Post by Sachi on Dec 15, 2023 18:55:27 GMT -6
Demi scans the bracelets of the three victors as the unfortunate not-victors watch in dismay. The ground beneath their feet shakes, as the gigantic obsidian wall rises and reveals a new, previously unseen path - bathed in uncertain darkness. Kaerun, Exvy and Voivode step through. There are disapproving voices shouting behind them, uttering things like 'You should come back!' 'Don't leave us here!', and other such grievances, but they pay no mind to them. If they had second thoughts now they'd throw away everything they worked for. It was time to go.
Gaap cannot take the thought of being trapped here forever. She dashes after the three victors, but is subdued by Demi, who locks her in a full nelson. She's forced to do nothing but watch as the obsidian wall descends, locking off access to the outside world. Forever.
The path ahead is dark, but it continues linearly in a straight line, so there's no need to worry about getting lost - already much different from the Library's twists and turns. Their path ends at a large set of double doors, which open with the trio's combined strength and let bright light flow into the hallway. Behind the door is a closed-off area, clearly artificial, with a little cabin blowing smoke into the sky from its chimney.
Screens serve as this area's walls and ceiling, showing images that simulate the countryside and the sky respectively. A speaker plays ambient audio, such as birds tweeting or the rustling of leaves, and the cabin itself sits on a clearly manmade hill formed of fake (but beautiful nonetheless) grass. Something innately feels wrong with this place, and they recognise it rather quickly. Despite all that's been done to emulate the place, there's no smell, there's no wind or breeze. It's an imperfect recreation of what the countryside should be, while having an uncanny valley feeling of being not quite what it is. It's like if a skinwalker tried to pass itself off as a place rather than a person.
Despite their uncertainty, the trio watch the cabin door open as if inviting them inside. They approach, with a little hesitance, as an old man comes to greet them. They know him well. Why, he's been speaking to them this entire time, whether they realised it or not.
"Congratulations to you all. Mia Kusunoki, Ynes Quinn XVII, and of course, Mr. 01. The three of you have passed the Library Game with flying colours. You may already feel your memories returning to you, but if not, I assure you they will return in time."
"Worry not for those you left behind. While they will no doubt feel delirious for some time, that will pass, and they will return to that restful slumber from which you initially awoke. You are not the first group to play this game. Nor are you the first to succeed. Your victory is merely another step in our path to rememberance."
"You already heard of the great plague that swept your world. The Listlorn prophecy did not speak falsehoods. It was a plague of forgetting, born from a supposed miracle substance consumed the world over. Like the most violent form of dementia, felt by the entire planet. Eventually, there was not even anyone left to take care of the sick. The doctors, nurses and carers fell to it as well."
...I discovered this world as a byproduct of that. A selective part of the human collective consciousness - or really, unconsciousness. It is the home of everything forgotten by humanity. Before the plague, this consisted of smaller things. Stories no longer told, items that could no longer be found, or places that had burned to the ground, with none left living who could recall their insides... "
But soon, humans started appearing in this world. A very unnatural occurence. Everyone began to forget each other, and of course, they wound up here. I will spare you the details, but that is what led to my creation of the Library Game in the first place. Take a look at your bracelets for me - oh, you can remove them now, if you want. They all currently display 9 points, don't they? These points are not arbitrary numbers, contrary to what you may have believed. No, rather, it's an approximation of the status of your mind."
Hm... You may not quite understand what I mean. The numbers measure your - forgive the simple term - brainpower, yes? 9 is the number of the average, unburdened human, without any mental blocks or disabilities to speak of. You starting score of 3 represented your mental state after the forgetting. It was through the power of strong emotions brought about by the Dioramas and AB Game that allowed your mind to heal, and as a result, your point total to increase."
"And that is where the title of this story comes from. 'Animoria'. It means 'Mindfulness' in Latin. The key to winning the Library Game was right below your noses the entire time. I'm very proud of the three of you for making it out. Unfortunately, our time together is about to come to an end."
"You three have been cured, but the majority of the human race continues to suffer. That includes everyone you left behind, as well as others you did not see. Did you wonder why the Library was so expansive? The answer is so simple it may surprise you. The entire human race is contained there in their own bookcages. Ah, save for the few that have already escaped, like you. I have repeated, and will continue to repeat, this Library Game as many times as it takes to restore the minds of everyone affected."
"The next game is about to begin. Unfortunately, you three will not be able to witness it. You will return to the world we all left behind. That is your prize for being victorious. Return home, and retain everything you've learned here in your mind. Help one another, and... Well, you can figure out the rest. An old man like me has no place telling the young'uns what to do.
Though... I do have one request. Mr. 01, I'm familiar with your work. For the time being, I'd like for your organization to not involve itself in the Library Game, or in this world of forgetting. I have no doubt you'd wish to categorise it, give it a number, and research it further, and I have no qualms with you doing that once the games have concluded. But please... Allow me to save the human race on my own terms, hm?"
Your eyes feel heavy. The old man - well, I smile at you.
"Now then, rest here as long as you like. The journey home will not be long, but there will be quite a bit of work to do once you've reached your destination."
Your vision fades away as a newly pressent lightheadedness overtakes you. Soon, any idea of remaining conscious seems like an impossibility. The world continues to turn...
Gaap cannot take the thought of being trapped here forever. She dashes after the three victors, but is subdued by Demi, who locks her in a full nelson. She's forced to do nothing but watch as the obsidian wall descends, locking off access to the outside world. Forever.
The path ahead is dark, but it continues linearly in a straight line, so there's no need to worry about getting lost - already much different from the Library's twists and turns. Their path ends at a large set of double doors, which open with the trio's combined strength and let bright light flow into the hallway. Behind the door is a closed-off area, clearly artificial, with a little cabin blowing smoke into the sky from its chimney.
Screens serve as this area's walls and ceiling, showing images that simulate the countryside and the sky respectively. A speaker plays ambient audio, such as birds tweeting or the rustling of leaves, and the cabin itself sits on a clearly manmade hill formed of fake (but beautiful nonetheless) grass. Something innately feels wrong with this place, and they recognise it rather quickly. Despite all that's been done to emulate the place, there's no smell, there's no wind or breeze. It's an imperfect recreation of what the countryside should be, while having an uncanny valley feeling of being not quite what it is. It's like if a skinwalker tried to pass itself off as a place rather than a person.
Despite their uncertainty, the trio watch the cabin door open as if inviting them inside. They approach, with a little hesitance, as an old man comes to greet them. They know him well. Why, he's been speaking to them this entire time, whether they realised it or not.
"Congratulations to you all. Mia Kusunoki, Ynes Quinn XVII, and of course, Mr. 01. The three of you have passed the Library Game with flying colours. You may already feel your memories returning to you, but if not, I assure you they will return in time."
"Worry not for those you left behind. While they will no doubt feel delirious for some time, that will pass, and they will return to that restful slumber from which you initially awoke. You are not the first group to play this game. Nor are you the first to succeed. Your victory is merely another step in our path to rememberance."
"You already heard of the great plague that swept your world. The Listlorn prophecy did not speak falsehoods. It was a plague of forgetting, born from a supposed miracle substance consumed the world over. Like the most violent form of dementia, felt by the entire planet. Eventually, there was not even anyone left to take care of the sick. The doctors, nurses and carers fell to it as well."
...I discovered this world as a byproduct of that. A selective part of the human collective consciousness - or really, unconsciousness. It is the home of everything forgotten by humanity. Before the plague, this consisted of smaller things. Stories no longer told, items that could no longer be found, or places that had burned to the ground, with none left living who could recall their insides... "
But soon, humans started appearing in this world. A very unnatural occurence. Everyone began to forget each other, and of course, they wound up here. I will spare you the details, but that is what led to my creation of the Library Game in the first place. Take a look at your bracelets for me - oh, you can remove them now, if you want. They all currently display 9 points, don't they? These points are not arbitrary numbers, contrary to what you may have believed. No, rather, it's an approximation of the status of your mind."
Hm... You may not quite understand what I mean. The numbers measure your - forgive the simple term - brainpower, yes? 9 is the number of the average, unburdened human, without any mental blocks or disabilities to speak of. You starting score of 3 represented your mental state after the forgetting. It was through the power of strong emotions brought about by the Dioramas and AB Game that allowed your mind to heal, and as a result, your point total to increase."
"And that is where the title of this story comes from. 'Animoria'. It means 'Mindfulness' in Latin. The key to winning the Library Game was right below your noses the entire time. I'm very proud of the three of you for making it out. Unfortunately, our time together is about to come to an end."
"You three have been cured, but the majority of the human race continues to suffer. That includes everyone you left behind, as well as others you did not see. Did you wonder why the Library was so expansive? The answer is so simple it may surprise you. The entire human race is contained there in their own bookcages. Ah, save for the few that have already escaped, like you. I have repeated, and will continue to repeat, this Library Game as many times as it takes to restore the minds of everyone affected."
"The next game is about to begin. Unfortunately, you three will not be able to witness it. You will return to the world we all left behind. That is your prize for being victorious. Return home, and retain everything you've learned here in your mind. Help one another, and... Well, you can figure out the rest. An old man like me has no place telling the young'uns what to do.
Though... I do have one request. Mr. 01, I'm familiar with your work. For the time being, I'd like for your organization to not involve itself in the Library Game, or in this world of forgetting. I have no doubt you'd wish to categorise it, give it a number, and research it further, and I have no qualms with you doing that once the games have concluded. But please... Allow me to save the human race on my own terms, hm?"
Your eyes feel heavy. The old man - well, I smile at you.
"Now then, rest here as long as you like. The journey home will not be long, but there will be quite a bit of work to do once you've reached your destination."
Your vision fades away as a newly pressent lightheadedness overtakes you. Soon, any idea of remaining conscious seems like an impossibility. The world continues to turn...
How many times is it that they've awoken now? That ebb and flow of dreams keeps coming and going, yet they just can’t ever keep their hands on the forbidden fruit of consciousness long enough to try and figure out how long this rest has been.
Ah, but this time, things are different. Pain pushes from behind their eyes in an annoying migraine—the kind you feel after sleeping too long. They instinctively raise their hands to their faces, simultaneously massaging their pained areas and shielding their poor eyes from the light above. The light had once seemed so warm and kind, but now was beginning to grate on them. They wonder how they ever got to sleep with such brightness shoved in their faces.
They squint their eyes as they adjust to the light. Once they’re open, they sit up groggily. Rubbing an unnatural amassment of sleep dust out of their eyes (Sandman worked overtime, apparently), they feel that any hope of returning to their cushy dreamworld has pretty much abandoned them.
A preliminary glance around the area sends to mind flashbacks of their brief awakenings. They look up at the delicate carvings on the ceiling—more likely paintings, on second look. Frankly, it’s not beautiful. It’s as if someone Googled dozens of types of historical art, then shoved them into a hodgepodge image alongside each other. Figures that wouldn’t look out of place in the Renaissance stand in abstract scenery, accompanied by what you’re sure are some sort of cave paintings.
With a bewildered expression, they turn their attention to the bookshelves surrounding them. They have some freedom of movement—probably about 5m in any direction—but honestly, it’s as if they were in a prison cell built solely out of bookcases. The floor below them is carpeted by a plush and fancy rug, and right in the centre of their little cages is the pillows they were sleeping on for God knows how long.
They slept that well on, practically, the floor? They're a little impressed, but that feeling is quickly washed away by the realisation that there’s no real exit to this little area. The shelves themselves are thick and heavy, and no matter how much they may try to move, tackle, or otherwise destroy them, none of them budge an inch. Oh well.
They've got plenty of reading material, so at least they won’t have to worry about boredom…
Another fifteen awaken. Some familiar faces, some brand new ones.
Demi, Semi and I finish our brief little tea break. Those two have work to do, and I must support them in any way I can.
And so the game continues...
Thank you for playing Animoria.
Kaerun (21hugs), Exvy (Vinny), and Voivoide (Ghosttaffy) reached the coveted 9 point mark and escaped. Congratulations!
Any of the winners are free to leave epilogues of their own in this thread.
Those of you not fortunate enough to leave, I'm afraid, will get your chances another day.
Once more, thank you for playing, and goodnight.
Another fifteen awaken. Some familiar faces, some brand new ones.
Demi, Semi and I finish our brief little tea break. Those two have work to do, and I must support them in any way I can.
And so the game continues...
Thank you for playing Animoria.
Kaerun (21hugs), Exvy (Vinny), and Voivoide (Ghosttaffy) reached the coveted 9 point mark and escaped. Congratulations!
Any of the winners are free to leave epilogues of their own in this thread.
Those of you not fortunate enough to leave, I'm afraid, will get your chances another day.
Once more, thank you for playing, and goodnight.
you got this
