Hero

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Aloa would not respond to Jaakuna right away, though her ear twitched lightly. She nodded quietly and turned away from the pair. "Until next time." The viera bid them both farewell, departing to the deeper parts of the village. Emiri watched her leave, looking back at Jaakuna. She walked over to him, taking his hand rather reassuringly. She wasn't really sure what to say at this point. Still, at the very least their business was done here, and it seemed that they had overstayed their welcome in Eruyt. It was funny, but only now did she really feel the somber mood throughout the village.

"Are you okay?" She asked him curiously. "Did something happen in Stigma?"

---

Grant couldn't help but lightly scoff at Wesley's response. "When has our luck ever gone our way?" He couldn't help but quip rather pessimistically. "I wouldn't be surprised if for whatever reason we have to do another challenge just to reach her, afterwards she wipes us out completely without us putting so much as a scratch on her." He grumbled on as they kept walking. Before them would be a familiar branch of left and right (well, not for him, everything looked the same to him) though Nadeline seemed confident enough that one way would lead them back, and so they continued a path upwards. "I'm honestly just relieved that after this we may never have to come back here for any reason."

Nadeline giggled a bit, waving her rapier around. "Are you saying that you're glad the adventure is almost over? This certainly beats paperwork or being stuck in the castle all day!" She lightly teased him as she poked him with her rapier. After a few seconds her grin would fade, being replaced by a rather solemn expression. "Honestly...once this is all over, we won't get to be together like this, will we?" She mimicked Grant's muttering as she sheathed her rapier. After she crossed her arms, she would continue, "That is to say...Ii just feel like it's all over before it really got a chance to start."

"I for one am glad. Personally I'm not a big fan of risking my life on a daily basis." Grant raised a hand, lazily waving Nadeline away, though he would raise an eyebrow at Wesley. "Though I have to wonder, who will wed first? You and Wesley, or Jaakuna and Emiri?"

The blonde's cheeks flushed lightly, though her grin would return with full force as she would basically skip over to Wesley, lightly grabbing his arm. "I do not believe Jaakuna to be quite ready to settle down just yet. Obviously Wesley and I will wed first." She informed them all rather cheerfully, looking up at Wesley. "I suppose I know have a reason to look forward to ending all this now!"

Solace In Night: A Kingdom Hearts RP

One: Always trust the keyblade. Detecting Heartless was not its only perk, as somehow or someway it knew there were enemies abound. That would most likely be the last time that Asuka would ever hesitate to trust it. Two: Yes, in fact, they would be interrupted on their trip back, meaning that they would run into the Empire's dogs (pun not intended, that and she was sure these things were modeled after wolves anyway) before they reached the bunker. Because, you know, nothing can ever go smoothly. Ever. Three: Not only was the idea of having to walk through the sewers nauseating enough, the idea that Trisean actually wanted to fight and risk getting splashed was an astounding piece of information. True, Nomis' little metal pets probably wouldn't let them walk out without a fight, but...the entire thing was just gross.

The brunette waved her hands in front of her, wanting to disperse Trisean's worries. "I'm sure this little field trip has been an inconvenience, too." She would tell him, though before she could elaborate something was heard in the distance. Asuka heard the sounds too, coming to a halt as Trisean had ordered though she had almost walked into his arm. She perked up slightly, straining her ears to listen to the sounds. It was semi-obvious what had been making said noises: scraping metal. Great. Trisean would confirm her suspicions, guessing that they were probably those wolf things (what were they called again?) that Nomis liked. She watched him brandish his weapons, and she looked down at her hands in response to his suggestion.

"I don't think we have much of a choice." She would mutter as she would clasp her hands together, though after a second she would raise her head, nodding at Trisean with a grin as wide as his. "Yeah! It's not like we started it anyway!" She exclaimed rather excitedly, turning to the enemy. No keyblade for now. Whether the Empire knew about it or not didn't matter too much, more that she didn't want to keep relying on it all the time. If things got bad, only then would she use it. That was for the best right? Right. Except if the tingling was annoying before now it was just getting ridiculous. "Let's go, onward! Forward! I missed out on the action before anyways, so if it's a fight they want, then it's a fight they'll get! Bring it on!" Maybe she was just a little too cheerful all things considered and maybe she was forcing herself a little, but it was all for the name of...justice? Nope, she just wanted to beat something up. Yeah, that was a lot more honest.

Solace In Night: A Kingdom Hearts RP

Trisean seemed somewhat panicked at the recent announcement. It had been so loud even Asuka had heard it down in the sewers. Once he jumped down it looked like he wanted to press forward sooner than later. So much for taking things easily. However, like Shizuka, Asuka didn't think this one act was such a big deal. Besides, for those who were on their side they would already know that the Empire was so full of itself anyway. She did find herself wondering why exactly they would make such an announcement in the first place, though. It was very curious, but right now was not the time or place to be pondering out loud. She didn't offer any sort of response to what the trio had said mainly because she would simply be reiterating what they had said anyway.

Asuka made sure to keep up with Trisean, though notably was not as in a rush as he was. Something felt odd in the air, however. Still, she wasn't going to dwell on it; there was absolutely no doubt in her mind that she just wanted to get back already. The tips of her fingers had gone back to normal, but her keyblade was itching to come back out again. At that point she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at that. Geez, it was like the thing had a mind of its own sometimes. There weren't even any enemies around! Pouting slightly, she had half a mind to ask if they were there yet, but judging by Trisean's pace, they'd be wherever they needed to be (close to the bunker anyway) momentarily.

The question was, would they reach the bunker before or after running into the Empire's lackeys?

"Mmm, I just want to get out of here already!" Asuka whined out loud, disrupting most if not all her serious thinking. "I'll never sleep again if it means I never have to endure this kind of torturous filth!"

Final Fantasy VIII: Tempus Veneficarum [7/10 Slots]

Something she wanted to talk about? Charlotte had come to see if he was well. That was all. Except she had stuck around after the fact so of course Xerox would think that she would want to converse. Of course. Right? It was then that he would go on to ask about the exam. In all honesty, it wasn't something she really wanted to think or talk about. Unfortunately for her, the fates would force their hand. When Charlotte would open her mouth to reply, the announcement would follow. It would seem that they would have to face the consequences of their actions sooner rather than later. She let out a rather heavy sigh, though she would stand from her seat.

"I believe that answers your question." Charlotte told Xerox, lightly scratching her cheek. "We should get going. Although...I am not sure that the results will be to my advantage." She admitted rather quietly. Letting a few seconds of silence linger, she would lightly flip her hair over her shoulders and turn to the door. "Well...forgive my intrusion. I am certain you will want to get dressed now." She nodded rather seriously, though she would look Xerox right in the eyes as she said it. "I will wait outside and we can go to the classroom together when you finish."

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Aloa stared right at Jaakuna, her face somewhat expressionless. For what seemed like an eternity, Emiri looked between the two as she didn't really understand what was going on. The viera leader didn't even so much as blink at Jaakuna, for she knew he knew exactly what she was talking about. "If it is not of a Hume, nor of the Viera, then that leaves but one possibility. Must I spell it out for you?" She raised an eyebrow, though her eyes would briefly flicker to Emiri. "I will say this much: your memories will return in no time. That does not mean that there will not be a price to pay. What it is exactly, I do not know. Tread carefully, child, your Esper will do whatever it takes to keep you under his thumb, and if he must reset you once more, he will not hesitate to do it again."

"What?" Emiri gasped lightly, eyes wide with shock. "No...I can't go through that again! It's torture...are you saying Chaos will continue to do so as he pleases?!" She exclaimed, clearly angry. "I am NOT a tool to be used when anyone pleases!"

"Except that is exactly how the Espers--and the gods for that matter--see us." Aloa replied, exasperated. "I do not know what Levi did, nor do I know its effects, but I strongly urge that you exercise caution."

---

Nadeline whipped around, shooting a look at Savayna. "I haven't done anything to warrant that sort of blame, thank you very much!" She snapped, fuming. After a moment of just being mad, surprisingly she calmed down rather quickly, instead just placing a hand on her hip, resting her weight on one of her legs. "If you hadn't noticed or recalled, my issue is the exact opposite problem. None of my attacks so much as scratched the Omega Weapon. If anything, I'm simply useless. HOWEVER!" She pointed at Savayna, a fiercely determined look on her face. "Do NOT underestimate me! If I have to sit on the sidelines, so be it, but I refuse to be a burden on anyone!"

Grant simply raised an eyebrow at the pair before turning back to Wesley. "Actually...something tells me our Espers may not be as effective as we would hope." He would continue as if Nadeline hadn't spoken. "I am unsure why I have this uneasiness...nonetheless, for the sake of taking down Zodiark, she must be quelled as well. Once she is done, all that is left is Zodiark himself."

Final Fantasy VIII: Tempus Veneficarum [7/10 Slots]

;-; I will post tonight!

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Emiri rubbed her head though she would lightly pat down her hair. She had a small frown on her face, her head pounding harder than before. Whatever Aloa did made her pain worse, at this point there was no hiding it. Still, she had to admit that what bothered her more had to have been the look Aloa had on her face. It was completely unreadable. Sure, Aloa was usually bearing that kind of expression, but it was usually cool looking and somewhat confident. This one was unsure, uncertain, and worst of all, it was completely confused. She was shocked to see this expression, but apparently, this was not the worst of it. The worst part seemed to be what she would then go on to say:

"I do not know."

"You don't know?" Emiri reiterated, completely shocked. "What...What does that mean?"

Aloa shot her a look of mild annoyance. "I am not omniscient." She retorted, clearly displeased. "It means exactly that. Whatever brand of magic it is, it is something even we of the Mist do not recognize." Emiri winced lightly under her rather scathing glare.

---

"This time...this way!" Nadeline would rather proudly declare, marching onwards.

The princess' enthusiasm returned with such vigor Grant had to wonder where she got the energy from. He had a slight headache just from looking at the crystal's dull colors. They blended together and the fact that everything looked the same just didn't help any. He was just as sick of this place as he was last time, and he had to admit himself mildly annoyed that Nadeline kept trooping through no problem. It wasn't her fault entirely, he was just that sick of the damned place. He let out a sigh, rolling his shoulder around. It was then he decided to initiate a conversation, mainly one about something that he had thought about.

"Ultima, the High Seraph. If the other Espers are any indication and Zodiark reigns over the darkness, that would mean Ultima herself reigns the light." Grant said. "Which means Holy and its variants won't be of any help. I wonder, however...she will be quite a foe to conquer. If Omega was any indication of a difficult fight, would we be able to rely on our powers for this fight?"

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

"Levi...Leviathan." Aloa mused outloud, though she would continue walking, considering Jaakuna's words. "His Highness--Grant--referred to her as 'That treacherous Archadian snake woman' once. I would have thought you would be more cautious around her." She said as she turned the corner, and in a few seconds they would end up back at the center of the village. Without so much as a warning, Aloa headed start for Emiri, who had stayed in the same spot since the pair had walked off. She looked between the two somewhat curiously, though for some reason Aloa looked more menacing then usual.

"Um..." Emiri started, though she was quickly silenced by Aloa.

"Be still, child." Aloa instructed, placing both her hands on the sides of Emiri's head. The brunette squirmed lightly, clearly discomforted by the viera. "The Dream Powder...it's been hastened tremendously. I have to admit myself somewhat impressed, the properties of Dream Powder are so intricate that even the slightest slip up may have had dastardly effects for the worse. But this...this was done well." She muttered, staring intently at the wreath. "...Her magic has been laced into this, that much I can see. The recovery has been enhanced greatly. Of course, this woman..." She trailed off, narrowing her eyes and remaining silent for a moment. Emiri let out a small whimper. Her head hurt more now that Aloa was poking around.

"Is something wrong?" Emiri asked.

Aloa would finally release her at this point, though her stare was still intense. "...Nothing I can pinpoint, per se." She admitted. "That kind of magic isn't very common for most Humes to know of." She fell silent, clearly in deep thought.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Emiri stared at Jaakuna with a lightly confused expression on her face. She would catch Aloa also looking at her, though the viera made no attempt to look away. She blinked a few times, obviously unaware, though Aloa would briefly look at the wreath on her hair. Her eyebrow twitched ever so slightly, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly, though she would then close them. The brunette would absentmindedly touch the flowers on her hair, as if knowing Aloa was eyeing them. The viera would open her eyes again, this time looking at Jaakuna.

"Of course." She simply turned and began walking away from Emiri, no doubt knowing Jaakuna would follow. She wasn't going anywhere in particular, just getting away from everyone. "She looks quite pale. I hope she is doing well...though she seems better than we." Aloa said, clearly referring to Emiri. "As creatures of the Mist, we viera have always been rather sensitive to condensed Mist. The Espers keep Ivalice in balance, and without them Mist runs wild. Humes do not usually feel it, though many of my fellow viera have been put to sleep, unable to handle the changes. I am sure the entire village will soon need to sleep...dreaming until Zodiark is vanquished. I only wonder how much longer I will be able to last."

She noticed she was rambling at this point. "What is the reason for your return? I do not believe you've come to meddle in viera affairs."

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Something he needed confirmation on? Emiri looked at Jaakuna rather curiously. What could it be? Before she could properly ask about it, however, a rustling sound would be heard. She nearly jumped out of her skin as the path to Eruyt would reveal itself to the pair. For a moment she looked at it in awe as it was the first time she had seen something like this. At the very least now she knew now how the viera were able to seclude themselves from the world for so long. As the pair would walk in she couldn't help but look around, curiousity abound. Yes, it was fact that this was her first time seeing all this, though surprisingly no viera were around the entrance of the village. The very few that were around pretty much ignored the pair as they walked in.

Not too far in did Emiri spot a peculiar sight. A few viera had gathered around in a group, though as a few of them would disperse would the scene be revealed. A viera clad in red was on the ground, writhing slightly, looking very pained. It was Ryua, and a very distressed Mtra has dropped to the ground, shaking her lightly. Whatever had happened, it was recent, and soon enough Aloa herself arrived at the scene. She would say something to the other viera, and they would hoist Ryua up, taking her away to somewhere deeper within the village.

"...the influence of him grows stronger by the day, and with only the High Seraph...the Mist will overwhelm us all." Emiri heard Mtra tell Aloa.

"I understand." Aloa replied, and at that point she would turn to the pair. "You've returned. The fates do not seem to tire of surprises, it would seem."

---

Grant let out a huge sigh of relief, not even having realized this entire time he had been pretty much holding his breath. They had lived to tell the tale of the Omega Weapon, something people had only ever heard of. He had a hunch Emiri would definitely throttle them for not bringing her along now. He looked at Nadeline, who only shook her head. Zeromus would scoff once more and leave without saying a word. Why did he look so annoyed? The princess would then sheath her rapier, looking to the rest of the group. "Well then...I suppose...we return and go the other way." She shrugged.