Re: The Battle Majestic (Round 1 - Bubble Universe)
02-13-2010, 03:04 PM
Originally posted on MSPA by Not The Author.
Though it didn't yet know it, the World Tree was hastening its own downfall. Not that the six within the artificial sun posed it any threat, but by breaching the faux celestial sphere, it was slowly destroying the sole source of usable energy it currently posessed. Regardless, it continued to grow towards the ground, which was, according to gravity, directly through the sun. As the Tree shredded the pylon's solar shell, those plates which simulated stellar emissions flickered and failed, giving the monstrous plant more paths into the tower.
"Damn thing grows fast, doesn't it?" Jacob backed away from the breach, the others doing likewise at varying speeds. More branches - or were they roots? - burst through the wall, and now, too, were coming through the roof. They waved around a bit, as though testing the air, before continuing through the floor. Jacob wasn't sure whether to be relieved that the vines hadn't seen them, or afraid of the idea that they could.
"Wait, it's just a tree. Why are we afraid of a tree?" Jacob wasn't listening this time, so it fell upon Steven to state the obvious. "Because it just tore through metal?" "Oh, yeah. That." Jacob's mind raced, seeking a way out as several more vines wormed their way in. They couldn't take the elevators, as much because of Vex as because of the plant. That left maintainence tunnels, or... Suddenly, he spied several metal rungs leading up the wall to a hatch in the ceiling. "Hey, guys," he grinned, "I just had a terrible idea. Come on." He started for the ladder, and realized no one was likely to follow him. Reaching the first rung, he shrugged. "Or, you could get killed by a giant mutant tree. Either way."
The Tree in question had started to realize something was wrong. As its new trunk continued to breach the sun, more and more of the heat and light it had detected in such abundance before began to fade and die. Some semblance of cognizant thought caused the World Tree to halt its progress, and merely satisfy itself with the roots already passing through the structure. Instead, it focused on making more branches, to maximize the sunlight it recieved.
Jacob emerged into the blazing light, lessed somewhat by short, translucent panels that also acted as railguards. He took a step and immediately tripped over a branch... root... thing. Picking himself up, he glanced back in time to see Blitz trying to stifle a laugh.
Jacob had a glare which he had, over several years of consistent use, nearly prefected. It involved certain facial inflection that had to be practiced, or the glare would come out all wrong. It lasted about three seconds, and generally sent people fleeing in terror, or at the very least, deeply unnerved them.
It was commonly followed by the words, "you're next."
Two-and-a-half seconds later, Jacob was walking across one of the inactive solar panels, followed by the others; a rather worried looking Blitz taking the rear. Reaching the main trunk segment, they came to a halt, Vex already getting an idea of what was to occur. "I'm confused. Why are we here?" The satyr turned to John. "I imagine we're going to climb it." Jacob nodded, still facing the tree. Blitz took the opportunity to panic. "Hey, uh, remember when you said this was a bad idea?" Jacob raised his sword, gazing intently into the glowing metal. "Because, uh, it's a bad idea." Jacob spun around, blade arcing through the air in front of his companions. A couple flinched. Wolf leapt back and bared his teeth. Steven, perhaps not the first to notice the subtle change, was the first to comment. "...What did you do?"
"I gave you all personal gravity fields. You'll be drawn towards the nearest, most massive object. Since there are six of us, I had to cut the size back from a ten-foot buffer to a four-foot buffer. Just means you can't jump very high or you'll fall. Speaking of falling, they're not actually at max power, so regular gravity will also affect you... whatever 'normal' is around here, anyway. It just means that it'll feel like walking on an incline most of the way down, that's all. One last thing. They won't last forever. Ten-ish minutes, probably twelve at most. Another result of having more than one person to cast on; so sue me. You should be fine so long as you keep up the pace, alright?"
...What he actually said was this: "No time to explain." Jacob stepped on to the sheer vertical surface of the treetrunk. "Just don't jump too high and you should be fine. Now hurry up, you've only got about ten minutes." Unsatisfactory explanation delivered, he began sprinting up... down? ...along the surface of the tree.
Though it didn't yet know it, the World Tree was hastening its own downfall. Not that the six within the artificial sun posed it any threat, but by breaching the faux celestial sphere, it was slowly destroying the sole source of usable energy it currently posessed. Regardless, it continued to grow towards the ground, which was, according to gravity, directly through the sun. As the Tree shredded the pylon's solar shell, those plates which simulated stellar emissions flickered and failed, giving the monstrous plant more paths into the tower.
"Damn thing grows fast, doesn't it?" Jacob backed away from the breach, the others doing likewise at varying speeds. More branches - or were they roots? - burst through the wall, and now, too, were coming through the roof. They waved around a bit, as though testing the air, before continuing through the floor. Jacob wasn't sure whether to be relieved that the vines hadn't seen them, or afraid of the idea that they could.
"Wait, it's just a tree. Why are we afraid of a tree?" Jacob wasn't listening this time, so it fell upon Steven to state the obvious. "Because it just tore through metal?" "Oh, yeah. That." Jacob's mind raced, seeking a way out as several more vines wormed their way in. They couldn't take the elevators, as much because of Vex as because of the plant. That left maintainence tunnels, or... Suddenly, he spied several metal rungs leading up the wall to a hatch in the ceiling. "Hey, guys," he grinned, "I just had a terrible idea. Come on." He started for the ladder, and realized no one was likely to follow him. Reaching the first rung, he shrugged. "Or, you could get killed by a giant mutant tree. Either way."
The Tree in question had started to realize something was wrong. As its new trunk continued to breach the sun, more and more of the heat and light it had detected in such abundance before began to fade and die. Some semblance of cognizant thought caused the World Tree to halt its progress, and merely satisfy itself with the roots already passing through the structure. Instead, it focused on making more branches, to maximize the sunlight it recieved.
Jacob emerged into the blazing light, lessed somewhat by short, translucent panels that also acted as railguards. He took a step and immediately tripped over a branch... root... thing. Picking himself up, he glanced back in time to see Blitz trying to stifle a laugh.
Jacob had a glare which he had, over several years of consistent use, nearly prefected. It involved certain facial inflection that had to be practiced, or the glare would come out all wrong. It lasted about three seconds, and generally sent people fleeing in terror, or at the very least, deeply unnerved them.
It was commonly followed by the words, "you're next."
Two-and-a-half seconds later, Jacob was walking across one of the inactive solar panels, followed by the others; a rather worried looking Blitz taking the rear. Reaching the main trunk segment, they came to a halt, Vex already getting an idea of what was to occur. "I'm confused. Why are we here?" The satyr turned to John. "I imagine we're going to climb it." Jacob nodded, still facing the tree. Blitz took the opportunity to panic. "Hey, uh, remember when you said this was a bad idea?" Jacob raised his sword, gazing intently into the glowing metal. "Because, uh, it's a bad idea." Jacob spun around, blade arcing through the air in front of his companions. A couple flinched. Wolf leapt back and bared his teeth. Steven, perhaps not the first to notice the subtle change, was the first to comment. "...What did you do?"
"I gave you all personal gravity fields. You'll be drawn towards the nearest, most massive object. Since there are six of us, I had to cut the size back from a ten-foot buffer to a four-foot buffer. Just means you can't jump very high or you'll fall. Speaking of falling, they're not actually at max power, so regular gravity will also affect you... whatever 'normal' is around here, anyway. It just means that it'll feel like walking on an incline most of the way down, that's all. One last thing. They won't last forever. Ten-ish minutes, probably twelve at most. Another result of having more than one person to cast on; so sue me. You should be fine so long as you keep up the pace, alright?"
...What he actually said was this: "No time to explain." Jacob stepped on to the sheer vertical surface of the treetrunk. "Just don't jump too high and you should be fine. Now hurry up, you've only got about ten minutes." Unsatisfactory explanation delivered, he began sprinting up... down? ...along the surface of the tree.