chapter five ♔ it'll be a day like this one when the sky falls down

[eldritchweaver]

the blues - switchfoot

WHO || The Knights
WHAT || Failboat returns from the disaster in LA as the Knighthood goes on lockdown
WHERE || The castle, London
WHEN || Directly after this, Fall 2017
HOW || Actionspam

Hasmed's announcement does not brook any rebuttal: all Knights are recalled to the Castle, where they must remain until the Section Heads and Jack Chessing have spoken about the events in Los Angeles that have left the Knighthood without their usual leader.  

The entire Los Angeles area is now covered with a dark miasma that has interfered with any signals that might be sent out from phones, etc., leaving the whole world wondering what exactly is happening down there.  Final images showed horrendous monsters, a panic of citizens, looting and violence from humans and Shadowkind alike.  

Hasmed has warned of extra magical wards on the castle, and anyone arriving will immediately take notice of one very prominent one: above the entire roof of the excessively large building hovers a black and red sigil in the air, a pentagram in a circle surrounded by runes or words in an unknown language, stretching for miles.  

[ This is the social log for post-LA lockdown.  Failboat must complete the top log before being allowed to tag outside of it. ]

Comments

[wishuponadjinn]

[Most of the research he'd been conducting since the incident with Loki had been to do with ways to free himself from the bonds of the Djinn. There wasn't really much in the Knights library that he'd found to be of use, but that wasn't going to stop him from scouring every book he could find, there and anywhere else he could think to look. He'd actually been out of the castle, searching through an ancient library in Greece for any useful information when Solace's message came through to his phone.

So he came back.

He can be found in the library at odd hours when it's mostly quiet and empty of other people or keeping limited company with Faith and Fiona. But unlike the last few months, he can be found, for those who so desire.]

[crashing]

[For a girl that uses her ability to drive, her ability to put distance between her and the problem at hand -- being on lockdown is making her a little more claustrophobic. She knows that it's in her head. Which is why she's just trying to fill it with anything else at the moment. The library is an easy way out. She can try to escape in a book or in an instruction manual. Just something to occupy her thoughts.

She meanders through the stacks, a small pile of books in her arms.]

Robert Musil: The Man Without Qualities. I think I know that guy.

[wishuponadjinn]

[He looks up from the book, a finger keeping his place on the page at her voice.]

Know him or know about him? [Look, it's a legit question, there were a lot of long-lived people in the Knighthood so it wouldn't have surprised him.]

This is the first of his works that I've read and I'm only in the introduction, but it's pretty interesting so far.

I'm Jordan, by the way.

[crashing]

[Cybill let's out a small laugh.]

No -- I meant, the man without qualities. I'm pretty sure I've dated a handful of them. [She moves toward him, setting the small pile of books down and dusting her hands off as if the books weren't kept up. Which she's sure they are.]

Cybill. Sorry, I didn't mean to snoop. I just didn't expect anyone else in here at this hour.

[wishuponadjinn]

[He chuckles and a light blush stains his cheeks as he makes room for her stack of books in all the clutter he'd accumulated on the table. He gestures for her to take one of the empty chairs if she was so inclined.]

No, it's fine, I don't mind. [He shrugs, tapping a pencil on the open notebook in front of him that's covered in a tiny, very neat script.] I usually try to avoid being in big crowds. I also didn't expect anyone else here at this time.

[He just so happens to be avoiding certain people, what's your story?]

[crashing]

[She takes the offered seat and exhales in relief. It's not that she's that exhausted, but it's definitely one of those nights where staying busy means you don't realize just how long you've been walking until you sit down.]

I guess everyone is just going to start being in each other's way with everyone showing up here. [She pulls one of her books off the stack and frowns. Why did she grab that?] I just haven't been grounded since I was eight.

[wishuponadjinn]

[He snorts as he glances curiously at the books she had chosen.]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the cabin fever is gonna get pretty bad by the time this is all done. I was out of the castle before the call went out, and I was pretty shocked at how full this place has gotten.

[crashing]

I'm waiting for someone to suggest pillow forts in the lobby. Then I know we've reached critical mass for cabin fever.

[She pauses.] It does sound fun, though.

[wishuponadjinn]

[He's never built a pillow fort before, so he has no idea if they're really fun or not, but the idea is intriguing, to say the least.]

I have no experience with pillow forts, but the thought of Koraith trying to hide under a stack of pillows and sheets is quite entertaining. [He chuckles at the image]

[crashing]

I have to admit that I haven't done anything even close in years. I think the last time I made one was when I was still babysitting to earn money for the weekends.

[She stacks a few books up and tries to make a mock one.]

See, you just take existing structures and then drape blankets over them to create a tent. Then pillows go underneath and you pray that it all holds through the night. It takes a lot of skill.

[wishuponadjinn]

[He has a very mathematical mind, you see, and he really likes to figure out how to make things work, and work well.

He also knows that building a huge pillow fort in the middle of the castle entrance, really anywhere in the castle, is probably not the best idea in the world. Especially with Hellsing descending upon them.]

I may have the perfect place to test out our architectural skills.

[crashing]

[Cybill looks up from her stack of books with disbelief. She hadn't really anticipated her idle commentary to turn into a plan of action.]

Wait -- you're serious? You want to go build a pillow fort somewhere in this place?

[She laughs, amused at the direction her late night library trip has taken.]

Alright, I'll bite. Where is this perfect place?

[wishuponadjinn]

Sure, why not? You can only read for so long before you go crazy. [He looks a bit sheepish, but is determined now to see this through.]

Well, technically there are two really good places this could happen. But my first thought was in the secret passageway behind some of the rooms.

[moonheart]

[ they're in her room, and it's late, and she's sitting on the edge of her bed, arms crossing herself.

she'd told him something has happened, but hasn't specified what. she doesn't seem eager to talk, either. ]





I don't think anyone's considered something yet.

[wishuponadjinn]

[He sits on the bed next to her, hands coming out to pry hers apart, then taking one to hold in both of his. He recognizes her avoidance of the topic she had brought up, but gives her the reprieve she's seeking with the change in topic, biding his time.]

What do you think they haven't considered?

[moonheart]

[ her fingers tighten around his, as she gnaws her lip ] What it might mean. Having a Nightmare god in particular on the loose.

[wishuponadjinn]

[his thumb rubs over the back of her hand in soothing circles, taking a moment to reply.]

Are you thinking about what it might mean for yourself? [it's a legitimate question, and particularly where she is concerned.]

[moonheart]

I mean, yeah, but I spend a lot of time thinking about other people's dreams. Bad ones included.

What if he can... make all of that come true?

[wishuponadjinn]

[His had already come true.

A few times.

Being a slave to someone else, being forced to re-shape the world to their design and the resulting suffering was something that still woke him up at night.]

What are you afraid of, Faith? What are your bad dreams?

[moonheart]

I'm not talking about my dreams, Jordan. I--

Sometimes I go drifting through other people's. People here in the castle, even.

And the things some of them fear... if those things became real?

[wishuponadjinn]

[Oh. Ohhhhhh. Wisdom 21

It finally hits him just why she's so damn worried bad wisdom checks suck and his eyes widen, hand tightening around hers.]

So what can we do about it?

[moonheart]

I don't know. I'm not sure warning people will do more than terrify them.

[wishuponadjinn]

Is there anything you can do to monitor these nightmares? Make sure if they start to get too real, we do something about it? [because of course, he isn't going to let her tackle this alone, now that it was on his radar.]

[moonheart]

I could try. But it might take a lot out of me. I've never done anything like that before.

[wishuponadjinn]

[He bites his lip, considering their options.]

Maybe you can practice, build up your strength? I'd be willing to help. [there are other ways to help her as well, more magical ways to give her a boost. It probably wasn't the best idea though, but for her, he'd be willing to do whatever it took.]