Event || Strategy

[melodiesmods]

Characters: All the Heroes of Light and some NPCs.
Where: Aqures Ixen, Castle.
When: January 25th, Afternoon
Summary: All the Heroes of Light were formally invited to a meeting in the Castle of Aqures Ixen, in the conference room. They will be able to discuss strategy with their peers and the allies amongst the NPCs. This is the final preparation before endgame.
Warning: N/A.

Mingle Thread
The Meeting

Comments

[iknowtheconsequences]

Kaji has been silent up until this point. Finally, they're on the one subject he can talk about with some authority. And they have the other people he's been meaning to speak to in this room.

"The Black Crystals were originally formed out of the attempts of four Heroes from last cycle to speak to the Calamity. We know that this resulted in the creation of the Avatars of this cycle," Kaji nods at Ramza, continuing off his earlier point.

"While we have found other uses for the Black Crystals, and so did Palitutu and Artemicion and Kalki, this was their primary function. Whatever the plan is, we're going to need those as focus points."

At this, Kaji looks up at the people from other nations assembled. "We have two of four. One is remaining in the lab to power up people's confrontations with their Calamity Selves. The other is secured separately. And we've been led to believe the other two are in your care. Can we first off confirm who has them? Because I don't think we should actually pool them all together in the same place. But we don't have time for another hunt."

[im_pancake]

[Twilight let out a small sigh as Mary was told off. It made sense for her to go off - it seemed like whenever they were near someone important, they'd want them to jump hoops.]

You'll have to be a little more patient with us, all of you. After over two years of being ran around, forced through ridiculous tests and being mocked because of what we're trying to do and how we act, some of our patience is very low, especially when it comes to protecting this world.

[empirenpcs]

Indeed. Communicating with such an entity might prove problematic, however.

[ Prajapati tilted her head down and pondered, but Kurma replied to Twilight without hesitating would it be for a second. ]

It is no matter of patience. We are not your enemies nor are we the people who mocked you or put you through trials. All the people in this room are united by a singular purpose and have naught to hide. Treat your allies as you would your enemies, and all you will sow is discord and mistrust. If you believe I would keep secrets from you as the very world I live on is threatened, you are sorely mistaken.

[ With that said he turned to Kaji. ]

One such crystal is in my possession, but no more. All four crystals used to be in the Magitek Research Facility in this city, but Kalki tasked Gibbs and two others to retrieve them. [A pause.] One of them wasn't retrieved and remained with Palitutu. The second one was given to a Black Mage Moogle and I managed to get the third one. Presumably, Kalki kept the fourth one. Trace back how you acquired your black crystals and you might find who was the last owner of the missing crystal.

[im_pancake]

[Okay, that made sense, but now it's time to ponder out that bit of information]

Okay, one of our Black Crystals we captured from Palitutu - she had used it for her special job and turned it against us. The Black Mage Moogle you mentioned MIGHT be Mograma's, and I believe we got that one...

...which means we need to figure out where Kalki's is.

[not_most_days]

[Mary takes a long breath, closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose with her fingers. When she's done she looks to Kurma, making eye contact as she bows her head.]

You're right. My apologies. You're not the ones who have put us through this strain. It just seems that we are ever at the disadvantage, that the truth is held one step out of reach, and that when we try to chase certain angles we have had the misfortune to more often do ourselves harm than good.

[She straightens up and gestures at the assembled group.]

But you've all worked with us, even when our foes have found ways to manipulate us for our own ends. We owe you much. It's merely frustrating when it's implied we're not holding up our end. We haven't been sitting on our laurels.

[She gives Cid a look, but then another nod and a smile. He's done well by her by deed if not by word. Her outburst is on her. She looks back to the table and thinks.]

I've tried to gather what information I could, but my contacts have found no clue or trace of her. Those of us who were drawn to this world while the others were taking the long road from the past were the last to see her, and it seems all you saw was her sending you off while she clashed with Palitutu, correct?

[But Palitutu isn't in a condition to speak at the moment.]

I wonder if any of our Jobs would allow us to contact her sleeping mind?

[im_pancake]

[And Twilight's eyes go wide, eyes sparkling as she realizes something]

That's it! The past! Aqures Tosf! I wasn't there for it, but if I remember correctly, everyone who went to the past was stuck in a locked room where the Crystal of Fire was held, right? There was a giant hole that she fell into when some of the other heroes tried to rescue her!

That was the last time any of us saw Kalki. It could be possible that it's still down there!

[iknowtheconsequences]

Kaji frowns so deeply at Kurma's words. "We were under the assumption that the Crystal we got off of Palitutu was the one that had previously been in Kalki's possession. Figured that if Palitutu killed her, she would have taken the Crystal for herself. But if she had one all along?"

Kaji turns back to the other Heroes. "Who went to Kalki's grave site? Gimme, as close as you can, where it's at."

Kaji pulls a black stone out of his pocket. At first glance, it appears to be a black crystal, itself, but this one has retained some shape, and there is no magic coming off of it. "Because we can check right now if it's there."

[not_most_days]

[Mary's been keeping to the back of any group she's been part of here out of habit. She trusts everyone but she'd still prefer not to have anyone standing behind her if she can help it.

But at Kaji's question she steps up.]

I've been there. I can show you on a map how we got there, best I can.

[But if it's oral directions he needs she'll oblige him to the best of her ability as well.]

I've never been completely convinced she was in that grave though.

[iknowtheconsequences]

Kaji waves off Mary's last statement. "Of course not. I think that was never a question. Going up against Palitutu, I almost doubt that there'd be anything left."

Kaji unrolls a map and gets Mary's help figuring out the direction from where they are. "Okay." He folds his arms and looks to Kurma. "You dont happen to have the crystal on you, do you? The compass is drawn- rather violently, towards the crystals. It should point towards each of the locations. And either it should go to Aqures Tosf, or the Heran Empire."

Shinji, Kaji's moogle, steps forwards, and Kaji hands him the black rose-shaped compass crystal. "Kupo, I really hate this..."