The Watchers of Night ([personal profile] thewatchers) wrote in [community profile] daybreakacademy2020-08-03 03:47 pm

[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.
thaumatrope: (.22)

[personal profile] thaumatrope 2020-08-14 02:43 am (UTC)(link)
[She makes her point but whatever is inflicting this mental influence isn't listening. The farther down she goes the worse it gets, to the point by the time she finally reaches the bottom it's a full-blown panic attack. Whatever is down here is something the dreamer of this world truly fears.

They'd tear Kokoro's mind apart to escape it. They really want to.

But as it stands they can't. The stairs lead to a large room that somehow looks like it cost even more to make then the area upstairs. Pillars made of pure white marble, fancy silk over a small alter that has a small mirror in the center. There's a magical circle carved into the floor and the language is some daemon one. A summoning circle, although curiously the words don't mention the name of whatever's being summoned.

Although the room is quiet, Kokoro isn't alone. There's a young woman before the alter with short brown hair and green eyes. She's dressed modestly with a simple black dress and black heels.

The second the woman turns to face Kokoro and smiles, the feeling she experienced on the way down returns with a vengeance. There aren't any words anymore. Just the feeling of betrayal, pain and fear. A bone-deep rage, caught somewhere between running away, running up to her and hugging her, or strangling the woman on the spot.]


Hello. Why have you come down here, little girl?
stavros: Kokoro ready to fight. ([a] beside you)

[personal profile] stavros 2020-08-14 03:12 am (UTC)(link)
[Once she's down, she shudders, lights blinding for a second. She drops the torch on the cold, hard floor. But she fights it off as she had the fear, taking a deep breath and glaring at the woman at the altar.]

I could ask the same of you. A veneer of beauty over a domain of agony and ruin; that would appear to summarize both your home and your heart, would it not?
thaumatrope: (48)

[personal profile] thaumatrope 2020-08-17 04:09 am (UTC)(link)
[Kokoro makes her deceleration and the woman just looks confused. And she isn't faking it. To say something about this wonderful place...of course it would be confusing!]

My, that's quite a thing to say...does this place truly look monstrous to you? I fail to see why you'd say so.
stavros: Kokoro about to use her whip. ([a] ready to go)

[personal profile] stavros 2020-08-17 04:20 am (UTC)(link)
How something looks and what something is are two things entirely, madam. Torture and monsters come not from a truly peaceful home.
thaumatrope: (48)

[personal profile] thaumatrope 2020-08-22 02:46 am (UTC)(link)
There are no monsters here, dear. Only the memories of a history long past.

[Even if 'long past' was 20 years ago.]
stavros: Kokoro taking off in Stavros. ([a] fly on)

[personal profile] stavros 2020-08-22 06:08 am (UTC)(link)
So many would say.

[Her gaze darts briefly to see if anyone or anything else might be there. It certainly feels that way.]

The pain of those tortured below tells a different story. Someone who hates, loves, and fears you all at once, and wished not for me to see you -- surely you know such a being.
thaumatrope: (48)

[personal profile] thaumatrope 2020-08-29 02:38 am (UTC)(link)
[There's no one there besides the woman. Whatever is projecting their feelings onto Kokoro, they're long gone from this place. For a reason that's probably very obvious by now.

Meanwhile the woman looks confused. It is genuine confusion...if just because she is very good at projecting genuine emotion.]


I don't. All I know is love, you see. Us and our angels. My-

[Whatever the woman had to say is drowned out by a loud scream. Of rage or sorrow...?

Yes.]
stavros: Kokoro with her whip. ([a] introducing)

[personal profile] stavros 2020-08-29 05:01 am (UTC)(link)
Your what?

[Kokoro hears the scream and tries to trace where it's coming from. If she can hear the direction, she'll start over that way, not taking her eyes off the woman.]

You'll forgive me if you sound suspicious.
thaumatrope: (.36)

[personal profile] thaumatrope 2020-08-31 10:21 am (UTC)(link)
[Again the woman looks confused, and maybe a little hurt.]

Do I? This is the way I normally talk...

[The scream seems to have come from somewhere behind the woman herself. While she doesn't seem to mind Kokoro moving around, she's also keeping a sharp eye on the girl too.]

But I mean my angel. My Adriel. I love them so, you see.

[There's no scream this time but just a powerful feeling of self-loathing that comes from whatever is pushing its feelings onto Kokoro. Evidently it doesn't feel the same...or maybe hates the fact that it loves her back.]
stavros: Kokoro facing the castle. ([a] destiny)

[personal profile] stavros 2020-08-31 05:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Nn...!

[Kokoro nearly doubles over. She forces through the feeling and stands up straight again.]

Then tell me what you did. Why you hurt people. Moulding them into something that will fear you? Something that will say they love you for the pain to stop? Something different?