In a cataclysm known as the Nightfall, the worlds were almost completely destroyed by a harrowing surge of darkness.
In the shadows of the ensuing chaos a new group has taken shape. Led by an Aegyl named Kalos, the 11th Hour touts an esoteric knowledge of how to combat the darkness and restore the worlds. They might be the worlds’ best chance at survival; but nobody really knows enough about them to confirm or deny their claims.
On the brink of collapse, the universe holds its breath in anticipation. Of restoration? Of destruction? It is up to individuals like yourself to decide.
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There aren't enough praises in the world I'd like to give to wonderful coders for the Proboards community. The following have contributed to World Destiny in some way: W3 Schools for countless how-tos and countless of other souls who have helped get WD up to where it is.
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Zidane was cute, that much Zephyr was sure. She was unused to such flirtatious behavior, and it felt nice for once to have such positive attention when Zephyr could usually expect to be shunned and ostracized by her peers. Her smirk grew into a warm smile, but she dropped it once he mentioned how lonely it was out here. Lonely, that was the word. Was that what the wolf had felt? Why it had howled the way it did? Lonely. For some reason her head went back to the frame, eyeing it and wondering. What was a lonely frame doing laying abandoned in the middle of a courtyard? Who did it belong to? Why did it seem to call to her?
She started at Zidane's touch, her wings giving a jerk and her head snapping up. Turning her gaze, she narrowed her eyes, peering into his face. Did he really believe what he said? "Do you think so?" she murmured as she turned her focus back to the frame. It felt odd with his hand on her shoulder like that. Her skin itched—she wanted to shrug it off—but she made no movement to dispel his touch. For some reason it seemed to calm her nerves, as though he could actually deliver on his ridiculous promise.
The sound of a snort caught her attention. It was slight but audible, and Zephyr remembered the howl that had echoed across the square mere moments ago. Resting her hand on her hammer she sought out the noise, but Zidane was already on the move, slinking away from her as he went to investigate. Leaving him to his own devices, sure that he could take care of himself if something was amiss, Zephyr once again focused on the frame. Whatever the noise was, it was time for them to move. Stooping low, she picked up the frame so that it was standing straight then set it under her left arm. There she stood waiting, listening to the wind whistle through the trees, straining her ears for any sounds of wolves when the sound of murmuring caught her ears.
Her eyes darted in their sockets before she pulled one cobalt lens from her head. The world crystalized into sharp lines and distinct details. Zidane was off in the distance, talking to some … girl with red hair. Some girl? What by the Ancestors was she doing out here in the middle of nowhere? Surely not looking at statues. That was just dumb. And what was Zidane doing talking to her? Annoyance began to wear the edges of Zephyr's patience. Pulling her goggles back to the top of her head, she called out to them, hefting the frame in her arm to indicate that she had what she needed and she was ready to leave.
Amelia had heard one of the two approaching her through the snow, but she kept most of her attention on the statue and only glanced out of the corner of her eye when the person—the boy—came to a stop at her side. His stance wasn't aggressive at least, which was the first thing she had worried about. Her nervous heart still thumped a little painfully in her chest as the anxiety receded, but it was settling down to match her outward calm. Hm...
A little tanned. Blond hair. Not bad looking, Mia had to admit, even if he was an inch or two shorter than her. The smirking, though—the smirking she didn't like. She gave him a quick once-over, barely turning her head, and paused when she noticed the golden tail.
A boy with a tail and a girl with wings. What a strange gathering. Mia touched her silver chain and looked back at the statue without really looking at it. Then again, everything was already strange. It was almost normal.
“You know, I like this statue too. It’s cut pretty well, but, not as well as the lady next to me.”
It took a moment for Amelia to register what she had just heard. She turned to look at the boy, a blank expression on her face as she processed. She stopped herself from saying a dumb, flat, "What?" Flirting was not something she was exactly familiar with; she'd been too absorbed with learning magic during that time when teenagers first started to show blatant interest in the opposite sex, and by the time she'd begun to find herself interested in boys, it'd been a bit too late.
Mia allowed herself a tiny, somewhat uneasy smile, but said nothing. Not what she expected, but she wouldn't say it was entirely unwelcomed either.
She hadn't forgotten the other girl, but her speaking up surprised Mia anyway. The winged girl had that shiny golden object tucked under her arm. "Hey! There are wolves about, you know." Right. Wolves. Mia was a city girl—the only animals she knew well were pigeons, rats, and stray cats. She didn't know what restless wolves sounded like, but she supposed that's what they were. "What's going on?" she asked calmly, nodding in the direction she was sure the most recent howls came from.
"We're being stalked," Zephyr said, her tone deadpan and serious. What were they doing? It hurt Zephyr to think that Zidane's attention was suddenly divided, or that he had simply lost interest to move on to the next girl like so many others. She could probably see straight. Everyone could see straight.
She wanted to see what was going on but she knew they were watching her, and she couldn't use her goggles now. So she shifted in her stance, hefting the frame so that it was in a more comfortable position, making it clear that she was growing impatient.
They were taking too long. Turning on her heel, Zephyr began to stalk away, back to the brighter Districts.
The sound of howls was ominous enough, but it was not long before those wails of sadness were replaced by snarls and deep growls, dark and terrible. Sharp barks and grunts laced with threat and fear could be heard, if one cared to listen, closely, coming from the dark recesses of a nearby district.
Nothing changed. The temperature did not drop, the lights did not flicker, the shadows did not give away their secrets. Traverse Town did not care if its inhabitants lived for died or evolved or escaped. It's beauty lay in its savagery. Yet even the stoutest heart would not have been able to deny that danger was alert and on the move.
Relief faded away quickly. Amelia watched with a sinking feeling as the winged girl began to march off through the snow. Being stalked... She glanced up to the sky listening as the howls evolved into fierce snarls, and a chill unrelated to the ever-present cold ran down her spine. She pursed her lips to hide a grimace, tapping her fingers against her quarterstaff and looking over her shoulder towards Monkey Boy for only a second before she hurried after the winged girl.
It had been a while since she'd felt panic like this, and it had sprouted and grown in the span of just a few minutes. She didn't like it. Every time her heart sped up or skipped a beat, it hurt. If worse came to worst, she had the bright shard and power crystal, and that spirit shard for Soldier. And Shadow. But she'd rather not have to use up her already low stock so quickly.
Mia kept her pace, following a few steps behind and making no effort to hide that fact. "Heading out?" she asked neutrally. She'd might as well head out too if that was the case. Safety in numbers and all that.
From Zephyr’s deadly serious tone to the question that came from the red headed cutie, anyone could see the sudden shift in the atmosphere. The mere thought brought with it a quick and sudden shudder that started from from the top of his shoulder and ended after passing through his spinal cord and his swift swaying tail. The odd statues all lost their value as the teen turned to the staff wielder, in preparation to answer her when again, something decided to interrupt his moment.
The sounds were far more threatening and carried more warning than ever before, the very air chilled with the silence that this new series of howling brought about. Zidane raised a brow when he finally caught sight of the bird girl stalking away, enigmatic mirror tucked under her shoulder. What in the world was she doing? And then cutie number two pranced off after her. After pondering both for a second, the blonde picked up his feet and took off after them, metal singing through the turbulent air as he drew the daggers out of their respective sheaths.
These ladies were in danger; did they really think they could simply vacate the area and expect to be home free? Life was never that simple, and Zidane had the inkling that it was about to get a lot more complicated. “Hey, wait a sec!” He called, only after ‘skidding’ to a halt in front of them, the smile on his face betrayed the tense atmosphere. “You’re both gonna abandon little ol’ me? We haven’t even gotten to know each other yet! ‘Sides,” he said, directing blue hues into the distance, “They’re coming.” Clenching the handles of his lavender weaponry, he stepped out onto the front line, waiting for said enemies to emerge out of their hiding spots. Their feral growls only indicated that they were ready to pounce, and, him, being a gift to the ladies, couldn’t help but try to protect them both from what was about to come.
Zephyr slowed her steps to a halt as the sudden sound of harsh growling and snarls cut off her egress. She turned her head, listening. They had come from the District entrance, the way she had come, and unless there was another exit it seemed as though she was stuck. Despite her best efforts, she could not prevent the sudden terrifying chill that ran down her spine. These sounds were nothing like the hurtful howl she had heard earlier. This was aggressive and threatening, and Zephyr wondered how close she was to imminent danger. Perhaps it had been a bad idea to cut herself off from the group. She wanted to turn back, but her stubbornness stopped her. If she wanted to hold some sort of control over the situation, at least she could have it in the most ludicrous way possible.
Her hand went to the top of her head, ready to pull her goggles over her eyes and return the world to its crisp focus, but it was at that time someone decided to join her, the sound of their boots loud in the quiet that followed the snarls. With her hand caught around the leather bridge, the Aeristocrat began drumming her fingers on the top of her skull, giving the appearance of being deep in thought.
"Heading out?" the girl said, which stopped Zephyr's drumming and managed to put a slight damper on her feelings. It was not Zidane that had come to her side, but the girl instead. The Aeristocrat pursed her lips, annoyed at the question. Wasn't it clear to her they couldn't move forward, that their only exit lay in the path of angry wolves?
"Not anymore," she muttered, answering her question regardless. She wished she hadn't come, that she had stuck by with Zidane behind her. She would have felt safe wearing her goggles, but not while there was no reason to. The girl would suspect, then. Zephyr bit her lip, musing. If only Jispo were here; her heart ached with his absence.
And then Zidane joined them, which managed to put Zephyr at some ease. At least he could feel the tense atmosphere around them. Zephyr shifted in her stance, her good wing giving a shake. She didn't know what to do. Her hammer hung at her side, but her arm was preoccupied holding the frame. She didn't want to abandon it, but that left her open to attack. Decisions, decisions.
She'd wait. Find out if these wolves really did mean them harm or if they'd leave them be. They were in a group now, and Zidane's aggressiveness might be enough to ward off any attack.
Two things Amelia didn't want to hear. Safety in numbers, she repeated to herself, digging her heels into the snow. Monkey Boy was coming along too? Fine by her. Anyone who wandered around the edges of town had to have some self-defense; the boy his daggers, and a quick once-over told her that the girl had a hammer. But the girl was holding the giant golden... frame as well.
Mia stared in the direction the loudest growls came from and slowly reached into her bag with one hand. No sudden movements... She opened her gem case, but she waited to assess the wolves before she decided which summon to pick if it came down to it.
She really hoped it wouldn't come down to it, but with the way things were looking...
Apr 28, 2013 16:11:36 GMT -4
Last Edit: Apr 28, 2013 16:12:44 GMT -4 by Deleted
The growling never stopped, but neither was the group attacked. Zephyr cocked her head, listening. It was odd. What had gotten those wolves' interest, if not them?
Shoulders slumping, exhaling a breath she had forgotten was held inside, Zephyr took a moment to scratch her nose. She was unaware if the rest of the group were at any ease, but they didn't concern her at the moment. Ready to hiss a hush if anyone objected, Zephyr walked past Zidane to the outskirts of their safety bubble, then took another step past the brink because she was feeling reckless.
With one hand placed on the trunk of a tree, Zephyr leaned forward, straining her ears for any sort of noise she might have missed, something beneath the growling that she had failed to notice. Without vision to aid her, Zephyr had honed her other senses to a fine point, and if she knew how to cover up the fact that she was blind as a bat, she was also able to discern special nuances others might fail to pick up.
((Note: If anyone tries to stop her or make any noise, Zephyr will hush them up and give them a dirty glare for it.))
Listening closely, Zephyr would have heard the sound of jaws snapping and low growls, interrupted by whines and cries of pain, fear, and base anger. The wolves were not merely threatening but actively participating in a fight for their lives. There was desperation their and a fierce will to live.
There was something there, she knew it, something that raised the hairs on the back of her neck and set her feathers twitching. She thought it was whining, or some cry of distress, although she couldn't be certain.
Forgetting her companions at the moment, Zephyr stepped out into the darkness, each step having a slow and deliberate placement to it. As she moved from tree to tree she kept her head up and her ears alert, hesitating just long enough behind a trunk to lean forward, listening to the growls and confirming her original suspicion; some sort of fight had occupied the wolves' attention. Whether or not heartless was involved was beyond her scope. She knew they were silent hunters, and they didn't seem to have the capacity to make sounds, only a desire to feed on the hearts of others. Zephyr paused at a tree, allowing the shudder to pass through her, remembering the vivid battle for her life the night she found herself in Traverse Town. Mute as they may be, but she would never forget the sound of their snapping jaws, very much what she was hearing now. Casting her eyes to the ground, Zephyr fought the knot that was forming in her throat, trying to breathe around it as she remembered. Heartless were unnerving creatures.
A sharp howl cut through her thoughts, catching her attention and steeling her resolve. If Heartless were involved it only made the situation more dire. Drawing a breath, Zephyr stepped forward.
((Note: As Zephyr is lost between the here-and-now and the then-and-there, Zidane and Amelia are on the very outskirts of her thoughts. She's all but forgotten them. She'll ignore anything said to her, and if someone touches her, she won't notice. However, a shake or something substantial would be enough to break her trance-like state.))
Waiting, waiting and... nothing. Mia glanced around at the trees, the motionlessness a stark contrast to the noises beyond sight. She expected a wolf to jump out and attack at any moment, but it didn't happen. Not that she was disappointed, mind, but if the wolves weren't coming after them, what was winding them up so badly?
"What's going on?" she asked quietly, her grip on her quarterstaff slackening. Maybe it was far-fetched to think that a winged girl or a boy with a tail would understand the sounds better than her—or maybe it wasn't. She glanced between the two of them, as if either might divulge an answer. Then she saw the girl's shoulders relax, and she watched as the girl stepped forward towards the noise.
"Where is she going?" Mia asked, more to herself than anyone else. Even if she no longer seemed concerned about being attacked, moving towards the wolves was undoubtedly unsafe. If the wolves weren't coming after them, Mia wanted to steer around the chaos to the exit, not go straight through it. But the winged girl was walking beyond the trees without waiting for them, and who knew what was wreaking havoc the dark? (Heartless were the first things to come to mind.) Mia gave a quiet, anxious sigh before she started to follow, only with much more caution.
The sound of wolves fighting for their very lives continued, growing progressively desperate. Deep throaty growls followed high-pitched squeals of pain bouncing on the broken pavement. It was clear by now that the wolves were not as nearby as first supposed, but grappling from within the First District.
What was mysterious was the absence of any other sound. Their enemy was a silent hunter, which gave no warning. An enemy that slid along the shadows, appearing between the cracks of reality, and slithering in the darkness, preying upon the light.
Then something just broke.
A howl pierced the air so cold and full of death, it would have frozen hell-fire. A cry answered it followed by a fierce surge of growling that seem to speak of a last, ditch attempt at life. But now the song of battle was a solo. Whatever was fighting the wolves was winning.
As her steps drew closer, it became more apparent that the wolves were in a fight for their lives. Against, what, Zephyr still had no idea, but the thought of heartless involved grew to an unnerving pitch. Her deliberate and careful pace increased in speed until she found herself abandoning all sense of precaution, from a slow jog to a speedy run, dodging trees that seemed to come out of nowhere, dark and blurred obstacles that popped up at the most inconvenient times.
Breaking through the woodlands, Zephyr near crashed into the huge sturdy door that led into the First District. Cursing aloud at her luck and eyesight, she put a hand on the wood, searching blindly for the handle. The growls were increasing in pitch, growing more desperate by the second, and all that stopped her from reaching them was this damn door.
At length her searching hand found the brass door knob. Pulling with all her might, the sounds of the fight increased tenfold through the widening crack that joined the two districts. Then a piercing howl split the air that filled Zephyr's entire being with dread; a sound of pain and death. Casting the frame behind her, Zephyr placed both hands on the door and pulled until the crack was wide enough for her to squeeze through. Equipping her hammer in her left hand and pulling her goggles down with her right, she rushed to the wolves' aid.
There was no doubt in her mind that heartless were involved. She hoped she was not too late.