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

[jadethenecromancer]

Jade nodded. "At the very least, the operation shouldn't take long once we know where to go. Most of our enemies will be defending Mysidia, and I expect some will be acting out some short-sighted plan to stop Garland. That would be just like them."

Of all the asinine ideas that had been thrown around by the other Heroes, killing Garland had to be the most ridiculous. The guardian was, and had always been, their final defense. If all else went wrong, at least his presence guaranteed another cycle of existence for the universe. Losing Garland would cost everything, and yet the idealistic fools were so desperate for a villain to fight that they gave no thought to the repercussions.

"In any case, I doubt they can spare too many people to protect the crystallized Heroes."

[cantante]

Jade's foresight lined up with hers, reassuring her that the plans and preparations they had put in place so far were correct. Though she had never uttered it out loud, there was little doubt in her mind that they wouold have progressed as far as they had if not for Jade. True, she still had some trouble with stomaching a few of their proposals, but when it came down to it it was all about guaranteeing the survival of the universe, one way or another.

So Tear starts with a nod, despite still being focused on the horizon. Somewhere out there was the final piece they needed... "To be honest, I have some hesitations about our own numbers as well. But if you think we'll be fine with just us, I'll do my part to ensure our success."

Though she seldom sang anymore, Tear knew she had powerful melodies to aid them when it came down to it.

[jadethenecromancer]

"It is unfortunate we're spread so thin, but it can't be helped. Besides..." Jade straightened his glasses, smiling grimly. "We can't be deterred by the possibility of failure now. We know what must be done."

And he did know. Jade had weighed every alternative, thought through every possible plan of action, and after all that... this was where they had arrived. It wasn't a happy solution, or even a right one -- there weren't any viable options left that could be called right -- but it was the only logical choice.

Once he had made the decision, there had been no going back. Regardless of Jade's personal feelings, or how many lives he had to take -- the memory of Cid, Biggs and Wedge flickered through his mind and vanished -- his resolve would not falter.

"I'll be counting on you, Tear."

[cantante]

"If we succeed with this one task, numbers won't matter all that much anymore." Because there would be still be numbers to continue forward regardless, which in the long run mattered more to Tear than allowing for the Calamity to consume this world and every other one they represented, without end to its hunger.

Though with his last words, she couldn't stop the ghost of a smile from touching her lips. She knew it to be the truth, even if it was just as likely that he could still manage on his own without her help. He might encounter some difficulties, but her faith in him had been one of the few constants over the past two years since all of this had been set into motion.

It was oddly bittersweet, and lacked the comfort it otherwise might have provided. "Counting on me... In a way, it's as if nothing has changed."

[jadethenecromancer]

"Hmm. It seems to me that everything has changed... but I understand what you mean." Jade gave what was almost a chuckle, a fleeting reminder of his old sense of humor. "After all this time, here we are once again deciding the fate of the world... Perhaps our journey to save Auldrant was merely to prepare us for the real battle."

That was something to hold onto, at the end of everything. All the struggle and growth they had gone through on Auldrant -- it hadn't been completely meaningless. After all, their choices had brought them here, and the strength they had gained along the way would allow the universe to keep going. There was some satisfaction to be found in that.

Of course he would have preferred for the others to make it to the end as well... though on the other hand, maybe this was for the best. The gravity of what they had to do would have crushed Luke, and it was unlikely Guy or Natalia would have fared much better. It would be hard on Anise, too. Tear, however... In the end, Jade was glad she had been the one to stay with him through all this.

[cantante]

"... Perhaps it was." It was a strange way to think about it in such a light, and her thoughts are in line with Jade's. All the struggles and sacrifices they had undergone in their efforts to save Auldrant... Maybe they weren't meant to return, but if they could save this world, then surely their home would be saved as well. "

Or so she would like to believe. If only it could be all of them here, standing together in the face of what was coming just as they had against her brother. But this was all they had left, and it was for the better that it be them two, the experienced soldiers, to do it in their place.

"If only they could understand just what it means if we allow the Calamity to continue like this, undeterred." They could talk about other solutions all they wanted, but they were just out of time.