EVENT LOG: TURN THE LIGHTS OFF

[inthenightmods]

EVENT LOG:
TURN THE LIGHTS OFF

characters: everyone.
location: around town.
date/time: january 20-29.
content: the lanterns begin to malfunction.
warnings: body horror and psychological horror. please cw tags appropriately.

you'll become one

January 20th arrives the same as all the days before it. There's no great pulse of warning that throbs through the air, no ominous wind that causes the bonfire to shudder. The spirits are neither agitated nor do they hide. You could almost miss the change, if the lanterns weren't always by your side. There's no explanation that comes with the way that it's changed, but it's impossible not to worry when it's happened so suddenly.

Maybe it takes a few days, or maybe it only takes a few hours, but suddenly it isn't just the lanterns that have changed. You, yourself, have become somehow different. It's possible that you won't even have the right state of mind to wonder how long it will last. At the very least, it appears you aren't alone. All across Beacon, lanterns are changing, and changing the people with them.

Out in the distance, the lighthouse's beam has turned green.

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Link | OTA

[sublimebeast]

I. The Shadow (CW: violence, hallucination induced self harm)

Link is leaning against a wall in the Bonfire Square, watching one of the few genuine light sources in Beacon dance in the shadows, when he first hears it. It is a voice that seems to come from so deep inside that he can't be sure it isn't his own.

They don't deserve you.

He pulls away from the wall and wanders down the path from the great flame, frowning to himself. Intrusive thoughts are not new to him but this one feels incredibly strong.

What have any of them done for you? They're attached to this place, not like you. You have more important things to do than worry about them.

They're holding you back.

They're keeping you here.

Kill them.

Link stops abruptly in his tracks and tugs on his ears in frustration. What sort of hero fantasizes about killing everyone? What's wrong with him?

Slowly, he sinks to his knees, unaware that a green light flickering his lantern has suddenly grown more intense.

You are a hero chosen by the gods themselves! He Who Bears The Mark! The Brave One! These miserable creatures should feel honored to simply bask in your divine radiance.

"SHUT UP!"

With almost blinding speed, Link pulls the large sword from its scabbard on his back, wheels in place and thrusts the blade out into the darkness that seems to be closing in all around him.

The blade touches only air and the words from inside him suddenly seem to land on his ears from no direction in particular.

You've always been SO scary!

The voice giggles, a sound like glass shattering on a dungeon floor, then Link is aware of a weight at the end of the Master Sword. He can't see anything in the dark but it feels like an unseen enemy is perched on the flat of the blade.

"Who are you? Show yourself, you damned coward!"

He swings the sword downward and feels more than sees his enemy scurry away into the darkness.

"Bastard! I'll kill you!"

Link charges into the darkness after the demon that exists only in his own mind.

People may see him stalking around like a wild animal. Sometimes he is clawing desperately at his armor or has his hands wrapped around his own throat. Others, it may be someone else's throat he's suddenly lunging for.

II. Defiant Hero

Link finally lures his demon out into his mind's eye. In the green light of his lantern he sees his own face stare back at him.

The creature looks just light him, but dressed in black with jet black skin, silver hair and glowing red eyes.

Link lifts his hand and it mirrors his movements effortlessly.

"Are you the one doing this to me?"

The thing smiles toothily.

Is the Prince of Princes unable to face his own strength?

The voice seems to come from everywhere except the creature, whose lips never move.

Link turns his back on it and returns to town. There's no time for this... This thing, whatever it is, is amusing itself at his expense. Or maybe his own mind is starting to finally unravel. For a while now he's felt like, if he's not already crazy, he's going there in a hurry.

He heads back in the direction of the bonfire, looking around for anybody who might be struggling, anyone who could use a bit of help. It seems like the right thing to do. He can still be a hero, even if he's going mad, can't he?

III. Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?

Mercifully, Link's bouts of madness do sometimes lapse. Unfortunately, they only lapse when his lantern turns from green to a brilliant red.

Around the outskirts of Beacon people may see a big, black wolf with blue eyes and a slight green tint to its mane. It's trotting around with a lantern held in its teeth.

III

[worthallthis]

A disoriented Soldier is taking a break from attempting to move, clinging to a tree near the edge of Bonfire Square, watching people. It's hard to watch, since they all seem much further away than they should given the sound of feet on snow, of voices, but it's better than being alone.

And there's a... wolf? With a lantern? (Link's lantern? Isn't that Link's? I ain't looking out your eyes for anything, right now, pal. That's fair.) But they're still pretty sure it's Link's lantern. Which might not mean that's the elf-person with a shapdeshift, but probably not a spirit or a hallucination.

They slide down to the ground in a semi-controlled collapse and watch the wolf with interest. Unlike the other people, he looks almost closer than he should. Then whistle once, to catch his attention.

[sublimebeast]

Link freezes when he hears the whistle and turns his eyes towards a close by tree.

Someone is sitting near the base, the one called the Soldier.

He looks over his shoulder back towards the woods and weighs his options of running off or responding to the whistle.

He decides on the latter and slowly approaches the Soldier, the lantern still held in his mouth. When he's a few paces away he stops and sits in the snow with his ears perked forward.

[worthallthis]

The Soldier pulls up a little smile, dizzy though it looks. "Hey. You got Link's lantern. I sure hope you're Link, or that's gonna be a problem." Given the strength of the light, if this isn't Link, the elf-person can't be far, at least.

[sublimebeast]

Link whimpers, he doesn't really care to have people know about his wolf form. Maybe he's just proud of his secrets...

The Soldier doesn't seem to be afraid of him. That had been his main problem back home.

He gently sets his lantern down in the snow and places a paw upon it as if to say "Mine."

[worthallthis]

A creature out to hurt people or worth being afraid of wouldn't be carrying a lantern around in its mouth, probably. And would probably be more sneaky than just trotting along out in the open.

He guesses at the gesture, "You are Link? Okay. Good." They pause, frown at the lantern, and realize, "It's red. Like mine when the arm went crazy." Does that mean red means physical changes? "Can you usually turn into a wolf?"

[sublimebeast]

Link bounces in a circle, wagging his tail to communicate that, yes, this is a familiar shape to him.

When he comes to a stop he sits back again and whimpers.

This time, he hadn't meant to take this shape. Something happened and he's stuck until whatever it is decides to let him go.

[worthallthis]

The Soldier is not sure they caught the exact meaning of that. Link looks like he's jumping in and out of focus: one moment so close as to be all but on top of them, the next too far away to catch the details, though never lost in the dark so they know he's not actually that far away. It's just that the world is playing tricks again. Curving away.

"I know," they say. "My arm was terrible for a while. Metal spikes everywhere. And it hurt." Feeling the sensation of pain in an appendage that isn't meant to feel pain had been more deeply uncomfortable than the shreds it made of their back. "You'll change back. I did."

[sublimebeast]

Link isn't sure he wants to change back, not until his lantern is better. Being trapped in the body of a wolf is obnoxious but it's preferable to being Hylian right now. In his normal body the lantern turns green and he feels his mind start to unravel...

He's bitterly amused about that. The Hero's Green, it turns out, is the color of his own madness. Of course it is.

When the Soldier mentions their arm Link's ears perk forward in alarm and he inches closer to sniff at the limb in question. Is everything okay now, Soldier? Is there anything he can do to help?

I

[arsarcanum]

There's something weird floating around in town, but for what it's worth, only the strange fight he'd gotten into with Rosinante sticks out to him. (What had gotten into him? And for that matter, what'd gotten into himself? It's not as though it wasn't something he'd done before, but that was another life. Literally.)

The moment of thought ends as he heads from the library and toward the bonfire, intending to head up to the Invincible to check on more friends, only to be stopped by the halting shadow of someone staggering around... clutching at their head? It seems familiar, although the person is too far off to see, their arms covering their face. Sora takes his hands out of his pockets and picks up his pace, trying to lean around to check if he knows this person. "Is everything all right," he asks, making sure this person knows he's about to pull up.

[sublimebeast]

You want to save the world? We can help.

Link sneers into the darkness.

"No. I don't want your help!"

Just give yourself to us, Unbreakable One. You will find that the Darkness might be a crueler mistress than the Light equally powerful and far more honest. No more being lead around by half-truths. You could know exactly what you are. You would have the strength you hunger for.

Link stares around wildly into the shadows and swears he can feel a thousand eyes stare back. A thousand enemies.

"Never. Just leave me alone!"

Out of the darkness a figure starts to emerge, extending a hand towards him.

You could become a god. You could save Hyrule from its damnation.

Just let go.

Let the darkening of madness take you.

Link bellows and charges the figure with his sword held aloft. Sora will see the deranged warrior barreling straight towards him.

[arsarcanum]

Sora flinches, takes a couple of steps back, and summons his keyblade almost before thinking, bringing it up to meet whatever weapon this person is packing with a metallic clang that sends vibrations through his hands. A sword, that's live steel. Okay. He's almost dizzy from the adrenaline, but at least he's still alive. That's step one.

He's trying not to hyperventilate from the surprise. He pushes back, trying to break the lock. He looks this person dead in the face, not registering that he recognizes it until his brain catches up to reality.

Link?

"Hey, it's me. Link, it's me, Sora." He's sure he told Link his name a week or so ago - he remembers them sitting on Aziraphale's bathroom floor, finally really getting to know each other. He'd be able to pick him out from a crowd by now. "Link, wake up!"

[sublimebeast]

The figure that emerges from the darkness is...him. A black shadow of himself with silver hair and scarlet eyes.

It raises a dark blade and meets Link's blow.

Look at you, alpha predator. Are you so blood thirsty you'd even kill yourself!?

Link feels the creature push back, attempting to break the lock and he lifts the Master Sword away, only thrust out again, aiming at the thing's belly.. or, rather, Sora's belly.

"BEGONE!"

[arsarcanum]

Not awake, then. The opposite! Either that, or Link has something else going on that Sora would have to ask about later. If he survives this. If they both survive this.

He gets half a second to look down at Link's lantern, just to make sure that he won't hit it - it's deep red, fragile looking, he's seen that before - before Link pulls back, surprising him again. He stumbles forward, right onto the point of Link's sword.

Sora jerks to the side, but can't really dodge it effectively. It pokes clean through his sweatshirt. He feels a cold pain as it runs a line through his side, the edge slicing at his abdomen. He can't see the tip, but feels blood start running down his side and through his clothes. It probably came out the other side bloody.

So, uh, Link is trying to kill him.

With Link so close, he can only do so much without actually causing him a huge amount of harm, but he does need to get some breathing room. (He's panicking. Not even the magical girls were out to kill him, they were highschoolers themselves.) The least harm, the most space.

Wind gathers at their feet, then shoots up in a whirlwind around Sora, blowing up and away from him. It's not enough to disarm a well-trained opponent, but pushing through it is extremely hard. Sora hopes it's enough to get Link to retreat a couple of yards, if not knock him back entirely.

[sublimebeast]

The shadow lifts a hand a whirlwind of darkness shoots out from it. Link blocks with his arm and takes a step forward, then the force of the wind knocks him back.

He lands on the ground hard, hitting his head against the road. The blow strikes the spot on his skull that he'd knocked against the edge of the bathtub a week ago. Something about that causes cracks to appear in the swirling madness that surrounds him. The light of clarity becomes visible in his eyes and the churning green inside his lantern fades back to a warm gold.

"Where did it go?

He sits up and sees Sora a couple yards away.

"Sora? SORA!"

Link pulls himself upright.

"No, what happened? I thought-- Did I hurt you!?"

[arsarcanum]

Sora staggers back as Link falls, hand clapping at his side as he holds his keyblade out at Link, pointed at him. It's not the most fatal blow he's ever taken in either life, but it's one of the most surprising, and it's still pretty painful. It begins to bleed through his sweatshirt, his ears ringing.

He starts when Link gets up, can barely hear him through the ringing in his ears, but it doesn't seem as though he's going to pick up his sword again. The look on Link's face isn't terribly reassuring, but at least it's better than murder?

He attempts to grin. "Uh, hey. You're pretty good with that sword!" He then sinks to a knee, letting green light wash over him. It's only enough to close up the wound about halfway - he's still bleeding. "I'll live," he pants out, trying to will the sick away.

[sublimebeast]

Link retrieves the Master Sword from the ground and stares at it in his grip. The blade is dripping red with human blood.

He sways, for a moment his sword arm feels like it isn't there, like someone else had just been swinging the Blade of Evil's Bane... The steel feels suddenly heavy.

He looks from the sword to Sora then finally sheathes the weapon on his back and runs forward, this time with worried urgency.

"I did, I hurt you! By the Gods, I'm so sorry! Put pressure on it!"

( prompt iii. )

[sunborne]

[ after all the weird stuff that's been going down at beacon, daylight is going to consider coming across a large, black wolf with blue eyes as it trots about with a lantern in their mouth to be a blessing.

also- slightly alarming because oh no! whose lantern did the wolk take that from? ]

Hey! Buddy.

[ daylight kneels down, whistling and making kissy sounds to try and get the wolf's attention. ] Hey boy! Hey! Whose lantern is that? Can I have it back? I'm sure they'll like it back a lot, buddy.

[sublimebeast]

[WHAT IS THAT?

Something big and metal approaches and starts calling to him like he's a common dog. That's not really a problem, it's better than being kicked or chased with pitchforks.

The accusation that he's stolen the lantern is more problematic. What if this creature tries to take it from him?

Link sets his lantern down and snarls a warning at the strange smelling giant.]

[sunborne]

[ yikes! this is most definitely not a friendly one. at least, not for now.

daylight immediately throws his servos up in front of him, trying to show he's not going to do anything towards the angry wolf. ]

Sorry, buddy! Was that too aggressive of me? [ he tries to smile nice and wide, his winglets canted in what he thinks is a peaceful angle.

he still wants to get that lantern and give it back to whoever that belongs to but, first, he needs to get the wolf's trust. going down via wolf is kind of cool but awkward to explain to dr. solis. ] Sorry. Um. Let's try that again?

I'm Day! Daylight! It's nice to meet you. Sorry for scaring you like that. Um...

-Do you want a snack? [ he gestures to the messenger bag that he had clipped to his waist, acting like a belt of sort for day and his items. ] I have some food I was going to share with some friends but you can have it if you want.

[sublimebeast]

[Link lowers his head and his ears prick forward.

Daylight? As in Daylit?

It must be the person he'd talked to over the network. Now that he listens, the voice is the same.

The snarling stops and he instead gives Daylight a desperate whimper and paws at his lantern.]

[sunborne]

[ ... okay. this is unexpected.

he stops trying to make kissy sounds towards the wolf, looking concerned for the poor thing. ]

What's wrong, buddy? [ he's about to stand up and walk towards the wolf but stops himself halfway, remembering that he's... really big and, from past experience, animals have never been comfortable with his size if they don't know him. ]

Um... Can I come closer to you, buddy? I just want to see what's wrong, if that's okay with you. [ he smiles, trying to show he means well while raising his servos up to emphasise his friendliness. ] I promise I won't do anything.

[sublimebeast]

[Link decides to respond by gently picking up his lantern and approaching Daylight. He moves slowly but his tail is wagging.]

[sunborne]

[ do not pet the wolf do not pet the wolf do not pet the wolf do not pet the wolf do not pet the wolf-

daylight approaches the wolf slowly, meeting halfway and then he immediately sits down on the ground. not only to make himself look smaller and less of a threat, but to also rest his servos under his aft to make sure he doesn't pet the wolf.

just in case. ]

Huh. I've never seen that lantern design before. [ meaning it has to be one of the newcomers into beacon, he guesses. he looks at the wolf, tilting his helm in curiosity before a thought comes to mind. ] Oh! You didn't steal this, did you?

[ between their behaviour before and their behaviour now, day is almost connecting the dots. ] You're protecting the lantern, right? Making sure no one tries to nab it. [ like... himself just now. ] Sorry.

[sublimebeast]

[Link sits down and drops his lantern into the snow, then gently places a paw upon it as if to say "mine".

Then...]

WooooOOoo!

[There's a musical quality to his howl.]