Endgame || Apocalypse

[melodiesmods]

Characters: Anyone
Where: Pandaemonium
When: March 05th
Summary: The first phase of endgame begins! The Heroes of Light are on their way to deal with Garland as they’ve left their unfinished businesses in the hands of their friends amongst the NPCs. How will it end? The mingle threads shall not be modded, only The Guardian will be modded. Please do not start individual threads for The Guardian, reply in a single thread. Starting from now on, the game is officially in endgame. Please do not post any new posts on Mognet or in the Log Community, unless they’re backdated to before this event. The second phase of endgame will be posted once The Killer Of World thread will have been unlocked and completed.
Warning: ̩̼͋ͬͅ.̷̳̗ͦͣ͐ͭͣͬ̈́ ̤̙ͫ̉.̨̯͖̗͓̥̭̣̂̄ͣ̏ͯͫ ̶̼̻̳ͫͧͥ̆.̭͎ͮ͂ ̳̤͓̖̫͌ͪͥ̄͗̐̌.͚͍̀ ͈̻̠̥̜ͦͦ̆ͨ͋.̼̹̹̠̟͚͎ ͙͇̲̘͖̉̌̒͂̈ͮ.͇͙͑̍̽ ̪̭̹̤͓̯̜ͦͣ̒̾͆͗ͦ͟.̝̯̲͗͊̽ ̛̙͌̈ͤ̚.̪̮̰̘͚̏ͦͤ ̲̼̺͓̣̝̐.͗ͨ͜ ̧́̑̄ͥ.ͬ͊̋ͣ ̝̠͍̭̯̽.́ ̊̽̈.̡̥̖̣͓̬̠̰͗͑͂ ͍̭̩̝̉͊̑̃̓ͤ̇.͆̔̀̈́̐̋ ͇̬̤̲͉̜͙̓̍ͦͯͤͥ̔.̯̻̺͔̰̞̙͋͡ ̻̼̣̮͖̮̋ͬ.̖̝̞ ͕̦̙̞̹̲̖̓̃.̌ͯͯ͟ ̺̘̪͊̊.̲͖ ̧̼̙̋ͦͧ̂́̑͑.̷̼̬̭͔͙̹̫ͦͧ̔̄͐̏ͫ ̱͎ͥͥ̈͝.̲̣͖̪͓̯ͩ̓̈̿ͧ̅́ ̪͈͚̺̦̝͎̒ͦ̇̚.̂̆ͯͦͩ̃̀̀ ̬͕̼̆.͎̃́͐̄͒̑ͪͅ ̠̳͎ͬ.̛̭͓͗͌ͪ ̴͉̱͉̘̯̟̔͐.̫̣̥̔͑͛́ ̝̭̤̜͖͎̙̈ͪ̿̓ͯ͂̚.̟̲̥̥͈̭̳̈̋ͥͦ ͔̩̈͋͐͗̚.͓̝̼͍̈ͧ͊ͅ ̥ͥ.̷̬͍͙ͥ̓͋ͅ ̪̯̠ͨ́̂.̱̙̘̫̰͕͈̎̓̊ ̧̻̃̎.̬̇̄ ̘̣̺̼ͯ͋̀.̯ͬ ̆͗͆̆̋͝.̴̞͖̫́ͬ͌̉̍̿ ̪̹̥͙̑ͅ.̵̻̮͓̉̃ͯ͑̊̈́̚ ͚̽̒̚͘.͇̮͇̻͍͈̠͂̓ͣ̀͡ ̩̠̖̋.̺͎͈̦̺̈́ͮͬ͌̋ͧͩ ̳̠͕͙̎ͩ͜.̛̆ͥ̒͑ ̘̠͓͚̱͗͜ͅ.̢̠̠̥͍̬̂̊͋͊̂̄̐ ̦͛.̰͚̫̱͙̩̅̓ ̲̜͌̒ͭ͑͠.̠̆̈̏͆̉ ̰̹̳̻̥̮̬ͨ̍̐̆͗ͫ͜.͕̥͔̳ͩ͞ ̣͓̥̑̍͊̽̄̀.̳̘̭ͭ̔̎̍͜ ̟̞̯̏.̙̯̦̞̱̘ͬ͐ͩ ̯̠̣͉̪̅̅ͣ́ͅ.̡͗̍̿͊͐͊ ̲̙́̽̽́.̝̟͇͈͚̿͝ ̑͜

Mingle Thread
The Guardian
The Killer Of Worlds

Comments

[rialynn]

[Rialynn is doing her best to keep up with the others. She has her rapier at her side, but for the most part, she doubts she'll be using it with her Bard and Dancer jobs at the ready. Still, one never knows, and it's best to be prepared.]

[It's by chance that she happens to catch a glimpse of the back of Ramza's head as she makes her way through the streets, and she slows, more than a little concerned when she sees him sink to the ground. Her brow flickers and she hastens toward him. To her relief, she realizes he seems to be kneeling out of respect, not because of weakness or something dubious like mind control. She turns her head, looking at one of the frozen people, and frowns to herself as she stands awkwardly to the side. She knows that he... No, that doesn't matter right now. She knows why this upsets him.]

...Hey...

[She takes a step closer, and after a moment of hesitation, very lightly touches the edge of his armored shoulder. It's not as if he can feel it through the metal, so she needn't be so awkward about, but still.]

Take as long as you need. I'll make sure nothing interrupts you.

[It's all she can really offer right now.]

[zodiac_brave]

[After years of training and evading the grasps of bounty hunters, Ramza has learned to always be aware of his surroundings. So while he cannot feel a soft touch though the plates he wears, he at least knows someone has drawn near without having to look up.

He finishes a silent line of prayer before looking up at Rialynn from his kneeling position.]

Thank you. You may join me, if you wish. My father always thought it wise to take a moment for reflection before a battle.

[rialynn]

[Join him? Her hand lifts just enough to no longer be touching, hovering hesitantly in the air for a moment. She looks around them again, and it seems like there's no immediate danger. Rialynn had come over to keep watch over him, though. Then again, with her current jobs, what is she going to do, drive a monster away with a really obnoxious ditty?]

...Sure.

[She hitches at her doeskin trousers slightly as she settles down on her knees, mimicking his posture. A glance to the side is meant to study the way he folds his arms or bows his head, but she stalls for a moment as she reads the profile of his face. What if the battle goes sour, and they never see each other again? What if it goes great and they have to return home and never see each other again? Either way, she'll lose her friend, and that ache pulls her gaze down as she swallows a dry lump in her throat.]

So, um...who do you pray to?

[She'll follow suit. She's not picky about who she worships, it's better to be safe than sorry.]

[zodiac_brave]

[Ramza's attitude of prayer usually involves a bowed head and his arms at his side, but while he talks to Rialynn, he sits up straight. He turns his head to face her, his expression serious.]

To gods unknown. Whoever listens here on Crystallis. I hope they would not discount a prayer for lost souls in their domain simply because a stranger such as myself knows not their names.

[He shrugs a shoulder.]

You can meditate, rather than pray, if that makes you more comfortable. These people deserve to be remembered. If you think upon them, that will be enough.

[rialynn]

Ooh, I'm not really sure they do or not.

[She keeps her head up as she contemplates the matter, holding her hands loosely together on her lap.]

I always figured it was better to offer respect anyway, just to be on the safe side. I'm only a bard, so...

[Hopefully she's too insignificant for them to waste their time and attention in smiting her soundly for accidentally choosing the wrong method of worship.]

But you're right. Everyone who ever drew breath has a story to tell. If we can pass that story on, from one generation to the next...it's as close to immortality as you can get.

[She looks around her once more with a small frown, then slowly bows her head and reluctantly closes her eyes.]

I wish I could have learned theirs.

[zodiac_brave]

[He nods. It is true. Showing respect is always the best policy with any higher-ups, be they gods or kings, and politeness costs nothing. He is glad he and Rialynn are of one accord on that.]

We know something about them, at least. They loved their homeland and their Emperor enough to brave the Calamity's wrath. That is a start. The Herans in the Village of Santa Claus know more of them. Perhaps when the fighting is over, you could find out more about them. A memorial song that everyone could share would be a better tribute than my silent prayers.

[rialynn]

"Hey," she chided him with a grin. "Don't sell your own efforts short. It's not a matter of what does more good, it's just a matter of doing good in the first place. You're fine."

She cleared her throat, trying to settle back into the right frame of mind for reverence. After a few seconds, though, she glanced back over at him again.

"...But if you're really worried about it, you could practice your singing voice and join in. It can't hurt, right?"

[zodiac_brave]

Ramza shook his head. "I...um...I doubt my voice would honor them properly. Better to leave it to the professionals."

He scratched his chin. "You are right. We each have our own talents. Doing what we know how do is better than trying to mimic someone else's way. I will pray, you can compose, and we can both know we have done what we could for the Herans."

Hope this is okay!

[forcegalactic]

Mordecai had the thought to walk over the Ramza and watch him pray in silence. Or bother him and ask what he was thinking, but he had known the younger man long enough that his heart went out to the Herans that didn't make it out, but that didn't stop the urge to begin a conversation.

He was only held back by Rialynn catching up to him first. No word on the progress of their potential relationship had come up, but judging by how shy they acted (not saying that's how they usually acted around others), something had to be going on.

...They were still talking.

...Weren't they going to hold hands by now?

...He hoped that was a blush.

Dangit, this wasn't going to go anywhere! He stepped into their view with the full intent of seeing things through.

"I was wonderin' where you got off to, Ramza! And look, what a coin-ki-dink!" He turned to Rialynn with that horrid pronunciation of 'coincidence'. "Two young folks I wanted to check up on! You both got everythin' ready? Potions, elixirs, gear? Hungry?"

Fine by me!

[zodiac_brave]

Ramza looked up, the solemn atmosphere broken by Barkeep's exuberant greeting. The older man was a reminder that some things that were lost could be regained. He looked to Rialynn, gave a barely perceptible shrug, and stood. There would be time for quiet contemplation later probably.

"I am prepared. This is not our first battle." He paused. They had what they needed, but... "Why? Did you bring snacks?"

The end of the world was no cause to turn down Barkeep's cooking. Garland would feel much harder to face on an empty stomach.

[rialynn]

Her grin widened at his response, and despite the seriousness of their situation, she couldn't help a small quiet chuckle as she turned forward again. "I'd like to hear your song someday, professional or not." It felt...nice...just to be next to him. His presence soothed her in a way that few could.

She listened to his words and closed her eyes, bowing her head. Her prayer was a silent one, trusting more in her emotions than her words to convey her hopes and pleas to whoever (or whatever) might be watching over them. To guide their weapons, to shield them from harm, to see this world healed of its scars.

It didn't take long. Her lashes parted, and she braced her hands against her thighs to push herself up to her feet. She didn't ask Ramza if he was finished, waiting patiently. When he was done, he'd rise. No need to rush him through something that was clearly important to his peace of mind.

[zodiac_brave]

((ooc: Do we want to continue this here, or do you want to continue on with Barkeep showing up in the comment above?))