#isola event • ( phantasm amalgam 2. )

[punishercross]

It was the boar, not the boy, who approached the priest first.

Looking somewhat desperate, he ran up, tugging on the priest's arm in an uncharacteristic display of ill manners.

Like as not, it's only with the boy holding the equally juvenile thoma approached, grabbing onto the boar's harness, that the priest may understand why the giant animal seemed like it needed an adult.

"Whoa, Razra, leave him a..." The boy's eyes flicker in a faint recognition as he lapses into silence.

"...Who're you?"

@punisheye

[nicawlette]

❝ Wang Yi? ❞ She recognized the sight of his back, but hesitated under a wave of nostalgia. ❝ Is that you? ❞ Gone were the white robes and long hair she'd endeavored to get used to, replaced by a familiar red jacket and short pink strands curling along his nape.

With another strange development unfolding across the city, Nicolette's focus had shifted, entirely captivated by a waking daydream shared amongst every Spirale citizen. Ironically, it had only been thanks to Mary Sue's curiously active imagination that Nicolette found herself coming back to reality. As handsome and suave as fantasy men might be, there was only one on her mind, whose eyes she feared wishful thinking would not be strong enough to open.

So imagine her surprise upon arriving back at his apartment to find the bed his sleeping form had occupied for weeks, empty. The shock of it was unsettling enough, but a lack of contact from his end left her wildly concerned. The entire atmosphere of the city seemed to shift in a moment, growing dark and ominous where it had once been bright and carefree. Despite his belongings remaining to prove otherwise, Nicolette could not shake the fear that he was gone— that it was her turn to lose him first, this time.

Please, anything but that— not yet, please.

She had walked the streets with a rising panic, seeing familiar faces from the corner of her eyes that dissipated like smoke the moment she turned to look closer.

Seeing Wang Yi now, Nicolette considered the possibility she may be hallucinating, despite him being the first figure not to disappear before her eyes could fully adjust; however, it did not stop her from moving closer, hand reaching out to seek comfort as it pinched the fabric at his upper arm. ❝ Where have you been? I've looked everywhere for you. I thought... I thought you— ❞ Disappeared, again. Though she could not say the words, they hung in the air between them, anyway.

@nobully — worst boyfriend award goes to the bitch who didn't call me when he woke up from his coma?

[veilstricken]

that being said hey i'm gonna put up an event starter call, come and dream nightmare with me. capped at 3, castmates exempt.

[paaperboats]

This wasn't supposed to happen.

The time they were given here, the chance to be together again-- neither one of them wanted to admit that it could end, that what they dreamed of truly was just that. A dream. Not the reality they long sought for, that they fought tooth and nail for every waking moment they spent in Cloudbank.

Hadn't they suffered enough? Wasn't it time for them to be given back all that was taken from them? Here, or at home-- it didn't matter. It didn't matter as long as it was theirs. As long as it was them, together.

But their bright world had plunged into darkness without so much as a warning; the lights of the Empty Set going dark, as the scarlet curtains warped and withered away. Red clutched at Boxer's chest as his arms curled around her, shielding her from the chaos that threatened to pull them apart again. It felt like the world was ending, but all Red could hear was the sound of her heart pounding loudly in her ears; her grip on her lover's jacket growing stronger by the minute.

"We have to go," he urged, although where, he didn't know. "Something's wrong, Red. I'm.. I'm not.."

.. but suddenly, Boxer's knees began to buckle; losing strength all at once. His arms fell to his sides, sliding past Red as she gasped; reaching for him as she travelled with him to the ground.

"Why am I.. like this? I'm not--" it felt like it took every ounce of strength he had, but the man raised his bandaged palms; looking down at them as his body began to tremble. "I'm not supposed to be here, like this. In this body, I'm--"

"I'm dead. I.. died.. why aren't I in the country.. why can't I see the sky..?"

The words all but broke Red's heart, tears immediately erupting from her eyes as she grasped as his shoulders, doing everything in her power to ground him.

"Auden, please-- it's okay. You're okay, I'm here, I'm right here..!" but the look in his eyes grew dark, almost lifeless; and the heartbeat in her ears immediately silenced. His body slumped against her shoulder, as his fingers weakly circled around hers.

[ Red. ] And when he spoke again, his voice sounded different. Hollow. Slower. As if he was speaking from inside the Transistor again. [ Red.. don't.. don't let me.. go.. ]

Without a word, she pulled Boxer closer to her; squeezing her eyes shut as more tears cascaded down her cheeks. She couldn't lose him again. She couldn't watch him die again..

She refused.

As the comforting scenery of the place they built together disappeared, a field of wheat erupted below them; dancing in the wind as it pushed the hair out of her face. The sky remained dark; orange and red hues obscuring the sky, as hundreds of blades similar to the Transistor burst from the ground. They stood in various sizes; some disappearing beyond the clouds, while others remained closer to the ground, sticking out in all angles.

But neither Red, nor Boxer, seemed to care.

Not even when the world threatened to swallow them whole.

[wingherc]

@darkenforcer

｢𓆄｣ It's not a scene Hawks thought he'd have to relive in the confines of this city. Not only has the setting been recreated, but...The doubles that Jin was making were stronger.

Still, the men were going back and forth. Hawks insisting that Jin was a good man, and if Jin came quietly: he could help him rebuild. Hawks had the power and resources to offer at least that much. And it was true: Hawks did think Jin was capable of good. But, Jin, being hot off the heels of Hawks' betrayal could only choke back sobs as he fought back the man sending flurries of feathers at any doubles he tried to create.

"I don't want to kill you, Jin." It's spoken with a dangerous edge, implying he'll do what needs to be done to ensure the League of Villains and AFO don't gain the upper hand.

It takes more than just a single slice of a feather to turn the clones to mud, but...It still works. Hawks just had to slice and dice as fast as he could, in some hope to keep up with how desperately Jin was producing clones, while the clones also produced clones. Though, with all of his feathers at play, and his feather blades at his hand, he had no means of retreating. The flurries of red were hard at work to keep the doppelgangers at bay.

And he couldn't risk any doubles escaping this dreamscape, lest they invade others dreams and overrun those too. So: it was a battle of stamina. And Hawks' worst nightmare: he would have to strike down this dream version of Jin. Something he was prepared to do back home: but hadn't quite gotten to face the reality of quite yet.

Once one of his feathers sliced through the air once more, there was something...No, someone, that wasn't supposed to be there. The feather could only catch the hitch of their breath.

So, when Hawks turned his body, for just a moment, he was faced with one of his friends from Spirale: Yuri. Shit, this wasn't good. He definitely wasn't supposed to be here...How did he even stumble here?!

"Get out of here, Yuri! You'll die if you stay here!" He doesn't keep his back to Twice for long, and instead jetted past another set of clones, slicing through them with dual feather blades. While help might up his chances of survival here: it's not a risk he's willing to take.

"Don't worry about me!" The tone he's using with the man is much different than how he's spoken to the other before. It's raw, and commanding, like the interactions they've had prior were just a charade. "I'll make it out of here." Or die trying. Though, that goes unspoken.

[cyandelightz]

the nightmare you know (is better than the nightmare of the unknown)

-- Author's note: Oh my god, be careful with this one, guys. It is horror content, check the content warnings, please let me know if I missed any... Content warnings for abuse, implied CSA, implied incestuous abuse, suicide, death, graphic descriptions of gore, moderate depictions of decay in a corpse, and whatever the hell mental illness it is Buzzo has here to make him react like this. Dear lord. -- ------------------------------------ In their dreamspace, just for the two of them (well, just for Buzzo himself - Lisa isn't really there, she's been dead for almost two decades), the garden remains, beautiful and pristine, warm and lovely in sight and scent. The sky seems to shift for a moment - but he ignores it. He could easily be seeing things, and it's not important to him in this hour of celebration of his loved one.

What is important to him is her. His beloved, the meaning of life, the universe, and everything. The reason for everything that he is and will ever be. (You know your life ended when hers did.) Something in his mind itches, something that makes the hairs on the back of his neck rise - not an unwelcome feeling, it is in fact familiar, and it's something Lisa inspired in him - part of what he loves her for. The fear. The discomfort. Her mean streak… He could never be upset at her for it. He knew the causes of it, all too well. And so the fear, the stomach churning, the hair raising, it feels like home - like he's finally home.

He looks up at her. She was rounded out before, like her brother and father. But she is gaunt now, bony, her grin a toothy snarl. He smiles back up at her, adoring, worshiping. Of course he got that part wrong. She could never be like Brad or Martin, regardless of whatever genetics said. Lisa would always be Lisa. And he knew Lisa as being rail-thin and gratefully, ravenously wolfing down whatever food he could bring her, be it bought with his allowance and spare change from the couch or outright shoplifted for her sake. As if she hadn't eaten in days - and he knew she hadn't, because Marty is a goddamn worthless waste of oxygen.

Her smile is even more familiar than the one he had dreamed up before. He considers it an upgrade, even if others would currently be screaming for him to run.

"Berny…" Not… Buzzo? Her voice sounds too high, too. Like a child's. "I need you to do something very important for me, okay?"

Oh. His stomach sinks, and sweat beads on his forehead. He remembers this. This was… right before she asked him to - to cut her. To make her 'ugly'. So Marty wouldn't want her any more.

He was hoping this version of her wouldn't ask for this, or wouldn't feel the need to revisit it. But it's okay. It's okay! He'll do anything for her. Anything. Even if it's cruel and unusual and…

He takes a deep breath. "Okay. Anything for you."

He manages to trudge back home (how long has it been since he's been in his father's garage?). It's as he remembers it, really. The atmosphere as oppressive as classic Americana can be - even as an adult, six foot three, he feels the need to step as softly as possible so as not to gain his father's ire or the nosiness of his brothers. He's in and out as fast as he can be, back by her side.

Except she's not there. But her old house is, strewn in garbage, down in the valley below - he remembers this sight, biking down the way, checking on her.

No, God. Please, no. Don't let this be him losing her again. His heart sticks in his chest, pounding, stomach sick as he runs toward the old house, the old garbage-covered lawn - climbing up the tree in the Armstrong's backyard as he remembers doing when he was just an adolescent, his current adult form being irrelevant to how helpless and small he feels against the force of Lisa's will to escape, to not exist if she couldn't get the abuse to stop.

There she is. Just like last time. Her feet aren't touching the ground.

A sob wracks through his frame as he's clinging to the tree branch, which miraculously supports his adult form as if he were still a spry child, tears welling in his eyes. He doesn't like to raise his voice - it's a cheap, shitty way of scaring people, like calling yourself a comedian just because you're tickling people… but this isn't to cause fear. This is unbidden, something he can't control, a body-wracking screaming, pleading to capital-G God, please don't let her be gone -

His breath catches and he gasps for breath. He saw motion in the window, and he looks up to double-check, not wanting to hope because having that hope crushed would potentially literally kill him. He saw right. She's - she's climbing down. She's coming up to the window, she's

Her face is gone. He's the one who did that to her. By her request, cutting her up with his dad's circular saw. One of her eyes has been gouged out by his clumsy hand. Gore hangs in strands off her inner musculature, her lips gone, her face trapped in a grin.

Her remaining eye is decayed, as if she'd been dead for a day or so already, covered in a milkiness. Lividity has started to appear on her pale, sun-starved skin. Even despite this, though, she opens the window, and she makes to climb out toward him. He cries further, and holds his arms out to hold her, to guide her out - he doesn't care if she's some kind of zombie so long as she's still here, Goddammit!

She's cold in his arms, and she retains that horrible, yellowed grin. He hurries to help her down from the tree. As long as she can still move and talk and think he'll worry about whatever condition, whatever near-death she's in, later - he needs to get her out of here, away from her father. He already knows what would make her put herself in the noose, and if her not having a fucking face wouldn't stop the man, nothing will.

He's on the grass, facing away from her, about to speak - about to reassure her that he'll get her out of here, he'll take care of her, they'll be through this soon, it's all gonna be okay, Lisa, I love you, please hang on -

He hears the saw starting up. He remembers he had dropped it in his rush to climb the tree.

He turns back to her. She's got it in her hands, and she's approaching him with that horrible yellowed grin, the awful fate of her face being skinned - what he inflicted on her, what he thought she wanted, what she insisted on - still, so, everpresent, the dried blood staining her whole upper body, that white silk poncho completely ruined in a nasty brown scab stuck to her frame.

"Lisa?" He questions her, backing up somewhat. But - he can't… he can't bring himself to harm her, not again, never again. "It's your turn now," she coos, softly, in that voice of hers that makes his heart flutter. He can't help but relax a little upon hearing it. "I, I don't -" "It hurts so much. I need this, Buzzo." "I…" He takes a deep breath, slowing down as he questions whether to fight this at all.

"Would it… make you happy?" "Very." "I… I…"

Tears are welling up in his eyes again, his chest wracked by ragged sobs. "I don't know what to do without you," weakly escapes his lips, a confession unbidden, something he's needed to say for years. "I got your revenge, I made your brother suffer, and now that's done, and I don't know what to do with myself any more. I'm so tired of having to make my own choices without you, I…"

She gets closer and closer, holding the saw with one hand - she reaches to cradle his face with one cold, pale hand. Staring into his eye with her one remaining, half of the other dangling out of the socket.

"I just want to know you're happy," he says, pleading to her, pleading for her forgiveness, pleading to feel worthy of anything resembling affection.

The saw cuts through the flesh of his cheek and cleaves through his nose, his brows, in an instant - an instant in which he immediately screams with all the strength his lungs can give him. He can't see any more - he's pretty sure he just lost both eyes, possibly a bit of the front of his skull - but suddenly, with an inhuman amount of strength, he's shoved to the ground. He hits the grass with the back of his head and all of the wind leaves his lungs at once.

He can feel her standing over him and he can hear the saw start up again, and that is the last thing he remembers hearing before he felt the sawblade rip his chest cavity open.

It is the last thing he can remember before he wakes up again, in his bed.

He has to peel himself off of it to want to move at all. His chest aches with a horrible pain as if it's been cut open.

Dragging himself to the bathroom, to get started in his day, to use the mirror… reveals a horrendous scar over the middle of his upper body, going on a diagonal from right to left. Right where he felt the saw cut through his ribcage. Exactly that, exactly there.

Was it really just a dream? He doesn't know any more. He drags his feet down the stairs- he doesn't want to be awake…

And he sees Lisa outside the window. Hands folded behind her back. Smiling her yellowed smile.

Even, despite, (because of?) what happened, he can't help but rush again to her side.

"Buzzo," she says, in her soft, sing-song voice. "I'm so happy to see you again!"

And she pulls the saw out from behind her back.

He would gladly die for her entertainment. Over and over and over again. He could know no better bliss than to have a purpose in life that functions for her amusement, for her love. At least then he has a purpose. Outside of her, with Brad mutated and suffering, he has nothing left to cling to, to define himself by, other than pure, meager hope that she's just happy. Somewhere, wherever she is, please, God, just let her be happy.

If breaking him over and over with the same saw he used on her is what makes her happy - so be it.

[sanguineouspitch]

@vermillionadvent

When one's world is suddenly cloaked in darkness, it was never an easy thing to adjust to. For Crona, however, they had ample reason to believe this wasn't their world- certainly not a part they'd ever been to at least. Why was this city underground? And...why was what they could see of the cave walls wet? And it looked more like flesh than stone, upon closer inspection...

This was entirely too new. They never had a chance of being able to deal with so much change and unfamiliarity. They needed guidance, something to ground them, to keep them from being immobilized by despair...and it was then that she had appeared. Different than they last knew her- much more powerful, as they'd grown up knowing her. Though she had vanished from sight after their initial conversation, she was still there. They knew. She rarely tried to hide her presence from them, even if her physical form wasn't around.

Even so, the memory of that woman slipped their mind upon running into someone. Mere contact with the burly man caused Crona to stumble back a bit, shaking like a nervous dog as they forced themselves to make eye contact. He certainly gave the air of knowing this place more than they did...or at least being secure enough to make it seem that way. Maybe another time they could've taken some pointers from him about appearing confident in the face of being totally out of one's depth.

Today, though? No such luck was to be found.

"U-uh...? Sorry, I'm...really trying to be alone right now...I don't think you should be here..."

[thegreatfraud]

[So....how was it...? Were you able to find happiness?]

"Still looking for it big bro...that green light.....i love you man. I don't say this enough when your alive.....and i'm sorry. I'm sorry you died because i try to play hero."

Huey watch as the body of his own brother falls. His hand shaking from the bullet that ended the illusion. Signalling the end of the evnt....as Huey crack up. A laughter escaping his lips. hE..he....HE...kille....he killed his.....ahahaha

What is even left in him that worth jack shit? What the point in this bad joke?

"YOU HAVING FUN YOU SICK SHIT? DID JUST WATCHING US SQUIRM LIKE THIS FUNNY? I GONE TO THERAPY! I TAKEN MEDICATION! I WAS DOING BETTER! I was....i was gonna move on...where are you?....my friends...please....i'm sick of being a solo act.."

Huey turn from angrily yelling at the sky as he curl up into a ball and just sob.

Reality a cruel mistress.

[invitetruth]

Yu's breath hitches. This can't be real. It's all too convenient to approach and apartment complex and immediately end up in his parents' apartment.

It's... home.

This place never actually felt like a true home should; it didn't have that kind of all encompassing warmth and welcoming a home ought to have. It's empty and cold, and even now the AC is whirring amidst the all too familiar silence. Inaba, the Dojima residence, felt like home to him; inviting and lived in. Nothing like this place. It never earned that title.

There's a prolonged sense of loneliness that settles in Yu's chest. But didn't he want to get back home?

Suddenly there's motion and what he swears is the sound of his parents' calling his name. He takes a shaky breath and steps back instinctively. How and why are they here?

And now that he thinks about it... this isn't his current school uniform. It's a much older one. What's going on?

[ostentumm]

"I really don't like this. Not one bit."

[veilstricken]

It is the Dread Wolf that finds Cullen, and he's glad that he manages it before most of the demons do, or at least the ones that had been following him around. He'd had the good sense to clear them away before going searching for any of his old allies.

He knew to look for either Kirkwall or Kinloch Hold, that's probably what helped the most. The grey-brown stone streets of an old city crack and splinter around him, chunks of stone lifting up to float into the air in an uncomfortable reminder of another place that had fallen apart around him, to a chorus of shrieks, accusing the Dread Wolf of killing them all.

Solas may be an enemy now, in some capacity, but he isn't going to let his old allies fall to dark dreams. He still cares about them, those who stood once with the Inquisition. It hurts to admit that much to himself, but he accepted that fact a long time ago. They are people, and they matter.

He can practically feel Regret laughing from wherever it was. Still tailing him. The last two times he'd killed it, it had simply reappeared. That was how he'd convinced himself it wasn't a real spirit. A reflection of one, perhaps, but not real.

A host of shades and red templars up ahead of him freeze mid-shriek or mid-claw, turning instantly to grey stone. The shadow of something huge, like a massive wolf, seems to be approaching, but when the figure steps out from in between the demon statues, it's just Solas, staff in hand, looking tired and determined, but unharmed.

❝ commander cullen. ❞ He calls just as he appears, ❝ are you injured? ❞

@absolutionem (phantasm amalgam, part 2)

[paaperboats]

part two for this event has me Screaming i am Not okay!!

red and boxer will be losing themselves for this part of the event, in the sense of that they will refuse to believe that their happy dream might be coming to an end. they've whisked themselves away to one of the final areas in the game, which is not something either of them should remember going to yet, however it is something they've unknowingly lived through with their canon point. manifestations of the camerata, the very people who were the responsible for boxer's death may make an appearance there, as red deals with the loss she may be forced to experience a second time.

red will be hostile, especially if she doesn't recognize your character. boxer will be very weak, grappling with his mortality, but may be persuaded to speak to a little easier than red at first. if any of their enemies show up, they will need help. red refuses to even acknowledge the transistor's presence, but boxer may realize that they need it to get through this.

anyway, this post will serve as a starter call if this at all interests you! i will cap this at 2 as i try and finish responding to my part 1 replies!

[punishercross]

PHANTASM AMALGAM PART 2

So, at the end of Part 1, a tiny Nico appeared in the shed outside of Home once the thoma were taken care of inside city limits. For Part 2, anyone back in Umber will not necessarily see the large ship that comprises Home change in appearance (on the outside), but instead will hear something expanding underground, leading to shifting sands and sudden storms as the earth moves beneath them.

Some important things to note:

Wolfwood himself hasn't been heard of since the onset of Part 2. His phone will go to voicemail for a bit before being shut off.

Anyone who goes to Home will only find Nico. The ship itself is in a state of disrepair, and it seems to be only the boy and a giant boar (plus a baby thoma) trying to keep the place together.

Nico is a sweet kid, but is gonna be a bit suspicious and a bit preoccupied because...

He's looking for his brother, Livio, and is not entirely aware that the guy who went missing the morning after he arrived is an older version of himself so he's significantly less concerned about that.

With all of that noted, go ahead and like this for a starter with Nico. Capping at 3 with castmates exempt from the cap.

[veilstricken]

Solas had known something was wrong when the demon that had been trailing him shot off in another direction, like an animal bored of stalking one prey, suddenly running off to pursue something more interesting. With something like Regret, that could never mean anything good.

It skitters through the streets on multiple long, dark legs, bits and piece of the world breaking off into floating chunks or cracking apart as it goes. The wolf-like head of the demon looks, seeking something, and then seems to hone in on it. As it turns a corner, Solas follows it, running, now, more than walking.

It turns, many eyes focused on a single point. It draws up its wolf-like head to look down the way that a high dragon might (it is not much smaller than a high dragon, either.)

Solas waves to the man in front of the demon, hoping to get his attention before the creature notices him. Not a man Solas knows, though he has some guesses at once.

❝ this way! ❞ He gestures, ❝ it is a regret demon—do not get caught up in it. run! ❞

@mageunderground (phantasm amalgam, part 2)

[veilstricken]

phantasm amalgam, part ii info.

Solas is sort of in his element in dreams and nightmares, and without powers locked he's fairly strong, so he's mostly going to be running around helping others with their nightmares. That said, there's still a few things he's brought with him:

The friendly spirits that he conjured up mostly turned into demons. Primarily wraiths and shades, but with a few despair, desire and pride demons as well. Those will be loosely following him around, which means he's not staying too long in one place at a time. The biggest and scariest one is that Skyhold's Regret Demon (it looks a bit like this) popped out of his artwork of the castle and is among this number. It's pretty big and scary, looks like a wolf combined with a dragon and both of them jumped out of a painting, and gets bigger and scarier around people with a lot of guilt and regret. It will come out specifically to bully people with trauma and it'll respawn after a while if killed.

The area around him will also be breaking apart and sundering, falling apart into floating chunks of rock and such, like it's being torn up by something. Floating bits of ancient elven ruin might also appear in the areas where he's travelling.

Fade Rifts are going to show up and spit out more demons, but you might also catch glimpses of ominous, vaguely humanoid figures on the other side of them... though nothing terribly distinct.

[punishercross]

Finally dragging all of the thoma back Home, he sighs as he corrals the ones that remain, patting one on the beak before letting it in. All at once, the happily frolicking flock seem to greet each other. A happy family, so it seems, running around the enclosure and dancing around Razra. It's quite the sight, in all honesty, and he can't help but smile as he watches it.

He'd forgotten how fond of the birds he was, dumb as they can be and as much of a pain in the ass they've all been these past few days. Rolling his shoulder, he thinks for a moment it'd be damn nice if I wasn't here alone before he lets it wash over him, passing him by.

He was gonna end up alone either way, may as well enjoy whatever the hell's going on here.

After what almost seems to be a dance, the thoma start to glow. It's...Wild. Something out of a book, or some wild story he told Livio one night when they were kids. Blinking, he watches as the large birds all run together, happily turning into light and disappearing just as suddenly as they came.

Whistling, he turns to Razra, "Didja see that, bud?" before moving to scratch the boar behind the ears. The motion causes them both to relax. At least, until there's the sound of something falling in the shed, and some squawking, followed by a shhhh.

The shhh sounds young enough that he doesn't need a weapon, and instead knocks on the shed door. "You wanna come out and tell me why yer on my property?" (It's not your property.)

Some shuffling, but no dice. Sighing, he pulls at the latch, and when it doesn't give, he figures he's gonna be fixing it anyway, so he shouts "Well, get away from the door," before kicking it in at the hinge, causing it to drop into the sand.

Walking into the musty shed, outlines of tools showing in the dusk, he takes off his glasses to look around, only seeing just who the invader is when he hears chirping.

"..." The boy - himself, actually - regards him with silence, putting himself between the remaining baby thoma and the man who just kicked in the door.

(Shit.)