Cyber Fair: The Age of Apophis, part 1 (Escape from Club Apophis, 55)

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STORYLINE: Forbidden Zone border. A dark alleyway. Noon.

The street reeked of ozone, coffee, and fresh blood. Overturned vending machines lined the dirty cement alley. One knocked over vending machine bled shattered mugs across the concrete, their porcelain shards scattered like broken teeth. In the darkest corner, a group of ghouls hunched over a fresh kill.

A hush fell over the landscape as if all sound had suddenly been sucked out of the air.

One creature looked up. A human hand hung limp from its bloodstained jaws.

The asphalt began to vibrate with a deep hum. Low. Inhuman. Glass shook. The surface of spilled coffee rippled in waves.

The other ghouls stopped feeding and looked towards the sound.

A low unnatural fog drifted into the alleyway, rolling over the shattered mugs like an undulating white carpet.

The creatures stood, backing away from their feast.

Then they saw it. Gold eyes burned through the haze like hellfire.

A blur of motion. A flash of white. Jaws. Claws. The sickening sounds of tearing flesh. Monstrous howls echoed off the walls.

Standing at the mouth of the alleyway was a towering figure clad in a white Neu Seoul Police uniform, his low-slung cap throwing his face in shadow. Behind him, a black-and-white police hovercar idled above the fog, red and blue lights flashing.

The remaining ghouls burst through the mist, rushing the man all at once.

He didn’t flinch. His arm swept upward.

Too fast.

An energy field snapped open, the face of Sekhmet blazing within.

The first ghoul’s claws struck its energy barrier and skated off in a blinding spray of blue sparks.

The ghouls broke formation, but it was too late.

A cyberblade sliced through the pack with lethal heat.

The fight was over before it began.

The last ghoul dropped to its knees. “Have mercy..." its dry throat croaked. “My King, we starve..."
The officer looked down. His cyberblade flashed.

The severed head rolled across the slick pavement, bumping gently against the man’s heavy black boot. One milky eye stared upward at him in absolute horror. Then it faded, unfocused.

A mechanical voice spoke from the alley. “My King, all escapees are eliminated.”

A glossy white lioness padded lightly out of the fog, its metallic jaws splattered in black fluid. It paused before the man, and dropped a severed ghoul arm onto the pavement like a cat bringing a gift.

The man wiped the dripping black blood from his blade’s edge before both the sword and shield folded neatly back into his gauntlets. He unhooked his faceplate, revealing a handsome, chiseled visage. His gold eyes held the terrifying weight of a thousand lifetimes.

A crowd had gathered at the edge of the alley, recording the scene on lifted wrists and high-gain ocular implants.

A woman near the front lowered her camera slightly. Her recording kept running, but her smile vanished. She was not looking at the hero. She was staring at the strange badge on his jacket. A cobra with its fangs bared, swallowing the sun.

The Ruler of the Night was suddenly beside her.

A blast of wind whipped her hair across her face.

He snatched the camera from her hand and crushed it in his palm as if it were paper.

She gasped, her heel slipping in gore as she staggered backward.

His smoldering gaze then swept over the crowd, locking on the merchants cowering behind the nearest carts.

“You should not be running food stalls in this sector,” his deep rumbling baritone could be felt as well as heard. “The perimeter is unsafe. All contraband is forfeit. Go home.”

No one moved.

“NOW.” He swept one arm across the nearest cart. Skewers of Korean BBQ tumbled into the gutter.

The merchants turned and fled down the avenue abandoning their carts.

The Ruler of the Night did not watch them go. His eyes were on the lioness. "What news have you on the boy?"

The robotic beast settled beside him.

“Observe,” it projected security footage onto a grimy wall. “It is exactly as you predicted, my King. Their escape remains undetected.”

The flickering image showed a tall, muscular red-haired guard carrying the sleeping boy, his long white hair trailing across the floor. The guard was looking left and right as he crept out of the screen.

“Rewind.”

The lioness obeyed. “The relevant footage of the comatose boy begins at 6:32 pm.”

“Zoom in.”

The footage zoomed in on Jihoon, focusing on mist beginning to roll off his body.

“At 6:42 pm, REM sleep indicators.”

The footage zoomed back out, revealing the guard collapsing.

“At 6:53 pm, sensors detected a spike of energy at the exact moment the guard fainted.”

“Hmm.” The Ruler pointed to the fallen guard. “A call for help.”

“Yes, my King. The boy has exhibited two of your gifts. The mist and the extremely rare Dream Sight. He is immobile, not helpless. Congratulations, my King. You have created a strong fledgling. Does the child know the rules of the Blood Bond?”

The Ruler did not reply.

A slow, ruthless smile touched his lips. “Cancel the ceremony.”

The lioness’ heavy titanium tail stopped its rhythmic swaying.




On him, The Ruler of the Night:

Jacket: TRK - Losttune_Jacket_LEGACYM, white [mesh](CyberFair)(399L)

Cap: AURICA - Ray Cap [mesh](CyberFair)(249L)

Tattoo: MIDORI - Cyber Neck 07 [mesh](CyberFair)(399L)

Eyes: SHIMM - CYBER XV BONUS [BOM](CyberFair)(100L)

Pet: SEmotion Libellune - Felis Nexus Companion, Special [Animesh](CyberFair)(gacha 88L)

Sword: Mythic - [M] Claw Sword and Shield [mesh](CyberFair)(640L)

Pants: Savage - Blade Pants // LegacyM [mesh]

Boots: Gabriel - ::GB::Double belt metal boots, LEGACY, Black [mesh]

Headset: SOLE - SA Headset ARA2, Black [mesh]

Gloves: Archivefaction - Penumbra Gloves_Legacy M_Slim Fingers [mesh]

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

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

Pose: momomuller - 3M gogogo 1-1

Setting:

Vending Machine: Cerridwen's Cauldron - Scifi Black Honey Coffee [mesh](CyberFair)(499L)

Background: Zeroichi - REITO Backdrop [mesh](CyberFair)(560L)

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

Cyber Fair: A Voice in the Dark (Escape from Club Apophis, 45)

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STORYLINE:

Mission objective: Escape Club Apophis

Team: Jihoon / Lathandro
Location: The dreamscape in Jihoon’s mind

The void was a muffled, liquid grey. Gone were the familiar dreamscapes. It was like the void was constructing itself, trying to create an imposing building of obsidian but running out of instructions halfway through.

Outside, miles away, the real world hummed with frequencies he could barely grasp. The air of the real world tasted of clove smoke and static. He heard the rhythmic, heavy breathing of Kyle, standing guard. 

He focused on Kyle's breathing. Tried to reach toward it.

“Kyle,” his mind whispered. “I’m so cold.”

Kyle's breathing stopped. Just for a second.

The glass door swished open. He felt the bed give way as Kyle sat beside him. A blanket was pulled over him. It was warm and heavy. It smelled of earth and smoke, unmistakably Kyle.

Coincidence? Or had Kyle actually heard him?

He reached out with his mind again. “I’m hungry. So hungry.”

He heard something new. It sounded as if it were coming through a thick pane of soundproof glass. A mechanical hum, high-pitched and familiar. A reporter bot powering on.

Then Lisa Liemawr’s voice, sharp and suspicious: "Jihoon?"

A voice replied as “Jihoon.” But that wasn’t him, and that wasn’t his voice.

Jihoon went still in the void.

What’s happening out there?

He tried to open his eyes, but his eyelids felt like lead slabs. He tried to scream, but his lungs were filled with nothing but static. He was a prisoner in his own skin.

"Little Bookworm," a voice purred from the darkness. "Still wanting someone to save you? Pathetic."

Jihoon turned in the void. Lathandro was there, flickering like a holographic projection, looking utterly bored. He leaned against a glitching street light, looking like a male model in sleek latex from Monstrum Magazine. He sneered at his other half as he spun a digital dagger between his fingers.

"Leave me alone," Jihoon thought, his voice echoing in the hollow silence.

"I'll save you," Lathandro chuckled, a sound like glass breaking on silk. His dagger launched at Jihoon's head with deadly accuracy.

Jihoon held up a hand.

The dagger slammed into an invisible barrier. Violet lightning forked around Jihoon, spreading out from the point of impact. The blade melted and dripped from the barrier, sizzling as it struck the ground.

“You think I’m impressed?" Lathandro spat. "You think the richest blood was a gift? It's a trap. You sold yourself for power. The Ruler owns you now. You cannot disobey your master.”

Jihoon laughed softly. “You’re no better than me. I know your secret. I remember it all now. You only exist because you submitted to MasterGin. While I am what escaped before he could finish.”

A beat of silence. Lathandro's holographic form glitched for a second.

“So what. You’re still terrified. Admit it. The Opening of the Mouth is tomorrow."

“Stupid name. Like something a quack dentist would call an appointment.”

Lathandro leaned against the street light. The corner of his mouth curled upward. “On that point we agree."

“Progress. I’ll take it.”

The darkness softened around him. The void became something briefly familiar, Jihoon’s apartment. Scrappy 2’s ears perked up and his tail began to wag, before it disappeared again.

Jihoon smiled lightly, and looked toward the faint light in the distance of the "outside." He thought of the lecture halls at Jae Won. He thought of Minjo, the way she looked when she laughed, a memory so mundane and warm it felt like a holy relic compared to this surreal neon-lit hell.

"I just wanted to graduate," Jihoon whispered to the void. "I want to be... me."

“You died, idiot.” Lathandro’s voice dripped with mockery. “How many times do I need to say it? You can’t go back to hiding in a library, especially now that your body holds the blood of the most powerful vampire who ever lived. Honestly, I don’t know how we are the same person. You’re so stupid.”

"Easy for you to say."

"Because I'm the part of us that admits what we wanted."

Jihoon felt a sudden, sharp ache in his chest.

The dreamscape cracked open.

For a moment, the grey void vanished.

Throbbing music. Pulsing cyan lights. Perfume. Smoke. Laughter.

Club Apophis.

A thousand beautiful strangers turned toward him at once, wishing him a happy birthday.

The Lost one. The Chosen One. Prince. The words echoed through his memory.

MasterGin's hand on his shoulder. Warm. Proud. Possessive. The faint scent of clove and expensive cologne.

"What do you want for your birthday, dear boy?"

The answer came from both of them at the same time.

“I don't want to be small anymore." 

And also, “I want to be like you."

Both boys looked at each other.

Jihoon blinked. "Which was it?"

"Both?” Lathandro shrugged.

The memory shattered.

Fragments rained between them like a broken mirror, clinking like tiny bells.

Jihoon saw his face in the fragments, one side was his old nerdy self and other side the photogenic Lathandro.

"I was drunk," Jihoon blurted. "Drunk out of my mind. God knows what was in those glowing green drinks they kept feeding me.”

Lathandro laughed softly. "Cosmic Snake piss probably.”

Jihoon cringed.

Lathandro looked at him. For once, he was the one who looked sad. "Why did you run? Why did you flee Club Apophis?”

Jihoon took a moment to collect his thoughts before he replied. “Beauty. Thrills. Power. They're fun for a while. But when everything falls apart, you don't remember the parties. You remember who stayed."

“You mean love?" Lathandro laughed bitterly. "That's rich coming from you. You think only human love counts? You’re a monster too. At least I haven’t forgotten who is dragging us back from the grave.”

The boys sat silently, pondering it all.

“I wonder…,” Jihoon said quietly. “What happens if the ceremony fails?”

"It won’t.” Lathandro folded his arms confidently. “We will awaken, and the Age of Apophis will begin."

Jihoon's head jerked up. "What? What are you talking about?”

“Don’t look at me with those sad, confused puppy dog eyes. Isn't it obvious?" Lathandro leaned in, his face inches from Jihoon’s, his eyes burning with a dark, predatory fervor. “I’m gonna kill the Ruler of the Night.”

The void cracked.

A hairline fracture spreading across the grey like glass under pressure.

Then it sealed itself.

Jihoon stared as his thoughts scattered, leaving something deep and unnameable to stir inside him.

Lathandro grinned, a smile that was beautiful and entirely wrong. “Don’t look so shocked. The old order is failing. Look around. Monstrum is the last dying breath of an ancient tyrant’s attempt to hold onto power. He can barely understand our technologic world. When we wake up, everything The Ruler built is going to collapse. Everything he owns is going to be ours. Don't get in the way, Bookworm.”

Jihoon tried to look away, but Lathandro gripped his chin, forcing him to witness the ambition burning in his own reflection. He watched his own pupils dilate with something he didn't want to name.

Jihoon closed his eyes.

Outside, Kyle's breathing was steady.

He held onto that.

Cyber Fair has two shopping days left. If you haven't visited yet, head over this weekend.    ....At long last, Lathandro makes his debut in the year long series. His look is inspired by items at Cyber Fair, snakes, and a fractured personality.   ....From Abyssal is the wonderful Protocol catsuit for men with fantastic textures in PBR and Legacy. The flatpack includes all texture choices, for adjusting the all the material zones on the suit. Matching gear include the Protocol gloves and boots with the same texture options.  And there is a version of this suit for women too.   ...From Excy is a fun cyber hairclip. Is its receiving signals from the net or jacking the wearer into the Hive? Who knows. There are several texture options to choose from. It's unrigged for easy placement.   ...From TRK are the epic Dawnbringer Canon and Halo. I love the cartoon outline on the canons. You can resize them by touching for a popup menu, and use the texture hud to change the textures. Note: the Cannons do not have weapon scripts in them.  ....From Yuebin is the Fallen Saint leather jacket, drapped seductively from one shoulder, available at Lewd Station. (Meanwhile the normal fit version is at the Salvage Station, Dead Romance.) Both versions of the jacket come with a hud to switch out the textures.   ...From Zeroichi is the Crimson Watch Backdrop. You get a copy or mod version of the set. I used the mod version for this image, since I like to control the lighting.

On him, Lathandro:

Outfit: ABYSSAL - PROTOCOL gloves, catsuit, boots, Legacy M, fatpack [mesh](CyberFair)(2777L)

Hair Clip: Excy - X Clip - X-Metric [mesh](CyberFair)(219L)

Canons: TRK - Dawnbringer Canons [v2] [mesh](CyberFair)(499L)

Halo: TRK - Dawnbringer Halo [mesh](CyberFair)(499L)

Jacket: YUEBIN - Fallen Saint Jacket - [Legacy (m) + Ath] [mesh]

Hair: Aii - Necromantic Hair, HAIR HELL [mesh]

Pet: AxisMundi - SerpentHagoromo-BShort-LARGE [animesh]

Body snakes: HEIKE - Viper's Embrace -Arms, Legs(Legacy M) [mesh]

Claws: Static - Hexxus Symbiote {Black} Legacy M [mesh]

Skin: outernaked - #evox - juhoon skin [NF: natural] - wb

Head, bloody tattoos: LeLUTKA - Kane Evolution [mesh](3990L)

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

Setting:
Setting: ZEROICHI - Crimson Watch Backdrop, mod [mesh](CyberFair)(560L)

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