lunaecalamitas | you opened your eyes, spreading it wide

you opened your eyes, spreading it wide

THIRD QUARTER ALLEGRO

While our newly-arrived wizards have been settling in, learning their magic, and getting to know one another, the sage and their mentor have been busy with a different kind of work behind the scenes—bureaucratic work. It hasn't been particularly exciting, but it has paid off.

Because now, the world is ready to receive them.

Put on your finest clothes, because Granvelle Castle invites you to a welcome ball in your honor.

Didn't bring any fine clothes with you? No need to worry—specially chosen tailors from Central Capital have been commissioned to take care of you, and they will be visiting the manor to get you gussied up in the fashion of your choice for the day (by this, we mean feel free to pick whatever fancy clothes you want for the ball).

As the sun sets on the designated day, all the residents of the manor make their way to the castle. Granvelle Castle stands proud in Central Capital, its lights a beacon in the darkening city, and its doors open to outsiders for the first time in weeks. Upon arrival they're greeted by brightly lit halls, welcoming staff, and a grand ballroom, windows flung open to let in the spring breeze and pale moonlight. Everyone and everything seems determined to make this a cheerful affair, despite the underlying sense of dread and tension.

Live music fills the air, played the greatest musicians in the world. There are some larger ensembles, solo acts; some pieces are of more traditional folk dances, while some are slower, and some are upbeat and avant-garde. Regardless, the floor is open for dancing—grab a buddy and dance the night away!

Lining one wall is a long banquet table, filled with plenty of food and drink, both alcoholic and non to sate the new arrivals. The hors d'oeuvres and small plates comprise an array of delicacies from around the world, with everything from savory lobster bites to the sweetest portions of tres leches you have ever tasted. It seems someone has also put in a specific request for Japanese food—a part of the banquet table has been set aside specifically for Japanese dishes, and this includes small portions of ramen. There also seems to be a plate on the far end of the table filled with lovingly stacked pieces of charcoal... Is that meant to be food?

You aren't the only ones in attendance tonight. Representatives and dignitaries from around the world are also present—they have quite a lot to say about the unusual situation, and they are most curious about these otherworldly individuals tasked with fending off the moon under their national banners. The most dignitaries are from Central, West, and East, while there do seem to be a few representatives from the less populated North and South. Those from Central, West, and South in general seem to be the most social, while the rest are more reserved. There are also a few of the castle staff that seem (begrudgingly) willing to speak with the new wizards. Most are here to chat and mingle—lend them an ear, you may learn something new...

For those tired of socializing, the ballroom opens out onto a breezy, spacious balcony. It looks out over the main thoroughfare leading to the main castle entrance, and the nighttime lights of the Central capital twinkle in the near distance. For those that would rather take a breather, there is a small patio table and a couple of chairs. Despite the waxing moon in the sky, it is a very nice evening.

If you would like to have a chat with an NPC, then please respond to this comment. NPCs will be assigned randomly if no preference is given. While everyone has something valuable to say, they're not giving potentially sensitive info out for free—let's hope your diplomatic skills are up to snuff. We're doing our best to give everyone meaningful conversations, so please bear with us!

JOB BOARD

Rejuvenation. Thanks to your Southern friends' hard work, the South has been saved from a potentially devastating crop failure, and these fledgling towns can continue to grow as they're meant to! Give them a pat on the back and a round of applause.

But the South is not without its scars. While the root cause has been taken care of, the damage has been done. A town's wheat field has been partially destroyed—help them tear out the blackened, dead wheat, till and fertilize the soil, and replant what can be replanted. The City of Clouds, the most prosperous of the Southern settlements, have also offered extra tools, hands, and seeds to help set the town back on the path to recovery. Transport these supplies to the town. Let's hope your broom skills are up to snuff too, because it's a long ride.

Shadows in the night. The residents of the Central capital have recently been reporting eerie sightings after sundown: shadowy figures lurking in corners, the constant feeling of being watched, and, in some extreme cases, these shadowy figures attacking when traveling alone at night. Many reports seem to indicate an odd concentration of these creepy figures lurking around the Granvelle Castle moat, as though trying to find a way into the castle. Residents are understandably frightened and unnerved and cannot go about their nightly business—beat back what shadows you find and make the streets safer for the Central capital residents.

While physical attacks don't seem to do much against them, they dissipate rather easily under magic. Try not to wear yourself to the bone, though—there are a lot of them.

Escorting nobility. The Eastern Blanchett noble family have called an important meeting, inviting nobles and others of import from across the Eastern Country. However, their castle lies beyond Sherwood Forest, a very large, dense, and deep wood—while a fine natural defense for the Blanchett family, it's a bit of trouble for those looking to visit. While the Blanchett's own forest guard is absent, it is your job to safely escort these nobles to the Blanchett abode, and back out. But be careful: lurking in the shadows amongst the trees are all sorts of territorial predators like bears and wolves, not to mention the magical beasts that sneak up on unsuspecting prey. You may come across a brigand or bandit or two, since the forest is a near perfect hiding place for illegal activity. And please—try not to get lost.

Typical of any Easterner, the nobles are reluctant to make much small talk and are a bit suspicious of the new wizards, but they are otherwise pleasant and will generally comply with most requests.

WANDERER TASKS

Can you go a week without ruining food or the pots and pans? Stop being so wasteful and learn how to cook or stop trying.

Learn how to use magic to repair things. Again, if you're going to keep ruining the kitchen at least learn how to put it back together.

TATARA ACTIVITIES

I need milk. I'm trying to perfect latte foam art, but I haven't really gotten the hang of it yet... I used up all the milk (oops, sorry!), so I need more. Actually, could you grab me other kinds of milk while you're at it? I want to experiment! I'm sure other markets in the farther reaches of the world will have weirder milk... Please!

We should start a veggie garden! Or an herb garden? Doesn't matter! I found a nice sunny patch of grass in the training forest—we could dig up that spot, right? Help me get it set up! I need people to dig, and till... Oh! We need seeds to plant, too! Please and thank you~

OOC NOTES

🌙 Welcome to your second event post! Get out your snazzy outfits. It's time to party.
🌙 As you grow into your magic, your character might start realizing they can differentiate between everyone's magic. Everyone has a unique signature, and you may be able to start sensing who cast what, where. Someone put a magical seal on the kitchen door? Smells like Shinjiro's magic. Akira had some of Solomon's sugar? You can sense that, too!
🌙 As you start getting past the basics, your character might realize they have a much easier time with certain kinds of magic over others. For North, this will be offensive and attack spells; for East, this will be intricate seals and curses; for West, this will be manipulative magic like illusions and transformation; for South, this will be healing, purification, and protection. Central? A little bit of everything. Read up on your country if you need a refresher!
🌙 It's been peaceful at home in the manor thus far, hasn't it? Do you think that will last?
🌙 Your OOC plotting post is here! Remember to keep all wider plotting contained to the OOC post, since not everyone checks plurk or discord frequently.
🌙 Our next group to go on their mission is Central. Be ready, heroes...

» NAVIGATION

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ A fine evening indeed.

Jing Yuan is strolling in the midst of the courtyard for his nightly grandpa walks, or something...like that? Whatever, the details are not important.

What is happens to be the fact that there is a confrontation going on, and it is getting extremely out of control; he knows what frenzied fights look like as opposed to simply sparring. This is firmly in the realm of the latter.

Somewhere in between all of this (maybe others' interferences?), Jing Yuan will move swiftly, to close the distance, and suddenly, his voice is booming— ]

Enough. You both have had your fill.

[ His weapon is ready to bring out just in case, aha. But he doesn't draw it just yet. ]

What happened?

[ If he was in a normal state of mind, he'd honestly have laughed at this. But he's pretty far from that at the moment. His eyes dart first to the shield Solomon cast and then Jing Xuan.

The knife is still in his hand, though his gaze hasn't strayed from Mikaela. After another moment, low and flat: ]

Does it matter?

[ His expression tightens at the words that fall from Khun's lips, severity clear on his face for once, and not even vanishing from his tone in the slightest. ]

It does.

What were you thinking?

[ "What were you thinking?" Well that was the entire problem, actually. But he says none of this, as he lets his eyes sweep the scene more. There are a lot of people here, and even three might have been too many. ]

This is —[ so many things he won't put into words, but he doesn't feel like he needs to. ] pointless.

[ he doesn't put away the knife but he does finally, let it drop at his side. he'd be a fool to leave himself unarmed right now, but it's clear he has no intention of fighting anymore either.

and this happens so lmfao. ]

[ Jing Yuan is hoping to get more information on the situation, while that is still tenable, and the response doesn't even so much as deter him from finding out. ]

Pointless? No.

This is to—

[ —Fuck's sake! ]

( Between the barrier going up, Jing Yuan stepping in, and Yodarha ripping??? reality??? to make a waterfall???? Mika is still tense, but he's not in instant, immediate danger anymore.

There's - a sound that comes from Mika; a weird sort of - not inhale, but like wind whipping through a tunnel as he turns his head toward Jing Yuan, the half of his neck asynchronous with the bottom half. Blood spills from the split in his neck from the exertion - cold blood, chill like his body.

Though his lips part, no sound comes out, and the cut seems... unbelievably deep.

Guess whose vocal chords are out and whose wound isn't healing and who's lost way too much of that tasty stored blood!!!! :') )

[ Jing Yuan imagined that things would go south, but not quite like this.

This is not a good situation for Mika to be in, is it? He decides to try to come closer, because he realizes that he's in deep shit right about now. ]

Don't talk. Not yet.

[ There is not much time to think of other options or to wait for many to come. ]

You'll need blood, won't you?

[ Probably not just from him, given how much he has lost, but the implications are clear. ]

( The second Jing Yuan says it, Mika looks grave as hell— yeah, he will, and yeah, he doesn't want to think about it, not while he's getting hungrier and things are getting more overwhelming by the second.

He... nods, and he wants to convey something more complicated - kill him if he enters a frenzy, or something - but he seems to struggle, which just leaves him shaking his head suddenly - as if to convey it's not worth it.

And then Ginger bodyslams Khun and Mika's attention is distracted, which isn't helping him with keeping the blood in his body. )

[ And from somewhere off to the side: ]

He can drink from me, when he's able.

[ Sorry, Malice. Normally, he wouldn't be down for feeding two vampires but this is kind of an emergen – oh my god, this guy has gotta stop flinging himself around?? So while the healers are taking care of the wound, Yamato will join Jing Yuan in trying to restrain Mika to stop the blood from leaving his body. ]

You need to stay still.

( You !!!!!!!!

Mika!! Shakes his head!!!!! He elbows Yamato as he attempts to restrain him, though not with the intent to harm - he mouths go, sharply and intensely, but his eyebrows knit with a familiar, anxious worry - not unlike what he'd worn that night he'd nearly drained Yamato dry. )

[ Desperate times call for desperate measures. ]

Let's make this as painless as possible. There is no reason only one person needs to provide.

[ Jing Yuan isn't going to let Yamato only handle this burden. In a quick moment, with one hand, he has rolled up one sleeve, and, at some point he has gotten close enough that while in restraining efforts, he can basically attempt to do something now.

He is wearing wearing thankfully his leisure outfit so no armor to contend with. He will bring his arm close to Mika's mouth; sink in your teeth and drink when ready. ]

...Alright. Thank you.

[ Jing Yuan, you're a real one. He's going to try his damned best to hang onto Mika, even while he's being elbowed in the stomach or whatever. God damn, it hurts, but he's got a job to do and he's not about to do it haphazardly. They've got healers, if anything goes haywire like last time. ]

Be careful.

[ That is, if Mika decides to drink... ]

[Given the amount of distress Mika is now under, a sharp call from the sidelines will ring out:]

Back up. Back up now.

[Shooting a glance over, this has been acknowledged.

But also Jing Yuan is right here too so we are ignoring this advice rn sorry shady grandpa.]

[Mika starts tearing into Jing Yuan's arm, and Solomon immediately tenses, eyes locking to the bloodshed with ferocity.

The barrier wavers for a moment, but only a moment.]

[He's made his bed in this bloodbath and by god he is going to sleep in it.]

[Phil sees that flicker and is switching gears instantly, since Ahito seems to have the healing in hand for the moment.

Diverting his power, he focuses on reinforcing that barrier as much as he can.

He's the Biqe. He can do this.]

[Ah, he can sense that...

He's too distracted to tell where exactly it's coming from right this moment, but Phil will feel some slight give, an allowance for the help. His attention stays on the bloodshed like a cat watching the injured gasps of a bird. Ears up, eyes focused, perfectly still.

Waiting for something.]

[ He would, but he's kind of in a predicament right now, sorry gramps.... ]

[goddammit]

( Mika calls the lot of them human, but the thing is that there's a fundamentally changed thing that affects the taste of their blood - the supernatural tinge, that murmurs to him, always, for one more mouthful, every time he sees a person here.

His neck's better patched up with all the effort done toward healing, but the wound remains - the blood spilling free, if less than before.

Between the people trying to heal him, Ginger going off, losing a ton of blood, and the swarm of people overwhelming him - Mika's felt dizzy, and sick. He's been trying with all of himself to remain as himself, keep in control - focus on Ginger - focus on Khun - stay in the moment - don't mind the cold - don't mind the empty - don't mind the sweet, sweet scent that spills forth from every person like a crashing wave with every pulse, their hearts so quick;

Jing Yuan brings his arm to Mika's mouth. His blood beats like a marching drum. Mika's rapier hits the floor. Yamato sees a familiar look cross Mika's expression, almost instant - the human rider of the consciousness recedes, the beast bursts through (if he just drinks, he can) (if he has some, he'd feel) (ginger needs help, he could)

It just takes a split second, too fast to really see - his fangs ripping into Jing Yuan's arm, aimed instinctive for the thickest source of blood along the artery - and yet, the bite feels good. It feels nice. It feels addictively sweet. And Mika drinks, and spills, and digs his fangs deep, grabbing at Jing Yuan's arm to keep it still, to drain him dry - drinking so ferociously, because some of it spills from his throat, and it frustrates the beast that he is. Not enough, and he's getting even less; not enough, not enough, not enough— )

[There's a certain ferocity which should have been expected, but it's different, watching it up close, smelling that sharp tang of blood, feeling the warmth of each splatter from proximity.

He grits his teeth. Blood isn't anything new. He just has to make sure it doesn't go to waste.

His healing lessens in potency in his distraction, but he keeps at it even still.]

[ There are a myriad variables at play that Jing Yuan is far too uncomfortable without knowing, but there are certainly ones he can certainly presume can lead to a number of predictable conclusions, even if he can't claim to know this for sure. Indeed, he can only presume, something that even he is capable of, even if it would be better to have more concrete facts at the ready.

He knows this for a fact, though:

Should anything happen, should something go awry, should it all not go as planned, or smoothly, if Jing Yuan himself is at the forefront of it all, he can shoulder the burden. It is a bit hypocritical for him to say what he had to Yamato...without truly intending to let the other to put himself into the jaws of danger equally. But, he believes this for the best.

Still, even if the General presumes that the conclusion of it all would be that he is at the very least rather tired by the end of it, he can't quite predict what occurs as the sordid event begins to enter towards its Final Act. Once those fangs tear into Jing Yuan's arms, he anticipates pain—nothing can be further from the truth, as something indecently pleasant seems to emanate from just having himself bitten into. But, even he realizes swiftly something is amiss—an easy presumption to make from Mika's desperate, animalistic, and feverish motions.

Surprisingly, it isn't fear that grips his heart even as the unseemly sensation climbs through him, and sparks begin to fly as his free hand pulls back, fingers curling inwards. An unorthodox usage of his original lightning capability (affinity), calling also upon the magic gifted to him as a boost, something he is well-tuned to doing no matter which aspect each Country is assigned to, to delivered a powerful electrical-charged punch to Mika's face. A literal shocking one, and one to get him straight off his other arm. ]

—He's out of control.

[ Jing Yuan sounds a little breathless as he forcefully wrenches back that arm of his, still bleeding. Yamato, be a little helper and pitch in the rest, will you?

He is trying not to have to break out any further moves. Even with as much blood he's provided to Mika, it is entirely possible Jing Yuan can overdo it (he is definitely not summoning Lightning Lord for this if he can help it!) ]

[Oh, well, bye Mika,,

He switches his attention to Jing Yuan.]

The End of the World.

[With those words, a gentle and soothing sensation not unlike warm water over a muddied wound washes over the arm, beginning, slowly, to encourage the flesh to heal.]

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