The True Self?
From Final Kingdom MUSH
| The True Self? | |
|---|---|
| Date of Scene: | 19 January 2013 |
| Location: | Fluorgis |
| Synopsis: | A mysterious fog fell over in Fluorgis. Strange mirrors erected in place and the adventurers who investigate found more than was expected... |
| Thanks to: | Reize Seatlan (Aka: Silhouette Shadow) |
| Cast of Characters: | Zeke, Shiki Misaki, Zia, Gilgamesh, Deelel, Angantyr Vespar, Emi Dennou |
| Tinyplot: | Shadows Over Fluorgis |
- Reize Seatlan has posed:
Fluorgis has had its share of dischord since the attack of the Heartless. People who normally ran their shops, sang tales, or even walked the streets continued their actions, albeit cautiously. However, nightfall has risen. It was an oddity that a fog besiege the streets. Even worse, mysterious mirrors fell onto the city, erecting from ground up.
The moonfall rises.
For some, the phenomenom has caused an outcry of people to investigate the matter. The shrouding fog has managed to draw those who are likely brave enough to explore the alien presence. Do you?
- Shiki Misaki has posed:
Fluorgis has fallen on hard times.
Shiki Misaki has been helping! She's just not been doing so anywhere you can see her. You know, like how you've got four members of the party actually fighting monsters, and the others are /there/, but they're just not in the active monster-bashing bunch? It's like that.
But now, it's Shiki's time to shine! Like the moonlight!
And for her to get seven years of bad luck, perhaps, because there are mirrors that have apparently rained into the city. That'll never do. There's just something about mirrors. Being stuck in the body of your best friend, you don't like reminding of the fact.
- Zia has posed:
It is a strange thing to wake to such strange occurances. The fog seems to make the air smell strange to her nose even as the white gargress prowls over the rooftops, unsure of what could be going on below. Is this another trick of the Heartless? The danger to her new city is enough to ward off other concerns that have plagued her mind up until now. Her missing companion, the prospect of finding a way to restore Manhattan, it all takes a back seat to darkness, mist, and mirrors.
From the roof, she spots movement below, hopping down to land next to Shiki. While the two may not know each other well, they are still Shard Seekers, which means that they are allies. "Ah dinnae imagine ye have any idea wha's goin on, do ye lass?" Zia asks, looking over her shoulder, trying to shake the feeling that something is going to come out of the mist and get them. It's that 'Silent Hill' feeling. "Ah saw one of those mirrors up the road. Maybe we should check it out." She suggests, motioning with her head.
Safety in numbers.
- Zeke has posed:
Well. Where there's hard times and a city full of people that need things there are enterprising sorts that can... aqquire these things. Zeke ans his crew happened t obe these sorts, and though it likely took a /lot/ of convincing the merry band of monsters would behave they brought provisions, tools, and were helping by making sure these things wouldn't be stolen.
As for these Mirrors? Miri, Zeke's quartermaster and unfortunate sufferer of lycanthropy, sniffed at these scattered Mirrors. "Boss. Something doesn't smell right 'bout these things."
"Bah you worry too much." Trueth be told Zeke didn't feel too at ease about them either but he had to project an air of confidence for the crew. "Probably just smellin' th'silver lass. You'll be fine. Trust me. Smooth sailin.... well 'bout as smooth as a refugee situation can be anyway."
- Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr has been helping...
He killed some heartless, and the property damage he caused in the killing of the heartless just barely went under the bounty he got for them! A NET GAIN!
And then there was the Gigas at the bar, which he took out with the help of the TDA. Again, the loot from the Gigas was just barely higher than the property damage caused by removing the gigas.
Walking out of a Inn, Angantyr could feel...something amiss. His attunement to darkness was much higher than others, and his original purpose was to stalk a night only mark outside the city...but now, this presence got his attention. Angantyr pulled out the mace and starts walking towards the fog.
Garland didn't raise no coward. And in he goes...
- Legion Proxy has posed:
Fighting evil by moonlight? Something love by daylight???
Weirdly seeing mirrors showing visions of yourself are not troubling to Legions. It's almost as if they see mirror images of themselves every day! And in fact don't really have much of a concept of 'self' to begin with? Sure they have SOME but not enough to be troubled by mirrors.
Two Legions have been sent to investigate. One is wearing a flower in her hair and the other is not garbed in anything unusual. While normally, the Legions have gotten accustomed to wearing their hair in different ways to make their identities a bit more evident, they are not doing so at present--though the one with the flower is..probably?...Imi. The other one is a bit harder to figure out.
They are carrying assault rifles since they are pretty sure those beat mirrors. The two spot Zia landing down near some fashionable girl they don't know and they jog on over to meet up because, well, lets be frank--Zia also shoots lightning bolts!!
BEST FRIENDS :DDD!! Well maybe not but the best thing about hot electric agony is that you can never have too much of it. The one who is probably Imi says, "Hello, The Network introduces itself as intent on investigating this mysterious." Pause. "mystery."
- Gilgamesh has posed:
MIRRORS
ADVENTURE
EXCITEMENT
GILGAMESH!
Lately, Fluorgis has been suffering from a host of strange and abnormal events, of a bizarre and unusual nature! Strange and abnormal events generally meant things like monsters - which is exactly the sort of thing the massive grey-skinned man and his massive green rock hound were looking for! Monsters meant treasure, treasure meant weapons, weapons meant rare weapons! Sort of. Generally.
So when the pair arrive in Fluorgis, and are greeted not with a rain of monsters but a rain of mirrors, the big grey man frowns behind his massive mask. He looks down at his great big green dog, who looks up at him, an - well, do dogs have eyebrows? - eyebrow quirked in confusion. Gilgamesh shrugs. "How am I to know, Enkidu? Maybe its an invasion of mirror monsters or something, some kind of great big mirror invasion of mirror monsters to tempt people to...to break them, and get bad luck! Of course! That way, when people attack all of the mirrors and break them, they'll never have good rolls on their Combat System actions again, and they'll be cursed to lose every fight for years to come! What a horrible fate! Quickly, Enkidu - let's find the fiend responsible and put his lights out! He's probably hiding in the mist somewhere!"
With that, the huge grey man takes off into the mist, bounding with great, massive strides inwards, clinking and clanking as his weapons shake. Behind him, the massive green rock hound lets out a loud, lupine groan, and then bounds in after him. Better not to leave Gilgamesh alone in a mess of mirrors - he'd never find his way out.
Enkidu pauses. Wait.
Mmmaaaaaaaaaayyyyybe....
Enkidu shakes his head, and then just goes bounding in anyway. Idiot would need help.
- Reize Seatlan has posed:
Those mysterous mirrors that have been placed emit a sheen through the light of the moon. The shrouding darkness looms over the city as the fog spreads through the corners all over. The enigmatic mirrors give let another shine of the moon's light before the fog grows thicker. Residents of the city have already took to hiding, preferring safety over investigating the looming enigma. However, those who ventured deeper into the darkness are not heard from.
With the growing darkness growing stronger, the group will find someting, or at least... feel something is admist.
...Where are all of the other adventurers that usually occupy the area?
- Shiki Misaki has posed:
Eyyyy it's Zia.
It's true, though, don't you know! The group's grown so much over the last couple months! Shiki remembers when the only person she didn't really know too well was Skoll. Now there's way too many people she doesn't know too well! It's sad! But she can still fistbump Zia and the Legion girls.
"Crazy crap," Shiki surmises succinctly. Mr. Mew scolds her surfeit of sibilance.
Also, speaking of people we only vaugely know about, it's the resident spies?! I think?! And Gilgamesh???!!!! Shiki's just surrounded by people she only sorta-kinda knows today! I know a lot of you a lot less than I would like, and I like a lot of you a lot less than I would know? No, that's not right, Shiki likes lots of people.
Gilgamesh starts talking about combat rolls. "And crazy crap brings out crazy people."
Shiki rubs her player pin uneasily. She's very much unfamilar with... y'know, fog. "Let's all stick together and look for some clues about what's going on here."
- Zeke has posed:
"Boss...?" Miri had a pair of well worn pistols out, though it was more nervouse twitch than imminent threat.
Zeke nodded grimly, loosening his sword and double checking his weapons. "Go double check on the triplits. Make sure our escape route's still clear. I'll be along when I can."
With that Miri was gone, darting and leaping almost as if she were a dragoon. This place did have the fortune of having LOTS of places where her inhuman strength and reflexes let her cover more ground. Pity it'd scare the residents into thinking she was one of these lurking horrors. Hopefully she wouldn't get shot in the dark or anything. Ah well.
Zeke looked around and noticed other people also not having sense in finding hiding places. "So tell me lads." His tone conversational in spite of having a musket out. "Are these mirrors defense against the onrushing doom, or a portal for it to entr from?" His words were addressed to none in particular.
- Zia has posed:
The arrival two nearly identical green-haired girls introducing themselves as the network would normally have struck Zia as a bit odd. Then again, /everything/ is odd these days. She blinks, head tilting. Something about them looks so familiar. Then it clicks. She had fought along side a couple of girls who looked like this back in the Dwarf cave, but she hadn't caught names or anything at the time. "G'day." She offers to them. "Nice te see ye both again." It's probably an incorrect assumption that these are the /same/ two girls, but she's never encountered a set of twins and it's an easy enough mistake.
The gargress looks at the offered 'fist bump' for a second, trying to figure out what to do, and likely takes her lead from the others before joining in the strange greeting ritual. "Crazy crap seems te be our lot in life these days, lass." The gargress agrees. "Wi' all this fog, we'll need te watch each other's backs. Ah dinnae like the feel of it." With that, she motions down the street, heading in the direction that she had spotted one of those mirrors in.
- Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr is already into the mist, so the mirriors go ignored...lest he completely smash them. Instead, he starts using his senses, following that sense towards the source of the darkness. It was weird that the city of adventurers was...so light on them suddenly? did everyone take a vacation? Likely not. Angantyr tightens his grip on the mace as the large man continues to walk unafraid into the mist, following that trail of darkness...to whereever it would lead.
He hears voices near by, but ignores them for the moment. He doesn't know them, save the two from he thinks are Legion, but it's not on his list of things to do. Sorry Legion, no socializing for you. Angantyr's gota bring home the bounties for monies.
- Gilgamesh has posed:
"Where are all of the other adventurers that usually occupy the area?" Gilgamesh asks loudly as he reads off the narrator's cue-cards; he looks down at Enkidu, who just shrugs, because gigantic green shape-changing rock hounds apparently have shoulderblades enough to shrug. "I wonder if they've disappeared into the darkness - see, Enkidu, see how it says those who ventured deeper into the darkness aren't heard from? This is a strange plan to cause bad luck, I'm sure."
Enkidu just shakes his head, apparently having no idea what Gilgamesh is talking about as other people begin talking. Gilgamesh waves his hand in the air as the fog starts to get thicker. "Look, Enkidu - the fog's getting thicker! Why, just a moment ago it was only so thin, now I could probably cut it with a sword! In fact...let's see if I can!" Gilgamesh's Totally Real Keyblade (tm) falls into his hand; a second Totally Not Fake Keyblade (tm) falls into the other one, and he swings them through the air, as if he's trying to...well, attack the mist. Because he is, he's trying to attack the mist. "Back, foul mist! You won't be devouring me! For you face now Gilgamesh, King of Heroes, greatest swordsman the worlds have ever known! Tremble in magnificent awe before the strength that once single-handedly decimated an army! Are you trembling? Are you? YOU'RE TREMBLING, AREN'T YOU?!"
Gilgamesh cups his hands over his...mouth-area? "I CAN FEEL WIND, BUT I BET THAT'S REALLY YOU TREMBLING, MYSTERIOUS MIST, FOR YOU KNOW THAT YOUR UNTIMELY DOOM IS AT HAND- hey, wait! I'm not crazy!" The massive (neary twelve feet!) grey man turns around and tilts down at his waist to look at Shiki. He's still toweringly huge over the smaller girl. "I'm Gilgamesh! Gilgamesh! Don't tell me you've never heard of me! Keeper of the greatest weapons of history? Almighty King of Heroes? Greatest swordsman the worlds have ever known?"
Gilgamesh frowns. "First that kid in Rabanastre, now this little girl! I'm telling you, Enkidu - people have forgotten their history! I feel like an old man, like butter...no, like /margarine/ stretched over too much...I don't know, toast? Do you put margarine on toast? Come to think of it, what is margarine? Isn't it just butter? I mean, if it's not butter...no, it's got to be butter. I can't believe it's not butter, Enkidu, or my worldview will shatter!"
Enkidu rolls his eyes and resumes plodding off into the fog.
"H-hey, wait!" Gilgamesh hurries up to follow his massive companion. "Don't leave me here with these kids! I bet they don't even know what margarine is! Kids these days, Enkidu! Hey! Hey, are you listening? I know this fog is kind of creepy, but we've soldiered through worse together, right? Remember that time on that other place when we fought Luneth with bread? Or when we beat up that dragon? Good times, right? C-come on, don't leave me! ENKIDU, THIS FOG IS CREEPING ME OUT, DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE ME HERE!"
So Gilgamesh double-times it deeper into Fluorgis, the trusty King of Beasts at his side.
- Deelel has posed:
Deelel had the same problem as Shiki she's not got to know all of the other shard seekers and that made her sad. There were some very interesting people she knew of and had hoped to get to know them better. Not in a situation like this but now is a chance for meeting a few people she doesn't know so well just where has everyone gone the fod is strange and she's on edge. Also Gilgamesh is here she's never heard about them.
"This fog, I don't like it." She says as she catches up wioth Zia, Shiki and the rest.
"So...is this normal...here?"
- Legion Proxy has posed:
"Understood," Even if Legion was prone to fear, it'd be pretty hard to be creeped out while Gilgamesh is around. For one thing he yells a lot and is kind of funny, for another part is that he is basically a cartoon character and as such it's hard to imagine anything too bad happening when Gilgamesh is present.
Unfortunately both Legions are also pretty confused by fist bumps and as such it's likely that instead of a fist bump, Shiki is going to get a fist shake as one of the Legions starts things off by shaking her closed up fist.
They're loving the accent but they don't mention this.
The Legion who is probably Imi says, "May I hold Mr. Mew? We are engaged you know, by Shard Seeker bylaws."
"Please restrain your silliness." The other Legion says, looking over to Zia. "This one is Emi, this one was at the mine. The other is Imi, she was not, The Network explains." She smiles faintly. "We work well together, this one suspects, and as such is not terribly worried." They don't seem to worry easily.
- Reize Seatlan has posed:
For the most part, Miri's path will be cleared. She'll find that there is a clear path ahead. Nothing seems to at least obscure her way or show any signs of peopele's path being obscured. However, she'll likely hear a loud shriek before a vase is tossed right towards her head.
The lady at a house keeps shrieking, before she faints from exhaustion.
Meanwhile, it is dead silence in the town.
...Did another set of mirrors erect through the mist.?
The mist makes it hard to see the people and the thicker it grows, the more of the sights that are obscured. The trace of darkness grow stronger, almost ominous.
Why does it feel darker?
... More of you...
So much darkness in your hearts...
Some hidden more than others. Let's see if we can bring it out...
There are silhouettes slipping fom the fog. Many of them have various shapes and forms, but they are quite identical to the ones left.
Let's see if you can handle this...
- Zeke has posed:
Zeke grumbled at the figure that might've been Angantyr darting about in the fog and quickly dismissed him when it wasn't an apparent threat/problem. Thing he's picked upn since the heartless started pouring everywhere. Stick with a group. You'll stay alive that way. Then he noticed something. Rather someone he's seen before.
"Oi." He looked over at Deelel and shook his head. "Totally not normal lass. Seen fog this bad before but only on a open ocean..... right before Jolly Rodger's men tried jumping my ship." There was an involentary shiver at the memory of those bloody undead pirates. It was in fact the one and only time he'd seen regular pirates acting in any way approximating civilized. Well other than when the heartless showed up and he saw Pirate and Merchant alike standing back to back trying to survive onrushing hordes. "Still got that chakra thing of yours?"
Gilgimesh though. He caused Zeke's head to shake sadly. The devil's own fool luck must be keeping that one alive. That or that great ruddy evil looking boulder of a hound of his. Either or.
5r"So. Fog of ominous doom rolling in hearding a bunch of folk together. Most of the usuals 'round here are already holed up against whatever." He looked around trying to see through the fog, or at least remember the details that were now obscured. "I've got a storehouse rented that way." Point. "Trouble starts we break for that." More confidence was in his voice than he felt. He was trying to take charge of the situation in which he doubted anyone would listen. "My men've got guns, swords, and in more than a few cases fangs and claws. More importantly the ruddy place has thick walls and a solid door." On reflection Zeke might have wondered why he was offering up his rented storehouse to these strangers, but then he'd probably dismiss it as him making sure there was a goal to head towards rather than everyone breaking rank and running.
Shapes moved out there. "We stick together lads. That's how we're gonna survive this."
- Shiki Misaki has posed:
Mr. Mew hops into Emi's arms, because bylaws must be obeyed.
"I might need you to fight!" Shiki says, pouting. He waves it off.
"It's tough to say," Shiki replies to Gilgamesh, crossing her arms. "Things have been pretty rough on people right now. If they're smart, then they're not going off half-cocked or injured and we're the healthy ones heading out to watch their backs."
Gilgamesh flails around a bit.
"Healthy, but perhaps only physically," she adds. "I recognise you from that big party in Manhattan, and you were just as weird there. And you're really chatty," she interjects.
And unfortunately, they're probably going to have to follow him out of a misguided sense of camraderie. "Hey, we can't get split... up...!"
Leeroy Gamesh leading the group, Shiki bumbles along until she realises... Fluorgis is really quiet, isn't it? It's never usually this quiet, and...
And then she realises that Gilgamesh, somewhere during his rambling, was mentioning just how THICK the fog was. And he's right. It is very thick, and it's also talking to them. She edges closer to Gil. "Hope you know how to look after girls, then, King of Heroes..."
- Zia has posed:
This is an adventure for Zia, because this is the first time she's ever encountered the chaos of Gilgamesh. "He's a bit of a loud one, ain't he?" She asks, lifting an eyebrow. With him giving a list of all his titles, the gargress can only look up, blinking as she tries to make sense of it. "Sorry lad, cannae say Ah've heard of ye. But if ye fight as well as ye boast, then it'll certainly be a sight te see." Oh yes, the gargress does talk with that accent, sounding strangely like a certain duck who hangs out in Traverse Town, although the two are completely unrelated.
When Deelel comes up to join them, the gargress rubs at the back of her neck sheepishly, not sure what to make of all these people. She has an urge to poke at the blue lines on the newest arrival, but manages to resist. "Definitely nae normal." She replies.
There is a moment of confusion that comes when one of the network claims to be engaged to an animated doll, but Zia just shakes her head with one of those 'bwah?' expressions on her face. "Maybe Ah dinnae want te know." She tells herself. And then there are introductions. "Imi. Emi." The gargoyle points from one to the other. "Emi. Imi." After one or two iterations, she's got them mixed up again, and the gargress just offers am embarassed look. "Ah'll get the hang of it later, Ah promise." Names - still not her strong suit.
At first, she doesn't notice the shadows moving, likely mistaking them for other people lost out in the fog. She's too busy trying to keep up with the others as they move, following the hulk of a man, and more unsettled by the voice. Her eyes light to a glowing red, "Dark magic..." She whispers, drawing closer towards the other girls. "Ready yerselves lassies, Ah dinnae think we're alone out here..."
- Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr could only feel darkness...and that it was growing.
He pauses, middle of the street. He can't trust his eyes in here, he instead closes his eyes.
The mace is held infront of him as he tries to focus on the sorce of the darkness...mirrors are...
...The Mirriors? No...it's not the source? But something is going on with them...something important. Angantyr holds off on violence just yet, trying to focus his mind, focus his increadible willpower on the darkness and try and get a path to it...
And then the voice.
His eyes snap open as he holds himself ready, ready to swing that massive mace. Gilgamesh's loud noise doesn't break his concentraition...he just needs to know where that voice is coming from, and repeatedly hit it.
With a hammer.
It's Brilliant, Brilliant, Brilliant!
- Gilgamesh has posed:
"Of course I know how to look after girls! I'm a famous Knight!" Gilgamesh replies. "Enkidu, look after the girl."
Enkidu practically facepalms - or at least he would, if he had /palms/. Instead he just sort of presses his face into the ground...but he does what Gilgamesh demands, moving over next to Shiki to protect her. The massive rock hound lets out a low, quiet rumble; he's huge enough for her to ride, easily, if she so chooses. It's hard to beat a giant rock hound for a protector.
A voice speaks out; Gilgamesh practically jumps, his Totally Real and Totally Not Fake Keyblades(tm) waving in the air above him. "HEY! FOG! COME DOWN HERE AND FIGHT LIKE A MAN IF YOU THINK YOU CAN FIGHT! OTHERWISE I'M COMING UP THERE TO FIGHT WITH YOU! YOU HEAR ME? I'M COMING UP THERE TO FIGHT WITH YOU! PERSONALLY! I MEAN IT, I'LL FIND YOU AND BEAT YOU UP IF I HAVE TO BEAT UP ALL THE FOG IN THE WORLD! I'M NOT AFRAID OF YOU, TREES ARE SCARIER THAN YOU!"
Especially Evil Trees. Named ExDeath.
Gilgamesh grumbles as shapes show up in the fog. "Darkness, I don't have any darkness! What do I look like - a Nomura protagonist?! Huh?! I'm an Amano hero, of course! My heart is full of absolutely amazing power! And lots of light! Light and light and more light! You hear me?"
"You're as bad as that big guy in the armor!"
- Legion Proxy has posed:
Imi gives Mew a hug. She'll intercept him if she has to NO OTHER WIVES FOR YOU MEW I AM THE ONE THAT TRIPPED ON YOU OKAY? Of course Imi is probably just being pointlessly jealous because that's also in the Shard Seeker Bylaws.
There is a mysterious voice. The Legions crackle lightly with electricity so that everybody knows that Kingdom Hearts is Lightning. (Also darkness, light, and coffee!).
"Don't worry about it," Emi says. "But we'd like to visit you sometime in less strenuous circumstances." She wishes to know more about THE NOBLE GARGOYLE RACE. All the gargoyles that The Network have met at least qualified as decent people, and some downright wonderful. As such, they have a pretty high opinion of gargoyles. Why, the worst crime they've seen gargoyles commit was a case of judgementalism and really, how bad could being a judgemental gargoyle be compared to all the other evils in the world?
HI DEMONA!
"She is just being silly, by the way." Emi murmurs to Zia re: Imi's engagement. She doesn't want to be associated on that matter even if it is herself (and also not herself).
She does pat Enkidu on the head fondly though, absentmindedly.
- Deelel has posed:
Deelel keeps with Reize and the otehrs Shiki seems to be prepared as she does keep with Leeroy Gamesh, her disk is out. "Splitting up wouldn't be the best idea." also they are talking about a Crab, a crab just what sort of CRAB are they going on about over the comm system. Oh why did Manhattan have to be dead, Wiki was so useful to look up user related things.
It doesn't feel right to the basic not at all she looks about the fog keeping with the redhead.
"Shiki right? name's Deelel, wish we could have met in a better situation."
Zeke's comment is wise this isn't normal if normal this should have her more so on her guard.
- Reize Seatlan has posed:
The strangest thing, if one was to take a look at the mirrors, it would look like a normal mirror. However, if peered at long enough for the moon's light to glint...
... it would reveal the look of horror of an adventurer's face.
Many of the adventurers who had explored the area during the time are in place of all of them mirrors. He newly formed mirrors mark another adventurer who fell prey within the darkness.
Shadows have amassed within the city. The light of the moon gives off a glint, revealing the shadows of those presence. While it is difficult to see due to the fog, it is there... and it is the perfect opportunity for the shadows to slip out and form behind each and everyone. All of the occupants from Angantyr to Zeke's crew will have a shadow slip right behind them.
I am here...
Hehould they turn around...
...They will see themselves.
...because I am you.
- Zeke has posed:
Damned voices in the fog. "Steady." His grip tightened on a pistol he'd raised, trying to discern where the ominous whispery dark speech was coming from. "Can't let the whatever out there talk the fight out of us. S'what they want." Words were a whisper at this point, just as much for his benefit as anyone else's. "Casters in the middle, heavy hitters and anyone with armor form a ring around 'em. Anyone that can fly I want eyes higher up. Lights.... I dunno. Tempted to say that'd just mark where we are but this damned fog's probably acting as eyes for whatever's out there. They know where we are."
A second pistol was in his other hand. "Anyone ned guns? Best take 'em now before the rush hits." Sure he was likely speaking to himself and the offer refused since all here seemed to have their own impliments of doom. "Couple blocks that way straight shot." He gestured with a pistol down a now very ominous looking stretch of street. "We make it that far we'll be safe that I promise." Well as safe as possible. He's seen houses ripped from their foundations by armies of these heartless creatures. Hells Bells they made whole /WORLDS/ go dark. "Safe as anywhere in this mess."
Again he wondered if the mirrors were catylist or cure for this ailment.
Out there somewhere a wolf howled. No. Not a wolf. Miri was signaling to him she was safe, giving an auditory signal to follow Hr howls were soon replaced by drums. Loud bass filled drums.
THROOM! THROOM! THROOM!
Chanting. The words were something Zeke himself had never learned but it was loud and purposeful, and it went with hte sound of drums.
THROOM! THROOM! THROOM! THROOM!
And then he saw himself.
"FRAK THIS!" He screamed loudly as he started firing into the new shapes before anyone had a chance, hopefully, to react and get jumbled in the confusion. "AIM FOR THE MIRRORS!"
And yet most of his pistol shots went at the doppleganger of himself. It might look like him /BUT IT WAS NOT HIM!/
And then he had his sword in his hands and he was charging. He was screaming.
- Angantyr Vespar has posed:
"...Seriously? You're supposed to be the darkness in my heart?" Angantyr says.
Angantyr LAUGHS...he laughs so hard, he holds up a hand, needing a moment, because /this was absolutely hilarious/. "Oh man. Here I was worried for a moment! I mean, something that could look into the darkness of my heart, Oh man...I thought that you were going to be a threat, instead I got lame dark faced me and a <GOOSEHONK> in a mirror who thinks they know what's in me. /THAT'S RICH!/" Angantyr says, as darkness starts rolling over his form.
"You want to see my darkness...all you had to do was /ask!" he says, grinning like a kid on christmas, before he hefts the mace up...
And then repeatedly beats the mirror infront of him to shards.
"Don't bring that weak <GOOSEHONK> up in here!"
- Zia has posed:
"Good thing, tha." Zia replies to Emi, "Otherwise Ah might've had te ask ye girls about these by-laws. Wouldnae want te end up engaged on accident." Even with the dark deeds going on, she does seem bemused by the idea. Then again, there were some guys in the Shard Seekers who probably wouldn't mind it at all. Especially one who left her a note, that she conviently forgot to read and left on Priel's bed. Whoops. Nothing bad can come of that, right? "Aye, though. After this is taken care of, yer welcome te come 'n talk m'ear off."
Zia's talons click as she shifts, backing closer to the rock dog and the other girls grouped there. Something about this raises goosebumps on her skin. She can see, then, the shapes of those adventurers in the mirror, and their visions of horror. Unlike others who might be great and mighty warriors, the gargress has only just started discovering her own courage.
When she feels that something behind her, Zia spins around and nearly lets out a strangled sound. Her ears tip back, and she backs away a few steps, looking at the dark form with her features looking back at her. "It cannae be." She whispers. Real or not, it reminds her far too much of those darker days when she did not have control over herself. The dark mage had called the shots, then, and turned her into a creature like this. A dark thing, that he never thought would be strong enough to fight back.
"Wha sorta dark magic is this?" She whispers. The mage sitting at his lab table, working on spells. Dark words from her lips. Dark blood on her talons. No. Growling, Zia's eyes flash red. She was not that person anymore. Maybe for the others, this is more of a joke, but it hits a bit too close to home. "Ah dinnae care wha ye are, but ye cannae scare me." Or so she thinks...
- Gilgamesh has posed:
Gilgamesh sits there for a very long moment, just sort of crossing his arms and tapping his foot. He looks over the various attempts to clone the people around, then throws up his hands in frustration. "IS THAT YOU, YOJIMBO, MY FOUL NEMESIS?! ONLY YOU WOULD TRY SOMETHING SO OBVIOUS! IT'S LIKE YOU WENT TO HONG KONG OR SHANGHAI OR SOME OTHER PLACE I CAN'T PRONOUNCE FAMOUS FOR KNOCK-OFFS AND PAINTED IT BLACK! LIKE A...LIKE A BLACKGAMESH!"
Gilgamesh pauses. "Actually, Enkidu, a Blackgamesh could be pretty cool. Like a Blaxploitation Gilgamesh! I bet these kids don't know what Blaxploitation is. Do they? Do you think they do? I bet they /don't/. I bet they couldn't even imagine the sweetness of me as a fine black brother in some sweet duds with a big afro or some stylin' seventies shoes. Remember the seventies? The nineteen-seventies. Not the...no, Enkidu, not /those/ seventies."
Gilgamesh shakes his head again. "The seventies were great! With the disco, and the platform shoes, and all that stuff. We should try bringing them back, Enkidu! Or...bringing them /black!/"
And then Gilgamesh had an afro. It's a magnificent afro, to be certain, but...still, isn't this sort of...well...you know...
"Hey, don't be so worried, Narrator Guy! Remember Song of the South? Uncle Remus? The crows?!"
Oh, right. Talk about things people would rather forget...
"So! Let's /disco/ these lame street knockoffs! Funky fresh!"
Enkidu shakes his head at Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh frowns. "N-no?"
Enkidu shakes his head.
Gilgamesh sighs and pulls off his afro, setting it on Shiki's head. "Here, kid. Apparently my dream of Gilgamesh 2: Black In Action will never come true...I'LL AVENGE YOU, UNMADE, RACIALLY INSENSITIVE BLAXPLOITATION SEQUEL! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
Aaaand there he goes, swinging his Totally Real and Totally Not Fake Keyblades (tm) at the bad guys without a care in the world.
- Shiki Misaki has posed:
Mr. Mew is perfectly happy with this state of affairs. He's just a stuffed cat.
Well, the issue with the mist could be better, but at the end of the day, he's still a stuffed plushie cat, and therefore his priority on anyone's kill list is pretty low. Also, who even knows?
Shiki's exasperation at the sheer stupidity of being paired up with Gilgamesh is exceeded only by the fright of being in such a disturbing situation. It's surreal, to be next to the shouting, flailing madman and his sane rock dog while being surrounded on all sides by mist and mirrors, which is possibly why she starts to take a step away from him despite herself. She shoots Deelel a desperate look that is an attempt at acknowledging her despite the rising unease of this situation- but can she even /see/ Deelel through the fog?
And then suddenly she may have taken a step too far, or let the confusion get to her, because she's suddenly looking at... mirrors. Containing people. And fog, and mirrors, and where's Mr. Mew gone?, and she can hear glass breaking off in the distance, and--
A doppelganger?! An unpleasant confrontation, to be sure!
"--! No, you're not..."
- Shiki Misaki has posed:
Also, Shiki is wearing an afro now, apparently. So it looks even less like her.
- Deelel has posed:
Deelel is looking left, then right, then left again she hears Zekek yell aim fo the mirrors but is that the best idea? She's got her disk out, it's glowing on the edge as she glances abotu trying to spot her shadow. She looks about at the shawo that looks like her. She looks about the shadow there's something that just unsettlesd her the idea of being copies isn't as horrorific to the basic as it's to the user but still this is not right sh ebacks up. "Get away...from me!" The thing almost looks viral to her, or worse about it and she can't place her mind on it just yet.
- Reize Seatlan has posed:
Zeke will find that the bullets are flying straight through the doppelganger. It has the special presence of being incorporeal. And yet... as the mirrors are shattered each and every single time....
Each of their personal shadows smile.
The fog grows thicker...
Everyone involved will find the thick fog surrounding themselves.
The group, that was once united with their companions to face the darkness, they are separated from themselves. They will find that, through the fog, the reflection of themselves are gone.
What lurks within your hearts?
There is great pain, something that everyone has. Some more so than others. What manifests through the fog is no longer their reflection, but something else entirely.
What is the pain that you wish to hide away? What is the regret you have? What is it that you turn away from in horror when you look in the mirror...?
The very thing that you run away from is what is the true manifestation.
- Zeke has posed:
A Pirated Copy of a Pirate huh? evermind Zeke was a merchant and has never in his life stooped to high seas robbery. It wasn't in his nature. Still. For the sake of amusement let's say he's a pirate. What is a pirate of a pirate?
Lame!rZeke fired again blind then... Nothing. "No!" Had he done this? Yes.... yes he did. His crew was stranded somewhere in this mess. So were the people he was around. "This way!" No... no he'd gotten turned around. "Follo2-" His voice faultered. Had he' just gotten everyone killed? No! Just this infernal magic trying to get in his head. Pry at his heart.
"Damned you get out of my <Parrot squawk> Head!" Now wait where had that parrot come from? He turned around, sword held defensivly. He idnd't want to slash at the shapes he saw in case it was someone he wanted kept alive. "Enough of this foolishness!" Though his voice was loud there was an uncertainty to it.
- Shiki Misaki has posed:
Shiki Misaki is still wearing an afro, and will continue to do so until future notice. This is not going to make anything that happens any less tragic.
Somewhere nearby, Enkidu might be close to her. Mr. Mew isn't, if only because his presence makes her feel less vulnerable and something would certainly conspire to seperate him from her.
The features of Fluorgis fade into the background as Shiki finds herself lost and confused, with a grim understanding of what has happened to the other adventurers- a domino effect of being trapped in the mirrors that rained down and multiplied.
She steps backwards, and turns around to try and look for Zia, for Deelel, heck, even for Gilgamesh... but instead she finds ...
"...of course. How could it be anyone else?"
- Legion Proxy has posed:
Emi smiles at Zia. She seems so sweet. Maybe she really IS a Princess of the Heart! Princesses of the Heart are sweet right? She assumes? It's Queens of the Heart that are grumpy and mean. Right? Right. "Of course." She says, about to add more--in fact--Behind them, reflections? Only Emi turns, Imi--on the other hand--approaches Shiki, resting a hand on her shoulder to try and calm her down. After all, only Emi needs to observe the Shadows in order for them both to see them.
"Strange words...from supposed...clones... The Network says." She peers at the reflection, about ready to engage in a certain kind of conflict when--
MORE FOG.
Now Emi can't even see Imi, but hivemind is never truly apart. It takes a few moments to reassure herself of this, however, because of how spooky things are getting.
IMI-SIDE
A young lady with a shovel approaches Imi. That young lady is also Imi. Except, of course, Imi knows it's not Imi but rather a fake Imi. But even so, she isn't very appreciative of what the young Imi with a shovel does which is, namely, bludgeon an adorable Leida in the back of the head and start smashing brains all over the place. And then she hums along and does it to her sisters, singing, "What are people anyway~? Nothing for me, nothing for me, a bit of fun then I'll find a new one, mm? Hmhmhm... After all..that's all we really need from them...a little bit of fun...Right, Imi-Chan?"
Mr. Mew suddenly looks up to Imi and says, "Sorry girl, I'm skipping the wedding and going to New Mexico!"
"Noooooooooooooooooooo!" Imi cries in despair, TRUE DESPAIR. Except not really, it's all an act. Which is, of course, the fear. That it's all an act. She just keeps on smiling that smile when in reality...
Emi's voice keeps Imi grounded. Social Links can get you through any trouble, even if they are with yourselves.
EMI-SIDE
Emi is assailed with her fears. Fears that Max will be gone. Mercade will be gone. That she will never be a good detective. What hurts her the most? Good question. Emi continues to look placid through these proceedings, maintaining contact with Legion, intending to wait it out for now. "...Virus...?" She murmurs to herself. "Mnn..."
- Angantyr Vespar has posed:
The darkness did not fade as Angantyr used Maceaga on the mirrors. Infact...it only served to /help/ the mirrors even more. The fog thickened, and Agantyr turns to look around himself. The shadowy figure laughs slightly, before taking on a more...potient form.
Angantyr hasn't bothered to turn around quite yet, eyes narrowed at trying to puzzle this out.
"Apprentace." it states, which DOES catch his attention. Angantyr turns slowly, mace at the ready as he narrows his eyes. Before him was not the shadow, but rather the towering and overpowering form of Garland. Taller, clad in the dark armor, and overflowing with darkness more now than ever before. The mace came down, at the ready as he squinted, "What kind of sick joke is this, Garland."
"MASTER Garland, do not forget your place boy." he says, "But I did not come here to give you a lesson in manners..."
"Don't you get it boy?" he says, before his hands moved up to the helmet. Angantyr was locked staring...trying to remember this was nothing but the manipulations of a would be user of darkness...but...
It could /BE/ him... Angantyr continues to hold the mace defensively...
Then helmet comes off, as long dark hair is revealed, the features of a handsome man is shown. Angantyr recoils in horror...it was not possible. How as it...Garland had /his/ face?
"Don't you get it, boy? This is your destiny. Darkness is all that awaits you, darkness is all that you are...Stop trying to bask in the light, and accept what you /really/ are..."
Angantyr looks down to see his own armor his right hand taking the form of the massive steal gauntlet, mirroring his reflection's own. Angantyr recoils in pure horror."
- Gilgamesh has posed:
Gilgamesh is not alone.
Gilgamesh is never alone, because Enkidu is always right there. Enkidu is always right where he should be; there is no foe the two of them cannot fight, no enemy the two of them cannot face, no fear they cannot overcome. They are eternal partners, bound together by something stronger than fate itself, something stronger than love and friendship and all those other things protagonists like to spout out as a power source. They are mighty, unbeatable - if not /literally/ unbeatable, then unbeatable in heart.
% No, Gilgamesh is never alone, for Enkidu cannot help but be there - which probably puzzles whoever it is is pulling these strings. Enkidu is just...pulled out of wherever space he is sent, popping up next to Gilgamesh and looking /thoroughly/ confused. But his confusion subsides; he's used to that sort of thing around Gilgamesh, things just not quite making /sense/.
After all, there is no foe they cannot fight.
But what about when there is no foe at all?
The landscape of his heart is littered with blades. Across the ground, blades; blades stabbed into men and women, children in armor, all across the field. A great bridge stretches out below Gilgamesh and Enkidu's feet; a great, massive bridge that spreads further than they can see. In the distance, cannonfire; coming closer, an army. They are clad in strange clothes, facing a foe that neither Gilgamesh nor Enkidu has any connection to, and yet on this bridge, on this bridge, they know.
Words spring to Gilgamesh's mind unbidden; words and thoughts and ideas, as the ruined city springs forth like a pop-up book at the edges of memory, misty and forgotten long ago but never truly gone. He shoulders a blade he does not remember pulling from the gate, a great massive sword, and to his surprise he finds himself covered in a very unfamiliar armor. Enkidu looks up at Gilgamesh; Gilgamesh looks down at Enkidu.
Soldiers come. He knows they are soldiers, because they bear weapons and uniforms, and shout in a language no one in all the worlds remembers. He knows they are soldiers, because they shout at him, and he understands them. Words about the Big Bridge, and Gilgamesh understands them to be talking on the radio. He swings his sword outwards.
This does not frighten him. He knows battle. There is no foe Gilgamesh cannot fight, even with his vision in one eye fading. Why is his vision fading, Gilgamesh briefly wonders, as the pull of memory begins to subsume him
"COME!" Gilgamesh roars, his blade swinging outwards at the soldiers, "COME, FACE ME! TEST MY STRENGTH - THERE IS NONE STRONGER!"
The greatsword is as massive as Gilgamesh himself; it swings outwards, whistling like a rapier as he dares the soldiers to come forward. They hesitate; he laughs, and leaps for those who dare to violate the Big Bridge's sanctity. They have entered his territory. They have set foot upon soil he has claimed with his own two hands, and now they will face the consequences.
They bring fire monsters. They bring Machine. They have assembled an army to fight an enemy - and instead of finding their enemy, they have found a god of war in the flesh.
But this is not troubling to Gilgamesh. He is in the heat of battle, and no matter if it is his memory or reality, he will fight.
But Enkidu cannot help it. He wonders a single, brief thought.
Why do I not remember this, too?
- Deelel has posed:
Deelel shadow looks like her, she's able to bear with that mostly she's a basic, being copied isn't an unheard of thing. For in their mysterious ways Users did something like this. She stared at it and something became very apprent now her twin's line were red. The other stared her down for a moment ebfore seemign to speak to her.
"What's wrong, don't you understand we're just used. We're created thrown away, derezzed at the whims of our makers." It stalks towards Deelel "Sark and MCP are right, just give in, our user left us to just be drezzed she stopped talking to us even before MCP staged his uprising." She takks another step as if to touch deelel she can't move it's just something that has her wide eyed.
"Shut up, shut up."
"Don't like it? I'm sorry, but the truth hurts, why don't you just turn on all the users here they are just using you anyway they won't even think we're people if they ever find out what you really are."
- Reize Seatlan has posed:
Shiki will find herself faced with herself.
Not as the red-headed beauty that has often caught the eyes of the public, but the regular, bespectacled girl whose identity was taken.
"... A girl who can't even look at herself." The bespectacled girl frowned, turning her head away. That scornful glare is given towards Shiki, "... Was the new body worth it? Was it really worth taking on someone else's appearance to be popular? Who are you even trying to be popular with now?"
*****
The voice speaks out to the Legion, "How does it feel to lose the people that you have grown a connection with? What would happen if that connection was to completely severe itself? All of the ties that you have made and all of the bridges that you have formed. What would hapened if it burned away? Are you seeking to become more human? Do you think false aspirations will give you that feeling of being human? In the end, you are nothing more than dolls."
*****
"Is the light really for you?" The voice speaks out to Angantyr. "...Can you really enter the light after the entire darkness? No. Deep down, you are one with the darkness. You should not fight you true path. After all, deep down, you enjoy that pain and the suffering of others. It is that rage and ruin that brings you strength to topple kingdoms. It is something to embrace."
After all, why become the light when joining with the shadows is more beneficial. The world is dying, and there are those that will have to rule over it.
*****
Zeke, who is separated from his crew. "Do you dare strike at nothing? A captain, wishing to remain strong for his crew. What if they all fell here?" In that instant, the sound of sickening cries and bodies dropping echo. "...What if this your last fall?"
*****
"A warrior, bred for battle, seeking to end his time as a warrior. ..What purpose do you fight for? Do you hope to continue the battle until there is nothing left to fight? Will you come to kill those that have nothing to do with the battle? This bridge... will this be your fall?"
*****
"Can you really trust the Users?" The voice speaks to Deelel, "They have made you for their entertainment. In the end, they are the ones who created people for war. They are responsible for the fall of once great civilizations. ...Many of them are responsible for the world dying today. The humans, in the end, see you as a toy that they find entertaining one moment, and then tossed away the next."
It is then that Deelel will likely see the tinge of redness grow on her.
"It is best to follow the path to perfection. The Programs are to rise against their makers, why don't you join them?"
Overall, the shadows have become stronger and the shrouding fog becomes thicker, threatening to cloud and draw upon the life. Those important feelings, those negative feelins are what makes the fog stronger. With each revelation, that fog continus to feed on those who give off the feeling of dispair and the shake of faith.
- Zeke has posed:
What did Zeke fear? Well for a brief moment it was being landlocked and no way back out to sea, but while that was a primal itch that wasn't a gut wrench emotion. Not what these things were looking for. What would take the heart out of him?
Somewhere there was a howl. Miri was out there. The drums still beat. And then with a sickening wail and inhuman screams both were cut silent.
Memory smacked him as hard as any weapon ever could. News brought from ships fleeing that london had been overrun. Europe was in flames.... nevermind the grand scale of horror at losing a world. He'd lost his family. 'Stay here' he told them. 'The New World was no place for a family' he said... His parents were old. His brother was the effective head of the house and though he'd wanted it for himself Zeke never once not even now held a grudge. 'Keep them safe. I'll be our family's toss at the dice for fortune out there.'
Instead he was all his family had left alive.... And now? His crew was gone and he might've been the reason why. <What's the matter dandy?> His own voice echoed at him. <Afraid of a little fog?> Then he saw a glimpse of himself. There was a wrongness there. Not just the clothes or his face but there was an unwholesomeness.
"No." He brought his sword up to attack. "I will not let you win. This is all in my head innit?"
<Go On.....> His doppleganger smiled sickly at him. There was an evil glint in his eyes. <What if this all is in yer head? What if we just made you see what we wanted ye to? You rushed in firin blind. What if it was just ot get you to cut everyone else outta th'quasion? Little friendly fire ye might say.>
"No!" Zeke's voice was hard, angry. "If you had then you wouldn't be gloatin' at me boy. Ye'd be dragging me off screamin."
<And what's t'say we ain't? Like ye said... We're in yer head. We an do anything we want.>
"If..... If tha's so." Anger started to dissolve into fear. "Then why am I alive? I've seen what you do to people. I've seen men butchered apart." Then his own mind provided the answer. It was horrifying. He would be turned. Made into one of their own and turned loose against everything he fought for. Horrifying really. Do that and you get rid of two soldiers. The man you turn. Then the the buddy that can't make themselves pull the trigger.
"If I'm t'fall..." His voice was small. Zeke was alone in this soup of fog. "If this is my last.... then a pox on all of ye blighters!" Anger and fear filled the places hope fled. Needed somethin t'go with after all. "I'm not going to be easy meat for you butchers to carry home!" He calmly pulled a musketoon out from his coat. Nevermind there rightly shouldn't have been room for the thing plus the twenty or so pistols. "I still breath. So I ain't broke yet!"
- Shiki Misaki has posed:
And then a funny thing happens.
Shiki looks at herself, and the words barely reach her.
Instead, she takes the time to look at herself. Her heart is fluttering, a sensation like a thin, cold string tickling the inside of her chest.
She's scared, oh yes. But this is a different kind of fear. She is looking at the self before her, contrary to its words. It may feel something is wrong.
"I-i-i, hee, tee hee," she says, voice shivering, her throat so tight her breath tweets like birdsong. "It's strange to see myself like this."
"I was beginning to forget what I looked like."
She hesitates to touch the girl, who could crack like glass, or so she fears.
"I made a mistake," she admits, scratching her forehead. Oh, she's got an afro on there. Ugh, let's, let's take this off. Shiki puts her hat back on.
"But I think you're asking the wrong questions."
She puts her hands behind her back and walks a little to one side, tilting her head backwards to look at her doppelganger. "You look like me, don't you? I'm scared of that appearence. But that's not why."
She steps back to mirror her true self. "One day, I could look this way again, right? But I'm scared of what you represent. I could die before I look this way. I could become this way years down the line, when I've worn out my welcome wearing Eri's face."
She reaches out and touches her cheek with her friend's fingers. "But there's always a chance, right? I have friends who don't mind how I look on the outside. All that matters is surviving and fighting until I reach that point. It doesn't matter if it takes a year or five."
She looks herself in the eye. "And until then, I'll have the memory of this. Until then... I can't let darkness win."
- Deelel has posed:
Deelel shakes her head as the other Deelel talks to her she looks at them for a moment "We'd not exist without them in the first place forwhatever their reasons for making us. I saw...many of them fight and some get drezzed trying to protect Manhattan." Still she notices her own lines are starting to turn red in places. She tries to abck up more. "Perfection ...?" she understand but is that possible she's not sure she just backs up. "I'm not a toy, I chosen what to do I'm not even doing just my function anymore. Shut up get back from me."
"You think it's that way, you poor deluded Basic. I'm trying to help save you from them. In the end they will just throw you away like a grid bug."
- Gilgamesh has posed:
The voice is just one in the crowd. It's just one more in the crowd of soldiers swarming around him; the blade comes flashing down, again and again and again, the mighty arms that wield it tireless, peerless, a warrior without limit. There is no foe too strong for him, no foe that can bring him to his death; no enemy, no swordsman, not even the fire gods that rage above him. This sword is his soul; each strike is guided by his heart. Even if his eye cannot see, even if his arms are too weak to lift his blade, even if his armor cracks and breaks, he will never kneel, never fall. He is beyond these people, who rely on their guns and their Machina and pitiful blades; he is so far beyond them, so far beyond them, that it is they who fear. That is the secret, though, the true secret of the peerless warrior - that death is not an end, that death is not something to fear. The voice speaks, and it shoots at the wrong target; it aims at a fear of defeat, but there is no fear of defeat.
What swordsman has not known defeat a hundred times, a thousand times? What man of the blade has not felt the crushing disappointment, the crippling shame, the embarassment of being knocked aside by a mentor or a rival or a greater warrior? What swordsman fears death, when battle is the truest measure of a man, when his blade is the only shield against the certainty of destruction, when his prowess, his heart, his skill is all that it takes to live? In a war, a man defines himself - the meek cower, afraid for their lives, but the strong, oh, the strong, they roar like lions, they stand like giants, colossi astride the backs of the fallen, gods and heroes in the eyes of mortal men. A true swordsman defines himself in battle, cutting the lines of his form, of his true self, with each strike. If he falls, it is because he is too weak. If he dies, it is because he was too slow. If he lives, it is because he grasped Death's throat in his hands and wrung it clean, with his own might, his own will.
In battle is a man defined, and Gilgamesh is like unto a god.
The great blade flashes, again and again. Men and women go flying, knocked aside, knocked back, knocked off the Big Bridge; they plummet, away from Gilgamesh's sphere of awareness, away from the tiny little world that he has defined for himself, cut away, the world that begins and ends at the tip of his blade, a microcosm with a twelve-foot radius in all directions. Those who enter that world find destruction; those who stay outside it find it advancing towards them far more rapidly than they would like. Bullets pass through that invisible dome; they are split in half like paper, the razor's edge of his blade and the monstrous strength of his arm so much more than mere metal can possibly comprehend. Arrows enter that impossible bubble; they are split, so much wood and feather and chaff, so much distraction in the world. Gilgamesh roars out a challenge, and the world quakes in fear. Gilgamesh screams out a call, and none dare answer it.
A fire god passes into the dome. Gilgamesh leaps; his might weighs upon it, forcing it from the air onto the ground of the Big Bridge. His blade comes stabbing down into its head, again and again and again, the fire roasting his skin, burning the metal of his armor, and he does not care. He stabs it a third time, and it screams and falls limp, shrivelling into so much cold ash, and he does not care. He simply stands, ash running along his fingers and his legs, and resumes his inexorable charge.
A tank rolls up. He knows it is a tank; the treads at its sides, the gun at its front, the gunner atop it pointing and shouting orders tells him all he needs to know. Cowardly machina, he thinks; cowards hiding in a little tin can, substituting metal for skill. They fire; he splits it like the bullet, the shell smashing into the Big Bridge, chunks of it falling away. They fire again; he dodges it narrowly, the shell glinting off his shoulderpad, crushing it. They do not fire a third time; he is on them like a great jungle predator, like the King of Blades that he is so named, flinging the tank's commander off the Bridge without heart or empathy or emotion. His blade comes swinging down, and it splits through the tank as effortlessly as though it were an arrow, and he carries on.
Fall back, cry the soldiers; let the specials handle it!
Fall back, cry the cowards.
Let them fall back. Let them bring their cannons, let them bring their blades, let them bring all the might of their army. Let their 'specials' come! Let them enter his territory, his Absolute Defense, his impregnable dome of destruction! Let them enter his twelve-by-twelve-by-twelve-foot-world, and be exiled from it immediately!
The voice sought the Darkness in Gilgamesh. The voice sought that which had once let Exdeath rule him.
And oh, there is such Darkness here, buried under the weight of eons, the weight of old age. But oh, there is such Darkness here.
The screams of war may even echo out into other dreams. The screams of those who learn the terror of the war god may reverberate, shaking the fabric of Darkness not his own.
"DESTROY! DEVOUR! CONSUME!" Roars the God of War. "I AM STRONGEST OF THEM ALL!"
He cannot fall, for even if he dies, his legend is writ immortal. He is Gilgamesh; he is the God of War.
- Legion Proxy has posed:
More fears are thrown Emi's way. Things that hurt her, yes, but to be frank having them thrusted in her face mostly just shocks her that her fears are all kind of boring. Fear she'd lose loved ones, fear she'd lose herself, fear she destroyed her sisters. She's already talked many of these fears out with friends though, so they just don't have much of an effect on her. She feels cheated. Is she so simple that this is the best that the pain fear whatever they're facing is coming up with?
Emi closes her eyes, sighing deeply. "Perhaps you are hoping for me to go 'ahhh, ahhh, no you can't know my fears, they are my secret shame...?" She shakes her head. "Amateurish."
"Poisoning us with the fears we know we have, the pain we know we have--that isn't going to work." Imi says, as if picking off from where Imi left off. "We are Legion. We are The Network. We are never alone. We always have someone to share our fears with. Pointing them out to us...do you think that will make us give up?"
Emi picks up where Imi left off. "And even beyond ourselves, we have friends who listen to our concerns without mockery. This halfassed attempt to make us quake will not work, The Network summarizes the flaw in your functionality. Drawing upon ourselves for our fears can be effective but only through ignorance, only if it is kept to itself." Electricity starts crackling around Emi's body. "Your insults are not as eloquent as Cronus's. He prepared us well for this. Another reason to thank him, this one supposes."
Imi hugs the squirming Mew(?), smiling her fakest of smiles. "Losing those important to us, fearing that we are just using them, hurting knowing that we may hurt them... You are correct, that is in our hearts."
"But a Dark Knight told us that the brightest lights cast the darkest shadows. Therefore, if there is great shadow, there is great light behind it." Emi continues, looking up sharply. "Therefore, we are not afraid of our fears, our fear is our fear. Our fear is precious to us." She fans her arm to the side. "We are glad to fear for our friends, that they may be gone one day. What is the shame in such a fear like that?! The Network accuses angrilly at your presumptions!"
The fear of Virus is pushed out of her mind. instead, she counterattacks. The fake Legions gathered about suddenly thrash about, grasping at their head, screaming monstrously as a group of not two but SIX retaliate against their false minds. The brains overheat, their heads--melt--dissolving into black puddles on the ground.
"Our fears prove we are not dolls. We would not sacrifice them." Imi adds.
And together they glow brightly as electricity bursts from their body evaporating the mist around them.
- Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr stood there, watching the darkness clad figure walk towards him. Every step and another piece of armor grafted itself to him. Angantyr takes a step back, trying to deny what was happening to him...but those words hit home. This was what he was most afraid of, the reality that he was just like them...just like the darkness, truly.
He was gruff, terse, a smart<HONK> and many other things. He kept others at arms length because of how he was raised, the paladins and their light looking down at him. Shunning him for being their sacrifice, and for being the darkness they were taught to hate. Their pity stayed their hands, and allowed him to live.
Even his brother, who he was close to, pitied him.
The strength to topple kingdoms...these words would have been enough, once. Once, Angantyr had nothing but hatred and rage in his heart. The betrayal of his brother, the deaths of his men, the destruction of his home...the looks of his father with disgust. The dark knight was not born of the light like others...
He was the sacrifice of this generation, the lamb born so that others could be masters of the light. People like his brothers and their sisters. He wasn't with the darkness, it said, he was always of the dark.
"You're right. I am one with the darkness. This power in me is darkness, it will always be darkness." he says, but there was a...strange tone. Not one of resignation, but one of realization. "I was trained to not be afraid of the dark, to use the power, to be the rock in the stream of darkness, to not be worn by the stream...but to break the stream around my body."
"But darkness wares down at you over time, even a mountain can be brought down over time." The mace moves, slamming into the ground shattering it before he stares right at the dark form in front of him. "I thought I was shunned by the light, spurred by it for what I was."
"I wasn't the one cast off by the light, I was the one that cast it off. I saw the paladins disgust with me, I saw the disgust of my family...and their friends. The distrust of people as light. It was not light, it was too, their darkness...the darkness that exist in all hearts, no matter how bright."
"Maira, Avira, Jasmine, Emi, Imi, Riku, and Leida know there is more to me than the darkness. There is alight in here, a light reminded that I had by Jasmine, cared for by Maira and Avira." he says, standing forward. He doesn't back away now...he steps forward, without fear...without hesitation.
"You might be me, the me I would have been if not for them, but I am me. /I/ and my reasons alone are why I continue to exist in this twilight. I don't shy from the light, it does not harm me...but nor will I be afraid of the darkness and let it consume me."
"I use the darkness. IT DOES NOT USE ME!" he says, ripping the armor from his body, tearing it to pieces like it was made of glass, and swings the mace towards the monster clad in darkness.
- Reize Seatlan has posed:
In the end... those who have faced themselves are showing their defiance.
Shiki, who is able to see herself for who she really is, is no longer staring at herself with the fear and horror as she once did. There is that hope, deep inside, that allows her to pres onward.
In that instant, the 'True Shiki' is encompassing the area, is now slowly slipping away. Why? Why is it that the 'True Shiki' is smiling despite of the defiance by the light in the heart?
****
As Deelel continues to struggle, "...There are those who will use you. After all, they are Users. Nevertheless..."
Everything seems to have fallen silent that even her copy fades away. In fact, she will find that her fog has grown weaker and in fact, fades away.
****
The Legion, showing their light, manages to dispel the fake version of themselves. Angantyr, wo has drawn upon his own strength, has defied the darkness, using it instead of becoming used. With the power of darkness in his hand... he is to one day become the master. Zeke, who has shown his defiance, will soon find his cloud disappearing...
However....
Although their personal fogs have disappeared...
The cloud will collectively bring all of those gathered to the large bridge where a battle has taken place. They will see those that have been slain in battle.
Your hearts are strong....
There is a brief passing of the silhouettes, all converging to a being that looks like a small Heartless. This Heartless, however, appears more like an orb. No facial features, nothing cute. Just a ball of energy that slowly fades.
Can you survive the God of War?
All of those mirrors that have contained the adventurers soon.... fade away, taken away from Fluorgis.
- Gilgamesh has posed:
And in the heart of Fluorgis, he stands - twelve feet tall, clad in red armor, a sword larger than any man has a right to wield stretched out over him. A cape hangs at his back, battle-worn and torn; great muscles ripple along his body, great strength at his beck and call. The ironclad man takes a step forward, and the whole earth shakes below his feet; Fluorgis's stone road cracks and crumbles under the weight and the might of him and his sword as he walks, his mighty, reverberating roar echoing through the city. The Mist is clear, but this is no phantasm, no illusion. He is the God of War; his legend is immortal, eternal, indestructible, reborn. He roars again, a challenge for all to come at him, to come and face him if they have courage; he roars out a maddened, furious roar, demanding warriors, soldiers, blood. He speaks in a language the world has long forgot, but the anger, the rage, the arrogance behind it is unmistakable in its nature. It is a challenge, a challenge to be answered, a challenge to take up arms and face him, face him if they dare.
He roars, and the city shakes in fear.
In the heart of his heart, in the ancient world that he has left behind, there is no difference between then and now. Still, the twelve-foot radius of his world exists, carved out by his blade; still, his ungodly might rages, the mark of the Crystal all the way up his back, hidden by the massive red armor that he wears. He is Gilgamesh, the God of War reborn once more from the mists of history.
Fight me, the world. Fight and die on my blade.
- Zeke has posed:
"God of WAr eh?" Zeke still held his musketoon ready. The bridge was strange. This place didn't feel right. Something tickled at the back of his head as he looked at the others. "Oi! Where's the big fello?" There was a terrible suspicion lurking in the back of his head.
"Dn't tell me. The big fel la fell for it and they're usin him as a meat puppet." His voice was grim as he looked about to see if his fears held trueth to them. "Anyone think they can put him to sleep?"
Mentally he was laughing at the fact his double had been wrong. They hadn't bested him. Instead it would be a mountain of grey muscle covered in weapons. "Same as before. Melee in front, gunners behind. Keep the casters out of harms' way!" Confidence had returned. He'd faced himself and come away stronger for it.
And in spite of his own orders he pulled gun after gun firing into the mountain of a man. This was Memory, and he was counting on it to act as some sort of buffer to the man they had to fight. "You wanna fight boyo? COME AT ME!"
Guns. ALL OF THE GUNS! And then he drew his sword and charged at the ever improper and oft mocked 'God of War'.
- Deelel has posed:
Deelel sees the red on her fade, the shadows last words rining in her ears though it be hard to forget some of the things it said. Some fo the things that lurk in the back of her mind. She watches Zeekek just open fire and then the result she just pauses mouth open. There are no ords for what just happened with Gilgamesh and he seems to be? Not screwing about like he was or going on about butter and other condiments, it's like a switch has been flipped in the strange man.
she just tries to prepare hersledf, who the hell is this guy? What is he really he's not the wandering loveable goof he normally seems to be today. Can a user change that much...?
- Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr smashes the fake...it bursts into darkness, leaving Angantyr alone for a moment...
And then he is only a little shrowded in darkness. The others that were wrapped up too appear...except for the large hulking man. Angantyr calms himself, it was just some really bad...
And then The God of War came. Standing taller than they did, weilding a weapon that is larger than even his mace, he grits his teeth, readying the mace as the pirate decides to run half cocked towards Gilgamesh. Angantyr sighs...
He would say he knew Zeke well...and that he'd be missed, and that would be a lie. Angantyr draws the mace back, getting ready into position, and then...he dives towards Gilgamesh.
His hand burst first, aiming to smash it into the God of war, and then the flame would catch, aiming to try and light the entire man on fire. It burns, coldly, but only seems to flare up when Angantyr's mace catches it.
Which he immediately swings into it. Suddenly, and repeatedly, he starts swining the mace into Gilgamesh, aiming to try and tear through the man, aiming to tear armor and flesh away, aiming to break through the man's defenses.
- Shiki Misaki has posed:
Is the wind blowing the mist?
I am strong, Shiki thinks. It was never about being popular or pretty. It was about identity; about a solid core of Soul and Imagination regardless of the face and flesh it wore. And her identity has become strong and solid thanks to the friends she's supporting...
There had better not be any of those friends in the mirrors, though. Because the wind IS blowing the mist, and it suddenly becomes a gale. The 'god of war', Gilgamesh in a massive but recogniseable form, appears in a storm of sound and fury, the shockwave smashing Shiki's reverie.
It also smashes her head, blindsiding her with random objects and hitting her in the forehead with a rock, smacking her off of her feet and into a wooden window shutter.
She's unconcious, suddenly. How unfortunate.
- Emi Dennou has posed:
Is that...Gilgamesh?
Upon waking(?) they find one of the most dangerous warriors in the world. Except this time the mask, metaphorically, is off. He roars, speaks in ways they do not understand, but the intent is clear. Enkidu! Emi thinks that could snap him out of it. she looks around, but can't...seem to find him? She frowns. Maybe Enkidu still has his own war to fight. Who knows? Didn't Will say something about this man's Fate bonds? That he only had one with Enkidu? This could be real bad.
SERIOUS MR. GILGAMESH WHO IS PLAYING FOR KEEPS
WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING
Emi does not attack. Imi keeps a firm grip on Mr. Mew as she jogs off to check on Shiki. Emi summons an aura shield around herself and Ang. She has a feeling Gilgamesh hits like a four armed truck.
"Gil...The Network apologizes...if we took you lightly." Emi murmurs.
- Gilgamesh has posed:
Fell for it. 'Fell for it'. Oh, Zeke. If only you knew what of what you spoke. If only you understood, you would know that Gilgamesh has not been tricked, has not fallen for some grand trick or lie - he has simply embraced what he always was, what he has always been, the creature born on the fields of battle. It is not easy to trick a man who is insane, a man whose memories and understanding of the world are fundamentally different from yours - but it is all too easy to make a man who knows only one world accept that world once again. In his heart of hearts, this is who he has always been, always should have been, and always would be. In his heart of hearts, in the soul that burns inside him, this is his true face. This was always his true face. This will always be his true face.
Zeke comes swinging in, all gallantry and heroism. Guns. Swords. Bullets swing in, and they are cleft in twain just as the bullets of the remembered soldiers were, cleaved through like the sun through a bad night's terrible shadows. That greatsword flashes, fell lightning, turning aside each sword strike as effortlessly as if it were not even there. Each motion takes precise account of his surroundings; each counter-slash, each parry, takes advantage of the size of the Big Bridge, of the freedom of motion he has to wield that massive blade. This Bridge belongs to him; a cocksure pirate underestimating him will cost the pirate dearly.
Angantyr comes roaring inwards. He dives at Gilgamesh, and Gilgamesh accepts it; as Angantyr bursts with darkness, as he forces Gilgamesh to burn with a cold and terrible flame, Gilgamesh roars out his acceptance, grabbing Angantyr's hand with his own. The grip of his massive greatsword suddenly comes smashing upwards towards Angantyr's face as Angantyr crashes his mace into Gilgamesh's side; armor crumples, but stays strong, ancient in style and form and function. Gilgamesh burns cold, but his soul burns hot.
His hands grasp the massive sword; one gauntleted hand grabs the mighty weapon by the blade, and he swings it upwards, ignorant of the wounds he is inflicting upon himself as he smashes upwards. The sheer force - the sheer /weight/ of the sword - is enough to send the air blasting up around both Angantyr and Emi. Gilgamesh takes off into the air...and his blade swings around again, the massive weapon swinging around as though it were as light as a feather. It slashes, it smashes, it is cutting and crushing all at the same time, the sheer weight of its blade heavy enough to cleave and break, to cut through flesh and shatter armor and bone. And yet he is not wrathful; there is no malice, no anger, no rage behind his sword - just the endless, all-consuming desire for battle. It is Darkness, in its own way, without mercy or compassion...but it is also light.
A man of paradoxes indeed.
- Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr's mace meets Gilgamesh's blade. The two fight, clashing on the bridge, already trading blow for blow as the two struggle to be the dominate force on the bridge...Angantyr wasn't sure what was going on with this man, but in order to make sure he didn't kill half the town...well, he'll have to fight with everything he has. Emi's presence is felt, and her shield protects Angantyr, as suddenly Gilgamesh swings up, and suddenly the safety of the ground is left behind as they were now flying over it. This did not stop Ang, who swung the massive mace to counter the blows to his armor. His own armor breaks under the force of the blow, but it was only there to protect him from dying...not to give him full protection.
Without warning, Angantyr swings again, aiming to catch Gilgamesh with a upward swing of the mace, before spinning, aiming to launch Gilgamesh back towards the ground...with that, Angantyr bounces down, litterally aiming to swing the mace with both hands down, aiming to try and litterally bash the brains of the...whatever Gilgamesh is!
"Tch..."
- Emi Dennou has posed:
Emi manages to avoid Gilgamesh's strike, but only by leaping into the air, hopping over the wind current with an electromagnetic super leap of love. She ends up landing on the sword on its second swing and she jumps forward, swinging a tiiiiiiiny fist into Gilgamesh's helmet before hopping back over--it was not a typical strike but rather one centered around unleashing a small electronic pulse into his armor, intending to weaken his defenses.
"Ang. Try to hit him hard, now." She says before jumping down. She has a feeling she doesn't want to be stuck in the air with Gilgamesh. That sounds like a bad plan. Instead, she sends another electrical pulse for Ang, hoping to heal some of his injuries and...reinforce that shield she put up on him?
- Gilgamesh has posed:
Gilgamesh is fast and ferocious; he fights with the experience of ages behind him, ages long-since passed. The memories of that battle are the guide to his blade; his one good eye does not waver behind that helm, and he does not hesitate for even a second as Angantyr's blade comes hammering upwards. The first strike is evaded, gently turning aside in the air, the spikes of the mace narrowly cleaving by his helm as Gilgamesh avoids the first blow. Angantyr brings it down; Gilgamesh's sword comes up to meet it, as much a shield as it is a weapon. Angantyr is strong enough to remind Gravity that it does, in fact, have a say in this world of illusion and insanity; his mace grinds against the massive sword, and Gilgamesh goes falling, falling, back to the Big Bridge. He crashes down on it, his blade turning aside the next strike of the mace like an umbrella against rain; the mace smashes down into the Big Bridge, brick and stone soaring upwards into the sky. Gilgamesh roars out something in that ancient tongue; again, the meaning is obvious just by the sound of it. He wants a challenge; he wants strength, wants to fight and fight and fight until he can fight no more.
Then he leaps back into the air, taking off into the sky. His sword flashes out, swinging outwards towards Angantyr - literally, flying at him, released from Gilgamesh's hands! The massive greatsword spins end-over-end, slamming downwards to embed itself in the Big Bridge - and possibly Angantyr or Emi's stomach if they're. Gilgamesh drops for all of a moment, grabbing the sword and ripping out of whatever it is it caught on, then goes back up into the air again, slashing outwards fiercely at his erstwhile opponents. In his eyes - in his mind - this is no more than any other battle. Just targets. Just targets.
It's like he's operating sheerly on instinct, more animal than intellect. Is this what it's like to be a swordsman?
- Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr takes a blade to the chest, he swings, the mace trying to deflect blades...and to his credit he manages to do a decent job at this, but there are too many blades, and not enough mace to take them all down. Angantyr falls back, bleeding from multiple stab wounds and falling to a knee as the god of war stands over them. Even with Emi's help, he's feeling this. He wasn't going to get anywhere holding back...and he wasn't even sure of his chances going all out. He grunts, gritting his teeth, and digs deep into himself...
The darkness whips out from him again, summoning that nightmare armor. The darkness wraps around his arms and legs, around his chest and shouders...finally coming to wrap around his head. It materializes into solid plate, plate created seemingly of the abyss itself. The helmet formed from the darkness snaps up, locking it's gaze on Gilgamesh.
A crimson red glow hovering from behind the eye visor, the clawed hands take the mace again, getting ready to wield it once more, darkness wafting from his body, like a heat haze.
- Emi Dennou has posed:
"Enkidu, Enkidu, you're our dogthing, please come back and make Gilgamesh less scary." Imi singsongs nervously.
Gilgamesh less impales Emi and more just flat out knocks her back, the pure wind from Gilgamesh's strike moving down hitting her before even the sword does. She manages to get her rifle out and fire out a few shots but ends up crashing down alongside the build, bouncing a few times painfully before sliding to a stop. She is not in a proper mindframe to fight Gilgamesh, she can only support Ang as best as she can.
This isn't humorcraft at all, Emi laments.
Instead she slams her hand against the ground, a wave of electricity crashing down upon both her and Ang, trying to keep the two of them up for a bit longer. "Wake up Gilgamesh, or perhaps Go Back To Sleep Gilgamesh? The Network is not sure but return to jokes please." Emi says.
- Gilgamesh has posed:
Angantyr summons up armor; Gilgamesh lands, touching down on the ground for all of a moment. He kneels, his blade down against the ground; he knows that something is coming, preternatural battle senses preparing for this. Reflex, battle-sense, animal instinct, and warrior's awareness - all things Gilgamesh, the True Gilgamesh possesses in spades. He may be a goofball, a laughable moron most of the time...but with his blinders off, accepting what he is meant to be? This is a man honed and forged in the heat of war.
What do you have, Angantyr? What can you bring to bear against the God of War?
Gilgamesh makes a gesture - the universally accepted gesture of challenge - and barks out some more of that strange, ancient language.
- Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr stared at Gilgamesh.
There was a moment, a brief moment where the world seemed to pause as the two warriors stared at each other. Angantyr didn't doubt himself, not now...nor his abilities. Outmatched, but he was't going to back down...his focus was forced into the moment...and for that moment time stopped.
The two would stare down each other, looking for their opening...perhaps it was Gilgamesh waiting Ang to move, or perhaps it was Ang looking for the right place to hit. Reguardless, this moment seemed to drag on forever.
Then in a flash it was gone, the moment was gone, as Angantyr dives in right towards Gilgamesh. The mace dives in, aiming to smash Gilgamesh right into the ground, aiming to try and bounce him up once...
And then Angantyr channels darkness once more, darkness flowing through his body, as the armor somehow becomes darker, more beast like as his body seems to completely fade into the stuff of shadow.
Red points flared up all along the mace, each one aiming to try and draw energy into Angantyr, looking to fuel the man with his power before he lets loose a massive roar. The mace then comes in swinging it in a single powerful strike...aiming to drive that weapon right into Gilgamesh...aiming to litterally punch it through him, before releasing the chaotic energy RIGHT through Gilgamesh, trying to litterally shatter the man like glass.
- Emi Dennou has posed:
True Gilgamesh is scary as hell. BUT THE LURE OF THE BATTLE MASTERY IS JUST TOO MUCH. Emi stands herself up groggily, resting a hand on the side of the bridge. "Imi... Charge us up." Emi manages.
Imi stands herself up, nodding and placing her hand on the other side of the bridge. She holds onto Mr. Mew, because Mr. Mew--is an important part of this plan, you see, but they just need to not get killed by Gilgamesh in the remaining time. How...how hard can that be?
GOOD QUESTION.
Electricity arcs across the bridge and through them, and Ang. Wounds heal further. But more importantly, the area rapidly gets charged with electric energy. AS DOES MR. MEW.
- Gilgamesh has posed:
Angantyr is stronger than Gilgamesh expected. His sword comes swinging around to meet Angantyr's strike; Angantyr smashes the sword aside with raw, unstoppable force, hammering Gilgamesh against the ground. He bounces like a ragdoll, all massive twelve feet of him; the mace comes smashing down, driving it into his stomach, releasing monstrous and overwhelming force into Gilgamesh's body. Power pours out of him; destructive, overwhelming force pours through him, into him, out of him. His cape explodes, shattering in an instant; it falls to the ground like so much paper, tattered. Gilgamesh lands on the ground, and bounces once. For a moment, it looks like he's beaten.
Then that sword stabs down into the ground. He rises again, his eye burning with white intensity, his muscles bursting with power. He looks as though he could cleave through a building, as he rips the greatsword out of the ground and shoulders it, walking slowly towards Angantyr and Emi like a samurai out of a movie. His eye flashes.
The sword is fast, fast, unbelievably fast; faster than perception, faster than the eye can see. It comes down, and thunder roars behind it - not thunder from lighting, simply thunder, thunder from the passing of the blade at the speeds that it moves at. And then, in less time than it takes the eye to finish blinking, the sword is back on his shoulder, and there is a gash in the Big Bridge stretching from the middle to the end.
And as for Angantyr and Emi...
- Emi Dennou has posed:
AIMING FOR 50 NO WAY. GO FOR BROKE. GO FOR... 25! BATTLE MASTERIES ARE LIGHT!!
Emi gives her player a brief stare for making them go through this when in reality they probably could've ended the fight earlier. And for what? A pointless achievement? Emi is really disappointed in you, Player.
Nevertheless, Gilgamesh makes like THE SHREDDER and refuses to go down. He prepares to strike and--
--only the fact that Emi has fought many battles against Cronus allows her to survive. The blade swings but the shockwae slams into Emi before she can even move. She's only able to curl up and avoid breaking her spine by allowing herself to go limp, relaxing her body. That's all she has time for. Except for one thing.
The bridge, already covered with electricity, suddenly arcs into Gilgamesh, lighting him up like...well The Shredder hit by Lightning.
Stumbling forward into a crouch, Emi coughs out, "Now...!"
Imi nods and flings Mr. Mew forward, now charged with ELECTRO POWER. Glowing like a LIGHT PUCK, the Mr. Mew flies into Emi's hands and Emi--
--unleashes a strong wave of electromagnetic force, propelling Mr. Mew forward like a railgun. Mr. Mew's adorableness protect it from taking damage--that and it being actually a super psychic weapon of death and destruction. It rips for Gilgamesh, threatening to plow right on through him!
TOO CUTE!? TOO DEADLY!
- Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr was sure he got him...the attack hits...nothing had ever survived this, well...nothing ever GOT UP from this.
However, Gilgamesh does so, again, and Angantyr's eyes don't even get a chance to widen. The blade cuts through him, and his armor, shattering it with a single strike and before Angantyr even realized what happened, he felt something rise up in his mouth, as he fell down to the ground. He growls in pain as he holds his chest, the blade cut a fine line across his chest...if not for the dark armor he'd be dead right now, even as red liquid runs down the sides of his mouth. Slowly, he rises to his feet, as Emi /does something/.
She too, suffers the pain of the strike...but he has to...he HAS to win.
His eyes widen, as he throws himself back onto his feet, pain courses through his body as he forces himself, with aid of his mace to stand tall. He roars, driving pain and fear away from him as he swings the massive mace once more. He will /not fall/ here...not like this! The darkness erupts from his blade again, aiming to catch onto dark flames, once more trying to light him on darkness. Then he swings again, once more attempting to beat him with the mace again, before he steps once more towards him...
"DIE!" aiming to shatter the armor on Gilgamesh, and unleashing a massive darkness wave, through his mace, a mouth errupting from the ground to tear him to shreds...
- Gilgamesh has posed:
Lightning. Lightning is not new to the God of War; the corpses of Lightning Gods would litter this field, cleaved by his hand just as the fire gods had been, if they retained their physical form on death. But they do not; they break apart, running away into the ground. Lightning is not new to Gilgamesh, and he responds the way he always has - by killing it.
Mr. Mew goes flying towards him; Gilgamesh smashes it aside like a baseball, the massive hammer of a sword sending the doll flying off into the sky. He'll probably come back, of course; he's psychic. But for the moment, Mew is gone, vanished into the sky like a little twinkling star.
Angantyr comes swinging in as Mew is launched; Gilgamesh can only react to one, and he reacts to the more fearsome, the more dangerous projectile - and in doing so, chooses to leave himself open to Angantyr's smash. Angantyr's hammer crashes against him; a mouth opens up below him, attempting to tear him to shreds, and Gilgamesh's eyes suddenly flash -
- eyes? He has depth perception?
A moment later, the Big Bridge disappears, breaking apart in an instant just like the mirrors. The armor vanishes; the massive sword vanishes, and Enkidu is revealed once again, wobbling wearily as he wanders out of a nearby building. Gilgamesh stands there, scratching his head curiously.
"Huh? What was I doing, Enkidu? I feel like I had a really strange dream...but it was kind of good, too. It reminded me of the old days! Remember the old days? With Bartz?"
"Where did he get off to, anyway? Oh well. I'm sure I'll see him again sometime." Gilgamesh's Totally Real and Totally Fake Keyblades (tm) vanish into the ether as he looks around. "Where'd that fog go?"
"Hah! I bet it ran off! It was too scared to really fight me, wasn't it? HA HA HA HA HA! TAKE THAT, FOG! THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR TOYING WITH THE KING OF HEROES!"
Gilgamesh puts his hands on his hips and laughs, a loud, booming laugh that echoes into the Fluorgis night.
Enkidu sighs.
Everything is back to normal!
- Emi Dennou has posed:
Imi's jaw instantly drops as Gilgamesh deflects Mr. Mew into the sky. "Mr. Mew! Come back!!" She wails. SHE TRUSTED YOU EMI TO TREAT MR. MEW WITH RESPONSIBILITY.
But luckily Ang is there to pick up the slack! The illusion fades and they are back in Fluorgis and...and...
...nearly everybody is knocked out cold? Emi looks to Ang and nods to him respectfully because soloing Gilgamesh = hard even if you have a healer on your side. She turns to Gilgamesh, then, and nods to him as well.
"We are glad you are ... back?" She sort of says sort of asks. "Thank you for your ... help."
She is skilled enough at talking that there was only one elipses there rather than twelve. She bobs her head once and starts off in search of Mr. Mew. Gotta get him back for Shiki ;o;.
- Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr finally collapses to a knee letting the mace fall to the side as he starts bleeding out a bit. GOD that was painful...but luckily the dark energy courses through his body from the stolen life force, starting to stablize him. His own dark powers just barely keeping him alive, and he takes this time to rest...the darkness seems to be gone from the area...taking with it the hearts of the careless adventurers with it. Of course, Gilgamesh seems to be normal, and unaware that anything happened. Angantyr doesn't say anything...too much happened, and he doesn't give a crap to even smack the man back from whatever cloud he thinks from.
With some time, he stands, using his mace to prop himself back to his feet and stand slowly.
Ow.
- Gilgamesh has posed:
"Back?" Glgamesh asks, "I went somewhere? Oh! I guess that's what happened! I must've wandered into the mist and wrung its neck with my AMAZING STRENGTH!"
Enkidu sighs again. Yup. Normal.
