melodiesoflife | Into the woods, the time is now

Characters: Levy McGarden, Tsubomi Hanasaki, Rukia Kuchiki, Ryoji Kaji, and NPCs
Where: Swamp of Sorrow, near the Calamity Forest
When: March 5th
Summary: Four Heroes of Light awaken in a swamp and decide to go somewhere that is hopefully less horrible

[It's been a long and fitful five year sleep, and in the hours before awakening in the Swamp of Sorrow, Levy has a dream of being back at home with Fairy Tail. The entire guild is gathered on Tenrou Island for the S-Class promotion exam. Everything is going well until some unnamed calamity from the skies strikes the island, knocking everyone out and nearly destroying the island itself. She won't know until she returns just how prophetic the dream is, but upon awakening in Crystallis once more, she quickly realizes that the reality of her situation isn't much better than the dream.

Taking stock of her situation, she sees a fetid swamp stretching out before her eyes in all directions, with only a forest faintly visible in the difference. She sighs and clutches at her shirt, shivering as she tries to calm her racing heart. It's only after she looks down that she notices three other Heroes lying in the vicinity - Tsubomi, Rukia, and Kaji. She knows it's Tsubomi from the distinctive color of her hair, but she seems to have gotten taller and, well... filled out a bit while they were asleep. A momentary look of excitement flashes across the young mage's face as she looks down at herself, followed immediately by crushing disappointment.]

...Well, I guess that was too much to hope for.

[But there's more important things to worry about than the hopeless race to catch up with Lu-chan. They've got to find out where they are. And that starts with waking up her companions.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Kalki shattered Crystallis's last defenses. Crystal Stasis ended and the other Heroes of Light devastated Aqures Ixen. This is when I woke up."

With that said, Palitutu walked away and made a sign to Artemicion as he had been about to reply to Kaji and Tsubomi. The Moogle cast a dark glance in their directions before turning away and walking away as well.

"There are still survivors in the Soul Divider. If you're quick enough to reach them, they might answer your questions."

"The other Heroes of-" Kaji's heart feels like it stops in his chest, and it's that sudden realization and fear that keeps him from engaging the duo any more. They want to leave, let them. The moogles- they'll have to be fine, they're hardier than the Heroes, themselves. But Kaji is lost in thought as he picks up the device that was thrown at him, and hands it to Levy. "We shouldn't stay long."

He finishes up foraging, ducks into a few of the ruined houses, and it's no surprise that Palitutu was hiding here, because there is still some food, supplies, that have survived. Scrounging here is a better idea, to Kaji, than trying to hunt anything that was touched by the Calamity.

Even without the spell on him, he is silent as he moves, not quite looking up at the others, because his thoughts are with his daughter. Ib. He wanted to get her out of that crystal state, but was this always going to be the inevitable result? If there's anyone who would have conquered their Calamity Self easily, it would have been her. Why is a coward like him still here while the bravest among them is now? What? Destroying the place she was starting to call home? Researcher. Scholar. The taunt is never far from his mind. But sometimes that is precisely the role that is needed. And where they're going, Kaji knows that his knowledge might be more important than his sword.

Kaji goes back to Levy and nods firmly when he's ready. "I think I remember the path from here." But going back to a silent march is a relief for the man. He returns to taking the lead, guiding them around monsters, where he can. There are more Zombies and Skeletons not far from the Village, a grim reminder of what has happened to the bodies that they didn't find. Even though they could cut them down easily, Kaji leads them around. As soon as they start fighting one thing, it will draw more, and it will never stop. The group pushes onwards, but just like when they journeyed here the first time, he is expecting one hell of a force to be waiting for them when they reach the Tree, itself.

[It's bad news all around, but sadly not unexpected news. If crystallization was meant to immunize Heroes against giving into their other selves, it makes sense that something like that would happen eventually. She tries not to let it get to her, shaking her head as she watches Palitutu leaving.]

...Thanks, Palitutu. If you want to come with us, you're welcome to.

[Though she won't wait for her to turn back to do so before she starts heading deeper into the forest. She's not going to spend her time standing her arguing with an old enemy, but she at least wanted to have the offer on the table.]

No, Levy. She's not.

[Sorry, Levy, Tsubomi isn't going to play this game. As she follows her girlfriend, she looks back at the Tarutaru.]

Just keep going, Palitutu. Levy might want to trust you, but I can't. You might still have the Crystal Researcher job you kept using against us. I refuse to have you around so you can have your petty revenge. So, just keep going and feeling superior about yourself while we do our work.

[Tsubomi obviously had her bag snap earlier.]

I was wrong to try to apologize to her. She'd never accept anything but our total destruction.

[This was how everyone was going to greet them, wasn't it?]

Palitutu paused as she heard Levy's offer and she shook her head.

"There is nothing more I can do. My role is over, not yours."

She glanced at Tsubomi upon hearing her words but then opted to continue on her way without another word before disappearing into the forest with Artemicion.

Kaji's thoughts are quickly back on the trail. He can't worry about Artemicion now, he has to focus on getting them to the Soul Divider before nightfall. The undead have a tendency to be more active in the dark.

As he feared, though, the path gets more complicated, and even re-upping his Aura Sensing starts to help them out less and less. The closer they get to the Soul Divider, the more concentrated the sense of darkness ahead of them is.

"There is something waiting for us at that tree," he finally admits. I don't know if we'll be able to avoid it entirely and still get in to where we're going."

[Levy sighs as Palitutu walks away. She wasn't really expecting miracles, but she felt she had to try. At least they didn't have to fight her again.]

We'll just have to face whatever it is. We've come too far to turn back now.

[Tsubomi's anger faded, leading her to slump her shoulders in depression.]

I-I'm sorry for my blow-up. I knew Palitutu would try to attack us for showing up and when she ignored me when I told her I knew that we screwed up somehow, I... I couldn't stand it! I'm just so frustrated with all of the changes and hatred and e-everything...!

[She curled up on herself, hugging herself as she tried to keep herself in check.]

At the base of the tree, the group had been greeted by a mob, nearly a swarm of too many zombies and skeletons to avoid. Luckily, they had come prepared, with some of the right Jobs for the fight. For the most part, Kaji had to stay on support, casting Crystal Researcher and Bearer of Wisdom skills, keeping Light elemental buffs on their weapons. But even he has to slash a few down, summoning a sword with Divine Materialization. The unsettling feeling that they were cutting through the former residents of the Shumi Village and the people who had come here to protect them, had to be put aside. It's just one monster after another.

Until, somewhere high in the treetops, they hear the fluttering of wings, the large flapping that signals that something larger has spotted them. Kaji does not want to know what the Calamity has done to something that was already as powerful as a Zombie Dragon. "Time to go!"

One last push, and they dash inside the opening to the Crystal Caves. Few of the smaller monsters dare to follow them in, and they can hear the echoing roar of the Dragon, denied its prey. When the last of the zombies is down, Kaji lets go of his sword, letting it vanish, and leans against the wall for support, breathing heavily. "Damnit..."

"Tell me the whole friggin' world isn't like this?"

Into the woods, the time is now

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What we need is a montage...