Future Tense: Angantyr

Future Tense: Angantyr
Date of Scene:	24 July 2013
Location:	??? (Destati)
Synopsis:	It is decided.
Thanks to:	Avira, Maira, Angantyr. For patience and for awesomesauce.
Cast of Characters:	Riku, Avira, Maira, Angantyr Vespar
Tinyplot:	Fragmentary Passage

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Riku has posed:
There is no sensation of pain even if it was expected. Instead there is a feeling like falling out of bed, a swift and sudden impact that is more pressure than movement. A moment of whiteout and sunglare strips the fallen Traverse Town all all within it from sight. There is a sense of time having past in that single eyeblink of reality breaking glare.

How long had he been kneeling here alone, in his own room?

Sunlight filters through the windows and there are no heartless assaulting the lands outside. There are soldiers training yes and people moving about. Many more than he'd seen before. It is morning and already everyone is about their duties. In the wake of that rush, of that feeling of falling out of there.. everything seems to click into place.

There is nothing of the bizarre and semi staged feeling of the other locations, which themselves seemed to almost be set pieces. This land has seen the lash of war, yes.. it is no longer a faery tale imagining that Arcadia never marched on it, but is a land scarred but healing at last. It seems the world stretches on and on forever, familiar landscape stretching to every horizon.

Home again, Home again.

Jiggity Jig.

Angantyr has posed:
His...room?

Angantyr jolts up, looking around himself. He looks at his hands, looking for the weapon that he just shoved into his own chest...was it here still? What was even going on...why was he /here/?

Looking out the windows, he looks over the courtyard...sure he was a disgraced son of the head of the house...but he was still the son of the head of the house, the room was...nice, though Rallius still had the best. It was no matter, he made do with what he had...

The land...it was scared...no this had to have been after the occupation...but it was also restored from the darkness? How...

This was a lot to take in, how did he come to this place? There was no distortion, no jumbled mess...this was...real as he could see. He rubbed his head, looking over the soldiers going about their duties, crossing his arms.

Was this...a dream too?

Riku has posed:
Everything seems as it ought to be from outside the window. Especially when a small error causes one of those soldiers to be lambasted by their superior. House Vespar trained it's protectors well and mistakes, while impossible to prevent, were drilled as soundly as possibly out of those who came here to train. The smell of something cooking wafts through the slightly open door. Smells are sharper. Vision so much clearer here, almost crystalline in nature.

The keyblade is still there, though it is conveniently not embedded in him at present. It was lying in front of him where Maira had been lying only moments before. Already that seems slightly distant and unfocused, a dream fraying at the edges. Power incarnate, it lays there patiently waiting for the time in which it will be put to use again.

It is an end to all threats.

There is a light knocking on the door and his mother appears in the doorway. She looks towards him and her shoulders relax and she smiles. "Breakfast, I am told, has been prepared. Will you join us my son, or must I drag you by the ear?" She is looking straight at him, amusement in her voice with no trace of wariness. She looks older than when she was last seen, but she has aged gracefully and well.

Angantyr has posed:
Angantyr looks towards the blade...something about it was unfocused, but he wasnt sure what...he takes a breath, and slides the weapon on his back, the weapon was larger than most, easily two handed...but right now he did not need the end of all threats, right now...he was getting over this dream.

He smiles a little as one instructor started going at one of his charges, while it might seem harsh now, it was something hed remember not to do on the battlefield...and besides, todays troubles seem like tomorrows good times...or fond memories...usually.

Angantyr can smell something...even if it was just a dream at least hed get something in his belly. He turns only to see the door open first, he pauses...

She had aged, sure, but she was still regal and graceful, but there was a motherliness to her...even when he was harshed at by his father, she was still there for him...at least when she could be. Open affection was not tolerated in house Vespar, and more than one time she had to leave him in a state of...well..

But the regal looking woman, long black hair and weathered, but still chiseled features. It had been ages, but he manages a small smile, I must be still getting over being here, He says, leaving out again. He walks with her, down towards breakfast, We can avoid boxing my ears today...mother. the word itself was something he hadnt said in a long time...

Besides I think Id have to lean down for you to do it...or maybe have a servant get a stool? He chides.

Maira has posed:
Down at the breakfast table, Maira is waiting, sitting beside Angantyrs brother, chatting. Rellius seems slightly uncomfortable, the smile he wears not touching his eyes. Maira looks up when Angantyr and his mother arrive, smiling widely to him. She is giddy, excitable, bouncy. Shes Maira. Shes wearing a very nice dress that suits her curves perfectly, displaying ample bosom but not enough to make the family blush.

The young woman stands from her chair and bounces over to take Angantyr by the arm, pulling him down toward her to plant a kiss on his lips. Morning Angy....come sit by me. We were just reminiscing, she says, glancing to Rellius and flashing him a smile which he returns, but again seems slightly uneasy.

If Angantyr sits beside her she motions for a servant to fill his plate with all the foods he loves, then leans toward him to whisper breathily in his ear, I have a surprise for you later... she says, looking up at him through dark eyelashes, coyly.

Riku has posed:
"Perhaps I will." she says in favor of the stool comment. "And you will be the poorer for it, at that point. Good morning, Maira." She looks long-suffering but tolerant as she and her attendants come to the table which is already occupied.

Rellius looks at Angantyr and then looks down and away, still smiling that slightly uneasy smile. There is a faint glaze over his eyes as he looks towards his father. He is not sitting in the favored chair at the table.

It instead lay empty while their father continues his more than slightly caustic assessment of their recent candidates from the other noble houses. He looks up at Angantyr as they around and gestures for them to take a seat. "Ah. There you are." a brief, almost too quick moment of pause when Maira flourishes into the room. Then he continues.

"Come lament with me the poor state of the realm, Angantyr." he says with infinite dryness as the food is served.

Angantyr has posed:
There are some things that do not sit right...this has to be a dream...

It is too perfect to be reality...but is this...what he wants? The look passes from his face, as he manages a smirk at his mother. He whispers to her about Mairas exuberance, "It could be worse, it could have been an elf." He mutters, "Knew a real snooty one." he teases.

Maira embraces him, the earnest of her kiss betrays probably his real feelings on the matter, despite things being confused between them, there is more than just genuine affection...this woman means a lot to him, enough to stab a keyblade in his heart. Friend or more...maybe his heart is more honest than he is?

He notices Rallius...he had said many things about killing him...but could he really? Angantyr still knows not the answer...but is his desire to see Rallius humbled? Why...he never did anything to him as they were growing up. Well, besides the Betrayal thing...if anything he had tried to prop him up...even now in Arcades...he is concerned for him...if not willing to beat the crap out of him for his crimes...

That didnt quite fit...Angantyr places a hand on his brothers shoulder, he would not have him treated like he was. Assuming he could ever forgive him...ugh, emotions are hard.

"It could be worse, it could be swallowed by the heartless swarms, or back under Arcades rule." Angantyr quips, "Itll recover...it always does, one way or another." he says, "Besides, statesmanship was always more Rallius field than my own. I just know how to hit things really hard and make sure they dont come back."

That wasnt completely honest...Angantyr knows strategy, knows how to lead men but governing? Eh...wasnt his thing. "Are there any problems though? Anything that needs to be overseen besides the general wounds still healing?" he says, and shovels a fork into his mouth, looking back at Maira.

:"A surprise huh..?" he pauses and then whispers, "Good thing I slept in this morning, I think."

Maira has posed:
"Good morning Lady Vespar," she says, dropping a smooth curtsy, though the impression of wild energy still dances around her like a flame flickering in the breeze, all energy, passion and potential.

Maira pulls Angantyr down to sit beside her, looking over toward Angans father and sticking her lower lip out slightly in a pout. "Cant I have him for just a little while before you steal him away? Pleeeaaase?" she asks, her smile saccharin.

Leaning toward Angantyr, she reaching up to twirl a bit of her red-gold hair around a finger while the other hand traces a brazen line up his thigh beneath the table. "I worked very hard on the surprise, I do hope you like it..." she purrs.

Maira leans back then and focuses on her meal for a little. She eats like a lady now, slowly and neatly, though she continues to be full of nervous energy, one foot tapping incessantly beneath the table.

Riku has posed:
Lady Vespar looks at Angantyr and then back at Maira and gives a small sigh. "I suppose so."

"Oh, I don't know brother.." Rallius says quietly, some genuine warmth leaking into it as he snorts faintly. "I figure hitting people hard enough that they don't get up has to be at least /half/ of diplomacy." he looks real and present then, squaring his shoulders and restraining the impulse to roll his eyes up towards the ceiling. "Some learn that lesson better than others.." he says much more quietly.

That sense of focus seems to ebb in and out like the tides as the conversation continues, brow furrowing slightly from time to time as if trying to recall something that keeps slipping sideways out of his grasp. Nobody seems to notice, but it's in that nobility 'not noticing' which means it's been going on awhile and nobody says anything about it.

Lord Vespar schools his face carefully as he says "After breakfast, perhaps. I think you capitalize more than enough of my son's time as it is." There is a very, very slight expression of amusement there, flavored with something /much/ more acidic than what he's been favoring the nobles with. He gives a sour look to his breakfast and grunts, his teeth slightly grit as he moves to another subject.

"There have been more of those reports again. Mercenaries and bandits moving in from the borderlands. A different crew this time but the same leader." he looks very sour. "The infallible ambush apparently had one or two flaws, such as checking to see if an enemy is fully dead."

Angantyr has posed:
Angantyr smiles a little at Maira, "I fear he has you there, Maira..." he sighs, As much as Id like to stay around and let you have all my time, Maira..." he shrugs, But there is always another trip once things are stable." He notes.

Things already getting back to business, with a laugh he grins at Rallius, I dunno...I am sure most politicians crumble when you point a bladed weapon in their direction. Some even spin their heads screaming they are just a politician." He says, putting a bit more breakfast from the plate into his mouth...he was starved.

He watches his brother for a moment...and after a moment he mutters to Rallius, Something the matter?" he asks him, on the sly. Mairas hand gets her a smile, and a look of later.

His father takes his attention again, Hmm...I fear that it might be time to send a message to the leader then. The normals shouldnt have a problem cleaning up the bandits...why not send a vanguard of elites with me and my companions to cut off the head of the snake at last." he says, with a shrug, At the very least even if we dont find him, hell run away and give us a bit more time."

Maira has posed:
Maira just bats her eyelashes at Angantyrs father, smiling lightly before she looks back to Angantyr, quiet for a time as they speak. When he mentions putting together a team to deal with the trouble however, Mairas eyes brighten and she turns toward him, taking him pleadingly by the arm. "Oh you must let me come with you Angy! Oh please oh please? I wouldnt want to miss your....decisive actions..." she says, a smile curving that is slow and sweet as molasses, her amber eyes sparkling with excitement.

She dials it back slightly, tilting her head to the side as she continues. "Besides, you will need a healer along in case any of your men happen to get injured...you know I can handle that. I wont be in the way, I promise," she says, looking up at him again as she leans forward eagerly.

Riku has posed:
There is a faint tingling rush as Rallius murmurs "Always and forever." in a bone dry tone. Another faint pressure wave that pries at the edges of this reality like the tides. It comes in and sights and smells, sounds and tastes. It's all just a little more clear. A little more intense than they were before.

When the tide goes out, it pulls at recollections. This was still a dream.. wasn't it? ..but there are no watercolor edges or black tar streets or frayed edges to pick at. Everything is almost brutally sharp. Rallius snorts. "Yes, maybe it would be.." pause. "best for the lady Maira to not be left idle too long." That moment of sharpened focused again and then.. lost. His mind seems to wander and he begins to pick at his breakfast again with only half an ear to the conversation.

There is a moment of thoughtful pause as his Father considers him gravely. Eventually he nods in a somewhat perfunctory fashion. "Indeed. Perhaps this is the only way these vermin will scuttle back into their flattened and scoured holes. Take whom you need to get this job done."

"They are not all so terrible." Lady Vespar says blandly and off hand. "We did assume /some/ rough passage was going to happen with so many refugees at the door." "Yes. And they should know their place." Lord Vespar gripes. "Which is under the meanest /rocks/ I can find for their kind."

Angantyr has posed:
Angantyr frowns, staring at Rallius for a moment...there is something here...something. He frowns, focusing on him for a moment...Then Lord Vespar agrees, causing him to nod once...then Maira comes to beg him to come...and he was pretty sure he wasnt leaving her without her.

"Yes, you can come." he says, trying not to roll his eyes at her, "I wasnt going to leave you here anyway," lest his mother shoot him on the way out, he thinks for a grin, "Well be happy to have a healer along." he says, with a grin.

He frowns at Rallius though, but he dismisses it for later conversation. This is a dream, he is sure....but it is so real. Where is the ha ha? Where is the trick? He wonders...he remember where he was, and what he was doing...but...

"Calm, father." he says, "We can handle this...refuges are not all bandits after all, we can handle the bandits easily enough, or at least encourage them to give up their highwayman ways." he shrugs.

The sense seems as normal as it always was...or at least how he expected it to be. He taps his finger, and takes another bite. It would be time to go soon, he thinks. But...he wonders, where is the twist going to come?

Riku has posed:
"They are when they do not have the common decency to stay destroyed." Lord Vespar says with cooling ire. And the preparations are made. Transport is made ready and the finest of their elites are chosen. All accords in steps and stages. There is no immediate and jarring transition between one place and another.

A single contiguous line leads out into the countryside to this small wooded enclave near a waterfall. This is where the reports said were the last known locations. It's an idyllic scene and unmarred by conflict. There is even birdsong (thankfully, they are not disney enough to start a musical number, which may be terrifyingly cute at this juncture)

The elites dismount and begin to scout the nearby terrain for signs of passage.

Maira has posed:
Maira hums to herself, seemingly merry, as they make the journey, her red chocobo Mao prancing along proudly beside Angatyrs mount if he has one. With his long strides, she generally needs a chocobo just to keep up with him. She is in a very good mood, though her eyes are somewhat distant as she hums a simple melody.

As the scouts dismount she brings her chocobo closer to Angantyr, flashing him another coy smile as she begins to complain; "It has been so boring lately, there really hasnt been anything for me to do...I grew so...used to the war," she says, a small shiver running through her briefly, though she does not appear to be afraid. "I have not seen you in action in too long Angy," she adds with an adoring smile.

Avira has posed:
The forest around them falls silent for several tense seconds. Not a single bird chirps, not a single leaf crinkles in the woods. There doesn't seem to be any sign of passage when the nearby woods is inspected save for a single set of heavy tracks. The size and depth suggests someone wearing heavy armor passed through here not too long ago. But where were the rest-

Growls suddenly permeate the woods.

From behind the waterfall and the nearby small grove of trees, wolves emerge. Enormous and black-furred, they don't hesitate for a single moment before launching themselves at the expedition party that Angantyr is leading. They seem to strike at everyone, Maira included, but leave Angantyr himself altogether alone.

"They're here." A low voice murmurs from behind the waterfall. "After you. You deserve the honors. But be quick. If you do not finish him, I will step in to intervene."

Angantyr has posed:
Angantyr is riding on a mount. A Chocobo, though he usually does not...this one is a large variant of the chocobo family, a red. He rides taller than Maira, and smiles at her after a moment, "Yeah.." he says, "Though it is not anything Id want returned...I could use a long amount of rest after such a long tim-.." he pauses...

Woods should not be this silent. He holds a hand to her, motioning for her to be quiet, and nods to the men...they start forming defensive lines...this are not untrained men, they are just the opposite. But...

Wolves..?

Angantyr almost immediately remembers them, Aviras wolves...but they attack everyone, /even/ Maira?! He swings the weapon, aiming to fend off the one going for her, the keyblade in his hands as he aims to not harm, but subdue. "The hell..." he says, "These are Aviras." he says to Maira, "Form with the men," he says, and he takes his mount off, he heard something nearby...he pushes it towards the waterfall.

"Come out! I know you are there." he says, demanding, keyblade still in his hands. He hopes the wolves are still as good as they were before...he knows his men, the Wolves would not be a match, but maybe they could get away after taking a few licks.

Riku has posed:
CRUNCH.

It's the Arcadian Soldier from before, the blackened armor in gold trim with the helmet of a behemoth shrouding their face. They step down from a rocky ledge to thump in front of the son of Vespar as they call out. They slowly straighten, voice resonating with a heavy growl from the helmet. "I'll be quick. After all, I would expect /Salting the earth / and other such empire-building would be downright exhausting."

A sword flashes from the scabbard. "But we can accommodate in some /eternal/ rest for the lord of /rats/ if you are so inclined." and without further comment a wave of concentrated darkness pulses from their outstretched hand, forming a whip that attempts to grab Angantyr and dash him against a tree and dismount him.

Maira has posed:
Maira shouts in alarm as wolves come bounding out of the forest, one of the beasts leaping for her and her chocobo. There is a flash of bright light and the wolf goes up like a torch, the smell of burnt fur and flesh permeating the area around them as Mairas magic roasts the wolf alive without so much as a gesture.

As he looks to her to inform her that they are Aviras wolves, Maira simply tilts her head slightly to the side, her smile still present. She does not listen to Angantyr as he says she should stay with the men, following after him toward the waterfall.

When the man in armor steps out Maira narrows her eyes, growling as he whips out to attack Angantyr. The mage retaliates with another ball of fire launched toward the armored man, the heat painfully intense. "Uh uh..." she clucks, then looks toward Angantyr, flashing him another smile. Highly unsettling. "Oh may I have this one? Please?"

Avira has posed:
The wolves are vicious. They fight relentlessly and do not retreat, remaining a cruel ball of snapping teeth and clawing paws until they breathe their last breaths. They are not rabid but they clearly fight like they are. The one that had set Maira in its sights clamps its jaws around Angantyr's keyblade, tugging ineffectively for a few seconds before retreating backwards with a snarl. With Angantyr there, it does not take another step forward and instead tries to circle around.

There is no answer from the waterfall. Not until after the blackened-armor individual has leapt down and engaged Angantyr. Only then does a second, fully-armored figure emerge. This person is clearly female based on the armor's design. It is brilliant gold and blue with a winged helm. It's hard to say how this person looks out of their armor since there are no eye holes visible. The faceplate is a smooth surface from jaw to forehead.

All this mystery is immediately dispelled as the figure's weapon is raised. It's the Spine. Right away, a blast of ice is thrown from the weapon, immediately intercepting the flames launched by Maira. The flames are extinguished. "Hurry." Avira's distorted voice growls from behind the helmet. "Before I lose the ability to contain myself."

The golden-armored Avira launches herself directly at Maira, her weapon swinging out with its least-serrated edge. "Why did you come this time? Out to satiate your taste for atrocity, /old friend/?"

Angantyr has posed:
Angantyr gives Maira a look, "...The Hell got into you? Thats not like you at all, go back and su-"

The darkness whips around his arm, the man might be as strong as he is now, but... Angantyr is still a very large man, he is dragged from the mount, but he manages to flip to his feet, digging into the ground as the man in the armor would find that hes not easily moved once hes exercising /HIS/ strength.

Especially over the darkness, he cuts through it with the keyblade, and...

No..

"/No/..." he says looking at Avira. No no no no no no no no no no no no...

This is wrong, this is not right, this is...he glares at Riku. "Boy." he says, taking a tone that might resemble Garlands for a moment, he bites it back down...no he is NOT that man...he is not. He holds the keyblade to the side, and swings it ONCE, aiming to cut the air right between Avira and Maira, he glares once, he is a powerful man, and he moves like one to separate them. "This is NOT how things are..."

"I dont sense the darkness in you Avira..." he says, looking at Riku, what did you do to her? Is this like what you did in Traverse town to Ma.." he pauses...did he save Maira? Or are we still in Mairas heart? He pauses...

What is going on here, something isnt right, something isnt making sense. He moves viciously to try and grab Avira and tear the helmet off of her. "Answer me!"

Riku has posed:
"I don't have any quarrel with you Maira." The armored man says softly, the fireball exploding against a shield of shifting darkness and dusk. "Not after what he did to you." A faint sigh as the armored woman with the spine goes past him. "But my friend will.. at least keep you entertained."

Riku gets in the way, slamming viciously into Angantyr's side. "Don't you TOUCH HER." he screams in black fury, standing protectively in front of her and the blade catching against the keyblade, pressing against it. "What did you do to Rallius, lord /vespar/? Do you keep him on a leash like your broken firebird or did you eliminate him like any other judge. Like any other threat to your homeland?" He lashes out for a kick and as he does so, there is a wave of crackling pressure.

It's a faint pulse, a shockwave covered up by the combat. A rush of fragments in the tingling air. Bits and pieces as the tide goes in. Now sight and smell have become too sharp, too omnipresent as if pushing for attention along with the cutting words. Then pulling back, a little harder, a more insistent tug of the fraying carpet separating this reality from the other one.

An empire of dark glass and ashes. The tomb of an empire.

A scream. He deserved to be brought low for his crimes. For his betrayal.

She was going to leave.

He couldn't allow that.

Maira has posed:
As her flames are extinguished by Avira, Maira pouts petulantly. Oh well, plenty more where that came from! Maira has always had an abundance of fire, of passion. Life had always practically overflowed from her like the primal powers of creation.

Her eyes move toward Avira, blinking in momentary confusion that appears to be genuine before they grow distant, some part of her retreating. Those eyes... there is simply something /broken/ in those eyes as the girl peers down upon the blue and gold armored form, a person that use to be her her best friend. Maira barely seems to recognize her.

"I dont know what you are talking about," she replies, frowning briefly before she looks back to Ang. Suddenly, she looks to be in pain, reaching up to press her hands over her ears. "No no...burn...burn burn...ashes, ashes and embers..." she chants, beginning to rock back and forth atop her chocobo. Her form lights up, the air around her building up heat for a ten foot radius around her, easy. "Burn, burn...Angy...Angy make it stop..." she pleads, then lashes out again, this time at Avira, with a whip of flame she doesnt even appear to be in control of.

Avira has posed:
As the keyblade comes down in the air between Avira and Maira, Avira quickly jerks backwards, lifting the Spine into a defensive position. Slowly, she starts to circle, helmeted face turned towards the dark knight. "Of course there's no darkness in me. You know I can resist it. Do you even remember me resisting yours that one time? Tch...every time I see you, you've lost more of yourself to your /power/!"

She doesn't advance on Angantyr, even as he lunges at her. In fact, she seems to recoil as he makes that grab, "No-!" She chokes out before Riku violently intervenes, slamming Angantyr just out of grabbing range as the armored mercenary dives in the other direction. Avira recovers from that small moment of panic, whirling to 'face' Maira.

Maira can see her own face reflected in the golden surface of the helmet. "Maira, there has to be some of you left in there! Come on!" She doesn't lunge, waiting, perhaps, for that wild and uncontrolled fire to lash out again. Once more, the spell is met with more ice, Avira expertly wielding her chosen element against her former friend.

"I see your control has regressed. It's a lot like when we first met. Don't you remember that, Maira? Your control over your fire magic was so bad that you would burn your own clothes off!"

Angantyr has posed:
This...

This is not what he wanted...this is not what he wanted to do...not what he would ever want. This is absolutely disgusting to him...the power of the keyblade was to do this? Or could...he felt sick, because he now realized what this future was...it was not the dream he wanted, but a nightmare. A nightmare where he threw away everything good about himself...

Angantyr felt sick, he never felt more disgusted in all of his life...choices and freedom were things he held dearly, but this...this slavery...

He doesnt even know how to make words come from his mouth, the blow from Riku is barely guarded as he slams into a tree, he watches in abject horror as Maira goes completely uncontrolled, as Avira reacts like...

Like on the boat...

Angantyrs face is one of horror, but he remembers the sense in the house. Why his brother was the way he was...

Something rings in his head, temptation...trying to get him to make him want this, but he rebukes it out of hand. He growls...this is /NOT/ what he wants. NEVER. The rebuke is violent, he grabs the keyblade in a swift action.

"Ill kill this nightmare even if it kills me." he mutters, and sticks the keyblade in again, this time to seal his head. If he does this, then he cant control these people...this nightmare would end one way or the other. "Whatever it is worth...I am sorry." He says, to everyone there.

Riku has posed:
But it does not end.

It is not done with him yet.

The world collapses to a single room. A single place of darkness in which somewhere a distant and dark shore can be heard, water lapping across the silvery sand. The dark armor, the interlaping plates and the glowing eyes is facing him. There is a moment in which they approach and the younger angantyr is seen, very briefly, like still frames out of the animation.. and then they are in front of him.

"You know." his own voice says back at him.

"It doesn't have to be this way."

Those fragments are now crystal clear. His homeland. His family. Everything dear to him.

Do not fear this fate.

Words that are more /felt/ than heard. Angantyr has something.. or someone's /complete/ and utter focus, stripping straight down to the bones. To the soul. The armor seems to drain the darkness from the surroundings. A thousand, million strands of darkness connect to them. An image of Angantyr's corrupted future embodied.

You Can Still Be Strength tempered by Compassion.

Let Yourself Be Better Than this.

The armor is contempt itself. But worse than that, there is no humanity there. It is simply an armor that moves and speaks and is nothing. Nothing at all but darkness. It would not be an easy task, to tear down such an edifice. To conquer himself. Another flicker of Angantyr's younger self, staring up at him in silence. Waiting.

Destroy That Dark Future.

Purge it from memory.

..and you will be.. truly blessed.

Angantyr has posed:
"I will not..." Angantyr says, "Forget it."

Angantyr says after a moment, listening to those talking to him...no at him. "To forget it means that I learned nothing. I could me that man...I could be. That threat alone..." he pauses, "That threat alone should be enough to forever keep me away from it." he says, looking at the younger self, at this armor. "I can never forget it. I will never forget it...I will hold the memory of what could be to my heart..."

He looks at the dark ocean, there wasnt anything there, he was stripped. But...

"I can be strength tempered by compassion...I can be. I will be." he says, after a moment, "I can not unsee the horrors wrought upon me...my home...the nature of my birth...but I keep playing the victim card." he says, "I keep acting out against the world because I think it owes me something." he says again.

"Not anymore." he decides firmly. "I wont forget, I wont let it control me though. I will make sure that dark future never comes to pass." He finally steels himself.

"I will take you both with me, light and darkness."

Riku has posed:
Reality ruptures like a soap bubble. As quickly and as silently as in any other dream where you fall out of bed. There is a moment where light and darkness slowly nod in agreement before they too vanish into white walls and an empty white room. It is truely empty. There is no smell or sound. There is only white in room number 4775543 (room number changed for effect)

There is no eldritch presence.

There is no laughing madman whose hand was behind it all.

The keyblade is there, in hand. But it is not the uncertain, shifting concept of a blade. It is a real thing. It is real and tangible and glimmering with a fierce inner light.

But nothing else.

There has never been anything in this searingly white room.

Nothing but himself.

And one way or another. It is decided.

Angantyr has posed:
Angantyr holds the blade in hand...it was a dark red and light steel thing...it was jagged, it screamed power...but it wasnt just power, it was something else...

He takes a breath...the keyblade...his keyblade sits in his hand.

"...Huh." he says, and turns to leave. "...I was at least expecting one boss fight." he mutters, not turning off Genre-savviness for a moment.

"...I still dont get why...but I guess I get to decide that.."