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Post by MeadowSong on Jun 17, 2010 20:32:25 GMT -5
[glow=Purple,2,300]A tiny dot of black and green darkness could be seen in the valley of the stars, but for some reason it was growing, and the people within Castle Disney would soon find out that this was no black star, nor was it a bubble of some sort.
This was the powerful cannon blast launched from the very chambers of the Black Queen Maleficent, more commonly known today as MeadowSong, Mistress of Darkness and Queen of the Heartless.
The beam rocketed downward, aiming directly at the castle. The large, dome-like roof at the center of the palace bent inward at the oncoming lazer, and burst, shattering into millions of pieces just like that. The beam entered the floor, throwing marble chunks, as well as furniture, glass and a lot more shrapnel in all directions. A loud rumble would shake the castle, the foundation creaking alongside.
Soon the white marble of Disney Castle began darkening, as if it were dying; later it would be completely consumed in darkness. The barrier itself covering this world had shattered, so weak as to affect the beam naught. Thorns, lightning, fire and ice began manifesting all over the place, columns being crushed in by the vines, lights flickering to explosion due to the electricity, cloth and combustibles blowing apart and creating very uncomfortable heat, and even the ice causing the shrapnel to burst on impacts.
What was worse was that Hades' hellfire, as well as Jafar's malevolent sorcery and Kefka's god-like energy, was placed into this machine, and was on its way to leveling the entirety of the palace.
People began freezing in place, their bodies beginning to petrify; soon the castle would be silent, save for the crackling of energy. That, and the rumbling beneath the castle would too be an unsettling sound.[/glow]
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Cloud
Another Heart
Not interested.
Posts: 99 
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Post by Cloud on Jun 17, 2010 23:24:17 GMT -5
**from loans and finance**
Cloud ran up the lawn to see the widespread destruction the blast of darkness had caused. He was shocked by the mayhem, but knew already that he needed to get to work. Rushing ahead, he began evacuating people away from the castle, able to save a few, but not all. Those little that had made it were already voicing their concerns about the Cornerstone of Light kept tucked away under the King's audience chamber.
"I'm on it..." Cloud would reassure them before running into the castle, finding the most destroyed area easily. He ran to avoid strikes of dark thorns, his sword swiping easily to destroy some that came his way.
You can't save them, Cloud. You never could
Why couldn't that voice stop haunting him? Why couldn't it just leave him the hell alone? Especially now when he was busy. He ran into the audience chamber, glancing up to see the destroyed location of the former dome before following the path of the beam to the shattered marble. "There!" he said, running then into the hole created and up to the fabled Cornerstone of Light.
It was cracked, yes, but it would still hold. Cloud looked at it confused, shaking his head. "I don't get it..." he muttered, checking the thorns all around. "It's still here... weak, sure, but not like it's-"
Don't be naive. They don't want this bauble.
"What could they have-" he suddenly saw it... the door left behind by Sora's last adventures. It made sense... They needed to get to that door... and chances were likely they'd make it past. He had to get in first. "Damn..." he muttered, then jumped back. "No choice..."
Lucky for him, the blast of darkness had already damaged the lock placed on it by Sora. All he had to do was run fast enough and hit the doors hard enough and he was in. He toppled into the doorway... the lock destroyed and the door wide open for anyone to come in... but that WASN'T his problem now...
The OTHER Cornerstone was.
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Post by Acteur de la Noir on Jun 18, 2010 17:59:51 GMT -5
Not that long after the lone wolf swordsman had made his departure through that most unique of doorways, another figure stepped into the Hall of the Cornerstone. Bathed in the light from outside, the newcomer was silhouetted for a moment, wrapped in a darkness that seemed to be an extension of his own shadow. The shadow in question stretched from the figure’s feet, reaching across the pearly white floor until it terminated scant inches from the Cornerstone. In a way, it was symbolic—almost as though the shadow was an intruder upon this once-hidden sanctuary, a supernatural cancer closing in on the core of light that rendered Disney Castle a stronghold against the forces of darkness. And in this instance, reality and symbolism weren’t as separate as one would think…for the figure who strode into the chamber was indeed a follower of the dark; his intentions boding ill for the light-worshipping denizens of this castle.
He was hardly the outright menacing figure that was presented by the likes of Atticus the Fallen or Maleficent (though, unknown to many, the latter went by a new name); nor did he carry any obvious weapons such as Cloud Strife’s Buster Sword. But what need did he have of weapons, this eccentric-looking individual in the garb of Victorian nobility? His arms of choice were the most inventive of all—the essence of imagination and darkness manifest, the guile and cunning of a trickster magician! With such abilities, even such a flamboyant performer such as Acteur de la Noir, the Phantom Puppeteer of the Heartless, could prove a formidable adversary. And woe to the philistine who thought otherwise.
Approaching the Cornerstone of, Acteur whipped out a monocle from the breast pocket of his flamboyantly-cut tuxedo jacket, lifting it up to one of his mask’s eyeholes as he regarded the colossal crystal sphere. “Ah…the Cornerstone of Light,” he breathed dramatically, adopting the air of a jeweler examining a rare and priceless gem. “T’is an embodiment of all that is bright and pure. Dating back from time immemorial, the jewel has persisted to this day, a shining beacon in even the darkest of hours. No matter what may befall this world, it shall never truly be engulfed by shadow…so long as this Cornerstone remains.” Then Acteur paused, letting out a sinister chuckle as he reached out with one hand. Gingerly, the gloved tip of his index finger touched one of the cracks in the translucent crystal, sizzling quietly as the swirling, ethereal light within reacted to this fleeting contact with darkness. “But no matter…no candle burns forever, no matter how brightly its light may shine.”
Acteur remained where he was, for the moment—he was expecting word from his master, after all. But looking at the nearby door, the Heartless puppeteer had a feeling he knew what was required of him this day.
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Post by Atticus the Fallen on Jun 18, 2010 22:20:10 GMT -5
"Good, you're there..." the familiar voice of the Fallen echoed in the darkness of the chamber of the Cornerstone. The shadows would slowly melt off the walls and make their way to the center of the room like so much quicksilver. The darkness pooled, congealed, and rose. The image created there was that of the dark mage, but it was only partly there, transluscent and soft. He was sending his will through Hyperspace to be here while he attended other matters elsewhere.
The shadow of the dark one walked over to Acteur, looking down at him with those eyes which were intimidating even from such great distances away. "I admit myself disappointed, Acteur, that you were nowhere to be seen when the forces of light were invading the stronghold... but that will have to wait..." he looked to the door now, seeing it already busted open.
"Good..." the dark reflection whispered, eyes narrowing. "The mouse is in the maze. Time to send in the cat..." He looked to Acteur now and pointed to the door. "Your primary objective is to destroy the Cornerstone back when it was vulnerable. If you happen to fail at this... bring me the one responsible and I'll deal with the matter myself..."
With that, he disappeared...
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Post by Acteur de la Noir on Jun 19, 2010 20:38:22 GMT -5
At the arrival of his master's image, Acteur swept into a humble bow, sinking to one knee and dipping his head low. At the mention of the chaos that had been unfolding in the skies above the palace—at the battle from which he had been absent—the Heartless puppeteer hung his head, clearly ashamed. However, even if there had been time to get a word in edgewise, he would have remained quiet—firstly because it was rude to interrupt the one to whom he owed such loyalty, and secondly because, really, talk only went so far—action proved the best form of atonement. There would be time to explain his folly later; for now, Acteur would focus on carrying out the will of the Fallen. Thus, the only response that he gave—in the moment, before Atticus’ mystical “message window” began to blur and fade—would be to bring his right fist over his chest in the form of a salute, his theatrical dialect tempered by an unusually solemn undertone: “Thy bidding be done, Maestro.”
As the “image-window” of darkness blurred and vanished, the Heartless puppeteer raised his head and stroked his jaw thoughtfully, considering his orders. Quite the show-stopper, they were—either securing the Cornerstone of Light in its pristine days, or the one skillful enough to keep it from falling into the hands of the Heartless. A challenge? Verily, he thought, but t’is relieving to know that I’m still considered useful after such a lapse on my part. Now all I can do is move ahead, and hope that the performance I have in the works will prove a success…
With those words, Acteur de la Noir rose to his feet and tossed his head loftily, tilting his hat with a chuckle of wicked wit. He heard raised voices, the sounds of footsteps approaching…reinforcements? Guards? Perhaps even the King himself? T’was regardless, in any event—by the time anyone entered the chamber, all they would see was the cracked Cornerstone of Light—that, and the flickering him of a tattered black cape, as its owner stepped through the doorway and into the past…
*To the Timeless River*
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Post by Atticus the Fallen on Jun 25, 2010 18:37:16 GMT -5
Twenty minutes had passed since Acteur entered that door... and at that moment, a swirl of black marked the arrival of the dark architect of this grand scheme. With the damages done here, and the new location of the Cornerstone... it was not at all unbelievable that a creature of even his amount of evil could step foot here... as the room was empty.
The Cornerstone, which mere moments ago was terribly damaged and sitting on its pedestal... was not there. Because of the actions happening behind that broken door, it had been relocated to another place, far from Disney Castle, but close enough yet that its protection would still hold. However, MeadowSong's attack had greatly weakened the defenses... and now, the Fallen could make his stand.
With a flutter of raven wings, he dismissed the corridor behind him. His eyes, so full of disdain for the light, turned slowly to the broken door... waiting for Acteur to return with his prize...
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Post by Acteur de la Noir on Jun 25, 2010 22:29:20 GMT -5
*From Steam Boats and Buster Swords*
The master of darkness would not have to wait long--presently, the mysterious door swung open with a creak of old-fashioned hinges, spilling further radiance into the now-vacant chamber. This time, however, the light came from the swirling vortex of time-transcending energy behind the door...and it was through this vortex that a pair of figures stepped forth, shrouded in silhouette from the portal's intensity. As the door swung closed, the light faded, revealing these two individuals in better detail--the former, a lanky Heartless garbed in the elegant-yet-eccentric garb of a Victorian performer. The latter, a tough-looking swordsman with wild hair and a formidable blade...and a strangely vacant expression on his face.
Connected, perhaps, to the shadowy strings that extended from the puppeteer's gloved fingers and plunged smoothly into the ex-SOLDIER's fingers?
Stopping before Atticus the Fallen, the dark puppeteer known to some as Acteur de la Noir sank into a theatrical bow, dropping to one knee with his sable cape draped about him like an owl's wings. "My lord Atticus, I regret to have offered such a poor showing as of late," he announced in a sorrowful tone. "I can offer no valid excuse for being absent in the skybound battle above our fortress...save the belief I held at the time that it would be best left in the capable hands of my fellow brethern." A pause. "Further, there was another heart to bring into the fold...a refugee from one of the worlds we've claimed. I saw the spark of potential within her--the prospect that she could prove a capable Heartless, if properly approached."
Here, Acteur shook his head--and beneath his hat, the humbled, mournful expression on his mask was easier to see. "But, as I say, it is a poor excuse. Would that I could present you the Cornerstone as an apology...but alas, those who serve the Light have stolen the march in that regard." He indicated the vacant pedestal with a nod. "As you see, it is beyond our reach, once again...thanks in no small part to this boorish lone wolf, over here."
Another pause, in which those glowing yellow eyes turned to the spiky-headed mercenary he held in his thrall. "Then again, perhaps not as alone as he seems--when I snared him in the coils of my dark puppetry, I saw another presence in the depths of his heart--a figure by name of Sephiroth. And verily, he is a being of formidable darkness--I daresay he might even be the equal of Maleficent or Kefka, in that regard!" Acteur's eyes glittered as he looked back to Atticus, the mask's expression once more portraying his leering smile. "All it would take is your masterful talent, milord...and we would have yet another prospective addition to our merry brood."
Lowering his head once more, Acteur made a gesture with the hand which held the strings of his dark puppetry...and Cloud sank into a kneeling posture before the Fallen, head bowed and arms at his sides. "Once more, I offer my most sincere apologies for my previous lapses...and, since words only go so far, my presence for any operations you may seek of me. Dipping his head so low that the brim of his hat brushed the marble floor, he added, "Use this melodramatic fool as you see fit, Maestro."
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Post by Atticus the Fallen on Jun 26, 2010 15:34:16 GMT -5
The Fallen watched Acteur carefully as he entered and began to apologize. He stood silent, allowing the verbose creature of darkness to wax poetic about his various misdeeds and his desire to make up for them all. When prompted, his eyes would travel to where Acteur gestured, first to the empty pedestal, then to the man behind him. The Mad Puppeteer even had the spiky-one bow. How formal.
When Acteur finished, Atticus lifted his hand, looking very much like he was about to punish the small puppet... but instead it settled on the top of his hat and patted gently. He walked past the heart of illusion, uttering a simple phrase in response to his vast failings. "You've done well..."
Confusing as that was, Atticus let it hang there. He stood now before Cloud, that same hand which praised Acteur now reaching down to grip on that tangled mess of gold on the top of his head and pull his face upward so that he may look the man in the eyes for this next part. "You have something I need... swordsman..." he muttered, then looked over his shoulder.
"Acteur... relieve the man of his weapon... then cut the strings. I want him to see what comes next..."
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Post by Acteur de la Noir on Jun 26, 2010 22:03:44 GMT -5
Though roughly the size of a human--albeit one with the build of a scarecrow--there were times when Acteur de la Noir did indeed feel small around his master, Atticus the Fallen. It didn't have anything to do with physical size, but rather in terms of power--the Heartless magus had this in abundance; to those with the ability to sense auras, Atticus' was like staring into a black hole at the end of the universe. Thus, as Acteur saw his master approach with one hand drawn back, he felt a thrill of dread--he would accept his due punishment, of course; but this would still hurt, even for an artificial body like his...
...But instead, he received a pat on the head and praise for a job well done. Truly, the plot of life had twists and turns to rival those that took place on-stage!
Thankful that his mask didn't change expressions without conscious effort on his part--no sense in letting his bafflement show, after all--Acteur turned his attention to Cloud, and the orders that the Fallen gave regarding the ex-SOLDIER. With a consenting nod and a tip of the hat, Acteur fixed Cloud with gleaming eyes and raised one hand, flicking his gloved fingers in a dismissive gesture. "Oblige Maestro, would you?" the puppeteer asked of his captive in a bright, cheerful tone. "I daresay he's got something interesting in mind..."
There was no need for Acteur to even ask the question, of course--snared by his dark puppet magic, even such an obstinate wretch as Cloud Strife was a slave to his whim. Still, the phantom puppeteer did have that irrepressible flair for theatrics, even in repentance...and, as the spikey-headed ex-SOLDIER neatly set his Buster Sword on the ground, it would be clear that such "flavor acting" had little effect on the effectiveness of Acteur's control over his subjects. A hefty shove sent the formidably-massive weapon spinning across the marble floor, skidding harmlessly towards one of the far corners of the room. Whatever Atticus had planned for Cloud, the angst-ridden hero wouldn't be able to count on his trusty blade.
With a genteel bow, Acteur gave a casual flick of the wrist, the sound of his snapping fingers rather loud in the vast chamber...and just like that, the strands of darkness withdrew sharply from Cloud's body, slithering back into the gloved fingers of the Phantom Puppeteer. As the powerful binding began to fade, Acteur lifted his head and regarded the awakening Cloud with gleaming eyes. He was certain that the Heartless Savior had the matter well in hand, but kept his own particular brand of magic ready. Just in case.
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Post by Atticus the Fallen on Jun 27, 2010 15:05:47 GMT -5
**This post is a Coop work between Cloud and Atticus**
Inside his mind, Cloud was still locked in combat with Sephiroth. The area around them had suffered a lot of damage, and as a result, Cloud had forgotten a lot about himself. But that didn't matter... he needed to destroy the Silver-haired swordsman!
But then, suddenly, the world around them rocked... and Sephiroth chuckled, stepping back and lowering his sword. You lose, Cloud... he mocked, then seemed to whisk away into dust.
"Sephiroth!!" Cloud roared, trying to chase him. "SEPHIROTH!!!" Instantly, the world around him changed. He wasn't in that room he had first met Acteur, he was in the hall of the cornerstone, looking up at an odd... Cetra-looking thing. He looked down slightly. That symbol...
"Heartless!" he roared, but when he tried to get up to strike the feathered freak, he found himself forced back down by the very same creature's force of will. Darkness was all around him. Atticus the Fallen was forcing him to remain in place!
"Now now..." the dark one whispered, holding Cloud in place. "We wouldn't want you to miss this..." Those burning yellow eyes pierced into Cloud's blue hues, as though seeing straight to his soul... and maybe beyond. "I have to thank you, you know... for all you've done in service to the Heartless..."
"I didn't do anything for you!" Cloud spat, defiant as ever.
"Oh, to the contrary..." Atticus whispered, allowing the man to stand as he spoke, slowly, so as to make sure he didn't struggle. "You moved the Cornerstone of Light, yes? Such a heroic action, yes... but by doing so..." he pointed at the empty pedestal to demonstrate his point. "You spread its influence too thin... Tell me, Cloud... Do you know WHY the cornerstone was created?"
Cloud stood there in silence, glaring at the heartless. He didn't know why, he just figured it had always existed. Didn't everyone. "I get the feeling you're going to tell me..." he muttered, his hands still bound even though he could now stand. He even entertained the idea of rushing the Heartless to try and make his escape, but with Acteur right there, he doubted he'd get far.
"It was created, my friend... as a seal for a prison," Atticus explained, stepping up to the blond swordsman and looking down at him, a good foot or so taller. "Deep below this castle, a long-forgotten dungeon sits... holding back a darkness not even Master Yen Sid is capable of fighting on his own. It is a monster from before even the birth of King Mickey... a catastrophe of biblical porportions... and you... Cloud... have weakened the seal on that prison... And while, yes, the first assault wasn't enough to break that seal..." he lifted a hand upward to the hole in the ceiling, where the blast of darkness had torn through. "... with the cornerstone so far away and its power so weakly held over this realm thanks to you... the second blast most assuredly will!"
Far away in the sky, a point of darkness could be seen against the brillant blue sky. In an almost overwhelming blast, it streaked downward, drilling into the ground where that pedestal lie. It shattered the stone there, and made its way deep into the Earth. Cloud spun on the spot to watch in horror of what he had done... never realizing what the Conerstone truly WAS.
Cracks formed in the ground, spreading outward over the entirety of Disney's Castle grounds. From these splits in the ground, a terrible, viscous black fluid would bubble upward, and splash onto the ground like bubbling oil... except that this was most certainly NOT some beneficial crude...
It was ink. From the depths, the black fluid formed upward in an onyx tornado, forming into a massive, horrifying, ghostlike figure with a mucky smile and triumphant eyes which burned a hateful orange from deep within. It immediately turned on the castle, and splashed ink over it, creating massive holes in space where NOTHING existed...
"Behold... the Phantom Blot..." Atticus finished, their view of the mosnter minimal through the hole in the roof. Cloud would fall to his knees, unable to believe what he had done...
"And as for your reward..." the Fallen added, slowly walking up behind the swordsman, who seemed to be too horror-striken to acknowledge the action. "I am going to give you a wonderful gift, Cloud... I'm going to take the darkness you so hate from you... give you a fresh start, so to speak..."
With this, Atticus placed his palm on Cloud's back. Instantly the man would feel a horrible cold. As Atticus pulled his hand back, the darkness in Cloud's heart would be pulled with it, dragging along every last one of the JENOVA cells implanted in the man. As it happened, Cloud's hair would darken, and his features change ever-so-slightly. He coughed loudly and fell forward... while the Darkness Atticus had pulled from him slowly began to take form.
"Welcome back... Jenova..." the dark one whispered, watching as the darkness slowly took a woman's form. As for Cloud... he would flick a wrist and open a corridor to dump him somewhere where he could wake up in his new life... unaware of what just happened.
"Acteur..." Atticus whispered, his tasks slowly coming to a close here. "You have other projects to tend to, yes? You're welcome to go pursue them now. Thank you."
In the distance, the monstrous Blot could be heard laughing...
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Post by serpentoflore on Jun 27, 2010 19:22:19 GMT -5
The woman moved slowly, as if released from a heavy restraint. Her body slowly came into being, heeled shoes and legs first. Going up revealed the short miniskirt and the first half of Masamune. Only when her hair, pulled up in a strange bun appeared, did she begin to look at Atticus. Her blue eyes looked over Atticus, trying to remember who it was. The memories Cloud had trickled in, one hand reaching towards the hilt of her sword.
"You have separated me from my prey." Her voice spoke, becoming a bit frantic at the thought. Where had Cloud gone? Was he not the prey that Jenova needed?
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Post by Atticus the Fallen on Jun 27, 2010 19:39:39 GMT -5
Atticus watched with a satisfied glint in his eyes. The woman appeared, and predictably... she seemed nervous around him. Ironic to most, because Jenova was known as the calamity, a creature who's sole drive was to destroy worlds and use them as her personal spacecraft as she sought one thing... The Promised Land.
The Heartless tilted his head slightly, watching as she reached for her blade. But he was fast... frighteningly fast. He was upon her in half a heartbeat, hand clasped around hers to still her need to strike. The darkness eminating from him was terrifying... even for someone like Jenova, as it was enough to overwhelm the cells that would normally enter him through such close contact, keeping them right where they belonged.
"Forgive my directness..." he said calmly, though the sound of his voice came from all directions to the woman, as though the shadows of the room were speaking rather than him. He had her softly, attempting to make her feel safe in his presence. "That boy is no longer your prey, my dear... All the cells he stole from you are now safely where they belong, thus your presence..."
He slowly let her go, allowing her to relax carefully. "And I have the means by which you can reclaim what's missing..." he hinted, taking a step back now. "And afterwards... I have yet more to give... in the form of that which you seek above all else..."
With this, Atticus held a hand out to her, inviting. "Put your faith in me, my dear... You know that I have the power to do as I promise..." He watched her carefully. "And it begins... by harnessing the powers of darkness... and pouring them into the lifestream of your planet, Gaia. A gesture of faith on your part, to turn that planet into a vast, celestial machine for creating Heartless... while gathering your cells in the process... When you're done there... we'll visit the Promised Land together..."
Here, he fell silent. He waited for her reaction...
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Post by serpentoflore on Jun 27, 2010 19:56:12 GMT -5
Jenova had never known someone who could keep her from pulling out her blade. This creature had done so without using both hands. It took her a few moments to not only recover from the shock of the creature's skill, but also the way his darkness attacked her nerves. It was much stronger than her cells. He had brought her out with no doubt.
Knowing she could not face such a man and win terrified her. Still, he did not seem to want to kill her. If he had wanted that, he could have just killed Cloud. She could sense he was still alive, but not where. Her body relaxed slightly, still not completely trusting of the dark creature in front of her.
At the mention of what she desired, it took a few memories to fully remember. Cloud's memories pointed to a 'promised land,' which somehow Sephiroth had tried to reach through fusing with Gaia's life stream. Inside her a yearning began to emanate. The desire to go to such a place made her heart ache, as if missing something important.
"This Promised Land, what is in it?" She spoke, uncertain of what it contained. All she knew was that she wanted it. Her eyes narrowed, not able to go close to Atticus quite yet.
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Post by Atticus the Fallen on Jun 27, 2010 20:12:37 GMT -5
"This Promised Land, what is in it?"
Atticus closed his eyes a moment, considering this question carefully before looking to the woman once more. "What is in it, you ask... Let me ask you, then, to picture bliss. Imagine if it were a tangible thing that you could keep and have. Picture taking it and making it part of yourself, so that every fiber of your being, every cell, every atom radiated with a contentment that overwhelms all else... And you have a concept of what the Promised Land will be like..."
Perhaps a little exaggerated, but in his eyes, it was exactly what was coming. That is, if all the pieces fell into place. For now, though, he flapped his wings and rose into the air slowly. "Go to Gaia... infuse the LifeStream with Darkness... aferwards, seek out Garland in Cornelia. He's the final key..." With that, he flew upward out of the hole in the ceiling... There was another here he needed to talk to before going on with his plans...
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Post by serpentoflore on Jun 27, 2010 20:27:08 GMT -5
Atticus' words came into her mind like a soothing melody. She knew now what it held. It held completion, the ability to be whole. Her hands moved to her sides, keeping in mind each instruction. If she could reach such a place, it wouldn't matter who was with her. Cloud would have to wait. She pushed herself into the air, moving at a high speed through the air.
Once she reached space, she settled into a gentle glide. She had no need to consciously remember Gaia. She was already there in Cloud's memories, the direction pre-programmed. Her hands kept near her sword, not allowing anything to obstruct her way.
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