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childrenofbahamutlogs2026-03-01 04:49 pm
diceofthegods) wrote in childrenofbahamutlogs2026-03-01 04:49 pm
Entry tags:
EVENT #6: MOTHER'S DAY
MODIFIERS: A BRIEF OVERVIEW
For this event, you may assign your character stat-modifiers. What are stats? See here for a basic explanation of what the ability scores are what what they actually translate to in regards to your character's traits.
Usually, modifiers are a number one through ten that add a bonus to rolls based on how good at something you are. Here is a deeper explanation of modifiers and how they relate to your characters base stats
Figure out what you think your character is good at! Are they EXTREMELY charismatic? Maybe they have a +5 to charisma, which means when rolling a d20, they can add 5 to the overall roll. If they rolled a 15, they would add the 5 to make it 20.
We will, like most all things before, leave these base stats and modifiers up to an honor system. However, if someone has nothing but +10s across the board we may ask for adjustments or reasoning behind the decisions.
You can also choose to fail a roll if you so wish! It's ultimately up to you how successful or not you want your character to be.
Usually, modifiers are a number one through ten that add a bonus to rolls based on how good at something you are. Here is a deeper explanation of modifiers and how they relate to your characters base stats
Figure out what you think your character is good at! Are they EXTREMELY charismatic? Maybe they have a +5 to charisma, which means when rolling a d20, they can add 5 to the overall roll. If they rolled a 15, they would add the 5 to make it 20.
We will, like most all things before, leave these base stats and modifiers up to an honor system. However, if someone has nothing but +10s across the board we may ask for adjustments or reasoning behind the decisions.
You can also choose to fail a roll if you so wish! It's ultimately up to you how successful or not you want your character to be.
A LIGHT IN THE DARK
Sometime during the night, something begins to light up the darkness.
Whenever you wake due to the growing light likely mistaken for the sun rising, you feel far too warm. Opening a door or a window quickly proves to be a bad idea though as it feels like opening a hot oven. Strong, hot gusts of wind rattle windows and doors, tear any clothes from their drying lines, and knock over anything that isnβt tethered down. Plant life begins to wither on their vines from the sudden increased heat.
Charlie and Dimitri are already awake and standing in the middle of Town, eyes locked on the strangely colored sky. Everything seems washed in a pale light. If you follow their gaze, they are fixated on the brightest point of light in the sky that appears directly positioned above Town itself. It is a slowly widening, disk that is almost too bright to look at for long.
The pair of natives seem not just fixated... but there is a clear look of fear there.
It isn't long before that disk widens more, almost like a hole being torn into the sky itself, and something begins to emerge.
It's a... hand? Not just one, it seems, as another reaches out from beyond the veil. Then another, and another still. Countless human-looking arms reach out from the open hole in the sky, grasping the edge of it as if to gain purchase and pull itself forth.
Whenever you wake due to the growing light likely mistaken for the sun rising, you feel far too warm. Opening a door or a window quickly proves to be a bad idea though as it feels like opening a hot oven. Strong, hot gusts of wind rattle windows and doors, tear any clothes from their drying lines, and knock over anything that isnβt tethered down. Plant life begins to wither on their vines from the sudden increased heat.
Charlie and Dimitri are already awake and standing in the middle of Town, eyes locked on the strangely colored sky. Everything seems washed in a pale light. If you follow their gaze, they are fixated on the brightest point of light in the sky that appears directly positioned above Town itself. It is a slowly widening, disk that is almost too bright to look at for long.
The pair of natives seem not just fixated... but there is a clear look of fear there.
It isn't long before that disk widens more, almost like a hole being torn into the sky itself, and something begins to emerge.
It's a... hand? Not just one, it seems, as another reaches out from beyond the veil. Then another, and another still. Countless human-looking arms reach out from the open hole in the sky, grasping the edge of it as if to gain purchase and pull itself forth.
At last, something larger emerges. A long snout is seen first and then a head of bright, blindingly white fur with perfectly sloped winged ears and glassy curved antlers.
A halo of light surrounds Her.
She is the most beautiful thing you have ever seen.
( Roll a Wisdom Check and add your modifier. If you total below a 12, you begin weeping unbidden. You weep for joy, weep for beauty, weep for the sheer awe, and weep for utter despair. )
The long, snaking body continues to emerge, those hands and arms lining her form like a centipede.
Finally, she opens her eyes. All of them.
The long, snaking body continues to emerge, those hands and arms lining her form like a centipede.
Finally, she opens her eyes. All of them.
The eyes also scatter down her impossibly long form, all as radiant as her own. Shining with colors you cannot describe and have not seen before but are hypnotic all the same.
The heat outside intensifies.
You hear Charlie scream something, but the buzzing in your brain is too loud to make it out.
Those eyes show you everything you've ever wanted. Everything you need. They make silent promises. Comply and be rewarded richly for She has the power to make it happen for you. You are certain She does.
But then they show you what will happen to those who decline. Your greatest insecurities, traumas, and dreads are all exposed. The deepest, most painful corners of your mind are laid bare.
She can deliver that, too.
( Make a Constitution check and add your modifier, if you total below a 15, you feel nauseous, fearful, weak and small. )
"π΄ππ π πππ, πΎππππΈπππ πππππ. π―ππΆπ π ππΉ π½πππ π·π ππ πΉππΆπ, ππΎππππΎπΉππΉ πππ. πΌ πΈπΆπ π»πΎπ π½πΎπ π»ππππΎππ. π»πΆππππ ππ ππ πΆππΉ π·π ππ πΆπππΉ. π΄πππ π»πΆπΎππ½ πΎπ ππ ππΎππ ππ½πΎπππΉ πππ.
πππ½πΆππππππΎπΎ."
Then, the the sky begins to weep fire. The white-hot comets come raining down, smashing into buildings and people alike without prejudice. They explode and send chunks of debris flying everywhere. Many of the locals scream, some will die, and most will run.
Along with the weeping sky, creatures start to pour from that portal She opened.
They are dragons- or were. Now they are nothing but animated bones of dragons. Still, they fly by some magic. They fly and come to attack anyone who tries to flee, viciously ripping people apart. They advance on Town, coming to finish what the fire did not.
Suddenly, a defiant roar cracks the chaos, and where once Charlie stood, a massive, spiraling torrent of golden light shoots up to meet the assailant in the sky.
He looks quite similar in form, though lacking eyes and endless hands.
The heat outside intensifies.
You hear Charlie scream something, but the buzzing in your brain is too loud to make it out.
Those eyes show you everything you've ever wanted. Everything you need. They make silent promises. Comply and be rewarded richly for She has the power to make it happen for you. You are certain She does.
But then they show you what will happen to those who decline. Your greatest insecurities, traumas, and dreads are all exposed. The deepest, most painful corners of your mind are laid bare.
She can deliver that, too.
( Make a Constitution check and add your modifier, if you total below a 15, you feel nauseous, fearful, weak and small. )
"π΄ππ π πππ, πΎππππΈπππ πππππ. π―ππΆπ π ππΉ π½πππ π·π ππ πΉππΆπ, ππΎππππΎπΉππΉ πππ. πΌ πΈπΆπ π»πΎπ π½πΎπ π»ππππΎππ. π»πΆππππ ππ ππ πΆππΉ π·π ππ πΆπππΉ. π΄πππ π»πΆπΎππ½ πΎπ ππ ππΎππ ππ½πΎπππΉ πππ.
πππ½πΆππππππΎπΎ."
Then, the the sky begins to weep fire. The white-hot comets come raining down, smashing into buildings and people alike without prejudice. They explode and send chunks of debris flying everywhere. Many of the locals scream, some will die, and most will run.
- β Ice-breathing dragons will find their breath weapon very useful here.
Along with the weeping sky, creatures start to pour from that portal She opened.
They are dragons- or were. Now they are nothing but animated bones of dragons. Still, they fly by some magic. They fly and come to attack anyone who tries to flee, viciously ripping people apart. They advance on Town, coming to finish what the fire did not.
- β Acid-breathing dragons will find that they are quite effective at melting bone.
Suddenly, a defiant roar cracks the chaos, and where once Charlie stood, a massive, spiraling torrent of golden light shoots up to meet the assailant in the sky.
He looks quite similar in form, though lacking eyes and endless hands.
TAKE ACTION
βΆοΈαα|||||ααα|α||||αα|α07:05
When they come to clash, it is a hateful display. They tear at each other, spilling strange "blood", claws, fangs, radiant light in the form of breath. But at least⦠at least for a moment, the fire stops falling.
The sounds are more horrific than the fight itself. Punctuated by an agonized howl, Athaerlexii summons an ornate spear, piercing Charlieβs neck. A torrent of that blood rains down, and where it lands, it heals. Plants grow, animals emerge from the very air itself, and anyone who comes in contact with it will see their wounds healed.
The sounds are more horrific than the fight itself. Punctuated by an agonized howl, Athaerlexii summons an ornate spear, piercing Charlieβs neck. A torrent of that blood rains down, and where it lands, it heals. Plants grow, animals emerge from the very air itself, and anyone who comes in contact with it will see their wounds healed.
They bleed the very essence of life.
For a moment, it seems as though she has Charlie cornered, his long form twisting like a ribbon in the wind.
β No doubt, some will have taken to the air by now to address the biggest threat.
Coming close to Athaerlexii can only be done in short bursts. The air around Her is super-heated. The multitude of Her eyes see all and those hands will also attempt to grab, swat, or smash assailants.
The eyes are unsurprisingly vulnerable to attack.
A strange new, booming deep voice fills the air so all may hear. It begins to offer guidance.
To fly in random patterns, draw her gaze everywhere.
The voice implores you to be creative, find other ways to combine your strength with your fellows, as She will not be defeated by one alone. Charlie needs your help.
At last, the onslaught of attacks gets the better of Athaerlexii and She hesitates. Long enough that Charlie gets a grip on her maw, prying Her jaws apart as wide as they will open. She claws at him, screeches a horrible screech, but his hold is sure as he slackens his jaw and sends a bright, blazing pillar of light directly down Her throat.
For a moment, it seems as though she has Charlie cornered, his long form twisting like a ribbon in the wind.
β No doubt, some will have taken to the air by now to address the biggest threat.
Coming close to Athaerlexii can only be done in short bursts. The air around Her is super-heated. The multitude of Her eyes see all and those hands will also attempt to grab, swat, or smash assailants.
The eyes are unsurprisingly vulnerable to attack.
A strange new, booming deep voice fills the air so all may hear. It begins to offer guidance.
To fly in random patterns, draw her gaze everywhere.
- β Ice and Acid-aspected attacks can be used together to make exploding projectiles.
β Lightning-aspected dragons can combine their breath weapons to create more powerful bolts, or partner with fire-breathing allies to create crackling, electric explosions.
β Those who breathe clouds of poison gas can have it set alight into massive explosions by Fire-aspected companions.
The voice implores you to be creative, find other ways to combine your strength with your fellows, as She will not be defeated by one alone. Charlie needs your help.
At last, the onslaught of attacks gets the better of Athaerlexii and She hesitates. Long enough that Charlie gets a grip on her maw, prying Her jaws apart as wide as they will open. She claws at him, screeches a horrible screech, but his hold is sure as he slackens his jaw and sends a bright, blazing pillar of light directly down Her throat.
The resulting explosion deafens and blinds, leaving ears ringing and the chaos muffled.
She is gone... but so is Charlie.
Now you still have the leftovers of her chaos to deal with. Fires burn and those skeletal dragons still stalk the weak.
For anyone who still has the wherewithal to look to the sky, they will see a small flickering light. Like a flame in the wind, it descends. Within it is a small glimpse a life. But that is the least of your worries at the moment.
She is gone... but so is Charlie.
Now you still have the leftovers of her chaos to deal with. Fires burn and those skeletal dragons still stalk the weak.
For anyone who still has the wherewithal to look to the sky, they will see a small flickering light. Like a flame in the wind, it descends. Within it is a small glimpse a life. But that is the least of your worries at the moment.
THE AFTERMATH
The towns of Hast and Ich have also been devastated by the attack, sustaining widespread destruction and casualties. Still, some survivors come to offer aid.
Town has been razed for the most part. (Any buildings that were obtained via Wish/Bonds are still standing, protected by Charlie's magic.)
The injured and dead are countless, and even after the last of the skeletal dragons have gone, tension and fear is a constant undercurrent.
The Fae emerge. Once your friendly tormentors, they offer aid: healing, food, water, and trying their best to bring a smile where they can. Even they understand that this is no time for pranks. They grow temporary shelters out of sprouted willows and vines to house those in most dire need.
There is a strange new arrival, too. That booming voice you heard during the battle turns out to have belonged to a massive black dragon. He's far larger than what one would consider average. He calls himself Akkelion and takes it upon himself to help triage the sick and build shelters. He doesnβt explain where heβs from...
At least, not yet. There are more important things to tend to for now.
Within a few days, aid arrives from those further out as word spreads. New Svihelen and Vorrun come to return your kindness with supplies and manpower.
Later still, after about a week, a very unexpected but organized group marches into Town. They are all in some kind of odd uniform, almost military-esque if it wasn't for the oddly short-shorts they wear and the letter emblem on their clothes. Are they... mailmen? Theyβre some of the burliest, most griseled mailmen you have ever seen.
They are lead by a massive, white crocodile man.
This group is from Raumm. They have brought a huge caravan of not just supplies but serious building material. Without much prompting, they begin actual construction. They are (re-)laying plumbing, building with brick and cement, and electrical wires. They tell people they are part of the Draconic Refugee Relief Task Force and ordered by the leader of Raumm, Nefri herself, to aid Town as they can.
The rebuilding process is slow, but there are many helping hands assisting not just Town, but Hast and Ich as well. Please know that things will not be fixed overnight and this is a permanent, major setting change that will require time and effort to rebuild.
There is also the problem of those who died. Charlie has been revealed to still be alive, but barely. He has been reduced to a sliver of what he once was. He exists as a nonverbal little wyrmling, mostly only able to sleep and occasionally chirrup.
He cannot raise anyone or grant any wishes in his current state.
Anyone who perished in the battle will remain dead for the first two weeks of the month.
Town has been razed for the most part. (Any buildings that were obtained via Wish/Bonds are still standing, protected by Charlie's magic.)
The injured and dead are countless, and even after the last of the skeletal dragons have gone, tension and fear is a constant undercurrent.
The Fae emerge. Once your friendly tormentors, they offer aid: healing, food, water, and trying their best to bring a smile where they can. Even they understand that this is no time for pranks. They grow temporary shelters out of sprouted willows and vines to house those in most dire need.
There is a strange new arrival, too. That booming voice you heard during the battle turns out to have belonged to a massive black dragon. He's far larger than what one would consider average. He calls himself Akkelion and takes it upon himself to help triage the sick and build shelters. He doesnβt explain where heβs from...
At least, not yet. There are more important things to tend to for now.
Within a few days, aid arrives from those further out as word spreads. New Svihelen and Vorrun come to return your kindness with supplies and manpower.
Later still, after about a week, a very unexpected but organized group marches into Town. They are all in some kind of odd uniform, almost military-esque if it wasn't for the oddly short-shorts they wear and the letter emblem on their clothes. Are they... mailmen? Theyβre some of the burliest, most griseled mailmen you have ever seen.
They are lead by a massive, white crocodile man.
This group is from Raumm. They have brought a huge caravan of not just supplies but serious building material. Without much prompting, they begin actual construction. They are (re-)laying plumbing, building with brick and cement, and electrical wires. They tell people they are part of the Draconic Refugee Relief Task Force and ordered by the leader of Raumm, Nefri herself, to aid Town as they can.
The rebuilding process is slow, but there are many helping hands assisting not just Town, but Hast and Ich as well. Please know that things will not be fixed overnight and this is a permanent, major setting change that will require time and effort to rebuild.
There is also the problem of those who died. Charlie has been revealed to still be alive, but barely. He has been reduced to a sliver of what he once was. He exists as a nonverbal little wyrmling, mostly only able to sleep and occasionally chirrup.
He cannot raise anyone or grant any wishes in his current state.
Anyone who perished in the battle will remain dead for the first two weeks of the month.
Notes
β As always, please feel free to ask any questions here!
β Due to the scope of this event but also small size of the game, we have opted to not do a separate OOC plotting post. Rather, we will now have an OOC Plotting thread for people to discuss what their characters are doing, how others can get involved, etc.
β As mentioned in the event post itself, there are many ways your characters can get involved in this! If they aren't fighters, they can offer aid during or in the aftermath. If they are fighters, they can take on a variety of actions to try and tackle threats both small and large. Don't be afraid to ask us if you aren't sure and/or need a bit more direction! Most of all, we want people to have fun!
β Like stated in the event post, revivals will take two weeks if your character perishes in this event. Think seriously about that if you want it to happen! While we don't mind people forward-dating revivals, we do want to stress that due to limitations with the revival mechanic your character will not be popping right back up for this event and for the foreseeable future.
β Full Navigation β
β Due to the scope of this event but also small size of the game, we have opted to not do a separate OOC plotting post. Rather, we will now have an OOC Plotting thread for people to discuss what their characters are doing, how others can get involved, etc.
β As mentioned in the event post itself, there are many ways your characters can get involved in this! If they aren't fighters, they can offer aid during or in the aftermath. If they are fighters, they can take on a variety of actions to try and tackle threats both small and large. Don't be afraid to ask us if you aren't sure and/or need a bit more direction! Most of all, we want people to have fun!
β Like stated in the event post, revivals will take two weeks if your character perishes in this event. Think seriously about that if you want it to happen! While we don't mind people forward-dating revivals, we do want to stress that due to limitations with the revival mechanic your character will not be popping right back up for this event and for the foreseeable future.
QUESTIONS, SUGGESTIONS, & FEEDBACK
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OOC PLOTTING
β Is there something specific you want to do with this event that you'd like others to be involved in or know about going on with your character?
β Are you looking to drum up ideas for how people can work together?
β Or do you want your character to potentially make things worse?
β Need help with ideas for what to do if nothing immediately comes to mind for this event?
β Do you have a specific location, power, etc. after turning in bonds that you'd like to share or think could be useful for others?
This is a thread to share, plot, and ask questions amongst players rather than moderators. We want everyone to discuss and have fun! So, please feel free to use this thread however suits you best so long as you are respectful and kind to your fellow players.
If you have questions for the mods specifically though, please head over to the questions thread for questions regarding this event. Otherwise, please use our FAQ for any general game questions.
Byleth plotting
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Erichthonios plotting
He will be using his chains in their most functional sense in the aftermath, to haul debris, move equipment, etc. Erich finds his new calling as a construction contractor...
Kabru plotting
after that, he will be staying on the ground putting out fires with his ice breath and trying to save people wherever and however he can. he's good at organizing and directing people, so he can help with coordinating evacuating survivors and injured to safe zones
in the aftermath... i don't really have any specific plans/ideas for this. kabru's best where he can use his social/observation skills so like... he can mediate conflicts, he can delegate. he can do the manual rebuilding work himself too of course
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Elidibus plotting
Anyone is welcome to get in on that rage-action. After what he sees as failing Byleth he's going to be extra protective as well.
Afterwards he will be assisting in the clean up but will be deeply affected by what's happened here. This is the shoe that he had been waiting to drop.
Re: Elidibus plotting
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And help with his new construction business in the after.
Emet-Selch plotting
- Emet-Selch is bonded to a gold dragon, and thus has a fire breath weapon, which can be combined with others. He is not a very acrobatic flier, but can travel long distances with or without passengers.
- He has also recently regained his ability to transform. This means he can turn into a Big Scary Monsterman Sorcerer with a powerful magical arsenal, however he is largely stationary whilst casting magicks and cannot move very quickly. He will thus require someone to cover for him to make sure he doesn't get smacked by any meteors or falling debris when he's concentrating on manipulating aether into attack spells.
- Ascian (prime-esque) shenanigans are also on the table should anyone compatible wish to combine their powers more literally.
- Grani (Emet's horse-dog) will be searching the rubble for survivors. Don't be alarmed if he tries to drag you out with his teeth - he isn't going to eat you for lunch! ....Probably.
- Akadaemia Anyder will be available as another option for shelter. It contains classrooms and growing/testing/observation facilities (these will require some work to get running, though). The place is Very Big and would make a viable option for a large group meeting or keeping something safe - or just as a lookout post from the rooftop.
- In the aftermath, Emet will be assisting where he can and where he feels it actually matters - it's clear he's Going Through It, however, so expect him to be in a perpetually sour mood, snappish, and looking like he hasn't slept for days.
Re: Emet-Selch plotting
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Give it back so he can keep it in his pocket.Edit: as per our talk, Emet will locate Byleth's soul some seconds before it dissipates, but he won't be able to do anything for it.
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They'll get them both through this alive, and bear the weight of grief together.
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But, yes. They are definitely close enough whilst being sure enough of themselves that there should be no issues here other than Big Feelings About Losing a Loved One as a driving force (for better and for worse). Thank you for helping to alleviate the perpetual mage problem of "can't move, I'm casting" and enjoy the stupidly doubled well of aether.
...And commentary. Always mental commentary.
Sephiroth, Gladio, & Kuja plotting
Gladio is going to be taking to the air with his husband Ignis. As brass and green dragons respectively, they have the fire-acid giant explosion combo that they WILL be exploiting the shit out of, so they're probably going to be focusing their efforts and rage on attacking Athaerlexii. Partly just because fuck you, but also partly because the best defense is a good offense and if they can hassle her enough, or even drive her off, it'll weaken/end the assault. Fortunately, with how close Gladio and Ignis are, they're going to be an incredibly coordinated team and will probably do quite well! But it might be hard for anyone to actually interact with them, so idk if Gladio will be getting an actual top level here. (If you have an idea for something that could happen, though, hit me up.)
Kuja is...much less altruistic than Gladio or Sephiroth, and as a red dragon he isn't innately equipped to counter anything Athaerlexii is doing. So mostly he's going to focus on protecting their home and orchard alongside Angeal...however, since Angeal is a relentless do-gooder who's going to be trying to shelter people at their place, there's still plenty of reasons someone might run into him, especially if they're helping with the rescue work! ETA: Oh yeah, Kuja failed his Con check which is even more reason he's going to be hanging back. Forgot to mention that!
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Gladio though is going to get a great view of him going absolutely feral on her though, even if there's no tags about it, that is absolutely something he'll be seeing.
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Gladio and Iggy will both be suitably impressed, ngl. And if Elidibus seems to be doing more damage than they are, they'd absolutely run some interference for him to enable him to go to town. Due to Canon Circumstances and certain canon revelations they've had since being in Town, Gladio and Iggy have a lot of 'fuck the gods' aggression that this is letting them vent wonderfully, so anything that fucks up this hostile godly being the most is something they will gladly facilitate all the livelong day.
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Sounds like Iggy and Gladio will get plenty of catharsis from Goddess-fighting. Good for them, honestly.
Mithrun plotting
This does mean that he'll be PRETTY laser-focused on attacking, to the exclusion of... potentially everything else, including fires that his ice breath could absolutely be used to put out, and his own physical condition. His damaged wings will work to his detriment here, though he'll be trying to compensate with teleportation (...which could put him at further risk in its own way, since he won't be tracking his mana usage for shit).
ANYWAY IN SHORT. He's extremely available for working with others to fight, and... possibly available to help out with fires, if someone can pry his attention away from combat! I'm still deciding how badly he'll be coming out of this, but he'll.... probably survive?? Probably. In any case, I'm all here for quieter aftermath threads, too.
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maybe he's forced to go full dragon to go after him before he fully exhausts himself
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Ardyn: It's Ifrit Time
Of course, not in the way people expect: he's going to actually use Ifrit to help. Look, only he's allowed to bully Charlie. He has to assert dominance somehow. Ifrit will kick up flaming meteors at Mother as she attacks while Ardyn keeps him cover to try and keep enemies at bay.
People can feel free to mistake Ifrit for an enemy firstly but Ardyn will quickly correct them and perhaps with some """friendly""" ice breath. That's his emotional support eikon, okay, let him do his job. It's fine. Everything is fine.
Only, of course, it won't be fine. Due to the limitations of this world, eventually his hold on Ifrit will break and he'll need to be taken down same as any beast that lingers after the initial attack. While people can choose to believe Ardyn did this intentionally, he'll express this wasn't the case. Like, he may not seem to feel too bad about it but what else is a man to do? Sometimes an Astral just needs to go on a rampage.
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LOOK IT'S FOR A GOOD CAUSE
I'm too lazy to switch to Gladio's journal
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Could be fun!
Angeal Hewley-Rhapsodos | Final Fantasy VII
Really, on a theoretical level, Angeal understands that he is looking upon some sort of god. It doesn't make him weep; perhaps as a trained SOLDIER he's subconsciously learned to hold all of that back.
Because, even before that wave of nausea and fear hits him... He's already feeling it at what this might mean for his loved ones.
But he won't let what happened to Banora happen again. He won't let something happen to his home.
Being married to Genesis all his life means he can recognize bursts of flame from miles away and, by the time they start raining down, he's already moving into action. With all that's happening, a lot of people probably won't notice the sudden surge of a transformation over at the orchard farm along the edge of town, the flash of a brilliant gold dragon appearing. There's only so much he can do to keep things safe... and that means using the entirety of his massive body to get before the trees, the farm. As a gold dragon, he has a little something against heat, considering what he breathes out...
But his massive body tanks quite a few flaming chunks before that particular onslaught ceases.
It pours when it rains, however, and he doesn't even have a second to catch his breath before they get even more pouring out from that damn hole.
With the orchard being on the edge of town and Angeal being a well known welcoming figure, some townsfolk are almost certainly making a break towards his part outside of town.... which means that some of those undead dragons are going straight for them. However, for those in the area, they'll get to see - probably for the first time - Angeal's large tanky body barrel on over and slam into those trying for innocent civilians. If nothing else, the sheer weight of him is a lot for a pile of bones to deal with, and he has an astonishingly large amount of limbs to grasp onto them with while his fat tail sweeps back at others doing the same.
He even has limbs where you wouldn't expect.
Those he can recognize as his fellow dragons will get a large bellowing voice - notably not from the smaller humanoid portion of his head, but the much larger jaws it's attached to. "Help get them to the barn!"
Or, you know, feel free to throw down against undead dragons with him. That works out too.
B - Help On Land [during the battle]
Charlie is in deep danger. Angeal understands that. However, at the same time... There's more than just Charlie here. There's everyone in Town that needs protection, too. And so, still in his massive dragon form, Angeal sets out into Town to help gather folks so he can keep herding everyone back to the orchard.
Granted.... He might not be in the best of state for it. Considering his history as both SOLDIER and... something else, he technically has some regeneration capabilities. It's just, since coming to this place, he's been made a little weaker on some of those fronts. Still more than enough to outclass the average person by leagues, of course. It's just, all the damage he's taken since protection the orchard and civilians still shows as he goes through Town.
Slowly oozing and jagged cuts from when he fought the undead dragons, scales that are still letting off little bits of steam as a consequence of the raining fire... He looks rough.
But Angeal's used to pushing forward.
Anyone still in Town during the fight will find one of Angeal's smaller middle limbs pulling along a cart filled with various injured townsfolk. So long as they're not in full draconic form themselves, he'll slow down his steady (if hurrying) pace. "Hey," he says, and it's notably the larger dragon head, with is glowing blue eyes, which opens its mouth to say this and not the smaller humanoid attachment. "Get in. I can give you a lift."
Alternatively, while he is also doing this, one might hear a pair of.... roaring, being sent across Town. The culprits? Angeal and Sephiroth.
"I KNOW YOU'RE INJURED, SO GET BACK HOME TO GET HEALED UP!"
There is a roared counterargument.
"THIS ISN'T ABOUT ME, DON'T CHANGE THE SUBJECT!"
Roared accusations.
"I'M FINE! I'LL GET HOME SOON!"
Feel free to get involved in this very stupid lover's quarrel.
C - Clean Up [during the aftermath]
By the time the battle is done with, well... There's a lot to clean up. The sheer scope of everything is truly immense, obviously. Still, in some ways, it's very simple.
Easier to collect the dead and build a house than it is to fight a god, and all.
Angeal has always considered himself to be someone down to earth who keeps the regular wheels turning. So people will find him putting his all into rebuilding the town.
A part of this concerns his status as town baker. While the bakery might be in a hell of a state, and need to be rebuilt to some degree, well. He has a house, doesn't he? He has an oven. So for those who are hard at work elsewhere, Angeal makes the trip every morning and evening to deliver bread and eventually simple meals to those hard at work. "Getting through it alright?" he'll ask at some point or another.
How is Angeal doing? Don't worry about it!
Things get easier when help surges in from near everywhere, and Angeal can ease up on some things a bit. This means he can go back to rebuilding his bakery. The good news is that it hasn't been annihilated completely. The roof apparently caught fire, and a wall is pretty damaged.... but the insides, and the supplies inside, seemed like they made it through. As long as the ovens are spared and the flour didn't explode, that's all he can ask for.
So people will find Angeal hard at work at the bakery, getting the wall back in order first and foremost. "Sorry, it's gonna take a while. Drop by my house if you need anything - I'll be back there this afternoon."
D - Rocky Talky
Has anyone seen Dimitri? Also, Akkelion was dead, last I checked with Voridin.
E - Wildcard
[ooc: i'm open to anything, just let me know through PM or discord or plurk if you have an idea in mind. Or just wing it with a response, fuck it we ball
Byleth Eisner | Fire Emblem Three Houses CW: Death
While the battle is new, war is not. Byleth knows it well. Despite the initial blows, he takes up his recently retrieved Sword of the Creator, armed with stronger magic, and a better Divine Pulse, he takes to the field as always.
Well, except that he is now a sword-wielding dragon. The Sword of The Creator cracks out and extends like a whip, cutting and smashing with brutal efficiency. Byleth almost seems to be in a kind of trance as he fights. This is a natural state to him. His expression is blank, his body almost seems relaxed in a way. Every movement is fluid.
You may encounter him fending off one of the skeletal drakes, or dragging an injured bystander to relative safety.
Apex of The World
Inevitably though, he heads for the source of the problem. Taking to the skies, the once-soft feathers harden to match his draconic type- steel blades. He takes strategic dives into the fray, striking at the grasping limbs and swiveling eyes that scatter the great wyrm's body. And should she get too close? Should he see her strike out at a comrade?
Time will stop. Then reverse itself, and fate will intervene, the strike will miss, and he continues on. Those more attuned to magic might notice something is off. Something feels like deja vu, or like the world just... skips for a moment. Imperceptible to most. Byleth utilizes the ability as smoothly as he does his own blade.
A Funeral of Flowers
The trick does not elude her gaze for long, and the next time he attempts- time slows to a stop... and then suddenly continues.
He only has a split second to be confused before one of those massive hands snatches him out of the air. He can feel his wings snap just then, even if they cut into her flesh. The hold is searingly hot. He can't even scream, just gasp for air.
He can feel her annoyance, how unimpressed she is that he thought he could fool her with such a silly tactic. Touching the flow of time? In her world? It's an insult.
Then his bones collapse inward. A simple squeeze of that hand breaks his body, earning herself a clipped cry of pain, before she lets his limp body slip through her fingers. It's a feeling he has felt before. The life slipping from his body, but never quite so final as this. Even before, he had always been able to preserve himself. This though-
As fire and ground rush up to meet him. He understands.
This time, he is truly dying.
He falls (once again) into the smoke and chaos below, feathers falling from his form in his wake.
A Funeral of Flowers (cw: death)
He has no illusions about that great white beast in the sky. Nor that she is capable of simply killing them all should Charlie falter. But why now? What precisely has changed to allow this reunion to take place? Such questions will have to wait, however. He has no misconceptions about how quickly they will be swarmed and overtaken by the bone-dragons either. And thus do they draw his initial focus and his magical might as he weaves spell after spell into their midst not simply to slow and scatter them, but to pulverize their very bones. It feels endless, precious time ticking away as the flames rage higher.
The firmament above is a flurry of fire and chaos. He needs to shift his efforts to dealing with her; with Athaerlexii - yet he knows that compared to the more nimble flyers in their merry little band he would be nothing but a moving target, his blasts easily avoided with so many eyes upon him.
What a positively humbling reality.
But the funny thing about objects in flight is that they have a tendency to fall - one way or another. (Would that he could have been wrong about that - this time.)
Who can say the exact moment he realizes? Mayhap he'd been casting concerned glances over his shoulder towards his comrades in the air and witnessed the fatal blow. Perhaps somehow he had heard that clipped cry, or seen the shower of familiar gray feathers. Maybe it was Themis's rage - the nigh-overwhelming flare of emotion that rises like a presence of its own, as broiling and intense as the atmosphere surrounding Athaerlexii herself.
It matters not, in the end.
Grani lets out a low wail and lumbers into the smoke and ash, Emet-Selch not far behind. It's nearly impossible to see much less breathe in this monochrome landscape, but Emet-Selch doesn't need to. Not exactly. He needs only expand his Sight, and...
The faintly glowing shapes of souls hover just above the ground, drifting aimlessly or floating in place as their inner lights grow dim and they begin to sink - to dissipate. He leaves them undisturbed, seeking instead the blue-green swirl of two souls inextricably intwined, like a saltwater marsh woven amongst spring rushes.
"Byleth--" he calls, as if a dead man could answer him, squinting as fiercely as he dares. Somewhere. He must be somewhere... Has to be.
"Byleth, if you can hear me, follow the sound of my voice."
Can he, though? Well. He'll keep looking anyway.
Just a few moments more.
no subject
It's Grani who finds him first.
His body.
It is not a 'pretty' death. He is twisted and wrong, one wing bent and propped up on some rubble like an ugly flag, marking his fall. Black and blue, bent and broken. He is all the wrong angles, an unsightly crumpled thing tossed to the wayside.
His form lays still, the life soundly spent, there is no final dramatic goodbye to be said.
Though for Hades, there is a light, hovering nearby. It drifts this way and that, seemingly lost. That once bright green-blue now just a flickering candle threatening to snuff out at any moment.
no subject
Death is rarely beautiful; rarely peaceful.
In its way, it serves as a final test, and though it may choose to be merciful - it has a cruel streak, too. A bitter irony. That is the lesson time has taught him.
Should he be glad that, for once, he is here to witness the consequence?
Grani turns his pale eyes up to his master who surveys the pitiful, mangled remains of his friend and lover with the briefest of glances. His hard expression does not change. Already Emet-Selch can feel the numbing cold clasping its long, spindly fingers around his heart and squeezing tightly. His jaw clenches.
This. Yet again. Always...
They always leave him. Their light a cruel sacrifice and he left to endure in their stead. Promises broken. Well-intentioned but utterly meaningless.
Enough. Enough...
There is no time to wallow in self-pity.
He owes Byleth more respect than that.
Indeed, there is no time left at all...
Emet-Selch kneels next to that feebly flickering flame, reaching out his taloned hands to scoop the poor thing up as one might a baby bird that has fallen from its nest. The response is automatic if futile, born of countless meetings just like this one - the stir of aether attempting to grant succor to this spent soul. But here... he cannot reverse the inevitable. He cannot spare him his fate.
"I saw you too, you little fool."
no subject
As it is, the little light flickers, growing bright for a moment, and then seems to sigh. All at once dimming and then dissipating into nothing. No more warm glow. No hope that perhaps something could be mended. All rather anticlimactic, but that really is just Byleth for you.
Similar lights die all around Hades. Seeming to simply... fall apart into nothing. There is no return. No elegant arc to an underworld or even to the plant itself. It is as if they simply turn to ash. Some more ardent souls stay longer, they seem to fight it, but eventually, all of them give up.
Only the light of the fires that rage are left now.
no subject
Ephemeral. Gone.
There is nowhere for his little comet to return to. For this star is...
(...)
What?
Had he really expected this time to be any different?
Byleth is far from the first mortal life he's seen extinguished too soon.
It was always going to end. A single moment; a drop in the expanse.
The only fool here is himself.
And yet, he's...
Emet-Selch's hands close slowly, grasping empty air.
His claws dig into his own flesh, sharp pinpricks to punctuate the growing chill.
Except that he isn't cold anymore. No, he's...
Furious.
Emet-Selch lets out a low, guttural snarl, a sound swept beneath the symphony of flames and the distant drumming of meteor impacts. But it does not matter. There is no going back, for he knows what must be done.
"Go," he tells Grani, his voice a deep reverb.
And then Emet-Selch rises, impenetrable mist roiling beneath him, snaking up his torso and engulfing his very being. His shadow lengthens and expands until it falls like a shroud over the steel dragon's motionless remains. Amidst that blackest pitch, red light flares, a brilliant beacon that strains against the sudden surge of power like shackles threatening to buckle and snap as the force beneath it builds.
He pushes further. Drinking deep of his own darkness, his soul thrilling as the well of his aether is unleashed. "Emet-Selch" is gone, and in his place, towering some twenty fulms (feet) in height is Hades, sorceror of eld.
Inviolate. Invincible. ...Incensed.
He turns his face skyward, all four of his liquid-silver eyes narrowing as he locks onto his target. His great arms flex behind him, leylines singing to life as his fury forges a wall of daggers into being.
He'll carve her out of the heavens and watch as her wicked heart bleeds itself dry.
World of Flowers, World of Grief (cw: intense emotional distress)
And fight they do.
He is familiar by now with the feeling of Byleth utilizing his ability to manipulate time in bursts and so does not falter when the first sense of deja vu comes over him. Nor does he on the second, the third, or even when more keep coming. It means that Byleth is giving his all to the fight at hand - and so is Elidibus. Fluidly does he move from his dragon form to his natural one, manipulating the sudden change in size and bulk to his advantage. It gives him even further agility and serves to make many of Athaerlexii's retaliations miss him by large margins. The adrenaline of battle surges through his veins, but the joy, for once, does not.
Then, all at once, everything changes just after he has once more shrunk to his humanoid form.
From the corner of his eye does Themis see that scornful hand reach out and pluck Byleth from the air. There is no time to react. To defend. To save. Maybe if he had kept his bulk, it would have been him in Byleth's place. Gladly would he have exchanged their places. But before even his reflexes have a chance to snap-change his direction he watches, now fully in view, as Athaerlexii crushes his loved one. That hand releases Byleth and in a heartbeat his body disappears through the chaos and smoke below, falling out of sight. Themis does not follow. He knows his lover is dead. Is gone. He knows.
All at once the reality of what has just happened crashes down upon Themis and his consciousness with all the force of a collapsing mountain range. The battle goes silent to his ears; there is only the rushing sound of tragedy that shrieks through his senses. Crimson creeps across his vision - the glyph of his station a brand slowly searing into being, glowing star-bright and illuminating the way his pupils shrink down to pinpricks, blue eyes blown wide. As his chest heaves, a high-pitched whine begins to drone in his ears. The ocean of his self churns, all at once whipped into a hurricane with catastrophic force. Emotion builds and builds until a discordant scream tears from his throat and rips its way across the battlefield. All that force surges, high, higher, even higher still and everything he is begins to narrow down in that moment to one single emotion: rage. It burns hotter than any star, utterly incandescent as it sets him ablaze from within.
Themis has always felt more fiercely than others, but even that is minuscule compared to what reverberates through him now. Yet all of it, no matter how monstrous in intensity, is pressed down into a single pinprick of utterly immense hatred. Razor sharp. Tungsten strong.
And what do stars do, when their core is subjected to collapse?
All at once does the ocean boil over.
All at once does the supernova come.
All at once does a black hole rip open inside of his heart and drag him through an event horizon of his own making.
Themis-
e
r
u
p
t
s.
His scream turns cacophonous, reverb slotting into place as his voice goes polyphonic. White light bursts from his being and when it fades, where once had been the Emissary, now all that remains is his truest self. Ephemeral Justice given form, his transformation granting him far greater size and strength.
But he is not as he would normally be. No, in his emotion the draconic traits he has developed in this world make themselves known. His hands end in wicked claws where they clutch his lance-like staff; all four of them. His neck, elongated just so. His head and face are now more akin to a dragon's snout, complete with bared fangs, and his helm has shifted to match the shape. A tail lashes behind fully digitigrade legs - though the spikes of his heeled boots remain - feathered fan made of sharpened blades ready to cut and rend.
The force with which his wings beat the air causes small thunderclaps as he launches himself bodily towards Athaerlexii. He impacts lance-first, directly into one of her chromatic eyes. The heat is ignored.
His anger burns hotter.
Kabru | Dungeon Meshi
It's not the first time Kabru has seen something like a God split open the sky and start to claw its way out. It's not even the second time. It doesn't get any less horrifying, though. A shaking hand raises to cover his mouth, tears streaking down his cheeks and over his fingers.
Of course it's here too, of course it happens again. Of course he's never safe.Promises of endless desires fulfilled and visions of death and destruction-- it's all so horrifyingly, sickeningly familiar. And even before the meteors start to fall, he knows he's just as useless, just as helpless against it as every time before. That this isn't a fight he can win. It's barely a fight he can attempt.
The world is ending today, and it's all his fault.He's been here before, and he knows how it ends. It's not going to be like Melini this time; it's going to be like Utaya.
Some part of him always knew it'd end like this; they say third time's the charm.Meteors rain from the sky, bringing with them gut-wrenching screams and the smell of burnt flesh-- the memories have never left him, but this is worse than even the most vivid of flashbacks, it's real, it's now, and he needs to move, to do something, but his knees have gone weak under him. A chunk of white-hot burning debris flies towards him and he stays frozen to the spot, Mithan roaring in the back of his mind to try and get him to dodge, duck, something.
take action
Shaken out of his panic, Kabru focuses his efforts on the people on the ground. It's where he's most useful, too unpracticed and unconfident in flight for aerial combat. His general avoidance of his draconic abilities is put to the side, and he freely uses his frost breath to put out fires, silver feathered wings pulled out in order to spot and get to survivors faster so he can escort them towards the few shelters that remain.
This is not going to be like Melini, but he can at least do something to make sure it's not another Utaya either. As for the roaming skeleton dragons, well... Kabru tries to avoid them, to grab who he can and pull them to safety if they can't get there under their own power. He knows his limits. This is how he can actually be effective.
the aftermath
Rebuilding is important, of course, but this?
This is important too. And it's work that will not wait. If no one takes the time to do it now, it won't get done at all. No one wants to leave a pile of bodies to sit any longer than necessary.
Still covered in dirt and soot from the battle with a few minor injuries untended, he tracks down a journal and something to write with, and gets to work cataloguing the dead. Many he spoke to at least in passing, and he wracks his memory for their names, their hometowns, the names of family or friends, anything they might have mentioned. For those he doesn't recognize, or whose bodies are too damaged to be recognized, he looks for any kind of identifying marks and notes them down. Tattoos, jewelry, birthmarks, anything that sticks out. Anything that someone that cared for them might recognize, that speaks to who they were while they were alive.
wildcard
[other aftermath options for less corpse-y rebuilding efforts more than welcome, that was just. The Scene i got stuck in my head for this.]
Elidibus | Final Fantasy XIV | OTA | Will Match Style
Oh, how achingly familiar it is to watch fire rain down from a calamitous sky. Elidibus had walked outside the moment the light had appeared, and thus had witnessed the emergence of Athaerlexii from the beginning. He is well aware that this is some form of deity, and her appearance brings flashes of memory to his mind. Of his own experiences, of being part of a God, of feeling the warm embrace by the souls of fully half - and then three-quarters - of his people. That, more than anything, causes the tears to spill down his face, spurred on by the sight of her.
When the buzzing comes, spewing false promises and sinister threats, Elidibus ignores them outright. He remains steadfast - he knows his fears, has lived them already, and survived. Rather than succumbing, he bares his teeth in defiance.
And immediately sets out to protect those that cannot protect themselves.
His goal is chiefly to protect the lives of civilians and off-worlders alike. Buildings can be rebuilt. He can be found all around Town, ushering people to safety, using magic to extinguish flames, and utilizing his acid breath to destroy the skeletal dragons. The onslaught seems never-ending, and he will be glad to work alongside another.
B - His soul shall taste the sadness of her might:
Eventually Elidibus will take to fighting Athaerlexii alongside Byleth in the sky. That fight will have a tragic outcome that sees him attacking her in his Ancient-transformed state. His anger is all but a physical force and he wears it as a mantle, relentless now in his attacks. It does not matter how endless her form appears to be, how many eyes and arms she sports, he means to carve his grief into her being - to make Byleth's death mean something.
More than once he will be nearly caught by an attack of hers or shoot away from her form while dodging, his speed only made more blazing by his unleashed power. Those quicksilver movements will take him almost to the ground time and time again as he moves in sweeping arcs. She is mighty, yes. But his will is stronger still.
Whether in the air near Athaerlexii's body or closer to the ground, Elidibus will welcome any teamwork that allows him to continue his assault. Call his name, and he will spare a moment to coordinate - but his rage and thus singular focus will continue to burn until she falls.
C - The rise and fall, the rhapsody of our lives:
It does not come as a surprise that Elidibus can be found throwing himself headlong into the relief efforts. Whether that is assisting the helpful fae as they provide aid in the immediate aftermath or joining the construction efforts of the newcomers from Raumm, he will be there. So, too, will he urge any and all survivors to take refuge in Akadaemia Anyder. There is space and safety for all in its expansive halls.
But he will not be his usual self.
Elidibus is well known for his curious and social nature, always asking questions and seeking knowledge. In the weeks following Athaerlexii's attack, he is noticeably less talkative. Akkelion is here, despite Elidibus knowing the dragon's fate - having been told it personally by Dimitri - and yet he does not take the initiative to discover why that may be. Dimitri himself does not appear to be anywhere at all, but he does not attempt to delve into that mystery by himself. He accepts that those from Raumm have traveled here, but does not ask them about their city or culture.
No, he is wracked by grief and no small amount of guilt. How can he not blame himself for the death of his loved one? He had been right there with Byleth, practically close enough to touch. They had been fighting together and yet here he is, unscathed, while Byleth is dead. Worse still, with Charlie weakened as he is, Elidibus cannot help but think that perhaps this death may end up a permanent one. He tries to hope. Manages to pull himself away from the yawning maw that is the void of grief. But still it remains, ever on the edges of his mind.
So he works. He builds. He heals. And when the emotions grow too big to contain, he pulls out his piano and plays for any who may hear - to lift the spirits of others, even if his own will not be lifted. If there are none around to witness? His melodies turn melancholic, his weeping soul bleeding into the notes.
He can be found almost anywhere in the aftermath and will easily strike up a conversation if prompted or approached with a quick, "Yes? How may I help?"
D - She dwells with beauty, beauty that must die (wildcard):
((OOC: As always, I'm up for more than any listed prompts. Feel free to message me in DMs or on Discord or to just tag in with something else if you're feeling it, I'm game for whatever!))
A
They definitely are taking different approaches to their efforts, however. Sephiroth has opted for his full dragon form, a rarity for him; indeed, Elidibus may not recognize him at first.
The silver dragon breathing ice to quench the fires, while being fastidiously cautious as to where he takes his next clawed step, is certainly a large and magnificent creature. His horns look like black, twisting branches, all the more so since they have small lilac-colored flowers at their tips. (The fact that they haven't withered from the heat suggests either that Sephiroth is doing an excellent job at temperature regulation, or that they're considerably magical.) Such details don't offer much of a clue as to who he is in his off time, though. However, there are a few clues in his appearance, albeit subtle ones - the intense mako green of his eyes is largely unchanged from his human self; the long, flowing silver mane is certainly reminiscent of his hair in his human(?) form; and his wings are large, black, and feathery. Granted, not many in Town outside of people from his own world know that Sephiroth normally has a wing at all, much less what it looks like; on any given day, he prefers to look, to be, as human as possible.
Today is not a normal day, however, and Sephiroth is more than willing to bring any scrap of power he has to bear to save people. With how many lives he's ended, lives he's ruined...he'll take any chance he can get to try to tip the balance of the scales in the other direction. And not all those sins can be laid at Jenova's feet. Too many years working for ShinRa, doing their dirty work despite his misgivings and regrets.
He steps past Elidibus to fully extinguish what used to be a house and is now a charred ruin, then - after seeing there's no immediate threat to address, no civilian in sight in imminent need, primarily thanks to Elidibus' own efforts - he snakes his head down to look over the few people Elidibus has managed to round up, and the man himself. "What can I do?"
The voice, at least, is recognizable. And while normally Sephiroth is a leader and hardly needs direction, he recognizes that coordinating with other rescuers here is likely to lead to better results than any of them working alone, and is more than prepared to follow someone else's lead if they seem capable of it. (More than that, if Elidibus is still in human(?) form, he's going to be able to talk to and coordinate with the civilians more easily than Sephiroth. Sephiroth recognizes his ideal role here while in dragon form is shield and muscle.)
B
Golden rivulets flow into Town, sliding and crashing over the smoking rubble as they leap onto the backs of the bone-dragons. From afar, perhaps they resemble the kinetic rays of the sun, but closer inspection will reveal them to be draconian in shape and manner - conjured shades that bare their shining fangs as they do what they may to corral the hoard of beasts into smaller groupings and make of them easier targets.
Magical glyphs flare and expand beneath them, detonating in a mad waltz.
Amongst the chaos, one figure looms tall, a dark mountain rising out of the fire like the so-called "grim reaper" himself. Thank the star he isn't anything quite so...banal. He is plenty grim, however, with plenty more anger to spare - an anger that serves as a magnetic force for the magic he wields.
Now that some of the unnecessary distraction out of the way, Hades again turns his sights to Athaerlexii, channeling dark energy into a ravenous assault as his aether fairly hums around him. Of course, aiming would be a little easier if there was not so much frenetic activity going on in the air. Not to mention individuals he should like not to hit!
"You might at least hold her still," he complains when Themis sweeps closer to the ground, but he spares little time for frustrated quips. Instead he applies a shielding spell to his companion and begins casting another attack.
C [ Bonus ]
It's during one of his impromptu concerts, when the music has turned particularly melancholic that Emet-Selch wordlessly slides next to him, side by side with nary an ilm between them.
Familiar, yes. Companionable, perhaps.
The weight of his woe joins with Elidibus's upon the bench.
...And thus does he slouch over the keyboard until his chin falls upon the keys with a discordant note of protest - that ugly, reverberating sound otherwise interrupting the somber serenade as his arms hang comically limp.
Ignis Scientia | Final Fantasy XV
For all his practice adjusting to his more draconic form, Ignis never thought it would all be in service of this. Still, at the same time... Perhaps to something similar.
So, with dry eyes, and ignoring the fear in his chest, Ignis grabs his husband, and they take to the skies.
Considering the circumstances, it is unlikely that anyone will be able to appreciate how well and in-sync the pair of dragons work together - one brass with shimmering flower-patterned scales and wide fin-like wings, the other green with crystal-like growths across its spotted body that catch the fire of the battle.
In contrast to how some may need to yell out, the pair are in tandem. Brass, a protective role, a stalwart bulk against the sheering heat. Green, a supporter, surprisingly quick as he spreads ignitable poison to take out those eyes.
Yet just because the two of them are working together doesn't mean that they're ignoring everyone else involved in the battle. Ignis, especially - keeping an eye out on the whole picture was always his specialty. So for those a little too invested in offense, they'll get Ignis's voice roaring over to them. "Dodge right!"
B - Recovery
....and then sometime after all of that, Ignis had to help take down Ifrit and maybe try to kill Ardyn again, but that's a matter for another time.
The end result is an Ignis that is completely and utterly exhausted at the end of the day, and he looks it. The hair he carefully does up every day (even without lack of proper hair supplies) is completely messed up about his face. The barebones outfit he had on for morning work is burnt in various places. Torn in others. Makeshift bandages can be seen peeking out here or there, due to all he's been doing.
And he's still not done yet. For all his sorry state, Ignis gathers up what he can of the medical supplies he's stocked back at their home (doing a bit better due to being more outside Town then in the depths) and gets to moving all over. Townspeople and outworlders like will have him come up to them, pulling along a small cart.
"How hurt are you? I can help with some first aid."
C - Picking Up the Pieces
With everything having had time to settle from the literal eat of battle... Ignis does his best to ignore the pangs of emotion in his chest at the state of the town afterwards. There's nothing quite like how it felt to gaze upon the smoldering wreck of Insomnia, where so much of his life had been spent... but it would be ridiculous to ignore the similarities.
Still, there is something positive to consider. At least here in Town, he can help with all of the reconstruction efforts. At least he can reach out and do something more immediate.
Helps the mind, a touch.
At the start, that is simple: keeping the dead accounted for, making sure all the fires are put out, doing what basic repairs can be done to keep roofs over people's heads. It's when more help starts coming in from out of Town that he starts to find his stride.
So people will find Ignis methodically going through the town, rocky talky in hand, stopping by all who he sees. The question is simple: "For your home, or business, what supplies do you need the most right now? I'm relaying the list over to the group from Raumm."
D - Wildcard
[ooc: I'm good for just about anything, free free to hit me up on plurk or through dm, etc!]
D - Husband-Mandated Break
Of course, after so long of such a relatively peaceful life here...getting all those post-apocalyptic vibes dropped on his lap again isn't just stressful, it's borderline traumatic. Gladio rolls with the punches rather stoically, as is his wont, but he's under more strain than just from this attack alone. He's been shoved back into a mindset from much darker days, literally and otherwise.
However...he's also learned from those darker days, and that knowledge is something he can carry with him into this situation as well, so there's that silver lining. And one thing he's learned is that no matter how dire the need is, no matter how many places and people desperately need help...the people providing that help need to look after themselves, too. He's learned that when the support system lets itself break down, then there's nothing left.
He also knows that his husband has not learned this yet. Partially a chronology issue - Ignis literally hasn't lived through those events yet - but also just a personality issue. Even the Iggy of Gladio's own time still struggles not to stretch himself too thin, even on his best day, and these are not good days.
So, after a long day of fighting a dragon god, patching themselves up, and then doing all they could in the aftermath of the chaos...Gladio makes the call that their shift is over for the day. Not because there isn't more that needs to be done, but because they, personally, are at their limits.
Iggy may not know he's at his limit yet, but that's why he has Gladio. To inform him of this. And so Gladio promptly tracks him down to tell him so.
He finds Iggy with his cart, administering first aid, and leans against it. "Once you're finished up there, we're calling it a day. You can leave behind some of the supplies for them if you need to."
He's not looking much better than Iggy; his hair's come out of its usual bun, hanging loose and sooty around his face, and while he's less burned than Iggy - being a fire-aligned dragon has its perks - he's probably even more injured from taking on the defensive role. No injury in itself is too severe, but all together they add up to a pretty rough state. Of course, like Iggy himself, Gladio is barely acknowledging this. They've both scraped by when worse off than this, and considering the kind of attack Town has weathered, they're the lucky ones.