Event || The Enemy Within

[melodiesmods]

Characters: All characters who signed-up for the event.
Where: In their heads.
When: January 15th.
Summary: The Heroes of Light have a vision-- They are living through a hypothetical future where the Sage share his knowledge with them, and things went horribly wrong as some Heroes of Light became the villains in this timeline. Maybe they'll revise their thoughts on getting all of that knowledge.
Warning: The apocalypse, deaths, tragedies, overall a lot of very bad things.

Mingle Threads: The Antagonists || The Protagonists || The Others || General
Free Open Threads: The Two Years || Other Events

#01 Attempts at Negotiations || Trano Golsaucia
#02 Tactical Espionage Action || Aqures Ixen
#03 Judgmental Glares || Aerilon
#04 The Fight for the Crystallized Bodies || Aqures Tosf
#05 The Dusk of the Heroes || Mysidia
#06 The Fight for the Moon || Lunar Gate
#07 Conflict Above the Stars || Moon Base
#08 The Birth of a God || Crystal Life Tree
#09 The Death of a World || Moon Base
#10 Where Everything Ends || Pandaemonium

Conclusion || The Sage in Mysidia

Comments

[aero_dienamic]

What Val did know; people were off to perform some bizarre task, people she knew... someone she knew trying to throw their life away in order to do something that others had already deemed 'insane' and 'pointless', amongst reckless and other wild allegations.

What Val didn't know; the potential result could be good. Well, less that she didn't know, and more that she didn't care. Her opinion on the matter was good enough to send her into the fray and stop what she could.

Rukia, someone she considered a friend, off to trash her life for a small chance; no. That wasn't going to happen, and unfortunately violence itself was going to have to be the way to stop it. Val carried herself and Tazendra on her wind, bringing them to touch down safely as she notches an arrow; a rather simple, basic class equipped on top of her own. Her class. Her true being made flesh again.

"I will." The arrow is loosed to land at 'Rukia's' feet, Pyon really. "I'll stop you from killing yourselves and our memories. We're all being quite selfish today, so, as warriors and and as women, let's see who's conviction is stronger here~"

[fearlessherosheart]

Tazendra had her own power as a sorceress restored, but had elected, like Val, to augment it with the paladin class. They could not fail here. "Ah, well, you see I have seen what happens when one attempts to bridle such forces, and I cannot say it has ended well."

Not that she had a better idea, unfortunately. But they still had a few days left. One could come if they gave it a chance.

Her sword was already out, and she raised a hand in a spellcasting gesture. "Out of respect for your connection to your worlds, I ask you to surrender." Dying in battle was one thing, but different to snuff out an entire world like a candle flame.

[grandsummon]

By the time others had started wandering over the place they had just defeated the great fiend, Yuna was still breathless. She heard their voices before she saw them, from the other side of the great tree, stumbling around the twisting roots until they came into view. She recognized some of them -- and realized almost immediately that this was some kind of confrontation. What a fine thing the three of them had landed into...

Her mismatched eyes widened, a panic setting in when they landed on the black crystal Rukia held in her hands. Yuna had seen black crystals before... seen what it had done to her cousin. "S-stop!" the word slipped out before she had a chance to shove it back in, the fear overtaking her in that moment, and the words spoken from both factions fell on deaf ears. "That crystal! You -- you can't mean to use it!"

[victorix]

Rikku dashes forwards when she hears Yuna cry out, closing the distance between them. She scans the fray of people with confusion, before catching sight of the the ebony shard Rukia grasps. In an instant the guardian places herself protectively between her summoner and the crystal bearer, taking up a defensive position as though expecting an attack.

Her expression is horrified, pleading when she can finally find her voice, "Rukia? Please! Get rid of that! It does terrible things!"

[waterstrikes]

Yuna and Rikku's fear toward the crystal were enough to make Tidus rush forward. His sword had already been drawn from their previous fight, and now he faced Selen, his normally relaxed expression replaced with determination.

"Look, I don't disagree with everything you're trying to accomplish. But if that crystal is dangerous, we'll stop you ourselves!"

He'd always be selfish and protect his summoner and fellow guardians. He didn't look back at Yuna as he addressed her next. He felt some of his brain fog begin to clear and be replaced by more strength as he reached out to her.

"Yuna, do it."

[damn_juicebox]

Rukia raised her head slightly, lashes parting at the sound of familiar voices. She was surprised to see her former roommate standing there...but it wasn't a happy surprise. Was Valvalis saying she would stop Rukia from killing herself by...killing her instead? She frowned. What a foolish thing to do It seemed they'd come with the single intention of killing her. She couldn't let that happen.

"It's all right," she reassured them quietly. "I've resisted the crystal's corruption for this long. I have no need to draw upon its strength to augment my own. It will cause no harm."

So long as no one absolutely forced her to use it, in any case, and it looked like that was what most of them wanted to do. Her gaze drifted toward Selen, and she felt a tight ache in her chest. Out of all the people she'd known, this was the only one who meant to stand beside her, who believed in Rukia until the end.

"There are only four days left. Maybe fewer than that," she said, closing her eyes again as she felt the tree's form slowly creep over her shoulders and the back of her legs, allowing her to slip further into the Tree of Life's cool embrace. "This is the one path we can choose where no one has to die. From within the Tree, I can control the Calamity, and renew the planet, as well as the worlds of those who have died. I ask you to put your faith in me. This is no task I would undertake lightly." Her head hung a little lower. "It is all we have left."

[wings_of_steel]

"Very well. Even if it is for fellow Heroes of Light, I will not go easy on you."

She replied, raising her sword. If they have spoken for themselves, there was no reason for her to hold back. She would fight with her convictions just as they were for theirs. There was no right or wrong-- good or evil. There are only winners and losers.

"We're free to make choices just as much as you do, though whether it is right or wrong, solely depends on how one views it does it not?"

She mused, her expression hardening. It was something she hardly ever shown to people. She was honestly serious now.

"It's only dangerous for those who are utilizing themselves for this. However, I don't see any other beings suffering for it, or rather, I hope that we won't have casualties."

The former General replied to Tidus' words. Selen stood between them and Rukia still, not making any effort to move from the girl. Selen remained quiet as Rukia continued to explain their situation and what has happened with them and the crystal.

[fearlessherosheart]

"You understand, then, that I will not let you risk my own world for this plan," Tazendra said. She noticed that they had attracted several other Heroes. "Ah, and it seems we are not the only ones to feel so." Normally she would be a bit resentful that the odds had improved, but... well, her duty came before her pleasure.

She advanced, intending on cutting Selen down.

[damn_juicebox]

"Your world's already at risk, stupid! Pyon!" Rukia's gigai bounded protectively to Selen's side, dropping into a low crouch. "And if you're fighting people with the risk of getting killed in that fight, you're putting it even MORE at risk!"

As soon as Tazendra made a move for Selen, Pyon sprang at her, angling to get under the woman's arm and slam the heel of her palm against the elbow joint in an attempt to crack and break it.

[grandsummon]

"We don't want to have to kill you..." although she had not come with the heroes from Mysidia, Yuna found it hard to allow the use of a black crystal in such a way. How many years as she spent her days looking for a better way? Recently more than ever it had been difficult to believe that, but... in the end, it was something the summoner couldn't abandon.

She stood with them, grasping her staff defensively, while a hint of magic burned in the shape of a glyph beneath Tidus' feet. "But we will stop you, if that's what it will take. Please, put down that Black Crystal!" she had seen it go far too wrong in the past to believe it would be of help, now of all times. With the Calamity drawing so near...

[victorix]

A deep breath.

And Rikku takes off like a bullet, haste still in effect from their previous battle with the Calamity spawn. Just a few moments longer, but that's like an eternity for this spell.

Skirting around those skirmishing, to Rukia's body. Breath held -- because it's the last thing she ever wants to touch again. The thief's nimble fingers swipe forwards in a quick motion as she tries to steal the black crystal from the woman's grasp.

A last ditch effort to try to stop the battle that's breaking out.

I have no idea if we want to continue this or write the results? I'll keep tagging in the mean time

[wings_of_steel]

"I'm afraid that's not happening, sweetheart. We're all fighting for something!"

Selen replied, her cold gaze hardened. Never had such a gentle woman sport such a grim expression but people changed. When she was struck first by one person, she parried and attempted to push the other out of the way and with her other free hand, She tossed her sword sheath straight at Rikku as an attempt to intercept the other with her quick thinking.

They were all children with powers beyond normal people and strong powers at it, however, her battle experience always weighed out her own powers. She wasn't the strongest but she knew how to think on her feet. She wasn't getting any younger.

[damn_juicebox]

Rukia's expression was surprised at Yuna's words, the hurt obvious on her face. Then she lowered her head, glowering. "You're threatening my life now? I'm trying to save you, you fools!" Why would they refuse to listen, or even consider the possibility that this could work? What did they have to lose?

She tensed as Rikku rushed toward her, as Rukia had no means of defending herself personally. She withdrew further, silently urging the tree to absorb her faster. All she needed was a little more time. She would stop the Calamity. If they shook her willpower now, Rukia was sure that the Calamity would consume her. It would be an existence far worse than death, and it was a risk she had to take.

[grandsummon]

Yuna winced. She didn't want to have to hurt Rukia, she hardly knew the woman... but what she did know, was the Black Crystal. She knew that Rikku, once possessed by it, had fought far beyond the limits of her human body. She had seen the necrotic, dead skinned hands that had continued to claw.

The cold, dead eyes that had pleaded for death... How could this woman think that such a path was the right one, without knowing?

Lowering her head, the summoner shook it just slightly, the clink of her earring sounding in her ear as her cousin made her move. "Please, we don't want to have to... You don't know what you're doing, you'll die! And after that— kill us all as well!"