untwisted: (90)
Martel Yggdrasill ([personal profile] untwisted) wrote in [community profile] dreamcrystals2023-10-06 09:35 pm

dreams are a window to the soul

Sender: Martel Yggdrasill
To: Everyone
Subject: Passive dream recording
CW: Combat, blood, death, racism, genocidal ideology, fate worse than death POV

You stand on a field that looks as though it's seen better days. Plants are sparse and dry, yet before you a battle seems to be underway for this very place. You're a few yards away from the action, standing behind your three longtime companions who you've been in this situation with many times before. You begin focusing your mana, gripping your staff near your chest with your right hand while it builds. When the moment arrives, you thrust it forward and high with both hands.

"Acuteness!"

Light briefly surrounds the others. There is a teenaged boy with shoulder length blonde hair wielding a rather large purple sword. He has glowing, translucent rainbow-colored wings floating over his back, and he hovers above the ground as he battles. There's also a man with long blue hair that's been pulled back who wears a cape. He fights with a very unique double-ended blade that's bigger than he is. Finally, her third companion may be easily recognized by you as Kratos. He's battling with a sword and also has shining wings, though his are blue.

The small force that opposed you is all but defeated, but an armor-clad individual who clearly leads them takes an opening and rushes past the others in your direction. You feel a deep sadness for an instant. At one time, you trusted them, but yet again you've been betrayed. That feeling is soon replaced with great panic. Although from the look of this area there's nothing worthwhile here, something behind you must be protected at all cost. You know disaster will befall everyone if this person reaches their goal.

Almost impulsively, you rush into their path, stretching your arms out in a defensive move.

"Stop this!"

Without hesitating, they draw their blade and plunge it into your stomach. You lurch forward, your staff clattering against the ground as pain overwhelms you. Your opponent has finally stopped, but only, it seems, to retrieve their weapon from your abdomen.

As they pull out their sword, they growl at you hatefully. "Out of my way, you filthy half-elf."

The next few moments seem to be mass confusion. You can feel your blood gushing from the wound and lose all strength in an instant, toppling over backwards. You can hear screaming voices quickly drawing nearer, but it's hard to make out if they're saying anything. For a moment, you close your eyes. Against your quickly cooling body, your tears are almost painfully hot.

The sounds of a scuffle come from next to you, and when you open your eyes your companions are above you. The teenager and the man with blue hair are on their knees on either side of you, and Kratos stands closely next to them. They're all three horrified and devastated; the boy is already crying. "Kratos, you have to do something!" he exclaims, turning to him.

You know it's in vain, and from the looks on the others' faces they seem to suspect as much. Still, Kratos holds out a hand and a healing light surrounds you, but you can't even feel it. After a few moments he stops, closing his eyes and dropping his head grimly.

"No!" the teen sobs, turning back to you and looking at you desperately. The other man seems to be fighting tears of his own.

You feel such sorrow right now, and so guilty for leaving them like this. You recall the words your killer spoke, words you've heard countless times over your lifetime. That makes you the saddest of all. With the last of your strength, you manage to speak. "I wish that one day...I could see a world...free from discrimination..."

Your eyes close one last time and all drains from you. You're dead. It's all over.

And yet it's not, because you're suddenly able to see and hear everything going on around you again.

"...Sis! ...How could you?!" The boy still kneels next to you as he addresses your killer.

The man in the cape has stood up. "...Human! Your kind must not be allowed to live!"

Kratos is also glaring daggers at the assailant. "...How far are you willing to go to take control of the mana?"

The teen speaks again. "I'll never forgive you... You humans are all the same!"

They prepare to battle, but your thoughts drift to a time long before this. You were with the younger boy, as always.

"Hey Sis, is it weird that I feel bad for them? Even though they hate us?"

You feel yourself welling up with pride. "Of course not, Mithos. All of this prejudice and discrimination is truly sad."

"Yeah, because when it comes down to it, we're really all the same! It'll be nice when we can all live together and not think about that."

"Right!" You're grinning from ear to ear. "So let's keep working towards that peaceful world and not worry about what they think right now!" You believe what you're saying with every fiber of your being.

But Mithos' smiling face fades. Now, you're in a strange chamber filled with odd machines. You float over most of the room. You can see and hear everything, and your emotions are intact, but there is literally nothing else you can do. You have no body, no mouth. Already you feel such overwhelming sorrow.

In the room, you can see Kratos and the blue-haired man wearing the cape. There is also another man with long blond hair in a tight white and yellow outfit. The viewer won't have to question his identity, as those same rainbow-colored wings of light are a sure giveaway.

"Since we're switching over now, I've realized something else we can use the declining world for. I'm thinking of building a ranch."

The others seem concerned, but confused. Finally the man in the cape speaks. "...You mean to solve their food problems?

The older Mithos almost scoffs. "No. To solve the exsphere problem."

"Mithos, you can't! You must know how wrong that is!" Your horrified cries only reach yourself, echoing uselessly in your consciousness.

Although he continues speaking, the other two are already clearly aghast. "Our supply is already low, and if it takes another 3000 years we're definitely going to run out of Cruxis Crystals. The best solution is putting those humans to some use. Of course, we have to give them some hard work to do to fuel them properly, but this way we can keep track of them and harvest them as necessary."

"No!" The third man shouts as though he'd just boiled over and couldn't hold back anymore.

"Something wrong, Yuan?" Mithos scowls at him coldly. With his attention fixed elsewhere, Kratos looks in your direction with a concerned frown for a moment.

Yuan seems to be having a lot of trouble controlling his temper. "Yes, all of that! It's sick! You can't do this!"

"Please stop him, Yuan..." You're not desperate in your futile imploring; it's more supportive than anything. You know he's too dependable to give up easily.

"You're saying you intend to stand against me?" Mithos seems surprised, but he maintains his imposing demeanor. "When I'm doing all this for my sister?" The emphasis definitely implies something, but it's so obvious to all present that there's no explanation.

"That's not– I'm–!" Yuan angrily stumbles over his words for a few moments. He, too, shoots a pained look in your direction, and finally seems to get his thoughts in order. "I'm against your ranches, Lord Yggdrasill. That's what I'm saying!"

"It's a good thing it's not your call, then," Yggdrasill replies condescendingly. Yuan immediately storms out of the chamber, and with an annoyed sigh he continues. "At least Sylvarant is your responsibility, Kratos..."

Kratos clearly doesn't like this either, even though he hasn't said anything. As Yggdrasill turns to look at a device, the man gives you another pitying frown.

"Say something to him, please." You know he probably won't, and that's nothing to hold against him. He wouldn't make Mithos feel all alone when he's been suffering so much.

"So we'll get the Desians to handle the dirty work..." Yggdrasill continues explaining his scheme for a bit longer. "But we can discuss this more later." With that he gives Kratos a dismissive wave, floating off to check another machine.

Kratos grits his teeth, and though he speaks quietly it's not hard to miss when you don't have ears. "I'm sorry... This..." He hurriedly leaves with all his troubles.

You're not at all angry or resentful that the other two hadn't talked him out of it. You don't blame them for anything. All you feel is a horrible sadness. You want to sob, but there's no way to do so in this state.

"Please remember, Mithos... Remember what we wanted!"

The despair can only build up where it is, having nowhere else to go.

"...Maybe, if people like us never existed, things wouldn't have–"

It's over. She must have woken up.

[ooc: You may wake up crying if you particularly got into the emotional aspect of this. As another note, if you feel like your character might pay attention to irrelevant things, you could notice she had a ring on her left hand during her death. You'd really have to be into details she's not focusing on, though.]

🍃 🍂 🍃 🍂 🍃 🍂 🍃 🍂 🍃 🍂 🍃 🍂 🍃 🍂 🍃 🍂 🍃 🍂 🍃


[Not longer after this recording is finished, Martel pens a message to the journals.]

I'm so sorry if you saw that. Please try to not dwell on it.
holdshisown: (Sad)

Sender: Maedhros

[personal profile] holdshisown 2023-10-07 01:08 pm (UTC)(link)
No. You have nothing to be sorry about when it comes to that, my lady. Are you alright?
holdshisown: (Default)

[personal profile] holdshisown 2023-10-08 12:19 pm (UTC)(link)
I would hope it was unusual, I would not wish bad dreams to haunt you frequently enough that it wold be a common occurence. If you are sure you are alright I will not press you on the matter, but... if you wish to speak of it I am willing to lend you an ear.

[He's familiar enough with that kind of deflection to recognize it when he sees it, but he just doesn't know this girl well enough to call her on it.]
holdshisown: (Default)

[personal profile] holdshisown 2023-10-09 03:39 pm (UTC)(link)
At times they can be. But such a dream as yours would not be entirely unusual for one of my own people.

[He sees what you're trying to do there, and it only makes him more concerned.]

It is simply the decent thing to do. I don't particularly wish to leave someone in pain to deal with it on their own, but I cannot force you to speak of it if you do not wish to. Just know that the offer will remain open, no matter when you may wish to make use of it.
flamberge: (sinner {i ate the last cookie})

Sender: Kratos

[personal profile] flamberge 2023-10-09 06:15 pm (UTC)(link)
[there's so much kratos can say after that. so so much. it takes him a moment to even say anything and, once he does, it ends up being a single sentence.]

Are you alright?
perfalmost: (neutral)

sender: Magilou

[personal profile] perfalmost 2023-10-10 04:42 am (UTC)(link)
[Wow. That sure was A Lot. It gives a lot to think of, between recognizing one of Martel's companions and wondering how many worlds have siblings with really screwed up lives and deaths. She feels like it also gives her a lot more context about Martel, more than she ever asked for!

Magilou responds in a chipper manner, with her flowing cursive handwriting.]


Oh don't worry, my memory can be real spotty. It'll be in one ear and out the other, like a magic trick! But hey, now I really get why you're a cryer.
discourtesies: (counsel)

sender: Barok van Zieks

[personal profile] discourtesies 2023-10-10 05:52 am (UTC)(link)
[The fight for a righteous cause, the willingness to face death. The loss of a sibling. The horrid depths to which one may fall in the pursuit of what they see as just... and the despair of those left in the wake of the crimes committed. Despite the stark differences in their associated situations, these are the things that strike van Zieks in the dream.

He doesn't like to involve himself in the affairs of strangers, typically. But tonight he finds his quill in his hand.]


You've nothing to apologize for, madam, however convenient were it for one to control what comes to one in sleep.
holdshisown: (Default)

[personal profile] holdshisown 2023-10-10 09:30 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, not the nightmare part! Forgive me for worrying you about that, I was more refering to the dreams having more of the feel of a memory than anything else.

Everybody needs someone to listen to them, from time to time, and I'm more than willing to help where I can.
flamberge: (sinner {can't face it})

1/2

[personal profile] flamberge 2023-10-10 08:41 pm (UTC)(link)
[no.]

Yes, I am.
flamberge: (mentor {best mentor})

[personal profile] flamberge 2023-10-10 08:43 pm (UTC)(link)
[there's a bit of a delay before a second message comes.]

If you'd like to talk, I'm outside.

[he'd gone outside almost immediately after jolting awake from that dream. something about being outside and staring up at the stars makes it easier to clear his mind after all that. ...but easier doesn't mean he's actually succeeding with that.]
perfalmost: (actually smart)

[personal profile] perfalmost 2023-10-12 04:58 am (UTC)(link)
It sure is, isn't it? It's one of my most useful abilities!

[Although in reality, she may remember every little thing she sees and hears! She definitely won't forget this anytime soon.]

Right. I get it. It kinda looked like a lot more than 'a while' there.

[If she's referring to the time when she seemed to be... incorporeal...]
perfalmost: (arm on side)

[personal profile] perfalmost 2023-10-14 04:49 am (UTC)(link)
I'm not too surprised. So is that what it's like to be around so long?
flamberge: (sinner {blank})

[personal profile] flamberge 2023-10-15 12:01 am (UTC)(link)
[when she comes outside, she'll spot kratos quickly enough a short distance away. his back is toward her as he stars up at the stars.

the tiptoeing catches his heightened hearing easily enough. he turns to regard her briefly (the puffiness of his eyes likely too hard to see in the darkness) before returning to watching the night sky. no response comes to her question immediately.

but finally, he speaks in a soft, yet melancholy tone.]


I'd always wondered whether or not you were coherent, whether or not you could listen to the conversations held in that chamber.

[those god-awful conversations held as mithos' sanity deteriorated further and further. yuan and himself allowed them to happen and allowed that insanity to evolve into what had been present in that dream. then yuan realized the error and acted; kratos remained as neutral and passive as ever.

like a true coward.

with a sigh, he continues.]


I hoped you weren't, truthfully, as such a fate seemed far too cruel.

[kratos lowers his gaze as frowns down at the ground.]

Or, perhaps, I hoped as much to feel less guilt at allowing Mithos to continue to house you there as he had.

[a hope truly fitting of a man as horrid as him.]
discourtesies: (lord)

[personal profile] discourtesies 2023-10-15 07:40 am (UTC)(link)
Pray do not focus overly on unnecessary guilt. I have found it more productive to offer and accept sympathy for the circumstances in such cases.

[does saying that count as expressing sympathy]

It is a difficult thing, to learn what one's cherished family is capable of at their most desperate.

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