daybreakacademy | [Open] The Mark of the Herald

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[Open] The Mark of the Herald

Mark of the Herald Part I
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Despite certain disruptive events and ominous visions in the preceding month, August is seemingly still free of any problems.

That’s quick to change, however. Starting from the third of the month, strange, circular marks begin to appear on human students around the school - and, indeed, humans around the world. Those affected begin to feel incurably drowsy, something that no magical or mundane solution can seem to cure or relieve; eventually, they’ll fall asleep entirely, whether they want to or not, and enter a state of magical stasis. Not even nonhumans are immune, though whether they’re marked seems to be much more erratic.

Those who remain awake or are otherwise spared by the mark are free to do as they wish - the Academy won’t ask them to do more than keep themselves safe. But where each marked person falls in slumber, a portal will form; a strange tear in reality, offering glimpses of a surreal, nightmarish plane that differs vastly from individual to individual. One thing is certain; the cause of a victim’s seemingly endless sleep and these portals are linked somehow, and the only way to find out exactly how is to go through...and the only ones capable of doing so are those who are still awake.

This log can be used as a catch-all for event-related threads. The information for this event is here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[The first thing you notice, will be sand. It should be, at least, given how much of it is around. It is everywhere. As far as can be seen- sand, sand, sand. Dunes of it, and yet after some focus maybe that isn't all that's there.

Immediately of course that's it. Sand, and a thick, pressuring haze that isn't quite a fog, grey and dreary and choking on the lungs. Distantly, dogs howl. Distantly still, someone seems to laugh- but as quickly as one hears that, the sound is gone.

The immediate surroundings are a foggy, foggy night surrounded by dunes of sand. But there's something else in the distance.

Buildings perhaps? They seem strangely Victorian in nature, nothing like the sand would imply.

The source of Howls?

Or maybe it's a figure...Beady Eyes, glaring from the dark.

Perhaps it's better to run from the latter.

Ah, but, it seems after all there is more than sand, and howls, and laughter in the dark.

Are those vines?]

[Kokoro raises the collar of her scarf to cover her nose and mouth. She looks around, hand going to the whip on her belt. This is why she always goes around the school armed.

She glares at the laughing figure, aura of terror or not, and begins to follow the trail of vines.]

I fear none of this, and not any of you.

[Perhaps it was unwise to address the laughter. The vines don't go near him for now, but the figure certainly doesn't seem inclined to disappear. They don't yet approach- but that's probably because they don't have to.

They just need to speak, a smug and chilling tone on the air that speaks of perceived superiority.]

Oh? You fear none of it? Is that really true? You have no fear in your heart at all?

[Kokoro stops. She looks warily around her, eyes narrowing.]

Whoever you are, your ilk are a perennial menace. I'm prepared for that. I always have been.

Ohhhh? Are they now? My 'ilk'? [The voice taunts, still following from the distance.]

Little girl...you have never seen a 'vampire' like myself, of that...I, DIO, guarantee...

[The sands- and indeed the vines- seem to shudder.]

I care not who you are, apparition. Now get out of my way, you are far from what I seek in here!

[She hurls something at him -- a throwing axe pulled from her bag -- and books it after the source of the vines.]

Hmhmhmhmmhmhmh...

[The axe is thrown certainly- but something seems odd. For a few moments it's definitely flying toward the apparition. But then...

It's coming back!? With how Kokoro is running, it no doubt won't hit- even if it were about to, the vines along the ground she's following would rear up to catch it. Still- it's clear that trying to fight this shade is a bad idea.]

[Kokoro looks behind and dodges, stumbling to the ground. She scowls, picks up the axe, gets up, and keeps running. Whoever this guy is, she's got more important things to worry about.

If the vines are moving, they've got to be important. She continues to follow them; are they leading toward the buildings, or something else?]

[It's hard to tell which way they're going- at the moment the vines are a tangled mess, and could just as easily lead Kokoro astray as they could lead toward the proper source. Distantly there's more howls- she could follow the vines toward those ones, or toward what look to be a series of buildings.

The choice is hers.]

[She pauses and begins to follow the noise. If someone's in danger in here, it's probably that way.]

[The dogs then. Or at least, one dog. The closer to the howls Kokoro moves, the farther back the shade of Dio draws oddly enough, though it begins to grow rather hot.

Furnace hot. Kokoro herself is in no danger, but the vines near here seem shriveled more than anything and for good reason.

She can walk through these flames, but this area of the dream is on fire.]

What?

[Keeping her nose and mouth covered, Kokoro rubs her eyes with the back of her arm and runs forward, trying to dodge the flames even if she can walk through them.]

Is anyone here?

[The howling continues for a bit, but it soon becomes far happier barks. They're coming closer- and closer...and...

It seems a dog is coming toward her! It could be attacking in a charge- but maybe it's just excited?]

[Kokoro stands warily, not running from the dog but not moving to act. Possibly a little awkwardly.]

...well met, sir dog? Have you seen Mr. Joestar?

[The dog...

Jumps, but doesn't pounce or anything like that. It's a play jump! The kind that has a lot of bowing and tail wagging and bark-bark-barking!

They're a rather large dog- a great dane! They also seem to be smoking. It's probably fine.

At the mention of a 'Mr. Joestar' however, all playtime seems to be put aside. After briefly sniffing around Kokoro, the dog barks once, and proceeds to turn to start wandering off. They do seem to be following the vines to a point though...]

That's a yes, I presume.

[Kokoro follows the dog, still keeping an eye out for anything else.]

I must wonder what kinds of dreams he's having to be in a place like this.

[Probably not very good ones. The farther along they move, the more vines there are to be seen. Buildings begin to crop up again, but unlike before, there's no pressuring feeling of being watched.

It appears the dog is a good guard.

It won't take long before it feels like they're headed for a specific house- a manor, really, entirely entombed in the vines.

...

Looks like that's the goal.]

[Kokoro takes note of the place and nods.]

You have my thanks, sir dog. So he's trapped inside?

[She approaches the house, keeping watch around for anything else.]

[The dog looks at the front of the house covered in vines, and back to Kokoro.

It whines, and sits there. Apparently yes. And apparently, it cannot follow.]

[Kokoro hesitates, pets the smoking dog, and gives it some crumbling beef jerky from her pocket before she turns her attention to the house. She hurls an axe at the door to cut the vines and follows up to try and open the door.]

[The vines writhe at the meeting of the axe- and the world itself seems to shake- some of them part to allow Kokoro in, but many more shudder in seeming anticipation.

It may be wiser to try not to harm these.]

[She hesitates. Looks the vines over, but doesn't attack them further.]

So they aren't harmful...?

[Okay, that's weird, but welcome... and now she feels a little bad. But she'll head into the house warily, looking up in case of any traps.]

[They must not be.

Walking into the house, things seem calm- if not overgrown. The insides of the home are rather odd however- a mixture of victorian manor architecture, and what could well have been a very well build ship for casual travel. Somehow, it all flows together.

It's tricky to figure out where all the vines are coming from however- there's so many, that following them to any focal point could prove difficult. If Kokoro has any idea on how to make it simpler, she's welcome to try- otherwise, there are numerous possible halls and doorways to go through.]

[She frowns and looks it all over.] This certainly is dream logic... well, let us see. [She'll try the first door; maybe there's something useful in there.]

[Well, the first door simply goes to a sitting area for guests. There's certainly no one in here, and the vines simply pass through to another door back out into the hall it would seem. It may do Kokoro better to try moving further into the house- through the halls or stairs.

As it is, perhaps there's something in this room after all. There are a few books and photos scattered upon the table, tucked under the vines. At first glance, they seem empty.]

Jonathan | Warnings to be Added as Necessary

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Dio: oh boy time to be a shit

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