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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[Saori walked a few steps ahead of them. As quiet as it was, she knew this place could always hold a nasty surprise at anytime. If there was anything that could pick up the smallest activity, it would be Saori's heightened senses.]

Well, all mythical creatures migrated with the gods and souls of the dead once Kuukan was created. Our predecessors realized co-existing with the living was too disastrous so that's why there's a separation between this world and the living.

Most of the residents here are more concerned about being eaten by the mononoke, the corrupted beings that break the taboo of soul consumption, and finding a way to be reborn into a better life. Plus, since we're still relatively close to the border so those who live here aren't as bad. A single hit or a warning shot would be enough to scare them off really. And actually, I actually had some of the members of the corps Kenichi and I run to do some recon a few days ago just to be sure.

I imagine the Roc parents won't be happy when they see their eggs are gone though. A chase will be inevitable but if we put a strong enough front, they'll be forced to cut their losses.

[Or at least that's what Saori hoped for.]

[Soul consumption, reborn into a better life...terms and theories that Sephiroth doesn't know a great deal about and so makes him frown more as a result. It didn't sound like they wanted to come across any of those mononoke beings, by the sound of it, given their luck he doubts they'd be all that easy to deal with if they did. In fact he's almost expecting exactly that kind of complication.

He's a pretty fair idea what a Roc is, had to be some giant kind of bird really, so as Saori continued to explain and they followed still around the base of the mountain he made a point to keep his awareness spread out all around him. SOLDIER hasn't supernatural senses, par se, but it does grant something of a heightened state of awareness when combat mode is engaged.]

Got it-

A flicker of energy washing over his frame momentarily as that initial skill of his custom job is activated; it feels a little heavy to do so, given that he's not had exactly the ample time needed to recover from it's last use - but it's just a complication he's going to have to push through with.]

With the living, you mean regular folk like me? [She tries to keep the words from sounding as harsh as they might. It's not a simple subject to traverse. Right now she's still trying to get ahold of the rules of this place. It certainly doesn't look like anything her own learnings of divinity. And the people she met most certaintly didn't seem dead.] What about your husband and your kids. How do they rate in all of this?

[She doesn't prepare any of her job skills yet beyond keeping her senses open to any incoming threats. Given that they're traveling so openly there's no real point in her employing stealth, and part of her is concerned that the trees and rocks here may be hiding things that may be roused if she starts climbing over them.]

By the living, I mean the world where humans and animals live until they pass away. That's where I was born, lived, and died. Unless you were born with spiritual powers, humans generally don't know the existence of this realm until their soul leaves their body. Or in my case, being spirited away by a mononoke who ripped my soul out of my body and ate it.

[She shifts the weight of the cases on her back. Though it had been decades since that happened, the pain of having her soul-to-body violently severed was as if every nerve of her body was on fire. It was after her death and realizing the number of similar incidents were happening was when she decided to learn how to fight. Thankfully Mary's second question meant she wouldn't have to dwell on it any longer now.]

Kenichi and the twins are what we call deities. Though most are resemble humans physically, they're much more stronger and live longer. When I got married, I somehow managed to become a deity as well. I wish I knew how exactly it happened but as you can see this part of the world is very complex.

You're only considered a god when you are considered worthy of carrying a god's name. In this world, a god's name is a legacy title and a career with the heavy responsibility. So while Kenichi and I are often addressed as Inari here, I'm still Saori. Multiple deities can carry a god's name if they like but it's rather uncommon.

[Soon enough, they reached the foot of the mountain where a pair of heavy metal doors greets them. Saori steps up to it to knock but notices the door is cracked ajar.]

Something's not right. The miners wouldn't leave the doors open like this. Be on guard.

[Sephiroth's not so far in front that he can't listen well to the conversation going on behind him. Though the other females can't see it, the explanation only gives him yet more to think about; the whole concept of worlds after death would be something a version of himself further along his timeline would be able to understand easier -having crossed that line eventually a total of three times- that notion isn't lost on Sephiroth as he is, but it does bug at him.

The talk of godhood just adds to the uncomfortable, so he remains silent and presses on.

The entrance to the mine is obvious enough and as Saori steps up to try the door Sephiroth steps back to let her do so. As the fact that the door is ajar, and Saori's resultant comment settles, he takes a breath and steps momentarily away from the group.

Only to get enough room to pull Masamune from it's sheath and fold the back of the blade up against the back of his arm; the default position he keeps it in while in a position of needing to use it but not yet engaged, the long edge following right up, passed his shoulder and head.]

I guess it might be too much to hope, for someone to idly have left the door open then-

[A comment as he come back to the doorway and proceeds through. Though he might not be the first, Sephiroth is cautious to leave significant room between himself and others when he has his sword out. If he needs to use it, he'll need the space.]

[Mordecai needed time to process the revelation that Saori was, in fact, a married woman with two children. He had assumed too much when prying into her relationship with Mary, and the shock of the truth kept him silent for the duration of the trip to the mines. Cheating, as hes calling this, isn't that horrifying when it happens to other people, and normally he'd welcome this information with a smile. However, he had spent the past year viewing Saori as an equal, someone to relate to. Both domestic types who seemed so normal, though he was the married one.

It's the difference between learning about a stranger's love life and a friend's.

He folds his arms and sneaks a look at Mary. Both wonderful people, both in a relationship he admires, but he cant help but wonder if this means its possible for him to find comfort in another's arms while on Crystallis. He loves Harriet; he'll never look at another woman even when she's on a month-long business trip. He hadn't dared to think about finding someone else the whole time the Calamity took him away.

Would Saori's husband be alright? Would Harriet be alright?

He stands back as Sephiroth enters the cavern, and seeing no point in standing around, he follows.]

[Mary frowns, sorry that she forced that memory back to the surface of Saori's mind. She recalled the last time she gave that shudder. The whole deity concept is a bit odd but it seems to work for them. It's difficult to think of those children in such a way but...perhaps if one is born into such a role it's easier. And they didn't seem any different from normal kids.

Her thoughtful expression drops to an unsurprised one at Saori's comment about the door. Of course this wouldn't go so simply. She shouldn't have allowed herself to expect otherwise.

Feeling Mordecai's gaze on her neck she turns and looks at him. Somehow the look on his face gives her a larger sense of impending doom than the door that Saori is worried about. She shoots him a raised eyebrow before returning her attention to the task at hand.]

Given our experiences, I doubt it. Here's hoping the miners are safe.

[Once everyone was ready, Saori pulled the set of thick metal doors open with a loud creak. Smashed wall lamps and a random sparks from wires would explain the dim lighting inside despite its status as one of the most active mines. When Saori first stepped in, there was an audible squish that made her pause and look down to see the blood puddle she almost walked through. As more light from outside came in, several bodies on the floor could be seen. They ranged from what looked to be dwarves, humans and an occasional beast of burden. At the very edge of where the light could be seen, there was a large metal shipping container. The white visible side had Inari crest of a fox holding a bushel of rice in its mouth on it in black.

Saori immediately touched the small golden ear clasp on her left ear.]

Kenichi, when was the last time anyone made contact with the workers in the mine?

[Kenichi's voice could be heard as she kept it on a speakerphone mode for everyone else to listen.]

About twelve hours ago to confirm the order was ready for pick up. Why?

There's no one alive here. And I think I'm picking up a faint mononoke presence.

Shit. They dug too deep finally, huh? Alright. Get out of there before it notices you guys. We'll send in more of the corps after.

Okay. Over and out.

[Saori let go of the cuff and carefully made her way over to the container. She placed down one of the cases and opened it. Her attention went back to the container and she bent down to grasp the bottom to lift it up as if it was cardboard box filled with feathers. Without hesitation, she slipped the opposite side of the large oversize parcel into the case. To everyone's shock, the case didn't break on contact but the shipping container seemed to be sucked into it. Once inside, Saori clicked it shut and placed the strap around her life before. While Ami's special magical musical instrument case of holding could carry the parcel, if it gets too banged up during transport, the cargo's safety could be jeopardized.

That was when everyone could hear a loud ringing in their ears. While everyone tried to block it out with their hands, the clattering of bones grew louder. If the lights still worked, the party would've seen the mine shaft entrance was just fifteen feet away from where Saori and the container were. From the near invisible chasm, a pair of skeletal human hands the size of a bus grasped the edge before the skull as tall as Saori emerged. Red-orange light shined from its eye sockets and there were blood stains on its jaws and teeth. It turns its head to see the goddess and extended its left hand to grab her.]

Edited 2016-09-01 08:27 (UTC)

[Blood and earth. The first two scents that register as Saori steps into the mine and the whole massacre of a scene before them is revealed in the light that's come in from outside as Sephiroth also follows but hangs back by the inside of the door to better gauge the situation before them as their hostess makes her way over to the large metal container.

He wrinkles his nose as the coppery scent gets a little overwhelming; it's not so much the blood alone, but the fact that it's all been closed in for a while - at least twelve hours or so if Kenichi's reckoning was right.

That, and Sephiroth didn't like this at all. Faint mononoke presence; this couldn't be any good sign as he far as he was concerned. He took a step forward then, momentarily distracted by how that huge container had been sucked into the comparatively tiny instrument case-]

Gah-

[The ringing was so sudden. Masamune was dropped to the floor as a result, as immediately hands sought out to protect ears from the deafening noise. A moment later, there seemed to be another noise there as well but by the time he's adjusted he's crouching for his sword again a moment later. A flick of a gaze up-]

-Saori!

[He doesn't care what he thought he saw in the gloom, but better to alert first before a moment later Sephiroth's grip is secured around his sword again and he's executed a Dash to close the distance between him and that movement he saw. Turning into an uppercut-slash as soon as he might be able to gauge the distance needed.]

[What is this. What is this.

Blood is nothing unfamiliar to the Barkeep, and it never is to a denizen of Mars, but the number of bodies greeting them in a dark, mysterious cave is bound to unnerve anyone. The Barkeep steps back, and his foot lands in another puddle of blood leaking from a nearby body with its chest cut open.]

This ain't good.

[With the ringing and harms bursting out of the ground, he runs away from the entrance and Saori, finding refuge in the only current spot not infested with ghost corpses. He's not here for this.

While Sephiroth attacks the darkness, the Barkeep prepares a Prayer, granting a random buff to each party member: Speed for Sephiroth, Magical Defense for Saori, Strength for Mary, and Magical Defense for himself.]

What are these?!

[The blood in the air tickled the Assassin's nose as well, and as the light shone upon the bodies she was dismayed at the sight before her. Her body tenses as she listens to Saori speak to her husband. 'Mononoke', she's had an explanation of the word before and she's never been under any illusion of the world being a kind place, but she hoped at this trip would have been a reprieve. She scans their surroundings, opening her senses to Eagle Vision in the hopes of finding a clue.

The trick with the container is impressive but she's too focused on watching for danger to really appreciate it. And with that focus the ringing hits her like a brick wall. She keeps her footing but the sound sends ripples across her vision. She leaps back just in time to avoid the ground falling away beneath her feet only to be replaced by those hands, lit up a hazy blood red in her eyes.

Turning, she rushes past Sephiroth as he sweeps into battle. There's a quick nod, a vote of confidence as they pass and she pushes all her strength into tackling Saori away from the creatures. She can apologize for the rough treatment later.

[Saori still had a grasp of the container whens he was tackled away. She coughed and looked up.]

Damn, it's a Gashadokuro!

[This giant animated human skeleton is a product of angry souls of those who were not given proper burial rites. Normally, it would snatch up travelers who walked into forests at night, bite them in half and drink their blood. As to what it was doing in a mine, that would have to be done much later. Right now, Saori's main priority is to get her friends to safety.]

Fighting this thing isn't our goal and this enemy is beyond us. I'll buy us some time.

[In a burst of speed, Saori ran towards the Gashadokuro, jumping up high when it tried to grab at her again. With the grace of a cat, she landed on its left arm and broke into a sprint towards the shoulder. She reached for a large glass phial strapped to her thigh holster and threw it square between its eye sockets.

A large cloud of smoke exploded, obscuring itself. Then as if the smoke had a mind of its own, it began to take shape as if it was clay being molded by an artist. A large thick chain looped around its neck with one end forming into a pair of clawed hands grasped the top of the skull and yanked its head back. The other end seemed to dive deep into the mine shaft it had appeared from. Saori jumped off the Gashadokuro's collar bone only to deliver a flying kick loud enough for sound of bones cracking to echo and a nice size crack in its jaw.

The giant skeleton reeled back from the force along with the chain of smoke pulling it back down. It wouldn't let Saori savor the victory just yet. Its bony fingers reached for the goddess and got a hold of her legs. Saori yelped as it tried to pull her down, but she grasped the edge of the shaft.]

[He'd been uncharacteristically quiet the entire trip through the mines, listening for any strange sounds. But this... Well, crap. Of all the things to run into, it had to be something his teensy little sense of self-preservation said to run like hell from. For once, he wasn't going to ignore it either. Though, part of him wanted to stay back and make sure Saori got out fine too.]

But- [How in the worlds did he see that coming.] Saori!

[Inwardly cursing, he uses the speed of the Dragoon to rush over to the edge of the shaft, before looking over the edge to cast Fira at the wrists of the large beast holding onto Saori's legs. It was a risk, but at least she had a family to return to. Goddess or not, he wasn't about to leave her hanging (literally).]

[As Mary tackles Saori away, Sephiroth's attack cleaves a deep gash in the bones of the hand that had reached to grab her in the first place. Though it was enough that another heavy attack might snap them, given the mine shaft that the creature had reared up and out of, he doesn't easily see a foot hold to advance his attack into and so holds back.

Just as well, considering how fast Saori suddenly moved to take the exact footpath that he himself had only just spotted as she first landed on the arm with such prowess. Sephiroth only glanced at the others before watching intently the goddesses maneuvers and turning his sword in his grip, ready to dash in with another attack should a suitable window be provided.

It didn't seem to be needed, though, as by some smoke-like magic the whole large skeleton was plunged backwards into the abyss that it came from. Following Ira, Sephiroth sprinted for the edge of the mine shaft, quickly assessing the situation as Fira was flung at those bony fingers pulling her down. It's hard to see in the gloom but-]

On its right. Look for my mark-

[He doesn't have any projectile or magic type of attack to fling at it himself so instead he'll drop, leaving his sword on the ground, to reach out for Saori with his hands; most of his body down on the ground as well. He's most likely the one with enough strength to be able to help her in this situation, after all. Whether that be holding on until the others can get her legs free by providing more resistance to the thing pulling her down, or hauling her back up.]

[Everything is happening so quickly, but Mary lets her instincts move her. This is Saori's home and there is no need to doubt or question anything she says, merely take it as gospel and react accordingly. The questions can wait for later.

And yet as she watches Saori move and employ her powers Mary takes a moment to watch in awe. After all their time together and everything she's seen and been capable of on Crystallis, she can tell this isn't a Job power. This is something different and something natural to the modest goddess. For a brief second she feels the hope and happiness in her heart sing as Saori casts it back down, followed by a sullen acceptance as the creature tries to have the last laugh.]

Of course...

[She rushes forward to Saori herself, letting Ira take care of the magical assault. Sephiroth gets a brief nod as he reaches down to take hold of her hands while the Assassin jumps off the ledge. A risky move, but between her jobs' Free running and Ceiling Walking she plants herself nicely on the ravine wall and begins to hack away at the bony hand with her sword.]

Let her go!

[Whatever you do, do not scream, Saori mentally told herself as the bony fingers tightened around her legs. A wince squeaked out from her but she bit her lip from revealing any more. It was too late to hope no one heard the sound of her own bones on the verge of cracking. A goddess's body maybe incredibly tough but they still have to bow down to physics from time to time. She would bear the pain now and just focus on reaching for Sephiroth's hands.

The deep cut from Sephiroth's earlier sword attack did expose some of the inner bone of the Gashadokuro's fingers to Ira's Fira and Mary's physical attacks. While it maybe a giant skeleton, its willpower was driven by the souls of countless restless soldiers who died in battles from ages past who never received proper rites.

The smoke chain around its neck desperately yanked back some more until finally lets go of Saori, leaving a large purple are on her calves where it gripped her. Its teeth clatter angrily as it's dragged back down the mineshaft until the angry orange glow of its eyes faded into the dark. With that weight no longer on her, the goddess was finally able to grab Sephiroth's hand. Two bruises remained on her legs but it'll heal quickly compared to the possible fractures. Hopefully by the time they get to the Roc's egg, she'd be able to walk. In the meantime, she's just going to be lying on the ground on her back unless someone is willing to lift her up. Thankfully anyone would be able to carry the case with their metal order inside. The wonder of a hammerspace container like that instrument case: Able to fit just about anything in there and it would still be manageable.]

Thank you, everyone. I'm sorry I put you all through that.

Edited 2016-12-07 09:13 (UTC)

[As soon as the weight of the bony Gashadokuro was gone, Sephiroth grunts and one hand finds purchase over the top of where they have met, to make sure that he wouldn't slip in lifting Saori back up and over the ledge, taking care not to haul her onto the side that he'd laid his sword down. It wasn't so easy, making his own muscles scream from the effort somewhat but once the apparent threat was over he's retrieving his sword and looking to the others to verify that indeed, it didn't seem to be crawling back up that shaft....yet.]

No trouble. Though I daresay we should make haste now we have what we came for?

[He's looking at the small case that she'd been able to fit two large containers in, wondering exactly how heavy that might be to carry...that said there are more than a handful of things in this World that don't exactly obey the rules of physics.]

[Whether Saori made a noise or not didn't matter much to Mary. She was in danger in this moment and that's all there was worth worrying about. If anything the whisper of pain she hears doubles her resolve as she works to free her patron goddess. She keeps on striking, not willing to let up until it finally falls away.

She watches it as the smoke tugs it down, watching it fade as it falls and making sure it doesn't surge back at them once more. As Sephiroth lifts Saori, Mary helps from below until they're all back on more level and sturdy ground.]

I have to say...if it wasn't for Crystallis I'd have been ill prepared for that.

[She looks at Saori with happy but worried eyes. She lingers at the sight of the bruises and then takes the initiative to pick her up in her arms.]

Sephiroth, get that case. We can relax once we're back in the daylight.

[She leads the way, closing her eyes just before they reach the doors so that she's not blinded as she steps back out of the mine. Once they're a few strides clear, the Pirate finally addresses Saori directly.]

Are you alright? Should we take you back? Sephiroth and I can handle the rest of this.

[After all this time she doesn't want to have to NOW apologize to her family for letting her die.]

[That he managed to hit it's weak spot was a surprise, considering his luck stats and how the creature was being slowly dragged down by the smoke. He blinked once, heaving a sigh of relief. Not that he was relaxed, mind...]

Honestly, I'd be surprised if it did go smoothly...

[He sheathes his blade, casting Cure on Saori without waiting for her to respond to Mary's question.]

Thank you, Ira.

[Saori gave him a smile before diverting her attention to Mary's concerns.]

Yeah I should be fine in a minute or two and I do mean that literally. I'm grateful that it didn't snap my legs right there.

[Broken bones was just one of the many occupational hazards of being a mononoke slayer like herself. Thankfully having an accelerated healing factor helped in fast recovery.]

I can still carry the case as soon as my legs heal up. In the meantime, we can focus on getting that Roc's egg. I swear I saw a nest somewhere around here...

[She scanned the mountainside behind them. Rocks, more rocks, cliffs, a stray goat...ah there it was. The nest was about the size of a large dining table and perched up on a cliff.

Most of the time the size of a Roc and its ferocity would deter anyone from getting close to it, let alone its nest. Chances were the nest builder was didn't have the foresight to construct it more towards the peak instead of just barely 100 feet from the foot of the mountain. The path to the nest wouldn't be difficult to an expert climber, but speed and luck would be necessary to snatch the egg. At least luck was on their side for now as the owners of the nest were out.]

The egg may have a strong shell, but it's better to put it in the case for the trip down. Don't worry, Ami made sure anyone can carry it with ease. In fact, it'll feel like it's empty inside but that doesn't mean you can bang it around without a care.

[Easy enough to retrieve the case then, slipping it over his off-shoulder, even given Saori's warning. Sephiroth would have to make an effort to remember to put it down though, should the need arise, it was indeed deceptively light.

He also scans up the mountainside following her gaze and eventually resting on the nest that seemed -from down here a least- a lot longer of a way up than it probably was. A moments pause later and Sephiroth looks around to Ira and Mary one at a time.]

I guess someone will have to lead the way up, since we'll have to take the case up.

[He keeps his voice at a low octave; they've no idea how long the nest will remain unoccupied, after all.]

[Mary feels the back of her teeth vibrate at the idea of Saori breaking her leg. It's not a mental image she likes and it's far to easy to be sympathetic to the potential pain. The casual tinge to the statement doesn't help but Mary closes her eyes and takes a breath as she reminds herself that they're once again in a world with different rules than she's used to.

But Saori still gets a look as their second objective gets brought up. A warning not to push herself and to not be reckless.]

I guess that's me then.

[She nods to Sephiroth as he takes the case and then looks up the mountainside. She shifts her senses to use her Eagle Vision and then takes a running start at the rock wall. She begins to climb with ease, the combination of her own training and the skills offered by the Assassin and Ninja jobs making this a simple act. The sheer focused busywork of the climb takes her mind off of Saori's injury, the familiar act helping to calm her as she goes.

As she takes the more direct route she points out places for the others to go and step to help them on their way.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Event || Revelations

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cw for some blood and supernatural monsters

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