spellbinders | [WORLD TWO

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[WORLD TWO | JAILBREAK]

[ Fifteen days ago, twelve members of the coven were selected to be captured and put under major scrutiny by the Shehui government. Today, they become freed.

Well, that's a pretty dramatic tag line for it all, but it's a dramatic moment isn't it? The coven members who have been taken have been subjected to some pretty hideous conditions, and their captivity and abuse has been reported to their fellow members via telepathy. With this information, and even just the knowledge that coven members have been taken at all, a plan of attack has been orchestrated.

Whether or not you're actively involved in this plan, the effects will likely be noticed immediately -- but it's up to fellow coven members to decide just how wide spread their pandemonium is. SImply put, there will be distracting forces and also those who go in for attack. Helpers and fighters. It's up to you what hand you have in helping your fellow man! ]

( ooc: Since there are a lot of different roles that can't be subsidized to their own prompts, the main given prompts in the log will be for pre- and during the jailbreak. You can have multiple prompts that take place in both situations in the event you have a multi-tiered role.

pre-jailbreak: Anything not directly involved with the government porthole location OR something leading up to the onslaught at the porthole.

during the jailbreak: Directly at the porthole and/or inside of the government hall, so labeled Lower Admin Hall C with a large connecting and locked door in a room that leads to Lower Admin Hall D. )

Let it be known that the monitors won't go down without a fight. No upper level government employees show their face, but when attacked monitors will indeed go in for the kill. However, they are initially taken by surprised. They aren't aware that their technology can be hacked, or that they have a large force that's about to come in against them.

If a monitor is felled, it's possible to take their ID card and use it to break prisoners free. They will all have clearance to access holding rooms, as well as testing centers and interrogation rooms. Use these keys to find coven members -- but characters will also find more monitors as they go through the hall.

Because this is a lower level administration area, searching the place won't find much in the way of information. This is something of the equivalent of a government prison. Weapons, medicine, files on ALL coven members (which can be taken), and similar items can be found. What's certainly more interesting is found in Lower Admin Hall D.

---

hacking results: Capable hackers like 9S will be able to hack into the entrance of the government building eventually, which allows for an easier flow of movement in and out. This won't be the only reward reaped from the hacking: there are tons of locked archives that are concealed within the Shehui mainframe. Most are boring, governmental gobbledygooks, aptly named things like watersystem//upperdeck and the like. Three offer some intriguing information, titled contrabandlist//highlevel, adminhalld//accessrequirementoverride and notefile//banned//writtenrecord.

The first two archives are much easier to crack open and give information as follows (with irrelevant information omitted):

contrabandlist//highlevel

Four (4) small bone fragments, electrical in nature. Dangerous ##04. Contraband Room 5.

One (1) inanimate golden box. [MODIFICATION: When collected, box was magic in nature. Expended Three (3) smooth black stones predetermined to be filled with void magic in opening said golden box for investigation. Not currently deemed dangerous. Contraband Room 1.

> RETRIEVAL: One (1) body from inanimate golden box. Still living, suspended animation. Held in Contraband Room 4. DO NOT INCLUDE OTHER CONTRABAND. CONTRABAND ROOM 4 NOW OFF LIMITS FOR NEW MATERIAL.

> DETAIL: Clothed. Height: [measurement translation to 6' 3"]. Weight: Indeterminate. Dangerous ##77. Antima Formula RE5 inserted in constant IV. No obvious name, planetary association.

adminhalld//accessrequirementoverride

This archive contains a program that can be transferred from ID card to ID card. Anyone who has this .exe in their ID card can give it to someone else. This will grant access to all Lower Admin Hall D rooms, including contraband rooms -- there are six in total. These rooms can also be looted! All magical items within these rooms won't be immediately obvious in how they are magical, but there are plenty of items there that may be looted.

notefile//banned//writtenrecord

????

new objective: jailbreak qri Utilizing this new information, coven members have the opportunity to find Qri and her golden box. While the box does seem somewhat non threatening and useless, unbeknownst to coven members it does contain void properties that allow Qri to use it as a space pocket for all the coven's shit. If you left it in the box, then you're shit out of luck if the box doesn't come to. Qri is surprisingly light, but still unconscious. Because of her size and condition, it will likely take more than one person to move her...but her body may potentially be a good meeting point for coven members. The room is isolated, and she's somewhat awe-inspiring being a large, albino-alien lady.

---

post-jailbreak There's certainly a hullabaloo going on in the government building as the coven members try to fight to take their monitors. One thing is for certain -- there's no going back, now.

After a while, all coven member IDs go black -- including those belonging to uninvolved parties. For some, this is only temporary. Shehui is watching, and they know who they can potentially make loyal. However, anyone involved in the break-in, as well as the Chosen 12, their IDs will remain black. All credits have been taken and their capability to unlock any door will be removed.

Suddenly the fuzzy black cards begin to emit a high-pitched noise. All monitors still underground and alive will immediately freeze at the noise. The black ID cards will begin to flash a very blinding, red message:

TRUCE
ALL STAND DOWN
PEACEFUL EVICTION INITIATED: [TRANSLATED DATE: 20TH]
NO MORE HARM WILL COME TO YOU HERE

No matter where they are, monitors all standing completely still, hands up in surrender. Take a few more shots at them if you dare -- they won't defend themselves. Though your credits may be frozen and your identification marked, this is a war you've won. This war anyway. This war, here. ]

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[ he waits a few moments after julius closes his eyes, but he did drag the man over here to rest. if julius is going to make an effort to actually do that, he'll see to getting his own wounds looked at.

julius is right; jusis tries to keep his check-up quick and to the point. when he returns, he has been appropriately bandaged, though most of them are on his arms and hidden under his coat's sleeves. he takes a seat next to julius as quietly as he can, hoping not to disturb him if he's actually managed to catch some sleep. ]

[ Julius is quiet, having finally fallen asleep for a good long while. It's a testament to his will that his restraints don't slacken even when he is sleeping, leaning against the wall behind him.

Really, they just need a rest. Yet his restlessness shows even in his dreams, projecting the impression of a forest filled with trees through telepathy. Its range is short, so it'll probably only affect the person next to him... showing a blue sky and a world devoid of humans.

It's peaceful, with birds quietly chittering in the trees. A memory not of his own, but of the world that he carries. ]

[ that's ... not what he expected. when he realizes something is being projected to him, he double checks that julius is, in fact, asleep, and not just closing his eyes, but he seems restful enough. he doesn't think julius would transmit an image without warning, either.

he has half a mind to wake him and tell him he's sharing something he might not want to, but jusis figures he's struggled enough to get him to this point. for a moment, he closes his eyes to indulge in the scenery; it's a lovely forest, even if it feels like an invasion of privacy. ]

Julius?

[ a gentle prod he hopes is relatively unobtrusive. he doesn't want to wake him, but ... ]

[ There's no immediate reaction from either Julius or the scenery that is presumably his dream. However, some sort of large monkey lumbers into view after a while, paying no attention to Jusis and passing by.

If he turns around, he would see that there's a particularly large tree in the distance, with its canopy stretching several kilometres in the air. Its leaves and bark are completely white, textured in a familiar way. It's his choice whether to approach, or continue prodding the person sleeping next to him. ]

[ there are similar monkeys in lunaria, though those tend to be more hostile about having their territory invaded. he supposes he should count himself lucky julius' dream isn't being tampered with by the higher elements.

when he takes in the rest of the scenery, the familiarity of the tree's bark isn't lost on him. he is, admittedly, curious. the beauty of nature isn't lost on him, and it seems related to julius' power besides. to the tree he goes. maybe he ought to consider this an invitation, rather than an accident. ]

[ It takes a short while to get to the base of the tree, whereupon its size becomes obvious - the canopy blocking out sun in an interplay of light and shadow. More and more strange animals appear as Jusis makes his way there, generally hanging around and not acknowledging his existence. Some fight amongst each other, only to disperse a short while later (or when the smaller one is dead).

Perhaps Jusis was expecting a door at the foot of the trunk, but there is none. Instead, small motes of light emerge from between the leaves and stream downward, coalescing into a vague human form; a man with golden hair down to his waist, his body completely white. The glow coming from him is bright enough to conceal any physical features.

His voice, however, is very familiar. ]

How did you get here?

[ Curious, edged with a little surprise.

[ jusis isn't particularly guarded in this exchange. it's a little too weird for him to hold onto his usual perfect composure, and he takes his time being awed by the massive tree and its spectacle of light. he hardly notices the shape taking form until it's all but finished and starts speaking to him.

he blinks. ]

I took a stroll through the forest.

[ that's an answer he actually has, rather than trying to guess at how qri's magic works. ]

Forgive me if I've intruded. This tree is hard to miss.

[ It's impossible to see the person's face, but his tone of voice and gesture should convey sufficient. ]

No, you haven't. I usually see this alone. I was surprised it could be shared, is all.

[ Julius folds his arms, contemplative. Maybe it'll be easier to explain with actual examples, so he'll take the opportunity.]

This is a memory that isn't mine. It belongs to the world that I was from. [ As if in response to his emotions, a wind begins to rustle through the leaves of the tree. ] I... didn't tell you everything, back then. My illness has an additional component to it, that I didn't want to bring up.

[ He raises a hand, motioning to the strange animals around them. ]

The beasts that plagued our land ultimately came from the Earth itself. They could not be harmed except by their own kind, so our soldiers took a part of their essence into ourselves so that we could even put a scratch on them. Of course, it comes at a price: should one become careless, they will be overcome and turn into a beast.

[ The Aragami, the very things that he was raised to fight. ]

I made a terrible mistake, once. If not for my teammates, I would have lost all reason. I owed my life to them.

[ he still has a lot of questions. he actually probably has more questions than he started with. when julius makes mention of turning into a beast, his brow furrows, and jusis ends up mirroring his crossed arms. ]

Then the form you took during the jailbreak was a product of that essence? You seemed in control enough.

[ short, to the point. he needs to align his facts before he says anything here or there, but the similarities are only growing. ]

[ There's a pause before he replies, his voice losing the multi-layered quality that it had before. Julius, speaking as himself. ]

No. I... am no longer human. I was turned completely into a monster. [ The Aragami. He could not revert even if he tried. ] I only appear human because I willed myself to take my old form... usually, when a person transforms, their minds are lost to madness. I retained my sanity through a miracle.

[ And with this life that they had gifted him, he will atone for all he has done. ]

The form you saw just now was a sliver of what my body has truly become. The essence pushes me to be consumed by its impulses, but I have been able to resist it. I drew on its power only to the extent that I could retain control over myself.

[ He's been getting better at it, which is a good thing. ]

[ alright. he's glad he asked, because that's a much more concerning case. he frowns right out and closes his eyes for a moment, contemplating his conversation options.

this isn't really his place to speak, but it's about the only qualified statement he feels he can make. ]

Then you are no monster. You merely possess a different form.

[ get that out of the way early. ]

I take it your teammates were involved in your miracle?

[ He's reminded of the last words they spoke to him, before he had unified both Singularities and set them on a path of mutual destruction. Yet someone had to remain in that realm to watch over its destructive force to ensure that humanity won't be harmed again.

「 Come back with us, Julius! 」

Their smiles, their wishes... are things that he would never forget, even unto eternity.

「 I'm sorry. I want to... but I can't. 」

He must stay here, to atone for his sins, his failings. ]

They were. I know not what they did, but they brought my soul back from being devoured.

[ Thus he turned his back on them one last time and descended into the abyss. ]

I hope you can understand why I chose to not bring this up.

[ he gets why julius wouldn't bring it up for no reason, sure. ]

Of course. I can understand being wary of mentioning it. [ there's still a nagging feeling that he probably should have known before the jailbreak. ]

I can't help but wonder what you would have done had you lost control, though. In that case, shouldn't we have been informed of the possibility?

[ he's not a big fan of collateral damage going unspoken of. ]

Edited 2018-02-15 05:42 (UTC)

[ To that, his answer is said plainly and without hesitation; as if he was merely describing the colour of the sky or the wetness of water. ]

Okuni will kill me. We have an arrangement.

[ An Aragami can only be destroyed by their own kind, so he had forged a weapon for her to use should the need arise. She understands, and that's all he can ask for. ]

[ that's ... fair. he keeps his expression pretty even at that, though julius wouldn't be imagining it if he noticed jusis' frown deepen. there's also the question of are we talking about the same okuni, but more importantly: ]

It would still take time for her to find you.

[ not to rail on julius for something that he can't help now, but—the grip on his arms tightens a bit. ]

Obviously, I'm grateful we all made it out intact, your mind included. I think it goes without saying I'd like it if you weren't forced into such circumstances in the future. [ he really does not want to have the but only if you must lecture twice. ... or, for, like, the twentieth time. so he leaves it at that. ] However, I'd also like it if you would afford more transparency to others you anticipate may be affected.

[ his expression softens, though. ]

Truly, though. After hearing the risks, I'm glad you're relatively well.

[ It is true, though. Killing a friend is never a pleasant thing, yet it had to be done. The laws of his home world decreed it, that a turned God Eater must be executed as a mercy to them and those they left behind. There's no reason to think it any different here.

It's not the best solution, but the most efficient one he can think of. Aragami are meant to be exterminated, after all - he's no exception. ]

I'll try my best to adhere to it.

[ Jusis' criticism is valid. He has to learn how to let go of his unwillingness somehow. ]

Your help is a large reason why I was able to succeed. Thank you.

[ there's a lot he'd like to address, including the potential for a solution other than killing julius outright. for now, he figured he'd get the most dangerous part out of the way; even if they can find a way to stop him short of death, it's important for people to be aware of the risk.

it's a lot to process, and a deeply unpleasant conversation besides. he wishes he had something to lean or sit on and shifts on his feet instead. ]

I didn't do anything in particular. If you mean our conversations, it was a comfort for my sake as much as yours.

[ they're already engaging in some level of emotional transparency here. ]

If you don't mind, I still have some questions.

[ As much as the price was high, there was no other choice. Those who could research Aragami labored day and night to uncover their secrets in search of a cure - but Julius knows in his heart that it was not possible. They weren't just monsters, they were the Earth's chosen children. Those weaker than them would be killed or transformed. ]

To have a friend's voice nearby makes it easier for me to remember who I am.

[ A pause: ]

Ask away. I will answer what I can.

[ 'a friend' gives him a brief pause, a little bit of surprise creeping into his expression that's whisked away as quickly as it came. it's still strange to be on equal footing with others, and especially so to remember those outside his class are just as capable of it.

not unpleasant, though. ]

This might sound nonsensical, since I don't truly understand your situation. However, if it helps you to remember who you are ... [ this is like the cheesiest thing, but it works on rean, and that's all he has to work with. ] If you were to lose control, are you certain you couldn't be willed back by your friends? Is it possible that's what allowed you to come this far in the first place?

[ If it could, then it would ease the burdens on them all. Yet... ]

I did lose my sense of self once, in the previous world. Several people risked their lives to save me in a way that might have been what you're suggesting. However, I wouldn't want to put them at that risk.

[ Julius remembers the swirling darkness that had swallowed his perception, reducing 9S' voice to a faint echo. Yet, the android wasn't human. Perhaps it was his non-human condition that let him endure. ]

Should you delve into my mind, you would come into contact with the force that I have been suppressing. I worry that it would drive others insane. What I asked others to do was to bind me until I am able to wrest control back from it.

[ it's good to hear that it's something that's been entertained at least. it sets him at ease a bit, even though the situation as a whole is still unfortunate. ]

That sounds like a far better course of action.

[ part of it is that the concept of julius losing his mind to whatever power he draws upon terrifies him, honestly. accepting that there's no other way out of that is ... not possible, at this point in time. ]

If there are methods which avoid your death, I should think all of your friends would prefer them, even at a great risk to themselves.

[ Julius is quiet for a while, and the forest stills along with him. The wind drops to a halt, and the Aragami around them begin to slowly fade away. In place of the landscape, there is instead an empty black space. ]

My greatest worry is that we lose this gamble and have two casualties instead of one.

[ It's always like this. He wants to hope, yet is afraid of that hope being crushed. ]

I made a terrible mistake, and... someone died because of it. I don't want to put anyone else at risk of death anymore.

[ he would have believed julius either way, but the change in scenery helps. jusis takes a step or two closer; the space between them feels wider in the void.

two months ago, jusis was technically willing to risk his life for a friend: his actions couldn't be interpreted differently. but when he made the decision, he hadn't done so assuming he would die, either. it's a sentiment that's surprisingly hard to phrase eloquently. ]

Of course not. No one wants to put others at risk of death.

[ but ... he sighs through his nose. ]

If you were in danger for any other reason, no one would simply leave you to die. If there's a chance to save someone's life, many would take it without hesitation, even if they injure themselves in the process, or risk their own lives. It's one of the most noble traits humans possess.

[ one of the most noble and one of the most stupid. a pause. his expression turns a bit uneasy. ]

It may be my experience as a military academy student speaking, but I see no reason to consider this gamble higher than any other one would take for someone in the line of fire.

[ he historically gives rean shit for risking his life for others, but—when the situation called for it, jusis can't deny he was prepared to take the same risk, and there were plenty of similar situations besides. it's not exactly isolated to his class. ]

[ A gamble he took had once failed, and Romeo had paid with it with his life. One soul who was on the verge of blooming into his confidence, only to be cut short by the machinations of someone that Julius might have stopped. Ever since then, his guilt had bound him.

Yet, Jusis is right. He knows the other youth speaks a path that will work out, and he has to will himself to believe it.

Believe in me, who believes in you. ]

... I understand. I must have more faith.

[ He looks up (not that his face is visible) into the empty sky above, then back at Jusis again. ]

Once again, you've reminded me of what I should change about my own beliefs. Thank you.

[ it's probably not the right time or place to sigh in relief, so he doesn't, but he feels like he could. he does look relieved, though, uneasy frown turning into a slightly less uneasy smile. ]

You told me to believe in you who believes in me, didn't you? It was simply a roundabout way to say the same.

[ after a moment of consideration— ]

Truthfully, you remind me of someone. [ very dear to him, he does not say, but it's more or less implied. ] Like you, he insisted on bearing his burden alone, frightened of losing control as he had done in the past.

He hasn't yet, and he's not going to. [ he has more faith in him than that. ] And if he does, I fully intend to bring him back to his senses. I would say the same for you.

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