xistentia | War with D.E.S.T.I.N.Y.

Characters: Ensemble cast, any/all characters of Xistentia!
Summary: D.E.S.T.I.N.Y. comes to Xistentia for the first time, bringing with it violence and havoc. Combat against enemy agents, healing, emergency sanctuary, and "Drift Compatibility" happen here. Refer to the OOC plotting post and the mod announcement!
Date(s): November 4-18
Warnings/Notes: Violence, death, psychological themes, trauma. Please warn for anything else in your subject headers!

WAR WITH DESTINY

By headsman's blade or battle-axe

Fight For Your Life

Everything is, in short, super fucked. Era Ra's warning came at the right time, forewarning of some of the weapons and fighting styles that could be expected from D.E.S.T.I.N.Y.'s agents, but still, the people of Xistentia have not faced a force like this before. The ragtag combination of fighting styles and tactics promises both versatility and confusion.

For better or worse, D.E.S.T.I.N.Y. is in similar chaos.

The first to come are ships from the Western sea, bearing a mix of warriors in and monsters. Some wield old-fashioned steel swords and others bear laser blasters, and their armor is just as varied. Some creatures appear domesticated, while others are feral and snap at their own. However, one primary feature identifies the enemy: their war color is red, which adorns flags and uniforms. Interestingly, the sea and sky of Xistentia seem to be fighting back in their own way, massive waves and a storm, even animals pestering them as they attempt to land the beach. However, it's only a matter of time before the mainstay of their forces reach land, some two hundred fighters. It's then that sentient fires start to whirl into the forests, leaping from tree to tree.

You have the home court advantage. Even the foliage itself seems to cooperate with you, aiding in efforts for stealth by keeping you downwind, twigs failing to crack when you misstep. Soon, you're joined by Xistentia's other forces-- a handful of battered ships taking air, an odd assortment of elves and talking dogs, demons and aliens from outer-space, coordinating counter-attacks.

BATTLE MODE: ATTACK

You're locked in combat with a woman who seems oddly familiar, though you don't know her face and can't think of her name. You hit her in the head, and now a narrow slice of her face shows through her red-rimmed helm. She wields a rifle tipped with a heavy blade, though it crackles with electrical energy. She is a proficient swordswoman, deftly parrying and striking against you, her face eerily expressionless. Her blade has a switch that, when activated, will send out a net that numbs your limbs and drags you to the floor. Here's hoping you won't face this demon alone.

She's not your only problem. You may have noticed, that in every epic battle with evil wizards, there's always some kind of a problematically gigantic elephant. This is one of those days. At least, there's only one, its trunk as wide as a car, its feet moving slow, so that it might crush the trees rather than trip over them.

Fight one or both, or fight the hordes of nameless minions around them. Either way: there's plenty to do. Those of you who thought things were too quiet here? You'll be busy today.

SEEK SANCTUARY

Fighting isn't for you? Well, you'll want to get out of the way, then. The "wards" protecting the city are failing, and people are heading toward The Temple where the protections remain the strongest. Here, the injured need healing in the stone beds. The civilians do their best, comforting children, cooking food, trading intelligence, repairing weapons and armor where possible. Feel free to pitch in; they need all the help they can get.

BATTLE MODE: SUPPORT (PSYLINK)

And here, you've reached the Temple, you've laid yourself down on one of the many glass-and-stone beds within the safety of its stone walls. You know what the other Xistentia residents have told you about it— this is the next phase, after the memory share had raised shields against the psychotropic rain. This is the PsyLink. Through this bond, you are said to be able to activate special defenses. No one seems to know exactly what they are, but desperate times call for desperate measures. And beyond the Temple walls, times are desperate indeed.

Each drift requires at least two people. Your daemons will find and connect you, seemingly at random— and you may find yourself with the unlikeliest of partners.

Drift Compatible

The Kissing Booth participants find it easiest. Everyone else-- it's a wild jumble, finding yourself caught up in a firehose of not only your own memories, but that of someone else. Everything they think, everything they feel, is intertwined with your mind.

You can't get caught up in it. You have to let the memories of the past, your predictions for the future, and the terror of war flow in and out of you, without neither resistance or pursuit, gently tuning them out. And in this serenity, this psychic silence, this acceptance of not only yourself but the other other, you find perfect connectivity— harmony with your PsyLink partner.

In this space, you find yourself having strange conversations. You and your partner will share ghostly images, some of which seem to be images from the past— while others seem to be present-day moments from the battle outside, fighting the enemy, as if you are somehow in two places at once. You must find traction and stay in the now and stay calm, but it's harder than you think.

The instant you latch onto that memory or emotion, it's a mistake... but you forget.

Your shadow is here. Whether out-of-context, or right here where it was meant to be, it's trying to kill you.

But you're not trapped here alone. Someone is calling your name, a familiar voice in the pandemonium. That voice comes from your drift partner. It's up to them to pull you back, remind you of who you are, and balance you. Hold on to them - they're your anchor, but you'll have to do the same for them. A successful drift means helping each other. Do it well, and you'll help to power the temple's defences. Fail, and there'll be trouble for everyone seeking sanctuary here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

A. Fight to the Temple (ota)

[ This is crazy. This is absolutely crazy.

Wyatt is surrounded by a swarm of activity. There are friends and enemies are alike, and it's confused. It's chaotic. He has no idea how to navigate it. The first few times something bears down on him, he tries to shove it away, punch it, kick it, anything. Then his lack of productivity on that front combines with his fear and anger about it happening in the first place, and he shifts into his wolf form before he can think anything more about it.

His clothes lie in shreds around him. But now his teeth are bared, his hackles are raised, and he leaps at the nearest talking enemy dog to tackle it to the ground. You might be the lucky person he's just dragged an enemy away from, or maybe you're an ally he's caught by mistake. His method is all instinct; biting teeth and scratching claws and not a lot of actual strategy. In short: he's dangerous, but against these trained warriors, he'll get himself killed if he doesn't get away from them. He's aiming vaguely towards the Temple, but he keeps getting turned around in the panic. He yelps as a knife sinks into his back, and then he wheels around to grab the culprit by the neck, shake them, and toss them away like a beaten ragdoll. He bares his teeth. Anyone who'd like to be next can step forward now. ]

B. Drifting towards Failure (closed to Cain)

[ You know, when they said there'd be war, Wyatt didn't really know what that meant. He's never seen war before. Not like this, not real war, against multiple, huge, scary opponents. The fight for his life had literally been a fight for his life, and then he'd gotten to the Temple and known there were others left behind. Others, who were still fighting, and maybe there was something he could do to help them. Maybe he could shift again. Maybe there's something he can offer, something he's supposed to offer.

But he doesn't go back. He's thought about it, even resolved to do it more than once, and he freezes before he gets to the Temple doors.

He feels like a coward.

This is new, and so much bigger than him, and he's not trained for combat like this. But he still feels like a coward. ]

Is there nothing we can do from here? [ That's aimed at Hunterd, who has stayed with him, and thus far has followed Wyatt's own intent. He hasn't pressured him to go back. Instead, the daemon regards him with interest. ]

There is a way to support the Temple's defences. It will help the soldiers on the ground. It's not easy, but if you would like to try -

Yeah, I want to try. [ Wyatt moves forward, nodding. Maybe there'll be guns to shoot, or shields to raise, or something. It really doesn't matter. ] What do I have to do?

You need a partner. Now scanning for available options.

[ Wyatt nods, and while Hunterd does that, he scans the gathered refugees for anyone who looks available. ]

C. Wildcard (ota)

[ Wyatt can otherwise be found in the Temple, dressed in whatever mismatched scraps of clothing he'd managed to find there. He's trying to help by handing out supplies or sitting on the floor, his head down while he broods about his other failures. Feel free to interrupt him at any time. ]

[ eventually, nico has to take a break from the battle. multiple shadow jumps on top of summoning the dead has left him feeling exhausted and worn. there are cuts and scrapes along his arms, his shirt is torn, but he's otherwise okay. that seems to also be the case for wyatt and nico notices him handing out supplies. he looks physically all right, but the way wyatt keeps his head down, doesn't look at others has nico concerned. wyatt's become such a dear part of his life that nico feels a pang in his heart for whatever reason wyatt must be feeling upset. so he draws close, enough to take the offered package of bandages before reaching up with his free hand to brush dirt from wyatt's cheek. ]

Hey, it's good to see you're surviving.

[ He must really be out of it, because he hadn't picked Nico's scent. That's a little surreal. Weirded out by it, Wyatt looks up with a start.

That doesn't last long, though. He touches Nico's hand, and then reaches for his arms. He's covered in cuts, and his nose does pick the blood now that it's right in front of him. ]

Hey. Hey, you're hurt.

[ Frowning, he reaches to pull Nico into a hug. ]

I'm real glad you're safe. Do you need anything?

[ despite the cuts on his arms, he's still standing, still breathing. will's first aid has helped a bit, so now he's just resting ( doctor's orders ), more worried about wyatt's state than he is about himself. ]

I'm fine. [ he quickly returns the hug, squeezing wyatt. ] Will's helped me take care of the worst of it. It's just using so many of my powers at once tends to wear me out.

What about you, though? You don't look so great.

You should come sit down.

[ Wyatt doesn't let go of him. Its good, really good, to see a friendly face. Nico isn't just a friend, either. He's someone Wyatt cares about very much, almost as though he's one of his pack. Just as he'd feel better around other wolves, something about his mood seems eased now that Nico is here.

He looks around, finding some spare cushions, and nods over to them. ]

Like there. You can rest up. I'm not...hurt, or anything, but I'll sit with you. I could use the company.

War with D.E.S.T.I.N.Y.

wyatt lawson | ota and one closed prompt

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no subject

i somehow lost this tag

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