07-09-2021, 11:37 AM
Congratulations! Everyone has made it to round two!
Some notes:
You have until Friday, July 16th at 11:59:59 PM CST to respond.
The battle swells and rages and Castor falls. Perhaps it’s immediate, or perhaps it’s belated, but Pollux feels Castor’s death in his very soul. His brother, his twin, is dead. And he knows grief as the rest of the battle ceases to matter. He doesn’t notice the swell of his forces, their enemies beaten back. Doesn’t notice it slowly fade, victory in their hands. It does not feel like a victory.
Even if he hadn’t realized it before, he knows now that Castor had been his other half, as much a part of him as his heart. And he is gone. What had he done?
Before you Pollux falls to his knees, lifting his face as he releases his rage to the heavens. You can only watch, confused or angry or pleased as the warrior who had ridden you into battle screams at faceless, uncaring gods.
Except… are they truly uncaring?
There is a rumble overhead, a grating, unpleasant sound. It hurts your ears, but Pollux seems to understand. What they are saying is impossible to determine, but it soon becomes clear Pollux is speaking to someone. Pleading, bargaining with someone. What bargain he has made, you don’t know, but when the unintelligible voices cease, Pollux rises. He comes to you.
Tugging the bridle from your ears, he releases you. Then, bridle slipping from his fingers, he steps back and announces, “I am ready.”
Ready? Ready for what? But in a moment, it becomes clear. His entire body dissolves into the stardust. If you look where the body of his brother lay, you would see it do the same. For a moment, the two trails of stars gleam as they shoot across the sky. They twinkle as they settle into the heavens, and briefly, the outline of the twins are visible. Then they fade, obscured behind a drifting cloud.
You are left standing in a spent battlefield, the survivors drifting, those too injured to stand groaning where they fell. There had been no prisoners in this war, and the dead litter the beach liberally. You can see a small group of the victors begin to reclaim their injured. The long and awful work that comes in the aftermath of any war has begun, but you are free. Free, and left in a strange and distant land that revels in bloodshed.
Suddenly, the waves swell and bubble. The weary victors grab their swords, but when they see what rises from the depths, their swords fall to their sides and they return to work.
From the sea, something enormous scuttles. It’s meaty claws click in warning as it pokes at the bodies littering the ground all around it. It seems to ignore the living. At least, it ignores the soldiers. When it sees you however, it stops. There is a moment of silence, then a strange chitter erupts from beneath it’s beady eyes as it’s claws click madly. It skitters towards you, suddenly intent.
Without the god-granted bridle to bind you, it does not recognize you as an ally. And now it comes, angry and hungry, filled with purpose. What do you do?
Welcome to round two, my noble crab-bait! You survived the battle and watched the twins get spirited into the heavens, but now one of their allies, a massive crab, has risen from the waves and wants to end you. Without Pollux as your master, it no longer recognizes you as friend rather than foe.
Now, you must kill it. As a creature of the gods, Carcinus has only one purpose, and death is the only way to stop it. Without the bridle, you have all of your abilities back that the bridle suppressed. But beware, this is a strange magical land with gods who are not your own. Your powers will likely behave in erratic and unexpected ways.
Even if he hadn’t realized it before, he knows now that Castor had been his other half, as much a part of him as his heart. And he is gone. What had he done?
Before you Pollux falls to his knees, lifting his face as he releases his rage to the heavens. You can only watch, confused or angry or pleased as the warrior who had ridden you into battle screams at faceless, uncaring gods.
Except… are they truly uncaring?
There is a rumble overhead, a grating, unpleasant sound. It hurts your ears, but Pollux seems to understand. What they are saying is impossible to determine, but it soon becomes clear Pollux is speaking to someone. Pleading, bargaining with someone. What bargain he has made, you don’t know, but when the unintelligible voices cease, Pollux rises. He comes to you.
Tugging the bridle from your ears, he releases you. Then, bridle slipping from his fingers, he steps back and announces, “I am ready.”
Ready? Ready for what? But in a moment, it becomes clear. His entire body dissolves into the stardust. If you look where the body of his brother lay, you would see it do the same. For a moment, the two trails of stars gleam as they shoot across the sky. They twinkle as they settle into the heavens, and briefly, the outline of the twins are visible. Then they fade, obscured behind a drifting cloud.
You are left standing in a spent battlefield, the survivors drifting, those too injured to stand groaning where they fell. There had been no prisoners in this war, and the dead litter the beach liberally. You can see a small group of the victors begin to reclaim their injured. The long and awful work that comes in the aftermath of any war has begun, but you are free. Free, and left in a strange and distant land that revels in bloodshed.
Suddenly, the waves swell and bubble. The weary victors grab their swords, but when they see what rises from the depths, their swords fall to their sides and they return to work.
From the sea, something enormous scuttles. It’s meaty claws click in warning as it pokes at the bodies littering the ground all around it. It seems to ignore the living. At least, it ignores the soldiers. When it sees you however, it stops. There is a moment of silence, then a strange chitter erupts from beneath it’s beady eyes as it’s claws click madly. It skitters towards you, suddenly intent.
Without the god-granted bridle to bind you, it does not recognize you as an ally. And now it comes, angry and hungry, filled with purpose. What do you do?
Welcome to round two, my noble crab-bait! You survived the battle and watched the twins get spirited into the heavens, but now one of their allies, a massive crab, has risen from the waves and wants to end you. Without Pollux as your master, it no longer recognizes you as friend rather than foe.
Now, you must kill it. As a creature of the gods, Carcinus has only one purpose, and death is the only way to stop it. Without the bridle, you have all of your abilities back that the bridle suppressed. But beware, this is a strange magical land with gods who are not your own. Your powers will likely behave in erratic and unexpected ways.
Some notes:
- You must end your post with Carcinus’ death. How he dies is up to you.
- As noted above, all your powers have been returned. However, they will be wonky. In what way is up to you.
- Please try to keep your posts under 1200 words (going over a little is fine, but not a lot).
- Temporary defects will be given if you fail to respond. If you need to drop out, just let me know and you won’t receive a defect.
- Have fun!
You have until Friday, July 16th at 11:59:59 PM CST to respond.