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
It's not like this is the first time. Hell, back home I was called a 'cursed child.' People used to throw stones at me in the street.
The sad thing is that...I'm used to this.
no subject
[That admittedly throws Hijikata for a loop. He thought Darin was turned into a monster through some spell of Caster's or such... but if a similar incident happened back in Darin's world, then that theory can't be right. It also throws the familiar fusion possibility out of the window.]
How come? I mean...
no subject
[He tugs gently on his blue bangs to indicate his hair color being the trigger.]
People back home...people with unnaturally colored hair have demon or beastkin ancestry.
no subject
[That's beyond unreasonable for a Shounen Jump character like him. Really, what the hell?!]
Where I'm from that happens all the time! People are born with blue or orange or purple hair, and no one bats an eye. I even know a guy with silver hair!
[He doesn't even know that orange hair would be okay in Darin's world, probably. It's all the same to him.]
That really pisses me off. But... hold on, does that mean your transformation happened because of that? Because you've got a demon in your family tree?
no subject
It's not in my family tree. It's me.
[Darin rubs the back of his head.]
I'm the reincarnation of Archfiends' king and god. Well...half of him. My twin brother is the other half.
As for the transformation...I used my familiar fusion. But I guess my power isn't so much gone as it is sealed. The fusion spell unleashed it in a way I don't think I was ready or willing to control.
no subject
[That's a lot to take it... but somehow Hijikata manages to take it in stride. He seems more curious than anything, really. Before expressing his thoughts he takes a sip of his tea, which has finally cooled down enough.]
That's goddamn badass, you know. You really are a main character.
[Forgive him the fourth-wall break this one time, okay.]
So you basically have a god king demon sealed inside you - or half of one, but still - and using your familiar fusion pretty much unleashes it? What's your familiar, anyway? I only now realise that I've never seen it.
no subject
O...kay?
[Darin clears his throat. He's not really sure what Hijikata was saying but he could kind of get it? It did sound like some character in a story...]
I think there's more to it. I think it's a state of mind. Either that, or neither me nor my familiar realized what kind of power would be unleashed.
[When Hijikata mentions that he's never seen Lyon, Darin looks around the room.]
Lyon's usually skulking around somewhe— Oh. There he is.
[He points behind Hijikata to the top of a bookshelf. There, ominously, is an enormous Antlion, about the size of a large dog, perched silently and still. But it clicks its mandibles, indicating that it is, in fact, watching.]
[Creepy!]
no subject
He's a quiet one, huh?
[He is creepy!!]
Well, I guess we can't let you guys get fused anymore. It sucks since it can be a useful measure, but I'm sure there'll be ways to compensate for it. Best get yourself some counterspells or counterpotions, just in case some random villain gets their hands on you again.
[That's not very polite towards Caster, but for all he knows she really just snatched Darin up because he was the fist unlucky person she could grab hold of.]
no subject
But Caster didn't 'get her hands' on me.
I went out to meet her willingly. We're...friends.
I was worried for her. Something bad must have happened back on her world.
...Wait, that's right! Caster! What happened to her?! Do you know?!
no subject
[That surprises him. Did Darin not notice how blatantly villainous the woman came across as? Sure, the saying goes "Don't judge a book by its cover", but there's a limit!! Anyway...]
She's alive. Some friends of hers are hiding her, and more have offered her support on the network. Most of those people were damn worried about you too, though.
[Just to make it clear that no one, as far as Hijikata has seen, condones what Caster did to Darin. He downs the rest of his tea in one go.]
You really shouldn't be worrying over her right now. She turned on you in a flash when she needed a piece of bait for that Archer guy. He made a statement on the network, too... seems like after Caster's death at his hands back in their world her 'Master' - she was like a familiar to him, in a way, I guess - tried to avenge her, so he killed him too. Somehow she found out here, and that's what sent her on the rampage.
no subject
Souichirou...
[Darin sits like he's just been decked in the face. Suddenly, everything makes sense. Caster's grief...he could relate. In fact, everything she made him see...the way he reacted. It was exactly the same.]
Hijikata...you've gotta listen to me. Her 'Master'...she loved him, Hijikata. He was her entire world. If you could hear the way she talked about him...
[He sighs.]
Monsters don't talk about people the way she talked about him.
If you can forgive me for what I did...then she's no different. She acted in grief. And everything I did was because of the same. I was made to believe everything I knew and loved here had been destroyed and in my grief I lost control.
We all have something we'd burn the world to protect, Hijikata. The only thing she's guilty of is loving someone...
no subject
Thanks for giving me more context on this.
[Honestly, he already suspected something like this from Caster's broadcast. She explicitly told Archer that she'd have her revenge, so it stood to reason that he did something unforgivable to her - Hijikata just didn't know exactly what, so he had no way of gauging if it was also unforgivable by his standards. Archer's confirmation of having killed her Master only left the question of what exactly that man's relationship with Caster had been, and Darin just answered that.]
I don't blame her for wanting Archer's head. It's as you say, we all have something to protect, and if we lose it...
[He trails off.]
I do blame her for involving you. I've got no clue why Archer's been so difficult for her to grasp that she had to lure him out by such drastic means, but it was plain wrong for her to put you through that. I get that she was suffering, but why make you suffer too? You didn't kill her Master.
[Darin is compassionate, though, and Hijikata doesn't want to talk him out of that. Holding a grudge against Caster, after all, wouldn't undo what she did to him.]
If you can forgive her I hope she'll damn well appreciate it, and I'll leave her be if that's what you want. But if she pulls a stunt like that again I'm enlisting you to help me kick her ass.
[In fairness, he has no doubt that Darin would have tried to stop Caster this time around too if he'd been able to, so holding him responsible like this isn't really necessary - but it's the principle of the matter.]
no subject
[Darin squares his jaw.]
Well, it's not happening. There's good in there, I know it. I can feel it. And I don't care what it takes, I'll bring it out of her.
You don't have to worry. If she goes off the deep end again, I'll be ready.
No one's getting hurt like that again.
no subject
Alright then. Beat the snot out of her if you have to, if that's what it takes for her to see that you still believe in her.
[This would probably sound counterproductive to most people, but, the Shinsengumi have punched each other back on the right path before and will probably do so again.]
Now fix up Muramasha for me so I can take of any shadow minions she may summon to keep you away.
[He knows his role as a supporting character! But seriously, he simply can't help but want Darin to succeed. While Hijikata can have a morose outlook on people's nature at times it's idealistic people who keep their faith in others who make the world - any world - a worthwhile place, so he'll add his strength to their efforts.]
no subject
[Darin stands and gets ready to get to work but stops.]
...Hey, Hijikata?
Thanks...for...you know. Helping me get some perspective. Putting what's important into focus. I can't wallow in self-pity now.
There's people who really need help out there.
no subject
You got that right. Keep those tools in shape for the repairs, master blacksmith - and don't forget that you're a healer too.
[He won't push Darin to head out and offer his healing magic at random, he understands that he wants to give the people of Camelot some distance for now, but the reminder can't hurt in case someone injured finds their way to the forge. He finds a place to set the empty tea cup down, then gives Darin a nod as he turns to leave.]
We demons got to stick together.
[He hopes it's clear enough that it's just a nickname in his case, but his sense of kinship towards Darin really grew today.]
no subject
Might be the first time I've ever been proud to call myself a demon.
no subject
Good. Let's turn your legacy into something you can be proud of.
[He's not sure how Darin can go about that just yet, given that familiar fusions to further explore his demonic side seem off the table right now, but he'll ask him for more information about his and his twin brother's backstory later, for a start. Darin has enough on his plate right now, and getting the city and its people fixed up takes priority.]