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Sinfjotle
Posted on 02-20-07 04:32 PM Link | Quote | ID: 2203


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Hopeless, what was Hector thinking, it was never hopeless. This mad man had no skill, only brute force. He was a stark contrast from what Star used to be, a true master of the sword and of lightning. As this beast charged at him, Hector knew that he couldn’t simply try to mimic such brute strength and hope to win.

Hector turned his blade so it showed Star’s nobody in its reflection. A spectral imagine of the berserker appear and ran head first into the nobody. They crashed together with the force of two freight trains. As they pushed at each other, Hector made his move stabbed through the spectral image, disrupting it, right towards where the nobody’s heart should be. Feeling the splash of blood, Hector thought this would be the end of it. As the berserker kept moving towards Hector, Hector’s sword pierced through his entire body, straight through the heart and the lungs.


???: “Seal of the Mind: Unleash.”

Hector knew that voice. He almost turned to look to see if he was correct, but the nobody acted to fast. Hector felt himself be blown away by some force, his sword coming with him. As he looked he saw the berserker’s eyes had calmed and now seemed in control. Landing on his back, Hector’s face was looking straight up at a familiar face. His eyes opened in fear as he recognized who it was.

Nijote?: “Stay there Vengeless. We want this one.”

The behemoth of a man seemed to relax as the woman who looked like Nijote continued.

Nijote?: “You have fear Hector and that’s enough to succumb to the darkness, like so many others…”

Hector leaped up as Nijote’s eyes suddenly became bloodshot and she reached for a dagger. Feeling danger even after he’d gotten out of reach, Hector leaped to the side as a, what he could only assume, heartless crashed down right where he was. This heartless was different than any other he’d ever seen though. The heartless was very human like, blood shot eyes stared from the darkness of its face. The heartless looked like a shower.

Hector: “There is no way you’re Nijote.”

Hector kept all his senses wide open, several other heartless had formed a circle around the confrontation. Escape would be nearly impossible. Nijote seemed to appear next to Hector and she grabbed the hand that didn’t have his sword in both of her hands. Hector knew there was movement, she didn’t meld into the shadows like most heartless do.

Nijote: “These feel like human hands, I sound like her, I look like her, I have her speed. Who else could I be?”

Hector’s hand started to twitch uncontrollably and as he looked at it he saw darkness. It slowly began to crawl up his arm and he moved away from Nijote. Fear started to take over and he heard voices in his head, so many voices. He felt the darkness begin to consume him, and he felt so disappointed in himself for letting it happen so easily.

He began to feel light headed and as his vision began to fade and he felt an over whelming pain. It felt like days were passing, soon he started to fall asleep… So this was the end?


Star: “Get up.”

Hector looked around, only darkness was around him.

Star: “You’ve been lured into a trap. As soon as you grew over confident in yourself Nijote ebbed the darkness into you. You had no chance to over come her.”

There was a brief silence.

Star: “You’re safe. Just wake up.”


Mel blushed, what an embarrassing experience. Dama Scenis had made good on her promise of a bath and new clothes, but Mel was surprised when she hopped in the bath with her and washed her hair and back. It embarrassed her that they had to change the water four times because of how dirty Mel had gotten. It took two solid hours to get her hair back to its old sheen. Mel couldn’t help but remember the days when her mom helped her wash her hair and it brought a smile to her face.

The clothes were very surprising to Mel. The people on this world knew how to draw a tiny portion of magic from someone and form it into clothes. The white dress that Dana Scenis had formed for Mel really made her look her age, and like a girl. When Mel looked in the mirror she thought she looked innocent. Shining hair and a pretty white dress, but as she continued to look she saw that she was mal-nourished and really needed some good food.

The food was the best thing she could ever remember eating, meats, fruits, and vegetables in a never ending supply. It was great enough that she almost cried. After taking a good helping that bothered no one even though she was eating enough for five, she decided to speak to Dama Scenis.

Dama Scenis had her own private room and, as Mel had noticed, it was decorated by materials made from magical energy. Everything seemed to glow a light purple color, which was different compared to everything else’s light blue or light green.


Mel: “Dama Scenis…?”

Mel took a look around, hoping that Dama Scenis was here. She said she’d be, but Mel realized that she was busy. Mel stood in the door way for a few more seconds and then sighed and turned around just to notice that Dama Scenis had been standing right behind her.

Dama Scenis: “Mel, good, we need to talk.”

Dama Scenis grabbed Mel’s hand and lead her into the room and quickly closed the door. She seemed a lot more serious than she had been all day. She sat Mel down on an unbelievably soft cushion and stood in front of her looking down.

Dama Scenis: “Mel… where did you come from?”

Mel: “…another world.”

Dama Scenis gave a sigh of relief.

Dama Scenis: “Good, that really is a good thing. People were saying that you were the demon from some old folk lore that was born from an unholy union.”

Mel looked at Dama Scenis like she was insane.

Dama Scenis: “You realize that your powers are much stronger than everyone else’s right?”

Mel: “How can you compare that? I haven’t opened myself at all yet.”

Dama Scenis: “You… have a lot to learn. You have the power, and I’m sure you know how to use it, but you lack the abilities.”

Mel looked away, she knew it was true. Her mother had planned on teaching her so much, but it just didn’t work out that way.

Dama Scenis: “Oh don’t worry, we’ll teach you everything you need to know! Really, you should rest though; it’s going to be quite draining when we start your training.”

Dama Scenis grabbed Mel by the hand and lead her through the halls and to a door. With a light push, Dama Scenis urged Mel into the room. Mel nervously entered to see a large, extremely comfortable looking, bed. She turned to look at Dama Scenis and then looked back towards the bed, like an excited child she ran and jumped onto the bed.

Dama Scenis: “This is your room from now on, so be—oh wow, asleep all ready?”

Dama Scenis smiled as she left the room.


The next few days passed very easily for Mel. She noticed that Dama Scenis kept her isolated from everyone else, and the only time she saw anyone else…

Mel woke up in the middle of the night. A massive headache shook her skull and she had a feeling of looming dread. She got up, thinking she’d get a drink while she was awake and wandered out of her room. As soon as she left her room she could feel a dark energy of extreme force.

She rushed through the hallways towards the force, knowing that she could at least fend it off. As she exited the building she saw several adults in robes had formed a circle around something. A dark blast of energy emitted from the middle of them and everyone was thrown back. Mel’s eyes opened in horror as the figure in the middle was a corrupted form of Hector. Darkness had started to take over his body and so he was half heartless half human.


Dama Scenis: “Mel, get back inside!”

Mel looked over to Dama Scenis who was the first to stand, and who apparently had gotten Hector’s attention. She shot a blast of holy energy at him, but a blast of the exact same caliber met it halfway between. Instinctively, Mel’s body began to charge with an excessive amount of holy energy.

Everyone’s head turned as the light flowed around Mel. The light simply exploded from Mel and circled around Hector before it closed around him.


Dama Scenis: “So… inefficient.”

Mel ran to Hector as he fell as the darkness was cleansed.

Mel: “Hector! Hector! Come on Hector, wake up!”

Mel began to shake Hector as Dama Scenis and a few others began to approach. As she kept shaking him his eye opened and she stopped. He winked and passed out.

Mel: “Hector…?”

Dama Scenis grabbed Mel from behind and started to lead her away.

Mel: “Let me make sure if he’s all right, please.”

Dama Scenis: “You need to get to your room and stay there for a little while.”

Mel struggled and tried to go back, but Dama Scenis’ grip only got tighter.

Mel: “What are you doing!?”

Dama Scenis: “Quiet!”

Dama Scenis grabbed Mel’s head and tilted it up so she could glare in her eyes. Mel stopped struggling and didn’t say a word.

Dama Scenis: “I tried to hide you from the rest of the leaders and you had to go and show yourself. You need to stay quiet for a while so I can explain this, all right?”

Mel nodded and followed Dama Scenis.

Dama Scenis: “You’re going to have to stay in my room for a little while.”

Mel: “Why though?”

Dama Scenis sighed as she opened the door to her room.

Dama Scenis: “You’re a threat to some of people here and I don’t trust them.”

Grey
Posted on 03-21-07 07:07 AM Link | Quote | ID: 17618


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OOC: Well, let's see... Where we left off...

It should be noted, of course, that time flows very differently in very different places. The spiritual plane, for example, passes time approximately eight times faster than the material plane, on a general case. As an object approaches light speed, its perception of time also slows down to the point where eventually, at light speed, time stops. This is all completely theoretical, mind you, and upon the destruction of Shen's home world by the Heartless, there was little ability to be had in proof. Time manipulation existed primarily through magical means, without any kind of scientific backup. However, the principle that time passes differently in different places still held.

For Shen and Evan, in this strange realm they had ended up in, Time chose to cast its glance about only so often, and it passed by with much furor and haste as a result of its seldom affairs. The duo's perception of events was nonplussed, and marched to the beat of its own ticking clock, ignoring this fact.

The previously mentioned cottage also ignored this fact, along with the entire planet, and as a result the passage of time here was much faster than many other realms.

It, along with the rest of the world, was completely white in appearance. It sat plainly within the forest, contrasting heavily with Shen and Evan's comparatively unique attire. A porch, the likes of which were typically found in a simple ranch home, greeted Evan as he plodded closer to the door at the porch's rear with each step. He began to laugh as memories slowly returned to him.


Evan: "That's right... I remember now. I built this place, didn't I?"

He had some trouble with his memories at this point. Could he be so sure that he did? He certainly remembered building it... Breaking down the trees with his hands, and having someone else cut the wood as he assembled them into the pieces he had used to construct it. The house required little loam or nails. The wood was happy enough to be reunited with its parts, after being broken to boards by Evan's brutal hands.

But then, what was he doing there, when he did build it? It was a very long time ago. That much he could remember, as well.

He stared longingly at the front door of the cottage. What secrets did it hold? What questions would be answered upon opening it?

Evan set Shen down on the ground, and leaned her up against Satchel as he took the large bag off his back.


"Rest here, Shen. I'll go inside and see if there's anyone who can help us."

Shen stirred.

Shen: "O... Okay..."

His usual feelings of concern mounted. She wasn't getting better...

He shook his head, stood to his full height, and stepped cautiously to the porch. However, he was unable to take more than that single step before the front door exploded outward at him, the force of a small, tennis ball-sized object smashing it to pieces. Behind his visor, Evan's eyes widened, and he quickly, almost instinctively raised a hand to catch it.

The ball, for it indeed was a ball, slammed hard into his enormous fist, and tingled upon impact, wrestling itself free from Evan's surprised hands and hurtling at him a second time. This time Evan took a quick step to the side, his eyes tracking its swift passage clearly and cleanly -- it was fast, but not too fast for him.

Not anymore, his mind said.

The third pass saw Evan's clenched fist make a defiant swipe at the ball's track, colliding hard with it and sending the object flying off into the distance. Evan looked over to Shen to make sure she was unharmed by the object's movement, only to hear a familiar, yet unknown female voice...


???: "You've gotten much faster, boy."

Evan whirled around to meet the voice, but saw no one. Not yet. The ball hurtled back at him and as it slammed into him with a loud crack, the back of his skull throbbed in pain. The last thing he heard as he sank into blackness was the voice speaking a second time.

"But I guess you're not fast enough for your father's old tricks. Welcome back."

From then, he knew no more.

---------------

Shen's perceptions blurred as Evan's did. All her senses could feel was the overbearing power of a soul from a world that was clearly not native to this one. As Evan collapsed, his soul fading into an unconscious, inactive state, a wave of despair overtook Shen. She as well fell into darkness, her mind racing only with the hope that he was all right.

Sinfjotle
Posted on 03-21-07 10:54 AM Link | Quote | ID: 17654


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Sometimes even despair wasn't quite that safe though. Shen's body and mind were still fully aware, but she could not see and she could not feel. She could only think and with every thought she heard a tiny sound, something quieter then a pen dropping.

Slowly it grew louder and Shen could do nothing to stop it. The quiet noise was erupting every few seconds into a noise that shook her mind and silenced her thoughts. The noise took shape into an emotion, a powerful malice that entered every thought and every memory in her mind. It was such a cold yet powerful emotion.

When someone's heart sinks into darkness they become a target. Shen would've loved nothing more than to be unconscious or dreaming, but she knew she wasn't. Time seemed to stop as the strong soul that was just within reach had ceased to move. As her mind shook from the malice and her memories were invaded and clouded, she felt something else.

A calm breeze brushed against her skin and a shiver was sent down her body. The smell of a morning on a lake wafted into her thoughts and she felt her lungs expand. The call of a hawk opened her ears and filtered into the malice. A powerful nostalgia stirred butterflies in her stomach, it was just like home.

The next thought that should have entered her mind never did. She knew it existed and she could almost taste it, but it vanished before it even finished, as if it was eaten while still being formed. Her eyes opened, but not to the world, but inside herself. She saw her heart with a darkness all around it that felt like malice and hate. It approached her heart several times, but every time it approached it was stopped.

For a second Shen couldn't imagine why the darkness was being held of, but as she looked she saw that every time the darkness approached a soft blue light would emanate from it and halt the darkness. No matter how horribly distraught she was, her soul still kept its original duty in protecting her. She calmed herself and let her mind focus on what she'd always know.

Shen's mind dulled and relaxed, it became distant with everything around her, enough so that she was partially disconnected with the world. Her thoughts began to become hazy as the soft blue light expanded out and pushed the darkness back. It continued to expand until everything was engulfed in its comforting glow. Shen felt at ease again, but she knew her physical body was too weak to respond properly. For fear of damaging herself or those around her, she waited to recover. She could only assume that Evan was fully capable of taking care of himself and would become stronger when he knew she was out of danger.



Lexuk: "Oh for fucks sake, what the hell happened!?"

Lexuk's face was red with rage and his eyes focused on Nijote. This was her first failure and Lexuk was furious. It was all he could do to restrain himself from destroying her and her defiant eyes wasn't making it easier. There was no excuse for Nijote's weakness. Her body was a real human body, her powers were boundless, and she was far beyond anything that Shen should have had to deal with before, yet somehow she still failed.

Nijote: "She was simply to strong. I told you that you should've lead Kalar to her. He's much more capable at such an offensive than I am."

The fact that she was right only stirred Lexuk more. Since Dracoon had interrupted his plans everything seemed to have crashed. Even across universes, Luke had remained a pain in his ass by destroying certainties and making it so that Lexuk couldn't even make it rain if he pleased. Now one of his most prized plans had backfired. If he could've pulled Shen into darkness he would've had a shield that Luke couldn't get through, but instead she stopped the attack and would quickly recover to her normal strength.

Nijote: "We still have three advantages. The Red Heartless gain strength quickly and are capable enough to defeat lesser threats without many problems, Mel is in the hands of an ally, and we still have Maya."

While Nijote made good points, Lexuk knew that only one of those was reliable and they had many more things working against them. Many possible threats could surface at any time and Lexuk couldn't see anything that was going to happen.

Lexuk: "Luke will be here for Maya shortly and without Shen I can't defeat him or even stall him. Any attention I give to him is time for the others to reunite and then over come me as a group."

Lexuk was surprised at how Nijote managed to sneak Maya away from Luke. It was just bad luck for Maya that she was distracted. If anything, Nijote's Nobody had helped quite a bit on accident. While Maya had Luke chase her down, no one was protecting Maya. Nijote had taken this chance to capture Maya and it was a good thing she didn't kill her or turn her into a heartless.

Lexuk: "And we can't actually harm Maya since the last time we saw what happened when Luke thought Maya was dead..."

Lexuk only had a few ideas of what the next threat would be.

Lexuk: "On top of that, we still have Doe running around, Ark is at least still alive, Elysia could meet up and help any of our current problems, and Dracoon could rip apart space at any minute."

Nijote: "Those are beyond your control. I know Doe won't act. Ark doesn't have a motive, and Elysia is just a human. Even if you can't locate her, she won't survive on her own very long. As for Dracoon, he can't harm us if he can't find us."

Lexuk might be one of the strongest beings in the entire universe, but he would never want to be on the opposing side of this woman. She thought practically and handled one issue at a time. She became even more powerful as she controlled more heartless and yet with all that power she was never arrogant. With Dark Wish at his side, Lexuk knew he could defeat almost any challenge if he had enough of a sacrifice and he even planned to use Nijote as a sacrifice, but he was quickly reconsidering.

Something was different about this woman than any other heartless, maybe it was that Origin and Hero managed to spite him even in sacrifice and gave her something more. As he stared into her eyes he could feel a sort of primal motive, a deep hatred, and a deep longing. Lexuk couldn't help but lust for her, but he knew others had made that same mistake, he had researched for a long time who would make the perfect heartless commander, and over all her other qualities her resourcefulness was the one that appealed to him the most. Even as a being of pure evil warmth still radiated from her.

He would have to be careful, she couldn't be trusted. She wasn't bound to him by fate, but by a magical bond. Magic could be severed by stronger magic.



Time passed slowly in Dama Scenis' room and she was hardly ever there. Mel wanted to go see how Hector was doing, but the door was always locked. Sometimes Mel even began to think she was a prisoner. Days went by and Mel never saw the sunlight. Her food was what Dama Scenis brought back from dinner or materialized for her.

She was never taught anything, but fear kept her from questioning what was going on. She slept soundly and she ate decently, there was even a personal shower she could use, so life really wasn't bad. In fact it was better than anything she was used to. Her trust of Dama Scenis was misplaced and as she soon found out, another powerful figure in her life was about to turn on her and betray her in a way that would haunt her for the rest of her life. Tonight when she fell asleep she woke up outside, but she couldn't move. Someone was moving her body though and all she could do was watch.

She could even feel the wind on her, but she had no control. A thought sounded in her head, but it wasn't one of her own and no matter how much she screamed in her mind the thought didn't answer back. Magic all across reality shuddered for a second as Mel's body reached out into it's nearly infinite energy and grabbed a very tight hold.

Grey
Posted on 03-28-07 06:50 AM Link | Quote | ID: 20224


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Nameless: "Dama Scenis, huh...?"

Nameless rubbed his hands together as he approached the bordering grounds of the magnificent palace where so many recent events had taken place. The Sky Gardens were places only hinted at by the locals of this world, but this fellow had fallen so far, so fast...

Hector: "Yeah. I don't know who she is, or what she's doing up there, but she's holding someone very important to me, and I want her back."

Nameless: "Hrm."

---------------

Hector couldn't remember most of what happened after Mel's raw power cleansed him of the darkness that had enveloped him. He knew they had seen his abilities in action. He knew they saw that he had deflected the powers of even the strongest of their leaders. It was a feeling all around that he had "known", but not actually experienced.

Mel was in that palace, and for a period of time where he had felt safe for once, he was too. But the "leaders" of that little cabal, those who had stood against him that first night that he came for Mel, they feared him. With assurances of his safety by their farcical leader, Hector was cast off the island, hoping for death to consume him as the darkness nearly had.

The winds cut his skin as he fell, the very molecules of the air around him slicing and sparring with him. He wasn't afraid. Gravity was a force, something he could easily repel with just a thought. They hadn't thought to take his weapon. They had barely wished to touch him after the horrifying display he had shown. Just an unconscious exercise, he thought.

But the fall never had the chance to make its attack. As he made his approach to the growing land that lay below, Hector felt a cold, dark energy swirling around him. It wasn't quite the same as true darkness, though. It was Void energy. Manipulating gravity to slow him down... How strange, he thought.

He lay comfortably on his back as an invisible cloud lowered him gently to the ground. Before he could contemplate who his savior was, though, he recieved his answer in a very harsh and painful way, as a dark shadow filled the skyline above him and descended down at him. With a quick thought, he drew out his sword and watched nonchalantly as the being slammed into the weapon and was blown straight back into the air, unaware of his own power.

Nameless flipped backwards to right himself, and landed neatly on the ground in front of Hector, grinning at his good fortune.


---------------

Nameless: "Well, you know it's not my problem whether or not you find your girlfriend in there, but I'll help you if you help me. Deal?"

He cast a sidelong glance at Hector, expecting an answer...

Sinfjotle
Posted on 03-28-07 11:40 AM Link | Quote | ID: 20258


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Hector: "If she was my girlfriend it'd be a bit creepy, don't you think?"

Hector laughed, trying to put his unease at rest.

Hector: "Really though, if Dama Scenis can trick Mel, I'm sure she's intelligent enough to beat me. We also have to worry about what Mel might do, you give off the same vibe as Vengeless. I wouldn't really expect her to remain calm in that kind of situation."

Nameless didn't seem intimated or even worried about anything Hector said. As Hector sighed he felt a darkness begin to manifest itself, a heartless was about to enter their world!

Nameless: "Relax."

Hector turned towards where the darkness had began to form and saw a man who seemed to be destabilize the world around him. It took him a second to realize that it was Star, and not a Nobody or a Heartless, it was the real Star.

Star: "Hector, Jan... No, you're a Nobody... but still, you have some of his memories. I can only remain in this reality for short periods of time, but I have a request."

Star hesitated and Hector could feel the sadness in his voice.

Star: "Mel is the strongest human in existence, her power goes beyond anything I've ever seen. For now, while she's untrained, she couldn't focus enough power to be a threat to reality, but if she were to come under the control of someone who could use the power, I'm not sure who could stop her."

Star looked right at Nameless.

Star: "But don't do it for the universe. Please, just do it for my daughter."

With that, Star vanished the way he came.

Hector: "Damn, looks like I don't have much of a choice now, but I was going anyways, so it doesn't matter. No idea how I got up there in the first place, as I can't fly very easily. So transportation is up to you."


Old Man: "So... she's under control now?"

Dama Scenis: "Yes."

Old Man: "So we can kill her and get her off this planet right?"

Dama Scenis: "I'm preparing the device right now. We can harness her magical powers and remove her magical connect and put her to work as a servant."

The old man sighed with relief. After last night's display, he was uncomfortable with being anywhere near the girl. Her now cold eyes seemed to look at him with a mild disgust. Something he expected from her.


As Dama Scenis and Mel walked through the halls, people seemed to close doors and avoid them both. Now that Mel was under Dama Scenis' control, Mel was even scarier. Absolute control over her magical powers meant she could destroy everything in the blink of an eye. They took several flights downstairs and even went below the dungeon, which was unoccupied.

After a seemingly endless walk, they entered a small room where two metal coffins seemed to be setup. They seemed to be controlled completely by magi-tech and Mel screamed on the inside, knowing full well what was about to happen. She couldn't fight back as her body laid down in one of the coffins without any qualms. The lid was shut and only darkness and silence greeted her. After a while that was all there was and Mel felt her mind fading away...

She had many dreams about her mother, and for the first time in years, she felt happy.


No one was really surprised when Mel returned to Dama Scenis' seat and there was no sight of Dama Scenis, everyone knew in the back of their head that Dama Scenis wouldn't wast the opportunity. Mel had briefly opened herself up to magic for a split second and everyone felt that she'd just called the wind of the world. Nothing seemed to happen though as Mel just waited.

Grey
Posted on 03-28-07 04:26 PM Link | Quote | ID: 20285


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Nameless: "Well... I can't exactly open a doorway to nothingness and get us up there in an instant, or anything like that. A few weeks ago, that might have been a different case, but as it stands now I've only got one idea, and it ain't gonna be easy."

The duo had come across the place where Hector and Nameless had met each other. Not so willing to attack Hector now, Nameless outlined a possibility.

"I don't have the ability to just open portals, like I said, but this body has the power to control several different types of energy, such as that which comes from The Void, a black hole-like manifestation of negative energy. It's generally what magic users use when they need to teleport somewhere, or when they have to open some kind of dimensional doorway."

He placed his hands together, and a swirl of purple energy appeared at his feet, rising him uneasily off the ground for a few inches.

"As you can see, it can also be used to defy or amplify the effects of gravity. With this, I can raise myself up, reasonably. I can't just fly or anything like that, but I can at least lift myself to the level where the trajectory for getting onto that floating island would be fairly simple to calculate. You, on the other hand..."

He pointed his palm at Hector after descending to the ground, and watched as the purple energy swirled around Hector. Instinctively, Hector thought to repel it, and was subsequently bounced upward a few feet.

"Pushing you downward causes you to go up. Apparently, you're able to reflect certain forms of energy, magical or otherwise. If you're hit with a large enough blast of this stuff, you might rocket far enough upward to reach the Sky Garden. See up there? It's about to eclipse the sun."

He pointed upward. The Sky Garden was indeed moving ever so slowly through the sky, and as it reached the sun of the world they were on, it cast a great and ominous shadow over the both of them. As the world around them filled with shade, Nameless nodded.

"This is the best time to do it, since it's almost right above us. Are you willing to cooperate?"

Hector really felt he had no choice. With Star's beckoning accompanying his already growing feelings of guilt for the fate of Mel, this man who had literally come out of nowhere was his only hope.

Hector: "Fine, I am. But one question, first."

Nameless: "Shoot."

Hector: "You said you were nameless, but when Star came to us just now, he seemed to know you by a name. Is there an explanation for that?"

Nameless: "..."

Yes, there most definitely was. Though he was not that man in heart, soul, or body, his mind most definitely existed in Nameless's thoughts. It pained Nameless to know that because of the circumstances surrounding his existence, he had no birth, and it was equally likely that he would have no valid death, either...

But that was okay. He knew it was, because he had dealt with it for quite a time. When it came down to it, all he really wanted was a name, and in the very least some memories, of his own...


"...That name is just a memory to Star. Literally, I'm Nameless. That's what you can call me."

Star... And Vengeless, too. Another one of his allies, committing atrocities in a beserk rage. First it was Faceless, whose madness had drawn him nearly to suicide, until Shen had returned to their world and Nameless had helped him get his old self back. Now Vengeless had gone over the edge. If he was with Nijote, or at least someone who looked like her, that meant something even worse. It meant that Vengeless had broken his vow and was now under Lexuk's control.

Dammit Star, Nameless thought. Why couldn't you have been stronger? He fumed over this only briefly, recognizing that there was still a task at hand.


"Come on, we've got a rescue mission to mount. Stand over there."

He pointed to a patch of soft earth, which Hector quickly made his way towards. This would be pretty simple, Nameless thought.

He pointed both palms at Hector, and began to concentrate. Slowly, a purplish glow formed around his hands, intensifying as Nameless drew breath. Breathe in, concentrate, breathe out, release.

All of a sudden, the energy released in a large burst, raw and unrefined, straight from the Void! Hector's eyes widened as he saw the purple glow transfer from Nameless' hands to his own feet, and struggled to keep his thoughts clear. He knew when the moment would come.

He felt it, and the Void energy below him began to pull down. With a thought he began to reflect it. Without warning, the energy surged downward, and there was a loud CRACK as he blew upward, totally unharmed and airborne, like a missile headed for its target.


Nameless: "HAHA! It worked!"

He repeated the process, and slowly began to rise after Hector. The hunt was on!

Sinfjotle
Posted on 03-29-07 07:25 AM (rev. 2 of 03-31-07 01:09 PM) Link | Quote | ID: 20637


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Hector blasted upwards and as he sailed higher than the island he let himself finally fall. He noticed that the entire island seemed to be resonating with power, a soft green glow enveloped the island. As Hector fell into it, he instantly felt tensed by this strange aura, but as he looked around he noticed that everyone seemed to ignore him, as if they had forgotten what just happened the other day.

They weren't afraid of him anymore, something was calming them.


Mel: "Hector, I'm so glad you're ok! I thought they might've hurt you!"

Mel was running towards Hector and she seemed to be just fine. As he looked closer, he noticed she seemed to have been well fed and that her body seemed to have erased the abuse she'd taken over the years. Her hair was freshly washed and shined in the sun. Hector was confused, what could be going on. As she leaped for him with her arms out, he caught her in a hug and spun her around before putting her down.

Hector: "What happened Mel? We came to rescue you, these people were trying to control you..."

Mel: "Dama Scenis took care of them all, she saved me from the other leaders that were trying to banish my mind so they could use my powers."

Hector knew something was wrong, Mel hadn't spoken so light heartedly in a long time, but this aura was putting a strange feeling around him.

Hector: "And they aren't after me anymore because...?"

Mel: "Oh Hector, I'm sorry, if I could've I wouldn't have let them throw you off the island. Dama Scenis told them not too, but they did anyways."

Hector was still cautious, but as Mel held out a hand for him to take he took it. Her next move wasn't entirely unexpected, a jolt of electricity shook him to his spine and threw him back away from Mel.

Hector: "So they got you already..."

Hector had remained standing, the attack wasn't quite that strong as if she was being cautious of how much power she was using.

Hector: "You know this will be a draw, you won't be able to beat me anymore Dama Scenis."

Hector stared at Mel, or rather Dama Scenis in Mel's body. The very air around her began to burn as she rose off the ground. Hector didn't know what she was going to do, but she wouldn't be able to beat him with straight forward magic.

Hector: "Why did you take Mel's body? What reason could their possibly be?"

Hector watched closely, making sure he would catch whatever she threw at him. No matter how powerful, he could counter it with equal force.

Mel: "I did tell them not to throw you off and that you were much more useful alive."

Hector: "I don't care! Why are you doing this to Mel!?"

Hector took a few steps forward and started to feel the heat that was radiating from Mel's body.

Mel: "If there had been any other way, any other possible way, no matter how risky, I would've done it. Do you think I did this for power? Do you think I did this for myself?"

Hector paused for a moment, he couldn't read this person. If Dama Scenis was lying, she was very good at it.

Mel: "Mel's sacrifice will be remembered forever."

Hector: "Dammit, I'm not letting you control her! I don't care what reason you had anymore, I'm ending this!"

The heat around Mel formed into a full blown fire and exploded outwards, but it was so well controlled that it didn't scorch the ground at all. Hector knew that it would certainly incinerate him if he did nothing. As the fire came closer to him, he dashed right towards it and held his sword parallel to his face. He leaped into the air and sliced towards right into the fire.

His sword seemed to cut through space as the fire burned all around him, but didn't touch him. He kept falling towards Mel with that deadly edge out, but he was hit from the side and as he hit the ground and lost his breath. He turned his head to see what had hit him and with a sinking feeling he saw Nijote with a smile on her face.


Nijote: "Vengeless, take care of him while I deal with the girl."

Hector didn't have to look around to know that Vengeless was behind him. Hector leaped up and prepared to guard, but the attack never came as Vengeless seemed to be weighed down by some force. Hector looked into his sword's reflection and saw Nameless, perfect timing. He focused his attention back on Mel and Nijote and couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Nijote was ignoring all forms of magic being thrown at her, she seemed to just shake it off. A bolt of lightning was greeted with a brush of her hair so it wouldn't stand, fire just made her wipe off her brow, and even gravity didn't even seem to make her feet heavier. Mel kept backing up as she threw all forms of magic, a ray of light, a well of darkness, a distortion in time, the power of chaos and law, nothing worked.

As all Nijote had to do was reach out to touch her, she stopped dead in her tracks and turned to look at Vengeless. Something had changed, the emptiness in Vengeless had been replaced by emotion and the void spell had been shattered. Vengeless began to glow and his body changed into a less muscular form. Star had taken over and every time he stepped it seemed like he was bending reality. The universe seemed to shake as it tried to force Star out of it.

He held out his sword with the runes engraved, pointed right at Nijote. Nijote seemed to smile as he began to walk forward.


Nijote: "How long do you think you can remain here?"

Star: "To think you'd turn my only daughter into a mere-heartless. If I could go back and change what I did, I'd do it in a heart beat. We were both targeted, and while you might not be able to wake, I have."

The wind stirred violently and clouds covered the sky, lightning jumping between them, an occasional bolt struck Star.

Star: "Since Hector and Nameless don't have the experience I have, my intervention was necessary. Hopefully I can at least begin to atone for my mistakes."

Nijote seemed almost sympathetic with Star for a second, and as the seals began to form all over the island, she knew it was time to leave. A portal of darkness opened and she stepped through like nothing ever happened.

Star: "Seal..."

The rest of the incantation was muted as the wind picked up and a brilliant flash of light lit up the sky. When it faded away, Hector looked over to see a sleeping Mel and a sleeping Dama Scenis. Now what to do...?

Grey
Posted on 05-27-07 05:01 PM Link | Quote | ID: 38936


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OOC: Bump.

Nameless sighed as he watched Hector dote over Mel, innocent in her unconscious state. It was likely that she'd have no memory of the events that transpired today, a fine way to ensure that her power remained in check.

But more importantly, Nameless realized that he had likely gained the trust of Hector and Mel, which would be instrumental in getting him off this world and back on the track to finding Satchel -- and the Body.

Now earthbound and away from the Sky Garden, Nameless, Mel, and Hector had taken to rest in the forests below where the magical sanctuary had once floated.

Deep in thought, Nameless tried to reason his way through where Satchel might have ended up, and where the Body might be located.

'Shen opened a portal in a fit of desperation in order to save us all from that bastard... When Shen threw us all into that portal, there were only two people whom Satchel could have ended up with -- Evan and me. Since I don't have Satchel with me here right now, It must have ended up with Evan..

'Shen's portal threw everyone to the place where they must have felt they'd be the safest. I guess that makes sense for me, since I felt safe when I was around people strong enough to protect me. Good logic. I've no clue where Dracoon, Ark, and all the rest of them would have ended up, but I can make a few guesses...'

'Shen would have felt safest with Evan, no doubt. Faceless told me all about her...'

'Grey would probably have felt safest in a world where there was balance between darkness and light. More than likely, he's back home with Johnathan right now.'

'Garro... I've no idea. Where does a man who constantly has faith that the gods will protect him feel safest? A question for later, no doubt.'

'Dracoon... Perhaps there was no safety for him. He seemed to realize that his story was coming to a close. It may very well be that he is dead, a condition that will likely make my ideals much easier to realize.'

'As for the rest... I know where Nijote is, obviously. But Luke, Lexuk, Ark... They're eluding me.'

'The biggest question of all is, where is Evan?'

Nameless sat down and leaned up against a tree as he thought. He crossed his arms and closed his eyes. Nameless knew everything that That Man knew, so perhaps he'd be able to deduce where Evan could have ended up just by looking through His mind.

'Evan would have gone where he had felt safest. This means that Shen is with him, and is safe there as well, and that Satchel is with him, and safe there. But where could Evan have possibly felt the safest? His life has been full of destruction and danger, if my thoughts are correct. I'm almost afraid he was sent nowhere...'

Wait. Nameless considered. That may have been it -- Nowhere. Not necessarily Nowhere, the place, but a place that everyone would call 'Nowhere'. Except for one person, that is.

One person would call it "home"...

Nameless grinned his devilish grin. There was indeed a place called "home" for Evan. A place where someone waited for him to return, who never left even while he went all over the place in search of Satchel.

'The plot thickens,' he thought.

Hector's words pierced his skull like a sword.


Hector: "Hey, Nameless. Mel's safe again. Thanks..."

He walked over to the sitting Nobody and extended his hand in gratitude. Nameless took it, stood, and shook without a word.

"I guess we've got a debt to repay now. You mentioned us helping you in exchange for your assistance. I can't say I like the smile on your face, but I owe you Mel's life, and that's enough for me. Whatever you've got to do, just let us know."

Nameless nodded, and turned away from Hector, facing the tree he was leaning against.

"...?"

Nameless: "I wouldn't worry about that just yet..."

He hurled himself into the tree's branches and hung like an ape above Hector's head.

"I've got some other things to take care of right now, but trust me, I'll call you when I need you. And I will need you. And Mel. Until then, just keep her safe."

He smiled his suspiciously reassuring smile, and sprang off into the trees, heading north, to where he had made his hideout. Hector grimaced.

Hector: "Why do I feel as though I've suddenly sold myself to the devil...?"

---------------

A small cottage in the white woods lay as the waiting home to Evan's assailant. The gentle giant rested in a bed of pure white sheets and expert craftsmanship, specially suited to house his gargantuan frame. Sitting at a nearby table, covered in a white tablecloth, two women sipped their white porcelean cups of white tea as a gentle snow began to fall outside. Shen, the woman closest to Evan's bed, set her teacup down and adjusted her wide hat.

Shen: "So... That's the story. It certainly explains a lot of Evan's behavior."

The other woman, a youthful lady in proper gown, ruffled her golden hair in assent as she sipped her own cup still. Shen had woken first, so she felt it necessary to entertain her new guests. It had been so long since she had them.

???: "Yes, I always liked to consider him special. He is such a sweet boy, you've done well to find him."

A small, golden ball orbited the woman's head slowly, occasionally twisting and turning to refract the light that shined upon it. Inside, it formed fractal geometric patterns so intricate they would make a mathematician burst into tears of admiration at the sheer magnitude of Fibonacci's power. Again, she sipped.

"I am also glad that he has returned home... I will assume that this is your doing, since Satchel is the only key to this place and I made sure that Evan did not learn that portion of his father's teachings. It was That Man's will that such a condition be met. Of course, you should know that you are free to leave here any time, though once you do, without Satchel you can never come back. Your portal was only activated by Its presence, and will only be activated by its presence again."

In spite of the drama of the situation, the woman spoke with a feeling of serenity and calm that surpassed the ages. It was as though she had waited here for someone, ever consistent in her patience. A minor aura of sadness had wafted about her in spite of her appearance and tone.

Shen: "Well, you are right. I did bring him here, though I did not know we would end up here myself. Still, you seem sad..."

???: "Of course... Because if you two are here, then what I fear most has come to pass. He is all but dead, and Satchel has been brought to me as I instructed Evan to do so many years ago. I doubt even he remembers this promise, but it would seem that, if unwittingly, he has fulfilled it."

She set her cup down, and her fair face and soft lips cracked into a smile, one that she had been waiting many years to make. Shen watched. She truly was beautiful...

"But now, we should rest. Nothing can be done until Evan awakes, and I would like to let him rest, as he has quite a journey ahead of him."

Shen nodded. She still had another question to ask, though.

Shen: "Just one more question, then. You obviously know Evan. Just who are you?"

The woman's softness faded into a hard, hidden strength that Shen nearly balked at. She kept her composition as the smiling face belied the white woman's ferocity. Had this been the wrong question to ask?

???: "Hm. No, that is a good question, and one that perhaps you do deserve an answer to."

She stood, and the golden ball that had floated around her so slowly began to orbit faster and faster as a faint wind waved through her long hair.

"I am an Oracle, ally of the Psi Warriors and one of the protectors of your world. I fight wars against the forces of darkness that serve to engulf it in an even darker abyss than Dark Phoenix's wrath had attempted. I am a human, punished by my superiors for breaking the oath of the Oracles, to never directly interfere with the doings of your world. I preserve the shrines of the Oracles, living a human's life in servitude so that on my death I may rejoin them and regain my true purpose, as well as my true power."

The wind intensified, and a golden aura began to emanate from her, no doubt the effect that the ball's rapid orbit, now nearly undetectable by the naked eye, had given her body. Her eyes narrowed.

"Until I met That Man, I lived a life of emptiness, never truly experiencing what it meant to be a human. He showed me life, he showed me emotion, and most importantly, he showed me love. He showed me that living as a person was one of the most exhilirating and exciting adventures that someone could ever have. In return, I brought him back from the brink of Chaos, saved him from his own self-hatred, and defended him as his madness annihilated the allies I had once served so vehemently. For my treachery, I was cast out, and forced to keep my human form forever, giving up my true strength in favor of this fragile existence. Still, I didn't care. He had loved me, and if that was all I had left, then that was all I needed."

Shen stood, herself, and found her body full of energy, adrenaline running through her veins as she prepared for whatever this increasingly maddening woman had in store for her.

"My name is Yiusi, Fallen Oracle. I am Janus' lover, and Evan's mother. As you hold Evan's heart, so too do I hold his... And so too will I bring him back from the darkness."

Sinfjotle
Posted on 05-28-07 02:28 AM Link | Quote | ID: 39030


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OOC: Let me try to do this right now.

Hector: "Well, at least it was worth it. She is safe and it looks like she's at least been eating."

Hector sighed, this girl just had horrible luck.

Hector: "At least we won't have to worry about pursuers for a while, and hopefully with Nameless on our side we won't have to much trouble dealing with any pursuers. I just hope he's safe."


Nameless might have been a low priority before he made himself plainly obvious, but Nijote wasn't simply going to ignore him now. He had a guest at his hideout, but strangely all her weapons were on the floor away from her, even her cloak had been cast aside. Anyone with any sense knew that the gesture was meaningless as she was still dangerous unarmed.

Nijote: "I hope that's a good enough indication that I don't intend to be a threat."

Her eyes locked onto Nameless's as soon as he looked at her.

Nameless: "I can only imagine why you're here then."

Nijote smiled.

Nijote: "I need help convincing someone to play nice."

Nijote let the words hang for a second, trying to read Nameless's expression. He knew there was more to her words since she wasn't going to force him.

Nijote: "I know where Satchel is and I know where all your little friends are. I just need you to help me convince Kalar to work with me."

Nameless: "Why would Lexuk need Kalar's help?"

Nijote: "Lexuk doesn't, I do."

Nameless: "What could you possibly need Kalar for?"

Nijote: "He's not a heartless and neither am I, yet we both mingle in the dark and control the heartless. I want his help so I can bring the horde of heartless assaulting different worlds with no direction under control."

Nameless: "So you could use them yourself?"

Nijote: "I might be Lexuk's slave, but I'm certainly not a monster."


Shen: "I remember feeling your presence on home a long time ago, a star that shined brighter than the others."

Shen sat back down, her blind eyes were dazed with the light of Yiusi's soul.

Shen: "Evan is older than me, yet he was born after me... I'd assume that I should thank Janus for that."


Mel wasn't allowed peace in her sleep. Her mind and soul had been stirred by a voice. It softly called for her and she found herself following it. She emerged into a dimly lit world, but the most surprising site was that she was standing on floating land. As she looked around and finally down she saw what appeared to be a hollowed out world with a bright light illuminating from the center.

Star: "Mel, this used to be our home."

Mel spun around and saw an astral projection of her father. He had no physical form anymore, but he had a light around his form that shined like a star in the night sky. Anger enveloped Mel for a second, but then she realized what had happened. She remembered that he had come to save her. Was this the price he paid?

Mel: "What happened here? Was the heart of the world taken by the heartless?"

Star: "No, the heart of our world still exists, which is why I still exist. Dracoon absorbed it into himself and is containing it's power now, at the price of his freedom."

Mel continued to look at her father even though tears had began to stream down her face. She hated him so much, but she owed her life to him too. She was sure that he brought her here for some reason though and that made her hate him more.

Star: "Mel... I regret every day I'm here for not going with your mother and you. Now I'm nothing but a spirit, tied to this world because I interacted with it's heart. I don't even get to see your mother until this heart is released... but we all need your help here."

Through sobs Mel: "All?"

Star: "Dracoon, Luke, Maya, Origin, Hero, and me."

Mel didn't respond for a few minutes while she tried to stop crying.

Mel: "How can I help them?"

Star: "Dracoon will be stuck here forever unless you place a Seal of Freedom on him like I did with you."

Mel: "Will I have to sacrifice my body like you did?"

Star: "No, I would never ask you to do it if that was the price."

Star paused for a second as he noticed Mel's surprise in how fast and passionate that response was.

Star: "Luke has been wounded by Lexuk greatly. Lexuk broke Maya's mind and soul. Luke can't fix it no matter how hard he tries, but he's lost all the sense to get help."

Star pointed across the emptiness of the world and past Dracoon to a dark spot on the other side of the hollow planet.

Star: "You won't be able to fix Maya, but there is someone that can put her mind and soul back together. We'll have to hope Shen is safe."

Star sighed, the next part was the most dangerous.

Star: "You're traveling with Janu--Nameless right now. You need to help him find Satchel and his body. Then he will be able to free Origin and Hero."

Mel: "What about you?"

Star: "I need you to become stronger for me. I will help train you in combat and how to control your magic better."

Mel: "Where do I start?"

Star smiled, he was proud that his daughter was so eager to begin.

Sinfjotle
Posted on 06-02-07 07:21 AM Link | Quote | ID: 41256


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Star: "Before you can train, you need a weapon and armor."

Mel's face contorted, she had weapons and armor, how did her father not know that?

Mel: "I already have a sword and the very earth is my protection, what more could I--"

Star: "Silence."

Mel froze as her father's harsh command. It seemed to echo across the dead world.

Star: "Your sword is as brittle as your courage and although your power of the earth is tremendous it's still just rock you're moving. You will need my sword and my knowledge of how to use it if you want to destroy anyone."

Mel stared up at Star, her eyes watering, she was trying to hold back tears, but why were these tears surfacing?

Star: "My sword is in possession of a shadow from the past. He doesn't know how to use it right, so you'll be able to get it back... Follow me Melisen."

That name jolted Mel's heart. No one called her that anymore. She walked mutely with her father as he looked on straight ahead. They seemed to walk for hours in silence, passing half broken mountains, empty cities, drained lakes, but everything was dead. Not a stir of life anywhere, what could possible remain on this planet that would have her father's sword? Mel didn't know how much longer she was walking, but she saw something distantly, a gray spot on the horizon. Star stopped.

Star: "The Elemental of Time, an archaic being from a more chaotic time. He has my sword."

Mel walked passed Star and towards the Elemental of Time.

Star: "What are you doing?"

Mel: "Getting my sword."

Star laughed as Mel made a quick pace. She was in for a surprise.


The Elemental of Time turned to watch Mel approach. He could feel a faint aura of time around her, a little displacement, she wouldn't be effected by freezing time or distorting it. He wasn't to surprised though, it was the first time anyone had been to this place in a long time. With a sigh he stood up and then felt a pain all throughout his body and his muscles locked up. This girl felt familiar, very familiar. He looked at her face and she met his gaze, only one other person had done this.


Time Elemental: "No... Why you?"

Fear began to cloud the mind of the elemental, he started to panic but as Mel got closer he noticed something else, a naivety, an innocence. This one could be tricked too.

Time Elemental: "Stop girl."

Mel stopped and stared.

Mel: "You have something of mine."

The Elemental of Time had no idea what she was talking about.

Mel: "The sword, it's rightfully mine grave robber."

Time Elemental: "This dull scrap metal?"

The Elemental of Time prepared to possess her, just as he had possessed Star. This was to easy.

Mel: "You're to predictable."

The Elemental of Time froze in place, darkness wrapped around his legs and arms. He couldn't move at all and his vision started to fade.

Mel: "This world has been engulfed in darkness, but you escaped. In a way you're to blame for my mother's death by making my father the man he is. I will always be able to think of you and smile, trapped for eternity in darkness, unable to move, unable to think. Tell me if living forever is worth it some day."

How did this girl manage this? What kind of beast was she? The last thing the Elemental of Time saw was Mel shining blue with the power of law and justice. He didn't know why for many years, but one second far down the line the answer popped into his head. It wasn't personal judgement, the universe was acting through her to punish him for abusing his powers. Forever is a long time when you don't sleep.

Grey
Posted on 06-15-07 06:31 AM Link | Quote | ID: 45788


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A Voice: "Wake up, Garro."

Garro gasped as his consciousness was rocked back together by the shock of life returning to his bones. And yet, it was not air that he breathed, was it? He didn't believe it was air, at least. There was no air in space, which was where he had believed he was floating. He had believed, also, that he was most definitely quite dead, believing that the destruction of his world had sent him to his doom, in accordance with the fate that he believed that Lexuk had given him.

It was odd, really, what Garro believed. Because in spite of this belief, it felt as though there was something missing within it, something that he had once wallowed in, a sense of belonging. He had believed that he was dead, and it seemed as though up until several seconds ago it had been true. But now, he most certainly felt alive. His hair was firmly rooted in his head, he could feel the brim of his hat pressing against his brow, and his coat and suit were bound to him by the strap of the massive cannon he had cobbled together before that last, chaotic battle.


"It's a shame, really, that our Avatar of Faith should be so shaken by a few simple reverberations of the world's voice. Speak."

Garro: "Wh...where am I...?"

His voice echoed through the white space that surrounded him and filled him with its empty mass. And yet, it fell flat on a solid wall that seemed to close around him on all sides. It was as if he were perceiving two sides of a mirror; in and out. Truly, he had seen far worse in his time, and certainly far stranger, but compounded with the heaviness of his heart and the magnitude of the failure he had wrought, Garro's once strong and willful mind began to break down.

The Voice: "You are likely the only human capable of surviving in this place without severe deterioration of the body and soul. You've reached the Spiritual Plane."

The words echoed throughout his mind. He remembered, with both fear and a slight, but ultimately dampened, sense of elation the tales he had heard from that man not two years prior to the hell that had enveloped their home. The Spiritual Plane. Source of all power for the Psi Warriors, the home of the true gods, and the place of Exile for those whose souls had left their body.

"Shen, blessed woman that she is, sent you here. You were sent here because this, Garro, was the place you felt you'd be safest -- surrounded on all sides by the gods you worshipped so vehemently before your death. But, poor Garro, worship is not enough for a world where faith itself has died with its inhabitants."

Garro's life had been spent in spiritual penitence -- he rose as the guardian of the gods when their existence was threatened. Gods really were such weak things, when it came down to it. Only people's faith made them strong, and when that faith was weakened, the gods had relied on Garro as their pillar of strength, his knowledge of their existence forcing him to believe. In exchange, he gleaned from them their power, and lived as an enemy to those who would jeopardize that belief.

"Poor Garro, whose life was extinguished, a martyr as only the truly faithful are. Poor Garro, who died in hopes that his death would reach the already shattered mind of a man to whom he was the greatest and most important friend."

The voice, mocking him now, was distinctly female, and spoke with the authority of eons of rule. He had heard it only once in his life before, when he was named as their tool.

"You could have defeated him, you know. You had our power on your side, in a time when the world was full of people praying for their safety. You were a perfect weapon, a perfect warrior. You could have saved an entire world's existence, and instead you threw it away because you earnestly believed that your death would mean enough to him to penetrate his madness and steep his rampage in regret."

It had sounded truly angry with him, as though he had committed some unforgivable sin towards it, and the white maelstrom around him began to close in, and yet somehow expand with the volume and velocity of a helium balloon. Indeed, it felt as though the space around him was being filled with air, and he was being pressed from all sides. His head felt swelled with pain, as an agonizing feeling of dread and helplessness overtook him, and his body writhed and convulsed in a desperate attempt to quell its suffering.

"You failed to perform the task given, Garro. For this, you must be punished. You did not protect the gods that gave you such power, and because of that, you are all that every one of them has left to rely on for support. This pressure you feel is the weight of their need, their thirst for sustenance that only you, now, can give. And yet, in spite of our anger, we feel that you must be commended, for your role in this story is far from over."

Garro's mind began to split apart, and as though a pin had been placed in the balloon that had pressed into him, a sudden pop of whiteness freed his body, and placed him back to where he once was, floating limp in the sea of nothingness.

"You see, there was still someone you had faith in, even in those moments where you defied our will, and where our power left you as punishment. You had faith in the bringer of darkness, Kalar. As a true friend, you believed in him, and as the Great Believer, it would follow that you believed that that faith alone would bring him out of his madness and into a right state of mind once again. That degree of faith alone, the desire to put one's life on the line for one's beliefs, is the reason why we've chosen not to throw you out and instead educate you on your wrongdoings."

The voice echoed, and began to soften around Garro's ears, what little of them he still felt.

"You see, Kalar is an innocent man. He was never a moment mad, simply used. Possessed. Perhaps you believed that, too? Your powers were not enough to save him, nor would they ever be, for a much larger force is at work here. But know that he can be saved, and that he has no need to seek redemption for crimes that he himself did not willingly commit. All that is required is for you to become strong enough to act as the catalyst for his recovery. Speak."

Garro felt the urge from deep within him, as his mind was shocked with understanding of the situation, to ask a simple question that he already knew the answer to.

Garro: "What can I do against such a power?"

The Voice: "Nothing, in your current state. The old gods are being revived, Garro. You said it yourself, and your very existence brings us delicious power that we had for what seemed an eternity lusted after. But even as your existence denotes belief and faith, as our Avatar you are still flawed, for there is something that your belief has been shaken from. If you have no faith in it, then your faith is tainted with the stain of disbelief, and you are an imperfect tool to us. We cannot discard you, but you will be of no use to us anymore."

Impossible, the priest thought. He had faith in the existence of every god he knew of, having met them all personally in his human lifetime. Yet, he felt he could not doubt the reason of a god, all-knowing and omniscient as she was. Her name came to him.

Garro: "Gaia... You're Gaia, right?"

Gaia's Voice: "Gaia, yes. Spirit of a broken world, brought here by the desperate need of a pathetic shell to have some reminder that the old world exists. Brought here by the belief that the old world could somehow be revived, and that its spirit is still alive somewhere. But, Garro, it is you that you lack faith in. An Avatar of Faith is far unfit for his position and the honor of being chosen by the gods themselves, if he cannot even believe in himself. You must become stronger if you are to truly take advantage of our benefits. Such a flimsy tool as that cannon you have built yourself is a mere toy compared to the power you could harness if only you believed. Foolish man."

He felt the whiteness fade around him as the plane shifted to accomodate what he felt to be movement.

"Kalar took one of your weapons as you died, Garro. He took it as a reminder that someday, you would have to come and get it back. He took it in the hopes that perhaps as he killed you, you would be the one to end his suffering as well."

A hole in existence opened. Garro felt himself slipping without resistance through it. He sighed into the nothing around him, as the voice echoed in his mind and he entered another world, one that would prove to bring him back to life for the second time...

"You will be sent to allies, Garro, but remember that you must believe in yourself, as you are ultimately your greatest weapon in the fight to revive us all. Bring That Man back to life. In doing so, you will gain a strength of conviction great enough to serve us again, and to end the suffering of your friend. Go now, Garro the Fallen, and let the splendor of life breathe its way back into you."

This time, it was real air that filled his lungs, and the real smell of a cold atmosphere greeted him as he looked into a dark sky. White trees surrounded him, a petrified forest of dullness, and he felt his chest heave as he got used to needing to breathe again to exist. Whatever was in his chest before was still missing, and for the first time in his life, Garro felt a taste of the eternal sorrow that only the Heartless felt.

Sinfjotle
Posted on 06-18-07 03:48 PM Link | Quote | ID: 46546


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Mel: "Hector, wake up."

Hector hadn't really fallen asleep, he was just lost in thought. Where to go from here?

Mel: "Come on!"

He'd have to help Nameless do what he wanted. To make it worse he'd have to drag Mel with them and possibly put her in danger. Mel would also be vulnerable for a while having just gone through what he can only imagine as hell. None of this was going to be good, fun, or easy. Where did the days go of raiding tombs and pilfering ancient treasures?

Mel: "Hector!"

Ah, the good old days. Only him and an endless supply of magical relics that no one seemed to be able to get. He was truly at bliss at those da--

Hector felt a sharp pain across his face and woke up to look at Mel with a look of pure indignation on her face. Something seemed different about her though. First off was her clothes, a cloak that looked like one of Nino's old possessions. The same light blue and green colors were on it that Nino always seemed to wear whenever she fought. Under the cloak all Hector could see was a set of black leather armor.

Second was the fact that her hair was quite longer. It had gone back to its old red-blond color instead of the brown from bad treatment. It was now almost down to her waist which made her look a little younger.

Or else it would, except that she appeared to be almost fully matured, as if she skipped a few years.


Hector: "Wh...What happened to you?"

Mel: "I've been back home, training with my father for a while. I got his sword and he told me to look for a phoenix so I could get some armor."

Hector: "Is that all you did for... three years?"

Mel: "Well, I learned a lot, I'll explain it to you later, but just know that our world isn't lost. We'll get to go home!"

The smile was so sincere on her face that Hector couldn't help but feel better. She was obviously doing a lot better and maybe helping Nameless out wouldn't be to hard.

Mel: "For now though, we need to help Nameless."

Hector: "...Well, then you won't be angry to know that I already said we'd help."

Mel: "Not at all. He's part of one of dad's old friends."


Elysia: "Doe... how are you doing this?"

Elysia was more worried now than she'd ever been. Doe had quite quickly worked his/her way towards the heart of this world and had allowed her to follow. The world itself seemed to be fighting the heartless every way it could, but it was quite obviously losing. That is until Doe started killing heartless. No matter how many came towards him/her they never seemed to get close. As Doe worked his/her way to the heart of the world, strange heartless appeared that were almost human, they gave out a terrifying amount of power, but they didn't stand a chance.

Doe: "This world was created by Ark originally."

Doe's double voice didn't waver as he/she shot another heartless with that strange multi-part gun. It wasn't to much longer and Elysia could feel the heart of the world and even see it. In the center of it was Ark.

Elysia: "That's impossible though..."

Doe: "Elysia, after this is over I'm going to need your help."

Elysia: "After wh--"

Doe shot at the heart of the world and as the bullet got close to it it stopped in place. Elysia felt a tremendous amount of dark energy from the heart of the world and watched in horror as a giant black serpent spiraled out. It coiled on the ground between the heart of the world and Doe. The serpent struck at Doe and Doe fired a bullet. The snake flew past Doe seeming to miss, but as the snake kept going the tail hit Doe sending him/her into the air and then onto the ground in a heap. Elysia rushed over and it was apparent that Doe had several broken bones and was knocked unconscious.

Blood started to stain Doe's gray clothes. Elysia almost panicked, but she knew what to do, ripped part of Doe's cloak and started to tie it around the wounds and put pressure on it to slow the blood flow.

Main - The Landfill - Nameless Waltz (Continued) New thread | Thread closed

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