A New Platform [Intro Post April!]

[voidtreckermods]

On the Train

Two days after they return from their mission they are awoken as usual "Good morning passengers, it is day sixteen of the month of Egret. The shop has been updated and points have been applied to passengers tickets."

Those that go to check the shop terminals will find they have indeed updated, with the option to buy larger items and also animals. The morning goes on until just after noon there is a second announcement.

"Shortly arriving into a designated void platform. Exit from void in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one." A lurch and a jolt and they are soon surrounded by the fog that means they are at a platform. Though the fog is thick, thicker than usual perhaps, there are patches on sunlight shining through and it is pleasantly warm.

The doors open and the first few to disembark do so with rucksacks on, hoods pulled up, silent and almost blank faced. Cu Chulain, Dio Brando, Disreputable Dog, Heiji Hattori, Loki Maedhros, Maglor, Naruto, Thor, Tobias Fangor.

They walk to the barriers, show their tickets and disappear.

But on the platform itself there are once again new faces. All are stood, waiting for the train.

For New Passengers

At first all they can see is steam. Billowing around them as they come to their senses. They are standing, in clothes that are not their own, styles they might not even recognise. They are carrying a rucksack on their back. For a moment it seems to just be them, alone in the white haze but then as people begin to shift or call out it will become apparent they are not alone.

The platform is not large and it holds eighteen figures all facing the tracks, all dressed in cargo trousers and hoodies. It's warm but foggy making it hard to see much, but there are clearer patches bathed in sunlight found across the platform. Both left and right the tracks disappear into the mist. Then there is a roaring sound and out of the fog arrives a train. Jet black with gold writing on the side. The Voidtrecker Express. There is a hiss as the doors slide open and out into the cold step a selection of people. Some are human, some are less so. They are wearing the same hoodie in one of the four colours, red, orange, blue and purple.

The Train

The doors hiss open. Those from the train may encourage those on the platform to board. It’s not like there is anywhere else to go and even if there was, you feel a pull. A need to board, a feeling that staying on the platform would not be a good thing. If that is not enough, there are plenty of people on the platform now, to encourage them onto the train.

Each ICP shows the same message and next to the screens there are stacks of leaflets written by those on the train, with further information. The store rooms have been restocked with an abundance of onions, in case the passengers weren't bored of them yet.

Passengers who are not brand new will notice that the train has gotten yet longer again with a sixth sleeper cabin for new arrivals.

New passengers will find their tickets allow them into their cabins. They may need to negotiate for beds, especially if they want a top bunk!

Room is tight but there are storage cubbies at the head of each bed, beds fold up and the bottom bunks double as benches for the small table. There is storage under those benches and you will hopefully find a pillow for your bed if it has not been nabbed by a roommate, there are also spare blankets for if it gets cold.

Departure

A second horn sounds to encourage any stragglers and the doors slide shut. Veteran passengers know what will happen next, they may wish to brief their new companions.

The train sets off, the fog obscuring the view as it picks up speed.

"Welcome aboard, passengers of the Voidtrecker Express.” A female-coded artificial sounding voice echoes throughout the train. "Please take the time to read the passenger information displayed on the Information and Communication points and familiarise yourself with the layout and emergency exits."

The train begins to tilt, leaving the ground and rising up into the fog filled sky.

"Entrance into Voidspace imminent. New passengers are advised to remain seated. Entry into Voidspace in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one."

A shudder, a jolt, a lurch to the left. A flash of light, colourful and blinding. As quick as it happens it is done. The train seems to steady. The fog from the windows is gone now, replaced with a kaleidoscope of ever changing colours.

Welcome to the Void!

Comments

LOL

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin's ears aren't nearly as pointed as those of many Elves, in fact, they're shell-shaped like mortal ears, with just a slight tip. The real giveaway is his aura of otherworldliness, which almost anyone can sense, but especially people with a some magic in their souls.

When she slumped, he knelt down on the platform beside her and spoke softly. "Do you mean Elves? Yes, we exist in many worlds. Your world has them, and you knew some? Who is this person you speak of, who must have been the last of them in your world?"

I never knew his ears were less pointed, lol. Whoops.

[najaran]

World. Oh. She was in a different world., She supposed she could believe that. She gave a small nod. "Kigi was my friend. She was the last of her kind, she said, trying to protect Bisteam. Mostly though she and the others died trying to keep the Dark Lord, the Lord of Earth trapped. We were able to help, in the end, but not in time to save her. But her sister said that death for Elves and Nymphs isn't like death for humans, and that they were together again as spirits within Old Willow. I don't think they knew there were other elves around," she said, softly. "In any world."

Sorry, I've probably never mentioned it. It's in his app, but then, who of us reads those. XD

[so_dark_a_road]

"Kigi was your friend, and an Elf of your world? And you have a Dark Lord? So did we. I am sorry your friend is dead. Apparently, the Elves of your world and the Elves of mine sometimes have similar ends. In my world, Elves often refuse the summons of Mandos, our death god, refraining from going to inhabit his dark underground castle and remaining in the world instead. Dead Elves of my sort often inhabit riversides or lakesides, or live in deep forests. I did that for a while after I died."

He looks upon her with kindness.

"I am glad you were able to help fight your Dark Lord, even if you weren't able to save your friend. I'm sure she'd be proud of you, and grateful."

Lol, I skim at best.

[najaran]

"You... You died?" she asked softly, staring a bit. Did that mean that Kigi could comer back if he did? There was hope in her eyes.

Me too!

[so_dark_a_road]

He looked back at her with understanding. "Yes, I died. I don't know what the rules are for Elves of your world, but in mine, we have some choices, as I was saying. So I'm not dead now, I'm re-embodied. There are a few different ways that can happen, and the way it happened for me was that I did it myself instead of hoping that the Powers of the World, our gods, would do it for me. I wonder. . . if there might be any possibility of your friend doing the same? But even if she can't, these worlds that grab people can bring them back to life, apparently. So maybe she'll get lucky and go somewhere that is a good place."

Re: Me too!

[najaran]

"These worlds?" She was confused but desperate for anything she could use to try and help Kigi and her sister and the others when shee got back home.

[so_dark_a_road]

"Yes, there are many worlds, as I was saying. Some of them seem to be ruled by powerful entities that have the ability to grab people out of their own worlds or out of other entities' worlds. That's how all of us came to the VoidTrecker Express. We didn't choose to come, we were chosen by the train entity. And so, obviously, were you."

[najaran]

She considered that and looked at the train thoughtfully. "Do you think it is a card?" she asked, considering it.

[so_dark_a_road]

He turned his eyes in the direction of her gaze and considered the train, too.

"I don't know what it is, though I have a few theories. What do you mean by comparing the train to a card?" Not knowing anything about her world or her skills, but curious.

[najaran]

"Not comparing, wondering if it actually is." She wasn't supposed to tell anyone about the Island she knew to be a card, which made it kind of hard to explain her conclusion....

[so_dark_a_road]

"What is it about the train that makes you wonder if it is a card?" Allowing for the possibility that she wouldn't want to tell him everything.

[najaran]

"Well, you said it might have the power to have called us here itself. That sounds like a card... at least it does to me. But if it is a card...." does it have a Cepter? Does it even want one? "Whatever it is, it or whoever controls it would have to be very strong. "

[so_dark_a_road]

"I'm pretty sure the train entity does call us here. It certainly acts as though it does. It would have to be very powerful indeed, to do that, and I believe it is. So there is something in your world that is referred to as a card, and it has the power to call people?" Still curious.

[najaran]

"Well there are spell cards that are used for transport... Though they can be dangerous to use if there are unaccounted for factors..."

[so_dark_a_road]

"Spell cards, I see. So, how do you use them for transport?"

[najaran]

"Well, like Dimension Door," that one was safe enough to discuss, just not to use. "You have to know all sorts of factors in advance, like exactly how much weight is going. Maybe that's why the clothing? A factor for the spell to take us safely here?"

[so_dark_a_road]

He gave a soft, impressed whistle. "Dimension Door, a card obviously meant to take you Elsewhere. I can believe you'd have to know all the variables, since that's science for you, and magic often works the same way. So, you think the train divides us into teams and gives us team colors as part of a magic spell? I hadn't thought of that, but it makes sense. I wonder what else a card -- or a train -- would have to take into account, besides weight and color?"

[najaran]

"I'm not sure," she said, considering it. "But more important would be why, wouldn't it be?"

[so_dark_a_road]

"True, now that you mention it. It would matter a lot, why the card or the train had to consider a particular factor."

[najaran]

"I kind of meant why bring us at all," she said, sheepishly.

[so_dark_a_road]

"Oh, I see. Why does the train grab us and take us along at all?"

[najaran]

"Exactly. if we can figure out why, then we can figure out what we need to do to get home, right?"

[so_dark_a_road]

"That's what I'm hoping! That's what most of us are hoping. The train, of course, gives us the obvious reason, that it needs Void Warriors to help it with its missions of mercy to endangered planets. But what if that's not the real reason? What if in fact we passengers are serving some other purpose?" He scratches his head. "If there is another purpose and we knew what it is, then we'd have a lot more information to go on, in order to figure out how to get everybody home who wants to go."

[najaran]

"Void Warriors?" She was all for helping people, of course. "If someone wanted people to help other worlds... it wouldn't have taken just me from my world. I mean, Gooligan is super useful, and even of it didn't want to take my Master from our world because he's needed there, what about Karin and the others from the Isle? Or the other Mistrals? I'm sure Alta could help for sure. She likes to think she's a treasure hunter, but she actually has a good heart and loves to help for a good cause. Joaquin and Ganz too."

[so_dark_a_road]

"Yes, Void Warriors. That's what the Void Inspectors called us when they stopped the train one day and boarded it. I think I might have heard the train use that term as well."

He listens while she lists people she thinks might be useful in this job, from her world. "You think that if the train really only wanted Void Warrior recruits, it would have taken all those people you know, and not just you?"