The desert. It's hot. It's sandy. It's filled with creepy monsters and things. But mostly it's hot and sandy and there's a whole lot of nothing. You appear and wonder "why am I here? What is there to do here? Is that a cow skull? Do cows live out here in this desert? How can cows live in the desert? Maybe it's a horse?" These are all very complicated questions with equally complicated answers but there's no one to provide them no matter where you look. Instead, you're given the option of walking. Forwards, backwards, to your right, to your left, any direction is yours to take. Try not to die from dehydration or something, that would be a sad ViViD death and the cow-horse skull might start laughing at you. I mean, you'll just start over from the beginning anyway but still.
Welcome to ViViD's new line of Vacation Spotlights: Desert Edition.
Moo-Neigh.
 One wish, that's all you get.
Make it snappy, I don't have all day.
Actually, I have eternity but I just don't want to spend it with you.
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PHASE I [ 6 00 ] So.
There's sand.
In fact, there's so much sand that there's probably already sand in your shoes and your shorts and all sorts of other places that aren't fun to have sand in. It stretches for miles and miles, in large dunes and deep dips, and above it all there are three suns that beat down upon everyone's backs. Why three? Because why not, that's why. Enjoy the sunshine and try not to get sunburnt.
You've got a long ways to travel before you find anything but sand, but thankfully you're not alone -- there are a bunch of unfortunate stragglers who are out with you, so it's time to make some friends as you travel. You've got pleeeeenty of time. No water though. Or food. Or... anything but human interaction.
Thankfully, it's only a matter of time before you stumble across your hot new ride. Thankfully, it seats two, so you and your new friend can enjoy a cramped road trip. You, this relative stranger, and the great... sandy... unknown! Good luck!
PHASE II [ 645 ] If you prefer to not take your ride, you're going to wish that you did soon enough. Every desert level has to have desert monsters, after all. You're walking through the sand, trying to make it to somewhere that isn't sand, and then suddenly, the sand worms appear.
Or.
Well.
They try.
Unfortunately, they're little more than 5 or 6 inches tall apiece, and they'll mostly try to eat your shoes and socks. How scary.
Alternatively, if you have actually taken that sweet ride of yours on an adventure through the desert, you're going to hit something at one point. It makes a rather pitiful scream and there's a small bump underneath your tire before your car comes to a stop. You just ran over a sand worm.
Anyone who is intrepid enough to kill a sand worm though will find one interesting thing about them. They're filled with water, and you are very, very thirsty. Ew.
PHASE III [ 1000 ] It sure is hot.
And unless you've devoured one of those poor, sad, screaming sand worms, there's no water to be found. It feels as though you've been wandering in circles for ages, so perhaps it's really no surprise that the heat starts to get to you. First come the headaches, and the thirst. Then the dizziness and vertigo.
And finally, the mirages.
What you see is a waterfall cascading into a crystal pool, beautiful and pristine and painfully cool. It's just begging for you to come enjoy it, and -- wait, there's one more thing. Standing in front of that pool is either someone you care about immensely or someone you hate immensely.
And either way, the things they say or do will be the same. First they reach for you, beckoning, and they they start to detail all of the things they'd like to do to you. NSFW, SFW, loving or cruel or so many things in between, all that's honestly consistent is that it's pretty shocking.
Oh, and awkwardly, it seems as though anyone with you can see and hear that hallucination too. That's embarrassing.
PHASE IV [ 1215 ] Eventually, though, you'll find your destination. Or... at least, it seems like it should be the destination. The tiny temple is at least a change from the endless sand, and in the middle of it, there's a lamp. That sure looks familiar.
If you rub the lamp, of course, you'll release the genie, and he'll glance at you, and inspect his fingernails as though you're hardly worth his time, and offer you one, single wish.
As soon as you make it, well... You'll get the opposite of what you wish for with a sudden apology note in your hand. The card will read "Sorry, this level isn't entirely finished yet - Mosley" before immediately disappearing. Your wish will only apply in ViViD, of course, but hopefully you didn't wish for anything too crazy, or you might have made the level Much Harder for everyone around you.
BONUS [ why o'clock ] One second you're walking along the desert sand, enjoying the eternally same view, and the next there's a sudden pinch on your ankle, and a scorpion monster scuttles away quickly. Whoops, looks like you've been stung.
But it's not poison, it would seem. Aside from feeling a little odd and having a mild fever, you're fine.
More importantly, you've now found yourself in possession of some... new powers (a la Spider-man), and they're...
Well, they're useless.
Maybe you can summon water now, but... only sulfur water. Perhaps you can now make pretty light shows and that's about all. You can see the future but only the next three seconds. The possibilities are endless, but what's for certain is that they're all completely and utterly useless to you.
What the fuck, ViViD.
[ Remember to apply proper warnings on threads with sensitive or inappropriate material and do let a mod know if your thread careens off into maiming or canoodling so we can lock the log. ] |
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no subject
I'm not mistaken. He's not dead, and even if he were, this place distorts time. Your brother is here. Unless there's another Illidan Stormrage, about your height, with horns and batlike wings.
no subject
I... he is here. [That revelation left Malfurion rather conflicted, and very confused. Especially how this young woman seemed to know so much of him.] So, you are a... friend of his?
[Not that Illidan had ever really made many attempts to making friends in the past...]
no subject
Yes, a friend. He's definitely that.
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[If had indeed made a friend, he could not have descended into the madness that had overtaken him in his later years, but that did not mean he would not act on his addiction to magic. There were simply so many things he wished to ask- but then he once again remembered their rather harsh predicament.]
Ah, goodness, look at me, bombarding you with questions, in such an inhospitable place. I am sorry.
[He raised a feathered arm over her head to shield her from the light. To be a friend of Illidan's she either had to be an incredibly kind soul, or he fed her a great many lies, or perhaps a bit of both. Either way, he did not want any harm to befall her. Even after all he had done, he did not want his brother to continue to lose himself to his own isolation.]
Come, we should get you out of here, little one. I cannot believe such a harsh sun can be good for even those who are accustomed to staying out in the day.
no subject
[Rei gives the enormous feathered arm an odd look, a little bit unsure of why it had feathers. Was he part bird? And why was he doing this? She was sure Illidan hadn't told her the whole truth about his brother, but this surprised her, and she definitely seems surprised. It makes her more curious than anything, wanting to hear the other side of the tale. Tyrande was too harsh, and her opinion as biased as Illidan's own...]
I'm quite alright, and your questions are perfectly normal. I've born worse, but I have noticed a building in the distance. If you'd prefer to talk in the shade, it's to the west.
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[Perhaps there was more hope for his brother than he thought. Perhaps she could succeed where he and Tyrande had failed, and talk his brother from his destructive path.
But first thing's first. He glanced to the west and nodded, and in a moment transformed himself into a large bird and shifted so that she could climb onto his back.]
Here, get on, I shall take us there. I am sure Illidan would not be pleased should something befall you because I was negligent.
[Elune knows Illidan did not need any more fodder to feed his longstanding grudge.]
no subject
Thank you then, Malfurion.
[She'll accept it, even if she's not in danger.]
no subject
Whups! Sorry about that, I suppose I must be a bit pigeon toed!
[Get it? Because he's a bird? Oh he thinks he's so clever for that one. There's notice to break the ice like dad jokes and puns, right? Tread carefully, Rei, he's got more of those in his arsenal.]
no subject
That was...groan-worthy.
no subject
Really? I thought it was humorous. You know, I could always get Illidan to laugh with my jokes when we were children. [He pauses to think for a moment.] I can't recall when that changed.
[Not that Malfurion ever stopped, much to the displeasure of everyone around him over the age of eight.]
Though I suppose sometimes my bird humor just goes over people's heads.
[And he's laughing again.]
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I shall stop.
no subject
It's alright. Really. [She looks up at Malfurion with slightly sad eyes.]
I don't think I've heard him laugh yet. It's hard to think he's capable of it sometimes, because he's hurting.
no subject
I... cannot recall him genuinely laughing since before the War of the Ancients... times were very different back then.
[He let out a defeated sigh, and looked back at her again.]
I take it he remains as bitter and spiteful as when I last saw him?
no subject
He's been friendly to me, comforting, and surprisingly gentle. [Her smile returns, just a bit.] I lost someone important to me recently, and he comforted me. He's saved my life at least once, and even bothered to attend my birthday party.
[Rei can't keep a conspiratorial bit of amusement out of her expression.]
He'd doubtless object to me telling you that, but I don't sense him anywhere near.
no subject
I am truly glad to hear that. He is fortunate to have such a friend, and I am grateful you have stayed by him. I know he can be... headstrong sometimes.
[To put it politely.]
I only wish I could have encouraged him to settle himself long ago.
no subject
[The second one certainly. That had seemed to be the greatest drive of Illidan's disregard for most, because he was alone...and so often stood alone.]
Frankly, I can relate to him, though I may not look like I should. There are mistakes he's made that I have not, but...I can see a lot of myself in him. But I doubt you in particular could have done anything to settle him. He is...bitter...with you, and you doubtless know it.
no subject
Then clearly you have not tried to get him to acknowledge any of his own mistakes.
[or told him what to do... or in any way imply that he might be wrong about anything.
Malfurion ran a hand over his face, and let out a sigh. She was right, there was little he could do with his brother's bitter hatred towards him, but he would still try regardless.]
He holds much against me, I know, and... I cannot fault him for some of it, but in other regards it was the consequences of his own actions.
[Or was it? Some of his brother's misdoings resulted from his own leniency towards Illidan. But there was little use on dwelling on such matters now. But now there was the dilemma of how much he should tell his brother's young friend. The last thing he wanted to do was drive a wedge between Illidan and someone that may lead him on a better path, but at the same time he knew Illidan was a danger to those around him. There was a very good chance that at some point she may get caught in the middle of one of Illidan's schemes for power, and may not realize it until it was too late.]
I can only hope he continues to follow you down a better path than the one he is on, and perhaps give up on that... wretched magic he gorges himself on. For all the hardships you must have suffered to understand my brother so, you seem to have come out from it far stronger.
no subject
[He had, all things considered. It's really mostly you he has a problem with, after all, Malfurion.]
And I do understand some of it. I know he violated your people's traditions and precepts. I know he's done things that run counter to what you and yours think is right, but I can also see that there is good in him. He's no monster, just headstrong and unable to keep his head clear. Loneliness does terrible things to a mind.
[That's something she's working on. Getting him more used to people. He can be quite polite, after all, and be rather genuine.]
I know a little about the schism between the elves, over Arcane and Natural magic, and you'll forgive me for saying it I doubt he'd give up that for me. Or that I'd even try and change that in him. I'm a being of both kinds of magic, after all. And he's not using his power for evil. On the contrary, he's done more to help the people here than to harm anyone.
no subject
I... if it were only matters of different beliefs in magic, I can assure you, matters would have been far less complicated.
[While their people had been strict on the use of arcane in the past, such differences had been reconciled in the past few years. Not to mention is was possible to use arcane without being destructive, there were a number of druids that were capable of just that.He looked down as he continued, his tone dejected. He did not want to have to acknowledge just how far his brother had fallen.]
I do not wish to deter you from your friendship with him, I truly wish for nothing but his happiness... but the reason he has likely not caused any trouble here is due to a lack of the magic he seeks to feed his addiction.
[At least as far as he could tell. He sensed no arcane, and no fel taint about the area. Even the magic of nature was weak here.]
no subject
[His voice goes a little dejected, and hers grows a little more steady.]
I know your brother isn't always the wisest, I'm not so blind as to miss that. And you won't deter me, because Mars knows I know what it's like to be alone, so do not worry about that. He's done good deeds, and asked for nothing in return. That's enough to warrant a little less suspicion and a little more understanding, in my view. His motivations may not be entirely selfless, but at the same time...who's are?
no subject
[The paranoia, the rage, even from the emerald dream he could feel his brother's decline, and had been powerless to do anything about it. But he will not elaborate further, he had given her the warning she would need should Illidan find a way to chase his addiction again.]
I... never wished for him to remain alone like he did. I spent years coming to visit him at every opportunity, and I tried to talk him out of following the destructive path he was one. If he had just renouncing fel magic, I could have convinced everyone that he was not a danger. He could have been released!
[And that was part of what broke Malfurion's heart the most, knowing things could have been different if he had just been able to change Illidan's mind.]
But he was stubborn, and then our people got pulled into another bloody war against the demons. Turmoil spread from within, and I had to tend to our people. After that I was called away to fulfill a promise I made in order to undo some of the damage Illidan had caused. By the time I returned, he had become so twisted by bitterness and hatred, I was afraid of what he might do...
no subject
[She knows at least most of this. The rest is no surprise. However, she's not really willing to engage or argue. She folds her arms and sets her jaw a little, but nods.]
You were afraid, and you imprisoned him. I understand your reasoning. [She doesn't agree entirely, but she understands.]
You are a leader among your people, I assume? And you had a responsibility to your people. The needs of the many, of course, and it's not an outsider's place to secondguess you.
But perhaps Cerealia is what he needed. Perhaps.
no subject
[So basically Tyrande was the one in charge.]
The reason he was imprisoned him was not out of fear, it was why he remained imprisoned, but what he did risked the lives of the few of us that remained after the War of the Ancients. If I had not stepped in and spoken on his behalf, he would have been executed!
[Though there have been times he often wondered if that would not have been the kinder option. He simply could not bare the thought of losing his brother, granted that wound up happening anyway.
But such was a depressing subject to dwell on, and perhaps he may have spoken a bit too much on the subject. It was simply not a topic he got to get off his chest often, there were few that knew Illidan as anything but "the Betrayer".]
But such happened many, many, many years ago, and there is nothing to be done about it now. The important thing is my brother is doing better than he has in a long time, and I believe I have you to thank for that, in part.