Intro Log || The Return of the Heroes

[melodiesmods]

Characters: All the "Heroes of Light" (only new characters can start threads).
Where: Aqures Ixen.
When: The 5th of September. The new Heroes of Light will awaken early in the morning.
Summary: The new Heroes of Light awaken in Aqures Ixen and are informed by their assigned Moogles of what the situation and what 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. It marks the first time since January that Heroes of Light have appeared in Aqures Ixen.
Warning: N/A

Where you were or what you were doing— It does not really matter. Not any more. Within an instant, 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 knew 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 it feels as though life itself is slipping out of you.

At this 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 distant noises of engines. Had it all been nothing more than a dream? The soothing voice repeats its call one more time, but is soon replaced with a much less graceful "Wake up Kupo." Hand clutched on your Crystal, the call of the Moogle may finally wake you up. But you are no longer in your world, nor in the void. You are before the Crystal of Fire, in the third district of a city called Aqures Ixen. At this point, you may realize the engine noise actually originates from an Airship flying low over the city and headed to dock beneath the castle. 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 who are more than happy to tell you about everything you want to know, about your 'destiny' as a Hero of Light, about what awaits you.

Or at least, they will tell you everything they do know, which isn't much in the end.

The only people around you are like you-- There are quite a few of them, all clothed in their Job garbs and most likely wondering what is happening. If somehow you do not realize it, the Moogle who woke you up will be more than happy to inform you there are others like you around. In fact, there are other Heroes who have arrived in the course of the past year and they will come soon! Like you, they have Jobs and a Crystal.

If asked, the Moogles will mention that the city was recently attacked by the Heran Empire and nearly destroyed by Ultima Weapon. What's the Heran Empire? What's Ultima Weapon? Better to ask to the heroes who saw it all.


The Other Heroes
— Shortly Thereafter —
Thanks to the efficiency of Mognet, it does not take long for the other Heroes to come around: those who arrived in this world within the past year. You may have imagined heroic and charismatic figures when your Moogle told you that there were other Heroes of Light in this city. You may have imagined persons with fearsome powers when they told you about how they fiercely battled each other past month. And more importantly, you may have imagined them as people who would have all the answers to your, doubtlessly, numerous questions.

If so, you may be up for a tragic 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.


The City of Aqures Ixen
— Anytime —
With the recent attack, Aqures Ixen is under reconstruction. The city was saved for the most part, but there are ruined buildings, the Sixth District is nothing but wasteland now and the Thirteenth District has become a graveyard. Even so, there are a lot of things left to do in the city for newcomers. A few groups of Triple Triad players are playing before Mognet Office in the ninth district, mostly Moogles as many of them are not working after what happened. And of course, they are more than happy to teach the rule to anyone passing by. Characters are free to enter and play games of Triple Triad, and if they do so they will be given very basic cards and explained the rules. This may be the start of a promising career!

Characters are also free to visit the city-- Mognet Office just behind the Triple Triad games is filled with Moogles, most of them panicked, tired, busy or slacking now that their director has disappeared. They can also visit Airship Port in the twelfth district from where characters can board for free Airships from Shoopuf Airline-- Though they have to make a request 48 hours in before to do so.

Or maybe you could visit your new house in the 11th District, and get to know your new neighbors and housemate. Hopefully your neighbors are people you will get along with.


Close Encounters of the Third Kind
— 19:00 —
Characters venturing by the city's outskirts at this specific time will be able to see a most peculiar sight: a flying saucer seemingly abducting a cow before flying away and disappearing into the sky without leaving any traces of its presence. If your character do see it, hopefully there will be someone with them. Otherwise, nobody will believe their story.

Was it an UFO or just a hallucination? Only the future will tell...

Comments

[cawesome]

Well, there was that time we went to another dimension and beat up monsters for the experience, but everyone seemed embarrassed about that one for some reason... [Which made no sense to Henry, it was a great experience! He got to hex a bunch of monsters stealing food from poor villagers, and it was always nice when you got to beat up somebody who really deserved it.]

...Whoa now. [Henry always had a smile on his face. He actually had to be told how to make a frown. So the only sign of how serious things got was the furrowing of his brows and the fact that his smile somehow looked a little less friendly.] I never 'threaten' to kill people.

[Which was a very strange thing for Henry to say. The other shoe, waiting to drop, was practically palpable.]

That just gives them time to hide. Nope, they all paid for that one. I'm pretty sure they still can't even grow grass in that town.

[umslay]

No, no, not that...

[This was confusing. Ales hoped Henry was just being difficult.]

Alright, so you weren't threatening them. My question still stands: what do you remember about this world?

[cawesome]

Well, there's what the moogle told me. Other than that...

[Henry seemed to be digging deep into his memory. His face scrunched up in concentration as he scoured his brain for any knowledge of this new world, and came to one inescapable conclusion.]

Nya ha ha! I know nothing! [He raised a forefinger as if he'd come to some sort of great conclusion.] Exciting, isn't it?

[So much to explore and learn...and blow up! It was like being a kid in a hexing store.]

[umslay]

[Nothing. Henry remembered nothing. Did Crystal Stasis wipe all of his memories, even though that hadn't happened before?]

Something's going on here. This may come to a surprise to you, but you first came here a year ago. You opened up a shop, you went on adventures, and then you turned into a crystal. Like the ones in the hospital where you woke up.

[There's no way Henry could have appeared in the Temple of Fire. Then they're be stuck with two Henry's which made no sense and spelled doom for everyone.]

Well, I guess this mean you can start over again! Welcome to Crystallis, Henry! [He smiles again, cheerful like any welcoming party should be.]

[cawesome]

...wait a sec. I didn't wake up in the hospital.

[Henry leaned forward intently, and if his eyes were open you'd probably be able to see stars in them or something. He sounded even more enthusiastic, if such a thing were possible.]

Which way is the hospital? [He went so far as to grab Ales' shoulders and give him a shake, though not a particularly hard one - he lacked the muscle tone for that.] This is important! Like, really, really important.

[umslay]

You what.

[Ales attempted to gaze into Henry's eyes to read how truthful he was, but to no avail.]

Where else could you have woken up? Don't tell me someone moved your statue! [He peered behind Henry at the Temple. Judging by how his thin eyebrows lay straight and flat against his eyes, the possibility that Henry woke up in the Temple like a regular Hero grew from 0% to some small number.] Why would they even do that...?

[Being a creature the size of a Moogle, Henry was strong enough to jerk Ales around a few times. He pushes his hands away and adjusted his hat.]

I can take you there, of course! Follow me!

[All previous annoyance was hidden away by a friendly smile and bounce in his step as he lead the dark mage to the hospital.]