lifeaftr | June Intro: Let's Sea How Far We've Come

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June Intro: Let's Sea How Far We've Come

INTRO LOG: JUNE

Who: Everyone!
What: New souls arrive to the archipelago of LifeAftr as the island of Ziziphus begins to crumble
When: June 4th and onward
Where: Ziziphus and Ensō...and Monsun
Warnings: Mark as needed!

Ziziphus: At The Start Of The End Of The World
Since Bliss's destruction, the extensive root network they've threaded throughout every inch of the island of Ziziphus has begun to crumble. June 4th marks the beginning of the inevitable collapse of the island as it starts to sink into the sea...coincidentally coinciding with the arrival of LifeAftr's newest adventurers. Between the dead trees surrounding Bliss's empty husk, great cracks in the earth start to widen, the dead god's absent root system leaving vast gaps underground which simply cannot support the life above.

It almost sounds like thunder rupturing from the ground itself, wild tremors preceding each vicious boom until gaping chasms lay between venturing parties and the safety of the mana pool - only water waits below, for those unlucky enough to lose their footing.

And if the immense pull of mile wide chunks of landmass sinking beneath the waves isn't enough to suck you down, the heavy rain of debris from Ziziphus's rapidly destabilizing edges will certainly help. Want to avoid a watery grave? What you need to do is simple:

Escape.

Sorry, newbies. If you showed up on Ziziphus, you're in for a very athletic entrance to LifeAftr.

Monsun: Just Like Every Other Morning Before
Adventurers aren't the only creatures on Ziziphus attempting to outrun its collapse. Creatures great and small, from the largest spindlank to the smallest tigerlily will be heading south in an attempt to escape the worst of the quakes. Unlike offshore adventurers, however, these poor creatures don't have a mana pool waiting for them to escape through. Their extinction, it seems, is imminent.

Unless you have something to say about it.

Already exhausted from their attempts to get through to and then actively dispose of their fellow god, the Storyteller will break their traditional manner of communication to announce a potential solution to this problem with a single broadcast to the Stones of Far Speech in a strained, weary tone:

"The mana pools on Monsun are now open. If you are willing, save what you can."

True to their word, characters will discover that the island of Monsun will be accessible once more for a short period of time. From prey to predator, obstruction to catastrophe - multiple species of flora and fauna can still be preserved, should you choose to do so.

Be wary of the psychological effects of both sides of the island. Those who are new to our setting and wish to explore, the island of Monsun has a peculiar side effect to its stark divide: the eastern half is rich in resources, but brings out the very worst of you, while the western half is a tumultuous wasteland that accentuates your best qualities. More information on said island can be found on its entry on the Locations page, or its introductory info post.

Due to these efforts, the Storyteller will not be available for contact from the 4th to the 18th of June. Item Requests will also be unavailable at this time. They will, however, make a rather strained announcement to ensure all are aware that access to both Ziziphus and Monsun will cease on June 10th.

Ensō: I Wonder What It Means If It's Gone
The native fauna of Ziziphus aren't the only ones on the move, it seems. Those who wander the shores of Ensō will be delighted to witness the appearance of creatures akin to both turtles and dugongs drifting through the waters, gravitating around the island's eastern coast, rapidly gaining in numbers over the following days.

Kaleidoshells have been unlocked in the bestiary!

With spring close to ending in the archipelago, these peaceful creatures are looking to make good use of their natural nesting areas; hope you're open to sharing the beach for a little while. While a few braver individuals will make their way to the shores between C4 and D1 to begin digging nests, the vast majority won't be coming to shore quite yet.

They do, however, make a very fine sight around the waters of Ensō, especially in the evening. Luminescent, their rainbow patterns glow underwater, drifting mood lights for the increasingly warmer evening breeze.

All new arrivals will awake with knapsacks, their names stitched to the front. The contents of said knapsacks can all be found in your acceptance notices!

As a final note to those who participated in the Test Drive Meme, bear in mind that those threads, if all parties involved would like, can be game canon in the form of dream-like memories involving a place very much like this one, though the layout is considerably different.

Feeling a tad adrift? Make sure to check the Locations Page, which has details regarding the starting areas and a handy map for those who feel better with a bird's eye view!

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Iggy...

[Gladio hadn't even really moved but he steps in closer, lets his arm curl around Ignis' waist and pull him back against his chest. He's filthy and probably smells like the rot that permeates Ziziphus but if Ignis was bothered by it he shouldn't have sounded so hurt.]

Not leavin you, babe. [Murmured softly into his hair as Gladio ducks down to nuzzle at the nape of his neck, pressing a soft kiss in just below his ear. He looks up at Ardyn, reaches out to him around Ignis' body, tries to snag his sleeve to tug him back in close.]

No one's walking away. Just... wanted to give you guys space if you need it.

...

[Ardyn pulled his arm out of reach as if he'd been burned, looking stuck between staying right where he was or throwing something as hard as he could and warping halfway across the desert. Long term safety versus immediate necessity versus not knowing what in Ifrit's name to even make of Gladio right now clashed in his head with force enough to even give an immortal a splitting headache, but after some hesitation it was the second that won out.]

[He reached over and took Ignis' hand in both of his own, hesitant to draw closer but not pulling further away.]

I...won't go anywhere.

Thank you.

[Ignis is so relieved that he can't find it in himself to be embarrassed at the fact he all but sobs the words. His fingers tighten like steel around Ardyn's even as his body relaxes into Gladio's hold. Gently, very gently, he pulls Ardyn forward, just enough so that he can rest their hands against his chest, over his heart. He feels so vulnerable right now. Is it really okay for him to show this instead of hide it?

Well, if he is going to show this side of himself to anyone, it should be these two no matter if Ardyn might use it against him once Monsun is once more gone.]

I don't think either of you understand just how empty the thought of losing you makes me feel.

[That near sob breaks his heart and Gladio's hand presses a little harder on Ignis' belly, holding him tight against him. Something he makes himself stop the second Ignis tries to coax the redhead closer. His hand slips back to Iggy's hip, still holding on but not in a position to accidentally touch Ardyn if that's not what he was ready for.

And Gladio's pretty sure he's not ready for that at all.]

I know... [Murmured into the short hairs at his nape, lips moving softly over his skin.]

I know... [maybe more than Ignis realizes in that moment because that's exactly how he's lived the last 9 years. Achingly empty and alone and now that he has this, as hard as it is to believe, he doesn't plan on letting go. He's not sure he could, even if he wanted to. It would kill him to carve out his heart again now that it's so full.]

...better than you realize. [Ardyn gently squeezed his hand, stepping just a little closer without crossing the imaginary barrier set between himself and Gladio. Trusting Ignis was one thing--trusting anyone else was going to take time, even the way he was right now.]

It's alright. [He carefully pulled one hand away, brushing Ignis' hair out of his eyes with a faint and awkward smile.] I'll not abandon you so long as I've enough of myself to know better.

[Ignis returns Ardyn's smile with a small one of his own, catching hold of the redhead's hand as it drifts away from his face and pulling it back so he can press a several kisses against his knuckles. He would prefer to place those kisses elsewhere, but that would involve pulling the Healer-King closer than he will likely find acceptable. This will have to do for now.]

You are both right. I'm being unfair to you making such assumptions. This is just...new to me and I'm not used to feeling so vulnerable. I suppose the island figures being this way is 'good' for me.

[He laughs a little, the sound just slightly more nervous than it is good-natured, and then tilts his head back so he's facing Gladio as well as he can without letting loose of Ardyn's hands.]

No more robot. I do hope he won't be missed.

Edited (Oops, lets not be so repetitive!) 2018-06-09 03:01 (UTC)

[Gladio chuckles softly, leaning over his shoulder and pressing a kiss to his temple. ]

No more robot. 's good. [Another playful nuzzle.] But you know you can kiss him right?

[He shifts his hand on Iggy's hip a little, nudges him forward just the tiniest bit. He knows the other man is leaning heavily on him, that if he were to step back to give Ardyn more space that Ignis might fall.]

I... [He blows out a breath, puts his forehead against Ignis' back for a moment.] I'm just... glad you're willing to give me this.

Probably not going to be so generous later, elsewhere. But... I'm not about to ask either of you to walk away from this. [Finally he lifts his head, rests his chin on Iggy's hair for a moment. He pulls back before he gets a headbutt to the nose for it but he's watching Ardyn.]

You only have so much time you can really enjoy each other's company... so... I guess I just... don't want you two to hesitate because of me. Is what I'm getting at.

...I'm not exactly going to be happy about this later. I'll likely say all manner of horrible things and think you're just proving me right. But I...don't want to leave. I don't want to be left behind even though I know that's the safest option here.

I'm fairly certain we all stopped caring about the 'safe' option a while ago.

[Ignis straightens himself after Gladio's little push of encouragement and steps back over to Ardyn, pressing a short kiss to the corner of the redhead's mouth before wrapping his arms around him and then tucking his head under his chin. Without raising his head from its new resting place, Ignis begins speaking again.]

He will be insufferable, perhaps even irrational, when we go back, Gladio. I need you to promise me you won't let him goad you into anything.

[His arms tighten around Ardyn, then, voice confident as he continues.]

After our last conversation, I believe we can find a way to balance out his temperament some, but it will take time, won't it, Beloved? We can't fix two thousand years in just a few days.

[He doesn't move into their space, doesn't try to encroach when Ignis has Ardyn in his arms but he does reach out to brush his fingers down Ignis' back, light and reassuring.]

Heh.... that is a tall order but I'll do my best. At the very least I promise I won't break his face. Maybe something nearby but not his face.

[Ignis you know how reactive Gladio is and how vicious an angry, frightened Ardyn can be. He'll try. He'll try to walk away, to not rise to the bait. But his restraint, while better now than it was 10 years ago, has it's limits.]

If nothing else it sounds like we've got all the time in the world here.

[Ardyn ran a light hand through Ignis' hair, pressing a kiss to his head with a tired, hollow laugh.]

I'm sorry. I'm going to cause all of you nothing but trouble again. What I am...can't truly be cured or saved. It's always going to be there so long as I'm alive, and I'm never going to be a mortal with functioning morality or sentiment.

I can't...change that. And I won't go to the Storyteller for help, not even should I have no other recourse. I don't even know if it can be balanced out, but I...no matter what I will say off of this island, I want to try. I want-...I want that sense of happiness again, even if it should be a pale shadow of what I felt in that dream.

Shh... Everyone I care about causes me trouble. This is nothing new.

[Ignis raises one of his hands, running the fingers gently over Ardyn's cheek.]

The Divine have messed with you enough. We'll find another way. I don't trust any of them with you or your happiness, not even the Storyteller.

[He lets his hand fall to rest on Ardyn's shoulder and then turns his head in Gladio's direction.]

Thank you, lovely petal. I know I'm asking so much of you both. More than I should. I just wish I had more to give in return than my love. It doesn't seem like enough for all I ask.

I know I haven't been here long enough to know him the way you guys do but... the bunny's cute and all but if he's this wiped after the shit with Bliss then tackling something caused by the astrals is above his pay grade anyway. [Not the most delicate way of putting it but, well, this is Gladio.

Ignis turns to face him and he almost moves towards him. He stops himself, looks up to Ardyn, the question clear in his expression and raised hand. He at least wants to be close enough to touch him, rest a comforting hand on his back or hip. Something.]

It's more than enough Iggy. Its- [Another uncertain look at Ardyn, part of him still wary of giving the redhead such an obvious weakness to use against him later. But then... he already knows, doesn't he?] You know it's all I've wanted.

He claims to be able to help if I ask, but I'm not foolish enough to trust a god again.

[Ardyn took Ignis' hand with one of his own, gesturing towards Gladio with the other. Hug your apparent boyfriend, and don't mind his daemon boyfriend's boundary issues.]

...Don't be an imbecile. No one's cared for me in two millennia; this alone is more than anything I could ask for.

I've come to believe that the Storyteller means well, but they are young, and after Bahamut I have no wish to trust those I care for to the whims of the divine, well-meaning or not. At best they don't understand things as we do and at worst, well, we've seen where that leads.

[Is that blasphemy? Perhaps, but Bahamut can bloody well sit and spin for all Ignis cares. Oh...has there been a chance to fill Gladio in on the details of the mess that the Draconian and his kin? Maybe, maybe not. If not, this is as good a time as any to talk about it. Though, finding some seats before such a long story might be nice.

A small shy smile crosses Ignis' face. He might not be able to see the body language and the looks passing between Gladio and Ardyn, but he can guess a little at what is going on. Besides, one of his loves is a little more hands on than the other.

Giving Ardyn's hand a squeeze, Ignis reaches out with his other toward Gladio.]

I apologize. I suppose I should thank you both for not yelling at me for belittling the value of my affections.

[It's not a hug. It doesn't need to be. But he's found that it is a little hard to believe still, that he's even allowed to touch Ignis. Which just means that he keeps reminding himself every other moment by keeping a hand on him.

He takes the hand Iggy holds out, kisses his knuckles, nuzzles into his palm and then lets him take his hand back, just standing close enough to return his hand to the small of Ignis' back, fighting down the urge to untuck his stupid shirt so his fingers can rest on bare skin.]

You do realize there's still uh- a lot of this story I don't know, yeah?

Which is kinda fucked up. That I know more about our resident rabbit than the gods back home. Just... How much were they hiding? [Now that he knows what Ignis was doing all those years he has to wonder how little he really understood of what they were up against.]

Allow me to answer that, if you would. The short explanation is 'everything'. The longer version is...well, bear with me a moment.

[Ardyn sighed, running his free hand briefly through Ignis' hair before gesturing vaguely as he spoke.]

As the Astral War neared its ending, a pair of brothers emerged at the forefront of those who fought for humanity's survival, and earned the favor of the gods once Ifrit had at last been defeated. To the world of mortals was a Crystal granted, this you already know. But there was more to it; as the Infernian's plague ran rampant across the star, so did the divine grant the elder brother the power to save the people he would someday rule.

...So he traveled far and wide, revered as a saint and sage by those who he liberated from the otherwise incurable scourge. But magic...comes at a price. It always has.

[He squeezed Ignis' hand slightly, trying to will away the tension that had started to present itself in his shoulders.]

For the elder brother's magic was no true cure; naught but transferral. The plague took root in his body rather than that of his subjects, half-dormant with fewer of the debilitating symptoms one finds in late-stage Starscourge victims.

But it was enough. For when the man destined for the throne at last returned to what would become grand Insomnia, the Crystal's light itself rejected him. The very gods he had fought for declared him 'Accursed', 'Usurper', and his brother was shown the Crystal's favor to become Founder King, Somnus Lucis Caelum.

[Ardyn took a slow breath he didn't need, grateful that the desert kept the shrieking murderous fury in his mind to a distant haze of white noise.]

...I was denied ascension, for whatever remains of my soul was deemed too corrupted to allow the Crystal's light to touch. In other words, I was made unable to die even throughout execution. Condemned to Angelgard with only the company of the daemons in my head, I swore vengeance--in turn becoming no more than a moving piece in the grand prophecy. In the light of the gods, sword-sworn at his side, against the dark the King's battle is fought. I can not die until Noctis fulfills the prophecy and banishes the scourge as I once thought myself chosen to.

[His hand shook faintly in Ignis' grip, words beginning to lose some of their train of thought but forced to sound calm.]

I have heard the voice of the divine, and it speaks naught but manipulation and deception. Bahamut lied to me, to Somnus and every single one of his descendants right up until Noctis himself. He let the darkness take a willing vessel so that the Chosen King could be made sacrifice to eradicate it. For if darkness should die, so shall he who sought to bring the light. And there is not a doubt in my mind that not a single person or Astral told him as much until he slept within the Crystal to surely commune with the Draconian himself.

Gods can't be trusted. The Astrals swore only to protect the star, caring nothing for those who live upon it.

[When Gladio asks his question, Ignis begins preparing the answers he should have found the time to give the Shield long before now. He's actually startled when Ardyn takes the initiative to answer instead. After all, Ignis knows well how much the story pains Ardyn, but at the same time, it is his story to tell should he choose to do so. Choice or not, it doesn't take long for signs to appear that make it clear--at least to Ignis--that Ardyn's emotions are starting to get the best of him. He squeezes back on the hand that holds his, the hand that Gladio freed moving to rest against Ardyn's back so he can rub soothing circles into the tense muscles there. His head remains tucked against Ardyn's chest so his hair is free for stroking if it will help calm the redhead. All in all, he is doing for Ardyn what Gladio was doing for him not long ago.]

Before you say anything about that not being what is in the books, I ask you to remember a phrase we are both, no doubt, familiar with: 'History is written by the victors.' The Lucis Caelums were never meant to be victors. From the first to the last, they were only meant to be tools. A line strong enough to carry the magic until it was able to undo the mistake that Ifrit made. The people lost along the way mean nothing. If they did, the magic would not have eaten our Kings' lives and scarred the Glaives who used it to protect them. It was never meant for us. For any of us. But does that matter to the Astrals? To Bahamut? No. They merely wish to remove the stain from their prefect reputations.

[Ignis shakes his head, expression saddening as his voice softens.]

All this time we were taught the sacrifice was an honor, when really, it was a curse.

[It's a lot, there's so much there to process and unpack. So many implications about their lives and the roles they served, were bred to serve in his case. All for the whims of the gods, because they didn't want to admit they'd messed up. Millennia of torment to sweep a mistake under the rug.

It's too much to process all at once so he files the knowledge away as best he can and focuses on what he can parse. That this hurts, even just talking about it is painful not just for Ardyn, so deeply betrayed, but for Ignis as well. But really what can they do? What can any of them do to fix any of it?

Perhaps not fix but...

Gladio steps forward, one step, maybe two, brings himself level with Ignis. The hand at the small of his back comes up to rest between his shoulder blades and, without a word, his other arm slides around Ardyn. It's a bit of a stretch but he pulls them both in close, squeezes, turns his head to rest his cheek against Ardyn's hair for a moment.

He's pretty sure Ardyn's going to punch his teeth out if nothing else but like hell he's letting go.]

No gods then, not even the Storyteller. We'll find another way.

[Ardyn didn't flinch so much as he froze solid at the touch, not needing to breathe and not daring to move. What exactly was he playing at here? Ignis was the one Gladio cared about, Ardyn was just...an obstacle. A threat as he always had been. They didn't care for each other in the slightest and had no reason to pretend otherwise.]

Why...does it matter to you? I'm not your king. All I am is enemy to you and the rest of the world. Why would you...want to help me?

[Ignis has to admit, of all the reactions he thought Gladio might have to hearing the truth, he and Ardyn being enveloped in the Shield's strong arms had not been among them. Shame washes over him in that moment. If he can have so much faith in Ardyn, why had he not had as much faith in the man who's been his friend for so long? He swears to himself to do better, reminds himself that, perhaps, there are some things--some people--he doesn't have to protect Ardyn from.

Carefully, he pulls his hand free of Ardyn's and then raises it so he can press a finger against the redhead's lips.]

Don't. Is it really so hard for you to accept that another might care for you when I do? Especially when said person cares for me as well?

You don't deserve this shit.

[It's not as eloquent as Ignis and he shrugs a little as he says it but he's not letting you idiots go, not until someone makes him. If anything he just squeezes Ardyn a little harder.]

Protecting people's kinda... the only thing I've got. And you make him happy. [A nod towards Ignis, a pause, leaning in to kiss his temple, just above his glasses for a moment.]

All I want is for him to be happy. Which means keeping you around and... less miserable, if not happy too.

...

[He didn't understand it. Couldn't understand it, not even in the desert. There was no point in saving him, in reaching into the darkness and pulling as hard as possible. It wouldn't matter, because what was done was done and the ending would remain the same. He didn't deserve salvation before the end, so why...]

I don't think I want to be like this anymore.

[His voice was uncharacteristically quiet--and even less characteristically, honest.]

[Ignis' expression grows troubled when he hears that soft, tired, honest statement. That inability to understand is something that stays constant no matter which mindset is dominant in Ardyn, and Ignis can't begin to imagine how frustrating it must be that neither the Healer-King nor the Chancellor can find the answers or peace he seeks.

Gently, Ignis settles his hand on the back of Ardyn's head, coaxing him forward to rest it against his shoulder. Here in the middle of the sands, there is really no place for one to hide away from the world, but if he can help give the redhead at least a little shelter from all that is plaguing him, he will.]

I know. We'll find a way to help you rest somehow. I promise.

[It wasn't that he didn't deserve it before just... well the only one that knew what the hell was going on then was Ignis. And Ignis hadn't felt sharing this information to be relevant. Maybe it would've changed something.

Maybe it just meant they would have had to accept the fact that there was more to the thing they were killing than just a monster.

Still hearing those words, quiet and raw and so unlike the man he's interacted with before hurts. Makes his heart ache in ways he didn't think it could for Ardyn. But it doesn't matter that it is him or what he's done in the past, what matters is that he's in so much pain and there's nothing he can do to help it.]

Y-yeah. We'll figure something out.

[He looks to Iggy, something painfully hopeful in his face and the way the hand on his hip squeezes.]

We gotta.

June Intro: Let's Sea How Far We've Come

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