W5 🛸 MOD CYOA : DARK OF THE TOWER 🚀 ANISE, BLADE, MIZUKI

[dropoffs]

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PROLOUGE.

[dropoffs]

( SHIP ✦ MUSIC: Knowledge Never Sleeps* )

[ Some debrief stuff but also a reminder this icly happens W5 WEDNESDAY NIGHT to W5 THURSDAY RETURN. The week effect is not available and everyone is provided a proper uniform for traversing (think of a cool sleek space suit i don't have images right now), a helmet, along with a weapon of choice from the armory. These weapons will be returned and secured post CYOA so you will not be able to keep them. You're also free to use your own weapon. Otherwise, moving forward, they are all on a small little ship to be recognized as the one that has brought back Senior Crews and their volunteers, heading towards what they can see as a dark fog nearby VOLK 92-B. ]

Seeing as we are all accounted for... As you may know, I am Metis, and I will be your senior officer accompanying you on today's mission. I am certain most of you are aware about this by now, but I can go over a little recap regarding these missions. We normally disperse galactic storms caused by cosmoelectromagnetic waves so that the Eudora can safely travel to the next destination. Leaving them unattended can spell numerous dangers for us, including taking the ship out entirely. These missions are often unpredictable, but I'll be joining you to ensure your safety to the best of my ability. You'll be equipped to better prepare yourselves, so once we depart the ship we will be able to survey our surroundings and get a better gauge of what we must do.

[ As the ship pulls into the fog, they'll find themselves entering an atmosphere that hovers above dark lands, stretching endlessly with contorted forms of ridges and hills. Coming to a slow descend to land, before them will be numerous long elongated spirals that intertwine in itself as they stretch upward off in the distance. The only path forward leading directly to one. For now, there is some time to ready and prepare yourselves in the ship, as an emergency ALERT rings on the ship's monitors.

Metis will look it over, but feel free to spend today to ask questions or talk amongst yourselves. ]

CHAT WITH METIS.

[dropoffs]

[ Whether to talk with him or ask questions, he's here for you. ]

[sexyasmieu]

[ here with a medieval-looking mace and tokunaga, who is also wearing a tiny spacesuit for some reason. ]

So we'll be working with you, Metis? Lucky us! You're a healer, right?

[ based on that one boss fight we all watched. ]

[caretake]

When necessarily, yes I am. I'm capable of offensive magicks as well, and tanking a few hits if needed. So I'll be able to support you all in whatever it is we feel we may be lacking.

[ All-Rounder comfort. Healer? DPS? Tank? Pick the role. ]

[sexyasmieu]

Wow! You're like a jack-of-all-trades! Are you sure you even need us here?

[caretake]

Though I would rather not involve you all in any further danger, I am afraid I am in need of your help.

[psynchroneyes]

—Hey, Metis. Any idea what we should expect?

[caretake]

From the looks of things... there seems to be a stray signal from another ship, one allied with the Eudora, requesting our aid. It seems we may not have been the first to try and disperse this storm.

[ A gesture to the Alert flashing on their system. ]

Far as I can read, it's an indication of a hostage situation located further in coming from the spirals. These missions can always take a turn for the worse so we must be prepared both physically and mentally.

[psynchroneyes]

A hostage situation...

[ She visibly grimaces. ]

Yeah, they sure can, but I'm as ready as they get.

[caretake]

It is certainly nothing like what we had to go through the previous week with doppelgängers chasing us and trying to make a food menu out of us.

[ A shake of his head. ]

We'll go in and try to get a better understanding of the situation, see if we cannot help those in need.

[baebladie]

[ Blade is here, watching the other curiously, and mostly, well, simply...keeping quiet. For a certain amount of time.

That doesn't exactly last too long, though. ]

Enthused about the mission, Metis?

[caretake]

[ A thoughtful hum as he looks over the ship's monitors, updating them all on the events come to light. ]

A hostage situation is certainly more of the "normal" missions to receive in a situation like this. Which one I cannot complain about. It at least means we can access everything quickly and be able to focus where our attention is clearly needed.

[baebladie]

[ Blade's gaze follows towards the monitors for some time himself, causally looking over the information. ]

A hostage situation...

In the grand scheme of things that could be more standard compared to the others I have heard of. Though, we could also encounter danger with ease, hm? Those responsible for the situation are bound to be hostile.

[ That does admittedly excite him a bit, even if it doesn't quite yet show on his face. Nothing like a potential situation of life or death, no? ]

CHAT WITH EACH OTHER.

[dropoffs]

[ At least there's three of you here! ...Yay! ]

[psynchroneyes]

Sooo...

[ Mizuki looks between her two companions. ]

Just double checking, but you both can fight and stuff, right? It might get pretty rough out there.

[ given. everything. ]

[sexyasmieu]

Honestly, it kind of depends on whether I can get any of my abilities to work...

But despite being this young and cute, I am a ranking member of the Oracle Knights, so at the very least, I won't slow anyone down.

[psynchroneyes]

Oh, right, your knight stuff.

[ Which she still finds weird for a kid?! But okay. ]

Well... I'll take your word for it!

[baebladie]

[ Off to the side, being...you know, quiet. As usual.

But he speaks up when she asks. ]

My sword isn't just for appearance's sake.

[sexyasmieu]

Hehe. I'm glad to have you on our side!

[psynchroneyes]

It better not be. Do you have any idea how many guys have a sword just 'cause "it looks cool"?

THE SEARCH.

[dropoffs]

[ With everyone at the ready, so begins their trek onto the land. Fortunately it is not a long walk ways. But as soon as they step foot out of the ship, there is the feeling of something... wrong. Something that gently tugs at your senses ever so slightly. However, no matter how much you think on it, how much you try to place a finger on it - you cannot tell why. And like that, it's gone from your mind.

Metis ensures you all have your suits on and helmets settled before allowing departure, and with everything secured the doors to the ship behind them closes until their return. Carefully, they make way across ink black lands, unnatural ridges and hills causing some difficulty to trek but the unnatural spire ahead comes closer to view easily. An ominous ring glow of light emanating from the very top of it until it is blocked by rolling fog. With each step forward, you do feel some of your strength coming back to you, though it is not always consistent. You at least know that you have some of your powers back - though unstable and can disappear at any given moment, but you have something at least.

Eventually they make their way inside the base of the tower and have a sight to behold. A sickly purple mass stretches and grows beneath their feet, a stretch to the material with each of their steps, covering over sharpened ridges of highly elevated platforms. And when they stop at the ends of one, it starts to rumble, a coiling stretch of land unraveling to thrust forward onto the next set of platforms. Up ahead, they can see the same coils raising or lowering depending on the direction that's taken but for the most part all seems to be going higher and higher.

The sickly purple membrane breathes beneath their step, a hiss of air breathing from the holes in them but fortunately their helmets keep any bad air out. Metis steps first, testing the platform of the coils until he looks back. ]

Seems as though our only way is forward for now. Remember to keep an eye out, for any of the hostages or foes alike.

[ So far, the only way is up. But there is a feel of dread and unease that sinks itself in all of you, a wash of cold. Keep going. ]

[psynchroneyes]

Eugh...

[ She's not one to be fearful, but Mizuki can't help but suppress a shudder as she follows behind Metis. She wasn't feeling anxious before, so... why all of a sudden?

But, as he said—there's only forward now. ]

What the hell... This place is so damn creepy.

[baebladie]

[ For someone like Blade, the oddity pulling on his mind doesn't come with any sense of alarm that it should. If anything, it simply sharpens his focus, to take in their off-kilter environment, eyes looking for something that may stand out as amiss.

Feeling the off-on return of his capabilities at all, though, is...something. Blade has gotten used to having nothing but his swordplay available to him. The other aspects of the strange place are notable, though not something Blade gives immediate comment to. ]

There is something off. But that can be purposeful, to make us let down our guard.

[ The dread and unease bring about excitement, still hidden underneath, though Blade's hand is tight around the hilt of his sword. ]

[sexyasmieu]

[ looking down at her feet as the ground breathes beneath them... ]

... Yeah, super gross. Is this stuff alive? [ she manages to sound only mildly bothered, even as something nudges ominously at the back of her mind. ]

You guys can take the lead. I'll be right behind you.

[ she doesn't plan on falling behind, though. not in a place like this. ]

[dropoffs]

It certainly seems so... though the idea of a tower of all things being alive would be a first to me.

[ Otherwise, there's a nod to Blade's words, Metis taking the lead for now as they make their way across the coil. Even if he looks back at Anise with some concern. Nevertheless, they continue to make their way up, to a much wider stretch of land.

Once they do, there's actually a few humanoid figures wandering around the area. One seems to be staring over the edge, head tilted and quietly mumbling to themselves. Another is crouched down in the middle, holding their head and keeping their face from view with an almost frantic shake. The third is staring at the walls - and when you look, you can see that same floor membrane stretch and cover the walls as well, the sickly flesh seeming to bubble and grow. Swelling with each breath. ]

...Take caution, my friends.