28 - The Hungry Forest (Final Battle)

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: At the heart of the mysterious forest lies a magical trap.
When: Nov 14, evening
Where: Within the forest
Summary: Working together, and with the (reluctant) help of some menaced cultists, the rescuers have pierced the wooden wall into the heart of the forest.






The sky is clearly visible here, but it’s an evening one – it’s taken the day to work their way through this far. Those with some astronomy knowledge will also be able to tell it’s a sky on Earth, and anyone who can climb up above the treeline will see a vast, mountainous and wooded area, with the lights of roads, train tracks and small towns glittering here and there. They're clearly not in the Heavens anymore. Somehow, in their journey through the forest, the rescuers have emerged onto the Near Shore.

An icy breeze is blowing, and although the vegetation is unseasonably green and lush in this clearing, there are patches of snow visible at the foot of some of the trees, hinting that they're fairly far up the mountain.

Rescues

The clearing here at the heart of the forest is vast, and five colossal sigils are etched into the earth, each one holding an incredible amount of power. It’s on these sigils, North, South, East, West, and Center, that the trapped gods and shinki can be found. Those unlucky enough to be at the Center sigil are bound by hypnosis, each staring at a firefly spirit that hovers before their unblinking eyes. These victims are still and unresponsive, and the spirits will need to be destroyed to free them. The firefly spirits can be harmed by both physical and magical attack, though they likely won’t stay still to let themselves be easily extinguished.

The captives trapped on each of the other sigils are around the edges of the clearing, entangled in vines, brambles or whatever other limbs the trees could provide to bind them to this place. Some may also be under the effects of the hypnotic fireflies if they’ve been particularly troublesome, while others who have fought less might have only those bindings needed to prevent them fleeing. Regardless of how tightly they're restrained, all of the kidnapped gods and shinki on all of the sigils look drained, the severity depending on how long they’ve been there. Some are merely tired-looking, whereas others are barely clinging to consciousness. Whether their power is being used to feed the spell or being stored for something else to come, one thing is clear – those trapped need to be freed before anything more can be done.

Sigils

Those sigils beneath each group of trapped gods and shinki are powerful constructs, brimming with energy and meticulously maintained by the cultists up to now. It’s the same power as what blankets the entire forest, but it's focused on each of those five points. They must be the source of the spell that's caused all of this.

If the spell is to be broken, the sigils need to be broken as well, but it’s going to take more than just scuffing out the etched lines to break the magic. Attacking with shinki in their vessel forms or using blessed water to wash away the magic will be most effective, but for those who didn't bring blessed water or don't have the energy left to transform, there's one other option. The clearing is lit by traditional paper lanterns hanging from the trees all around, and any object set aflame with these lanterns can be used to burn the spell out of the ground bit by bit.

The trees and any remaining soulless shinki are still furiously opposing the rescue efforts, the surviving cultists are continuing to work on maintaining the spell, and it will take time to fully destroy the sigils. However, as the sigils deteriorate, the effects of the spell will begin to fade, and characters will find it easier to access their supernatural powers to speed the process along. Gods' and shinki's powers (that is to say, the special power they gained as a god or shinki, rather than canon powers) will be as effective as a shinki or blessed water against the sigils.

But be careful. As each sigil breaks, some of the magic escapes, but some is captured by the remaining sigils. For the spell to fully disappear, all five must be destroyed – and quickly, because there’s only a matter of time before this power becomes unstable.

Comments

[subtract]

[He does notice the unease coming from Roxas... but, surely, such a thing isn't important right now. The spell needs to be eliminated, and it's not as simple as destroying each sigil one by one. A constant pressure is needed to prevent the magic from seeping back in. He can't allow himself to be distracted by unnecessary things.

Until Roxas decides to speak up. Add pauses, his body (cloak and all) dispersing momentarily as another soulless shinki tries to skewer him on a wooden spear. This isn't an ideal time to talk, but he can leave himself like this long enough to exchange some words.]

What? I'm busy right now. [His words are dismissive, but his tone lacks its usual bite. He sounds bored, if anything.

He waits, body half-formed, to hear what Roxas has to say.]

[cloak]

[For one whose tone is flat by default, Roxas quickly finds that it doesn't rest well with him to hear Add so inexpressive. Perhaps it's as simple as the fact that it isn't like him, and that only builds upon the uneasiness that he's been trying and only failed to ignore]

There's more darkness in you than there should be.

[It's the simplest explanation that he can offer. The change is significant, in so short a span of time. Roxas has, in his time at the temple, taken measure of how much is concentrated within Add's heart. And it is not insignificant, but this feels to him more like Ain's darkness has been poured into Add somehow. While he believes that Ain is a good person, and that he controls (or perhaps embodies) that darkness and not the reverse...

This is not something that he can say about Add. Not something that he feels, and if anything, he finds it's a cause for more alarm than he can find justification for]

[subtract]

[The statement gives him pause, drifting up into the air a little to distance himself from the entranced shinki. The branches above them aren't too welcoming, either, but he can find a balance between the two that's easier to hold a conversation in.

His body reforms, floating motionlessly above the chaos below.]

... I know. [It'd be impossible not to. He remembers what it was like to be filled with the void's power. He knows that it's something Ain can bestow and take away. And because he knows that—] I'm only borrowing it. I'll give it back once we're done here.

[Surely such a thing wouldn't have any consequences. He's recovered from it before just fine, even without Ain's help. With it, he has nothing to be afraid of.]

[cloak]

[Roxas' unease doesn't relent, but he doesn't argue. He doesn't quite have the words, only a strong impression that darkness doesn't work that way. That it's dangerous for Add to assume that it can be controlled. But he hasn't anything to draw from to legitimate such a thought, and he doesn't know why he's so certain of it, either.

He'll just have to protect Add, whatever happens. Whatever it requires. He's his armor after all, isn't he? That ought to be exactly what he's meant for]

...Hope so.

[There's something terribly faint about those words. Something small about them, simply because he doesn't quite mean to communicate them to Add.

It's also the first time he's used a word that might be construed as describing a feeling]

[subtract]

[He frowns, hesitating to plunge back into the fray just yet. The void's power cradles his mind, washing away the concerns that would normally plague him... but he's not so far gone that he's unaware of himself, or the feelings that should be present. The nagging feeling that persists through their connection isn't unwarranted.

Roxas can't remember their past together, but perhaps this worry is something else that might've bled through. A curious thought.]

What are you worried about? [He can't help himself. It's no harm to ask a simple question, especially when it's a known fact that he can feel Roxas' emotions.] Do you think something will go wrong?

[cloak]

[It's a question that Roxas has asked himself more than once now. But he thinks Add is right, and somehow, the words make his worries more concrete than they were before. Had Add already considered that possibility, but pressed on regardless?

Somehow, he doesn't like that prospect either]

I think it could. Maybe really easily.

[He's having difficulty banishing the idea]

[subtract]

[He hums, falling quiet again. There's a long pause before he continues, his voice calm and confident.]

This type of power is something I've used before. It affects your mind, removes unnecessary emotions to bring out your full potential. It makes you stronger, but you might make choices you'll regret later.

I'm aware of the risks... but I want to help. I need this power right now. [He can't fight without it. Even if the spell is weakened enough for him to use Dynamo again, he knows he wouldn't last long. A different power, but one that comes with its own price. If he's going to be straining himself, he might as well use the power that dulls the pain.]

If I made a wrong choice... you would stop me, wouldn't you?

[cloak]

[If he made a wrong choice. That suggests that Add has considered the possibility of making a mistake, which almost sits at odds with his usual air of confidence. Or something that resembles it anyway. It's something he wonders about, but that's not the matter at hand.

As a shinki, would it be his place to stop Add? He doesn't understand the full scope of how the system works, or even what his role is. But it's something he hadn't considered before, in the short days since he had initially been made a part of all this.

Still, it isn't hard to arrive at an answer]

Armor is meant to protect, right? If that's my job, then...

[Where his existence is surrounded by so much uncertainty, the words someone told him on his first day still remain with him. He's armor, so he can keep Add safe]

I'll protect you, even from yourself.

[subtract]

[He knows he makes a lot of mistakes. Especially in a state like this...

But Roxas has always had his back. Why should it be any different now? Even if he doesn't remember, he's still the same reliable person Add could always depend on. And he's someone Add can trust to have an objective opinion, when it comes to most things.

He trusts Roxas. He knows he'll be safe, as long as they're together.

He exhales slowly, testing the weight of the scythe in his hands again.]

Then there's nothing to worry about. I'm counting on you.

[Add allows himself to descend, immediately searching for a new target to swing his weapon at. He might still need a reminder that murder is bad, though.]

[cloak]

[Add is counting on him. Something about that thought is reassuring, warm in a curious way he doesn't quite grasp. If Add thinks he can do it though, then he just has to make sure that he does. And if he's armor, then surely he's well-suited to a purpose like this.

It should be easy for him to protect Add so long as he works hard, right?]

Then...I won't let you down.

[Then days later somebody assassinates Add, woops]