EVENT #6: BY HEAVEN OR HELL (WRAP-UP)

[aionmods]

By Heaven or Hell

THE SNARE (cw: gore)

Above Achamoth, blow after brutal blow is rained down upon the Sanctifier. It's fiery wings have been drowned by the abyssal waters of Childe's corrupted voyager, and its chest torn open by the Regent's power. Though it tries to flee, it is assailed from all sides, tearing away scales and burning flesh, its eyes blinded with blood and infection. Even its roar has been torn, the damage to its throat leaving its thundering voice strangled and broken. As Childe's lance drives through the top of its skull and out the bottom of its jaw, it seems that its demise must be imminent.

Yet, this is a creature of the Pleroma. Fueled by a force that fights for life at all costs, the Sanctifier is denied an easy rest. Fitting, perhaps, that its host refuse just as vehemently. Within this ravaged body, Estinien Wyrmblood still struggles, even as each breath is choked by blood and blinding pain. He refuses. He's not ready to be mourned. He's not ready for the fight to end. Himeka, Abel, Hayame... he'd told them... he'd told them he would stay by their side...

On faltering wings, the Sanctifier makes a final effort. The Pleroma responds to Estinien's resolve, and the fire within it ignites in a desperate burst, driving it to escape this city and defend its comrades. Estinien will feel his soul seared with the intensity of his wish, burning him up in the overwhelming light of this undying sun. All the while, the power of the Innocence holds his spirit close, as if hoping to shield him from what is to come. It pleads with him to relent, as it knows this course, and he will not return the same.

With that surge of light, it seem for a moment that the Sanctifier may actually accomplish it, that its wings might ferry it away from the shadows that bite at its heels. However, it's not to be. Not with the trap that's been set, but he Kenoma and their master.

Darkness swells at six points around the city. Six void-dark spears, deposited by the Regent's most trusted followers, activate as the Regent aims their final shot. Six rays of the abyss pierce Achamoth's sky, each one piercing through the Sanctifier's core, stopping its desperate effort before it can truly begin. Though the bolts of darkness seem to stretch for for miles at first, gradually the blur of shadow fades, resolving in the great dragon's body run through by spikes of purest Kenoma. The Sanctifier crumbles, the light of its form dissolving, one last broken cry of agony escaping.

The arrangement of spears holds true with the shift of its form, and as the light of the Pleroma leaves him, instead there is only Estinien. Instead of a colossal dragon, one man bears the wounds of the Sanctifier, his torso ravaged by the spears piercing it and the Regent's power, held in place despite the futile twitches of his battered wings. Just as the Sanctifier was missing a claw, he is missing a finger, and blood pours from his forehead where a lance just was, down through the bottom of his mouth. Ichor drains from one brutalized eye, the other opened wide with shock despite its visible pains.

Estinien tries to speak, but cannot. His hands struggle to pry a spear free from his chest, but he finds no purchase. His broken body hangs above the city for several seconds, as if on display, before an orb of void envelopes him and he disappears.

A FINAL BENISON

After the agonizing end of the Sanctifier, the presence of the Innocence will linger around the spirits of the Pleroma for a short time, as if allowed to disperse in the absence of the creature it was sustaining. There is a mournful weight to its essence, and softly, the Pleroma will hear it speak:

I failed... I have failed you... Again...

The presence is already beginning to fade, but those already touched by the Innocence will feel its power flare up within them, like a new candle lit from one almost burned to its end.

Please... do not despair... continue on... and find the peace I could not give you...

With that it goes silent, disappearing along with its host.

[OOC: Several characters will be receiving PMs regarding this.]

REGENT'S REPRISAL

The protective light of the Sanctifier fades, and the Pleroma will find themselves prematurely awash in a furious Achamoth, their enemies having multiplied from from a mere two dozen Aions to hundreds, if not thousands of Horosians. The military, having been rendered helpless for most of this struggle, are eager to pick up the slack, firing with what offensive magic they hold and alchemy enhanced weaponry. Even civilians, furious and humiliated by what they perceive as Pleroma tricks, will begin to lash out, throwing what improvised weapons they might have and shouting abuse; anything to help destroy these invaders.

The shadows of the city, having been swelling since the beginning of the Sanctifier's fall, will seem to chase the Pleroma through the streets. Like violent ghosts, specters of darkness pursue them, lashing out with intangible claws that feel like shocks of cold torment. Sometime, they may even land small physical blows, like claw marks and bruises left by unseen spirits. These malformed spirits shriek with suffering and discontent, but only Aions seem to perceive them. Those with Tier 2 attunements will have the clearest gaze of ethereal forms, like the wretched, half remembered remains of people and creatures long past.

FROM THE SKIES

As the void swallows Estinien, Seekers & Visionaries of both sects are hit with a series of images flashing through their mind; thick green forests, a tall mountain sitting apart, a golden eye barely concealed by smoke. Red scaled lids close once only to sharply pull back as the eye widens swallows all around it. The vision fades in an instant.

A chorus of unfamiliar roars and screeches echo across the Citadel. Where one dragon once stood, dozens now swarm the air above the gathered Aions. These dragons appear in all sizes and patterns, some with scales hardened like wood or stone while others appear feathered and nearly birdlike. Any Pleroma who have spent time in Greentruth may recognize the shapes as shadows that have passed in the canopy overhead even if they have not crossed the paths of these dragons before. Reinforcements.

A little too late.

The dragons descend upon the Citadel led by a familiar figure; Tehri of the Deep Mists rides atop one of the largest of the dragons as they all come to land on the stony ground at the Pleroma front. They will provide cover for those looking to leave the battlefield and a flight back to Greentruth. If there are Pleroma who are staying to fight longer, a few dragons will wait around the edges until all battles have ceased. They are only dragons, so they could come under fire by the Kenoma should attacks be made.

Tehri stays on the largest dragon as it rears its head above the siege of the ire of the dead. She stands tall atop it, extending her arms as a cool blow envelopes her hands. A rush of cold air pushes forth as a thick mist forms in the courtyard, obscuring vision for all but a few feet in front any person. The Regent's malformed spirits are left confused and without direction, but will attack any Pleroma they do manage to find. The mists linger for several hours after the last Pleroma has fled Achamoth.

WRAP-UP

Returned to their homes of choice, each Aion will be free to recover and carry on with their daily affairs. Word of the assault on Achamoth gradually spreads across Horos, prompting startled reactions its populace. Has the Pleroma truly been so brazen? Had the dragon in the sky truly been as grand as they say? Had the dragon of the wood truly answered in turn? The raid will eventually be a hot topic of discussion in every corner of the continent, though there were few non-Achamite eye witnesses. It can be expected that the details will be exaggerated, understated, and misunderstood wildly.

❖ IMPORTANT NOTES

◆ REGENT'S RESPONSE: After the Pleroma have left the city, the Kenoma will receive a communion from the Regent whether or not their shards are exposed. Their multi-toned voice will express contentment with the outcome of the struggle, explaining that they have successfully captured the Innocence and its host. With this link to its power claimed, they have what they need to end its threat. Kenoma will be welcomed to join them in their throne room to see this done a few days after the battle, but attendance is not mandatory. There will be a short NPC log posted to cover this, though we will warn that the Innocence's 'execution' will be fairly gruesome, so if you have a more uncertain Kenoma whom you don't want to scare off the path, it may be best to not have them attend.

◆ DRAGONS ENGAGED: As the majority of the PVP and PVE finishes up, there are dragon NPCs available to battle against at your discretion. We will not thread these battles, but if any Kenoma would like to try to take out one of the dragons, they can reply below and we will do a mod roll for their success. Any killed dragons may be dealt with as desired in Achamoth. There won't be a Kenoma knock out mechanic for this, unless players specifically want to be mangled by a dragon.

◆ STATE OF ACHAMOTH: Achamoth managed to avoid any irreparable mass destruction as a result of the raid, though there were some 'presumably Pleroma' assaults on civilian infrastructure that will be highly talked about in coming weeks, including the looting of a few houses, attempted arson of a church, and the attempted destruction of a factory. While the Sanctifier was not purposely attacking Achamite civilians, its battle with the Kenoma did result in some casualties among both the military and civilian population, while other soldiers were slain by the Pleroma on the ground. (Or, in one case, one of the Kenoma?) Multiple watchtowers were destroyed by the dragon's throes. In general, Achamoth is furious about this, and more hateful towards the Pleroma than ever.

◆ RECONVENING IN GREENTRUTH: Once back in Greentruth, Tehri will send a communion to all the Pleroma and ask them to attend, if they can, the first Aion Council meeting in early Sekiseri. She encourages all to take the time to heal both physically and mentally in the days to come. The council meeting Tehri is requesting will take place in September. This will be offered as part of a mini-event log where characters will be able to discuss with one another and speak with Tehri directly.

◆ VALLEY OF THE INNOCENT: Any Aions passing through the Innocent's Shrine will notice that, following the Innocence's 'execution', the once lush valley's plant-life is starting to die off in what is clearly a non-seasonal manner. Locals will say that the valley is generally in a state of eternal spring, and this is the first time they've seen it suffer like this. The death of the flora here is not complete or immediate, but it is devastating considering the valley's former state of perfection.

◆ SEKISERI: There will be no game-wide event in September, but there will be some NPC activity of various flavors. Players will be free to plot their own activities as they will.

Comments

ESTINIEN'S FINAL MOMENTS (REACTIONS)

[coerthantorment]

It's finished.

Whatever hope he might have had moments before has been extinguished, lost in the maddening pain of his injuries and the spears of Kenoma piercing through him. Their touch is unbearable, but he finds himself incapable of speaking, let alone screaming.

He can barely remember who he is or what he came to this place for, as his bleached white eye wavers over the city streets below. There's... nothing. Nothing but the last few desperate movements of a wounded animal, trying to stop what is hurting it, but incapable of doing so.

[chronosynthesis]

In the thick of the battlefield, there's so many things to pay attention to. Estinien, up in the sky, has largely been less of a focus for Syrlya--he's simply put his faith in Estinien being able to handle himself against every Kenoma whose attention he grabs. It isn't until Himeka and Abel are under the protection of healers that he has a moment that he isn't crossing blades with the Kenoma, isn't bleeding out too much as he can turn his attention back to the Sanctifier.

It's really taken a turn for the worst.

"Estinien!"

Syrlya surges forward, but he doesn't make it far in his places before he stops, staring up at their struggling form with dread. So far below, all he can do it watch until Estinien lands.

It never comes. Just as it seems like Estinien can muster the strength to return to them, let them shield him in turn... he's skewered upon spikes of darkness that hold him aloft.

Dying out of reach.

As the Sanctifier's form crumbles to that of only a man he looks back at the other Pleroma--helpless.

[passio]

Dextera has suffered a blow himself, but it’s nothing compared to the fight that’s been raging on above them. It seems as if the Kenoma have come out in full force to see this entity destroyed—and for what? What’s the point of it all? With no insight into the Regent’s desires, Dextera can see only selfish cruelty against a person and a creature who have each only tried to protect the things they care for.

He wants to say something. He wants to give Estinien some memory to hold onto, the way Dextera has always clawed himself back from the edge knowing that there’s something he must do.

But he can’t; Estinien is beyond them. There’s no mercy in the way his broken body is taken away by that strange dark sphere. Dextera just has to hope that what comes next is something they can handle.

[undertheweight]

Wrathion has lit upon one of the buildings, taking an all-too-brief respite in his aerial sweep of the city, keeping eye on his allies. And yet there's the one aloft, too. He knew Estinien was a warrior. He'd thought that the dragoon would be--well. Not safe, but competent, capable of taking care of himself.

Clearly, Wrathion had been wrong. He knows that's not Estinien's fault, but...

Rage surges in his chest--impotent rage, because he's well aware between the blackened spears piercing the Sanctifier's dissipating body and the voidlike orb that only too swiftly bears Estinien's limp form away, there is absolutely nothing to be done. Not now. There are others that need succor, and there needs to be...

Wrathion doesn't know. All he can do is bellow his anger over Achamoth, and leave rents in the building as he takes to the air once again.

[youngprodigy]

Cid watches, completely powerless.

No, no, no. This wasn't supposed to happen. They were supposed to rescue Himeka and Abel, and get out of here as soon as possible.

"Estinien!"

He can do naught but scream, watching helplessly as the man is captured. Knowing the Innocence is gone, that he doesn't have a clue what they can even do about this. That saving Estinien is already too late.

[warmare]

continued from here;

[He says her name, and for a moment, just one, precious moment... Hayame almost believes that this might end with neither of them dead. The voice in her head sounds more like Estinien... Like Estinien the man, not the Sanctifier, not the Innocent entity, and she opens her mouth to call out to him once more with words as well as communion, try and insist that she is right, his duty is done, they will make it out of this accursed place with the people he'd risked everything for if only he would abandon that warped form and let her (or someone, anyone) carry him from here--

And then dark, twisted power in the claws of the Regent's loyal servant rips deep into her chest.

No, it rips into his, she just feels it sharp and real through the stronger bonds of their shared legacy, and as the Sanctifier roars in agony, a jinba screams in pain on the corner of a roof, the hands that had been outstretched in desperate offer pulled in sharp to clutch at the gaping wounds, try to stop the bleeding, cover the soft insides she can still sense being savaged and bitten, clutch at the eye that has been ripped in to or the horn that breaks, but-

There's nothing. No hole in her chest, no left eye to hurt, no horn to shatter. The only blood on her hands comes from the raw, bloody eye socket and crimson tears smeared over her cheek. The injuries she'd sustained against the bird beast, the demon, the earth-mover, the water archer, they'd been soothed away by sick magics and left only stains and aches behind, but now--

The bond of their communion strains... and then snaps.

Hayame stumbles as if struck, her back legs quivering before they lose all strength and send her half sprawled on the rooftop, her remaining eye moving desperately back to the sky as the Sanctifier writhes in agony, blinded by pain and unable to defend itself properly from attack after attack, from burning, stabbing, bombarding... Her voice is caught, trapped in her tight throat, and nothing... Nothing comes out. She cannot reach him anymore. She cannot help him. She cannot draw the Kenoma's attention from their giant prey. She can only watch, a low, guttural sound the only thing that accompanies the sight of a spear slamming through the draconic entity's head-

And then the whole sky goes dark. Her shard clatters to the ground.

Estinien is there as the Sanctifier crumbles away, hanging impaled above the city like some criminal exposed for execution, bleeding, dying... and then he is gone. Just gone, as if erased from existence. She had sworn to him that she would call him back... and she had failed. Again, time after time after time in this foreign land she never asked to live in she had dishonored and shamed herself through defeat, succeeding in every task... except the ones she actually cared about.

The sounds of Achamites rousing from the peace forced upon them in the streets below, the scent of smoke in the air and dust in the air, the chaos of the aftermath... Hayame doesn't actually notice any of it. She is staring still at the sky, unable to remember anything that might motivate her to rise. If she stands... Matsukaze, her brother Yubari, all those orphans in that village in her world... They will not exist again. If she fights... Estinien will not come back. If she searches... she will not find the Kenoma she swore to save. If she runs... it will never be fast enough to escape this hell.

A wet sob rips its way free from her lips and the fierce bite of fangs on bloodied lips. Her view of the heavens is obscured by the lingering dark of the Regent's abyss as her only eye blurs with hot, shameful tears, and Hayame's head falls forward, hidden in a dirty, blood-stained fall of hair as her body is wracked with the cries she has been saving for months, for years.

And there, abandoned on the cracked rooftop beside her... the inner glow of her shard sputters and begins to dim.]

[locumstudentesquire]

[One way or another, Ryunosuke makes it out of the brawl in the square.

In the time since they'd last spoken via Communion, his focus has been monopolized elsewhere. Hardly surprising, since the rescue and then surviving the ensuing battle had taken all of his focus and will. So despite the intensity of the fight taking place in the skies overhead, he's been largely unaware of anything that's been happening up there this whole time. But now, as he pauses on a side street to catch his breath, he can spare a moment to check. And as he turns to the skies to look upon his friend... He does so just in time to see Childe strike that devastating blow.

He isn't really aware that it's Childe's doing, of course. Even if Ryu wasn't watching this from a significant distance, the mask does its job in concealing the identity of the Kenoma who does the deed. Figuring out the perpetrator is hardly Ryunosuke's focus, anyway. He's utterly frozen for a moment, all senses numb, his posture rigid as he's rendered immobile from shock, unable to do anything but stare in wide-eyed horror at the sky.

...It's only as the spears activate that he finds his feet again, his senses returning, the sound rushing back to his ears. The Sanctifier's final cry is seemingly amplified to a devastating volume for how much it rattles Ryunosuke's heart and shakes the very air around him.

Like many of the other Pleroma, he rushes for higher ground. Acrophobia be damned, he doesn't have time to worry about heights when Estinien... Estinien... If the Sanctifier falls, does that mean the dragoon himself is dead again? Will he dissipate once more, this time in mid-air? Will his shard plummeting to the ground from that great height? Ryunosuke's stomach turns. He can't bear to think of the results if that's the case. He doesn't know how he's going to get to him but he knows he has to try, he can't let that shard fall. Neither to the ground, nor into the hands of the Kenoma--

By the time he makes it to a rooftop, the great dragon has already dissipated into numerous motes of light. High up in the sky, a familiar figure hangs suspended in the air, pierced by tendrils of the deepest darkness. Teeth gritted, tears welling at the corners of his eyes, Ryunosuke rushes towards the edge of the roof, his tattered wings spreading preemptively. They don't work, they've never worked, even before they'd been rendered a bloody mess he'd never had the strength in them to do anything other than glide before, but he doesn't care about that. Surely his desperation to save his friend will give him the strength he needs, it doesn't matter if half his primary feathers have been ripped out and flight is even more of an impossibility now than ever before, it doesn't matter how terrified he is of heights, he can get up there on mere grit alone if he just beats his wings hard enough, he can protect him--

An orb of darkness forms around the mangled Aion.

In an instant, right before Ryunosuke's very eyes, Estinien vanishes without a trace.

At the very edge of the roof, a split second from foolishly attempting to launch himself into the air, he screeches to a halt. His arms windmill. Momentum carries him tumbling off the edge, but he twists and catches himself in the nick of time, claws sunk into the roof tiles. Even in his precarious position, he can't help but keep his neck craned, eyes pinned helplessly on the spot where Estinien just was. He's not sure how long he hangs there for, after that. It could be seconds... Minutes... It feels like hours, even if it most certainly isn't. But as he dangles there, muscles locked, he feels the Innocence's fading presence reach out to his soul. Mournful. Speaking of how it has failed the Pleroma.]

...But I'm the one who failed.

[Whether or not it's true, that's how it feels in the moment. As the Innocence speaks, Ryunosuke finally breaks out of his catatonic state and bodily hauls himself back up onto the roof, exhibiting a degree of physical fitness that he would never have achieved so quickly on his own... Engaging muscles that are only as trained as they are because of the insistent help he'd received, largely out of concern from a particular friend.

They were supposed to go back to Greentruth together...

He huddles there on his knees, hands over his head, and lets out a scream of dismay.]

[aquaveiled]

So much is happening...so much. There's a part of Himeka that's overwhelmed by having her senses so alive again--she'd almost forgotten what it was like to be blind and deaf to the flow of aether in the world that once she got her shard back, it became alive all over again. Alive with color and sound...and blood, grime, and all the edges that had been dulled just so even during her time in prison. She's exhausted, mentally, physically, spiritually, but everything that's happened in the last hour has reignited hope within her belly. The hope that she and Abel had clung to so strongly no matter who opposed it--the hope that they would be reunited with their friends again. That this wouldn't be the end.

How that salvation would come is not what she had expected. Truthfully a part of her had nearly given up as she and Abel were led to their pyres, set to watch one another burn 'til the very last.

But she hadn't needed to. No, in the end hope always wins, doesn't it? The rush of allies, familiar faces and generous strangers into enemy's territory for them had overwhelmed her in the best way. Not once did she believe they would be forgotten, but to risk so much...

It stands to reason, then, that Estinien would be at the forefront of it. She hadn't recognized him at the time, instead believing that the mighty dragon that took to the skies above Achamoth may have be rallied from the forests to fight on their behalf. But with her shard returned and Estinien's voice recently ringing within it, the truth is revealed; he'd given himself wholly to the thing that had been terrifying him the most--the Innocence. His sense of self, his future, the fear of all of these had had confided in Himeka not long ago. Yet he readily gave it up to save them.

She knows the sacrifice, what he values. To think that their journey would once again put him in a position to let go of himself for her sake pains her as much as it fills her heart with love and appreciation. He is her partner, through and through, and she only hopes she can impress upon him how much he means to here once they return. How she can joke that his scales are much nicer than hers now! Tell him that his fondness of dragons has gone beyond what they would have ever guessed it could be back when they met in the snowy hills of Coerthas...

Dokja and Anduin--they suggest that they leave soon. Abel and Himeka, despite being healed and reunited with their shards, are not in any condition to join in the battle. But she keeps her eyes to the skies, pangs of heavy worry hitting each time she sees another Kenoma ready an attack against her dearest friend. Every bit of her being yearns to jump into the fray. Her mana pool slowly regenerates. She could get a few spells off--a Benediction if she could only get closer. Her one true job is to heal her allies. It's the absolute least she can do.

All that is ripped away far too quickly.

The courtyard is suddenly enveloped in light. It isn't the same oppressive light that existed on the First, but Himeka feels the need to try and shield herself and others from it regardless. Yet when it clears, she refocuses her gaze to the sky only to see not a might dragon but the very real form of her friend, pinned mid-air like a moth to a board. But actual pins or spears would be much kinder, what holds Estinien in place seems to be manifestation of pure darkness--Kenoma, likely--and from not one by several points.

Her stomach sinks. The world around her loses focus. A weight fear settles onto her heart, dragging it down to where her stomach ought to be.

"...Estinien?"

No, no. No, no, no no no no...

He had weathered so much until this point. His spirit remained unbroken! Nay, despite the wounds he had suffered his only goal was to escape...or...no it was to instigate their escape...

There's darkness jutting through so much--places, important places she knows that she cannot heal. It's beyond her skill. Beyond any skill known to any of them! Shite. Shite. This...this isn't dissipation, is it? This is different. This is powerful.

"Estinien!!"

Himeka scrambles up to her feet--though Anduin has done all he can, the burns she's suffered at the pyre will not be resolved so quickly. Heavy pain shoots up through her nerves as soon as her weight is put on them, but she doesn't care. Every ache is an old hat at this point, her nearly healed wounds could open again for all she cares. Her steps are uneasy, not quick enough, but she's moving.

She reaches out with both of her hands. Her magic reserves aren't what they should be, but she tries--aether pools at her palms, bright and golden as she tries to swing it outwards to Rescue him to her.

Nothing happens.

She tries again. He's struggling.

"No..."

And again.

"PLEASE!"

He's too far. He's too fucking far.

She takes another wobbly step. She does what she was always taught not to do, what she teaches others not to do and pulls from the aether of her own essence, her life force, and whips it forward in an attempt to widen, strength the spell--

He's gone.

She stands dumbfounded. Silent.

The joy that accompanied their rescue, at being reunited with their friends, at being freed from the torment their daily life had become...ripped away.

It's too much.

It's too much.

The world around her ceases to be. She's at her limit. Himeka lets the aether dissipate around her as she collapses to the ground. She won't awaken for another day. It's a brief reprieve for when reality has to settle in once again.