trauma that might need a content warning.

I wish… I wish…

Driven nearly to madness by their own desire, by whatever’s happening to them and whatever physical changes it brings, these Chosen may be dangerous, with uncontrollable urges or new powers they aren’t used to. Can their aggression be directed toward the coming fight? Time will tell.

SLAY THE BEAST

So much anger, hatred and pain, all rolled into a single calamitous entity, baring its fangs at the entire world. It's almost a little embarrassing for it to be out in the open like that, even if the other Chosen don't necessarily realize it's a part of him. It's not too long after the Black Beast's first appearance that Ragna makes his way to face it, though not before he makes sure everyone else has some information necessary to finish the job afterwards. But first, he would need to ensure they even stand a chance against the monster, and he came up with only one solution that could work ─ and that's to do so from within the Beast itself. And so, with a final sigh, muttering "What a pain in the ass," under his breath, Ragna approaches the giant creature unarmed. The nearest heads turn their attention to the man, immediately attacking and ripping him apart, devouring the remains.


Something has changed. Impervious until now, the Black Beast soon shows evidence of wear and tear: hits land, cuts remain, and its fighting becomes more vicious…but more desperate, too.

If the Chosen have any hopes for defeating this creature, now will be the time. Maybe if they hit it with everything they’ve got, they’ll be able to bring it down–one head at a time.

SAFE...TY?

In the past, there’s been protection. In the past, there’s been so-called “safe houses” that have been created by the environment for noncombatants or those who don’t wish to fight.

But no such thing appears.

Nothing will hold the monsters back, nothing will hold the effects of the Black Beast back as they rain destruction on the city. It seems as if the Chosen are on their own – for those who don’t wish to fight, or can’t fight, they must band together to find protection of their own. Characters who are able to fight may need to help protect these areas where those sorts of Chosen have decided to hunker down for safety. The locals have vanished completely, locked so tight into their own houses that Aldrip businesses come to a halt.

That is, unless Chosen work together to keep it going.

AFTERMATH

The Black Beast is finally put down after the hard and exhausting fighting. The black lines around the city fade away, and it seems the Chosen who have transformed… are unaffected. Those Chosen who find themselves confronting their “wish” will discover that they soon change back, shedding monstrous forms for their familiar forms. However, the Chosen who don’t confront their wishes will keep their monstrous forms, either fully or partially, for the indeterminate future. They might continue to struggle to keep their sense of self and fight against the monstrous urges. Maybe they continue to be more aggressive, have a hard time recognizing a friend from a foe and have a distorted view on what is their wish. Effects don’t wear off over time, this time. There’s no magical “reset” where they wake up one day and find themselves back to their normal selves.

No, either they confront their wishes, or they stay like this for… ? It’s up to the Chosen.

WILDCARD Make your own fun! Just because it’s not in the prompts doesn’t mean it’s not possible. Have at it! Go crazy! Try not to break anything (too much)!
chimericalclaw: (o: dispassionate)

[personal profile] chimericalclaw 2025-03-15 01:11 am (UTC)(link)
[His hand lowers slightly—not enough to imply his offer is retracted, but as a sign of not quite expecting the question. His gaze darts from Dante to the ground, but only for a moment before it returns.

Still he remains quiet.]


Does it have to be one or the other?

[The layers of him would give different responses. A mild, perhaps hurt claim that he's not trying to be selfish. A complete refusal to explain himself. A desperate retort that of course he's doing it for them, doing it for everyone, because if he's not, then—

But the shade is driven by only this: he wants to be done with it all. His answer is only tired.]
followyourstar: (14)

[personal profile] followyourstar 2025-03-15 01:34 am (UTC)(link)
< I've been telling you I don't want this, that I'm willing to endure this pain, but you keep trying to take it from me--the good and the bad. So... I don't think it's me you're trying to convince. >

[Dante releases their grip on their shirt, letting their hand fall back to their side.]

< ...No. That's not quite right. It's more that... it's not my feelings that you're trying to erase. >
chimericalclaw: (a: lacking)

[personal profile] chimericalclaw 2025-03-15 01:43 am (UTC)(link)
It's only one step, [he admits.

But—Dante has reiterated once more that they aren't interested in what Zekarion can offer them, even if he thought he saw a moment of consideration in that pause moments ago.

There's only so far he can keep fighting, keep arguing. His hand lowers to his own side, not even discernible among the cloud of dark once it has.]


I'll never understand it.
followyourstar: (27)

[personal profile] followyourstar 2025-03-15 02:44 am (UTC)(link)
< Understand what? >
chimericalclaw: (a: fatigue)

[personal profile] chimericalclaw 2025-03-15 02:55 am (UTC)(link)
The choice you've made.

[Yellow eyes slide away from the shadows of a distant alleyway to Dante's face.]

The choice so many people make every day—to look for hope even when they've been caught in so much misery.
followyourstar: (14)

[personal profile] followyourstar 2025-03-15 03:41 am (UTC)(link)
< ...I won't tell you it's easy, because it's not. I don't even know if it's hope or if I'm just blindly stumbling in the dark, hoping to find the path I'm meant to follow. >

[They stare down at their feet.]

< But I know what happens if I stand there and do nothing, too. And because of that, I know I'd regret it more if I didn't try than if I tried and failed. I can't speak to other people's reasons. They all have their own. >

[They look back up at him and for a moment they're silent, studying his face.]

< You have one too, I think. Otherwise... I don't think you would have bothered to reach out at all. >
chimericalclaw: (a: after all)

[personal profile] chimericalclaw 2025-03-15 04:01 am (UTC)(link)
[The shade watches them back, though he has no face to study in return, as much as he might like to. His eyes narrow as he listens to that claim, though not out of anger. Merely—considering.

Unbidden, unwanted, a smile twists the corners of his lips.]


Heh.

[The laughter that falls out of him then is helpless; he covers his eyes with shadow that's slow to become a hand, but it does little except mask the terrible look in his eyes. It goes on just long enough to be uncomfortable—if the situation wasn't already.

When he finds his voice again, it's much stronger than before, more forceful than he's ever been with Dante. There's no denying the edge of bitterness to his reply.]


You're right. I'd hoped—that you'd truly understand. Ridiculous, isn't it.
followyourstar: (26)

[personal profile] followyourstar 2025-03-15 04:39 am (UTC)(link)
[They can only stare back at him in silence at first. They've never seen Altius like this before, and they wonder if they've made a mistake. Maybe doing so was inevitable.

Still... Still, they can't give up.]


< No, it's not ridiculous. I didn't-- I wasn't trying to say it was. >
chimericalclaw: (a: truth)

[personal profile] chimericalclaw 2025-03-15 05:07 am (UTC)(link)
[The smile that might be more accurately called a curl of his lip remains as he removes his hand, and he shifts backwards the space of a step as he raises his glowing gaze to them.]

It's alright. [There's no happiness in his expression when he says,] I'm glad you've taken the time to say all of this to me. I needed to hear it.

[The shade turns to watch one of the towering heads of the beast in the distance.]

I've just been wasting time.
followyourstar: (27)

[personal profile] followyourstar 2025-03-15 05:36 am (UTC)(link)
[He steps away, and they step forward.]

< Altius... Please. >

[Some part of them is aware of how pathetic they must sound. Some part that discards the thought as soon as it can come to mind. Deep down into the gap that the part that would have been shamed by such a thing left when it was taken from them.]
chimericalclaw: (a: gaze)

[personal profile] chimericalclaw 2025-03-15 06:42 pm (UTC)(link)
[His smile fades as Dante's words draw his attention back to them. Even now he struggles to ignore a direct plea, if just because of how long as he's taken them all into account, silently promising them salvation even when he could offer nothing in the meantime.

When he speaks, it's to address what he can only assume is the reason Dante is trying to stop him.]


What I've taken from you—I don't know what will happen to it.

[It's said frankly; he hasn't had the time or chance to test, as would have been his instinct. Besides, all of that would mean planning for the future, for the long term.]

Perhaps it will return to you in time. Or perhaps you'll come up with a kinder way of thinking about yourself.

[There's no hope in the mention of either of the possibilities. They're simply two of who knows how many. Even so—he doesn't wish further pain upon them, so he won't speak it into existence.]
followyourstar: (03)

[personal profile] followyourstar 2025-03-16 03:24 am (UTC)(link)
< That's not what I wanted to say. >

[Though they won't deny that it was a concern of theirs.]

< I just... What I wanted to do... >

[How to put this...]

< I don't want you to give up. You've been there for me, so I wanted to try and be there for you. >
chimericalclaw: (o: dispassionate)

[personal profile] chimericalclaw 2025-03-17 02:00 am (UTC)(link)
[Though he's half turned away, Dante doesn't lose his attention as they speak. For several moments of silence after that, the catlike eyes continue staring, uncomprehending even though he's heard the words loud and clear.]

... for me.

[There's little in his monotone, but what is there implies more than it's so absurd he didn't even consider the possibility, rather than disbelief. The only reason anyone would be there for him is if he'd manipulated them into the position. With the same straightforward voice as before, he says,]

You shouldn't. You wouldn't, if you...

[The shade trails off, the focus of his gaze on Dante changing as if he's looking through them, drawn into his thoughts with his mouth still slightly open like he simply forgot to continue. His brow comes together, and he remembers.

Maybe, like with a certain young man, maybe that's not true—

A wisp of shadow rises from his shoulder, and underneath it for just a moment, there's the olive of his skin instead of the nothingness that embodies his wish.]
followyourstar: (14)

[personal profile] followyourstar 2025-03-17 02:15 am (UTC)(link)
[They see him. For just that brief moment, they see him. And it clicks.

Recent memory guides their words.]


< No matter what the past holds, as long as you have the will to change, to move forward, I will be there. >
chimericalclaw: (o: enemy)

[personal profile] chimericalclaw 2025-03-17 03:07 am (UTC)(link)
[Yellow eyes snap back to Dante, an expression on his face somewhere between horror and desperation. Knowing what he does of Dante and their home, it might even be true that they'd be willing to stand by him, even if they did know all the horrible things he's done in the name of his goal. If he even could change.]

No.

[Just as with anything that reaches down to his core, he can do nothing but reject it, especially now when all he wants is to give up. (Isn't it?) Dark energy like a spark crackles briefly away from him as he raises his voice, almost commanding.]

There is no forward! [Weaker, halfway to a whisper as his shoulders shudder,] There can't be. I can't—

[He grasps his head with the semi-formed shadow of one hand and the visible flesh and blood of the other, the cloud of his lower half starting to melt away into the ground as if to escape the prospect while he can.]
Edited 2025-03-17 03:08 (UTC)
followyourstar: (01)

[personal profile] followyourstar 2025-03-17 03:29 am (UTC)(link)
[Altius had come into this simulation with blood on his face. They don't know whose, but there's no doubt now that it wasn't his own.]

< It's up to you. I can't make that decision for you--I won't. But I'll help you carry that pain until you feel you can walk on with it once more. >

[They hold out their hand. He could take everything from them now, but it's a risk they're willing to take.]

< I'm here. >
chimericalclaw: (o: realization)

[personal profile] chimericalclaw 2025-03-17 03:53 am (UTC)(link)
[He sees the offer from under his palms. His living hand twitches, almost like he's thinking of moving it from its place where his fingers are threaded through tendrils of shadow. In that same whisper, with a denial that's much less certain:]

No—

[Zekarion flees. As he turns, he dissipates into mist and seeps into the shadows between every paving stone and in the holes his presence has left in the concrete.

The weight of the darkness and in the air belongs only to the Black Beast then.]