Intro Log || The Calm Before The Storm

[melodiesmods]

Characters: All the "Heroes of Light" (only new characters can start threads).
Where: Flence, Aqures Ixen, Airships.
When: The 5th of July. The new Heroes of Light will awaken early in the morning.
Summary: The new Heroes of Light awaken in the Temple of Water next to the County of Flence, and they are informed by their assigned Moogles of what the situation and their destinies are. This a log for them to react to the situation, meet each other and be welcomed by the former batches of Heroes of Light.
Warning: N/A

Where you were or what you were doing— It does not really matter. Not any more. Within a split second, the world around you collapses. Reality twists and shatters... Or maybe you are the one who is collapsing and shattering away from reality as you know it. No matter what the answer is, it will only take a few seconds for you to find yourself sinking into a void, your world vanishing into the distance. There is nothing but darkness as far as the eye can see. Even you feel different: all the powers you might once have had are now gone. It is silent, cold and before long it feels as though life itself is slipping out of you...

And at this very moment, when it looks as though nothing but a never-ending void awaits you, a red Crystal forms before you. In this void, its warmth compels you to grab it. Upon doing so, you can hear a soft, soothing voice speaking:


"Wake up."

Soon, the void itself vanishes and is replaced by the peaceful sound of waves. Had it all been nothing more than a dream? The soothing voice repeats its call once more, but is soon replaced by a much less graceful "Wake up, Kupo!" Hand clutched on your Crystal, the call of the Moogle may finally bring you back to your senses. But you are no longer in your world, nor in the void. You are before the Crystal of Water, in the Temple located next to a city called Flence. At this point, you may realize you have been laying on a thin layer of water originating from the massive blue Crystal floating nearby. Sorry about the wetness. As if it wasn't strange enough, your clothes have changed as well. They are now a reflection of the Jobs you are wielding.

Last but not least, you are surrounded by Moogles, small and fluffy creatures. They look pretty tired, but they will be more than happy to tell you everything you want to know. They shall tell you about your 'destiny' as a Hero of Light and about what awaits you. Or at least, they will tell you everything they do know, which isn't much in the end.

There are quite a few people around you as well. For the most part, they are people like you-- All clothed in their Job garbs and most likely wondering what is happening. There are also some other Humans, Tarutaru and Hypello in the room, but unlike you they don't have a Crystal, nor do they have a Moogle following them. If addressed, they will say they are the Guardians of the Crystal of Water and will confirm everything the Moogle said. They will reveal they found you unconscious around the Crystal a couples hours ago, and immediately contacted the governments of both Aqures Ixen and Trano Golsaucia.

If asked about it, both the Moogles and Guardians will explain that Heroes of Light have already appeared in this world within the past year, and they all are in a city called Aqures Ixen. It's the first time Heroes have appeared in this temple.

In fact, you may want to go to Aqures Ixen as well. The Moogle will tell you this is where your house is and where the other Heroes will be able to help you. However, they will also inform you that Aqures Ixen is about to be attacked by the Heran Empire. What is it? Quite simply, the Moogles will say that the Heran Empire seems to know a lot about you and this is why they plan on attacking the city.

Should you decide to take your sweet time to get there, the other Heroes may just come to you.


The Other Heroes
— Anytime —
And indeed, thanks to the efficiency of Mognet and Shoopuf Airline it does not take long for the other Heroes to come around. You may meet them in Flence or in Aqures Ixen, or maybe even in one of the Airships going back and forth between the two cities. They are those who arrived in this world months ago and they have gone through quite a lot. You may have imagined heroic and charismatic figures when your Moogle told you there were other Heroes of Light in this world. You may have imagined persons with fearsome powers when they told you how they recklessly attacked the Heran Empire to free their friends a few months ago. And most importantly, you may have imagined them as people who would have the answers to your, doubtlessly, numerous questions.

If so, you may be up for a complete and utter disappointment. Still, for the most part they know more than you on the situation and may be more than happy to fill you in, especially if your Moogle didn't tell you much.


County of Flence
— Anytime —
Should you leave the Temple of Water and head North, you will reach the County of Flence. It's a peaceful city inhabited by peace-loving and refined people. A lot of the people living there are either aged or specialized in non-battle focused Jobs, and they are very friendly, though if they're asked about the upcoming battle, they'll urge the Heroes of Light to stay and avoid fighting.

Other Heroes of Light are easy to spot in the city: they are the only ones who are followed by a Moogle and holding a Crystal. And there are quite a few things that can be done in this city. Maybe you'd like to stop by the fishing pond and try your chance-- Of course the world is in danger, but fishing is never a waste of time. If you have refined tastes, you may try to visit one of the many restaurants in the city, or the Museum covering this world's naval history. There are also Inns, and you can stay there for free: indeed, the government of Flence offers asylum to all residents of Aqures Ixen, and Heroes of Light are considered to be residents of Aqures Ixen.

If you'd like more details regarding all that is available in the County of Flence, you can find everything here!


Airships
— Every Four Hours —
Upon reaching the County of Flence, you will also have the right to board an Airship. Exceptionally, there is an Airship available every four hours, all because of your arrival so that Heroes of Light can meet each other and go to Aqures Ixen with ease.

The flight itself should take between four to six hours as it will travel from one city to the other on route. This is nothing special for the denizens of this world, but for you it may be quite the experience if you never boarded a plane or any flying contraptions before. Something may be evident though: the flight in destination of Aqures Ixen are nearly empty, whereas the Airships leaving the city are filled, as if everyone was fleeing from it.


Aqures Ixen
— After an Airship Trip —
Upon arriving in Aqures Ixen, the first thing you will see is the Airship Port in the 12th District. Following that, no doubt your eyes will find the Castle of Aqures Ixen, a classic yet refined structure standing in the city. From there on, characters are free to visit the city-- There are no attractions in this city, but there are scientific buildings, another Blitzball Stadium and even an Observatory serving as base for the Heroes of Light. If you'd like more details regarding all that is available in Aqures Ixen, you can find everything here!

Noticeably however, there are very few people left in the streets and most of those remaining are either heading to the Airport, or they are preparing to leave in the coming day. If asked, the Moogle will explain that the city is being evacuated in reason of the upcoming attack. Maybe once you've done what you have to do, you should leave as well, unless you want to find more about why you are here-- In that case, confronting the Empire may be the better solution.

And -perhaps inevitably!- you could visit your new house in the 11th or 14th District, and get to know your new neighbors and housemate. It's been a long day, so you could use some sleep. Hopefully your neighbors are people you will get along with...

Comments

[no1]

[ The life of a cadet would often include fulfilling requests of the dominion's residents, so it's not like having complete strangers run up to him is a foreign experience to Ace. The fact that he is no longer in his world changes the situation however, and he still struggles to understand where the overall sense of unity comes from. The heroes really do seem to stick together.

He nods affirmatively and places hands on his hips. ]

So I've been told. Apparently, this is where the majority of arrivals took place.

[line_piece]

[A life full of random side quests. Chiaki is jealous.]

Yup. At least, that's how it was when I first arrived. But lately the Heroes have been arriving at the other crystals.

[no1]

[ Unfortunately, they don't pay you well enough to bother, most of the time.... ]

Any idea why? [ A small frown. ] In the end, our allegiance stays the same. The Crystals I'm familiar with were not likely to work with each other.

[ Small talk is not really his forte, so you might want to stop him before he'll go full thinking mode! ]

[line_piece]

The Crystal of Fire has been blocked somehow from receiving new Heroes. A woman by the name of Kalki is responsible. She's working for the Heran Empire, but I'm convinced she has an agenda of her own too, as she's aided us from time to time as well.

[Chiaki frowns a bit as well, thinking for a moment.]

As a result, the next group of Heroes to arrive showed up in an Imperial prison, near the Crystal of Earth. There was a mass jailbreak aided by the other Heroes and the Crystal was lost, and since then, the Heroes have been appearing at the other two Crystals. First at the Wind Crystal near Trano Golsaucia, and now the Water Crystal near Flence.

[She does tilt her head a bit at that last remark, though.]

So there are Crystals like this in your world too? What are they like? How do they work? What do you mean when you say they're not likely to work together?

I AM SO SORRY my god this is the shortest i could manage

[no1]

[ The girl's explanation blends in with what he's already been told, but certain parts of it help him cement the newfound knowledge. ]

I see. By lost, did you mean that the Earth Crystal has been stolen?

[ He continues with a nod, it's only fair that he offers his share of the information. ]

Yes, there are four great Crystals in my world, as well. Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, Azure Dragon and Black Tortoise, each spreading their influence over one of four peristylium of Orience. As the citizens of the Dominion of Rubrum, we fall under the rule of the Vermilion Bird, which in return grants us the power of magic. The Milites Empire has been bestowed the power of magitek technology, while The Kingdom of Concordia holds the secret art of communicating with mighty dragons. Lastly, the Lorican Alliance, whose Crystal is the source of extraordinary physical strength for those who fall under its care.

It lies in the nature of the Crystals to seek for an equilibrium between the nations, but the history of Orience has seen too much war for that wish to come true. In my time, the balance has shifted, and the borders do not resemble the ones from the past. The aggression of the Empire has led to the downfall of Lorica and the kidnapping of their Crystal, which has caused irreversible rifts between the realms.

That's why we have the l'Cie. Each Crystal brands a select few who are then tasked with carrying out its will, and the warriors are given the powers that cannot be matched by anyone else. [ he stops for a moment. ] In a way, this resembles the idea standing behind the Heroes of Light.

[ Much of the story he doesn't touch upon, but he hopes his answers satisfy her curiosity regardless. ]

[line_piece]

So your crystals are named after the Four Holy Beasts.

[Chiaki's definitely heard of them before. She's only up on her mythology insofar as it concerns video games, but those names have shown up before in various combinations. Usually in RPGs.]

That's not that different from what's happening here, except in this case it's the Heran Empire that's being aggressive. That's the land on the southern continent. They're actually planning to attack Aqures Ixen soon. Probably within the next few weeks. We're going to need every Hero of Light we can get, so it's good you guys showed up when you did.

[no1]

[ This is not the name he would use, but it grabs his attention regardless. Chiaki's previous questions hinted at the fact that she had no knowledge of the Crystals prior to her arrival, which, combined with her confident statement just now makes little sense to the boy. Besides, he's been led to believe that part of the lore was somewhat unique to Orience, as the entities were apparently widely associated with the elemental forces of nature instead.

Whatever the explanation is, Ace is eager to know it. He tilts his head slightly. ]

What do you know about them?

[ Ah, the Empire. It's always about an empire. ]

I've received the news, and I would like to assist however I can. Unfortunately, I am no longer able to use my abilities to the same extent.

[line_piece]

In most places, the Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, Azure Dragon, and Black Tortoise are called by the names Suzaku, Byakko, Seiryu, and Genbu. They're traditionally associated with the four elements of fire, air, water, and earth, and also with the cardinal directions of south, west, east, and north respectively.

[That's the easiest and most succinct explanation she can give.]

It's like that for everyone when they first get here. But the good thing is everyone is in this together, and you should be able to rely on the other Heroes to help you out in a pinch. Which Jobs do you have equipped? I might be able to explain how some of them work.

[no1]

[ These are not the names Ace would use, but they are not unknown to him. Caught in that strange revelation, the boy doesn't even have to recall the world map to know her words are true, it there is still one thing that seems a bit off. ]

Which means that for you... they're merely concepts.

[ It's a somewhat bizarre thing to think about, so he makes a mental note to do some research later. ]

Gambler and Chocobo Knight. [ he straightens up. ] Which makes me think this couldn't be a coincidence, but I'd feel safer with a deck of cards at my disposal. I've been told I need to wait for them a bit longer.

[line_piece]

Concepts is one word for it. But people usually think of them as gods.

[At least, that's the context Chiaki usually hears them mentioned in.]

That's an interesting combination of Jobs. I've got Gambler and Bard right now. There's a special set of cards the Gambler Job uses, but I've only ever seen one - I won them in a local tournament.

[no1]

I see. [ This would be closer to the version he's familiar with, but still not overly so. He lightly shakes his head. ] For us, gods belong to a realm that's beyond our reach, that's why we have the Crystals to guide us instead.

[ In the end, they always seem to have the final word in things, probably because it's easier to understand what you can see with your own eyes. ]

A tournament? [ He's never thought he'd encounter this kind of issue, with his weapons magically replenishing themselves whenever needed, but at least there seems to be an alternative now. ] What kind?

[line_piece]

So the Crystals are like the mouthpieces of the gods, delivering the will of the heavens to the people of the earth?

[She's not sure how far off-base she is, but she's definitely interested in hearing as much as he's willing to tell.]

A Triple Triad tournament. It's a card game that's popular in this world. I can show you how to play if you want.

[no1]

The Crystals have a will of their own, and we have no means of telling to what extent it's influenced by the spirits of the divine. [ He frowns, deep in thought. ] Their ultimate goal is finding Agito, the chosen one prophesied to appear at the end of time.

[ Here, his voice becomes slightly weaker. There's the book knowledge and what he's come to witness, a story that keeps him wondering and has yet to see its true ending. For the sake of avoiding any confusions, he goes with the former. ]

One of the oldest records speaks of the Vermilion Bird appearing with its purpose already established at that point, which would suggest that for the gods, they indeed were a necessity.

[ Mother has always had her vague ways of explaining questions of this kind, trusting that they would be able to figure it out on their own; he respected that. Unfortunately, it also means that he can provide no better answer.

Triple triad? He's only played simple games before, and aside from the tool used, they were obviously nothing like actual offensive, more like a way to spend one's time that relies mostly on sheer luck. Still -- he sounds interested. ]

If you wouldn't mind. Of course, it will probably have to wait a bit.

[line_piece]

Oh. Yeah. I guess you probably still want to get settled in and everything.

[She got a little carried away with herself asking questions, but it's all been very fascinating and she's hung on every word so far.]

s-sorry, again;;

[no1]

[ Involuntarily, his eyes wander in the direction of the Crystal. ]

...I suppose so, but I really appreciate all your help. [ Just one more thing. ] What is your name? I'm Ace.

[line_piece]

Sure thing. It's Chiaki Nanami.

[no1]

Chiaki, I'll remember that. Thank you, once again.