Shattered Horizon IC

[Asuras]

Benedicta received Myriel's hug with a wince, her fervor more than enough to agitate the pain in her back. Still, in the end, she returned a smile. There was no need to worry, it seemed. Though the vampiress had escaped and called for reinforcements, at the very least the knightess knew she was not abandoning her sister, or the other fighters for that matter. Down upon the streets, Benedicta rested her weight upon her flagpole and spoke quietly but sternly.

"I agree with the man," she said, nodding to Tulian after he had dismissed her sister's desire to play the left-behind hero. "There's no point in remaining here, not as we are now." Benedicta tried straightening herself up, tired of appearing pitifully injured. The pain remained, but she had finally grown fed up with playing the crippled warrior. With a wince, her posture stood taught, though she kept a hand tight on her flagpole, just in case something decided to give.

In tandem with her back's movement there was a sharp clink in her ears, emanating as if it were all around her, and yet seeming too intrinsic to where she was to be a distant sound. Nay, it had emanated from everywhere within and without. Benedicta blinked as she turned to the sky, eyelids drooping in a profound dread as their situation turned from dire to truly damning. Where vampires had vacated to offer them a moment of respite, an apparent Rift Beast had taken its place.

She gripped her sister's shoulder as a revelation washed over her -an epiphany of light that fought against the black dread that was her vision of the oncoming flood. Though their trial in searching for glory had resulted in an unexpected moment of fear, and ultimately, loss, the day was not over yet, and their true achievements still untold. Benedicta saw less of an end before her, and more of an opportunity.

"Myriel," she said in a suddenly vigorous tone, "We came here seeking success that would bring pride to each other. We took the low road and took up the duty of mere slave rescue. We might have encountered more than we bargained for and come out alive, but two mere vampires is nothing in the end. But this," she said, pointing to the oncoming Rift Beast, "this is nothing less than a legend waiting to be told." Benedicta shook Myriel's shoulder, trying to rouse her from the bout of terror she could tell her sister was experiencing.

The knightess took a step forward. First a slow, strained one, then another, and another one, becoming more and more comfortable with the pain in her back. Or, at least, becoming more adept at ignoring it. Pointing towards the deluge of sludge, Benedicta called back to the group.

"There's no way in hell we can outrun it. Some of us are simply incapable. I know for sure one of those is me. But I can fight... I can try. No..." she paused, thinking to herself, "I will. This is what my sister and I came here for. A legend to be told! I might be injured, but I can more than make up for it in my sheer desire to attain what I've wanted this entire damned day." She turned to stare her sister straight in the eyes, and for a moment, the flicker of something churned in her gaze. Something... Someone stared back, but it was not Benedicta.

Benedicta turned back to the approaching flood and spread her stance, slamming her flagpole into both hands before her and began her channel.

Knight of myth, grant me thine ears in death.

You will not succeed...

Drakanael Martosi, Mythslayer, Bane of Beast

You're not strong enough...

I beseech thou to empower your loyal follower.

You own will is nothing...

Benedicta's eyes twitched as her channeling stalled. It was true. The voice inside her head was merely a reflection of her own thoughts, different as it sounded from her own. Different as it sounded from her own desire... Still she tried, over and over. Suddenly, a bright light exploded within the realm of her mindscape, blinding her thoughts and vision alike. From behind the veil of white, a figure in red stepped forward, metal greaves thumping upon the unseen ground. Though she knew not the name or the face, she knew the feeling. She knew the man. The identity.

"I am too injured," Benedicta spoke.

"Good," replied the figure of light, "It should strengthen your resolve."

"I am resolute. I have no doubts."

"You do not honestly believe that. You would have finished this thrice over were you not hesitant. Doubt breeds failure. Doubt breeds weakness. Will is a juggernaut. Not even the earth could stop my will in the days I lived."

A pause in silence.

"Your desire must be so strong, you are willing to endure any pain. To burst into flames for your wish. To be obliterated. If you will it so strongly, then it will cease to remain within you, and will burst into the world around you. A vision of destruction made manifest. That is my Skill, and it may be yours as well."

The light faded, and Benedicta's sight returned to the waking world, just in time time to find the Rift Beast sludge that much closer to them, raised as a threatening wave. In those moments, she turned to looked into her sister's eyes once more, and found her will. A will not only for herself, but for Myriel as well. A desire for legends to be made twice fold.

Spoiler

"Hold the line for me," she said quietly to Myriel. Her grip tightened on the flagpole, and a flame enveloped both her and the weapon. In half the time it took to blink, the earth beneath her feat shattered into a crater, and Benedicta was nowhere to be seen, already hundreds of feet into the air and counting. Clouds parted for her ascent and the air grew thin. Ice threatened to encase her body the higher she went, staved off by the inferno that clung to her form.

Higher. Higher. Higher. Her breath was lost, leaving her lungs straining to withstand the negative pressure. Her ascent slowed, and as her body turned over, she could see the mild curvature of the world below, land now an indistinct stretch of green and blue. Benedicta twisted her body to face the netherworld and readied her polearm behind. In the short few seconds at the peak of the world, she sensed the pain of betraying her body, but reminded herself again what was at stake. Glory.

As she threw her arm down, she whispered,

"Armageddon."

Her descent was twice as fast.

 

[Izurich]

[fieldbox=Voyager of the Skies, Brown, solid]

Shit, shit shit shit shit, the flood of living black mud covered the grounds faster than anyone could. With its sheer speed and volume, it swiftly spread it scourge all over Yuimas, consuming everything as it went. The vampires were all but gone now, even the fearsome aristocrats shirked away in the face of a true monster. "Tch...!!" Agatha gritted her teeth, skidding to a halt on the dirty snow-covered ground as a huge thick stream of viscous dark liquid blocked her group's dash for the docks, cutting the path forward like an impassable river.

"...Stay close!!" Agatha gathered the group behind her, brown irises turning left and right, desperate in a search for a way out. Time was definitely not a luxury they had as the mud surrounded them from all sides, North, South, West, and East, the stream encroaching upon them. "G-guh!" No, not like this! Gripping the talentium spear hard, Agatha's mind thought up a questionable method to at least buy them some more time, it was either this or be swallowed anyway, the choice was obvious. "Everyone! Hold hands together! Now!"

Mustering everything she had left, the Heiress summoned a gale of wind around herself and the group, "Aaaaargh!!" The resulting tornado caught the group, carrying them diagonally upwards to a random rooftop, Agatha didn't know if this would succeed or even remotely work, but one thing for sure, it was better than just standing still frozen in panic. In the background, a certain knightess took flight, soaring to the sky before descending back down like a man-sized meteor.

[/fieldbox]

 

[Psyker Landshark]

Alexa hadn't needed the tornado's aid. As the mud rushed in towards them, she leapt for the same rooftop as Agatha, lightning enhancing her speed. Alright, time to regroup. Focus, come out with a plan of attack, and stall until they secured their escape. Glancing around, Alexa tried to make sure everyone was still there, only for her count to come up short when she noticed the disappearance of the elder Astopolian knight.

"Shit," She muttered under her breath. "Where'd the injured knightess-" Alexa cut herself off as she looked up at the sky to see said knightess plummetting down towards the black mass in the streets.

Mother. Fucker. The glory-seeking idiot was going for a kill shot. Fine. In that case, it was better to join in with her. Better that everyone made the wrong decision together than half the group going one way and the other half another.

"Damn it, follow up with the woman! There's no point in fighting separately! We join her or we start getting picked off!" She roared, extending her hands as the storm crackled around her, purple lightning covering her form.

So what if she wasn't at peak condition? So what if she had none of her equipment and only a shitty spear? Alexa Granville wasn't going to fucking die after every last bit of shit she'd gone through in the past week. She still had a friend to find. And this stupid mass of mud wasn't going to stop her.

With lightning surrounding her, Alexa leapt up towards the black tide that threatened to rain down on them again, focusing her Sword Art to pierce straight through it.

 

[Zombehs]

Even as the Rift Beast turned the town into a hell of its own, Araki continued to rush towards his destination. The black mud crept into the edges of his vision swiftly, but it wasn't until a wave of black smashed through a building in front that he halted. Mana flared in his veins as he drew upon magic to halt almost instantly. The large tavern was visible for only a brief moment longer before a wave of black mud washed over it, and tore it down to the ground. "Fuck!" Frustrated snarl aside, he did not linger and backed away rapidly as the mud surged onto the rooftop moments later and pulled that building down as well.

Bucklers in hand, Araki sped away from the black mud that nonetheless gave chase. It should have been trivial for him to pull water from environment he was in, but it proved difficult to simply maintain the streams. With an annoyed growl, he nonetheless sent what pitiful amounts he had mustered lashing out towards the shapeless Rift Beast behind him mid-jump. The water fell to gravity's hold a moment later after he felt what mana there was rush out at the slightest contact, and he focused his attentions solely on escape.

A loud boom caught his attention for a brief moment, but he had put enough distance that it was not a fatal distraction. He watched as a figure streaked skyward, far too quick for him to recognize, before he looked towards the rift that continued to pour black mud onto the land. Maybe they could strike at it and close the source, but they were far too gone now to even figure out their intentions. Yet again, he darted away and kept ahead of the Beast's unstoppable advance. He saw, off in the distance, a massive wave of the black mud surge towards where Alexa and the others were. Yet in his run from the Beast's grasp Araki realized that only those with Talentium had any chance to escape the creature.

He could see a path out of Yuimas and into the frozen wilderness, but with his supplies gone it wasn't a great choice. Better than a fight against a Beast that seemed to devour magic that touched it, but only that he might survive a bit longer before either the Beast caught him or starvation took its toll. Any path he saw ultimately ended in failure, but maybe something could be worked out with the others. Or they all just ended up dead anyways; that was a distinct possibility too.

Each of Araki's steps would have punched a hole through the buildings' rooftops if it weren't for his telekinesis. More effort than usual was needed with the Beast's presence, but he could hardly afford a slowdown. The style he was so accustomed to was abandoned in favor of a simpler tactic. He didn't have to do much with his magic in an environment like this. Ice, once shaped, kept its form without the aid of magic. A dozen spears glistened around him, and fired out in a single salvo to pierce the tide. By the time he landed on a rooftop, another dozen had already begun to form.

 

[Warm Regret]

The group made a decision but Tulian was confused with the consensus. They decided to both fight and flee, yet he expected nothing less from the mismatched group of strangers. Deep down he felt like it might be a mistake to split up and that none of them would survive. It seemed like this entire day was out to get them, to make them suffer...but that didn't mean he would roll over and let it happen. The foundation of a plan had been laid but without being properly fleshed out, he wasn't sure how successful it would be. They didn't have much time for planning but at least his thoughts distracted him from his pain and allowed him to keep going.

Agatha was leading the others towards the docks and called to him on her way. Tulian decided to follow her. He was unsure of what she might encounter but since the majority of the others stayed behind to stave off the Rift Beast, he thought he would be more useful at her side. With a nod of his head, he exhaled and ignored the pain in his arm and back, following as closely behind her as he could. An inkling of desperation could be seen in his vacant eyes as their path became blocked by the black inked Rift Beast. Before he could say anything, Agatha had asked them gather and join hands as she summoned a mighty cyclone of wind to lift them into the air and out of the Rift Beast's path.

The group landed onto a nearby rooftop, offering them a temporary refuge from the Rift Beast's rampage. Tulian landed gracefully on his feet while others had some issues keeping their balance. Clutching the broken talentium spear in his hand, he looked below them at the black sludge creeping through town, leaving only devastation in its wake. He tapped his foot on the rooftop to gauge how much stone if any, he could potentially work with if need be. Behind him he caught a glimpse of something crashing down to earth, burning hot like a falling star. The effeminate elf turned elegantly to watch, as it's flickering reflected in his heterochromic eyes.

He had no idea that the radiant light was Benedicta, however he stood there mesmerized, as his long blue ponytail became tangled in the residual squall left behind from Agatha's use of wind magic. Although he was entranced by what he saw, his mind was also churning, trying to figure out a way out of their current predicament while assessing how long the structure they were standing on would stay in tact. "Agatha, I think I have an idea." He said softly as his eyes never left the phenomenon before them. "Can your magic command the winds like that again, but in the direction of the docks?"

 

[Astoria]

Lyra, too, ascended away from the oncoming torrent unassisted. Taking six shields, she laid a path of stepping plates too the rooftop. Almost daintily skipping between them, she made it behind Alexa only a few moments after. Immediately after, she came to realize that such a tactic was far better than staying on relatively low-standing roof. If she could arrange further steps to a position up above, it wasn't a far-fetched possibility that they might be safe up above. The only issue was that such an arrangement only provided space for about six.

By the time Lyra had reached out from her self-absorbed bubble and glanced over her peers for this momentary calculation, a good third of the group was flying suicidally toward the bloody sky. Lyra could do little else anyway; she had little in the way of physical attacks, and her own methods of magical attacks, already dampened, focused on piercing and breaking armor. There was little to pierce and break in a meaningless blob of death, even if it was a rift beast of some sort. Since she wasn't suicidal like Alexa, she did otherwise.

Instead, she formed a small platform of three plates, allowing the other three translucent guardians to remain as independent shields. She looked at her less able allies. "If you can't attack, get on. I should be able to keep us away from it."

 

[ERode]

The smell of ozone pervaded the winter air as Alexa sped up, shrouded in a cowl of purple lightning. Her body filled with arcane power as she burst upwards, the roof shattering beneath her feet. Debris vaporized as it came into contact with her body, and the brunette, assisted only by a dozen ice spears, became lightning incarnate, breaking the sound barrier and striking into the black tide with all her might, all her emotion, all her desire.

And all those only amounted to a spark.

Like a pebble tossed into the ocean, she struck the waves and fell into the abyss.

Black mud sank into her body, clinging onto her clothes, sucking away her strength, suffocating her slowly. Valiant as her struggle was, the wooden shaft of her talentium spear broke under the pressure she had put onto it, and suddenly, her amplified capabilities disappeared, leaving only a human drowning in sludge.

Dimly, she could hear it, the sounds of Araki's ice projectiles peppering the surface and melting away.

Then, another sound.

The descent of a star.

A star fell from the heavens, and like all falling stars, it burned.

Her armor fused with her skin, her hair turned to ash, her eyeballs were boiling in their sockets. Her nerves, pushed to the limit by Talentium, were fried, respite from the horrendous pain she otherwise endured. Her legs were mere stumps, shattered by the recoil of her ascent, the grisly wounds cauterized by her burning body. Her hands melted onto her flagpole, the glorious flag already torn off by the speed at which she fell.

She was blind, deaf, and mute, but she was smiling, even as her lips were torn away to reveal bare teeth.

This was what it meant to be an Astopolian Knight. To bring glory to the knights and death to the monster. To give up your life and become immortalized in verse.

To become a legend.

The star fell, and hit the earth.

A shockwave burst outwards from the epicenter of Armageddon. Like a bursting balloon, the black flood was torn apart, blown into smithereens. Muddy rain fell upon the entire town, bits of the abnormal rift-beast striking the snowy ground harmlessly. Up on the rooftops, the remaining group of slaves were almost pushed off, if not for the timely intervention of Lyra's shields. Alexa's body was flung through the air, tumbling away as her restraints were torn apart. She struck the ground, bounced once, and laid still.

Overhead, the rift closed, leaving only a blue sky.

Benedicta stood in the center of the devastation, a crater consuming half the town, a shadow of the beautiful lady knight she had once been. As the dust settled, her hands finally broke off her flagpole, the only thing still standing amidst the destruction. What remained of her body fell down, beside it.

A charred body with no legs and no arms, facial details burnt off, steel armor encasing her in a coffin.

Her heroic feat had crushed the underground network of tunnels in Yuimas, and the consequence of that was the blood of the dozens that managed to escape underneath when the flood rolled over them.

But, if nothing else, the group could finally make their escape, amongst the remains of the black mud that wriggled even now.

​

 

[Warm Regret]

Watching as a star fell from heavens, Tulian was reminded of something he once heard long ago, that when a star falls to earth, somewhere a miracle happens. Standing there, the initial impact of Benedicta's Armageddon didn't seem to be much of an impact at all. There was a long moment of silence, then suddenly a flash of light and a resounding shock wave with enough force to knock him off his feet. He recovered quickly, laying on his side and squinting in the wave of continuous energy that blew past him. His long blue mane trailed directly behind him as he used one hand to prop himself up and the other to shield his eyes. When the world had settled and he was able to focus, he saw that the rift beast had been completely blown apart.

Looking up towards the sky, he could see the breach that started high above them was now closing and once again the sky was blue and clear, leaving no trace that it had just birthed one of the most horrendous life forms known to man. Standing again, Tulian clutched his injured arm and saw that the impact originated from where they had separated from the others. It was then he realized that whatever happened, was because of one of them. However, it wouldn't be until later that he found out just which one of them bravely sacrificed themselves to rid the world of a monster. It was difficult to tell what was going through his mind as he stood there, he only stared in the direction of the impact, his visage still stone like yet there was a sadness in his eyes. Turning to Alexa and the others, he spoke quietly.

"We should hurry to the docks while we can and rescue the others, we have time to escape now."

For all the death and destruction, for all the pain and suffering, for all the misunderstandings and consequences, despite everything, a miracle did happen that day and it was one he would never forget.

 

[Psyker Landshark]

As Alexa began to drown in mud, she realized that this was perhaps a bad idea. What kind of Rift Beast was this thing? How the hell were the very arts designed to kill these beasts ineffective against them? Damn it! If only she'd had a better weapon than this meager scrap of Talentium on a stick.

And yet, as the mud engulfed her, a realization came to her mind, unbidden. This beast wasn't just attacking in a desire for wanton destruction. It was searching for some sort of shape. How she knew this, she didn't know. But the knowledge was ingrained into her mind nonetheless.

As her vision began to fade to black, Alexa finally felt the sensation of sweet release from suffocation. Even as she fell to the ground, all Alexa had left was a burning desire for power. To crush anything that stood in the way of her goals. To never feel this weak again.

 

[Skyswimsky]

Myriel slowly regained herself upon the soothing words of her older sister. The girl knew she was right, yet, what means did they have to defeat such a gigantic foe? There was only one thing the girl could think off, and even that, was probably not enough. Even that, was something Benedicta was only able to pull off while Myriel would have just watched useless from the side-lines. Even so, Benedicta's words gave Myriel hope and renewed her determination. Just mere seconds ago she was ready to die for a greater cause, so what again was it that made her change her mind? Living as a coward was not the Astopolian way. Myriel had to do whatever she was able to.

...

"Sis?" It took Myriel a moment to notice - and way too long to understand, something was different, something was not right. She was aware that Benedicta's only course of action would be to channel the power of the Mythslayer: Apocalypse. Which had most likely enough destructive power to do something, but would have it been really enough? Of course not, alas, it was by the time Benedicta took off that Myriel realized, whatever Benedicta was doing, it was not her Apocalypse. "Something's wrong..."

Myriel could feel her heart ache for a moment, a lingering feeling, a sort of fear, that laughed at her for being a fool. Was she supposed to stop her? But what about their glory? Why was she so scared? Everything would turn out alright. The only thing left for the weakling to do was pray as the star descended. Pray and not avert her eyes from the Legend her Sister was about to write.

---

Myriel stood firm, not averting her eyes even at the blinding flash of light, not letting herself get knocked off her feet. Myriel simply refused. Despite her believes, she had to make sure. She had to make sure everything was all right. No, she knew everything would be alright. The moment her eyes could see again Myriel knew what she would witness: A dead Rift Beast and her sister, being well and fine.

Of course, reality was far from Myriel's ideal scenario and the moment she regained complete control over her body the girl knew where to move to, after all, she had only the image of one person in her mind right now. Disregarding everybody and everything else, her Talentium strengthened body made it easily to the edge of the giant crater and, thanks to her Talentium strengthened senses, made it just as easy to see what she would ultimately regret. "No...." Myriel shook her head as she now continued towards the center. "No!" This wasn't supposed to happen. "NOOOO!"

"Hey! Wake up!" The deformed armour made clear that this.... human being was nobody but her Sister. "It's me! You did it!" The black-hair gave off a weak smile as she could feel tears rolling down her cheeks. "You did it!" Grabbing Benedicta's flagpole and kneeling besides her, Myriel used her still free arm to gently lift the body up before pressing the Talentium Pole gently onto the body. Continuing in a desperate voice as the floodgates of her eyes have been opened. "Y-You need that, right? In just a second you use that new awesome Sword Skill of yours and you're just as new! Right? RIGHT?!" Myriel was wrong so often, so why couldn't she be right this time? If not, she could never forgive herself.[/hr]

 

[Izurich]

[fieldbox=Voyager of the Skies, Brown, solid]

A good number of the group landed on the rooftop just as the black sludge consumed the streets where they had just been standing just now. "Tch..." Some weren't so lucky however, whether it's because of their low weight, lack of agility, or just plain bad luck, their trajectories missed the rooftop. "Agatha, we try to save as many as we can, sometimes that doesn't mean everyone..." She mentally said to herself in an effort to keep her sanity. As long as her friends and Elaina were safe, it was at least something.

The brunette was horribly exhausted, her knees shaking, her vision blurring, and it took everything in her power just to keep standing. "Kh..." Alexa's shouts swam around her much like how a drunk woman would hear someone else screaming at her ears. "Heeeh..." She couldn't muster the energy to reply at Tulian, opting to just slowly shake her head, she couldn't even stand, let alone cast another spell, just... give her a few moments to catch her breaths. The Heiress couldn't take it anymore as she dropped down, falling back on her rump, breathing heavily. She had done her best... whether they lived or die, now it was up to them.

...

And then, surrounded by light, a chivalric star fell from the heavens...

Music

Her half-closed glazed irises reflected the radiant explosive light mixing with torn dark mud. What was happening? She didn't know for sure, but... the light was comforting... warm, gentle, she felt safe in it. Agatha, like many other Illeserevians, wasn't much of a religious person, but damn if there was one time she'd consider what those Astopolians preached about 'Goddesses' and 'Divinity' to be true, it was now. The twintailed heiress finally closed her eyes as The Apocalypse smote The Beast. With the dimensional tear closing, no more abominations would threaten them aside from the dying mud monster. Agatha's unconscious form was kept safe by the Lyra's translucent violet shields, sparing her and the group from the violent shockwave.

In the middle of a deep crater, surrounded by floating debris and shattered black mud, two knightly sisters were gathered, one embracing the other's still form. The younger sibling desperately cried out for her beloved sister, comrade, and mentor. While Benedicta couldn't speak, surely her spirit would be always in her heart, always leading her on until Myriel was ready to stand on her own feet.

She took her hand and said, 'Let's journey together.'

She conveyed to her that she never walked alone, never in isolation.

Ever since Myriel was born, met her older sibling, and learned the joys of life. She lived for the sake of her one precious person. She wanted to believe that the path she had chosen was correct, she wished to engrave her story by spending it with her loved one.

Now, a star had fallen gloriously, to think this day would finally come...

"But fret not, dear sister, the future is now reaching out its hand with the light of hope. I know you're able to walk as I'll always be with you."[/fieldbox]

 

[Zombehs]

His expression twisted in frustration as Alexa disappeared within the tide of black mud much like his projectiles had. Rather than tear through its amorphous form, the sludge simply rippled from the numerous impacts. It seemed to still for a moment at its latest victim before a distant roar froze the air.

From past the clouds, the Astopolian Knight fell and he saw the air ripple at her passing. The power unleashed by her blow would be undeniable and he found cover just as the ground rumbled from impact. A wave of force slammed into the building moments later as his vision filled with a rain of black. Scattered into countless pieces, and among the thousands of splats the pieces made was a low rumble as infrastructure fell away in the aftermath.

He rose to his feet somewhat dumbfounded at what he had witnessed, but the reverie was quickly broken when an uncountable number of black masses began to wriggle and squirm. Far off in the distance, at the epicenter of all this, Araki could see the smoldering corpse of the Knight responsible. Her sacrifice had only bought time as the scattered pieces sought to rejoin with one another.

-----​

He landed on the ground softly, ignored how the Beast seemed to squirm and reach for him, and made his way out of the alley. Alexa was unconscious on the ground, the other Knightess cried over the corpse of her comrade, and most of the others seemed somewhat shell-shocked. His supplies were buried and crushed under the rubble that remained of the Fight Club tavern, and what reminders of his family with them. He felt the urge to lash out and didn't bother to reign it in, shattering stone as he smashed a buckler against the wall next to him.

What should have been calming was ruined by the squelch, and he jerked the buckler away to find a mass of black sludge clung to the Talentium weakly. A dismissive shake wasn't enough to dislodge it, but once he put some effort to it the mud flew off easily enough. He examined his buckler with a frown and sighed in relief when there didn't seem to be any damage or degradation from the Beast's contact. Curiously he looked around at the countless lumps of black sludge. It did seem those closer to him were a bit more energetic, almost imperceptibly sliding their way towards him.

He didn't think too much of it until he noticed something similar off in the distance. Enough black mud had already gathered around something energetically and the concentration seemed to invigorate the nearby masses, pulling them towards it with startling quickness. He quickly raced towards it, slammed his leg into it to punt the mass, and dug his other foot into the ground to leverage it against a nearby wall. Black mud splattered everywhere and he raised his arms to shield his face. Shaking himself off furiously, a small glimmer caught his attention before it was swallowed whole by the unrelenting mud. The Talentium spearhead Alexa had used... Curious, he untied a belt pouch and quickly scooped up the Beast-engulfed Talentium with some snow. Retied to his belt, the snow swirled around the black mass until a sphere of ice trapped it wholly. With that done he hurried over to check on Alexa.

-----​

The rise and fall of her chest told him she was still alive at the least, but even a sharp slap seemed to do little to rouse her. Unsurprising considering she had just taken a dunk in the black mud, and he was a bit worried if there might be adverse effects. As he took his attention off of her, Araki was sure he could still hear some sounds from the attic the group had found shelter in earlier. Perhaps those too injured to flee from the vampires on their own?

With a few quick glances between the numerous individuals and situations that he could devote his attention towards, Araki eventually settled on the attic. There were still others who could move and act, even if they seemed too stunned to at the moment. Where Tulain had spoken softly, Araki simply roared for everyone to get a move on. "The Beast's already trying to pick itself together!"

With that said Araki gestured and raised Alexa into the air just slightly behind him as he approached the building. He leapt to the window as easily as he had done earlier, but froze as the palpable scent of blood hit him. Hands clenched as his expression tightened, and he became faintly aware of just how little he had eaten today. While it was initially intended to simply distract him from such thoughts, Araki instead became acutely aware of yet another unconscious figure on a distant rooftop. Shielded by the purple-haired girl, the "captain" of the group was no longer in the land of the waking.

"Are… Wha… Just fucking Hel," Araki finally managed to mutter out as he turned his attention towards the docks. Maybe some of the slaves had enough experience to prep a ship for sail. If it came down to it he could always make off with a rowboat, some stolen supplies, and a whole lot of magic... With a heavy sigh, he turned his attention back to the reason he had even come up on the rooftop of this building. He couldn't help but grimace at the sight of still bodies, the warmth of life long gone cold, but it didn't seem those still alive cared for what he felt.

Maybe he would abandon them like the others had, but did it really make a difference if they died here or on the docks? He couldn't promise that they'd escape with their lives and find a life of freedom, but a chance was better than the certainty of death no? With the Beast still alive, Yuimas would be scourged of life as soon as it recovered. With those most likely to survive the wait out on the docks grasped in the hold of his telekinesis, Araki dropped back to the ground to retrieve Alexa.

 

[Asuras]

Fire gave way to ice in her mind, numbing her senses to the physical loss she was experiencing. Her body, her soul, ripped apart at their fundamental levels to power the strike she was carrying out. As if turning her spirit into pure force, Benedicta struck the earth with the force of a falling celestial body, achieving what she had set forth, but not without unforeseen consequences.

For that was the payment of a legend beyond one's ability. While the determination could bring her to achieve the sword skill, her own physical strength could not sustain it. A final skill. A final word. The payment for this legend was her own life, but she could not be sure in her final, dying moments, whether or not it'd even be told in time.

Perhaps it was sufficient. A dry smile cracked over her charred, disfigured face. At the very least, she had done something amazing. Something amazing for her. Her body crumbled against the shattered city earth, flagpole remaining pierced in the ground, a testament to her being there. A voice called out, indistinguishable at first from the painful ringing in what remained of her senses.

Her sister. Benedicta could make no words, try as she did, to assure her sister that she was happy. She could only hope that, in due time, Myriel would come to understand her unspoken feelings. Benedicta chanted to herself as her very brain crumbled to dust then.

Go on. Go on. Go on Go...

As if too weak to stand the very air, Benedicta's helpless corpse crumbled into a pile of ash instantly, leaving black soot to cover Myriel's hands.

The flag that Myriel held had a new name written upon it.

 

[Astoria]

From her own position in the sky, Lyra only possessed the ability to watch as a star fell from the heavens. The flight of knightess was a sight to be seen; it was a thing she'd never witnessed before. Despite the threat below, she observed her fall, enraptured. Even so, subconsciously, she moved her platform slowly backwards, away from the action of it all and the fairly obvious impact that her attack would create.

Her fears at the back of her mind were not unwarranted. The sheer impact of the honorable knight's awe inspiring, but suicidal attack pushed Lyra back. A shield went up in front of her as she stabilized herself, protecting much of her body from the splash of debris and unholy blackened mud. The remainder went up in protection of those on the roof almost as an afterthought moments later, but they too were protected from being blown off the structure. Turning away to shield herself, her returning gaze was upon the crater that Benedicta had created in her wake. In the very center was the body of the elder knight, and her sister sobbing beside it.

Lyra lowered her makeshift platform to the roof to see the well-being of her companions. Alexa seemed to be missing after her attack on the Rift blob's form, but Agatha was still there, although unconscious, amongst the others. Stepping down, she prodded her knocked out friend with an outstretched finger before trying to help her up. In the distance, a voice called out in alarm; the knight's heroic attack had not finished off the beast and it was reforming once again. Her death had only bought them a moment's respite. Looking at her sleeping friend, she pinched her cheeks with her fingers. "Agatha. Wake up. We need to go."

Speaking with unnatural urgency, she began pulling her up onto one of her shields before looking to the docks as had Araki. Perhaps they could make an escape by ship after all. Perhaps the cutter? Were they even still intact?

 

[ERode]

Scattered.
Frozen.
Dead.
The stars crumble, and ash reigns.
But the path they took is gone.
And all that remains is darkness.
A darkness no longer shapeless, no longer formless.
A life becomes a line.
A line becomes a path.
A path becomes a goal.
~☩~
Shattered Horizons
Effigy and Elegy​

Charles woke up with a pounding headache. Slowly rolling onto his side, the fat merchant pushed himself up, surprised that he was still alive. Did that vampire lady not kill him after all? Maybe she wasn't aware that he had a cellar? Regardless of what had happened, he could ultimately conclude that he was not, in fact, in the afterlife. Licking his lips and now recalling the scrumptiously tough taste of a well-done steak, he waddled up the cellar stairs carefully. Now that he was alive, he should fix himself up another one, yeah?

Opening up the door, the merchant closed his eyes, not used to the brightness of day. The cold wind bit his face, and he shivered in his robes. Did they break a window or something? So damn dr-

It was gone.

The entire wall, no, an entire section of Yuimas. Almost falling over in shock, the man's eyes bugged out at the sheer breadth of the destruction before him. What even….what? Unable to comprehend anything, he stumbled out onto the remains of his home. Charred wood made it clear that had been set aflame by something, but at the same time, it didn't explain shit about the utter destruction before him. As if a landslide or a flood had come, buildings were reduced to scrap.

Up above, the obnoxiously loud roar of an airship could be heard. Turning up, the fat man jumped up and down, trying to signal it. After a few moments, one of the lights on the ship flashed thrice, before the roar became louder. A rope ladder was tossed over the side, and a few moments later, a young man shimmied down.

"Yo, pops, what happened here?"

"No idea, I was drunk the whole time. You're here to help, right?"

"Well, I suppose? Doesn't seem like there's anyone else at all in this place though. Crew's been circling Yuimas for over an hour."

"Oh, thank god I somehow survived then. Let me on."

"Wait, first off, twintails and brown hair. Goes by the name of Agatha. Know anyone like that?"

"Oh, I actually do! Flat-chested and always angry, right?"

"…eh, yeah, sounds like her."

"She was in my house yesterday, but then vampire stuff happened, fighting stuff happened, and I just sorta hid in my cellar. Dunno afterwards."

"Geez, pops, what sort of man are you?"

"What? I'm a merchant, not a warrior! Don't even carry talentium with me, and I'm definitely more of a talk-first, never-attack sort of person!"

"Ah, whatever, do you know where else she could have gone?"

"Uh…well, all the vampires would have gotten here by ship, so probably to sea?"

"Hm, yeah, that makes sense. Thanks for the info, pops. Later!"

With that, the young crew member shimmied up the ladder again…only to realize that Charles was slowly climbing up as well.

"Really, pops?"

"What? Don't leave me behind! You owe me information anyways!"

"Mah, whatever."​

---

They were floating, rather than sailing. Without a proper idea of where exactly to head, and with the most knowledgeable person out of commission, the plan had ultimately been to take shelter on a ship, set sail forward, and spend the rest of the day just…resting. The ship itself was rather well-stocked, filled with large cloaks for the sailors that were no longer present within it. Though most of the former slaves had to share bunks in small rooms, they seemed to have finally surpassed the trials set before them. Relief brought exhaustion, and soon, those who had remained awake to care for the injured had fallen asleep.

All except one.

Throughout the night, Myriel laid awake, bundled up her sister's flag, hugging her sister's flagpole. She didn't speak, her voice reduced to a hoarse whisper from all the crying she did, her eyes bloodshot from all the tears she shed. Ultimately, it had been Araki who dragged her back to the group, before the black mud around her could coalesce into anything threatening once more. Surprisingly enough, Wynn and Elaina were among those who managed to somehow stay alive throughout all this, unconscious as they were. One was heavily injured and sleeping painfully, but the other, the blue-haired Wynn, was simply placed against a wall and wrapped up in a few blankets. She had remained uninjured, but despite this, was still comatose.

Eventually, day broke, and one by one, the slaves woke. Some remained sleeping, while others stayed in bed a bit longer, finding comfort in each other's warmth. Up in the ship's bridge, Lyra and Araki, the members of the party who were least exhausted, saw it first.

An unmarked vessel with a strange design, heading straight towards them.

 

[Zombehs]

Troubled thoughts kept Araki from a good night's rest, but even that wasn't too problematic for him with the ship's stock of supplies. In consideration of how much he could devour after prolonged use of his abilities, he had raided a few of the nearby ships for their food stores to bolster their own ship's. The allowance, as a result of that, was strewn before him as he rested his head lazily on the table. A cracked open barrel of salted meat, a bundle of hardtack unwrapped and already half consumed, and enough ale to floor anyone he knew if it was actually of the alcoholic sort.

A heavy sigh and then Araki bit into some hardtack lazily before he slid his seat back and stood up. The first rays of light had broken the horizon just awhile ago, and it was the dawn of a new day. His strength seemed to be completely there even if his mind felt a bit sluggish… With only two, maybe three, hours of sleep that was to be expected though. The icy chill hit him harshly as he stepped up out of the hull and onto the deck, but Araki rather welcomed the sensation. It was far from enjoyable, but warmth had not done much to help sort out his thoughts. Perhaps a bit of time in the cold might.

Even now, if he focused, he could still faintly hear the thump of another heart in tune with his. The vampire was no doubt many leagues away by now, but yet this connection remained. That aside there was also that strange woman Wynn. She was definitely the "spirit" he had somehow noticed among the many, but Araki was certain he had never seen her before this. Why she stood out to him was another mystery… There was also the Rift Beast pieces, now two, that he carried with him… Then the future of this ragtag group of misfits, former slaves, and how he would factor in…

It didn't take long for him to sigh in frustration as he turned his gaze outwards to the vast sea that surrounded the ship. Land was still within sight, but the ship had drifted quite some distance away during the night. Soon enough someone would need to take control and steer the ship if the captain remained unconscious, and Araki made his way towards the captain's quarters in search of some maps. It didn't seem likely that it had been unclaimed, but it was already well into dawn and if they were still unconscious it wasn't like he was going to make a huge ruckus.

Araki climbed the stairs to the quarterdeck quietly, and blinked at the realization that he was not the only one awake. Alexa's purple-haired friend was also up here, and he raised a hand in greeting as he said, "Morning." The sight of another person made him wonder how he looked at the moment, and that thought brought the realization that he was quite tired. Unable to stifle the traitorous yawn, he nonetheless froze as something caught his attention. His head swiveled sharply to look at the distant shape before he dashed up for the ship's poop deck for that extra bit of height that would let him see even further.

Off in the distance, just past the horizon now was indeed another ship and it was pointed directly at their ship. "Great..." Araki muttered as he watched the vessel cut towards them. Not even a full day's reprieve and there was already something else to deal with. "Any good ideas?" He asked Lyra as he kept his attention on the approaching vessel. "If not I'll go grab the others that might be useful." Maybe the ship had some hidden function that she knew about. He didn't actually expect such a reveal, but it would be a welcome change to the downward slide most recent events had been. Of course he didn't actually know what the other ship was here for, but it couldn't hurt to expect the worse.

 

[Warm Regret]

They did it, they reached the docks and managed to sail away towards freedom…even if technically they were merely drifting out to sea.

There were a range of emotions onboard, as well as varying degrees of wellbeing. More than one person was unconscious, there were some who were seriously injured and others, like him, with only flesh wounds. Almost everyone was exhausted and in need of sustenance and some of them, like Benedicta, had not even survived long enough to feel anything anymore. As one of the last to fall asleep, Tulian spent much of his time tending to the others, making sure the wounded were healed as much as possible and making use of any type of first aid that could be found on the ship. He tried refusing medical attention for himself, seeing as how the healer on board was already pushed to her limits but after a brief scolding, he accepted a light mending. Afterwards, he insisted that the healer rest and not spend much time on him. Instead of relying on magic, he bandaged his wounds with the help of another slave.

It was only a small comfort, but there were cloaks available to wear and Tulian was grateful for a change of clothes. The tattered rag he was wearing was not only soiled but looked as if it would fall apart any minute. At this point, any clean garment was welcomed. While changing, he learned that Agatha remained unconscious, probably because she had pushed herself so hard without rest. He did his best to tend to her while she was asleep, making himself available to Lyra for any assistance she thought the twin tailed girl would need. Once that was done, he made sure the slaves found a place to rest and had rations to eat. It wasn't until most of the slaves were resting and fed that Tulian finally took refuge in the corner of their room and nourished his own starving body. When he finally closed his eyes, he found it hard to fall asleep as his mind kept spinning. The day seemed to have gone on forever and it was one pitfall after the next.

Somehow they managed to escape Yuminas but not without casualties. Since Agatha was really the only one on board with any type of nautical training, they had to remain drifting until she could literally steer them in the right direction. That brought up another thought, where were they going to go exactly and would they finally be safe when they reached this place? What happened to Yuminas? The Rift Beast was destroyed but how much destruction did it cause before that? Some thought the Rift Beast was only temporarily disabled, if that was the case, did it reconstruct itself and finish Yuminas off? How many people died in that town? Earlier, while he made his rounds helping the others, he learned of Benedicta's fate. She made the ultimate sacrifice to give them a chance at life. One woman managed to stop a Rift Beast all on her own when others could barely harm it. She was the miracle that saved them that day and before he finally fell asleep, he remembered how fiercely she burned as she fell to earth. He realized it was her resolve that made her shine so brightly, it was that unbreakable spirit that allowed her to surpass her limits and become more than a human but the quintessence of her true self. It was a moment that would be etched into his memories forever.

In the morning he awoke feeling more refreshed, grateful that they were allowed to rest even if was only for a few hours. He felt like he could sleep for two days straight if it were possible but they didn't have that luxury. His first thought was to check on Agatha and also see if anything had changed within the group since last night. On the way, he spotted Myriel, still distraught by the death of her sister. He glanced at her for moment with a look of indifference before continuing into the next room, however in a few moments he returned with food and drink for her and knelt beside her. At this point he was still ignorant of what was happening above them on the main deck. "You need to eat something." He said softly, wearing the same look of apathy as he did before but clearly he had some sympathy for her. Given her cold treatment of him from earlier, part of him felt like it was a bad idea to have approached her but the other part of him couldn't ignore the amount of pain she was in.

 

[Astoria]

Refuge was ultimately found aboard one of the vessels still remaining in port. As luck had it, it was the very selfsame Mauritanian vessel that had spirited Lyra to Yuimas earlier in the day. To her surprise, the sailors and crew that had accompanied her on her voyage were absent, leaving only Lyra, her friends, and the remaining escapees to occupy the abandoned packet ship. The purple-haired girl immediately commandeered the captain's quarters for herself and the few staterooms available for her peers. If her actions were challenged, her answers were simple; her family owned the boat.

As for Agatha, who was still unfortunately unconscious like so many others, she was tucked into Lyra's bed at the stern of the ship. Being a daughter of a family with a tradition of maritime shipping, it fell on Lyra to run the vessel. Unfortunately, nobody else really knew what they were doing; in their haste to leave the decimated port city, nobody had even bothered to figure out how to untie the mooring lines that bound the vessel to the docks. They were simply cut with swords and axes. It took them far more time to even make it out of sea; the only manpower available to the ship were the untrained former slaves. It took them far too long before the sails were unfurled, secured, and caught in the wind before they had stopped drifting about. In the process, they'd lost another slave, who'd fallen to death from the masts.

Despite finally some time to rest, Lyra too found it difficult to sleep. Despite having had the run of the ship on the way in to Yumias, she took it to herself to explore the vessel once again, to see what had changed in the interim. The boat was very straightforward; built for speed to deliver mail and packages, it was streamlined with only a couple decks flush with each other. The captain's quarters were on the main deck along with the staterooms and the galley, with most everything below belonging to the hold. Even the bridge did not rise high above the rest of the ship, being only two or three steps up above.

The mail in the hold was, as expected, gone. In its place, provisions for a future journey were half-loaded, but were of ample supply for everybody on board. There was even some fresh fruit, which Lyra pulled up onto a shield and hauled over to the galley along with the usual suspects for everybody to share. After gorging herself on fruit and shying away from the unsavory biscuits, she had a look at the ship's charts. As educated as she was, however, Lyra was no navigator. Barely able to understand the charts, she was at least able to do some calculations and point the vessel out to open sea. When Agatha was recovered, she would have to take over and point them somewhere useful.

Finally, after taking the other side of the rather large bed of the captain's quarters, Lyra was able to obtain some sleep. Regardless, she rose early; after having a breakfast of more fruit and a pick of the softer jerky, she found herself on the bridge along with Araki. Not entirely familiar with him, they shared few words until a curious thing appeared on the horizon. Her first expectation was a friendly Illisereven warship, likely directed to assist Yuimas. As it got closer, the Mauritanian girl noticed the ship's unusual features. With red sails and glistening metal plates on its sides, it looked clearly to be a warship to her, but of an allegiance unknown to her.

Glancing at Araki, she had little answers. "I practice magic, not nautical nonsense. Common sense should prevail, though. I'll raise the flag of Illiserev and see what flag they respond with. There should also be a signal book in the captain's quarters. We may need that." She moved towards the helm, grasping the wheel. "Whatever the answer is, for now I'm pointing the ship into the wind. This boat carries mail, so it's quite fast. With some luck, we can outrun it…" As she said so, she struggled with the wheel. It was pretty large and required a decent amount of strength to budge. "Might I have some assistance with this?"

 

[Asuras]

A Sandakken ship was built like a grizzly. Slow, and looking as if it weren't quite meant for treading water but did so anyways and prevailed through willpower alone. The pelts of beasts draped along its side in hues of brown, gold, and red. Alongside them and overlaying them were the numerous sigils of houses made of thin fabric that disintegrated and tore against the power of the seas. They were temporary. Purposefully so. A Sandakken flag was built of the same material no matter what weather it had to fare. Above the crashing waves of open waters, the houses believed their deterioration signified apathy to the forces of nature. Despite their disposition towards the land, the ships occupants reflected the belief well, or rather, steeled themselves against complaining otherwise.

Painted across the barque's foremast sails in separate parts was the symbol of their island; an angered raptor in flight, carrying a crown adorned with white fur on a backdrop of regal red. The immense size of the image was visible even at a distance, and the bright colors made the boat easily spotted even from the very horizon. Sunlight glimmered across the steel plates that sparsely protected its sides.

Standing at the bow of the ship, a girl dressed as if she were the soul of the very vessel looked out upon the sea with disinterest. The sea was boring. Featureless. The times got worse when even the birds were gone from the sky. Her ability to see worth in the waves was severely hampered by her inability to see anything she could truly own. There was nothing here but sun, sky, and unusable water. The salty smell was pleasant, at the very least. A change of pace.

Kanuni Jadar sighed, chin held in her black-gloved palm. She was alone on the bow, arms rested upon the edge of the ship. The crew knew to leave her well enough alone unless she asked for something directly. There was little entertainment they could offer her anyways. Sailor jokes had apparently gone straight through her, or she was simply trying her best to not appear queasy. None dared make mention of the latter possibility.

She lifted from the lazy angle as a commotion beyond the standard calls of sailors rose from the midship. The yells coalesced into a call she could understand after a few seconds.

"Ship! Starboard bow!"

Kanuni looked to the side as a few sailors ran alongside the beam. Sure enough, a far smaller ship, was ahead and angled relatively towards them. The ship's captain approached her with heavy boots. Though dressed similarly, his attire was of a black and brown coloration. Far less impressive than her regalia.

"What do you think to do?" he asked her, squinting out upon the horizon at the small dot that was the cutter. Kanuni put her hands upon the edge and spoke plainly.

"You probably have a better idea than I. Slaver ship?" she asked.

"Can't be sure. Seems small."

"Indeed. Why would such a small ship be all the way out here?" Kanuni said, crossing her arms. She hummed.

"It's turning for the wind!" another sailor called out.

"Trying to avoid us," the captain said. Kanuni thought to herself in silence for a few moments before another announcement reached the bow.

"It has raised the flag of Illiserev!"

Kanuni's eyes narrowed and her nose twitched. "Perhaps not slavers but a buyer. They raise the flag but turn away. They must know who we are and that what they carry is questionable enough to run." Some laughs carried across the ship.

"Their sailing is quite poor, even by our standards," the captain scoffed.

"Perhaps drunk."

The captain shrugged. "Turn for them?"

"Yes. And raise our flag," Kanuni said, glaring out upon the horizon. She stayed at the bow as the sailors returned to their stations and the captain shouted orders. They increased their speed, just enough to ensure they could reach the small cutter, but not so fast it would appear hostile. The rat's nest brought up a long, snake-like flag of red and gold and waved it about for a few minutes before setting it down to continue billowing.

---------------------------------------------------​

The Sandakken ship approached the cutter and hailed for them to slow, riding up alongside beam to beam. The far larger barque pushed the cutter in its approach, rocking the small ship briefly before slowing to the same speed. Numerous sailors stood at the beam, lining it from end to end with burly men. The captain stood above the cutter, calling out jovially whilst Kanuni stood at his side in silence. Her arms crossed and her expression remained sour as he spoke down.

"Hail sailors. How fare you on this gorgeous day? Where might you be traveling, if I may ask?" the captain spoke.

 

[Astoria]

"A flag of Sandakke? Why are they here?"

Lyra had obtained a spyglass from a wooden trunk affixed off to the side of the helm. Looking through the lenses, she saw a long, crimson and gold banner unfurl from the ships mast in response to their own. Her impeccable memory led her to quickly recall her lessons in geography; Sandakke was a small island nation in the archipelagoes. They were a warlike society, but for all intents and purposes, they had been neutral with Illiserev despite the proximity to their land. Why they were so far away from their homeland was a curiosity. Setting the glass down, she gave a glance at Araki. "That does not help in the slightest."

She spent the next several minutes flipping through the signal book looking for the best response. She'd finally found the best flag combination, "STATE INTENTIONS." Unfortunately, their bad handling of an otherwise speedy vessel had caused them to lag behind, and by the time she could even start raising signal flags, the crimson sailed ship had come nearly alongside them. At its side were two figures, a man and a woman, dressed in a particularly elaborate garb, the latter even more so. Lyra surmised the woman to be at least a noble of some standing, and on the man's words, guessed that he was the captain. Unfortunately, this put her in a terribly difficult spot; she was no politician and lacked the words that had so aided the rest of her family in their governance. With the state of the ship and haste of their flight from Yuimas, there wasn't much she could do in the way of lies. She also wasn't one for flowery, grand-sounding words, but if there was a time to use her upbringing in a critical situation, it was now.

"Hail, Sandakkens. We are the packet ship Imperative of the Mauritania Company. I am the lady Lyra Mauritania of the Three Houses. Let it be known if your intentions are hostile, an act upon us is an act upon the whole of Illiserev." Speaking with a loud, clear voice almost above her highest speaking volume, she coughed to clear her throat. "If your intentions are… friendly, we bear ill news from the mainland. It is obvious we are no sailors; we have fled from the city of Yuimas, which was leveled by a rift-beast not yesterday. Our intention is to rendezvous with the Illiserev Navy at the nearest safe port. We have a number of sick and injured aboard. If you have doctors aboard, I kindly ask you to render aid to our wounded."

They were in a terrible spot if the Sandakkens ended up being hostile. At this point, only Lyra, Araki, and a couple others could really resist a boarding attempt. On the other hand, if they were amicable, they could at least render them onto a proper path and attend the injured. It was left to be unsaid that it better be the latter.