RE: Cloudsea - The Chronicle of Alice Van Vaugen
06-23-2017, 01:29 PM
Alice looks at the book. Then back to the... thing. She brings a hand up and pinches an ear experimentally.
The haze floats there, passively. When a moment or two has passed, Alice suddenly reaches out and snaps the book up. She begins to examine it's cover closely, looking for more information. Who made this book? Why is it in her possession now? What information does this book hold?
Alice stops. Her hands grip the book harder for a moment.
A flinch. Alice glared at the figure now. She turned away and sat down on the floor of the void, and slowly opened the front cover. She began to read, and the figure watched.
That got her attention back. A glance over her shoulder. She goes back to reading. The first chapter describes the void that she is in. Emptiness, endless eternity, owned by an entity- likely the one that was bugging her. ... Is this what it is like to be scrutinized and questioned by someone who clearly doesn't understand you? Alice suddenly felt a slight moment of guilt for how she treated visitors to her home all her life.
Alice has closed the book, just so she can level a stare at the floating haze. With a gesture, a table appears- at HER bidding. A small thing, big enough to put the book on, and then place a hand on to pull herself back up to standing. If floating haze could look impressed, it would, right about now. As it is, it continues to float there.
Alice has gained the most basic understanding of the Voidspace. She can now create and destroy minor objects made by manipulating the void. She also has a copy of The Void Manifest. You can examine those things later, at your leisure.
The haze 'turns' to look where Qhen once was. Then back to Alice.
Alice's face goes through a few phases, and the haze, despite having a direct connection to her mind, has a very hard time figuring out what she's feeling. Alice herself, on the other hand, is getting overwhelmed. She needs to take a step back, and get some information. What does she need to know?
Alice Wrote:"Am I awake? ... What time is it?"
The haze floats there, passively. When a moment or two has passed, Alice suddenly reaches out and snaps the book up. She begins to examine it's cover closely, looking for more information. Who made this book? Why is it in her possession now? What information does this book hold?
? Wrote:I assure you, Alice. You are not asleep. To be honest, you were not asleep on our previous meeting. You were dead.
Alice stops. Her hands grip the book harder for a moment.
Alice Wrote:"... Do not stand at my grave and weep. I am not there, I do not sleep. I am the thousand winds that blow... I am the diamond glints on snow..."
? Wrote:A fine poem, but perhaps not as appropriate. You have no grave, and considering the circumstances, I'm not entirely sure there are many left to weep upon it's nothingness.
A flinch. Alice glared at the figure now. She turned away and sat down on the floor of the void, and slowly opened the front cover. She began to read, and the figure watched.
? Wrote:To perchance change the subject... your voices, some of them are quite insistent, are they not? Is it the nature of mortals to have such powerful urges speaking to them at all times, or is your love of books that deep?
That got her attention back. A glance over her shoulder. She goes back to reading. The first chapter describes the void that she is in. Emptiness, endless eternity, owned by an entity- likely the one that was bugging her. ... Is this what it is like to be scrutinized and questioned by someone who clearly doesn't understand you? Alice suddenly felt a slight moment of guilt for how she treated visitors to her home all her life.
Alice Wrote:"I don't know. Some writers have thought as such: That mortals, humans, all creatures of high intelligence, are driven by genetic and biological imperatives. Eat. Drink. Sleep. Mate. Kill. I can't deny that I have a certain... I like books. Alright? You're in my head, right? You can just poke around, I'm sure. Books are just easier to deal with than other people."
? Wrote:You're right. I could. I could do a lot of things. The difference is that I will not, unless asked. Even then, I am limited by the level of our understanding of each other. In order to gain more power over you, or even just gain the ability to monitor you on a deeper level, I would have to give you the ability to monitor me. As it is, you do not even know what to call me, much less, what I am.
Alice Wrote:"Yes! And that's quite annoying! I- I agreed to all of this without understanding what it is you want. I still don't know. . . . I don't suppose you can tell me if Qhen is at least on the level with me?"
? Wrote:I can tell you. Would you like to know?
Alice has closed the book, just so she can level a stare at the floating haze. With a gesture, a table appears- at HER bidding. A small thing, big enough to put the book on, and then place a hand on to pull herself back up to standing. If floating haze could look impressed, it would, right about now. As it is, it continues to float there.
Alice has gained the most basic understanding of the Voidspace. She can now create and destroy minor objects made by manipulating the void. She also has a copy of The Void Manifest. You can examine those things later, at your leisure.
? Wrote:Impressive. It seems we will not be trapped here long at all. Which is good. I presumed you would not want to be stuck in this empty space for the rest of time.
Alice Wrote:"Yeah well, I read fast, and the theories are pretty easy to understand. Now answer my question, please."
The haze 'turns' to look where Qhen once was. Then back to Alice.
? Wrote:Qhen does not mean you any harm. However, the one inside their mind is not quite so benign. They do not wish you death, per se, but they intend to fight you. As soon as you leave this place, they will leverage their control over Qhen to fight you. To answer your next question: You can leave this place at any time. You just need to make the door. This place is as much your home as it is mine, now.
Alice's face goes through a few phases, and the haze, despite having a direct connection to her mind, has a very hard time figuring out what she's feeling. Alice herself, on the other hand, is getting overwhelmed. She needs to take a step back, and get some information. What does she need to know?