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

[nobugs]

Thank you, I think it will help us in learning about each other. [And pshhh, no worries, Kija will start working as a waiter at some point.] Part of the Law Enforcement? [That actually worked out nicely in a really strange way! Kija couldn't imagine to become part of the Law Enforcement himself, considering how often their group went against the officials and how they were working as bandits, but in this case, it was rather lucky.] If you get accepted, could you look into flying objects that abduct cows? [He's asking that, yes.] Things such as? [He's honestly relieved to hear they weren't as restricted as in the Hakuryuu village.]

[no1]

[ Believe him or not, he treats the other's request with utmost respect, even if there is really not much for him to do in this matter. ]

I am not even sure which section of Agures Ixen's security that falls under, but I assure you that I've seen it as well, and I'm just as curious. [ Or puzzled, but curious sounds more confident. ] Unless it happens again, we might be better off discussing with the researchers.

Everyone has been having their hands full with the repairs, as of late, but you might choose to help out in other ways as well. Most job offers do not require any qualifications as long as you display enough will to work.

[nobugs]

[That was really unexpected, with all the promises he got about being judged as potentially crazy with the other witness of the scene. Despite their different backgrounds now, this was working out nicely.] You believe me? [No, more than that, he has seen it.] Thank you. It might become a danger if it is ignored, so I am happy you are taking me seriously. Ah, that is good to know. I have been only trained my whole life to fulfill my destiny so I do not possess many qualifications.

[no1]

Doubting you would mean doubting my own eyes, I'm just not sure if there is anything I could help with.

[ The familiarity of the sentiment strikes him, and he slightly tilts his head to the side, intrigued. ]

Destiny?

[nobugs]

At least it will be good that there is some awareness about it with the authorities. It might get things to move. [Just like the second son of the Fire Tribe actively started to change things after watching his people.] Ah, yes, destiny. I have inherited the blood of the White Dragon - one person in my village gets chosen for this and it serves to protect the potential reincarnation of the Red Dragon King.

[no1]

[ Ace's eyes widen in clear surprise. His roommate undoubtedly belonged to a different world, but he could easily find a match for it on the very map of Orience, at least.]

... The way you speak of it makes me think of the power of the Azure Dragon Crystal.

In my world, it bestowed upon its citizens, the people of the Kingdom of Concordia, the ability to command dragons, while the select few could indeed communicate with them. To inherit one's blood, however--

[ Only the l'Cie, the mightiest of the mighty, could be worthy of performing an actual transformation. Leaving his thought unfinished, Ace stares at the other questioningly. ]

[nobugs]

[Kija hadn't expected to meet someone from a world where dragons played such an important role as well. Even if in his own world, their existence was merely acknowledged in legends anymore.]

Is it rare? In my world, only four at a time are chosen. I have yet to see anyone trying to command the dragons aside the human our Red Dragon King has chosen to become, but I think one of my brothers had been able to communicate with them.

[no1]

You could certainly say so.

We had been led to believe that the wyverns in their army responded to the orders of the warriors through the Crystal, but the Queen Dragon would obey only the Queen herself. Whether it was caused by the matter of inheritance, I can't really tell, but there is a possibility.

[ He's unable to come up with the specifics, for reasons he is painfully aware of, or at least it's logical to suspect this kind of scenario. Many of his memories have been taken away, leaving not even a glimpse of what has once been. ]

A native would be more suited to answer your questions, but I still think it is worth discussing the similarities between the worlds we're from. I am convinced there is a link to be found there, somewhere, one that could help us explain why we have been summoned here in the first place.

[ a small pause. ]

So, you and your siblings have all been given a mission.

[nobugs]

[That was certainly interesting, to say the very least. Not even his village, which had tried to preserve the legend of the King as carefully as possible, knew everything about the truth about the story.

No, there were definitely gaps, and if Ace's knowledge had some, then that would be really no surprise.]

That indeed sounds like something I should try to pursue.

[He nods at the statement.]

Yes, you could say this is the very reason why we exist. How is it for you? Was it similar for you?

[no1]

We...

[ The word dies on his lips as he realizes that the conversation has entered a zone he is not yet comfortable exploring with somebody he has only just met, even if a response is still in order. ]

Yes. I have always been meant to serve my country and it will stay that way, regardless of what happens while I'm here.