all year round, the ancient giving tree stands bare in the south, a tall and foreboding sight, branches bereft of the evergreen needles the rest of its kind boasts. but on the coldest day of winter, 25 DECEMBER, the giving tree unfurls its leaves and blooms for this single day, blessing faes all across the barrier with a gift from mother magic. unlike the large red ribbons that typically adorn one’s presents, the giving tree’s gift is held within a tiny sprout, blooming in the path of all faes it chooses to bless on this day. faes have learnt to keep a keen eye out on this sacred day, for the sprout is easy to miss due to its small stature. in honour of the giving tree, it’s become tradition to give to your loved ones in the hopes that the ancient giving tree will give to you, too. so come one, come all, on this GIVING DAY, to celebrate the season of giving! and remember, should you find the sprout that is meant for you, care for it so that it may bloom and unveil your wondrous gift.
OUT OF CHARACTER DETAILS happy holidays, everyone! to celebrate, the admod team has put together a little optional gift-giving season for everyone! below is a list of locations where a sprout can be found as well as some clues as to what the gift may be! to participate in this task, please REPLY to this post and specify which sprout you wish to appear in your muse’s path. once it’s been indicated that your sprout has been reserved, you will need to write a solo regarding how your muse found the sprout and what they’ve done to help it bloom. a hint to help the sprout bloom: the giving tree rewards compassion and kindness! once you’ve written the solo, we’ll unveil your present in your SUBMIT box, so make sure it’s open ♡
in addition to this task, please feel free to send other muses little presents through the ASK box! have a lovely holiday season, everyone!
hiding between the shelves in the CENTRAL DOME’S LIBRARY, an unremarkable pale white bud seems to, almost eerily, flicker in and out of existence. / @wxkahi
along the SHORELINE OF THE YELLOW SEA, a cerulean blue bud peeks, dotted with white that’s reminiscent of frothy waves glinting along the sea.
twined around the gates of the PARLIAMENT HOUSE, a cardinal vermillion bud lets off steam in the cold winter air, petals streaked with a sunshine hue. / @wxkinam
two vibrant yellow buds appear on either side of FOREST OF FLOWERS’ entrance. it appears to be the perfect mirror to each other, its budding leaves swaying identically to the left or right as the wind blows. / @wxseulki
an evergreen bud pokes its head out at the base of MARUHAN’S STATUE in the south, pleased to rest at the foot of the great fairy. / @wxyiseul
growing vertically through the hairline crack in SEOHAE MALL’s concrete floor is a ruby bud fading into the orange of a lion’s mane.
along the path to MARUHAN’S SHRINE, an unremarkable sprout with fluffy white fractals stands firm against the wind. oddly, its budding leaves sway the opposite direction to which the wind blows. / @haksuwx
an electric yellow bud rapidly grows into a sleek ellipse, scattered along the pavement to the BUSINESS DISTRICT.
a large indigo bud surrounded by freckles of seeds soon to sprout. the bud peeks through the windowsill of one of the academy’s CLASSROOMS on a co-ed floor. / @wxjunho
a deep navy bud with petals dotted a glimmering yellow, blossoming at the heart of the academy’s NORTHWEST COURTYARD. / @wxjihyun
high up on the roof of a house in the EAST RESIDENTIAL AREA, a powder blue bud sways on the top corner. as you approach, the bud disappears in a blink of an eye, then appears to your right. / @wxbeomseok
an emerald green bud with a comforting, yellow glow surrounding its leaves. its long stem coils protectively around a withered fern in the academy’s GREENHOUSE. / @wxnabi
right below the signboard of LOVE&PET lies a cheery peach bud, spotted with calico colours. one of the pets give an approving squeak to the bud, pleased to see the sprout.
on MARIPOSA BOUTIQUE’s cashier counter, a singular sprout with extensive branches of multi-coloured buds, ranging from the palest pinks to the richest indigos. / @wxbitna
a soft cream bud that sways even in the absence of wind, tucked in the corner of the CUPCAKE CAFE’s window. as you approach the bud, you hear an inviting whisper greeting you. / @wxhaeun
a miniature bud grows in the top corner of the MUSEUM OF MAGIC’s fashion exhibit. it has three blooming petals, each with a different pattern. the first is of tiger stripes, the second akin to a red fabric with white spots, and the third is a sparkling aquamarine. / @yeongsukwx
a brilliant crimson bud curls its elongated stem around DALKOMMCHA’s bubble tea display. upon closer inspection, the petals seem to have the appearance of scales. / @sooyunwx
a miniature technicolour bud grows around the handrail of the ACADEMY’S STAIRCASE, its roots completely exposed. the edges of the bud is lined with black, as though sketched. / @wxjeongmin
on the edge of the WEST’S BOUNDARIES, a bud perseveres against the cracked soil. its large petals alternate in colour, with midnight blue and firetruck red overlapping throughout the bud.
a plain white bud greets passersby at the entrance of a NORTH RESIDENTIAL APARTMENT BUILDING, tinged a sunny yellow as someone whistles cheerily past it, and fades to blue when another hangs their head down as they leave.
ADDITIONAL INFO please note that this task, in character, occurs five days before the ongoing event. the sprout will unveil your gift rapidly and within seconds once your muses have helped the sprout bloom!
TAGS please remember to tag the task thread related to this event with wx:givingtree!
DURATION IC WISE, your fairy will receive the sprout on 25 DECEMBER. OOC WISE, this task will run from 24 DECEMBER to 14 JANUARY, 10PM KST. you are free to write the solo any time during this period to obtain the gift! regardless, you may incorporate the gift into your threads at any time you wish, even after this task is over.
POINTS if you’d like to participate in this task, please go ahead and claim an additional +4 PTS with your self para! do remember to note this in your points log! you may find more information on how our points system works here.
ft. @wxjihyun
SNOW MOUNTAINS, 35.4943° N, 123.7965° E
hmm… so maybe kitae had a point.
it’s not like beomseok didn’t trust his little brother. for who could know him better? through and through, if not for the boy with the same trident tattoo? but the tightrope between life and death has no place for lies and half-truths, so he’ll confess, he’s been a bit of a sinner. assumed the role of doubting thomas from the moment kitae proclaimed that beomseok was made for a place like this—this, being this… jungle gym of an academy. but he hears it now, the rumbling of retribution that sounds a whole lot like the taunting laughter only he knows kitae has the capacity to muster. feels the ground quake in the same way his veins thrum at the promise of adventure.
and what he means is this? he fucking loves this. laps it greedily up like the dribble of milk along the carton’s side.
when the ground quivers, it moans his name, and beomseok pays his partner a knowing look topped off with a devilish smirk, “guess that’s my cue.” and it’s as though he’s immune to the earth’s increasing tremors—the dead giveaway that the monstrous serpent is fast approaching in the valley—for casual is the way he walks in reverse as he balances his weapon in one hand, all in an effort to keep his eyes cockily locked on jihyun. it doesn’t take long before his heels kiss the cliff’s edge.
“catch you on the flip side, beautiful,” and it’s almost a glitch in time, the way the slow wink is succeeded with the lean back into the rapid fall. and fall he does, head first as he dives towards the beast with his trident’s teeth. and somehow, this frightful acceleration works in his favour, gives his weapon enough momentum that it sinks its fangs into the serpent’s shedding tail. it’s in this way that he uses it as an anchor, grips and spins around the sturdy shaft of his weapon as he narrowly misses falling into the snow. beomseok hangs, chuckles in relief that the plan he’d gambled on worked, though the preceding intake of breath between his clenched teeth betrays the deltoid strain he’s gained from the whiplash. but never mind all that, he’ll work off the adrenaline from his brush with death to hoist himself up onto the moving beast’s scaly back.
except it’s not as feasible as he’d naively assumed it was going to be. struggles with the cumbersome movements the way a novice would before he’s finally, on both hands and knees, atop the beast’s back. he frees his trident from its anchored position, uses it as a crutch to help him stand, but the beast’s rapid slithers only threaten to throw him off. so he moves slowly, works his way up from tail to head. and some point in this precarious journey, he lets his frustration show in the way he roars, “any day now, jihyun!”
our first optional task will be dropping THIS SATURDAY, 6 NOVEMBER at 10PM KST! this will be a training task located in the simulation rooms of the central dome, top floor. please note that the task will randomly pair up members and will last for 2 WEEKS, between 6 NOVEMBER to 20 NOVEMBER, 10PM KST. please REPLY to this post if you think you’d have the time and interest to participate so we know to include your muse in the lineup for the task! note that members who participate will be able to claim +4 PTS.
location: enchanted forest
beast: shadow anglerfish
🦢 w. @rorinwx
many are quick to call attention to the moments in the spotlight, at the heart of the action where one attempts the finicky pirouettes and double cabrioles in front of the animated crowd, but so few speak of the moments prior. that is, before the gaining of momentum. before the curtains are drawn. before the music cue, while the space exists as a pin drop silence.
bitna feels like she’s always caught in those moments.
and that is to say: she’s always privy to her drumming heart caught in the ridges of her throat, proximal to the eardrums, it’s deafening. and in these moments where they exist in a pocket of fear and anticipation, where the space remains ever so dark, as if the world is not yet ready to glance upon them, she learns to stop time. to be still as a meticulously carved sculpture, to hold her breath and steady her pose until the light streams in and the music cues for the hour to resume.
and she sees this cue now. watches a small glow swim first from right to centre, then split from one to two. she realises it then, that the shadow anglerfish is staring straight at them. catches its taunting growls in the undertone of her beating heart, as though a sickening predator toying with their prey before the slaughter. here’s a head start, it whispers, i’ll count to ten. bitna reaches her right arm out in the dark until it lands upon what she presumes is rorin’s arm, and she slides her fingers down to seize her dormmate’s palm in a tight hold.
“rorin…?” the name falls as a hesitant whisper as she keeps her eyes locked with the beast’s, “…run.”
