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Post by hoodwink on May 20, 2019 19:07:49 GMT -5
The once empty foyer became very full, all of a sudden. What the...?! The Vagabond had been told of a few individuals that would have entered, he wasn't ready for the entire squad of folks that marched up the marble white stairs. Though his head didn't move, his dull eyes shifted towards Ailill, an exasperated look hidden by the shadows of his hood. This guy...did he say there were gonna be so many people? There were like, five people. They all stood at the entrance of the large foyer, opposite to them on the raised platform. Tch. You're confident, Ailill... The thought was bitter as the Vagabond took in the newcomers. The targets.
There was one dude that honestly looked pretty normal. He had a loose black ponytail and didn't seem to be super huge or anything. Looks are deceiving, though... He had found the same to be true of Heartless. Many times the ones that looked weaker had tricks up their sleeves. There was also a very tall woman, who began to speak as the Vagabond was still taking in all of the identities before him. Yeesh...she's impatient... She was also the loudest, the only one that had begun to talk. Is she their leader...? He literally had zero information, basically. Hm...maybe I should have thought this through, more... No! The only thing that mattered were the prizes he had in his lab because of it.
This venture would be worth his while. He just had to live long enough to make it so.
The loud tall woman had vibrant violet hair and an intimidating pose. I'll leave her to Ailill... He certainly wasn't planning on tackling the stronger looking ones, anyway. Finally, his hidden eyes found the one with red hair. Ah! That’s the main guy! His focus was forced away as the woman from before suddenly flashed a pair of odd weapons in her hands, causing the tall man to stiffen his posture, the darkness pooling on his back to form the large Darkside arms. ”I don’t know what he’s told you, but I can see the mistrust in your aura.” She was talking to him now, directly. The Vagabond jolted in confusion for a moment. Auras…? She... can see... my aura? Peculiar, indeed. It seemed these targets Ailill was fixated on had some curious abilities, after all.
”We aren’t bad people, and don’t want to hurt anyone. If you don’t fight us, we won’t fight you.” Before the Vagabond could really take in what the woman had said, Ailill had begun to speak back, his voice cold as it rang through the foyer. The Vagabond jolted, turning to gaze at his comrade, who had begun to step forward down the stairs into the foyer. Much of what he said was lost on the vagrant, who simply stood stunned. The scenery suddenly changed, as it appeared they were all standing in a lush and vibrant field. W-what…is going on? It seemed the plan from earlier had fallen apart, as the cloaked swordsman demanded a duel with one of their party. The Vagabond took a step forward, reaching out towards his new friend, who continued to confuse and surprise him throughout their encounters.
”Go with the others. I release you from this ridiculous favor, and, I am sorry. They should be able to help you.” Ailill’s voice struck the Vagabond suddenly, the hooded man reaching his gloved hand up to his head as he scratched the back of it. ”Y-you…” The hooded man sighed, looking down at the marble white floor as the large arms of darkness began to stir, slithering back into their master once more. ”You’re…a confusing guy, Ailill.” The Vagabond barked out a laugh, shaking his head as he pointed to his friend. ”You’re always so excited~ Did something good happen?” He couldn’t help but feel left out of the loop. Something had changed when Ailill had vanished, though the vagrant wasn’t sure what it was.
The man had suddenly dissolved their entire plan on a whim, though the Vagabond couldn’t help but smirk from beneath his hood. He held no ill will towards the man, it was a trait he enjoyed about him, after all. ”Unpredictability sure is admirable, don’t you think?” Though his gaze was still shrouded, he was speaking to Lucia now. Resting his hands in his pockets, the Vagabond spoke as he too began to step down into the field that had once been the castle foyer. ”Sigh...what an awkward meeting...” The Vagabond's tall and broad figure was slumped as he walked forward, his gait unsteady and seemingly distracted. His hands lifted to the dark blue hood on his head, lowering it to reveal his disheveled mess of brown hair, his green matte eyes as dull as ever, a bored look on his face.
"Is it true, Ailill? You think this lot can aid me?" His tone held no amount of spite or malice in its remark. It was simply a matter-of-fact way of speaking.
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Post by Ziya on May 23, 2019 16:51:03 GMT -5
Rand gave Éirín a grateful smile as he squeezed her hand while standing. Ailill's challenge had been expected, though the words and tone still hurt his heart. He had never realized how much of a rift his position had created between them. In hindsight much of that had been created by him.
He intended to fix that.
Just as Lucia was about to respond to the man, Rand walked past her. His eyes lowered to the floor as he spoke from his heart. "I never wanted you to serve me, Ailill. Certainly not in the way you were forced to." Summoning his keyblade once more, he finally raised his eyes to Ailill's teal. "I'll gladly spar with you, Ailill. It will not be our last though. Not if I can do anything about it." Raising his blade he assumed The Lion on the Hill, the tip pointed directly at his old friend as he held the hilt over his right shoulder.
Meanwhile Lucia nodded at Rand before continuing to observe the cloaked man. She had been shocked by the arms emerging from his back, but quickly noted that the second aura within the man belonged to those arms. Jason noticed it as well, reacting by gently placing Conrí behind him before moving closer to Lucia.
Only when it was clear that the man would not attack did Lucia relax, finally allowing her Requiem of Ascension to dissipate into a wave of Light, Darkness, and Twilight across the ground. Back to normal, she dismissed her armor to reveal her usual outfit underneath,along with a slight grin as she nodded at the brown haired man. "Well, unpredictability is interesting, at least. So my thinking is that you've got the heart of someone you care about inside you. Based on their aura, that person either became or was becoming a Heartless, and you're looking for a way to bring them back."
Jason looked from her to the man, using his newly acquired Auric Sight to verify what she had said, then added his own thoughts. "Yeah, I think we can help you out. I can talk to Heartless and other beings of Darkness, and Lucia here can enter people's hearts to talk to them. Between us, I think we can figure this out."
"We might even be able to bring him back if we're lucky. If you want our help, of course. We don't want to impose." Lucia hastily added that to the end, worried that he might think they were pushing him into accepting.
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Post by Conrí on May 23, 2019 20:19:56 GMT -5
Ailill simply nodded when the Vagabond asked his question, though his attention was on Rand. He heard the man's words, and then smirked in a familiar way and drew his claymore.
The cloaked man bowed in an old way, with his leg out in a flourish. He stuck his open hand out and tucked his claymore behind him in a familiar style. He waited a few moments, drawing in a breath and filling himself with the Source, even though it made him more than a little nauseous.
Conrí opened his eyes after he felt the cool of the castle floor on his skin, and found himself rather dazed and confused. "Jay, you didn't go through your door, did you? Rand and Éirín are okay, right? Did we figure out whatever it was I needed to?"
Éirín sighed and chuckled, quick to fill her lout of a brother in on the details of what he missed, pointing out that it wouldn't be a bad idea for Jason to enter the door in front of him, and to take the new person with them. She glanced at Rand and Ailill and felt her chest get tight. She sent her feelings through the bond before stepping forward to join the others.
Ailill crouched down low and rushed forward and slashed quickly from the right to the left before twirling and making an upward arc before flipping backing out of Rand's reach. He was tempted to blink in and out of existence to add more of nostalgia to the fight. He heard his boyhood self yell and saw himself do a similar move with his fists. The memory almost made him laugh. It shifted again to the platform he'd seen before getting his Keyblade.
The cloaked man kept a watchful eye on Rand, twirling his blade in a defensive position in front of him. He did end up laughing at the sight of Lews getting a waterfall rained down on his head. Still, Ailill stepped to the side cautiously, trying to read Rand's next move.
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Post by hoodwink on May 27, 2019 17:29:48 GMT -5
As the two warriors met in the middle of the foyer to begin their duel, the Vagabond found himself focused on the strangers before him. Though they stood across the room from one another, the vast structure allowed voices to cary easily. "Well, unpredictability is interesting, at least." Lucia spoke to him, disarming herself as she reverted to her usual garb. The vagrant was thankful for the disappearance of her odd weapons, though found how they could simply be summoned as such disturbing. Powerful foes you've held...Ailill... The cloaked man was in the center of the foyer, preparing himself for his duel. The Vagabond's dull eyes lingered on his friend for a moment before returning to Lucia. "So my thinking is that you've got the heart of someone you care about inside of you." For a moment, the Vagabond's green eyes widened, for the first time a single hint of light seemed to glimmer within their dull matte void. Only for a moment. The vagrant had staggered in surprise, taking a step back on the platform that stood before the next door up. H-how did she...?!
"Based on their aura, that person either became or was becoming a Heartless, and you're looking for a way to bring them back." For a moment, the Vagabond simply stood in silence, gaping at Lucia in surprise. His dull eyes remained void of all light, though they had widened in shock and discomfort. A grimace formed on his face. Never before have I felt this... His gaze locked on the woman, the powerful warrior that seemed to be able to see through him. Just who is she?! Before the vagrant could respond, another voice echoed across the foyer. The Vagabond's eyes shot over to the source. It was the normal looking guy with the loose ponytail.
"Yeah, I think we can help you out. I can talk to Heartless and other beings of Darkness, and Lucia here can enter people's hearts to talk to them. Between us, I think we can figure this out." The Vagabond had never heard of such powers before. He had once been able to delve into the heart of another...though that had taken many hours of preparation, and had endangered them both. Voyaging into hearts was no trifling matter. Just how powerful are they?! The Vagabond was reeling with the sudden information and possibilities that lurked before him. He thought of the heart that resided within him, of the other man, Yuto, who he had aided in regaining a semblance of peace in his heart. Has everything I done...been pointless? Was there truly people so powerful that they could simply do what he had been struggling to attain for what felt like years?
"We might even be able to bring him back if we're lucky. If you want our help, of course. We don't want to impose." For a moment, a white noise seemed to fill the Vagabond's ears. He blinked but didn't see anything. Everything was dark. Empty. Vast. For a moment he tried to speak out, though he heard nothing and felt nothing move in his mouth. Bring...him...back? For a moment, the vagrant wasn't sure if he was standing or sitting as a spinning sensation settled over him. So long he had worked towards such a goal, but never before had such an opportunity arisen. What's with...this castle? It had gathered an unimaginable force before him. Finally, the Vagabonds sight returned to him. He had fallen to one knee, clutching at his head with his gloved left hand, keeping balance with his right as it pressed against the cold marble platform before the looming brown door.
"If..." His voice croaked out, his throat felt dry and useless. For a moment the Vagabond coughed, forcing himself back up to his feet as he winced. His head was pounding. He licked his lips before speaking. "If you both truly possess such a power..." He had found his voice, able to speak with his chest once more as he straightened himself. "I would gladly accept to witness such splendor~" His dull eyes locked on Lucia and Jason, his mouth fixed in a broad smile that never truly reached the rest of his face. Ailill had assured him they could help him, but he hadn't prepared for such a...solution. Looking over, the vagrant was surprised to find his friend in combat now. The duel had started.
Shaking his head a bit, the Vagabond lifted his left hand to his side. A vast portal of darkness opened beside him, looming taller than he stood. The same portal appeared beside those across the foyer of the castle, the duel of swordsman separating them. "Thank you, Ailill. This is a gift, truly." The vagrant muttered his thanks, not wanting the swordsman to actually hear him, in case it distracted him from his fight. Motioning towards the portal beside him, the Vagabond waited for the others to join him across the foyer on the raised platform before the door.
It would be much easier to talk this way.
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Post by Ziya on Jun 2, 2019 19:58:56 GMT -5
Reflexively Rand wove a Shield of Air as Ailill began his assault, the blows being blocked by the barrier. The force was still enough to push him back however, his boots sliding as he maintained his balance. Only once his friend shifted into a defensive stance did Rand begin his offensive, utilizing powers both new and old.
Leaping backwards, he shifted his focus in a way he couldn't quite explain. "Shotlock: Dragonfyre!" He felt the flames of his keyblade building higher, and then suddenly 20 fist-sized blasts arced away from it and towards Ailill. Each shot would explode into a foot-wide blast on contact, though he was still slightly confused as to how he knew that.
Meanwhile Lucia and Jason looked at the portal, then at each other with matching shrugs. Jason grabbed Conrí's hand and Lucia Éirín's shoulder, and an instant later they had Flash Stepped across the battlefield to the other man. Neither could miss the confusion and slight awe in the man's aura, and the grin on Lucia's face and Jason's similar smirk showed exactly how they felt about that. "Being wrapped up in Riley's adventures for so long really makes you forget how much different the rest of the world is, huh?"
"Yeah, it does." Jason's chuckle trailed off as he looked at the door before them. Sighing, he let go of his love's hand and slowly walking toward the next floor. "As much as we want to help you, we need to finish what we're here for first. It's my turn properly this time, so be ready for anything."
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Post by Conrí on Jun 3, 2019 18:52:07 GMT -5
Ailill jumped back a bit from Rand, an amused smirk on his face and a dancing light in his eyes. For a moment, it was as though he didn't feel the madness from the taint at all, until an unexplainable hate gripped him. "Zur napur, nia'minori!" As he said this, rather large fireballs shot out toward him, which he twisted and tumbled around, though he felt the heat from some of them on his skin. The cloaked man was doing well enough, but, he had to resort to blocking the last fireball with Dragon's Fang. "Is that really the best opening move you have after all this time?
Ailill could feel his eyes flash dangerously. For once, he felt the air of a challenge that he hadn't felt in such a long time. He was tempted to let himself give into his power surge, but he also felt the need to play with his friend as they had when they were kids.
Shift The plains with the tree vanished, and flickered between the house he remembered so well and that terrible peak he'd gotten too used to seeing in various dimensions before returning to the familiar house. The cloaked man snapped his fingers, and as if on cue, there were two other copies of him. One of the copies of himself blinked across the field and struck out with their blade in a swift slice, while the other copy used weaves to make lighting appear in the castle.
Ailill himself rushed at Rand and laughed. It wasn't quite a natural laugh, but it was almost childish. He seemingly prepared to throw his claymore at the man, but instead leapt into the air and aimed a fist at Lews's chest. He felt his eyes flash again and half wondered if they were visible, or if he was making up the sensation. "Long live the Dragon," he said in mocking spite. "In case you weren't aware, Therin, there was a dimension that was a lot like this one..." As he spoke, he thought of how the Last Battle had looked for him, and found a pocket dimension behind Rand and himself. He smirked and swept at Rand's legs with his feet, hoping to get the man to take a step back. "You needed an army of nations. I only needed myself. See?" If Rand didn't stumble into the dimension, then Ailill hoped that the question could at least make the dense eejit look at the dimension.
Conrí glanced at Jason and his sister, who seemed to look back at Rand with a mix of concern, pain, and devotion. He smiled slightly at that, and, as his love spoke, the wolf boy squeezed the hand that had grabbed his. "I am ready, and I am here, mo chroí.
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Post by hoodwink on Jun 6, 2019 10:50:05 GMT -5
It seemed the newcomers had no need of portals, able to appear before the Vagabond on the platform opposite of the battle within the blink of an eye. Surprised, the hooded man took a step back, raising an arm as he remarked loudly: ”O-oh~! So lively...!” When was the last time he had seen anyone move that fast? His shrouded gaze fell on Ailill, silently cheering on his friend as he watched the duel unfold. Before becoming too distracted by the display of powers, the Vagabond turned his back on the fighting swordsmen. My path lies ahead, now… Straightening his spine, the hooded vagrant stared hard at the looming door that stood before them.
”As much as we want to help you, we need to finish what we’re here for first.” The remark from Jason caused the Vagabond to jolt in surprise. Looking over at the rather normal looking man beside him, curiosity struck through the Vagabond’s core as Jason continued. ”It’s my turn properly this time, so be ready for anything.” The vagrant realized the man was talking about the door, the castle, the memories residing within them. There was a daunting pressure that caused his chest to tighten momentarily before looking over at his new comrades. ”It seems this castle has been a goal for many of us…” The Vagabond’s own words echoed off of the vast empty walls, ringing to mix in with the sound of blades clashing from the duel of swords happening behind them. I wonder what these people are searching for...?
Turning to look more at Lucia and Jason, the hooded vagrant offered a wave before motioning towards the looming door. ”Well, since I'm already in this damned puzzle of a castle...” The Vagabond groaned loudly, raising a hand to his shrouded face as he shook his head. Glancing over his shoulder, the vagrant gave Ailill a hidden look of reproach before turning back to the strangers in front of him. "I guess...since you're willing to help me out...I can help you, too." Truthfully, he wasn’t entirely sure these newcomers needed any help, especially seeing as how their power seemed to surmount his own by a significant amount. He offered a hand out to the one nearest to him, Jason, nodding his hooded head a bit as he gave the only introduction he knew.
”I’m... the Vagabond.”
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Post by Ziya on Jun 12, 2019 22:03:44 GMT -5
Rand paid no heed to the shifting terrain, instead focusing solely on Ailill. That proved to be hard enough when two clones appeared, Rand barely blocking the blow of one while the other channeled lightning somewhere. So long as it was not at him he didn't care. Especially once the original's fist grazed Rand's chest as he dodged a half second too late.
Then the air shifted behind him in an unnatural way, and rather than move that way to avoid the next strike he rolled under the blade. It passed close enough for him to hear the ring of the steel through the wind it generated, but as he came out of the roll he was a few feet away again. "I had thought to keep this somewhat simple, Ailill. But if you are going to use your odd portals and clones I can't afford to hold back."
Zavilat'a'Aman began to glow brilliantly as he drew in saidin and this new magic both, knowing he would need every advantage he could get. Weaves of Air solidified around him into three tornadoes that were each 12 feet tall and 6 feet wide that nearly blocked him from view. Each was positioned to prevent one Ailill from coming close as he tapped into the strange magic of his keyblade. The blade glowed brighter before elongating, thinning into a staff-like object as it did.
At the end of the transformation Zavilat'a'Aman had become a bow of crimson and crystal a foot taller than he while unstrung. A thought strung it, the bowstring a brilliant Light rather than any physical material, and a matching arrow already nocked.
On instinct he channeled the weave for a Blossom of Fire. Not onto the ground, but instead into the bow. A moment later a crimson arrow appeared in a quiver that was somehow on his hip, and he knew that if he shot it the weave would activate on contact.
Grinning, he fired the arrow of Light at the original Ailill through the tornado, quickly followed by two more and then one each to the clones as well. "I have a few new skills since last we met."
Jason nodded as he shook the Vagabond's offered hand, though the name was a bit odd. "Glad to meet you, Vagabond. Hopefully you'll find a more suitable name before we part ways again."
Suddenly three massive tornadoes appeared, and Lucia started walking quickly toward the door. "Okay everyone, let's get going before we get sucked into this. Literally, apparently."
Jason agreed, and with a deep breath let go of the Vagabond's hand and pushed open the door into a village. It appeared rather rural, with desert on every horizon outside of the obvious oasis they stood in. Looking around, he instantly knew where they were. "Tangnost."
The word carried massive weight of both dread and regret, making Lucia look at him oddly as she joined him on the other side. "Tangnost? The village that had that freak fire a year before the fall?"
Jason nodded, but oddly refused to look her in the eye. "We need to get out of the village as soon as possible."
"But we need shelter and clothes and-"
"We need to leave now, Lucia." His tone was insistent and laced with fear, yet he still refused to look any of his companions in the eye.
Uncertain but very concerned, Lucia slowly nodded. "Okay then, lead the way." She meant to get whatever was disturbing him so much out of him later, but she trusted him with her life. They had been through too much together not to.
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Post by Conrí on Jun 15, 2019 0:31:20 GMT -5
Ailill smirked when Rand actually appeared to get slightly more serious. The area around them shifted again to that damned Hall of Servants, right before he was about to throw a portal stone in Lews's face, if he had to guess. Something about seeing that place again reminded him of the last time he sparred with the man. He saw one of his clones blink into the midst of the tornados and slashed at Rand, while the other launched a Fireball into the fray.
As for Ailill himself, he entered his Awakened form and had the whirlwind surrounding him knocked away the arrows. His smirk widened, and he summoned his own Keyblade. He started walking toward the tornados with the calmest expression on his face. The cloaked man started to have the whirlwind surrounding him spin opposite of the tornados and kept walking forward before stopping to point his Keyblade at Rand.
"You are not the only one who learned new things during our separation, Lews. See?" Ailill shot off twenty threads of darkness from his Keyblade. "I always did enjoy fighting you, though, honestly, part of me wants to see the expression on your face if I end up going all out again. This is the least I can do. I'm a sa'angreal, after all." The man left his taunt hang in the air, curious of what Rand would do next. It felt strange to be in his right mind entirely again.
Éirín looked at Conrí, who looked at Jason before calmly taking the obviously concerned man's hand. She chose not to say anything and just follow beside Lucia. Something about the village reminded her of Avalon, but she tried not to think about her home right now. Or Rand, for that matter. She knew that the farm boy needed to sort it out with the strange man before anyone in the respective relationship would be okay.
The would be king, however, kept trying to find the right thing to say to his lover. Words failed him, even in his native tongue, so, he too stayed silent, though he hated doing so. He wanted desperately to do something. Anything. That desperation caused him to wonder what would lay beyond the next door he opened, if he could force himself to.
The wolf boy looked back at Lucia and smiled tightly. "Whatever I can do, I will do," he whispered to her, while looking at his crimson eyed one. "Ik elska vik, Jay. We face this together, no matter what." He knew he likely slaughtered the pronounciation, but, he wanted to have something break the silence that wasn't the tension or doom that was filling the air.
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Post by hoodwink on Jun 16, 2019 0:44:37 GMT -5
”Glad to meet you, Vagabond.” Jason shook the hooded man’s hand, who’s shrouded gaze was already scanning some of the others before falling back to the large door before them. ”Hopefully you’ll find a more suitable name before we part ways again.” The comment caught the Vagabond off guard, causing him to tilt his head a bit in thought. Ailill had called me…something else… What was it? It had started with a ‘B’. Bealzabub…? Bealzaton? Beetleguist? The Vagabond crossed his arms while the others began to open the door.
”Hm…I thought I had another one…” He had mumbled the thought aloud, though his voice trailed off as the door to the next floor was opened. As the group entered the next floor of the castle, the Vagabond couldn’t help but be reminded of the dismay that was the tampering of this castle. For a moment, the sudden light caused the vagrant to lift a hand up as a shield. Despite the hood, it seemed the Vagabond was sensitive to light.
”Tangnost.” The name meant nothing to him. It seemed he would be riding along for someone else’s adventure, for the time being. Hm…I am curious to learn more about these folks… Ailill had reassured him that they could indeed help him. What Lucia had said earlier seemed to prove that, as her and Jason seemed more than willing to aid him. Everything is give and take… While the others spoke amongst themselves, the hooded man slowly wandered off to the side, inspecting some of the plants and scenes around him.
Hm…to think this is all inside of a castle… He truly was curious about how such a building worked. When he had first arrived here… When was that? Did I walk…? Or, did something bring me here? Odd. He couldn’t remember. Had it really been that long since he had arrived? Whatever. The hooded man silently observed the world around him as the others seemed to come to the conclusion that they needed to leave.
That’s the point, right? His face was shrouded in shadow, his gaze hidden and thoughts silent. To get to the next floor? He waited for the group to move. He would simply tag along. Help for help, and all that. He would aid them in completing whatever it was they had to do, had they mentioned that yet? Did he ask? Well, regardless, after that he would begin to get some real answers.
It was finally time. He would get somewhere with all of this.
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Post by Ziya on Jun 20, 2019 13:31:00 GMT -5
Rand didn't hesitate to open a Gateway right where the nearest clone blinked, slicing it in half easier than the sharpest blade. Its destination was just behind the original, to which he loosed the crimson arrow between short volleys of Light arrows. Within the eye they should fly true, and the Blossom of Fire arrow was aimed near the ground anyhow, set to detonate into the tell-tale thirty foot blast a second after the initial pillar of Fire appeared.
The instant he finished he reverted his keyblade to its original form, and as the Gateway closed thee crystal began to glow with a pale light. "Elemental Blade: Spirit." Weaves of Hardened Air met half of the blasts of darkness racing toward him, and the other ten were cut through by Zavilat'a'Aman, now able to slice the very magic holding such things together. "You are not a sa'angreal, Ailill. I'll never let you treat yourself as an object again."
Lucia continued to stare a t Jason's aura from behind as he lead the way, avoiding main streets as he went. His familiarity with the layout had awoken a terrifying thought, one that she didn't dare speak aloud until she was sure.
Instead of dwelling, she looked at their newest companion. It was a few moments before she realized the confusion in his aura, and a few more to reveal the cause. "Don't dwell on your memories in this castle, Vagabond." Her voice was low, but as soothing as she could make it. "The more you try to hold on to the more the castle will take. It tests any who enter, and can seal memories temporarily to do so. They'll come back once it's satisfied."
Jason summoned his armor as they neared the edge of the village, startling Lucia into summoning her own out of reflex. Only his eyes were visible, and he tried to convey as much gratitude and love through them as he could to Conrí, though he was sure the fear and pain was still evident. "Thank you, a stór mo chroí." The pronunciation was as close as he could manage currently, his training in languages showing in how close it was. "Unless we find Heartless any fight would be my own though."
He kept an eye and ear out for the one he knew would be watching, only to see him stroll almost casually before them at the very edge of the buildings. Belts covered most of his body, with black leather showing in the gaps. A black hood masked the features of the man, but a faint red glow shone from his eyes as a cold, hauntingly familiar voice found them. "No one leaves."
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Post by Conrí on Jun 20, 2019 23:58:39 GMT -5
Ailill sneered and bit back a curse when Rand managed to disintigrate one of his clones in a Gateway. He glared straight at where Rand should be, in the eye of all those tornados. The cloaked man barely caught the crimson head of the arrow that came flying through the Gateway toward him. Just like old times, I guess, Lews. He hardended Air around him and watched the explosion fan out around him.
Ailill smirked and both sent out a fine mist and chose the eye of his storm as a pole for his next weaves of Magenetism. He finally had his other clone come back to him and stand there, prepared to be a shield or weapon if need be. The cloaked man laughed despite himself. "Tell me, then, Lews, what do you actually remember of me? The time I got drunk with you on accident? Or that time you sputtered on sea water? Ohm I know, what about that time where I warned you that all of what was going to happen did?!
Ailill forced himself to calm just enough to sharpen his words. "I hardly think that you can let me be anything beyond what I choose. I went through these lengths for you, min shamud."
Conrí smiled slightly at Jason, casting a wary glance at the newcomer. Truly, he wondered what the new one was going through. He squeezed Jay's hand a little harder. He simply nodded when Jason told him he wanted to fight on his own. Whatever this place was, it didn't feel right. Castle logic aside. He glared at his sister quickly, who looked away from him and whistled a short, but familiar tune.
The wolf boy sighed and shook his head. Until he heard a familiar voice and saw what appeared to be an even more emo version of Jason looking back at him. "Well, looks like you have your chance to kick your own arse. Lucky you."
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Post by hoodwink on Jun 22, 2019 12:34:51 GMT -5
As they ventured onward through the bizarre village within a castle, Lucia soothed some of the Vagabond’s concerns. ”Don’t dwell on your memories in this castle, Vagabond. The more you try to hold on to, the more the castle will take.” For a moment, his gait paused with surprise as his hooded gaze widened on the woman. Oh, shit, for real? I didn’t know that! His pace quickly continued. This whole time he had been trying to remember things he had been forgetting! Why had Ailill not mentioned if he struggled to remember harder he would only forget more things!? ”It tests any who enter, and can seal memories temporarily to do so. They’ll come back once it’s satisfied.” There was a nagging feeling he had, shaking his head a bit as he looked up towards the sky. It looked so real. ”I think…I’ve been here before.” There was that room he and Ailill had entered, a memory he hadn’t known he had. One of a castle room, where he had found that report. The one that had aided so much of his research.
”Certain memories never came back…not until I came here…” It was odd, how some memories he only recalled once he had entered this place. Losing memories was normal here, but was gaining memories? Are they even real? Or just a construct formed by the castle? He didn’t have the chance to explore his thoughts. The group was stopped as Jason summoned his armor, causing the hooded man to take a step back in surprise. The ‘normal’ looking dude certainly had some tricks up his sleeve! Called it! They always did. A stranger had emerged at the outskirts of the village, a hooded figure covered in belts. A red glow shown from his eyes, ones that looked oddly familiar. ”No one leaves.” The Vagabond flashed up a ‘peace’ sign with his left gloved hand. A single nod was the only motion he mad toward the local. It was a sign of respect. Respect for the hood. The Vagabond always rocked a hood, so he figured most others with hoods were built of a certain character. He was certainly an odd fellow with odd ideas in his odd head.
”Well, looks like you have the chance to kick your own arse. Lucky you.” It was the wolf boy that had spoken, one of the party that the Vagabond hadn’t gotten to talk too much yet. What was their name…? He was awful at remembering those. Looking back at the stranger, which Jason was currently about to square off against, the Vagabond let the comment sink in. Ah…so that’s what it is… It seemed in this memory, the host themselves would be the antagonist. Well, a certain version of the host, formed by the memory that the castle would have stolen to paint such a picture. A chill ran down the Vagabond’s spine. If one could be their own enemy in this castle…he worried for himself. He couldn’t recall much of his past or his life before that place. I wonder…what I was like… The hooded man shook his head, holding it as though he were struck by a headache.
No...that’s where you were born. Right. How could he have forgotten? There hadn’t been a life before then. There was all that was. All that will be. All that remained. His head spun and for a moment, the Vagabond staggered as he felt a slight dizziness about him. Regaining himself, the hooded man shook his head, returning his shrouded gaze to the two men about to square off before him. It was time to see what these new acquaintances of his could do. Luckily, it didn’t seem like Jason wanted any help. Phew… There was relief in the Vagabond’s heart.
He truly hated violence.
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Post by Ziya on Jun 28, 2019 21:40:06 GMT -5
Rand cursed under his breath as a mist rolled in. He knew quite well what would be coming next, and he had no mind to allow it. Other weaves filtered through the hurricane, though too faintly to make out properly.
He had no mind to allow them either.
Lining up all the weaves, he pulsed the weave within his blade before throwing it just to the side of Ailill. The crystal blade arced through the air, slicing through the weaves of the mist, the hurricane, and whatever else Ailill was planning. Unless he moved, it would also lightly nick the man himself, Silencing him for a short time.
"I remember far more than that, Ailill." Rand's tone was regretful, but firm with determination. "I remember nights spent in that clearing near my home, falling asleep stargazing. I remember bitterly regretting not listening to you."
His tone shifted in a way he could not describe, throat tightening. "I remember the first time we met, back when you arrived on my world at the age of 6 with a blade twice your height. I remember falling in love with you then or shortly after, though I was too bloody dense to realize it."
A flash of light summoned his keyblade back to him. It also illuminated his eyes, moist with tears of regret and pain. "I know it's three thousand years too late, but I am truly sorry, Ailill. And, by the Light and my hope of salvation and rebirth, I love you still."
Jason took a step forward, facing his decade-younger self without being recognized. "We aren't part of this." His armor masked his voice enough to change it, as did the subtle accent of Radiant Garden. "Let us leave and you can go about your business, terrible though it is."
Jason's words cemented Lucia's suspicions, and a weight fell in her stomach as she whispered in shock. "That fire wasn't an accident. Tangnost was torched by you."
Jason's aura radiated shame and guilt as he glanced back for a moment. "There was a target here, and I wasn't told who. I'm so, so sorry."
Meanwhile, the memory of his past shook his head slowly. "I don't think you heard me correctly." Twin blades of black steel sprang out of his wrists before he fell into a terrifyingly familiar stance. "No one leaves." An instant later dark swirls appeared, revealing the orange-tinged blades of six Orcus-variant Invisibles, and the belted specter charged at Jason.
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Post by Conrí on Jun 28, 2019 22:12:16 GMT -5
Ailill stood there, unsure of what to do. He just barely side-stepped Rand's slicing weave. He felt his form slip away from him and cursed. With that gone, some of his madness started to creep back into his thoughts. Something within the cloaked man held on to what Rand was saying, as it synced up with the happier times in his life. The images flashed into his mind, and he held them there for a moment, right up until the light from Lews's Keyblade showed him the regret and pain.
Suddenly, the last few things that Rand said registered. Ailill no longer felt like fighting. He felt like talking, but he was also a little afraid to. He cast his gaze down to the floor and off to the side. His weapon slid from his hands, dropping away in petals of light. "Therin, ye ithelai. M...mashi." The words just kind of fell from him, and with it, a weight he didn't know was holding him back. "That...girl, though. And...Tamara, if I can find her...so, I should probably just stay away. From you."
The cloaked man sank to his knees, eyes darting back and forth for a moment. Tears clicked on the floor. "The...maddness is coming. I can take you to the floor where they should be, and then I will leave you. Tamara...oh, my fair rose...I will find you."
The wolf boy and girl shared a look with each other. They both grimaced when the younger Jason summoned a bunch of enemies. That looked strong. The wolf siblings smirked and readied their weapons. The would be king winked at Jason.
"Looks like I get to help you kick your bloody naieve arse. Perfect."
The priestess sighed and shook her head, wondering where Rand was, hoping his fight would be over soon. She also absentmindedly wondered what her love would do if she was being as cheeky toward him as her brother was being toward Jason.
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Post by hoodwink on Jun 29, 2019 12:38:58 GMT -5
”We aren’t a part of this. Let us leave and you can go about your business, terrible though it is.” As Jason did his best to coerce his past self into listening, a heavy feeling settled in the pit of the Vagabond’s stomach. Lucia and Jason spoke in hushed voices to his left, though he kept his hooded eyes trained on the belted figure before them. The smell that pervaded his nostrils was that smell, the one he was so familiar with. It seemed the Jason of this time had some ties with the Darkness. Almost as if on cue, the belted figure shook its head, speaking slowly as its voice echoed and carried across the open area. ”I don’t think you heard me correctly.” Drawing twin blades of black and readying themselves into a battle position, it seemed the belted double indeed planned on fighting. ”No one leaves.”
Small portals of darkness emerged beside the doppelgänger, muscular Heartless wielding large orange swords emerging from them. Those look like…! For a moment, the Vagabond took a step back, tilting his head a bit at the creature that appeared before them all. If there was anything he knew about, it was Heartless. Yet he had never seen these types before. These looked like the Invisibles he had run into on prior research ventures, but had a completely different aura about them. Their stench was far more foul. Just what are these?! He had read in the Report how there were some Heartless more powerful and rare than the more common forms. Purebloods were always evolving, after all. Thud. Thud. Thud. His heart raced in his chest as the large Darkside arms appeared from his back. Though his face was shrouded in shadow, the Vagabond wore an absolutely thrilled smile.
What can they do?! Excitement surged the Vagabond’s body forward as the large Darkside arms sheltered him from the possible chaos that would erupt. His hands were glowing with a faint purple aura that didn’t reach past his palms. Steadily, the hooded man rushed toward the nearest Orcus, eager to experiment. Flashing his hands quickly in many odd gestures and signs that would hold no relevance to any inexperience with that realm, the Vagabond’s large Darkside arms stretched forward, reaching out to grab the nearest Heartless.
If successful, the large dark arms would pull the Orcus closer to the Vagabond, who would jut his palms against the creature’s body. ”Sealing Technique!” He had no idea how powerful these Heartless were. Odds were his weak and somewhat new technique wouldn't be enough to contain the beast. This was the perfect test to see their strength. It seemed he cared little for the possible peril that came with the experiment.
The Vagabond was moved by only one thing, after all.
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Post by Ziya on Jul 2, 2019 16:43:53 GMT -5
Rand allowed his keyblade to vanish the instant he caught sight of Ailill's face. He was certain the fight was over. The lack of a winner bothered him far less than the pain the two men shared.
Within seconds he crossed the floor to kneel before his childhood friend, everything finally out in the open. Without thinking he pulled the man into an embrace, whispering through his own tears. "Ca'ithelai ye, Ailill. I won't let you disappear on me again though, so I'm sorry for this too."
Flows of Spirit, woven from memory behind Ailill, settled into him with the tenderness of a lover's embrace. With it came another awareness within Rand's mind, separate from the bond he shared with Éirín. He felt the influence of the taint through that bond, yet at the same time he felt some of his own Light travel through it the other way. He could only hope it would shield Ailill the way it did him, and that the man would forgive him.
Lucia rolled her eyes with a grin at Conrí's cheekiness, even as she summoned Requiem's Resolve to deal with the Orcus. "Figures that we'd end up getting some action here. Ah well, I could use a warm-up." Summoning her purple and gold armor she expanded the shield within her metal left arm in time to deflect a blow from the Heartless attacking her.
With the ease of a true Keyblade Master she danced around the blade, slicing into the creature's shoulder as her blade gained the brilliant glow of her Elemental Blade Light variant. The Heartless roared in pain as the enhanced blade burned its path, though the cry was short-lived as she lashed out with four Elemental Sickles a second later. The combination of the initial strike and the four waves of Light were enough to send the Heartless flying back without that arm, though it quickly pulled its sword to it with its remaining hand.
Looking about, she saw the others fighting off their own Orcus well enough, the creatures seemingly squaring off one-on-one with two waiting.
Then she saw the Vagabond.
Whatever ability he tried to use was far too weak to contain a boss-tier Invisible variant, which quickly vanished into a dark blue flame only to reform behind him. Its blade rose, and with a warning cry Lucia threw her keyblade in an Elemental Raid to push it back. Requiem's Resolve circled the Heartless as it struck five times, then returned to her right hand even as she rushed to put herself between them. "If you're that interested in studying them we'll get a few of Jason's friends for you later. For now, these need to die."
Meanwhile Jason focused all his attention on the silent blades coming straight toward him. He had gotten faster over the years, but even so he barely drew his Dusk Shroud in time to prevent them from entering his neck and thigh. Every blow would be a killing one, and he couldn't bring himself to return in kind.
To make matters worse, neither could use Darkness, as both armors would absorb that. It would come down to who was the better fighter in truth.
Jason wasn't sure it would be him.
Desperately he traded rapid blows with his younger self, never able to get an opening to create the distance he needed to fully utilize his weapons. The pistol of his Dusk Shroud was useless here as it only fired Darkness, and he didn't dare Flash Step away for fear of the specter charging at another, more distracted target.
For the moment all he could do was counter, parry, and hope as the sound of ringing metal reverberated repeatedly into an unsettling wail from the speed of the blows.
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Post by Conrí on Jul 2, 2019 21:24:49 GMT -5
AiLlil felt Rand channelling, but could barely see the man's face through his tears at the shock that flowed through him, due to Rand's words. Three thousand years, it seems was all it took to get an apology from the stubborn Tamylin. As the weave gently settled over the cloaked man, he smiled, shuddered, and then felt annoyed. He winced a moment after it was done, a strong sense of Rand present in the back of his mind.
"You...you just..." Aillil fought with his maddness, which was raging against its shielding like an angry beast. "But...Tamylin, Therin, I don't know if I'm worth much to you like this, besides, there are others we need to consider...I doubt your four will take kindly to my presence at all. Then, there's T...T..." For the first time, the cloaked man could see her face, but couldn't think of her name. Had the maddness been the only thing keeping the memories of her in tact, or was it the castle?
Aillil sighed heavily. He felt the weight of it all on his shoulders again. He murmured something to himself, then placed a hand on Rand's shoulder. "Shall I take us to them, my Tamylin?" The cloaked man wondered why he was being stiff and formal, despite everything being cleared up between them.
Conrí looked at younger Jason, who was clearly aiming at vital points. He growled, then jumped back from an attack from the other enemies. Lucia seemed to be able to handle them better than he thought he could. He fired off three blasts of Light from his palm at three different heads, and then aimed a warning beam at younger Jason and fired. "If you take mo chroí, I will end everything here!"
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Post by hoodwink on Jul 3, 2019 11:33:28 GMT -5
Ah, so it’s as I thought… The seal that had begun to emerge upon the Orcus shattered. Within the blink of an eye, it had vanished, leaving the large Darkside arms clutching nothing but empty air. Appearing behind the Vagabond, it raised its blade only to be assaulted by Lucia’s odd weapon. As the paladin rushed to his side, the hooded vagrant noticed more of the Orcus fighting with the party. ”If you’re that interested in studying them, we’ll get a few of Jason’s friends for you later.” Lucia’s voice was stern, causing the Vagabond to slump a bit in disappointment. ”For now, these need to die.” He understood, though it didn’t mean he enjoyed or agreed with it. Sigh…they are helping me out, though… He would oblige the Paladin in following her rules.
”Such a waste of potential…” There was still a touch of resentment in his tone. He couldn’t help that. Looking over towards the two Orcus standing nearby, his hands began to glow with a faint purple aura as he made odd gestures with them. Above him, the large Darkside arms had raised their open palms towards the sky, darkness gathering and swirling in their grasp. The Dark Meteor spell was prepared. A massive orb of darkness was held by the large arms, purple fire bursting from within as it glowed and illuminated the battlefield. ”Tch, no one understands the necessity of time.” Hurling the large meteor towards the two Orcus, the Vagabond was quick to grab Lucia and throw up his Dark Shield spell.
As the barrier of darkness sheltered them, a loud BANG! ruptured the battlefield as the force from the explosion pushed the two back. The Vagabond hoped his spell had hit the targets. Regardless, there would be a large crater left in the earth, dark flames sputtering in and out around the rim as it steamed.
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Post by Ziya on Jul 4, 2019 17:57:01 GMT -5
Rand sighed as he felt the conflicting emotions filter through the bond. It had gone better than expected, but his point had still been missed it seemed. "Ailill," his tone was gentle as he allowed his feelings to flow through the bond unimpeded, "this isn't a leash, or any means of controlling you. This was my way of proving that what I said was true, and that you disappearing again would hurt me far more than anything else could."
Slowly, he placed his hand over Ailill's on his shoulder before smiling softly at him. "As for the others, they might want to get to know you more first, but I doubt they'll mind. And Tamara always seemed like she knew something about us, so I doubt she'd have any issues either."
Leaning forward, he whispered into Ailill's ear. "Speaking of Tamara, I know where she is. I've seen the maps, and I know how to get there. You can go whenever you want, raichora'al arkadinara." The term rolled from his tongue before thought, and his cheeks flushed slightly as he pulled back.
Lucia heard the Vagabond's muttering and grinned despite herself. "Don't worry, Jason can call on all kinds of Heartless, and," she launched herself into the air as a thin circle of dark flame closed where she had just been, "his won't try to kill us!"
Focusing on her blade, she allowed it to shift into a spear before slamming it down into the head of the one-armed Orcus that had just formed under her. The Light-infused spear went straight through the Heartless as it dissipated into a cloud of darkness.
Immediately after landing she sensed the two Orcus the Vagabond had heavily damaged advancing, and with a tap of her blade the ground erupted into a wave of two-foot tall crystal spikes, advancing ten feet and pinning the pair in place for her to lob her keyblade with a cry.
"Elemental Nova!"
The Light within the blade grew even stronger as it flew, until it reached critical mass just as it connected and detonated into a 5 foot wide explosion that simply erased the pair. "Hey, nice job, Vagabond! Those usually take twice as long to kill."
One of the other Orcus melted into the blast of Light launched by Conrí. The other two survived, though one was slightly damaged as it could not dodge and instead deflected it with its blade.
The remaining three quickly drew away from Lucia, fearing the blade that had reappeared in her hand and still glowed brilliantly. One vanished, a dark circle identical to the one Lucia had narrowly dodged appearing around the Vagabond, while the other two launched a total of thirty orbs of Darkness laced with Time magic at Conrí and Éirín. Each orb was 4 feet wide and traveling at the speed of a bullet, and if any hit the victim would suddenly find themselves taking damage as if they were a normal human rather than the battle-hardened and magic-infused warriors they were in addition to the resulting explosion.
The beam of Light that raced toward the memory of Jason never had time to miss. The instant that he saw it coming he sank into his own shadow, using a technique the older Jason knew far too well. He Flash Stepped over to behind his love just in time to block the attack of Darkness Falls, the force driving him back slightly.
As he felt the familiar sensation of the wolf-king's back Jason focused on his aura in an attempt to convey a very specific message. The memory couldn't use Darkness against him, including Aspect, but that wouldn't stop him from using those abilities on the others, especially if they interfered. Everyone else needed to take care of the Heartless and stay back, or they'd be at risk. Regret and love filtered through the message, as well as a strong sense of reconciliation, before he pushed away with a wordless roar.
Emboldened by his anger Jason started using his Dusk Shroud properly, the pistol ringing as it fired to alter the path of the swinging blade as both it and the sharpened sheath became a blur. One slice grazed the hood of the memory, pushing it back to reveal a face that was a mirror image of his own, eyes narrowed in concentration as he blocked and countered in a frenzy.
If the two had been fast before, now they were blurs, tearing across the street fast enough that any who attempted to grow close would be in danger.
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