Day 1 Night

[12npcs]

[ Over the murmur of conversations, explorations and violent attempts at escape, there comes a sound tick tick tick tick tick.............. CLICK.... The sky above snaps across the dome from blue to black... and everything goes dark.

A glow comes from the front door of each of the inns and one by one, you can see street lanterns begin to light up steadily past each of the gates.

The only flickering, organic light comes from above in the tower, spluttering high, high above everyone, through the slats of the closed shutters. After a moment, it's gone. ]

Comments

[tearsinnajar]

[Craning her neck to the 'sky', trying to make out any details as her eyes adjust to the darkness, and then the lamplight.]

There's gotta be a way to get outside.

[devotedtothecore]

[ the scrape of footsteps over paving stones, and a familiar voice from behind. ]

At the least, that we're still 'inside' seems confirmed.

[tearsinnajar]

[She drops her gaze and turns her attention to him.]

And it looks like we can count out the idea of an aerial rescue.

[devotedtothecore]

[ not happy is written all over his face. ]

...a rescue... are there any who'd notice your absence?

[tearsinnajar]

[Elena is less than enthused as well. None of this is making any sort of sense. She hasn't caught hide nor hair of Sully, which worries her. Especially considering how she last saw him in a plane.]

... Yeah.

[And after a brief moment of contemplation, adds:]

Family.

[devotedtothecore]

[ ...something in his eyes softens with understanding. He glances aside at the closest lamppost, sober, studying the light. ]

I see. ...they would raise an alarm, then?

[beeductionist]

At least we have a direction, hmm?

[ similarly staring upwards ]

[tearsinnajar]

Something tells me that getting into that tower isn't going to be easy.

[beeductionist]

I don't suppose you happened to bring any climbing gear?

[tearsinnajar]

I can't say that I did.

[beeductionist]

And if you don't, I suppose no one will.

[thisisace]

We can't just bust our way out?

[tearsinnajar]

What would we bust out with? And how do we know what's on the other side of "out?"

[thisisace]

We can worry about that once we're out there. And weapons or magic ought to do something, right?

[tearsinnajar]

Magic? I know this is all pretty weird, and I've seen some pretty unbelievable things, but ... I don't know about magic.

[thisisace]

Mystic Arts are a way to channel energy through your weapon. Which...I guess isn't quite the same as 'magic', but whatever. The important thing is the results!

[assworthsaving]

[It was night by time he unfroze, not that he knew that. To him it seemed like he woke up from a dream in another dream. Or a hallucination within a hallucination. But something about either of those possibilities seems off. This all feels too real to be like any dream he's ever had. And while certain fears were being played on he's not sure the after effects of being drugged could be this strong.

But he still considered all of that even as he explored the building he found himself in, recalling his previous dream and how the disembodied voice seemed to know of Elena. The card was tied to the building he found himself in and the key that was mysteriously in his hand unlocked a room within the building. But Elena wasn't there and no one was in the building. And that's because they were all outside. In the street, in this square. And in the street are clockwork people- all unmoving.

But other people, a term he uses loosely as he walks past what he suspects are people in costume, are moving. And appear to be just as confused as he is. Dream or hallucination, at least either of those would make sense. Nothing that he is currently seeing makes any sense. But no one seems to notice him walking by, all engaged in conversations with others, so he looks for Elena or Sully; quietly observing everything.

Then he stops. Just as he reaches the center his eyes catch a familiar sight and suddenly the weight on his shoulders feels a little lighter. Her back is to him, but he would recognize her features anywhere. Even if seeing her in Yemen had been the first time in several months since 'things' happened. Things he wasn't going to think about. Right now he just wants to get to the bottom of... whatever this is.

His feet move before he has time to think about it and he comes up behind her, thinking better than to touch her for fear that she would disappear, still uncertain whether or not this is a dream. And somehow hoping it's not.

His voice is steady, curious. Yet hesitant.]

Please tell me you're real.

[tearsinnajar]

[She turns on her heel as soon as he hears his voice. She's still not entirely sure if this is some kind of dream or crazy drug trip or what, but seeing him is a relief.]

Nate!

[She answers his question in the form of a hug, because she can't say for sure one way or another.]

[assworthsaving]

[He squeezes her tightly and doesn't let go, but he notices it feels just as real as the one he shared with her not long ago on the airstrip in Yemen. The warmth radiating from her warming him in turn, her smell, her breath against his neck. Dreams don't feel like this.]

Sure as hell feels real... [But his words are muffled as he buries his face against hers. It's a moment longer before he reluctantly pulls back to look at her, arms still around her body.] Elena, what's the last thing you remember?

[tearsinnajar]

I remember being on the plane and falling asleep. When I woke up again, everything was dark and I heard machinery and saw this really creepy thing with porcelain hands that called me a thief.

[Her mind immediately shifts gears. Weird things happening, some sort of treasure's gone missing?]

You didn't happen to take anything that might be cursed while you were in the desert, did you?

[assworthsaving]

[So it was exactly what he saw, then. Not sure if that's good or bad... but it definitely makes things weirder. And why was she called a thief?

Then he's torn from his speculation.]

What? --No. I mean, Sully made off with some coins. But why do you assume this is my fault? More importantly, have you seen Sully?

[direstnews]

Very little is actually impossible.

[tearsinnajar]

Just very, very difficult.

[direstnews]

At times.

One of which may, in fact, be now.

[tearsinnajar]

It's certainly looking that way.