melodiesoflife | Player Plot: The Crystal Caves

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Player Plot: The Crystal Caves

Who: Anyone who's signed up for the plot
Where: The Crystal Caves under the planet's surface
When: Oct 10-16
What: The Heroes are exploring the tunnels starting from beneath the Crystal Life Tree in hopes of finding something that might help them interact with the Soul Divider and the First Crystal.
Warnings: Potential battles. More to be added as needed.

The journey begins from the Crystal Life Tree. Those who can't make it there on their own are teleported by Jade, after which everyone is given their rations and equipment. After all, who knows how deep they'll have to go?

See the OOC post for information and sign-ups!

1) A Dangerous Journey - for mingling and battles
2) Signs of the Old Cycles - a modded group thread
3) ???

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Damn it.

[ That made no sense, but he could sort of tell that fire isn't effective on a tree. Well go figure.

It didn't look like he had much of a choice. When the fire blades sliced through them, he grunted in irritation as his body gets slashed by the blades. They were burning a lot more than he originally thought. It takes him some time to get back on his feet and he staggers a little forces himself up. Right now, there are things at stake. He has to ensure the safety of the party members.

He quickly casts Mega Regen on the party first to at least ensure their survival. ]

Is everyone alright?!

Edited 2016-11-08 22:31 (UTC)

[The readings come in shortly before the Fire Blades strike Ales, setting his clothing on fire for several seconds. He winces as the attack burns him, hoping for anyone to heal him.

While the effects of the Mega Regen heal a small portion of his pain, he is consoled that he won't die in a fiery blaze before he can relay the important information--]

Don't use Fire attacks, it only makes it stronger! It's weak to Ice!

[Priorities. He'd rather weaken it before it strikes them again. After a few seconds, he speaks again:]

It's also undead!

[ Selphie felt the magic cover her just before the Fire Blades attacked. She braced for the attack and brought up her shield to protect herself but still staggered backward. For all the good it did initially, the regen spell kicks in and she hears Ales shouting out weaknesses as she straightens and preps In the Red and starts a wide arc to try and get behind the Soulcage.]

Mikleo! Hit it front the front, I'll go in from behind!

[ As Selphie maneuvers herself she prepares for a Dualcast of Cura to help take the damned thing out.]

Just because you think you're doing the right thing doesn't make it the best outcome! This has to change or everyone is going to suffer!

[Cloud frowns at Jack. He misunderstands. Cloud isn't losing hope. This is anger. Whether his world can be saved or not, the crystal he bears shows him proof that it's at least been converted. Perhaps his imagination but he can feel a dull ache in time with the pulses of light traveling up and down the harp. Even if their worlds could be saved, that wasn't something to take solace in at this moment. How many other worlds had been consumed? How many other versions of their friends and families. And if they could save the fragments left in the rift there was no promise that they could bring back everything.

But even if there was nothing he could do to save his world he could still save the world of Another Cloud.

As with the others, he steps up to defy fate.]

Taking lives to live may be part of nature, but there's a limit to it. And when backed into a corner the prey will fight back. The Herans, Garland, Crystallis, they have no more right to live than anyone else. There's a difference between sacrifice and simply laying down and letting yourself be eaten, and I choose neither.

[He hefts his sword and shield, eyes flashing in defiance.]

I'd rather die fighting for my future than to do the same to maintain the illusion of safety. And all the lives given up to pay the cost matter just as much as the people who live here. I'll fight to protect every world I can from you, and if and when we face Narayana I'll fight it too!

[As the battle begins, Cloud sweeps to the front. He begins with Sentinel as has been his routine, bracing himself for the inevitable oncoming attack. He winces as the fire blades hit, his armor, shield and the spells on him absorbing what they can but the pain still sears through. Furrowing his brow he debats his options and doubling down on his defenses, but as he hears Ales' call he nods and pushes forward again. Better to end this battle sooner than to let it linger.

He lunges forward, gathering energy into his sword and then sweeps it upward, sending out a wave of light at the Soulcage.]

Shock!

Aiiih!

'Kuppopo!'

[Both Rukia and Chappopo are hit hard by the fire, and left smoking and shaken by the ferocity of the attack. What just happened? Are they completely out of their league against this entity? No, they can't give up. Mikleo's Mega-Regen refreshes the most severe of the injuries, and after a few moments, Rukia is able to regain her feet.]

Ales, Mikleo...my thanks.

[She huffs out a few breaths to steady herself, then focuses her attention on the Soulcage. Chappopo hops up to her feet as well, shaking her singed wings.]

'Can I cast Meteor now?'

Not yet...it's still too strong with the enhancement it received from the fire attack. We must use an ice spell for now.

'Po...!'

[Chappopo sulks for a moment, but fluffs herself up and spins around before thrusting out a delicate white paw.]

'Blizzara!'

[ Oh damn. That hurts. That really hurts. So much that Sheena drops to one knee before the effects of the healing spells cast start to take effect.

If it hadn't been for Jack's spell, they would have been in some serious trouble.

Rising, she casts Zelda's Gift, healing some of her wounds and raising a barrier. Brows knitting, she listens to Ales' report even as she aims her thrower at the giant Tree. ]

That thing's undead, so the thrower should work, right? What about my healing spell? It casts a barrier--will that help it?

[ She's not taking any chances this time. ]

Agh!

[Fire. Albel wasn't sure he'd ever get used to it, and he hated it. Because it made him freeze, just for a moment -- just long enough he couldn't shield Sheena. Damn! He grunted and winced, stepping back as the Fire Blades burned into his skin and heated his gauntlet. Mikleo's spell at least helped soothe it somewhat.]

Blizzara!

[After casting that, he returned to Sheena's side. At least she could heal herself.]

What kind of barrier?

[If it would prevent other healing spells, it wouldn't be the best idea.]

[The Fire Blades force K'pandolu back, and she curses as she takes a firmer grasp on her blade. The regen from Jack's song and Mikleo's spell helps, and she nods to both of them, though her expression is still tight.]

My thanks… What kind of power is it to grant a tree strength from fire?

[She's fairly sure that's unheard of even in the worst of the greenwrath, the elementals' rage against man's actions. She summons up another Blizzara, to help reduce the flames.]

There may not have originally been swear words in those spots in the song, but Jack keeps singing, despite the pain. That Regen might mean the difference between some of his friends dying, so he must keep it going.

Undead? The edge of Jack's Greatsword shines with a white light, it's been imbued with a Light Crystal. Cloud has the right idea, and Jack is only a few seconds behind him. Jack's voice raises even louder as he swings with another Shock to follow Cloud's.

[Jade cringes as the fire hits, but a bigger problem quickly occupies him. How is he going to keep everyone healed if the monster can cast multi-target attacks of that caliber? The Regen helps, but they're all badly hurt already.

No, wait. If it's undead... Jade never attempted this earlier for the sake of saving his MP, but now that they've reached the end...

While everyone else's attacks are holding the enemy off, Jade has the time to cast Life on the monster. Here's hoping it'll have the desired effect.]

[As Jack and Cloud push forward their attacks, the effects of the Mega-Regen start to produce enough of a healing effect for Sephiroth to pull himself back to his feet. He's still positioned behind the back line of the party and so, once stable again, he starts to unsheathe Masamune. The long blade is pulled free and out to the side before being twisted in and up to his shoulder; his standard battle stance.

It seems that he's decided that really, there is no choice. It ends with this cycle, regardless.

He flicks a glance to Jade as he fires off the Life, looking forward and passed the other man to judge the effect of the spell first-]

[ Sheena looks at Albel as he comes to her, brows knitting in concern. Fire wasn't exactly one of his favorite things and here, a tree just threw a ton of it at all of them. ]

It's a barrier against attacks that's only as strong as the amount it heals.

[ She explains as she casts the same healing spell on him--just as Jade begins casting Life for the tree. Now why would he do that...?

Of course. The greatest healing spell of them all! If the others can hurt it, then the one spell that totally revives a person can end it all.

Still, she keeps her thrower ready...just in case. ]

[ While the Ice attacks did some damages and put an end to the Fire fury, other attacks did relatively poorly against the entity. The only ones that managed to hurt it effectively were the Cura spells. And just as it was about to cast its other attack--

Life hit it.

And lo, the beast died within a split second of being hit by life. The tree-like creature withered and without a noise shrunk, until its remnants turned to ashes and faded away. Quite possibly the fastest and most efficient boss battles the Heroes of Light went through.

The Crystallization process outside started receding following Soulcage's Death. It would complete by November 01st.

The mist in the room receded as well and the elevator would start working again. However, nothing else changed. The place was the same as it had been moments ago and until they'd go to the outside and see what was happening, they wouldn't really realize the consequences of their actions. ]

[ His hand was still shaking even after the battle was over. The fact was that Soulcage submitted way too easily. Something about it just felt wrong. He knew how powerful enemies like that can be. It can't possibly be defeated that easily without consequences but nothing changed.

Everything here looked the same as ever. He wondered if they actually chose to do the right thing? In the end, he didn't strike a single blow but he was making sure that everyone was alive. With all that being settled, he'd probably start healing some of his allies nearby, though feeling uncertain with this whole thing.

He just doesn't know. ]

[Cloud blinks in surprise as the monster begins to shrivel and collapse. Given all the other battles they've faced in this world, this one almost feels anticlimactic. Not that he isn't happy that they managed to avoid anyone winding up in any further danger but still...

He looks around at the others, trying to make sure that he isn't missing something, and he sees he's probably not the only one with this feeling.]

Everyone is okay, right?

[Cautiously, shield up, he moves closer to the edge again, seeing if any change has taken to the crystalization or the lifestream. He doesn't see anything yet.]

[Rukia, too, is hesitant to relax quite so soon. She wasn't expecting the fight to end that quickly. Even Chappopo is still quivering with anticipation, paws raised high, ready to cast Meteor as soon as the boss's true form is revealed!]

[But that never happens.]

[Slowly Rukia straightens, still aching from the elevator battle and the flaming assault from the Soulcage, and glances at Jade. She grins, then finally exhales.]

I suppose if it works on Zombie Dragons...

[She powers off the particle thrower and hooks it into the holster.]

Shall we press on?

[ Although Sheena had had an idea of what may happen, she can't help but stand there slack-jawed as the tree died that quickly.

Her natural suspicions kicking in, she keeps her thrower up as she takes a look around the perimeter. ]

I don't see anything. Is it over already?

[ It has to be. But nothing's happened. Here. And old hand at visiting ruins and such, she knows that not everything done is immediately seen. Looking around, she nods.

If nothing's happened here... ]

I think we should back now. See if anything's changed.

Talk about anti-climatic.

[He's just about as shocked as everyone else, regardless of the fact that he hadn't executed even a single attack. Sephiroth's stepping away back towards the elevator in the moments following the death of the Soulcage, sliding his overlong sword firmly back up into the sheath as if he'd been contributing all along.]

There's no further to go, from here.

Edited 2016-11-23 21:08 (UTC)

[She holds her ready position for a moment longer, ears and ears trained on where the Soulcage had been before she relaxed and straightens, with a short nod.]

It looks like we're all fine. I can spare a little more energy, if anyone needs it. I suppose she should see if there's anything to be found about this place, too.

[Ales stood in silence as he watched the tree shrivel up under the Life spell as if it were poison. A small moment of pride washed over him, knowing that it couldn't have been done without his help.

He turns to the others, standing tall.]

Should we go back and investigate the rest of the caves? This tree might have been feeding off the crystals.

[Cloud looks up from where he's looking over the edge, brow furrowed as he tries to make anything out. When he looks back at the others he blinks a few times after the probably not smart move of staring off into a glow like that.]

Sounds good. We may not be able to do anything else until whatever we just did begins to settle.

[He looks at the harp once more and frowns. Setting aside the ease of slaying the monster he feels like there's something more to it, like buttons to be pressed or something. But this is a start, to be sure.]

[Albel was at a loss, to be sure. He hated weak enemies, refused to waste his energy on them. But that crystal tree wasn't weak -- its flame attack proved that much. That hurt. And yet, it was over so quickly. Strong enemies weren't defeated so quickly... right?]

[It made his head spin. Rukia's mention of Zombie Dragons helped a little.]

[He looked among the others.] I agree. It can't hurt just to take a quick look through the other paths. If the rest of the crystals and roots appear to still be safe, we can go.

We could certainly backtrack a little way, perhaps. Though considering how many days it's taken to get this far, who knows what might happen on the surface in the meantime.

[No point to hide that he didn't agree with this, yet surely they should now get back up there and prepare to mitigate for the potential worst.]

If the Crystal really will vanish now, it concerns me what we might have unleashed.

[A pointed look at Ales, and others who had been at Downopolis before....all those corrupted, mutated and -hopefully will remain dead- people.]

[Jade walks over to the edge of the platform and examines the Soul Divider critically. Nothing seems to have changed, at least outwardly. The lights are still moving along the strings here and there, so at least they probably didn't completely break the whole thing.

Whatever the consequences, the Soul Divider is now theirs to study. In that, the expedition is a success.]

I don't mind backtracking, but let's not push ourselves. We're not in the best condition to keep fighting the crystal monsters.

[He turns back to face the others and smiles as though nothing's happened.]

Let's wrap this up, then. I'll start teleporting us back to the surface once we're done.

[ Mikleo seems just as eager as Jade to study the Soul Divider as well, given that it will help answer some questions-- or so he hopes anyway. Everyone wants to keep going for a bit longer but he thinks that it's not a good idea either, given how melodramatic the battle had turned out to be.

Even if they still had a lot of stamina, rest and recuperating is important. It's not like it will disappear. ]

I agree with Jade. As much as I want to keep going, I think it's best if we don't wander too far. It doesn't seem like this area will disappear. We'll have time to go back later.

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Player Plot: The Crystal Caves

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