Counting Stars

[wooliefrand]

WHO: Sheeps
WHERE: All over
WHEN: Night Post Game 77 / Morning Day 78

[DID YOU GUYS HAVE A FUN GAME? ARE YOU FUCKED UP? WELL GET IT TOGETHER

or not, maybe you just need to sleep. have some sweet dreams. This can be a dream mingle or a reality mingle, I'm not the boss of yall]

Comments

Re: night 77, dream time

[abandon_hope]

[ that is definitely an easy thing to do

anyway as soon as he start walking ... the ground near him shifts a bit? it looks like a crater with some kind of a giant sac in it. ]

Re: night 77, dream time

[spinebuddyandme]

[ flinches away from it on principle. Instinct tells him giant sacs are never a good thing, so he tries to hurry away, glancing back warily in case some horrible thing is about to emerge ]

Re: night 77, dream time

[abandon_hope]

[ as he turns back, something horrible DOES emerge. Is ... that a chimera? yeah that's totally a chimera crawling its way out of the crater. it lets out a howl as it catches sight of Ananke and begins to give chase. ]

Re: night 77, dream time

[spinebuddyandme]

[ oh shit TIME TO FUCKING BOLT!! Trying to keep an eye out for any sharp rocks or, ideally, an actual discarded weapon to defend himself with ]

Re: night 77, dream time

[abandon_hope]

[ The chimera ROARS as it starts to lope towards him with an uncomfortable amount of speed. It's gonna be on him in like fifteen seconds.

Are there rocks? Yup. Is there a discarded weapon here? ... also yes! Look, there's a sword sticking out of the ground not too far ahead of him. Kind of corroded, but good enough to fight with. ]

Re: night 77, dream time

[spinebuddyandme]

Lucky—!

[ GRABS SWORD honestly braced for it to burn too, but maybe he'll be double lucky!! Either way he whirls and tries to pick out the an open vulnerable spot to swing for—ideally the gut or a leg, but he's not picky ]

Re: night 77, dream time

[abandon_hope]

[ double lucky?? the sword doesn't burn him! it's cold instead, a bit uncomfortably so, but not enough that he can't use it.

Anyway, the chimera stumbles and howls as Ananke catches it in the leg, then repays him by trying to slash at his face with a paw. ]

Re: night 77, dream time

[spinebuddyandme]

[ Yelps and throws himself back, holding tight to yank the sword with him. It save his eyes at least, but there's painful gouges on the side of his face that got hit

Swings the sword up defensively before he's even finished moving, trying to aim for the same arm the chimera attacked him with ]

Re: night 77, dream time

[abandon_hope]

[ Another howl, another swipe --

This time a shadow interposes himself between Ananke and the monster. He's got a blade made of black iron that radiates a strange violet unlight. ]

You can't fight monsters in here! They'll just keep coming back! Run!

Re: night 77, dream time

[spinebuddyandme]

[ does in fact scramble back like he is just going to bolt, but— ]

What about you?!

Re: night 77, dream time

[abandon_hope]

[ Kevin mutters something in Greek and gestures; the ground surges up weirdly, not quite responding correctly, but just enough to knock the chimera back a pace. And then he turns. ]

I'm running too!

[ and he is, so you better book it ]

Re: night 77, dream time

[spinebuddyandme]

Good!

[ TIME TO BOLT ]

Re: night 77, dream time

[abandon_hope]

[ WE BOLTING

the chimera is tangled enough that they get enough of an opening to get over the next ridge, at least. Kevin sags down against the scorching ground for a moment to catch his breath. ]

-- What are you doing here?

Re: night 77, dream time

[spinebuddyandme]

[ hunkers down beside him, anxiously glancing at the edge of the ridge ]

I don't... I thought—h-haven't I always been here?

[ looks back at him with an intense, searching gaze ]

You're not a dream?

Re: night 77, dream time

[abandon_hope]

[ he looks rough. haggard and thin, with black clothing hanging off him in shreds. There's a gash across his face that oozes blood, and his fingertips have gone black, dissolving slowly into the acidic air they're breathing. however long Ananke has been here, he's been here ten times as long.

He shakes his head. ]

No. I'm real. Just like the rest of this.

[ gods. He sucks in a shivering breath. ]

You must have woken up here too. Years ago, by the look of you.

Re: night 77, dream time

[spinebuddyandme]

[ His breath catches in a stuttering gasp at the thought of being here that long. Presses a hand tightly over his eyes and immediately starts taking deliberate even breaths to calm himself, his other hand still tight on the sword ]

I don't remember it. I only remember here.

Re: night 77, dream time

[abandon_hope]

[ Sorry, Ananke. Kevin shifts closer, trying to offer what little comfort he can. ]

... I remember a little. You ... you were in my favorite dream. The one where I'm on Lily.

Re: night 77, dream time

[spinebuddyandme]

[ He leans into him a little, uncertain but desperate for any comfort at all—and abruptly freezes. ]




... Kevin?

Re: night 77, dream time

[abandon_hope]

Hey, Ananke.

[ He gives Ananke a weak smile. ]

... I'm sorry. Now that you're here, you're never leaving.

Re: night 77, dream time

[spinebuddyandme]

... Are we dead?

Re: night 77, dream time

[abandon_hope]

[ Kevin shakes his head, huddling as he looks out over the horrific landscape. ]

Death's a lot gentler than Tartarus is.

Re: night 77, dream time

[spinebuddyandme]

[ well. he has failed his Don't Start Crying challenge. ]




At least we're not alone anymore.

Re: night 77, dream time

[abandon_hope]

[ sorry Ananke. he reaches out to put an arm around him. ]

It’s something. That’s … that’s more than I usually have.

Re: night 77, dream time

[spinebuddyandme]

[ leans a little more and wraps an arm around him in return ]

It's something. It matters.

Re: night 77, dream time

[abandon_hope]

[ A small nod against his shoulder. ]

… We have to keep moving. Past Nyx’s realm - the Doors of Death are out there somewhere. That’s the only way out of here.