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[strangerpeople]

ŢHAT ̸H̵O̶WL͞IN̸G COĻD BLACKN͏ESS

[The last few weeks have been quiet here in the cold. Maka and Soul are gone, hopefully to their brighter and happier future. The survivors are also gone, hopefully to better places-if not home.

You, however, are still here. You are still dead, and the blackness at the edge of the island seems, for the past few days, to have become just that much darker. Winds seem to swirl around, and everything that is light becomes nothing in its wake. You hope it will never get closer.

Your hope, however, is misplaced. This place was never meant to hold out against what has taken it. This place was always ever a means to an end.

When it happens, it is sudden and without warning. The ticking, the rhythm, suddenly starts to hammer into your head. And for those of you who are outside, a sound akin to paper ripping starts to echo through the sky.

When you look up, you see why.

The sky is being ripped apart, and inky black has finally begun to seep into the area of the island itself. Long, snake-like tendrils clock forward with the ticking of the clock, swallowing up the sky, as the blackness on the water begins to coil forward with the same, static rhythm.

You need to get out of here, and fast. There is still water to escape on, so far but the skies are about to come down and grab-swallow-the island. If you don't find something to row away in, you will have to swim. And you get the feeling swimming in that black is the worst idea.

You still have some time to prepare. Use the ticking as a guide if you absolutely must. But hurry.

The island is not going to survive whatever this is.]

Comments

[silvertongueheir]

[Fuck. Are the lifeboats on the plane still there? That's where Franciscus is going to look first, though he'll also be trying to alert anyone who might not be aware of what's going on.]

We need to leave. As fast as we can.

[strangerpeople]

[They are.]

[silvertongueheir]

[Alright. Time to follow the instructions on the door and release one. And hope that it's still seaworthy.]

...we probably need paddles of some sort as well.

[strangerpeople]

[It actually looks like the boats come with some plastic paddles, if that helps.

Meanwhile, it looks like the boats are self-inflating. Just pull the strings and let them inflate.]

[silvertongueheir]

[Oh good. He'll pull the strings and look around the plane to see if there's anything he wants to grab before leaving. The raft should be large enough to hold them all, shouldn't it?]

[strangerpeople]

[Yes, though if people are going to bring a lot of stuff, it might be a thought to open up two rafts.]

[icanhearscreams]

[Franciscus is grabbing boats so he’ll focus on grabbing blankets, pillows, and rope, flinging them to a landing area.]

I’m going to need loading help!

[notadinosnack]

[Thanatos will gladly assist with this and he's also grabbing some clothing and other supplies that they may need.]

[alwaysgonnatry]

You got it!!

[ Thanatos and Jun definitely have Akko's help on this one, going around and gathering what the others have brought over into one area. Ready to start moving them as soon as the boats are ready. ]

So much for just staying here. It was too peaceful to have this last, wasn't it?

[belovedsuffocator]

Unfortunately, that seems to be the case.

[Yeah, Felicity is here too, and she isn’t about to...die here? Perish into nothingness? Let herself get hurt. She also doesn’t plan on letting Atsuko get hurt, so she’s here to help. Her arms, though noodle-y, are strong! She can probably carry quite a bit with them!]

[icanhearscreams]

We'll make do. Can someone tie the rafts together so they don't get separated? Everyone in one, most of the supplies in the other - that way if it goes down we don't lose anyone!

[notadinosnack]

Sure, I can do that.

[Thanatos will go ahead and expertly tie the rafts together and if there's enough rope left over, he'll also add go ahead and tie the supplies into a larger bundle so they stay put.]

Undertow

[strangerpeople]

[The sky cannot hold forever.

Almost as soon as the rafts have been christened, the sky falls entirely, and massive hands of shadow thrust down, smashing into the ground, the plane, the ocean. A final wave of water and dirtsuddenly surges forward, practically throwing the rafts into the air like a rag doll-though not before Eddie Kim manages to do a stunt-worthy leap into the raft that holds everyone else, a suitcase in hand, laughing hysterically.]

WOOOO!

[And that is when the group sees the island-what's left of it that hasn't been grabbed by the tendril fingers-shatter entirely with a sonic boom, this time at the mercy of something none of them had every seen before.

Strange forms begin to form as the remnants are overrun. With one final moan, the plane is crushed, then buried, by trampling elephant's feet. The sky becomes black with flapping, swirling wings, and the dirt and water becomes mist around the monsters that emerge from it, absorbing it with an almost frenzied glee. With one last howl, the place that was their home for the past month sways, then glitches with one final burst of colored static, before it is gone completely, erased, eaten, by black, animalistic creatures that glow an ominous red all around their stencil-like bones and limbs as they feast.

Nor are the dead out of trouble yet either. The blast wave from the island's death has caused the raft to swerve in all directions as in a whirlpool, leaving them with little control of their direction even with the paddles. The monsters, too, begin to surge forward with the mists and tentdrils to overtake the raft as well. Only the Titled's powers seem to keep the onslaught at bay. But eventually, the darkness may yet overwhelm the little rafts that are now tumbling and turning in the void tides, and those riding within will be--

wait.

What is that light in the distance?]

[icanhearscreams]

[He holds on as well as he can, wrapping an arm around the rope to keep himself in the raft. He tries to use his power to shove them away from the waves as best he can, but he's not sure how long he'll be able to keep it up. He's never used his power this much so frequently.]

[The monsters are coming, and he keeps pushing them, starting to grow a little pale and his glasses are fogging up and -]

What's that?

[belovedsuffocator]

[Felicity is...actually being helpful also? One of her arms are now a bundle of wires, and she's using them as a whip against any monsters that get too close. This is freaky as all hell, but she's not about to pass out or anything when her life is on the line-or is it death? Afterlife is probably it.

She glances back in the direction of the light, only long enough to get a glimpse of it before turning back and whipping another monster.]

Who cares?! Someone start paddling to it!

[silvertongueheir]

I've got one! [Franciscus grabs one of the paddles, desperately steering towards the direction of the light, while still using his free hand to take aim at the creatures, firing off shots of fire to distract them and knock them off course.]

[alwaysgonnatry]

I've got the other one!!

[ With that said, Akko grabbed the other paddle and desperately started rowing towards the light as best as she can. Giving it 110% of her energy because oh no, she was NOT dying here. At least not a second time. ]

This... is not how... I imagined things were gonna go!

A Light in the Dark

[strangerpeople]

[It feels like forever. As the hours drag, it feels like your strength will give out before you even arrive. The darkness ebbs, but there is the fear you will not make it.

Until, suddenly, you do. There is the faintest hint of calliope music as you come to a chunk of rock, bushes and grass hanging off the side of it. In the center of the chunk, a large tent.

You can see other rocks in the distance. However, everyone is tired, and weakened, by the long row. It is best to rest before even attempting to explore. It is best to stop at this, a clear safe haven in this clawing black thing-at least for the present.

It's time to disembark. Just make sure to bring the rafts up with you-you never know if you'll need them for something in the future, right?]

[silvertongueheir]

[Franciscus stares at the tent, and the music coming from it. He wants to collapse, but he does his best to steer the raft to relative safety and help drag some of the luggage ashore.]

...do you trust that? [It's the only shelter around, looks like.]

[belovedsuffocator]

Not in the slightest.

[Felicity is also tired, because that’s what happens when you go hours on end whipping at freaky monsters to keep your boat afloat. Still, she does carry some things as she looks at the tent.]

But something tells me that we won’t have any better choices, and I think I’d rather nap in a circus tent than stay on that boat for much longer.

A NEW CHALLENGER APPROACHES

[killerclown]

[As the group makes their way toward the circus, they may here a noise different from the calliope music. Like someone humming, though the song is a bit hyperactive and odd.

Then, out of the tent walks...some blonde weirdo wearing...what will likely be the weirdest outfit you will ever see in your life. He's reading from a book he holds in one hand, and the other hand is holding a chainsaw. He looks up, and smiles when he sees everyone.]

Oh, sweet!

[He shoves the book a satchel and holds the chainsaw with both hands, looking over the group with a big smile.]

Any chance I can convince one of you to let me saw you in half?

[He...doesn't appear to be joking.

You may want to run.]

[icanhearscreams]

[Running... sounds like a good idea.]

[But so does this.]

No.

[Jun attempts to use his ability to huck the clown far away, before shouting to everyone.]

Move!

[Now we run.]

[killerclown]

[That does, in fact, work. The freaky clown boy is thrown into the tent, yelling all the way, before a crash can be heard.

Not long after, everyone can definitely hear the sounds of yelling coming from inside, as well as a chainsaw revving up.

You definitely should run now.]

[alwaysgonnatry]

[ It didn't take more than a second for her to start running after that, annoyance and a bit of frustration on her face. ]

Why do we have the worst luck around here?!

[killerclown]

[You, specifically, Atsuko, seem to have it the very worst, as he runs out of the tent running at you. Whether it's because you were the last one to talk, or because the universe just hates you, we may never know.

Either way, a teenager is running at you with a chainsaw, a crazed look in his eyes and blood now coating his forehead, and he's slowly gaining.

How will you act?]