MARCH EVENT/TDM

[monstertruckers]

code

The Convoy leaves the mountains behind and sets off across a long expanse of strangely bleached and tangled up land. The landscape is littered with both Husks and spent moon shards alike… Along with strange ruins and remnants that clearly don’t belong to the wilderness.

And always on the horizon is a mass of buildings; a shining city that doesn’t seem affected by the chaos and ruins dotting the landscape. The Convoy database continues to try to update, but can only label the location as “Nirvana” and leave the information corrupted.

The surrounding landscape is match for the database: These lands are twisted. And navigating them to reach Nirvana is going to be a task.

01: PATH OF SPIRES

Dotting the landscape are tall spires glowing with ominious light. Moonshards have been gathered together and carved into radio tower spires and fixed with glyphs that mirror Sigils. Various Husks rest against the spires, and it’s clear that they gave their lives up to create these structures. The worst of the environment twists are centered around these spires, like they’re acting as magnets to Warps and sparing the rest of the area. Drawing close to the spires results in whispers in the ears of the Drifter, and seeping in through the speakers of their phones or vehicles.

“We can’t let them destroy what we’ve built. They’ve already sundered so much of the world… Whether it’s Tears or Wardens, they can’t be trusted. We turn our backs on them, we renounce what we used to be.”

Skeletons of monsters drift around the spires, orbiting in weird halos. Coming into contact with either the spires or their halos results in the spire trying to absorb the Drifter, even as it heals them of any wounds and tries to pull their changes out of them. The Spires also try to broadcast any thoughts or strong the emotions the Drifter is feeling to those nearby; that transmission disrupts the spire just long enough to pull at trapped Drifter free.

02: SUMMONING CIRCLE

New Drifters arrive in a bleached out garage, looking like color and life has been drained out of the structure. Broken down walls are crumbling away, which at least makes it easy to get outside. A collection of spires rings the garage, but many of them are broken and give off sparks instead of drawing Drifters into them. It's enough to let people make a break for it, into the wilds.

There’s dark shapes prowling around the periphery… And strange metal, humanoid Husks gathered all around the towers. The towers give off faint, whispering messages that can be heard through the radios lining the garage.

“Nirvana… Imminent. Last leg of the journey almost complete. Advised to find your vehicles, and adjust to your powers and forms.”

03: START UP

Outside of the ruined garage, one can see there are various cars ringing the structure. Most of them are parked near the garage, but a few of them are placed near the towers. Approaching them increases the odd humming transmission in the Drifter’s ears: various snatches of information about Nirvana, and how it is only weeks away. That it is a safe haven from the rest of the chaos.

There’s also a certain connection between different newcomers and cars. Something that suggests a particular vehicle is theirs, backed up by possessing the key to that vehicle. The key to the vehicle may already be in the ignition, on the dashboard… It may have even been on their person, ever since they woke up in that garage. Either way, Drifters have the keys to the vehicle now.

…But there’s a few rough edges on these vehicles. Flat tires, cracked windows and mirrors, maybe some stuck doors and locks; all of them the sort of thing that requires two pairs of hands and supplies. The garage can take care of the supplies… Now it’s just a matter of finding some extra hands.

04: CROOKED PATH

The landscape is twisted, even on the road. And the further one travels, the warping of the land becomes more volatile. Stepping off the road results in hostile terrain that fluctuates depending on the time of day.

During the daylight hours, the grounds are rife with streams of aether. The aether behaves almost like water with how it flows and refreshes those who come in contact with it. But while contact can heal, it also transforms Drifters by imparting Angel traits. Staring into the aether streams can also show people visions of "could have beens" in a Drifter’s life in a positive and hopeful way, and share those wishes with other people.

At night the landscape begins to burn, with streams of fire and lava. The unchanged aether currents react by flowing upwards and away from the fires as far as possible. It’s possible to ride the aether currents; either on wings, on feet, or on very swift and lightweight vehicles. Those who can’t avoid the lava will either be burned or forcefully turned into demons. They will also catch visions of potential disasters and nightmares that could happen in their lives… And these visions are easily visible to other characters.

05: THE HUNTER

Something else stalks the twisted lands; something that travels in a pack, and dwarfs even the Convoy. It walks on taloned legs that shriek with rust and metal on each thundering step. It keeps a maw full of steel teeth close to the ground, seeking out prey… And when it opens that mouth, a distorted roar spills out.

Once it comes into view, the Convoy screeches to a halt and throws up its shields, while blaring an alarm. An automated voice urges Drifters: “Remnant monster approaching. Seek shelter in the shields or retreat immediately. Remnants are hostile weapons of the Steel Wardens, seek shelter immediately.”

And as the monster sees an old, rusted car and pounces on it, it becomes clear why the Convoy must hide behind its shields. The Remnant monster looks like a dinosaur built out of machinery, and is hungry to absorb more… Or to simply make a meal out of any flesh and blood creatures it can find. The database urgently blurts all of this out... Even as the Remnant turns towards the Convoy.

05-A: THE CHASE

The pack of robot t-rexes attack the Convoy, trying to beat down and break the shields. This close up, Drifters can see all the various vehicles and scrap that make up the robot… And worryingly, how some of those electrical components look almost human or cyborg based. They could easily have belonged to the Steel Wardens. A strange droning sound emits from the speakers; sounds that could be a creed or a doctrine, all blended together with snarls and roars.

It’s clear the Convoy won’t be able to last forever under this assault. Fast Vehicles are needed to act as bait, and lead the Rexes away from the Convoy. Meanwhile, Tough vehicles need to brave the off road warp conditions to see if they can find something to help weaken these monsters, or find a hiding place.

05-B: THE DOCTRINE

During this time the Remnant gives off a piercing roar while attacking and chasing vehicles. And now there’s words audible in that roar:

“We are denied a place in Paradise, because of our zeal… We do what we must, what we know. We hunt.”

The Rexes do their best to run cars down, trying to throw them off their wheels or paralyze the drivers with a thundering roar and shaking footsteps. The Warden’s Doctrine also spills out of the speakers, causing adverse effects for any Drifters who listen too closely. At close range The Doctrine weakens monsters by driving them feral and activating all of their monster traits at once.

Those speakers will need to be silenced if anyone wishes to go toe to toe with the Rexes. And since no one can get in close at the moment, that means either ranged attacks and magic to temporarily silence the speakers. Fortunately, there’s a tool for disabling the speakers permanently, close by.

06: SPIRE ANTENNA

The burnt out moon shards forming the towers aren’t that burnt out, after all. And they seem to be providing some power to the spires, along with a strange and almost melodic hum. There’s a build up of residue that needs to be torn off the towers, as they seem to be muffling the transmission…

And there’s still the Rexes prowling the landscape. But any time the robots get close to the towers, they reel back in pain or confusion. It seems that once these Spires are cleaned, their sound should be boosted. The coating can be burned or washed away.

And once they do, the hum is amplified and overwhelms the Doctrine; the speakers on the Rexes short circuit, busting out completely. It leaves the Rexes reeling and retreating away from their attacks on the Convoy. Other attacks can also short circuit the speakers, leading to similar results.

07: SHATTERED TEMPLE

The closer the Drifters get to the city the more old ruins crop up; they look far more ancient than many of the structures previously encountered, like they belonged to an ancient temple, long since exploded and had various pieces thrown across the landscape.

There’s still some strength left in the old stones, and it’s possible to duck into the ruins and evade the monsters swarming the lands. Old cloisters can also be turned into improvised parking garages. And while the hazards outside are kept at bay… There’s the various altars to investigate.

There’s always an altar in each of the ruins, along with the usual incense smoke and stained glass decorating the halls. The symbol of the Silver Tears has been painstakingly, artistically carved onto each one. Along with a scripture. Coming into any contact with the altars, or even staying there long enough to read the inscriptions can also activate event monster traits… Or swap them between Drifters.

Those who visit more than one shrine may also find their monster forms becoming more fluid, enabling them to swap or fuse as they need to… Which may prove to be very important in facing against the robot T-rexes.

07-A: SCRIPTURE

Snatches of the following text can also be found all over the shrines:
“Those not forsaken by the moon, we’ve called to you across worlds. We are no longer worthy of carrying the blessing, so it falls to you. Bring the gift back to the Moon, where its body lays shattered… Just beyond the reach of Nirvana.

Listen to our tale, know the truth of your blessing and our woe. When the creator shaped our world, a spark of brilliance and madness was placed in us. A fragment of the divine. But our flesh was too weak to hold such a thing. Our bodies needed to change to better accommodate that blessing, to wield the magic and knowledge. Sometimes. Many times. It drove us mad. But we were determined to master it… Until the Creator took pity on us, took much of the power and sealed itself and the blessing into our moon. Trying to protect us and purify the blessing… Though pieces still found their way to Revan. Moonshards to transform us, test us.

But of course, the wretched Wardens viewed it as a curse. Hunted the blessed to ‘safe guard’ humanity, unaware how they stifled us. Almost hunted the blessing to extinction. We’ve had no choice but to try and awaken the Creator, to break the moon open and release the secrets once again… No matter what it may do.”

08: MONSTER SHIFT

Due to the twisted energy and moon warps wracking the landscape, Drifters can also find themselves gripped by changes in turn. Two monsters reflect two extremes of the landscape and try to manifest in Drifters. Angels and Demons are both available, with the following traits:

+Chaos Pull: Drawn to places of chaos and conflict. The wilds are an especially powerful draw.
+Order Pull: Drawn to places of order and tranquility. The Convoy shields are a powerful draw, as are the shrines and temples.
+Light Switch: Monster powers and traits grow more powerful when bathed in light, whether that's daylight or headlights.
+Night Switch: Darkness powers up monster traits and powers.
+Hellfire Surge: The nighttime lava and fires cause hellfire powers to grow in power, but also lose control and fires grow more chaotic.
+Heavenly Surge: Contact with the aetherstreams boosts holy and light powers to a high degree, but leaves the Drifter half blinded from using them.

09: METAL MOSH

Since the Doctrine speakers have failed, the Rexes are all the more eager to hunt down the Drifters and consume them and their vehicles. Fire leaks out of the jaws to try and melt metal. And equally worrying, the dinosaur can combine that with a sonic scream/roar, to make a combustive hunting cry.

The Rexes try to use this cry to ignite anything in a cone in front of it; flesh, plant, or anything flammable. If there is nothing to take the impact, it super heats the ground and turns the dried sand to glass. If the Rexes manage to weaken anything with their roars, they try to close with fang and claw. The robots also become briefly disoriented after using its roar, leaving them vulnerable.

The Rexes would sooner be destroyed… Which considering the capacities of fused and empowered Drifters, is more than doable. Due to assorted attacks and mishaps with the tower spires, there is also one Rex that is too weakened to fight back, and all of its vital circuits are exposed and open for reprograming. When the Rexes are reduced to scrap and exactly one is tamed due to player feedback, the Convoy can finally continue on.

MICRO ENCOUNTERS:

PLEASE NOTE! These are small bits of set dressing for players to include in threads if they wish, rather than full fledged prompts or events. You may handwave your exploration of these areas, or thread them out.

1. Twist: The landscape isn’t always content to stay in the same shape. In fact, it seems conflicted between being a bleached out desert and badlands, and warping into a landscape populated with venomous and vivid plant life. Said plants have a way of causing wracking pains or vivid hallucinations with too much exposure; either way it’s advised to step carefully.
2. Torment: The pathway off the roads is sometimes lined with spikes, ready to pierce all but the Toughest tires and feet. And if the ground draws up blood, it eagerly drinks it in and begins to shape a calcified echo of whatever it bled; the pale sculpture looks like it is in pain and shifts between various monster phases and forms the Drifter has experienced.
3. Warp Weather: The assorted moon shards have been pulled toward the towers. Gathered together their warping nature is channeled towards the sky. And various weather starts to unfold; auroras snake across the sky before turning to thunderstorms, then rain shifts into a fog that distorts sounds and melts into bright sunlight. The weather is wild and varied, and often hostile.

NAVIGATION

Comments

[rockitforme]

Rock, on instinct, couldn’t help but return that weak smile. The creature has siblings too, just like him! That’s a good thing to hear out of him, someone he could bond with during his darkest hour.

Still, he listens silently, nodding along slowly. Something about the creature’s speech feels rather familiar, almost comforting if you ask him. Not that he’ll admit it, but something worth noting.

“That’s —“ Rock starts to fumble with his words, twiddling his fingers, “— I am so sorry that the many of you had to go through that. I know what it’s like, especially when Ra Moon attempted to —“

Rock clears his throat, swallowing dryly as he attempts to — come on. Don’t let this stranger worry about you too; he already has enough on his plate to look after, he can’t possibly afford to have another, now can’t he?

“— it was so horrible. Everyone was hurting and —“

A strained sigh, and Rock shakes his head.

“I don’t even know if I want to go there, I am so sorry.”

[purplexing]

Donnie glances over at him again. There's baggage there that that small frame is carrying, that much is clear. Seems like almost everyone here has something big they're coming from.

"...no one's asking you to. I know it's going to be difficult to not think about what happened before you got here, but for now, it's the least of your problems. Trust me, things unfortunately are not going to be easy here, but it's nothing you need to tackle on your own."

He winces a bit.

"...I need that reminder too, a lot of the time."

[rockitforme]

Rock's frame slackens a bit, but he isn't too sure if it is out of relief or of exhaustion. Either answer works.

"I mean . . . I almost got eaten alive by those mechanical things when I first arrived, and I didn't have much choice but to go into hiding so they wouldn't keep trying to catch me," Rock sighed, burying his face into the palm of his hands. "There was only so much that I could do on my own, and I even got lost trying to find a way out."

Rock then lifts his head to meet the creature's eyes, a weak smile now resting on his lips.

"I'm just glad to have finally met a friendly face," Rock said, slowly extending a hand out to the stranger. "The name's Rock. Rock Light. What about you? I never got a chance to catch your name."

[purplexing]

Donnie shudders outright at the mention of those metal beasts, his left eye thinning to a narrow slit, the glow returning, if briefly, echoed with the flare of the right as the light within it brightens, and he curls in upon himself, tail wrapping about his legs.

He shakes his head. "They're not here, they're not here," he says under his breath, trying to calm himself.

Drawing in a deep breath, he lifts his head again as Rock reaches out. It might be a bit weird because he uncurls from himself enough to sniff at that hand first before seeming to remember there's more to the gesture and bringing up his own.

His arm seems a little longer than it should be, just enough to make it look off somehow, aside from it seeming so narrow as they taper towards his furry hands, but he's careful with his claws as his grasps Rock, like he's remembering how this process works.

"Donnie. Donatello Hamato, but Donnie is what I usually go by."

[rockitforme]

Rock winced upon seeing the stranger huddle up into a shaky pile of silent horror, his hand beginning to falter.

Crud, Rock. Don’t mess this up, please.

A pang of guilt began to stew within his core as he attempts to withdraw his hand away. Luckily, at the last minute, Rock was able to catch himself from removing whatever comfort the stranger could’ve had from him.

He deserves better. He definitely deserves better. He needs this now.

Shakily, Rock let out a deep sigh as he extends his hand out again, only to startle slightly upon feeling that warm, moist air tickle his fingers. He may be a robot, but not even robots are immune to being sniffed at!

Eventually, the stranger gently grips onto his hand and reveals himself to be —

“D-Donnie …” Rock couldn’t help but smile softly at the name, “I really like that.”

He then lays another hand over Donnie’s, and then let his grip tighten gently.

“It’s a nice name.”

[purplexing]

The smile reappears, shy, in a way. He manages not to pull his hand away. It was grounding, having contact, not being alone.

That curious set of eyes peers at him again, head tilting.

"You're not human, are you...?" It's not really a question so much as seeking confirmation.

[rockitforme]

“Ah —“ Rock blinks in surprise at the sudden question.

And to be honest, he couldn’t really blame Donnie for asking such a question. In fact, Rock might’ve done the same thing to Donnie given how nonexistent creatures like him are back at home!

Upon regaining his composure from blanking out on Donnie’s question, Rock ends up chuffing out a light-hearted giggle — a now rare noise to hear from the young boy these days.

“I mean — you’re not human either too!” Rock quipped in an attempt to alleviate the dreary atmosphere, “But you’re definitely right. Doctor Light created me and the rest of my siblings back at home …”

Rock’s smile fades away slightly, but he swallows that frown away quickly.

“You said you have siblings too, right?”

[purplexing]

His eyes brighten, not in the glowing sense, but for the intelligence behind it, the intellect that Donnie prides himself on.

"Incredible... Your Doctor Light made you well. I don't think anyone would be able to tell right off the back. I can smell the difference though, familiar scents. Synthetic, metal and oil..." He pulls back a little, embarrassed. "My scents are sharper now, but I'm no stranger to tech."

Donnie nods then. "I do. Three of them. They're here, well, two of them. And one alter-time variant."

[rockitforme]

“Of course!” Rock began to fumble over his words a bit, now lacing his fingers over Donnie’s hand, “I didn’t expect you to notice that so quickly! I have to tell him that you said ‘hi’ if we ever get to meet each others’ families.”

It was nice knowing that someone his age (or around that range) could finally connect with him, especially given the … well … circumstances of pretty much everything that has happened so far.

“And about you being familiar with tech …”

Oh boy.

“Did those … things try to eat you alive too? If so … then I’m horribly sorry that you also had to go through that too.”

He is so sorry for this, Donnie. He really is.

[purplexing]

Meeting each other's families... Donnie can't help but feel a pang of something in his chest. He could wish that it could be so simple. But they need to figure out how to get home, first.

His expression falls at that, but with Rock holding his hand, he can't draw away again, so he simply turns his head. The glow within his right eye socket flickers uneasily.

"Probably would have tried to eventually. Almost took off my head when I tried to drive them back. And then the words from the Wardens that they played..." He twitches, head shaking. "They sunk in, couldn't focus. Lost control of monster sides..."

[rockitforme]

Rock, in response, ends up mirroring Donnie’s fallen expression, his frown pulling at the corner of his lips as he carefully noted the way his new-found attempted to look away. Reluctantly, he loosens his grip around Donnie’s hand so the latter could slip out as he needs.

Maybe he shouldn’t have pushed at the subject if he knew Donnie would’ve had a bad reaction to it, but at the same time … he just had to know what is going on, especially with those mechanical beings in mind. Understanding, Rock winced upon that revelation. Ouch, indeed.

“I think …” Rock began slowly, “I think I might’ve also heard from them too. The voice wouldn’t stop leaving me alone until I left that place and I almost stumbled across those things. I don’t even remember what it tried to say to me, but is that why …”

Rock sadly looks at Donnie, especially with his claws and everything.

“Did the voice do that to you? Will it happen to me too?”

[purplexing]

He doesn't want to think about the voice, the words. They're such deceptively simple words too, stating an intent that Donnie knows all too well by now, so he doesn't understand why it's driven harpy and cerberus and what all else into such a maddened state. Perhaps there's something else behind the words. He just doesn't know, but just being reminded of them threatens to stir the droning doctrine back up in his mind.

Donnie pulls away, clasping his hands over his head as if to shut it out.

"-d-don't listen to it," he stammers, even though he knows the metal theropods are nowhere near at the moment. He squeezes his eye shut, light winking out of that socket, leaving its disturbing emptiness, somehow more unsettling than before. Perhaps it's a trick of the shadows, but for a brief moment as he ducks away, his silhouette seems all wrong, neck elongated into a head more canine-like save with sharper features.

[rockitforme]

Sheesh on many accounts.

Rock quickly draws his hands back as he nervously watches Donnie grasp at his own head. He doesn’t know what he’s even seeing right before his eyes, but whatever that was … he doesn’t like any of it.

From what Donnie managed to utter out to him, the voice that he heard upon his arrival is bad news.

“OK, OK, I won’t —“ Rock shakily takes a step back, his eyes unable to pull away from the sight. “Whatever I said, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to — I was just —“

He then falls into silence, his eyes now staring out to whoever is now in front of him.

“D-Donnie? Are you … are you OK?”

[purplexing]

Unfortunately Donnie has no idea that Rock is speaking of some other voice. He had no idea that somehow the radios were picking up messages from Nirvana. But the garage was miles back now, and he can't even be sure how far these ruins are from the rest of the Convoy.

The turtle-creature hisses, pulling his arms around himself.

"It's okay. It's okay we're okay, we're okay they're not here," he repeats, trying to convince himself, it seems. His tail lashes about, anxious, the rest of his body tensed like the curve of a bow being drawn back. He collapses to the floor with a whimper that sounds almost like the canine Rock had glimpsed, but Donnie still resembles the strangely mismatched creature that he'd first seen come out of the shadows.

"...we're okay..." he whispers, trying to catch his breath, eye still shut, but the rest of him finally relaxes again, tail ceasing its twitching, curling around him.

[rockitforme]

Rock almost jumps back in response, yelping out as he stumbled backwards to the ground. He lands roughly, and Rock grunts in pain. It could’ve been so much worse, and it already kind of is given Donnie’s reaction.

The young boy bites his lip painfully as he heard Donnie mutter to himself over and over again. It must’ve scarred him for life, be it the mechanical monsters or the voice that tried to turn him into his worst possible self.

What was he supposed to say?

Rock couldn’t help but swallow dryly as he manages to sit up into the same huddled position as Donnie, his gaze still trained on his panicking friend. Eventually, the silence became too painful to bear as Rock finally spoke up at long last.

“Donnie, when I managed to get inside the temple, those things were unable to follow me in,” Rock sighed shakily. “They were too large for their own good, so they eventually gave up and went elsewhere to hunt.”

The blue bomber hopes that his words were reassuring enough for Donnie, but deep down … how would he know if he was unable to find where he first started? All Rock could do was hope that the monsters did eventually lose interest in both him and Donnie …

[purplexing]

It's exhausting when you're at war with yourself. It's not even that Donnie's trying to fight against the monstrous traits that have twisted him into something different, not recently. But he knows that if they're allowed to go wild, they'll be easy prey for the metal tyrannosaurs, which is exactly what the Wardens probably want.

He lies there quietly, his one eye glancing over in Rock's direction although he can't quite see him very well from the angle he's in. It's not exactly reassuring to hear that the hunting monstrosities had been led here, and he doesn't trust that they won't just camp around and wait for their targets to emerge. But he hasn't heard them in some time now. Perhaps they've been drawn elsewhere. Perhaps Rock is right.

Sighing quietly, Donnie doesn't do much else for a good while, although eventually he shifts to lie on his side, in less of a ball. He swears he can feel every little bit of grit and pebbles and grime that coats the old floors but he doesn't care right now. But at some point he moves again, a hand fumbling at his belt pouch to pull out, of all things, a cellphone.

[rockitforme]

Rock wasn’t too sure what to make of Donnie suddenly pulling out his cellphone of all things.

Was he bored out of his mind? Was he trying to distract himself from the fact that Rock unintentionally made him upset about the voice and the mechanical monsters? Either way, Rock didn’t feel too comforted about the sudden movement … but at the same time, he himself never had a cellphone before! What was it like to own one?

He knows for sure that he shouldn’t be getting too close to Donnie, especially after being hissed at, but dang it what exactly was on his phone? It had to be something cool! Or at least something that could help them get out of this temple in one piece.

Curiously, Rock slowly made his way around Donnie, sheepishly keeping his distance while keeping his eyes on the prize. Donnie’s prize, not his, mind you.

[purplexing]

Sorry Rock, Donnie had meant nothing by it. It was still all too easy to agitate his creature-side, and they had not at all liked being reminded of the Warden doctrine and the beasts who carried it.

Donnie uses a knuckle to tap at the screen since his claws get in the way. Rock hasn't been forgotten though, and he doesn't seem annoyed by this encroachment of space. For all that the kid is a highly advanced construct, he seems to be programmed with a young personality to go with the youthful features.

He still doesn't feel like speaking, but he eventually holds his phone out to Rock to show him a picture. There's a lot, if Rock figures out how to swipe through them. Clearly it's of Donnie and his family. So he's always been green... But with a lot less...claws and wings and tail.

[rockitforme]

Rock's eyes sparkled upon being shown the phone, or at least the picture being contained within. With child-like curiosity, Rock gently swiped the picture, only to see another image. In each photo was Donnie himself . . . or at least, what he used to look like before arriving here.

Rock's expression faltered slightly the more images he swiped through. Oh, if only . . .

"You were happy then," Rock mused sadly, gently pulling his hand back. "I was too. I wish it didn't have to be this way for you and I."

He then sighed deeply, thinking of the comatose Roll and the rest of his siblings. At least they've managed to thwart Ra Moon's plans, but for what? For Rock to suddenly disappear the moment he was on death's doorstep?

Another sigh, albeit more subdued.

"When I first came here, I've heard that everyone is on their final destination to a place called Nirvana . . . what was it exactly? Will it help us all and return everything back to normal, Donnie?"

[purplexing]

"....safe haven," Donnie says quietly as he finds his voice again. "...the last remnant of this world not twisted by it...that's where they are."

He draws in a deep breath, bracing himself before he tries to push himself up from the floor.

"They called us here. They think we can help them, help their world."

[rockitforme]

"So everyone went into hiding to avoid the corruption of this world, right?"

It all makes sense now. With the barren ruins and the creatures that roam and the inhabitants hurting from the land's influence, no wonder that he, along with everyone else, would be called in as their last form of salvation.

Rock then tightens his jaw, a spark of determination blazing through his eyes.

"You said that you and everyone who has come here are helping each other . . . how can I help?"

[purplexing]

Donnie nods.

"You saw those weird spires out there, right? They're making this area particularly unstable by purposely drawing the chaotic powers that cause things to warp, to keep them away from Nirvana, our destination."

He lifts his clawed hands.

"But everything in this world starts changing, and everything in this world causes us to change. We've only been able to get this far because we've stayed with the Convoy, and we've been looking out for each other. Protect each other."

[rockitforme]

Rock silently nods at the question Donnie is trying to impose. He remembered seeing those spires scattered across the land when he first got out of the garage area, so learning of their purpose made him realize that they were more than just mere, spooky decorations.

"This . . . Convoy," Rock pipes in, albeit reluctantly so. "Was it protecting you and the others from the monsters? It seems to be very important to us from the way you speak of it."

[purplexing]

"Yes. It has a built in shield, and its main vehicles would receive directions from Nirvana. It was the only way we knew how to get to where we were supposed to. And the rest of the Convoy is made up of our own vehicles, found by the garages where we wake up in."

Donnie holds his hand out for his phone. It's still a precious thing for him, and it has his emergency backup for if he ever loses his mind again.

"We're becoming monsters ourselves, so sometimes...it's hard passing through the Convoy's shield when it's up." He imagines it won't be fun when he returns as he is now, stuck between forms.

[rockitforme]

Rock squeaks out a rather small noise, blinking back to realize that Donnie's phone was in his own grasp. Sheepishly, Rock gently hands over the phone, carefully placing it into one of Donnie's hands before withdrawing.

"Do you think that the Convoy was built by Nirvana to help guide us, Donnie?"

Now, he's curious.

"Is that why it knows when to shield itself from danger? I don't know if this is the correct observation, but from what you've said about the Convoy . . . it must've been sentient . . ."