kenoslogs | THE ADVOCATE ORACLE - A RIP VAN WINKLE IN TIME

THE ADVOCATE ORACLE - A RIP VAN WINKLE IN TIME

Sweet dreams are made of Bliss

As the twilight falls, and bearers begin to tuck in for their evenings on the night of the 15th of March (OOC time) and whether they tuck themselves into bed fully, or simply drift away in the middle of their dinner, work, indulgences, or what have you; bearers will fall into a deep, deep sleep. Perhaps you slump in your chair, or you wrap your arms around a teddy bear, or partner, or cup a precious shard in your sleep, it doesn’t matter, because as you drift away, into a sleep that seems to tug you under like the undertow itself, a question will echo in bearer’s minds: “If given the choice, would you show compassion in the face of adversity?”

It sticks with you, even as you fall into a dreamless sleep. As if it rotates in your mind, over and over, letting you worm over that. You know for certain what it is, that it is the calming, soothing voice of the Oracle, reaching out to you across the ether, telling you – promise you – that if you accept its promise, you will find that the Oracle could be in your hands. That thought leads you to dream of something else – of home, or your loved ones – of what you are fighting this war for. Even as you dream, you feel a presence next to you, and unlike the Harbinger’s winding, rough digging, this is more akin to a friend, who is asking you soft, coaxing questions. Things like: what was your childhood like? What were your friends like? What did you do? You cannot help but think of them, think of your home and your loved ones. Of where you came from, and how it made you what you are.

The advocate seeks to understand you, and where you come from. You can feel it, that overwhelming Acceptance and love from it, even as you reminisce, compelled to answer the multitude of questions, you can feel something building behind you, around you. “Don’t you want them all to understand this?” the impression is given through communion, and you cannot help but answer: yes.

Click your Heels together, Dorothy!

As you awake for the first time, it’s alien, the world that meets you. New smells fill your nostrils, new sights, the gravity is perhaps different than you’ve gotten used to on Kenos, even those slight shifts enough to make the world feel wholly different. You remember the advocate’s words, and it wants you to feel what it feels. Understanding. Compassion, and perhaps there is a sense that doing so would hurt yourself in turn, if you understood too much. That is the advocate’s way, after all, isn’t it?

You feel an inexorable, slight tug in your chest. Something subtle and gentle, the slightest of sensations, that gives you a direction. You know it, your mind only just now comprehending the advocate’s confusing impressions via communion, that there is something of this world’s… Soul/center/heart or whatever word you want to use for it. Something about this world that will help you along your path, and help you with the results you so desire. You know it will not guarantee a victory, but surely it will help. Especially as your numbers dwindle from world to world. You are left with an impression from the Advocate -- if you die, they cannot bring you back. There is apology in this, but alone, one oracle is limited. Only united, can they truly change your fate.

The lingering presence of the advocate starts to fade. You know this is a bearer’s world, if not your own. You look around, to see perhaps a familiar face nearby? Or perhaps you are alone. Does it matter? You know that this place belongs to a bearer, but whether they are a friend or an enemy, one has to begin to determine that. You’ll need your wits, you’ll need your strength and resolve to make it to the end of this, won’t you?

After all, as bearers were recently reminded: this is War. This is not simply the fate of this world, but perhaps all, as it will require you to find the answer to this question. So you start to move, you start to look around, explore, and search. For the soul of each world, for the bearers that lie dreaming within, and your foes that will seek you out. Stay steadfast, for the way out will come, if you make it to the end. The longer you spend in each world, however, the more the shadows look darker, and deeper. Hungrier. The more the spaces seem smaller or compressed. As if there is something gnawing away at the sides, making their way to the heart.

Around the world in ~~60 seconds~~ 12 hours

When you find yourself at the end, when you close your eyes – only a blink, but it hangs, as if the momentary motion is enough to suspend you into a suspended space before. You can see the two options stretched out before you – metaphysically – the impression of it. A long, long shadow cast over one. As if there is a presence hovering over and above, like waiting jaws, ready to strike. In the other, there remains…nothing. It is not pleasant, it is not comforting, it simply… is. A sense that there is now a lack of anything, almost like it had never existed before.

Does this world have value? You can feel the Advocate ask. Do you want to give them a chance to live? Or does should this world cease, is there nothing here to save?

And though you are compelled, required to answer, you know this question for what it is. Short-sighted. Both, in the end, will lead to its destruction, but which will you choose? Will you allow the world to continue, even with that long shadow cast, like a hungry beast with snapping jaws; or will you erase it from existence and spare it that oncoming apocalypse?

Catch [???] Winks

The last world’s fate decided, bearers float in an endless sea of stars. You can see them all, spread before you. Intermittently, they wink out, swallowed into the darkness, consumed as the shadows, that inky-black nothingness grows ever-larger. It looks upon you, bearers. It is nothing, but you have its attention, and your blood runs cold, your limbs frozen. You cannot move, you cannot speak, you cannot breathe. You feel it, the power of being drawn into it, like it wants to consume you. Like it knows you.

T̸̢̼̯͓̬̘́̀̋̆͊h̷͔̣̱̝͍̬̣͕̄̂͗̆͒͌͜ͅẹ̶̱̩̅͒̿̇͠ ̵̭̹͇͖̔̀ṃ̸̢̧͙̟̼̜͌͆̍͝͝ͅo̴̟̞̓̆̇̐̆͊̽͆̂̀r̶͈̺̮̠͙̗͌ę̸̤̻̈́͐͂̓̊͐̂͆ ̵̡̛͎̩̳̤͔͚̱̼̆̒̓y̴̺̞̹̺̝̤͂ǫ̷̡̣̱̥͊̈́̓͑̕͘ű̵̼͜͜ ̶̨̨̝̟̘̱͇̲̻̪̊͂̽̈̒͊f̴̱̐͌̌̓̋̔́̀͝i̶͖̤͎̬̝̦͒̂g̸̳̰̟̀̓̽̈́̐h̸̼͍̮͎̊̅͗͊̈͋̽̀͘t̴͔͚́̓,̷̨̧̱̠̙̠̙̱̒̍̽̾ ̷̖̰̼̬̟͐̊̂t̶̖̄͂̅̃̍͐̊̑̅͜͝h̴̢̛͙̪̞̫̝̺̋̅̿͛̇̚͝͝ͅͅȩ̶͉̤͍̠́̈͑̏͋̚͘͝ ̸̢̨̧͚̖̤̪̬̪̀̉̐͗̂͆͑̚̕̚c̴̠̩̳͎̲̪͔̟̈́͂̉͑́l̶̡̲̻̣̘̏́ͅo̶̢̧͔͈̬̳̰͈̝̻͌̋̆̃͒͗̏͘ş̴̪̺̣̥̎̽̿͗̒́͛̕̚̚e̴̺͍̤͖͂̇͑͂̋͂̆̾r̴̨̩̈́͋͠ ̷̧͚̲̩̖̋͒̉́͗y̶̘̖̝̑̈͊ǒ̵͚̽u̵͎͍̇̀̏̊̕͝ŕ̷͎̜̘͙̀̋ ̶͇̲̝̞̖̝̣̘̝̬͋d̷͔͈͔̀̿õ̴̝̯͇̹̘̏͗͜ö̵͚͓͆m̵͉̦̫̥̦̞̫͐̆͐̿͊͒͌͋͜.̷̼͈̻̥̜̾̏͐̾̐͆͘͜

You gasp, as you startle awake, and open your eyes for the first time in a long time.

CODING

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[Alice has managed to gain some height in this whole deal ... somewhat. She's still just a little over 5' at her withers but her human half might nudge her up to some coveted 5'6" or so. Her centaur half is all stocky little workhorse but she's a far cry from what Dimitri is.

It's a fact that has her blinking at him a moment, briefly dumbfounded. Typically any kind of size difference flies right on past her but in the moment she thinks about Ace and Piro and how he's quite on even ground with the pair of them. His coat isn't the same of course but his build is. It's a rather nostalgic feeling all in all.

She gives him a tentative little smile once she shakes her attention back into the present.]

I would offer to brace ourselves off one another but I'm not sure we would get to more level ground without rolling part of the way.

[Okay, let her just -- she pushes off of the tree she's holding onto. Her tail lashes back and forth a few times in clear aggravation as she powers through trying to take another step or two.]

[ Dimitri himself is a great lover of horses... but this is a bit much, even for him. He glances over his shoulder to examine himself and then shakes his head, smile a touch rueful as he takes a few more cautious steps, still steadying himself against trees. ]

That's alright. I have a feeling we might trip over each other.

[ He watches her and then joins in with his own determined look. He doesn't quite trip or fall, which is good.

Look, they're making progress! ]

I'll have to ask Hayame for tips if I see her...

I thought this must be her world. ... Or whatever one might call it.

[Careful, careful. Alice is peering down at her front feet, taking a step and then peering at her back. At least her hearts -- both of them -- aren't thumping away quite as heavily now. She reaches for a nearby tree with her next step, a little more sure-footed than the first.]

She's certainly the only jinba I've ever seen anyhow.

[They might have tanks and guns and whatnot back home but nothing quite like her.]

There's always the possibility it's a different one, but I have to admit, I think you're right.

[ Like her, he's finding his balance, bit by bit. He's managing to start to work his way forward - and maybe toward an area that's not just trees everywhere. ]

She's the only sort of her kind I've seen in my life. It's rather fascinating...

[It is fascinating, she'll admit. Yet for a moment thinking of the woman she feels a heaviness in her heart as she thinks back to their first conversation. She had talked to her afterward several times but it was something she couldn't quite shake off.

With her footing a touch more sure she feels like she can talk a bit more freely. She glances over her shoulder and probably a bit upward to glance at the man himself as she spoke.]

Have you talked to her recently?

After the attack... we had a conversation while she was recovering from an injury. And we've discussed strategy. But not beyond that, no.

[ He glances down at her curiously. ]

Why do you ask? Does something trouble you?

[ He does worry about Hayame himself. She seems so dedicated - it's admirable really. But it's also a little frightening. ]

I talked to her once after the attack and a few times afterward.

[Alice pauses a moment as she thinks how to word this. She stumbles a little on a particularly rocky bit of earth but corrects herself without quite as much effort as earlier.]

I'm simply afraid some day her anger might get the better of her, that's all. I seek to only use my blade with neutrality in mind but having given into anger myself in the past I wouldn't wish to see anyone else consumed by it.

[Her brow furrows up, look a bit comically tense.]

She ... didn't react well to that advice ...

[Ahem.]

...she has a great deal of hurt and pain that I cannot pretend to fully grasp. But I do share that fear. I went though something similarly once... I lost myself to my own demons.

[ He shakes his head. ]

It took me time to work back to something close to being functional again. I don't wish to see something similar happen to anyone else.

[Alice glances back over her shoulder a moment with an expression of understanding.]

I'm thankful my own experiences have been short ones. You have done well to work your way out of such a state.

[Glancing forward and down at her hooves a moment she continues:]

Before I arrived here there was an incident involving a group of terrorists. I fought with their tank but by that time the damage they had done to the city and the bodies ... well. I wasn't very happy about it, we'll say that.

[It really was the closest Alice had ever gotten to what one might call incensed.]

...I can understand that. Although I don't know what a "tank" is.

[ He imagines its some kind of weapon, considering the context. He's not quite sure how much of his own past he wants to go into - so he settles for trotting along as best he can and listening to her. ]

When rage like that overtakes you, it makes you feel as if the only thing that will solve anything is... more death. More bloodshed.

[Alice makes a commiserating sound. Thankfully the slope of the mountain is coming to some sort of end, more level ground now clearly in sight. There are still plenty of trees of course but Alice will mostly be glad to have steadier ground under her feet. ... Hooves? Yes, those.]

At the very least you want to strike out. If it ends in death and bloodshed you don't much mind anymore.

[The last is said in a solemn tone. While she had killed when necessary she never reveled in it. Not even in that moment with the tank. She had already readily agreed to shattering Shards if it was necessary so she doesn't need to state her emotions on necessary bloodshed.

Instead she pauses a moment and realizes she isn't quite sure how to explain a tank. She looks to her side and up at him again, brows raised.]

Do you know what a car is?

[ The level terrain is welcome, at least as far as Dimitri is concerned. He sighs softly and pauses to stretch a little. ]

...a car? No. I don't think I've heard of one before.

[ Sorry, Alice. He's pretty clueless when it comes to any technology. ]

[Oh. Well then. Alice adjusts the pack on her back now that she's on solid ground and takes a moment to sort of ... prance? She's not gotten to move her new limbs more or less freely so she takes the moment to do so now as she thinks.]

You've seen carriages before though, yes? Or do you only have mounts in your world?

[ Dimitri purses his lips. ]

Of course. We have carriages, after all. Wagons, too. Are...cars your word for that sort of thing?

Not precisely. We have carriages and wagons as well. Cars are a somewhat newer invention though. It's a simplistic description but rather than horses they use engines.

[She holds out her hands here mimicking the grasp of a steering wheel.]

They have a wheel to steer with and pedals you use to make them move.

[She pauses there, considers and then gestures a little.]

You can think of a tank as ... an armoured carriage perhaps?

[Hm, maybe? She huffs a little.]

I don't suppose I could somehow give you a mental image of any of those? Communion is very nice for showing off weaponry.

[She's come to appreciate it for at least that much.]

Edited 2024-03-19 20:12 (UTC)

...oh, I see. So these engines power the wagon in place of a horse or person.

[ He grasps the concept, it's just a little alien to him. ]

Armored carriages are an interesting curiosity in my own world. It sounds more like a chariot or something similar... but you could certainly try to share a mental image. I wouldn't object.

A chariot typically doesn't have a top, does it? I confess I've never used a chariot however. My family still uses carriages, though I do prefer horseback when I am able. The army is very fond of cars, trucks and motorbikes though given they are faster.

[Hm. Well, maybe she can? Alice tilts her head a little, eyes closing. She's heard the eyes part isn't strictly necessary but like hell she can concentrate on communion without doing that. Blame it on her being ever ready and alert; even now with her eyes closed her tail flicks back and forth and one of her back hooves unconsciously scuffs at the ground.

The image she ends up conjuring up is the whole of Section Three packed into a truck. Poor Randel has to sit in the bed of it, giant of a man that he is.

It's her first readily recallable image though given they always drive trucks far more than cars on missions.]

That's more a truck than a car but I suppose that works.

Oh.

[ Dimitri blinks as the image swims into his mind, a little blurry and unfocused, but there all the same. It looks like such a strange contraption, but he can visualize it a little better now. ]

That's certainly interesting, I have to say. I think I've seen some of them in the other worlds we've passed through...

[Alice gives a nod at that.]

I imagine so. There have been a few more advanced places, I think?

[Now that she's got her footing as well as it can be under her she moves to trek further into the forest itself.]

Or they seemed more advanced to me at least.

More advanced than I'm used to, at least.

[ He follows at a steady trot, a bit more used to his new legs. ]

Although some of them don't have magic, it seems. Which is interesting to me... I'm very used to it being present.

[It's strange how being in Kenos has somehow made Alice laugh more than she has at home in quite some time. Maybe it's the lack of needing to be quite so much a noble all the time?

Here she goes again, huffing out a laugh.]

And then here I am, not knowing what to do with most of this magic business.

[She simmers into a broad grin.]

Shez asked me if my sword had any abilities. I couldn't fathom the idea!

[Swords? Doing stuff other than sword things?]

Truly? It's not as uncommon as that where I'm front. Not precisely common. But it's... something that happens. It's so strange to think of a place without any magic at all.

[ He runs a hand through his hair, glancing back and down at himself. ]

Although nothing quite like being shifted like this.

Magic is for fairytales where I'm from.

[She tilts her head some there.]

Admittedly I did like fairytales as a child. Not so much for the magic though.

[That said she hums a little.]

Other than getting my feet ... er, hooves under me? I can't say I mind. It's certainly not like riding a horse but I could get used to living like this.

[A horse girl through and through, she is. Alice brightens enthusiastically.]

Think of the advantages in combat!

Well, we had fairytales ourselves, but magic is still something we have in our everyday lives...

[ It's an interesting thought. He pauses and then prances, lifting one hoof and then another. ]

It certainly has them. I've had the privilege of seeing Hayame fight - it's incredible the power she has in her body.

I can imagine. Mounted combat alone is a very powerful strategy after all. House Malvin was well known for their mounted knights and their efficiency for ripping through enemy lines to allow other troops a way forward.

[It almost makes her want to test out herself in this form. Perhaps later? She had her Mahne with her, maybe someone else would be keen to spar?

Her brows perk up a bit.]

Was it anything like being here in Kenos then? I was taught some spells but I can't say I've really used them much just yet.

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