Glimpses of Darkness *rp thread*

[Story Keeper]

~- Sweet Deceit -~

Kari didn't say anything as Renn hugged her tight, she knew that was a risk she'd had to take. She knew he deserved the truth, and yet some things were better left hidden. A motherly affection slipping into her attitude, she brushed back some of Renn's hair, trying to figure out the best way to answer his questions. "Look, I know you want answers, but some of those questions are hard to come up with satisfactory answers. I have my reasons for withholding the full truth; and it's so you're not getting slammed by the whole, bitter truth at once, because if you knew the truth you wouldn't be able to control any of your personalities, you'd lose yourself. Although, I can say, I don't know anything about why Cloud was murdered, I'm as in the dark as you are."

She knew that wouldn't satisfy Renn, but all she could do was dodge his questions for the time being; because no matter how much he thought he was ready, he wasn't. Her mind drifted to Crowley and the others, before she forced her thoughts to focus on what she needed to do to get out of her current situation. Looking at the young keyblader, she tried to think of how to dismiss the conversation for the time being; looking up at the sky she saw clouds rolling idly by, silently mocking the woman. "Just forget about your curiosity for the time being, it'll only bring you heartache. Also, while it's good to hear you're not just blindly helping people; you also need to remember that there's nothing wrong with it either, that you don't need a reason to help someone." She said, watching the clouds rolling past them, almost like the clouds didn't have a care in the world.

"You know, now that it seems as if you've come to terms with your other personalities, Riku might just upgrade your training; so you'll be able to focus more on that. I can also reassure you that I haven't been doing anything dangerous, I've just been laying low because of Hikari; so I've been able to stay safe over the last few years; so that's why I haven't made contact with you sooner."

~- Shock and Relief -~

Ven followed after Aqua, already sensing his emotions as they tumbled and pitched like the ocean. Drawing on what emotions he could, Ven shoved them into a container and shoved them into a corner to help Aqua sort them out later. "Come on Aqua, slow down!" He called, carefully moving people to the side so he could keep up with the blue-haired keyblader. His eyes darted around him, trying to catch the first glimpse that Vesper was nearby; since the wolf normally appeared when Aqua was feeling distressed.

During this process, Ven's eyes locked on someone in a white cloak; and from what he could tell from it that the wearer was male; but beyond that he couldn't make out much of the stranger's face because of the cowl their cloak. Ven watched as the stranger turned away and left, almost like he was sad to see that Cloud was dead; but wasn't going to offer any words of comfort.

"Bacainn!"

Pulling up short, Ven's eyes darted to a familiar head of red hair. Shifting his weight just slightly, Ven chuckled slightly as he got a good glimpse of Kairi, an old friend of Sora's and Riku's and someone who reminded him heavily of Aqua. It only took that mental comparison for him to get moving again; and thankfully it didn't take him long to find the latter of the two girls. Carefully stepping up next to Aqua, Ven's eyes drifted around the crowd; almost like he was waiting for a third person to join their group.

 

[Lunarmaster54]

~ Don’t Know What You Are Expecting ~

Crowley watched Cloud get hit with the bullets, he watched numbly as the blond swordsman crumpled to the ground as Renn and Lightning reacted violently. He watched as Riku and Kairi ran blocker, preventing the two younger warriors from attacking the witch and receiving the same fate as Cloud. He heard Kairi tell the witch to leave, he even heard a resident of the world rally the troops. Crowley knew that he should be angry and saddened by Cloud’s death.

But he didn't give a damn.

Crowley looked away from the warrior crumbled on the ground; he didn’t want to let on just how numb he was. He could hear Amanda next to him quietly crying, but even with this in mind he couldn’t bring himself to care. He briefly caught Sora’s gaze and saw the fury spinning in the other brunette’s blue eyes, causing Crowley to once more look away and around at the now crowded square. It only sank in right than that he hadn’t been that bothered before by the crowd because of an adrenaline rush; but now that the rush was gone, he dislike for crowds hit him full force.

Crowley’s eyes widened as he took a step back, he couldn’t breathe. Turning his back on the group, Crowley forced his way through the crowd without caring what they were saying. He faintly registered that Amanda was following him, but it didn’t matter, he had to get away from everyone. Bumping into Sora, he shoved the older keyblader out of his way as made his way to the edge of the crowd, only stopping when he reached the edge of the crowd. Falling to the ground, he closed his eyes and tried to get his breathing back under control. Crowley recoiled and shoved his hand backward when someone reached out to touch him; pushing Amanda backward and causing his apprentice to fall on the ground.

A jolt of guilt shot through him, but he didn't apologize, not until he had gotten himself under control. Opening his eyes, he sat on his butt and turned his head toward Mandie, seeing the shocked and hurt look on the blonde’s face.

“Sorry, are you okay?” Crowley asked as he climbed to his feet, before helping Mandie up so she was on her own feet. Turning toward the crowd again, Crowley saw that Sora was surrounded by the others; and that the gummi ship was sitting in a clear spot. His irritation getting the better of him, Crowley stalked back over and snapped, “I told you coming to see Hikari was a bad idea, but of course you didn’t listen to me! Now let’s get our butts out of here so we can try to get the jump on them.” This last piece was added as Crowley stalked onto the ship, determined to get to a nice quiet, isolated corner before the idiots could get on board. It was only a few minutes after he had gotten into hiding that the others had slipped on, and it was only another moment before the gummi ship was up and running; taking its passengers to the next world.

~ Pleas for Mercy ~

Sazh felt as if he was losing his mind until a familiar being of darkness made their presence known. Spinning around to face the presence, Sazh felt a little uneasy as Danu spoke to him, the tendrils of darkness alerting her irritation at his failure to give her many hearts. Bowing his head, the dark skinned man said, “I’m sorry, I misjudged how many keybladers and other warriors would be at the rally. It was foolish of me, but if you’d like, I’m heading to the Land of Dragons to have a word with the Emperor. So, after I’m done getting things arranged for him to appoint one of my men as his heir, you can take his heart.”

Sazh knew that it would only be a small fraction of penitence for his failure at the rally; so even as he was waiting for her answer, his mind scrambled for anything else he could offer. “And it would not just be the Emperor’s heart you could have; there are many others you could take. I’m also positive that Sora and his group of friends would be heading there fairly soon, so you could take the chance to get revenge on them for stopping you and your…minions…feeding in Radiant Garden."

 

[Eternal Dream]

~- Hope that I'm Dreaming -~

The crowd had suddenly become a vortex of noise. Shouts and oaths, cries and wails, promises and bellows; it was a cacophony of sound as the gathering came near to descending into chaos. It was a hurricane, and Anise was at the center, a small, calm pocket of silence except for the ringing in the girl's ears. Distantly, she was aware of some of her classmates attacks as they struck out in despair, but it was like being told about an event that had taken place worlds away; Anise was aware, but that knowledge didn't penetrate the ice that had spread through her. Even Kairi's appearance didn't ruffle her much; all Anise could see was Cloud, lying on the ground.

Dead.

Numbness tingled in her fingertips as Anise found herself unable to turn her glazing eyes from Cloud's inert form. Dully, the apprentice keybearer watched as the lingering traces of his aura dissipated, even as memories rushed forward in her mind. She remembered Riku bringing her to Midgar when he and Sora came to speak with Cloud, Leon, and their other allies. She remembered playing with Letty, keeping the young girl entertained while the adults went over updates and status reports. There had been lessons that Cloud taught Anise, techniques and advice that were as invaluable as anything that Riku had taught her. Anise tried to breath, her throat hitching as her lungs burned.

Cloud just couldn't be gone.

"Cloud!"

Anise found her gaze drawn to Raine as Zack held her in a hug, pain shining in the blue eyes she'd shared with her brother. Aerith just stood there, shock on her face. Anise found herself zoning out, missing everything that was being said around her. She didn't hear Riku and Zack talking, Zack urging them to go after the bitch that had done this, to chase after the man from Hikari that had started the whole riot. Anise didn't hear Riku's response, and she barely responded when their group started toward the gummi ship. Anise couldn't focus on anything except Aerith's face; all Anise could see was how the numbness had started wearing off rapidly, and the crushing pain that had suddenly appeared on the woman's face.

Once on the ship, Anise slumped down next to Amanda, her earlier excitement over seeing Mandie extinguished. That soul shattering pain that had been on Aerith's face, the hurt that still showed up in her mom's eyes when someone brought up Anise's father... It just strengthened Anise's resolve to never fall in love. She didn't want to love someone like that. She didn't want to bare all her secret fears and dreams to someone else, and she didn't want anyone else showing her their secrets. She didn't want to know someone that well. She didn't want to feel that kind of pain.

She didn't know if she could handle it.

~- Hunter -~

The wind howled down the mountainside, driving the snow into a biting line of frost that cut through just about everything. The wolf hunkered low to the ground, the fur of her belly creating light tracks in the snow as she stalked forward, her eyes on her target. The man walked ahead of her, his dark head bowed against the wind as he pursued his own hunting mission. She'd seen him part ways with his traveling companion a while ago, presumably so that the two of them could cover more ground, but she didn't care.

By the time his companion returned, the man would be dead.

 

[sephiroth2]

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

~~~~~~A Nearly Broken Bond~~~~~~

“I’m sorry, I misjudged how many keybladers and other warriors would be at the rally. It was foolish of me, but if you’d like, I’m heading to the Land of Dragons to have a word with the Emperor. So, after I’m done getting things arranged for him to appoint one of my men as his heir, you can take his heart.” Sazh quickly said, doing his best to appease the masked woman that slowly made her way towards him.

The tendrils covering her body continued to flail and split apart, multiplying and growing by the second as the woman was now within touching distance with the tendrils, the now immensely long appendages beginning to coil around the dark skinned man just as he found his voice once more.

“And it would not just be the Emperor’s heart you could have; there are many others you could take. I’m also positive that Sora and his group of friends would be heading there fairly soon, so you could take the chance to get revenge on them for stopping you and your…minions…feeding in Radiant Garden."

It was that very thing that most likely saved Sazh there, the tendrils just stopping short of tightening around the man, yet they still remained, just ready to continue and squeeze the life out of him if the woman wished to.

"We do not want to be disappointed again. You wished for the help needed for you ideals, and it was our help you gained. You agreed to give us what we craved in return for this. So long as you do, you may rely on our help, Mr Katzroy." The tendrils seemed to relax at this time, removing themselves from around the man as they began to shrink, and transform back into the leather like material they were made from, and not the terrifying sight of the many eyes and fanged mouths that were present a moment ago.

 

[Hazen Gregory]

T'ethe Alla <----click

Loud crashes of sound had been piercing the silence that previously had given Reforge comfort, the echo of first a shrill noise, then the roar of fire and light rushing around his body in a cyclone, made Reforge wince. He'd taken some time to visit a place that held many memories to him, some were more liked than others, while some of these memories were a gateway to take Reforge back to a place and time when, he had still been a real person. It was a shame that nothing he had tried, was even a modicum of what had been needed, back then to save himself. It was the simple things in life that could lead one astray, taking any individual down a path that, for all they knew, would end up as an aeon worth of time spent getting back to the present. For the time being, dwelling on such things actually put Reforge into a better mood than he was in.

In all the years that this world had been ransacked by the energies washing against the edges of various other worlds, causing it to become very unstable, the sound of raw energy being diffused into, and out from magical essence had always been a sound which Reforge had a disdain for. Even when the Queen had suffered a terrible loss to the Dusk Titan, she and Reforge had come to this same area but back then it seemed less potent. Now the sound was comparable to that of numerous dying beasts or some other combination of awful sounds, which nabbed at Reforge's focus, causing him to sweat in the heat. "This noise...I hate it." Reforge looked beyond the edge of the spire he stoop atop, his eyes piercing the thick while veil of magic mixed with energy, to the scorched plains below. He wiped the edge of his brow, blinking a few times at how ridiculous the action was to begin with. "I don't even remember the last time I sweated was. This place sure has gotten much more dangerous than I remember it. I suppose that a person with the mark, would enjoy being around here."

The person Reforge was referring to was a long time acquaintance of Reforge's, that was well known in many places as, Irukandji. This man's real name was Vandiken Soujin, he whom embraced the magic of the Red Luminous, thus turning Vandiken from a mere human into a creature that was betwixt the concepts of both existence and non existence. It was he, that Reforge had come to this desolated world for. It was he, that Reforge knew would aid him in stitching the scattered pieces of the past back together.

Time was of the essence, even for a complete heartless like Reforge, there were great risks involved, when one got too close to the very heart of a world. In a normal situation the world's heart would be at a calm, but where things had gone amuck, like the world Reforge was on, the heart of the world was in a deep turmoil. Energy Reforge tried harder to ignore the grinding tone of the magic pillar encompassing most of his form, his two extra sets of arms were braced, muscles bulging. Reforge sighed deeply, he hadn't held up the cores of any worlds for thousands of years, he'd forgotten just how much of a task it could really be.

Another realization had been rapidly deduced by Ref, one that he didn't want to admit, but knew was obvious if the comparison was made. Reforge had gotten weaker since being dormant, many changes across many worlds had all affected how Reforge existed. Chaos was brewing at every corner, more was to come in the near future, it was a cycle that Reforge was far too familiar with. "If she's closer than I'm sensing, I might be affected even more. Who know's what the real cause is??"

Reforge shook his head from side to side, bracing himself as the pillar started shaking violently, ripples of magic rocked Reforge back and forth, he swayed a bit, but was able to keep a steady grip using all six of his arms. Reforge groaned as the pressure from the core of the pillar surrounding him, began to start increasing at a faster pace, his eyes burned with a deep yellow sheen as two more arms sprouted, one on either side of Reforge's body.

"VANDIKEN!!! HURRY UP BEFORE THIS ENTIRE WORLD COLLAPSES ON US!!!"

~~~~~

TO BE CONTINUED...