hadriel_logs | Event Log: End of Arc 2

Entry tags:

Event Log: End of Arc 2

Who: All characters
What: The event log for the End of Arc 2
Where: All over the city
When: November 25th-December 12th
Warnings: A full-scale battle, including character death, NPC death, and various other ways to suffer

It was bound to happen. The Null warned you, after all, and this has been building for awhile - and now it's here. First comes the initial attack, the agents of the Null attacking Hope's temple. Then, an SOS, warning the city of what's happened: a betrayal, and Hope being injured. Luckily for everyone, thanks to the actions of his guards Hope survives the attack. Unluckily, his attacker, the goddess Delight, escapes and lets the Null in.

Flooding into the cave, the Null will attack anyone who they believe is resisting them. They'll destroy buildings and deploy dangerous crowd control weapons, in addition to their sheer strength and speed. Confusion empties the monsters in the tunnels into the city, to help distract the Null. Some gods fight, others provide safe havens, but everyone is in danger.

After about a week and a half of the attack, Fear summons enough power to teleport the city. This stops any new Null from arriving through the tunnels, but the remaining Null must be hunted down and destroyed, or else they'll signal their location to the rest of their species. The danger will lessen as Null are taken out, but things won't really be safe until Fear moves the city again, so don't get too comfortable.

What will you do? Run and hide? Fight? Help the fighters? Turn on the gods yourself? Whatever you do, it's time to make a decision.

► This log covers November 25th-December 12th.
► Feel free to make your own logs, as well
► Please tag headers of threads with content warnings where they apply
► Please put your character's name and open/closed in the subject line of your starters!
► If you get taken out by the Null, please let us know here.

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I don't- I don't know, but look at that.

[He gestures to the Null, clearly stopped in their tracks.]

I think... I think they're feeling it too.

[The misery may be artificial, but what Kravitz feels stirring in him now is most certainly not. Still holding on tight to Taako, he fights to let it grow stronger, to eat up the space that sorrow is stealing. Maybe it's anger, he thinks, and focuses on the fact that thanks to these fucks, Taako is suffering-- and it builds again. Fights in his chest like a spreading fire.]

There it is. Yes. Okay. I've got a plan, I think.

[He tries to bring himself down in measures, remembering it's tricks, it's not really his. Later, part of him will detest that the thing that worked best was Kravitz by his side, and another part of him will just be thankful that there was anyone there at all.

He coughs once, trying to clear his throat, standing up straight again as he surveys the Null.]

Alright, let ol' Taako in on it-- you need somethin' set up?

[What do you need me to do, he means. Just get me out of here.]

[He hadn't intended to draw Taako into it, but now, he realises this may be his best- or only, depending on how things play out- chance at success.

It's here that the ache of sadness still pressing down on his heart reminds Kravitz of how Taako must still be feeling as well, and guilt swarms him. But he meets his eyes, tries to hold Taako's gaze. It has to be said.]

I'm going to be weak, after. We'll need an escape.

[Taako swallows hard, letting out a bit more air then he means to when he breathes again, trying to get his mind back in check. Alright. Kravitz has a plan, they've got action, he can do this. The faster he does, the faster it can be over.]

What, uh, what kind of weak are we talkin'? D'you think I'm gonna have to carry you?

[Mmmm this is too much talking he can't think straight, no no no--]

Look, just, don't worry about it, I'll figure it out.

[Before he's even opened his mouth to answer, Taako cuts him off, and Kravitz bites at his lip. Alright, fuck it, they're doing this.

He nods, trying to look more confident than he feels, and doesn't waste another moment of the Null being incapacitated. Some of them are already beginning to stir and break from Sorrow's hold over them as Kravitz allows his human form to wash away, and begins gathering surrounding rubble and stone towards himself. Nothing but light can be seen of Kravitz for the briefest moment, and then even that is smothered.

It's a form that will look familiar to Taako, a large golem, only made of rock and not crystal this time, and growing much, much larger than before. He towers upwards, looming over the Null like the harbinger of death he is--

And then looks down at Taako to give him a big thumbs up.]

[Taako tries to steady himself as Kravitz blinks out of existence, the light straining his eyes as he tilts his head away. And when he looks back... he just rolls his eyes.]

Gods, you fucking goofus. Come on, let's do this thing.

[He grips to the Umbra Staff as fire already starts to grow at the tip, a Scorching Ray surging out to slam down a nearby Null already starting to move.]

I'll cover you!

[If he could grin right now, he would. Instead, Kravitz projects his voice into Taako's mind, warm and perhaps a touch too loud.]

What do you suppose would be funniest to say here? Oh, I- I know-

[And Kravitz allows himself to fall, letting go and gaining speed as he hurtles towards the ground, but it's no easy feat. He concentrates with every fiber of his being to hold himself together, every fiber but one, as he expends that on directing a thought towards Taako.]

Timber, motherfuckers.

[The impact is fucking ridiculous, to put it mildly. Null are crushed under sheer weight, rock and dirt go flying, and the ground shudders. A great wave of dust washes through the air, making it difficult to see for a moment.]

[He feels his heart jump in his throat a bit as the voice comes into his mind, taking a moment to recognize that it’s Kravitz and oh, hey, that’s... well, a thought for later, now isn’t it! Man, he hopes Kravitz can’t hear his thoughts past that message, because all of them are filthy. Taako snickers a bit, keeping the Umbra Staff gripped, watching for what he’s doing- and oh, does he go. He cheers a bit as Kravitz goes down, even though most of his words are swallowed in coughing up dust.

In the meantime, he’s struggling to think of a contingency plan. He has a lot of escape routes for him- invisibility, jumps into other planes, little distracting illusions. The problem is that a lot of those aren’t very, well, based towards whole groups. If Kravitz is just a soul, can he go with him into the Etheral Plane? Can he just stuff him into his body for a few minutes and book it? There’s so many questions he really should’ve asked.

For now, he just concentrates on where Kravitz fell and casting Gust of Wind, blowing the dust from where he should be. First step to getting him out of here is well, finding him, and carving a path through any Null in the way.]

[As the dust clears, for the briefest of moments Kravitz is visible, kneeling on the ground and brow furrowed tightly, like it's taking all of his effort to hold himself together. Then his form falters and comes away in pieces, leaving him a half human, half skeleton mess. It doesn't seem to be sturdy, either- large portions of his body flicker and melt out of view entirely, giving way to a firey glow.

All the same, he turns to give Taako a triumphant thumbs up, and a wide, half sharp toothed grin.

At the same time, a half crushed Null stumbles into view, and with it's still functioning laser cutter, swipes clean through Kravitz's ribcage, right shoulder to left hip. There is no blood. He doesn't even scream. But his face, for the briefest moment before it vanishes, is a mask of horrified realization.

The last of his energy expired, Kravitz remains as nothing but a ball of bright, white light. The Null has already raised and begun lowering it's weapon again, clearly able to tell the job isn't done, as it comes down and slices into the hovering orb, this time Taako will hear a scream. Broken up and cutting off at the same moment that the light burns out, it is the last remaining thread of magic that connected Kravitz's mind to his.]

[For a moment, it all looks like it's going to be okay.

Kravitz comes into view, and it's fine. He's going to go, grab him, get out of here, celebrate. But something is wrong so instantly, and Taako freezes when he sees Kravitz start to fall apart. That was-- this is wrong. Something's wrong.]

Krav, d--

[He doesn't know if he's thinking or speaking it, if Kravitz can hear him, but by the time he wills his body to move, it's too late. It's over. Just like that, Taako fucking five feet away, and he's just gone. His entire body is too rigid and the scream rips through him, his mouth open but silent.

The Null rounds on him, more beginning to approach, and he moves without thinking. A portal opens up on his left, dragging Null through and ripping them to shreds. One comes up too close and in a moment is blocked by a large, spectral hand, wrapping itself around the Null and throwing it over the nearest building and away. He loses track of the fight so quickly- there's spells everywhere, fire curling around a Null's chasis and ice spearing through another. More of them come and Taako digs his heel deep into the ground, and in a moment the corpses of the destroyed Null lift themselves from the ground, equipping their weapons and doing battle with their surviving counterparts.

And in the center, is Taako, teeth gritted, slowly curling in on himself more, and more. And in a moment, he stops, and they're on him.

In the next moment, there's only light.

The ethereal fire surges out from all of him, leveling through the remainder of the Null in the vicinity as it smashes windows and burns a circle into the floor. The Null around him crash and break, glass shattering, bodies completely engulfed. Taako doesn't even realize he's crying until it's starting to fade, until he can see again, until he finds himself on his knees in the epicenter of destruction, the palms of his hands pressed into his eyes.

It wasn't enough. Even that sort of power, that fight, it wasn't-- enough. He could have handled it. He just-- did it, why didn't he do that, why couldn't--

His voice feels weak, throat sore, and he's only vaguely aware that he's been screaming, his body wrung out, and he doubles over shaking, bringing his head to his knees on the ground, mumbling nothing but Kravitz' name.]

[After a show like that, it isn't long before Lup comes running for her twin, only to find him crumpled and sobbing, looking for all the world like he'd been the one that had taken that final blow. Looking defeated. Lost. It doesn't take much for the woman to unweave this mystery, not with Taako's repeated mumbling of Kravitz's name, not with how absolutely tuned out from the rest of the world he seemed to be.

She approaches carefully, moving a hand to his thin shoulder, whispering a few soft, familiar words in Elvish. Everything living in the area has been absolutely demolished, but they only have so long before the next line of automatons come marching through, looking to cut down everyone on their list. Lup will fight for her brother, there's never a question about that, but she's running low on spell slots, exhaustion tugging achingly at her limbs. They need to move. They need to rest. They can't let this sacrifice be made in vain.

Lup kneels at her twin's side once she has his attention, both of her hands slipping down to cup tenderly at his cheeks, her scarred palms warm against him. Maybe it's foolish to think she can draw him away from this indescribable pain, but if anyone has the chance to, Lup knows it's her.]

Taako, [her voice is kind, but firm. They can't sit here and mourn for much longer.] Babe, we gotta go. We're not far from the temple. We just have to get that far. That's all that I'm asking of you.

[The ground around them looks like a war zone. This isn't Taako's careful spellcasting, this isn't finessed changing and someone in control. He's overextended himself, obviously so- you don't channel a level 8 spell through your own body when you're doing okay. Taako's still shaking when she touches him, bits of magic discharging off his body in zaps of fire and light, hands unsteady and mouth dry. He thinks he's crying. He doesn't know what happened, exactly, he just-- needed to know. Needed to know he could still protect himself, do something, not... not...

He heaves a breath, looking almost like he's going to throw up, but doesn't, leaning on her heavily.]

Lup, he's fucking-- god, he's a fucking idiot, I couldn't-- get, I couldn't get to him, there isn't even a body.

[Isn't even something he can take and protect and try-- fuck, he's no cleric, he's not even a half-decent necromancer, what could he possibly have done? Try to hold him close, try to resurrect the man he fucking loves--

Loves.

Oh, fuck.

He heaves another shaky breath, tries to bring himself to his feet.]

I wasn't good enough, Lup. He fucking... trusted me.

[He trusted him with his life and he was wrong.]

[This city street will just never be the same again.

Taako shifts to lean into her and Lup's arms are sneaking around him immediately, dragging him closer to her side, helping him up on unsteady legs. If he can't do it on his own, she's there to support his full weight for as long as she possibly can. It's just until they can get somewhere safe. They they can fall apart.

He sucks in a shuddering breath and the pain in that single sound rips straight through Lup. She knows her twin better than anyone, better than he usually knows himself. It's always been like they've shared the same soul, like they shared their pain. She can feel his anguish in the sharp coil in her gut, in the way her heart thuds almost painfully against her chest. What is there for her to even say to that? Taako doesn't want platitudes, doesn't need meaningless reassurances.

Oh, the gods will bring him back within a week. Oh, I'm sure you tried you're best. Oh, everything will be just fine.

Taako's in agony, the kind of pain Lup can pinpoint from the many deaths over their hundred year journey. But this is different. Taako's different. He's so much more in his own head than he'd ever been on the Starblaster, hiding behind his walls and soft, but so completely fake smiles. To see him fall apart like this, in public, it's killing her.]

I'm right here, Taako. Please, babe, we've got to get moving. He can't have... He'd want you to be safe.

[He hates doing this. He hates-- being this, right now. How long has it been since he's really given a shit about a death? Back next cycle, as always. And he doesn't even have to wait a year, or months, wondering and alone. He's got a week, maybe, before he sees him again. He needs to get it together. He needs not to fucking die.

He knows Lup is stressed, too, just trying to do what's best for him. And he can't-- can't let her down too. He digs his heels into the dirt, uses Lup to push himself up, but doesn't let go of her hand.]

It's fine, I... just point me where to go.

[He trusts her. She'll get him somewhere safe.]

Just get me the fuck out of here.

[She wouldn't let go of him for anything. Even when they get where they need to be, she's still going to be there at his side, giving her twin whatever strength he needs to get through the next few days. They just need to make it until Hope gets his shit together and drags Kravitz right back here, healthy and whole and as dead as ever.

Just a few days. Max.]

I've got you, babe. [And true to her word, Lup's grip around Taako is strong while he pushes himself up, and once he's ready for it, she's guiding him away from this place, eager to get as far away from scene of Kravitz's death as quickly as possible.]

[He moves when she moves him, finally quiet, but obviously wrung out. He shouldn't have done that, shouldn't have done any of it, as tiny bits of fire move off him like static electricity to the ground, zapping what it can catch as his feet move along the ground. The end of his braid is singed, his whole body more hot to the touch than it should be, and no matter what he does, he can't seem to catch his breath. He can't even keep track of where they are as she takes him somewhere safe.

He's walking. That's what matters. But everything feels heavy, his head resting near Lup's shoulder, like he's really just a few minutes away from falling to pieces.]

Where're we goin'?

Temple. [Pressed as close as they are, Lup can feel the tension in Taako's body, the unnatural heat radiating off of him, the heavy exhaustion in the way his head rests against her. All she wants to do is wrap her brother up and never let him go, to keep him safe from everything that he's currently feeling.

But off the streets first. Find the others. Then they can deal with all of this.]

It'll be safe there. And Ango's been waitin' there for us. [Lup just hopes the kid will have the sense to not crowd Taako the moment they arrive. They need a little Twin Time first.]

[Something in him twinges at the idea of Angus seeing him like this, in the way of people he doesn't trust seeing him vulnerable, but he's too exhausted to concentrate on it properly.]

Nn. Fine.

[He doesn't know where he wants to be right now. Their room on the Starblaster, maybe, but there are people he cares about now missing from that equation. His room at the Bureau misses her, but adds others. Even their house here is missing pieces, a scattered puzzle not quite complete. But he's with her. That's enough. At least, despite it all, Lup is here.

He doesn't speak again until he feels the ground under his feet change, the knowledge they've reached their destination, and she can feel him sigh in something he wants to be called relief.]

Just... find me somewhere, okay? Somewhere quiet.

I've got you, hun. [Taako doesn't even have to ask, Lup's already guiding her twin inside of the temple, looking immediately to the empty corner that she's been using for breaks in between fighting. It's not as private a space as either of them need in this moment, but at least no one will bother them here. And if they try, they're gonna learn to back off quick.

Lup's gaze catches a few members of their family from where they are gathered across the room, but a brief shake of her head keeps them at bay. Not yet. Taako doesn't need to be crowded, even if it's by the people he trusts most.]

Here we are. Time to pop a squat, bro. [She helps him lower to the ground before she's following along, both of her arms wrapping around her brother and pulling him to her.] Just breathe. You made it, so you don't need t'do anything else.

[He doesn't even notice. The ache has settled into his bones, something deep in him. He'll put together the amount of damage he took from that little stunt later, in combination of using a level eight spell, and understand why he felt like he was about to collapse the entire time. But right now he's just heavy. Everything feels like a weight, from his body to his mind to the thoughts still rattling around in his head to Kravitz' final scream, trapped not in the air between them but now in his head like his own thought. He doesn't know how long it'll take it to leave. Maybe never.

He goes to the ground ungracefully, knees wobbly as he sinks into her. He's still uncomfortably hot, sweat beaded on his face and neck,but that doesn't stop him from curling in on himself on her chest like an oversized cat. If he had more energy, he might consider being one, just to fit into some corner where he needn't be seen or recognized. But he doesn't have the thought pattern for a sustained spell right now. So he just tugs his hat off, tucks his head under her chin, presses a hand just under her shoulder and another near her stomach. It's the best he can do. It's all he can do.]

'Mmm. Fine.

[He doesn't know what he wants to do. Does he want to cry? Does he scream? There's no energy left for anger at anyone else but there's plenty left for anger at himself, especially considering the stunt he pulled once he was alone. See? He handled it. He could've handled more. He was weak. He was acting weak and Kravitz paid the price.

Logically, he knows he should let this out, but he doesn't want to. Wants to be comfortable. Wants to feel this, as if it makes Kravitz' loss mean something.]

... Sorry I made you come get me.

[They meld together effortlessly, Lup's arms coming to wrap around Taako, dragging him in even as his own body fits just right against hers. It's a position that they've had to curl into many times through their stay in Hadriel - whenever Lup had to slip into Taako's bunk after he'd woken up screaming from his nightmares, whenever Lup woke up forgetting she was free from the umbra staff, frightened and mad with panic - the two coming together in sync, knowing just what the other needed in their moment of upset.

Her chin rests on top of Taako's head, the smell of his hair, more familiar than anything, tickling at her nose. Lup huffs out a silent laugh, her fingers moving to Taako's hair to carefully pull his braid apart.]

You friggin' nerd. That's what sisters are here for. Draggin' their baby brothers out of shit. Practically a birthright.

[They can have The Talk later. They can discuss just what happened, just why Kravitz went down, go through all of Taako's fears and upsets and the blame that she knows he's putting upon himself. But that can all come later. Right now she needs him to rest, to regain his strength, to make it through the worst part. She won't leave his side through it all.

And it's awful to think, enough so that even Lup would never consider saying it aloud, but she's so entirely grateful it wasn't Taako. If anyone had to go, at least it wasn't him.]

Whatcha need, hun? Some water? A blanket? I've got you covered either way.

[Part of him is a little afraid if he falls asleep now he won't wake up, some fucked up retribution in a way he can't describe, some delay in consequences that have yet to manifest. He lets her mess with his hair, ears dropped low and as out of her way as possible. Taako is not small- nothing about him constitutes someone small- but right now he is anything but big.]

'Mm not your baby brother, goofus.

[There's no bite behind it, and he doesn't move. There's too much racing through his mind to really refute her, too much turmoil and worry and hurt. And still, he can hear Kravitz' voice, and none of it is comfort.]

... He's coming back, right? Just. Tell me he's coming back.

[Tell him he'll get the chance to make this right.]

[It's so small, a few muttered words that barely have his usual strength to them, but Taako giving her even that much feels like a kind of victory.

This is awful, one of the worst deaths they've ever had to experience, but they'll make it out. Whatever happens to Kravitz, whatever else happens over the rest of their stay in Hadriel, the twins will always be there to pull each other out of their darkest moments. They can survive anything as long as they're together.

Her hands work carefully, slower than usual, taking her time as they dance up his braid, a kiss pressed lightly into his hair. In most cases, Lup doesn't coddle. She doesn't offer platitudes, doesn't lie just to make a situation feel better. She's not unkind, but she's honest to a fault. But in this moment? She can't walk away from this without giving her brother exactly what he's asking for.]

He'll be back. We both know that nerd can't stay away from you. [Her chin drops affectionately on top of his head.] I promise, alright?

[It’s hard to believe in the systems of Hadriel, in the things they know to be truth by virtue of having lived here for so many months. It’s a symptom of their uneasy childhood, of spending a hundred years in a hundred different worlds where time might not even stay the same on the day to day. He’s always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Nothing stays good, nothing stays safe, nothing stays the way it should.

But Lup, he can believe. And he asks, and he gets. Lup doesn’t lie to him. He’ll be back. Some part of him thinks it’s foolish to put such stock in anyone, but he knows it’s just the part that had to live without her. She’s here.

Everything about him still feels too hot, like the fire is still going somewhere in his chest, his head, his face. He shifts a bit in her arms, wipes some sweat from his brow with a sleeve.]

Mmm. Okay.

[He wants to sleep, but doesn’t know if he can. Doesn’t want to think about what dreams may offer him, but he’s much too out of his own head to meditate or anything that will provide him rest. It sucks. This whole thing sucks. He wants to cry, but he can’t even get that far, just little bits of water finding itself in his eyes that gets blinked out. Still that tension. Still stuck right in him.]

Don’t leave. Don’t… go back out there.

[Not you too.]

[Taako lifts an arm to scrub at his face, but Lup's touch is already there on instinct, his twin knowing what he was planning to do before he'd even moved. She wipes away both his sweat and tears without a word, all with a gentle brush of her hand, before she's shifting just enough to press a kiss to his forehead. Her lips linger there, soft puffs of warm breath against his skin, the steady beating of their hearts trapped between their matching bodies.

There's nothing else she can say to comfort him. Nothing that would fix this. No matter how many times she'd seen Barry killed during their century running from the Hunger, no matter how assured she'd been that he would return at the end of every year, it never made the loss of him any easier. And with Hope cut down, folks returning wrong daily, Lup can't begin to imagine the numbing anxiety coiling around her twin.

The idea of Kravitz returning to them as anything less than what he'd been is terrifying.

So Lup presses another tender kiss to Taako's head and drags him close, engulfing him with her own body, pushing herself into his every sense. Pushing the idea of Kravitz out and filling up that space instead.

Just for now. To get through this night. Tomorrow they'll have to talk.]

Never. Not without you. Not without my heart. I'm here.

[Others may be harmed in her absence, without the twins' powerful spells to save the day, but too bad. Taako needs her and Lup would let the world burn if it kept her brother warm.]

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pocketspa - 2018-03-21 02:14 (UTC) - Expand

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Event Log: End of Arc 2

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maybe cw for the slightly gross imagery

hhhh

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