Cyber Fair: The Weight of Eternity (Escape from Club Apophis, 36)

(Click to enlarge)

STORYLINE: Jihoon panted with exhaustion. The burning baseball stadium slowly reformed around him, a nightmare refusing to end.

"Take my hand, and we may journey to a place where we can speak privately. Away from your shadow."

Jihoon looked down at the massive, armored hand extended to him. He didn’t move.

The Ruler chuckled, a sound like grinding stones. "Caution is wise. But surely you do not wish to remain in the ash?"

"And go where, exactly?" Jihoon asked, his voice raw.

"To my own sanctuary.” He tapped his forehead. "I possess a rare gift. I can enter the minds of others, and open my own in return. Do not worry. You will be shielded from your other self. You may exit at the time of your choosing." He offered his hand again.

Jihoon glanced back at Lathandro, who was beginning to twitch in the dirt. He was waking up. They would just fight again. And again. And again.

Taking a shallow breath, Jihoon reached out and grasped the offered hand.

The burning stadium blew away like ash.

The suffocating heat of the fire was immediately replaced by a biting, arid chill. The cold scraped through his torn clothes like broken glass. Jihoon spun around, shivering. They were standing on a dune of pale sand under a vast, star-choked sky. The edges of the Milky Way bled across the horizon. There was no city. No neon. No signs of civilization in any direction.

"Where are we?" Jihoon breathed, wrapping his arms around himself. "Is this place real?"

"Yes. It is real." The Ruler spoke calmly. "A memory of my home, hidden far below the sands.”

He clapped his hands once.

The sand trembled. A sleek obsidian hovercar condensed from the desert winds, assembling itself like blown glass, its gull-wing doors sweeping upward in total silence. A few yards ahead, the desert floor parted. A colossal, hidden hangar door groaned as it lifted toward the sky, revealing a shaft of pure darkness leading deep into the earth.

"Few have ever seen my private residence. Come,” the Ruler said, gesturing to the vehicle.

With nowhere to run and the cold biting through his ruined clothes, Jihoon climbed into the passenger seat. The Ruler sat beside him, and the hovercar glided forward, plunging into the subterranean abyss.

The massive hangar doors sealed shut above them. For a moment, the darkness was absolute.

Golden lights flared to life, revealing a colossal tunnel. The hovercar hummed through miles of carved stone corridor.

Jihoon spun in his seat. They were traveling down a causeway so large he wasn't sure where it ended. Towering limestone statues lined both sides of the corridor, illuminated by severe under-lighting.

As the hovercar sped past them, Jihoon noticed a pattern. The statues were all of the same person. Same posture. Same severe jaw. Same stern stare. Then he recognized the face. As they drove deeper, the artistic styles shifted.

"The statues," Jihoon stammered, his mind struggling to process the scale. "They are all you?"

"It is a tradition, begun long ago. Every decade, without fail. I commission a new likeness."

"Wait, what?" Jihoon stared ahead. The corridor had no visible end. The glowing statues blurred together. He gripped the door handle as the world began to spin. Acid welled up and stung his throat. "How old are you? Really?"

The Ruler kept his golden eyes fixed on the road ahead. "These monuments are no different from a modern photograph. A memory caught in stone, so I might remember who I was."

Silence filled the cabin.

Jihoon watched, paralyzed, as the fashion and art styles of the statues evolved outside the window. He saw the Ruler carved as an ancient pharaoh, then sculpted as a marble Greek god, then cast in bronze as a Roman conqueror. The materials changed to steel, then carbon fiber, and finally, towering holographic projections that flickered in the dark.

The air left his lungs as if a boulder had been dropped on his chest.

The hovercar finally slowed, gliding into a sprawling, subterranean cave. Rising from black sand stood massive pyramids of basalt, laced with glowing gold circuitry that pulsed like living veins.

The Ruler parked, and stepped out, his boots sinking onto the soft shifting black sand.

"Was it really necessary to show me all that?" Jihoon asked, climbing out on shaking legs. He eyed the ancient being warily.

"Yes," the Ruler said. He produced a clove cigarette and lit it. The scent of burnt spice drifted into the air, the embers flaring bright orange in the dim light. He exhaled a thin stream of fragrant smoke. "That causeway is your future, young Jihoon. I needed you to see the scope of eternity. Do you have a plan for your long life? These are the things we must discuss before I permanently bind your soul in the Opening of the Mouth ritual."

Jihoon shot up from his defensive slouch. "Stop playing games with me. That isn't funny."

The Ruler smoked calmly, looking utterly bored by Jihoon's panic. "It is not a jest."

"You watched me get beaten half to death from the bleachers and didn't move. Not to mention, you are literally a monster!” Jihoon yelled, the echo ringing off the pyramids. "Why should I trust anything you say?"

The Ruler held up one massive, armored finger. "Cursed. Not a monster. There is a difference."

He began to stroll towards the pyramids. Light beams shot up from their capstones to illuminate the vast volcanic chamber. It was so large that a dense fog hid the roof. Water seeped from the lava tube walls and collected into reflective pools below.

Jihoon scanned the cave. There was no other exit. He had no choice but to follow.

The cavern was utterly silent except for the soft splashes and the rhythmic pulse of the gold circuitry in the pyramid walls. No wind. No insects. Just the smell of clove smoke, dampness, and something older underneath it. It smelled like stone that had never seen the sun.

Jihoon stopped walking. He looked up at the nearest pyramid, flanked by two colossal statues of a jackal-headed god. It was taller than his university's main building. Taller than anything had a right to be underground.

"You are cursed, Jihoon. There is nothing you can do to change that fact. But you can choose for yourself how you wish to live with it. I faced this same reality once myself. My solution was to guide the world from the shadows. To uphold my ancient faith of Ma’at. Order. Balance."

Jihoon rubbed his aching head. He gazed at the immense neon-lit pyramid. "And what if I don't take this deal?"

As if his actions were a reply, the Ruler took a final drag of his cigarette, dropped it to the stone path, and crushed it beneath his boot.

Sweat dripped down Jihoon's back. The cave seemed to lean closer around them.

"My servant, Lucian, has claimed your other half," the Ruler finally said, turning to face Jihoon. "Lathandro is his child now. But your human half, the boy I speak to right now, remains unclaimed. Unanchored. I can offer you the power to combat Lathandro. I can ensure he never steals your body from you."

Jihoon’s shoulders slumped. The adrenaline of the fight finally drained away, leaving his bones feeling like lead. "I don't trust you. And I don't trust your offer. But go ahead. Tell me the price."

The Ruler’s golden eyes seemed to glow brighter in the dark.

"I will become your Master, just as Lucian is the Master of Lathandro. I will be the Order to his Chaos. This is the only way to balance the Apophis gift locked inside you before Lucian unleashes it upon the world." The ancient vampire extended his hand one final time.

"Say yes, Yoon Jihoon.”

I really loved the idea in this chapter, and being able to fuse Cyberpunk and Ancient Egypt!   ...The pyramid in front is The Bearded Guy's Nova Citadel at Cyber Fair. I tinted its glow from cyber to gold. And the large pyramid in the back is the LORE's Cultist Temple, which I also tinted its golds. I love how both of them have a cyberpunk cult type of feel. I'm so happy I could show you them both.   ... The Ruler is wearing the Rodex Urbacifix jacket and pants at Cyber Fair. I got the black and gold one, but there are other color options you can choose.   ...From REKT X NEO is the amazing Beast Gauntlets. These aren't just for looks, they come with badass special effects and attacks. The punching the floor move and razzed giant hole in the ground is brilliant! Love it. Check out the animated clips pf the effects below.  ...The VR goggles are from SOLE and they come in wide range of color choices. They are unrigged and mod, so you can adjust and position how you want.   ...In the image below you can the sporty ShoeMinati XBakin shoes the Ruler is wearing. I used the black and then choose what shoelace color I wanted, but there are much more colorful and inventive color combinations you can purchase at Cyber Fair.

On him, The Ruler of the Night:
Jacket: Rodex - Urbacifix Jacket LegacyM [mesh](Cyber Fair)(199L)
Pants: Rodex - Urbacifix Pant Legacy [mesh](Cyber Fair)(199L)
Visor: SOLE - SA - Visor EDGE WALKER, Dirty [mesh](Cyber Fair)(359L)

Shoes: Shoeminati - xBakin - Black, LegacyM [mesh](Cyber Fair)(350L)
Armor: REKT X NEO - BEAST GAUNTLETS [mesh](Cyber Fair)(349L)
Hair: NO.MATCH - NO.BACKUP, male [mesh]

Head: LeLUTKA - CAMDEN 4.0 [mesh](3990L)

Body: TheShops - [BODY] Athletic Meshbody (Legacy)(m) (1.7.1) [mesh](5000L)

Pose: Del May - DM Stand still 

Setting:

Small Pyramid: The Beared Guy - Nova Citadel [mesh](Cyber Fair)(299L)

Large Pyramid: LORE Cultist Temple [mesh]

Statue: meadowWorks Anubis Sandstone Statue [mesh](250L)

BONUS IMAGES: inworld raw shots, hi-res, midday sky:

 

Engine Room: The Museum of Catastrophes (Escape from Club Apophis, 23)

(click enlarge)

STORYLINE: Holo-posters bloomed across the Forbidden Zone like invasive flowers of propaganda:

WELCOME HOME, PRINCE LATHANDRO.

THE BOY WHO BURNED AND LIVED.

Each one showed the same impossible boy, chin lifted, skin radiant, uniform immaculate, -- a messiah forged from vanity and marketing code. They covered the ruins wall to wall, their light spilling into puddles of rust-red water.

Then the light began to die.

A storm of shadows moved through the alley, swallowing sound as it came. The Ruler of the Night walked at its heart, displeasure made flesh. Every poster he passed convulsed, flickered, and went dark, as if ashamed to exist beneath his gaze.

Lucien’s side project had metastasized into blasphemy.

It was time to end it.

The Ruler descended the spiral of basalt stairs beneath Club Apophis, each step a deeper fall into Lucien’s obsession. The air grew colder, heavy with incense, static, and something older than both. He found him, of course, in the heart of his latest folly: "The Museum of Catastrophes."

The chamber was circular and immense, built from polished obsidian that drank the light. Power streaked through the seams of the floor, humming with a parasitic energy the Ruler found abhorrent.

At its center, lay the museum’s newest exhibit: Yoon Jihoon.

The comatose student was draped in military green, his body arranged like a saint prepared for resurrection. Silver IV lines pulsed with blood, and great holographic calamities flickered around him in worshipful orbit: the Library of Alexandria on fire, Atlantis drowning below the waves, dinosaurs screaming as the sky split open.

Lucien knelt beside him, cradling Jihoon’s limp body in a grotesque parody of the Pietà: a madonna made of silk and mania. His voice trembled through wet laughter. Mascara bled down his cheeks like spilled ink.

"He's beautiful, isn't he?"

The Ruler regarded him for a long, weighted silence, molten gold eyes steady as judgment.

"I assisted in this body's recovery as a mercy, Lucien, so the child could safely pass with dignity. What happened to free will? He did not choose you. He did not consent to be exhibited like this."

MasterGin suddenly lurched to his feet, screaming, "HE CRIED FOR HIS MOMMY TO SAVE HIM FROM THOSE INCOMPETENT HUMAN BUTCHERS!" His voice cracked. He shook with outrage, tears of genuine grief and fury rolling down his face. "They were going to cut him up… Butcher my darling Lathandro like an animal!"

The Ruler’s expression barely shifted. “Lies,” he said softly. “Your ego could not bear to see your creation in the hands of lesser beings.”

Lucien’s laughter curdled into a sneer. “You know nothing. He’s special. It’s right in front of your nose and you’re too blind, too jealous, to see it!”

He gestured wildly toward the boy. "When was the last time you saw a fledgling burned by the sun and live?"

The Ruler froze. His gaze drifted to the youth on the chaise. The burn scars were gone. A new, chilling thought raced through him.

Was there anyone still left inside?

His golden eyes closed; a deep breath drew in like a storm contained. He reached out with his will, ancient and absolute.

“Show me,” he commanded. The chamber dissolved.

He found himself standing in a ruined stadium, bleachers collapsed in spectral silence, ash drifting like red snow through a dead wind.

On the pitcher’s mound stood Jihoon, rumpled hoodie, scorched sneakers, the human remnant. His voice cracked the silence.

“He thinks I called for him. Did you? Did you deliver us to that MONSTER?!”

Across the field, his reflection stood on home plate: Lathandro, long white bangs falling from under his cap, striking in a crisp red uniform.

“Relax, bookworm,” Lathandro scoffed. “MasterGin would rather cut off his own limbs than hurt us. You’re such a timid wuss. Someone needed to save us, and it wasn’t going to be your inept girlfriend. She only knows how to fix machines.”

“Take that back!” Jihoon’s fists clenched. “Minjo was trying to save me!”

Lathandro laughed, low and cruel. “Her bad choices lit us on fire, idiot.” He tossed a baseball into the air and struck it lazily. It arced upward, burning like a flare as it vanished into the smoky distance. “The monsters are the only ones who can save us. Stop pretending you’re human. We don’t belong with them anymore. That life ended in flames. You died. I’m the one keeping us alive.”

“Bullshit! I’m not the one who got us killed!” Jihoon hurled a chunk of broken cement. “I’m not the one allergic to sunlight!”

Lathandro easily dodged, smacking the rock with his bat, sending it out of the stadium. For an instant, a forked tongue flicked from his mouth.

Jihoon staggered back, horror dawning. His fingers brushed his own lips, as if afraid to find the same split hiding there. No. The thing wearing his face wasn't him.

The Ruler’s mind recoiled, not in fear, but in clarity, and the faint taste of something ancient and terrible. He had seen the tongue. This was no fledgling. It was an infestation.

“You saw him, didn't you?” Lucien’s plea cracked the silence.

The Ruler’s senses snapped back to the chamber. Lucien’s voice was too close, wet, trembling, desperate.

“Please… you have to save him.” His tone wavered between command and prayer. “The old rite... the Opening of the Mouth. Do it for me. For us.”

The Ruler regarded him in silence. Lucien’s perfect white hair was tangled, his gossamer sheath smeared with blood from a cut on his wrist. He looked ancient now, stripped of glamour, a frightened creature clinging to his dying art. The Ruler sighed, and placed a gentle hand on Gin’s quivering shoulder.

“He lives,” he said softly. “But he is not alone.”

As he spoke, the lights dimmed. The floor began to pulse with that dull, parasitic rhythm. The light from the holograms bent toward the chaise, devoured by an unseen gravity. The boy’s body suddenly arched, a silent scream as the dark energy surged.

The Ruler's eyes flared gold. The vessel moved.

“Lucien,” he gasped, “you are meddling with forces you do not understand." He raced to the main outlet and yanked the plug free. The chamber plunged into absolute darkness, the only sound the sudden, choking sobs of MasterGin.

"Stop this foolishness!" the Ruler bellowed. "Stop trying to revive him with this cursed technology." He stepped closer, the air tightening around them. “I will perform the ritual in one week. I will awaken him, -- on one condition.”

“Anything,” Gin whispered in the dark.

“You will uphold your own sacred creed of free will,” the Ruler said. “If he asks to leave… you will let him.”

Lucien laughed lightly, too quickly. “Of course,” he breathed while his head, almost imperceptibly, shook no.

Jihoon’s chest rose once in a shallow breath, his eyelids fluttering open before sinking again into darkness.

Neither of them saw it....

Its the last days for this round of the Engine Room. So many great items, I wish I could have worked in more to show. For this post, I was inspired by the PFC Serpens furniture. It worked perfectly for my story idea. The chaise is wonderfully made with built in poses, and PBR texture hud options to change the look. it includes a floor lamp and incense burner. ...Jihoon is wearing the Maxwell outfit by ONEDAY. This look includes the boots built right in. ...from About Love, I used the Cap, it just worked great with the military look. It has hair with heart shape bang and cap rigged, or separate, and texture hud. ...The Silvanus hair by Sinktiklia is gorgeous and has fits for men and women. Plus the bangs are unrigged so you can move them around. I ended yo using just the bangs, and turned them askew since they were unrigged. It helped with my character pose so much. ... From Botanical is the Candle Clutter set. These candles well made and already in placement for fast decorating. Perfect for halloween, or romance. I can't get over how convincing that candle flame is. Well done.

For my ambitious ongoing story, threaded through multiple events, if I'm able to keep going, the next section will venture into new territory as the rescue team enters the Zone. We'll see how it goes. Thanks for all the love and encouragement.

On him, Jihoon:

Outfit: ONEDAYs MAXWELL OUTFIT-LEGACY, green [mesh](Engine Room)(338L)

Cap: About Love AL. Bold Military Cap - Unrigged [mesh](Engine Room)(300L)

Bangs: Sintiklia Hair Silvanus, Black&White [mesh](Engine Room)(350L)

Head, piercings: LeLUTKA Kane Evolution [mesh](3990L)

Body: TheShops [BODY] Athletic Meshbody (Legacy)(m) (1.7.1) [mesh](5000L)

Pose: Del May Dead to the world (edited)

Setting:

Furniture: Pucca Firecaster Creations PFC~Serpens furniture set [mesh](Engine Room)(600L)

Candles: Botanical Candle Clutter, green [mesh](Engine Room)(299L)

Set: Spires Society Chamber Of The Wicked (SKYBOX) [mesh]

BONUS IMAGES: inworld raw shot, hi-res, midday sky.

Midnight Order, Androgyny Event: Into The Forbidden Zone (Escape from Club Apophis, 12)

(click to enlarge)

STORYLINE: The Forbidden Zone began like a bad memory, gray where the world should be colored, silent where life should echo. Kyle crossed the perimeter and felt the city change under his feet, like stepping from a dream into a nightmare.

The air pressed down, thick with the smell of metal and rain on hot stone. Neon bled from somewhere far away, too faint to throw shadows. His footsteps landed too loud, the sound bouncing off skeletal buildings and vanishing mid-echo. He had adjusted to the gray. The Zone was a world drained of everything he hated about life, no bright smiles, no warm colors, just ash, rust, and silence. Even the stray dogs were muted, skulking shadows that at least had the decency to look miserable.

Half a block in, Kyle felt a creeping itch between his shoulder blades. The instinct to turn around, to run. He resisted and kept walking. Something shifted in the corner of his vision, a shadow retreating behind a cracked checkpoint booth. His stomach dropped, his pulse skittering. He blinked, and the figure was gone.

But the feeling lingered. A sense of being watched. A low hum started, a sound like a failing transformer, and a single, flickering streetlight ahead began to pulse, its halo dimming and brightening like a slow, metallic breath. He heard a scrape behind him, the whisper of something on the pavement. He spun around. Nothing. The silence deepened, pressing in.

A voice, low and textured like stone dragged across pavement, cut through the quiet. “Kyle Baek.”

He hadn’t seen anyone step out. He hadn’t heard so much as a footfall, but the figure was just there. It was tall, black-robed, and blurred at the edges, like the night sky had been poured into a human shape. It smelled of wet earth. The face was sharp and pale, the eyes an impossible amber glow.

Kyle froze, every fine hair on his neck rising. “Do I know you?”

“No,” the figure said. “But I know you. You're the one who sent the boy in.”

Kyle stiffened. “What?”

A small, mocking tilt of the head. “The boy you shoved across the line. Don’t pretend it was a dare.”

Kyle’s jaw tightened, his hand gripping the taser in his pocket. “How the hell do you know that? Who are you?”

The figure moved with a heavy, unnerving grace, stepping off the curb to block Kyle's path. His eyes dropped to Kyle’s gripping hand.

"I see. A protector at heart. Like me." He offered a slight, ironic bow. "I am Hwan. Guardian of the Barrier."

“Right, and I’m the Tooth Fairy. Cut the mystic crap. I’m here about....”

"I saw you challenge him," Hwan interrupted, his voice calm but heavy. "You called him a coward when he refused. So you pushed him. Told him to be a man. And yet, when he entered this place... you watched and you did not follow."

Kyle's mouth opened, then closed, the defense dying in his throat.

"Your friend was marked the moment he crossed," Hwan said.

Kyle gave a short, bitter laugh. “Marked by what?”

Hwan's gaze didn't move. "The things that own this cursed place."

He gestured toward the alley, where a weather-faded poster clung to a wall: a black serpent swallowing the sun.

"The government tells you this is a quarantine zone. Radiation. Biohazards. Lies with just enough truth to keep people terrified," Hwan said. "Out there, they see a dead city. In here..."

Hwan traced a clawed finger over a jagged red cross painted over the serpent.

"...In here, it’s their market. Their hunting ground." His amber eyes flicked back to Kyle. "That snake symbol? That marks where their laws reign supreme. But this alley, that red mark? This is my yard, their power holds no domain here."

As he spoke, the gray fog recoiled, revealing a shimmer of impossible, soft color. “Your friend found this place. I can only hold small corners like this, the rest is theirs. Don’t wander thinking you’re safe.” Hwan said. “Your friend was the only one who made it out. But only part of him returned.”

The words hit like a coffin lid slamming shut.

“What the hell does that mean?” Kyle growled.

Hwan finally met his eyes. The amber glow flared, hot and ancient. “It means this place takes pieces."

“So,” Kyle said, voice steadier than he felt, “you got a map of these safe zones? Or you just gonna keep babbling”

Hwan leaned in, his voice crackling like burning paper. “You want him whole again? Maps won’t help you. Guns won’t help you. In here, you don’t survive on grit. Without a tether... without something to love... you will rot in this place forever.”

Kyle’s laugh was bitter, venom on his tongue. “Love? Don’t make me sick.”

Hwan didn’t flinch. “And yet you came. You crossed the Zone for Jihoon. Call it revenge if that helps you sleep, but revenge is only love with teeth.”

Kyle’s breath hitched. He stepped back, the truth simmering in his chest like poison.

“It’s too late to deny it. You’ve already chosen." Hwan stepped aside. "Now... be guided.”

"Wait..." Kyle stammered, reaching out as Hwan began to fade, panic cracking his voice. “He had to toughen up! You don’t get it, ...he freezes at everything! I was trying to help him.”

The gray mist parted like stage curtains opening. Color bled in like an open wound. Pinks and golds bloomed where no light belonged, smelling of crushed flowers. From it stepped Romance, the Saja of Love, radiant and unbearable.

Kyle’s face twisted in immediate, primal horror. “No. No, no, no. Not this. Anyone but this.”

Romance spread his arms wide, a slow, sickening smile on his face, his billion-dollar idol grin glittering like a weapon. He beckoned Kyle in for a hug.

Kyle screamed and ran.

Kpop Demon Hunters was a fun movie, I just had to take a stab at doing one of the Saja Boys.  Over at Midnight Order, you can get your fix of Saja with the Dope+Mercy Hanbok, trousers and gift Gat hat. The Hanbok you get in white, Saja, or black, and the fatpack has cool detailed textures. The Gat hat is unrigged and mod, with sheer and solid options so you get whatever works best for you. The pants also have a texture options. There Fatpack is where you get the Abby style leather. The boots that work with the pants can be found at the main store.   ...From HISS is the corrupted Patterns tattoos. This set is really nicely made, with many options like opacity, fade, and tint. And even cooler, each of the Saja Boys have thier own face patterns too! Nice sweet detail. Also from HISS is the Jinu makeup set with eye makeup and lip tints.  ...From RavenBell is the well timed Starlit Earrings. This are super cool! They swing and are animated! And look very Saja Romance too. So of course I had to use them. If they hud you switch the colors, turn on and off animations. Plus several different styles of earrings too. Brilliant.   ...Over at Androgyny Event, the Saja madness goes on. The Usagi Society Jin hair with the heart Bangs, was just too Saja Romance. lol I had to use that too.  I love the all the color options.   ...And to add a little more glamour to Romance, I used the Diamond Glitz Shine on thee EvoX head by !Body Expression.   ... Subject 13 has another set of fun claws, prefect fashion for the Saja! These are tintable.   ...And the only blip in my Saja Romance parade is the Baby Collar by Minuit. (I hope Romance isn't mad at me for that, lol) I wanted to emphasize the Heart on the collar for Romance, and deemphasize the lettering Baby so I made it darker. The collar itself very well made and lots of color option too!  ...Thanks for Akira and Lin for help on the setting. They let me break apart settings by ZEROICHI and K&S and recombine to create the look of the Forbidden Zone - Safe Areas.

I hope you are enjoying the continuing story... Escape from Club Apophis. The Character of Kyle is inspired by the first person I met in SL, a griefer. He was quite a character. 

On him, Saja Romance:

Coat: Dope+Mercy Saja Hanbok, LegacyM, Saja [mesh](Midnight Order)(350L)
Pants: Dope+Mercy Saja Trousers, LegacyM, Black[mesh](Midnight Order)(250L)

Hat: Dope+Mercy Saja Gat, Sheer [mesh](Midnight Order)(Gift)

Earrings: RavenBell Starlit Earrings, Moonlit [mesh](Midnight Order)(350L)
Makeup: HISS JINU MAKE EYE [BOM](Midnight Order)(200L)
Tattoos: HISS PATTERNS FACE ROMANCE - 100[BOM](Midnight Order)(250L)
Hair: Usagi Society Jin Hair, Male [mesh](Androgyny Event)(350L)
Claws: Subject 13 Plague Claws x Solstice Set, LegacyM [mesh](Androgyny Event)(275L)

Collar: {minuit} Baby Choker [Rigged M] [mesh](Androgyny Event)(499L)

Shine: !Body Expression Diamond Glitz, Legacy, EvoX  [applier](Androgyny Event)(200L)
Skin: MUDSKIN Hajimu, C, Brow, WINTER (gacha)(The Arcade)(75L)
Boots: L&B Swear Havoc Ops Boots, LegacyM, Black [mesh](499L)
Eyes: {Rue} Eyes/Grimalkin: Saffron

Head: LeLUTKA Kane Evolution [mesh](3990L)

Body: TheShops [BODY] Athletic Meshbody (Legacy)(m) (1.7.1) [mesh](5000L)

Pose: Del May DM Treasure (slight pose edit)

Location:
Set 1: ZEROICHI  SHINOBI STREET [mesh]
Set 2: K&S Back alley. Backdrop [mesh]
Set 3: K&S No way out. Backdrop [mesh]

BONUS IMAGES: inworld raw shots, hi-res, midday sky :

Androgyny Event: Escape from Club Apophis, 2

(click to enlarge)

STORYLINE: Club Apophis wouldn’t let him go.

When Jihoon finally made it back to his dorm, breathless and shaken, there it was, ...waiting. A box, clad in black snakeskin and bound in a ribbon of delicate pink satin. Tucked beneath the bow, a card read: "Dear Bookworm, you’re going to need new clothes," and signed only with a kiss print in metallic black lipstick.

It was like a cobra, coiled and hissing at the threshold of his sanctuary. A warning: You didn’t escape, I know where you live.

He didn’t touch it. Instead, he fetched a broom and nudged it down the hall like it might bite, then slammed his door and barricaded it with a chair. Just in case.

Later, he scoured his hair with jet-black dye. He didn’t flinch when it scorched his scalp. Let it burn. The neon colors that once screamed *look at me* had to vanish. But even dulled and hidden, the face in the mirror stared back, haunting, doll-like, and impossibly symmetrical. His skin too flawless. Lips too full. Eyes too wide, glowing with a faint pale teal hue that caught light like a gemstone. People stared at him in the dorms, in class, on the sidewalks—like he was someone famous whose name they couldn’t quite remember.

He didn’t know how to be gazed at.

But that was the least of his worries. His body was changing. He felt like he was going through a second puberty, ...no, something stranger. He grew an inch in a week. Leaner, stronger. His voice dropped a register. Even his scent changed, soft, cool, and unnatural.


His friends grew distant. They stopped inviting him to game nights. He overheard one whisper behind his back, “Stupid femboy. Bet he hacked his DNA.”

His skin crawled.

In a panic, he applied to the tryouts of the baseball team. A chance to sweat it out, to prove he was still a man. Nevermind a book nerd like him didn't know the slightest thing about baseball. But the coach didn’t care. Jihoon threw harder. Hit further. Ran faster than anyone. It felt like his body remembered things he didn’t. It was bizarre. They called him a "ringer," whatever that was.

When he returned to the dorm, fresh uniform in hand, he found the sinister box had returned as if it had slithered inside from an open window.

He stared at it for a long time.

The black snakeskin glistened in the low dorm light like it was breathing. The pink ribbon shimmered like silk drawn from a wound. It didn’t belong in his world of textbooks, empty ramen cups, and anime posters. It belonged in that place, -- the place he was trying to forget.

He should’ve burned it. Should’ve thrown it out the window. But his breath quickened.

Maybe there was money inside. Or a clue. Or maybe if he opened it, it would all fall apart like a prank taken too far. Haha. *Funny, guys. You got me.*

That lie was enough.

He pulled the box onto his bed like it might bite. The snakeskin was warm. The lid slid open like it had been waiting for him. Nestled inside in black velvet was a high tech bodysuit, -- white, seamless, strangely soft. A tag sewn into the collar read: "UV REACTIVE BIOPHASIC SHIELDING."

He swallowed. A whisper of a memory returned: "Be careful, Little Worm. The daylight might crack your pretty dollface."

He did feel a sting while at the baseball tryouts, but he thought it was just sunburn.

Medical precaution, he lied to himself. It’s not giving in.

He pulled it on and the fabric adjusted to him like it was memorizing his shape. He looked in the mirror. A runway model. It’s fine, he thought. Just function over fashion.

The smart mirror hesitated, longer than usual, then said: "UNRECOGNIZED USER. Facial ID scan in progress."

Jihoon froze.

The digital display flickered, glitched, then returned: "Subject: Lathandro (GIN AESTHETICA™)."

Jihoon blinked. The display glitched again in a fast cascade of unreadable code and a faint sound, like static trying to speak. Then it was gone. His reflection returned. Normal. Silent.

Probably a bug, he told himself. Just a glitch. Just paranoia.

He reached for his baseball uniform. Now he looked like a jock, or a jock from an ad. The prettiest boy on the team. He barely recognized himself.

Just as he turned to shut the box and shove it out of sight, something caught his eye. ...There was more. Dark sinful garments of mesh, vinyl, leather, and latex that shimmered like oil on wet asphalt. Delicate iridescent fabrics like dragonfly wings. Gloves that ended in points like claws. Stockings spun from sheer, slippery fabric that felt alive under his fingertips. Something futuristic. Erotic. Wrong.

Each one labeled: "Apophis Atelier. Designed to be Seen."

Jihoon backed away, but only a step. His heart beat faster. They looked like fun. They looked like they belonged to someone brave. Someone shameless.

His hands itched. He reached toward the mesh. Just to feel it. Just a little.

I got very ambitious with this post with story, concept, and image. I felt inspired! I hope you all enjoyed the ride and the trip into the Androgyny Zone. The current round of Androgyny Event is still open for one more day.   ...This post's concept came from the Neon Pronoun Signs by Haunt, the idea being Jihoon's search for identity clashing between masculine and feminine. The neon Haunt signs are mod so you can resize them and change the colors. The backing of the sign is a mirror surface. I learned during this shoot, with 4 mirrors in the scene, the angle matters to see a reflection.   ...The Flavia pants and top come in fits for GenXCurvy, Kairo, LaraX, Legacy F, Legacy M, and Reborn. The Fatpack texture hud include 10 colors each fabric section, and an option to hide.   ....For the sporty look, I added the cap, top, and sneakers by Gabriel.   ...The striped socks by Noche are a good fake for a baseball look.   ...I'm a huge fan of baked-on-mesh, or BOM, bodysuits. The Cureless Diabolus is a keeper!   ...Helping create a smooth look to the bodysuit is the Sulfur Gorget by Cruel.   ... The setting is amazing. (Thanks for your help, Akira!) I toned it down to not distract too much from the focus, but it is full of fun details which I may show more of in future posts (see raw snapshot below).   ...My original idea was a story that could play out over the months, as Androgyny Event will be monthly!  I used a Cyber theme because I thought it would be cool twist. However, Cyberfair is up next, totally a happy accident! So there may be more adventures, (or is it nightmares?), for Jihoon in the very near future. 

On him, Jihoon:
Corset: Flamingos [FLA] Flavia Pants, Legacy M [mesh](Androgyny Event)(238L)

Shine: +ARANA+ Bios Suit&Face+Lines BOM 3D Materials Shines [BOM, Applier](499L)

Hair: RavenBell Nova Hair Short w Bangs, Shimmer [mesh](350L)

Sweapants: blande Interactive Sweatpants, Legacy [mesh](90L)

Socks: Noche Stripe stockings DarkGrey - Athletic[mesh](799L)

Bodysuit: CURELESS[+] Incubus&Succubus, Diabolus Bodysuit, white [BOM](249L)

Shirt: Gabriel ::GB::One sideoff tops (Legacy) Black[mesh]

Cap: Gabriel ::GB:: White line Baseball cap[mesh]

Shoes: Gabriel ::GB::Line sneakers (Legacy) Black [mesh]

Collar: Cruel Sulfur Gorget, Legacy M [mesh](100L)

Eyes: Poetic Colors Jaded Eyes - Jade [mesh](150L)

Head, piercings: LeLUTKA Kane Evolution [mesh](3990L)

Body: TheShops [BODY] Athletic Meshbody (Legacy)(m) (1.7.1) [mesh](5000L)
Pose: Del May DM - Really?

Setting:

Neon sign: HAUNT Bitch, I'm... Neon, set  [mesh] (Androgyny Event)(249L)

Mirror: gokudo PBR mirror [mesh](free)

Gift Box: [piXit] Surprise! Gift Box  [mesh]

Bra: +Half-Deer+ Lingerie Clutter, Pink, Draped (Bra) [mesh]

Boots: Nylon Outfitters (NO) Closet Clutter  - Muted Luxe -  Long Boots [mesh]

Poster: HIDEKI Posters, songs & lyrics [mesh]

Poster Wall: Pitaya Tropix Cyber Club, Posters [mesh]

Halogram Doll: BackBone Holo Dancers [mesh]

Bathroom supplies: Bazar Floria-Bathroom [mesh]

Bathrobe: Tentacio bathrobe blue [mesh]

Manga: Core&Gore Manga Fan, manga stack [mesh]

Figureine: BackBone FunnyBone #6, Mischievous Matchmaker  [mesh]

Clothes pile: Nylon Outfitters (NO) Closet Clutter, Muted Luxe, Clothing Pile [mesh]

Clothes pile: TABOU Pant Mess - Black [mesh]

Skybox: EDERIGON Resident V Apartment [mesh]

BONUS IMAGE: inworld raw shots, hi-res, midday sky.

 

Engine Room: Murder at the Cabaret, 4

(click to enlarge)

STORYLINE: The velvet shadows of Le Rouge Noir clung to him like a lover’s perfume: thick, intoxicating, and sweet with secrets. Darius Laurent slipped through the staff entrance like he owned the place, his polished shoes making no sound against the timeworn boards. A single ghost light flickered center stage, casting long shadows that danced like phantoms through the corridor. 

He looked every inch the well-traveled shipping magnate: his suit, jet-black and tailored to a predatory elegance; his silk shirt glimmered with a subtle damask pattern, black on black. Gold glinted from his cufflinks, his buttons, the chain at his waist. Refined. Respected. Feared by those who knew better. 

His cane tapped rhythmically with each step, the weight of its hidden blade familiar in his grasp. The golden mechanical arms affixed to his shoulders gleamed faintly under the gas lamps. They were beautiful, sculpted, baroque, but merciless. Artifacts of precision and pain. They made him strong again, after she had taken everything. 

He passed by the dressing rooms, inhaling the scent of powder, sweat, and something sweeter still. 

Gardenia. 

His pulse quickened. A smile curled his lips. 

Gardenia, lush and overpowering, was the perfect scent for masking other smells. Cyanide, for instance. 

Lady Dupree was the new star now. Her name shone on the marquee in blaring letters. The one everyone whispered about, not that other girl. He hadn’t meant to kill Giselle, -- she was merely in the wrong spotlight at the wrong time. Dupree was the prize. Dupree reminded him of *her.* 

Lady DuBois. 

The one who fought back. He’d taken her vision first before she could see his face. Even blinded, she had clawed and screamed and bled him nearly to death. He bore her legacy still: a single eye beneath a gold-rimmed patch, and two ruined arms, now replaced with gilded horrors. 

He slipped deeper into the backstage halls. 

Then voices. 

“Have you found your killer?” asked a voice. 

Darius froze, just beyond the heavy curtain separating backstage from the dressing rooms. 

A woman’s voice answered, low and sure. “Yes. Darius Laurent.” 

His breath caught. What? 

Was this a rehearsal? A new play? 

“I followed a detective from out town investigating the Cabaret Killer,” the voice continued. “My perfume, it was poisoned.” 

His jaw tensed. He leaned closer, peering through the seam in the curtain. The Master of Ceremonies stood alone, painted face impassive, speaking to thin air. 

Madness? Or theater? 

“… and other girls from clubs like this. Always in strange, untraceable ways…” 

Darius’s stomach twisted. Was this some joke? Some twisted reckoning? 

No. No, not tonight. 

He turned away. He needed focus. He needed her. 

Lady Dupree’s dressing room waited at the end of the corridor with the door cracked like a temptation. 

He pushed it open. 

She was waiting for him. Her eyes widened, not in surprise, but in recognition. 

“You,” she said. 

She pulled the trigger. 

The gunshot punched into his arm. His mechanical limb flared with sparks, gears shrieking. He roared, half in pain, half in triumph. He was not mistaken! He didn’t know how it was possible, and he didn’t care. His Lady of the past and this male counterfeit “Lady” were the same. One never forgets their first kill, even if they look different now.

He lunged. 

The blade hissed from his cane. Steel met air. A gunshot missed. They crashed into shattered mirrors, through silk costumes and broken powder compacts. Their reflections fractured and warped in glass and memory. 

“You should have stayed dead,” he growled. 

“Should’ve killed you the first time,” Dupree spat. 

“Stop this!” another voice cried. “I accept the deal!” 

He turned.

And saw the Master of Ceremonies at the threshold, arms folded behind his back like some wicked butler. 

And behind him… 

Darius’s blood turned to ice. 

It was not a man. Not a ghost. A thing. Cloaked in decay, made of shadow and gore. Its face was not a face at all, and it’s tendrils of darkness wrapped around the MC’s limbs like the strings of a marionette. 

He stumbled, suddenly winded. Cold. Something was wrong. 

“What?” he gasped, looking down. 

His mechanical hand trembled. His legs buckled. His chest constricted like hands closing around his ribs. 

Something was inside him. 

A presence. 

A voice. Inside his skull. A breath that wasn’t his. 

“With my second life, I shall use it to have my revenge,” said Giselle. 

He howled, but no one heard. 

He tried to run, but couldn’t move. 

Then Dupree’s scream tore through the air. A scream drenched in a decade of suffering. 

She drove the his own blade into his heart. 

Agony bloomed white-hot. He felt the mechanics seize. The world froze. 

And then… 

Nothing. 

Not even darkness....

BOOM! How was that? Spooky! hahaha. There's an epilogue too with what happens to the girls, the MC, and even the pirates but maybe it's ok to stop there? I got a little carried away. lol. 

 ... Engine Room is ending this weekend. Don't miss all the cool items and gifts too! I included a few in this post. ...This image and story was inspired by a crazy banger of a song I found while brainstorming this series, This Way to the Egress by Saint (see link below). ...Darius's outfit is an amazing detailed outfit by JEYS with metal details for tie, fob, brooches, tie, straps, and spider-like metal arms. The textures are fantastic. ...The doll is an Animesh wearable pet TikTok Man by Whats Lost Spirits. (You can also rez it.) Touch the TikTok man to bring up a menu with many animations you can trigger, including dances.   ... The staff is a gift by Dirty Rat, part of the display for the Plague Doctor display case. It includes several hold poses.  ....The eyepatch by GRAAL is another brilliant gift at the event. It unrigged so you can adjust it to fit.    .... Darius's skin is the Maverick by Skin Arcana. I found it works great on more current Lelukta mesh heads like Camden. It comes with and without brows, and tones to match Velour  picasso body colors.   ...Have I used the Hellbourne Thaumaturgy eyes enough? I love them. That's why! I couldn't show it, but they include an animated lens that fits ontop of the eye  ...The #200 hair is another great style by Ginko that works great on both men and women. ...In the background, setting the tone of secret society is The Last Throne by Ionic. Its theme is well suited for Game of Thrones role-plays with House Banners and a stone throne you can buy separately.

On him, Darius Laurent:

Skin: Skin Arcana Maverick, Peach, Evox [BOM](Engine Room)(450L)
Suit: JEYS Ventus, MSuit A, Legacy M[mesh](Engine Room)(299L)

Shirt: JEYS Ventus, shirt, Legacy M [mesh](Engine Room)(299L)
Pant: JEYS Ventus, pants Legacy M [mesh](Engine Room)(299L)  
Hands: JEYS Ventus, Ironhand, Legacy M [mesh](Engine Room)(299L)
Staff, pose: Dirty Rat Plaque Staff [mesh](Engine Room)(gift)

Eyepatch: GRAAL STORE Revolver Eyepatch, unrigged [mesh](Engine Room)(gift)

Eyes: Hellbourne :H: Thaumaturgy Eyes, White [mesh](Engine Room)(275L)

Hair: Ginko Hair #200 Hair - Unrigged [mesh](520L)

Head, beard: LeLUTKA CAMDEN Evolution [mesh](3990L)

Pose: Del May DM Yo-yo

Setting:

Doll: Whats Lost Spirits WLS TICTOK MAN 4.0 [Animesh](Engine Room)(700L)

Set: ionic : The Last Throne, 95li [mesh](Engine Room)(1250L)

BONUS IMAGES: inworld raw shot, hi-res, midday sky.

Midnight Order: Diva Hyrda of J-Rock band ONI

(click to enlarge)

STORYLINE: As the world celebrates the Month of Love, we at Midnight Magazine thought it fitting to uncover the intriguing story behind one of rock music's most charismatic lead singers, -- Diva Hydra, of the acclaimed J-rock band ONI. 

My adventure into surreal starts backstage during soundcheck to that evening's sold out Arena concert. The atmosphere is electric. As I observe silently from the sidelines, it occurs to me that Diva is the center of gravity with all else orbiting around him. Every gaze is drawn him, and everyone seems to be waiting for their turn to bask in his glow, like planets to his sun. 

I am amazed to witness the "Diva Effect" in person. A woman passes by and her hand lingers on his shoulder for a moment too long. Then a Personal Assistant leans in close, whispering to him in hushed tones like a lover. And when I think the scene can't get more bizarre, an agitated young man storms in and slaps Diva hard across the face right in front of me!

Judging from all these subtle hints, I wonder if I was the only one present who hadn’t slept with Diva. I better be careful to not become his next conquest. 

Clearing my throat to regain focus, I was impressed by Diva's ability to handle the touchy situation. The angry lad was now completely pacified, and Diva turned to me with a wink, as if this kind of thing was just a normal part of his day. "Apologies for that little disturbance," he says, offering me a charming smile. "Shall we start the interview?"

I nod, a hint of eagerness in my eyes. "Will you sign this for me?" I hand him my favorite Diva Hydra picture.

Diva obliges, but his head snaps up from the picture as I blurt out, "Your real name is Steve, isn't it?" 

The room falls silent for a moment. Then he breaks the tension with a slight chuckle, “That’s all you got?” He passes the autograph back to me. “I thought you were a School of Journalism type of girl.” 

"Challenge accepted," I smile back playfully. Then with a theatrical flourish, I hit record on my cellphone and, slam a photo onto the table from a high school yearbook. "Poor Steve," I feign sympathy. "He wasn't exactly the ladies' man. More like an awkward nerd, albeit one blessed with the 'voice of an angel' if you believe his classmates'. I wonder whatever happened to that sweet innocent boy...."

Diva's gaze drifts towards a girl passing by in a red dress. "You're wasting my time," he says, his patience clearly starting to wear thin.

I lean forward, sensing an opportunity. "Rumor has it 'Steve' had dreams of making it big in the music world. And, according to the rumors, he signed a contract with ONI when the previous lead singer met an unexpected demise." I pause for dramatic effect before continuing, "And speaking of contracts, I just happen to have a copy of this unusual one right here." I slide the document forward, watching Diva's reaction intently.

I can practically see the confidence draining from his face as he snatches the paper. For what feels like an eternity, his eyes dart back and forth, scanning every word meticulously. 

Savoring the moment, I lean back, “If I didn’t know any better, Diva, I would think this is the first time you’ve ever actually read it.” My grin grows larger like the cat who caught a mouse. "I find the fine print especially interesting."

Despite my momentary advantage, Diva swiftly regains composure, effortlessly slipping back into his charming persona. He slouches back, clad in black latex that emits a slight squeak as he casually crosses his long legs. "It's just an entertaining fabrication," he assures me. "Our manager has done a splendid job of keeping the fans hyped with these rumors. People love the fantasy that ONI is not just a band, but possessed by real life monsters embodying each of the seven deadly sins. Raven, for instance, is Greed...." 

With a knowing nod, I respond, "And Diva is Lust.” I gesture to the signatures on the contract and the photo he just signed for me. "There's an interesting resemblance between Steve's signature and your handwriting, wouldn't you agree?

Diva burst out laughing. It's impossible not to be affected. It's infectious nature makes it hard to resist joining in. He really was stunningly beautiful.

“No more questions for today," his eyes glint with mischief, "...but” he reaches into his pocket and tosses to me a hotel room card key. “We can pick up this conversation after the show tonight.”

On him, Diva Hydra:
Mask: CRYPTID Dokkaebi Mask [mesh](Midnight Order)(240L)
Kimono: NAMINKOKE !H! Bento Uchikake Gashadokuro Male [mesh](Midnight Order)(480L)
Top: [Gild] Hades tank legacy, basic tiger [mesh](Midnight Order)(250L)
Hair: CAMO Venus F-Locs, fatpack [mesh](Midnight Order)(599L)
Eyes: TEETH [T] Mythic Eyes, Pink [BOM][mesh](Midnight Order)(350L)
Parasol: Soapberry SB. Jing Silk Parasol [Animesh](Midnight Order)(500L)

Belly Piercing: Aii & Ego BlackMage, Athletic, Full Outfit [mesh](Midnight Order)(2,500L)
Hands: Dreadmorne [DM] // Phantom Arm [mesh](750L)
Facestrap: TERIYAKI _TRK_ Kankuro Mask [mesh](90L weekend sale)
Face Piercings: CerberusXing Chained Bridge - Silver [mesh](300L)
Earrings: Badwolf Batwings Earrings, male Evo [mesh](270L)
Pants: toksik Leather Leggings, Black [BOM]
Head, piercings: LeLUTKA Kane Evolution [mesh](3990L)
Body: TheShops [BODY] Athletic Meshbody (Legacy)(m) (1.7.1) [mesh](5000L)

Microphone: HIDEKI Old Vintage Mic [mesh]

Truss and speakers: [MMc] Club Stage & Dance Floor [mesh]
Pose: Del May DM Need Socks

BONUS IMAGE: inworld raw shot, midday sky

Necrotize: Revenge of the Small Blue Planet

(click to enlarge)

STORYLINE: The Caretaker had been asleep at the spaceship controls, his hand still resting on a full belly. He had a satisfied smirk still on his face from eating the forbidden fruit from a quarantined planet.  Other than the small blue planet being infested with life, he saw no harm in stopping for a quick tasty organic meal. But as his eyes snapped open and stared in shock at the angrily blinking monitors of the colony ship, he knew he had made a grave mistake. The ship was making an eerie mechanical bleep in a repeating rhythm that seemed to be counting the passing of time. His monitor was glitching and forming a pattern. He couldn’t read the alien language that spelled out, “Welcome to Earth Asshole,” but he did recognize the skull pattern of the monkey creature he ate. It was laughing. Was it mocking him? More alarms began to blare. Lights flickered. He looked around in disbelief. No way did that primitive culture have a Planetary Defense. There was no armada. What was happening? A red alarm began to flash. Hull breach in Pod Bay 94. He grabbed a weapon and raced there. The doors were jammed. He forced it open, and was immediately struck with swirling wind and sparks. On top of a pod was some kind of alien technology bot destroying his precious cargo! And it was rapidly multiplying, building more copies of itself from parts of the ship! What was it? Malevolent Artificial Intelligence? Horrifying! He leapt inside to maelstrom to quickly do what must be done. If he survived, he would never again question the quarantine bans.

Necrotize's finale is tomorrow, don't miss all cool alien and cyber horror themed creations and gifts! This image was inspired by items at the event, and a twist on the classic War or the Worlds trope: "germs save the Earth!" But in my version, its our AI that mounts the attack. Our Cute Little Hero is a Classic Macintosh on spider legs by Shard. Its an Animesh pet you can wear with texture options to have him wear a ghost sheet, and of course there are blood spatter options. Love him! I'm wearing the Aliens Convent themed Observer outfit by Somnium. It's a complete outfit including hands, so you really only need to make sure the head fits for any style avatar to wear it. The Xenomorph-like  Helmet by Ivy includes tattoo layers for shading on the face, and texture change hud. The grey Fralin skin by Stringer Mausoleum is perfect for the Caretaker and its EvoX too. The Symbiote Scissor weapon by Artemisia has 2 huds for textures and attack animations. The Skybox and Pods are by Celeste. They are both mod which was super handy for me to change things up a bit to create the inside of large alien spaceship. Adding to the organic feel of the ship,  is What's Lost Spirit's Fear buildings that function as pillars lining the cargo bay and acting as the main pod pillar.

On him, The Caretaker:
Outfit: Somnium The Observer [mesh](Necrotize)(550L)
Helmet: IVY Lyrae Headpiece [mesh](Necrotize)(375L)
Weapon: Artemisia Symbiote Scissor [mesh](Necrotize)(600L)
Eyes: IKON Deadshine Eyes - Quicksilver [mesh](150L)
Skin: The Stringer Mausoleum Fralin Grey, ExoX  [BOM](Necrotize)(299L)
Head: LeLUTKA Kane Evolution .2.5 [mesh](3990L)
Pose: Del May DM - Twirl prep (50L)

Setting:
SpiderMac: Shard Makilltosh [mesh](Necrotize)(489L)
Vine Building: What's Lost Spirits WLS Fear [mesh](Necrotize)(388L)
Pods: Celeste The Pod [mesh](Necrotize)(262L)
Skybox: Celeste The Chamber [mesh](Necrotize)(187L)

Midnight Order: The Grand Masquerade

(click to enlarge)

STORYLINE: It all started with the ringing of a tiny bell. Cornelius had been engrossed in a book when a stunning woman stepped inside the bookstore and asked the shopkeeper about a rare out of print book. Normally his mind was focused on invention, he wasn't one to chase after a skirt. However, he began to visit that little bookstore more frequently. He told himself it was research, but in truth he was hoping to see her again. And see her again he did. She was strolling down the aisles, picking up books. He nodded. "...Yes, yes. Excellent choice. A lady of good taste." And then She looked directly at him and smiled. What she said, he had no idea. He forgot his own name. She laughed and took the book he had desperately been pretending to read and turned up right side up. Normally he would have been quite embarrassed, but all he could think was "she smiled at me." So it came as quite a shock the next day he discovered his mystery woman on the cover of the newspaper. She was the youngest daughter of the Queen's Knight family, and would be soon be picking a husband from the attendees of the Grand Masquerade. He had no invitation. He had no hope to win the hand of such an amazing lady. But he felt if he didn't tell her his true feelings, it would kill him. Words failed him in her presence, so he created a beautiful ruby mechanical heart. His plan was to sneak into the ball before it started, and offer it to her.

Are you wanting something gothic and elegant in this month of love? Well I have some some good news for you, Midnight Order is a debut event by SLS folks, and there are fantastic items to drool over. Be sure to check it out!

On Him, Cornelius:

Outfit: AsteroidBox Sabien Outfit - Legacy (M) - Fatpack [mesh](Midnight Order)(299L)

Cape, sash: Salem Apostle Cape Silver Rigged M [mesh](Midnight Order)(299L)

Heart: Reliquary !R! The Lodestone Heart [mesh](Midnight Order)(399L)

Mask: Moon Amore Lucrezia Masquerade Wearable Silver, gacha [mesh]

Hair: Wasabi Pills Cayden Mesh Hair [mesh](250L)
Claws: L'Emporio&PL Oblio Vampire Claws male [mesh](350L)

Head: LeLUTKA Kane Evolution .2.5 [mesh](3990L)

Body: TheShops [BODY] Athletic Meshbody (Legacy)(m) (1.0) [mesh](5000L)
Pose: Del May Standstill

On Her, Blair:
Guest Appearance: Aarya Phantomhive of the Dark Phantom blog. Her side of this story here.

Dress: tosksik Descent Dress[mesh](Midnight Order)(360L)

Hair: Ravenbell Celeste Hair [mesh](Midnight Order)(250L)

Mask: Moon Amore Lucrezia Masquerade Holdable Black, gacha [mesh]

Pose: Unholy Duality [UD] Eeve - pose 5 - mirror (Mainframe)(149L) 

Setting:

Ballroom: Death Row DRD MB ballroom RARE, Mystic Bastion gacha Full Set [mesh](7500L)