Fandom 𝕯𝖎𝖗𝖌𝖊 𝖔𝖋 𝕯𝖗𝖆𝖌𝖔𝖓𝖘 | Fire Emblem

[Serei2477]

Volo Valcroise
Interactions: Raina [ EmperorsChosen | Freya RedArmyShogun ]
​

He didn't blame the salesgirl for not knowing the extravagant Valcroise and their remarkable dancing capabilities. After all, not everyone shared the same eye as him when it came to beauty, poise, and grace. Or perhaps Miss Raina was too busy making money to indulge in such activities. Poor thing... Maybe one day she could use some of that well earned coin to enjoy the finer things in life~

"Can't sell much if commotion's outside, hm?" He asked with a smile. "Drunken braggart or not I should go outside and take a look. Maybe the commotion's settled down."

As if on cue, Freya returned to the shop not longer after departing. Oh? So it must have been a simple commotion if she was back so soon. That was a relief!

"Volo Valcroise~ A pleasure, Miss...?" He trailed off to let her introduce herself. He might've heard her name before, but meaningful connections developed when they were face to face after all. "Did you see exactly what happened out there? Didn't sound like anything serious."

Of course, if it had been something violent they would have surely heard it by now. Or rather, the crowd's screaming or encouragement might have given it away.

-------------------------------

Hati
Interactions: Pretty Lady [ Landsharks ]
Mentions: Rogier [ Raiden ] ]
​

Hati was not a fan of Rogier, to say the least. Not because he'd insulted the women around him; she had no idea what a "brothel" was. Rather, it was how he carried himself and intimidated her without even trying. Oddly enough, it reminded her of home...

But now she was in a different predicament. The girl in the fancy dress who'd rescued her from the knight's interrogation. She'd never seen a noble dressed like her, and yet they were just as fancy of fabric as someone of nobility's...

She walked and the other woman followed, though Hati had no idea where to go. Thankfully, the awkward silence was cut short when a clearing of the throat was heard that immediately got Hati's attention. The girl in question apologized for her deception and finished off with a question of her own. What stuck out to her the most from her words was that she was a "priestess" of something called "Naga". She'd heard "Naga" before from Nobles but never paid too much mind to what a Naga was. It was always followed by a curse or a praise, so Hati didn't exactly know what to make of it.

"Uhhh... B-Bumped into him. Q-Question what I h-had in bag. No i-idea where a Ch-Chapel might be. " Hati tried to explain, though it wasn't the stutter of someone who was shy. Rather it was her struggling saying the word and trying to pronounce it correctly. In the time between now and her escape, Hati had to think back on every word she'd heard from the maids, butlers, nobles, and passerbys to try and broaden her vocabulary. It was much more difficult to decipher anything when someone spoke like the Sir Knight they'd just left, but thankfully, the priestess's manner of speaking was easier to understand.

"Um, Naga? Priestess?" It was clear to the other that Hati was not asking her to confirm what she'd said, but rather to explain what those two things were. Hati couldn't survive if she didn't know about things that were, apparently, incredibly common.

 

[Marlowe]

mentions: everyone​

The sudden outburst from the knight caught Kyou off-guard. She leaned backwards, half-ruffled-half-flustered, and all-in-all very much annoyed by his demeanor. She was of the mind to give him a good thwack upside the head, though the air of merriment was enough to smother her rising temper. This was just a half-baked, somewhat drunken knight– there was no need of teaching him a lesson for the time being. She still tossed him a baleful look, however, before she sighed in defeat and gave him an apologetic bow.

“Forgive me, good sir. Seems like it’s as you said– the food around here is enough to distract anyone from the road.”

Her “apology” was sour on her tongue and she had to hold herself back from rolling her eyes beneath her eyelids. She straightened back up and took another bite from her food; now that was over with, she could go back to relaxing for the time being. The nun and the beastwoman had wandered off, and the sweetness of the meat was enough to purge the scowl that threatened to bloom across her lips. Drunken knight or no, the male was rather annoying. It was best to move on… after she finished her food, of course.

Another strangely dressed individual approached them as her eyes flicked over the knight once again. Judging from his appearance, he really did seem to belong to the area. Though, his behavior could do with some improvement, just as the holy woman said. Or maybe all Solan knights were arrogant, insufferable pricks? Who could know for sure.

Kyou gave the newcomer a stern nod of acknowledgement as she went to step around the pair. As soon as her right boot touched the cobblestone, she could have sworn that a tremor rippled through the ground. It was so brief, so insignificant, that Kyou thought it was her imagination at first. She brought her sight back to the stalls on the sides of the streets. The vendors and festival-goers glanced at each other, the alarm in their looks glinting in the torchlight, but nothing was said. The air around her had suddenly become so thick that she could cleave it with her sword. As she paused, the hairs at the back of her neck stood up. A chill coursed through her spine as her blood became cold.

Another tremor rippled through the earth. This one was stronger than the last; the buildings shuddered around her as those who were taken unawares stumbled to the ground. Her eyes went wide as she dug her heels into the ground, desperate to remain on her feet.

Does Solans usually get earthquakes?

A deep CRACK struck her ears as a monstrous fissure split the stonework not far from where she stood. The ground shifted and became askew as the tremors became more violent– now, they seemed like they would never end. More and more cracks spread across the ground. Kyou froze as the first ear-splitting screech sliced through the early winter winds. A woman holding a basket of fresh fruit pelted straight past her, dropping crisp apples in her awake. They bounced down the street as more and more people raised their voices in a fever pitch of terror. As they ran past her, her mind screamed at her to run as well, to flee from the city just as the others were doing. Just as she turned on her heel, the very world seemed to crumble from beneath her feet.

Shit!

Blood running hot and cold in tandem, Kyou bounded forward just as the ground fell away from where she once stood. A curse left her lips as she staggered and crashed to the ground. The skin beneath her clothing peeled away and she felt blood wet the inside of her furs. Yet another curse spilled forth as she dragged herself to her feet and shot past the others who were still frozen in place.

”Run! Run, and don’t look back!”

Kyou didn’t expect to become a hypocrite. Just as she said those words, she did the very same that she had warned people not to do. She looked back, and before her eyes rested a sight straight out of nightmares.

​

A massive, slender, unholy neck slithered out of the gaping hole in the center of Sunfell. A horned, fanged head, draconic in nature and with only empty sockets for eyes swiveled around drowsily, as if it the gargantuan beast had just woken up from a sleep that had lasted centuries. Fear struck her anew as she remained frozen in place, her heart dropping to her ground as the dragon unfurled a pair of leathery wings that could have encompassed the length of the whole capital. It tossed its head back and opened its jagged jaws, the stark white full moon glinting from between its jaws. It inhaled and released a roar that could have shaken the very heavens itself. Kyou stood there, staring up at the dragon in a mixture of admiration and horror as the rest of its body began to slither out from the wound in the ground. Yet another horrifying roar erupted from its fiendish maws before it tipped its head forwards and vomited forth a torrent of bright crimson flames towards the north of the city.

Whatever that was… it would destroy Sunfell. There wasn’t a way that the capital could hold its own against a harbinger of the end of the world.

 

[RedArmyShogun]

Freya Lowell - Sunfall
​

Given both were keen to ask or to round about inquire in one's case and directly asking in another, Freya decided to carefully choose her words, before she made the kingdom's Knights look bad. "Nah, it was just... Er, someone I met this morning, he's likely forming more trouble around himself. In self-defense as its termed, he picked a fight with a visiting foreign noble and his personal guard. Though in fairness they were just as keen for it too. Point was he found a new target in a cloaked woman with a bag, which is all sorts of PLEASE DON'T NOTICE ME!, which screams out to any guard to notice them... But anyways, a Sister and some do-gooders were there to lead him back down the right path."

With that she gave shrug. "If I hear screaming, I'll head back. Heh. But yeah, once you finish with Ser Volo over here, I'll take- What the fuck...?" Feeling the sudden shaking of the earth beneath them, people did start to scream. This was not the first Earthquake she had experienced, but as far as she knew those were all in the mountains near the border, could they even happen here? Well, could aside, it seemed it was happening.

Bracing herself with her left hand, the redhead quickly put her helmet on and secured the visor. "Sod it! Under the table! Worry about the Wares later, Raina!" She dimly recalled one of the key factors for surviving a quake, as the shaking got worse and worse, as if the ground was breaking, given the earth-shattering cracks, rumbles and pops, the ground likely was opening. And as quickly as it started a loud final rumble and crack was heard, when...

"By the Goddess!" She said of the Dragon like beast, well no, she was sure it was a Dragon, an undead seeming one at that. No, more importantly, the beast and its wings made it enormous. This was not an enemy they could defeat, as she stared at it in awe. After two roars and a torrent of fire, the Knight's moment of fear, and event trembling knees stop.

"That son of a bitch is burning one of the few good Tavern's in the bleed'n City! Bloody Hell, it's going to burn the whole city... We can't face it... Not here, not now." Running the options in her head, there was only one that made sense, flee the city and make sure as many as possible got out before she turned tail and ran too.

"Gather what you have here and now and make for the gates!" She said to the other two, pointing as she did so. "I won't be far behind, I got to make sure as many people around us get out as possible!"

Interactions: EmperorsChosen Serei2477

 

[EmperorsChosen]

"Sure, if it's that much of a commotion... But if it were, they'da been knocked out or dragged off pretty quick," Raina replied with a shrug. People were going to be uppity, especially when alcohol and festivities were thrown into the mixture. Listening to Freya's explanation, it seemed as though she was spot on, or so she assumed. Just some braggarts having an battle of ego.

As Freya began to speak, a shockwave shot through the ground. Raina froze, looking down at the pathing before her gaze scoped elsewhere. After a moment, she thought all was well, until the shockwave appeared again a hundred fold. Raina steadied herself on the stand as a fissure tore through the grounds and a giant beast rose from it. Raina stared on, frozen in fear and disbelief as she looked on. To say it was big was an understatement. The thing could play fetch with the tallest tower in Sunfall. Even as people began to panic and flee, she looked onward, struck by its mere presence.

Hearing Freya's voice, it wasn't until the knight pointed out the obvious that she acted, that all of Sunfall would be destroyed.

"Oh no... Da'...! U-Um.. Uh... That way! Around that corner and sprint South! That's the nearest gate!" Raina called to the two, more specifically the foreigner, before she left her wares and began dashing in the opposite direction. Her father was still at home, presumably drunk or hungover. She wouldn't be leaving without him, apocalyptic wyverns be damned.

RedArmyShogun Serei2477

 

[Landsharks]

Valeria Almiran​

Well, wasn't this interesting? Valeria had been under the impression that Solans was a good and godly nation when it came to worship. So how had this girl slipped through the cracks this badly to not even know what a priestess was? A wandering foreigner? Perhaps. Though she seemed a tad too down on her luck to be too much of an itinerant. Even the most rural peasant in this area of the continent should be aware of the Motherwyrm, which raised some questions.

An escapee from that reprehensible institution of slavery, perhaps? Though that would make the girl a Laguz. Valeria gave Hati a scrutinizing gaze. Clearly, she could pass well enough for human, which eliminated several types. But it didn't quite matter in the end, did it? The theory was sound enough, considering they weren't quite that far from Tornebreaux. Still, if the girl was a escaped slave, it wasn't Valeria's business to pry too badly. Only to not give away her secret. Slavery may be discreetly tolerated among the wealthy and influential across the continent, but it was still immoral. She prepared to utter words that would hopefully reassure the girl, only for tremors and screeches to rock the entire city.

Her gaze turned towards the source, rising from the center of town. Valeria's eyes widened as she beheld what she knew for a fact to be an Inheritor. A dragon of such unholy nature could only be such, as the scriptures described.

"Great Naga, how?!" She whispered in horror. The Motherwyrm had banished all of her former brood to the abyss. How had one escaped confinement?! Her thoughts churned even as she grabbed Hati's hand on reflex, practically dragging her towards the city gates. The Holy King and the cardinals had to be informed. She had to survive just long enough to get word on its way towards Reine.

"Keep moving!" Valeria cried back at Hati, still dragging her along as they dashed for the gates. This was a calamity already. In the face of such an unearthly terror, she couldn't quite blame the citizenry for falling into a panic and moving to flee as quickly as possible. There would be no orderly evacuation, and to even try was to scream at deaf ears. No, the only thing that could be done was to help the sole person she could right now. At best, she could aid in whatever recovery effort came after.

Serei2477

 

[Bloody_Death]

» Kouki Chibana

『 TAGGED 』 AI10100 || Castello || Colorless Spectrum

Kou gave a suspicious look over at one of his fellow mercenaries, Vini, as he had called out to him with...a rather pitiful look to put bluntly. Hearing his words and looking offended. Like comically offended at such a simple request. "What? Who went and decided that?" No one told him he would be paying for dinner tonight. "Do you not have your own money to spend- woah...oh. Yikes." He stared at the hole in the other's pants before giving a groan. "You lost your coins didn't you?" And that meant he had to cover for him. And then Suvi mentioned spending money on pants... "Who's going to foot the bill on the pants though? You? Or her? I can't because I'm buying dinner apparently." He spoke in a playful and dramatic manner, motioning over to their current boss...who had no idea what she was even doing. Was she just paying them to keep her company? While simultaneously hating on them?

Kou wouldn't let his partners starve. So if he absolutely has to. He would treat them to a dinner even if it pained him on so many different levels. And since Evelle seemed excited about the festive, or at least not as mad, it seemed they all had a similar goal in mind. Kou kept his eyes open and attentive as they began moving from stall to stall as they walked together as a group. The trinkets and goods were nice, but he preferred looking at those things rather than having them himself. However, when they neared the stands that had food and snacks, those were the things that were really compelling him to shell out some gold. "Not much. Other than the food." He hummed in response to Suvi. Pointing over to one of the stalls. "This stand here serves some small snacks native to Solon. A small snack while we walk should make the whole experience much better, right?" Hopefully, if they buy as a group they could get a discount! However, before they could actually reach the stall...there was a concerning series of quakes that only grew more violent.

"...you think this is part of the festivities?" He asked, grounding himself to keep himself from getting thrown over by the violent shakes. But then the sound of the ground breaking followed by an ear-piercing roar filled the air. What happened next, was something he might have only heard about from horror stories. A dragon. A giant dragon emerged from the ground. What finally shook him out of this trance was the sight of fire getting blasted at the northern side of the town from said dragon. Okay. This thing was trying to kill them. The first thing he did, was grab Vini's arm and pulling him along as he began running towards the gate away from the flames. Knowing Vini's luck, the floor would cave beneath him. Or he would spontaneously combust for whatever reason. Or no reason at all. "The stables are near the gate, right? Let's get out of here!" He called out, glancing back to make sure the other two members of their group were following. He hoped the two of them wouldn't panic too much. Antonio was smart. Alexander seems smart from what he's seen. So, he was sure those two would be able to find them if they made their way to the gate. But right now, getting the heck out of here with all of them alive was priority number one.

code by @Nano

 

[AI10100]

B A L C H T , S U V I
Interacting with: Bloody_Death Castello Colorless Spectrum
Location: Solans​

There was the smallest shift in Suvi's facial expression as Kouki asked who would cover Vini's expenses when it came to his pants— the smallest hint of a grimace. Her eyes flitted to Evelle for a moment but shook her head and let out a sigh. "Considering Vini will not be operating at his peak efficiency with ruined pants, I suppose I could cover it. I expect later payment." She gave him a small nudge— making it obvious that she was saying it mainly in jest even if her tone never changed from its seriousness.

Suvi nodded at Kouki's interest— food. "Food sounds good. Let's take care not to spend too much though, or eat too much. We wouldn't want to ruin our appetite for dinner." She reminded them. The dracoknight didn't look like it but she was eager to try some of the Solan street food. Might as well enjoy the festivities even if they didn't know where the end goal was.

Suvi immediately stiffened to keep her balance at the sudden quake before being followed by a series of stronger and stronger quakes. Kouki's joke was immediately answered by a screech that shook her to the very core. She felt an all too familiar feeling— the split-second decision amidst the cold air when everything went silent aside from her heartbeat and her breathing.

Something emerged from the fissure of the ground and Suvi wouldn't have believed anyone if they told her what had happened during the Solan festival— after all, dragons weren't supposed to be awake and roaming the land after Naga had put them all into the ground. A small part of Suvi, one that held great pride as a Glaisian, was amazed by this creature. To have been raised to believe that they had come from such great creatures, an Inheritor...

It flew to the North, carrying death, fire, and destruction in its wake.

Self-preservation kicked in around the same time as Kouki who had quickly grabbed Vini's arm to pull him to safety. "Yes. Go! We're right behind you!" She responded to her companion as she sharply turned to Evelle. "Go. Go!" Suvi quickly pulled Evelle and shoved her in front so that she could keep an eye on their client while running back to the stables to grab their mounts.

Suvi knew Antonio would be fine. He was a smart wyvern and likely would have been able to escape the stables once he had sensed the danger close by. She should be able to see him soon. As for the dragon? That was a problem for whoever was the authority. Her thoughts were kept firmly on making sure she and her companions would be able to escape with their lives.

 

[Serei2477]

Volo Valcroise
Interactions: Raina [ EmperorsChosen
​

Volo was satisfied with Freya's answer and gave it a nod in acknowledgement. He'd no reason to question, so he wouldn't. Though, just when Volo was about to take out his coin purse and pay for the gorgeous accessories, a slight rumble stopped him dead in his tracks. He didn't visit Solan often, if at all, but were earthquakes common? Before he could voice his question to the two women, the earthquake returned harder than one he'd ever felt; hard enough that it forced him to grab onto the table to try and steady himself. Along with the eruption of the earth, the screams outside told him this wasn't just some mere earthquake. It was then he was able to see who they were dealing with... or rather what.

"Goddess have mercy..." He murmured in disbelief, fear ringing through his body worse than the screech pierced his ear drums, and then dread.

His friends. His comrades... They'd accompanied him to the festival, and he'd broken away to go on his frivolous shopping trip. Shit were they okay?! He had his armor, but if he'd brought his weapon, he might have given the Solan citizens the wrong impression. But damn it all...

If he'd heard right, Reina had someone she wanted to check on too... If "Da'" was injured or, goddess forbid, being attacked, then he'd be more help assisting Raina than getting lost in the crowd of Solan knights and panicked civilians. No way in hell would anyone listen to him in their current state; Volo would just risk getting trampled by the crowd. He'd have faith in his friends to hold their own.

Volo looked at Raina's wares and grabbed the sharpest piece of metal she was selling. It might not be able to pierce a wyvern but damn it all it was better than nothing! Not to mention brigands might take advantage of the carnage and try to cause chaos themselves. "Lead the way!" He told her before following suit.

If things went well, he could ask Raina to borrow any weapons she might have and come back. The fight might be over by the time he returned, but he prayed to Naga it would end in their favor!

-------------------------------

Hati
Interactions: Pretty Lady [ Landsharks ]
Mentions:
​

Under the other woman's scrutinizing gaze, Hati considered running away in any direction that wasn't near her. Had she said something wrong? Maybe asking about this "Naga" thing was too damning... If this woman was about to start screaming about a Laguz, then Hati would hope she could get a head start before that happened... She looked at the other girl, seeing her take a breath to begin speaking. Hati was ready to hear what the woman had to say until they both felt a tremor in the ground, then the blood curdling screech that earned the attention of the entire festival.

There, rising from the Earth, was the most terrifying thing Hati had ever seen in her life. She'd heard from one of her camp companions tell stories of large lizards called "dragons" capable of causing mass destruction or aiding those who needed them most. But this did not seem it had come to aid them!

"Wh-Whah- What..? How..?!" Hati looked towards Valeria with eyes full of fear and desperate for answers, but even she seemed to be questioning the dragon's existence. Fear and shock kept her frozen in place, wanting to run but suddenly finding herself too weak to do so.

Thankfully, Valeria was able to grab her wrist and force her body to run. Hati nearly tripped over herself from the sudden movement but quickly regained her footing and dashed alongside her companion. She was supposed to be heading in this direction once she'd crossed through the festival! But where..?

"Wh-Where are we going?" She managed to ask Valeria, looking back at the chaos that erupted the festival. The once cheery atmosphere and warmth now grounds to panic and despair. Hati almost couldn't believe how quickly everything took a turn for the worse... Then again, maybe she could.[/i][/i]

 

[Castello]

Vini
Interactions - Bloody_Death Colorless Spectrum AI10100
Mentions - Marlowe

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One might expect a pang of guilt to wash over Vini, but a glance at his class revealed that he had no qualms about begging for meals. The art of stealing food seemed to be ingrained in him, whether through disguises to secure multiple free samples or pleading with his friends for their fries, even though he claimed not to be hungry. Vini possessed an uncanny ability to keep his stomach satisfied, often at the expense of his dignity. His resourcefulness even extended to acquiring a free pair of pants, making it clear he had hit the jackpot with these generous individuals.

But as fate would have it, good things are often short-lived. While typically experiencing karma's lighter retribution, such as a stray banana peel or a bad hair day, Vini now found himself facing a world-threatening dragon on a rampage. The situation had escalated beyond his wildest expectations. All he could manage was an apologetic glance toward Kou, silently vowing never to resort to begging for food again if he managed to survive this ordeal.

"Unless there's a hidden agenda on the itinerary that includes murder as part of the festivities, I'm inclined to believe this is something entirely different," Vini replied to Kou's remark.
Bloody_Death

Kou, the newfound friend who understood the misfortune Vini seemed to attract, reached for his hand. In the midst of the chaos and destruction wrought by the colossal dragon, Vini found a strange sense of comfort in the simple act of hand-holding. It was as though, despite the catastrophic events unfolding around them, everything would somehow be alright. A faint rosy blush tinted his cheeks, a fleeting moment of solace.
Bloody_Death

Yet, just as things seemed to take a turn for the better, fate had other plans. Vini's already sizable hole in his pants somehow doubled in size, revealing his vibrant pink underwear adorned with pegasi (a bargain bin purchase, he couldn't resist!). What was once a gentle blush now turned into a deep shade of embarrassment as he dashed away from the dragon, mortified.

Vini deftly withdrew his hand from Kou's grasp, relying on his innate swiftness to lead their group. His gaze darted back at the menacing dragon, the full horror of the monstrous beast sinking in. He trembled with foreboding, fearing that if the dragon even so much as glanced in their direction, it would unleash a fiery torrent of destruction upon them.
Bloody_Death

"Dragons breathe fire, right?" Vini stammered, his voice filled with trepidation. "So, we should fly low to avoid attracting attention and make our escape with some finesse!" He blurted out, momentarily forgetting his exposed, pink-filled state.
Colorless Spectrum AI10100 Bloody_Death

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[Colorless Spectrum]

Sacha Evelle De'Ark

Suvi's annoyance, no matter how small it was, was not lost on Evelle. She wasn't dense not to have picked that up, it didn't matter of course. She was used to others disliking her and being annoyed by her, but that was also what made her lonely as much as she hated to admit it. Ever since she met the trio she wondered how they could even stand each other, she certainly can't. At least, that's how she imagined it to be.

The trio's discussion turned into some background chatter as Evelle whipped her head right and left as she tried to find even the smallest of clues on who she was supposed to relay the relic to. It wasn't until Suvi made mention of her name that her attention turned back to her companions. With a puff of her chest, she claimed, "Of course, I'm sure my colleague will find me soon and I will be on my way back to Reine where I am supposed to be."

It was hard to deny the wonders that the festivities bring. She never had this before, it was different… weird but not unwelcome. She shook her head to Suvi’s question, “There isn’t really anything I’d need here.” And yet her eyes linger on a few things. Bracelets, necklaces, all those little things she never got to have.

The sudden quake had made her heart leap, it was clear to her that it was unprecedented. Everyone around was worried, unprepared for such a phenomenon. Balance wasn’t difficult to maintain for someone like her, it felt like the pounding of her heart was the cause of the quake from how loud it was.

The ground broke so easily, and with it came a dragon as if it was hatched from its precious egg. She was left in awe, stricken by fear, and left like a dumbfounded statue. She prided herself on someone with a level head when it came to times like these, and yet there she was like a frightened child who didn’t know what to do. If it wasn’t for Suvi pushing her to move, she probably would have stayed there as Death claims another soul.

Evelle was quick with her feet, her armor clinked against each other. Every tick felt like a minute closer to the end. Their mounts… Alexander… She needed to see that he’s alright.

Her legs were starting to burn, her oxygen thinning as they made their way to the stables. It was close, just a few more steps. Alexander busted out of the shed with Antonio right behind him, Evelle cast a whistle to turn her pegasus’ attention to her. His hooves struck the ground, rushing over to the group along with the wyvern.

“Smart boy,” the Reinian stated with panted breath. A gentle brush of her hand before she hopped herself over to the saddle. “Kou, with me. Vini, go ride with Suvi then let’s go.” She commanded the group, wanting to escape as quickly as possible with everyone else. “I don’t think we’ll be able to escape in one piece if we linger any longer.”

Interactions: AI10100 Bloody_Death Castello
Locations: Solans, Stable

 

[RedArmyShogun]

Freya Lowell - Sunfall
​

"You damned fools!" As the two ran towards the danger, Freya cursed her luck, rather than doing the sensible thing, those two took off running towards the danger. Damn stubborn fools. Suddenly behind the two, the sound of loudly clanking metal could be dimly picked up among the running crowds. She suspected the Merchant meant to say Dad. If they could get him, that would be nice, but if they could, or rather would not, well a fist to the gut if she was too spry would be enough to get her to co-operate with her actual intentions. That being to pick the girl up and throw her over her shoulder and run as fast as her armored feet and legs would carry her.

Nothing would have survived where that cursed fire touched. Of that she was sure. Wincing a little at that, she hoped the Royal Family weren't caught up in it... Still, at the end of the day Freya was a Knight. "Oi! You fucks! I'm the one with a sword and shield! Er Pardon the speech, but as a Knight of Solans I can't just let you two run into all this while I run away... So take us where you need to go. Though if it's too dangerous... We'll just see then." She wasn't about to say she would resort to what amounted to kidnapping if it was needed. She hoped Volo would not be an obstacle there. They really couldn't afford to play around here. Drawing her sword and shield she gently moved some people here and there while shouting directions to the gate.

"What a damn mess."

Interactions: EmperorsChosen Serei2477

 

[Raiden]

Sunfall — Kingdom of Solans
The Winter Solstice Festival

Interaction(s): Aura Of Twilight Marlowe RedArmyShogun

​

It became increasingly apparent to Rogier that dealing with the rabble that was the festival goers was swiftly grating his nerves; coupled with the incident from the midday, all of these out-of-towners were a whole different breed of nuisances, coming into their territory and acting like they owned the place or had some degree of distinction over him, an actual emissary of the crown. Unlike them, he was doing his job, albeit reluctantly-- yet, those ignorant shits somehow conflated harassment with literally doing what the commander would've called the bare minimum for a knight during a massive gathering like this. Sure, he was readily admitting to the fact that he often didn't get on with people as easily or naturally as someone like Freya did, but he refused to believe that he'd acted out of line under any circumstance. It made no sense. Dumbasses.

It'd not been too long into his reinstated duties, and the knight already wanted the festival to come to an end with the day. Feeling the sharp pang of a splitting headache spill between his brow, Rogier didn't even take his eyes off of the woman even as the blonde male chimed in. He waved his hand in dismissal admist their words, shaking his head. "Look, unless you've got something pressing that ain't dragging on an imaginary issue that y'all insist on stokin', then piss off, sod." The one who invited themselves prompted his virulence, and that was all they would receive. If this was any tell for the hours to come, the knight was ready to welcome a hangover over the migraine from dealing with all these outsiders.

"And good on ya to say, lass, if not fer the fake sorries." Rogier finally saw the temporary freedom from the annoyances in reach as he wheeled around to tear away from the crowd, hoping to take his patrol to a quieter part of the city. "Now, if I'm finally free to go now, m'lord and m'lady, I'll take my leave." His words spelled an obvious ridicule of the overblown scenario, prompting him to turn away from the matter to carry on with the bloody day.

Bloody day.

It was almost like those words instinctually sounded within his mind when the monstrosity suddenly ruptured from the cobblestone of the square, and the Winter Solstice Festival unwittingly found itself constricted in a chorus of chaos. It was in that moment where all of those stories that his father had told him bolstered-- the age of archdragons, the fell times, and the hymn. All tales that he already believed, all suddenly manifest in some fell amalgation that now threatened Sunfall. His brow tensed as he'd narrowly avoided tumbling to the ground and the sharpnel-like debris that launched across the festival grounds with the drake's emergence, watching as the monstrosity whipped up a bellowing roar that bled into his ears even beyond the gauntlets which covered them.

"Oi, get yer arses to the gate!" Rogier felt the spur of duty as he turned to address the citizenry, seeing that the woman from before had fallen to the ground in a frozen fear. He quickly shuffled over, reaching down and grabbing her forearm to pull her up to her feet. "Ya heard me, now get a move on!"

The urgency of the moment called for his utmost attention, and the knight had no time to check up on every individual citizen as they fled. Rogier trampled through the sea of fright with his poleaxe in tow, his eye catching the unmistakable glint of armor that signalled a fellow knight. He winced as cursed flames expelled from the drake, scorching parts of the center and soliciting a number of screams from the frenzied mob. Our bloody luck. It took some time before Rogier found himself within vocal range of the knight, recognizing his compatriot immediately.

"Freya!" He called out, fighting through the crowd until he was at arm's length with the redheaded knight. "His Majesty and the others would've felt this one from the keep, no doubt they'll mobilize somethin'," Rogier stumbled beside his knight-in-arms, looking between Freya and the draconic monstrosity with apprehension. "Reckon it's a fool's word to stick 'round these parts fer long, but we're fool enough to be knights. We need to hold the beast long 'nough for 'em to get outta here, cousin."

 

[Aura Of Twilight]

Yurick​

It happened suddenly, a shift in the air that quickly consumed his senses, an unknown something with enough intensity to cause his head to throb and bring the world to silence for the briefest of moments. A chill ran down his spine. Whatever the knight or woman beside him happened to say in response to his words were lost, their lips moving soundlessly as Yurick found himself overwhelmed by a sudden case of breathlessness.

Run. The voice in his head whispered.

But why?

The world regained its sound then, and with it air came rushing back into his lungs. He gasped as everything came back into focus, getting a few odd and concerned looks from passerby in the process. A panic attack? Now? The prince gritted his teeth, running his hand down his face until he was able to compose himself. He had thought he had mostly gotten over them by now, so why…?

He shook his head. Though the symptoms were similar, there was something just extra off right now. Seeing as people around him were still clearly enjoying the festivities however, he wondered if he was simply being paranoid. As it was the two individuals from before had already walked away, lost among the ebb and flow of the crowds once more. Perhaps he just needed sleep.

But before he did that, he had a weapons booth to visit. Then it was back to Summer to finish his shift.

But of course, nothing could ever be that simple. All it took was a few steps before the earth began to ominously rumble beneath him and cracks to appear between his feet. Instinctively jumping backwards, nothing could have prepared him for the loud boom that followed to send him nearly flying. Buildings were destroyed in an instant, crumbling to rubble as a shockwave ran through the town, a gaping hole now present in its center. Finding himself pushed back several feet Yurick just barely grabbed a wooden post in time to avoid a nearby metal rod that could’ve easily skewered him. As his feet reestablished contact with the ground he grunted, landing just a little too heavy on his bad leg.

All around him people were screaming and running in terror, some frozen in place as they looked, transfixed, on the behemoth that had managed to crawl out of the depths of hell. With its leathery wings spread and impressive stature, the creature easily dwarfed the largest castle, its scales reflecting the orange glow from the flames it had brought forth from its entrance. Though its eye sockets were hollow, like any Glaisian worth their salt knew it could be nothing else but a dragon, its maw now alight with fire about to be unleashed. Books hardly brought this legendary creature justice. There was something beautiful about it he thought, even as it finally released a attack that easily lit up the night sky like a errant firework. Almost immediately came the acrid smell of burning flesh. His eyes watered. A small part of him wondered what it would be like to approach such a monstrosity, knowing that it would likely be the last thing he ever see, but that disturbing urge all but disappeared when it roared with enough ferocity to pierce ear drums.

Broken from his trance, Yurick desperately searched for a exit. He ran, limping to anywhere but here. Among him people were tripping, crying, and even breathing their last. He swallowed, pushing away the memories that came from the sight. Despite the unfolding chaos however he was helping some to their feet without a thought, pushing people to run even as they wailed over the dead. He knew not everyone could be saved but even just a few would bring some relief to his conscience.

The dragon continued its attacks, some of its strikes sending flames way to close. Not good, not good---he needed to run faster before—

Heat rushed towards him from behind. Seeing someone still frozen in place he shouted, “Get down!” Ducking, he pushed the woman to the ground, crashing down beside her as flames shot overhead, singeing a few of his locks in the process. Once they stopped he crawled to his knees and took a look at the individual he just saved. It was that woman from before.

“You ok?” His voice was raspy, throat aching from too much heat. He frowned. “You’re bleeding. Can you move still?”

Marlowe

 

[EmperorsChosen]

As Raina made a mad dash towards the inner parts of the city, she heard several calling back to her. She didn't quite process that the words were directed at her given the chaos around and her focus on making it home. When she did, she turned back, panic evident on her face. "Wh-No! Not lead the way! I'm headin' INTO the bloody city!" She shouted back, though not pausing in her step.

"What about a sword 'n shield? Greatest blade or board in the world won't cut this thing or brace against any of its attacks!" Raina retorted next to Freya. She didn't want to drag others in with her. She herself was scared shitless, but she just couldn't leave her dad. Pausing, she looked back at them momentarily. "It's my Da'. He's still at home. Plus..." Plus, he was probably already drunk as hell and thus was likely not to make it out on his own. "Do what ye' both want. But I already know this is stupid, so it's doubly so for you!"

Continuing her efforts, regardless of if they followed her or not, Raina made her way to her home, dodging around and climbing over rumble that seemed to worsen as they proceeded. A modest hovel not yet completely toppled by the beast. She barged in shouting for her father who was found, half pinned under some rubble. He was in bad shape, but seemingly alive.

"Dad! I'll get you out! Just... just wait!" Raina cried, trying to pry and hoist the pieces of rubble that kept him grounded. While the smaller pieces were movable, the larger debris of the home were a much larger task that even Raina struggled to budge despite her desperate attempts.

"Raina... Stop." He pleaded weakly.

"The hells do you mean stop?! It's moving--It'll move!" Raina argued as she attempted to pry the rubble off.

"Everything's tumbling girl, there ain't time...! You shouldn't have even come... in the first place..."

"Stop, talking! It's--I can get you out!" She pleaded, though despite her urgings, the building was obviously in dire straits and its integrity was growing worse by the second.

"You have to leave girl... You have to..." It was then that the man's eyes trailed to the figures that came in after her. His voice and expression was weak, but his eyes conveyed a clear pleading to Raina's companions, one that Raina did not notice as she continued to struggle in her attempts to free him.

Serei2477 RedArmyShogun

 

[Marlowe]

mentions: everyone​

An acrid smell grew poignant on the night wind. Screams filled with excruciating pain and terror pierced straight through her. How many people were dying? How many people were already dead? Kyou grit her teeth, hissing a curse under her breath. What was she doing? She had to move, get up and move, help the others–

The foolish knight reacted before she could. Kyou cursed herself for that, even as he dragged her onto her feet. She glowered at him over her shoulder, watching the lad disappear into the throng. By the Inheritors, she should be doing the same. What kind of Glaisian would she be if she wasn’t willing to throw herself into the fray? She heaved a shaky gasp as she raised her hand towards the hilt of her blade. Calm your mind, Kyou–

Heat pooled at her back. Kyou’s hackles stood on end. Too late.

“Get down!”

Kyou felt her breath get knocked out of her once again as she was thrown onto the floor. Pain streaked up her legs again, and she ground her teeth to prevent a cry from leaving her. Her gaze, wild and filled with confusion, flicked up to the features of the man that had saved her from the fresh torrent of infernal fire. She rose up onto her fours, coughing and spluttering at the acrid tinge of sulfur that now hung heavy in the air. His question reached deaf ears. Instead, she wavered her eyes towards the streets near the main gate of Sunfall. Tongues of crimson flame rose up into the pitch black not far from where they knelt. Dread settled deep in the core of her stomach as she was wracked by a coughing fit.

”Need… to move,” she wheezed as she pulled herself to her feet. Kyou winced as she pointed down the street and towards the hellish flame. ”Way’s… blocked, need to find… another…”

The air trembled with yet another demonic roar, one so loud that it made the very ground quake. Kyou glanced over her shoulder to see that the dragon was in the process of hauling its long, spiked body out of the crater that now yawned out from the very center of the city. But the deep cracks still splintered across the remnants of Sunfell with every tremor that tore through the earth. A sheer cold wave of realization rolled across her body as she looked down at where she stood. The ground beneath her feet had become a mosaic of shattered cobblestone, and more cracks shot across the road even as the people rushed away from the flames.

”The city,” she breathed out as she raised her gaze back at the strange man. ”It’s about to go under. We–”

A fissure cleaved the ground in half. The road slanted– Kyou cried out as she was wrenched off her feet. Panic seized her as she fell backwards, her heart thrashing in her chest, but she mustered her strength to lunge forward and grasp the edge of the new hole that had appeared just under her. Gasping for breath, she fought hard to try to pull herself away from the dark crater that had threatened to swallow her. Yet, as she attempted to pull herself back up onto the surface, she felt another shudder pass through the earth. The dragon shrieked an angry, furious cry somewhere above.

No. She couldn’t die here. Fate wouldn’t have her!

Kyou roared with effort as she tried to clamber back up to the surface. But just as she was about to haul herself away from almost certain death, whatever little earth crumbled away from her fingers. Whatever determination that once blazed within her had turned into fear as she fell. The starless sky, now filled with smoke and tinged with the blood-red hue of the dragon’s fire, became further and further as she plummeted into the abyss.

Then, all went black.

 

[RedArmyShogun]

Freya Lowell - Sunfall
​

"Damn fool of an old man... Aye..." Freya muttered to herself, though she understood all too well what he was asking, there was no possible way they could remove him from there without that giant overgrown zombie lizard torching them all. While it would have been ideal for the handsome knight to pick up the damsel, she didn't have time to screw around waiting for that and it might be better if she was mad at her. Between the two she had on armor, so not like Raina's protests and fists would do shit all to her. And she rather not have his wish in vain.

Stepping up behind her as if to help remove the beams, and confirming it was hopeless in the time they had, she simply snatched her by the torso, right below the arms, hooking her into a carry. "Say your goodbyes girl, you get a chance most others won't this day." With those words Freya moves to take off in a run, shouting at the male, "Volo! Grab her damned legs! She can be mad and hit us later! For now, we need to get out of here and see about getting even with that Scaley Pit Spawn Dragon! Honor the old man's wishes!"

Hoping he would co-operate and make her job easier, to get the two, or hopefully three of them out of here, she winced a bit as she heard the crumbling and burning edifice falling behind them... Was it a mercy to let her have a final moment... Or was it a curse that would haunt the girl for years to come? Well, at least the Smith would have years, and the goddess and a bottle of Ale would sit at the feet of the knight, but looking around at the damage, the crying, the dead, the dying. This was on a scale far greater than anything she had seen, or likely anyone that drew breath in the mortal realm.

While she questioned the righteousness or condemnation of her actions, of being able to do so little, the whole city collapsed bit by bit beneath them. A sense of peace washed over her. She would get that judgement sooner than she expected as the darkness took her senses. "Ha..."

Interactions: EmperorsChosen Serei2477

 

[Bloody_Death]

» Kouki Chibana

『 TAGGED 』 AI10100 || Castello || Colorless Spectrum

Kou had turned away for one moment and soon looked back to see that Vini...was now pantsless!? How was he able to run faster with such a giant hole in his pants!?

Thankfully, for a brief moment, there seemed to be hope! Spotting the two mounts flying down to come get them. He gave a quick nod at Evelle's instructions. Getting onto Alexander with a quick hop. And it wasn't a moment too soon, as the ground around them seemed to begin cracking and breaking apart in a very concerning manner. This whole city was about to disappear off the face of the map in a matter of seconds. "The floor is going to cave in!" He shouted, hoping that they had managed to all start flying enough to not fall into the darkness opening up below them. His heart was racing as they just barely managed to prevent themselves from, what appeared to be, certain death.

However, he spoke too soon. The janky ride caused a lot of their things to be shaken around and down into the abyss. One of those things was the very important package they were supposed to help their boss deliver. Kou didn't pay it much mind, but it appears Evelle had other plans as before he knew it, they were now flying into the depths after the package. The opposite of where they were supposed to be going. "What are you doing!? Leave it!" He exclaimed, but it seemed his words were falling on deaf ears. He quickly looked up, there was rubble starting to fall from above them. Rubble that was about ready to crush them. "Ugh, you're going to get us killed!" He groaned, drawing his sword and using it to try and block and clear any large pieces of rubble that might hurt them or Alexander.

There was one hefty piece that hit a lot harder than he expected. Just barely able to prevent it from potentially injuring one of the pegasus's wings but at the cost of completely throwing him off the mount. "Shit-" His eyes widened as he was now freefalling into the darkness. Was this really how he was going to die? From falling into a hole? Falling into a hole made by a dragon seemed a bit more exciting at least. The splat he was expecting to feel when he hit the ground never came, instead, his senses became overwhelmed by the darkness and suddenly everything went blank.

code by @Nano

 

[Serei2477]

Volo Valcroise
Interactions: Raina [ EmperorsChosen | Freya [ RedArmyShogun ]]
​

He felt a lump in his throat and a pit in his stomach. It wasn't the man's request that hurt him the most, but Raina's desperation in trying to free him. What if Volo was in the same position, trying to rescue his own father? He had moved forward and tried to help Freya and Raina move the collapsed structure, but they were running out of time. Maybe if his comrades were there to help, they might have a chance. But... it was only a chance. And even then, it was more than likely the man's legs were broken (assuming the man didn't have internal injuries).

It hurt his heart to be looked at by pleading eyes, begging him and Freya to take Raina to safety. It was part of being a knight, and a soldier, to weigh their choices. To try and save one would doom all of them.

So, as Freya took to Raina's arms, Volo moved quickly to grab her legs. "I'm sorry, Raina!"

Though, before the two could get moving, he felt a tremor beneath his feet, then everything falling apart around him. Was this it? The end of Volo Valcroise? Was this truly how the goddess envisioned his final breath? He hadn't become something! He hadn't spread his fighting style far and wide like he'd wanted! Would it all be for nothing?

He had no answer to that question. All he could do was watch as he was taken into darkness.

-------------------------------

Hati
Interactions: Pretty Lady [ Landsharks ]
Mentions:
​

Hati could feel something under her feet as the two ran; a shifting, cracking Earth against her skin as Valeria dragged her away. The cracking extended beyond her, and if she had to guess, it would extend beyond the woman pulling her. Would they be fast enough to escape the roaring beast? Or from the ground crumbling beneath them?

It was becoming wildly apparent that they were doomed to fall as the planes began to crumble under their feet. Soon a clear path became riddled with obstacles and a dark pit that grew rapidly in size. Would the debris kill them if they fell? Maybe, but there was no escaping the darkness.

If Hati flew, she could very much fly away and escape. She didn't owe anything to this woman, and for all she knew this lady could have been leading Hati to her death. But... the raven couldn't bring herself to do so. To simply abandon the other... How would she live with herself? From what she'd seen, this woman had been kind enough to lead her away from potential capture, and to turn her back on this girl... she'd be no better than the people who kept her kind in chains.

So, Hati thought quickly.

She tore off the patchy traveler's bag from her person and threw it carelessly to the side. As the solid Earth crumbled beneath them and flung them into nothingness, Hati grabbed the other woman's hand with both of hers. Her obsidian raven wings stretched out wide, flapping hard as Hati put all her strength into it. Hati was not strong enough to fly them both out of there, so of course they sank into the abyss. But at least she could cushion the fall enough that the two would survive.

Now, if a rock were to hit Hati's head on the way down... Well, let's just hope the pretty lady's eyesight was good enough to warn the raven of danger.

 

[Landsharks]

Valeria Almiran​

Valeria was no stranger to dangerous situations, considering the nature of her work, but this was beyond the pale. Everything around them was collapsing as they ran, and only her conditioning and ardent faith kept her mental state from doing the same. Unfortunately, the pair's luck ran out as the earth split directly beneath them, and Valeria found herself falling with the girl.

This was it, then. She'd known the risks when she agreed to be a spy for church and crown, but somehow, Valeria had never quite thought her death would be like this. Still, as disheartening as the prospect of her own death was, she found herself more dismayed that the church would never get advance warning of an Inheritor's return now. She would fall to her death having failed the goddess-

Black feathers filled her periphery vision as Valeria found herself pulled towards her companion. A sudden sense of inappropriate bemusement filled her as she managed to retain enough presence of mind to take a brief stock of the situation. It seemed the laguz theory had been entirely correct after all. Well. That explained some things. Still, considering they weren't rising from the pit just yet, it stood to reason that the girl wouldn't be able to simply fly them out. A shame. At least they probably wouldn't die from the fall. It seemed the Motherwyrm wasn't quite finished with Valeria or her duties. Yet another example of Her grace.

Valeria started to tilt her head and thank her savior, but she caught movement in the corner of her eye. Debris falling with them, and coming down faster. At this rate...

"Shift left!" There wasn't much more that could be said at the moment. If they wanted to make it out of this alive, Valeria would have to keep a careful eye on incoming projectiles. It would be a terrible shame to go through all of this only for the two of them to still die because she missed a rock or two falling onto the dear girl's head.


Serei2477

 

[EmperorsChosen]

As Raina struggled with the rubble, she felt an arm wrap around her before she realized it. Unsurprisingly, the girl wasn't appreciative of the female knight's attempts to save her, nor the male's assisting her. "W-What're you-Get the fuck off me, you-!" Struggling against the woman's grasp, Raina felt her legs taken hold of before she began to be hoisted away. Desperation gave way to rage and the blacksmith began to elbow, kick, and flail, though it did little against armor.

"You idiots! If you aren't going to help, then--then just fuck off! Fuck! Off!" She screamed at them, her eyes trailing to meet her father's gaze one last time. As the rest of the structure toppled, the sight seemed to stun her as the smith's actions froze. The final image of her father, that being overtaken by the debris, stuck with her. It replayed in slow motion, numerous times in those brief moments. Her heart sank into the pit of her stomach, and even as the ground itself gave way, Raina didn't process it.

She felt her body float, yet only the previous moments flashed through her mind. Her childhood, when her father first taught her smithing, the many years they worked in tandem. Then, the slander against him, his motivation dissipating, becoming a shell of his former self. The many long days and late nights working to improve to regain their reputation. Then, the day's events replayed, her preparation for the festival, everything going to hell, her father disappearing behind fiery rubble. It was all Raina could focus on as the world around went dark, first in vision, then her consciousness.

Serei2477 RedArmyShogun

 

[AI10100]

B A L C H T , S U V I
Interacting with: Bloody_Death Castello Colorless Spectrum
Location: Solans​

A big part of Suvi's worries had been dashed the moment she saw both Antonio and Alexander in the skies, swooping down to aid their respective masters. The plan was simple. Get on their mounts and fly off to a safer space, preferably very far away from the dragon that had reared its undead head and was actively ruining the entire capital city of Solans. Antonio had landed soon after Antonio and they all fell into the order that Evelle had given them. She urged Antonio forward so that Vini— who was now pantless she only realized— could hop on with ease. Seeing the ground slowly collapsing beneath them accompanied by Kouki's call, Suvi quickly grabbed Vini's arm to yank him onto the wyvern no matter what position he would find himself in.

"Up, 'Tonio, up!" The wyvern heeded the dracoknight's order, quickly dismounting from the ground just as it crumbled beneath them. Holding Vini's back to keep him from falling and the other on Antonio's reins, Suvi felt like she could breathe a little easier knowing that they had escaped almost certain death by a hair's breadth. The screaming didn't stop though as more and more civilians and knights and peddlers and whoever else started slipping and falling through the cracks of the ground. Any nobler person would have done their best to save as many as they could.

Suvi wondered if there was a single noble bone left in her body.

Then she looked back at Evelle and Kouki. More Kouki than Evelle, really. There was that dawning realization— a horrific understanding— that they were in grave danger the moment Suvi saw the small package Evelle had been carrying get jostled out and fall into the abyss. The turn of the pegasus as their client made a break for it. Rubble falling onto the pegasus and throwing Kouki off.

She had ordered Antonio faster than she could think. She could not afford to lose another companion.

Antonio folded his wings and shot downward, hoping to be able to reach Kouki just in time so that they could still salvage the situation and fly upwards. Evelle could risk her neck for that package of hers for all Suvi cared. At this point, this was well and beyond the agreement. Blood thundering against her ears. Rubble fell all around them as buildings collapsed as the maw of the abyss grew larger and larger. Faster. Faster. Before they hit the ground. Before they—

Suvi couldn't have been sure about what had made contact with Antonio. Perhaps a part of the street that had fallen. A lampost perhaps? Maybe it was some crate or package from the fair. Whatever the offending object was, it had slammed straight into Antonio, causing the wyvern to shriek in pain and subsequently completely disorient the wyvern sending both Suvi and Vini spiraling down.

Regrets often come late. It was always accompanied by a sudden flash of hindsight. To not have gone after Kouki. To have grabbed him before Evelle. To have valued themselves more than just a few pieces of gold. To have chosen other companions. To have died in the manor. To have warned her mother of the consequences of her actions. There was a lot in Suvi's life that she had regretted. In the face of the uncertainty and death, Suvi couldn't help but recall them. Perhaps it was only merciful that darkness soon overtook her sight then the rest of her senses as she fell straight into the abyss.

 

[Colorless Spectrum]

Sacha Evelle De'Ark

The ground started crumbling. Kou had finally gotten on Alexander’s back. The ground crumbled… and then… they were flying, shaking, unstable. It took a bit for her pegasi to get back his stability, but everything else was gone… everything. “No!” Everything that was happening felt like a bad dream, if only it was. All color was drained from Evelle’s face when she saw her package falling into the pit. The embarrassment of the De’Ark family coming home in failure of a very simple mission. There would be no home for her to go back to if that was the case, then she’d rather die trying than be discarded by the people that was supposed to care for her.

“Alexander!” They can reach it! Her voice screamed inside of her head as her pegasi headed straight for the package at terrifying speed, his wings folded and falling head first down. There was only one thing in her mind, her family’s approval. Anything Kou said fell on deaf ears. Alexander evaded every single rubble that came in their way, Kou protected them so well— not that she would know, and just when her fingers finally touched the package the surface started to crumble in on them.

She felt Alexander’s back dip down, throwing Kou off of the saddle. “Kou!” No, no, no, no. She thought and she continued to think, it’s all my fault.

They were already inside the pit, and she didn’t even realize it. She felt something collide beside her, she was falling? She couldn’t see Alexander anywhere, she couldn’t even see her own hands. She was falling, perhaps to her death. Maybe that’s what she deserved after dragging everyone with her. “I’m sorry.” She whispered to herself although her words were directed to Suvi, Kou, Vini, Antonio, and Alexander.

She shouldn’t have gone back for the package. She should have told Kou to ride on Antonio like she always did, like her obnoxious elitist front. She shouldn’t have accepted their services. She shouldn’t have accepted the mission in the first place.

Despite being from Reign, Evelle had stopped having faith the moment she realized her family would never care for her the way she yearned for but right now she found herself praying for the safety of her companions. She prayed as she fell and prayed until her thoughts became nothing but darkness.

Interactions: AI10100 Bloody_Death Castello
Locations: Solans, Stable

 

[Castello]

Vini
Interactions - AI10100
Mentions -

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---

As the earth trembled beneath Vini's boots, he abruptly halted, diverting his attention to his companions. Before he could offer a moment of respite, the ground split open beneath his abdomen. Swiftly, Vini sprinted toward Suvi and her Wyvern, grasping her outstretched hand as he clambered onto the creature's back. However, before its wings could catch the air, they found themselves plummeting into the depths below. A fleeting moment of hope emerged as Antonio took flight. Vini erupted in cheers, believing they had narrowly escaped death, joyously placing his hands on Suvi's shoulders. Yet, in what felt like an instant, their ascent turned into a freefall.

The subsequent events remained a blank canvas for Vini. The circumstances that propelled them toward the Earth's core eluded him, and any recollection of Suvi's whereabouts vanished.

Vini's eyes fluttered as he became aware of a viscous liquid enveloping him—the unmistakable odor of the sewer's repugnant excrement. His body went limp, limbs rendered lifeless as he sank into the murky demise. Breathing slowed, sensory perception diminished, and finally, vision faded to black. The last image Vini glimpsed before succumbing to unconsciousness was his pants draped over a tree that had tumbled alongside him.

"Man, I hope I'm dead," echoed his own voice, the words lingering as he surrendered to the embrace of unconsciousness.

---

---

 

[Marlowe]

mentions: Raiden [Rogier]​

With all of the world spiraling back into existence and intermingling with her consciousness, Kyou snapped awake. The first thing that she realized was that there was a horrible, pungent smell in the air. It was thick and smelled like steel or iron and it hung about her like a black veil. The silence forced her to open her eyes, and when she did she saw that the sky was a distant, dark disc encompassed by the lip of the crater. By Grima’s grace, the city had actually completely fallen through the earth. How many people had died? Were there even any survivors? The men, the women and the mothers with their children who had run through the streets only hours before… there was no way anyone could have survived it. She was an outlier– lucky, even.

After a moment of hesitation, Kyou pulled her legs toward her. A searing tendril of pain wrapped around her left calf and thigh, and she winced and sucked in a hiss. Broken. Lovely. She squirmed again as she shuffled onto her stomach. Her whole body was in agony, but she could move, feel-- nothing else seemed like it was broken. Groaning, Kyou clumsily pulled herself onto her fours and tried to keep most of her weight on her right leg. Her left still screamed in complaint, though she pushed through the blinding pain and hauled herself onto her feet. Her panting bounced off the stone walls as she glanced about, exhaustion wracking her battered body even further.

Kyou staggered forward. She had no idea where she was going. All around her were the rubble and ruins of Sunfall. Wooden banisters and frameworks of little homes stuck out from the piles of stones like broken teeth. If she stared hard enough, the smaller splinters began to look like fractured limbs jutting out from the aftermath of the destruction. Firelight crackled somewhere to her left, the warm glow casting a heavier fog over her gaze. Her vision blurred in response, and a curse left her as she rubbed her eyes. She turned to see where the light came from and was surprised to see that a torch was carefully perched on a sconce a few dozen feet away. Torches… she pondered, blinking. Down here..? Have there been people around..?

Pain blitzed up her leg again and her head ached desperately. Kyou mumbled another string of curses as she limped a few steps forward. Before long, she saw a shape on the ground; a man laid face down at the foot of the pile of fractured city. Kyou paused to stare. In the low-light, she caught a hint of brownish hair and the glint of armor. It was the foolish knight from before, the one that had harassed her not too long ago. Dead, she told herself before heading on her way. Just as she began to pass him, she glimpsed the subtle rise and fall of his back. Kyou halted, blinking in alarm. Alive. He was alive?!

”You,” she wheezed as she limped closer to Rogier. She dug her good foot into his side and, with much effort, pushed him onto his back. Kyou’s eyes narrowed at the wide trickle of blood that curved along his jaw. ”Wake… wake up… need to help… others–”

Kyou went to push her boot into his side again in an attempt to shake Rogier awake. She sucked another breath in as her leg screamed at her for mercy, but she buried the agony beneath a fresh layer of determination. She had to get him awake. Two people working together was better than one, even more so if she had a broken leg.

The light to her left flickered ever so slightly. Kyou glanced up to see that a cluster of shapes had pulled themselves from the wreckage. She narrowed her eyes at them in an attempt to identify the dark clothing they wore, but from this distance there wasn’t a way in the hells that she could figure that out. Something blocked their faces, whether they be scarves or perhaps masks, but all she knew for certain was that they had skittered out of sight not long after she locked her sights on them. It seemed some others had survived the disaster…

Annoyance prickled in her stomach. ”Wake up.” Kyou returned her attention back to Rogier and kicked him lightly in the ribs. ”We need… to get movin’!”

 

[Aura Of Twilight]

Yurick​

Gaze wild and filled with confusion, the woman looked up at him wordlessly and in a daze, her mind clearly elsewhere as her eyes flickered from his face to the flames that she had just narrowly avoided and back again. Coughs shook her small frame, and though she hardly looked in any condition to be moving she forced herself on her feet, swaying long enough that Yurick instinctively reached his arm out to steady her until she found her bearings. “Take it easy now.” He heard himself say. “Fainting now wont do anyone good.”

Amongst the screams of sheer terror and crackling fire her voice barely reached his ears as she pointed out the now blocked escape route. Yurick’s heart skipped a few beats, dread beginning to squeeze his already aching throat. While he had gone through tough battles on various occasions as a mercenary they paled in comparison to the nightmare he currently found himself in. It was as if he was back on that snowy battlefield again, crawling towards his fallen countrymen even as the fort collapsed around them in flames.

He bit his lip, tasting copper as he pushed back the memories. Focus you damned fool. His eyes desperately scanned the surrounding area for another exit that wasn’t consumed in flames. No luck. Perhaps he could temporarily repel the flames with a magic shield? In the past he had managed to conjure a small barrier to block enemy attacks so it could be possible (at least in theory) with enough stamina…

Before he could attempt such a maneuver however the dragon roared again, shattering his focus as his hands slammed against his ears. The air trembled, the cobblestones beneath his feet further breaking apart as it could no longer withstand the heavy presence of a beast birthed from dark, primordial magic. This was a being no mortal was meant to see, a deity that was never meant to wake up from its eternal slumber bringing revenge upon the living.

“The city…” The woman was speaking again, her voice filled with growing horror. “It’s about to go under. We--“

Yurick cursed. “I know, I know. Give me your hand so maybe I can—”

Whatever the prince was going to say next died in his throat as the earth groaned loudly, a fissure opening directly beneath them in an instant. He gasped, flailing helplessly as he struggled to mutter out a spell. A thin tendril of magic formed in his hands, sweat forming on his brow as he directed it upwards to grab something, anything that would keep him from falling into the depths—

Only for a piece of rubble to hit the top of his head and cause the magic rope to disintegrate. In the moments before he lost consciousness he saw the world above grow further away, a soundless “no” leaving his lips. The familiar chime from Midori’s bell filled his ears, a lovely melody embracing him before the end.

Then everything faded to black.

--

The first thing Yurick realized was that he was most definitely still among the living somehow, air entering and leaving his lungs and head pounding like it had been hit repeatedly with a sledgehammer. He was also lying on the ground, body aching with each movement he made but at least still in one piece. The too familiar taste of blood was still on his tongue, the pain on his lower lip suggesting he must have bitten down hard at some point. Exhausted as he was, it took several minutes before he was able to open his eyes even a crack.

And, of course, the world was little more than a blur of colors. He sat up, groaning as a wave of nausea rippled through him, having to blink several times before he could make any sense of his surroundings. Motionless bodies and rubble from buildings of Sunfall littered the ground around him, partially lit up by nearby torches admist the darkness. Who had placed them there, he wondered. How long had he been unconscious? Were there any other people who had survived the fall?

He stumbled to his feet, leaning heavily against a pile of broken wood and torn flags. "Is anyone else here? Anyone?" His voice was coarse, echoing off the walls in the cavern with ease. His hand gripped a metal rod he had just found, prepared for anyone or anything that might respond.