Mithos's Heart

[dramatispersonae]

*there's a moment of nothing but light and sensation. you feel -- inspected by someone or something, gentle and unobtrusive. who are you? what are you? do I know you?

welcome.

your vision clears.*

((please join #blackboxed!))

Comments

Re: [BEGIN: the island]

[poker_face]

[Oh boy. Where to go. Where to go.

Looking back at the fog]

Re: [BEGIN: the island]

[antreegonist]

*you can't see anything in there. . .*

Re: [BEGIN: the island]

[poker_face]

[LET'S GO FOG!!]

Re: [BEGIN: the island]

[antreegonist]

*the fog is pleasantly cool but very thick. you can't see anything. it seems to go on for quite a distance.*

Re: [BEGIN: the island]

[poker_face]

[HMM. Better to walk straight then, so if she decides to turn back it's easier.]

Re: [BEGIN: the island]

[antreegonist]

*you seem to have found the edge of the heart. it's revealed an island of sorts, and round. grassy. a narrow stream runs near the rim, with a large shady alder tree overhanging it. there's an area of flattened grass under the alder tree, as though something or someone rested there for a while.*

all around the island you see nothing but blue sky and fluffy clouds. no sign of thunderheads. past the stream, a narrow white bridge extends out and away from the island.*

Re: [BEGIN: the island]

[poker_face]

[Hmm... She looks at the spot of flattened grass for a moment, before she moves on to the narrow bridge]

Re: [BEGIN: the island]

[antreegonist]

*the bridge is about twenty feet long. you're walking with nothing but sky above and sky below. it's...exhilarating to be up here, if you're not afraid of heights.

pale light flickers at the corners of your vision. turn your head to check and you see wings on your shoulders. they look like this, but white.*

Re: [BEGIN: the island]

[poker_face]

[totally thrilling! And... wings? Can she control them?]

My my, what do we have here?

Re: [BEGIN: the island]

[antreegonist]

*you can certainly control them and fly as you please!*

Re: [BEGIN: the island]

[poker_face]

[taking a tentative attempt at flying. And when that works, she goes back to the bridge, and continues walking to the other side]

Well, that will come in handy.

Re: [BEGIN: the island]

[antreegonist]

*the bridge ends in open sky . . .*

Re: [BEGIN: the island]

[poker_face]

[Is there anything in the distance?]

Re: [BEGIN: the island]

[antreegonist]

*doesn't seem to be, at least not from where you're standing.*

Re: [BEGIN: the island]

[poker_face]

[gonna... go forward then. Forward and up, 'cuz she missed flying]

Re: [BEGIN: the island]

[antreegonist]

*a distant landscape begins to resolve itself underneath you as you fly. tiny forests and plains; the dots of small towns; a sprawling silver city to the north like a delicate toy model. another city, to the far east, is a cluster of tight pale spires. a gigantic black slagheap by it is the most noticeable landmark. to the north, there's even a glimmer of ocean.

you feel like you're not alone -- there's at least three people with you -- but you can't see them.*

Re: [BEGIN: the island]

[poker_face]

[she looks around, before she goes to the city in the east]

Re: [BEGIN: the island]

[antreegonist]

*no matter how low you fly, the landscape doesn't get any nearer. if you're ready to head back, just turn around: the bridge is behind and slightly below you.*

Re: [BEGIN: the island]

[poker_face]

[Alright... Turning back, a little disappointed]

Re: [BEGIN: the island]

[antreegonist]

*you return to the bridge, the wings fading from your shoulders.*

Re: [BEGIN: the island]

[poker_face]

[well, now she's going to take the time to look at the area, starting with the flat grass underneath the tree]

Re: [BEGIN: the island]

[antreegonist]

*you see a memory on touching the grass. Mithos splashing through the water after his sister, a tall man tsking disapprovingly on the bank, a huge green dog curled up next to you and another man on his other side, amused and shaking his head a little. there's a sense of family, companionship, relaxation.*

Re: [BEGIN: the island]

[poker_face]

Oh-- This is Mithos's heart.

[Suddenly, it dawns on her!! Well, she smiles a bit at the memory. She lingers there for a little bit, before she stands to head back towards the doors]

Re: [BEGIN: the island]

[antreegonist]

*you return to the meadow!

the door is made of something white that you can't quite identify--stone? metal? whatever it is, you can see fine cracks all over the door and its frame, like it's been badly shattered in the past and then carefully repaired. it's plain, with a white knob and no keyhole.

it stands in a small pool of dark and seething water. slender black veins run up from the water to cover the door. they shift a little when you don't stare at them directly. they look like an infection, or a root system, and it's hard to tell if they're damaging the door or holding it together.*

Re: [BEGIN: the island]

[poker_face]

[she looks at the veins for a moment, and prods them a bit]