melodiesoflife | Event || The Empire Strikes Back

Event || The Empire Strikes Back

Characters: Everyone participating in the event
Where: Aqures Ixen
When: July 27th to August 02nd
Summary: The battle for Aqures Ixen is about to begin! The Heroes of Light are going to do their best to defend Aqures Ixen, but will this be enough? Feel free to participate and reply to appropriate threads. New top-level threads will be posted regularly as the battle progresses.
Warning: N/A, will be updated.

July 27th || Mingle
July 28th || Bomb Defusing / Imperial Assault
July 29th || Mingle / Attack on the 13th District / Aerial Battles / Imperial Camp
July 30th || 14th District on Fire / The Hospital / Mognet Office Attacked
July 31st || The Fire Spreads / Betrayals
August 01st || The Second Wave / Ultima Weapon
August 02nd || Final

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Cloud was trying to help as best he could while keeping himself out of trouble. So of course he wound up in the middle of the burning district. Something told him something was wrong with the fire, but the flames that took down a wall in his own home certainly seemed real enough.

He needed to get help if he was going to put the fires out so he was running to find someone when he hears Terra's cry. Waterga! That's what he needs!]

Terra!

[He doesn't notice something is wrong until he sees the girl begin to collapse. As if that isn't enough to make him worry it looks like the house next to the one she was trying to put out is beginning to fall apart. The fire she was trying to put out may not have been real but that one could be and a falling house is a serious danger.

He runs over to her side, concern apparent on her face.]

Terra! Are you alright?

[Terra is shaking and her eyes look as if she is trying her best to hold back a cascade of tears. She doesn't want to cry, it's been so long since she truly cried. She slowly shakes her head back and forth, her throat dry from the efforts.]

I can't...

[She can't fight. She can't do anything and everything is still burning.

It's all my fault.

Sephiroth had been right, she should have left and because she stayed everything was burning.]

[This feels all too familiar in Cloud's mind, even though he knows objectively that it isn't. It's that quick flash of awareness that protects him from the memories that push into his mind.

Tifa kneeling on the ground, sobbing in front of the ruins of her house. He can't move. The smoke is too thick. The heat is too strong. Everything hurts. Confusion. Pain.

A man in black with a long sword.

Cloud shakes his head. This isn't his memory. This might be his future but it hasn't happened yet.]

We choose for ourselves.

[His mumbled words might not be directed at Terra, but they're still the first thing he says in response.

Kneeling low he does his best to get under her arm to get her back up on her feet.]

Come on. We can't stay here.

[She's easy to pull up like a rag doll and she manages to find her center of balance and stand. Her gaze is glazed over like she's looking at memories instead of the house that burns before her.

It's not real. It's not real. It's not real. It's not real.

Terra clamps her eyes shut trying to remember those really important words but for an instant they were gone. She hears Cloud, her hand moving to rest on his shoulder.]

Why is it always fire? [Like her, it destroys everything it touches.]

I don't know. The others aren't much better either. [Flashes of a glacier and a small town falling into the sea in an earthquake pop into his mind. He pushes them aside, focusing on keeping his own feet moving. His arm and hands remain tight around Terra, trying to help her feel secure that he's not going to leave her.

They only make it a few houses down the way before their path is blocked. The heat from the flames beats down from the left and right but there's something odd about the fire in front of them. Cloud furrows his brow as he looks at it.]

Again...Somethings not....

[Terra reaches out towards the flame as if in a trance and her hand moves, unharmed through its fire.]

It doesn’t hurt.

[It’s just in her memories but Cloud can see it too. She clings to him, trying to keep her feet moving and steady as he guides her. Why is it only a memory of those flames that haunt her now? As if it’s her own fire. She breaths out slowly feeling her breath shake as her brain tries to catch up with what’s going on.]

Let’s keep going… Cloud.

Terra, wai...

[Cloud's eyes widen in surprise as she feels around the fire. Even as she seems unharmed by it he still seems a bit pressured to believe it. Still, as he watches her slowly calm he calms in turn.]

R-right. Let's get out of here. We can figure out what to do when we find a safe spot.

[Steeling his focus he steps forward into the illusory flames, keeping Terra supported as they move along.]

In my future...something like this is going to happen. I think...

[He's not sure why he feels compelled to speak. Maybe it's to keep Terra focused? Maybe because it's something sitting heavy in his own heart in this moment.]

[Terra tenses at his words and she feels her head drop so that her chin is resting on her collar bone. Something like this happened in her past except that she had been the source of the fires. All those memories burned.

She swallows the knot in her throat and slowly shakes her head as she leads a little bit more on Cloud.]

I’m sorry.

[If only she was stronger. Then her nightmares wouldn’t have followed her from her dreams.]

[He shakes his head.]

You don't have anything to apologize for. It's more like...I don't know how you feel, but I know how the other me felt.

[He shifts and makes sure he has her well supported as they work around the real flames and step past the fake ones. He glances over at her with a concerned look in his eyes.]

Were you trying to put the fire out all by yourself?

[Terra's eyes looks towards the ground as a deep sadness pulls at her features.]

I did. I couldn't... [Her voice catches in her throat.] ...do anything.

[Her memories hurt.]

[Cloud looks around at the inferno surrounding them. He doesn't imagine they could stop this blaze together, let alone Terra on her own. He's not going to say that of course.]

Tifa and Yuffie, they used to tell the future me that I didn't have to take everything onto my own shoulders. I was too dumb to listen but...

[He looks up and shoots Terra a concerned and gentle smile.]

We're all Heroes together. You don't have to go it alone. We'll find some others and put a stop to this.

[She grasps her chest and then nods. She can understand that but the real problem is that she isn't able to fight her nightmares. Shouldn't she do that alone?

Terra's head falls down and she leans against Cloud.]

I don't think I can fight these fires.

[She isn't strong enough to face her nightmares and since her housemates left they've gotten worse.]

[Cloud nods, misunderstanding but meaning well. He has an inkling there's something deeper here but for all he knows she might mean she doesn't have the power.]

We'll find a way. Or someone who can. Now come on, you can't fall asleep here. The smoke is bad for you.

[Rest is what she needs, whether it will solve her worries or not. But for that they need to get away from the inferno. He shifts her weight against him once more.]

One way or another we'll beat this. We'll put it out and then everyone can rebuild again.

[Terra slowly closes her eyes allowing Cloud to lead him. He is right, she shouldn't be here.

She nods before opening her bright blue eyes and looking up at him.]

I can go on alone.

[She pauses, bringing a hand over her chest.]

You an fight the fires?

[He shakes his head.]

Not right now. I don't have the right jobs right now. But I can find someone who can and maybe help them out too.

Until then, at least I can help keep you safe.

[One of his jobs right now is paladin after all. But more importantly, it's the right thing to do.

Still, he'll let her go on her own if that's what she wants.]

[Terra steps away from Cloud trying not to look at the fires around them. She shakes her head trying her best to smile even though it hurt to do so.]

You can help. There is an outpost near here. I can make it on my own.

[She knows that even if he can’t qench the flames he has the will to fight which is far more than she has.]

[Cloud frowns, his lips tightening as Terra moves away from him. He's still worried for her but...]

Okay...see you once this is all done.

[He turns and runs back to the flames, glancing over his shoulder back at her as he goes.

'Be safe.']

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Event || The Empire Strikes Back

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