adstring_npc | {Animus?}

Entry tags:

*animus

{Animus?}

[At the same moment, everyone's PCD switches on and begins to play- though instead of the usual mixture of ghostly voices, a woman's face appears. She nods at the screen, smiling faintly- blond hair separated into two braids, an orchid ever-tucked behind one ear. The area around her is hazy, flickering.]

Everyone. As has been tradition, it's time for us- you name us 'Animus'- to announce the start of a new event. And as today's organizer, I wanted to invite you all personally to participate, as this will be the last time our city shall suffer.

My name is Aelia, and the event is called 'Ekpyrosis.'

[Behind her- through the holes in the wall, in the air for anyone who cares to notice- the sky begins to turn a dark, unhappy orange. The temperature starts to rise.]

'The final fire that expires the mandate of the world'... for those who would ask. You could call it bad fortune that it was pulled here along with you- worse, that I discovered its nature, and sought to restore it. For those of you who were looking for a way out- this might not've been what you had in mind, but please accept my substitution. But to be fair-

I could not have done so alone. My co-sponsors--

[The view drops; two ruined bodies lie before her. One is barely recognizable as John Mandrake, limbs twisted and blackened by flame, broken spears still pinning him to the floor. The other is Sailor Mars- less singed, but with the dozens of swords and lances piercing her body, rendering it to pieces- no more simply identified.]

--the Summoner, the Archer, were invaluable. I couldn't have named Ekpyrosis on my own. But I have one more request-

[The view pans up, past a serpentine body carved out of dark rock, past human legs merging into it, to see all of Aelia herself; a nude woman seated on a coil of a stone dragon, her own body. From her ear, she pulls the orchid, holds it out.]

Now, my magicians: please mature.

[At three points in the city, despair rises. A girl dies to birth a witch; Walpurgisnacht to match the Ekpyrosis day.

Aelia just nods again, as the feed dies.]

((OOC: Witch information and plotting post here.

Additionally, Ekpyrosis now covers the city, decorating the sky with constantly shifting sigils. As of this entry, the sky bursts, and the fire-flood starts. Like a thunderstorm overhead- just replace "rain" with "fire". :x Staying in the open without protection is quickly deadly.

Aelia will also be around if anyone wants to find her; she won't respond to this post, but offlines are welcome. Warning: she's stronger than Ekpyrosis.))

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There's something to a burning craft as it sinks down into nothingness. Burns away to something of a skeleton, and then even that.

[There's something of a bow, flourished almost, for her glance.]

Very much. Perfect weather for it, so wa~rm.

[Nods politely at him, as if he could see it.]

Decay is an art- so fragile, so patient. You can't rush it. But the cold was holding it off indefinitely; I thought this might help.

[Humming, stepping aside when fire grew closer to him, giggling under his breath.]

It has certainly gotten things moving, I must say. A pity how some cannot see such an art as that. Every tear, discoloration, every shred is part of something that should not be covered.

And it'll burn through any attempt to hide it.

Will you watch, then? [Tilting her head. The lizard body settles into a comfortable series of coils.] Until the end- when even beauty dies.

De~light~ful.

[His smile grew.] Of course, I wouldn't miss any of it.

[And then a laugh, propping himself with a long gravemarker as if it were a cane.]

That's the thing about beauty, it's fragile and fleeting, and it's death can be just as beautiful.

It's eternal in that way, isn't it? Beauty dies, and the experience itself sustains it.

Yet everyone struggles to prevent it. [She spreads her arms out.] Not realizing. Not seeing that they're just part of the parade.

Inde~ed, and yet so many never see it that way.

Momento mori. [A long nail tapped against his chin.] They can hardly see past themselves, how they think things should be. So much they miss.

Their eyes aren't so good- set in the front, never anywhere else. It's almost to be pitied.

Once they're burnt, they're mixed, free to stir in any combination.

Following along their set points, hardly bothering the deviate from the path they see.

Shall they see it in such a way, I wonder.

[His head tilted, long nails drumming along the top of that grave marker.] They'll have their sights set on hating you for this. Feel betrayed in some way, perhaps.

Why? How could you? [Keeping an 'eye' on that fire.] Is there a need other than an end for something that stood stagnant for so long?

[Her 'tail' yawns- the dragon head parting along too-large jaws, rows of eyes blinking in the firelight.]

It takes bravery to go into a path that you can't see. They rationalize it, call it madness.

If they decide to hate, it's wasted. They don't want time to move again, not realizing it's been set at the edge of nothing for as long as this world existed. I blinded Ekpyrosis to time, just to force something to move.

Then I suppose I'm mad [Fingers brushed bangs away, those yellowish green eyes taking an odd glow in the fire light, tapping lightly near one] for I can't see much past my own nose without something that was once so important and walk what path I wish.

I have a far better time without. [Still seeing some things, and yet he was severely near sighted- it certainly didn't stop him from seeing well beyond that.]

Ah, doing wasteful things is something they seem to enjoy. I'll enjoy see~ing what comes from this movement.

Yet you manage better than the rest.

[Silent, pondering for a moment.]

Perhaps when it's over, I'll show you my original world, before I assume this one.

I've learned not to rely on it.

[He hummed lowly, smile softening from that almost deranged thing it tended to be.]

That is something I would like, Aelia.

Good to not rely on much.

[She nods; the dragon tail-head shifts, like a sleepy cat.]

You shall have it. Before this one joins my last.

[The movement is caught, chuckling more to himself.]

Makes it easier to do without. [Giving a tip of his hat.] I'll look forward to it.

Ah, if it were possible I'd ask if you'd like to watch some of this city burn from a nice spot with some tea. Lovely scenery for a spot of tea, I think.

Why wouldn't it be possible? Well- the tea might get a trifle overheated...

[Moving on, clawed feet leaving stab marks in the concrete, the earth. It's a sedate walk, a funeral march in the middle of the fire. Towards some hulking wreck of a building, conspicuously unsafe.]

It would be easier to get water boiling to begin with-

[Thoughtfully, considering.

He settles into a walk, not behind or quite beside, grave marker propped over a shoulder.] I do like my tea hot. Should you care for a cup, I may be able to manage.

~~[Tea makes ~~everything better, obviously.]~~~~

If you're offering, certainly.

[There's no more appropriate time, really.]

Should you not mind jars over cups, and a blend I've made myself.

[This man never uses things like tea pots and tea cups anymore- and by made himself he means tea bags mixed with some he took from the demon butler.

Clearly he had been planning on taking tea while everything burned already.]

It's a vessel, is it not? Not as good as the warm body, but jars will do.

[Finding a proper building, she climbs- claws tearing into brick, barely pulling the structure down with her, she advances.]

Cups, jars, beakers, lungs- if it holds a liquid it does well enough.

[For the time being, that gravemaker is tucked back away into his robes- amongst the others and some odds and ends he'd grabbed as well. There was a reason he wore such a robe over his clothing, after all.

He 'watched' as she climbed, taking a leap onto a nearby structure himself.]

[She was slow, the orchid. Leisurely. A statue-like body took time to move. But there was no rush. And eventually she reached the top, letting her tail dangle over the edge.

Fire still rained around them, but there was a small clear space around Aelia's body; no defense, it just seemed to avoid her.]

[The time taken provided him with enough to have a feel for his surroundings, giving him change to pick which route would be best for him to take.

A bit of flame near the end of his robe was patted away when he reached the top, the black fabric hardly any worse for wear, chuckling faintly to himself as he kept just close enough to her.]

My, this is a love~ly spot.

Isn't it?

[Gradually arranging herself, ignoring the creak of wood and concrete, the battered building protesting having a statue crawling around on top of it.]

You can feel the view from here.

Hear and smell it as well!

[Laughing to himself, which he did more often than not. Oddly enough he was enjoying the heat of the flames, event the scent the air took on as everything burned.]

De~light~ful.

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{Animus?}

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