The Watchers of Night (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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daybreakacademy2019-07-05 09:56 pm
thewatchers) wrote in daybreakacademy2019-07-05 09:56 pm
Entry tags:
Herald of Night - Aftermath and Summer Break
[OOC: Note, this is going up now with the intent that players won’t be compelled to keep their characters in stasis during the Herald fight. If you wish to avoid spoilers on the general ending of the Herald event until you’re a bit later, you are not required to read this post yet]
The Herald’s fall was quick - almost unceremonious. With his phylacteries shattered in the Outlands and the overwhelming Radiance of the Daybreak forces, his physical form was rent asunder, leaving only tattered bits of claw and bone, and the last echoes of his curses.
That, and a mountain of corpses.
The cleanup crews arrived and quickly moved to control the scene. Daybreak’s reserves were called in, for the sun never returned to the area the Herald had touched. As Outland mist filled the area, monsters began flowing through. The UN forces worked desperately to recover what they could, but eventually had to be recalled to a wide perimeter several miles from the darkened land.
Once the forces were all a wide, safe distance, the remaining staff moved quickly to establish an encircling base as grim faces discussed what to go public with.
Daybreak was not invited to these discussions. And thus, it likely came as something of a surprise to the students and faculty without sight when an enormous mushroom cloud erupted from the emergence zone, the ensuing windstorm buffeting but otherwise not harming even those at the outer bases.
“That’s our official story,” the commander explained, barely apologetic. “Joint UN Forces were guarding a top secret test for a more powerful and sustainable form of nuclear energy, but the test went awry and the entire reactor melted down causing enormous loss of life. This site will be off limits with heavy restrictions on it going forward.”
There were some terse exchanges and phone calls, before the high seeress herself was called in. She arrived mere moments later, much to the alarm of the UN staff, and took charge. After three hours of meetings, she emerged and ordered the Daybreak forces to return home.
The flight home was long. The Runewings were unavailable as they had to undergo extensive maintenance before they would be airworthy, so the students and staff were moved via shuttle to Perth and put on commercial airliners to return to Paris. The trip was long, almost twenty-four hours including a layover in Bangkok before reaching Paris, and another two hours on train, plus another hour on shuttle to return to campus. Once the students were returned, they were greeted by warm beds and food as a platoon of Daybreak councillors emerged to help the students rest, recuperate, and deal with what they had just witnessed and took part in.
Those who chose to watch international news would see the incident lighting up the media. Word of the top-secret nuclear power test gone awry and the tremendous loss of life was widely circulating. Almost immediately, conspiracy theories began lighting up the internet. The official explanation, while meticulously constructed, could be seen for false by more than a few (and even beyond those normally inclined to disbelieve). Wild stories abounded, and flights into Perth suddenly saw an enormous uptick as more and more conspiracy hunters sought to view the site of the accident. Fortunately, for now, Daybreak’s forces were deployed and firmly in place, and the odd human was no match for the vision of the seers. Thus far, the veil holds, but for how much longer none can say. The High Seeress herself remained quiet on the matter, allowing as she put it “the kingdoms of man” to determine the information they reveal and how they manage it. Daybreak, she insisted, must focus now and as ever on their true duty - that of stopping Nightfall. Forestalling the Herald was a good first step, and for now, they would rest.
Normally, Daybreak announces their three-month long vacation trips in advance, but this time they had declined to do so, not wanting to take focus from the students. But with that over, finally, the first trip was announced - Daybreak would bring students to the Azores, renting rooms in five-star hotels all over the islands. Students would be free to move back and forth between the Islands, Daybreak, and their hometowns with fully paid airfare, and have the best in luxury accommodations. For the month of July, after the great service they had rendered and to calm that which they had seen, the High Seeress was adamant. Rest, relaxation, and recuperation. No exceptions. Any students who signed up for summer classes would get an automatic A and full credit for the Summer Quarter. No summer classes would be held and the Faculty would receive the same treatment as the students. They too, would need time to rest and recover.
[OOC: For the rest of July, students and faculty will be able to move freely around the Azores islands, Daybreak, and their hometowns for vacation. There will still be a Cassandra upload on the 15th, but otherwise everyone is free to do as they will (and the Cassandra upload will be given via mobile van so the students won’t have to fly back to the Academy.) August will see the academy select a different vacation location, although the next location will have more of a service aspect involved.]
The Herald’s fall was quick - almost unceremonious. With his phylacteries shattered in the Outlands and the overwhelming Radiance of the Daybreak forces, his physical form was rent asunder, leaving only tattered bits of claw and bone, and the last echoes of his curses.
That, and a mountain of corpses.
The cleanup crews arrived and quickly moved to control the scene. Daybreak’s reserves were called in, for the sun never returned to the area the Herald had touched. As Outland mist filled the area, monsters began flowing through. The UN forces worked desperately to recover what they could, but eventually had to be recalled to a wide perimeter several miles from the darkened land.
Once the forces were all a wide, safe distance, the remaining staff moved quickly to establish an encircling base as grim faces discussed what to go public with.
Daybreak was not invited to these discussions. And thus, it likely came as something of a surprise to the students and faculty without sight when an enormous mushroom cloud erupted from the emergence zone, the ensuing windstorm buffeting but otherwise not harming even those at the outer bases.
“That’s our official story,” the commander explained, barely apologetic. “Joint UN Forces were guarding a top secret test for a more powerful and sustainable form of nuclear energy, but the test went awry and the entire reactor melted down causing enormous loss of life. This site will be off limits with heavy restrictions on it going forward.”
There were some terse exchanges and phone calls, before the high seeress herself was called in. She arrived mere moments later, much to the alarm of the UN staff, and took charge. After three hours of meetings, she emerged and ordered the Daybreak forces to return home.
The flight home was long. The Runewings were unavailable as they had to undergo extensive maintenance before they would be airworthy, so the students and staff were moved via shuttle to Perth and put on commercial airliners to return to Paris. The trip was long, almost twenty-four hours including a layover in Bangkok before reaching Paris, and another two hours on train, plus another hour on shuttle to return to campus. Once the students were returned, they were greeted by warm beds and food as a platoon of Daybreak councillors emerged to help the students rest, recuperate, and deal with what they had just witnessed and took part in.
Those who chose to watch international news would see the incident lighting up the media. Word of the top-secret nuclear power test gone awry and the tremendous loss of life was widely circulating. Almost immediately, conspiracy theories began lighting up the internet. The official explanation, while meticulously constructed, could be seen for false by more than a few (and even beyond those normally inclined to disbelieve). Wild stories abounded, and flights into Perth suddenly saw an enormous uptick as more and more conspiracy hunters sought to view the site of the accident. Fortunately, for now, Daybreak’s forces were deployed and firmly in place, and the odd human was no match for the vision of the seers. Thus far, the veil holds, but for how much longer none can say. The High Seeress herself remained quiet on the matter, allowing as she put it “the kingdoms of man” to determine the information they reveal and how they manage it. Daybreak, she insisted, must focus now and as ever on their true duty - that of stopping Nightfall. Forestalling the Herald was a good first step, and for now, they would rest.
Normally, Daybreak announces their three-month long vacation trips in advance, but this time they had declined to do so, not wanting to take focus from the students. But with that over, finally, the first trip was announced - Daybreak would bring students to the Azores, renting rooms in five-star hotels all over the islands. Students would be free to move back and forth between the Islands, Daybreak, and their hometowns with fully paid airfare, and have the best in luxury accommodations. For the month of July, after the great service they had rendered and to calm that which they had seen, the High Seeress was adamant. Rest, relaxation, and recuperation. No exceptions. Any students who signed up for summer classes would get an automatic A and full credit for the Summer Quarter. No summer classes would be held and the Faculty would receive the same treatment as the students. They too, would need time to rest and recover.
[OOC: For the rest of July, students and faculty will be able to move freely around the Azores islands, Daybreak, and their hometowns for vacation. There will still be a Cassandra upload on the 15th, but otherwise everyone is free to do as they will (and the Cassandra upload will be given via mobile van so the students won’t have to fly back to the Academy.) August will see the academy select a different vacation location, although the next location will have more of a service aspect involved.]
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[He can insist it'll pas,s but being burned from exposure is something Yuya knows from experience is terrible.]
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[Which is better than he can say for those who went down in the UN's strike.]
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[If he doesn't think about what happened after. He's trying not to.]
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...I only hope...there is a world left, after, [he admits quietly. His hand falls back to the bed, his eyes closed.] With the area of Nightfall... ...and the casualties that were so needlessly made...
[It appears Gongenzaka is not the one able to Give hope, for at least the moment.]
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[At least, for Yuya to make sure there's a world for all of his friends at the end of it. He hopes he'll be in the equation, too.] And we'll do better than they did. We're preparing for it.
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...I, the man Gongenzaka, was ill prepared for such calamity. ...and yet that was merely a small scale of it, or so we are told...
[Gongenzaka would certainly want a world where he and Yuuya, and the others, all come out of it alive.
He just hopes it doesn't have to come down to 'who comes out of it' at all.]
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You're right, they shouldn't have been there. It didn't have to be this bad if the UN... if people took it more seriously. Hopefully after this they will.
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He can hope. He...] Aauh.
I, the man Gongenzaka...am not certain I will be able to stay in close proximity to such a team of outside forces for long if that is not the case.
[One time is bad enough.
It would be devastating to have to go through a second run with the 'doomed'.]
....
You came out safely however, [he manages to repeat, almost at a whisper.] I, the man Gongenzaka, am glad...
...I...
...I do not know what I would have done, [he admits,] If something had happened to you.
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[Doesn't mean something can't happen, won't happen, but he won't admit it. Not having Gongenzaka worry, keeping him safe and happy, that's the priority.]
Are you tired? Maybe you should sleep.
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It is only a matter of knowing you will still be here, after... ...that is all...
[He doesn't say it, but he does seem to be shuttering his eyes somewhat, fighting away exhaustion.]
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I'm still here! Everyone is still here, so don't worry. You're still here, too.
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Gongenzaka hesitates, as if about to say something- but he ultimately thinks better of it, instead going with something else.] ...Aah. ...We are both...
...
Yuuya? ...For the summer...do you have plans yet?
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[He crosses his arms, looking somewhat worried.] ...I, the man Gongenzaka, should likely pass news of this to the Dojo myself...
[ah,] After...ah, though perhaps before Nana's birthday is possible...
[He mutters off a little bit, frowning.] There is yet time after all...
...But if there are no plans after...Perhaps, we could do something ourselves then? [he asks hopefully.]
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Sure. We should see what the school trip is soon, unless you were going to stay home for a while?
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He has not said date,] Auh...indeed as you said...I, the man Gongenzaka, will need to bring things to the Dojo in person I feel. But from there, there should easily be time for Nana's birthday...
...After that though... ...I, the man Gongenzaka, do not feel that I have too many plans either, [he decides.
A strong change from past years indeed.]
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[Because Yuya's not rich, and those are the only options he can afford if he's not crashing with another friend.]
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Aauh. Then we shall do that.
[At least the school covers trips back and forth though.]
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He draws his hand back.] I'll let you rest now. You look like you need it.
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(Though it's likely for the better in that case)] A...Auh. [He rubs the back of his head, nodding weakly.] I, the man Gongenzaka, should indeed do that I suppose...
[The doctors have probably told him as much a Few times.]
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But whatever. Yuya gets up from the bad, waving goodbye before he turns to go.]
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How very Yuuya, after all.]