Invidia Underside Log

[cancrymods]

INVIDIA DUNGEON LOG

For the Executors who've travelled down to an Underside before, today's trip isn't out of the ordinary. But for those of you new to all this... well, buckle up because it's a bit of a ride. Though the cold green light makes it hard to see, if you squint through the glare, you'll spot a wide, steep staircase leading down from the fissure into the light below. As you descend, it feels for a frightening moment as though you might be walking blind but eventually the light gives way to the sight of the Invidia Underside waiting a great distance below you. By some trick of perspective or just wonky Purgatory logic, however, it seems to take hardly any time for you to descend the stairs and set foot in the Invidia Underside.

THE UNDERSIDE

♪♫ Lyx – Sakuzyo The only saving grace of the Invidia Underside is that its layout and structure is more or less the same as Invidia itself. Some of the paths have turned a little twisty and there are buildings here and there that have gone missing, but if you can navigate your way around Invidia then you can more or less find your way around the Underside. The atmosphere on the other hand is where things really start to feel different. Where Invidia is bustling with life, the Underside is just as quiet in contrast. Some sounds filter down from the city above but they sound not just distant but muffled, too. This, coupled with the eerie green light that illuminates the city from above gives the feeling of being trapped at the bottom of some sort of lake or seabed. But more notable than all that is the screens that usually blast Esme content into everyone's eyeballs. Down here in the Underside, all of the screens are either apparently dead or displaying looped clips from TV talk shows, vlogs, movies and the like starring a person none of you have ever seen before. They have a vague similarity to Esme, but they're clearly not the same person. There's a shine to them and a sense of authenticity that was missing from everyone's least favorite Envy Authority that just feels... correct. If Esme was some kind of counterfeit then this is undoubtedly the original. There are no clips of Esme – or any sort of media with her at all, in fact – anywhere to be found in the Invidia Underside. AREAS OF INTEREST ⚝ Park: The park seems to have fallen victim to the same odd spatial distortions at play in many other places in Purgatory. While from the outside it doesn't seem that much bigger than it was originally, once you actually enter the park you'll find that it stretches on far enough that you can't quite see all the way to the other end, not helped at all by the fact that the area seems to have become fogged over, thickly enough to make it hard to detect the presence of Revenants here. Usually, the glowing trees would be enough to guide you through, but thanks to the presence and occasional outbreaks of violence of the Revenants, the trees are looking, uh... a little busted. Many of them have been gouged or even completely uprooted from the ground with wires spilling messily out and all over the ground. And... the less said about whatever the hell that colourful liquid coming out of them is, the better. Just tell yourself it's the stuff you see inside glowsticks and move on. Of course, moving on might be a little hard, as when you reach the very center of the park, you might just stumble across exactly what had the Revenants here so worked up in the first place... ⚝ Mall: Those of you who were fans of the conbini in Limbo: congratulations! Those of you who were fans of the mall in Invidia being normal: my condolences. While the mall hasn't changed much physically down here in the Underside, the shopping experience certainly has. The items up for purchase have fallen prey to the same effects as the ones in Limbo and so everything is a little... off. Food comes in strange shapes and flavours, clothes don't look quite right and any books or written media you pick up to try and read will just be a jumble of text that only occasionally becomes discernable. The same unfamiliar person who was all over the screens outside can also be found here, looking for all the world like the average celeb. It won't be easy finding anything to read, though, because the mall is crammed full of Revenants who seem to be doing their level best to full on loot the place. Take great care in your investigations, because if they get the idea that you're trying to steal anything from the mall, they'll set on you quicker than you can blink. ⚝ Rooftop Stage: Given that the rooftop stage was the last place you all saw Esme, it's not a bad idea to check there again to see if that's where she's ended up. There's an eerie similarity between the rooftop here and the one back in Invidia, too – just like that one, the rooftop here is in disrepair, as though it's been subject to some sort of violent tantrum, with all the equipment smashed to bits and the stage itself almost completely demolished. At second glance though, it becomes a bit more obvious that this place has been systematically broken down to allow as many of its components as possible to be harvested to construct what looks to be a gigantic cage right on the stage. And what's inside the cage you ask? You'll have to see for yourself... ⚝ Mansion: Esme's mansion seems to be the only part of Invidia that has escaped the warping and confusion of the Underside. The gate at the front is locked again but the outer walls no longer grow in height to keep outsiders at bay, so if you want to get in then scaling the wall is your best bet. No problem for the Executors, of course! Once you're inside, you can look around and see that not only has the interior escaped the uncomfortable twisty-turny distortions of the Underside but it also looks... lived in. Like "the bed still isn't made from being vacated this morning" lived in. There's food in the fridge. Was she... living here...? ⚝ Broadcasting Station: See for yourself. HAZARDS ⚝ On The Spot: Though there seems to be no actual source for them, large spotlights sweep through the streets of Invidia. They're easy to see coming and not too large that you can't dodge out of the way if there's one coming at you, but take care – if you happen to be caught in the glare of one of these spotlights, then you'll be plastered all over the screens that are scattered about the city and find yourself beset by Revenants who all want a very literal taste of you. ⚝ Structural Damage: Many of the buildings around the city have fallen into disrepair due to the presence of the Revenants here. Some have taken extreme structural damage and are on the verge of collapse so be careful not to end up trapped in a collapsing building, or you might be stuck waiting for a fellow Executor to fish you out. ⚝ Revenant Types Present: Henricus, Rigaud

Comments

[crypddyd]

[Lion at least has enough common sense to not attack Veil outright, but he does snarl and step in the way of any further attacks- still unarmed but do you really wanna try and test if he can fight bare handed?]

Enough-!

[daughterofthemark]

What is happening?

[Backing off. SIR ARE YOU CONFUSED? DO YOU HAVE THAT STATUS EFFECT]

[ourtomorrow]

Lion-san! STOP!

[ Monarch does move to put himself between Veil and Lion. ]

That's not whoever you think! It's Esme!

[ Lion has memories. Enough memories that Esme can...prey on them? Make him see things? Monarch....is jealous. He's awful.

But because he treasures this thing he hasn't got, and Esme is taking something that important and turning it against Lion -

He raises his whip. ]

Don't let her use your precious memories!!!

LION DURABILITY: 2 VEIL DURABILITY: 4 MONARCH DURABILITY: 3.5

[cancrymods]

As soon as Lion turns his back on 'the Professor', the haze surges forward and collides with Lion at an incredible speed. At the moment of impact the illusion seems to flicker out of sync and Beelzebub is visible again, with the tip of that horrible scythe gouging into Lion's side and dealing a critical blow.

With Lion sidelined for the moment, Beelzebub rounds on Veil and Monarch, striking out at them as well and landing a blow on both.

[crypddyd]

[If he had another moment it would have been fine, Monarch's words striking him like a splash of cold water to his face. She... she was using the one person he remembers clearest, who his admiration for was pure and fire hot, against him. White-hot rage fills his heart but is quickly flushed with white-hot pain.

He stumbles aside, gushing pneuma, the floor bathed in the dark sparkling fluid- but still, he tries to stand, tries to reach that, that woman- not even able to think to resummon his weapon. No, if he can, as soon as he can, he will lay hands on her and tear her apart with his enhanced strength.

His own nearly afterlife threatening injuries are utterly ignored.]

[daughterofthemark]

[Veil's incredible battle luck has apparently run out, but at least everyone seems to be back on the same page. Or in the same chapter anyway. Lion seems like he might still be suffering from a status effect or two.]

Stand back, Sir Lion!

[She has no idea whether he'll listen, but she also doesn't have anything in particular she can do if he doesn't, so if you think about it it doesn't really matter. She runs toward where that attack came from and swings her staff at it again.]

[ourtomorrow]

Urgh!

[ Is Monarch poisoned? He isn't sure; he's mostly registering pain...but the scene in front of him matters more. Lion is -

If Lion keeps at that, he'll die. If Lion keeps at that, in front of Monarch, because Monarch did nothing, he'll die.

If Lion dies, it will be Monarch's fault.

So while Veil aims for Esme, Monarch aims for Lion. He has to get him away - from the danger of that scythe -

By rushing into the fray, screaming, and jumping on Lion to tug him back. ]

LION DURABILITY: 1

[cancrymods]

Lion's enhanced strength means that when he sets his hands on Beelzebub, she can't break free. The illusion shatters and now all three of them can see her clearly, pinned to the wall and writhing furiously, letting out strangled shrieks as she attempts to break his grip. She doesn't succeed, but she flings her head forward and cracks it against Lion's, dealing a blow against him.

That puts her head in the perfect position to take a glancing blow from Veil's weapon, but pinned as she is by Lion, she's not in much of a position to retaliate.

[crypddyd]

[in the end, it's Monarch that saves him.

The young boy leaping on him, trying so hard to drag him back even though he HAS HER, HE HAS HER plus the crack of her skull against his, makes him fumble back, letting her go.

He stares down at him, blinking through the pneuma oozing in his eye... and with a sluggish nod... backs off and out of range.]

D...destroy her. I have... faith in you both.

[daughterofthemark]

[It's fine, Lion! Veil will take over for him, attempting to re-pin Beelesmebub with her staff.

HOPEFULLY YOU'RE READY TO ATTACK, MONARCH?]

[ourtomorrow]

[ OH IS HE EVER.

Still yelling himself hoarse, he draws back his arm and whips Esme in her wounded areas, over and over again. He does not plan to stop unless something stops him.

Part of this feels wrong, but part of it feels weirdly - different, though he has nothing to compare it too. He's lashing out, literally, but.....

But it's to protect Lion. To keep Esme from hurting anyone again. It means something.

Faintly, in the back of his mind, that seems significant. ]

STAY BACK!!!

VEIL DURABILITY: 3 MONARCH DURABILITY: 2.5

[cancrymods]

Veil might not be quite as strong as Lion, but Beelzebub is injured enough that even her relatively slight weight is enough to keep Beelzebub pinned, though with all the thrashing and poison flying around, she takes one blow's worth of damage as does Monarch from the poison splattering off her.

Monarch's whip cracks against the 'eye' behind her beak and with a horrible shattering noise, it cracks. And for a split second Monarch sees... something flash across his vision. A high-speed barrage of disconnected images and two voices – one Esme's and one completely unfamiliar – screaming at each other in the midst of an at-each-other's-throats argument.

"Just what is wrong with you?! Just what made you hate me this much?!
"I'VE HATED YOU SINCE THE DAY YOU WERE BORN!"

Beelzebub does not retaliate. She spasms and writhes under Veil's grip, but that's all she can do.

[crypddyd]

[Lion can't do much, too hurt to call on his normal strength without his wrath to fuel it, but he does re-manifest his spear and throw it to try and pin Esme, let the other two finish the battle once and for all]

[daughterofthemark]

[Veil does her best not to flinch despite all the general Damage flying around and some of it happening to her. Wow it's too bad she doesn't have any uses of Attack Order left. Whose bright idea was it to use that up at the beginning?

She can't really hit the weak point from here, but she seems to be in the best shape out of everyone, so maybe she can keep Beelzme's attention on her by kicking the boss?]

[ourtomorrow]

[ Monarch doesn't even register that he too is now leaking pneuma, the poison hissing where it hits his skin, one shoulder pad crumbling. The images had flashed too quickly to make sense, but -

the voices

the voices ]

Wh....o.......?

[ His whip falters for a moment, but Veil's movement snaps his attention back and, though his arm is trembling, he brings the whip down one more time. ]

HUAAAAAGGGHHHH!!

[ A tear mixes with the pneuma spattered on his cheek.

He doesn't know why. ]

this is the last multicomment for this thread i swear/3

[cancrymods]

With all three of the Executors set on her in her weakened state, Beelzebub has no way of countering and nowhere to go. Monarch's whip lands a clean blow on the eye behind her beak and it shatters into pieces. Almost immediately, Beelzebub's body begins to dissolve, not into more of that awful poison but a black, gritty type of pneuma. For a moment everything is quiet.

But then– well, to Veil and Lion's eyes, it will look as though Monarch has just slumped clean over against the wall next to where Beelzebub once was.

I probably don't need to tell you that Monarch sees something very different.

[cancrymods]

It's a kaleidoscopic blast of information that burns through his brain too quick to pick through in the moment, but instinctively understood even as it passes by.

A pair of siblings, close as can be, gripping each other's hands as they wait backstage, staring up at the results screen that will determine how all their hard work has paid off. But in the end, only one name comes up – Lapis, not Esme, has passed the audition.

Even as early as the car ride back home, both Esme and Lapis know it's the beginnings of a schism between them.

Lapis continues to climb. Esme doesn't. Lapis's smiling face starts gracing magazines and talk shows and advertisements and Esme's doesn't. She starts working herself to the bone, ignoring visits from home and their mother begging her to at least call, because every moment spent slacking off is another moment that Lapis continues to gain ground on her. She keeps up the pretense of a friendly relationship with them because it makes for good publicity but she can see the scorn and the pity in Lapis's eyes every moment they spent together. She's sure of it.

Her resentment crests and comes crashing back down when Lapis comes to see her in her dressing room the night before her first big show. Esme doesn't even know what it is, but something they say or do sets her off and years of bile come bubbling to the surface. It's not even an argument past a certain point, just a screaming match and it ends with Esme screaming at Lapis's retreating back that she's wanted them dead since the day they were born even as they slam the door on her.

Esme doesn't see or speak to her sibling again before she dies.

[cancrymods]

... that's all Monarch can make out before he jolts back into consciousness again, with the last remnants of Esme's bitter resentment still throbbing through his head.

But that's all that's left of her now.
EXECUTION COMPLETE

[crypddyd]

Monarch!!

[Lion rushes to his side, guilt pounding behind his eyes- if he got this child killed due to his moment of weakness-

But no, he revives, and Lion almost slumps over too in relief]

[daughterofthemark]

[Veil just... stares at the black pneuma that remains.

They had no other choice, she tells herself.]

1/? if claire can do it so can i

[ourtomorrow]

Hh--!!!

[ Monarch's not sure how he ended up down here. He's not entirely cognizant that he is down here, honestly. The visions he just saw are lingering, waiting for him to process them.

He can't.

Or perhaps....he doesn't want to? ]

2/?

[ourtomorrow]

[ His whip falls from numbed fingers and vanishes, dissolving alongside the rest of his Executor uniform.

He looks so much smaller, without the cape.

He looks so much younger, without the mask. ]

3/4

[ourtomorrow]

[ He doesn't understand. He doesn't......

Esme's memories?

But she isn't here. He beat her?

He beat her. It's over. ]

4/4

[ourtomorrow]

[ It's a good thing Lion had headed over towards Monarch, because he's sort of crumpling again. Still awake - his eyes are open - but relief and exhaustion both pummel him at the same time. ]

W...we.....

I........

[crypddyd]

[And without thinking Lion just scoops his fellow Executor up- never mind his bleeding face and side]

Shh... It is done. She can now be at peace and hopefully find a kinder life.