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

[unalive_them]

"I seriously hope that wasn't it, because I'm gonna feel blue-balled after this...!"

Deadpool got to his feet as Garland was defeated, tilting his head slightly in confusion. "I mean, we just kicked his ass like he was a 80-pound weakling... unless..."

[needsteaplz]

Saori may have put away the machine gun, but she swapped it for her odachi long sword. The blue hue of the blade shone as she walked over. If he so much moved another inch, he might get a bullet to the knee from the tiny gun in her hidden blade.

"No more funny business, Garland."

[not_most_days]

Mary was inclined to do Garland in. But as with the other pieces she'd wanted to clear from the board she stayed her hand. It was the fact that Saori got there first that stopped her more than anything else.

Even so, Mary and her clone stood by, grimfaced and ready in case he tried to make a move.

[zodiac_brave]

Ramza had never been one to shy away from danger. Garland was not an unreasonable foe, and now that they had showed him their strength, perhaps he would be inclined to listen to them. He lowered his sword, stepped forward, and offered his hand out to help Garland back to his feet.

[theendiswherewestartfrom]

Jack doesn't move from his spot, but he looks back at Parasraya and Nanami. "Nanami, you all right?" He isn't sure how much a summoning like that would take out of her.

"I don't know if this is over."

It's Palitutu all over again. Jack has never understood why there was any point to fighting her or Garland. But something in his stance relaxes when it appears that this may end the same way, and once again, his fellow heroes are willing to extend the branch of mercy.

They always get a chance.

One chance. But a chance, because that is how things are done. And if Ramza's offer is thrown right back into his face, Jack still stands ready. He's the Companion, after all. He knows the score.

[line_piece]

"Not just Crystallis..." Chiaki's voice rings out as she drops her invisibility. "You deserve to be free of the cycle, too."

Stepping forward to stand beside Ramza, she places a hand over her heart.

"Please help us end this. Once and for all."

[heartofthesword]

Kenshin announced his presence next, after a grateful pat of his hand upon Jack Harness' shoulder. For lack of strength to add to the others' combined assaults, Kenshin had done his best throughout the fight to simply pose the nuisance of a moving target to their foe. But it was Jack's spell of warding near the beginning of the fight - taking the initiative to accept blows others, Kenshin himself included, might not have withstood - that had helped to make such a tactic possible, and for that, Kenshin wished to show his thanks.

But as Garland sank upon his sword. Kenshin had not yet sheathed his sakabatō, but did now lower it, the blade glinting along with so many others within Garland's line of sight, as Chiaki now lent her earnest pleas to the effort to dissuade him from further battle.

"This battle is decided, Sir Garland," and Kenshin was most sincere with those words, for whatever else Garland was, he had fought worthily enough to be so called, "and no more pain need be inflicted. This cycle of death and destruction has repeated itself often enough. You have the chance now to choose a better way...a chance you may never know again."

He nodded approval toward Ramza's outstretched hand. "Choose well."

[nomorecowbell]

"We did that? I did that?"

Nanami was tired, but more just shocked. Sure, any one of them could have summoned the Knights, but she had been chosen as the Summoner who had helped defeat them. And what had turned from a terrifying battle had suddenly been mostly over.

[they_call_me_sonic]

Something wasn't right. Something wasn't right at all. He's spent years fighting Dr. Eggman - if Garland went down this easily, this is just the beginning!

"Guys, back off or take him out! He's planning something! This is just round one!" Sonic called out, bringing Caliburn to bear.

This was posted before sonic. Threading got messed up otherwise he might have heeded his warning

[arcward]

Damn, just when he was getting the the good part of his dance, too. Jaune stops dancing when he sees Garland go down and stares dumbfounded for a moment, never having seen a summoning before.

Coming to his sense, he pushes his way to the front when he hears the other Heroes try to talk their opponent down. Jaune may be new to town, but he's a fairly likable guy. At least, he thinks he is. He stops next to Ramza.

"Garland, it doesn't have to be like this. You're fighting because you think this is the way it has to be, but you're wrong. Destiny can be changed. Look around you; all of us are fighting together to stop the cycle and the Calamity. You know more than anyone here about the way it all works. Work with us, become our ally so we can stop this once and for all. Together."

[grandsummon]

There was something heart-warming about Chrom's protectiveness. Yuna had assumed a defensive stance as well when he had stepped in front, though her eyes lowered with determination. She wouldn't just stand by and be shielded either, and the Shepherd likely knew that.

"Don't worry about me, I— I'll summon too!" her footing changed, shifting to the offensive as a glyph beneath her began to glow. She was a summoner, the one thing that had been consistent in her life from Spira to Crytallis. Seeing the Knights come alive before her was nothing short of inspiring, but what came after... threw her completely off-guard.

The mighty emperor... was defeated? Lowering her father's staff, the glyph she had started to command faded, as she stepped up alongside Chrom, not yet lowering her caution entirely.

"Garland..."

[ninjainviolet]

Once the Knights had started their attack, Sheena had stopped hers and turned to Albel next to her to give him a knowing smile. She hadn't seen his hand reach out to her, but she knew it had been there. That he had been there, and that's where her strength and determination had come from.

Now, her smile faded as she turned back, her sword still held in readiness and guard way, way, up. Garland was on one knee, sure, but how many times had she faced a foe that seemed defeated--only to not be?

"This isn't over, guys. Remember other battles fought." Remember Palitutu--the one who raised Garland.

[jadethenecromancer]

As satisfying as the summoning had been to watch, Jade was alarmed by how quickly others were dropping their guard. Of all the times to offer mercy...!

"All of you--! Don't forget Palitutu's reports!" He should have reminded them before the battle. Damn. "This isn't his true self! Before he became Garland, he was akin to an Eidolon -- we have yet to see his true form as Chaos!"

One of the ending lines in Palitutu's final report came back to him. Chaos will never let the cycle end and any that should oppose him will become an enemy of Crystallis. There was no doubt in his mind. Something very, very bad was about to happen.

[just_want_normal_knees]

"What?!" Ruby was shocked at that news. As much as she hated to do this, there was only one thing to do and, as a Huntress, she had to do it.

"Jaune, get out of the way!" she called out, charging towards Garland, scythe swung back and ready to strike down at the fallen Emperor. "I won't let you hurt my friends!"

[red_planet_blues]

"Ehhhn... Nah. Don't trust this for a second."

Sparks didn't make a move towards or away from Garland. Instead, he used this moment to drop a Cura on himself to make up for the damage the Chaos Wave did. Better be ready for anything.

[partofthecycle]

"Oh, right!"

Aang added in the Victory Pose dance. It couldn't hurt if there was more trouble.

[dammit_flynn]

"Let's not get too hasty, Jade has a point," Yuri replied remembering the reports that he spent his time reading. This was not his true form. He could probably hit them all if they let their guards down.

"Focus. We don't want any surprise attacks," he seriously added holding onto his sword, "Garland, this is the last time I'm going to say this. Let us help you. We don't need to kill you, but if you resist, I won't hesitate."

Because his friends' lives were on the line and his world. There was no doubt that he was going to protect it it all.

[umslay]

It's not over yet.

Ales could not manage to get near enough to Garland to attack before the Knights descended from sky. It was all too easy for the guardian raised from birth for this sole purpose, far too easy for the being Palitutu called Chaos in her reports. For a moment, he smiled. Toiling for so many hours over her work was worth it.

"We aren't letting him get to that point, Jade. Out of my way." This is was Palitutu meant when she referred to the ability to make sacrifices. His skill to temporarily put his emotions aside to achieve what was needed. In this case, it was the end of the cycle.

He slipped through the crowd of Heroes standing a few feet away from Garland, eventually making his way next to the ones that advocated mercy. Mercy would do no good here. Thanks to his small size, he was able to squeeze through and have his Engineer's Puppet aim its gun arm directly at Garland to fire an Arm Shot. It was quick, made a point, and while Ales didn't know how magic worked - he assumed it could affect his transformation in Chaos.

Not that he'd let it deteriorate to that point.

[sesenta]

"I can't believe it...!" Akane hadn't even had time to finish casting her spell. She stood there awkwardly, the energy pooled in her fingertips and waiting to be dispersed, but now completely unsure about what to do.

She'd never really wanted to kill anyone, not in the past, and definitely not now. It was better to let the wicked reap the seeds of destruction they sowed themselves. But she hardly knew Garland, and he was down. Attacking now just seemed...well...very unheroic.

Her head turned at Jade's warning, and she looked at her shoes guiltily. It wouldn't hurt to be careful just in case, she supposed. So...Divine Caress for her brother and Sephiroth? Sparkles?

Yes, sparkles.

[iknowtheconsequences]

Kaji slowly gets back to his feet after witnessing the most incredible summoning of all time. "We are really the echoes; we are just playing at the power that they had." The observation is more for himself.

But he hesitates when he sees that some of his fellow heroes are not getting ready for something else to come. "Did anybody do the assigned reading?" Jade did. How are you doing, Jade?

Kaji's hands go together again, a white light appears between them. He traces the shape of a bow and the light solidifies as he moves. The spell finishes as he makes the motion to nock an arrow. Divine Materialization, again courtesy of the Lady Zelda.

[shinrasfinest]

Just like with Palitutu. Sephiroth could hardly believe his eyes as those with similar moral compasses that had resulted in the preservation of the life of that great deceiver, that villain to all, eagerly went about extending the exact same terms to Garland as he was lent against his sword. Garland, their enemy in every way, who they all knew could never exist in cooperation should the end of the cycle be the ultimate goal.

It was too soon. As all powerful and spectacular as the Knights had been, exactly as promised, Sephiroth hadn't moved or even lowered his sword much; narrowing his eyes like tiny green daggers into the form of the apparently fallen Emperor. Expectant to the last.

Finally, some sense!

"Jade is right. Finish it and fall back." Sephiroth's voice was short, bordering on impatient but sharp as well in it's urgency. He wouldn't bet on his gut instinct which was screaming for everyone within mid-to-close range around that man to get back, but at the same time it was almost sickening in what he expected to happen now.

"That man is only the shell, not the real enemy. A soul that's been re-used again and again. The real fight -Chaos- has yet to begin."

He re-tensed his frame, holding Masamune tightly still to his shoulder with the blade arched forward like a giant pincer, and re-cast ShinRa Guard now that the debuff hell was over. A very slight nod to his head at Akane as her buff further readied him for battle.

[acceptedoblivion]

He'd been ready to charge Garlond, Soul Eater in hand, when he'd been knocked out of the circle like a dog slamming face first into an invisible wall. ...Mother of Holy spells, that was a thing.

Once the dust settled, Ira took a moment to cast Cura on himself; before moving to stand with Saori, blade at the ready, before stopping in his tracks before reaching the front line. This reeked of multi-phase boss fight, and the very thought alone brought back memories.

He glanced at Mary. The others may not be ready to attack someone apparently on his last legs, but he was. Though if that Chaotic Wave told him anything, it was to wait before he followed Sephiroth's example and use Dark Mode.

[ninjainviolet]

Sheena wasn't going to wait to see what happened next. Using her Dual Cast ability, she used Hylia's Prayer on herself and Albel.

"Everyone back! Chaos tends to erupt when you least expect it!"

[needsteaplz]

"No need to tell me twice!" Still, she wasn't going to leave without a parting shot. Not to mention, there was a matter of getting some of the other heroes out.

She created a Clone, who lunged forward to swipe her sword at his throat while she aimed for one of his hands. Once the blade found its mark, she turned around to grab Ruby and use a Smoke Bomb to teleport as far away as possible.

[not_most_days]

[Mary would be lying if she said that she wasn't tempted to strike. She was weighing their options and while she was sure that this battle would end in his death one way or another, he wasn't guilty in the same precise way Kalki and Palitutu were.

But then Saori moves with speed and precision, not the first time she's surprised the pirate. She lets out a curse and grabs Ira, throwing down a smokebomb of her own, leaving her clone to deal with things in their place.]