❪ event ❫ hour of ruin

[natha]

HOUR OF RUIN     Sometime after midnight, after preparations have been put aside in favor of drinks and rest, a thunderous beating of wings shatters the air — the High Dragon Ysverai, once again risen. The sound echoes high off Namarak Mountain, but travels easily to both Wyver and Olympia: scream after scream rends the still night, as though a creature were dying rather than being born again. Having only had days to plan their defense against the creature, Olympia and Wyver snatch up their arms. The Royal Guard and the Knightryders can be seen on their steeds hurrying through the cities, because Ysverai doesn't remain isolated at the mountain's peak for long. There are pictures of Ysverai in abundance throughout both cities, but the creature that circles in the sky looks nothing like the majestic creature spoken of in history books. Even from far below, wounds and lacerations can be seen marring what should be smooth scales, and blood falls with every beat of the dragon's wings. The damage becomes more clear when moonlight illuminates Ysverai, revealing the rotting dragon for all to see. The sight of flesh peeling away and thick blood where it oozes from his cracked, greyish hide is as frightening as the power he possesses. REASON'S TRANSCENDENCE     Mad from the anguish of his forced revival, Ysverai will show none of his renowned wisdom or compassion, mindless and seeking to inflict his pain onto whatever emerges in his path. His very presence creates chaos: animals (Olympia | Wyver) domesticated and wild, flee from the merest hint of his approach, panicked and stampeding in wild droves. The reason is obvious: organic matter exposed too long to his presence begins to rot and decay. A field he lands in rots and lies fallow. Buildings crack and crumble, their supports pitted and corroded as though they've been left in disrepair for years. Even the ground that Ysverai walks upon is tainted; a corrosive sludge bubbles up in his massive, clawed footsteps, the ground beneath him putrefied and toxic, oozing corruption. This sludge can be tar-like, poisonous and sucking people in like quicksand; panic, and you'll only sink faster. Prolonged exposure to Ysverai takes a mental toll on anyone in his proximity as well. Effects similar to those from being near his heart — selfish desires and lowered inhibitions — will begin to fester in those around him. Every time Ysverai roars, pain will run through all those that hear him — a pain not just physical, but of true, anguished heartbreak. Those who hear Ysverai will feel (to a degree of your choosing) a sharing of his pain, the agony of flesh rotting from their bodies, blood oozing from under their skin, and a terrible, incandescent fury — and beneath that, a gut-wrenching sadness. This effect is further enhanced by any exposure to Ysverai's blood, and being drenched in greater quantities will cause one to become more in sync with the dragon. Finally, Ysverai is aggressive, attacking anyone and anything that approaches. He starts by breathing out a smog, acidic and putrefying — characters caught directly by this attack will find that medicine and healing magic of any kind hurts them for hours after exposure. The dragon will ignite the smog to breathe fire, if sparingly. IN WYVER     Ysverai's shadow falls over the near reaches of Wyver first. Upon hearing Ysverai's cry, the dragons in Wyver become completely frenzied, turning against their partners among the Knightryders without the slightest resistance. Those familiar with dragons might deduce that they're in pain, though they don't show any sign of injury. The dragons knock their riders off their backs in midair and dive at citizens, jaws wide. Any attempts to soothe them will be long fought, achieved with great difficulty, and will see them retreat into a cowering state. It's not just the airborne Knightryders taking to the defense of the city however, and people on the ground are mobilizing as well. On rooftops across the city are cannons set to fire harpoons. And if the spearheads alone aren't enough to injure the beast, they're coated with a paralyzing poison as well. Unfortunately, the soldiers stationed on the rooftops are prime targets to the frenzied dragons populating Wyver's skies, leaving the cannons open for ordinary citizens to use should they choose. Left alone too long, and cannons may fall under the control of the few remaining radicals that had opted not to flee the cities to join up with their leader Raysc, choosing instead to wait for an opportune moment to unleash their anger on the people of Wyver. These radicals will need to be dealt with before they can turn the cannons upon Wyver's defenders. IN OLYMPIA     In Olympia, the gryphon partners of the Royal Guard react with immediate hostility to anyone showing signs of Ysverai's influence. Their keen senses allow them to pick up the smell of Ysverai's blood and they attack anyone with so much as a drop of tainted blood on them. Those who bear lingering effects of Ysverai's mental attack and who remain in sync with the dragon after hearing Ysverai's cry are also targeted and must face the gryphons' wrath without mercy or restraint. The gryphons must be disabled, for Olympia will not look upon any injury to their prized steeds lightly. However, the gryphons also show some resistance to Ysverai's cry, which is a great boon in battle against the dragon — gryphons that have lost their riders will be available for use, able to carry two passengers at a time. The people of Olympia aren't planning to restrict their offense to pure brute force, and the mages of the city can be seen across Olympia wielding enchanted chains, using telekinesis in the hopes of restraining Ysverai and assisting in the airborne troops. But like the decaying buildings and wildlife, Ysverai is warping the magic around him, the chains faltering as they approach him, whipping back toward the city instead to cage whoever happens to be closest. It's not just the enchanted chains either, but other magic might behave erratically in his presence, as if the very essence of the spells have been corrupted. VIRTUOUS VERSE     Both cities realize they need to seek survival rather than victory against Ysverai, switching gears to carry out diversion efforts and evacuation plans. It falls to refugees to continue the offensive while the Royal Guard and the Knightryders devote their attention to ensuring the safety of the citizens as they flee. With official forces stretched thin, civilians and refugees alike will also need to step up to help herd citizens toward safety among a maze of collapsing buildings. Others will need to see to gathering resources for the evacuation, and while gathering non perishables is easy enough, it's considerably harder to wrangle livestock into cooperating amidst such chaos. Those fighting may be asked to act as bait for Ysverai. Chatter through official troops speaks of a switch in strategy: the objective now is capture the dragon's attention and draw him away from the populous cities and towards the South Outpost. Whether or not it's possible to defeat the dragon remains uncertain, but there's no question that it will be easier to battle him without worrying about civilians. THE RAGE     Luckily, the dragon is indiscriminate in his rage, and easily lured so long as a suitably infuriating target is before him. It doesn't take long to draw him to the South Outpost, but the trail of destruction he leaves in his wake is vast. Once there, the combined forces are greeted not just by Ysverai, but also by the appearance of Ysverai's master. How bravely you've all come to meet your doom! Great heroes, one and all, ha! I welcome you, bring your best. Show me the power that's protected Olympia and Wyver, all that you have to offer me, whatever pitiful excuse for valor you seek to cling to when the fear has you cowering in your beds. All will be for naught in the face of Ysverai's might! Let history witness the day the glory of war is reignited — the day that Wyver remembers its fangs once more! Come, Ysverai, last and greatest of the High Dragons! Come, and restore Wyver to its rightful place! Come, fulfill the promise as our protector that you could not in life! Raysc lifts a gleaming device as he issues his command. Red lights blink and blood, the same oozing liquid that drips from Ysverai's many wounds, runs in clear tubes through the device. Ysverai rears back as Raysc makes adjustments to a control panel — and then lunges forward, mouth agape. With a single swallow, Raysc meets his end. Raysc's attempt to control the dragon has only enraged him further, spurring Ysverai on to new heights of fury. It's become more vital than ever to face the dragon and take him down here and now. A few effective strategies are learned from research efforts and observed while defending Olympia and Wyver: goading the dragon into breathing fire will hurt him, burning him from the inside out, and attacks to his joints, eyes, wings, and exposed bone are effective. Ice is a natural repellent to dragons and can be used defensively or to weaken the dragon's hide. Healing spells will also react unnaturally to Ysverai's flesh, hastening his decay. However, while concentrated efforts will lock him down, Ysverai cannot be permanently killed in this state — his flesh constantly rots and spawns anew. Attacking him here is to protect civilians, keeping him busy to avoid mass destruction elsewhere. Therefore, the battle is one of attrition, a matter of a race against time. You must destroy his flesh faster than it is able to regenerate to have any hope of victory. Finally, when Ysverai is weakening, little more than bones with a few last vestiges of rotten meat hanging from a skeleton, the pathetic remnants of the last High Dragon takes to the skies. His wings are barely intact enough to carry him, yet desperation lifts him, higher and higher, until he lets out one great, earth-shaking roar. A roar that carries across the battlefield, sending all who hear it to their knees. A roar that shatters the swords in soldiers' hands, that rends apart the very air itself — Ysverai's last act, a great curse upon El Nysa, to bring down the sky. AND THE WORLD STOOD STILL     The terror of Ysverai's destruction hangs overhead — a tear in the sky, darkness pouring through, tendrils reaching down towards El Nysa to swallow up the planet in the dragon's final act of revenge. And yet nothing moves. A halo of brilliant light surrounds the rift in the sky, holding the grasping, hungry tendrils in check. And on the planet, not a creature moves. Not a blade of grass stirs. You're not able to even draw a breath. No matter where you are, not even the heart in your chest is beating. Everything has stopped — time has come to a standstill. In a wash of light, an aurora of transport, you find yourself delivered to Thesa Station. Darma stands before you, her expression solemn, perhaps even grim, though that may just be a trick of the station's harsh lighting. She explains what has happened in short order: planetside, time has been completely frozen. We have seen the birth and end of worlds. The rise and fall of civilizations infinite times over. We have seen all threads of possibilities that could have lead to this very moment... Or should have. Perhaps you might doubt our sincerity when we say this comes as a surprise to us, as well... Special technology has been used to blind us. To this day, we only know of one region capable of creating and utilizing such technology... you will find this technology in a city known as Nadril. We understand that you have created a life down in Wyver and Olympia, but now we must ask that you put that life on pause. We ask you to travel to Nadril and find the original Refugee, and with him, answers. As you will discover, he does not wish to speak to us. It is no matter. By now it is too late to keep the Nysan public unaware of our existence. We commend the efforts of those who wish to protect their comrades on the battlefield below, but a creature like poor Ysverai, twisted and warped, given unnatural life with terrible magic and technology, does not simply go down with manpower. Please, leave Ysverai to us. Time on the planet will remain stopped while we determine how to deal with the dragon. For now, rest and recover your strength. We have returned, and soon, there will be new refugees awakening. Perhaps you might like to prepare yourselves to greet them? I'm sorry that I can't answer more questions, but for now, all our attention must turn to finding a way to stop what Ysverai has wrought. A bank of monitors behind Darma displays the battlefield below: Ysverai's frozen, looming figure and the breach in the sky, and the Natha's halo, holding the destruction back. Though time passes normally on Thesa Station, El Nysa remains frozen, and all Refugees are unable to return to the planet until Ysverai's menace is dealt with. Luckily, with the Natha's return, full functionality has also returned to the station. The lights and environmentals are back to full power, access to all areas has been restored, the cafeteria is serving its normal offerings, and there's no evidence of any glitching or malfunctions. Doubtless, the period of rest is much needed after the hard-fought battle. For now, with time on El Nysa at a standstill, there's little else to be done but enjoy the reprieve aboard Thesa Station. FINAL OOC NOTE     Characters that reach an AC length action thread in this event will receive 2 rep for all factions, including Natha. Note that while these are split up for ease of processing, players may submit for all three. OLYMPIA | WYVER | NATHA Players can expect this event to run three days ICly before everyone is teleported to Thesa Station! From thereon, all characters will be grounded at the Station until the Test Drive Meme later this month. QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● lore ● map ● npcs ● bestiary taken ● atp/emp ● application ● rep/acp ● quest bulletin calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

Comments

[guidetoblivion]

[Riku makes a bit of a face – no matter how light Terra keeps his tone, he isn't sure he likes this implication… the idea that Terra would drag them out of the fight if he had the means. He doesn't linger on it though, because Terra is right of course.

It won't be a single blade that slays Ysverai, but many – the only chance they have is strength in numbers. In any case, they need to get closer to the fight before Riku will dare start casting again; the number of shots he has on this was limited from the start, though the Ether helped expand on that. Still, wasting a single cast of Blizzard against an opponent like this, seems just plain stupid.

The battle is a fair way off though, so it's either wasting energy in order to catch up or…]

Fancy a short cut?

[They are not too far as that Riku won't manage to create a Dark Corridor right into the heart of the fight.]

[earthy]

[Don't worry too much about it, Riku: there will certainly come a day when Terra sees you more as a strong and capable Keybearer (and a true Master of the Keyblade) than that young boy with the bright heart he met on an island once a long time ago.]

Hm?

[Shortcut? What kind of shortcut could he possibly mean-- oh. One of those dark portals, probably. Terra looks a little reluctant for a moment, but he does finally nod once. A portal would be the quickest way back into the fight.]

... Sure.

[He glances over his shoulder.]

One minute.

[Let him just lead his wyvern off to the ruins of a building and tie him up there. He gives his cowering mount a gentle pat on the head and then returns to Riku's side.]

Okay.

[Enough of his armor remains that he should be fine traveling through darkness.]

[guidetoblivion]

[That day will hopefully be one day soon, Riku thinks.

Riku waits, fingers twitching slightly as he waits – with the threat within hearing range and them just about to jump right into the middle of things, he can feel the need for his weapon itch beneath his skin, but there is no need for it right now – and it's not like he's a little kid, he won't be let himself be seen as anything but certain that they can do this.

Terra returns, so Riku nods and lifts his hand, opening a Dark Corridor with just a wave of his fingers, then steps into it without the slightest hint of hesitation. Better follow him quickly?]

[earthy]

[Terra does hesitate, if only for a second, staring into that dark rift, uncertain what it'll be like to go through it and second-guessing if he really has enough armor left to protect his heart (if it even really matters after all the darkness he's let in)... But there's no time for doubt.

With a hard swallow, he screws his eyes shut and follows Riku into the dark.]

[guidetoblivion]

[It's surprisingly bright within the Corridor itself, blueish color swirling in a space that doesn't seem to have walls or ceiling… or even proper ground. Riku awaits not too far from the entrance, head tilted a little as he regards the other… is this his first time walking through a Dark Corridor, Riku suddenly wonders?

It just might be… after all, Riku at least has never seen Terra even try to summon one of his own, even though with a Darkness like his… he should be capable of it, Riku thinks. He's managed too after all, long before Ansem ever touched on his Heart.]

You all right?

[earthy]

[Passing through the shadow, Terra opens his eyes again to find himself in a very strange space. He freezes one step into the corridor and looks around in wonder at his cloudy, swirling surroundings.

This isn't darkness... Or is it?

He refocuses on Riku standing there in front of him at the question.]

... Yes.

[But he doesn't budge.]

[guidetoblivion]

[Riku grins faintly – this is definitely not what the other had expected of the inside of a Corridor, huh? But anyway, all humor aside…]

Come on. I’ll show you the sights another time.

[There is an undead dragon waiting to be slayed after all.]

[earthy]

[Terra's still wary of moving from that spot by the entrance.

There's no floor, no ground, not even some sort of platform. It literally looks like he can expect to go plummeting to his doom into that odd bluish energy around the tunnel any moment now.

Maybe he should try summoning his Glider, just to be safe?

But Riku's walking along just fine...

It takes an extra couple seconds for Terra to unglue his feet, but he finally pushes himself on and then hurries to catch up to and stick by Riku.

All right, he's ready to get back into the undead dragon fight now. Fighting is at least familiar territory.]

[guidetoblivion]

[Riku leads him a little way down the corridor – he’s more or less working off his sense-memory; not even Yversai can reach them in this place (but other things can, and Riku isn’t eager to encounter any of them) – but he won’t need to if he accidentally lets down out right beneath his claws.

He stops at what he thinks should be the ideal distance to the dragon right that second – hopefully the battle hasn’t moved forward quite too much yet – then says:]

Get ready.

[His own right hand curls slightly, light and darkness weaving together into the changed Soul Eater as his left lifts so that he can open the exit of the corridor.]

[earthy]

[Terra goes on following Riku's lead, calling Ends of the Earth to hand and bracing himself for the battle to explode back into existence around them.]

Let's go!

[guidetoblivion]

[The corridor opens again right inside Yversai's defenses; a shrill roar reverberating in the air as Riku pushes forward left hand drawing back as pale-blue crystals of magic materialize at his palm just before he casts the blizzard spell and sends it straight at the dragon.

It probably won't be more than a needle prick to the giant beast, but on the long run it will help. Riku thinks so at least.

The downside of coming out so close becomes apparent pretty quickly though as the dragon exhales smog, and Riku finds himself right in the middle of it, trying to cover his mouth and nose… but it's already too late; he's taken a dose of it. Good going, kid.]

[earthy]

[Terra's off and running the instant the portal opens. It's a serious shock to the senses, slipping out of the relative stillness and quiet of the dark pathway and into the chaos that permeates every inch of the space around Ysverai. The dragon's roar slams painfully into his eardrums and seems to sink into his heart. Terra stumbles as he moves, almost falling into the muck that serves as ground here, but he manages to catch himself and keep going.

He just needs some room, an opening to work with... There! Ignoring his aching muscles, Terra straightens up and swings his Keyblade around, throwing it hard into the air. The Keyblade vanishes in a distant flash of light, only to reappear in its unique Glider form.

Terra wastes no time scrambling up onto his Glider and flying up and out of the way of a group of other Wyver fighters trying to attack Ysverai.

But where's Riku? Terra searches the ground desperately until his eyes snag on that mop of silver hair... trapped in a thick cloud of dragon smog. Shoot.

Leaning forward to tip his Glider's nose down, Terra steps on the accelerator and makes a speedy beeline for Riku. He's forced to tilt the Glider over on its side a little to keep from clipping Riku with the outer edges of the vehicle, but then he's able to reach out, grab his successor by the arm, and pull him out into fresh air. Fresher air, anyway.]

Still with me?

[He shouts over all the pandemonium.]

[guidetoblivion]

[Riku is so focused on keeping himself from breathing anymore of the smog (and given the way the exposed skin of his face burns from the contact, he really is glad about the blindfold right now), that he doesn't quite noticing Terra's air approach… not until the older man suddenly grabs him by the arm and drags him away.

He starts coughing after Terra hauls him out of the smog – it feels as though it's eating away at his lungs a little and he just wants to get it out somehow… Even so he manages to shout back:]

Yea, I'm- [cough, cough] -fine.

[Okay, maybe he's only just fine-ish. Anyway, they still have a dragon to fight, so Riku tries to help out by turning himself so that he can climb onto… whatever construction Terra is riding( or is it driving?) here.]

Where did you- [cough] -get that anyway?

[earthy]

[Oh, yeah, Riku sounds like he's just fine. Terra shifts on the Glider's seat to keep a concerned eye on him, in case he topples over or something.]

This? This is my Glider transformation?

[Confusion flits across his face and through his voice. Sure, every Glider has a different form, but Riku should still be able to recognize a Glider when he sees one, right? Maybe the smog's messing with his head?]

Can you keep your balance?

[He scoots up a bit to give Riku more room. He'll get them up into the sky if Riku's really okay. Okay-ish. Okay enough.]

[guidetoblivion]

[Look, he’s doing okay-ish considering the circumstances! He isn’t visibly shaking anyway. ]

Glider transformation of what?

[Somehow, Riku has the feeling that there’s something that Terra is expecting him to know that he like… not actually knows? He knows what a glider is, but it’s not like you can just summon one out of thin air, right? Right.]

Anyway-

Riku swings his leg over the construction of the glider, then resummons his own Keyblade in reverse grip while steadying himself with the other hand – this way he should be able to fight somewhat properly while Terra is driving(?) without too much risk of actually hitting him.]

Yea, I got a good grip. Keep going!

[With a giant moving target like Ysverai around, they shouldn’t linger in one spot for too long, especially airborne.]

[earthy]

Of the Keyblade...?

[Okay, up they go! Though Terra's not pushing the Glider to top speed just yet. Best make sure Riku can handle this first.]

You really don't know about Gliders?

[Sora surely should have had one for traveling between worlds? Maybe he did and Riku just... never saw it... somehow?]

[guidetoblivion]

[Riku can't even find it in himself to say anything at that – he is too stunned really, because… that's something one can do with the Keyblade!? But now that Terra mentioned it, he can see the similarities between his blade and the glider. Eventually he settles for a reply, while shifting to keep his balance as Terra speeds up a little:]

No, I didn't. I don't think Sora does either.

[He definitely hadn't known about it in Riku's time and if he had learned about it since, Riku is sure he would have boasted about it already.]

[earthy]

How did you two travel the worlds, then?

[Terra yells back, that much more puzzled. Riku has those dark portals (like Xehanort had), but Sora wouldn't use darkness like that... would he?

... Not that this is the best time for such a conversation, but the thought's like a persistent itch now, even as Terra focuses on Ysverai, steering clear of his frenzied movements and trying to get them into some kind of position to attack. Maybe if they aim for the eyes...

But seriously, Sora wouldn't call upon the darkness, right?]

[guidetoblivion]

[If he wasn't so busy holding onto Terra, Riku would probably offer him a shrug – honestly, travel hasn't really been his problem since shortly after meeting Maleficent.]

You already know how I get around.

[Summoning a Corridor of Darkness was the first Dark skill that Riku learned after all, the easiest, the only one of the few tricks that Maleficent actually taught him that he still makes use of.

As for Sora…]

Sora used some kind of rocket they built at Disney Castle to get around though, when he was awake to. I think, King Mickey calls them Gummi Ships.

[But anyway, shouldn't they really be focusing on Ysverai? Since Terra seems to angle them up for the eyes, Riku decides to try for a shot at them, carefully setting his aim. They might not get more than one shot after all.]