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Post by hoodwink on Mar 14, 2019 22:11:09 GMT -5
Vast green peaks lined the edge of this world, gushing flowing water from countless streams, shaded by the looming castle that seemed to hoist itself up into the air, leading into a small training grounds. The gigantic castle was white and gold, the building itself decreasing in width as it reached the ground, tall spires protruding from the roof. Two links of gold tether the castle to twin peaks that crack the sky. Having one major building with four smaller ones hoisted on the sides, also attached by golden links, the gigantic castle was indeed an impressive sight. The training grounds the castle loomed above were lined with thick shrubbery and gardens, almost causing one to think the world one of refuge. In between the realms of light and dark, this world was actually in quite a vulnerable state. Even the slightest tip in favor towards one side or the other could severely crash its balance, throwing the world into one realm or the other. Once a proud training grounds for key bearers of all types, this ancient and forgotten world was now quiet and isolated. Sitting on the golden steps of said castle was a tall teenager with vibrant orange hair, wearing a thin blue coat with loud orange pants. On his shoulder was a large steel grey Keyblade, his body hunched over as he rested his elbows on his knees. Gold-brown eyes gazed at the bright sky dappled with teal clouds, a scowl fixed on Henoke's face. "Heartless! Heartless! Heartless! Is that the only thing here!?" The Keyblade wielder had already been on this world most of the day, having spent most of it simply trying to get to the castle. The training grounds were large, but what few Heartless were left on this world continued to find him, drawn by the Keyblade. Henoke glared at the key he carried, lifting it in front of him as he muttered: "Things more inconvenient, than anything." He didn't really mean it, but he was frustrated. Allowing him the ability to open gates and travel to other worlds, the Keyblade was a powerful weapon. Henoke was just irritated at it because as of right now, he couldn't control where the weapon sent him. He was slow to admit that it was more of a user error, than anything else. Staring out into the open courtyard lined with hedges, Henoke's eyes caught movement. Dark pools emerged from the shadows of the world, Heartless emerging forth. There were twelve in total, eight Shadows and four Soldiers. Overall it wasn't a terrifying group, but Henoke was tired from his day of walking and the previous battles he had fought. "Really?" The teenager sounded almost bored, slowly standing up on the golden steps as he lowered his Keyblade to his side. Looking down at the yellow eyes that greeted him, a sigh escaped his lips. "I just can't catch a break." Leaping from the steps, both of his hands gripped the large weapon tightly as he brought it down in one powerful swing. CLANG! The steel gray blade rang against the concrete of the courtyard, the Shadow it had found evaporating into a dark mist beneath its weight, a tiny radiant heart escaping into the sky. Standing up straight, Henoke kept his weapon ahead of him, wielding it with both hands. The Heartless began to surround him as he took stock of his opponents, plotting his next move.
[[11 enemies remaining. 7 Shadows. 4 Soldiers.]]
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
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Post by ravenheart95 on Mar 15, 2019 0:11:17 GMT -5
Yuto emerged from his dark corridor and surveyed the new world he found himself on. Vast mountains, the bubbling of a nearby stream, and a massive castle in the distance. The world was beautifully stunning, and almost too serene. Aside from the sounds of nature, it was quiet. After his time in The Realm of Darkness, he learned that quiet came rarely and when it did it was seldom a good thing.
All that aside, he felt a sense of being home. On top of that, he was impressed that the corridor took him to another world and not back to that realm. He had to admit, a part of him was worried that that exact thing was going to happen. It would've been bad if that corridor was a one way from Scala to The Realm of Darkness.
"I need to learn more about this power and how to control it." He said to himself, looking off to the tower, which he now noticed had golden chains connected to it. "I should check that place out. I might find something there."
With that he ran off, bat in hand, to see what he could find.
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 15, 2019 8:15:18 GMT -5
Henoke stood his ground in the courtyard, never being one to back away from a challenge. How tired he was was irrelevant as he spun forward, swinging his Keyblade in a powerful arc that cleared another few Shadows in one swoop. As a Soldier cyclones its way through the air towards him, Henoke brought the weapon up instinctively, blocking the blow with a grunt as he was pushed back. Tch, I need to stop wasting time... He was wasting too much energy today, heaving his Keyblade for another punishing blow as a Soldier leapt through the air towards him yet again. Smacking it back into the ground, Henoke looked around his surroundings for any bright ideas. He hadn't managed to make it inside of the castle yet, though was curious as to what awaited. In the courtyard there were only small hedges and gardens, not offering much in the realm of improvisation. Pedaling backwards as a Shadow nearly clawed his leg, Henoke began to grow irritated at the creatures, hoisting his large Keyblade into the air as he threw the heavy weapon. "Raid!" The Keyblade spun in a circular disc motion, hurling through the air towards the group of Heartless.
Wisps of vapor evaporated into the air as four more hearts were released into the sky. The steel gray weapon returned to Henoke's hand, finding its way back to him as though a boomerang. I wonder if the castle is safe? Henoke glanced over his shoulder, staring at the large golden doors that sat upon the gold and white steps. If the Heartless were rampant on the outside, he wondered if the inside would offer any respite. Figuring it was worth a shot, the young Keyblade wielder turned on their heels, running back towards the steps. He ignored the scuffling sounds the Heartless made when following him.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Henoke holds his Keyblade in front of him with both hands as he closes his eyes. C'mon...open! A swirling light energy begins to surround him as he lifts the blade, pointing it directly at the door. A beam of white light erupts forth from the tip of the blade, beaming into the golden door of the castle. There is a loud click as the door slowly swings open. Excited to see his idea worked, Henoke turned just in time to bring up his Keyblade to block a blow from another Heartless.
Slashing back and forth in wide arcs to keep the Heartless at bay, the teen with orange hair slowly began to back his way up the stairs, heading towards the open entrance of the castle. The large arcs kept the Heartless at bay, his blade drawing them though threatening to them at the same time.
[[6 Heartless remaining. 4 Shadows, 2 Soldiers]]
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
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Age: 22
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Post by ravenheart95 on Mar 15, 2019 19:30:06 GMT -5
Yuto didn't walk far before he learned that this world was infested with heartless. Faced with the occasional stray, he decided that the best course of action would be to see if anyone was living in that castle and fid out why the heartless were here. He moved his blonde/brown hair out of his face and kept moving. After a few more areas and a couple more heartless, he found himself entering the courtyard of the castle. It was vastly larger than he thought it was. With multiple towers, all connected with golden chains, the small amount of dilapidation reminded him of home. He could tell that this was once a place for wielders to train, and was now left to crumble.
Sounds of fighting from the other side of the courtyard snapped him out of his train of thought. He searched around and saw a group of heartless chasing a teenager up the stairs of the castle. Yuto broke into a full sprint, praying that he could get to the teen in time.
I should be close enough for this to work. he thought as he drew his bat.
"Spin!" He shouted throwing his now flaming bat in a circular motion at a Shadow, causing it to erupt into a cloud of mist.
It worked better than he wanted it too, as some of the heartless turned to face him.
"Oh, great." Yuto sighed, catching his bat out of the air and readying himself for the coming fight.
[[5 Heartless remaining. 3 Shadows, 2 Soldiers.]]
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 16, 2019 0:16:01 GMT -5
Lunging forward, Henoke caught one of the leaping Shadows with a heavy slash, causing it to evaporate into the darkness, its heart released and free into the sky. Just as the irritated wielder gripped his weapon with both hands, ready to take on the others that followed up the stairs, a shout erupted through the courtyard: "Spin!" A circle of flame flew through the concrete garden as a heartless was slain before Henoke's eyes. From his vantage point on the top of the stairs, his eyes found the source of the flames. It appeared to be some dude with long hair, holding a bat.
Oh, sweet! Being an avid user of fire magic himself, Henoke couldn't help but take a moment to whistle in awe at the power he had seen. "Yo, teach me how to do that?" He cupped his mouth, shouting out to the friendly passerby as the Heartless began to take their attention off of him. Perfect! With a mischievous grin, Henoke leapt from the stairs and onto the nearby guard railing, sliding down it towards the courtyard as he slashed at one of the Shadows with his Keyblade, releasing another heart as it vanished into dark wisps.
Leaping off of the railing with a jump higher than most and into the center of the courtyard beside Yuto, Henoke faced the remaining Heartless with both hands firmly gripped on the weapon in front of him. Glancing over at the stranger who had helped him out, the Keyblade wielder smiled. "Thanks for the help. Name's Henoke." The Heartless were heading their way, rushing towards the two. Introductions would have to wait.
Readying himself, Henoke crouched a bit, planting his feet firmly. "Fire!" The small fireball launched from the tip of his Keyblade, firing into the few Heartless that made their way towards them. It hit a Soldier square in the chest, causing it to fly backwards and onto its back. It was still alive, barely, though seemed it would take a moment before it could regroup.
[[3 Enemies Remaining. 1 Shadow, 2 Soldiers]]
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
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Age: 22
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Post by ravenheart95 on Mar 16, 2019 1:01:56 GMT -5
"Yo, teach me how to do that?" Was what Yuto heard from across the courtyard. Taking the chance of diverting his attention to the teen on the stairs.
"Maybe later. Theres kind of a thing going right now." He responded, watching the teen leap from the stairs and grind along the railing. Grinding to him. 'No, no, NO. That is the exact opposite of what I wanted' He went to shout at the teen when he landed only to see a large key in his hands. The teen had a Keyblade. Yuto decided that he was going to table yelling at him.
"Yuto, and no problem. He greeted Henoke as the teen launched a fireball at a soldier, sending it flying.
"Not bad." Yuto nodded approvingly. "But you may wanna watch this."
He pointed his bat at the other Soldier.
"Burn." He growled, launching a medium sized ball of black flame at the Soldier who exploded on impact and sent a heart up into the sky. He then went over to the other soldier and finished it off, sending another heart off into the wind.
[1 Enemy remaining. 1 Shadow]
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 16, 2019 2:03:47 GMT -5
As Yuto executed his dark fireball technique, Henoke grinned in excitement as he watched the guy with a bat beat the crap out of the Heartless. Henoke himself had more powerful fire magic, having not wanted to expend the energy on such small fry. His fire spells weren't ever shrouded in that odd dark energy, though. Woah. This guy's got some moves. Though some warriors of light may have been shocked to see such an energy emitting from a person, Henoke wasn't one to judge based on something like that. The way he saw it, this Yuto person fought the Heartless, meaning he was an ally.
There had been plenty of warnings from mentors and Chirithy back home to not dabble in the darkness, or rely on dark powers, but frankly speaking the teen figured that desperate times called for desperate measures. Most worlds were on the brink of collapse with the Heartless threat lurking, some were bound to have individuals who relied on that Darkness that began to overflow their world for salvation. We all got a means to the end... The thought would have sounded deep, had it not been in the head of a bright haired youth currently rushing towards the remaining Heartless.
The lone Soldier had gotten back up, recovering from the earlier Fire spell. The two rushed at each other, one demon of darkness and the other a champion of light, meeting closer to the center of the courtyard. Long claws scraped against the dark steel Keyblade Henoke threw up to defend himself with as the Soldier spun through the air like a cyclone. Pushing the Heartless back with his sheer strength, Henoke swung the weapon out, slashing violently as the Soldier leapt backwards, creating more distance. Suddenly the Heartless had gained quite the space to recoup from the flurry of attacks. It's now or never!
A blur of orange and blue rushed through the courtyard as Henoke dashed forward, closing the distance between him and the Heartless instantly with his [Sliding Dash] ability. Stabbing it directly through the center, Henoke vanquished the Soldier, releasing a final heart into the air. With the threat gone, the teen sighed as the large hefty weapon in his hand vanished in a ray of light. Walking back over towards Yuto, Henoke held out his hand for the other to shake. "Thanks again, Yuto. Here, we can go inside the castle to talk." The Keyblade wielder wasn't sure why, but he got the feeling the large castle was relatively safe.
Walking through the courtyard, Henoke walked up the gold and white steps that led to the large golden doorway into the castle. It had been left ajar from earlier, when he had unlocked it using his Keyblade. Pushing the already open door open further, the orange haired teen walked into the foyer of the castle, which was rather impressive. Lined with gold railings and tiles, the marble floor and walls shone with the brilliance of fine craftsmanship.
Henoke turned, waiting for Yuto to enter before asking him: "So...Yuto? You from around here?" He figured it'd make things easier to find out what this guy knew about this world so far. He himself had recently arrived, finding nothing but this empty castle and Heartless. Yuto was the first person he had seen so far. "Is there anyone else here?" The questions were genuine curiosity. Henoke was curious as to who lived on this world and what they did.
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
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Age: 22
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Post by ravenheart95 on Mar 16, 2019 18:32:05 GMT -5
"Yeah, no problem." Yuto shook Henoke's hand and followed him into the castle, taking in the majesty and familiarity of it all. Climbing the steps, he couldn't help but wonder what happened to this world. The heartless indicated that it was in danger of falling to the darkness, yet it was still in the realm of light. The only other time he saw this was in Radiant Garden, and even then it was worse off than this place. So there was hope.
"Nope, just got here, actually." He responded, looking around the interior of the castle. "You're the only other person I've seen here."
He closed the door behind him and turned around and leaned on it. He was having a little trouble taking in what happened. Infront of him was a wielder. One who was younger than him. While that wasn't uncommon, Yuto never saw one in action. After what happened, he understood why some wielders were no older than Henoke. He was good with that keyblade, and Yuto couldn't help but be impressed. Granted Yuto had only fought along side the master, who was off somewhere looking for other wielders in need of training and a place to stay, so he didn't have much to go off of.
"What about you?" He asked."Are you a local?"
This world did have some training grounds for wielders. He saw a few on his way to the courtyard. It would make sense for there to be wielders here. He didn't understand why there would be only one though.
"Any idea why you're the only wielder here?" He asked.
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 17, 2019 0:15:47 GMT -5
The interior of the castle was impressive, tall white walls lined with gold beams reached an impossibly high ceiling, decorated in depictions of wielders battling the darkness. Henoke had never been much of an appreciator of art, but even he had to admit the place was swanky. In the foyer was a long hallway, lined with red carpet that stretched for what seemed like a mile. There was a small table, checkered like a chess board but with certain parts of the board raised on platforms. There were thirteen black pieces and seven white ones. Henoke had seen chess before, but this didn't seem quite like it. Walking over towards the table, he used his free hand to pick up one of the white pieces. ”Nope, just got here actually. You’re the only other person I’ve seen here.” Lazily the teen moved his piece past the other rows of black ones, knocking the highest raised one over and placing his in its place.
It appeared Yuto was also not from this world, though how someone traveled through the pathways without a Keyblade was beyond Henoke. Truthfully though, he didn't fully understand how the Keyblade did it, either. It would just react sometimes, shooting out a beam of light that would lock keyholes or open gates. Hearing Yuto’s question about him being a local, the teen shook his head with a sigh. ”Nah, I’m not from around here, either.” Henoke wondered why this place seemed so deserted, the only two beings with hearts not even being locals. What a weird world. Why have a castle and training ground with no one to use them?
Yuto’s next question surprised him, asking if he knew why he was the only wielder here. ”Oh! So you know about wielders?” A smile of relief washed over his face for a moment. Pressure to keep the ‘world order’ was intense, one he was happy to be rid of. ”To be honest, I didn’t choose to come here.” Holding up his large keyblade, the teen stared at the weapon with an odd expression. ”I'm supposed to be on a mission to help worlds threatened by darkness... but I don't really get a say in what world I help.” The keyblade disappeared in a ray of light, freeing up Henoke’s hands as the teen shoved them into his blue jacket pockets.
His gold brown eyes fell on Yuto, his brows raised with curiosity. ”How ‘bout you? What’re you doing here?” Henoke was beyond curious, not having met many who knew about keyblades without owning one. Wondering why Yuto himself was on this world, Henoke debated whether or not to ask him about 'key holes'. Already having locked two worlds key holes, Henoke knew he was capable. The problem was that every world seemed to have its own special key hole, one that wasn't fairly obvious. They could be etched into the world, items of significance to a local, it really varied heavily. Because of the lack of locals on this world, the Keyblade wielder hardly had a clue as to where to begin looking.
He would decide based on Yuto's answer.
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
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Post by ravenheart95 on Mar 17, 2019 1:28:09 GMT -5
”Nah, I’m not from around here, either.”
Not too surprising. If anything, Yuto would've been amazed if Henoke said yes. The amount of ruin would suggest that anything with a heart was long gone. He looked up at the mural on the roof. The age old battle of dark versus light was one he didn't understand. 'It's all just about survival. Isn't it?' He thought to himself. After what happened to him, that always stuck in the back of his mind. One has to do what it takes for them to survive, wether others will accept it or not. Henoke's next line of questions snapped Yuto back to reality.
"Hmm? Oh, yeah. I know all about the world order, no worries." He smiled warmly. From what he understood, most of the wielders would complain that if they could explain what was going on to the locals, life would be so much easier. Granted, Yuto didn't exactly have to deal with that in Radiant Garden. Everything was already in chaos when him and the Master got there. "From what I understand," He continued, getting off the door and leaning on his bat. "They take you to worlds that need the most help. You never really get a say."
He hefted his bat onto his shoulder and walked over to Henoke.
"As for why I'm here," Yuto shrugged. "I just kinda rolled the dice and landed here. No real want or reason."
He sat on the steps next to Henoke, putting his bat on his lap and looking up at the teenager.
"So, if you're not from here, then where? If you don't mind me asking." Yuto gestured for Henoke to sit next to him. "And, if I may, how did you get a Keyblade?"
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 17, 2019 10:19:14 GMT -5
Henoke stared at the chess-like board, wondering exactly how this game worked. Yuto seemed to know a lot, about wielders and key blades and traveling through different worlds. Seeing Yuto's motion for him to sit, Henoke walked over and plopped down next to Yuto, sitting in a loose cross-legged fashion. Resting his hands on his ankles, the key bearer slumped comfortably as he listened to Yuto, who seemed to not really have any distinct goal or reason for being here in mind. "So, if you're not from here, then where? And, if I may, how did you get a Keyblade?" They were good and thoughtful questions, ones that Henoke found perfectly reasonable to answer.
Tilting his head a bit, Henoke scratched his chin as he thought hard. "Hm...well, to be honest it's kinda funny. I can't remember the name of my home world and I haven't been there in a while." Leaning back on the steps, Henoke rested his hands behind him to prop himself up as he leaned back, looking up at the mural on the ceiling. "It was vast, I remember that. With huge buildings that built a giant city, one powered by windmills that would always spin in the breeze." There was a slight tone of longing in the key bearers voice as he talked of the world he couldn't remember. When he had awoken in that castle, he had simply began to search for a way home. Not being able to control where he went was far from helpful. He had been hopping from world to world this entire time, searching for his home.
"As for the Keyblade..." Henoke looked down at his empty hands, opening and closing them slowly as he thought. "I don't remember everything...but I do remember there being multiple Keyblades on my home world. My master had one, too. I used to train with a wooden sword, until finally one day it came to me." For a moment he thought long and hard, trying to remember as he crossed his arms and closed his eyes in concentration. "If I recall my master correctly, Keyblades typically choose their wielder, rather than the other way around. It just kinda showed up when I needed it to." Opening his eyes again, Henoke turned to Yuto and raised an eyebrow.
"How about you? You seem to know a lot about this stuff, considering you don't have a Keyblade. Where are you from, Yuto?" It sounded like Yuto had the same amount of knowledge Henoke did about these matters, which surprised him. Typically people without key blades were for the most part unaware of all of this kind of stuff, with the few exceptions. For a moment, Henoke wondered if Yuto was also from a world like his, where key blades and wielders were more common than rare. It was all so curious and exciting! He was grateful to have met the young man, no longer festering in isolation or battle.
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
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Post by ravenheart95 on Mar 17, 2019 21:46:35 GMT -5
Yuto listened intently to Henoke as he talked about missing memories and being away from home for a long time. That last one was something he could relate too. What was a little over a week for him was almost two millennia in the Realm of Light. The realization had shocked him to the core, so he could understand being away and not knowing what happened while you were gone. Granted, it was nothing compared to having no memories whatsoever.
"How about you? You seem to know a lot about this stuff, considering you don't have a Keyblade. Where are you from, Yuto?" The question was not unreasonable, after all, he did just ask something similar.
"Oh, the world I'm from is...Well, suffice to say that there were a lot of wielders there, once upon a time." He layed his bat on the floor next to him. "They trained there and learned about the Heartless and the world order. We even had this thing called 'The Mark of Mastery Exam'."
Yuto examined the inside of the castle emptily. In reality, he was just remembering the time spent training with wielders and trainees alike. His friends and family, mentors, everyone. They were gone and he was nowhere to be found. They spent their entire lives wondering where he was, and he had no idea. He wiped tears from his eyes before they became noticeable.
"So, anything else you wanna know?"
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 17, 2019 23:40:21 GMT -5
Henoke sat on the steps, listening to Yuto describe his home world. Surprisingly it sounded very familiar, as Henoke's own home world was littered with key wielders of all shapes and sizes, many guided by masters and Chirithy's that aided them in their missions. At the mention of a 'Mark of Mastery' exam, Henoke raised an eyebrow. There was something similar on his own home world, too. His master had mentioned it, but truthfully his own master was one who consistently deterred the traditions and rituals of the established order. What was it he said? Something about how one couldn't become a master with a test, but by application of skill alone.
Funny, how he could remember things like that, but not his masters name. His memories had been odd like that ever since he woke up in that deserted castle. It was always the smallest but most important details he couldn't recall, though everything else was an endless well. Sighing a bit, Henoke looked up once more at the ancient murals painted onto the ceiling. "So, anything else you wanna know?" Henoke glanced at Yuto from the corner of his eye, wondering if he could ask the question on his mind without offending him. Guess there's only one way to find out.
Leaning forward a bit, raising his legs to rest his arms on his knees, Henoke looked over at Yuto. "I do have one question..." He averted his gaze a little, looking at the carpeted foyer floor. "Is it tough? Using the darkness, I mean." It was a question out of genuine curiosity. It was very rare to see someone rely on the powers of darkness and retain themselves and their heart without any repercussions. Henoke was curious about what that was like, if Yuto was willing to answer. "We don't have to go into it, you know? I was just wondering..." He wondered about what had happened to Yuto to allow him to rely on such powers while retaining his whole self. It typically always had a cost. I wonder if the Keyblade has a cost? For a moment, he stared absently at the wall ahead of him across the foyer. He had never been told that there was, but he had also never asked.
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
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Post by ravenheart95 on Mar 18, 2019 1:51:52 GMT -5
"You know, you're the first one to ask."Yuto replied, trying not to laugh. "But, to answer you're question, no it's not hard. Granted, I don't know anyone else who uses it. So I can't really say if it's normal for it to be like second nature or not."
He couldn't remember the last time he had to stifle a genuine laugh. It felt good to smile for once. I was so long since he heard a joke or tried to make anyone feel good. 'No time to dwell on that now though. There's work that needs to be done.' He stood up and stretched.
"It's not as bad as they teach us. In fact, I've found it useful from time to time." Yuto turned to Henoke with a smile. "Besides, if there's darkness in every heart then it's really just a natural tool."
He sat back down next to Henoke and pointed at the painting on the ceiling.
"That, right there is a prime example of what I mean. Why would they be fighting if for nothing other than survival? It's all a matter of perspective."
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 18, 2019 7:20:52 GMT -5
Henoke smiled with Yuto as the two talked and joked on the steps. For a moment, everything was carefree. He agreed with a lot of what Yuto was saying. He was more impressed than anything to hear how the dude could use darkness almost like a second nature. It seemed it didn't threaten to overtake Yuto, or give him any negative side effects, really. "It's not as bad as they teach us. In fact, I've found it useful from time to time." As Yuto stretched. Henoke pondered what the man was saying. "Besides, if there's darkness in every heart than it's really just a natural tool." Henoke nodded in agreement at hearing this as Yuto sat back down next to him. He looked up at the ceiling painting when prompted.
Gazing at the scene of key bearers fighting back the Darkness, Henoke thought of the world 'survival'. To live in a fit of struggle, fighting for balance or power over your very life. How often had he himself been put into a state of survival? Heartless could remove someone's heart, any time one went up against the creatures they risked the same fate. It's all so fickle. He wasn't sure if he meant life in general, the trainings of the Keyblade masters, or the situation he was in. It didn't really matter, seeing as how the sentiment could apply to any or all situations. Nodding, Henoke looked over at Yuto. "Makes sense to me." He offered a hand to the bat wielder, smiling. "Just let me know if you ever need help with it!" He wasn't sure how long the Darkness would simply obey Yuto, but he liked the guy and didn't want to see anything happen to him.
Standing up, Henoke stretched himself as he looked around the large castle. "Man, I can't believe how huge this place is. Wanna check it out?" Past the two in the foyer was a long red carpeted hallway, which turned left and out of view at the end. Henoke was excited to explore, having rested up from the fight decently fast as the two had been talking. His gold-brown eyes brimmed with curiosity and excitement as he waited for Yuto's answer.
He stood at the beginning of the hallway, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed as he waited.
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
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Age: 22
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Post by ravenheart95 on Mar 19, 2019 3:14:00 GMT -5
"I'll definitely keep you in mind if things go sideways."He shook the teens hand. Not everyone would be eager to help someone who even slightly used the power of darkness. It was refreshing to see that people became more open-minded while he was gone. It was always light was good dark was bad. If only the people back then knew what he did now. It's not always so black and white. 'It's not like they knew any better though.' He thought. 'Not everyone gets trapped in a situation like that.'
He wiped more budding tears from his eyes, once fully brown but now the inner half was stained gold. A constant reminder to himself of the fact that what he did to survive had changed him, even if it was just that little bit. Had he had a choice in the matter, it might have gone differently. But he didn't, and it was no use dwelling on that part of his past.
"Man, I can't believe how huge this place is. Wanna check it out?" Yuto looked over to see Henoke over at the front of the foyer, up against the wall. He walked over.
"Sure," He shrugged, nonchalantly. "Lets see what this place has to offer." He started off down the hallway. The first thing he noticed was how ornate it was. White and gold columns and designs on the walls. Whatever this place was, it had to have some kind of importance.
"So, any idea what this place could've been?" He asked, hoping Henoke had a better idea than he did. as far as Yuto knew, the teen was here longer than he was.
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 19, 2019 9:34:16 GMT -5
Henoke rested his hands behind his head, walking lazily through the hallway as he took it all in. It was way nicer than the castle he had woken up in, decorated with gold chandeliers that hung heavily from the ceiling. Their light wasn't shining, though Henoke could imagine how wonderful it would all look. "So, any idea what this place could've been?" The thought rang through and echoed throughout the long hallway, the red carpet soft and crunching under his shoes. Thinking about it, Henoke gazed up at the ceiling. Unlike the foyer, it didn't have murals painted elaborately, but instead were lined with tiles blooming with golden flowers.
The castle seemed huge, even the hallway the two walked down seemed to stretch for a while, ending with an abrupt wall, two paths leading in opposite directions. "Hm...I think it was used as a base." The teen furrowed his brow in thought, shoving his hands in his pockets. "The place is massive, and the grounds outside are pretty big, too, so I think a lot of people lived here." For a moment, he thought of the Heartless he had stumbled upon outside. The creatures could have easily been what was left of the locals, having lost their hearts to darkness. The thought saddened him and he hoped that instead the people of this world were just somewhere else, safe.
"It also kinda looked like an obstacle course at some parts...so maybe this place was used to train people?" Certain parts reminded him of his own home world, with tall towering windmills and buildings that cracked the sky. His home had been teeming with people, too, Keyblade wielders and masters all training and teaming up to defeat the coming darkness. Thinking of the foyer mural, depicting key bearers battling the Heartless, the young key wielder looked over at Yuto as they walked down the hallway. "Maybe this world was like our own homes? It seems like they know about wielders, at least." Henoke was a bit surprised at the thought, he hadn't known there to be so many worlds training Keyblade wielders.
Yuto had mentioned that his own home world had housed and trained Keyblade wielders, once upon a time. Wait...once upon a time? Henoke looked over at the guy, suddenly realizing he hadn't really pieced that part together. "Hey, Yuto, how long have you been off of your home world?" When the two had been talking, Henoke hadn't realized it. Yuto had spoken like he had been gone for ages, but looked hardly older than himself. Henoke himself had been gone for some time now, though he didn't think it could have been a year. His memory was foggy though, so he wasn't totally sure. Thinking of Chirithy and his master and trying not to feel homesick, the two reached the fork in the hallway.
Without giving it much thought, Henoke began to walk towards the path on the right. It was a large hallway almost identical to the one they walked in, though far away at the end was a large staircase leading up.
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
Gender: Male
Age: 22
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Post by ravenheart95 on Mar 19, 2019 22:20:01 GMT -5
Yuto listened to Henoke's thoughts on what this place could be. They made sense, given what they saw. They knew about wielders, that much was apparent from the mural and the training grounds. But, if that were the case, where were the locals? they couldn't have all become Heartless. Especially if this was a world that trained and housed wielders. Even just one would be a decent defense.
'Unless the world's heart was opened.' He thought to himself. 'Especially if it's been this way for a while. That would be bad.'
"Hey, Yuto, how long have you been off of your home world?" He looked at the teen, unsure how to respond. For him, the last time was only a week and a half. For the Realm of Light, it was longer. Much longer.
"Oh, um," He racked his brain, trying to figure out what to say "Currently, not long. Just left, actually. Why do you ask?"
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 19, 2019 23:39:30 GMT -5
As the two walked down the hall, Henoke wondered if he had heard the guy wrong. Apparently, Yuto hadn't been off of his home world for very long. Hm...maybe I should get better at listening. The teen wasn't daunted, though, continuing forward as the pair finally reached the large steps that swirled up to the next floor. Looking over his shoulder at Yuto, Henoke grinned and waved a hand. "Ah, I was just curious." The key bearer didn't know himself how long he had been gone. He hoped it wasn't too long. Walking up the spiral staircase, Henoke noticed a shift in the air.
Running up the remainder of the stairs, Henoke summoned forth his Keyblade. The hefty steel grey weapon burst forth into existence with a brilliant ray of light. Resting the blade on his shoulder, the key bearer emerged at the top of the staircase. There was a large room with a single chandelier in the middle, crafted from gold and formed to look like blooming flowers. The lights didn't work, causing the room to be mostly dim and full of shadows. Tall golden banisters lined the looming white walls that stretched up to a domed ceiling. Emerging forth from the red carpeted floors were the Heartless. They emerged from the shadows, without warning. Henoke was grateful for his training, which allowed him to sense the shift in pressure.
Surging forward into the room, Henoke shouted out to Yuto. "Get ready!" Shadows and Soldiers emerged, a small group of Air Soldier's following suit. What caught the teens eye were the two High Soldiers that lurked in the middle of the mob. These Heartless looked similar to the soldiers, but wore horned helmets and reeked of danger. Henoke himself had not seen these Heartless before, but had keen enough battle senses to know they were strong. Gripping his weapon tightly with both hands, Henoke hefted his Keyblade to his side, hoisting it up and pointed at the enemy. He took a moment to see how many there were.
I guess it doesn't really matter. As the mob began to surge towards the weapon that lured them, Henoke hoisted the 'Steel Heart' up over his head, pointing it directly towards the ceiling of the large room. "Thundara!" Lightning bolts surged forth from above, twisting down towards the floor to sunder the mob. As the Heartless were caught up in the magical storm, Henoke leaped into the air, ready to bash one of the nearby Air Soldiers. Suddenly there was a pain in his side as he went flying into the wall with a loud crash.
Ugh...what...? Collapsed on the floor, the dazed wielder saw stars as he wondered what force had hit him. His right side hurt, causing him to wince as he sat up, rubbing his head with his free hand. The 'Steel Heart' stayed firm in his other hands grip. His gold brown eyes finally focused, seeing one of the High Soldiers closing in towards him. What about my spell!? These Heartless were definitely something else. Using his hefty Keyblade as a prop to hoist himself up to his feet, Henoke pointed the long weapon at the oncoming Heartless as he spit out a bit of blood onto the red carpet.
"Alright, now I'm getting angry." Gritting his teeth, Henoke surged forward towards the High Soldiers, both of them clashing together as the ring of steel screeched through the castle. The other Heartless were recouping from the earlier thunder spell, evenly dividing themselves to go after both hearts they sensed. The other High Soldier seemed to have a similar idea, as it led the charge of Heartless that headed towards Yuto. With Henoke thrown out of the way from earlier, the staircase entryway was wide open.
The key bearer saw the oncoming enemies surging towards him as he struggled against the long talons of the High Soldier. For a medium sized Heartless, it had a surprising amount of strength. The two held each other in a guard, pushing against one another for a moment. Beginning to get pissed off, Henoke found a surge of energy as he pushed his weapon harder, putting his full weight into it. The High Soldier was thrown back towards the oncoming Heartless as the teen slashed out with his weapon, finally succeeding in breaking free.
Readying himself with a poised stance, Henoke couldn't help but look over to see how Yuto was fairing.
[[Henoke Enemies: 1 High Soldier, 2 Air Soldiers, 2 Soldiers, 3 Shadows
Yuto Enemies: 1 High Soldier, 2 Air Soldiers, 2 Soldiers, 3 Shadows
16 Enemies total.]]
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
Gender: Male
Age: 22
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Post by ravenheart95 on Mar 20, 2019 2:06:08 GMT -5
'That was close.' He thought to himself. Henoke didn't need to know how long Yuto was actually gone for. They only just met, it wouldn't be right. He smiled at the teen. "Nothing wrong with being curious."
He couldn't help but notice how Henoke ran up the stairs. Something was wrong, and that was only affirmed when the teen summoned his weapon. Yuto lowered his bat and followed him slowly. When he was able to see onto the floor, he noticed one thing above all the architecture and overall grandeur. It was dark. Unnaturally so. Even the shadows from the columns were darker than they should've been.
'Oh, no.' Yuto thought, recognising what the darkness was. But before he could say anything, he heard Henoke shout "Get ready!" and rush the massive group of heartless that emerged. 'This kid is gonna die, acting like that!' Before he could try to run and help, He saw Henoke use thunder magic. 'Or...not.' He couldn't help but be proud that Henoke knew how to read a situation like this and act accordingly. Leagues better than what Yuto was able to do at his age, or when he was at Radiant Garden. He couldn't be proud for long though, as he watched Henoke get launched to the other side of the room and slam into the wall.
'Not good.' He ran towards the top of the steps to help his friend, only to see about half the heartless running towards him. 'Stairs, not a good place to be right now.' He hopped the railing and hefted his bat, hoping that he could make it over to Henoke and help. He risked a glance in the teen's direction to see him not only standing but fighting. 'Alright, good. He can take a hit.' Yuto looked back just in time to see a soldier spinning towards him like a cyclone. He lifted his bat just in time to block the attack but failed to notice the two shadows. One behind the soldier, and one behind him. They lept at the same time, scratching Yuto both on his back and his chest.
"Son of a!" He shouted, the cuts stinging in the open air with small amounts of blood from each. It looked like the only way out was through. Yuto readied himself and charged into the crowd. Just before he met the Heartless, he used his [Flame Dash] to cut through them, knocking away the one Soldier that attacked him, as well as one of the High Soldiers, and killing the third Shadow. He turned on the spot after stopping and threw his bat "Spin!" The flaming bat cleaved through one of the Soldiers and another Shadow. Catching his bat, he took the chance to look over at Henoke, hoping he was doing well in this fight.
[[Henoke Enemies: 1 High Soldier, 2 Air Soldiers, 2 Soldiers, 3 Shadows
Yuto Enemies: 1 High Soldier, 2 Air Soldiers, 1 Soldier, 1 Shadow
13 Enemies total.]]
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