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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[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.

Yes; Faerghus too has a long history of knights and mounted combat.

[ He considers that and then nods with a warm smile. ]

Yes! In fact we had a storied school of magic in the capital, Fhirdiad. It was something we took pride in. Although our magic could vary a little from the sort here in a few different ways.

[Oh! The notion of a school has her interested for sure.]

That sounds sound very interesting! School would certainly help me understand magic more I imagine. I did enjoy military school quite a bit.

[She starts to ask about the different ways and then laughs some at herself.]

I would guess talking about the differences would be a lengthy explanation.

Edited (i just hate using the same word too many times lol) 2024-03-21 02:27 (UTC)

Military school? I went to something much like that once - the Academy. Maybe I can tell you more about it some time.

[ He rubs the back of his head. ]

As to magic - I wasn't particularly skilled at it back home so I unfortunately never learned much of it beyond theory or generalities.

Of course. I'm happy to 'swap stories' -- I believe that's how that's used anyhow ...

[It was slang she had heard at some point. Maybe from Oreldo? She's about to ramble on everyone having specialities and other such stuff when their trekking through the woods jinba-style actually leads to something!]

Mm? Odd to find buildings out this far.

Edited 2024-03-22 17:03 (UTC)

...they seem a little out of place, yes. Sturdy enough, though.

[ He cocks his head as he spots wooden walls through the trees - and then a cleared space. Little gardens for growing crops. It's... like a rural village he might expect to see anywhere, except it's practically on top of a mountain. ]

Do you hear voices?

[ There is something - high pitched chatter. Arguments, maybe laughter. ]

[Voices, yes. They sound excited, almost like children playing. Way up here though? Par usual for her she breaks out in front without waiting for Dimitri, taking off at a trot. If there's children she's not about to just sneak up on them and would rather announce her presence off the bat.

She stops mid-trot though once she does round one of the building and finds the source of all that high pitched chatter.]

... Oh. It is children.

[Orphans. She knows that immediately simply because she's seen so many of them. The aftermath of war tended to produce many of them after all and she finds herself realizing the depths of what must be happening here in Hayame's world.]

[ Dimitri takes off after her with a slightly startled cry. ]

Alice, wait a moment-

[ But then he trails off as he starts to catch up to her and realizes what it is they're looking at. Children, a whole gaggle of them - but not an adult in sight, not even lurking to keep an eye on them and let them get into trouble. He's silent for a long moment and he's about to say something when suddenly there's silence and he realizes that the children have spotted them and for a long moment they're just staring. And then there's a barrage of questions and yelling and there's a small tidal wave running at them as fast as their four legs can carry them. ]

[A small tidal wave indeed! Alice's eyes jump wide open when the children begin to descend upon them with those bright little voices pitched up high and keen. They're curious and eager and as they bunch up around her legs Alice begins to fluster.]

I .. I, um -- that --

[One of them clings to her right foreleg, peering up at her with round dark eyes and she just --]

H-Hello ...

[She has a baby brother at home and he's no stranger to running up to her when he sees her. She's had a vastly different experience with most orphans though -- for good reason, of course -- and it has her a little overwhelmed at the moment.]

Hello there...

[ Dimitri is also a little overwhelmed but he at least seems to take to it with a bit more speed than Alice does. He offers the children a smile and reaches down to ruffle some hair and try to offer a bit of contact and comfort. ]

We're certainly surprised to find you here.

[ "I didn't think there were any adults left!"

Well, that's ominous. ]

We're certainly alive. Aren't we, Alice? [ That implies something. Hmm. ]

[The question is quick to snap her out of her moment here. She blinks a few times but the weight of what that must mean settles over her in an instant.]

Of course.

[She pauses a moment, looking back to the kids around her and then carefully takes the bag off of her back to set aside.]

Careful, there's something sharp in there so don't play with it.

[That said she settles more into the war relief worker she is. She leans down, still short enough despite her new form to be able to gently touch the head of the child clinging onto her leg. It's somehow a surprise that he doesn't flinch and she wonders what that says about her own world. He can't be much older than Arren -- six, seven maybe?

He looks well. He's not skinny and no more dirty than a child would likely be after rough play. She casts her gaze quietly around the area, noting the rest of the children look much the same. Her expression is quietly serious like she's running this all through her mind for a moment.]

I've seen groups like this before. There are probably a few older children watching them -- teenagers maybe, if not younger.

[They must have stumbled on a group of the smaller children who couldn't work.]

Edited 2024-03-23 01:21 (UTC)

Yes, I've seen groups of them before... but I've never really been quite this up close and personal. It's always been - well. Something I've been trying to deal with after the end of the war.

[ He frowns, murmuring softly as he ruffles someone's hair and then tries to answer a question thrown his way - "How'd you get so big"? ]

Well, that took a lot of time-

[ Then another aside to Alice. ]

They might be out hunting or doing some other chores. Should we look for them?

[She flicks an understanding look his way before she looks back to the children themselves. Someone must have told them to stick together because they're a tightly packed little crowd, aren't they. She considers the boy a moment, untangles him from her leg and gently shoos him Dimitri's way.]

I'll go look for them.

[She smirks just a little once she straightens up, hands on her ... well, not hips anymore but waist.]

You're better with children than I am.

[That said she starts picking her way through the kids, thinking to ask at least one of the oldest of the bunch if there are any teenagers. Or anyone in charge? The name Mikuni is floated about but there's the impression they might not be here at the moment. There's something about 'foraging' though and she nods her head at that. They couldn't be very far away then, so she thought. Hadn't she noted some gardens when they first arrived.]

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