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Post by hoodwink on Oct 3, 2020 11:52:49 GMT -5
While Evia rushed in to deal with the Heartless, the Vagabond loomed behind on the steps a bit below, gazing up at the battle from the shroud of his hood. She’s so lively. Come to think of it, even when they had first met, Bodyguard was quick to draw a blade. Well, I guess bodyguards need to be violent, after all. It was a fact that saddened him a bit, but at the end of the day if she wasn’t here, he’d have to fight. With each sword stroke and Soldier felled, the Vagabond’s nose was given a moment of respite from the foul stench the darkness brought. Despite the brutality of the situation, the researcher couldn’t help but feel a moment of appreciation for the woman currently mowing down the source of such foulness. I suppose fate truly is fickle. What were the chances, of him stumbling upon such an opportune companion for this castle endeavor?
Castle… That’s right! He had seen something odd earlier, just before the Heartless had arrived. It looked like a staircase… Weirdly enough though, the ‘stairs’ that had revealed themselves had been going down…but the forested hill with log steps was clearly uphill. It’s almost as though… Shaking the thought off, the Vagabond began climbing back up the steps as Evia finished her work of dealing with the remaining Shadows. ”something very important came up—let’s keep going, and I’ll tell you in time.” The woman’s demeanor had shifted from before—the look of fear in her eyes was mostly calmed and she seemed much more composed. Truly the sudden shift in personality caught the man by surprise—though only mildly. I suppose the castle had suppressed certain aspects of her heart. What a bizarre place, truly.
”I remember why I was here.” The hooded man finally reached her, tilting his head a bit at her comment. ”Oh? So something good happened? No wonder you were so lively!” Giving a half-hearted chuckle, the man began to continue their climb up the path. ”Though, when you say ‘here’…” Glancing around from beneath his hood, the Vagabond paused for a moment as he looked at Evia from over his shoulder. ”I think it brings a good question of where ‘here’ is.” Regardless of the woman’s memory, it seemed the researcher was still quite puzzled on the fact that they no longer appeared to be in the castle he had found. Though, for a moment it seemed like we were… Continuing his trek uphill, the hooded vagrant’s cargo pant pockets rattled a bit with the potion bottles within. Clink. Clink. Clink.
”But do tell me, what is your purpose?” One foot in front of the other. Each log thudded under his shoes. Once the Heartless had been destroyed, the forest seemed peaceful and empty once more. Tall thin trees loomed on each side of the two travelers, the occasional wooden unpainted torii gates looming above them as they would pass underneath every so often as they followed the natural steps. The way ahead seemed long yet empty as sunlight speckled the path, signaling the midday sun above mostly hidden by the tree leaves that stretched above. It seemed they would have a moment of respite before reaching the Shrine—though whatever awaited them there, the Vagabond couldn’t say.
All he knew was there was the faintest feeling like the hairs on the back of his neck were standing on edge with each step they took.
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Post by JeY k on Oct 3, 2020 14:09:55 GMT -5
"Here is Castle Oblivion. Someone had a mad idea and sought out hidden treasure here from some awful fairy tale, and someone who cares about them sent me to find them. I thought I was strong-willed enough to endure the things this place does to your mind but I'm..." She hesitated very strongly on finishing her sentence.
Not everything was there although the big picture was starting to sharpen with focus. She didn't remember names, barely remembered likenesses, how she got here, where she's already been prior. There was still a huge mystery in her mind but it was beginning to unfurl. Just as the castle momentarily lost its clutches on maintaining the visual illusion to the man, it was struggling to maintain the illusion buried deep inside Evia's mind.
"...not."
It was difficult to admit and there was no reason to hide it.
"I have no clue how long I've been here or what path I've already traveled. I don't know. Let's just keep going. If I can remember this much, I can remember more."
Hopefully the spotlight wasn't quite as glaring now. She didn't inform the man of intending to drag him into her mission, she wasn't going to, though her clouded judgment did not permit her to assure him that wasn't her intention.
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Post by hoodwink on Oct 3, 2020 17:59:04 GMT -5
As the two proceeded up the vacant shrine path, the Vagabond listened to Evia with intrigue. So, she was sent here. Unlike him, it seemed she hadn’t chosen to explore such a place out of will. Though he was curious about who it was Evia was searching for, it was a fruitless yearning. ”I thought I was strong-willed enough to endure the things this place does to your mind,” Overconfidence was always the most dangerous enemy. The thought brought a faint smirk to the vagrant’s shrouded face. ”I have no clue how long I’ve been here or what path I’ve already traveled.” It seemed that only part of the puzzle was coming back for the Vagabond’s bodyguard—though the man thought it important to note how certain things were beginning to return to her.
So…the castle affects visitors memories? Then, were they truly outside of it, seeing as how Evia was remembering certain bits? ”If I can remember this much, I can remember more.” Her comment caused the Vagabond to bark out a laugh in response, glancing at her over his shoulder as they walked. ”My—you’re quite the optimist!” Perhaps that was some of her overconfidence returning? Unlike most, the hooded researcher had little confidence—knowing all too well how easy it was to blunder at the most crucial times. Now, how do I know that? For some reason, something in his mind felt…fuzzy.
After walking for some time undisturbed, the Vagabond would point ahead as he made out the largest torii gate that loomed at the peak of the stairs on the path. Unlike those on the path, the one ahead was painted a bright red. ”Here’s the entrance, by the looks of it.” For a moment, the man paused only a few steps below the peak. Already thanks to his height he could make out the Shrine and its grounds. The temple itself wasn’t very large, though its design and craftsmanship showcased its divinity, despite the slight wear that showcased how long it had stood in the secluded forested mountain. Beside the gate were tall red pillars that led to unused and weathered lanterns, identical to the ones looming before the Shrine.
A long stone path stretched from the entry torii gate the two would emerge under at the top of the hill, going across overgrown grass and weeds to lead to the old building. Though the red paint over the wooden structure shone vividly, upon closer inspection one could see faint chips and scratches—more testaments of time. Of course, an offering box perched at the ready, looming directly beneath the entryway of the place. I was right in coming here. He could sense it—the power this area held for this world. Gesturing for Evia to follow, the hooded man began to make his way down the stone path, his shrouded eyes unable to look away from the Temple.
Secluded and quiet, the area seemed to hold its own mysticism about it. The trees dispersed to create its grounds, allowing the sunlight of the day to shine down. As the wind began to stir, rustling the countless green leaves around them, a chill went down the man’s spine despite his coat. It wasn’t the cold, causing this however, but a smell that had wafted in with the breeze. ”Ah, we may have overstepped our bounds.” As visitors to such a world, the Vagabond couldn’t help but feel like they were simply reaping what they sowed—sticking their noses where it didn’t belong.
WHOOOOOOOSH! Originally a gentle and pleasant breeze, the area around the grounds bursted at once as a powerful gale ruptured through the trees and around the two. Overgrowth and loose leaves cluttered the whirlwind that whipped through as the very sun itself seemed to begin to grow blotted out. What—?! Looking up, the two would see dark energy beginning to grow and swirl together in the sky above, blocking the sun from view with its growing size. Bursting forth and stretching above, the darkness lanced out in all directions around the grounds the two stood in—seemingly threatening to swallow the very sky itself as two massive yellow eyes loomed above.
Falling from the portal of darkness that had emerged in the sky, an immensely large Heartless crashed into the temple grounds, shattering the stone path that led to the place of power as well as causing some of the pillars and archways throughout the mountain path to quake and threaten to snap. This is—!! He had seen such a beast before, hadn’t he?! Surely not, wouldn’t he remember such a thing? The Darkside loomed as it straightened to its full height, recovering itself from the landing as it’s taloned hands flexed out. ”Ah…I was careless. It's like that.” He had felt power in this place—it was foolish for him to think that the darkness present here wouldn’t have already latched on.
”Brace yourself, Bodyguard!” Shouting out, the hooded vagrant was already rushing towards the large Heartless. Unfortunately for me, I can't simply allow you to sleep here, giant. Something like this surely couldn’t be allowed to remain in existence. The balance was clearly thrown off into Darkness’ favor. Grimacing as the smell consumed his nostrils, the Vagabond knew this was not a fight he could simply abandon Evia to tackle alone. As the Darkside reached out with it’s massive arms, preparing to sweep at both the oncoming vagrant and the armored warrior, something within the man stirred. Splurtch! Darkness bubbled and oozed forth from the coated man’s back, two large protrusions forming from his covered shoulder blades as black and purple began to mold and twist together.
Two arms identical in size and mass to that of the Darkside had emerged from the Vagabond, looming and stretching out around the man who ran and leapt over the oncoming attack. One of the large dark arms protruding from the man’s backs aimed for the Darkside’s twisting face. SKOOOOM! A flare of red and purple burst forth as the Vagabond’s Dark Firaga spell landed its mark, causing the large Heartless to jerk back for a quick moment. Before landing on the grass, the large arms protruding from his back shot out, the taloned hands gripping into the ground to allow the man to land without touching the ground himself. Perched up into the air due to the size of the massive dark arms, the Vagabond grimaced beneath his hood.
The Heartless had already regained itself, raising its arms into the air as it concentrated its hands above its head. Darkness had begun to form, small orbs of it beginning to rain down across the grounds!
[[ENEMY: Darkside!]]
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Post by JeY k on Oct 4, 2020 13:15:15 GMT -5
What a pleasant, uneventful stroll through the wonders of nature. Evia was actually glad about this, giving her blood a chance to simmer down and collect her thoughts in a more rational aspect. She knew she was forgetting a big part of the picture, but what? She tried to focus on what she began to remember, seeing if anything else managed to string itself along, but to no avail.
Her concentration was broken by her companion's beckoning at the arrival to their 'destination'. "...Fascinating." She can't say she's seen anything like this in her lifetime, so it was truly a moment to take in the sights while the other guy took point in the investigation. Marvelous; what a structure! It's too bad she wouldn't get to gawk for too long, before the wind kicked up and an overwhelming sense of dread washed over her.
There it was, the Heartless to rule them all. She couldn't remember the name, but she's seen these before; not in person. Why did she know that? No time to argue with herself now. She snapped both of her arms and extended both blades. Her plan was simple - get tot he back of the gargantuan threat, scale it in the most destructive matter, and go for the head. It had to be the most vulnerable part, like with most enemies with eyes.
Which, would have to be put on hold for a moment because "What in the-- what!? What are you-- What is-- what!?!?"
Speechless was the only way to describe her reaction to the man growing gigantic arms of darkness from around his shoulders. She was impressed by the display first and foremost, but if he was capable of stunts like this, what was his issue with fighting!? 'Augh!!' Well, just like last time, no time to argue. Again.
The beast was definitely knocked around good by that hit, which made it the perfectly opportunity to go forward with her original plan. Evia took off like a rocket and jumped into a feet-first slide through the monster's legs and pounced back to an upright position once she was on the other side. She only needed one step before launch up and digging both of her blades into his back to latch on, and quickly scaled him in this fashion - hopefully doing some considerable damage on the way up.
Her scrappy prowess would land her square on his shoulders should he have not reacted to her stunt, in which she was in prime positioning for the next phase of her plan. With a rapid fury of blows, she absolutely went to town on the Darkside's head like she was digging for the treasure that would pay for her kid's cancer treatment. If the Darkside had rejected her advance however, she'd get back into a defensive stance and scan his movement in preparation for any reactions she may need to take; which would also be the case if her flurry of blows was interrupted early as well.
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Post by hoodwink on Oct 4, 2020 17:11:53 GMT -5
Nausea riddled through the man as the stench from himself and the Heartless continued to overwhelm his senses. Fighting back the bile in his throat, the Vagabond felt dizzy, the forest around them spinning. ”What are you—What is—what!?!?” Evia’s words echoed in the din of his head as the hooded vagrant tried to shake the sensation off. Unfortunately, the arms seemed to move of their own accord whenever he found himself in moments like this. While his Bodyguard propelled themselves up the massive Heartless’ back, the vagrant’s extra appendages began to propel him across the now broken up and demolished stone path before the shrine. Pushing off of the earth, the powerful dark arms would ensure their host evaded the falling dark energies while Evia’s flurry of blows cascaded against the enemies vulnerable head.
Sundering and staggering the large Heartless, the warriors attacks would cause the Darkside to fall to it’s knees, shaking the earth beneath as parts of the temple began to crumble and snap. Focused solely on not losing himself to the overwhelming presence, the dizzy Vagabond would be launched forward once more by the large arms as they began to deliver punishing swipes of their taloned claw hands, further pushing the Darkside down. Holding itself up with its own hands, the Darkside’s yellow eyes seemed to flare and flash as the hands sunk into the ground, a pool of darkness beginning to form. ”Urk!” Gagging from the stench increasing, the Vagabond’s eyes were bleary and screwed shut beneath his hood—the ground beneath the large Heartless steadily becoming devoured. It's...so...! His own powers typically made him feel...'gross', but the presence this Heartless exuded was downright sickening.
Whoosh! Shadows began to emerge, a small troupe forming from the dark pool. Though the Darkside seemed severely wounded, it seemed it wasn’t willing to give up on the two hearts present. T-this is—!! Hadn’t he seen something like this before? Felt this presence? Something in his mind was stinging, though the scent from the darkness was still causing his insides to squirm and jumble. As the Shadows began to move, the Vagabond managed to make out a shout of warning. ”T—Take care of…the big one!” Finding his breath for a moment, the hooded vagrant managed to catch his voice. ”I’ll take care of the small ones!” Reaching into his cargo pant pockets as he dangled from the large arms, the man gulped down a Hi-Potion, gulping down the bright green liquid greedily as he felt his vitality returning.
The Darkside had straightened, taking note of both hearts nearby. With slow movements, the large Heartless began to stretch out and attack with its own massive taloned claws. Swiping across the battlefield, Evia would find herself the target of a powerful yet slow attack—the ground of the shrine grounds and stones ripping forth from the earth from the sheer gust of the attacks wake.
”Phew…alright, then.” The nausea was beginning to settle, the fatigue from his bones fading. It wasn’t fully solved, but it numbed it all. Regaining control, the Vagabond lowered himself to the ground, his own two feet landing on the grass and immediately bringing a buckling sensation to his knees. Taking a deep breath, the man kept his balance as the large arms reached out towards the sky, a dark energy glowing from them. Gazing at the coming Shadows from the confines of his hood, the Vagabond felt a moment of pity. If only it didn’t always come to this… Why had this experience all felt so familiar? Forming above the outstretched palms of the large dark arms of the Vagabond, a large fiery meteor began to form, a dark purple energy swirling around it as it was hurled forth onto the small mob. SMASH! Vapor dissolved beneath the fiery and dark stone projectile as it faded, taking the small Heartless with it.
With the Shadows destroyed, all that remained was the Darkside. Fighting to keep his balance, the Vagabond would turn to see how Evia was fairing.
[[ENEMY: Darkside]]
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Post by JeY k on Oct 8, 2020 10:26:27 GMT -5
With the Darkside's sudden lurch forward to spawn its underlings to aid in the battlefield, Evia lost her footing and had to dive away with a clean roll onto the ground to prevent her from losing her footing and blundering entirely. She shifted into a defensive stance, evaluating the situation before calculating a new approach. The monster was big, but not agile - she was certain attacks could be seen from miles away and all she had to do was react for a flawless victory.
She didn't anticipate the Shadows appearing however. Fortunately she was pulled out of a her surprised state by a shout from her burly six-limbed ally that he would take care of the small fry. All she needed to hear. Evia nodded back and reassessed the situation. It was just like she anticipated, once the big guy was on the move it was 'slow and steady wins the race' - or in this case, was his biggest downfall.
The swipe would be met head on with the warrior lodging her blade into the front of its arm as it careened by and went for a ride - she flipped around her arm and kept her blade locked into its dark essence flesh until the movement gradually slowed down and it would be less risky to advance. At the apex of the swipe, she freed her blade and jumped straight for the head again and began another flurry of blows while it was vulnerable from the attack.
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Post by hoodwink on Oct 9, 2020 12:38:47 GMT -5
Huff…huff… Not entirely rid of the dizzy sensation, the Vagabond swayed a bit as he caught his breath. His Dark Meteor had seemed to exhaust him momentarily, the large arms poised and ready to strike in defense of their limited host. While the hooded vagrant collected themselves, Evia’s dexterous climb up the Darkside would go smoothly, as the slow and large Heartless struggled to keep up with the warrior’s speed. Unleashing a powerful series of blows against the creature’s vulnerable head a second time, Evia would find her attacks successful as the Darkside staggered and wailed in torment. CRAAAASH! Collapsing onto its knees, the impact shook the ground once more as more of the ancient temple sundered and crumbled.
Powerful gusts of wind still blasted throughout the shrine grounds as the large Heartless began to crumple and dissolve into a dark pool. BLLLIIIIING! A blinding light ruptured the space in the clearing, causing the Vagabond’s nausea to return tenfold as he forced up both arms to shield his hooded eyes. ”Urk!” If he had had any breakfast to lose, it would have been lost there. Worse than the stench of darkness—the light hurt and brought nothing but pain. Immediately, the large Darkside arms protruding from the man’s back retreated, finding shelter in their host. Once dimming, a looming ornate white door awaited the two in the space where the temple had once been, sitting pristine amongst the murky pool of darkness left behind by their conquest.
It’s just like the castle's…? Blinking in surprise at the bright portal, the Vagabond tilted his hooded head a bit as he placed his gloved left hand on his chin in thought. ”So…we’re inside still, after all?” Glancing over towards Evia, the vagrant was relieved to see the woman was not only unharmed, but incredibly skilled at fighting. The way she had climbed up the large Heartless and made defeating it look like easy work was beyond impressive. ”With such a lively Bodyguard, I believe this castle will rue our entrance.” A faint smirk lingered over the man’s shrouded face. Without her here, the Vagabond would have surely struggled. It was less of the actual effect of the smell, and more of the emotions and trauma they brought back—not that the man could actively remember any of that.
After all, he was fractured long before this place.
I suppose I’ll find my answers, after all. Walking forward, the man’s shoes splurtched! and splotched! against the mucky darkness that remained on the ruined temple grounds, the tall white door seeming to almost glow against the contrast from the center of the pool. It almost hurt to look at—almost. Reaching out with his gloved hand, the vagrant pushed open the white door, grimacing and wincing from the light of the castle returning to his vision—
The two would emerge at the top of a tall white staircase going down. After walking down the steps, they would find a room similar in grandeur to that of the entrance of the castle, tall white walls leading to a high white ceiling in the white square space. A single platform with a small set of stairs awaited them on the opposite side, leading to yet another ornate white door—identical to the one they had walked through to emerge here. So we really never left? There had been a moment back in that forest…where everything had seemed to flicker for a moment—that was the only way he knew to describe it. Glancing over his shoulder at his companion, it didn’t seem like Evia had noticed the ‘glitch’, though the hooded vagrant wasn’t sure if it had even happened or not.
”It’s either transporting us momentarily, or fabricating the reality, huh?” He was beginning to piece together the odd events. That’s right…she’s recalled something, as well. Remembering what Evia had mentioned back in the small home in that forest, the Vagabond turned and gave her a quizzical stare from under his hood. ”What did you remember? Will it explain how this castle functions?” If Evia's memories were starting to return, it would be a great asset to aiding him in finding what he was after, as well as giving him a better idea of the buildings layout. It seemed at the moment they were heading downward, though how far down they could go the Vagabond had no clue.
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Post by JeY k on Oct 9, 2020 15:07:33 GMT -5
Second time was the charm! The monstrous yet slow Heartless was no match for a scrappy fierce warrior who was light on her heels and quick with her blades. The enemy was toppled and ruptured into a pool of goo. Amazing - still not a scratch on her; she had seemed to believe that was rarely the case. Rarely she engages a fight without a single mistake. Granted, half to he effort was eliminated due to her new friend. A friend with too much explaining to do.
"Bodyguard nothing! What the heck was that earlier!? How did you grow giant arms like that?"
She would refuse to cooperate in any other matter until this inquiry was addressed. This was way too important to gloss over and way to shocking to forget about any time soon, let alone shake her short term memory of the visuals. She's never seen anything quite so grotesque - and just about any explanation would do at this point, as long as he talked about it whatsoever.
Eventually they would end up back in... the entry way? This was way too familiar. Familiar and scary. She was reminded of going crazy without any memories of anything and felt as helpless now as she did then if only for a moment before she snapped out of it. Partially due to her companion's sudden speech.
"No, intellectually. I've already shared everything I remembered up to now; but I'll let you know if anything else comes up. Clearly there's a spell here that's messing without minds and souls. Everything is fake, but real at the same time."
Evia wasn't attuned to magic herself, but to live where she does and to be in her line of work, one definitely cannot remain ignorant of it to survive. She had no special or special powers but that's never stopped her in the past and it's not stopping her now.
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Post by hoodwink on Oct 9, 2020 18:40:50 GMT -5
”Bodyguard nothing! What the heck was that earlier!?” Evia’s voice echoed off of the white room walls as the Vagabond nodded, seemingly calm as he listened to her shock. Yes. That’s pretty much the reaction I had, myself… It seemed indeed most individuals would continue to react in such a way. It was certainly better for him to keep such a fact hidden, moving forward. Noted. Hearing how the warrior had mentioned all she had remembered, the Vagabond grimaced from the confines of his hood. A spell, huh? Magic was still something he was attempting to grasp—not having any experience with it himself. One could argue his research was more ‘magical’ than ‘scientific’, though…
”Hm…fake yet real…that makes sense.” It seemed the hooded vagrant didn’t find the news too shocking. ”After all, a fake is more 'original' than the real thing, I suppose.” A fake actively tried to impersonate the ‘original’—whereas the ‘original’ simply ‘was’. With that line of reasoning, a ‘fake’ was more real than the real thing, no? Shaking his head of the interesting thought, the Vagabond decided he’d have to address the woman’s earlier surprise if they wanted to get anywhere—though he worried about how the answer would be received. ”As for my…er…’abilities’—” Even the word felt wrong. It was more like a ‘curse’ than an ‘ability’.
”You could say they’re merely the reflection of past mistakes.” He still couldn’t recall what he’d forgotten. He knew there was a pain in his chest at the thought, one that urged an erasure of self too powerful to ignore at the best of times. Did I really forget…? Had it been a choice? There was a fuzziness in his head that caused the hooded man to feel unsure of his own recollection. Evia had mentioned the Castle working against memories… Realizing he was getting too wrapped up in his thoughts, the Vagabond focused on remaining on topic. ”I hope to understand the inner workings of it through what I seek here.” Finding the explanation satisfactory, the hooded man turned away from Evia, glancing back at the large door that loomed ahead.
”It seems we are going down. I’m not sure how large this place is…but hopefully we find what I need sooner rather than later.” The idea of having his already unreliable memory worsened wasn’t a pleasing one. He had to remember his research, after all. Nothing else really mattered, but that was the one thing he couldn’t afford to lose. ”So, are you ready?” Walking in front of the door, the vagrant turned to gaze at Evia with the slightest tilt of the head.
He’d proceed once she deemed herself ready, and not an instance sooner.
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Post by JeY k on Oct 17, 2020 16:16:23 GMT -5
While the man did attempt to give her an answer, it was intentionally vague one. She wasn't the most well-versed in social cues, but it was difficult to ignore the physical pain in his entire demeanor when talking about it. IT's fairly accurate that much of the 'between the lines' efforts in speech are completely missed, you'd have to be completely inept to not pick up on what was going on here. She wouldn't press him - which was rare, nobody would ever escape a questioning without at least a 'why not' but this man succeeded.
"Past mistakes? I can't sympathize right now but it's not important enough if you're a bit reluctant. I agree; eyes ahead. Let's do this."
She had no qualms with continuing their adventure despite the uncertainty unfolding in front of them. Would they forget more? Would this castle's spell have lasting effects? What was going to happen to them next? She was already this deep into it and as badly as they might want to escape where the heck were they going to escape from? Her instincts even blared that this was both a bad idea though entirely necessary.
Survival was the only option. Staying here wouldn't leave to survival. It was as simple as that.
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Post by hoodwink on Oct 18, 2020 4:47:18 GMT -5
Thankfully Evia didn’t seem to press the matter—not that she’d have gotten a better answer if she had. Giving the knight a nod, the Vagabond walked up the short stairs that led to the raised white platform, resting his left gloved hand on the ornate white door handle. ”Eyes ahead, indeed…” Turning the handle and pushing the door open, the hooded man lifted his free hand in protest to the light greeting him as he stepped through the portal…
Cobblestone grit beneath the vagrant’s heavily worn-in shoes. Daylight spilled from above as the sounds of faint chatter and distant hammering could be heard. The two stood in a small marketplace, wooden stalls and shops adorning a cobblestone plaza peppered with locals. Past the small marketplace was a rather large building, more buildings teaming up behind it lost to sight. Behind them wasn’t much of an area to walk, just a small concrete platform that seemed to end abruptly. Far off in the distance however, one could see an ancient castle—gears and rust perturbing out of the structure as though a skeleton. Countless wooden beams, pillars and planks signaled the castles repair/construction.
”I know this place?” It all felt so familiar—yet the name as slipping his mind at the moment. ”Hollow...Garden?” Furrowing his brow beneath his hood, the Vagabond crossed his arms in thought for a moment. ”Radiant…Bastion?” It felt wrong either way, causing the man to sigh and shake his head. It’s no use. Though certain words and memories attempted to surface, it felt like a steady haze was blocking the memories from continuing. Fake, huh? The world they stood in seemed real enough, to him. Frightening, really, how fakes could become more genuine than the real thing like that.
Just how is the Castle doing this? Of course, Evia had mentioned a powerful ‘spell’—but was it really as simple as that? Some magic, conjuring the fabrication of the world? Grimacing a bit, the Vagabond couldn’t help but remember the words of a certain individual clad in blue—though he couldn’t recall their name, he could remember a rather large beard. Everything has a cost. So what was the price of this conjuring? The Vagabond had a feeling it would be something he’d rather not part with. ”Heee~y!” A loud and cheerful voice broke the hooded man’s concentration, causing him to jolt in attention as a young woman arrived before them.
Well—‘arrived’ was a rather bland way of describing this woman’s rather skilled entrance. Having not been there one moment, she was a black blur of motion as she flipped through the air, landing only a few feet ahead of the Vagabond and Evia in the marketplace. ”Long time no see!” Violet eyes contrasted with the medium-length black hair framing a young face—the black of her attire betraying her profession. The Vagabond blinked as she leaned forward, giving him a friendly smile and a wave. Tilting his hooded head a bit, the man glanced over his shoulder to where Evia would be standing, lifting a hand to point at Yuffie.
”A friend of yours?” The vagrant’s comment brought a look of disbelief across the young ninja’s face as she rested her hands on her hips. Giving the Vagabond a faint pout, she tilted her own head in confusion. ”Huh? Sorry, can’t say I’ve met her before. Hey—wait, did you forget about me?!” Furrowing her brow, Yuffie took a step forward, stomping a foot on the ground in mild frustration. ”You’re messing with me, right?!” Did he know her? His face was shrouded in the shadows of his hood, though he was sure his look of confusion would reach the young woman. ”I’m the Great Ninja, Yuffie! No way could you have forgotten me! Where’s your membership card?! Are you even the real deal?!”
Membership card? Though the comment brought no memories his way, the Vagabond found his left hand reaching into one of his countless jacket pockets. ”Oh—this?” Pulling out a small purple card, the hooded man read the words ‘Restoration Committee: Honorary Member’. When had he received such a thing? Why had he known it was there? ”Ha ha! I knew you were messing with me!” The Vagabond gave her a hidden skeptical look. ”Isn’t the point of being a ninja not to be known?” Her cheerful demeanor returned as she blatantly ignored his comment. Turning towards Evia, Yuffie gave a small wave and friendly nod. ”Nice to meet ya! Any friend of this guy’s a friend of the Committee's!”
Suddenly, she blinked in surprise, holding both hands up to her face in embarrassment for a brief moment. ”Ah! Wait, that's not why I'm here!” When Yuffie’s hands pulled away, a serious look remained on the ninja’s face. ”We’ve got trouble heading our way. Heartless. They’re coming through the valleys towards the Bailey—a lot of them, too.” They had just arrived, yet it seemed the Heartless were plaguing this falsity as well. Why are they here? Did they simply reside in the Castle, or within the fabrications themselves? ”C’mon! You’ve helped us out before, right? Besides, your friend here hasn’t seen me in action!” Giving Evia and the Vagabond a wide grin, Yuffie seemed to bounce back to her chipper self rather fast.
”Follow me! The others should be at the Bailey already!” Without even waiting for an answer, the ninja was off—bounding through the Marketplace past the large building ahead and towards the residential area of the town: the Boroughs. ”She’s always so lively~” His own words surprised him. ‘Always’? Hadn’t he just met her? Who were these 'others' she was talking about? Part of the 'Committee'? Urgh…my head. He felt dizzy for a moment, trying to piece everything together. Shaking his hooded head a bit, the vagrant turned to Evia, shrugging. ”Well, how about it, Bodyguard? I’m not sure where exactly this is a reflection of…but it seems to be disturbed like the last.” Whether it was a fake or an original—all worlds needed balance.
It didn’t matter if it was a fabrication. Besides, if the Heartless were here—that meant he could conduct his research. One way or another, he was going to make this Castle give up its secrets…that was, if he didn't forget who he was before then.
The thought wasn't wholly discomforting. There was some relief in it, even.
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Post by JeY k on Oct 23, 2020 8:04:58 GMT -5
"Radiant Garden..."
It was hard to mistake the location where she put most of her time and effort into her career and area of personal operation whether part of a structured entity of defense or a freelancing muscle-for-hire. She's done it all. This is where a couple of her custom weapons were made, even. No amount of soul-capturing could inflict Evia with the ability to forget this place; just the things that happened here.
"Home."
Their serene entrance into the first thing that felt familiar in ages to the girl wouldn't really last too long as they were interrupted by a random civilian. Well, she would reveal that she wasn't exactly a civilian but it was enough of a social situation that she wouldn't get involved if she didn't have to. Especially if everything here was fake. Maybe fake wasn't the most accurate descriptor, everything that happened here was very real but at the same time this wasn't Radiant Garden; just a hollow recreation.
Upon being thrust into the conversation, Evia simply raised her hand in a gesture of greeting, without smiling or saying a word. It was enough, the group was already off to fight some "trouble". It seemed the group was being bound to investigate. What was the point of this dream? What did the castle want to show them now?
"You know we don't have a choice. We have to figure out why we ended up here and how we move on. So far the easiest solution to this has been dispatching Heartless, so... Le's go. What have we got to lose?"
She'd continue at whatever pace her acquaintance would set.
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Post by hoodwink on Oct 23, 2020 15:38:11 GMT -5
”You know we don’t have a choice.” Evia’s resignation brought a faint chuckle from the hooded vagrant. It seemed the warrior had no issue with pressing onward, if anything stating that it was the only thing to do. Nodding in agreement, the Vagabond glanced towards the Boroughs. ”Alright, then. You’re the optimistic type!” It was certainly easier to ‘go with the flow’ rather than resist. At the end of the day, they were at the mercy of the castle, it seemed. Grimacing as he glanced ahead, the hooded man inspected the residential area that Yuffie had run off into. ”Hm…I feel like there’s something I’m forgetting…” The fog in his head was too thick, though.
Taking a few steps into the Boroughs, the Vagabond and Evia would be able to make out the sounds of distant battling—steel clashing on stone and the shouts and grunts of unseen fighters. Looks like she was right, there isn’t much time to waste. Not that he had intended to waste time to begin with. Beginning at a quickened pace, the Vagabond was soon halted in his steps as he shouted out in surprise, stumbling over onto his backside after just narrowly missing the bizarre blinging! white light that had burst forth from the ground where he had been standing. ”Ah, so they are here.” The memory was coming back to him now, of course a bit too late.
That’s right…the Defense System. Standing up, the man was forced to leap aside as yet another light burst forth from where he had been sitting on the cobblestone. So, he had been here before, after all? ”It looks like I’ll need to stay limber~” A chuckle escaped the vagrant as he dodged yet another beam barely, the Defense System reacting to the man’s darkness. ”Alright! Let’s go!” With that, the vagrant was off—a surprising speed to his steps for one so underfed. It seemed he was used to running. Of course Evia would find no trouble simply walking through the cobblestone alleyways, as the system wouldn’t respond to her as a threat. If she knew a quicker way to the Bailey, being familiar with this world, she was more than free to take it, rather than tag along with the man who was guided merely by a haze rather than any real memory.
Everything seemed familiar despite him not having any distinct memories of this world. The Vagabond had found that his legs simply knew what way to go, arriving at the Bailey after only some moderate difficulty with the Defense System. ”About time!” Once the two arrived at the Bailey gates—located atop the large wall that protected the residential area—Yuffie waved with impatience as she rushed to the large lever located at the side of the gate. ”Someone has to get the door, y’know!” Beyond the barred gate, the two would be able to make out a swarm of Heartless, currently being fended off by silhouetted individuals—clearly locals of the world protecting it.
BLING! Another burst of light had detected the Vagabond, causing the man to pedal backwards as he narrowly avoided it. ”Huh?! The System’s actin’ up, too?!” Yuffie groaned, her hands on the lever though she hadn’t yet began to open the gates. ”Fine! I’ll go get Cid after! You two, hurry up!” Once the two were prepared, the ninja began to crank the spinning lever, slowly beginning to open the Bailey gates. Eager to escape the Defense System, the hooded vagrant was quick to run and slide under the moment an opening presented itself—knowing all too well how fast they had to be. Though the Bailey was a great defense, in order to get fighters to the other side, they had to open it—leaving the city wide open.
Thankfully, the Vagabond’s presence was followed by the Defense System, which continued after the darkness it sensed as well as bursting on the occasional Heartless past the gates. The concentration of light bursts at the entryway provided enough room for Evia to come through unbothered, as well as making other Heartless back off and not flood the city. ”Oi, who opened the gate?!” A loud cry was heard as the loud crashes and bangs of battle resounded in the cobblestone Bailey—four walls and a ceiling all ricocheting the sounds of both local weapons and the Heartless. Dozens of Soldiers, Shadows and NeoShadows surrounded them—only three local defenders keeping them at bay.
”Don’t worry, I’m closin’ it!” Yuffie’s shout was somehow heard as the gates clanged! shut. The earlier shout came from a guy who looked barely older than 20, average height with short brown hair and armed with a long rifle. Unlike the other fighters, he didn’t wear armor, only a long-sleeve tunic and baggy green olive pants filled with ammo. Despite the close-quarters, he was doing a great job at using the gun as a melee weapon in between shots, smacking any Heartless in reach with the butt of the gun. ”You guys, check it out! We got some back-up!” The rifleman laughed as the fight ensued. The other two he had shouted to were clearly warriors—armored with studded leather and heavy boots, nearly identical in appearance save for one being taller and more lean while the other was more stout. Both had horns on the top of their heads. "Whatever you do, don't let 'em attack the gates!"
”Oh, it’s you.” The taller of the two, wielding a Broadsword and Shield, seemed almost bored with how expressionless their face was—unseen eyes from beneath hair falling on the newcomers. It seemed the Vagabond knew these horned warriors as well. ”Use your magic, wizard!” The shorter and stouter of the two horned warriors, crushing the Heartless under a mighty hammer, shouted out in clear annoyance and aggravation. It seemed they were less composed than their counterpart. ”I told you, Wedge, I’m not a wizard!” The Vagabond was rushing through the cramped battlefield, not even participating in the fight, as he outran the Defense System. He wasn’t sure why he hadn’t recalled the name until now, or made that retort, but it had come out nonetheless.
Each burst of light that erupted and missed him ended up hitting some Heartless. It was a roundabout yet effective method, other than the fact it added to the chaos quite a bit. Evia would find themselves surrounded, though Wantz would offer cover with his rifle as well as the Defense System providing back up.
It was time for a battle!
[[ENEMIES: 20 Shadows, 10 Soldiers, 5 NeoShadows]] [[GOAL: Protect the Bailey Gates!]]
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Post by JeY k on Oct 31, 2020 13:45:36 GMT -5
Optimistic, sure. Evia didn't believe she was terribly optimistic as much as she was realistic - the castle they were in was a giant trap and coming here was a mistake. Had she known this was going to be the result, she never would've agreed to help anyone. She rarely spoke with people so why was she so inclined to help? It didn't matter. The two of them have bested everything thrown at them so far, what's the worst that could happen?
Seems like her friend had more to worry about anyway. The city's defense system seemed to be trying to murder him; must have something to do with those massive arms he grew earlier. It lead to even more doubts in her head. Could she still trust him? Well, if he was going to be harmful in any way, wouldn't he have taken his opportunity by now? This confusion was too much to deal with at the same time as the anguish from the castle's tricks and traps. She decided to stay vigilant but to temporarily put her faith in the fact that the man has been exclusively helpful.
Not only that, they arrived to the scene in the nick of time; the amount of enemies here would easily pave the way for an even worse crew of Heartless to utterly annihilate the place. Time to get to work...
Evia reached to her back and whipped out the chain attached to get back again, extending it into a full spear and locking it in place as a solid staff with a bladed end. She didn't have any fancy techs or spells, so she'd take her usual role or defending the people that could really do damage. Whenever someone was under an immediate threat that they could potentially not react in time, Evia would be there with a furry of long-range blows from her retractable spear.
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Post by hoodwink on Nov 4, 2020 22:49:20 GMT -5
The two off-worlder’s tactics were really changing the tide of battle. While the Vagabond continued to run through the Bailey, allowing the Defense System to catch the pursuing Heartless; Evia provided cover to Wantz, Wedge and Biggs. Though the two horned warriors were more than powerful in their own right, similar to Evia, they had no special powers or magic at their disposal—relying merely on their muscles and weapons. With so many melee combatants, Wantz found it easier to navigate around the battlefield, providing devastating cover fire with his long rifle as more and more Heartless continued to be blasted, slashed and blinged! away.
”Ha ha! You showed up right in time! This is easy!” Jovial and energetic as ever, Wantz laughed wholeheartedly as he blasted! another Heartless out of existence. ”Glad—huff—to be of—huff—service!” The Vagabond spoke between gasping breaths, his legs beginning to burn as he did yet another lap around the cobblestone enforcement. BLING! The Defense System blasted yet another Soldier off of their feet, hurling into a NeoShadow as the hooded vagrant leapt behind Biggs for some cover. ”Tch—coward! Don’t you have a weapon?!” The warrior grimaced as they hacked at another Shadow with their broadsword.
”No.” Despite the horned warrior’s obvious sarcasm, the Vagabond seemed to respond in a serious and neutral tone. ”I don’t like weapons.” Cold, steel instruments of killing. That’s all weapons were. He’d seen enough killing. Have I? Who did he know who had died? Shaking off the thought, the researcher leapt to narrowly avoid the swiping claw of a NeoShadow, wincing as the talons found their way through his jacket sleeve and drew blood. ”They’re lively! Did something good happen?” Chuckling through the pain, the hooded vagrant cradled his wounded arm, pressing his gloved left hand over it as red seeped through.
CLANG! Whipping his head around, the Vagabond grit his teeth as he witnessed the Heartless attacking the undefended gates. With how good the fight had been going, the party had focused on offense more than defense, leaving the Bailey wide open. Slamming against the closed gates, a group of Soldiers and NeoShadows had taken advantage of the opening, hurling attacks at the barricade with abandon. ”Predictable.” Giving a short tsk in protest, the Vagabond made his way towards the doors, though their ‘weapon’ hardly made an appearance. ”Upsie daisy!” With a grunting effort, the hooded man leapt from the ground and onto the group’s heads, clomping down with their worn shoes.
BLING! BLING! BLING! The concentration of darkness in the one point caused multiple rays from the Defense System to go off—bursting in a powerful blast of light right before the Bailey Gates. ”There we go!” Falling to the ground with a crunching thud! the Vagabond cheered as countless Heartless were obliterated by his tactic. The small group remaining hardly seemed to notice their fallen comrades, continuing to press onward in the battle as they pressed on the offensive!
[[ENEMIES: 10 Shadows, 5 Soldiers, 2 NeoShadows]]
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Post by JeY k on Nov 13, 2020 20:10:05 GMT -5
While concentrating on her own targets and keeping enemies off the soldier's back was in the forefront of her mind, Evia couldn't help but notice her friend's shenanigans throughout the whole thing. He played chicken with the town's defense system in order to trick the enemies into getting zapped. It was beyond comments at this point. The warrior had exhausted all of her shock and awe between her unruly friend and struggling to maintain her sanity once she regained it.
Speaking of which, she was on the verge of losing it. She wouldn't know the terms herself, but what she experienced was the phenomenon of the whole place glitching out. Not in extremely explicit ways, but lots of subtle things. The movement of the defenders didn't flow as humanly as you'd expect-- maybe some robotic stuttering in there. Sometimes it looked like the Heartless lost their minds for a second and then popped back into a normal stance and resumed their chaos. Something was wrong with the whole scene. Glitch wasn't in her vocabulary, but she'd describe it as 'Reality seemed more surreal than anything'. No time to talk about it, there were enemies to fight.
Including a NeoShadow that slipped in on the young man while the defense system was still readying a strike. No time to warn him, she just needed good aim. She tumbled to the ground and sprung into the air to launch the spear in a Valkyrie fashion - air-to-surface spear toss honed directly in. It flew straight and pierced the NeoShadow with ease and left it lodged into the ground at an angle.
Oh, no time to pick it up though! She extended her right arm's blade and left arm's crossbow and went right back to work. The spear would probably be there when the fight was over and she could deal with it then., but wouldn't be mad if someone needed to use it in a pinch - if it didn't break from being missile'd into concrete, well... you can use your imagination.
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Post by hoodwink on Nov 15, 2020 15:05:41 GMT -5
The Vagabond had hardly noticed how close he had come to peril. Evia’s well-timed spear had truly been a boon that the hooded vagrant hardly was worthy to receive. ”Woah! You’re good!” Wantz shouted out over the din of battle, blasting! another Shadow off of its feet and out of existence. Due to the man’s ranged fighting, he had been able to see the warrior’s prowess, giving Evia a ‘thumbs up’. ”Less. Talk. More. Hits.” Wedge grunted out in between hammer swings, slower to attack due to the weapons weight, but each hit that landed was devastating for the Heartless. CRUNCH! Another Soldier crumpled under the heft before dissolving, armor and all. The Vagabond was on the move once more, though what few Heartless remained were mostly occupied, leaving him mostly unbothered. With the two intruder’s aid, the tide of the battle was quickly shifting, the Bailey steadily clearing of enemies one after another. The gates had withheld the attack, defended well and durable in its own right, it seemed the town was safe from the Heartless, for now.
”Phew…” Wiping the faint sweat on his shrouded brow, the Vagabond still had to eye the cobblestone floor warily, wondering when the Defense System would strike next. Gulping down one of his many potions, the man healed himself of his wounds. He would offer one of the glowing green bottles to Evia as well, if she needed it. ”We did it!” Shouting out with a cheer as the last Heartless was slain, Wantz pumped a fist into the air while Biggs and Wedge merely nodded and grunted in response. ”Thanks, you two!” Giving Evia and the Vagabond a broad grin and ‘thumbs up’, the rifleman made his way back to the Gates, knocking on them with a knuckled hand. Knock! Knock! It echoed throughout the stone Bailey. ”Yuffie? We’re done on this end!” Silence greeted them for a moment before a familiar singsong tone rang out, muffled through the barred entrance. ”Alright! Back up! You're lucky the system was fine, or I wouldn't've made it back in time!” Following her advice while rolling his eyes, Wantz took a step back as the large gates began to creeeeeak! open. It was then that something caught the Vagabond’s eye—a flash of white down in the distance. Standing near the end of the Bailey, where stone stairs led further down to the purple mountain ranges, the Vagabond turned and looked down the stairway.
”It seems our meddling's at an end.” Looming at the bottom of the stairs was a tall, ornate white door—their only exit from the temporary illusions of the castle. Gesturing at Evia, the man motioned towards the stairs, though the door would be out of view to the others. Raising his gloved hand and waving in departure, the Vagabond called out as Wantz, Biggs and Wedge glanced back with puzzled looks. ”We’ve got other things to do!” The horned warriors merely shrugged, turning to depart without so much as a word of ‘goodbye’, not that the Vagabond had offered such pleasantries, either. Truthfully, the vagrant loathed drawn out departures almost as much as he loathed names. Wantz glanced after them with a knowing sigh, shaking his head before turning back to the other two. ”Always stayin’ busy, huh?” The vagrant tilted his head. Did the two of them know each other like that? Was he always busy? Shrugging it off, the Vagabond raised a hand as the locals headed through the open Bailey gates. ”Shall we?” His tone sounded humorous, despite there not being anything necessarily funny happening.
Walking down the cobblestone stairs, the hooded man would push open the ornate white door, a bright light consuming him as he headed down the white staircase beyond…
The two would emerge from a familiar white downward staircase to a more familiar white room. Just like the many floors before, this one hardly appeared any different. ”Not very creative with the design, were they…?” Though the Vagabond’s features were shrouded, his tone indicated the grimace on his face. In a sense, the man had a nagging suspicion that the identical structure of each floor was meant to wear on one’s psyche. Forced to face illusion after illusion, with the only intermediate being the same white room. For a moment, the hooded vagrant silently regarded Evia. She’s strong, to have lasted so long in such conditions. No wonder the woman’s headspace was all over the place. ”You did splendid, back there, Bodyguard!” Changing his tone completely, the Vagabond had perked back up, resting his hands on his hips as he eyed the knight from his shadows.
”Well—should we rest for a moment, or press on?” All he had done was run around a lot. Given how Evia had done more of the ‘heavy lifting’, he thought it would be reckless to press forward if she needed rest. It did no good to have a tuckered out bodyguard, after all. Though, lingering longer here isn’t ideal, either. It was a lose, lose, really. Lose…? What was that like? 'Losing'? Why did the word linger in his heart for a moment, before the thought vanished? It was like attempting to see a reflection that vanished the moment you turned your gaze. Shaking his head a bit, the Vagabond raised a hand to his shrouded brow, scrunched up in thought. This is…the castle’s doing. Evia had already warned him of how it would mess with his memories, thoughts and mind. The sooner he found what he was looking for, the better.
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Post by JeY k on Dec 17, 2020 21:55:10 GMT -5
The battle should've been a piece of cake, but after all of that struggle Evia was definitely starting to feel it. Her breathing was a bit elevated and there were trickles of sweat on her forehead - stuff that didn't usually happen too often unless things were getting real tough; you could say this was getting tough for sure. Once the fighting was up and her friend motioned for her to move on, she yanked he spear out of the ground and flicked it into a flexible state and lodged it back into her armor spine.
Speaking of her armor, its design definitely kept agility and movement in mind but it was still armor after all. It kept her safe from harm but wore her down a bit more than just fighting with cloth. It was necessary for a mission like this, but damn, if the fighting didn't end in a little bit she may have to leave some bits behind to keep up her overflowing wells of stamina.
"Moving on then are we? I was just getting acquainted with your illusionary friends but the sooner we're out of here the better." There would be no objection to heading down the stairs without any involved goodbyes.
Once they were in another familiar, boundless, unapologetically repeated room the swift soldier was given an option to rest. Apparently her battle-worn features were more prominent than she let on. The idea of idling for too long was terrifying but the consequences of fighting on in worse shape would be deadly to say the least. Honestly she was pretty good for now but who knows what awaited them further on; if this was the only rest for the next three hours, it would be a problem if they didn't catch their breath now.
But, she was good for now. The dilemma went back and forth in her mind for what seemed like forever, though might've been only a few seconds out in the real world.
"Let's go. I can shave off a a small layer of armor if I feel like I'm getting too worn down, if we don't get another break at a reasonable place. Let's get out as soon as we can."
It would be worth the extra effort. She was a tough girl, she could take it.
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Post by hoodwink on Dec 18, 2020 14:41:51 GMT -5
For a moment, the Vagabond had lost himself in thought. How peculiar… He was still wrapping his head around the concept of this Castle. When they had departed from the last world, er...floor, Evia's mention had caused him to do some introspection. Indeed, the illusions were convincing—the world and people in it had seemed so real. The Heartless are real enough. So they could move freely within the Castle and its illusions? Being creatures made of darkness, it wasn’t ridiculous to assume that perhaps the Heartless had no minds or memories to make the illusions effective. These illusions… Though the first one had felt familiar, the Vagabond couldn’t recall it. They also hadn’t met anyone there. As for the second, the man knew he’d been to the area before, not that he could recall the name or finer details. Hell, he had even forgotten about something as crucial as the Defense System until it had nearly guillotined him. Is it…stealing memories, to fabricate them? The thought was a dark one, creating a new weight on his shoulders as Evia’s voice broke through—echoing faintly against the vast looming white walls.
”Let’s get out as soon as we can.” Perking up a bit, the Vagabond stared at her from the shroud of his hood before barking out a short laugh and resting his hands on his hips. ”Ha ha! That’s the spirit~” That’s right, he couldn’t afford to stand around ruminating. He had a goal—one he wouldn’t forget no matter what (he hoped). Turning to face the next looming white door, the hooded vagrant made his way up the steps and grabbed the ornate handle—glaring at the white ahead. Take another. What I need is worth it. The light exposed after opening still made him gag a bit, though he scrunched his eyes shut and pulled his hood tighter as he stepped through…
Sun poured out from above in holes of the wooden ceiling and walls around them. The two would find themselves in the middle of a seemingly abandoned wooden house in bad state. Dust lined old boxes and crates, unopened and unused—tarps draped over sections, littered with holes and moss. A steady and hot breeze could both be felt and heard as the sounds of countless birds and insects came from outside. ”This is…?” Ahead of them was a doorless exit, treetops acting as though a landscape beyond as the bright jungle below the Tree House was exposed. Stepping outside of the house onto a porch-like structure that wrapped around it, the Vagabond blinked in surprise from beneath his hood as he realized they were high above a Jungle, atop a treehouse with a netted bottom, overlooking everything. A jungle…? Jolting for a moment, the man managed to recall a slim bit of information. ”Ah! This is the Jungle that holds its own Guardians!” Even with the Castle tampering with his memory, there was no way the researcher could forget the guardians he had ended up bonding and making a pact with.
When was that, though? For a moment, the man was visibly confused, tilting his head and raising a hand to his chin as he tried to recall. Resigning himself to the fact he wouldn’t be able to recall much, the Vagabond pressed on. Instead, the man tried to remain optimistic in the fact he could remember his bond. ”Hm…we should be careful. The Heartless may be here, as well.” They were still in the Castle, he had to remember that. If that was the case, they were free to roam the illusions, if his hypothesis was correct. Walking around the wrap-around porch, the hooded man noticed a pathway down towards the Jungle via the branches of the impossibly tall trees the Tree House was structured on. He couldn’t see too far in, as it was lush with leaves and other overgrowth, shrouding the path from vision. Crossing his arms for a moment, the Vagabond frowned in thought. If we keep wasting time fighting them, we’ll both get worn out. He had his potions, but it wasn’t a limitless amount.
Oh…? Having walked his way back towards the entrance of the Tree House, the vagrant noticed a wooden ship suspended by a thick rope and propped beams against the building. ”Bodyguard, do you think you could make it into that boat up there?” Pointing up to the wooden vessel, the Vagabond was scheming from beneath his hood. If Evia could make her way into the boat—the man would be able to secure them a different route down to the Jungle, hopefully avoiding any unnecessary fighting. Though, if the knight wasn’t a fan of heights or plummets or speed…well, he’d cross that bridge when they came to it.
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Post by JeY k on Jan 17, 2021 13:07:19 GMT -5
Everything about where they ended up next was too familiar to be a coincidence. It weighed on the girl a considerable amount as they walked to the cabin's exit to see the view. Yup, a jungle. They were here before! That was it! The perspective was just all off. "Haven't we been here already today!?" The toll this castle took on her mind was substantial enough to almost make her forget an earlier adventure they had just a few rooms ago. Almost.
She was corrected though, her friend recognized this place unlike the previous jungly-like room with a weird cabin in it. Technically that cabin was also on the ground, so there were some startling differences immediately though at this point Evia would not be surprised if the rooms repeated themselves but in a re-arranged fashion to meddle with their minds in a more compounded and detrimental way.
Well, if he recognized the place, maybe it would be easier to move along this time.
Until he mentioned more Heartless. Man, they could really use a break especially after that last one. Her friend had something in mind though, asking if they could climb to a nearby ship. "Not sure what you're planning, but that shouldn't be a problem." She didn't wait to hear his answer before prepping herself. With a single leap she could flip up into the entrance to the boat's deck and held out her hand to indicate the man should try next, using her as a boost to get in for sure.
Once they were both in, she turned around and immediately noticed someone on the floor, out cold. They didn't have any signs of physical harm, but-- hold on a second. Evia's eyes burst open as far they could humanly stretched. Tears began to pool on the bottom lid and streak down both cheeks. She fell to her knees and covered her mouth with her hands.
"...I remember everything..."
This young man on the floor was the trigger. The person she was sent here to save. She remembered the mother's face when she told Evia the story. She remembered how despite being so uncomfortable, her body urged her to comfort the mother by putting her hand on her shoulder. It meant so much that she accepted the task. She remembered sharpening all of her weapons and putting in an extra few laps at the agility course in full armor. If there were to be any mental limitations, she should be able to push through them with physical.
Seems the castle reacted to her flood of memories too, there was a bit of shaking though it couldn't be compared to a small earthquake it wasn't a negligible shake. The room's illusion faded for moments, revealing the pearly white box they were contained in for long enough to easily register that it wasn't a trick. The magic was running out, Evia was sure of it.
She shook the tears out of her eyes and wiped away any straggling mess on her face. "I'm no longer burdened by the castle's magic. He's the target, I believe we should work on extraction as soon as--" she cut herself off as soon as she looked back at her friend. The entirety of her original memory being merged with the memories formed right here in the castle caused her face to flush with a deep shade of pink. She made an absolute fool of herself in front of a total stranger.
"I... Right. I needed your help, wanderer. And thank you, for providing it, and..." Oh boy. People were not her strong suite. She was now aware that this man was with her every step of the way as she bumbled around like an idiot. "I uh... I don't want to talk about it right now. Let's focus on--"
"Oww my head, where the heck--" Seems the man was awake now. "Uh, who are you two?"
Looks like there was no time to finish her thought earlier. Perfect distraction. She put it aside and addressed the more immediate matter at hand. The interaction between rescuer and rescued was far less personal and far easier to participate in. "Gale Fernin; I'm Evia Korhurst and this is--" oops, she didn't have a name. "A friend. You got lost in a dangerous restricted area and I'm here to bring you to safety. Please nod if you understand."
The young man nodded. Evia turned to her friend.
"Alright. Wanderer; I'm assuming you had a way down from here, yes?"
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