Event || The Answer

[melodiesmods]

Characters: All characters who signed-up for the event.
Where: South Continent of Balance (Imperial Territories)
When: April 20th to April 30th.
Summary: The Heroes of Light have lost consciousness and now find themselves in the middle of nowhere, without their Moogles and away from everything they know. They will have to get back home, but what awaits them on the path? For more information, please check the First OOC Post and Second OOC Post.
Warning: Bad things.

Group 01: Team Hijinks House
Group 02: Team Brigands
Group 03: Team Discovery Channel
Group 04: Sephiroth's (In)Sanity Squad
Group 05: Team (Bad) Shipping Advice
Group 06: Team Blue-Haired Lords on Fire
Group 07: Team Mom and Late Sleepers
Group 08: Nothing Bad Will Happen
Group 09: The Hellhounds
Group 10: Loftwings, A Working Title
Group 11: Team Oni
Group 12: Team F.N.T.I²
Group 13: Team Name-In-Progress
Group 14: Team The-Mods-Couldn’t-Brain-A-Name
Group 15: Seraphim Shenanigans

Comments

[vonspielburg]

[It isn't long before Ellie comes trotting over, still holding her bow and an arrow just in case any soldiers decide they'd like to leave the burning city with the foolish hope of doing so alive. This new arrival isn't familiar to her. Is the commander? He doesn't seem like he's presenting a threat to Ales or Malik, so Ellie hangs back, just within earshot, so she can hear what they're talking about. At least, that's the plan until they either invite her over or shoo her away.]

[ninjainviolet]

[ Meanwhile, Sheena is being carted off like a sack of potatoes over Albel's shoulder. At first, she doesn't respond, but as he runs along, the jolting finally brings her to her senses, and she starts hitting his back. She has to get back. ]

Albel! Stop! Put me down! Albel!

[ And she lifts herself to turn to look at him, and sees the newcomer. ]

Who the hell is that?

[wickedone]

Shut up and stop flailing!

[Like hell was he about to put her back down right now! He finally just caught up to her, he didn't want her running off again! Besides... her eyes back there haunted him. Something had been very wrong.]

[Seeing the stranger brought him to a halt when they finally reached the relative "safety" outside the town. The man couldn't have been in the blaze. But then where did he come from? The entire thing was suspicious. But apparently the stranger hadn't directly threatened anyone yet, by the looks of things.]

[Though it also looked like Malik might recognize him... Either way, Albel was not letting go of Sheena until he felt more confident about the situation. Even if it meant keeping her over his shoulder with her butt to the world.]

[answernpcs]

You would know that better than anyone, wouldn't you?

[ He shook his head and walked around, stopping by a dead corpse. ]

Memories... This world and ours are the same. Caught in an endless cycle. Nothing will change lest the cycle is broken. But none of you have the strength to do it.

[vonspielburg]

[Ellie's been listening. But at this point, her eyes narrow with suspicion. This sounds like manipulation, not assistance. Her gaze flicks to Malik, studying his face for a moment, before moving back to the older man.]

I hope you are not suggesting that our only option is to murder Garland. We have heard that sermon before, so allow me to save your time and ours.

[He hasn't said as much, but if he's talking about 'breaking the cycle,' then she strongly suspects this is going to involve the one man who can reset the time loop if they all fail miserably.]

Who are you truly?

[loyalrebel]

[Malik's expression is hard, warily calculating even if he is keeping his tone fairly mild.]

If you are not an illusion of memory... you did teach me well, Rashid. Even if I was never the favored one.

[There's something bitter there along with a quirk of smugness.]

[answernpcs]

Why would you have been? Till the very end, you were the tool for men of greater skills and power. This world is no different.

[ He then turned to Ellie. ]

The Guardian has nothing to do with this. Not that you could hope to defeat him.

[vonspielburg]

I have no wish to do so. I will consider the point moot, then.

[She's still suspicious, but a little less aggressive about it. As much as she'd like to demand a straight answer, Ellie decides to back off and see what Malik has to say, because that's interesting. This man, Rashid, was Malik's mentor? And Malik was not the favored one? Surprising, considering his talents. She refrains from looking at Ales to gauge his opinion; this is something they can discuss later.]

[wickedone]

[Rashid? So Malik knew this man. Albel did put Sheena down then, if only because her stillness was more suspicious than her flailing. The ninja was likely plotting revenge already. But if Malik knew the stranger, then Albel felt a little safer releasing his girlfriend.]

What do you mean we aren't strong enough?

[He glowered.]

What do we need to do to get stronger?

OOC: Mod wrap up - if missed.

[ninjainviolet]

The thread was for the most part done, save for the conclusion. Al-Mualim would have explained that this all is born from their memories, and that even he is nothing more than a memory. He isn't the one who made all of this, but an "avatar" who wanted to point out their flaws and weaknesses, which he would have pointed out, are particularly strong in Sheena and Malik. Should they have protested, Al-Mualim and the city around them would have faded, except for the corpses of the soldiers they killed. It remains unclear whether these soldiers were actual people they killed because of the illusion, or part of the illusion.