here's the deal, ouroboros: bite down, or let go

[sagesurvivor]

Who: Sheik('s noctaere) + You!
Which: (Mostly) Open log
Where: Around Reverein + within Sheik's dreamscape
What: Sheik finally breaks and goes noctaere. This causes some weirdness in Songerein, and perhaps some secrets to be revealed within his dreamscape if his defenses can be broken through...
Warnings: It's a noctaere plot. Violence is inevitable, but should be contained mostly to a specific (closed) thread.

When the nostilium finally overtakes Sheik, there is no explosive burst of violence and terror. One day, he is as he has been since he passed out during the world fragment crisis: sleeping, silent and still. The next, he's gone, vanished into the ether without a trace. It wouldn't be unreasonable to think perhaps he's awakened and returned to the Hyrule he was so desperate to protect.

But then some strange things start happening...

[Please note that characters do not need to have had prior cr with Sheik to participate!]

Comments

SHEIK'S DREAMSCAPE; open

[sagesurvivor]

Eventually - perhaps inevitably - those looking for Sheik will find themselves diving into his dreamscape, as the one place even he would have difficulty running away from. Or perhaps they've stumbled here accidentally. Either way, they will find themselves standing before a grand stone temple with gothic spires and ornate windows, surrounded on all sides by a golden gossamer barrier. Those familiar might note a similarity in its aura to the sealing magic possessed by a certain Princess of Hyrule, and it denies all attempts to break or circumvent it by force or wit.

However, a triangular portal will also appear with the dreamwalkers' entrance into the dreamscape, shimmering with a similar golden glow. The gossip stones nearby, unlike their counterpoints in Songerein, all say the same thing:

"Truth is revealed by three broken seals."
a test of power;

The portal opens to a narrow valley of sorts, with high cliff faces on either side. The valley itself has a slightly gentler incline starting some 20 feet from the portal's starting point, and far in the distance, at the point where the valley meets the top of the cliffs, a golden triangle upon a pillar shines like a star. Surely that's what's needed to break the seal!

... The problem, though, is that the entirety of the valley between the portal and the triangle is covered in a sickly crimson substance that reaches up to an average person's kneecaps. Trudging through it would be difficult enough on its own, like wading through muddy water, but the stuff seems to drain one's strength as well, tiring them out even faster than they might have otherwise. By the time someone makes it halfway up, they'll be questioning if all this is even worth it. Wouldn't it be easier to just give up? Fall back and let the gloom take you? You wouldn't have to hurt anymore. You wouldn't have to try anymore...

Listening to that voice, faltering in one's determination, is the only thing that will cause one to slip, however. If they hold fast to their convictions, they will reach the top, however long it might take.

The pillar at the top will be tall enough that no one person can reach their prize without assistance, whether that's by standing on another's shoulders or by working together to topple the whole thing over. There is only so much a single person is capable of accomplishing on their own, after all.

Once the triangle is claimed, its glow intensifies to the point of being blinding. There's the sound of something cracking, and then as the light fades, the characters will find themselves in front of the Temple of Time once more.

a test of wisdom;

The portal opens into an extremely dark room. The walls, floor, and ceiling are all made of smooth stone, and the only light source is a thin beam of sunlight coming through a tiny hole in one wall near the ceiling that seems to open to the outside. Scattered around the room are a variety of narrow columns, all topped with angled mirrors, and in the center five parallel lines are carved into the floor, with six circles dotted between them. A clock hanging on one wall ticks away endlessly. Moving its hands seems to change the time of day outside, and the narrow beam of light dances around the room accordingly.

Using the clock and the mirrors (some of which will need to be held in place to keep them from tilting and swaying) to catch the light, it can be angled through each of the circles in sequence. When done successfully, the melody inscribed will play, and the room will brighten as a golden triangle descends from somewhere up above. Once claimed, it will glow brighter and brighter until it is blinding, and in the distance something cracks— before the characters are deposited in front of the Temple of Time once again.

a test of courage;

The portal opens onto a narrow path within a deep and shadowy forest. The sea of trees seems to go on endlessly, and the canopy overhead barely allows any direct light to reach the ground. Animals can be heard moving through the forest, though it's nigh-impossible to make out anything more than a dark shape darting through the underbrush, and, distantly, a wolf's howl carries through the trees. You should probably get moving.

The forest only grows darker and darker the further one treks along the path, however, and the ambient sounds of wildlife grow more and more menacing. Some might even recognize them as the sounds of monsters from their home worlds or nightmare creatures they've faced in Songerein. They get louder, closer with every step, until it is all but certain that the beast making them is right behind you.

Eventually, it will become so dark that nothing can be seen. In that darkness, the sounds of the monsters will be accompanied by the voices of one's own doubts and insecurities. Is this the right thing to do? Are you truly capable of this? What if it just makes everything worse? You can still turn back...

Alone, one will surely succumb to the urge to return to the light, but... by walking alongside another and encouraging each other to keep going, they will finally see a glimmering triangle at the end of the path. In truth, there are no monsters in this forest, and the only things to fear are the fears you bring with you, however buried deep they might be.

Claiming the triangle causes it to glow brighter and brighter until there is nothing in one's vision but pure light. Something cracks like thunder, and when the light fades, they will find themselves once more in front of the Temple of Time.

[Sheik will not be available for these prompts, but characters are free to attempt/complete as many or as few as they'd like! Threads with Sheik down below will assume someone has broken the seals, even if it's not clear who it was.]

Courage

[lestray]

[Gina's not completely sure what's going on, but she's ended up in this dreamscape that's in need of help, and she winds up undertaking the task of courage. The young woman in green unsteadily steps forth within the forest. She's a bit jumpy, as she hears the sound of various beasts in the shadows. Was that a wolf? Or a bear? She suddenly turns around, wielding her small steampunk-looking gun, but there's nothing there. (Aside from whoever is accompanying her?) She hisses a whisper.]

Wot was that??

[And she tries to step forward, but the darkness is overwhelming. Especially as it seems to echo with thoughts.

Worthless

Can't measure up to nuffin'...

Detective? Ha! Yer just a witless street rat playin' pretend.

You can't save anyone. Not even yerself.

You'll always be too late.

The Reaper shouldn't miss you next time.

Many, many voices like that haunt her. She trembles, breathing heavily and stats to sink to her knees. She wonders if she can really do this?]

[discourtesies]

[Gina's companion ends up being a tad delayed—call it fashionably late.

It seems almost natural to assume the form of the enormous scarred wolf in such a setting; all the better to blend in or otherwise deal with the dangers of this wilderness. He does his best to ignore the whispers and curses that follow him thus far, and each time one hits too close to the mark, he increases his pace as if he might escape them with speed alone.

His path brings him to a familiar figure, and with renewed purpose, he rushes to her side. However alarmed she may be at his approach—or not, if she's too distracted by the awful barbs pointed at her insecurities—he immediately adopts a defensive stance close to her, posture tense and teeth bared as he growls at the disembodied voices. His gaze darts to seek the source of her distress, though his eyes even in this form are all but useless against the supernatural darkness. What's even the point of being a vampire if you can't have night vision, he asks—]

[lestray]

[The voices are growing more and more overwhelming. She can't block them out, even covering her ears. She doesn't notice the approach of the creature until he's right there beside her. Gina does give a startled gasp once she realizes he's there, but the panic fades away as she recognizes him.]

V-Van Zeiks...?

[She might not have met him in this form too often, but it's still enough for her to recognize the prosecutor's other form. At the very least, his presence is a distraction from the voices. And it is comforting to see a familiar face, even as she's starting to drown in anxiety. What if he thinks any of those things about her?]

[discourtesies]

[He acknowledges her first with only a brief, icy glance; he's still cautious of what might be out there in the darkness, fur standing on end.]

Are you unhurt?

[A high titter reaches his ears:

As though he could protect anyone. A different voice continues, The man will always be cursed, and another with something like pity, Death follows him everywhere.

His warning growls quieten to nothing, but he still remains vigilant.]

[lestray]

Y-yeah...

[She softly breathes the answer to her question. Despite her fears that something could spring on them at any moment, nothing's happened yet. The fear still lingers, but now Van Zeiks is here.

Gonna 'ide behind 'im, is that it then? Gonna let 'im die for ya, like Windibank? Like Gregson? 'E took a bullet for you once. Let 'em finish the job.

It ain't like you can do nuffin' 'bout it. Not for 'im, not for any little princesses, not for no one.

She does let out a soft whimper as the whispers persist. So she softly admits.]

B-but I... I dunno... if I can do this. [She grips her arms as a chill runs through her. She gazes into the darkness of the forest and feels it overwhelm her.]