Fate/Geo Mythica (IC)

[Sei]

"Please... If anyone can hear my voice... I beseech thee..."

It's a dream that starts like many before it.

Alone, in a dark void, the unfamiliar voice of a woman reaches out to you. Her voice is soft and her words laced with sadness... but there is no denying the slight warmth residing within that sound. It cuts through the empty expanse and starkly contrasts the oppressing feeling around you. Even as hundreds of invisible little creatures start to claw and nibble at your flesh, this truth remains constant.

"Please... If you could even spare the tiniest shred of kindness..."

You listen intently for the woman's voice, but only a few of her words reach your ears.

This dream... This strange experience has become somewhat commonplace for you.

You're not exactly sure when it all began, but you feel it was likely about week ago. Whether you found yourself sleeping at night, dozing off during the day, or simply resting your eyes, once total darkness filled your vision, the woman's distant pleas began to work their way into your soul.

At first you'd thought it nothing more than an oddity. An unconscious hallucination brought on by the happenings of day-to-day life. However, as time went on, it became apparent that this dream would not end. Everyday, without fail, the same thing would happen... Over and over... Relentlessly drilling it presence into the forefront of your mind like a conscious nightmare. And, no matter what attempts were made, these occurrences never stop. The dreams keeps on. Your flesh is consumed by the unseen and the woman's words draw closer.

"Help us..."

Within that space, your vision is filled with a number of strange and unsettling images. The first is a solitary hill, beneath a weeping sky, completely covered in crosses. The second is the image of a king's throne consumed by a tree's naked roots. The third is a monstrous, featureless black pillar towering over a desolate landscape. And the final images provides you with a brief view of a city, covered in snow, with countless humanoid statues filling the streets... Their expressions of utter terror frozen in time...

You listen for the woman's voice once more, but there is no trace of her. Just as the images fade from your mind, so does her voice vanish from this realm. However, though you can no longer feel her here with you, the warm touch that reached your heart desperately lingers. As if to deny everything, it fills you and radiates throughout your body. But not even that feeling is allowed to last.

The sensation of the dream slowly begins to fade. A blinding light erupts forth from the horizon and cuts through the darkness. Consciousness is reunited with the body as your limbs start to stir to draw you from your slumber. As you fall towards the light of the waking world, you say your goodbyes to the mysterious voice once more. But, as you gaze back into that featureless space, you can't help but feel as if someone is reaching out to you. Despite the complete lack of anything within that abyss, the image of a slender hand reaching out to you fills your thoughts. And, as they do, it almost feels like her fingertips just barely brush past yours...

Awaking in your bed, you can't help but feel as though your time apart will be short lived this time around...

---

Fate/Geo Mythica

---

Chapter 1: A Cry in the Dark

[Airen]

Takamura Ryoko
Home

It seems she had fallen asleep during the night.

Sunlight streaming down through half-drawn curtains, the harsh golden luminescence drags Takamura Ryoko from her nightmares, blankets finishing their inevitable slide from the bed as the pale woman soundlessly seems to come back to life.

"..."

One hand rising to cover her face, the woman's eyes close again as a wave of feeling, her body prickling in the light, in the wind blowing into the room, casting dancing shadows on the wall.

Again.

"..."

A dream that wouldn't go away.

It was bothersome only because it was so repetitive in nature. Dreams should reflect the subconscious, and so, being a bizarre individual herself, she could accept one or two nightmares without thinking of it as odd.

But...

That feeling of crawling shadows eating at her body...

Brought back memories that could only be called unpleasant.

Still...

"Asking someone like me for help...? You have poor taste in assistance, imaginary woman."

Talking to no one, she does her best to toss aside the lingering feelings of drowsiness and nausea, stepping forward to greet the morning without fear, night embracing the day. The world outside is shining, the brilliance of snow bouncing the light of Earth's closest star throughout the awakening city. On any other morning, she would be stepping out to take care of her day job, but...

Looked like school would be canceled.

That was good, she didn't feel entirely up to teaching today anyway.

Turning aside, leaving the curtains open, Ryoko repairs her room out of force of habit. Papers are put away in their drawers, the bed is remade, pillows are re-fluffed, the computer is shut down, the consoles turned off as well, the lingering heat of poor ventilation sure to kill them off one day.

But seemingly not today.

The trip downstairs reveals a home that is more closed off to light. Caring little about the change, the footsteps that carry her to a fridge, then back to the couch with a clear glass filled with the darkest crimson, are those of a person who simply isn't in a hurry to accomplish anything with the day.

It wouldn't hurt to laze around... After all...

She had all the time in the world.

The television comes on.

Not because she's interested in the news, but simply because she wants to hear the sound of voices.

A glass rises to lips...

And...

"Hmph... Still tastes awful."

Some things never change.

But that's existence for you.

[Dranes]

Wilhelm Lund
Date: ???
Location: Wilhelm's Apartment - Bedroom
Time: ??:??

"Wait!"

A single yell escapes the young man as he wakes, his hand grasping at the air as if trying to reach back out to that mysterious voice but to no avail. A moment passes as he realizes he is back in the waking world with only faint memories of the dream...or perhaps it would be better to call it a nightmare in some aspects? Though the images at times were different, the voice had always been the same. At first he believed that these 'dreams' were the work of another magus, a colleague from the Clock Tower or otherwise that had wished to teach him a lesson or simply be a prank of some sort...but this had been going on for far too long to be something as simple as that.

"That dream again?"

The groggy youth propped himself on his bed, if anything it would have been nice if the dreams had been some sort of trick, at least they would be easier to deal with. However that wasn't the case, the dreams were too real, the cries for help too earnest, the images too clear, it all pointed to something more than just his imagination running wild or a rival magus taking their frustration out on him. To him, it was clear that there was something wrong and yet he was clueless to what it was, powerless to deal with it.

And that irritated Wilhelm Lund, the 'failure' of Clan Lund, more than anything else.

Even if it was nothing more than a recurring dream, it still filled him with the feeling of helplessness...there was no need to dwell on it and yet he did.

"There's no way I'm going to get back to bed after all that...I'm seriously losing too much sleep over this."

Finally crawling out of bed and getting changed, it was time to start another productive day or well, try to start one.

And that would all begin with the most important meal of the day: Breakfast.

[Bloble]

Emily Lexington
Rome, Italy
Some Cheap Hotel

"In culo a tua madre!"

Emily Lexington doesn't quite know what it means, but an insult is an insult no matter the language. And no matter the language, it feels good to let one loose when you wake up with an Olympic-sized headache compounding a shitty night's sleep.

She flails, feeling around for the shrieking alarm clock. When she finds it the loyal machine is ripped out of the wall socket and thrown into the already over-filled kitchen sink of her two room rental. Unfortunately the model Emily bought happens to have a backup battery, so its ringing doesn't abate. This necessitates actually getting out of bed.

Emily throws off the covers, stumbles over to the sink, fishes around for the alarm clock, and properly puts it to rest. Only then can she breathe a sigh of relief and wake up. She takes stock of the room as she gargles water from the last clean glass she has. Television not broken, but still only gets the local dramas. Curtains are pulled tight, and after peeking through and nearly getting her eyes burnt out by the morning sun, Emily decides they'll stay that way. But most importantly, the elaborate construction of feathers, shells, and reeds slowly spinning above her bed is still there and still as useless as ever.

"Real big help you were." Emily tears down the dream-catcher and stuffs it in the garbage. "Native American Magical Tradition my ass. Couldn't even catch a hangover."

It's been a week of useless sleep remedies. Store-bought stuff didn't work, so she turned to quack remedies. Then she'd pushed aside embarrassment, asked a buddy at the Association about magical aids, and gotten an unnecessary lecture on nightmare curses. The dream-catcher is her latest, unsuccessful attempt at getting a good night's sleep.

As she brushes her teeth in the sink, another idea occurrs to Emily. As with all of her plans, it's flawless.

"Alright, lady, you listening!?" she yells. "I'll help you out if you just shut up for a minute and let me get my snooze on!"

Someone next door thumps on the wall and calls out in Italian.

"In culo a tua madre!" is her response, and judging by the bout of unintelligible swearing it induces, is clearly the correct one.

Her stay in Italy is meant to be brief, but it always pays to memorize the best way to swear in any country you plan to overnight. That's one of Emily's many policies.

She's meant to be here to meet an associate. Some sort of mission that the Church doesn't mind having her help out with. Of course she wasn't allowed anywhere near Vatican City, so a dirty motel on the outskirts of Rome is where she's staying. Emily doesn't particularly mind. Being a tourist is alright, too.

But, she thinks as she downs a pain pill and washes it down with last night's vodka, she might not be a tourist for long at this rate.

Emily Lexington has been ready to go ever since someone asked for help. It's only a matter of where and when.

[Verg Avesta]

Kaimani Kawai
Honolulu, Hawaii
Hunakai Beach, Edge of the Water

All in all, he blamed the alcohol.

"Yep. Last time for homebrewed coconut rum. Definitely."

Kaimani opened his eyes, the crackling song from his old boombox drifting atop the sound of slow, lazy waves. Around him, the empty part of the beach was inhabited by him, trash from last night's party, and an odd seagull here and there. The bandits of the beaches were making a short work of whatever food remained. Grunting in annoyance, Kaimani shooed away the nearest seagull and snatched back his half-finished pork rib. He sniffed it. It smelled... adequate. Just dust off the sand, and he was able to take a bite out of it.

Honestly? It tasted like a bird had just salivated on it. Those little bastards.

"Uuuurrgh," Kaimani complained, the back of his head hitting the sand again. He laid there, sprawled on the sand. "Why did I have to go with those babes last night? I mean, it was fun but Pele's Gazongas... who drinks that much? Well, other than me, gaha..."

Smirking at the memories of last night, of the barbecue and the cocktails, of the girls and the dancing, of the fun in the sand and the tide reaching for his feet... wait, his feet? Now that he thought about it, Kaimani was feeling awfully windy in his nether regions. A quick glance downwards revealed something that he had feared.

"Aaaand I'm missing my pants. Again. Grrreat," he grumbled, rubbing his temple.

"Uli~!"

Almost as if to answer him, and odd sound that was somewhere between a bark and a meow caught his attention. Kaimani's head hit the sand again, and he gazed straight up. There, an odd, fluffy, white creature stood with an admonishing expression on her cute face. In her mouth was a pair of swimming trunks: white, with light blue floral pattern. Kaimani grinned at the creature and patted her head, taking the offered pants. It wasn't his jeans, but hey, it was Honolulu. He could do with just a pair of swimming shorts just fine.

Putting on the pants, Kaimani absent-mindedly continued to scratch the head of the creature that had nestled next to him, pawing his head with her soft paw. He stared up at the incredibly blue sky, just as cerulean as the ocean that spread before him. It was hot and humid, sunny and with nary a cloud in the sky. Many would have called this place a paradise; Kaimani called it 'home'. And even he thought it was a paradise. Usually this meant that he felt happy no matter what happened.

... So why was he feeling so downcast today?

He had a perfect night behind him. He had met some amazing university girls who showed him a good time. He had eaten well, and he had drank well. He had gotten some nice Z's... or, that's what he told himself. But the more he thought about, the more he realized that he had once again seen that dream that had plagued him for some time now. That dream about a girl, pleading for help. That dream about things eating his flesh. Honestly, he cared little for whatever nibbled on his flesh; it was nothing new under the sun.

But for him, a girl with clear sorrow in her voice cut deep. He wanted to help her. Even if she was just a persistent figment of his imagination, he wanted to help her. It was not in his nature to leave a woman with tears in her eyes. So, now that he was faced with one that was but a dream, he didn't know how to approach the situation.

Maybe he should visit a specialist in dreams. Maybe learn some lucid dreaming. Perhaps that way, he could make her smile again.

Actually, now that he thought about it, if he just got control over his dreams, he could take her on a date and show her a good time in the way only he, Kaimani Kawai, the Party Shark of Honolulu, could.

Yes, that's what he would do.

... As soon as he could stand up. The hangover was killing him.

[hero]

Arthur Mitchell
Mitchell Household


"...!"

Responding to the start signal with haste, my opponent immediately advances a step forward, his weapon at the ready. In order to keep some distance between us, and so as to stay outside his reach, I do the opposite and retreat in the same manner. A fencing match isn't quite dramatic as described in fairy tales, especially so if you stay true to its original version, without the use of Magecraft or any supernatural game-changers. It won't be half a minute before the first exchange ends with someone scoring a point, and then we'll move on to the next. I take another step backwards, but my mind is set on switching to the offense the entire time. Once you get a feel of how your foe moves, all that is left is to grasp an opportunity, lounge forward and strike.

"Good match."

Minutes later, I remove my helmet and congratulate my opponent. It was a really close match, one that leaves it clear that my victory had more to do with luck than superior skill. Satisfied that we both gave our best, I firmly shake the boy's hand and invite him to have a rematch in the near future. He leaves the dojo with a smile and the promise to come back soon.

"Has something been bothering you, lord Arthur?"

Having witnessed the entirety of the duel, my loyal butler finally asks the question that he's most likely been keeping to himself for almost a week now. As I wipe the sweat off my face with the towel he just handed me, I offer him an apologetic smile for making him worry.

"Just a bad dream. Is all."

-------

After a shower, I am return to my room in order to prepare for the day.

Things have been quite busy since I returned to the household, but I've had no issues playing my role as the heir of the Mitchell family. That is, except for the recurring nightmares I've been experiencing lately. Being a Magus somewhat skilled in the art of divination, the moment I noticed the dreams would repeat, I quickly jumped to the conclusion that my past could have been part of the reason why such a thing was taking place. It's not uncommon for people like me, who often carry a great responsibility upon their shoulders, to feel overwhelmed by reality and succumb to stress.

"..."

Though I have just recently come back from a journey of self-discovery, I can still come up with a few memories that could bring about a bad dream. That said, none of those fit the visions I say in my dreams, not literally nor metaphorically. As such, during the past few days, I've decided to approach the issue from a different angle. Perhaps what I continued to see in my dreams were visions of the future? I was not a stranger to experiencing that sort of thing, although I must admit none has felt so vivid until now.

But my research will have to wait until later this evening, for I cannot allow it to disrupt my schedule. I have people to meet and more pressing matters to discuss with our associates. Fixing my tie in front of the mirror, I offer my reflection one final determined nod before heading out. If my calculations are correct, the designated vehicle should be arriving at the gates within the next fifteen minutes to pick me up.

That's good. There is still some time left for breakfast.

[Ayakashi]

--- --- Cynthia Beautemps Domrémy-la-Pucelle, France St. Remy Chapel Morning

Thrown back into the waking world, Cynthia opened her eyes. The soft morning sunlight trickled down through the windows, illuminating the room with a faint glow and turning the woman's snow-white gown into a gentle gold colour. Slowly sitting up on her bed, letting the light bathe her, Cynthia prayed, as she always did every morning when she rose from her slumber.

This was no passage from the bible or a text from a prayer book. Cynthia Beautemps saw no beauty in the memorisation and reciting of words, instead, what she valued the most was opening her heart to the Lord, to her Father, and pour out everything to him in an honest conversation, like Father and Daughter conversing.

Her eyes gazed upwards, looking towards something far higher and grandiose than the humble stone ceiling.

"Our Father that is in Heaven, blessed be thy name. You are the light unto my feet, the shepherd who leads me to the green pastures. Your guidance is supreme, never-failing, and for that, I am most thankful, oh wondrous Father.
Yet, even when guided, there are some who cannot follow because of their own inadequacy. Children who wander astray, fools who are bewitched by the lies of Satan and become oblivious to the truth that is God.

I am afraid that I too am feeling weak and lost, oh Father: these endlessly recurring visions... are you telling me to go help the needy, or is this a call from a specific person indeed? A prophecy, a warning, a revelation, what exactly is all of this? The desolate scenery flashing before me, the words of that woman in tragic distress pleading for salvation... oh Lord, the eyes of your daughter are blinded by the scales of confusion. Lift this burden from my shoulders, that I may find the source of it all and bring your peace and salvation to those suffering the torments of this world...

Fortify my will Lord, and strengthen me as I meet this new day. May I be a tool for your glory, a servant of thine will which shall be light and salt of the world.

In the Name of our Great Father... Amen."

As she closed this solemn and passionate, yet quiet prayer, Cynthia made the sign of the cross as she customarily did after her prayers and began dressing herself up for the new day.

[Katie]

Nishizumi Azusa
Her Apartment

She didn’t like having that dream. Letting people down was something she was used to, but being so tantalizingly close definitely wasn’t. Azusa could still feel the faint touch of fingertips against her own (had she ever been that close to anyone before?) and the room felt heavy with the thought of failure. Couldn’t she just… fail all the way?

Maybe it’d hurt a bit less.

Perhaps she should see—no, that wasn’t an option. She’d have to cope with the nightmares herself, one way another. Couldn’t have her classmates think of her as even more odd than she already seemed, and she couldn’t spare the time away from the family magecraft. If she wasn’t working, then they really would cut her off. This apartment—her small, barebones apartment, was the start of a dismal failure if she didn’t put the work in.

A sigh escapes her lips. She’s tired and not very hungry. She’ll skip school for today, because it’ll be easier and she can always make up the hours later. Magecraft is a much more urgent matter, and she focuses on that feeling of being weighed down. A reasonable focus, she thinks. The burden on her shoulders may be just a metaphor, but she could feel its weight nonetheless.

Grabbing a pen—ink infused with prana—she scribbles down a magic circle on a small piece, trying to artistically minimize any imperfections. Microscopic to macroscopic. Start small, then expand, then go beyond that. That was the simple routine she’d done for herself these days.

But whether or not it had any real effect, well, even she could feel that blockade of stagnation.

[Vritra]

Vajra
Home
Morning

Standing upon an emptiness that shines like a void I hear a voice calling me, unknown tones and desires flowing through ripples that I hear as shadows begun to once again peel at my flesh.

Futile.

Divine mandate, the wishes of the heavens above, I know of my purpose and thus I obtain the truth of diamond and lighting. The wishes of shadows, no matter how bright the light or how deep the darkness losses all meaning in the face of divinity and enlightenment that transcends our forms. Thus unflinching I stand resolute as images spill out before me until finally they bleed away with the coming light.

“Mmmm.”

It happened again…

Starting at wooden rafters of the room and the iconography carved into them I to untangle myself from my blankets and pull myself up once again up onto my bed.

Again, again, again, again, once a-again the dream comes to disturb me. An out of place thing that ruins the harmony of my life, I hate it. It is not in the words of our teachers nor in the sacred texts. Truly unsightly, truly out of place… Uuuuuu maybe I should tell teacher…

Shivering as I contemplate the unsightly intrusion that has no place in my life I lose myself more and more as I descent deeper and deeper into thought until I finally grasp a shining truth.

Meaningless!

The dream, the woman’s words, her touch and all the rest are truly, utterly, completely meaningless to me!

~ ~ ♪

Humming a melody in my mind my spirit soars at this enlightenment I have reached and so with one last note I collect all trace of her within my mind and simply toss it towards oblivion. Such things have no right to exist within me, all I need are the teachings of the priests, all I seek is the enlightenment that the gods mandate, nothing more nothing less.

Having finally resolved the crisis I slip out of the room as quietly as I can so as to avoid disturbing my fellow apprentices. Today is another day I endure the trial that the gods and my teachers demand from me for my failures in lessons, another day another fasting. Such things as hunger are trivial to a disciple like me so as I head slip in and out of the temple buildings admiring the mountain view as I go towards the spot where I intend to perform my morning meditation.

Mmm a beautiful blue sky,

…would be nice to eat something though.

[RacingeR]

Harikawa Nanase
London, England
A certain apartment building

A balled up fist impacts against the alarm clock, making it bounce off its place on the nightstand and onto the floor. However, the magically reinforced clock doesn’t break, and instead it happily emits another burst of noise directly into Nanase’s ears.

With a groan, the girl gets halfway up from the bed and extends her arm towards the floor, groping the apparatus around until she finds the button that finally stops the grating noise. With a sigh and a muttered curse, Nanase gets up from the bed, staring emptily at the ceiling.

“You know, mystery dream girl, there are around seven billion better choices to pester in this planet.”

She knows there is no way the dream has hear her, but she loses nothing for trying.

“Another dream? I tell you, you should ask around for nightmare curses and stuff like that next time you go to the Tower.” A different voice, a male one, speaks out. Nanase lets out another groan, puts her hand under the covers, and extracts a long, sheathed katana. In the same movement, she throws it against the wall, causing a clanging sound as well as inciting the voice to let out an “Ow!”. The blade falls on the mess that covers the floor.

She sighs again as she remains sitting on the bed and rubbing her eyes. She’s completely apathetic to whatever plight may be afflicting the owner of the dream voice, but she wishes it would stop disturbing her sleep. She can’t even remember the last time she had a good night’s sleep.

“Shit, at least gimme a direction so I can go stab you or something.” Nanase mutters idly, then briefly considers going back to sleep, but a look at the daylight pouring through ther window tells her that it just isn’t going to happen.

“Fuck my life” With those elegant words, she gets up unsteadily, starts moving, trips with the alarm clock and faceplants into the floor, barely avoiding a discarded bottle of sake.

“Fuck!” She repeated as she got up immediately and kicked the bottle away. Fucking shitty foreign sake, she thought, it costed a lot to get in Britain, and most of the time it was of the bad kind.

Nanase’s room was an absolute mess, easily representing the uncaring personality of its owner. Bottles, clothes and other such debris were strewn everywhere, and covered most of the available space in the room except for the part around the bed. Given that the only furniture were a nightstand and a wardrobe, it was quite the accomplishment.

“Right, shower.” Nanase said after holding her head for a bit. She didn’t normally suffer from hangovers, so she guessed the lack of sleep was finally getting to her. She didn’t like the idea. In her line of work, if you were sleepy you might as well stop wasting time and put yourself in a coffin. Would be faster for everyone involved.

She walked towards the wardrobe, and after looking at its messy insides for a bit, she pulled out a pair of clean underwear, stating to herself for about the sixth time in the week that she should wash her clothes before running out of them. On her way to the shower, she noticed her phone had a few messages, and she picked it up. Three of her sisters had sent her messages.

Nanase frowned. She figured out that they were the only ones that had figured out how phones worked. The Harikawas and modern technology didn’t mix. And of course, she doubted her oldest sister, Ms. Chosen One-sama would deign to talk with her.

The messages were like always a mix of concern and alarm regarding her decisions as of late. She read them without showing any change on her expression, and closed her phone without replying.

“You really ought to contact them, you know?” The male voice suddenly spoke again.

“Rai, if you don’t shut the hell up, I’ll use you to peel onions again!”

“What? No! Not the onions!” The sword cried out and suddenly went silent.

Nanase rubbed her face again. Rai was unusually chatty this morning. Normally, she would need to send her thoughts inside the sword to contact with him, but in the mornings, when her mind was still hazy, the sword seemed to be able to contact her, usually just saying a short phrase before going silent.

“Forget it…” she shook her head, and finally went to shower and wash her teeth. Once she was done with the usual morning ritual, she went back to her room, put on a relatively clean shirt, picked up her sword, and went to the apartment’s kitchen, after making a routine check on the boundary field surrounding the apartment.

Her roommate had already left for the Clock Tower, which was expected of a good and proper student like her. She was the reason the rest of the apartment was tidy instead of an absolute mess like her room. Nanase herself had no plans to attend to her lectures today, and merely looked about in the kitchen, in search for something she could chew on. However, she quickly noticed her roommate had left her some breakfast on the table.

The idea of cheap shared apartments for magi was laughable, but it genuinely worked. Nanase had quite a lot of funds available as a member and vanguard of the Harikawa clan, but she hadn’t cared for a fancy house or other such things for her stay in London, and the apartment had been right up her alley. As she had quickly found out, the number of magi who wished to study in the Tower but had limited funds was astonishing, all things considered, and she had been lucky to get a spot.

She settled down on a chair, and took the remote control, turning on the beaten up old TV that adorned the apartment. At the same time, she put her phone down on the table and started eating breakfast.

Nanase was waiting for a message, a final offer to join the Enforcers of the Clock Tower against the wishes of her family.

She intended to accept.

[Sei]

Another day has begun. Though the faint memories of last nights dream continue to linger in your mind- quietly, almost forcibly- there are other things for you to occupy yourself with. Though the dream is indeed becoming a bit of a nuisance at this point, nothing will ever come of lingering on it. Time waits for no one. Your life marches on with or without it. But... Even still... Despite your best efforts to eject the voice and the images from your mind, they simply refuse to leave your thoughts.

Your heart beats once. Strongly.

A dull pain races through your skull and vanishes before you even have the time to properly recognize it. Writing it off as nothing more than a morning occurrence, you continue on with what you were doing. Then it happens again.

You quickly bring a hand to your head, trying to figure out if something is off. However, like before, by the time you're of mind to address it, the pain has already vanished. You linger for a moment wondering if it will strike a third time, but nothing happens. It's gone. Completely gone. But a part of you can't help but feel somewhat suspicious of its timing. And with the thoughts of the dream slithering back into your mind, it almost seems as if the two are related. Nevertheless, you can't allow yourself to get hung up on this now. At least, that's what you'd like to tell yourself...

Out of nowhere, your heart beats with an unnatural strength. With it, a powerful sensation ripples throughout your body- from your chest to your fingertips. It's unsettling and uncomfortable... But it pales in comparison to the message being conveyed through your eyes. 'The world has come to a stop.' Or rather, the world around you has become almost completely devoid of life. There are no people. No animals. All the usual sounds in the backdrop that you would normally associate with day-to-day life are nowhere to be found. There is only silence. Not even the sound of your feet on the ground seems to be reaching your ears.

"Please... Hear my voice..."

An ominous feeling pierces your chest.

For some reason, you can hear the voice from your dreams now. Clearer that its ever been. Except, this time it's not speaking directly into your head. No, this time the woman's voice is coming from the outside. Echoing in the distance as if to urge movement.

Taken aback, you quickly observe your surroundings and question the reality of things. Are you still asleep? Are you hallucinating? Or is this the work of some kind of magecraft? All these questions rush into your head at once, collide, and block the path to reasonable thought. The air entering your lungs is too real. The weight in your limbs is too real. Whether this is a dream or not, the complete sensation of your own body is too real to deny. And because it all seems so real, there is one thing that you cannot deny. A single feeling that is rising within you and setting your instincts into motion. And that... is that you are in danger.

In the blink of an eye, the world around you begins to crumble. Buildings, the earth beneath your feet, even the sky above seems like its being torn apart by some sort of mad god. It's all happening so fast that you're almost certain it's all a dream. The sheer absurdity of it all is enough to convince you of such... But, even still, your body is very real. Even if this crumbling dream world can easily be replaced, your body cannot...

"Hurry..."

Feeling something gently tug at your hand, you turn only to find that nothing is there. Only more destruction. However, with everything slowly falling apart around you, moving your feet is starting to sound like more and more of a good idea. There's no telling what will happen to you if you don't figure out a way to wake up before this place completely falls apart. And while you can guess, you figure it best not to actually find out.

The voice from before seems to be urging you, but no particular direction is given. No destination given. And as you stand amidst the falling world, one thought runs through your mind... Where do you go when the world itself is dying?

[Bloble]

Emily Lexington
Rome, Italy
Some Busted up Dream Hotel???

Emily considers herself a person with a sense of humour. She can laugh at funny things, and she can even find a silver lining to chuckle at in the most morbid situations.

But this right now ain't no laughing matter. Even the angry Italian next door has shut up, so she can't be in the same world anymore.

Something cracks, soundlessly, and she steps back just in time for the whole front half of her motel room to sink in on itself, collapsing and taking most of her belongings with it. Not that it seems to matter; everything is muted, and it's as if her own existence is the most solid thing about this place.

It ain't funny anymore.

"Hurry..."

Oh. So this is that lady again.

"Never heard of a phone?" This whole collapsing dream world thing is way too circuitous as a path to just contact someone. But no answer comes, and Emily will have to deal with it.

She's already half-dressed, and that'll do. Emily snags her jacket from a lamp before it gets sucked into the widening hole and slips it on. She reaches under her pillow, pulls Saratoga from its hiding spot, and tucks it into the large pocket running down the inside of her jacket. Not as good as a holster, but better for hiding the bloody thing in a country so barbaric as to not have open carry. Shoes are a lost cause along with the front entrance, so Emily backs off towards the balcony that's miraculously still holding together, and swings over it, clambering down floor by floor. She makes it to the ground just before the whole place comes down, and runs out of the clouds of smoke coughing.

She doesn't stop, though. Instincts say that moving is the only thing keeping her alive, so Emily runs, in no direction at all.

It's the same, she thinks. The same as her dreams, except this time there's a world instead of a void of blackness. And instead of she herself being torn apart, that world is going first. Has she gotten closer to that person asking for help, or did they manage to draw her in deeper this time? Is this some sort of separate layer of reality, like those musty old textbooks mentioned? If so, then the marble is clearly unable to maintain itself. The loss of stability will only accelerate. She's doomed.

Well, nah. Emily isn't pessimistic enough to believe that for a second. She's got her hat and she's got her gun, and that's enough.

Where to go?

Emily doesn't need to think about it. Every reality has its focal point, its center. The most stable place in the city, both structurally and spiritually. This erosion may be wiping away everything around her, but it'll likely have a harder time erasing a bastion of human faith and achievement.

If you're asking a random stranger for help like that voice, you're practically praying. And in Vatican City, there's only one place to pray.

Emily heads towards St. Peter's Basilica, the greatest church in human history, to give a desperate lady some sage advice.

[hero]

Arthur Mitchell


"..."

The car moving through the quiet streets of Oxford, I can't help but turn my attention to the window and look through the glass. My mind should be fixed on the important meeting that's going to be held less than an hour from now but, far from thinking of the future, it appears my head is hung on the past. That dream, that woman, no matter how much I attempt to discard the thought, it just continues to bug me. Together with the odd way I've been feeling since early in the morning, I am beginning to think I may have caught something. It's rare for me to get ill, but I cannot deny I've perhaps been putting too much effort into my duties for the past week.

"... Is something the matter?"

It would take something extraordinary to bring me back to my senses, and it wouldn't be inaccurate to say that is exactly what occurs. All of a sudden, the sound of the engine has vanished, and the car's movement has come to an abrupt end. The natural response is to ask the chauffeur for an explanation, but when my eyes meet the rear-view mirror, it immediately becomes clear that the man that was a moment before in the driver's seat is no longer there. He has vanished without a trace.

"...!"

The car leans forward without warning, speaking of the tragic fate that awaits it... And me, if I don't get a move on. Without loosing my cool, I open the door to the side and step outside the vehicle, a few seconds before the fissure on the road becomes an immense hole and swallows it whole. Unfortunately, it appears the outside is not safe either. Cracks spread through the ground beneath my feet, houses loose their footing and come crashing down... Even the sky looks unstable. And yet... My ears catch no sound or noise, as if I had gone deaf from the shock. That is, except for the voice that calls out my name and urges me to hurry. Without a doubt, it is the same voice I heard in my dreams.

"So that is how it is going to be. Very well, we'll have it your way."

I reserved the entire morning to take care of the family's business, however, it seems I have no choice but to cancel my plans. In a way, I am grateful. Because of how little control I had over my dreams, it was impossible for me to analyze them... I sought answers that the world of the living might have never given me. Now that I am here, trapped in a collapsing world, I should make use of this opportunity to reach the truth. I break into a sprint, not to run away but to stay in one piece so the experience does not come to an unexpectedly quick end. Given the pattern the dreams seem to follow, even if I survive this trial, there is bound to be more in the future. In order to correctly deal with this problem, I need to find the source. And as it turns out, I might have the right tool to carry out the job. Making a brief pause once I create a window of momentary safety, I concentrate on my surroundings and call forth my most remarkable talent.

if no direction has been given, then I'll just have to find the right path on my own.

-------

Wise-up!

Sensor [A-rank]
The ability to sense the presence of Prana in a large area, its components and their fluctuations by closing one’s eyes and focusing. A talent similar to the Servant Skill ‘Presence Detection’ often used by qi users, although ultimately different. Illusion and concealment skills of a lower rank are immediately cancelled, and proper reading of an opponent’s reserves allows the user to control the flow of the battle in their favor. However, it is completely useless against targets with no Magical Energy in them, such as bullets fired from ordinary firearms. Useful for finding the ideal place for a Magus’ workshop.

[Vritra]

Vajra
Temple Courtyard
End of the world?

Having triumphed against the shadows of doubt that seek to dissuade me from the proper path the divine have set for me I sit under the clear blue sky reflecting and strengthen myself. A sky of crystal, a landscape of rising mountains, the white dusting of snow on the ground and the ever familiar buildings of the temple it is the ever ordained normality to my life and one I utterly cherish. The pure clarity of its purpose is a gift from the gods the monks worship, the same monks who took us all in when we had been abandoned. A small act that let us continue forward in life and one I must repay by killing our enemies, the ones who would oppose the gods in their infinity and the ones who the monks tell me to kill. For the honour of the gods and for the prosperity of their disciples I ever strive for the strength needed to fulfill both. This is all I want and all I need.

The clarity of the sky, the fortitude of the mountains and the purpose of the temple with every breath I seek to draw in their strength to internalize it within me, with every thought in my meditation I seek to connect to the gods themselves, with ever clap I seek to purify myself of the unnecessary and return my mind to the path it attempts to stray from, yet…

"Please... Hear my voice..."

Krgh.

Ye-ye-ye-ye-yet thi-this is? My heart gripped by a trembling grip, an ominous surge as a voice I banished reaches me once more. Wha-wha-wha-what i-i-is going o-o-on, my mind whirling as it tries to grasp th-the mo-monks never me-me-mentioned anything a-about this. An enemy attack, an unknown test or something else? Countless ideas like the shifting snow that crests our mountains whirls within me until at last Satyameva, truth appear! Invoking the truth to stand before me I banish doubt and illusion I remove my own inability and force truth into the world before me.

I gaze upon emptiness, no animals no other monks or disciples, I stand alone in a world that feels like it has been reduced to its bones yet I can feel that my soul does not wander and my body does not sleep, a definite weight holds true even as the empty world begins to break. Who… how…

"Hurry..."

You…

Once again I am plagued by a voice, the world of demon, the act of an enemy or perhaps? I shall have to see so prepare yourself woman of dream I shall come to stand before you as a judge, all who threaten the monastery are my enemy no matter their intentions and by the grace the gods have granted me I exist to erase any such beings.

All doubt and all weakness have been banished from within me and now only the strength of the divine and the clarity they bring resides within me. Whatever threatens the world seeks to deny by concealing the path but such actions are futile, I walk the path ever forward and I walk forward because the path exists. Regardless of the disappearing land I fearlessly stride forward to judge and the bring death.


Wise Up
Perks:
Conquering Will: A
The ability to substitute or enhance one’s ability with force of will and self-hypnosis, it is one of the most basic techniques taught within Vajra’s group. It is also one of the few things that he truly and completely excels at, a resolute and true faith has allowed him to overcome his and the worlds limitations and produce results that should otherwise be impossible. His pure faith could be said to nominate him for the groups greatest product to date …shame they never realized it.

Offset Perk:
Specialization:
Yet despite the fact that his faith and will are his greatest weapons the lack of them is truly his greatest shackle, a fact that is most obvious in his interactions with others, bumbling and ineffectual. Vajra is someone who followed the teachings of his group and devoted himself completely to becoming a weapon so when placed in any other situation he is left with nothing and …produces results that match.

[Airen]

Takamura Ryoko
A Reminder of why you Rent instead of Own

Living as long a life as she had, there were few things that could really force a surprised reaction out of Ryoko. She had been all around the world, and from storms of undead flooding villages, to random intrusions by church executors, she had been on the receiving end of quite a few "sudden turns of event."

So when the world stops, she does not stop drinking the morning meal, at least not at first.

Crimson eyes flickering around the area, starting at her frozen television set, and ending with their focus on the world outside, she stays where she is even when the voice from her dreams calls out for her again, as if stunned, or determined to at least try to understand what was going on before she really committed to making any sudden moves in the future, but...

But...

The upstairs couch passing through the crumbling ceiling, destroying her television set along with the floor in front of her, and revealing a sky that quite literally seemed to be falling to pieces, well...

"Oh dear..."

Even this remarkably lazy high-school teacher...

"Alright, alright, I suppose you won't take no for an answer. I'm coming, mysterious voice."

Decides that now is a good time to start moving.

Random dimensional collapse was never a sign of something good, whether it was the collapse of the reality marble of some fool magus, the appearance of something from beyond the night sky, or even the planet deciding enough was enough and just punting humanity off of it's surface, well...

Flipping gracefully over the back of her chair, the glass of countless windows breaking all around her, the dark-haired woman hurls herself out the nearest one with a supernatural grace, pushing off the floor with her hands, the impromptu handspring landing her outside in her t-shirt and jeans, with her body righting itself just in time for her to clearly see her house take the plunge into an endless, incomprehensible void.

Pity.

She had just paid that one off.

Still.

The problem wasn't actually solved; being more akin of jumping out of the flames and landing on a lit stove-top, the world outside of her home was in just as much distress as the inside had been, the sky was tearing itself apart, the ground was being eaten, buildings were joining her own in the abyss...

Unpleasant.

Especially because this left her with little to no escape route. With no outstanding sensory abilities, and no context with which to ponder this little dimensional collapse, the woman who had still yet to devolve into a complete and utter panic, was still finding herself darkly amused about her lack of options.

Still...

Moving forward, or rather, moving forward until she was forced to go another way, the woman, the vampire, does something that would be very unexpected for her kind...

Namely...

She runs straight towards her usual church.

It was small, sure, but...

They tended to have nifty little bounded fields, and well...

She hadn't been there in a few weeks.

This might just be God's way of showing he wasn't exactly happy with her life choices.

[Katie]

Nishizumi Azusa

She hears the call, and in the process her hands drags itself off the paper, leaving a jagged, nervous line. In other words, another failure, just like her. She glances around for any sign of hostile contact, anything, but then drearily sighs. She’s losing it, bit by bit, and maybe she really should see a professional. But to keep it under wraps, of course. Hidden, like her shame, like her countless inadequacies.

Then, from the corner of her eye, she notices it.

The world crumbles into white, like everything was a jigsaw puzzle, flaking off into bits and pieces. Instinct tells her to run, but she can’t, because where do wastes of space like her go?

To her parents, who live miles away?

To her friends, who know nothing of this?

She bites her lip and accepts defeat. The overwhelming whiteness will devour her apartment, and possibly her with it. An inglorious end for someone like her, who basically deserved such an anticlimactic death. An extra like her did not deserve an interesting way to die. This was jarring and random, like the whimsy of life. As if she was but another footnote in the chronicle of mankind.

Even so, she resists despite the futility. She wants to live because all animals want to live, deep down. She focuses on her magecraft trigger. Her mind imagines that choking, heavy feeling of being weighed down, like being pressed upon, like being in a cramped space.

She feels stifled.

And at the same time, she feels liberty. Nerves warp into their fullest potential, magic circuits. And aimlessly, without much thought, she pushes out with her prana.

Anything to stave off the end.

[RacingeR]

Harikawa Nanase
London, England
A certain apartment building

“The hell is this?!” Nanase can’t help but to spit her voice out loud, completely caught off guard by the phenomena that shattered her world apart. No magi, for great that he or she was, can avoid being miffed when their breakfast suddenly falls apart before their eyes.

There is nothing around her. The world itself is breaking away like swept in a cataclysm so earth-rending that reality itself was unable to cope with it. And Nanase wastes no time in acting. Quickly, before the floor of the apartment ceases to exist altogether, she barges into her room to grab her sword, only stopping to quickly put on a skirt and grab the bag where she always carried Rai.

She doubts this is really happening. It must be an illusion of some sort, some sort of curse put to her through her dreams, she has no idea, but she knows only that this has gone on for too long and too far. She’s done with this bullshit the moment her honed instincts tell her there’s real danger to all this. The lady trying to coerce her into some sort of unwanted adventure was going to be disappointed, she would make sure of it.

Breaking into a run, she moves down the stairs of her collapsing apartment building, running towards the only place with people who would be capable of helping her: The Clock Tower.

[Ayakashi]

Cynthia Beautemp
World's End(?)


If her life had ended at this moment, Cynthia wouldn't have minded it much. As the world crumbled to pieces, the woman seemed to peacefully take in the apocalyptic carnage tearing the foundations of the 'world' to pieces. While there was a degree of doubt when it came to who or what was behind all this, Cynthia Beautemps had since a long time come to terms with the fact that the Lord works in mysterious ways. While she certainly felt uneasy from seeing reality being torn to pieces, the young woman had a faith in God so strong it could rival Atlas in shouldering the weight of the planet.

Cynthia listened to the voice, she pondered upon its plea. Certainly, it was not the voice of the Father, but rather, the voice of someone who required saving...

The conundrum was that it would be a waste to stay here, while she did not fear death, for it would bring her closer to her Father, to die here would nonetheless be going against the Lord's will: that she was certain of -- it was not her time yet. There were more things to be done, she had not served the Lord to her fullest, so the time to join him in Heaven was not now.

And so Cynthia Beautemps ran. As the world came tumbling down, she ran, searching for this person who called for her help, following the direction in which her hand had been tugged towards. What else could have that tug been, other than a gentle indication of which direction in which she would find the source of the voice?

Psalm 119:105 says, “Your Word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

Demerit Perk

Excessive Faith --------- Rank: A

A Perk possessed only by those who are utmost devoted to a religious view. Despite being a form of divine protection, it is not a blessing from a higher existence. It is only the absoluteness of one's body and soul, which is born from faith. But if it is too high, it causes abnormalities in the personality.

[Dranes]

Wilhelm Lund

In a moment, everything has changed. The usual sounds of everyday life come to a halt. As if time has halted, the world itself comes to a stop.

The pangs of pain from just moments ago are replaced with confusion, this was no illusion or at least it was one good enough to trick him if it was. Even so he doubted it, it didn't feel like a spell or some sort of supernatural force in play, rather it simply felt...empty. The street he had been walking down just a moment ago was now empty, the only life left was his own. It was a deafening silence, the feeling of unease in him began to grow as another moment passed by.

"Please... Hear my voice..."

"What the-!?"

There it was again.

The voice that always accompanied the surreal dream...and now this world.

"Just what is all of this!?"

Wilhelm's response wasn't surprising, it wasn't everyday that the world had died in a single footstep but it seemed that his questions would have to wait.

"Hurry..."

"What does that-!?"

He didn't have to finish his sentence, the world itself gave him his answer. It was breaking, the world around him was slowly descending into what one could only call the void. The pavement in front of him cracked, only to reveal a pitch blackness...he didn't need to understand what was happening, his instincts told him more than enough: 'this place is dangerous'. He had to run but where? Everywhere seemed the same, a crumbling world falling into the abyss.

"Eh?"

A small tug on his sleeve. From behind...but there was no one there.

There was no rational thought to take it as anything more than his imagination and yet his body twisted and he bolted in that direction.

His thoughts didn't matter, his body moved, his instincts screamed at him to run, to survive. There was no logic in his decision but perhaps he might find that voice, an answer to what this all was...or perhaps some simple reprieve from the madness surrounding him.

[Sei]

Vajra
End of the World (?)

(BGM on)

Though the world slowly crumbles around you, your stride is steady and confident. Recalling all that you have been taught, you're able to quickly calm your mind and dedicate all processes to a singular goal. Find the enemy... That is all you have to do. Whatever their intentions may be, it's likely that they mean you or those around you harm. And, as such, you must bring judgment upon them. Stand before them as the judge... Confront them... Eliminate them... If you can somehow manage that, this sorry excuse for a nightmare will come to an end. Or so that's what you tell yourself...

Your stride is steady and confident. Your goal is clear. However, if only for a second, that steel determination slips in order for your mind to take note of your surroundings. It's unavoidable. It's a basic human function that no amount of self-hypnosis can really overcome. And, this time, you find yourself grateful for this truth.

The world around you has vanished. The ground you were standing on, the sky falling down on you, even the air you breathe... It's all gone... In the midst of your own hypnosis, you somehow lost track of everything- unwittingly wandering into an endless dark abyss. You look around in an attempt to guide your current position, but it's hard to even tell exactly what is up and what is down. It's just like the countless dreams you've had before... Only this time there is something different. And that is the undeniable falling sensation filling you as an image of your burning world races off into the distance.

Dread.

Fear.

Anxiety.

As you sink further and further into the lightless void, a deep-felt feeling worthlessly creeps into your heart. Your mind strays in a hundred directions all at once and an equal amount of unanswered questions flood your mind. Was my life a good one? Did I truly accomplish anything? Is it okay for everything to end here? Will anyone miss me? Amid the chaos, it's hard to tell if these questions are your own or not. However, there is one thing among it all that remains apparent even to you. The singular truth that your life has gone unfulfilled.

Countless immaterial and unreal things swarm around you in the darkness and nibble away at your flesh. No physical injuries are incurred, but you can still feel their countless teeth tearing away things you simply cannot get back. You're going to disappear. You're going to die. And there's not a single thing you can do about it. The moment you wandered into this void, you weren't even allotted the luxury to struggle. Indeed... The fate of all things that enter this space is death.

You can only accept your end.

There strength in your limbs has already been 'eaten' away and it seems like your mind is next. Your home, your friends, even your name... It's all slipping away. The burning image of your home is like a star in the sky now, but you still long for it in these final moments. So, subconsciously, you reach out for it with your hand. You reach out for that distant star with your hand... and feel something firmly grip the entirety of your arm.

Your body is suddenly pulled up through the darkness and forward into a light. Before you know it, you're tumbling pathetically on the ground- dirt and rubble working its way into your mouth and nose. You're dizzy and disoriented, but you're soon enough able to realize that, somehow, you've managed to escape that void. A quick look around reveals bits and pieces of familiar scenery, but it's not enough for you to be able to call it home. The world around you is still falling apart, but elements of different places have mixed and fused with your familiar setting. But... there is one thing that stands out even moreso...

Some... 'thing' occupies the space less than a meter from your person. It's immaterial, shapeless, and almost indescribable. Simply looking at it frays your mind and distorts your perception, but you can't bring yourself to look away. It's grotesque, horrific, unsettling, yet divine and deeply beautiful. It is an existence which defies human reasoning and logic and merely being within its presence is driving you to the limits of your own sanity. You have a hard time making the connection at first; however, through the pain you come to realize that this feeling is much like that boundless void.

Within the chaotic form, a small image stands out clearly. A white, slender hand- likely a woman's- sinking into the crimson 'muck'. There is no face to accompany it. Or even a voice. All you are given are small, violent convulsions that communicate the sheer agony that person is going through. Instinctively, you think to move. Too reach out and grab that hand... As you're certain they just did for you... But your body refuses to move. 'There's no escaping that a second time' is what you tell yourself. It resonates within you even louder than the words of your teachers. By the time you realize this, the hand's motions have already stopped. Two seconds later, it's gone entirely...

The background is filled with a chorus of frightened screams, drawing your attention from the entity before you. You look out into the burning world to see countless people all running for their lives and the world goes to hell. Some are unfortunate and tumble into the void with the crumbling world... while others are crushed by falling debris and rubble. But, for those who are fortunate enough to survive... they are doomed to run helplessly from the hundreds of crimsons 'beasts' ravaging the land. Though some try to fight back, it's ultimately a fruitless endeavor. Nothing any of them do seems to even affect their bodies and the resistance only seems to aggravate their 'hunger'.

It's complete madness.

None of it makes any sense and it's all way too sudden.

"Hurry..."

The voice from before calls out to you once more. It's soft and gentle tone is a stark contrast to this vivid hell. And, like before, the voice urges you to hurry, but offers no particular direction. She provides you with a sense of urgency, but provides you with no clue as to why it's necessary. But... as you turn to gaze back at the indescribable horror next to you, you start to feel as though that won't be necessary.

"Please... hurry before it's too late..."

This is all a dream. This is nothing more than a continuation of the dreams you've been having all this time. At the end of it all, you're going to wake up and everything will be as it should. This is only a dream. So... no matter how bad things get... You're going to wake up in your room like you always have.

You continue to tell yourself this, but... By the time you realize it, you're already running for your life.

---

Arthur Mitchell
End of the World (?)

You open your mind's eye and search for any other presences. However, the second you do, another presence reaches out to you. An overwhelming, dark, and ominous presence. Immediately you understand the danger of the situation, but it's too late for you to pull back. Numerous eyes stare back at you through the darkness of your own mind and an unseen hand digs its fingers into your mind.

"Con---su---me... Hun---ger...Con---su---me...All...wor---ld..."

It's hard to describe the alien experience, but you feel as though a large set of jaws just positioned themselves to bite down on your head. So, naturally, you struggle. You try to dull your own senses, disconnect yourself from your own ability, and even shake your head. Anything you can think of to pull yourself away from this ominous presence. And much to your surprise, it seems to work. The unseen hand's grip slips away from your mind and the crumbling world once again takes focus. However, try as you may, the feeling of that presence looming over you remains. Its eyes have vanished, but you can still feel them looking at you. The pinch of its nails are gone, but you can still feel its hands slowly reaching out towards you. All around you... Ever present...

It's hard not to wonder exactly what just happened, but you understand it's probably better not to try and find out. The space around you is still falling apart and whatever that 'thing' was doesn't seem like it's quite done with you yet. Staying still simply isn't an option. If you stay here, you'll die. For now, you need to find a place where you can stop and regain your bearings. But, with this unseen entity lurking over you, it doesn't seem like that'll be easy. Just the slightest little slip up and it could grab a hold of you again. And if that happens, you aren't so sure you'll get away again.

You shake your head and wipe the sweat from your brow.

That whole ordeal aside, you can't seem to detect the presence of anything else. Neither works of thaumaturgy or living beings possessing mana. Even your most basic of senses are having trouble picking up on anything other than the omnipresent 'eyes' and 'hands'. So... either your senses are being overwhelmed... or this truly is a world devoid of life.

Regardless, you start to move. You aren't sure where you can possibly go in a situation like this, but anywhere has to be better than here right now. You aren't sure if the voice you keep hearing is connected to all this or not. You're not even sure if it can be trusted for that matter... But for now, it's all you've got. So all you can do is head in the direction you recall it coming from.

Your stomach sinks and a horrid smell begins to fill your nose. You continue to make your way through the falling world, but you keep finding yourself being distracted by the oppressive feeling in the atmosphere. Slowly, you start to hear the distant voices of people ahead; however, this does more to unnerve you than soothe you. As more and more unfamiliar landmarks and elements start to work their way into your world, this feeling only worsens... Reaching its peak when you find yourself looking at the sky for reasons unknown to you.

There... above the burning, dying land... rests a black sun. With numerous black monoliths reaching out towards the sky, you can't help but see this heavenly body as some kind of unholy herald. Its black light dyes the land in a bloody, crimson glow and its mere image starts to fill you with dread. The longer you gaze at it, the more you feel as though countless unseen 'eyes' and 'hands' are closing in on you. It's only then that you start to understand what you're up against...

As you stand there, dumbfounded and slack-jawed, the collective cries and screams of the people in the distance only grows stronger. As if the sun itself is relaying their anguish directly into your head, you feel as though you're slowly starting to drown in the agony of this world.

You try to look away... Slowly committing yourself to take another step forward... To take another step towards a safe haven. But your moments have suddenly become sluggish. You body is breaking out in a cold sweat and you aren't entirely sure why. It takes everything you have just to work yourself back up to a steady jog. Even still, it's perhaps the most stressful thing you've ever done in your life.

"It's almost too late..."

The woman's voice urges you forward and you happily indulge it. You're still not sure if you can trust it or not, but you don't have much of a choice. Because... If you look back now... You feel as if the dead will reach out and drag you into the abyss.