THE ADVOCATE ORACLE - A RIP VAN WINKLE IN TIME

[beleos]

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

Comments

[hauntedking]

[ Those new ears of his flick. ]

As far as I know, yes. Although she also is apparently just as much of a fighter as the rest of us.

[ His eyes track one of those vehicles that zip through the congestion. ]

Are you thinking it might be located somewhere related to healing?

[wolfish]

Indeed she is. She helped stop Link back when he was...you know.

[ He does his best not to grimace, very nearly manages. But it will always be an unpleasant memory. Despite their best efforts, Bondrewd had his merry little way with Link's shard, alongside Aetós.

It does them no good to dwell on it now, however, so Yuri sweeps the discussion along. ]

Healing'd be of personal importance to her, so it's a place to start. As for the world itself...difficult to say.

[hauntedking]

Ah... yes. I do recall that.

[ He frowns a little and draws closer, almost shoulder to shoulder. ]

I simply don't know enough about this place. And judging on our previous experiences we only have a handful of hours.

[ He shakes his head, weaving his way through the foot traffic. ]

It's a difficult task.

[wolfish]

[ Yuri remains close at his side, lest the tide of people-traffic separate them. The concentrated nature of the populace remains a bizarre contrast to their homeland, an overcrowded, moving wall. Fortunately, confined spaces have never overwhelmed him.

This would be far more difficult otherwise. ]

That's true...we may be swept off to the next before we can get our bearings.

[ It wouldn't surprise him in the slightest, for that matter. ]

[hauntedking]

Entirely possible. I'm not quite sure of how long we'll have-

[ He grunts, finding the flow of people rather irritating and then tries to sidestep into a side alley that might let them move around the flow. ]

Let's try this way. Maybe we'll find something...

[wolfish]

[ It's an immediate relief to be out of the throng, and Yuri huffs out a quiet breath. Now that they're not being pressed in at all sides, he feels like he can hear his own thoughts once again. ]

Far better than trying to wade through that... There're far more people than I'd have expected.

[ Why remain with Zenith, then, when there are so many to save? It's not for him to ask Gavial that, but he certainly wonders. ]

Let's see what we can turn up.

[hauntedking]

I thought I'd seen large cities, but this takes so much...

[ He shakes his head. ]

I imagine I would get used to it after a time, but so many people.

[wolfish]

We come from adaptable people, after all.

[ Faerghans have weathered much simply to survive. Surely they could handle crowds and dense cityscapes. ]

Still, how do they manage to create structures like this? Why so much glass?

[hauntedking]

The glass does seem excessive... and expensive. Although if they have so much of it, maybe they're just a wealthy people?

[ Hmm. ]

But... the height is impressive. Especially with just straight walls, no?

[wolfish]

Must be rich in resources, if nothing else.

[ Yuri tips his head back to observe one such building as they pass. To stretch so high and straight, with none of the usual architectural supports they'd expect truly is something else. ]

And their methods are very unlike ours.

[hauntedking]

They'd have to be, to fit this many people here. Do you think these are all homes? Surely some of these must be administrative buildings or schools or something else as well...

[ How mysterious. ]

[wolfish]

Businesses as well, perhaps...

[ He trails off with a quiet hum. ]

Why don't we have ourselves a look? Could prove a good vantage point.

[hauntedking]

Hmm. We may as well. Can we get inside...?

[ As it turns out, yes. The lobby is interesting and they only get a few strange looks as they stand there. ]

...do they have stairs? Or some kind of lift?

[ He's not unfamiliar with lifts. They're just usually man or animal powered or something. ]

[wolfish]

Good question. I—

[ Off to the side, a chime rings through the air. Doors open in the wall and people pour out, leaving what appears to be a box. There it waits, odd lights beside it resembling arrows pointing up and down. ]

...Suppose that's supposed to be a lift?

[ Weird. ]

[hauntedking]

[ Dimitri isn't quite sure he trusts it, but... ]

Well, shall we?

[ He gestures Yuri ahead and then turns to follow him inside. Once there he examines the buttons... and decides on pressing the one with the highest number. ]

1/2

[wolfish]

[ The lift lurches into motion and Yuri jolts, catching Dimitri's arm for balance. ]

[wolfish]

[ Once he realizes he's done that, however, he withdraws his hand. ]

...Sorry. Haven't encountered one of these.

[ He'd avoided some similar, odd contraption in Xanadu's mall, uncertain he wanted to trust his face to what looked like a glass chute at the time. ]

[hauntedking]

[ Dimitri reaches out to steady Yuri, not apparently minding too much. His hand hovers and then withdraws with a little laugh. ]

Quite alright. It's certainly an experience...

[ The rest of the ride is smooth, although it does stop occasionally to let on people at other floors and then let them off again. Finally it reaches the top with a little 'ding'. Dimitri steps out into the hallway. ]

If it weren't for that initial jolt you'd almost think we were transported by magic.

[wolfish]

[ Yuri follows him out, not keen to get caught on the elevator and separated from Dimitri. Who knows where they'll wind up if they get swept off again, after all? ]

Were this our world, no doubt magic would have to be involved.

[ It's like a dumbwaiter that moves on its own, large enough to convey people. The scale of it is a curiosity. If they had something like this, it would save time in larger structures, he has to admit.

He considers that as he looks around, assessing their surroundings from his position near Dimitri's elbow. ]

...Looks like that indoor marketplace in Xanadu. A mall, yeah?

[hauntedking]

...oh, right. That place - it does look a bit like it.

[ He peers down a hallway and then another - and then the elevator lobby opens up into a view of glass and the cityscape below.

It's overwhelming when you're in it. It's impressive when you can look down on a portion of it. ]

...incredible.

[wolfish]

[ The glass seems so thin a barrier between them and the vastness of the city spread out below them. Yuri rests a hand on the railing that runs between them and the window, surveying the foreign urban expanse.

It's nothing like home. Nothing like Kenos.

To think Gavial hails from such a place... No wonder she was able to so easily explain electronic appliances to him. ]

Small wonder I couldn't see the stars... The whole place glows.

[hauntedking]

It's... incredible. I thought Fhirdiad or the Imperial Capital were large, but...

[ He shakes his head. ]

...there's still so much our worlds didn't know. Don't know. Things they'll discover long after we're gone.

[ He sounds a bit wistful and without thinking, he reaches out to gently touch Yuri on the shoulder and rest his hand there. ]

[wolfish]

That's true... And some if it's because we're easier to control that way.

[ Does Dimitri know about that? Has his world's Yuri told him? In a five year war, perhaps he hadn't had occasion to. ]

When all of this is done, I— [ He abruptly finds he doesn't want to think about that, gripping the railing tightly for a moment. Just as quickly, his grasp goes slack. ] Pay a visit to the Shadow Library in Abyss, yeah? There aren't lifts, so far as I know, but there are innovations our people could use. The church simply feared them. Lady Rhea feared them.

[hauntedking]

...the Shadow Library.

[ Dimitri's voice is soft. ]

I will, Yuri. I'll see what I find. I intend to make sure Fodlan is a place where everyone can live... thank you for that. I don't know why Lady Rhea feared them, but I will look into that. You have my word.

[wolfish]

I can't say I know her reasons, myself... But I know some of those inventions would make Fódlan a better place.

[ And he has no doubt that the Abyssians of Dimitri's world will see his intentions and help him find what he needs to. They'll see what he does — that Dimitri can and will make their lives better.

For now, satisfied that the information will be used when the time comes he returns his focus to the realm beyond the window. ]

Anything stand out to you?