melodiesoflife | Event || Revelations

Entry tags:

Event || Revelations

Characters: All the Heroes of Light and their Moogles.
Where: Order's Sanctuary, The Interdimensional Rift and their Homeworlds.
When: August 03rd - August 30th

Summary: Following the battle against Palitutu, all the Heroes of Light were transported into the Interdimensional Rift. They were told by Palitutu they would have to find her to prove they can break the cycle-- But before they could reach their destination, a malevolent entity from the Rift stripped them from their immortality...

And now, they woke up in a decaying and dying world, most specifically in a place called Order's Sanctuary. From there they are ready to jump... Into their homeworlds! Feel free to use this post for the Mingle at Order's Sanctuary and should your homeworld be the stage for the Heroes of Lights' next adventures, feel free to make a thread for it and as many sub-thread as necessary! Please refer to the OOC Post for questions and plotting.

Warning: Whatever you come up with.

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( II - Akademeia )

( This is a general quest/exploration post where responses will come from NPCs. )

[ The main hall is where most of the cadets and trainees, each wearing a characteristic mantle around their necks, can be found trying to deal with the aftermath of the invasion. Even though the appearance of differently clothed Heroes draws a couple of weird looks, the students have their own tasks to attend to and will (mostly) leave the newcomers alone after a while, unless interrupted.

And it shouldn't take long to understand the reasons for their concern, for the air is thick with blood, and lying among the rubble are the bodies of their fallen comrades. It seems as though all life has been extinguished from these halls over the course of the past few hours... or has it been days? It is no longer possible to tell.

On top of that, mentions of Pandaemonium and Tempus Finis can be heard in the cadet's reports, whatever it could all mean....

[ Anyone attempting to activate the central portal will be stopped by one of the students - teleportation is currently strictly prohibited on the school grounds. Additionally, the door to the western wing has been blocked by debris, meaning that the only accessible areas are as follows: ]

( Central Command )

[ Inspecting the northern side of the hall reveals a set of stairs leading upwards. Although they're buried, for the most part, underneath the fragments of the collapsed balconies, it's a short enough climb for those who wish to enter the briefing room of the Central Command. The door is left slightly ajar, making it possible to overhear some bits of the discussion held within... except it's all going a little bit too fast, high-pitched in tone and resembling a quarrel rather than a serious conference. Why does it sound weirdly familiar? ]

( Crystarium )

[ Heading through the massive door to the east, the Heroes will find Crystarium. What once used to be a massive library, seems to have been transformed into a makeshift hospital for the injured during the invasion, so the atmosphere in here is, understandably, incredibly tense at every step. The medics - all students, wearing pink and orange mantles - are scarce in number, but determined to perform their duties to the best of their abilities. The real problem begins when the Crystal no longer appears to be answering their calls....

... Truthfully, with such severe injuries, most victims never had a chance for salvation. Gradually, all voices fade, and the only sounds are the steps of those leaving the Crystarium in search of new tasks. The lower floor is now unaccessible, but it is still possible to explore the upper deck which stores most of the library's tomes and research reports scattered all over the ground. Additionally, one of the shelves seems to be stuck at a rather weird angle - anyone who cares to investigate will come across a hidden passage, leading to some sort of Laboratory. The room is fairly small, and the multitude of half-filled flasks and containers suggests that its owner must have left in a hurry... who knows, though - they could still be somewhere nearby. Before then, it couldn't hurt to take a quick look at their notes, because some of these things sound rather odd. ]

( Fountain Courtyard )

[ A major part of the southern wall has collapsed, so there's no door barring the Heroes from stepping outside into the overcast morning. The Courtyard lies at the intersection of roads linking other important facilities to the academy, but the attack has deprived it of its former glory. It's where most of the battles took place, turning the previously peaceful grounds into a scene of a massacre - the dead bodies of cadets and soldiers alike are strewn across the stone path, and the number only grows the further one walks away from the entrance. It can be seen from here that the explosions have taken a great toll on the structure of the building, severely damaging the upper floors and completely destroying some of the towers and outer rings, meaning the cadets' warnings regarding the teleports weren't completely baseless.

Since most people still prefer the safety of the walls, there's hardly anyone to be found outside except for a couple of students and a Moogle, all of them supposedly a part of the same team, if the yellow colour of their mantles is anything to go by. It's as if they're searching for something, crouching by one body after another... like a team of looters. In fact, they do not seem to be particularly affected by the task at hand, or the grim sights, for that matter.

While there is nothing to be found at the vacant airport, voices can be heard coming from the direction of the academy's Arena, along with vague reports of possible monsters breaking loose. It might be difficult navigating through all that rubble, though. ]

[Who knows what those war-battered cadets might think, about a silver-haired man in an unfamiliar uniform who seems to have seen his fair share of a fight recently striding around the main hall and then later out into the Fountain Courtyard.

The thick scents of blood, death and dirt from all the rubble reminds him of many a scene during the aftermath of a battle. It's clear, to him at least, that a great amount of fighting was done out here - just judging from the body count alone. It stirs up not-often recalled memories of Wutai when he was a lot younger, though he'd not much been around for the aftermath. A light breeze rustles his bangs and some loose parts of his silver hair where the light braid he'd put it together in is falling apart a bit already.]

It's awful, Kupo. I wonder what happened here- [Spencer, his partner throughout, hovering at his shoulder height, casts a sad look around at the mass devastation strewn around. Wondering about the yellow-mantled students nearby but mostly overwhelmed at all of it.]

-this is what war does, Spencer. You remember when-

[Sephiroth's attention perks up again as he catches voices coming from the direction of the Arena. Perhaps there is yet something for him to do here-]

[ Perhaps, indeed - it just might take him a while to get there, given the distance separating the massive Battle Arena from the main building. While the road itself might be uneventful, Sephiroth would soon be able to spot one of the reasons for the uproar, in the form of a giant slab, presumably a fragment of the overhead construction which came crashing down at one point. Whatever happened here, has unfortunately been effective in blocking the entrance and trapping the people inside what was ultimately a fortress.

One voice in particular stands out among others. Alternating between shrill declarations of triumph and angry groans of disappointment, its owner doesn't waste any time expressing their stance regarding the unfortunate turn of events. In fact, maybe it's been the same person tirelessly screaming their heart out all along? Getting close might leave the soldier with a similar impression, but given the heated sounds of battle accompanying the shouts, it's safe to say the situation within the complex is no joke.

Suddenly, a powerful explosion rocks the ground, causing the debris to shift ever so slightly and creating small cracks and crevices on its surface. It looks that with some effort, it now might actually be possible to break through the blockade - or at least take a peek into what's exactly happening. ]

[Unfamiliar with the architecture, as Sephiroth got closer to the Arena he had to stop for a few beats to quickly assess the situation; not least how the giant slab seemingly blocking the entrance might have gotten there in the first place. Not for long though, as the voice he keeps hearing tells him enough in terms of the fact that there might be people trapped inside...not to mention the unmistakable, almost rustling background noise of the sounds of battle; an accompanying sound Sephiroth identifies a heartbeat later.]

K---upooo! [Spencer holds his head as the explosion goes off, and plummets to the floor. Sephiroth's not far behind with a similar motion, hands quickly cupping his ears and crouching as the ground rocks with the force of it. But where Spencer still cowers on the floor still afterwards, the SOLDIER is immediately on his feet-]

Stay here, and out of sight-

[-Spencer knows the drill and Sephiroth trusts him not to be seen. There is plenty of rubble around which the small moogle can keep himself hidden with.

Meanwhile, taking a mind to remain light on his feet Sephiroth approaches the huge slab of concrete. Gently putting a little pressure against one of the cracks he might be able to peek into, to make sure it doesn't collapse before he might draw closer and try to look inside.

If nothing else, the slab is fractured enough that he imagines he'd be able to smash it open fairly easily should the situation call for it.]

[ Well, the view ain't pretty, for the most part confirming what the sounds had already implied.

Oddly enough, everyone involved appears to be human soldiers - it's as though the declarations of the end of the war have never taken place. A small group of cadets can be spotted in the far end, the black of their uniforms standing in stark contrast to their enemies' white. As far as the numbers are concerned, the students might have found themselves at a slight disadvantage, but apart from that, it's hard to say anything else from such a distance.

After all, the silver-haired soldier would be given only so much as a few seconds before receiving a warning. It's the same voice he might have heard moments before, except this time, it's directed at him in particular. ]

Aughhh! This is all the help we get? Step back, or you'll go KABOOM like the rest of these losers!

[ If he looks up fast enough, he might see her - the little girl spearing Sephiroth with an angry look, standing atop the upper section of the Arena. Her tone is no joke, and probably shouldn't be considered as such, given the strength of the recent impact.

... The following explosion should clear the path, at any rate. ]

[Having heard the various noises from the outside, Sephiroth had already a fairly firm idea of what to expect when he'd peered inside. Not that battlefield gore -especially as fresh as this seemed- would ever be desired for anyone to see but at the very least he's got much more of a stomach for it than, say, if Spence had come over here as well. He narrows his eyes in the direction of the far end where the cadets are still battling away, but he hasn't a very good viewpoint, nor is there time to think-

A glance up, locked eye contact with the apparently-angry girl in black for only a split of a second before dots-connect and Sephiroth launches himself backwards -much higher and further than any normal human might on account of the custom Job he's equipped with- landing in a crouch momentarily before pulling himself back to his feet. Waiting for the explosion that's sure to follow-

Keenly looking out for that girl with his hand hovering back over the handle to Masamune, ready to be drawn with less than an instant's notice. If he's going to be helping the cadets, after all, he'll need to charge once the dust-cloud has settled again.

And maybe there will be a second or two for his hearing to recover from the ringing in his head.]

[ There's never a boring moment with Akademeia's self-proclaimed master of explosives, but it can't be helped; not after she's nearly seen her home fall right in front of her eyes. Seeing her efforts finally come to fruition, the girl drops down onto the lower platform and makes her way towards its inner edge. The massive supply bag slung across her tiny frame definitely doesn't make running any easier, but even as she scores a fall and slams head-first against the ground, the very next second she's back on her feet, making sure her message can be relayed to the cadets. ]

Heyyy! Road's clear!

We can't leave just yet, or they might follow!

[ Most importantly, where do those soldiers even come from? After all, there's no other entry apart from the one Sephiroth has just used, nor is there anything that would point at an assault from above. The atmosphere is definitely thicker here, though, wisps of white gliding through the air as if guided by an unknown, malevolent entity.

Sure enough, Sephiroth's presence earns an immediate reaction from some of the nearby troopers. They're all equipped with guns that however double as melee weapons, should their target get close enough - which is definitely something to keep in mind, given their number. On the bright side, they're evidently more interested in chasing the silver-haired warrior rather than breaking out.... ]

[There is certainly something off about the Arena, Sephiroth notes consciously as he charges in through the pathway that has been cleared, his word out and with the blade all tucked along the back of his arm. Ready for anything.

The first volley of gunfire in his direction is cast away almost as if Masamune were a shield rather than just an overlong sword that he knows what to do with but as more join in the assault which seems suddenly to be directly at him, well, he knows when there is too much incoming and considering...

Sephiroth makes a run for it, in a direction opposite to where the cadets were pinned down, to where the bomb-girl is headed, as it becomes obvious that they seem suddenly to be more interested in him. He's hardly time to look for her, really.

Making a point to dodge around the next biggest cluster of debris that would be able to hide him from sight Sephiroth presses his back against it, closing out the sounds of his own breathing and waiting for those troopers to get close enough for him to spring a surprise melee attack.

Then heading for the next cover, and so on.]

( yuna's eyes went wide at the sight of the mass of casualties, rushing to the side of the closest body she came across... quickly becoming aware of the reality of the situation. most of these people... they were already dead.

with a gentle hand she shut their eyes, getting up again to search through the bodies in case there were any she could help. it wasn't until several curagas and esunas later that she hobbled again to standing, steadying herself with a hand along the shelves, stumbling when she came across the hidden panel.

with a quick glance behind her again to make sure the coast was clear, she stole away inside, searching the beakers and tables as she went further inside. )

[ Given Yuna's experience as a healer, she might be able to identify the blue substance currently in development as a potion of some kind - nothing that could come across as potentially harmful, in any case. The same probably can't be said about the vividly-coloured liquids stored on the shelves, or the rest of the equipment, for that matter.

It's a little bit of everything. Rows of books and bottles aside, there's a reclining examination chair standing not so far from the entrance, along with a small assortment of medical tools and what seems to be anaesthetics. Of course, it's currently unoccupied, but it shows undeniable signs of wear.

Set against one corner of the room is a device resembling a test tube, big enough to house a human body or two, but otherwise empty at the time. Powered up by a couple of smaller batteries, it emits a warm, red light that spreads across the room and makes it slightly easier to navigate.

There are little notes and pages scattered all over the place, but their contents vary from completely irrelevant - like the ingredients for an elixir granting miraculous hair growth - to somewhat disturbing. Among the prevailing themes are creating a perfect human body and... extracting the memories from the flesh of the deceased. Each attempt is completed by a neatly written list of collected samples and personal thoughts accompanying the procedure.

Yuna will have some more time to look around before hearing a distant sound of footsteps. ]

( what was a place like this doing here, open and empty in what seemed like a time of crisis? the sight of the chair was slightly off-putting, as well as the sweep she made of the various instruments.

as she moved along, yuna pressed a hand against the large tube, unhappy with the thoughts that began to intrude; what could this have been built for? how recently was this used? when she turned again, the mismatched colours of her eyes danced across the notes, trying to make some sense of them, squinting...

until the sound of the footsteps made her recoil. now she scanned the area for a different reason, a place to hide! darting behind one of the heftier pieces of equipment, she ducked, pulling her knees closer in. )

[ Apart from the scientific babble that would be incomprehensible for anyone but its author, there's a couple things to be found across the journal's worn-out pages. Class Zero even gets its own section, beginning with Ace, no less:

▻ Provides some good quality samples, though kid's got more temper issues than he lets on.
▻ It's as though the Crystal didn't manage to erase all the memories. Interesting.
▻ Chocobos, again. Will make another attempt tomorrow.

... Unless Yuna is more interested in learning about shoe sizes and such, for the notes are accompanied by all kinds of relatively harmless data not always falling under the definition of "medical research". What would anyone even need all that for?

Soon afterwards, two figures enter the laboratory, and while Yuna's quick reflexes allow the girl to go unnoticed, would it be for long? The compact layout of the room doesn't provide a safe escape route, either. One of the people is a male student, and he's the first to speak up, walking up closer to the potion table. ]

- At this point, we're left on our own, so let's act fast. I've been receiving calls from the townsfolk requesting help, and we'd use some more potions to redistribute-

- Right, right. This is all I got for now, but I'll get a new batch started in a moment. Just take it and get out of here.

[ There is no malice in the other man's tone, if anything, he sounds a little tired. Wearing a white lab coat and a pair of glasses, he still appears somewhat young for a researcher - being somewhere in his mid-twenties, perhaps. After seeing the teenager dutifully empty the table from its contents and take his leave, he mutters to himself, defeated. ]

Well... this isn't what I've signed up for. I wonder how long this place even holds up.

[ Having said that, he gets straight to work, hurrying across the room to fetch the necessary ingredients.... ]

( yuna didn't know how long she had been holding her breath until the need for air finally won out, and she exhaled as quietly as she could, just as the one man left. it felt strange to be here, she didn't feel right. what were all those notes about ace? erasing memories... it felt all kinds of wrong to read over any of it.

she peered over the edge of her hiding place, wondering if she could make a break for the exit unnoticed, and she eased herself up slowly, both to get a better look at what he was up to, and to try and see if escape was even possible...

until her hand met with a stray vial and knocked it to the ground. whoops. )

[ Stepping onto the grounds, Tear had had no idea where to even begin. The wounded were everywhere, and while it was her instinct as both a soldier and healer, and overall as a person to rush in and start helping, she had come to the conclusion that it would be better to gather more information first. While she may have been granted the faintest idea of the state of this world long ago, when faced with its reality it was hardly an advantage—and yet, she kept her composure, because someone had to.

Rather than disturb the obviously harried and busy cadets roaming about, the melodist sets to ascend the buried stairs to the north, accompanied by one slightly harried moogle. ]

Mystearica, you have to be careful, kupo! You'll be hurt, too!

Sein, I'll be fine. [ Repressing a sigh, she straightened up once she reached level ground, looking toward the open door for a moment before walking toward it. ] Besides, can't you hear voices from within? There's something happening in there.

[ Maybe if Sein applied himself to his Hero's advice more often, he would be able to notice that something about the voices feels strangely familiar... and not without a reason. Lost in the heat of the discussion, the members of the gathering initially appear to be completely unaware of the interruption taking place right in front of them, allowing Tear and her companion to walk in freely. ]

" -...will no longer tolerate such behaviour when everykupo else is- "
" T-that's enough, kupo! Shouldn't we strive to remain kind to each other in the face of the situation- "
" Yeah, no need to be so salty, bro. Better put that bitter pom-pom of yours back to work, kupo. "
" If you want to live the lie, that's your choice, kupo. These kids aren't coming back. "
" Um, has anykupo seen my hat...? "

[ Gathered around a long table are six class moogles, each proudly representing their allegiance through their colourful mantles and pom-poms. A map is being displayed on the wall behind their backs, with the only marker placed in its center. ]

K-kupo!? Where did you come from?

[ Releasing a collective gasp of surprise, the moogles all turn in the direction of the open door. Looking slightly unconventional for the local standards (that nose!), Sein is the first one to draw their attention before their curious eyes move over to Tear. ]

Edited 2016-08-30 01:22 (UTC)

[ Well, it had been cute while it lasted, Tear having been so distracted by the gathering of so many moogles that she is almost as surprised as they are once it becomes clear that she and Sein had finally been noticed. Straightening herself up, the girl gave a respectful nod and opened her mouth to speak, but... ]

K-kupo?! We came from outside, is this hiding place from whatever happened outside...? Your noses, kupo...

Sein, I don't think it's like that. [ Maybe he hadn't seen a strategy briefing before, but she had, and the sight before her had all the indications of being one despite how... unusual it was. Breathing in, the girl took a step forward. ]

We heard your shouting from outside. If it's not out of place, might I ask what we can do to help...?

Outside? I don't see how that's supposed to convince anykupo.

[ It's the ball of bitterness from before, a black-furred Moogle in a giant hat, strangely similar in shape and colour to the ones users of the Red Mage Job use to wear. What a strange coincidence. With an irritated huff, the creature leaves its designated spot to stare at the pair from up close, only to be held back mid-way by one of their companions. ]

Third, stop it at once, kupo! I d-don't know what's happening, but they said they wanted to help us. [ The orange-mantled Moogle wielding a white staff then turns his head in Tear's direction, looking mildly upset about the situation. ] Accept my apologies, kupo. We've lost so many of our students during the assault....

[ Another voice rings from the opposite side of the table, where a Moogle wearing a yellow-green headband gives in to their impulses by punching their tiny fists together in a combative manner. ]

They were so brave, kupo! Showin' those ugly-kupo Rursus how real teamwork looks like. [ Suddenly, their voice falters, and the fluffball's shoulders slump forward. ] I-I know they did... I can feel it, kupo....

[ Seeing that, the purple-mantled Moogle just sighs, ultimately deciding to play along... sort of. ]

And the Consortium has gone and vanished without a trace, like the useless bunch they always were. Look at this place, kupo. It's a matter of time before it starts falling apa-- kupooo!

[ The creature's tone reaches an unbelievably high pitch as they're promptly smacked by a Moogle donned all in bright green. As if nothing's ever happened, the offender then moves past everyone else and taps Sein straight on the nose. ]

It's your nose that needs to grow. But it's okay, kupo. It doesn't matter where you're from, I can tell your intents are true. A-and I'm not saying that just because you're the only one who offered-....

[ The monologue is cut short by a sudden plea coming from somewhere at the far end of the table. ]

K-kupo...?

[ Emerging is the Moogle who has stayed silent up until now. Their shy demeanor is joined by fittingly modest attire - in the group of a fancifully dressed fellows, their only accessory is a cog-like mechanism adorning their pom-pom. The only one to wear the regular school uniform, the Moogle seems almost like a novice, except the colour of their mantle proves otherwise. Tear would immediately be able to notice the familiar combination of crimson against the black clothing. ]

Mog hasn't been able to get into Classroom Zero, kupo, so we've been trying to tell hir to be patient. Um... come in, kupo.

Kupo—! [ Sein responds to the absolutely unwarranted assault on his nose with a disgruntled squeak, the fur of his cheeks fluffing even more in his flustered state. ] My nose is perfectly normal, kupo...!

[ Though on a more serious note... ] We can't be the only ones to have offered, all those kids are working so hard out there...

He's right. [ Tear's own brow furrowed as they finally made their way in proper, looking over each moogle in turn. ] And please, there's no need to apologise, we were the ones to interrupt your efforts. I'm sure you all have much on your minds.

[ Anyone could see it so clearly in the destruction disrupting the grounds, in the desperate aura surrounding each person as they rushed through the halls. Though she hadn't yet ventured outside the building, there was a strong feeling that the situation wasn't unique to the school.

Except her attention was drawn immediately to the lone Mog, recognising the bright colour of hir mantle. Zero... ] Is there something in there that needs to be addressed right away?

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Event || Revelations

Akademeia

Fountain Courtyard | Arena

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crystarium!

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Central Command

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