sheep_game | Counting Stars

[ he falls silent for another long moment; the trees ripple faintly, and faint pinpricks of light watch them as they walk. ]

We're almost there. It's not that much further.

[ indeed, the darkness of the forest is giving way to ... an even deeper darkness, and what looks like an ... elevator shaft? maybe? a great big one made of black iron. ]

[ The darkness has him pressing closer to Kevin, more unsettled by that than the chimera and endless heat from before. He frowns uneasily at the shaft, glancing back at Kevin ]

In there?

[ Kevin stops to look up at the enormous iron shaft driven through the hellscape. The iron gates themselves are being held open by an equally enormous set of chains.

Kevin nods, but ... a goddess boils up out of the darkness around them, interposing herself between the pair of them and the way out. ]

"Foolish demigod. You know this isn't right. You came here alone."

[ More scraps of darkness huddle at her feet, baring teeth and fangs at the two of them. ]

[ Automatically jerks back, tugging Kevin with him ]

It's not his fault! I got lost in here and needed help.

[ Kevin jolts as he's tugged along. ]

That's not -

[ The goddess waves a starry hand. ]

"It doesn't matter who you bring here. Or how many times you try to fix this. The reality is this: you will come back here, and you will never leave again."

[ That's about the time that the fuzzy demons leap at the two of them. Ananke especially has one with horns and great big snake fangs aiming to bite down on his arm. ]

[ The other thing Ananke never let go of is the sword he picked up ages ago. He brings it up now, trying to block that bite with the blade of the sword itself ]

[ the critter hisses as it gnaws on the sword, trying and failing to get at Ananke. But maybe the one going after his leg will have more luck?

Kevin is here swearing and swiping at two more coming at him from the other side. ]

Stupid - cacodemons -

[ man he really misses Scarab's armor right now

wrenches the sword and demon both to the side, trying to throw it to the ground to free the sword up to stab the one chomping his leg ]

Cacodemons?!

[ The first one sails off with a wail, and the second one gets stabbed pretty firmly. Neither seem capable of dying, but they are ABSOLUTELY capable of feeling pain, and very much not here for it. Kevin is having similar success slashing at them. The group winds up retreating just past the range of their weapons. ]

Children of Nyx. Generally unpleasant.

[ He eyes the doors just past the boiling mass of demon and goddess. ]

Can you get past them if I help distract?

[ Nods uncertainly ]

I think so, but can you really handle all of them?

[ He gestures and the ground rumbles beneath their feet. Enormous bones start to poke out of the ground to grab at the little swarm hissing at them. ]

I can do enough.

[ Glances down, equally startled and impressed ]

Okay. Okay—but I'm only closing them. Told you I won't leave you alone.

[ he doesn't get the chance to fire off in the pasture! he is STILL frankly not at full power despite the hideous array of calcium spiking out and spearing all of these bastards.

He nods sharply and waves him on. ]

Just move already!

[ Doesn't waste anymore time and sprints off, circling around the bone field to get to the doors behind Nyx and her little ones ]

[ The great iron doors stand open, and past them is ... an elevator? Something like it, anyway. There's the faintest whiff of fresh air that DOESN'T corrode Ananke's lungs every time he takes in a breath. A hint of sun and starlight ...

Kevin follows a few paces behind, alternating spearing his enemies with bones and stabbing the cacodemons that get too close. Nyx seems more keen on watching the show and laughing. ]

"You can run, but you can never truly leave this place."

[ He hits the door and hesitates a beat, staring hungrily at that elevator. But the moment passes and he moves to start pushing the doors closed, glancing back at Kevin to see how close he is ]

[ He's coming up right beside Ananke now, his back to the other teen as he picks off more cacodemons. There's still WAY too many of them. Even someone as strong as Kevin can't keep them back forever. ]

How close are we?

They're right here. Help me get them closed!

I'm here.

[ And he is. Pushing hard on the iron doors, summoning up more of this horrible acidic earth to -

push Ananke through the narrowing gap. ]

[ He goes tumbling through with a startled yelp and immediately starts scrambling to his feet, fully intent on going back through. ]

Kevin!!

Edited 2024-05-11 02:03 (UTC)

[ Sorry, Ananke. The ground swiftly surges and forces the doors forward. There's just a sliver of open space between them where Kevin's hand lingers for a moment, reaching for Ananke -

And then the doors slam shut. Ananke is alone. Sunlight and fresh air stream in from somewhere at the top of the elevator shaft he's in. Alas, Kevin's memory ends here, so there's nowhere else to go except up. ]

Edited 2024-05-11 02:18 (UTC)

[ What actually happens is Ananke wakes up in a cold sweat, tumbling off his bed like he'd been reaching for someone just past the edge. He hits the floor with a dull thud and a startled grunt, slowly pushes himself up

and stands, leaving his room and heading down into the basement, picking up speed as he approaches Kevin's door and knocks firmly on it ]

[ There's a pause on Kevin's side of the door, then a faint, wet sort of noise, like someone trying to hold in tears and/or distressed noises. Then, slowly, the door cracks open. ]

... Ananke?

[ His voice wavers. ]

[ Not bothering holding in tears at all. The first of them spill over when he hears that quiet little noise, with more following at the waver in Kevin's voice. He stares silently for a long moment, one hand on the door frame while he struggles for words before finally— ]

... You pushed me.

[ oh. Ananke's crying. Over him? Over himself? Both? Does it matter?

He carefully opens the door wide enough for Ananke to fully see both himself and the bedroom beyond. Kevin's own cheeks are wet, and those dark circles under his eyes are especially haggard tonight. Past him, his bedroom is reasonably neat, if only because he hasn't had much time to accumulate much clutter yet. A few stray shirts on the floor, a bunch of pillows and blankets piled on his bed.

He's quiet a moment as he debates how to answer. ]

That was always the plan.

[ he tries to sound cool and collected about it but his voice breaks somewhere in the middle. ]

Edited 2024-05-11 02:41 (UTC)

Re: night 77, dream time

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