((The TLDR rn is
North: on fire
Northeast: doing pretty ok
Northwest: slow death
East: doing ok
West: doing pretty ok
Southeast: it's over
Southwest: contestant defeated but it's still not good
South: it's over))

E
bsky.app/profile/ab-x...

EAST

A man with blue circuit-like markings on his face toiled in the fields alongside others, despite how out of place he looked.

While the others in the vicinity kept a slight distance, it was closer to reference than shunning.

He wiped at his brow under the hot sun, continuing to work.

"Yes. I am in agreement."

He folded his hands, his gaze growing sharp.

Lan possessed a quiet sort of elegance, an observer for the most part...but, a pressure could be felt in the room now that he'd made up his mind. He, too, was a man created from the greatest of conquerers.

"That I shall."

--to his. As that emperor's most trusted, most loyal, it was he who was chosen to ascend the throne upon his death." Lan began, tapping a finger upon the table in thought.

"He is earnest and loyal. I believe he may be at his most comfortable, familiar, when supporting another."

"Yes. If I am to evaluate my qualities and his objectively, our strengths must lie in cooperation." he agreed, setting his tea down without taking a sip.

It was difficult to enjoy it with such an ugly view.

"His name is Zan. Unlike we, who were Emperors from the first, he began as an advisor--

[OPEN]

The Southwest had fallen silent. The contestant who had conquered the region and established a ziggurat-like structure at its heart was now no more than a charred husk upon the floor of the throne room.

None rose to claim it after his death, but neither did the beasts retreat.

--surface of the tea.

"Put another way, those with less traditional qualities for conquest. I have reason to believe he may feel similarly to me regarding this contest."

He turned his gaze to the view outside the tower. Not beautiful at all. Destruction and death was all they were to bring.

If he took offense to the name, it didn't show with any certainty.

"Some of us were woken before others. According to Achia, it was those with more 'amicable temperaments'. It was Zan, who is stationed in the east, and myself, who woke first." he explained, lifting his cup, gazing into the--

((Okay uhhhh I'm so back trust. Yuan's section is handled, Wan Huan and Lan are being progged....... I'll reply to Lan's Soon tm))

((Chews miserably....oughh))

((!!!! Wtf better....))

((I wanna rp so bad but my evil anxiety ridden brain: What If Someone Is Mean (baseless)

Anyway soon tm, but feel free to dm me if there's a certain thing you want for ur thread ^~^))

((Hiii I'll continue soon, appreciate ur patience 🙏 kinda got my rp motivation sledgehammered by stuff and it's been hard to rp in large settings....yells... slowly rebuilding confidence though :3 if you don't wanna continue it's ok!!! But I'll be replying soon :3 appreciate u))

--I see you are not from this land."

He held a hand up, a gesture to wait as he continued to study something in the distance. His artificial, glowing pupil seemed to expand and contract, studying the sight before he merely grimaced, shaking his head and turning his attention to the newcomer.

"The interim leader of this region.--

--within his newly-built tower, that he finally spoke to the contrary.

"...we will attempt to ally with the east. The pieces are moving."

In the coming days, Lan prepared in his own way. Panther-like chimera patrolled his region, and while smoke would occasionally rise from the distance, Lan did not engage in combat, nor conquest in any meaningful way.

It was on one such idle day, drinking tea across the table from Seiji from--

His view was darkened by the wings of another beast that was coming towards him. His blood spilled and he hit the ground.

Any sign of weakness was a death sentence in this place. He was about to be set upon by all manner of beasts...better to get off the ground and away, if it was still possible.

Upon arrival, the scene was a dreary one. Supposedly this should have been a region of lush plant and animal life, but the stale stench of Azys Lla permeated the air.

Chimera were sparse, but present, not having noticed the two foreign elements yet. The land was recently scarred by battle.--

--snacks on the surfaces.

"So, you've infiltrated the enemy's base...alone."

With his instrument still in contact with Thancred's chin, he checked for weapons with his free hand.

"Ugh...that's about how I'd describe you, yeah."

His eye twitching, he sauntered forward, tilting his chin up with his crop. He was much shorter than Thancred... impish up close.

This lair of his was more what you'd expect of a messy room, clothing and papers all over the floor, half-eaten--

--arrival of Thancred in his little lair.

"Wha-- how did you--!? You're with those stupid invaders!" he accused, holding a riding-crop like weapon towards him. It had the markings of Allagan technology on it.

"Don't move, or I'll fry you!"

Thankfully, the only guarding *was* the minotaurs. Seemd Wan figured they'd be enough of a deterrent.

He arrived inside the structure. For all its height, it was rather small-- a pentagonal room with windows on all sides to see out...and none beneath. Thus was he utterly taken aback by the--

--could only hope he could hold his own in a match of pure strength.

One raised its weapon, stomping forward.

As they were outdoors with no particularly dark shadows save the area the Minotaurs were standing by in, he may have kept the hounds at bay, but only because they kept a distance from the larger beasts he was now drawing the ire of.

So much for stealth. With three of them fixated on him now, one--

--limbs sticking to the cracked ground. The smaller, more miserable ones were preyed upon by the larger, more able. One such had been what gored him, hidden by the mirage until the very last moment.

It was death as far as he could see.

The roaring snarling of the beast was disorienting, as it came right as he became aware of a large beast snapping at his throat. It missed narrowly, but clawed across his body on its descent back to hell.

Hell is what it was.

Ghoulish abyssal creatures stalked the dying lands, their half-melted--

There was no hunger in Lan's eyes, but there was determination, deep beneath the somewhat unsettled surface of his presentation.

"You shall have your fill."

It just kept going... it began at some point between the north and center, considering he could see just fine after takeoff, but the glimmers were infrequent. It was difficult to determine the exact span of whatever this was.