Welcome to Gaia! ::

For as unwelcoming as the Hall of the Ancients was inside, outside was worse. Made of sleek black stones, the fortress was an ominous figure. It was tall and imposing, and each spire and sharp curve looked like it was ready to slice through the sky. It could have been considered beautiful, once you got past how intimidating it was. From the outside, it was difficult to make out the stained glass. Once, gold and gemstones decorated it. Now, what the lightning hadn’t charred, the storm had battered and chipped away.

The clouds were knit tightly across the sky, and while the lightning occasionally flashed in the distance, the thunder was only a quiet mumble. When it echoed, it sounded like whispers. Scheming. Preparing.

The ground was saturated with water and every step felt like standing on a sponge. The grass was brittle, but it wasn’t slippery. A great stone wall encircled the Hall, with plenty of room to spare. Watchtowers lined the wall at regular intervals, and though they didn’t offer much defense, their primary purpose was to protect the lights he’d installed. Fire burned brightly behind thick glass to protect against wind and rain and shadow, but spotlights had been installed. They looked out of place, but they were practical.

Outside, the clouds hung low; they were dark and it was difficult to make out what time of day it was on Alastor.

Within the walls, towards the North, was a grassy field. In the center of it, a massive oak tree with black bark, and specks of gold inlaid. It had no leaves, but that wasn’t surprising given the weather. To the East, a waterlogged, withered garden, and a wall that looked like it had been recently damaged. The sound of the rushing river was loudest there. To the South, an underground storage chamber. To the West, the front of the Hall, and the path to the gates that led outside. The forest, distant and dark and the greatest source of Chaos, was just past here.

But, there were other locations, radiating chaotic waves.

A grove of trees to the southwest seemed to be a stronghold for it, something underground near the southern storage chamber in the Hall, to the East, directly across the river, and another to the South East, where there seemed to be some obstruction to the flowing river. Further up the river, lurking in some ruins, another one.

Eternal Sailor Athene, Eternal Sailor Ida, Deep Space Senshi Selinur and the Mauvian Illyria have been tasked with investigating the underground storage chamber at the South side of the Hall. From here, they could see The South Wall. The clouds swirled around them and the storm seemed like it might break again soon.

A large set of heavy wooden doors covered the entrance down; the doors were locked, but the group had been given a key. This underground chamber is relatively out of use; because of the unpredictable weather, it has a tendency to flood. Looking down into the pit, you can see a stone ladder leading down, and a few inches of water.

Somewhere deep inside there is a pulsing Chaotic energy. The shadows in the pit seem to scurry around desperately, eagerly, waiting for the group. Everyone was equipped with handheld floodlights, but the darkness is still imposing and wicked.

The faster they find the cluster of chaos, the faster they can leave. But, someone has to go down first, and they’ll need to work together if they don’t want the Chaos to pick them off.

Eternal Ida

Stepping up to the edge behind Illyria, Ida leaned over to look down into the darkness. Flicking on her light, she shone it down there to catch a glimpse of sparkle on water that made her grimace. She wasn't keen on getting her feet wet through her boots, but really, that should be the least awful thing that probably going to happen tonight.

Her dark hair brushed her cheeks as she shook her head. "Don't worry about spending anything, Illyria. I can take you down. You probably want to be on my shoulder anyway... unless you're okay with getting your paws wet." She said as she glanced back at the men with her. There was infinite comfort in the two she had been paired with... She knew Athene and Selinur well, since they shared an apartment. They would be good people to work with and to have guard her back, just as she would do for them. Selinur might only be basic level, but she and Athene should balance that out.

"If one or both you can shine a light down there for me, I'll jump down and shine a light around as you come and join me. I don't like the way the shadows are moving down there... I'd be more comfortable if it were a bit brighter." The eternal kept herself from shuddering as she bent down to scoop Illyria up again in one arm, both of their spotlights in the other.

Gathering herself, she waited long enough for a spotlight to be trained on the water below before she dropped over the edge, jumping down to land with a splash.

Deep Space Senshi Selinur


As much as he disliked admitting to being so weak, in terms of magic, he knew he was indeed the weakest in his group. The one good thing was that he knew both eternals and he could deal with this, not that he had a choice anyway. None of this did he like though...there was too much chaos and darkness, it was uncomfortable. he'd gotten used to it on hhis own planet, though it had taken on a different form, but this was different and yet similar and strong. There was power here in the chaos.

Watching everything around them, as if something might jump out after them, he finally focused on Ida and the hole she was about to dive into. "This place doesn't want us here - it is plotting against us." He was certain of that, he could hear t he whispers in the air, in the thunder, and the fact it was plotting against them - a whole planet. That did not sit well with him. But it also made him even more determined to finish this fight tonight and save one of the planets out here in space.

Deciding to add his own light to things he shone it down the well so Ida would be safe, because the idea of being down there inthe water was not a safe one. Not when the shadows down there could very easily turn into an enemy. "Athene, go next and keep your light trained down below if you can. I'll go last and keep mine pointed up to cover myself." So nothing followed him down somehow, who knows what was possible in this case. He didn't like not knowing everything about something...he didn't like going into something with missing information - it was unsettling. If anyone knew much on animals than they'd know the body language, and that his tail and ears said it all, he was not pleased with this. But this had to be done and he would not back away from it...even if he lacked a lot of information.

Illyria, Mauvian

Once more Illyria found herself being scooped up into Ida's arms as the decision was made about the order of which everyone would descend into the waiting darkness below. However she wouldn't complain. What did startle the Mauvian though was when Ida decided to bypass using the stone ladder in order to jump down into the hole. There was a brief sensation of everything not being "right" in her world before the Ida made impact with the ground below. The jolt of connecting with the ground below had the young cat's insides protesting before she settled. Her violet orbs took in the sight of the barren shelves as Ida's floodlight swept through the chamber that she now stood in. The smell of water that had been standing for such a long period of time had her scrunching up her nose before her head ducked into Ida's arm in an effort to block the scent from further infiltration. At that moment Illyria inconspicuously checked where the water level stood in comparison to Ida's feet and she knew that the chance of being allowed to walk, at least at ground level, had been taken away from her. That water's depth would mean that either she was risking having to swim or plow through with it lapping at her chest and none of those options sounded appealing.

Feeling a flare of chaotic energy had Illyria raising her head from where it had been buried as the sound of something splashing in a room beyond reached her and made her ears twitch. She squirmed around in Ida's hold before pulling free of the embrace to re-situate herself to be able to jump free at a moment's notice. Keeping her gaze focused she gave a low hiss as all of the fur that she had puffed out. Something surely was lurking beyond the reach of their lights.

Did this thing intend to continue to scurry away as they continued to approach? Was it luring them further in for a specific reason? Or was this it's last attempt to preserve itself. Either way Illyria was not liking how things seemed to be progressing. "Ida," and here her voice was a soft whisper, "I think that the shelves would be able to hold my weight if you need both hands free. There's a presence up ahead and I believe that I'd be able to stay off the ground for a while by using these empty shelves. I could even try to keep the way lit if I could manage my light again.""

Even as she addressed Ida there were sounds that seemed to come from behind and she twisted around to look behind them. "Selinur, can you keep your light trained behind you as you push onwards? We should keep our back-end flooded in light too."

Eternal Ida

The eternal stepped forward to sweep the area with her light and wait for the others to join her. Athene landed behind her after a moment and she turned to give him a nod.

"I don't think the phone lights are as strong as the flood lights, but that's a good idea." She said. As Illyria squirmed into a better position, Ida shifted her up to her shoulders, clearing her arms. She still kept a soft hand on her side though, helping her to balance as she walked forward. The way the shadows moved was uncanny and it made the hair along her arms rise in goosebumps. It made her very careful with where and how she held her light, trying to cover as much of their forward path as she could with it.

Light glinted off water and the rank smell was an unpleasant counterpoint to all of this... hovering all around them, unable to be blocked out. Ida studied the shelves with curiosity, wondering at the things that might have been stored down here once. Food things? Clothing and linens? It was rather amazing the shelves had stood for so long in the damp like this, but then again... if everything had died, as it had seemed to on other worlds, perhaps even the bacteria that would have destroyed them had died as well. A cold, wet, sterile world... even if her own world had been like that once, it didn't sit well with her.

"Alright, lets keep going. We'll need to make it further in." She said as she waited for Selinur to join them, eyes still watching for those strange movements in the shadows. This felt like some sort of haunted house, but in a far more serious sort of way.

The shadows were misleading, but then–they had to be, to last this long. Something else splashed again.

There was a sudden sound of sloshing water, like something was running towards them–and then the light from behind them was swallowed up. It sounded like a great wave slammed into each wall–and then it slammed into each of them.

The inky black water swallowed all of them up, pushing them into different corners of the room. A dark, tar like substance dripped from the walls before the water could settle, surrounding all of them in a black bubble.

Illyria would have had no time to jump onto the shelves; she was swept off of Ida’s shoulders and landed on the shelves, anyway.

They were all separated, and the shadows were so thick it created a sickening barrier between each other.

These shadows didn’t wither so quickly in the light, either.

The chaotic energy from the other room surged, like it might have been beckoning them, or trying to scare them, but they were all surrounded by darkness, alone. Cut off from each other. And the fogginess washed in, the blur on the corners of their mind that made it feel like they were stepping out of one dream into another, or maybe back into reality.

The cold water–pure black–was up to their hips, and churned around them even in isolation. Illyria was spared, but she was soaked from being washed off onto a shelf earlier.

Illyria wasn’t alone for long. Ida, coughing, stumbled through the barrier. Black soaked her uniform. It wasn’t stained, it was changed. Black batwings sat on her hips. Her Transcendence markings were gone–instead, inky black tattoos. She coughed, and nearly fell over; her hand gripped the shelves to stable herself. “Illyria,” she rasped. It was hard to tell if her energy signature had changed with all of the Chaos in the air, but Ida seemed fine, if not a bit shaken.

She coughed twice before she rested against the wall. A floodlight had fallen under the water, and though it was dark, it was enough to make out Ida’s form easily. She looked at the palms of her hand and curled them into fists and uncurled them like she was just getting used to her own skin.

She didn’t seem angry.

She seemed impressed.

And then, she shook herself out of her stupor. She seemed like she was beaming–glowing, in a different way than before. In a better way than before.

“Are you okay? Come here, let me hold you. I was worried about you.” She held out her arms for Illyria, eager to draw her near and make sure she was safe.

Ida herself was alone, unaware of the illusion that had manifested for Illyria. But the Chaos was no kinder to her. A floodlight shined into the bubble she’d been isolated in, and while she couldn’t see everything, she could see enough to make out another form in the room with her.

Athene had a light as well–but the use of his App would have been useful considering the floodlight was on the floor of the room, underneath several feet of water.

Something splashed and sputtered next to him, and at first it looked like it might have been Illyria, but then a completely different voice echoed in the bubble he’d been trapped in. “Athene, this is the last time I let you out of my sight. Do you know how much danger you’d be in if I hadn’t followed you? Pick me up, something’s pulling at my tail,” he said, paddling towards the Senshi desperately. “Are you okay? I lost sight of you and thought the worst. Everyone else has been swept away.”

Selinur, despite his best efforts, was drenched. The smell was different–old, but not quite stagnant. And then, familiar. He wasn’t alone in the bubble; a floodlight was shining on the ground, giving him just enough light to see through the dark water.

Someone coughed next to him–a familiar sounding noise.

Willow was small and old; her long brown hair disappeared in the water. Her eyes were misted over, and she had one hand on the wall and one hand reaching into the space in front of her. Her ears twitched, like she was listening, and a confused frown appeared on her face.

“No,” she said quietly, almost as if she was speaking to herself. “Tell me this is no mischief. I would know the Senshi of Selinur if I stood before them. Is that–is that you?”

Ida looked over her shoulder, as if she expected something to be chasing her. “No, I’m not,” Ida answered honestly, and turned back to Illyria with a desperate look in her eye.

She smelled of stagnant water, and sulfur, and desperation.

“The water’s rising. We have to get out of here. We have to find the others. I think they’re under the water. Something’s moving down here. Illyria, we have to go.”

Her arms remained outstretched, but she shifted positions again and stood up straight, visibly alarmed. She looked as if she’d felt something brush against her leg.

Illyria, Mauvian

A slow blink. Precious seconds to comprehend what it was that Ida had mentioned about the others and she felt the breath leave her tiny body. But she straightened her frame after a moment. At first she couldn't believe that Ida would have come for her and let the others seemingly struggle to find their own way out. Even back in other perilous situations she'd been there to lend a helping hand to help others get out of trouble. And although it did seem like there was still quite a lot of water Illyria remembered the level from before. Where had the water come from?

Sniffing once more at the outstretched hand, Illyria gave a soft, plaintive cry, before sitting back down on the shelf. "We might have to go as you say, but Ida, what about the others? We can't leave them. And we were tasked to find something."

The sulfur & stagnant water smell was irritating her nose but it was strange that before the crashing wave there'd been no smell of sulfur.