Darin Altway (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
forgeabettertomorrow) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
isleofavalon2021-06-09 04:14 pm
forgeabettertomorrow) wrote in isleofavalon2021-06-09 04:14 pm
Feel it right behind you, a grinning monster out to kill
🧙 WHO: Darin Altway and You!
⚔️️ WHAT: Caster has cursed Darin and now he's using Familiar Fusion and going berserk
🕒 WHEN: Right after Caster's declaration against Archer and the aftermath a few days later!
🗺️ WHERE: Camelot and Darin's Forge
⚠️ WARNINGS: Potential Violence/Blood/Gore/Mild Body Horror
[He doesn't know how long it's been since he passed out. He remembers Caster's message. He remembers meeting her at the edge of Broceliande Woods. He remembers...]
[Pain.]
[He comes to in a sweat. Not from pain or nightmares or anything of that nature, but because the forest around him is currently ablaze. He tries to jump to his feet but his senses are off. Skewed. Something was very wrong and he could feel it. It felt like oil seeping into him, slowly gripping the very cockles of his heart.]
[Rationale gives way to panic and he's stumbling away from the treeline. He had to get back to Camelot. He had to get back for...some reason. Something inside of him screamed that he had to.]
[But his footsteps slowly grind to a halt as he crests that final hill. As Caster's dark curses finally find their hold and grip his very being, altering every bit of his perception and reasoning.]
[The witch's curse was a powerful one. In her grief, she hexed Darin to see his greatest fear. And to act on the rage that he spent his life tamping out; the one fire in his soul he refused to stoke.]
[He falls to his knees, staring at a ruined Camelot. Everything he'd come to know, the happiness he was so desperately seeking. You see, if Darin was as much of a monster as he claimed, then his fate should match that of the monster, the witch of betrayal, that he sought to defend. It's only fair, right?]
[There would be no peace. Not while monsters walked among the people of this world.]
A - Transformation (CW: Blood/Mild Body Horror)
[Camelot was gone. Or at least, Caster's curse made Darin believe that it was. And Darin, on his knees, was slamming his fists into the earth with all of his magical given might; each blow sounding like a cannon shot as it cracked the stone beneath his fists. Inconsolable, he screams, believing no one will hear him.]
[However, anyone making their way to the woods to try and stop Caster or the fire she's set might stumble upon him. Calling out to him draws his attention to you, but there's something...off...about his eyes. They're clouded over with a dark haze. And while he might be looking at you...what he sees is something different altogether.]
You...it was you!
[Enraged, Darin pushes himself to his feet, magic coursing through his body so sharply that it crackles in the air. The air becomes stifling. Oppressive.]
You've taken everything from me, Dromas! Everything! So, you want a monster?! I'LL GIVE YOU ONE
[His giant antlion familiar bursts from the ground behind him and latches onto Darin's back. For a moment, it looks like his familiar might actually attempt to subdue him. Unfortunately, those enormous, terrifying mandibles find purchase in Darin's back and, for a horrifying moment, the familiar begins to burrow. Writhing in pain as his magical power skyrockets faster than his body can compensate, Darin lets loose a blood-freezing scream. But just as quickly as it had begun, his familiar disappears into Darin's body as the two merge.]
[Darin slams his hands into the ground as he begins to grow and change. Two horns erupt from his temples, black and glinting in the light of the burning woods behind him. His torso swells; muscles grow massive as chitinous plates form around his extremities like armor. His body contorts, his back arches, until finally he's a hulking beast, towering at over ten feet tall.]
[Green eyes glowing ominously amidst the haze, the newly transformed Darin lets loose a bellow that sounds like it's three voices screaming in cacophonous harmony.]
[And then he rushes to attack.]
B - City Escape (CW: Blood/Violence)
[Believing Camelot to be nothing but wreckage, Darin storms the city chasing...something. In his cursed state, every person he sees looks exactly like the person he believes to have brought about this disaster. Unfortunately, in this state, Darin isn't much for conversing. He's barreling through Camelot, tearing through buildings like they weren't even there. And any person, resident or not, that crosses his vision is likely in for the fight of their lives as he presses the attack. After all, in his mind, Camelot is in ruins.]
[He tears up a chunk of the street and hefts it towards a group of terrified people, all of which scatter. Or attempt to. It might be too late for some.]
C - Lockdown
[It had been several days since Caster's message. Several days since he'd lost control and was set upon the good people of Camelot. He'd been keeping to himself in the forge almost the entire time, only going out occasionally in the evening for food or groceries. When he did, he wore a cloak with the hood drawn to hide his blue hair and he barely spoke.]
[Of course he did his best to help the city recover from the damages. For the first two days, he worked tirelessly to get supplies and forge tools for whatever reconstruction needed to be done. But he would always send then out anonymously or send them to whoever needed them via a proxy. It's clear that he's doing everything he can to avoid going into town himself and he hasn't been spotted in town since the incident.]
[He threw himself into his work after that but...he still seemed off. Anyone who stops by the forge might find him struggling; hammering away at something that just isn't taking shape properly or tinkering with, and subsequently screwing up, some detailed work. Finally, in frustration, Darin pitches his hammer across the forge with more strength than intended, burying it into the wall across the work space.]
[Frustrated, he sits down and buries his face in his hands.]
Wildcard
[Got another idea that you want to thread out? Go for it!]
(OOC: Feel free to threadjack as much as you want during the events of this log! It's going to be chaotic and people should definitely help each other! Got questions! Message me on the journal, my discord, or hit me up at![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
bitterbearface)
⚔️️ WHAT: Caster has cursed Darin and now he's using Familiar Fusion and going berserk
🕒 WHEN: Right after Caster's declaration against Archer and the aftermath a few days later!
🗺️ WHERE: Camelot and Darin's Forge
⚠️ WARNINGS: Potential Violence/Blood/Gore/Mild Body Horror
[He doesn't know how long it's been since he passed out. He remembers Caster's message. He remembers meeting her at the edge of Broceliande Woods. He remembers...]
[Pain.]
[He comes to in a sweat. Not from pain or nightmares or anything of that nature, but because the forest around him is currently ablaze. He tries to jump to his feet but his senses are off. Skewed. Something was very wrong and he could feel it. It felt like oil seeping into him, slowly gripping the very cockles of his heart.]
[Rationale gives way to panic and he's stumbling away from the treeline. He had to get back to Camelot. He had to get back for...some reason. Something inside of him screamed that he had to.]
[But his footsteps slowly grind to a halt as he crests that final hill. As Caster's dark curses finally find their hold and grip his very being, altering every bit of his perception and reasoning.]
[The witch's curse was a powerful one. In her grief, she hexed Darin to see his greatest fear. And to act on the rage that he spent his life tamping out; the one fire in his soul he refused to stoke.]
[He falls to his knees, staring at a ruined Camelot. Everything he'd come to know, the happiness he was so desperately seeking. You see, if Darin was as much of a monster as he claimed, then his fate should match that of the monster, the witch of betrayal, that he sought to defend. It's only fair, right?]
[There would be no peace. Not while monsters walked among the people of this world.]
A - Transformation (CW: Blood/Mild Body Horror)
[Camelot was gone. Or at least, Caster's curse made Darin believe that it was. And Darin, on his knees, was slamming his fists into the earth with all of his magical given might; each blow sounding like a cannon shot as it cracked the stone beneath his fists. Inconsolable, he screams, believing no one will hear him.]
[However, anyone making their way to the woods to try and stop Caster or the fire she's set might stumble upon him. Calling out to him draws his attention to you, but there's something...off...about his eyes. They're clouded over with a dark haze. And while he might be looking at you...what he sees is something different altogether.]
You...it was you!
[Enraged, Darin pushes himself to his feet, magic coursing through his body so sharply that it crackles in the air. The air becomes stifling. Oppressive.]
You've taken everything from me, Dromas! Everything! So, you want a monster?! I'LL GIVE YOU ONE
[His giant antlion familiar bursts from the ground behind him and latches onto Darin's back. For a moment, it looks like his familiar might actually attempt to subdue him. Unfortunately, those enormous, terrifying mandibles find purchase in Darin's back and, for a horrifying moment, the familiar begins to burrow. Writhing in pain as his magical power skyrockets faster than his body can compensate, Darin lets loose a blood-freezing scream. But just as quickly as it had begun, his familiar disappears into Darin's body as the two merge.]
[Darin slams his hands into the ground as he begins to grow and change. Two horns erupt from his temples, black and glinting in the light of the burning woods behind him. His torso swells; muscles grow massive as chitinous plates form around his extremities like armor. His body contorts, his back arches, until finally he's a hulking beast, towering at over ten feet tall.]
[Green eyes glowing ominously amidst the haze, the newly transformed Darin lets loose a bellow that sounds like it's three voices screaming in cacophonous harmony.]
[And then he rushes to attack.]
B - City Escape (CW: Blood/Violence)
[Believing Camelot to be nothing but wreckage, Darin storms the city chasing...something. In his cursed state, every person he sees looks exactly like the person he believes to have brought about this disaster. Unfortunately, in this state, Darin isn't much for conversing. He's barreling through Camelot, tearing through buildings like they weren't even there. And any person, resident or not, that crosses his vision is likely in for the fight of their lives as he presses the attack. After all, in his mind, Camelot is in ruins.]
[He tears up a chunk of the street and hefts it towards a group of terrified people, all of which scatter. Or attempt to. It might be too late for some.]
C - Lockdown
[It had been several days since Caster's message. Several days since he'd lost control and was set upon the good people of Camelot. He'd been keeping to himself in the forge almost the entire time, only going out occasionally in the evening for food or groceries. When he did, he wore a cloak with the hood drawn to hide his blue hair and he barely spoke.]
[Of course he did his best to help the city recover from the damages. For the first two days, he worked tirelessly to get supplies and forge tools for whatever reconstruction needed to be done. But he would always send then out anonymously or send them to whoever needed them via a proxy. It's clear that he's doing everything he can to avoid going into town himself and he hasn't been spotted in town since the incident.]
[He threw himself into his work after that but...he still seemed off. Anyone who stops by the forge might find him struggling; hammering away at something that just isn't taking shape properly or tinkering with, and subsequently screwing up, some detailed work. Finally, in frustration, Darin pitches his hammer across the forge with more strength than intended, burying it into the wall across the work space.]
[Frustrated, he sits down and buries his face in his hands.]
Wildcard
[Got another idea that you want to thread out? Go for it!]
(OOC: Feel free to threadjack as much as you want during the events of this log! It's going to be chaotic and people should definitely help each other! Got questions! Message me on the journal, my discord, or hit me up at
no subject
You don't know my life. And I'm afraid to talk about it because how can I compare my grief to the grief of losing an entire world?
You're so much stronger than I am. Any complaint I might have is weak and completely invalid against the kinds of things you've lived through.
[It's a surprisingly frank and honest admission, but then again, can one really not be true to themselves in a dream? This is Darin's very core; a being of memory and experience and Allura might notice that the hand she's gripping is scarred.]
[And if she looks at him more closely she'll see he's covered head to toe in scars. Vicious, jagged looking things; wounds that are cut deep and have only healed on the surface. These are the scars he's always carried.]
No wonder you couldn't stand me...
no subject
[But it's clear from his words that it's not the only thing that's been hurting him.]
That's not true at all. No matter what I had to face, I was never alone. That is a fate that I wouldn't wish on anyone...
[That still sounds cold, doesn't it? As if she's only associating with him out of pity. Her hand leaves his, but it's so she can wrap her arms around his shoulder, hugging him from the side.]
You don't have to be alone anymore, Darin. I'm here for you. Whenever you need me, I'm here.
no subject
I don't 'have to' be alone anymore? Of course I don't have to be. I choose to be. I choose it because the alternative is this.
[He holds up the body in his arms, broken and consistently morphing into someone new.]
You all deserve a life that I won't darken with my presence. Don't you get it? My being here is a death sentence not just for my world but for all worlds.
Stop treating me like some...hurt animal seeking comfort. I'm a god and I was born to destroy everything you care for.
And if, for some reason, that includes me?
I'll destroy that too.
[His muscles tense and shudder as if something were pricking at him. And if she looks him over carefully she might notice something at the base of his skull. Something burrowing under the skin right at the brain stem.]
no subject
[Well, she didn't get far into that counterargument. She's still on high alert for something strange, and that definitely counts as something strange. Especially since that... thing isn't far from her arm. The proximity alone is enough to make her skin crawl.]
What is that thing?
[More importantly, she's going to have to pull it out, isn't she?]
[She briefly entertains the idea of using the dreamscape to manifest... some kind of grabbing tool. Maybe her bayard can turn into a giant pair of tweezers. Why not?]
[But it could be part of Caster's magic. And if she's going to siphon it away from him... well, she may have to touch it, even despite this being a dream.]
[Preemptively wincing, she reaches towards it, to see if it can be easily pulled off or if it puts up resistance.]
no subject
Why won't you leave me alone, Allura?!
Gods, I don't even like you! All you do is cause me grief!
[He moves to swat her hand away.]
no subject
Hold still!
[Then, while still holding the tail of this... undead serpent-worm, she's going to draw her hand back in one smooth, swift motion.]
[Does she get it off him? Or does it stay latched on?]
no subject
[He grabs her wrist and wrenches it, trying to free the dragon tail from her grasp.]
Stop trying to help me!
STOP TRYING TO SAVE ME!
I DON'T DESERVE TO BE SAVED! I'M NOTHING LIKE WHO YOU THINK I AM OR WANT ME TO BE!
[His face matches the face he had that day when he told her off. Except for one key difference.]
[His eyes don't match his face. They're scared. Ashamed. There's so much hatred in them and it's all directed inward.]
[His eyes say it all and so do the tears running down his scarred cheeks.]
Why won't you let me go...?
no subject
[Holding her hand firm as he grips hers — it's both easier and more difficult than she would have expected. On one hand, his strength is immense, as if the fabric of the dream itself is bolstering it. On the other... dreams are born of perception. Even stronger than her hand's grip on the tail is her mind's grip on the idea that she will not let go. It keeps the muscles in her hands clutched, as if paralyzed.]
Because... no matter how much you try to tell me otherwise... I know in my heart that you do deserve it. It has nothing to do with who I want you to be...
But rather, who I've seen you to be.
[The pain is overwhelming, though. It's getting harder and harder to concentrate on that one anchoring thought... and her vision even blurs, just for a moment, as if she was losing her connection to the dream itself.]
... please, Darin... trust me?
no subject
[She can feel the tail of the dragon whipping around fiercely.]
[Finally, his face twists into a sneer.]
You really fell for it...didn't you...
no subject
You tried everything to push me away! You wanted me to believe you were a monster! And at first, it did work!
But despite that, your true nature has been shining through! I saw it with my own eyes — starting with the day you healed that old man!
no subject
I had to save that man to get you to believe!
[But there's something different in his eyes. A spark. A recognition. A flame.]
[And suddenly, Allura might realize that the 'Darin' she's talking to isn't really him. Maybe it's the other one. The soul trapped inside.]
no subject
Because the heart crystal he carried after was shining, bright and pure!
[And she jerks her hand back again, twisting her whole body with it. If he lets go, she'll merely tear the dragon from his neck.]
[If he keeps hold? Then she can work with that, too. It wouldn't be the first time she's flipped a man over her head and slammed him on the ground behind her.]
no subject
[The dragon clamps down and Darin's face contorts in pain, causing him to loosen his grip on her wrist.]
[With his hold broken, she's free to tear the little bastard free. It screeches in her hand before it crumbles to ash.]
[Darin stumbles back, clutching at his head. With the dragon gone, the dream they're sharing starts to fade and she's violently thrust out of his mind.]
[When she comes to, she'll see Darin still in his monstrous form. He's finished healing and slowly pushing himself up on all fours. However, the frenzy in his eyes is gone. And when he spots Allura looking at him, he turns away sharply, as if trying to hide his face.]
no subject
[But with her strength still bolstered by the absorbed magical energy, she's able to push herself back up and turn to face him properly. She even steps forward towards him, reaching out with her free hand.]
Darin... Darin, it's all right. It's over now, I promise.
no subject
[He turns a bit, green eyes having returned as reason and rationale seemingly have.]
[But so too does sadness and shame as he realizes where he is. What he's done.]
[What he looks like.]
[He backs up into an alleyway and does his best to shrink into himself.]
no subject
[She follows after him. Not quickly — and while it may seem like she's giving him space to recover, that's only because she's doing her best to suppress the urge to wince with every step.]
None of this was your fault!
no subject
[Slowly he crawls out of the alley. For a moment, he reaches an oversized hand out to her but, upon seeing his own monstrous mitt, he pulls back.]
... ... ...
[He inches forward until he's practically looming over her. Then he lowers his head to touch his forehead to hers.]
[All at once, she'll feel a rush of soothing magic. The damage he's done to her ribs mends almost instantly. And with her injuries healed, he moves to pull away and leave.]
no subject
[And as she looks up and sees him backing away, her heart sinks.]
Darin...!
[But is it cruel to call him back? To force him to face the damage he caused while he was thrashing in pain? She reconsiders, and instead decides to tell him...]
... thank you.
no subject
[He's afraid to find out what he sounds like.]
[He looks to his monstrous hands, looking between them at the bloodstained palms, then looks up to her in growing and obvious frustration; he can't even write what he wants to say with these things.]
[Finally, he tries something in desperation. Blood could transfer so many things, as a blood mage maybe he could try something...]
[He presses his thumb to a small wound on his hand, enough to make a clear dot on the digit. He steps forward and very lightly presses the thumb to Allura's forehead, just below the gem of her crown. And in that moment, she'll hear his voice, clear as a bell.]
"Goodbye..."
[He doesn't give her a chance to question what that could mean, but it's obvious he doesn't want her following him. In fact, the sadness behind the farewell indicates that he's trying his best to see his way out of her life. The mark on her forehead clearly receives all of that emotion in one burst.]
[Quickly, he turns, tears in his eyes, and uses his astounding strength to leap over the nearest buildings, then leaping over the far wall into the darkness of the night.]
no subject
[Is he only fleeing for now? Or...]
[No. It will not be forever. Because he's not about to do something stupid (or he had better not, not after what she just went through to save him) and when this is all over she's going to find him again to check on how he's doing.]
[For now...]
[Her eyes lower down to her hand, to the blood drying on her fingertip. Her hand curls shut, as if to clutch that droplet into the palm of her hand, and she can feel the electric tingle of magic energy still coursing through her muscles, still bolstering her strength.]
[It was high time she confronted Caster face to face over this.]