Apocalypse || Sen Riqeaux Castle

[eternitymods]

Who: The Heroes of Light
When: April 11th, 16:00
Where: Sen Riqeaux Castle
What: Bahamut's summoning has been determined to occur above the skies of Sen Riqeaux. An airship piloted by Biggs and Wedge will be picking up the Heroes of Light at the Curti Center before stopping by the major locations where other Heroes of Light are, finally taking them to Sen Riqeaux Castle. Multiple NPCs from the Curti Center are with the Heroes of Light for this expedition.
Warnings/Notes: The end of the world.

Comments

[plagueofshadows]

With a moment of quick triage- whose attacks seem likely to have inflicted the most harm on themselves, and who's not already being helped- Plague Knight pulls out a second so he has one for the next injury, and rushes over to Tyzias, shoving it into her hands after she eats her own attack, or even right into her mouth if she knocked herself down.

"Drink this, quickly now- those weapons of yours seem deadly indeed, heal up before the pain really sets in, hee hee! We're not even at the main event yet it seems!"

[singerofspells]

"Unless someone has a clever solution, it looks like talking and defense are what we have," S'reee said.

[tiredcharmer]

So. That's what it felt like.

Ow.

For a moment, all Tyzias can do is look down at the gaping hole in her stomach, her blank expression almost comical.

Then she falls to her knees, vomiting blood as the teal fluid leaks out of her wound. She's too incoherent from the pain to take Plague Knight's offered potion voluntarily, but as the wound slowly begins closing up she fumbles another hi-potion out of her pocket, gulping it down greedily. "Thanks," she gasps, the agony still too much for her to move, think, or say too much.

[hatejakku]

It takes a second for Finn to realize what just happened. He'd been deposited in another position and then hit with what felt like a rock.

Taking in the scene around him, he quickly realizes what it had been and how close that was. Shaken up more than he would have liked, his eyes found Ramaa or Kalki or whoever she was off to the side, unharmed.

"Okay." Finn shakes himself, gripping his hands to ensure that, yes, he's still alive. "Okay. I'm all for restraining her now!"

He moves towards Ramaa.

[wheretheresawill]

Terra's head spun for a moment as the skill took effect, and then he was dropping to one knee as his own Holy Blade sliced into him, the worst of it blunted by the armor but still more than enough to make him stagger.

He looked up gratefully at Ganeshan's healing and struggled back to his feet. "I'm fine," he insisted in the face of all evidence to the contrary. "Just - wasn't expecting that." And now he feels kind of foolish for thinking she wouldn't have some trick of the kind prepared.

He had his own Cura, and used it on Tressa, who no doubt needed it after taking her own shot.

[colzionetradingco]

As soon as the arrow pierced through her skin, Tressa let loose a cry of agony, falling to one knee before ripping the arrow from her wound. So the empress had a gimmick up her sleeve... honestly, she should have expected that, but it still took her by surprise. Honestly, who would think that would happen?

Though the pain had soon lessened greatly, thanks to Terra's Cura. Rising from her feet, Tressa turned to him and nodded.

"Thanks, I needed that."

[exspeariment]

Undyne, now in a different place from where she was before, turned around, slightly confused, when her spear hit her right in her robotic eye. It malfunctioned a bit, flaring up brighter than it ever did before, and her vision was slightly blurry now.

Nevertheless, Undyne was determined to not let Ramaa win, though she knew after that, that she couldn't attack Ramaa directly. She decided to try to brainstorm possible attack strategies.

[peace_through_empathy]

Blast. Of course she'd have defenses prepared; Ramaa would have been ready for them to make a move at her once she'd so casually revealed her true intentions to them. And now it's clear just how powerful she truly must be.

Megatron quickly summons forth an [Eos] to begin attending to the other wounded. They would probably need several Eoses out in the battle to come.

But he does note Ramaa's protectiveness towards...Sylvarie, was it? She had actually looked horrified for the brief second that the girl had interposed herself between the incoming attacks and Ramaa herself. Why would someone so hell-bent on the destruction of this world and every other care at all for the life of a single person?

"If you are truly as committed to this path as you say you are, Ramaa, why should Sylvarie's safety matter to you?" He asks. "Who is she to you except another victim to be sacrificed on the altar of your ambitions?"

[whirluendo_of_puns]

Kisegawa took over once more, about ready to scold Sylvarie, but Megatron's point gave her a pause. She hadn't imagined it, then. Ramaa's composure had crumbled for a moment -- and it hadn't been just once, either...

They were missing something.

"...This is still an act, isn't it?" She turned to face Ramaa, eyes narrowed. "You're laying it on far too thick with this whole evil madwoman routine, then slipping up the second something unexpected happens. Like an amateur performer who can't stay in character.

"Just what are you trying to pull here, Your Majesty? You could just act natural and we'd have no less cause to despise you. Why are you making such a big show of how terrible you are?"

[bladeofconquest]

Getting struck by her own Mjölnir is a disorienting, not to mention painful experience. Fortunately, Nohr Noble's superior magical defense lessens the blow considerably, and fortunately the spell didn't really go off on her the way it sometimes can when it surges with power. And then Nozomi's Precure magic undoes the rest.

"My thanks, Nozomi." She says nodding to the other girl. Okay, so direct attacks seem to be out; Ramaa doesn't have any trouble switching positions at a lightning-quick pace. They need a new plan of attack, and fast...

Bahamut will be here soon.

[eternitynpc]

"...."

She remained silent a moment upon hearing Megatron and Kisegawa's words, but then shook her head.

"I believe this is far enough playtime for today. Bahamut awaits. If you are not satisfied with my performance thus far, pray allow me to make up for it."

The Empress raised her hand, dark energy gathering into an attack and suddenly going for Finn.

> Calamity Oblivion
Severe dark attack to a single target.

[eternitynpcs]

Rarely in his life has Ganeshan ever felt helpless. Even in his youth, when he was a frail young Zora barely able to take on one asterisk, he’d relied on his fervent belief in the power of the jobs he was training to take on. Though he’s tried to hide it, seeing the apocalypse draw near, he has felt truly helpless.

In this moment, however, he is not. He sees the attack aimed at Finn, and for the first time since the sky began to change colors, everything is clear. There is something he can do. The job skills passed down through the generations of Vaikunthans, they are for this moment. They will give the Vaikunthans the strength to act in their time of greatest need.

Ganeshan cannot stop the End of the World. But he can save those who can.

Without hesitation, he activates his Cover skill. As he swaps places with Finn, he gives the party a brightly flashing grin and a thumbs up.

”DON’T GIVE UP! YOU CAN-
…
…
win…”

Ganeshan is dead.

[hatejakku]

Finn stopped his jog when the Ramaa raised her hand, a horrifying light escaping her almost reminiscent of what happened in the Dream Width. Just like then, it was too late to do anything. He flinched back and closed his eyes-

-but felt the displacement again.

It didn't take long for the scene before him to register, though it felt more like years. Trying to rationalize it was-

"NO!"

There was nothing they could do. They couldn't attack or trap her. Running away would only cause more problems. What could they do? What could he do?

[alborada]

With everything happening so quickly, to say Sylvarie was disoriented was putting it lightly. The expected pain from the attacks hadn’t come, and Ramaa’s reaction—what was going on? Breathless, she was too confused to even be properly upset with Kenichi, muttering a weak, “I’m fine...”

With trembling hands she gripped her staff, silently performing Medica on who she could reach. She wanted to protect the Heroes, but she couldn’t allow Ramaa to die either.

And then the Zora shone one last smile at them.

“G-Ganeshan...” She was a child again, unable to do anything as again someone’s light was extinguished before her very eyes. Trembling in her shock, she looked to the Empress with Desperation.

“Please, stop. I know you’re tired—“ Sylvarie was tired. “But this isn’t the answer...”

[plagueofshadows]

"Oh."

Plague Knight says nothing further. The mask he wears betrays nothing, whatever emotions Ganeshan's heroic sacrifice inspires in him.

He simply stands there, tossing the hi-potion in his hands up and catching it again. And he'd spent so long preparing these items, thinking they'd be actually useful- only to watch one attack from the Empress erase someone from the battlefield so... Ruthlessly.

He feels... Hopeless, in that moment. Shocked. Uncertain. But worst of all, he feels outdone. What does one do, in this situation? How do you respond to such an overwhelming display of power?

[saint_sami]

“Mr. Ganeshan!” Sasami cried out. He couldn’t... he shouldn’t...

But, he was. And the Empress hadn’t cared at all.

“You... I’ll never forgive you for this!” She cried out.

[strawberryredgrave]

So much happened all at once that Dante could only stop and watch it play out. Everyone's attacks were completely ineffective, Syl nearly got herself killed, Finn nearly died...

...and Ganeshan...

No item in Dante's inventory could mitigate what Kalki threw at him, what he took to help protect the Warriors of Light. The zora was...shocked, to say the least. He'd been a bright figure in the Curti Center, so passionate about what he did and his belief in the offworlders. He's a mess of emotions of right now, but one thing remains clear: he's not letting Ganeshan's last act be wasted.

The chemist does his best to rush in and take hold of his friend's corpse. He doesn't plan on leaving any hero behind.

"...We gotta go..."

[einspine]

No! No, no, no, no, NO! Papyrus shakes. To see someone die so abruptly before his eyes. His eye sockets squeeze shut. His head whips back and forth, but...

No. It doesn't have to be this way! When he spots Undyne running in for another attack, he rushes for her and, without even thinking, tries to drag her back.

"WE CAN'T JUST RUSH INTO THIS! WE HAVE TO USE OUR HEADS..." And he adds, after a moment's hesitation. "WE HAVE TO LIVE!"

For that reason, he goes a step further. He casts Bone Barrier on his friend.

[rivieran]

Ena had been standing near the back, near the airship this entire time, mostly frozen in place. Dreadfully oblivious as she always was, she saw how things were unfolding, and how painfully obvious this outcome should have been. Ramaa had been a fellow ruler, someone she could empathize with and blindly trust in.

And once again, her naivete was coming to bite her in the ass.

When Ganeshan dies, it triggers something in her. It reminds her of helplessly watching her brother die--desperately wanting to do something, but feeling much too powerless to make a difference. But the part of her that had grown and learned from that experience was screaming at her. It repeated like a mantra in her head as the scene unfolded before her--

do something do something do something do something do something do something do someth

Before she knew it, she found herself casting a spell. She didn't know what it was, she wasn't quite in the right of mind to make rational decisions.

In the end, it turns out to be Melody: Dragonform--a medium-sized silver dragon bursts into existence near the back of the crowd. "Get on," she growls, turning to the nearest person and literally tosses them onto her back. She wasn't all that big, and any more would be too much for her to carry, but she didn't care. She was panicking. She could at least get herself and some people out of there, or die trying.

[boomchucka]

Despite her best attempts, Selphie isn't able to move. Kalki's earlier words, regardless of the SeeD's conviction of the opposite, had struck a deep wound that no-one could see. She watches as heroes are struck down, Ganeshan dies and is helpless to help anyone when she finds herself being hauled onto Ena's back.

Selphie clings to Ena's back, unable to watch the carnage any further.

[topgun_textiles]

"Tactical retreat! We got bigger fish to fry!"

Naoto may complain about it later, but he stooped and gathered her up onto an arm. He hoped like hell Suzette was getting a capture of everything...

Time to back off and ready up for their guest, right? But not without sending a wordless message to Ramaa on his way out. Ever the gentleman.

[mech_and_mutt]

Doggone it, Kanji, of all the ways you could have said that...!!

...But however shocked and outraged Red may have been, and however much he wished he could satisfy that anger here and now... the others were right. They had to run. And not everyone had the armor to protect themselves.

"...You heard 'em. Go!! We'll think of somethin'!"

He'd •Magitek Force himself in the meantime. Just until the others made their exit.

[songbird_slayer]

"May your walk in the Queen's Woods be a peaceful one..." Poor Ganeshan.

She would not waste the time he'd bought for them, however. They needed to stop the entity first before handling the reality-bender.

"Papyrus, dear, take care of Undyne and the children!" Meanwhile, she would make a jog for Matilda.

"Let's go shake hands with a lesser dragon, eh?" Tha tiefling reached out to link hands, and opened up the Dimension Door.

[musicinmysoul]

Everything went to shit way too fast and she's still reeling from it. If she had any shred of her necromancy, she'd ensure Ganeshan's spirit would find peace...if he didn't stubbornly stick around to help anyway. He's the type who would.

She turns to the approaching tiefling and nods. Bahamut is the one they've been planning to deal with anyway. Kalki was a taunting reminder of what the heroes were up against; she'll get hers soon enough.

"I'll watch your back." She couldn't muster up anything witty; the affirmation is the best she can manage as she hops through the dimension door with Madhuri. Part of her was happy she didn't have access to her magic right now, admittedly; all of the despair, anger and death in the air would've made it too hard for her to breathe.

[whirluendo_of_puns]

Watching Ganeshan die -- so suddenly, so quickly -- left even Kisegawa speechless. The shock was felt equally strongly by Patches and Uendo. The Zora had always been such a reliable presence... and now he was gone, just like that?

This wasn't supposed to happen. They'd expected a challenge, of course -- but it wasn't supposed to be impossible. The previous Heroes had defeated Kalki. Why couldn't they do it now? What were they supposed to do? What was it they were missing?

And now they'd just have to run away, with their tails between their legs?

Kisegawa swallowed her pride and turned her attention to the two people she needed to look after first -- Sasami and Sylvarie. "Come on, you two. She will not get away with this."